Town Council Will Review Sewer Rate Hikes

Several months ago, the Town Council approved new sewer rates for businesses and individual homes.  The rate for sewer service was increased from $2 per month to $21 for homes and $50 for businesses.  The move is unpopular with businesses who say they use far less water than homes and pay far more for it.

Businessman Michael Barrett of BFL Off Road complained that for three months he only used 32 gallons of water at his business yet paid $150 for sewer service.  He presented recent bills to back his complaint.

The Water/Wastewater Operator for the town, Bukar Mohamed explained that the minimum charge was for providing the service, or for having the city get rid of your wastewater.  Note that sewage usage is assumed to be the same as the amount of water used.  Mohamed said, “Using a little water does not get rid of the minimum charge.  That is to pay for the service or getting good water to customers.”

For background, several months the Town Council received a report from their consultant that by only charging $2 for sewer service the town was paying the additional cost of providing sewer service from funds received for water service.  And that subsidizing sewer service from the collections for water service was improper.  The consultant reported that the town should be charging $21 for residential and $50 for business customers for providing sewer service.  The sewer rate had not been updated in decades and the jump in rates was approved by the Town Council to bring rates in line with the true cost of providing the service.  The sudden jump in water bills is what has upset many people in the town.

After a lengthy discussion, the Town Council voted to go into executive session to talk about it.  Following that session, Town Attorney Cloyd Benjamin gave a brief statement that the council had a discussion regarding sewage rates.  He said, “We will have a session to review the sewage rates.”

There was no more information given on when the sessions would be held, would they be public, and when would the item come back up before the Council for any possible adjustment.


August Quality Kid

Quality Ford gives an award each month to an outstanding student in public school.  For August, the winner is Luke Williamson, Red River High.  School Superintendent Alison Strong presented Williamson to the school board and read his nomination statement.

Strong said, “Hard-working and dedicated are two words that define Luke. He tries his best at everything he does, yet he always wants to know how he can do better.  Luke is not a complainer and is always positive when another student thinks things are not fair.  At practice, I’ve seen him go back and help teammates finish runs when he was barely able to finish himself. Luke is definitely the definition of what a Quality Kid should be.”

Williamson was nominated by his Baseball Coach Chris Reed.  Elizabeth Hughes from Quality Ford presented him with balloons,  a certificate and gift card.


VFW Student of Month Program Underway

The first students honored as Student of the Month in Red River public schools were honored before the Red River Parish School Board on Monday.  Each received a certificate and gift card to Dairy Queen.

Superintendent Alison Strong read the student’s nomination statements from their schools.  First up was Ava Jones from Red River Elementary.  Strong said, “Ava began school with a strong drive to achieve. She sets an example for her classmates by working hard, staying focused, and asking questions when she needs further understanding.  Ava is also always willing to help her classmates. She shows kindness and respect to everyone around her. Ava is an all-around wonderful, sweet person and is deserving of the title “Student of the Month” for Red River Elementary.”  She was nominated by Mrs. Cook.

From Red River Academic Academy, the Student of the Month is Carson Ezernack.  Strong said, “Carson is the 6th grade Student of the Month for RRAA. He was chosen for several reasons.  He showed tremendous growth on the LEAP assessment last year. He grew 40 points from his previous year’s score in ELA. He has shown himself to be a leader in the classroom and is always willing to help out around the school.  Even though he says reading is not his favorite subject, he never fails to participate in class discussions. Carson has a great, kind and loving heart. His classmates look up to him and he looks out for the underdog. He is maturing into a fine young man.” The nomination was from Lisa Johnson.

Cayden Johnson is the Student of the Month from Red River Junior High.  Strong said, “Cayden is an 8th grader at Red River Junior High School this year and has been chosen as Student of the Month for August. She is described by her teachers as a great student who is very responsible. Last spring, Cayden received 2 Advanced scores and 2 Mastery scores on the LEAP2025 exams. She also had all A’s and 2 B’s on her final report card for the 2022-2022 school year. She tries, even when things become difficult, and makes sure that she gives her absolute best. We are very proud of Cayden’s accomplishments and look forward to the great things she will achieve this year at Red River Junior High School. He was nominated by Dr. Nicolet Doughty.

Red River High Student of the Month is Addison Bounds.  Strong said, “Caring, focused, determined, smart, and amazingly talented are just some of the words I would use to describe our first student of the month for this year. Addison is a very talented musician who sings and plays at school and at her church. She also worked all summer at a church camp as a counselor for young people.  She is a leader in 4-H, holding offices in the local, regional, and state chapters. She is a member of the state 4-H shooting team, a varsity softball player, and an officer on the Student Council.  There isn’t much she doesn’t or can’t do. One of the best things about Addison is that she is also her sister’s biggest fan and cheers her on at softball, volleyball and everything else she’s involved in, as well.  Addison is also the only student at Red River High School this past year to finish the year with all A’s and also make Advanced on all her state tests this last year. I am so proud of the things Addison is accomplishing while in high school and so excited to see what her future holds. Her Principal, J.C. Dickey wrote the nomination statement.

VFW Post and Auxiliary 7287 honor students from each school in the parish every month during the school year.  Lee Rodgers represented the VFW in making the presentations at the September meeting of the School Board.  For more information on the award program, call the VFW at 932-6557.


Age Related Goals

By Steve Graf

They say age is just a number, but it’s really a lot more than that. Our age says a lot about who we are, what we’ve been through, and what we can and cannot do anymore. Age puts us in a specific generation and sort of defines who we are. Our age puts limitations on us that sometimes we have to test. For example, can we still stay up after midnight and be able to function the next day? Can we still cut and stack a cord of wood without taking a break? Can we cut our own grass….with a push mower like we did in our younger days? Can we still tie our own shoes, or do we buy slip-ons to avoid bending over? Can we remember the name of the guy we met at the gas station or what we ate for lunch yesterday? These are just a few of the questions that our age dictates.

But one thing that separates us from other primates is the ability to set goals for ourselves. At an early age, we are taught the importance of setting goals by our parents, teachers, and coaches. Some of these goals are unattainable and we know that from the moment we set them…for example, a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, exercise daily, eat out less, do a better job of saving money, spend more time with loved ones, stop drinking, stop smoking, or stop chewing our fingernails. All of us have made these resolutions at one time or another. For some, they make up their mind and commit to accomplishing one or more of these. But understand, these people are not the norm, they are the exceptions!

Goals……what’s the purpose of them if we don’t ever achieve them?  The answer to that question; without goals, we as humans have zero to no direction. We need something like a “carrot” dangling out in front of us in order to make us strive to be better individuals. We need a “reason” to push ourselves to be better and attempt to achieve these goals. As a tournament bass angler, my goals have changed over the last 32 years. I started tournament fishing back in 1990 as a way to continue to compete after my playing days as an athlete were over. Yes, for you young readers out there, THAT DAY does come! Anglers need that rush and feeling of accomplishment when we win an event or finished high in the standings.

My commitment to being the best angler comes from my God-given competitive fire I had as an athlete. No matter what sport, I wanted to be the best or play it at a very high level. Otherwise, why play?  I’ve always felt that this is a trait you’re born with. Sure, it can be developed to a certain point, but it’s something that comes from within yourself to be the best. In my younger days, late 90’s and early 2000s, my goal was to try and win every event but was ok with a Top 10 finish. I wanted to compete for Angler of the Year (AOY)  in every circuit. Even though that goal has yet to be achieved, the goal remains the same each and every year.  I’ve had my share of success and a few wins while making several Top 10’s in the BFL’s, Toyota Series, ABA’s and other organizations.

Today, at the age of 61, the stamina or the desire to compete with today’s young guns coming up from the College and High School Series does not exist. Oh, don’t misunderstand, the desire to kick their butts and show them the old man still has it, still exists.  But to win today, you must put in the hours of pre-fishing and scouting from sunup to sundown. You have to be the first guy at the ramp in the morning and the last to leave the ramp in the evening. I’m still pretty good and can still do well on any given day, but my desire wains especially when the bite is tough, too hot, too cold and Mother Nature decides she wants to blow 25 MPH creating three-and four-foot waves. Running in rough water and beating my body up worse than playing four quarters of a football game, my priorities have changed and It’s just not as important as it used to be!

So, I guess you could say my goals have changed due to my age.  But like all former athletes, we will always think we can beat anyone as long as we are breathing. But in reality, it’s probably not going to happen, at least not as often as it used to. Make sure to keep setting and adjusting your goals because this will keep you young in both heart and soul. Till next time, good luck, good fishing, and don’t forget your sunscreen. Melanoma doesn’t discriminate! Trust me, I know!  


Ty Is Perfect

This week the award for Picker of the Week goes to Ty Birdsong.  He guessed 10 out of 10 winners of local football games.  The Journal presented Birdsong with a $100 check.

How did you do?  Here is the outcome of the games in week two:

Week Ending

Away

Score

At Home

Score

9-Sep

Parkway

45

Red River

0

 

West Ouachita

28

Jonesboro-Hodge

6

 

Montgomery

3

Lakeview

33

 

Evangel

42

Mansfield

38

 

Many

50

DeRidder

7

 

Caldwell Parish

13

Winnfield

14

 

Riverdale Academy

34

Briarfield Academy

28

 

Tensas Academy

44

Union

6

 

Franklin Academy

30

PVA

36

 

CCA

14

WCCA

18

         

Tie #1

Montgomery at Lakeview

36

 

Tie #2

Parkway at Red River

45

 

The entry forms for week three are online.  If you have not entered this week’s contest, CLICK HERE and fill out the form.  Deadline is 4:00 pm today, so get busy.  We’ll award another $100 next week.


Fire Department Board Deals With Finances and Maintenance

The Red River Fire Board continues to deal with financial issues due to rising costs of fuel and other items purchased.  Another contributing factor is maintenance that had been deferred in past years.  And a change in paying firefighters for professional certifications earned will also have an impact on the budget.

Board Accountant Kylie Shaw discussed amendments the board will have to make to the budget prior to the end of the year to bring it in line.  The cost of fuel has increased considerably since the current budget was adopted.  Another issue raised by Chief John Woodfin is maintenance.  He said many of the tires on the trucks are 12 years old and are at the end of their life.  There is money in the budget to replace some of the tires and at present all of his budget for repairs has been spent.

The department had applied for a $650,000 grant to cover firefighter pay.  Board Secretary Rachael Long said that had been denied.  Shaw said this is another budget adjustment that will have to be dealt with.

The board decided to include dive certification in the pay scale for firefighters.  Recently the board adopted an additional $25 per month pay for firefighters with certain professional certificates.  The list of certifications was modified to include certification for divers.  Several of the current firefighters are certified divers.

The board made one budget amendment at the September meeting.  They added $10,000 to the maintenance budget.  This would allow the chief to purchase new tires needed for all vehicles.  The maintenance budget was increased to $40,000.

During the discussions it was noted by Board Accountant Kylie Shaw that she still expected the department to end the year with approximately $350,000 surplus.  Final budget amendments will be made at the November board meeting.


Breast Cancer Awareness

Tina Horton is sponsoring an event Saturday in Coushatta in memorial of her Mom Linda Kay Horton. The event is Klassy Pink, a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness.

Horton said, “Klassy Pink was created because of the many family members and friends who have been touched by breast cancer. After 15 years of remission, my mother too lost her battle on January 6, 2014. Linda Kay remains the primary source of our family’s motivation to stay active in the cause, present in the fight and positive that a cure is near. “

Horton reminded everyone that early detection saves lives.  She said, “Come out and fellowship with survivors, warriors, fighters and family members that lost some one in their battles.”


School Board Honors Recent Retirees

Several recently retired teachers and support staff in Red River Schools were honored with plaques recognizing their service to the students of the parish.  Superintendent Alison Strong called each one up and thanked them for “many years of service.”

RETIREMENT PLAQUES for 2021-2022 were presented to:

Name:                                          Retirement Date

Rosalyn Murphy                    7/1/2021

Judy Harkins                          7/1/2021

Darlene Woodell (Martin)    8/3/2021

Carol Davis                             8/21/2021

Billy Henry, Sr.                       10/26/2021

Debra Webb                           11/5/2021

Maribeth Sherman                11/20/2021

Betty Gray                              1/11/2022

Keith Johnson                          1/26/2022

Melissa Long                          6/3/2022

Alvester Barfield                   6/24/2022

Charlesetta Sims                    6/24/2022

Gina Birdsong                        6/24/2022

Peggy Key                              6/24/2022

Deborah Lawhorne               6/24/2022


Pearls for Pigskins

By Molly Seales

In the fall of 2019, a group of football players’ grandmothers came together to form a group called “Pearls for Pigskins.” The group was started with the intention of trying to honor their grandsons on the Riverdale football team. This 2022 football season marks the beginning of the Pearls’ fourth season, and they are still going strong, serving their grandsons and their coaches. The Pearls prepare a meal for the team after school on the days of home games so that the players don’t have to leave school but can stay together as a team. This helps the team prepare themselves physically and mentally for the game.

Before the team is served, Coach Jared Smelser offers up the blessing and prays for the safety of all players-our Rebels and the opposing team. Wanda Hanna, organizer of the group said, “The coaches and players are always very appreciative of our efforts. But even better, it gives each of us grandmothers that can attend a little special time with our grandsons. While the group was formed to serve the team and our grandsons, it’s the Pearls that receive the biggest blessing!

Mrs. Wanda added, “Each year, as new players join the team, we attempt to contact their grandmothers and invite them to join our group. This year we have 16 members, five of which have been members since the group was organized. We look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come.” The picture is of the 11 Pearls who were able to attend last week, and each Pearl’s grandson is listed next to her.

Front row, left to right: Sherry Norman-Landen Barrett; Mary Tom Cowser-Hayden and Jackson Hillman; Millie Jones-Cannon Breedlove; Rose Nealy-Brock Keith; Karen Moseley-Ben Moseley.  Back row, left to right: Bertha Giddings-Kaidyn Williams; Mary Almond-Ben and Ashton Almond; Wanda Hanna-Ryder Huddleston; Melinda Hardy-Kolten Antilley; Cindy Smith-Brock Keith; Rhonda Guin-Brock Keith. Those unable to attend and their respective grandsons are Kathy Anderson-Brock Keith; Donna Hillman-Hayden and Jackson Hillman; Barbara Martin-James Wagoner; Billie Hunter-Aston Hester; and Nell Huddleston-Ryder Huddleston.


Prostate Awareness Month 

September is National Prostate Awareness Month, and Natchitoches Regional Medical Center’s Urology Associates and NRMC Cancer Center want to encourage all men in our community to get screened. 

The National Library of Medicine notes that prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer affecting men worldwide. Closer to home, statistics show that Louisiana has the highest number of estimated new cases of prostate cancer for 2022, according to the American Cancer Society. The good news is that prostate cancer generally tends to grow slowly and is highly treatable if found early.  

At NRMC Urology Associates, Dr. Kenneth Perego is a leading expert in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer. He stresses that if you get checked early, identified early, and treated early, you’ll have a 97% chance of survival.  

With prostate cancer, there are often no early symptoms to warn a man that he may have prostate cancer, so getting an annual exam and screening are important steps all men should take. So don’t delay, call today to schedule your appointment to see Dr. Perego at 318.214.5770. 

About Natchitoches Regional Medical Center 

Natchitoches Regional Medical Center began as a community hospital in 1955 and has grown into a 216-bed healthcare system with over 850 Associates and more than 100 active and consulting physicians on its medical staff. The system is comprised of the 96-bed acute care facility, a skilled nursing home, cancer center, specialty services, and an extensive network of clinics throughout the parish. 

New Life Offers Session on Preaching

New Life Church at Hall Summit has a special announcement.  Tomorrow, Saturday, September  17th, the Red River Bible Institute will meet from 8:00 am until 12:00 noon for the first section of Expository Preaching. This meeting will be held at the church office.

New Life Church office is located at 5047 Duke Ave. in Hall Summit.  Come expecting and eager to learn.


ETC… For Friday, September 16, 2022

Joe Boy Day is tomorrow.  This annual roping event will be held in the arena at Red River Cowboy Church.

A blood drive is scheduled at Red River High School on Monday, September 19th from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm.  It will be held in the new Vocational Building

Louisiana’s current Poet Laureate, Mona Lisa Saloy, will visit Northwestern State University for a poetry reading on Tuesday September 20 at 7 p.m. in the Varnado Hall ballroom at 541 University Parkway in Natchitoches.  The event is free and open to the public.


Efforts to Form a DAR Chapter

Twelve members of National Society Daughters of the American Revolution are working to form a DAR chapter in Coushatta.  A planning meeting was held Saturday, September 10, 2022, at the home of Norma Lester. 

Louisiana State DAR Organizing Secretary Geni Newman and State Regent Cheryl Gott led the discussion.  Attending were Susan Taylor, Kelley Lee, Karen Squires, Rebecca Coghill, Debbie Bell, Kaitlyn Beard, Dani Jones Bludau, Shirley May and Norma Lester.  Others unable to attend are Barbara McCoy, Jennifer Adcock and Christina Jones Scott. 

Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible.  For more information contact Norma Lester nslester@cp-tel.net.


Week Two $100 Winner!

Congratulations to Ty Birdsong.  He excelled at predicting the outcome of all 10 games in the Journal’s High School Pickers contest.  Ty wins $100 for his excellent performance.

A new list of games for this week is now posted.  Click on the banner at the top of this and every article in the Journal.  Or go direct to the entry form by CLICKING HERE.

As the season goes along it will become more difficult to determine the winner of each contest.  We’re not looking for you to predict the score, just the winner.  Everyone in the parish is eligible to enter and win the $100 we’re offering in week #3.

Good luck Pickers!


RA Rebels Win Thriller Over Briarfield

By Molly Seales

On Friday, September 9, the Riverdale Academy Rebel football team, cheerleaders, and loyal fans made the long drive to Lake Providence, LA, to take on one of their biggest rivals, the Briarfield Rebels. For the team, this game was personal, as Briarfield narrowly defeated them last year in the semifinals. The Rebels wanted revenge, and they got it with a 34-28 road win, giving every Rebel fan something to cheer about.

Head coach Jared Smelser was extremely proud of his team. He said, “Our boys are competitive. They don’t just wear the school’s name on their jerseys-it’s engraved on their hearts. Games like last night show how much these guys play for their community and their school. Briarfield has played the hardest schedule of any team. We knew they were better than their record, plus they were playing at home, so we knew it would be a tough game. I feel like we still need to fix some things, but these guys wanted to win and overcame a lot of missed assignments. Any time you can put the mistakes behind you and get a win on the road against a great team, you know you are a great team, too.” Assistant coach Jensen Spillum had some of the same sentiments. He said, “Beating Briarfield in the fashion that we did felt great. All those stored up emotions from last year’s semifinal game were out on display. Defensively, we were able to put pressure on the quarterback and make some good plays. Offensively, our protection up front has gotten progressively better, and our backfield and receivers were able to string together some solid drives. This is definitely a performance we can build off of and make our case for being a state championship contender.”

With Riverdale up 28-22 and 3:03 left in the 4th quarter, Briarfield managed to punch it in for a touchdown to tie it up at 28-28. As Briarfield attempted the 2-point conversion, junior Hayden Hillman was able to get to the outside and stop Briarfield just short of the end zone, causing a failed conversion and leaving the score tied. The Rebels had 3:00 minutes left to make something happen. Senior James Wagoner laid down on the onside kick, giving the Rebels control of the ball, and we took over on our own 33-yard line. However, two plays later disaster struck as Riverdale fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Briarfield. However, the Rebels didn’t let this get into their heads. They got fired up on defense and forced a Briarfield punt, which resulted in a high snap to the punter that was recovered by Riverdale with good field position. With around 30 seconds left in the game, junior quarterback Ryder Huddleston found junior receiver Kyle Guillory in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown to put the Rebels up 34-28. The 2-point conversion failed, but the Rebels had done enough. Briarfield got the ball with around 20 seconds left and got a first down on their first play, and then they called a timeout to stop the clock. On the last play of the game, senior Jace Wilhite recorded his first interception and ran it out of bounds to seal the victory.

On offense, Ryder Huddleston was 5 for 10 in passing for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns. Guillory had a reception for a 25-yard touchdown, and Ben Almond had 4 receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. Guillory also had 13 carries, rushing for 89 yards and a touchdown, while Almond and Huddleston each ran in a touchdown of their own. The Rebel defense also fought hard and stepped up big. Junior Landen Barrett led the charge with 5 tackles (3 TFL,) an assist, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble. Guillory was also active on defense with 4 tackles (1 TFL,) an assist, a sack, and a fumble recovery. Huddleston had 4 tackles and an assist with 3 TFL. Freshman Ashton Almond once again proved he was ready for varsity play with 3 tackles (1 TFL,) 1 assist, 1 PBU, and a fumble recovery, while brother Ben had 2 tackles. Hillman had 2 tackles (1 TFL,) and an assist, while Wagoner had 2 tackles and an assist. Wilhite had 2 tackles and the crucial game-ending interception. Tyler Parker had a tackle for a loss, and Kaidyn Williams had a tackle and a fumble recovery.

The Rebels will be at home Friday night for their first district game against the Tensas Chiefs, who come to East Point with a 3-0 record. This will be a tough district game, and we need ALL of our Rebels fans to come out and cheer on our boys! Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. at Marston Stadium. Keep it up boys! We are proud of you!

Photo credit:  Bethany Seales and Leslie Johnson


LHSAA Shuffles the Deck

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association has shuffled the deck and re-dealt the cards for high school post-season play in 2022-2023.  Details were issued to the media on Friday.  For the most part, Red River is not affected by the changes.

Schools are designated as Select or as Non-Select based upon their attendance zones and other factors.  A total of 26 schools formerly designated as Select have been moved to Non-Select.  Red River was not affected by this; however it does come into play when the playoff divisions were established.

For the playoffs, teams in all sports were placed into one of 4 divisions.  But statewide the teams don’t necessarily stay in the same division for every sport.

Red River Bulldogs are a non-select school, and they play in Division III for Football, Boys and Girls Basketball, Softball and Baseball.  For the most part, the teams in their district are all in Division III.  Jonesboro-Hodge and Lakeview were placed in Division IV for Football post season play.

Red River is in 2-A along with Many, Mansfield, Jonesboro-Hodge, Lakeview and Winnfield.  In every sport other than football they will all be in Division III for post season this year.

Interesting the LHSAA news release did not shed any light on the criteria for placing each team in a particular division.  All they said was, “On Thursday, the bulk of the time was spent by committee and staff analyzing the number of schools in each designation and those respective split sports post season brackets, while keeping parity and competitive as a goal amongst all five sports.”  And the LHSAA did not further define the Divisions as to whether Division I was stronger than Division IV, etc.

If you are interested in digging further into the brackets, the whole news release is attached.  Click on the PDF below.


Coming up ro$e$ 

By Teddy Allen

Clean livin’, that’s what it is. 

What I thought was an email joke from the wealthy Amazon.com founder’s ex-wife was followed by a person wanting to give me a baby grand piano, followed by a couple of Powerball winners wanting to give me money and an elderly gentleman with maybe a bad conscious has turned into a miraculous reality for yours truly. 

Your writer buddy here is about to be rich, is the long and short of it.  

Years ago, a Nigerian prince emailed me to say he was “desperately” trying to smuggle his wealth out of his country. Bad guys were out to get it and all. 

He just needed my bank account number so he could send the dough to me, and I would hold it if I didn’t mind, and he’d show up and get it back and give me a nice gift for my troubles. A “nice gift” being some side-striped jackals, as many African elephants as I could stand, a herd of red river hogs and, don’t let me forget to mention, a couple million in United States dollars, which he could afford because two million Benjamins is couch change for your modern Nigerian prince. 

Figured it had to be a hoax. Moved on.  

But …  

A few months ago, I got another email explaining that a couple had “donated” $600,000 to me since they had just won the Powerball ticket of $316.3 million — that’s million with an ‘M’ — and all I had to do was reply to the mail. 

Please, I was born at night, but not last night. 

Hoax City. Moved on. 

But y’all, things kept happening. Like a few weeks ago when my email box contained a “Yamaha baby grand” in the Subject Line and I discovered this, punctuation errors and all:  

“How are you doing today? I am looking to give away my late husband’s Yamaha baby grand piano to a passionate instrument lover, Please let me know if you will take it or have someone who will care for it. 

“Regards, 

“Kate” 

Kate. One of my favorite female names. Plus, she’d started with wondering how I was doing, which was, I don’t know, kind. These are hard times. It was — what’s the word? — sweet. Thoughtful. 

I didn’t let the comma that was supposed to be a period confuse me; she’d lost her husband, for goodness sakes, was burdened by the baby grand that he used to play, probably singing Cole Porter to her, and she just needed help. And what could I get on today’s market for a baby grand? Probably a half-dozen car payments. 

I loved her immediately. 

But then Jerry wrote me. He was interested in “monthly donations.” While I appreciated Kate’s sentiment, the lure of a monthly stipend was hard to pass up. 

“I realize it takes money to run and operate the University and it costs money to help people every day. I get $1,060.21 in disability benefits direct deposit to my checking account on the third every month unless the third during the weekend deposit Friday. Please contact me if you feel my benefits would be useful. And thank you for your time.” 

I thought back to the email from MacKenzie Scott, the billionaire ex-wife of Amazon.comfounder Jeff Bezos. She’d given, at the time, $4.2 billion — that’s billion with a ‘B’ — of her fortune to more than 300 organizations. Food banks. Rescue shelters. Needy folk. Me, maybe… 

And that’s when it hit me. The rich Nigerian prince and MacKenzie and the Powerball winners and even the piano widow were just other people posing as them and trying to milk me for money I didn’t have. But ….  

I still wrote the Nigerian prince. I know … I know … But what if? 

The joke is that one day, a Nigerian prince is going to die and in his room they will find a bucketful of diamonds and jewels and money and a note that reads: “I tried to give most of this away by email but …” 

If it’s true, great. The next rounds on me. If it’s a hoax?, fine.  But just know …  

I folded up like a one-egg pudding and sent him my bank account number Monday. If he wants the 346 dollars and change, I have in there, hope he has at it. The best Nigerian buffet in Port Harcourt is on me, along with a car wash and a night at the Maiduguri Inn & Suites.  

If the rest of you need money, just come to me. Don’t fall for this stuff. If you do, there’s a price to pay. 

Contact Teddy for loans and personal gifts at teddy@latech.edu 


Tough Night At The Dawg Pound

By Christy Suggs

Friday night was the first home game for the Red River Bulldogs. The 2A Bulldogs took on 5A Parkway Panthers. This was a historical meeting for both teams. Coach Harper and several Bulldogs went head to head with former players and coaches.

Red River had a hard night. The team could not get down the field to score any points. They had several good plays and opportunities but could not convert them to points.

Timing seemed to be off for the offense and the defense just couldn’t stop the Panthers. 

Some of the same problems were seen against Haughton the week before. The players are working hard this week to bring a change and make something happen.

With a record of 0-2 the Bulldogs are starting the season in the hole. Thursday night Red River travels to Shreveport to take on Woodlawn.


New York Life Agent Lesh Nettles Brown receives recognition for 20 years of service

Austin, TX, September 1, 2022 – In recognition of his 20 years of service, Lesh Nettles Brown has been named a Senior NYLIC of New York Life.    

Nettles joined New York Life on February 1, 2001. He began his career and continues to work out of the Shreveport General Office of New York Life.

Nettles was raised in Coushatta, LA, and attended Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA where he received a BS degree in Accounting and his MBA.  Additionally, he has earned the CLU, ChFC, and LTCP designation from the American College. 

Nettles is a Registered Representative with NYLIFE Securities LLC (member FINRA/SIPC) a Licensed Insurance Agency and a New York Life company and a Life Member of MDRT (Million Dollar Roundtable).  He and his wife reside in Natchitoches, LA.


Opportunity: Teacher/Nurse

The Red River Parish School Board is accepting applications for a high school teacher/nurse. The teacher/nurse will teach, supervise, evaluate students as they practice clinical skills, and provide school nurse duties as needed.

The requirements are as follows:

must possess a current Louisiana licensure as a registered professional nurse

minimum of three years’ experience as a registered nurse

possess intermediate skills in Microsoft Word and Google

Submit applications at the Red River Parish School Board and at  http://www.rrbulldogs.com. Deadline for submission is September 7, 2022.

For more information, you may contact Nicole Eason by email neason@rrbulldogs.com or 318-271-3150.

Nicole M. Eason

Red River Parish School Board

Human Resources Department


“Little Demon” Only the Latest Smut to Emerge from Our Cultural Cesspool

By Royal Alexander

“The Devil’s cleverest wile (trick) is to convince us that he doesn’t exist.”

Charles Baudelaire

U.S. Rep Mike Johnson this week correctly rebuked the FX animation “Little Demon” as being a dangerous influence on children.  He stated that “this (American) culture has become dark and desensitized” and this so-called piece of entertainment is only the latest example.

Johnson went on to describe the show as an attack against the “hearts and minds of our kids” and pointed out the inevitable conclusion that “Disney and FX have decided to embrace and market what is clearly evil.”

Little Demon began FX’s streaming on August 25 and stars Aubrey Plaza as the mother to the anti-Christ and Danny Devito as Satan, who together bear a daughter but have different desires for that child’s upbringing, according to a description on the show’s official webpage.

“Thirteen years after being impregnated by Satan, a reluctant mother, Laura, and her Antichrist daughter, Chrissy, attempt to live an ordinary life in Delaware, but are constantly thwarted by monstrous forces, including Satan, who yearns for custody of his daughter’s soul,” the program explains.

Actress Lucy DeVito, who portrays the antichrist daughter and is Danny DeVito’s actual daughter, states “I love that we are normalizing paganism,” Lucy DeVito said. “Laura is a pagan. She’s a witch. She’s jacked.”

Let’s be clear about what’s at issue here.  We are not talking about targeting adult audiences in such a way that “Little Demon” could be characterized as satire for the purpose of entertainment.

No, the target of this programming—and its dark and recklessly cavalier portrayal of the devil—are innocent, impressionable children.  That’s demented.

What other similar examples are there?

My brother, attorney Christopher Alexander, of Louisiana Citizen Advocacy Group (LACAG), has recently written of an ongoing episode in Livingston Parish involving a confused librarian, a concerned parent, taxpayer money, and smut in the children’s section of a library paid for by Louisiana citizens.

What are the facts in the Livingston Parish matter?

Ryan Thames is a resident of Livingston Parish and the father of two girls, ages 13 and 5.  Thames had the “nerve” to publicly protest the placement of sexually explicit books located in the children’s section of a public library. His offense was to request that library personnel simply move the objectionable material to another part of the library, out of the reach of children. Samples of the books at issue, which include prepubescent themes such as anal sex, butt plugs, masturbation, sex toys for “bonus fun,” and the proper use of sex lube, complete with graphic illustrations.

Again, this cannot be misconstrued as merely “entertainment.”  Obviously, many users of a public library—particularly the children’s section of a public library—are children.  In any other setting, an adult who provided such sexually explicit, ‘grooming’ material to another parent’s child could potentially be arrested.

What else?

Drag Queen Story Hour at public libraries.

Cropping up in different parts of the country—including in Lafayette, Louisiana—are men dressed provocatively in drag as women who read nursery rhymes to young children, often in a public library.  Some of the sponsors of Drag Queen Story Hour have stated that their purpose is to indoctrinate children about a “gender fluid” way of life.

It’s clearly dangerous and unhealthy for children to be exposed to gender confusion during their moral formation, at their most impressionable.  And this is not harmless, victimless “fun”: in Houston, a participating “queen” turned out to be a registered child sex offender convicted of abusing an 8-year-old.

This is, again, a targeted effort to create doubt in the minds of young children at the very time they should be affirmed and reassured about who they innately are, the ultimate goal being to create uncertainty, making children more likely to question their sexuality or gender at a later age.

Again, this is not some bawdy, risque form of entertainment for adults.  It is a pre-meditated effort to specifically target innocent, vulnerable children.

I share these examples so parents know what their children are being exposed to in public schools and libraries with taxpayer dollars.

There is nothing more powerful than a passionate parent or concerned citizen filled with righteous indignation raising these issues in a school board meeting or other public setting.

I salute them. Their valiant efforts to protect children from this filth will ensure our ‘best hope for the future’ of America.


Harrington Law Firm Receives Superior Rating

Martindale-Hubbell, the leading worldwide legal information service, which has been providing background information on lawyers and law firms in the United States and other countries for over 150 years, has given The Harrington Law Firm and partner C. Rodney Harrington an “AV Preeminent Rating, the company’s highest possible rating. 

According to Martindale-Hubbell, the AV Preeminent Rating, which is established by the company obtaining peer reviews from other attorneys in the same geographical area, recognizes law firms and attorneys for their strong legal ability and high ethical standards. 

An elite group of approximately 10 percent of all firms and attorneys holds an AV Preeminent Rating, a designation recognized as “The Gold Standard” of legal ratings and recognized worldwide by buyers and referrers of legal services. 

The Harrington Law Firm and C. Rodney Harrington are included in that elite group. 

C. Rodney Harrington says the rating, while appreciated, is humbling.

“It is especially humbling and gratifying to know that our peers and colleagues, who we deal with on a daily basis, thought enough of us to give us this Preeminent Rating”, said Harrington, “To think that we’re recognized among the top 10 percent of all attorneys and firms in the nation is simply unbelievable.” 

The Harrington Law Firm is composed of partners C. Rodney Harrington and C. Edward “Eddie” Harrington and is located at 459 Jefferson St., Natchitoches, La. 71457.  Their areas of practice are Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Bankruptcy, Social Security Disability, Wills and Successions, and Divorces. 

For more information about Martindale-Hubbell and their rating system, go to http://www.lawyers.com. 

The Harrington Law Firm website is http://www.theharringtonlawfirm.com.