McNeese State University conferred degrees on 573 graduates during two ceremonies for the university’s 157th commencement Friday, Dec. 10, in Burton Coliseum.
Graduates in Natchitoches are:
Brian Carter, Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance, General
POSITION: Instructional Specialist – Natchitoches Junior High School
JOB SUMMARY:
The Instructional Specialist is a critical lever in improving student achievement. The role of the Instructional Specialist is to build teacher capacity and deepen teachers’ understanding of instructional practices as related to Louisiana Student Standards and Data-Driven Instruction.
QUALIFICATIONS:
o Master’s Degree in Education (preferred)
o Certification in Math or Science (preferred)
o Minimum of five years of teaching experience with evidence of successfully impacting student achievement, particularly those who have the greatest needs.
SALARY:
Salary based on teacher pay scale with applicant’s years of experience, and the addition of a substantial Instructional Specialist stipend.
TERM OF EMPLOYMENT: 9 months
DEADLINE: Friday, January 7, 2022; 4: P.M.
WHERE TO APPLY:
Linda G Page, Director of Personnel
Natchitoches Parish School Board
P.O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71458-0016
Phone: (318) 352-2358
Fax: (318) 352-8138
APPLICATION:
Application packet should consist of the following:
• Resume’
• Evidence of successful teaching experience (for example, VAM, Student Performance Data, COMPASS, CLASS, etc.)
• Original transcripts from institution(s) awarding degree
• Three professional letters of recommendation, one of which is from your immediate supervisor
Submit a ten-to-fifteen-minute video clip of a model lesson involving students or professional development session involving teachers where the applicant is leading the event (share link via Google Drive to lpage@npsb.la).
NATCHITOCHES:
Roy Cagle, Sr.
December 3, 1941 – December 21, 2021
Service: Tuesday, December 28 at 2 pm at Jennings Chapel Congregational Methodist Church in Marthaville
Gov. John Bel Edwards extended Louisiana’s Public Health Emergency order related to COVID-19, including a provision allowing all state government agencies to require mask wearing, given the fast-spreading Omicron variant, which is now the dominant strain in the United States and Louisiana according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). State agencies in the Governor’s Cabinet will begin requiring masks of employees and visitors.
“While vaccines and booster doses are the strongest tools we have in the fight against COVID, public health experts also agree that masks are an important way to slow the spread of the Omicron variant now. This means you should be masking indoors around people who aren’t in your household,” Gov. Edwards said. “While it is concerning to still see rising cases, as President Joe Biden noted earlier today – we have come a long way since March 2020. Around 50 percent of Louisianans have already been vaccinated and are much more protected against COVID than they have ever been. The more than 460,000 Louisianans who have already taken a booster dose have even stronger protection.
“Now more than ever it is important that everyone get vaccinated or, if they are eligible, take a COVID booster. The vaccines are safe, effective and widely available all across Louisiana, and we know from the most recent CDC data that unvaccinated people are ten times more likely to test positive for COVID and 20 times more likely to die from COVID than fully vaccinated peoplewho also have gotten their booster shots,” Gov. Edwards said. “Simply put, one of the riskiest things you can be in Louisiana right now is unvaccinated. You’re signing up for the potential of severe illness, hospitalization or something even worse. We have seen how previous COVID surges have torn through our state and none of us wants to go back to the days of August and September, when thousands of people were hospitalized and dying.”
While many people are vaccinated, only around a quarter of eligible Louisianans have their booster doses. A Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot increases antibody levels 25-fold against Omicron. Similarly, early data show a Moderna booster shot can increase antibody levels 37-fold against Omicron. Getting your booster has never been more urgent.
In addition to the Governor’s public health order, the Louisiana Department of Health on Monday issued revised recommendations and guidance for Louisianans during the holiday season, particularly if they are traveling. These include getting vaccines and boosters, masking indoors around people who aren’t in your household and getting tested regularly. In addition, any person who has COVID symptoms should get tested and stay in quarantine to avoid spreading illness to others.
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. People with COVID-19 symptoms should stay home and get tested.
There are COVID-19 test sites throughout Louisiana. Visit ldh.la.gov/covidtesting or call 211 to find a test site near you. As a reminder, all community-based sites operated by the Louisiana National Guard will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
BOM Financial Services was honored to be a $1,000 Santa Claus donor to the Goldonna Christmas in the Park celebration. Pictured with BOMFS Agency Manager Reba Phelps, is Village of Goldonna Mayor Jennifer Smith.
Members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated Mu Omega Zeta Chapter and Zeta Amicae of Natchitoches Auxiliary continue to uphold the founding principles of the sorority by giving back to the community providing service through various projects under the International Service Initiative: Z-Hope: Zetas Helping Other People Excel. Z- HOPE is an interactive, holistic, and multidimensional outreach service initiative designed to enhance, cultivate, and empower participants to develop health promoting lifestyle choices across the lifespan. It builds on the Sorority’s legacy of service by offering a service initiative that addresses the mission-critical needs of a shifting population.
Sorority members and members of the Natchitoches Amicae donated 50 dolls to the 6th Annual Dolled Up Doll Drive. Mu Omega Zeta Sorority and Amicae have participated in this event for six years. Dolled Up promotes positive mentorships for girls.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority founded on January 16, 1920, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C, by five women affectionately known as “The Five Pearls”. The five coeds chose the name Zeta Phi Beta. Phi Beta was taken from Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated to “seal and signify the relationship between the two organizations” thus making Our founding principles are Scholarship, Service, Sisterhood, and Finer Womanhood. Our motto is: A community-conscious, action-oriented organization. Our mission statement is to foster the ideas of service, charity, scholarship, civil and cultural endeavors, sisterhood, and finer womanhood. These ideals are reflected in the sorority’s national program for which its members and auxiliary groups provide voluntary service to staff, community outreach programs, fund scholarships, support organized charities, and promote legislation for social and civic change.
Zeta Amicae of Natchitoches was originally chartered in 1990, but due to unforeseen circumstances the auxiliary ceased to operate for several years and was reactivated in 2007. Since reactivation the members have been constantly on the move working hand in hand with the sorority and giving back to the community. Zeta Amicae Auxiliary, or “Friends of Zeta,” is comprised of non-degree women who have participated in and contributed to charitable and educational activities. The Zeta Amicae were the first national auxiliary of the collegiate sorority. In the 1940’s, the graduate chapters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated began to realize the importance, prestige, goodwill, and cooperation of women, who for various reasons did not have a college degree but believed in the ideals of Zeta. In 1947, under the administration of Lullelia Harrison, a member of Zeta Phi Beta, the first Amicae chapter was organized in Omaha, Nebraska, making Zeta the first sorority in the National Pan-Hellenic Council to organize an auxiliary group. Zeta Amicae are affiliated through local chapters.
The Natchitoches Tribe of Louisiana Storyteller Audricka Ezernack Young and Seminole Nation Storyteller Jurae Hunter with Have Mocs Will Travel for Indigenous Stories and Conversation will hold a Storytelling and Conversation event on Friday, Jan. 28 from 4-5:30 pm at the Natchitoches Parish Library’s Northeast Branch in Campti.
The Natchitoches Area Convention & Visitors Bureau recently presented Parc Natchitoches with a 2021 Team Louisiana Award. The entity was recognized, along with Northwestern State University, on a live-streamed ceremony held Nov. 18.
Parc Natchitoches received the Team Louisiana Sports Supporter Award honoring a facility and its staff that has enhanced the local community by driving sports tourism, creating economic impact, and bringing a positive influence.
Pictured are Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams, NACVB Executive Director Arlene Gould and Natchitoches Recreation and Park Director Kevin Warner.
NATCHITOCHES:
Roy Cagle, Sr.
December 3, 1941 – December 21, 2021
Service: Tuesday, December 28 at 2 pm at Jennings Chapel Congregational Methodist Church in Marthaville
Charles Dwight Vienne, Sr.
March 29, 1939 – December 19, 2021
Service: Thursday, December 23 at 11 am at The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
SABINE:
Jerry Raymond Miller
October 18, 1957 – December 21, 2021
Service: Thursday, December 23 at 2 pm at Hornbeck Full Gospel Church
Billy Royce Bagwell
May 4, 1955 – December 18, 2021
Service: Thursday, December 23 at 2 pm at Point Assembly, 3003 HWY 552 Downsville
The City of Natchitoches can expect improvements within the year as the 2021 Master Plan committee begins meeting and planning for progress. The group met recently to discuss their inspirations, aspirations, and visions for the residents of Natchitoches.
The team began building bonds and creating ideas based on their shared commitment to our community values as well as a love for the sheer charm of our city. We look forward to all the development and growth to come in our beloved Natchitoches
Signage makes it seem more official! While we have no official date for the grand opening of the first Starbucks location in Natchitoches, the installation of the signs does make it seem like it can’t be that far away!
“…and this is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket, and lying in a manger.” – Luke 2:12
“Only God could have thought of giving us Christmas,” the pilgrim told me.
“I no longer wonder why the world turns again every year to the Babe born in the innkeeper’s cattle shed,” he said. “A baby bundled tightly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger. Simple enough to be new every year, miraculous enough to be eternal, tender enough to be personal. Only God would have done it that way.”
“No official proclamation. No fuss. No Madison Avenue ad campaign. If man had done it he would have made a great production. But God did it the way God does so many things in the world. The coming of dawn and the setting of the sun are quiet things. Sleep needs no trumpets to announce it. Flowers bloom in silence. Falling snow makes no more sound than the cat’s paw. And so it was with the coming of the Savior of the World. Just the whimper of a baby, asleep on the hay.
“That’s just like God,” the pilgrim said.
“Bethlehem tells us that the loveliness in life is not in the things that we possess, the titles and checkbook balances and plaques on the wall. Bethlehem tells us that the loveliness in life is in our relationships. ‘Come see the baby. Come spend time with us, and come spend time with the baby…’
“That long ago Judean night when Heaven dipped down to Earth, there were no costly jewels, no golden streets, but instead a place where God was at home in a stable…a place where shepherds were as welcome as wise men…a place where, for a moment, nothing in Creation was more important than a donkey who bore on his back a suffering woman, a woman of God’s favor, a woman who stepped into a barn on the brink of the Fullness of Time and into a place where a stable filled with animals was a temple fit for a king.
“That’s so like God. To send his one and only son into a place humble, a place where voices joined in chorus with the first cry of a newborn. There is nothing in the world so new as Christmas, and nothing in the world so old.
“Bethlehem tells us that God is awake while most all the world sleeps. It was while the world lay in darkness that God chose to come down to Earth. He came into a world of darkness then, He comes into a world of darkness now. Isn’t it comforting to know that in a time of darkness and despair, God is always awake, is alive, and is still ruling the universe?
“Christmas asks us to follow the star, to look for the light, and to listen for the baby. Where there is light, there can be no dark, and so it was into the night that the baby came.
“The gift in the manger reminds us that the joy and truth of Christmas can be recaptured. There is nothing in the world like a baby. The whole silly world stops when a baby is born. God, a baby at Bethlehem…
“The wonder of it all…
“There is nothing as tragic as missing something of great importance when there was no reason to have missed it at all. Such was the experience of those who missed the first Christmas and the experience of those who miss Christmas today. One of those was the innkeeper in Bethlehem. He should not have missed it, because he was so close to it. He missed the Greatest and the Most Important Birth in all of history, right in his own backyard. This child of prophecy, this baby sent to restore and to redeem, born right under his nose. But he was so preoccupied with business, with noise and crowds and himself that he missed the first Christmas in history. He had no room.
“What a tragedy, to miss a chance like that.”
Contact Teddy at teddy@LaTech.edu
Originally Published: December 2009
December 3, 1941 – December 21, 2021
Funeral service for Mr. Glyn Roy Cagle, Sr. will be held at 2 pm Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at Jennings Chapel Congregational Methodist Church in Marthaville, LA. Burial will follow at Lambert Town Cemetery under the direction of Blanchard-St. Denis. The family will receive friends after 5 pm on Monday, December 27th at Jennings Chapel Congregational Methodist Church located at 368 LA HWY 1221 Marthaville, LA 71450
Roy, 80 years of age, passed away on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 in Shreveport, LA. He was born to Herbert and Mary Jane Jordan Cagle on December 3, 1941 in Robeline, LA. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Thelma Jordan; and a brother, Vernon Cagle.
Roy was a talented musician and singer. He could play any instrument but was most gifted behind a piano. He cherished being an entertainer and providing a brand of music that made people have a good time. Most of all he loved his family and did his best to provide for their needs.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Shelia Pleasant Cagle; a daughter, Bridgett Brossett and husband Brit; sons, Glyn Cagle, Jr. and wife Mary, Chris Cagle and wife Martha, Trevor Cagle and companion Meme, Johnathan Patrick Cagle and wife Rosa, and Paul Cagle and wife Savanah. He was blessed with 13 grandchildren, Jada Cagle, Sidney Cagle, Arista Cagle, Nova Cagle, Rene’ Cagle, Jayden Pierce, Nick Pierce, December Pierce, Johnny Cagle, Aleshia Cagle, Mina Cagle, Tyson Cagle, and Petra Cagle.
NATCHITOCHES – After a week where she led all scorers and set a pair of career highs, Northwestern State’s Monette Bolden was named the Southland Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday. She is the fourth different player in six weeks to receive the award for the Lady Demons and the third in a row.
Bolden began the week with one of her best performances of the year, in a season already filled with consistent and steady production. She scored a career-high 21 points in the win at ULM on Wednesday including a 4-for-5 effort from beyond the arc.
She made a critical 3-pointer late in the game that gave NSU a two-possession lead and it was her jumper and foul at the third-quarter buzzer that was one of the plays of the games for the Lady Demons. She added a career-best five steals in the game as well and finished the game with three or more assists for the fourth time this year.
Against Tarleton, the Abbeville native scored a game-high 18 points and pulled down a team-leading seven rebounds.
On the week Bolden averaged 19.5 points, raising her season average more than a point per game in two outings, shooting 52 percent from the field (16-31) and 50 percent from beyond the arc (4-8). She also averaged 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals as the Lady Demons split their two games this week.
Bolden leads NSU in scoring (13.6), assists (3.1) and steals (2.2) per game this year and ranks in the top five in the conference in each of those categories. She is second on the team in rebounding at 6.2 per game and seventh in the conference.
The Lady Demons return to action after Christmas with a road game at Kansas set for Dec. 28 and begin the SLC Preseason Tip Off Tournament on Jan. 3 at 11 a.m. against New Orleans.
The Natchitoches Central basketball teams notched wins over nearby Red River High School Tuesday night.
The Lady Chiefs blew out the Red River Lady Bulldogs 62-16. That improves their record to 8-8. The Lady Chiefs played in a tournament this past weekend and fell to Scotlandville, but beat Zachary on the final day 42-28.
The NCHS girls have been led by ReRe Bowers and Makayla Gallien through most of their games this season. The Lady Chiefs have already started district play, falling to Captain Shreve and Parkway last week. They will not play again until after the new year when they will travel to Airline on January 4.
The Chief basketball team downed the Bulldogs Tuesday night 60-43. The NCHS boys were led by senior Daylin Davis, who had 24 points and 7 rebounds. Justin Aaron and Cayln Demars had 13 points in the contest.
The Chiefs improved their overall record to 8-3 on the year. The losses were to the defending Class 5A state champion Zachary Broncos’ the Bossier Bearkats, the No. 2 team in Class 3A; and the No. 1 team in Class 1A, the North Central Hurricanes.
The Chiefs will play again Thursday as they host Tioga at 5:30, then again next Thursday as they host Homer.
March 29, 1939 – December 19, 2021
A Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. Charles D. Vienne, Sr. will be held at 11 am on Thursday, December 23, 2021 at The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with Rev. Derek Ducote serving as celebrant. A private burial will be held at a later date. The family will receive friends from 5 pm to 9 pm on Wednesday December 22nd at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home with recitation of the Holy Rosary to be held at 7 pm in the funeral home chapel.
Charlie, 82 years of age and a resident of Natchitoches, passed away on December 19, 2021. He was born on March 29, 1939 to Clyde Francis Vienne, Sr. and Elizabeth Cook Vienne in Natchitoches, LA. He was a 1957 graduate of St. Mary’s High School and upon graduation joined the US Navy where he served on an aircraft carrier. He was honorably discharged in 1959 and returned to Natchitoches where he later earned a bachelor degree from NSU. Charlie was a part owner of People’s Food Warehouse, but was better known for serving as the Sibley Lake Patrolman through the Natchitoches Police Dept. for more than 30 years. He was a devout catholic and a parishioner of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and was also a member of the Knights of Columbus. His passion for St. Mary’s athletics was second to none. He could always be found at any Tigers’ sporting event cheering on his alma mater.
He is survived by his wife Linda Bretthauer Vienne; children, Charles Dwight Vienne, Jr. and wife Kristy, William Scott Vienne and wife Debbie, and Lisa Vienne Johnson and husband AJ; grandchildren, Hunter Vienne, Austin Vienne, Jensen Vienne, Luke Johnson, Justin Vienne, Madilyn Vienne, Tucker Johnson, Caroline Johnson and Anna Johnson; a brother, Clyde Francis Vienne, Jr. and wife Carole; as well as a host of nieces, nephews and extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde Francis Vienne, Sr. and Elizabeth Cook Vienne and an infant daughter, Mary Elizabeth Vienne.
Those honored to serve as pallbearers include Michael Vienne, Sr., Chris Vienne, David Vienne, Mark Vienne, Matt Vienne, Hunter Vienne, Austin Vienne, and Rusty Bretthauer. Honorary pallbearers will be Harry Friedman, Gary DeBlieux, Buddy Giering, Lester Lee, Sr., Edmond Lee, Tommy Mathis, Joe Cunningham, Sr., Griffin Taylor, and Lovick Johnson.
The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center for the care they provided during a difficult time.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Charlie’s name to St. Mary’s Catholic School and/or to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Northwestern State cut the Texas A&M to eight points twice in the second half Tuesday, the last with seven minutes remaining.
But the Aggies proved to be too much down the stretch as NSU fell 80-61 at Reed Arena.
NSU pieced together a 12-5 run supported by huge 3-pointers from Carvell Teasett and Jovan Zelenbaba that fired up the Demon bench.
Zelenbaba’s trey sliced the Aggie edge to 64-56 with less than seven minutes remaining as NSU drained 8-21 from 3-point range.
Texas A&M got a huge boost from Manny Obaseki, who answered Zelenbaba with a three-point play to spark a 16-5 run to end the game. Obaseki scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half after entering the game with just 23 points this season.
“I thought we did a really good job of competing hard,” said NSU coach Mike McConathy. “We made some big shots, but there were opportunities we left out there that could have helped us, including making just 3-7 free throws.
“In the second half, Texas A&M worked the clock and then drove to the basket, and that’s really hard for us to stop.”
Teasett scored a season-high 15 points for NSU, including 3-9 from 3-point range with three assists but six turnovers.
Kendal Coleman logged his fourth straight double double and fifth this season with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the face of a constant double team. Coleman also has double doubles against LSU, ULM, Southwestern Adventist and Champion Christian.
The Demons were still hanging around at the four-minute mark, trailing 69-59 after a thunderous Zelenbaba dunk. Zelenbaba scored eight points, the last of which came on the dunk after a Brian White outlet, who tied his career-high with seven assists.
NSU assisted on 19 of its 25 baskets.
McConathy pointed to A&M’s transition offense before the contest and its ability to cash in on opponent turnovers.
The Aggies exchanged 17 NSU turnovers into 21 points. NSU forced 14 Aggie turnovers but mustered just four points.
“We did some really good things, but there were times where we didn’t manage the ball well, and we have to get better at that,” McConathy said. “We have some guys building confidence like Zelenbaba, Robert Chougkaz and Brian White, but we still haven’t found ourselves as a team yet.
“These guys have to understand where they can go with this and what their potential is.”
Obaseki was joined in double figures by Hassan Diara (12 points) and Tyrece Radford (10).
The Aggies, who have excelled from the 3-point line this season at 39 percent, made just 7-26 (27 percent). But as TAMU started driving to the bucket, the Aggies overall shooting warmed to 47 percent.
NSU shot 40 percent from the floor.
The long ball kept NSU in the game early as the Demons made three of their first five attempts, the final one from LaTerrance Reed to slice A&M’s advantage to 12-11.
But Henry Coleman scored four of his seven points in a 13-2 Aggie run that allowed TAMU to build a 36-25 halftime lead.
Two Demons made their first 3-pointers of the season Tuesday, as Jalen King made both of his attempts as part of his eight points (four rebounds) and Robert Chougkaz drilled his second-half attempt as part of a 9-2 NSU run that shaved TAMU’s lead to 11.
NSU won’t play for a week over Christmas break as the Demons next step onto the floor Dec. 28 at current No. 1 Baylor.
It’ll be the third game in the last two seasons in which NSU has faced the No. 1 ranked team in the nation after playing Gonzaga on consecutive nights in late December of 2020.
PHOTO: Gary Hardamon/NSU Photographic Services
(CAMPTI)-A disturbance call between a male and female near a business on US-71 in Campti has led to the arrest of a north Natchitoches Parish man after he led Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies on a foot chase on Monday afternoon according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.
On Monday afternoon, December 20 at approximately 1:23pm, Deputies assigned to the NPSO Patrol Bureau responded to NATCOM 911 Center reports of a male and female involved in a physical altercation near a business on US-71 in Campti, La.
While responding, deputies were provided with a description of the male that left the actual scene reportedly wearing a blue jacket and walking northbound on US-71.
Deputies arrived on scene.
While attempting to make contact with the suspect near Walter and Lake Street, he began to run leading deputies on a foot chase on Coleman Street behind several residences, then circling back crossing Lake Street.
The foot chase continued to Kemp Street where the suspect was taken into custody under the carport of a residence.
Deputies say when they asked the suspect his name he gave them a false name, however, another responding deputy recognized him and identified him as 31-year-old James Adams of Campti.
A local warrants check revealed active warrants on Adams through the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.
James Eric Adams, 31, of the 100 block of Smith Street, Campti was transported and booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center charged with Failure to Appear in the 10th Judicial District Court on September 7, 2021 for trial on Domestic Abuse Battery by Strangulation and Resisting an Officer, Failure to Appear for arraignment on the same day for No Drivers License, Possession of CDS I Marijuana and traffic charges.
Adams is also charged with Resisting Arrest in reference to Monday’s incident.
No additional charges were filed in connection with the incident. Deputies say when they spoke with the alleged victim she failed to provide any information and there were no signs of abuse present.
Deputies D. Rice, C.Olliff, R.Jackson and T.Stewart were involved in the arrest.
Adams remains in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.
BOM would like to welcome Adria Coutee to our University Parkway location as a Teller. Adria is a native of Natchitoches. She is a graduate of Natchitoches Central High School, and she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern State University. She has two amazing children, Carleigh (7) and Marvin (1). In her spare time, she enjoys attending pageants with her daughter, Carleigh, and spending quality time with her family and friends. Adria is excited to be a part of the BOM team and for the opportunity to grow with BOM Bank. She looks forward to meeting the customers and getting involved in the community. Welcome Adria!
On Friday morning, December 23, 1927, a gang comprised of ex-convicts Henry Helms, Marshall Ratliff, Robert Hill, and a fourth man who had no criminal record, Louis Davis, headed to the First National Bank of Cisco, Texas. Davis was a last-minute addition to the gang. While the other robbers dressed in casual everyday attire that would allow them to blend in perfectly with the other customers, Davis wore a flashy suit that stood out like a sore thumb. Davis wanted to disguise his identity. This was his first foray into crime and he wanted everyone’s attention on him while the other three robbed the bank. The gang was unconcerned that the Banker’s Association had recently posted a $5,000 reward which could only be redeemed for dead bank robbers.
The town of Cisco was bustling with activity. With cheerful smiles, the citizens wished each other a “Merry Christmas.” Miss Ella Andress, head of the Spanish department at the Cisco High School, went into the bank in Cisco to cash a check. Once her transaction was completed, Miss Andress walked away from the counter and out the bank’s door. There, she met the man in the flashy suit as he was entering the bank. He brushed up against Ms. Andress and left small bits of cotton on her coat. She glanced at the guy wearing the flashy suit, gave him a smile, and kept walking. She was anxious to get home to start her Christmas holiday. Mrs. B.P. Blasengame and her daughter followed the man in the flashy suit into the bank. She needed to cash a check as well.
The man in the flashy suit did not approach the counter but stood by the door. The other three bank robbers casually entered the bank and pulled their pistols. Thinking quickly, Mrs. Blasengame grabbed her daughter and ran from the bank. As they ran, they yelled to everyone within earshot that the bank was being robbed.
While the three men went nearly unnoticed in the bank, everyone noticed and instantly recognized the man in the flashy suit. They could describe his every feature and could even call him by name.
The four bank robbers walked out of the bank with $12,200 in cash and $150,000 in securities. Had Mrs. Blasengame not escaped, the robbery might have been successful. A hail of gunfire erupted between the heavily-armed bank robbers and police chief G.E. Bedford and officer George Carmichael. Stray bullets flew everywhere. Within seconds, injured people, including innocent bystanders, started falling. Wounded in the gun battle was the man in the flashy suit, gang member Marshall Ratliff, police chief Bedford and officer Carmichael, and innocent bystanders Marion Olson, Brady Boggs, Pete Rutherford, R.L. Day, Oscar Cliett and Alex Spears.
The man in the flashy suit lay on the sidewalk, too injured to make an escape. His three co-conspirators, including the wounded Ratliff, dropped their loot, grabbed two girls whom they used as shields, and fled from the scene in a car. Their plan had failed miserably. Once the bank robbers were at a safe distance, they released the girls. The girls told Young county officers that one of the robbers had been shot and another had blood on his face. The bank robbers drove north trailed by several police officers. Officers surrounded the men who had run on foot into a wooded area near Ivan, Texas, about forty miles northeast of Cisco.
The three remaining bank robbers were eventually captured. Marshall Ratliff was lynched by an angry mob. Henry Helms was executed by the State of Texas. Robert Hill was sentenced to life in prison, but was eventually paroled. The man in the flashy suit, in his first venture into a life of crime, died where he fell. Even today, nearly one hundred years later, the citizenry of Cisco reminisces about the bank robber and call him by name. Only people who have studied the failed bank robbery know the name Louis Davis, the man in the flashy suit. Everyone else just remembers the time the bank was almost robbed by… Santa Claus.
Sources:
1. El Paso Herald (El Paso, Texas), December 27, 1927, p.1.
2. The Austin American (Austin, Texas), December 28, 1927, p.8.
3. El Paso Herald (El Paso, Texas), December 27, 1927, p.1.
4. Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Texas), June 29, 1962, p.2.
5. Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), September 17, 1972, p.81.
BATON ROUGE, La. – Members of the Louisiana Board of Regents (Regents) and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) received a preliminary report from the Teacher Recruitment, Recovery and Retention Task Force (Task Force) this month, elevating discussions of solutions to address multiple years of declining enrollments in teacher preparation programs around the state and across the nation. The Task Force, created through House Concurrent Resolution 39 (Mincey) of the 2021 Legislative Session, is charged to study, for a period of two years, strategies and best practices to increase the employment and retention of teachers statewide.
“Teaching is the profession that creates all others, so strengthening our educator pipeline is critical,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Kim Hunter Reed. “At a time when the premium on knowledge is higher than ever, we face a teacher shortage, with fewer students preparing to be teachers and even fewer teachers remaining in the classroom, especially among minority populations. Understanding these challenges and targeting solutions to address them is our charge and is at the heart of this legislative call to action,” said Reed.
“In a time of uncertainty, as Louisiana seeks to recover from multiple disruptions to education, we are certain of the value of educators in the classroom,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “We are committed to increasing the pipeline of great teachers to ensure students have access to the highest quality educators our state can provide.”
The Task Force, consisting of 17 stakeholders, including leaders in various secondary, postsecondary, professional education organizations as well as community representatives, spent the last five months reviewing local, state and national data to investigate Louisiana’s teacher workforce. HCR 39 included 21 questions for the Task Force to consider. Today’s baseline report responds to 11 of those questions in order to provide a clear picture of current data and trends. Highlights include:
Of Louisiana’s 44,000 teachers in AY 2019-20, 24% teach out of their field or are not certified, the majority in Mathematics and Science. (Source: Louisiana Department of Education)
60% of Louisiana’s teachers are white females, with only 5% identifying as African American. (Source: Louisiana Department of Education)
Louisiana had approximately 12,600 students enrolled in teacher education programs for AY 2020-21 compared to 17,898 in AY 2011-12. Additionally, 2,743 students completed teacher education programs in AY 2020-21 compared to 3,231 in AY 2011-12, revealing declines in both enrollment and completion over the past decade. (Source: Statewide Student Profile System, Regents, September 2021)
Exit interviews with teachers leaving the profession in Louisiana indicate 74% of teachers are retiring, transferring to another school system or leaving the profession due to personal reasons. Meanwhile a national survey showed 32% of teachers say they plan to leave the classroom earlier than expected, suggesting burnout post-pandemic. (Source: Gosner, 2021)
In response to the trend data included in the preliminary report, the Task Force presented close to 30 recommendations across three categories (Recruitment, Recovery and Retention), which will assist LDOE and Regents in reviewing current policies, creating new programs to recruit prospective teachers in high school, establishing guidance and direction through students’ college years and giving targeted support during the first five years of an educator’s teaching career. Members of both Regents and BESE expressed support for the shared goal of developing a larger, more effective workforce of prepared teachers over time.
With the adoption of the Task Force report, the recommendations will be forwarded to the legislature no later than January 2022. The Task Force will continue to meet bi-monthly and intends to host statewide listening sessions with educators, expand pre-educator pathway strategies in high schools, invest and promote the para-to-teacher model and develop strategies for recruiting teachers of color into educators preparation programs. The Task Force will present its final report in December 2022.
NATCHITOCHES:
Roy Cagle, Sr.
December 3, 1941 – December 21, 2021
Service: Tuesday, December 28 at 2 pm at Jennings Chapel Congregational Methodist Church in Marthaville
Dr. Susan Dollar
December 19, 1959 – December 20, 2021
Arrangements TBA
Charles Dwight Vienne, Sr.
March 29, 1939 – December 19, 2021
Service: Thursday, December 23 at 11 am at The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
WINN:
Vikkie Lynn (VanHoozen) LaFollette
January 25, 1967 – December 19, 2021
Service: Wednesday, December 22 at 11 am in the Chapel of Kinner & Stevens Funeral Home
Carolyn Kay Kerry
January 6, 1950 – December 18, 2021
Service: Wednesday December 22 at 2 pm at The Family Church in Winnfield