The Natchitoches Parish Council met on Monday, April 20, to address a heavy agenda ranging from infrastructure disputes and legal settlements to low-income housing and upcoming tax renewals.

The meeting opened with a heated discussion regarding recent damages to local water systems caused by fiber-optic cable installation crews. A representative for the Chestnut-Readhimer water system reported over 14 line breaks and the destruction of more than 400 feet of main line on Highway 126 alone.

“We serve about 600 people through 200 connections,” he told the council. “We can do without internet quicker than we can water.”

He alleged that while the contractors admitted fault, their settlement offer was insufficient. “They wanted to send me a check for $1,300 for $30,000 of damage,” he stated. Parish officials and representatives from the Louisiana Rural Water Association (LRWA) have committed to intervening to ensure the utility providers are properly compensated for repairs.

Jared Dunahoe, representing the parish’s legal counsel, briefed the council on a new national opioid settlement involving six major distributors. While the national total sits at approximately $97 million, the exact portion allocated to Natchitoches remains undetermined.

“It all depends on how many qualifying entities opt into this settlement,” Dunahoe explained. The council was asked to authorize the Parish President to execute the necessary documents before the May 4 deadline. The funds will be restricted to specific uses related to healthcare and opioid abatement, similar to previous settlement payouts.

Dorothy McGaskey of the Henry O’Flippo Foundation requested a $70,000 contribution from the parish to support the Sanford-Grace-Dixon Street Project. The foundation has already completed three low-income houses and seeks to secure more property for affordable housing within the city.

The council noted that the City of Natchitoches has already contributed $34,500 toward the initiative. McGaskey emphasized that the goal is to move residents toward becoming taxpayers and contributing members of the local economy.

Treasurer Julie Lockhart delivered a sobering financial report, noting that sales tax revenue is down approximately 20%. While some of the dip was attributed to temporary collection issues, Lockhart warned that if the trend continues, “we’re probably going to be looking at some kind of budget movement.”

The council also discussed the upcoming May 16 election, which features renewals for:
Road District 40 (providing $1.5 million for roads)
Government Buildings
The Health Unit
The Parish Library

Council members expressed concern over a lack of public awareness regarding the renewals. “If we lose funding for government buildings… it takes care of our voting facilities, it takes care of all those things,” one member noted, urging for better communication with voters before they head to the polls.

Public Safety and New Ordinances

In a move to address “blinding” dust clouds on unpaved roads, the council introduced several ordinances to reduce speed limits from 35 mph to 15 mph on Holman Loop, Pasture Road and Ben Gellette Road.

Additionally, the council approved a one-time $600 salary supplement for full-time parish employees who have been on the payroll for at least 12 months. The supplement is funded by a surplus in the worker’s compensation fund, a result of a significant decrease in workplace accidents and litigation over the past few years.

The Natchitoches Parish Farm Bureau Federation recently participated in Family Story Time at the Natchitoches Parish Library, bringing agriculture-focused learning to local children.

Miss Natchitoches Farm Bureau Hannah Worsham was on hand to read selected agriculture-themed books as part of the bureau’s Ag Literacy program, which is designed to introduce young students to the importance of agriculture.

The Louisiana Ag in the Classroom Ag Literacy Program aims to cultivate agricultural awareness by sharing the story of farming and food production with elementary students. The program supports efforts to increase understanding of agriculture while encouraging appreciation for renewable food, fiber and fuel systems.

As part of the visit, the Natchitoches Parish Farm Bureau donated two books to the library’s children’s section.

Pictured are Hannah Worsham, Miss Natchitoches Farm Bureau, and Dianna Allen, assistant children’s librarian.

For more information about the Ag Literacy program, contact the parish office at 318-352-8111.

The Eta Mu Chapter of Phi Beta Delta at Northwestern State University inducted new student and faculty members during a ceremony held April 19.

Inductees include Dr. Christopher Lyles, Irene Gomez, Natailia Beardsley, Dexteria King, Timothy Bratt, Craig Caskey, Anthony Franklin and Punam Khadka. Lisa Doney was also inducted but not pictured. Chapter President Dr. Beth Prejean participated in the ceremony.

Phi Beta Delta is an honor society that recognizes scholarly achievement in international education and promotes global understanding.

The university’s Eta Mu chapter, chartered in 2010, received the Eileen Evans Outstanding Chapter Award in 2020.

Officers and members of the chapter also gathered for a group photo following the induction ceremony.

St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in the Bermuda community will host its Annual Senior Citizens Day Program on Sunday, May 3.

The event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and will welcome the public to join in honoring and celebrating senior members of the community.

Special guest speaker will be Rev. Ronnie Evans of Summer Hill Baptist Church.

The program will be officiated by Rev. Abraham Helaire along with the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church family.

For more information or questions, contact Rosa Shields at 318-652-0753 or by email at rosa@cp-tel.net.

After homefield victories in the first round of the LHSAA softball playoffs on Friday night, Natchitoches Central and St. Mary’s try to advance to the state quarterfinals with wins today in the regional round.

Seventh-seeded NCHS (26-6) is home against No. 10 Live Oak (20-14) in a 5 p.m. contest.

St. Mary’s (22-9) goes to Ville Platte as the 11^th seed to collide with No. 6 Sacred Heart (16-12) at 4:30.

In a Non-Select Division I first-rounder, the Lady Chiefs walked off Ruston in eight innings, 8-6, Friday when Maggie Massia ripped a game-winning three-run homer.

The Lady Tigers beat Slaughter Community 15-4 Friday in the opening round of the Select Division IV playoffs.

Natchitoches Central is chasing its third quarterfinal appearance in five years.

BEAUMONT, Texas – The Northwestern State women’s tennis season ended Monday in the Southland Conference Tournament semifinals, falling 4-0 to No. 3-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

The No. 2 Lady Demons entered the match following a 4-1 win over seventh-seeded UTRGV, setting up a rematch with an Islanders squad NSU defeated 4-3 at Corpus Christi during the regular season.

“Corpus competed well today,” head coach Marcos Morelli said. “Congratulations to them on a good win.”

Northwestern found early success in doubles, as the second team all-conference duo of Martina Acebedo Bonocore and Athina Grigoriadou dominated their match with a 6-0 win at the No. 3 position.

The Islanders responded on the other courts, posting a pair of 6-2 victories to claim the doubles point and a 1-0 lead.

“Corpus competed well. They imposed their game in doubles, and used that momentum well into singles,” Morelli said.

A&M-CC’s two first-team All-SLC singles players posted straight set victories to raise the score to 3-0, and another straight set decision ended the match and advanced the Islanders to today’s championship match.

Northwestern was ahead in the other three singles matches. Honoka Umeda led her No. 1 singles match 6-4, 4-2. Sofi Garcia was ahead 5-3 in the second set after dropping the first 6-2, while Lolita Hukasian had taken the opening set 6-3.

“Very proud of this group in a lot of ways,” Morelli said. “The way they handled adversity and their resilience this season is something to point out.

“The expectation is to represent Northwestern State with excellence, on and off the court,” Morelli added. “Each one of them has improved in their own way.”

In some ways, the second five-game week of the season for the Northwestern State baseball team is much like the first.

It starts at home, and it features state rival Southern as the second game.

The Demons will host ULM at 6 p.m. today to start the week before traveling to Southern at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Today’s game will air on ESPN+ while free streaming audio of Wednesday’s game will be available on www.NSUDemons.com and through the Northwestern State Athletics mobile app, which can be downloaded free for Apple and Android devices.

Northwestern (23-17) and ULM (21-19) meet for the third time this season, capping their season series with the second meeting of the year at Brown-Stroud Field. Today’s game is sponsored by BOM Bank.

The Demons have taken the first two games of the season series in different ways, outslugging ULM 13-10 in Natchitoches on Feb. 21 before shutting out the Warhawks 5-0 in Monroe on March 24.

“We’re looking forward to it because you’re looking at two teams that get a chance to play a game in which they get to not only learn, but they also get to continuously work to improve upon themselves,” third-year head coach Chris Bertrand said. “We get to work on ourselves, and we get some guys in the ball game that are going to get an opportunity to really work against such a great offense. We know they’re going to bring a pitching staff that’s going to throw strikes and bring a plethora of arms that are going to continue to challenge us in a way where we are trying to find some offensive consistency.”

Both teams will send right-handers to the mound as Northwestern will start graduate student Chase Prestwich (1-2, 6.10) while ULM counters with senior Seaver Sheets (1-1, 5.68).

The Warhawks bring an offense that is hitting .296 with 89 doubles on the year to Brown-Stroud Field. ULM ranks 13th nationally and leads the Sun Belt in doubles while its offense averages 7.9 runs per game, second in the Sun Belt and 45th nationally.

Additionally, the Warhawks have swiped 60 bases.

Meet Chloe 

Chloe is a truly special kitty searching for a patient, loving home. After losing her home, she found herself scared and unsure of the world—but with the help of a caring foster, she has made incredible progress.

These days, Chloe has discovered that people can be kind. She enjoys gentle pets and will come find you throughout the day, purring and asking for affection. While she’s still too nervous to be picked up, she’s come such a long way. With time, love, and patience, she will continue to blossom.

Chloe is a beautiful young calico who will remain a petite girl her whole life. She is spayed, up-to-date on all her vaccinations, and more than ready to find a calm, caring family who will let her grow at her own pace.

If you believe in second chances and quiet bonds, Chloe might just be the perfect match for you.

For more information about adopting Chloe, please contact FAUNA (Friends All United for Natchitoches Animals) at npfauna@gmail.com or visit NPFauna.org.

A Red River Parish man was arrested on felony drug and weapons charges following a traffic stop that resulted in the seizure of approximately 100 ecstasy tablets and a firearm, according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Stuart Wright said the stop occurred Thursday, April 16, 2026, at approximately 2:52 p.m. on U.S. Highway 71 near Louisiana Highway 3163, north of Campti. Deputies with the NPSO Patrol Operations Bureau stopped a 2004 Chevrolet pickup truck for a traffic violation.

The driver was identified as 35-year-old Cameron D. Johnson of Coushatta.

Deputies reported detecting a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. During questioning, Johnson admitted to recently smoking marijuana. A probable cause search of the vehicle led to the discovery of approximately 100 ecstasy tablets and a Lorcin .380 ACP semi-automatic pistol.

Johnson was arrested without incident and transported to the LaSalle Corrections/Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.

He is charged with possession of a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance (ecstasy) with intent to distribute, illegal possession of a firearm in the presence of narcotics and equipment violations. He remains in custody awaiting bond.

Deputy A. Middleton was assisted by Deputy S. Kennedy in the arrest. The seized evidence will be submitted to a crime lab for analysis.

A shed fire reported Friday evening near the Marco community spread into nearby woods before being brought under control, according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the fire was reported at approximately 7:33 p.m. on April 17, 2026, in the 200 block of McGlothin Road. The Natchitoches Parish Fire Protection District #1 was dispatched along with sheriff’s deputies by the NATCOM 911 Center.

While units were en route, responders were notified that the fire had spread into nearby wooded areas.

Authorities said the fire was brought under control at approximately 8:46 p.m. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

No injuries were reported. Deputy R. Thomas responded on behalf of the sheriff’s office.

On Sunday, April 19, 2026, at approximately 12:11 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a fatal crash on U.S. Highway 71 near Louisiana Highway 1226. This crash claimed the life of 23-year-old Jacob R. Ingram of Bossier City.

The initial investigation revealed that a 2017 Chevrolet Impala, driven by Ingram, was traveling south on U.S. Highway 71.  For reasons still under investigation, Ingram lost control of the vehicle, which caused it to leave the roadway, and overturn before impacting multiple trees.

Ingram, who was not restrained, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Routine toxicology samples were obtained and submitted for analysis. Impairment is a suspected factor in this crash. This crash remains under investigation.

Louisiana State Police would like to remind all motorists that if you feel differently, you drive differently. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and other drugs have many effects on the body that negatively affect driving skills. These drugs can impair visual ability, alter the sense of time and space, impair fine motor skills needed to operate a motor vehicle, and decrease reaction times. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and designate a sober driver. Not doing so can have deadly consequences.

The St. Denis Art League has announced Hayden Grace Sellers as Queen and John Ernest Ackel as King of the 58th Spring Festival Court. The Annual Presentation and Ball will be held Saturday, April 25, at the Natchitoches Events Center.

Sellers, a senior at Natchitoches Central High School, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wade Martel Stephens and the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Breedlove Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. John Mayher. She is active in school and community organizations, including BETA Club, Future Farmers of America, Chief Council and Activate Club. She has been on the Principal’s List throughout high school and was inducted into the National Honor Society as a junior.

Sellers is also a four-year member of the Texas High School Rodeo Association, where she qualified for the Texas State Finals in both barrel racing and pole bending. She plans to attend Louisiana Tech University to major in animal science with a pre-veterinary concentration.

A member of First United Methodist Church of Natchitoches, Sellers has also served as a Summer Dance committee member and as a Maid of the 2026 Mystic Krewe de St. Denis. She previously served as a herald in 2016, and her mother, Rachel Breedlove Stephens, reigned as Queen of the Spring Festival in 2003.

Ackel, a lifelong Natchitoches resident, will reign as King. He has been actively involved in numerous civic and community organizations, including the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce, American Heart Association, and the Bank Administration Institute. He has also served with the St. Mary’s Catholic School Capital Campaign Committee, the Northwestern State University Athletic Advisory Council, and as alumnus advisor of finance for the university’s Theta Mu Chapter.

He is a past president of both the Natchitoches Area Jaycees and the Natchitoches Kiwanis Club, and currently serves as president of the Kiwanis Foundation of Natchitoches. Ackel remains an active member of the Natchitoches Rotary Club and Mystic Krewe de St. Denis.

A graduate of St. Mary’s High School and Northwestern State University, Ackel holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking of the South at LSU. He serves as president and chief executive officer of City Bank and Trust Company and is a member of its board of directors. He was recently elected to the Louisiana Bankers Association Board of Directors as the Central Region representative.

Ackel and his wife, Donna Hill Ackel, have two daughters, two grandsons and one granddaughter. He is a member of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, where he serves as a lector.

The Ackel family has a longstanding history with the Spring Festival. His daughter, Hillary Ackel Bodden, served as an usher and reigned as Queen in 2010, while his daughter, Madison Ackel Mullen, served as herald, usher and Lady of the Court in 2015.

Members of the Natchitoches Junior High JAG program recently completed a hands-on project designed to blend career exploration with creativity and community service.

As part of the assignment, students researched potential future careers and created original books centered on “a day in the life” of their chosen profession. The project was intended to culminate with students visiting a local elementary school to read their stories and introduce younger students to a variety of career paths.

While scheduling challenges prevented the classroom visits, students adapted their plans to continue making a positive impact. JAG members instead donated snacks and four of their student-created books to students at L.P. Vaughn to enjoy during testing.

One standout contribution came from JAG member Christell Juarez, who authored “A Day in the Life as a Marine Biologist.” Her work, along with others created for the project, highlighted the effort and creativity students invested in their research.

Despite the change in plans, the project provided an opportunity for students to demonstrate adaptability and a continued commitment to serving their community.

The Natchitoches Parish Library (NPL) invites residents and businesses across the parish to bring their sensitive documents to Community Shred, a free, full-service shredding event on Friday, April 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the NPL Main Branch, 450 Second St., Natchitoches. No appointment is needed, participants simply arrive during event hours and remain present until their documents are destroyed on-site.

Offered twice each year as a free public service funded entirely by NPL, Community Shred gives parish residents and businesses a fast, secure way to clear out months or even decades worth of accumulated paperwork. An industrial shredding truck handles all destruction on location, and participants are required to remain present throughout the process to guarantee their data privacy. Individual patrons receive priority access through a separate line to ensure prompt service.

“Community Shred is a program that makes an immediate and practical difference in people’s lives,” said Alan Niette, NPL Deputy Director. “We want every person in our parish to feel the full value of their public library, and that means offering services that go beyond the shelves. This event saves people time, protects their privacy, and makes spring cleaning a whole lot easier.”

Community Shred is open to the public at no charge and requires no library card to participate. Paper clips and staples do not need to be removed from documents. Those interested in a reminder before the event may text SHRED to 318-357-3280 and follow the library’s social media pages.

Maggie Massia’s game-winning, walk-off three-run home run in extra innings Friday night lifted the Natchitoches Central softball team to an 8-6 victory over visiting Ruston in a first-round LHSAA  Non-Select Division I playoff game.

St. Mary’s softball team also won Friday night at home, but without the drama, scoring 12 times in the fourth inning to put away Slaughter Community 15-4 in the Select Division IV playoffs.

The Lady Chiefs (26-6) got a three-run Sara Beth Terrell home run in the third inning in a see-saw game. Paitlyn Anthony also homered for NCHS, a solo shot in the fourth.

NCHS will be home Tuesday at 5 to play Live Oak in the regional round.

St. Mary’s goes on the road Wednesday at 4:30 to play at Ville Platte against Sacred Heart.

Lakeview’s softball season ended at Plain Dealing, with a 13-3 defeat in the Non-Select Division IV bracket.

The Natchitoches Central Chiefs baseball team had a very competitive series at Slidell against Northshore, but after Thursday’s opening 1-0 loss on a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh, Northshore locked up a regional round berth with a 5-1 victory Friday night.

NCHS ended its first season under coach Matt Danna with a 21-14 record.

After each team strung together a string of Southland Conference success to move up the standings, this past weekend on the road along the Texas gulf coast was quite the opposite for the Northwestern State baseball and softball teams.

Both were swept in three-game SLC series on the road.

At Lamar, the Northwestern baseball team dropped a Friday night 5-0 decision, and after a rainout Saturday, suffered a 15-inning 4-3 loss in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader and fell 3-1 in the series’ final game.

In softball, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi won a 10-inning pitcher’s duel Friday 2-1, then outslugged visiting Northwestern 7-5 in the nightcap and posted a 7-2 victory in the getaway game Saturday.

BASEBALL:  In Beaumont,  the Demons fell out of the SLC lead after NSU (23-17, 14-10) suffered its first conference sweep since Week 1 of the 2025 Southland season at Southeastern Louisiana.

The Northwestern offense scored four runs in the sweep, scoring in two of the 33 innings where the Demons had an at-bat at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

“I wish I had some magical answer as to where all of these offensive woes are coming from, but the reality is that I’m really just not sure,” third-year head coach Chris Bertrand said. “We’ve go to take a little bit more pride in our way of thinking through the at-bats, and we’ve got to take a little bit more pride with two strikes. The only way we really know how to try to fix it is just to get back to work.”

Their lone crooked number of the weekend came on one swing when Joe Siervo erased a 1-0 deficit with a three-run home run in the sixth inning of Sunday’s first game – a contest that eventually went 15 innings.

Siervo’s fourth home run of the season put the Demons up 3-1 before Lamar (22-18, 14-7) answered with a Lane Sparks solo home run in the sixth and Kevin Duran’s second run-scoring fielder’s choice of the game in the eighth.

Northwestern had its best extra-inning shot in the 15th inning when JT Simonelli doubled to start the frame but was stranded at third base.

Lamar’s Tab Tracy worked a leadoff walk to start the 15th before eventually scoring on a wild pitch.

In the nightcap, Trent Hillen  gave the Demons a quality start, allowing three earned runs in 6 1-3 innings.

Trailing 3-0, the Demons rallied in the eighth with their best threat the finale as Mason Wray led off with an opposite-field single and came around to score on Brooks Leonard’s one-out RBI single.

Northwestern loaded the bases with two outs but could not convert.

“It’s not good baseball execution at the moment,” Bertrand said. “It’s definitely not complementary in the way we try to be. On Friday night, we got the pitching we needed, and we lacked the offense and defense. Today, I thought we had the pitching and the defense, and we really lacked the offensive part of it. We played 33 innings this weekend, and we scored in two of them. We allowed our opponent to post 31 zeroes on the weekend. It’s got to be a little bit better than that if we’re expecting different results.”

The Demons return to action Tuesday when they host ULM. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Brown-Stroud Field. They go to Southern Wednesday then are home next weekend against Stephen F. Austin.

SOFTBALL:  The Lady Demons (23-25, 12-12) saw a four-run lead disappear in a six-run Islander (14-34, 8-16) fourth-inning explosion in the second game on Friday evening. A&M-CC followed that with another decisive fourth inning on Saturday, as the Islanders scored seven runs in the frame to secure a 7-2 win.

“It really came down to one inning again,” head coach Jenny Fuller said. “We did a lot of good things on both sides and had some things not go our way but you can’t give teams extra chances and expect to come out on top. We’ve got to find a way to stop the momentum in those innings.”

The offensive outburst from the Islanders came after starting pitcher Brooklynn Stohler limited them to just one hit and two baserunners through the first three innings and one trip through the order. In Friday’s series opener, Northwestern ace Mattison Buster went all 10 innings but the Demons could not must enough runs to earn the win.

NSU will close the regular season at home next weekend against Nicholls.

WALNUT, Calif.–The Northwestern State men’s 4×400 relay runs its fastest when competing against some of the best in the country. 

After breaking the school record at the Florida Relays earlier this month, the quartet did it again Saturday at the Mt. SAC Relays, clocking an impressive 3:04.45 to win the event, narrowly winning it over powerhouse Arkansas. 

Desmond Duncan, Kason Jones, Charlie Bartholomew and Will Achee came back once again to win the event after being third after two legs. Achee ran an impressive 45.21 in his anchor leg to overcome a deficit going into the final leg to win. 

That highlighted a terrific final day Saturday in California at the Bryan Clay Invitational and the Mt. San Antonio College Relays. 

Silet Gray, Eliska Zahradnickova and the men’s 4×100 relay team are just part of those who made the most of their opportunities to show what they can do against top competition, as they both ran or threw to Southland Conference-leading marks on Saturday. 

“It was another great weekend highlighted by our men’s 4×4 winning the Mt. SAC Relays,” head coach Mike Heimerman said. “That’s a phenomenal run by those four guys —another school record, which is amazing. All four relays ran really well. The throwers did well again … La’Darion Dudley winning the men’s shot and Donroy Brown getting second was impressive. Probably the highlight of the day over here at the Bryan Clay was Silet Gray running a big PR of 59 seconds in the 400 hurdles. 

“Overall, it was a great weekend here in California. It’s weird to say you’re basically having a full team out here in California with two different meets for us to compete at, which was quite amazing. Thanks to our administration and then a couple of donors to help out with this, but it was an amazing experience for the coaching staff, and these kids work really hard.

“It was an overall great experience for these young men and women over the last three days that these two meets. Couldn’t be prouder of them and bigger things are to come down the road,” Heimerman said. 

Northwestern next competes Saturday at the LSU Alumni Gold, the second-to-last meet prior to the conference outdoor championships.