Effective Feb. 25, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that they will no longer require wearing of face coverings on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems.

Due to this change in guidelines by the CDC, Natchitoches Parish School Board officials have announced that face coverings and masks will be optional on all district buses and vehicles effective Tuesday, March 15.

NPSB will still strongly encourage masking and will continue to follow recommendations from the CDC and the Louisiana Department of Health.

To read the full update to the CDC guidelines for masking, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/.

NPSB would like to thank the community for its continued support and cooperation. For more information concerning Covid-19 updates.

The Rivers Family Cemetery is a small, easy to pass unnoticed series of plots dug by family hands for generations adjacent to the land they farmed. Just across the tracks toward the river outside Powhatan, it’s a small cemetery in the big scheme of things, but the connection’s made somehow tighter by physical closeness in both life and death: sharing houses, sharing land for crops and animal sustenance—a harmony of sharing everything so that everyone got something and worked their butts off for that something and got to jointly revel in that sharing of “we did this” time and again, thru the generations…

As part of his collection to the dirt of his father’s past, Hardrick attended and excelled at Allen High school in especially his band and music classes. After marriage and a child, a good job came along at Aherns’ Portable Buildings, which allowed a more consistent income for the growing family. Soon, though, Hardrick began pursuing even more lucrative jobs playing his saxophone with touring bands where Hardrick’s personality and playing hit with notables which led to multiple European Blues and New Orleans Jazz Fest Circuits. Then years of Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons at Bubba’s and other joints down Cane River came, which eventually led to Friday nights at Roques Blues Hall on Carver Street—just a couple of blocks off of Williams Avenue but miles from the comfort of both black and white patrons’ homes, which nonetheless became one of the most popular and talked about venues in town and across tourist interchanges. It was not rare to see Mama Lair Lacour cutting a mean, slow drag while oblivious to younger, more hyper white hipster dancers were just as mesmerized by Hardrick’s and the band’s rhythm and blues. As the popularity of these Friday night jams grew, they came to be known as “White Night” because the crowd began to look a little different than before, but as new folks started to come it, none of the older more traditional black folks were left out. His talent and laughter grew and taught us all important, lifelong lessons. Hardrick’s dance tunes moved blacks and whites together as one in shouting seas of funk, R & B, and joy.

While kicking on the floors of every dance hall and stage around, Hardrick never stopped trying to get better…getting better by having gifted musicians join him on stage, and by going back to complete his Associate’s Degree in Music at NSU which solidified his music teaching career, and the love and respect of countless students. I also saw the inspiration completely set in the night Barack Obama was elected as the President of the United States. His mission grew as an alderman for the Powhatan Village Council until his eventual election as Mayor of the City of his childhood. I asked him one day when at his apartment what made him run for Mayor, and he wheeled his wheelchair down the hall to his bathroom and turned on the water in the tub and let it run for 2-3 minutes—coming out brown and never becoming clear. “If I can’t take a bath here and get water for coffee and cooking every day, nobody can, and we gotta fix it- and that he did. He inherited over 30 years of water system failings, issues with the State Health Department and the Rural Water Association, and several competitors and pushed all the way to clean, safe water. Within 6 months of his election, he took me to his bathroom and told me “It’s not rocket science” as clean, clear water came of his and his constituents taps.

He loved jazz—playing jazz with any musicians; listening to jazz from any musician—just being in the moment with jazz while his brain processed what the other’s brains and fingers were processing. Piano Jazz, Horn Jazz, 50’s Jazz, Jazz Fest—it was to become his jazz funeral home. As his body slowly failed and he played less and less, his mind started walking the streets where the sounds were heard, and he played and sang and talked about music and his friends until the day he passed. While there may be a Jam in is honor soon, there will not be a festival or marching camp or solo sax ride anywhere near his hometown or family cemetery that a faint harmony or call won’t be heard. Rest up, Hardrick, but keep sending songs, melodies, and ideas of peace and love. You’ll be missed, and those left behind (for now) long for the day that we are one again—one band, one honky tonk, one family—just playing and singing and dancing along to the blues of Hardrick Rivers. Peace for now.

The Natchitoches Parish School Board voted to adopt the District Calendar for the 2022-2023 school year at its Board meeting on March 15.

This agenda item passed 6 to 5 with Harris, McGaskey, Metoyer, Gardner and Benefield voting against the calendar. Some board members stated that they were concerned about the 5 day break in October as students tend to lose focus the longer they’re on break.

Cane River Chapter, NSDAR held their meeting on March 8 at St. Augustine Catholic Church Hall and via ZOOM.

The meeting focused around Women’s History Month, Women’s Issues and Women’s Health. In particular, the prevention of heart attack or stroke. Vice Regent Gail Jones provided handouts on how to spot a stroke and signs of a heart attack.

The Chapter was pleased to present Cane River Chapter Member Vera Severin with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Community Service Award for her many years of outstanding volunteer service outside of DAR. Ms. Severin has contributed countless hours of service in an outstanding manner through voluntary heroic, civic, benevolent service and by organizing and participating in numerous community activities. The Community Service Award provides a unique opportunity for DAR to recognize worthy individuals and organizations for outstanding voluntary service. A DAR chapter may present a limit of two awards per year. NON-DAR members are also eligible to receive this award too.

Some interesting facts discussed at the meeting were, “When Dogs went to War.” March 13 recognizes National K9 Veterans Day and the many dedicated dogs who have served since World War II. Over one million dogs served on both sides during World War I, carrying messages along the complex network and providing emotional support to the soldiers. The most famous dog to emerge from World War I was Rin Tin Tin. Some U. S. soldiers found this abandoned puppy in France in 1918 of German War Dogs. He was brought to the United States where he made his debut in the 1922 silent film, “The Man from Hell’s River.” Rin Tin Tin made the German Shepherd breed famous across the country.

A few dates to remember are National Medal of Honor Day on March 25. All Medal of Honor recipients are recognized on this day. It is awarded only to U.S. military personnel by the President of the United States for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. This is the highest awarded military honor in the U.S. There are three versions of the Medal of Honor; one for the Army, one for the Navy and one for the Air Force. Marine Corps and Coast Guard recipients receive the Navy version.

National Vietnam War Veterans Day is observed on March 29. This day honors the men and women who at that time served and sacrificed in the longest conflict in American history.

DAR is the largest patriotic women’s service organization in the nation, with more than 190,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters across the United States and in several foreign countries. DAR members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships, educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to both veterans and active duty military.

Become a Member and Share a Bond. DAR members come from a variety of backgrounds and interests, but all share a common bond of having an ancestor who helped contribute to securing the independence of the United States of America. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible to join. We will assist you in your lineage. For assistance or additional information, please contact Cane River Chapter Regent Peggy Aycock at caneriverlsdar@gmail.com.

By Brad Dison

Two guys walked into a bar… actually it was a tavern called the “House of Lords” in New York City. The date was Friday, April 7, 1865. Sam and his friend had been close since they were children. In the tavern, Sam and his friend “drank considerably” and discussed Abraham Lincoln’s second presidential inauguration, which Sam’s friend had attended.

The morning of March 4, 1865, in Washington, D.C. was dark and gloomy. The rain came down in torrents. The dirt streets were “a sluice of mud.” One newspaper reported, “The Heavens wept profusely and the streets of Washington deluged in mud!” A short distance from the Capitol, a large procession gathered despite the hard rain. The group consisted of a military escort, firemen, and members of several different civic societies.

Despite the rain and muddy streets, streams of people of all “sexes, ages, colors and conditions” made their way to the Capitol to witness the historic ceremony. People also gathered on the sidewalks along Pennsylvania Avenue all the way to the White House, then known as “the Presidential mansion.” Carriages which would have been in great demand due to the inauguration were in even higher demand because of the weather. It would have been in bad form to arrive for the inauguration wearing dirty, soggy clothing. People who wanted to join the celebrations unsoiled by the rain and mud paid top dollar to ride in one of the city’s hundreds of carriages for hire. In order to make the most profit possible, carriage drivers kept the horses moving at a faster pace than would have been normal for the muddy conditions. Even though the carriages had fenders, the mud still sloshed onto passersby. The thin, wooden carriage wheels sliced deep into the mud and launched the sludge a great distance. Sitting in the tavern, Sam’s friend explained that he had taken such a carriage ride to the Capitol.

President Lincoln had arrived at the Capitol early that morning. He was not trying to beat the rain; it had rained on him the whole way. The President was busy “signing bills as fast as they were enrolled.” Shortly before the inauguration ceremony was to begin at the Capitol, the Presidential “equipage” left the Presidential mansion for the Capitol.

In the front of the procession was a strong force of police on horseback. Next came the military portion which consisted of a regiment of infantry (Veteran Reserves), a battalion of cavalry, and a battery of artillery. The Fire Brigade, which was comprised of government and city Fire Departments, and the visiting firemen from Philadelphia, followed. One newspaper reported, “This display was remarkably fine, and was one of the most attractive features in the procession.” The Presidential carriage, which carried Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln and other members of the Presidential household, was escorted by a United States Marshal and the guard of black horse cavalry who were usually on duty at the Presidential mansion. As the carriage drove along Pennsylvania Avenue, the crowd struggled to see who was inside. The Presidential carriage was followed by several civic societies, State delegations and political associations, and a large number of citizens on horseback who had joined the parade of their own volition. The procession was much larger and imposing than had been anticipated considering the weather. While the procession was en route to the Capitol, the “clouds broke away, and the sun shone out with great splendor, giving the scene a bright and cheerful aspect.”

Inside the Capital building, last minute details pertaining to the inaugural ceremonies were finalized. Guards stood at the entrance on the eastern front. All other entrances to the Capital were closed. At ten o’clock, the doors to the eastern entrance were opened. Some people were crushed as the crowd rushed through the doors and scrambled to find seats. Within minutes, every available space in the chamber was occupied. Keeping order was nearly impossible.

Just before noon, the official procession, which consisted of members of the Supreme Court, President Lincoln and Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, members of the cabinet, and other government officials, filed into the chamber. Vice President Hamlin presented a heartfelt farewell speech. Vice President elect Andrew Johnson made a speech which was “remarkable only for its incoherence, which brought a blush to the cheek of every Senator and official of the government who was present.” Following his speech, Mr. Johnson took the oath of office as Vice President. Then came the moment that the crowd had come to see. The official procession moved to the platform in from of the portico of the eastern front of the Capitol. An estimated thirty to forty thousand people, most of which had to stand in the deep mud, broke out into enthusiastic cheers upon President Lincoln’s appearance before them.

At the table in the “House of Lords” tavern, Sam’s friend told him that he had a good view of President Lincoln. Unlike the majority of onlookers, his status was such that he was able to watch the inauguration from a clean, dry, raised balcony overlooking President Lincoln. Sam’s friend bragged that he had been as close to the President as he was to his friend sitting at the table. Sam’s friend was there when Lincoln spoke the words, “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds…”

With the conclusion of President Lincoln’s speech, a battery of artillery stationed near the Capitol fired a national salute, and the jubilant onlookers cheered again. Sam’s friend watched as the procession returned to the interior of the Capitol and escorted Mr. Lincoln to the Presidential mansion. Sitting in the bar in New York, Sam listened intently as his friend shared the details of the day and was taken aback by what his friend said next. Sam’s friend struck the table and said, “What an excellent chance I had to killed the President, if I had wished, on inauguration day!” Exactly one week after Sam and his friend discussed the second inauguration at a tavern in New York City, April 14, 1865, Sam’s friend shot President Abraham Lincoln. Sam Chester’s friend was John Wilkes Booth.

Sources:
1. New York Daily Herald, March 5, 1865, p.2.
2. The Daily Milwaukee News, March 5, 1865, p.1.
3. Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia), April 15, 1865, p.1.
4. Edward Jr. Steers, The Trial: The Assassination of President Lincoln and the Trial of the Conspirators (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2003), 45.
5. “History Detectives Episode 8, Lincoln Assassination,” PBS, accessed March 10, 2022, -tc.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/static/media/transcripts/2011-04-01/108_lincoln.pdf.
6. Dave Taylor, “Booth at Lincoln’s Second Inauguration,” LincolnConspirators.com, May 31, 2012, lincolnconspirators.com/2012/05/31/booth-at-lincolns-second-inauguration/#:~:text=Then%20in%20the%20February%2013,his%20pictures%20of%20the%20inauguration..

Stakes were high when Northwestern State University President Dr. Marcus Jones and Dean of Students Reatha Cox were challenged to put their money where their mouth is in a campus fund raiser to benefit the NSU Food Pantry. Students in the President’s Leadership Program organized a Kiss the Pig contest, pitting Jones against Cox to see who could garner the most online monetary donations.

With special guest Chocolate the pig in attendance Tuesday, student organizers announced that the contest was a draw. Jones and Cox raised more than $3,000 combined and donations were still coming. Students Raygan Ray of Many, Hannah Davis of Hammond, Daija Ware of Opelousas and Jon Elise Sturgeon of St. Francisville, who organized the event as a community impact project, said cash and donations of toiletries and other items were still being accepted.

Chocolate was by far the star of the show, dolled up with purple and orange ribbons, she was managed expertly by her handler, 6-year-old Cannon Johnson, whose family volunteered Chocolate for the appearance. Cannon is the son of Josh and Christina Johnson of Natchitoches.

Jones lauded the students for finding a creative way to bring awareness to food insecurity, which affects about 30 percent of college students and has been exacerbated by COVID.

“It’s a fun way to draw awareness to the issue,” Jones said.

The NSU Food Pantry was created in 2015 by social work students who identified a need among their peers and organized the pantry to provide non-perishable food, kitchen items, utensils, cleaning supplies, toiletries, t-shirts and personal care items to NSU students free of charge. The goal of The Pantry is to address food insecurity, feed student success and create a community of compassion.

Those who wish to support The Pantry can do so by individual donations of items, financial donations or sponsoring a fundraiser or food and toiletries drive. Financial donations can be sent to the NSU Foundation with funds dedicated to The Pantry, 535 University Parkway, Natchitoches, LA. 71497. Donations are tax deductible. For more information call (318) 357-5523.

Dr. Hiram “Pete” Gregory and Dr. Rebecca Riall, professors in Northwestern State University’s School of Social Sciences and Applied Programs, were honored with faculty awards presented by the University of Louisiana System during the ULS’s fifth annual For Our Future conference.

Gregory was named a Champion of Diversity and Inclusion for decades of work in supporting indigenous people of Louisiana and surrounding states, through education, interpretation and preservation.

Riall was named the Rising Star in Diversity and Inclusion for her work in creating the American and Indigenous studies, Black studies and Creole Studies programs at NSU.

“Dr. Gregory talked about cultural competency before the term was invented,” said ULS President Dr. Jim Henderson.

Gregory has been on faculty at Northwestern State since 1961 and is the longest-serving employee in NSU’s history. He has taught thousands of Northwestern students who have gone on to be anthropologists, archeologists, nurses, teachers, businesspeople, professionals and university presidents. He is the academic advisor for the Louisiana Creole Heritage Center, the Louisiana Folklife Festival and the Folklife Center at Northwestern. In 2019, Gregory received the Lifetime Contribution to the Humanities Award from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. In 2018, the Creole Heritage Center presented Gregory with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2016, the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development recognized him as Louisiana’s Archaeologist of the Year.

Riall is an anthropologist and licensed attorney who coordinates the pre-law and paralegal studies program at NSU. Her research interests include legal anthropology, the anthropology of race, race and the law, federal Indian law, U.S. Constitutional law and tribal law. She co-founded the First Nations Educational and Cultural Center at Indiana University Bloomington. She is a former indigent defender and built the first law practice in Zwolle focusing on criminal defense and family law for about 10 years before joining the faculty at NSU. She lives in Zwolle and has close ties to the Choctaw-Apache Community of Ebarb. She is currently the acting coordinator of Black Studies and American Indian & Indigenous Studies at NSU.

The fifth annual ULS For Our Future Conference was hosted in Natchitoches and attended by about 500 faculty and staff from the nine institutions that make up the University of Louisiana System, including Northwestern State, Grambling, Louisiana Tech, McNeese, Nicholls, Southeastern, UL-Lafayette, UL-Monroe and the University of New Orleans.

Gregory and Riall were selected for the awards from a pool of nearly 10,000 faculty and staff.

Annual Salary Range: $41,600.00 – $44,000.00 (Pay rate to be determined by level of
certification(s) possessed).

Benefits Offered: Employer retirement contribution; sick and vacation leave; paid holidays, health, dental, vision, and supplemental insurances offered.

Work:
The purpose of this classification is to operate, monitor, and maintain water production and treatment
systems and related equipment to provide quality drinking water for public use in accordance with all
established regulations, standards, and procedures. Work is performed under general supervision at the level allowed according to the certification held by the employee and training received.

Minimum Desired Applicant Qualifications:
Experience in water plant operations preferred or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Necessary Special Requirements:
High School Diploma or GED.
Must possess the State of Louisiana Class IV Water Production and Class IV Water Treatment certifications.

May consider class 3 certifications BUT must be able to advance to Level 4 within 90 days of hire.
Pay rate to be determined by level of certification(s) possessed.

Work Schedule:
12 hour shifts; includes weekends and holidays

Accepting applications: Until filled

City of Natchitoches, Human Resources Department located at 1400 Sabine St. or P.O. Box 37, Natchitoches La 71458-0037. Applications may also be picked up upstairs at City Hall, located at 700 Second St., or you can download an application on line at www.natchitochesla.gov

Rotarian with the Program Rhonda Jones introduced the CEO and President of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation Ronnie Rantz at the March 15 luncheon. Rantz shared information on each of the twelve 2022 Inductees scheduled for June 23-25. Pictured from left are Rotary President Tommy Caldwell, Rantz, and Jones (Photo by Dr. Ron McBride).

BOM is a sponsor of the NSU Elementary Lab School’s garden library program. The school is promoting reading in their outside classrooms by adding little libraries and strategically placing them to promote ag literacy and successful gardening at school and home.

Pictured: BOM’s Blaise LaCour, Lane Murchison (son of BOM Executive Vice President Tyler Murchison), and Lisa Wiggins.

BATON ROUGE – With assistance from LDEQ, the Village of Natchez in Natchitoches Parish will be soon be addressing long-standing issues with its waste water system. On Friday, March 4, LDEQ Secretary Dr. Chuck Carr Brown presented Village of Natchez Mayor Rosia Humphery with a facsimile check represented a $540,000 loan through the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund managed by LDEQ. The loan was closed Feb. 18.

“In the world of wastewater funding, this is a modest loan,” Brown said. “But in the real world, the tangible good for the people of the Village of Natchez is immense.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you” Humphery said. The mayor said the infusion of funds will be a godsend for the village’s aging waste water treatment system. “I am so tired of running out at night trying to get everything working.”

The loan is intended to fund collection system improvements and projects including smoke testing, closed circuit television inspections, repairs to existing gravity mains and manholes, rehabilitations to two existing lift stations (replacing pumps, piping, etc.) and recoating of all other existing lift station wet wells. The Village would also like to make improvements to its waste water treatment plant – including replacing mechanical screen, replacing chlorine feeders, and installing de-chlorination feeders, as well as several other needed repairs.
The CWSRF loan includes 100 percent forgiveness of the principal.

LDEQ Secretary Dr. Chuck Carr Brown, left, and LDEQ Assistant Secretary for Assessment Roger Gingles, right, present a facsimile check to Village of Natchez Mayor Rosia Humphery at LDEQ Headquarters on March 4

NATCHITOCHES:
Michael Glenn Sparks
January 16, 1978 – March 11, 2022
Service: Saturday, March 19 at 1 pm in the chapel of Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

Mary Anne Erwin Giering
November 18, 1945 – March 12, 2022
Service: Thursday, March 17 at 11 am at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Natchitoches

Maniel Bacon
November 22, 1933 – March 8, 2022
Service: Wednesday, March 16 at 3 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

NATCHITOCHES – Behind three solid relief outings in Northwestern State’s weekend series at Houston, junior Bronte Rhoden was named the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.

This is the second weekly honor for a Lady Demon pitcher this season after Maggie Darr collected the honor in week two, and the third NSU player overall to receive recognition from the conference.

Rhoden did just what relief pitchers are asked to do out of the bullpen by attacking the strike zone and keeping opponents off the scoreboard.

She appeared in all three games of the series with Houston, throwing the final innings of each game. In her first outing on Saturday she struck out three batters in 1 1/3 innings with her only blemish of the weekend an unearned run in the sixth.

She threw a perfect frame in the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday, needing just nine pitches to get through the three batters, and struck out another batter along with four soft ground ball outs in 1 2/3 innings of work in the finale on Sunday.

In her past five outings on the season Rhoden has allowed just two hits with 11 strikeouts in seven total innings with a 0.00 ERA and holding opponents to a .083 batting average.

The Lady Demons continue their lengthy March road swing on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Jackson State before traveling to Memphis for four games in the Tiger Classic beginning on Friday.

Photo: Evelyn Winger | Graphic: Brad Welborn

The City Council passed a resolution at its March 14 meeting to hire Cothren Graff and Smoak, Inc. for application assistance for a grant the City submitted to the Love Louisiana Outdoors Grant Program for funding to redevelop Richardson Park on Lake Street. The necessary scope of the work to be completed by Cothren Graff & Smoak is design and engineering services required to construct the improvements. The commitment for the scope of work is projected to be in the amount of $36,000 and is subject to being approved for funding under the stated program.

The project consists of construction of a concrete walking path, pavilion, parking spaces adjacent to Sewanne St. and Lake St., and rehabilitation work to the existing restroom facility.

The proposed fee for basic engineering services and resident inspection is $32,000 and $4,000 respectively.

The Natchitoches City Council approved the appointment of Kamal Deep to fill the unexpired term of former Natchitoches mayor Wayne McCullen as a member of the Board of Directors of the Industrial Development Board for the City of Natchitoches.

The board endeavors to promote and attract industry in Natchitoches.

November 18, 1945 – March 12, 2022

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating the life of Mary Anne Erwin Giering will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Principal celebrant will be Rev. Derek Ducote, with concelebrants Rev. Blake Deshautelle, and Rev. John Cunningham (who married Anne and Ed and blessed their marriage on their 50th Anniversary). Burial will follow at Memory Lawn Cemetery in Natchitoches. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, March 16 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 7:00 p.m.

An angel, wife and mother who brought grace and love to every life she touched, Anne passed away in her home surrounded by her family on Saturday, March 12, 2022, after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer. She was born on November 18, 1945 in Lake Providence, Louisiana, to William Joseph Erwin Sr. and Frances Nelle Avery Erwin. After graduating from Lake Providence High School in 1963, she attended Louisiana Polytechnic Institute and Northeast Louisiana State College and graduated from Bish Mathis Institute. She worked for William King Stubbs, Architect and Associates in Monroe, Louisiana.

Anne was introduced to Ed Giering by mutual friend, Gene Hutson, and they began their life-long relationship at the Walgreen’s soda shop in the Bernhardt Building in Monroe where they both worked. Anne married Ed, the love of her life and her soul mate, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Lake Providence, Louisiana, on July 29, 1967, and they began their lives together in West Monroe. She was a member of St. Paschal Catholic Church, the Pentatura Book Club, the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary, and the National Guard Wives Club.

Upon moving to Natchitoches in 1980, Anne became a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church where she served as a Eucharistic Minister for many years. In 1986, Anne began working at St. Mary’s Catholic School as the secretary and bookkeeper. She devoted 22 years to enriching the lives of so many that walked the halls at St. Mary’s. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, St. Mary’s Foundation, St. Mary’s Parents Club, and St. Mary’s Athletic Association. Anne was also a member of Service League of Natchitoches, The Nakatosh Pokeno Club, and Museum Contents, Inc., and organized a book club with her friend and neighbor, Marva Cunningham.

Anne was a kind, sweet, gentle, beautiful person who touched the hearts of all she met. She was devoted to Ed, supporting him in both his military career and civilian career as an engineer. A loving mother to her three children and a doting grandmother (“Gee Gee”) to her four grandchildren, she enjoyed nothing more than spending time with them and supporting their activities, sports, and lives. Baking, puzzles, and basketball games on Stephens Avenue will not be the same without Gee Gee. She will be dearly missed by the “girls of the Pokeno Club” and her “lunch bunch”. Her favorite color was raspberry pink, and as an avid gardener who “loved playing in the dirt,” there was not a flower or plant that she did not appreciate. Her family will miss her signature fragrance (White Linen,) her flawless skin, loving hugs, fantastic cooking, and their favorite dishes. As Anne often said, “The magic must be in the hands.”

Anne is survived by her husband of 54 and a half years, Edmund “Ed” Jacob Giering III; her son, Edmund Jacob Giering IV and his wife, Cathy, and their children, Edmund Jacob “Jake” Giering V and Catherine Kieffer “Cate” Giering; her son, Jeffrey Lawrence Giering and his wife, Melissa, and their children, Parker Joseph Giering and Tyler Jacob Giering; her daughter, Lillian Anne Giering; her brother, Joseph “Joe” Avery; her brother-in-law, Francis “Buddy” Giering and his wife, Beverly; her brother-in-law, Dr. David A. Lee and his wife, Maria; her sister-in-law, Katherine “Kay” Giering; her sister-in-law, Melanie Lee; and many beloved nephews and nieces. Anne’s loving voice, listening ear, and ability to say the perfect words at just the right moment will be deeply missed by all.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William Joseph “Joe” Erwin Sr. and Frances Nelle Avery Erwin, her brother, William Joseph “WJ” Erwin Jr., and her sister, Frances Nelle Erwin Evans.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers include Roger Cunningham, Mark Flores, Greg Giering, Markley Huey, Joshua Kidd, and Jason Osterberger. Honorary pallbearers will be Paul Alford, Phil Arthur, Bill Dickens, Will Erwin, Mark Hager, Billy Moore, and Clint Perot.

The family would like to thank Dr. Mary Long and her nurse, Crystal Robinson, for their many years of care, Dr. Dan Bosser and Dr. Salahadin Abdi of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Ulla Ule, NP Kasey Gill, all the nurses and staff in the Chemotherapy Treatment Clinic with Christus St. Francis Cabrini, the nurses and aides at Hand in Hand Hospice, and Jim McDonald with Pilots for Patients.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Anne’s name to St. Mary’s Catholic School or the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

He coached more than 1,200 college basketball games in 39 seasons, but Mike McConathy won’t be doing that any longer.

Monday, at age 66, he stepped away from the only profession he’s known. The Bossier City native told his bosses at Northwestern State University he was retiring as head basketball coach, following 23 years that not only transformed the Northwestern program, but also deeply impacted the university, the Natchitoches community and much of northwest Louisiana.

A press conference, open to the public, is this morning at 10 on the court in NSU’s Prather Coliseum.

McConathy previously spent 16 seasons (1983-99) building the Bossier Parish Community College program from scratch into a junior college power that posted 25 or more wins in each of his final seven years.

McConathy’s career ends with him standing as Louisiana’s winningest college basketball coach, man or woman, with 682 victories against 536 defeats. His record at NSU dipped under .500 three years ago and finished 330-377 – but notably, in 23 years of Southland Conference play, against peer competition, his Demons were 220-203.

His schedules annually included multiple non-conference “guarantee games” he slated, after which the home team pays an appearance fee to the usually overmatched visitors. Having played roughly 125 of those, McConathy is estimated to have brought home around $5 million to support NSU’s athletic budget through the years, including nearly half-a-million this season in seven such contests against the likes of LSU, Oklahoma, Houston, Baylor and Texas A&M – four NCAA Tournament teams, including the reigning national champion, and another (the Aggies) who analysts agree should’ve gotten invited to this year’s Big Dance.

Taking over a program with only five winning seasons in 24 years of NCAA Division I membership, McConathy immediately produced two. He led the Demons to three NCAA Tournament appearances, the only ones by a north Louisiana men’s program this century and the first for NSU, in 2001, 2006 and 2013. Northwestern won twice, over Winthrop in 2001 and beating No. 15-ranked Iowa in 2006. His teams made seven Southland Tournament championship game appearances, including a record four straight from 2005-08, and won the regular-season titles in 2005 (21-12) and 2006 (26-8, the most wins in school history).

The decision, said McConathy, was entirely his.

“I’m at peace with it,” he said. “I’m going to miss coaching something fierce. But God’s got a plan and I’m just going to follow a different path. I’ve been incredibly blessed and I’m deeply grateful.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my wife, Connie, who poured her heart, soul and voice into supporting myself and this program. It takes a special person to be a part of a coach’s family and journey, and we could not have achieved what we did without her unfailing support. Having the ability to watch my sons, Michael and Logan, grow up around this program and wear Northwestern State across their chest like their grandfather and great-uncles did was truly special.”

McConathy’s father, Johnny, starred at Northwestern from 1947-51. His No. 14 jersey is one of three retired by the Demons. Uncles George and Leslie McConathy were also standouts for coach H. Lee Prather just after World War II. All were educators, and that is what the retiring NSU coach valued most.

“We wanted to win games, but it was always more important that we prepared our student-athletes to be more than basketball players. We wanted them to be good students, good players and, most importantly, good people. I believe, for the past 23 years, we have done that,” he said.

Almost 90 percent of McConathy’s players have left NSU with their undergraduate degrees. Twice, Demons ranked among the nation’s top-10 percent in the NCAA’s annual Academic Progress Rate scores.

McConathy’s emphasis earned him the 2012 National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Guardians of the Game Pillar Award for Education.

He taught classes throughout his NSU career and has been inducted into the university’s Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development Hall of Distinguished Educators.

In 2019, McConathy joined his father and uncles in the university’s N-Club Hall of Fame for athletic accomplishments. A prep All-American at Airline High in Bossier City, he is also in the Louisiana Tech Athletic Hall of Fame as a star for the Bulldogs from 1973-77, when he averaged 21 points per game in 98 contests, was a three-time All-Southland Conference pick, and the 1976 Southland Player of the Year for a conference championship team.

Photo: by CHRIS REICH, Northwestern State

The Natchitoches Police Department has arrested Sergio Gonzalez for simple burglary, resisting a police officer with force or violence, attempting to disarm an officer and possession of drug paraphernalia.

On March 14, 2022 around 12:11 a.m., officers with the Natchitoches Police Department responded to 100 block of St. Denis Street in reference to a vehicle burglary. Upon officers arrival they made contact with the owner of the vehicle who was able to positively identify the suspect she saw in her car.

Officers were able to locate Sergio Gonzalez in a parking lot near Second Street. As officers were trying to speak with Sergio Gonzalez he started a physical altercation and attempted to disarm the officers. Officers were finally able to place him under arrest and located drug paraphernalia in his pocket.

Sergio Gonzalez was booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.

If you would like to report suspicious activity or have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101. Remember all information given shall remain confidential.

How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:

You can also report a tip anonymously by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388. All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward up to $2,000 for the arrest of an offender.

Corporal John Greely
Public Information Officer
Natchitoches Police Department

NPD: Press Release

New student registration for the 2021-22 school year is now open at St. Mary’s Catholic School. Registration packets may be obtained from the school office or downloaded from the school website at www.smstiger.org/admission. St. Mary’s offers an all-inclusive tuition rate for Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 programs, that includes after school care. Scholarships and financial aid are available for qualified applicants. ACE and ARETE scholarships are now available for new families. Interested families may contact Debbie Norman to schedule a school tour or for more information CALL 318-352-8394.

St. Mary’s is a Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory school that educates students from preschool through twelfth grade. It is a ministry of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Church.

St. Mary’s Catholic School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in: (i) the admission of students; (ii) the offerings of rights, privileges, programs or activities generally made available to their students; or (iii) the administration of educational policies, admissions policies, loan programs, athletic programs, employment practices or policies, or other school-administered programs.

When Mike McConathy announced his retirement Monday after 23 years as head basketball coach at Northwestern State, it wasn’t because he wanted to leave the game.

Instead, the game had already left him.

With the speed-of-light institution of the transfer portal and NIL deals, players can skip from one school for another in an instant, in theory for more playing time or more NIL incentives.

The college basketball game we grew up with has left. Gone as a wild goose in winter.

We’re not blaming players. We’re just sending up a flare that the rules are different, which means the reality involving college competition is different. Drastically.

If you’re a coach whose foundation, whose plan for success, is building relationships, is building teams, the odds have turned against you.

If you’re that coach at a lower-profile school — say, for instance, Mike McConathy — and you were already at just a bit of a budget disadvantage, what can you do when the green backs on the other side of the fence look all that much greener than before? How can you coach up a freshman or sophomore, knowing that he could be playing against you the very next year?

It’s hard for a coach to build a relationship with a player and build a team around players when the only guy who plans to stick around is … the coach.

For 23 years.

And so, like everything else, the game changes.

But McConathy hasn’t. And that’s a good thing.

You’ll read and hear and see a lot about his playing and coaching records in the next few news cycles. If you don’t know a lot about McConathy since the Demons have been down recently, you’ll be impressed.

And if you’ve been a fan all these years, you’ll be re-impressed. No one has won more college games in Louisiana than he has so … there’s that.

But no one coaches all the time. They have to leave the court or field or track at some point and be like the rest of us. They have to go to the grocery store or doctor or to church.

And that brings us to the beautiful thing about McConathy: he is as approachable today at 66 and as the winningest college basketball coach in state history as he was as a high school All-America player at Airline High in Bossier City and an All-America guard at Louisiana Tech.

Maybe a little shy and as unassuming as an athletic guy who stands 6-foot-3 can possibly be, McConathy has nonetheless always been about relationships.

He, a brother and two sisters were raised by servant-leader parents, a couple who gave themselves to educating young people, either in grade school or Sunday school. The reddish hair and boyish face and “Aw shucks” vibe — either implied or imagined — earned him the nickname “Opie,” the pure and innocent young star of The Andy Griffith Show he grew up with.

Whether he likes it or not, it fits. Which brings us up against what so much of life is, a sort of paradox, maybe an enigma. Either way, a semi-puzzle.

In the life of a McConathy/Opie fan, you understand that, with the retirement of “Coach Mike,” an era has ended. They’re flying the barber pole at half-staff down at Floyd’s, the courthouse door is locked, and the Snappy Lunch closed for the day right after snappy brunch.

Sort of like a Mayberry Moment of Silence.

But on the other hand, McConathy can sleep a winner’s sleep for the first time since 1980 or so. Not worry about what might have happened to a player or staff member. Not tossing and turning in a hotel bed. Not reading anything about the transfer Port-o-Let or the NIL. Instead, he and wife Connie and their family — plenty of family around for sure — can build even more relationships.

Maybe you’ll see him around. Good for you if you do.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu