The Melrose Arts and Crafts Show scheduled for this weekend, April 18-19, has been canceled due to the threat of severe weather and high winds, which is a safety concern for vendors, attendees and staff. The show has been rescheduled for Oct. 10–11, 2026. 

The Natchitoches Parish School Board is currently accepting applications for the position of Principal at Marthaville Elementary & Jr./Sr. High School.

The district is seeking a dynamic and student-centered leader who is committed to fostering academic excellence, maintaining a positive school culture, and supporting both students and staff. The principal will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of school operations, including instructional leadership, staff supervision, and building strong relationships with families and the community.

Qualified applicants must possess a valid Educational Leadership certification (Bulletin 746), a minimum of five years of successful teaching experience, and a strong understanding of curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate effective leadership, a commitment to continuous school improvement, and the ability to create a safe, supportive, and high-performing learning environment for all students.

Interested applicants are encouraged to view the full job description and apply online at https://www.npsb.la/page/careers

The Natchitoches Parish School Board looks forward to selecting a leader who will continue to build upon the success of Marthaville Elementary & Jr./Sr. High School and support the district’s mission of student achievement and growth.

For questions related to this job position or any other NPSB careers, please email Ramona Wynder, Human Resources Director, at Ramona.Wynder@npsb.la

The Natchitoches Parish School Board has announced that registration is now open for new students for the 2026–2027 school year.

Officials said the registration period applies to all students new to the district, including incoming kindergarteners. Families are encouraged to complete the process early to ensure a smooth start to the upcoming school year.

School officials emphasized that parents and guardians must select the correct school year, 2026–2027, and complete the process by clicking “submit” for the registration to be finalized.

A step-by-step guide is available to assist families through the process, and additional help can be requested if needed.

For families looking to enroll Pre-K students, they are asked to call 318-352-8389 or visit the district’s early childhood program website for more information.

Registration for returning students will open July 1, 2026. For questions regarding kindergarten through 12th grade registration, individuals can contact the district at OnlineRegistration@npsb.la.

The Natchitoches Parish School Board has released its graduation schedule for the Class of 2026, with ceremonies set for mid-May.

Lakeview High School will hold its graduation on Thursday, May 14 at 7 p.m. at the school’s football field.

Natchitoches Central High School’s ceremony is scheduled for Friday, May 15 at 7 p.m. at NSU Prather Coliseum. Attendance for the ceremony will be limited, as each graduate will receive 10 tickets based on the venue’s seating capacity.

Students from the Natchitoches Provisional Learning Center will graduate with their home-based schools during the scheduled ceremonies.

The Kiwanis International club in Natchitoches welcomed Clerk of Court David Stamey as its guest speaker during a recent meeting, where he provided updates on local oil and gas activity and recent changes to Louisiana’s election system.

Stamey shared insights into ongoing oil and gas developments in Natchitoches Parish and discussed how those activities are impacting the local economy and community.

He also addressed Louisiana’s new closed party primary system, encouraging residents to stay informed about their voter registration status. Under the updated system, party affiliation determines which primary elections voters may participate in for certain races, while unaffiliated voters may still have limited options.

Residents were encouraged to review their registration information through the state’s voter resources, including the GeauxVote website and mobile app.

Club members thanked Stamey for providing timely information on issues affecting parish residents.

Matthew Avery Craig and Yolanda Denise Bobb have been selected as king and queen for the 2027 season of the Krewe of The 9, following election results announced at the organization’s April 15 monthly meeting.

Also elected to serve on the Royal Court are Ronnie Ray Bennett as Duke of Scholarship, Ruby Ann Johnson Braxton as Duchess of Scholarship and Rose Yvette Nash Rock as Duchess of Philanthropy.

The krewe’s second annual coronation featuring the newly elected court is scheduled for June 13 at 4 p.m. at the Chateau Saint Denis Hotel.

For more information, contact (318) 663-4452 or (318) 554-8984. The Krewe of The 9 is a nonprofit organization.

The Natchitoches Alumnae Chapter and the Iota Mu Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is proud to present the 34^th Annual Beautillion Gala at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 19 at the Natchitoches Events Center. With this year’s theme, “From Roots to Royalty: Crowned for Greatness,” the 2026 Beautillion is more than just a formal celebration—it is a journey of empowerment. 

Beautillion provides young men with a platform to develop leadership skills, foster personal growth, and contribute to the betterment of the community. Over the course of the program, participants engage in activities designed to promote academic success, mentorship, civic engagement, and personal development. The culmination of their hard work and dedication will be celebrated during the Beautillion, where each Beau will be formally introduced to the community.

We proudly present four outstanding young men selected to participate in the Beautillion Gala, where they will be formally recognized for their achievements. The presentation will include a performance of the beaux and their female escorts, a mother and son presentation, and a tribute to the beaux recognizing their outstanding achievements.

We are honored to introduce the Beaux of the 2026 Beautillion:

• Christian Frazier – Future Attorney
• Davonte Middleton – Future Law Enforcement Officer
• Stethan Chatman – Future Firefighter
• William Johnson, Jr. – Future Welding Professional

“We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of our Beaux and to highlight the incredible work they have done throughout the program,” said Ke’Nesha Coats, Chapter President. “This event is a testament to their dedication, hard work, and commitment to making a positive impact in the community. We look forward to an inspiring evening that honors their accomplishments and sets the stage for their future success.”

The proceeds from the Beautillion provides scholarships and financial awards to deserving high school seniors and fund other programming, including the Annual Prayer Breakfast, College Tours, Financial Literacy, American Heart Association, Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy & GEMS (Growing & Empowering Myself Successfully) Program, Delta’s Book project, Breast Cancer Awareness, Sickle Cell Awareness, March of Dimes, and HIV/AIDS Awareness, as well as a range of other worthwhile local, national and international awareness projects. 

This year’s guest speaker is Dr. Marcus Jones, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs for the University of Louisiana System. Entertainment will be provided by Q Major the Violinist. Pre-sale tickets are available for $10 and doors open at 5 p.m. For more information about the Beautillion, visit our Instagram and Facebook pages or contact any member of the Natchitoches Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

The two Natchitoches high school softball teams begin the LHSAA playoffs at home Friday, both with 6 p.m. first pitches.

Natchitoches Central, seeded seventh with a 25-6 record, hosts No. 26 Ruston (13-14).

St. Mary’s, the 11^th seed in Select Division IV owning a 21-9 mark, is home against 22^nd-seeded Slaughter Community College.

Lakeview is the 21^st seed in Non-Select Division IV and heads north near the Arkansas state line to visit No. 12 Plain Dealing, also a 6 o’clock game.

All softball playoffs are single-game elimination, unlike the larger school brackets in baseball.

The Natchitoches Central baseball team heads to Slidell for its first-round LHSAA Non-Select Division I playoff series starting today at 6:30 against Northshore.

The Chiefs are the 21^st seed with a 21-13 record. The Panthers, seeded 12^th, are 25-9.

The second game of the series is Friday, also at 6:30. If the teams split the first two contests, the rubber match is Saturday at noon.

The other two parish high schools have some time off, and play only one game each round of their playoff bracket

St. Mary’s won’t take the field for its playoff game until April 29 in Abbeville. The Tigers (15-9), ninth seeded in Select Division IV, visit No. 8 Vermilion Catholic (15-10).

Lakeview is the 21^st seed in Non-Select Division IV. The Gators (16-15) go to District 1-3A rival Logansport (9-12), the 12^th seed, next Thursday at 6.

BEAUMONT, Texas – Northwestern State started hot but had to hang on late in order to pick up its third Southland Conference softball road series victory of the season on Wednesday afternoon.

The Lady Demons (23-22 overall, 12-9 SLC) scored the first eight runs, starting with a four-run first, to jump out to a commanding lead. Lamar (25-10, 11-10) rallied with a four-run fifth to cut into the lead, but it was not enough to overcome NSU’s early work in a 9-6 win. That moved Northwestern ahead of Lamar into fourth place in the 10-team softball league.

Demon ace Mattison Buster tossed her 19th complete game of the season to pick up her 20th win. It is the most wins by an Northwestern pitcher since Amie Ford’s 21 tied the single-season record in 2004.

“It was definitely a roller coaster of a game,” head coach Jenny Fuller said. “But we stayed the course, kept fighting, didn’t get too down about it and that ultimately led to a victory. So I’m really proud of them for sticking through that game.”

After 19 hits and 11 runs scored in the doubleheader on Tuesday, Fuller was confident the offense would maintain that same edge on Wednesday. They proved her right in the first inning.

Mckenna Rinewalt shot a double through the left side for the first hit of the game beginning a stretch of six straight Demons to reach base in the first inning. Brynn Daniel recorded her sixth hit of the series to drive in her sixth run to get NSU on the board.

Aly Delafield singled to load the bases followed by a Makynlie Jones walk and Sister Arnold two-run double to left, giving Northwestern a 4-0 lead and prompting a second Lamar pitching change in the first seven batters.

Delafield brought in two more runs in the second on a single to center and Makynlie Jones launched her third home run of the year in the fourth to give NSU a commanding 8-0 lead through three and a half innings.

“Yesterday I thought our offense looked really good,” Fuller said. “JT (Smith) was good yesterday and had some more hits today. When she can do that the rest of the lineup can take the lead from her. Think most of the lineup had a hit today and were rolling with a lot of momentum. 

“We came out with a lot of energy today and it felt like we really wanted it from the jump. Really proud of how we set the tone in the first inning and scoring often.”

After very little success against Buster the first time through the lineup, the Cardinals changed their strategy to attack early and it paid dividends.

Back-to-back singles started the fourth inning, on three total pitches, which Lamar turned into its first run. It took just nine pitches for them to score two more runs in the fifth inning, preventing the Demons from ending the game early via the run-rule for the second straight time. A two-run triple followed by a two-run home run pulled the Cardinals back within slam range at 9-5 after the fifth.

“Lamar is a really good offensive team, especially at home,” Fuller said. “But with Buster in the circle we feel confident and she is really good about getting out of situations when runners get on base. Even though they scored some in that one inning, we didn’t feel sorry for ourselves or throw ourselves a pity party, we kept rolling and finished it out.”

Three straight hits to start the sixth led to another Lamar run, but with runners at second and third and one out, Buster got a huge strikeout for out number two and a fly ball to right to strand both runners.

The Cardinals got one more hit in the seventh, but she did not advance beyond first base as Buster recovered from a fly ball out at the wall on the first pitch swinging effort from slugging catcher Makenzie Wright to get the final batter looking at strike three to end the game.

Northwestern headed south to Corpus Christi for a Friday-Saturday SLC series, and will be home for the last time this season next weekend.

The Natchitoches Lions Club, in partnership with the Natchitoches Central LEO Club, will host the 5th Annual St. Jude LEO Walk on April 16 from 4-6 p.m. at PARC Natchitoches and aims to raise awareness and support for the mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Organizers said the walk supports St. Jude’s efforts to treat children battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases, noting that families receiving care are not billed for treatment, travel, housing or food.

Community members are encouraged to attend and participate in the walk to show support for affected families and contribute to the cause.

Several members of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity were inducted into academic honor societies as part of 2026 Honors Week at Northwestern State University.

This weekend, Daniel Gallagher, Owen Stutzman, and Owen Kennerson were recognized for their dedication to academic success.

Gallagher and Stutzmen were inducted into the Order of Omega.

It is a national organization recognizing those fraternity men and women who have attained a high standard of leadership in interfraternity activities. The society encourages them to continue along this line, and to inspire others to strive for similar conspicuous attainment. More than 600 Greeks have been inducted into the Mu Phi Chapter, which was founded at NSU in 1992.
Stutzman and Gallagher were also inducted into Blue Key. Additionally, Stutzman was selected to serve as Vice President of the organization.
Blue Key Honor Society, chartered at NSU in 1959, bases eligibility for membership on all-around leadership and integrity in student life, high scholastic achievement and service to others.

Kennerson was among 130 new members inducted into NSU’s chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta, an honor society for first-year students.

The Northwestern State University chapter was established in 1965. For most students, Alpha Lambda Delta is a stepping-stone to additional academic, leadership and Greek honor societies.

The national honor society is for first-year college students who maintained a grade point average of 3.5 of higher their first year of college. Alpha Lambda Delta fosters lifelong academic success, scholarship opportunities and leadership training.

The Natchitoches Parish School Board moved closer to a second consecutive year of staff layoffs during its committee meeting Tuesday, as district leaders outlined a “perfect storm” of economic challenges that have created a multi-million dollar budget gap.

The discussion, held during the April 14 committee session, focused on a proposed Reduction in Force (RIF) for the 2026-2027 school year. Because the session was a committee meeting, no formal action was taken; the full board is expected to cast a definitive vote on the matter at its regular meeting on Tuesday, April 21.

Superintendent Dr. Grant Eloi detailed a significant financial shift triggered by two primary factors: the closure of the International Paper (IP) mill and the sudden termination of the federal “Strong” grant.

The district had built its long-term financial plan around the $14.6 million “Strong” grant, which was originally anticipated to last five years. However, due to a restructuring within the federal Department of Education, the funding was cut after only three years. Combined with the loss of ad valorem tax revenue from the IP mill, the district is now looking to eliminate approximately 25 positions.

“Had I had full knowledge of all the variables involved with the IP closure and the Strong grant… we would have been able to take care of this in one riff,” Eloi told the board. “We do not anticipate that we will have to come back to you again in a third year. We feel this will completely ‘right the ship.'”

The proposed RIF procedures follow state statutes, which require that layoffs be based on performance evaluations rather than seniority. A point of emphasis during the meeting was the role of “Master Teachers.” Under the proposed rules, if two Master Teachers have identical performance scores, a secondary “cluster evaluation” will be used as a tiebreaker before falling back on years of service.

Eloi noted that while some employees may lose their current roles, the district aims to retain as many people as possible through attrition or alternative roles.

Other Agenda Items and Board Business:

While the RIF was the primary focus of the executive report, the committee discussed several other items slated for a vote on April 21:

• NSU Lab School Agreement: Discussion on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Northwestern State University concerning the Elementary and Middle Lab Schools. The agreement aims to clarify roles and shift certain facility maintenance costs to the university.

• Bond Issuance: A resolution authorizing the issuance of $12,545,000 in General Obligation School Bonds(Series 2026). These funds, approved by voters in November, are earmarked for district-wide improvements.

• Online Payment Policy: A discussion regarding parent/guardian payments of school fees. The board is moving toward forming a committee to create a formal policy that addresses “cashless” options while ensuring accessibility for all families.

• Lease Agreements: * An agricultural lease agreement for Section 16, T7, R5 with a bid from James Wilson.

  • A cell tower lease expansion at the Goldonna school site with Everest Infrastructure Partners, which is expected to generate additional revenue.

• Monthly Informational Reports: The committee reviewed monthly updates on Personnel, Maintenance, Federal Programs, Food Service (SFS), and Sales Tax. Notably, the Sales Tax report showed a 2.1% cumulative increase over the prior year.

The School Board will convene for its regular meeting on April 21, 2026, to cast formal votes on the RIF declaration, the bond resolution, and the other pending items from the committee agenda.

The Natchitoches SWAT Team is calling on local business owners to assist in a proactive safety initiative aimed at sharpening the precision of emergency response during critical incidents.

Major Jonathan Roberts, Natchitoches SWAT Commander, issued a message to the community requesting that business owners provide updated building layouts or blueprint diagrams to the Sheriff’s Office. The effort is part of a parish-wide strategy to ensure that first responders can navigate local facilities quickly and safely should a crisis occur.

“In the event of a critical incident, having access to accurate layouts helps first responders make quicker, safer decisions to protect everyone involved,” Major Roberts stated.

The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office emphasized that all provided documents will be handled with strict confidentiality. The data is intended for the sole purpose of emergency tactical planning and will not be shared for non-safety reasons.

How to Assist: Business owners who wish to participate can email their blueprints or layout diagrams directly to Major Roberts at jroberts@npsheriff.net.

A two-vehicle collision on La. Hwy 6 East sent emergency responders to the scene on April 14, causing significant traffic delays near the Natchitoches city limits.

The crash occurred at approximately 5:40 p.m. near the intersection of Brickyard Road. Deputies with the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office (NPSO) and paramedics from Natchitoches Regional Medical Center EMS arrived to find the roadway completely blocked by the wreckage.

Authorities confirmed that while injuries were reported, they are considered non-life-threatening.

Louisiana State Police (LSP) was called to the scene to lead the investigation into the cause of the accident. As of 7:53 p.m., NPSO officials confirmed that one lane has been reopened to traffic, though motorists should still expect delays while crews work to clear the remaining debris.