As the cool November breeze drifts through Red River Parish, it’s time to remember one of autumn’s most familiar rituals — “falling back.”
This Sunday, November 2, marks the end of Daylight Saving Time, which means you’ll need to set your clocks back one hour before heading to bed Saturday night. That’s right — we all get an extra hour of sleep!
While that bonus hour is something to celebrate, the time change also signals a shift in our daily rhythm. Mornings will be brighter, but evenings will get darker earlier — a sure sign that cozy season has arrived. Expect porch lights to flick on sooner, sunsets to paint the sky before dinner, and maybe even a few yawns earlier in the evening.
Make sure to double-check your clocks — especially those old-fashioned wall or oven clocks that don’t update automatically. It’s also a great time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms — a small task that could make a big difference.
So this weekend, as you enjoy that first real hint of sweater weather, take a moment to soak in the slower pace. “Fall back” isn’t just about adjusting the clock — it’s a reminder to reset, recharge, and enjoy the calm that comes with the changing season.
Tip: Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour before bed Saturday night — and enjoy that extra hour of sleep!
Louisiana will use $150 million monthly in state funds to continue food assistance for elderly, disabled and child recipients after federal SNAP benefits halt Saturday due to the government shutdown, Gov. Jeff Landry announced Wednesday.
The state will automatically provide November benefits to approximately 565,000 vulnerable residents without requiring requalification, Landry said. Payments will be uploaded to EBT cards during the first four days of November.
About 53,000 households with able-bodied adults will not receive the temporary state benefits. Landry encouraged those recipients to seek employment, citing more than 100,000 job openings statewide.
Nearly 793,000 Louisiana residents — roughly one in five — rely on SNAP benefits, according to the governor’s office. That includes about 356,800 children, 88,200 seniors and more than 120,000 people with disabilities.
The Louisiana Legislature unanimously approved a resolution Friday authorizing the state Department of Health to tap its budget and the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund for the emergency funding. Landry signed an emergency declaration Oct. 23 enabling the fund release.
Louisiana is one of eight states and the only one in the Gulf South providing such assistance during the shutdown.
To the Voters, Taxpayers and Citizens of Natchitoches:
As a lifelong resident and active business owner in Natchitoches Parish, I feel obligated to bring attention to an ongoing and serious lack of transparency in our local justice system — specifically regarding public access to arrest and bail bond records.
Louisiana law, under R.S. 15:85 and R.S. 44:3(A)(4), clearly requires that all arrests and bail bonds be maintained in a public record book or digital register that is open for inspection during regular business hours. This is not a courtesy — it is the law.
Yet, in Natchitoches Parish, both the Sheriff’s Office inmate roster website and the Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System (LAVNS) have been nonfunctional for several years, preventing citizens and victims from knowing who has been arrested or released. This lack of accessibility undermines both public safety and trust in the system.
In 2024, I took action to improve accountability by helping to change the bonding policy with the Natchitoches City Police, which took effect November 1, 2024. That policy required all bondsmen to pay the 2% bonding fee and provide a power of attorney for each bond, generating over $100,000 in new annual revenue for the department — a change I pursued not for personal gain, but for the betterment of our community.
Now, I am publicly calling on Sheriff Stewart Wright and the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office to comply with the law and make the parish jail log and arrest book publicly accessible, as required. The citizens of Natchitoches Parish deserve transparency, accountability, and access to accurate information.
The people of this parish deserve the transparency they are owed.
Join Marvin as he addresses the SNAP benefits and the State of Louisiana providing the funds to cover SNAP benefits for the month of November 2025.
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is announcing that due to the federal government shutdown in Washington, D.C., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will not be issued to recipients starting November 1. Any unused SNAP benefits from previous months will remain on recipients’ Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards and can be used as usual.
Brought to you by Lance Lopez with Farm Bureau, Harrington Law Firm and the Sharpco Hotel Group.
Jessica Spitzer and her Demon soccer teammates can earn the Southland Conference regular season title tonight at Nicholls. (NSU photo by CHRIS REICH)
THIBODAUX — With a share of the Southland Conference regular season soccer crown locked up, Northwestern State aims to make sure it is the only team that can claim the title.
Northwestern (11-4-3, 6-2-1) tries to rebound from only its second loss in league play when it travels to Nicholls (4-7-5, 1-3-4), aiming to win the regular season outright, just like it did in 2021.
Kickoff tonight is at 7 p.m. at the Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex with live stats coverage available through NSUDemons.com. There is no ESPN+ coverage.
The Demons have the opportunity to earn their 12th regular season victory, the most since collecting 13 in 2000.
Despite a 2-0 loss last time out at Lamar, NSU earned at least a piece of the SLC regular season title with Stephen F. Austin’s tie at UIW.
“It is always important to look at a loss like we had at Lamar and take a lesson from it and to learn and grow and make sure we don’t just ignore it,” head coach Ian Brophy said. “We don’t want to turn that loss into two and just move past it, but we want to learn the lessons and apply ourselves in training this week and learn and grow from that result and we can use that as something that helps us moving forward.”
With SFA’s win over Nicholls this past Sunday, the Demons need to earn at least a tie to clinch the title outright.
One strength of the Demons is to overcome adversity and turn a loss into a positive and rebound quickly. NSU has gone 2-0-1 following a loss this season and is 4-0-3 in its last seven games following defeats. After falling to Houston Christian, the Demons rattled off five straight victories before falling at Lamar.
“I think after a game like HCU or Lamar, we really come together,” graduate student Emily Mougia said. “We have a heart-to-heart about what we need to do and how we can get better, and we work for it. That is what’s great about this team. Everyone is willing to put in the work, and everyone is willing to go 100 percent and be all in and it comes out in the results.”
The Colonels are a dangerous team, as they are fighting for their lives, just two points out of a conference tournament spot.
Nicholls’ seven points are tied for 11th in the league and UIW and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi are currently tied for eighth with nine points.
“Nicholls is a much better team this year than in years past,” Brophy said. “They have picked up wins and points this year, and are still alive to make the playoffs. We know they are fighting for a lot and will come out and fight for everything, so we know it is going to be a tough match, and we’ll have to come out and play our best futbol.”
Earlier this season, the Colonels took down Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for their first conference victory since 2018.
Before a loss last time out at SFA, Nicholls posted four consecutive ties, including drawing at Southeastern Louisiana and at home against Lamar.
The Demons next play in Beaumont, Texas, at the SLC Tournament beginning Nov. 4.
VOLLEYBALL: The Demons visit the University of Incarnate Word Cardinals tonight at 6 p.m. on the heels of perhaps their best set of the season last Saturday. The Demons (1-23, 0-10 SLC) went toe-to-toe in the second set against league-leading Stephen F. Austin (14-7, 9-1 SLC) before falling 25-23.
“We really did a lot of good things in that match,” said Demon head coach Ben Kaszeta. “I think we’re continuing to grow each day, and we saw that Saturday. “That (SFA) is a really good team we played and I think we can build on it.”
UIW (11-11, 7-3 SLC) defeated UNO Saturday to remain tied for fourth place in the conference standings.
The Demons will head east to take on Houston Christian Saturday at 1 p.m.
Northwestern freshmen receivers Jimmie Duncan (left) and Brendan Webb (right) celebrate after a big play against Lamar. (NSU photo by CHRIS REICH)
Patience is a virtue — and one the Northwestern State football team is learning to master through experience.
As perhaps the youngest team in America, the Demons have faced one of the toughest schedules in the country, testing a roster filled with underclassmen against championship-caliber opponents week after week. The results haven’t always shown up on the scoreboard, but the progress has, in flashes of big-play potential, in resilience, and in the growing confidence of a team building toward its future.
“We are one of the youngest teams in America, so for us young guys we have to step up,” redshirt freshman Braden Woods said. “I see that trend a lot in the locker room for the younger guys having to step up and compete with the older teams that we’re playing. It’s a great thing to see.”
That youth movement is no small thing — 23 players classified as true or redshirt freshmen have seen game action this season. For head coach Blaine McCorkle, now in his second season leading the rebuilding program, it’s a sign that the foundation for long-term success is being laid one rep, one lesson and one game at a time.
For Woods, a Natchitoches native, the journey has been a fast-moving one. He recorded his first career tackle, an eight-yard sack, in unforgettable fashion – against Minnesota, a Power Four opponent, earlier this season. Since then, his role has steadily expanded, especially in recent weeks as injuries and defensive scheme adjustments have created new opportunities. Woods has seized them, becoming a player defensive coordinator Matt Conner increasingly leans on.
He rewarded that trust with a career-high seven tackles and a sack in last week’s game against No. 15 Lamar, underscoring the kind of work ethic that his classmates possess and continue to display since day one.
“If I had one word to describe my class, it’s that we grind,” Woods said. “We know we’re not as big, strong or fast, so we just have to grind to get better week in and week out.”
That grind has come against a gauntlet of opponents — including two Power Four programs and two straight Top 20 FCS teams, one of the toughest schedules in the country this year and in program history — but the effort is starting to bear fruit. In that Lamar matchup, true freshman receivers Brendan Webb and Alexandria Senior High’s Jimmie Duncan combined for 199 receiving yards on six catches, both hauling in passes of more than 50 yards. Those breakout plays offered a glimpse of the future — explosive, confident and ready to rise.
“This week in particular Coach McCorkle talked a lot about ‘the turning point,’” Woods said. “We knew we’ve been playing ranked teams. We played two really good P4 teams. So we’ve been grinding and getting better each week and we’re just waiting for that turning point. It could come tomorrow or next year, we don’t know, but I think it’s coming soon and this program is on the uprise.”
Signs of that turning point emerge every week, not just in numbers, but in moments that reveal the team’s heart.
When senior center Caleb Billiot helped spin freshman quarterback Abram Johnston, the only freshman starting quarterback in the Southland Conference, into the end zone against Lamar to cap an eight-play scoring drive, it became more than a highlight. It was a snapshot of what McCorkle’s program is all about: veterans leading, young players learning and everyone pushing together.
“That’s the kind of grit our coaches like,” redshirt freshman offensive lineman Ralee Jackson said. “The relentless effort. Just trying to get everything you can. That’s exactly what Caleb showed. The coaches call him a ‘foxhole guy,’ somebody you can rely on and has your back. Him doing that type of thing shows how everybody should be playing at all times.”
Moments like that have also helped tighten the bond of a roster that’s growing up together.
“My freshman class got here and we got close fast,” Jackson said. “We were having game nights the first week we were here. All of us just gelling together. And the majority of the team being young I think makes us closer.”
That chemistry has carried onto the field, where underclassmen are not only gaining experience but contributing in meaningful ways. Jackson is one of three starting offensive lineman classified as a sophomore or younger, alongside Logan Brady (redshirt freshman) and Garrett Morphis (sophomore).
They were three of the six redshirt freshman starters in NSU’s most recent game against Lamar.
“A lot of us are playing right now,” Jackson said. “We had six redshirt freshmen touch the ball last game. We had redshirt freshmen making tackles, making plays — whatever the case may be. That shows the guys that aren’t on the field yet that if we all work together and stay here for four or five years, we can totally flip this program. Coach McCorkle talks about that all the time. He makes sure that we know we’re really close and we need to stick to the process and stay consistent and we’ll get there.”
That process, and the patience it demands, has been McCorkle’s consistent message since his arrival.
“There’s a verse in Galatians we talk about as a team all the time. Galatians 6:9 says: ‘Don’t grow weary in doing good, for in time you will reap a harvest if you don’t give up,’” McCorkle said. “Sowing and reaping don’t happen in the same season. You sow your seeds. You work, water and plant, and when the time comes, you harvest. It’d be nice to do it all in the same season, but it doesn’t always work that way. We’re doing a lot of sowing right now, but we know good days are ahead. Every day we are one day closer to turning the corner — and that’s exciting and gives us hope.”
Through the grind, the growing pains and the glimpses of promise like Webb and Duncan’s breakouts and Woods’ rising impact, that hope feels more tangible than ever.
“We can have a very narrow eyesight at times,” Jackson said. “So when things like that happen, it kind of opens things up. I think it takes away some doubts that people might have in the team or the players and shows them that we can do it — we just have to execute.”
The future of Demon football continues to be written every single week, on the field, in practice, in the classroom and in the hearts and minds of a connected group of players all striving for the same goal.
Over the past two years, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation’s “Join the TEAM” membership drive has generated $85,000 for aesthetic and technology upgrades at the now 12-year-old LSHOF and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in the Natchitoches Downtown Historic District.
Of the approximately 150 individuals and businesses that have supported the membership drive to date, only 20 percent of them are from Natchitoches. That percentage, respectfully, must be higher and there are good reasons why.
As the LSHOF Foundation often stresses, state funding pays salaries and basic operating expenses at the museum but upgrades – which are imperative to the continued livelihood and even survival of the museum – must be generated by privately raised funds.
Furthermore, many may not know that Natchitoches, in conjunction with NSU, hosted the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony for over 50 years before the three-day event weekend, with its economic impact of over $1 million, could very well have been moved elsewhere as other cities expressed willingness to build a true museum home for the Hall. But city and community leaders along with legislators developed plans which blossomed into the opening of the $23 million state museum building on Front Street in 2013. Natchitoches remained home of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and has enjoyed statewide and national recognition, plus continuing economic impact.
The third annual LSHOF TEAM drive begins November 1, and it is my goal to increase the number of Natchitoches members. There surely are 100 local businesses and sports fans who can become a TEAM member at one of four levels and for as little as $10-$20 per month. Membership comes with a nice set of benefits, including the first-ever LSHOF commemorative poster featuring inductees such as Shaquille O’Neal, Kim Mulkey and “Pistol Pete” Maravich; LSHOF gear; entry in a monthly giveaway drawing; a discount on merchandise sales; the exclusive “Insider” quarterly newsletter and more. It is easy to join online at lasportshall.com or checks can be sent to 500 Front Street in Natchitoches.
I will be making calls, sending text messages, hitting social media, and knocking on doors to generate an uptick in local support for the LSHOF membership drive which, combined with efforts on a statewide level, will make 2026 the most successful year yet for the foundation.
Natchitoches – this is our museum! Please consider stepping up to make it a stronger and more vibrant asset for our community – Join the TEAM!
Greg Burke LSHOF Foundation Director of Business Development and Public Relations
The addition of closed party primaries brings about several changes for next spring’s elections. The Natchitoches Parish Clerk’s office will do our best to help you navigate these changes.
First, the attached card by Secretary of State Nancy Landry gives some great tips on the changes and how to prepare for them.
Not all races fall under the new closed party primary system.:
Federal races (U.S. Senate and the U.S. House), The Louisiana Supreme Court, the Public Service Commission and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education are the races that will now be decided in the closed party primaries.
Other Statewide, Parish Wide and local elections will remain open to all voters and be handled the same as they have been.
In the Closed Party Primary Races, Democrats vote for Democrats and Republicans vote for Republicans. The main change is other voters are all considered No Party. In Natchitoches Parish we have over 5,000 voters listed as No Party. They will be able to decide, at the polling place, which party primary they want to vote in. The winners of each primary will face each other in the runoff.
Know your political party! Not sure? It is easy to find out. You can go to the GEAUXVOTE.com app and look yourself up. Want to change? You can do that right online. You can also find out your information by calling the Natchitoches Parish Registrar of Voters at 318-357-2211 or go by their office in the Natchitoches Parish Courthouse.
More information including spring election dates will be released soon. If you have questions, check in with the Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court’s office.
Natchitoches native Joe Dumars is beginning his first season running the basketball operations of the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo courtesy NBA.com)
By JIM EICHENHOFER, NBA.com
Joe Dumars took the stage at his first press conference in New Orleans in late April. He grabbed both sides of the podium; took a breath; paused. “Happy to be home,” he said, smiling. “It’s been a whirlwind journey for me.”
A whirlwind is an understatement. Dumars’ story is more of a basketball odyssey — from backyard hoops in his hometown of Natchitoches, La., to Bad Boy Pistons, winning back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990, landing in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and ultimately, returning home.
This spring, Dumars was hired by New Orleans to lead its basketball operations department and guide the Pelicans back to and beyond their recent level of winning (playoff appearances in 2022 and 2024, a 49-win regular season in 2023-24), after a painful 2024-25 that featured a devastating series of injuries and the franchise’s worst regular season record in two decades.
The roster Dumars inherits has talent — including two-time All-Star forward Zion Williamson, first-team All-NBA Defense selection Herb Jones, and rising standout forward Trey Murphy— and Dumars has added a few key pieces in veterans Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney and Saddiq Bey, along with rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.
But the roster is only one ingredient in a recipe for success. “Right time, right place, right people,” Dumars has repeatedly echoed in the offseason. For him, New Orleans is exactly the right place — and the right fan base. “When you’re from here, you understand what it means to be a fan,” he said at his first press conference in New Orleans (and in case you were wondering, yes, he is a lifelong Saints fan).
“Sometimes opportunities come along and you just know,” he added with a nod. “That’s what has happened here with the Pelicans. And I want to thank Mrs. (Gayle) Benson (governor of the New Orleans Pelicans) for this opportunity to come home.”
An old door and a bicycle wheel
In the early 1970s, you could find a young Joe Dumars dribbling a basketball on a patch of grass and red clay in Natchitoches — a small college town in north-central Louisiana. The improvised court may not have had any bells and whistles — his hoop was made from a bicycle wheel and an old unhinged door — but it stood directly across the street from a family friend’s store, where bright outdoor lights illuminated the neighborhood, allowing young Dumars to practice even after the sun went down.
Off the makeshift court, Dumars lived in a one-story house with his parents — Joe II and Ophelia Dumars — and six siblings. His father — a salt-of-the-earth World War II veteran — worked long shifts as a truck driver, while Ophelia worked as custodian at nearby Northwestern State University.
“They were old school — all about (hard) work (and) doing things right,” said Chris Maggio, a lifelong friend and now-retired former NSU president, whose father owned and operated the neighborhood store. “The mom demanded respect. They were ‘yes ma’am, no sir’ people who did things the right way.”
“They were the example,” said Dumars, recalling his parents from his office inside the Pelicans’ practice facility this summer. “They insisted (we) always carry (ourselves) with some dignity, with humility. The treatment of others was emphasized. That was a big theme in our house.”
Joe II and Ophelia expected good grades and steady attendance from the Dumars boys — and they delivered — but the brothers all truly excelled in athletics. None more so than Dumars, who could do just about anything he put his mind to. “He was a heck of a football player in middle school,” said Maggio. “Tennis. He could swim… He was a great athlete.”
But while his brothers took to football, Dumars ultimately turned his attention to basketball, “the one sport you can truly practice by yourself,” he said. Once his older brothers moved out (four went on to play college football), he spent hours in his yard shooting baskets. “And to be quite frank, I also wanted to carve my own path. I always heard about my brothers, how good they were (at football). I thought, ‘I’m the youngest, I’m going to make my own name.’”
A home court advantage
As a teenager, Dumars played on a New Orleans-based AAU team featuring multiple future NBA players, including Karl Malone (native of Summerfield, La.) and John “Hot Rod” Williams (Sorrento, La.).
In 2025, a star-studded scholastic group like that would likely end up restricting college options to historic national powers like Duke, North Carolina or Kentucky – but Dumars, Malone and Williams all remained in-state. Dumars chose McNeese State in Lake Charles, while fellow future Hall of Famer Malone went to Louisiana Tech in Ruston. Williams opted for Tulane in New Orleans. “We all knew we were going to pick a place where we could step on the court and make an immediate impact,” said Dumars.
He used all of his eligibility at McNeese, playing four seasons and taking a patient approach to preparing for a pro career. “Staying four years, you can see that you got better and better every year,” he said. “You can see your growth. As opposed to playing one year, then having to project how good you could be. For me, not for everyone, that was huge. I could see it and feel it — from 18 to 22 years old — it was night and day how much better I got over those four years.”
By the end of his sophomore year at McNeese, Dumars suspected he had an NBA future, but he never looked too far ahead. Instead, he carried himself the way his father taught him to: work hard, stay humble, “I just wanted to be the best player on my team. The best player in the Southland Conference. I wasn’t even thinking about the NBA.”
“He seemed older, more mature,” said longtime friend and McNeese supporter Billy Rose. “No shenanigans. He carries himself just the way his dad did. No BS.”
Any journalist visiting Lake Charles looking for negative background stories about Dumars would be guaranteed to leave disappointed, Rose joked. “An investigative reporter would have to say, ‘Went there. Found nothing.’ He’s dull. But that’s what you want from your team’s superstar. No baggage.”
Going heads-down on hard work, patience and integrity ultimately paid off. Dumars was selected 18th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 1985 NBA draft. He was named to the All-Rookie first team that year, and just four years later, won his first of two NBA championships (the first of which he was named Finals MVP) as part of the Bad Boys Pistons squad.
Despite the team’s aggressive reputation on the court, Dumars remained quiet, respectful and level-headed, as always. In the 1995-96 season, seven years after his father’s death, he received the first-ever NBA Sportsmanship Award — now called the Joe Dumars Trophy — perhaps the accomplishment that would have made his father proudest.
“My dad never (told people) I had an NBA career,” said Dumars. “He said that I have a ‘really good job.’ He never got caught up in the hype or any of that. It was like, ‘Son, you have a really good job there. A well-paying job.’
“Treat people the right way, be respectful, (and) be humble. I take all of that with me. Everything he taught, I live that every day.”
At one point during Dumars’ lucrative Detroit playing career, he wanted to buy Ophelia a new house, to upgrade from the one-floor structure he grew up in. But — comfortable in their family home and neighborhood — Ophelia declined. Instead, her son simply added on to the property. Ophelia died in 2020, but the modest Natchitoches home is still owned by the Dumars family to this day.
All roads lead home
After working for the NBA’s league office in New York City in recent years as executive vice president and head of basketball operations, Dumars said during his April introductory press conference that there weren’t many opportunities that could cause him to leave that position. Leading basketball operations for his home state’s NBA franchise was an obvious exception.
He’s now tasked with bringing to New Orleans the same kind of success he produced as a player, as well as early in his tenure as Detroit’s top basketball executive (2004 NBA champions; 2005 Finals trip with Game 7 loss at San Antonio; six straight conference finals appearances from 2003-08).
“He’s going to lead the Pelicans with integrity,” said Maggio. “The players are going to respect him, and he’s going to respect the players, the coaches, the ownership, the community. He hasn’t changed at all since we were young.”
For Dumars, like most things, his new role starts with lessons learned at home. “When it’s at its best, the product on the (court) reflects the city,” he said in April. “New Orleans is resilient. They don’t fold here. They don’t just give up. You want the team to reflect that.
“This is an incredible fan base. I’m super happy to be here and super happy to be home.”
Richard Searles, Special Assignment to the Journal
The Natchitoches Parish School Board closed FY 2024-2025 with a significant budget deficit of $2,301,987, representing expenditures that exceeded revenues by 2.4%. However, strong fiscal management and prudent reserve policies enabled the district to successfully absorb this deficit while maintaining adequate fund balances. The district’s fund balance decreased from $17.4 million at the beginning of the year to $15.1 million at year-end. —a controlled 13.3% reduction that kept reserves well above critical thresholds. While this deficit spending pattern requires immediate corrective action to ensure long-term sustainability, the district’s ability to weather this financial challenge without service disruptions or fiscal crisis demonstrates effective financial stewardship and planning.
Key Management Achievements in FY 2024-2025
The district’s financial leadership successfully navigated challenging circumstances while maintaining operational stability:
Absorbed $2.3M deficit without crisis – No emergency measures, borrowing, or service cuts required.
Maintained 15.5% fund balance – Stayed well above 10% minimum threshold.
Preserved $22.4M in cash – Exceptional liquidity management during budget stress.
Protected classroom instruction – No teacher layoffs or mid-year program eliminations
Met all obligations – Zero vendor payment defaults or delayed payroll.
Despite the operating deficit, the Natchitoches Parish School Board exhibited exemplary fiscal management throughout FY 2024-2025 that prevented what could have been a fiscal crisis:
Initiative-taking Reserve Management
Strategic Use of Fund Balance: The district entered the year with $17.4 million in reserves, deliberately built up through years of prudent financial planning.
Controlled Drawdown: The 13.3% reduction in fund balance was measured and maintained reserves at 15.5% of expenditures—well above the 10% danger zone.
No Emergency Borrowing: Unlike many districts facing deficits, no short-term borrowing or emergency measures were required.
Operational Excellence
Maintained Strong Liquidity: Despite the deficit, the district closed the year with $22.4 million in cash—demonstrating excellent cash flow management.
Avoided Payment Defaults: All obligations were met throughout the year with no vendor payment failures or service interruptions.
Protected Core Services: The deficit was absorbed without classroom cuts, teacher layoffs, or reduction in student services.
Financial Discipline
No Uncontrolled Spending: The deficit appears to be the result of revenue shortfalls and rising costs, not reckless spending.
Transparent Reporting: Complete and accurate financial reporting maintained throughout the year.
Asset Preservation: Total assets remained stable at $28.8 million despite budget pressures.
Investment Performance: Generated $195,028 in investment income, demonstrating active treasury management.
Debt Management: Successfully serviced $2.25 million in debt obligations without difficulty.
This strong financial foundation—built through years of conservative budgeting and reserve accumulation—is precisely what enabled the district to weather the FY 2024-2025 deficit without crisis. The challenge now is to address the structural imbalance before these carefully built reserves are depleted.
Financial Health Assessment
Strengths
Exceptional Liquidity Management Despite Deficit
The year ended with $28.6 million in cash and investments—a testament to superior cash management.
Cash represented 77.8% of total assets at year-end, providing substantial cushion.
Maintained approximately 3.6 months of operating expenses coverage despite absorbing a $2.3M deficit.
Management Excellence: Successfully navigated deficit year without cash shortages or emergency borrowing.
Prudent Reserve Strategy Protected the District
Closed with fund balance of $15.1 million—still 15.5% of annual expenditures.
Previous years’ disciplined reserve building enabled absorption of deficit without crisis.
Unassigned fund balance of $8.0 million provides continued operational flexibility.
Strategic Foresight: Reserve policies established in prior years proved their worth in FY 2024-2025
Successfully absorbed the $2.3 million deficit while remaining above minimum reserve thresholds.
Diversified and Stable Revenue Management
Maintained balanced mix of local (43%), state (34%), and federal (23%) funding.
Reduced dependency on any single revenue source mitigated risk.
Local revenue remained stable throughout the year despite economic pressures.
Risk Management: Revenue diversification strategy protected against single source volatility.
Protected Educational Core During Financial Stress
Allocated 48.6% of expenditures to direct instruction despite budget pressures.
Demonstrated commitment to students even while managing deficit.
No mid-year program cuts or teacher layoffs required.
Mission Focus: Fiscal management never compromised educational quality.
Disciplined Debt and Investment Management
Successfully serviced $2.25 million in debt obligations without difficulty
Generated $195,028 in investment income through active treasury management.
Maintained investment portfolio of $6.2 million despite budget deficit.
Financial Acumen: Continued to optimize returns while maintaining liquidity.
Weaknesses
Structural Operating Deficit
Incurred a $2.3 million deficit, representing a 2.4% budget gap.
District received $21.4 million in federal revenues, but full cost recovery is uncertain.
Risk of leaving money on the table: Inadequate indirect cost allocation or incomplete direct cost claiming
If only 90-95% of allowable costs are being reimbursed, district could be forfeiting $1-2 million annually.
Without proper grant management, local funds may be subsidizing federal programs.
Opportunity for immediate revenue enhancement through improved cost allocation and claiming.
Elevated Support Services Costs
Support services consumed 41.3% of the budget.
Significantly higher than instruction spending on a percentage basis.
Exceeds industry benchmarks, suggesting potential administrative inefficiencies.
Below-Target Instructional Spending
Only 48.6% of budget directed to instruction.
Falls short of national average of 55-60%
Indicates resources diverted to non-instructional functions.
High Year-End Accounts Payable
Closed the year with $13.3 million in accounts payable.
Represents 46.2% of total assets.
May indicate cash flow management challenges or vendor payment delays.
Could signal operational inefficiencies or timing issues.
Risks and Concerns
Note: While the following risks require attention, the district’s strong fiscal management in FY 2024-2025 demonstrates the leadership capability to address these challenges effectively.
Unsustainable Deficit Spending Pattern
FY 2024-2025 deficit of $2.3 million eroded fund balance by 13.3%
However: The controlled nature of this drawdown shows disciplined management
If repeated, current fund balance would be depleted in approximately 6-7 years.
Immediate corrective action required to prevent further deterioration.
Pattern suggests structural budget imbalance rather than one-time event.
Management Strength: District has proven it can make tough decisions when needed.
Future Federal Funding Uncertainty and Grant Management Concerns
District received $21.4 million in federal revenues during FY 2024-2025 (22.7% of total revenues)
Federal education funding policies may change, putting this revenue at risk.
Loss of federal funding without spending adjustments would worsen deficit substantially.
Contingency planning needed for various federal funding scenarios
Grant Management Risk: Potential under-reimbursement of allowable costs
Critical need to ensure all eligible direct costs are captured and claimed.
Indirect cost allocation may not be fully optimized, leaving money on the table.
Administrative burden of grant compliance may cause incomplete reimbursement requests.
Exceptional – Outstanding cash position relative to liabilities
Management Highlight: Maintaining this level of liquidity during a deficit year is remarkable.
Operational Efficiency
Administrative Overhead: 41.3% (Support Services / Total Expenditures)
High – Industry benchmark is typically 30-35%
Instructional Spending: 48.6% (Instruction / Total Expenditures)
Moderate – National average is 55-60%
Fund Balance Metrics
Fund Balance Ratio: 15.5% (Fund Balance / Expenditures)
Health – Exceeds GFOA recommendation of 10-15% minimum.
Financial Stewardship: Despite deficit, reserves remain in healthy range due to prior years’ prudent planning.
Days of Operating Cash: 109 days
Strong – Approximately 3.6 months of operating expenses
Liquidity Excellence: Maintained substantial cash reserves throughout deficit year.
Fiscal Stress Indicators
Operating Margin: -2.4% (Net Result / Revenues)
Red Flag – Negative margin demonstrates spending exceeded revenues.
Consumed 13.3% of fund balance in single year.
Fund Balance Depletion Rate: 6.5 years (Ending Fund Balance / Annual Deficit)
Concerning – If deficit spending continues at same rate, reserves will be exhausted.
Action required before multiple years of deficits erodes financial stability.
Conclusion
The Natchitoches Parish School Board’s performance in FY 2024-2025 demonstrates the value of strong fiscal management and prudent reserve policies. The district successfully navigated a $2.3 million operating deficit without service disruptions, vendor payment defaults, emergency borrowing, or falling below critical reserve thresholds. This outcome was only possible because of years of disciplined financial planning that built fund balances from an estimated $17.4 million to a year-end position of $15.1 million, still comfortably above the 10% minimum at 15.5% of expenditures.
Commendable Financial Management Practices:
No Panic Decisions: The district absorbed the deficit calmly and strategically, protecting educational programs.
Liquidity Preservation: Maintained $22.4 million in cash despite budget pressures—avoiding cash flow crisis.
Stakeholder Protection: Students, teachers, and vendors experienced no disruptions or payment delays.
Transparent Operations: Complete financial reporting maintained throughout the year.
Investment Performance: Continued to generate returns ($195K) even while managing deficit.
However, Strong Management Must Now Address Structural Issues:
The 13.3% reduction in fund balance in a single year, while controlled, is not sustainable. The district’s excellent financial position should not mask the urgency of the situation:
Expenditures exceeded revenues by 2.4%, creating a structural imbalance.
Support services consumed 41.3% of the budget, well above industry benchmarks.
Only 48.6% of spending reached the classroom for direct instruction.
Year-end accounts payable of $13.3 million suggests opportunities for improved efficiency.
This is not a crisis, but rather a call to action. The district has proven it can manage effectively under pressure. The challenge now is to apply that same competence proactively, engaging the community in sustainable solutions that protect both fiscal health and educational excellence. The foundation remains solid, the management team has proven capable, and the path forward is clear… making the tough decisions now to ensure long-term sustainability.
Year-End Financial Analysis based on FY 2024-2025 Annual Financial Report
Natchitoches’ historic Trinity Episcopal Church was filled with members of the LGBTQ community, families and allies, for the area’s first Pride Mass Saturday, October 25. The Pride Mass is a regular service with readings and homily geared towards acceptance, healing and God’s love towards all persons. After the service, the church hosted food and fellowship in the church hall.
The service was led by The Rev. Shelley Martin, Curate of Alexandria’s St James Episcopal Church, The Rev Kristen Paul, Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, and The Rev Deacon Michael Parham of St. James Episcopal Church.
From the Pride Mass program” “Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you. And loves you unconditionally. Go in peace to follow the good road and may the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, be with you now ands always. Amen.”
The Drumline from the NSU Spirit of Northwestern Band was joined by the NSU Steel Band Pandemonium and Samba Batucada Band in a free concert before a delighted audience on the downtown riverbank stage Friday, October 24. Much of the audience were community members and visitors who found a bit of serendipity on a Front Street. Friday night.
The drumline played a variety of pieces that they normally perform at Demon football games, while the Steel Band Pandemonium played several songs with a Caribbean theme, including the Limbo dance, a traditional feature of each year’s concert. NSU’s Samba Batucada Band was a welcome addition to the 2025 Drums Along the Cane lineup. This band features Brazilian instruments and played several Brazilian pieces,
One of the unique aspects of the Steel Band Pandemonium is that one does not have to be a member of the Spirit of Northwestern Band or even a music major or student, to join. Any community member willing to learn and put in the work is welcome.
The hard working members of the Spirit of Northwestern band are a delightful group of young men and women who contribute much to the quality of life in our community. Fork ‘em Demons!
It was a night of celebration and victory at St. Mary’s High School on Friday, as the Tigers defeated LaSalle 28–6 in their Homecoming game. The win improved St. Mary’s to 3–5 overall and 2–1 in District 3-1A.
Adding to the evening’s festivities, Miss Jenna Sklar was crowned Homecoming Queen during halftime. The event also welcomed back alumni from the Classes of 1975, 1985, and 2015, who gathered to celebrate their milestone reunions.
On the field, the Tigers delivered a strong performance on both sides of the ball. JP Thibodaux led the offense with 184 rushing yards and two touchdowns, powering St. Mary’s ground attack. Dennison Morgan added a one-yard touchdown run, while AJ Johnson connected with Chalin Gandy on an 18-yard touchdown reception to round out the scoring.
Defensively, the Tigers made several key plays to keep LaSalle in check. Brady Childress and Michael French each recorded an interception, helping St. Mary’s secure its third win of the season.
The Tigers will look to continue their momentum next week as they host Northwood-Lena on Friday night. The game will also serve as Senior Night, with a pregame recognition ceremony beginning around 6:35 p.m. to honor the school’s senior football players and spirit group members.
Jeremiah James (purple) rushes towards the end zone on one of Northwestern’s eight explosive plays Saturday as Lamar’s Kristian Pugh gives chase. (NSU photo by CHRIS REICH)
The margin for Northwestern State’s young football team remains razor-thin.
A second straight matchup against a Top 20 team included a handful of turnovers, penalties and missed chances by the Demons in a 41-14 loss at the hands of No. 15 Lamar on Saturday at Turpin Stadium. The Cardinals broke open a tight game after halftime.
“We’ve played two top 20 teams in a row and a lot of our young guys found out what championship-level football at this level looks like,” Demons’ coach Blaine McCorkle said. “There are a lot of valuable lessons in that for them. A lot for us to learn as we build this thing.”
Down 3-0 after a 50-yard field goal from Lamar’s Ben Woodard, the Demons were poised to take the lead late in the first quarter after one of the eight chunk plays by the offense.
A 59-yard catch from Jimmie Duncan set NSU up at the Lamar 5-yard line, but three plays later a 24-yard field goal was blocked.
“We had some missed opportunities today but the biggest might have been on our second drive,” McCorkle said. “Get the ball all the way down inside the five and come away with no points. That’s unacceptable. You’ve got to find a way to come away with points, three at the worst. It’s a whole different feel if we get a score there.”
The defense forced a punt on the ensuing possession to set up the Demons’ lone scoring drive of the first half.
Three straight explosive passing plays got the Demons into scoring position – a 14-yard reception from Duncan, 21-yard completion to Brendan Webb and 13-yard catch-and-run to Amaaz Eugene. The fourth big play of the drive went to Jeremiah James out of the backfield on a wheel route, with the redshirt freshman scampering 40 yard down to the Lamar 1-yard line.
Three plays later, quarterback Abram Johnston, with a little help from his center Caleb Billiot, lunged his way into the end zone to give the Demons a 7-3 lead early in the second.
The Cardinals responded with an eight-play touchdown drive of their own for a 10-7 edge. Lamar padded the lead just before halftime, moving down the field on a 10-play trip to score with 21 seconds left and take a 17-7 lead into the break.
Lamar scored on five of its final seven possessions, and turned back-to-back turnovers into points, as part of four straight scoring drives to put the game away in the second half.
A fumble and interception near midfield on consecutive possession set the Cardinals up with short fields which they converted into 10 points.
The Demons hit a handful more chunk plays in the second half including their longest of the year.
True freshman Brendan Webb beat press coverage at the line for a 78-yard touchdown grab on his second trip to the end zone this year, securing the first 100-yard receiving game for a Demon since Myles Kitt-Denton against Prairie View A&M a year ago.
Webb (126) and Duncan (73), who both finished with career-best receiving days, combined for a pair of 50-plus yard receptions in the game, collecting 199 total receiving yards on six grabs.
“Those are two really good true freshmen receivers that are going to be incredible players here,” McCorkle said. “Didn’t surprise us what they did today, we’ve seen that coming for a while. They stepped up and made some plays and caught all their passes from a redshirt freshman quarterback who was protected by two redshirt freshmen and a sophomore up front.”
McCorkle noted while around the Southland, only five freshmen are starting elsewhere, and Saturday, the Demos had eight freshmen starting.
Johnston threw for 284 yards, a season best, but the scuttled rushing game managed 23 yards against a stout defensive front.
The Demons travel to McNeese next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Lake Charles.
