A large column of thick black smoke roared into the late morning sky Friday. It could be seen from miles away that something was on fire in the middle of Coushatta. The school board and fire department held a controlled burn next to the football stadium.

The Journal reported over the past few months that the school board acquired two parcels of land just south of the junior high school. One of those lots had an old house and garage on the corner of Clarkson Street and Stadium Drive. You may recall that the school board offered the house to someone who would demolish or move it.

There had been no takers.

School board Maintenance Supervisor David Beard told The Journal they called in the Red River Parish Fire Protection District. “They held six training sessions at that house before the controlled burn,” said Beard. Fire units and personnel were on the scene Friday morning to conduct the controlled burn.

Initially the lot will provide extra parking for sports events. It is being included in the major building project just getting underway to improve facilities at both the high school and junior high and the adjoining sports complex.