Lily
Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Last Seen: Wednesday, March 23, 2024 Collins Road Natchitoches, LA
Color: Red Merle and White
Eyes: Different Color Eyes

And Has a Tail

PLEASE CALL WITH ANY INFORMATION

(318) 357-0377

By Paige Gurgainers

It has almost been a year since the bronze plaque marking the end of Bonnie & Clyde’s infamous crime spree was stolen. The plaque memorialized the law enforcement officers that took part in the act- Bienville Parish Sheriff Henderson Jordan, Chief Deputy Prentiss Oakley, along with Texas lawmen Frank Hamer, B.M. “Maney” Gault, Bob Alcorn, and Ted Hinton.

Since the first marker, one made of granite, was erected at the site in the 1970s, people have chipped pieces of it away, spraypainted graffiti on it, and shot it.  Damage from numerous gunshot marks has made this marker almost unreadable. The theft of the plaque around April 3, 2023 was just the most recent in a long line of criminality surrounding the site’s markers. 

But the Bienville Parish Chamber of Commerce is working to have the memorial restored and better secured in the near future.

“We wanted to bring this to the police jury because it is tourism, to see if you would go ahead and pay for that. It is tourism, so it needs to come out of the tourism fund,” said Deanna Culverhouse Curtis. “It brings a lot of people through our parish.”

According to Curtis the plaque would cost $2,688.69. The Bienville Parish Police Jury (BPPJ) collectively said that they would not have a problem funding it with the stipulation that it would be better protected in the future.

“We need to build a fence around it or something so somebody can’t get their hands on it. We did not get a price on that yet,” said Curtis.

After discussing options, it was decided that Michael Nelson, Juror for District 6, would speak with the instructor of the welding program at Castor High School to see if he may have any ideas.

Curtis agreed that would be a good option and stated that they have already ordered the plaque and would like to have to paid for in full and restored to the site before the upcoming Bonnie & Clyde Festival set to take place on May 24-25.

(Brad Dison contributed to this article)

Braxton Davis struck out 11 batters as he led the Saline Varsity Bobcasts past Georgetown, 14-2, on Tuesday night, March 26.

Gunner Fontenot collected three hits in three at bats in the win. The Bobcats got on the board at the top of the first after Bryce Davis grounded out, scoring one run. Connor Roberts doubled, scoring two. Jackson Bougues singled, also scoring two runs. Bray Corley singled, scoring one and Fontenot singled, scoring two.

They added one run in the second inning after Tony Smith walked.

The Bobcats continued to add to their lead in the third innings after Fontenot singled and a couple other runs were collected on a passed ball.

The starting pitcher for Georgetown allowed nine hits and nine runs, striking out two and walking one.

The Bobcats amassed 13 hits in the game. Braydon Robinson along with Davis each stole multiple bases with the team collecting 12 stolen bases in total.

They will play an away game against Calvin on Tuesday, April 2. They game is set to begin at 4:30 p.m.

In healthcare, preventative measures are often the unsung heroes, quietly working to slow the onset of debilitating conditions significantly. When it comes to brain health, particularly concerning dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, proactive screenings play a pivotal role in early detection and intervention. These screenings are not just about diagnosing a condition but are fundamental steps toward preserving cognitive function and enhancing the quality of life.

On April 16, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., The Bridge Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center returns to the Bienville Parish Library – Arcadia to offer FREE Brain Health Screenings.  This 20-minute mini-assessment does not take the place of a full medical brain health screening. Still, it will provide a baseline for whether or not you or your loved one needs to consider adding a full battery of tests with a neurological healthcare professional.

As populations age, brain health screenings underscore the urgency for effective screening programs. Early detection is crucial in managing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease effectively. Just as regular physical check-ups are integral to maintaining bodily health, routine cognitive assessments can serve as a proactive measure against cognitive decline. By fostering awareness and promoting early intervention, these screenings empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health and lifestyle choices, potentially reducing risk factors associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

To schedule your FREE brain health screening, call 318-263-7410 x 0. Space is limited and screening slots are filling quickly. Once the current schedule is filled, you can request to be placed on the list for the second brain health screening, slated later in the month at the Bienville Parish Library – Arcadia. 

On June 1, 1943, in the midst of World War II, Leslie, a film producer, along with his business manager Alfred Chenhalls, boarded a civilian British Overseas Airlines Douglas DC-3 airplane for a flight from Lisbon, Portugal to Bristol, England.  Leslie had been lecturing in Spain and Portugal on how films were made and promoting an upcoming film.  Leslie was favored by the British government for his anti-Nazi propaganda and films which supported the war effort. 

Leslie was not supposed to be on flight 777.  It was sold out.  On the day before the flight, two passengers, Derek Partridge, a young son of a British diplomat, and his nanny Dora Rove were “bumped” to make room for Leslie and Alfred, whose priority status allowed them to take precedence over other passengers.  He was returning to England to complete work on “The Lamp Still Burns”, a film he was producing.     

In the previous year and a half, the same plane had been operating on scheduled flights from Lisbon to Whitchurch on a route that did not pass over what was considered a war zone.   However, in November 1942, and again in April 1943, the plane had been attacked by Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighters, but each time the pilots were able to escape by using evasive maneuvers. 

At 7:35 on the morning of June 1, 1943, flight 777 took off from Lisbon with 17 passengers and 4 crew onboard.  For two hours, the flight was uneventful.  Unbeknownst to the flight crew, a swarm of eight Luftwaffe Ju 88 airplanes had taken off from Bordeaux.  Their mission was to find and escort two U-boats to an undisclosed location.  At about 10:50 a.m., as the German pilots were searching for the U-boats, they spotted a grey silhouette of a plane in the sky.  Although they could make out no markings, they knew it was an enemy plane.  They were unaware of any scheduled civilian flights in the area. 

 At 10:54 a.m., the pilot radioed their coordinates and said that they were being followed and fired upon.  The pilot radioed: “I am being followed by strange aircraft.  Putting on best speed… we are being attacked.  Cannon shells and tracers are going through the fuselage.  Wave-hopping and doing my best.”  The Germans continued firing on the plane.  The left engine and wing caught fire.  First Oberleutnant Herbert Hintze, who led the squadron of eight German planes, called off the attack when he realized it was a civilian aircraft, but the damage was done.  The plane was severely damaged and on fire.  Three people jumped from the burning plane, but their parachutes were on fire and failed to open.  The plane crashed, floated briefly, then sank.  The German pilots photographed the wreckage of the plane floating in the Bay of Biscay.  There were no survivors.           

On the following morning, newspapers printed the following message: “The British Overseas Airways Corporation regrets to announce that a civil aircraft on passage between Lisbon and the United Kingdom is overdue and must be presumed lost.  The last message received from the aircraft stated that it was being attacked by an enemy aircraft.  The aircraft carried 13 passengers and a crew of four.  Next of kin have been informed.”

When the plane failed to reach its destination, a British Short Sunderland flying boat flew to the coordinates provided by the pilot.  As the flying boat reached the coordinates, a squadron of eight Luftwaffe Ju 88s, maybe the same Ju 88s, attacked.  A furious battle ensued in which the flying boat shot down three of the German planes.  Three more planes were listed as “possibles,” meaning they were damaged and probably crashed.  But the flying boat had sustained a lot of damage itself.  The flying boat crash landed on Praa Sands beach on the southwestern tip of England. 

After the war, First Oberleutnant Herbert Hintze said his pilots were angry that Luftwaffe leaders failed to warn them about the scheduled flight.  The difference, according to Herbert Hintze, is that they would have escorted the captured plane to Bordeaux, where the Luftwaffe was based. 

Following World War II, many people theorized that the crash of the plane carrying Leslie was no accident.  The most popular theory is that the plane was shot down because the Germans mistakenly believed Winston Churchill was on the flight.  In this theory, German spies mistakenly identified Leslie’s business manager Alfred Chenhall as Winston Churchill.  Leslie, according to this theory, was mistakenly identified as Detective Inspector Walter H. Thompson, Churchill’s bodyguard who favored Leslie.  Churchill himself believed this theory.  In his memoirs he wrote, “The brutality of the Germans was only matched by the stupidity of their agents. It is difficult to understand how anyone could imagine that with all the resources of Great Britain at my disposal I should have booked a passage in an unarmed and unescorted plane from Lisbon and flown home in broad daylight.”

Some theories claim Leslie was a spy.  Others claim he was killed because of his anti-Nazi propaganda in films.  Regardless of the reason, the families of 21 individuals lost loved ones, and, not that his life was any more important than anyone else on the flight, the world lost a film producer who was also one of the finest actors of the era, Leslie Howard.  His most remembered role was that of Ashley Wilkes in one of the greatest films of all time, “Gone with the Wind.”

Sources:

1.      The Rock Island Argus, June 2, 1943, p.1.

2.     Blackwell Journal-Tribune, June 2, 1943, p.1.

3.     The Sacramento Bee, June 2, 1943, p.1.

4.     The Atlanta Journal, June 2, 1943, p.1.

5.     Richard M. Langworth, “How Many Assassination Attempts on Churchill? Ask Walter Thompson,” The Churchill Project – Hillsdale College , September 18, 2019, https://winstonchurchill.hillsdale.edu/thompson-assassination-attempts/.

These M&M Marshmallow Creme Sugar Cookie Bars are the sweetest and most colorful Easter treat!  I love a sugar cookie bar, and Easter M&M’s make these and many other desserts so pretty.  You can even sub the homemade dough with storebought dough if you like!

Ingredients:

• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• Easter M&M’s
• Sprinkles
• 1 jar marshmallow crème

 Directions

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 baking dish with crumpled parchment paper.  Lightly grease the paper.  Whisk the first 3 dry ingredients.  Set aside.

 Beat the butter and sugars.  Once combined mix in the eggs and vanilla.  Add the flour and stir until no white streaks remain.  Set aside 1 heaping cup of the dough and press the rest (I had to flour my hands to do this because the dough was sticky) into the pan.  Sprinkle with some of the M&M’s and press them lightly into the dough.  Drop large spoonfuls of the marshmallow crème over but do not spread.  Then drop chunks of the leftover dough around.

 Bake 25-30 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes and then scatter more M&M’s around the top and lightly press into the crust.  Shake sprinkles over.  Let bars cool completely before removing the parchment and cutting into small squares.

(Ashley Madden Rowton is a wife, mom and published cookbook author who lives in Minden, La.)

For today, a step away from sports and a step into Easter for a look at a trio who witnessed that first Easter weekend …

Simon of Cyrene could not have known when he woke up that first Good Friday that his life would, in mid-morning, change forever. After all, he was just passing through. By divine circumstance, his path crossed the path of the beaten and bleeding Savior.
 
A scared and timid step forward, a shove, and Simon was in an unwanted spotlight, “compelled” by a soldier’s whip and order into a moment that would capture his life in God’s Word for eternity. 
 
 But it would also capture his heart.
 
 He was told to help carry the condemned man’s cross.

Few people run toward the cross. Most of us have to be compelled by the soldier of misfortune, suffering, disease, and any of a thousand pains and problems. Even then, we pick it up kicking and screaming.
 
But what if we could be like Simon. Surely . . . after looking into Jesus’ eyes that day, after seeing up close his shredded back, His crown of thorns, surely . . . Simon knew that, in comparison, the yoke was easy. Jesus always does the hard part.
 
 How could Simon look at that and not be changed forever?
 
That Friday evening, while Simon and so many others tried to process the events of the day, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in strips of linen “in accordance with Jewish burial customs,” John writes in his gospel record. They did it secretly for fear of the Jewish leaders. But, with Pilate’s permission, they did it.

These two Jews — well, Pilate too — knew there was something about Jesus. Something…

As tombs go, the new one where they placed the body of Jesus after the crucifixion wasn’t used for very long.

On the third day, a day we celebrate as Easter, Jesus rose, by the power of God.

That’s the kind of power that’s available to us. Wonder-working power, is how the old hymn puts it. 

Our actions say so much about the human condition when we consider how we fret over things that God wishes we wouldn’t. We have his power available to us, and we so often ignore it. 

The tomb, the scriptures say, was close to Golgotha, a Latin word meaning “the skull.” But in the shadow of death there on that hill was eternal life. On Easter, God raised his son.

An empty tomb represents what God accomplished in the fullness of time. The empty tomb represents what God offers through his son: grace and life, protection, provision, and peace.

In the emptiness is a fullness only God can offer, grant, and sustain. Forever.

Joseph and Nicodemus must have been among the first to have heard the news of the empty tomb. More than curiosity must have pulled them to the place where they’d placed the dead man. But they’d found only linens. No body. “We knew,” they must have thought, “that something was different.” They just didn’t know how different. 

A whole new way of dying. And a whole new way of living. 

Then in the days and weeks after, as news of the Resurrection spread and reached Simon, I imagine his horror of that day turned into an overwhelming feeling of honor. I imagine him on his knees and, through tears, gazing toward Heaven, arms extended, awed, overcome. I imagine his arms around his sons, his grateful whisper in their ears: “I walked with that Man . . ..”
 

Please send all non-profit calendar events to bpjnewsla@gmail.com

March 30 

Locked & Loaded Bonnie & Clyde Paranormal Investigation – Bonnie & Clyde Ambush Museum

Vendors: 5 p.m.     Investigation: 7 – 11 p.m.

April 3 

Half-day for Saline High School. Students will dismiss at 12:15 p.m.

April 5 (9 a.m.)

Ringgold High School’s Class of 2025 Ring Ceremony

April 10 – 12

Bienville Parish Preschool Pre-K 3 Round- Up

April 11 (6 p.m.)

Parade of Champions honoring the Arcadia Lady Hornets

Parade line-up will begin at 5 p.m. followed by the parade at 6 p.m. and a banquet at 7 p.m. at the Arcadia Event Center. 

April 20

Year of the Iris Annual Spring Picnic – Briarwood Caroline Dorman Nature Preserve

April 27 

Spring General Election Day 

May 2 (10- 12:30 p.m.)

The Circle of Bienville Medical Center – Spring Lunch & Learn 

The Arcadia Event Center

RSVP to Sharla at 318- 572 – 0274 

May 25

The Authentic Bonnie & Clyde Festival – Downtown Gibsland

July 11 – 12

Saline Watermelon Festival Pageant – Saline High School Gymnasium

July 13 

Saline Watermelon Festival 

The following arrests were made by local law enforcement agencies.

03/17/24

Garrett Allen of Sarepta was arrested on two counts of issuing worthless checks. 

03/18/24

DeAnthony Pearson of Arcadia was arrested for illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities – Weapons Law Violation. 

Jeanea Patterson of Ringgold was arrested for aggravated assault and aggravated assault upon a peace officer. 

Mario Jones, Jr. of Monroe was arrested for operating a vehicle with a suspended license; no license issued and exceeding the maximum speed limit. 

Kyle Worsham of Jay, Oklahoma was arrested for domestic abuse battery. 

David Liles of Minden was arrested for child support obligation.

03/19/24

Hailey Taylor of Castor was arrested for violation of probation/parole. 

Alex Adams of Castor was arrested for no driver’s license.

Keaundrea Davis of Arcadia was arrested for no driver’s license and exceeded the maximum speed limit. 

Jawara Davis of West Monroe was arrested for failure to appear- Execution of Sentence. 

03/20/24

Cody Moore of Heflin was arrested as a fugitive. 

Schumann Pearson of Arcadia was arrested for aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon. 

Shamarein King of Ringgold was arrested for two counts of failure to appear. 

03/21/24

Jerkiya Haulcy of Arcadia was arrested for battery of a dating partner, simple criminal damage to property and aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon. 

Kentayjia Jones of Arcadia was arrested for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile. (Sex Offense – Registration Required)

03/22/24

Ashley Harris of Arcadia was arrested for simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling. 

Neketorry Mitchell of Arcadia was arrested for failure to appear. 

Christopher Patton of Jamestown was arrested for indecent behavior with juveniles. (Sex Offense – Registration Required)

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Notice of Death – March 26, 2024

Evelyn Hunter

July 19, 1948 – March 20, 2024

Homer, La. 

Visitation: 1 – 6 p.m. Friday, March 29, 2024, Memorial Funeral Home, Homer, La. 

Funeral service: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 30, 2024, Memorial Funeral Home, Homer, La. 

Interment will follow service at Antioch Cemetery, Homer, LA. 

Velma Ammons

Sept. 29, 1927 – March 24, 2024

Ringgold, La. 

Visitation: 5 – 6 p.m. Friday, March 29, 2024, Memorial Funeral Home, Ringgold, La. 

Wake: 6 – 8 p.m. Friday, March 29, 2024, Memorial Funeral Home, Ringgold, La. 

Interment: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 30, 2024, Evergreen Baptist Church, Ringgold, La. 

Bienville Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or bpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are no charge.)

The Castor Lady Tigers defeated Jonesboro-Hodge, 15-0 on Thursday night, March 21, thanks in big part to nine runs in the first inning. 

Kaylie Ann Shirley hit an inside the park home run, scoring two runs, an error scored two more runs, while Skylar Stroud singled, scoring one. Anna Kate Myers drew a walk, scoring one. Ambree Collinsworth doubles, scoring one run and Malorie Cooper doubled, scoring one run, as well. 

The Tigers extended their early lead with six runs in the bottom on the third thanks to RBI walks by Collinsworth, Shirley, Cooper and Jenna Braggs. 

Collinsworth stepped in the circle first for the Tigers. The right-handed pitcher allowed zero hits and zero runs over three innings, striking out seven and walking two. Satavia Qualls stepped in the circle first for Jonesboro-Hodge. The starting pitcher allowed four hits and 14 runs (eight earned) over two innings, striking out two and walking 11. 

Shirley drove the middle lineup, leading the Tigers with two runs batted in. The third baseman went one-for-one on the day. Jonesboro-Hodge earned one double play in the game. 

The Lady Tigers will travel to Loyola College Prep for their next game on Saturday, March 23. 

Keep Louisiana Beautiful has recognized the Town of Arcadia’s efforts to re-establish and promote a sense of community pride by sponsoring monthly pick-up litter campaigns and hosting a variety of events in the downtown area to showcase the highlights of our small town which has many buildings dating back to the turn of the 20th century. Mayor O’Landis Millican announced that Keep Louisiana Beautiful has awarded the town a $5,000 grant to help install welcoming signage surrounded by beautiful and exotic plants native to Louisiana at 3 main entry points to the town as well as around the Bienville Depot Museum. Mayor Millican stated he is elated that the town’s application was selected and is looking forward to an ongoing partnership with KLB.

Keep Louisiana Beautiful’s mission is to promote personal, corporate, and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana. Through their programs, and statewide network of affiliates and partners, the organization provides tools and resources to prevent litter, reduce waste, increase recycling, and beautify spaces. Keep Louisiana Beautiful is a non-profit organization dedicated to achieving a cleaner, greener Louisiana through litter reduction and beautification initiatives. To become involved, please visit keeplouisianabeautiful.org or contact your local council person.

District 1 – Debbie Harris @ 318-843-4024

District 2 – Melanie Monroe @ 318-680-6503

District 3 – Joseph Pruitt @ 318-607-3745

District 4 – Edwin Mason @ 318-243-9708

District 5 – Timothy Williams @ 318-607-2207

Louisiana Tech University has announced the names of students on its Winter Quarter 2024 President’s and Dean’s honor lists.

Students whose names are followed by an asterisk earned recognition as members of the president’s honor list. That distinction signifies achievement of at least a 3.8 academic grade point average on a minimum of nine semester hours completed (100-level or higher), with no grade lower than a B.

To be eligible for the dean’s honor lists, a student is required to earn at least a 3.5 academic grade point average with no grade lower than a C on a minimum of nine semester hours completed (100-level or higher).

Courses yielding satisfactory/failure grades and courses audited do not count toward eligibility for either recognition. Only undergraduates with no incomplete grades are eligible to make either list.

Honor students are listed below by their hometowns, with all Louisiana students listed first by parish.

Bienville:

• Arcadia: Zayne D. Bell, Christopher Wade Caskey*, Robert Alexander Hood, David L. Modlin*, Jace M. Morris*
• Chestnut: Allie Danielle Curole
• Gibsland: Landrie Elizabeth Still*
• Saline: Skylar M. Hough*, Alayna K. Martin*
• Taylor: Elizabeth Walker

The Bienville Parish School Board will be holding a special-called meeting today, March 22, at 3 p.m. at the School Board Annex, 1956 First Street, Arcadia, La. 

CALL TO ORDER: Darren Iverson, President
ROLL CALL: Mary Hutchinson, Executive Secretary
OPENING PRAYER: Donald Calloway
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Dr. Byron Lyons, Superintendent

1. Approve the agenda posted March 20, 2024 for the March 22, 2024 special meeting of the Bienville Parish School Board;

2. Consider adopting a resolution opposing state legislation establishing Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). (Roll Call Vote will be taken)

Sincerely,
Darren Iverson, President
Byron Lyons, Superintendent

The 2023 Louisiana Annual Tournament Report and Information Project (LATRIP) information is now available. Founded in 2021, LATRIP compiles voluntarily submitted bass tournament data, which helps the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries track trends in angling success rates over time while also promoting the quality fisheries of the Sportsman’s Paradise. LATRIP has expanded across Louisiana to include 44 tournament organizations across 42 waterbodies and 271 tournaments. To view the 2021 through 2023 LATRIP reports in their entirety, visit the LATRIP webpage at Louisiana Annual Tournament Report Information Project (LATRIP) | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Highlights from the 2023 report can be found in the charts above.

If your organization would like to be a part of the 2024 Louisiana Annual Tournament Report Information Project (LATRIP), Please submit your tournament results to our LATRIP Tournament Result Portal.

If your bass fishing organization would like more information concerning LATRIP, please contact Jeff Sibley via email at jsibley@wlf.la.gov or at 318-371-5294.

Upon the face of this world, it might seem as if niceness and kindness are kin. Both worn as badges of decency, as if to say, “Here is a person who does right by others.” Yet niceness — well, it’s nothing but a veneer for what might cover the hollow tooth underneath.

A man may tip his hat, may offer up a smile, may keep his tongue sheathed in the company of others. That’s well and good to a measure. But niceness, it asks no more than the least of us. The man’s handshake may be warm, but his tongue could be the whipcrack of a scorpion’s tail. A woman’s words may be honeyed to your face but poisonous as she spits upon the trail of your departure. Trust walks blind in a world saturated by malice’s blackened well. Niceness may be nothing but a farce. Be wary and let not others play you like a flute.

But the heart of kindness beats to a different rhythm. It is a creature of sinew and soul, bearing the weight of another’s pain, seeking to ease it. Kindness is the hand extended in the dark, the water shared in the desert, the coat given to a shivering stranger. It’s not the road of least resistance; it asks for the sweat of your brow, the strength of your back.

Consider the man who wears the mask of niceness, yet his eyes pass over the beggar in the street as if he were looking through glass. Or the woman whose laughter rings hollow at the jest that cuts another to the quick. The faces of these folk beam when fronting you, but their words reek of foulness to your back. They are but actors on a stage, and their script is a shallow one.

But then there’s the one whose kindness might, in the eyes of some, be mistaken for rudeness. He is the man who’ll plant his feet firm and speak a truth that burns like a brand, because to lie would be the greater sin. She is the woman who’ll tear the fabric of propriety to bind up the wounds of injustice. For them, nice is a word to be tossed aside when goodness calls.

In a world that tells us to dance to the tune of easy lies and false faces, we’re in sore need of those with the grit to live kindness. To be agreeable is a poor ambition. To “play the game” is an insult to the God who breathed life into your lungs. It’s a sin greater than any we can commit. Betray the soul God gave you? Nay, not and risk Heaven’s Damnation.

It is the kindness that is born of a brave empathy, that asks us to look upon our brother and our sister and see more than flesh—it asks us to see their very humanity, and to act with a heart that knows the cost.

Niceness keeps the peace in moments as fleeting as breath on a mirror. But kindness—it’s the force that carves canyons and raises mountains. It is the call to lift our eyes from our own reflection and to expect more from each other, to demand more from ourselves. Let us then cast off the easy cloak of niceness and gird ourselves in the armor of kindness. For it is this, and this alone, that has the power to mend the fabric of our collective soul, to change lives and to elevate the spirit of mankind.

Herein lies our charge, and let it not be said that we shrank from it. Niceness may smooth the day’s passage, but it is kindness that shapes the world.

(Josh Beavers is a teacher and writer. He was named as a semifinalist for Louisiana Teacher of the Year in 2020. He has been recognized five times for excellence in opinion writing by the Louisiana Press Association.)

While I’m all for the sport of bass fishing growing, at what cost? Professional anglers are taking the new forward-facing sonar technology to levels that may not be good for the sport. Our lakes and waterways are under assault as we speak. Lakes are being invaded with sonar technology that has all species of fish on high alert. Today we’ll look at the impact this may have on the industry in general.

To understand where we are with today’s technology, we must first look at where we came from. The first fish finder device was developed in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1948. Then in 1957 Lowrance released the Fish-Lo-K-Tor that was designed for recreational fishermen. These first fish finding units were hard to operate and were difficult to read unless you had a good understanding on what you were actually looking at, but they were prone to misinterpretation.

But today’s electronics can be read without any misinterpretation as anglers watch on a 12-to-14-inch screen on what can only be described as a high-tech video game. This technology has played right into the hands of the young anglers on the rise looking to compete with the best anglers on the planet.

Their learning curve has been fast forwarded to warp speed like the Star Trek’s Enterprise. No longer do they have to spend years developing a feel on how and where to find bass based on weather conditions. No longer do they have to spend years understanding how to read water. They no longer need the instincts that the older generation of anglers used to compete with on the highest level.

This being said, how will this new technology affect the industry overall? It appears to me and many others that we are developing a group of young anglers without the fishing instincts so many of today’s top professionals possess. These seasoned anglers took years of time on the water to develop instincts and skills necessary to compete with the best anglers in America and across the globe.

One facet of bass fishing that will be truly affected is the bait and tackle industry. With the popularity of forward-facing sonar has come a new series of minnow style baits. These baits are all the craze right now and are winning tournaments consistently. So, what about all the crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs that have made up a huge part of bass fishing sales over the years? What will become of all these baits that have been the bread and butter of all major bass fishing companies? Will they just sit on the shelf and collect dust, or will it all come back to life after this forward-facing sonar obsession is over or possibly banned?

For tackle store owners, there’s got to be a sense of nervousness as dealers all over the country do inventory on baits that are just hanging on pegs waiting for anglers to pull one off. It’s almost like land of the misfit toys in the Christmas movie “Rudolf.” They are just waiting for the day when they will be wanted again.

Like anything new, we wonder if this new unbelievable technology is here to stay. Is this just a fad like bellbottom jeans and silk shirts with white dress shoes? Or is this like the Pet Rock and Ty Beanie Babies that some thought were the best ideas ever! The one unknown factor at this point is IF tournament organizations will ban these new fish-finding units. If this does happen, maybe things will get back to what we used to think of as normal.

Till next time, good luck, good fishing and make sure to check out Tackle Talk Live podcast, as well as the Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Show on You Tube. 

Steve Graf                                                                                                                          

Angler’s Perspective

VALENCIA, SPAIN— It was a tight spot. Not in the figurative sense in which one is faced with a challenging situation that needs immediate attention. Though this was a very challenging situation that needed immediate action, but it was also a literal tight spot.

The word “literally” is thrown around by many these days, usually incorrectly, but a space to stand— or move— couldn’t get any tighter than the one in which I found myself. My travel group and I were face to face, chest to chest, smashed up against each other in a crowd of 80,000 Spaniards during the busiest day Valencia will see all year, and no one was moving, not even a literal inch. There was nowhere to go. It was truly a tight spot.

Let me back up a bit. I am in the middle of hosting 25 Americans through Spain. We started in Madrid over a week ago and since we touched ground we have spent time in Toledo, Cordoba, Seville, Gibraltar, Malaga, Valencia, and about to head to Barcelona. We’ve been hitting it hard because— as I strive to do on all the trips I host— I want to cover all the bases and check all the boxes. To do that we need to cover, not only the country’s food, but the art, architecture, culture, history, personalities, terrain, transportation, and traditions.

We have taken a sunset cruise on the Mediterranean, attended Flamenco dancing lessons before a professional Flamenco performance, had a paella-making workshop and then ate the results, marveled at world class art at the Prado Museum, zip lined across the river in Toledo, dined in caves, explored other caves, mingled with the monkeys of Gibraltar, tried our hand at virtual bullfighting, ate in the homes of Spanish housewives in the Spanish countryside, walked under cork trees with the Iberico Pigs of Jabugo who feed on their acorns, visited royal palaces, and magnificent cathedrals, and have eaten world-class, local cuisine in the style of each region we have visited.

We have travelled by fast train, bus, boat, jet, the aforementioned zip line, small two-person city cars that talk, and by foot. It’s during one of the by-foot treks that we ended up in the tightest spots of all tight spots.

For years the Fallas of Valencia had been on my bucket list of things to do before I die. And since it is always held in the middle of March, I always hoped that we could be there on my wife’s birthday, which is the 16^th. This was our third year to attend, but our first on her birthday. None of my guests had ever been to the Fallas, and I think most didn’t know what it was.

The Fallas is held in Valencia and is a celebration of St. Joseph that includes several days of daytime fireworks at city hall (I know what you’re thinking, trust me it’s incredible), nighttime fireworks displays that put Disney to shame, many side celebrations, and the constructing of over 800 falla (paper mache statues of varying sizes created by each neighborhood). The statues are intricate, colorful, and fun. Some are several stories tall. Think of the elaborate floats by the Mardi Gras float master, Blane Kern of Mardi Gras World and then multiply them in size, scale, and quantity. As a matter of fact, Kern came to Valencia to study falla how the falla are made. One night a year all 800+ of the falla are burned across the city to signal the coming of spring. They start getting ready for next year’s Fallas, immediately.

The crowds at the Fallas are a cross between the shoulder-to-shoulder tightness of Times Square at New Year’s Eve and the frivolity of Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras in New Orleans. But the energy and attitude are much friendlier, less intoxicated, and the events are more family oriented. More than 80,000 people pack into the town square for an amazing display of daytime fireworks. I always host my groups in a 10^th floor penthouse with several outdoor balconies high above the madding crowd. I have it stocked with a full bar and a catered lunch staffed with bartenders and servers so my guests can watch the festivities without the discomfort of the shoulder-to-shoulder, jam-packed crowd. When we are high above the celebration it’s exhilarating. Though one must get to the location of the penthouse before one can be high above the crowd. On this day we were following our local guide who took a wrong turn and that’s when the trouble began.

The past two years we have had no trouble weaving through the crowd to get to the entrance of our building. This year our city guide— who had done a good job up to that point— chose the wrong street. It was the street that leads directly up to the prime spot of the fireworks setup where the ground shakes and the explosions can be felt to one’s core. We weaved through the crowd that began to get tighter and tighter. People had claimed their spot hours earlier and weren’t going to move. We were halfway to the door when I realized that route wasn’t going to work. 

We were surrounded by thousands of Spaniards and the guide, who was 10 feet ahead of me kept trying to push through. We reached a bottleneck to where no one could move to make way for us even if they had wanted to (and they didn’t want to). I understood their stance, but we weren’t trying to get in front of them, we just wanted to get by them and get out of everyone’s way. The crowd was so tight I couldn’t lift my arms or move frontwards or backwards. It was so tight and so face-to-face packed, it was scary. “We have to turn around,” I yelled to the guide.

If it was just me bound by the throng of people everything might have been OK, but I had 25 guests and my claustrophobically inclined wife directly behind me in the same bind, and yes it was a bind of the problematical sort AND a bind in the restrained-type variety. As a travel host you are as happy as your least-happy guest. At this point I had 25 unhappy guests who must have been wondering why we were even going through this much trouble for daytime fireworks. I had almost resigned myself that the rented penthouse, food, and bar were going to remain empty, and we were going to be standing, packed, cheek-to-cheek for the next two hours. 

My guests were stranded at different points in the packed crowd. We couldn’t communicate. We couldn’t move forward— not even a step— and we couldn’t go back the way we came as the crowd had moved in on us. It was frustrating but it was also a little scary.

Just about the time a livid and screaming man and I were about to come to blows over the pushing and shoving around us, our full-time tour guide and my trusted boots-on-the-ground man, Jesse jumped the barricades, sweet talked a couple of policemen, convinced them to temporarily take down one of the barricades, which allowed our group of Americans to inch sideways and out of the crowd. I’m not sure what white lie he told them, but it worked. We finally got out into an open space and, with a police escort, were led to the entrance door by way of another street.

Jesse Marinus saved the day!

Once on the 10^th floor, my guests learned exactly why we went to all the trouble. A unique and memorable time was had by all while witnessing a one-of-a-kind event. 

One of the best laugh lines in the Coen Brothers classic “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou?” (filmed in Mississippi, by the way) was George Clooney’s “We’re in a tight spot.” In that movie he played a Mississippi boy leading a couple of escaped convicts to a pile of stashed cash. I was leading a group of mostly Mississippians to a unique one-of-a-kind of bucket-list event. In the end, Clooney never got the cash, but my group and I reached our destination and had a blast.

Onward.

Stewed Squid

¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ tsp Crushed red pepper
1 TB Garlic, minced
2 TB Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 TB + ½ tsp Kosher salt
2 ½ lbs. Squid, tentacles and sliced tubes
1 each 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
2 cups Shrimp stock 
2 bunches Swiss chard, stems removed and rough chopped
5 oz. Fresh spinach, stems removed and rough chopped

In a 2 quart sauce pan, heat the oil over medium and sweat the garlic and the crushed red pepper for 2 minutes. Add the squid, salt and parsley and continue cooking over medium heat until any excess liquid from the squid has evaporated, about 6-8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the canned tomatoes, including the juice, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the shrimp stock and bring to a simmer. Add the Swiss chard and the spinach, reduce the heat to low. Cover and continue cooking for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let all the stock evaporate. There should be about ½ cup of liquid left.

(Robert St. John is a chef, restaurateur and published cookbook author who lives in Hattiesburg, Miss.)

Please send all non-profit calendar events to bpjnewsla@gmail.com

March 22-24

Louisiana Region Sankofa Ecumenical Confrence – Arcadia Event Center

Friday: 6:30 p.m.    Saturday: 8:30 a.m.     Sunday: 2 p.m.

March 23 (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

Annual Arcadia-Bienville NAACP Fish Fry

Mt. Calvary Baptist Church Outreach Center

$12 per plate

March 24 (11 a.m.)

Mt. Calvary Baptist Church hosts “Power of a Praying Woman” with guest speaker, Sister Lynda Henderson

March 30 

Locked & Loaded Bonnie & Clyde Paranormal Investigation – Bonnie & Clyde Ambush Museum

Vendors: 5 p.m.     Investigation: 7 – 11 p.m.

April 5 (9 a.m.)

Ringgold High School’s Class of 2025 Ring Ceremony

April 10 – 12

Bienville Parish Preschool Pre-K 3 Round- Up

April 11 (6 p.m.)

Parade of Champions honoring the Arcadia Lady Hornets

Parade line-up will begin at 5 p.m. followed by the parade at 6 p.m. and a banquet at 7 p.m. at the Arcadia Event Center. 

April 20

Year of the Iris Annual Spring Picnic – Briarwood Caroline Dorman Nature Preserve

May 25

The Authentic Bonnie & Clyde Festival – Downtown Gibsland

July 11 – 12

Saline Watermelon Festival Pageant – Saline High School Gymnasium

Notice of Death – March 21, 2024

Alonzo Webb II

April 14, 1989 – March 13, 2024

Homer, La. 

Funeral service: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 23, 2024, Memorial Funeral Home, Homer, La.

Interment will immediately follow the service at White Oak Cemetery, Homer, La. 

Loyd Champion

Jan. 31, 1934 – March 14, 2024

Arcadia, La. 

Visitation: 1 – 6 p.m. Friday, March 22, 2024, Memorial Funeral Home, Arcadia, La. 

Funeral service: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23, 2024, Saline Ridge BC, Arcadia, La. 

Interment to follow at Saline Ridge BC.

Bienville Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or bpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are no charge.)

By Paige Gurgainers

Bienville Parish Coroner Don Smith is serving the last week of his 20-year ‘tour of duty.’ 

He said, “This is not going to be easy for me. Jury members, staff and residents of Bienville Parish, I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for allowing me to serve as your parish coroner.”

Smith has spent most of his adult life dedicated to community service. He has served in multiple capacities including law enforcement, fire fighting, volunteer ambulance and the Coroner’s office. 

“It is soon to be the end of my tour of duty. It has been a very unique one,” said Smith. “After 20 years of service it comes to an end next week. It is time to hang up my badge. Hopefully now I will be able to get a good night’s sleep without getting that dreaded call at 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning. Now I’m going fishing.”

Smith took a moment to thank the members of the coroner’s office and mentioned that due to their hard work and dedication, the Bienville Parish Coroner’s Office was recognized by the Louisiana State Coroner’s Association as one of the most ‘well respected and professional agencies in the state.’ 

The parish coroner is the most powerful person next the sheriff and the only person that has the authority to commit the state governor to a mental institution. Smith mentioned that this did occur in the 1950’s. 

“We have had a lot of harsh experiences that you couldn’t imagine,” Smith continued. “Some of these cases that we have worked include the jury’s families unfortunately, plus past retired jurors that have passed on. Most folks in this room cannot fathom the type of work the coroner must endure. Most people believe our job is only to pronounce someone dead and that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

He presented the Bienville Parish Police Jury (BPPJ) his end-of-year report last week that also included stats over the last two decades. The total cases equaled 5,385 and of those cases Smith personally worked 3,681 of them. The parish experienced 3,213 deaths. The coroner’s office issued an OPC (Order of Protection) in the amount of 728 and 1,123 CECs (Coroner Emergency Certificates). They also worked 447 sexual assault cases. 

Coroner-elect Amanda Lindberg will be taking up the office on March 26 and Smith’s final request was that she not be disrespected as he has been. 

According to Smith, the two municipalities of Arcadia and Ringgold have allegedly violated Louisiana state law by not paying funding that is due to the office for services totaling $118K. Smith has hired an attorney and filed a petition in an attempt to collect these funds. 

He said, “We hope this can be set outside the court room without any further legal action.”

The BPPJ made a resolution honoring Smith for his 20 years of dedicated service, compassion and kindness to the people of the parish during ‘one of life’s hardest moments.’

“Thank you for all of your dedicated years of service to Bienville Parish,” said BPPJ President Darryl Ryder. “We are very grateful to have had someone who has the compassion for the job that you do and puts our families first. We do thank you for all of your time and tireless days of work. We hope your fishing trips generate lots of fish for you.”

By Michelle Bates

The Arcadia Town Council agreed to amend water and sewer rate increases set to begin in May.

In Tuesday’s town council meeting, Mayor O’Landis Millican explained that the increases were needed in order to apply for grants to redo the town’s failing water infrastructure.

“In December, we talked about our water rates,” Millican said. “We do this to be able to qualify for grants. We have several issues right now, one being the underground storage tank. We have to have matching funds in order to get the grants, and not only that, we have to replace things as needed.”

Millican went on to explain that water pressure is low because the ground storage tank is down, and it will be until it is fixed. A hole developed in the tank, causing water to run out into the creek. There are also holes in the ceiling and the sides of the tank.

The increased rates will begin May 1, Millican said, but customers won’t see the increased rates on their bills until June.

“That way we can give the citizens enough time, and we’ll hold a town hall meeting to explain the reason for increasing the water rates and explain the need for the increase,” he said.

Currently, residential water rates are $20 per 3,000 gallons, the flow rate is $1.35 per 1,000 gallons with the average water bill at $21.11. With the addition of the sewer rate, customers are paying $5, along with the testing rate at $1, the total of the average bill is $27.11.

The proposed rate is a flat rate of $20 per zero gallons, $4.93 per 1,000 gallons, bringing the average bill to $38.85. Add in the $5 sewer fee as well as the $1 testing rate, and that brings the average bill to a total of $44.85.

Commercial fixed rates will go to $45, with $4.93 per 1,000 gallons, and the bulk rate will go to $60 per zero gallons.

“That’s the people who hook up to the bulk connections,” he said. “That rate will be $5 per 1,000 gallons.”

With the proposed rates, the town should bring in more revenue. The total water revenue for 2023 was $825,708.

Water rates increased in 2020, and before that, was in 2010. Arcadia has the lowest rates outside of Wesley Chapel Water System, Fellowship Water System, and the Alabama Water System, Millican added.

“We’ve seen other places and some of them are paying $80 or more each month,” District 2 Councilwoman Melanie Monroe said. “And we’re only out $26.”

“And if we have no money, we can’t match those grants,” District 3 Councilman Joseph Pruitt Jr. added.

Millican has spoken before about the aging infrastructure, and while the town has no debt as far as any loans, they need the grants in order to update the water and sewer infrastructure. Millican said they are constantly fixing leaks around town, and it’s just due to the aging infrastructure.

A date for the town hall meeting will be announced at a later date.