Join Trini & Ashley LIVE this morning for the return of the Mystery Sound Cash Contest.  Your chance to win begins at 7 am on 94.9 The River.

LARGE JACKPOT – NEW SOUND

In order to play and win you’ll need the River Lines phone number: 318-581-4025. Save it to your speed dial for your chance to guess.

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Defend Against COVID-19

Stay home. Follow the Governor’s Stay at Home Order – Phase ONE. 

Defend Against COVID-19. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Recognize the symptoms. Cover your cough. Wash your hands. Stay home especially if you are sick.

Maintain a Social Distance of 6ft. Social distancing means keeping 6ft. of physical space between yourself and others. This helps to prevent the spread of illness.

The Natchitoches Police Department has arrested two individuals for a shooting that occurred in Carter’s Trailer Park Friday afternoon.

On May 29, 2020 around 2:58 p.m., officers with the Natchitoches Police Department responded to 1815 South Drive (Carter’s Trailer Park) in reference to a report of gunshots in the area. As officers arrived to Carter’s Trailer Park they were notified by witnesses that several individuals got into a verbal altercation. After the altercation Broderick Brown Jr. (B/M, 23 y.o.a. of Natchitoches) went inside of his residence to retrieve a firearm and fired several gunshots outside of his back door. Broderick Brown Jr. then handed the firearm to DeAndre Butler (B/M, 21 y.o.a. of Natchitoches) who fled the area prior to officers’ arrival. Officers were able to locate DeAndre Butler in the 600 block of Railroad Street with the firearm still in his possession.

The Natchitoches Police Department has arrested Broderick Brown Jr. for Aggravated Assault with a Firearm and DeAndre Butler for Obstruction of Justice.

If you would like to report suspicious activity or an emergency please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101 or if you have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact Detective Terry Johnson at (318) 357-3858. Remember all information given shall remain confidential.

Natchitoches Parish – On May 30, 2020, shortly after 2:30 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a fatal crash on Interstate 49 near mile marker 146. This crash claimed the life of an unrestrained passenger inside the vehicle, identified as 23-year-old Kadredra Carpenter of Natchitoches.

The preliminary investigation revealed a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by 22-year-old Eric Hudson of Natchitoches, was traveling south on Interstate 49. For reasons still under investigation, Hudson’s vehicle left the highway and entered a ditch. Hudson overcorrected his steering, which caused the Tahoe to rollover. During the rollover, Carpenter was ejected from the vehicle and sustained fatal injuries.

Hudson and three other passengers in the vehicle, who were all unrestrained, sustained moderate injuries in the crash and were taken to local hospitals. A toxicology sample was obtained and submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

Buckling up is the most effective way to protect yourself in a crash. Failure to take a few seconds to buckle up can have devastating consequences. Louisiana law requires every person in a vehicle, regardless of seating position, to be properly restrained day or night.

In 2020, Troop E has investigated 17 fatal crashes resulting in 19 deaths.

August 14, 1932 – May 29, 2020

Dorothy “Dot” Kelly Townsend Holladay was born on August 14, 1932 in the midst of the Great Depression. The great-granddaughter of the first Judge of Red River Parish; her birth paid for with a bale of cotton. Dot passed away in the midst of a pandemic on Friday, May 29, 2020 at The Glen Retirement Center in Shreveport, Louisiana; having lived 87 years to the fullest.

Dot was preceded in death by her father and mother, John K. Kelly and Imogene M. Kelly, and former husband, William L. Townsend, Jr.

She is survived by her loving husband of 38 years, Robert B. Holladay; daughter Kim Townsend Johnson (Pat); son, William L. Townsend III (Karen); son, T. Taylor Townsend (Gina E. Goings); step-daughter Sonja Holladay Todd (Tim); and brother, Donald G. Kelly (Pat).

Grandchildren: Sarah Kathryn Johnson Mason (Shane), Margaret Sterling Johnson Harris (Matt), Elizabeth Kelly Johnson Orenbaun (Sutton), Patrick Taylor Johnson (Haley), William Clayton Townsend, Anne Kendal Townsend Zeichner (Ben), Katherine Taylor Townsend and Austin Taylor Townsend, Caroline Elizabeth Todd Denton (Stephen), and Rebecca Kathleen Todd.

Great Grandchildren: Townsend Michael and Hayes Patrick Mason; Sterling Kathryn Roy, Tucker, Sawyer and McKinley Harris; Sutton “Mac” Orenbaun III; and Lillian Taylor and Clayton Patrick Johnson; nephew, Keenan K. Kelly (Jen) and niece, Melanie Kelly Bedgood (Mike Adkins).

Dot graduated from Coushatta High School in 1950 and attended Texas Women’s University, where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She graduated from Louisiana State University in 1954 becoming a forever Tiger fan.

She was a faithful parishioner and lector at The Minor Basilica of The Immaculate Conception Church. Her church was of utmost importance to her.

Dot was a longtime teacher at Coushatta High School. After moving to Natchitoches in 1979, Dot worked in recruiting at Northwestern State University. She was owner of The Village Ladies & Childrens Shop. Of her varied talents, her truest passion was teaching.

She was known to her students as “hard but fair.” Upon learning of her passing, a former student wrote:

“She was one of my favorite people in the world. She taught me so much more than civics. She pushed me to achieve things I never dreamed were possible. She saw past my childhood and told me to rise above it – to read, learn, and love above my abilities. I was the first and only of eight children to get a college degree and no one was more proud than your mom. Through tears of sadness I write to tell you that she saved my life. Always grateful, please know you had an incredible mom.”

Known affectionately as Dot or Granny, she never lost her love for learning and teaching. She and Robert travelled extensively – playing golf from Pebble Beach to Augusta to St. Andrews, fishing the flats of the Caribbean, and exploring historical sites worldwide. She was an avid bridge player and played in the St. Denis Duplicate Bridge, Precision Bridge, and Wednesday Team Bridge Clubs. She was a past President of the Natchitoches Chapter of AU, PEO.

Honored to serve as pallbearers will be Patrick Taylor Johnson, Austin Taylor Townsend, William Clayton Townsend, Shane Michael Mason, James Matthew Harris, Sutton Michael Orenbaun, Jr., Dr. Sidney Benjamin Zeichner, and Dr. Robert Cary Holladay.

Graveside services for Dorothy “Dot” Kelly Townsend Holladay were held Sunday, May 31, 2020 at Memory Lawn Cemetery with Father Craig Scott officiating. Interment followed at Memory Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Minor Basilica of The Immaculate Conception Church. Services under the direction of Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home. Social distancing will be observed.

Northwestern State University and the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce will host the June installment of the Virtual Business Series from noon-1 p.m. Thursday, June 11. The virtual Lunch and Learn is intended to help small business owners develop strategies to remain afloat during turbulent and uncertain times. The upcoming session will focus on the Payroll Protection Program, background, overview, loan calculations and requirements for forgiveness.

Featured speakers will be faculty from NSU’s School of Business, Dr. Melissa Aldredge, Dr. Vianka Miranda and Dr. Mark Swanstrom.

Registration is available at https://bit.ly/NSUVBS-June.

Aldredge holds a Doctor of Business Administration in advanced accounting and has over 25 years of teaching experience at the collegiate level. She currently serves as coordinator of Accounting for the College of Business and Technology at NSU. In 2019, she received the NSU Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching Award and was awarded the Poindexter Foundation Endowed Professorship in Accounting.

Aldredge is a Certified Public Accountant with prior “Big 8” public accounting experience and is an active member of the Louisiana Society of CPAs where she serves on the Accounting Education Issues Committee. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and consults part-time as a CPA. She and her husband Corwyn are also small business entrepreneurs owning three restaurants, a bar and a property company in Natchitoches.

Swanstrom, professor of finance and accreditation/assessment coordinator for his department, is the Kilpatrick Life Insurance Professor of Finance at NSU where he has taught finance since 2001. He is also a CFA charterholder and is licensed as an agent for PC and LH insurance.

Swanstrom’s research interests are in corporate governance and behavioral finance and he has published multiple articles in peer-reviewed journals. He is also a consultant for private industry, with expertise in corporate finance, corporate governance and compensation and mergers and acquisitions.

Miranda is a business professional and consultant with government sector and private industry experience encompassing administration, finance, data analysis, strategic planning and organizational development. She operated a business in the Greater New Orleans region during and after the 2005 Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil spill. Miranda has been a small business owner since 2004 and maintained operations before, during and after the disasters.

She is an assistant professor of finance at NSU, where she holds the Tommy Johnson Endowed Professorship in Business, Miranda holds a Doctorate of Business Administration in finance with special research interest in entrepreneurship and small business development and sustainability, a Master of Business Administration in finance, a post-baccalaureate certificate in applied business studies and a bachelor’s degree in financial economics. She is a licensed Louisiana real estate broker and Six Sigma Black Belt candidate.

The new monthly Lunch and Learn Virtual Business Series is intended to feature guest speakers and seminars aimed at assisting local businesses and the community in remaining strong and intact in a turbulent economic climate and the “new normal” to follow.

United Way of Northwest Louisiana (UWNWLA) has been awarded an $80,000 grant from Kansas City Southern to support the organization’s COVID-19 emergency response.

The funds from Kansas City Southern will be split across UWNWLA’s emergency response efforts. $20,000 will go to the United for NWLA Fund, which provides direct financial assistance to ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families currently struggling due to the pandemic. The remaining funds will underwrite United Way’s 211 Information and Resource Helpline, a program that connects callers to other nonprofit and governmental resources, such as food pantries, rental assistances, health and mental health care. The 211 Information and Resource Helpline also coordinates access to emergency and disaster resources during times of crisis.

“The response from our corporate partners and their support for our COVID-19 pandemic and emergency efforts have been overwhelming,” says Dr. Bruce Willson, Jr., president and CEO of United Way of Northwest Louisiana. “The grant from Kansas City Southern will allow us to not only provide emergency assistance to those in need due to the pandemic, but it will also help increase access to many other community resources through 211for all residents in Northwest Louisiana. We are incredibly thankful to Kansas City Southern for their support of this community during this difficult time.”

During the COVID-19 emergency, crisis calls into 211 call centers have more than doubled. Louisiana Association of United Ways, Louisiana Department of Health, and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness are all promoting 211 as the leading resource for up-to-date COVID-19 information and assistance.

“Kansas City Southern is proud to support the Northwest Louisiana area in its fight to stop the spread of the coronavirus and help provide relief from the economic consequences it has brought,” said KCS president and CEO Patrick J. Ottensmeyer.

The CMAP Cancer Screening Van will stop in Natchitoches Parish on June 9-10 to offer free cancer screens for eligible residents.

The van is a feature of The Rapides Foundation’s Cancer Screening Project, a program that helps residents get access to free medical screenings for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers. Early screening for these cancers have been shown to be cost-effective and promote longer, healthier lives.

The van is a mobile digital mammography unit that travels throughout Central Louisiana parishes twice a month. Patients receive free clinical breast exams, digital mammograms, cervical exams, Pap smears and colon cancer screening take-home tests. The van is a partnership between The Rapides Foundation, Cenla Medication Access Program and the Partners in Wellness Program at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center at LSU Health Shreveport.

These services are free of charge for Central Louisiana residents who do not have health insurance. The program follows American Cancer Society screening guidelines, which recommend how often men and women should get screened, and at what ages.

Appointments are required. To request an appointment for the Natchitoches Parish stop, please call Cancer Screening Specialist Kayla Edwards at 318-767-3027 or toll-free at 1-855-767-3027 by June 4.

The Natchitoches-Northwestern State University Folk Festival, a perennially popular event held each July at NSU since 1979, will not take place in its traditional format, according to Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the Louisiana Folklife Center.

“The Louisiana Folklife Center has been monitoring the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic very closely and has postponed making a decision about the 2020 festival in hopes that the situation would improve. However, it is with a great deal of sadness that unfortunately this year’s Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival will not be able to be held in a face-to-face format,” Rasmussen said. “The Louisiana Folklife Center is exploring options for virtual ways to celebrate Louisiana’s rich folk cultures this year. More information will be coming soon.”

Although plans for the festival remain uncertain, the 2020 Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival t-shirt will be available soon. The t-shirt was designed by Matt DeFord, coordinator of NSU’s Department of Fine and Graphic Art, with the theme “Vive la Louisiane!” The shirts will be available through the Louisiana Folklife Center website and the LFC Facebook page soon.

For more information, contact Rasmussen at (318) 357-4332.

Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Cane River Creole National Historical Park is increasing recreational access. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.

Beginning Monday, June 1, Cane River Creole National Historical Park will reopen access to:

The grounds of Oakland Plantation
The grounds of Magnolia Plantation
Self-guided tours (via cell phone tour and brochure)

With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:

All historic buildings, including interiors
All public restrooms

“The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Cane River Creole National Historical Park, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance, and will be regularly monitored,” said Park Superintendent, Carrie Mardorf. “We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.”

While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow health orders outlined in Louisiana’s Phase 1 reopening, https://gov.louisiana.gov/page/can-this-business-open, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding, and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.

The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The NPS will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19, and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website www.nps.gov/cari and social media channels. 

If you have driven past the Natchitoches Parish Library (NPL) lately, you probably noticed a new “shine” about the place. After years of patches on leaks, the NPL sought quotes for replacement of the flat roof in 2019 after determining it had reached its estimated end-of-life. During that process, several of the contractors noticed severe hail damage to the copper surrounding the building and suggested the library make an insurance claim for the damages. This damage meant that even with the flat roof fixed leaks would still be very likely. Although the library will have to pay for the expected flat roof maintenance replacement, the NPL will also be able to have the copper replaced at no extra cost using money from their insurance claim.

The NPL Board of Control voted to declare the old copper roofing surplus, meaning it was given to the parish, who will resell it as scrap metal. This money can then be put into the general fund or the highway department fund at the Parish Council’s vote.

Although the roof replacement is ongoing, and the NPL reopened to the public on May 26 with limited capacity, work is not expected to interfere with patrons’ access. Visitors are asked to enter from the Touline St. entrance to the parking lot for their convenience and to use the first-floor entrance only during this time.

The Northwestern State Athletic Department has outlined a plan to allow student-athletes to safely resume voluntary workouts June 8.

The NSU sports medicine and strength and conditioning staffs will work in collaboration with state government officials and the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center staff to adhere to state orders and recommendations regarding the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control also were included in developing the policy. The NCAA Division I Council recently passed legislation allowing voluntary workouts to resume nationally June 1.

“As is the case with any type of transition that reflects a change from the limitations that have been in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of all involved are foremost in the decision making process,” said NSU Director of Athletics Greg Burke.

“It was the stance of our university and athletic department a week ago, when the voluntary workout legislation was passed, that NSU was not going to rush into this phase just for the sake of starting on June 1. The statement was made that we had one chance to ‘get it right’ and at this point, there is a good level of comfort that we are in a good place with the approach that is being taken with the voluntary workouts.”

A group of NSU coaches, staff members and representatives from NRMC, the university’s sports medicine partner, formalized the department’s comprehensive plan that addresses health and safety in advance of workouts, scheduling daily sessions and parameters for student-athlete activity and off-campus mobility.

“Our administration and coaches have confidence in student-athletes understanding the value of safety, not just for themselves, but for their teammates, coaches and support staff,” said Burke.

Student-athletes will fill out an initial COVID-19 symptom and exposure form upon returning to campus for the first time and will be screened daily for COVID-19 symptoms upon entering the NSU Athletic Fieldhouse. Student-athletes and sports medicine staff will be required to wear face coverings. All student-athletes as well as members of the sports medicine and strength and conditioning staffs will be administered a COVID-19 screening test before being allowed to participate in workouts.

Protocols are in place for further evaluation for those who test positive to ensure participation is safe for them and those around them.

The 6-foot social distancing protocol will be followed while in the weight room, and student-athletes must provide their own water bottles and towels. Weights and racks will be disinfected before and after each set of workout reps. Groups will be limited to 10 student-athletes, and the NSU weight room has been designed to allow room for student-athletes to maintain social distancing at all times. Student-athletes will be required to wash their hands before entering the weight room and will do so after exiting as well.

All student-athletes, coaches and staff members will enter the fieldhouse, which houses the weight room, through the front door to control and monitor access to the building. Meeting rooms, team locker rooms and the nutrition center will be off limits in order to continue to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“First and foremost, the athletic department and coaches, along with our sports medicine staff and the NRMC staff, have done a great job building this plan that puts the student-athletes’ safety, health and well-being at the forefront,” football coach Brad Laird said. “We didn’t want to rush this thing back. Are we excited? Yes, we are. It’s one thing to Zoom, Webex, text or FaceTime, but there’s nothing like being able to see these guys and have them back in the city of Natchitoches. It’s an exciting time, not just for them, but for (director of strength and conditioning) Erik (Schwager), who’s been hired for a couple of months but hasn’t been able to work with them in person.”

Added Burke: “I have said all along that collaboration and communication have been and will continue to be imperative in navigating the unknown elements of COVID-19. NSU is blessed to have a dedicated and knowledgeable sports medicine staff which, with input from coaches, staff and professionals at our medical partner (NRMC), has developed a thorough plan which will serve as the foundation for the emerging return to campus by student-athletes.”

Approximately 30-40 student-athletes are expected to be among the first group to return to campus with that number expected to increase throughout June before growing to a more significant number in July ahead of August’s preseason workouts for football, volleyball and soccer.

“It just feels right walking in and being ready to roll,” said Schwager, who was hired in March and has been filming video workouts and sending them to NSU student-athletes. “I hope the kids are ready as I am.”

The NSU athletic department has created a task force that will tackle changes for the 2020-21 year in areas such as event and facility management, team travel and additional fields.

Photo: Shemar Bartholomew (3) and Bryce Rivers (7) run out ahead of November’s game against Stephen F. Austin at Turpin Stadium. Credit: Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

NATCHITOCHES:
Dorothy “Dot” Kelly Townsend Holladay
August 14, 1932 – May 29, 2020

Jimmye K. Holmes
January 25, 1942 – May 29, 2020
Visitation: Tuesday, June 2 from 5-8 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: Wednesday, June 3 at 1 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Interment: Beulah Methodist Cemetery in Marthaville

Willie L. Williams
May 30, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Johnnie Thompson
May 28, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Wesley Pikes Sr.
December 17, 1949 – May 17, 2020
Arrangements TBA

SABINE:
David “Bo” Wayne Knippers
April 3, 1967 – May 28, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Defend Against COVID-19

Stay home. Follow the Governor’s Stay at Home Order – Phase ONE. 

Defend Against COVID-19. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Recognize the symptoms. Cover your cough. Wash your hands. Stay home especially if you are sick.

Maintain a Social Distance of 6ft. Social distancing means keeping 6ft. of physical space between yourself and others. This helps to prevent the spread of illness.

Nursing homes are required to report positive COVID-19 cases to the Department of Health. The Department is working with each individual facility to increase testing of residents with and without symptoms; to minimize infection; and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The greatest risk for nursing homes is COVID-19 spreading within facilities and among vulnerable residents. A nursing home with residents who have tested positive for the illness is not a threat to the general public.

The Department is following recent CMS requirements and only certified adult care facilities are required to report the information in this report.

This information is as complete and accurate as possible. It will be reported weekly on Mondays. In addition, the Department is sharing aggregate totals for other adult residential facilities, which are not certified. This information will be shared on Mondays through a Department news release.   Local Chart below (05-25-20 amd 05-18-20)

 

For FULL Statewide reports, just click the link below.

A lot of the operating procedures have changed for the Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court’s Office to deal with the coronavirus and the state’s reopening guidelines under Phase 1. What what does it all mean and what does it actually look like for Clerk of Court David Stamey and his staff members?

The Natchitoches Parish Journal wanted to provide readers with a window into the world of the Clerk’s Office and how operations have adapted. The Courthouse as a whole is requiring citizens to wear masks upon entering the building. Temperatures are also being checked at the main entrance and upstairs before anyone enters the courtroom.

There’s now a waiting room set up in the hallway outside of the Clerk’s office, which has been doing death certificates, passports, birth certificates and marriage licenses throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. They’ll continue to limit the number of people in the office until the state enters Phase 2 or Phase 3.

But work continues and, sitting in his office with paperwork spread across his desk, Stamey said they’d already issued four marriage licenses and six birth certificates by 11:15 am, which is a lot for one day.

With many offices shut down during the stay-at-home order, one man drove to Natchitoches from Port Allen to get a copy of his birth certificate so he could accept a job and get his family on the work insurance. People have driven in from Rapides, Winn, Bienville and other parishes for marriage licenses. Stamey said he issued four in one day for people from Rapides Parish.

They’ve even issued around 5 passports for people planning to travel in July.

Another change the Clerk’s office has experienced is an increase in the amount of civil suits being filed because there weren’t as many while things were slowed down. But it’s been frantic at times. Stamey is currently back scanning to put more conveyances online so attorneys and oil and gas abstractors can do their work without coming to the courthouse.

Now throw in the fact that the election is coming up on July 11 with runoffs set for August 15. It’ll be a big election including the presidential preference, Natchitoches mayor, city councils members and city councilman at large. Stamey also has minute clerks that go to the 10th Judicial District Court with the judges and there’s four criminal deputies working at the same time.

Criminal, civil and conveyance filings fo through the Clerk’s office, which usually provides certified copies. Now these filings must be dropped off and the Clerk’s office is mailing out the certified copies, which has extended the process.

Stamey said banks, mortgage institutions and title companies have been flexible through all of it and it’s been much appreciated. Attorneys have also done a lot of fax filings, so it’s business as usual at the Clerk’s office. Only methods of operation have changed.

“It’s kind of crazy how all of this is happening at one time,” said Stamey. “People are still scared and as long as the number of cases continues to rise we’ll try to keep our distance and give them space when they come in. We’re all just trying really hard to work together.”

By Reba Phelps

“In a world full of hate be a light….” were the lyrics of the Christian song I was just listening to while preparing supper for my little family. The image shown above has been burned in my mind constantly since this happened. There is no light in this image. I cannot get over the lifeless look on George Floyd’s face and the effortless disregard for life on the other face.

I normally dedicate time to finishing my weekly “Blessed” article for the Natchitoches Parish Journal on Thursday evenings, but my heart was just not in it. I couldn’t even focus on its completion thinking about how our country is hurting and how we are not living in equality.

Being raised by a preacher who visited every African American church in Natchitoches Parish with kids in tow (me and my siblings) and welcomed the very same preachers at his own church in Goldonna…..this image literally brought me to my knees. My dad was not a popular preacher in Goldonna during the late 80’s and early 90’s due to this decision but he showed his children what the love of the Lord looks like and how we were born to worship with all of our brothers and sisters. Not just the ones who had the same color of skin that we did. My dad and mom didn’t see color and that’s the way they raised their children.

This picture originally struck me because it was in black and white….if you scrolled quickly by you would almost believe it was taken during the violent and brutal days of the Civil Rights movement. Oh how I wish this was an archaic image of the way America used to be. Oh how it hurts me that we are still having brutality like this in 2020. Will we still be having these conversations with our grandchildren?

When does it stop? Please pray for our country. Pray without ceasing. I stand with my friends. I kneel to beg God to save our country.

#georgefloyd #icantbreathe

Ecclesiastes 5:8
If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.

By Lynda Hammett

#WorldFosterDay

Sunday, May 31 is World Foster Day!

World Foster Day is a great way to spread awareness about foster care. I have loved writing these articles and sharing my story to help spread awareness.

Here are just a few feelings about foster care……

BLESSED – I am beyond blessed to be these sweet babies’ momma even though it is only for a short amount of time. Everyone tells me how much of a difference I made in their little lives but I’m truly the one who has changed. They have taught me the joy of smiles in the morning, rocking to sleep, and love that lights up their entire face when I walk through the door.

SAD – Yes I am sad because we have to even have foster care. Children do not asked to be born but they surely don’t deserve for parents not to step up. I’m sad that drugs have caused so many children to be put in foster care. I’m sad to see families torn a part. I’m sad when adults don’t make the correct choice for the kids. I’m sad how broken the system is.

JOYFUL – When I was the youth director at church I taught a lesson about the difference between happiness and joyfulness. Happiness is fading and changes based on what you want at the time. Joyfulness is lasting and comes from God. Foster care has reinforced this idea so much. There are happy times don’t get me wrong but happiness fades but I have always felt joy. I feel joy every time I look into their eyes, see pictures, or think about the different things we did or they accomplished.

Foster care is not for everyone. God called me to do this and I can only do it because He called me. But EVERYONE can help foster children.

Today is World Foster Day so do something for a foster family you know this week. I can tell you getting a simple note of “praying for you” always seemed to come when I needed those words and made a huge difference. Order a meal and drop it off at a foster family’s home. Make a donation to CASA or Unite Ministries – both are great organizations that help foster children. Or simply take a picture like mine and post it with #WorldFosterDay in the status.

I would not be the woman I am without being a foster mother and I can not thank my family, friends, my dance studio families, my church family, and even complete strangers enough for the love and support they have given to me and my babies.

Do something today or this week to bless a foster family or bring awareness to foster care!

The Louisiana Folklife Center and Northwestern State University have high hopes that this year’s Louisiana Studies Conference will be able to be held in person on its scheduled dates of Sept. 18-19. The conference committee is closely monitoring the ongoing pandemic and is aware that uncertainties related to the continued impact of COVID-19 might potentially necessitate altering plans for the 2020 Conference.

In the event that a face-to-face conference is not a viable option, the conference will shift to a virtual delivery format via WebEx. In a WebEx format the conference would be held on Sept. 19 and Sept. 26 with individually consecutive presentation sessions rather than the usual concurrent sessions. Presenters will be given notice via email by Aug. 18 confirming whether the conference will be a face-to-face or virtual event.

The committee is now accepting presentation proposals for the upcoming conference. The 2020 theme, “Losing Louisiana,” is dedicated to exploring the ways in which Louisiana’s cultures, environment, languages and peoples are facing threats to their survival on a variety of fronts. What dangers do these threats pose to people, culture, and the environment? What solutions might be implemented to counter these threats? How can Louisiana pull back from the brink of disaster? Presentation proposals on any aspect of this theme, as well as creative texts and performances by, about, and/or for Louisiana and Louisianans, are sought for this year’s conference.

“Although we are especially interested in proposals that deal with the theme of ‘Losing Louisiana,’ all papers, creative writing and short performances (dance, music, or theatric) that address any aspect of Louisiana studies are welcome,” said Dr. Shane Rasmussen, conference chair.

Proposals are being solicited for 15-minute presentations from scholars at all career stages as well as graduate students. Creative work (film, creative non-fiction, short fiction, and poetry) is welcome. Undergraduates are invited to submit, provided they are working with the guidance of a trained scholar. All undergraduate presenters under 18 years of age must be accompanied to the conference by a parent or legal guardian. Conference registration is free for all faculty, staff and students affiliated with Bossier Parish Community College, the Louisiana Scholars’ College, the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, and Northwestern State University, as well as State and National Park Service personnel situated in Natchitoches Parish.

Abstracts (300 words max.) for scholarly proposals, creative writing, films and short performances (dance, music or theatric) should be sent as e-mail attachments to Rasmussen at rasmussens@nsula.edu. Presentations should run no longer than 15 minutes. Applicants should briefly detail the audio / visual tools (laptop, projection screen, data projector, DVD player, etc.) or space (the stage in the Magale Recital Hall will be provided for short performances) each presentation will require, if any.

Applicants should also include a separate cover page with your name, affiliation, mailing and e-mail address and the title of your presentation. E-mails should be entitled Louisiana Studies Conference Submission. Each submission will receive an e-mail acknowledgement within one week of having received it. Those who do not receive an acknowledgment should resend their submission.

The deadline for submissions is July 1. Accepted presenters will be notified via e-mail by July 15, if not before.

The interdisciplinary conference will be accept proposals from the following disciplines: American studies, anthropology, architecture, archival studies, communications, craft, creative writing, criminal justice, cultural studies, cultural tourism, dance, design, education, English and literary studies, environmental studies, ethnic studies, fashion design, film studies, fine arts, folklore, gender studies, geography, heritage resources, history, interior design, journalism, linguistics, media studies, museum studies, musicology, music performance, philosophy, photography, political science, preservation studies, psychology, queer studies, religious studies, Romance languages, social work, sociology, theatre and vernacular architecture.

Read broadly, scholars could consider the following possibilities for presentation topics relating to the theme “Losing Louisiana.” Louisiana, its cultures, history, literature, peoples, places, etc. should be an intrinsic aspect of the proposed presentation. For example, “thematic motifs in Southern literature” in itself would not be an appropriate presentation topic proposal for the Louisiana Studies Conference, while “thematic motifs in 21st century Louisiana short fiction” or “thematic motifs in the contemporary legends of Evangeline Parish” would both be highly appropriate.

The following list of suggestions is not meant to be comprehensive: archaeology, architecture (including vernacular architecture), archives, borders. the brain drain crisis, built environments, cemeteries and graveyards, climate change, coastal erosion, conservation, COVID-19, crafts, cultural drift, dancehalls, disruptions, documentation, economies (including cultural economies), ethnicities, foodways and folkways – past, present, evolving; frontiers (cultural, geographic, musical, mythic, narrative, etc.), historical landmarks and sites, language loss, legacies, literatures, Louisianan identities, main streets, monuments, murals, Native American spaces, the Neutral Strip, pandemics (preparedness, responses, effects, etc.), preservation, quarantines, raising consciousness, religion and spirituality, solutions, state and national parks, traditions and unsustainability.

A selection of scholarly and creative work presented at the conference will be solicited for publication in the “Louisiana Folklife Journal,” a peer reviewed academic journal produced by the Louisiana Folklife Center and edited by Rasmussen. Additional information is available on the website for the Louisiana Folklife Center at Northwestern State University: https://louisianafolklife.nsula.edu/

Conference co-chairs are Dr. Lisa Abney, faculty facilitator for Academic Research and Community College Outreach and professor of English at NSU; Jason Church, materials conservator at the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training; Dr. Charles Pellegrin, professor of history and director of the Southern Studies Institute at NSU; Rasmussen, director of the Louisiana Folklife Center and professor of English at NSU, and Sharon Wolff, CA, assistant archivist at NSU’s Cammie G. Henry Research Center.

The conference is co-sponsored by the Louisiana Folklife Center, the Northwestern State University Department of Fine + Graphic Arts and the Northwestern State University College of Arts, Sciences, Graduate Studies and Research.

A short vehicle pursuit has led to the arrest of a Natchitoches man on felony drug charges that resulted in the seizure of suspected ecstasy and marijuana on Tuesday evening according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.

On Tuesday evening May 26 at approximately 11:30pm, Deputies assigned to the NPSO Special Task Impact Patrol Unit attempted to stop a 2002 GMC Yukon on La. Hwy 3175 (North Natchitoches Bypass) for a traffic violation.

The operator of the vehicle failed to stop leading deputies along the North Natchitoches Bypass on a short pursuit before losing control, leaving the road and coming to a rest in a ditch.

Deputies identified the operator of the vehicle as 26-year-old Richard J. Stampley III of Natchitoches.

Deputies arrested Stampley without incident.

Upon coming in contact with Stampley, deputies smelled a strong marijuana odor.

Stampley is on parole due to prior felony convictions in Natchitoches Parish.

During a search of the vehicle, deputies seized a bag containing suspected marijuana, a partially burned marijuana blunt and another package containing 109 suspected ecstasy tablets.

The seized narcotics have a potential street value of approximately $1100.00 dollars.

Several drug arrests recently have resulted in the seizure of suspected ecstasy according to Sheriff-elect Stuart Wright.

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a synthetic, psychoactive drug chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline.

Richard J. Stampley III, 26, of the 100 block of Mary Drive, Natchitoches was transported and booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center charged with Possession of CDS I Ecstasy with Intent to Distribute, Possession of CDS Schedule I Marijuana-2nd or Subsequent Offenses, Resisting an Officer by Flight, Reckless Operation of a Vehicle, Parole Violation and traffic offenses.

Deputies believe the seized narcotics was intended for distribution in the Natchitoches area.

Natchitoches Multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Force Agents assisted in the investigation following the arrest.

Stampley remains in the Natchitoches Detention Center.

The seized evidence will be submitted to the crime lab for narcotics analysis.

Sheriff Jones stated we are pleased to take some of these illegal narcotics off the streets and out of our communities before it may reach the hands of some of our young adults and potentially harm someone.”

District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington announced today the disposition of recent criminal case in the 10th Judicial District Court.

Jimmy Ray Thomas, Sr., 46, of Natchitoches, was sentenced by Judge Desiree Dyess to ten years of incarceration at hard labor with the Louisiana Department of Corrections.

Thomas had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated second degree battery. The guilty plea was the result of a May 2019 incident in which he was charged by Natchitoches City Police. The incident involved an altercation in which Thomas stabbed the victim several times, causing serious injuries to the victim. At the sentencing, the victim made a victim impact statement to the court.

The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney, Cloyd Benjamin, Jr.