The Natchitoches Parish School Board would like to congratulate Mr. Dale Skinner on his retirement as NPSB Superintendent. With more than 51 years of service, Mr. Skinner has dedicated his life to aiding students and being an inspirational leader in education. After acting as a longtime basketball coach and serving as Natchitoches Central High School’s principal, Mr. Skinner stepped into the role of Superintendent and has continued to be an integral part of our Parish for more than 6 years.

We can’t thank him enough for the hard work, commitment and dedication he has shown for our school district. His contributions to our community will always be valued and remembered.

Mr. Skinner will also be celebrating a birthday this weekend so if you see him around, be sure to wish him a happy birthday and congratulations.

By Edwin Crayton/Opinion

The racist still has one significant advantage over the black person. From a block away the racist can usually visually identify black skin. This gives him or her time to formulate an attack or get a shot off. The simple truth is, in America, skin color is a kind of currency. This strange currency system works something like this: the closer your skin color is to white, the higher the value it will be given in the society. However, the closer your skin color it is to black, the less value society will place upon you. History provides the evidence. In the 18th Century, politicians passed legislation that said blacks slaves were each to be considered 3/5 of a man. For much of the 19th and early 20th Centuries, comics and actors painted their faces grotesquely black and ridiculed blacks. This was so socially acceptable that the first movie with sound—1927’s The Jazz Singer— featured the star Al Jolson, singing to his “Mammy” while in blackface. Pick up practically any dictionary and look up the words “white” and “black” and you will generally discover that the word white is linked to positive values and black is linked to negative ones.

The tradition of devaluing blackness in America and in Western Culture has been handed down throughout the generations. When you devalue a people you can treat them brutally while feeling little or no guilt. That is why the nation could in earlier eras feel comfortable profiting from slavery, then Jim Crow racial segregation and today still profits from more subtle forms of racism. But please do not jump to the conclusion that this one of those articles meant to blame white people alone for racist attitudes towards black skin. No. This article is meant to blame all of us. I am including myself in that. We all are guilty on some level of at least sometimes, having a negative reaction to black skin. That is because we have all been programmed to do so. In fact, our negative relationship to black skin is so embedded into our hearts and minds, we do not often realize it until an event reveals it or it slips out. For instance, in 1954, a psychological experiment by Kenneth and Mamie Clark, African American psychologists, used white dolls and black dolls to show the effects of racial segregation on black children. They gave groups of black children a black doll and white doll and allowed them to play with them. Then they asked the children to choose which doll was more like them. The black children predominately identified with the white doll. When asked to identify with the black doll, some children even ran out of the room crying— disturbed by the notion of having to identify with the black one. Today perhaps the negative reaction to black skin is not so easy to spot. But it is there. Be honest. If you were to turn on your TV and 95% of the people in the shows and commercials were black, would you change the channel? And if you kept flipping and realized all the channels were all black, would you call the station? Point is, we expect white people to be the dominant image in America. All of us. Even those who consider themselves anti-racist. Over the past months, multicultural groups of young protesters have been staging protests against violence against African Americans at the hands of police officers. They may protest as a multiracial group, but chances are they will return to neighborhoods with very little or no racial integration. And what music do you think many of these young protestors probably listen to? Would you really be surprised to hear the N word in many of the hip hop or rap songs pulsing through the earphones of these young people? In fact, when you hear the word “Nigger” today, is it most likely coming from the mouth of a young black person?

Solving police brutality will take good ideas and reforms. Although I must say, I do not think it is a good idea to defund the police. It will hurt blacks in crime-infested, poor neighborhoods. Solving the nation’s problem with black skin requires more than programs. It will take honesty, sober reflection and self-examination from every one of us as much as it requires outrage at tragic viral videos. You do not have to put your knee on a black man’s neck until he dies to react in a racist way. You can practice it more subtly, by noticing a company competing for to get your business is black-owned and determining they are not ready, based on nothing more than “feelings”. Or perhaps, you might hear the words “my black friend” slip out of your mouth before you can retrieve them. What is a black friend? Or a white one? Why the modifier? Or a young black rapper can deposit a large paycheck in his bank account, ignoring the fact that the hit song that made that money demeans the black community and uses filthy language, including the N word—adding to stereotypes of blacks. Yes, black lives matter. But black skin still matters too, even though it should not. How do we arrive at a place where it does not matter at all? A few thousand years ago, in Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus graciously gave those around him a simple formula that should help: 1) Love God with all your heart, soul and mind. 2) Love your neighbor as you love yourself. He said on these two commandments, basically the whole Bible is based. When we surrender to Jesus, we will begin to love God. When we love God, he transforms our hearts and helps us become new creatures. His standard of morality becomes our own. When we are transformed in this way, we are then empowered with a Holy Spirit that allows us to love others in the way that we usually love ourselves. When we love others, we are then much less likely to put them in a deadly chokehold or to discriminate against them. The Scriptures place a great value on love. It even says, God is love (1 John 4:8). It also warns that we cannot say we love God, whom we have never seen, if we cannot love our neighbor, who we see every day (1 John 4:19-20).

At the start of this article I put forth a scene of a racist who hated someone the split second he could see the color of his skin. How do we stop this racist? In the classic TV Show “Leave it to Beaver” Beaver’s dad told him one way you can stop a bully is by not becoming like him. We can stop that racist by not becoming like him and by honestly examining our own negative attitudes towards black skin. And yes, that applies even if your skin, like mine is black.

“White people and black people have one thing in common. Neither of them like black people.”
–Comedian Chris Rock

“If you’re white, you’re alright. If you’re brown, you can stick around. But if you are black, get back!”
–20th Century childhood rhyme, once used by children in the black community

“Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
–Jesus Christ, Matthew 7:12

The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Natchitoches Parish Journal.  If you have an article or story of interest for publishing consideration by the NPJ, please send it to NPJNatLa@gmail.com.

Natchitoches Central High School will conduct the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 on Saturday, July 11, 2020. The ceremony will begin at 9:00 AM at Turpin Stadium on the Northwestern State University campus.

Guests will enter the stadium on the west (home) side of the stadium beginning at 8:00 AM. Graduates will enter on the east (visitor) side of the stadium at 9:00 AM.

All efforts to present the Class of 2020 with the prestige of former graduating classes from previous years have been made. The faculty and administration of NCHS are extremely proud of our graduates. This has been a very challenging year and much has been asked of our seniors as they continued the efforts they have exhibited throughout their four years of high school.

Due to Louisiana currently being in Phase II of the COVID-19 restrictions, Turpin Stadium will be limited to 50% capacity. Guests will be required to have a ticket to water the stadium. Each Senior will be issued nine tickets on Wednesday, July 8th. This will ensure compliance to Phase II requirements and ensure that we may continue as planned with the ceremony.

Graduates will need to report to the corridor of the visitor’s side of Turpin Stadium no later than 8:30 AM on the morning of graduation. Only graduates will be allowed on the visitor’s side of the stadium. Graduates will need to park by the tennis courts and walk up the hill to the visitor gate.

After the entire ceremony is complete, all guests and graduates should promptly exit the stadium. All are encouraged to practice social distancing and the wearing of a face mask is preferred. Families should maintain distance from other groups during the exiting of Turpin Stadium. Administration of NSU asks that all attendees leave campus after the conclusion of the graduation ceremony

The Natchitoches Parish Government’s Office of Community Services hosted its annual Senior Companion Recognition on June 19. This year’s recognition had a different feel to it, as the continuing spread of Covid-19 limited the ability of the Senior Companion volunteers to congregate in one place. The OCS staff was determined to recognize the valuable work of the volunteers, though, and so they organized the first ever drive-by Senior Companion Recognition.

“Normally a Senior Companion Recognition involves a full program and a sit-down lunch, however this wasn’t an option”, said Linda Jordan, Senior Companion Program Director. “We wanted to recognize our Seniors Companions for their diligent work over this past year and still keep everyone safe.” The Senior Companions paraded through the OCS parking lot as Ms. Jordan, OCS Executive Director Sharon Harris, Senior Corp Advisory Board Member Betty Smith, and OCS Secretary Natasha McHenry gave each Senior Companion a lunch, certificate, and thank you token.

The Senior Companion Program is comprised of volunteers aged 55 and over. These volunteers provide assistance and friendship to seniors who have difficulty with daily living tasks, such as shopping or paying bills. The program aims to keep seniors independent longer and provide respite to family caregivers.

If you would like to get involved and become a Senior Companion volunteer, please contact our Office of Community Services at 318.357.2220

The Third Annual Louisiana Young Professionals Conference is scheduled to take place July 6-9, 2020. 2020 will be the year of adaptation, innovation, and creativity. The conference has pivoted to a virtual format to accommodate for professional development during the pandemic. This event features a line-up of speakers that will provide insight on topics that all professionals need during the current climate through-out the week with daily, virtual sessions at 8 AM and 12 PM.

Another LYPC 2020 pivot is the difference in pricing. The price per session, including the keynote and a virtual networking event, is $10. A bundled registration option with all seven sessions and the keynote is available for $60. All sessions will be recorded. Registrants will have access to all sessions that they registered for, to re-watch and continue to learn from. 

Speaker Session Schedule:

Monday, July 6
Keynote, Brent Henley, The Pyramid Group – 8 AM -9:30AM: “The neXus Experience”: Modern networking is broken and is centered around rooms full of people who only want to see what they can “get” from you. “relationship selling” is failing, too.

Breakout Session 1 , Brent Henley, The Pyramid Group – 12 PM – 1:30 PM: “How to Make the YP Experience More Meaningful”

Tuesday, July 7
Breakout Session 2, Amy Thibodeaux, Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce – 8 AM -9:30AM: “Branding On A Budget”

Breakout Session 3, Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program Panel – 12 PM – 1:30 PM: “The Startup and Grow Process”

Wednesday, July 8
Breakout Session 4, Tori Thomas, United Way of Northwest Louisiana – 8 AM -9:30AM: “The Professional Benefits of Volunteering”

Breakout Session 5, Larkin Simpson – 12 PM – 1:30 PM: “We Make Good Stuff: Crafting a message of authenticity in times of uncertainty”

Thursday, July 9
Breakout Session 6, Kim Gallow, the KKG Foundation; Claire Prymus, the Ben D. Johnson Foundation; De’Andrea Sanders, The Coach De Foundation – 8 AM -9:30AM: “Passion Projects”

Breakout Session 7, Marie Centanni, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry – 12 PM – 1:30 PM: “Thinking of Running for Office? Here’s What You Need to Know”

SARASOTA, Florida – When collegiate softball shut down in early March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Northwestern State softball players assumed they wouldn’t pick up a bat until the following fall.

But two Lady Demons found a summer opportunity to continue the sport they love – even at a time when hardly any athletes are participating in live sports.

Fifth-year senior Emma Hawthorne and junior Jensen Howell have played in the Florida Gulf Coast League for more than two weeks.

“It’s really exciting just to put a uniform on,” said Hawthorne, who is chronicling her experience for The Longview (Texas) News Journal. “The seniors thought their career was done when they cancelled the season.

“I knew this league would be a great opportunity to play, and with our season cut short, I wanted to make up for lost playing time. This will definitely help us get ready for next year.”

Hawthorne is playing both catcher and third base, positions in which she has started more than 50 games each at NSU.

The position versatility is helpful, especially when Hawthorne is catching her NSU teammate pitcher Howell on Team Impact.

“Having Emma there as a catcher has made it a lot easier from the pitching side of things because she knows me as a person, and we’re comfortable together,” said Howell, who discovered the league on social media. “We push each other and hold each other to high standards.

“It was rough when we first got here in terms of conditioning and getting used to softball again, but after two weeks, we feel like we’re back to normal.”

A sense of normalcy is the pervading feeling around the seven-team league, whose players are all staying at the same hotel in Sarasota and will play until late July.

Hawthorne said temperatures are checked daily, fans social distance in the stands and players wear masks in public.

“The league is taking precautions, such as sanitizing the dugout after each game,” Hawthorne said. “I’m definitely thankful for this league because we’re playing when so many others aren’t.

“Playing against girls from all types of schools has definitely made me better, and it opens my eyes to other ways of playing the game.”

Hawthorne and Howell face players from Power Five schools like Florida, Oklahoma and Washington mixed with other Division I members as well as junior Division II, Division III, junior college and NAIA.

“No matter where other players come from, it’s a great chance to compete,” Howell said. “You want to prove that you belong just as much as anybody does.

“You make yourself better with each pitch and repetition you take.”

Unlike summer wood bat leagues for baseball, summer softball is just beginning to take off.

NSU coach Donald Pickett said gathering enough players in the same place has been an impediment to widespread summer softball leagues, but he sees these types of summer leagues becoming the norm in future seasons.

“With the shortened regular season, I’m glad they are getting the opportunity to play and improve themselves against great competition,” Pickett said. “It’ll definitely pay off for them and for us.

“It puts them ahead of the curve since most players will have a six-month layoff from competitive softball going into our fall workouts, so them being able to have access to practice facilities and live competition will be a huge advantage for them.”

While Hawthorne has experienced Division I softball for the past four years, Howell made 12 appearances in a shortened 2020 after missing the fall season and playing in the junior college ranks in 2019.

“This is especially helpful for someone in Jensen’s situation because she can continue to get back into game shape and carry a big load for us next year,” said Pickett of a pitcher who compiled an 8-3 mark before the season ended.

“I think summer leagues like this will only continue to grow, and it took off this year because so many kids were looking for opportunities to work out and play when regular access to gyms, facilities and resources weren’t available.”

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Law Enforcement Division (LDWF/LED) agents will take part in Operation Dry Water from July 3 to July 5.

During the Operation Dry Water weekend, LDWF agents will be on patrol with heightened awareness for impaired boat operators on the state’s waterways.

“We are always on the lookout for impaired boat operators, but this weekend it will be more of a focused effort,” said Major Rachel Zechenelly, the state’s boating law administrator. “We know this will be a busy weekend and we want people to have fun on the waterways. However, we please ask everybody on the water to wear a personal flotation device and have a sober operator.”

Alcohol can impair a boater’s judgment, balance, vision and reaction time. It can increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion. Sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion intensify the side effects of alcohol, drugs and some prescription medications.

Nationwide, alcohol is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating incidents with alcohol playing a role in 23 percent of all deaths on the water. Louisiana had 20 boating fatalities in 2019, with alcohol playing a role in three fatalities or 15 percent.

Impaired boaters caught this weekend can expect penalties to be severe. In Louisiana, a DWI on the water carries the same penalties and fines as on the road and includes jail time, fines and loss of driving and boating operator privileges.

Anyone cited for a DWI on the water or on the road will lose his or her driver’s license and boating privileges for the specified time ordered by the judge in the case. Also, each offense of operating a vehicle or vessel while intoxicated counts toward the total number of DWI crimes whether they happened on the water or road.

In Louisiana, a DWI can be issued to anyone operating a moving vessel or vehicle while impaired. First offense DWI carries a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

Operation Dry Water was started in 2009 and is a joint program involving the LDWF/LED, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the U.S. Coast Guard.

NATCHITOCHES:
Edward Pottain
January 5, 1971 – June 30, 2020
Arrangements TBA

SABINE:
William (Duce) Malmay
February 2, 1942 – July 1, 2020
Service: Monday, July 6 at 10 am at St. Joseph Cemetery

Jacqueline “Jackie” Jane Miller
September 19, 1934 – June 29, 2020
Service: Saturday, July 4 at 10 am at St John The Baptist Cemetery

WINN:
Louis Cole Hanner
June 17, 1992 – June 30, 2020
Service: Monday, July 6 at 12 pm in the chapel of Kinner & Stevens

Candy Sue Jones Fletcher
March 21, 1956 – July 01, 2020
Service: Friday, July 3 at 11 am at Starks Cemetery

RED RIVER:
Karen Lynn Glover
September 21, 1960 – June 29, 2020
Service: Monday, July 6 at 2:30 pm at First Baptist Church

Elbert Tracy Durr, Jr.
December 16, 1957 – June 30, 2020
Service: Friday, July 3 at 10 am at Social Springs Cemetery

The first day of Sheriff Victor Jones’ retirement was yesterday, July 1. Jones has 43 years of experience serving and protecting the residents of Natchitoches Parish.

When Jones announced his decision to not seek re-election, he stated, “It has been the most rewarding career I could have ever imagined. I am so thankful to my fellow deputies through the years and the current team in the Sheriff’s Office who work tirelessly to serve the citizens of our parish.”

Congratulations from the NPJ!

The buzz surrounding Mr. Stinky is still going strong. Following the magnificent bloom of Northwestern State University’s resident corpse flower, botanists, plant enthusiasts and the curious were still contacting biology faculty about the plant. Dr. Michael Scanlan’s timelapse video of Stinky’s flowering, which began June 19 and matured about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, June 26 was viewed and shared by thousands. By Tuesday, the giant purple bloom was gone.

Professor Millard Mangrum has continued to field requests for interviews and information about the plant, whose scientific name is amorphophallus titanium or titan arum. The rare giant tropical plant is native to Sumatra, Indonesia, and only flowers every eight or 10 years. As it blooms, titan arum gives off a powerful foul odor politely described by Mangrum as “decaying proteins,” hence the common name corpse plant. Mr. Stinky lived up to the species’ reputation during its full bloom early Saturday morning.

Mangrum estimated that more than 500 people viewed the plant Friday but couldn’t be sure of the number that came Saturday because so many returned throughout the day, often bringing friends.

Mangrum acquired the plant’s corm, similar to a bulb, in 2012. After years of being carefully nurtured by him and colleagues Corbin Covher and John Byrd, the plant affectionately known as Mr. Stinky grew to an astonishing 10-foot height with a large leafy canopy. This year, after dying back to the corm, Stinky developed a spike that indicated a bloom was imminent.

Mr. Stinky’s caregivers watched carefully as the spike grew 6-10 inches every day and expected the bloom late last week. Friday afternoon, it began unfurling its large single purple petal as a crowd gathered to witness the rare spectacle.

Mr. Stinky’s media exposure extended to the botany faculty at California State University-Stanislaus, where they are awaiting the imminent bloom of their own corpse plant. One professor emailed Mangrum to inquire about collecting pollen from Mr. Stinky’s bloom.

“Our arum is going to open in a day or two and we were hoping to pollinate it with non-self pollen,” wrote Dr. Stuart Wooley, professor or botany at Stan State. “We’d be willing to send you some seeds, if we can get some successful seed set. Your lily was the only one we could find that was even close to the right stage.”

On Tuesday, June 30, as Stinky was collapsing, Mangrum and Byrd attempted to collect some of the genetic material, without success.

“It’s too late and we can’t isolate any of the pollen,” Mangrum said.

As the flower dies down, a sprout will be exposed that may or may not grow immediately into a foliage stem, Mangrum explained. There is also a secondary sprout that appeared prior to Stinky’s bloom that faculty speculate might be grow into another bloom.

“The other sprout may form a flower. We have been offered pollen from Southern Cal if it is a flower. There may be some seeds, but you need pollen from another flower to do the job. If all goes according to plan the vegetative state will soon appear to replenish the corm with energy for it to continue. Thus the life of Arum,” Mangrum said.

Since the arrival of Covid-19, the school systems in Louisiana have been hard at work ensuring students and faculty stay safe and healthy. As we look ahead, it is our utmost priority to address unfinished learning from the 2019-2020 school season. The Louisiana Department of Education has enacted the Strong Start 2020 plan to create a foundation for continuous learning in 2020-2021.

In order to adhere to the requirements set in place by the state, we as a district, are working diligently to finalize a solid plan for what the upcoming school year will look like. If a traditional start is not advisable by the state, we will be proposing a hybrid schedule for the 2020-2021 school season. Because Phase 2 only allows for 50% capacity in classrooms, we have decided the safest solution would be to split the school population in half.

NPSB school officials are asking the community to offer input on the new hybrid schedule for the 2020-2021 school season. We are encouraging parents, teachers, faculty and community members to fill out the survey below in order to help us gain insight to what would be the best choice if Natchitoches Schools went to a modified schedule in August. The survey is not a final vote on plans for the next school year and will only be used as a gauge to see what parents and students would be most comfortable with.

We will be accepting responses for the next few weeks. We are committed to the safety and success of our students and appreciate the support and participation of all parents, students, teachers and staff.

Please take the Survey – NPSB needs your input!

2020-2021 Hybrid School Schedule Survey

 

How can you enjoy July 4th in Natchitoches and still maintain social distancing?

Kayaking\Stand Up Paddleboards – Bring your own or rent from Cane River Paddle & Pedal.

Riverboat Tours – Cane River Queen offering tours every 2 hours.

Picnic on the Riverbank – Enjoy a bite to eat from one of our restaurants or food vendors.

Carriage Rides – Cane River Carriage Company will be offering rides throughout the day.

Shop in one of our local owned retail stores.

Various restaurants will be offering outdoor dining options and live entertainment.

How can you enjoy the fireworks on July 4th?

From your personal vehicle parked along various streets either on the East or West side of the River to include Front Street and the Downtown side streets. Please note road closures listed below.
Socially distanced on the Riverbank.

**Fireworks will begin at approximately 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 4th overlooking Cane River Lake.***

In preparation for the fireworks show, the Church Street Bridge will close to all traffic, including pedestrians and motorists, at 8:30 p.m. In addition, Williams Avenue from Whitfield to Henry Avenue will also close at 8:30 p.m. The roadway and bridge will reopen after the fireworks show is completed and the fire marshal has given the all clear.

The City of Natchitoches encourages all attendees to practice social distancing and safe hand sanitizing practices.

This event is sponsored by the City of Natchitoches and the Historic District Development Commission. KTBS Channel 3 will be broadcasting live from the downtown riverbank beginning at 6:00 p.m. in conjunction with their annual Freedom Fest which will take place in multiple cities around the Ark-La-Tex this year.

For more information, please call the Natchitoches Main Street Office at (318) 357-3822.

June 30, 2020 — Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) will hold a virtual graduation ceremony broadcast via social media platforms at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 30.

School officials had hoped to be able to hold a traditional graduation ceremony; yet with Phase Two measures continuing due to COVID-19, the decision was made to have a virtual ceremony. “The large venues that we were looking at were not able to host it due to COVID-19 precautions, and we don’t want to delay it any longer,” explained William Tulak, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.

Tulak said the college will still include all of the traditional elements of the school’s graduation ceremony, including featuring a keynote address. Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is scheduled to deliver the commencement address.

“We will still have the traditional commencement remarks, and we will recognize the graduates individually announcing each graduate’s name,” Tulak said. “The only difference is we will be doing it virtually.”

As the graduates won’t be there to receive their diplomas, Tulak said they will be able to come by the campus office the following week to receive their diploma.

For more information, contact the school via email at info@cltcc.edu or call 800-278-9855.

After COVID-19 forced its postponement, the “Triple B Invitational” Golf Tournament supporting the Northwestern State football program has been rescheduled for Aug. 15.

The tournament begins at 12 p.m. with a shotgun start at Northwestern Hills Golf Course. Registration begins at 11 a.m. four each four-person team. COVID-19 safeguards will be in place and participants are encouraged to wear a mask and practice social distancing until they begin playing the course.

The rescheduled event now will coincide with the Demons’ first scheduled scrimmage of fall camp, which is set for earlier that morning. There also will be a cookout that will allow NSU football players to meet donors who gave to the “ALL IN” fundraiser, which lent financial assistance to NSU for its summer school program.

Sponsorships and spots remain open for the tournament at five levels: Hall of Fame ($1,000), All-American ($450), All-Conference ($400), Scholarship Player ($125) and Walk-On ($100). All fees include free food and drinks and there will be awards presented afterward. For more information about the golf tournament please visit www.nsudemons.com/tripleb.

The tournament will be coupled with an online silent auction that will include trips and autographed memorabilia from Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes among its offerings. To participate in the silent auction, go to ww.nsudemons.com/footballauction. For those who do not want to participate in the auction but would like to assist the Demon program, donations also will be accepted through the web site as well. All proceeds from the tournament and the auction directly benefit the Northwestern State football program.

Photo: Head coach Brad Laird smiles during the third practice of spring football in February. Credit: Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

NATCHITOCHES:
Gene R. Jones
July 1, 2020
Arrangements TBA

SABINE:
Jacqueline “Jackie” Jane Miller
September 19, 1934 – June 29, 2020
Service: Saturday, July 4 at 10 am at St John The Baptist Cemetery

RED RIVER:
Murell C. Brown
December 15, 1937 – June 26, 2020
Service: Thursday, July 2 at 10:30 am at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home in Coushatta

Seven hundred and sixty-one students were named to the Spring 2020 President’s List at Northwestern State University. Students on the list earned a grade point average of 4.0. For questions about the honor lists, contact the University Registrar at (318) 357-6171, toll-free at (800) 807-8849.

Those named to the President’s List listed by hometown are as follows.

Alexandria — Brianchelle Batiste, Zoe Barton, Lili Bedoya, Kayla Busby, Kourtney Busby, Erik Carver, Katelynn Chenevert, Leslie Ford, Jasmine Johnson, Martavius King, Kayla Laborde, Kasey Lacombe, Fredrecka Lewis, Daniella Lowry, Bailey Mahfouz, DeShonta Manning, Madalyn Mayer, Madeline Mitchell, Joshua Moore, Mya Moton, Madison Ogorek, Jennifer Prevot, Faith Stevenson, Hailey Urena;

Ashland – Victoria Roderick;

Bossier City – Christian Baker, Jayde Barnett, Makenzie Chaffin, Kendall Corkern, Catherine Dean, Hannah Gates, Javin Hatter, Savanna Head, Nicholas Hopkins, Michaela Jenkins, Shytrinity Jett, Mary Jones, Chelsea Laverdiere, Rebecca Markle, Arielle Martignetti, Autumn Parish, Jami Rivers, Jalyn Robertson, Madeline Saucedo, Bonnie Singletary, Hope Spaw, Tori Spraggins, Karissa Thacker, Kortney Toellner, Giselle Trejo, Sarah Varnado, Kaitlyn Walker, Mia Ware, DeAnndrea White, Courtney Wilson, Eric Zheng;

Boyce – Dylan Frazier, Martha Hopewell, Paige Mcfarland, Jodie Martin, Hannah Miller, Kionna Mitchell, Miranda Perry, Madison Smith;

Campti – Alyssa Breaud, Morgan Etheredge;

Cheneyville – Kenneshia Roy;

Converse – Nicolas Farmer;

Coushatta – Kaylee Antilley, Elizabeth Cummins, Mary James, Erikka Johnson, Sidney Jones, Carmie Williams, Charli Williams;

Florien – Kaitlyn Foshee, Terry Foshee, Jacob Oxley, Abby Parker, Noah Parker, Dylan Roberts, Nicholas Slaydon, Presley Stewart;

Forest Hill — Maritza Srisawang;

Fort Polk — Courtney Armstead, Jenna Caswell, Elizabeth Flores, Stephanie Garcia, Nerishlyan Gotay Ramos, Amy Killough, LeAnne Kimray, Hillary Kitchen, Blaise Nkengafac, Julia Ward, TeKweena Wilson, Christian Wood;

Glenmora — Leslie Crawford, Melissa Lanier, Savannah Thompson, Renee Wells;

Goldonna — Harley Godwin;

Leesville — Dakota Abrams, Gracyn Bruno, Connor Donaldson, Julie Dowden-McShan, Samantha LaMonte, Ashley McKellar, Kylie McAllister, Kelsea Mckinney, Winter Pitts, Cindy Preciado, Chloe Rouleau, Chauncey Rupf, Joan Sporer, Alicia Stanford, Jailea Weaver, Kristin Whistine,

Lena — Justin Williams;

Many — Rachel Bensinger, Jocelyn Cannon, Tyler Colston, Skyler Ezernack, Alison Garcia, Scott Gowen, Haydn Knight, Alexander Martinez, Lathan Meyers, Toni Mitcham, Xavier Montgomery, Carly Settle, Amanda Simmons;

Marthaville — Emeri Manasco, Bridgette Phelps, Morgan Sparks;

Natchez — Keator Poleman;

Natchitoches – Sharlexus Addison, Kara Arrington, Sarah Aviles, Brock Barrios, Christopher Barron, Lauren Bartels, Shamari Benning, Remy Bergeron, Megan Berry, Lindsay Brumley, James Burrell, Jazzare Burrell, Maria Carmona-Ruiz, Trevor Chalker, Cody Coleman, Leanna Coy, Chase Crane, Elliot Davis, Heather Day, Daniela Forero Salcedo, Abbie Gandy, Abby Guillory, Kali Hall, Cody Hambly, Kaitlin Hatten, Karrington Johnson,Anne Keran, Kristi Lee, Carlomagno Leon Jimenez, Malachi Lester, Ivan Lorduy Camargo, LiZhang Matuschka, Rylie Mcfarlain, Nestor Mercado-Garcia, Jordan Mitchell, Brooklyn Noe, Kevin Nutt, Meya Nutt, Griffianna Paige, Marc Paz, Abigail Poe, Jonah Poe, Brandy Poole, Shalondria Rainey, Melissa Remo, Dante Samuel, Madison Shade, Kristin Smith, James Stanfield, Ashlynn Stewart, Veronica Sturman, Madeline Taylor, Hannah Thomas, William Torrent, Maeli Usleton, Christopher Vienne, Lauren Vienne, Alex Wade, Raegan Washington, Kennedy Webb, Mary Whitehead, Nicholas Wiggins;

Pineville — Taylor Bailey, Riley Bell, Heather Bergeron, Carl Berlin, Tasha Blanchard, Deja Chatman, Emily Dawson, Sara Dorsey, Amber Edmisson, Erin Fallis, Elizabeth Hughes, Joseph Kendrick, Laura Lachney, Carlee Lake, Brooke Leger, Emily Litton, Michael Martin, Emily McCarty, Jennifer Morrow, Alysa Pearson, Kylie Ryland, Isabella Sisneroz, Gretchen Speir, Zakieya Staten, Erika Thornton, Morgan VanBuren, Sarah-Elizabeth Wilkes, Wesley Williams;

Provencal — Madison Grace, Dylan Jennings, Amber Miley;

Ringgold — Alora Bryant, Aileecia Tipton;

Robeline – Jessica Clark, Hunter Dubois, Alyssa Maley, Jorgia Nevers, Laura Olguin, Megan Palmer, Rebecca Vincent, Jeffrey Watley, Caleb Wester;

Saline — Mackenzie Jackson, Alexandra Taylor;

Shreveport — Caroline Alford, Hannah Angell, Jordin Barnett, Brooke Baucom, Maddison Benge, Hallie Bloxom, Paige Brooks, Dekameron Campbell, Allen Chen, Janie Cochran, Allison Darty, Abigail Davis, Taylor Dixon, Megan Downey, Chloe Farrar, David Fitzwater, Malachi Fitzwater, Kathleen Gahit, Kayla Graham, Madison Harper, Jett Hayes, Cynthia Henley, Madyson Istre, Korynthia Johnson, Nickolas Juneau, Alicia King, Kaitlyn Knighton, Lindsay Laprarie, Sarah Lord Holoubek, Claire McMillan, Maxey McSwain, Emily Mayfield, Frederick Morris,\Mary Murray, Amy Nguyen, Tierra Perry, Cristina Peterson, Elizabeth Peterson, Haley Pickett, Kira Presley, Grayson Roberts, Jessica Rowell, Tunisia Russell, Mary Sibley, Kendall Sneed, Madeline Stephenson, Lindsey Stroud, Lindsey Sullivan, Jordan Taylor, Lakayla Whitaker, Morgan White;

Winnfield – Harli Austin, Haley Chandler, Landon Creel, Joshua Goins, Kara Grantadams, Rebecca McNeill, Maggie Womack, Alecia Zimmerman;

Zwolle — Julia Malmay, Shakelia Maxie, Courtney McDaniel, Holden Rivers, Rylea Sepulvado, Mckenzie Steele.

By Brad Dison

On a warm day in July, John Adams lay in his bed at his home in Quincy, Massachusetts. The aged former president had been unable to leave his bed for several days. The unmistakable sound of cannons firing in the distance got his attention. It was a sound he remembered all too well. His thoughts raced back to the events of the American Revolution. Following the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770, it was he, then a 34-year-old Boston attorney, who successfully defended the British troops against charges of murder. None of the other local attorneys would take on the case for fear of reprisals. In the trial, Adams proved that an angry mob had provoked and attacked the British soldiers. The soldiers had acted in self-defense.

Although Adams had defended the British troops in the Boston Massacre trial, he spoke out and fought constantly against what he, and many others, considered unfair taxation and unjust attacks by the British Parliament. As a member of the First and Second Continental Congresses, he argued aggressively against Parliament’s ultimate control over the colonies. He was one of the first people in Congress to argue for total separation from Great Britain.

Adams’s thoughts raced back to his old friend, Thomas Jefferson. While Adams argued for total separation in Congress, Jefferson watched, absorbed everything, but said nothing. Adams had never heard Jefferson speak more than a word or two in Congress, and that was usually a simple aye or nay during a vote. Adams and Jefferson developed a friendship over the issue of independence. Before the Congress declared independence, Adams formed a committee to draft a formal Declaration of Independence. Reluctant at first, Jefferson completed a draft of the Declaration which the committee edited into the document’s final form. On July 2, 1776, Congress approved the Declaration. Adams predicted the second day of July would be celebrated annually throughout the country. Congress approved the Declaration on July 2, but officially declared independence two days later, which is why we celebrate independence on the fourth of July and not the second of July.

The war raged on until October 19, 1781, when the British General, Lord Cornwallis, surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia. America had won its independence. Adams, Jefferson, and the other founding fathers spent the next eight years developing America’s system of government. Adams and Jefferson had spent years as envoys in separate countries trying to garner support against the British, and, once the war was over, as ambassadors of the new country.

Adams and Jefferson wrote letters to each other frequently and spoke highly of their friendship in letters to others. In a letter to James Madison, Jefferson wrote that Adams “is so amiable, that I pronounce you will love him if ever you become acquainted with him.” Adams expressed his affection for Jefferson in a letter to him in which he wrote “intimate correspondence with you…is one of the most agreeable events in my life.” Their friendship grew stronger when Jefferson arrived in England on diplomatic business. Adams was currently serving as an ambassador to Great Britain. Adams and Jefferson toured several English gardens and visited William Shakespeare’s home. Adams recorded in his notes that they chipped off a piece of Shakespeare’s chair “according to the custom.”

In 1789, the presidential electors cast their votes for the first President of the United States. The candidate who received the most votes became president and the candidate who received the second most votes became vice-president, a system that seems foreign to us today. George Washington won by a landslide followed by Adams. George Washington served two terms as president with Adams as his vice-president. All the while, Adams and Jefferson remained friends.

George Washington’s announcement that he would not accept a third term as president created a power struggle in Congress. The members of Congress broke off into factions, the Federalists and the Republicans. The Federalists chose Adams as their candidate and the Republicans chose Jefferson. Adams, who had argued and played a large part in convincing the Congress to vote for independence, and Jefferson, who had drafted the Declaration of Independence, were on opposite sides. When the electors tallied the votes, Adams won the election by just three votes. Adams became president and Jefferson became vice-president, the only time in American history where the president and vice-president were from opposing political parties.

Adams and Jefferson were often at odds over policy but remained friends. Adams served just one term as president. He lost his reelection bid to his old friend, Jefferson. Before he left office, Adams made several last-minute political appointments who were Jefferson’s political rivals. Due to the appointments, Adams and Jefferson stopped corresponding altogether.

Jefferson served two terms as president and retired to his home, Monticello, in 1809. For eight years, the old friends had had no direction communication. They only heard about each other through friends. In 1811, Jefferson learned through mutual friends that Adams had said, “I always loved Jefferson, and still love him.” With this simple statement, Adams and Jefferson renewed their friendship with another series of letters which continued for the rest of their lives.

Upon hearing the cannons firing again, Adams was jolted back to the events of the moment. He inquired as to the reason for the firing cannons. Someone at his bedside answered that they were firing cannons in celebration of independence from Great Britain. It was the fourth of July. “It is a great and glorious day,” Adams replied. Newspapers reported that “he never spake more.” At around 6:00 p.m., John Adams passed away. Some historians have claimed that when Adams realized that death would soon take him, he uttered the phrase, “Jefferson survives.” Unbeknownst to Adams, Jefferson had died five hours earlier. John Adams, the man who convinced Congress to declare independence, and Thomas Jefferson, the man who drafted the Declaration of Independence, both died on the same day, July 4, 1826, … the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Sources:
John Adams, “Notes on a Tour of English Country Seats, &c., with Thomas Jefferson,” April 4-10, 1786, in L.H. Butterfield et al., eds., Diary and Autobiography of John Adams (Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1961), 3:185.
Jefferson to Madison, January 30, 1787, in PTJ, 11:96.
Adams to Jefferson, March 1, 1787, in PTJ, 11:190.
Jefferson to Rush, December 5, 1811, in PTJ:RS, 4:313, 4:314n.
The National Gazette (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), July 10, 1826, p.2.

 

The Cane River Commissary has turned into Natchitoches Parish’s hidden gem. Opening in September of 2017, The Commissary quickly earned a spot in the hearts of people of Central Louisiana and its visitors. The building has a long, rich history that precedes owners Ricky and Sylvia LaCour deciding to open a restaurant nearly three years ago. According to the National Park Service, The Commissary was first a school. Natchitoches natives may remember that it was later reopened as a store by the Lambre family who owned the cotton gin next door.

When you visit The Commissary for the first time you’ll notice the buzz of friendly conversation echoing off of its historic walls, the neon signs lighting up the bar, and some of the friendliest smiles welcoming you in. If these things don’t hook you, the menu definitely will. The Commissary offers a mix of family recipes and innovative specials all thrown in with classics like jambalaya and poboys. So maybe you’re a light eater? Don’t worry. They have a variety of specialty beverages endearingly named the Rickarita, the Cane River Iced Tea and the Rougaroo amongst others.

Like many other mom and pop restaurants across the state right now, The Commissary is learning how to operate according to the new normal. They are striving to provide the experience their customers have grown accustomed to while keeping their staff and patrons safe. All employees are wearing masks, they are using disposable menus to stop the spread of germs from customer to customer, available tables are staggered to enforce social distancing, additional outdoor dining tables are available, all tables are thoroughly sanitized after each party leaves, delivery through the EZ Street app is being offered and much more.

But until the dust settles, one of their fan favorites is on hold. The restaurant welcomed customers to breakfast, live music and dancing at The Commissary’s Zydeco Breakfast before the pandemic. Patrons could enjoy bottomless mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, a fresh meal and cut a rug the first Saturday of every month. In the meantime, The Commissary is taking care to maintain other traditions. Sundays are for specials like catfish Atchafalaya and chicken fried steak. Tuesdays are for tacos, Wednesdays for wine, and everyday there is happy hour from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

The next time you and your family want a taste of something special, take the short trip outside of the city limits to The Commissary. You won’t regret it.

To keep up with their latest, be sure to add The Cane River Commissary on Facebook and Instagram or visit their website at https://www.canerivercommissary.com/.

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