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

Aug. 3-17 – Fall 2025 semester registration available via NSU Connect

Natchitoches Parish Fire District 6 (NPFD6) responded to a structure fire in Powhatan on July 30, shortly after noon, assisting Natchitoches Parish Fire District 10.

The fire occurred on North Railroad Street and involved a vacant residential structure. Upon arrival, crews found the building fully engulfed in flames.

NPFD6 firefighters worked quickly to bring the fire under control and successfully prevented it from spreading to the surrounding wooded area. Rescue 1, Engine 1, and Engine 17 responded to the scene, along with nine NPFD6 personnel.

No injuries were reported.

A structure fire early Wednesday morning at a Natchez business is under investigation by local and state authorities.

At approximately 5:05 a.m. on July 30, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies and firefighters from Natchitoches Parish Fire Protection District #5, along with mutual aid from Districts #1 and #4, responded to a fire at Rite-Way Grocery/JJ’s Lounge and Dance Hall in the 9500 block of Hwy. 1. The fire was reported by the NATCOM 911 Center.

Emergency units arrived to find smoke and flames visible from the building. Firefighters worked to contain the blaze while an EMS unit from Natchitoches Regional Medical Center remained on standby.

The business sustained significant damage. The Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting District #5 with the investigation into the cause of the fire, which remains undetermined at this time.

Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

The Central Louisiana Economic Dashboard, a service of the LSUA College of Business, helps leaders monitor regional economic trends. View the full July 2025 issue at https://www.lsua.edu/dashboard.  

Join Marvin as he and NSU President Jimmy Genovese discuss the adverse Impact from the City of Natchitoches utility rate increase to NSU.

Brought to you by Lance Lopez with Farm Bureau, Sharpco Hotel Group and the Mariner Restaurant.

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BOM Bank is proud to congratulate Ragan Hale on her promotion to Business Development Officer. Ragan graduated from Louisiana State University in May 2024. She majored in Mass Communication with a concentration in Political Communication and a minor in Psychology.

Ragan has interned at BOM for the past four summers. She hopes to learn as much as she can and hopes to develop strong relationships with new and existing customers.

Ragan stated, “I love the BOM family and how much we truly care for and give back to the community. BOM means so much to me and my family and I’m passionate about helping BOM continue to grow and succeed.”

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The Cane River Waterway Commission recently presented a donation of $200,000 to the Northwestern State University Foundation earmarked for scholarships to help Natchitoches Parish students earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology, life sciences and related programs.

The donation creates the CRWC Endowed Scholarship for Undergraduates and the CRWC Endowed Graduate Assistantship. The proposals were unanimously approved by the Commission Board during a July 15 meeting. Cane River Waterway Commission Chair James Rhodes worked with Dr. Chris Lyles, director of NSU’s School of STEM, and administrators in NSU’s College of Arts and Sciences to formalize the agreement. Rhodes said he hopes the Commission will be able to fund a third scholarship next year.

The undergraduate scholarship is a need-based award that will go to students majoring in biology with a concentration in wildlife and conservation or agribusiness and have a demonstrated interest in Cane River.

“The targeted concentrations are deeply relevant to the agricultural, ecological and economic landscape of the Cane River region,” according to the scholarship proposal. Students supported by the fund will participate in field-based coursework and projects related to wildlife, conservation and agriculture. Students will also engage in a wildlife management practicum as well as a capstone course that will focus on the interests of the CRWC.

The CRWC Graduate Assistantship will benefit a student pursuing a Master of Science in STEM with a concentration in environmental science or integrative biology. The competitive fellowship will provide tuition and research funding support for a graduate student who will contribute directly to applied research and project development that will be of interest to the CRWC.

In exchange for financial support, the Commission will gain valuable, data-driven research tailored to its priorities. Project deliverables will support CRWC’s public engagement and initiatives. The partnership will also foster a pipeline of skilled professionals prepared to serve regional environmental and conservation efforts, administrators said.

“I’d like to see this as a catalyst, through our partnership, to get other businesses involved,” Rhodes said. “We need other members of the community to step up.”

NSU President James Genovese said the partnership with the Cane River Waterway Commission is an example of how groups work together to identify and develop opportunities that support students.

“They set up a scholarship through the School of STEM, the College of Arts and Sciences and the biology department where they can get students involved with what we do that involves the water, Cane River. It’s very impressive. They pushed the needle and there’s the success and we’re forever grateful,” Genovese said.

“The Cane River Waterway Commission plays a key role in preserving one of Louisiana’s most important cultural and ecological resources,” Lyles said. “This scholarship will help support students who are learning how to conserve this valuable resource and cultivate a future workforce invested in the health and sustainability of the region.”

Information on the Cane River Waterway Commission is available at crwcla.com.

Information on the NSU Foundation is available at northwesternstatealumni.com.

Pictured: Representatives from Natchitoches Parish schools joined NSU administrators and Jim Rhodes, chair of the Cane River Waterway Commission to announce two scholarships totaling $200,000. From left are Lakeview Jr./Sr. High School Principal Chase Stepp, Natchitoches Central High School Principal Micah Coleman, Dr. Fran Lemoine, dean of NSU’s College of Arts and Sciences; NSU President Dr. James Genovese, Rhodes, Natchitoches Parish School Board President Reba Phelps, St. Mary’s Principal Stephen Wren and St. Mary’s Director of Student Services Christie Griffin.

Volleyball registration through Natchitoches Parks and Recreation opens Monday, Aug. 4, with divisions and age groups available on the department’s website and at the Recreation Office.

Parents are encouraged to register early to ensure a spot in the upcoming season. In-person registration is available at the Rec Office, or online at secure.rec1.com/LA/natchitoches-la-parks-recreation.

Flag and tackle football registration is also ongoing. Space is limited, and rosters are filling quickly.

For more information, call 318-357-3891.

The annual Northwestern State/Independence Bowl Kickoff Luncheon in Shreveport, now in its fourth decade, has been slated or Thursday, Aug. 21 at Superior’s Steakhouse (855 Pierremont Avenue).

The luncheon, sponsored by John and Lynne Manno, begins at 11:45 a.m., one week ahead of Northwestern’s Aug. 28 season opener against Alcorn State.

All-inclusive lunch cost is $25 for salad, a plated meal and dessert. Reservations are being accepted by contacting the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl office at 318-221-0721. Attendees are asked to bring cash or check to the event to cover the cost.

“This event, which is now in its third decade, means football season has arrived,” Northwestern athletics director Kevin Bostian said. “Since I arrived in Natchitoches, I have looked forward to opening football season with a visit to Shreveport and the chance to visit with our longtime partners in this event, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl staff. Our relationship with (Independence Bowl Executive Director) Missy Setters and her staff is one we appreciate and cherish as is the opportunity to see many Northwestern alumni and friends who call the Shreveport-Bossier City area home.”

The luncheon features Bostian, second-year Demons’ coach Blaine McCorkle and members of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl staff. Bostian and McCorkle will preview the Northwestern season while bowl staffers will provide updates on the 49^th annual Independence Bowl, which is scheduled for Dec. 30.

Folks who live in other parts of the good ole U S of A don’t know what they’re missing when it comes to sitting down at the table, especially during summertime.

This time of year, we have food available to us that folks up north don’t appreciate and probably wouldn’t even if they sampled it. Their taste buds are more attuned to stuff that’s been sauteed or poached or whatever. Down here, our food, especially here in summer, is romping with flavor and is just flat out delicious.

Let’s start with fishing. I see posts on social media of northerners cooking fish in ways we wouldn’t think of cooking. Their fish are boiled or simmered in butter after being coated with flour. I have sampled fish cooked this way but I prefer our southern tradition hands down.

Bluegill bream is one of our favorites and we don’t poach ours; we scrape and gut them before coating whole bream with yellow mustard and roll them around in salted meal before dropping them in a pot of hot peanut oil.

When they turn brown and crispy, there is only one way southerners eat a bream. First step is to turn it around so you’re looking at the hind end and take a crispy bite of the tail. It’s like biting down on a potato chip, only much more flavorful. Then we carefully remove the back fin – some call it unzipping the fish – and gently pull the sides apart. Avoiding bones, when these parts are dipped into tartar sauce or ketchup, this is some fine eating when adding fries and hush puppies on the side.

It’s time to mention stuff that is grown here in gardens, and I’m not talking things like kale or spinach. I’m talking purple hull peas, tomatoes, okra, sweet corn et al.

I grew up at the north end of Natchitoches Parish with a custom that is still imprinted in my brain. The whole family would gather on the porch, each with a pan and sitting between us was a big tub of purple hull peas that were still damp with dew from being picked that morning, saving the hulls our milk cow saw as a special treat.

This was a great time to catch up on the day’s neighborhood news like how Aunt Lucy was feeling after her untimely accident when her milk cow kicked her after she pinched too hard while milking old Bossy.

Before electricity came to Goldonna, Mama would wash the shelled peas, save out enough for dinner and then preserve the rest by canning them in glass jars, peas that would feed us until pea picking time next year.

I can still see Mama pouring peas for today’s dinner into a boiler, season them up with salt, pepper and drippings from the bacon we had for breakfast and let them simmer while she put together the ingredients for a pone of her corn bread. She would also take a few pods of okra picked that morning, boil them on the side and when done, drop them in the pot of peas.

The meal that we had several times a week would consist of peas, boiled okra, corn bread and slices of tomato along with ears of cooked-until-tender sweet corn. Sweet pickles would add just the right tang to the meal. The whole shebang was washed down with sweet tea.

For dessert, Mama always had a cake or pie cooling on the side board that we enjoyed after the garden feast, unless you were too full and had to wait and have it with coffee later.

Given today’s political climate, lots of northerners are moving south and we welcome them here. Just don’t even think about bringing your recipes on poaching or boiling fish or how to cook kale with you. Come sit at our table and find out what real fine eating is all about.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com

Beginning August 1, a new Louisiana law will permit vehicle owners to apply darker tint to their windows, marking a change to existing state regulations on window visibility.

The new law, passed during the 2024 legislative session, adjusts the permissible level of light transmission through vehicle windows, particularly for front side windows. Previously, the law required front side windows to allow at least 40 percent of light to pass through. Under the revised law, the legal limit has been lowered to 20 percent light transmission, allowing for significantly darker tint.

Lawmakers supporting the measure cited concerns about driver safety, excessive sun exposure, and privacy. However, the law still includes exceptions for law enforcement visibility and public safety. Windshields must remain largely untinted, aside from a non-reflective strip across the top, and vehicles will still be subject to inspection for compliance with reflective and color standards.

Motorists planning to update their window tint are encouraged to verify that any modifications meet the updated guidelines and to retain proper documentation in case of traffic stops or inspections.

The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles and local law enforcement agencies will begin enforcing the new tint levels on August 1.

Over the past four days, eight deputies from the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office successfully completed an advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems (aUAS) drone training course, enhancing the agency’s operational capabilities in modern law enforcement.

The training was conducted by Retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Bryan Sprankle of the Public Agency Drone Association and held on the grounds of the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center. The course included both classroom instruction and practical flight exercises—featuring daytime and nighttime missions using advanced FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) technology.

Drones have become an increasingly vital tool in public safety efforts across Louisiana and the United States. The completion of this course ensures that NPSO deputies are prepared to support a wide range of law enforcement operations from the air.

“We are pleased that Sheriff Stuart Wright authorized this important training,” said NPSO Major Jonathan Byles. “These eight certified deputies are now equipped to deploy drones during crime scene investigations, accident reconstructions, missing persons searches, SWAT operations, and other critical incidents.”

The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office continues to invest in technology and training that enhances its ability to protect and serve the community effectively.

NPSO Deputies completing the training were: Lt B. Dalme, Lt. B. Smith, Sgt. K. Padilla, Cpl. N. Kerby, Deputy B. Hamilton, Sgt. E. Mogridge, Lt. M. Giannone and Deputy S. Dieter. Chief Deputy D. Winder attended the certificate promotion.

Major Sprankle said that he was proud of the dedication and hard work of all the participants in this training class.”

Readership Opinion Poll

This poll was to gain insight among the readership of the Parish Journal regarding Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS).  This is simply a snapshot-in-time of the opinions of our readership at the time the survey was taken. This is NOT a scientific poll.