The second day of early voting for the June 27, 2026, election concluded on Saturday, June 13, with 125 ballots cast in Natchitoches Parish.
Statistical reports from the Louisiana Secretary of State indicate that nearly all voters during this session localized their participation at the polls, with 123 in-person votes and 2 absentee ballots processed.
Voter Demographics
The demographic breakdown for Day Two includes:
Race:98 White voters, 23 Black voters, and 4 voters identified as Other.
Sex:64 Female voters and 61 Male voters.
Party Affiliation
Voters registered under other party designations or as independents made up the largest share of Saturday’s single-day turnout:
Other Parties:72
Democrats:32
Republicans:21
Two-Day Early Voting Recap
Through the first two days of the early voting period, a total of 212 ballots have been cast in Natchitoches Parish.
Early voting for the June 27 election will continue through the designated period. Residents looking to cast their ballots early can do so at the Natchitoches Parish Registrar of Voters office.
A Broken Arrow, Oklahoma man currently incarcerated in Oklahoma on charges of Second Degree Rape, Sodomy with a Victim Under 16, Soliciting Sexual Conduct or Communications with a Minor by Use of Technology, and Enticing a Child Under 16 into a Secluded Area has been arrested on felony charges following an extensive investigation by the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office High Tech Crime Bureau involving the online exploitation of a juvenile in Natchitoches Parish, according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.
On April 7, 2026, the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a parent after her daughter, less than 12 years old, reported an inappropriate online encounter with an individual she initially believed to be a young boy through a social media platform commonly used by children and adults.
The investigation was assigned to the NPSO High Tech Crime Bureau.
Through forensic analysis, search warrants, digital evidence obtained from multiple technology providers, and other investigative means, detectives identified the suspect as Tyrone J. Muao, 35, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
Investigators determined Muao allegedly used social media accounts to communicate with juvenile victims while misrepresenting his age. Evidence gathered during the investigation indicated Muao knowingly engaged in communications with the Natchitoches Parish child after learning her true age and allegedly participated in conduct constituting criminal violations under Louisiana law.
The investigation further revealed evidence indicating Muao maintained communications with numerous underage individuals through social media platforms and displayed a pattern of seeking contact with minors. Detectives also learned Muao currently faces pending criminal charges in Oklahoma involving allegations of sexual offenses against a minor.
On June 5, 2026, a detective assigned to the NPSO High Tech Crime Unit submitted arrest warrant affidavits charging Muao with one count of Indecent Behavior with Juveniles and one count of Computer-Aided Solicitation of a Minor.
At the time of these new allegations, Muao was free on bond in Oklahoma awaiting court proceedings on the original charges. Following notification of the Natchitoches Parish charges, his bond was revoked. Detectives in Oklahoma have also opened a new investigation into Muao’s activities and have identified additional victims across the United States.
The arrest warrants were approved through the Tenth Judicial District Court. Law enforcement authorities in Oklahoma have been notified of the warrants and plan to arrest Muao on the Natchitoches Parish charges.
“This investigation demonstrates the importance of parental involvement and immediate reporting of suspicious online activity involving children,” said Sheriff Stuart Wright. “The safety and protection of our children remains one of our highest priorities. We will continue to aggressively investigate crimes involving the exploitation of children and work with our law enforcement partners to bring offenders to justice.”
This investigation remains ongoing. Additional charges are pending as Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Detectives continue assisting the Bartlesville Police Department in Oklahoma in this disturbing investigation involving children.
Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at (318) 238-3127.
Sergeant Clinton Dunn, assigned to the NPSO High Tech Crime Unit, is leading the investigation.
Sheriff Wright commended the NPSO High Tech Crime Bureau for their diligence, professionalism, and commitment to protecting children from online predators.
The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office encourages parents and guardians to actively monitor their children’s online activity, discuss internet safety with their children, and immediately report suspicious or inappropriate communications involving minors to law enforcement.
All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office remains committed to protecting children from online predators through aggressive investigations, community awareness, and partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Parents are encouraged to remain actively involved in their children’s online activities and report any suspicious behavior immediately. Working together, we can help ensure the safety and well-being of our children both online and throughout our communities.
When I look back on my life, one word comes to mind: Blessed.
I often tell people that I had the most amazing childhood. After my dad retired from the military, my parents moved our family to the Country Place neighborhood near Barksdale Air Force Base. To this day, they still live in the same house where we grew up, and I can’t imagine a better place to have spent my childhood. Country Place was a kid’s paradise. We had a pond, tennis courts, a swimming pool, playgrounds, and plenty of open space. Yet somehow our favorite activities were much simpler. We spent our days playing in cul-de-sacs, riding bikes until dark, rollerblading, splashing through ditches, walking around barefoot, and only heading home when the streetlights came on.
The friendships I formed there became lifelong bonds. We attended school together, grew up together, and experienced every stage of life side by side. Haughton was much smaller then, and life felt simple. If you wanted to see your friends, you just rode your bike across the neighborhood or met them at the pool the next morning. Some of my favorite childhood memories were our family road trips to Kansas. We traveled in a giant purple van equipped with a couch that folded into a bed and a television. To us, it was luxury. I can still picture my brothers and me watching Bart Simpson videos and dancing to “Do the Bartman” as we made our way across the country to visit family.
I was the youngest of four children and the only girl. My brothers were seven, nine, and eleven years older than me, and I wanted to be exactly like them. I was the definition of a tomboy. I proudly belonged to an “all-boys club,” wore Speedo swim shorts instead of one-piece swimsuits, and insisted on having Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle birthday parties year after year. At one point, I even told my best friend Eva that girls weren’t allowed and spit on her to prove my point. Decades later, she still reminds me of it. Eva, if you’re reading this, I’m still sorry!
My mom dreamed of having a girly daughter. She tried Girl Scouts, dance classes, bows, dresses, and shiny church shoes. While she succeeded in getting me dressed up for church, by the time we reached the car, I was usually halfway out of the outfit. As I got older, though, things began to change. I discovered cheerleading and joined the school’s jump rope team, the Jazzy Jumpers, and I found a love for softball. My dad was my coach my entire childhood. Slowly but surely, I started embracing a more feminine side while still keeping my adventurous spirit.
Growing up, our house was always full of people. We had a swimming pool and a game room complete with a pool table, ping-pong table, and television. Friends were constantly coming and going. Looking back, I realize what a gift that was.
My brothers played a huge role in shaping who I became. As the oldest two graduated and moved on to college, my bond with my brother Jamie grew stronger than ever. Ironically, it all started because he got grounded for two weeks. Part of his punishment was being nice to me, and if I cried or tattled on him, the grounding started over. What began as a punishment became a friendship. Jamie became my driver, my protector, and my best friend. He took me everywhere—practices, parties, friends’ houses, and countless adventures. I’ll never forget riding in his white Mazda Miata with the top down, music blasting, feeling like I was on top of the world.
He was my person. When Jamie graduated and eventually moved to Dallas to pursue acting, a piece of my heart went with him. Meanwhile, I continued through Haughton High School, graduating in 2002 before attending Northwestern State University. Along the way, our family grew with three wonderful sisters-in-law and seven incredible nieces and nephews.
In 2005, while helping with a philanthropy event involving Tri Sigma and Kappa Sigma, I met the man who would become my husband. Cody. We’ve been together ever since.We married in 2011, and in 2013 God blessed us with our son, Carter Marshall Hough. Becoming Carter’s mother remains one of the greatest joys of my life. In 2017, shortly after Carter’s birthday party, my life changed forever.
For more than a year, I had struggled with severe vertigo. My doctors ordered an MRI. The next day, while sitting in my office at BOM Bank, I received a phone call informing me that doctors had discovered a large cyst covering my frontal lobe. My world stopped. Was it cancer? Would I need surgery? What would happen to my family? Thankfully, through a series of connections and God’s perfect timing, I found myself under the care of renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Anil Nanda. The day before surgery was one of the hardest days of my life. I sat holding my toddler son, wondering if it would be the last time I would ever hug him, kiss him, or tell him I loved him. As I was wheeled toward surgery and looked back at my family, I saw fear and tears in every face. Then something happened that I will never forget.
God showed up.
A peace unlike anything I had ever experienced washed over me. My body relaxed. My fears disappeared. Everything seemed brighter. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God and His angels were with me. I didn’t physically see them. But I knew. The next thing I remember is waking up after surgery and asking one question: “Where are my glasses?” My mom, Cody, Jamie, and my friend Kenda stood over me smiling as doctors began asking questions to make sure my brain was functioning properly. I made it. Dr. Nanda later explained that he had removed an arachnoid cyst roughly the size of a grapefruit. My brain had been shifted significantly by the pressure, and recovery would take time. And it did. The weeks that followed were filled with migraines, exhaustion, weight loss, and challenges. But little by little, I healed.
Today, every MRI still brings anxiety. Every report mentioning a cyst sends my heart racing. Yet time after time, my doctors remind me that what they see is spinal fluid filling the space left behind and not a dangerous recurrence. While that experience tested my faith, it ultimately strengthened it. Cody and I struggled with fertility for years and years, even trying IVF at the age of 40 with no success. God knew our family was perfect just the way it was, a family of three. Nothing, however, could have prepared me for what came next.
On June 20, 2025, my family’s world shattered. I was at a baseball tournament watching Carter play when my phone rang. I heard my mother’s screams. Then my brother Jason delivered words that still don’t seem real. “Jamie’s gone. He took his own life.” I collapsed. The days that followed felt impossible. Writing an obituary. Planning a funeral. Choosing songs. Preparing to say goodbye. At the private family viewing, I fell to my knees in panic and grief. This couldn’t be real. My brother wasn’t supposed to be in that casket. Jamie was my hero. My best friend. My laughter. My safe place. The pain of losing him has been deeper than words can adequately describe. Yet even in my darkest moments, God has never left me. Through counseling, prayer, tears, friendships, family support, and countless conversations with God, I have continued moving forward.
One song that has carried me through this season is “I Made It” by CAIN. Whenever grief feels overwhelming, I play it and remind myself that God has carried me through every storm before and He will carry me through this one too. My husband and son have been my anchors. They have seen tears that no one else sees. They have walked beside me through every difficult moment. Micah, Claire and Eva have also been there every step of the way. Micah and Claire have been when I stand and to have someone who knows what I am going through, it helps me to talk it out and heal. Eva was there for me as soon as I entered Haughton and since then she has been a constant contact checking in on me consistently. And I am forever grateful.
As I reflect on my journey, I see a life filled with incredible blessings, extraordinary people, and undeniable evidence of God’s presence. I’ve experienced childhood joy, lifelong friendships, marriage, motherhood, illness, healing, heartbreak, and loss. Through it all, one truth remains constant: God is good. All the time. And all the time, God is good. Life will hand each of us seasons of celebration and seasons of suffering. We don’t always get to choose our circumstances, but we do get to choose what we do with them.
For me, that choice is simple. I give it all to God. I trust Him with my victories and my heartbreaks. And I hold tightly to the promise that one day, I will see my brother again. Until then, I will carry Jamie’s legacy with me everywhere I go. He was my laughter, my protector, my best friend, and my beacon of hope. And while I miss him every single day, I know our story isn’t over. One day, we’ll be together again.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18
At the Louisiana United Methodist Church Annual Conference held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana from June 9 to June 12, 2026, local resident, former educator and local realtor Marvin Blake, Jr was appointed the local pastor at Macedonia United Methodist Church in Florien, Louisiana. The church is located at 957 Yellow Pine Road in Florien, Louisiana.
The new Pastor was recommended by the United Methodist Church District Committee on Ordained Ministry (DCOM) to North Louisiana District Superintendent Dr. Romonalynn Bethley who recommended him to United Methodist Church Bishop Delores J. Williamston.
Prior to his appointment, the new pastor enrolled in the United Methodist Church License to Preach School and completed all course work in May of 2026. He plans to work toward a master’s degree in theology in the Fall at SMU Perkins School of Theology.
A native of Natchitoches, Marvin is a graduate of Natchitoches Central High School and Northwestern State University. He is married to his high school sweetheart Ethel Claiborne Blake, and they have three sons, Christopher, Jonathan and Brandon. Two daughters-in-law Dr. Shontell Blake and Dr. Erin Blake and three granddaughters Madison, Kendell and Kennedi Blake. As a newly appointed local paster, he looks forward to family, friends and former colleagues from Natchitoches and surrounding areas stopping by on occasion to visit him and his church family at Macedonia.
The City of Natchitoches has announced that construction work on portions of Second Street and Touline Street is scheduled to begin June 17 as part of a major infrastructure improvement project.
The project includes the removal of deteriorated concrete pavement and construction of new roadway surfaces on Second Street from Church Street to Touline Street and on Touline Street from Front Street to Fifth Street. Additional work will include replacement of water and sewer lines, storm drainage improvements, and construction of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps.
The first phase of construction is expected to last approximately three weeks and will take place on Second Street between Church Street and Trudeau Street. During this phase, the affected section of Second Street will be closed to all traffic, including on-street parking.
City officials said that during the final week of Phase 1, the intersection of Second Street and Church Street will also be closed to allow installation of a new sewer manhole and connection of a new sewer line.
Once Phase 1 is complete, crews will move to the next segment of Second Street between Trudeau Street and Touline Street, followed by work on Touline Street between Second Street and Fourth Street.
Motorists will be required to use alternate routes around the construction zones, and those who typically park along the affected streets will need to find alternative parking during active construction in each area.
The city said water and sewer service to nearby businesses, residences, and other buildings is expected to remain operational throughout most of the project. Temporary interruptions may occur only during brief periods when new utility lines are connected to existing systems.
The project is being funded through Louisiana’s State Capital Outlay Program, which will cover 75 percent of the costs. The remaining portion will be funded locally. The contract was awarded to Skyplex Trucking, LLC of Natchitoches, with a total project cost of approximately $2.3 million.
City officials are asking residents and motorists for patience during construction and urge drivers to obey all traffic control devices in the work zones.
For additional information, residents may contact the City Engineer’s Office at (318) 357-3877.
By Dr. Kent Peacock, director of the Creole Heritage Center
Northwestern State University’s Creole Heritage Center took part in Creole Culture Day at Vermilionville June 7 where staff members Kimberly Martin and Kelly Jackson spoke to at least 100 attendees about the Creole-focused programming, Resource Library and genealogical services offered by the Creole Heritage Center and educational opportunities at NSU.
This annual event brings together Creole artists, craftspeople, musicians and community partners from across Louisiana to celebrate the notable contributions of Creoles in Acadiana and Louisiana. Demonstrations on cooking, tignon (headscarf) tying, Zydeco dancing, Louisiana French and Louisiana Creole languages and more made the day full of interactive learning for all ages.
Jackson said she particularly enjoyed howit was a “family-friendly fun day when all generations got to be active participants in Louisiana Creole culture.”
The Creole Heritage Center’s attendance at the event was part of its ongoing outreach to keep the Center an active part of Louisiana’s rich community of cultural heritage organizations, with the extra benefit of maintaining networks for potential volunteer, internship and job opportunities for NSU students. Both Kimberly and Kelly remarked on the number of proud NSU alumni, or parents of NSU graduates, who were excited to see NSU represented in south Louisiana, demonstrating presence of NSU Demons throughout Louisiana.
The Creole Heritage Center thanks Colby Martin and the staff of Vermilionville for hosting this event, an event that provided a sense of community and pride for all Louisiana Creoles, including those from Natchitoches and surrounding areas the Center was honored to represent.
To learn more about Louisiana Creoles and the Creole Heritage Cente, visit www.nsula.edu/creole and follow the Center on Facebook (NSULACreoleHeritageCenter) and Instagram (creolecenter_nsula), or reach out to the Center at (318) 357-6685 or creolecenter@nsula.edu. The Center is typically open to visitors Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Northwestern State football coach Blaine McCorkle announced Thursday the additions of offensive line coach Brad Bustle and director of football operations Matt Grim, wrapping up the staff approaching McCorkle’s third season at the helm of the Demon program.
“There is never a good time of year to have to look for new hires and the summer can be tricky,” McCorkle said. “However, we found two very qualified and capable men to bolster our staff and add some great, new and fresh ideas to our program as we head into Year 3.”
Bustle returns to Louisiana, where he played his high school and college football and coached previously, after a three-year stint at Hampton University. There he was the Pirates’ offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the past two seasons after a season coaching offensive tackles and tight ends.
At Hampton, Bustle tutored three all-conference offensive linemen.
Bustle, a 2009 UL Lafayette graduate, spent the 2022 season at his alma mater as an offensive analyst and worked with a pair of All-Sun Belt Conference tight ends.
In two seasons as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Valparaiso, Bustle’s group helped the Beacons score the third-most rushing touchdowns in a single season in program history and had the fifth-highest single-season scoring mark in program history.
In two seasons as the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Holmes Community College in Mississippi, Bustle produced three all-conference linemen and helped Holmes lead the nation in rushing in 2019 and finish third in that category in 2018.
Bustle’s full-time coaching career began at Cumberland University where he was the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 2013-17, building a line that helped Cumberland rank in the top 10 nationally in rushing and in fewest sacks allowed four times. He coached eight all-conference offensive linemen and an All-American at Cumberland.
Bustle began his coaching career as a defensive line graduate assistant at Virginia Tech in 2011, spending two seasons with the Hokies, who split two bowl game appearances with Bustle on staff. His father, Rickey, spent nine seasons as the head coach at UL Lafayette from 2002-10.
“Coach Bustle is a great young coach that I have followed and tracked his career for a few years now,” McCorkle said. “We hated losing coach (Cade) Camp as he did a tremendous job for us the past two years and really helped us get off the ground in re-instituting football here at NSU.
“I did, however, know if that time ever came that Brad would be my first call. He has a wealth of experience at this level and has grown up in the game as a coach’s kid and there is a lot of value in that as well. He has a strong desire to connect personally with his players, has strong roots here in state and I have no doubt he will help us build on the growth we’ve seen in the offensive line room the past two seasons.”
Grim comes to Northwestern after spending more than four years working with the Tennessee Vols’ football program as both a student assistant and graduate assistant.
In both roles, Grim assisted the Volunteers’ staff with team travel, daily operations, recruiting and camps. Grim was part of the staff that saw Tennessee reach the 2024 College Football Playoff.
A two-time Tennessee graduate with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in recreation and sport management, Grim also has volunteered with the Visit Knoxville Open, Tennessee football family event operations and with the sports information department at Lincoln Memorial University, where he pitched for one season.
“When we had an opening for a new DFO, we had over 70 applicants for the job and Matt stood above them all in the process,” McCorkle said. “He is young but has great experience doing a lot of different jobs in a high-level program, which will allow him to bring a lot of fresh ideas to his role. He has great energy, and I believe will be a tireless worker for our program doing a ton of behind the scenes grunt work.
“Like coach Bustle, Matt grew up around college athletics as his dad worked in the Tennessee athletic department his entire life. Those experiences just bring something different to understanding the importance of what we are trying to do here and how invested you have to be. Matt is already off to a great start and I have a feeling the folks on campus in and Natchitoches are going to enjoy getting to know him and building a relationship with him.”
EUGENE, Oregon — Rushana Dwyer wrapped up Northwestern State’s competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships by earning honorable mention All-American honors Thursday night at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.
Running the 400 meter dash, Dwyer, a senior from St. Eliizabeth, Jamaica, finished sixth in the first heat with her 51.77 time, which wound up in 18th place, two slots away from second-team All-America status. Two of the top three times came from the first heat, led by Georgia’s Dejanea Oakley, who ran 49.93, the only finish under the 50-second mark.The top nine out of three eight-woman heats qualified for Saturday’s championship final.
Three of the top four finishers and four of the top six were occupied by athletes from SEC schools, including a pair of Arkansas runners – one being Sanaria Butler, who transferred last summer from Northwestern to Arkansas. She ran in the lane next to Dwyer in Heat 1 and had the third-fastest qualifying time, 50.53.
Dwyer finishes her NSU career with a part of three school records, including two individual records, the indoor and outdoor 400-meter dash. She also won a pair of 400 Southland Conference gold medals, outrunning Southeastern Louisiana’s Onyah Onyinye Favour both times. Thursday, Favour placed eighth with a flat 51.00. She is the only non-power conference school athlete to make Saturday’s finals.
Lifelong Rapides Parish resident Kathy Holloway was the first woman president of the state and national high school coaching associations. (Photo courtesy Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame)
By BOB TOMPKINS, Written for the LSWA
Kathy Stewart Holloway’s life has been marked by unprecedented achievement as a woman in high school sports once ruled by men.
Yet, she points with love to two men who, behind the scenes, helped her along the way.
Her father, Jack Stewart, a car salesman, put up her first basketball goal on the side of a building on the family property in Lecompte when she was a tyke. It was a target, set then at a lower achievable height, but she always aimed high at whatever goal she pursued. That attitude was motivated by her father’s constant encouragement to “do your best.”
Her husband, Charles, who was the director of business affairs and comptroller at LSUA for 35 years before his death 19 years ago, was the other most influential man in her life. She turned to him for advice before any big decision in an extraordinary career as a coach and administrator.
A string of prestigious honors stands as testimony to her many local, statewide and national accomplishments, the latest of which is being among 12 elected to the 2026 class to be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches.
Holloway is going into the LSHOF among the Class of 2026 celebrated during three days of festivities Thursday, June 25-Saturday, June 27, with seven events (six in Natchitoches, bowling in Alexandria). For participation information, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.
She is the 25th recipient of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award and will be enshrined in the Hall as the fourth female Dixon winner.
The classic story of Holloway’s disciplined but quiet push into a male-dominated hierarchy at the Louisiana High School Coaches Association came during an All-Star weekend in Baton Rouge in 1982 when, as she said, “football coaches controlled everything.”
Yet, some of the iconic coaches of the day like Charlie Brown of Neville and Red Franklin of Haynesville (both since elected to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame) asked her when she was going to run for president (of the LHSCA).
“At a Friday night barbecue before a Saturday All-Star football game, I was standing by myself and this guy said, ‘Are you going to vote for me tomorrow (for president)?’ I said, ‘Yeah, if you vote for me when I run.’
“He said, ‘There ain’t ever going to be a woman president of this association.’”
One year later, at the suggestion of then LHSAA commissioner Frank Spruiell, Holloway ran for second vice-president (which virtually assures automatic succession to first vice president then president). No one ran against her. So, she was the first female to ever to hold each office, being the first LHSCA female president in 1986.
In 1992, she made history becoming the first female president of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. In 1998, she was elected to the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame and in 2012 was inducted into the NHSACA Hall of Fame.
In 2021 Holloway was honored by the NHSACA, becoming the first winner of an award named in her honor, the “Kathy Holloway Women of Inspiration Award” given annually to females promoting high school athletics.
Her road to prestigious positions and honors started at her home in her youth.
The oldest of three children of Jack and Edith Harrison Holloway, Kathy started shooting and dribbling a basketball as soon as she could walk, and from the start, her father, set the bar high.
“For him,” said Holloway, “everything we did, it was ‘do your best.’”
Young Kathy took that message to heart and has lived by it to the present day.
She enjoyed a stellar playing career at Poland High School, leading her team to the Class C state championship in 1965 and being named the most valuable offensive player of the tournament. She coached girls’ basketball at Tioga for 23 years (1969-92), mentoring four high school All-Americans, 13 all-state players, 5 LHSCA all-stars and achieving 10 playoff appearances, two Sweet 16 appearances and two state runner-up finishes. Fifteen of her players got college athletic scholarships.
One of the team managers during Holloway’s time as Tioga’s girls’ basketball coach is Dr. Joan Brunson, a family medicine physician who is the president of the medical staff at Rapides Regional.
“It doesn’t surprise me that she went on to accomplish the things she did,” Brunson said of Holloway.
“Kathy is a person that would never give up,” Brunson said. “She would think of ways to do things more efficiently. She was good at restoring confidence in her players when they were having a difficult time.”
The 78-year-old Holloway, who was a math major at LSU, wasn’t only skilled in basketball. In the same year she led Poland to the state title, she became the district president of the Future Homemakers Association of America, which, undoubtedly made her mother proud. Her mother, who lived to age 96, was a homemaker who made all the clothes for her children, cooked all the meals and did the gardening around the house.
“Mom would call me to supper,” Holloway recalled, “and I had to make 10 in a row before coming in. I don’t think I ever coached anybody that practiced shooting as much as I did.”
That includes four All-Americans: Jan Nugent (1969-72), Kay Ford (1972-75), Julie Wilkerson (1976-79) and Tara Curtis (1984-88). Ford and Wilkerson played for Louisiana Tech and Curtis played for LSU.
For the first nine years of the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball program, at least one player from Tioga was on the team, be it Marilyn Robinson, Ford or Wilkerson.
Wilkerson, an attorney, remembers Holloway’s innovation as a coach.
“She started a ‘jump’ layup,” said Wilkerson, “getting us to do a jump shot as our layup. She didn’t need to holler; she just looked at you with the kind of look that you knew you were not doing what you needed to be doing. And it was never about individual honors with her. She stressed team.”
Her son, Stewart Holloway, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Pineville, is supporting her as she is the director of his church’s “Upwards Basketball” K-6 program. It’s part of Upward Sports, founded in 1995, and the world’s largest Christian youth sports provider. It lists its mission as “promoting the discovery of Jesus through sports.”
Kathy is in her 15th year as the program director, and the participation has mushroomed from around 90 players to 300.
“Looking back, sometimes I think, ‘How did this happen?’” Holloway said. “I think of Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken. Itook the road to Tioga. God just takes care of you and opens doors. If I hadn’t been here, it wouldn’t have gone this way, I guess. I’m thankful for being available to do the things I love to do. I like people. I like getting everybody to work together.”
BOM Bank is proud to support the District Eight Baptist Convention Natchitoches Association and its mission of serving communities throughout West Central Louisiana. The District Eight Baptist Convention is a ministry of five cooperating associations—DeSoto, Natchitoches, North Sabine, Red River, and Sabine—working together to strengthen churches and communities across the region. As a 501(c)(3) organization, they provide valuable ministry opportunities and outreach efforts throughout the year. We are honored to support their upcoming Men and Boys Annual Fish Fry Banquet, an event that brings fellowship, faith, and community together.
Pictured left to right: BOM’s Trinity Hayes and Brother Jack Bell.
A Boyce woman who had reportedly been cited in DeSoto Parish for traveling 96 miles per hour in a 75 mph speed zone just two hours earlier was cited and arrested on traffic and drug charges during her return trip through a construction zone on Interstate 49 near Mile Marker 143 north of Natchitoches on June 9, according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.
A NPSO Patrol Deputy conducting stationary radar enforcement in the I-49 construction zone near Mile Marker 143 observed a 2021 Mazda 6 passenger car traveling southbound at a speed of 102 miles per hour in a posted 65 mph construction zone.
Deputies identified the driver as 18-year-old Angele G. Dauzart of Boyce, Louisiana. Two additional occupants, an adult female and a child, were also in the vehicle.
While speaking with Dauzart, deputies detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from inside the vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery and seizure of approximately 8 grams of suspected marijuana. Deputies also observed documentation indicating Dauzart had been issued a speeding citation in Allen Parish on June 5 for traveling more than 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.
Dauzart was placed under arrest without incident and transported to the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center where she was booked on the following charges: Speeding 102 mph in a 65 mph zone, Possession of CDS Schedule I Marijuana
The seized narcotics will be submitted to the crime laboratory for analysis. The adult passenger and child were transported by another deputy to a safe location. The vehicle was removed from the scene by a local towing service. Dauzart also has two other criminal arrests in January and March of 2026.
This remains an ongoing investigation. Deputy Sgt. B. Keyser made the arrest.
The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office reminds motorists that highway construction zones are among the most dangerous areas on Louisiana roadways. Workers, heavy equipment, changing traffic patterns, narrowed lanes, concrete barriers, and sudden traffic slowdowns significantly increase the risk of serious crashes.
Excessive speed in construction zones endangers roadway workers, motorists, passengers, and families traveling Louisiana highways. Deputies will continue conducting enforcement efforts in construction zones to promote safe travel and reduce preventable crashes.
Sheriff Wright encourages all motorists to drive responsibly and remember that a few minutes saved by speeding is never worth risking a life.
Louisiana motorists will no longer be required to display vehicle inspection stickers on personal, non-commercial vehicles beginning Jan. 1, 2027, under a new state law approved during the 2026 Regular Legislative Session.
House Bill 1085 was passed by the Louisiana Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry. The law eliminates the inspection sticker requirement for personal, non-commercial vehicles registered in Louisiana starting Jan. 1, 2027.
The law also creates a transition period beginning June 30, 2026. From June 30, 2026, through Jan. 1, 2027, law enforcement officers may not issue citations solely for failing to display or produce a certificate of inspection.
As a result, Louisiana State Police announced that it has immediately stopped enforcing inspection sticker violations.
Even though inspection sticker enforcement has ended, other traffic and vehicle laws remain in effect. Drivers are still responsible for ensuring their vehicles are safe and properly maintained, including working lights, brakes, tires and other required equipment.
Louisiana State Police said its focus during the transition period will be on educating motorists and helping the public understand how the new law affects them moving forward.
June 30, 2026: Officers can no longer issue citations solely for missing inspection stickers or certificates.
Jan. 1, 2027: Personal, non-commercial vehicles in Louisiana are no longer required to display inspection stickers.
If you drive a personal, non-commercial vehicle in Louisiana, you do not need to worry about receiving a ticket for an expired or missing inspection sticker during the transition period, and the sticker requirement will officially end on Jan. 1, 2027. However, your vehicle must still meet all other safety and equipment laws on Louisiana roadways.
Join Marvin as he talks about Mayor Ronnie Williams decision to select a City Employee over an elected Councilman at Large.
Brought to you by Lance Lopez with Farm Bureau, the Harrington Law Firm, the Sharpco Hotel Group, the Mariner’s Restaurant and Local Businessman Pat Johnson;
A senior citizen couple visited the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office and requested assistance in locating their disabled vehicle on Allen-Marthaville Road, a private road in the Marthaville area.
Deputies say the couple informed them that approximately two weeks ago, they were traveling from Zwolle to Natchitoches when their GPS navigation system directed them onto Allen-Marthaville Road, where their vehicle became stuck due to poor road conditions.
The couple advised deputies they contacted the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office for assistance on the day the vehicle became disabled. A deputy responded to the area, and due to the difficult terrain, the couple walked out to meet the deputy. The deputy then transported them safely to their residence in Natchitoches.
This afternoon, Deputy Joseph Brown researched previous CAD calls and, using information obtained during the investigation, was able to determine the likely location of the vehicle.
Deputies responded to the area and began walking the private road in an effort to locate the vehicle. After locating it, deputies determined road conditions were too poor for a wrecker to safely access the area.
Sgt. Collin Crow, Deputy Brittany Desadier, and Deputy Joseph Brown transported a Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office UTV to the scene to gain access to the remote location. They were joined by Mr. Casey Durr, a private citizen who leases property in the area and possessed valuable knowledge of the terrain and access routes.
Working together, deputies secured recovery straps to the vehicle and successfully removed it from the difficult terrain, allowing the vehicle to be returned to the grateful owners.
Sheriff Stuart Wright commended the deputies for their dedication and willingness to go the extra mile to assist citizens in need. Sheriff Wright also extended a sincere thank you to Mr. Casey Durr for volunteering his time, equipment knowledge, and local expertise to help make the recovery possible.
“This is a great example of neighbors helping neighbors and law enforcement working hand-in-hand with the community,” said Sheriff Wright. “We are thankful for Mr. Durr’s assistance and proud of our deputies for their commitment to serving others. Seeing the relief and appreciation from this couple after recovering their vehicle made the effort well worthwhile.”
The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office reminds motorists traveling in rural areas to use caution when relying on GPS navigation systems, as some routes may direct travelers onto private roads or unimproved roadways that may not be suitable for regular passenger vehicles.
Natchitoches Parish 4-H member Lilah Olivia Covher has been selected as a winner in the American Heroes Student Art Contest and will travel to Washington, D.C., this summer to have her artwork displayed at the Great American State Fair as part of America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Covher earned first place in the Upper Elementary Louisiana Student category with her painting, “Red, Flight and Flew,” a folk art tribute to American naturalist and artist John James Audubon.
“My painting includes twenty species of birds that are special to both Audubon and me and I can name them all,” Covher said.
The Freedom 250 American Heroes Student Art Contest selected one student from each age group category to represent all 56 states and territories. A panel of judges reviewed original artwork and essays submitted by students from across the country before selecting state winners.
As Louisiana’s first-place recipient in the elementary school division, Covher and a designated parent or legal guardian will receive a travel and lodging allowance to attend the Student Art Exhibition and Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C., July 7-9, 2026.
The event will be held during the Great American State Fair and will recognize state, regional and overall winners from across the nation as part of the country’s semiquincentennial celebration.
In a letter announcing the award, contest organizers congratulated Covher on being selected as Louisiana’s first-place winner and invited her to participate in the special recognition events in Washington.
The American Heroes Student Art Contest is sponsored by the Freedom 250 initiative and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Louisiana Folklife Center at Northwestern State University will present “A Life Spent Singing the Blues: A Music Informance with the Wayne ‘Blue’ Burns Band” on Saturday, June 20 at 2 p.m. at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum at 800 Front St. in Natchitoches. The event is free and open to the public.
Dr. Shane Rasmussen, professor of English and director of the Louisiana Folklife Center at Northwestern State, will interview the band about the cultural significance of blues music in Louisiana. Their discussion will include songs performed by the band which will also perform at the 46th annual Natchitoches-NSU Louisiana Folklife Festival, to be held July 18 in air-conditioned Prather Coliseum on the NSU campus.
Burns has been playing music all his life. He is a world-famous bassist, but the blues guitar is his thing. A native of Lafayette, Burns credits Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller as two of his favorite musical influences. He has performed with many artists but is most famous for nearly 20 years as bassist for Clifton Chenier, the King of Zydeco. He has also performed with Ernie K-Doe, The Larks, Betty Wright, Buckwheat and the Hitchhikers, Lil Buck Senegal, Jude Taylor, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas, Walter Junior, The RoadDoctor and a decade with C.J. Chenier, Clifton Chenier’s son. In his life-long career, Burns has performed in all 50 United States and around the world, including in South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and is one of the first African Americans to perform in East Berlin after the Wall came down. Burns’ proudest moment came in 1982 when he played bass on Clifton Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band’s Grammy-winning album, “I’m Here!”
The event is sponsored by the Louisiana Folklife Center and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest History Museum and is in partnership with the City of Natchitoches. Support for the Festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the State of Louisiana.
The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park and Cane River National Heritage Area will host an open house on June 18 for visitors to explore interactive exhibits, stories and artifacts. The open house will feature brief remarks introducing the renovated depot space, followed by a reservation-only behind-the-scenes tour of the park’s curation facility.
The Texas and Pacific Railway depot serves as the park’s visitor center with exhibits that explore history, personal stories and lived experiences connected to the depot and Oakland Plantation and Magnolia Plantation. Visitors may explore the exhibits through a self-guided experience.
“For decades, the Natchitoches community worked to preserve and rehabilitate the depot as a museum that tells the full story of its people,” said Interpretation Manager Barbara Justice. “Here, visitors encounter the history, resilience and defining moments that shaped the depot and surrounding community. As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of American independence, the depot stands as a reminder that the American story has always been shaped by ordinary people facing extraordinary moments.”
The museum collection provides a tangible connection to the people who lived and worked at Oakland Plantation and Magnolia Plantation. The people who shaped these historic sites made, used, modified or preserved each artifact, creating a meaningful link between past and present.
Access to the museum collection is available through the guided tour. Tour participants will have an opportunity to learn about the history and culture of the Cane River region by seeing artifacts and archives from the local area. Museum staff will also demonstrate how museum collections and archival materials are preserved. You can sign up for the tour of the park’s curation facility online at nps-curatorial-facility-tours.cheddarup.com.
The Depot is located at 1927 Remembrance Way in Natchitoches. The Curation Facility is adjacently located at 720 6th St.
Junior outfielder Maggie Massia earned first-team All-State honors for Natchitoches Central. (Journal photo by KEVIN SHANNAHAN)
Five from NCHS get All-State softball, baseball recognition
A 26-7 season, featuring an unbeaten District 1-5A run, earned four Natchitoches Central softball standouts All-State status from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Junior Maggie Massia was a first-team selection after being honorable mention two years ago. She batted .508 for the Lady Chiefs.
Seniors Ehren Guidroz (pitcher), the District 1-5A MVP, and Lila Robertson (utility/outfielder) and freshman infielder Sara Beth Terrell received honorable mention recognition when the LSWA issued its Class 5A All-State softball and baseball teams on Wednesday.
Chiefs junior Daygen Johnson was honorable mention on the All-State baseball roster. The Chiefs also had a strong season, reaching the playoffs with a young roster.
