CLTCC awarded $250,000 grant from Coughlin Saunders Foundation plus $250,000 match from state to purchase new equipment, enhance classroom instruction

Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) was able to acquire new equipment and enhance classroom learning for students thanks to $500,000 in total grants funds from the Coughlin Saunders Foundation and the Louisiana Community Technical College System (LCTCS).

The Coughlin Saunders Foundation awarded CLTCC $250,000 to purchase equipment for five program areas: Nursing & Allied Health, Manufacturing, Welding, Electrical Technology, and Drafting & Design Technology. LCTCS matched the Coughlin Saunders grant with another $250,000 from the Workforce Training Rapid Response Grant.

The college will demonstrate some of the new equipment during a press conference with the Coughlin Saunders Foundation at the Alexandria Campus Saturday, April 7 at 1 p.m.

“We are using the generous donation from the Coughlin Saunders Foundation to expand our instruction and create more opportunities for hands-on learning in the classroom, which will make our graduates more employable,” said Chancellor Jimmy Sawtelle. “This is the third most recent grant we have received from a private foundation, and we are so grateful for this strong community support.”

“Our goal is to promote the Alexandria area through leadership in philanthropy,” said Sally Saunders Cockerham, Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Coughlin Saunders Foundation. “We believe CLTCC is serving our citizens, and we view this donation as an investment in the high-wage, high-demand careers identified in Central Louisiana.”

Equipment purchased with the grants funds include nursing simulators, pumps and piping trainers, hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical trainers, manufacturing tools, welding machines, electrical trainers and more.

The new equipment will expand CLTCC’s capabilities in the following areas:

· Reduced student-to-training equipment ratio – there will be more training equipment for each individual student (less sharing).

· More capacity – increase in the number of available classroom seats.

· Decrease in out-of-pocket expenses for students – students will not have to purchase their own tools.

· Improvement in technical skills – simulation equipment and trainers will give students access to latest technology.

· Safer work environment due to new equipment.

Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) is a two-year technical and community college offering associate degrees, technical diplomas, industry certificates, and customized training in more than 20 disciplines to support local workforce development and prepare students for good-paying jobs. CLTCC serves 11 parishes in Central Louisiana through its nine campuses and provides instruction in three state prisons and two federal correctional institutions. For more information, visit http://www.cltcc.edu.

The Coughlin Saunders Foundation strives to make a difference in the Alexandria/Pineville living environment through leadership in philanthropy.

The Sabine Parish Spring Fair is this week at the Many Fairgrounds! Open April 4th-7th with free gate entrance!

Saturday morning at 9:00 am begins the Men’s Conference at Red River Cowboy Church. The theme is from Matthew 4:19 “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

One of the event coordinators, Lyle Kniffin said there will be a full slate of activities on Saturday. Featured guest speaker will be Stephen Patton, pastor at Lewis Chapel from the Little Egypt community on LA 120. Kniffin said, “He is a hunter, a fisherman, humorist and pastor. We will be there to show people who normally don’t go to church that we Christians can still have a good time.”

The day’s activities include a raffle for a Henry .22 magnum rifle. Participants may take part is fish casting, a turkey shoot, and everyone gets to enjoy a free fish fry.

Kniffin invited all men in the area to attend. He said, “It’s all about loving your fellow man…just love your brother!”

Red River Cowboy Church is located at Lake End on Highway 1 south at LA 174.

By Reba

Being on this earth for 42 Easters thus far I’ve learned a thing or two about Easter fashion and finding the perfect Easter dress for myself and my two daughters. Having been a mother for the past 19 years I’m also well aware of the Easter candy shuffle. There’s a lot of man hours dedicated to compiling a legendary Easter basket that contains the perfect consistency of sugary confections and trendy items, most of which will likely be lost or broken before the following Monday.

When I was a child we didn’t have a lot of extra money, but my mother always made sure we had an Easter dress. It may have been purchased from a clearance rack, a hand me down from a cousin or neighbor, or even from a garage sale, but we always had a dress. It was deemed one of the only Sundays where you had to be presentable. It didn’t matter if we looked like ragamuffins the other 51 Sundays of the year.

Being a preacher’s daughter and a preacher’s daughter-in-law (for 22 years) I’m well versed in the different styles of Easter Sermons that come along with the fanfare of Easter Sunday morning. It’s that obligatory church attendance that will have you wondering who all of the new faces are in church. More times than not, you may not see these people until next year unless you run into them at the local Walmart.

Easter Sundays are different for a preacher’s family. There are weeks of preparations that go into the sermon, crowd control, and special music. They’ll arrive at church earlier than normal and typically stay longer as well. Meaning, the family doesn’t eat until much later, which has them running a high risk of having “hangry” kids and inpatient Preacher’s wives.

My favorite Easter Sunday growing up was when my dad invited a lot of extra people over for lunch and my mother was very much unprepared. But, her four-letter vocabulary was very prepared for the occasion. We still chuckle at the thought of my soft spoken mother articulating her displeasure with her entire bank of swear words.

There is no stress like Holy Week stress.

The Easter stress finally caught up with me this year as I told my youngest daughter to text me a few things she may want in her basket this year. I was met with dead silence, then she weakly uttered the words, “the Easter Bunny isn’t real.” Oops. Sorry kiddo. Life is full of little white parental lies.

This year has been different for so many reasons. When I stopped long enough to do the math on the amount of time, energy and money that was dedicated to purchasing 42 Easter dresses for myself, 18 for my oldest and 10 for my youngest it was completely overwhelming and a little disheartening. So disheartening I’m thinking of wearing jeans Sunday morning.

Easter isn’t about the dress or a fashion show. It’s not about the perfectly filled basket. It’s not about the perfect family meal. It’s not about the perfect guest list for lunch. It’s not about perfectly well behaved children and a dozen pictures posted to prove how perfect our life is.

I’m a Christian who is ashamed to admit that her prior 42 Easters were all about the perfection. All about the dress and stress.

I am walking into my 43rd Easter as a divorced and flawed Christian believer who’s faith has been tested tremendously for the last 10 months dealing with the loss of a family unit. But, due to this it’s the first year I’ve spent time reflecting on the events that led up to the Crucifixion of Christ. My eyes have been opened and my heart filled with the true meaning of Easter Sunday for the first time in my life and I am grateful for this tragedy that has brought me closer to him.

“Then Jesus came forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate said unto them, Behold the man!”

John 19-5

 

Ronald Knott was inducted into the Sabine Parish Hall of Fame at its Annual Induction Banquet March 27. Born in Converse, Knott now lives in Euless, Texas. He is a former Navy fighter pilot, a former Delta Airlines pilot, has authored multiple books, and was a 1956 chartering member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches.

Did you hear the one about a dog walking into a bar?

Well, I actually saw it. Yes, one of my dogs walked into a bar. Hopefully you want to know how that came about and I’d love to tell you.

Back in the 1990s, before Mary and I got back together following the 40-year gap in our relationship between being high school sweethearts and later being reunited, I was in my second bachelorhood.

I lived in the historic old McDonoughville section of Gretna, across the river from New Orleans, and there was an old fashioned neighborhood bar around the corner from my house. My neighbor, fellow newspaper reporter and best friend Vince and I would occasionally walk around to the bar on a Saturday afternoon to have a cool one or two.

It was a dog-friendly bar and one day we decided to take Bouse (I’ll explain that name later) with us. The nice bartender immediately took to Bouse and gave him a bowl of milk while Vince and I nursed a beer.

Well, a week or so later, I had hooked up Bouse to a long leash on the front porch and was busy doing something in the back of the house when I heard a knock at the door. One of the neighborhood youngsters said, “Mr., your dog got out of his collar and he’s gone around the corner.”

I trotted to the intersection just in time to see Bouse almost at the front door of the bar. By the time I got to him, he’d gone inside but I had to tell the bartender that we didn’t have time for a drink So I had to herd Bouse, without a leash or collar, back to the house. He wasn’t pleased because, dog gone it, he really wanted another bowl of good, cold milk.

Now, about his name. I’d gotten him from the Times-Picayune’s Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Walt Handelsman. (How many folks have had a dog that belonged to a Pulitzer winner, I wonder.) Walt’s family was growing and he said he had to get rid of either a dog or a kid, so he chose a dog. The dog’s name was Lucky at the time, because he had survived being a street dog in Uptown New Orleans, and he and I hit it off right away

I’d go home at lunchtime every day to feed him and let him out and when I’d see him I got into the habit of saying, “Hi, Boo.” Boo, as you may know, is a popular informal nickname in South Louisiana. Anyway, Boo sort of morphed into Bouse (pronounced like loose) and that became his name.

He was a shaggy haired lovable guy who really enjoyed his meals. When I wasn’t home, he’d jump up on my sofa, leaving tons of yellow and white hairs. When I’d see that, I’d fuss at him and tell him No. He must have wondered how in the world I knew he had been on the couch. But, he was a good dog and apparently quit that particular misdeed because after a while I saw no more hairs on the sofa.

He loved to sit on the front porch and he hated cats. One day a cat approached on the street and Bouse took off down the porch steps after him. Poor dog forgot he was attached to his leash and when the leash ran out, Bouse was flipped over on his back, like a roped calf at a rodeo. He wasn’t hurt but his dignity suffered in front of the hated feline, I’m sure.

I must admit, he didn’t hate every single cat on the planet. When Mary and I got back together in 1999, she had a cat, Pearl. When she brought Pearl into the house, Bouse stiffened and must have thought, “What is this woman doing with that creature?” However, Mary warned him to be good and Bouse and Pearl tolerated each other from then on, even taking naps while lying just a few feet apart. I don’t think Bouse ever asked Pearl to go to the bar with him, however.

As he aged, Bouse went deaf, but I could communicate with him through hand signals. To ask him if he wanted to go out into the back yard, I’d swing my arms toward the back door and he would run to it, ready to go outside.

I thought he was totally deaf, but he wasn’t. When Warren Morris hit his game winning home run for LSU in the 1996 College World Series, I hollered so loud that I woke up Bouse from a nap. Or maybe he felt vibrations in the wooden floor boards!
Bouse later developed arthritis and we gave him prescription meds from a vet. I think those powerful meds affected his liver because his appetite just quit. For this chubby fellow to want to quit eating was awfully ominous. I knew the end had come when he turned down a bite from a roast beef poor boy.

So, like so many others, Bouse was euthanized and went to doggie heaven, I’m sure. Her certainly deserved it Except for hating cats and wanting to visit a bar now and then, he was just about perfect.

Next week, I want to tell you about Belle. She was something.

 

BOM was proud to sponsor the Sabine Parish Spring Livestock Fund. Sabine Parish had about 50 youth representing 4-H or FFA and they exhibited their animals at the Spring Livestock Show. Our donation helped fund the Premier Exhibitor Award Winners. In the picture from left to right: Chris Pearce, County Agent, Daniel Bennett, BOM Market President & Commercial Lender, and Darrell Simmons, Many High School Ag Teacher.

 

The Sabine Parish community joined together with the Sabine Leaders Against Litter at its Spring Trash Bash on March 24.

Individuals and businesses alike picked up trash to beautify Sabine.

MidSouth Bank – Toledo Town branch employees Tracy Garcie, Kathy Tarro and Christine Key

Walgreens Manager Kenny Lashley and employee Phyllis Voisin

Ann Gasaway, Dorothy Gasaway, Sha’Cory Neal, Loretta Maxie, Cory Carhee, Geneva Thomas, JaMauri Thomas, and Tisha Thomas of the Yellow Pine community in Florien

Nicolas Oswalt and Shasta Cox of Spring Market in Zwolle

Phillip and Alexis Danley picked up trash near Buckeye Landing

Lynne Cuccia, Gladys Masselvander, Doug Warrick, Chuck Cuccia, Astrid Brown, Lanell Brumley, and Steve Brown collected a total of 17 bags of trash on Walkerville Road

Toledo Bend Lake Association members Bobby and Linda Ward picked up litter on Hwy. 191 North of Toledo Town

Girl Scout Troop 540

New residents in Elim Estates teamed up with Dana and Ricky Yeldell to pick up Carter Ferry South

Toledo Bend Lake Association members came out in force, picking up 37 bags of trash from the roadside along Hwy. 191, from Hwy. 6 (Toledo Town) to the Lanana Bridge

Members of the Toledo Bend Citizens Advisory Committee picked up litter on Hwy. 191 S. This organization also funded safety vest for all parish volunteers.

Sue Berry-Williams, Kristi Harris Kor, Hanna Kor, Dutch Kor, Arriannah Ward, Sarah Green, Lane Green, and Pastor Anthony Lowe cleaned up in Florien! They picked up a total of 33 bags of trash and 77 Busch beer cans.

Ricky Yeldell picked up bags of litter along the roadside at Lanana Bridge

 

Movies in Many will feature The Zookeeper’s Wife as the first free film of April. It is playing at the Many Community Center at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 7.

Admission to this true life story is free. This World War II story about two heroes is sponsored by Mayor Ken Freeman, the Town of Many and the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee.

Movies in Many are a goal of the sponsors to bring entertainment to citizens and residents of Many and the surrounding area.

Heroism can come from the most humble places.

That’s the message behind The Zookeeper’s Wife, the movie that tells the story of Antonina and Jan Żabiński’s heroic acts that saved around 300 Jews after Poland was invaded during World War II. Based on the book of the same name by Diane Ackerman, this big-screen adaptation finds Jessica Chastain playing a compassionate woman who helped save hundreds of lives alongside her zookeeper husband.

“Antonina was an ordinary woman who opened her doors to strangers,” Chastain said.“She sacrificed her safety, she sacrificed the safety of her children and everything that she loved to protect others. She created a sanctuary of her zoo, and not only did she save their lives, but she brought love and fostered hope and bolstered their spirits.”

Jan and Antonina lived at the Warsaw Zoo with their young son Ryszard and were compelled to protect the Jewish population from the German invasion. After Warsaw was bombed in 1939 and the majority of their exotic animals either died or were confiscated by German zoologists, the Żabińskis started hiding Nazi victims in the empty animal cages once the Warsaw Ghetto was established.

The couple devised a plan to turn the zoo into a pig farm in order to keep it operational, and it became just one of several ways Jan began smuggling people out of the ghetto. After he got permission from the Nazis to use the garbage inside to feed the pigs, the zookeeper would hide people in barrels underneath the garbage and bring them to the zoo. Jan also had access to the ghetto as a worker of the labor union and he would bring people out one or two at a time, pretending they were his workers. Once they got back to the zoo, the Żabińskis gave them identification and helped them find a place they could flee to.

But while most only remained for a few days, and mostly stayed in the various cages, the Żabińskis also housed families in their basement and home. Stephania Kenigswain Stibon‘s family hid in the zoo for over two months — the longest time anyone stayed. Stibon was just 7 months old when the war started and was 3 when her mother escaped the ghetto with her brother in 1943 and sought solace with the Żabińskis. The holocaust survivor tells how Antonina devised a clever system of signals to alert the houseguests of danger when German soldiers were nearby.

“I remember that we ran around the house when we could, because usually we were in the basement or in the cages,” Stibon recalls. “But what I remember most is that the Germans used to come from time to time, and when the people at the gate saw them coming, they gave a signal to the villa and Antonina used to sit by the piano and start to play and my brother and I knew we had to hide. My brother would always say, ‘Come, come, we have to hide so they don’t kill mom.’ ”

Though Tiroshe was too young to fully understand why they needed to hide, she says she clearly remembers fearing that the soldiers would kill her mother if they were found. Out of the 300 Jews the Żabińskis housed, only two didn’t survive the war.

The Żabińskis carried on with their life during this time, with Antonina giving birth to their daughter Teresa in 1944, near the end of the occupation. Jan also stayed active in the resistance and led the underground Polish army against the Nazis. He stockpiled weapons in the cages that weren’t used to hide people and was even captured and sent to a German prison in 1944. The zookeeper survived, however, and the family was reunited at their zoo after the war, reopening it in 1949. Jan resigned as director two years later.

Antonina, who died in 1971, and Jan, who died in 1974, were recognized by the State of Israel as the Polish Righteous Among the Nations for their actions. The Warsaw Zoo remains open in Poland.

But while they saved hundreds of lives, Teresa said her parents didn’t see themselves as heroes. “My parents told me that they did only what should have been done — it was their obligation to do that,” she says. “They were just decent people. They said decent people should do the same, nothing else. I’d like as many people as possible to understand what actually happened here in Warsaw during the war, and how much humanity and love can do.”

 

Photography fans will be able to learn all they want to know about taking pictures if they attend the Happy Hours photography classes on the second Saturday of April, May and June.

Professional photographer Teresa Hunter of Leesville is teaching the comprehensive, hands-on photography class which will meet again on Saturday, April 7. The creative class is held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Many Historic Depot Museum.

The April 7 afternoon class is sponsored by Many Mayor Ken Freeman, the Town of Many, the Depot Art Guild and the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee.

The photography class is one segment of the sponsors’ efforts to bring the creative arts to the citizens of Many and Sabine Parish. Other creative arts classes taught on Saturday afternoons include painting, crafts, and jewelry making.

Hunter, a commercial photographer well known for her creative photographs of people and animals, agreed to teach the class because she thought people would really like to learn about their cameras and how to take better pictures.

The April 7 class will focus on learning the basics: ISO, F-Stop, and shutter speed. The fee for the three-hour class is $25. Persons interested in taking the class should call Hunter at 337-396-6750 before to reserve a place.

Two more classes, on May 5 and June 2, will complete the four-class offering. The May class will focus on composition rules, background, and people in photos. The June class will feature lighting and a course overview, as well as a class show of work done during the four-months of classes.

The photography class is one segment of the sponsors’ efforts to bring the creative arts to the citizens of Many and Sabine Parish. Other creative arts classes taught on Saturday afternoons include painting, crafts, and jewelry making.

By Joe Darby

The loss of our rat terrier Mosby a couple of weeks ago has gotten me to thinking about the dogs that I’ve had throughout my life. It’s been a pleasant, but bitter-sweet journey in rememberance. I’d like to share some of my recollections with you, if you please.

My first dog was a black cocker spaniel. My two older sisters had taken me to a movie. It was a Van Johnson flick that had a couple of retrievers in it and one of them was named Fetchit. Well, wouldn’t you know Mother and Daddy had taken the occasion of their kids’ absence to go to the pound and adopt the spaniel, as a surprise.. My sisters and I promptly named her Fetchit, of course.

She was supposed to be the family dog, but she quickly decided that I was her special guy. I was about 5 or so at the time. She became my constant companion, going out to play with me, sleeping in my room at night and generally being my full time shadow. I even have an old black and white photo somewhere of Fetchit and me on my large tricycle, with her looking as if the trike was hers and she was giving me a ride.

Fetchit lived until I was in my mid teens. By that time her facial hair had turned almost all white and she had lost weight, but she was still going fairly strong. We took her to get a hair cut and grooming and while carrying her to the car, she wiggled and I dropped her. She seemed okay at the time, but a few days later we found her dead. I fear she may have suffered internal injuries from the fall, but perhaps it was just her time. I don’t know. But she was my first great dog.

The next notable pup I had was a Dachsund who was supposed to be named Fang, but a little nephew started calling him Honky for some reason and that’s the name that stuck. The little wiener had more personality than any other two or three dogs put together. He could sit that long little body up perfectly straight to beg for a scrap of food. And, oh, he loved to drink out of a Coke bottle, hardly spilling a drop.

He’d often bolt out the front door when it was opened and run down the street. With my long legs against his little short ones, I could catch up with him fairly easily. When he heard my running steps right behind him, he stop, give up, roll over on his back in the middle of the street and look at me as if to say, “Well, fancy meeting you here.”

He slept with me at night and another great photo I have is one Mother took of me and
Honky fast asleep, with my arm wrapped around his little wiener body.

He too lived to a ripe old age and passed away peacefully.

Then there was Nelson, named after Nelson Stokely, the LSU quarterback of the mid 1960s. I lived in an apartment complex in the New Orleans area and this little medium sized yellow mutt hung around the complex. We just sort of adopted each other and when I’d get home from work, I’d whistle for him and he’d coming running out from behind some apartment building or other, wagging his tail and grinning (I know they say dogs can’t grin, but…) from ear to ear. Then he’d follow me into my apartment, I’d feed him and we’d settle in for the night.

There was a young family in the complex who had also taken a shine to him and they were about to move into a house of their own. They asked if they could take Nelson with them, who would have kids to play with and a nice fenced in yard. I knew Nelson would have a better life with them, so I said they could have him. And they promised to keep his name as Nelson.

I have a few more dogs that I’d like to tell you about, but I think I’ll save those stories for next week. And don’t forget to give your dog an extra hug today, okay?

The Dog Who Saved Easter is the feature film at the Town of Many’s annual Easter party for the children and their families from Many and Sabine Parish. It will be shown on Saturday, March 31, at 7 p.m. at the Many Community Center.

It’s Easter and everyone’s favorite K-9 is back! The Bannisters are heading out on a family cruise and sending Zeus to doggie day care. Everything is going according to plan until . …. . You’ll have to see the movie to find out how Zeus saves the Easter holiday.

Physical comedy, sight gags, and of course the cuddly heroes will make The Dog Who Saved Easter a welcome addition to your family’s Easter holiday plans.

Children will receive an Easter favor from the Town of Many, Mayor Ken Freeman, and the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee. They are the sponsors of the free Easter movie.

Admission is free, and concessions are only $1 each.

Make your plans to see this Easter movie on March 31. It’s a great way for the family to enjoy the Easter holidays.

Funeral services for Janice Lynn Potter, 36, of Robeline, LA, will be held on Friday, March 30, 2018 at 3:00 PM at The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints with Bishop Jared Vincent officiating. Burial will follow in the Prospect Cemetery. Visitation will begin on Thursday, March 29, 2018, at 5:00 PM at Warren Meadows Funeral Home, Many, LA.

Janice Lynn Potter was born on Tuesday, July 7, 1981 in Alexandria, LA. She passed away on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans, LA. She was preceded in death by her father, Joseph Wallace Potter; maternal grandparents, John and Polly Harris; paternal grandfather, Wallace Potter; and her grandmother, Lois Daniels.

She is survived by her parents, James and Joan Daniels of Robeline, LA; sisters: Joyce Scott of Robeline, LA, Jodi Stone and husband Randy of San Antonio, TX, Joanie Potter of Robeline, LA and Jamie Cotton and husband Chris of Robeline, LA; brother, John Potter of Many, LA; grandmother, Elouise Potter of Many, LA; step-brothers: Chris Daniels and wife Melinda of Marthaville, LA, Tommy Daniels and wife Janice of Alexandria, LA and Phillip Daniels and wife Wendy of Mansfield, LA; special nieces and nephews: Preston Scott, Reagan and Ethan Stone, Joseph Hilton, Seth Potter, Caden Miller, Connor Vanhook, Christian Potter, Keegan Cotton, Kathryn, Asheleigh and Dylan Daniels, Cordell Daniels, Emily and Abby Daniels; along with a host of friends.

Pallbearers: Tommy Coburn, Matina Dorsey, Yancy Vallery, Chris Cotton, Randy Stone, Phillip Daniels, Kenneth Coburn and Jeff Potter.

Online condolences may be made to the family at http://www.warrenmeadows.com

 

 

MidSouth Bank awarded a $7,000 grant to Campti homeowner Cora Coldiron to make safety repairs to the structure of her home.

The funding was made available through the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Dallas’ SNAP program.

Coldiron was able to repair and replace damaged floors, windows and doors.

“I look forward to working with FHLB on an annual basis in obtaining grant funding to assist homeowners with making structural repairs to their homes,” said MidSouth Bank Community Outreach Development Specialist LaCarsha Babers. “Although funds run out quickly, our goal is to assist as many households as we possibly can.”

Eligible expenditures under the program include repair/replacement of a leaking roof; replacement of sheetrock due to rotten, molded or damaged walls; and repairs or installation of a wheel chair ramp and/or modifications to make to the home handicap accessible.

SNAP is not a home improvement program; rather, it is a grant for home repairs, rehabilitation and modifications. Home rehabilitation or modification projects must be structurally necessary, or made for the safety of the special needs resident.

Although funds for 2018 have been exhausted, MidSouth Bank expects to have funding available again in 2019.

About MidSouth Bancorp, Inc.
MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana, with assets of $1.9 billion as of December 31, 2017. MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. trades on the NYSE under the symbol “MSL.” Through its wholly owned subsidiary, MidSouth Bank, N.A., MidSouth offers a full range of banking services to commercial and retail customers in Louisiana and Texas. MidSouth Bank currently has 48 locations in Louisiana and Texas and is connected to a worldwide ATM network that provides customers with access to more than 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Additional corporate information is available at MidSouthBank.com.

 

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, along with the Louisiana Office of Tourism, are proud to announce that eight communities from across Louisiana are officially Louisiana Retirement Certified Areas. The Encore Louisiana Commission worked for over three months on naming these specific locations across the state that are now certified and focused on bringing retirees to enjoy their “encore” at life.

“These eight communities represent all of Louisiana and what we have to offer,” said Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. “With nearly 76 million baby boomers nearing retirement in the coming years, many states are working to draw them to their areas, and we thought we should take advantage to not only grow tourism but help spur economic development.”

The eight communities that have been certified include: Lafayette; Lake Charles; Natchitoches; Ruston and Lincoln Parish; Toledo Bend and Sabine Parish; Shreveport-Bossier City; Houma and Terrebonne Parish; and Thibodaux.

Criteria that was used in selecting the first eight communities included: climate; demographics; tax structure at the state and local levels; local housing availability; public safety and crime index; employment and volunteer opportunities; healthcare and medical services; public transportation; recreational areas; and festival and fairs, just to name a few.

Each of these communities have demonstrated qualities that make them premier locations for retirees. Part of being certified as a retirement area includes state-level marketing effort inclusion, networking opportunities and possible grant funding to support the program and help it grow. More communities will be chosen in the coming years as the program expands in order to attract a larger number of retirees.

The Encore Louisiana Commission was mandated by the Legislature in 1999 as the Louisiana Retirement Development Commission to market and promote Louisiana as a retirement community state. In 2009, the Legislature renamed the commission as the Encore Louisiana Commission with the goal of setting guidelines and requirements in developing criteria for a destination to become a Louisiana Certified Retirement Community. For more information visit https://www.louisianatravel.com/retire.

 

 

The Northwestern State University Chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta welcomed 233 new members at the annual induction ceremony on March 25. Alpha Lambda Delta recognizes the best and brightest members of the nation’s first-year college students. Students in Alpha Lambda Delta must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 after their first semester of full-time enrollment at Northwestern State.

Professor Emeritus of Journalism Thomas Whitehead was the featured speaker.

Alpha Lambda Delta first-year honor society was founded in 1924 at the University of Illinois and has over 280 chapters in the United States. The local chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta was established at Northwestern State University on March 10, 1965. The mission of the Society is to encourage superior academic achievement; to promote intelligent living and a high standard of learning and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals in society.

Officers for 2018-19 are Nicholas Hopkins of Bossier City, president, Elizabeth Coleman of Napoleonville, vice president, Arielle Martignetti of Barksdale, AFB, secretary, Joshua Johnson of Bossier City, treasurer, William Tradewell of Jena, scholarship chair, Hannah Sedatol of Natchitoches, webmaster, Andrianne Dore of Forest Hill, historian, Chloe Rouleau of Leesville, editor, Meredith Phelps of Natchitoches, service chair, and Claire Leming of St. Francisville, faculty liaison. Hopkins is the first male president of NSU’s chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta, which became open to male members in 2012.

New members listed by hometown are as follows:

Alexandria — Markeyla Anderson, Morgan Bryant, Ian Grant, Whitney Joffrion, Hunter Lewis, Jennifer Miranda, Madeline Mitchell, Christopher Warren;

Anacoco — Kinsley Blakeway, Nicole Fitzgerald, Tyler Stephens;

Anchorage, Alaska — Sydney Bulot;

Baker — Cherish Netter;

Ball — Will Salinas;

Barksdale AFB — Arielle Martignetti;

Baton Rouge — Diamanisha Betts;

Belle Chasse — Denim Reeves;

Benton — Laurel Chambers, Jackson Mathews, Jadyn Sepulvado, Torea Taylor;

Bossier City — Hannah Brooks, Katie Briggs, Cassie Bailey, Jonathan Castillo, Toby Fontenot, Sydney Gootee, Nicholas Hopkins, Anqumesha Jeter, Joshua Johnson, Haley Joncas, Jami Rivers, Johnathon Schluter, Tori Spraggins, Giselle Trejo, Rheagan Rowland;

Boyce — Devin Hilliard;

Campti — Paige Cason;

Central — Christian Chustz;

Chopin — Jewel Woods;

Cincinnati, Ohio — Kristin Byone;

Clayton — Ruben Smith;

Colfax — Camren Bell, Michael Dupre;

Coppell, Texas — Jada Freeman;

DeBerry, Texas –Sarah Britt;

DeQuincy — Hayden Robertson;

DeRidder — Maygin Chesson, Sheridan Douglas, Alphonse Engram, Kailey Wisthoff;

Des Allemands — Claire Schouest;

Deville — Hailie Coutee; Kinley Deville;

Dike, Texas — Brynn Offutt;

Elton — Maia Lacomb;

Florien — Blake Cook; McKenzie Kuhlow;

Folsom — Shaylee Laird;

Forest Hill — Andrianne Dore, Rafael Sierra, Leslie Winners;

Fort Lauderdale, Florida — Abigail Pangallo;

Fort Polk — Kaitlyn Pajinag;

Glenmora — Melissa Lanier;

Gonzales — Bailee Ramey;

Gramercy — Amber Theisges;

Grand Cane — Bailey Patton;

Greenwell Springs — Madison Shade;

Greenwood — Char’TArian Wilson;

Gretna — Codi Vernace;

Hahnville — Imani Butler;

Haughton — Cooper Hollis, Makenzie Rains;

Houma — Alexis Dardar, Corinne Paris;

Iota — Morgan Gotte;

Jacksonville, Florida — Jhane Wheeler;

Jefferson — Jaleia Parker;

Jena — Candace Decker, William Tradewell;

Jennings – Aimee Boothe, Alyson Brown, Kelsey Fitzgerald, Ka’Tierra Lewis, Lindsay Orgeron;

Keithville — Miranda Coffey;

Lafayette — Christina Poole;

Lake Arthur — Hannah Worley;

Lake Charles — Brandi Hansard, Jordan Mulsow;

Lakeland — Brett Rollins;

League City, Texas — Emily Ornelas; Lacee Savage;

Leesville — Dakota Abrams, Tyana Ellis, Gabriella Haymon, Katherine Johnson, McAllister Kylie, Alayna Moreau, Chloe Rouleau, Lana West;

Little Rock, Arkansas –Tara Lane;

Livonia — Ryann Bizette;

Loanake, Arkansas — Rachel Terry;

McKinney, Texas – Tyler Gatewood;

Mandeville — Shannon Roussell;

Many — Rachel Bensinger, Jocelyn Cannon, Brittney Garcie;

Maringouin — Laura Scronce;

Marrero — Lorn Bourgeois;

Marthaville — Dylan Daniels, Emeri Manasco;

Maurice — Jenna-Clair Courville, Adam Courville;

Maybank, Texas — Dustin Huffman;

Mer Rouge — Tequilla Winston;

Metairie — Holly Schiler, Sadye Treadway;

Minden — Erin Dotson, Lamonica Smith, Madison Tanner, Heather White;

Monroe — Tia Smith;

Morringsport — Abigail Wolfe;

Napoleonville — Elizabeth Coleman;

Natchez — Dalton Dark;

Natchitoches — Jackson Carroll, Katlynn French, Corey Gallion, Kaitlin Hatten, Abagael Kinney, Thomas Matuschka, Renwick McPherson, Brittany Miller, Sabrina Miller, Kylie Nix, Victoria Peterson, Meredith Phelps, LaKendria Remo, Gracy Rowell, Lessie Rushing, Lamairea Scott, Hannah Sedatol, Mackenzie Stanley, Catherine Stevens, Huey Virece, Jordan Williams, Rylee Wyer;

New Iberia — Kira Tobias, Madison Willett, Destinee Leger, Alexis Trosclair;

New Llano — Summer Atkins;

New Orleans — Karina Santiago; Julian Shum;

Noble — Joshua Ray;

Opelousas – Caleb Allen, Taryn Campbell, Taylor Guillory, Lauren Hebert, Diamond LeBlanc, Alexia Rubin, Maggie Williams;

Paradise — Kaitlyn Dunn;

Pineville — Taylor Bailey, Riley Bell, Alexzandria Boyd, Samantha Browning, Caitlin Crawford, Sara Dorsey, Selena Ferguson, Landon King, Carlee Lake, Emily Litton, Mikah Smith, Wesley Williams;

Prairieville — Bailey Mohler, Kaylon Wood, Sarah Makin;

Rayville — Jennifer Rogers;

Riverview, Florida –Robyn Larson;

Robeline — Mallary Lester;

St. Francisville — Claire Leming, Hannah Prewitt;

Saratoga, Arkansas – Christie Sain;

Scott — Kristen Prejean;

Shreveport — DayJah Alexander, ShyMiracle Ball, Abigail Davis, Kimberly Dennis, Aaran Gafford, Andrell Green, Heather Jones, Destiny Mitchell, Kariah Sisk-Shaheed, Lindsey Sullivan, Gaylin White;

Simmesport — Taylor Myers;

Slidell — Shakera Dixon, Alexzandra Hattier, Ashley Henry, Rebecca Marr, Olivia Warren;

Starks — Triston Bussell;

Stonewall — Brianna Hasch, Mildred Hooper;

Sulphur — Sophia Cesarini, Rylie McFarlain, Bryttani MacNamara;

Texarkana, Texas — Miles Powell;

Thibodaux — Tierra Johnson, Cierra Winch;

Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania — Brianna Morosco;

Venice, Florida –Alexis Weaver;

Ville Platte — Tre’ Fontenot, Alex Gautreaux;

Waco, Texas — Isabella Hudson;

Washington — Tarik Andrus, Macala Broussard;

Welsh — Macala Broussard;

West Monroe — Timothy O’Neal;

Winnfield — Harli Austin, Erica Burnett, Joshua Goins, Marisa Mercer, Caroline Womack, Kara Grantadams, Elizabeth Parker, Caitlin Womack;

Youngsville — Brette Reaux;

Zwolle — Konner Parrie.

 

BOM is a sponsor of the Florien High School Softball Team. Pictured are Debra Funderburk, BOM Many Branch Manager & CSR; and Ryleigh Rutherford.

By Reba

It would be deemed a “season-ending injury” even for the most powerful of athletes. A press conference would be called by the coaching staff to discuss how this injury could have happened. Contracts would be reviewed to see if the team owners could continue to pay the exorbitant salary. The whole team would see their hopes for the playoffs go down the drain.

But, for athletes like us this is not the case.

A single mom twisting her ankle in a small land mine that a destructive Jack Russell Terrier dug while mowing does not qualify for the extremes aforementioned. It was painful. I cried. I may have used several four-letter words I’ve been known to resort to at any given moment. I may have seen my whole life flash before my eyes on a highlight reel.

The whirlwind of anxiety that followed was immeasurable. Who would finish mowing for me? How would I drive? Would physical therapy be involved? How would my daughter get to and from various practices and her church activities? How would I make it to the gym everyday…if I were actually going to the gym everyday?

Athletes like us don’t have the option of a day off from parenting.

Prior to my divorce I never gave much thought to the daily workings of being a single parent. Frankly, I never thought I would ever become one. Even though my children have long since left the needy toddler stage there’s still loads of parenting and juggling to be done. When you add more than one child to the scenario the plot thickens. Try being in two places at one time. You will definitely have someone mad at you at all times.

Athletes like us come in all shapes and forms.

Some parents are single for a mere seven and seven hitch. Some parents are widowed. Some parents have been single parents since day one of the birth of their child. Some parents were abandoned by a spouse and left to pick up those remains, plus raise healthy and independent children. Whatever the true reason for living a life of single parenting, it can feel isolating if you don’t reach out to your friends and family for support.

Athletes like us are not very popular. There are no MVP awards in the parenting division.

Single parenting will not win a popularity contest with your children……If you’re doing it right. You are the soul source of the anguish they feel when they hear the word “NO.” When they hear the words “do you think I am made of money,” don’t expect a supportive answer. Don’t look for a round of applause when you have to break it to your child that we cannot have an Alpaca even if Planning and Zoning would allow for it.

Through the years God has blessed me with friends who are literally founts of wisdom and clarity when it comes to raising children. He has opened my eyes recently to look around at the different types of single parents I encounter and use them as my guide when I’m feeling anxious. I see tenacious ladies on a daily basis who choose not fall prey to their thoughts of pity and angst. They choose to focus on their children and raise them to be who God intended them to be. While it’s easy to compare your family to those with a true nuclear unit, we have to avoid that trap at all costs. No one wins that game.

God chose athletes like us to play two positions on the team. Mom and Dad.

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them- not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; Not Lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

1Peter 5:2-3

The Leaders Against Litter and the Town of Many will hold its annual “Get off your Fanny” and “Sabine Parish Trash Bash” litter campaign this Saturday, March 24. Mayor Ken Freeman believes the first impression is a lasting impression. The Mayor, City Council, Many P.D. and Citizens are committed to making the first impression of our Hometown a positive one.

To accomplish this goal, the Mayor has appointed three litter officers who have been deputized to issue tickets to anyone caught littering with fines up to $500. Signs have been posted throughout the Town stating “We are watching, No Littering, $500 fine”. Trash bags have been mailed to all citizens of Many and placed at local businesses throughout the town to be placed in their vehicles.

Saturday, March 24 from 8 am – 12 pm, citizens will be picking up trash on highways and streets throughout the town and parish. Motorist please be aware and use caution of the citizens that are picking up trash along the streets and highways.

The effort to clean up Sabine Parish is going to be an ongoing project throughout the Parish showing SABINE PARISH PRIDE.

 

 

For many people, good vision means good eye health, but that may not always be the case. Regular eye exams can catch problems before it’s too late. If you are age 40 or older and have not had a recent eye disease screening, The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends making an appointment for an eye exam. Prevention is the key. It is an essential step toward preserving vision and keeping eyes healthy, and there is no better time than right now! (AAO.org)

By 2020, 43 million Americans will be at risk for significant vision loss or blindness from age-related eye diseases, such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and macular degeneration — an increase of more than 50 percent over the current number of Americans with these diseases. Despite the statistics, many Americans are more concerned about weight gain or back pain than they are vision loss. (AAO.org)

The first step in preventing vision loss is to get a baseline eye exam at the age of 40. This is the age when early signs of eye disease and changes in vision may first occur. For individuals at any age with symptoms of, or at risk for, eye disease (such as those with a family history of eye disease, diabetes or high blood pressure), the AAO recommends seeing your eye doctor to determine how frequently your eyes should be examined. Based on the results of the initial screening, your eye doctor will prescribe the necessary intervals for follow-up exams. (AAO.org)

To schedule your regular eye exam, contact your Natchitoches Hometown Eye Care Team – Louisiana Eye & Laser. Drs. Cheryl Stoker and Brett Bennett along with Drs. Karren Laird Russo and Michael Redmond will be happy to manage your eye care needs. Call 318-352-0444 to see how you can achieve better vision and better eye health.

Louisiana Eye & Laser is located in Natchitoches at the corner of Keyser Avenue and 1055 Parkway Drive (Suite B).

 

 

The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office announced that a 7th grader at Ebarb High School was arrested on the morning of March 22 for Terrorizing after a investigation into threats that were made at the school. This is the 8th arrest in the last 6 weeks at schools in the parish for various threats. Due to the suspect being a juvenile no additional information will be released. Sheriff Richardson is asking all parents to talk with their children in regards to threats and the consequences there-of and asking that threats be reported immediately. Sheriff Richardson also stated he has implemented a program in which all of the parish schools will be visited by detectives and students will be cautioned as to the consequences of threats. He also stated that detectives will be asking for feedback from students in regards to concerns that may need to be addressed.

Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival Chairman Rodney Harrington is not short on superlatives when describing the lineup for the 22nd annual event which will be held on April 13-14 on the newly renovated downtown Natchitoches riverbank.

“Quite simply,” Harrington said, “it will be The Greatest Weekend of Music in Natchitoches History.”

The fun begins on Friday, April 13th with the traditional Festival opener the NSU Jazz Orchestra, followed by the Louisiana Swamp Donkeys. Also featured Friday night will be perennial Zyedco/Cajun favorite, Wayne Toups, along with “The World’s Greatest 80’s Tribute Band,” LA ROXX.

Saturday will feature a wide variety of music on four stages located around the downtown riverbank area and will culminate later that evening with performances by the hit-making groups Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and Ohio Players, both performing on the brand new main stage.

Harrington says that while the appearance of these headliners in Natchitoches is amazing, there are so many more reasons to come to the Festival earlier in the day and hear some great music.

“I think the whole town is abuzz with ‘Maggie Mania’,” Harrington said when referring to Nashville Country music star, Maggie Rose, who will be performing on the main stage at 3:35 p.m. “Everywhere I go, people ask me what time Maggie is playing and are so excited to have her in Natchitoches.”

Rose, whose single “Pull You Through” is charting on Country music radio and television, has toured with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Martina McBride, and many others. She has been named by CMT, “One of the Next Women of Country.”

For Aerosmith Fans, Pandora’s Box, dubbed “The Ultimate Aerosmith Tribute” will be performing on the main stage just before Maggie Rose comes on. Kicking off the main stage Saturday will be local favorites The Hardrick Rivers Revue, followed by Gregg Martinez and The Delta Kings.

Harrington said that his band, Johnny Earthquake and The Moondogs, are particularly excited to have the legendary Rick Derringer performing with them again, and that a late addition to the lineup makes Derringer’s appearance even more special this year.

“Rick was a huge hit when he played the Festival four or five years ago, so I guess you could say he is back by popular demand.” Harrington continued, “This year also joining us will be Jon Smith, one of Rock & Roll’s greatest and legendary saxophonists.”

Harrington went on to say that Derringer and Smith were bandmates in Edgar Winter’s White Trash band during the late 60’s and early 70’s, and Smith has gone on to an illustrious career performing with such luminaries such as The Doobie Brothers, Boz Scaggs, Johnny Winter, Toto, and Sarah Vaughn.

Harrington promises that, with over twenty bands performing on four different stages, there will be something to appeal to almost every musical taste. “There will be Rock & Roll, Country, Zydeco, Cajun, Blues, Funk, and, of course, Jazz and R&B,” he said. “In fact, the Beau Jardin Stage features nothing but Jazz all day, so the hardcore Jazz aficionados would never have to leave that spot,”

Natchitoches’ own country music star, Trini Triggs, will once again serve as Master of Ceremonies and will perform at various times during the Festival and as always, local groups including Billy O’Con and Badd Apple, Cane River Soul, and Breaktime for Frances will be spotlighted. Of course, there will be plenty of food and activities for the kids with lots of inflatables.

One new feature at this year’s Festival is the addition of limited reserved seating in the new amphitheater in front of the stage.

“Oh, the reserved seats are going to be fantastic,” according to Harrington. There are just over 500 reserved seats and Harrington says that many of them have been sold leaving just over 200 available for sale. Personal chairs will not be allowed on the riverbank but will be allowed at all outer stages and in a limited area on top of the riverbank.

“If you want to be insured a primo place to sit at the Festival, you better order your reserved tickets today!” Harrington concluded. “There is no doubt they will be sold out before Festival weekend.” Reserved seats can only be purchased online.

For ticket information, a full lineup and more information about the 22nd Annual Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival, go to http://www.natchjazzfest.com

 

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information in regards to a theft and damage to the B&M ice machine located on the property of Toledo Hardware on Hwy 6 West. Suspect(s) entered the machine on March 20 by breaking and prying the door open and stealing over $500 in cash and change. Crime Stoppers and the owner of the machine is offering rewards for information in this case. Information can be provided to Crime Stoppers at 318-256-4511 or the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-256-9241.