Are you interested in learning more about the mission and vision of Operation Christmas Child while discovering helpful resources for packing amazing shoeboxes? Join others who have a passion for sharing the Gospel through this incredible ministry.

The West Central LA Operation Christmas Child annual kickoff celebration will be held on Saturday, September 7, beginning at 10 am until 12 noon at the First Baptist Church Gym in Natchitoches. Activities are planned and information will be shared to facilitate your personal and church-wide shoebox gift-packing events.

Headlining the event is Barbie Strickland, Area Coordinator for the Northeast La. Area Team. She will share her pictures and testimony from her distribution trip to Ecuador

Let’s say you have a 40-acre tract of forested property and you want your land to be more attractive to deer, turkeys and other wildlife. What can you do to make that happen?

Burn it. Say what? You’ve nurtured this tract for a long time so why would you want to set fire to it? On the surface, that doesn’t sound like it makes any sense but when done properly and under the guidance of people who know what they’re doing it’s maybe the best tool at your disposal to convert a standing tract of timber into something that attracts wildlife.

Jesse Davis is President of the Piney Hills Prescribed Burn Association (PBA) and this organization stays busy helping property owners improve their habitat by utilizing a prescribed, or controlled, burn.

“When done properly,” said Davis, “prescribed fire is the cheapest and most effective way to improve your habitat. Removing undesirable brush and ground litter exposes grasses and forbs and seeds that would otherwise never sprout. A prescribed fire removes things that wildlife never eat.”

When fire goes through a piece of property, how long does it take before wildlife can began using it?

“We’ve seen wild turkeys come to a fresh burn before the smoke even clears. They start finding things like acorns that become exposed when the brush and duff is removed,” Davis added.

When a fire goes through such areas, he noted that lots of native seeds and grasses that have laid dormant begin sprouting once sunlight begins to penetrate the forest floor. When desirable things begin to replace those that wildlife won’t eat, deer and turkeys are quickly attracted to the area.

When is a good time to run a controlled fire through a piece of property?

“Almost anytime is a good time but especially after a timber thinning or any time like after a storm causes damages that ground becomes exposed to sunlight,” Davis said.

What are some precautions that must be taken into account before planning a prescribed burn?

“The first thing that must be done is to have adequate fire breaks that will stop fire from going where you don’t want it to go. Wind direction and velocity is also important. It is also important to consider neighboring property and which direction smoke will travel. You especially don’t want to send smoke over neighbors, especially those with health problems,” Davis added.

Other than deer and turkeys, do other species of wildlife benefit from a prescribed burn?

“There are no wild creatures that won’t benefit from a prescribed burn. Birds and squirrels benefit as often, den trees are left for nesting as well as having foods they prefer begin growing,” said Davis.

Are you interested in learning more about prescribed burning on your property and if it might benefit you? There is a meeting scheduled for September 12 at 6:00 at the Lincoln Parish

Sheriff’s Office where anyone interested in this method of property management is invited to attend.

“We invite anyone who has an interest in what prescribed burning is all about,” Davis said, “and we want more people to realize just what a controlled fire can do to enhance what you already have.”

WHEN: Saturday, August 31, 2024
TIME:  9 AM
WHERE: 100 Starkway Rd, Coushatta, Louisiana

Partial Listing: (8) Power Generation 30KW Generators, Cummings Engine ~ Approx 50 Solar Solutions Panels ~ Job Boxes ~ Bottle Racks ~ Testing Equipment ~ Valves & Fittings ~ Fuel Tanks ~ Power Units ~ Truck Beds ~ Metal Tables ~ Pipe Racks ~ Lots of Rolls of Electrical Wire ~ Approx 2000 Joints of 2 3/8 inch pipe (lots unused) ~ 500 Joints 2 inch Pipe ~ Log Mats ~ Approx 200 Joints of 3 & 4 inch pipe ~ Approx 300 Joints of 6 inch pipe ~ 50 Joints 10 inch Pipe ~ GN Flatbed Trailers ~ Haul Mark Bumper Enclosed Trailer ~ Cat D5G Dozer, cab/air ~ Ford 575 Loader Backhoe ~ (5) Ford Service Trucks ~ Several other trucks ~ (2) Diamond T GN Dump Trailers ~ Several Bumper Trailers ~ Approx 15 Big Standup Metal Vessels ~ (7) 10,000 Gallon Water Tanks on Skid ~ Irrigation 6 inch Pipe Reels ~ 40ft & 20ft Metal Storage Containers

For more information, call Rex at 318-648-8509 or 318-471-0962 or visit us online at:
www.proxibid.com/lasyone

There’s something for everyone!! We hope to see you there!!
Rex Lasyone, LA lic#:1549, TX lic#: 16267

(Liquidation of Coushatta equipment yard location only)

Directions to Auction Site ~ From Coushatta:

Hwy 71N, go 1 mile, Take Y in the road to the right on Hwy 371 North, go 4 miles, take right on Hwy 786, sale site will be 2 miles on the left. Follow the SWN Entergy signs.

I learned what Rene Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am.” I’m still not sure what Rene was getting at, but it sounds good. If you say it in Latin, “Cogito ergo sum” you can sound very intellectual, while not wholly understanding the concept.

I’m a more pedestrian thinker. My version of it is, “I drive, therefore I am.” I should have kept up with all the miles I have put on vehicles. I live twenty-three minutes from the church. I spend nearly an hour in the car each day going to and from the office. I love my commute on I-20. I have prayer time in the morning and again in the afternoon. There are times that I’m praying for the driver in front of me, that they would quit being “doubleminded” and put their foot on the accelerator. I have also called upon the name of the Lord when the driver in the left lane suddenly cuts across my lane to exit the interstate quickly. I’ll wager they are thinking, “I signaled, didn’t I?”

For the past weeks from roughly the Bienville Parish line to the city limits of Ruston a little work has been going on. The trees on the side of the interstate are being removed. There is heavy equipment involved in the clearing of the shoulder. The contractor is cutting the trees down and then a machine comes and turns the tree into mulch. For miles, this crew is transforming the shoulder of the interstate. They are also removing the trees from the median of the interstate.

My first thought, when I saw the equipment, was I needed one of those.

My view has changed as the trees have disappeared.

The trees were allowed to grow too close to the road. I don’t know that factually, but it is an educated guess. This trimming allows for a margin of grass to separate drivers from trees that might fall in some kind of storm. It is visually appealing and calming.

Who would have thought that margin was important on the Interstate? Margin is the edge or border of something. The page you are reading has some kind of margin. If it did not, your brain would revolt at the visual effrontery. We need a margin around the page to read. I’m learning that margin around the road is important too.

How about margin in your life? How are you getting it all done? Are you taking time to reflect? To rest? To pray?

I’m going to translate what Jesus said, in your Bibles it is transliterated.

Jesus said, “Rest (The Sabbath) was created for humanity, not humanity for the rest. (Sabbath.) Sabbath, rest, downtime, relaxing, or if you will margin, is a gift from God that allows you to renew yourself and to discover God’s grace in the simple things of life.

Take time off, it will change your view of the journey.

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

You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com

irst-year Northwestern State softball head coach Jenny Fuller completed her coaching staff on Friday with the announcement of three new members.

Brad Fuller, husband of Jenny, joins the staff as the Demons’ associate head coach while Paxtyn Hayes, a former player for the Fullers at Pittsburg State, and Nicky Dawson, a Baylor softball alum like Jenny, will be serve as assistants.

Brad is a nine-year coaching veteran that has worked hand-in-hand with Jenny since their time at Cardinal Stritch, an NAIA school in Milwaukee, Wis.

In two seasons there, four at Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D. and the most recent three seasons at Pittsburg State, Brad has helped develop four all-Americans, seven all-region and more than 20 all-conference players.

“Northwestern State is lucky to have a coach of Brad’s caliber join the team,” Jenny said. “His accomplishments speak for themselves and he brings a wealth of knowledge he can apply to all aspects of the game.”

An astute offensive mind, Fuller has seen his teams have success at the plate from the very beginning of his career.

In his second season at Cardinal Stritch, the Wolves ranked in the top 15 in all of NAIA in batting average, hitting at a .339 clip, and in hits per game at nearly 10 per contest. Three seasons later at Northern State, those Wolves increased both their slugging and on-base percentages by more than 60 points in the NCAA rankings by the end of the 2020 season.

In his four years at Northern, Brad helped guide Kennady Thompson to both single-season and career home run records and set new team records for hits and home runs during his time.

In his first season at Pittsburg State in 2022, the Gorillas saw a 55-point increase in their team batting average and scored nearly 100 more runs from the previous year. They also saw a more than 100-point increase in slugging with 50 more home runs and 96 more extra-base hits. In Fuller’s first season, the Gorillas had more doubles (103) than it did total extra-base hits (84) the previous season.

Fuller’s work at the plate helped produce some of the best offensive numbers in the country during the record-setting 2024 season for the Gorillas.

The PSU bats finished seventh in nation with 579 total hits, with the 10th highest team batting average in the country at .348. They were also ranked 15th in the country in runs scored, crossing the plate 394 times on the year for an average of 6.4 runs per game.

They garnered a first-team all-American, three third-team all-Americans, the Central Region Player of the Year, two first-team all-region and one second-team all-region selections along with four first-team all-conference honors during the 2024 season.

The Gorillas finished the 2024 season winners of a conference title, hosting an NCAA Regional, ranked No. 14 in the country and broke 10 different team records, including wins (53), consecutive wins (22), conference wins (23), runs (394), RBI (346) and stolen bases (104).

Brad has also been instrumental in his player’s success off the field helping the maintain cumulative team GPAs of 3.5 in all of his previous three coaching jobs. More than 40 players have earned conference academic honor roll honors with multiple academic all-conference winners and academic all-American honors.

A key part of the Gorillas’ success during not only the 2024 season but the two years prior with the Fullers, was the production of new Demon assistant coach Paxtyn Hayes in the middle of the lineup.

The Greenwood, Ark., native finished a historic career at Pittsburg State in 2024 earning all-American, all-region and all-conference status. She ranks in the top 10 in Gorilla softball history in career runs scored (131) home runs (40), hits (235), doubles (58) and is the program’s all-time leading in RBI with 195. Hayes drove in the fifth most runs ever in the history of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association by the end of her playing career.

“Paxtyn is a highly decorated player who played for me at Pitt State,” Jenny Fuller said. “She will build meaningful and impactful relationships with players, and help guide them to reach their goals.”

A career .350 hitter, Hayes earned the first all-American honor of her career in 2024 with a third-team spot at designated player. After first-team all-conference honors in her sophomore season, she earned the honors again as a junior and senior to become the fifth player in PSU history to earn first-team all-conference honors three times.

The slugger was also the fifth Gorilla to hit double-digit home runs in three straight seasons, launching 36 across her final three seasons. She amassed slugging percentages of greater than .600 in each of her final three seasons and OPS (on-base plus slugging) totals north of 1.000 during those years and for her career.

Also joining the Demon staff beginning with the 2025 season is assistant coach Nicky Dawson, one of the best high school softball players in Louisiana history.

The Baton Rouge native and graduate of Parkview Baptist was a five-time all-state selection, six-time all-district and all-metro winner and was twice chosen as the Marucci Louisiana Softball Player of the Year during her prep career with the Eagles.

“Nicky played at a high level, and her experience will be a huge asset to our program,” Fuller said. “She has an ability to understand data and analytics at an elite level, which is going to help grow our program immensely.”

Following her senior season in 2016, Dawson was named MaxPreps National Player of the Year, a FloSoftball Top 30 player and a consensus first-team all-American. She batted an eye-popping .658 on the season, scoring 65 runs and swiping 58 total bases, earning her the NFCA’s Golden Show award as the nation’s top base stealer.

Dawson began her collegiate career at LSU where she batted .310 scored 16 runs and stole eight bases on the Tigers’ 2017 Women’s College World Series team before transferring to Baylor.

There she set the Bears’ program record for career triples in on her way to earning Second-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2019, First-Team Academic All-Big 12 in 2020 and was a multi-year member of the conference’s commissioner’s honor roll.

During her all-conference season of 2019, Dawson finished second on the team in batting with a .336 average out of the leadoff spot, using her speed to produce a .420 on-base percentage and steal a team-best 12 bases while also leading the team with 87 assists, a .968 fielding percentage.

Injuries during her final two seasons in Waco limited Dawson’s playing time but she still finished her collegiate career with more than 150 hits and scoring more than 100 runs while batting .349 with an on-base percentage of .442.

The DeSoto Council on Aging announced they no longer assists with the distribution of Food For Families (Commodities). Recipients should contact Higher Ground Ministries for more information concerning commodities.

The 25th annual Cane River Zydeco Festival  is August 30 & 31 in Natchitoches.

Join the first Livestock Lunch & Learn to be held Saturday, September 7 from 11am to 1pm at 3610 Hwy 3276 in Stonewall. The goal of this event is to network with fellow livestock exhibitors & gear up for local shows. Topics of discussion are cattle, sheep, goats, swine & broilers. Participants should come prepared to ask questions in relation to livestock projects. Lunch will be provided. Exhibitors from any parish are welcome to attend.

Enjoy a day of fun with friends and family at the first annual Natchitoches Louisiana Bigfoot festival on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 9am until 6pm at the Natchitoches Event Center. Enjoy a host of different vendors as well as regional and national speakers. Fun for the whole family meet Bigfoot, see authentic footprints, videos and witness true encounter stories told by the eyewitnesses.

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DeSoto Parish Schools recently announced the appointment of Stephen Burch as the new Administrative Assistant at Mansfield High School. He brings nearly two decades of experience and a deep-rooted connection to DeSoto Parish to his new role.

Burch began his teaching career at Mansfield Elementary in 2006. He then taught at North DeSoto from 2007 to 2012, followed by Ebarb High School from 2012 to 2014 and 2015 to 2020 at Pleasant Hill High School. He coached basketball in DeSoto and Sabine Parish during the span of his career and helped lead Pleasant Hill to a state championship in 2020, marking a significant achievement in his coaching career. Since 2020, Burch has served at both Logansport and Mansfield High School, teaching Social Studies, Financial Literacy, and Fine Arts.

Throughout his career, he has been a strong advocate for student success in the classroom and on the basketball court. His commitment to education is complemented by his leadership and mentorship of students in extracurricular activities.

He is a proud product of DeSoto Parish Schools, having graduated from Stanley High School in 2001 and earned his degree from Northwestern State University in 2006. DeSoto Parish has always been home for Burch, who comes from a family with a rich legacy of educators who have worked and retired from DeSoto Parish Schools. His strong family ties and deep commitment to the community further exemplify his dedication to the students and families of DeSoto Parish.

Burch has been married to Dawn Burch for 10 years. They have four children: Jayda Morgan, 23; Luke Morgan, 26; Genesis Burch, 18; and Isaac Burch, 14.

Burch expressed his commitment to embracing his new leadership role with a focus on the core values of mentorship and student support, stating, “I think it is important to step into this role and use our core values to mentor and positively impact our students, but most importantly be there for our students because that is what we do as educators. I want to thank Principal Anesha Ross for allowing me this opportunity to join the leadership team so we can continue this vital work as a team.”

Source: desotopsb.com

The DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspect pictured. 

He is believed to be involved in a theft in the Gloster area.

Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for any information that leads to the identification and/or arrest of the suspect. Tips can remain anonymous, your name is not needed, just your information.

You can also contact our sheriff’s office at 318-872-3956 and ask to speak with an investigator regarding this post, or visit http://www.P3Tips.com to submit a tip online. You could also provide information using the DeSoto Sheriff App, under Forms & Tips!

Louisianians can get help to pay summer cooling bills now through September 30, or until funds are depleted on a first-come, first-served basis through the Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Eligibility for the program is being based on income. The program provides up to $800 for both the summer and winter. It also provides up to $1,000 for emergencies year-round.

Regina Lawrence, LIHEAP coordinator with Caddo Community Action, explained the benefits of LIHEAP and how Louisiana residents can apply for assistance.

“Right now, you can call one of our offices for an appointment,” she said. “If you have a disconnect notice, then they can walk into the office to do an application.”

Nationally, seven out of ten households helped by LIHEAP are home to a child under the age of six, an elderly resident, a veteran, or someone with a disability.

“LIHEAP is a great help to our customers,” said Brett Mattison, SWEPCO president. “We encourage those who might be eligible to learn more about this and our other programs to help manage seasonal bill spikes.”

SWEPCO recently introduced an easy-to-use tool to identify bill help based on your needs. Just answer a few questions at swepco.com/billhelp and every customer will be provided with options.

“Whether it’s a payment plan, a payment extension or average monthly payments, we’re here to help local families beat the heat and combat the high bills,” said Mattison.

On Friday, August 16, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Biden-Harris administration’s attempt to vacate Louisiana’s injunction against their unlawful Title IX rule.

Justice Sotomayor emphasized in her dissent that “every Member of the Court agrees” that Louisiana is entitled to an injunction against the rule’s redefinition of sex discrimination to include gender identity.

This means that Louisiana schools will not have to comply with the Biden-Harris administration’s demand that they let boys in girls’ bathrooms as our children return to school.

“I’m grateful that the Supreme Court agreed not to block our injunction against this radical rewrite of Title IX. Other than the 19th Amendment guaranteeing our right to vote, Title IX has been the most successful law in history at ensuring equal opportunity for women in education at all levels and in collegiate athletics. This fight isn’t over, but I’ll keep fighting to block this radical agenda that eviscerates Title IX,” said Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill.

Read the ruling here

Source: Office of the Louisiana Attorney General Facebook page

I suppose we have all hoped to find a real message in a bottle, a note from some far away land just waiting to be discovered.  

On January 21, 2018, Tonya and Kym Illman, were walking along the beach’s sand dunes at Wedge Island on the west coast of Australia about 100 miles north of Perth.  Their original plan had been to drive along the beach and take in the sites, but they drove a little too close to the water and the car bogged down in the sand.  While waiting for help to arrive, Tonya and Kym walked along the beach.  As they walked, Tonya saw something glimmer in the sand.  She walked to the source of the glimmer and found a gin bottle which was three inches wide and almost nine inches tall with Daniel Visser and Zonen Schiedam stamped on it.  Tonya saw that something was inside the bottle and removed the stopper.  The paper inside contained a printed message which appeared to be a form letter in German with spaces that had been filled in.  Neither Tonya nor Kym could read German, so they took the bottle to the Western Australia Museum to see if it was historically significant or a hoax.

Experts at the museum deciphered the German message and learned that the message had been set adrift at the orders of the captain of a German ship called “Paula.”  The message in a bottle was a part of an experiment on ocean drift patterns implemented by German scientist George von Neumayer.  In the experiment, ship captains filled in the details on one side of the pre-printed slips before setting the bottle adrift, and the person who found the bottle was asked to fill out the back portion and return it to the German Naval Observatory in Hamburg or the nearest German Consulate.  Thousands of bottles containing pre-printed message slips had been set adrift in the experiment which lasted nearly seven decades, but only 661 had ever been returned.  Tonya’s find brought the number up to 662.

According to the coordinates printed on the message (32.49 South, 105.25 East), Tonya and Kym found the bottle less than 600 miles from where the bottle was set adrift in the Indian Ocean.  The distance in miles that the message traveled is not particularly impressive.  Messages in bottles have traveled much further before being found.  What is impressive is the distance in time that the bottle traveled.  In the year that the bottle was set adrift, Robert Louis Stevenson published his novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Karl Benz patented the first successful gasoline-driven automobile, Dr. John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, President Grover Cleveland married Frances Folsom in the White House, (he is the only president to marry in the executive mansion), President Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, and German inventor Friedrich Soennecken invented the office tool we know as the hole puncher.  The date on the message in the bottle was June 12, 1886, which meant the bottle was found after 131 years and 223 days.  According to the Guinness World Records, it is the oldest message in a bottle ever found.  

Sources:

1. Chicago Tribune, March 11, 2018, p.29.
2. “Oldest Message in a Bottle,” Guinness World Records, March 8, 2018, https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/oldest-message-in-a-bottle.

Louisiana is implementing wide-ranging solutions proposed by State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley to help eliminate classroom distractions for teachers. The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved new policies today based on recommendations from Dr. Brumley’s Let Teachers Teach workgroup. Set to take effect before the end of the school year, the policies will significantly reduce the number of trainings teachers are required to repeat every year, tighten student discipline, and give effective educators more freedom over lesson planning.

“Louisiana is making a stand to take the teaching profession back for educators, students, and parents,” said Dr. Brumley. “I applaud BESE for helping us remove disruptions so teachers can actually teach and students can actually learn.”

Let Teachers Teach is a workgroup of over two dozen teachers from across the state. They developed a set of 18 recommendations centered on reducing excessive training and paperwork, restoring the art of teaching, and removing classroom disruptions. Highlights of the policies approved by BESE during their August meeting include:

• Decoupling student behavior and the school accountability system. Student suspension rates will no longer be used to identify schools needing intervention.
• Ensuring teachers have the right to have a student removed from the classroom immediately when their behavior prevents the orderly instruction of other students or poses a threat. A new discipline policy impacts the Teacher Bill of Rights and changes how school leaders must respond to persistent disruptions during class.
• Streamlining and reducing dozens of non-academic trainings and lessons teachers had been required by the state to repeat annually. Most will shift to a “one-and-done” approach where teachers complete the training one time, while others will be folded into other resources or support opportunities.
• Increasing professional autonomy for effective educators. Teachers who consistently demonstrate success will be provided more freedom with teaching practices and lesson planning.

“Our unanimous decision today reflects an intentional approach to improve student outcomes,” said BESE President Ronnie Morris. “By eliminating redundant training and improving educator support, we are optimizing the environment for both teaching and learning, which are essential to academic success.”

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) collaborated with multiple stakeholders in the development of the policies. The LDOE and BESE have outlined actions around all 18 recommendations. These range from new state laws, policy changes, and guidance for local school systems.

About the Let Teachers Teach workgroup

Dr. Brumley launched the workgroup in February to develop common sense solutions to unnecessary bureaucracies and classroom disruptions that keep teachers from doing what they do best — teaching students. Governor Landry joined Dr. Brumley and teachers from across the state to unveil the recommendations in May. The workgroup is the product of feedback the LDOE has received through formal channels such as the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council as well as informal channels such as classroom visits and faculty meetings hosted by Dr. Brumley.

For decades there has basically been one professional bass fishing organization, B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) founded by Ray Scott. Then during the 1990s another organization appeared under the name of FLW, named after the late Forest L. Wood, the founder of Ranger Boats. But in 2011 MLF (Major League Fishing) bought out FLW and created major dissention as a huge portion of anglers left B.A.S.S for what they thought would be bluer water.

Both organizations have set a high bar for professional bass fishing over the years and allowed more anglers to pursue their dream of fishing for a living. But now there’s a new kid on the block making a lot of noise. 

Introducing the NPFL (National Professional Fishing League), an organization offering anglers another avenue to possibly fish for a living by offering top-level money of $100,000 for first place. Anglers are scrambling and sending in resumes applying for a spot in this new circuit. As of this article, there are at least 18 B.A.S.S professional anglers doubling their tournament commitments by fishing the NPFL.   

What does this mean for anglers looking to fish at the highest level? Is this another avenue for young anglers on the rise to have the opportunity to make a living fishing professionally? Is NPFL in it for the long term and are they ready to challenge B.A.S.S. and MLF? 

While only time will answer some of these questions, the one complaint professional bass fishermen had several years ago was the number one reason for 80 anglers jumping over to the MLF from B.A.S.S. The grip was anglers had no say on specific issues like where and when B.A.S.S. held a tournament. Anglers wanted their voices to be heard and as of today, it appears B.A.S.S. is still not listening. 

One thing different about the NPFL is the process anglers by which get accepted into their league. You must have established yourself as a credible angler with good sponsorship support and you must have had success on a high level. Just because you have the money to enter an event ($5,000), does not guarantee you a spot in the NPFL. 

So, what we are seeing now is that 18 pros have decided to double up on their schedule by fishing the new NPFL. One thing I’m seeing now is that more and more anglers are trying to stay independent, not wanting to commit to just one tournament organization. That’s a very smart move from an angler’s standpoint, an approach which offers them a better opportunity to provide for their families. 

Is the NPFL going to be just another failed attempt like so many organizations that have come before? Is there room for another professional bass fishing circuit? I say yes, but at some point, it could get similar to Louisiana’s high school football playoffs where just about everybody gets in. It’s just too watered down and not good for the sport. 

‘Til next time, good luck and good fishing. I want to say thank you for all of those who have reached out with comments about the articles I’ve written. Your feedback and input is greatly appreciated!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

The Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA) Historic Convoy Across the Jefferson Highway – from Pine to Palm has announced its next transcontinental convoy will take place October 1-31, 2024. The convoy stop overnight in Mansfield on Oct. 23. 

The convoy retraces the historic 1918 Jefferson Highway route from the Minnesota border to New Orleans, Louisiana, in 30 days, driving over 2,500 miles.

This is the eighth MVPA-HA Convoy promoted by the MVPA-HA, and the first to travel on a north-south axis through the center of the country. The convoy will celebrate the 15th year of the program created at the Little Rock MVPA Convention in 2006.

The Jefferson Highway 2024 convoy has been designed to encompass American history along the route with multiple stops at historic sites such as: the headwaters of the Mississippi River, parts of the Red River Trail (voyageurs’ oxcart trail) from Winnipeg to St. Paul, the Pony Express Museum, Old Fort Leavenworth, National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, the old Army Road along the frontier to Fort Scott and southward to the old Spanish Road, the Louisiana “Patton” maneuvers area, Fort Polk, and ending with the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. Less well-known but interesting stops will include original Jefferson Highway historical locations, the Border War between Kansas and Missouri, the John Brown Museum and cabin, and sites of Civil War battles and skirmishes.

DPJ will share more information closer to the arrival of the convoy. 

The first ever Grand Cane Fall-O-Ween Fest in the Grand Cane Park is set for Saturday, October 26 from 5-8pm. It is free to the public. There will be food trucks, games, photo opportunities & more. 

Louisiana Homesteader Conference is Oct. 11-12 from 12 pm to 5 pm at the LSU Research Station

Antique Adoption Fall Trade Days will be on October 11 – 12 from 9-5 in Keatchie, LA. 

 The City of Mansfield will host a Veteran’s Day Celebration Parade and Banquet Monday, November 11.

Alberta Woods
02/19/1951 – 08/15/2024
Service: Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 2pm at Shady Grove UMC in Mansfield

Jimmy Dewitt Sr.
05/12/1948 – 08/17/2024
Service: Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 11am at Jenkins Funeral Home Chapel in Mansfield

A Jambalaya Fundraiser will be held on Friday, August 23 at 11am at the old Market Basket parking lot for Caroline Ann Miller. Caroline is the daughter of Detective Daniel Miller and wife Kacie, and has been in the NICU for several months. She was born on May 2 weighing in at a mere 1.1 pounds.

All proceeds from the fundraiser will assist the Miller family with medical expenses.

Plates will be $15 each and you can preorder by calling the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-872-3956. Ask for Holly, Sonya, or Karen.

Delivery is available if you contact DPSO ahead of time. Walk-Ups are also welcome on the day of the event.

DeSoto Parish Schools recently announced the appointment of Courtney Averett as the new Special Services IEP Compliance Coordinator. Averett, a product of DeSoto Parish, was born, raised, and educated in the community she now serves. After graduating from Stanley High School, she pursued her Bachelor of Science degree at Stephen F. Austin State University, majoring in Animal Science with a minor in Business.

Averett began her career in education as a Reading First Paraprofessional at Logansport High School, choosing to return to her roots despite opportunities out of state. With the encouragement of her former principal, Mrs. Terri Foley, she furthered her education, earning a Master’s Degree in Special Education and becoming a teacher in August 2008.

During her 20 years at Logansport High School, Averett served as the Quality Assurance Teacher and a member of the Instructional Leadership Team. She also mentored numerous educators and collaborated with master teachers, staff, and administrators to advance student learning and ensure the inclusion of exceptional learners.

When asked about this opportunity to serve in a new capacity, Averett responded, “Although I will miss my students and colleagues at Logansport High School, I am excited to embark on this new chapter and mission to serve DeSoto families” . As the Special Services IEP Compliance Coordinator, Averett will have the opportunity to expand her support for teachers in developing high-quality individualized education plans (IEPs) that are both effective and compliant, ensuring they meet the unique needs of the students served.

Source: desotopsb.com

Glenn Wheeler is a longtime friend of mine. As a fellow outdoor journalist, our friendship developed over the years through our association with outdoor writer conferences. In addition to being a journalist, Wheeler is also Sheriff of Newton County Arkansas and from time to time, his duties involve trying to locate a missing person. This is where Mellie Martin enters the picture.

Martin, who along with husband Jay, own and operate Dubach Heat and Air but her sideline involves raising and training hounds, not just any hounds. Her focus is on bloodhounds. A few weeks ago, Martin learned of a missing person in Newton County Arkansas and offered to bring her hounds there to assist. Here’s where I entered the picture. Martin conveyed a message from my friend Sheriff Wheeler that piqued my interest enough to try and learn about raising and training bloodhounds.

“As a member of the Delta Elite K9 Search and Rescue team, I have been involved in raising and training bloodhounds for the past eight years,” Martin said. “My interest in bloodhounds was the result of an incident where a special needs child left home and met with a tragic accident. I thought that if the child could have been found and rescued before the accident happened, the result would not have ended in tragedy.”

The more she learned about bloodhounds and what they can do, the more intrigued she became so she began raising and training bloodhounds some eight years ago. What she has learned about these remarkable dogs is fascinating.

“Bloodhounds have about 270 million scent receptors in their noses compared to about 5 million we humans have. These dogs can be trained to find a specific person even after they have been gone two or three days,” she said.

“Each person’s scent is individualized in the same way that no two people have the same fingerprint. Before a search begins, an article, such as a cap or pillow case that no one else has used is presented to the dog and it is homed in only on that one person.”

Martin says she is called on average about two times a month to bring her dogs to where a missing person has been reported. Not only do they search for run-aways but also criminals who may be on the run.

“We don’t compete with law enforcement agencies that utilize dogs; we work with them. Our area of responsibility involves serving all of Louisiana north of Alexandria over to East Texas and just south of Little Rock, AR as well as portions of Mississippi. We wait for law enforcement agencies to contact us before offering the services of our dogs,” Martin said.

Martin’s work with her dogs is on a strictly volunteer basis where no fee is charged. I am reminded of the similarity of what she does with her dogs and the organization deer hunters utilize to find wounded deer.
“My most rewarding event took place in south Arkansas when an elderly and sickly gentleman had been missing for 36 hours and family assumed he had probably passed away somewhere. My dogs were able to locate him, alive but dehydrated, and when we came back with him riding with us on a side-by-side, I joined with the family shedding happy tears. Just seeing that dog I have trained find someone in such a situation is so rewarding,” she said.

To learn more about what has been done and can be done with bloodhounds, go on-line to Delta Elite K9 Search and Rescue Team.

FISHING REPORT

BLACK BAYOU – Fishing is slow. A few crappie have been caught around the trees. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.

BUSSEY BRAKE – Hot weather has slowed things a bit. Bass best early mornings on topwaters and big plastic worms later in the day. Crappie fishing has been fair fishing around deep brush. Bream fishing has slowed. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.

OUACHITA RIVER – Crappie fishing has improved around deep brush in the river. Bass fishing has improved fishing shad imitation lures in the cuts. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE D’ARBONNE –. Bass have been best early morning on topwaters. swim baits and square billed crank baits fished around the edge of the grass. Soft plastics and crank baits working best later. When lake begins drawdown, moving water should turn them on. Crappie are good on the flats in 12-14 foot water and along the edges of the channels and hitting shiners and jigs. Bream are off the beds and scattered. Catfishing is good fishing cold worms off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE CLAIBORNE –Bass fishing is best at night fishing soft plastics and dark spinners and crank baits around lighted piers. Some have been caught early mornings on topwater lures fished along the edges of grass. Crappie are in deep water and are best around submerged brush on shiners and jigs. Bream are slow. No report on Stripers. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.

CANEY LAKE – Bass fishing has been fair early mornings fishing topwater lures around the grass. Some are also being caught at night on plastic worms and deep diving crank baits. During the day, deep diving crank baits and soft plastics fished on underwater humps is best. Bream fishing has slowed as the fish are scattered. Crappie are fair fishing jigs or shiners around submerged tops. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfishing has been good while others are slow. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101.

LAKE YUCATAN – The water is at a standstill with slow fall expected. Fishing overall is quite slow. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.

LAKE HARTWELL, S.C. — Coming off the program’s best season ever with a sixth-place finish nationally, the LSUS Fishing Team is aiming to reap those rewards this weekend at the Bassmaster College Series 2024 National Championship on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina.

An LSUS program record five boats qualified for the championship event, which required one finish in the top 10 percent of a sanctioned tournament during the regular season.

LSUS anglers manning boats in this championship include Brayden Nichols and William Tew, Brother Martin and Luke Batts, Tripp Bowman and Matthew Nesbit, Levi Thibodaux and Miles Smith, and Hunter Hamilton and Tyler Morris.

The event begins Thursday with two days of fishing as anglers push for a top-12 finish to qualify for the final day of competition.

The first four pairs qualified during the typical regular season, while freshmen Hamilton and Morris hitting the Louisiana summer trail and picked up a championship invitation.

“Iron sharpens iron, and having our guys fish against each other in practice helps prepare us for competition,” said LSUS Fishing coach Charles Thompson. “If you’re good on our team, that typically means you’ll fare well against the competition.

“It’s not an easy feat to qualify for these championships, and we’re excited that we’re taking five boats with us.”

The Pilots were last on the water as a team when they placed third at the Association of Collegiate Anglers Championships in late May.

Nichols and Tew led the way with a fifth-place showing overall. Batts/Martin (29th), Thibodaux/Smith (32nd), Hamilton/Morris (55th) and Nesbit/Bowman (69th) all finished in the top half.

Though the upcoming championship reflects the past year’s performance, the points earned at this event will go toward next year’s standings.

The opportunity to launch into the new season certainly isn’t lost on Thompson.

“This will be the first tournament of the new season for most programs, but what’s cool about this championship is that programs like ours are rewarded for qualifying more boats than most,” Thompson said. “Some schools may only have one boat make it to this event, so we have more chances to put boats near the top of the standings because of what our guys accomplished in the regular season.”

There are no divisions in college fishing, so LSUS is trading blows with household names like No. 5 Auburn and No. 12 Tennessee along with schools located in the fishing heartland (Kentucky-Tennessee-Alabama) that host the majority of the college fishing tournaments.

While LSUS anglers are well traveled and have fished a variety of lakes, having intimate knowledge of specific bodies of water is an advantage for schools closer to this fishing corridor.

Thompson said LSUS anglers do their homework on specific lake conditions and fishing patterns, but it’s important not to finalize any strategies until you get in the boat.

One important facet is knowing which bait fish inhabit the lakes and how they typically behave.

“The forage is important because a lot of our lakes here are shad lakes, whereas Lake Hartwell is a herring lake,” Thompson said. “The fish act completely different.

“The bass tend to follow the bait fish, and both groups tend to school up in the deep parts of the lake in the summer. But maybe they’ve moved to the creeks and go shallower as well. You’ve got to do your homework, but don’t make a final strategy until you get on the lake.”

LSUS has recorded an overall program-best finish in each of the past three seasons (sixth in 2024, 15th in 2023, and 20th in 2022).

The Pilots will take aim at a top-five season finish as LSUS continues to cement itself as one of the nation’s best.

Sports Shock of the Day No. 1: Notre Dame has suspended its men’s swimming program for at least one academic year because investigations “both internal and external” (which we think are the only kinds of investigations?) have revealed a widespread gambling issue that violated NCAA rules.

Sports Shock of the Day No. 2: Notre Dame has a men’s swimming program?

Before any fans of Irish Swimming panic, know that the Notre Dame women’s team and both diving teams are not affected by the disciplinary action. 

Sports Shock of the Day No. 3. Notre Dave has a women’s swim team and TWO diving teams?!

What is NOT shocking is that the NCAA has picked on a swimming team. And in a big way.

The NCAA didn’t tell the student-athletes to just quit running on the concrete, as our moms did back in the day at the community cement pond.

The NCAA didn’t tell the student-athletes just to rest for 30 minutes after eating that Rice Krispie Treat to safeguard against cramps. 

The NCAA didn’t tell the student-athletes to powder dry after showers to hold down the possibility of a nasty itch problem in a delicate area.

Neg. Instead, the NCAA drained the program’s pool for a whole year.

A couple of things here: 

Competitive swimming is not football or baseball or hoops in terms of fanatical popularity. BUT … it’s as hard as any other sport and much harder than some, and fans who love it REALLY love it. (Remember how, just a couple weeks ago, we couldn’t wait to see what Katie Ledecky would do next? Anyone remember Michael Phelps? Mark Spitz? Uhh … YES.)

And that’s just the swimming. We haven’t even talked yet about diving, in which the student-athlete is required to do tricks in the air BEFORE hitting the water and swimming.

When you’re talking competitive swimming and diving, you’re not talking about dogpaddling in the kiddie pool.

But what swimming IS is an easy target for the NCAA if the organization — and we use that term loosely — wants to pretend it has more than only a couple of disciplinary teeth. 

In 2021, the transfer regulations were changed to allow students in some Division I sports to transfer schools without having to sit out a year. Those rules have been altered since, most significantly this past spring when it was ruled that athletes could transfer as many times as they wished, without penalty.

In other words, the NCAA didn’t think things through thoroughly, or at all, in 2021.

Same with NIL. No guardrails. Pitch ’til you win. “Yeah, we guess that’s OK, sure…”

So college sports have totally gotten out of the NCAA’s greedy little hands. Except … 

… except when it comes to Notre Dame’s men’s swimming program, which, after a long dry spell, surfaced with its first Top-10 finish at the NCAA championships in March, a first in program history.

And here is why the NCAA stepped in: the men’s team bet on each other’s swimming performances. Over/under lines and all that. 

ND swimmer No. 1 before practice: “I bet Ricky swims the 1000m freestyle in less than 49 seconds today. Five bucks.”

Other ND swimmer, (heretofore to be called ‘ND swimmer No. 2’: “No way!”

ND swimmer No 1: “Way.”

ND swimmer No. 2: “I’ll take it!”

ND swimmer named Ricky: “That’s a lot of pressure but … here goes!”

ND swimmer No. 1: “Anybody else want some of this?…”

So stupid.

I have never been around a swim team, but I have been around golf teams and, while the great unwashed might be blissfully unaware of this, I have never seen a college golf team that didn’t “bet” before practice. Usually on the first tee. Always very casually. Like as casually as breathing. Often with carryovers from the day before and the day before that. 

Now and then a bit of money might change hands, and sometimes a payoff might be in burger or Icee form, but “bets” are all part of the game in these semi-individual contests.

There is no official sports book for swimming. Or for golf practice. Same goes, as far as I know, for college bowling or archery. And there is no danger, as far as I can see, in wagering a buck to see how fast Ricky might swim on any ordinary Tuesday or whether or not I can get it closest to the pin on a par 3 to, you know, perk up a boring day.

That’s called fun. Makes perfect sense.

But when it comes to rhyme or reason concerning the NCAA, all bets are off.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu