DeSoto Parish has a new School Board. Newly elected and returning board members took the oath for the new four year term at the January Board Meeting.
School Board Sworn In
Author: NPJ
Coroner Speaks at Rotary
In the first Rotary meeting for the Mansfield Club in 2023 President Dudley Glenn read a Thank You Letter from his Wife and Bon Chasse Chapter DAR member, Melanie Glenn to the Club for their help in assisting in the DAR’s national drive to collect bottle caps for VA Hospital park benches. She tells the Club that they collected 30 pounds of the little caps!
Newly appointed Parish Coroner, Stacy Henderson, was the guest speaker. She is an ER Doctor for Oschner in Shreveport, La. She is excited to learn this side of the Medical Field and looking forward to bringing the DeSoto Office up-to-date and interactive. She will be working with the City’s Chief Deputy, Billy Locke and DeSoto Sheriff Jayson Richardson on the Parish level. Not only is Doctor Henderson in Dual roles in the Medical Field, she is also the wife of Parish Veterinarian and School Board Member Dr. Neal Henderson AND the mother of four children. We are so glad to have her here now and wish her the best of success moving forward!
The next regularly scheduled meeting Of the Mansfield Rotary Club is on 01/18/23 at the Mansfield Female College Museum Library for lunch. Please come by and join us!
Auditor Said OGB Isn‘t Handling Prescription Monies Correctly
The Center Square Contributed to this report
The Louisiana Office of Group Benefits filed inaccurate financial reports for the fifth consecutive year in 2022, due in part to the lack of an “effective review and reconciliation process,” according to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor.
This is the same agency that made the controversial switch of state workers prescription coverage to CVS Caremark. That move was said to be a “money-saving” move by the Division of Administration. Now the Legislative Auditor’s audit of OGB said there are problems with accounting for prescription drug money, and the problem has persisted for years.
LLA Mike Waguespack issued a report last week that examined the fiscal year 2022 financial information, reporting and compliance at the Office of Group Benefits, which provides health and life insurance benefits to state employees, retirees, and dependents.
“For the fifth consecutive year, OGB, through the Office of Finance and Support Services, submitted annual fiscal reports to the Office of Statewide Reporting and Accounting Policy with errors requiring adjustments,” the report read.
The issues involved a custodial fund with employer contributions overstated by $36.7 million, deductions for health and life benefits overstated by $33.6 million and payables understated by $3.1 million.
“Prior-year pharmacy rebates collected in the current year were not properly allocated to the custodial fund causing cash to be understated in the custodial fund and overstated in the general fund by $32 million,” auditors wrote.
Payables in the general fund were understated by $17.2 million, while accrual for subsidy receivables were not properly entered into the state’s annual financial report portal, which resulted in revenues and receivables in the government wide AFR to be understated by $30 million.
“The report used by OFSS to allocate rebates to the custodial fund did not include prior year rebates collected in the current year,” according to the report. “In addition, OFSS does not have an effective review and reconciliation process in place to identify and correct errors, including ensuring amounts are correctly input into OSRAP’s AFR portal.”
The LLA contends officials should test AFR data and include a supervisor review to prevent errors prior to submitting reports to OSRAP.
“Failure to establish adequate controls increases the risk that errors and omissions may occur and remain undetected,” the report read.
Other aspects of OGB’s finances were materially correct.
Assistant Commissioner for Statewide Services Desiree Honore Thomas responded to the LLA report in a letter to Waguespack on Dec. 19 that blamed the issues on changes to the way OGB reports its finances.
Anybody Out There?
Join us at BackAlley Community Theatre as we present our first production of 2023, Anybody Out There? A farce comedy and one of John Patrick’s fastest and funniest plays. This play deals with the metamorphosis of a shy little milksop into a fearless hero after he has been told that he has only six months to live. The action spins zanily on, finding its way to a happy and hilarious conclusion.
Cast members include Barry Larson, Linda Sibley, Bridget Flanders, Lance Ray, Shawn Fargerson, Hunter Tuck, Lauren Piazza, John Derbonne, Ken Murphy, Jim Griffith, and Martha Russell. Lisa Duty is Director and Barbie Larson is Stage Manager.
Show dates are Friday and Saturday, February 3 and 4 at 7:00 pm, Sunday, February 5 at 2:00 pm, and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, February 9, 10, and 11 at 7:00 pm. Reservations are required.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR TICKETS. Or you may go to our website http://www.backalleygrandcane.com to reserve your ticket, or text/call our box office at 318-461-0202. Tickets are $15.00, cash or check only if paying at the door. We offer sodas, coffee, popcorn, and cookies.
The Buck-ee’s stops here
By Teddy Allen
There is still a “t” or two to cross, but if Buc-ee’s comes to Ruston and Tarbutton Road as most hope, the next generation of Lincoln Parish children will be more spoiled than the generation who were on the good end of the transition from outhouses and Sears and Roebuck catalogs to indoor plumbing and toilet paper.
I can hear a kid 10 years from now: “Paris? Rome? Waikiki? Man, that don’t impress me much. My momma used to change my diaper in Buc-ee’s. BUC-EE’S, bro! I grew up there. I grew up in there.”
No way can you adequately convey what a Buc-ee’s is and isn’t. But one trip and you will never forget it.
The more I’ve heard about this newest enterprise, the more I’ve imagined the famous monologue by James Earl Jones in W.P. Kinsella’s brilliantly conceived Field of Dreams in 1989, the scene that shows his character convincing Ray, the owner of the baseball and corn fields and Kevin Costner’s character, not to sell his land, even though the bank plans to foreclose the next morning. In the Ruston re-make, the setting is Tarbutton Road’s northwest corner by I-20, Ray is Ruston and Jones is Jones and Mark is the brother-in-law representing the bank, in this case a Buc-ee’s non-believer.
JAMES EARL JONES: “Ray, people will come, Ray. They’ll come to Buc-ee’s in Ruston for reasons they can’t even fathom. They’ll turn up into the store, not knowing for sure why they’re doing it. They’ll arrive to get a selfie made with the giant wooden buck-tooth beaver, innocent as children, longing for the past — and maybe for some Buc-ee’s Barbecue Rub or Steak Seasoning, gluten-free if needed.
“‘Of course, we won’t mind if you look around,’ you’ll say. ‘You just need to buy some gas, or maybe a smoker or a onesie pajama bear suit or a dozen shoe charms or icebox magnets.’ They’ll pass over the money without even thinking about it. For it is money they have, and peace they lack. Peace, and some Buc-ee’s Fruit Sours.”
MARK: “Ray, this is going to hurt the town more than help. We can’t waste this land. It’s obvious that … “
JONES: “And they’ll walk out to the Nut Wall, just gaze as they did when they were children when they cheered their heroes, which were either Planters salted or unsalted, except here they are overwhelmed by Beaver Nugget Sweet Corn Puff and Butter Toffee and Honey Toasted and Pina Colada Pecans and that’s only the tip of the nutberg — and it’ll be as if they’d dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick, they’ll have to brush them away from their faces …”
MARK: “Ray what Ruston needs is another Mexican restaurant. It’s as plain as that cup of Dippin’ Dots you’re holding … “
JONES: “People will come, Ray.”
MARK: “We need money, we have this tremendous asset of location and land, and we’re putting it on a joint that sells tie dye drink glasses and T-shirts that say stuff like ‘I Paused My Game to Be Here’ and ‘I’m Into Fitness. Fit’ness Taco In My Mouth’?”
JONES: “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. Well, that and consumerism. And free enterprise. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a brisket at a tailgate barbecue, rebuilt, and erased again. But it’s jerky that has marked the time — the Bohemian garlic flavor, mesquite, lemon pepper, Teriyaki … it’s salt water taffy in a resealable bag and a pink imitation leather cosmetic case that reads, ‘Just a Girl Who Loves Beavers,’ and mostly it’s that Buc-ee’s sign taller than Wyly Tower or Mount Driscoll and that Giant Magnetic Beaver, whose Siren Song draws tourists to these clean bathrooms like tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches draw Protestant country folk. It’s consumerism that has marked the time, Ray. The hope of this store, this sort of Giant Jerky Wall joint, this heaven of dessert-in-a-plastic-case-to-go, this wellspring of emotion overload, this ‘game’ — it’s part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.
“Ohhhhhhh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.”
Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
Laskey Lecture Series with Dr. Sandra Richter
Trinity United Methodist Church of Ruston is finding new ways to reach the community in regard to how the congregation serves and how members spread the word of God. One way this church reaches the community is through different lecture series each year. This year’s offering, which the church is opening to the public, is the Laskey Lecture Series with Dr. Sandra Richter.
Created by Virginia Laskey, the lecture series brings in dynamic speakers with a variety of topics including politics, spirituality, arts, the environment, and much more.
Three FREE sessions will be taught by Dr. Sandra Richter to speak on the bible’s Old Testament on Saturday, Jan. 21 beginning at 10 am until 4 pm. Dr. Richter is a leading expert on Old Testament knowledge. She will convey a complex understanding of culture, archeology, and language to the listeners in a way they can understand. She will address leadership and hope through examining the life of Debra in the Book of Judges.
Attendees will receive complimentary childcare services.
Other offerings to the community include regular Sunday worship and bible studies throughout the week. The congregation also invests in children and youth as they are the future. They also feed the community, which is a big part of the church’s mission because there is such a big need for feeding programs.
More recently, our outreach committee is exploring new and innovative ways we can fight hunger in the Ruston community and beyond
To find out more about the lecture series or to sign up for it, call (318) 251-0750 or go online to www.trinityruston.org/
University Women Plan Mardi Gras
The Mansfield Branch of the National Association of University Women is planning a Mardi Gras Gala. They said, “Let’s party with a purpose!”
Their Annual Mardi Gras Gala will help support their scholarship fundraiser. The Gala is Saturday, February 4th. See any NAUW Mansfield Branch member for tickets.
Debate Surrounding Choosing of U.S. House Speaker is Essential to Constitutional Self-Government
By Royal Alexander
There has been much news this past week regarding the choosing of the next Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was considered the likely choice and has now become Speaker.
McCarthy, or any Speaker candidate, needs 218 votes to become speaker if all Members of Congress are present. Republicans have a slim majority of 222 lawmakers, so McCarthy could only afford to lose four GOP votes. The House adjourned Thursday evening after eleven attempts to elect a speaker, began its fourth day of votes Friday and McCarthy managed to gain the necessary votes in the 15th round of voting.
My point is that, in one of its frequent overreactions, the national “media” breathlessly proclaimed that “the U.S. House hasn’t failed this many times to elect a speaker since the Civil War.” Or that the failure to immediately elect a speaker resulted in “chaos.”
I respectfully disagree with those characterizations.
The intense focus on and debate regarding who would become the House Speaker is healthy, worthwhile and to be expected. We are a constitutional republic, within which we have chosen to govern ourselves as a representative democracy. That representative democracy is obviously based upon “representatives” and “representation.”
And, it was apparent that a bloc of U.S. House members was skeptical about McCarthy for one reason or the other. I never saw any indication that the opposition to McCarthy by House Republicans was of a personal nature but was ideological and policy based.
I served in the U.S. Congress in D.C. for almost 8 years. I worked for three members of the U.S. House and interned for a fourth. So, I know from experience that the position of speaker is a powerful one—the second in line for the Presidency. I’ve witnessed up close that once the speaker is chosen, the very direction of the U.S. House is set for the entire two years of that session of the Congress.
The Speaker determines membership on critical oversight and appropriations committees, including the procedurally critical House Rules Committee, which projects receive funding, and, most importantly, what bills actually come to the floor.
So, these last few days were the time to make objections and to debate what, in this instance, the Republican majority desired in its speaker. Clearly, a large number of Republicans were satisfied with the pledges McCarthy has made and the style of leadership and direction he will provide. Yet, a comparatively small but decisive—given the small Republican majority— group of Republicans were not.
The reason this debate is worthwhile is because even that minority of 20 or so Republicans who consistently opposed McCarthy for speaker have a right—if not a responsibility—to be sure that the voice of their constituents is also heard.
What do I mean by that?
Some of the opposition to McCarthy believed he had demonstrated certain policy beliefs they strongly disagreed with. For example, some don’t like the recent $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill (yet another) that was just rammed through Congress and demand a change to the legislative process governing that.
Some believe McCarthy has never been strong enough on illegal immigration and the invasion that is occurring on our Southern border—including the drugs and crime that come with it. Some of these members of Congress have been passionate in their opposition to the weaponization of the federal government as it pertains to the partisan activities of several of our federal agencies in the last few elections. They seek a select committee of some kind to probe this issue.
Other members of this opposition simply see Congress as broken and demand that attention be given to their priorities in order for McCarthy to get their votes. Some of them demand a change to the House rules procedure regarding which bills can come to the House floor to be heard and debated, and which amendments may be offered to them. Some demand an opportunity to influence policy—a “seat at the table’’—when bills are being drafted. Some demand the right for a single Member of Congress to call for a no-confidence vote to unseat the House Speaker.
It takes great courage to take on the majority of your own party. However, demands had to be made and they had to be made at the time a new speaker was being chosen. That was done and the Congress—and the American people—are better for it.
Mansfield Mardi Gras Parade
By Deborah Stewart
Come one come all to the 2023 Krewe of Demeter Mardi Gras Parade in Mansfield, Louisiana. January 28th, 2023. We start at the old Walmart on Highway 84 go all the way into town, turn right on Polk street. Continue down Polk to City Hall, turn left at the light at city hall to Franklin and end in front of the Police Jury office.
Lineup is at 5:00. Parade starts at 6:00. If you would like to be in our parade, please contact Captain-Linda Carter-464-0429, Co-Captain Deborah Stewart-455-5873 or private message me on Facebook.
We will have a fireworks show after the parade back where we started sponsored by U-Store It (Sherry Brumley), Jimmy Granger Ford, and the City of Mansfield.
See you at the parade.
FBI Most Wanted – Khalid Ahmed Satary
Pre-Trial Release Violation (Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Wire Fraud; Health Care Fraud; Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and to Pay and Receive Illegal Health Care Kickbacks; Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments)
Aliases: Khalid Satary, Khalid A. Satary, Khalio A. Satary, Rocky Satary, DJ Rock Satary
Khalid Ahmed Satary is wanted for violating pre-trial release. On September 26, 2019, Satary was indicted in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana. He was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive illegal health care kickbacks and bribes, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
On November 23, 2022, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Satary in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana, for pre-trial release violation
Weekly Arrest Report
This Week’s report covers a one week period as of 9:00 am Monday morning and includes of all arrests made in DeSoto Parish by the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office (DPSO), Mansfield Police Department (MPD), and Louisiana State Police (LSP.)
This report covers January 2-9, 2023.
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.
Notice of Death – January 11, 2023
Alfred “Doug” Garrett
August 7, 1931 to January 6, 2023
View full obituary here:
https://desotoparishjournal.com/2023/01/09/alfred-doug-garrett/
Jean Tullos
March 34, 1930 to January 9, 2023
View full obituary here:
https://desotoparishjournal.com/2023/01/10/jean-tullis/
Mary Ellen Burr
July 29, 1931 to January 9, 2023
View full obituary here:
https://desotoparishjournal.com/2023/01/10/mary-ellen-burr/
The DeSoto Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $70. The obituary will be included in the emails sent to subscribers. Contact your funeral provider or DeSotoParishJournal@gmail.com. Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above with no link to the obituary are FREE of charge.)
ETC… For Wednesday, January 11, 2023
4-H Challenge Camp is in need of a camp nurse for January 23rd and 24th. It will be held at Clara Springs. Contact the local 4-H office for more details. Great opportunity for a RN or LPN to make some quick easy cash.
DeSoto Schools said 146 students earned perfect attendance during the fall term. They received congrats from the central office.
Mary Ellen Burr
Funeral services celebrating the life of Mary Ellen Burr will be held at 12:00 p.m. Thursday, January 12, 2023, at Logansport Missionary Baptist Church, Logansport, Louisiana with Rev. Joseph Anding officiating. Burial will follow at Old Union Cemetery, Benson, Louisiana. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until service time at the church.
Mary Ellen was born on July 29, 1931, to Clarence and Eleanor Estes and entered into eternal rest on Monday, January 9, 2023.
Preceding her in death are her parents; husband, Jim William Burr, Jr.; son, Jim William Burr, III; daughters, Carolyn Taylor, Melissa Cheatwood, and Sonja Kay Burr; brother, John William Estes; sister, Ella Leona English; and son-in-law, James Lavone Wallace.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughters, Mary Katherine Ebarb, Shirley Sue Aylor, Deborah Bartlett (Roy Spinks), Becky Dauzat, and Linda LaMona Myers; sister, Dorothy Barnertt; and a large host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and great-great-great-grandchildren.
Honoring Mary Ellen as pallbearers will be Richard Wallace, Chris Anding, Shane Taylor, Jeff Myers, Joseph Bartlett, Jr., Jim William Burr, IV, Shaun Dauzat, and Mark Wallace.
Jean Tullis
Funeral services celebrating the life of Jean Tullis will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 13, 2023, at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Chapel, 943 Polk Street, Mansfield, Louisiana with Bro. Tommy McMellon officiating. Burial will follow at Chreene Cemetery, Stanley, Louisiana. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service.
Jean was born on March 23, 1930, in Logansport, Louisiana to Frank and Evie Chreene Cordova and entered into eternal rest on January 9, 2023, in Mansfield, Louisiana.
Preceding her in death are her parents; two infant sons; sisters, Doreene Pierce, Idabelle Woods, and Kathleen Cordova; and brother, G.C. Cordova.
Left to cherish her memory are a host of nieces and nephews.
Honoring Jean as pallbearers will be Richard Myers, John Franklin Woods, Kristopher Lindsey, Steven Lindsey, and Matthew Davis.
Alfred “Doug” Garrett
Funeral services celebrating the life of Alfred “Doug” Garrett will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at First Baptist Church of Logansport, Logansport, Louisiana. Burial will follow at O. E. Price Memorial Cemetery in Logansport, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Rev. Shawn Thrapp and Rev. Eric Garrett. Visitation will be held at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.
Doug was born on August 7, 1931, in Logansport, Louisiana to Robert Levi Garrett and Nellie Edna Daughtry Garrett and entered into eternal rest on Friday, January 6, 2023, in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Preceding him in death are his parents; son, Christopher Garrett; daughter, D’Neice Garrett; brothers, James Randal Garrett, and Parker Lee Garrett; and sister-in-law, Ouida Springer Garrett.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 35 years, Patsy Powdrill Garrett; stepson, Mike Whittlesey and wife, Brenda; step-grandson, Robert Baker; brother, Robert Lynn “Bobby” Garrett; sister-in-law, Linda Garrett; step-granddaughter, Crystal Koltonski and husband, Matt; step-great-grandchildren, Hunter and Blake Koltonski; nephews, Eric Lee Garrett and wife, Denise, and James Robert Garrett and wife, Dina; nieces Sue Sue Garrett Boyett and husband Jeremy and Randi Garrett Weathersby; great nieces, Lisa Garrett Shamburger and husband, Holden, Amanda Garrett Gibson and husband, Brian, Hannah Garrett Gibson and husband, Cameron, Katheryn Lyn Garrett, and Ainsley Teagan Boyett; great-nephews, Robert Levi Manalli, and Garrett Vaughn Westhersby.
Honoring Doug as pallbearers will be the Deacons of First Baptist Church of Logansport.
Weekly Arrest Report
This Week’s report covers a one week period as of 9:00 am Monday morning and includes of all arrests made in DeSoto Parish by the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office (DPSO), Mansfield Police Department (MPD), and Louisiana State Police (LSP.)
This report covers January 2-9, 2023.
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.
Dunn Is Coach Of The Year
North DeSoto Head Coach is the Louisiana Sports Writers Association 4-A Coach of the year. All Team selections were released this week and North DeSoto placed several players on the team also.
Dunn lead the Griffins to state runner-up spot in their division. They lost a heartbreaker to Lutcher 28-25 in the championship game.
One player made the Defensive Team, ATH Hunter Addison. Selected Honorable Mention were QB Luke Delafield, RB John Lewis, WR Cole Corey, OL Gage Caskey and Mason Lopez, and DL Marques Hampton and Jordan Milton.
Two Tigers Named to All-State Team
The Logansport Tigers placed two football players on the list of the best in Louisiana. The Louisiana Sports Writers Association this week released their All-State team for Class 1A.
Quarterback Kameron Boykins was named Honorable Mention. Also Tiger Stephen Holloway was placed on the list of linebackers.
Stanley Boys Are Red Hot
The Panthers get back to basketball after the holidays tonight at home against Starks. Tip at 6:00 pm.
Stanley boys have the best record in the parish with 11 wins in a row. Before the break they finished off Ebarb and Weston.
The Lady Panthers aren’t doing as well at 10-6. They were scheduled to play Logansport January 2nd but that score has not posted. They will also play Starks at home tonight.
Logansport’s Tigers opened 2023 at home with a loss on Tuesday. Zwolle powered past them 75-31. Their record is now 3-4.
The Logansport girls were scheduled to play Stanley on January 2nd and Zwolle on the 3rd. The scores of those games had not been posted at deadline. Tonight, they battle Mansfield at home.
Both of Mansfield’s basketball teams started 2023 in the green. The boys defeated Woodlawn 56 to 53 and the girls won 26-23. Both teams play at Logansport tonight.
North DeSoto’s boys started the year on the road at Doyline Thursday night. The girls traveled to Homer. Neither score had posted to LHSAA by Journal Deadline. The Lady Griffins are home tonight against Red River.
The Griffins are home Monday and Tuesday. Monday night they hoist Logansport and Tuesday Haynesville comes to town.
A Star Fell on Alabama
By Brad Dison
Millions of meteors and other space debris enter the Earth’s atmosphere daily. Most of them are small and burn up before reaching the ground. The ones that enter the atmosphere in the daylight hours usually go unnoticed. Meteors which enter the atmosphere at night are more visible and are commonly called falling stars. An average of 17 meteors per day reach the Earth’s surface, whether it be land or sea, at which time they are called meteorites.
On November 30, 1954, one such meteor was traveling through space and heading towards Earth. The meteor entered the atmosphere at a high rate of speed and began to burn. The meteor was extremely hot and under immense pressure. At about 12:45 p.m., when the meteor was about 40 miles up in the Earth’s atmosphere, it could no longer take the heat and pressure and exploded.
34-year-old Ann Elizabeth Fowler “Hewlett” Hodges was enjoying a peaceful afternoon nap in a home she rented on the outskirts of Sylacauga, Alabama. The day had been uneventful so far, and Mrs. Hodges expected the remainder of the day to be equally as lackluster. As she slept, the 12-pound meteorite struck the home, tore a three-foot-wide hole through the roof of the living room, ricocheted off Mrs. Hodges’ husband’s console radio, and struck Mrs. Hodges on her arm and hip as she slept. Even though it had reached a burning hot temperature as it passed through the atmosphere, by the time it reached Mrs. Hodges’ living room, it was “too cold to handle.” The meteorite left Mrs. Hodges with substantial bruising, but no serious injuries.
Witnesses in three states reported seeing a “bright flash” followed by an explosion in the sky. A resident of Smith’s Station, Alabama, about 90 miles southeast of Sylacauga, telephoned the Russell County military sheriff’s office and reported seeing the flash and hearing the explosion. Like many others, the resident thought she had witnessed a mid-air airplane disaster. Crews aboard two army helicopters from Fort Benning, Georgia, and several airplanes from Lawson Field began searching a 30-mile radius from the Chattahoochee River for the crash site. After several hours of searching, the search party received reports from Maxwell Air Force Base near Montgomery of a possible meteorite striking a house at Sylacauga. Searchers in Sylacauga, which included members of the national guard, the state police, reporters, and spectators, drove the backroads around Sylacauga. They followed army helicopters from Maxwell Air Force Base and converged on Mrs. Hodges’ home.
Newspapers reported in jest that “some meteorites” including the one that struck Mrs. Hodges’ “continue to travel with ‘great velocity’ after reaching the earth. An air force helicopter crew took possession of the meteorite so it could be studied at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. A few days later, the meteorite was flown to Washington, D.C. Finally, after being in our nation’s capital for just two days, Mrs. Hodges’ attorney retrieved the meteorite and returned it to her.
Within days of its crash, interest in Mrs. Hodges and her meteorite soared. The Hodges received nearly 100 offers for the meteorite. The Dayton Art Institute offered $5,000 for the meteorite, the highest price at the time. The Smithsonian Institute was interested in the object but was unwilling to pay more than $900 for it. In the midst of the media hype, Mrs. Hodges appeared on an episode of the television game show “I’ve Got a Secret,” in which a panel tried to guess what her secret was. Seeing how much interest there was in the meteor, the owner of the home Mrs. Hodges had rented sued Mrs. Hodges to take possession of the meteorite. Mrs. Hodges and the landlord settled out of court and Mrs. Hodges retained ownership of the meteorite. In 1955, Mrs. Hodges sold the meteorite to the Alabama Museum of Natural History at the University of Alabama where it and the console radio remain on display.
What are the odds of being struck by a meteorite? Michael Reynolds, author of “Falling Stars: A Guide to Meteors and Meteorites,” said “you have a better chance of getting hit by a tornado and a bolt of lightning and a hurricane all at the same time.” Although millions of meteors enter our atmosphere each day and an average of 17 reach the ground, Mrs. Hodges is the only person in recorded history to be injured by a meteorite.
Sources:
- “Ann Elizabeth Fowler Hodges (1920-1972) – Find A Grave” findagrave.com. Accessed December 28, 2022. findagrave.com/memorial/43549421/ann-elizabeth-hodges.
- The Columbus Ledger, December 1, 1954, p.1.
- The Galion Inquirer, December 2, 1954, p.12.
- Dayton Daily News, December 7, 1954, p.7.
- Dayton Daily News, December 9, 1954, p.6.
- “First Person Injured by a Meteorite.” Guinness World Records. Accessed December 29, 2022. guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/first-person-injured-by-a-meteorite-.
Texas Woman Killed in DeSoto Parish Crash
On Tuesday, January 3, 2023, just after 9:30 p.m., Troopers assigned to Louisiana State Police Troop G began investigating a one-vehicle fatality crash on LA Hwy 513 near Oxford Cutoff Road. This crash claimed the life of 52-year-old Schanda Roundtree of Nacogdoches, Texas.
The initial investigation revealed a 2013 Mack Truck, driven by Roundtree, was traveling north on LA Hwy 513 when for reasons still under investigation, it exited the roadway and traveled through the ditch before it overturned.
Roundtree was restrained but suffered fatal injuries as a result of the crash. She was pronounced dead on the scene by the DeSoto Parish Coroner.
Impairment is not suspected to be a factor in this crash; however, routine toxicology samples were taken and submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
This is the first fatal crash Troop G has investigated in 2023.
New App For DeSoto Schools
Desoto Schools have developed a new app for your phone to facilitate better communication from the school system.
They asked interested persons to download the free DeSoto Schools App from the Apple App Store or Google Play. To find it, search “DeSoto Parish Schools.” If you have already downloaded, please update your app. You are also asked to enable Push Notifications.
Who to Blame for My Fishing Obsession
By Steve Graf
Over the years I‘ve had the honor and the privilege to fish with some great anglers. Even though I think of myself as a pretty good angler, there’s probably never been a single person that’s gotten into my boat that I did not learn something from. Bass fishing is a sport where you never stop learning. New baits and techniques are developed every single year. Someone is always pushing the limits and trying to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. But today, we’ll look at a connection I’ve made over the years and the impact he had on me as an angler and as a person.
My competitive fishing career started out with a former softball teammate of mine who asked me to fish a team tournament on Lake Bistineau in the Spring of 1990. Now, this was at a time when I was looking for something that would fill my competitive desires that I had during my playing days as a minor league baseball and football player. Like all athletes, the day comes when you realize that your playing days are over. I needed and was looking for something that would fill that void in my life. Lake Bistineau legend, Randy Farrar, is the guy responsible for the exorbitant amount of money I have invested in bass fishing! He’s the reason I’ve been a major donor with entry fees to fishing organizations all across the country. He’s the reason I have a fishing man cave second to no one! His invitation to fish a team tournament back in March of 1990 was the match that lit the fuse. He’s the one to blame for my bass-fishing obsession!
All great anglers have had that one person who has taken them under their wing at some point and taught them the basics of how to catch bass. Not all great anglers are born with fishing instincts like Kevin Van Dam, bass fishing’s greatest professional angler of all time. Randy was that angler for me who taught me how to fish a jig, tweak a spinnerbait and understand the technique of pitching and flipping. To this day, he still possesses a wealth of knowledge and always thinks outside the box on why and how bass reacts to certain baits and techniques.
Even though we don’t fish as team partners much anymore, I still call on him from time to time to talk bass fishing. But there’s something even more important…he became one of my closest friends. We’ve shared some good times and some tough times together in both victory and defeat. Nothing brings people together more than spending a full day together in a bass boat. You learn who they are and what makes them tick while sharing stories of the past, some true and some totally made up…but who cares, it’s always great entertainment.
This relationship started out as teammates on a men’s travel softball team sponsored by Home Depot. The ’80s and ’90s were a time when men’s travel softball was huge. We traveled all over the South winning championships that included two World Championships. Randy was considered one of the best Shreveport/Bossier third basemen to ever play. He was a tremendous defensive player but could also spray the ball all over the field with his bat. He was a great team player who cared nothing about accolades but just wanted the team to win.
But it was during our time in a bass boat that we formed a tight bond that still exists today. Days and hours on in, we scouted preparing for our next event. Now some of these trips had a hiccup or two but that’s what happens when two competitive anglers get into the same boat. We’ve laughed to the point of almost falling overboard! Several times our agility in a bass boat, or the lack of it, was on full display, but no one ever really got hurt other than maybe their ego.
It’s true, we did not always agree on where we should fish or what we should be doing to catch bass. Team fishing is like a marriage, you don’t always get along. But one thing was clear when the dust settled, we both had the same competitive goal….to win!!! While we won our share of events and fished well together, it wasn’t the wins or high finishes that made it fun. It was the connection we had as friends that made every trip special.
Time is a funny thing. The times you share with anyone doing something you both love are always special. Good fishing partners are hard to find and not all teammates end up being great friends. In some cases, it can lead to the opposite…enemies forever. Team partners can come and go, but true friendship will last a lifetime. Till next time, good luck, good fishing, and don’t forget your sunscreen and regular visits to your dermatologist because Melanoma does not discriminate.
CIW WFA Honorees
The following students have earned their CIW Web Foundations Associate Certificate, a highly honorable accolade within the CIW community.
Students honored include Jordan Howard, Lacey Riley, Nydia Clay, Roslyn Anderson, A’Dain Ross, TiAsia Hunter, Tierrah Walker, Destinee Jones, Harmonei Hardy, Landry Carter, Jeremy Johnson, MaKayla Johnson, RoeShun Griffin, Nicolas Cruse, JaKeitha Holmes, Terrance Howard, and Raivynn Hall.
Congratulations to these students who worked hard during the fall semester to acquire this accolade, and congratulations to their instructor as well, Ms. Jackson.
From a search of the internet: CIW Web Foundations Associate is an entry-level certification targeted at high school students interested in website development.