Following an investigation by the Lincoln Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) a 30-year-old resident of Arcadia has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. This sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Jacque Pierre Young was originally arrested after the Lincoln Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team obtained a search warrant for an apartment on East California Avenue in Ruston.
Upon arriving on the scene officers discovered Young in a bedroom located within the apartment, along with 80 grams of methamphetamine, 54 grams of crack cocaine and a loaded EAA Girsan MC28 9mm handgun that was found in an open storage bin.
The narcotics were submitted to the DEA lab for testing and the results indicated the methamphetamine to be 97% pure and the crack cocaine to be 54 grams of cocaine base.
Young later admitted that the drugs and firearm belonged to him and that he intended to sell the drugs.
He pleaded guilty to the charges on February 2, 2023.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Gaskins.
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A Bienville Parish man is in a Webster Parish Jail after being stopped westbound on Interstate 20 Tuesday.
According to Louisiana State Police reports, Courtney Javon Sneed, 32, of the 2600 block of Clairborne St., Gibsland, was traveling 88 in a 70 miles per hour zone, when the trooper stopped him at mile marker 47.
Sneed’s license was suspended, and after confirmation, the trooper asked dispatch to check on warrants. Sneed had two outstanding warrants – one from Webster Parish (2011 probation violation for unauthorized entry conviction) and another from Bienville Parish (2008 failure to appear for stop/yield sign violation with a bond of $10,000).
The trooper reportedly issued Sneed a citation for speeding and driving under suspension and placed him under arrest for the warrants.
He was booked into Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
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.
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Two local pastors are asking for help after their service dog was allegedly stolen from their home.
The dog is a three-year-old pitbull named Cajun. The service dog is trained and certified for treating trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), specifically working with victims of human trafficking.
Cajun was last seen on School Street in Ringgold.
The owners are offering a cash reward for his safe return. When last seen Cajun was wearing a service dog tag along with a name tag that has a phone number listed.
The pastors believe the person responsible for allegedly stealing their service dog is aware that this dog belongs to them.
Anyone with information on Cajun’s location can contact the Ringgold Police Department at (318) 894-4699.
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The Town of Arcadia performed maintenance of the town’s water system. The maintenance began last night, Thursday, June 1. This caused a system-wide outage, but services were expected to be complete and restored by 5 a.m. today, June 2.
Due to the amount of time the town was without water, the Town of Arcadia has issued a boil advisory. They will be updating once the advisory has been lifted.
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I’m already looking forward to when the next full moon makes its appearance. Out where we live in the country, there is something mesmerizing to drive east down our road at dusk and see the full moon pulling itself up from the wood line. If it’s a high pressure, low humidity day, the moon is so big and bright it’s easy to see features on the moon’s surface.
The moon has made its way into popular movies. For example, the movie Picnic starring the stunning actress, Kim Novak features the song Moonglow. Then there is Moonstruck starring Nicolas Cage and Cher where the eccentric old grandfather gazes to the night skies with the phrase ‘la bella luna’. In English, in case you don’t know, that’s ‘beautiful moon’.
Then there are popular songs that mention the moon. It’s Only a Paper Moon…Buttermilk Sky…Moon Over Memphis are some that come to mind but probably the most popular one in more recent times was Bad Moon Rising by Creedance Clearwater Revival. This song contains a phrase that is often misunderstood and folks – including yours truly – scratch their heads trying to figure out how the heck it fits into the song.
The mistaken phrase in the song is “there’s a bathroom on the right” when CCR was actually singing “there’s a bad moon on the rise”. Who knew?
As a fisherman, I love to be out on the lake at night during a full moon, casting along the shoreline for bass. When the moon is bright, you don’t need any other light other than what the moon provides to see where to cast.
The role the moon plays in the activity of fish was recognized a long time ago when in 1926, John Alden Knight came up with something serious anglers utilize today, the Solunar Table.
The table identifies four lunar periods each day, two major periods and two minor periods. Major periods last about two hours and begin when the moon is directly overhead as well as when it’s directly below. Minor periods last about an hour while the moon rises and sets. Knight’s idea is that fish become more active at these four times daily.
Following the Solunar Table, there are four lunar phases – new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter. Many anglers swear that 90% of catches come on a full or new moon. Additionally, some say you should only fish a full moon at night for best results and a new moon during the day.
All this technical stuff aside, a big bright full moon has always been special to me. Back in the day when I was in high school, there was nothing more romantic than to be courting my girlfriend under a full moon. It wouldn’t have been nearly as romantic if the night had been totally dark.
We didn’t know anything about a Solunar Table back when my brother, two cousins and I spent the night on the creek bank setting out hooks for catfish. It was more fun and our catches were better when we fished and camped under the light of a full moon.
When I was a kid, I was exposed to a totally different kind of “moon” one summer Sunday morning in church. I was sitting with my first cousin, Doug and in the pew directly in front of us sat one of the old patriarchs of Goldonna Baptist Church, an elderly gentleman everyone knew as “Mister Bud”.
As the song leader announced the song and asked everybody to stand, Mister Bud stood, bent forward to reach for a hymnal and when he did, the threadbare seersucker pants he wore silently ripped from waist to crotch exposing a bare bottom; he didn’t believe in wearing underwear in summer.
Even before CCR came up with the song, Doug and I were witnesses to a “bad moon on the rise”. We giggled so hard we probably needed to go find a “bathroom on the right.”
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A: “Discourage criminals from entering your home in the first place.”
If you’re looking for ways to make your home more secure, you need to think from the outside in. What does your home look like from the street? What does your home look like compared to your neighbor’s?
You’ve likely heard the old adage, “I don’t have to outrun the bear – I just have to outrun you.” When it comes to home security there’s a lot of truth to that statement. Curb appeal is great if you’re trying to sell your house, but if there’s nothing at all “prickly” about your home’s appearance, it could look like a soft target to a criminal. I’m not suggesting you stop cutting your grass and trimming your hedges. Your home can appear neat and orderly, and at the same time be a deterrent to opportunistic bad guys.
Your yard doesn’t need to look like a LaGuardia runway at midnight, but having adequate outdoor lighting is important. Bad guys don’t like to be seen doing bad guy stuff. Security systems are great, but if you’re on a tight budget, yard signs and window stickers that say, “This home is secured by________” can be highly effective. “We don’t call 911,” or “2nd Amendment Security” signs should be avoided. If I’m a thief looking to steal guns, now I know exactly which house to burgle. Cameras are great for evidence collection after a crime has been committed but are not very effective as deterrents. That is unless you find some cameras with built-in, motion detecting mini guns. In which case, please forward me a link.
Anything a bad guy might have to climb over could be a deterrent. Fences or similar physical barriers are not impenetrable, but they can dissuade potential home invaders. Especially if they’d have to scale it when vacating your crib. It’s tough to climb a fence while carrying a flat screen TV. Also, criminals are often terrified of dogs. Ron Swanson tells us, “Any dog under fifty pounds is a cat and cats are pointless,” but like a security system, you can get much of the benefit of having a mean dog by simply posting a “Beware of Dog” sign in a conspicuous place.
Okay, okay. I know why you’re here. Let’s talk about the gun stuff. I’ll offer a few points, and hopefully these suggestions will be a catalyst for you to further your own research.
Pistol, rifle, or shotgun? It doesn’t matter as long as the gun is reliable, capable of effectively incapacitating a human threat, and suitable for your specific living arrangement. For example, if you live in an apartment complex, a high-powered rifle loaded with FMJ ammunition isn’t the wisest choice.
If you have children running around, you need to secure you firearm in such a manner that it’s inaccessible to the kiddos but still lends itself to a speedy retrieval should the need arise. I’m a major proponent of toting your every-day carry gun on your person when you’re at home. Take it off at bedtime, and then stow it appropriately.
A rule that I live by is any firearm that might be used for home defense MUST have a white light attached to it. Failure to properly identify a target has caused many parents to mistake their own children for intruders, which usually ends in tragedy.
Be aware of the longest shot you might have to make inside your home and OWN that distance. That could be down a hallway and across a room, across two large rooms if your house sports the ever popular “open floor plan,” or, if you live in a two-story home, the distance from the bottom of the stairs to the landing or balcony.
Your home defense weapon needs to be readily accessible and loaded with a round in the chamber. Otherwise, you might spend the rest of your life chambering a round. Read that again.
Training is an investment. It’s an investment in your safety and the safety of those dependent upon you for protection. When your front door is smashed open at 2 a.m., you won’t have time to learn new skills. Find a reputable, qualified instructor or company that can teach you how to properly defend yourself with a firearm. You will be present at your home invasion long before the cops. So, imagine you were looking to hire someone to defend your home from a violent criminal. Would you accept your own resume?
Thanks for reading. And remember…
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.)
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Last Friday evening, the girls and I went to my nephew’s birthday party. There were cupcakes, hotdogs, toys galore and a huge bounce house/slide.
Of course, as soon as I opened the doors of the car, Ashton (the soon to be five-year-old) ran straight to the bounce house, kicked off her shoes and disappeared inside. Kameron (the just turned two-year-old) was a little more hesitant. She pulled me with her cute little dimpled hand close by and made her observations.
After examining the steady stream of older kids tumbling up and down, in and out of the bounce house, she decided to take her turn, but I had to go with her. So, we took our shoes off and made our way in line.
Now this was a workout for me alone, but even more so when you’re pushing and pulling a two-year-old along. We did this about five times before I finally had to tell her it was time for a break. So, we walked over to join the adults and get a quick snack. She was fine with this for about 10 minutes before she was ready for round two. I had not seen Ashton since we got there.
I begrudgingly walked back towards the bounce house AKA the madhouse, not really having any desire to go back in. I stopped close by and was talking to my cousin when I looked over and saw Ashton helping Kameron inside. Two seconds later Kameron was on top of the slide and down she went all by herself. I internally and externally freak out just waiting for her to start screaming, flip off the side or get pummeled by a pre-teen. She just hopped down, and I made my way over to her. I grabbed her hand and told her, “I don’t like that.” She looked up and said, “It’s alright Momma.” Then, off she went again.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I almost broke down into tears like a blubbering fool but held it together.
I stayed close by because I am what you may call a helicopter mom, but for the most part, let her do her thing. I was obviously having a harder time just watching her than I was actually getting in and out of that bounce house.
It was a bittersweet feeling. A new stage achieved along my motherhood journey.
I was able to enjoy some time relaxing and visiting with some friends and family and Kameron was able to entertain herself for a little while. I was proud that she gained a newfound independence, but a little sad at the same time. It was one of many instances when I realized she was getting older and no longer my little baby.
I have gone through this same exact experience with my older two. They are spaced out pretty good with them being 9, 5 and 2. Between every one of them there was that same bittersweet feeling of being proud that they were growing up and finding their own way, but sad at the same time because each day that goes by it seems like they need you a little less. If you are a parent, you get this.
This exact bittersweetness was always a big topic of discussion between each kid when deciding if we wanted to have another one. “Do we want to have another one and start all over again? She is so independent and does things on her own. Do we want to have another one that relies on us for every waking moment all over again?” Obviously, the answer was “YES.” But knowing that this is for sure our last one makes it even more bittersweet.
Knowing from here on out, they are all going to continue to need me a little less. Sure, there will be times when they need me as they are growing up and experiencing difficulties that will surely come, but overall, they will just grow more independent.
I am proud and honored to have played a role in allowing them to grow into themselves. As a parent there is nothing more special than seeing your own child be self-motivated, confident and happy. But I will always be a helicopter mom through and through and will definitely remind them way more than they will probably appreciate that Momma is always here and will be anytime and every time they ever need me.
(Paige Nash is a wife, mother of three, publisher at the Bienville and Claiborne Parish Journal and digital journalist at the Webster Parish Journal.)
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“I cannot forget from where it is that I come from Cannot forget the people who love me Well, I can be myself here in this small town And people let me be just what I wanna be”
— John Mellencamp
I’m a small town guy. I have good friends who live in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and large metropolitan areas all over the country. They thrive in those environments. I get it. I love the access that big cities afford— so much at your fingertips— and for a guy who eats, sleeps, and breathes restaurants, big cities are in my professional wheelhouse.
My friend, Mac McAnally, wrote a song in the late 1980s as an apology to people in big cities because everyone in Belmont MS— the small town in which he grew up— thought they would be killed if they traveled to a big city. It was a tongue-in-cheek, humorous take, but there’s a tiny ring of truth to it. I have never been afraid of big cities. My grandparents lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan for the first 10 years of my life, and I loved visiting them. I have an apartment in New Orleans and spend enough time there to consider myself a part-time New Orleanian. Though, in the end, I’m a small-town guy.
I live in an area of South Mississippi called the Pine Belt. We were founded on pine timber and the railroad system. I am the sixth generation of my family to inhabit this area. This is home. This is where my roots are. This is where my family is. This is where my friends are. I made the decision 36 years ago to plant my stake in the middle of Midtown Hattiesburg— the neighborhood in which I spent my childhood— and start doing business by owning and operating restaurants.
I made the decision that, as long as I could travel and go to other places, this would be the place I want to raise my family, do business, and grow old.
There’s so many benefits and bonuses to living in Hattiesburg MS. I feel as if I know half the town. Sure, we have world class medical facilities two universities and great quality of life. But there’s so much more.
I was in a New York publishers office years ago working on the second book of a three-book deal. We were in a boardroom on the Upper West Side meeting about how the next book was to be marketed. An assistant marketing director shuffled into the meeting late. He wasn’t happy to be there. He was less than enthused that his company had signed an author from the Deep South, and he didn’t believe that any book I had to offer was worth their efforts or his time. He was over it before he even sat down. He shuffled some of the papers in front of him, thumbed through my bio and sarcastically grunted in an affected Southern accent, “Hattiesburg, Miss-uh-sip-ee? What’s there to do in Ol’ Hattiesburg Mississippi?”
I immediately wanted to start reeling off a laundry list of reasons why I love my city— the main reason being we typically don’t have to deal with rude jerks like him— but answered truthfully and just told him, “There’s plenty to do. Actually, a few weeks ago I walked two blocks from my home and saw Itzhak Perlman play with our local symphony orchestra. It was his second time to play here. The year before that Yo-Yo Ma played with that same orchestra. You probably don’t know it, but it’s the only university orchestra with which Plácido Domingo has ever performed.” I reeled off a couple of more cultural and historical aspects of my hometown and my home state and he sunk in his chair and looked disgusted for the rest of the meeting.
I could have talked about all the musicians I have seen here over the years, and the writers I have met here. But that’s not really the reason why I love this town. Sure, it’s a nice bonus and benefit, but there are other aspects of my hometown that appeal to me so much more.
I love our little Christmas parade. It’s nothing special. There are no giant helium filled balloons, or national newscasters, or massive marching bands stomping down the street. But there is a strong sense of community. I love small town Christmas parade spirit. Last year our Christmas parade was held on the same day as the Kiwanis Club pancake breakfast. Another small town event that I love. They are both straight out of central casting.
A sense of community gives one a sense of place and a sense of belonging. I belong here. I could live in other places, and probably places that are more beautiful and scenic. I could wake up and look at the mountains in the morning or a sunrise coming over the horizon at the beach. Those things are great. But what of my friends? What of my family? What of my roots? What of my businesses?
For years I heard older people tout the need for good medical services in the location where they live. That never mattered much to me. However, I am 61 years old and blessed to live in a community with two hospitals and a major clinic with world class medical facilities. I’m sure my friends in New York and Chicago will read that last sentence and scoff, but that would be contempt prior to investigation. It’s true.
The proximity is great, too. I am 90 minutes northeast of New Orleans (one of the great food cities in the world), one hour due north of the Gulf of Mexico, and a couple of hours away from the sugar sand beaches of the Florida Panhandle.
It’s the little things that make up a community. If I were asked to give a list of reasons why I love living and Hattiesburg, Mississippi it wouldn’t be the typical Chamber of Commerce pitch as to livability, air quality, water quality, and public services. On the top of the list would be the people. But there would also be things such as the Coney Island Sandwich Shop on Main Street. They’re celebrating their 100th year this year, all under the leadership of the same Greek immigrant family that opened it in 1923. A great grandfather, grandfather, father, and son have been the direct line in that lunch counter. A run of 100 years in a restaurant is almost unheard of, yet to have it only run by four men who are direct descendants is truly rare air.
Yesterday I attended Hattiesburg’s 40th annual Memorial Day Service. There’s a park in downtown Hattiesburg dedicated to the soldiers we have lost in every war since World War I. The ceremony lasts around 90 minutes and is some of the most meaningful minutes I spend all year. It concludes with a 21 gun salute and the playing of taps. Yesterday Taps was played— as it has been every year— by Howell Purvis, an 85-year old veteran who has bugled it at over 500 funerals. Yesterday was his final performance A bell tolled as they read the list of local soldiers lost. I listened while looking at the four marble columns at the front of the park with 173 names of the local soldiers who have been killed in action.
Those are 173 men and women who never got to see what our small town has become. We’ll never get to see the contributions they might have made, the families they would have raised, and the lives they would have impacted. Yesterday, they impacted my life once again, and I said a short prayer that a 174th name is never added to the list.
Call it small town pride, call me naïve, call me whatever you want, just call me at home in this place when the day is done.
Onward
Eggplant Casserole
2 Eggplant, medium size
1 /4 cup Bacon grease (or canola oil)
1 cup Onion, small dice
2 cups Red bell pepper, small dice
1 cup Tomatoes, diced, peeled and seeded
1 /2 cup Celery, small dice
1 Tbl Garlic, minced
1 tsp Dried basil
1 /2 tsp Dried oregano
2 cups Mushroom Béchamel Sauce(or Cream of Mushroom Soup)
2 cups Corn flake crumbs
1 /4 cup Butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place eggplant on baking sheet and bake 20 minutes. Rotate and continue baking 20 minutes more. Remove and allow to cool.
Using a paring knife peel the skin from the eggplant. Cut eggplant into two-inch cubes.
Place the bacon grease in a large skillet over high heat. When oil is very hot add eggplant to brown. Add onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, celery, garlic, basil and oregano. Cook for five to six minutes. Stir in Mushroom Béchamel Sauce and pour into two-quart baking dish.
Bake uncovered 40 minutes. Combine the corn flake crumbs and melted butter. Spread evenly over top of casserole and bake 10 minutes more. Remove casserole from oven and serve. Yield: 10 – 12 servings
Mushroom Béchamel Sauce
1 Tbl Olive oil, light
1 /2 cup Onion, minced
1 /4 cup Shallot, minced
1 /4 cup Celery, minced
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Garlic, granulated
1 /2 tsp Thyme, dry
10 oz Mushrooms, cleaned, sliced (4 cups)
3 cups Chicken broth
1 /2 cup Butter
3 /4 cup Flour
1 cup Whipping cream
Heat oil in a three-quart saucepot over low heat. Add onions, shallots, celery, and salt. Cook vegetables until tender. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium. Cook 10 minutes, stirring often. Add chicken broth, garlic and thyme. Bring back to a simmer and cook 10 more minutes.
In a separate skillet, make a light-blonde roux by melting butter and stirring in flour. Add to simmering broth mixture. Cook three to four minutes and add cream. Freezes well. Yield: two quarts.
(Robert St. John is a chef, restaurateur and published cookbook author who lives in Hattiesburg, Miss.)
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1537 – Pope Paul III banned the enslavement of Indians.
1774 – The Quartering Act, which required American colonists to allow British soldiers into their houses, was reenacted.
1793 – Maximillian Robespierre initiated the “Reign of Terror”. It was an effort to purge those suspected of treason against the French Republic.
1818 – The British army defeated the Maratha alliance in Bombay, India.
1835 – P.T. Barnum launched his first traveling show. The main attraction was Joice Heth. Heth was reputed to be the 161-year-old nurse of George Washington.
1851 – Maine became the first U.S. state to enact a law prohibiting alcohol.
1883 – The first baseball game under electric lights was played in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
1886 – Grover Cleveland became the second U.S. president to get married while in office. He was the first to have a wedding in the White House.
1896 – Guglieimo Marconi’s radio telegraphy device was patented in Great Britain.
1897 – Mark Twain, at age 61, was quoted by the New York Journal as saying “the report of my death was an exaggeration.” He was responding to the rumors that he had died.
1910 – Charles Stewart Roll became the first person to fly non-stop and double cross the English Channel.
1924 – All American Indians were granted U.S. citizenship by the U.S. Congress.
1930 – Mrs. M. Niezes of Panama gave birth to the first baby to be born on a ship while passing through the Panama Canal.
1933 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt accepted the first swimming pool to be built inside the White House.
1935 – George Herman “Babe” Ruth announced that he was retiring from baseball.
1937 – “The Fabulous Dr. Tweedy” was broadcast on NBC radio for the first time.
1946 – Italians voted by referendum to form a republic instead of a monarchy.
1953 – Elizabeth was crowned queen of England at Westminster Abbey.
1954 – U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy charged that there were communists working in the CIA and atomic weapons plants.
1957 – Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev was interviewed by CBS-TV.
1966 – Surveyor 1, the U.S. space probe, landed on the moon and started sending photographs back to Earth of the Moon’s surface. It was the first soft landing on the Moon.
1969 – The National Arts Center in Canada opened its doors to the public.
1969 – Australian aircraft carrier Melbourne sliced the destroyer USS Frank E. Evans in half off the shore of South Vietnam.
1979 – Pope John Paul II arrived in his native Poland on the first visit by a pope to a Communist country.
1985 – The R.J. Reynolds Company proposed a major merger with Nabisco that would create a $4.9 billion conglomerate.
1985 – Tommy Sandt was ejected from a major-league baseball game before the national anthem was played. He had complained to the umpire about a call against his team the night before.
1995 – Captain Scott F. O’Grady’s U.S. Air Force F-16C was shot down by Bosnian Serbs. He was rescued six days later.
1998 – Royal Caribbean Cruises agreed to pay $9 million to settle charges of dumping waste at sea.
1998 – Voters in California passed Proposition 227. The act abolished the state’s 30-year-old bilingual education program by requiring that all children be taught in English.
1999 – In South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) won a major victory. ANC leader Thabo Mbeki was to succeed Nelson Mandela as the nation’s president.
2003 – In the U.S., federal regulators voted to allow companies to buy more television stations and newspaper-broadcasting combinations in the same city. The previous ownership restrictions had not been altered since 1975.
2003 – In Seville, Spain, a chest containing the supposed remains of Christopher Columbus were exhumed for DNA tests to determine whether the bones were really those of the explorer. The tests were aimed at determining if Colombus was currently buried in Spain’s Seville Cathedral or in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
2003 – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that companies could not be sued under a trademark law for using information in the public domain without giving credit to the originator. The case had originated with 20th Century Fox against suing Dastar Corp. over their use of World War II footage.
2003 – William Baily was reunited with two paintings he had left on a subway platform. One of the works was an original Picasso rendering of two male figures and a recreation of Picasso’s “Guernica” by Sophie Matisse. Sophie Matisse was the great-granddaughter of Henri Matisse.
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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.)
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Public enemies of 1934 (Re-enactment group) (Photo taken by: Diana Gulick)
By Paige Nash
Downtown Gibsland was the place to be this past weekend, May 26-27.
The 30th Annual Authentic Bonnie and Clyde Festival kicked off with their Historian’s Meeting that was held at the local Lion’s Club building on Friday evening.
Bart Largent was a speaker at this event. He has been attending the festival since the second year of its exsistence in 1994. Largent is also an active participant in many of the re-enactments that take place throughout the day on Saturday.
“I thought this year’s festival went extremely well. We had more speakers than years past plus more in attendance,” said Largent. “The amount of vendors increased greatly and attendance by the public was outstanding. Overall, the festival was a grand success due to the hard work of everyone involved.”
One of those hard workers include festival committee member Belinda Smith. She oversees the festival’s schedule of events, which this year included a pancake breakfast, loads of vendors, a parade, Bingo, cake walks, a look-alike contest and live entertainment.
She said, “The festival this year was awesome. We had more vendors and people then we have had in years.”
There were multiple re-enactments that took place downtown before the grand finale. The festival goers traveled to the Ambush Site Marker where the re-enactment group, Public enemies of 1934, commenced their last shoot-out of the evening. The re-enactment portrayed the end of Bonnie and Clyde’s gruesome crime spree as law enforcement made their way out of the enbankment, opening fire from the side of the road.
Even though the Bonnie and Clyde Festival is over for 2023, plans are already underway for next year.
Smith said, “I am already working on 2024. Hope to see you all there and looking forward to it being bigger and better.”
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Veterans touring the museum (Photo taken by: Michelle Bates)
By Michelle Bates
A veterans museum dedication and luncheon was held Saturday in remembrance of the 13 Bienville Parish soldiers who lost their lives to war.
The event was so much more than just the remembrance of those 13, as it included recognition of the Gold Star families – the families of those 13 deceased soldiers – and in remembrance of all those who passed during wartime, in observance of Memorial Day.
Rose Jackson, the coordinator of the event, which was hosted by the Shady Grove Recreation District of Bienville Parish, said the idea for the veterans’ museum was brought to light by Bennie Martin, a veteran himself. The Shady Grove Recreation District’s Veteran Museum was originally established as a wall of honor for the veteran men and women honorably discharged from the military, deceased or alive, by displaying plates on the wall with their military information, grouped under periods of time served.
“These veterans were to have attended Shady Grove High School, or either lives in or lived in Bienville Parish communities at some point in time,” Jackson said. “In 2020, I decided to take Bennie’s vision to another level. Initially, I researched on the four graduates of Shady Grove High School, who were killed in the Vietnam War and later decided to research all solders from Bienville Parish who were killed in the Vietnam War and discovered the 13.”
The museum hosts an array of military memorabilia, along with a table set for the fallen soldier.
The 13 deceased soldiers Jackson spoke of were: – Sgt. Raymond Henry Gray, US Army, Shady Grove Community, Nov. 29, 1970 – Spc. 4 Jerry Wayne Peoples, US Army, Shady Grove Community, March 15, 1971. – Pfc. 4 John Roy Thompson, US Army, Shady Grove Community, June 11, 1966 – Cpl. Ray Lee Jackson, US Army, Lucky Community, Aug. 25, 1968. – Tech Sgt. Ivan Preston Whitlock, US Air Force, Gibsland, April 2, 1962 – Chief Master Sgt. Charlie Sherman Poole, US Air Force, Gibsland, June 8, 1979 – Sgt. 1 st Class Melvin Earnest Davis, US Army, Saline, June 6, 1970 – Pvt. Ronnie Brice, US Army, Arcadia, Jan. 18, 1971 – Petty Officer Jeider Jackson Warren, US Navy, Castor, Feb. 27, 1968 – Pfc. Joe Jefferson Brackens, US Army, Castor, Jan. 6, 1969 – Sgt. Ralph Lamar Hampton, US Army, Arcadia, Jan. 13, 1970 – Lance Cpl. Larry Wayne Moreland, US Marine Corps, Arcadia, Jan. 19, 1969 – Pfc. Rodney Wayne Westcott, US Marine Corps, Arcadia, July 22, 1966
Second Judicial District Judge Walter E. May served as the keynote speaker and talked about Memorial Day, why it’s recognized and its importance to American history.
Rep. Patrick Jefferson also presented the Gold Star families with a certificate of recognition on behalf of Gov. John Bel Edwards. May also received a certificate of appreciation as the keynote speaker.
Paradise Funeral Home presented the folding of the United States Flag and what each fold means before it is presented to the next of kin of a fallen soldier. Jackson thanked everyone who had a hand in making the event special.
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Five hundred twenty-nine students were named to the President’s List at Northwestern State University for the Spring 2023 semester. Students on the President’s List must be enrolled full-time at Northwestern and have a grade point average of 4.0.
This list includes students in alphabetical order by town in Bienville Parish:
Bienville: Destiny Holland
Castor: Madison McCarthy
Gibsland: Madison Mullens
Ringgold: Clara Guidry, Avery Myers
Saline: Hannah Leggett
Five hundred fifty-seven students were named to the Honor List at Northwestern State University for the Spring 2023 semester. Students on the Honor List must be enrolled full-time at Northwestern and have a grade point average of between 3.0 and 3.49.
This list includes students in alphabetical order by town in Bienville Parish:
Arcadia: Lataevia Abney, Cameron Jackson
Bienville: Sarah Macynski
Castor: Katherine Britt, Toni Gates, Gabrielle Guin
Gibsland: Cameron Murphy, Tyler Sneed
Ringgold: Arvionne Reliford
Saline: Bethany Oliver, Mikalee Sawyer
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JOURNAL STAFF – As May is wrapping up, Ronald McDonald House Charities’ organizers have raised almost half of the $10 million needed to build a new facility in Shreveport-Bossier.
“As far as the construction part, we are more than halfway,” said CEO Janell Mason. “Our goal is to get to $6.4 million by the end of the year in donations and pledges so we can start construction.”
Last week, Mason was in Shreveport and said at that point, organizers had collected nearly $4.3 million.
“We’ve been meeting with philanthropists in the community just sharing about the project,” she said. “We are in that silent phase – we aren’t doing a broad ask.”
She said it often takes several meetings to get to the point of receiving a donation.
Ronald McDonald House has released plans to build the new $10 million, 3-story, 20,000 square ft. facility in the Shreveport-Bossier area that will house families and serve hospitals there and in surrounding parishes.
The complex will be located near Willis-Knighton South. There will be 20 family suites, indoor/outdoor place spaces, expansive kitchen and large dining room, laundry rooms, meals and snacks and personal care items, just to name a few amenities. All services are provided free to families.
While in town, Mason said she met with local architects TEG. Organizers want to keep the project as local as possible, she said.
“In a couple of weeks, we will have a meeting where the project is announced in the construction industry,” she said. “We will invite all subcontractors to come hear about the project. They will hear from families touched by Ronald McDonald House.
“When open, parents will no longer be forced to sleep in their cars while their child is hospitalized or miss life-saving appointments and procedures due to financial limitations,” Mason added.
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Is your church hosting a Vacation Bible School? Bienville Parish Journal would like to know about it, so we can inform the public on where they can bring their kids to join in on the fun.
Please email the time, date and location of your church’s Vacation Bible School to bpjnewsla@gmail.com and we will begin publishing immediately.
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Their shirts say “Come Sing With Us,” and that’s exactly what Piney Hills Harmony Chorus is saying to area singers. The a cappella group is offering a set of guest nights and vocal workshops in June.
Piney Hills Harmony Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International located in Ruston, is hosting guest nights mixed with sessions aimed at helping singers improve both their voices and their vocal performances.
The chorus is welcoming singers of all skill levels to join them for two nights of settings designed to enhance their choral abilities. The sessions will be held during the chorus’s regular rehearsals at 6:30 p.m. June 15 and June 22 in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church of Ruston, located at 212 N. Bonner.
Piney Hills Harmony currently draws its members from Caldwell, Lincoln, Ouachita and Union parishes. Visitors from other parishes are welcome as well.
During the sessions, participants will receive instruction from a certified director as well as other experienced singers, with guidance on techniques and skills that are essential to becoming a successful vocalist. Musical arrangements will be four-part harmony, requiring both high and low voices. The ability to read music is not required as vocal learning aids will be provided.
A community performance that the visitors can participate in is also in the planning stages.
Piney Hills Harmony is one of approximately 500 chapters of Sweet Adelines International, which was founded in 1945 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by a small group of women who loved to sing and whose dream has spread across the globe.
For more information, contact Sallie Rose Hollis, vice president and membership chair, at sallierose@mail.com. You can also visit www.pineyhillsharmony.org and Piney Hills Harmony Chorus / Sweet Adelines International on Facebook.
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It was Christmas Day in 1982. J.R. and his family and friends, which amounted to about a dozen people in all, were enjoying a wonderful and relaxing Christmas at J.R.’s home in St. James, Jamaica. The day was bright and cheerful. Due to Jamaica’s warm climate, there was no snow. The warm temperature did not hinder their festive holiday moods in the least. They thought back on previous Christmases they had spent together and looked forward to many more. As the day slowly turned into evening on the tropical island, the dozen people readied themselves for dinner. The dozen people entered the large dining room from other parts of the house through three large doors. They began taking their places at a table large enough to accommodate 20 people which took up almost all of the space in the room.” They were just about to say the blessing when something happened which would make this Christmas the most memorable of their lives.
At precisely 6:00 p.m., with everyone seated, they bowed their heads to say the blessing. At that instant, three masked young men quickly entered all three doors of the dining room. One had a knife, another had a hatchet, and the third one had a pistol. One of the masked intruders said, “Somebody’s going to die here tonight!” J.R. and the others at the table were completely shocked. Some of them screamed while others were too afraid to make a sound. One of J.R.’s friends fainted out of fright. J.R. calmly looked at the intruders. He showed no fear but followed their instructions. The intruders had them lay on their stomachs on the floor. J.R. looked at each of the other 11 people who, before 6:00 p.m., had been enjoying a wonderful Christmas together. J.R.’s wife, June, slowly moved her hands under her body to hide her jewelry, especially her wedding ring. Seconds felt like hours.
“We want a million dollars, or somebody’s going to die!” the pistol-wielding intruder yelled. J.R. raised his head, looked at the intruder’s eyes, and explained that they did not have a million dollars. “You’ve got money!” he insisted. J.R. explained that they had some money but not such a large amount. One of J.R.’s companions began screaming, “I’m going to have a heart attack! I’m going to have a heart attack!” This shook the intruders who told one of their captives to go into the kitchen and fetch a glass of water. They let J.R. and the others change into a sitting position. J.R. realized that people who intended to kill would never show this sort of compassion. J.R. studied their movements and the tones of their voices. Although they were wearing stocking masks, J.R. was able to determine that the boy with the pistol was probably in his early 20s and the other two were only teenagers. He knew they were not professionals.
J.R. felt certain that if they could remain calm, they all might survive. J.R.’s wife began to break down when one of the intruders began to forcibly remove her jewelry. The intruder with the pistol grabbed J.R.’s eleven-year-old son and put the gun to his head. “Everybody do as I say!” For the next two hours, the armed robbers led the whole group of people through each room of the house and gathered anything of value that they could carry. All the while, the gunman held the pistol to J.R.’s son’s head.
At first, the intruders were rough with their captives. Through it all, J.R. spoke softly and calmly. Rather than try to hide things of value, he pointed out the most valuable items in the home. His family and friends were more valuable to him than anything else. After two hours together, the intruders began to relax and became friendly, polite, and even chatty. They started calling J.R. “sir.” The gunman asked J.R.’s son “What do you like to do in Jamaica? Do you like to snorkel?” The gunman still held the pistol to his head. The gunman asked J.R.’s son, “Do you want to feel my gun?” For the first time, J.R. was terrified by what the gunman meant. J.R.’s son calmly replied, “No, sir. I don’t play with guns. I have a lot of respect for them. They’re very dangerous.” The gunman grinned behind his stock mask and said, “Hey, I like you man!”
Once the intruders bagged up all they could carry, one of them said, “We’re going to lock you in the cellar.” The intruders led them to the cellar, closed the door, and wedged a two-by-four across the outside of the door. J.R. and the others could hear their footsteps fading as they walked away. Before they had a chance to relax, they heard footsteps approaching the door. Although none of the captives spoke, they all wondered if the intruders were coming back to kill them so as not to leave any witnesses. Suddenly, they heard a scraping sound on the floor on the other side of the door. Someone slid a large plate of turkey under the door. “We want you people to have your Christmas dinner after all,” one of the intruders said. “We don’t want to take that away from you.” Again, they heard footsteps fading. Moments later, when J.R. decided the intruders had gone, he and his brother-in-law began ramming the large, solid door. After several tries, they finally broke the door down. J.R. calmly called the police. Within a few days, police captured each of the three intruders.
The captives credited J.R.’s calmness for saving their lives. On the rare occasions that he spoke of the armed robbery, J.R. said that for them to escape unharmed, he knew he had to remain calm. Perhaps his stint in the U.S. Air Force helped him in this situation. It was an Air Force rule that required J.R. to assume a name in place of the one his parents gave him. J.R. chose John. You and I know J.R. Cash as Johnny Cash, the Man in Black.
Source: Cash, Johnny, and Patrick Carr. Cash : The Autobiography. San Francisco, Ca, HarperSanFrancisco, 1997, p. 34-43.
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Disney is big on inclusion and even bigger on lecturing those who are intolerant to the beliefs and lifestyles of others.
The House of Mouse consistently is highlighted for their attempts to give larger roles to marginalized groups and have increased representation in many of the world’s largest media properties.
Good for them on that front. All people need a voice. All people need to feel like they belong no matter the color of their skin, the god they pray to, or who they love. Are you a guy and love another guy? Ok. Fine by me. People are people, and the Alpha and Omega I pray to told me to love others just like He loved me. New Testament dude here. And that’s the bottom line cause Jesus Christ said so.
But Walt Disney Co.’s love and embracement of other cultures extends no further than the western world. Because the only thing they love more than creating the appearance of positively impacting society is the green that other less tolerant nations give them.
Point in fact. Disney has a notorious history of minimizing or outright eliminating actors of color from movie posters that go with their Chinese movie releases. They did it with Poe’s character in Star Wars. They’ve done it again with the new Little Mermaid actress. She’s made to look blue rather than African American. They edit their movies to fit a certain mold for the Chinese. It’s not a good look for them. It’s cowardly, hypocritical, racist, homophobic, transphobic and pretty much every other kind of bigotry under the sun.
Their reason? None given. Media silence. Disney owns all. And he or she who owns all makes the rules and says what and what does not get reported on.
Greed rules all. Just like the worst and sleaziest politicians, Disney panders to whoever brings them the most money. They exchange morals for green. It’s easy to lecture and virtue signal in America. It’s much more difficult to do what’s right in neighborhoods that don’t care about right and wrong. Morals are subjective and morals can be sold for the right price.
The question of why corporations are greedy is a complex one, and there is no one definitive answer. However, one way to approach this question is to consider the nature and goals of corporations.
Corporations are entities established to generate profits for their owners or shareholders. The primary goal of a corporation is to maximize its profits and increase the value of its shareholders’ investments. This means that corporations are incentivized to act in ways that generate the highest possible return on investment, even if that means taking actions that may be detrimental to other stakeholders, such as employees, customers, or the environment.
There are several reasons why some people may choose to engage in unethical or illegal behavior for financial gain. One reason is simply the desire for material wealth and the perceived benefits that come with it, such as luxury goods, status, and power. Some individuals may also feel that they have no other way to achieve financial stability or success, leading them to resort to illegal or unethical means.
Another reason is the influence of social and cultural factors, such as pressure to conform to certain norms or expectations, or the belief that making money at any cost is an acceptable or even desirable goal. Additionally, some people may lack empathy or have a distorted sense of morality, leading them to prioritize their own interests over the well-being of others.
But forgoing your morals for money can have negative consequences for both you and others. Morals are a set of principles that govern your behavior and decision-making, and they are shaped by your beliefs, values, and experiences. When you compromise your morals for financial gain, you are essentially betraying your own values and principles.
Choosing not to speak out or act against racism is cowardly because it allows the problem to continue unchecked. It suggests a lack of moral courage and a willingness to tolerate injustice, which can contribute to the normalization of racist attitudes and behaviors. It is important for individuals to stand up against racism and to actively work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all people.
Remember Disney’s true colors when they are lecturing you. They don’t care about marginalized people. They care about the green.
Josh Beavers is a teacher and a writer. He has been recognized five times for excellence in opinion writing by the Louisiana Press Association.
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If you did not know what your upcoming weekend needed, now you do!Start your summer off by diving off into a big bowl of this warm out of the oven with some ice cream!
This is another simple layer cake that requires no mixing, bowls, or any mess other than the one pan.The crunchy Nilla Wafers are set off with gooey pie filling and topped with strawberry cake mix and pats of butter.NOTHING WRONG HERE!
Ingredients
1 box Nilla Wafers
1 box strawberry cake mix
2 cans strawberry pie filling
1 can peach pie filling
1 stick butter, cut into 1/2” pats
Ice cream
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 with cooking spray. In 9×13 layer the Nilla Wafers to fit as many as you can evenly. Next, gently pour and spread the 2 cans of strawberry pie filling followed by the peach pie filling. Sprinkle cake mix over evenly. Top with butter squares. Bake for 30 minutes or until cake is mostly done and top is almost golden. Serve with ice cream.
(Ashley Madden Rowton is a wife, mom and published cookbook author who lives in Minden, La.)
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Two of the past three weeks, we’ve traded love notes about one of the Major Food Groups.
Been a good run, our time with cereal.
And it doesn’t have to end — not in real life. Not as long as the amber waves of grain are a thing.
But it does have to end here. Time to move on to other Foods, other Friends, other Things.
As an exclamation point, we’ll do something I used to do semi-regularly but we haven’t done yet in the SBJ. Today, a few of you take the wheel and share some Very Personal Stories. Had to leave out so many, including a favorite from a friend who loves cereal so much, he uses many of his favorites in his various passwords. Thank you to all who took the time to bear their Cereal Souls.
From Donnie Golfgame: There was a time in my life I was torn between Quisp, which I’m proud you mentioned, and Quake – which was like a sister cereal to Quisp, although instead of a sister there was a picture on the box of a miner with a light on his hardhat. As George Herbert Walker Bush would say, Quisp was a “kinder, gentler” form of Cap’n Crunch, which we all know is like having a mouthful of thumbtacks in your mouth. Quake, however, was Cap’n Crunch’s evil uncle as far as texture. Eat a bowl of Quake and you weren’t eating — couldn’t eat — anything else that day. Gum carnage.
I noticed when my kids were little that Sugar Crisp had suddenly become Honey Crisp and then later on it was just Crisp on the box. Same thing with Sugar Pops, which became Corn Pops and I think today it might just be Pops. Sugar has gotten a bad rap.
My Top 10, starting at the top:
1. Cap’n Crunch
2. Raisin Bran
3. 40 Percent Bran Flakes, (which now are just Bran Flakes; I always wondered why they didn’t call themselves 60-Percent-Of-Whatever-Else-Was-In-The-Box Flakes).
4. Rice Krispies; (are they just Krispies now? Is rice wrong?)
5. Fruit Loops
6. Corn Flakes, (or is it just Flakes?)
7. Sugar Pops
8. Honey Comb
9. Cap’n Crunch with Crunch Berries
10. Quaker Oats Oatmeal; (when I was a kid, there was a glass dish inside the oats).
From Duke of Don: There’s nothing more numerous than different people’s sense of humorous, right? I sent your Cereal Piece to a nephew in England. He responded, “Sadly nearly every cereal mentioned is not known to me; here we have our own which are the same as yours only under a different name. My breakfasts are not usually cereal-based but are instead …
1: Muesli (our own make barley flakes, rolled oats, porridge oats, oat bran, every kind of nut crushed up, mixed seeds, and raw cacao pieces plus milk); keeps you going through the day.
2: Croissants with lashings of extra butter, (Sundays only).
3: Porridge
4: Bacon Sandwich
5: Cold meats and cheese when in Europe
6: Crumpets
7: Toast
8: Lashings of coffee
9: Weetabix with warm milk but not very often
10: Corn flakes but only with a gun pointed at my head
From JayVee, Team Captain: First, a resounding NO to Trix, or any cereal with colors, and also to Grape Nuts (who in the world thinks this is really human food?! And why ruin the good name “Grape” by associating it with this product?)
1. Raisin Bran Crunch
2. Frosted Mini Wheats
3 and 4. Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios (tie game)
5. Frosted Flakes
6. Sugar Crisp (as in — add music — “Can’t get enough of them Sugar Crisp.” It’s a different name now — heaven forbid we actually put “sugar” in a name anymore. Gotta eat ’em fast; if soggy it’s a different ballgame.
7. Sugar pops, (ditto previous comment).
8. Raisin Bran
From The Skynman: My go-to is Honey Nut Cheerios. I have ditched the rest. I can do both ways. With milk or without. A handful of HNC for a quick snack is a pick-me-up. And on long trips there is a box in the seat next to me to munch on while I drive and listen to my book on tape.
From Train: If a team of cereal played ball, here’s my batting order:
1. Fruity Pebbles
2. Frosted Flakes
3. Honey Nut Cheerios
4. Lucky Charms
5. Cinnamon Toast Crunch
6. Cocoa Puffs
7. Cap’n Crunch
8. Raisin Bran
9. Count Chocula
Naturally, a bowl would coach first, a spoon third, and milk would be the manager.
The following arrests were made by local law enforcement agencies.
05/21/23
Raekwon Lockhart of Killeen, Tx. was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, illegal carrying of a weapon in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance, possession or distribution of drug paraphernalia, smoking in a motor vehicle and exceeding the maximum speed limit.
Thomas Tilley of Jamestown was arrested for unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.
05/22/23
Kursty Fleming of Castor was arrested for unauthorized use of food stamp coupons, cards and/or devices.
05/23/23
Eliseo Vargas of Fate, Tx. was arrested for no driver’s license.
05/25/23
Paula Boyd of Gibsland was arrested as a fugitive for theft.
Derick Coliston of Taylor was arrested for criminal mischief – remaining in a place of business after being directed to leave.
05/26/23
JaDarius Ignont of Monroe was arrested for operating a vehicle with a suspended license/no license issued.
Johnny Lyons of Temple, Tx. was arrested for no driver’s license.
05/27/23
Amy Bogan of Ringgold was arrested for failure to appear.
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.
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Burial: Harmony Cemetery, Magnolia, Ark., under the direction Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
Dr. J. Robert Kemmerly
August 15, 1936 – May 27, 2023
Minden, La.
Visitation: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 31, 2023, First Methodist Church Sanctuary, Minden, La.
Funeral service: 11 a.m. immediately following visitation.
Burial: Zion Rest Primitive Baptist Church, Jonesboro, La.
Emily Halsey Prothro Van Horn
May 4, 1923 – May 25, 2023
Baton Rouge/Minden, La.
Funeral service: 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, 2023, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Minden, La.
Burial: Gardens of Memory Cemetery, Minden.
John Everett Speer
Dec. 23, 1956 – May 22, 2023
Haynesville, La.
Funeral service: No information is available at this time. Thursday, June 1, 2023, Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Many, La.
Bienville Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or bpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are free of charge.)
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