UPDATE: The Natchitoches Police Department arrested a 16-year-old black male juvenile on the morning of May 18. He was charged with two counts of attempted first murder and placed in WARE Youth Detention Center.
Simco Morris is currently listed in stable condition. The second victim was uninjured.
Original Press Release: NPD investigates shooting
The Natchitoches Police Department responded to a call May 17 just before 9 am of a subject being shot near Lafayette and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Natchitoches Police Department officers and detectives responded and began investigating the incident. The victim, identified as Simco Morris Jr. 22, was transported to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center with a reported gunshot wound to the chest. He was and later airlift to a hospital in Shreveport. He is listed in critical condition.
This investigation is ongoing at this time. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Detective Connell at (318)238-3911 or the Natchitoches Police Department at (318)352-8101.
United Way of Northwest Louisiana officials announced that Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto and Natchitoches parishes were awarded $217,725 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs.
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program is administrated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency. It’s funding began in 1983 and was created by Congress to help meet the immediate needs of hungry and homeless people throughout the United States by allocating federal funds for the provision of food and shelter.
Unlike FEMA’s better-known disaster assistance programs, these funds are designed to supplement and expand the ongoing work of local social service organizations, both nonprofit and governmental, to provide shelter, food and supportive services to individuals and families who have economic emergencies. The funding is awarded based upon the needs of the community, using federal data on population, poverty, food insecurity and other economic and social factors for each parish.
The selection was made by a National Board that is chaired by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA; The Jewish Federations of North America, The Salvation Army; and United Way Worldwide.
A Local Board, chaired by the United Way of Northwest Louisiana, is charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country. The Local Board includes The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Catholic Social Services, United Christian Outreach, Jewish Federation and the United Way.
Each parish received the following award:
· Caddo/Bossier – $183,196
· DeSoto – $14,086
· Natchitoches – $20,443
Under the terms set forth by the National Board, local agencies chosen to receive funds must: 1) be private voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) be eligible to receive Federal funds, 3) have an accounting system, 4) practice nondiscrimination, 5) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and 6) if they are a private voluntary organization, have a voluntary board.
Alex Benito Reliford
May 28, 1971 – May 1, 2018
Arrangements TBA
Doris Rachal Jordan
April 26, 2018
Arrangements TBA
WINN PARISH:
Rodney Williams
May 10, 2018
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 1 pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Winnfield
Interment: Union Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
Margaret Ruth Love
March 31, 1944 – May 9, 2018
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 11 am at New Hope Cemetery in Dodson RAPIDES PARISH:
Donna L. Puckett Basco
September 12, 1960 – May 16, 2018
Visitation: Saturday, May 19 from 9:30 am – 1 pm at the John Kramer & Son Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 1 pm at the John Kramer & Son Funeral Home Chapel
Interment: Flatwoods Cemetery in Flatwoods
P.C. “Sonny” Connell Jr
June 12, 1934 – May 16, 2018
Visitation: Saturday, May 19 from 1-2 pm at First United Methodist Church of Alexandria
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 2 pm at First United Methodist Church of Alexandria
Interment: Alexandria Memorial Gardens RED RIVER PARISH:
Darrick Allen
March 15, 1971 – May 12, 2018
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 12 pm at the St. Paul Baptist Church of Lake End in Red River Parish
Interment: Starlight Cemetery of Armstead
Mattie Williams
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 11 am at Eastside Church of God in Christ
Interment: Shiloh Cemetery
Eura Dell Jones
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 11 am at Kingdom Hall in Mansfield
Interment: Friendship Cemetery
Jefferson Maxie
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 11 am at Pilgrims Star Baptist Church
Interment: Pilgrim Star Cemetery in Florien
Louis Youngblood Jr.
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 2 pm at Union Spring Baptist Church
Interment: St. Peter Cemetery
The progress of the Summer Tree Apartments, located on 2nd Street, is currently at a standstill as their fate is undetermined.
The renovation project was intended to create housing for the homeless and homeless veterans.
“It looks like it’s going into bankruptcy,” said Mayor Lee Posey.
The City of Natchitoches is currently keeping an eye on the complex and determining what the possible outcomes may be for the city once bankruptcy is declared.
Posey said that the city is “concerned” for the property and would want to see it “put to good use for the community.”
Northwestern State University President Dr. Chris Maggio spoke to the Natchitoches Lions Club May 14. He said the university had a wonderful graduation May 11 with 932 graduates walking across stage in two ceremonies. A group of 1968 graduates were recognized and presented with their second diplomas, which included Lions Club member Sophie Packard.
The university also experienced its largest enrollment this year with 10,571 students.
This year marks the first time in 25 years NSU has offered a doctorate of education.
“We’re always upgrading our academic program, said Maggio. “We’re focusing on workforce development and community and technical college leadership.”
There were 20 students in the first cohort and there are 20 more accepted (around 65 applied) for the coming year.
Maggio said they’ve also ramped up their computer information systems program, which has grown from 180 to 300 majors. This fall they’re starting a cyber security concentration. There’s also plans in the works to offer a master’s degree in computer information systems, which would make NSU the first university in the state to offer this particular degree.
Since there’s no money coming in through capital outlay, NSU’s deferred maintenance is coming out of its operating budget for roads and other things.
“We budgeted wisely this year,” said Maggio. “Last summer we overlaid Sam Sibley drive, which was a $450,000 project. We plan on overlaying Caspari Drive and the parking lot outside Turpin Stadium, which will be a $400,000 project. Other projects on our list include adding an elevator at the NSU Middle Lab School ($400,000) and upgrading the classrooms as well.”
Maggio said they initiated strategic budgeting on campus this year. Instructors were asked to voice their needs, and present administration with a project they’d like to see in their department. Approximately $2.1 million in requests were submitted. Ac committee of peers worked its way from the bottom up, ranking projects from small ones, to larger ones like redoing the tv studio in Kyzar Hall ($150,000). The committee was able to budget for $1 million of the requested projects.
“This is an internal change we’ve made so that we have a lot of transparency and people buying into the process and that’s helping with moral on campus,” said Maggio.
Maggio also said the university can’t worry about the state of Louisiana’s budget. This means becoming less reliant on the state. In the old days, 75% of NSU’s budget came from the state and 25% came from student tuition. Now 25% or less comes from the state. Tuition and fees for local students is currently over $10,000 a year. Ou of state students who live on campus pay around $19,000.
“We have to worry about what we can control, which is recruiting and retaining students while offering quality academics and an overall quality student experience,” he said.
Northwestern State University’s chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest, most selective and most prestigious all-discipline honor society held an induction ceremony for new initiates April 26. Selection criteria for Phi Kappa Phi are based on high academic standard. Membership is open to the top 7.5 percent of second term juniors and the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students, as well as faculty and professional staff who achieved scholarly distinction.
New members are as follows.
Alexandria – Lindsey Grace Torres, Kristina L. Zachary;
Anacoco – Haley Jett;
Azle, Texas – Alexandra Christine Furtney;
Ball – Victoria Aiken-Tesfay, Katie Wakefield, Megan Wakefield;
Baton Rouge – Bruce Allen Craft, Emily Andra Falcon, Gail Odette Suberbielle, Sabre Elie Whitworth;
Benton – Comis P. Waddell;
Bossier City – Sue Ellen Bates, Alexandra Ekstrom, Andrea J. Haynes, Mary Inman, Haley Marie Jorgensen, Heather B. LaFlame, Rob Martin;
Bourg – Mia Elizabeth Adams,
Boyce — Hannah Elizabeth Aslin, Sarah Anne Phillips;
Burleson, Texas – Cassandra Smith;
Campti – Rebecca L. Cason, Trenton Seth Parker;
Carencro – Lesley Dimmitt;
Church Point – Kristian T. Burrow;
Clayton – Glendalyn Boothe;
Coushatta – Sydney Anderson, W. Tanner Lee;
Covington – Tonda Collett;
Dallas – Beth Evans;
Denham Springs – Mackenzie Byrd, Caitlyn Cutrer;
DeQuincy – Shaina Saucier;
DeRidder – Karli Kennedy;
Dry Prong – DeAnna Bartlett, Veronica J. Morgan;
Enterprise, Alabama – Alejandro M. Cespedes;
Florien – Caroline Matthew, Amanda S. McFarlain, Dylan Roberts;
Lake Charles – Ashtyn Hare, Sarah Person Knepper, Rachel L. Regan;
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina – Ayla D. Owens;
Leesville – Michael Allan Cain II;
Madisonville – Tera M. Blackledge, Melissa Polizzi;
Many – Brittany Founds, Heidi Knight, Emmy Tipton;
Marble Falls, Texas – Sarah M. Lewis;
Marshall, Texas – Tiffany Cortes;
Mary Esther, Florida – Alecia L. Smith;
Maurice – Elise Vincent;
Minden – Amanda V. Curry, Caleb Jones;
Natchitoches – Rebekah L. Aultman, Jordan Alise Bringedahl, Reese Buzzell, Mazie Catherine DuBois, Barbara Anne Duchardt, Katherine Gallinghouse, Karley Hebert, Aura M. Hernandez Canedo, Amy D. Hooks, Nicholas Juneau, Melissa Kaufman, Kailey Leach, Carlomagno Leon Jiminez, Meredith Leanne Machen, Shelby L. Martin, Alexis Moses, Abigail Poe, Jonah Oliver Poe, Rebecca Jade Richmond, Emily M. Salter, Melanie Robinson Smith, Jonathon Micheal Villareal, Lisa Watley Jackson, Madysen Watts, Matthew Whitaker, Christopher Zirkle;
New Iberia – Grace Kerns;
New Llano – Candace Noelle Guillory, Collar J. Wilson;
Papillion, Nevada – Meghan S. Taylor;
Pineville – Alyssa Jane Lloid, Ashlee N. Mitchell;
Pollock – Katelyn Boles;
Raceland – Paige Parks;
Richmond, Virginia – Daniel Amirzian;
St. James – Tad A Cavalier;
St. Martinville – Alli Renee Douet;
Shreveport – Shakendra M. Bailey, Lauren D. Gabour, Emily Heard, Pamela Holcolmbe, Mallory LaLena, Carolina Elizabeth Landon, Kayli Morvan, Tiffany Louise Sandifer, Samantha Scott, Catherine Ann Shaw, Shermaine Shorter, Kya K.H. Warren;
Slidell – Tiffany Ritchie;
Stonewall – Joy Maryelle Hooper;
Sulphur – Monica L. Weber;
Walker – Amber Guillot;
Youngsville – Brandon Scott Granger, Kali Hannie Roberts;
Northwestern State University will hold seven sessions of its freshman orientation program, Freshman Connection beginning May 24.
Four sessions will be on the Natchitoches campus on May 24-25, May 31-June 1, June 20-21 and July 10. The program will be held on the Alexandria campus June 5, and on the Leesville/Fort Polk campus June 7 and on the Shreveport campus June 13.
The fee is $100 for the sessions on the Natchitoches campus and $60 for the sessions on the Alexandria, Shreveport and Leesville/Fort Polk campuses. Those attending the sessions on the Alexandria, Shreveport and Leesville/Fort Polk campuses should be planning to take all classes on that campus. The two-day sessions on the Natchitoches campus include a one-night stay in campus residence halls.
Participants in Freshman Connection will be placed in a small group with a Connector, who will guide individuals through the orientation program. Connectors are current Northwestern State students who share information about what can be expected at NSU and will offer support and guidance about the high school to college transition.
Those who attend Freshman Connection can expect small group sessions with connectors, opportunities to connect with future classmates, an introduction to NSU student services and involvement opportunities, a chance to become familiar with the campus and an opportunity to meet with an academic advisor who will help participants understand their major and schedule of classes and register for the fall semester.
Current Northwestern State students serving as Connectors are Tarik Andrus of Washington, Rebekah Aultman of Mangham, Zachary Breaux of Cut Off, Katherine Bryant of Baton Rouge, Kyler Burns of Haughton, Triston Bussell of Starks, Elizabeth Coleman of El Paso, Texas, and Luke Conway, Hannah Gaspard and Tyler Thompson of Pineville.
The 2018 Connectors also include and Nicholas Hopkins and Tori Spraggins of Bossier City, Kelsi Horn of Many, Claire Leming of St. Francisville, Hayden Pilcher and Char’Tarian Wilson of Shreveport, Kristen Prejean of Lafayette, Lexi Rubin of Plaisance, Tore’a Taylor of Benton and Madysen Watts of Saline.
Program coordinators are Rowdy Burleson of Mansfield, Mallory McConathy of Stonewall, Morgan Horn of Hemphill, Texas, and Madison Milligan of Shreveport.
For more information, go to nsula.edu/fye/freshmanconnection.
One project on Northwestern State University’s to-do list this summer is a renovation and resurfacing of a new parking lot in front of the Watson Memorial Library. This will accommodate the public who enjoys going to Cafe DeMon to get their Starbucks coffee products, access to the new University Marketplace currently being constructed across the street from the library in the old Neebo building, and additional parking for the library in general. In total this is a $70-85,000 project, according to University President Dr. Chris Maggio
The Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission met May 17 to discuss its budget and other ongoing/upcoming projects.
There’s one more day to submit ideas and suggestions for a tagline that celebrates the positive future of Natchitoches and promotes our local businesses, restaurants, accommodations and attractions. The deadline is May 18 at midnight.
The commission discussed the billboard locations it maintains north and southbound on I-49 that indicate where the Natchitoches exits are. The current billboard location northbound coming from Alexandria is in a flood zone, which can make replacing its skin difficult. Since it’s not a prime location, the NHDDC is looking for a better spot. The downside is there’s not much available in the northbound section of I-49 between Alexandria and Natchitoches.
The proposed 2018-2019 budget was a large topic of discussion at the meeting. They will vote on it at the next meeting in June and it will be put into play July 1. The NHDDC provides marketing assistance to the Cane River National Heritage Area to assist in the purchase of a full page ad in the official Louisiana Tour Guide. This helps promote Magnolia, Oakland, Fort St. Jean Baptiste, Los Adaes and the Grand Ecore Visitors Center.
“These places don’t typically have the money for advertising,” said David Stamey. “I’m sure they enjoy the additional exposure.” He also said the NHDDC would like to continue this particular marketing assistance.
A few budget items to fund events weren’t removed, like the Meat Pie Triathalon, which Stamey said the organizers decided to discontinue.
There’s still $21,000 (plus any carry over) in the budget for anything that pops up, like conferences that come to town, bring several hundred people with them. This means heads in beds and more tourism for Natchitoches.
Stamey said there’s also $15,000 unspent because the NHDDC isn’t sure what the state will give them next year. The money was there last year but their budget was cut. The NHDDC is funded through state sales tax, so Stamey said until HB1 is completed, there’s no promises on whether they’ll need to make plans for cutbacks or no cutbacks.
“Today’s problems are often the result of yesterday’s solutions.”
I’m not going to say much about this, because I’m looking in my own life and I see it is true. I look around the church. Yep, true there. I look at the roads in Natchitoches Parish, true there also. There is not a place where this aphorism breaks down. Cross-stitch this saying and hang it in your meeting room or above your mantle. It is the catalyst for understanding resistance to adaptive change. When you don’t understand the nature of your problem, your thinking boxes you in. You can’t clearly see problems or solutions.
This is the story of a man whose solution could have saved a lot of lives and spared countless numbers of women and newborns’ feverish and agonizing deaths.
You’ll notice I said “could have.”
The year was 1846, and our would-be hero was a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis.
Semmelweis considered scientific inquiry part of his mission as a physician.
So doctors like Semmelweis were no longer thinking of illness as an imbalance caused by bad air or evil spirits. They looked instead to anatomy. Autopsies became more common, and doctors got interested in numbers and collecting data.
The young Dr. Semmelweis was no exception. When he showed up for his new job in the maternity clinic at the General Hospital in Vienna, he started collecting some data of his own. Semmelweis wanted to figure out why so many women in maternity wards were dying from puerperal fever — commonly known as childbed fever.
He studied two maternity wards in the hospital. One was staffed by all male doctors and medical students, and the other was staffed by female midwives. And he counted the number of deaths on each ward. When Semmelweis crunched the numbers, he discovered that women in the clinic staffed by doctors and medical students died at a rate nearly five times higher than women in the midwives’ clinic.
But why?
Semmelweis went through the differences between the two wards and started ruling out ideas.
Right away he discovered a big difference between the two clinics.
The big difference between the doctors’ ward and the midwives’ ward is that the doctors were doing autopsies and the midwives weren’t.
So Semmelweis hypothesized that there were cadaverous particles, little pieces of corpse that students were getting on their hands from the cadavers they dissected. And when they delivered the babies, these particles would get inside the women who would develop the disease.
If Semmelweis’ hypothesis was correct, getting rid of those cadaverous particles should cut down on the death rate from childbed fever.
So he ordered his medical staff to start cleaning their hands and instruments not just with soap but with a chlorine solution. Chlorine, as we know today, is about the best disinfectant there is. Semmelweis didn’t know anything about germs. He chose the chlorine because he thought it would be the best way to get rid of any smell left behind by those little bits of corpse.
People laughed at Semmelweis and his hypothesis. He made an important discovery. But you see when you are living out of “problems caused by yesterday’s solutions” you refuse to see the way “out of the box.” You often keep making the same decisions that caused the problem in the first place.
Jesus said, “Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?”
The Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery is hosting their annual Fishing Derby on Saturday, June 2 from 8 a.m. to noon. Registration is free, but children ages 2-15 are required to have an adult with them in order to participate. Lunch will be provided by the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center starting at 11 a.m.
Fishing begins at 8 a.m. and will last until 11 a.m. Children and adults are required to bring their own fishing pole and bait. However, participants are not allowed to use live bait. Other activities will be on the premise such as hands-on activities, kiddie train ride, live animal displays and face painting.
For more information, contact the Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery at 318-352-5324
Daniel “Dan” Lane Todtenbier
March 26, 1960 – May 14, 2018
Darrick Allen
March 15, 1971 – May 12, 2018
Arrangements TBA
Frankie Ray Jackson
April 3, 1959 – May 5, 2018
Visitation: Saturday, May 19 from 9-11 am at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home in Natchitoches
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 11 am at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Natchitoches
Interment: St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery
Alex Benito Reliford
May 28, 1971 – May 1, 2018
Arrangements TBA
Doris Rachal Jordan
April 26, 2018
Arrangements TBA
WINN PARISH:
Rodney Williams
May 10, 2018
Visitation: Friday, May 18 from 6-8 pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home in Winnfield
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 1 pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Winnfield
Interment: Union Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
Anne Waters Hicks Hand
November 4, 1956 – May 15, 2018
Visitation: Friday, May 18 from 10 am – 2 pm at Calvary Baptist Church
Service: Friday, May 18 at 2 pm at Calvary Baptist Church
Interment: Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery
James Wilson Curry
August 26, 1954 – May 14, 2018
Visitation: Friday, May 18 from 9-10 am at Georgetown Baptist Church
Service: Friday, May 18 at 10 am at Georgetown Baptist Church
Interment: Crossroads Cemetery in Tullos
Margaret Ruth Love
March 31, 1944 – May 9, 2018
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 11 am at New Hope Cemetery in Dodson RED RIVER PARISH:
Mattie Williams
Visitation: Friday, May 18 from 1-6 pm at Jenkins Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 11 am at Eastside Church of God in Christ
Interment: Shiloh Cemetery
Eura Dell Jones
Visitation: Friday, May 18 from 6-7 pm at Jenkins Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 11 am at Kingdom Hall in Mansfield
Interment: Friendship Cemetery
Jefferson Maxie
Visitation: Friday, May 18 from 6-7 pm at Jenkins Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 11 am at Pilgrims Star Baptist Church
Interment: Pilgrim Star Cemetery in Florien
Louis Youngblood Jr.
Visitation: Friday, May 18 from 7-8 pm at Jenkins Funeral Home
Service: Saturday, May 19 at 2 pm at Union Spring Baptist Church
Interment: St. Peter Cemetery
The Louisiana Law Enforcement Special Olympics “Flame of Hope” Torch Run involving area law entered Natchitoches Parish May 15 through Red River Parish. Early Wednesday morning the law enforcement runners continued their trek through the south of the parish and into Rapides Parish.
Each year the torch relay involves more than 1500 law enforcement officers and personnel representing more than 200 law enforcement agencies across the State of Louisiana.
The mission of the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for Special Olympics is to increase awareness and raise funds for the Special Olympics movement. Each year, the LETR initiative grows larger and better.
The Cub Scouts of Pack 60 wrapped up their scouting year by holding their annual Blue & Gold Banquet May 14. This year’s graduation saw 100% of scouts earn their rank advancement badges. As well as several optional badges such as Emergency Preparedness and Shooting Sports. Each den took a moment to recount their activities from the year making note of miles hiked, service hours logged, and fun times had. Each scout also received a paracord woggle neckerchief slide made and donated by Alan Stanfield.
Pack 60 also received donations from community organizations and businesses. Pack 60 is very grateful to these that help support local youth activities in Natchitoches.
City Marshal Randy Williams wanted to inform the following people that they have outstanding bench warrants through the Natchitoches City Marshal’s Office. The names on this list did not pay their fines in full nor did they return to court on the court date they were sentenced to by City Court Judge Gahagan. These individuals will need to clear up their fines and bench warrant fees at the City Marshal’s Office located at 373 Second St. to stop any further actions:
FINE PAYMENT (F):
James Sylve, 200 Lakeview Dr, Natch, La – DWI
Shanita Williams, 15998 Hwy 84, Clarence, La – Simple Battery
Taraneka Bush, 2827 Hwy 71, Campti, La – DP
Jerry Bell, 831 Salim St, Natch, La – Exp MVI
Tiffany Coutee, 1309 Willow St, Natch, La – Exp MVI
Marshayla Harville, 100 Lakeview Dr, Natch, La – Exp MVI
Myliseya Jones, 319 Rowena St, Natch, La – Unlicensed Driver
Martrevious Lard, 626 Winona St, Natch, La – Exp MVI
Justin Pikes, 1511 Maple St, Winnfield, La – NSB, Follow too Close
Carnelius Daniels, 823 MLK Dr, Natch, La – DP
Darrell King, 1331 Grace Ave, Natch, La – Domestic Abuse Battery
Alvin Petite, 500 North St, Natch, La – TBS
Jessie Petite, 505 Hedges St, Natch, La – Remaining on Premises
Balinda Rushing, 436 Howell St, Natch, La – SCDP
Chequeria Scott, 1612 Meadows Dr, Natch, La – DP
Bruce Smith, 901 Genti St, Natch, La – Vagrancy
Ray Anderson, 1301 N Fifth St, Natch, La – NSB, LM
Willie Hicks, 505 Payne St, Natch, La – Exp MVI
Latoya Johnson, 230 Fairgrounds, Natch, La – Unlicensed Driver
Charles McCray, 183 Hwy 3191, Natch, La – Illegal Tint, No Registration
Iesha McGraw, 710 Myrtle Dr, Natch, La – Exp MVI
Danielle Holden, 635 Sixth St, Natch, La – TBS
Trial (T):
Jessica Stampley, 119 Mary Dr, Natch, La – Battery of a Police Officer, Remaining on Premises, Resisting an Officer
Donald Cousan, 605 Amulet, Natch, La – Simple Battery
Sedrick Gordon Jr., 308 Pearl St, Natch, La – Simple Battery
Crisa Gillum, 500 North St, Natch, La – SPOM, PODP, Resisting an Officer
Jackie Glover, 841 July St, Natch, La – DP, Simple Batter
District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington announced today the disposition of recent criminal cases in the 10th Judicial District Court.
Merrick Pikes, 24, of Natchitoches, received sentencing for two counts of armed robbery. Pikes previously pleaded guilty to the charges in February. The guilty pleas were related to the December 2015 armed robberies of Dollar General on University Parkway and Dollar General on Highway 3175 in Natchitoches.
At the sentencing, 10th Judicial District Judge Desiree Dyess sentenced Pikes to 16 years in prison at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Amanda McClung.
In a separate case, Judge Dyess sentenced Dekarius G. Edwards, 34, to 12 years and six months in prison, following his guilty pleas to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance. The sentence was ordered to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
The guilty plea stemmed from Edwards, being a previously convicted felon, was found to be in possession of a handgun, crack cocaine and methamphetamine at the time of his arrest. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Chris Guillet.
Did you ever notice that sometimes when you’re driving and you need to do something like pick up an object from the floor of your vehicle and you really, really want to hit a red light so you can do it, that every light you catch is green?
Did you ever notice that when you’re really in a hurry you catch every red light? And that some guy ahead of you who could turn right on red and keep the traffic flowing, just sits at the light and waits for a green?
Did you ever notice that when, late at night, you get a craving for a good ham sandwich and nothing else will satisfy you, you go to the refrigerator and you have run out of ham? Or mayonnaise? Or bread? Or maybe two or all three of those ingredients?
Did you ever notice that when one of your favorite TV drama shows is presenting its thrill-packed season finale, you have to go out? And you forgot to set your DVR to record it? (That happened to me last week.}
(Let’s get back to driving for a moment.} Did you ever notice that when you’re driving on the interstate through a strange city in heavy traffic that the vital exit you need to take is on the other side of the roadway and all you have to do is cross four lanes of traffic being utilized by 18-wheelers doing 80 miles an hour? {For those of you with navigation computers on board, you may not have this problem. I don’t have such a device on board my car.}
Did you ever notice how when you need to fix some minor problem around the house you go to your tool box to get your phillips screwdriver, which you just used last week, but it’s not in the tool box? Or anywhere else that you can think of?
Did you ever notice that, if you have an important bill to be mailed, you put it in the mailbox just in time to get to the credit card company and a couple of days later you find it back in your mailbox because you forgot to put a stamp on it?
Did you ever notice that when you have company coming for a day or two and you want to cut your grass so the yard will look really nice, you go to the garage to begin the work and no matter what you do, your mower won’t start? And that no neighbors are home so that you can’t borrow their mowers?
Did you ever notice that when you watching your favorite football team on TV and there’s seconds left to play in the game and your team is on the opponent’s five-yard line, there’s a cable disruption? And that you later learned you missed a beautiful touchdown play? And that no matter how many times you see it on highlights, it’s never the same as seeing it live?
Did you ever notice than when you have a long-planned vacation trip that you are really looking forward to, someone in the family will get sick the day before you’re supposed to leave? (We try to rationalize when that happens and we say, “Well, if we’d gone on the trip something bad might have happened.”}
Did you ever notice that when you have out-of-town guests and you take them to your favorite restaurant, your food turns up cold and tough and tasteless, although every other meal you’ve ever had there is great?
Did you ever notice that when you win Publisher’s Clearing House’s big jackpot and they come to your house with the balloons and the cameras and all that, you’re not at home? Just kidding on this one, of course, but that’s Mary’s worst nightmare. I try to tell her that with the odds against her winning, we don’t really need to stick around the house on the prize-giving days. But my lady is an eternal optimist.
All of the other things mentioned here, or something very similar to them, have indeed happened to me. If you have any good “Did you ever notice” stories, I invite you to post them on our website.
Finally, did you ever notice that when a columnist can’t think of a solid idea for a column, he ends up writing something like this?
JCM Greenhouse has contributed $2,500 to Campti Field of Dreams to help cover expenses for Back To Your Roots 2018, a 3-day Sustainable Agriculture Conference, to be held at NSU’s School of Business from Thursday, May 17th to Saturday, May 19th.
The sustainable agriculture conference will feature Jean-Martin Fortier, a market gardener from Quebec, Canada who is generating $150,000 in vegetable sales on an acre and a half. Using what JM considers, “appropriate technology” like high tunnels and greenhouses, he can extend his growing season to eight months. He will share the tools and techniques he uses in his session on Friday, May 18, from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm at Russell Hall.
Located right here in Forest Hills, Louisiana, JCM Greenhouse uses galvanized steel, made in the USA, to construct and install custom greenhouses and high tunnels throughout the southeast. This family-owned business has grown from its original location to a 27,000 SF facility where it manufactures structures to meet your needs. They also have an in-house professional installation team to make getting your new high tunnel hassle-free.
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which will provide a local cost-share of up to $20,000 per eligible farmstead to assist with the installation of these season-extending high-tunnels. “This is what this conference is all about, bringing together the technical experts and the resources to support the next generation of farmers,” said Donna Isaacs, executive director of Campti Field of Dreams. Whether you are interested in full-time vegetable production or part-time supplemental income, there is something for everyone to gain.
Join us at Back To Your Roots 2018. The conference is free and open to the public but registration is required as seating is limited. For more information, please visit camptifieldofdreams.org or call 318-521-4998.
Campti Field of Dreams is a 501 (c) 3, non-profit organization dedicated to improving quality of life in rural communities through sustainable entrepreneurship.
Eight students and a staff member from the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts volunteered at a local food pantry on Thursday, May 10. They packed boxed that were to be distributed to needy families around the Natchitoches area. Pictured are Caroline Adkins, a junior from Shreveport; Matthew Bailey, a senior from Haughton; Jenny Schmitt, assistant director of student life; Cooper Miller, a junior from Natchitoches; Jerralyn Foy, a junior from Winnsboro; Madison Latiolais, a junior from Breaux Bridge; Rachel Judson, a junior from Lake Charles; Julianne Le, a sophomore from Lake Charles; and Tobi Ojemekinde, a junior from Shreveport.
