Barbara Gail Sharrow
December 10, 1941 — August 6, 2024
Service: Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 11am at Rose Neath Funeral Homes – Mansfield

Patricia Housley
February 24, 1959 — August 6, 2024
Service: Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 11am at Evergreen Baptist Church – Ajax

Stafford Whitaker Sr.
February 24, 1932 — August 12, 2024
Service: Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 11am at Mt. Mariah Baptist Church – Kingston

Charles Fuller
August 25, 1955 — August 12, 2024
Service: Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 2pm at Mt. Mariah Baptist Church – Kingston

Eli Smith, son of Jason and Katy Smith, competed in the Silhouette National Championship in Ridgway. Pennsylvania the last week of July.

This is one of the biggest competitions of silhouettes with competitors from across the United States and countries such as Canada, Finland, and Mexico.

Eli represented DeSoto Parish well. During the three-day competition, Smith competed in the AAA class and won first place in standard and third place in hunter rifle on the first day. He ended the first day with High Intermediate Junior for standard rifle.

By the end of the three days, Smith finished 8th overall in the standard AAA class and 7th in the hunter AAA class. He was able to bring home a bit of prize money with an 8th-place aggregate for his class.

Smith is looking forward to competing again as competitions begin for the year. He reportedly tried his hand at high power and is said to enjoy it as well.

Great Job, Eli Smith!

DeSoto Parish Schools hosted the “Better Together” School Convocation Event,” on Tuesday, August 6, at North DeSoto High School. It marked the official kickoff to the new school year for all district employees.

Superintendent Clay Corley reiterated that their focus this year is building trust and collaborative practices in service of students: “Bringing back the Convocation was a couple of years in the making. We not only wanted to bring educators together but all of our team, support staff, and everyone and impress upon them their importance, their place on the team, and their ability to make a difference in the lives of our students.”

The event included inspiring sessions, valuable professional development opportunities, and a chance to reconnect with colleagues. The Convocation underscored the district’s commitment to high performance, fostering a positive and caring culture, making a difference, and celebrating our small-town traditions.

Event Highlights:

Welcome Address by Superintendent Clay Corley: Setting the tone for the new school year.

Professional Development Sessions:  Sessions tailored for specific educator pathways.

Networking Opportunities: Build relationships and share best practices among colleagues.

Door Prize Drawings: Partnerships with community members and businesses to make door prize contributions to our employees.

The Convocation is a testament to the DPS belief that the school system is “Better Together,” working collectively to make a difference in the lives of students and the community.

For more information, visit www.desotopsb.com or follow DPS on Facebook or X @DeSotoParishSchools.

Source:www.desotopsb.org

Matt Vines

North DeSoto Wrestling Academy grabs four All-American honors at Deep South Duals
The North DeSoto Wrestling Academy battled its way to two top-10 finishes at the Deep South Duals this past weekend.

NDWA’s K-8th grade team took home third place in the silver pool, which consisted of 31 teams.
The high schoolers finished 10th in the gold pool, which featured 58 teams.

The K-4th grade squad didn’t place but gained valuable experience on a competitive stage.
North DeSoto High’s Dalton Compton and Caiden Burns were named All-Americans in their respective weight classes.

At the K-8th-grade level, Nicholas Griffith and Sy Stoute captured All-American honors.

Former basketball pro part of Mansfield High open gym
Former basketball professional Zeek Woodley was part of an open gym at Mansfield High that attracted nearly 50 local youth and father figures.

There was an old school vs. new school feel as the younger folks often suited up against the old heads.
Woodley, a Pelican High product who played his college ball at Northwestern State before making stops in the NBA D-League and multiple overseas leagues, can be found at gyms around the parish since his professional career ended.

The informal event is a way for Mansfield basketball under second-year coach Reginald Williams to engage with the community.

Youth basketball team looking for first and second grade girls
Ryan Bates is looking for a few more first- and second-grade girls interested in playing basketball for the 2024-25 school year. In a post to his Facebook account, Bates said he is seeking mostly first-graders but it also filling the last few spots on his second-grade team. Contact Dr. Bates via Facebook.

Matt Vines

The widespread success of North DeSoto football means that colleges have been sniffing around Stonewall for quite some time now.

Here’s a list of former Griffins, where they are playing college football, and what their careers have looked like so far.

Johnny Mitchell, Jr. DT, Northwestern State

Mitchell started three of the final four games (eight appearances) in the 2022 season and appeared in four games in the 2023 season. He’s a load at 355 pounds and certainly should factor into the defensive line equation. He recovered his first fumble of this career in 2023 against Southeastern, but his most impressive performances came in 2022. He made nine tackles total, including a career-high four against a No. 12 Southeastern squad. Mitchell started his career as a two-sport athlete, competing as a thrower in track and field. He had three top-12 finishes at the Southland Conference Championships in 2022 but has since shifted his focus to football only.

Brian Banks II, R-FR, RB, Northwestern State

New head coach Blayne McCorkle and a new coaching staff could give younger players a more even footing heading into the season. Brian Banks II is the heaviest running back of the bunch at 225 pounds and could force his way onto the field after redshirting this past season. Three running backs who earned carries are back, but those three combined for less than 350 yards in the six games NSU played this past season.

David Atkins, So. WR, Southern Arkansas

Atkins made the most of opportunities as a redshirt freshman, catching three passes for 44 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown came on a 33-yard strike in a rout of Northwestern Oklahoma. Southern Arkansas put together its first 10-win season since 1952. Even though Southern Arkansas favored the run game this past season, Atkins should have a chance to widen his role in the passing game as head coach Brad Smiley has historically thrown the ball a lot. Smiley is a former Northwestern State offensive coordinator and should dip back into Louisiana often for players.

Saeveonne Jackson, So. OL, Millikin

Saeveonne Jackson is an offensive linemen at Millikin University, a Division III school in Illinois. The 6-foot-2, 375-pounder appeared in three games as a freshman this past season. Millikin didn’t win a game in 2023 but is rebuilding.

Marques Hampton, R-FR DE, Louisiana Christian

Hampton didn’t see the field as a true freshman, but the Wildcats went 9-2 and are ranked No. 21 in the nation heading into this season. Hampton will try to break into the lineup as a sophomore.

INCOMING FRESHMAN

North DeSoto’s large senior class produced plenty of college football prospects. Below is a list of 2024 seniors who will be starting their college football careers.

Landry Wyatt, WR, Louisiana Tech

BT McMillian, LB, Harding (reigning D-II champions)

Lake Bates, S, UL Lafayette

Corbyn Cross, Calvin

Trysten Hopper, East Texas Baptist

Gage Caskey, East Texas Baptist

As the days of summer begin to wane and we start looking forward to the upcoming fall season, I am excited to share some of the wonderful things happening at DeSoto Parish Library.

Summer Reading Program Success
First and foremost, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in our Summer Reading Program. We had a record number of participants this year, and it was truly inspiring to see so many of you engaged in reading and library activities. Special congratulations to all our reading champions who went above and beyond in their reading goals. Your enthusiasm and dedication are what make our library community so vibrant. And of course, I want to say words of gratitude publicly to ALL the library staff (especially our children librarians) who went above and beyond in assuring that the children and teens experienced a “BEST EVER” Summer Reading Program.

New Programs and Events
SRP is over BUT that doesn’t mean that the fun stops. August is packed with a variety of programs and events designed to entertain, educate, and inspire patrons of all ages. Here are just a few highlights:
STEM Programs: We are excited to offer a series of STEM programs for children and teens. These hands-on sessions will cover topics such as robotics, coding, and science experiments.
Weekly Preschool Storytimes: Our beloved Preschool Storytimes are held every Wednesday at 10 AM. Bring your little ones for an hour of stories, songs, and fun activities designed to foster a love of reading.

New Additions to Our Collection
We are excited to announce that we have added online language program called Mango Languages. Mango Languages is an online language-learning platform designed to help users acquire new languages through practical, real-world conversations. It offers a wide range of language courses and utilizes an intuitive, engaging approach to make language learning accessible and enjoyable. Mango Languages is ideal for individuals seeking to learn a new language for travel, work, or personal interest or for professionals looking to improve their language skills for business purposes.

Stay Connected
Stay up to date with all the latest news and events by following us on social media and subscribing to our newsletter. Your feedback is invaluable, so please don’t hesitate to reach out with any suggestions or comments.

Thank you for your continued support and for making DeSoto Parish Library a cornerstone of our community. I look forward to seeing you at the library soon!

Warm regards,
Delbert Terry
Library Director
DeSoto Parish Library

On August 3, Captain John Rut sat down and wrote “in haste” a letter to the King of England in which he described the condition of his crew.  “Pleasing your honourable Grace to hear of your servant John Rut, with all his company here in good health, thanks be to God and your Grace’s ship the Mary Gilford.” 

A few months earlier, Robert Thorne, a Bristol merchant, convinced the king to finance an expedition to find a northwest passage to the Orient around or through the North American continent.  Finding a new and quicker route to China, Thorne reasoned, would increase the king’s wealth as well as his own.  The king agreed and put John Rut in command of two well-armed ships. 

On June 10, the Mary Guildford, captained by John Rut, and the Samson, captained by a man known only as “Master Grube,” left Plymouth Harbor and sailed west across the Atlantic Ocean.  For three weeks, the two ships sailed in calm seas and stayed within sight of each other.  Then, on the night of July 1, a severe summer storm materialized.  The crews of both ships fought the high, pounding waves through heavy rain to keep their ships afloat.  Bolts of lightning lit up the skies for split seconds at a time, but the crews were too busy trying to survive to keep each other’s ship in their sights.  Finally, the waves began to die down.  The storm was letting up.  John Rut and the crew of the Mary Guildford looked in all directions through their spyglasses, but they could not locate the Samson.  John Rut wrote, “I trust in almighty Jesu to hear good news of her.  And please your Grace, we were considering and a’writing of all our order, how we would wash us and what course we would draw, [and] so departed southward to seek our fellow.”

In the letter, John Rut explained that they changed course again.  “[We] ran in our course to the northward … and there we found many great islands of ice and deep water; we found no sounding, and then we durst not go further to the northward for fear of more ice.”  On August 3, the Mary Guildford entered into St. John’s harbor, Newfoundland.  In the harbor, which John Rut referred to as “a good haven,” they encountered “eleven sail of Normans, and one Brittaine, and two Portugall barks, and all a’fishing, and so we are ready to depart toward Cape de Bas [as] shortly as we have fished, and so along the coast till we may meet with our fellow (the Samson), and [with] all the diligence that lies in me [as] we were commanded at our departing.” 

Unfortunately, the crew of the Mary Guildford never located their fellow ship, the Samson.  The Samson and its crew disappeared.  Most people at the time, and modern historians agree, that they were probably victims of the brutal storm mentioned in the letter.  John Rut ended the letter, “And thus, Jesu save and keep your honorable Grace, and all your honorable Rever(ences), in the Haven of Saint John, the third day of August.  By your servant John Rut to his uttermost of his power.”  Once John Rut completed the letter, he exchanged it with another ship’s captain, possibly one of the 14 fishing ships in St. John’s “haven.”  At the time, captains on outbound voyages exchanged letters with captains of ships who were heading back toward the outbound ship’s port.  Letters often passed between several ships before reaching their intended recipients.  John Rut’s letter eventually made its way across the Atlantic Ocean to King Henry VIII and into its place in history.  John Rut’s letter, portions of it which you have just read, was the first known letter mailed from the new world, the first letter sent from North America.  John Rut wrote and mailed the letter on August 3, 1527.      

Sources:

1.      “Today in 1527,” The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor, https://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php%3Fdate=2011%252F08%252F03.html

2.     “August 3, 1527 – the First Known Letter from North America Is Sent by John Rut While at St. John’s, Newfoundland.,” Center for Teaching the Rule of Law, August 3, 2021, https://www.thecenterforruleoflaw.org/rule-of-law-blog/july-3-1527-the-first-known-letter-from-north-america-is-sent-by-john-rut-while-at-st-johns-newfoundland.

3.     “Rut, John,” Dictionary of Canadian Biography, accessed August 5, 2024, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/rut_john_1E.html.

The dog days of August are upon us and unless you live in Alaska, no one wants to be outside. But there’s still a lot to talk about and I’ve got a few things on my mind that I need to get off my chest. So today, I’ll give you my perspective on some topics that are both good and bad. 

Football season is right around the corner which is hard to believe. NFL teams are right in the middle of training camp while college teams are reporting as we speak. High school teams are going through physicals and preparing to start their preseason training. But no matter who your favorite team is, the fact that August is here means fall and cooler temperatures are coming soon, which is my favorite time of year!

With the coming of fall, it’s also the time of year where bass tournament anglers who have had good seasons are now preparing for their championship events. Fall fishing can be awesome and is probably my favorite time to fish, mainly because the lakes are not as crowded since a lot of guys are getting ready for deer season. 

Next, what changes will tournament organizations like B.A.S.S. and Major League Fishing (MLF) make for the 2025 season? Of course, we are talking about the hottest topic of 2024 with regards to forward-facing sonar. B.A.S.S. has decide to limit the amount of overall screen size per boat to 60 inches. Meaning you’ll be limited to the number of sonar units you can have on your boat. 

So instead of 16- and 18-inch screens, some anglers will go back to five 12-inch screens. Another change for 2025, anglers will only be allowed one transducer per boat instead of three like some anglers have been running. This will have a bigger impact on the anglers than limiting their screen sizes. The jury is still out on MLF with regards to forward-facing sonar and we’ll keep our ears open and will report any changes… if they make any at all. 

Next thing on my mind is the amount of cheating going on in tournament bass fishing today. Come on guys… really! If you must resort to cheating in order to win or do well in a bass tournament, you’re a loser anyway. But until judges drop the hammer on these guys and really make them pay for their actions, cheating will continue. 

Slapping these cheaters on the wrist with a small fine and picking up trash on the side of the road is not enough of a deterrent. Jail time should be automatic with heavy fines and a lifetime ban on fishing. Sounds harsh? These guys are committing fraud and should be punished accordingly.  

We’ll wrap it up with this. This year, it’s come to my attention that more and more anglers are being diagnosed with skin cancer/melanoma. I continue to see a lot of anglers ignore or refuse to take any precautions by protecting themselves from the sun’s harmful rays. Guys, I am an unfortunate example that we are not bullet proof and you need to do a better job of protecting yourselves. 

Every angler out there should be making regular dermatologist appointments because the key to beating Melanoma is catching it early. Please take the time to protect yourself and find a dermatologist who can detect and treat any skin abnormalities. These regular appointments just might save your life. 

Change how you dress for outdoor activities by wearing sun protective clothing and sunscreen. You might think it’s overkill, but now is the time to change your apparel habits so that you can protect yourself from the number one cancer killer — melanoma.  

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and if you’re not sure it’s a bite, set the hook!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

Did you know the Mansfield Library offers homework help for grades K-12 every week? Kindergarten through 6th grade is scheduled every Thursday from 3:30-4:30pm. Grades 7-12 every Tuesday from 3:30-4:30pm. Students can get help with homework or projects. No registration needed, just drop by. Call Mrs. Pinkston for more information at 872.6100. 

Looking for an exciting way to spend your Saturday? We’ve got a fantastic lineup of events that are perfect for nature enthusiasts, history buffs, and everyone in between. Check out these incredible activities happening on August 10th:
Dutch Oven Gathering – Lake Bistineau State Park
Bird Hike – Louisiana State Arboretum
The Dead of Locust Grove – Locust Grove/ Audubon State Historic Site
Guided Nature Tour – Fontainebleau State Park
Life Between the Battles – Mansfield State Historic Site

Paula Allen Burnitt
August 12, 1933 — August 6, 2024
Service: Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 11am at Rose Neath Funeral Homes – Mansfield

Cassandra Mayweather
June 23, 1960 — July 31, 2024
Service: Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 11am at Mary Evergreen Baptist Church in Grand Cane

Sheriff Jayson Richardson and staff recently welcomed their newest Patrol Deputies to the DPSO Family.

Deputy Jacob Daigle and Deputy Zachary Moore both completed their training at the Shreveport Regional Training Academy, and began protecting and serving the citizens of DeSoto Parish Monday, August 4. Graduation was held on Friday, August 2, 2024. 

Daigle took home the Top Shot and Academic Award, while Moore took home the Overall Honor Graduate Award and Physical Fitness Award.

Deputy Moore was also chosen to be the class President and spoke at the graduation ceremony.

Pictured in order from left to right are:
Asst. Warden Kevin Coleman, Patrol Captain Michael Dunn, Lt. Scott Atkins, Dy. Jacob Daigle, Major Chato Atkins, Dy. Zachary Moore, Lt. Joe West, Dy. John Welch, Dy. Matthew Brooks, and Dy. Chris Clanton.

As the start of the upcoming school year approaches, Louisiana State Police would like to emphasize the importance of safety in school zones when driving near school buses and transporting children. All motorists must remain vigilant and adhere to the rules of the road to safeguard the well-being of drivers and our young students.

School Zone Safety: 

According to Louisiana law, crossing guards are granted the authority to control traffic flow at intersections to ensure students’ safety. Drivers must remain vigilant of crossing guards and adhere to the posted speed limits within designated school zones. During drop-off and pick-up times, drivers should be prepared for sudden stops and increased pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Additionally, respecting and complying with posted Hands-Free Zones within school zones is crucial. These areas prohibit all drivers, regardless of age, from using a cell phone to make calls, send texts, or access social media platforms.

To minimize distractions and maintain an elevated level of alertness, drivers are encouraged to stay focused and always be mindful of the presence of children in the vicinity. Following these guidelines can collectively contribute to a safer environment for students and pedestrians.

School Bus Safety: 

When approaching a school bus with flashing red lights, regardless of the direction from which you are coming, all traffic must come to a complete stop at least 30 feet away from the bus. Drivers must remain stopped until the bus stop arm is retracted and the bus resumes motion. Extra caution should be exercised around school buses, as children may unexpectedly enter the roadway. Many drivers may find it confusing to determine when to stop for a bus when traveling in the opposite direction. A good rule of thumb is always to stop unless you are on a four-lane road with a physical barrier, a raised median, or a continuous turn lane. This ensures the safety of all individuals involved and helps to prevent crashes.

Car Seat Safety: 

Louisiana law requires children under 13 to ride in the back seat of a vehicle whenever possible. For younger children, it is recommended that they remain rear-facing until the age of two or until they have outgrown the weight or height limits of their car seat. Older children who can face forward should use the internal harness up to its maximum limit, typically 65 pounds on most seats. If any caregiver is uncertain about the proper installation of their child’s car seat, they are encouraged to reach out to their local State Police troop office to seek guidance from a certified child passenger safety technician, a service that is provided free of charge.

For more information on car seat laws and fitting station locations, please visit the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

My morning habit involves watching the local TV news. I want to see what happened while I slept. This station offers a color the weather segment. The children draw weather events and send their artwork to the station. The station during a weather segment will show the artwork. These children are budding artists for sure.

Along with the meteorological depictions there are the usual childlike renditions of houses, cars, children playing and other things you used to draw as a child. I started noticing a commonality in the drawings. In most drawings there is a pig. The pig is usually pink.

I never sent artwork to a television station. I do remember drawing stuff in that ancient time of my childhood. I don’t remember drawing lots of animals. I think most of what I drew were houses and cars. And being a child of the 1960’s there were lots of rockets and space capsules. I know for sure; I drew no pig.

What is this sudden childhood fascination with pigs?

I asked Google.

I was introduced to Peppa Pig, which is a British preschool animated television series. The series began in 2004 and is still in production. So that would explain the sudden appearance of a pig in the children’s artwork.

I was thinking about it because this morning’s artwork showed a tornado with trees and the pig flying off into the sky. The pig is sometimes on the ground, sometime airborne depending on the weather being illustrated. Of course, you know that the phrase “when pigs fly” is an adynaton, a figure of speech so hyperbolic that it describes an impossibility.

Peppa Pig must be a thing with the children today. I long for the good ole days of the Coyote trying to do in the Road Runner, which is another article though.

American kids are binge-watching so much of Peppa Pig that they are developing English accents and even using words like “telly” and “ready, steady, go.” The children have learned to imitate Peppa Pig.

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then as Jesus followers who are we imitating? The Apostle Paul was so brash he told the Corinthians to “imitate me.” What would someone learn about Jesus by imitating you?

Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston, Louisiana.

SHREVEPORT – With the vast majority of LSUS students working a substantial number of hours, the need for a flexible tutoring schedule and delivery methods is diverse.

The Student Success Center is meeting that need by partnering with Knack, a leader in the peer tutoring industry.

LSUS students will continue to access free tutoring, but this online platform is more flexible in tutoring hours with tutors that more frequently will be their LSUS peers.

The partnership will begin this fall semester and will be live on the first day of classes (Aug. 19). Students can download the Knack app in the Apple app store or Google Play store. Faculty and staff wishing to learn more about the app via this link.

“We’re excited about Knack because it will help build our own peer tutoring programs in that Knack recruits, hires, and trains LSUS students to be peer tutors,” said Brandon Winningham, director of academic success at LSUS. “It reduces barriers to access that we have in-house because tutoring ends when our doors close.

“Now LSUS students can connect with a tutor on a Saturday night that has taken that LSUS class before, and that’s not something we could typically provide.”

LSUS students interested in becoming tutors can contact Winningham via email at brandon.winningham@lsus.edu.

The Knack tutoring app operates in a similar way to popular ridesharing apps. Students will signal that they need a tutor in a specific subject, and tutors who have their app notifications turned on will receive that message and can accept the session.

“Many of our students work full-time jobs while balancing their academic and familial obligations, limiting their opportunity to take advantage of support services,” said Angie Pellerin, assistant vice chancellor of student success at LSUS. “Knack will help us remove barriers for students to achieve their academic goals.”
A 2023 survey revealed that 80 percent of LSUS students work more than 30 hours per week, which necessitates a flexible tutoring schedule.

The app accesses a professional tutoring network if no LSUS tutors are available, providing necessary coverage for LSUS students.

LSUS students who wish to be tutors will receive professional training based on College Reading & Learning standards.

Tutors will be paid $15/hour by Knack, which means tutoring jobs will be more available to LSUS’s large student population that’s located out-of-state.

“The investment that the university is making with Knack goes right back into the pockets of our students in the form of tutoring wages,” Winningham said. “High-achieving students can earn wages on their own time at their own place without having to feel the crunch of having to fit their tutoring work hours physically in this building.

“This will also allow students and tutors to build rapport, and we know that building pillars of social engagement is also critical for students to remain in school. These are your peers.”

Transitioning to Knack will allow the Student Success Center to more efficiently deploy its in-person tutors as well.

“We can hire more graduate assistants to work in our revived supplemental instruction program, which is where tutors are physically in these classes and are organizing study groups,” Winningham said. “Knack takes the burden off our traditional peer tutoring model so that we can target our in-house resources more efficiently.

“Now our in-person tutors are doing the work alongside students and instructors.”

After a couple of weeks of cooler than normal temperatures and showers every day or so, that period of comfort is gone. It’s August and things are heating up and drying up. As the old song says, “Summertime and the living is easy”. In our part of the world, most of the “easy living” takes place behind four walls under air conditioning. It’s just too hot and muggy for outdoors activities and we resolve to wait for the first cool days of fall before taking to the wood and waters again.

This can be tough on the bass fisherman who likes nothing more than practicing the art of “chunkin’ and windin’”. If you knew where you could catch some bass and be home before the sultry meltdown begins, would you be interested? I thought so.

Today, modern bass fishing has gone high tech. Lures, rods, reels, Live Scope have all revolutionized the sport. However, those anglers my age didn’t need all this fancy stuff to catch bass. Here’s how we did it “back in the day”.   

On many of our area lakes, summer time is bass schooling time. Pick a lake, river or stream that has bass and chances are, you’ll find bass chasing shad somewhere on the water. You may have to wait until the sun gets up before the shad move to the upper column of the water, but if they’re there, you can bet the bass will be there as well.

Here’s how to begin a good day of summertime bass fishing…plan to be on the water at first light armed with a topwater lure – chugger, floater/diver or buzz bait. Cast next to brush, stumps, or grass and give the lure some enticing twitches. You won’t hit many spots before you’re likely to see an explosion around your lure as a largemouth sucks it in.

Once the sun starts up, shallow-feeding bass you fished for at dawn will have retreated, but their more active cousins will be out chasing shad. Any shad imitation will usually entice a bass shad into hitting. If this doesn’t work, tie a small jig, such as the Goin’ Jesse, three feet behind a chugger and give it a try. Bass will often jump all over the smaller lure.

Another excellent school bass lure is a smoke colored grub on a 1/8 ounce grub head. Cast to breaking schools or toss the lure where a school broke the surface a few minutes earlier. You’ll often nab a bigger bass waiting in ambush beneath the breaking schools. A shad look-alike fluttering down in front of his nose is often more than he can take.

If you can stand the heat, head for submerged cover in deeper water and fish a plastic worm. You’ll sometimes find bass hanging around such structure looking for an easy meal.

If you absolutely don’t want to fight the heat, sleep late; take care of honey-do’s around the house during the day and head for the lake at dusk. Take plenty of mosquito repellant and arm one rod with a dark colored plastic worm, another with a big black spinner with a pork or plastic trailer and another with a black buzz bait.

Ease along the shoreline and fish the black spinner first. If you hear surface feeding activity, try the buzz bait. When you approach a lighted boathouse, or you know where a shallow submerged hump is located near deep water, toss out the plastic worm or spinner. A slow retrieve works best at night since the fish have to first locate the lure and then home in on it.

Some of the largest bass of the year can be caught at night as heavyweights drop their guard under the cover of darkness for a late night snack.

Don’t let hot, steamy weather keep you from going after bass. During times like this, you have to do it on their terms. The dividends, though, are well worth the effort, and you don’t need all the fancy high tech equipment to do it.  

If you’ve never seen a race walk, it’s like watching a lot of discomforted people hurrying, with determined and stressful purpose, to get to the nearest bathroom.

That, you’ve seen. And experienced.

If you’ve successfully navigated such a familiar situation but you’ve never seen it as a competition but are eager to, you are in for the same feeling of relief and afterglow today. Because FINALLY — it’s here! 

I kid you not.

Today — Wednesday, August 7 — the marathon race walk mixed relay competition will be decided, over the hills and through the woods in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. 

For more than 42 kilometers, a male and female competitor will alternate every 10 kilometers or so until they’ve crossed the finish line, which in American miles is 26 and a smidge. Male-female-male-female. No baton to pass at each relay point, just a low five. Like tag team wrestling.

Will take between 4-and-a-half to 5 hours, give or take: no one knows for sure since this is an Olympic first.

This is no slap at walking. This bureau is pro-walk. Like to walk. LOVE to walk. Try to walk two or three miles a day, 10,000-steps-plus and all that. 

But casually. Not competitively. The only things I try to beat while walking are the sun and my age. 

Those of a certain age will remember race walking in black-and-white on television, either at the Olympics in the 1960s or on “Wide, Wide World of (Sometimes Walking) Sports, and Jim McKay trying to come up with something to say while, with Jim, we watched a pack of people walking as if they really, REALLY wanted to start running. 

Want a professional challenge? Try step-by-step play-by-play.

Best wishes.

Let’s face it: race walking is goofy. It requires a gait that demands you swallow your pride, and maybe a corn cob, at the door. It is not for either the faint of heart or the faint of colon.

It’s a tough sport. 

Race walking became an Olympic sport back in 1908 at the London Summer Olympics, and I can only imagine how:

“Hey, Uncle Jules, since you’re the head of the Olympic Committee this go-’round, think you can make a sport for me? I would like to compete and get a medal but methinks jumping and especially the running, by golly, that appears tiresome.”

Boom! Race walk.

Those who can, run, do; those who can’t, walk.

Alas, this seems to be a part of Olympic fever. When you watch (or more likely just hear, like me) about some of these sports, doesn’t it sound like, “Well, I did all that 50 years ago —at church camp.”

Ping pong and trampoline. Skateboarding and bicycle jumping. And the most daring, pride-swallowing stretch of all, 3-on-3 basketball. Now we are taking real sports and dividing them up? Next is 2-on-2 basketball and then 3-on-3 soccer and on it goes.

If we ARE going to have 3-on-3 Olympic basketball, it should be “call your own fouls.” How is it true 3-on-3 otherwise?

Come on guys … 

This is not an edict or proposal to do away with any of the Olympic “sports.” It’s like college football bowl games: if someone wants to play them and watch them and pay for them to be played, great. If it’s college football bowl games, I’m watching. Some of these Olympic things, neg. 

To each his own.

I’m just saying this: don’t sell this stuff to me as Real Olympics. We know that while the Alamo Bowl is a college bowl game, it’s not one of the Big Six bowl games. And while breakdancing is called an Olympic sport now, it’s not the 100m or the 4×400. To paraphrase, don’t walk on me and tell me you’re running.  

For the record, Americans aren’t walkers of the Olympic variety. We scored a silver back in Antwerp in ’20 (NINETEEN 20) and a couple of bronze deals 50 years ago. In the individual 20-kilometer competitions last week, the winners were from Ecuador and China. Took between 80 to 85 minutes to walk the 12-and-a-half American miles.

That’s booking it for a walk, between 8 and 9 miles per hour.

The Americans? We didn’t walk. And we ain’t medley walking today, either. We’ll be running and jumping.

Anyway, that’s it. Gotta run…

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

These arrests were made by DeSoto Sheriff, Mansfield Police, and Louisiana State Police.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Agriculture producers from around DeSoto Parish had a very productive meeting this week with members of Speaker Mike Johnson’s team. They discussed current issues that producers are facing in the agriculture industry. Topics ranged from USDA programming to issues with H-2A workers. 

It’s “Back to School” time and that means it’s time to join DeSoto Parish 4-H. Leaders have planned a fantastic year full of leadership, activities, competition, and adventure.  Mark your calendars for Open House Saturday, August 24 from 10am-2pm at the Dave Means 4-H Barn in Grand Cane. For more information call or email Ami Altom at 318-872-0533 or aaltom@agcenter.lsu.edu.

Kat Arnold Ministries will present ‘Fall in Love with Jesus – Through His Creation’ on Saturday, September 7 at the RB4 Event Center, 791 Nash Road in Logansport. Doors open at 4pm, dinner served at 5pm. Dress casually and join in for an unforgettable experience with God and girlfriends. Register here: https://www.katarnoldministries.com/event-list

John Marshall Chamberlin
November 7, 1932 — August 4, 2024
Service:  Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 10am at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Pelican

Cassandra Mayweather
June 23, 1960 — July 31, 2024
Service: Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 11am at Mary Evergreen Baptist Church in Grand Cane

During a recent narcotics roundup, DeSoto Narcotics Agents arrested three suspects earlier this week. 

Each were booked into the DeSoto Detention Center on charges related to the illegal possession and/or distribution of dangerous narcotics.

Tommy D. Hays, a White Male – DOB 01/13/1964 from Grand Cane, LA
Date Arrested: 07/13/2024
Charged with: Blue Lights on Non-Police Vehicle, Driving Under Suspension , Switched License Plates, and Possession of Schedule II (Meth)

Carolyn A. Anthony, a Black Female – DOB 09/12/1960 from Keithville, LA
Date Arrested: 07/13/2024
Charged with: Driving Under Suspension, Turn Signal Required, Possession of Schedule II (Crack Cocaine), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Janice Williams-Daniel, a Black Female – DOB 03/13/1978 from Shreveport, LA
Date Arrested: 07/17/2024
Charged with: Possession of Schedule II (Ecstasy)

*An arrest is an indication that probable cause existed during an alleged offense. All subjects listed above should be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

On July 18, 2024, a tractor was stolen in Stonewall, LA.

If you can identify the two pictured suspects (one white male and one white female) who are believed to be involved in this crime you should contact the DeSoto Sheriff’s Office.

Crime Stoppers is willing to pay up to $1,000 for any information that would lead to the identification or arrest of one or both suspects involved in this crime. You can send in a tip anonymously using one of the following methods:
– IN THE APP: You can go to Forms & Tips on the Home Screen of our App, and tap on Submit A Tip to fill out a short form.
– BY PHONE: You may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-505-7867, or call our office directly and ask for an investigator at 318-872-3956.
– WEBSITE: You can go to http://www.P3Tips.com to submit a tip.

Tips will remain anonymous, but in order to get paid we may need to make contact with you somehow.

If you have information, please use one of the methods above to report it to our office.

Mansfield, LA- After a successful trial at sporting events during the 2023-2024 school year, DeSoto Parish Schools announced that it will implement OpenGate Metal Detection Systems at all middle and high schools starting August 8, 2024. The OpenGate system is a state-of-the-art, fast, efficient, and accurate weapons detection system.

“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” said DeSoto Parish Schools’ Superintendent Clay Corley. “In light of recent events across the state and country, The OpenGate system will help us to ensure that everyone who enters our facilities can enjoy the game in a safe environment.”

The OpenGate system is the same system used at professional sporting events, museums, and other venues. It uses advanced sensors and software to detect weapons, including firearms, knives, and explosives. The system’s design minimizes false positives so that fans can move through the security checkpoint quickly and easily.

“We are confident that the OpenGate system will be a valuable asset to our overall security and look forward to implementing the system throughout the district to provide a safe environment for all,” said Clay Corley.

Source: desotopsb.com