Author: NPJ

Too much bass tournament drama

/ NPJ

What the heck is going on in the bass tournament world? Drama, drama and more drama, tournament after tournament!

It’s worse than watching daytime soap operas and it’s on every level across the country. It includes grown men who have become overly sensitive about people fishing too close, to those who think forward-facing sonar is ruining the sport, to people who think cheating is OK.

What’s that old saying? ”If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.” Enough is enough with all the chit-chat, griping and complaining about every little thing!

Anglers are taking to social media like bees going to honey, eagerly giving their side of an incident that took place at their last event. They’re attempting to explain their thought process and why they did what they did. Every little thing, every incident and situation are now public knowledge. Cameras are rolling in every boat so that these incidents can be posted on social media. Nothing is private anymore!

So why has bass fishing all the sudden become an episode of the Jerry Springer Show? Is it intentional, and a way to get more social media likes and followers, or is it just a sign of the times where we as a society are looking for just any little thing we can share with the entire world?

Part of the problem is the amount of money anglers are fishing for today. Whether it’s a big bass tournament or a team fishing circuit, the money anglers are fishing for in a lot of bass tournaments is insane.

The next issue: today’s lakes and waterways are more crowded than a Rolling Stones concert. We aren’t just talking about bass fishermen either. There are a ton of pleasure boaters and jet skiers who have the same rights to the lakes and waterways as anglers do. Now most anglers won’t agree with my last statement, but it’s the truth.

So, with so much money at stake and more people on the water now, conflicts are bound to arise from time to time. But excluding the recreational boaters, why are so many bass anglers having conflicts on the water? One reason is the lack of what is called “on the water etiquette.” These are the unwritten rules that today’s younger generation of anglers (high school and college) have not been taught.

Just like Little League, many dads or coaches are volunteers, and some have never played the game so they are not familiar with how the game should be taught. Don’t get me wrong, I love that there are people who will step up and take over a team that needs a coach. Volunteers are critical to the success of any sports league, but sometimes they need coaching themselves. This same rule applies for today’s high school boat captains; they need some coaching.

Here’s where the problem comes in. Some dads/coaches/boat captains  have a disease known as an “ego” and will let this get in the way of allowing them to be taught on how to be a better coach/boat captain. Trust me when I tell you that tournament bass anglers suffer from the same disease. They hate being told (me included) that we did something wrong, especially on the water. But once in a while, we all need reminded how to act on the water.

But my generation was taught, and we listened to the older guys when we started our fishing careers. We had the utmost respect for the older guys and would frequently seek out their knowledge. We were always looking to them for advice because we all wanted to be better anglers.

I have yet to have a young angler, or a boat captain, come up and ask me anything about the unwritten rules of the water or ask for any advice. If there’s one area high school bass fishing is failing, it is dads or boat captains not knowing the unwritten rules of fishing etiquette – and they aren’t asking for advice from the older guys.

I will admit that I have gotten a little testy with some high school anglers and boat captains. I have lost my cool with these guys more than once, and occasionally still do, especially when I see an experienced boat captain who fishes tournaments himself making dumb decisions on the water and setting a bad example for the young anglers in their boat.

My message to ALL anglers is this; if you’re doing something that you think might not be right, trust your instincts and don’t do it! If you’re not sure about a certain situation, ask an older angler for advice. It all boils down to one thing — respect. Respect is not only for other anglers, but for the sport as well.

Coming soon, I will go over the unwritten rules of tournament bass fishing, and I hope my readers will share this very important information that all anglers need to hear.

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and when in doubt … set the hook!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

Jimmy’s Mother

/ NPJ

By Brad Dison

Mary Patricia Mohin was born on September 29, 1909.  Her father, Owen, was a coal merchant.  Her mother was Mary Teresa Danher.  In January 1919, Mary’s mother died during the birth of her fourth child, along with the baby.  At the young age of 14, Mary became a nurse at Alder Hey Hospital.  Four years later, she moved out of her family home because she was unable to get along with her stepmother.  When she was 24, Mary became a nursing sister while working at Walton Hospital.  In the United Kingdom, a nursing sister refers to a nurse of high rank.  Nursing sisters are responsible for the overall running of each hospital ward or unit.  Hospital staff may have called her a nursing sister, but her patients called her “the Angel.”

While working at Walton Hospital, Mary befriended another nurse name Jin.  One night in 1940, Mary stopped by to visit Jin at her family’s home.  There, Mary met Jim, Jin’s brother, for the first time.  As they were visiting, the air raid sirens sounded.  The German Luftwaffe were attacking.  Mary was unable to leave and spent the evening huddled in the basement with Jim and other members of their family.  Jim and Mary began dating.

On April 15, 1941, 38-year-old Jim and 31-year-old Mary married.  They rented a small home in a poor section of town.  On June 18, 1942, Jim and Mary had their first child at Walton Hospital.  Mary was given special treatment while at the hospital because she had previously been in charge of the maternity section at that hospital.  They named young Jimmy after his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather.

On January 7, 1944, Jim and Mary welcomed their second child, Michael.  Shortly thereafter, the family moved to bungalow in a slightly better part of town.  Mary stopped working for a while to raise Jimmy and Michael, but money was tight.  Mary returned to nursing and became a part-time health visitor and a midwife.  Mary was on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  When Mary received a call, she would don her navy-blue uniform and hat and pedal away on the family’s bicycle.  They couldn’t afford a car.

Jim made little money, but Mary did well.  Jimmy remembered, “My mum was the upwardly mobile force. She was always moving us to a better address.  Originally, we had to go out to the sticks of Liverpool because of her work as a midwife. Roads were unmade but the midwife’s house came free. So economically it was a good idea. She always wanted to move out of rough areas.”  Jimmy remembered that his mom loved to whistle.  “That’s one of my fond memories of my mum.,” he said.  You don’t hear many women whistling. She was quite musical.”

Like most parents, Mary wanted the best for her sons.  She wanted them to succeed in life.  Early on, Jimmy spoke with a strong accent and used a lot of slang.  Jimmy remembered that his mother, “told me off about it.”  Mary encouraged Jimmy to speak proper Queen’s English.  Mary envisioned Jimmy becoming a doctor.

In the summer of 1955, Mary began to experience pains in her chest.  She took large doses of BiSodol, which was used to treat indigestion and heartburn.  In the following year, Michael went into Mary’s bedroom and saw her crying.  Michael asked his mother why she was crying.  She pulled herself together, forced a smile, and said, “nothing, love.”  Soon thereafter, Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She went into the hospital for a mastectomy, but they were unable to stop the cancer.  After surgery, Jim, Jimmy, and Michael went into the room to be with their mother.  Jimmy remembered that it was “a huge shock to us.  Suddenly she was ill.  We were very young.”  Jim sent Jimmy and Michael to stay with their aunt and uncle.  While in the hospital, Mary told her sister-in-law, “I would have liked to have seen the boys grow up.”

On Halloween morning, October 31, 1956, Jimmy and Michael had barely woken up when Aunt Joan told them, “Love, your mum’s dead.”  Mary had died from an embolism, a blood clot, while recovering from surgery.  14-year-old Jimmy cried and prayed.  He described them as “Daft prayers, you know. If you bring her back, I’ll be very, very good for always.  I thought, it just shows how stupid religion is.  See, the prayers didn’t work when I really needed them.”    Shortly after Mary’s death, Jim bought his sons a guitar.  He thought it could help them escape from the pain.  Michael remembered that “It was just after mother’s death that it started.  It became an obsession.  It took over [Jimmy’s] whole life.  You lose a mother – and you find a guitar.”

30 years after her death, Jimmy said, “I was fourteen. It’s a very difficult age, fourteen, because you are growing up and you’re getting your act together. So, it was a tough time to have something as devastating as that happen. I think I probably covered a lot of it up at the time, as you would, a fourteen-year-old boy.” 

Jimmy learned to play the guitar pretty well.  A decade and a half after his mother’s death, he wrote a little song about his mother.  “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.”  The world knows Jimmy… James Paul McCartney.

Sources:

1.      “Paul McCartney’s Mother Mary Dies,” The Beatles Bible, https://www.beatlesbible.com/1956/10/31/paul-mccartneys-mother-mary-dies/.

2.     Jordan Runtagh, “Paul McCartney Reflects on How His Late Mother Became His Greatest Muse,” People.com, November 2, 2021, https://people.com/music/paul-mccartney-reflects-on-how-his-late-mother-became-his-greatest-muse/.

National Flag Week

/ NPJ

I was always fascinated with Betsy Ross. I imagined her in the parlor sewing that first United States flag as a symbol of patriotism with pride and honor. Preferring to retain the childhood memories that permeate my heart, I hardly listen when historians claim this as a myth.

Besides, the importance of the flag remains unchanged. On Flag Day (June 14) and during National Flag Week, we take pride in the promise and purpose represented by our nation’s flag, first created in 1777.

From the Betsy Ross Flag of 13 stars to the current one of 50 commissioned by President Eisenhower in 1959, Americans fly this symbol of national pride over battlefields, cemeteries, schools, buildings, courthouses, and homes.

An annual presidential proclamation has been in place since 1966, directing the appropriate officials to display the flag on all Federal Government buildings during this week and urging all Americans to observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by displaying the flag and honoring all of our brave service members and revering those who gave their last full measure of devotion defending our freedoms.

“Americans are encouraged to observe with pride and all due ceremony those days from Flag Day through Independence Day by proudly displaying our nation’s flag.”

Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana who wants her former history teachers to know that she’s finally doing all that homework she skipped out on in the 80’s. She can be reached at Jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.

Notice of Death – June 11, 2024

/ NPJ

Deborah Gail Neitte
February 26, 1954 — June 9, 2024
Service: June 14 at 1 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral

Elmer P. Davidson Jr.
June 9, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Nelda Lorenne Tate
January 20, 1931 — June 5, 2024
Service: Tuesday, June 18 at 3 pm at Westside Baptist Church

Lesh Nettles Brown Jr.
October 13, 1964 — June 5, 2024
Service: Saturday, June 15 at 10 am at First United Methodist Church in the Sanctuary, Natchitoches.

Everlener Reed
June 3, 2024
Service: Saturday, June 15 at 2 pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North St. in Natchitoches

Patricia C. Jackson
November 24, 1943 – June 6, 2024
Service: Thursday June 13 at 11 am at the St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, located at 911 5th St. in Natchitoches

Edward Dorsey
May 13, 1957 – June 5, 2024
Service: Saturday, June 15 at 1 pm at the Rockford Baptist Church on Old River Road

Mittie Calhoun
June 1, 2024
Service: Saturday, June 15 at 11 am in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel 318 North St. in Natchitoches

Sadie M. Johnson
February 7, 1951 – May 31, 2024
Arrangements TBA

80 Years Later: Honoring Louisiana’s Sons Who Died on D-Day

/ NPJ

By State Representative Charles Owen, LtCol (ret), USAF

On 6 June, 1944, possibly the most pivotal battle in the history of western civilization took place. The concept of freedom was at stake on this day as the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and other warriors of the allied nations attempted to create a beachhead in Europe—in France, specifically. The land, air, and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest amphibious invasion in military
history undertook the operation to dislodge Hitler’s Fascism and tyranny from Europe. Almost 133,000 troops from the United States, the British Commonwealth, and Free France took part in this battle of battles. Casualties were high on this day, with over 2,500 American personnel losing their lives. Our
nation has paid and continues to pay great homage to the lives lost in World War II and on D-Day specifically.

Our beloved Louisiana lost 33 of its sons on this day. We also lost nearly 5,000 Louisianans in World War II and all of those lives are precious. But on this 80th commemoration of what history has called “the Day of Days”, we need to take a moment and remember the men from Louisiana who died trying to get a foothold in Normandy. The 33 included 2 commissioned officers, both from North Louisiana. It included about 10 Non-Commissioned officer and the remainder were junior enlisted personnel. Eighteen of our warriors are in their physical eternal resting places in France and England—in immaculately maintained American cemeteries. Twelve were brought back home to be buried in the cemeteries with their families. Three were never recovered and are memorialized in plaques in various places.

The names of the 33 bear repeating on this day. We have our freedom in this country for many reasons, but one of them is because free men through the centuries have paid the price for us to keep that freedom. With deference to all of our state’s war dead, this is a tribute to those from Louisiana who died on D-Day.

First Lieutenant James Holstun of Gibsland: Killed at 3 AM on D-Day. Parachuted in
behind enemy lines. While leading a squad to capture an anti-aircraft artillery battery,
was killed in action. Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.

First Lieutenant Howard Brewster of Ruston: Died while in German airspace on a
glider. Member of the 84 th Troop Carrier Squadron. Awarded the Air Medal and Purple
Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Technical Sergeant Francis Guillory of Eunice: Top Turret Gunner on B24; his aircraft
disintegrated on flight over England after completing a mission in France. Awarded
Purple Heart.

Staff Sergeant Alvin Rainey of New Orleans: Crew member, B24; his aircraft crashed in
England after combat operations in Normandy. Awarded Purple Heart. Buried in
England.

Staff Sergeant Clarence Uzee of Lockport: Died during landings at Omaha Beach.
Awarded Purple Heart. Buried in Lockport.

Sergeant George Weil of Rayne: Killed in action at Omaha Beach. First generation
American, immigrated with family who owned a frog farm in Rayne. Buried at
Normandy.

Sergeant Leonard Davis of Sabine Parish: Jumped in behind enemy lines with 101st.
Died in a firefight in an apple orchard early on 6 June. Buried in Belmont, Louisiana.
Sergeant John Emanus of Sabine Parish: Jumped in with 82d Airborne behind enemy
lines in the early hours of 6 June. Killed in Combat. Buried in Louisiana.

Sergeant John Hall of Oak Grove: Killed in action on Normandy Beach, member of 1st
Infantry Division. Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Technician John Bray of New Orleans: Member of 101 st Airborne, onboard C-47 with 18
other paratroopers, downed by enemy aircraft fire in route to drop zone. Buried in New
Orleans. Purple Heart.

Technician Fields Rush of Pineville: Died of wounds on the beach at Omaha. Purple
Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Technician John Berlin of New Orleans: 101 st Airborne. Onboard C-47 with 21 other
paratroopers; all perished enroute to jump zone. Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Technician 5th Class Royd Keys of Winnsboro: Member of 29th Infantry Division. Died
at landing in Normandy. Departed Normal College (NSU) to enlist in the war. Widowed
a young British nurse. Buried at Normandy.

Technician 4th Class Luther Lockey of Shreveport: Assigned to 743d Tank Battalion.
Died during landing at Omaha Beach. His body was never recovered.

Technician Alexander Oakley of New Orleans. Killed in action during landing. His
body was never recovered.

Machinist Mate Richard Harang of New Orleans: Killed in action on Omaha beach.
Buried at Normandy. Awarded Purple Heart

Corporal Sidney Manuel of Eunice: Killed in action at Omaha Beach. Purple Heart.
Buried in Eunice.

Motor Machinist’s Mate Glenn Soap of Shreveport: Killed during landing at Omaha
Beach. His body was never recovered.

Corporal Albert Callais: Jumped in behind enemy lines, killed in action. Member of
82nd Airborne. Buried at Normandy.

Private First Class Frank Cheek of Rapides Parish. Killed in action during beach
landing. Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.
Private First Class Bose Kelly of Shreveport: While in route to jump zone with 82d
Airborne, his aircraft was downed by enemy fire. Purple Heart. Buried in Shreveport,
one of 3 brothers lost in the war.

Private First Class Houston Duhon of New Iberia: Died on Omaha Beach. Awarded
Purple Heart and Silver Star. Buried at Normandy.

Private First Class Reginald Brock of Rayville: Killed in action, Omaha Beach. 29th
Infantry Division. Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Private First Class Claude Brownell of Madison Parish: Killed in action, Omaha Beach.
29th Infantry Division. Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Private First Class Earl Howe of Marksville. Killed in action, Omaha Beach. 29th
Infantry Division. Purple Heart. Buried in Marksville.

Private First Class J.T. Pardue of Union Parish: Killed in action, Omaha Beach. 477th
Engineer Battalion. Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Private Whitney Faulk of New Orleans: Killed in action on Omaha Beach. Purple
Heart. Buried in New Orleans.

Private Andrew Kling of Dutchtown: 82 nd Airborne. Killed in action behind enemy lines.
Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Private Joe Peters: 29th Infantry Division Medic. Died probably rendering aid to the
wounded. Killed in action. Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Private Simpson Courson of Bastrop: 101 Airborne Division. Killed in action behind
enemy lines. Purple Heart. Buried at Normandy.

Private Raymond Bell of LaSalle Parish: 29 th Infantry Division. Died during landing at
Omaha Beach. Purple Heart. Buried in Rhinehart, Louisiana.

Private George Baragona of Slidell: Jumped in behind enemy lines with 82d Airborne
Division; organized disparate team under chaos, fought and captured. Executed by
Germans after capture. Buried in Slidell.

WW2 Fallen 100:

WW2 Fallen – George Baragona, 82nd Airborne.

Private Sidney DeRise of Rayne: 82d Airborne. Died on 6 June. Purple Heart. Buried
in Rayne, Louisiana.

SPECIAL THANKS TO Secretary Charlton Meginley of the Department of Veterans’
Affairs for helping compile this list and collate data. Meginley, a retired USAF Colonel,
will be representing Louisiana at Normandy on the 80 th Anniversary of the D-Day
Landings.

The LASC-50 years of Leadership Development and Excellence at NSU

/ NPJ

The Louisiana Association of Student Councils held its annual workshop at Northwestern State University this week June 2-6. The meeting, held at NSU for the past 50 years, brought together 340 high school student leaders from every corner of the Bayou State for a week of fun, leadership development, and education.

The student council members were divided into small groups with whom they would spend the week, making friends from all over Louisiana. The theme of the workshop was “LASC Your Greatest Adventure.” The students learned the ins and outs of running successful meetings and achieving goals as well as developing leadership skills. Sabine Parish was well represented by a strong contingent of student leaders from Many High School.

Next week will see several hundred middle school students who serve on their schools’ student councils arrive at NSU for a week of fun and learning.

The Natchitoches Parish Journal wishes all the best to these hard working young men and women as they complete their high school careers. We hope you learned a lot and enjoyed the university’s hospitality. Come back to NSU after your graduation and build your future!

Richard Lee Thompson

/ NPJ

January 14, 1947 — May 19, 2024

A memorial service for Richard Lee Thompson, 77, will be held Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 9891 Texas Hwy, Many, Louisiana. A visitation will be held Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Officiating the service will be Brother David Hibbard.

Richard was born on January 14, 1947 to Paul Thompson and Wilma Pearl Smock and passed away on May 19, 2024 in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Richard was preceded in death by his mother. He is survived by his father of Phoenix, Arizona; son, Paul Harold Thompson of Alburquerque, New Mexico; sister, Susie Churchill; brother, Rod Thompson and wife, Carol, of Phoenix, Arizona; and his friend, Marty Granger.

Walter Glen Starks Sr.

/ NPJ

August 6, 1934 — April 16, 2024

Walter Glen Starks, Sr. – or Glen, as he was known to everyone who knew him – died peacefully at home Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at the age of 89.

While he was known as “Glen” to the community, he was a man of many titles. Some of his favorites were Dad, Papaw, Pops, and Uncle Glen. Glen was born in New Mexico, but his parents longed for the piney woods, so they brought the family back to Sabine Parish. Fourth of ten children, Glen grew up on the farm, and began the exploration of a never-ending love of the woods. In his heart, he was a farm boy for the rest of his life.

He remembered walking across Highway 118 after class at Mt. Carmel Elementary to get candy at George Addison’s Gulf Station store. He told stories of camping in the woods, early morning farm chores, home-made biscuits from scratch, and what it was like to court a girlfriend when you had to ride a bike in the dark just to have a “date” sitting on her front porch.

Glen was determined to go to college. He planted trees, dug ditches, and worked one summer in the oil field to earn enough money to pay his way through LSU. He said a can of beans was his supper on many a night. He thrived and graduated with a business degree.

A few years after graduation he went back to Baton Rouge to work for the LSU Student Union, eventually rising to the role of Business Manager. It was one of the most impactful experiences of his professional life.

Sabine Parish was never far from his heart or thoughts, though. He dreamed of a life interwoven with business and the forest. If you’ve been in the area for long, you might remember Glen’s hardware store in Florien. Maybe you had tamales with him at the S&S Restaurant. Perhaps you saw him drinking coffee in the corner booth at Fox’s Pizza or saw him behind the counter serving up breakfast when the Gulf Station Café came to life after 50 years of dormancy. Glen was an inspiration, a heartbeat, behind each of those dreams. In fact, he never stopped dreaming of his next big project.

In the woods or in the seat of a tractor is where Glen felt most connected. He was always on the tractor. He wore out the old John Deere and was well into wearing out the next farm tractor! Few things proved more glorious than seeing a crop of peas, or beans, or tomatoes flourish. Joy, for him, was sitting on the front porch of what he called “the camp,” his one room cabin in the woods by Toro creek, listening to the birds, silently marveling in the beauty of a doe and fawn in the early morning mist, a turkey taking flight to the trees, or butterflies and bees on the never-ending wildflowers of the field. In fact, Glen talked of having his ashes scattered under the canopy of an oak tree his grandson planted on the lower 80 acres; that is, until a beaver chopped down the tree one night. Well, that’s just the way of things in the woods, and in life. Bless you and thank you, Glen, for sharing with us, your family and friends, as you journeyed through the woods and the fields. This year’s garden is planted. The peas are coming up. The cucumbers and tomatoes are blooming. We will take good care of it for you.

Since Glen built fellowship and community wherever he went, we will celebrate his life with a memorial service followed with a potluck meal at the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 15, 2024. The community is invited to bring a dish and join the family for the service and meal.

Those left to cherish Glen’s memories are his four children, Walter Starks, Jr., Bubs Starks, John Starks and wife, Lori, and Kathryn Urban and husband, Mike; seven grandchildren, Danica Starks, Kira Starks, Steven Sloop, III and wife, Anna, Gage Sloop, Emma Hendrix and husband, Adam, Justin Urban, and Ella Starks; two great-grandchildren, Amelia Hendrix and Ariel Sloop; two brothers, Clifford Starks and Joe Starks; three sisters, Jean Weldon, Jerri Lampin, and Joy Starks; one very special sister-in-law, Pat Starks; a host of nieces and nephews; and a community of friends. Glen was welcomed home by his parents, Wylie Starks, Sr. and Mary Starks; two brothers, Wylie Starks, Jr. and Charles Starks; and two sisters, Doris Cobb and Delight Gable.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Florien High School FFA, 500 High School Dr., Florien, LA 71429; Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 5049 Hwy 118, Florien, LA 71429; or St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

John Wesley Heard

/ NPJ

January 17, 1973 — May 28, 2024

A private funeral service was held for John Wesley Heard, 51, of Many, Louisiana. John was born on January 17, 1973 to Joel Heard and Gay Scott Heard in Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. He passed away on May 28, 2024 in Many, Louisiana.

John lived every day of his life true to himself. He was a hardworking, loyal man to those who knew him best. He was also a loving and caring son, brother, uncle, nephew, and friend to many. His greatest title, however, was DAD! He was a one-of-a-kind father, who meant the world to his girls. His passing was sudden and unexpected, and he will forever be remembered and missed. His family can find peace in knowing he is at rest in his heavenly home.

He spent his working career in the forestry service and as a heavy equipment operator in various job titles. He learned his passion for heavy equipment operating and dirt work early on from his father, whom he shared a very close relationship with. He was a God-fearing man and had a close walk with the Lord. He inspired his children and family with his strong faith.

John was preceded in death by his mother, Gay Scott Heard. He is survived by his father, Joel Heard; wife, Charlotte Heard; and daughters, Avery Heard of New Llano, Louisiana and Paige Heard of Many, Louisiana; sisters, Karla Oglesby of Palasade, Colorado, Jennifer Borel and husband, David, of Many, Louisiana, and Amy Jones and husband, Ivan, of Minden, Louisiana; brothers, Mark Heard and wife, Dusty, of Many, Louisiana and Jason Heard and wife, Sandra, of Many, Louisiana; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Honoring John as pallbearers were Calvin Dale Campbell, Jacob Heard, Jason Heard, Mark Heard, Ivan Jones, and Ross Skidmore. Serving as an honorary pallbearer was Landon Jones.

Nelia Nell Byrd O’Haver

/ NPJ

October 11, 1944 — May 30, 2024

Nelia Nell Byrd O’Haver,79, passed from this life on May 30, 2024 in Converse, Louisiana. She was born on October 11, 1944 to Jesse Lee Byrd and Mattie Louise Walker in Clare, Louisiana. She is preceded in death by her parents and sisters, Myrna Byrd and Martha Byrd; brothers, Whimpy Byrd and Teddy Byrd. She is survived by her sons, Clinton Alford of Converse, Louisiana and Charles Alford of Shreveport, Louisiana; sister, Susie Byrd; brother, Shorty Byrd; and grandson, JT Alford of Natchitoches, Louisiana.

James Larry Primeaux

/ NPJ

July 31, 1949 — May 30, 2024

Services for James Larry Primeaux, 74, were held on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 9891 Texas Hwy, Many, Louisiana.

James was born on July 31, 1949 to Arvin Primeaux and Alice Duprie in Lake Charles, Louisiana and passed away on May 30, 2024 in Many, Louisiana.

James was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Janetta Primeaux; sons, Chad Primeaux and wife, Sarah, Johnny Primeaux and wife, Brandi, Corey Primeaux and wife, Alisha, James Primeaux and wife, Elizabeth, and JamesDallas Primeaux; daughters, Katrina Crawford and husband, Jason, Crystal Ponthier, and Donia McMahan; sister, Marlene Barnes; 13 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

Opportunity: Maintenance Repairer 2

/ NPJ

JOB: Maintenance Repairer 2

SALARY: $3,410.00 – $6,136.00 Monthly

LOCATION: Natchitoches, LA

JOB TYPE: Classified

JOB NUMBER: CRT-2024-195475-TJ

DEPARTMENT: Culture Rec & Tourism-State Museum

OPENING DATE:  05/30/2024

CLOSING DATE:  6/13/2024,11:59 PM Central

This position is located at the Office of State Museum in Natchitoches, LA.

DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

40% Assists with the set-up and take-down before, during, and after Museum events and rentals. Performs maintenance and upkeep of in-house systems and exhibits. Monitors pest control and security systems of the site through daily routines and procedures. Acquires and assists with the acquiring of items necessary to complete projects including contractor bids and making approved purchases.

25% Performs minor general maintenance work and repairs on building HV AC systems. Performs duties such as construction, repair, and painting assignments, paints sheetrock, plasters walls, does trim work, and finishes other surfaces. Erects scaffolding, sands, scrapes, and scales surfaces for painting. Installs lighting devices and fixtures, connecting beaters and other installation. Performs minor plumbing by cutting and threading pipes, running lines, installing fixtures, connecting heaters and other installations.

20% Constructs, and assists with construction and installation of exhibits. Moves and assists with movement of collection items and loaned artifacts under the direction of appropriate staff.

10% Oversees contractors performing electrical, carpentry, painting and plumbing repairs to buildings and equipment, masonry work, sheetrock finishing and other related jobs not performed by the agency that might require a licensed tradesman.

5% Compiles and assists with maintenance related reports, inventory monitoring, and purchase recommendations.

Performs other duties as assigned.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.

TO APPLY:
Click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/louisiana/jobs/4525709/maintenance-repairer-2

Notice of Death – June 6, 2024

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Patricia C. Jackson
November 24, 1943 – June 6, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Patricia Ann Mosley
October 28, 1943 — June 5, 2024
Service: Saturday, June 8 at 10 am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

Edward Dorsey
May 13, 1957 – June 5, 2024
Arrangements TBA

James Donald Moss Jr.
January 9, 1952 — May 31, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Mittie Calhoun
June 1, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Sadie M. Johnson
February 7, 1951 – May 31, 2024
Arrangements TBA

LDWF Makes Statewide Boating Arrests

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The following has been provided by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries:

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division arrested 10 boaters statewide for allegedly driving or operating a vessel while intoxicated (DWI) during the Memorial Day Weekend from Saturday, May 25 to Monday, May 27.

The LDWF Enforcement Division also reported zero boating fatalities for the Memorial Day weekend.

”Our agents continue to do a great job of enforcing recreational boating regulations including being very strict when it comes to looking for impaired boat operators. Doing that makes the waterways of Louisiana a safer place for everyone,” said Major Clay Marques, the state’s boating law administrator.

On May 25, agents arrested:

Santo Spitale, 23, of Morgan City, on the Atchafalaya River. Matthew Fuller, 44, Sulphur, on Prien Lake. Kelly R. Foreman, 54, of Rayne, on the Mermentau River. Michael Phillips, 44, of Pineville, on Kincaid Lake. Kory Despaux, 41, of Arabi on Intracoastal Waterway.

On May 26, agents arrested:

Richard Minchew, 49, of Columbia, on the Ouachita River.Ian Johnson, 28, of Loranger, on the Tickfaw River.

On May 27, agents arrested:

Jaycob Golightly, 26, of Ragley, on the Calcasieu Ship Channel. Landin S. Carriere, 20, of Eunice, on the Mermentau River. Brody Holt, 20, of Sieper, on Kincaid Lake.

Anyone cited for a DWI on the water or on the road will lose his or her driver’s license and boating privileges for the specified time ordered by the judge in the case. Also, each offense of operating a vehicle or vessel while intoxicated counts toward the total number of DWI crimes whether they happened on the water or road.

In Louisiana, a DWI can be issued to anyone operating a moving vessel or vehicle while impaired. First offense DWI carries a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

Custer Comes to Louisiana

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BY RICKEY ROBERTSON

When General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate Army to General U.S. Grant at Appamattox Court House in Virginia on April 9, 1865, the war was supposedly over. But further south there were several Confederate Generals and units that refused to surrender and they moved into Texas to continue the fight. General Kirby Smith and General Chief Stand Watie and their units had moved from the area around Shreveport, La. and the state of Arkansas into Texas and Oklahoma and the Union Army had to send units into Louisiana to counter these Confederate units now in Texas. Over 3000 Union cavalrymen arrived in Alexandria, La. and were commanded by one of the Union Army’s most famous cavalry officers, General George A. Custer.

They would train and resupply then head to Texas to stop the rebellion. Due to Alexandria, Louisiana, having been burned in 1864 by the retreating Union Army commanded by General Nathaniel Banks in its failed attempt to win the Red River Campaign and capture Shreveport, Louisiana, Custer’s men lived in tents down near the Red River. Custer himself lived in one of the few houses that had not been destroyed in the area of present day downtown Alexandria on 4th Street. I have read many excerpts of how during this occupation of Alexandria Custer’s cavalrymen would make forays westward toward present day Gardner and Hineston searching for any type of food supplies they could find and on many occasions they would take cattle and yearlings back to Alexandria to be butchered to feed the troops. And sadly Southern folks were starving to death throughout the area.

Custer and his troops stayed from June to August 8, 1865 preparing for the expedition into Texas. When orders arrived for the command to move out and advance into Texas, wagons were loaded with supplies and hundreds of tents were taken down and folded, and over 3000 Union cavalrymen said good bye to Louisiana and hello to Texas. It took this large column of cavalry and supply wagons 4 days to get to the Sabine River where they crossed into Texas at “Bevil’s Ferry”.

Custer led his command on into Texas ever watching for Confederate units that had not surrendered. But General Kirby Smith surrendered his army and General Chief Stand Watie surrendered his Confederate unit comprised of Oklahoma Native Americans at Doaksville, Oklahoma on June 23, 1865.

All Confederate units had now surrendered. There would be no more battles. Custer led his troops into Austin, Texas where he eventually commanded a cavalry division during the Reconstruction Period in the South. After the war Custer was given the permanent rank of Lt. Colonel. Custer always wanted to be in the spotlight during his career. He requested a transfer to the northwest territories so that he could be in the fight against the Plains Indian tribes. The flamboyant and fancy dressed Custer did lead his famous 7th Cavalry into battle in 1876 and we all know the story of his great defeat at the Battle of the Little Big Horn where he died fighting with his cavalry detachment . Yes even in death this battle addressed Custer as the hero of the Little Big Horn fight.

So even not in Louisiana but a couple of month’s, our state can now lay claim that Custer had served in our state before carrying his troops into Texas. Louisiana has so much military history, dating all the way back to the War of 1812 to the present War On Terror, with so many famous officers having been in our state. And now we can add George Armstrong Custer to this list of famous officers !

Ponderings by Doug

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By Doug De Graffenried

Which of the Ten Commandments do you think is the most violated among Christians? Have you figured it out yet?

It appears to be the most innocuous of the list. In Exodus the commandment reads, “Remember the Sabbath.” In Deuteronomy the commandment reads, “Observe the Sabbath.” We are to do something with the Sabbath, we are not sure what to do.

When was the last time you did nothing? I’m talking Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-a closed on Sunday nothing. Let’s start there. Remembering and observing the Sabbath carry at the root of meaning the idea of doing nothing. You take on no project. You finish no task. You put down the phone. You rest.

The rest and refreshment of the Sabbath is a gift of God. He rested after creation. His rest gives us a pattern for our well-balanced spiritual life. Sabbath is the foundation of our spiritual formation in Christ. If we are not taking time to be with Christ, how will we know Him and serve Him?

You get the idea. So that is a thumbnail of a sermon I preached last week. Trust me, Sunday is not a Sabbath for preachers. I was up at four. Preached twice. Served communion in two services. Prepared my devotional thoughts for the VBS volunteers and then I went home. Once home, I prepared to play refrigerator musical chairs. There were a total of three refrigerators that were moved on Sunday afternoon. I also did a quick removal and replacement of two standing cabinets in the laundry room. Of course, all the stuff in the refrigerators had to be relocated.

I thought it ironic that I was exhausted on a day I had preached about Sabbath.

In thumbing through the manual for the new refrigerator, I discovered that my new refrigerator has a Sabbath setting for the ice maker. Since part of keeping the Sabbath is refraining from any kind of work, this refrigerator joins along in Orthodox Jewish households in refraining from ice making and alarm sounding.

If an icemaker can be programed for a Sabbath rest, do you suppose that you and I are wise enough to take a step back from the frenetic pace of our world for Sabbath?

Jesus said, “Come unto me all you who are weary (overworked at the end of your rope and never catching up people) and I will give you rest.” If my refrigerator can observe Sabbath, I can too.

What about you?

Doug de Graffenried is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach Doug at his email:  DougDeGraffenried

Legislative Session Update

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By Elizabeth White and Maddie Scott, LSU Manship School News Service

Gov. Jeff Landry took office with a conservative agenda and a Republican super-majority in the Legislature after eight years of a Democratic governor, promising sweeping changes in this year’s legislative session.

A major focus of Landry’s agenda was to reorganize the Louisiana Constitution by moving amendments into statutes. He and conservative lawmakers made a big push for the Legislature to authorize a limited constitutional convention.

But their efforts were stymied in the Senate. It also stripped-down proposals by Landry and his supporters to provide parents with state funds to send their children to private schools and to seal many state government records from public inspection.

As a result, Landry’s first regular legislative session, which ended Monday, was more of a mixed bag than expected given the Republican dominance in both chambers. He and his allies also had victories in taking more control of state boards, reclassifying abortion pills as dangerous controlled substances, limiting gender discussion in schools and deregulating home insurance providers.

The Legislature also passed $48 billion in budget bills that included the governor’s proposals for one-time stipends of $2,000 for public K-12 teachers and $1,000 stipends for school support workers.

Where the governor ran into opposition

Landry had momentum after pushing through most of his anti-crime proposals in a special session earlier this year. He initially wanted the Legislature to start a constitutional convention on May 20 as the regular session was going on, and the House seemed willing to go along.

“This is about giving the Legislature the tools to address the problems that we know are coming,” Landry said in April, referring to a projected decline of more than $400 million in state revenue next year when part of the state sales tax expires. “We got to start working and figuring out how we can minimize the cuts to education and health care,” he said.

One of Landry’s goals was to remove constitutional protections on much of the state’s spending to give him more leeway in dealing with the drop-off in revenue next year.

Opponents of the bill were worried that the timeline was too rushed and that he could turn the convention into a power grab.

Under House Bill 800, the Legislature would have held joint committee meetings on different articles of the constitution throughout June and July and then convened for a two-week-long convention in August.

But there was opposition in the Senate to cementing that timetable. Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, the chairman of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee, told WBRZ that he refused to put the House bill on his committee’s agenda.

 

However, Landry and convention supporters still have plans for public meetings in June and July with intentions of calling a special session in August.

Another area where Landry got less than expected was in education reform, most notably creating education savings accounts that would allow parents to use state funding to send their children to private schools.

“The steps we need to take are simple,” Landry said during his opening remarks for the 2024 session. “Make all education lead to a vocation and put parents back in control, and let the money follow the child.”

The original plan for the education savings accounts was included in a bill that passed the House and was shelved in the Senate.

State officials and private experts estimated that Landry’s plan would have eventually cost taxpayers $300 million to $500 million a year, and many lawmakers wondered where the state would find the money.

Landry’s proposal also ran into opposition from school officials in rural parishes, including some that do not have many private schools. Opponents were concerned that giving parents $5,000 to $7,500 a year for each child who attended private school would divert funds from public education.

Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, sponsored a compromise–a scaled-back version that would delay the plan’s implementation and make it easier for the Legislature to reduce the funding. It calls on state education officials to study existing educational resources to determine the need for a savings plan and then work with lawmakers on funding levels.

Where Landry won clear victories

Landry is expected to sign other education bills to limit the use of alternative pronouns and discussions of gender and to require schools to post the 10 Commandments in classrooms.

Landry also sought more power over state boards and commissions, leading lawmakers to pass two bills giving the governor more power over higher education and state ethics boards.

Senate Bill 462 by Sen. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, would allow the governor to appoint certain boards and commissions. Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge. said 483 boards and commissions have appointed positions, and Hodges’ bill would affect 148 of those.

“It helps us to be able to start the move—the agenda of the incoming governor, who by the way, is elected by the people,” Landry said on April 24. “It’s only fair that he has, or she has, the opportunity to work with the boards in a manner that he or she sees fit.”

Senate Bill 497 by Sen. Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, amended provisions concerning the selection of members of the state Board of Ethics.

In appointing members, current law requires the governor to pick from a list of nominees presented by college and university leaders. The bill removes the involvement of colleges and universities, giving the governor and legislative leaders more power to appoint who they want.

The bill’s final version also expanded the number of board members from nine to 15. Of those 15 members, the governor would appoint nine.

Taking a risk on insurance?

Many Louisiana homes remain unrepaired after a series of hurricanes hit the state in recent years. After 2021, homeowners saw insurance companies raise prices.

Tim Temple, the new commissioner of insurance, pushed for a series of bills to deregulate the industry with the aim of attracting more competition.

“Our new insurance commissioner is working tirelessly to find solutions that make Louisiana an attractive market for more companies to write here,” Landry said during opening remarks for the legislative session. “Commissioner Temple believes, and I agree with him, that the deregulatory measures he is undertaking will improve market conditions.”

House Bill 611, one of the more controversial insurance bills, would end the three-year rule limiting policy cancellations. This means an insurer may decide not to renew up to 5% of its customers’ policies per calendar year for any reason, provided that no more than 5% of the insurer’s policies be dropped in one parish. Landry signed the bill on May 7.

Another new law will allow insurance companies to raise premium rates without obtaining prior approval from Temple’s office.

Some lawmakers warned that there could be a political backlash against Landry and Temple if a devastating hurricane hits Louisiana and premiums surge or insurance companies bail out of the state again.

In the final hours of the session Monday, Landry also salvaged a small part of what he wanted in closing records of state deliberations to the public. The Legislature passed an amended version of House Bill 767, which would prohibit anyone who is not a Louisiana resident from making a public records request about the governor.

Public records have been a widely debated topic with the Senate blocking a push by Landry’s office pushing for far greater restrictions.

Just how good is Lake Sam Rayburn?

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The Ark-La-Tex region is blessed with some of the best bass fishing lakes in the country. Toledo Bend, Lake Fork, Caddo Lake, Lake of the Pines, Caney, Bussy Break are all area lakes that continue to make the Bassmaster Top 100 lakes in the country every year. But there’s one that has emerged as the best of the best — Lake Sam Rayburn!

Located in the heart of East Texas just east of Lufkin, Sam Rayburn continues to defy logic and mystify marine biologists. By that I mean, no other lake in this region gets more pressure and hosts more tournaments than Rayburn and yet it continues to put out huge stringers of bass week after week. Today I’ll give you some statistics that will illustrate just how good Sam Rayburn is at this time.

One way to judge a lake is to look at tournament results. It’s a great barometer to determine how healthy a fishery really is. One recent tournament was the Bob Sealy Big Bass Splash which is held annually on Sam Rayburn in the month of April. Anglers from all over the country make their way to this famed reservoir each year for one thing — to catch big bass! This year the Sealy event did not disappoint as record numbers were caught. 

Here’s some impressive numbers to back up why Sam Rayburn is truly the best. These weights reflect the total bass weighed over the three-day event. 

  • Friday –– 41 bass weighed in over 7 pounds with nine of them over the 9-pound mark including the winning fish of the event coming in at 11.30.  
  • Saturday –– 34 bass over 7 pounds came to the scales with 14 coming in over 8 pounds. 
  • Sunday –– a good day but not as good as the two previous days, which is normal for a three-day event, as only 13 fish were weighed in over 7 pounds. 

With all Bob Sealy events, there’s an hourly payback, as well, that pays the Top 15 places per hour. Here’s what it took to just get an hourly check.  

  • Friday – it took a bass weighing 5.38 pounds to get at least 15th place each hour. 
  • Saturday – you needed a 4.66-pounder to make the Top 15.
  • Sunday – a 4.20-pound bass put you in the Top 15. 

To the average person who does not fish, these numbers mean nothing, but to an angler, these numbers are off the chart impressive!

What makes this even more amazing is the fact that from January through the end of September, there’s not a single weekend where Rayburn isn’t hosting at least two tournaments. 

Most lakes with this kind of pressure will have a drop off in the quality of bass caught. But not Sam Rayburn and that’s a testament to the hard work of the Texas Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. No other state does as good a job of producing great fisheries than Texas.

If you’re looking for a place to go and catch big bass, look no further than Lake Sam Rayburn.

‘Til next time good luck, good fishing and when in doubt, set the hook!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

OPPORTUNITY: District Truancy and Attendance Support Officer

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POSITION: District Truancy and Attendance Support Officer

QUALIFICATIONS:
• High School Diploma
• Previous law enforcement experience preferred
• Serve on the Student Services’ Team as a truancy officer, meet with parents and students to improve
the attendance of students in Natchitoches Parish. To support students by providing safe schools and
addressing all factors which may limit student achievement.

DEADLINE: Wednesday, May 29, 2024; 4:00 p.m.

WHERE TO APPLY:

Linda G. Page, Director of Personnel
Natchitoches Parish School Board
310 Royal Street, P. O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71458-0016
Email: lpage@npsb.la
Phone: (318) 352-2358
Website: npsb.la

APPLICATIONS: Application packet should consist of a letter of application, resume’, diploma or transcript, and two letters of reference.

The Best of All Losers

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By Brad Dison

Tom wanted to win, as we all do when we compete in something.  In 1862, 14-year-old Tom persuaded his parents to allow him to travel to New York as a passenger on a sailing ship.  Tom’s parents were poor, but the cost of the passage was cheaper than feeding Tom.  They reluctantly agreed.  Tom was entranced by the sailing ship.  He was amazed that simple wind power could move such a large vessel. 

While in New York, Tom worked in a grocery store.  He took a keen interest in the process of purchasing goods from wholesalers and selling products to customers for a profit.  He learned that having good products to offer was not enough.  Advertising was good but clever advertising was better.  Tom saved a large portion of his pay.  He had a plan.  When he thought he had saved enough money, he would return to Scotland and open his own shop.  Five years later, Tom returned to Scotland and fulfilled his plan.  Tom began by importing goods from America, items which were unavailable at other grocery stores.  Tom’s shop flourished.  Within a few years, Tom owned a chain of grocery stores.  Tom traveled the world, mostly on sailing ships, in search of new and unique items to sell in his shops.  On the opening day of one of his shops, Tom’s shop had an estimated 60,000 customers and sold 50 cases of butter in rolls, 1 ½ tons of lump butter, 1 ton of bacon, 1 ½ tons of hams, ½ ton of cheese, and 16,000 eggs.  From the late 1870s to the mid-1880s, sales doubled from £40 million to £80 million.  By this time, Tom owned more than 200 shops in multiple countries.  By 1914, the chain grew to over 500 stores.    

Tom was known for his advertising campaigns.  In 1882, in one of his most notable advertising schemes, Tom bought three of the world’s largest cheeses.  They arrived onboard a steamship called the Bolivia, but there was a problem.  They didn’t have a crane large enough to unload the heavy cheeses.  The heaviest weighed 2400 pounds.  The other two weighed 2100 pounds each.  They measured five feet in diameter, were 2 feet 2 inches deep, and had a circumference of 16 feet.  It took New York farmers six days to milk the 800 cows to get enough milk for the cheese.  Once unloaded, Tom displayed the cheeses in his markets in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Leeds.  On Christmas eve, the mammoth cheeses were cut up and sold to the delighted customers.

Tom needed a new, grander advertising scheme.  In 1898, Tom had a yacht built specifically to enter the international sailing competition known as America’s Cup.  Tom’s yacht was called the Shamrock.  Rather than being a single race, America’s Cup consisted of five races.  The winner of three or more of the races won the trophy known as the Auld Mug.  In 1899, Tom pitted his Shamrock against the reigning champion, Columbia.  The Columbia won the first three races and retained the Auld Mug.  Tom lost the America’s Cup but the press the race garnered was sensational for his business.  Tom tried four more times to win America’s Cup but failed.  Due to the worldwide press coverage, Tom’s business soared to new heights.  Tom became a folk hero whom the press dubbed the “lovable loser.”  After his fifth and final attempt, America’s Cup officials awarded Tom a specially designed cup for his being “the best of losers.”  Tom was Sir Thomas Lipton, the first person to sell tea in teabags. 

Sources:

1.      Rossingh, Danielle, “America’s Cup: New York Turns Back Time,” CNN.com, May 6, 2016, accessed May 26, 2024,  https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/06/sport/americas-cup-new-york-history-sailing/index.html.

2.     Lothian Courier, June 3, 1876, p.4.

3.     The Courier and Argus (Dundee, Scotland), December 13, 1882, p.3.

4.     “History of Lipton Tea from the 1800s through to Today,” www.lipton.com, accessed May 26, 2024, https://www.lipton.com/us/en/our-purpose/the-history-of-lipton-tea.‌   

Notice of Death – June 5, 2024

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James Donald Moss Jr
January 9, 1952 — May 31, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Mittie Calhoun
June 1, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Sadie M. Johnson
February 7, 1951 – May 31, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Martha Eugenia (Jean) Dumars
March 17, 1960 – June 1, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Catherine Biggers Christensen
December 29, 1956 — May 8, 2024
Service: Saturday, June 8 at 2 pm at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home

Remains found near Marthaville presumptively identified as Steven W. Burkett

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Human remains discovered near Marthaville on Friday morning, May 24, have been presumptively identified according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.

Natchitoches Parish Coroner Steven Clanton said on May 27, the skeletal remains discovered on Friday morning at approximately 10:44 am, off of the Preston Hayes Road near Marthaville in a private pond and on the outer banks have been presumptively identified through evidence gathered at the scene as that of Steven W. Burkett.

The remains are being transported to the LSU F.A.C.E.S. Lab in Baton Rouge for examination and positive identification.

Family members were notified on Friday of the discovery.

Detectives say the investigation began, over two years ago, back on February 13, 2022 at approximately 11:00pm, when a female friend of Burkett contacted the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office reporting him missing under suspicious circumstances.

Deputies spoke with the friend, gathered information and completed an offense report for investigative purposes.

Burkett, 49, at the time, was described as a white male, 5’11”, 175 pounds, with medium length brown hair and brown eyes.  He reportedly lived in the 100 block of Eddie Williams Road near Marthaville, La.

A missing person bolo was issued along with Burkett being placed in the National Crime Information Center as a missing person.

Detectives began speaking with family and friends in an effort to gather additional information about Mr. Burkett.

Detectives executed search warrants in the area, including one at his home, searching for any clues or evidence.

On four occasions, NPSO Detectives, along with assistance from the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office, Many Police Department, Natchitoches Parish Fire District #7, cadaver dogs from Shreveport Fire Department, Ark-La-Tex K-9 Rescue searched several hundred acres in separate locations on Preston Hayes Road near Marthaville and other areas on foot, all-terrain vehicles and horseback looking for Burkett or any clues to his whereabouts.

Detectives continued to investigate the case, following up on tips, submitting evidence to the crime lab and used media sources to ask for the public’s help.

KTBS Channel 3 did an In-Dept Story on Burkett’s disappearance.

Last week, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Detectives and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Detectives working on a tip traveled to a private pond off of the Preston Hayes Road near Marthaville.

With the landowner’s full cooperation and permission, detectives along with assistance from the NPSO Dive Team and North Sabine Parish Dive Team discovered human skeletal remains in the water and on the outer banks of the pond.

Detectives and dive team members remained on scene throughout Friday afternoon sifting through the shallow pond water and on the outer banks for any additional evidence that may assist in the investigation.

This was the first time, detectives searched this private pond, however, other nearby ponds had been searched.

Natchitoches Parish Coroner Steven Clanton responded to the scene.  The remains were carefully collected and transported to the LSU F.A.C.E.S lab in Baton Rouge for examination, analysis and positive identification.
Clanton said “it appeared the remains had been at this location for a couple of years, and during the collection of the remains, evidence was discovered that leads us to presumptively believe the remains are that of Mr. Steven W. Burkett.”

Detectives are remaining tight-lipped about the investigation but say Natchitoches and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Detectives are aggressively pursuing leads in the case.

The case remains active and ongoing.

If you have any information you would like to share contact the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau at 318-357-7830.

Public Awareness Message: 2026 motor vehicle inspection sticker fading issue

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Louisiana State Police has been made aware of a defect in Motor Vehicle Inspection (MVI) stickers issued for the year 2026. Upon initial adhesion to a vehicle windshield, the “26” sticker has a yellow background. Due to sun exposure, the sticker may potentially fade from yellow to clear or white.

Individuals who have received 2026 MVI stickers from January 1, 2024, until the present date may experience fading. It is important to note that despite the fading, these MVI stickers will remain valid. No action is required by the vehicle owner. The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) is aware of this issue, and is working to replace the current unissued inventory.