POSITION: City Attorney – City of Natchitoches

DESCRIPTION: The City Attorney shall serve as Chief Legal advisor to the Mayor, council and all departments, offices and agencies, shall represent the City in all legal proceedings and shall perform any other duties prescribed by the City charter or by ordinances.

QUALIFICATIONS: The City attorney shall be an attorney licensed to practice in the courts of Louisiana with at least five (5) year’s experience in the practice of law.

CONTACT: Resume’s may be mailed or dropped off at the City of Natchitoches, Human Resources Department, located
at 1400 Sabine Street, or P.O. Box 37, Natchitoches, LA 71458-0037.

Resume’s may also be dropped off upstairs at City hall, located at 700 Second St.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Applications will be accepted through
September 30, 2020

THE CITY OF NATCHITOCHES IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

December 25, 1946 – September 19, 2020

Graveside service for Mr. Walter Poche’, Jr. will be held at 11 am on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at Fern Park Cemetery in Natchitoches. Those honored to serve as pallbearers include Carroll Poche’, Dakota Poche’, Dalton Poche’, Aaron Poche’, Donald Horton, Burt Poche’, Jr., and Caleb Poche’. The family will receive friends from 5 pm until 8 pm on Monday, September 21, 2020, at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home and again on Tuesday the 22ndfrom 8 am until 10:45 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home.

Walter was born on December 25, 1946 and passed away on September 19, 2020 with his loving family by his side. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Poche’, Sr. and Audrey May (LaCaze) Poche’; and a brother Kim Poche’.

He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Poche’; a son, Brandon Poche’ and wife Dee and their daughter Gracie; a daughter, Lori Poche and her son Aaron; a sister, Judy Kaufman and husband Dave; and brothers, Byron Poche’, Burt Poche’, Sr. and wife Brooksie, and Carroll Poche’ and wife Kathy; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Dr. Dhawan and the staff at Northwest LA Cancer Center and to the staff at Hospice of Natchitoches for all the care provided to Walter during a difficult time.

The Natchitoches Lions Club held its official Officer Installation Banquet on Sept. 17 at Cane River Brewing. Officers include MiMi Stoker as the Lion Tamer, Don Brown as Secretary, Mary Hooper as Membership Chair, Heather Fredieu as Treasurer, Sarah Giannone as Vice President, and Josh Pierson as President. Immediate Past President Michele Waskom installed the new officers at the club’s first meeting in six months.

Members serving on the board of directors include Peggy Gilbert, Vallery Washington, Shantura Payne, and Jerry Silman.

Baton Rouge– Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain, D.V.M., announced on Sept. 18 that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. An additional $14 billion will go to agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs as a result of COVID-19. In May, the USDA announced up to $16 billion in direct payments to America’s farmers and ranchers who suffered losses during the pandemic.

“This additional money will benefit our farmers and ranchers who have been struggling to stay in business. This has been an exceptionally tough year for most Americans. It’s imperative we keep our agriculture producers operating so we can at least sustain our food supply chain,” said Strain.

Signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) will begin September 21 through December 11, 2020.

CFAP provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19. The funds are available through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and CARES ACT to support row crops, livestock, specialty crops, dairy, aquaculture and many additional commodities.

Most recently, the USDA extended the deadline for farmers and ranchers to apply for the CFAP from Sept. 11, 2020, to Oct. 9, 2020, for producers in areas impacted by Hurricane Laura.

Producers can apply for CFAP 2 through their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. If eligible, producers will be compensated for ongoing market disruptions and assisted with associated marketing costs. All eligible commodities, payment rates, and calculations can be found on farmers.gov/cfap. 

Football time is here! Natchitoches Central High School football is ready for the 2020 season and we hope our fans are too. We look forward to having all our fans at the games and so with that being said, we want to get out some information regarding attendance. Due to the Phase III guidelines, we will have a seating capacity at all our home games. Due to this, we’ve created a process of how tickets will be sold and distributed for our home games. Below you will find information and the process of purchasing a ticket to our games:

Members of the football team, Cheerleaders, Chiefettes, Maroon Line, and band will be given 2 tickets per member for them to be purchased by Wednesday at 3 p.m. These tickets must be paid for by that time or those unsold tickets go to the general admission sales. If you have a child in any of these groups, contact their coach or sponsor to purchase these tickets.
Season pass holders will have the first opportunity to get a ticket. This season pass reserves a seat for all home games in the lower level on the home side. Season passes can still be purchased for $40 at the school. If you would like a season pass, please email Coach Wilkerson at James.Wilkerson@nat.k12.la.us. This is the best way to guarantee a seat at the games.

Monday through Wednesday, NCHS students will have a chance to purchase their ticket at a student rate of $5. If not purchased by Wednesday at 3 pm, those tickets will go into general sales admission and the student will have to pay full price for the ticket which is $8.

On Thursday and Friday of the game week, general sales tickets will go on sale for $8 and can be purchased at the school. If any tickets are left over, they will be brought to the stadium to sell at the gate. These tickets can be purchased in the front of the school where a booth will be set up for you to purchase your ticket.

THIS PROCESS APPLIES TO ALL REGULAR SEASON HOME GAMES, NOT THE SCRIMMAGE.

FOR THE SCRIMMAGE, TICKETS WILL BE ON SALE TUESDAY – THURSDAY FROM 11 A.M. – 1:30 P.M. IN THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL. FIRST COME FIRST SERVE FOR THE SCRIMMAGE.

If you have a LHSAA coaching card, you will still need to come get a physical ticket for the game.

We appreciate your support of Natchitoches Central and your patience as we start the season and this new process of purchasing tickets. We want to offer the best experience to all involved and we feel this is the best way to do that. Again thank you and GO CHIEFS!

Free COVID-19 testing will be available Monday, Sept. 21-Thursday, Sept. 24 and Monday, Sept. 28-Thursday, Oct. 1 at the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts gymnasium on Caspari Street on the campus of Northwestern State University. Free testing will be available from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. There will be no testing on Friday of either week.

Walk-up and drive-thru testing will be available. Individuals will self-test. NSU nursing students may be available to offer assistance as schedules allow. Testing will be available for individuals five years of age or older. Anyone under age 16 must be accompanied by a guardian. Signs will be posted with directions to the testing site. An ID is not required. NSU students and employees will be asked to sign a release that their results will be reported to the university.

Individuals must provide a telephone number and email address to be tested. A QR code is available with access to the eTrueNorth portal where individuals can register and find test results. To open the QR code, individuals should hold the camera of a smartphone over the code so that it is clearly visible on the screen. The phone will scan the code leading to the registration site.

Individuals will be contacted via the email address they provide with test results. Those who test positive will also be contacted by phone. Test results will also be posted on the eTrueNorth patient portal.   There is not a phone number to call for results. Results will be via email or the portal. Results may take longer depending on the number of tests.

Individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 should stay home except to get medical care and separate themselves from other people as much as possible to prevent spreading the disease to others. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or were in close contact with someone who tested positive will be contacted by contact tracers calling from the phone number 877-766-2130. During the call, individuals can be connected with resources available to help safely quarantine or self-isolate.

The free testing is being made available by the Louisiana National Guard in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Health.

Students at Northwestern State University are launching the Cowboy Collection, a supply drive to help the McNeese State University community, a sister school in the University of Louisiana System, and those who lost their homes and possessions in Hurricane Laura.

“The McNeese State campus was severely damaged, and many faculty, staff and students lost everything. Over the past few weeks, NSU student groups, athletics teams and individuals stepped up in big ways to help the McNeese community, but we can do more,” said Reatha Cox, director of Student Affairs. “We have been in communication with McNeese officials on how the NSU family can support McNeese. Now that they have had a few weeks to try and put order to chaos, it’s time for us to step up and help our neighbors.”

Working with McNeese officials to determine items most needed, NSU is seeking the following donations:

Paperware – plates, paper towels, toilet paper
Cleaning supplies
Plastic totes and plastic storage containers to carry and sort supplies in
Toiletry items
Packaged undergarments/boxer shorts/socks
Clothesline and clothespins

Donations will be collected Monday, September 21 through the end of the month. All supplies will be delivered to Lake Charles Thursday, October 1.

Donations can be dropped off from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the following locations:

Student Services Center (drive through service provided)
University Columns Clubhouse
University Place 1 Clubhouse
Athletic Fieldhouse Academic Center

Student volunteers are also happy to pick up donations on campus. To schedule a pick-up, email sduet174121@nsula.edu.

“Every donation counts,” Cox said. “Share with your family, friends, co-workers, team members and others and help us make a difference in Lake Charles.”

Preliminary data for August 2020 released on Sept. 18 by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) shows that Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has decreased to 7.6 percent; down from July 2020’s revised seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 9.4 percent. From the pandemic’s low point, seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment has gained 133,400 jobs since April. This 133,400 job gain represents a 56% recovery since that time.

Since July 2020, the number of seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 120,556 from 1,822,773 to 1,943,329 in August 2020. Compared to August 2019, the number of seasonally adjusted employed individuals decreased by 49,307.

Since July 2020, the number of seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 27,846 from 188,490 to 160,644 in August 2020. Compared to August 2019, the number of seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals increased by 58,282.

“Recovery remains paramount, however, compared to where we were since the pandemic began in April, Louisiana job numbers continue to move in the right direction,” said LWC Secretary Ava Dejoie. “Still, over 70,000 jobs are available to apply for on our Helping Individuals Reach Employment (HiRE) site that encompass all of Louisiana. Louisiana employers are hiring.”

Industries that showed the largest gains for seasonally adjusted jobs for August 2020:

• Trade, Transportation, and Utilities gained 6,400 jobs from July 2020.

• Leisure and Hospitality gained 5,400 jobs from July 2020.

• Professional and Business Services gained 1,900 jobs from July 2020.

Among Louisiana’s MSAs in August 2020, seasonally adjusted data shows:

• Alexandria gained 800 jobs from July 2020, but lost 2,700 jobs from August 2019.

• Baton Rouge gained 10,000 jobs from July 2020, but lost 20,600 jobs from August 2019.

• Hammond gained 500 jobs from July 2020, but lost 2,500 jobs from August 2019.

• Houma gained 1,600 jobs from July 2020, but lost 5,400 jobs from August 2019.

• Lafayette remained unchanged from July 2020, but lost 11,900 jobs from August 2019.

• Lake Charles gained 1,100 jobs from July 2020, but lost 14,200 jobs from August 2019.

• Monroe gained 900 jobs from July 2020 and 500 jobs from August 2019.

• New Orleans gained 3,000 jobs from July 2020, but lost 66,400 jobs from August 2019.

• Shreveport gained 2,400 jobs from July 2020, but lost 10,500 jobs from August 2019.

Since July 2020, seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 19,100 jobs from 1,836,700 to 1,855,800 in August 2020. From August 2019, seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased by 130,400 jobs.

Since July 2020, seasonally adjusted private sector employment increased by 13,700 jobs from 1,508,200 to 1,521,900 in August 2020. From August 2019, seasonally adjusted private sector employment decreased by 131,900 jobs.

Since July 2020, Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, or the number of people who are employed in addition to those looking for work increased by 92,710 from 2,011,263 to 2,103,973 in August 2020. From August 2019, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force increased by 8,975.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Data

Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for August 2020 decreased to 8.1 percent; down 1.9 percentage points from July 2020’s revised not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 10.0 percent.

Since July 2020, the number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 101,158 from 1,835,539 to 1,936,697 in August 2020. When compared to August 2019, the number of seasonally adjusted employed individuals decreased by 48,083.

Since July 2020, the number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 33,297 from 203,076 to 169,779 in August 2020. When compared to August 2019, the number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals increased by 57,353.

Since July 2020, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 23,100 jobs from 1,822,300 to 1,845,400 in August 2020. When compared to August 2019, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased by 133,900 jobs.

Since July 2020, not seasonally adjusted private sector employment increased by 13,100 jobs from 1,508,600 to 1,521,700 in August 2020. When compared to August 2019, not seasonally adjusted private sector employment decreased by 134,400 jobs.

Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, or the number of people who are employed in addition to those looking for work increased by 67,861 from 2,038,615 in July 2020 to 2,106,476 in August 2020. When compared to August 2019, Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force increased by 9,270.

August metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and parish unemployment rates will be released on September 25, 2020. For additional state and MSA data release dates, please click here.

Seasonally Adjusted vs. Not Seasonally Adjusted Data

Jobs and employment trends data are often difficult to understand because there are two different ways to look at the data, seasonally or non-seasonally adjusted data.

Seasonal adjustment works to measure and remove the influences of predictable seasonal patterns to reveal how employment and unemployment figures change from month to month. Not seasonally adjusted data retains seasonal employment trends.

Over the course of a year, the labor force size, available jobs and employment rates undergo predictable fluctuations due to seasonal changes in weather, harvests, major holidays, and school schedules. Seasonal adjustment reduces the impact of these changes, making it easier to understand trends. Seasonally adjusted data is best utilized when comparing several months of employment and jobs data, while not seasonally adjusted data is best used to compare over-the-year trends. Seasonally adjusted data are useful for comparisons among states and the nation.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission primarily uses seasonally adjusted data because it provides a more useful and telling picture of Louisiana’s jobs and employment situation.

All data published from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is preliminary and is subject to revision on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. Revised numbers for previous months are available from the BLS databases located on bls.gov. The revised numbers are available upon release of new data.

About the Louisiana Workforce Commission
The Louisiana Workforce Commission is an agency of state government that administers programs designed to enhance workforce growth and provide family-sustaining jobs for Louisiana residents. The commission monitors employment, administers unemployment compensation and tax funds, provides training resources for employers and employees and oversees worker compensation benefits. The agency also gathers and supplies information on the labor market and occupational sectors in Louisiana.

Northwestern State University’s School of Business will present the 54th annual J. Walter Porter Forum beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. This year’s forum will be presented virtually due to COVID-19 safety protocols.

Participants can log onto HERE to join the forum, which is free and open to the public.

This year the J. Walter Porter Forum Committee selected the theme “Money in the Time of Floods” with guest speaker Boyce Upholt, MFA. Upholt is an award-winning freelance writer whose particular interest is the Mississippi River and human impact on that magnificent body of water. Upholt’s talk will focus on the river and its many distributaries, including the Red River, and the flooding that has long been associated with them. Using the history of these rivers a starting point, the talk will examine the mismatch between the natural environment and economic thinking and will explore the emerging field of “ecological economics” as a potential answer.

Upholt studies and writes about the way humans shape a place and the way it shapes humans. He won the 2019 award for investigative journalism from the James Beard Foundation and was named a 2016 Writer of the Year by the International Regional Magazine Association. He is currently working on a book about the Mississippi River, a history of what humans have done to it and a travelogue showing the consequences.

The annual J. Walter Porter Forum is made possible by an endowment established by the family and friends of the late J. Walter Porter in recognition of his interest in improving the image of business as a career field for college students and of his concern for moral and ethical standards as expressed in his philosophy of business. The forum is an effort to translate the textbook into practice by bringing capable, successful business executives to the campus to speak on selected topics in their area of expertise.

Porter was a native of Kaufman County, Texas, and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1922. He earned a master’s degree in civil engineering at Harvard in 1924 and in 1931 helped organize the Gifford-Hill Pipe Company in Grand Prairie, Texas. Porter saw the need to bridge the gap between the college campus and industry, feeling that many in the academic, professional, governmental and business world fail to understand the workings of a competitive system and the motivating forces behind it.

Porter was determined to contribute to a better understanding of that system among his own employees, associates and on college campuses. His death in 1965 came on the eve of a scheduled three-day lecture program at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. The J. Walter Porter Forum is a continuation of his efforts to increase that understanding.

For more information call Dr. Carmella Parker at (318) 357-5723.

Cane River Creole National Historical Park is pleased to announce that Magnolia Plantation reopens to the public on Monday, Sept. 21, following an almost four-week closure due to Hurricane Laura.

The park called in members of the National Park Service Arborist Incident Response team to remove a significant number of downed and hazard trees. The crew spent 10 days clearing trees and debris from LA Highway 119, along historic fence lines, and throughout the Magnolia Plantation grounds. The storm uprooted several large trees and broke major limbs in dozens more.

“More tree damage was sustained at Magnolia than at Oakland, which complicated clean-up efforts. The crew used two aerial lifts, two tractors with grapples, a wood chipper, and multiple dumpsters to clear all the hazard trees from the high visitor use areas,” said Cane River Creole National Historical Park Superintendent Carrie Mardorf. “As Magnolia reopens, visitors should be aware that there are still some areas outside of the visitor use zone that need to be cleaned up. We’re working to get a contract in place to remove the remaining trees from the property.”

Beginning Monday, Sept. 21, the park will offer new access to the following buildings at Magnolia, with limited occupancy.

Visitor Restrooms at the Magnolia Store

In addition, the following spaces continue to be available:

Magnolia Plantation Grounds
Magnolia Trails
Magnolia Visitor Parking Lot
Magnolia Plantation Overseer’s House
Magnolia Plantation Blacksmith Shop
Magnolia Plantation Slave/Tenant Cabin
Magnolia Plantation Gin Barn

Other sites at Cane River Creole National Historical Park are open, including Oakland Plantation which is offering guided and self-guided tours of the grounds and an outdoor gift shop.

A safe and enjoyable park experience begins at home. The NPS encourages visitors to plan their visit by checking the park’s website and social media for current conditions and travel tips. The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We ask the public to be our partner in recreating responsibly, by following CDC and state and local guidance, social distancing, and wearing a face covering when social distance cannot be maintained.

Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

“On your mark, get ready, get set, go” is what patrons will hear at the ‘Healthier Living Walk’ partnered by the Ben D. Johnson Educational Center Advisory Board and the Krewe of Excellence on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 9-10:30 am at the Ben D. Johnson Park, located at 616 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

The walk will feature a warm up session, one-mile walk on the park’s track, exciting information on planting, nurturing, securing and consuming fresh foods by representatives from the Center and Legacy Cafe. Open to the public without a cost, the family friendly event will also include activities facilitated by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc./Natchitoches Alumnae Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc./Theta Chi Chapter and Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. To participate or get additional information, call (318) 460-7460.

NATCHITOCHES:
Walter Poche’, Jr.
December 25, 1946 – September 19, 2020
Service: Tuesday, September 22 at 11 am at Fern Park Cemetery in Natchitoches

Joseph Lawrence Roque, Sr.
March 06, 1930 – September 13, 2020
Service: Tuesday, September 22 at 11 am at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church

Helen Marie Worsham
Arrangements TBA

SABINE:
Patricia Ardison
September 13, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Thomas Martin Meshell
February 20, 1928 – September 17, 2020
Service: Monday, September 21 at 1 pm at First United Pentecostal Church of Zwolle

Isaac N. Carter
September 22, 1931 – September 11, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 19 at 2 pm at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel

WINN:
Franklin DeLeon Howell
December 27, 1974 – September 16, 2020
Service: Wednesday, September 23 at 10 am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Winnfield

Northwestern State University has reported a record enrollment this fall of 11,447, an increase of 547 students, or 5 percent, over last year’s total of 10,900.

Dr. Chris Maggio, who has served as president of Northwestern since 2017 during a period when the university reached the four highest enrollments in its 136-year history, said the current record registration “is remarkable and especially gratifying in the midst of the global pandemic.”

Maggio said this year’s enrollment increase “reflects both the extraordinary effectiveness of the faculty and staff in continuing to provide quality instruction and services during the health crisis and the resilience and perseverance of our students in overcoming monumental challenges.”

Northwestern’s all-time high student registration goes against numerous projections of substantial enrollment losses at colleges and universities nationwide. Higher education research and marketing firm SimpsonScarborough has predicted enrollment losses of up to 20 percent because of coronavirus-related issues.

Fitch Ratings, one of the nation’s three major statistical rating organizations along with Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, projected enrollment declines of 5 percent to 20 percent.

Among the highlights of NSU’s record enrollment were increases in the number of graduate students and freshmen retention. Graduate School registration this fall is 1,150, an increase of 83 students or 7.8 percent over last year. The retention rate for full-time first-year students increased from 70 percent to 74 percent. For the fourth consecutive year, entering freshmen enrollment has been over 1,500 students.

“I want to thank Director of Enrollment Services Jana Lucky and the enrollment management team for their work over the past several months,” said Maggio. “They did an excellent job of maintaining contact with prospective students despite the lack of in person visits and on campus recruiting events and showed them why Northwestern was the right choice for them.”

Northwestern transitioned quickly and smoothly to offering all classes online last March as the pandemic grew and conducted virtual commencement programs for students who completed academic requirements for graduation under that new format.

Beginning this fall, the university is providing in-person instruction, online classes and hybrid classes offering both in-person and virtual learning. Extensive procedures and protocols have also been established to help protect the health and safety of NSU students, faculty and staff and the community.

Maggio said, “These exceptional efforts to provide opportunities for students to continue progressing toward degrees in various modes of learning and in a safe and healthy environment have certainly been a major factor in the record enrollment this fall.”

The NSU president also noted that the university has worked diligently to assist students who have faced financial difficulties because of job losses, business closures and other economic issues that have negatively affected them and their families during the pandemic.

He stated, “Our Office of Financial Aid has provided assistance to numerous students to help them find ways to continue their education in these difficult times. Also, alumni and friends of the university have generously contributed to a COVID-19 relief fund at the NSU Foundation that has helped a number of our students. This financial support made the difference in many students being able to continue their education at the university.

Academic programs showing strong year-over-year growth included radiologic sciences, biology, veterinary technology, business administration, criminal justice, child development and family relations, elementary education, nursing, RN to BSN, psychology and social work.

By Tommy Rush

The Weather Channel reported this week that eight named hurricanes have made landfall in the United States this year. Even as I write this article, I’m watching the report of Hurricane Sally passing over Orange Beach, Alabama where many of my family members currently live. Growing up in Mobile, I’ve had a lot of experience with hurricanes. My first was Hurricane Camille that hit Biloxi in August 1969. It was a long time ago, but I still remember vividly the constant wind and strange tearing and whistling noise coming from our roof. The next morning, I learned that I was hearing the sound of shingles leaving our roof and zipping through the air like frisbees. Did you know that flying shingles can do some serious damage to a parked car? Our Plymouth Belvedere Station Wagon looked like it had been in a demolition derby and lost!

After Camille, my Dad decided if we were ever warned to evacuate a storm, we would pack up and leave town. We were visiting family in Mississippi when Hurricane Frederic hit in 1979. The funny thing is that we evacuated to the city where the hurricane actually came ashore. Before you laugh, just remember we didn’t have access to weather radars or cell phones in 1979.

Over the years I’ve learned a lot about hurricanes. I’ve learned that whenever a weather reporter says it is going to be in the upper 90’s and she’s talking about wind velocity, it’s probably best to evacuate. I’ve also learned that it’s a good thing to have a clear evacuation route mapped out before you leave. It’s also best to stay on the roads that have the small blue signs that read, “Hurricane Evacuation Route.” Sometimes when no one is on the road you’re traveling and it seems like the wind is blowing at your back, it might be because the road is closed ahead. Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is a train. Sometimes it’s a State Trooper telling you to turn around because the road is washed out. We experienced most of Hurricane Frederic in our family car trying to get home in the storm.

Another big lesson learned is that it’s best to prepare for hurricanes before they arrive. It’s hard to move the car when shingles are zipping by your head at 90 mph. It’s hard to drive on roads that has water rising on it or trees that have fallen across it. It’s also difficult to buy gas and supplies when the lines are long and the shelves are empty. It really is a lot better to prepare long before the storm arrives!

The best thing I’ve learned about storms is a lesson Jesus taught in Matthew 7:24-27. He actually describes a storm that sounds a lot like a hurricane when He said, “the rains fell, the floods came and the winds blew and beat against the house.” He went on to say that everyone who lives their life on the principles of His Word can be compared to the person who built their house on the rock. When the storms come, the life built on the promises of God will stand. The life built on the shifting sand of this world will fall. Yes, whether we build on the rock or the sand, big storms are eventually coming to both. But after the storm comes, you will know what was built on solid rock and what was built on sinking sand.

By Reba Phelps

The closer my relationship grows with God, the more I have discovered that he has a sense of humor that would outshine any of our modern day comedians….or, any comedian for that matter. He is a such clever one.

During our recent experience with Hurricane Laura my daughters and I made our way to Longview, Texas for a brief overnight stay. I had hotel points burning a hole in my pocket and I craved visiting a fully stocked Wal-Mart and cable tv. The fully air-conditioned drive over there was also a gigantic plus.

Just as soon as we got checked in I received the phone call that so many citizens had been waiting for. Our electricity had been restored. With the excitement of having power, I was eager to help whoever I could. The very next day I visited Wal-Mart with a new zest for life. I decided to open my home to anyone who needed their laundry done, a place to cool off and a warm meal.

Even though it was warm outside, I imagined everyone was tired of eating hurricane snacks.

My buggy was stocked with the ingredients that would soon become the largest pot of taco soup on this side of Cane River. I also decided to replace my shower curtains and upgrade my wash clothes. Nothing like the potential of having company to realize that your home needs some attention. I also purchased a cooler and ice to bring my groceries back across the state line.

On my way to the check-outs I noticed the isle that housed the beer, wine and other drinks. Right there on the corner was a large bottle of pre-made strawberry lime margarita. At the time it seemed like a bright light was shining down on the bottles as if to intentionally grab my attention.

It worked….In my eyes it was a reminder that mama could use a drink after riding out the Category 2 storm, surviving with no electricity, empty freezer, empty refrigerator, complaining kids and a mountain of office work to be handled after the storm passed. This margarita would also pair well with taco soup and company.

Being a single parent I guard every penny that visits my budget. This expenditure was not in my budget at all but I knew it was needed. And, God always provides. Everything in my buggy was for the welfare and comfort of others. The total on my receipt was $164.00. It was a small price to pay for a warm meal, household items and the margarita to share with the masses.

As my daughters and I rolled back in town we noticed that some people definitely had electricity and some did not. We could also tell that our neighbors had been working in yards helping everyone restore their yards to their natural order, including my own yard.

Our intentions were to unpack the car and get right to work. The priority on our agenda included cooking and cleaning. But first, I had to check the mail because it had been days since we last saw our postal worker. Much to my surprise, along with a load junk mail, I received a random check for $146 from an overpayment on my daughter’s braces.

I immediately felt the favor of God wash over me. I spent $164 out my household budget to help others and he literally reimbursed me a few hours later. How amazing is our God? I was so happy and couldn’t wait to tell my daughters about the great God that we serve. The Biblical lesson was going to include that this is a prime example of what happens when you are a giver who constantly tries to sew seeds.

In the middle of telling my daughters the wonderful news it suddenly crossed my mind to check and see what the cost of the margarita was. Including tax it was roughly $18. The humor was not lost in this moment. God reimbursed all of my expenses except for the price of the margarita.

A Theologian, I am not, this is mostly guess-work from prior spiritual experiences. I am convinced that God can reach us right where we are. I am convinced that he knows that the way to my heart and that way to get my attention is through wittiness and cleverness. Of course he would know this since he knitted me in my mother’s womb.

This is totally the gospel according to Reba….. But, our God is not a basic God. He wants us to find the humor and complete joy in serving him. Serving him does not have to be a mundane experience full of formalities and rules. When we love the Lord with our whole hearts it is so easy to find his loving hand and faithfulness in every situation that comes our way.

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.”  –  John 15:11

The Louisiana Main Street Recovery Program is a $275 million grant program designed to reimburse eligible small businesses for expenses related to COVID-19. $40 million has been set aside in the first 60 days to ensure minority, women, and veteran owned businesses receive the relief they need.

Some expenses the grant will reimburse include cleaning fees, costs to create social distancing, PPE, contactless equipment, some technology fees, signage, etc. Business interruption costs may also be reimbursable, including inventory replacement (spoiled food), increased labor costs (hiring delivery drivers), rent, payroll, and others. Visit http://www.LouisianaMainStreet.com for more information.

Eligible businesses:
-Were domiciled in Louisiana as of March 1, 2020
-Suffered an interruption of business
-At least 50% owned by one or more Louisiana residents
-Filed Louisiana taxes in 2018 or 2019 or will file taxes in 2020
-Had no more than 50 full-time employees as of March 1, 2020
-Have customers or employees visit a physical location

NATCHITOCHES – The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) along with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) have identified sites in Natchitoches Parish to conduct COVID-19 testing start September 21st – October 16th.

COVID-19 tests are free to the public and will be administered at the testing sites listed below from 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. each day. The only criteria to be tested is the participant must be 18 years of age or older and be able to present a valid ID.

LSHOF– Marques Colston, the all-time leading receiver for the New Orleans Saints, joins two of LSU’s greatest competitors, basketball’s Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and football’s Glenn Dorsey, and Southern Jaguars baseball star Rickie Weeks among a star-studded group of eight 2021 competitive ballot inductees chosen for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

The LSHOF Class of 2021 also includes another dynamic LSU figure, former track and field coach Pat Henry, and Baton Rouge native Courtney Blades-Rogers, considered one of college softball’s best pitchers of all time at Nicholls and Southern Mississippi. North Louisiana is represented by Monroe’s Mackie Freeze, a dynamic high school football coach at Richwood High School and an undefeated pitcher for the Grambling Tigers, and Natchitoches native Villis “Bo” Dowden, the 1980 Bassmaster Classic champion.

The Class of 2021 will be enshrined Saturday, June 26, in Natchitoches to culminate the 62nd

Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration June 24-26.

However, Freeze and Henry will enter the hall this winter, Dec. 15-17, during the 2020 Induction Celebration which was postponed from its traditional June dates due to the coronavirus pandemic. Eight-time Mr. Olympia world bodybuilding champion Ronnie Coleman, chosen for the Class of 2020, will be inducted next summer due to a scheduling conflict in December.

A 40-member Louisiana Sports Writers Association committee selected the 2021 inductees. The panel considered a record 151 nominees from 29 different sport categories on a 35-page ballot, said Hall of Fame chairman Doug Ireland.

Colston, a seventh-round 2006 draft pick, made the NFL All-Rookie Team as he and new Saints quarterback Drew Brees began an extremely productive partnership that was a key in the Super Bowl XLIV championship season. In 10 seasons, Colston set Saints records with 711 receptions for 9,759 yards and 72 touchdown catches.

Abdul-Rauf also had instant impact as a high-scoring guard for LSU, averaging 29 points per game from 1988-90, and was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in each of his two seasons with the Tigers. In nine NBA seasons, he averaged 14.6 points and then played many more seasons internationally before LSU retired his No. 35 jersey last season to the delight of his LSU coach, 1999 LSHOF inductee Dale Brown.

Dorsey, a Gonzales-East Ascension product, is the most decorated defensive player in LSU football history and helped the Tigers win the 2007 BCS national championship. A two-time All-American defensive tackle, Dorsey played nine NFL seasons after he was SEC Defensive Player of the Year and earned the Outland Trophy among other top national collegiate honors playing for 2019 LSHOF inductee Les Miles.

Weeks set two NCAA Division I career hitting records still on the books with a .465 batting average and a .927 slugging percentage under 2019 LSHOF inductee Roger Cador at Southern, winning the 2003 collegiate player of the year awards. He played 14 major league seasons, nearly all of them in Milwaukee, and was the National League’s starting second baseman in the 2011 All Star Game.

Henry is one of the most successful track and field coaches in NCAA history. He led LSU’s men’s and women’s teams to a combined 19 SEC titles and an amazing 27 NCAA indoor and outdoor team championships during a 17-year run from 1988-2004, and since then has been head coach at Texas A&M, building the Aggies’ program into a national power.

Blades-Rogers was a four-time All-State pitcher at Baton Rouge’s Belaire High School who set an NCAA career record with 1,773 strikeouts in 1,261.2 innings pitched in two seasons apiece at Nicholls and USM. After earning Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year honors as a sophomore in 1998, she followed her head coach to USM and pitched the Golden Eagles to the Women’s College World Series in her final two seasons while earning first-team All-America accolades both years, winning the 2000 Honda National Softball Player of the Year award. A recent NCAA.com column ranked her as one of the 11 best pitchers of all time.

Freeze, who will become the oldest living person inducted at age 93, had a 116-23 (.834) coaching record from 1954-67 after starting the Richwood program. The Rams won a record 56 straight games and four consecutive state titles. As an athlete at Grambling, he was unbeaten on the mound in his career and pitched the Tigers to the NAIA national championship before going to spring training with the Brooklyn Dodgers featuring Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese.

Dowden’s 1980 Bassmaster Classic win came on the St. Lawrence River after he was second in 1976 and third in 1977, highlighting 14 appearances in the Super Bowl of professional bass fishing. He was in the money in 57 percent of the tournaments he entered, including 99 of 241 on the BASS Tour.

Dowden becomes only the fourth outdoorsman elected to the Hall from the competitors’ ballot, joining Grits Gresham (1989), 1975 BassMaster Classic champion Jack Hains (2018), and Phil Robertson (2020).

Colston will become the 17th former Saints standout, coach (Jim Mora) or administrator (Tom Benson, Jim Finks) inducted, and will be only the third player from this century so far to join the LSHOF ranks, along with running back Deuce McAllister and Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle Willie Roaf.

Blades-Rogers is the second women’s collegiate softball player elected to the Hall, following Kyla Hall Holas of UL Lafayette in 2011.

The 2021 Induction Class will be showcased in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Museum, operated by the Louisiana State Museum system in a partnership with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. The striking two-story, 27,500-square foot structure faces Cane River Lake in the National Historic Landmark District of Natchitoches and has garnered worldwide architectural acclaim and rave reviews for its contents since its grand opening during the 2013 Hall of Fame induction weekend.

The eight new competitive ballot inductees will raise the total of Hall of Fame members to 358 competitors honored since the first induction class — baseball’s Mel Ott, world champion boxer Tony Canzoneri and LSU football great Gaynell Tinsley — were enshrined in 1959 after their election a year earlier.

Also to be spotlighted next summer will be three other Hall of Fame inductees, the winner of the 2021 Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award, and recipients of the 2021 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism presented by the LSWA. Those inductees from contributor ballots will be announced later this year.

The complete 11-person Class of 2021 will swell the membership in the Hall of Fame to 456 men and women, including 358 from the competitors’ ballot.

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame includes 24 Pro Football Hall of Fame members, 18 Olympic medalists including 11 gold medal winners, 11 members of the Basketball Hall of Fame, seven of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players, seven National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, 37 College Football Hall of Fame members, nine National High School Hall of Fame enshrinees, jockeys with a combined 16 Triple Crown victories, six world boxing champions, seven Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame members, seven College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, 10 College Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinees, four NBA Finals MVPs, four winners of major professional golf championships, five National Museum of (Thoroughbred) Racing and Hall of Fame inductees and two Super Bowl MVPs.

The 2021 Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, June 24, with a press conference and reception. The three-day festivities include two receptions, a free youth sports clinic, a bowling party, and a Friday night riverbank concert in Natchitoches. Tickets for the Induction Dinner and Ceremony, will be available early in 2021.

Anyone can receive quarterly e-mails about the 2021 Induction Celebration and other Hall of Fame news by signing up on the LaSportsHall.com website.

Adding to the 350 sports competitors currently enshrined, 19 winners of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership award and 64 recipients of the Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism, there are 433 current members of the Hall of Fame before this winter’s 2020 inductions.

The 2020 and 2021 Induction Celebrations will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors. 

NATCHITOCHES:

Stephen Weston White
1983-2020
Service: Friday, September 18 at 2 pm at New Life Evangelism Center in Natchitoches

Sarah Clark
September 13, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 19 at 11 am at the Christian Outreach Center, located at 106 Brickyard Road in Natchitoches
Arrangements TBA

SABINE:
Patricia Ardison
September 13, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Daniel Roberson
March 25, 1957 – September 12, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 19 at 9:30 am in the Lawrence Serenity Sanctum, located on Breazeale Springs Street in Natchitoches

Isaac N. Carter
September 22, 1931 – September 11, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 19 at 2 pm at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel

WINN:
Howard William Pardue
November 29, 1937 – September 15, 2020
Service: Sunday, September 20 at 2:30 pm at the Family Church in Winnfield

Lynn Rhymes
February 08, 1938 – September 11, 2020
Service: Friday, September 18 at 12 pm at Southern Funeral Home in Winnfield

RED RIVER:
John L. Lewis
November 4, 1953 – September 14, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 19 at 10 am in the New Hope #3 Baptist Church Cemetery in Hanna

Phase 1 Extended for Additional 7 Days

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has received federal approval to operate a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) in three more parishes – Caddo, LaSalle and St. Landry – and will add those parishes to the Phase 2 schedule, which begins Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) also approved DCFS’s request to extend Phase 1 for another week, until Sept. 23, allowing residents impacted by Hurricane Laura in the nine Phase 1 parishes additional time to apply for DSNAP benefits. Those nine parishes are Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Rapides, Vermilion and Vernon.

Wednesday, Sept. 16 was the open application day for Phase 1 parishes, meaning any resident of those nine parishes may apply, regardless of their last name’s first letter.

When Phase 2 begins today (Thursday, Sept. 17), Phase 1 parishes will follow the same alphabet system as Phase 2 parishes. That schedule – and all parishes participating during Phase 2 – will be as follows:

Parishes Participating: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Caddo, Calcasieu, Cameron, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Sabine, St. Landry, Union, Vermilion, Vernon and Winn.

Schedule for All Parishes Participating in Phase 2:

Day 1 (Sept. 17) – Residents with last names beginning with A-C
Day 2 (Sept. 18) – D-G
Day 3 (Sept. 19) – H-L
Day 4 (Sept. 20) – M-R
Day 5 (Sept. 21) – S-Z
Days 6 & 7 (Sept. 22-23) – Open for all (letters A-Z) in the participating parishes

On their scheduled day, residents will call the LAHelpU Customer Service Center at 1-888-524-3578 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to apply. On A-Z days, the call center will extend its hours to 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

DSNAP Eligibility
Eligibility for DSNAP benefits is determined by looking at the applicant’s take-home pay in the month following the disaster, adding all available cash resources (including checking and savings balances), and deducting the total dollar amount of money spent or expected to be spent on any disaster-related expense for the disaster benefit period (which, in the case of Hurricane Laura, is August 25 to September 23).

Preparing to Apply: What Applicants Need to Know

1. Register Online First

Residents who have not yet pre-registered for DSNAP are strongly encouraged to do so before calling to apply. Registering in advance is not the same as applying – residents must still call to apply and be interviewed to determine eligibility. However, registering in advance will help speed the application process, reducing call wait times.

Step-by-step instructions for how to create an online account and register for DSNAP can be found at www.dcfs.la.gov/DSNAP.

2. Download LA Wallet

Residents are also encouraged to download the LA Wallet mobile app, which will help speed the identity and residency verification process during their phone interview. Information about the app, including download links, can be found at LAWallet.com.

3. Gather Needed Documents & Information

When residents call to apply, a worker will verify the applicant’s identity and residency, and obtain information about their income, resources and disaster-related expenses. A list of what information is needed can be found in the FAQs at www.dcfs.la.gov/page/dsnap-faqs.

For additional information on DSNAP related to Hurricane Laura, please see below or visit www.dcfs.la.gov/DSNAP-Laura.