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Elias toiled away in his machine shop trying to solve the problem that would make his contraption practical.  He thought solving the problem would be quick and easy.  Other inventors had tried but failed in the task that Elias struggled with.  He worked day and night on the problem and was nearing the point of poverty.  Even as he slept, the problem taunted him.  Finally, his life depended on the success of his invention. 

The king was a ruthless man who was feared by all.  When people saw him, they averted their gaze so as not to attract his attention.  If the king took notice of someone, it normally ended badly.  Somehow, the king heard about Elias’s work on his invention.  The king realized that Elias’s invention would put his country in the forefront in the Industrial Revolution, and it would also be a fun game.  To Elias, it was no game.  It was cruel.  The king sent word to Elias that he had just 24 hours to make his invention work.  If he failed to get it to work in that short length of time, the king would have Elias executed. 

Elias worked at a feverish pace.  At times, minutes felt like hours ,while at other times, hours felt like seconds.  Elias was running out of time.  With a knock on the door, Elias knew his time had run out. His mind frantically worked for a way to make his contraption work.  The king’s lead soldier knocked with such force the second time that the door almost came off its hinges.  Elias had no choice but to answer the door.  The lead soldier glared at Elias.  Several other soldiers waited in formation outside.  The lead soldier asked Elias if he had finished with his invention.  Elias knew better than to lie because the soldier would test the device and the outcome would be the same.  Elias hung his head and explained that he had failed to make it work.  He needed more time, time the king was unwilling to give.  The soldiers shackled Elias’s hands and led him away to be executed.  As they walked, none of the soldiers would speak to or even make eye contact with Elias.  Elias’s pleas for more time were answered with silence.  Elias looked at each soldier, then looked at each soldier’s weapon.  In the front were soldiers carrying pikes, long wooden shafts with leaf-shaped steel spears attached to the ends.  Elias noticed that the spear points had a small hole drilled near the tip.  It was a eureka moment for Elias.  In that instant, he knew how to make his contraption work.  The one part of his contraption that he failed to make work just needed a hole similar to those in the soldiers’ pikes.  He tried to explain this to the soldiers, but they kept marching Elias to the place of his execution.  Elias kept trying to persuade the soldiers all the way to the scaffolding.  As the soldiers held Elias’s head on the chopping block, Elias begged for them to reconsider.  The executioner drew back his ax.  As the blade of the ax fell, Elias jerked himself awake.  It had all been a dream.

It was about 4 o’clock in the morning when Elias awoke in his bed in Massachusetts.  There was no brutal king, no soldiers, and no execution.  Then, Elias remembered the pierced tips of the pikes the soldiers carried.  He ran to his shop and began working by candlelight.  By nine o’clock that same morning, Elias had solved the problem that had stumped other inventors for decades.  He tested his working model repeatedly with the expectation that it would soon fail, but it worked beautifully.  On September 10, 1846, the United States Patent Office awarded Elias patent number 4,750, from which he became wealthy.  Because of that dream, Elias knew where to position the eye in the needle.  One newspaper reported that his machine makes “beautiful and strong seams in cloth as rapid as nine tailors!”  That dream helped Elias Howe invent the first practical sewing machine.

Sources:

1.      London Daily News, March 15, 1847, p.2.

2.     The Boston Globe, March 25, 2018, p.K6.

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Matt Vines
EAST POINT – ‘Claiborne Week’ feels a touch different than other weeks on the Riverdale Academy football schedule.

The Rebels vs. Rebels matchup takes on a life of its own as Claiborne Academy visits Riverdale on Friday at 7 p.m.

The typical rivalry adages like “throw out the records” apply.

But for a Riverdale (1-3) bunch that’s been beset by injuries, coming into this game off a bye week is a chance to start anew.

“This is definitely a ‘want to’ win game for us,” said Riverdale coach Nathan Edie. “Claiborne Week is always a little more intense around the school.”

Because of the bye week, it’s almost like ‘Claiborne Week’ was extended to two weeks as Riverdale honed in on its rivals in the extra time.

But the bye week also allowed Riverdale to focus on themselves and how to right its own ship. Aside from a 54-20 win against Union Christian, the Rebels have lost their three games by an average of 30 points.

“We definitely healed up a lot of bumps and bruises,” Edie said of a small roster that puts Riverdale at a disadvantage even when fully healthy. “I think our focus on our assignments was something we got better at this week.

“We’re learning different formations. The bye week came at a perfect time because we needed to heal and to regroup. Hopefully it helped the boys focus in on what they need to do the rest of the season to be successful.”

Riverdale will still be without quarterback/linebacker Ashton Almond, who Edie said doesn’t have a timetable for his return.

Almond was the leading rusher, passer and tackler in the season opener.

Kaidyn Williams has performed admirably under center, especially with his legs as he has the ability to score from anywhere on the field.

Williams gained a majority of Riverdale’s 222 rushing yards in a 42-6 loss to Porter’s Chapel in the last contest, and the Rebels hung tough for more than two quarters trailing 14-6 early in the third.

Riverdale used the bye week to add other facets to the offense.

Claiborne Academy (3-1) enters the contest with three convincing wins under its belt, the latest being a 68-18 whipping of Tensas Academy, marking the third time that Claiborne has eclipsed 40 points.

Running back Dylan Buckner and quarterback Kyler Monk did much of the heavy lifting. Buckner had 157 rushing yards and three touchdowns with Monk adding 142 rushing yards and two scores while throwing for 89 yards and another two scores.

While Claiborne isn’t invincible – River Oaks ran away with a 50-8 win – these Rebels can put up points in a hurry.

“First off, you have to acknowledge their athleticism,” Edie said. “They are quick to the ball on defense, and offensively athletic enough to get to all their blocks at the second level.

“They make plays in space on offense, and we’re going to have to keep them contained and not give up any big plays.”

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Over my many years of tournament bass fishing, I have had the privilege and honor of sharing a bass boat with some great anglers. Some of these are 1997 Bassmaster Classic Champ Dion Hibdon, three-time FLW Angler of the Year Clark Wendlandt, and MLF Champion Kelly Jordon — who all have the ability to not only find bass, but catch them as well. 

Sure, there are videos and some great fishing magazines that can help point you in the right direction, but nothing replaces experience and time on the water. Today, we’ll go over what makes a great tournament angler and what are the skills necessary to compete on a high level.

Just like any other sport, some athletes are just gifted and have great ability. Some are the complete package and have not only great physical talent, but they possess a great mental aptitude for whatever sport they are playing. 

In the tournament bass fishing world, there are certain skills one must possess in order to compete. First is the ability to cast a lure and put it into places where bass live. Anglers must be versatile and able to pitch, flip or cast the bait where they want. It’s like a baseball pitcher being able to throw with precision and accuracy in order to get batters out. If you can’t cast, you won’t be competitive. 

One of the most overlooked skills necessary to be a successful bass fisherman is the ability to locate fish. Finding fish is probably the hardest skill to learn but with today’s high level of electronics, the task has been made much easier. 

Today’s up and coming anglers have it too easy with all the new fish locating tools they have at their disposal like down imaging, side scan and, yes, the newest tool, the controversial forward-facing sonar. Anglers a generation ago had to learn this skill the hard way by understanding water clarity, water temperature, habitat or simply by getting on the water and making cast after cast to try and locate bass. 

Back in the day, anglers had to cover a lot of water, fan casting a lure for hours trying to locate bass. But most anglers today never have to wet a hook to locate bass. Today’s angler will spend countless hours idling around the lake watching their sonar screens searching and GPS marking good structure or cover like laydowns, brush piles, hydrilla (grass) or more importantly, baitfish!

All the pre-fishing they need to do today is on a 10- or 12-inch screen. It’s a known fact that some anglers will never make a cast before the tournament starts. Ten years ago, if someone showed up at a bass tournament without pre-fishing, they were just simply donating to the rest of the field. But oh, how times have changed here on Walton’s Mountain!

So, here’s my advice to all the young anglers coming up today. Learn how to find fish on your own. Don’t rely on someone else to send you waypoints or show you where they are catching fish. Trust yourself to find fish!

There are no shortcuts or a magical formula for being successful. One thing has remained true from the very beginning of tournament bass fishing — there’s no substitute for time on the water! 

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and always wear your sunscreen and good UV protective clothing. Melanoma is the number one killer among all forms of cancer. Don’t roll the dice when it comes to your health. 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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The fall equinox, officially marking the start to fall, arrives this Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 7:43am. The equinox occurs at the same moment worldwide when the sun is directly over the equator making day and night exactly the same amount of time. The apparent equal hours of daylight and darkness result from the refraction of sunlight, or the bending of light’s rays, the National Weather Service reports. This refraction causes the Sun to appear above the horizon when it is actually below the horizon.

Have you ever wondered what an equinox is? The word “equinox” comes from Latin aequus, meaning “equal,” and nox, “night.” During an equinox, the Sun crosses the “celestial equator, which is an imaginary extension of Earth’s equator line into space. The equinox occurs precisely when the Sun’s center passes through this line.

After Sunday (the fall equinox), days become shorter and nights longer as the Sun continues to rise later and nightfall arrives earlier. Other changes are happening too. Birds begin flying south, temperatures will begin getting cooler, leaves change colors, but most significant is the change in daylight.

Sources: The National Weather Service
               The Farmer’s Almanac

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Along with millions of Americans, I watched the Trump-Harris debate this past Tuesday night.  I generally saw what I expected to see.  

After the Trump-Biden debate in June with Biden being exposed as the addled staggerer he has become, the bar for Vice President Kamala Harris was a low one, which she met.  President Trump performed as I expected he would and if he came across as somewhat defensive it may be because the debate was essentially 3 on 1 with debate “moderators” David Muir and Linsey Davis not challenging the Vice President past their initial questions while simultaneously purporting to “fact check” Trump.  The bias was transparent but that also didn’t surprise me.

What I found interesting was two different things: 1) what both Trump and VP Harris needed to accomplish in the debate; and 2). How Independents viewed the debate.

Firstly, the Harris presidential campaign has labored mightily to protect her from any unscripted moment with the media.  While the Trump-Vance team has done over 60 wide ranging interviews together and separately, the Harris-Walz team has done only a handful, and they were not substantive or policy-based but showcased the “vibes” and “joy” of the Harris candidacy. 

Nevertheless, the VP stated, “my values haven’t changed.”  However, with no specifics about her policy positions all a reasonable undecided voter can do is conclude from this statement that she embraces the Biden policy, or she still embraces the views she has held for years in her Leftist California.  Neither is good for her politically.  

This is my point.

The questions a voter may have include whether she still favors banning fracking; whether she still favors unlimited abortion; whether she still supports a single-payer (i.e., government run) health care system in which private health insurance is abolished.  Whether she still supports the invasion of illegals on our southern border; whether she still favors mandatory gun buybacks and/or maintains her general hostility to the right to keep and bear arms? Or, what she proposes to do about the inflation that is still punishing average Americans daily; How does she view the debacle of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan?   Perhaps most importantly, voters may wonder what she means when she speaks of all of the things she will accomplish “on day one” when she has been Vice President for almost 4 years?  In the debate, she provided no guidance.

To my second point: did the debate affect the view of Independent voters of Harris?  I reference the remark of political pundit Charlie Kirk who stated on X that “Reuters interviewed 10 undecided voters after the debate.  Six said they are now voting for Trump or leaning that way.  Three said Harris. One remains unsure.  This wasn’t a debate about who delivered the zingers or one-liners.  It was about who could move the middle. Trump won.” 

I also found it interesting how closely Independents aligned with Republicans—at times even overlapping—as they watched the debate in real time using knobs with colors; blue (Democrat), red (Republican) and yellow (Independent) to register agreement or disagreement as the candidates spoke. 

Post debate, a focus group was hosted by Fox News journalist Harris Faulkner who was joined by pollster Lee Carter.  Carter stated that “I didn’t expect this.  Independents are tracking very much with Republicans. They’re looking for a couple of things. They’re looking for answers on immigration, they’re looking for answers on the economy. (And also fracking and abortion).  They want to hear that things will get better for them, and they also want change from what is happening right now.” Carter continued. “One of the most important things they were looking for last night from Kamala Harris is ‘how are you going to make it different’?

This is why the uber-liberal tool of the Democrat party, the New York Times, concluded, ‘Pundits Said Harris Won the Debate. Undecided Voters Weren’t So Sure … They want to see the fine print.’ Further, the highly regarded Democrat data analyst and statistician/pollster, Nate Silver, gives Harris a slight boost to her chances of winning after Tuesday’s debate. But, as of Thursday, following the debate, the pollster projects Trump has a 60.6 percent chance of victory, while Harris has 39.2 percent.

Why would this be?

Because Harris did not substantively answer any questions and that is likely going to send the majority of undecided voters to Trump.  Regardless of how inartfully, Trump made his positions clear.  I think he will benefit from this debate.

Royal Alexander

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The Red River Soil and Water Conservation District has an opening for a District Secretary/Program Assistant.

Duties include: general bookkeeping, manage/balance an annual budget, customer reception, compose correspondence, prepare multiple reports each month, attend monthly board meeting and prepare minutes, and assist office personnel in USDA NRCS programs offered to the public. Must be proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook as well as Adobe products I. Should be a fast learner, and able to self-motivate with excellent organizational skills.

Please email resume to: Sarah.elias@la.nacdnet.net or mail to: Red River SWCD 1311 Ringgold Avenue Coushatta, LA 71019

Benefits – Annual leave and sick leave are accrued on pay periods worked. Benefits will include state group health insurance and Louisiana deferred compensation benefits program.

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Red River Parish Library hosts Children’s Story Time every Friday from 10-11am.

The Red River PK-4 program at Red River Elementary still has spots available. Children must be 4 years old by September 30th, 2024. For more info contact Head Start Project Manager Lessonna Clark at 318-271-3198.

Four fun 4-H events at the Red River Parish Fairgrounds. Play Street will be held Sept 21 at 6pm during the rodeo. September 28 will include the pet show at 2pm after the livestock show and dip off at 11am. Then on Oct 4 at 9am grades 3-8 will participated in the BB/Archery contest. Contact the office for more information.

Victorious Life Ministries is hosting a 10th Honorarium Celebration for Pastor Joey Miller Sunday, Oct 13 at 3pm. Special guest is Bishop Rasby G. Mason III, The Impact Church. 

The 48th Annual Red River Revel will be held Sept 28-Oct 6 at Festival Plaza in Shreveport. Nine days of art, music, food and family fun. 

Castor High School will celebrate Homecoming Week Oct 21-25. The Paw Brawl is in the Tiger Den on Thursday, Oct 24 at 6pm. Presentation of Mr. and Miss CHS and Homecoming King and Queen Courts as well as recognition of the honored classes of 2024, 2014, 2004, 1994, 1984, 1974, 1964 and 1954 and retired faculty and staff will be Friday, Oct 25 at 7pm. The graduate reception will be at 6pm in the library prior to the presentation. 

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Ronald “Ronnie” Earl Vascocu
June 4, 1955 – September 18, 2024
Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 2pm at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel in Coushatta

Annie Lee-Williams Barfield
May 26, 1923 – September 15, 2024
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 11am at House Of Refuge in Coushatta

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 The Red River Parish Rodeo is Friday, Sept 20 and Saturday, Sept 21 at 7pm. It is a LRCA/UPRA/ARA sanctioned rodeo by SYJ Rodeo Productions. 

Activities include Mutton Bustin and Sheep Scramble for ages 6 years old & under and Calf Scramble for ages 12 & under. Enter at 6pm at the Rodeo arena, Hometown Junior Bull Riding, Open Barrells Junior  fir 15 & under, and PeeWee Barrels 8 & under.

Call In +1 (408) 782-2220 Sept 16 at 7pm.

Lil Henry Mechanical Bull will be available Friday and Saturday nights for $ 5 a ride.

Vendor, Mawmaw’s Hot Mess Hats, will be there both nights.

Saturday beginning at 6 PM Play Street: Children Play Area.

Satisfy your rodeo food cravings by supporting the Red River Livestock concessions.

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In observance of Constitution Day, Judge Luke Mitchell addressed students at Red River High School and Riverdale on the importance of knowing the Constitution and exercising some of its most essential rights, such as voting.

In this joint effort with the Coushatta Chute Chapter of DAR, Mitchell spoke on the timeline of voting rights and the amendments to the Constitution. He read amendments that pertained to qualifications for running for President of the United States and discussed them with students.

Students were asked last week to watch the presidential debate in preparation for this presentation. Mitchell related the discussion to the campaigns’ “hot topics”: immigration, abortion, the right to bear arms, and the 14th Amendment.

Throughout the presentation and discussion, Mitchell stressed the importance of being a good citizen. He presented each student with a copy of the Constitution.

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Congratulations are in order for Ms. Debbie Bamburg winning Week Two of the Football Pick-Em Contest in the Red River Parish Journal.

To enter this week’s contest, CLICK HERE!  https://tinyurl.com/RRPJPickem
(Games played on September 20, 2024)

The Red River Parish Journal and American Bank are proud to bring you the 2024 High School Football Pick’em Contest presented by American Bank.

Anyone is eligible to participate for FREE and each week’s winner will go home with a $100.00 cash prize.  Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 10 selected high school football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests).

The American Bank & Tyler Insurance Agency High School Football Pick’em Contest will be conducted over the 10 regular season weeks of the High School season starting with Week 1 games (Sept. 6) and running through the end of November.

There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to subscribe to the Red River Parish Journal.

All contest decisions by Red River Parish Journal (RRPJ) management are final. Weekly winners will be notified on Monday and will be requested to take a photo that will run that week in the RRPJ.

Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the RRPJ, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. Monday-Wednesday-Friday e-mail. Enjoy it all, for FREE, and enter each week’s contest. You could collect $100.00 each week!

________________________

The Red River Parish Journal wants to thank American Bank & Tyler Insurance Agency for their title and presenting sponsorships of this year’s High School pick’em contest.

We also want to thank Better Finance and C&K BBQ for their Pick’em Partnerships within the contest.

Week 1: Pam Williams
Week 2: Debbie Bamburg

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Today, September 18 is Rice Krispie Treat Day, an unofficial holiday dedicated to the no-bake, quick to make yummy gooey sweet treat.

Rice Krispies Treats were invented in 1939 by Kellogg Company employees Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day in the Kellogg kitchens in Battle Creek, Michigan. The treats are made of Rice Krispie cereal and melted marshmallows. In 1941, the company added Day’s recipe to the back of the Rice Krispies cereal box. The treat was also trademarked and became a nationwide hit due to its simple yet scrumptious flavor. 

While Rice Krispie treats are usually homemade, Kellogg’s trademarked the brand name Rice Krispie Treats and started selling a pre-packaged version of the treat in 1995.

Celebrate by making some and sharing them with your family, friends and co-workers.

Here’s the original recipe:
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 package (10 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallows OR 5-1/2 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal

Directions
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG’S® RICE KRISPIES® cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Note
– For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
– 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
– Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
– Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container.
– To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Source: ricekrispies.com

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Families of eligible students can now apply for digital vouchers worth $1500

(BATON ROUGE, LA) – The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) is expanding tutoring options available to students who need additional support in reading and math. Families can now apply for $1500 digital tutoring vouchers as part of a broadened Steve Carter Tutoring Program. Named after late Baton Rouge State Representative Steve Carter, the program now includes more students, subjects, and increased amounts for families and tutors.

“Every student deserves access to additional academic support,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “Consistent, high-quality tutoring is proven to close learning gaps and put students back a path to success.”

The Steve Carter Tutoring Program provides $1,500 vouchers to families of eligible K-12 public school students. The digital vouchers can be used to purchase high-quality literacy and math tutoring. Now in its second year of existence, the program previously offered $1,000 digital vouchers, was limited to K-5 public school students, and only included literacy.

Families can register or learn more on the online portal or by visiting tutor.la.gov. Eligible families will select a high-quality tutoring provider through the parent portal. All tutors have been approved by the LDOE. Tutoring options are available virtually or in-person.

The Steve Carter Tutoring Program is part of Louisiana’s statewide tutoring initiative, which includes high-quality tutoring options for students during the school day and outside of the school day. While the Steve Carter program provides options outside the school day, Louisiana’s new Accelerate: High-Dosage Tutoring program provides additional support to K-5 students during the school day.

Accelerate High-Dosage Tutoring offers high-dosage tutoring for eligible students in grades K-5. School systems can choose approved providers for this initiative and will engage directly with providers to offer tutoring services.

In an effort to continue to recruit high-quality tutors to the Steve Carter program, the hourly rate for providers has been increased from $40/hour to $60/hour for individual sessions. There are currently 88 tutoring providers available in the Steve Carter program that have been approved by the LDOE to offer services to eligible students, virtually or in-person, and the LDOE is committed to continuing to grow that number.

In an effort to recruit more teachers to become tutors, the LDOE has made changes to the approval process and shared this opportunity with educators during professional development events. A new state law also allows teachers to tutor at school after hours. 

The LDOE has distributed information to school systems leading up to the start of school and school leaders are required to inform parents/guardians if their child qualifies for the Steve Carter Tutoring Program. A statewide digital media campaign targeting eligible families is slated to begin in September.

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Ruston, LA – Dr. Joan Lynam’s Biomass Lab in Louisiana Tech University’s College of Engineering and Science has developed a method for growing healthy, vibrant crops without the weight of soil, meaning plans to send crops to the moon within the next decade are more realistic than ever.

The team—Lynam (chemical engineering program chair and associate professor), Dr. Muhammad Aamir Iqbal (Fulbright postdoctoral fellow), and Mohammad Tarikuzzaman (PhD student in micro and nanoscale systems engineering)—has devised a method to recycle urine into water and use the waste byproducts as plant fertilizer, creating soilless plants. Their goal is to create an easy, sustainable source of water and growth on the moon’s surface with implementation potential in the areas of lunar and deep-space farming.

This project is funded by NASA, specifically NASA LaSPACE, the Louisiana branch of the agency. By partnering with and providing funding to Louisiana Tech, the agency hopes to accelerate and elevate the research required for human beings to not only survive in space but live there.

The technology and research for the concept are already widespread. The practice involves providing plant nutrients (nitrogen, potassium, carbon, etc.) in a purely water-based environment, akin to placing a rose in a vase full of water. In this experiment’s case, the water contains enough nutrients for the plants to live and grow.

What gives this research an edge over other soilless-based research is its sustainability. In space, there are no clear or easy supply lines, so using everything for as long as it can be used is key to the astronauts’ survival. Lynam’s team’s research has demonstrated they can recycle urine back into water while converting the salt-rich waste, known as urea, into fertilizer for the soilless plants. If done correctly, Lynam and her team theorize that this could be a way for astronauts to recycle drinking water and sustainably and indefinitely create fertilizer for plants in space.

This experiment’s long-term objective is to help astronauts survive in lunar environments.

“If all goes well, these techniques could be put in space in approximately six years,” Lynam said.

This quick timeline has excited her team, with all participants feeling proud that their work could help future generations live in space.

“Turning waste into usable and sustainable products will make the world greener and cleaner,” Tarikuzzaman said. “It’s a rewarding project with incredibly far-reaching impacts; we hope to make a difference for the planet and beyond.”

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The Day Surgery waiting room of any hospital is a slice of our culture. If you want to know what is happening in the world pay attention to folks waiting to be called back for their surgery. Watch and listen as family and friends deal with the anxiety this environment and situation produces.

That poor besmirched fellow was sitting in the waiting room, awaiting his turn to go back, and be prepped for his surgery. I will tell you that any surgery is an anxiety producing event. This guy, and the whole waiting room was listening to his wife, whom I have designed “Helga the Horrible.” From listening to her and believe me no one on the second floor missed a word she said; she was having a tough time with her husband’s surgery.

“Helga” had dropped her husband off by the front door of the hospital and then parked the car. While she was parking the car, she “lost” her husband. When she found him on the second floor at Day Surgery, he was moments away from being called back for the big operation. There in front of God and all of us, Helga let her husband have it. She blasted him for not waiting for her by the front door. His defense was that the orderly came and moved him to the second floor. She blasted him for the stupidity of the orderly who moved him without telling Helga that he had been moved. Her husband reported that he was not in charge of personnel at the hospital and that in fact the orderly had been very kind to him. She reloaded and blasted him for not having a newspaper for her to read while she waiting, as she had left her device in the car and didn’t want to go back to the car to retrieve it. The nice man got up and found Helga a newspaper. She was not happy that it was a day old.

Then Helga got upset because her husband was not more upset about his surgery. She catalogued every ache he might face. She described every pain her friend had after the same surgery. She went into brutal detail about every danger he could face during surgery and after surgery. Her Scandinavian ire was up that he was calm before this procedure and how dare he leave her to worry about all that could happen to him. Then she stood and said to a man who hadn’t eaten since midnight and was about to have surgery, “I’m hungry and I’m going to get breakfast.”

When “Helga” walked off, the poor fellow breathed an audible sigh of relief. I’m thinking that if his wife is like that all the time, major surgery likely gave him some relief. He was probably happy that he was going to get some sleep.

When you get up to leave….are people glad you came or glad you’re going?

Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston.

You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com

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SHREVEPORT – The Federal Reserve has been sending steady signals that it will cut the federal funds rate at its meeting this week for the first time since 2020.

A cut means interest rates will drop, which will bring down the cost of borrowing money on everything from homes to cars and other loans.

Douglas White, the director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at LSUS, said he’s usually a staunch Fed critic.

But with inflation around three percent annual growth after peaking at 10 percent after the COVID-19 pandemic, White said the Fed has managed to tackle inflation without skyrocketing unemployment and pushing the economy into a recession.

That means a soft landing for the Shreveport-Bossier economy as well, which White gathers data about for monthly and quarterly reports.

“I would say the Fed has done what I would have thought was relatively impossible,” White said. “They pretty much have pulled off a soft landing.

“With the expected rate cut, the Fed wants to be proactive to try and make sure that they don’t push the economy into a recession. When we debuted the Economic Dashboard 1.5 years ago, I would have told you that the Fed wouldn’t be able to bring down the inflation rate without really damaging the economy.. They’ve managed to do it, and I think they deserve a lot of credit.”

While local unemployment rates crept up in the second quarter, including the City of Shreveport reaching five percent, the latest data from July reflects unemployment dips locally.

Shreveport fell to 4.8 percent, Caddo Parish to 4.6 percent, Bossier City at 3.9 percent and Bossier Parish at 3.8 percent. The national unemployment dipped to 4.2 percent.

The unemployment rate reversal even before the expected interest rate cuts indicate the local economy appears to be on solid footing despite the past several years of inflation and high interest rates.

“Even five percent used to be considered a relatively low unemployment rate, which is one of the leading measures the Fed looks at when they start talking about interest rates,” White said. “The other big trend is that inflation has remained pretty consistent year over year around three percent (growth). That’s not significantly higher than the Fed’s desired target of two percent, but considering 12-18 months ago when we were at nine percent, three is pretty good.”

LSUS’s Center for Business and Economic Research gathers publicly available data on categories like local tax collection, housing market, unemployment, gas prices, airport traffic, and casino revenue.

“The dashboard puts a finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the area economically,” White said. “It’s designed for people to go to one place to get the data they need to make informed decisions.”

The CBER publishes a quarterly report in which the information is compiled in one place while updating most individual data categories on a monthly basis.

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Red River Parish Registrar of Voter’s Office will hold a relocation Grand Opening September 19. The ribbon cutting will take place at 11:30am followed by open house from 12-5pm. The new office is located at 1906 Front Street. Everyone is invited to help celebrate the new location and take care of any voter registration needs. 

The 2024 Ducks Unlimited Banquet is Thursday, September 19 at the Coushatta Country Club beginning at 5pm. There will be raffles, games, guns, and fun for everyone.

Riverdale Academy will host Rebel Fest Saturday, September 21 at 3pm. There will be many family activities, a raffle and auction. 

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Annie Lee-Williams Barfield
May 26, 1923 – September 15, 2024
Funeral Services will be held Saturday September 21,2024 at 11am at House Of Refuge in Coushatta

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The Red River Parish Registrar of Voter’s Office will hold a relocation Grand Opening September 19, 2024 at the new location located at 1906 Front Street.

The ribbon cutting will take place at 11:30am followed by Open House from 12-5pm.

Special guests include Nancy Landry, Louisiana Secretary of State, and Sherri Hadskey, Commissioner of Elections.

Everyone is invited to help celebrate the new location and take care of any voter registration needs while you are there. 

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By Matt Vines

COUSHATTA – Red River coach Byron Keller highlighted the physical offensive and defensive lines of Catholic-Pointe Coupee in the Bulldogs’ season-opening loss, saying that was an area of focus going forward.

Red River’s big fellas answered the bell Friday against St. Mary’s, leading the charge of a physical brand of football as the Bulldogs bested the Tigers, 26-13.

“We played physical football,” Keller said. “Offensively, we were able to find a balanced attack.

“We had two touchdowns on the ground and two in the air. Seven different guys touched the ball, so our offensive options are growing each week.”

Senior running back Montreveun Smith had a rushing and a passing touchdown, which began with a 66-yard touchdown catch for Red River (1-1).

Quarterback Malique Smith also found Gaylon Brewer for a score through the air while Cedric Moody added a rushing touchdown.

Most of the scoring occurred in the first half when Red River built an 18-13 lead before adding a score in the second half.

The Bulldogs more than doubled their Week 1 offensive output with 340 yards, 226 rushing and 114 passing.

One constant from the season opener was Red River’s success in forcing turnovers, causing three St. Mary’s mistakes after three the previous week.

Red River forced two fumbles and a Warren Bowman interception.

That spearheaded a defensive performance in which Red River surrendered just 212 yards to St. Mary’s (153 passing, 59 rushing).

“We forced turnovers and kept them behind the chains for a large portion of the game,” Keller said. “
All of that adds up to a Red River win in front of the home crowd for a team that’s about to play its next four games on the road.

That road trip starts at Oak Grove, the reigning Division IV Non-Select state champions.

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Each month the Red River Parish Library hosts a genealogy meeting called Ancestor Hunters. Dr. Virginia Webb and library staff help participants research their family trees using resources available including Ancestry.com.  

September’s meeting is Wednesday, September 18 from 10am-12pm. 

It is free to attend and no registration is required. Participants can bring their own laptops or use one at the library.

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The United States Constitution, America’s most important document, stands as a testament to the tenacity of Americans throughout history to maintain their liberties, freedoms and inalienable rights. And, Constitution Week is celebrated annually during the week of September 17-23 to commemorate its history, importance, and bring attention to how it serves still today.

This celebration of the Constitution was started by the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1955, DAR petitioned Congress to set aside September 17-23 annually to be dedicated for the observance of Constitution Week. The resolution was later adopted by the U.S. Congress and signed into public law on August 2, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The aims of the Constitution Week celebration are to:
• Emphasize citizens’ responsibilities for protecting and defending the Constitution.
• Inform people that the Constitution is the basis for America’s great heritage and the foundation for our way of life.
• Encourage the study of the historical events which led to the framing of the Constitution in September 1787.

Bells Across America is an annual celebration of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Participants gather to ring bells, much as the church bells of Philadelphia rang out when the U.S. Constitution was first signed at 4 pm on September 17, 1787. 

How can you promote the Constitution? Embrace your role as a member of “We the People.” Read the Constitution, learn about it and your government. Get involved. “We the People” only works if we all participate.

The Coushatta Chute Chapter of DAR will present Constitution booklets to the Civics classes at Red River High School in observance of Constitution Day on Tuesday, Sept. 17.  

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service
organization. DAR members are dedicated to promoting historic preservation, education, and patriotism in communities across the nation. All students are invited to participate and learn more about the educational programs the DAR offers. Educators, parents and students are encouraged to contact their local DAR chapters for more detailed information on these program.

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