The following arrests were made in DeSoto Parish between March 13 – March 19, 2022, over a one week period.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development advises motorists that, effective immediately, the ramp from LA 175 southbound to I-49 southbound in DeSoto Parish is closed due to flooding from heavy rainfall in the area. The closure will remain in place until the water recedes and the roadway is deemed safe for travel.
Friday will be the fourth Friday in the month and that means it is time for a fish fry at Clara Springs Camp. The camp said to please note the price increase to $15 for all the fish, fries, trimmings and great desert. This is due to increases in the cost of supplies. Come for the
Fellowship and fish cooked and served by Westside Baptist Church of Natchitoches.
Day 2 of Book Fair! Students will be able to visit the book fair through Friday at Logansport High. Parents don’t forget to sign in through the front office if you would like to shop with your child.
Dr. Kristine Coreil, professor of horn at Northwestern State University, will give a solo recital on Tuesday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.
Late Tuesday morning the DeSoto Sheriff’s Office has updated the list of flooded roadways:
Twin Oaks Rd
Blunt Mill Rd
Missile Base Rd from Prairie Ln on down
Stonewall Frierson @ Edgewood
1362 Long Rd / Hwy 5
Bethel Rd @ Thomas Rd
300 block of Bethel
Redbluff @ Case Ln west of I-49
Hwy 3015 & Hwy 175 area high water on both sides
Church Rd @ Stanley Rd
Stonewall Preston @ Kandee
Linwood south of dump
Linwood north of Clayton
Clayton – water across road
Cody Dr/ English Rd – impassable
Jesse Latin, all south of Cash Butler
Here is the latest Hazardous Weather Outlook from the National Weather Service in Shreveport for DeSoto Parish:
A Flood Watch is in effect until 4 pm this afternoon.
Showers and thunderstorms, some of which will likely produce
locally heavy rainfall, will continue moving eastward through the
region today. The heaviest rainfall should be mainly this morning
across the region. Any strong to severe thunderstorms should be
mostly south and east of the region through this afternoon.
DeSoto Parish remains under a Tornado Watch until 8:00 am this morning.
The National Weather Service Office in Shreveport issued a special weather statement at 4:09 am.
De Soto LA-Sabine LA-Panola TX-Shelby TX- 409 AM CDT Tue Mar 22 2022 ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of western De Soto and northwestern Sabine Parishes, southeastern Panola and eastern Shelby Counties through 445 AM CDT... At 409 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Joaquin to 7 miles north of Shelbyville to near San Augustine. Movement was northeast at 45 mph. HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
Below is the roads that are flooded from the Sheriff's Office social media pages:
TORNADO WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WT 56
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
810 PM CDT MON MAR 21 2022
TORNADO WATCH 56 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM CDT FOR THE
FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
LOUISIANA PARISHES INCLUDED ARE
BOSSIER CADDO DE SOTO
SABINE WEBSTER
From the DeSoto Sheriff’s office at 7:45 Monday evening:
“We are still monitoring severe storms coming out of Texas toward our area. It is still estimated that we should receive severe weather in DeSoto after midnight tonight. There are currently multiple reports of tornados on the ground in the areas of Rockdale, Caldwell, and areas north and south of those locations.
“We cannot predict at this moment in time if we will receive the same severity, or if it will go north of us. We will be pushing out alerts through the App overnight as needed.
“Remember, after this storm has passed, DeSoto will see a large amount of rain over a very short period. Expect flash flooding in all low-lying areas between 6am and 9am tomorrow morning.“
DeSoto Parish is also under a Flood Watch until 4:00 pm Tuesday and a Wind Advisory until 1:00 am Tuesday.
Here is the local forecast from the National Weather Service in Shreveport:
Tonight-Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe and produce heavy rainfall. Low around 60. Southeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Tuesday-Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 10am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10am and 1pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 73. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley Wednesday named Mansfield Elementary School in DeSoto Parish one of Louisiana’s Models of Excellence for their literacy intervention initiative, Strategic Literacy Focus. Models of Excellence is a statewide award that recognizes benchmark programs that exemplify the Louisiana Department of Education’s Believe to Achieve priorities.
“Literacy is at the core of all learning,” said State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley. “The Department has selected Mansfield Elementary School as a Models of Excellence recipient for their commitment to elevating literacy in ways that will impact current students and future generations.”
Mansfield Elementary incorporates a “Whatever I Need (WIN)” literacy program, ensuring all students receive intervention and extensions based on individual student needs. The leadership team and teachers utilize a literacy screener to set student goals and monitor progress. Students are placed in fluid groups to receive skill-based literacy interventions and extensions.
“We are both excited and honored to have Mansfield Elementary receive this recognition,” said DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Clay Corley. “This is a credit to the hard work and dedication of our teachers and support staff. Their tireless efforts and commitment to a system of diagnosing, intervening, and accelerating based on individual student needs is making a huge difference for our children. Because of the good work going on at MES, our students’ lives are being changed for the better each and every day.”
Dr. Brumley made the announcement during a celebration event at Mansfield Elementary School. He was joined by Corley, leadership from DeSoto Parish Schools, regional school system superintendents, regional Teacher and Principal of the Year honorees, and Louisiana Department of Education staff.
Steps DeSoto Schools offer to prepare students for their life’s work was the subject of the guest speaker at the March meeting of the DeSoto Parish Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. Guest speaker was Josh Dahlem, the College and Career Readiness Supervisor with the school system.
Dahlem said they want to ensure that all students upon graduation are ready to be:
Hired,
Enlisted,
Registered in Post-Secondary education, or
Become Entrepreneurs.
Dahlem explained the different pathways to employment or higher education offered by DeSoto Schools. He said, “Thirty-seven percent of seniors and a high percentage of Juniors are on a pathway that leads to work. A high percentage of our graduates have a certificate that they can take to the workplace.” And Dahlem added, “Thirty-eight percent of students earn at least one IBC or advanced course.” He noted that DeSoto students are provided a curriculum that they would pay $6,000 elsewhere but they get it for free.
They are offering a summer intern program. Dahlem said they are taking applications now from students who want to work for the school system this summer. The summer job program pays the student $10 per hour.
He also outlined their partnerships with local businesses to put students to work. Dahlem said the school system pays the student’s salary up to 20 hours a week and the business gets them to work at no cost to them.
Dahlem told the chamber members of several other programs that DeSoto Schools offer to students to prepare them for joining the work force upon graduation. He said they offer a lot more than the traditional path of preparing students to go on to college.
By Mike Mangham at Twin Blends Photography
We’ve always loved Mansfield, so we were so excited when we found this cool old panorama picture at the Northwest Louisiana Archives at LSUS that was taken in 1923 by Eureka studio! In 2021, we went to the exact spot that it was taken and took our own picture.
Not much has changed! We’re including a few other old photos that we found as well as a couple of pictures of items that we found while metal detecting the spot where they were building the Fred’s Discount store on the corner of Washington Ave and Canary Lane! We found the 1853 O (Minted at New Orleans) Seated Liberty Half Dime just before dark deep under a root there on that corner. Not sure if the half dime has arrows with the date or not but we have included the values of what it could be worth!
By Royal Alexander
In an effort to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Pres. Biden, by executive order this past week, banned the importation into the U.S. of oil and other energy sources from that country. What this means is that no new Russian shipments of oil, liquified natural gas, coal, or various other petroleum products will be allowed into the U.S. Obviously, this will immediately drive gas prices higher than they even are right now.
Further, the misguided policy of America buying Russian gas from a criminal dictator will, in fact, not end for 45 days after the implementation of the order. In effect, this means that for 45 days after this announcement, we will continue to pay war criminal Putin, a serial murderer and perpetrator of war crimes, for roughly six hundred and fifty thousand barrels of oil per day at a rate of significantly over $100 a barrel which amounts to between 60 and 70 million dollars per day of American money—which will continue to fund Putin’s War Machine against innocent Ukrainian men women and children.
The question is not whether it’s a good political or foreign policy decision to ban the importation of Russian oil and natural gas into our country in response to its brutal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Of course it is. The fundamental question is—knowing as we do that energy security is national security—why we are dependent on Russia or any other country for our energy in the first place.
In Pres. Trump’s last month in office, Jan. 2021, America was producing more oil than it was consuming for the first time in 50 years and was exporting energy to the EU. The Trump Administration had made America energy independent, meaning we not only were providing for our own national energy needs but, in fact, had become a net exporter of energy to other nations who are also vulnerable to Putin through the consumption of Russian oil.
However, under the Biden Administration we’ve gone from energy independence back to dependence and are now reduced to begging Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, OPEC and perhaps even our archenemy, Iran, for oil. Why? Mostly to satisfy the green energy delusions of the Climate Change religionists. That’s an embarrassing and untenable position for the world’s only superpower to be in.
The easiest and fastest answer is what, in addition to giving hope to millions of struggling American citizens, will drive the domestic energy market up. Have President Biden announce that we are going to reopen and re-invigorate the U.S. oil and gas industry. Repeal all so-called “green” regulations prohibiting the production and development of American energy.
The Biden Administration could make permits faster and easier to procure and make capital and financing available for energy exploration, rather than allow the hostility of the Labor Department which requires investors to consider the “impact of climate change on their investments”; or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which is expected to issue a rule soon requiring companies and their equity partners to publicize their carbon emissions. (It’s worth noting that President Biden has now nominated Sarah Bloom Raskin to be a top official at the Federal Reserve. Her primary goal, reflecting her disdain for fossil fuels, is to try to use financial regulations to force capital away from fossil fuel investment and into green energy.).
In light of all of this, it is amazing that any oil and gas development or production occurs in the U.S.
Obviously, the best decision now would be to boost America’s energy security–and, again, energy security is national security—by taking the brakes off of our domestic energy industry including taking steps such as restarting the Keystone pipeline and ending all the attempts to block new lease sales in federal areas.
One possibility is reviving the shale industry—including our Haynesville Shale—because shale producers are able to get moving more quickly. “Shale fracking, unlike traditional drilling, can increase production quickly, producing in a matter of months rather than the years it can take for the “old school” way of drilling oil.” (Money & Markets, Shawn Ambrosino, 3-7-22). This, of course, would require the rapid procurement of oilfield workers, equipment, and materials.
In a perfect world, we could perhaps snap our fingers and transition ourselves to a carbon-free world. However, that’s not the world we live in. The world we live in is not going to be able to be free of fossil fuels for decades if not generations. Renewable energy sources can’t come anywhere near meeting America’s energy needs right now. In the meantime, the self-inflicted harm the Green leftists are doing to our country is increasing the leverage over us of Russia, China, and Iran, making us vulnerable and compromised.
This anti-American policy madness which seeks to unwind modernity must end before it is too late.
The Scholastic Book Fair 2022 is coming to Logansport High School next week. There will be a Preview Day today, Friday, March 18th 2022. The Book Fair will be held next week,
Monday, March 21st through Friday, March 25th.
Students in grades Pre-K through 8th grade will have the opportunity to visit the book fair several times throughout the week. Cash, check, money order, and debit/credit cards are accepted as payment.
Parents are welcome to visit the fair with their child, but they MUST sign in through the front with a photo ID. Below is the schedule of when your child’s class will visit the fair.
Questions posed by the DeSoto Parish Library branch in Logansport at their STEM Session. Why do liquids have different densities? Which liquid is the least dense? Do you know??
Students at the library branch knew the answers when they completed the most recent STEM program. We are so glad they joined us at Logansport Library’s STEM program. More STEM programs coming soon!
The DeSoto Sheriff’s Office said, “Due to a high demand for Hunter Safety Education prior to our Youth Camp, Sheriff Richardson has decided to include a Hunter Safety Course during the Youth Hunting Skills Camp. This will open the door for anyone who has not yet taken Hunter’s Education to be able to attend the Camp, and receive Hunter Safety Certification.”
To sign up for the Hunters Ed Course, copy and paste this link: louisianaoutdoors.com/events/191617
When you are done, please remember to sign up for the Youth Hunter Skills Camp in the DeSoto Sheriff App so we can get your T-Shirt size. As a reminder, spots are limited, and applications will be accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis! Can’t wait to see you all there!
By Steve Graf
Since the first-time man ever wet a hook, he has always looked for an advantage, a way to figure out the best way to catch fish. Bass anglers especially have been obsessed with trying to find and locate bass in all kinds of water clarity. But today, anglers have access to fish finding instruments that can read the date on a dime in 30 feet of water. I really believe you could navigate to Mars with the electronics anglers have on their boats today. Tournament anglers are spending $15,000 on their fish finding units for the sole purpose of catching bass. Not all tournament anglers can afford this, and it’s created a major advantage for those who can. It’s a case of the haves vs. the have nots. Tournaments are being won on a weekly basis with these forward-facing sonars. Due to these advancements, it’s no longer a level playing field. Which brings up the question…. Is it ethical? Have we made bass and crappie fishing too easy? Will this come back to bite anglers after a few years of using these high advanced fish locating devices?
To understand how far sonars have come, let’s first go back to the late 1960’s with an instrument known as a flasher. This device was what started the electronics revolution. It was a round digital sonar that registered the depth and showed anything between the bottom and the surface with a red flashing line. Just like any electronic device that’s new, these were not cheap and only anglers with deep pockets could afford one of these.
Then came the paper graph. Now this was truly cutting-edge technology that came out in the early 70’s. This unit would print out a paper copy of the contour of the bottom and show fish suspended and even along the bottom. You could see stumps, trees, and underwater grass. It was a true mapping of the entire water column. Anglers would take these printed copies and keep them on file for use in future events.
During the 1980’s, sonar became the craze of the fishing world as companies like Humminbird unleashed their LCR (Liquid Crystal Recorder) which was so advanced it was scary. This revolutionized the marine industry with its detailed structure, zoom capability, sensitivity control, high speed tracking, waterproofness, and a screen you could actually see in the bright sunlight, which was a big problem for earlier sonars.
Now fast forward to today with what Garmin calls “Livescope” and Lowrance calls “Active Target Live.” Garmin was the first to come out with this new forward-facing sonar. A unit that allows you to see fish up to 60 or 70 feet in front of your boat live and in real time. Now THIS is a game changer!!! Anglers now cannot only see fish swimming, but when they bite the lure. It’s basically a video game on the front of your boat!!! If you do not have this level of electronics on your boat today, you’re probably fishing for 2nd place.
But this level of technology has raised questions and has become a hot topic for anglers across America. Some want it banned and think it should not be allowed in tournament competition. They think it gives anglers an unfair advantage. But they would be wrong. No matter what device is ever invented, there’s been nothing that will make fish bite a lure. Even looking at fish on a screen does not guarantee success. Anglers still must figure out a way to trigger fish into biting. But forward-facing sonar does help to locate fish a lot quicker, and it allows anglers to zero in on larger fish.
From an angler’s perspective, forward facing sonar (Garmin’s Live Scope) just might be the greatest invention the fishing industry has ever seen. Once again, from the first-time man has ever wet a hook, he has always looked for a way to make it easier to find and catch fish. This will never change and when it comes to technology, there is no telling what lies ahead with regards to the fishing industry. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!
River City Fest said they were excited to announce our 2022 Grand Marshal for the First Annual RCF Parade! He is Dr. Noel Scott Taylor.
Dr. Taylor is a DeSoto Parish Native who now takes care of North Louisiana vision needs! He has been practicing for 13 years. Dr. Taylor and his wife, Jennifer own Mansfield Eye Clinic.
Dr. Taylor is a great example of somebody who embraced his talents and abilities for the benefit of the Parish and the community, we are pleased to have Dr. Taylor as our 2022 Grand Marshal.
The River City Fest Parade will be on April 9 at 7:00 pm. It will start at old Golden’s Truck Stop, travel down US 84 to the riverfront, and end up at the park.
Tommy Whitaker
August 10, 1958 to March 11, 2022
Service: Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 11:00 am at Bethlehem #2 Baptist Church Gloster, LA.
Debra Ann Chandler
July. 18, 1958 to March 9, 2022
Service: Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 11:00 am at Keatchie Church of God in Christ .
Edna J. Thomas
August 29, 1948 to March 9, 2022
Graveside Service: Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Community Cemetery Grand Cane, LA.
Lois Jean Houston
June 1, 1957 to March 9, 2022
Service: Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Mary Evergreen B.C. Grand Cane, LA.
Lottie Whitaker
September 13, 1947 to March 6, 2022
Service: Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. Mt. Mariah Baptist Church Kingston/Frierson, LA.
The Louisiana 4-H Livestock Ambassador Team is a brand new, statewide leadership opportunity for 4-H members that provides the prospect to build and apply leadership and professional skills while exploring animal science and the livestock industry. Livestock Ambassadors will not only lead livestock outreach activities in their parish, region, and state, but also learn valuable professional skills. This is available to DeSoto 4-H members that will be in 9th-12th grade for the 2022-2023 school year who have previously exhibited at least one livestock animal for at least one year prior as a Louisiana 4-H member. Contact your local 4-H Agent, Molly Usrey, at 872-0533 for information on how to apply.
The Mansfield Lady Wolverines softball team is participating in the Red River Invitational softball tournament today and tomorrow. On Friday at 4:00 pm it will be Mansfield vs Saline. On Saturday, the Lady Wolverines play Jonesboro-Hodge at 11:00 am and they play Pleasant Hill at 2:30 pm.
Northwestern State University’s oldest graduate has died. Earline Hart Andrews, 111, died Wednesday, March 16. Andrews graduated from Louisiana Normal, as NSU was then known, in 1931, and spent 43 years teaching in Texas before retiring in 1975.
The school was crowded Thursday night as parents and students turned out for North Desoto High School’s Academic Expo. Students explained various programs they participated in and many created displays to explain what they were doing.
On Thursday, NDHS hosted all the 8th graders during the day. In the evening parents and all students attended to get information about program offerings.
The school said, “We are excited to share our programs and opportunities with our students. We are so excited to have parents and students visit our Academic Expo. So much fun sharing with students the programs offered at NDHS.
Thank you to all of the students and teachers that supported our programs and provided information to future students.
Members of the DeSoto Parish Chamber of Commerce received an ambitious list of events that will take place in the parish next month. Chamber President Pam Hubier-Rivers announced the following events during April.
Grand Cane Spring Market April 2nd.
The 5th Annual Tails, Tires & Tunes April 2nd on the riverfront in Logansport.
Back Alley Theatre at Grand Cane production of “Fools” begins April first and runs through the 9th.
The 39th Annual River City Fest in Logansport will be April 7th through 9th.
And the re-enactment of the 1864 Battle of Pleasant Hill will be held at the Mansfield Battle Park April 8th through 10th.
Logansport High expressed pride in several of their girls basketball team. Four members of the team recently were named to All District teams.
Lady Tigers receiving All-District honors were Arnyrica Wallace, A’Ladrian Williams, and Olivia McCollister. They were named to the Second team All-District.
Named to the All-District Defensive Team was Laila Boykins.
By Teddy Allen
Gus and Jezebel live next door, and sometimes Molly from a house over is there and sometimes even Duke from down the street. These are labs and herding dogs and mixes of athletic breeds, serious animals, and when the mailman or mailwoman come by each day, it is Armageddon, the Olympics of Barking.
And all these dogs are gold medal contenders.
No problem. Our mail carriers have more than once smiled at me and said, above the insane barking, “They love me.”
Maybe you don’t need a sense of humor to carry the mail, but I have to believe it helps. That, and spray repellant.
All this came to mind after a letter arrived alerting us that this is the 230th anniversary of the U.S. Postal System. The actual date that President George Washington created the modern-day post office is Feb. 20, 1792, so the letter was three weeks late but, hey, who’s counting?
I’m not, and here’s why:
The post office is a dart board for complaints. Stamps are too high. Service is slow. “Y’all make my dogs bark.”
Easy target.
But allow me to argue for my brothers and sisters at the USPS.
First of all, a “sort of” mail delivery had been in place since 1775, and Benjamin Franklin, you’ll remember from history class, was our first postmaster general. His salary was $1,000 annually. That’s a lot back then but … it would not have bought nearly as many stamps then as today.
Back then, a dollar equaled about 30 bucks in today’s dough. So a 12-cents stamp, the most fancy stamp you could get, one that would get a letter as far as you needed it to go—to one of the new states like, say, from Philly to Kentucky—would have cost between three and four bucks, if you’ll kindly do the math (because I can’t).
I just don’t understand why anyone would complain today that, for 50 cents, I can mail a check from my house to the insurance or electricity people instead of having to go to the actual address and hand it to the insurance or electricity people. It’s a bargain—and a lot better bargain than it was in 1792, when the “new” post office, in addition to other improvements, guaranteed lower mailing rates for newspapers, greatly advancing the idea of a free press.
Also back then the penalty for robbing a mail delivery person or stealing mail from the post office was death (see Sect. 17 of the Official Act). That’s right: The Big D. And you think 50 cents is a high price to pay.
Today the fine for such misguided tomfoolery is “only” five years in prison, which is no walk in the park but it beats having your mail and earthly address discontinued permanently.
So shut your pie hole!, you USPS bashers.
Finally, how do the mail sorters know how to do that? How can all this paperwork, all these envelopes of different sizes, come into One Building and people in there are fast enough, basically overnight, to get it into The Appropriate Piles?
And how do different carriers get My Mail to My House? Now and then I’ll get Jezebel or even Molly’s mail and will have to walk next door and trade, but still, even getting a letter from Fort Worth to within two doors of my house for half a dollar is cause for celebration, in my way of thinking.
Nobody’s perfect, but in a dog-eat-dog world, the USPS is carrying its weight and then some. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night—nor barking dog—stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. Hat tippage.
I should mail them a thank-you note. (Think they’ll get it?)
Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
Here is an Easter event with a twist. More than an Easter Egg Hunt. This is a full blown festival.
The Chamber of Commerce in Logansport is hosting the 1st Annual Eggs-travaganza on the Sabine. Events include a helicopter egg drop, games, contests, pictures with the Easter Bunny and concession stands!
The Eggs-travaganza is 11:00 am until 3:00 pm on Saturday April 16th in downtown Logansport.
Do you enjoy performing or have a special talent? Have you ever watched those talent show competitions and thought, I could do better than that? Could you possibly use a little extra cash? Then look no further; if you think you have what it takes to win then put your money where your talent is and sign up to audition for North Desoto’s Got Talent.
The North DeSoto High School Band is proud to present in conjunction with our event sponsor Marketplace Chevrolet Buick: The 1st Annual North DeSoto’s Got Talent Fundraiser Competition. The money raised will go towards helping our band purchase new uniforms, instruments, and/or compete in a larger variety of band competitions.
Auditions will be held on Saturday March 26th from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday March 27th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the NDHS Band Room. There is a $25 audition fee. Participants must be a North DeSoto student ages 10 and up or a Faculty/Staff member at one of the North DeSoto schools. Audition Forms will be available in the NDUE, NDMS, and NDHS front offices for students and faculty/staff and the NDLE for faculty/staff only. You can also request an audition form via email at rdsmith195@gmail.com. Application must be completed and returned with audition fee paid via cash, check, or money order no later than Thursday March 24th at 8 a.m.
The event Semi-Final will be held on Friday April 1st at 7:00 pm to win a spot in the Finale. The event Finale will be held on Saturday April 2nd at 7:00 pm where the final group of students will compete for a top cash prize of $1000 and the final faculty/staff will compete for top cash prize of $200 + surprise gifts and bragging rights.
All acts in the Finale will compete for the Fan Favorite cash prize of $250 as well. Fans will fill the container of their favorite act and the contestant who receives the most donations will be crowned our Fan Favorite. The event Semi-Final and Finale will be held in the NDHS Gymnasium. Tickets are $25/night or $40/both nights ages 10 and up and $15/night or $25/both nights for those under 10 and will include dinner. Tickets available for purchase via cash, check, or money order at the NDHS front office. We will have additional concession items for sale as well.
The NDHS Band is still looking for additional sponsors as well for this event and are as follows: Griffin Level-1 available at $1000; Navy Level-1 available at $500; Red Level-2 available at $250 each; White Level-2 available at $250 each. We are also in need of 25 Restaurant or Business Gift Cards/Vouchers for $25 each and 10-20 Door Prize Items. Please contact me via email at rdsmith195@gmail.com if you have any questions regarding sponsorship or you would like to help with any of these sponsor levels, gift cards, or door prizes.
The COVID Health Emergency, in effect for the past two years, is expiring. In a release from his office, Governor John Bel Edwards said, “I will not be renewing it.” As Louisiana and the nation continue making strides in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the significant drop in cases and hospitalizations and the wide availability of safe and effective vaccines, for the first time in 24 months, Gov. John Bel Edwards will not renew his COVID public health emergency order when it expires this week. Gov. Edwards made the announcement during his address at the opening of Louisiana’s 2022 Regular Legislative Session.
“On March 11, 2020 I signed a public health emergency for COVID-19. And while it changed to reflect the ebb and flow of the pandemic, it has remained in effect ever since. This Wednesday, the order expires, and after 24 months, I will not be renewing it,” Gov. Edwards said. “This decision was not made lightly. I have met with GOHSEP, the Department of Health, the Louisiana National Guard, and the Division of Administration to ensure that there will be no federal aid repercussions or other adverse consequences from not renewing the proclamation. I want to be clear that just because the proclamation is expiring doesn’t mean COVID is over. If the circumstances call for it, I will not hesitate to declare another emergency. God willing, we will never have to see such difficult mitigation measures in our state again. Thankfully, at this time, we are no longer in a crisis. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that we are in a much better place today than we were two years ago.”
Gov. Edwards and his public health advisors will continue to monitor the situation with COVID and provide the public with updates and guidance as is necessary to manage public health in Louisiana’s communities and also to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed. Should additional needs arise, or the situation change, the Governor could revisit his emergency order in the future.
By Brad Dison
Two guys walked into a bar… actually it was a tavern called the “House of Lords” in New York City. The date was Friday, April 7, 1865. Sam and his friend had been close since they were children. In the tavern, Sam and his friend “drank considerably” and discussed Abraham Lincoln’s second presidential inauguration, which Sam’s friend had attended.
The morning of March 4, 1865, in Washington, D.C. was dark and gloomy. The rain came down in torrents. The dirt streets were “a sluice of mud.” One newspaper reported, “The Heavens wept profusely and the streets of Washington deluged in mud!” A short distance from the Capitol, a large procession gathered despite the hard rain. The group consisted of a military escort, firemen, and members of several different civic societies.
Despite the rain and muddy streets, streams of people of all “sexes, ages, colors and conditions” made their way to the Capitol to witness the historic ceremony. People also gathered on the sidewalks along Pennsylvania Avenue all the way to the White House, then known as “the Presidential mansion.” Carriages which would have been in great demand due to the inauguration were in even higher demand because of the weather. It would have been in bad form to arrive for the inauguration wearing dirty, soggy clothing. People who wanted to join the celebrations unsoiled by the rain and mud paid top dollar to ride in one of the city’s hundreds of carriages for hire. In order to make the most profit possible, carriage drivers kept the horses moving at a faster pace than would have been normal for the muddy conditions. Even though the carriages had fenders, the mud still sloshed onto passersby. The thin, wooden carriage wheels sliced deep into the mud and launched the sludge a great distance. Sitting in the tavern, Sam’s friend explained that he had taken such a carriage ride to the Capitol.
President Lincoln had arrived at the Capitol early that morning. He was not trying to beat the rain; it had rained on him the whole way. The President was busy “signing bills as fast as they were enrolled.” Shortly before the inauguration ceremony was to begin at the Capitol, the Presidential “equipage” left the Presidential mansion for the Capitol.
In the front of the procession was a strong force of police on horseback. Next came the military portion which consisted of a regiment of infantry (Veteran Reserves), a battalion of cavalry, and a battery of artillery. The Fire Brigade, which was comprised of government and city Fire Departments, and the visiting firemen from Philadelphia, followed. One newspaper reported, “This display was remarkably fine, and was one of the most attractive features in the procession.” The Presidential carriage, which carried Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln and other members of the Presidential household, was escorted by a United States Marshal and the guard of black horse cavalry who were usually on duty at the Presidential mansion. As the carriage drove along Pennsylvania Avenue, the crowd struggled to see who was inside. The Presidential carriage was followed by several civic societies, State delegations and political associations, and a large number of citizens on horseback who had joined the parade of their own volition. The procession was much larger and imposing than had been anticipated considering the weather. While the procession was en route to the Capitol, the “clouds broke away, and the sun shone out with great splendor, giving the scene a bright and cheerful aspect.”
Inside the Capital building, last minute details pertaining to the inaugural ceremonies were finalized. Guards stood at the entrance on the eastern front. All other entrances to the Capital were closed. At ten o’clock, the doors to the eastern entrance were opened. Some people were crushed as the crowd rushed through the doors and scrambled to find seats. Within minutes, every available space in the chamber was occupied. Keeping order was nearly impossible.
Just before noon, the official procession, which consisted of members of the Supreme Court, President Lincoln and Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, members of the cabinet, and other government officials, filed into the chamber. Vice President Hamlin presented a heartfelt farewell speech. Vice President elect Andrew Johnson made a speech which was “remarkable only for its incoherence, which brought a blush to the cheek of every Senator and official of the government who was present.” Following his speech, Mr. Johnson took the oath of office as Vice President. Then came the moment that the crowd had come to see. The official procession moved to the platform in from of the portico of the eastern front of the Capitol. An estimated thirty to forty thousand people, most of which had to stand in the deep mud, broke out into enthusiastic cheers upon President Lincoln’s appearance before them.
At the table in the “House of Lords” tavern, Sam’s friend told him that he had a good view of President Lincoln. Unlike the majority of onlookers, his status was such that he was able to watch the inauguration from a clean, dry, raised balcony overlooking President Lincoln. Sam’s friend bragged that he had been as close to the President as he was to his friend sitting at the table. Sam’s friend was there when Lincoln spoke the words, “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds…”
With the conclusion of President Lincoln’s speech, a battery of artillery stationed near the Capitol fired a national salute, and the jubilant onlookers cheered again. Sam’s friend watched as the procession returned to the interior of the Capitol and escorted Mr. Lincoln to the Presidential mansion. Sitting in the bar in New York, Sam listened intently as his friend shared the details of the day and was taken aback by what his friend said next. Sam’s friend struck the table and said, “What an excellent chance I had to killed the President, if I had wished, on inauguration day!” Exactly one week after Sam and his friend discussed the second inauguration at a tavern in New York City, April 14, 1865, Sam’s friend shot President Abraham Lincoln. Sam Chester’s friend was John Wilkes Booth.
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Recently DeSoto Parish Animal Services had exciting news! We have been able to locate a rescue group for our Cats here in the shelter. Which if you follow us you would know that is never easy.
Cats are little harder to move and get out to rescue! The shelter asked people to help sponsor this event or donate what you can to help make this transport go with a full load of our furry kitty babies. Please make donations to our 501c3 BFF of Desoto Parish Animal Services.
Go to the social media page to donate. Send as many of these sweet babies as we can. I would love to share pictures of the empty kitty rooms. This doesn’t happen very often if ever here at a Desoto. Lets help make some family even more complete.