After five years of powerlifting for St. Mary’s Catholic School, Anna Kata Jackson made her senior year State Powerlifting meet one for the record books…literally.

Not only did she place first in her weight class, but she also broke three state records in the process. Starting with a record-breaking squat (315) and following it up with two-record-breaking deadlifts (325 and 335 – breaking her own record), she broke a state record for total pounds lifted (785).

In addition, this well-rounded student-athlete also received LHSAA Academic All-Composite Honors for her 4.0 GPA.

Teammate Chloe Nash also placed fourth in her weight class at state.

October 9, 1957 – April 1, 2022

A Graveside service to honor the life of Mrs. Dawna Penrod will be held at 10:30 am Monday, April 4, 2022 at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Vowells Mill, LA. The family will receive friends from 8 am until 10 am on Monday, April the 4th at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches.

Dawna, 64 years of age and a resident of Natchitoches, passed away on April 1, 2022. She was born on October 9, 1957 to Travis Brister and Manette Cloud Brister in Fairbanks, Alaska. She taught school for many years in Provencal, LA and will be dearly missed by all that knew and loved her.

She is survived by her husband, Kenneth Penrod; her mother, Manette Brister; children, Robert Ganz, Kelly Enkey and husband Jason and Kenny Penrod and wife Tana; and a brother, Robbie Brister and wife Jan and their daughter, Jamie. She dearly loved and was blessed with 4 grandchildren, Dylan Penrod, Grace Penrod, Ethan Enkey and Ally Enkey.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers include Charles Penrod, Dylan Penrod, Richard Penrod, Ethan Enkey and Jason Enkey.

This week, the Natchitoches Parish Library (NPL) hopes that all community members will join in and celebrate National Library Week by learning more about their local library. The Friends of the NPL (FONPL) is sponsoring a drawing for a Kindle Fire tablet to encourage learning more by signing up for the NPL’s monthly newsletter. To enter for a chance, text NEWS to 318-357-3280 through next Saturday and follow the instructions. Or ask staff at any circulation desk for other ways you can enter to win.

Additionally, the NPL will be out in the community sharing about library resources and classes throughout the week. Monday, from 3:30-6:30 PM, the NPL will be at Super 1 on the Bypass; Tuesday, from 3:30-6:30 PM, they will be at Hobby Lobby; Wednesday, from 3-5:30 PM, there will be a special celebration in the Main Branch’s lobby; and Friday, from 3-5:30,patrons can celebrate at the Northeast Branch in Campti. Those who stop by can win some library swag, get their faces painted, learn more about the NPL’s offerings, and enter for the Fire tablet drawing and enjoy refreshments, sponsored by the FONPL.

During National Library Week, libraries across the US are encouraging their communities to visit explore and access their library’s virtual and in-person services. The NPL offers a wide array of online resources that are available from the comfort of home, including Hoopla and Libby (digital checkout), My Heritage Library Edition (genealogy), Chilton Library (vehicle repair), and more. In-person classes are also offered each month for children, teens, and adults.

Whichever way you use the NPL, your local library is an accessible and inclusive place that fosters a sense of belonging and community through knowledge, connection, and community. The NPL seeks to make a difference in people’s lives by providing electronic learning resources like online homework help and wi-fi access for students and workers who may lack internet access at home. The NPL is supporting the community with curb-side pickup, grab-and-go craft kits, and story times, to name a few.

This National Library Week, the public can show their appreciation and support for libraries by visiting natlib.org, following the NPL on social media, and using the hashtag #NationalLibraryWeek.

Molly Shannon, multiple Emmy-nominated and Spirit Award-winning actress, comedian, and legendary Saturday Night Live cast member, will help celebrate our nation’s libraries as the honorary chair of National Library Week, April 4–9, 2022. Shannon will highlight the numerous ways libraries serve to connect communities to books, resources, programs, and, of course, each other.

“I am so honored to serve as honorary chair of National Library Week for 2022. My mom was a librarian. She encouraged kids to read. So, the work of librarians and libraries has such a special place in my heart,” Shannon said. “Libraries are places where communities connect—to things like broadband, computers, programs and classes, books, movies, video games, and more. But most importantly, libraries connect us to each other. Supporting National Library Week in this role allows me to connect to my mother’s memory and all the librarians out there. Thank you for everything you do.”

The theme for National Library Week 2022, “Connect with Your Library,” promotes the idea that libraries are places to get connected to technology by using broadband, computers, and other resources. Libraries also offer opportunities to connect with media, programs, ideas, and classes—in addition to books. Most importantly libraries also connect communities to each other. Overall, the theme is an explicit call to action—an invitation for communities to join, visit, or advocate for their local libraries.

“We are just delighted to have Molly Shannon serve as the honorary chair of National Library Week 2022,” said American Library Association President (ALA) Patty Wong. “Molly has made us laugh for so many years, and she exemplifies the creative spirit and spark that libraries and librarians nurture when they connect readers to new books and ideas. Molly is a national treasure, as are our libraries. We’re so glad to have her on board.”

Molly Shannon will release her memoir in April 2022. “Hello, Molly! A Memoir” is a candid, compulsively readable, hilarious, and heartbreaking memoir of resilience and redemption filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Whitney Houston to Adam Sandler to Monica Lewinsky, with many told for the first time. The book spans Shannon’s time on Saturday Night Live, where she starred alongside Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Cheri Oteri, Tracy Morgan, Jimmy Fallon, and many others. At the same time, it explores with humor and candor her struggle to come to terms with the legacy of her father, a man who fostered her gifts and drive, but who was also left with the impossible task of raising his kids alone after the loss of their mother.

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April.

NATCHITOCHES:
Dawna Brister Penrod
October 9, 1957 – April 1, 2022
Service: Monday, April 4 at 10:30 am at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Vowells Mill

SABINE:
Justin Shane Procell
March 18, 1988 – March 30, 2022
Service: Monday, April 4 at 10 am at St. Joseph Catholic Church

The Natchitoches Police Department’s Additional Street Patrol unit, also known as ASP, has proven to be a huge crime deterrent during their first week back in service.

Below are a few examples of what the ASP Unit has done to better our community:

• 13 arrests for several criminal offenses
• 6 arrests for drug related offenses
• 2 arrests for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
• 16 field contacts with individuals out on the streets late at night in high crime areas
• 7 warrants served
• 4 recovered firearms
• 2 recovered stolen firearms
• 55 traffic stops resulting in 21 citations
• 1 missing person

The ASP unit is composed of several highly motivated officers who are primarily tasked with locating and arresting the individuals responsible for the recent increase in shootings this year. ASP will also focus on other criminal activity such as felony warrants, burglaries, street level narcotics, violent crimes against citizens and other offenses affecting the quality of life in Natchitoches.

If you would like to report suspicious activity please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101. Remember all information given shall remain confidential.

How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:

You can also report a tip anonymously by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388. All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward up to $2,000 for the arrest of an offender.

Corporal John Greely
Public Information Officer
Natchitoches Police Department

Release Date: March 31, 2022

In two months time, Cane River Brewing will change hands and become A third location for Flying Heart Brewing & Pub. One of the owners, Ben Pattillo, said the brewery will stay operational during renovations to the back of house while they put a kitchen in place. After finalizing permitting they’ll shutdown Cane River and hold a grand opening for Flying Heart.

“We’re excited to become a part of the community and look forward to getting involved,” said Pattillo.

Flying Heart opened its original location in 2014 inside Historic Fire Station No. 6 in old downtown Bossier. In June of 2021 the West Monroe location was opened in the antique district.

When the opportunity for a Natchitoches location presented itself, the owners felt the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase fit right in with the vibes they want in their breweries. This included the historic aspect of the community and the history of the building itself.

PHOTO: Courtesy of CRB/facebook

The Natchitoches Police Department is investigating a shooting that took place Tuesday evening on Old Robeline Road.

On March 29, 2022 around 9:09 p.m., officers with the Natchitoches Police Department responded to Alaska Street in reference to gunshots in the area. Upon officers arrival they were notified by Police Communication Officers that an individual had been shot in the 1200 block of Old Robeline Road. Officers were able to locate one victim that was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

The victim was transported by air to a hospital in the Shreveport area where they are listed in stable condition.

This is an ongoing investigation and the Natchitoches Police Department will release more details as they become available.

If you would like to report suspicious activity please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101 or if you have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact Detective John Wynn at (318) 357-3811. Remember all information given shall remain confidential.

How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:

You can also report a tip anonymously by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388. All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward up to $2,000 for the arrest of an offender.

Corporal John Greely
Public Information Officer
Natchitoches Police Department

On March 27, 2022 around 4:50 p.m., officers with the Natchitoches Police Department responded to the 600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in reference to an armed robbery. Upon officers arrival they made contact with the victim who said that they were walking in the 1100 block of Breda Avenue when they were struck in the back of their head and robbed at gunpoint.

The victim was able to provide officers with a description of the two suspects that had just robbed them. The suspects were located in the J.W. Thomas Apartments by officers and were placed under arrest.

Cadarius Lewis (B/M, 19 y.o.a. of Natchitoches) is charged with Armed Robbery, Armed Robbery with the use of a Firearm, Theft of a Firearm and Simple Burglary.

Julius Washington (B/M, 20 y.o.a. of Natchez) is charged with Armed Robbery and Armed Robbery with the use of a Firearm.

Cadarius Lewis and Julius Washington were both placed in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.

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

How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:

You can also report a tip anonymously by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388. All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward up to $2,000 for the arrest of an offender.

Corporal John Greely
Public Information Officer
Natchitoches Police Department

Release Date: March 31, 2022

By Joe Darby

Okay, folks. This week will be a change of pace. No politics. No controversies. No history. Well, there will be some history, but only in reference to one of the most important aircraft of all time.

A couple of weeks ago the last thing on my mind was taking a flight on a Ford Tri-Motor. In fact it was not on my mind at all, even in last place. Then I saw a small ad in The Shreveport Times, which I subscribe to (still have to get my daily newspaper, you know). It was a notice that an original 1929 Tri-Motor would be available for flights in Shreveport. Now that sounded like something cool to do.

Then, I looked at the website of the sponsoring organization, the EAA, and it was also coming to Alexandria. Even better! I much prefer driving to Alec than to Shreveport, although the latter is only about 20 miles farther from my house.

I checked the long-range weather forecast for last weekend and the prediction was clear, not windy and in the low 70s. Everything was falling into place. So I got in touch with my friend and veterinarian Dr. Joey Bynog, also of Natchitoches, and asked if he’d be interested. Doc Joey is a man of wide interests and his 11-year-old son Caleb, a bright lad if I ever saw one, loves history and they were both eager to share the adventure with me.

So around mid-day Saturday we piled into Doc’s truck and headed south. We expected the plane would be flying out of the main terminal, but we were informed that it was at the private Million Air terminal, a few blocks away and still on the old England Air Force Base complex. The historic airliner could carry only nine or ten passengers at a time, so we had to wait almost two hours for our turn.

But, boy, was it worth it. It’s just not something that one gets to accomplish every day, or even every month or every year, for that matter. So it was special. We got in through the low-ceilinged entry port and walked up to our seats. Like all planes of that era, the Tri-Motor is a tail dragger and you literally walk uphill toward the front of the plane after entering. The interior tended to the plush side, with leather seats and wood paneling above the windows. All seats are window seats because there are only two seats in each row, separated by the center aisle.

The pilot cranked up the three classic air-cooled radial engines, which were noisy, to say the least. But this was experienicng aviation as it was more than 90 years ago. After a very short roll, we were airborne and were commencing a 15-minute ride over Alexandria. She climbed slowly but surely and soon we were at what I estimate as an altitude of about 1,500 feet. The plane cruises at about 100 mph and has a range of some 500 miles.

As much as I loved the flight, I’m not sure I would have wanted to be aboard for four or five hours. She tends to wander a little, yawing back and forth and nodding for slight dips from time to time. So the pilot has to make almost constant corrections to keep the aircraft really steady. That has to be a tough job, too, because he has no hydraulics to help him. The controls are connected to external cables, which you can see in plain view on the side of the aircraft. It’s muscles all the way here.

But aviation historians pretty much agree that this airplane is of the utmost importance. It was the largest airliner of its day, and the first made of all metal, and was instrumental in helping change airlines from more or less fly by night outfits with small planes to an organized industry, with schedules, passenger terminals, maintenance and storage facilities at all major airports, and also introduced such amenities as flight attendants and toilet facilities.

It’s hey day was not that long, because with the pace of aviation progress back then, newer, sleeker planes like the Douglas DC-3 soon came along and made the Tri-Motor obsolescent for first-line air carriers. It’s day wasn’t over, however, and it continued to serve in South American nations then later as crop dusters, firefighters and cargo carriers.

But I’ll never forget my 15 minutes of airborne delight with a great old plane that first rolled out of its factory 93 years ago. Hopefully she’ll still be flying for additional decades.

By Steve Graf, Ranger/Daiwa Pro Staff

Well, we knew this day was coming, but I did not expect it to be in my lifetime. Bass fishing is being attacked, and some states are looking to ban it by 2025. It really angers me to know that a form of our heritage is being taken away by a minority group that would rather hug a tree or kiss a bass rather than eating one. These people who stand at boat ramps and protest any form of angling are the same people pushing the “New Green Deal” that President Biden ran on. While this can be upsetting and make you angry, make sure to read the entire article to get my full perspective.

If this doesn’t get every outdoorsman’s attention, I don’t know what will. Since I was a kid in the early 70’s, I’ve heard about people who don’t believe in fishing. They think that the pain inflicted on a bass as it is caught is inhumane. Now understand, they have no proof of this other than those in their group who have the ability to communicate with fish. Fish have said to them that the pain and suffering they go through is uncalled for and unnecessary. According to the tree huggers, the fish feel that no one has stood up for them until now. The fish have spoken and are tired of people thinking they know what’s best for them. So, I wanted to hear their side of the story.

To complete my own study, I decided to Google “fish language” on the internet, and to my amazement I discovered an online class that would teach me “fish language” so that I could do my own research and interview largemouth bass. This course really was a challenge even with my B.S. degree from Northwestern State. I was never one to try and learn a new language, but I felt it was vital for me to be able to get a true perspective as to what bass go through. After six weeks of intense bass language study, I was ready! Now all I needed was some bass to talk with and see things from their perspective.

How was I going to capture some bass for my study? Ha…I grabbed my Daiwa rod and reel combo (valued at $500), hooked up my Ranger bass boat and headed to Lake X. The first thing I noticed after arriving at the lake was that I could hear the fish talking underwater as I backed my boat in the water. I never noticed this before until I learned “fish language.” You know sound travels extremely well in and across water. It was so loud; it was like being at a rock concert with Hootie and the BlowFish, a very popular band in the fish world. Since learning to speak “fish language,” I now was hearing things in a whole other manner. Only someone who knows “fish language” can ever relate to what I’m talking about.

Now for my study…after making my very first cast, I hooked a good size largemouth bass. I listened intently as the hooked fish jumped, but there was no sound, no screaming or moaning. I thought, “That’s strange, nothing at all….not a sound was made.” Now you would think if hooking a fish really hurt, there would be some horrifying sounds echoing across the water as the fished jumped trying to throw my bait out of its mouth. What I did hear was other fish cheering the hooked bass on and encouraging him to throw the bait back to me…kind of like how bulls cheer on other bulls as they try to throw the cowboy off during a rodeo. The bass were actually more excited to see if their friend could succeed at getting rid of the bait that hooked him.

As I continued to reel and bring the fish on board my $85,000 Ranger boat, still no screaming, no chirping, no howling. But this is where my “fish language” course finally paid off. I asked the fish if being hooked hurt him? His response absolutely blew me away when he said, “No.” I then asked, “Well, do other bass feel pain when they are hooked?” Again, the bass said, ”No,” but shared that one thing that really bothers them is when humans allow them to flop on the deck of the boat, especially those with carpet as it takes their protective slime off their bodies which can lead to infections. So, I finally had my proof that fish really don’t feel pain from being hooked. I had heard it straight from the horses (or in this case) the bass’s mouth. I thanked him for participating in my study and released him unharmed back into the lake like all good bass anglers do.

My conclusion was this…just like our political parties today, they make up fake news for their own benefit. Now we all know that there is no “fish language” course you can take, but to make this article more believable I thought it was necessary that you think that. Again, our politicians do this every single day; they make stuff up that they think we will believe. They think we are like bass in that we have a brain the size of a pea. So, is it true that bass fishing will be banned by 2025? Probably not, but I thought it would be a good April Fool’s joke!!! Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook….especially now that you know bass feel no pain!!!

Here is a look at the week of April 3-9 at Northwestern State University.

April 3 – 9 – Registration for summer, fall semesters
April 3 – Caddo Conference, Friedman Student Union
April 3 – Baseball vs. Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, Brown-Stroud Field, 1 p.m.
April 4 – NSU Trumpet Ensemble and Euphonium-Tuba Ensemble, Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
April 5 – Teacher Job Fair, Friedman Student Union, 8 a.m. – noon
April 6 – Tennis vs. LSU-Alexandria, Jack Fisher Lady Demon Complex, 2 p.m.
April 6 – NSU Trombone Choir, Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
April 7 – Red River Special Olympics, Walter Ledet Track and Field Complex, 8 a.m.-noon
April 7 – Louisiana Piano Series International presents Artem Kuznetsov, Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
April 8 – “Courageous Conversations: Race, Cultural Competence and Self-Care,” NSU Student Union Cane River Room, 1-4:30 p.m.
April 8-9 – Greek Centennial Celebration
April 8-9 — LitCon, Orville Hanchey Gallery
April 8 – Flavor of Louisiana, Prather Coliseum, 6 p.m.
April 8 – NSU Percussion Ensemble, Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
April 9 – Tennis vs. Nicholls, Jack Fisher Lady Demon Complex, 11 a.m.
April 9 – Civitasolis Wind Quintet, Magale Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

By Tommy Rush

Today is April 1, better known as April Fool’s Day. I’m not sure how the day got the name or when the playing of practical jokes on others got started, but I do know from experience that it’s always good on April 1 to keep one eye open until the day is done and expect the unexpected. Some people might even say, “On April 1, Trust No One!” Most of us have had the experience of being tricked or fooled. It’s one thing to be fooled but a quiet another to be a fool.

Mark Twain once wrote, “April 1 is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.” I would never call anyone a fool, but the longer I live and the more I see, the closer it gets to the tip of my tongue. There’s a lot of foolishness in our world today! Sometimes it is hard to believe just how foolish people have become. Now I admit that I’ve had my fair share of foolish experiences. I can personally testify that foolishness can show up on any given day, at any given hour.

So here are some verses to remember in a world that seems to celebrate foolishness more and more with every passing day. “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

There is a direct correlation between being careful and wise living. We must actively watch and discern and pay attention to how we’re living. We should seize every opportunity to live our life with wisdom and do God’s will. We are not told in the verses exactly how we can know God’s will, but there’s a good clue, “Don’t be foolish.”

We guard against foolishness by living with wisdom. We live with wisdom by being careful how we live. It all starts with being careful in how we live. What does it mean to live carefully? It means living your life for God and trusting your life to His awesome grace and goodness. Careful living is choosing to live each day with the Lord and for the Lord’s glory. Why? Because Jesus is worthy and His ways are always wise.

Is there an area of your life where you need to be more careful so that you can understand God’s will? If so, commit it to the Lord and trust Him to help you to live wisely.

Father, Help me to be careful how I live today. Convict my heart and change me, Lord. I don’t want to coast through life. I want to follow You wherever You lead me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

March of 1992 is the year that my parents celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, it was a pretty big deal. Not only was it the traditional “China Anniversary”, it also came with many changes. They made it two full decades rearing three unruly children, moving out of Historic Natchitoches into the beautiful green hills of Goldonna, they were entering the ministry full-time, and my mom leaving her career as an ad salesman and editor for the Natchitoches Times.

It was a lifetime of changes to celebrate in just a few short years.

That year we cooked a big dinner, baked a big cake and invited friends over to celebrate. Anytime there is a celebration, there must be food and there must be people. This was also the year that my older sister got married, so it was our first family celebration including my new brother. There was an abundance of things to celebrate.

After everyone left, it was mainly immediate family that hung around reviewing the events of the day and just enjoying each other’s company. While we were enjoying the solitude of the smaller crowd I noticed a perplexity in our celebration and before I could stop myself, it was truly like an out of body experience, I blurted out, “How is it that you are celebrating twenty years of marriage in March and Callie (oldest sibling) is turning twenty in July?”

An awkward hush befell the halted celebration. My hand was covering my mouth because there was only one explanation and I was a little scared of getting grounded for unearthing a truth they never shared with their kiddos.

Mom was expecting a beautiful baby girl prior to becoming betrothed to our father. She had a bun in the oven before her etiquette approved time.

After what seemed like an eternity, we began to laugh out loud. We joked and we judged them harshly while laughing. Their simple explanation was that they didn’t always live a Christ like life. It was honest and straight to the point. But I did wonder if they felt guilt over expecting a baby before the appointed time for most married couples. Both of my parents grew up with a strict Catholic background and they did share that it was not a pleasant revelation when they told their respective families.

While it may not have been society’s perfect time for them to get married or have children, it clearly generated a lifetime of blessings for them and their children. My parents were very devoted to each other and loved each other’s company, they were amazing parents together and had a ministry that reached hundreds of lives. God turned their situation into a ministry that helped many people create a personal relationship with the Lord.

It wasn’t long after their twentieth anniversary that my mom became very ill and almost lost her life. But it wasn’t God’s timing for her leave this earth. She still had work to do. My mother became wheel-chair bound in 1993, when she was only 43 years old. My father was her caretaker everyday of her life and refused help from home health care and refused to even consider a nursing home for her extended care. Even from her wheel chair she was very active in my dad’s ministry until she passed away in April of 2011.

They were just shy of celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary when she was called home.

God was so good to my family and blessed us with many years together even though it didn’t start in a perfect way. But that is one of God’s specialties…. taking the situations with no hope and blessing them with additional years, more time and a clear path of beauty.

When we start questioning God math’s that includes adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing we are truly not giving him credit for his intricate design of our lives. Even though we may be perplexed and concerned about the timing of how things happen…..from all accounts, he has never failed a math test yet. He is on our side and he is for us. Soon after my mom passed away he was blessed my father with another life partner who would continue to be a blessing to our family.

Happy what would have been a 50th wedding anniversary to my mom and dad, George and Gail Procell. Your love produced many blessings that are being lived out daily. March 1972 -March 2022

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to him. And he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

Terrence Bean.

In all of Northwestern State track and field’s rich history, the N-Club Hall of Fame jumper is the first and only other person to do what freshman Maygan Shaw did to begin her career this year.

Shaw won a gold medal as a true freshman at the Southland Conference Indoor Championships this past February, becoming the first NSU female to do that in her first-ever conference championship meet, joining Bean in that elite group.

The freshman tracked down a runner at the tape to claim gold in 55.96, a time which she’s shaved down to 55.53 at Texas State’s Bobcat Invitational this past week. Bean started his NSU career in 1994 and won the high jump.

Shaw and her counterparts will compete in their third outdoor meet of the season at the Baylor Invitational, which starts Friday with the hammer throw and continues Saturday.

“She doesn’t know what she’s doing yet,” said NSU sprints coach Adam Pennington as he smiled. “Once she gets more into the sport, she’ll learn a little more and pay attention to small details.

“She doesn’t overthink a situation, and she’s a competitor with a killer instinct. She doesn’t worry about the competition, she’s just out there running.”

Shaw is getting this college track thing down though, and increased attention from college-level coaches is deepening her understanding.

“Coaches are paying attention to every little detail, so you know what you’re doing wrong and how you can improve,” Shaw said. “Encouragement from coaches and support from your teammates makes you work harder and ultimately leads to running faster than you did in high school.

“I wasn’t thinking about gold when I got to the (SLC Indoors). I just wanted a better time than I ran in high school. I was thinking more about competing for medals as a senior or something like that, but no, as a freshman right out of the gate is what happened. It was overwhelming, and I was happy, surprised and amazed.”

Even more impressive, Shaw was sick all throughout the conference championship weekend, including vomiting any food she was able to ingest.

Shaw came out of Pineville High as an accomplished sprinter, winning the Class 5A 400 meters in 55.90 and claiming silver in the 200 (24.72).

But COVID-19 derailed track and field in 2020, and Shaw didn’t immediately regain her form in 2021 as a senior.

“It took a lot of practice in the summer with my team to get back to where I was in my sophomore and junior years of high school,” Shaw said. “And now I’m executing my race more, learning where to use my power and where to keep it low.

“I’m running my own race instead of basing it off others, and you just have to stay within yourself or you’ll overwork or underwork yourself.”

Pennington said most high school runners didn’t snap back into their pre-COVID-19 form right away, and he put his Central Louisiana faith in Shaw to come in and compete.

“I was born in Pineville, I’m a Cenla guy, and I have relationships down there,” Pennington said. “Very few kids come out of that area, and we knew that she was very raw.

“But seeing what she did in 2019, we were going to stick with her, bring her in and train her up.”

Shaw has made her mark in the 400 meters, but her real love is the 200 meters.

“I’m better at the 400, but the 200 is the race I really want to be good at,” said Shaw, who just missed the 200 finals at the SLC Indoors. “The 400 is good training for the 200, so I appreciate that and I’ll keep working.”

Shaw isn’t the only Cenla product to impress as a true freshman.

Galen Loyd (Grant High) ran personal bests of 47.55 (400 meters) and 10.98 (100 meters) in the previous two meets as well as a 4×100 leg on a ‘B’ relay that clocked 40.39, a top 40-time in the nation.

“I’ve known Galen since high school, and so it’s nice to see him doing things I didn’t expect him to do, and he didn’t expect me to do what I’m doing either,” Shaw said. “I’m excited to see what we’ll both do this outdoor season.”

PHOTO: Ron Pierce

With a 5-1 final week of the non-conference schedule, that included an extra-inning win against 2021 WCWS finalist James Madison, and a sweep of Houston Baptist to open Southland Conference play, the Lady Demons (21-12, 3-0) have won nine of their last 10 games.

They enter the second weekend of league play, following a 6-2 win against Louisiana Tech earlier this week, with the first home series of the year against Nicholls (9-20, 1-2). The three-game set starts with a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Friday afternoon and ends with a noon first pitch on Saturday.

All games will be available at www.nsudemons.com/watch with live stat links on the website or NSU Athletics mobile app, a free download via the Apple or Google Stores.

Saturday’s finale also offers fans the opportunity to purchase a $10 ticket that provides entry to the game along with two free beers.

Through the first month of the season the NSU pitching staff, that continues to dominate and lead the conference in every major pitching category, carried the team. The quartet threw multiple shutouts and didn’t allow a team to score more than five runs in a game until three weeks into the season.

After Tuesday’s win where freshman Sage Hoover threw her second straight complete game with 10 or more strikeouts, the staff has held opponents to two runs or less 18 times, more than half of the total games played.

With nine wins in the past 10 games, the credit can be shared with the performance at the plate just as much as in the circle. NSU has scored 28 runs in its last four games and 62 in the nine most recent wins with a total of 96 hits, raising the team batting average 25 points during the stretch.

“In year’s past we’ve started off preseason so strong,” fourth-year Lady Demon and recent returnee to the lineup Alexis Perry said. “With a lot of teams that can go downhill. With us we started off kind of slow, but we’ve kept on going and going and getting better.

“I think we’re just now starting to hit our stride at the perfect time. We’ve been putting in work week after week. A lot of the hitters are putting in extra work before practice and we’re all communicating with each other on what we’re seeing at the plate. I think that communication and the work we’ve been doing is helping this offense come alive at the right time.”

Each of the first five batters in the lineup has 10 or more hits in the past 10 games, led by Laney Roos’ 17 and Taylor Williams’ 15. Their ability to get on base has set the stage for the RBI machine that has been Keely DuBois, who now leads the conference with 30 overall after driving in 19 over the course of the past two weeks.

She is also one of three Lady Demons that have an on-base streak of 10 or more heading into the weekend series with Nicholls. No coincidence that the other two are Williams and Roos.

It hasn’t been just the first five in the order that have produced. Tristin Court has a pair of home runs and Kat Marshall is tied for the second most RBIs during the last 10 games with eight batted in, six coming in the past two games.

The relentlessness of the NSU lineup is the primary thing that head coach Donald Pickett has been looking for and what he was most proud and pleased to see from Tuesday’s win against the Lady Techsters.

“We were up 2-0 and they hit the ball out to tie the game,” he said. “Sage locked right back in and dominated the rest of the way. We came back in the bottom of the inning and put two back on them and never looked back. Nobody every panicked. We were all in it and doing what it took to win the game and by playing together.”

Putting together complete team games and playing with more mental toughness has been the key for the Lady Demons since their trip to Houston three weeks ago, a clear turning-point moment in the season.

The Lady Demons won the next five games after that weekend to start the current winning stretch and have only gotten better since that handful of wins. They will look to continue with that same mentality and “hunger” according to Pickett as they host Nicholls who lost two of three at UIW to open league play a week ago.

PHOTO: Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services

Northwestern State University seeks qualified applicants for the position of PAYROLL ASSISTANT in the Office of Business Affairs. 

JOB TYPE:     Unclassified

SALARY:       $30,000.00 – $40,000.00

LOCATION:  Natchitoches, Louisiana

As part of the payroll team, under the direct supervision of the Assistant Controller to Payroll, the Payroll Assistant, aids in the processing and reviewing of the bi-weekly, monthly, and summer payrolls, providing functional support for the payroll system to improve efficiency.

MINIUMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Two years of experience in accounting or bookkeeping, with at least six months of payroll experience

Required Skills/Abilities

• Excellent administrative and organizational skills
• Excellent grammar and proofreading skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to successfully work independently, organize own work and coordinate work activities of others (student workers)
• Ability to successfully work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite including Excel and Word

To Apply: Send letter of application, resume and complete contact information for three professional references to:  apply@nsula.edu

 Review of applicants will begin immediately an continue until the position is filled.

To view a complete job description, click the link below:   https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/louisiana?keywords=northwestern

An Equal Opportunity Employer

The folks at the TV station had cautioned us about the possibility of thunderstorms in our area one morning last June. We had been warned so while we kept our eyes on the skies, life around our house was continuing as normal.

As rain began falling, I made sure our garage door was closed and I settled down with my morning coffee inside, rather than taking my usual treasured spot on the back porch. Kay was folding laundry as we watched the rain and the sky darken and periodic flashes of lightning and accompanying thunder drew closer.

Without warning, it was like a bomb detonated inside our house. The explosion was ear splitting and with all the tall pines around our house, we knew that a bolt must have struck one of them.

Recovering from the blast, I cautiously stepped into the garage to begin assessing the damage. Strangely, the garage door I had closed only moments ago had opened by itself. Hitting the switch to close it, nothing happened; the bolt had knocked out the remote control.

Next, I checked our alarm system; it was also dead. The biggie, though, was when we activated the central air system and it was inoperative.

The sum total of damages resulted in replacement and repair costs approaching $2,000.

Fortunately, homeowners insurance paid a portion but we had to pay the difference.

I began a search later that day for the tree that lightning had struck to cause such damages to our home. It was not until several weeks later that I noticed the tell-tale results of a dying tree, the little white globs of resin that begin showing up once a tree begins it demise. Bugs had started working on the tree that lightning had struck, a tall pine that stood within 10 steps of our garage.

Lightning is something that can be deadly, according to a source I found. A typical lightning flash is about 300 million volts and about 30,000 amps. In comparison, household current is 120 volts and 15 amps. Wow, no wonder we experienced damage when it hit a tree so close to our house.

When lightning strikes a tree, water in the cells instantly begins to boil, creating steam and the expanding steam can explode, cracking or stripping off bark.

Another source said that lightning is one of the leading weather-related causes of death and injury in the United States. Did you know you can be struck by lightning when the center of the thunderstorm is 10 miles away?

Several years ago, I witnessed the aftermath of a lightning strike on a big oak at Lincoln Parish Park. The tree was virtually blown apart with strips of bark catapulted several yards from the trunk.

On another occasion, hay was being baled in the pasture across the road from our home with round bales on the ground waiting for pick up. A bolt of lightning struck one of the bales and I watched in amazement during a heavy rainstorm as the bale caught fire and burned.

This is the time of year when folks are out on the lake fishing, boating or skiing and it’s also the time when thunderstorms can crop up quickly. If skies darken and the rumble of thunder is heard, it’s time to leave the water and seek shelter until the storm passes.

Lightning can be deadly and can do strange things, like causing a garage door to open by itself.

The Northwestern State University Career Center will host its annual Teacher Job Fair on Tuesday, April 5, from 8 a.m. until noon in the Friedman Student Union Ballroom.

Those students who are participating are asked to dress appropriately and bring several copies of their resume.

Louisiana school systems participating include Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, East Baton Rouge, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Sabine and Webster parishes. Texas ISDs taking part are East Mountain – Saginaw, Galena Park, Jasper and Killen. Other agencies sending representatives will be City Year – Recruitment & Admissions, the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice and Pelican Bayou Counseling Agency Inc.

For more information call Rachel Cunningham at 318-357-4050.

NATCHITOCHES:
Patricia Ann Byrd
July 7, 1945 – March 29, 2022
Service: Saturday, April 2 at 10 am at Coldwater Baptist Church in Hagewood

WINN:
Patsy Ann LaFollette
July 24, 1944 – March 30, 2022
Service: Saturday, April 2 from 2-4 pm at Southern Funeral Home

RED RIVER:
Danny “Dan” Ray Hargrove, II
November 7, 1982 – March 29, 2022
Service: Saturday, April 2 at 2 pm at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel

JOURNAL SERVICES

In a historic vote, one cast for the first time in 31 years, the Louisiana Legislature voted on March 30 to overturn Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto of the congressional redistricting maps.

According to Gov. Edwards, he vetoed the map because it does not add a second majority minority district and runs afoul of federal law. Out of the 163 total districts created by the Legislature, not a single additional majority minority seat was created, despite the fact that the percentage of the black population increased and the white population decreased.

The maps are redrawn every 10 years based on data collected by the U.S. Census, which also determines the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities.

District 31 Senator Louie Bernard said that while it’s a complicated process, the bottom line is that a lot of votes were cast to get it to the court, who will have the final say.

“The house and the senate were responsible for following the guidelines they were under for creating a map,” he explained. While some people might say two districts should have been drawn, gerrymandering is outlawed and the legislature did what it thought will pass the muster of a court challenge.

Likewise, District 22 State Representative Gabe Firment was happy with the outcome. This moment is important because it’s part of the legislature’s job to redistrict every 10 years. It’s also important because it establishes that the legislature is united and that it has the power and the will to override the governor again if it needs to.

“I’m glad to see they were able to successfully override the governor’s veto for the first time in a long time,” he shared. “A historic precedent was set today.”

Besides federal criteria, there are state based requirements for redistricting, which can include contiguity (all areas within a district should be physically adjacent), compactness (constituents within a district should live as near to one another as practicable), community of interest (group of people in a geographical area, such as a specific region or neighborhood, who have common political, social or economic interests), and political boundaries (e.g., the limits of counties, cities, and towns).

While the governor cast his veto because he saw a need for two majority Black congressional districts, the legislature felt it was impossible to draw another Black majority district with the way the African American population is dispersed throughout the state.

“The only way would have been if we would have done that with race being the biggest factor, which is just not constitutional,” said Firment. “I don’t think it would have survived a challenge in court.”

By Kevin Shannahan/Opinion

Oceans of ink and acres of newsprint have been expended on the travails of LSU’s various sports teams. A recently fired LSU basketball coach was featured on a FBI wiretap expounding on a “strong ass offer” made to a recruit, presumably an offer more strong ass than the chance to earn a degree. Those sad distractions from what a university should be about were overseen by a chancellor earning well into 6 figures. While on a much smaller, and considerably more scandal free, level, the salaries of NSU’s coaches and administrators are quite comfortable.

Keeping Matthew 6:21 in mind let us turn our attention to something that actually matters, our state’s colleges and universities desultory performance in producing winners of Rhodes, Truman, Mitchell and Marshall scholarships. Well, producing might be too strong a word, given the paltry results. Since 2018, the last year I checked, a 2021 Rhodes Scholarship was won by a young woman from LSU. That was the sum total of major scholarships earned by students in our state’s colleges and universities. These scholarships are an internationally recognized standard of excellence and a life changing opportunity for those who earn them.

In the 2022 competition for Truman Scholarships, four Louisianans did earn places as finalists. That piece of good news was somewhat tempered by the fact that they attended MIT, Baylor, Stanford, and Columbia Universities. It is hard indeed to imagine an athletic program in any of our state’s institutions that would be allowed to accumulate such a lackluster record without immediate action being called for by an outraged public and concerned alumni.

To put this situation in a context familiar to SEC fans, universities in Alabama, to include our perennial football rival, the University of Alabama, have produced two Rhodes Scholars and one Marshall scholar since 2018. The Universities of Georgia and Arkansas have also produced one Rhodes Scholar each during that period.

LSU’s results may be inauspicious, but at least they are trying. According to the website for the Truman Scholarship, of the nine universities in the University of Louisiana System, only LA Tech has a faculty advisor to guide student applicants. While advisor contacts are not listed on the other scholarships sites, I have no reason to suspect that our state’s colleges and universities are doing any better there.

Dr. Marcus Jones, you are in your first year as president of Northwestern State University. Begin your tenure on a high note and fix this embarrassment posthaste. The Louisiana Scholars’ College is failing to fulfil the spirit of its charter as the state’s designated honors college. The newly named head of the LSC likewise needs to address the lack of advisors for these programs once he takes the reins. Dr. Henderson, after you congratulate Dr. Guice at LA Tech for having the only advisor for the Truman Scholarship among the nine institutions in the ULS system over which you preside, please make competing with the best students in the nation, or world in the case of the Rhodes, a priority for all nine institutions. The Southern University system is likewise not producing competitive applicants. As a former employee of one of our state’s HBCUs, I am particularly disturbed by this. Bringing opportunity to underserved people and helping them rise is part and parcel of what an HBCU is supposed to be about. Dr. Belton, please fix this. Governor Edwards, there are several spots reserved by statute on the Board of Trustees for the Truman Scholarship. One of them is for a sitting governor. Fill that vacancy!

Louisiana is not a wealthy state. Many of the students at our colleges and universities come from families of modest means. That does not make them second-rate. They are the equal of any group of young people anywhere in the world. Set standards and expectations along with help, guidance and belief in their potential and they will rise to meet those standards. I would like the reader to imagine a young person of modest means from a New Orleans housing project, a trailer park in central Louisiana or a small town in rural north Louisiana. He or she comes to college without much more than an idea that there is something better out there than what was around them growing up. It is not easy, but they work hard. Along the way, they see a future they could not have imagined a few years earlier. Their professors help them along the way. That young person will graduate and go on to Oxford University in England as a Rhodes Scholar. One of his or her friends will be going on to Ireland’s Trinity College as a Mitchell Scholar. Farfetched? I do not think so. Our state’s young people are up to the challenge. They need our leadership.

New NSU Head basketball coach Corey Gipson joins Billy West Live and outlines his vision for the future of Demon Basketball. Coach Gipson talks about his buy-in philosophy and how he will shape his program and develop young men

Photo: Courtesy of Northwestern State University