This Saturday, February 25, saw Northwestern State University hosting 450 high school students and their families who visited our university for a day of fun and learning about the many opportunities afforded by Northwestern. The visitors had a busy day attending presentations on financial aid, housing, tours, and a browsing session in which the visiting students and their families met with representatives from the university’s academic departments and student organizations. Interested students also had an opportunity to audition for the Spirit of Northwestern Band and Theater department. NSU’s Army ROTC hosted an open house, giving information on scholarship opportunities and letting visitors try their shooting skills on a “smokeless range” simulator. In the words of Van Erikson, Director of Enrollment Management, one could leave N-Side View “…ready to arrive and be successful…”

Dr. Nikki Ceaser-Small, an NSU alumna and Senior Director of Campus Administration for the Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus, returned to her alma mater to speak to the prospective students and their families about how her experiences at NSU shaped the course of her life and prepared her for her future.

Northwestern State University offers a myriad of opportunities to build your future with over 60 programs and concentrations ranging from certificates to doctorates. Two NSU alumni, Gary Fields and Jim Mustien, have won Pulitzer Prizes, one of the premier awards in Journalism. Over the past several years, NSU pre-meds have achieved an enviable acceptance rate into medical school. A number of NSU College of Creative and Performing Arts alumni are performing in Broadway shows in New York City. The Louisiana Scholars’ College features a superb Great Books-based curriculum that offers a quality liberal arts education at a fraction of the price of a private college. The university’s athletes routinely boast an exceptional graduation rate. Northwestern State University has compiled a solid record of preparing its graduates for success in their chosen fields.

The Natchitoches Parish Journal wishes to congratulate the young men and women who visited our campus on their upcoming high school graduation. We are looking forward to seeing this new generation of students come to NSU and do great things with their lives!

Over 30 units rolled through our city Saturday, February 25 in the Natchitoches Black History Parade. The parade, themed “Expressions of a Culture”, began on Texas St., went through Martin Luther King St. and concluded at the Ben D. Johnson Center.

Natchitoches City Attorney, Alex Washington, served as Grand Marshal. Local civil rights icon and hero Elnora Robertson followed.  Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams and First Lady Tiffany Williams were on hand for the second Black History Parade of his term. A group of sharp looking and well drilled NCHS Army Junior ROTC cadets led the parade with the American flag. Community leaders from the school board and city council were joined by churches, dance teams and civic groups. Eager spectators lined the route as the parade rolled by. Children were treated to candy and throws from the parade’s many participants. The parade ended at the Ben D. Johnson Center and was followed by a Black History Program at a local park.

The Natchitoches Black History Parade was more than family fun. The event was also a celebration of the history, resiliency and accomplishments of our parish’s African-American community.

DENTON, Texas – Northwestern State saw scoring chances fall by the wayside in both games of Sunday’s finale of the North Texas Invitational, leading to another pair of losses.

The Lady Demons (7-7) left seven runners on base in a 5-2 loss to Wichita State to start the day before running into an offensive buzz saw against North Texas in the finale, falling 10-1 in six innings.

Wichita State 5, NSU 2

The Lady Demons were able to take advantage of their first scoring opportunity of the day getting a run in the top of the first.

Leadoff batter Laney Roos was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a groundout. A Kat Marshall single up the middle on a 2-0 count put the Demons ahead 1-0 four batters into the game.

After a scoreless bottom of the first from starter Kenzie Seely, the Demons had a chance to add to their lead in the second after a Taylor Williams leadoff single. She was left in scoring position with two out this time on a ground ball back to the pitcher for the final out.

Two pitches later the Shockers tied the game on a leadoff home run to left field. NSU, however, responded to take the lead right back in the top of the third, again taking advantage of the leadoff batter reaching base.

Bailie Ragsdale beat out an infield single to the left side and moved to third on a Marshall single to left. Makenzie Chaffin pulled a ball through the right side for a second straight hit scoring Ragsdale from third and putting Marshall in scoring position at second. A pop up and ground out left two runners on base however and only one run on the scoreboard for NSU.

This time the Shockers responded immediately on their end with the first three batters of the frame reaching base, the third being an RBI double to tie the game at two. Two batters later a sacrifice fly to left put them ahead for the first time in the game.

A shutdown inning for relief pitcher Alex Aguilar, who struck out the Demon side in the fourth, kept the momentum with Wichita State allowing them to add to the lead in the bottom of the inning.

A base hit to right center put the leadoff batter on which was followed by a two-run home run to left from catcher Lainee Brown gave the Shockers their final two runs of the day and a 5-2 lead.

The Demons got runners to second and third in the top of the next half inning after a Keely Dubois walk and Chaffin double with two outs, but could not produce the necessary two-out hit to bring them in to score and close the gap. That was the final scoring opportunity for NSU in the game as Aguilar retired the final seven batters she faced in a row to finish the game.

North Texas 10, NSU 1

The Mean Green jumped on the Demons early in the weekend finale with three runs in the bottom of the first. The first three batters of the inning reached on a single and two walks leading to a sacrifice fly for the first run and two-run single to make it 3-0 five batters into the bottom of the inning.

The Demons were able to get out of the inning with no more damage done and cut into the lead in the second by picking up a run on a throwing error on a Derika Castillo infield single, where she almost scored a second run on the play but was cut down at home on the long relay back in from the outfield.

North Texas though started the bottom of the inning with a double, getting a run on an RBI groundout two batters later, before a solo home run with two outs in the inning made it a 5-1 affair.

NSU left two runners on base, at second and third, in each of the next two innings unable to pick up the timely hit that would have score one or more of those runs and chipped away at the UNT lead.

Ryleigh Denton threw a pair of quick innings after settling into the game in relief to keep the deficit at four until four straight hits started the bottom of the fifth, bringing in three more runs putting North Texas in run-rule territory.

NSU went to the bullpen for the second time in the game for the first career appearance for redshirt freshman Haley Parker. The Fort Worth, Texas, native struck out the first batter she faced in her collegiate debut, getting the Demons out of the inning with a second strikeout to end the inning.

The offense was unable to produce in the top of the sixth setting the table for a leadoff single and two-run home run to finish the game early for the home standing Mean Green.

NSU plays its next seven straight games in Natchitoches beginning with the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission Lady Demon Classic next weekend, followed by the conference opening series with Lamar the weekend of March 10.

There was no surprise Thursday night for either parish team in the quarterfinal round of the LHSAA girls’ basketball playoffs, which was great news for Lakeview High School and unfortunate for Natchitoches Central.

Lakeview, the No. 2 seed in Division IV Non-Select, edged visiting East Beauregard 58-55. The Lady Gators advance to play in Hammond next week in the state semifinals, at a day and time to be announced this weekend, against third-seeded Oak Grove, which won 35-26 over LaSalle in its quarterfinal.

The big news in that bracket was the upset by No. 9 Oakdale, eliminating top-seeded White Castle 51-34 on the road. Oakdale will meet No. 4 Arcadia in the other Division IV semifinal, leaving Lakeview as the highest remaining seed to advance to Marsh Madness.

In Bossier City Thursday night, the powerhouse Parkway Lady Panthers asserted their dominance, overwhelming the Lady Chiefs of Natchitoches Central 58-24 before a packed crowd at Parkway’s gym (aka “The Cage”). 

It was unsurprising since Parkway had easily beaten NCHS, the district runner-up, in both regular-season meetings.

All-American senior guard Mikaylah Williams scored a game high of 19 (15 in the second half) as Parkway answered the bell early (and often), taking control almost immediately. Williams is the daughter of former NSU Lady Demon LaTonya Perry.

Natchitoches Central took a brief 3-2 lead following a 3-pointer by sophomore Akeelah Wade, Parkway kept up the offensive pressure. After an Ambree Williams layup, the first quarter belonged to Mekanna Miles.

The Lady Chiefs’ box-and-1 on sharpshooter Chloe Larry did not rotate to the corners and that is where Miles made them pay.  Her 11 first-quarter points included three straight 3-point shots that pushed the Parkway lead to 13 (19-6) at the end of one.  The lead grew to 33-13.

After halftime, it appeared that Natchitoches Central was trading shots on the offensive end while changing defenses on the other. The changing defenses, however, allowed Williams, an LSU signee, to settle in and score 11 points in the third.  By the end of the quarter, the game was pretty much out of reach. 

Williams (19), Miles (17) and Larry (13) were top guns for the Lady Panthers while Wade had a team-high 11 for the Lady Chiefs. 

Parkway (28-5) will move on to face third-seeded Barbe next week at Marsh Madness in Hammond. 

Natchitoches Central finished the season with a record of 24-10 and another deep playoff run from one of the state’s traditionally-tough girls’ basketball programs.

• Reporting on the NCHS-Parkway game by Preston Edwards, Shreveport-Bossier Journal

This past weekend I had the distinct pleasure of transporting my youngest daughter to her volleyball tournament in Dallas, Texas.

These weekends are epic for many reasons. We get three days of travel, watching her play ball (or sometimes keeping the bench warm while others play) hanging out with new friends and their moms, and exploring new places to dine. Tournament weekends are non-stop mama-daughter magic. I know these days are limited so we make the most of them.

While we were away one of the other parents found a trendy, locally owned burger place that had everything we were looking for. Good reviews, not too far away, it wouldn’t break the bank and it was super cute. The girls had been playing ball since early that morning so they were ravenous and ready for nourishment.

Once the burgers were ordered, it was time to wait. The younger girls sat at one end of the table and laughed nonstop about the various follies from the game, videos found online and all of the things that teen girls giggle about. The other end of the table held the moms. Our area of the table carried a more serious tone. We talked about the brackets for the next day’s game, the lack of funding for public schools, budgets for dress shopping and all the things that moms complain about.

A sudden hush fell upon all of us as our lunch arrived. We were all starving by this point. As the server passed out plates of burgers and bowls of fries it grew quieter and quieter.

Until….. my daughter had an audible nervous laugh. All of the girls kept asking her if something was wrong and she wouldn’t answer them. She just kept looking at me. At first I thought maybe her hamburger was undercooked or she found a bug in her food. The longer she gazed into my eyes I saw the panic. Her mouth was laughing but her eyes said she needed me.

I got up from my seat and was making my way around the table and she never lost her gaze with me. I knew she was in trouble so I asked, “Are you choking?” and she nodded in the affirmative. While I was walking I was praying under my breath.

When I made it to her, I was in full mama bear mode. Mama bear who knew how to administer the Heimlich Maneuver. I stood behind her, rubbed her back and asked was she ready. I softly said the name of Jesus, and was about to go to work when she said, “It moved!”.

Mama bear stood down and began thanking Jesus under my breath. Immediately Kat’s friends became irate with her and told her the universal sign for choking was not laughing. This was no laughing matter. They firmly told her that the next time this happens, place both hands near your throat so others will know you are choking. This also gave me a chance to remind her to chew her food completely before she swallows. In this particular instance there was a slice of bacon that was half way down her throat and would not move.

Crisis could have been averted with the proper amount of chewing.

It truly was scary for a brief moment but I knew every time I call on the name of the Lord he always comes through for me. He has never let me down and I know he never will. His word promises he will never leave or forsake us. Life can change in an instant, but he is a faithful friend who is always there.

“Call upon me in the day of trouble, I shall rescue you, and you will honor me.” – Psalm 50:15

The Real Views is a free newspaper that went out of commission in 2016. The newspaper is now back in circulation with a mission to create immense benefits for the community.

The Real Views Newspaper was a renowned syndication in the Natchitoches Parish and the multicultural communities. With a mission to uplift the community and offer exciting opportunities, the newspaper is now back in circulation with a new look and feel. Now revamped under the direction of a new publisher, the newspaper’s motto is: “A community with a voice shall be heard.” From news and community discussions to job tips and money-making guides, The Real Views Newspaper aims to raise the bar high in 2023 and become a powerful platform for community members to engage, share information and reap benefits.

A spokesperson for The Real Views Newspaper made an official press statement, “We are now very excited to be back in circulation for 2023 and beyond. With so much exciting content planned for the year, The Real Views Newspaper is now fully geared to become more than just a news source. While we will offer archived news on the website, current news will be shared in a free printed newspaper. Our core vision is to become an important hub of community activities and interactions.”

The spokesperson added, “Aiming to highlight the positive developments in the community, the newspaper will also work to bridge the gap between the public and our community leaders. While leaders will be encouraged to write articles to address the public, the average citizens will also be allowed to sound off about their expectations for local leaders.”

Being completely free, The Real Views Newspaper, with its riveting journalism and educational content, will bring the community together in 2023 to create a truly positive change. With a mission to highlight the hard work of community police officers, firefighters/fire service workers, business owners, church members, and community leaders, the newspaper will also be working to empower the community by inspiring entrepreneurs and offering vital life skills/advice to the community youth and native residents.

One thing I’ve learned over my many years of fishing bass tournaments — never trust another angler! Now why would someone say such a thing? Because it’s a fact! Today we’ll look at a situation and you’ll understand why this is a true statement. 

No group of people on planet Earth are less trustworthy than bass fishermen. They will lie in a heartbeat to keep other anglers at bay when it comes to where and how they are catching bass. They will sell their first born for crucial information if it will help them win a tournament.

That’s why it’s so important to bond with a couple of guys who are your true friends that you can discuss what you’re doing and how you’re catching bass without the threat of one of them revealing your secrets. Trust is a word very few anglers use because the pool of people you can trust is small and almost non-existent.

A good friend of mine, who is a legendary angler from East Texas, told me one time that he was done with fishing Pro/Am events. Pro/Am events are tournaments where you have a Boater/Pro who runs the boat and the trolling motor while he’s paired up with an Amateur/Co-Angler for the day. The biggest problem in these types of events, is that the Pro/Boater spends all his hard-earned money and time finding fish for an event while the Am/Co-Angler benefits from all that hard work without ever wetting a hook in practice or burning any gas.

When you take a Co-Angler to your best spots, you hope and pray that he won’t go tell all his buddies where these spots are and how you’re catching them. 

So many times, I’ve asked Co-Anglers nicely to please not tell anyone where and how we caught our fish for that day. But no matter how much they promise they will keep everything a secret, they’re lying!

This happened to me last year on Sam Rayburn. I had a good crankbait bite early off one spot. We both had our limits in the first 30 minutes of the tournament. I had over 16 pounds in the live well and my Co-Angler had his three-fish limit of almost 10 pounds.

I specifically asked the young man to please not share this spot with anyone else as I had another tournament coming up the next weekend. He reassured me that he does not share other anglers’ spots or information with anyone. 

So, feeling good about the rapport and connection we had made, I thought this guy was trustworthy. Guess what? Once again, my faith in humanity and trusting another angler was lost when I returned the following Thursday to scout for my next event on Rayburn.

Just after daylight I ran to my starting spot from the week before, where I had caught 16 pounds in 30 minutes. As I approached the spot, I noticed a boat was fishing almost directly on the same location. So, I pulled up and lowered my trolling motor trolling in his direction. Once within speaking range, I asked the angler if he had caught anything off this spot. He said “yes” with enthusiasm as he set the hook on a four-pounder!

While smoke and blood began to ooze from my ears, he commented that the area was loaded with some really good quality fish that his son had caught with a guy last weekend. I told him, “Yeah, I’m that guy!”

I could see the look on his face when he said, “Uh oh!”  He knew immediately that his son was not supposed to have told him about the spot. Once again, I politely asked the dad if he would lay off these fish until after my tournament on Saturday. He obliged and apologetically pulled up his trolling motor and left. 

While I understand that I really don’t have the right to claim this or any spot as off limits to anyone, it’s just the ethical part among other tournament fishermen to honor another angler’s spot or area. Now if another angler had found those same fish as I did, then it’s a matter of who gets there first. This is all a part of the unwritten rules of tournament fishing that so many anglers today refuse to observe.

Ethics have been thrown out the window in today’s bass tournament world. It has now become every man for himself with little to no regard for anyone else. 

If the ethical part of tournament fishing does not return, there will be some bad consequences for anglers down the road, especially the up-and-coming high school and college anglers who are not being taught these unwritten rules.

Until next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to wear sunscreen. Melanoma is real and can be deadly if not caught early. Early detection is critical to overcoming this form of cancer. 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@gmail.com

BOM made a donation to the Natchitoches Tennis Center for their court resurfacing project. Pictured left to right: Tennis Director Willy Paz and BOM’s Kessler Barnes.

Josh Beavers is a teacher and a writer. He has been recognized five times for excellence in opinion writing by the Louisiana Press Association.

The Service League of Natchitoches’ annual Fern Fundraiser is going on now until February 27th. This year the league is offering four variations of ferns which include: Boston, Foxtail, Asparagus, and Australian. Prices range from $16-$18 depending on the variation ordered. Orders can be placed online at www.service-league.net or through any Service League member.

All orders must be prepaid and received by the deadline of February 27, 2023. Ferns will be delivered on the morning of March 11, 2023.

This year’s fundraiser proceeds will benefit the Prud’homme-Rouquier Foundation allowing for continued renovation and repair projects to the Prud’homme-Rouquier house.

The house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service and found in the National Historic Landmark District of Natchitoches, was built at the turn of the 18th Century. The Service League of Natchitoches, Inc., restored and operates the property with proceeds from fundraisers held throughout the year.

For additional questions or information, please contact Jill Leo at 318-652-7078.

The Service League of Natchitoches, Inc., is an organization of women dedicated to helping those in need and supporting the cultural, historical, educational, and charitable endeavors of Natchitoches, thus enhancing the efficiency of community service.

Help us welcome THE Natchitoches legend… Mr. Lawrence Seawood!

“From St. Maurice Louisiana or greater Winn Parish as I call it, I am proud to continue serving and honoring all of this wonderful community. My beautiful wife and I have been married for 40 years and we have been blessed with 3 children as well as 2 grandbabies. I am a proud alumnus of Northwestern State University along with a member of Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church in St. Maurice. – Dr. Elbert R Demery Jr has been a blessing to myself, my family, and our church.

Originally before coming into the automotive business, I came from a banking background. Luckily, a few close friends of mine convinced me to dive headfirst into the car industry and Mr. Tommy Stewart took me in under his wing and gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. To this day I am most proud of the respect and trust I have gained from my clients over the years. My main goal is to assure that every customer is fully satisfied with my service not only during the sale but after.

One piece of advice I would give my younger self would be to save more and walk closer with God.
One thing most people don’t know is that I don’t eat greens or okra…

I look forward to working with the encouraging staff here at Vaughn Chevrolet Buick as the Floor Manager —yall come see me!”
-Lawrence

JOB VACANCY: School Food Service Manager

QUALIFICATIONS:           

• High School diploma or equivalent
• Three years experience in the Food Service Industry preferred
• Proficient computer skills
• Excellent communication skills

SALARY: According to NPSB salary schedule

DEADLINE: Tuesday, February 28, 2023; 4:00 p.m.

WHERE TO APPLY:
Linda G. Page, Personnel Director
Natchitoches Parish School Board
P. O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71458-0016
Phone:  (318) 352-2358
Fax:  (318) 352-8138
Application website:  www.npsb.la

APPLICATION: Application packet should consist of a letter of application, resume’, diploma/transcript and three letters of reference.

St. Mary’s quarterback Adam Parker, new Natchitoches Central football coach Jess Curtis and longtime Northwestern State basketball coach Mike McConathy will be among the honored guests next Thursday night, March 2, at the annual National Football Foundation S.M. McNaughton Chapter Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner at East Ridge Country Club in Shreveport.

Parker is among an elite group of nine senior football scholar-athletes, nominated by their head coaches, including Hunter Addison of North DeSoto, Green Oaks’ Fred Benjamin, Elijah Harper of Red River, Christian Jones from C.E. Byrd, West Monroe’s Blake Loring, Haughton’s Peyton Polk, Kam Robinson from Captain Shreve, Hayden Rolfe of Logansport and Northwood’s Mason Welch.

Curtis will be saluted as the chapter’s Coach of the Year, for leading Many High School to back-to-back state championships, including an unbeaten season last fall. He is the new coach at Natchitoches Central. Many High School supporter Buddy Wood will introduce Curtis.

McConathy, who served as basketball coach at Northwestern for 23 seasons in a 41-year coaching career, is receiving the chapter’s Distinguished American Award for his far-reaching impact on high school and collegiate athletics and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Demon football coach Brad Laird will introduce McConathy.

Previous winners include Sen. J. Bennett Johnston, Denny Duron, Orvis Sigler, Bo Campbell, Tim Brando, James Davison, Terry Slack, Billy Montgomery, Dr. George Bakowski, John Manno Jr., Ivan Smith Jr., Tynes Hildebrand, Doug Ireland and Greg Burke, along with McConathy’s father Johnny McConathy and the namesake of the local NFF chapter, Milton McNaughton.

A special presentation will be made to NFF North Louisiana chapter president and charter board member Leo Sanford, who has been on the NFF board since its creation in 1980. Sanford, a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, Ark-La-Tex Museum of Champions and the Louisiana Tech Athletic Hall of Fame, was a star center and linebacker at Shreveport’s Fair Park High School and at Louisiana Tech before becoming a Pro Bowl player in the NFL with the  Chicago Cardinals and winning the 1958 NFL championship alongside Johnny Unitas for the Baltimore Colts.

Longtime Byrd coach Mike Suggs will receive the chapter’s Contribution to Amateur Football Award. Among the distinguished list of prior recipients are Eddie Robinson, Lee Hedges, Bert Jones, Joe Ferguson, Alton “Red” Franklin, Stan Humphries, Doug Williams, A.L. Williams, Walter Ledet, Jimmy “Chick” Childress, Alan Carter, Rodney Guin, Broderick Fobbs, Joe Raymond Peace and Sam Goodwin.

Tickets for the event are available through Friday afternoon by contacting chapter secretary and event coordinator Toni Goodin at 318-347-4453. They are $45 for individuals or $360 for tables of eight.

One of the nine student-athletes will be recognized as the McNaughton Chapter’s nominee for the National Football Foundation’s nationwide scholar-athlete of the year honor, and will be spotlighted for the 2023-24 year in the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Another of the student-athletes will be recognized as the KTBS/Johnny’s Pizza House Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Five – Addison, Harper, Parker, Polk, and Welch – are eligible after being selected for last fall’s NFF Scholar-Athlete Watch List. Along with nine others, they each were spotlighted during Tuesday segments on the KTBS 6 and 10 p.m. sportscasts and on the station’s award-winning Johnny’s Pizza House Friday Football Fever weekly highlight show.

The event begins with a reception and silent auction at 6:30, with the program kicking off at 7 and dinner served a few minutes later. All proceeds support the scholarships and awards presented to the student-athletes.

Pursuant to the provisions of a resolution adopted by the Parish School Board of the Parish of Natchitoches, State of Louisiana (the “Governing Authority”), acting as the governing authority of (i) Parishwide School District of the Parish of Natchitoches, State of Louisiana, (ii) School District No. 9 of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana and (iii) Consolidated School District No. 8 of the Parish of Natchitoches, State of Louisiana (the “Districts”), on January 12, 2023, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that special elections will be held within the Districts on SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2023 and that at the said elections there will be submitted to all registered voters in the Districts qualified and entitled to vote at the said elections under the Constitution and Laws of the State of Louisiana and the Constitution of the United States, the following propositions, to-wit:

PARISHWIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPOSITION (MILLAGE RENEWAL)

Shall Parishwide School District of the Parish of Natchitoches, State of Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a seven (7) mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the District for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2024 and ending with the year 2033 (an estimated

$2,832,400 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for the purpose of giving additional support to public elementary and secondary schools in the District by providing funds for construction, repairs, purchase of equipment and/or supplies and additional improvements?

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 9 PROPOSITION (MILLAGE RENEWAL)

Shall School District No. 9 of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a seven (7) mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the District for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2024 and ending with the year 2033 (an estimated $1,567,400 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining or operating public elementary and secondary schools in the District?

CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 8 PROPOSITION (MILLAGE RENEWAL)

Shall Consolidated School District No. 8 of the Parish of Natchitoches, State of Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a special tax of seven (7) mills on all property subject to taxation within the District (an estimated $60,300 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2025 and ending with the year 2034, the purpose of giving additional support to public elementary and secondary schools by funding the improvement, maintenance and operation of public school buildings in said District?

Said special election for the Parishwide Proposition will be held at each and every polling place in Natchitoches Parish, which polls will open at seven o’clock (7:00) a.m. and close at eight o’clock (8:00) p.m., in accordance with the provisions of La. R.S. 18:541.

Said special election for School District No. 9 Proposition will be held at the polling places at the following precincts of the District which polls will open at seven o’clock (7:00) a.m. and close at eight o’clock (8:00) p.m., in accordance with the provisions of La. R.S. 18:541, to wit:

PRECINCTS

01-01
01-01A
01-02
01-03
01-03A
01-04
01-04A
01-05
01-05A
01-06
01-07
01-08
01-09
01-09A(PART)
01-10
01-10A(PART)
01-10B
01-11
01-12
01-13
01-14
02-04(PART)
02-06(PART)
02-07(PART)
02-07A
03-02(PART)
03-04(PART)
03-05(PART)
03-07
03-08(PART)
04-01(PART)
04-02
04-03(PART)
04-04(PART)
04-09

Said special election for Consolidated School District No. 8 Proposition will be held at the polling places at the following precincts of the District which polls will open at seven o’clock (7:00) a.m. and close at eight o’clock (8:00) p.m., in accordance with the provisions of La. R.S. 18:541, to wit:

PRECINCTS

01-09A(PART)
03-05(PART)
03-06
03-08(PART)
03-09(PART)
03-10
04-01(PART)
04-06(PART)
04-07(PART)
04-08

The polling places for the precincts in the Parish and Districts are hereby designated as the polling places at which to hold the said elections, and the Commissioners-in-Charge and Commissioners, respectively, shall be those persons designated according to law.

The estimated cost of the Parishwide election as determined by the Secretary of State based upon the provisions of Chapter 8-A of Title 18 and actual costs of similar elections is $20,000.

The estimated cost of the School District No. 9 election as determined by the Secretary of State based upon the provisions of Chapter 8-A of Title 18 and actual costs of similar elections is $12,000.

The estimated cost of the Consolidated School District No. 8 election as determined by the Secretary of State based upon the provisions of Chapter 8-A of Title 18 and actual costs of similar elections is $3,000.

Notice is further given that a portion of the monies collected from the taxes described in the Propositions shall be remitted to certain state and statewide retirement systems in the manner required by law.

The said special elections will be held in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 5 and Chapter 6-A of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and other constitutional and statutory authority, and the officers appointed to hold the said elections, as provided in this Notice of Special Elections, or such substitutes therefor as may be selected and designated in accordance with La. R.S. 18:1287, will make due returns thereof to said Governing Authority, and NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the Governing Authority will meet at its regular meeting place, the Parish School Board Office, Board Room, 310 Royal Street, Natchitoches, Louisiana, on THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2023, at FIVE O’CLOCK (5:00) P.M., and shall then and there in open and public session proceed to examine and canvass the returns and declare the result of the said special elections. All registered voters of the Districts are entitled to vote at said special elections and voting machines will be used.

THUS DONE AND SIGNED at Natchitoches, Louisiana, on this, the 12^th day of January, 2023.

/S/
President

ATTEST:

/S/
Secretary

Natchitoches native! Tiffany Syse is a multimillion dollar producing Realtor and proud team member of RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals. With a passion for exceptional client service and knowledge of Natchitoches Parish and surrounding areas, Tiffany is ready to help with all of your home buying and selling needs. Tiffany values integrity, hard work, and outstanding client service in everything she does. As is evident in her consistent 5-Star reviews, Tiffany’s attention to detail, commitment, and dedication to her clients is impeccable!

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When Tiffany isn’t making homeowner’s dreams come true, she enjoys spending time with her husband Glen, their seven children and family.

Tiffany Cheatwood-Syse, Realtor
RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals
tsyse@therichmondgrp.com
Cell: 318-609-1100
Office: 318-527-0071
Website: TiffanySyseRealtor.com

• Every Office is Independently Owned

On Sunday, February 12th, the Goldonna Assembly of God Church had an exceptional church service that was well attended by the community and other churches. Mr. Jacob Phillips, also known as “the man without a brain,” was the guest speaker for the service. He was born over four decades ago without a brain. He lives in West Monroe, Louisiana and travels near and far to share his story of how God healed him.

Pastors Timmy and Pam Harris were elated with the message that Mr. Phillips shared with the congregation.

“The service was amazing! Jacob’s testimony of being born with no brain, no hope of any life at all..especially a life of normalcy to the life he lives now. He is able to travel, preach and be used by God to share his testimony, the goodness of God and the message of Jesus Christ,” shared Rev. Timmy Harris.

Goldonna Assembly of God will be participating in a Community Service at Dodson Assembly of God on March 3rd. Pastor Harris extends the invitation to everyone.

Goldonna Baptist Church is laying the groundwork to have the biggest year of Operation Christmas Child that the Goldonna community has ever seen. Pastor Dupree recently announced the following donation schedule:

March              Toothbrushes & floss
April                Toys (cards, dominos, jump ropes, small musical instruments, matchbox cars
May                 Hard plastic cups, bowls, utensils
June                Sewing kits and multi tools
July                 School supplies, pencil cases, notebooks, crayons, coloring books
August             Hats/caps, tshirts, undies, socks
September      wipes, makeup, hair clips, maxi-pads, solid deodorant
October           Christmas Stockings, Christmas Cards
November       Packing Party

Pastor Dupree extends the invitation to the area churches and the entire community. He also invited everyone to attend the packing party as well. This is when you see all of the hard work that was dedicated during the year come to fruition.

Every Sunday evening at 5:00pm, Mr. Wiley Cole will be teaching an in-depth Bible Study at GBC.

Pastor George Procell, River of Life Family Worship Center, announces that their church will host an “Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Prayer Breakfast” on Saturday, April 8th, at 8:00am. Brother Wade Smith will be the guest speaker. Everyone is invited to enjoy a hot breakfast and fellowship with their brothers in Christ. For more information be sure and visit the event page on the church’s Facebook page.

Mayor, Gayle Cloud, wanted to remind everyone that the Christmas In The Park Fish Fry Fundraiser will be Sunday, March 12th at the Town Hall. They will begin serving at 10:30am and will keep serving until they run out. Your $10 donation will earn you a small mess of fish, french fries, slaw, hush puppies and a dessert. Be there early as this promises to be the best fish ever!

The Goldonna Elementary-Junior High School will be closed this week for Winter Break from February 20th until the 27th. Students will return to school on February 28th.

Kingdom Kids at Goldonna Baptist is on Winter Break as well and will return when school resumes.

The Village of Goldonna is not short on outstanding people who love their community and dedicate their lives to the wellbeing of their neighbors. If you know of an exceptional resident who you would like to recognize in the Goldonna News, please email me at jreba.phelps@gmail.com

NATCHITOCHES – Chase Prestwich did not earn the win Tuesday night against LSU-Alexandria, but he put his Northwestern State baseball team in position to do so.

Prestwich bounced back from allowing three straight hits to open the game to pitch five strong innings, giving the Demon offense time to wake up in a 5-4 NSU victory in the 2023 home opener at Brown-Stroud Field.

“Chase is the reason we won the game,” seventh-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. “They came out swinging. Two runs in the first three hitters on decent pitches. Chase allowed us to get there. There’s no secret we were struggling offensively coming out of the weekend, but you’re only struggling as long as you think you are. A lot of our guys need to understand that.

“When you get a guy on the mound who’s a bulldog and gets you to the sixth inning on a Tuesday, we’re able to throw our bullpen guys on the weekend because we kept them on short stints.”

Prestwich took a no-decision but kept the Demons (1-3) within striking distance when the visiting Generals, who were playing the game as an exhibition, threatened to take the crowd out of the game right away.

After LSUA started the game with a Zach Mengarelli single, a Cameron Daigle double and a two-run Blaise Foote single, Prestwich locked in and turned the longest outing of his NSU career. A sophomore from Fredrick, Colorado, Prestwich struck out a career-high seven and did not walk a batter.

He did not allow a hit after Peyton Marcantel’s two-out infield single in the first, retiring the final 13 Generals he faced.

“They got some good swings at the start, but I was able to settle in,” Prestwich said. “I was throwing a lot more sliders for strikes, and I was able to get my changeup going in the later innings. After the third inning, I really started to settle in and got in a groove. I was making some good pitches and that relaxed me.”

With a relaxed Prestwich zipping through the LSUA order – he needed 47 pitches to complete his final four innings after a 30-pitch first inning – the Demon bats gradually awakened.

Held hitless for 3 2-3 innings by three LSUA pitchers, the Demons broke through on Jake Haze’s RBI double in the fourth inning that scored Gabe Colaianni, who had drawn a two-out walk. Haze’s RBI knock started a run of five straight one-run innings.

Freshman Caleb Castle was in the middle of the next two, starting the fourth-inning rally with a double and scoring on fellow freshman Michael Dattalo’s sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2. The next inning, Castle hooked an RBI single to left field, scoring Haze with the run that put NSU ahead to stay.

“I feel pretty comfortable going to the plate with a good approach and good feedback from the coaches,” said Castle, who went 2-for-4 and has reached base safely in all four of his career games. “I was just trying to take the ball oppo today, because they are a big offspeed team.”

The Demons continued to tack on runs inning by inning as Dattalo singled home Jacob Farrell, who led off the seventh with a single, before Jeffrey Elkins’ eighth-inning single scored Colaianni, who led off with a single. In four career games against LSUA, Elkins has driven in eight runs.

His eighth proved to be pivotal as the Generals loaded the bases with one out in the ninth and scored twice before Gus Collins got Dylan Gaspard to ground out to Haze with the tying run at third.

“We put together some innings at the end and got a big two-out hit there to score a run,” Barbier said. “Caleb Castle got a couple of really good swings. We’ve just got to do it more often. We need more constant pressure on the other team for nine innings.”

The Demons return to action Friday when they open play in the Sugar Land Space Cowboys College Classic against Seton Hall. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Constellation Field.

Northwestern State 5, LSU-Alexandria 4

LSU-A 200 000 002 – 4 8 1
NSU 000 111 11x – 5 7 0
W – Kyle Froehlich (1-0). L – Rene Solis Jr. S – Gus Collins (1). 2B – LSUA, Cameron Daigle. NSU, Jake Haze, Caleb Castle. Highlights: LSUA, Blaise Foote 2-4, 2 RBIs; Jordan Ardoin 2-4. NSU, Castle 2-4, 2B, RBI.

Records: LSU-Alexandria 8-5; Northwestern State 1-3.

The Service League of Natchitoches will host Reading on the River, an annual community literacy event promoting the importance and enjoyment of reading outside the classroom, on Saturday, March 4. The event will take place on the Natchitoches Riverbank from 10 am-1 pm.

The free, fun event for pre-K to 5th-grade children includes reading-related activities, games, and music for children and families. In addition, each child who attends will be able to take home at least one free new or used book. Reading on the River has distributed over 500 books to local children to promote literacy and education in past years. 

“When we brought this event back four years ago, our goal was to inspire a new generation of young readers by exposing them to the wonderful world of books,” remarked Rebecca Blankenbaker, Service League President. “The Service League is proud to spearhead this opportunity for our community partners to come together and support literacy development.”

Applications are now open for vendors to participate. There is no cost for participation, and each vendor is responsible for their tent/booth space, table, chairs, and decorations. Tent and booth space are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each vendor should select a theme of their choice, centered around a popular children’s book or organization specific. In addition, vendors should provide at least one activity for attendees, such as storytelling, a small craft activity, a game, or a coloring sheet. 

This event is supported by the Cane River National Heritage Area and the Natchitoches Parish Early Childhood Network. 

For organizations interested in serving as a vendor or supporting Reading on the River, please contact Jessica Mullican at jessica@canerivernha.org or 318-356-5555.