By LaBetha Casey

Quality of teachers, loss of teachers and questions about the qualification of teachers at Mansfield Elementary School were aired before the DeSoto Parish School Board last Thursday.  Those concerns were answered by Superintendent Clay Corley.

Demetris Drain of the NAACP-DeSoto Parish Chapter, spoke about concerns of school performance and employee retention issues at Mansfield Elementary School.  She stated that MES has been losing faculty members, having lost 32 staff within the year. These faculty members have been replaced by teachers who are not certified to teach or by long-term substitute teachers.  Drain faults the school board members for these issues and stated that a letter would be forthcoming to demand a response to these issues by December 1, 2022.

Superintendent Clay Corley addressed some of the concerns given by Drain.  He cited the Louisiana revised statute that states that it is unlawful for school board members to be involved in the hiring or firing  process of teachers.  Corley commented that 3rd graders across the nation, not only at MES, lost fundamental skills due to the circumstances of schooling during the COVID virtual learning period.  Regarding teacher retention, Corley stated that MES has actually retained 5% more of faculty/staff this past year than years prior and has had a 5% gain in the hiring of African Americans. 

In other matters that came before the school board, Josh Salley, LSU Ag Center Assistant Extension Agent shared information regarding the parish extension program.  Funding for this office is provided by the DeSoto Parish Police Jury and the DeSoto Parish School Board.  Their office  provides agricultural research and education for local farmers or other interested parties.

Salley said there are more than 300 students in the 4-H clubs which meet in schools across the parish.  Among several programs given this past year for the public was providing  pressure canner testing for food safety.  One current program is a monthly sewing class for 4-H students which is being taught by volunteer, Nicole Tull.

An update for strategic initiatives was given by Ms. Worlita Jackson which is being piloted at the Mansfield schools.  Of the five components that are being addressed, three of them have been implemented already.  These include:  1. counseling, psychological and social services, 2. family engagement and 3. community involvement.  The remaining two components include school culture and teacher wellness.  Jackson stated that school wellness counselors are in place in every school across the parish. As a part of this program, a prayer vigil has been scheduled at City Hall on October 18 with regards to Bully Prevention.

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Friday marked the initial victory for Coach Darrel Barbay and his Wolverines.  Mansfield beat Jonesboro – Hodge by a final score of 20 – 12.

All three of Mansfield’s scores were tallied by Dekeldrick Thomas on QB runs.  The final touchdown was followed by a two point conversion by TJ Peguese.  TJ finished the night with 16 rushes for 92 yards.  Thomas contributed 47 yards on the ground to go with his 3 TDs.  Rykeelan Van Zandt contributed 38 yards on 8 carries and was the lead blocker for most of TJ’s carries.

On defense, Jeremiah Eckels and Fezell Montgomery led a stingy group of defenders.  They held Jonesboro to just two touchdowns and were able to stop both conversions.  Eckels finished the game with 7 tackles, 2 for a loss, a caused fumble and an interception.  Montgomery finished with 8 tackles with 2 stops behind the line of scrimmage.

Please join us in welcoming the Lakeview Gators, this Friday night, for the Mansfield Wolverine homecoming. 

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By Van Reece

Hewitt Strange, son of Mansfield natives Fran Hewitt Strange and Griff Strange, was the featured speaker at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Mansfield Rotary Club this week.

Strange has formed a non-profit that is bringing housing to Ukrainian Refugees in the Polish city of Krakow.

With many of Mansfield and DeSoto Parish’s leaders in attendance, Strange told the Club about his efforts starting a non-profit organization called “Zero Camps” in Krakow, Poland.  They have leased two hotels and an apartment building in Krakow that feed and house refugees from the war in the Ukraine. 

An acquaintance made years ago by Strange while visiting Krakow was the key to launching the refugee relief project.  After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the large flow of refugees into Poland, Strange reestablished the link to his friend from years ago.

Strange told the Rotarians, “I knew we could make a difference.  There was lots of vacant property in Krakow as a result of the pandemic.”  He said the first leased a vacant hotel and went to the train station where refugees were arriving and offered them a place to stay.

Strange said, “There are over four million refugees in Poland.  To date we have been able to offer housing to about 1,200.”  They formed a non-profit called “Zero Camps.”  They leased a second hotel, then an apartment building of two room flats.  They currently house 130 families and are helping relocate and feed many others.

Rotary of Mansfield is totally behind and supportive of “Zero Camps” as is Rotary International in partnership with Rotary of Krakow.  Strange said people in the parish can support their efforts by looking them up on social media and donating there.  zerocamps.org

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On Friday Night, the North Desoto Griffins continued their impressive undefeated streak by defeating the Evangel Eagles 37-14.

In what is turning out to be a dream season with District Championship goals within reach the Griffins turned in another completely dominant performance over the battle tested Eagles.

Luke Delafield threw for 258 yards and 4 touchdowns and added a receiving touchdown from first cousin Sam Odom to his statline as well.

Cole Cory was the recipient of 2 of those passing touchdowns where Brian Banks and Landon Falls also had one a piece. Defense was the saving grace for North Desoto spearheading another week of neutralizing the much lauded passing attack of the Eagles. Jordan Milton had three sacks on the night and Hunter Addison had two interceptions and 8 tackles to add to his team leading statistics.

The Griffins moved to 7-0 on the season, improving on the best regular season start in school history. The Griffins welcome the 5-2 (4-0) Huntington Raiders into Stonewall on Friday for a game that could clinch the Griffins a piece of the District 1-4A championship.

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Do YOU know what is happening?

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“Coach” Mike
McCONATHY

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has an important
Announcement to make
and he wants you
to join him!

Thursday
October 27, 2022

Natchitoches Event Center
Doors open at 4:30 – 7:00

Light refreshments – Casual

• Paid for by the McConathy for State Senate Campaign

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By Teddy Allen

You ever been around friends and remember something funny and start laughing and can’t stop and of course, they ask why and you can’t explain? 

Me too. Happened Saturday night. 

All I could tell them was I’d seen dress rehearsal for a play earlier in the week and would be going to the Sunday matinee and was already laughing — was in tears — thinking of different parts. Whatever I could tell them would not translate; I’m not that good of a communicator. 

Sometimes, you’ve just got to experience it.  

Full disclosure: these next few moments with you will be about a play that my own personal child is in. 

But also, full disclosure, it’s funny, and if you like to laugh, you should go. 

It’s Popcorn Falls, it’s at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Shreveport Little (But It’s A Big Deal) Theatre And Really Not That Little. The run ends with Sunday’s matinee. A coffee table book celebrating the theatre’s first century is on sale in the lobby too; only 400 pictures in there so … think about it. I’ve spent hours enjoying mine.  

So, Popcorn Falls. It isn’t Shakespeare. (Although The Bard is mentioned!, stud that he was.) It’s genius and sophisticated, but sophisticated in disguise. Here’s the Associated Press nut graph: 

“The sleepy town of Popcorn Falls is forced into bankruptcy when a neighboring town and villain threaten to turn the place into a sewage treatment plant. The town’s only hope – open a theater! Two actors play more than 20 roles in a world of farce, love, and desperation, proving once and for all that art can save the world.” 

Northwest Louisiana is so blessed to have 5-star talent in all phases of local theater. You can’t swing a cat without hitting somebody who is a bona fide director, set designer, actor, or prop whiz … we’re so lucky. There is a stage and there is air and everything else has to be created. Moods. Sense of place. Drama. Comedy. Music. Suggestions of silence. People are amazing, what they are able to create out of nothing. 

Popcorn Falls is an example. A two-man show. The actors never really leave the stage. Less than 100 minutes with a 10-minute intermission. And none of those minutes is “filler” because every second, even the scene changes, have a purpose.  

So, Casey Allen, my physical son, is one of the actors, and Barry “the Pride of Grand Cane” Larson, who has teamed with Casey in so many things that I feel as if he’s my backup son, except he doesn’t look like me, is the other actor. They are scared to death before any play they are in starts — it’s like the Boston Celtics’ Bill Russell throwing up before every game — but they are perfectly at home on stage. Strange and familiar dynamic. 

But that’s what makes this and most other plays I’ve seen here good: they care. Casey and Barry. Director Sean Dion and the subtle “add-ins” he created. Tom Serio’s set. A rolling table (you’ll see). Riley Keene’s stage managing. The sound from Barry Butler, the best in the biz. The lighting. On and on. Even the work of “Intimacy Coordinator” Liesl Cruz. (See it and you’ll know.) 

Happy for everyone because I know what they’ve invested and how much joy and honesty they bring to the day’s work. They made me laugh. Still are. It feels as if they’ve created something just for you. For no one but you. When theatre is “done right,” that’s the magic that happens.  

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu 

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The Journal congratulates Gerald Dyess of Stonewall, the winner of last week’s High School Football Pickers contest.  Gerald wins $100 for correctly predicting the outcome of nine out of ten games.

Here is the results key, so you can see how you did.

Weekly High School Pickers Contest – DPJ
Week Ending	Away	Score	At Home	Score
14-Oct	North DeSoto	37	Evangel	14
	Jonesboro-Hodge	12	Mansfield	20
	Northwood-Lena	0	Logansport	52
	Minden	12	Northwood-S	21
	Loyola	47	Lakeside	21
	BTW	34	Bossier	32
	Many	42	Winnfield	14
	Red River	40	Lakeview	6
	Peabody	6	St Mary	58
	LaSalle	38	Montgomery	8
Tie #1	Minden vs Northwood		Total Score	33
Tie #2	North DeSoto vs Evangel		Total Score	51

This week’s line-up of games has been posted.  CLICK HERE to enter your guess in before the deadline at 4:00 pm Friday.  Someone will win the $100.  Shouldn’t it be you?

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This week’s report covers TWO week period ranging from October 09 – October 15th of all arrests made by the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office.

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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By Royal Alexander

Special Counsel Durham Turns Over Rocks to Expose FBI Corruption in 2016 Russia Collusion Hoax

If the FBI can attack our democracy with impunity to destroy a multi-billionaire U.S. President, no American is safe.

This past week Special Counsel John Durham went into federal court to begin the trial of Igor Danchenko for lying to the FBI as part of the Russia Collusion scam.  However, while the outcome of this specific case is important, what has been exposed is—more importantly—the larger picture of corruption at the highest levels of the FBI.

My observations here are not aimed at the field level FBI agents across the country who I have no reason to believe don’t honor their oath to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution and who do the best they can to perform their duties professionally and in a non-partisan manner.  My aim here is the vindictive, highly partisan, and traitorous political appointees at the very top of the FBI.

We have known for many years that in 2016 the FBI initiated its corrupt Crossfire Hurricane investigation into whether President Trump’s campaign had been “colluding” with Russians.  The predicate of this investigation was extremely weak information—essentially gossip—from a low-level aide named George Papadopoulous. 

At that time, the FBI also began to receive information from former British spy Christopher Steele including a “dossier” paid for by Hillary Clinton’s campaign containing demonstrably false information about then-candidate Trump to support this corrupt narrative of Trump’s alleged complicity with Russia.  Steele, we have since learned, worked on behalf of the Clinton campaign and fed his false allegations to a happily receptive, eager-to-collude FBI.

However, what our nation did not know was the stunning fact noted by Kimberly Strassel in the Wall Street Journal.  “The FBI rushed to meet with Mr. Steele in early October 2016.  It had undertaken no due diligence on its source and had been unable to verify a single dossier claim (and never would).   At that meeting, it nonetheless took the astonishing step of offering Mr. Steele “up to $1 million” in taxpayer dollars to verify his own information.  Usually, Ms. Strassel notes, the FBI pays another party to verify a source report.”  (WSJ 10-14-2022.)

Steele never has and never could verify anything!  And yet, the information in the Dossier had already been used, and would continue to be used, by the FBI to fabricate probable cause to obtain four secret FISA warrants used to tap Trump Tower and spy on another Trump campaign staffer.

It gets even worse but what we outlined here is sufficient.

All of this information is publicly available but national “media” and social media further perpetuated this fraud through their obvious double standard in the way they ignored and actively suppressed the Clinton-Russia Hoax corruption story which is demonstrably true; as contrasted with the media’s saturation coverage of the demonstrably false allegation of Trump-Russia collusion as Robert Mueller and his team were reluctantly forced to conclude following the expenditure of $32 million taxpayer dollars and 18 months of futile investigation to try to “get Trump.”

Conclusions to be drawn:

Our U.S. Intelligence Agencies like the FBI have been weaponized for partisan politics.  We can no longer trust our law enforcement agencies to investigate, prosecute and try people on a non-partisan basis.  The existence of a federal investigation may or may not be rooted in real evidence of criminal actions, depending on the politics and viewpoint of the target of the investigation.

See also the 2020 Hunter Biden laptop story which the dishonest media and Big Tech only now, in March 2022, acknowledge was a major, verified story.  Polling demonstrated that 14.6 percent of Biden voters would have voted differently had they known about the evidence of international influence peddling contained on Hunter Biden’s laptop.  This would have changed the result of the 2020 election, decided by 44,000 votes in Wisconsin, Arizona, and Georgia.

Will justice ever be served? It will be difficult given the power of Big Tech and the Deep State but I’m hopeful a new Republican Congress, using subpoena power, will hold hearings to shine a light into this political and governmental corruption.

These Durham filings again make clear that we are at a point in American history that a presumption of falsity and untrustworthiness must be made whenever our national media or government institutions make a “statement” regarding the “news.”  There is simply no reason to believe them at face value, and every reason not to. 

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What is your organization and purpose?  

The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center is a non-profit organization, formerly called the Alzheimer’s Agency of Shreveport/Bossier. The name was changed to better illustrate our local mission. 

Our mission is to provide resources, education, and support services for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias; their family members, and their caregivers in the local area; as well as to promote awareness in the community.  

Our vision is to “Create a community where no one affected by Alzheimer’s and Dementia makes the journey alone.” 

What are the Alzheimer’s stats nationwide?  

Nationwide, more than 6 million people, age 65 and over, are living with Alzheimer’s and that number is expected to increase 20% by 2025. 

How many people are affected by Alzheimer’s in our area?  

The Center for Brain Health at LSU Health, Shreveport estimates over 85,000 people are affected by Alzheimer’s within a 75-mile radius of Shreveport.  

What is your organization doing to help this community?  

We are working diligently and with urgency to address the unmet needs of people in Northwest Louisiana affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. We help by assessing individual client needs, guiding, and supporting caregivers, responding to requests for help and information, educating the public, providing resources, and overall helping to navigate the care system.  

What services do you provide?  

We have care navigators to help you through the journey and a Licensed Professional Counselor for one-on-one meetings or to talk with family members.  We offer memory screenings, monthly education workshops, fun and engaging activities for caregivers and their loved ones with dementia, a printed and online local resource directory, and assistance in legal matters. We teach families how to maintain dignity of their loved ones and help nurture relationships throughout the disease process. We have a speaker’s bureau for education and training for civic groups, healthcare providers, faith-based organizations, law enforcement agencies, and other organizations. We also facilitate caregiver support groups in the community. 

Tell us more about the caregiver support groups. 

Support groups are vital to the caregiver. It’s an opportunity for the caregiver to express their emotions in a non-judgmental way. Caregivers learn that they are not going through this journey alone and they have a peer group that knows exactly what each other is going through. Groups meet for an hour once or twice a month – you can attend as many as you need. 

Do you have events the public can attend?  

The Second Annual Education Conference in Northwest Louisiana, “A Positive Approach to Dementia,” is scheduled for Friday, November 4, from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm at First United Methodist Church, Shreveport. The keynote address will be given by a national speaker with the Teepa Snow Foundation, well-known in the world of dementia. This conference is the only one of its kind in Northwest Louisiana.  

Where are you located?  

We are located in the heart of Shreveport at 851 Olive Street. However, we are willing to travel to where we are needed in Northwest Louisiana. 

Can you give us some fun tips for improving brain health?  

Try brushing your teeth with your non-dominate hand, wear earplugs to experience the world without sound, or learn a new musical instrument or something that is completely new to you. 

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Sheriff Jayson Richardson has chosen the “Friends of the Library” in Logansport as this month’s recipient of our local whisker charity donation!  Several months ago, Sheriff Richardson began a new effort to highlight and give back to our local DeSoto Parish Non-Profit Charities.  Each month, Deputies can donate $20 to grow out their beards, and at the end of the month those donations are given to a group that Sheriff Richardson has personally chosen.  The month of October marks over $10,000 donated in the past 10 months, and the Friends of the Library received a donation of $1,040 this month!

Friends of the Library is a group that assists the local library by hosting and participating in events such as:  Breakfast with Santa, Letters to Santa, Veterans Day Programs, Trick or Treat at the Library, Easter Programs, Summer Reading Programs, Book Signings, and much more.  They put forth a ton of effort to ensure our kids have fun, educational, and interactive things to do in our Parish.  If you would like to donate or get involved with the Friends of the Library group, you may do so by contacting Vickie Jernigan at 936-254-4648.

Getting in the photo are:  Public Relations Deputy and Beard Enthusiast Mark Pierce, Brenda Adams, Bobbie Childress, Lani & Addy Kendrick, Vickie & Laci Jernigan, Sheriff Jayson Richardson, Sarah Smith, and Jeanine Enterkin.

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The DeSoto Parish Journal has experienced tremendous growth in the past year.  Therefore, an Assistant Publisher is needed to supervise the gathering and production of local news items.

This is an immediate opening for a newly created position.  Salary and benefits to be negotiated.

Skills the successful candidate should possess include:

Covering local news events and boiling down the important aspects of the event into a news article.

Photographic skills to portray the event.

Research skills to supplement coverage of an event, including preparation prior to an interview, meeting, etc.

Journalistic ethics including being able to distinguish between the facts of an event and the “spin” of the event. 

Acute observation and note taking to assure accuracy of reporting, especially quotations from individuals involved in the story.

The ability to ask relevant questions and keep the subject of an interview on track.

And the appreciation of hard work and diligence in the gathering, writing, and disseminating local news.

Interested candidates should submit a brief resume, photo, and all contact information.  All submissions should be via email should be addressed to:  DeSotoParishJournal@gmail.com.

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Logansport Library’s “Young Scientists” discovered a substance that can change from  a solid to a liquid and back to a solid without changing temperature. 

The 3 States of Matter are: 1. Solid  2. Liquid  3. Gas.  Usually, to change a substance from solid to liquid or liquid to solid the temperature of the substance must change.  OOBLECK does not follow that rule.  It can be both a solid and a liquid at the same time.

Recently the “Young Scientists” at the Logansport branch library enjoyed making their own OOBLECK.  It was exciting to experiment to find out what makes it change from a solid to a liquid.

According to Instructables Workshop (Instructables.com) on the internet, Oobleck gets its name from the Dr. Seuss book Bartholomew and the Oobleck where a gooey green substance, Oobleck, fell from the sky and wreaked havoc in the kingdom. On the site the Oobleck will be made in a bowl and will likely make a mess, but only because you can get carried away playing with it.

Oobleck is a non-newtonian fluid. That is, it acts like a liquid when being poured, but like a solid when a force is acting on it. You can grab it and then it will ooze out of your hands. Make enough Oobleck and you can even walk on it!

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Advertising Salesperson wanted.  Immediate opening for a person to market local businesses using the Journal.  Digital news is the platform a rapidly increasing number of people look to for their information.   Your future success could be marketing your clients products and services on the Journal’s digital platforms.

The successful candidate should possess:

-a friendly smile and helpful attitude

-knowledge of the area and local businesses

-reliable transportation

-be a self-starter

-desire to earn a quality salary

This is a commissioned sales position.  The Journal offers high commissions coupled with bonuses and incentives based upon performance.

Send your resume and contact information by email to:  DeSotoParishJournal@gmail.com

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Friday night is Senior Night at North DeSoto as the Griffins seek to extend their winning streak.  Huntington will be in town for a 7:00 pm game.  After destroying Northwood-Lena last Friday, the Logansport Tigers travel to LaSalle.  The Mansfield Wolverines, fresh off their first victory of the season over Jonesboro-Hodge last Friday welcome the Lakeview Gators to town.

Dr. John Lauck, Louisiana Tech University’s Chase Bank Endowed Associate Professor of Accountancy, will offer a free fraud prevention class to area businesses and non-profits on Friday, Nov. 4, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. The course will take place in room 126 in the College of  Business.  The course will provide an overview of the prevalence and types of fraud committed against typical organizations and how and why most frauds occur. In addition, Dr. Lauck will discuss common asset misappropriation and corruption-related fraud schemes impacting organizations.

Men of Prayer meets Thursday night at Stonewall.  The guest speaker will be Brandon Digilormo of Insane Ministries. Robby Coburn will be leading the Worship. Food, Fellowship and God. Men of all ages welcome.

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A triple win for parish teams Friday night.

North DeSoto maintained their undefeated season.  Final score North DeSoto 37 – Evangel 14.

Homecoming in Logansport saw the Tigers trounce Northwood-Lena 52-0.

Mansfield earned their first win of the season by defeating Jonesboro-Hodge 20-12.

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The Lions meet every second and fourth Tuesday for a catered lunch at the Clista A. Calhoun Center and you are welcome to come by.

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by Madison Ruston // GeauxPreps.com Intern

Records are meant to be broken and that’s just what’s happening in Stonewall.

North DeSoto has been on a roll through the first half of the season. With an offense in the top five in the state in points scored and averaging 47 points per game along with a dominating defense that causes absolute havoc on opposing offenses, the Griffins are looking like one of the toughest teams in the state.

There have been lots of talks going on that this could be the year the Griffins finally make a state championship run.

“In order to go somewhere you’ve never been, you have to do something you’ve never done,” head coach Dennis Dunn said.

And that’s exactly what the boys in Stonewall did.

This past Friday, with their win over the Woodlawn Knights, North DeSoto remained perfect on the season advancing to a 6-0 record. This is something that’s never been accomplished in North DeSoto football history.

This may seem like a small accomplishment to some, but early-season success hasn’t come easy the past three seasons for the Griffins. The past three years have all started with a record of 0-4. They have always managed to win enough games in the later part of the season to make playoffs, but the rocky start is something they knew they had to change. A guy who has been through all the ups and downs in Stonewall is senior wide receiver Sam Odom.

“The biggest difference I’ve seen this year from in years past is how bought in everyone is to the goals we set as a team and how selfless everyone is,” said Odom. “We all want to do what’s best for the team. I think it’s the reason for our success this year. That’s something we haven’t had in the past.”

Odom has always been a team player for the Griffins, as last season he stepped out of his original role at receiver and moved to quarterback. This season he’s back at receiver and the offense is being lead by his younger cousin, freshman quarterback Luke Delafield. The changes have definitely been beneficial for the Griffin offense.

They currently have a 3-0 record in district play. This may be surprising to some people, considering they were picked to only finish fourth in the district in the preseason rankings. When asked if they felt disrespected by those rankings Odom had this to say.

“I’d be lying to you if I said it didn’t cross our minds, but I don’t think it was necessarily a disrespectful thing. We took it as we have to work hard and prepare every week at a high level and we knew as a team the goals we set were still all right in front of us. We know every week, especially in a tough district like ours, we have to bring our best every week because you’re gonna get everyone else’s best.”

The three teams picked to finish ahead of them were Northwood, Huntington, and Evangel. The ironic thing is three of the last four regular season games for North DeSoto are those three teams.

With all the hype of being undefeated and a possible state championship run, it’s important the team stays focused and doesn’t get caught up in the hype. Odom feels the Griffins are prepared to handle the pressure.

“I think it’s always a good thing if you have pressure, but I think we’ve done a good job this year of focusing on the opponent we have each week and not looking ahead to a certain team. We know if we don’t play to our standard of football every week we know any team could beat us at any time. We just have a mindset of going 1-0 each week.”

Everyone is buying into what is going on in Stonewall. Something special is being built with all the success that’s happening.

The Griffins hope to finish out the season on a high note with only four games remaining. With three of the remaining games taking place in at home, it will be a tough road through Stonewall for any team hoping to derail the Griffins’ current success.

Article courtesy of Beaux Preps

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The Journal has two winners to congratulate today on the High School Football Pickers Contest.  Here are the winners from the last two weeks receiving their prizes.

Both Thomas Drain and Richard Wilkinson were presented this week with checks for $100.  Richard was the best picker in week #5 and Thomas had the best score in week #6.

So, can you do better?  Do you want to win $100?  Everyone in the parish is eligible to enter and win.  So, CLICK THIS LINK and enter.  Deadline is 4:00 pm TODAY so get to it!

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By Nicole Tull

The Logansport Chamber of Commerce had their monthly meeting at the Logansport Library Monday evening, October 10^th. The regular meeting date is usually the first Monday, but due to conflict of so many members, it was moved to this date for this month.

Cheese enchiladas, fajitas and the fixins from Mayte’s was the evening meal. Life is Sweet provided dessert. Ashley Rambin of Joaquin owns Life is Sweet. She is a cottage baker from Joaquin, Texas giving that cookie place in the big city a run for their money.

Current chamber business discussed was continuing to move forward with the chamber office downtown. It will take a little bit of time before the Chamber can take possession and start renovating. Pumpkin Glow on the Riverfront will take place on Saturday, October 29. You can start bringing pumpkins at 5:30. There will be candy, judging, and a movie will be shown afterwards.

Future business discussed was Christmas Dinner for Chamber members.  Big Zach’s was the place chosen. December 8^th at 6:00pm will be the date and time for the dinner.

Joellen Wilke won the door prize. It was a gift certificate from Mayte’s, the Mexican restaurant east of town. The next meeting in November will be canceled due to the president having surgery and other conflicts. December Christmas Dinner will serve as the next meeting, although much business will not be discussed. January is the projected timeframe for the next official Chamber meeting.

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By Brad Dison

Jeannette Rankin was an exceptional woman.  She was born and raised in the wilderness near Missoula in what was then the Montana Territory.  Jeannette was a good student.  Her mother, Olive Pickering, had moved from New Hampshire to the Montana Territory to teach before she met and married John Rankin, a prosperous rancher, and builder originally from Canada.  It may have been her mother’s desire to teach that led to Jeannette’s desire to learn.

Following her high school graduation, Jeannette attended Montana State University and, in 1902, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology.  Jeannette taught for a short time and worked as a seamstress’s apprentice.  Jeannette was not satisfied.  She knew she could do more.

In 1904, Jeannette’s father died and she went to visit her uncle in San Francisco.  It was there that Jeannette first heard of the Telegraph Hill settlement house.  She learned that the settlement house was set up as a way for the middle and upper classes to help the poor class of society by sharing their experiences and education.  In this hierarchy, based on her father’s financial success and her education, Jeannette was considered middle class.  Jeannette volunteered at the settlement house and thus began her lifelong passion for social work.

Jeannette left San Francisco and enrolled in the New York School of Philanthropy from which she graduated in 1909.  From New York, she moved to Spokane, Washington, where she worked with impoverished children.  In her spare time, Jeannette took more classes in the social sciences.  She became an advocate for social reform, first as a volunteer and then as a field secretary with the National American Woman Suffrage Association.  Still, she thought there was more she could do.

On July 13, 1916, Jeannette announced her candidacy for one of Montana’s two seats in the United States House of Representatives.  Her platform supported many prominent issues of the day which included child welfare legislation and the prohibition of alcohol.  Jeannette was fighting an uphill battle.  Her announcement garnered little attention.  Many of the newspapers in Montana ignored Jeannette’s campaign altogether.  National newspapers focused, not on Jeanette’s campaign, but mainly on the campaigns of the nearly 300 women in Kansas who were running for office at every level of government.  Jeannette was lost in the shuffle.

Remember, Jeannette was an exceptional woman.  In August of 1916, she won the Republican primary by more than 7,000 votes.  On Tuesday, November 7, 1916, people throughout the country cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.  The major election news was the narrow reelection of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to a second term of office.  Montana and Jeannette were still ignored by the news media because Montana was so sparsely populated that no one knew the results of their election for three or four days.  It took time to hand deliver election results from across the state on horseback.  When the final votes were tallied for Montana’s two seats in Congress, incumbent Representative John Morgan Evans led by around 7,600 votes.  He took the first seat.  Jeannette beat the third-place contender by around 6,000 votes.  She took the second seat.

The news media ignored Jeannette no more.  On April 2, 1917, newspaper reporters took copious notes as Jeannette took the oath of office and took her seat as a United States Representative.  She also took her seat in history.  In 1917, Jeannette became the first woman elected to the United States Congress.  Jeannette became a Congresswoman four years before the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution guaranteed women the right to vote.

Sources:

1. “Rankin, Jeannette, US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives.” 2020. @USHouseHistory. history.house.gov/People/Detail/20147.

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Advertising Salesperson wanted.  Immediate opening for a person to market local businesses using the Journal.  Digital news is the platform a rapidly increasing number of people look to for their information.   Your future success could be marketing your clients products and services on the Journal’s digital platforms.

The successful candidate should possess:

-a friendly smile and helpful attitude

-knowledge of the area and local businesses

-reliable transportation

-be a self-starter

-desire to earn a quality salary

This is a commissioned sales position.  The Journal offers high commissions coupled with bonuses and incentives based upon performance.

Send your resume and contact information by email to:  DeSotoParishJournal@gmail.com

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The City of Mansfield is seeking qualified applicants for a Director of Public Works.

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS

Salary Range: 46,000 – $68,000 – Full-Time Position

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

− Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, public administration, or related field

− 5 years progressively responsible public works experience

 − A significant record of responsibility for general fiscal management, capital budget management, and strategic planning

− Experience in a community with active citizen involvement and experiencing significant growth.

− Effective work with elected officials, advisory boards, community, and environmental group

NOTE: In place of the above requirements, any combination of relevant education and experience which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the essential functions of the job will be considered.

Applications will be accepted at 705 Polk Street, Mansfield, LA.  Application and a copy of the job description may be obtained from City Hall

City of Mansfield is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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By Steve Graf

In the tournament bass fishing world, there are certain bodies of water that anglers both hate and love. It’s kind of like the Dallas Cowboys, you either love them or hate them, and there’s not much in between. The mighty Red River falls into the hate category for a lot of anglers, but from my perspective, I love it!

Here’s why… if there’s one thing the Red River does for a bass tournament, it levels the playing field. It’s truly a body of water that can really frustrate anglers due to its unpredictability. Bass on the Red is like a magic act, they can literally disappear. The fish you find today cannot be counted on for tomorrow since the bait fish have a tendency to move. When the bait fish relocate, the bass go with them.  Another issue with the river is its reputation for burning anglers who try to go back to the same fish two days in a row. Professional angler, Chris Lane, proved this theory to be correct when he was asked what pattern he used to win the 42nd Annual Bassmaster Classic on the Red River in 2012. Chris said the key to his victory was to not fish the same areas two days in a row. He discovered this during his practice time preparing for this event.

When anglers are asked the best way to catch bass on the Red, they’ll make reference to what bass fishermen call “junk fishing.” This means that anglers will use a plethora of baits from spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and topwater to soft plastics all in one day just to fill their limit for weigh-in. This is what makes the Red such a unique body of water and tends to level the playing field for all anglers.        

So why do so many tournament anglers hate the mighty Red River? For starters, it has been known to be very hard on a boat. Too many lower units on outboard engines have been destroyed due to guys running in areas they should have been idling through. Rock jetties and sand bars, which at times can hide just under the water’s surface can create a navigation nightmare. The river is a constant changing entity as the water can fluctuate several feet depending on the time of year. This will create and rearrange sandbars all up and down the river system. But the number one problem is when boaters cut corners too close to the ends of rock jetties. It’s just like any other body of water that you’re not familiar with… if you’re not sure what lies beneath the surface….idle! So many anglers have boat damage because they don’t take the time to learn where you can and cannot run. The golden rule for boaters coming to the Red River…stay between the buoys on the main river and when entering the backwater cuts off the main river, idle through the first time so you can see how deep or shallow the cut really is.

With back-to-back historic floods in 2015 & 2016, the Red River underwent complete flushing of its ecosystem. This flood devastated the river and destroyed all vegetation that bass need to thrive. Before the floods, it was common to see five fish limits tipping the scales in the 16-to-20-pound range. But since the flood, the weights have really dropped off with anglers weighing anywhere from 10 to 13 pounds as evident with the recent B.A.S.S. Central Open event. The recovery has taken longer than anyone expected, but it appears better days are ahead as bass habitat is returning to the backwater areas that held so many bass.

As of October 1, 2021, thanks to the Red River Waterway Commission, the river is on the rebound as they have implemented a $100,000 bass restocking program for all pools 1 – 5. Pools one and two get 10%, pool 3 gets 20%, pool 4 gets 25% and pool 5 gets 35%. Each pool delivery will consist of 20% F1 hybrids and 80% pure Florida bass. That’s 72,000 pure Florida’s and 18,000 F1 hybrid largemouth bass being stocked all up and down the Red River.

Over the years, Red River has been very good to me with a few wins, a couple of runners-up and Top 10 finishes. For me, it really is like the Dallas Cowboys….I love the river! Every angler has what they call their “home water,” and for me, it’s the Red River! I hope you’ve enjoyed this angler’s perspective on the love-hate relationship that anglers have for this awesome body of water. Understand this, fishing the Red or any river system is a different animal and requires a different approach than fishing a lake. But the best advice for anyone fishing the Red River, keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to try different baits. Till next time, good luck, good fishing, and don’t forget to wear your sunscreen!

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The next DeSoto GOP Lunch will be on Thursday, Oct. 20th at the RB 4 Event Center in Logansport.  Doors open at 11:30 and lunch will be served at 12:00.

The guest speaker this month will be La. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin. Kyle Kennington, DeSoto Police Juror, will also be there to give us a brief overview of local tax renewals coming up.

There will be a catered lunch of Blackened Chicken Pasta with steamed veggies. Lunch is $15 payable by cash or check at the door. Listening is free.

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