The following arrests were made in DeSoto Parish between March 06 – March 12, 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.
Early voting is going on in DeSoto Parish and it runs through Saturday. There is the race for Judge, Court of Appeal plus local races in Mansfield, Stonewall and other local races on the ballot. Election day is March 26th.
Here is an update from River City Fest. Tomorrow is the deadline for pre-ordering festival t-shirts. The festival is still accepting vendor applications for arts and crafts booths. If you are planning on becoming a sponsor, March 25 is the cutoff in order to get your logo on shirts and banners. Parade applications are still being accepted, so get yours in. The festival is working on the parade line-up.
The RCF Committee along with the DeSoto Parish Tourist Bureau, Logansport Chamber of Commerce, The Town of Logansport, DeSoto Sheriff’s Department, DeSoto Fire District #1, DeSoto EMS, DeSoto Parish Library, Mansfield Enterprise, DeSoto Parish Journal and a host of sponsors have worked diligently together to ensure a very fun filled and safe family event for our Community, parish, and surrounding communities, parishes and states.
LifeShare will be at the Stanley High School Library on Thursday March 22nd for a blood drive. Hours are 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Sign up link: forms.gle/oowRToEgdZfHN4kK8
A few days later LifeShare will be at Beulah Baptist Church for a blood drive. Time of this one is 9:00 am until 2:00 pm on Sunday, March 27th.
Sign up link: forms.gle/aygugXA46jYcLB6K7
Northwestern State University has earned the 2022-2023 Military Friendly® School designation. This is the 12th time Northwestern State has received the honor. Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey with 665 earning special awards for going above the standard. NSU was rated as a silver institution.
The Early Voting window opens Saturday in DeSoto Parish. There are numerous local municipal officials on the ballot. And there is the race for 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal.
There are two locations to cast your early ballot. One is the Registrar of Voters office in Mansfield. The other is the government complex in Stonewall. Early voting hours are 8:30 am until 6:00 pm. Early voting will be open March 12 through19 except Sunday.
On the ballot is the race for Mayor and Aldermen in Mansfield, Mayor of Stonewall and Mayor of Longstreet.
The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) on Wednesday unanimously approved the Louisiana Department of Education’s (LDOE) new K-12 Student Standards for Social Studies. The LDOE will announce an official implementation timeline in the coming weeks. These new standards will affect every public school student in the parish.
“These standards reflect the totality of the events that have made America a truly exceptional nation and serve as a freedom framework for our children to learn about how Americans have always strived for liberty,” said Dr. Cade Brumley, State Superintendent of Education. “We must, and we shall, teach our students to appreciate the majesty of our country and their obligations as citizens to safeguard America’s founding principles.”
Over the past two months, the LDOE has worked across multiple teams to uphold the original revision goals while addressing concerns made evident in over 2,000 public comments.
“These standards were informed by a year of public feedback, demonstrating why an engaged, informed citizenry is essential to protecting, sustaining, and improving upon our constitutional republic,” said Brumley. “I look forward to seeing these standards come to life in classrooms across our state and, ultimately, recognizing the influence these standards will have on the State of Louisiana and the United States of America.”
The goals of the LDOE’s revision process were to shift the standards toward an approach that balances the acquisition of disciplinary skills along with content knowledge in each of social studies’ core disciplines: history, civics, economics, and geography. Furthermore, the revised standards create a more coherent sequence of content, to strengthen knowledge and skills at the elementary level, to ensure students are prepared for secondary and postsecondary work, and to better integrate the historical perspectives of people from different backgrounds.
Early Sunday morning the time will leap forward one hour. Set the clock ahead an hour before going to bed so you won’t be late for church. Most newer cell phones, tablets and computers will set themselves ahead, so you won’t have to.
DST has been around since 1916 and first was used in Germany as a way to conserve fuel during WWI. The date was May 1, 1916. The US adopted DST in March of 1918.
Here in Louisiana the State Fire Marshall urges putting fresh batteries in your smoke alarm when the time changes.
From the Nitpicker a Note: Many people say “daylight savings” time. There is no “s” it’s just Daylight Saving Time.
By Royal Alexander
The millions of Americans who had been holding out hope that they would hear plans for a significant course correction, for a “reset” of policy and direction by the Biden Administration were greatly disappointed by President Biden’s State of the Union speech this past week.
There was a moment or two of inspiration, such as when the president praised the Ukrainian ambassador and the Ukrainian people for their courage in the face of the Russian blitzkrieg and aerial bombardment of their beautiful homeland. However, as the Wall Street Journal notes, what we “didn’t hear was a vow that Russia will not be allowed to conquer and hold Ukraine. There was no warning to Mr. Putin not to launch missiles into residential neighborhoods or surround and starve cities into submission like a medieval siege. This was not Harry Truman at the dawn of the Cold War calling the world to meet a new danger.” (WSJ, 3-1-22)
Instead, after offering some positive information regarding the unified effort of NATO and the European Union to firmly oppose and pushback on the Russian invasion—I note that Biden properly called for the defense of the borders of Ukraine with far more commitment and passion than he ever calls for the defense of the sovereignty and sanctity of the U.S. southern border—the quality of the speech dropped off sharply.
(As the world condemns Putin’s brutal military authoritarianism, I wish Pres. Biden could have found the wisdom and courage to recognize the Canadian Freedom Convoy truckers who have stood bravely against the political authoritarianism of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and his Leftist government regarding Covid mask and vaccine mandates).
As WSJ further points out, was there any mention of “more defense spending to meet the threats from autocrats? No. A new appreciation for the contribution of fossil fuels to American and European security? Not a word. A note that government spending contributed to the highest inflation in 40 years? Nope. A word of praise for the private Pharma innovation that developed Covid therapies and vaccines? He proposed government price controls instead.” (WSJ, 3-1-22)
Rather, the rest of the speech amounted to a tired recitation of many of the Left, Green New Deal talking points and reflected an intent of the Biden Administration to “double down” and continue to focus on various legislative priorities that are clearly not the focus of a majority of the American people.
For example, President Biden attempted to repackage and resell his $5 trillion so-called Build Back Better plan as a method by which to reduce inflation. (Over the last year inflation has risen faster than any time since the Administration of President Jimmy Carter). The reason this idea falls flatly is because spending $5 trillion additional borrowed, debt dollars won’t reduce inflation it will increase it. Voters are far more tuned in and savvy than they are often given credit for and they realize that a huge expansion of government social programs such as universal pre-K or green subsidies for electric cars will only add to our current economic situation of “too many dollars chasing too few goods’ and will pour more fuel on the fires of inflation.
Voters also, for example, reject the idea that massive spending on Climate Change (referred to for generations as “weather”) and the foolhardy attempt to eliminate fossil fuels, realizing that such a policy does nothing but increase the cost of energy and the rate of inflation and thus the cost of producing and transporting goods and services to consumers. Did you note the breathtaking comment this week of former Sec. of State John Kerry, one of the leading climate change religionists, that he’s worried the Russian invasion of Ukraine may be a distraction from addressing climate change? The violent deaths of innocent Ukrainian civilians and the destruction of ancient cities in the beautiful nation of Ukraine is happening right before our eyes and he is fixated on climate change? What! That’s unbelievable.
Can the climate change religionists not recognize that when you kill the U.S. oil and gas industry—and Pres. Trump had made America totally energy independent—you make America hostage to Russia and the Middle East for our energy needs? In so doing, you force Americans to pay more for foreign oil (because it’s drilled and transported from overseas) that’s less reliable (see the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the constant unrest in the Middle East)) when we could be producing it at home and building our own national economy and national security at the same time.
Further, while millions of Americans do struggle with the rising costs that are right in front of them such as for food, gas, and child-care, they are also smart enough to know that inflation is the hidden but very real “Biden tax” they pay for every single economic activity or choice they make, directly hurting them and their families. (It is estimated that right now, according to Bloomberg, inflation is costing the typical American family $276 more per month and roughly $3,300 per year, numbers sure to rise dramatically given the meteoric increase in the cost of a barrel of oil and a gallon of gasoline at the pump.)
After walking through that economic unreality, the president’s speech then listed many of the other huge-government Leftist dreams including a global minimum tax, a pandemic fraud prosecution chief, the misnamed and misleading Paycheck Fairness Act, a $15 minimum wage—which sounds good but would drive many small businesses out of business—Pell grants, child tax credit extensions, community college grants and numerous others.
Polling shows these are simply not the priorities of the American people.
Unfortunately for President Biden, his speech was immediately attacked by his own party—looney Leftist U.S. Rep Rashida Talib, for not defunding the police and for not banning fossil fuels. Got that? No police and no gasoline. We’ll just rely on the kindness and good nature of the criminals not to harm us, as we depend on the wind, when it blows, and the sun, when it shines, to produce the power necessary to dependably run America’s enormous industrial society in 2022. This is clinical insanity.
Polling also makes clear that President Biden’s party will be blown out in the November midterm elections. Completely upside down, fantastical, fascist proposals disconnected from the reality Americans live each day, like those contained in Biden’s speech, are the reason why.
As the Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher, once said, “the facts of life are conservative.” Presidents who ignore these facts do so at their own peril, but most regrettably, at the peril of their vulnerable constituents as well.
Stop by the Logansport Library on Wednesday, March 23 at 3:00 pm and read to the Therapy Reading Dogs! Reading to the dogs is every fourth Wednesday after school.
Each student will get to read individually to the dogs in 15 minute intervals. Call Mrs. Diane Pitts at 318-697-2311 to sign up and schedule your time!
Visit your local library branch for some awesome STEM programs! We are having tons of fun building robots, circuits, and lots more creative things!
Get more information by calling the local branch of the DeSoto Parish Library in Pelican, Logansport, Stonewall, or downtown Mansfield.
Louisiana Tech announces winter graduates including four students from DeSoto Parish.
Louisiana Tech University has announced graduates from its Winter 2022 commencement ceremonies held February 26. The DeSoto Parish graduates are:
Grand Cane
Mansfield
Stonewall
By Steve Graf
I remember as a kid how we played outside until the streetlights came on. We all cried when our moms called our names to come inside. It was a time when you ran or rode your bike behind the mosquito fog truck, breathing in all sorts of chemicals! Times were much simpler back in the early 60’s and 70’s and no one locked their doors at night. People slept with their windows open, so the cool nighttime breeze flowed throughout the entire house. Political division was not as prevalent as it is today. If someone had a difference of opinion, you just listened and went about your business. We did not have social media outlets to get online and criticize what they had said. Today I’ll jog your memory as we go back to a time when right was right and wrong was wrong, and people had morals and respected each other.
I remember when your bike was your main form of transportation, and we rode all over town looking for a backstop (sandlot) to get a game of baseball or football going. Parents of this generation did not have to worry about where their kids were. We were mature enough to know the difference between stupid and doing something a little risky. We played baseball games on our own and used ghost runners when you did not have enough players for a full team. If guys disagreed on whether you were out or safe, you worked it out. But every once in a while, it came to blows, only lasting a few punches or until your buddies dragged you off each other. Then, the game would resume as if nothing ever happened. Good times!
I remember playing ball all day, only taking a break to eat something. We would walk to a black berry patch or a fruit tree like a plum, apple, fig or even a pear tree in order to get our nutrition. We didn’t have protein bars or a Subway sandwich store near us…and didn’t need one. We did have a donut shop fairly close that had an ICEE machine, which was a great way to hydrate in the East Texas heat. Nothing better than donut holes and a large coke/strawberry ICEE! I remember sitting under a shade tree with our awesome snack and hearing Little Johnny jokes from the neighborhood renegade (bad boy). It was through these jokes that I got my sex education…some or most Little Johnny jokes were not very clean. But to us, it was a form of dirty language we kept a secret among ourselves.
I remember when I would go fishing or maybe squirrel hunting by myself at the age of 10 with a 20-gauge shotgun. My childhood was awesome, and I still treasure those memories. Today, I feel sorry for kids that they never got to have the freedoms our generation enjoyed in the 60’s and 70’s. It’s sad, but today’s kids are sheltered and protected due to the world we live in. So, it’s up to the older generation of today to make sure we get these kids outside and expose them to the great outdoors in order to keep the passion and traditions alive that we associate with any and all outdoor activities.
By Van Reech
The regularly scheduled meeting Of the Mansfield Rotary Club lunch on 3/02/22 at the Mansfield Female College Museum featured guest speaker and new Mansfield High School head football coach, Darrell Barbay.
Coach Barbay was educated at Newton High School in southwestern Louisiana. He comes to us from Jasper High School in Jasper, Texas where he was the Head Coach for many years.
Coach Barbay has had a winning record everywhere he has coached and attributes his success to commitment and communication. Coach Barbay was a breath of fresh air as he told of being excited to be here and being impressed with the facilities and the attitude of the young men at Mansfield High School.
Barbay said, “I will be instituting a new training and strength-building program combined with an approved nutrition program. The successful schools that I coached in Texas all did this and it will help Mansfield be a winner, too.”
DeSoto Men of Prayer meet on the first Thursday of each month. Upcoming in April the guest speaker will be Robbie Gatti. There will be great food, worship, and fellowship.
The March gathering was described as a great night with Pastor Dean Register delivering the message. A great testimony was offered by Bro. Dale. And Steve Casey led the Worship.
Lorraine Wise
September 11, 1960 to March 2, 2022
Service March 12, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Jenkins Funeral Home Chapel
Delois Ann Pegues
August 18, 1950 to March 1, 2022
Saturday Services March 12, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Bethal B.C.
Margie Alexander Housley
August 8, 1942 to February 28, 2022
Saturday Gravesite Service March 12, 2022 at 11:00 am at Antioch Vine Cemetery in Pelican, La.
A school bus driver is the first greeting of the morning for many of our students. DeSoto Schools appreciate their dedication and service to our students. DeSoto Parish Bus Drivers are #TheDeSotoDifference!
The Ladies Auxiliary of Fire District 9 at Frierson will host a political candidates forum on Saturday March 12th. It will be held in the Fellowship Hall of Frierson Baptist Church at 5:30 pm. The two candidates for Judge Court of Appeal are scheduled to be there.
Public Service Announcement from the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office:
Recent Vehicle Burglaries in the area can be avoided by following these simple instructions from the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office. Stay Informed. Stay Alert. Stay Safe!
Are you a DeSoto Parish student looking for a summer job? We are excited to announce the DeSoto Summer Internship Program where students can work alongside district staff for $10.00 an hour throughout the summer. For more information, copy the following link: 5il.co/16xgb
The production “Fools” pits ignorance against genius and wit as new schoolmaster Leon Tolchinsky journeys to the Ukrainian village of Kulyenchikov to become the tutor for Sophia, the beautiful daughter of the town’s physician, Dr. Zubritsky and his wife Lenya. Within moments of his arrival, he begins to suspect that something is not right in Kulyenchikov. Everyone in the town is dimwitted at best, including the lovely Sophia and her parents.
Julia Parr most recently performed in The Rented Christmas. She lives in Shreveport and is homeschooled. She is a regular performer in the Dramaniacs, starring in such productions as Peter and the Star Catcher, Peter Pan, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Julia also serves as the Dramaniacs’ Lighting Director.
Brian McCarty has been in Christmas Belles, In-laws, Outlaws, The Nerd, and The Foreigner. Brian and his wife Melony live in Mansfield, where he works at the Desoto Parish Library and sings in the First Baptist Church of Mansfield’s choir. Brian enjoys traveling with family, running, going to movies, and collecting obscure progressive rock music.
Other performers are Heath Lemme, Lisa Duty, James Griffith, Lance Ray, Jay Fewless, John Franklin, Stacie Hinds, Hunter Tuck. The director is Barry Larson, and the Stage Manager is Donna Griffith.
Sodas and water are available for $1. Complimentary coffee, popcorn, and cookies, supported by your donations, are available during intermission.
Fools by Neil Simon performances are Thursday April 7, Friday April 1 and 8, Saturday April 2 and 9 at 7:00 pm and Sunday April 3 at 2:00 pm.
From the sheriff’s office:
It has been a great week here at the DeSoto Sheriff’s Office! First, it is Dr. Suess week at DeSoto Parish Schools, and we’ve had the opportunity to visit Mansfield and Stanley Elementary classes to read to students! Sheriff Richardson, along with several deputies spent Wednesday and Friday morning in classrooms reading Dr. Suess books and visiting with your amazing kiddos! Today is “GREEN” day for Green Eggs and Ham, so deputies didn’t have a hard time finding their best green outfits to celebrate in!
Also, on Thursday, we had the honor of participating in the Central School Mardi Gras Parade! Take a look at these pictures to see all the fun! Sheriff Richardson would like to thank our teachers and administrators for allowing us to come and spend some time with students, which is always a pleasure!
On Saturday, March 5, 2022, just after 3:00 p.m., Troopers assigned to Louisiana State Police Troop G began investigating a one-vehicle fatality crash on LA Hwy 5, near Dickson Lane. This crash claimed the life of 57-year-old Rhonda Noyes, who was unrestrained.
The initial investigation revealed a 2006 Saturn Ion, driven by 60-year-old Darryl Betford, of Mansfield, was traveling south on LA Hwy 5. For reasons still under investigation, Betford exited the roadway to the right, where he over-corrected. As a result, the Saturn traveled across the roadway, where it entered the ditch and struck a tree, ejecting Noyes, who was a passenger in the vehicle.
Betford, who was restrained, was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Noyes, who was not wearing a seat belt, was transported to DeSoto Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced deceased.
Impairment is not suspected to be a factor in this crash; however, routine toxicology samples were taken and submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
Troopers urge motorists to always remember to buckle their seat belt, regardless of their seating position. Not only is it the law, but it is also the single most effective way to prevent serious injury or death if you are involved in a motor vehicle crash.
In 2022, Troop G has investigated six fatal crashes, resulting in seven deaths.
By Teddy Allen
Never say the Wordle Word of the Day if “a wordler,” someone who works the daily Wordle puzzle, is around.
I’ll explain.
First, Wordle is a five-letter word that can, if you’re aggravated enough, become a four-letter word.
Wait. We better explain some more…
If you are part of the Great Unwashed who don’t know Wordle, consider yourself both blessed and cursed. Same as the ones of us who DO know.
Wordle is the new pickleball of word games, pickleball being our country’s fastest growing sport, not counting Pin the Tail on the Fauci. Pickleball is a combination of tennis, badminton, ping pong, and, of course, cucumbers. Look it up, grab a racquet and a wiffleball and go play — IF you can find a free court.
Not kidding. It’s a 24/7 Pickleball Party out there.
Some with Wordle, except it’s right there on your laptop device, just waiting to either reward you or make you want to hit yourself upside your head with a pickleball racquet.
The game was created in October by an engineer in Brooklyn named Josh Wardle, who was obviously born to create a word game. (“You say Wardle, I say Wordle.”) The game starts with six rows of five blank boxes each, and you get six guesses to figure out the five-letter word that changes every day.
One day this week was “hoard.” Others were “cloth” and “brine” and “mourn.” March 1 was “rupee,” a unit of Indian money, which apparently a lot of people didn’t know, and we know this because It Was In All The Papers, stories about Wordle-ites who felt they’d been ripped off — an interesting take on the American mindset since Wordle is, after all, free.
(I got rupee; sixth and final try. Makes me think of another five-letter word: lucky.)
The Guardian reported that Wordle had 90 players in November, 300,000 by January, and now more than three million around the world. Mankind is caught in a Wordle vice of biblical proportions. The game’s traveling faster than gossip down a church pew.
Its charm is that it’s not overwhelmingly hard to solve — but it’s hard enough. Simple, but keeps you on your toes. Sort of like your colon does as you age.
Sign up through Google, or wherever you subscribe to your addictive, fun, time-wasting, sucking-the-life-out-of-you word games. Again, it’s free, and the rules are simple, which the Wordle site will explain.
The first day I played, a good friend — my “Wordle dealer/supplier” since he got me hooked — gave me a two-minute tutorial. One minute I’d only heard of Wordle and the next, I was a Wordle Junkie.
A Final Word to the Wordle Wise: Do not casually mention to anyone the Wordle Word of the Day unless they ask. My rookie day, I said, “Hey, took me four shots but I figured out ‘shake’ was the Worldle wor…”
“Nooooooooo!” That was the sound from a friend (now ex-friend) walking by; they had not Wordled yet on that day.
Wordle word for me at that moment? Idiot. Or loser. Either five-letter word would have worked.
Moral of story? Keep your Wordle to yourself. Otherwise … “YIKES”
Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
Speed Dating Teaches A Lesson. NDHS students in Ms. Decker’s class today participated in a speed dating activity the last few minutes of class. They were each a historical figure and shared characteristics about themself. What a fun way to learn about important people from history. It was definitely a fast paced few minutes!!
National Honor Society. North DeSoto High congratulated their National Honor Society Inductees. What a great program celebrating the hard work and dedication of these individuals!!
Visitors at NDHS. On Friday, North DeSoto High welcomed visitors from Gladewater High School in Texas. The school said they joined a few cluster meetings and visited some classrooms. North Desoto High said, “We were excited to share our work with them and visit with them about our TAP processes. Thank you to Ms. Register and Ms. Barbee for accompanying them.
Mansfield Elementary Teacher and Para of Month. Congratulations to our teacher of the month Ms. Holmes and our paraprofessional of the month Mrs. Wells. We are so thankful for both of you and all you do for our students!
Senator Louie Bernard advises the public of impending changes to election laws in Louisiana and the history of integrity of Louisiana Elections and the Elections systems presently in place. Senator Bernard reassures the public of our present election process and the need or lack of need to change our system.
By Brad Dison
Kerri Rawson was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1978. She had a happy childhood with loving parents and good friends. When Kerri was about ten years old, she and her parents watched a news report on local tv about a serial killer in Wichita, her hometown. The news anchor briefly told of the murders, explained that the killer was still on the loose, and asked anyone with information to report it to police. Kerri was terrified. What if the killer came for her next? Her parents did as most parents would do and assured her that she was safe. Kerri was not so sure.
The news program explained that on January 15, 1974, Charlie, Danny, and Carmen Ortego returned home from school in Wichita and discovered the lifeless bodies of their father, 38-year-old Joseph, mother, 33-year-old Julie, sister, 11-year-old Josephine, and brother, 9-year-old Joseph, Jr. They had been tied up, torture, and murdered. The police found few clues.
At about 2 p.m. on April 4, 1974, 20-year-old Kathryn Bright and her 19-year-old brother, Kevin, returned to her residence in Wichita, and discovered an intruder in the home. The man said he would not hurt them, he just wanted to rob them. The man forced Kevin to tie his sister to a chair and led him into another room. The man attempted to bind Kevin and began choking him. To the man’s surprise, Kevin fought back. During the struggle, the man pulled a gun and shot Kevin in the head. Thinking Kevin was dead, the man returned to Kathryn. Somehow, Kevin escaped from the house and alerted police. Kathryn had been stabbed multiple times and died that evening in the hospital. Kevin survived but was unable to provide much information about the killer.
On March 17, 1977, Shirley Vian Relford’s three children, ages 8, 6, and 4, ran to a neighbor’s house in Wichita. The panicked children explained that their mother had been murdered. Police located Shirley’s lifeless body on a bed in her home. She had been bound, tortured, and murdered.
On the morning of December 8, 1977, a man called the Wichita Police Department and reported a murder. He provided the address and hung up. Police went to the residence and found the body of Nancy Fox. She had been bound, tortured and murdered.
In 1978, a television station in Wichita received a letter from someone who claimed to be the killer of the Oteros, Bright, Vian Relford, and Fox. In this letter, the writer provided several nicknames for himself that the press could use when reporting on his crimes. One of them stuck. From then on, he was referred to as BTK, which stands for Bind, Torture, Kill, his method of murder. The press finally reported that Wichita had a serial killer.
In 1979, BTK stalked 63-year-old Anna Williams and intended for her to be his next victim. He studied her schedule and had everything planned. Anna failed to return home at her normal time. BTK waited impatiently. Anna was visiting friends. After waiting for several hours, BTK, furious that his target had evaded him, drove away. Anna’s visit to her friends saved her life.
April 27, 1985, was the last time friends saw 53-year-old Marine Hedge. A few days later, police found her car at a shopping center in Wichita. On May 5, police located a body in rural Sedgwick County. They positively identified her through dental records.
On December 31, 1987, Mary Fager returned to her home in Wichita and found her husband, 37-year-old Phillip, lying on the living room floor. He had been bound, tortured and murdered. In a panic, she ran to neighbor’s house for help. Police arrived at the Fager home and found the lifeless bodies of Mary’s 16-year-old daughter, Kelly, and 9-year-old daughter, Sherri. BTK wrote a letter in which he denied killing the Fagers. However, evidence on the letter proved that he was their killer.
On February 1, 1991, police found the body of 62-year-old Dolores Davis under a bridge in Sedgwick County. She had been bound, tortured, and strangled. They later learned that BTK had killed Dolores on January 19th.
Police wondered when the next murder would occur. They hoped he would make a mistake which would give away his identity. They were building evidence against BTK but still had no idea who he was. They waited but no more murders fit BTK’s method. Local news stations occasionally reported on the cold case. Each time she saw the news story about the serial killer, Kerri’s fear of the killer was renewed. One day, Kerri and her father were walking hand-in-hand near their home. She explained her fears to her father. As he had done many times before, he told her she was safe to ease her mind.
BTK’s downfall came with his desire for public attention. He taunted investigators with postcards and letters. He sometimes left packages to be found by police which contained mementos he had removed from his victims. On one occasion, BTK sent a package to a television station which contained a letter on a floppy disk and more mementos from one of his murders. Investigators located information stored in the metadata of the floppy disk and learned the true identity of BTK.
On February 25, 2005, Kerri heard a knock at the door. She had not thought about BTK for some time, but the stern FBI agent on the other side of the door sent chills down her spine when he told her that after 31 years of searching they had arrested BTK. At first, Kerry was confused as to why the agent would be alerting her specifically. Then she learned that the man who had reassured her all those years that she was safe, her father, was BTK.
This article is dedicated to the victims of BTK. The absence of his name from this article is no mistake. Kerri Rawson (her married name) filed a no-contact order against her father and works as an advocate for victims of abuse, crime, and trauma.
Sources:
Retirement planning isn’t just about saving. We all need to consider tax planning. As April 18th quickly approaches this becomes very real.
Taxes and taxation of income is a key component of retirement strategy. I work with clients to lessen the impact of taxation on their retirement dollars. Believe it or not it can and does make a difference when you take various forms of income. Do you know when to pull dollars from what source of funds? Are you kicking the tax can down the road? Thereby, making a larger than necessary tax burden for you and your beneficiaries? Roth verse traditional? Leave your 401k with employer or move to private account? What is the truth?
Make sure you know the facts and not just the myths. Give me a call to discuss your specifics. Know that you know the best plan of action.
Contact Reinette today!
rfoster@reinettefoster.com
318-481-6539
ReinetteFoster.com
The Northern Region Shooting match for 4-H will be held in DeSoto & Caddo Parishes from March 14-20, 2022. For information, local accommodations & dining visit:
discoverdesoto.com/event/northern-region-4h-shooting
Or contact Molly F. Usrey, Extension Agent (4H Youth Development) Office: (318) 872-0533
Mandi Mills of Clara Springs Camp said, “Mark your Calendars for March 25th our Fourth Friday Fish Fry. Due to the major rise in food cost, we will be raising the prices starting on March 25th.” If you have been to the grocery store lately you have probably noticed the jump in all food prices, especially Louisiana Catfish. The new Fourth Friday Fish Fry price is $15.00 for fried catfish and all the trimmings.
The prior Fourth Friday Fish Fry was held of the 25th of February. Social Springs Baptist Church did the cooking and helped serve 321 people. Make your plans now for the March 25th fish fry.
The following arrests were made in DeSoto Parish between February 27 – March 05, 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.
