By Labetha Casey

A full house showed up at the July 18, 2022, DeSoto Parish Police Jury meeting.  Many attended to show their support of the hot topic of funding the animal control facility and mosquito control.  Many fear that the facility will close if not properly funded.  An ad valorem tax has failed on the ballot four times in recent years. 

Juror Jimmy Holmes, Jr. proposed having a parcel fee which is a type of property tax where every resident pays the same amount, similar to the manner in which at least one of the DeSoto Parish fire districts acquire their funding.  Juror Greg Baker responded by stating that in order to implement a parcel fee, a state legislator must present this matter to the state legislature for approval which would take a good bit of time since the legislature has already met for this year. Parcel fees are collected by the sheriff’s office.  

Animal Control Director, Barbie Higginbotham feels that enough support throughout the parish has been gained in order to pass the proposed tax.  Both Higginbotham and Parish Administrator, Michael Norton, stated that the state of Louisiana requires each parish to provide services for animal and mosquito control.  Norton also reminded the jury that parish ordinances are in place regarding these issues, and if the facility is closed then these ordinances must be rescinded. 

The final decision of the jury was to place a 1 mill ad valorem tax on the ballot for voters to decide the funding.

On a lighter note, a presentation of achievements and service awards were presented to several 4-H members.  Aaron Carroll, Brian Buffington, DeMarcus Smith, Kenli Dumas and Josie Celichowski are all involved in the local, state, and some involved in national shooting sports.

John Brossette spoke on behalf of his son, Michael, who has purchased property on Van Street near Moore Pvt. Drive and has been refused a building permit in order to build his home.  Brossette stated that his son has legal access to his property and that eight homes have already been built in that area and he feels it is not fair of the jury to refuse the building permit.  The Brossetes realize that the jury will not be responsible for the upkeep of the private road.

Another item on the agenda was for approval to hire an additional permit officer to offset overtime costs of paying the presently employed 4 officers.  This item is deferred for discussion for the August meeting as Juror DeWayne Mitchell would like to review the present overtime costs.

The jury treasurer’s report revealed that the general revenue has exceeded the projected amount by 30%.

A representative from Glencoe Aviation in Gonzales, La inquired why D.A. Charles Adams was to be asked to handle the matter regarding the A-7 Airplane Transport and disassembly/assembly.  His company had been hired to travel to Mt. Vernon, Indiana to disassemble an airplane from a pedestal and transport it to the DeSoto Parish airport and reassemble it.  However, after removing the plane from the pedestal, it was discovered that the plane had not been properly maintained and permits for transporting the plane were more costly than originally anticipated. The plane was then replaced onto the pedestal in Indiana. He stated that his bid was for about $25,000, not including the cost of permits, and he is seeking payment for his costs.  The Parish treasurer stated that when she was called about approval for the cost of the permits, she didn’t have the authority for such approval.  The jury recessed into executive session to discuss this matter with the district attorney to decide payment.

The NRA Friends  were late in  submitting their proposal for permission to conduct their annual event on August 6, 2022, at the Dave Means Center and sought an appeal for approval, which was granted.

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By Teddy Allen

Because of his refusal to be anything less than a servant, Bill Stokes drew people to him, especially the college students he gave his heart to as director of Louisiana Tech’s Wesley Foundation from 1957 until his retirement in 1988. 

When he passed away in the spring of 2020 at age 95, he left behind thousands of handshakes and smiles and friends forever loyal to his heart and memory.

Saturday at the corner of Railroad Avenue and College Street on Tech’s campus, in an unassuming brick building he turned into a second home for so many of us when we were struggling with acne and advanced math and advanced life, a couple hundred of us met, finally, to share memories and to dedicate the Bill Stokes Room at Wesley. 

The delay was due to circumstances but the feeling, being in that building with people who knew and loved Bill, was familiar.

This was a man who never met a stranger, but a lot of strangers met him, whether they wanted to or not. And then, forever in his world, they would never be strangers again. Not if Bill had anything to do with it.

And he made it his mission to have everything to do with it. You could not be on campus very long without meeting Bill. He made it his mission to be Jesus’ hands and feet, to reach out to kids trying to find their way, and to give them a home in his heart.

“A Southern gentleman,” said Vicki McGuire, whose father Doug pioneered Wesley Foundation work in 1937 during his college years, became a minister, and was a best friend to Bill when the 32-year-old young preacher from Mississippi showed up in Ruston to follow his calling of working with students. Vicki can’t remember a time she didn’t know Bill.

A lot of us felt that way.

“His outgoing, friendly personality made him irresistible,” she said. “I think that he reached out to everyone describes him as much as anything. When someone reaches out to you, that intentionally, you have to respond. You like people who like you and care about you. That’s how he made you feel.

“I was amazed that he could come up with everyone’s name and hometown,” she said. “He was a master at that.”

He was. Because he cared. 

His memory and genuine concern must have been something God gifted him with to increase Bill’s impact on so many of us. We weren’t just students. We were Bill’s students, Bill’s kids, each of us one of his projects. Because of him, lots of lives were changed in what is now the Bill Stokes Room. I witnessed it more than once. 

What Bill did as much as anything was bring people together. Sometimes, that was romantically. (A couple dozen people at Wesley Saturday were introduced to each other by Bill, then married by him.)  But mostly, he got students from all sorts of backgrounds together and, somehow, he got us to believe we needed each other, that we were better and fuller, more ourselves in the moment, together.

He was a friend and a friend maker, a deeply missed man of truth and goodness, a man who leaves behind not only a room, but also a heart that always had room for us.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

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There will be a Job Fair for DeSoto and Red River parishes on Thursday, July 21^st.  It is sponsored by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

The location is Mansfield High School Gymnasium.  Hours are 10:00 am until 2:00 pm.  Veterans will have priority the first thirty minutes.

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AS A TEAM LEADER, YOU WILL:

Supervise utilizing strong interpersonal skills

Use technical knowledge of manufacturing processes, as applies to such supervision

Utilize computer skills to facilitate processes and software used

Pursue objectives with organizational skills to meet goals

Work with personnel at all levels of the organization

REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:

Two (2) year Associates Degree, plus one year of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience

Excellent communication skills; both oral and written

Great computer skills (Excel and Word

Benefits

We offer medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more. We also provide flexible time-off plans, including parental leave, vacation, and holiday leave. 

Shift is 4:30 p.m. until 3:00 a.m.  Overtime requirements are based on customer needs to meet business objectives.

If qualified and interested, please apply online at http://www.emerson.com

Equal Opportunity Employer

Emerson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. 

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By Brad Dison

Lieutenant Frank Wead was one of the best-known “fliers” in the early years of the United States naval aviation service.  In 1912, Frank, then sixteen years old, entered the U.S. Naval Academy.  Two years later, much of the world was engaged in “the war to end all wars,” World War I.  United States President Woodrow Wilson’s policy was for strict and impartial neutrality, and most of the country supported his policy.  The American military made preparations for war just in case.

In 1916, Frank graduated from the naval academy as America continued to build up its military strength.  In early 1917, Germany began unrestricted submarine warfare on all ships including American ships, and on April 6, 1917, the United States was forced into World War I.  Frank spent the remainder of the war as an ensign aboard the USS Shawmut from which he aided in the laying of mines in the North Sea.  On November 11, 1918, Germany surrendered, and the war was over.

Following the war, Frank requested and was accepted into naval aviation flight training at the Naval Aeronautic Station Pensacola in Florida.  After flight school, Frank promoted naval aviation through air racing competitions.  On September 28, 1923, Frank commanded a team of American Navy pilots who competed in and won the Schneider cup seaplane race near Cowes, England.  In June 1924, Frank and copilot John C. Price set an endurance record when they piloted a giant Curtiss CS-2 seaplane for 13 hours 23 minutes 15 seconds and travelled 963.12 miles.  In the following month, Frank and his copilot beat their world record in the same plane when they stayed aloft over the Potomac River for 15 hours 19 minutes and covered a distance of 1050 miles.  The distance would have been greater had a heavy fog not forced Wead to land the plane with five hours of fuel remaining.   In June 1924, Frank and Prince broke four world records in the same day.  Newspapers reported on his daring feats in airplanes and Frank became something of a national hero.

On Tuesday night, April 13, 1926, Frank had an accident which broke his neck.  Surgeons at the Balboa Park naval hospital in San Diego, California, feared his injury would prove fatal.  On Friday, April 16, surgeons operated on Frank in what they called “one of the most delicate ever performed at the medical institution.”  For several days, Frank remained in critical condition.  His chances of survival, according to his doctors, rose to about fifty percent.   

Frank had a habit of beating the odds.  Three months after his accident, despite his poor condition, Frank was promoted to lieutenant commander.  His health gradually improved over the course of two years, but he remained paralyzed from the waist down.  Frank eventually learned how to sit up and stand with the aid of steel braces.

Frank needed a new career.  At the suggestion of a friend, Frank tried his hand at writing.  Initially, Frank wrote non-fiction books pertaining to aviation.  In between books, he wrote short historic fiction articles for magazines, which garnered the attention of Hollywood movie producers.  He began creating aviation-themed scripts for movies, three dozen of which were turned into films.  In 1938, Frank was nominated for two Academy Awards for Test Pilot starring Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, and Spencer Tracy, and The Citadel starring Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell.  Frank wrote about what he loved but could no longer do, which was flying.               

Frank’s accident was not the result of an ill-fated flight in an aircraft, but a flight of a different sort.  Frank Wead, the famous aviator who broke numerous world records before he broke his neck, ended his flying career when he tripped down a flight of stairs in his own home.    

Sources:

1. Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, April 16, 1926, p.11.
2. The Austin American, April 16, 1926, p.1.
3. The Fresno Morning Republican, April 18, 1926, p.15.
4. The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), September 7, 1923, p.14.
5. Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii), June 23, 1924, p.15.
6. The Modesto Bee (Modesto, California), July 12, 1924, p.2.
7. Pisano, Dominick. “Hollywood’s Representation of Naval Aviation: Frank W. ‘Spig’ Wead and John Ford’s ‘The Wings of Eagles’ (1957).” National Air and Space Museum. Last modified January 5, 2012. Accessed July 11, 2022. airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/hollywoods-representation-naval-aviation-frank-w-%E2%80%9Cspig%E2%80%9D-wead-and-john-fords.

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Mansfield’s new Mayor Thomas Jones is planning a back to school backpack drive on Sunday, July 31^st.  The town is seeking donations of school supplies for local students.

Jones said, “Lets show just how much we support our students. It’s time to start our quest to unify our city. Please bring donations to City Hall.”

The donation list includes pens and pencils. Markers, folders, crayons, glue, calculators, highlighters, and just about any other school supplies you can think of.  Take your items to City Hall prior to the end of the month.

The Backpack Drive will be held at the old Walmart parking lot on Washington Avenue.  It begins at 6:00 pm on July 31^st.  There will be food and games, snow cones, waterslide and bounce house, and more.  The evening will conclude with a firework show at 9:00 pm.

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AS A PRODUCTION ENGINEER, YOU WILL:

Conceptualize, develop, and initiate process improvements and cost reductions

Use Lean principles to reduce cycle times and reduce waste 

Manage problem solving teams from inception to corrective actions.  Will often involve leading a team through the process.

Self-initiate improvement and / or corrective actions for safety, quality, cost and productivity concerns using formal six sigma problem solving tools

Develop documentation for operators and maintenance on proper equipment operation and care

Effectively communicate changes to all levels of the organization and at all stages of implementation

REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:

BS degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent engineering technology degree

Excellent interpersonal skills 

Strong computer skills (Microsoft Excel and Word)

Self-starter able to work independently

If qualified and interested, please apply online at http://www.emerson.com

Benefits

We offer medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more. We also provide you flexible time-off plans, including parental leave, vacation, and holiday leave. 

Equal Opportunity Employer

Emerson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. 

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The monthly gathering of DeSoto Men of Prayer will take up the topic of abortion.  This comes following the recent decision by the US Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade.

The group will meet on Thursday August 4^th at the Stonewall Community Center at 6:00 pm.  The guest speaker of the evening will be attorney John Milkovich.  He will discuss abortion, what the Bible says, and the meaning of the Supreme Court decision.

Men of Prayer invites everyone to this meeting.  There is no admission charge and a meal will be provided.

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Men of Prayer DeSoto has scheduled a Back to School Prayer Walk for Saturday, July 30^th, just days before classes resume for the next school year.

The group termed the event “A time for the entire community to come out and pray for our students, teachers and the entire school personnel as they start the 2022-2023 school year.”

The Prayer Walk will begin at 9:00 am on July 30^th at the North DeSoto School campus.

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Here are some of the summer events planned at the branches of the DeSoto Parish Library.  Today at the Stonewall Branch Library at 10:00 am they will be making some excellent nail polish coasters.  This event is for teens and tweens.

Story Hour Alert! Stop by the Stonewall Library on Wednesday, July 27 at 10:00 am for a summertime themed story hour. Call Miss Bekah for more info.

Attention all adults! Stop by the Pelican Library on Tuesday, July 26 and make your very own Lavender Vanilla Salt Scrub.

For other events available at the library, phone your local branch in Pelican, Logansport or Stonewall, or the main branch in Mansfield.

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The DeSoto Parish Journal is the parish’s digital newspaper.  You get all the local news, sports and events happening in our parish from one source.  And it comes to your favorite device.

The DeSoto Parish Journal is published each Wednesday and Friday morning at 6:55 am.  But you don’t have to get up and bring it in out of the mailbox or from your front lawn.  And you don’t have to go to the store and pay.  We’ll deliver it directly to your email inbox.

Email subscriptions are free.  The Journal doesn’t want a bunch of your private information, just your name and email. Click the red banner on any Journal article to go to the sign-up form.

Click it NOW!  Get the next edition.  Now you are informed of DeSoto Parish news.

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Salem Baptist Church is having school uniform exchange this week from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each day. Come by and get what you need and bring the uniforms you no longer need if you have any. They are in the church foyer next to the church office.  The uniform exchange runs through Saturday July 23.

The Fourth Friday Fish Fry at Clara Springs Camp has been cancelled for this month.  The camp expressed concerns over an uptick in COVID-19 in the area as the reason.

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has launched the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — the new 3-digit number that replaces the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to make it easier for people to receive assistance during a mental health crisis.  People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need immediate crisis support.

When you call, text or chat 988, you will be connected to trained compassionate crisis counselors who will listen to your concerns, provide support and connect you with local resources. The chat feature will also be available through the Lifeline’s website. All calls are confidential. The service is being provided 24/7, free of charge.

The DeSoto Parish Police Jury posted that White Springs Road, between the addresses 1388 and 1504, will be closed to thru traffic. The closure began on July 18^th and is expected to last 2-3 weeks.

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On Tuesday, July 19, 2022, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Troopers assigned to Louisiana State Police Troop G began investigating a one-vehicle fatality crash on US Hwy 84 at Buffalo Road. This crash claimed the life of 39-year-old Jason Viola, who was not wearing a seat belt.

The initial investigation revealed a 2009 Nissan Altima, driven by Viola was traveling east on US Hwy 84. For reasons still under investigation, he exited the roadway and struck a culvert before overturning.

Viola was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.  He suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on the scene by the DeSoto Parish Coroner.

Impairment is suspected to be a factor in this crash.  Routine toxicology samples were taken and submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.

Time and time again, Troopers witness preventable motor vehicle crashes.  Impairment and lack of seat belt usage are primary causes of crashes across the state of Louisiana. Louisiana State Police urge motorists to have a plan in place that includes a designated driver when consuming alcohol. Alcohol can impair visual ability, alter the sense of time and space, impair fine motor skills, and decrease reaction times. Alcohol can begin to impair a person’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle after just one drink. Please choose not to drive impaired or ride with an impaired driver, and always buckle up.

In 2022, Troop G has investigated 22 fatal crashes, resulting in 23 deaths.

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This week’s report covers a date range of July 07 – 16th of all arrests made by the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Booking photos are not available due to a law recently passed by the Louisiana Legislature.

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.

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AS A QUALITY ENGINEER, YOU WILL:

• Investigate quality defects and perform RCA
• Lead and/or contribute to structured problem-solving for corrective and preventive actions
• Analyze no-conformance trends and evaluate the effectiveness of CAPA
• Identify improvement opportunities and drive actions for improvement by analyzing manufacturing processes and conducting process capability analysis
• Lead initiatives to improve non-conformance PPM and cost of quality
• Perform new product and process qualifications
• Direct quality support team members engaged in measuring and testing products and tabulating data concerning product or process quality

REQUIRED EDUCTION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:

• BS degree in engineering or engineering technology with exposure to quality and lean manufacturing, plus two years of related experience
• Strong interpersonal skills with hourly, engineering and management
• Strong computer skills required
If qualified and interested, please apply online at http://www.emerson.com

BENEFITS:

We offer medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more. We also provide you flexible time-off plans, including parental leave, vacation, and holiday leave.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Emerson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

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AS A MANUFACTURING ENGINEER, YOU WILL:

• Evaluate and improve existing equipment and tooling and fixture designs in a high-volume manufacturing environment
• Develop creative solutions to manufacturing process design-related issues
• Solve complex design/tooling issues
• Collaborate with diverse groups of people, to include hourly employees, and upper management
• Relay difficult concepts to multiple business groups

REQUIRED EDUCTION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:

• BS degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred) or equivalent experience and previous design experience for Assembly processes
• Proficient in AutoCAD and Inventor
• Familiar with other CAD software packages, to include Solid Works, NX, and Pro-E
• Strong problem-solving experience

If qualified and interested, please apply online at www.emerson.com

BENEFITS:

We offer medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more. We also provide you flexible time-off plans, including parental leave, vacation, and holiday leave.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Emerson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

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The DeSoto Parish Journal is the parish’s digital newspaper.  You get all the local news, sports and events happening in our parish from one source.  And it comes to your favorite device.

The DeSoto Parish Journal is published each Wednesday and Friday morning at 6:55 am.  But you don’t have to get up and bring it in out of the mailbox or from your front lawn.  And you don’t have to go to the store and pay.  We’ll deliver it directly to your email inbox.

Email subscriptions are free.  The Journal doesn’t collect a bunch of your private information, just your name and email. Click the red banner on any Journal article to go to the sign-up form.

Click it the Banner NOW!  Get the next edition.  Now you are informed of DeSoto Parish news.

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Edmund Morris Chaffin, 84, of Grand Cane, Louisiana entered into rest on Monday, July 11, 2022.

Graveside services honoring the life of Edmund will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 16, 2022, at Grand Cane Cemetery in Grand Cane, Louisiana. Officiating will be his long-time friend, Harold Jones.

Ed retired after a 32-year career with NASA at Kennedy Space Center. He moved to Grand Cane to enjoy his pine tree forest and fish in his pond. He spent his retirement years enjoying his grandchildren’s activities and bringing joy to all that knew him.  Ed had a strong relationship with Jesus Christ, and we know that he is walking the Golden Streets in eternal paradise.

Edmund was preceded in death by his parents, James Henry and Eloise Smart Chaffin. Left to cherish his memory include his wife of 61 years, Toni Chaffin; sons, Jim Chaffin, and wife, Gale, Todd Chaffin, and wife, Laurie; grandchildren, Katie Chapman and husband Brett, Madison Ussery and husband, Jacob, Abby Chaffin, Lacy Chaffin, Makenzie Chaffin, Raelin Chaffin; and great-grandchildren, Nora Ussery, Ella Ussery, Ruby Ussery, and Charlotte Chapman.

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SWEPCO estimated Thursday morning that power would have been restored in the Mansfield area by 12:30 am this Friday morning.  Here is the statement issued by SWEPCO:

More than 6,800 SWEPCO customers remain without power as of 8:30 am Thursday after severe weather swept through Northwest and Central Louisiana last night causing downed lines and damage to cross arms and poles. A majority of the outages remain in the Natchitoches area. At peak, more than 16,000 customers were without power.

Estimated restoration time for Natchitoches, Mansfield and Hornbeck areas is 12:30 a.m. Friday, July 15. In Shreveport and Haughton, the estimated time is 11:59 p.m. tonight.

Crews are working quickly and safely to restore power. We’ll share more information as it becomes available.

Remember to stay away and keep children and pets away from downed lines. Treat all downed power lines as if they are energized and dangerous.

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By LaBetha Casey

A number of SWEPCO leaders were on hand at the Stonewall Government Complex on July 13, 2022, to inform the community of improvements they are currently working on and improvements that are proposed.  The come-and-go meeting lasted from 4-6p.m. where those interested  could seek information and have one-on-one conversations for specific issues with the company’s representatives. Sheriff Jayson Richardson shared that he and his office have been in communication with SWEPCO for some time and have encouraged them to conduct this venue.

Several color-coded illustration boards were on display which showed their plans of improving service with system changes and modifications.  According to Engineer Supervisor, Clint Hollis, there is a 2-year target to convert the Kingston circuit to a Stonewall circuit.  In 2010,  SWEPCO bought out Valley Electric.  Several roads in Stonewall, including Williamson Road and Stanley Road, actually have two lines running on them.  One line is from the former Valley Electric and across the road are the SWEPCO lines.  These lines will be combined.  A second feed will be built in order to provide better service for the Stonewall area.

Representatives from the forestry department, which is in charge of vegetation management and tree trimming, were available to address questions and concerns.  Forestry Engineer Supervisor, Stefan Urian, stated that after a community meeting held several years ago that Public Service Commissioner, Foster Campbell initiated, their thought was that trimming trees to keep them from falling onto the lines during storms would greatly eliminate power outages.  However, they discovered that rather than tree trimming needs, the problems actually stemmed from transmission issues.

Chelsea Adcock, with the Energy Efficiency Team, was on hand to share about monetary incentives that SWEPCO provides for consumers in order to increase efficiency ratings in homes and businesses.  Approved contractors would receive these incentives for installing pool pumps, air-source heat pumps, air conditioning units, electric heat pump water heaters, smart thermometers, weatherization measures and more.  Then these incentives are to be passed down to the consumer.  A blower door test can be performed to allow consumers to determine what weatherization measures should be taken to provide better energy efficiency.  To learn more about their energy efficiency programs, visit SWEPCO.com/Save. 

Director of Distribution Engineer, Adam Keith, stated that there are currently 30 crew partners who are already working on these improvements.

SWEPCO leaders are optimistic that these multi-year projects to upgrade service lines, transmission lines and substations will greatly improve electric service for the fast-growing area of Stonewall and help eliminate the frequent power outages.

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The Logansport branch of the DeSoto Parish Library celebrated another successful Summer Reading Program.  Children participating read a total of 2,476 books during the month of June.

The library said, “We are so proud of all of who participated.  Thanks to all the parents who helped the children read and participate in the programs presented at our library.

The library also thanked the De Soto Parish Sheriff’s Department for cooking and serving hotdogs for the celebration.  The children enjoyed meeting the officers.

The library said, “We hope each child develops a love for reading and continues to visit the library.  Readers are leaders. The summer reading program was Oceans of Possibilities.

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By Royal Alexander

Recall that at the time of drafting our Constitution, our nation had just come out of a brutal war for its independence and our leaders sought to establish a fundamentally different kind of government, one based upon self-government.

Our Framers sought to balance individual liberty, which they had foremost in mind, and social order as they drafted the document grounded in this principle of self-government.

So, the Founders devised a system in which the states and the federal government were joint sovereigns sharing power.  However, in this arrangement they demanded that the new constitution limit the national government to specific, express, enumerated powers which they listed with great specificity, with all other power reserved to the states and the people.  Said another way, the states—as the legitimate repositors of power—agreed to a voluntary transfer of enumerated powers from the states to the federal government.

Secondly, they created a three-part federal government, Legislative, Executive and Judicial, that would remain that way based upon a delicate system of checks and balances.  This is our Separation of Powers which simply means that our three branches of government would be required to “stay in their own lanes” such that one branch could no more make itself more powerful at the expense of another branch than they could give their constitutional authority away to another branch.

And, equally importantly, the federal government was required to stay out of the lanes of the states.

With this in mind let’s review some recent Supreme Court decisions.

Roe v. Wade was a violation of both states’ rights and separation of powers.   It was reversed because the 1973 Roe Court illegitimately decided to “federalize” the abortion issue and take that profound moral policy decision away from the 50 states in whom it is entrusted.  It’s also a violation of the Separation of Powers because the Supreme Court went “outside of its lane,” acting as a “super legislature.”  In so doing, the Roe Court also disregarded its fundamental duty to interpret the law—not make the law—by magically “finding” a right to abortion in the Constitution.

Let’s review another violation of the Separation of Powers.  In a recent case involving the Environmental Protection Agency the Court ruled in such a way that signals a broad reining in of the massive federal administrative state.  The case involved climate change regulation but the principle the Court laid down can be applied to all the federal agencies.  The issue was whether the EPA could use a little-known provision of a major federal statute to essentially redesign our national electric grid.

The Court relied on a legal doctrine which requires courts to be skeptical, if not suspicious, when agencies try to claim a previously unidentified power in a long existing statute; like saying “this statute is 50 years old, but the EPA somehow just discovered this new power in it which it’s now using to massively expand its own authority?” The Court held that the EPA had gone too far and was acting as a legislative body (at the whim of unelected bureaucrats) even though its only legitimate role is to administer laws passed by Congress.

Two final cases involve rights that are actually in the Constitution.

In a gun rights case, the Court struck down a New York law that prohibited its citizens from possessing a handgun on their person outside of the home unless they proved a “special need” to do so.  The Court said “no” holding that “the Second … Amendment protects an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home,” adding that “individual self-defense is the central component of the Second Amendment right.”

Finally, a case involving free exercise of religion and the “praying football coach” who was fired from his job at a public high school after he briefly knelt after games to offer a prayer of thanks.  The Court ruled in his favor finding that the coach had never attempted to coerce his players to join him, or conditioned playing time based upon player participation in the prayer.  Rather, in firing the coach the school district had unconstitutionally punished him “for engaging in a brief, quiet, personal religious observance.” 

The Left is furious because it realizes that if it can no longer rely on federal courts to accomplish its policy goals it will now have to accomplish them in the constitutional way—by building public consensus and then passing a bill through Congress.

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By Clay Corley, Superintendent of DeSoto Parish Schools

Dear DeSoto Schools Family,

It is hard to believe we are halfway through the summer break. I hope you and your families have been able to enjoy some quality time together thus far.

It has certainly been a busy June with summer learning wrapping up last week. This year’s Level Up DeSoto summer enrichment programs have been a great opportunity for student remediation and acceleration with many exciting activities. This, along with numerous other activities on our campuses, has been a wonderful way to keep students engaged outside of the traditional school year.

Here at the district office and across every school in our system, we are busy making final preparations for the 2022-23 school year. We are excited to provide a “Back to School” landing page on our website designed to support students and families as we return to school next month desotopsb.com/page/back-to-school. 

As the most important contributor to your child’s future success, we are once again depending on you to partner with us in ensuring that our mission is fulfilled, To care for our students, ensure their learning and celebrate their graduation as citizens prepared to transform their dreams into realities.  One of the best ways to contribute to that mission is to keep yourself informed of activities and opportunities involving your child. You can keep yourself in the loop and receive real-time updates from our schools throughout the year by downloading our Mobile App.

Follow these steps when downloading:

1. Search ‘DeSoto Parish Schools’ in your phone’s app store and download the app
2. Select ‘ALLOW’ when prompted on initial download to ensure you receive notifications
3. Open the DPSB app, and navigate to the left-side menu for ‘SETTINGS’
4. Ensure your settings are turned on and your school is selected

I hope you have an awesome month of July! Please stay cool and enjoy the remainder of your summer. I look forward to seeing you soon!

For Students’ Sake,

Clay Corley

Superintendent

DeSoto Parish Schools

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Larry Renard was sworn-in as Post 157 Commander by District 4 Commander, Linda Resendez. Also in attendance were Dan Resendez, District 4 Adjutant, and Mike Armstrong, Post 157 Past Commander, along with Post 157 Members and guests.

The event took place at the Logansport branch of the DeSoto Parish Library. For more information on the American Legion and LA Post 157, go to LApost157.org

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