The Journal congratulates Lynnette Mynes of Logansport. She won $100 in last week’s Marketplace Chevrolet College Football Pickers Contest. Lynnette got 9 out of 10 winners correct for the best overall entry.
This was her second week in a row to be the best guesser of the outcome of 10 top college football contests. The Journal has another contest underway and Friday at 4:00 pm is the deadline to enter.
CLICK HERE to enter. You could walk away with $100.
Join Boy’s Night at Mansfield Main Library overnight on Friday, October 27 drop off at 6:30 pm pickup Saturday morning at 10am.
Get ready to compete and have a great time! Enjoy games, popcorn, hotdog, candy, s’mores and more.
Space is limited (only 20 spots), so if you’re in grades 3-6 and looking to have lots of fun, call Mrs. Spencer, Children’s Librarian at 872-6100 to reserve your spot. Or follow the link to register https://desopa-cep.bc.sirsidynix.net/event/boys-night
Participants must register to attend. Bring a sleeping bag or blanket.
I know you are busy, and I want to get you back to your life, so this is a short article. Do me a favor, think about these things for just a moment.
Years ago, in seminary, they taught us the adult attention span was 23 minutes. In this digital world the your attention span was by-passed after the first sentence. These are quick. They are in no particular Biblical order.
Jesus threw a Temple tantrum.
Jesus was always borrowing things. He borrowed a boat; borrowed a donkey; borrowed an upper room; borrowed a sepulcher.
Jesus invited himself to supper at Zacchaeus’ house. Jesus invited himself to join the conversation on the Emmaus road. Jesus inserted himself into the political conversation in Jerusalem when he mounted a donkey and rode into the city. Jesus inserted himself into many conversations and situations and His imposition gave each person something they were looking for and a relationship that changed their lives.
Jesus spent too much time with children.
Jesus was a serial procrastinator. On at least two occasions, Jesus was late, and it cost someone his or her life. However, Jesus was always on time. Go figure.
As an infant, Jesus spooked a king. As a child he shocked the theologians.
Jesus comforted the afflicted and afflicted the comfortable.
Jesus.
There will be a DeSoto Parish Police Jury Budget and Finance Committee meeting Thursday, October 2, 2023 starting at 5pm. The meeting will take place in the Police Jury Meeting Room, 101 Franklin Street.
Agenda for the meeting:
AGENDA
OFFICERS
Ernel Jones, President; Greg Baker, Vice President; Michael Norton, Administrator; Jodi Zeigler, Secretary; Malisa Laffitte, Treasure
A. CALL TO ORDER
B. CALL FOR ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS
C. GUEST AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
D. BUDGET AND FINANCE ITEMS
1. 2024 Animal Services Budget
2. 2024 Jail Fund Budget
3. 2024 Correctional Facility Fund Budget
4. 2024 Sinking Fund Budget
5. 2024 Witness and Jurors Budget
6. 2024 Criminal Court Fund Budget
E. ADJOURN
Stephen Thomas Adcock of Minden, Louisiana, was born August 2, 1951, and passed away October 8, 2023.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 11:30 at Carmel Cemetery. Father Mark Franklin will officiate.
Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas David Adcock, Linnie Laurine Adcock, and Nora Stephens Adcock; daughter, Melanie “Nicki” Babish; brother-in-law, John Coghill.
He is survived by his wife, Linda Adcock; daughters, Melinda Solomon (Greg) and Heather Adcock; granddaughters, Arielle Gathright and Whitney Mann; Grandson, Spencer Solomon; sisters, Rebecca Coghill and Deborah Bell (Doyle) and brother, Charles Adcock; Great-grandson, Bodhi Mann: Brother-in-law Kenneth Roblow (Beth); Sister-in-law Amanda Kendrick (Herbert Dale). He is also survived by nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and a host of cousins who loved him dearly.
Steve was a man known for his deep devotion to God, his family, his country, and living life to the fullest. He served his country in the Navy for seven years. He serviced jet engines while stationed in Rota, Spain. He maintained lifelong relationships with the people he served with and took his commitment to service to heart till the day he died.
Steve was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and cousin. Affectionately known as “Bubba” by his siblings and oldest cousins, Uncle Bubba by his nephews and nieces, Pop by his granddaughter Arielle, and Bubble Pop by the great-nieces and nephews who adored him, Steve was the protector of all. He never forgot a birthday, was always willing to help build something, was ready to cook for all who showed up, and loved being with his family. He doted on “his girls” and believed grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the greatest blessings on earth. His eyes lit up, and his smile brightened when Arielle entered the room. She had him wrapped around her finger from day one, and he would have it no other way.
Steve was vivacious. He never let a moment of life pass him by. Whether listening to or playing his beloved music, telling tall tales with his buddies, chuckling over something the kids did, or talking politics with anyone who would listen, he was forever the favorite in any room. If nephew Aaron called, he was ready for any adventure or project they could get into. Their time together was precious to him. His favorite pastime was fishing, and Ginger Craig was his partner in crime on so many of those fishing trips. His distinct laughter will forever be remembered. Those who knew him best know he is fishing the best holes in heaven and preparing for the day he can show us the best spots.
Honorary pallbearers include Joe Taylor, Doyle Bell, Herbert Dale Kendrick, and Kenneth Roblow.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Home at 3130 Arthur Ray Teague Parkway, Bossier City, LA 71112,
Or the Carmel Cemetery fund at 1746 Smithport Lake Rd, Mansfield, LA. 71052.
U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson as U.S. House Speaker Would Also Be Historic and Impactful for Louisiana
I have written previously that it would be difficult to overstate the significance of a Louisiana member of the U.S. Congress becoming Speaker of the U.S House of Representatives. That applies whether that individual hails from north or south Louisiana.
I first wrote that in connection to the nomination for Speaker of U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise. Scalise has now withdrawn himself from consideration. U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson has now stepped forward to offer his candidacy, among others.
Mike Johnson is from Shreveport-Bossier, and, like Scalise, I have also known Mike Johnson for over 20 years and know him to be a highly cordial, respectful individual. While Mike is an intellectual, he has not lost his light touch, sense of humor and easy-going manner. He is unfailingly polite in that toxic environment that is today’s U.S. Congress. In fact, he is the individual who introduced a “Commitment to Civility” to memorialize an agreement between members of Congress to, among other things, restore collegiality, trust, and civility to the Congress, encourage productive dialogue, and work to build consensus and trust in America’s institutions.
In January 2021, he was elected by his colleagues to serve as Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference, one of the seven elected leadership positions for Republicans in the House of Representatives. In November 2022, Mike was unanimously re-elected to serve another term as Vice Chairman of House Republicans in the 118th Congress. He also serves as a Deputy Whip for the 118th Congress. He previously served as chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservatives in Congress, known as “the intellectual arsenal of conservatism in the House.”
He also serves on the House Armed Services and Judiciary committees. (Enormously beneficial to Louisiana military bases, prominently including Barksdale and Ft. Polk).
If he becomes Speaker, Rep. Johnson would impact literally everything that moves or occurs in the U.S. House.
From handing out coveted committee assignments to managing all of the inner workings of the U.S House itself. He would specifically address and/or direct appropriations which would no doubt increase the likelihood of Louisiana receiving desperately needed funding for our natural disasters, funding for flood plain insurance, to say nothing of numerous other critical infrastructure upgrades (roads, bridges, etc), and offshore federal mineral royalties that states like Louisiana are constantly having to fight the federal government to keep.
It’s also certainly worth remembering that the U.S. House Speaker is 2nd in the line of presidential succession, meaning that if the president were to die or become incapacitated, the VP serves next and then Speaker.
Mike Johnson is also well regarded by his fellow members of Congress, including across the aisle, and will provide principled leadership of that body. In short, his temperament and personality make him well suited to serve as a desperately needed consensus candidate who will serve as a trusted caretaker and an honorable steward of the gavel. His deep Christian faith, no doubt, lends itself to this monumental task.
I have recently been asked my view of the so-called “chaos” in a U.S. House with no speaker. Well, “raucous” and ‘chaotic” are what the Framers of our Constitution envisioned when they designed the U.S. House as the “people’s” house—because it was closer to the people with smaller congressional districts and 2-year terms—while the U.S. Senate was to serve as the calmer, more deliberative body with its 6-year terms.
Notwithstanding, though, chaos is ultimately not a long-term strategy. The House urgently needs a speaker to captain the House “ship” for many reasons not least of which being that the “power of the purse” lies in the U.S. House—Israel, for example, may ask for assistance from the U.S.—as well as the fact that the U.S. House must participate in decisions regarding its numerous other specific constitutional powers requiring the concurrence of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
Rep. Johnson’s temperament and personality will no doubt help him manage his diverse Republican Caucus, one that contains the full spectrum of members. He will attempt to corral and manage personalities ranging from conservative firebrands all the way to much more moderate Republicans trying to hold on in Blue states. It must be like trying to herd cats.
Rep. Johnson is as ideal a candidate as any and better than just about any I could imagine. I wish him luck.
Royal Alexander
Shreveport attorney, Royal Alexander, worked in D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 8 years for two different Members of Congress from Louisiana. He has witnessed up close several Speaker races.
By: Glynn Harris
I saw my first black bear in Louisiana several years ago when I was on a deer hunt in Madison Parish. My host had dropped me off at my deer stand for an afternoon hunt when we looked down the foot plot and saw a bear.
Grabbing my camera, we slowly walked in his direction and as we closed the distance to about 100 yards, the bear stood up, checked us out giving me the opportunity to snap a couple of photos before he turned and ambled away into the thicket.
Two years ago, my wife and I were visiting the Tensas National Wildlife Refuge as we spotted a female bear and two cubs a few yards from our car. I was able to snap a few photos before they disappeared into the woods.
Seldom does a day go by that I don’t read on Facebook and see photos of bears all around north Louisiana, mostly bears captured on trail cameras as they take advantage of deer feeders, often dragging them to the ground and destroying them.
Property owners and those who deer hunt in the Tensas and Madison Parish area often see their hunting camps broken into as bears search for food. Many have long called for a hunting season for bears and are hopeful that the recent news coming out of Baton Rouge will reach fruition.
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission is expected to vote in its November meeting on the possibility of establishing a bear season for 2024-25.
The situation regarding the growing number of bears has created spirited discussions from those who can’t wait for a season to curtail the numbers of bears that are showing up all across north Louisiana along with others who are opposed to the idea.
Is the possibility of a bear season something new for Louisiana? I found a listing of hunting seasons for Louisiana for the 1939-40 season that includes bears that could be hunted from November 1 through January 1 with a daily limit of one; season limit of five.
Reading comments by some in response has been interesting. One respondent wrote…”My family has had land on the Tensas River in Madison Parish since the 1930s and there was always bears there and they were always a nuisance.” Another wrote…”I grew up along the Tensas River and there have always been bears there. They are protected, they breed and they spread out.”
The protection of bears in our state has to do with the assumption that Louisiana black bears we have are a sub-species. Some argue that the DNA of our bears is the same as those in other states. A black bear is a black bear, they contend.
We know that we have had bears as early as 1902 when President Teddy Roosevelt came on a bear hunt to Mississippi and Louisiana. In order for the President’s hunt to be successful, a bear was cornered and tied to a tree so he would have an easy target. He refused the offer, news spread and as a result, the warm cuddly stuffed animal, the Teddy Bear, was named in honor of the President.
Will Louisiana once again have a bear hunting season? Will everybody be happy should the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approve? Some for sure will be happy but there are others who believe bears should forever be protected.
Next week we’ll discuss preparing bear for the table, processing the meat and hide, comments from some who love it; some who gag at the thought of eating bear meat.
Stay tuned.
Basketball season begins this week for Central Christian Academy. This season is filled with events, rivals, and chances to fellowship with the entire community. Coach Layne Huckabay says he is excited about the line-up. “We are going to have a great year”. To catch the Pioneers in action, keep up with this schedule and show up to every game.
2023-24 schedule Game Time: VG-5pm VB 6pm unless indicated
October 24 Faith Training Home Pink out game
October 27 WOGM Home VG only 6:30 pm
November 4 PCA Home VG 1pm VB 2pm
November 14 LSMSA Away
November 16 Faith Training Away
November 28 PCA Away
November 30 LSMSA Home VG 6pm VB 7pm
December 5 WOGM Away VG 6:30pm
December 12 Riverdale Home
January 5 UCA Home
January 9 Claiborne Home
January 12 Briarfield Away
January 16 Riverdale Away
January 19 NEB Away
January 23 Claiborne Away
January 26 UCA Away
January 30 NEB Home
February 2 Briarfield Home
With over 800 students in attendance at North DeSoto Upper on Monday, October 23, First Responders from around the parish had an awesome opportunity to hang out with students and show off some cool stuff.
DeSoto Fire Districts 1, 3, 9, DeSoto EMS, and DeSoto Sheriff’s Office brought out all kinds of equipment such as fire trucks, motorcycles, SWAT, ambulances, and much more to share with the crowd how and what each was used for.
DeSoto Detectives were also on scene to show students how to lift fingerprints and answer questions. Each first responder had the chance to explain to students what their job entails, for any prospective future first responders!
By Greg Burke
DeSoto Parish residents no doubt take immense pride in home grown athletes like Vida Blue, Albert Lewis, Orlando Woolridge, and Lin Gamble, who have been recognized for their accomplishments through induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
For years, the only point of recognition for those honorees was in trophy cases at Northwestern State University’s Prather Coliseum. In 2013, recognition of Louisiana’s greatest athletes took a monumental step forward with construction of the state-funded 27,000 square foot Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in Natchitoches’ downtown historic district.
In addition to being open to visitors and for group tours, the museum has hosted events such as the recent 50th anniversary commemoration of singer Jim Croce’s untimely death after performing at NSU, wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners, meetings, and other functions.
The first-ever Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame “Join the Team” membership drive – which research shows is standard for most hall of fame museums – has been initiated to secure resources which can be used to update and upgrade the museum. State funding underwrites basic operating costs for the museum but there are often inadequate funds to enhance the museum, especially in this age of “bells and whistles” (aka “technology”). Log on to LaSportsHall.com and click the “Join the Team” button or text LSHOFTEAM to 41444 to “Join the Team.” Checks can be mailed to 500 Front Street, Natchitoches, LA 71457.
While today’s technology comes at a cost, the “asking price” for Hall of Fame membership can be as little as $10 per month. Member benefits include official Hall of Fame team member gear, the opportunity to win monthly drawings, discounts on merchandise and other amenities. 2023 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inductees Alana Beard – Shreveport (Southwood High School), Duke University, and 15-year WNBA standout – along with two-time LSU national champion and 14-year Major League Baseball pitcher Paul Byrd, are Honorary Co-Chairs of the inaugural membership campaign.
And if that isn’t attractive enough, members who sign up by December 31 of this year will be entered in a January 1 drawing for the “Ultimate 2024 Hall of Fame Weekend Experience,” which includes two tickets to all induction weekend events, a photo with your favorite 2024 Hall of Famer (Drew Brees…Seimone Agustus…Daniel Cormier…or another inductee…your choice!) and exclusive access to some events. The value of that package is close to $1,000!
The initial goal is a very conservative and surely attainable 100 members. This museum is our state’s pride and joy, a legacy locker room for its greatest athletes that celebrates excellence from all 64 parishes, from Ida to Grand Isle, from Lake Providence to Lake Charles. Statewide ownership will ensure that just as Louisiana athletes are among the best from coast to coast, the same can always be said about its Sports Hall of Fame Museum.
Greg Burke is Director of Business Development and Public Relations for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation. He was formerly Director of Athletics at Northwestern State University for 26 years. Burke can be contacted at gregburke@lasportshall.com
Just once I’d like to see the tables turned in a sports interview.
I’d like to hear a sportswriter sort of look down and, not defeated but definitely dejected, mumble into the microphone after a poorly written game story, “I just didn’t have my good verbs today. No movement with my action verbs at all. I was missing early in the story with my helping verbs so I couldn’t really set up what’s been my bread-and-butter action verbs like ‘pitched’ and ‘hit.’ It is what it is, I guess…”
Just once…
Part of sports is that familiar give-and-take between players/managers and writers/broadcasters before and after games, familiar and routine as batting practice or pregame warmups.
Monday night after a Game 7 rout by Texas in the American League Championship Series, baseball’s and Houston’s much beloved Dusty Baker, manager of the defending World Series champs but losers in Monday night’s series-deciding game, deftly dodged questions about some of his in-game decisions, decisions that landed somewhere between strange and bizarre, especially for a future Hall-of-Famer who played 19 seasons and has since managed teams to more than 2,000 wins.
Dusty said something about fans having been “spoiled around here, as far as winning,” how the Astros have “nothing to be ashamed of,” how they were beaten “by a better team tonight.” And on like that. Which is fine. No excuses, but no real explanations either.
Just to keep things even, writers should have to do the same now and then. Instead of hanging around the batting cage—let’s say we’re talking baseball here—maybe now and then the manager comes to the press box and says to the writer, “Your game story this morning, it seemed flat. Sally’s story in The Tribune, it was like reading music. Felt like I was at the game. What’s your evaluation of what happened?”
Writer: “Look, Sally’s a good writer and she was the better typist last night,” the writer says, studying his shoes. “I had some opportunities in my lead and didn’t take advantage of those. As the story went on, I had decent command of my nouns, even the Proper Nouns, but my verbs were all over the place. I let that one adjective get away from me in — I think it was the third graph — and after that it seemed I couldn’t find my rhythm or my butt with both hands.
“It’s like I told the staff after the paper came out, I’ve got to do my job, sure, but we’ve got to have good layout too, maybe a few graphics … it takes a team. This isn’t a one-man show. But the bottom line is I’ve got to do better. I can’t just throw my laptop out there and expect to win.”
Coach: “Any thoughts on how home press box proved to be no advantage at all this series?”
Writer: “That’s writing. That’s just writing. My splitting an infinitive and giving a clause away when I hung that preposition late didn’t help, but I think the fight was there: we just didn’t execute at the level we’re capable of.”
Coach: “Your pronoun use has been a strong suit all year. Do you think you landed those today?”
Writer: “My subjective pronouns were as good as they’ve been all year. But somewhere around the eighth sentence, my objective pronouns were flat as a crewcut and the one time I used a possessive case and then a nominative clause, well, those weren’t worth donating to the homeless. Anything else guys?”
Coach: “Thanks, Writer. Good luck tomorrow.”
Writer: “Thanks guys. I appreciate y’all. Just wasn’t our day. But we don’t have anything to be ashamed of. Outside of getting the final score wrong … Sorry about that. Wish I had that one back.”
DeSoto Parish students will compete in the Special Olympics TODAY at North DeSoto Griffin Stadium. Opening ceremonies begin at 9:45am. The public is invited to attend and to cheer on the student athletes.
Please be aware that beginning today, 10-25-2023, around 11am the policy Jury road department will be mobilizing and resurfacing Eagle Road located within the North DeSoto Estates neighborhood. This project will most likely finish on Friday 10-27-2023. The Jury will have flagmen onsite to direct traffic in and out of Eagle Rd. The road foreman will be onsite as well to answer any questions.
The public is invited to the ribbon cutting at Jackie’s Pack Dog Grooming, 540 Kings Hwy, Mansfield on Thursday, October 26th at 10am.
All North DeSoto Little Griffins and their families are invited to attend the Monster Mash Math Carnival from 5:30-7:30 on Thursday, Oct. 26 at NDLE. There will be food trucks, fun math games, Jubilee Zoo, and many more fun activities!
Stephen Thomas Adcock
August 2, 1951 – October 8, 2023
Memorial service: Thursday, October 26n at 11:30am at Carmel Cemetery, 1822 Smithport Lake Road, Mansfield
Hayden Tyler McCrocklin
July 17, 2003 — October 23, 2023
Service: Saturday, October 28 at 2pm at Henrietta Congregational Methodist Church, Converse
It’s Monday, we have just launched another College Football Pickers Contest. The Journal has another $100 to award to the reader in the parish who does the best job of predicting the outcome of ten college football games.
CLICK HERE to get the entry form. Fill it out. You could be our next $100 winner!
The deadline is 4:00 pm today for this week’s Marketplace Chevrolet College Football Pickers Contest. Time is running out! Entry by CLICKING HERE to get to the entry blank.
Are you the best at predicting the outcome of ten college football games? The winner last week was Lynnette Mynes of Logansport. The Journal reader in the parish who comes closest to guessing the winners this week will get $100!
Enter now, before the 4:00 pm deadline today. Win $100. Good luck.
NEWS RELEASE
OCTOBER 16, 2023
Sheriff Jayson Richardson
DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office
On October 13, 2023, Investigators with the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested Jemartrius C. Mayweather, formerly employed with the DeSoto Parish School Board, for LRS 14:81 Indecent Behavior with Juveniles and LRS 14:81.1 Pornography Involving Juveniles. This is an on-going investigation. If anyone has any information regarding this case or any other potential victims, we encourage you to come forward. You may do so by calling our Main Office in Mansfield to speak with an Investigator at (318) 872-3956.
Mark Pierce, PIO
Public Relations & Social Media
DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office
mpierce@dpso.org
The 2023 Holiday Express train is set to return. Santa Claus and his elves will be visiting 20 communities in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi. This festive six-car train will continue its charitable tradition with The Salvation Army this year, and has raised over $3.1 million in 22 years.
The Holiday Express resumes its free public stops, allowing visitors to meet Santa and explore the festively adorned train cars. Donations for the 2023 campaign are welcomed!
The Holiday Express will visit Coushatta on Sunday, December 3 at 4pm along the railway track at Front St. between East Carroll St. and Alonzo St. It will be in Zwolle on Saturday, December 9 at 4pm at the Railway station on N Main St. between Obrie St. and Port Arthur St.
Link to full schedule https://www.cpkcr.com/content/dam/cpkc/documents/english/pdfs/holiday-train/2023-Holiday-Express-Schedule.pdf
The Journal congratulates Lynnette Mynes of Logansport, winner of $100 in the Marketplace Cheverolet College Football Pickers Contest. A check is on the way to Lynnette.
She did the best job of predicting the outcomes of ten top college football games played last weekend. The Journal is offering another $100 this week. The entry blank is online and many of your neighbors in DeSoto Parish have already entered. All you have to do is CLICK HERE to enter and win.
There will be a DeSoto Parish Police Jury Budget and Finance Committee meeting Thursday, October 19, 2023 starting at 5pm. The meeting will take place in the Police Jury Meeting Room, 101 Franklin Street.
Agenda for the meeting:
AGENDA
OFFICERS
Greg Baker, Chairman, Kyle Kennington, Trina Boyd-Simpson, Richard Fuller and B. D. Mitchell
A. CALL TO ORDER
B. CALL FOR ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS
C. GUEST AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
D. BUDGET AND FINANCE ITEMS
1. 2024 Airport Budget
2. 2024 Animal Services Budget
3. 2024 ARPA Budget
4. 2024 East Side Sewer Budget
5. 2024 Office of Community Service Budget
6. 2024 Rental Assistance Budget
7. 2024 Sales Tax Budget
E. ADJOURN
Job Opening: DeSoto Parish Library is seeking a full-time Children’s Services Librarian at the Stonewall Library location for 40 hours per week. For Online Application, visit https://tinyurl.com/dplchildrensjob
Hours are Monday-Thursday 8:30am-5pm, Friday 8:30am-5pm, Saturday–on rotation
Application must include cover letter, resume, library application and the names and contact information of three professional references.
Applications received by 5pm November 3 will receive consideration. Questions can be directed to Sharon Bogan 318.925.9191 or Delbert Terry 318.872.6100.
See DeSoto Parish Library Facebook page for full application details.
The Pelican Branch Library is holding a “Big Buck Contest” from October 1 until the end of deer season, January 31, 2024. No pre-registration is required and there is no fee to enter. If you would like to enter your trophy buck, simply bring a photo with your name and phone number to the Pelican Library, 145 Jackson Street, Pelican, during business hours (Monday 9am-6pm, Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-1pm. You can also email photo to ljackson@state.lib.la.us or post it to the DeSoto Parish Library Facebook page. If texting is easier, text it to 318-464-6425.
The largest buck will win $100!
For more information call branch manager Rena Jackson at 318-755-2353 or email ljackson@state.lib.la.us.
Big Buck Contest Rules:
1. Deer must be a whitetail buck killed in DeSoto Parish, Sabine Parish or outlying areas within the days of October 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024.
2. Pictures of bucks killed within a deer-proof fence or any other confined area are not eligible.
3. The pictures of the winning deer will be published on Facebook, desotoparishlibrary.org and in the newspaper.
4. Hunters violating Game Laws are disqualified from entering the contest.
5. Only one entry per person and only one prize awarded to any registered hunter.
6. Tie breakers will be determined by spread, largest measured spread will win.
For you [Israel] are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.” (Deuteronomy 7:6).
I have been quite taken aback by what I have seen this week. I think many of us have had difficulty processing it.
The massacre at the music festival alone is sufficiently chilling and gut-wrenching. It is estimated that a few thousand young people were observing the end of the Jewish holiday season at the Tribe of Nova music festival, which quickly became the location of the worst mass slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.
Some have reported seeing parachutes dropping from the sky while the parachutists were apparently filming the festival attendees on their phones. Truckloads of armed men soon arrived, and the killing began as the panicked crowd attempted to escape. “Those who tried to reach their cars to escape were slaughtered as the Hamas killers waited at the exits. In one festival tent, bodies of the murdered lay piled together where they’d been shot en masse, like the scenes of Jews shot and dumped into ditches in World War II.” (Wall Street Journal, Oct 10, 2023).
260 bodies have been found so far. This is to say nothing of the raping and killing that has occurred elsewhere.
This hatred for the Jews is eternal. Many of Israel’s Arab neighbors call for, in their nations’ founding charters, the literal annihilation of Israel. I’m not suggesting the Palestinian issue is not complicated, it is. I’m saying Israel is regularly attacked and when it responds—with Palestinian women and children intentionally and strategically placed to be killed during the response—Israel is accused of being a butcher.
While this murderous brutality is evil it has a clear strategic purpose. As the Wall Street Journal has stated:
“As this war escalates, it is important to understand that the savagery is essential to Hamas’s goals. Their wanton bloodlust is designed to work twice over. They murder, rape and mutilate Israelis, knowing that in its response Israel will wreak havoc on Palestinians. Israel, unlike its enemies, will do what it can to avoid punishing the innocent. But innocents will suffer, because Hamas has positioned them precisely for this purpose. The terrorists’ objective is truly indiscriminate destruction. For them a dead Jew is a bonus, but a dead Palestinian is a trophy they can parade before credulous Western media to convey some supposed moral equivalence between their depravity and the actions of a beleaguered nation seeking to preserve its very existence.” (G. Baker, WSJ, 10/o9/23).
Israel is a very small country (9.3 million) and is not going to be able to any longer risk danger from Hamas or other terror groups with Gaza and Palestine so close to it. Over the decades, the Palestinians have had many opportunities to make peace, through Yassar Arafat and others, but don’t really seek it. However, as Golda Meir has observed, “you cannot negotiate with someone who has come to kill you.”
I have heard calls for “peace in the Middle East” but what would that look like when your enemy despises—and wishes to end— your very existence. As Benjamin Netanyahu has said “if Israel’s enemies laid down their weapons, there would be no more war. If Israel laid down its weapons, there would be no more Israel. “
Why is this occurring now?
It’s really a mystery why Hamas would do what it did last Saturday. It must have known that sending terrorists to kill civilians would provoke complete and total destruction of the Gaza strip by Israel. Perhaps Iran—upon whose funding Hamas relies—promised Hamas it would hit Jerusalem with a nuke. Maybe Hamas thinks it can hide behind hostages or that forcing Israel into a 2 or 3 front war provides the best chance to destroy it. Whatever the case, I think it miscalculated because even the doddering, feckless Biden would likely be willing to blast Gaza with the U.S Navy, to say nothing of the American war supplies we are already providing to Israel.
I see no outcome in which Israel is annihilated or Gaza comes out as anything but a pile of rubble—a parking lot. Israel can simply no longer risk not having total control of this physical buffer zone area around its nation. In the meantime, it needs our prayers.
Royal Alexander
Northwestern State’s football game against Southeastern has been moved to Thursday night at Turpin Stadium.
The decision to move the game came after Northwestern State learned the wake and funeral services for Ronnie Caldwell will be held Friday and Saturday in Austin, Texas. By moving the game, NSU players and staff will be able to attend the services.
Caldwell, a junior safety, died following an incident at an off-campus apartment complex early Thursday morning.
The Demons and Lions will kick off at 7 p.m., and the game still will air on ESPN+. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. instead of the typical two hours ahead of kickoff.
For ticket information or questions, contact the Northwestern State Athletics Ticket Office at 318-357-4268.
The decision to move the football game to Thursday also altered Northwestern State’s volleyball schedule.
Northwestern State will host New Orleans on Thursday with that match being moved to a 2 p.m. first serve inside Prather Coliseum.
The Mansfield Library invites everyone to the Junior/Senior Fall Fun Fest on Tuesday, October 24 from 4-5pm at the Mansfield Main Library, 109 Crosby Street.
There will be games, fun activities, face painting, firefighters to come, corn hole and much more. Refreshments will include hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn, chips and drinks. Don’t miss the fun!
For more information call Daron Spencer, MA Children’s Librarian at 318.872.6100.
In the movie Forest Gump, he talks about how life is like a box of chocolates. Well bass fishing is very much the same. In every tackle box there are a plethora of baits to choose from. So how does an angler know what to choose? There are so many factors that go into selecting the right bait. One is the time of year, which has the most influence on what you should be throwing most of the time. But there are exceptions and sometimes the fish will bite anything you’re throwing. In fishing, timing is everything and what to throw and when to throw a particular bait is what makes fishing so difficult.
Just like the box of chocolates, soft plastic fishing worms come in a variety of colors. Now I’ve never been able to figure out how fishing worms got certain names, but the color wheel for soft plastic worms in the fishing industry is weird. Here are some examples: Redbug, Plum Apple, Gleason Candy (one of my favorites), Green Pumpkin, Watermelon, Watermelon Red, Hematoma, and Sprayed Grass to name few.
I remember as a kid finding my dad’s old tackle box which truly was a box of chocolates. He had baits that I had never seen before or even knew how to use. Even though it was a tangled mess inside this tackle box, I separated out the baits that I wanted to try. For some reason this got me excited, and I could not wait to take them to one of our stock ponds and give them a try.
While I wish I could say that I caught a boat full of fish on these old lures, truth be known, most got hung up and never made it back to the tackle box they came from. Dad never really asked about any of these old lures, but I’m pretty sure he knew why they were missing.
One thing I have learned over my many years of tournament angling is that there is usually more than one way to catch bass. For proof of this, all you need to do is look at the final results of what the top 10 anglers used to catch their fish for a particular event. Bassmaster magazine does a great job of summarizing each event and will give you the secrets of the top 10 anglers and how they caught their fish.
It always amazes me at how many different techniques and baits are used by the higher placing anglers. It can be as many as ten different baits by the top 10 guys. You would think that most of these anglers were probably doing pretty much the same thing, but very seldom is that the case.
While everybody has their favorite chocolate, anglers have their favorite baits as well as a favorite color they like to throw. Most will fish with the baits they have the most confidence in and over the years, there’s one particular bait that has put money in my pocket and has played a big role in my tournament success…. a Black Emerald Zoom Trickworm. There is nothing exciting or special about a Trickworm, but this particular worm and color has long been a go to lure for me. It’s basically a six inch straight tail worm with very little built in action. But when paired with a 3/16 tungsten weight and a 2/0 hook, it WILL catch fish!
The color Black Emerald is best described as a black worm with green metal flake with a few sprinkles of red metal flake mixed in. Another worm that I really like in this same color is the Zoom 10.5-inch Ol’ Monster. I discovered the color Black Emerald while fishing as a co-angler on the FLW tour back in 2004. I found out that no matter where the tournament went from Florida to the Carolinas and back to Toledo Bend, this color would catch fish. I think part of its success is the fact that not many anglers throw that color, and the fish don’t see it very much.
So, there you have it. Fishing truly is like a box of chocolates; you never know what or how you’re going to catch fish. Till next time good luck and good fishing! Please make sure to check out our Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Facebook page for all kinds of tips and tricks to help make you a better angler. Go to hutdshow.com to learn more!
Steve Graf