Natchitoches’ Ross Williams Park was the scene of a Stop the Violence Rally sponsored by the Natchitoches Coalition on Homelessness and Community Collaborators. The rally was organized as part of a series of gatherings in response to the increasing number of shootings in the city.

The rally featured a DJ, local rapper Uncle Ugg, and a phenomenally talented young lady, NCHS junior Aaliya Edwards who sang several pieces for the crowd, the last one with her mother. Another NCHS student, Tristen Jefferson, showed oratorical skills far beyond his years in a superbly done closing prayer. Jamar Benjamin and Tristen Jefferson served as Masters of Ceremony. Natchitoches City Councilwoman at Large Betty Sawyer introduced each speaker, performer, and notable visitor.

Mayor Williams and police chief Nikeo Collins each spoke to the more than 75 persons at the rally. The Hawg Riders, a local motorcycle group, came out to the rally as did Louisiana Teen & Adult challenge. The hard-working young people of Weaver Elites and Legendary Steppers performed as well. City Council members Betty Sawyer and Rosemary Washington were joined by School Board members Steven Harris and Dorothy McGaskey. Community leader Mr. Johnny Barnes and his crew served up some savory fare to the hungry crowd. Kedrin Seastrunk, a former NSU football player and NCHS coach, currently serving as a teacher and pastor of a local church, gave an inspired talk to the assembly as did pastor Isiah Anderson.

These rallies are a vital part of the fight to stop the violence arising in our community. It is an issue that affects all of us. The Natchitoches Parish Journal would like to commend the hard-working community minded people who gave of their time and resources to help make our community a better place to live.

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Christ the King Lutheran Church offers to the Natchitoches community an evening of relaxation, enjoyment and reflection with a musical event titled “A Wonderful Musical Journey: Exploring Sonorities Through Music.” This event will be held at Christ the King Lutheran Church located at 305 Royal Street on April 2 starting at 5 pm and will include community members, NSU Faculty, NSU undergraduate and NSU graduate students performing solos and ensembles.

A variety of musical instruments played will include the bassoon, cello, double bass, flute, piano, pipe organ, trumpet, viola and violin. Following these performances, a meal will be served with the Brickstreet Boys quartet providing a singing performance during the meal.

“Music is a key part of my life,” stated Karla Gonzalez Bueno, an NSU graduate student from Mexico majoring in piano and double bass and a key organizer of this event. “It is my passion to use the blessing of music to reach and connect with people from all walks of life. Music has that magic to make these connections happen in a fun and vibrant way.”

This event is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted and will be provided to the performing musicians.

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Northwestern State University seeks qualified applicants for the position of PAYROLL ASSISTANT in the Office of Business Affairs. 

JOB TYPE:     Unclassified

SALARY:       $30,000.00 – $40,000.00

LOCATION:  Natchitoches, Louisiana

As part of the payroll team, under the direct supervision of the Assistant Controller to Payroll, the Payroll Assistant, aids in the processing and reviewing of the bi-weekly, monthly, and summer payrolls, providing functional support for the payroll system to improve efficiency.

MINIUMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Two years of experience in accounting or bookkeeping, with at least six months of payroll experience

Required Skills/Abilities

• Excellent administrative and organizational skills
• Excellent grammar and proofreading skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to successfully work independently, organize own work and coordinate work activities of others (student workers)
• Ability to successfully work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite including Excel and Word

To Apply: Send letter of application, resume and complete contact information for three professional references to:  apply@nsula.edu

 Review of applicants will begin immediately an continue until the position is filled.

To view a complete job description, click the link below:   https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/louisiana?keywords=northwestern

An Equal Opportunity Employer

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NATCHITOCHES – Against a gritty Incarnate Word squad, Northwestern State created enough quick singles set wins to build an insurmountable edge in a 6-1 win on Friday.

The Lady Demons (10-4, 3-0 Southland Conference) captured the first four points to secure the victory, setting up a showdown with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (16-2, 2-0 SLC) on Sunday. The match, which has heavy regular season title implications, begins at 11 a.m.

“That’s a gritty UIW team that makes you earn it, and anytime you play a team like that, it’s going to be a dogfight,” said NSU coach Jonas Brobeck. “We did some good things at spots, but we need to finish when we get on top in matches and be brave enough to continue to do the right things.

“That’s part of the process, but we’re getting better with every match. We’ll take this 6-1 win and bring it into a tough match Sunday with the Islanders.”

Ayu Ishibashi sped to a 6-1 first-set win against Kinga Psut before grinding out a 6-4 victory in the second set at No. 4.

Tjasa Klevisar’s quick win happened in the second 6-2 that followed a competitive 6-3 first-set win against reigning SLC Player of the Week Gargi Pawar.

Viktorie Wojcikova supplied the clinching point by gutting out a 7-5 first-set win before sprinting to a 6-0 win in the second set.

“I was trying to win every point, but I had in my head that I should win this match, but (Parkinson) wasn’t easy,” Wojcikova said. “I had more confidence in the second set, and I improved my serve because my serve in the first set wasn’t very good.

“That made my game better overall. Now we turn to (TAMU-CC), and it’ll be very tough. Every player is very good, and I think we have to have very good energy and fight for every point.”

In doubles play, NSU won its sixth straight doubles point without dropping a match.

Wojcikova/Rozalie Dohnalova blitzed their way to a 6-0 win (Sophia Franco Salcedo/Taylor Parkinson) against at No. 2 before Ishibashi/Patrycja Polanska outlasted Alejandra Landaluce/Sophia Kermet 6-4 at No. 3.

The pairing of Klevisar/Mariella Minetti was leading 5-3 at No. 1 when the point was decided.

Minetti battled through physical difficulties in singles play, toughing out a 6-3 first-set win before recovering in a 6-4 second set in which she trailed before winning the final three games against Kermet.

Gig Kanaphuet also had a recovery of her own. Kanaphuet dropped the first set (6-2) before rebounding to win the final two sets (6-3, 6-0) against Landaluce.

“Good job by Gig again, and she goes out there and plays her game,” Brobeck said. “Had a slow start today, but she found herself and turned the match around.

“Small things can make a large difference, and that happened again today.”

UIW scored its lone point in the No. 1 slot when Franco Salcedo topped Dohnalova 6-1, 7-6 with a 10-5 tiebreaker.

Dohnalova took a 5-2 lead in the second set.

“Dohnalova had a better second set against a really good player, and you have to stay in the points,” Brobeck said. “She got on top, now we have to work on finishing those sets as well.”

PHOTO: Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

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SAN MARCOS/AUSTIN, Texas – Northwestern State sprinters finished the weekend on a high note as personal bests fluttered about at the Texas State Bobcat Invitational.

Six Demons posted personal records, including freshman Simon Wulff, who tied for the 100 meter event win with a 10.34 in a 2.3 tailwind. Fellow winner Dominck Yancy of Texas State ran his 10.34 in a 3.0 wind.

Wulff led a host of 100 meter records as third-place Tre’Darius Carr (10.38), 10th-place Evan Nafe (10.48) and 16th-place Dylan Swain (10.64) also ran their fastest.

Kie’Ave Harry added a season-best 10.45 to finish seventh as three Demons finished in the top 10.

“Wulff, Harry and Nafe ran the 4×100 at the Texas Relays, and they literally hopped out of the van and went to run the 100 at Texas State,” said NSU sprints coach Adam Pennington. “So for those guys to post those times, especially with Wulff going in the 10.3s – he’s really excited about that.

“And Carr had a bit of a wake up call today, too, and he responded with a personal best.”

After blazing an 11.47 at the Texas Relays earlier in the weekend, Lynell Washington finished the 100 meters in 11.57 to win the Bobcat Invitational.

Washington was joined in the top four by Aarika Lister, who clocked an 11.83.

“Lynell has had a bit of a mental block with the injuries, but she’s working through it really well right now,” Pennington said. “She came in and competed and won it today.

“Lister is coming off an injury with no practice time, so for her to run 11.8 for two straight days, that shows how much she wants to compete.”

The personal bests continued to roll in for a pair of freshmen in the 400 meters.

Maygan Shaw lowered her 400 time to 55.53 to place eighth followed by Janiel Moore (57.43, 17th).

Male freshman Galen Loyd sprinted to a third-place finish with a 47.55.

“I told Maygan that if she drew Lane 1 not to run because it’s a tough lane to run a good time,” Pennington said. “But she ran anyway and got a personal best. She does what we ask her to do.

“Galen ran a 46.6 split on the 4×400 relay, and after he did that, he had a different mentality. He came in with some confidence, and it showed in his 400 race today.”

Harry, Wulff and Nafe jetted over from the Texas Relays, where they ran legs of the 4×100 relay with Destine Scott that clocked a 39.70. NSU finished behind two professional teams in a stand-alone heat, but the Demons did beat a Texas foursome.

Nikaoli Williams, who ran a 10.65 earlier in the individual 100 meters, joined Carr, Arrington and Swain to clock a 40.14, placing third at Texas State.

“The relay that reached the NCAA Championship finals started that season with a 39.6, so these guys ran the second opening time to start a season that I’ve been a part of,” Pennington said. “And I think the B team time of 40.14 will be a top-40 time in the country after this weekend and would have set plenty of other Southland Conference schools’ program record.

“We’re really deep in the relays, and I’m pretty pleased overall with what happened today.”

PHOTO: Ron Pierce

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HOUSTON – If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. That was the strategy for Northwestern State on Saturday afternoon, using the same formula from a pair of Friday wins to get a 7-1 win on Saturday and three-game sweep of Houston Baptist on the first weekend of Southland Conference play.

For the third straight game the Lady Demons (20-12, 3-0) got an early lead, scoring in the first inning, played sound defense and got a complete game performance from their starting pitcher to secure the first three wins of the conference slate.

“We were really sharp on defense today,” head coach Donald Pickett said. “Made some big plays and took some hits away from them, especially they’re leadoff hitter to keep her off the bases. Bronte (Rhoden) gave us a great start and for her to come out and pretty much dominate the game was huge.

“I would have liked to see a few better at bats during the game, we had one really good offensive inning in the fourth, but we couldn’t put much together in those other innings, but took advantage of some things in the first inning to get those runs.”

Like they did in the second game on Friday, the Lady Demons took advantage of Husky errors and free baserunners to take the early lead.

Four straight walks after a leadoff ground out gave NSU a 1-0 lead and forced an early moved to the bullpen for the Huskies. Keely DuBois benefited from the bases loaded pass for her fifth of six RBIs in the series and Kat Marshall added two more to the tally two batters later with a bloop single to left.

Just as it was in the first two games of the series, the early run support was more than enough for the Lady Demon starting pitcher.

Bronte Rhoden used a slightly different strategy than Sage Hoover did in the first game of the weekend of striking out 14 batters and relied on the defense behind her to produce outs. An easy decision and one that paid off for Rhoden and the Lady Demons.

The junior, on the day before her birthday, kept the ball off the barrel of the Husky hitters creating multiple soft grounders and weak pop ups on the infield. Of the 19 outs the defense recorded, just two were made by the outfield, with six of the eight balls in the air caught on the infield.

“It was amazing having that confidence behind me, knowing that they were there and making crazy plays the whole game,” Rhoden said. “Taylor (Williams) was diving and catching balls that we always do on those “ESPN” plays in practice and she got to live that out in the game. Our whole entire defense was just incredible today.”

Williams highlight diving catch came in the bottom of the first, the first of three outs she had a hand in on the inning for the busy NSU second baseman who had three putouts and five assists in the game.

She was also at the center of NSU’s four-run rally in the fourth that blew the game open and gave Rhoden even more breathing room. Her single put the first two of the inning aboard and she scored the second of her two runs on the day on a DuBois hit to left after Bailie Ragsdale raced home on a Laney Roos double two batters prior.

Kat Marshall added to the 5-0 lead with her second two-run hit of the day, splitting the gap in right center with two outs giving NSU the comfortable 7-0 lead through five and a half innings.

The only blemish for Rhoden came in the bottom of the inning on two doubles, one off the glove of Maggie Black at third, that put runners at second and third. A sacrifice fly brought in HBU’s only run but Rhoden induced a ground ball to second for the final out to limit any more damage.

She retired seven of the final eight batters she faced, ending the game on another soft pop up to Williams at second.

“Coach Lexi (Smith) tells us to throw a heavy ball, just keep it low in the zone and throw through your spins,” Rhoden said. “Just letting the spin make the ball drop more and force them to miss hit. I just focused in on that and putting what we’re practicing in our bullpens into the games.”

PHOTO: Evelyn Winger

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NEW ORLEANS – When the wind shifted along Lake Ponchartrain on Sunday, the Northwestern State baseball team’s offensive fortunes did alongside it.

Held hitless into the fifth inning, the Demons erupted with a nine-run sixth inning, setting off an avalanche of runs in a 16-10 Southland Conference win against New Orleans at Maestri Field that clinched the weekend series for NSU.

“I thought their starter (Collin Horton) had good stuff,” sixth-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. “It was hard to settle in because he walked us a few times. We couldn’t get a big hit with men on base. Then the conditions shifted, and we strung together a bunch of good at-bats. We had nine good at-bats in a row with eight hard contacts and a walk mixed in. Sometimes on Sundays, you have to do things like that. We hadn’t won like that in a while. It was nice to see our guys win in a different way.”

The Demons (12-12, 2-1 SLC) managed only Jeffrey Elkins’ one-out, fifth-inning single off Horton in 4 2-3 innings, but the NSU offense drew seven walks, including Cole Horton’s game-tying, bases-loaded free pass in the fifth.

Although reliever Jacob Lamkin (0-1) wiggled out of trouble to strand the bases loaded, Northwestern State’s offense took out its share of frustrations on Lamkin in the sixth.

In the first two games of the series, the Demons had managed one hit in 7 1-3 innings against UNO relievers Jack Williams and Tod Gauthe. In the final 4 1-3 innings of Sunday’s game, Northwestern State banged out 13 hits off eight New Orleans relievers.

Eight of those hits came in a nine-batter span in the sixth inning, starting with Gabe Colaianni’s single to center field. By the time Larson Fontenot capped the surge with a two-run home run over the center-field wall, Northwestern State had a 10-1 advantage and the scoring onslaught for both teams was under way.

Drayton Brown (3-2) matched Horton nearly pitch for pitch for the first five innings, allowing one run on an RBI double that was aided by an extremely high sky, allowing it to fall untouched in left field.

Making the sixth start of his NSU career, Brown kept the Privateers (13-9, 1-2) off the board until Jeissy De La Cruz’ three-run home run in the sixth inning.

Elkins made sure there would be no shutdown inning in the seventh as New Orleans called on closer Caleb Seroski to try to keep the game close. Elkins jumped on Seroski’s first pitch, driving it out to left for a solo home run to start the seventh.

Elkins’ blast opened a five-run inning highlighted by Bryce Holmes’ first home run as a Demon – a three-run shot off Seroski, who entered the game with a 0.75 ERA.

“It feels like the hard work is paying off,” said Holmes, who finished the game 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and five RBIs. “I didn’t start the season with the results I wanted, but it’s about putting your nose to the grindstone, not giving up. It’s not always about the results. It’s about passing the torch and helping the team in whatever way you can.”

Holmes’ first home run came in his first Northwestern State start at first base.

“That’s always tough, especially in a position where you handle the ball so much,” Barbier said. “We practiced over there a little. We knew he could do it. He’s done it before in his college career. It was good to go out and be comfortable.”

UNO kept the Demons from getting too comfortable as the Privateers answered NSU’s five-run seventh with one of their own – again taking advantage of a ball lost in the sun to tack on a couple of runs.

The Demons, though, had enough cushion because of their nine-run sixth to collect a pivotal road series win to start conference play.

“You get your heart broken Friday,” Barbier said. “They scored two in the ninth inning to beat you in the first conference game of the season, and you come out and play really well (Saturday) and start swinging the bats really good (Sunday). I’m really proud of the weekend.

“From the stuff we did over in Arabi (cleaning up tornado debris), which was probably the most important part of the weekend, to them finishing after hitting some adversity, I’m just proud of our team for how they came together this weekend.”

Northwestern State returns to action Friday when they host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the opener of a three-game Southland Conference series. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

Northwestern State 16, New Orleans 10
NSU 000 019 510 – 16 14 2
UNO 100 003 510 – 10 10 1

W – Drayton Brown (3-2). L – Jacob Lamkin (0-1). 2B – NSU, Cole Horton, Bryce Holmes, Gabe Colaianni. UNO, Anthony Herron Jr., Travis Gober 2. HR – NSU, Jeffrey Elkins (5), Bryce Holmes (1), Larson Fontenot (2). UNO, Jeissy De La Cruz (3). Highlights: NSU, Elkins 3-6, HR, 2 RBIs; Holmes 2-4, 2B, HR, 5 RBIs; Fontenot 2-5, HR, 2 RBIs; Colaianni 2-4, 2B, RBI. UNO, Herron Jr. 2-5, 2B, 2 RBIs; De La Cruz 3-5, HR, 5 RBIs; Gober 2-5, 2 2Bs, 2 RBIs.

Records: Northwestern State 12-12, 2-1; New Orleans 13-9, 1-2.

PHOTO: Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

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Cane River National Heritage Area and the Cane River Creole National Historical Park will host Spring into the Outdoors on Cane River activities throughout the month of April.

Join us on April 2 for a fun and healthy way to learn about Cane River history! This FREE bike ride starts at Magnolia Plantation at 9 a.m. and stops at the Badin-Roque House and St. Augustine Catholic Church, where a member of the St. Augustine Historical Society will talk about the history of the two buildings and the Society’s preservation efforts. The riders will then finish the scenic journey at Magnolia Plantation at 12 p.m.

The bike ride is limited to twenty participants. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 318-352-0383 x316. All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult and be able to keep a minimum 10 mph pace. See additional requirements below.

Helmets, closed toe shoes (NO sandals or flip flops), and day-glo/neon T-shirts or safety vests are
required. If wearing pants, you must use ankle bands to protect against tangling in the chain.

Bring water.

Approximately 15-mile round trip. Children are welcome but everyone must be able to keep a minimum 10 mph pace.

Meet at Magnolia Plantation (only access is via Hwy 1 to Hwy 119 at Derry) by 8:30 a.m. Ride will start promptly at 9:00 a.m. No late riders will be allowed.

Limited to 20 participants.

Weather permitting.

Bikes and helmets provided if needed.

For more information and sign-up call 318-352-0383 x316.

Magnolia Plantation is located at 5549 Highway 119, Derry/Cloutierville, LA. Due to a road closure Magnolia Plantation can only be accessed from the southern end of Highway 119 via LA Highway 1.

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The Natchitoches Parish Government’s Office of Community Services (OCS) participated in AmeriCorps Week “Day of the A” in downtown Natchitoches on the riverbank. AmeriCorps Week was March 13-19, a time designated for all AmeriCorps members to be shown appreciation for all their hard work. “Day of the A” is the day when millions of Americans who have chosen to serve their country through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors are recognized for their commitment, while also encouraging others to follow in their footsteps of service.

The AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program volunteers of Natchitoches are a dedicated group of men and women who are making a significant difference in the lives of others within our community. They provide assistance and friendship to older adults who have difficulty with daily living tasks, such as shopping or paying bills. Through this program, AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers keep seniors independent longer and provide respite to family caregivers.

These committed men and women came together on “Day of the A” March 17, to show off their new logo AmeriCorps shirts and enjoy a meal from a local Deli.

If you would like to get involved and become a Senior Companion volunteer, please contact OCS at 318.357.2220. Together, we are AmeriCorps.

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NATCHITOCHES:
Patsy LeRoy Longlois
November 19, 1932 – March 24, 2022
Service: Thursday, March 31 at 10 am at Weaver Cemetery in Flora

SABINE:
Michael Dewayne O’Briant
February 21, 1956 – March 25, 2022
Service: Monday, March 28 at 3 pm at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel

Freddie O. Wilson
November 6, 1938 – March 24, 2022
Service: Monday, March 28 at 11 am at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel

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Northwestern State University’s Student Government Association passed a resolution to require the closure of all campus gates except for the Caspari Street entrance between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. The measure was introduced to “promote and enhance the safety and protection of Northwestern State University students by changing the hours that the gates to campus are opened and closed,” according to the resolution.

The SGA will work with university administration to ensure that University Police have a presence in the guard shack at the Caspari Street entrance to monitor vehicular activity on campus.

“Having the new gate closure time will assist in the safety of the NSU community as we are able to monitor traffic entering the campus after hours,” said University Police Captain Wesley Harrell.

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Dr. Greg Granger discusses the situation in Ukraine and his assessment of the invasion and competence of the Russian Army to date. Dr. Granger also gives his thoughts on Korea’s recent launch of an ICBM and President Biden’s trip to Brussels to unite the NATO allies.

Photo: Courtesy of The Guardian

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Long-time Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Board of Commissioners Member, Mr. Arthur Welch, will forever be remembered for his legacy at NRMC. A friend and mentor to all, Mr. Welch’s service to the hospital has always been defined by his leadership, integrity, vision, and commitment.

From board meetings to strategic planning retreats, Mr. Welch always challenged the hospital team to think about processes and outcomes. As an engineer, he helped everyone see a linear path forward and stressed the importance of building programs the right way – no shortcuts. He always served as a patient advocate and wanted to ensure NRMC provided excellent services close to home, so families did not have to leave the parish for care.

As a Board member, Mr. Welch weighed in on every key decision at the hospital as new services were discussed and considered. When Mr. Welch joined the NRMC Board in 2010, the hospital did not have wound care, pain management, a walk-in clinic, a state-of-the-art lab, a breast center, robotics, an ambulatory treatment center, a sleep center, a conference center, a cancer center, or multispecialty clinic and its specialists. These projects have become part of his extraordinary legacy.

It was common for Mr. Welch to ask the NRMC leadership team to think in terms of “what one thing” sets NRMC apart. Invariably, he urged everyone, “Remember why we are here – it is to provide excellent care and services to our community.” Everywhere you look inside NRMC, you’ll find Mr. Welch’s signature commitment, his passion for the people of Natchitoches, and his hallmark kindness.

Mr. Welch’s professional career consists of a lifetime of accomplishments and achievements, and here at NRMC, we are forever grateful to him for sharing his time and talents with us over the past 12 years. The NRMC family wishes to extend our sympathies to Mr. Welch’s wife, Frances, and their children and grandchildren.

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By Reba Phelps

If you have driven through the charming brick streets of the award-winning Historic District of Downtown Natchitoches then you are familiar with the lush and beautiful seasonal plantings. With every new season that arrives, you will witness the changing of the breathtaking horticulture and groundskeeping. Spring time gives birth to azaleas, daffodils and the ever popular, budding pots of tulips. These stunning tulips can be found on every corner of the streets, boasting as many hues as an Easter basket full of Truvy’s dyed eggs.

This past week the famous tulips were putting on a colorful show. My youngest daughter was stunned by their beauty but worried for their well-being with the impending stormy weather that was about to befall us. She was not worried about the safety of our town or the revival on the river bank that we were about to attend. She was most concerned over “Mr. Tim’s Tulips” that he just put out.

She went on to share with me that when Mr. Tim taught her class at church on Wednesday nights that he would sometimes come in directly from planting the tulips, caring for them and even occasionally sheltering the them from whatever weather event that would hinder them from growing. She also explained that this meant he possibly would have on his work clothes and appear as if his hands had been planting and cultivating something. Of course, this would lead to many questions asked by the prying children.

This is when my daughter began to share all of the knowledge she gained about the tulips that night. But, she was increasingly concerned that the incoming storm would ruin all of Mr. Tim’s hard work, so I told her that we would pray for the tulips that night at the revival and of course, the safety of our town.

But, I also wondered if my daughter had learned any other lessons while telling this story. I saw the wonder behind the story she was telling but I wanted her to see it on her own….

When we arrived at the revival that night, we happened to sit right in front of the renowned tulip master himself, Mr. Tim. So I mentioned the prayers that were coming from our household to protect the beauty of his downtown gardens. He has such a humble nature that he is quick to remind anyone that he works with a team to perfect the production of the many plants downtown. They are called the “Beautification Team”.

The team consists of Mathew Dillon, Joe Jones, Tim Hippler, Seth Freeman, Stacey Lawrence, Brian Jones, Brandon Graham, Randy Lacaze and Alicia Christophe. Mr. Tim is the Supervisor of this amazing squad. He also gives credit to the Master Gardeners and our local 4-H Clubs through the years.

If you are like me you probably wonder every year how we can have such amazing tulips in our deep southern town, it needs to be noted that this does not happen by chance. There are over 14,000 tulip bulbs that are ordered from Holland every October and kept in a walk-in cooler. In February the bulbs get planted into 2,000 pots. By mid-March they are beginning to show off their spring color by the time they make their debut downtown.

Last year during the rigid snow and ice the team had to move the 2,000 pots indoors for protection. When the electricity gave way, Tim even went back and forth several times to keep nation propane heaters running. That year they only lost 20. The weight of the ice and snow caved the roof in and the crew crawled in to pull them out with a dramatic rescue and recovery.

It is quite the fete….these downtown plants. This could only be accomplished by hands that truly love the feel of the soil and the beauty that it creates. Hands that have a gift for art and a heart for God and all of his creations.

Although Tim is a Graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Art (Visual Communication/Graphic Art) he has dedicated the last 30 years creating the Long Purple Line Portraits for Northwestern State University.

During Tim’s spare time, if you can believe that he has any, he has blessed many children and families at First Baptist Church with his selfless acts of teaching in the Children’s Ministry, Sunday School Teacher, and Vacation Bible School for nineteen years. He was the Children’s Director for five years and continues to serve at Wednesday Glow Family Nights. He is now a Bible Story Artist who draws with pastels to illustrate as the Bible Story is being told.

One of the children blessed to be in his, and his wife Melody’s, care is my daughter. When Tim shared with us that they only lost 4 pots of tulips in the recent storm, my daughter smiled because she knew we prayed for the tulips and all of Mr. Tim’s hard work. When I questioned her further about what she learned from Mr. Tim faithfully teaching children after working a long day for the City of Natchitoches, she said she felt like he never let anything get in the way of him serving God.

While Tim Murchison continues to plant seeds that make our town lovely and beautiful season after season…the seeds he has planted for the Kingdom of God will bloom eternally.

“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands.”
Psalm 90:17

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We’re sitting here on the cusp of one of my favorite times of year. It’s spring; dogwoods and azaleas are blooming, everything is turning green, except for the yellow dust that falls like a heavy mist from my pine trees. I’ve already had to break out the lawn mower so, yes, it is spring.

As much as I enjoy watching the metamorphosis of the drab shades of winter evolve into a kaleidoscope of color, there is another experience that supersedes being there for the birth of yet another spring. Wild turkey season opens in Louisiana and the prospect of hearing a longbeard gobbler sound off from the roost and watching him, in full strut, slowly shuffle his way to my gun makes other springtime happenings pale in comparison.

Before having the experience of an encounter with a gobbler, you have to know where he hangs out once he leaves his roost tree and the only way to do that is to scout. This involves looking for tracks, droppings, feathers and strut marks in addition to hearing the actual gobble of your quarry.

Time has to be spent in the woods along old woods roads, log decks, pipeline and power line rights of way looking for the telltale sign where turkeys are hanging out.

While looking for evidence of turkeys in an area, on more than one occasion, I have found other treasures as a bonus.

A few springs ago, I was walking an old woods road with wild flowers pushing through the new green grass when I spotted something that seemed out of place. Upon closer examination, the tip of white protruding from the greenery was the tine of an antler that had been cast aside as always happens once buck deer drop the old to begin growing the new. For the moment, I forgot turkey tracks, retrieved the prize that now rests in my office.

On another occasion, I was walking through a food plot near a deer stand when I spotted an antler among the clover. Another trophy got a ride home in my truck.

As exciting as it is to find shed antlers, there are other treasures that are more mind-boggling. One day I was walking a recently plowed pipeline that exposed bare iron ore-laden ground in search of turkey sign when a small rock at my feet looked different. It was an arrow head.

Picking it up, I was transported back in time as I tried to imagine how it got there. I realized that long ago, Native Americans roamed these hills in search of game. Perhaps an errant arrow launched from a primitive bow had missed its mark, or it could be that the arrow had hit the target, and the deer ran before expiring on the site of the pipeline. I’ll never know the answer, of course, but it is a mind-stretcher just to consider the possibility of what may have happened hundreds of years ago.

That’s not the first arrow head I’ve recovered while scouting for turkeys. A couple more made their way into my pocket until I could get home with my special treasures.

On another occasion, I was walking along a pipeline on our hunting club, stopping in a patch of clover to listen for a gobbler. Looking down, I spotted a 4-leaf clover right between my boots. Did it bring me luck? If memory serves, I was able to call in and bring down a gobbler that day.

When you’re out turkey hunting this spring, it’s always an adrenalin rush to be able to locate and call in a mature turkey gobbler. If the turkeys don’t cooperate, though, be on the lookout for some of these special treasures that when found, can make failing to get a gobbler not such a bad deal after all.

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By Tommy Rush

This week I overheard a member of our church sharing with my secretary about his dog’s favorite food. He told her that he could get his dog to obey just about any command by giving him peanut butter. We have a family dog named “Buddy” and our best tool for training him has been a piece of pound cake. “Buddy” is part Labrador Retriever and part Great Dane, so a spoonful of peanut butter might not be sufficient. He’s a big and growing dog. I’m sure it would take a full jar of peanut butter. The truth is any food you bring out usually gets his immediate attention.

I’ve had several dogs in my lifetime. My grandfather trained Bird Hunting Dogs for many years and I don’t recall ever seeing him use peanut butter or poundcake. Having a dog in the family again has brought back a lot of memories. I’ve enjoyed morning walks and watching “Buddy” go through his morning routine. As soon as I walk out on the porch each morning and pet him a few times, he turns and begins running full speed to the pond. He waits until I get in sight, then he begins working his way back to the barn. After chasing a few rabbits or field mice, he takes a water break before racing across the pasture to check on the neighbor’s dog, “Susie.” When he’s ready to eat, he either comes to the porch and looks in the window to find me or he goes to his pen and begins flipping his bowl in the air to get my attention.

Recently my wife laughed when I told her my plans for teaching “Buddy” a new command. The new command is “Bring me your bowl and I’ll fill it.” Don’t ever laugh at a man and his dog! I’ll post the video the first time he goes to get his bowl and brings it to my feet to fill. I’m on a mission. Yesterday I thought about using the pound cake with some peanut butter spread on top.

Actually there’s a verse of scripture that sounds pretty similar. Psalm 81:10 says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” In a sense, God’s saying, “Bring your bowl and I’ll fill it up.” Throughout the Bible we read how much God loves us and how He longs to fill and bless our lives. However, we are always called to come to Him, to open the door of our heart or surrender our will to His will. God never forces His life and blessings on us. Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” The Lord always waits for us to come home. Just like the father in the prodigal son story, He eagerly waits to pour out His goodness and grace on all who come home.

Are you hungry for more of Jesus in your life? Do you have a desire for the Lord to fill your marriage, to strengthen your faith, to bless your family with His grace? Can you hear the Master’s voice saying,“Bring Me your bowl (life) and I will fill it.”

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By Joe Darby

Not long ago I was in New Orleans to accompany a family member who was undergoing a medical procedure. I had occasion to drive around Lee Circle and, for the first time since Gen. Robert E. Lee’s statue was removed from that place, I saw the empty pedestal that had supported the monument for 133 years.

It looked strange. It looked, well, just wrong, like the empty base for some valuable object in a jewelry store or museum, after the object had been stolen. Something was obviously missing that belonged there.

A dignified statue of the Confederate general was dedicated on the tall pedestal before a large crowd on Feb. 22, 1884. I know the date because some years back I purchased from an antiques document dealer an original program from the ceremony. I have since passed on the document to my daughter Becky Goldman, for her own growing collection of historic objects.

Lee’s image was in place, through two world wars and all the other tumultuous events of the 20th century and 17 years into our current century, when it was taken down at the behest of then New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu on May 14, 2017.

I didn’t agree with that action but what upsets me the most are some of the things that columnists, pundits and folks in general who don’t like Confederate monuments said about Lee in order to justify the removal.

They called Lee a traitor, a man who tried to destroy the United States, a man who supported the despicable regime of slavery. None of these claims are true. Slavery was indeed despicable, but Lee was no proponent of the system, having called it a moral evil. And a word to those who claim slavery was not the main cause of the Civil War. It was indeed. All one has to do is to read the ordinances of secession of the various Confederate states and the Southern newspaper editorials of the time. It was all about slavery, not states’ rights, the tariff or anything else. Southerners feared the new Republican President Abraham Lincoln would ultimately try to do away with the practice of human bondage.

Having said that, let me get back to the accusations against Lee. First, he was not trying to destroy the United States, no more than George Washington was trying to destroy the British Empire when he led the armies of the American Revolution. As many of you know, Lee was so respected as a man and an Army officer that he was asked to command the forces of the United States in the Civil War.

He refused the request, because he said he could not draw his sword against his “country,” that is, his native state of Virginia, where his immediate family and many cousins lived, after their ancestors settled there in the 1600s. As Professor Allen Guelzo makes clear in his new biography, “Robert E. Lee: A Life,” Lee sincerely hoped that secession would not lead to war. He prayed that the separation would be a peaceful one.

But he felt he had to make an immediate decision because, as a man of honor, he would not want to disobey an order to attack the South if he were still a member of the Union army. That shows a certain amount of integrity right there.

And after Southern forces fired on Fort Sumpter in Charleston, S.C., in April, 1861, and Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the rebellion, Virginia joined the deep South in secession. So, because of his physical and emotional ties to Virginia, Lee’s motivation was to be instrumental in the defense and creation of a new nation, not the destruction of an old. I see an important difference there.

Many military historians believe that if Lee had taken command of Northern forces, his military skills would have resulted in a fairly short war, with the Confederacy being overrun long before its demise in April, 1865, after four years of slaughter and destruction. But because he chose to fight for the Confederacy, the South was able to hang on until it was utterly exhausted by overwhelming forces.

Everyone who ever met the man commented on his dignity, honor and integrity. He was of a reserved personality, although a very strong one. He was definitely not the kind of man whom you would slap on the back and say, “Well, how’s it going, general?”

So, as a man faithful to his own values and sense of right and wrong, Lee is the one person most identified with the Confederacy. The cause of the Confederacy was wrong. But Lee himself fought for what he saw as right, as his God gave him the light to see it. He was, though flawed human, like all of us, a good man.

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The “Renovation is complete” at Ivan Smith Furniture in Natchitoches.  The Grand Re-Opening celebration was held on March 24, 2022 at 936 Keyser Avenue, Natchitoches. 

Stop by and see their new showroom and all the new items they have in store.

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NATCHITOCHES – Cameron Parikh took advantage of his share of opportunities throughout Northwestern State’s nine-game baseball homestand that ended Wednesday night.

Parikh added another key hit to his growing resume while senior right-hander Josh Banes continued to capitalize on his chances as well, closing out the Demons’ 6-3 win against Grambling at Brown-Stroud Field.

“Their guy (starter Roy Peguero) did a good job early,” sixth-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. “We didn’t sting the ball very hard. Baylin (Sorensen) had one, and we couldn’t get him home. Jeff (Elkins) let us settle down a little bit. That’s important in these games. A lot of times you get uptight in mid-week games. You’ve got to settle down and play ball. I felt like we did that after that.”

“That” was Elkins’ leadoff home run in the sixth inning that awakened the Demons (10-11), who won for the seventh time in nine games on the homestand in which NSU scored 105 runs.

Down 2-1, Elkins slammed the first pitch he saw from left-handed reliever Michael Mims III (0-1) over the center-field wall to tie the game. Five batters later, Parikh capped the four-run inning with a two-run double to the right-field corner.

“We need to move the ball there,” Barbier said. “Just like he did with his sac fly (in the eighth). In those spots – we had runners out there a lot – we have to move the ball. He hit the ball to right field, and we had a little fortune that the right fielder misplayed it.”

Armed with a three-run lead, the Demons were able to tame the Tigers (7-14) thanks to some strong work out of the bullpen.

After right-hander Gus Collins turned in four shutout innings with seven strikeouts in his first career start, four Demon relievers combined to fan six more Grambling hitters in the final five innings.

Andrew Cossio (1-0) earned his first career win after working the sixth inning while Alex Makarewich struck out a pair in a clean seventh inning. Dawson Flowers worked the eighth before Banes danced around a leadoff double in the ninth to hang a zero and earn a save in his second straight appearance after closing out Saturday’s 13-9 doubleheader finale against South Dakota State.

“I feel like I’ve taken advantage of the opportunities given to me,” Banes said. “We’ve got an electric arm in Cossio, and as soon as he gets back in his rhythm, that will probably be our closer. I’m just trying to take advantage of the outings I get. As a staff, we’re doing a good job of throwing really well when we get the chance. Coach Barbier says be ready every day, because that could be your chance. You might go a week without throwing, but you have to be ready when you get your opportunity.”

Banes could simply be following the path set forward by Parikh, who had started two games before the Demons’ nine-game homestand. After scoring four runs in a 20-3 win against Alcorn in the opener of March 12, Parikh has been a staple at the top of the Demon lineup.

Parikh’s three RBIs Wednesday gave him 12 on the season – 10 of which came on the homestand.

“I was thinking about that this week,” Banes said. “(Parikh) has been patient, patient, patient, waiting for his chance. He’s taken his opportunity and run with it, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”

The Demons return to action Friday when they travel to New Orleans for the Southland Conference-opening series against the Privateers. First pitch of the three-game series is set for 6:30 p.m. at Maestri Field.

Northwestern State 6, Grambling 3
GSU 000 011 010 – 3 6 1
NSU 000 014 01x – 6 9 1

W – Andrew Cossio (1-0). L – Michael Mims III (0-1). S – Josh Banes (2). 2B – GSU, Trevor Hatton; Aries Gardner. NSU, Cameron Parikh, Baylin Sorensen, Miguel Vega. HR – NSU, Jeffrey Elkins (3). Highlights: GSU, John Garcia 2-3, RBI. NSU, Miguel Vega 2-3, 2B.

Records: Grambling 7-14, Northwestern State 10-11.

Photo:  Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

The Demons (10-11) head to New Orleans for a 6:30 p.m. Friday first pitch at Maestri Field, starting conference play in a stadium they last visited May 19, 2018. Northwestern State and the Privateers split a doubleheader that day, springboarding NSU’s run to the Southland Conference Tournament championship.

WATCH and LISTEN: https://nsudemons.com/watch/?Live=2574&type=Live

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Here is a look at the week of March 27-April 2 at Northwestern State University.

March 27 – Tennis vs. Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, Jack Fisher Lady Demon Complex, 11 a.m.
March 28 – Classes resume after spring break
March 29 — Softball vs. Louisiana Tech, Lady Demon Diamond, 6 p.m.
March 29 – Faculty recital featuring Kristine Coreil, horn, and Chialing Hsieh, piano, LSMSA Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
March 31 – Women’s History Month forum, 4 p.m.
March 31 – NSU Chamber Choir spring concert, Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. #
April 1-3 – 2022 Caddo Conference
April 1-3 – Baseball vs. Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, Brown-Stroud Field
April 1-2– Softball vs. Nicholls, Lady Demon Diamond
April 1-2 – NSU Opera Theatre presents Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro,” Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. #
April 2 – SAT testing, Kyser Hall, 8 a.m.

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By Steve Graf/Gamakatsu Hooks/SPRO Pro Staff

In a football game, you have four downs to make a first down. If you fail at getting a first down after three attempts, you have three choices: go for it, kick a field goal if it’s within your kicker’s range, or punt. Now most coaches choose the latter, depending on their field position. Bass fishing is like football in that it’s all about the decisions you make and when. Today let’s look at why these two sports are so similar.

A couple of weeks ago I was fishing at Toledo Bend with little to no success. It was too early for fish to be on beds and spawning, but there were a few buck bass (males) roaming around the shallows looking for a place to start preparing a bed for their chosen female. I tried all the typical baits an angler should throw this time of year, but I had zero bass to show for my effort. I threw the standard rattle-in-style baits like the SPRO Aruku shad, I slowly rolled a spinnerbait, drug a Carolina-rig off the points, and threw a crankbait as well. Nothing, no bites whatsoever, so I sat down and decided it was time to back up and punt by taking a totally different approach from a bait and technique standpoint.

Turns out this was the U-Haul move of the day, as I tied on a Reaction Innovations bait known as the “Sweet Beaver.” This bait falls into the category of what anglers call a “creature bait.” Over the years, this bait has proven itself to be one of the best lures an angler can tie on, as it has won its fair share of tournaments. Again, I tried every type of moving bait known to man with no results. So, I decided to slow down and try pitching or flipping brush tops and laydowns (basically wood). The results were immediate as I boated several fish which were holding mostly on brush piles.

Now this is not unusual for bass, especially during cold snaps, but I did let the bass tell me what and how they wanted a bait. The bass told me in no uncertain way (no bites) that they were not in the mood to chase a lure. They wanted a bait that was slow and dropped on their nose. My best 5 bass that day would have pushed the scales to around 15 pounds. Point being, that due to my desire to back up and punt, it made me adjust my approach and do something that the bass really wanted. So, the next time you’re struggling to get a bite, back up and punt, and try a totally different approach and you just might find the magic to make a bass bite. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!

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A “Stop the Violence” Rally will be held on Saturday, March 26 from 4-7 pm at the Ross William Park in the Bailey Heights Community in Natchitoches. This event is sponsored by Edward “UGG” Lewis; the Natchitoches Coalition on Homelessness; City Council members Betty Smith, Chris Petite and Rosemary Washington; Local Ministers; Concerned Citizens; and the Community Association of Bailey Heights. There will be a program, free food, and entertainment will be provided by “UGG” Inspirational and Local Youth Groups.

For more information contact Betty Smith at 318-332-8668, Rev. Steven Harris at 318-419-0802, Edward “UGG” Lewis at 318-332-1863, Dorothy McGaskey at 318-527-1968 or Johnny Barnes at 318-581-2333.

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