Clerk of Court Eddie Holmes finalized the installation of a secure transmission line for elections in the Ringgold Courthouse Annex this week.  Previously, all election results were required to be transmitted from the main office in Arcadia.

“Part of the State’s commitment to secure elections was the installation of dedicated transmission equipment,” Holmes says, “They installed one line at no cost to the parish, which had to be at our main office. Any additional site had to be paid for out of pocket. We are finally able to fund and complete that process.”

With the new site in Ringgold, the clerk hopes to speed up the results reading and transmission process.

“It should help us get done much faster now. Before a courier would be sent to Ringgold and wait on all of the southern precincts to finish close out, collect the bags and drive them to us in Arcadia. Then we could begin the results process,” said Holmes. “Now we can do the whole process on location in Ringgold.”

The gubernatorial race will be the first use of the system. “I’ll probably be in Ringgold myself since it’s the first one. I want to make sure it works.” Holmes laughed, “If all else fails, I can still drive them back to Arcadia. but we know everyone wants the results as soon as possible and we’re trying to make that happen.”

You can early vote at the Registrar of Voter’s Office in Arcadia Courthouse beginning Saturday, September 30^th  through October 7^th excluding Sunday. Election day is October 14^th. Polls open at 7 AM and close at 8 PM.

Funeral services for Paulette E. Dick, 74, of Coushatta, LA will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, September 30, 2023 in Rockett Funeral Home Chapel, Ringgold, LA.  Officiating will be Bro. Loyce Plunkett.  Burial will follow in Thomas Wren Cemetery in Martin, LA.  Visitation will be at Rockett Funeral Home, Ringgold, LA from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M., Friday, September 29, 2023.

Paulette was born October 29, 1948 in Shreveport, LA and passed away September 27, 2023 in Shreveport, LA.  She loved her family and The Lord.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Aleene Elliott; daughter, Amy Hughes; husbands, Roger Lee and James Dick; brothers, Manny Elliott and David Elliott; sister, Jane Grafton; and son-in-law, Larry Nelson.

Left to cherish her memory include her son, Mike Lee of Haughton, LA; daughters, Angie Nelson of Castor, LA and Allison Broadway and her husband, Kelley of Natchitoches, LA; sister, Francis Lafitte of Pelican, LA; grandchildren, Melissa, Jeremy, James, Kelley, Cody, Sarah, Lacey, Shelby, Trisdan and Peyton; 14 great grandchildren and a number of other relatives and friends.

Pallbearers will be Justyn Wirth, James Ratcliff, Jr, Cody Broadway, Kelley Broadway, Tommy Conly and Mark Humphries.  Honorary pallbearers will be Peyton Lee, Doug Lee and Ben Lee.

If you are a candidate running for political office, you can get out your word in Bienville Parish Journal, but time is running out.

All candidates in the upcoming October 14 election will receive one free announcement with photo if you contact us before October 10.

Email your announcement and photo to bpjnewsla@gmail.com. We also have political advertising available, and one of our advertising staff will be in touch with you. Let us give you a hand at bienvilleparishjournal.com

Some of the year’s hottest weather in Louisiana occurs during the oppressive days of August and September. Fall is officially here but you wouldn’t know it by glancing at the thermometer with daytime temperatures in the high 90s. There will be one group of folks with an eye on the calendar. You’ll see them out in their back yards, sitting on make-do elevated platforms, slinging arrows at targets. They’re Louisiana’s bow hunters and they’re doing what they have to do to get ready for the upcoming bow season which begins Sunday October 1.

They’ll be getting in condition for what one bowhunter told me is the “short” game. In golf, it’s the accuracy of the putter that usually separates the hackers from the experts. In bow hunting, the archer’s bow is his putter. He can’t expect to score a “birdie” (or would that be a “buckie”?) if he’s not proficient at shooting accurately from within the range of a bow, which is usually 35 yards or closer. Any deer outside that range is a deer to be watched, not shot at. Thus, becoming proficient with his archery equipment within ethical ranges is a must, and like in golf, there is no substitute for practice, practice and more practice, even if sweat is dripping off your nose and you’re flirting with heat stroke.

Bowhunters know that the deer he’ll be after is quite an adaptable creature. You can cut their woods and they simply move over to an adjoining tract, returning to the clear cut when they’re hungry to feast on succulent new growth that explodes when the forest canopy is opened.

One factor of nature that takes deer longer to adapt to is weather changes. During years of drought, especially in the growing season, fewer fawns are born, which impacts the deer situation years down the road. Fewer fawns born this year translate to fewer adult animals to hunt the next couple of seasons.

Another problem, not just bowhunters, but all deer hunters have faced over the past few years has been milder than normal winters. This situation means that in general, deer have more to eat because succulent plant growth on which they feed lasts on into winter when in normal years, deer are moving about looking for something to eat. During warm weather when the rut is going on, bucks still chase and breed does, but most of the activity is at night when temperatures are more comfortable. Frustrated hunters hunker down over scrape lines and food plots only to be disappointed.

However, Mother Nature is an equalizer. Granted, the past few winters have been milder and frankly, we’re due for a change. We may not get it, but darn it, we’re due.

It will be interesting to see just how the conditions of last deer season that favored deer and negatively impacted deer hunters will have a bearing on the upcoming deer season. Weather that was too warm and a bumper crop of wildlife foods throughout season meant that deer didn’t have to move about to find succulent forage. Thus, fewer were harvested. I’m no wildlife biologist but if I had to wager a guess, I’d think that we should have a better season this year.

Why do I think that? Over most of the state, the deer harvest was down last season, which means that more than a few wise old bucks lived to get another year older. With another year of age, this translates out to another year of growing antler mass, the exception being a deer that is past his prime and is basically going downhill.

With the odds hopefully being more in the hunter’s favor this season than last, those hunters who begin their seasons early have a better chance to collect their venison. No group of hunters in the state begins their season earlier than bow hunters. The first day of October is opening day for the majority of the state although some areas opened as early as mid-September. (Check current regulations for exact dates and areas.)

If you’re a serious bow hunter, you’ve already been out there, slinging arrows at paper targets and tweaking your bow so that when the deer you’re looking for steps out, you’ll be ready.

“My gun never malfunctions.” Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps your gun has been malfunction free for its entire existence. However, when I hear this from people, I immediately know two things are absolutely true. One, they don’t shoot that gun very much, and two, they definitely don’t train in any serious manner.

“Well, I’ve got 50,000 rounds through this thing with no issues whatsoever.” Well, now you’ve graduated from hyperbole to outright dishonesty. The fact is that guns are man-made, and man is fallible. Yes, even Gaston Glock – as much as it pains me to say it. So, today’s article is going to be about the most common types of malfunctions associated with magazine fed, semi-automatic guns, and how to fix those issues on the fly.

There are generally three common malfunctions associated with magazine fed, semi-auto guns. They are known as “failure to fire” (type 1), “failure to eject” (type 2) and the ever dreaded “double feed” (type 3). Let’s discuss these in order, shall we?

A type 1 malfunction is the most common. It could be caused by several different things, but basically a type 1 malfunction occurs anytime you press the trigger expecting the gun to go “bang,” but it goes “click” instead. Side note, hearing a click when you need a bang is one of the loudest sounds you’ll ever hear. Anyway, a type 1 malfunction could be caused by bad ammunition. I get it, that’s not necessarily the gun’s fault but it’s a malfunction, nonetheless. A type 1 malfunction could also be the result of light primer strikes because there’s a bad spring in the gun. This happens most often when someone thinks they know more than the engineers and puts after-market doodads inside their blaster. Just leave the after-market internals at the market, Jethro. Over-lubrication is a common problem, too. Semi-auto guns don’t need nearly as much lube as you may think. If you over-do the oil, or put lube where lube doesn’t belong, you’re likely to cause issues. All that said, the most common reason for getting a click where a bang should be is that the gun isn’t loaded.

A type 2 malfunction is commonly referred to as a “stove pipe.” This is when a round is fired and the spent casing doesn’t get all the way out of the ejection port, preventing the gun from cycling fully and returning to battery. This too can be caused by more than one thing. A loose or otherwise improper grip on your pistol can result in a stove pipe – as can something impeding the movement of the slide or bolt when firing the gun. Underpowered ammo can cause a type 2 malfunction also, and if you’re talking about an AR style rifle, the gun being under-gassed will likely produce the same result.

So, how do you fix these malfunctions? It’s true that there might be something so wrong with your gun that it needs to be repaired by a professional, but if you’re in a fight and you need to clear a type 1 or type 2 malfunction and get that gun back in the fight – tap the magazine to make sure it’s seated properly inside the mag well, rack the slide, (or run the bolt) and get back to work. It’s that simple. A magazine that’s not seated is the first thing you should check, because an unseated magazine can cause any of the three most common malfunctions. After that, cycle the action. After you tap and rack, you should be able to make the gun go bang. A properly executed “tap – rack” will fix a type 1 or type 2 malfunction.

A type 3 malfunction is a different animal entirely. This occurs when two rounds try to enter the chamber at the same time. This can be caused by damaged or worn-out magazines or by people “riding the slide” when they cycle the action. Stop handling them so gently, folks. When you run the slide or the bolt on a semi-auto gun, run it hard. If you limp-wrist it, you’re going to cause problems more often than not. It’s okay, they like it rough.

To clear a type 3 malfunction, you first have to remove the magazine from the gun. Some instructors say that you should lock the slide or bolt open first, but I find this step to be time consuming and wholly unnecessary. There will be pressure on the magazine, so you’ll have to forcefully remove or “strip” the magazine out of the gun. After that, there might still be a round or spent casing lodged in the chamber or ejection port, so you need to run the slide to clear any obstruction. Doing this with the ejection port toward the ground means you get a little help from our old pal, gravity. Once you’ve removed the magazine and cleared any obstruction, forcefully insert a loaded mag (maybe the same one, maybe a new one) and cycle the action. Bam! You’re back in the fight.

Most malfunctions are the result of operator error. Malfunction frequency will be greatly diminished if you use a quality firearm (which 99% of 1911 pistols are not) loaded with quality, factory loaded ammunition. However, when problems arise, clearing a type 1 or type 2 malfunction is done the same way – tap the mag, rack the slide, and you’re back in business. The steps for type 3 malfunction clearing are – strip, rack, insert, rack. Don’t think carrying a spare mag with your everyday carry pistol is because you might need extra ammo. It’s true, you could end up in a protracted gunfight, although it’s statistically improbable. The main reason for carrying a spare magazine is so you can fix your gun. Operator error and environmental issues can cause more problems than most folks ever think about when they strap up and leave the house. If a “tap-rack” doesn’t fix it, reload your gun because either your gun is empty, or you have a type 3 malfunction. In either instance the remedy is a loaded magazine. Without one, you’ll be in a gunfight armed only with a $600 paperweight.

Before anyone suggests that simply buying a revolver is the answer to keeping your handgun malfunction free, allow me to quash that notion. Revolvers absolutely can and do malfunction. This column isn’t about antiques, so I’m not going to waste your time with wheel gun talk, but if you don’t believe me, do a simple Google search of revolver malfunctions, and see for yourself. Lastly, for my fellow Kalashnikov shooters out there, remember, those magazines “rock” into place. So, when seating a magazine in your AK, hit the front strap of the magazine, not the base plate.

Until next week…

Avoid what you can. Defeat what you can’t.

-Ryan

Please submit your questions to Ryan via email at Ryan@9and1tactical.com

(Ryan Barnette is not a licensed attorney and no information provided in “Slicing the Pie” or any other publication authored by Ryan Barnette should be construed, in any way, as official, legal advice.)

This past weekend was a memorable one for our family. Our 26-year-old daughter got engaged to her longtime boyfriend. His name is Robert (good name), he’s a great guy, and he’ll be a nice addition to our small nucleus of four. Someone counseled me with the ol’ standby, “You’re not losing a daughter. You’re gaining a son.” That may be, but it sure feels like I’m losing my little girl.

He proposed to her on the roof of our apartment building in New Orleans. She lived in a one-bedroom apartment in the same building around the time they started dating. There wasn’t a lot of fanfare or props in place for the proposal, just his brother hiding in the wings to record the moment.

Once they were finished with all the engagement business on the roof they came down to our apartment where both families and their closest friends were all waiting to surprise them. It was a memorable moment. Tears were shed. Everyone spent the next 30 minutes toasting and nibbling on hors d’oeuvres and then we all went to dinner.

I am well versed in New Orleans cuisine. I have been dining around that city for six decades. I know a lot of the chefs and I’m familiar with so many of their restaurants. What I wasn’t familiar with was booking large groups. I turned to my friend Chef Eric Cook, who makes my favorite appetizer in town at his restaurant Gris Gris (the Fried Oyster BLT). He also makes one of the best gumbos— not just in New Orleans, but of all the gumbos— anywhere. He had a private space available at his French Quarter restaurant Saint John (another good name) and that’s where we took our party of 18 after the post proposal gathering in our apartment.

The second floor of Saint John was perfect for our group. It was in the French Quarter and a 10 minute walk from our apartment, it had the perfect amount of local flavor, and it had a private bar manned by two excellent servers. Chef Cook was there to greet us, and he and I visited for 20 minutes or so. The evening was a perfect mix of family, friends, and food.

The next day we had brunch at Rosedale, Susan Spicer’s casual joint tucked away on a small street somewhere between the Navarre neighborhood and Mid City. Susan was in there working brunch (usually her one day off) and I started wondering if I had ever been in there when Susan wasn’t there. I don’t think I have. It’s the same with Chef Frank Brigtsen. I have been eating at Brigtsen’s for over 36 years and have never dined there when he wasn’t in the kitchen.

I have often told friends that if someone were setting out to open a restaurant and said, “Let’s design a restaurant specifically for Robert St. John,” it would probably be Rosedale. It’s everything I love in a restaurant— casual, not stuffy, but dedicated to great food, no tweezers, just great ingredients, and great recipes prepared by skilled chefs.

I was sitting there at brunch basking in the afterglow of a wonderful evening the night before, counting my blessings of family and friends and began to think about my chef friends in New Orleans and others I admire who are in the trenches of this business day in and day out facing adversity at every corner and still maintaining their love and devotion for our craft.

I have always been grateful to live 90 minutes away from such greatness. As a part-time New Orleanian I eat around 120 meals a year in the city’s restaurants and admire and appreciate all of the people who work in our industry down there.

Today I began thinking about a relatively small— as American major cities go— city that is blessed with such culinary talent, and I thought about the chefs who are out there on the front lines of these challenging times continuing to persevere and thrive no matter what adversity comes their way.

My next thought was to make a list of my favorite chefs in the city. Here is that list (not ranked and in no particular order, just as it came to me while writing this column).

Frank Brigtsen— I think if you polled most chefs in New Orleans and asked them, “Who is the best chef in New Orleans?” Nine out of 10 would answer, “Frank Brigtsen.” He was a disciple of Paul Prudhomme at Commander’s Palace in the 1970s and was his hand-picked sous chef to join him at K-Paul’s. He’s been serving excellence on a plate since 1986 in his Riverbend shotgun.

Susan Spicer— on that poll of New Orleans chefs, Susan Spicer would also appear very high on the list. She’s a hard working woman with excellent taste, true skills, and an amazing work ethic. I’ve followed her career since her early days at The Bistro at Mason de Ville.

Emeril Lagasse— there seemed to be a lot of misplaced jealousy in the culinary world when Emeril hit it big in the early days of the Food Network. I never wavered. I’ve always admired this guy who was one of the youngest chefs ever to lead the kitchen at Commander’s. He’s got the knowledge, skill, and business smarts and has what would amount to a PhD in cooking.

Donald Link— has the Midas touch when it comes to New Orleans restaurants. I’ve never had a bad meal at any of his places and he’s obviously a skilled operator in addition to being a talented chef. His gumbo is one of my top three in town.

John Besh— I have been friends with John since the mid 1990s and friends stick by friends through adversity. Say what you want, but this guy can cook.

Eric Cook— he’s as humble as he is talented. Gris Gris is always a solid choice for lunch or dinner, and there’s always the aforementioned gumbo and Fried Oyster BLT.

Nina Compton— I got to know Nina during the pandemic as we were on daily Zoom calls with other restaurateurs from across the country. She is one of the most admired chefs in the country and New Orleans is a better place because she lives and works there.

Justin Devillier— La Petit Grocery was on the forefront of the new guard a decade or so ago. It hasn’t slipped one bit. Actually, it’s better today than it was when it opened and he won the Beard. Justine in the Quarter is fun, too.

Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith, Saint Germaine— this is such a great restaurant, and these guys have excellent touch when it comes to fine dining.

Rising Star: E.J. Lagasse— this young guy is going to do great things. He basically graduated high school and was enrolled in Johnson and Wales culinary school the next day. He’s still in his very early 20s and is about to take the reins at the reimagined Emeril’s. He’s as serious about his craft as any twentysomething I have ever known. There are great things ahead for this guy.

It might seem strange to write a column about your daughter’s engagement and include a list of your favorite chefs in New Orleans. But for those who know me, it makes perfect sense. And for those who know my daughter— and her disdain of bringing attention to herself or putting herself out there in the public eye— you’ll know that even the first five paragraphs in this column made her uncomfortable. But it’s my column and I’m a proud daddy.

I love my daughter more than life itself and am happy for her future.

I am also a fan of independent restaurateurs and chefs. It’s a brutal business. But for those who love it, it’s a wonderful life.

Onward.

Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

1 /2 cup Canola oil

3 /4 cup Flour

2 Tbl File powder

1 cup Onion, diced

1 /2 cup Celery, diced

1 /2 cup Bell pepper, diced

1 1 /2 cups Fresh okra, sliced

2 Tbl Garlic, minced

1 1 /2 lbs Shrimp, small

2 tsp Salt

1 1 /2 tsp Black pepper

2 tsp Creole Seasoning

1 tsp Thyme, dry

1 cup Tomatoes, diced, canned or fresh

2 quarts Shrimp stock

1 Tbl Hot Sauce

1 /4 tsp Cayenne pepper

2 cups cooked white rice

In a large skillet, combine oil, flour and file powder to form a roux. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until roux is very dark (be careful not to burn). Add

vegetables, garlic, spices and shrimp and continue to cook for five to seven minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Meanwhile, bring shrimp stock and tomatoes to a boil. Slowly add roux mixture to boiling stock and mix well. Lower heat to a slow simmer, and cook 10 more minutes. Add hot sauce and cayenne pepper.

To serve, place 2-3 tablespoons of rice in a bowl then pour the hot gumbo over the rice.

Yield: 1 gallon

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

1789 – A regular army was established by the U.S. War Department with several hundred men.

1829 – The first public appearance by London’s re-organized police force was met with jeers from political opponents. The force became known as Scotland Yard.

1902 – David Belasco opened his first Broadway theater.

1930 – Lowell Thomas made his debut on CBS Radio. He was in the radio business for the next 46 years.

1930 – Bing Crosby and Dixie Lee were married.

1940 – The radio quiz show “Double or Nothing” debuted on the Mutual Radio Network.

1943 – U.S. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Italian Marchal Pietro Badoglio signed an armistice aboard the British ship Nelson.

1946 – “The Adventures of Sam Spade” debuted on CBS Radio.

1951 – The first network football game was televised by CBS-TV in color. The game was between the University of California and the University of Pennsylvania.

1953 – “Make Room for Daddy” premiered on ABC-TV.

1955 – “A View From the Bridge,” a play by Arthur Miller, opened in New York at the Coronet Theater.

1957 – The New York Giants played their last game at the Polo Grounds. The next year the Giants were in San Francisco, CA.

1960 – “My Three Sons” debuted on ABC-TV.

1962 – U.S. President John F. Kennedy nationalized the Mississippi National guard in response to city officials defying federal court orders. The orders had been to enroll James Meredith at the University of Mississippi.

1963 – “My Favorite Martian” premiered on CBS-TV.

1963 – “The Judy Garland Show” premiered on CBS-TV.

1967 – The International Monetary Fund reformed monetary systems around the world.

1977 – Eva Shain became the first woman to officiate a heavyweight title boxing match. About 70 million people watched Muhammad Ali defeat Ernie Shavers on NBC-TV.

1982 – In Chicago, IL, seven people died after taking capsules of Extra-Strength Tylenol that had been laced with cyanide. 264,000 bottles were recalled.

1983 – The War Powers Act was used for the first time by the U.S. Congress when they authorized President Reagan to keep U.S. Marines in Lebanon for 18 more months.

1983 – “A Chorus Line” with performance number 3,389 became the longest running show on Broadway.

1984 – Irish officials announced that they had intercepted the Marita Anne carrying seven tons of U.S.-purchased weapons. The weapons were intended for the Irish Republican Army.

1984 – Elizabeth Taylor was voted to be the world’s most beautiful woman in a Louis Harris poll. Taylor was at the time in the Betty Ford Clinic overcoming a weight problem.

1986 – Mary Lou Retton announced that she was quitting gymnastics.

1988 – The space shuttle Discovery took off from Cape Canaveral in Florida. It was the first manned space flight since the Challenger disaster.

1990 – “Millie’s Book” by First Lady Barbara Bush was the best-selling non-fiction book in the U.S.

1992 – Magic Johnson announced that he was returning to professional basketball. The comeback ended the following November.

1992 – Brazilian lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to impeach President Fernando Collor de Mello.

1993 – Bosnia’s parliament voted overwhelmingly to reject an international peace plan unless Bosnian Serbs returned land that had been taken by force.

1994 – The U.S. House voted to end the practice of lobbyist buying meals and entertainment for members of Congress.

1998 – Hasbro announced plans to introduce an action figure of retired U.S. General Colin Powell.

2008 – The Dow Industrial Average lost 777 points. It was the largest one-day decline to date. The drop came after the U.S. House of Representatives had voted down a $700 billion bank bailout plan.

2010 – In China, Canton Tower became operational.

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

September 30 (8:30 a.m.)

Crawford Elementary Eagle Invitational (Grades K – 6) – Bonnie and Clyde Trade Days and RV Park

September 30 (9 – 12 p.m.)

The Gibsland Jonquil Festival Committee will be selling jonquil and daffodil bulbs  next to Gibsland Grill

September 30 

Pine Beetle Pageant – Castor High School Gymnasium

October 1 – November 22

Christmas Sock and Footie Drive – Drop off donations at your local Bienville Parish Library

October 1 (2 p.m.)

St. Duty CME Church 148th Anniversary – Guest Speaker Pastor T.J. Davis

October 3 (6 – 8 p.m.)

Arcadia Police Department’s National Night Out 2023 Block Party 

North Railroad Avenue in Arcadia

October 18 (6 – 8 p.m.)

Church Community Fall Festival – Arcadia Events Center

October 21 (8 a.m. – 2 p.m.)

CASA’s 13th Annual Car Show – 1952 N. Railroad Ave. in Arcadia

October 31 (6- 9 p.m.)

Town of Arcadia’s Fall Festival

Notice of Death – September 28, 2023

Keldrick Kiez Dunn

June 24, 1997 – Sept. 24, 2023

Homer, La. 

Visitation: 1 – 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, Memorial Funeral Home, Homer. Wake to follow

Funeral: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, Homer High School Auditorium

Ruth Ann Critton

Feb. 26, 1952 – Sept. 25, 2023

Homer, La.

Visitation: 2- 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, Memorial Funeral Home, Homer

Funeral: 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, Friendship Baptist Church, Haynesville. Interment to follow

Charles Edgar Tyson

June 5, 1930 – Sept. 23, 2023

Gibsland/Bossier City

Visitation: 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Bossier City, La.

Funeral service: 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Bossier City, La.

Burial: Hill Crest Memorial Park Cemetery

Etta Jo New McCullough

July 5, 1937 – Sept. 16, 2023

Homer/Minden, La.

Reception/visitation: Following graveside service.

Graveside service: 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, Mt. Mariah Church and Cemetery, 2 miles north of Arcadia on Highway 9.

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 free of charge.)

A Shreveport man was arrested Tuesday on a Bienville warrant in connection to a threatening email sent to a Ringgold school principal Friday. Shreveport Police arrested Derrick Lee Willis, 51, charging him with terrorizing.

“Bienville Sheriff’s Office investigators don’t believe the threat was creditble, but it is unlawful to make such threats, therefore the appropriate charge is terrorizing, which is a serious felony,” said Bienville Parish Sheriff John Ballance. “Willis will soon be transferred to Bienville parish for booking. All such illegal communications to school officials or students are top priority of the sheriff’s office and will be handled accordingly.”

Ballance said security was beefed up at the Ringgold School Complex Monday as a precaution while the investigation into the email continued.

The email was sent Friday, Sept. 22, stating that “someone was using the school telephone to prank their phone and that they wanted it to stop or they would start pranking the principal. It further stated that if it was not taken care of the damages would be a dead kid or teacher.”

BPSO contacted the Louisiana State Police Fusion Center, along with the Bienville Parish School Board’s IT department.

The following messages were sent to parents whose children attend the Ringgold School Complex over the weekend regarding the incident.

Sent Saturday, September 23:
“Good afternoon, due to issues at the Ringgold School Complex please do not go to the school this weekend. No students, faculty or staff are allowed at the school today and tomorrow. Thanks.”

Sent Sunday, September 24:

“Good evening. This is Superintendent William Wysinger of the Bienville Parish School Board. On Friday evening, September 22, 2023, an email threat was sent to one of our principals. The email stated that someone was using the school telephone to prank their phone and that they wanted it to stop or they would start pranking the principal. It further stated that if it was not taken care of the damages would be a
dead kid or teacher.

“Law enforcement was promptly notified and currently the Louisiana State Police, the FBI and the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office are investigating the authenticity of the threat. Student and employee safety has and will continue to be our number one priority. A heightened police presence will be visible at the two campuses involved tomorrow as we continue to investigate this threat.

“If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Central Office at 318-263-9416. Please visit your district’s web based Student Progress Center for more details.”

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.

By Shawn White (Under the Radar NWLA)

For the second consecutive year, the Arcadia Hornets have started the season at 4-0.  They moved to the 4-0 mark after a 44-6 thrashing of the Bolton Bears   

The Hornets compiled 282 yards of offense against the winless Bears.  Bratreviauntae Ferrell had 4 carries for 102 yards and three touchdowns.  Ian Fitzgerald added another rushing touchdown for Arcadia.  Rodtravious Jackson completed just one pass but made it count for six points with an 88-yard touchdown pass to Ratrevious Crawley.  Darrell Sneed added a special teams score to the total on a blocked punt.  

The defense dominated the Bears.  Dimitri Carr II had 9.5 tackles (5 solo, 9 assists).  Tyreun Fields added 7 tackles (2 solo, 10 assists) including a sack and tackle for loss.  Tayshaun Johnson, Kylon Clark, and Khalil Anney also snatched sacks and tackles for loss.  Jamen Davis had 5 tackles (1 solo, 8 assists).  Ryheem Abney snagged an interception.   Joseph Salvaterra had a blocked kick.

Ferrell gave the Hornets the first score with a 10-yard run.  Ferrell struck again in the first quarter with a 38-yard run to push the Arcadia lead to 16-0.  Ratrevious Crawley caught the 88-yard rocket from Rodtravious Jackson.  Arcadia had built a 22-0 lead heading into the second quarter.

Fitzgerald took his turn to reach the end zone on a 32-yard run.  Darrell Sneed Jr. blocked a kickoff returned for a 97-yard touchdown.  Arcadia was up 36-0 at halftime 

Ferrell scored his third touchdown and triggered the running clock in the third quarter for a 44-0 lead.  

Bolton managed to get in the end zone in the fourth quarter to stop the shutout but the Hornets took the 44-6 win.  

Arcadia will get their first district test next week as they host Glenbrook on Friday night.

The September meeting of Dorcheat-Bistineau Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution was held at the home of chapter regent Cindy Madden and her husband Jerry Madden, President of Galvez Chapter SAR. Jerry gave a presentation in colonial costume to represent his ancestor, John Madden Jr. John’s father, John Madden Sr., hired George Washington to do a land survey for him when George was 19 years old, and John Jr. was 16 years old. This land survey is housed in the Library of Congress along with some of the 190 land surveys George Washington did in his youth. After John Madden Sr. passed away, John Madden Jr. sold all the family’s holdings and lived with his family in George Washingtons’ land survey office which still stands in Winchester, Virginia. Jerry and Cindy Madden visited this site several years ago.

Cindy Madden, in colonial costume, did a first-person presentation about Martha Custis Washington. At the age of 26, she was a wealthy widow with two children. She owned 17,000 acres and 5 farms. She met and married George Washington when she was 28. Many of the improvements to Mount Vernon were done using her wealth. George and Martha never had children of their own, but enjoyed her children and grandchildren. She defined the role of First Lady with her graciousness and hospitality.

Donna Sutton, who serves as State Chair of DAR Schools, gave a PowerPoint presentation about the history of Kate Duncan Smith DAR School. In the 1920s, DAR raised money to build schools in remote areas of the Appalachian Mountains. One of these schools was Kate Duncan Smith School. KDS provides a caring and quality education for underprivileged children. Donations help provide Blessings Bags for students who do not have access to adequate food over the weekends. To celebrate their 100 th anniversary, KDS is cleaning up a neglected area of campus around the historic bell tower, where walkways, seating, and landscaping will be installed. Donna is collecting $2.00 from each of the more than 2,500 DAR members in Louisiana to donate to this project. LSDAR’s name will be included on a permanent plaque at the project site.

We are excited to welcome four new members to our chapter! Judy Reese and her daughter Jamie Fortenberry are descendants of Revolutionary War patriot John Richardson who was born circa 1753. During the Revolution, he lived in North Carolina and served as Ensign in Gregory’s Company, 10th Regiment. Linnye Daily is descended from John Wimberley who was born October 1, 1755 in Bertie Co., NC. He was a Private and was given a land grant in Georgia as payment for his service. Diane Temple is descended from Samuel Bacot, born March 3, 1745 in Charleston. He served as a Lieutenant under General Francis Marion in 1782. Captured by the British, he devised an escape plan which resulted in his group gaining their freedom from their captors. The Florence, SC chapter of the DAR is named in his honor.

After the program, a High Tea was served to give our chapter members time to meet our new members and prospective members. They enjoyed petit fours made by Candy Monzingo, cucumber sandwiches, egg sandwiches and lemon ginger tea. Hostesses for the September meeting were Nancy Grantham, Cindy Madden, and Judy Reese.

By John Monzingo, Assistant County Agent

The Piney Hills Louisiana Master Gardeners, in conjunction with the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service in Webster Parish, offers the Louisiana Master Gardener Program yearly in the summer.

The program is offered one night a week over the course of twelve weeks. During this 12-week period, participants learn about botany, entomology, organic gardening, plant pathology, propagation, weed science, and other subjects related to horticulture.

The Piney Hills Louisiana Master Gardeners recently completed the program and are pleased to announce this year’s 2023 graduating class. Back row from left to right are Sybil McClesky, Becky Guillory, Briggette Ketchell, Cynthia Page, Gwen Voltz, Randy Leonard, Regina Brunson, and Ken Robinson. Front row from left to right Leslie Nallin and Emily Galindo.

It was a hot July day in Nashville, Tennessee.  Bill Dees and his friend Kelton were at Kelton’s home trying to write a song.  They needed a melody, a clever phrase, a catchy guitar riff, or anything else that could spark an idea.  They played anything that came to mind on their guitars, discussed several phrases, but they were unimpressed with the results.  They kept at it.  At one point, Kelton’s wife walked into the room.  Bill and Kelton’s attention immediately shifted from their task at hand to Kelton’s wife.  She was a knockout.  Bill and Kelton’s gaze shifted to her yellow skirt and red shoes.  Anytime Bill saw a woman he thought was pretty, he exclaimed, “Mercy!”  Like the involuntary actions of our bodies such as blinking our eyelids or breathing, Bill exclaimed “Mercy!” before he could stop himself.  Bill shifted his gaze from Kelton’s wife to Kelton.  Kelton was smiling.  He looked back and Kelton’s wife was smiling as well. 

The three of them chatted briefly and Kelton’s wife said she was going to a nearby store to buy something.  Kelton, ever the gentleman, asked if she needed any money.  Before Kelton’s wife had a chance to respond, Bill spoke up and said, “a pretty woman never needs any money.”  They all smiled.  Kelton’s wife turned and walked away.  As she walked out of the house and onto the sidewalk, Bill heard her red high heels clicking on the pavement.  Click! Click! Click! Click!  Bill tapped his finger on his guitar to the same tempo as the sound of Kelton’s wife’s clicking shoes.  Before the sound of Kelton’s wife’s clicking heels had faded, Kelton came up with a fitting guitar riff.  Lyrics came next as if they had been there all along just waiting to be written down.  By the time Kelton’s wife returned, about 40 minutes later, Bill and Kelton had finished the song. 

A week later, on August 1, Bill and Kelton went into the studio to record the song.  Once again, Bill tapped his finger to the tempo he remembered of Kelton’s wife walking away in her red high-heeled shoes.  Click! Click! Click! Click!  The studio drummer played this tempo on his snare drum, Kelton’s guitar riff was added, and finally, Kelton sang lead and Bill sang harmony.  In one point in the song, Kelton said there was something missing.  He needed to say something short, just a word or two.  He remembered what Bill said upon seeing his wife the previous week.  He sang one more word, “mercy,” and the song was finished.  Bill and Kelton were pleased with the song.

On August 15, 1964, Bill and Kelton’s song was released.  Less than two weeks later, their song entered the charts at number 49.  By early September, newspapers all over the world predicted that the song would sell well.  On September 6, the number one song in the country was “House of the Rising Sun” by the Animals.  Bill and Kelton’s song reached number 13.  A week later, September 13, Bill and Kelton’s song was at number 2 just behind “House of the Rising Sun.”  A week after that, on September 20, Bill and Kelton’s song had replaced “House of the Rising Sun” in the number one spot.  “In a 68-week period that began on August 8, 1963,” during the British Invasion, Kelton “was the only American artist to have a number one single in Britain.”  In addition to reaching number one in the United States and the United Kingdom, Bill and Kelton’s song reached the top spot in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, and West Germany.  Mercy!   

When Bill and Kelton’s songwriting session was interrupted on that hot July day in 1964, none of them could have realized the impact of Kelton’s wife walking into and out of the room.  Kelton’s wife’s name was Claudette.  The name of the Bill and Kelton’s song came directly from Bill’s comment that “a pretty woman never needs any money.”  For almost fifty years now, you and I have heard Bill and Kelton sing “Oh, Pretty Woman.”  Kelton is the middle name of Roy Orbison.  Mercy!

Sources:

1.  The Paducah Sun, August 28, 1964, p.10.

2.  Valley Morning Star, September 6, 1964, p.3.

3.  Omaha World-Herald, September 20, 1964, p.100.

4.  Rock, The History of, and Roll. n.d. “Roy Orbison (1936-1988) | the History of Rock and Roll Radio Show.” Accessed September 24, 2023. https://thehistoryofrockandroll.net/roy-orbison-1936-1988/.

5.  NPR. 2008. “Mercy: Behind Roy Orbison’s ‘Pretty Woman.’” NPR. December 6, 2008. https://www.npr.org/2008/12/06/97826285/mercy-behind-roy-orbisons-pretty-woman.

6.  “ShieldSquare Captcha.” www.songfacts.com. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/roy-orbison/oh-pretty-woman.

The easiest to throw together and even served on hot dog buns. These are GOOD and even heat up well in the air fryer for leftovers. Mozzarella pearls and sliced pepperoncini peppers set the bar high with this yummy sandwich!

Ingredients:
– 1 package Italian sausage
– 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
– 1 tablespoon pesto
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– S&P to taste
– 1 teaspoon sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
– 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
– 2 tablespoons melted butter
– 1 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese
– Mozzarella pearls
– Sliced pepperoncini peppers
– Hot dog buns

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage in a large skillet, crumbling as you cook. Drain. Add back to skillet and add marinara, pesto, garlic, S&P, sugar, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Let simmer while you prepare the buns. Brush melted butter on inside of buns. Toast in oven for a few minutes. Remove from oven and add shredded cheese to buns. Fill with sausage mixture. Add mozzarella pearls and peppers on top. Sprinkle with more shredded cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes.

(Ashley Madden is a wife, mother and published cookbook author from Minden, La.)

So it all comes back to Skittles.

Who knew?

Let us explain …

Between 2011 and 2014, Trey Hadnot was a seven-time All-America sprinter at Louisiana Tech, won 16 conference championships and was All-Western Athletic Conference 24 times.

It’s a ridiculous number of trophies and medals that his mom religiously dusts to this day in her Ruston home.

Now she has another trophy to shine since her boy and six other Tech standouts were inducted into the University’s Athletics Hall of Fame September 15.

Just five days later, the University honored its six Pro Football and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, a once-in-a-lifetime sort of event with all six live and in person for a short Q&A ceremony before the unveiling of their individual statues in the new Sarah and A.L. Williams Champions Plaza in the northeast corner of Joe Aillet Stadium.

You can read about both events here and here. It was quite a lot to digest in the span of 120 hours. Wall-to-wall athletic gold. Star-spangled doubleheader for a school of any size, especially a mid-major.

And consider one Naismith inductee, former Bulldog player Leon Barmore (his jersey is retired) and Lady Techster coach, was in attendance for the statue unveiling but didn’t participate in the ceremony because he already has a statue (yawn…) over by the Thomas Assembly Center.

Hard not to be impressed.

All these stars included hometown hero Hadnot, who holds all 10 of the Tech program’s Top 10 indoor 200m records, including the No.1 time of 20.48, which is moving about as briskly as a human can. (The world record is 19.92, so …20.48 defines “moving.”)

Naturally, one would want to know the secret of Hadnot’s swift success. Pregame meal of bananas and baked chicken? An hour of stretching? Prayer?

“Skittles,” he said, with an honest little-boy smile that kids wear when they’re getting away with something.

Skittles? Is that a track-and-field word for a special kind of loosening-up scissor-kick? Another word for special spikes?

Negative. It’s the candy.

“Always ate Skittles before a race,” he said. “And water. Drank lots and lots of water.”

And there you have it. Skittles. Although something tells me that diet only works if you’re Trey Hadnot.

Funny, but he started out running cross country. His coach took him and some other long-distance wannabes several miles from the school, dropped them off, told them to run back, and drove away. It wasn’t but a few minutes before the others had run off and left Hadnot, who had no real idea where he was.

Bewildered and with no Skittles to save him, Hadnot decided sprints might be his future. At least he’d never get lost.

Another quick story. A linebacker out of tiny Clinton, Glenell Sanders became a three-time All-American at Tech. With tears on his face, he introduced his family — Gwen, his wife of 30 years; Genaye, a senior at the University of Houston where she’s a bio-medical engineering major on a full soccer scholarship; and soon-to-be Captain Geraud Sanders, a 2020 Air Force graduate and fighter instructor pilot who was at the controls of one of four T-38 jets that performed the flyover Saturday at Memorial Stadium before the Tech-Nebraska football game.

“All this started,” Sanders said quietly, “because of faith in God, and because some men believed in me, and gave me a chance.”

Theirs were just two of many stories from ordinary people who managed to exceed beyond their imaginations through developing their talent and believing what a coach or parent or friend believed about them and fed into them, a couple of sweet reminders that we can make it — if we all stick together, and coach each other up.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

1779 – John Adams was elected to negotiate with the British over the American Revolutionary War peace terms.

1825 – George Stephenson operated the first locomotive that hauled a passenger train.

1894 – The Aqueduct Race Track opened in New York City, NY.

1928 – The U.S. announced that it would recognize the Nationalist Chinese Government.

1938 – The League of Nations branded the Japanese as aggressors in China.

1939 – After 19 days of resistance, Warsaw, Poland, surrendered to the Germans after being invaded by the Nazis and the Soviet Union during World War II.

1940 – The Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis was set up. The military and economic pact was for 10 years between Germany, Italy and Japan.

1954 – The “Tonight!” show made its debut on NBC-TV with Steve Allen as host.

1962 – The U.S. sold Hawk anti-aircraft missiles to Israel.

1968 – The U.K.’s entry into the European Common Market was barred by France.

1970 – “The Original Amateur Hour” aired for the last time on CBS. It had been on television for 22 years.

1973 – U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew said he would not resign after he pled “no contest” to a charge of tax evasion. He did resign on October 10th.

1979 – The Department of Education became the 13th Cabinet in U.S. history after the final approval from Congress.

1982 – Italian and French soldiers entered the Sabra and Chatilla refugee camps in Beirut. The move was made by the members of a multinational force due to hundreds of Palestinians being massacred by Christian militiamen.

1983 – Larry Bird signed a seven-year contract with the Boston Celtics worth $15 million. The contract made him the highest paid Celtic in history.

1986 – The U.S. Senate approved federal tax code changes that were the most sweeping since World War II.

1989 – Columbia Pictures Entertainment agreed to buyout Sony Corporation for $3.4 billion.

1989 – Two men went over the 176-foot-high Niagara Falls in a barrel. Jeffrey Petkovich and Peter Debernardi were the first to ever survive the Horshoe Falls.

1990 – The deposed emir of Kuwait addressed the U.N. General Assembly and denounced the “rape, destruction and terror” that Iraq had inflicted upon his country.

1991 – U.S. President George H.W. Bush eliminated all land-based tactical nuclear arms and removed all short-range nuclear arms from ships and submarines around the world. Bush then called on the Soviet Union to do the same.

1994 – More than 350 Republican congressional candidates signed the Contract with America. It was a 10-point platform they pledged to enact if voters sent a GOP majority to the House.

1995 – The U.S. government unveiled the redesigned $100 bill. The bill featured a larger, off-center portrait of Benjamin Franklin.

1998 – In Germany, Social Democrat Gerhard Schroeder was elected chancellor. The election ended 16 years of conservative rule.

1998 – Mark McGwire (St. Louis Cardinals) set a major league baseball record when he hit his 70th home run of the season.

2004 – North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Su Hon announced that North Korea had turned plutonium from 8,000 spent nuclear fuel rods into nuclear weapons. He also said that the weapons were to serve as a deterrent against increasing U.S. nuclear threats and to prevent nuclear war in northeast Asia. The U.S. State Department noted that the U.S. has repeatedly said that the U.S. has no plans to attack North Korea.

2015 – The space probe Dawn was launched by NASA. Dawn entered orbit around protoplanet Vesta on July 16, 2011 and entered orbit around Ceres on March 6, 2015.

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

September 28 (7 – 10 a.m.)

Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast

September 28 (6 p.m.)

Arcadia High School’s Literacy Night

September 30 (8:30 a.m.)

Crawford Elementary Eagle Invitational (Grades K – 6) – Bonnie and Clyde Trade Days and RV Park

September 30 (9 – 12 p.m.)

The Gibsland Jonquil Festival Committee will be selling jonquil and daffodil bulbs  next to Gibsland Grill

September 30 

Pine Beetle Pageant – Castor High School Gymnasium

October 1 – November 22

Christmas Sock and Footie Drive – Drop off donations at your local Bienville Parish Library

October 3 (6 – 8 p.m.)

Arcadia Police Department’s National Night Out 2023 Block Party 

North Railroad Avenue in Arcadia

October 18 (6 – 8 p.m.)

Church Community Fall Festival – Arcadia Events Center

October 21 (8 a.m. – 2 p.m.)

CASA’s 13th Annual Car Show – 1952 N. Railroad Ave. in Arcadia

October 31 (6- 9 p.m.)

Town of Arcadia’s Fall Festival

The following arrests were made by local law enforcement agencies.

09/19/23

Jason Howell of Castor was arrested for forgery.

Tamomthus Venzant of Helfin was arrested for operating a vehicle with a suspended license/no license issued. 

Christopher Brown of Ringgold was arrested for simple criminal damage to property.

Claudia Michel of Arcadia was arrested for failure to appear. 

Tycorus Haulcy of Arcadia was arrested for domestic abuse battery.

Reubin Edwards of Ringgold was arrested for domestic abuse battery.

09/20/23

Kabronica Madden of Ringgold was arrested for battery of a dating partner.

Demarcus Pearson of Arcadia was arrested for battery of a dating partner (pregnant victim) and simple criminal damage to property. 

James Hayden Blythe of Solomon Loop, Dubberly, was arrested by the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office as a fugitive from Bienville Parish. Bond was set at $100,000.

09/21/23

James Blythe of Dubbery was arrested for theft.

Marvin Crane of Ruston was arrested for distribution of marijuana, possession of marijuana, first offense possession of synthetic cannabinoid, possession of drug paraphernalia and distribution/manufacture of crack cocaine. 

09/23/23

Nichlas Harvey of Castor was arrested as a fugitive and for operating a vehicle with a suspended license/other offenses. 

09/25/23

Kami Dodge, 33, of Gibsland was arrested by the Minden Probation and Parole for a probation violation by testing positive for marijuana. Dodge is alleged to be five months pregnant.

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

Notice of Death – September 26, 2023

Michael Allen Sanders

May 27, 1965 – Sept. 21, 2023

Arcadia, La.

Celebration of Life: 5 – 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, Riverside Coney Island

Keldrick Kiez Dunn

June 24, 1997 – Sept. 24, 2023

Homer, La. 

Visitation: 1 – 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, Memorial Funeral Home, Homer. Wake to follow

Funeral: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, Homer High School Auditorium

Ruth Ann Critton

Feb. 26, 1952 – Sept. 25, 2023

Homer, La.

Visitation: 2- 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, Memorial Funeral Home, Homer

Funeral: 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, Friendship Baptist Church, Haynesville. Interment to follow

Etta Jo New McCullough

July 5, 1937 – Sept. 16, 2023

Homer/Minden, La.

Reception/visitation: Following graveside service.

Graveside service: 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, Mt. Mariah Church and Cemetery, 2 miles north of Arcadia on Highway 9.

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 free of charge.)

The Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office (BPSO), Louisiana State Police (LSP) and the FBI are investigating an alleged threat affecting students and faculty of Ringgold School Complex. The threat was reportedly sent to a school principal by email this past Friday, September 22. 

“We have contacted the LSP Fusion Center regarding the email,” said Bienville Parish Sheriff John Ballance. “Bienville Parish School Board’s IT people are looking into the veracity of the email, utilizing investigative tools available to us.”

According to Ballance they have acquired the IP address that the threat was sent from, but they must obtain a search warrant for it and that could take a couple of days. 

The following are two messages sent out from the Bienville Parish School Board to parents of children who attend Ringgold School Complex. 

Sent Saturday, September 23:

“Good afternoon, due to issues at the Ringgold School Complex please do not go to the school this weekend. No students, faculty or staff are allowed at the school today and tomorrow. Thanks.”

Sent Sunday, September 24:

“Good evening. This is Superintendent William Wysinger of the Bienville Parish School Board. On Friday evening, September 22, 2023, an email threat was sent to one of our principals. The email stated that someone was using the school telephone to prank their phone and that they wanted it to stop or they would start pranking the principal. It further stated that if it was not taken care of the damages would be a dead kid or teacher. 

Law enforcement was promptly notified and currently the Louisiana State Police, the FBI and the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office are investigating the authenticity of the threat. Student and employee safety has and will continue to be our number one priority. A heightened police presence will be visible at the two campuses involved tomorrow as we continue to investigate this threat. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Central Office at 318-263-9416. Please visit your district’s web based Student Progress Center for more details.”

The Bienville Parish Journal will be updating this story as more details become available.

By Paige Nash

A tip received by the FBI – New Orleans division has led to the arrest of Greg Lawson, 63, of Ringgold, after three decades on the run. 

Deputies with the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office traveled to Houston, Texas Wednesday afternoon, September 20, to pick Lawson up and book him into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center. According to Bienville Parish Sheriff John Ballance, FBI agents arrested Lawson in Mexico.

The Shreveport Times reported in April of 1990 that Lawson, then age 30, was in an altercation with Seth Garlington, then age 21, also of Ringgold, when a “shoot-out” occurred outside of Clayborn’s Grocery Store along Highway 154 in Ringgold on April 24. Garlington suffered four gunshot wounds, including one to the hand and two other superficial wounds. He was transported to Schumpert Medical Center’s intensive-care unit and later released. 

Lawson was booked on a charge of attempted second-degree murder, but was soon released on a bond of $50,000.

The following month, May 1990, the Shreveport Times reported that Lawson was indicted on 12 charges by a Bienville Parish Grand Jury, including aggravated assault, aggravated criminal damage, attempted second-degree murder, criminal damage to motor vehicles, attempted manslaughter, battery with a dangerous weapon, illegal use of a firearm and disturbing the peace. Lawson pleaded innocent and was released on a bond of $175,000.

The trial was moved to Claiborne District Court in Homer due to pretrial publicity in Bienville Parish.

It only took the 12-person jury half an hour to find Greg Max Lawson guilty, but Lawson was nowhere to be found. According to reports, while the jury was deliberating, Lawson who was free on bond simply walked out of the courtroom. Bienville Parish authorities began seeking to re-arrest Lawson on the 12 charges. Bienville Parish Sheriff at the time, Joe Storey, told the Times, “Once we knew he was indicted, we couldn’t find him anywhere.”

Judge Robert Y. Butler issued a bench warrant for his arrest. Lawson was facing up to 50 years in prison.

Lawson became a fugitive. In 2007, the FBI offered a $10,000 reward for any new information that may lead to his arrest. Over the span of three decades, there have been numerous reported sightings of Lawson with some tips putting him in foreign countries.  

Lawson’s mother, Naomi Lawson, passed away in 2012. In her obituary, it stated that Lawson was residing in Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

This arrest can largely be attributed to the coordinating work by the FBI’s New Orleans and Shreveport divisions, Mexican immigration and Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office.