Prospective student-athletes aren’t the only ones who like to announce their collegiate affiliation via the popular National Signing Day.

Northwestern State athletics recreated the signing day feel as they welcomed corporate partners to “sign” their sponsorship agreements in public and mingle with other corporate partners at an event this past July, earning the department the gold medal in the “sponsorship activation” category in the 2020 National Association for Collegiate Marketing Administrators “Best Of” virtual annual awards show Wednesday.

NSU also brought home a bronze medal in the single event sales campaign category for its promotional plan for the NSU-LSU baseball game that generated the second-largest crowd in Brown-Stroud Field history.

“To receive this level of recognition from NACMA is a tremendous honor – one that has not been achieved until now – for Northwestern State University and its athletic program,” said NSU Director of Athletics Greg Burke. “I am proud beyond words of our hard-working external staff which invests an incredible number of hours and expends an immeasurable level of energy to make a difference for our student-athletes, coaches and fans day in and day out.

“They’ve raised the bar and it’s going to be fun working with them to achieve even greater heights in the future.”

The signing day event was successful in many ways, including producing the department’s most engaging social media content of the year. A Facebook post included a photo album of the event, reaching 8,500 viewers and 840 different engagements with sponsors linking their own photos to the post.

The twist on National Signing Day was lauded by the national newsletter College AD’s “The Nightcap” that college athletic directors and administrators receive.

The event not only recognized current sponsors in a public way but induced four new sponsorship agreements.

“To be recognized by our peers at the national level is a tremendous honor,” said Dr. Haley Taitano, associate athletics director for external affairs. “I’ve always known that we are blessed to have a diversely qualified staff, but for our fellow athletic administrative professionals to see and recognize our hard work, creativity, ingenuity and teamwork speaks volumes about the passion and commitment we as an external staff have to each other, to our student-athletes, to our fans and to NSU.

“I am very proud of our team for a) putting forth these nominations and placing NSU in the spotlight and b) executing events that others observe and want to emulate.”

What the Northwestern State baseball team did to beat LSU in the 2019 regular season, the NSU administration matched to produce one of the most lively atmospheres ever seen at Brown-Stroud Field.

The administration capitalized on one of NSU baseball’s most successful postseasons the previous year (an NCAA Tournament Appearance in which the Demons beat San Diego State and nearly knocked off LSU) by creatively generating space for the second-largest crowd to see an NSU home baseball game.

Brown-Stroud Field has 651 seats, but fans streamed into portable seating sourced from local high schools, makeshift VIP areas, lawn seating and a temporary student section along the left-field line to draw 3,240 fans.

The intimate venue successfully housed a crowd more than five times its actual capacity not just because of additional seating but with the help of barbecue and pizza food trucks, extra concession areas and beer dispensaries.

The LSU game brought in more than $36,000 in ticket sales – the next highest NSU home contest brought in a little more than $1,000. The Demons showcased a stadium that underwent a $500,000 renovation that included new VIP seating and a new press box.

NSU featured a tiered ticket sales strategy, starting with tickets being sold first to season ticket holders. That resulted in more than doubling season ticket sales from the previous campaign.

The sizable attendance figure was drawn despite the original playing date being rained out. The game was played a month later.

NSU was one of only two Southland Conference members to be recognized with an award.

CREDIT: Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

Launching Cares A Lott initiative, Lott Oil partners with 13 regional hospitals and testing sites to provide gasoline and Chevron fuel gift cards to healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic.

Since its founding in 1965, Lott Oil Company, Inc., has been dedicated to giving back to the Louisiana community, home to its corporate headquarters in Natchitoches, LA. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company was inspired by the “Feeding Our Heroes” initiative, driven by community volunteers in Natchitoches, to support medical personnel who are helping family members, friends, co-workers and customers on a daily basis. This inspiration helped launch the Cares A Lott initiative which led to Lott Oil partnering with hospitals and testing centers in various communities across Louisiana.

The current Cares A Lott mission centers around providing essential goods to local healthcare heroes who are ensuring local communities are cared for during these tough times. By providing goods like gasoline and fuel gift cards, co-sponsored by Chevron, Lott Oil hopes to provide a stress reliever to the doctors, nurses and hospital workers who are caring for COVID-19 patients. “Lott Oil relies on and appreciates the support we get from our local communities, and anytime we get the opportunity to return the favor, we try to do just that. We thank our healthcare heroes for keeping us safe during these trying times and are grateful to Chevron for helping us with our most recent Cares A Lott initiative,” said Lott Oil owner, Buddy Lott.

The first events under the Cares A Lott initiative launched in April at 13 hospitals and testing centers in various cities throughout Louisiana, including Alexandria, Natchitoches, Shreveport and Coushatta and thus far have resulted in over 22,000 gallons of gasoline and $7,500 of Chevron fuel gift cards donated to healthcare heroes.

“We have experienced many wonderful expressions of support from community organizations during this pandemic, and Lott Oil‘s offer of a free tank of gas for employees was among the most popular,” said Jaf Fielder, Chief Operating Officer of Willis-Knighton Shreveport-Bossier. “The Cares A Lott initiative recognized the work of the entire Willis-Knighton family of employees who are dedicated to providing quality healthcare for our community, and coming during National Hospital Week made it even more special. We appreciate Lott Oil and everyone who came out to make this special for our employees.”

Cares A Lott will continue throughout June in other areas of Louisiana, including Many and Mansfield.

The parents of the class of the 2020 graduating class at Natchitoches Central High School will hold a caravan in celebration of the seniors on Friday, June 5 at Parc Natchitoches at 6 pm. Family and friends are asked to begin arriving at the park between 5:15-5:30 pm so they can be parked before the seniors arrive. Graduates are asked to arrive at the park no later than 5:45 pm as the caravan will begin at 6 pm sharp. Everyone is also asked to stay in the designated areas only as the parking lots are the only part of the parking lot being utilized for this event. Please keep all trash in vehicles so the park stays clean. Please bring chairs to sit in and cheer the graduates on. Small gifts may also be brought to give to the graduates as they pass, but please nothing too big that would hold up the flow of the caravan. Please be respectful of everyone’s personal space and respect the park rules. The goal of this event is to have dun to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduates.

Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) will begin its four-day work week for the summer on Monday, June 1. The four-day work week schedule will end Friday, August 7.

Employees will work four, 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. All campuses will be closed on Fridays including Alexandria, Ferriday, Huey P. Long (Winnfield), Lamar Salter (Leesville), Natchitoches, Rod Brady (Jena), Sabine Valley (Many), and Ward H. Nash-Avoyelles (Cottonport).

The four-day work week is for the summer only, and it coincides with the start of the college’s summer semester classes. CLTCC will resume normal operating hours Monday, Aug. 10 in preparation for the start of fall classes on Monday, Aug. 17. Enrollment for the Summer and Fall sessions is ongoing. 

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development announced the awarding of nearly $800,000 in federal, supplemental assistance grants through the Historic Preservation Fund from the National Park Service. The grants will assist in conducting surveys of historic buildings at least 50 years of age or older and listing properties in the National Register of Historic Places in parishes affected by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The Cane River National Heritage Area was awarded $72,750 to update the Historic Resource Inventory (HRI) in Natchitoches Parish.

“Historic buildings are truly some of the great treasures of our communities, giving us a glimpse into the past and telling the stories you too often don’t get from history books,” said Nungesser. “These grants will help greatly in the preservation, repair, recovery, and resilience of these landmarks and aid in updating mapping in these communities to help identify vulnerable properties to assist in future disaster response efforts.”

The surveys will be completed in accordance with the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation Survey Guidelines. Data collected in the field will include building age, architectural style and form, and historic significance.

“This comprehensive update to our historic resource inventory will serve as a valuable information tool that can help to guide future planning and land use decisions in the City of Natchitoches and the Parish,” commented Rebecca Blankenbaker, Cane River NHA Executive Director. “The last comprehensive update of the Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District HRI occurred in 2011 and included the evaluation of existing and previously unidentified historic resources constructed through 1968. However, this survey did not update the historic resource files for buildings or structures located outside of the city limits in the Parish of Natchitoches. Those structures were last updated in the late 1980s.”

Once the data has been reviewed, it will be added to the existing Historic Resource Inventory and posted on the Division of Historic Preservation’s public web map. This information may be used by emergency responders, researchers, or other consultants as a useful tool to assess hurricane damage, as well as to identify vulnerable properties and assist with future disaster response efforts.

In addition, listing in the National Register of Historic Places will honor significant buildings in the affected parishes and provide the owners of these structures access to other National Park Service grants and federal Tax Credits to aid in their preservation and rehabilitation.

The 14 applications were reviewed by an outside panel and funding was recommended for the following 10 applications.

Cane River National Heritage Area was awarded $72,750 for their Natchitoches Parish Structures Survey.

South Central Planning & Development was awarded $100,000 for St. Charles Parish Historic Structures

South Central Planning & Development was awarded $57,400 for their Red River Historic Structures Survey.

Lake Charles Certified Local Government was awarded $100,000 for their City of Lake Charles Survey.

Kisatchie Community Center was awarded $14,532 for Kisatchie High School.

Louisiana State University was awarded $179,362 for Historic Preservation in Hurricanes – Affected Areas of Louisiana (Beauregard & Cameron Parishes)

Sabine Parish Tourist & Recreation Commission was awarded $82,450 for their Sabine Parish Historic Resource Survey

Beauregard Parish Police Jury was awarded $14,092 for Beauregard Preservation 2020

Allen Parish Tourist Commission was awarded $76,000 for Standing Structure of Allen Parish

Vernon Parish Tourism & Recreation Commission was awarded $72,750 for Their Vernon Parish Historic Resources Survey.

In total, the National Park Service awarded $48.5 million to several communities in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017.

NATCHITOCHES:
Latrice Thomas
March 15, 1992 – May 24, 2020
A WALK THRU (non-lingering) visitation will be from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, May 30, 2020; followed by a PRIVATE family funeral service at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel with burial in the Fern Park Cemetery.

Carl (“FISH”) Wayne Stewart
November 5, 1957 – May 28, 2020
Arrangements TBA

WINN:
Sharon Evette Kelley
October 13, 1971 – May 27, 2020
Service: Sunday, May 31 at 2 pm at the Antioch Community Cemetery in
Goldonna

RED RIVER:
Sandra Jean Guin
December 21, 1947 – May 23, 2020
Service: Friday, May 29 at 11 am in Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery

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.

A lot of the operating procedures have changed for the Natchitoches Parish District Attorney’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 District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington and his staff members?

The Natchitoches Parish Journal wanted to provide readers with a window into the world of the DA’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.

Bathrooms and the courtroom itself are being cleaned between uses. Even the microphones are being cleaned after each person speaks into them and pens are being cycled out. The number of people allowed inside is being restricted. A lot of daily business is being conducted via Zoom and teleconference calls.

The DA’s Office in particular is encouraging appointments so they know when to expect and prepare for visitors. Chairs are pushed back a bit further from desks than usual to meet social distancing requirements.

“It’s been difficult,” said DA Harrington, who knows how ingrained shaking hands is, especially in the south. He shared a dream he had about accidentally shaking someone’s hand. This is just an example of the world we live in now and the efforts we’re making to reconcile how we’re used to living with how we need to live now with Covid-19.

Cases have continued to come in from law enforcement so the DA’s Office has been working throughout the pandemic. Staff members are rotating shifts and have learned to work remotely from home.

“We’ve had to find different ways to do things,” said DA Harrington. “We can’t think like we used to.”

This means utilizing the Parish Government’s meeting room so people can spread out for face-to-face when necessary, or finding a secluded place outside where confidentiality can still be maintained.

The first day of in-person court was held last week after the 10th Judicial District Court began reopening. Prior to that, virtual court was held for inmates with time sensitive cases through video links to the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.

People are taken to the courtroom one at a time, and only one person is allowed on the elevator at a time. The courtroom is sanitized in between groups. This takes a lot of planning and requires more time invested into logistics.

But all this extra effort, DA Harrington feels the Natchitoches Parish Courthouse is leading the way in reopening.

“We’re ahead of the game because we get along and cooperate with one another,” said DA Harrington. “We’re all working toward the betterment of our parish and the safety of the people coming into the courthouse.”

There’s also the matter of the over 200 citations given during the curfew the Parish put in place from April 8 to May 13. Special court dates are being issued in September. DA Harrington said a special online education component is being created so that anyone found guilty of violating the curfew will be required to take a class to educate them on the Coronavirus. This comes on the heels of warnings from experts that there may be a spike in Covid-19 cases once cities begin to reopen.

City Court has also been working with limitations, particularly since it has a smaller courtroom with an often big traffic docket. DA Harrington said they’re entertaining the idea of holding a drive thru traffic ticket payment event so people can pay their fines right from their cars.

In other court business, the way we think of the jury, sitting to the side of the judge’s bench in their small box, will change. Normally, around 300 people are subpoenaed for jury duty. This whole process will have to be redesigned and jury members will have to be more spread out for trials.

“We’re working on new ways to do things and I’m revamping the way I do my dockets to stagger the cases throughout the day,” said DA Harrington, who is overall optimistic. He’s been impressed with the amount of people entering the courthouse with their own masks to wear.

“We’re going to have some good things come out of this as long as we all continue to work together,” he said. This includes everyone who works in the courtroom and the public itself who has been very understanding as things continue to change.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), advises the public that on Thursday June 4, 2020 and Friday, June 5, 2020 at 8:00 A.M, weather permitting, Bridge# 034-06-0402-1 on LA 6 over Red River (Grand Ecore Bridge) will be reduced to one lane for routine bridge inspection. The bridge is on LA 6 over Red River (Grand Ecore Bridge) and is located 2.3 miles north of the LA6/LA 3175 intersection near Natchitoches.

Permit/Detour section
No detour will be needed as one lane will be open at all times

Safety Reminder
DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution around the construction sites and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

Additional Information
Motorists can access the latest updates on real-time traffic and road conditions using the 511 Traveler Information System by dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region on which they are seeking information. Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). 

Parish President John Richmond has announced his intention to make appointments and reappointments to the following boards and commissions which have vacancies or members with expiring terms:

Sewerage District #2
Fire District #5 (Natchez area)
Fire District #8 (Ashland area)
Fire District #10 (Powhatan area)
Water Works District #1
Housing Authority
Saline Lake Game and Fish Preserve

Any resident interested in serving on a board or commission should submit an application to the Office of the President. Additionally, current members who have expiring terms are encouraged to apply for reappointment. Applications may be picked up at the Natchitoches Parish Courthouse, located at 200 Church Street, or by contacting David Kees, Jr., Executive Assistant to the President, at (318) 352-2714, or by sending an email to dkees@npgov.org.

Jasmyn Steels did not a chance to defend her national indoor long jump championship because of the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, but she repeated as an All-American.

Steels, Northwestern State’s standout senior from College Station, Texas, was named an Indoor All-American by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, earning the third All-American honor of her career in the long jump, her signature event.

With her third All-American honor, Steels becomes the third Lady Demon to reach that number, joining Stephanie Sewell (4) and Trecey Rew (3).

Steels was in Albuquerque, New Mexico, preparing to defend her 2019 NCAA Indoor Long Jump championship before the pandemic canceled the national meet and scuttled the entire 2020 outdoor track and field season.

“It’s a small consolation prize for her, because she was going to try to retain her NCAA title,” head coach Mike Heimerman said. “I think she would have easily been top three. She felt great, and she didn’t have to worry about more than one event. She was ready to go. Now, she’s a three-time All-American and has a chance to add more next year. She’s put herself on the map as one of the greats in the conference and certainly in Northwestern State history. They only name 16 All-Americans in indoors, and just to be an All-American is a huge honor. I know she’s hungry for more.”

Steels repeated as an indoor All-American, tallying the seventh-longest jump in the nation during the indoor season – a 21-2 leap at the Houston G5 & Super 22 Invitational on Jan. 31. She was victorious in four of five indoor meets in her specialty and finished third in the invitational long jump at the Tyson Invitational on Feb. 15.

Steels captured her first Southland Conference championship, soaring 20-5.75 at the Birmingham Crossplex on March 1, winning by a foot and a half as the Lady Demons finished second as a team.

Steels, who also was a first-team outdoor All-American after finishing as the national runner-up in the long jump, expects to return to Northwestern State for the 2021 outdoor track and field season.

Photo: Jasmyn Steels competes in the long jump at the Southland Conference Indoor Championships in March. Credit: Mike Wade/Special to NSU Athletics

To kick off its 2020 United Way of Northwest Louisiana Campaign Season, the United From Home Virtual Fun Run & 5K encourages runners and walkers to participate in this virtual race with a purpose! Register to run or walk your individualized 5K course with the option to join a corporate team or form a team of your own. This socially distant competition allows you to get active while making a difference in our community.

During this period, we understand the importance of staying safe—giving YOU the control of your own surroundings while you give back. You get to be the decision–maker of where you would like your journey to begin and end. Your course can take you through your neighborhood, past a body of water, in front of your favorite local business, or through your favorite park. The top three runners with the best times in each age/gender division will be recognized.

The race begins Saturday, June 27th starting at 8 a.m. and will conclude at 5 p.m. Join us as we stay safe and remain #UnitedFromHome.

GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY

United Way of Northwest Louisiana fights for the health, education, financial stability and essential needs of every person in Northwest Louisiana. Locally, United Way manages Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, 211, the Financial Empowerment Center, and FamilyWize. United Way established the United for NWLA Fund in partnership with The Salvation Army and the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau to aid NWLA residents during the COVID-19 health and economic crisis. Just like any United Way donation, our race registration can be designated to one of our pillars (health, education, financial stability and essential needs), the United for NWLA Fund, or another 501(c)3.

When designating to an organization, the designated organization must be tax-exempt 501(c)3. If the designated organization is not a certified 501(c)3, if organization name/address is not legible, or if all appropriate forms have not been submitted by the designated organization, United Way reserves the right to redirect your gift to United Way’s general investment fund. Designations are reduced by an uncollectible shrinkage percentage. For more information please call (318)677-2504.

PRIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPANTS

We would like to acknowledge and award our top 3 runners in their age/gender division, as well as our youth and fun runners.

Prizes and commemorative medals to the top 3 finishers in each division
All participants age 10 and younger will receive a commemorative medal
Corporate team with the most participants, will receive social media acknowledgement and featured on a digital billboard for 30 days.
Participants who BINGO will be featured on our website and entered to win one of three $25 Visa Gift Cards. See “Run with Us on Social Media” below for details.

WHO?

This virtual event is open to individuals of all ages! The male and female age divisions are as follows:

11-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60 and over

REGISTRATION DEADLINES

Register before June 15th to guarantee the receipt of your United From Home SWAG Bag before race day.

Registrations received after June 15th will need to schedule a SWAG bag pick-up time with Raavin Evans at raavin@unitedwaynwla.org.

SWAG BAG PICK-UP

Curbside SWAG bag pick-up for this race will be located at 820 Jordan St, Shreveport, LA 71101 in the parking lot on Friday, June 19 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Please make sure you are in the parking lot off of Jordan St.

HOW?

COURSE LIMITS

The 5K course limit is 1 hour. To finish within these time limits, runners and walkers must maintain a pace of approximately 20 minutes per mile. Official finishing times are recorded through 1 hour. Although the 1 mile Fun Run course does not have a time limit, we encourage participants in the Fun Run to try their personal best.

CERTIFYING YOUR RUN TIME

To be considered for awards, you will need to submit your race time results on RunSignup.com. Navigate to the menu bar on the website, and look for the “Results” tab. This is where you will submit your race time. Participants must also send a photo of their timer with their time to raavin@unitedwaynwla.org for verification.

Feel free to use your preferred tracker, however, we listed below our top free mobile app recommendations.

RunKeeper
MapMyRun
Nike+ Run Club
Strava
Runtastic

To be considered for an award, all running times must be submitted by 5:00PM (CST) on race day on RunSignup.com.

For more information on the event go online to https://unitedwaynwla.org/unitedfromhome-5k/.

The 2020-21 members of the NSU Pom Line at Northwestern State University have been selected.

Members of the Pom Line are Arianna Astorga of New Iberia, Bailey Begnaud of Youngsville, Cassidy Blanchard of White Castle, Payton Bordelon of Frierson, Lauren Britt, Lauren Chandler and Jada Hawkins, Regan Rounds, Kariah Sisk-Shaheed and Ialiyah Weaver of Shreveport, Madison Clouse of Anacoco, Jess Easley of Minden, Kelsy Elkins of Robeline, Brooklyn Guerra of Abbeville and Skyler Guerra of Erath.

Also selected were Breanna Harrison, Cree Roark, Caroline Stokes and Anna Walker of Natchitoches, Peyton Harville of Bossier City, Kierston Jackson of Slidell, Mariah Kador of Oscar, Torie LaCaze of Baton Rouge, Abbie McCann of Columbia, Katie Olin of Thibodaux, Jordan Patterson of Winnfield, Keely Trahan of Jennings, Madilyn Watson of Pollock and Meghan Woods of Monroe.

The Pom Line serves as the official spirit hostess group for Northwestern State, promoting school spirit and providing entertainment and athletic opportunity.

During the fall semester the Pom Line performs at all home pep rallies and football games. During the spring semester, the Pom Line performs at home basketball games. The squad also performs at many functions in the community and other NSU events.

Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO), an American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) company, has received Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) approval of its request to add 810 megawatts (MW) of wind energy.

The LPSC today approved the terms of a settlement agreement reached in March 2020 by all parties in the proceeding, including the LPSC Staff, the Alliance for Affordable Energy, Walmart, Inc. and SWEPCO.

“This is an exciting opportunity to bring more low-cost renewable energy to our Louisiana customers,” said Malcolm Smoak, SWEPCO president and chief operating officer. “We appreciate the careful review by the Louisiana Public Service Commission for this plan to bring the benefits of resource diversity and long-term savings to the families, businesses and communities we serve. Clean and affordable energy helps customers meet their own renewable energy and sustainability goals, and makes our community more competitive for economic development.”

As part of the settlement agreement, SWEPCO also plans to issue a request for proposals for up to 200 MW of solar generation resources to be located in the company’s service territory with construction beginning in the next three years, pursuant to regulatory requirements and review. Significant increases in wind and solar energy are part of SWEPCO’s long-range Integrated Resource Plan.

North Louisiana LPSC Commissioner Foster Campbell made the motion in favor of the SWEPCO wind and solar plan, and it was unanimously approved by the LPSC.

“This is the largest renewable-energy project ever put forward by a Louisiana utility,” Campbell said. “I’m proud that the Louisiana Commission is making this move. And I’m happy that it has a Northwest Louisiana solar component to go along with the wind power.”

“Wind and solar should no longer be called ‘alternatives’ – they are now the first choice for many power companies. That’s because they are clean and often cheaper,” Campbell said. “We owe it to the 231,000-plus SWEPCO customers in Louisiana to make these investments.”

SWEPCO’s wind project includes the acquisition of three wind facilities in north central Oklahoma – known as the North Central Energy Facilities – in conjunction with its sister company, Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO). Pending regulatory approvals, SWEPCO will own 810 MW, or 54.5% of the 1,485-MW project. SWEPCO and PSO will acquire the projects at their completion in 2020 and 2021.

In addition to the environmental benefits of wind energy, SWEPCO customers will save an estimated $2 billion over the 30-year expected life of the new facilities.

SWEPCO’s 810-MW proposal is scalable to align with regulatory approvals by state, subject to commercial limitations. Two states that approve the project would have the ability to increase the number of megawatts allocated to them if one state does not approve the proposal.

The LPSC approved an option that could increase Louisiana’s allocation to an estimated 464 MW from the original 268 MW. The Arkansas Public Service Commission also accepted an option to increase its allocation when it approved the project earlier this month. The project remains under regulatory review in Texas.

PSO received final Oklahoma Corporation Commission approval Feb. 20, 2020, of a settlement agreement in its plan to add 675 megawatts of wind energy.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved the acquisition of the wind facilities by SWEPCO and PSO.

SWEPCO serves more than 536,300 customers in three states, including 231,000 in northwest and central Louisiana, 185,500 in Texas and 119,800 in Arkansas.

NATCHITOCHES:
John Garland Williams
July 08, 1944 – May 24, 2020
Service: Private 

Denise Veuleman McAlpin
September 16, 1954 – May 22, 2019
Services: Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home Friday, May 29 at 11 a.m. The family will receive friends from 9-11 a.m.
Burial: Beulah Cemetery in Marthaville.

Alvin W. Mitchell
November 21, 1954 – May 09, 2020
Arrangements TBA

SABINE:
Emma Savell
October 6, 1924 – May 25, 2020
Arrangements TBA

WINN:
Lisa Ann Skipper
November 20, 1968 – May 25, 2020
Visitation: Thursday, May 28 from 5-8 pm in the Southern Funeral Home in Winnfield

Andrew Loudon Pedneau
May 3, 1972 – May 24, 2020
Service: Thursday, May 28 at 11 am at the Kinner & Stevens Funeral Home of Jena

Murlene Carpenter
November 24, 1928 – May 24, 2020
Arrangements TBA

RED RIVER:
Sandra Jean Guin
December 21, 1947 – May 23, 2020
Service: Friday, May 29 at 11 am in Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery

Defend Against COVID-19

Stay home. Follow the Governor’s Stay at Home Order. Only leave your home if it is necessary for essential work or for essential items.

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.

NOTE: The State did not report the number of Deaths for Natchitoches Pairsh (or any Parish) on this date.   State reports a “server” issue between May 23-24. See graphic above and below)

The Natchitoches City Council held a brief meeting Tuesday evening, May 26, which they kicked off with a special recognition of Juanita Fowler who is retiring as the City’s Planning and Zoning Director after 20 years of dedicated service.

Agenda items included:

PLANNING & ZONING – FINAL:

Ordinance No. 64 Of 2001 to change Zoning Classification Of Property located at 206 University Parkway (Joseph Brant & Felix Clint III Perot) from R-2 Residential One-Family to B-1 Commercial Transition Business District to operate an office.

Ordinance No. 64 Of 2001 to change Zoning Classification Of Property from B-3 Commercial Community & Central Business to I-1 Light Industry to facilitate industrial economic development projects on tracts of land at the I-49/Hwy. 478 interchange in Natchitoches Economic Development District B. Property is Described As Follows:

39.61 Ac. Being ½ Int. In 79.22 Ac. Described as W ½ of SE ¼ Sec. 20-87(Owners: Hawley Group LLC and Tabletop Land & Development) and 73.004 Ac E ½ Of SE Sec. 20-8-7, Less 6.216 Ac To Hwy. (tracts of land located Southwest of the I-49/LA Hwy. 478 Interchange and adjacent to Bayou Blue Rd (Owner: Hawley Group LLC)

ORDINANCES – FINAL:

Ordinance Amending The 2019-2020 Budget To Reflect Additional Revenues And Expenditures.

ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION:

Ordinance Authorizing The Mayor Of The City Of Natchitoches, Lee Posey, To Execute An Agreement Or Lease Of Public Property And Airspace With Ronald Mooty And Marilyn D. Mooty Whereby The City Of Natchitoches And The Board Of Commissioners Of Waterworks District Number 1 Will Lease Public Ground And Airspace Pursuant To The Terms Of R. S. 33:4712 And R. S. 33:4712.1 To Ronald Mooty And Marilyn D. Mooty. The Almost Home Restaurant wishes to build a deck over Sibley Lake to provide outdoor seating.

Ordinance Amending The 2019-2020 Budget To Reflect Additional Revenues And Expenditures to reflect Covid-19 expenditures.

RESOLUTIONS:

Resolution Authorizing Mayor Lee Posey To Execute An Agreement With The Louisiana Office Of Community Development For The 2019-2020 Community Water Enrichment Fund Grant Application For Improvements To The Natchitoches Water System

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The next scheduled City Council meeting will be June 8, 2020

A lot of the operating procedures have changed for the 10th Judicial District Court in Natchitoches Parish 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 judges and their staff members?

The Natchitoches Parish Journal wanted to provide readers with a window into the world of the courtroom 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.

Bathrooms and the courtroom itself are being cleaned between uses. Even the microphones are being cleaned after each person speaks into them and pens are being cycled out. The number of people allowed inside is being restricted. A lot of daily business is being conducted via Zoom and teleconference calls.

This makes for a much more solemn atmosphere. The hallways aren’t bustling with people as one might be used to. But Judge LaLa Sylvester and Judge Desiree Dyess are adjusting to the changes and the increased use of technology to get work done.

“Court came to a halt for a few weeks in the beginning,” said Judge Sylvester. “But things haven’t slowed down at all. It’s put more on our workloads because it takes a lot more steps to make things happen but we’re impressed with how we’re all learning to be able to communicate in new ways.”

Dyess agreed by saying the technological advancements have allowed the court to continue through this pandemic. Particularly with drug and juvenile court, digital meetings have allowed the judges to maintain contact in a time when contact is important.

“Our staff has been working together to accommodate lawyers so they can continue to have full access to justice,” she said.

Perhaps a more visual representation of the safety measures being taken in the court room are the plexiglass sneeze shields that were installed as a barrier between the public and the court proceeding, the plaintiff from the defendant, the judge from the courtroom, and the staff members from everyone else. The number of people allowed to sit in the courtroom is also restricted and blue x’s taped to the back of the benches show where people are allowed to sit while still maintaining social distancing requirements.

It’s an impressive presentation geared toward the safety of everyone involved. What’s more impressive is that the 10th Judicial District Court is at the forefront of these actions. Judge Sylvester said they’re the first in the state to have the plexiglass shields installed and have been very proactive in trying to get the courts open again.

This has taken many meetings at the Courthouse between the judges and the other departments, so a unified operations plan could be put into place for the whole building. It also involved participating in a multitude of conference calls to see what was being done across the state, including the National Center for State Courts, the National Judicial College, The Louisiana Supreme Court, the Louisiana State Bar Association and more.

“I think everyone is happy the courthouse is open,” said Judge Sylvester. “We’re very pleased with how the public has handled our reopening. Their positive attitudes and cooperation has been amazing.”

Judge Sylvester added that she’s felt safe at the Courthouse through all this but recognizes the need for people to wear masks in public. Not knowing if you have the virus and being able to spread it makes this a serious risk for everyone.

At the end of the day, the 10th Judicial District Court still has a job to do in the midst of the pandemic.

“We took an oath to uphold the law and keep everyone safe,” said Judge Dyess. “It’s a delicate balance and we work hard to maintain it.”

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July 08, 1944 – May 24, 2020

John Garland Williams passed away Sunday morning, May 24, 2020, at the age of 75.

He was born on July 8, 1944 in Jacksonville, FL and grew up on Cane River in Natchitoches. He is a graduate of St. Mary’s High School, where he played baseball and basketball. He studied Agriculture at LSU before entering Tulane Law School. In 1968 he graduated from law school, passed the bar exam, got married, and entered the United States Marine Corps, where he served as a Judge Advocate General.

He returned to Natchitoches in 1973, practiced law, served as assistant district attorney, and taught in the College of Business at Northwestern State University. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and served as lector for many years. He was also a founding member of the Dirty Dozen Social Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Judge Richard B. Williams and Ora G. Williams, and his sister, Ann Williams Brittain.

He is survived by his wife Suzanne, daughters Brooke (Trini) of Natchitoches and Shelly of Hoboken NJ, and son Scott of Natchitoches, brothers Father Richard B. Williams of Lubbock, TX, Joe Payne Williams of Natchitoches, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

John Williams was a great husband, father, friend, and storyteller. He cheered for LSU, NSU, and the Saints (he was at their first regular season game) and never got tired of watching John Wayne movies. He was proud of his military service and his hometown, as countless strangers would inevitably find out. He greatly enjoyed teaching over the course of 47 years, sometimes teaching the children and grandchildren of former students. He loved traveling across the country as well as abroad with his family and friends.

A graveside service conducted by Father Craig Scott for family members will be held on Thursday, May 28. Pallbearers will be Trini Triggs, Jack Brittain, Jr., John Brittain, Payne Williams, Bray Williams, Bryan Picou, and Bryan Picou, Jr.

Honorary pallbearers include his longtime teaching aides Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Hobart Macgroniac, Lillie Lickskillet, and Susie Stepingofetchit.

A memorial service will be held at a later time for family and friends to reminisce, tell story after story, and share their memories of him.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the NSU Foundation, 535 University Parkway, Natchitoches, LA 71497 for the John G. Williams Memorial Scholarship in Business.

Congress has stepped up to provide relief for small businesses across the country, but in many, if not in most cases the government relief is going to be woefully inadequate to compensate businesses for their CoVid-19 related losses.

However, many stricken small businesses may be able to find additional relief through their own insurance policies.

According to Natchitoches Attorney Eddie Harrington of The Harrington Law Firm, small business owners need to check their insurance policy to see if there is any “business interruption” or “loss of profits” coverage or any explicit exclusions from that type coverage.

Harrington says his firm has already reviewed several business insurance policies and have found that the coverage and exclusions differ wildly from policy to policy and insurance company to insurance company.

“You might think that there would be a ‘standard’ policy that all companies would use, but that is simply not the case,” said Harrington. “We were actually a bit surprised to see how many variations there are in the types of coverage and exclusions.”

Harrington said that there are several things to look for in a policy regarding coverage provided for these type of losses:

1. Does the policy specifically provide coverage for business interruption and/or loss of profits? Some policies lay this out with specificity, which can be beneficial to small business owners.

2. Some policies are silent as to business interruption and/or loss of profits coverage. Just because this coverage is not specifically laid out does not necessarily mean that these losses are not covered, according to Harrington.

3. Some policies contain exclusions for virus related losses. While at first blush this might appear to disqualify a business for making a CoVid-19 related claim that is not necessarily the case.

Harrington went on to say that the first thing a small business owner is to do is check with their insurance agent to ask their opinion whether or not their policy provides this type of coverage but cautions that small businesses should file a business interruption claim, no matter what.

The insurance company will almost certainly deny your claim,” Harrington continued, “but you have a limited amount of time within which to file a claim, and you certainly don’t want to be left out if this type of claim is later deemed to be valid.”

“We are all plowing new ground here,” said Harrington. “Neither the insurance companies, their agents, small business owners, nor we attorneys have any experience dealing with a global pandemic and its affect on a small business and the economy in general.”

“All we know is that small businesses are the backbone of our economy and if America is going to move forward from all of this, our small businesses are going to need all the help they can get from the government, from their insurance company, and from their customers.” Harrington continued, “Small businesses pay a lot of money in insurance premiums and if there is a benefit for them under their policy then they need it now more than ever.”

According to Harrington, a bill has even been filed in the Louisiana Legislation requiring insurance companies to pay CoVid-19 related small business interruption claims, but the bill has been tabled.

Harrington said that The Harrington Law Firm is offering free reviews of small business owners’ policies and attempt to help them navigate through these trying times. For a free policy review or for further information, email eddie.harrington@theharringtonlawfirm.com or C. Rodney Harrington at crodney50@yahoo.com or call The Harrington Law Firm at 318-352-5900.