There are a lot of positive things taken place in the Village of Natchez Community.  Morning Star Baptist Church has been selected as a recipient of the 2023 Keep Louisiana Beautiful trash receptacle grant program.  Morning Star Baptist Church received five trash receptacle to be shared with other community churches such as New Birth Baptist Church, Pentecost, and United Missionary Baptist Church all located in the Natchez area. The purpose of the KLB grant is to reduce litter in public spaces by providing high-quality trash receptacles in communities throughout Louisiana.  As the churches are public places and see high foot traffic and motorist traffic on a weekly basis this will help with litter control throughout our community.  Morning Star Baptist Church leadership and church family are delighted to take part in the efforts of litter prevention.  Attached below is a photo of the recipients that received trash receptacles from Morning Star Baptist Church and KLB.

Pictured: Dea. Jed Forest of Pentecost, Pastor Rufus Sowell of New Birth Baptist Church, Dea. Melvin Braxton Morning Star Baptist Church, Pastor Roosevelt Toussaint Morning Star Baptist Church, Dea. Harry Clark Morning Star Baptist Church. 

Natchitoches City Council will have a pre-council meeting on Monday, March 27 beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. to discuss non-agenda items. The City Council meeting will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month and will be reserved to only items on the Agenda.  The public is invited to both the pre-council meetings and council meetings with the understanding that items not on the agenda will not be discussed at the scheduled council meetings, but the public is welcome to discuss any topic at the pre-council meetings.  The City Council Meetings are held at the Natchitoches City Council Chambers located at 716 Second Street, Natchitoches.

PROCLAMATIONS:

#021   Nielsen Resolution Declaring The Month Of March As Agriculture Month In The City Of Natchitoches

PLANNING & ZONING – FINAL:

#017  Nielsen Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 64 Of 2001 By Changing Zoning Classification Of Property Described As Follows: Lots 1 and 2 At Northeast Corner of Texas St. and 4th Street, (312 Texas Street)

ORDINANCES – FINAL:

#018   Petite Ordinance Authorizing The Mayor Of The City Of Natchitoches, Louisiana, To Enter Into A Cooperative Endeavor Agreement With Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., Whereby The City Of Natchitoches Will Provide Employees To The Cane River National Heritage Area In Exchange For The Services And Benefits That The City Receives From The Operations Of The Cane River National Heritage Area.

#019   Smith Ordinance Authorizing The Mayor Of The City Of Natchitoches, Louisiana, To Enter Into A Cooperative Endeavor Agreement With The Ben Johnson Educational Center, Whereby The City Of Natchitoches Will Provide Employees To The Ben Johnson Educational Center In Exchange For The Services And Benefits That The City Receives From The Operations Of The Ben Johnson Educational Center.

ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION:

#020   Harrington Ordinance Authorizing The Mayor Of The City Of Natchitoches To Award The Bid For A Bucket Truck For The City Of Natchitoches Utility Department (BID NO. 0657)

#021   Smith Ordinance  Extending The City Limits Of The City Of Natchitoches Annexing A Tract Situated In Section 83, Township 9 North, Range 7 West, And Section 25 Township 9 North, Range 8 West, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana,  Said Tract Lying South Of Rue De Gabriel And Louisiana Highway Six And Adjacent To The Existing Municipal Limits Of The City Of Natchitoches, Being A Total Of 174  Acres, More Or Less, And Further Providing For The Fixing Of A Public Hearing, Advertisement, Fixing Council District For Same, Fixing Zoning Classification And Providing For An Effective Date Of The Ordinance.

#022   Harrington Ordinance Authorizing The City Of Natchitoches To Enact Ordinances Relative To The Assessment Of Civil Penalties For Speeding Within The City Limits.

#023   Petite Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 059 Of 2011 Of The City Of Natchitoches, Louisiana, To Repeal The Descriptions And Designations Of Existing City Of Natchitoches City Council Districts, Establish New City Of Natchitoches City Council Districts, Describe The Boundaries Of Each New District And Otherwise Provide For An Effective Date Of The Ordinance.

RESOLUTIONS:

#022   Elie Resolution Approving And Accepting The Contract For Exemption Of Ad Valorem Taxes (Advance Notification #20180503) For Alliance Compressors, LLC, And Authorizing The Mayor Of The City Of Natchitoches, Louisiana, Ronnie Williams, Jr., To Draft And Execute A Letter, Or Any Other Instrument Necessary, To Convey The Acceptance And Approval Of The City Of Natchitoches To The Exemption.

#023   Smith  Resolution Approving And Acknowledging The Second Payment To City Personnel Under That Appropriation Of Funds Authorized By Ordinance 25 Of 2022 For Personnel And To Otherwise Provide With Respect Thereto.

#024   Elie Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Advertise And Accept Bids For The Purchase Of A Digger Derrick Truck For The City Of Natchitoches Utility Department (BID NO.  0659)

#025   Nielsen Resolution Authorizing Preparation And Submittal Of An Application To The Louisiana Department Of Health (LDH), Office Of Public Health, (OPH) Agency For The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (“DWSRF) Lead Service Line Replacement Grant

#026    Petite Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Advertise For Bids For Building & Sitework Improvements, Public Works Building, 1608 Texas Street, Natchitoches, La (BID NO. 0660)

#027    Harrington Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Advertise And Accept Bids Consisting Of Runway 17-35, Taxiways, And Apron Rehabilitation, Airport Improvement Program No. 3-22-0034-030-2023 (BID NO. 0658)

FINANCIAL REPORT:  – Clarissa Brown-Smith

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The next scheduled City Council meeting will be April 10, 2023.

March 26, 2023

(POWHATAN)-Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Detectives are investigating a Sunday afternoon shooting homicide in Powhatan that has claimed the life of a Sabine Parish man, while an ongoing search for the suspect by Natchitoches, Sabine and DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Offices is continuing according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.

On Sunday afternoon, March 26, 2023, at approximately 12:32pm, Deputies assigned to the NPSO Patrol Operations Bureau responded to NATCOM 911 Center reports of a shooting at Willa Point Apartments located in the 1400 block of La. Hwy 1 North in Powhatan, La.

While responding to the scene, deputies learned that a gunshot victim was being transported by private vehicle to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center in Natchitoches.

The vehicle was intercepted and escorted to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.

Deputies learned through witnesses, a suspect involved in the shooting identified as 20-year-old Jacoby Javon “Cobi” Forte, of Mansfield armed with a handgun fled the scene.

Detectives assigned to the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau responded to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center and to the apartment complex to photograph, process the crime scene for evidence and to interview any potential witnesses.

As the investigation progressed, detectives learned 19-year-old Jalan Dunte McGee of Zwolle, La. was pronounced dead by Natchitoches Parish Coroner Dr. Tim Collins at 1:56pm after life-saving measures were unsuccessful at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.

According to Dr. Collins, Mr. McGee died from one or more apparent gunshot wounds to the upper body.

The body is being transported to a Shreveport Forensic Pathology Office for an autopsy.

The case is being investigated as a homicide.

Sheriff Stuart Wright said criminal arrest warrants have been issued and signed by a 10th Judicial District Judge for the arrest of Jacoby Javon “Cobi” Forte, B/M, Age: 20, 6’02”, 220 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes for Second Degree Murder and Illegal Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of a Felony.

Forte who is on felony probation was convicted of Aggravated Assault with a Firearm in March of 2023 in Sabine Parish.
Forte has ties to Mansfield, Stanley and Zwolle in DeSoto and Sabine Parishes.
Forte who is believed to be armed and dangerous has been entered into the National Crime Information Center as a homicide suspect in Natchitoches Parish.

If you see Forte, please do not approach him contact the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office at 352-6432, 357-7851, or your nearest law enforcement agency.

You can also report a tip anonymously by downloading the P3 tips app on your smart phone or by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at 318-238-2388. All tips remain confidential and the caller may be eligible for a cash reward for the arrest of the offender. Crime Stoppers is a private non-profit organization. It is not a law enforcement agency.

Detectives are not releasing the motive for the shooting at this time pending the ongoing and active investigation.

Case agents:
Detective Sgt. Craig LaCour
Detective Lt. Jonathon Byles
NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau
318-357-7830

The “sound of freedom” was in evidence throughout this past weekend as jet engines from a wide variety of aircraft roared for delighted crowds at the 2023 Defenders of Liberty Air Show held at Barksdale Air Force Base March 25-26.

Well over 100,000 people from our area and surrounding states took advantage of the opportunity to visit our state’s only Air Force base and see aircraft displays and acrobatic flying. Barksdale is home to one of only two bases hosting the iconic B-52 bomber, an aircraft that has served our nation in combat from the Vietnam war to the present day. There were several of the massive bombers on display for visitors to see. Another B-52 made a low level flyover of the crowd, demonstrating just how massive the aircraft truly is. Each of our nation’s military services had displays as did several local police departments.

The airshow also featured several civilian aerobatic flying teams, including Coushatta’s very own Kevin  Coleman. Northwestern State University was well represented with several departments having booths with information for prospective students and fun activities for children.

The headliner for this year’s show was the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels. The Blue Angels flight team put on their thrilling show of precision acrobatic flying that never fails to amaze airshow visitors. The Defenders of Liberty Air Show is a bi-annual event that is presented to the community by Barksdale Air Force Base and the Shreveport/Bossier Military Affairs Council. The show is open to the public at no charge and is a superb day of family fun for all ages.

There seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for the embankment slide on LA 119 near Magnolia Plantation that was first detected in 2018. The roadway was officially closed in June 2018 as the slide is extensive and poses a risk to the traveling public. Since that time, another large embankment failure has formed, and there are concerns about future failures forming as well.

It was ultimately determined that the slides initially formed on the adjacent property and off DOTD right-of-way.

Over the last several years, DOTD has been in contact with multiple stakeholders such as the National Park Service, the Natchitoches Parish Government, landowners, and state and local elected officials.

DOTD hosted a public meeting on October 27, 2022 in Natchez to share the latest information in the process to determine the best method going forward. Representatives presented a number of alternatives and explained the complexities of the situation.

DOTD is currently wrapping up the environmental assessment process, of which the public meeting was an important component. As part of this process, they’ll be determining the optimal construction method and build alternative. They have analyzed a number of options that take into account cost effectiveness, the possibility of future embankment slides, access to affected properties, and other factors.

They do anticipate being able to start work in the next several months, and will have a more definitive time frame when they complete the environmental portion of the project. They’ll issue an update as soon as that has been determined.

DOTD would like to assure those stakeholders that they’ve been actively working on developing a solution for this situation that best meets the needs of the community and can be realistically funded with the limited dollars available.

From canning to basket weaving and blacksmithing, and the occasional flintlock rifle firing, Natchitoches’ Ft. St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site was the place to be Saturday, March 25 for a day of family fun and learning. Over 100 visitors joined 16 colonial reenactors and crafters representing a variety of trades and skills from the 18th through the 20th century.

Marty Young from LSUS’ Pioneer Heritage Center was on hand demonstrating blacksmithing skills while Geraldine Zelinsky and her fellow crafters of the NWLA Basket Makers made beautifully crafted baskets from pine straw. Another craftsman brought back to life the art of making quill pens. Other reenactors portrayed traders who roamed the colonial landscape of the 18th century.

Ft. St. Jean Baptiste is a faithful recreation of a fort from Louisiana’s colonial era. The fort was laid out from plans found by historical researchers and features authentically handcrafted hardware and bousillage in its construction. The staff of interpretive rangers and volunteers are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about sharing their love of history with visitors. Our state has no finer ambassadors than the hard-working group of men and women who work at Ft. St. Jean Baptiste and the other parks and historical sites across Louisiana.

The 19 members of the fourth class of the Chamber of Commerce’s “Leadership Natchitoches” program to develop community leaders visited the Texas and Pacific Train Depot in Natchitoches to learn about the history of the station, the importance of the depot to our area’s history and the progress made on its restoration,

Ms. Carrie Mardorf of the National Park Service and Ms. Rebecca Blankenbaker of the Cane River National Heritage area updated the group on the extensive progress being made in the station’s renovation. The depot will serve as the headquarters of the National Park Service in our area and as a museum and community gathering place. The renovations are expected to be complete in late 2023.

The main speaker for the event was Natchitoches civic leader and figure in the local Civil Rights struggle, Mr. Ed Ward. Mr. Ward spoke of the central importance of the train station in the lives of African-Americans in days past. As African-Americans left the area to seek fairness and opportunity elsewhere, Mr. Ward said they would often have their bodies shipped home for burial after they passed away. From the station’s opening in 1927 through its closing in the 1960’s, hundreds of men and women who left for a chance at a better life made their final journey home through the Natchitoches Train Depot.

The train depot was also a cool place with its high ceiling and cement floor. Mr. Ward spoke of how when he was a child, he and his friends would stop and get cool in the Colored waiting room before they went on to the city pool. The train station also served as a vital communications link in the fight for Civil Rights. As the African-American community could not always trust the local postal authorities during the Jim Crow era, mail would often be taken directly to a mailbox at the back of the station to be placed directly on a departing train.

The Texas and Pacific Railway Depot is an integral part of our community’s history, particularly of our area’s African-American history. Its restoration and conversion into a museum will help more fully tell the story of Natchitoches Parish.

Natchitoches’ Ben D. Johnson Center held a crawfish boil fundraiser Friday, March 24 at the center’s building on Martin Luther King St. The center’s staff and volunteers filled the air with savory aromas as they boiled 300 lbs. of perfectly seasoned crawfish along with sides of potatoes, corn, and eggs. The popular event was soon sold out and raised approximately $600.00 to further the organization’s work.

The Ben D. Johnson Educational Center, founded by President and Founder Ms. Claire Prymus, niece of the center’s namesake, operates several programs to assist and improve our community. The center’s Legacy Garden not only serves an educational purpose, it also provides fresh homegrown food to the community. The center also operates a workforce development initiative that enables students to earn a high school equivalency, industry certifications and other skills. The Legacy Café is one of the finest restaurants in our area. The café serves fresh farm to table food, much of the produce being grown in the Legacy Garden as well as providing job experience to community residents. These are but a few of the ways the organization serves our community.

The event was more than a fundraiser, however. The Ben D. Johnson Center honored several volunteers who assisted with the recent expungement initiative. This initiative was a partnership between the Ben D. Johnson Educational Center and the Southern University Law School. Persons with criminal records who had paid their debt to society met with a team of students from Southern Law School and were screened for eligibility. They were then assisted with the ofttimes cumbersome paperwork. The Ben D. Johnson Center is sponsoring a bus to take the men and women to present their completed paperwork to the State Police in Baton Rouge. The expungement project is designed to give offenders who have served their sentences a fresh start by removing a serious barrier to employment and other areas of life. Honored for their volunteer work on the project were: Mr. J.W. Scarborough, Mr. Randy Stelly and Cloyd Benjamin.

Natchitoches Central’s softball team raised its record to 20-3 heading into Tuesday’s district championship game against visiting Airline by pounding Neville 21-3 and shutting out Grant 3-0 Saturday on the road.

The Neville win was close until NCHS scored 18 runs in the last three innings.  The game was tied 3-3 in the top of the fourth when Desi Robinson drilled a three-run homer, the first of two she slugged in the win. Sydney Terrell also homered in the five-run fourth.

Robinson collected four hits in five at bats to lead the Lady Chiefs. She singled in the second, homered in the fourth, homered in the fifth, and singled in the sixth.

In a nine-run sixth inning, the Lady Chiefs’ big bats included doubles by Terrell and Ehren Guidroz, and a single by Morgan Robinson.

Neville fell to 9-11.

Maddie Robinson shut down Grant, throwing a one-hit shutout while striking out 10. She carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning. Robinson also homered twice, in the third and fifth innings.

Desi and Maddie Robinson each led NCHS with two hits. Grant dipped to 9-10 overall.

EUGENE, Oregon – Drayton Brown gave the Northwestern State baseball team its best start of the weekend Sunday afternoon in the finale of a four-game series at Oregon. 

However, the Ducks’ pitching staff was equal to the challenge.  

A trio of Oregon right-handers limited the Demons to two its and handed Northwestern State its first shutout of the season, completing a four-game sweep with a 5-0 win at PK Park. 

“We didn’t play very well today,” seventh-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. “Too many mistakes and not enough quality at-bats. In the fourth game of a series, you need some quality at-bats, and we didn’t have enough today.” 

Brown (1-4) pitched five innings and did not allow an earned run but took a hard-luck loss because the Demons (13-11) could not solve the combination of Matthew Grabmann, Matt Dallas (2-0) and Josh Mollerus.  

Grabmann and Dallas each went four innings, allowing one hit before Mollerus closed out the two-hitter with a perfect ninth inning. It marked the first time since April 11, 2021, the Demons had been held to two or fewer hits.  

Brown surrendered an unearned run in the first as Rikuu Nishida reached on an error to start the game and scored from third on a passed ball with two outs. From there, Brown quieted an Oregon offense that had scored in double figures in five straight games, limiting the Ducks (15-7) to four hits across five innings.  

Brown did not walk a batter and struck out four, becoming the first Demon starter to record an out in the fifth inning in the series.  

“Drayton was very good today,” Barbier said. “We had a good plan to get him out of there after two times through the lineup. He did a really really good job of keeping us there.” 

NSU put together its best scoring chance in the fourth inning, loading the bases with one out.  

Grabmann hit Jeffrey Elkins with a pitch to start the inning before Gabe Colaianni singled to left. Two batters later, Michael Dattalo was intentionally walked after reaching a 3-0 count to load the bases.  

Grabmann escaped the jam by inducing the first of three double plays off NSU bats, keeping Oregon up 1-0. 

“We had a couple of chances that inning and just didn’t get it done,” Barbier said. “When you play good teams, you have a smaller amount of chances. When you get those chances, you have to take advantage. We didn’t do it really all weekend but especially today.” 

Dallas entered after Grabmann hit Broch Holmes to lead off the fifth inning and rolled the second of the three double plays to put up a zero. An inning later, Dallas got another double play to erase Jacob Farrell’s leadoff bunt single. 

In the sixth, the Ducks put up the lone multi-run inning of the game on Sabin Ceballos’ sacrifice fly and Tanner Smith’s two-run home run.  

Northwestern State returns to action Friday when it travels to New Orleans to open Southland Conference play. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. 

Oregon 5, Northwestern State 0 
NSU       000 000 000 – 0 2 3 
UO         100 003 00x – 5 8 0 
W – Matt Dallas (2-0). L – Drayton Brown (1-4). 2B – UO, Drew Cowley, Dominic Hellman. HR – UO, Tanner Smith (6). Highlights: UO, Cowley 2-4, 2B; Smith 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs.  
Records: Northwestern State 13-11, Oregon 15-7. 

THIBODAUX – The first three innings of Saturday’s series finale were crisp, clean and productive for Northwestern State. The next three innings however were anything but NSU, allowing Nicholls to chip away at the lead for an eventual walk-off 4-3 win in extra innings.

The Lady Demons (16-13, 3-3) got out to its third three-run lead in as many games against the Colonels with seven hits in the first three innings. Just one hit over the next three innings, combined with two critical errors and some defensive missteps led to single Colonel runs in each of those innings setting the stage for the win.

“We just didn’t make plays today,” head coach Donald Pickett said. “They may have counted three, but I think we made four or more errors in the game that turned one base into two and three. That helped them get back in the game and were able to get that run across in extras. Maggie did a good job of giving us a quality start, I just wish we would have been a little bit better behind her today.”

For the second time in the series, the Demons took a first-inning lead thanks to Bailie Ragsdale and Taylor Williams’ ability to get on base. The duo started the game with sharp singles and moved into scoring position on a grounder to short.

Kat Marshall gave NSU the first run of the day on an RBI groundout to the right of pitching circle before Makenzie Chaffin laced a ball to left center on the first pitch she saw to score the second run.

After two more hits in the second, but no runs, the Demons started a two-out rally with a Marshall double in her second at-bat. Chaffin lined her second hit of the day to right bringing Camryn Ford around to score and giving NSU a 3-0 lead through three innings.

The offense was clicking on all cylinders early and equally as good was Maggie Darr in the circle throwing three no-hit innings to start the game with just a hit batter serving as the only base runner. Darr K’d four batters on her first trip through the lineup during that stretch.

Everything was working for the Demons just how they wanted it through the first three innings.

A Colonel pitching changed kept NSU off balance through the middle part of the game, limiting the Demons to just one hit in the fourth through sixth innings, a double from Chaffin with one out in the sixth.

Meanwhile the slightest misjudge of a ball in the outfield turned the Colonels first hit of the day from a single to a triple and eventual run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Two errors in the fifth allowed the next Colonel run to score and a leadoff double in the sixth served as the tying run on a one-out double two batters later, tying the game at three after six innings.

The Demons got the go-ahead run to second in the seventh after Ragsdale’s second hit of the day and a Williams walk, both with two out, but a grounder right to the first baseman sent the game to the bottom of the inning still even.

Bronte Rhoden cruised through the seventh with two strikeouts and a soft grounder to third sending the Demons to extra innings for the first time this year.

Nicholls had no answer for Chaffin on the day as she ripped her fourth hit of the day over the right fielder for her second double to once again put the go-ahead run in scoring position for NSU.

“Mak had a good day today and a good weekend,” Pickett said. “She’s been doing that a lot this year and last and it’s good to see her have that kind of success with all the work she puts in. We’re going to have to have more of that as we go through conference and looking forward to see how she continues to progress offensively the rest of the year.”

Perhaps the hardest hit ball of the day came two pitches later off the bat of Keely Dubois that was destined for extra bases, but caromed off the arm of the first baseman and landed right in front of the second baseman for an out that advanced Chaffin to third. Tristin Court battled through an 11-pitch at bat trying to bring in the run, but eventually went down swinging leaving Chaffin 60 feet away.

The strikeout ignited the Colonel dugout with the top of the order due up in the bottom of the inning. Three straight hits loaded the bases for Nicholls in the eighth before a soft liner to the outfield and the third recorded error of the day brought in the winning run.

Chaffin finished the day 4-for-4 with two doubles and two batted in, Ragsdale and Williams went a combined 4-for-7 at the top of the lineup with two runs scored.

Photo: Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services

March is coming to an end and spring is in the air, and with spring comes agriculture. There are so many things you can do to get involved. You can grow your very own flower or vegetable garden in only a few easy steps. You can have a raised bed and you can make a recycled garden. A recycled garden is when you use things you have outside like maybe an old kiddie pool or a toy dump truck. Then all you have to do is fill it up with dirt and seeds of your choice. Or this could be the year you decide to get those chickens or raise that goat. Or maybe farm life isn’t for you, and that’s okay. There are still so many things you can do to get involved like supporting your local farmers at your town’s farmers market. The Natchitoches Farmers Market starts on April 22 and will be held every Saturday until July 22. Maybe you like to get crafty and you could build a beautiful bird house. If you’re interested in science, you can have your own experiment and test different soil samples. Another fun experiment that’s simple and easy to do is separate two different plants and let one listen to rock music while the other one listens to classical music and see how the plants react over time. Or just go on a walk outside and look at your surroundings because agriculture is everywhere and all you have to do is find a part of it that interests you and run with it.

Louisiana Eye & Laser’s Natchitoches location will hold a blood drive on Tuesday, April 11 from 9am – 2pm. Look for the LifeShare Blood Center bus in the parking lot! Your one donation could save up to 3 lives.