By: Jason Pugh, Associate Athletic Director for External Relations
NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State athletic department and Rhodes Properties and Development have partnered to create a unique opportunity for fans and supporters of Demon athletics.
The two entities have combined to present the 2026 Rhodes Properties and Development Demon Dream Home giveaway – a raffle that will see the winner collect a brand-new Rhodes-built home in the Hidden Oak subdivision in Natchitoches, located along Louisiana Highway 3191.
Raffle tickets will be sold for $100 each beginning May 4 and can be purchased through Northwestern athletes or online through www.NSUDemons.com. The live drawing will take place Nov. 6 at Riverside Reserve in Natchitoches with additional prizes awarded at the event.
Proceeds from the raffle will go toward the Northwestern athletic department in support of its student-athletes.
“Working hand-in-hand with Rhodes Properties and Development to bring the Demon Dream Home to life was an easy decision,” Director of Athletics Kevin Bostian said. “Their support of Northwestern State athletics never has been in question, but it has reached another level with this partnership. We are far beyond grateful for Rhodes Properties and Development for their input and expertise in this process.”
The home, valued at $265,000, is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,450-square foot heated building in one of Natchitoches’ newest subdivisions that Rhodes Properties and Development and Rhodes Realty began developing in early 2026. Hidden Oak subdivision is located near Sibley Lake, west of Louisiana Highway 1 in Natchitoches.
“We at Rhodes Properties and Development, alongside Rhodes Realty, understand the importance of the Northwestern State athletic program to the Natchitoches community,” Rhodes Properties and Development owners and operators James and Justin Rhodes said. “We believe in the vision of Northwestern State athletics and where it is going. We presented this opportunity to Kevin as our way to support nearly 400 student-athletes as well as the coaches and staff members with whom we have developed relationships. The vendors who will help us bring this home to life share that same vision. Being involved in all facets of this project allows us to continue to demonstrate our commitment to Northwestern State and Natchitoches.”
“When a mother realizes her child is watching history unfold in real time—and feeling afraid—she faces a question no parent is ever quite prepared to answer: how do you explain a frightening world without making it feel even more dangerous?”
A rusted and overgrown pump jack sits abandoned, a scene playing out thousands of times across the state as orphaned oil and gas wells outpace the ability to plug them.
State faces record 6,465 orphaned wells, a cleanup bill that could top $1 billion, and a broken oversight system
Louisiana’s oil patch is leaving behind a growing legacy of abandoned wells that leak, contaminate groundwater and cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars — and on a per capita basis, the state’s problem is more than four times worse than Texas, which has drawn national attention for the same issue.
As of March 2025, Louisiana has 6,465 orphaned oil and gas wells — unplugged, abandoned sites with no responsible operator — according to the state Department of Conservation and Energy. Texas has approximately 10,029 orphaned wells, according to its Railroad Commission. But Texas has nearly seven times Louisiana’s population. Louisiana has roughly one orphaned well for every 711 residents. Texas has one for every 3,130. Louisiana’s per capita burden is more than four times heavier.
The Numbers Are Accelerating
Between 2014 and 2023, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor found that an average of about 445 wells were added to the orphaned list each year. In 2025, more than 1,600 wells were added — more than three times the historical annual average. In just the first months of 2026, another 517 wells have already been added.
Behind those orphaned wells sits an even larger problem: inactive wells not yet orphaned but at risk. The Legislative Auditor found the inactive well count climbed 21.7 percent from 2019 to 2024, reaching 21,629 statewide.
What It Will Cost — and Why the Numbers Differ
The cleanup bill has been reported in different ways, and understanding why requires a distinction between two categories of problem wells.
The first is the orphaned well count itself — the 6,500 wells with no responsible operator. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor places the average plugging cost at $113,000 per well. Multiplied across the current orphaned well list, that produces the widely cited $730 million figure.
But that number covers only orphaned wells. A July 2025 white paper from the LSU Center for Energy Studies, commissioned by the state, calculated that plugging and abandoning both orphaned and idle wells in just the Monroe and Shreveport regulatory districts — two of Louisiana’s three oil and gas districts — would cost approximately $860 million. The Lafayette district, which holds roughly 41 percent of the state’s total orphaned and idle well inventory, was not included in that estimate. When all three districts and all idle wells are accounted for, the total cost to Louisiana taxpayers could well exceed $1 billion.
Since 2023, the state has plugged just 490 orphaned wells at a combined cost of nearly $90 million in state and federal funds — far behind the pace needed to make meaningful progress.
The Oversight System Failed
Louisiana’s attempt to manage the problem through a private industry-led entity collapsed. The Louisiana Oilfield Restoration Association, created in 2019 to collect operator fees and fund plugging activity, was dissolved after a state audit found it falling far behind — and after allegations of self-dealing that included a $780,000 loan to a state official. An audit also found the association’s administrative partner was charging a 36 percent fee on revenues, nearly double the agreed cap. During fiscal years 2020 through 2023, the state plugged 976 orphaned wells through the program. During that same period, nearly 1,700 new orphaned wells were reported — meaning the system was losing ground even while operating.
The Louisiana Legislature responded in 2024 by creating the Natural Resources Trust Authority under the Department of Conservation and Energy, tasked with rebuilding oversight and funding. Financial security requirements — the bonds operators must post to cover future plugging costs — remain a structural weakness. Though coverage rose from 25 percent of wells in 2014 to 74 percent by 2024, the Legislative Auditor found the amounts collected still fall well short of actual plugging costs.
The Bottom Line
Louisiana is producing new orphaned wells faster than it can plug old ones, carrying a per capita orphaned well burden more than four times that of Texas, and facing a total cleanup bill that state and university researchers suggest could exceed $1 billion when all idle and orphaned wells statewide are fully accounted for. The consequences — contaminated groundwater, leaking methane, degraded land — fall most heavily on the rural communities where these wells are concentrated.
Sources: Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy; Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office; LSU Center for Energy Studies, “Orphan and Idle Wells in Louisiana,” July 2025; Texas Railroad Commission; Louisiana Illuminator.
This is story from a book entitled “Moments for Mothers.” The Rogers family was a strong Christian unit. Mr. Rogers took seriously his role as spiritual leader. Often at supper the family would have a Bible quiz or discuss some spiritual truth. One evening the family was discussing what heaven will be like. 7-year-old Jimmy grabbed this subject and ran with it; he had a very creative imagination.
Jimmy said, “When we get to heaven, the big angel will call the roll. He will come to the Rogers family and say, ‘Daddy Rogers’ and Daddy will say ‘Here! ‘. Then the angel will call out, ‘Mommy Rogers,’ and Mommy will say, ‘Here! ” Then the same thing will happen for Susie and Mavis. Then the angel will call my name, “Jimmy Rogers,” and because I’m little and don’t want to be missed, I will jump up and shout real loud, ‘Here!’”
Just a few days later, there was a tragic accident. A car struck down Jimmy as he made his way to the school bus. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The family gathered round his bed and kept a prayerful vigil through the night. The doctors told them that he had suffered severe brain damage and could not recover.
Just before dawn, Jimmy seemed to be stirring a bit. The family saw his lips move; just one word was all he uttered before he passed from this life. But oh what comfort and hope that word gave for this grieving family. In a voice clear enough for everybody in the room to hear, Jimmy said, “Here!!” and then he was gone, to another world, to a better world, where a big angel was calling the roll.
We Christians believe this is true. It is why we can live with hope in the midst of such a crazy world. We know that we are all pilgrims, simply passing through this life. Our home is in heaven.
Easter people believe that one day we will all answer, “Here!”
Rachel Wiggins Bays has officially announced her candidacy for District Judge in the Second Judicial District, comprised of Claiborne, Jackson and Bienville Parishes. Bays is seeking the Division “A” seat currently held by Judge Walter May.
Originally from Shreveport, Rachel moved to Homer in 2017 following her marriage to Claiborne Parish native, Daniel Bays. For more than a decade, Rachel has practiced law in Minden at the law office of John D. and Eric G. Johnson, where she has built a reputation as a dedicated, hardworking and trustworthy attorney.
Rachel believes that decisions made from the bench truly matter, as they have a profound impact on families, businesses, children, law enforcement officers, and both defendants and victims seeking justice. “I have had the opportunity to practice before District Judges all over North Louisiana daily for the past eleven years,” Bays said. “I plan to take the wealth of knowledge I gained from all of those Judges with me to the bench.”
In addition to her career, Rachel is proud to be heavily involved in both her profession and her community. Rachel, Daniel and their daughters, Blair and Bishop are members of First Presbyterian Church in Homer. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Herbert S. Ford Museum and the Homer Country Club. She has also served as a Hearing Committee Member for the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board and volunteered as an arbitrator for the Bossier City Court’s Small Claims Division.
If elected, Bays said she will bring practical experience, professionalism and a strong commitment to serving the people of the Second Judicial District.
On Monday, April 13, just a few days away, the public will be able to see first-hand Winnfield’s newest, tallest building complex, the new Winn Community Health Center at 407 W. Court Street. The public is invited to the Grand Opening of the health center beginning at 11 a.m., announced CEO Deano Thornton.
Construction of the impressive three-story, 52,000 square foot structure has seen it rise over the past two years to occupy a footprint between W. Lafayette and W. Court streets. The building will house the expanded array of services of Winn Community Health Center as well as the seven-parish organizational support of Trinity Community Health Centers of Louisiana.
“Who would have thought that it would come to this when we first started talking about this kind of medical care for our community in 2005?” he said. “We were funded in 2009, opened our doors July 1 that same year, outgrew that office and moved to our current location in 2011 and are now poised to move into this wonderful structure.”
Over those years, WCHC also expanded beyond its Winn Parish borders to seven parishes with 11 clinics and 60 school-based centers under the inclusive name of Trinity Community Health Centers of Louisiana.
“So how have we come so far? I’ve always said that when you surround yourself with good people, good things happen,” Thornton continued. “Our organization is made up of people who care about the well being of the folks in their community and it shows. We’re in the business of taking care of people. This is an amazing, state of the art facility which we’ve been proud to add to the heart of Winnfield.”
The Grand Opening for the general public is Monday, April 13, with activities beginning at 11 a.m. Thornton said there will be a tent, music with a DJ, refreshments including Dana’s Pulled Pork Sandwiches and giveaways. The following morning, Tuesday, April 14, medical services at the new center will commence.
Photos below give an early view of what awaits the public during Monday’s Open House:
“It breaks my heart to think about children growing up with so much uncertainty because one parent isn’t paying what they should. When the support doesn’t come, it’s the kids and the custodial parent who carry the burden every single day — and no family should have to live that way.”
Colby Bowman, a lifelong Jackson Parish resident and experienced attorney, announces his candidacy for District Attorney of the 2nd Judicial District. Bowman vows to restore integrity, enforce accountability, and put public safety first while maintaining an open-door policy long forgotten within the prosecutor’s office.
Bowman has served as an attorney for ten years since earning his Juris Doctorate from Southern University in Baton Rouge. He is the only candidate in the race actively practicing in all three parishes and with experience covering the full scope of the responsibilities of the District Attorney.
This unparalleled experience is matched by Bowman’s strong work ethic. He said, “Our community needs fresh leadership that is tirelessly committed to public safety. Families in our community deserve safe streets, and our law enforcement officers deserve a true collaborative partner in the District Attorney’s seat. Our system doesn’t work if our agencies don’t work together.”
He continued, “Justice is not being served in our neighborhoods under the status quo. Trials are being lost, dangerous narcotics are infiltrating our neighborhoods and criminals are walking free – just to leave our children in harm’s way. I pledge a new era of leadership and accountability that will keep our streets safer and prevent violent crime.“ As your District Attorney, I will relentlessly pursue solutions to the troubling waves of crime being committed by young adults and even minors. I have zero tolerance for violence between and against our children. I will force unconcerned parents to answer for their children’s truancy from school. This will narrow the gateway that leads to crime at earlier ages, keeping more young people on the pathway to success,” Bowman said.
Bowman’s extensive experience, knowledge, and relationships within the narcotics enforcement community make him uniquely qualified to serve as District Attorney. “I’m not just an attorney. I’ve lost clients and friends far too early, seeing first-hand the worst of the cancer spread by drugs, violence, and abuse in our communities. We cannot be complacent with burying our children.”
Beyond his legal career, Bowman serves as a volunteer firefighter with two departments, serving as the vice chairman of his local fire board. He routinely volunteers legal services to various boards and public entities. For five years he has taught Louisiana Tech University students, instilling practical skills and ethical leadership. Additionally, Bowman is a member of Masonic Lodge # 280 of Jonesboro.
Bowman and his wife, Lauren Dark Bowman, a registered nurse, are raising two daughters – Connor Wren (1) and Ava (15) and enjoy spending time outdoors and engaging in community life.
Colby Bowman invites all residents committed to justice, accountability, and public safety to support his campaign to revitalize the DA’s office and ensure a stronger, safer 2nd Judicial District.
Residents in and around the area have felt more than a few unsettling tremors lately, and the recent spike in earthquakes is drawing increasing attention from both the public and government agencies.
Those concerns were the focus of a community meeting held Friday night, where about 50 people gathered to hear from Dr. Cynthia Ebinger, a Tulane University professor and earthquake expert, about the recent seismic activity affecting the area. Ebinger was the featured speaker for the meeting, which centered on her knowledge, research, and professional insight into what may be causing the earthquakes near Coushatta and what residents should know moving forward.
According to information shared during the meeting, the U.S. Geological Survey has recorded 10 earthquakes in the past 30 days in the area. A survey connected to the recent activity reportedly had about 1,575 people complete it, showing how many residents have been paying attention to the shaking and looking for answers.
Ebinger says one possible factor may be underground wastewater and saltwater injection. During the meeting, she explained that disposing of large amounts of water deep underground can increase pressure below the surface. Over time, that pressure can affect older rock formations and weak points underground, causing them to shift and sometimes trigger earthquakes.
She said small tremors are not unusual, but what stands out now is that both the number of earthquakes and their magnitude are drastically increasing. “That change is one of the biggest concerns in the Coushatta area right now,” stressed Ebinger.
Part of the challenge in tracking the full scope of the activity is that seismic stations across Louisiana are spread so far apart that they do not always pick up the smaller earthquakes. Ebinger said that in October, more instruments were placed around the area to help gather better data and improve monitoring closer to where the shaking is happening.
The increased seismic activity has now drawn the attention of both state and federal officials. A 4.9 magnitude earthquake in the area prompted greater involvement from the U.S. Geological Survey, which is now working to better understand what is happening underground. Ebinger said she was surprised that a 4.9 earthquake happened in North Louisiana. She noted that a 4.9 is considered a moderate earthquake and said she believes it is probably the strongest earthquake the area will feel.
Officials also noted that any earthquake over 4.5 magnitude receives help or investigation from the federal government, which explains the increased federal response following the larger quake near Coushatta. In addition, a task force is now being created as officials continue responding to the recent activity and studying what steps may be needed moving forward.
To gather more information, new seismic equipment has been installed in the area to track earthquake activity in real time. The added monitoring is expected to help scientists map the faults involved, study the sequence of events, and answer questions many residents have raised, including whether groundwater could be affected, how many faults may be involved, and whether stronger earthquakes are possible in the future.
Ebinger also encouraged that the river levees be inspected, noting concern about the direction of the earthquake waves moving from Coushatta toward the Pleasant Hill and Pelican area.
Another concern raised during the meeting involved the many pipelines that run through the region. In response to a question from a concerned citizen, Shane Hubbard, director of Red River Parish Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said that after a moderate earthquake, pipelines are inspected immediately before production continues.
Hubbard also added that additional earthquake information and preparedness resources can be found on the redriverready.com website.
With concern continuing to grow, local residents are paying close attention as experts and officials work to learn more about the unusual wave of seismic activity beneath North Louisiana.
The mayor of Arcadia has been arrested following an investigation led by the state Attorney General’s office.
Arcadia Mayor O’Landis “Bubba” Millican was booked into the Bienville Parish jail Thursday morning on four counts of malfeasance in office and one count of felony theft.
Millican is in his second term as Arcadia mayor.
The Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) opened a criminal investigation in response to allegations of official misconduct involving the Mayor of Arcadia, O’Landis Millican, of College Street in Arcadia, Bienville Parish. Agents received reports that Millican had misappropriated public funds for personal benefit.
During this investigation, LBI agents discovered multiple instances in which Millican had misused town funds, totaling more than $30,000, for personal benefit. For example, on separate occasions in 2025, Millican used more than $21,000 in public funds to pay for repairs to his personal vehicle. Millican issued multiple checks from the town’s accounts to cover the costs.
In another example, agents learned that Millican held private events, in 2024 and 2025, at his residence in Arcadia and rented equipment from a business in Ruston. Millican used more than $7,800 in town funds to pay for that equipment, which included large event tents, lights, generators, and cooling fans for those events.
As a result of evidence obtained during this investigation, LBI agents secured an arrest warrant for Millican through the 2nd Judicial District Court
In a statement, Chris Bowman, Millican’s attorney, said the mayor is confident in the judicial system and expects to be fully vindicated at trial.
“We will defend these charges vigorously and look forward to all facts being presented in this case,” Bowman said.
In a prepared statement, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said, “No matter who you are, if you break your oath of office, you’re going to jail.”
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.
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.
Residents have watched as Winn Community Health Center has grown from its 2,000 square foot building with a small client base in July 2009 to a multi-parish, nine-site health service with over 500 employees and last year surpassed its 1 million patient mark.
In the same way they’ve watched as ground was broken in spring 2024 on their Winnfield location between the 5-lane and East Lafayette St. and their spacious three-story building has slowly risen. It’s an impressive structure that will house the multiplicity of services that will be handed there once opened as well as the management needs of all locations under the umbrella of Trinity Community Health Centers of Louisiana.
CEO Deano Thornton appeared before the Rotary Club of Winnfield and explained he cannot say for sure when the opening date will be, since finishing stages of any project always take longer than hoped. “But this will be a proud part of this community for years to come.” Looking at an edifice of this size and cost, he added that “people don’t know what WCHC has sacrificed through the years to get us to this point.”
Trinity opened clinics first in Winnfield then Colfax, Ringgold, Pollock, Ruston, Alexandria, Marksville, Dry Prong and Bossier, with others planned soon. Their goal from the outset has been to provide quality professional healthcare to patients regardless their ability to pay. This is vital in a low income area like north-central Louisiana, Thornton said, as some 63% of their 152,000 patients last year were Medicaid, while 11% were Medicare and 3% uninsured.
The speaker walked through a floor-by-floor slideshow of photographs and diagrams, showing what will greet patients as they enter the front door. The lobby and the building as a whole will have “a very open feel to it.” The health center is not simply primary care but many different specialty services as well, some of those varying from center to center throughout the Trinity organization.
The first floor will house general medical practices with 22 exam rooms, pediatrics, pharmacy, specialists, behavioral health, chiropractic, a spacious nurses’ station, radiology, labs, a warehouse and lots of office space. It includes two elevators and an escalator to the second floor. As big as the building appears from the outside, “it looks twice that size on the inside.”
Thornton explained that patients will be served through the same waiting area whether they arrive for an annual checkup, for behavioral services or other medical needs, thus eliminating worries of stigma issues. For the children, a glass wall will separate the “sick” from the “well” patients, giving parents peace of mind. Interactive boards are also installed to occupy the youngsters as they wait.
From the second floor, visitors will be able to look down from the common waiting area into the lobby. That floor will include physical therapy as well as the dental and oral hygiene departments.
The third floor will house support and administration for the entire Trinity organization. Included will be offices for finance, IT, billing, records, company officials, board room, kitchen (there are more than 130 people in the building) plus an employee break room, as on each floor. Thornton stressed that this does involve a number of people “but I’m old-school and want to hire local people who our clients can actually talk to rather than farm it out to businesses in other parts of the country. It helps our people and helps our economy.”
There will also be a banquet room on the top floor large enough to seat 100 people banquet-style that can be used for Trinity functions and when the organization wants to host a community event. He’s proud of the wood-look to many areas of the interior and exterior of the three-story. “I wanted it to look like it belongs to the community where timber products are so important.” He noted that TBA Studio is the architectural firm that made this happen, with Winn native Lisa Peddy Frontaura taking the lead role.
He also called attention to the center’s in-house 340D pharmacy serviced by pharmacists Steve Burnam and Chip Little. The advantage to patients receiving prescriptions from Community Health Center providers is that costs will be based on household income. He gave an example of a lady who had been paying $225 for one prescription who received the same for only $8 through the center’s pharmacy.
Be sure to watch the Journal for future details on the Grand Opening.
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.
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.
(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 “ ..
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.
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.
Hall Summit is preparing for a big day of action, community spirit, and charitable giving as the Hall Summit Community Center & Park hosts a full slate of events on Saturday, February 28, 2026, all benefiting Pilots for Patients.
The all-day event will bring together motorcycle riders, barbecue teams, outdoor sportsmen, vendors, and families for a cause that provides critical air transportation for patients in medical need.
One of the highlights of the day will be the Don Bernard Memorial Poker Run, which will begin at 3 State Harley-Davidson in Bossier City before riders make their way to Hall Summit. Motorcycles, cars, Jeeps, and clubs are all welcome to participate, honoring Bernard’s legacy while supporting the life-saving mission of Pilots for Patients.
Also on the schedule is a BBQ Cook-Off, featuring a non-traditional two-meat competition with half chicken and ribs. Teams will compete for bragging rights and prizes, with an entry fee of $150. Smoke will be in the air as pits fire up for what organizers expect to be a competitive and crowd-pleasing cook-off.
Outdoor excitement continues with a Wild Hog Live Catch Tournament, offering 40 award buckles and action throughout the day. The tournament is expected to draw participants from across the region.
In addition to the main events, attendees can enjoy a silent auction, raffles, vendors, concessions, and a variety of family-friendly activities, making the day accessible for all ages.
The event will take place at Hall Summit Community Center & Park, located at 1170 First Street in Hall Summit.
All proceeds from the day will go directly to Pilots for Patients, a nonprofit organization that coordinates free air transportation for patients facing serious medical challenges.
Organizers say the event is about more than competition and entertainment — it’s about honoring a legacy, supporting a life-saving cause, and showcasing the strength of a small community coming together for something bigger.
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.
