Officers with the Natchitoches Police Department were notified on Feb. 25 of a reported battery involving a juvenile at L.P. Vaughn Elementary School.

Upon arrival, officers met with school personnel who advised that Kimberly Hayward, 59 of Natchitoches and a special education teacher at the school, reportedly grabbed and struck the child after the student acted out.

Following an investigation, officers determined there was sufficient evidence to support the charge. Hayward surrendered herself to police March 2 and was arrested on a charge of cruelty to juveniles.

She was booked into the LaSalle Corrections Natchitoches Detention Center and has already bonded out.

Natchitoches Parish School Board Superintendent Dr. Grant Eloi issued a statement on March 3 stating the district is aware of the recent arrest of a former teacher at L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Middle School.

In a statement, Eloi emphasized that the safety and well-being of students remain the district’s top priority. “The individual is no longer employed by L.P. Vaughn or with the Natchitoches Parish School Board,” Dr. Eloi said.

The district does not condone the alleged behavior in any form and is fully cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continues. Out of respect for student privacy and the ongoing legal process, no further details are being released at this time.

Dr. Eloi reaffirmed the district’s commitment to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students and thanked NPSB families for their continued support.

After publication of a recent article regarding the arrest of Kimberly Hayward, a special education teacher at L.P. Vaughn who was arrested regarding allegations of abuse of one of her students, a concerned community member reached out to share what she described as a similar situation involving another special education student at Provencal Elementary.

The parents, Brittany and Jospeh Shaffer, are currently involved in a federal lawsuit against the Natchitoches Parish School Board over alleged abuse and discrimination involving their non-verbal, autistic daughter during the 2024–2025 school year.

An article on Legal Newsline, an independently owned publication that covers civil litigation across the United States states that Shaffer and her husband filed suit on Jan. 2 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

According to the complaint, in April 2025 the school’s discipline coordinator allegedly handled the child “so forcefully” that she was left with bruising and red marks on her arm. The lawsuit further alleges her head was struck against a hard surface and her leg was injured during the encounter. Court filings state that at one point four adults — including two administrators and two aides — held the child to the ground by her arms and legs, allegedly causing physical and emotional injuries, while a special education teacher held the door closed.

Shaffer states she was told her daughter had an outburst and staff were attempting to prevent her from hurting herself. However, the parents contend their daughter is not prone to the type of outburst described and allege the school board failed to properly follow her Individualized Education Program and ensure her safety.

The lawsuit also claims the child was not provided a consistent one-on-one aide despite prior approval and alleges the school board failed to properly investigate the incident in accordance with policy. The parents ultimately withdrew their daughter from the school system and began homeschooling her.

They are seeking compensatory, punitive and nominal damages, as well as attorney’s fees. The case has been assigned to Judge Dee D. Drell. The allegations remain pending in federal court.

Warm temperatures and mostly cloudy skies are expected through the week, with rain chances increasing significantly by the weekend.

For the remainder of today, skies will remain mostly cloudy with highs in the lower 80s. South winds will range from 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday will begin mostly cloudy before becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Highs are expected in the mid-80s with south winds between 5 and 10 mph.

Thursday follows a similar pattern, with mostly cloudy skies in the morning turning partly cloudy later in the day. Highs will again reach the mid-80s with light south winds.

A slight 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms arrives Friday afternoon under partly cloudy skies, with highs in the mid-80s. A 20 percent chance of showers continues Friday night, with lows in the upper 60s.

Rain chances increase sharply Saturday, with an 80 percent chance of showers and possible thunderstorms. Highs will remain in the mid-80s. Showers and thunderstorms remain likely Saturday night, with a 60 percent chance of rain and lows in the mid-60s.

Sunday brings a 70 percent chance of rain, with showers likely in the afternoon and possible thunderstorms. Highs will cool slightly into the upper 70s.

Rain chances decrease but remain present into early next week. Sunday night carries a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the evening, with lows in the lower 60s. Monday will be mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and highs in the lower 80s.

Residents are encouraged to monitor local forecasts as weekend storms may bring periods of heavy rainfall and lightning.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere right now — writing emails, generating art, passing professional exams, and promising to “revolutionize” just about every industry. Depending on who you ask, it’s either the greatest productivity tool ever created or the beginning of the robot takeover. But for all the headlines about automation replacing human jobs, there’s a quieter truth we don’t talk about enough: some skills just can’t be downloaded. This week’s cartoon plays with the gap between tech-world hype and real-world reality, reminding us that while algorithms may be impressive, there’s still plenty of value in good old-fashioned hands-on know-how.

The City of Natchitoches Planning and Zoning Department approved 23 permits during the month of February with an application value of $504,867.

See Full Report Here:

By Courtney Freeman

Spring is upon us and the feral cat trap and neuter program with FAUNA is back in full swing in Robeline. We paused due to the winter temperatures for the good of the cats. Now in the Robeline area alone over a half dozen cats have been sent to be spayed and neutered this past week. If you have a feral adding to the population in your community contact FAUNA. One of the many wonderful volunteers will be able to help.

I personally started with the program because of the progress of the library. The old library building had been a haven for breeding and with its promised demolition I knew the residents would scatter to find new homes. Without a parish animal shelter the best option we have is the TNR program that helps control the population.

On the note of the promised demolition of the old library, the promise will be fulfilled. The metal roof was salvaged on March 2 and is intended to be used at the ball park. The building is scheduled for demolition to begin Wednesday, March 4.

The new library plan is still in progress. Like many with projects, negotiations can be drawn out. The library board will meet on the 16th and hopefully things can be resolved and move forward.

Oil and gas leasing activity remains busy in Natchitoches Parish with 41 more leases filed in February following the 39 that were filed in January, bringing the total to 80 leases in the first two months of 2026.

The size of the leases ranged from less than two acres to one lease that covered more than 1,200 acres, demonstrating the varied acquisition strategies being employed across the parish.

Most of the leases are still concentrated from Interstate 49 west along Highway 6 to the Sabine Parish line. The leases continue to show up near Posey Road and Shady Grove Road and as far north as the Spanish Lake bottoms. In February, some recorded leases were also just south of Robeline and along Collins Road.

A different leasing area showed up for the first time in a year when three leases just outside of Ashland were recorded, marking a geographic expansion beyond the traditional western concentration areas that dominated 2025 activity.

Another significant oil and gas related action was that dozens of letters went out concerning seismic 3D graphing for a 300-square-mile area across Natchitoches Parish and into Sabine Parish. This seismic survey work typically precedes drilling operations and suggests operators are conducting detailed subsurface mapping to identify optimal drilling locations.

There is still some active drilling and production in the northwestern portion of the parish, continuing the transition from leasing to actual development that began in late 2025.

The combined leasing activity brings the total to 485 leases filed since January 2025, positioning Natchitoches Parish as one of Louisiana’s most active energy markets. The expansion into new areas like Ashland, coupled with large-scale seismic surveying, indicates that 2026 may see broadened development activity across the parish.

Landowners approached with lease offers or seismic survey requests are strongly encouraged to seek counsel from qualified oil and gas attorneys before signing any documents. These agreements can have long-term consequences for mineral rights, surface rights and property use.

A review of Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court records confirms the 41 leases filed in February 2026. The NPJ obtained this information directly from the parish’s online Public Records system.

The Natchitoches Parish Port Warehouse is among 19 sites across 16 parishes selected for Louisiana Economic Development’s inaugural FastSites round, the largest coordinated site investment effort in state history.

FastSites is a state-led program designed to prepare industrial and commercial sites with the necessary infrastructure and readiness to compete nationally for high-impact projects in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, logistics, and energy innovation. The program invests public dollars strategically, ensuring they return to the state as development occurs.

“This isn’t economic development as usual,” said Governor Jeff Landry. “FastSites turns site preparation into a revolving investment and ensures public dollars work, return and work again.”

The Natchitoches site, now development-ready through FastSites, positions the parish to attract transformative projects that create jobs and expand the local economy. Infrastructure upgrades and other improvements will reduce development risk and shorten project timelines for future investors.

Details on funding allocations and project timelines for the Natchitoches Parish site will be shared as Cooperative Endeavor Agreements are finalized over the next six months.

A dream over 30 years in the making drew closer to fruition on March 3 as a groundbreaking was held for the new Natchitoches Fire Station # 3 on University Parkway. Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams was joined by Fire Chief Wynne and two of his predecessors, members of the city council, NSU President Genovese and representatives of the Pat Williams Construction Company in turning over the ceremonial first shovel of dirt.

The new fire station is expected to be completed in the next 15 months. Dirt work has already begun as the ground is leveled. The station will cost approximately $3.2 million dollars to build. $1.8 million of that sum will come from the state with the remainder coming from the Hazard Tax Fund. Pat Williams Construction of Leesville will serve as the main contractor. The new station will cover an area roughly from the railway tracks to the bypass.

“Why do couples fight about the same things over and over?”
 See what Ida says about breaking the cycle.

Each and every day we wake up and make a decision in the first five minutes to either be happy, angry or sad. It’s a choice! Now, there are exceptions for those who have a mental illness or might be going through some tough times, but in general, everyone else makes a choice. 

As anglers, we also have choices to make when we’re on the water whether it’s in a tournament or just out fun fishing. So much of the time, the choices we make say a lot about who we are as a person. 

Today, having so many boats on the water means there are a lot of eyes out there — people who are watching every move you make as an angler. 

That’s why it’s important to set a good example and use discretion when fishing around other anglers. Over the last few years, I’ve had a few encounters that had me shaking my head in disbelief. Anglers do dumb things that make everyone scratch their heads and ask, “What are you doing?” 

To quote the famous line from the 1994 Tom Hanks movie Forrest Gump as he was told by his momma, “Stupid is as stupid does.” This quote pretty much sums up how too many boaters and anglers alike handle themselves on the water today. 

Here are a couple of examples: Last year while on Toledo Bend, I had two incidents on the same day! While fishing a point in the back of a cove, I was casting my Carolina rig directly up on the point in five feet of water. On this day I was scouting for an event I had coming up in three days. 

As I’m fishing this point, another boat with two anglers (who looked like tournament anglers) came around the backside of the point (opposite from me) and gradually started to turn and fish their way in my direction about 100 yards away. Now at this stage, I’m really OK and feel like there’s not really a problem since I’m thinking this boat will go behind me. 

Then he did the unthinkable as he turned his boat 90 degrees and ran right over the spot I was fishing! He literally trolled right over my line between me and the point! Outranged at his stupidity, I threw my hands in the air and asked him, “What are you doing? How dumb are you?”

He turned and looked at me like I had three heads and seemed bewildered at my question. So, I repeated my question where the entire north end of Toledo Bend could hear me. 

As I lectured him on right and wrong and the dumb decision he just made, he turned his trolling motor on high and got away from me as quick as he could without even a response to my lecture. It was as if he never saw or heard me! I mean I was the ONLY BOAT fishing this point after all; how could he not hear me?

Later that same day, I had another incident with an angler who was fishing with his grandfather and his son. Basically, the same situation; I’m fishing a spot just off a bluff close to the boat road when this boat came running down the boat road and shut down behind me about 30 yards away. 

As I’m fishing this spot just off the bluff, this boat starts to idle behind me and is going away from me. So, at this point I’m thinking he’s doing the right thing and fishing away from me … or so I thought!

But no, that’s not what he did! He actually turned his boat 180 degrees and cut between me and the spot I was fishing about 20 yards in front of me, right where I was throwing my lure! 

Once again, I’m dumbfounded and about to lose my mind by his action. I told him it was a good thing he had his young son in the boat because otherwise he too would have gotten a verbal tongue lashing like the other angler I chatted with earlier that day! Again, I asked him the same question, “How dumb are you?” 

But during these times we live in, it’s just another day on the water and incidents like these are now commonplace. Anglers and pleasure boaters continue to do the dumbest things I’ve ever seen.

 At the end of the day, I’m exhausted pretty much every time I go on the lake as I’m always on high alert for anglers cutting me off or someone doing something else dumb.

The problem isn’t just on the lake, it’s also at the boat ramp, as people have totally forgotten what the word courtesy even means. So many boat owners have no understanding of boat ramp etiquette and the process of launching a boat! IT’S NOT HARD, PEOPLE! 

If you want to be entertained one day, take the time to go to a boat ramp and watch the comedy show of people who can’t back a boat down a boat ramp or load a boat on to a trailer. It’s hilarious and makes for great entertainment!

So, my advice today to all boaters/anglers who understand how to act on any body of water is to have patience and be prepared to help people launch their boat while teaching them how to do this the right way. 

On the fishing side of things, you’ll also need patience as other anglers continue to cut you off as you’re going down a stretch of boat docks or a tree line. 

So many boat owners and anglers have no idea about the unwritten rules of the water, or as I call it, common sense! I guess it’s up to us old anglers to teach and share our knowledge because they aren’t going to learn it from anyone else. Good luck, good fishing and stay safe!

The Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with BOM Bank to celebrate the grand opening of the bank’s new Operations Complex with an official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Thursday, March 12, from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. at 1029 Keyser Avenue in Natchitoches.

Established in 1903 as the Bank of Montgomery in Montgomery, Louisiana, BOM Bank built its foundation on serving rural communities with personal, relationship-driven banking. The institution later expanded into Natchitoches, relocating its headquarters to better serve a broader base of individuals and businesses. Over the years, the bank has continued to grow and rebrand, expanding into additional Louisiana markets and eastern Texas while remaining rooted in its commitment to community banking.

The new Operations Complex represents a significant milestone in the bank’s continued growth. Following the public announcement that BOM Bank had surpassed $1 billion in assets, the institution experienced rapid expansion that created the need for additional operational space. To meet that demand, the bank purchased and completely renovated a former medical office building on Keyser Avenue, transforming it into a modern, collaborative workspace designed to support its growing team and evolving needs.

The newly remodeled facility now houses several key departments, including Accounting, Marketing, Human Resources, Credit, Compliance, Training, Branch Administration, Business Development, Operations and Loan Administration along with the office of President and CEO Ken Hale. The building also features a spacious conference room for meetings and employee events, as well as a newly constructed vault supported by freshly poured concrete, an impressive addition that reflects both security and long-term investment in the community.

The March 12 Ribbon Cutting will be a celebratory community event featuring guided tours of the new complex, food trucks, live music by the NSU Band, prizes, and appearances by NSU Pom Line as well as representatives from the Miss Louisiana pageant.

Community members, business leaders, and residents are invited to attend and help commemorate this exciting new chapter for BOM Bank. The event is free and open to the public.

You ever notice how life has a way of barging in like a neighbor who doesn’t bother knocking? One minute you’re minding your own business, sipping coffee, feeling almost in control of your day—and the next, life taps you on the shoulder and says, “Scoot over, I’m sitting here now.” Around here, we treat interruptions the way we treat seagulls at the beach: we try to enjoy the view, but we keep one eye on the sky because we know something unpleasant might fall at any moment.

But what if we’ve been misreading the interruptions? What if the things we label as nuisances, delays, and potholes are actually holy things—God’s way of nudging us, slowing us, or getting our attention before we wander too far down the road of selfimportance and illusion of control?

We usually treat interruptions as spiritual speed bumps—annoying, jarring, and always arriving at the worst possible moment. But have you considered that the interruptions in your life might be holy things? They might be God’s gracious way of getting your attention, redirecting your steps, or opening a door you didn’t even know was there.

Lent is a season of selfimposed interruption, if you observe it. It disrupts our usual habits and routines. Asking someone what they gave up for Lent is a bit like asking about New Year’s resolutions—we don’t always want to admit how fragile our commitments are. We resist resolutions and Lenten disciplines because they interrupt the normal choices we make. They threaten the illusion that we are in control.

But Lent brings us the gift of holy interruption. By intentionally letting go of our triedandtrue rhythms, we make room for new life to spring forth in the garden of the Resurrection. Lent is a minorkey season that unsettles the usual. It prepares us for the massive interruption of human history called the Resurrection.

Everything about Jesus was an interruption. His life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and reign as Lord and Savior interrupt human selfishness and sinfulness. Following Him certainly changes the course of your wellplanned life. He steps into our stories not to tidy them up but to transform them.

So, the next time you are interrupted, be encouraged. God may be allowing you to put aside your need to control and opening up an opportunity to experience His love and grace. God often shows up when we are not looking for Him. His love and grace can be found in holy interruptions.