The Natchitoches Parish Council held a brief meeting on May 20 to approve the following agenda items:

Appoint Cody Beasley and Trey Morgan to the Saline Lake Game and Fish Preserve Commission.

First Introduction of proposed Ordinances:

Introduce Ordinance-009-2024 to authorize an act of sale by the Parish of Natchitoches to sell certain adjudicated properties (Parcels 9010152800, 9010287400, and 9040136200) by public auction; and, further providing with respect thereto.

Introduce Ordinance-010-2024 approving an ad valorem tax exemption of up to $2500 of the assessed valuation of property receiving Homestead exemption that is owned and occupied by a qualified First Responder pursuant to Article VII, section 21(0) of the Louisiana Constitution.

Introduce Ordinance-012-2024 to remove Voisant Helaire Road running down the West Side and terminating into property 11. The resident at that address will be responsible for future maintenance and repairs the road may need.

Resolutions:

Approve Resolution-022-2024 to hereby proclaim May 19-25, 2024 as National Travel and Tourism Week in Natchitoches.

Approve a Resolution to accept In-Kind Services to help with NEDA projects for the Parish of Natchitoches.

Other Agenda Items:

Adopt Ordinance-008-2024 to affect a zoning amendment of parcel # 0020137300 to B-3 zoning for the start of a pool hall/tavern business with alcohol sales. The property is in Section 3, Township 13 North, Range 6 West with a physical address of 126 Highway 9, Saline, LA 71070, as shown on the Survey attached hereto, approved by the Parish Planning Commission on April 01, 2024.

Adopt Ordinance-006-2024 to allow Parish of Natchitoches to hire past employees that were previously terminated for violating Personnel Policies.

Approve funding the District Attorney’s Office Prosecution Diversion Program, Tenth Judicial District Adult Drug Court and the Tenth Judicial District Juvenile Drug Court with the monies received from the Opioid Settlement.

Removed funding Henry 0 Flipper, Inc.’s request for their Grace, Sanford, and Dixie Project in the amount of $69,000.

Approve the Natchitoches Times to remain as the official journal for the Parish of Natchitoches.

Cancel the current leases on (3) 2023 CAT 140 graders and (1) 2023 CAT D3 LGP dozer and enter a new 36-month lease for (4) 120-01GC Graders. The net increase in monthly lease amounts is $343.82 per month.

Engage TRIAD Associates for Grant Research, Matrix Services, Grant Writing and Grant Administration. President to sign the notice to proceed, all Grant Applications and related documents as they are identified and submitted on behalf of Natchitoches Parish to help ensure a timely submission of identified grants.

Complete the Non-Corporate Resolution form changing the signers on the Cross Financial Investment account to John D. Salter and Julie R. Lockhart.

Fund RAPC (Rapides Area Planning Commission) in the amount of $40,500 for the local match for the FTA Section 5311 Grant Rural Public Transit Cooperative (RPTC).

Approve the new group Natchitoches One, which will represent the Parish of Natchitoches and the City of Natchitoches to work on recommendations and ideas to help move the Parish and City forward. Both groups must get approval from the Parish President and the Mayor before it can be presented to both Councils for a vote on those items.

Enter into a CEA with Terry Sklar for the Installation of Drainage and Routine Maintenance of 2.5 Miles of the Johnson Chute Road.

The City of Natchitoches would like to notify the public that Sibley Lake has reopened. The boat ramps on Sibley Lake were closed due to high water levels on May 13, 2024. 

By Doug De Graffenried

Do you remember your childhood? For some it is a distant memory, for others it was not so long ago. We all had one. The role of primacy was important in the childhood experience. In many cases being or going first brought honor and privilege.

In homes with multiple children a first spot in the bath rotation was important. Adolescent shower time became fierce competition since hot water and your place in line shared a proportional relationship. In many areas, we want to be number one. First, in our class brings recognition and scholarships. First in line for the big sale gives us confidence we will depart with our purchase and not a rain-check. First in line at the check-out rewards us by removing the energy for angst and frustration to grow as we wait on others, always slower than us, to check out.

Primacy also shares a relationship with light and experience. When the sun was shining or the lights were on, there was little problem in leading the way. If the moon was out and the room was dark, there was often a call for volunteers. “You go first!” “No, you go first!” Experience could alleviate anxiety caused by the darkness. If you knew through experience that monsters had never been behind that door before, you were less likely to fear opening it. Experience has brought you through this place before.

There were other times as a child when primacy was the result of a challenge. In most places those challenges were known as a dare. The dare could be strengthened by adding “double dog” or “triple dog” to it. A good way to deflect a dare was the power of “if you will, I will.” There is something comforting about having company share in the stupid activity resulting from a dare. This rule is used by parents when warning about following friends jumping off of bridges. If your friend would not participate in the activity called for by the dare, you could claim exemption too.

There were advantages to being the pioneer. If you are the oldest child you never heard academic or athletic comparisons being made about you and your older sibling. You had none! The first born helped parents develop their skills and discover that children are basically parent proof. The first born pioneered the way for younger siblings to experience parental relaxation of the rules regarding bedtimes, friends, activities, and curfews. In many cases the first child exhausted the parents. That explains the hundreds of pictures of the first born and the scant photographic record of subsequent siblings.

The one disadvantage of going first is that you have no frame of reference. You have no benchmarks or landmarks for the activity. Those moments when we are launching into new territory can be filled with doubt and fear. Following the leader isn’t fun if you are the leader. You can always find the leader; they are the ones with the arrows in their back. In business, raising a family, or living a good life there are occasions when are off the grid and out of the box. If only we had done this before. If only someone had gone before us. We might be able to follow a known pattern.

One New Testament writer points to Jesus as the “pioneer of our faith.” No matter what you are facing, Jesus says, “been there, done that.” Jesus overcame every obstacle during His life. He even threw the Devil’s dares right back at him. Jesus gave us a pattern for living a good and joyous life. We forget that He had a good life. He savored each minute of His earthly journey.

Jesus walked with the assurance of God’s presence and love. He overcame everything thrown at Him. Even death couldn’t hold Him. He scouted out the path called human life. He walked it. Jesus went first! We can follow Him confidently. He is standing out ahead of us urging us on in our living.

For inquiries or to arrange a discussion with this empowering group, please contact Mrs. Goff at Chanda.goff@npsb.la.

The Sharon Turcan Gahagan Art Gallery was dedicated during the 40th Commencement Exercises of Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) on May 18. The gallery was named in Mrs. Gahagan’s honor by LSMSA’s Board of Directors in recognition of her commitment to education, career, family, and LSMSA. In addition, she earned the honorary Louisiana School diploma and was named Board Chair Emeritus during a presentation led by LSMSA Executive Director Dr. Steven Horton. She is the first-ever Board Chair Emeritus in LSMSA history.

“Mrs. Gahagan has served under six Louisiana governors, and has guided six executive directors—including me—through their terms,” Horton said. “As part of our 40th Anniversary celebration, LSMSA honors the contributions of a respected, loving, dedicated, and authentic leader, educator, mentor, and friend.”

Gahagan, a native of Baton Rouge, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in speech and hearing therapy from Louisiana State University in 1968 and began her career as a teacher at the Louisiana School for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired. In 1970, she and her husband, Henry Cole Gahagan Jr., moved to Natchitoches so that he could begin his legal career. Sharon Gahagan earned her master’s and specialist degrees from Northwestern State University, where she established and directed the Natchitoches/Northwestern Program for the Hearing Impaired.  She later entered a private practice of speech and hearing therapy.

Over the past 50 years, she has contributed to many civic organizations in Natchitoches and across the state. She was a founding member of the Natchitoches ARC, a founding board member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, and a member, president, sustaining member and advisor of the Natchitoches Service League. She was president of the 

Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Society and a member of the board of directors of the Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) and the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission. For over 40 years, she has chaired the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission. Mrs. Gahagan was named a Natchitoches Treasure by the City of Natchitoches in 2014, and she received the Natchitoches Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

In 1989, she was appointed to LSMSA’s Board of Directors by Governor Buddy Roemer, and, in 1997, she was elected chairperson and served in that position until she retired in December 2023.  She served under six Louisiana governors.

She advocated for the completion of LSMSA’s long-term master plan, which included securing the land and funding for the construction of the 50,000-square-foot Center for Performance and Technology (CPT). The CPT, which was completed in 2021, includes a recital hall, black box theatre, cafeteria, café, student support offices, and classroom spaces. The first floor of the CPT also houses the newly dedicated Sharon Turcan Gahagan Art Gallery. She also steered the complete restoration of the original Natchitoches Trade School building, built in 1939, which now serves as LSMSA’s Music and Arts Building (MAB).  The final piece of the LSMSA master plan, the funding and construction of the Living and Learning Commons (LLC)—a 110,000-square-foot residential life center for the school’s student population—was completed in 2021 under her leadership. Over $40 million in state funds were provided by the Louisiana legislature for the completion of these projects during Gahagan’s tenure as chair. Mrs. Gahagan and her husband are blessed with three children, Kristen Gahagan Weber, Henry Cole Gahagan III, and Jensen Gahagan Sessums. They have six grandchildren.

The Sharon Turcan Gahagan Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the CPT, a two-story building located between the LSMSA High School Building and the MAB. The Sharon Turcan Gahagan Art Gallery opens to the public several times each year during public receptions for student artists and visiting arts educators.

LSMSA is a tuition-free, public high school for high-achieving rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a nominal room and board fee to cover housing, meals, and campus activities. The LSMSA Foundation offers assistance for families in need to ensure that no eligible student is denied the school’s 40-year legacy of a premium college-level living/learning experience. 

For more information about the Louisiana School or to apply for the 2024-25 academic school year, visit www.LSMSA.edu.  

By Brad Dison

Congratulations to the Kiwanis Terrific Kids for the month of April at Natchitoches Magnet.

Pictured: Parker Burton, Dominick Alarcon, Mirah Fuller, Kadence Jackson, Avery Frederick, Kennedy Bradley, Kourtlyn Harrison, Adrian Fontenot, Catherine Yount, Mackenzie Goleman, and Olivia Mills. Not Pictured are Byrn Holden, Maddox Morgan, LaJoya Randolph, Khrishtyn Dillon, and Hayli Mosley.

Zelda Hester will represent the Natchitoches Parish Talent Program and NSU E-Lab as a semifinalis in the ‘Children Commercial Music – All Voice Category’ at the 58th National Association of Teachers of Singing Conference and Student Auditions this summer in Knoxville, TN.

Selected from more than 1,000 participants in the preliminary auditions, the semifinalists represent students of NATS members from 14 American and Canadian regions as well as the International Region, which is comprised of six chapters spread over four continents. The newly named semifinalists will audition in-person as part of the 58th NATS national conference in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The NSA’s 35 audition categories include Classical Vocal Music, Musical Theatre, and Commercial Music auditions for children through adults as well as the Hall Johnson Spirituals Competition. The national semifinalists were selected by panels of adjudicators as the approximately 15 top student-singers in each category. The top three singers in each semifinal category will advance to live final auditions.

Natchitoches Parish 4-H hosted its annual Achievement Day on May 17 with over 200 youth and volunteers ending the school year with a celebration highlighting fire safety, boating and water safety. There was also a snake encounter, a baby gator exhibit, line dancing, Play Street activities and snow cones.

Natchitoches 4-H thanks its partners at NSU, LA Wildlife and Fisheries, Natchitoches Fire Department, and the Natchitoches Parish Junior Leaders for supporting the event.

There will be a regularly scheduled meeting of the Natchitoches Parish Council tonight, May 20 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Council Board Room, #211 on the 2nd Floor of the Courthouse.

Agenda for tonight’s meeting:

By Madeline Simpson, NSU Graduate

Lott Oil Company was founded by Luther Lott, Sr. in 1965. It started as a small oil, gasoline, and diesel distributor here in Natchitoches with one truck and two employees and has since grown into one of the largest energy distributors across Louisiana. Among those early truck drivers was Luther “Buddy” Lott, Jr. who started his career while he was still in high school. He stepped into the role as president of the company in 1979, taking after his father. And now Michael and Camille Lott (Buddy and Kim’s children) are both stepping into leadership roles as the next generation of the company.

Not only is Lott Oil a third-generation family-owned and operated company, but the ties to generational work run deeper than just ownership. I had the pleasure of sitting down with three generations of employees: James, Jennifer, and Brittany Rachal.  In honor of International Family Day, I had the opportunity to meet the Rachal family and discuss their experiences being part of a multigenerational company. While they all work for Lott Oil, they each operate under different divisions of the organization. Lott Oil is the wholesale oil and gas distributor, Shop A Lott is the retail operation of convenience stores, and Lott Oil Maintenance and Construction (LOMAC) provides in-house maintenance for the company.

James Rachal

James Rachal has been working as part of LOMAC for 34 years. Luther Lott, Sr. hired James in 1990 as a transport driver, but at the time did not have any trucks available to drive. Instead, James joined the maintenance and construction crew and continues to work as part of their team today.  James recalls when Mr. Lott hired him and said, “Let me tell you something, if you find a place you like to work better, I’m not going to hold you back.” 

“After 34 years, I haven’t found a better place,” James says, “I guess, I like it here best!” Currently, James has a daughter and two granddaughters who work for Lott Oil, and his grandson even worked as a Shop A Lott cashier for some time. “My family and the Lott family have been together for a long time, and it looks like we’re sticking together,” he says.

Jennifer Rachal

Jennifer Rachal joined the Lott Oil team in 1998 when her father, James, told her about an open position for a cashier at Shop A Lott 14 in Natchitoches. “I always knew I wanted to do something with numbers, I was always fast on the calculator,” she says. After two years, she moved up as the manager of her store and in 2005, Jennifer moved to her current position as manager of Shop A Lott 20.

Jennifer’s daughter, Brittany, works out of the Lott Oil headquarters in Natchitoches, and her other daughter, Natasha, works at Shop A Lott 20. This gives Jennifer a unique opportunity to see her father and her daughters almost every day. “It is easy to get caught up in life and not see your family often,” she says, “We’re very fortunate to be able to see ours every day.”

Brittany Rachal

Brittany Rachal, like her mother, joined the Lott Oil family as a Shop A Lott cashier. Fresh out of high school, Shop A Lott was her second job. Since then, Brittany has grown with the company over the past 17 years and now holds her current position, Payroll Manager.

Brittany says that it is “A privilege and honor to work for a company that promotes family values and to work alongside my grandfather and my mom. It’s a cool opportunity and we’ve all been here for a very long time.”

According to Brittany and Jennifer, working together has strengthened their bond with James and with each other in many ways, most importantly through communication. Working together has encouraged them to talk more often. “It will start off with something that happened at work and flow into more personal daily conversations,” Brittany says.

Brittany has a daughter getting ready to graduate high school, and she hopes that her daughter will be able to continue the family’s legacy and be a part of the company while she attends college at Northwestern State University.

Buddy Lott

Coming full circle, Buddy expresses his appreciation for the Rachal family and the work they have done over the years. He shares, “They are highly valued employees because of their work ethic, friendliness, trustworthiness, and the fact that they’re just good folks. We are fortunate to have them as part of the Lott Oil Family.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Rho Beta Omega Chapter will host a Health & Financial Literacy Seminar: Empowering Wellness and Financial Health. This event will be held on Friday, May 31 from 5:30 – 7pm at the M.R. Weaver Elementary School, located at 520 St. Maurice Lane in Natchitoches. 

This event focuses on financial literacy topics such as home ownership, credit repair, financial planning, and life insurance. This event will also include onsite health & wellness resources, blood pressure screening, and free COVID tests. 

This free event is open to the public and children are welcome to attend. The Natchitoches Parish Library will be providing storytelling and Arts/crafts for children who will be in attendance. There will be lots of pizza, refreshments & door prizes available. 

The Northwestern State baseball team held its Senior Day ceremonies a week ago during its final Southland Conference series.

In its regular-season finale Saturday afternoon, the Demons seniors seemingly all had special days as Northwestern State capped a two-game sweep of Stephen F. Austin with a 13-2 run-rule victory.

Playing his final home game, Bo Willis connected on the Demons’ seventh grand slam of the season and the fourth of his career to highlight NSU’s nine-run fifth inning – its second nine-run frame in as many games against the Lumberjacks (10-44).

“It means our guys trust our mind-set and our preparation,” said Willis, who had his second six-RBI game of the season and moved within one RBI of tying Colin Bear for 10^th on NSU’s career list. “Our mind trusts our bodies and trusts our swing. It seems to work out whenever we do that and let the process do its thing.”

The Demons (23-31) started slowly against SFA starter Caleb Rutledge (1-4) before nicking him for three runs in the third inning, erasing a 1-0 deficit.

After the Lumberjacks sliced the lead to one in the fifth inning, Willis’ fellow catcher, James Starnes, sparked NSU’s nine-run fifth with a leadoff double. Playing his final game at Brown-Stroud Field, Starnes’ second double of the year was hit nearly to the same spot as his double against Southern Illinois on opening weekend, which was his first career extra-base hit.

More impressively, Starnes’ double came against left-hander Carter Hines.

“I have struggled this year, especially against left-handers,” Starnes said. “(NSU head coach Chris) Bert(rand) told me I was going to get the start and get a few innings, so going into that I had an idea it would be my last at-bat. I saw a lefty on the bump, and I was a little disappointed. I saw the ball well and put a good swing on it, and I’m happy to walk away with something like that.”

Starnes’ swing opened the floodgates for an inning that included Willis’ grand slam and freshman Brooks Leonard’s first career RBI. Leonard entered the game as a pinch runner for Starnes and scored a run before beating out a potential double-play grounder to bring home the seventh run of the inning.

While the seniors enjoyed their day, Leonard’s milestone RBI came on a day where his twin brother, Bryce, picked up the win in relief, retiring the only batter he faced in the third inning ahead of NSU’s go-ahead, three-run rally.

Northwestern State’s fifth-inning barrage backed an all-staff pitching day in which eight Demon pitchers scattered six hits. Fittingly, senior right-hander Will Reed took care of the final out, covering first base and taking a feed from second baseman Samuel Stephenson to end the seventh inning and strand a pair of runners.

After the play survived a review and the out stood, the Demons completed their second weekend sweep in their past three home series, dating to a three-game run against HCU from April 26-28.

“You’re looking at people who use the game the right way and teach life lessons in the right way,” Bertrand said. “(SFA’s seniors) deserve that. James Starnes deserves that, and so does Will Reed. We’re always going to stand up and applaud for those things. On our end, for Bo’s six RBIs, an amazing experience we continue to get to have with these men.”

With Saturday’s results across the Southland Conference, the Demons clinched the No. 4 seed in next week’s Southland Conference Tournament. NSU will face longtime rival McNeese at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the tournament opener.

Northwestern State 13, Stephen F. Austin 2

SFA       001 010 0 – 2 6 1

NSU      003 091 x – 13 9 0

W – Bryce Leonard (2-2). L – Caleb Rutledge (1-4). 2B – SFA, Cole Hill. NSU, Braden Benton, James Starnes. HR – SFA, Cole Hill. NSU, Bo Willis (7). Highlights: SFA, Hill 2-3, 2B, HR, RBI. NSU, Reese Lipoma 2-3, RBI; Willis 2-4, HR, 6 RBIs.

Records: Stephen F. Austin 10-44; Northwestern State 22-31.

For her work on the court and in the classroom during the 2023-24 basketball season, Northwestern State’s Sharna Ayres was named to the Southland Conference All-Academic Team on Friday.

Ayres earned a spot on the conference’s second-team, the first postseason academic award of her career and the third for NSU in the past two seasons.

The sharpshooting left from Melbourne, Australia led the conference this past season in 3-point shooting with 74 conversions from beyond the arc, the most in a single season in the conference over the past four seasons and the sixth most in a single season at NSU.

She started every game for the Demons for the second straight season, playing an average of 31.0 minutes per game, and maintained a 3.67 grade point average while working on her master’s degree in sport administration in NSU’s college of health and human performance.

Ayres received her bachelor’s degree in psychology at NSU in May of 2023.

She was one of two players this season to average more than two made 3-pointers per game and had 15 games on the year where she made three or more shots from beyond the arc, nine of those coming in conference play.

She drained five in a game twice during league play, her season high, including as part of her career-high 24-point outing at HCU that helped clinch NSU’s spot in the Southland Conference Tournament.

Ayres turned in four double-doubles during the season as well that included a career-high 13 rebounds against Texas A&M-Commerce on Feb. 3 and a 12-point, 12-rebound performance, also against Commerce, in the SLC Tournament.

Ayres led the Demons in scoring at 11.1 points per game for the season and topped the team with 5.4 rebounds per game on the way to the first 300-point, 150-rebound season of her career. 

Her 137 career 3-pointers ranks ninth at NSU, needing just 61 more made shots to enter the top five.

Ayres is a member of the SLC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and two-time member of NSU’s Honor Roll.

Join Cane River Creole National Historical Park a free fun and engaging event in the merry month of May.

May 23: Fun & Games  

Time for a break! Everyone needs a chance to kick back and relax. Join us at the Texas & Pacific Railway Depot for a relaxing evening of board games and trivia! 6-8 pm.

Come experience relaxing evenings in your park! Magnolia Plantation is located at 5549 Highway 119 in Derry/Cloutierville. The Texas and Pacific Railway Depot is located at Remembrance Way/7^th Street in Natchitoches.

The grounds of Magnolia Plantation and Oakland Plantation are open daily from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Nearly 70 original buildings remain, many open daily for self-guided tours including several that are historically furnished. Park staff conducts tours of the plantation grounds daily Wednesday through Sunday. In addition, the park offers tours on the NPSApp. The Oakland Main House is open for self-guided tours from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/cari or call the park at 318-352-0383, ext. 316.