John Dillinger was one of the most notorious of the Depression Era criminals. His crime sprees included charges of desertion from the U.S. Navy, theft, auto theft, armed robbery, bank robbery, attempted murder, and murder. On January 25, 1934, Dillinger and his gang were captured in Tucson, Arizona. Dillinger was extradited to Crown Point, Indiana to stand trial on a host of charges including the murder of a police officer. Lake County officials claimed their jail where Dillinger was held was “escape proof.”

At about 9:30 on the morning of March 3, 1934, Dillinger and his cellmate, convicted murderer Herbert Youngblood, sat impatiently in their cell as a guard, Sam Cahoun, was making his rounds. As Sam peered into their cell, Dillinger aimed a pistol at him and ordered him under threat of death to open the cell door. Sam was unarmed and had no choice but to comply. Dillinger told Sam to remain quiet and to follow him. At Dillinger’s request, Sam called out for Deputy Earnest Blunk. As the deputy stepped out of the fingerprint office, Dillinger stuck the pistol against his side. Dillinger led Sam and Deputy Blunk back to the jail cell. After locking Sam in the cell, Dillinger had Deputy Blunk call out for Warden Lou Baker. As Warden Baker and three others stepped out of their offices, Dillinger aimed his pistol at them and forced them into the cell with Sam. Dillinger locked the cell door and headed for the warden’s office. Dillinger exchanged his pistol for one of the machine guns from the warden’s gun rack and told Youngblood, “Come on, quick. Get one of those guns there.” Youngblood took a machine gun from the same gun rack and followed Dillinger’s lead. Dillinger used Deputy Blunk in the same manner to disarm a total of six deputies and 16 guards, all of whom he locked in jail cells. Unable to find any car keys in the prison offices, Dillinger, Youngblood, and Deputy Blunk made their way out of the jail house where they met the warden’s wife. Dillinger told her, “Be a good little girl and we won’t kill you.” She let them pass. Dillinger, Youngblood, and their hostage made their way to the Main Street Garage where they located Edward Saagers, the garage mechanic. Dillinger ordered Saagers to give Deputy Blunk the keys to the fastest car in the garage, which happened to be a black police car. Then, Dillinger ordered Saagers to get in the car with them. At Dillinger’s order, Deputy Blunk slowly drove the escape car away from the prison as to not attract attention. Mrs. Baker alerted the sheriff, which set off a search for Dillinger by practically all of the law enforcement officers in Indiana and Northern Illinois. Two hours after their escape, Dillinger and Youngblood released Deputy Blunk and mechanic Saagers at Peotone, Illinois, 35 miles south of the Crown Point jail. Before driving off, Dillinger gave Deputy Blunk and Saagers a $4 tip and told them, “Good job!”

Newspapers reported that it was one of “the most spectacular breaks in the history of American crime,” partly because the pistol Dillinger used to set off the daring jailbreak was absolutely harmless. It was not loaded. It could not be loaded. You see, the pistol Dillinger used in that escape was one he had whittled out of a piece of wood.

 

Sources:

1. The Times-Picayune, March 4, 1934, p.10.

2. The Times (Hammond, Indiana), March 5, 1934, p.10.

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On March 18, 1944, the romantic wartime drama Casablanca took center stage at the 16th Academy Awards, winning three Oscars including Best Picture.

Starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, “Casablanca” tells the story of an American expatriate torn between love and sacrifice in the shadow of World War II. Set in unoccupied Morocco, the film blended romance, suspense and patriotism at a time when global audiences were living through the war itself.

The film’s win for Best Picture cemented its place in Hollywood history. Director Michael Curtiz also took home the Oscar for Best Director, and the film earned a third award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Though not initially predicted to sweep the ceremony, “Casablanca” resonated with audiences and Academy voters alike. Its themes of duty over desire and moral courage struck a chord during wartime America.

The film’s dialogue has since become iconic, with lines like “Here’s looking at you, kid” and “We’ll always have Paris” embedded in pop culture for generations. Bogart’s portrayal of Rick Blaine transformed him into a lasting symbol of cinematic cool, while Bergman’s performance remains one of the most celebrated in classic film history.

Over the decades, “Casablanca” has consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made, frequently appearing atop lists from the American Film Institute and other organizations.

March 18 marks not only a major milestone for a beloved film but also a reminder of Hollywood’s enduring power to capture emotion, history and hope on screen.

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You may email them to SPJContent@sabineparishjournal.com

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Don Burkett announced that he will not seek reelection as district attorney for the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Burkett said serving the people of the 11th Judicial District has been a great honor and credited the success of the office to the work of its staff and employees.

The 11th Judicial District includes Natchitoches Parish and Sabine Parish.

Burkett also expressed appreciation for the kindness and support shown to him and his family throughout his time in office, noting that he has always tried to be fair and just in the decisions made during his tenure.

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City Bank has announced the appointment of Blake Byles as a new member of its board of directors.

Blake, the son of Mary Hornsby Byles and the late Valmore (R.V.) Byles, grew up in Many, LA and graduated from Many High School. He attended and graduated from Northwestern State University while also serving in the Army National Guard (527^th Division Engineering). He credits his military experience with preparing him for life and business as much as his college degree.

After college graduation he pursued a career in the oil and gas industry which gave him the opportunity to live in different states. Blake quickly realized that Sabine Parish was the best place in the world to settle down and raise a family. He moved back home and started his first business. Blake loves entrepreneurship and today works with many different companies that he started or has acquired interest in. He is also active in the community serving on the Sabine Parish Chamber Board, Sabine Industrial Committee, Economic Development Board, 911 Board, Library Board, Water District 1 Board, Jury Commission, and Knights of Columbus.

Blake enjoys his community involvement but considers the most important part of his life to be his family. He is married to Lauren Vines Byles, and they have two beautiful, sweet daughters and one handsome, wild boy. Together they hope to instill in their children the old school morals and values which promote that everyone should be treated with respect and giving back is the greatest feeling. The family are active members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Many.

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Why rural communities deserve facts and honest debate about carbon capture and storage

I am a small-business owner in Vernon Parish trying to keep my doors open and raise a family in the community I love.

Few issues facing rural Louisiana right now carry bigger consequences for communities like ours than carbon capture and storage.

Some see it as a dangerous experiment being forced on rural parishes. Others see it as an opportunity to bring jobs, stabilize struggling industries, and reverse the population decline many rural communities have experienced for decades.

Representative Charles Owen recently wrote that there are a “litany of unanswered questions” surrounding carbon capture and storage.

On that point, he is right.

There are important questions. But the reason many remain unanswered is not because answers do not exist. It is because the geologists, engineers, and industry professionals who understand the science are often shouted down before the conversation can even begin.

Major decisions that affect the future of our communities deserve more than headlines, rumors, or social media posts. They deserve careful review of the facts and the willingness to listen to people who actually understand the science and economics involved.

And when fear becomes the loudest voice in a discussion, something unfortunate happens.

The very voices we need to hear from become silent.

Representative Owen compared carbon dioxide to weed killer and suggested it should be viewed as a poisonous or carcinogenic substance.

That comparison deserves clarification.

Carbon dioxide is not classified as a poison, and it is not classified as a carcinogen.

It is also already woven into daily life. CO₂ is used in medical manufacturing, fire suppression, agriculture, refrigeration, welding, food preservation, beverage carbonation, and water treatment. It is part of the air in every breath we take; it helps preserve many of the foods we eat, and for many people it is literally in the soda they drink.

The United States has transported carbon dioxide by pipeline for more than 50 years. Today there are over 5,000 miles of CO₂ pipelines, and during those decades there have been no recorded deaths from CO₂ pipeline transportation or injection.

Even the well-known pipeline rupture in Satartia, Mississippi — while serious and deserving investigation — resulted in no fatalities.

Two concerns often raised are that a leak would contaminate soil or drinking water.

Drinking water protection is central to the regulatory process. Class VI wells inject CO₂ thousands of feet below drinking water sources into deep rock formations sealed by thick layers of impermeable caprock — essentially a natural underground lid that fluids cannot pass through.

These same formations have naturally trapped oil and gas underground for millions of years.

CO₂ also does not contaminate soil the way chemicals do. It is part of the natural carbon cycle that plants use to grow, and soil itself releases carbon dioxide as organic material breaks down.

Representative Owen has suggested enhanced oil recovery is acceptable, but sequestration is not. But enhanced oil recovery already works by injecting CO₂ underground — and after the oil is produced, much of that carbon dioxide remains trapped in those formations permanently.

If carbon capture were truly a scam, environmental groups would not oppose it so strongly. Many oppose it precisely because it allows industries like oil, gas, and LNG to continue operating while reducing emissions.

And Louisiana sits at the center of that debate. As one of the nation’s largest energy-producing states, what happens here matters. If carbon capture works in Louisiana, it strengthens the future of American energy.

I know these things not because I read a headline, but because I set aside what I thought I knew and started asking questions of the people who work with this science every day.

Growth rarely comes from a place of comfort. But discomfort forces us to learn and search for better answers.

I am a small-business owner in Vernon Parish trying to keep my doors open. I am also a parent with children in our local schools — one of which could face closure if population trends continue.

That is the math our parish is already living with.

Without the economic impact of Ft. Polk, nearly 58% of Vernon Parish households fall into the ALICE category — families who work hard yet still come up about $5,000 short of the cost of living here.

They earn too much to qualify for assistance, but not enough to make ends meet.

Those families are not statistics. They are our neighbors.

Programs like the federal 45Q tax credit are often criticized as government spending, but they work differently. Companies only receive those credits if they are operating, employing people, and safely storing carbon dioxide.

If Louisiana chooses not to pursue these opportunities, the credit does not disappear. Our tax dollars will still fund the program — the difference is that the jobs and investment will go to states like Texas instead of communities like ours.

At the same time, our forestry economy is under tremendous pressure. When markets disappear, forests go unmanaged, disease spreads, and wildfire risk increases as timber grows overcrowded.

The proposed Class VI well would allow projects like Highland Pellet and Beaver Lake Renewables to locate in our region, supporting more than 1,000 jobs while purchasing roughly 500 additional truckloads of timber each day from Central Louisiana’s timber basket.

Without healthy markets, landowners may eventually clear forests for other development or solar projects. But when timber markets exist, forests are thinned, land remains productive, and rural jobs stay local.

The real question for rural Louisiana is simple: which future makes more sense for our communities?

When jobs disappear, families leave.

When families leave, schools lose students — and the difficult conversations about consolidation begin.

We invest years educating our children, but when opportunity disappears, those same young people often must leave to build their careers somewhere else.

Louisiana helps educate them — and other states benefit from the talent we lose.

Representative Owen and I both care deeply about the future of our communities. We may not be as far apart as it sometimes feels.

But the stakes for rural Louisiana are too high to allow fear, rumors, or division to guide the outcome.

The future of our parish — and rural Louisiana — deserves to be decided by facts, careful consideration, and the shared desire to do what is right for the people who call this place home.

Robert Haymon is a small-business owner in Vernon Parish.

 

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By Frank Johnson

You run into the store for a few things — maybe it’s a Tuesday evening, you’re tired after work, and you just need the basics. But somewhere between the produce section and the checkout line, the cart gets a little fuller than you planned. A snack that looked good. A deal that seemed too reasonable to pass up. A seasonal item that just kind of… ended up in there.

Nobody’s judging. That’s just what happens when we shop in person. Grocery stores are warm, well-lit, and full of things that smell good and look appealing. They’re meant to be that way.  And most of us walk out spending more than we intended… not because we’re careless with money, but because we’re human.

Here’s what’s worth considering, though.

When you order your groceries for delivery, you’re shopping from your kitchen. From your list. Without the background music, the clever displays, or the free samples pulling you in seventeen directions. You buy what you need, you close the app, and you’re done. It turns out that’s a pretty powerful thing.

Yes, there’s a delivery fee. Yes, you tip your driver… and they deserve it. When you add it all up, you might be looking at somewhere around $12 to $17 extra per order. That’s real money, and it’s okay to notice that.

But here’s the gentle truth: most of us are already spending that — and then some — on things we didn’t plan to buy every time we walk into a store. The impulse buys, the “while I’m here” additions, the deals that aren’t really deals if you weren’t going to buy the item anyway. Research suggests the average in-store shopper routinely spends 10 to 40 percent more than intended.

So when you look at delivery that way, the fee starts to feel a little different. It’s not an extra expense so much as a swap — you’re trading unpredictable, unplanned overspending for a flat, predictable cost that you actually budgeted for. And more often than not, you come out ahead.

It’s a small shift in how you shop. But for a lot of families, it quietly adds up to real savings over time… without any sacrifice, and with a lot less temptation.

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Dylan Kyle Poche was born on March 10, 1997, in Natchitoches, Louisiana

In just 18 short years, Dylan left a mark far greater than time could measure. After his tragic and violent passing, Dylan’s family made a decision to hold his first memorial Bass Tournament on May 8th  2016. 
Burt says, The event has grown bigger than we ever would have expected.

Each year, they host a memorial fishing tournament in his honor. Proceeds fund a scholarship through Northwestern State University, Dylan’s name continues to open doors and change lives for generations to come.

This year, a portion of tournament proceeds will also benefit Hope For Lydia

Registration Deadline:  March 27, 2pm

Tournament Information:  www.dylankylepoche.com

Online Registration:  https://app.fishingchaos.com/tournament/421EecWiVrOyjr7ynXJz

10th Annual Dylan Kyle Poche Bas Tournament
Date: March 28, 2026

Location: Cypress Bend Park

Activities
•Kids Fishing from the bank
•Food for all
•Prizes/Raffles
•Kids Jumpers
•Live Band

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November 23, 1939 — March 8, 2026

Funeral services for Marlene Jackson “MiMi” Pitt, 86, will be held on Friday, March 13, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at Little Flock Baptist Church, 1805 Little Flock Rd., Many, Louisiana. A visitation will be from 12:00 p.m. until time of service. A burial will follow the service at Florien Cemetery, 1452 N. Nolan Trace, Florien, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Brother Jimmy Speight.

Marlene was born on November 23, 1939 to Charles Bolton Jackson and Willie Mae Jackson in Many, Louisiana. She passed away on Sunday, March 8, 2026 in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Marlene is preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Willie Mae Jackson; sisters, Charlene Wilbanks and Sharon Rollins; and granddaughter, Courtney Denise Pitt. She is survived by her sons, Dennis Pitt and wife, Michelle, of Mineral Wells, Texas and Mike Pitt and wife, Nerissa, of Many, Louisiana; daughter, Debra Denise Pitt Olah of Many, Louisiana; sister, Sue Potter of Elmer, Louisiana; brother, Charles Jackson and wife, Connie, of Florien, Louisiana; 8 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.

Honoring Marlene as pallbearers will be Ryan Porter, Brad Pitt, Cody Pitt, Corbin Pitt, Caden Pitt, Logan Pitt, Austin Bellair, and Derek Davis.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Dementia Society of America at Dementia Society of America/donate or Cure Alzheimer’s Fund at CureAlz.org

Services and care were provided to the family by Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Many, Louisiana.

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January 3, 1958 — March 7, 2026

A memorial service for Diana Serrett Davis, 68, were held on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at Siloam Baptist Church, 35480 Hwy 191, Many, Louisiana. Officiating the service was Brother Chuck Lusk.

Diana was born on January 3, 1958 to Wesley and Hazel Serrett in Arnaudville, Louisiana. She passed away on Saturday, March 7, 2026 in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Diana loved to watch the sunset every evening. She made it a regular habit to take a picture and post it for everyone to see. She was gifted with a talent for crocheting and when she had free time she enjoyed painting. She loved everything about the beach, lake, or the pool. But above everything, she adored her grandchildren.

Diana is preceded in death by her parents, Wesley and Hazel Serrett and her brother, Dickie Serrett. She is survived by her husband, Jeff Davis of Many, Louisiana; son, Mikey Davis and Felica, of Many, Louisiana; daughter, Christina Faust and husband, Jared, of Robeline, Louisiana; and grandchildren, Audrey Faust and Waylon Faust.

Services and care were provided to the family by Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Many, Louisiana.

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September 24, 1960 — March 4, 2026

David Wayne Oliver passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2026 in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was born on September 24, 1960 to Bertha Lovelady Oliver and Ross Franklin Oliver in Shreveport, Louisiana.

David was preceded in death by his parents, Bertha and Franklin Oliver; son, Benny Ross Oliver; brothers, John Oliver, Jimmy Oliver, and Ross Oliver; sister, Lanell Steele; and brothers-in-law, Mike Keel and Wiley Wedgeworth.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Dana Robin Oliver; sisters, Faye Wedgeworth, Carolyn Elliott (Jimmy), Charlotte Keel, and Judy Hippler (David); special nephew, Josh Hippler; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Services and care were provided to the family by Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Many, Louisiana.

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A Sabine Parish man has been arrested in connection with a vehicle fire and domestic violence investigation that occurred in February, according to the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal.
Investigators say Tony Mitchell, 35, of Many, was arrested on March 4, 2026. He has been charged with Aggravated Arson, Home Invasion, and Battery of a Dating Partner – Strangulation.

Authorities say the investigation began on February 16 when the Central Sabine Fire District requested assistance from state fire investigators regarding a vehicle fire in the 500 block of Lee Street in Many.
When firefighters arrived on scene, they found a vehicle fully engulfed in flames. The fire spread to two additional nearby vehicles and also caused damage to a residence due to the burning vehicle being parked close to the home.

Following an investigation, officials determined the fire had been intentionally set and identified Mitchell as the suspect. Investigators later determined the incident was connected to a domestic violence situation.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office thanked the Central Sabine Fire District, the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Many Police Department for their assistance during the investigation.

Officials with the State Fire Marshal’s Office remind the public that anyone with information about fire-related crimes can submit an anonymous tip by visiting the agency’s website and selecting the “Arson Fires” reporting option.

As with all criminal cases, the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Manager of the shelter Lisa Butler said there are many dogs and cats who end up in the shelter because they have run away or strayed from home. “We post their pictures and ask owners to contact us if they recognize their dog or cat so we can return their pet to them. Unfortunately, it’s rare that the owner sees their picture or that we can find the owner. If the pet was microchipped and registered, the chances of that pet getting back home again are almost 100%,” Butler explained.

In many cases, microchipping and registering a dog or cat can save its life. Euthanasia may occur if the shelter is overcrowded and lacks space for all the animals, and the owner can not be found.

Once the dog or cat has been microchipped, its name, description, and the name, address, e-mail, phone number of the owner are all entered in a registry. If that animal ends up at a shelter or veterinarian, it is scanned for a microchip and the owner’s name and contact information are immediately available.

One strong believer of microchipping is Mary Brocato, a member of the Sabine Humane Society. She adopted a 14-yer-old poodle from Shreveport. The first day she let “Possum” out into the yard, the little dog ran away trying to get back to Shreveport, apparently. Some kind folks picked Possum up on Highway 171, took her to the vet who scanned her microchip and promptly called Ms. Brocato. By evening, Possum was back in her new home.

Ms. Brocato was also identified through a microchip when Daisy May, an English Bulldog that had belonged to her son, was discovered lying on a street in Baytown Texas. The woman who found her drove the dog to the vet who scanned her for a phone number and called Ms. Brocato. Daisy May returned home because she was microchipped.

“Microchipping definitely saves lives and that’s why the Sabine Animal Shelter will microchip your dog or cat for free,” Jackie Conyer, president of the Sabine Humane Society, stated.

The Sabine Animal Shelter is located at 520 McDonald Drive in Many. It is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. Everyone who loves their pets is encouraged to call the Shelter at 318-256-2275 and make an appointment to get their pet microchipped and registered for free.

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Residents in Sabine Parish should prepare for showers and thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon, with some storms potentially becoming severe, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters say showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop mainly after 1 p.m. Wednesday, with temperatures reaching a high near 79 degrees. Winds will be out of the south at 5 to 10 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90 percent, with rainfall totals between a quarter and half an inch possible.

Some storms could produce strong winds or other severe weather.

Storm activity may continue into Wednesday night, with showers and thunderstorms likely before 1 a.m.

Some of the storms could again become severe. Skies will remain mostly cloudy with overnight lows around 46 degrees. Winds will shift from the west at 5 to 10 mph before becoming northerly after midnight. Rain chances are around 70 percent.

Conditions will improve Thursday as sunshine returns to the parish, with a high near 65 degrees and northeast winds around 5 to 10 mph. Clear skies Thursday night will allow temperatures to drop to around 41 degrees.

Sunny weather will continue Friday with a high near 74 degrees and a clear overnight low near 48.

The weekend forecast looks warm and pleasant, with sunny skies expected Saturday and a high near 80 degrees. Saturday night will be mostly clear with lows around 57.

Partly sunny skies are expected Sunday with temperatures climbing to around 83 degrees. Rain chances will increase Sunday night with a 40 percent chance of showers and a low near 44.

By Monday, partly sunny skies are expected with cooler temperatures returning and a high near 59 degrees.

Meteorologists encourage residents to stay weather-aware Wednesday afternoon and evening as storms move through the region before calmer weather settles in later in the week.

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Officials with the Many Police Department have announced the temporary closure of a local park as renovation work gets underway in Many.

According to the department, Leon James Park, located on Martin Luther King Drive, is currently closed for remodeling. The park will remain closed for an undetermined amount of time while improvements are made to the facility.

City officials say the upgrades are intended to enhance the park for residents and visitors once the project is complete.

During the closure, residents of Sabine Parish are encouraged to utilize other parks within the city limits.

Alternative locations include the park at the Sabine Parish Fairgrounds and another recreational area at the former Sabine High School site on Highland Avenue.

Officials acknowledged the temporary inconvenience but say the improvements will make the park more enjoyable for the community once it reopens. Residents will be notified when renovations are complete and the park is ready to welcome visitors again.

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Dialog and debate are important, and I welcome the opportunity to engage on the sequestration of carbon waste in western and central Louisiana. I offer these words with respect and seriousness.

On 27 Feb 2026, Ms. Lemoine criticized the “what-ifs” being raised by concerned citizens in Vernon and Rapides parishes and suggested we are short-sighted for not embracing the promised jobs and growth. Fair enough.   Wrong, but I understand the point she is trying to get across. No one is rejecting industry or jobs.   Here are a few of my own “what-ifs” for consideration by Ms. Lemoine and by all who ae paying attention to this debate.

What if the author of the 2009 legislation that opened the door to carbon burial (Rep. Jim Morris) had known then what we know now? In his floor speech, all he told colleagues was, “We’re putting carbon in the ground,” and “This is complicated.” He did not appear fully informed. He didn’t explain anything.    He certainly didn’t seem to know this day would be coming.

What if the legislators at that time had perfect knowledge of where we would be today? I believe many members — including my own — would have asked much harder questions.

What if the industry sponsors who pushed Senator Sharon Hewitt’s 2020 bill had told her about the Satartia pipeline rupture? What if they had admitted the true intent was not to bury carbon only in depleted oil fields, but in unmapped subsurface zones with no definable traps like in Vernon Parish?

What if the special interests that backed these bills had done real due diligence on the risks — including potential damage to our water supply, family land, and the second-largest Army training range in America — instead of hoping the details would slip through under cover of darkness?

There are real risks here. This is not like betting on a product that might or might not sell, where the only but serious downside is bankruptcy. Much more is at stake — our groundwater, our land, our way of life, and our national security infrastructure.

What if the industry Ms. Lemoine speaks of would maybe consider another place to send their captured carbon?   No one from around here is fighting the production and sale of wood products (biomass).   We want wood pellet and other timber producers to come here.   It’s what they do with carbon that is the consternation.  We are voracious users of pipelines in Louisiana, right?  What if they pipe the carbon to the Gulf and put it under the ocean floor?   No one EVER thinks of that or even addresses it.  It appears to be ALL OR NOTHING in the CENLA HUB—in Vernon Parish.    What if we think outside the box?

A full, transparent debate has never taken place on these issues.  One side or the other always feels like discussions are slanted or one-sided.    Why not have a public debate?  I extend this public invitation: I will bring a geologist, an environmental scientist, and an engineer, and you can bring who you wish.  Maybe we can get Moon Griffon and Brian Haldane to be the moderators.   Let’s sit down in Vernon or Rapides Parish and have an honest discussion — no spin, no slogans, just facts.

The people of Central Louisiana deserve nothing less.

PS  What if people lying about the Sierra Club being behind the efforts in CENLA?  They’re not.  They came to a meeting.  They might have visited with some folks, but the opposition to carbon burial is not funded by leftists and most of us want nothing to do with the green scam they still relish.   Opposition is organic and local and it’s NOT left wing.  No one around here is fighting oil and gas, timber or progress.

Very respectfully,
Charles A. Owen
State Representative, District 30

Member, Central Louisiana Delegation, Louisiana Rural Caucus, Louisiana Freedom Caucus

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BATON ROUGE — State Representative Larry Bagley has introduced House Bill 838, legislation that would eliminate Louisiana’s requirement for annual vehicle inspection stickers.

Bagley said the proposal has the support of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and is part of the governor’s legislative package for the 2026 session. Landry also highlighted the effort to eliminate inspection stickers in his opening remarks Monday during the joint session address marking the start of the 2026 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

Louisiana’s inspection sticker program was created decades ago when vehicles lacked the advanced safety systems and diagnostic technology common in modern automobiles. Today, vehicles are equipped with onboard diagnostic systems that continuously monitor engine performance, emissions systems, and other mechanical functions. When an issue is detected, the vehicle alerts the driver through dashboard warning lights so repairs can be addressed.

Modern vehicles also include a range of built‑in safety technologies such as anti‑lock braking systems, electronic stability control, tire pressure monitoring systems, and computerized engine management systems. Bagley said these advancements provide drivers with real‑time information about the condition of their vehicles, making the decades‑old inspection sticker program increasingly outdated.

“Vehicle technology has changed dramatically over the years,” Bagley said. “Cars and trucks today already have sophisticated onboard systems that monitor performance and notify drivers when something needs attention.”

Bagley also noted that Louisiana is among a shrinking number of states that still require annual vehicle safety inspections. According to national transportation data, 35 states no longer require annual safety inspections for passenger vehicles.

“This legislation simply updates Louisiana law to reflect today’s technology while removing an outdated requirement for drivers,” Bagley said.

HB 838 has been referred to the House Transportation Committee for consideration.

BATON ROUGE – The 2026 Regular Legislative Session convened on March 9 at noon as required by the State Constitution. Returning to Baton Rouge, lawmakers will tackle a variety of subjects including regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly when it comes to protecting children, regulation of carbon capture activities here in Louisiana, and proposals to increase investment in public safety and education.

“We have made such great strides in the first two years of this term, when you look at how far we have come in areas like tax reform and beginning to see insurance rates come down here in Louisiana,” said Speaker of the House Phillip DeVillier. “This year we want to build on those successes to encourage even more economic investment in our state and better prepare our workforce to take advantage of those opportunities.”

“As we carefully consider the proposed $47 billion state budget for next year, legislators want to fund the priorities that are important to Louisianans without committing our state to spending we can’t afford in the years ahead,” said Senate President Cameron Henry. “As we look ahead to next year when we want to bring down our state income tax rate even further, we’ll be looking to strengthen our long-term revenue sources so that whether it’s education, energy or public safety, we build revenue sources that our state can depend on going forward.

The House of Representatives welcomed four new members today. Chasity Martinez will serve District 60 in the parishes of Assumption and Iberville and has been named to the Education, Labor and Transportation committees. Ed Murray will serve District 97 in Orleans Parish and has been named to the Insurance, Municipal, and Transportation committees. Reese “Skip” Broussard will serve District 37 in the parishes of Calcasieu and Jefferson Davis and has been named to the Agriculture, Education and Transportation committees. Doyle Boudreaux will serve District 39 in Lafayette Parish and has been named to the Transportation, Administration of Criminal Justice and Retirement committees.

As of this morning, more than 1,360 bills have been filed by legislators, including the state budget, to be considered over an 85-day general legislative session.

To follow the legislative session in real time, the public can log into http://www.legis.la.gov to search for bills and watch live streams of committee room and floor debates. The legislative mobile phone app LALEGE can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play. This app includes a bill search and “find my legislator” function. Other key features include legislator profiles, Senate and House schedules and a visitor’s guide to the Capitol.

The 2026 Regular Legislative Session must adjourn no later than 6:00pm on Monday, June 1, 2026.

Through the whole season of Lent, I work on answering the question, “What am I giving up for Lent.”
A friend told me recently, “I’m simply frazzled.” Now, when a minister says “frazzled,” my imagination goes straight to cartoon mode. I pictured him with his hair standing straight up, soot on his face, clutching a smoldering Bible in one hand while trying to answer a phone call and a text message with the other. Ministry does that to us. Then I looked at my own calendar—those blank spaces I had optimistically filled in with “rest”—and I understood exactly what he meant.

There’s an old saying: “I’m so busy I don’t know if I’ve found a rope or lost a horse. “Some days, that feels less like a saying and more like a spiritual condition.

Our culture practically demands frazzled, frenetic activity. If we’re going to play the game, we’re expected to check email, Facebook, Instagram, and X like we’re on some sort of digital scavenger hunt. I left Facebook, I never tweeted, and my computer only checks email a couple of times a day. I do peek at Instagram—because that’s where my family hangs out—but even that can feel like a part-time job.

Maybe a good Lenten discipline would be to give up the tyranny of the immediate. If it doesn’t get done today, I’ll get to it tomorrow. And if it’s still sitting there tomorrow, maybe it didn’t need doing in the first place.

Now, I’m not suggesting you shirk your responsibilities. I’m suggesting we learn something about living for the long run, something our souls have been trying to tell us while we’ve been too busy checking notifications.

God took the seventh day off. You, however, will not—because I know you. So let me offer a substitute: two peace pockets a day.

A peace pocket is a ten-minute break where you turn off the phone, turn off the computer monitor, close the door, and do absolutely nothing. If anyone asks, tell them you’re about to “work very hard for the next ten minutes on doing nothing.” Only we could turn rest into a job description.

If you can’t take a day off, take two peace pockets and call me later.

We spend so much time ruminating over trifles. The disciples once “lost” Jesus—not because He was lost, but because they were. They finally found Him praying alone. Breathless, they announced, “The whole town is looking for you!” Jesus calmly replied that He had other places to go. In other words: “I’m not ruled by your urgency.”

Jesus had priorities. He didn’t let the trivial masquerade as the essential.

If God rested and Jesus set priorities, maybe we should take the hint. Maybe Lent is the perfect time to let go of the things that make us feel frazzled, frantic, and spiritually threadbare.

Then, perhaps, we can finally decide whether we’ve found a rope or lost a horse

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You know the moment. The meeting is wrapping up, chairs start shifting, and everyone thinks they’re about to head home. Then someone says the dreaded words: “Before we adjourn, I’ve got just one more thing.” Suddenly the agenda grows, the clock keeps ticking and what was supposed to be a quick meeting turns into a marathon. Around here, “one more thing” rarely means just one more thing.

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Talent is common, but experience is rare. Here is how CAPA turns students into working professionals before they ever graduate.

By Cole Gentry, Chief Marketing Officer at Northwestern State University

There is a moment of terrifying clarity that happens to every young artist. It usually strikes midway through a senior showcase or during the quiet drive home from an audition. It is the realization that raw talent, no matter how bright, is only a starting line. The world is full of people who can sing, paint, or write. The industry does not pay for potential. It pays for polish.

This is the hard truth of the creative life. The gap between having a gift and having a career is wide, and it is paved with rejection, technical demands, and the need for a relentless work ethic. Many young creatives hesitate here. They have the vision, yet they lack the professional-grade portfolio or the stage hours to make a casting director pause. They wait to start their careers until after graduation, only to find they are already years behind.

At Northwestern State University, inside the Mrs. H.D. Dear, Sr. and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), we operate under a different philosophy. We believe you cannot learn to be a professional by sitting in a classroom talking about it. You must do the work.

The halls of CAPA carry a specific energy. It is the sound of a piano practice room occupied in the early morning hours and the scent of oils in a painting studio late at night. Here, we do not view the arts as a hobby or a fragile dream. We treat them as a discipline.

This approach changes the trajectory of a student’s life.

When you walk through the doors of CAPA, you are not asked to wait for your turn. The hierarchy that exists at other institutions, where freshmen wait years to touch a camera or step into the spotlight, does not exist here. From your first semester, you are in the mix. You are auditioning for mainstage productions. You are hanging your work in gallery exhibitions. You are recording in professional studios and reporting for digital media outlets.

The faculty guiding this work are not retired observers. They are active artists, performers, and creators who understand the modern landscape of the industry. They know that a degree is necessary, but a reel is vital. They push students to build a body of work that stands up to scrutiny in New York, Los Angeles, or Atlanta.

Scott Burrell, Director of the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts and Professor of Theatre, emphasizes that the curriculum bridges the gap between student and professional. “We don’t ask you to wait until graduation to become an artist,” Burrell says. “We hand you the tools and the stage on day one. By the time you leave, you’re not starting a career. You’re continuing one.”

The results of this immersion are etched into playbills and credit rolls across the nation.

Look at the numbers. Twelve alumni have landed on Broadway. Graduates have appeared in over 120 film and television productions. Thirty-two professional dance companies feature NSU-trained talent. Our alumni are defining the arts. They are the graphic designers shaping global brands, the journalists leading newsrooms, and the music educators inspiring the next generation.

This success stems from a curriculum that balances creative freedom with technical rigor. Whether it is the NASAD-accredited Fine & Graphic Arts program, the elite ensembles of the Department of Music, or the Department of Theatre & Dance, one of only 150 NAST-accredited programs in the country, the standard is excellence.

We understand that talent is the fuel, but training is the engine. From Theatre and Music to Art and New Media, Journalism, & Communication Arts (NMJCA), our programs are defined by cutting-edge collaboration rather than outdated instruction. We prioritize career training that is pertinent to the industry and vital to the student. For example, NMJCA students are currently producing nationally award-winning podcast series. The Department of Music routinely brings Grammy-nominated producers into the studio to work alongside faculty and students. The Department of Art’s Design Center for in-house internships was recognized as one of only twenty elite models in a 2025 study by the Louisiana Board of Regents.

When an NSU student walks across the graduation stage, they carry a resume. They have a network of peers and mentors who open doors. They possess the confidence that comes from having done the job a hundred times before the first paycheck ever arrived.

The creative world is competitive, but it is not impenetrable. It yields to those who show up prepared. If you are ready to stop dreaming about the work and start doing it, you belong here. The studio is open. The lights are on.

Whether you seek to command the stage or master the craft behind the scenes, you will find your place within CAPA’s professionally oriented programs. The invitation is open to join the Demon family. Apply to CAPA today, schedule your visit, and let’s get to work.

Explore CAPA: https://www.nsu.la/capa
Schedule a CAPA Tour: https://www.nsula.edu/admissions/campus-tours/
Apply for Admission: https://www.nsula.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/

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Oh, how times have changed in the tournament bass fishing world. In the last 20 years, tournament bass fishing has had several things that have taken the sport to another level. The first being the most obvious, electronics and forward-facing sonar. But there have been a few other things like how anglers get information today.

“Back in the day” as we old timers would say, getting information was sitting down with another angler and a paper lake map. You would use a highlighter to mark spots on the map where either he had caught bass before or places you might want to check.

Anglers would spend hours staring at a waterproof paper map like it was the Holy Grail. We brought them along with us in the boat to make sure we hit every spot marked. We made notes on the map as to what we caught, what time we caught fish, what bait we caught them on and what depth the fish were. We made notes on the water temperature as well as wind direction.

Maps were our main source of information on how a lake would set up for how we wanted to fish. Maps today are still very important, but now they’re on a screen, on our I-pads, cell phones and electronic units on our boats.

But there were also other ways anglers got information just like they do today. Who has more information than an angler who guides on a particular body of water? It’s that guy that spends every day of the week taking people out fishing. This person is full of information that can be a real asset to a tournament bass fisherman.  

Also back in the day, we would meet a friend for lunch who maybe fishes a certain body of water frequently. He would tell you about spots that he knew about or had caught fish before. So, word of mouth was also a way we got information.

Fast forward to 2026, and the information highway is insane. Today, there is so much information that the younger generation has grown up with that it’s mind blowing. Someone asked me before, “Can you get too much information?”

Yes, too much information can create confusion and sidetrack you on what you need to be doing in order to compete in the tournament. Also, information is only good for so long, as bass fishing can change daily or even hourly.

All anglers process information differently, and personally, I don’t like talking to a lot of anglers about what, how and where I need to fish. Over my 30-year career, I can only think of maybe twice that information actually paid off with either a win or cashing a check.

To this day, I feel confident in my ability to find fish on my own. One of the first lessons I learned was that it’s hard to go and catch another angler’s fish. Even with good information about a certain spot, you still have to figure out boat positioning and the best way to approach the spot.

A lot of people complain that today’s anglers are networking together and forming their own little information group, especially the rookies on tour. The young anglers today have come up through the ranks with college and high school fishing teams, where they communicate a lot.

This is nothing new. Ever since professional bass fishing started, anglers have been forming partnerships with other anglers. That’s why anglers form small groups that travel and eat together, while developing true friendships and trust.

But the younger generation of anglers today are doing some things that I feel may not be in good spirit of the sport. They have budgets they use to purchase weigh points or dots as they call it.

That’s infringing on the integrity of the sport. This, in my opinion, is going too far and should not be allowed in tournament competition.

Of course, just like so many other things today, money is a factor along with how much you have. Some of the younger anglers have budgets of $30,000 plus (provided by parents) to spend each season for weigh points.

This is an unfair advantage whether you want to admit it or not. It’s proving the point that if you have money, you can compete for the win rather than just trying to cash a check.

It’s really hard to make it as a pro on your own. Today, you need that support system of information and money because it’s so difficult to fish against the best anglers on the planet on your own. It’s a different game today than it was 20 years ago.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com.

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“How do I take our money off ‘subscription auto‑pilot’ and put it back under family control?”
 See what Ida says 

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