Notice: Bills Signed by Gov. Edwards

Gov. John Bel Edwards announced on June 5 that he has signed the following bills from the 2023 Regular Legislative Session into law:

ACT 31-SB15 Provides relative to per diem received by commissioners of the Vinton Harbor and Terminal District.

ACT 32-SB17 Provides for the composition, terms, powers, and duties of the Shreveport police and firefighters’ pension boards of trustees.

ACT 33-SB20 Provides relative to hospital service districts and scholarships for certain healthcare professionals.

ACT 34-SB24 Provides relative to the Louisiana Board for Hearing Aid Dealers.

ACT 35-SB29 Provides relative to the use of a surgical smoke plume evacuation system.

ACT 36-SB36 Provides for funding of certain insurance costs for retirees of the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office.

ACT 37-SB53 Provides for the powers and authority of the commission of the Cane River Waterway District.

ACT 38-SB55 Provides for procuration or mandate by a succession representative.

ACT 39-SB59 Authorizes the sale of certain school property by the Natchitoches Parish School Board and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

ACT 40-SB64 Creates Ezekiel’s Law and provides relative to protecting children from abuse.

ACT 41-SB68 Provides for the lease of property located within Jefferson Parish.

ACT 42-SB98 Provides for adding interest in bone marrow donorship to the list of options offered during application for renewal of a state-issued driver’s license.

ACT 43-SB100 Provides for advanced recycling facilities.

ACT 44-SB101 Provides for the distribution of funds from the Lafayette Parish Visitor Enterprise Fund.

ACT 45-SB113 Provides for certain insurance premium discounts.

ACT 46-SB115 Provides relative to educational benefits for children, spouses, and surviving spouses of certain veterans.

ACT 47-SB143 Provides for former officers or insolvent insurers.


Family at the heart of new NSU coach Bertrand

In an era of roster turnover, new Northwestern State baseball coach Chris Bertrand showed during his introductory news conference Tuesday afternoon he can rattle off names in rapid succession.

“This job is about the people,” Bertrand said in front of a crowded Stroud Room inside the Donald G. Kelly Fieldhouse. “The job requires it. Success requires it. This job is about the people, and it’s about more than a game. That’s why I chose to do it. The people in this room have made an impact on me, and I want to continue to try to make an impact on you.

“There’s nothing better than a Bill Rutledge bear hug, knowing what friendship is. There’s nothing better than walking into Mr. Bill Townsend’s office and having a conversation where he makes you feel like you’re the only person in the world in that moment. There’s nothing better than a Carrie Beth (Hough) idea and the attention to detail that comes from a simple idea. When I walk into Exchange Bank and get a firm handshake from Mike Newton and a conversation about life. That’s what I love about Demon baseball. It affords me to the opportunity to do those things, and those people get to make an impact on our program and our program gets to make an impact on them.”

Bertrand became NSU’s 13th head baseball coach Monday after Bobby Barbier resigned to take the head coaching job at Southeastern. Bertrand spent the past seven years as Barbier’s top assistant and associate head coach, handling a multitude of roles within the program.

Both Bertrand and Director of Athletics Kevin Bostian made it a point to thank Barbier for his service to his alma mater.

“Without Bobby, this doesn’t take place,” Bertrand said. “Seven years ago when Bobby gave me an opportunity, it wasn’t the first time I tried to get into Division I baseball. Bobby gave me an opportunity. Bobby trusted me. I feel we built the program for the right reasons and in the right way. Without Bobby, this moment doesn’t take place. He trusted and built something we all now get to enjoy. He deserves a great deal of thanks. I am forever indebted for what he did for my family seven years ago and for the role he played in allowing this to happen.”

Barbier hired Bertrand after a four-year head coaching stint at UT Tyler where Bertrand led the Patriots to three American Southwest Conference championships and three NCAA Division III Tournaments.

In his second year at Northwestern State, Bertrand helped the Demons collect the first Southland Conference Tournament championship in program history. He was in charge of an NSU offense that set the school record for single-season home runs with 61 this past season.

Maintaining that continuity was an important piece of Bostian’s decision to elevate Bertrand to his first Division I head coaching position.

“The process was quick,” Bostian said. “You always think of what you may do in the situations. For us, it was a natural fit to elevate and promote coach Bertrand. He’s been Bobby’s right-hand man for seven years. He’s been an integral part of this community. He knows the donors. He knows the kids who are growing up and playing ball in the community. For a program that has to be able to fund raise, he’s a natural fit.

“Then you add the fact he’s been a head coach – and a very successful head coach – at UT Tyler, he brings everything I would look for in a head coach. It was easy. I said, ‘(Northwestern State President) Dr. (Marcus) Jones, this is a possibility. Coach Barbier may be leaving, and I want to do this.’ He right away said, ‘This is the right move.’”

It was a move born of a college coaching career that officially started at the NAIA and Division III levels but initially was honed in Abbeville thanks to a school fundraiser.

“The big fundraiser then was magazine sales if you remember,” the 40-year-old Bertrand said. “My older brother convinced our grandfather to get us a ‘Sports Illustrated’ subscription. My favorite issues were the previews they did for the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball. I vividly remember, I would study them cover to cover, and I would go back an flip the pages and look at the team logo and try to guess who the head coach was.

“I tried to memorize every head coach of every major sports team. I was fascinated with coaching. I was fascinated with leadership. I was fascinated with the business of sport. To see it come true in a way with this opportunity, you have to know dreams come true.”

In addition to his childhood dreams, Bertrand said NSU’s gilded legacy of baseball coaches was not lost on him either. Four former NSU head coaches – Jim Wells, Dave Van Horn, John Cohen and Mitch Gaspard – ascended to head coaching positions in the Southeastern Conference as did former Demon assistants Rob Childress and Mike Bianco.

While referencing how his dream came true, Bertrand mentioned his family and the sacrifices his parents made while raising six children.

Calling his father “my hero,” Bertrand said the NSU program would bear the fingerprints and footprints of his father and of Bertrand’s college coach at Louisiana Christian, Mike Byrnes, who Bertrand called the best at melding life and baseball together.

He saved the most emotional comments of his roughly 15-minute speech for his wife, Lori, and the couple’s children, Rayleigh and Callen.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve this woman,” he said, choking up briefly. “All she knows how to do is love. She loves me unconditionally, and that’s a really hard thing to do. You can’t be successful in this business without a really supportive person by your side, and the good Lord gave me the best one there is. I take a lot of inspiration from music and lyrics. Lori and I love Texas country music. Cody Johnson sings a song called ‘With You I Am,’ and my favorite line in it says ‘I’m the same old boy but a whole lot better when you’re holding my hand.’ That’s exactly how I feel about her.

“Our kids make sacrifices every day so I can do this. These are two really special ones. They have their own interests and passions. I admire Rayleigh’s courage in everything she does. I admire her independence. I admire the way she goes about things. I admire Callen’s energy. I admire his passions. Callen has 800 passions in life, but he attacks every single one of them. There are things to be learned from the gifts the Lord gave me. Those three are among the best gifts.”


Harrington Law Firm: Job Opportunity – Legal Assistant

We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Legal Assistant to join our law firm specializing in personal injury cases. As a Personal Injury Legal Assistant, you will provide vital support to our legal team by managing correspondence, maintaining deadlines, communicating with clients, ordering medical records, and drafting legal documents. Your organizational and communication skills will be crucial in ensuring the smooth flow of operations and the efficient handling of personal injury cases.

To apply email Eddie Harrington at To apply email Eddie Harrington at eddie.harrington@theharringtonlawfirm.com.

Responsibilities:
1. Correspondence Management: Handle incoming and outgoing correspondence related to personal injury cases, including emails, letters, and faxes. Maintain organized filing systems for easy retrieval of case-related documents.

2. Deadline Management: Monitor and maintain case deadlines, including court filing deadlines, the statute of limitations, discovery deadlines, and other important milestones. Collaborate with attorneys and paralegals to ensure timely completion of tasks.

3. Client Communication: Act as a primary point of contact for clients and provide regular updates on case progress. Answer inquiries, schedule appointments, and relay messages between clients and attorneys. Maintain a professional and empathetic demeanor when dealing with clients.

4. Medical Records Management: Initiate and oversee the process of ordering medical records and other relevant documents for personal injury cases. Maintain an organized system to manage and update medical records, ensuring their accessibility to the legal team.

5. Legal Document Preparation: Draft, edit, and proofread legal documents, including pleadings, motions, subpoenas, settlement agreements, and correspondence. Ensure accuracy and adherence to formatting guidelines.

6. Case File Management: Organize and maintain case files, ensuring all relevant documents, pleadings, and evidence are properly cataloged and easily retrievable. Follow established protocols for document retention and disposal.

7. Court Filings and E-Filings: Prepare and file legal documents with courts and government agencies in compliance with procedural rules and deadlines. Familiarity with e-filing systems is essential.

8. Calendar Management: Maintain attorneys’ calendars, scheduling appointments, court appearances, depositions, and client meetings. Coordinate with internal staff, opposing counsel, and court personnel to arrange dates and times.

9. Research Assistance: Conduct legal research using online databases and other resources to gather relevant case law, statutes, regulations, and legal precedents as needed. Summarize and present findings to attorneys.

10. Administrative Support: Provide general administrative assistance, including managing attorney expenses, processing invoices, coordinating travel arrangements, and assisting with other day-to-day tasks as required.

Preferred Qualifications:
• High school diploma or equivalent; additional legal secretary or paralegal certification is a plus.
• Preferred experience working as a legal assistant, preferably in a personal injury law firm or related field, but not required.
• Solid knowledge of personal injury law and legal terminology is preferred but not required.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and legal research databases.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize assignments, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Professional demeanor with the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Familiarity with court filing procedures and e-filing systems, preferred but not required.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.
• Friendly and approachable demeanor, promoting a positive and welcoming work atmosphere.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to interact effectively with colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to handle challenging situations with professionalism and empathy.
• Willingness to contribute to a workplace that values teamwork and treats colleagues like family.

Note: This job description is a general overview and may be subject to modifications and adjustments based on specific requirements and the needs of the law firm. We take pride in maintaining a very friendly work environment and fostering a supportive team culture, treating each other like family.

EOE


Weather word to the wise

Two years ago, there was a now-forgotten late-season hurricane. It mustered up weak winds that couldn’t even knock a sick alley cat over and petered out before the eastern seaboard could offer much interest.
 
Its name was Teddy.
 
Soft. Mashed potatoes version of a “storm.”
 
But experience suggests that things ain’t always that away.
 
For everything—including hurricanes—there is a season.
 
But good news: the six-month 2023 hurricane season began June 1 and if the names are any indication, there won’t be much trouble. Lots of Teddy-like names in the crowd. Arlene, for instance, the first named storm of 2023, has come and gone with a whimper.
 
Then you have Bret and Cindy and Tammy and, well, you get the picture. No Brutus or Atilla. But let a professional explain, a man I would trust with anything, including my 7-iron or even my baseball glove …
 
He’s an old friend who’s found his way into the emergency business, including weather watching. Worked on The Tech Talk with him and then for almost 20 years at The Times in Shreveport. He’s a good golfer, a great dad, an intrepid reporter, and now works for some lucky people as their Director of Communications in a hurricane-endangered place. I can’t tell you where or his name because that would be indiscreet. (Don. Don Walker. In Brevard County, Florida, like Cocoa Beach and Port Canaveral and all that.)
 
So, this hurricane season, we have boots on the ground, and here is Don’s official early-season report:
 
“This year’s list of hurricane names includes ‘Don.’ Nice to get some name recognition, but I predict this will be a somewhat calm hurricane season due to the likes of others who made the list – like Hurricanes Gert, Nigel, and Vince. From an emergency communications standpoint, which is how I make a living, it’s going to be hard to convince people to evacuate when we show up in the ‘Cone of Uncertainty’ for a Hurricane Gert. No offense to any Gerts out there, but I see ‘Gert’ as something the doctor might say when what you’ve got is more of an upset stomach kind of thing, not so much a full-fledged stomach bug – but then I’m not a doctor, I’m just a man and a potential hurricane.
 
“Thank you for checking on us,” Don’s report concludes. “We’re already five days in and, so far, only one disturbance in the Gulf that didn’t faze us. We’re 1-0, but if and when the time comes, you can find me in the dugout – well, we call it a bunker – handling communications for Brevard County Emergency Management. It’s something I’m pretty good at. Well, that, and golf. But not during a hurricane.”
 
It’s around this hurricane-wary time of year that I thumb through Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson, a book I’ve read three times. It starts like this:
 
“Throughout the night of Friday, September 7, 1900, Isaac Monroe Cline found himself waking to a persistent sense of something gone wrong.”
 
Isaac didn’t know half of it.
 
In the late summer of 1900, Galveston was home to 38,000 and the third-richest city in America, a boom town. As Larson explains in his book that reads more like a suspense novel than non-fiction, Isaac Cline was its young resident U.S. Weather Bureau meteorologist who “failed to grasp the true meaning of the strange deep-sea swells and peculiar winds that greeted the city that (Saturday, September 8) morning. Mere hours later, Galveston found itself submerged by a monster hurricane that completely destroyed the town and killed over 6,000 people in what remains the greatest natural disaster in American history …”
 
What Isaac and the gang wouldn’t have given for The Weather Channel. Or Larson’s book. While he didn’t get to read it, you might want to. Spoiler alert: as mentioned, I’ve read it three times; Storm is 3-0 so far.
 
A final note from Larson’s book:
 
“Galveston was too pretty, too progressive, too prosperous—entirely too hopeful—to be true. Travelers arriving by ship saw the city as a silver fairy kingdom that might just as suddenly disappear from sight, a very different portrait from that which would present itself in the last few weeks of September 1900, when inbound passengers smelled the pyres of burning corpses a hundred miles out to sea.”
 
It’s a story about “what can happen when human arrogance meets the uncontrollable force of nature.” It’s why I don’t gripe at rain and lightning delays anymore.
 

Have a great summer, but let’s be careful out there.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu or Twitter @MamaLuvsManning

Kaelor Gray Tarpley

Graveside Services will be held for Kaelor Gray Tarpley on Saturday, June 3, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Catherine’s Catholic Cemetery in Noble, Louisiana. Father Keith Garvin of St. Joseph Catholic Church will be the officiant. Although Kaelor never took a breath here on Earth, he was truly an angel and loved by so many. He made his entrance into this world on Thursday, June 1, 2023 in Shreveport, Louisiana. His parents, Aaron Tarpley and Destiny Malmay of Zwolle, LA had been anxiously awaiting his arrival, but God had other plans for precious Kaelor. He is rejoicing in Heaven with many of his family members, while watching over his loved ones back on Earth.

Left behind to cherish his memory are his parents, Aaron Tarpley and Destiny Malmay of Zwolle, LA; his sister, Audrey Tarpley of Zwolle, LA; his brother, Baylor Tarpley of Zwolle, LA; his grandparents, Brad Tarpley of San Antonio, TX, Sandy “Lolli” Meshell of Zwolle, LA,  Joe Malmay of Noble, LA, and Renee Malmay of Noble, LA; his aunt, Courtney Malmay of Noble, LA; his uncles, Connor Malmay of Noble, LA and Austin Tarpley of Zwolle, LA; along with a host of other family members.

The family would like to thank everyone for the prayers and support during this tough time of the passing of precious Kaelor!


A Change of Direction

By Brad Dison

As a teenager, George spent most of his free time cruising the streets of Modesto, California.  He owned a Autobianchi Bianchina, an Italian minicar based on the Fiat 500.  The car sported a convertible top, roll bar, and was surprisingly peppy for its size.  George liked driving fast. 

For most of George’s high school career, he was in danger of failing.  George’s mother worried that he would never amount to anything.  George’s father reassured her that George was just a late bloomer.  George’s father wanted George to follow in his footsteps and run the office equipment store that the family had built.  However, George wanted to be a car mechanic and race cars.  George and his parents argued over the direction George planned to take in life.  Finally, to placate his parents, George decided to go to college.  First, George had to finish high school.    

It was the end of the school year in 1962, and George was a senior at Thomas Downey High School.  His high school graduation was scheduled for June 15, but George did not make it to his graduation.  Three days before graduation, on June 12 at 4:50 p.m., George was driving his minicar back to his home at 821 Sylvan Road in Modesto, California.  In the era when wearing a seatbelt was optional and seatbelts did not come standard in all cars, George was buckled in.  As George neared his driveway, he slowed the car and turned on his left blinker.  George looked ahead and saw that there was no oncoming traffic.  George turned the wheel to the left and began the turn into his driveway.  The last thing George heard was a horn.

17-year-old Frank Ferreira, also of Modesto, was driving at about 90 miles per hour in the same direction George had been traveling.  Frank saw the minicar travelling slowly and veered into the left lane to pass.  As Frank neared George’s minicar, George began the turn.  Frank had little time to react.  He slammed on the brakes and honked the horn, but it was too late.  Frank’s car hit George’s minicar so hard that George’s car flipped seven or eight times and struck a walnut tree.  While the car was flipping, George’s seatbelt snapped, and George was thrown from the minicar.  A millisecond later, George’s minicar and Frank’s car struck a walnut tree.  George was seriously injured.  He lay unconscious near his crushed car.  Paramedics rushed George to the Modesto City Hospital.  Frank was uninjured.

When George awoke, a nurse reassured him.  “Don’t worry,” she said, “you have all of your arms and legs.” “What do you mean?” George asked.  He had no memory of the accident.  Everybody kept telling George, “You should be dead.”  After hearing that several times, George decided that “maybe there’s a reason I’m here.”

Whereas George had little interest in his high school career, he excelled in what became his major area of study in his junior year of college.  George’s father was right when he said George was a late bloomer.  George’s mother had no reason to be concerned about George’s lack of direction or that he would never amount to anything. According to Forbes, in 2023, George’s net worth was more than $4.9 billion.  Had George agreed to go into his family’s office equipment business or had George not survived the car crash, we would never have shared in the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton Jones Jr., nor would we have learned what happened “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….”  The teenage boy who somehow survived a horrific car crash went on to create the epic Hollywood franchises “Indiana Jones,” and “Star Wars.”  His name is George Walton Lucas, Jr.

Sources:

1.      The Modesto Bee, June 13, 1962, p.22.

2.     Stockton Evening and Sunday Record, June 13, 1962, p.41.
3.     Imagine Entertainment. Light & Magic. Disney+, 27 July 2022, Series 1, Episode 2.
4.     “George Lucas.” Forbes, 29 May 2023, www.forbes.com/profile/george-lucas/?sh=1a5a799b6e63. Accessed 29 May 2023.

CASA: June is Reunification Month

The Importance of Reunification in Foster Care:
Creating a Pathway to Healing and Growth
 
A pivotal point of discussion for many foster parents is navigating the reunification process. The idea of creating a space for a child to meet their biological caregivers after a period of estrangement and/or a possible traumatic event can seem daunting for most. However, this is an important goal for many children in foster care, as it allows them to return to their biological families and maintain strong connections with their parents and siblings.
 
It is estimated that between 2011 and 2020, an average of 50 percent of children in the United States exited foster care to be reunited with a parent or primary caretaker. In this blog, we will explore the importance of reunification, what it entails for everyone involved, and ways to approach the process so as to ensure a most rewarding outcome.
 
What Is Reunification?
Reunification consists of the processes that lead to reconnecting a child with their biological or primary caretakers. This is true in the case of a crisis where children must be evacuated from their current location, usually a school, and safely and rejoined with their families. However, it is more widely associated with the context of children in foster care.
 
In the event of an emergency, reunification of students with their parents becomes a primary responsibility for schools. This can be achieved by identifying an appropriate and sizable reunification site, such as a nearby school, church or community building, and arranging for transportation. In such situations, retrieving emergency contact information, notifying families about the incident and location of their wards, maintaining accurate registers of students present, and ensuring that security, school counselors and reunification go-kits are accessible at the site are of high importance. After that, the release of children to their caregivers is just a matter of verifying their guardians’ identification and custody rights.
 
Reunification in the context of foster care is handled very differently, and is a planned program that is extended over a period of weeks or months, or maybe even years. Foster care is a temporary arrangement with the possibility of reunification as its desired objective. States are required to establish a “permanency plan” for every child in foster care, which outlines where the child will live when they leave foster care. This plan may include reunification with their family, placement with a relative through kinship care, or adoption.
 
In this case, reunification involves more than simply returning a child to the care of their parent(s). It includes a range of services to provide support, such as keeping family connections intact during the child’s stay in temporary care, creating flexible plans that respond to the family’s needs, and providing ongoing help after the child returns home.
 
Why Is Reunification Important?
Reunification is considered the best option for children placed in foster care, and is also a more common and much likelier outcome than adoption. Reunification can have a positive impact on children and the state in the following ways:
 
Improvement of Feelings of Security and Stability
Reconnecting with family and maintaining contact is a crucial step in ensuring better mental wellbeing and quality of life for children who experience such displacement. Experiencing connectedness with family consistently can alleviate a child’s trauma associated with separation, and allow for improved feelings of security and stability.
 
Sense of Belonging and Identity
As foster care is a temporary solution, reunification is necessary in order to provide children with the option of connection not only to their biological families, but to their cultural heritage. This is also facilitated during the period of foster care, where children are consciously placed in environments that adopt their unique cultural, religious, or linguistic traditions.
 
Improvement of the Home Environment
Oftentimes, children are put in the foster care system as a result of an unstable home environment. This can be caused by relational conflict in the home, neglect, violence, substance abuse, financial difficulties, or other kinds of stress-inducing situations that might damage the child’s physical, mental, and emotional safety. Such issues are typically taken into consideration before, during, and after the reunification process, and special plans, counseling, and aid are granted to help tackle them. Therefore, the child returns to a safer home environment than the one they left.
 
Reduced Likelihood of Re-Entering the Foster System
The goal of reunification is to ensure that a child never has to return to the foster system. For this reason, plenty of time, effort, and funds are allocated to improve the home environment, safeguard the emotional wellbeing of the child, and educate the child’s biological parents. These efforts ultimately result in fewer cases of re-entry into the foster care system than in the case of adoption.
 
Who Is Involved in the Reunification Process?
Reunification is a delicate yet rewarding process that requires a number of individuals and resources to execute successfully. The following parties play a crucial role during this process:
 
Biological parents/caregivers: Reunification requires the active participation of the child’s biological parents or caregivers, and they must demonstrate the ability to provide a safe and stable home environment for the child. It is highly important that children come to view their parents as reliable and trustworthy if they are to return to their care.
 
Child welfare agencies: Child welfare agencies are responsible for overseeing the process of reunification and providing services to support families and help them address the underlying issues that led to the child’s removal from their home. At the time of reunification, such families may be vulnerable and may require tangible resources from the agency, along with the help of service providers such as caseworkers, therapists and counselors, parent mentors, attorneys, education professionals, and medical professionals.
 
Foster parents: Foster parents may be involved in the reunification process if the child was placed in their care, as they have been responsible for providing a stable environment to the child for a period of time. They may be required to maintain a positive relationship with the child’s biological family in order to support the child’s transition back to their biological family. They can be of assistance during the transition by providing information about the child’s likes, dislikes, and routines.
 
Court systems: Court systems are involved during the reunification process because the legal system has a responsibility to ensure that children are protected and their best interests are served. In cases where children have been removed from their homes and placed in foster care, the court system is responsible for determining whether the children can be safely returned to their biological families. In order for a child to be returned to their biological family, the court system requires evidence that the family has made significant progress towards addressing the issues that led to the child’s removal.
 
Guardians ad litem or CASA workers: Guardians ad litem or court-appointed special advocates (CASA) workers may be involved in advocating for the best interests of the child during the reunification process. They typically work closely with the child and their family, as well as other professionals involved in the case, such as social workers and attorneys. They may also attend court hearings and provide testimony about the child’s needs and what they believe would be in the child’s best interests. Their ultimate goal is to ensure that the child’s voice is heard and that their needs are prioritized throughout the reunification process.
 
Tips to Ensure a Smooth Reunification Process
Maintain Open Communication: Communication is key during the reunification process. Keeping open lines of communication between all parties involved, including the child, foster and biological parents, social workers, and any other professionals involved, can help to ensure a successful transition.
 
Stay Consistent: Consistency is important for children who have experienced instability and uncertainty in their lives. Establishing routines and clear expectations for behavior can help create a sense of stability and normalcy.
 
Be Patient: Reunification is a process that takes time, and there may be setbacks along the way. Being patient and understanding of the challenges that may arise can help reduce stress and tension for everyone involved.
 
Provide Support: Reunification can be a difficult and emotional time for both the child and parents. Providing emotional and practical support can help ease the transition and ensure a successful reunification.
 
Use a Child-Centered Approach: Keeping the best interests of the child in mind throughout the reunification process is essential. Making decisions that prioritize the child’s safety, well-being, and long-term success can help to ensure a positive outcome.
 
In conclusion, reunification is a critical process for children in foster care, as it offers them the opportunity to not only return to their biological families, but also derive lifelong benefits from the same. While it can be challenging and may take time, reunification is an achievable goal that can have positive long-term outcomes for both children and their families. By involving a range of professionals and providing support and resources, families can successfully navigate the reunification process. With appropriate sensitivity and care, reunification can be a rewarding and successful experience for everyone involved.
 
Credit for the article goes to: The Camelot Difference

Notice of Death – June 6, 2023

Maudie Irene Fabian
December 25, 1935 — May 22, 2023
Service: Saturday, June 10 at 9 am at the Bolton Cemetery in Gorum
 
William (Billy) Rodgers
May 14, 1937-June 1, 2023
Service: Thursday, June 8 at 10 am at  Oak Grove Cemetery in the Oak Grove community in Natchitoches
 
George Holland
August 28, 1950 — June 4, 2023
Service: Saturday, June 10 at 2 pm at Christian Harmony Baptist Church in the Trichel Community

Central Sabine Fire holds Fire Safety Summit

Members of Central Sabine Fire Department participated in a fire safety summit held at a local church. Personnel took this opportunity to show Engine 12 and Ladder 12, firefighter gear, and the equipment on the fire trucks. The department is always excited to be involved in the community.

NSU could lose baseball coach Bobby Barbier to Southeastern

HEADED SOUTH?:  Northwestern State baseball coach Bobby Barbier appears to be the choice to take over the program at Southland Conference rival Southeastern Louisiana. (Photo by CHRIS REICH, Northwestern State)

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Northwestern State’s baseball tradition since 1990 is second to none in the Southland Conference.

But Southeastern Louisiana’s baseball resources are unquestionably second to none in the league currently, which could result in the Lions hiring Demons’ coach Bobby Barbier.

Baseball America national writer Teddy Cahill reported Thursday that Barbier has emerged as the likely pick at SLU, which fired veteran coach Matt Riser shortly after the end of the regular season. The Lions finished eighth in the nine-team league and did not qualify for the seven-team Southland Tournament, finishing with an overall record of 25-25 and a league mark of 9-14.

An announcement could happen as early as Monday, sources close to the SLU Athletic Department indicated. Barbier was unavailable for comment Thursday evening.

If Barbier is the choice at Southeastern, associate head coach Chris Bertrand – a former championship head coach at UT-Tyler after serving as a longtime assistant at LSUS – will be a prime and popular choice to take over the Demons’ program. Bertrand has been Barbier’s top assistant in the last seven years and has been a pivotal figure in recruiting and fundraising, and has worked with all coaching aspects, including coaching the pitchers, catchers and hitters at various times.

Barbier wrapped up this season as head coach at his alma mater by leading the Demons to a third-place finish at the Southland Conference Tournament, with a 29-27 overall record, 12-12 in the conference regular-season. NSU won series over five of the other six teams in the tournament, including beating regular-season and tournament champion Nicholls 2-1.

Barbier, a New Orleans native, was a standout player for the Demons from 2003-06, helping NSU to the 2005 NCAA Tournament and earning Academic All-America status in 2004. He still ranks in the school’s top 10 list for career RBIs.

In seven years as head coach, he is 181-169 overall and 89-88 in conference play. NSU’s best league finish under Barbier is third place in 2018, when they won the first Southland Tournament title in school history and won a game over San Diego State at the Corvallis Regional. Barbier was Southland Coach of the Year and Louisiana Coach of the Year that season.

NSU won nine Southland regular-season titles between 1991 and 2005 under some of the more successful coaches in college baseball (Jim Wells, Dave Van Horn, John Cohen and Mitch Gaspard, all who reached at least Super Regional play as SEC head coaches – all but Gaspard reaching the College World Series). However, Northwestern did not win a SLC Tournament crown until Barbier’s club went unbeaten in the 2018 event. The Demons then made the fourth NCAA Regional appearance in their NCAA Division I history (1991, 1994, 2005 and 2018).

His teams have routinely produced Major League Baseball draft picks – seven in the past five years. Four of the last five years, except in 2021, Barbier-coached Demons have been the top Southland picks in MLB’s annual draft.

Cleveland Guardians infielder David Fry developed under Barbier’s leadership. As the Demons’ pitching coach under current Louisiana Tech head coach Lane Burroughs, Barbier was credited with elevating Adam Oller from a catcher to an All-American pitcher, and Oller has reached the big leagues with the Oakland As. A third Barbier-coached Demon, outfielder Nick Heath, briefly reached MLB with Kansas City and Arizona.

Barbier’s second NSU team equaled the best single-season turnaround in school history, improving by 18 wins.

Barbier began his coaching career at NSU in 2007 under Mitch Gaspard, then moved to Alabama in 2010 as an assistant under Gaspard. Burroughs hired Barbier as his pitching coach at Northwestern after the 2014 season.

Southeastern athletic director Jay Artigues, a former Bossier Parish Community College baseball coach, was SLU’s head coach before giving way to Riser 10 years ago. Riser went 320-224 and led the Lions to four NCAA Regional appearances (the last in 2022), but was reportedly on thin ice in the 2022 season before his team won the conference tournament.

That earned Riser a contract extension which will require a buyout of $224,000 to be paid no later than 60 days after his termination on May 22, according to Lions Athletic Association president Allen Waddell.

Riser’s salary and outside income at Southeastern were essentially equal to the approximately $115,000 package Barbier has at NSU. But the Lions’ program annually leads the Southland in attendance, averaging well over 1,000 fans, and has what is uniformly considered the league’s best-funded program with a combination of university budget money and outside revenues.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com


Belton suspends race for state Attorney General

By T. Scott Boatright, Lincoln Parish Journal

Third Judicial District Attorney John Belton announced today that he suspended his campaign for Louisiana attorney general, saying that another opportunity that he cannot discuss at this time is the reason behind his making that decision.

Belton admitted the move might seem sudden but that it is one he feels good about.

“Leading in the polls has accelerated the number of fundraising events being planned in the next few weeks,” Belton said. “However, though I am not at liberty to discuss, an opportunity has presented another possibility for me to be of service to my state. While I will continue to serve as the District Attorney of the Third Judicial District, I will suspend my campaign for Attorney General. 

“I’m excited about what the future holds for me and my family.”

The four candidates in the race to replace current Louisiana District Attorney Jeff Landry, who is running for governor, included Belton, Louisiana Solicitor General Liz Murrill, Louisiana District 2 state Rep. John Stefanski of Crowley and 18th Judicial District Marty Maley before Belton’s decision to suspend his race.

“For some time now, I have campaigned to be Louisiana’s next Attorney General and have enjoyed traveling around our  beautiful state sharing my personal story of faith in God, hard work, and overcoming,” Belton said.

And Belton, who has also been in the spotlight recently while pursuing criminal charges against the five white police officers involved in the May 2019 death of Ronald Greene, a Black motorist, after a vehicle pursuit across parts of Union and Ouachita parishes, said he felt he was the frontrunner in the race before circumstances changed and caused him to reconsider continuing his campaign.

“The response has been nothing short of amazing and our campaign has been blessed to
have the support of so many hard-working citizens, fellow public servants, business, community, and religious leaders across Louisiana. And I am forever thankful for that support.

“In fact, in the recent polls, I am the leading candidate for Attorney General.”

But Belton said the “new opportunity” was one that forced him to reconsider.

“Right now, it’s at a point where I really can’t discuss it, but that will come at the right time,” Belton said. “But at this point I feel the best thing to do is to suspend my candidacy and see how it all plays out.

“It’s something I’m excited and feel good about. At this point, that’s all I can say.”


Central Sabine Fire Burn Day

Members of Central Sabine Fire Department held a burn day at the North Sabine Training Facility on May 26. This training consisted of live burns, search and rescue, and pump operations. Firefighters had to deploy an attack line to extinguish the fire while the pump operators had to man the engine and connect to a hydrant. Trainings like these can mimic the same adrenaline, stress, and heat that actual fires produce but in a controlled and safe environment.
 
The department would like to thank North Sabine Fire for allowing the department to use their burn building.

Harrington Law Firm: Job Opportunity – Legal Assistant

We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Legal Assistant to join our law firm specializing in personal injury cases. As a Personal Injury Legal Assistant, you will provide vital support to our legal team by managing correspondence, maintaining deadlines, communicating with clients, ordering medical records, and drafting legal documents. Your organizational and communication skills will be crucial in ensuring the smooth flow of operations and the efficient handling of personal injury cases.

To apply email Eddie Harrington at To apply email Eddie Harrington at eddie.harrington@theharringtonlawfirm.com.

Responsibilities:
1. Correspondence Management: Handle incoming and outgoing correspondence related to personal injury cases, including emails, letters, and faxes. Maintain organized filing systems for easy retrieval of case-related documents.

2. Deadline Management: Monitor and maintain case deadlines, including court filing deadlines, the statute of limitations, discovery deadlines, and other important milestones. Collaborate with attorneys and paralegals to ensure timely completion of tasks.

3. Client Communication: Act as a primary point of contact for clients and provide regular updates on case progress. Answer inquiries, schedule appointments, and relay messages between clients and attorneys. Maintain a professional and empathetic demeanor when dealing with clients.

4. Medical Records Management: Initiate and oversee the process of ordering medical records and other relevant documents for personal injury cases. Maintain an organized system to manage and update medical records, ensuring their accessibility to the legal team.

5. Legal Document Preparation: Draft, edit, and proofread legal documents, including pleadings, motions, subpoenas, settlement agreements, and correspondence. Ensure accuracy and adherence to formatting guidelines.

6. Case File Management: Organize and maintain case files, ensuring all relevant documents, pleadings, and evidence are properly cataloged and easily retrievable. Follow established protocols for document retention and disposal.

7. Court Filings and E-Filings: Prepare and file legal documents with courts and government agencies in compliance with procedural rules and deadlines. Familiarity with e-filing systems is essential.

8. Calendar Management: Maintain attorneys’ calendars, scheduling appointments, court appearances, depositions, and client meetings. Coordinate with internal staff, opposing counsel, and court personnel to arrange dates and times.

9. Research Assistance: Conduct legal research using online databases and other resources to gather relevant case law, statutes, regulations, and legal precedents as needed. Summarize and present findings to attorneys.

10. Administrative Support: Provide general administrative assistance, including managing attorney expenses, processing invoices, coordinating travel arrangements, and assisting with other day-to-day tasks as required.

Preferred Qualifications:
• High school diploma or equivalent; additional legal secretary or paralegal certification is a plus.
• Preferred experience working as a legal assistant, preferably in a personal injury law firm or related field, but not required.
• Solid knowledge of personal injury law and legal terminology is preferred but not required.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and legal research databases.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize assignments, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Professional demeanor with the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Familiarity with court filing procedures and e-filing systems, preferred but not required.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.
• Friendly and approachable demeanor, promoting a positive and welcoming work atmosphere.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to interact effectively with colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to handle challenging situations with professionalism and empathy.
• Willingness to contribute to a workplace that values teamwork and treats colleagues like family.

Note: This job description is a general overview and may be subject to modifications and adjustments based on specific requirements and the needs of the law firm. We take pride in maintaining a very friendly work environment and fostering a supportive team culture, treating each other like family.

EOE


Roadwork week of June 5

The Sabine Parish Road Department reminds locals road crews will be beginning work on Pilcher and Merrit Mountain Roads. This will begin during the week of June 5, and include repairing base work and milling sections of the road in preparation for asphalt overlay. Expect approximately 2-3 weeks per road and drive safely through the work zones.


South Sabine Fire Celebrates Memorial Day

The South Sabine Fire Department held a Memorial/Family Day training event at the station on May 29. Everyone enjoyed a great day of cooking, visiting, eating, training and having fun. Their members put a lot of long hours and days into the district and nothing goes unnoticed. They appreciate each and every one of their responders.

Notice of Death – June 1, 2023

Lonnie Mae Baker
December 8, 1941 – May 30, 2023
Arrangements TBA

Debra Darby
July 19, 1960 – May 18, 2023
Service: Saturday, June 3 at 11 am in the chapel of the Winnfield Funeral Home of Winnfield

Maudie Irene Fabian
December 25, 1935 — May 22, 2023
Service: Saturday, June 10 at 9 am at the Bolton Cemetery in Gorum


Families invited to Hero’s Day on June 10

Central Sabine Fire Department, along with other various agencies, will hold its Hero’s Day celebration on Saturday, June 10 from 9 am – 1 pm in the Dollar Tree parking lot in Many. Families are encouraged to bring their kids to meet their heroes and see the vehicles and equipment.


Tasty Treats on the Bend Grand Opening on June 3

Tasty Treats on the Bend will hold its grand opening on Saturday, June 3 from 12-4 pm at its location at 30425 Hwy. 191 in Many. They will also have Louie’s Pizza and Big Meaux’s BBQ set up as food vendors. There will be homemade ice cream samples, vendors, face paintings, door prizes, movies, and more.


NSU hosts summer STEAM camp for Sabine students

Northwestern State University hosted junior high and high schoolers from Sabine Parish for a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) day camp May 22-25.   

“This year, our junior high school campers were immersed in STEAM education and career exploration,” said Steve Gruesbeck, NSU’s director of service-learning and La GEAR UP.  “Each morning they studied one ACT subject area with School of Education faculty. After a networking lunch with college faculty, they explored academic disciplines and careers in journalism, art, computer information systems and nursing and allied health.” 

The camp was made possible through NSU’s partnership with Louisiana GEAR UP and Sabine Parish Schools. Louisiana GEAR UP (Louisiana Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded national initiative.  NSU works with 16 school districts and the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education. 

Campers participated in hands-on learning about the ACT and joined NSU staff for interactive tours and workshops with Northwestern professors from Computer Information Systems, Journalism, New Media, and Communication Arts, Fine and Graphic Art and Nursing and Allied Health. In small groups and one-on-one, they met with college professors on grade-level appropriate lessons and activities in English, math, reading and science.  

“They programmed computerized robots and entered worlds of virtual reality. They also filmed and edited professional-grade videos in locations across our campus. They saw examples of fine art and practiced printmaking and framing techniques. They also learned about human anatomy, blood pressure testing, and practiced hands-only CPR to the beat of the Bee Gee’s disco song ‘Stayin’ Alive.’ We had a lot of fun and our campers learned a lot about academic and career opportunities in emerging fields,” Gruesbeck said.  


End of The Cereal Sagas

Two of the past three weeks, we’ve traded love notes about one of the Major Food Groups.
 
Been a good run, our time with cereal.
 
And it doesn’t have to end — not in real life. Not as long as the amber waves of grain are a thing.
 
But it does have to end here. Time to move on to other Foods, other Friends, other Things.
 
As an exclamation point, we’ll do something I used to do semi-regularly but we haven’t done yet in the SBJ. Today, a few of you take the wheel and share some Very Personal Stories. Had to leave out so many, including a favorite from a friend who loves cereal so much, he uses many of his favorites in his various passwords. Thank you to all who took the time to bear their Cereal Souls.
 
From Donnie Golfgame: There was a time in my life I was torn between Quisp, which I’m proud you mentioned, and Quake – which was like a sister cereal to Quisp, although instead of a sister there was a picture on the box of a miner with a light on his hardhat. As George Herbert Walker Bush would say, Quisp was a “kinder, gentler” form of Cap’n Crunch, which we all know is like having a mouthful of thumbtacks in your mouth. Quake, however, was Cap’n Crunch’s evil uncle as far as texture. Eat a bowl of Quake and you weren’t eating — couldn’t eat — anything else that day. Gum carnage.
 
I noticed when my kids were little that Sugar Crisp had suddenly become Honey Crisp and then later on it was just Crisp on the box. Same thing with Sugar Pops, which became Corn Pops and I think today it might just be Pops. Sugar has gotten a bad rap.
 
My Top 10, starting at the top:
 
1. Cap’n Crunch
2. Raisin Bran
3. 40 Percent Bran Flakes, (which now are just Bran Flakes; I always wondered why they didn’t call themselves 60-Percent-Of-Whatever-Else-Was-In-The-Box Flakes).
4. Rice Krispies; (are they just Krispies now? Is rice wrong?)
5. Fruit Loops
6. Corn Flakes, (or is it just Flakes?)
7. Sugar Pops
8. Honey Comb
9. Cap’n Crunch with Crunch Berries
10. Quaker Oats Oatmeal; (when I was a kid, there was a glass dish inside the oats).
 
From Duke of Don: There’s nothing more numerous than different people’s sense of humorous, right? I sent your Cereal Piece to a nephew in England. He responded, “Sadly nearly every cereal mentioned is not known to me; here we have our own which are the same as yours only under a different name. My breakfasts are not usually cereal-based but are instead …
 
1: Muesli (our own make barley flakes, rolled oats, porridge oats, oat bran, every kind of nut crushed up, mixed seeds, and raw cacao pieces plus milk); keeps you going through the day.
2: Croissants with lashings of extra butter, (Sundays only).
3: Porridge
4: Bacon Sandwich
5: Cold meats and cheese when in Europe
6: Crumpets
7: Toast
8: Lashings of coffee
9: Weetabix with warm milk but not very often
10: Corn flakes but only with a gun pointed at my head
 
From JayVee, Team Captain: First, a resounding NO to Trix, or any cereal with colors, and also to Grape Nuts (who in the world thinks this is really human food?! And why ruin the good name “Grape” by associating it with this product?)
 
1. Raisin Bran Crunch
2. Frosted Mini Wheats
3 and 4. Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios (tie game)
5. Frosted Flakes
6. Sugar Crisp (as in — add music — “Can’t get enough of them Sugar Crisp.” It’s a different name now — heaven forbid we actually put “sugar” in a name anymore. Gotta eat ’em fast; if soggy it’s a different ballgame.
7. Sugar pops, (ditto previous comment).
8. Raisin Bran
 
From The Skynman: My go-to is Honey Nut Cheerios. I have ditched the rest. I can do both ways. With milk or without. A handful of HNC for a quick snack is a pick-me-up. And on long trips there is a box in the seat next to me to munch on while I drive and listen to my book on tape.
 
From Train: If a team of cereal played ball, here’s my batting order:
 
1. Fruity Pebbles
2. Frosted Flakes
3. Honey Nut Cheerios
4. Lucky Charms
5. Cinnamon Toast Crunch
6. Cocoa Puffs
7. Cap’n Crunch
8. Raisin Bran
9. Count Chocula
 
Naturally, a bowl would coach first, a spoon third, and milk would be the manager.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu


Remembering Jolee Raeann Northcutt

Jolee Raeann Northcutt, 15, of Zwolle, Louisiana entered into eternal rest on May 24, 2023. She was born on September 25, 2007 in Natchitoches, Louisiana to Darwin Ray Northcutt and Courtney Northcutt.

A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home-9891 Texas Highway, Many, Louisiana 71449. Visitation will follow on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. until the time of the service beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be held at Aimwell Cemetery in Zwolle, Louisiana.

Left to cherish her memory are her sisters, Carley Northcutt and Cortlin Northcutt, and her brothers, Tylan Northcutt and Carwin Northcutt.

Honoring Jolee as pallbearers will be Darwin Northcutt, Joey Meshell, Anthony Meshell, Tylan Northcutt, Albert Meshell, and Wayne Meshell. Serving as honorary pallbearer will be Natalie Meshell.


Remembering Kadience LeNae Northcutt

Kadience LeNae Northcutt, 17, of Zwolle, Louisiana entered into eternal rest on May 24, 2023. She was born on May 19, 2006 in Natchitoches, Louisiana to Darwin Ray Northcutt and Courtney Northcutt.

A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home-9891 Texas Highway, Many, Louisiana 71449. Visitation will follow on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. until the time of the service beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be held at Aimwell Cemetery in Zwolle, Louisiana.

Left to cherish her memory are her sisters, Carley Northcutt and Cortlin Northcutt, and her brothers, Tylan Northcutt and Carwin Northcutt.

Honoring Kadience as pallbearers will be Darwin Northcutt, Joey Meshell, Anthony Meshell, Tylan Northcutt, Albert Meshell, and Wayne Meshell.