August 06, 1930 – August 24, 2021

Dorothy Roig Knecht, fondly known as “Dot”, died peacefully on August 24, 2021, at the age of 91. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm Monday, August 30, 2021 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 533 2nd Street, Natchitoches, LA. Interment will follow at Memory Lawn Cemetery in Natchitoches. Visitation with the family will be held on Monday the 30th from 10 am until 12 noon at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches.

Dot was born in New Orleans, LA on August 6, 1930. She grew up on North Rocheblave Street and graduated from John McDonough High School. She married the love of her life, Gene Knecht, and moved to North Louisiana to start their family and her life as the wife of a high school football coach. Dot and Gene, better known as Coach, began both their family and the Coushatta High School football program in 1952. Blessed with three sons; Gene, Jim, and Brett, they moved to WInnsboro, LA where a daughter, Pam, was added to the family. In 1961 Dot and Gene moved the family to Natchitoches when Gene joined the football and coaching staff at Northwestern State College. Her love for the NSU Demons never wavered and Dot remained an avid and loyal fan until her death. She always claimed that she “bled Demon purple” and refused to believe otherwise.

Dot’s greatest pride was her family and her loving relationship with her best friend, Gene. Together they enjoyed fishing on the river and lakes around Natchitoches in Coach’s trusty Duracraft boat. All of her children were very involved in athletics and competitions which provided her with a very full schedule of practices, games, road trips, and competitions in addition to being a coach’s wife and housewife. Dot somehow managed to attend all the events and cheer on her children and husband in every endeavor. Definitely a woman of great love for her family and God, she modeled the essence of a loving and devoted mother. Her dedication to Trinity Episcopal Altar Guild gave her much joy and peace and serving in our Lord. With her beautiful eyes, genuine smile, and a gift of gab, she was blessed with an abundance of friends and she dearly loved her Beta Sigma Phi sisters.

Dot was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene V. Knecht, Sr., her parents, Anton and Caroline Roig; eight brothers, and six sisters. She is survived by her adoring children, Eugene V. Knecht, Jr. and wife Judy, James D. Knecht, MD and wife Elizabeth, Brett O. Knecht and wife Darlene, and Pam K. Singletary and husband John. She also leaves behind 11 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren who have always looked up to their grandmother as their greatest supporter and inspiration in life.

A special thanks is extended to Ms. Iris Jean Gay for her constant loving care and dedication to our mother. She loved our mom like her own.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers include Brad Knecht, Matthew Knecht, John Singletary, III, Landon Knecht, Ji Theriot, Ricky Dugas, Darron Leach, Brad Duesler, Welles Fitzpatrick, Spencer Leon, and Jim McAshan.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church of Natchitoches or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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One year after Northwestern State volleyball had its fall season postponed, the Lady Demons return to the court this weekend to open the 2021 season.

NSU plays three matches in the Tulane Invitational beginning with a Friday pair against the Green Wave at 12:30 p.m. and ending with Cal at 4:30 p.m. The Lady Demons’ season-opening match with Tulane will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

“The focus hasn’t really changed from what we were looking for going into Lafayette. In my mind it’s about figuring out what we need to change, tweak or add to be more successful as the season goes.”

That’s what head coach Sean Kiracofe said about the first three-match weekend for his team in two years. Following a successful exhibition bout with UL Lafayette and 3-1 win against a team ranked as high as 15 in last season’s polls, the focus remains internal for the Lady Demons as they continue to put many of the new pieces together.

“We have still such a new group out there that we’re going to show up and play and some things are going to work, and some things aren’t,” Kiracofe said. “It’s about what we do when those things don’t work.”

Following a nerve-filled first set, plenty seemed to work for the Lady Demons who cruised to a win on the heels of a spread out and balanced offensive attack to compliment the steady and reliable defense.

Junior Addison McDermott led the team with 12 kills from her more comfortable role on the right side, after a spring season that saw her, along with most of the thin roster, play positions and roles that were a little out of their element.

“A lot of us are taking on different roles this year giving us more offensive threats,” McDermott said. “Just having new people and new faces gives us the opportunity to do better and we’re able to take the load off each other to allow it to be more spread out.”

No stranger to playing many roles on the court, Autumn Gentry moves from ultra-utility player to setter in the 2021 version of the team and has the exciting prospect of choice when it comes to the NSU offense.

Of the 43 total kills in against ULL, 28 came from hitters on the outside or right side and 13 from the middle blockers. Sophomore Audrey Quesnel and junior Jaylibeth Garcia-Rosa combined for 11 kills on 23 error-free swings in the match.

“I try to see what’s on the other side of the net and know which one of my hitters is available, who’s the hot hitter, who can score in certain situations whether I’m on the net or off it,” Gentry said. “Having that many options is great and allows me and us to do a lot of different things.”

The first of four non-conference and three-match weekends begins Friday in New Orleans as the Lady Demons continue to work towards conference play at the end of September. A tough opening day with Tulane and Cal on the schedule will set the tone for those next four weeks.

“This season we have a lot to prove,” Gentry said. “I think that keeps everyone motivated and humble knowing we’re likely going in as the underdog. It helps us go in with a sense of urgency to keep our side clean, take care of the ball like we need to and push through the match keeping our energy high.”

Photo Credit:  Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services

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New leadership in Northwestern State University’s Department of Military Science has set recruiting for the program as a top priority in the hopes of growing the number of ROTC cadets to at least 100 and training them to become the nation’s future leaders.

“We are open for any student who is interested in the program,” said LTC Josh Drake. “People may think when they join ROTC they are signing up for something they can’t get out of. Whether you stick with the program or not, give it a shot. Even if you don’t commission, maybe you will change in a good way.”

Scholarships are available for ROTC cadets, which can be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

“The biggest challenge with recruiting has been the online and hybrid classes,” Drake said. “Military science is interactive, and you can’t commission someone virtually because they will not be ready.”

In additional to recruiting traditional students, Drake hopes to attract soldiers from the National Guard and Army Reserves who could continue to drill with their units while earning a commission as an officer. He will also target active duty soldiers at Fort Polk who may be interested in becoming officers through the Green to Gold program.

His priority after recruiting will be marketing and branding the program and increased visibility.

Drake comes to NSU from Fort Polk where he was observer, coach, trainer and Brigade S3 in the Operations Group, Joint Readiness Training Center. In the course of his career he served in many leadership positions beginning with Rifle Platoon Leader, Scout Platoon Leader and Rifle Company Executive Officer in 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia; Basic Training Company Commander, 1st Battalion 19th Infantry Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia; Rifle and HHC Company Commander, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

He previously served as assistant professor of military science at University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and also as Operations Officer, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment and Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk. He completed four combat deployments to Iraq in 2007 and 2012, Afghanistan in 2013 and Syria in 2018.

Drake is a native of Lakeland, Florida, and commissioned as an infantry officer in 2005 from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course and Ranger School at Fort Benning prior to his first duty assignment. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy, a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership from Webster University and completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Maneuver Captain’s Career Course and Command and General Staff College.

Another of Drake’s goals in growing the program is to increase training opportunities for cadets and field a Ranger Challenge team, in which cadets compete with other programs in non-tactical events that challenge their physical and mental toughness. The program has not fielded a Ranger Challenge team in 4 years. He also plans to strengthen the relationship between the program and the Northwestern Demon Regiment, the program’s alumni organization, to make them more a part of the organization.

“We want to show them appreciation and make them more a part of the program,” Drake said. “It shows cadets that one day they will have an opportunity to give back as alumni.”

He would also like to build better relationships with NSU faculty and staff and participate in projects or team-building events.

“We work for the Army, but we also work for the school,” he said.

Students who participate in ROTC can expect to take basic military science courses in their first year in which they learn the professional aspects of being an Army officer, military rank and how to drill and participate in ceremonies. Second-year students begin working on and learning tactics. Third year cadet lead the first- and second-year activities and fourth-year cadets focus on officership.

“I love seeing a change in them,” Drake said. “I love seeing the transformation from civilian to military officer. They change both mentally and physically and learn the Army culture. They learn it, accept it and live it.”

Drake and his wife Brittany have two daughters, ages 12 and 10, who attend NSU Elementary and Middle Lab Schools. The family enjoys traveling, visiting the beach, camping, and fishing. They are renovating a home on Cane River.

Information on NSU’s ROTC program is available at https://rotc.nsula.edu/.

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NATCHITOCHES:
Dorothy “Dot” Roig Knecht
August 06, 1930 – August 24, 2021
Service: Monday, August 30 at 1 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church

John Thomas Colligan
January 23, 1975 – August 19, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 1 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

Theresa “Terri” Durr
March 12, 1960 – August 25, 2021
Service: Tuesday, August 31 at 10 am at the Bethel Methodist Church

Virginia M. Wilson James
October 05, 1928 – August 25, 2021
Service: Friday, August 27 at 10 am at Beulah Methodist Cemetery in Marthaville

Lori Ann O’Bannon Savell
May 16, 1971 – August 24, 2021
Service: Sunday, August 29 at 10 am at 1st Baptist Church of Provencal

Paul O’Con
April 01, 1933 – August 24, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 10 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

Porcia Hooper
August 24, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Pastor Carl Means
August 23, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 10 am at the Christian Outreach Center, 106 Brickyard Road, Natchitoches

Sylvia Morrow
August 20, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 2 pm at the MLK Center of Natchitoches

SABINE:
James Leonard LaRue
July 8, 1946 – August 23, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Stevie Carroll
October 6, 1941 – August 22, 2021
Arrangements TBA

WINN:
Barry Louis Phelps
September 24, 1957 – August 20, 2021
Memorial service arrangements will be announced by the family at a later date.

Sheri McManus Miller
February 17, 1969 – August 24, 2021
Service: Friday, August 27 at 1 pm at Southern Funeral Home

Annette Brigance Skains
May 10, 1964 – August 19, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 10 am at the First Presbyterian Church in Winnfield

RED RIVER:
Stephen Ray Elias
December 30, 1968 – August 20, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 11 am at Grand Bayou Event Center

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In an effort to be transparent and provide the community with the most accurate and up to date information regarding the pandemic, the Natchitoches Parish School Board will be releasing weekly, district and school wide Covid-19 data. The data will contain the number of Covid-19 positive cases and quarantines of both staff and students.

Data will be released Friday at 5:00 pm under the Covid-19
tab. The first date that data will be released will be on Friday, August 27, 2021.

Check the Natchitoches Parish Journal for a copy of the data.

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The Natchitoches City Council will hold a Special Called Meeting on Thursday, August 26 at 2 pm

Face masks are required for everyone during the meeting, regardless of vaccination

status. Social distancing is encouraged.

Any Citizen that wishes to observe the City Council meeting live may do so at

The City Council Meetings are held at the Natchitoches City
Council Chambers located at 716 Second Street, Natchitoches, Louisiana.
NATCHITOCHES CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING

A G E N D A

1. CALL TO ORDER
2. INVOCATION
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. RESOLUTION:

#077 Nielsen Resolution Authorizing Mayor Ronnie Williams, Jr., To Hire
Carollo Engineers, MAVA Engineering, LLC, EJES Inc., And
Shuler Consulting Company For Grant Application Submitted To
The Louisiana Division Of Administration For Funding Under
Water Sector Program.

5. ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The next scheduled City Council meeting will be Monday,
September 13, 2021.

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August 20, 2021

Life Celebration Services will unfold at the MLK Center of Natchitoches Saturday, August 28, 2021, 2:00p. m. with burial following in Lawrence Serenity Sanctum. The casketed remains will lie in state for public visitation from 12:00 noon until service time.

Photos:  Courtesy The Real Views Archives

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Here is a look at the week of August 29 – September 4 at Northwestern State University.

August 31 – Volleyball vs. UL-Monroe, Prather Coliseum, 6:30 p.m.

August 31 – Faculty recital featuring cellist Paul Christopher and keyboard faculty Chialing Hsieh, Daniel Ley and John Price, Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. *

September 1 – Soccer vs. Louisiana Tech, Lady Demon Soccer Complex, 7 p.m.

* Livestream available at capa.nsula.edu/livestream

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By Katie Bedgood

This summer I had the opportunity to attend an FFA leadership camp that was held in Woodworth, La at the Wesley Center. The purpose of the leadership camp is to teach FFA members how they can be a leader in their home and community. We not only learned important skills to bring back home to our schools and FFA Chapters, but we also socialized with other FFA chapters, area and state officers.

At leadership camp we had many different activities to participate in. We had general sessions where the State officers taught us different ways you can be a leader. We also had free time where we could play games like corn hole or basketball. We participated in workshops that encouraged healthy living such as not drinking and driving, swimming, and zip lining. On the last day of camp there was a scavenger hunt all over the campgrounds. The last thing we did at Leadership camp was an award ceremony where my team and I won the campers vs Advisors wiffle ball tournament.

We not only had fun at camp but also learned lessons that will help us all throughout life and not just FFA. In one of our general sessions, they went into detail about Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) and Leadership Development Events. The State Officers explained that when you are participating in your SAE it is giving you some type of job experience. A Leadership Development Event helps you develop skills needed to seek employment. They also explained to us different ways FFA can help you get scholarships for certain colleges.

Attending Leadership Camp was a good experience because I was able to interact with other FFA members and learned skills to help my FFA Chapter throughout the year. Meeting the State FFA Officers has inspired me to run for an Area office next year and eventually a state FFA office. I will definitely encourage other FFA members to attend Leadership Camp in the future.

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Company Driver Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3 years tractor trailer experience (required by the insurance company)
• Must be at 21 years of age
• Pay rates and incentives vary by selected area hauls
• Physically and mentally fit (no lifting involved)
• Possess great focus during driving shifts
• An innate sense of direction
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• Disciplined, dependable, and resourceful
• High level of composure and good stress management No driver facing cameras!

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Submit resumes to:  msweda1@hotmail.com

Anthony & Anthony Trucking, LLC.
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Campti, LA 71411
318-332-9540

EOE

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Kyle Scott of Bossier City is this year’s recipient of the Big Al’s Rock It Scholarship. An education major at Northwestern State University, Scott is vice president of the Call Me MISTER program, which aims to increase the pool of available teachers from a broader and more diverse background, shortening the percentage of minorities in the classroom.

“We serve the community by going to a local elementary schools volunteering, helping teachers and students,” said Scott, who is majoring in health and physical education and plans to teach K-12.

The scholarship was created in 2017 by the Rev. Eric Williams, pastor of The Rock Church in Shreveport. Eligible recipients must maintain a 2.5 or better grade point average with preference given to a student from the Shreveport-Bossier City area.

Scott is part of the first cohort of MISTER students. The initiative seeks to recruit African American males to become teachers and mentors at low-performing schools. MISTER is an acronym for Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models. As a Call Me MISTER campus, NSU is part of a highly acclaimed recruitment and support program that includes a national network of universities.

Prospective MISTERS must be a minority male and come from an underserved, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and/or educationally at-risk community. They must major in early childhood education, elementary education, health and physical education or music education and demonstrate a record of high scholastic achievement and participation in extra-curricular and community service activities.

Applications for Call me MISTER are reviewed on a competitive basis each spring for consideration for cohorts that begin each fall semester. Preference is given to graduating high school seniors, two-year community college transfers and first-year college freshmen. Eligible candidates are selected based on their potential for teaching and their motivation for participation in the program.

For more information, contact program coordinator Ramona Wynder at (318) 357-4549.

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POSITION AVAILABLE #1

JOB VACANCY: Pre-K Teacher
QUALIFICATIONS: Certification according to State Department of Education as a Pre-K Teacher.

SALARY: According to parish school salary schedule

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: 9 months

DEADLINE: Friday, August 27, 2021

WHERE TO APPLY:
Linda G. Page, Director of Personnel
Natchitoches Parish School Board
P. O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71458-0016
(318) 352-2358

APPLICATION WEBSITE: npsb.la

APPLICATIONS: Application packet should consist of a letter of application, resume’, official transcript, and one letter of reference.

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POSITION AVAILABLE #2

POSITION: Early Childhood Community Outreach Liaison

SALARY: According to Natchitoches Parish Salary Schedule.

QUALIFICATIONS: • Associate’s degree required, Bachelor’s degree preferred, education, counseling, social work, education, education policy, or related area preferred
• Knowledgeable of the Natchitoches Parish Community
• Leadership qualities and ability to work effectively with Early Childhood Education Community Engagement Coordinator, Early Childhood program partners, program partners, businesses, and community leaders.
• Authentic, effective, and professional communication, both verbally and written
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills and the ability to make presentations to large groups of people
• Strong project management and organization skills, with the ability to track intricate details and prioritize multiple initiatives and timelines
• Ability to work a flexible schedule
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: 9 months, Part time position (Contracted)

DEADLINE: Friday, August 25, 2021

WHERE TO APPLY:
Linda G. Page, Director of Personnel
Natchitoches Parish School Board
P. O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71458-0016
(318) 352-2358

APPLICATION WEBSITE: npsb.la

APPLICATIONS: Application packet should consist of a letter of application, resume’, official transcript, and one letter of reference.

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POSITION AVAILABLE #3

JOB VACANCY: Early Childhood Office Secretary

QUALIFICATIONS:
• Knowledge of Early Childhood, Time and attendance (TOTS) system, Child Care Assistance Application (CCAP), Child Care Civil Background Check (CCBC), and LA B to 3 scholarship a plus
• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Experience as a secretary or equivalent work: demonstrate knowledge of basic office procedures and current technology; typing/keyboarding/proficient in Microsoft Office; and other secretarial skills.

SALARY: According to parish school salary schedule

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: 12 months

DEADLINE: Friday, August 27, 2021

WHERE TO APPLY:
Linda G. Page, Director of Personnel
Natchitoches Parish School Board
P. O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71458-0016
(318) 352-2358

APPLICATION WEBSITE:  npsb.la

APPLICATIONS: Application packet should consist of a letter of application, resume’, official transcript, and one letter of reference

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POSITION AVAILABLE #4

POSITION: Early Childhood Education Family and Community Engagement Coordinator

SALARY: According to Natchitoches Parish Salary Schedule.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate’s degree required, Bachelor’s degree preferred, Degree in early childhood education, counseling, social work, education, education policy, or related area preferred
• Leadership qualities and ability to work effectively with students, teachers, parents, businesses, and community leaders.
• Authentic, effective, and professional communication, both verbally and written
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills and the ability to make presentations to large groups of people
• Strong project management and organization skills, with the ability to track intricate details and prioritize multiple initiatives and timelines
• Ability to work a flexible schedule

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: 12 months

DEADLINE: Friday, August 27, 2021

WHERE TO APPLY:
Linda G. Page, Director of Personnel
Natchitoches Parish School Board
P. O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71458-0016
(318) 352-2358

APPLICATION WEBSITE: npsb.la

APPLICATIONS: Application packet should consist of a letter of application, resume’, official transcript, and one letter of reference

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POSITION AVAILABLE #5

JOB VACANCIES: LIBRARIAN

SITE LOCATION(S): East Natchitoches Elem./Middle School

QUALIFICATIONS: Certification according to State Department of Education as a Librarian.

SALARY: According to parish school salary schedule.

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

APPLICATION WEBSITE: npsb.la

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POSITION AVAILABLE #6

JOB VACANCIES: Physical Education Teacher

SITE LOCATION(S): East Natchitoches Elem./Middle School

QUALIFICATIONS: Certification according to State Department of Education as a P.E. Teacher.

SALARY: According to parish school salary schedule.

WHERE TO APPLY:

Linda G. Page, Personnel Director
Natchitoches Parish School Board
P. O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71458-0016
(318) 352-2358
Fax: (318) 352-8138

APPLICATION WEBSITE: npsb.la

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POSITION AVAILABLE #7

JOB VACANCIES: Middle School Math Teacher

SITE LOCATION(S): Natchitoches Jr. High School

QUALIFICATIONS: Certification according to State Department of Education as a Middle School Math Teacher.

SALARY: According to parish school salary schedule.

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

APPLICATION WEBSITE: npsb.la

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POSITION AVAILABLE #8

JOB VACANCIES: Middle School English Teacher

SITE LOCATION(S): Natchitoches Jr. High School

QUALIFICATIONS: Certification according to State Department of Education as an English Teacher.

SALARY: According to parish school salary schedule.

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

APPLICATION WEBSITE: npsb.la

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The Northwestern State men’s basketball tweaked its coaching staff responsibilities as two current coaches received new titles.

Blake Cochran and Jordan Luna solidified more permanent roles on the staff, announced head coach Mike McConathy on Tuesday.

Cochran assumes an assistant coach role after serving as a volunteer this past season.

“Blake came in with a recruiting base from his time at Southwestern Assemblies of God and at McMurry, having contacts in East Texas,” McConathy said. “We don’t really have many contacts in that area, so it gives us access to an area where we needed to have a better feel.

“With experience recruiting and with on-floor coaching, it’s an easy transition for him.”

Luna acquires director of basketball operations duties after completing his graduate assistantship with his two-year stint on staff.

“As a graduate assistant for two years, including one year as the only GA, Jordan has been around every aspect of the program,” McConathy said. “That’s allowed him to have a better feel of how every part of the program works.

“He’s had some really good interviews, and his wife Jennifer also has an important position in the community as the executive director of the Women’s Resource Center here in Natchitoches.”

The Demons open the season Nov. 9 at Oklahoma with their first home game Nov. 13 against Champion Christian.

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NATCHITOCHES:
Virginia M. Wilson James
October 05, 1928 – August 25, 2021
Service: Friday, August 27 at 10 am at Beulah Methodist Cemetery in Marthaville

Lori Ann O’Bannon Savell
May 16, 1971 – August 24, 2021
Service: Sunday, August 29 at 10 am at 1st Baptist Church of Provencal

Paul O’Con
April 01, 1933 – August 24, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 10 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

Porcia Hooper
August 24, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Pastor Carl Means
August 23, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 10 am at the Christian Outreach Center, 106 Brickyard Road, Natchitoches

Sylvia Morrow
August 20, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 2 pm at the MLK Center of Natchitoches

SABINE:
Barton Lee Rumsey
July 17, 1939 – August 24, 2021
Service: Thursday, August 26 at 11 am at Cypress Bend Resort

James Leonard LaRue
July 8, 1946 – August 23, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Stevie Carroll
October 6, 1941 – August 22, 2021
Arrangements TBA

WINN:
Barry Louis Phelps
September 24, 1957 – August 20, 2021
Memorial service arrangements will be announced by the family at a later date.

Sheri McManus Miller
February 17, 1969 – August 24, 2021
Service: Friday, August 27 at 1 pm at Southern Funeral Home

James E. Sandifer, Sr.
October 22, 1938 – August 23, 2021
Service: Thursday, August 26 at 11 am at Southern Funeral Home

Annette Brigance Skains
May 10, 1964 – August 19, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 10 am at the First Presbyterian Church in Winnfield

RED RIVER:
Stephen Ray Elias
December 30, 1968 – August 20, 2021
Service: Saturday, August 28 at 11 am at Grand Bayou Event Center

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APPEAL DATE & TIME: Monday, September 13, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.

APPEAL LOCATION: Natchitoches City Council Chambers, 716 Second Street, Natchitoches, LA
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: 12.436 Acres, Located in Sections 36, 37, 38, and 39, Township 9 North-Range 7 West North Side of St. Maurice Lane to develop the Glendale Subdivision, single-family residential subdivision (37 Lots). (St. Maurice Lane)

APPLICANT/OWNER: Rowanoak Development, LLC/David Strange

PURPOSE: To subdivide 12.436 Acres – to develop the Glendale Subdivision, single-family residential subdivision (37 Lots). (St. Maurice Lane)

A public hearing will be held before the Natchitoches City Council on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. at the Natchitoches City Council Chambers, 716 Second Street, Natchitoches, Louisiana. The purpose of the hearing is for the City Council to review a decision of the Natchitoches Planning and Zoning Commission at the August 10, 2021 meeting that DENIED the application regarding 12.436 Acres on St. Maurice Lane to develop the Glendale Subdivision, single-family residential subdivision (37 Lots).

The application is available for review at the Planning and Zoning Department 700 Second Street, Natchitoches, LA 71457.

Honorable Ronnie Williams, Jr., Mayor
City of Natchitoches
Post Office Box 37
Natchitoches, Louisiana 71457
(318) 352-2772

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A Tax Reform meeting organized by state and local legislators was held in Natchitoches on Aug. 24 to inform tax collectors and other area officials of tax reforms from this year’s legislative session, which will be on the Oct. 4 ballot.

The state’s tax policy is complicated and not competitive to attract businesses.

“We’re trying to set an environment in Louisiana that makes people want to be here,” said Louie Bernard, state senator for District 31.

Speaker of the House Clay Shexnayder explained in more detail. While legislators passed a tax reform to lower rates, simplify the system and untangle taxes, voters will have the final say as to whether the plan moves forward at the Oct. 9 election.

According to an article by Janelle Cammenga on taxfoundation.org, the plan would ultimately simplify the state’s tax code, lessen residents’ tax burdens, and make the state more competitive.

Shexnayder said this tax reform would help local mom and pops that are struggling right now so they can be on a fair playing field.

Tax Foundation article:

One constitutional amendment on the ballot addresses the sales tax. If approved by voters, the amendment would centralize sales tax collections and administration at the state level. As Louisiana is one of only four states that lacks unified sales tax administration, this change would be an important step forward. Currently, sellers must remit tax to 64 taxing jurisdictions—a costly and burdensome task.

The other constitutional amendment would help pay for the rest of the plan: it would eliminate the state’s deduction for federal taxes paid in order to lower individual and corporate income tax rates, and would set a cap of 4.75 percent on individual income tax rates. However, it should be emphasized that the legislature’s plan includes a statutory top rate of 4.25 percent—well below the new cap.

Primarily, swapping out the federal deduction in exchange for lowering tax rates allows the state’s “sticker price” to more accurately reflect real tax burdens, and lessens the effect of federal tax changes on state revenue. In particular, it eliminates a perverse effect in which circumstances that yield lower liability at the federal level have the opposite effect on the taxpayer’s Louisiana liability, and it is better understood as a simplification than a tax cut. However, the rate changes chosen by the legislature also ensure that almost all taxpayers will see at least minor tax reductions.

To demonstrate how this plays out, we have constructed five sample taxpayers of different family sizes throughout the income spectrum—including the median household income of $49,469—to show the effect of the income tax plan as of its planned enactment in 2022.

As these examples show, taxpayers throughout the income spectrum see small decreases in their tax liability. Taxpayer Angela sees slightly more savings than others, as her current tax burden is higher due to some of her income falling into the top bracket, but low-income taxpayers benefit as well.

Under the current deduction for federal taxes, things that are rewarded on the federal level are penalized on the state side and vice versa. Taxpayer Kelly, for example, benefits from the Earned Income Tax Credit on her federal taxes but sees her state liability automatically increase because of this. While the EITC still benefits her, her Louisiana tax liability is larger than that of a childless person with the same income. Eliminating federal deductibility and replacing it with lower rates takes away this “mirror” effect.

This initial phase of reductions may be small, since the primary focus is on structural improvement, but the approved legislation includes tax triggers that will continue to lower rates if the state reaches set goals for revenue growth and savings. As the state is already seeing growth, triggered tax cuts seem likely. We cannot model what the exact future savings would be, as the rate reductions are also determined by the amount of growth the state sees, but it is safe to say that all taxpayers would see lighter tax burdens.

Individuals are not the only ones who would benefit from the proposed changes. The new system would consolidate the current five-bracket corporate income tax system into three, and would bring the top rate down to 7.5 percent as of tax year 2022. This would be offset by the repeal of federal deductibility, which currently has the effect of increasing Louisiana tax liability when businesses make new investments or undertake any actions incentivized by the federal tax code.

Additionally, businesses would see some relief from the Corporation Franchise Tax, a tax that falls on a company’s net worth. Because it is levied regardless of profit, this tax can be especially burdensome in times of economic downturn. In response to the coronavirus crisis, Louisiana lawmakers temporarily suspended part of the Corporation Franchise Tax by exempting the first $300,000 of taxable capital. The tax reform plan makes this small business exemption permanent and goes further by lowering the rate from 0.3 percent to 0.275 percent for all other businesses starting in tax year 2023.

Although it is only one aspect of location decisions, a state’s tax code can matter greatly in attracting or retaining businesses. Louisiana has long been near the bottom of the Tax Foundation’s competitiveness rankings, but these proposed changes would be an important step forward. Altogether, the rate reductions, bracket consolidations, and sales tax centralization would improve the state’s tax climate and improve Louisiana’s ranking from 42nd to 38th on our State Business Tax Climate Index, finally freeing the state from the bottom 10. If the state experiences sufficient revenue growth, the revenue triggers could reduce rates and improve this ranking even further, with potentially substantial improvements in coming years.

By overwhelmingly approving this tax plan, the Louisiana legislature has demonstrated its hunger for reforms that enhance simplicity, transparency, and neutrality in the tax code, while aligning it for growth. If voters approve these reforms at the ballot, Louisiana would see a more competitive tax code that would serve residents well for years to come.

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American Gothic is one of only a few paintings which has transcended being merely a painting and has become a cultural icon. Like Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Edvard Munch’s The Scream and James McNeill Whistler’s Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1, commonly known as Whistler’s Mother, American Gothic has become one of the most famous paintings in the world.

In the summer of 1930, Grant Wood, a painter from Cedar Rapids, Michigan, was riding with a friend and fellow painter named John Sharp through the town of Eldon, Iowa. The two painters were looking for inspiration when Grant spotted a little farmhouse with a distinctive upper window. Grant later explained he “saw such an American Gothic house in southern Iowa, and I imagined American Gothic people with their faces stretched out long, to go with it.”

Grant made a quick sketch of the house on the back of an envelope. On the following day, Grant got the permission of the homeowners and made a more detailed sketch with oil paints from the front yard. Grant never saw the house again. Back in his studio, Grant began painting the gothic farmhouse. Needing more detail, he requested and received a photograph of the house from the homeowners. Throughout the process of painting the house, the background in the painting, he considered who he would get to be the male and female models for the people in the painting.

He took great care in picking the female model because he needed someone who would be unoffended by his stretching her face in the painting. After considering several friends and family members, he settled on Nan Graham. Grant said Nan’s, “face is nearly as round as mine, so I had to do a great deal of stretching.”

Grant struggled to find the right face for the male figure for his painting, a struggle which had held up the works of other famous artists. While painting the Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci had trouble finding the right face for Judas, which he said had to be villainous. Leonardo spent days walking the streets of Milan, Italy in search of just the right face. Each face he saw was eliminated for one reason or another until he finally found his Judas. Similarly, Grant looked carefully at every man he met and considered everyone he knew. Years before Grant had the idea for the painting, Byron McKeeby had built a bridge for him. Grant, somewhat of a starving artist, traded a bridge for a bridge. In lieu of payment, Byron accepted a painting by Grant of a famous bridge in Paris. Byron had just the right face for Grant’s painting. With little convincing, Byron agreed to be the male model for Grant’s American Gothic. A short while later, Grant finished the painting.

In October of 1930, the Art Institute of Chicago accepted two of Grant’s paintings, Stone City and American Gothic, for inclusion in their annual American Artists exposition. Hundreds of paintings were submitted and rejected. The Art Institute would accept no more than two paintings each year from the same artist. For Grant to have two entries accepted was an exceptional honor. In addition, Grant won the coveted Norman Wait Harris bronze medal and a cash prize of $300 for American Gothic. Newspapers at the time described it as “a painting of a Gothic type of home at Eldon, IA with two imaginary figures of the artist’s conception of Gothic individuals in the foreground.”

When the exhibition opened, American Gothic became an instant hit. Newspapers throughout the United States published photographs of the painting and incorrectly described the subjects in the foreground as being of a farmer and his wife. Wood set the record straight and explained that it was a farmer and his daughter. In late November, Wood learned that the Friends of American Art had purchased American Gothic for inclusion in the Art Institute of Chicago’s permanent collection.

Not all who saw the painting were impressed. Mrs. Earl Robinson of Collins, Iowa suggested the artist “hang the portrait in one of our Iowa cheese factories because the woman’s face would positively sour milk.” In response, Mrs. Nan Graham, the lady in the painting, said she was proud to have been the model for the painting and retorted, “I wish that jealous woman would send me her photograph. I have a very appropriate place to hang it.” The lady in the painting whom Grant carefully selected was his younger sister.

Byron McKeeby, uncomfortable with the publicity he received from the painting, said all of the publicity should go to Grant. For five years Byron refused to admit his connection with the painting. “Grant chose the face, I didn’t,” he said with his usual warm smile. It was true that Grant traded a bridge for a bridge. Byron builds Grant a bridge and Grant gave Byron a painting of a famous bridge he had painted in Paris, a painting which is now much more valuable than the bridge Byron made for Grant. You see, Byron was Dr. Byron McKeeby, Grant Wood’s dentist.

Sources:
1. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), October 28, 1930, p. 5.
2. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), October 29, 1930, p. 19.
3. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), November 27, 1930, p. 12.
4. The Des Moines Register, December 28, 1930, p.39.
5. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), January 25, 1931, p.4.
6. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), February 28, 1931, p.5.
7. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), March 24, 1935, p.4.

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Rotarian with the Program, Richard White, introduced Clerk of Courts David Stamey at the Aug. 24 Rotary luncheon. Stamey shared information about four proposed Constitutional Amendments that will be on the Oct. 9 election ballot. Pictured from left are President Tommy Caldwell, Stamey, and White (Photo by Dr. Ron McBride).

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