The Louisiana Folklife Center at Northwestern State University will present a traditional music and dance informance with Native Nations Intertribal at on Friday, July 17 at 6 p.m. the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum at 800 Front St. in Natchitoches. The event will be free and open to the public. 

The event will feature members of Native Nations Intertribal, who will symbolically open the 46th Annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival with Native American music and dance. Native Nations Intertribal will engage in a discussion of their traditions with NSU Professor of Anthropology Dr. Hiram “Pete” Gregory, an expert on Southeastern Native American tribes and culture. 

“We are so grateful to Native Nations Intertribal for so generously sharing their cultural knowledge with us,” said Dr. Shane Rasmussen, professor of English and director of the Louisiana Folklife Center at Northwestern State University. “Attendees at this event will have the opportunity to experience some of the most beautiful music and dance traditions in the world.” 

Native Nations Intertribal is an all-Native American song and dance troupe dedicated to sharing the beauty, diversity and living traditions of Indigenous peoples across the United States. For over 25 years, it has proudly performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where the troupe honors their ancestors and educates audiences from around the world through the power of their songs, dances and stories. The group is composed of approximately 15-18 dancers and five singers, representing more than 10 tribal nations including Alabama-Coushatta, Coushatta, Southern Cheyenne, Mescalero Apache and Chickasaw, among others. Each performance is a celebration of these cultures, an opportunity to showcase the rich traditions that have been passed down through generations while building understanding and respect among all peoples. 

Native Nations Intertribal will participate in the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival on July 18. In honor of the 2026 Festival theme, “America the Beautiful,” the Festival will feature the traditional music of the nation – blues, gospel, Cajun, Celtic, country, bluegrass and zydeco on three stages of music as well as in the Magale Recital Hall. Over 70 traditional crafts persons from throughout the state will display their crafts, handcrafting their work during the festival. 

Held in air-conditioned Prather Coliseum, the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival features three stages of live music, Louisiana cuisine food vendors, the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship, dance lessons, music informances, narrative sessions, on-site demonstrations and more. Admission to this family friendly event is $10 for an all-day all-event pass, with children 12 and under admitted free all day. For more information, call the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332, email folklife@nsula.edu, or go to https://www.nsula.edu/folklife/. 

The event is sponsored by the Louisiana Folklife Center and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest History Museum and is in partnership with the City of Natchitoches. Support for the Festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the State of Louisiana. 

The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. 

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Over my career, I have fished in every southern state below the Mason Dixon Line. Of all the lakes and river systems I have fished, I have never heard as many anglers hate on a body of water like they do the Red River. 

Why does this body of water garner such disdain? What is it about the Red that makes anglers’ blood boil like it’s the worst place on Earth to fish? 

For the life of me I have never been able to figure this out. Before we answer these questions, let’s take a look at some history of this wonderful river system. 

Before the great floods of 2015 and 2016 and from the time the locks and dams were implemented, the Red River became a fishing and hunting paradise. There was great duck and deer hunting along with some awesome bass fishing; fishing so good that both major professional bass fishing organizations, the FLW (now MLF) and the Bassmaster Classic, held championship events on the Red.

Well-known backwater areas like the Jungle, Little Jungle, Knee Knock, Sutherlands, White House and Goose Pond, to name a few, offered some of the best bass cover imaginable. Lush green acres of lily pads and hydrilla along with plenty of standing timber and laydowns were just loaded with bass.

Then in 2015 and 2016 the Red River went through two floods of Biblical proportions. These were truly 100-year events that took the Red River system years to recover. 

So much of the main river was destroyed with small islands totally wiped out. Tree lines along the river were completely stripped of the timber that once stood tall. 

Backwater areas off the river that held good vegetation like reeds, hydrilla and lily pads were all wiped clean. There was little to no cover left behind after these devastating floods. 

Just to give you an idea of how massive these back-to-back floods were, the water reached record levels of 25 to 30 feet above pool! 

There was also a huge fish die-off during the floods but give credit to the Red River Waterway Commission for developing a restocking program that has brought the river back to life with quality bass being caught once again.  

OK, enough history. Let’s get back to the question: why do so many anglers hate the Red River? First, it can be a tough place for a bass boat to navigate, especially in some of the backwater areas. It’s full of stumps and laydowns that can do damage to an outboard engine’s lower unit, not to mention the fiberglass damage that can occur to the boat. It is a very unforgiving body of water if you don’t know how to get around.

Additionally, there are underwater rock jetties. Knowing where these are located is VERY IMPORTANT, especially along the main river system. Some of these jetties are not visible and run straight off the bank several yards underwater. If you cut the corners too tight or run the river too close to the bank, you can hit these rocks and do major damage to your outboard motor. But if you stay between the red and green buoys that line the main river, you’ll be just fine. 

Let’s talk about the fishing! Some anglers really struggle to catch fish on the Red River, especially anglers who have never fished a river system. Rivers are a different animal than your man-made lakes. Fish relate a little different in a river system than they do in a lake.

Current and moving water can be a big factor in catching bass with any river system. Bass relate to current breaks like sand bars, big laydowns, and rock jetty points, making the main river current very important. However, the backwater areas do fish like any other lake.

So, between the difficulty of navigating the Red and the challenges of river fishing, the weigh-ins are a cry fest of guys complaining about coming to fish here! Tournament directors are inundated with complaints from the guys who can’t stand a Red River event. 

Here’s my advice to all the whiners. “Get your butt in the boat and learn it like you would any other body of water!” It’s no different than going to a new lake; you have to learn it! STOP YOUR WHINING!

Another reason some anglers hate coming to the Red is the fact that it levels the playing field. Every lake has a handful of local guys who you must beat when you back your boat in the water, which can make it more difficult for a lot of anglers to compete for a win. But the Red River is an equalizer and gives a lot of anglers a shot at winning.

Here’s my personal viewpoint. I absolutely love the Red River and everything about it! It’s a great fishery with both backwater and main river habitat. It’s a body of water on the rebound as local tournaments are now taking over 18 pounds to win. 

After the two major floods of 2015 and 2016, anglers needed 14-15 pounds to win. But now, due to the impact of the restocking program, good fishing has returned with more quality bass being caught.

From the very first time I fished an event here, I was hooked! I have loved the Red River ever since and made it a priority to learn it. As an angler, some of my greatest tournaments have been on this body of water. To all those who hate it, take the time to learn it and it will probably become one of your favorite places to fish!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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July 15 has been the date of several notable events throughout history, but one of the most influential in modern communication happened in 2006 when Twitter officially launched to the public.

Originally created as a simple platform for users to post short status updates of 140 characters or less, Twitter quickly evolved into one of the world’s most influential social media platforms. The service became a hub for breaking news, emergency alerts, entertainment, sports and public conversation, fundamentally changing how information is shared in real time.

The platform’s first tweet was posted months earlier on March 21, 2006, by co-founder Jack Dorsey, who wrote, “just setting up my twttr.” The public launch on July 15 marked the beginning of what would become a global communications tool used by millions of people.

Over the years, Twitter played a major role in covering elections, natural disasters, sporting events and other major world events, often delivering news faster than traditional media outlets.

In 2023, the platform was rebranded as X, though many people still commonly refer to it by its original name.

Nearly two decades after its public debut, the platform continues to influence how people communicate and consume news around the world.

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By Brad Dison

William Bruce “Bill” Rose was an unsavory character.  Police arrested him numerous times for non-violent crimes.  In 1964, 22-year-old Bill left his 18-year-old wife Sharon and their two-year-old son William Bruce Rose Jr. and infant daughter Amy.  In 1965, Sharon met Stephen Bailey and married him the following January.  When they married, Sharon told Billy and Amy that Stephen was their father, and they took his last name.  As a teenager, Billy disliked the name because kids teased him for being Bill Bailey.  Stephen and Sharon raised Billy, Amy, and their only child together, Stuart, in a Pentecostal church.  Their children often performed in church as the Bailey Trio, but there were problems at home.  Billy and his stepfather fought constantly.  When he was 17 years old, Billy accidentally learned that Stephen was not his biological father.  Billy knew nothing about his biological father, but he began going by the name Billy Rose.  For better or worse, Billy never met his father as an adult.

In 1984, Bill Rose, who had recently been paroled from prison, disappeared from Marion, Illinois.  Three years later, in May 1987, police arrested 39-year-old James Faulkner for murdering Bill sometime between May 1 and July 4, 1984.  The family had kept the murder a secret until James’s son Jimmy revealed it to Katie Adams, a counselor with the area Youth Services Bureau.  At her insistence, Jimmy contacted the police.  Jimmy told investigators that Bill was killed in their home at 409 E. DeYoung Street in Marion.  Jimmy said that on the night of Bill’s murder, “My mom and dad and Bill went out drinking.”  Later, they returned to the Faulkner’s home where the trio began having intercourse.  At some point, James left the bedroom, went to Jimmy’s bedroom, and woke him.  James told his then 15-year-old son that he needed him to see something.  Jimmy followed instructions and walked toward the bedroom.  He noticed that his father was holding a long knife.  As Jimmy stood there in shocked silence, his father stabbed Bill, then dragged Bill into the bathroom.  He said “Sayonara, Bill” and finished him off with a baseball bat.  Jimmy said his parents wrapped Bill in painter’s cloth and tied it with a piece of clothesline.  James put the knife into a jug of bleach.  James had his wife and son help load Bill’s body into the trunk of their car, and the family drove five miles to a remote wooded area known as Crenshaw Crossing.  James, Judith, and Jimmy removed the body from their trunk, and they rolled it down one of the area’s many embankments.  James covered the body with debris to disguise it.  The family returned home and James and Judith began scrubbing the floor and carpet in the bedroom.  James told Jimmy to throw the knife in the city reservoir a few blocks south of their home and to put the baseball bat on a public baseball diamond.  Jimmy complied.  Jimmy later showed investigators where he had thrown the knife and divers retrieved the weapon.  Judith’s testimony initially agreed with Jimmy’s, but she later changed her story to help James.  On September 9, 1987, James was found guilty of murder even though Bill’s body had not been found, and he was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.  Bill’s body has never been found. 

Had Billy Rose wanted to meet his biological father as an adult, he never had the chance.  Like his father, Billy was arrested numerous times for various crimes.  Just as he had done as a child in church, Billy always found comfort in singing.  Billy became a famous singer.  The world knows William Bruce “Billy” Rose Jr. as Axl Rose, lead singer for Guns N Roses.

Sources:

1.     Southern Illinoisan, May 7, 1987, p.1.

2.     Southern Illinoisan, August 13, 1987, p.9.

3.     Southern Illinoisan, August 24, 1987, p.9.

4.     Southern Illinoisan, September 2, 1987, p.21.

5.     Evansville Courier and Press, September 4, 1987, p.1.

6.     Southern Illinoisan, September 10, 1987, p.1.

7.     Dave Basner, “25 Things You Might Not Know About Birthday Boy Axl Rose,” February 6, 2025, IHeart Radio, https://kfmqrock1061.iheart.com/content/2020-02-06-25-things-you-might-not-know-about-birthday-boy-axl-rose/.       

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The North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory is warning the public after recent testing found that nearly one in three pharmaceutical-style tablets examined by the lab were counterfeit.

According to the crime lab, analysts examined 3,394 pharmaceutical tablets bearing legitimate drug imprints intended to identify the medication. Of those, 1,047 tablets were determined to be counterfeit, representing a counterfeit rate of 30.8%.

Lab officials said fentanyl and fentanyl analogs were the most commonly identified substances found in the counterfeit pills. Designer benzodiazepines, including bromazolam and phenazolam, were the second most common. Combined, those two drug classes accounted for approximately 80% of the counterfeit pills analyzed.

The remaining counterfeit tablets contained stimulants, other mismatched substances, and emerging novel opioids such as nitazenes and orphines.

According to the lab, the most frequently counterfeited pill was the M30 tablet, which is the imprint for legitimate 30-milligram oxycodone. Investigators also identified counterfeit versions of several alprazolam (Xanax) bar imprints, including S903, B707, GG249 and G3722, which instead contained designer benzodiazepines.

The crime lab said counterfeit pills have been identified throughout its 29-parish service area, including Ouachita, Caddo and Bossier parishes, as well as rural parishes such as Sabine, Lincoln, Morehouse and Winn.

Officials emphasized that it is impossible to determine what a pill contains based solely on its appearance and urged the public to only take medications dispensed by a licensed pharmacy with a valid prescription.

The North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory warned that any pill obtained outside of a pharmacy should be considered potentially lethal, noting that a single counterfeit pill can be fatal.

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Demetria Gene Guynes was born in 1962 in Roswell, New Mexico.  Hers was a troubled childhood.  Demetria’s parents, Dan and Virginia Guynes, were alcoholics and the family moved often to avoid debt collectors.  Dan and Virginia fought often, and they married and divorced twice.  When Dan left for the last time, in contrast to the natural order of things, Demetria had to take care of her unstable mother.  Virginia found occasional work as a model in Los Angeles, California, but her alcoholism worsened.  When Demetria was 12 years old, her mother tried to commit suicide the first time by taking pills.  Demetria saved her mother’s life by digging the pills out of her unconscious mother’s mouth and calling an ambulance.  Shortly thereafter, she learned that the man she called dad was not her biological father.  Her real name was not Demetria Gene Guynes, but Demetria Gene Harmon.  Her family had withheld the fact that her biological father was Charles Foster Harmon, an airman with the Air Force who had abandoned Virginia while she was pregnant with Demetria.

Virginia’s lack of steady employment and abuse of alcohol led to constant money problems.  The money problems led to more alcohol abuse, which led to more money problems.  It was a vicious cycle.  When Demetria was a young teenager, her mother started taking her to bars to get attention.  Late one night, Demetria and her mother returned to their apartment from a bar.  Demetria was surprised to find a man they knew waiting for them inside their apartment.  Virginia was not surprised.  The man had a key to their apartment.  The man took Demetria into her bedroom and raped her.  Demetria was 15 years old.  Before the man left, he asked her how it felt to be sold by her mother for $500.  In addition to the awfulness of being raped, Demetria felt betrayed by her mother, the one person who should have protected her.    

At 16, Demetria became a high school dropout and a runaway.  Like her mother, Demetria began working sporadically as a model.  At just 5 feet, 5 ½ inches, she was considered too short for most modeling jobs.  Like her parents, Demetria tried to drown her troubles with alcohol.  With nothing to lose and with no experience, she began auditioning for acting jobs.  As with modeling, her acting jobs came sporadically.  Alcohol abuse led to drug abuse.  Demetria was headed for certain self-destruction when her boss and coworkers forced her to go to rehab.  While Demetria’s mother’s life spiraled out of control with numerous arrests including burglary, arson, and multiple charges of drunken driving, Demetria led a life of sobriety.  Because of her troubled childhood, Demetria now works with a foundation whose goal is to eliminate child sex slavery and human trafficking called Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children.  You may not have known about Demetria Gene Guynes’s troubled childhood or her work with Thorn, but you certainly know her from films such as “Striptease,” “G.I. Jane,” and “Ghost.”  You know Demetria Gene Guynes as Demi Moore.  

Sources:

1.     Concord Transcript (Concord, California), March 31, 1970, p.18.

2.     Citizen (Solana Beach, California), December 11, 1987, p.58.

3.     “Demi Moore reveals the devastating childhood that shaped her – ABC News – Part 1/3,” ABC News, Youtube.com, September 23, 2019, accessed June 21, 2026, https://youtu.be/MlFl5WiMzBI?si=7f03o7LeOZqfYj3-.

4.     The Fresno Bee, October 7, 1994, p.2.

5.     The Signal (Santa Clarita, California), October 5, 1995, p.2.

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As Louisiana families prepare to celebrate Independence Day and America’s 250th year, the Office of State Fire Marshal (SFM) is urging residents to put safety first and use fireworks responsibly.

Fireworks remain a leading cause of preventable holiday injuries each year. Sparklers can reach temperatures above 2,000 degrees, creating a serious burn risk, especially for children.

According to 2025 data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks misuse and malfunction were linked to at least 15 deaths and an estimated 13,000 emergency department-treated injuries. Sparklers accounted for an estimated 1,300 injuries. People ages 15 to 24 were injured most often, with burns to the hands, fingers and head among the most common injuries.

More than 660 permitted fireworks stands will operate statewide this season, with retail sales allowed through 11:59 p.m. July 5. Louisiana law requires fireworks vendors to be licensed and permitted through the SFM and to sell only where fireworks are authorized.

“Public fireworks displays remain the safest way to celebrate,” said DPS Principal, Assistant Chief Bryan J Adams. “If you choose to use consumer fireworks at home, plan ahead, follow safety guidelines and buy only from licensed vendors.”

To help prevent injuries, the Office of State Fire Marshal recommends:

Check local burn bans and avoid fireworks during dry or windy conditions

Use fireworks in open areas at least 200 feet from buildings, vehicles and flammable materials

Never allow children to handle fireworks; consider safer alternatives such as glow sticks or public displays

Never use homemade, altered or illegal fireworks and always follow label instructions

Do not use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs

Light one firework at a time and keep a hose or bucket of water nearby

Soak used fireworks before disposal and never place dry fireworks in the trash

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The 46th Annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival will be held on Saturday July 18, in the air–conditioned Prather Coliseum located at 220 S. Jefferson Street on the Northwestern State University campus in Natchitoches. The festival’s curated showcase of Louisiana folk musicians, food vendors and traditional crafts persons will open at 9 a.m. with live entertainment scheduled for 9:45 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The family-oriented festival is fully wheelchair accessible. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets are $10 at the door for all events or $6 for an evening pass to all events after 5 p.m. 

In honor of the 2026 Festival theme, “America the Beautiful,” the Festival will feature the traditional music of the nation – blues, gospel, Cajun, Celtic, country, bluegrass and zydeco on three stages of music as well as in the Magale Recital Hall. Music and dance headliners include Cajun bands Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys and Poisson Rouge, zydeco band Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie, blues artists the Wayne “Blue” Burns Band and the Snake Doctors, western swing and classic country artists Gal Holiday and the Honky Revue, the Rising Dragon Lion Dance Team, bluegrass group Catahoula Drive, gospel groups the Amazing! Rhythm Disciples and the Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble and dance performances by Native Nations Intertribal, the Rising Dragon Lion Dance Team, the Thistle Dancers and Pipers and Fijian traditional dance by the Rokobou Family. In addition will be a special appearance by Kovanda’s Czech Band which will accompany the Louisiana Czech Heritage Dancers. The festival also includes numerous food vendors offering traditional Louisiana cuisine. Outdoor activities feature demonstrations of traditional blacksmithing, Dutch oven cooking and a child-friendly hands-on demonstration of a 19th century wash day. 

More than 80 crafts vendors have been invited to display and discuss their traditional work with festival patrons. Craftspeople are expected to display beadwork, baskets, cowhide chair covers, alligator jewelry, Pysanky eggs, Native American crafts and pottery. Other expected craftspeople will display needlework, wood carvings, handmade toys and dolls, paintings, sculpture, homemade soap, spinning and weaving, handcrafted knives, handmade brooms, walking sticks, folk art quilts and more. 

The Festival will include a Gumbo Cook-Off, in which professionals and hobbyists alike can compete in one of the multiple categories and demonstrate their cooking skills in any of three categories, Seafood, Poultry Plus and People’s Choice. All gumbo must be cooked on-site, with no commercial or pre-made roux allowed. Poultry, meat, seafood, rice and broth or stock may be prepared in advance or on-site and canned broth is allowed. Registration and the Cooks’ Meeting will take place at 8:00 a.m. Tasting and judging will begin at 12:30 p.m. with winners announced at 3:15 p.m. There is no fee to compete in the Cook-Off. 

The Annual Louisiana State Fiddle Championship will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the Magale Recital Hall. There will be a non-championship class and a championship class. A twin fiddle category will also be held. Registration is at noon in the first-floor foyer outside Magale Recital Hall. The Fiddle Championship winner will perform on the main stage at Prather Coliseum at 5 p.m. 

The festival includes several opportunities for patrons to engage directly with Louisiana folk culture. Free dance lessons include clogging or flatfoot dancing with Clancey Stewart, Celtic dance taught by the Thistle Dancers and Pipers and Cajun and zydeco dancing taught by the Cajun French Music Association Dance Troupe. Interactive activities include dancing with the Louisiana Czech Heritage Dancers and Native Nations Intertribal. 

“The festival bridges the distance between artists and the festival patrons, thus breaking the artificial barriers between artists and audience,” said Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the festival and NSU’s Louisiana Folklife Center. “Rather than watching from the sidelines, everyone who takes part in these activities will share and engage in Louisiana’s rich culture.” 

KidFest will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kidfest is an area dedicated to child-friendly activities and is a fun way for children to examine their own cultural and family traditions as well as those from around the state. 

Narrative sessions will be held in the festival N-Club Room from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature presentations on the making of the first sinker cypress fiddle, traditional carding, spinning and weaving, Fijian traditional culture, Louisiana foodways and heritage language revitalization. In addition will be music informances on Cajun music with bands Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys and Poisson Rouge. ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices and audio description for these cultural discussions will be made available upon prior request by July 10.  

This year also features several pre-Festival events which are free and open to the general public. A Visit with the Bagpipe will be held at 2 p.m. on July 11 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches. Attendees at this free workshop will learn the basics of traditional Celtic bagpipe and drumming, as well as Highland dance. The workshop will also feature a Celtic music and dance performance by the Thistle Dancers and Pipers. A second free pre-festival event will be a music and dance performance by Native Nations Intertribal at 6 p.m. on July 17 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Members of Native Nations Intertribal will also engage in a discussion of their traditions with anthropologist Dr. Hiram “Pete” Gregory, an expert on Southeastern Native American tribes and culture. 

For a full schedule of events, online registration forms to participate in the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship and the Gumbo Cook-Off or to make a donation contact the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332, email folklife@nsula.edu or go to nsula.edu/folklife/. 

Support for the Festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the State of Louisiana. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program will not necessarily represent those of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.  

The festival is sponsored by Alliance Compressors, Atmos Energy, C&H Precision Machining, City Bank, Cleco, Evans Family, LLC, the Harrington Law Firm, Natchitoches Wood Preserving Company, Ronnie’s Auto Glass and Collision Center and Young Estate, LLC. 

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After 12 weeks of classroom instruction, hands-on training, and clinical experience, six graduates from the National EMS Academy Alexandria campus have earned their EMT certifications and are ready to answer the call across the Central Louisiana region.  

The Alexandria campus’ new graduates are:

• Emily Hamilton of Woodworth
• Thomas Lewis of Shreveport
• Alfonso Ruiz Rodríguez of Leesville
• Samantha Scaife of Many
• Ayana Slaughter of Alexandria 
• Aidan Eaves of Monroe 

As newly certified EMTs, these graduates are prepared to provide emergency medical care, support patients in critical situations, and serve communities throughout the region. Their training has equipped them with the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively in emergencies. 

“Becoming an EMT takes a lot of hard work and commitment,” said National EMS Academy Director TJ Dronet. “We’re proud of what these graduates have accomplished and excited to see them begin serving their communities.” 

Upcoming Opportunities: The next class registration is currently open, with class beginning on July 13. Orientation sessions are held on June 30 or July 1 to explore career pathways for EMTs and paramedics. 

Learn More & Register: becomeamedic.com

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Have you ever questioned why you’re here? Ever wondered, ‘what am I supposed to be doing with my time on this Earth?’

Each of us has a calling but it may take a while to discover what it is. As a child, I questioned a lot of things that took place during my younger years, especially as I started school. 

It became very apparent that the classroom was going to be a challenge. The biggest problem was that I had no guidance, no one to make sure I did my homework or that I even got up every day to go to school.

But there was one day in my life that I will never forget. It was the day they had Little League baseball tryouts. Even though I was not old enough to play Little League, I still showed up with glove in hand and ready to show anyone that I could play this game. 

I rode my bike up the street to a local ballpark where the tryouts were taking place. I hopped off my bike and ran onto the field and got in the first line of players I saw as they were taking ground balls and throwing them back to a coach. 

When my turn came around, the coach hit the ball to me, and I scooped it up and fired it back at the coach. I’ll never forget his reaction as he waived me over to talk to him. Then he uttered words that I will never forget. 

“Son, I don’t think you’re old enough to play Little League, but I can tell you one thing for sure. You’re going to be one heck of a player when you get older.”

Disappointment that I was not eligible to play baseball yet really hit me hard mentally. Finally, there was something that I knew I was good at! Baseball was going to give me purpose! 

It would be on a baseball field that I would shine. It would be through baseball that my confidence and self-esteem would soar. The baseball field was where I was supposed to be!

School on the other hand would continue to be difficult as I was diagnosed with dyslexia going into the second grade. But because of a couple of great teachers by the name of Mrs. Mickey Sinclair and Mrs. Elwanda Carpenter, my world in the classroom was turned around.

From the third grade on, school curriculum would not be as challenging, but I had to work hard to make passing grades. Studying was a necessary evil in order for me to do good in school and get to play sports.  

My parents understood school was a challenge but expected nothing short of A’s and B’s. C’s were not acceptable and there would be consequences for bringing home one. Mother would threaten to pull me out of sports when a C appeared on a report card. 

But again, I figured out early in life that sports, especially baseball, would be my purpose in life. It would be my calling and my saving grace for me as person. It gave me a feeling of confidence that nothing else could. 

Today when I speak to youth, this is one of the topics I’ll discuss. No matter what it is, find that one thing you’re good at and make that your purpose. Make that the reason you get up every day. Make that your passion whether it’s sports, education, music or, maybe if you’re lucky, it’s bass fishing!

Life can offer us so many opportunities but it’s up to each of us to take advantage when those opportunities roll around. I truly believe that God has a purpose for each of us. 

It just might take some of us longer to figure out exactly what our purpose is, but isn’t that what life is all about? The journeyis the great adventure.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am.”

Doug said, “I drive, therefore I am,” and honestly, I’m starting to trust my version more.

I spend so many hours with my body attached to a car that I’m basically a mobile Methodist. I know I20 like the back of my hand—every bump, every dip, every spot where my cell signal disappears as if it’s entering the Witness Protection Program. I know where law enforcement hides, waiting to catch those who treat the speed limit as a suggestion from a friend rather than a command from the state. I know exactly how far I can push the fuel light before I’m praying in tongues at the next exit. If you see me on the Interstate, give me a wave. I’ll wave back. I’m friendly like that.

Driving entertains me. I read bumper stickers like they’re sacred texts. If you see me tailgating, don’t worry—I’m not being aggressive; I’m just trying to discern whether your “Coexist” sticker is faded or ironic. And I’ve developed a spiritual gift: I can tell when someone is talking on the phone while driving. They always slow down. Always. It’s like the car senses the conversation and decides to meditate.

Today I was headed to Bossier City when the nice truck in front of me decided it was time for a midjourney spa treatment. He hit his windshield washer at 70 mph. At my following distance, his washer fluid became my washer fluid. A surprise baptism by RainX. I just smiled and thanked God for the improvisational rain shower. Louisiana weather is unpredictable, but apparently so are Louisiana drivers.

Now here’s where the sermon sneaks in.

My actions can change your attitude, and your attitude interprets my actions. That’s the whole ballgame.

I could’ve gotten mad. I could’ve imagined he did it on purpose. I could’ve turned on my wipers and smeared my windshield into a Monet painting. Or I could interpret it factually: I was following too closely behind a man with a dirty windshield who needed to see better. Or I could interpret it spiritually: God’s grace falls on the just, the unjust, and the guy behind the truck who wasn’t expecting a windshield blessing.

We don’t live in a vacuum. Our actions splash onto the people behind us—sometimes literally. That’s why Scripture tells us to be careful how we walk. We don’t want to trip someone else up. But the other side is just as important: I’m not responsible for what you do to me, but I am responsible for what I let your actions do inside me.

The world is small. The road is shared. And whether we like it or not, we’re all windshield washers for somebody.

So drive kindly. Live kindly. And if you must baptize the car behind you, at least use the good fluid.

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July 1 marks the anniversary of one of the most significant events in American history—the beginning of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.

Fought over three days in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the battle became the largest and deadliest engagement of the American Civil War. More than 160,000 Union and Confederate soldiers converged on the small town, where intense fighting ultimately resulted in an estimated 51,000 soldiers killed, wounded, captured or missing.

The battle began on July 1 as Confederate and Union forces unexpectedly encountered one another outside Gettysburg. As additional troops arrived throughout the day, the fighting intensified and eventually spread across the surrounding hills and ridges.

The conflict reached its climax on July 3 with Pickett’s Charge, a massive Confederate assault against the center of the Union line. The attack failed, forcing Confederate General Robert E. Lee to retreat south, ending his second and final invasion of the North.

Historians widely consider the Battle of Gettysburg a turning point in the Civil War. Lee’s defeat halted Confederate momentum, while the Union victory strengthened Northern morale and shifted the course of the conflict.

Just four months later, President Abraham Lincoln returned to Gettysburg to dedicate the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. During the ceremony, he delivered the Gettysburg Address, a brief speech that became one of the most enduring expressions of American democracy and the nation’s founding ideals.

Today, Gettysburg National Military Park preserves the battlefield, allowing millions of visitors each year to explore the site where one of the defining moments in United States history began on July 1, 1863.

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For 20 years Cris had worked as a commercial fisherman and a dockworker.  On this particular cold March afternoon, Cris had some time on his hands.  He had just returned from working on a ship in the Bahamas and was waiting to catch another ship which would take him to yet another port city.  He never caught that ship.  While he waited, Cris walked over the frozen, snow-covered ground to King Street, the port city’s main hub of activity.  Cris carried a pound stick, a tool of his trade.  A pound stick was a large stick used to strike or pound a ship’s deck to summon crew to their stations and for setting the pacing for others while they were loading and unloading a ship’s cargo.  When not on duty, Cris and other sailors used their pound sticks as walking sticks.  

Shopkeepers on King Street recognized that something other than the comings and goings of regular commerce was happening in front of the government building nearby.  Shopkeeper Edward Payne stood in his entry doorway gazing at the large crowd trying to understand the situation.  Edward heard the voices of men and boys yelling at each other in the crowd.  Suddenly, chaos erupted.  The men and boys threw rocks, hard-packed snowballs, and anything else they could get their hands on at the nine guards protecting the government building.  Some of the sailors swung their pound sticks at the guards.  Whether Cris swung his stick has never been confirmed, but he was in the front when the guards opened fire.  The gunfire lasted for only a few seconds.  

Yells of anger turned into a mixture of moans of pain and shrieks of terror.  51-year-old Sam Gray, a rope maker, was shot in the head and died instantly.  17-year-old Sam Maverick, an apprentice, was shot in the stomach and died the following day.  49-year-old James Caldwell, a mate on a ship, was shot twice in the back and died in the street.  30-year-old Patrick Carr, leather worker, was shot in the hip and died nine days later.  Cris was shot twice in the chest and died instantly.

Others were injured but survived.  Shopkeeper Edward Payne’s arm was broken when he was struck by a shot as he stood in his shop’s doorway.  John Green, a tailor, was shot in his thigh.  Robert Patterson, a sailor, was shot through his right arm.  A youth named David Parker was shot in his thigh.  Two 17-year-old boys, Christopher Monk and John Clark, both apprentices on ships, were shot; Monk in the back and Clark in his abdomen.  All but Monk recovered from their wounds.  Monk’s wound was extremely severe, left him disabled, and led to his early death ten years later.  

Most citizens in Great Britain are unaware of this altercation, but the British government officially referred to it as the Incident on King Street.  Colonists initially called it the Bloody Massacre.  The world now refers to the Incident on King Street as the Boston Massacre.  

Sources:

1.     The Boston Gazette, March 12, 1770, p.1-3.

2.     “The bloody massacre perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Regt.,” Library of Congress, accessed June 28, 2027, https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661777/.

3.     “What was the Boston Massacre?” Boston Massacre Historical Society, accessed June 28, 2027, https://www.bostonmassacre.net/index.html.

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Mark your calendars and make plans to join us in Celebrating 27 Years of Anderson’s Produce and Plant Farm!  This Saturday, June 27, we’ll celebrate serving our community with fresh produce, quality products, and hometown hospitality for 27 years.

This anniversary celebration is our way of saying thank you to the loyal customers, friends, and families who have made the past 27 years such a success.

Come ready to shop for all your favorite seasonal fruits and vegetables, picked fresh and packed with flavor. Whether you’re looking for sweet summer produce, garden-fresh vegetables, or healthy ingredients for family meals, you’ll find plenty to fill your baskets.

We are also excited to invite everyone to stop by and explore our new storefront, featuring an expanded selection of local and specialty products. Inside, you’ll discover a variety of unique items. 

Shoppers can browse in air-conditioned comfort for Bush Farms Jasmine Rice, a pantry staple known for its quality and flavor. You’ll also find products from Rustic Ranch, including their popular goat milk products. Sweeten your day with locally produced Mr. Jim Pratt Honey, or spice things up with flavorful selections from Sav’s Salsa.

Nut lovers won’t want to miss the assortment of Preferred Pecan products, perfect for snacking, baking, or gift-giving. We also carry a variety of homemade-style jams, jellies, pickled products, and corn meal that bring the taste of the countryside right to your table.

Anderson’s Produce offers freshly baked artisan breads from Baked by Tenleigh. Customers have the opportunity to enjoy handcrafted breads made with care and quality ingredients.

Come hungry! Joe’s 2 Geaux will be here to serve up some of the best pizza around and The Sugar Cube will be offering thirst quenching beverages.

Art enthusiasts can browse beautiful, one-of-a-kind paintings from Wild Magnolia by Addi. 

In addition to these featured products, guests will find many more unique items throughout the store, making this celebration the perfect opportunity to shop local and support small businesses.

The 27th Anniversary Celebration is more than just a shopping event—it’s a chance to gather with friends, neighbors, and fellow customers to celebrate a local business that has proudly served the community for generations. We are grateful for every customer who has walked through our doors, and we look forward to continuing to provide fresh produce, quality products, and friendly service for years to come.

We invite everyone to come out, enjoy the day, explore our new storefront, and help us celebrate this exciting milestone. Thank you for being part of the family. We can’t wait to celebrate with you on June 27th!

Anderson’s Produce and Plant Farm, half-way between LA 1 and I-49 at 858 Catfish Bend Road.  Phone 318-932-1432.

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June 24 marks the anniversary of the event that helped launch America’s modern fascination with unidentified flying objects.

On June 24, 1947, private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine bright, unidentified objects flying in formation near Mount Rainier. His account became one of the first UFO sightings to receive widespread national attention in the years following World War II.

Arnold was flying near the mountain when he said the objects moved rapidly across the sky. He described their motion as similar to a saucer skipping across water. News reports interpreted the description as referring to the objects’ shape, helping popularize the phrase “flying saucer.”

The objects were never definitively identified. Arnold initially considered whether they could have been experimental military aircraft, but officials said no test flights were taking place in the area at that time.

The report was followed by a surge of similar sightings across the country and helped establish the public interest in UFOs that would continue for decades. While accounts of unusual objects in the sky existed long before 1947, the Arnold sighting is widely regarded as a starting point for the modern UFO era.

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In sports there’s nothing better than playing at home. Doesn’t matter if it’s a regular season game or a playoff game, playing at home in front of your home crowd can make a huge difference in the outcome of the game.

But there is one sport where the “home field advantage” doesn’t always pan out. In fact, it can actually be a disadvantage! The sport would be tournament bass fishing. 

When you’re the “local” angler, you are usually considered the favorite due to the amount of success and knowledge you have about the lake/river.

Anglers always look forward to fishing an event on their home water. It’s an opportunity to sleep in your own bed, eat a good home cooked meal and everything is very routine. You tend to be more relaxed, but you also feel the pressure of being the favorite.

Then as you prepare for the tournament, you put a game plan together that usually involves looking at past history. This is where things can go wrong!

Just like people, anglers are creatures of habit and tend to lean towards fishing the same way we have in the past, especially when we’ve been successful on our home lake/river. 

When you are fortunate enough to have an event on your home water, you want to make a good showing and hopefully bring home a win. 

But why is there so much pressure on the angler who is fishing his home lake? Here’s the problem. Because you know the lake/river so well and you know so many good areas that hold fish, you can’t decide which area you should hit first. 

Do you go where you caught them last year at this same time, or go where you caught them two years ago where you won the tournament? Too much history on a body of water can really clutter the brain and destroy a game plan. 

Then you decide to go with your gut and start in area A where you’ve done well in the past. But after you start fishing this area on tournament day with little to no success, you start to question your decision. 

Now confusion or panic sets in and you really start thinking too much! So, then you decide to fall back to Plan B to try and salvage the day and just make a good showing. 

Too much knowledge on any body of water can be detrimental to putting a good game plan together and is the fear of every angler who fishes their home water, especially in a big event.  

Sometimes you’re better off throwing history out the window and approach the lake like you would any body of water you’ve never fished before. This is why scouting before an event is so important. Pay attention to what the fish are doing at that particular time and make your game plan around that.

All anglers at some point make fishing complicated. We tend to try and outsmart the fish and end up outsmarting ourselves. While I’m not sure who said it, but the words “keep it simple stupid” are very fitting for bass anglers! 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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Northwestern State University announces the names of Dean’s List students for the Spring 2026 semester. Students on the Dean’s List must be enrolled full-time at Northwestern and have a grade point average of between 3.5 and 3.99.

For questions regarding the Dean’s List, contact the NSU Registrar’s Office at (318) 357- 6171 or email registrar@nsula.edu.

Students listed by hometown (within Journal coverage areas) are as follows.

Alexandria – Ava Adams, Lexie Alberes, Ashton Brodnax, Kevin Byone, Joseph Cain, Ayla Cox, Danielle Darby, Leila Ford, Jordan Gregory, Ruben Kho, Lawson Kirsch, Jaykendel Lair, Faith Martin, Marina Moorehead, Miracle Newman, Tina Nguyen, Shelby Palmer, Trinity Patrick, Camryne Phillips, Kailyn Price, Latajah Quinney, Kamren Smith, Sydney Smith, Kelsey Stuckey, Alex Sukerek, Faith Williams

Arcadia – Lauren Terry

Ball – Dana Atwood, Tamia Bowie, Kayla DuBois, Harry Hoben, Lauren Nugent

Barksdale AFB – Christian Ostolaza, Chole Sparks

Benton – Landon Barrett, Hudson Brignac, Katharyn Evans, Carson Ferguson, Caitlyn Hayes, Sierra Khaled, Keya Little, Ella Robinson, Amelia Sims, Morgan Spradling, Tyla Stewart, Taten Wagley

Bienville – Lindsay Macynski

Bossier City – Shatha Alkhatib, Yousra Awawda, Braylee Baker, Kennedy Beloso, William Bryant, Kenneth Burnett, Lillian Cain, Bianca Capelli, Daniel Coleman, Daniel Covington, Mary Katherine Craig, Cody Davenport, Paxton DePingre, Allie Denton, Kendall Earley, Alyssa Espinosa, Ashlynn Fiske, Jadan Gray, John Gray, Mackenzie Hackleman, Layla Havis, Bryant Holmes, Cing Kim, Whitney Lamb, Sophia Livers, Patrick Lord-Stephens, Kalyssa Mall, Chase McLaurin, Natalie Mckuhen, Elyssa Moorem, Madysen Morgan, Felicia Parish, Heyshla Perez Vega, Joseph Resendez, Lizzett Rivera, Taylor Rochelle, Stephanie Salas Hernandez, Toni Sullivan, Ava Tarpley, Benjamin Taylor, Morgan Traylor, Jaslyn Turner, Bowen Vardeman, Illianna Wallace, Dwyane Watson, Jessica Watters, Lanaya Watts, Mekayla Wiggins, Ashley Woodfin

Boyce – Jace Aslin, Brooke Chelette, Chloe Cloessner, Lauren Holt, Olivia Melroy, Makinley Rachal

Bunkie – Lindy Aney, Amari Hamilton

Campti – Emma Dove, Dylan Fulton, Zoey Fulton

Castor – Leanne Colson, Malorie Cooper

Cheneyville – Dorcia Gillam

Cloutierville – Sydni Jones

Converse – Chloe Carter, Drake Friday, Mason Procell, Keigan Remedies, Justin Rushing

Cottonport – Keyonce Friels, Bryce Juneau

Effie – Sophie Moreau

Elm Grove – William Achee

Elmer – Layla Chandler

Florien – Cesaleigh Hall, Kennadi Sparks, Lilly Sparks, Madison Weldon

Forest Hill – Ethan Green, Baronica Gunter

Frierson – Joshua Bouriaque, Angelina Lee

Glenmora – Hunter Dauza, Marshall Dauzat, Katie Dupre, Martha Sierra, Kadence Tolbert, Gage Ware

Gloster – Makayla Butler

Goldonna – Winsome Guillory

Grand Cane – Carmen Puckett

Greenwood – Krista Cates, Madisyn James

Haughton – Kameron Burns, Morgan Davison, Hannah Fields, Abigail Meador, LaShonda Pennywell, Lawson Turner

Hessmer – Macey Barr

Hineston – Shyla Clark, Rebecca Dousay, Tinley Steedman

Jena – Ella Jensen, Morgan Paul, Alyson Trahan

Keithville – BreAnne Jones, Gabriel McCalmon, Ashlynn McClain

Logansport – Alexa Gannon, Hayden Knight

Mansfield – Jessie Cobb, Elizabeth Houston, Valentina Puac, Paulette Rambin, Nysia Samuels-Rochelle

Mansura – Tori Charrier, Ashley Joseph, Kerri Parrish

Many – Allison Bordelon, Layton Byles, Kaiya Causey, Harli Cruse, Victor Culbertson, John Harris, ShaeAunna Johnson, Jeffery Key, Margaret Ryan, Baylee Samples, Kelsey Sepulvado, Trenton Sepulvado, Vivian Sylvia

Marksville – Nicholas Ferguson, Zoey Guthrie, Mia Rodriguez

Marthaville – Avery Broadway, Mason Broadway, Camryn Ford, Aaron Manasco, Megan Singletary, Amelia Strahan

Mira – Haley Knighton

Moreauville – Heidi Gauthier

Natchez – Shona Moses, Chloe Rachal

Natchitoches – Sky Anders, Christopher Anderson, Caleb Barton, Kaylee Baugh, David Bellard, Cheyenne Bertrand, Haleigh Bertrand, Benjamin Bienvenu, Avery Broadway, Arkeylius Brooks, Oscar Brown, LaTonya Burton, Cailah Bush, Josue Bustillo Aguero, Erick Cabrera, Daniel Carballo, Oscar Andres Carballo Torres, Cody Carmen, Benjamin Castro, Adriana Chaj Hernandez, Derrick Clark, Santiago Coavas Romero, LaQuita Collins, Logan Collinsworth, Arionna Conday, Aiden Cryer, Juliyah Davis, Caldwell DeFord, Brendan Donaghy, Madison Dupuy, Kamron Edwards, Jasen Elie, Jessica Ellerbe, Mateo Este-McDonald, Sileena Farrell, Airicka Fields, Roseanna Files, Kylie Fleshman, Allison Flores Reyes, Ever Naun Galeas Antunez, Sofia Garcia, Anisha Gibbons, Alexx Gibson, Irene Gomez, Ashley Harkey, Kristen Harris, Joshalyn Harrison, Charles Heard, Ethan Heard, Kyleigh Herring, Darlisha Jefferson, Allyson Jett, Cambree Jimmerson, Kevin Juarez Lopez, Punam Khadka, Kayden Larkins, Mitchell LeBlanc, Angel Maradiaga, Madison Martin, Abby McNeely, Noah McNeil, Lauren Menard, Diana Marcela Mercado Garcia, Joseph Merritt, Mikayla Mondello, Madelyn Murphy, Joshua Nolley, Kennede Oliver, Destiny Phillips, Brendal Pinckard, Cameron Possoit, Alexis Procell, Nohelia Ramos Vallecillo, Kennedi Revel, Victoria Robinson, Kaden Rush, Jordan Shields, Na’Riaya Sowell, Parker Stroope, Morgan Swafford, Belen Tenesaca Bermeo, K.C. Thompson, Shayna Tilley, Vyen Trang, Ronald Andrés Turizo Bueno, José Villeda, Artisha Waldrup, Aaron Waterstraat, Caleb White, Elizabeth White, Victoria Wiggins, Shakera Williams, Shantangelo Williams, Sophia Witman, Brian Young, Sha Young

Noble – Mariana Ebarb, Rowan Ebarb, Rebecca Hardee, Katelen Turner

Pineville – Payton Bareswill, Ethan Bolyer, Madison Book, Jenyah Clay, Kaylee Cotton, Liza Foreman, Madelyn Glaze, Darren Keel, Blake LaFargue, Madeline Litton, Breanna Melancon, Olivia Melder, Kylee Mott, Ahmani Roberson, Ada Shoup, Kirstyn Smith, Patrice Spera, Karly Stansell, Landon Vallee

Plain Dealing – Kathryn Taylor-Watkins

Plaucheville – Alise Clausen

Princeton – Xavier Hobson

Ringgold – Kaylee Cook

Robeline – Trinity Brewer, Anniston Broadway, Jax Colston, Adam Guidry, Rayleigh Harris, Baylee Johnson, Caleb Johnston, Piper Kay, Madeline Mitchell, Bonney Phillips, Harley Welling

Shongaloo – Mackenzie Hosley, Taylor Hosley

Shreveport – Kerion Anderson, ShayAnna Beatty, Shepherd Benson, Amber Bledsoe, Taja Bolds, Amarriyah Boykins, John Campbell, Taylor Capetillo, Tremia Collins, Yabria Cotton, Cassie Donaghey, Aaliyah Dove, Ashton Dykes, Kiara Ealy, Leia Estes, Macy Etheredge, Nathan Franklin, Emily Frataccia, Valerie Gongre, Tyler Hays, Emma Hernandez, Jacinta Jemeli, Monicah Jepkemboi, Kenberly Jones, Ashanti Lemons, Bryson Lewis, Jeremy Lewis, Adam Mariano, Aliyah Mason, Asia Mason, Kimberly Michelli, Kristie Miller, Amirhossein Montazeri Ghahjavarestani, Janiyah Mosley, Stella Okoh, Clairie Parent, Patricia Paterno, Araya Perkins, Hailee Posey, Claire Prda, Katherine Randolph, Char’lajahe Rattler, Rosalie Ray, Zariah Ray, Carolina Resendez, Jillian Rizzuto, Sheena Rose, Virginia Santiago, Jillian Sexton, Addison Smith, Aniyah Smith, Michaela Smith, Amanda Spraggins, Anicia Taylor, Lorien Thomas, Jamya Thompkins, Alayah Williams, Helen Williams-Brown, Lakenya Wilson

Simmesport – Nicole Canal

Stonewall – Natalie Cobb, Mya Dunn, Rhyan Floyd, Matthew Hiang, Abigail Jones, Anna Little, Kameryn Mckinney, Amber Melton, Jordan Porterfield, Kirsten Sepulvado, Mary-Elizabeth Widener, Gabriel Williams

Winnfield – Mattie Barnes, Kyleigh Blundell, Maggie Bruce, Sarah Carter, Haley Collins, Peyton Glenn, Pamela Hight, Marvanesha Lewis, Eli Little, John Pickett, Ella Price, Caleb Reed, Tolbert Triplett

Woodworth – Dustin Guillory, Lluvia Guillot, Natalie Hyde

Zwolle – Nahliyah Boykins, Christian Culbertson, Jaeger Ebarb, Dawson Leone, Emma Meshell, Kamron Parrie, Kamaryn Rivers

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Northwestern State University announces the names of Honor List students for the Fall 2025 semester. Students on the Honor List must be enrolled full-time at Northwestern and have a grade point average of between 3.0 and 3.49.

For questions regarding the Honor Roll, contact the NSU Registrar’s Office at (318) 357- 6171 or email registrar@nsula.edu.

Students listed by hometown are as follows.

Alexandria – Jayla Allen, Shakiya Allen, Brayleigh Briggs, Maggie Creamer, Bianca Dixon, Nyla Durant, E’Myia Hall, Kory Ham, Dexteria King, Trakayle Oneal, Alivia Piotter, Jordan Ray, Sadie Roberson, Kyra Sherman, Zoe Tanner, Taliyah Taylor, Devin Villar, Emma Walker, Shalonda Wells, Zenada Williams

Atlanta – Delia Serigny

Ball – Jesci Lord, Miriam Smart

Barksdale AFB – Brianna Cady

Benton – Niklaus Jordan, Olivia Kolb, Lucie McDearmont, Ava Pollard, Avery Tullos

Bossier City – Madeline Boyer, Emily Brown, Chloe Cannon, LaToris Cary, John Clinger, Alaina Culbertson, Amanda Doyle, Charisma Duncan, Carolyn Glaze, Delicia Glover, Elizabeth Gonzales, John-Michael Head, Duaa Husein, Jayden Jenkins, Haley Johnson, Maria Lara, Landan Lee, Danni Lynch, Natalie McCoy, James McKeown, Jaden Mccoy, Izabella Moreno, Mana Naser, Kierra Nelson, Avery Phillips, Nimra Rajput, Joshua Raschke, Cooper Ray, Tinsley Rowell, Karla Sanchez Hernandez, Avery Schoenborn, Emily Schoth, Samuel Sujana, Jeremiah Taylor, Ariel Vessells, Dagan Webb, Sara Webb

Boyce – Hannah Leslie

Calvin – Karlee Abels

Campti – Kylie Donald, Chloe Jordan, Jordan Kirts, Taylor Lebrun, Alexia Moore, Sabrena Scandurro

Cloutierville – Aleeya Jefferson

Converse – Logan Carter, Riley Downs, Preslye Rivers

Coushatta– Adrianna Bradford, Sarah Cormier, Latoya Gray, Carlena Henry, LaFrances Jones, Lillye Pardue, Rozalyn Taylor

Dodson – Kyle Brown, Dakota Thomas, Hunter Vines

Elm Grove – Macy Scott, Kaylee Thornton, Zhane Vailes

Elmer – Katelynn Riggs

Florien – Malayna Abels, Delana Johnson, Charles Krumholtz, Lexi LaRoux, Rylie Sigler

Forest Hill – Vivian Montalvo, Kari Polakovich

Frierson – Jozey Isom

Gloster – Raven Fields

Goldonna – Halle Roton

Grand Cane – Nickalas Wadsworth

Greenwood – Emelia Salter

Haughton – Aubrey Bass, Wynter Clark, Lauren Coleman, Quinton Coleman, Maryana Croft, Chloe Dettrey, Taylor Eggleton, Aliya Green, Alyson Marmaduke, Jordyn McDonald, Tucker Melton, Fernecia Mitchell, Emilie North, Mya Webb, Katherine Wilson

Hineston – Hailey Nolen, Kathryn Rabalais

Homer – Seth Thurman

Ida – Ella Teer

Keithville – Addison Boyd, Peytan Collier, Katie Hester, Brittany Lee

Logansport – Kelsey Bolden, Jaylie Smith, Ariel Williams

Mansfield – Shaniyah Blaze, London Carter, Mckayla Courtney, Brittany Davis, Reina Gillyard

Many – Levi Booker, Colton Boswell, Ava Brown, Savanah Hall, Sontee Jones, Edward LaFollette, Kheria Leshay, Ava McElwee, Emma Peace, Allayiah Thomas, Kierstyn Williams, Olivia Williams

Marthaville – William Campbell

Mooringsport – Kayla Brock, Peyshance Peek

Natchez – Devin Blake, Skylar Braxton, Josiah Conant, Braylon Normand

Natchitoches – Cayleigh Addison, Londyn Alexander, Moly Sofia Amezquita, Tony Arnold, Ana Baltazar-Lorenzo, Samuel Brunson, Luci Carr, Lucas Childs, Lennon Cooke, Camin Cooper, Aaliyah Creekmore, Cameron Dauzat, Cadence Flournoy, Zelia Frazier, Athina Grigoriadou, Atalaya Hall, Miranda Harrison, Fredy Hernandez, Rafael Hernandez Olmeda, Madison Hicks, Morgan Hunter, Shanice Hutson, Deitra Jackson, Jadah Johnson, Mackenzie Kanehl, Gabriela LaCour, Ella Lilyasta Laning, Helena Liljeberg, Logan Lonadier, David Lupton, Hannah Maggio, Keegan Martinez, Isabella McCall, Evan McDonough, Jennifer McKinney, Anna-Clare Melancon, Avery Myers, Isabela Piedrahita, Gabriel Polo Gomez, Jordan Pursell, Audrey Rasmussen, Valentina Restrepo, Eleya Saba, Marcela Sabillón, Grace Samaha, Maya Smith, Kaylee Stacy, Zoey Suire, Haylee Tousek, James Trindle, Ashlyn Underwood, Hailey Walker, Emily Ware, Hannah Watkins, Meredith Weathers, William Wilson, Elijah Witman

Noble – Paisleigh Rivers

Pineville – Michael Bergeron, Makaylah Brothers, Alfred Gaines, Gabriel Gautier, Evyn Goree, Rilee Hebert, Kiersten Huff, Malik Marzett, Sebastian Molette, Ashleigh Moses, Jessica Nugent, Annmarie Sanders, Ashlyn Saucier, Corbin Smith, Kelsei Spears, Andrew Thiels, Hailee Vines, Candon Wall, Brittany Welch

Pitkin – Carter Tarpley, Destiny Willis

Pleasant Hill – Abigail Bozeman

Pollock – Gabriel Beeson, Landen Roberts

Provencal – Elizabeth Shirley

Ringgold – Jenna Braggs

Robeline – Kristin Bull, Emily Miller, Christopher Paligo, Samuel Pickett, Keith Vascocu

Shreveport – Brody Abraham, Madison Adams, Daniel Anderson, Jamesia Balthazar, Asia Barba-Nsirim, Mariah Barnes, Chelsea Barrett, Anna Marie Bautista, Sharye Belcher, LaShaun Bolden, Kyrah Brown, Meredith Calahan, Ayden Cowell, Anderson Davis, Tyler Dupuis, Sharmaine Dy, Za’Miracle Edwards, Jadyn Espinosa, Rickayla Fleeks, Dezani Fountain, David Gallagher, Nicole Gipa, Precious Green, Marquasia Griffin, KaBreyha Harris, Yasmeen Hasan, Piper Haynes, Zoe Hearron, J’Niya Hill, Miyah Hinton, Cniyah Housley, Logan Hunter, Ryann Jackson, Shakayia James, Bree Launey, Tronja Lewis, Maria Lomas, Sara Mangum, Jacqueline Martinez, McKinley Miller, Dontrice Mitchell, Addison Monk, Kaden Morrison, Sophia Mouton, Samantha Muslow, Roxanne Myers, Julliex Nyachae, Liam Pachankis, Kendall Parker, Rebecca Parker, Maximillian Pinkney, Demarcus Reid, Anna Reynolds, Tamia Richardson, Brandi Robinson, Nickolas Robinson, Raelyn Robinson, Makensley Sugar-Bruce, AYana Taylor, Canya Turner, Mariah Walpool, Lauren Walsworth, Zoe Williams

Stonewall – Carter Ball, Eloise Boudreaux, Sierra Dean, Aja Douglas, Hunter Hanson, Emily Turner, Macy Wiley

Trout – Alison Bohannon

Winnfield – Catheryn Busha, Hayley Duke, Anthony Knight, MaKayla Shelton

Zwolle – Charlea Britt, Camryn Cartinez, Gracie Leone, Kade Meshell, Christian Rivers, Alexis Sepulvado, Malaysha Williams

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I had it. Oh, I had it.

The greatest idea in the history of these Ponderings. Pulitzerworthy. Heavensanctioned. The kind of idea that makes you sit up straighter in your car at the Walgreens red light and think, “Well now… that’s good.”

I remember exactly where I was when it arrived. I was headed to Tractor Supply to look at things I will never use in my life. I call this “expanding my horizons,” though my horizons remain suspiciously unchanged. Still, there I sat—traffic creeping, inspiration soaring. The idea was brilliant. It was illuminating. It was humorous. It was under six hundred words. It was perfect.

And then a voice in my head whispered, “This one is unforgettable. No need to write it down.”

Never trust that voice. That voice lies. That voice is the same one that says, “You don’t need a grocery list,” and “You’ll remember where you parked,” and “You can fix that without reading the instructions.”

The truth is: I have absolutely no idea what the idea was. None. I don’t know if it was about faith or farming or ferrets. I don’t know if it was animal, mineral, or vegetable. It has vanished. Gone. Evaporated. Or worse—someone else posted it on social media this morning and is now being hailed as a genius. If you read something brilliant, illuminating, and humorous today, it was probably mine.

I do remember this much: it had something to do with a Yiddish proverb I’m using in a sermon later this month. It goes like this: “If one man calls you an ass, pay him no mind. If two men call you an ass—go buy a saddle.” I thought it was brilliant, illuminating, and humorous. I just forgot what else went with it.

Do you forget?  Because I do. More and more. As I grow more “mature” (which is the polite churchnewsletter way of saying “things are starting to creak”), I’ve noticed my mind isn’t quite as quick as it once was. I forget names. I forget appointments. I forget why I walked into the kitchen. I even forgot to read an online article about remembering not to forget.

But here’s the tender truth tucked inside all this forgetfulness:

God remembers you. Every bit of you. Not the polished version you wish you were—you. He remembers you with love, with delight, with the kind of attention usually reserved for an only child. And while God remembers you, He chooses to forget something else entirely:

Your sins. When you confess them, He doesn’t file them, store them, or keep them in a drawer labeled “For Later Use.” He forgets them. Completely. Eternally. Joyfully. So if God has forgotten your sins, why are you still lugging them around like a saddle you never needed to buy?

Maybe the real brilliance—the idea I lost somewhere between Walgreens and Tractor Supply—is simply this:

Your memory may fail you, but God’s mercy never does.  And that’s something worth remembering.

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Michael Faraday was born in 1791 just outside London, England.  Michael’s father, a blacksmith who was often too ill to work steadily, could hardly afford to feed himself, his wife, and Michael and his three siblings.  He could certainly not afford to send his children to school.  Up until he was a teenager, Michael could only perform rudimentary reading, writing, and math, basic skills he learned at his church’s Sunday school.  When Michael was 14, his father arranged a seven-year apprenticeship for him under George Riebau, a bookbinder.  One of the perks of the job was that George allowed Michael to read any of the books they worked on.  Michael read books on a variety of subjects but became passionate about science.  Michael’s desire to learn impressed George as well as his customers.  One customer gave Michael tickets to attend four lectures by Humphry Davy, professor of chemistry at the Royal Institution.  Michael took copious notes and bound them in book form.  When Michael’s apprenticeship with the bookbinder ended, 22-year-old Michael asked Humphry for a job and provided his bound notes.  Humphry was taken aback by Michael’s interest, understanding, and determination, and hired Michael to be his assistant at the Royal Institute.  For the next 18 months, Michael accompanied Humphry on a tour of scientific institutions in Europe where he met noted scientists including André-Marie Ampère (for whom the ampere or amp is named) and Alessandro Volta (for whom the volt is named).  

In 1820, Michael had mastered chemistry to the point that he was developing his own theoretical views and ways to test his theories.  When Humphry retired, Michael replaced him as professor of chemistry at the Royal Institute.  While a professor, Michael became the first chemist to liquefy a “permanent” gas, one which the scientific community believed was incapable of liquification.  He discovered benzene, a colorless and highly flammable gas with a sweet smell which is partially responsible for the odor of gasoline.  His experiments with chemistry combined with electricity transformed electricity from a curiosity to a useful technology and led to him being called the father of electrochemistry and electromagnetism.  Among his many inventions were the electric motor, the electric generator, electric transformers, and a container for holding hydrogen.      

In 1824, Michael was performing experiments with hydrogen to understand its properties.  He experimented with several different containers to determine the best vessel for holding hydrogen.  In one experiment, Michael cut out two pieces of raw, tacky rubber into circles, rubbed flour on the center of the two pieces to prevent it from sticking, and pressed the edges of the rubber together.  The edges of the raw rubber sealed to itself automatically.  The scientific community was so enthralled with Michael’s new container that in the following year, 1825, rubber manufacturer Thomas Hancock began producing do-it-yourself rubber hydrogen container kits for scientists.  Rubber manufacturers eventually mass-produced and marketed these containers to the public.  Each of us has probably owned a modernized version of Michael’s hydrogen container.  Rather than hydrogen, we fill ours with helium.  In that chemistry lab, Michael Faraday invented what we now know as the toy rubber balloon.  Can you imagine a world without Michael Faraday’s hydrogen containers?  

Sources:

1.     “The Genius of Michael Faraday,” American Association fo rthte Advancement of Science, September 11, 2012, accessed June 14, 2026, https://www.aaas.org/membership/scientia/genius-michael-faraday.

2.     “Balloons,” Science World, accessed June 14, 2026, https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/balloons/.

3.     Dmitriy Vaysman, “A Brief History of Party Balloons,” Balloon Lab, January 24, 2024, accessed June 14, 2026, https://balloonlabusa.com/a-brief-history-of-party-balloons/. 

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Louisiana motorists will no longer be required to display vehicle inspection stickers on personal, non-commercial vehicles beginning Jan. 1, 2027, under a new state law approved during the 2026 Regular Legislative Session.

House Bill 1085 was passed by the Louisiana Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry. The law eliminates the inspection sticker requirement for personal, non-commercial vehicles registered in Louisiana starting Jan. 1, 2027.

The law also creates a transition period beginning June 30, 2026. From June 30, 2026, through Jan. 1, 2027, law enforcement officers may not issue citations solely for failing to display or produce a certificate of inspection.

As a result, Louisiana State Police announced that it has immediately stopped enforcing inspection sticker violations.

Even though inspection sticker enforcement has ended, other traffic and vehicle laws remain in effect. Drivers are still responsible for ensuring their vehicles are safe and properly maintained, including working lights, brakes, tires and other required equipment.

Louisiana State Police said its focus during the transition period will be on educating motorists and helping the public understand how the new law affects them moving forward.

• June 30, 2026: Officers can no longer issue citations solely for missing inspection stickers or certificates.
• Jan. 1, 2027: Personal, non-commercial vehicles in Louisiana are no longer required to display inspection stickers.

If you drive a personal, non-commercial vehicle in Louisiana, you do not need to worry about receiving a ticket for an expired or missing inspection sticker during the transition period, and the sticker requirement will officially end on Jan. 1, 2027. However, your vehicle must still meet all other safety and equipment laws on Louisiana roadways.

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There have been a few close calls for me while fishing the big waters of Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. Each of these bodies of water are completely different in terms of how rough and dangerous each can be, whether it’s due to high winds or approaching storms. But one thing is the same; they will both scare you nearly to death. 

Over the years, I’ve had several close encounters that had me kissing the ground once I could put my feet on dry land. Even with these two lakes being close to each other as the crow flies, navigation for boaters can be totally different due to the fact that one has boat lanes and the other is pretty much wide open.

Let’s start with Toledo Bend. Geographically, this lake runs true north and south. So, a wind coming straight out of the south or directly from the north can make for extremely rough boat rides. Even a north or south wind of 5-10 MPH can have this body of water rocking and rolling. 

Sam Rayburn, on the other hand, is a different kind of lake in that runs northwest to southeast. That means if you get a strong northwest or southeast wind, navigation can be really tough. But wind in any other direction allows anglers to run one side of the lake or the other and avoid rough water because there are no boat lanes you have to run, like you do on Toledo Bend.

The problem with Toledo Bend is the fact that you must run the pre-charted boat lanes due to all the underwater stumps and debris that engulf this entire 72-mile-long waterway. Once you get out of the boat lanes you must idle to ensure safe boating navigation. 

But this also puts you at the mercy of Mother Nature and limits your ability to ride the waves that make navigation easier. Nothing is worse than driving your boat and going with the waves rather than against them. 

When possible, it’s always easier to go against the waves, which can sometimes allow you to run from one wave (once on plane) to the next, if the crest of each wave is not too far apart. 

I had one trip a few years ago that turned into one of the worst boat rides of my life. The tournament I was fishing was going out of Fin & Feather Resort on the south end of Toledo Bend. On this particular morning it was bluebird skies with zero wind in the pocket where we took off. 

But oh, how quickly things changed! Unbeknownst to any of us fishing this event, there was a strong 20-25 MPH wind dead out of the south that morning. When you reached the main lake boat road to head either north or south, you were met with 3-4 foot rolling waves. 

It was so rough that anglers were losing rods and reels and anything else on their boats that was not tied down. It was so bad all day that some anglers lost either a trolling motor or their electronic screens off the bow of their boats as they ran back in for weigh-in.  

I personally had fish located in the back of Negreet Creek on the Louisiana side of Toledo Bend and realized quickly that there was no way I was going across the lake in that kind of wind!

Like so many other anglers that day, I quickly switched to Plan B in order to try and salvage my tournament day by pulling into the first cove I found. I was simply going to fish new water and try and catch a solid limit of bass. 

My co-angler for the day asked me if I had ever fished in this pocket before. I looked him straight in the eye and said, “No, but take a good look at it, because you’re going to see it all day.” 

Around 1 o’clock that afternoon, it was time to start thinking about heading in for the weigh-in at 3, even though we were only two miles from the boat ramp. I was thinking it would take at least an hour, as the wind was now getting worse, blowing 30 mph, still out of the south. 

As I came out of the pocket and tried getting the boat up on plane, it was very apparent that this was not going to be possible and that the only way to make it back was to idle the entire two miles. 

One hour and 30 minutes later, we finally made it back to the weigh-in with only a few minutes to spare before we would have been given a late penalty — which was 1 pound for every minute you were late. 

I actually did better than I thought I would as I weighed-in a little over 15 pounds and finished in the top 15 for the day. But there were a lot of sad faces back at the ramp as guys loaded their boats, short a few rods and reels, along with trolling motors hanging off or electronics completely gone.

Tournament directors today have a very difficult job and are very conscious of sending anglers out on a body of water with either high winds predicted or the forecast of severe weather rolling in on tournament day. 

I know some anglers get frustrated when these directors make the call to cancel or postpone an event, but they’re just doing what is in the best interest of the anglers and making sure everyone gets back to their loved ones safely. After all, we do this for fun, not for a living!!!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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Herman Jerome “Jerry” Alter and Sara Rita Sinofsky married in 1956 in New York City.  Jerry and Rita both worked for high schools in New York and New Jersey; Jerry was a music teacher, and Rita was a speech therapist.  In 1974, Jerry retired at the young age of 47 and he and Rita bought a 20-acre mesa overlooking a mountain valley near Cliff, New Mexico, about 30 miles northwest of Silver City.  In 1979, they built a ranch-style home on the property overlooking the valley.  Jerry and Rita coauthored three independently published books, all of which were published in 2011.  The first was a blend of fictional and non-fiction adventure travel.  The second was a twist on Aesop’s Fables set in verse.  The third was a book of poetry based on their travel experiences.  The books sold poorly.  In the “about the author” section of the books, Jerry claimed that he had “visited over 140 countries on all continents, including both polar regions.”  

On April 9, 2012, 81-year-old Jerry died of natural causes, followed by 81-year-old Rita on June 5, 2017.  Rita’s nephew Ron Roseman, a resident of Houston, Texas, was the executor of her estate.  Ron contacted real estate agent Ruth Seawolf the following month to sell the property.  In an email discussing the property Ron said, “Ruthie, I’ve gone through the home, and I don’t think there is anything of value, but help yourself.”  Ruthie visited the home in preparation for putting it on the market and noted that it was “a little dated, older home,” but one she thought would “be fairly easy to sell.”  Ruthie contacted the owners of Manzanita Ridge Furniture & Antiques in Silver City, to visit the house to see how best to dispose of its contents.  Everything in the home was old and covered in dust.  When they removed the pictures and paintings from the walls, it was evident by the dust patterns that they had been hanging in the same positions for decades.  The antique store owners saw nothing they considered especially valuable and bought the entire contents for around $2,000.  

The antique store owners carted a few select items including furniture, small art pieces, and paintings back to their store and donated most of the contents to a local thrift store.  David Van Auker, one of the antique store owners, liked one of the paintings which had hung behind the Alter’s bedroom door for decades and intended to display it in his guest house.  Back at the store, customers were drawn to the painting in the cheap gold frame and said they recognized it.  After several customers independently expressed their belief that the painting looked familiar, David did some internet research.  He was stunned to learn that over three decades earlier, on the day after Thanksgiving in 1985, a man and woman who resembled Jerry and Rita stole a Willem de Kooning painting called Woman-Ochre from the University of Arizona Museum of Art in Tucson.  The painting was valued at over $160 million, but David returned the painting to the museum of art and refused a reward.  This was just the first of many valuable paintings that the FBI learned that Jerry and Rita Alter had stolen.  Everyone, especially their friends and family, were stunned to learn that Jerry and Rita Alter were professional art thieves.  

Sources:

1.     “Herman Jerome ‘Jerry’ Alter,” FindAGrave.com, accessed June 7, 2026, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190759614/herman-jerome-alter.

2.     “Sara Rita Sinofsky Alter,” FindAGrave.com, accessed June 7, 2026, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190758039/sara_rita-alter.

3.     Arizona Daily Star, November 30, 1985, p.1.

4.     Silver City Sun-News, August 18, 2017, p.A4.

5.     The Santa Fe New Mexican, September 10, 2017, p.A2.

6.     Carlsbad Current-Argus, December 28, 2024, p.3.

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