Month: January 2026

Three parish Sheriff’s Offices join in family transport

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(Top left) Bienville Parish Deputy Kolby Shiers and Katie Alexander. (Top right) Webster Parish Deputies Anthony Miller and Allen Davis were next to assist Katie Alexander. (Bottom left) Bossier Parish Deputy Casey Bragg provided the final leg in the transport of Katie to the Shreveport hospital. (Bottom right) Hunter and Katie.

By Pat Culverhouse

When Hunter Alexander, a lineman for Entergy, was injured while working during the recent inclement weather, his wife (Katie) and her mother (Susan Williams) were desperate to get from their Bienville Parish residence to his side in a Shreveport hospital.

Roads in Bienville Parish were still treacherous, but the family was determined to make the trip. Bienville Parish Sheriff John Ballance heard of the family’s situation and immediately began making plans to help.

The following is a Facebook post by Mrs. Williams telling how three agencies combined to safely transport the family to the Shreveport hospital.

“When there is a need … God provides a way again .. and again!!!

“All day we have tried to figure out a way for Katie and I to get to Shreveport – so many conflicting reports of road conditions and closures –

“We had decided Eric was going to drive our F250 and Katie and I were going to go in Hunter’s Toyota truck – to say we were stressed and worried is not enough – before we left I stopped in my kitchen and just said “Lord provide a way , give us wisdom and I know you have a perfect plan.. please show me what it is” ..

“Before we got a mile down the road we got word that the Bienville Parish Sheriffs Office would pick Katie and I up and transport us to Webster Parish and hand us over to another deputy, then Webster would hand us over to a Bossier Parish officer who would deliver us straight to LSU!!  – what a peace immediately settled over our troubled hearts!

“Eric felt such a calm that he decided to not follow us so he could stay home and try to start working on all the disaster at our farm ( anybody that knows Eric knows he doesn’t trust his girls to many people) ..

“God is showing His mercy and love upon our family in a way that we can never deserve – to everyone reading this your prayers are what is making a difference in our lives! Please don’t stop praying! If you have never surrendered your heart to Jesus you can never imagine the “peace that surpasses all understanding “ ..

“God is good all the time and all the time God is good!! A huge thank you to Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office , Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Bossier Parish Sheriff – you have no idea the blessing you were to us today!!”

PUBLIC NOTICE: Republic Services Trash Collection Update for Bienville Parish District 1

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Due to service delays, Republic Services was unable to complete trash collection today in the following Arcadia areas north of I-20:

Hwy 151 (to the Lincoln-Claiborne Parish line)

Hidden Acres and Back Forty

Pinecrest and Deer Creek Rd.

Crews will return to service these locations tomorrow morning, Friday, January 30th. Residents are asked to leave their garbage carts curbside for morning pickup. Republic Services apologizes for the inconvenience.

Arrest Report

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The following arrests were made by local law enforcement officers.

NONE REPORTED

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.

BPSO search warrant leads to drugs, charges

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Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at 1516 Marsalis Drive Apt #17 in Arcadia on Wednesday, Jan. 21, shortly before midnight. This warrant resulted in the seizure of quantities of high grade and synthetic marijuana, methamphetamine, powder cocaine, three Xanax tablets, six doses of oxycodone, scales, and $1200 in currency.

Arrested at that residence were Johnny Ray Cockerham, Jr, 34, of Gibsland and Kendra D. Jenkins, 21, of Arcadia. Both have been charged with an assortment of felony drug charges with bonds of $301,000 each while Cockerham also has a hold for a probation/parole violation.

Bienville Parish’s Weekly Weather Forecast

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The final days of January bring a stretch of cool, mostly dry winter weather across north Louisiana, followed by a noticeable warm‑up and a return of light rain as February begins. No severe weather is expected, but temperatures will swing from chilly mornings to milder afternoons as several weak systems pass through the region.

Wednesday, Jan. 28

A seasonably cool day with highs near 53°F and lows around 38°F. Skies remain partly cloudy with only a minimal chance of light showers.

Thursday, Jan. 29

Temperatures rise slightly, reaching 56°F during the afternoon before dipping to 32°F overnight. Conditions stay dry with a mix of sun and clouds.

Friday, Jan. 30

A warmer day with highs near 60°F and lows around 39°F. Skies trend mostly sunny, and no measurable rainfall is expected.

Saturday, Jan. 31

Mild and pleasant. Highs reach 61°F, with nighttime lows near 35°F. Sunshine dominates, offering one of the brighter days of the period.

Sunday, Feb. 1

Temperatures climb further, topping out near 70°F before falling to 40°F overnight. Conditions remain dry and breezy.

Monday, Feb. 2

The warmest day of the period, with highs near 78°F and lows around 56°F. Clouds increase late in the day as moisture builds ahead of an approaching system.

Tuesday, Feb. 3

A cooler, unsettled day with highs near 57°F and lows around 40°F. Light rain is likely, though totals remain modest.

Forecast Summary

Bienville Parish moves through the end of January with a steady, almost rhythmic pattern of winter calm. The week begins on a cool, partly cloudy note, with temperatures hovering in the low to mid‑50s and only the faintest hint of passing showers. By Thursday and Friday, the atmosphere settles into a stable, dry pattern, allowing sunshine to take hold and daytime highs to climb gradually.

  • The weekend ushers in a noticeable shift. As warmer air pushes northward, temperatures rise into the 60s and then surge into the 70s by Sunday and Monday — a brief, springlike interlude that stands out sharply against the cooler mornings earlier in the week. This warm spell is accompanied by increasing breezes and a slow thickening of cloud cover, signaling that the quiet pattern is about to change.
  • By Tuesday, the next system arrives, bringing light rain and a return to cooler air. While rainfall totals remain modest, the shift marks the end of the warm surge and the beginning of a more unsettled early‑February pattern.
  • Overall, the period delivers a calm, cool start; a surprisingly warm and breezy midpoint; and a gentle, rain‑cooled finish — a week that showcases the full range of late‑winter variability in north Louisiana.

Residents are encouraged to monitor updated forecasts from the National Weather Service and local meteorologists.

Delta Utilities suspends scheduled disconnections due to winter weather

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Delta Utilities is suspending all scheduled natural gas service disconnections effective immediately due to forecasted winter weather conditions across our operating footprint. Disconnections will remain suspended throughout the duration of the severe weather advisory.   
 
Safety is our top priority, and this suspension of our scheduled disconnections ensures that all customers will maintain access to essential heating services during this period of extreme cold.   
 
During the suspension period:  
  • No customers will be disconnected for non-payment. 
  • Emergency service and safety-related work will continue as scheduled. 
  • Delta Utilities will continue to accept payments.    
Delta Utilities offers resources to help customers manage their bills:  
Customers can contact Delta Utilities for more information about payment options and assistance programs. Customer service representatives are available Monday – Friday, from 7am until 7pm. The emergency line remains available 24/7. If customers experience a potential gas leak or other emergency, call Delta Utilities and 911 from a safe location. 
 
WINTER WEATHER PREPARATIONS 
 
Customers are encouraged to: 
  • Make sure outdoor vent openings and air intakes remain clear and unobstructed 
  • Use a soft brush or broom to gently remove snow or ice from your gas meter  
    • If snow or ice cannot be safely removed, please contact Delta Utilities for assistance 
  • Ensure the heating system is working properly; malfunctioning equipment can cause fires or carbon monoxide exposure 
  • Check that carbon monoxide and smoke alarms are working properly 
  • Inspect and maintain the customer‑owned piping connecting the natural gas meter to the home or business 
Customers should vvoid: 
  • Using natural gas appliances such as stoves, ovens, ranges, or dryers to heat the home 
  • Operating generators indoors or in enclosed areas; generators should be used outdoors and at least 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents 
  • Piling snow, ice, or debris on or near natural gas meters or appliance vents 
  • Removing ice or snow using sharp objects, chemicals, salt, hot water, or force  
Delta Utilities encourages customers to stay prepared by creating an emergency supply kit, continuing to monitor local weather conditions, and staying informed throughout the winter weather event. For safety information and the latest updates, visit: deltautilities.com/sela/corporate/storm-information 
  • Delta New Orleans / Baton Rouge: 1-833-DELTA-99 (1-833-335-8299) 
  • North Louisiana: 1-866-275-5252 
  • South Louisiana: 1-800-477-0177 
  • Mississippi: 1-800-371-5417 

Ponderings: Not Your Mother’s Oven

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Do you have a drawer under your oven? And more importantly—what’s living in there? Cookie sheets? Muffin tins? A colony of plastic lids that haven’t had matching bowls since the Bush administration?

And the bigger question: Are you even using that drawer correctly?

My mother used that drawer for cookie sheets, and therefore—by the sacred laws of Southern motherhood—I was required to do the same. You don’t question Mama’s kitchen theology. You just obey and hope she doesn’t notice you put the cast-iron skillet in the dishwasher.

But who gets to tell you what’s right? Who shapes your choices? And when does “that’s how Mama did it” turn into “that’s how I got myself into trouble”?

Before we go any further, let me ask something bold: Do you know the truth about oven drawers?

Let me tell you a story.

There’s an old African tale about a man and his beloved lamb. He fed it by hand, played with it, probably let it sleep on the porch. Hard times came, and he had to take the lamb to market.

Three thieves heard about this and cooked up a plan.

As the man walked down the road with the lamb over his shoulders, the first thief said, “Why are you carrying that dog?”

The man laughed. “It’s a lamb.”

A little farther along, the second thief said, “Fine-looking dog you’ve got there.”

The man frowned. “It’s… a lamb. Pretty sure.”

Near the market, the third thief shook his head. “Sir, they won’t let you bring a dog in there.”

That did it. The man set the lamb down, stared at it, and thought, “Well, if three different people say it’s a dog, it must be a dog.” And he walked away.

If he’d turned around, he would’ve seen the thieves scooping up his very-much-not-a-dog lamb and heading home for supper.

Now, back to the oven drawer.

For years, I never questioned its purpose. Mama said it was for cookie sheets, so it was for cookie sheets. End of discussion. But like the man with the lamb, I realized I’d let other voices define reality for me.

Then I learned the shocking truth: Some oven drawers are storage drawers… and some are warming drawers.

If your oven is older than your church’s carpet, it’s probably storage. But newer ovens? That drawer might be designed to keep food warm.

Which means:  Trying to warm your biscuits in a storage drawer is just wishful thinking.  Storing your plastic lids in a warming drawer is how you end up explaining yourself to the fire department.

It is not your mother’s oven.

And that’s the point.

In a world where everyone has an opinion—loudly—and where people will swear up and down that the lamb you’re carrying is a dog, you need a center that doesn’t wobble. You need truth that isn’t based on trends, polls, or whoever shouts the loudest.

You need someone who won’t call darkness “light” just because it’s fashionable.

You need the One who doesn’t change.

You need the One who won’t mislead you for His own gain.

You need the One who tells you the truth—even when three thieves insist otherwise.

And that place, that Person, is where I always end up: Jesus.

United Way of Northwest Louisiana launches “What Would Dolly Do Krewe”

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In celebration of Dolly Parton’s 80th birthday, United Way of Northwest Louisiana is proud to announce the launch of the What Would Dolly Do (WWDD) Krewe, a new membership-based community initiative inspired by the heart, generosity, and lasting community impact behind Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
 
The W WDD Krewe is designed to celebrate and unite champions who believe in literacy, leadership, and showing up for kids in meaningful ways. Through the annual membership, service, advocacy, and community engagement, the Krewe will help raise awareness and generate sustainable funding for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides free, high-quality books to children every month from birth through age five.
 
“This is more than a fun initiative. It is a membership-based movement built to create long-term impact,” said LaToria Willis Thomas, President and CEO of United Way of Northwest Louisiana. “As Dolly herself has shown us, when you lead with heart and consistency, you can change lives. The What Would Dolly Do Krewe gives our community a joyful and intentional way to invest in early childhood literacy while helping ensure this program remains strong for generations to come.”
 
UWNWLA is launching the WWDD Krewe as part of its commitment to deepen community engagement around Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library while creating new, lasting funding opportunities to support and expand the program across Northwest Louisiana.
 
The concept for the WWDD Krewe was inspired by the Krewe of Dolly (New Orleans, LA) and the Mystic Dollies (Mobile, AL), whose creative and visible support for literacy demonstrated how celebration, service, and philanthropy can come together to drive meaningful change. United Way is proud to bring this spirit of fun and purpose to Northwest Louisiana.
 
Members of the WWDD Krewe will have the opportunity to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through:
 
·       Community outreach and advocacy efforts that raise awareness for early childhood literacy
·       Volunteer reading events that help spark a love of books in young children
·       Fundraising initiatives throughout the year to expand access to free books for local children
 
Through creative engagement and visible community presence—including participation in local events and celebrations—the Krewe will help amplify the impact of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library while inspiring others to get involved.
 
Community members interested in joining the What Would Dolly Do Krewe are encouraged to complete an interest form and learn more by visiting https://unitedwaynwla.org/education/.
 
For more information, contact wwdd@unitedwaynwla.org.

Gibsland-Coleman Bulldogs basketball updates for elementary, high school teams, MVP

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Demarquis Durham received MVP honors at the Michael Lyons Classic. (Photo courtesy of GCHS)
The elementary Bulldog boys played an amazing game and won 28-12 over the Homer Pelicans. The girls fought hard but came up short, 8-1, Regardless, the girls showed great effort and teamwork.
 
For the high school Bulldog boys, their opposition in the 2026 Michael Lyons Classic was Union High School. The GCHS boys showed heart and hustle and defeated UHS with a strong 59-52 victory in Game 5 of the tournament. 
 
A special shoutout goes to Demarquis Durham, who earned MVP honors after an outstanding performance that led the Bulldogs to victory. Way to represent Gibsland-Coleman with pride and excellence.
 
Good job to all the teams who showed their Bulldog pride ands spirit. 

Louisiana 4-H announces affiliate status for Invention Convention Worldwide

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Calling all inventors, makers, tinkerers and problem solvers:  Louisiana 4-H has announced that it is the state affiliate of Invention Convention Worldwide, a program designed by the Henry Ford.
 
The inaugural Louisiana Invention Convention event will be held on Friday, Feb. 27, at LSU. This opportunity is available for youth in K-12th grades (K-3rd grades will be non-competitive). All inventors must pre-register by Feb. 11.
 

The father I never met

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Once again I’m going off the rails and taking a break from talking fishing. Those of you that have read my articles from the very beginning know about my history as a kid. Growing up on the streets of Rosenburg, Texas, and Houston, made me a little tougher than most kids my age. I knew first-hand by the age of 8 what it was like to be footloose and fancy free running the streets ‘til all hours of the night, with zero guidance. 

While my biological mother was more concerned with her modeling career and surviving the beatings she took at the hands of my stepdad, I was just trying to survive. I was the one sneaking into houses looking for a quick meal. 

The one thing I always wondered — where was my real dad during all of this and why did I never get to meet him? Why was he never involved in my life?

Was this his choice to avoid contact with me or was there some kind of a mutual agreement between my mother and him that he was to never reach out to me for any reason?

These are questions that I’ll never get the answers to until the day I’m reunited with my dad and the loved ones who have crossed over to the other side. But as a father myself, I cannot imagine having a child in this world and not knowing who or where they were. 

I’ve always heard that my athletic abilities came from my dad. I’ve heard stories from my older brother, Mike (we share the same mom and dad), on the kind of dad he was to him and how he supported him and his athletic career. 

But the same questions continue to go through my head today, even at the age of 64. How was it that we never met? Why didn’t he reach out to me? 

Every kid wants that relationship with their dad. A dad plays an important role in the development of a young boy growing into a man. He also provides a sense of security to all his children that no matter what, dad always has their back.  

He provides advice and guidance for life’s troubled journey and teaches how to navigate those trials and tribulations. He’s the man who jerks a knot in your tail when you need correcting or get out of line. He’s the rock you look up to and hope to make proud one day. He’s the man you only hope you can be one day. 

But for me, that connection was never made. The years went by with zero contact from the man that I only heard about from relatives. From what I’ve been able to learn over the years, he had a good side and a bad side. 

I’ve been told that he enjoyed his Friday and Saturday nights at local taverns, but he also had wandering eyes for the ladies and traded one for another frequently. Guess this is why he and my mother divorced while she was pregnant with me. All total, he was married seven times (the legal limit in Texas) and once to the same lady, twice. 

So, maybe those that knew him thought it was in my best interest NOT to have a relationship with him; that nothing good would come out of us having that father-son bond that a boy wants with his dad. 

But looking back, he missed out on so much of my life’s great experiences. Things that a dad is supposed to be there for like a high school state championship, graduation, signing an athletic scholarship, getting married, being drafted by a Major League Baseball team and so much more! He missed out on so many of my life’s ups and downs — and three great grandkids. 

Growing up, I had the best childhood a young boy could ever ask for while being raised by my aunt and uncle in an awesome small town in East Texas. My uncle, who I called Dad after being adopted, was a great provider and taught me about responsibility and hard work while growing up on a ranch. He assumed the role of a loving father as best he could, but it’s just not the same.

There’s something about having a relationship with the man you share the same DNA with as it completes the internal connection — the connection that only a father can have with his children. 

So, I know the day will come when I’ll get all my questions answered. I’ll finally get to meet the father I never met.  But in the meantime, I’ll do my best to be the best father I can be to all three of my children.  

When Healthcare Feels Like a Luxury

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Here’s my latest Q & A

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About Ida

Beginnings are tricky, but here we are—fresh page, blinking cursor, and a head full of questions. I’m Ida B. Torn, a lifelong Southerner from Kenner, Louisiana, who’s spent years working in newsrooms, design studios, and public service. I’ve seen my share of life’s chaos and comedy—and learned that sometimes, folks just need straight answers and a little laughter along the way.

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