The 17th Annual Bienville Parish Library Health Fair is set to take place on Friday, September 13, at the Arcadia Events Center, 630 Factory Outlet Drive, Arcadia, LA 71001, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This has become a much-anticipated free public event in the community, offering residents an invaluable opportunity to engage directly with various healthcare providers and health service organizations.

This year’s health fair is designed to be a comprehensive resource for individuals and families seeking information about the healthcare services available in their community. With a diverse group of professionals gathered in one place, attendees will have the unique chance to ask questions and gain insights into various aspects of healthcare providers, services, and the populations they serve.

One of the key highlights of the Bienville Parish Library Health Fair is the accessibility of healthcare providers who are ready to answer questions about their services. This is an ideal opportunity for community members to inquire about preventive care, chronic disease management, mental health resources, and other vital health services. Whether you are looking for information on local clinics, need guidance on navigating healthcare systems, or want to learn more about the options available, this event is designed to provide the answers you need.

In addition to the wealth of information available, the health fair fosters a sense of community by bringing together healthcare providers committed to serving the people of Bienville Parish. This gathering is not just about disseminating information—it’s about building relationships and ensuring that residents feel supported and informed about their health.

Mark your calendars for Friday, September 13, and don’t miss out on this chance to engage with healthcare professionals, ask questions, and learn more about the services available in your area. Your health is your most valuable asset—invest in it by attending the Bienville Parish Library Health Fair.

Register for door prizes and don’t forget to pick up your “to-go” lunch ticket from the Bienville Parish Library. Manning the barbeque grills again this year are the chefs from the Gibsland Bank and Trust, and the Coca-Cola Co. of Minden provides beverages. 

The LifeShare™ Mobile Blood Donation Unit will be on-site taking blood donations. If you or someone you know can give the gift of life you can register online or at the mobile unit the day of the Health Fair.  If you need more information or are a healthcare provider or health resource services vendor call, Susie Graham, at 318-263-7410 x 2. 

While some businesses will have Labor Day sales, some will be closed to recognize it as a holiday. It’s always a good idea to check with your local banks before venturing out to shop Monday.

Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.

Before it was a federal holiday, Labor Day was recognized by labor activists and individual states. After municipal ordinances were passed in 1885 and 1886, a movement developed to secure state legislation. New York was the first state to introduce a bill, but Oregon was the first to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, on February 21, 1887. During 1887, four more states – Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York – passed laws creating a Labor Day holiday. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday.

Who first proposed the holiday for workers? It’s not entirely clear, but two workers can make a solid claim to the Founder of Labor Day title.

Some records show that in 1882, Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, suggested setting aside a day for a “general holiday for the laboring classes” to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.”

But Peter McGuire’s place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that machinist Matthew Maguire, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday.

Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey, proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.

According to the New Jersey Historical Society, after President Cleveland signed the law creating a national Labor Day, the Paterson Morning Call published an opinion piece stating that “the souvenir pen should go to Alderman Matthew Maguire of this city, who is the undisputed author of Labor Day as a holiday.” Both Maguire and McGuire attended the country’s first Labor Day parade in New York City that year.

* Information provided by the U.S. Department of Labor

Louisiana’s National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) will be held Sept. 28 at four locations across the state, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced.

Waddill Wildlife Refuge in Baton Rouge, Woodworth Shooting Range in Woodworth, the Tom Merrill Recreation Area at Bodcau Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Haughton, and Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Monroe will host this year’s event, sponsored by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation.

NHFD has become a tradition since its establishment in the early 1970s. Since then, every fourth Saturday in September is dedicated to Louisiana’s popular outdoor pastimes. LDWF introduced its first NHFD event in 1982 at the Monroe District Office, and in the following years, additional locations were added to its roster.

Each location’s event varies but all include exhibits on LDWF’s research and conservation efforts, shooting and fishing demonstrations, and exhibits from local chapters of Ducks Unlimited, the Safari Club and the Coastal Conservation Association, as well as local businesses.

Attendees can try their skills at the shooting ranges, fishing ponds, and boating activities, and learn about wildlife with live animal demonstrations. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors with family and friends. 

Event details are as follows:

 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge
480 Richmond Place Drive
Monroe, LA
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
318-343-4044
 
Waddill Wildlife Refuge
4142 North Flannery Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70814
8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
225-765-2927

Woodworth Shooting Range
661 Robinson Bridge Road
Woodworth, LA 71485
8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
318-484-2276

Bodcau WMA
Tom Merrill Recreation Area

171 Ben Durden Road

Haughton, LA 71037
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
318-371-3050

 For more information, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/nhfd.

It might be a little early to start discussing seasonal depression. I know not everybody deals with it, but I do, and I am sure many others can relate.  

For those of you who can’t – seasonal depression is a type of depression that only occurs during certain seasons of the year, usually fall and winter. Many seem to link it with the gloomy or chilly weather that keeps us locked in the house or the lack of sunlight as the days grow shorter.  

When I began researching this and ways to possibly curb the depression before it begins, I also learned that seasonal depression is referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I wonder if they planned for it to spell out S-A-D or if it just worked out that way. Kind of ironic.  

But according to Women’s Magazine there are many ways to stay on top of those winter blues. One of them includes, staying social. There are usually plenty of events going on during this time of the year – Fall Festivals, Halloween parties, Christmas parties, New Year parties – just pick one. Another is exercising (if I am being honest, I probably won’t do that one.)  

One that I came across and thought was pretty cool is light therapy. This could mean direct sunlight or artificial light. They suggested doing this first thing in the morning to reduce the brain’s production of melatonin, which you really only need at night. Light therapy could also include surrounding yourself with bright colors. You could wear them, decorate your house with them, etc.  

Making sure you are getting enough Vitamin D and limiting screen time was also on the list. 

I do not know if this is proven, but I have HEARD that people who put their Christmas tree up earlier in the season are overall happier people in general. Which I guess may also be a form of light therapy? One of my all-time favorite things to do is sit on a nice, comfy couch reading a book by the light of a bright Christmas tree. Do you agree or disagree? Is September too early?  

P.S. And don’t come for me, about it being too early to start talking about Christmas. This can also serve as your reminder to start shopping now. It will be here before you know it.  

P.S.S. ALSO, I am not one of those that skips over Halloween and Thanksgiving. Halloween is my favorite holiday after all. But I see no harm in setting up a Christmas tree beside a few pumpkins and skeletons if it helps to curb the seasonal depression or SAD, if you will.  

(Paige Gurgainers is a mother of three girls, digital journalist for Webster Parish Journal and publisher for Bienville and Claiborne Parish Journal.)

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

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

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

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

(Liquidation of Coushatta equipment yard location only)

Directions to Auction Site ~ From Coushatta:

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

BUTLER, Pa. — From the North, let me confirm, football is different in the South.

More on that later. But that dateline caught your eye, I’m sure. This is my parents’ hometown. The Jeep was invented here in 1940; there’s a monument commemorating that fact downtown on the beautiful Veterans Town Square across from the historic county courthouse. 

Butler’s best-known sports figure is Terry Hanratty, who is recognized most places for leading Notre Dame to a share of the 1966 national championship as a two-time All-America quarterback. In our neighborhood, we recall Hanratty and Joe Gilliam as “the other” QBs who battled young Terry Bradshaw for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting job. 

Brett Michaels, frontman of the great rock band Poison, is also Butler born. Bret Sychak, 61, grew up in nearby Chicora and formed a group called Paris in 1983. The following year, he and the boys changed the name to Poison, moved to the other LA (Los Angeles) and found fame in 1987 with their Look What the Cat Dragged In album (remember those?).

Five of my cousins live here. Two of their wives were at the July 13 rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds when shots rang out as former President Donald Trump was speaking. Monday afternoon, a Congressional task force toured the site. Two cousins, my brother and I visited it Saturday afternoon. It was sobering, stunning to try to understand how the shooter could have settled unimpeded by security where he did, just 20-30 yards farther than goalpost to goalpost on a football field. As Cousin Jeff said, “Swiss cheese.” No matter what your political beliefs.

Back to sports. Last Friday night was the kickoff of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League football season. Butler’s Golden Tornado bowed at home 20-14 to the Knights of Shaler Area High School.

It was not the talk of the town. And that’s my point this morning.

This week is jamboree time for LHSAA football. The college season kicked off last Saturday with a handful of “Week Zero” games, and Week 1 unfolds this weekend – Northwestern State starts Thursday night at Tulsa, then Saturday night, Louisiana Tech hosts Nicholls and Grambling goes to UL Lafayette. LSU plays USC in Las Vegas Sunday evening.

You probably knew all that. Football season is paramount in the South. Not a recent development. 

It’s just different elsewhere, even in the Allegheny Mountains. Driving downtown in Butler, city population 13,000, you don’t see any signs indicating excitement about the Golden Tornado. This is western Pennsylvania, legendary for the quality and intensity of prep football. 

Maybe it’s the fairly humid 86-degree weather today. Not exactly what we saw in the 1983 Tom Cruise movie All The Right Moves, focused on a high school football standout in a steel town much like Butler.

These people do love their football. Saturday in the tree-shrouded valley of Memorial Park, above a babbling creek, there was a day of “midget” football with kids in full gear running spread offenses, and little girls in cheerleader outfits lining the sidelines. The Steelers’ QB scramble is a much hotter topic than Pirates baseball – unless Paul Skenes is due to start. 

The excitement level just reaches a higher plane in area code 318.

We’ll see some saucy jamboree pairings this weekend; and every local prep team and fan base will be juiced up full throttle even for preseason battles. It’s going to somehow ramp up a notch next weekend for the regular-season kickoffs. If you don’t have a favorite to cheer, there’s still plenty to savor, from the bands and spirit groups to the talent on the fields and some high-caliber matchups.

LSU, Grambling, Tech and Northwestern are about to tee it up.

It’s football season in the South. It just doesn’t get better than this.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

Prevents ‘The Tyranny of the Majority”

With so much attention being given to the presidential election itself, it is easy to overlook another critical factor that will be determined in the election: the filibuster.  Let’s refresh our recollection.  What is the filibuster and how is it utilized in the U.S. Senate?

The U.S. Senate website defines the filibuster and its close companion—the invoking of “cloture” (i.e., to close)—in this way:

“The Senate tradition of unlimited debate has allowed for the use of the filibuster, a loosely defined term for action designed to prolong debate and delay or prevent a vote on a bill, resolution, amendment, or other debatable question … In 1975 the Senate decided that 60 members of the 100-member Senate must vote to invoke cloture and end a filibuster.”   As a result, once a filibuster is begun the individual engaged in the filibuster may continue until 60 senators vote to end the filibuster or the individual literally collapses on the Senate floor from exhaustion.

Why is maintaining the 60-vote requirement to end a filibuster so important?  

Well, while the filibuster is not a literal part of the Constitution it is a longstanding and well-settled tradition that directly reflects what the Framers intended for the Senate to be, and the role it was to have.  After all, the U.S. Senate, which was viewed by the Framers as existing to check the heated and overwrought passions of the U.S. House, was designed to be a more methodical and deliberative body where calmer and wiser heads would prevail.  In fact, the analogy is that the U.S. House, as the body closest to the people, serves as the hot “cup” of rash and emotional legislative action and the U.S. Senate was viewed as the “saucer” onto which it spilled and cooled.  This is also why the term of office of a member of the U.S. House is two years and the smaller, and, theoretically, more rational and steadier Senate, is 6 years.

So why are Democrats swearing to abolish the 60-vote requirement to end a filibuster if Kamala Harris becomes president and they hold their majority?  Because they want to push through their Left-wing agenda with a bare majority vote.  In fact, Democrats in the Senate won’t even need a majority of 51 Senators to abolish the filibuster in a Harris presidency.  They would only need 50 Senators plus a Democrat Vice President breaking the tie.

What are some of the dangerous and radical steps Senate Democrats could then take in this scenario?

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has made clear that eliminating the 60-vote filibuster in a Kamala Harris presidency is a certainty and what would follow is alarming:  a strong push for a national abortion law, a federal election law (s) to protect “voting rights” that would take over most elections and make it much more difficult for states to conduct elections, including a blizzard of absentee ballots of the kind we saw during Covid, and the election fraud that would follow.  

Imagine the fundamental restructuring of the U.S. Supreme Court with “court packing” and other procedural changes that don’t require a constitutional amendment that would turn the Court into a third legislative body rather than the impartial, independent arbiter of law the Framers intended.  Imagine banning state right-to-work laws, to say nothing of massive new tax increases and regulation.  Schumer has also made clear he doesn’t have a problem with price controls for food—an historically, demonstrably bad idea—or price controls for drugs, and massive funding of the irrational doomsday Climate Change scenario.

With the 60-vote filibuster eliminated, the entire Socialist agenda becomes not just possible, but likely.  It is simply unwise and reckless to allow huge and sweeping changes of policy to be based on a slim, partisan majority of Senators.  If we are going to Medicare for All and are going to abolish private health insurance; or, if we are going to tax unrealized capital gains (a tax on money we haven’t even pocketed yet)—then at least 10 Senators from the opposition party should be in support of it.  I recall Thomas Jefferson’s vital governmental principle that “great innovations should not be forced on slender majorities.”

With four more years of destructive economic, foreign, and social policy, the America we know and love would be unrecognizable—and unrecoverable.  Trump simply must win and the U.S. Senate and U.S. House gain and hold Republican majorities.

(Shreveport attorney, Royal Alexander, worked in D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 8 years for two different Members of Congress from Louisiana.  He has witnessed up close several Speaker races.)

WATERCOLOR, FL— August. The end of summer. It’s that time of year. Since our first child was born, 27 years ago, we have travelled to the Florida Panhandle to spend a week at the beach. Actually, only part of the family spends time on the actual beach. I catch up on work, handle pressing issues from back home, and visit as many restaurants in a seven-day period as I can. To most, that sounds like work, but to me it’s just doing what I love to do.

The alarm never gets set while I’m down here. So instead of waking at 4:00 a.m. or 5:00 a.m. I sleep a little later (I made it all the way to 7:00 a.m. today!). Everyone has their version of vacation time. For some it includes a lot of golf. For others it’s shopping. For me it’s food and restaurants. The restaurant business is my primary profession, but it is also my hobby. Why not do my hobby while I am away from the office?

For the past decade or more this week at the beach has included my wife, daughter, son, and several of the kid’s friends. We rent a house and allow them to bring as many friends as they want as long as there’s an available bed on which to sleep. At times they’ve slept on a swing on the front porch (looking at you, Darby).

Typically, my son would bring three or four of his friends and my daughter would bring a few of hers. She is four years older, so the earlier days were spent as two separate groups with two separate interests. In later years, with all of them either in college, or recently graduated, they spent more time together, especially when they went out at night.

To some, having almost a dozen twentysomethings sleeping all over the place might not seem like a restful, relaxing proposition. To me, there was pure joy in it. I don’t rest or relax well. It’s just not in me, so there was no loss there. I just enjoyed seeing my children having fun among their peers and friend groups. There is a form of peace that comes with that. To know that your offspring have made it through the teen years and come out on the other side— not just alive, but— well adjusted, happy, and semi-responsible. Plus we love their friends and have always treated them as family.

I always encouraged the kids to invite as many friends as they liked. I wanted a house full. I was happy to host them at dinners out or for a boiled shrimp supper back at the house. There were never any solid schedules imposed on anyone. Those who wanted to go out to dinner could do so, those that preferred hanging back would.

This year is different.

In 2024 we have crossed some new milestone. Gone are the days with loud rambunctious boys running through the house and staying out past curfew. No longer are teen girls vying for position in the bathroom. On this trip no one has slept on the front porch because they came home after everyone had gone to bed and forgot the door code. Surprisingly, all my phone chargers are intact and plugged in. For those with young kids, you will soon learn that one of the greatest assets and commodities in the teen/twentysomething years are phone chargers. Lack of a phone charger will turn the most honest and upright youth into an unapologetic downright thief.

Sorry for the tangent, there. Back to why 2024 is different. This year is the first year we are friendless, and everyone is accompanied by a significant other. My daughter brought her fiancé, and my son brought his longstanding girlfriend. There are just six of us. The house is quiet and calm, and the kids seem to want to spend more time with their mom and me. That almost makes it the perfect vacation.

Almost.

My wife tends to overdo the shopping thing. I’m not sure if she was ever a girl scout, but the whole “Be prepared” thing (or is that just Boy Scouts?) is ingrained in every inch of her constitution. In the days when there were three or more teenage boys in the house, we made daily trips to the grocery store to restock supplies, this after filling two carloads to the roof with food on the way down. At the end of the previous trips, it always seemed as if we hadn’t made a dent in the food supply even though we had gone to the grocery store often. We always ended up bringing as much home in the car as we brought down.

This year I put my foot down and insisted that we dial down the food we were bringing down and just purchase most of it once we got here. I lost that battle, and we filled two vehicles with enough food to feed a junior high football team. 

We are almost halfway through the week, and I have been to the grocery store every day, twice yesterday. I never mind going to the grocery store. Actually, I enjoy it, but the price of groceries these days is disturbing. It’s my prediction that I’ll end up with a full truck on the return home trip, Saturday.

It all that pales in comparison to having my two grown children here with their significant other. We have moved from late night bar runs, to trivia on the porch. I loved all the other stages of their childhoods, but I seem to be warming up to this one most. My son and I spent some time floating in the Gulf and walked along the beach while talking about the restaurant business. We’ve had fine dinners full of engaging conversation, and we have laughed. We have laughed loud, and we have laughed often. We have laughed so much that I could care less how much money I have spent on food and beverage. Afterall, it’ll all make its way home and be consumed once there.

That’s all for now, gotta make another grocery store run.

Onward.

Cioppino

Cioppino Stock

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups onions, medium dice

1 1/2 cups leeks, hand-chopped fine, white part only

1 1/2 cups green bell peppers, medium dice

1 1/3 cups carrots, small dice

1 cup celery, medium dice

1/4 cup fresh fennel, chopped fine

2 1/2 quarts canned crushed tomatoes, highest quality, drained, liquid reserved (approximately 4 28-ounce cans drained and rough chopped)

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

2 1/2 quarts water (or stock)

2 tablespoons salt

1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon oregano, dried

1 tablespoon basil, dried

1 tablespoon thyme, dried

3 bay leaves

1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning (page xxx)

Sauté onions in olive oil and butter. Do not brown. Add leeks, green pepper, carrots, celery, and fennel and cook 5–10 minutes until soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. When stock begins boiling, reduce heat immediately. Cover and simmer 2 hours stirring frequently. This stock should be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated.

Yield: 1 1/4 gallon

Cioppino

1/2 cup No-Stick Grilling Marinade for Seafood (page xxx)

1 1/2 pounds shrimp, 21-25 count, peeled, deveined, and skewered

1 pound sea scallops skewered

1 pound redfish pieces 

1 pound fresh mussel, cleaned and beards removed

2 Tbl Olive Oil

1 Tbl garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1 1/2 quart cioppino stock

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat

Toasted French bread

Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Rub the surface of the shrimp, scallops and redfish with the no-stick seafood marinade and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 

Prepare the grill. Cook the seafood over direct high heat for 6-8 minutes, turning once while cooking. Remove the seafood from the grill, and cool slightly. 

Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pot over low-medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the wine to the pot and reduce by half. Next, add the cioppino stock to the pot and bring it to a simmer. Remove the shrimp and scallops from the skewers and cut the grilled fish into 1/2 inch cubes. Add the mussels and cook until they pop open, about 6-7 minutes. Once the stock is simmering, add the grilled seafood and jumbo lump crab. Divide the cioppino into serving dishes and garnish with parsley.

Yield: 6–10 servings.

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

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

September 1 – 7 

The Riley Jinks Memorial Rodeo, Ringgold

September 3 (9 – 1:30 p.m.)

Warriors Never Fight Alone Blood Drive 

Bienville Medical Center

September 7 (9 – 1 p.m.)

2nd Annual Artists and Authors Expo

September 12 (8 – 10 a.m.)

The Food Pantry of the First Baptist Church of Arcadia – Distribution Day

*Applications are required.

September 13 (10 – 1 p.m.)

17th Annual Community Health Fair hosted by the Bienville Parish Library

Arcadia Events Center

September 19 (6 – 8 p.m.)

2nd Annual Sippin Soiree

Historic Downtown Arcadia

$20 per glass with 100 glasses being sold

*Must be 21 to purchase

October 12 (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

Car Show with Prizes, Raffles, Cake Auction and Food Trucks benefiting CASA

1952 N. Railroad Ave, Arcadia, La.

Funeral services for Shayne Thomas Rowell, 64, of Sibley, LA will be at 3:00 P.M., Saturday, August 31, 2024, in Rockett Funeral Home, Ringgold, LA.  Officiating will be Bro. Danny Slack.  Burial will follow in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Ringgold, LA.  Visitation will be from 1:00 P. M. until service time at the funeral home.

Shayne was born May 8, 1960, in Doddridge, AR and passed away at his home in Sibley on August 25, 2024.  He was an avid hunter and fisherman that loved the outdoors.  Shayne enjoyed playing in dart and pool leagues.  His dog and horses meant a lot to him.  Shayne was a proud United States Army Veteran.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sylvester (S. T.) and Jean Rowell and his wife, Jeannie Rowell.

Left to cherish his memory include his brothers, Tracy Rowell of Minden, LA and Stanley Rowell of Bryan, OH; son, Brandson Sampson and wife, Frankie of Minden, LA; nephews, Cody Rowell of Minden, LA and Ronnie Rowell of Sibley, LA; nieces, Stacy Doggett and husband, Mike of Sibley and Mercy Rowell of Bryan, OH; sister-in-law, Diane Werner of Sibley, LA; grandchildren, Ethan and Sophia Sampson of Minden, LA; best friend, Sharon and  husband, Darrell (Coach) Peddy of Elm Grove, LA and good friends, Larry Loud of Ringgold, LA and Danny Cole of Shreveport, LA; along with many other relatives and friends.

Notice of Death – August 29, 2024

John “Yankee” Alton

July 13, 1937 – August 26, 2024

Arcadia, La. 

Visitation: 10 – 11 a.m. Friday, August 30, 2024, Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Arcadia, La. 

Graveside service to follow at New Bethel Baptist Church, Arcadia, La. 

Eric Mamon

June 17, 1949 – August 24, 2024

Grambling, La. 

Visitation: 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. Friday, August 30, 2024, Memorial Funeral Home, Arcadia, La. 

Funeral service: 11 a.m. Saturday, August 31, 2024, Holland Grove Baptist Church, Arcadia, La. 

Shayne Thomas Rowell

May 08, 1960 – August 25, 2024

Sibley, La. 

Visitation: 1 p.m. Saturday, August 31, 2024, Rockett Funeral Home, Ringgold, La. 

Funeral service: 3 p.m. Saturday, August 31, Rockett Funeral Home, Ringgold, La.

Burial will follow in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Ringgold, La. 

Linda Elizabeth Carder Cook

April 28, 1947 – August 19, 2024

Sibley, La. 

Graveside service: 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, Bistineau Cemetery, Heflin, La. 

James Dale Bates

August 1, 1930 – August 15, 2024

Homer, La.

Visitation: 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, Lake Claiborne, Homer, La.

Memorial service: 2 p.m., immediately following visitation.

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.)

What was originally a domestic violence incident quickly escalated into a crisis situation this past Sunday, August 25, on North Burkett St. in Ringgold.

The Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team (BPSO SRT) assisted BPSO and Ringgold Police Department with the arrest of Alex Bodin, 29. 

According to Bienville Parish Sheriff John Ballance, Bodin refused to exit the residence following the incident. Prior to that the alleged victim was able to leave the residence and provided law enforcement with details of the incident and Bodin’s threats to commit suicide or force law enforcement to kill him.

The BPSO SRT was activated and responded to the scene. A BPSO SRT crisis negotiator contacted Bodin via telephone and after speaking with the negotiator, Bodin agreed to surrender. He exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident.

Bodin was booked into the BPSO Jail on charges of Domestic Abuse Battery involving Strangulation with Child Endangerment and Resisting an Officer with no bond set at this time.

By Paige Gurgainers

Following the recent arrest of two Jamestown residents, Tanya Michelle Griffith and Allen Tyler Meylian, who were charged with 32 counts of animal cruelty earlier this month, the Bienville Parish Police Jury (BPPJ) has been left with a hefty bill. 

There were originally 34 dogs at the residence, but one died at the scene, and another died en route to a different location. A few other dogs had to be put to sleep because they were deemed too aggressive and constituted a public health and safety issue. That still left 26 dogs to be cared for. 

The animals seized by the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office (BPSO) were taken to Jonesboro Animal Clinic where they racked up 78-page bill totaling $12,705.39 which was left to be paid by the BPPJ due to the residence the animals were picked up from being outside of the city limits. 

BPPJ Secretary Rodney Warren asked the jury to approve the payment to the clinic along with approving a policy that the court order restitution requiring the owners to pay, in an effort to ease the burden off the taxpayers. 

But according to District Attorney Daniel Newell, the odds of the jury receiving a refund are not likely. He said, “The court can order them to pay, but the way the law has been for the past three years, if they are ordered to pay restitution and they fail to pay, we can’t revoke them. It’s a bad situation. There is not an easy answer.”

Payment to the Jonesboro Animal Clinic was approved unanimously along  with the policy ordering restitution for current and future cases. The BPPJ will continue to brainstorm solutions to this issue as animal cruelty cases continue to rise in the parish. 

By Michelle Bates

At August’s Arcadia Town Council meeting, Councilman Timothy Williams, District 5, raised some concerns about water rates being too high for business owners. “They were recommending that we look at professional businesses and I discussed it with a few people,” he said. “We discussed the pros and cons.”

Councilman Joseph Pruitt Jr., District 3, is the owner of S&P Barber School, and he said he did see a difference in his water bill, almost doubling what he paid previous to the water rate increase.

“It went from almost $30 to $69 to $70 per month,” he said. “But, I also know what the town needs for its water system. It’s 2024, we can’t keep paying $30 for a water bill, and we need new lift stations; we need all kinds of stuff, and we’re still paying rates that come from the early 1990s, in my opinion, compared to now. I know times have changed, and we have to make sure, because when the water goes out, we will
pay whatever to get the water going again. There’s good and bad. We all have to have water.”

Williams said they could open Pandora’s box because even though he lives alone, his water bill has increased as well.

“I don’t use that much water, but I know what we have to have,” Williams said.

Water rates increased beginning May 1 in an effort towards getting a USDA grant to overhaul the town’s water system, which will include renovations to the Daniel Street lift station and the addition of a new one.

The town is beginning with Phase I to repair and renovate the groundwater storage tanks, and then Phase II will include the Hazel Street Flood Mitigation Project.

Building Rentals

The mayor presented proposed building rental prices for each property owned by the Town of Arcadia, which will be discussed and voted on in the September meeting.

• Arcadia Events Center – (Current Rate) Not for profit (no charge to get in): $500 with a $250 deposit. For profit (charging to get in): $2,000 with a $500 deposit. (Proposed Rate) Not for profit: $1,000 with a $500 deposit. For profit: $3,000 with a $1,500 deposit.
• Willie Abney Center – (Current Rate) $200 rental with a $100 deposit. The Willie Abney Center does not have a for profit price difference. (Proposed Rate) Not for profit: $350 for the rental with $200 deposit. For profit: $800 rental with $500 deposit.
• The Depot – (Current Rate) Not for profit: $150 for rental with a $50 deposit. For profit: $500
  rental with a $200 deposit. (Proposed Rate) Not for profit: $350 for rental with a $250 deposit. For profit: $1,000 rental with a $500 deposit.

Millican gave the council the proposals to look over and they will vote on it next month, he said. Part of the reason for the proposed increases rests in the fact that some of the buildings are beginning to deteriorate. Things such as scuff marks along the walls in the events center where people have stood against the wall; some of the carpet is beginning to show wear, but that’s just one example, he said.

Also, in September, the events center will bear a new name, he said. “We’ll be dropping ‘Arcadia,’ and adding the late Mayor Eugene Smith’s name,’ he said. More will be discussed in the September meeting, he added, including a date and time for the event.

Chip Sealing Roads

The Bienville Parish Police Jury road crew should be in the south part of the parish and will work their way into Arcadia, Millican said.

“That way we won’t have to pay for moving equipment into Arcadia,” he said. “The parish will do Fourth Street from Cherry Street to Hazel Street.”

In District 1, hot mix will be laid into some of the bad spots; in District 3, Laura and Oak Street; in District 4, Evangeline, Pine and Gaines Streets; in District 5, Maple and Myrtle Streets – all of these will be chip sealed this year.

The total cost of these maintenance repairs and overlays will be $30,215, Millican said.

The next meeting is set for 6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 10, at Arcadia Town Hall’s council chambers, located at 1819 S. Railroad Ave.

Martinez Land Offering

Offers Due by:  Friday, September 13, 2024 at 3:00 pm Central Time

Closing Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 3:00 pm Central (or sooner)

Land Offered: Approximately 2,837.896+/- acres. (comprised of several tracts)

Contact: henry@echotitlecompany.com

Phone: 318-236-6000

VIEW & DOWNLOAD BID PACKAGE

VIEW & DOWNLOAD THE TRACTS

At about 7:00 on the morning of August 21, 1911, Vincenzo arrived at work as usual.  Over his clothes he wore his white smock, the same as all other employees at the museum wore.  On the surface, there was nothing to signify that this day would be any different than any other, but Vincenzo had a plan.  While working at the museum, Vincenzo became obsessed with the idea of stealing one of the Italian paintings and returning it to Italy.  He realized that no one would suspect him because he had worked at the museum for over four years.  On that Monday morning, Vincenzo waited until the room was unoccupied, then put his plan into motion.  He took the painting off the wall and carried it to a nearby stairway where he removed it from its frame.  He hid the discarded frame among some student artworks which were sitting on the landing of the staircase.  Vincenzo was unable to roll the painting up because the artist had painted it on a piece of wood.  Vincenzo wrapped his white smock around the painting, tucked it under his arm, and walked out the same door that he had entered earlier that morning.  When other employees noticed the empty spot on the wall where the painting had been hung, they notified the police.  They ushered the visitors out with the ruse that a water pipe had burst.   

Police searched the building and found the painting’s discarded frame.  They questioned all of the museum’s permanent employees as well as temporary employees such as bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, and glaziers.  Police visited Vincenzo at his apartment and questioned him.  When questioning the museum’s employees revealed no leads, investigators figured they had missed something and repeated the process.  Once again, investigators visited Vincenzo’s apartment and questioned him, but they found no reason to suspect Vincenzo.  Vincenzo gave them permission to search his apartment, which disarmed suspicion.  Had investigators glanced inside a large trunk which sat just inches from them in the apartment, they would have found nothing incriminating.  However, if they had noticed that the trunk had a false bottom, they would have solved the crime. 

As per his plan to not raise suspicion, Vincenzo continued working at the museum for two more years.  In 1913, Vincenzo left his job at the museum.  He tried to sell the stolen painting to various dealers in London and Paris, and even offered it to a representative of American financier J.P. Morgan, none of which notified the authorities.  On November 28, 1913, Vincenzo wrote a letter to art dealer Alfred Geri, owner of the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Florence and offered to sell him the stolen painting.  Alfred agreed to meet once Vincenzo was in Florence.  Vincenzo took the trunk with its hidden cargo to Florence.  On December 11, 1913, Alfred watched as Vincenzo removed the painting from the false bottom of the trunk.  After inspecting the painting, Alfred and Vincenzo purportedly came to some agreement on price and Alfred left the room.  Alfred immediately notified the police of the stolen painting and its hiding place.  Acting on Alfred’s tip, police arrested Vincenzo and slid the painting out from its hiding place.  The face in the painting seemed to almost smile as if happy to have been rescued. 

During questioning, Vincenzo claimed he had no accomplices and explained that accomplices were not necessary.  “I did not take the painting from a desire to gain from it,” he told authorities, “but wished to accomplish a good and holy work by returning to my country one of the many treasures stolen from it.”  Vincenzo said he thought he should receive adequate compensation for returning the painting to Italy.  He neglected to mention that he had tried to sell the painting to people in three other countries before offering it to a dealer in Italy.

 Thus ended what some people have described as the greatest art theft of the 20th century.  The painting that Vincenzo stole was certainly prominent in the art world, but the painting’s theft and eventual return took the painting to another level.  For two years, people all around the world saw pictures of the painting and followed the investigation in newspapers.  Before it was returned to France, the painting was exhibited in art galleries throughout Italy to jubilant crowds.  When it was returned to France, the celebrations were even larger.  Crowds viewed the painting in a sort of modern concert atmosphere with pushing and shoving and everyone vying for a better view.  Little has changed in the past century.  Throngs of people still visit that same museum, the Louvre, to see that same painting.  Because of Vincenzo Peruggia’s theft, we can instantly produce a mental image of what is arguably the most famous painting in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. 

Sources:

1.     The Baltimore Sun, August 23, 1911, p.13.

2.     The Kansas City Star, August 22, 19011, p.4.

3.     The Tampa Tribune, December 14, 1913, p.81.

4.     St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 15, 1913, p.6.

5.     St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 26, 1913, p.15.

A new melody is rising in Ruston as Southern A’Chord, a women’s community a cappella chorus, announces its formation and invites area residents to a harmonious beginning.

The group will host a Welcome Night on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church of Ruston, 212 N. Bonner.

Chorus leaders say Southern A’Chord’s purpose is to bring music to the community and to provide a place for women to enjoy and grow their musical skills.

All women who have a love for singing are encouraged to attend the recruitment event. It will provide a chance to meet the director and fellow singers, discover more about the chorus’s mission and upcoming activities, and experience the delight of singing in a group.

“The group is more than just a chorus,” said Lynette Murphy, of Choudrant, assistant director for musical expression. “It’s a celebration of the joys of singing and the uplifting power of music. Singing is a journey of the soul that connects us to the deepest parts of ourselves and to each other.

“There’s something truly magical about coming together to create harmony,” explained Murphy, who also serves as chorus president. “Singing not only lifts the spirit but also promotes a sense of unity.”

The chorus Music Staff is led by Director Candice Bassett, of Grayson, who believes in the transformative power of music. “When we sing, we create a space where every voice matters. It’s not just about the notes on the page. It’s about the stories we tell and the community we build – a community where women can support each other, learn together and perform for the joy of our audiences.”

With a repertoire that spans pop, patriotic, gospel and holiday, Southern A’Chord offers a sound that resonates with diverse audiences. As a new non-profit organization, the chorus has a roster of 14 members from multiple parishes.

“We’re committed to helping our members find their voice and use it confidently,” Bassett said. “Our rehearsals are a place of discovery, where the art of a cappella singing – especially barbershop – can be embraced. We’re excited to build this sisterhood and share our love of music with Ruston and beyond.”

Regular rehearsals are held Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the same location as the guest night. Visitors and singers from other groups are welcome any time.

Southern A’Chord is not yet affiliated with any other organizations but would like to partner with local arts and community groups to serve North Louisiana, its leaders say. One of the chorus goals is to do community service outreach.

Bassett has extensive a cappella chorus training and background, having earned a director’s certification and international medals with other singing groups. Murphy is the choir director and piano teacher for Ruston High School and serves as worship leader for First Baptist Church in Choudrant.

For more information concerning either membership or booking a performance, visit the website southernachordchorus.org or the Facebook page Southern A’Chord Chorus, or contact Murphy at 501-318-8701.

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

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

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

Decoupling student behavior and the school accountability system. Student suspension rates will no longer be used to identify schools needing intervention.

Ensuring teachers have the right to have a student removed from the classroom immediately when their behavior prevents the orderly instruction of other students or poses a threat. A new discipline policy impacts the Teacher Bill of Rights and changes how school leaders must respond to persistent disruptions during class.

Streamlining and reducing dozens of non-academic trainings and lessons teachers had been required by the state to repeat annually. Most will shift to a “one-and-done” approach where teachers complete the training one time, while others will be folded into other resources or support opportunities.

Increasing professional autonomy for effective educators. Teachers who consistently demonstrate success will be provided more freedom with teaching practices and lesson planning.

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

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

The Louisiana Black Bear Hunting Lottery will open to state hunters beginning Aug. 29 and run through Sept. 25, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced.

The bear hunt, administered by LDWF, will be confined to Bear Management Area 4, which includes Tensas, Madison, East Carroll and West Carroll parishes and portions of Richland, Franklin and Catahoula parishes. The season will begin Dec. 7, 2024 and run through Dec. 22, 2024.

Lottery applications are available only on the LDWF website at https://louisianaoutdoors.com/lottery-applications. Those interested in applying should update or create their customer details similar to purchasing a license and then submit an application. Possession of a valid black bear hunting license is required prior to applying for the WMA and the general Black Bear Lotteries. A $50 non-refundable application fee will be charged to each applicant. All applicants will be notified of their results via email as well as at https://louisianaoutdoors.com/lottery-applications.

A total of 10 permits will be issued for the 2024 lottery. Bear harvest permits will consist of three types: Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Private Landowner, and General. For instructions to apply go to Black Bear Hunting Lottery | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Successful applicants will be required to attend an LDWF bear hunter training course on either Nov. 2 or Nov. 14 prior to hunting, with the department encouraging attendance on the Nov. 2 date if possible. Individuals not attending one of these courses may be disqualified and forfeit their bear hunting permit.

To purchase a Louisiana hunting license, go to https://louisianaoutdoors.com/.

All visitors to LDWF WMAs must have either a WMA Access Permit or a Senior Hunting/Fishing License, Louisiana Sportsman’s Paradise License or Lifetime Hunting/Fishing License. Go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/wmarefugeconservation-area-licenses-and-permits for more information.

For more information on the lottery application process, contact David Hayden at 318-487-5353 or dhayden@wlf.la.gov. For more information on the Louisiana black bear and this year’s hunt, contact John Hanks at 318-343-4044 or jhanks@wlf.la.gov.

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

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

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

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

(Liquidation of Coushatta equipment yard location only)

Directions to Auction Site ~ From Coushatta:

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

“Athletics provide one of the best preparations for the darkness a human life can throw at you.”

Southern writer Pat Conroy in “My Losing Season.”

I agree with Conroy: losing teaches you how to deal with pain. (Hurts me to say that.)

We’re not talking exclusively about losing on the scoreboard. That hurts, and those types of hurts, a peculiar kind of Southern hurt, begin again this weekend with football. Those are as real as real gets, and sometimes they hurt bad, and they hurt for a long time.

But we’re talking beyond that. We’re talking everyday losses.

Like … a hang nail, the finger’s silent assassin.                                                                      

Hot coffee spilled in the car on the inside of your thigh. Sweet.

Cutting your head on the corner of an open kitchen cabinet door. The dreaded kamikaze cabinet. 

Or the kingpin of them all: hitting your little toe on the steel leg of a bunk bed at church camp.

There’s always cussing at church camp because somebody always hits their toe.

But you learn, and limp on.

Tough break that we live and limp forward, but we learn backward.

There are all “kinds” of losing. Losing your keys. Losing a tooth. Losing your mind.

But you usually get another chance in those cases. Not always so in the competitive arena. Nothing hurts worse than losing The Big Game. You don’t get another chance, not at that one, not on that day.

Super Bowl Sunday’s a decent illustration. A big winner is celebrated and a big loser does what most all big losers do. They get really small and really forgotten really fast.

Ask pros who really care or competitive amateurs and they’ll tell you that the pain of losing is always greater, more motivating, than the thrill of winning. Winning teaches you how to uncork champagne and smile. Losing teaches you where to shore up your defenses, how to plan better, who you really are when things fall apart.

I’ve always found the more compelling stories are in the losing locker room, not the winning one. Losers are more real, emotion more acute.

In the academic world of leaky manifolds and underground sewerage systems and computer programming, I’m on the outside looking in. But when the subject is losing, well, that’s right in my wheelhouse. I have certificates, even official framed documents. Everything but a tattoo. 

You probably do too. You know about losing like a plow knows about dirt. Like a wing knows wind. We know about losing the way a bug knows about a windshield.

Some, like me, are slow learners. I’m coachable, just not very quick. But a bit of experience in losing will teach you that you can handle more than you thought, that the sun will come up if you can hang in there, and that whatever price you have to pay to win, it will be worth it to avoid the feeling of losing again. 

Fumbling won’t win you any trophies, but it can toughen you up. Good thing, because in everyday life, you face third-and-long a lot more often than third-and-short. Athletic disaster truly can help prepare you for losing someone close, for a pink slip, for foreclosure.

Regardless, you want to be in the arena, don’t you? Stay in the game. It’s small consolation and a wide chasm, but the next best thing to playing and winning is playing and losing. 

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

We’ve all heard the expression he or she has God given talent. There are singers like George Strait and Celine Dion, golfers like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicholas, along with baseball players like Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds. So, what does it really mean and what exactly is talent? 

I am a firm believer that each of us has some form of talent but not everyone has established what that talent might be. It may take years before we realize we do possess a skill that we may deem as talent. Some people can dance and some can sing, and even though you might not physically see the talent, doesn’t mean you don’t have a talent. 

For me personally, I figured out early in my life that God blessed me with athletic talent, especially in baseball. I was born with skills that not everyone possessed, and I took advantage of those skills. But it was through this talent that it gave me the confidence I needed to compete on a baseball diamond at a high level. It allowed me to play in high school, college and later in professional baseball. But it gave me something much greater than being good at a sport, it gave the confidence and the foundation I needed to be successful in life. 

But let’s look at a bass fisherman and someone who is considered the greatest bass angler of all time….Kevin Van Dam (KVD). Now this is talent and is a great example of God given talent as there are legendary stories of Kevin’s abilities as a bass fisherman. KVD was born with instincts very few anglers have. 

For years KVD made decisions that baffled other anglers including his own family. His brother Randy gave me an example of KVD’s talent as they often fished together growing up. He told the story of how Kevin, Randy and their dad were all fishing together one day and struggling to catch fish. Then after a lengthy time of no bites, out of the blue Kevin decided to pick up a jerkbait for no apparent reason and started whacking them. 

When asked why he thought that was what they needed to be doing, KVD said “it just felt right”. That’s instincts or God given talent that very few anglers have. It’s knowing when to change baits or change locations, it’s a feel for doing the right thing at the right time. This talent is what separates the great anglers from the average anglers.

Now some talent can be enhanced and developed, whether it’s in a particular sport or a concept like singing. An athlete for example, can be made stronger, faster or quicker with proper training, but there needs to be some resemblance of talent from the Lord almighty to work with. You can’t turn a sloth into a tiger or if you take the stripes off a Zebra, that doesn’t make it a thoroughbred. 

Once again, we all have some form of talent. It just might take a awhile before we realize or recognize what that talent might be. God has blessed each of us in different ways and wants you to take advantage of whatever that talent might be. Talent comes in many different forms and what someone may deem as unsubstantial, may truly be a gift from God. But with proper guidance or coaching, an individual can figure out the best way to utilize that talent. 

Till next time, good luck, good fishing and if you want to become a better outdoorsman, tune into the Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Show every Wednesday live from 11:00 till 1:00 on AM 1130 The Tiger, our Facebook page or catch us on our YouTube channel. 

Steve Graf

Angler’s Perspective

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

August 29 (9 – 2 p.m.)

Arcadia High School Blood Drive

September 1 – 7 

The Riley Jinks Memorial Rodeo, Ringgold

September 3 (9 – 1:30 p.m.)

Warriors Never Fight Alone Blood Drive 

Bienville Medical Center

September 7 (9 – 1 p.m.)

2nd Annual Artists and Authors Expo

September 12 (8 – 10 a.m.)

The Food Pantry of the First Baptist Church of Arcadia – Distribution Day

*Applications are required.

September 13 (10 – 1 p.m.)

17th Annual Community Health Fair hosted by the Bienville Parish Library

Arcadia Events Center

September 19 (6 – 8 p.m.)

2nd Annual Sippin Soiree

Historic Downtown Arcadia

$20 per glass with 100 glasses being sold

*Must be 21 to purchase

October 12 (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

Car Show with Prizes, Raffles, Cake Auction and Food Trucks benefiting CASA

1952 N. Railroad Ave, Arcadia, La.