Downtown Road Closures Set for Meat Pie Festival
City of Natchitoches
The City of Natchitoches has announced road closures ahead of the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival, set for Sept. 18-19 downtown. The riverbank closes to vehicles at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, for festival setup and stays closed through Saturday night. Beginning at 6 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18, Front Street closes from Church Street to Trudeau Street and from Church Street to St. Denis Street, remaining closed until the festival ends. St. Denis Street stays open. The Church Street bridge and Williams Avenue from Whitfield to Henry Avenue close to all traffic at 9 p.m. for fireworks over Cane River Lake, reopening once the Fire Department gives the all clear.
Burn Ban Remains in Effect After Multiple Grass Fires
Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
The burn ban in Natchitoches Parish remains in effect because of continued dry conditions, following multiple grass fires reported along I-49 near the Powhatan exit Monday morning and a hay fire near Vowells Mill the same day. The Sheriff’s Office and Natchitoches Parish Fire Protection District 7 responded to the I-49 fires, which were reported just before 11 a.m. and contained by about 11:40 a.m. Burn bans prohibit open burning — burning material outside on open ground without a container for the flame — including burn piles and burn barrels. Violations can carry criminal and civil penalties, and anyone whose violation causes a wildfire can be held liable for suppression costs and property damage. The Department of Agriculture and Forestry maintains a statewide burn ban map.
Part-Time Job Fair Today at NSU
NSU Career Center
Northwestern State University’s Career Center hosts its annual Part-Time Job Fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today in the Friedman Student Union Ballroom, connecting students with local employers offering part-time work, internships and flexible schedules. Scheduled employers include RoyOMartin, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, BOM Bank and Cane River National Heritage Area.
Cane River Waterway Commission Meets Tonight
Cane River Waterway Commission
The Cane River Waterway Commission holds its public meeting at 6 p.m. today at 1483 La. Highway 119 in Natchez. A public comment period precedes action on any agenda item subject to a vote.
Sports Folklore Talk Set for Sept. 25
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum
Folklorist Emily Bryant will present “The Lore Behind the Score: Exploring the Folklore of Sports” from 12:15 to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum. The talk examines how folklore appears in sports through game-day traditions, chants, superstitions, pregame rituals, memorabilia and stories passed between generations of fans, drawing on the categories of oral tradition, customary tradition and material culture. Bryant directs the museum and holds a doctorate in folklore with a focus on material culture from Indiana University. The program is free and open to the public, and visitors may bring lunch. Information is available at 318-357-2492.
NSU Alumni Emcee Chamber’s Level Up Conference
Northwestern State University, Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce
Northwestern State University alumni Abby Williams and Jorian Dodd returned to campus Sept. 11 as emcees of the 2026 Level Up Conference, organized by the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce. The conference brought together college students, early-career professionals and business leaders for a keynote address, workshops, networking and a Vendor Village, with three tracks aimed at attendees at different career stages. Williams, a 2025 accounting graduate, and Dodd, a 2024 engineering technology graduate, are Chamber ambassadors and work for BOM.