Clara Springs hosted the Fourth Friday Fish Fry on Friday evening and the camp reports another wonderful turnout.
They said, “Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers who made tonight possible! You guys helped us serve 315 hungry guests! It was a WONDERFUL June Fourth Friday Fish Fry”
The next fish fry will be on July 22nd. All the fish and trimmings you can eat for $15.00. See you there.
The following arrests were made in DeSoto Parish between June 19 – June 25, 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.
Friday is the deadline to sign up for our summer 4-H Stay-cation Days. DeSoto 4-H has also extended the deadline to register for day camps until this Friday July 1. Please contact the office if you have any questions!
Dr. Anthony Pursell has been named director of bands at Northwestern State University. His appointment has been approved by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System. Pursell will lead the nationally acclaimed 300-member Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band which has pleased audiences throughout the South and in international performances in London and Dublin, Ireland.
DeSoto Men of Prayer meets Thursday, July 7th at 6:30pm at the Stonewall Community Center. Food, Fellowship and God. Pastor Chris Willcutt from Grawood Baptist Church will be our guest speaker. Come out and join us, men of all ages welcome.
12:30pm UPDATE from the DeSoto Sheriff:
Evacuation has been lifted! This site is now shut in and under control. It may continue to burn but the immediate danger to the public has been lifted. All area residents may return to their homes, with exception specifically to Catuna Road. The Catuna Road area will take a little bit longer to clear and prepare for traffic. Traffic has been reopened on 171 and other areas. Thanks to everyone who shared our post to ensure the safety of area residents!
Earlier the Sheriff’s Office said, “We are currently primarily focused on the safety of nearby residents in the area of Catuna. All precautions are being taken as a safety measure right now.”
Initial reports were received shortly before 11:00 am. The Sheriff’s Office said, “Dispatchers have received numerous calls regarding a large explosion in the Catuna area off of Norwood Road. Hazmat, EMS, FIRE, and Deputies are currently responding to the scene.
Initial evacuation was along Catuna Road and Norwood Road off US 171. Deputies were knocking on nearby doors advising nearby residents to evacuate. That evacuation order was lifted about 12:30. So far there has been no cause of the initial explosion given out.
On Wednesday night a new Miss Juneteenth was crowned in Mansfield. She will reign over the celebration this weekend. She is Kamille Buncom and is the 2022 Miss Juneteenth. The ceremony was held at the DeSoto High School Multicultural Center Gymnasium in Mansfield.
The Mansfield Civic Group and Fancy Feet Dance School 2.0 welcome you to the 2022 Annual Juneteenth Celebration this coming weekend. The theme is “Just Like Back in the Day” Juneteenth Celebration.
The Parade is Saturday, June 25th , 2022. Lineup begins at 9:00 am. Parade rolls at 11:00 am from the DeSoto Multicultural Center on Old Jefferson Highway. The Grand Marshall for this event is Mansfield’s Mayor-Elect Thomas Jones.
See the map below for the parade route.
The National Weather Service is predicting another hot weekend for our area. High temperatures Friday, Saturday and Sunday are predicted to be 100 degrees. Heat index values could be as high as 105 on Friday.
Little or no rainfall is in the forecast. There is a 20% chance on Friday.
Here is the local forecast:
Friday – A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Heat index values as high as 105. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Friday Night – Mostly clear, with a low around 77. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming southwest after midnight.
Saturday – Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night – Mostly clear, with a low around 76.
Sunday – Sunny and hot, with a high near 100.
Sunday Night – Partly cloudy, with a low around 76.
If you are going to the Juneteenth Celebration or Balloons over DeSoto take plenty to drink and use sunscreen to protect from sunburn.
July 4th fireworks are planned on the riverfront in Logansport by the Firefighter’s Association. Come to the banks of the Sabine River in Logansport. There will be food and drink vendors beginning at 4:00 pm. Live music by the Cajun Piano Man – Don Hayes will start at 5:00 pm.
The spectacular Fireworks show will start after dark. Event organizers asks that there be
no coolers in the riverfront area. Vendors will be present for food and beverage needs.
The 2022 Texas Watermelon Queen – Olivia Johnson will be in attendance handing out slices of watermelon and other items.
By Royal Alexander
Kneeling to protest the National Anthem endorsed but reasonable comparisons between Jan 6th and 2020 BLM riots punished. This past week the ‘ Woke’ NFL again demonstrated how asleep it is to the reason for its unpopularity and lost viewership.
Coach Jack Del Rio, defensive coordinator of the Washington Commandeers (formerly the Redskins) stated:
“A simple question,” Del Rio said on June 8. “Why are we not looking into [the riots at the protests], if we’re going to talk about [the Capitol riot]. Why are we not looking into those things? … I see images on the TV, people’s livelihoods are being destroyed, businesses are being burned down, no problem. And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down, and we’re going to make that a major deal.”
He had also tweeted on June 6th “Would love to understand the ‘whole story’ about why the summer of riots, looting, burning and the destruction of personal property is never discussed but this is ?? #CommonSense.”
In response to those comments, Commander’s head football coach, Ron Rivera, levied a $100,000 fine against Coach Del Rio.
WOW. That’s quite a punishment for merely asking a question about a current, highly relevant issue in our country.
Why was former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick allowed—if not encouraged—to protest alleged police brutality but Del Rio is punished for merely asking a question and highlighting a clear inconsistency?
Let’s look back at the 2020 Summer of Riots.
Recall the orgy of violence, rioting, looting, murder and hate speech by Antifa and BLM that was merely deemed “peaceful protesting” by the Democrat Party and the national Left. The 2020 riots caused injuries too numerous to count including more than 2000 injuries to police, 18 deaths, and nearly $2 billion in property damage due to the looting and arson.
Recall the enormous damage and destruction of hundreds of historic monuments and statues across the country; or the church in D.C. that was nearly destroyed.
It is simply beyond dispute that Antifa and Black Lives Matter engaged in domestic terrorism.
Was any of this emphatically denounced by Joe Biden or the Democrat Party and the national Left? No, it was encouraged as a political tool to be used against President Trump.
We were told that the kneeling in sports venues across the country was “in protest of racial injustice.” (Please recall how former NFL quarterback, Tim Tebow, was harshly criticized for kneeling in prayer while Colin Kaepernick remains widely praised).
We quickly moved past demonstrations protesting the death of George Floyd and calling for police reforms. That early effort, universally supported as it was, was replaced by the rioting and destruction we witnessed daily in 2020.
Let’s compare that to Jan. 6th.
We should remember that there were comparatively few lawbreakers while over a million of our fellow countrymen that day marched, sang, and prayed for their country. I have friends locally who attended, as did many others across Louisiana, as well as family in Virginia, and they didn’t plan or intend for one moment to do anything but exercise their freedoms of speech, expression and free exercise of religion while peacefully making their views known. Those guarantees are as iron clad as any that exist in our Constitution.
A fraction of those at the march have been charged with trespassing, assaulting law enforcement officers and criminal damage to property. Many have either pled their cases or they will be tried, and evidence will be presented, and an impartial jury of their peers will decide their guilt or innocence beyond a reasonable doubt.
So, why haven’t the Summer of Riots lawbreakers been arrested and prosecuted as the Jan 6th individuals have?
Because the preferred narrative of the Woke Left is to lionize protestors of “police brutality” while unfairly smearing and maligning the million plus patriots who showed up on Jan 6th, whom they deem racist and bigoted.
Coach Del Rio simply underscored that hypocrisy and has paid a steep price for it, financially and reputationally.
If the NFL, as a so-called “private” corporation, wants to be free to censor some speech while allowing speech it favors, it may do so. However, it needs to surrender the litany of enormous financial benefits it derives from the anti-trust exemptions it receives under state and federal law.
Until it does so, it needs to be required to allow all speech as a quasi-public government entity under our 1st Amendment.
Members of the North DeSoto High Danceline recently completed summer Danceline camp. And they came away with ribbons won during the camp competitions.
The young ladies worked very hard. There was individual freestyle work as well as team exercises. Ribbons were earned throughout the camp.
At the finish of camp these awards had been earned: 3 All-Americans, 1 Top Gun and 1 Excellence in Leadership for overall camp.
Local Coach Tim Whitman has made it to the list of eight finalists for Coach of the Year. Whitman coaches softball at North DeSoto High. He was recognized recently in Iowa as a finalist for the Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.
Whitman has an impressive list of accomplishments during his 20 years as a head softball coach including four times being named state coach of the year by the Louisiana Sportswriters. He has coached six state championship softball teams and one runner up. And Whitman is a member of the Louisiana High School Softball Hall of Fame.
It is summer vacation for most students, however Camp Invention is in full swing. DeSoto schools said, “Students create their own unique shoe from the design of the sole to the design of the whole shoe. The picture shows the process of creating the sole.”
By Steve Graf
Now let’s take a look at the impact of the 1980’s and 90’s, just to see how big bass fishing has become. Ray Scott (who passed away this past May) was the man who had the greatest impact and should be given the credit for everything professional bass anglers have today. Ray, from the very beginning, had a vision and wanted the sport to be on the same level as professional baseball or golf. He wanted anglers to have a career and be able to make a living while providing for their families. It was during the 80’s and 90’s that the sport of bass fishing progressed the most.
In 1980, an Oklahoma boy by the name of Jimmy Houston kissed his first bass and, according to his wife Chris, she got used to smelly kisses from that point on. Jimmy, of course, became a household name with his successful fishing career and the TV host of “Jimmy Houston Outdoors,” still airing today as one of the longest running outdoors TV programs ever. But in 1985, there was a shakeup at the top of which was America’s favorite fish to pursue. After a national survey by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife, it was determined that the largemouth bass was now the most popular fish to catch, dropping panfish to number two.
In 1987, working from his garage, Herb Reed created a new bass lure that took the fishing world by storm and created a whole new category for soft plastic stick baits with his creation of the Slug-Go. This was the first of its kind and would later be followed by another bait that just might be the greatest bass lure of all time…the Senko. This one was created from the mold of a Bic Pen by the legendary Gary Yamamoto. This bait has many tournament wins to name. It’s a bait that when professional anglers are asked if they could take a bait from today and go back in time, what bait would it be? Ninety five percent will say a Senko. This versatile bait catches fish all year long, in all types of conditions, and has become a staple for all serious bass fishermen.
Moving into the 90’s, Berkley Bait Company introduces the “Power Worm” with a built in scent that fish will bite and won’t let go. The success of their scented worm encouraged other companies to do the same. It’s also a time when scent became all the rage that some thought, and still think today, is a key to catching fish. Some anglers think it’s a hoax and others believe it really works and won’t fish without adding it to their baits in some form or another. One day I asked Michigan’s Kevin Van Dam, who many consider the greatest angler of all time, if he thinks scents work. He told me, “It doesn’t matter what others think, do you believe it works?” I told him “Yes” and he said, “Then that‘s all that matters. Anglers should always fish with confidence and with things they believe in. This is what makes an angler great….confidence.”
In 1992, Arkansas’s Larry Nixon, the greatest worm fisherman ever, became the first pro angler to earn over $1 million in B.A.S.S. events. To compare, Kevin Van Dam has won over $6 million since the late 1990’s. The closest angler to Kevin is California’s Skeet Reece who is #2 on the “All Time Money List” at a little over $3 million in winnings.
Next week, we’ll look at how the TV cable station, ESPN, changed the landscape of professional bass fishing forever. This one move to primetime TV changed the lives of professional anglers forever and exposed Americans to the sport in a way never seen before. Till next week, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!
OMC SEEKING CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER –
Outpatient Medical Center (Natchitoches Headquarters) is looking for a fulltime CFO to join our leadership team and report to our CEO and Board of Directors. The CFO is responsible for fulfilling all financial and collections priorities/requirements of the organization and to effectively manage and direct assigned staff. Must be willing to join a new leadership team and continue improvements initiated over the past two years – necessary to rebuild an organization once seriously threatened financially.
A successful candidate will not only be knowledgeable but also an excellent communicator with the ability to clearly explain fiscal and budgetary matters to executives and policy-makers. Must be exceptionally organized, assure accuracy of reports and tasks, and meet deadlines in a proactive manner. A successful candidate will have a record of highly responsible CFO experience in a healthcare setting, managing and accounting for multiple grants and revenue sources. OMC will also consider progressively responsible candidates who have extensive FQHC experience with audits, budgeting, management reports, accounting, billing, and supervision.
Resumes are being accepted by email to hr@outpatientmedical.org. Confidential inquires may be made to the CEO, Dr. Mark Guidry, at 318-357-2055.
The planets are aligning. The National Weather Service said, The weather will generally be cooperating for the early risers or the night owls to enjoy a sky spectacle. This alignment of the planets will not occur again until August of 2040 so now is the time to see it.
Five of our planets will appear in a line across the early morning sky through the end of the month. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be lined up above the eastern horizon. This parade of planets will be visible 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise on cloud free mornings. The peak is on June 24th.
There is a lot happening, especially for children, this summer at all branches of the DeSoto Parish Library.
The kiddos had lots of fun at Pelican’s STEM Program with Ms. Rena on Wednesday. Remember, STEM Programs are Tuesdays at 6:00 pm during the Summer Reading Program.
Take a look at all of the events at the Pelican Branch and other branches of the DeSoto Parish Library. Here is the link to the article on the June Library Newsletter.
https://desotoparishjournal.com/2022/05/31/library-newsletter-is-available/
The C. E. “Rusty” Williams Airport will be the scene of Balloons Over DeSoto this weekend. The 6th annual event will be held on Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 4:00 to 10:00 pm.
In addition to the hot air balloons, the event will feature a classic car show. Plus the usual festival activities. Admission is free for this family event.
Willie Ray Williams
August 28, 1942 to June 21, 2022
View full obituary here:
https://desotoparishjournal.com/2022/06/23/willie-ray-williams/
Patricia Ann Grant
July 31, 1954 to June 21, 2022
Gravesite June 25,2022 @ 11:00 a.m. Benevolant Cemetery Mansfield, La.
Q.P. Hicks
July 26, 1946 to June 19, 2022
Saturday Services June 25,2022 @ 11:00 a.m. Lie-in-State from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Zion Chapel B.C. Coushatta, La. Interment: Old St. Mary Cemetery.
Kirsten Nicole Thomas
February 1, 1983 to June 15, 2022
Saturday Services June 26,2022 @ 11:00 a.m. Jenkins Funeral Home Chapel.
There is a LifeShare blood drive scheduled Friday in Stonewall. Sign-up and show-up this Friday, June 24, 2022, to donate blood. Donors will be entered into the drawing for a gift basket from Cousin’s Cajun Market. Hours are 2:00 to 6:00 pm at the Stonewall Substation.
Now is the time to join the Krewe of Demeter. For more information call Captain Linda Carter 318-464-0429. Coronation has been set for September 10 and the ball set for January 14th.
Funeral services for Willie Ray Williams, 79, of Frierson, Louisiana will be at 2:00 P.M., Friday, June 24, 2022, at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Chapel, Mansfield, Louisiana, with Rev. Richard “Dick” Enterkin and Rev. Chucky Clark officiating. Interment will follow at Union Springs Cemetery, Converse, Louisiana. A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Mansfield, Louisiana.
Willie entered into rest on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Willie was born on August 28, 1942, to Gaddis and Marguerite Bossier Williams in Converse, Louisiana.
Willie is preceded in death by his parents. Left to cherish his memory are his sister, Lynelle Springer and her husband, Cleveland; brother, Gerald Williams and his wife, Alicia; nieces and nephews, James Williams, Lorraine Hall, Traci Williams, Nelson Springer, Jonathan Springer, Jennifer Springer, and Jessica Raye Duplechin; and special friend, Linda Nussman.
Honoring Willie as pallbearers will be Jay Baker, Wilson Baker, Johnny Springer, Jonathan Springer, Nelson Springer, and Sam Graves. Honorary pallbearers will be Gerald Williams, James Williams, and Douglas Rascoe.
By Nicole Tull
Last Tuesday night at the Logansport Town Council Meeting, Mayor Judge Cordray presented an award to Kathi Wells on behalf of the River City Fest Committee. The award was in recognition of their hard work and dedication from the Town of Logansport. Kathi stated she loves putting it on and said it could not be done without the support of everyone involved.
River City Fest started in the late 1980s. It has grown into a well-attended 3-day festival on the banks of the Sabine River in Logansport. The festival has been increasingly successful.
Many volunteers work tirelessly throughout the year preparing for the next year’s festival. Sponsors from around the parish and even over in Texas are needed to make the festival a success. When the festival finally arrives, locals are excited to visit the vendor booths, food stations and activities. Rides, music, entertainment, and fireworks are festival favorites.
By LaBetha Casey
The Stonewall Community Center was the setting for the June 16, 2022 meeting of DeSoto Parish Republicans.
The guest speaker for the noon meeting was Judge Frances Pitman who is seeking re-election for 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals which has 9 elected judges. Though the 2nd District hears appeals cases for 20 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, her area covers Caddo, DeSoto and Red River Parishes, and includes 3 elected judges. The term for this position is for ten years. At present, she has no known opponents and the filing date to qualify is July 20-22. She was accompanied by her husband, Judge Mike Pitman, who presides as a Caddo District judge.
Judge Pitman began her power point presentation by citing Deut. 1:17 “Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you.” Her presentation was a very good civics lesson and informative as she described the various duties, differences, and other information regarding Federal, state and local judicial system. The Louisiana Court structure includes Louisiana Supreme Court, appeal courts, district courts, juvenile courts, family courts, city/parish courts, mayor’s courts and Justices of the peace. Appeals courts do not conduct trials, but they review the record of the trial courts for errors of law.
The DeSoto Parish Journal is making preparations for expanded coverage of high school athletics next fall. These are paid positions and are open to high school students, parents, school supporters and members of the community.
Requirements are the ability to observe events and write a report of it, interview coaches and players, and take photos of the action. Media credentials will be provided, and most schools give reporters complimentary gate, sideline, and press box entry. Reporters must be able to attend all home and away games during the season. Band member, cheerleaders and pep squad members are encouraged to apply.
Reporters may select a single sport or to cover all sports for a particular team. Additional earning opportunities may be available covering events in your community.
Training and instruction will be provided by the Journal to reporters selected.
If interested, contact the Journal by email DeSotoParishJournal@gmail.com or text to 318-564-3609.
By Teddy Allen
Welcome to summertime, which began Tuesday with the summer “solstice,” a Latin word for “if our AC goes out, call 911.”
So if Tuesday seemed like a really long day … it was. The longest. Because of the way the Earth and Sun were situated — with the Earth tilting on one of its poles and other complicated astronomical stuff that you already know so why should I explain — Tuesday was the longest day and shortest night of the year.
If you are married and came home and said, “Honey, it’s been a long day,” you might have been figuratively correct but you were most definitely literally correct. In other words, for once in your marriage, you were right, even if you didn’t mean to be.
Another reason why summer is good.
Song after song has been written and sung about summertime.
“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…”
“In the good ol’ summertime…”
“The summer wind/came blowin’ in/from across the sea/It lingered there/to touch your hair/and walk with me…”
“We’ve been havin’ fun all summer long…” – Beach Boys, of course.
And — also of course — the late, great Roger Miller wrote this, a favorite because, well, Roger Miller …
“In the summertime
When all the leaves and trees are green
And the redbird sings ‘I’ll be blue
’Cause you don’t want my love…”
Clever Roger Miller with the colors, green and red and blue. But it’s a sad summer song, and sad is not what summer is about.
It’s complicated now, when school starts and when school stops. Makes no sense.
But in a simpler time, the school system owned our adolescent butts from Labor Day until Memorial Day. Owned us. That was understood. Two days for Thanksgiving. Christmas was a couple weeks, the Glory Days of Wintertime Kiddom. There was an Easter Day or two. Maybe a Presidents Day.
But basically, they had you where they wanted you. In front of a chalkboard. Labor Day until Memorial Day.
Fine.
But we knew that glorious summertime was ours. Memorial Day passed, and we were free to run barefoot for three months. No questions asked.
We worked, sure. Depending on where you grew up, there was grass to cut, tractors to drive.
But there was also baseball to play. Afternoons at the pool. Bikes to ride from daylight to dusk.
Watermelon and sweat and smiles. And you could go to bed Sunday night without thinking of homeroom Monday. Monday was just another “free” day to be a kid, to drink from the water hose (wait a minute ’til it gets cold!), to get sunburned, to hear your momma calling you in for supper.
It’s hot, for sure. Supposed to be more than 100 this weekend. But I can take off enough to stay cool; can’t put on enough in the wintertime to stay warm.
I’ll take summer any day.
It’s been 25 years since I was out walking and met a guy from Up North washing his car. He’d just moved here. He mentioned in passing how hot it was. I nodded and told him it sure was and kept walking.
It was only April. I didn’t have the heart to tell him…
Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
By Van Reech
The last meeting of the Mansfield Rotary Club on 6/08/22 at the Mansfield Female College Museum received some very good news from Club Treasurer, Teri Byrd. She informed the Club that the yearly fundraiser was very profitable. The Rotary annual clay pigeon shoot at the Shreveport Gun Club was a success again this year.
The club’s charitable contributions include fees for the Rotary’s Club Ryland for youth leaders, cases of water for hurricane survivors in South Louisiana, and funds for the people of the war torn Ukraine. The club looks forward to contributing this year, too.
The Mansfield Club meets every other Wednesday for lunch at the Mansfield Female College Museum. Instead of catering the Rotarians have a “Sandwich Bar” where they make their own sandwiches. They offer the traditional favorites and sometimes feature local specialties from the area.
OMC SEEKING CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER –
Outpatient Medical Center (Natchitoches Headquarters) is looking for a fulltime CFO to join our leadership team and report to our CEO and Board of Directors. The CFO is responsible for fulfilling all financial and collections priorities/requirements of the organization and to effectively manage and direct assigned staff. Must be willing to join a new leadership team and continue improvements initiated over the past two years – necessary to rebuild an organization once seriously threatened financially.
A successful candidate will not only be knowledgeable but also an excellent communicator with the ability to clearly explain fiscal and budgetary matters to executives and policy-makers. Must be exceptionally organized, assure accuracy of reports and tasks, and meet deadlines in a proactive manner. A successful candidate will have a record of highly responsible CFO experience in a healthcare setting, managing and accounting for multiple grants and revenue sources. OMC will also consider progressively responsible candidates who have extensive FQHC experience with audits, budgeting, management reports, accounting, billing, and supervision.
Resumes are being accepted by email to hr@outpatientmedical.org. Confidential inquires may be made to the CEO, Dr. Mark Guidry, at 318-357-2055.