Lilleth Turner
March 2, 1935 to March 3, 2022
Celebration of Life, Friday, March 18, 2022, 12:00 noon, at Precious Memories Mortuary in Duncanville, Texas. And she shall rest until the Redeemer returns, Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas, Texas.
The next DeSoto Parish Chamber Luncheon will be Tuesday, March 15th at 12:00 Noon. The Speaker will be Josh Dahlem, DeSoto Parish School Student Services Supervisor. The caterer will be DeSoto Regional Cafeteria and the menu will be beef tips with rice & salad. Please RSVP by 11:00 am Friday, March 11th. RSVP’s after Friday WILL NOT be provided lunch. To keep expenses down, no-shows will be billed.
Lilleth Turner
March 2, 1935 to March 3, 2022
Celebration of Life, Friday, March 18, 2022, 12:00 noon, at Precious Memories Mortuary in Duncanville, Texas. And she shall rest until the Redeemer returns, Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas, Texas.
Lillie Polk
November 17, 1948 to February 27, 2022
Graveside March 5, 2022 @ 11:30 am in St. Peter Cemetery Pelican, La.
Clara Byrd
May 27, 1933 to February 25, 2022
Service March 5, 2022 at 11:00 am at Morning Glory B.C.
Jessie Vance Bogan
November 22, 1950 to February 24, 2022
Services March 5, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Mary Evergreen B.C. in Grand Cane, La.
Logansport and Stanley High boys basketball teams have concluded their seasons. Both teams made the playoffs, however they both faced defeat Tuesday night in the regionals.
Logansport’s Tigers traveled south to Lebeau to play North Central. Final score was North Central 93 and Logansport 52.
The Stanley Panthers had a shorter trip, traveling to Zwolle. The score in that game was Zwolle 61 and Stanley 28.
Earlier the Mansfield boys were eliminated from playoff contention in round one.
By Nicole Tull
The Logansport Chamber of Commerce had their monthly meeting at the Logansport Library Tuesday evening, March 1st. The new businesses in town were recognized at the beginning of the meeting. Integrity Counseling has moved into the Duke’s Furniture Building. They handle all types of counseling except military trauma. State Line Precision aka Pudge’s Place was also recognized. They have hunting supplies, gifts and all sorts of novelty items.
As the group dined over Beth Walker’s chicken and spaghetti, there was much discussion concerning regular business and the upcoming events at hand. First Annual “Egg”stravaganza on the Sabine will be held on Saturday, April 16. Filled eggs and games will be the highlight for families to participate in.
Mark Armstrong, with the American Legion, announced that the Post is the only one for the parish. So that all parts of the parish can be reached, they will be moving the meetings to the different libraries around the parish. All veterans with an honorable discharge are encouraged to join.
The Logansport Library reminded that they can advertise area events on the digital sign. Just call the library with pertinent information. Mayor Cordray was pleased to announce that the new restrooms on the riverfront will be ready for the River City Fest. Cordray also told of a grant via Senator Milligan for the restoration of new canopies downtown.
KTBS channel 3 has installed a TowerCam on the water tower directed towards the riverfront. You can check the live feed on their website.
Future business discussion for events includes a farmers market scheduled for the warmer months. It will run from May until October. It will be a farmer’s market type venue. Area vendors are encouraged to bring homemade goodies.
The last point of business was voting on the Chamber business of the month. Jim Barron with Whataburger was selected. Mary Mac Thompson won the door prize, a bag of goodies from Brookshire Brothers.
The next meeting will be 6:00pm Tuesday, April 5th at the Logansport library. All are encouraged to attend.
The city of Mansfield has new leadership in the town fire department. Mayor John Mayweather, Sr. said, “We are proud to announce Bryan Ross as fire chief and Michael Gonzales as assistant fire chief.”
The Mayor brought these two candidates before the board as his recommendations. They were accepted unanimously. Mayweather said, “Congratulations Chief Ross and Assistant Chief Gonzales.”
By Royal Alexander
Surely we recognize the great dangers to our country from across the globe and the desire of ruthless nations to seize the opportunity and fill the vacuum when they witness American weakness, either because we are unaware or incapable of stopping the advance of evil.
Does anyone believe this would be going on if Pres. Trump were still president? In fact, in a recent poll published by The Hill, 62 percent of Americans say that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not have invaded Ukraine under President Trump.
Do we really believe it’s a mere coincidence that Russia is invading a sovereign country and China is looking at Taiwan like a shark does at chum in the water while Iran continues doing what it has never stopped doing—perfecting the enrichment of uranium so that it may realize its dream of a nuclear weapon that it would deploy against Israel and ultimately the U.S.
The eternal principle of nations and war has never changed: perceived weakness begets attacks and war. That’s how America is perceived by our adversaries and that is why these dangerous, highly volatile actions are occurring across the globe.
How could it be otherwise? After the Afghanistan debacle, why would our enemies think any differently?
Remember how the U.S., in an impotent and humiliating fashion for the world’s only superpower, abandoned Afghanistan last year. In so doing, we gifted to the Taliban—our terrorist enemies who gave Al Qaeda the staging area to plan the September 11, attacks—$86 billion in military hardware.
Why didn’t befuddled Pres. Biden give this $86 billion in military hardware to Ukraine’s brave President Zelensky, who refused the U.S. offer to evacuate Ukraine, saying “I don’t want a ride, I want anti-tank ammunition.”
Recall that the U.S has also now abandoned the energy independence we had achieved during the Trump years, forcing us back into a situation in which we are relying on foreign oil—from countries, many of which hate us—to sustain our national economy. By the way, oil at $100 a barrel not only hurts American citizens, it puts billions into Russia’s war effort as well as Iran’s nuclear program. In fact, according to Forbes, in 2021, Russia accounted for 21% of all U.S. gasoline imports for a total of $12.78 billion. Right now, the Biden Administration is importing roughly 600,000 barrels per day of liquid hydrocarbons from Russia. (energyintel.com). At the current rate of $100 per barrel, the fact is our nation is currently helping to fund Putin’s war machine against Ukraine at the rate of $60 million per day.
What we are seeing in Ukraine and elsewhere is the result of the madness of AOC’s Woke Environmental policy—a compromise of the U.S. and Ukraine’s energy and military security.
And we are again learning through the conflict in Ukraine that energy security is also the key to global security and stability. As President Trump has noted, energy security is national security.
President Putin has for many years had designs on making Russia more than a regional power (as a KGB officer at the time, Putin would have never supported Gorbachev’s dismantling of the former Soviet Union) while China has salivated over Taiwan for decades and now sees an opening with a U.S. still distracted by and reeling from the China virus and the flaccid leadership of the Biden Administration.
For their part, the Chinese Communist Party has made clear that it will do whatever it determines is necessary to win what it sees as an inevitable war with the U.S. Economically, militarily, and geographically, the United States faces a stark and growing threat from China. We have known this for some time but recent examples of cyberterrorism, hacking, industrial espionage, and the theft annually of hundreds of billions of dollars of intellectual property highlight this fact.
Recent news has also highlighted the fact that Russia and China have conducted joint military exercises and are helping Iran avoid economic sanctions. Russia and China have also reportedly developed hypersonic missiles, a fact that apparently surprised U.S. intelligence.
Regarding Iran, the Wall Street Journal previously stated that “Iran has been scaling up its nuclear program since mid-2019, a year after the Trump administration exited the nuclear deal and then imposed sanctions. Iran then breached the limits on its uranium stockpile, the purity of the nuclear fuel it was producing and resumed work at the underground Fordow site.”
That’s where we are.
The Biden Administration simply must respond to these growing threats with clarity, strength, and resolve or else the result will be catastrophic for the world and for the United States. In the meantime, we should continue praying for our nation and for the brave freedom fighters in Ukraine.
LifeShare has scheduled four blood drives, including one today, in DeSoto Parish during March. Here is the list from LifeShare’s Philip Maxfield.
Desoto Parish
3/04/22, Friday, 4p to 8p: Saint Ann’s Catholic Church
Sign up link: forms.gle/9AhvwyMMwUiNPSVW9
3/14/22, Monday, 11a to 2:30p, North DeSoto High School (Library)
Sign up link: forms.gle/zekJmkLBDnEyHWzy9
3/22/22, Tuesday, 9a to 2p, Stanley High School (Library)
Sign up link: forms.gle/oowRToEgdZfHN4kK8
3/27/22, Sunday, 9a to 2p, Beulah Baptist Church
Sign up link: forms.gle/aygugXA46jYcLB6K7
The Girls Powerlifting team at North DeSoto High competed at regionals this past weekend. Nine of the young ladies qualified for state! On Tuesday, the school said, “They have worked very hard. Good luck as they continue to prepare for state!”
Check out the photos of the ladies in action.
BODY:
Sabine Parish Tourist & Recreation Commission is currently seeking a Marketing & Event Coordinator: Full Time
Required Education and Experience:
To view complete job description and employment application, please visit ToledoBendLakeCountry.com/about
All applicants must submit a completed application and resume to be considered for this position. Deadline to apply is March 8, 2022.
By Steve Graf
When it comes to bass fishing, having the right lure is of the utmost importance. What you throw is often dictated by the time of year. Let me make one thing clear…there are no magical lures like the Banjo Minnow or the Helicopter lure that will catch bigger and better fish all the time. Since the late 1960’s, anglers have created what I call “TV lures,” baits that are promoted by companies like RONCO guaranteeing that “this” new bait is the greatest fishing lure of all time. Don’t be fooled, there are no guarantees when it comes to bass fishing. But today we’ll look at a few lures that have made a name for themselves by catching not only a lot of bass, but quality as well.
Let’s first look at one of the legendary lures of all time….the spinnerbait. The safety pin or overhead arm spinnerbait was invented in 1951 and manufactured in St. Louis, Missouri. It was designed to catch all species of fish like bass, northern pike, and red fish to name a few. It’s one of those lures we call “chunk and wind” baits which means all you have to do is cast the bait out and start reeling it in. It comes in an array of colors, sizes, and styles with several blade combinations for different water conditions from muddy to clear. It’s one of the most versatile baits you can fish with. You can completely cover the entire water column with a spinnerbait and it’s a great bait for a beginning angler to learn how to throw a bait caster reel.
Next let’s look at the famous, but very reliable, Rat-L-Trap bait. Built and designed in Alexandria, Louisiana, by Bill Lewis in 1971, this bait is known worldwide and has an unbelievable reputation for catching bass. Another one of those “chunk and wind” baits in which the bait does the work for you with its tight vibrating action mimicking bait fish. Bait fish are one of the top forages for bass and the Rat-L-Trap is simply the best lure ever made to imitate bait fish. The Rat-L-Trap series of baits just might be one of the most popular fishing lures of all time. This bait will catch fish in all conditions on any body of water you want to fish.
Now I’ll reveal a bait that has come to the forefront over the last decade and is now one of the most popular baits ever……the Chatter Bait! I got the opportunity to experience the introduction of this bait at Lake Okeechobee Florida in the early 2000’s. I was fishing the FLW Tour as a co-angler in 2004 when this bait made its first appearance. Anglers that had this bait for this event had a distinct advantage and most finished at the top of the standings. Anglers were literally putting their wives up for auction in order to get their hands on a few of these baits. The concept of this bait is simple…a lead head jig with a silicone skirt and a unique designed blade attached to the head creating a high intensity vibration like no other bait can do. Fish will hit this bait when other baits will not work. There’s something unique about its appearance and ability to not only catch bass, but BIG BASS! Beware, it’s also a bait that can be difficult to keep fish hooked up on. It will break your heart when you lose a big one from time to time, but it’s always better to at least have a chance at a big fish than to never hook one at all. Another problem with this bait is that it does not come through heavy cover very well. The Chatter Bait can’t pass a brush top or stick up without hanging up. Sometimes I feel like it has a mind of its own and will hang up on purpose just to show you who’s boss.
I really enjoy talking about the history of bass fishing. I’ve learned so many things over the years talking with some of the greatest of the bass fishing world and some older local guys that I have come to respect. I want to encourage you to take the time to talk with the older generation of anglers in their 70’s and 80’s and hear what they have to say. You’ll be amazed at their stories, their experiences, and what they have learned over their years of angling. These guys have seen bass fishing grow from the days of fun fishing to major multi-million-dollar events. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!
By Joshua Salley, LSU Ag Extension Service
Dwarf Nettle, also known as Stinging nettle, Burning nettle, or as my kids refer to it “Stinging grass” becomes very prevalent this time of year around lawns and in pastures. This obnoxious weed may look tiny and harmless, but it packs a serious punch. All it takes is the slightest touch of a leaf and you will quickly learn how it developed its name.
This weed is a short lived annual that can contain one or several stems originating from the base of the plant. The bright green leaves are paired along the stem, elliptical to oval in shape, and are usually less than 2 1/2 inches long. The leaves contain calcium carbonate that appears as tiny bumps on the leaf surface. All parts of the plant have numerous small hairs which act as tiny hypodermic needles which are filled with histamines, acetylcholine, serotonin, and formic acid. When the leaves are brushed, the tips are broken and pressure within the hairs forces the chemicals into the skin which results in itching, swelling, and burning.
The quickest method of controlling this weed is by pulling them out and discarding by hand. If this is your chosen method, please use caution and wear thick gloves. Herbicides that are labeled for broadleaf weed control may be used as well. Look for the active ingredient of 2,4-D on the herbicide label.
The 42nd annual Battle of Pleasant Hill re-enactment and festivities are scheduled for April 8 through 10. Most activities will take place three miles north of Pleasant Hill on Highway 175. This battle was the final major Confederate victory of the Civil War.
For the full list of activities, see below.
Registration begins today, March 4th, for Sheriff Jayson Richardson’s Youth Hunting Skills Camp. Initial signup will begin at 12:00 noon in the Sheriff’s App.
Hunter Safety Courses provide a ton of great information, but sometimes much is left to be desired when it comes to skill and performance. Sheriff Jayson Richardson has put together a team of Sponsors and Deputies who share a common interest in getting our youth involved in the great outdoors, and to send them out to hunt….Safely, Ethically, and Successfully!
The Sheriff’s Youth Hunting Skills Camp will be provided, free of charge, to youth ages 10-16 (by the date of camp.) To register, each student must have completed an approved Hunters Education Class prior to attending this Camp. Note, the camp itself is not a Hunter Safety Course, but rather a follow-up camp to help area youth hone in skills they have previously learned. Students will be asked to attend both days of camp, outside of any emergency or illness. Drop off time each day will be at 8:00am, and students may be picked up by 5:00pm on both days. Lunch and light snacks will also be provided.
Students will learn and practice many skills to prepare them for a safe and efficient hunting adventure. They will practice shooting, proper breathing, stances, cleaning firearms, adjusting scopes, and much more.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SECTION:
Q: When is the Camp?
A: Camp will be held on April 13th and 14th, 2022.
Q: Where is the Camp?
A: At the DeSoto Sheriff Training Facility, 120 Sprocket Lane in Grand Cane.
Q: How many students will be attending?
A: We will be accepting 40 students on a first-come-first-serve basis. Those applying after registration is full will be placed on a waiting list in the event someone backs out.
Q: When can I sign my student up for Camp, and what is the deadline for signup?
A: Signup will begin on March 4th at 12pm (noon). All applications must be sent in no later than March 14th by 8am.
Q: How do I sign my student up for the Camp?
A: You will need to download the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s App to sign up. The App can be downloaded for free in the Google Play and Apple App Stores on both iPhone and Android. Just search for “DeSoto Parish Sheriff” The form can be located in the App by clicking on “Forms & Tips” and selecting “Hunter Skills Camp Form.” Signup will not begin until 12pm on Friday.
Q: Is this an overnight Camp?
A: This is not an overnight camp. Students are expected to attend both days. They can be dropped off each day at 8am and picked up by 5pm each day.
Q: Can anyone come to the Camp?
A: Only students ages 10-16 by the date of camp, who have previously completed a Hunters Education Course, will be permitted.
Q: When will you be offering another Hunter Safety Course?
A: The DeSoto Sheriff’s Office hosted its last Hunter Safety Course in the Fall of 2021 and we will not be offering a course prior to this camp. Please watch our Facebook page for future course date announcements.
Q: Do students need to bring their own firearms/ammunition to Camp?
A: All weapons used during training will be provided by the Desoto Parish Sheriff’s Office. No personal firearms or ammunition of any type will be permitted.
Q: Who do I contact if I have any further questions?
A: You may send any additional questions to pdaniels@dpso.org, or call 318-872-3956 and ask for Ext. 251 (during normal business hours).
The DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office has published compliments members of the public have submitted for members of law enforcement and public service in the parish.
Deputy Randy Woodle got a compliment for his excellence and kindness in helping with a flat tire. And several first responders were complimented on their response to an 18-wgheeler accident. Their stories are shown below.
Remember, you can send a compliment to a 1st Responder through the DeSoto Sheriff App! We have set the form up so that you can select DPSO, Mansfield Police, EMS, Fire, and 911 Dispatch!
Mildred Elizabeth Wright
November 12, 1936 to February 25, 2022
Read the complete obituary here:
https://desotoparishjournal.com/2022/03/01/mildred-millie-elizabeth-batton-wright/
DeSoto Parish Schools has awarded North DeSoto High Middle School the “Attendance Matters Challenge” trophy for the month.
Back Alley Theatre in Grand Cane has announced their next production will be Fools by Neil Simon. It opens on Friday, April 1 and runs through Saturday, April 9.
Enrollment at Northwestern State University dipped slightly for the Spring 2022 semester, following state and national trends in which multiple disrupting factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes that left parts of Louisiana devastated in 2020 and 2021, played a role. Enrollment for Spring 2022 is 9,549, a decrease of 5.93 percent from a year ago.
On February 22, 2022, Victoria C. Carroll of Holly, LA in Desoto Parish was awarded The 2022 Who’s Who award from Louisiana Tech University. This award was only presented to 20 top seniors at Louisiana Tech. She is a chemical engineering major and on track to graduate in May 2022.
Victoria is the granddaughter of the late Rev. Benjamin Carroll Sr. and Ruby Carroll. She is the daughter of Rev. Bruce Carroll Sr. and Vickie Carroll. Her parents said, “We are very proud of Victoria.”
On Monday, February 28, 2022, just after 4:00 p.m., Troopers assigned to Louisiana State Police Troop G began investigating a three-vehicle fatality crash on US Hwy 84 just west of US Hwy 171. This crash claimed the lives of 81-year old Louis Flanigan and 80-year-old Inell Flanigan, who were both unrestrained.
The initial investigation revealed Louis Flanigan was eastbound on US Hwy 84 in a 1991 Jaguar XJ6, followed by a 2016 Freightliner. At the same time, a 2013 Freightliner was traveling west on US Hwy 84. The Jaguar failed to yield before attempting to make a left turn into a private driveway and was struck by the westbound Freightliner. This impact caused the Jaguar to enter the eastbound lane, where it was struck by the eastbound Freightliner.
Louis Flanigan was not wearing a seat belt and suffered fatal injuries. An unrestrained passenger, Inell Flanigan also suffered fatal injuries. Both were pronounced deceased on the scene by the DeSoto Parish Coroner. The driver of the 2013 Freightliner was wearing his seatbelt and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the 2016 Freightliner was restrained and suffered non-life-threatening injuries
Impairment is not suspected to be a factor in this crash; however, routine toxicology samples were taken and will be submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
Troopers remind motorists to always ensure it is safe, before attempting any turning motion. Oncoming vehicles may be traveling faster and be much closer than they appear. In addition, while not all crashes are survivable, buckling your seatbelt, greatly increases your chances of survival in the event you are involved in a motor vehicle crash.
In 2022, Troop G has investigated five fatality crashes, resulting in four deaths.
By LeBetha Casey
Though the weather outside was rainy, the spirits of the more than 50 area women were not dampened as they gathered for a ladies luncheon on Saturday, February 26, 2021, at Cornerstone Ministries Cowboy Church near Logansport. Each lady was allowed to select a colorful “Sisters in Christ” T-shirt upon arrival. Coffee, tea, fruit and other snacks were available as ladies greeted one another.
The pastor’s wife, Pam Matthis, opened the program with prayer and a welcome to the attendees. Sharlyn Cawthorn shared a short devotion about “Persevering Love,” citing scripture references from James 1:2-4, and 1 Cor. 13:7. Two songs were led by a praise team before Kim Pepmiller offered a solo, “In Jesus Name.”
Paula Abbott, who is the co-pastor of Round Pen Cowboy Church in Terrell, TX with her husband, Toby, was the guest speaker. She began by sharing a bit of her history of being rejected by her mother from the womb, being given to her mother’s friend at birth, and then being adopted at 8 months of age by a dysfunctional family whose father was abusive and an atheist. At age 7, she made her first attempt at suicide. Age 16 found her frequenting bars and being raped, causing her to become pregnant. Her parents signed her over to her rapist for a short-lived marriage, and then she divorced, fearing for the lives of her daughter and herself.
By her early 20’s Abbott had given birth to two boys. Her 13-year meth addiction caused her to become homeless and losing custody of her children. To support her addiction, she sold her body. This destructive lifestyle led her to two more suicide attempts. In desperation, she attended a Cowboy Church in Amarillo, TX and heard about Jesus for the first time in her life. On March 7 this year, Abbott will celebrate 25 years of being clean of drugs.
Abbott began her message of encouragement speaking from Joshua 1:6–“Be strong and of good courage. . .’ She admonished her listeners “To prepare” as stated in Joshua 1:10. While in spiritual/physical battles one becomes tired, so afterwards one should “Rest” according to Joshua 11:23. If our spirits become empty, it can be expensive to fill them up again, so we should continuously refill ourselves with God. God can use us even if we are the only one present at the time—-such as when Elijah was the only Godly man among hundreds of others when he called fire down from Heaven on Mt. Carmel during a drought.
Before reading a list of encouraging tidbits, the last scripture quoted was Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; … I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Special prayer was then offered to anyone who so desired.
Abbott made available for purchase copies of the three books she has authored and T-shirts with the message, “After God made me, He said TADA.”
At the close of the meeting, a wonderful lunch of beans, tacos with all the trimmings, and a wide variety of desserts were offered.
By Teddy Allen
Texting, texting all day long,
on my hand-held telephone.
Kitchen, den or patio,
I can text while on the go!
My favorite place to text outside
Is when I’m cruising in my ride.
The road belongs to me alone
When I want on my telephone.
I drive, but still I answer rings
Since driving, I can do four things:
That’s texttalkdrive AND hit your car.
It takes some skill, but I’m a star!
This won’t make a dent in what my small brain perceives to be a big problem, but, as country crooner Lyle Lovett said, or perhaps texted while driving his horse, “A man has to try. What are you if you don’t try?”
I am not an extremely intelligent person. I’m probably in the same IQ category as the guy who took a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night.
You’ll see a fish riding a bicycle before you see me accepting any academic awards.
I’m not a bright man.
But, I do have my moments. I married a smart person. I will stop and ask for directions. I know to come in out of the rain. I can change a flat. And I long ago retired from texting while driving.
Each of us knows by now, personally, of at least a dozen accidents caused by people reaching for their dropped cell phones or talking or texting while driving. A grandfather told me last week of his teenaged grandson who had recently wrecked while texting and is now paralyzed from the waist down.
A bigger goofball than me you’ll be hard-pressed to find, but this is serious business.
I am not a good driver to begin with. In fact, I’m probably the second worst driver in the world, and I will take over the top spot should my dad pass away. So I need all hands on deck while steering a vehicle.
It has not escaped my attention, though, that most people are circus acts while driving. I sat outside the house this week and counted the first 10 cars that came by. Seven drivers were on their phones.
I tried again later. Eight out of 10. Must be fires everywhere.
This week I was at a red light and the guy behind me was hit by the woman behind him. Both were on their phones. A conversation on my home phone with a friend two months ago ended with, “Oops, I’ve got to call you back. I just hit a car.”
What the…
I am probably more uneasy about this than most because I was on the front end of getting rear-ended back when cell phones were making their initial splash. A woman picked me off at a Dallas intersection. Just a dent, but a nice dent. She was very nice: she handed me her insurance information and her cell phone number and – this is the honest truth – she never got off her phone the whole time. She had to be the National Security Advisor or the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, is all I can figure. In 1999, was the head of national security blonde, female and mid-40s? Had to be…
On the wide open road, I can understand talking and driving. Otherwise, these are my rules, which my family knows: I can text or talk and drive if I am on fire, if I’m bleeding, or if I’m taking a call about a liver transplant. Short list. Otherwise, my phone’s in park, for my safety and for yours.
Originally ran April 3, 2011. Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
Last week schools in the parish sent delegates to the Beta Convention in Baton Rouge.
The Mansfield High Beta story:
Some of our Mansfield High School Beta Club students attended the Louisiana State Beta Club Convention this week. We are extremely proud to announce that one of our Betas placed 3rd in the state on-site drawing competition & another group are the 1st place CHAMPIONS of the state marketing and communications competition.
It goes without saying that our small-town students are making BIG impacts every day, but our Beta students are leading the pack in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Here is the North DeSoto High story:
Members of the NDHS Beta club had a great time and represented NDHS well. Many returned with honors: 2nd place in Spanish academic test for 11th grade, 5th in Social Studies academic test, 2nd in Service Learning Showcase, 4th in Freshmen Problem Solving team, 5th in Apparel Design and 5th in Campaign Skit.
Here is a collection of true crime short stories from the memoirs of veteran homicide investigator, Detective Lt. Robert (Robbo) Davidson. Six accounts are woven together with his memories, case files, witness statements, and trial transcripts.
The Evil I Have Seen is available locally at Mansfield Drug in Mansfield and 4-C Coffee in Grand Cane. It is also available from Amazon. The book comes in both hardback and softcover copies as well as Kindle.
About his book, Robbo said, “Now I ruminate on those old investigations, realizing some things seen stain the brain as surely as the iron-laden soil of western Louisiana forever changes the color of whatever it touches. You cannot wash red dirt out of clothing, and you cannot unsee what you have seen.
“You cannot look into the empty eyes of death staring back at you as many times as I did and say you were not changed by what you saw. I stopped trying to count homicides cases a long time ago. There are ghosts waiting for me in every corner of DeSoto Parish.”
Detective Lt. Robert “Robbo” Davidson retired in 2014 after working forty years in Louisiana law enforcement, beginning as an undercover narcotics agent during the 1970’s. He later worked as an investigator for the 11th Judicial District of Louisiana before joining the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Department, where he worked drug and homicide investigations for thirty-three years.
Listen to Robbo on station KWRD of Henderson, TX on March 1st at 8:30 am. And he will be at a book signing in Longview, TX at Book Barrels on March 12th at 3:00 pm.
The Evil I Have Seen is a fast moving series of stories that will hold you spellbound. Through the narrative the stories come alive, and you will experience solving these crimes along with Lt. Davidson. Get your copy today.
During a recent Story Time at the Logansport Library children were excited to see Mardi Gras Queen, Tammy Thomas, and Mardi Gator. Queen Tammy helped us make masks and read the book DINOSAUR MARDI GRAS.
Mardi Gator lead our parade through the library throwing beads to our patrons. Then we enjoyed some delicious King Cake Cookies!
The Library said, “We send a big ” THANK YOU!” to the Queen and Mardi for partying with us.”
By Brad Dison
Writers can sometimes feel as if they are cursed by their own creation. Such was the case with Alan Alexander.
Alan was born in 1882 and raised in London, England. He was taught at a school which was run by his father. Alan excelled in school, especially math, possibly because he was under the watchful eye of his father. He continued his education at Trinity College, Cambridge on a mathematics scholarship. During his tenure at Cambridge, he edited and wrote smart and witty articles for a student magazine called The Granta. In 1903, Alan earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. Rather than following the career in mathematics that he had assumed would be his path in life, Alan moved to London to try his hand at freelance writing. In 1906, his writing caught the attention of the editor of Punch magazine, the leading British humor magazine, who hired Alan to write humorous verses and essays.
Alan thrived as a writer and was happy. In 1913, he married Dorothy “Daphne” de Sélincourt. He eventually became assistant editor of Punch magazine. His future seemed assured, but World War I changed the trajectory of his career. In 1915, Alan, exchanged his pen for a rifle when, although a pacifist, he volunteered for military service.” In the following year, Alan was injured in the Battle of the Somme and shipped back to England to convalesce. When he had recovered enough to write, he was recruited to write propaganda articles for MI7, a secret military intelligence organization.
After the war, Alan returned to London where he assumed he would resume his old job at Punch magazine. When the magazine failed to rehire him, Alan turned to playwriting. Following the December 1918 opening of his play entitled “Make-Believe,” one critic wrote that it was, “very popular entertainment.” His other plays, including The Dover Road, Mr. Pim Passes By, and Michael and Mary, were also successful. Alan’s reputation as a write grew with his well-received detective/mystery novel The Red House Mystery.
Agents and publishing companies tried to steer Alan in directions that would suit their needs rather than his, but Alan was determined to write whatever he pleased, whenever he pleased. Luckily, Alan’s writing continued to attract an accepting audience.
In 1920, to their delight, Alan and Daphne had a son they nicknamed Billy Moon. All throughout his childhood, Alan created stories to amuse Billy Moon. The central character in the story was an animal named Edward. In 1924, Alan published a children’s book with Edward and Billy Moon as the central characters, which was an immediate success. He published more stories featuring the characters and they, too, were immediately successful. Alan’s children’s books were so popular that they overshadowed all of his previous work.
Most critics wrote positive reviews of Alan’s “whimsical” children’s stories. Alan detested any reference to his work as being whimsical. “If I write anything less realistic, less straightforward than ‘The cat sat on the mat,’ I am ‘whimsical.’ Indeed, if I did say that the cat sat on the mat (as well it might), I should be accused of being whimsical about cats.” Finally, Alan decided he would never again write a story based on Edward and Billy Moon.
Alan felt cursed by his own creation. The popularity of his children’s books eventually severed the bond between father and son. The rift between them had grown so large that when Alan died in 1956 at the age of 74, he left the rights to his books to four benefactors, none of which was his son, Billy Moon.
Alan would have preferred to have been remembered as a novelist or a playwright, but only the most hardcore fans can name a single work outside of his children’s books. Do you remember Edward and Billy Moon, stories which were written by Alan Alexander “A.A.” Milne? Rather than using the name Billy Moon, Alan used his son’s legal first and middle names, …Christopher Robin. He renamed Edward …Winnie the Pooh.
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