City Bank & Trust is making it easier than ever for residents to open bank accounts with the launch of its new Online Account Opening platform.
Built for convenience, the new digital experience allows both new and existing customers to open up to five deposit accounts in a single, streamlined application. Instead of visiting a branch or completing multiple forms, customers can now open personal checking and savings accounts online in just minutes.
Available account options include Direct Checking, Basic Checking, Select Checking, Investment Checking, and Basic Savings, all accessible through one secure process.
During the application, customers can also request services such as debit cards, and check orders, creating a more efficient, all-in-one banking experience.
The launch reflects City Bank & Trust’s continued commitment to combining modern technology with community-focused service.
“Banking should be simple and accessible,” John Ackel, City Bank President shared. “Online Account Opening allows our customers to get started quickly while still receiving the trusted service we’re known for.”
As more customers look for flexible, digital-first solutions, City Bank & Trust is introducing this new experience with a simple message: Ready. Set. Open.
Online Account Opening is now available through the City Bank & Trust website, mycitybank.com City Bank & Trust…Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow.
Funeral services for Marshall Luke Parrie, 11 months, will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 307 Hammond St, Zwolle, Louisiana. A visitation will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a Rosary at 6:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 9891 Texas Hwy, Many, Louisiana. A burial will follow the service at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Officiating the service will be Father Keith Garvin.
Marshall was born on May 10, 2025 to Konner Thomas Parrie and Mary Ellen Myers Parrie in Shreveport, Louisiana and passed away on Monday, April 27, 2026 at his home in Pelican, Louisiana.
Marshall’s life was short but very full. He was baptized and attended St. Joseph Catholic Church in Zwolle. Marshall had a beautiful smile that will be missed. He loved walks on the farm, side by side rides, and anything outdoors. He has been fishing, hunting, haying cows, feeding chickens, and harvesting honey. Reading books was one of Marshall’s favorite playtime activities. Above all else, with his parents was his favorite place to be.
Marshall is preceded in death by his grandfather, Robert Marshall Myers and great-grandparents, James Glen Myers, Ray and Mildred Fisher, and Amos and Charlene Parrie.
He is survived by his parents, Konner and Mary Ellen Parrie; grandparents, Gordon and Lanea Parrie and Tammy Myers; uncles, Khristian Parrie and Kamron Parrie; aunt, Emily Myers; great-grandparents, Kathleen Myers and Thomas and Connie Sepulvado; great-great-grandmother, Doris Leone; and a host of family and friends.
Honoring Marshall as pallbearers will be Holden Rivers, Dallas Britt, Keaton Collins, Pete Gentry, Christopher Ezernack, and Ty Leone.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Shelley Cox FNP-C and The Pediatric Center of Many, Texas Children’s Hospital, St. Jude Clinic in Shreveport, Louisiana, Ochsner LSU – St. Mary, and Hospice of Natchitoches.
Services and care were provided to the family by Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Many, Louisiana.
Please vote Yes for Constitutional Amendment 5 on the ballot for May 16. The amendment raises the age of retirement for Judges in Louisiana to 75 years, from the current 70-year retirement mandate. The reasons are simple.
The voters are best suited to decide if a candidate should continue to serve.
Experienced, highly qualified Judges are being forced into retirement.
People are living longer productive lives and working longer.
No other political office has a mandatory retirement age.
By Supreme Court oversight, incompetent Judges can already be removed.
While the amendment does not put an end to what can only be called age bias, it does soften its effect. Voting Yes to raise the age is simply the right thing to do. In this election cycle alone, some 60 Judges of the approximately 360 in the State are being forced to retire. While some are doing so voluntarily, many others have an earnest desire to continue to serve the people of this great state. They should have the opportunity to do so, and it should be up to the voters to decide if they can continue, not some arbitrary age limit.
By: Jason Pugh, Associate Athletic Director for External Relations
NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State athletic department and Rhodes Properties and Development have partnered to create a unique opportunity for fans and supporters of Demon athletics.
The two entities have combined to present the 2026 Rhodes Properties and Development Demon Dream Home giveaway – a raffle that will see the winner collect a brand-new Rhodes-built home in the Hidden Oak subdivision in Natchitoches, located along Louisiana Highway 3191.
Raffle tickets will be sold for $100 each beginning May 4 and can be purchased through Northwestern athletes or online through www.NSUDemons.com. The live drawing will take place Nov. 6 at Riverside Reserve in Natchitoches with additional prizes awarded at the event.
Proceeds from the raffle will go toward the Northwestern athletic department in support of its student-athletes.
“Working hand-in-hand with Rhodes Properties and Development to bring the Demon Dream Home to life was an easy decision,” Director of Athletics Kevin Bostian said. “Their support of Northwestern State athletics never has been in question, but it has reached another level with this partnership. We are far beyond grateful for Rhodes Properties and Development for their input and expertise in this process.”
The home, valued at $265,000, is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,450-square foot heated building in one of Natchitoches’ newest subdivisions that Rhodes Properties and Development and Rhodes Realty began developing in early 2026. Hidden Oak subdivision is located near Sibley Lake, west of Louisiana Highway 1 in Natchitoches.
“We at Rhodes Properties and Development, alongside Rhodes Realty, understand the importance of the Northwestern State athletic program to the Natchitoches community,” Rhodes Properties and Development owners and operators James and Justin Rhodes said. “We believe in the vision of Northwestern State athletics and where it is going. We presented this opportunity to Kevin as our way to support nearly 400 student-athletes as well as the coaches and staff members with whom we have developed relationships. The vendors who will help us bring this home to life share that same vision. Being involved in all facets of this project allows us to continue to demonstrate our commitment to Northwestern State and Natchitoches.”
“When a mother realizes her child is watching history unfold in real time—and feeling afraid—she faces a question no parent is ever quite prepared to answer: how do you explain a frightening world without making it feel even more dangerous?”
A rusted and overgrown pump jack sits abandoned, a scene playing out thousands of times across the state as orphaned oil and gas wells outpace the ability to plug them.
By Richard Searles, Journal Contributor
State faces record 6,465 orphaned wells, a cleanup bill that could top $1 billion, and a broken oversight system
Louisiana’s oil patch is leaving behind a growing legacy of abandoned wells that leak, contaminate groundwater and cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars — and on a per capita basis, the state’s problem is more than four times worse than Texas, which has drawn national attention for the same issue.
As of March 2025, Louisiana has 6,465 orphaned oil and gas wells — unplugged, abandoned sites with no responsible operator — according to the state Department of Conservation and Energy. Texas has approximately 10,029 orphaned wells, according to its Railroad Commission. But Texas has nearly seven times Louisiana’s population. Louisiana has roughly one orphaned well for every 711 residents. Texas has one for every 3,130. Louisiana’s per capita burden is more than four times heavier.
The Numbers Are Accelerating
Between 2014 and 2023, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor found that an average of about 445 wells were added to the orphaned list each year. In 2025, more than 1,600 wells were added — more than three times the historical annual average. In just the first months of 2026, another 517 wells have already been added.
Behind those orphaned wells sits an even larger problem: inactive wells not yet orphaned but at risk. The Legislative Auditor found the inactive well count climbed 21.7 percent from 2019 to 2024, reaching 21,629 statewide.
What It Will Cost — and Why the Numbers Differ
The cleanup bill has been reported in different ways, and understanding why requires a distinction between two categories of problem wells.
The first is the orphaned well count itself — the 6,500 wells with no responsible operator. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor places the average plugging cost at $113,000 per well. Multiplied across the current orphaned well list, that produces the widely cited $730 million figure.
But that number covers only orphaned wells. A July 2025 white paper from the LSU Center for Energy Studies, commissioned by the state, calculated that plugging and abandoning both orphaned and idle wells in just the Monroe and Shreveport regulatory districts — two of Louisiana’s three oil and gas districts — would cost approximately $860 million. The Lafayette district, which holds roughly 41 percent of the state’s total orphaned and idle well inventory, was not included in that estimate. When all three districts and all idle wells are accounted for, the total cost to Louisiana taxpayers could well exceed $1 billion.
Since 2023, the state has plugged just 490 orphaned wells at a combined cost of nearly $90 million in state and federal funds — far behind the pace needed to make meaningful progress.
The Oversight System Failed
Louisiana’s attempt to manage the problem through a private industry-led entity collapsed. The Louisiana Oilfield Restoration Association, created in 2019 to collect operator fees and fund plugging activity, was dissolved after a state audit found it falling far behind — and after allegations of self-dealing that included a $780,000 loan to a state official. An audit also found the association’s administrative partner was charging a 36 percent fee on revenues, nearly double the agreed cap. During fiscal years 2020 through 2023, the state plugged 976 orphaned wells through the program. During that same period, nearly 1,700 new orphaned wells were reported — meaning the system was losing ground even while operating.
The Louisiana Legislature responded in 2024 by creating the Natural Resources Trust Authority under the Department of Conservation and Energy, tasked with rebuilding oversight and funding. Financial security requirements — the bonds operators must post to cover future plugging costs — remain a structural weakness. Though coverage rose from 25 percent of wells in 2014 to 74 percent by 2024, the Legislative Auditor found the amounts collected still fall well short of actual plugging costs.
The Bottom Line
Louisiana is producing new orphaned wells faster than it can plug old ones, carrying a per capita orphaned well burden more than four times that of Texas, and facing a total cleanup bill that state and university researchers suggest could exceed $1 billion when all idle and orphaned wells statewide are fully accounted for. The consequences — contaminated groundwater, leaking methane, degraded land — fall most heavily on the rural communities where these wells are concentrated.
Sources: Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy; Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office; LSU Center for Energy Studies, “Orphan and Idle Wells in Louisiana,” July 2025; Texas Railroad Commission; Louisiana Illuminator.
This is story from a book entitled “Moments for Mothers.” The Rogers family was a strong Christian unit. Mr. Rogers took seriously his role as spiritual leader. Often at supper the family would have a Bible quiz or discuss some spiritual truth. One evening the family was discussing what heaven will be like. 7-year-old Jimmy grabbed this subject and ran with it; he had a very creative imagination.
Jimmy said, “When we get to heaven, the big angel will call the roll. He will come to the Rogers family and say, ‘Daddy Rogers’ and Daddy will say ‘Here! ‘. Then the angel will call out, ‘Mommy Rogers,’ and Mommy will say, ‘Here! ” Then the same thing will happen for Susie and Mavis. Then the angel will call my name, “Jimmy Rogers,” and because I’m little and don’t want to be missed, I will jump up and shout real loud, ‘Here!’”
Just a few days later, there was a tragic accident. A car struck down Jimmy as he made his way to the school bus. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The family gathered round his bed and kept a prayerful vigil through the night. The doctors told them that he had suffered severe brain damage and could not recover.
Just before dawn, Jimmy seemed to be stirring a bit. The family saw his lips move; just one word was all he uttered before he passed from this life. But oh what comfort and hope that word gave for this grieving family. In a voice clear enough for everybody in the room to hear, Jimmy said, “Here!!” and then he was gone, to another world, to a better world, where a big angel was calling the roll.
We Christians believe this is true. It is why we can live with hope in the midst of such a crazy world. We know that we are all pilgrims, simply passing through this life. Our home is in heaven.
Easter people believe that one day we will all answer, “Here!”
Many and Sabine Parish residents will have the opportunity to celebrate God and country on Thursday, April 17, at the Many Community Center.
The talented Amazing Rhythm Disciples Band will present America’s Faith Concert in honor of America’s 250th Anniversary.
The music will start at 6:00 p.m. at the Many Community Center.Rodney Harrington, leader of the band, said the music will be about family and country, two important values to all Americans.
Harrington also had some good news to share.“Because we have some faithful and supportive sponsors, admission to the concert will be free to everyone.”
Concert sponsors are The Harrington Law Firm, Foy Chevrolet, Anna Garcie for District Attorney, Sabine State Bank, and Buddy Wood State Farm Insurance.
“Let’s show everyone how much our people love God and country by showing up for this joyful evening of music here in Many,” said Many Mayor Robert Hable.
The Amazing Rhythm Disciples is the first in a number of planned programs throughout Many and Sabine Parish to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America.
The Melrose Arts and Crafts Show scheduled for this weekend, April 18-19, has been canceled due to the threat of severe weather and high winds, which is a safety concern for vendors, attendees and staff. The show has been rescheduled for Oct. 10–11, 2026.
The Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival, which is going to be held on the downtown riverbank May 15-16 has released its schedule for its 29th Festival, and as usual, it is chocked full with artists for just about every musical taste, including Jazz, R&B (of course), Country, Rock & Roll, Soul, Gospel, Folk, Blues, Zydeco and much more.
This year’s headliner is multiplatinum Country superstar, Joe Nichols, who will appear on the main stage beginning at 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 16.Preceding Nichols will be American Idol runner up and Louisiana native John Foster at 7 p.m., local and regional favorites and Louisiana Music Hall of Fame members Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs at 5:25 p.m., hit making R&B/Soul singer, Tiffany Rachal at 3:40 p.m., Natchitoches’ own Country music legend and Curb Recording artist Trini Triggs at 2:35 p.m., with the music being kicked off on the Main Stage by Zydeco legend, Gerard Delafose.
There will be over 15 bands on three stages with the schedule for the Fleur De Lis Stage and Roque House Stage listed below.For the first time ever there will also be a Natchitoches Original Music Showcase Stage located at Beau Jardin.That stage will feature mostly Natchitoches artists performing their original music.
The fun begins on Friday night with Tribute to Legends night which will begin with Led Zeppelin tribute band, The Zeppelin Project at 7 p.m. featuring a faithful recreation of the super group’s hits.
Prior to the Zeppelin, will be Waterloo, the nation’s premiere ABBA tribute act will faithfully create the 70’s Swedish super group’s concert, including dancers and a lights show.Attendees are encouraged dress up and sing along.
As always, there will be plenty of great food and kids’ activities at this family event.For more information and to order tickets go to http://www.natchjazzfest.com
Fleur De Lis Stage
12:00 – 1:00 Snake Doctors. Led by grizzled veteran, Ed Huey, this Natchitoches based Doctors prescription will be an eclectic blend of Blues, Jazz, Folk, with a little Rock & Roll and R&B thrown in.You will hear things you’ve never heard before from this entertaining group.
1:10 – 2:10 The Luke Brouillette Jazz Trio (Traditional and Modern Jazz). Led by guitarist Luke Brouillette, this trio which includes Sammy Nix on drums and Dion Pierre on bass will play through well-loved jazz standards featuring Swing, Latin, and Bebop.Listen and watch while these virtuosos perform some righteous jazz.
2:20 – 3:20 Deep Water Rehab – (Classic, Southern Rock, Country, Originals & Covers). This Winnfield-based bandcovering Classic & Southern Rock, Country, and even some R&B tunes.They’ll also be performing cuts from their album of original songs which recently dropped.
3:30 – 4:30 Gumbo Delux– (R&B/Soul).This is a high-energy Shreveport based Soul/R&B group serving up a spicy mix of covers of great songs of yesterday and today.
4:45 – 5:45 Junior the Third – (Blues and Jazz). This Shreveport based trio started out as raw, stripped-down Blues and has stretched into something deeper, shaped by soulful jams, old standards, and the kind of feel you can’t fake.Pulling from the well of Delta and Hill Country blues, they built a sound that’s less about polish and more about pocket.
6:00 – 7:00 Becky Birdwell and the Shuffle Kings (Classic Rock/R&B/Country/Gospel).Becky and her family band has been a fixture at the festival for many years and play a crowd-pleasing mixture of classic rock, R&B, Country with some gospel thrown in.
Roque House Stage
1:00 – 2:00 The Amazing! Rhythm Disciples (Gospel/R&B/Rock/Country/Inspirational). This Natchitoches-based Gospel/Inspiration group will perform an eclectic blend of secular and traditional gospel music which will include some Rock & Roll, Country, Rhythm & Blues and Contemporary Christian songs.Their set includes some unique “Mash Ups” of traditional hymns with more modern secular music.All of it, music with a message!
2:10 – 3:10 Jenny & Kelli (Harmonious Rock, Covers, & Originals).These popular Natchitoches songbirds play a rousing blend of songs that you know and love along with a few of their very own originals.Every song will feature their spectacular angelic harmonies.
3:20 – 4:20 Broken Peaces –(Classic Rock).This kind of a “Super Group,” made up of members of various bands who have come together to make some great high-energy music, focusing mainly on the Rock & Roll of the 70’s through the 90’s.
4:35 – 5:35 Badd Apple – (Classic Rock/ R&B).Led by local legend, Billy O’Con, featuring some of the finest musicians in north Louisiana, this rocking group will have everyone on their feet and dancing from the first note.
5:50 – 6:50 Jester – (Rock and Blues). This 3-piece high-energy band, exploding out of Bossier City is fronted by 13 year old guitar protégé and vocalist, Odin Cobb, and is fueled by the thunderous drive of a 17 year old drummer and locked in tight by a veteran bassist.Don’t miss this highly entertaining act.
Community members in Sabine Parish are invited to come together next month for the annual Sabine Parish Autism Walk, an event focused on raising awareness and showing support for individuals and families affected by autism.
The walk is scheduled for Saturday, April 11, 2026, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Many High School Track in Many.
Organizers encourage residents to gather a team, invite friends and family, and take part in the event designed to promote autism awareness while bringing the community together. The annual walk has become a meaningful opportunity for families, supporters, and local organizations to show unity and encouragement for those impacted by autism.
Participants can expect a welcoming atmosphere focused on community support, awareness, and connection.
For more information about the event, residents can contact Amanda Darwin at 318-581-2383 or Anita Darwin at 318-379-8683.
Organizers say they look forward to seeing community members from across Sabine Parish gather once again for a day dedicated to awareness, support, and togetherness.
“It breaks my heart to think about children growing up with so much uncertainty because one parent isn’t paying what they should. When the support doesn’t come, it’s the kids and the custodial parent who carry the burden every single day — and no family should have to live that way.”
The Sabine Parish Hall of Fame has been officially designated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the board and Chairman Pete Abington announced.
The 28-year-old organization received pro bono assistance from attorney Ronnie Brandon of Many and accountant Stephen Steinke of Steinke and Associates, who donated their professional time and expertise to complete the designation process.
The Sabine Parish Hall of Fame honors accomplished Sabine Parish natives each year at its annual spring induction banquet.
“We are incredibly grateful to Ronnie Brandon and Stephen Steinke for donating their time and talent to help the Sabine Hall of Fame with this important step,” Abington said. “Our board is also deeply thankful for the continued support we receive each year from local businesses, individuals and organizations who believe in honoring the people who have helped shape Sabine Parish. That spirit of generosity and pride in our community is what makes Sabine Parish such a special place.”
If your current security team’s primary strategy is to “observe and report,” you are essentially paying for a professional witness.
By the time an unarmed guard observes a threat, dials 911, and waits for local law enforcement to arrive, the damage to your property, your people, and your corporate reputation is already done. In the high-stakes worlds of energy infrastructure, commercial real estate, and industrial logistics, minutes of downtime cost millions of dollars.
Waiting for an incident to escalate is no longer just an outdated strategy; it is a massive corporate liability.
The End of Reactive Security
Across Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, enterprise-level businesses are waking up to a harsh reality: standard security is failing them. The new mandate is proactive deterrence.
Fidelis Protective Services, an elite risk management firm headquartered in Louisiana with a massive four-state operational footprint, is actively replacing the outdated “observe and report” model with specialized, high-impact capabilities designed to neutralize threats before they paralyze your operations.
The Ultimate Deterrent: Specialized K-9 Teams
You can argue with a standard security guard. You cannot argue with a highly trained K-9 detection team.
Fidelis achieves a higher standard of safety by deploying specialized K-9 units alongside highly disciplined security personnel. These elite teams provide mission-critical advantages that standard guards simply cannot match:
Unmatched Visual Deterrence: The physical presence of an FPS K-9 and a disciplined handler provides an undeniable, non-verbal statement of capability. It forces bad actors to immediately de-escalate or abandon their target.
Rapid Post-Incident Stabilization: Whether responding to a bomb threat at a corporate campus, an arson risk at a petrochemical plant, or targeted violence at a distribution hub, a FPS K-9’s advanced detection skills allow for the rapid, precise clearing of an environment.
[ WATCH: The Fidelis Standard in Action ]See exactly how the FPS K-9 Division executes proactive threat deterrence and rapid environmental stabilization.
K-9 Tactical Breakdown “A stabilized environment, when it matters most, requires specialized capabilities,” says Fidelis Protective Services CEO, Lee J. Taylor. “We aren’t just placing a uniform at a desk. By deploying proactive teams across the region, we are actively assessing threats and stabilizing high-risk scenarios so our clients can keep their businesses running.”
Protecting the Infrastructure of the South
From the relentless operational tempo of Oil and Gas facilities in Texas to the complex access control required at major shipping ports in Tennessee and the Gulf Coast, your security strategy must match your operational footprint.
Stop paying for a reactive presence. Invest in a partner that brings elite deterrence, specialized capabilities, and a multi-state standard of excellence to the facilities that power the South.
ABOUT FIDELIS PROTECTIVE SERVICES
Fidelis Protective Services is an elite, multi-state security firm specializing in high-level asset protection, tactical K-9 deployments, and comprehensive risk management solutions. Operating across Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, Fidelis sets the standard for proactive security operations in the commercial, healthcare, and energy sectors.
Connect with an FPS Operational Specialist for a custom risk assessment:
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 (527th 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
