A Jonesboro man died Wednesday during a confrontation with Jackson Parish deputies.

A press release from Louisiana State Police reported deputies with the Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance at the Forest Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Jonesboro.

As deputies approached the facility, they observed the suspect driving away from the scene. Deputies attempted to stop Abe Banks, 53, but he refused to stop, and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The pursuit continued south on U.S. Highway 167 into Winn Parish. During the pursuit, Banks’ vehicle had a mechanical failure and stopped in the roadway near Dodson.

As deputies approached the vehicle, Banks did not comply with the deputies’ commands. During the incident, shots were fired, and Banks was struck. Banks sustained severe injuries and was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. No one else was injured during the incident.

According to the release, the Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office requested the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations investigate a deputy-involved shooting.

Using an outside agency to investigate officer-involved shootings is standard procedure for most law enforcement agencies.

The Louisiana State Police is serving as the lead investigative agency. The case is an active investigation and further information will be released by state police when it becomes available.

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On Monday, May 23, the Chamber of Commerce held the 37th Annual Banquet at the Arcadia Events Center.  At the banquet, the chamber presented the following awards:

Small Business of the Year – Crafty Skills, Tambra & Tony Bell
Large Business of the Year – Gibsland Bank & Trust
Woman of the Year – Kathern Mixon
Man of the Year – Chris Guin
Heritage Award – Jim Martin
Outgoing Chamber of Commerce President – Nikki Bryan

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On Wednesday, May 25, Sheriff John Ballance announced the D.A.R.E. essay contest winners for Castor and Ringgold elementary schools.

Sheriff Ballance said, “Miss Rayleigh Weaver is the Castor DARE essay winner for 2022. Pictured with her are Sgt. Bentley Williams and Castor Principal Mrs. JoyDee Wallace. Thanks for their support of the DARE curriculum at Castor Elementary.”

Sheriff Ballance said, “Congratulations to Ringgold Elementary student Miss Ariel Gant, 2022 DARE essay winner at Ringgold Elementary. Thanks to her teacher Mrs. Amy Basinger for supporting the DARE program at Ringgold Elementary.”

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) is an education program that seeks to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior.

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The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is seeking public and tribal input regarding the electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure deployment plan. Over the next 5 years, DOTD is expecting to receive up to $73.1 million for electric vehicle infrastructure through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The Department intends to disburse dedicated funds through a competitive grant program that will allow grant recipients in Louisiana to own, install and maintain EV charging stations throughout the State.  Currently, there are no public electric vehicle charging stations in Bienville parish.

In order to receive the funds, state transportation agencies must submit an EV infrastructure deployment plan by August 1, 2022. DOTD is working with Louisiana Clean Fuels, Inc. and Grant Management Group, LLC. to timely submit this plan, also known as the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program Plan.

As part of its public involvement process, the Department is requesting input from the general public and tribal governments. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit DOTD’s EV webpage to learn about EV infrastructure deployment initiatives. Additionally, DOTD is seeking feedback from Louisiana residents and businesses regarding alternative fuel corridors and the use of the NEVI funds.

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1703 – Tsar Peter the Great founded the city of Saint Petersburg.

1813 – War of 1812: In Canada, American forces captured Fort George.

1863 – American Civil War: First Assault on the Confederate works at the Siege of Port Hudson.

1883 – Alexander III was crowned Tsar of Russia.

1896 – The F4-strength St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado hit in St. Louis, Missouri, and East St. Louis, Illinois.  It killed at least 255 people and caused over $10 million in damage.

1919 – The NC-4 aircraft arrived in Lisbon after completing the first transatlantic flight.

1927 – The Ford Motor Company ceased manufacture of the Ford Model T and began to retool plants to make the Ford Model A.

1930 – The 1,046 feet Chrysler Building in New York City, the tallest man-made structure at the time, opened to the public.

1933 – New Deal: The U.S. Federal Securities Act was signed into law which required the registration of securities with the Federal Trade Commission.

1933 – The Walt Disney Company released the cartoon “Three Little Pigs”, with its hit song “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?”

1935 – New Deal: The Supreme Court of the United States declared the National Industrial Recovery Act to be unconstitutional in A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, (295 U.S. 495).

1937 – In California, the Golden Gate Bridge opened to pedestrian traffic, which created a vital link between San Francisco and Marin County, California.

1940 – World War II: In the Le Paradis massacre, 99 soldiers from a Royal Norfolk Regiment unit were shot after surrendering to German troops.  Only two survived.

1941 – World War II: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed an “unlimited national emergency”.

1941 – World War II: The German battleship Bismarck was sunk in the North Atlantic.  Almost 2,100 men were killed.

1958 – First flight of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II.

1958 – Ernest Green became the first African-American to graduate from Little Rock’s Central High School.

1962 – The Centralia, Pennsylvania mine fire was ignited in the town’s landfill above a coal mine.

1965 – Vietnam War: American warships began the first bombardment of National Liberation Front targets within South Vietnam.

1967 – The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy was launched by Jacqueline Kennedy and her daughter Caroline.

1969 – Walt Disney World construction began at Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

1971 – John Lennon recorded the song “Imagine” at his Ascot Sound home studio at Tittenhurst Park, England.

1975 – Paul McCartney & Wings released the “Venus & Mars” album.

1977 – The Sex Pistols released “God Save the Queen”, which sparked major controversy and led to a ban on the song by the BBC.

1981 – John Hinckley attempted to commit suicide by overdosing on Tylenol.

1994 – Final broadcast of TV talk show “The Arsenio Hall Show”.

1994 – Larry King ends his radio show.

1994 – “The Flintstones” live action movie, starring John Goodman (as Fred) and Rick Moranis (as Barney), opened.

1995 – Actor Christopher Reeve was paralyzed from the neck down after falling from his horse in a riding competition in Culpeper, Virginia.

1997 – The 1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak occurred which spawned multiple tornadoes in Central Texas, including the F5 that killed 27 in Jarrell.

1998 – Oklahoma City bombing: Michael Fortier was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $200,000 for failing to warn authorities about the terrorist plot.

2016 – Barack Obama was the first president of United States to visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and meet Hibakusha.

2018 – Maryland Flood Event: A flood occurred throughout the Patapsco Valley.  The flood caused one death, destroyed the entire first floors of buildings on Main Street in Ellicott City, and caused cars to overturn.

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The Bienville Parish Police Jury will have a public hearing on June 8, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. to discuss reapportioning the Police Jury districts.  The hearing will be held int he Police Jury meeting room in the Bienville Parish Courthouse, 100 Courthouse Drive, Suite 2100, Arcadia, Louisiana.  The proposed plan maps are available to the public for inspection at the Police Jury office, 100 Courthouse Drive, Suite 2100, Arcadia, Louisiana during regular business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Bienville Parish Police Jury
Rodney L. Warren
Secretary/Treasurer

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Print this page to work the puzzle.  If you are unable to print this page you can download it by clicking “Download” below.

Instructions:
ZCIRPZCI is EINSTEIN
In Cryptoquotes, one letter stands for another. In the example above, Z is used for two E’s, I for the two N’s, etc. Single letters, double letters, apostrophes, the length and formation of the words are all hints. The code letters change with each puzzle.

TODAY’S CRYPTOQUOTE:

“IKT XSI IS LCYSBC R BRX SG FPYYCFF. KRIQCK LCYSBC R BRX SG ARMPC.” ~ RMLCKI CJXFICJX

Previous Cryptoquote solution: “Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” ~ John Wooden

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Scammers posing as GBT are calling and asking customers for SSN, account number, and online banking login information. Once they have that information, the scammers go into the customer’s online banking account and change the password. GBT wants to remind customers that the bank will NEVER contact a customer to request any kind of personal information through phone calls or text/emails.

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On the afternoon of May 28, 1922, marshal J.W. Boddie arrested R.L. Roy, a local district sales manager for a Cleveland, Ohio paint company, on two counts of renting rooms for immoral purposes.  

Mr. Roy came to Arcadia about 30 days prior to his arrest with a woman he introduced as his wife.  The couple rented rented rooms in town.  During his stay in Arcadia, the woman Mr. Roy introduced as his wife left town, and another woman took up residence with him.

Suspicious officers kept watch of the comings and goings of Mr. Roy until May 28, when they gained sufficient evidence to arrest him.  At first, Mr. Roy refused the marshal’s request to accompany him to the courthouse for questioning, but went willingly once he realized he had no choice. 

During questioning, Mr. Roy said that he had married the first woman who accompanied him to Arcadia, formerly Miss Bernice Kyle, at Corsicana, Texas, but they had recently divorced.  Officers learned that a week prior to Mr. Roy’s arrest, he had married Miss Ruth Hinton, of Vienna, LA.  Mr. Roy and Miss Hinton shared a room in Arcadia immediately after Miss Kyle left town.  Miss Hinton was said to be unaware of Mr. Roy’s connection with the other woman.  During their investigation, officers learned that in about 1920, Mr. Roy had married a Miss McCall in Ohio.  They were unable to determine if Mr. Roy and Miss McCall had been divorced.

Mr. Roy was released when relatives of his from Ruston posted a $300.00 bond on each of the two charges.

Whether or not the officers ever untangled Mr. Roy’s tangled web of possible marriages and divorces has not been determined.

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The Claiborne Parish Library and the Claiborne Parish Police Jury have invited the public to the dedication of the Sheriff Pat Garrett Memorial Highway Saturday, May 28.

The dedication ceremony will be held at roadside at the intersection of Louisiana Highway 9 and Highway 2, just north of Homer at 10:00 a.m.

Claiborne Parish Sheriff Sam Dowies will unveil the new signage marking the south end of the highway followed by remarks by members of the Garrett family.

Highway 9 from Homer to Junction City was designated by the Louisiana State Legislature as Sheriff Pat Garrett Memorial Highway in honor of the legendary lawman who grew up in Claiborne Parish. Garrett was born June 5, 1850, in Chambers County, Alabama. His parents, John and Elizabeth Garrett, emigrated to Claiborne Parish in 1853 and quickly established a farm about six miles northeast of Homer. Pat’s youth was spent working on the farm and hunting in the woods of Claiborne Parish, acquiring the basic skills to prepare him for a future of hard, long trails and difficult times.

After the death of his parents, Garrett left Louisiana seeking a new life in the American west. Garrett eventually made his way to New Mexico where he became sheriff of Lincoln and Dona Anna Counties. Because of his bravery and tenacity, his reputation grew.

Pat Garrett was an unwilling recipient of fame, but fame came, nonetheless. During the late 1800s the public had an incessant hunger for stories of wild lawless ‘shoot-em-ups’ and shaggy outlaws. The story of Sheriff Pat Garrett’s pursuit of “Billy the Kid” contained all the necessary elements. Aided by a willing press, the tale was soon elevated to the pantheon of western lore.

Garrett’s life of a lawman overshadowed his other achievements. He served as a U.S. Customs inspector under President Theodore Roosevelt. He also initiated a plan to irrigate the lower Pecos Valley which eventually had some success. Perhaps his proudest achievement was his family. Pat was a devoted husband to his wife, Apolinaria, and a loving father to their eight children.

Garrett was killed under mysterious circumstances in the desert just east of Las Cruces, New Mexico on February 29, 1908.

His relationship with his family that remained here never faltered; he visited Claiborne Parish as often as possible. The Garrett family is still present in Claiborne Parish as a vital part of the rich heritage of Claiborne Parish.

Members of the Garrett family and visitors from out of state are expected to attend the dedication and renew old acquaintances.

The Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Department will assist with traffic control at the dedication to ensure safety.

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By Steve Graf

Every year I make plans to meet my brother, Mike Comer, and my nephew, Chris, along with a host of characters from their past, for some offshore fishing for speckled trout, redfish and maybe a flounder or two. This is a welcome change from my constant chasing of largemouth bass. It’s a trip that has brought two brothers closer together and allowed for sharing of so many stories of our parallel pasts. Our parents divorced when our mother was pregnant with me. Mike was 5 years older than me and stayed with our dad, while I stayed with our mom after I was born. I never knew about Mike until it was revealed to me around the age of ten. Yes, it’s complicated and sad that we never got to meet each other until about 6 years ago, but we have taken full advantage of this opportunity and are trying to make up for lost time.

This annual fishing trip to Galveston, Texas, has great meaning for me as it allows us to reunite and share our family history and memories of years gone by, as well creating new ones. It’s a time when I get to sit and talk with Mike and hear stories about our dad and the grandparents who raised him, both of whom I never got to meet. At the same time, I get to share my memories of our mother who was not a part of his life. It’s kind of a sad story, but one we are both fortunate, in so many ways, to have been a part of. Our past has shaped both of us, in a positive way, into the people we are today. God has a funny sense of humor sometimes, but he always has a plan and knows your destination. We were both blessed with people who made sure we were given a chance to excel in life, people who took us in and raised us as their own. Mike was with his grandparents and I with my aunt and uncle.

Sports and fishing have played a huge role in both of our lives, creating opportunities that any young man would be lucky to experience. But nothing brings two brothers together more than going out on a body of water and picking up a rod with a topwater bait tied on and catching fish. There’s just something special about a bass, redfish or a trout blowing up on a walking bait like a Zara Spook. Yes, it is very competitive between us as to who caught the most or the biggest fish of the day. There’s a lot of picking and joking around as to who was the better athlete or who is the best fisherman….which by the way is me since I’m the one writing this article. I will make sure Mike gets a copy of this testimonial, so he’ll know the truth.

All jokes aside, Mike and I have only known each other for less than 6 years, but our connection with each other runs deep. Every time we get together, it’s an adventure on the water, but it’s also a time to reconnect and talk about the time we missed growing up together like brothers should. But neither one of us has any regrets or grudges. We recognize that this has been a small part of God’s plan for each of us. We recognize the blessing we have been given and that God has brought us together for a reason. One thing is for sure, we both love to fish and as long as we can both pick up a rod and make a cast, our brotherly competition will continue for whatever time we have left here on Earth. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook.

Steve Graf – Owner/Co-host
Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Show
& Tackle Talk Live

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By Brad Dison

(Click Here to read “Raborn’s Salt Works: Part 1, Re-Discovery”)
(Click Here to read “Raborn’s Salt Works: Part 2, the Raborn Era”)

Following the Civil War, the U.S. Government lifted the blockade of the south. With salt readily available to purchase at stores throughout the south, the demand for salt production at Raborn’s Salt Works declined. Large scale salt production eventually ceased.

By October 1870, Sampson Raborn, Maria Theresa, their two children, and some of Sampson’s stepchildren had moved to Lamar County, Texas. In November of the following year, Sampson Raborn died and was buried in Texas. After his death, Sampson’s wife and children returned to Friendship. Maria Theresa died in 1897.

Five years later, in 1902, Geologist A.C. Veatch returned to Raborn’s Salt Works to make a report for the Geological Survey of Louisiana. The geologist included in his report two photographs which showed some of the kettles at Raborn’s Salt Works. Absent from the geologist’s report are any details or photos of the stack, which must mean the stack had not been built when Veatch visited Raborn’s Salt Works.

In March of 1935, J. Fair Hardin and Jack G. Beaird published an article in the Shreveport Journal which described their visit to several salt mines in north Louisiana including King’s Salt Works in Castor, Carey Salt Co. in Winnfield, and Raborn’s Salt Works near Friendship. They described that at Raborn’s “some of the furnaces and kettles that furnished salt for the Confederacy may still be seen near a concrete stack of a short-lived salt factory of a later era.”

Because the geologist’s 1902 detailed report failed to mention the stack and the first known mention of the stack was published by Hardin and Beaird in 1935, the stack must have been built sometime between 1902 and 1935. Rather than being a part of “a short-lived salt factory,” as Hardin and Beaird concluded, the stack was most likely used as a kiln in the production of lime.

In 1928, the Southern Advance Bag & Paper company began its operations in Hodge. In its first year of operation, the company produced about “five million paper sacks per day, turned out 90 tons of kraft paper, employed 300 girls and 280 men, and had an annual payroll of approximately $500,000, and represented an investment of over $3,000,000 in plant and equipment.” The large-scale operation needed lime for bleaching pulp in the paper creation process. Operators at the paper mill learned about the limestone reserves at Raborn’s Salt Works and began a mining operation there.

Paper mill workers mined limestone from the lime pit and crushed it into smaller pieces. They loaded the raw limestone into the top of the kiln. By the force of gravity, the limestone moved downward through three thermally zoned sections known as the preheating, calcining, and cooling zones. The process heated the limestone from ambient temperature to about 1650°F, which is the point where the carbon dioxide was driven off and left calcium oxide, also known as quicklime. The finished quicklime was removed from the bottom hole in the stack and loaded onto train cars. They transported the finished product from Raborn’s to the paper mill in Hodge via a purpose-built short-line railroad, a spur of the North Louisiana and Gulf railroad. The length of time the paper mill produced quicklime at Raborn’s has not been determined. According to topographical maps of the region, the paper mill removed the railroad tracks leading to Raborn’s sometime between 1947 and 1957.

After the paper mill abandoned the lime pit, it eventually filled with water. It became a favored swimming hole due to its clear water. Some people claimed that it was called the “Blue Hole,” similar to the one near Kepler Lake in Castor, due to the deep blue color of the water. It was so deep that some people referred to it as being bottomless. Rumors persist that a swimmer drowned in the lime pit sometime after the paper mill abandoned it. According to the stories, his body was never found, just the clothing he removed before going swimming. Another rumor was that the swimmer did not drown but ran off to join the Army. I could find no documents to support the rumors of the drowning. Whether or not it was due to a drowning, workers used heavy machinery to fill in the lime pit with backfill. On the day Weyerhaeuser’s Seth Carpenter, Eddie Holmes, and I visited the site of the lime pit, the water averaged from between 2 and 3 inches deep, and decades-old pull tab beer cans, dry-rotted tires, and other trash littered the area.

In the winter of 1937-38, about ten years after the paper mill began mining limestone at Raborn’s, workers began pumping salt brine from Raborn’s Salt Works into tanker trucks and transported it to a chlorine plant in Hodge. The chlorine plant reported that “this saturated brine contains about two and one-half pounds of salt per gallon.” Each tanker truck delivered about 1,400 gallons of brine per trip, which is the equivalent of 3,500 pounds of dry salt. At the plant, workers sent an electric current through the dry, unprocessed salt which separated out the chlorine and sodium. The unprocessed salt was comprised of several different minerals. Workers in the plant used the chlorine in a process to bleach pulp. In another process, plant workers used the sodium in a recipe to form caustic soda, which was used to help cook the pulp. The length of time the chlorine plant removed salt brine from Raborn’s has not been determined.

Once again, the area of Raborn’s Salt Works went quiet… but not for long. The mystery of the stack may have been solved, but Raborn’s Salt Works became embroiled in a bitter dispute which included a federal agency, two Louisiana governors and two Presidents of the United States.

The investigation continues next week in Raborn’s Salt Works: Part 4, A Cover-Up Bigger Than Watergate.

If you have any information about Raborn’s Salt Works, please email the Journal at BPJNewsLA@gmail.com.

Click Here for a complimentary subscription to the Bienville Parish Journal.

Sources: 

1. Ancestry.com, 1870 United States Federal Census for Sampson Raborn, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4267885_00773?pId=10919783.
2.  Find A Grave. “Maria T. Raborn” Accessed April 14, 2022. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124201950/james-warren-strother.
3. The Shreveport Journal, March 9, 1935, p.12.
4. The Monroe News-Star, November 5, 1928, p.85.
5. National Lime Association, Accessed May 18, 2022, https://www.lime.org/lime-basics/uses-of-lime/other-uses-of-lime/pulp-and-paper/#:~:text=Lime%20is%20used%20in%20the,pulp%20and%20paper%20mill%20wastes.
6. The Shreveport Journal, January 6, 1938, p.11.

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None reported

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In three ceremonies held on Saturday, May 21, Louisiana Tech University welcomed 1,134 graduates to its alumni family of 110,610 graduates around the world. This class is the largest in University history.  Louisiana Tech also recognized a record number (38) of students who graduated with 4.0 grade point averages, one of which was Arcadia’s Chelsea Lynn Johnson.

Arcadia

• Alexander James Pafford – Bachelor of Science – College of Business
• Chelsea Lynn Johnson – Bachelor of Science – College of Education (Perfect 4.0)
• McKenzie LeJoi Rhodes – Bachelor of Arts – College of Liberal Arts

Gibsland

• Joseph Lee Kidd – Bachelor of Science – College of Applied and Natural Sciences
• Christian Morgan Cole – Bachelor of Science – College of Engineering and Science

Jamestown

• Trinity Jade Walker – Bachelor of Science – College of Education

Ringgold

• Dawsson Cole Tipton – Bachelor of Science – College of Applied and Natural Sciences

Taylor

• Sarah Claire Walker – Bachelor of Science – College of Education (Completed University Honors Program)

The Bienville Parish Journal extends a sincere congratulations to each of you!

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Jaxton Bell, a graduate of Saline High School, has been awarded the President’s Alumni Scholarship by LSU. This scholarship is one of the two top merit-based scholarships awarded by LSU. Each year prospective freshmen, with a strong record of high academic achievement, leadership, and service, are nominated for consideration through the admissions process for two of the university’s top merit-based scholarships, the President’s Alumni Scholarship and The Stamps Scholarship. The Office of Enrollment Management, in consultation with the Ogden Honors College, considered applications and selected students to advance to the scholarship competition.

Out of 3,600 applicants, Jaxton was selected as one of the top 50 to continue in the competition and interview process during the Scholar’s Weekend on the LSU campus. During this weekend, the scholars were honored by Ogden Honors College with a welcome reception, a scholar’s breakfast, a personalized campus tour, lunch at The University Club in Tiger Stadium, and a banquet at the LOD Cook Alumni Center. The candidates were given the opportunity to meet and talk to current scholars and faculty in their prospective departments. The candidates were interviewed individually by faculty members and current scholars.

The President’s Alumni Scholarship, one of the top merit-based scholarships on campus, is funded through the LSU Alumni Association from an endowment made in memory of Ola and Ruth Cain by Gordon A. Cain and Mary H. Cain. This award includes: Full cost of attendance for four years (covers tuition, fees, room & board, books, supplies, etc.), $2,000 study abroad stipend, and the opportunity to earn up to an additional $1,550 per year by participating in the President’s Future Leaders in Research Program.

Jaxton is the 18 year old son of Paula and Jim Martin of Arcadia and Brian Bell of Saline. He was co-Valedictorian of his senior class. He maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his high school career, which included earning a Certificate of General Studies from BPCC. He has been honored as the Saline High School Student of the Year and Mr. Saline High School. His participation in the Bayou North AHEC program solidified his desire to pursue a medical career. This summer, he will be attending the national FBLA convention in Chicago, Illinois competing in Healthcare Administration. He scored a 35 on his ACT and received offers from universities across the United States, but he knew that he wanted to attend LSU. At LSU, he will major in Biological Sciences with a pre-med concentration.

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For decades, hunting and fishing licenses expired each year on June 30 regardless of the date of purchase, and customers had to pay full price regardless of when they purchased a license.  This has been a constant complaint among residents.  In just a few days, that will change.

Beginning on June 1, 2022, recreational licenses purchased on or after June 1, 2022, will be valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. These licenses will no longer follow the July 1-June 30 year.

Several people expressed their reactions to the change via Facebook.  Among comments like “Finally!!!,” and “Welcome to the 22nd Century,” some people commented that they were unhappy with the change.  One person complained that “This is just going to make it harder to remember when to renew,” to which another person responded that it would make it easier for game wardens to write tickets.  

The LDWF has thought of that too, and is excited to offer an auto renew option for online license sales. This will allow individuals to store their payment information in the system and elect to have their license(s) renew automatically every year. No more expired license(s) – and one less thing on your to-do list! The system will send a notification email ahead of the renewal date, so you will have the chance to opt out prior to being charged.

Also, if you install the Louisiana Wallet app on your smartphone, you can check the expiration date on your hunting and fishing licenses with one click.  

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The Bienville Parish Registrar of Voters Office is conducting their annual canvass of register voters in our parish. This is done annually by law to verify the addresses of voters in which the United States Post Office cannot confirm through their National Change of Address System.

If you receive an identification card or an address confirmation card in the mail, PLEASE take the time to verify the information, make any changes necessary and mail back or bring in to the Registrar of Voters Office in the parish courthouse as soon as possible. Failure to do so may result in a change in your voter status, delays at the polls or the inability to vote.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Registrar of Voters Office at 318-263-7407 or by email at bienvillerov@sos.la.gov. 

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240 BC – First recorded perihelion passage of Halley’s Comet.

1660 – Charles II landed at Dover at the invitation of the Convention Parliament, which marked the end of the Cromwell-proclaimed Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland and began the Restoration of the British monarchy.

1738 – A treaty between Pennsylvania and Maryland ended the Conojocular War with settlement of a boundary dispute and exchange of prisoners.

1787 – After a delay of 11 days, the United States Constitutional Convention formally convened in Philadelphia after a quorum of seven states was secured.

1865 – In Mobile, Alabama, around 300 people were killed when an ordnance depot exploded.

1895 – Playwright, poet and novelist Oscar Wilde was convicted of “committing acts of gross indecency with other male persons” and sentenced to serve two years in prison.

1922 – Babe Ruth was suspended for one day and fined $200 for throwing dirt on an umpire.

1925 – Scopes Trial: John T. Scopes was indicted for teaching human evolution in Tennessee.

1927 – Henry Ford announced that he was ending production of the Model T Ford.

1932 – Goofy, aka Dippy Dawg, first appeared in ‘Mickey’s Revue’ by Walt Disney.

1935 – Jesse Owens of Ohio State University broke three world records and tied a fourth at the Big Ten Conference Track and Field Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

1937 – The first airmail letter to circle globe returned to New York.

1953 – Nuclear weapons testing: At the Nevada Test Site, the United States conducted its first and only nuclear artillery test.

1953 – The first public television station in the United States officially began broadcasting as KUHT from the campus of the University of Houston.

1955 – In the United States, a night-time F5 tornado struck the small city of Udall, Kansas, and killed 80 and injured 273. It was the deadliest tornado to ever occur in the state and the 23rd deadliest in the U.S.

1961 – Apollo program: U.S. President John F. Kennedy announced before a special joint session of the U.S. Congress, his goal to initiate a project to put a “man on the Moon” before the end of the decade.

1962 – The Isley Brothers released “Twist & Shout”.

1967 – John Lennon took delivery of his psychedelically painted Rolls Royce.

1968 – The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, was dedicated.

1968 – The Rolling Stones released the song “Jumping Jack Flash”.

1973 – George Harrison released the hit single “Give Me Love” in UK.

1977 – Star Wars (retroactively titled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope) was released in theaters.

1977 – The Chinese government removed a decade-old ban on William Shakespeare’s work, and effectively ended the Cultural Revolution started in 1966.

1978 – The first of a series of bombings orchestrated by the Unabomber detonated at Northwestern University which resulted in minor injuries.

1979 – Horror film “Alien”, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Sigourney Weaver, was released.

1979 – John Spenkelink, a convicted murderer, was executed in Florida.  He was the first person to be executed in the state after the reintroduction of capital punishment in 1976.  He never got to see “Alien.”

1979 – American Airlines Flight 191: A McDonnell Douglas DC-10 crashed during takeoff at O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, and killed all 271 on board and two people on the ground.

1986 – The Hands Across America event took place.  It was a public fundraising event in which 5 to 6.5 million people held hands for 15 minutes and formed a continuous human chain across the contiguous United States.

1986 – 95-year-old woman scored a hole-in-one in Florida.

1999 – The United States House of Representatives released the Cox Report which detailed China’s nuclear espionage against the U.S. over the prior two decades.

2001 – Erik Weihenmayer became the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, in the Himalayas, with Dr. Sherman Bull.

2008 – NASA’s Phoenix lander touched down in the Green Valley region of Mars to search for environments suitable for water and microbial life.

2011 – Oprah Winfrey aired her last show, thus ending her 25-year run of The Oprah Winfrey Show.

2012 – The SpaceX Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to successfully rendezvous and berth with the International Space Station.

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Yesterday, Miss Aaliyah Hartwell, a student at Crawford Elementary, was presented a bicycle compliments of Sheriff John Ballance for her excellent composition in the parish-wide DARE essay contest.  Sheriff Ballance said, “All the DARE students are to be commended for their attention and hard work.”

Congratulations Miss Hartwell.

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The Bienville Parish Police Jury will have a public hearing on June 8, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. to discuss reapportioning the Police Jury districts.  The hearing will be held int he Police Jury meeting room in the Bienville Parish Courthouse, 100 Courthouse Drive, Suite 2100, Arcadia, Louisiana.  The proposed plan maps are available to the public for inspection at the Police Jury office, 100 Courthouse Drive, Suite 2100, Arcadia, Louisiana during regular business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Bienville Parish Police Jury
Rodney L. Warren
Secretary/Treasurer

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The national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement effort will take place May 23 through June 5, 2022. As part of this effort, a special Border 2 Border (B2B) enforcement initiative will take place on May 23. Troopers will join forces with other law enforcement agencies to provide increased seat belt enforcement, especially at state borders. This is an effort to get motorists to wear seat belts and understand wearing a seat belt is the best defense against injury in the event of a crash.

Fatal and serious injury crashes have increased dramatically over the last year. Nearly 60% of the fatalities on Louisiana’s roads involved unrestrained drivers and passengers. 75% of unrestrained child passengers under the age of 6 were killed and nearly 65% over the age of 6 were killed. Fatal crashes involving our young adults (ages 15-24) increased by 32%. These statistics are troubling and simply buckling up can save your life in a motor vehicle crash.

Studies also show that seat belt usage rates decline during nighttime driving hours, in the rear seat and in pick-up trucks. Troopers will be vigilant and citing those individuals who fail to buckle up. Louisiana law requires vehicle occupants be properly restrained in all seating positions, day or night.

Seat belts protect the body in several ways. During a crash, the seat belt will lock the occupant in the seat and prevent ejection. It then spreads the crash forces across the strong bones of the body when worn properly. The seat belt also allows the body to slow down during the crash, decreasing the chance of internal injuries to the brain and spinal cord. Motorists are encouraged to take a moment to buckle up—every trip, every time.

Motorists who observe impaired or reckless drivers are encouraged to dial *LSP (*577) to reach the nearest troop location or to dial 911.

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Late Sunday night or early Monday morning, a thief or thieves stole a 2007 Honda 420 Rancher 4×4 out of Stephen Brown’s front yard. Mr. Brown said, “They loaded it up and left a bunch of scaffolding and braces and powdered fertilizer.  (see photos below)  I’m sure the scaffolding doesn’t belong to the person who threw it out to load the 4 wheeler so someone is missing some expensive scaffolding.”  Mr. Brown is offering a $1,000.00 reward for information leading to the individual who stole the four wheeler.  If you have any information about this or any other crime in our parish, contact the Sheriff’s Office at (318) 263-2302.

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On Thursday, May 19, Governor John Bel Edwards and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that Louisiana has signed on to participate in the “Internet for All” initiative, which will invest $65 billion to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet for everyone in America by the end of the decade.

Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by NTIA, the Internet for All programs will build internet infrastructure, teach digital skills, and provide necessary technology to ensure that everyone in America – including communities of color, rural communities, and older Americans – have the access and skills they need to fully participate in today’s society.

“Partnering with Commerce/NTIA will allow Louisiana to achieve what we thought was impossible. We will now have the financial resources necessary to once and for all eliminate the digital divide in Louisiana. We are grateful to both Secretary Raimondo and Assistant Secretary Davidson of NTIA for their leadership and partnership. Over the past several years, our Broadband Office (ConnectLa) has worked hard to align resources between federal, state, and local officials to take full advantage of this historic broadband funding opportunity. We look forward to partnering with the people of Louisiana to make closing the divide a reality,” said Gov. Edwards.

The Internet for All programs launched last Friday with three Notices of Funding Opportunity:

• Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program ($42.5 billion);
• Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program ($1 billion); and,
• State Digital Equity Act programs ($1.5 billion).

“Generations before us brought electricity to rural America and built the interstate highways,” said Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. “Our generation’s task is to connect all Americans online. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, states are joining NTIA in this major new program to promote Internet access and adoption so that everyone in America has a chance to thrive in the modern economy.”

To participate in the BEAD Program, Louisiana has submitted a letter of intent and a planning funds budget, which will unlock $5 million in planning funds and allow states to begin creating their five-year action plan. Each state will have direct support from dedicated NTIA staff through every step of the process. Each participating state is guaranteed a minimum $100 million allocation, with additional funding determinations made based on the forthcoming coverage maps from the Federal Communications Commission.

Friday’s launch of the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program kicks off a series of Digital Equity Act steps that will invest $1.5 billion to heighten adoption and use, like digital literacy training, for those who need it most, including communities of color, rural communities, and older Americans. The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program will award grants on a technology neutral, competitive basis to eligible entities for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of middle-mile infrastructure.

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SRP Registration begins June 1, 2022 and the first performance is: The Kinders! They kick off our 2022 “Oceans of Possibilities” Summer Reading Program with fun songs, cool characters, and rollicking good-time music for kids of all ages! The Kinders are perennial favorites with children with popular songs like “I Like Being a Kid” and “Echo Gecko”.

This year, the Bienville Parish Library is happy to add the Gibsland Branch to the Summer Reading Program roster of fun! Below is the schedule of times for the kick-off and first performance:

Wednesday, June 1st
Gibsland at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 2nd
Arcadia at 10:00 a.m.
Ringgold at 2:00 p.m.

Friday, June 3rd
Castor at 10:00 a.m.
Saline at 2:00 p.m.

Traditionally, summer reading programs are designed to encourage elementary-aged children to keep reading during summer vacation. Children, parents/guardians and older siblings visit the library, pick out their own books, and start reading and collecting their “brag tags”! We also encourage readers to select books with AR points. Most schools have an accelerated reading program and while you’re collecting brag tags, you can also collect AR points. When you head back to school, you’ll be ready for the new school year!

BRAG TAGS ARE BACK!

When you register for the Summer Reading Program you’ll pick up all the materials you’ll need to get started, and “snag” your first brag tag! Preventing the “summer slide” continues to be the main objective of summer reading programs. This reading incentive gives readers extra motivation to read and collect all ten tags. It will impress teachers with how many books/pages you’ve read during summer vacation!

The 2022 Summer Reading Program is designed to help:

• Children be motivated to read.
• Children develop positive attitudes about reading, books, and the library.
• Children maintain their reading skills during summer vacation.
• Children have access to experiences that further their sense of discovery.
• Children have access to experiences through which they can learn to work cooperatively.
• Most of all – HAVE FUN!

Look for the Pull & Post Fridge Flyer in the Bienville Parish Library Event Guide for times and list of performers. You’ll also find all you need to know at your Bienville Parish Library and in the Summer Reading Program brochure!

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September 3, 1954 – May 16, 2022

Krista Kay “Kristy” Cathey Salter, age 67, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, peacefully passed away on May 16, 2022, after a long battle with liver and kidney disease. A private funeral for family and close friends was held to honor her life at Aulds Funeral Home in Shreveport, Louisiana, on May 18, 2022.

Kristy was born on September 3, 1954, to Laris and Era Pullig Cathey. She grew up in Hodge, Louisiana, and graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High School in 1972. She went on to attend Louisiana Tech University where she was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority.

She is survived by many including her loving and devoted companion, Richard Mutter, of Shreveport, Louisiana; her 93-year-old aunt, Jimmie Lou Carse of Orlando, Florida; her son, Rob Harrell and wife Heather of Marshall, Texas; her daughter, Mary Beth Fair and husband Jack of Natchitoches, Louisiana; her step-children, Lita Hopkins and Scotty Mutter of Shreveport, Louisiana; her favorite cousin, Vicki Carse Rodriguez and husband Jimmie of Orlando, Florida; her sister, Ann Martin and husband Hadley of Ruston, Louisiana; her grandsons, Austin Harrell, Luke Fair, and Beau Fair; and granddaughter, Halle Harrell.

Kristy is preceded in death by her parents; her high school sweetheart and first husband, Robert Ardle Harrell; her second husband of 35 years, John Thomas Salter; her sister, Terri Cathey; and her brother, David Cathey.

Kristy owned and operated her own business for over 35 years which gave her the opportunity to do a great deal of traveling throughout her life. She had many talents and an innate ability to make things around her more beautiful. Whether it was hair styling, applying make-up, painting, crafting, monogramming, sewing, wreath making, or interior decorating, she could do it all.

Kristy loved all things pageants. She assumed the title of Miss Jackson Parish in 1972 and became actively involved in the Miss Louisiana Organization for nearly four decades. She helped contestants prepare for competition, directed many preliminaries including the Miss Super Derby Pageant, and chaperoned several Miss Louisiana winners at the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Kristy was also an avid collector of antiques. Some of her most memorable times were with her mother at flea markets, estate sales, and auctions buying Depression glass, vintage treasures, bric-a-brac, and her beloved cookie jars.

Kristy would do anything for those she cherished as family and friends. Her four greatest loves in life were her grandchildren, Austin, Halle, Luke, and Beau, who affectionately referred to her a G-Momma.

Kristy will be fondly remembered for her quick wit and dry humor. Anyone who knew her always had a funny story to tell about their time together.

The family would like to thank the physicians who took wonderful care of her at the John C. McDonald Regional Transplant Center at Willis Knighton in Shreveport, especially her two favorite, Dr. Gazi Zibari and Dr. Veron D. Browne. In honor of her life, please register to be an organ donor in Louisiana at lopa.org or donatelifela.org.

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