Offers Due by: Friday, September 13, 2024 at 3:00 pm Central Time
Closing Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 3:00 pm Central (or sooner)
Land Offered: Approximately 2,837.896+/- acres. (comprised of several tracts)
Contact: henry@echotitlecompany.com
Phone: 318-236-6000
WHEN: Saturday, August 31, 2024
TIME: 9 AM
WHERE: 100 Starkway Rd, Coushatta, Louisiana
Partial Listing: (8) Power Generation 30KW Generators, Cummings Engine ~ Approx 50 Solar Solutions Panels ~ Job Boxes ~ Bottle Racks ~ Testing Equipment ~ Valves & Fittings ~ Fuel Tanks ~ Power Units ~ Truck Beds ~ Metal Tables ~ Pipe Racks ~ Lots of Rolls of Electrical Wire ~ Approx 2000 Joints of 2 3/8 inch pipe (lots unused) ~ 500 Joints 2 inch Pipe ~ Log Mats ~ Approx 200 Joints of 3 & 4 inch pipe ~ Approx 300 Joints of 6 inch pipe ~ 50 Joints 10 inch Pipe ~ GN Flatbed Trailers ~ Haul Mark Bumper Enclosed Trailer ~ Cat D5G Dozer, cab/air ~ Ford 575 Loader Backhoe ~ (5) Ford Service Trucks ~ Several other trucks ~ (2) Diamond T GN Dump Trailers ~ Several Bumper Trailers ~ Approx 15 Big Standup Metal Vessels ~ (7) 10,000 Gallon Water Tanks on Skid ~ Irrigation 6 inch Pipe Reels ~ 40ft & 20ft Metal Storage Containers
For more information, call Rex at 318-648-8509 or 318-471-0962 or visit us online at:
www.proxibid.com/lasyone
There’s something for everyone!! We hope to see you there!!
Rex Lasyone, LA lic#:1549, TX lic#: 16267
(Liquidation of Coushatta equipment yard location only)
Directions to Auction Site ~ From Coushatta:
Hwy 71N, go 1 mile, Take Y in the road to the right on Hwy 371 North, go 4 miles, take right on Hwy 786, sale site will be 2 miles on the left. Follow the SWN Entergy signs.
I learned what Rene Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am.” I’m still not sure what Rene was getting at, but it sounds good. If you say it in Latin, “Cogito ergo sum” you can sound very intellectual, while not wholly understanding the concept.
I’m a more pedestrian thinker. My version of it is, “I drive, therefore I am.” I should have kept up with all the miles I have put on vehicles. I live twenty-three minutes from the church. I spend nearly an hour in the car each day going to and from the office. I love my commute on I-20. I have prayer time in the morning and again in the afternoon. There are times that I’m praying for the driver in front of me, that they would quit being “doubleminded” and put their foot on the accelerator. I have also called upon the name of the Lord when the driver in the left lane suddenly cuts across my lane to exit the interstate quickly. I’ll wager they are thinking, “I signaled, didn’t I?”
For the past weeks from roughly the Bienville Parish line to the city limits of Ruston a little work has been going on. The trees on the side of the interstate are being removed. There is heavy equipment involved in the clearing of the shoulder. The contractor is cutting the trees down and then a machine comes and turns the tree into mulch. For miles, this crew is transforming the shoulder of the interstate. They are also removing the trees from the median of the interstate.
My first thought, when I saw the equipment, was I needed one of those.
My view has changed as the trees have disappeared.
The trees were allowed to grow too close to the road. I don’t know that factually, but it is an educated guess. This trimming allows for a margin of grass to separate drivers from trees that might fall in some kind of storm. It is visually appealing and calming.
Who would have thought that margin was important on the Interstate? Margin is the edge or border of something. The page you are reading has some kind of margin. If it did not, your brain would revolt at the visual effrontery. We need a margin around the page to read. I’m learning that margin around the road is important too.
How about margin in your life? How are you getting it all done? Are you taking time to reflect? To rest? To pray?
I’m going to translate what Jesus said, in your Bibles it is transliterated.
Jesus said, “Rest (The Sabbath) was created for humanity, not humanity for the rest. (Sabbath.) Sabbath, rest, downtime, relaxing, or if you will margin, is a gift from God that allows you to renew yourself and to discover God’s grace in the simple things of life.
Take time off, it will change your view of the journey.
Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston. You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com
We’ve all heard the expression: he or she has God-given talent. There are singers like George Strait and Celine Dion, golfers like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, along with baseball players like Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds. So, what does it really mean and what exactly is talent?
I am a firm believer that each of us has some form of talent but not everyone has established what that talent might be. It may take years before we realize we do possess a skill that we may deem as talent. Some people can dance and some can sing, and even though you might not physically see the talent, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a talent.
For me personally, I figured out early in my life that God blessed me with athletic talent, especially in baseball. I was born with skills that not everyone possessed, and I took advantage of those skills.
This talent gave me the confidence I needed to compete on a baseball diamond at a high level. It allowed me to play in high school, college and later in professional baseball. But it gave me something much greater than being good at a sport; it gave the confidence and the foundation I needed to be successful in life.
But let’s look at a bass fisherman and someone who is considered the greatest bass angler of all time — Kevin Van Dam (KVD). Now this is talent and is a great example of God-given talent as there are legendary stories of Kevin’s abilities as a bass fisherman. KVD was born with instincts very few anglers have.
For years KVD made decisions that baffled other anglers including his own family. His brother Randy gave me an example of KVD’s talent as they often fished together growing up. He told the story of how Kevin, Randy and their dad were all fishing together one day and struggling to catch fish. Then after a lengthy time of no bites, out of the blue Kevin decided to pick up a jerkbait for no apparent reason and started whacking them.
When asked why he thought that was what they needed to be doing, KVD said “it just felt right.” That’s instincts or God-given talent that very few anglers have. It’s knowing when to change baits or change locations, it’s a feel for doing the right thing at the right time. This talent is what separates the great anglers from the average anglers.
Some talent can be enhanced and developed, whether it’s in a particular sport or a concept like singing. An athlete can be made stronger, faster or quicker with proper training, but there needs to be some resemblance of talent from the Lord Almighty to work with. You can’t turn a sloth into a tiger or if you take the stripes off a zebra, that doesn’t make it a thoroughbred.
We all have some form of talent. It just might take a while before we realize or recognize what that talent might be. God has blessed each of us in different ways and wants you to take advantage of whatever that talent might be.
Talent comes in many different forms and what someone may deem as unsubstantial, may truly be a gift from God. But with proper guidance or coaching, an individual can figure out the best way to utilize that talent.
‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and if you want to become a better outdoorsman, tune into the Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Show at midday every Wednesday live from 11-1 on AM 1130 The Tiger, visit our Facebook page or catch us on our YouTube channel.
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com
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Service Hours: Monday-Friday: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
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By Brad Dison
It sounds like Vincenzo Peruggia could have gotten the idea from a Hollywood movie, but it’s actually the other way around. Hollywood scriptwriters got their ideas from Vincenzo. Pietro Vincenzo Antonio Peruggia was born on October 8, 1881, in Dumenza, Italy, about 50 miles north of Milan. Vincenzo was an amateur painter, art lover, and a proud Italian. Just as an animal lover’s dream job would be to work in a zoo, in 1908 Vincenzo got a job in a museum in Paris framing and reframing artwork. He was a glazier, a glass fitter. His skill as an amateur painter gave him a certain finesse in his work.
At about 7:00 on the morning of August 21, 1911, Vincenzo arrived at work as usual. Over his clothes he wore his white smock, the same as all other employees at the museum wore. On the surface, there was nothing to signify that this day would be any different than any other, but Vincenzo had a plan. While working at the museum, Vincenzo became obsessed with the idea of stealing one of the Italian paintings and returning it to Italy. He realized that no one would suspect him because he had worked at the museum for over four years. On that Monday morning, Vincenzo waited until the room was unoccupied, then put his plan into motion. He took the painting off the wall and carried it to a nearby stairway where he removed it from its frame. He hid the discarded frame among some student artworks which were sitting on the landing of the staircase. Vincenzo was unable to roll the painting up because the artist had painted it on a piece of wood. Vincenzo wrapped his white smock around the painting, tucked it under his arm, and walked out the same door that he had entered earlier that morning. When other employees noticed the empty spot on the wall where the painting had been hung, they notified the police. They ushered the visitors out with the ruse that a water pipe had burst.
Police searched the building and found the painting’s discarded frame. They questioned all of the museum’s permanent employees as well as temporary employees such as bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, and glaziers. Police visited Vincenzo at his apartment and questioned him. When questioning the museum’s employees revealed no leads, investigators figured they had missed something and repeated the process. Once again, investigators visited Vincenzo’s apartment and questioned him, but they found no reason to suspect Vincenzo. Vincenzo gave them permission to search his apartment, which disarmed suspicion. Had investigators glanced inside a large trunk which sat just inches from them in the apartment, they would have found nothing incriminating. However, if they had noticed that the trunk had a false bottom, they would have solved the crime.
As per his plan to not raise suspicion, Vincenzo continued working at the museum for two more years. In 1913, Vincenzo left his job at the museum. He tried to sell the stolen painting to various dealers in London and Paris, and even offered it to a representative of American financier J.P. Morgan, none of which notified the authorities. On November 28, 1913, Vincenzo wrote a letter to art dealer Alfred Geri, owner of the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Florence and offered to sell him the stolen painting. Alfred agreed to meet once Vincenzo was in Florence. Vincenzo took the trunk with its hidden cargo to Florence. On December 11, 1913, Alfred watched as Vincenzo removed the painting from the false bottom of the trunk. After inspecting the painting, Alfred and Vincenzo purportedly came to some agreement on price and Alfred left the room. Alfred immediately notified the police of the stolen painting and its hiding place. Acting on Alfred’s tip, police arrested Vincenzo and slid the painting out from its hiding place. The face in the painting seemed to almost smile as if happy to have been rescued.
During questioning, Vincenzo claimed he had no accomplices and explained that accomplices were not necessary. “I did not take the painting from a desire to gain from it,” he told authorities, “but wished to accomplish a good and holy work by returning to my country one of the many treasures stolen from it.” Vincenzo said he thought he should receive adequate compensation for returning the painting to Italy. He neglected to mention that he had tried to sell the painting to people in three other countries before offering it to a dealer in Italy.
Thus ended what some people have described as the greatest art theft of the 20th century. The painting that Vincenzo stole was certainly prominent in the art world, but the painting’s theft and eventual return took the painting to another level. For two years, people all around the world saw pictures of the painting and followed the investigation in newspapers. Before it was returned to France, the painting was exhibited in art galleries throughout Italy to jubilant crowds. When it was returned to France, the celebrations were even larger. Crowds viewed the painting in a sort of modern concert atmosphere with pushing and shoving and everyone vying for a better view. Little has changed in the past century. Throngs of people still visit that same museum, the Louvre, to see that same painting. Because of Vincenzo Peruggia’s theft, we can instantly produce a mental image of what is arguably the most famous painting in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
Sources:
1. The Baltimore Sun, August 23, 1911, p.13.
2. The Kansas City Star, August 22, 19011, p.4.
3. The Tampa Tribune, December 14, 1913, p.81.
4. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 15, 1913, p.6.
5. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 26, 1913, p.15.
Mike A. Solice Sr.
February 25, 1948 — August 26, 2024
A memorial service to honor his life will be announced at a future date.
Alice Faye(Wilson) Kerry
December 18, 1942 — August 21, 2024
Service: Thursday, August 29 at 11 am at Hargrave Funeral Home in Morgan City
Dudley Gilbert Fulton Jr.
August 23, 1949 — August 27, 2024
Service: Thursday, August 29 at 10 am at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Natchitoches
Melissa Dawn Johnson
January 4, 1979 — August 20, 2024
Service: Friday, August 30 at 10 a.m. at Bay Springs Baptist Church in Chopin
Yvonne Lemoine Deen
July 5, 1941 — August 22, 2024
Service: Saturday, August 31 at 10 a.m. at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches
Gloria Johnson
August 24, 2024
Arrangements TBA
By Courtney Freeman
One good thing about the unforgiving heat we’ve been enduring is that the foundation of the new Sabine bank has probably dried in record time. All jokes aside seeing the slab and rebar is a welcome sight to a community that has desperately missed our bank and the kind ladies that work there.
If anyone is curious about what seems to be an unsual amount of dirt work at the clinic site I have an update. With the site being a gas station previously with tanks not in good standing with the state the land was sold with the provision that the tanks be removed. Also, testing would be done to make sure the tanks had not contaminated the ground. Well the tanks did leak and therefore a 15 foot area around the tanks had to be removed by a company hired by the state. Once this is done it is my understanding that then Sabine Medical will begin the construction of the clinic as soon as possible and are shooting for a opening date in January. Hopefully there will be no more hiccups in the process.
As a resident I’m very glad to see so much going on in our community, we’ve even added two food trucks down at the park to join B-well nutrition. B-well is also now serving lunches. I am also happy to announce that Tiger’s tire shop will be opening in Robeline. It will be next to the clinic and the owner also intends to put up an ice house dispenser also.
The Robeline Heritage festival is right around the corner, set for Oct. 4-5.
Festival Itinerary
Friday
5:30 p.m.- Hot Dogs in the park
Hay Ride and children’s activities
7 p.m. – Performance by the Stewart Family
Saturday
11:30 a.m.- Queen’s Tea at the Robeline Police Dept.
2 p.m. – Parade
Activities to follow the parade
5-7 p.m. – Local Talent
7:30 p.m. – Music by the Dirt Road Troubadours
The society will hold a meeting this Thursday, Aug. 22 in the society building at 6 p.m. We’re accepting vendor and parade applications and all are welcome. The Heritage society will also host an alumni dinner on the Oct. 5 at 6 p.m.
The Society held its annual beauty pageant on July 13 directed by Erica James. The young ladies that were crowned are People’s Choice- Ivry Shoalmire, Baby Miss-Magnolia Rae, Toddler Miss-Teeghan Baker, Mini Miss-Tynslee Ezernack,Tiny Miss-Raelee Stockton, Little Miss-Lexie Seawood, Petite Miss-Chloe McIntosh, Deb Miss-Carleigh Bush, Jr. Miss-Gracelyn Anable, Teen Miss-Aubree Anable, Ms.-Bayleigh Easley, and Miss- Madalynn Brister.
The Anacoco High School Golf Team held a fund-raising golf tournament Saturday, August 17, at the Leesville Municipal Golf Course.
The weather was scorching and so were the winning scores. Three teams broke 60 on the scorecard. Two teams tied on the day, shooting 57 totals. A scorecard playoff eventually determined the winning foursome.
The group of Bobby Doyle, Chase Taylor, Caleb Taylor, and Reed Rodriguez was declared the winner on the 7th playoff hole. They defeated the team of Jeff Fulton, Sean Booty, Jody Browning, and Chester Cobb, who also posted a 57. The other team under 60 was Eddie Thomas, Gett Thomas, Darren Craft, and George Thomas who finished with a 58.
Anacoco High School Golf Coach, Randi Taylor, expressed thanks to the players, volunteers and sponsors for their contributions of time and support.
By Jeanni Ritchie
On August 21, National Senior Citizens Day recognizes the achievements of what’s now known as our nation’s Boomers. These are the pioneers of science, medicine, psychology, civil rights, and so much more. They were defenders of the freedom many often take for granted. When some of the younger generations dismiss seniors as out-of-touch and obsolete, their short-sightedness fails to recognize the significance of the lives of their elders. This day provides an opportunity to show our appreciation for the dedication, accomplishments, and services senior citizens have given throughout their lives.
#SeniorCitizensDay
In 2024, there are an estimated 58 million seniors living in the United States. While there is no universally recognized age for senior citizenship, most government programs and organizations use age 65 as a benchmark. Restaurants are a little more lenient. Soon I will be offered the discounted menu at Denny’s and receive a free drink from Dairy Queen. I definitely have mixed feelings about that!
Ways to Celebrate
When it comes to honoring the generations before me, however, I’m all in. I used to take my young children to nursing homes to visit with residents, their hand-drawn cards lighting up faces. I take my grandchildren now, or just pop in on my own for Bingo Day or some dinner conversation. It all started with Mrs. Collins.
Mrs. Collins was a widow in my neighborhood though I was too young to realize that at the time. All I knew was that she was a nice lady with a mean cat who sponsored our Read-a-thons and bought our Girl Scout cookies. Every afternoon she would serve us milk and the cookies we’d sold her. We’d tell her about our day while she listened with great interest. After visiting, we’d go outside and skate down her perfectly sloped walkway pretending we were Miss America contestants crossing the stage. She never once told us we needed to leave. We enjoyed her company, and she enjoyed ours. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized the importance of those visits, not just for her but for us as well.
If you have a Mrs. Collins in your neighborhood or know another senior needing vital connections, there are ways you can celebrate:
Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.
An event is unfolding around us. Even readers of this article have a perspective on it.
For Educators this is an annual occurrence. They have prepared for this episode for weeks. They busy themselves with lesson plans, room decorations, seating charts, and wondering which student will thrive and which student will struggle because of this event. They are confident, even in the face of the unknown, of their skills and experience.
For parents the annual event is like a whirlwind. Parents have been praying for this event since the sounding of the last school bell in May. They have met the challenges of the summer taxi service. They have endured parties, sleep overs, and travel ball tournaments. They have refereed spats with siblings, negotiated time share for the video games, and prayed a healthy amount of prayers dealing with the length of the summer. They are actually happy this event is finally here.
I am a casual observer of this occurrence. I know it is happening because the front of Walmart is filled with school supplies. I note for you the school supplies have now been replaced with Halloween candy. I have observed an increase in traffic. I personally must decide which route to take to work. I must negotiate a left turn onto Cooktown Road from the Interstate. My time of arrival at the exit determines my direction of travel. I have enjoyed some philosophical thought and discussion about taking the left-hand turn chance or driving past the exit and backtracking.
The students are the ones most affected by this event. They slept with impunity all summer. They have relaxed and excelled at play and goofing off. They were kids all summer and now that summer is gone. Some will celebrate the start of their senior year. Some experience all the trials and tribulations of being a freshman. Still others are starting school for the first time.
One event, the start of school, and there are many perspectives about the same event depending on your frame of reference. The teachers are ready, the parents delighted, the children face it with mixed emotions. Even us casual observers see the event differently depending on traffic and the time of day.
When you are deep in the middle of an event in your life, remember there are numerous lenses through which you can view the event. Those lenses are called your mindset. The one event was going back to school. I only described four perspectives. Can you imagine how complex perspectives could become? In many cases the educator is both a parent and a student. The student might also be a parent. You see how quickly a simple thing becomes complex.
The next time an event is happening, it might mean taking a deep breath and being in that moment. In a moment of curiosity you might ask, what does Jesus want me to learn now? In His kingdom we are all students.
Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston.
You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com
For decades there has basically been one professional bass fishing organization, B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) founded by Ray Scott. Then during the 1990s another organization appeared under the name of FLW, named after the late Forest L. Wood, the founder of Ranger Boats. But in 2011 MLF (Major League Fishing) bought out FLW and created major dissention as a huge portion of anglers left B.A.S.S for what they thought would be bluer water.
Both organizations have set a high bar for professional bass fishing over the years and allowed more anglers to pursue their dream of fishing for a living. But now there’s a new kid on the block making a lot of noise.
Introducing the NPFL (National Professional Fishing League), an organization offering anglers another avenue to possibly fish for a living by offering top-level money of $100,000 for first place. Anglers are scrambling and sending in resumes applying for a spot in this new circuit. As of this article, there are at least 18 B.A.S.S professional anglers doubling their tournament commitments by fishing the NPFL.
What does this mean for anglers looking to fish at the highest level? Is this another avenue for young anglers on the rise to have the opportunity to make a living fishing professionally? Is NPFL in it for the long term and are they ready to challenge B.A.S.S. and MLF?
While only time will answer some of these questions, the one complaint professional bass fishermen had several years ago was the number one reason for 80 anglers jumping over to the MLF from B.A.S.S. The grip was anglers had no say on specific issues like where and when B.A.S.S. held a tournament. Anglers wanted their voices to be heard and as of today, it appears B.A.S.S. is still not listening.
One thing different about the NPFL is the process anglers by which get accepted into their league. You must have established yourself as a credible angler with good sponsorship support and you must have had success on a high level. Just because you have the money to enter an event ($5,000), does not guarantee you a spot in the NPFL.
So, what we are seeing now is that 18 pros have decided to double up on their schedule by fishing the new NPFL. One thing I’m seeing now is that more and more anglers are trying to stay independent, not wanting to commit to just one tournament organization. That’s a very smart move from an angler’s standpoint, an approach which offers them a better opportunity to provide for their families.
Is the NPFL going to be just another failed attempt like so many organizations that have come before? Is there room for another professional bass fishing circuit? I say yes, but at some point, it could get similar to Louisiana’s high school football playoffs where just about everybody gets in. It’s just too watered down and not good for the sport.
‘Til next time, good luck and good fishing. I want to say thank you for all of those who have reached out with comments about the articles I’ve written. Your feedback and input is greatly appreciated!
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com
By Brad Dison
I suppose we have all hoped to find a real message in a bottle, a note from some far away land just waiting to be discovered.
On January 21, 2018, Tonya and Kym Illman, were walking along the beach’s sand dunes at Wedge Island on the west coast of Australia about 100 miles north of Perth. Their original plan had been to drive along the beach and take in the sites, but they drove a little too close to the water and the car bogged down in the sand. While waiting for help to arrive, Tonya and Kym walked along the beach. As they walked, Tonya saw something glimmer in the sand. She walked to the source of the glimmer and found a gin bottle which was three inches wide and almost nine inches tall with Daniel Visser and Zonen Schiedam stamped on it. Tonya saw that something was inside the bottle and removed the stopper. The paper inside contained a printed message which appeared to be a form letter in German with spaces that had been filled in. Neither Tonya nor Kym could read German, so they took the bottle to the Western Australia Museum to see if it was historically significant or a hoax.
Experts at the museum deciphered the German message and learned that the message had been set adrift at the orders of the captain of a German ship called “Paula.” The message in a bottle was a part of an experiment on ocean drift patterns implemented by German scientist George von Neumayer. In the experiment, ship captains filled in the details on one side of the pre-printed slips before setting the bottle adrift, and the person who found the bottle was asked to fill out the back portion and return it to the German Naval Observatory in Hamburg or the nearest German Consulate. Thousands of bottles containing pre-printed message slips had been set adrift in the experiment which lasted nearly seven decades, but only 661 had ever been returned. Tonya’s find brought the number up to 662.
According to the coordinates printed on the message (32.49 South, 105.25 East), Tonya and Kym found the bottle less than 600 miles from where the bottle was set adrift in the Indian Ocean. The distance in miles that the message traveled is not particularly impressive. Messages in bottles have traveled much further before being found. What is impressive is the distance in time that the bottle traveled. In the year that the bottle was set adrift, Robert Louis Stevenson published his novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Karl Benz patented the first successful gasoline-driven automobile, Dr. John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, President Grover Cleveland married Frances Folsom in the White House, (he is the only president to marry in the executive mansion), President Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, and German inventor Friedrich Soennecken invented the office tool we know as the hole puncher. The date on the message in the bottle was June 12, 1886, which meant the bottle was found after 131 years and 223 days. According to the Guinness World Records, it is the oldest message in a bottle ever found.
Sources:
The Natchitoches Parish School Board is calling for professional services to enhance support for students facing behavioral and mental health challenges. NPSB is seeking qualified mental health professionals and organizations to join a referral list aimed at providing comprehensive support to students in need.
NPSB is committed to fostering a positive and supportive educational environment. To this end, the Board recognizes the importance of addressing behavioral and mental health issues with the utmost care and expertise. By expanding our network of mental health professionals, we aim to offer tailored support services that will assist our students in overcoming obstacles and achieving their full potential.
Professional services needed include licensed psychologists, licensed professional counselors, behavioral therapists, rehabilitation organizations, licensed clinical social workers, and mental health organizations.
Interested professionals and organizations are invited to submit their qualifications, including relevant certifications, experience, and service areas. Please provide a brief overview of your practice or organization and describe how your services align with the needs of NPSB.
Applicants can submit their organization name and contact information to Jennifer Ingram at jingram@npsb.la. NPSB will review all applications and select professionals and organizations to be included on the referral list based on their qualifications and ability to meet the needs of our students. We look forward to partnering with dedicated mental health professionals to support our students and enhance their educational experience.
Meredith Paige Smith
June 20, 1989 — August 15, 2024
Service: Sunday, August 25 from 5:30-9 PM at Blanchard St Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches
Larry Page
July 25, 1980 — August 7, 2024
Service: Saturday, August 24 at 3:30 pm at New Beginnings Baptist Church in Castor
Gary Alan Harper
February 7, 1956 — August 17, 2024
Service: Wednesday, August 21 at 1 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Edward Carter Moore
September 19, 1940 — August 13, 2024
Service: Thursday, August 22 at 11 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Mary Henry
April 13, 1935 – August 16, 2024
Arrangements TBA
Nancy Hataway Masters
April 14, 1943 — August 10, 2024
Service: Saturday August 24 at 11 am at Trinity Baptist Church, located at 527 Howard St. in Natchitoches
Eddie Varice
August 12, 2024
Arrangements TBA
Collins M. Coutee Jr.
September 2, 1958 – August 3, 2024
Arrangements TBA
August 13, 2024 @ 6:45AM
Sheriff Aaron Mitchell reports Julius Theodore Winfield IV (age-21) was located and arrested shortly before 6:30AM this morning, August 13, 2024.
Winfield was located on LA Highway 120 @ Highway 1221 near Marthaville. Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Deputies, Desoto Parish Sheriff Deputies, Caddo Parish Sheriff Deputies, and United States Marshals Service assisted with the search and arrest.
Winfield will be booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for several felony charges and arrest warrants.
Sheriff Mitchell thanks all of the agencies and resources who assisted in the search for Winfield.
Newton Country Sheriff, Robert Burby, announced the Sunday morning recovery of the body of a swimmer who drowned Saturday, August 10, in Toledo Bend.
The 23-year-old male was identified as Noah Roden of Fred, Texas, in Tyler County. Roden was an honors student at Lamar University in Beaumont and was attending a ministries camp at the time of his death. According to reports, people were swimming in a cove off the south end of Toledo Bend, behind Ridgecrest Drive. That location is 1.75 miles west of the Toledo Bend Dam. Roden was swimming toward a floating dock, went underwater and never resurfaced.
Crews of emergency first responders, the Texas Park and Wildlife wardens, and local volunteers began searching for the body Saturday, staying out until 9 p.m. They resumed the search Sunday at 8 a.m. Sheriff Burby reported the body was recovered at 9:25 a.m. Sunday.
Toledo Bend is one of the largest lakes in the US. There have been several drownings on the Bend in 2024. Please use caution when in or on the water at Toledo Bend.
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Public Affairs
FORT CAMPBELL, KY – Beginning on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 13, the 101st Airborne
Division (Air Assault) will conduct a major training event spanning various locations in
Mississippi and Louisiana.
This exercise is designed to assess the division’s ability to conduct large-scale, long-range air
assault operations in conjunction with training scenarios that will test their communication,
logistical resupply and tactical abilities. All military training will take place on military
installations or local airfields, but residents may see or hear an increased helicopter presence.
Our Combat Aviation Brigade and supporting sustainment elements will establish various
Forward Arming and Refueling Points for aircraft flying between Fort Campbell, KY, and Fort
Johnson, LA. Military helicopters will be refueled and resupplied at these FARPs before
returning to Fort Campbell.
Residents living in and around the below areas may hear, see and experience increased aircraft
traffic and noise during this time:
* Oxford, MS – Aug. 13-15
* Tunica, MS – Aug. 13-15
* Minden, LA – Aug. 13-18
* Monroe, LA – Aug. 13-15
* Alexandria, LA – Aug. 13-18
“We’re alerting the public to prepare nearby communities of an increase in noise as a result of rotary wing aircraft conducting training flights over the course of the next few days,” said Lt. Col. Martin Meiners, spokesman for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “Our priority is the safety of our Soldiers and families, as well as those of the nearby communities. We hope this notification will allow the affected communities to plan ahead in anticipation of this increase in military air traffic, and we are grateful for the support from local leaders and the Mississippi and Louisiana National Guard.”
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is a part of the Army’s effort to pioneer the evolution of vertical envelopment with modern equipment and well-trained soldiers, and to prepare the nation to win in any future military combat environment or conflict.
For exercise-related updates and media content, please visit https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/HQ-101ABN or contact us at usarmy.campbell.101-abn-div.mbx.101pao@army.mil. All products
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In 2004 I decided to take my fishing to another level as a co-angler on the now-defunct FLW Tour, now called Major League Fishing or better known as MLF. I fished this level for two seasons while expanding my bass fishing knowledge. To fish with the best anglers in the world was quite the privilege and made me realize just how lucky I was to get in the boat with pro anglers like Clark Wendlandt, Dion Hibdon, and Kelly Jordon. But I also got to wet a hook in some of the best bass lakes in America.
One of my first favorites would be Lake Okeechobee in South Florida. This is a place like no other I have fished in my entire career. It is a great fishery, but also intimidating with its massive expanse of wide-open cattails patches and hydrilla grass beds.
To navigate this lake without GPS would be a nightmare and almost impossible to return to an area where you caught fish the day before, as the entire lake looks the same. But when it comes to big bass, this lake is in a class all to itself. Massive largemouth bass in the 10-pound range are fairly common. It’s not unusual for a tournament angler to bring in a 30-pound, 5-fish limit.
Next comes Kentucky Lake. During the early 2000s this lake was on fire and was a magnet for major bass tournaments due to its great fishing. Two things played a key role in what made this lake so good — current and ledges. Kentucky Lake is known as a great current lake as bass set up on these deep-water ledges waiting to ambush just about any lure an angler might want to throw. It’s also one of many great lakes along the Tennessee River chain. While the lake was on the decline a few years ago, it has now rebounded, and the fishing is once again really good.
Another great lake I fished during my FLW days was Beaver Lake in Arkansas. This lake is a structure fisherman’s dream and was where the “shaky head” craze first started. The shaky head is a small ball head jig (usually 1/8 oz. or 3/16 oz.) with a light wire hook.
This technique is usually fished on a spinning rod with light line anywhere from 8 to 10-pound test. Known as a bottom dragging bait, this technique is great for catching finicky bass. Beaver Lake is where this technique started. It has become a mainstay method for catching bass all across the country.
Closer to home, and a place that just might be the best bass lake in America as named a couple of years by Bassmaster Magazine, is Lake Sam Rayburn. Located just across the Louisiana/Texas state line in East Texas, Sam Rayburn is the crown jewel of the bass fishing world. Anglers commonly weigh-in 30-pound stringers almost year around.
Whether you like to fish deep or shallow, Rayburn offers you the opportunity to fish any way you desire. It is a great deep structure fishing lake, along with plenty of shallow cover for bass to hide. Probably the number one technique used here is the Carolina rig. This is a drag-the-bottom technique with a ¾ or 1-ounce tungsten weight with a 3-foot leader using a baby brush hog in watermelon/red.
Rayburn is also the second biggest lake in Texas and gets more tournament fishing pressure than any other body of water. It’s truly amazing how each week this lake gets pounded but continues to put out 20- and 30-pound stringers.
Other great lakes that I’ve had the pleasure to fish include Lake Hartwell and Santee Cooper South Carolina, Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma and South Alabama, Lake Chickamauga and Old Hickory in Tennessee, Toledo Bend, Lake Fork and a lake I grew up on, Lake Monticello, located just outside of Mt. Pleasant, Texas. But one of my newest favorites is East Texas’ very own Lake of the Pines. This lake has been a sleeping giant but in recent years has really become a very popular bass tournament lake.
While some will disagree, another place that has a special place in my heart is the mighty Red River! This body of water has become one of my personal favorites. I’ve had quite a bit of success on the Red River and it seems to suit my style of fishing.
I guess you could say I have been truly blessed to get the opportunity to fish some of the best fisheries in America. Along the way, I’ve made an endless list of friends of both professional anglers and weekend warriors. It has been through this list of anglers that I have been able to sustain a great outdoors radio/podcast program for 17 years called Hook’N Up & Track’N Down.
But I’ve also had a little help with two great co-hosts, Gary McCoy and Mike Echols. Together we have been able to put together an outdoors program that’s both highly entertaining and educational.
We are lucky to live in a country with so many great places to wet a hook in the many lakes and rivers loaded with great fish-catching opportunities. Not only can anglers bring in great stringers but can make some great memories, just as I have done!
‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and make sure to introduce a kid to the great outdoors.
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com
I mapped out two simple tasks for Saturday.
Task number one was to trim the hedges in the front yard. They all look like planted versions of a Chia-pet. The task would not take long. I have purchased power tools that make this task a breeze. I was breezing along through the task, about to turn the corner from the east side to the north side of the house, when a complication arrived. The battery powered hedge trimmer suddenly died. I looked for obstructions, there were none. I changed the battery. That didn’t work either. I sought out advice from the experts at You Tube. I found a video with a guy describing how to fix the same problem. He had my very model suffering from the same symptoms. After five minutes of watching that video, I decided I was not taking the thing apart. I developed a new strategy. On Sunday after church, I went to Lowes and bought a new one. As soon as I send this article to the nice people who publish it, I’m back at hedge trimming.
Task number two was to cook the steaks. That is always fun. No one bothers me when I’m cooking steaks. It is alone time that produces sumptuous results. I cheat! I have one of those wood pellet grills. The grill is so smart it is attached to my phone. I can be in the car miles away and instruct the grill to light and heat up to a certain temperature. If I use a meat probe, the probe reports the temperature to my phone. It is all technological.
Saturday, I went to light the grill.
The grill informed me that it needed to do a software update. How much software could a grill need? Has Microsoft discovered my grill and wants to install one of those infernal updates? The grill would not let me bypass the update.
While the grill was updating, I piddled with the plants in the yard. I looked at my phone to see how the grill was working. The update also applied to my phone. Suddenly, the grill app wanted the log in stuff. Do you remember the password you set two years ago for your grill app? Me neither.
I took care of the grill. While I cooked the steaks, I managed the password for the phone app. The relaxing Saturday had fallen apart by now.
I cleaned the grill and seasoned the griddle I had also used for the steaks. I went into the peace of my study to finish working on the sermon. There it was, the end of a perfect day, Microsoft wanted to update the software on my computer.
I started wondering if Jesus ever had “one of those days.” After reading the gospels, I can answer, “Yes, He did.” The Bible tells us what he did. He went off by himself and prayed.
You might give that a try the next time you have “one of those days.”
Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston.
You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com
By Brad Dison
Following World War II, a large number of Idaho farmers began complaining that beavers were ruining their land. They argued that overeager beavers were building dams in their much-needed irrigation canals. Once beavers built dams in their irrigation canals, water could not get to their crops. Farmers wanted to exterminate the beavers. This led to a years-long dispute because fur trappers liked the beavers for their monetary value. They made a considerable amount of money by selling beaver pelts. Also, conservationists wanted to protect the beavers because, as The Idaho Statesman reported, “Idaho is one of the few places where [beavers] still can be found outside a zoo.” For years, farmers, fur trappers, and conservationists argued as to whether beavers “are worth a dam—their own dams, specifically.”
To quell the dispute, Idaho’s fish and game department decided to transport the beavers into the Chamberlain Basin in the Sawtooth Mountain Range in central Idaho where they could build dams and not hurt productive fields. The beavers would also help with erosion in the mountainous region. The task was daunting for the agents of the fish and game department as well as the beavers themselves. Agents, farmers, and fur trappers set out live traps to capture beavers without harming them. They put each beaver in its own cage, loaded the cages onto trucks, and carried them in this manner until they ran out of roads. Then, agents used horses to deliver the beavers deep into the woods. The trip took several days and was taxing on the agents and the beavers. Many beavers died before they could be released. Several of the beavers which survived the trip overheated and were in such poor condition that they refused to eat and died soon after being released. Conservationists needed a better way.
Ivol Sies, district conservation supervisor at Boise, Vernon Rich, federal aid coordinator for Idaho, and Elmo Meyer, conservation officer at McCall, came up with a two-part plan. They devised a new cage for delivering the beavers. Their cage was a simple spring-loaded box which was hinged at the bottom. Each box held a single beaver. The weight of the beaver kept the box closed. To be sure the cages remained closed until it was time to release the beavers, two inner tubes were pulled around the box and tied together at the top with a string. As soon as the box carrying the beaver touched the ground, the tension on the string released, the spring-loaded box opened, and the beaver crawled out. That was just the first part of their plan. They needed a way to reduce the transportation time.
Conservationists wanted to capture and release beavers back into the primitive areas of central Idaho in a timelier manner. Trucks and horses just took too long. Building roads into the Chamberlain Basin was too expensive. They had considered transporting the beavers by airplane and having agents release the beavers once they arrived, but there was no suitable place to land amongst the dense foliage. The answer came with World War II military surplus items.
On August 14, 1948, the second part of their plan to transport the beavers into the primitive areas of Idaho began. Conservationists loaded their vehicle with eight of the new hinged cases each of which contained a single beaver. Whereas all previous trips had taken several conservation agents, the new plan only required two people, one agent and a pilot. The vehicle they used was a twin-engine Beechcraft airplane. Remember, there was no place to land in the dense foliage. The pilot flew the airplane at an altitude of between 500 and 800 feet above Chamberlain Basin and the conservation agent simply pushed the cages out. Of the first 76 beavers they released into Chamberlain Basin during that operation, only one beaver died when he fought his way out of the new cage and fell to his death. The other beavers landed safely because their fall was slowed… by parachutes left over from World War II. Hundreds of beavers were safely relocated in what has become known as the beaver drop.
Sources:
1. The Idaho Statesman, August 24, 1948, p.11.
2. San Angelo Standard-Times, August 25, 1948, p.6.
3. The Spokesman-Review, September 13, 1948, p.5.
February 8, 1958 — August 12, 2024
Leonard Dale Spurlock, Sr. “Spur”, 66, of Boyce, Louisiana, passed away on August 12, 2024, in Haughton, Louisiana surrounded by family. Spur was born in Zwolle, Louisiana, on February 8, 1958, to Gracie and Ray Spurlock, the oldest son of his seven brothers and sisters. Spur moved to Alexandria, Louisiana where he worked for Roy O’Martin for the past 18 years. Throughout his time in Alexandria, he had the privilege of developing lifelong friendships that he would eventually call his extended family. He was an active member of the Choctaw Apache Tribe and took great pride in his heritage. Over the past few years Spur found another passion, playing pool, where he joined a local league called The Thursday’s Captains.
Spur was preceeded in death by his mother, Gracie Spurlock; father, Ray Spurlock; sister, Sandra Spurlock; and the mother of his sons, JoAnn Bulher.
He is survived by his two sons, Dale Spurlock Jr. and wife, Meridith, of Rosharon, Texas and Jamison Spurlock and wife, Deana of Haughton, Louisiana; grandchildren, Mya Roy and husband, Hunter, Madalen, Blaire, Mercy, Tayler, MaKenna, Maggie Pearl and Robbie Joe. In addition to his children, Spur leaves behind his six brothers and sisters, a wealth of nieces and nephews as well as his extended family the de Perrodils, DuCotes, and Arnolds.
To have known Spur was a gift, to be loved by him, was a blessing. When faced with adversity surrounding his illness, he looked to his unwavering faith to guide him. Spur believed that the good Lord has a plan for everyone, and if it was his time to be called home, then he would leave this world faithfully. To Spur, there was nothing more important than his sons and grandchildren. They were his greatest gifts in life, and because of them he has no regrets. Spur’s hard-working and loving nature is exemplified in those that he leaves behind.
The family would like to give a special thank you to MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Methodist Transplant Center, Amedisys Hospice, and Always Best Care for all of their love and support.
Honoring Spur as pallbearers will be Heath Lewis, Josh Lewis, Cole Rivers, Dale de Perrodil, Brandon Sepulvado, and Joey Golden. Serving as honorary pallbearers are Clutch Sepulvado, Pye Laroux, Chubby Meshell, and Caleb DuCote.
Funeral services for Spur will be Friday, August 16, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 307 Hammond St, Zwolle, Louisiana. A visitation will be held at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 9891 Texas Hwy, Many, Louisiana Wednesday, August 14, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Thursday, August 15, 2024 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a Rosary at 6:00 p.m. A burial will be held at Zwolle City Cemetery following the service on Friday.
