Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser recently highlighted on social media a Louisiana nonprofit that is doing life changing work–Pilots for Patients.

Pilots for Patients (PFP), based in Monroe, was founded in January 2008 by pilot Philip Thomas and others. The organization connects volunteer pilots with patients who need free air travel to medical facilities not available locally. Their goal is to eliminate the burden of travel allowing the patient to concentrate on getting well.

Volunteer pilots cover all operating costs—aircraft, fuel, insurance—without compensation. Patients pay nothing, only needing a doctor’s referral to demonstrate medical necessity.

Local pilot Florence Bethard donates her time and Cirrus plane to fly patients to their medical appointments.  

Bethard began flying for PFP in 2011 and has completed over 250 flights.

The patient must be able to board and disembark from the aircraft on his own, and their doctor must certify that air travel will not interfere with the patient’s condition. A family member or caregiver may accompany the patient. Pilots for Patients may also arrange ground transportation from the airport to the medical facility.

PFP covers all of Louisiana, parts of Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas. Over 7,000 flights have been flown since PFP was created. The group averages 20–30 flights per week.

Pilots for Patients exemplifies how everyday people—armed with little more than a pilot’s license, an airplane, and a willingness to serve—can transform medical access for those in need. Their story is one of quiet heroism: volunteers sharing burdens, extending hope, and making the impossible possible—flight by flight.

If you or a loved one needs medical care not available in your local area, go to pilotsforpatients.org or call (318) 322-5112.

Open Door Fellowship Church will host VBS July 6-1 from 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Ages Kindergarten through 6th grade are invite to attend. Register here.

All area churches may share their VBS dates/info with RRPJ at the following email redriverparishjournal@gmail.com

Monday, June 30

Partly cloudy with a stray shower or thunderstorm is possible during the day. High around 95F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. 

Mostly clear skies overnight with low near 75. Winds will be light and variable.

Tuesday, July 1

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible during the day. High 94F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

A few clouds in the evening with stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73. Winds will be light and variable.

By Nolan McKendry Jun 20, 2025

The Louisiana Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget approved on Friday a nearly $2 million contract extension with education technology company Odyssey to continue managing the state’s new LA Giving All True Opportunity to RISE scholarship program through June 2026.

The contract, valued at up to $1.93 million, covers operations, account management, and technical support services for the program, which provides state-funded education scholarships for eligible K-12 students attending nonpublic schools or using approved education services.

According to the Louisiana Department of Education, the contract supports tasks including student account administration, implementation of a vendor rating system, development of a work plan for the program’s management system and creation of training materials and videos.

The approved $1.9 million figure represents a maximum spending cap. A portion of the funding — $143.50 per student account—will go toward Odyssey’s costs of administering each account, the department told The Center Square.

The LA GATOR program launched in late 2024 and is intended to eventually provide scholarships to all Louisiana K-12 students. But for the 2025–2026 school year, eligibility is limited to select groups, including students who participated in the now-defunct Louisiana Scholarship Program, those from low-income families, students with disabilities and certain public school attendees.

During the JLCB meeting, State Superintendent Cade Brumley said the Legislature’s final allocation of $43.5 million — down from the governor’s proposed $90 million — will fund scholarships for 6,106 students, with an average award of $7,127.

Lawmakers also called for clearer alignment between the rules set by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, statutory requirements and the governor’s priorities — particularly when it comes to which students should be prioritized if funds are limited.

BESE currently gives top priority to students transitioning from the voucher program, followed by low-income students and those with disabilities, consistent with the law. However, Gov. Jeff Landry has expressed a desire to prioritize low-income and special-needs students regardless of voucher status.

“We need to make sure that the governor understands what the priorities are now and if he has different ones, BESE needs to address that, have a conversation with him somewhere between now and next couple of months,” Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said during the hearing.

Two DOE employees are currently assigned to oversee the LA GATOR program, with one focused on financial oversight and the other on school and provider quality.

Applications for the 2025–26 school year closed in April. With nearly 35,000 applicants there will only be enough funding for about 6,000 scholarships. Further expansion will depend on future legislative appropriations.

Courtesy of AllState Sugar Bowl

NEW ORLEANS (June 27, 2025) – Brad Neffendorf, the head coach of the national championship LSU Shreveport baseball team, has been selected as the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s Outstanding Collegiate Coach for Louisiana for 2024-25.

 The New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, has selected annual award winners in a variety of categories since 1958; it also selects Sugar Bowl Athletes of the Month and each year’s New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame class. Overall, 30 individuals and two teams will be honored for their achievements at the 2024-25 Allstate Sugar Bowl Sports Awards Banquet presented by LCMC Health on August 2. Honorees are currently being announced, wrapping up with the Corbett Awards for the top male and female amateur athletes in the state on July 8 and 9.

Neffendorf led LSU Shreveport to an extraordinary and improbable perfect season as the Pilots won all 59 games to establish a new record for the longest winning streak in collegiate baseball history (all levels) while capturing the NAIA National Championship.

“All recognition is great, but it’s recognition for the entire program,” Neffendorf said. “It all comes down to all of the people involved. I have to give a great deal of praise to the players. Their commitment, their investment, their ability to quickly being able to operate each and every day as one unit, on and off the field. They became incredibly close, extremely quick. I also have a great deal of respect and appreciation and praise for our coaching staff – the work and investment that they put in made this happen.”

LSUS recorded a perfect regular season with a 47-0 record. They then swept through the Red River Athletic Conference Championship with four straight wins to establish the record for the longest winning streak in four-year college baseball history.

The Pilots hosted a first-round tournament in the NAIA National Championship and continued their dominance, defeating Ottawa (Kan.), 5-2, No. 21 Johnson (Tenn.), 15-4, and No. 19 Mid-America Christian (Okla.), 9-6, to head to the NAIA World Series with a mind-blowing 54-0 record.

They then posted five straight wins at the NAIA World Series capped by a 13-7 come-from-behind victory over Southeastern (Fla.) to win the championship.

“The players did an unbelievable job of managing distractions,” Neffendorf said. “They did an incredible job of not talking about [the perfect record]. They managed their level of focus; their intent in practice, in the weight room, during the early work – they always had the same focus and demeanor. We were very talented, but what took our talent to the next level was their ability to always stay focused on getting better and getting back to the World Series.”

The Sugar Bowl also conducted a fan vote for its annual awards and the fan vote winner for Louisiana’s Outstanding Collegiate Coach was Jeremy Kennedy from Loyola University. Kennedy, in his sixth season at the helm of the Wolf Pack, not only led the team to the NAIA World Series for the first time in program history, but they also picked up their first World Series victory as they capped the year with a 42-18 record.

Joining Kennedy and Neffendorf as finalists in the highly competitive Coach of the Year field were Bo Browder (Xavier Women’s Basketball), Jay Johnson (LSU Baseball), and Will Wade (McNeese State Men’s Basketball). Browder directed XULA to a 29-4 record – setting the school-record for winning percentage and matching the record for wins – as the Gold Nuggets became the first XULA women’s basketball team to advance to the third round of the NAIA National Tournament. Johnson, in his fourth season directing the program, guided LSU to its eighth national championship with a sensational postseason run that included eight straight wins to close the season. Wade was selected as the Southland Conference Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season as he led the Cowboys to a 28-7 record, the Southland Championship, and an NCAA First Round victory.

The Sugar Bowl has recognized an Outstanding Louisiana College Coach since 1961 and Neffendorf is the first LSU Shreveport coach to be honored.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl will continue announcing its annual awards on Monday, July 7, with the Eddie Robinson Award announcement.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl will continue announcing its annual awards on Monday, July 7, with the Eddie Robinson Award announcement.

Jimmy Collins Awards: Noah Confident, Brother Martin Wrestling; Brian Marelo, Hahnville

Outstanding Boys’ Prep Coach of the Year, New Orleans: Hank Tierney, Archbishop Shaw Football

Outstanding Girls’ Prep Coach of the Year, New Orleans: Courtney Ward, Sacred Heart Basketball

Outstanding Female Amateur Athlete, New Orleans: My-Anh Holmes, Willow Tennis

Outstanding Male Amateur Athlete, New Orleans: Kade Anderson, LSU Baseball

Outstanding Boys’ Prep Team, New Orleans: Edna Karr Football

Outstanding Girls’ Prep Team, New Orleans: Slidell Volleyball

Outstanding Collegiate Coach, Louisiana: Brad Neffendorf, LSU Shreveport Baseball

Eddie Robinson Award – July 7 (Monday)

Corbett Award – Male: July 8 (Tuesday)

Corbett Award – Female: July 9 (Wednesday)

Women in Sport Scholarships: July 23 (Wednesday)

Eddie Robinson Award – July 7 (Monday)

Corbett Award – Male: July 8 (Tuesday)

Corbett Award – Female: July 9 (Wednesday)

Women in Sport Scholarships: July 23 (Wednesday)

MORE INFORMATION

For more information and updates on LSUS Athletics please visit lsusathletics.com, ‘like’ us on Facebook at LSU Shreveport Athletics or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @lsusathletics.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has partnered with the NRA – National Rifle Association of America to offer free, online hunter education certification for Louisiana residents.

This award-winning course is designed and provided by the organization that built the first-ever hunter education program in the U.S. in 1949. 

The course has 15 interactive chapters packed with engaging videos, graphics, and real-life visuals, you can complete anytime, anywhere—at not cost. 

LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth said,  ”Promoting safe and ethical hunting is our priority. That’s why LDWF is proud to partner with the NRA to offer the public a free online option for hunter education certification. This partnership expands access to this required course, giving more people the opportunity to get certified conveniently and at no cost.”

Get started now: https://buff.ly/HearSnq or learn more at nra.yourlearningportal.com

Martin Baptist Church will host a basketball camp July 7-8 from 5:30 until 8pm. It is free for children who completed Kindergarten through 6th grade during the 2024-25 school year. Contact Dan Dupree at 318.464.5303 for questions and to register your child.

The Smile Squad is hosting a Back 2 School Supply Giveaway. The group is looking for assistance with the event from any social club, business, group, nonprofit organization, etc. It could be through donations, volunteering your time, or helping organize the event. Email smilesquadfamily@gmail.com.

General Electric Appliances announced last week a $500 million investment to relocate production from China to Kentucky.

Artists are being sought to design the 2025 Natchitoches Christmas Festival Poster, commemorating the 99th year of the beloved festival. The theme for the poster is “Christmas in Natchitoches.” Artists should submit a drawing or painting to the Natchitoches Arts Council using the chosen theme. The deadline for entering the competition is Friday, August 1, 2025. All entries should be submitted to The Office of Community Development, 420 Fourth Street, in Natchitoches. The size of the completed sketch or painting should be 18 inches wide and 24 inches tall. If chosen, the painting will become the exclusive property of the Natchitoches Arts Council. The chosen artist will receive a commission of $600. For more information about the poster contest, please call Karen Terrell at (318) 792-7234.

US stocks closed at an all-time high Friday. It marked the culmination of a remarkable recovery on Wall Street. The Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq each also posted their biggest weekly gain in six weeks.

NONE

On Wednesday, June 25, 2025 two of the new graduates of Red River High School, Xavier Bishop and John Dickey IV, were awarded a “Life Saving Award” for the heroism they bestowed.

Xavier Bishop and John Dickey IV were two of the RRHS students who met the state certification requirements set forth by the Louisiana Bureau of EMS and have become certified Emergency Medical Responders through this program.

On May 28th, Xavier used his “stop the bleed training” and maintained pressure on an arterial bleed until help arrived.

And on June 1st, John was able to jump in a pool of water and save a 3-year-old from drowning.

They responded without hesitation. In the face of pressure, uncertainty, and urgency, they acted with precision, professionalism, and above all, compassion.  What they did that day was nothing short of a miracle. There is a special kind of strength it takes to run toward a crisis when others run away. It takes not only training, but heart.

John and Xavier are two outstanding individuals whose courage, skills, and quick actions made the difference between life and death.

Shared by Instructor Toni Rodgers

After 21 years of dedicated service, Peggy Young is retiring from the Red River Council on Aging.

As the Senior Center Director, Young oversaw the operations of the senior center, provided leadership, coordination, and support for programs and services.

Liz Cannon, COA Director, shared, “We will miss her many years of hard work and dedication that she has shown over the years to the seniors of Red River Parish.”

A retirement celebration will be held Sunday, June 29 at 3pm at the Jack & Laura Building, 1824 Front Street, in Coushatta. Friends, colleagues, and community members are invited to join in the celebration. 

Refreshments will be served. 

The Annual Membership Drive Open Enrollment for the Red River Council on Aging will be on-going until it closes at the end of business on Thursday, July 17, 2025.

Persons who are 18 years of age and are residents of Red River Parish can enroll.

The annual membership meeting for the Red River Council on Aging will be held at 1824 Front Street, Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 1pm.

All members are welcome to come to join.

The public is invited.

Matt Vines

COUSHATTA – God’s plan.

That’s the only way Travis Gary can describe the past year of his life.

A position coach on the Red River football staff since 2021, Gary had long-term dreams of being a high school head football coach, but he didn’t expect the opportunity to surface when it did.

The former Red River High quarterback was a defensive position coach before being elevated midseason to the defensive coordinator role.

The result?

The Red River defense allowed just eight points per game in a six-game stretch before a second-round playoff loss to Union Parish (42-8 score).

The Bulldogs had allowed nearly 35 points per game in the first five games of the season, albeit against a difficult non-district schedule.

“The way everything fell into place – that’s something only God can do,” Gary said. “An assistant being promoted to a coordinator role in the middle of the season – that’s almost unheard of.

“In most of those situations, you just try to hold it together. But we grew and got better midseason. I’ve coached those guys for three years on the field, so I knew what they could do and what they couldn’t do.”

Red River’s defense was the key in its first district title since 2005, which extended into the first round of the playoffs with a second trouncing of district foe Winnfield (48-6).

Gary was feeling out his defensive coordinator role when an another opportunity surfaced.

Head coach Byron Keller announced he was taking the Winnfield head football and athletics director position, leaving the Red River top job open.

Gary knows what it’s like to wear the “RR” across his chest, leading Red River to a No. 13 seed and a first-round playoff win as a senior quarterback.

He played college football at Louisiana Tech and ULM for three seasons in various roles.

But he knew he wanted to return to the place that made him.

“This means everything, I feel like it’s my purpose,” Gary said. “Even when I was in school, I felt like a leader of this program.

“I’ve felt like this has been written this whole time, and now it’s coming to fruition. I came back to practice what I preach, which is to go off and learn something new in a place outside of Red River Parish but to return and bring it back to the next generation.”

Not even 10 years out of high school, Gary finds himself leading his alma mater on the gridiron.

He’s said being a head football coach is like “walking in the dark,” but he knows he has a reliable bunch of coaches and players that will assist him in the transition.

A returning group of nine seniors and the majority of the team’s all-district performers are back, and they are hungrier than ever to build on the success of 2024. A number of those players form the foundation of the Red River basketball team that’s appeared in the last two Marsh Madness state basketball tournaments (once in the state championship game).

“We talk about how they want to be remembered, the legacy they are leaving behind,” Gary said. “The game’s not just about you, it’s about the guys coming behind you.

“The seniors want to pass on something great, to build the program and have something to come back to.”

Gary might be a first-time head football coach, but he did assume head coaching duties of the boys and girls track and field teams this season.

Two freshmen qualified for the state tournament, the first entrants at the state level in awhile.

He’s the track coach for now, although he’s not sure if he’ll keep that role in the upcoming season.

But change didn’t happen just on the fields of play.

Gary accomplished goals in his personal life.

He married his wife Jessica one year ago and he welcomed his daughter Tylee into the world.

“It’s been fun experiencing the married life,” Gary said. “Watching my little girl grow up, it’s been a lot but it’s all been a blessing.

“We’re loving life, and everything is going according to God’s plan.”

Friday, June 27

Sunny with a few clouds during the day becoming partly cloudy overnight. Hot with a high around 95F. Low 73F. Winds will be light and variable.

Saturday, June 28

Generally sunny with a few afternoon clouds. Hot, high around 95F. Partly clear skies overnight with a low of 73F. Winds will be light and variable.

Sunday, June 29

Partly cloudy skies. Hot with a high of 94F and low 74F. Winds light and variable. 

On a relaxing Sunday afternoon on June 28, 1931, Betty Robinson and her cousin Wilson Palmer, a novice pilot, decided to take a flight in what one newspaper described as “an ancient plane of small design.”

Betty was an Olympian. In 1928, she won the first Olympic championship in the 100 meters for women’s track. Betty had made a few attempts to pilot a plane herself and took frequent flights with her cousin.

Betty’s and Wilson’s parents and friends chatted warmly at the airfield as their flight began. It was a scene they were familiar with until the airplane reached an altitude of about 400 feet. They noticed something was wrong. The airplane was struggling to gain altitude and the engine stalled. Wilson fought at the controls until the plane “slipped into a nosedive and plunged almost straight down.” At that crucial moment, Wilson instinctively cut off the plane’s ignition switch. There was nothing anyone could do.

Wilson fought with the controls until the end. Family and friends watched helplessly for those few seconds as the plane silently plummeted straight down to the ground right in front of them. Because Wilson had turned off the ignition switch, there was no fire. The crowd rushed to what remained of the airplane and dragged Betty’s and Wilson’s unconscious bodies from the wreckage. Motorists who had witnessed the crash stopped to help and transported Betty and Wilson to two different hospitals in Chicago; Betty was taken to Oak Forest Infirmary and Wilson to Ingalls Memorial Hospital. Doctors at both hospitals told their families that it was unlikely that either would survive. All they could do was hope and pray.

After reviewing her x-rays, Dr. Jacob Minke explained Betty’s injuries: “The thigh bone is fractured in several places between the knee and the hip and when it heals it will probably be a little shorter than the other leg. It will be months before she is able to walk again. She has a fractured left arm and internal injuries which may be more serious than is yet apparent.” Headlines read, “Crash Will End Athletics for Betty Robinson.”

On September 5, 1931, Betty was able to leave the hospital but remained in a wheelchair. She slowly began regaining her strength and her ability to walk. “Not being able to race is terrible to contemplate,” Betty said after leaving the hospital, “but I have determined not to let this accident ruin my life.” She hoped to become a coach at the 1936 Olympics. Despite her countless hours of physical therapy and training, Betty was never able to get back into the crouching position runners take before a race. Betty was at the 1936 Olympics, but not as a coach. Five years after the airplane crash that left her body broken and battered, Betty was part of the U.S. 4 x 100 meter relay team. During the race, Betty took the lead from her German counterpart and led her team to victory. Even with a stiff left arm and permanent damage to her left leg, Betty Robinson won her second Olympic Gold Medal.

Sources:

1. The Minneapolis Tribune, June 29, 1931, p.1.

2. Chicago Tribune, June 30, 1931, p. 13.

3. Chicago Tribune, September 6, 1931, p.17.

4. Chicago Tribune, September 29, 1931, p.4.

5. Chicago Tribune, December 22, 1931, p.21.

6. Chicago Tribune, August 10, 1936, p.20.

Serving as Grambling State University Summer 2025 Band Camp Male Camp Director is Louis Edward Lemons Jr., a native of Coushatta. He attended Red River High School where he was a member of the marching band.

After graduating, he continued his education at Grambling State University majoring in music education. He was also a proud member of the World Famed Tiger Marching Band.

After receiving his degree he began his teaching career at Peabody Magnet High School in Alexandria, Louisiana. During his time there he won several awards in high school battle of the bands, has received Excellent ratings in LMEA District Assessment, created avenues for student success beyond high school, and revitalized the community and its appreciation of the band.

In spring 2024, he received his masters in Music Education from Jackson State University.

He is a life member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity and an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, INC.

He believes that music is a pathway to success and individual growth as well as social development.

During the span of a lifetime, we are met with this question. For example, when is it time to change jobs, get married, have kids, or retire? Everyone has a different timeline for each of these questions. But the one thing we ALL want is the ability to make these decisions when we are ready and on our own terms. 
 
Everyone that has played a particular sport, especially at a high level, wants to walk away when they are ready, not when someone tells them they are no longer good enough. 
 
I’ve always wanted to be in control no matter what, and the one thing I’ve always told myself was, “When it’s no longer fun or I’m no longer competitive, it’s time to walk away.” I have applied this rule of thumb throughout my athletic career and will do so with regards to my fishing career. 

I’ve been fishing tournaments since the early 1990’s and have enjoyed almost every minute of it! Sure, there’ve been some ups and downs just like any other sport, but the friends I have made and the good times I’ve shared with so many can never be taken away. 

Another aspect I still enjoy today is trying to figure out how to catch bass. This never gets old for me. And the feeling I get when it all comes together for a tournament, well there’s just no better feeling in the world! It’s what motivates me and drives my competitive fire!

Over the years, people who don’t know or understand the sport of bass fishing think it is all luck. Nothing could be further from the truth because if that was the case, why are the same anglers always near the top of the standings?

They say luck is where preparation meets opportunity. I’m a firm believer in that saying because if you want to compete with the best anglers on any circuit, you have to do your homework and spend lots of time on the water. In bass fishing, “time on the water” is essential to being successful.

So, to answer the question of, “How do we know when it’s time?” – for me, it will be when I can no longer compete with the young guns of the tournament bass fishing world or when it’s no longer fun.

But if all my fishing buddies continue to fish, I’ll still hang around. This has become the main reason I’m still competing today. I’ve been blessed with some of the best dudes an angler could ask for when it comes to travel partners.

We’ve shared in some awesome times, ate some great meals and told a lot of fish stories, some true and some just pure lies! These same stories have been repeated time and time again and are told as if it was the first time we have ever heard them. But that’s ok, it’s all a part of the memories being made that make every trip special.

One thing about tournament anglers, they are unique in many ways and are a little stingy when it comes to fishing information. We’ll try and help each other a little, but may not always reveal every detail on how we are catching fish. 

There’s also a great bond with all anglers that travel and stay together on the road. Each is always willing to help the other in their time of need, whether it’s a boat breakdown on the water or a blown trailer tire on the road. They are like the Marines; no man will be left behind!

This is why I’m still doing it at the age of 64 and will continue as long as my health is good, I can still get bites, and hopefully cash a check once in a while.

‘Til next time, here’s to wishing all anglers tight lines and good times fishing! 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com.

The 45th Annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival will be held on Saturday, July 19, in air-conditioned Prather Coliseum located at 220 South Jefferson Street on the campus of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. The festival’s curated showcase of Louisiana folk musicians, food vendors and traditional crafts persons will open at 9 a.m., with live entertainment scheduled from 9:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. The family-oriented festival is fully wheelchair accessible. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets are $10 at the door for all events, or $6 for an evening pass to all events after 5 p.m.

The festival features three stages of music. Music headliners include Cajun band Amis du Teche, zydeco band Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, blues artist D.K. Harrell, western swing artist the Kristyn Harris Band, roots band Smithfield Fair, gospel group the Amazing! Rhythm Disciples and swamp pop dance band the Has Beans. The festival also includes numerous food vendors offering traditional Louisiana cuisine. Outdoor activities feature demonstrations of traditional blacksmithing, Dutch oven cooking and a child-friendly hands-on demonstration of a 19th century wash day.

In honor of this year’s theme, “Crafting Louisiana,” more than 80 crafts vendors have been invited to display and discuss their traditional work with those attending the festival. Craftspeople are expected to display beadwork, baskets, cowhide chair covers, alligator jewelry, Pysanky eggs, Native American crafts and pottery. Other expected craftspeople will display needlework, wood carvings, handmade toys and dolls, paintings, sculpture, homemade soap, spinning & weaving, handcrafted knives, handmade brooms, walking sticks, folk art quilts and more.

The Festival will include a Red Beans and Rice Cookoff, in which professionals and hobbyists alike can compete in one of multiple categories and demonstrate their cooking skills. Registration and the cooks’ meeting will take place at 8 a.m. Tasting and judging will begin at 12:30 p.m. with winners to be announced at 3:30 p.m. There is no fee to compete in the Cookoff. Red beans & rice must be cooked on-site outside of Prather Coliseum, but beans may be pre-soaked.

The Annual Louisiana State Fiddle Championship will be held at 1 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. There will be a non-championship class and a championship class. A twin fiddle category will also be held. Registration is at noon in the first-floor foyer outside Magale Recital Hall. The Fiddle Championship winner will perform on the main stage in Prather Coliseum at 5 p.m.

The festival includes several opportunities for patrons to engage directly with Louisiana folk culture. Free dance lessons include line dancing taught by the Classy Steppers, Celtic dance taught by the Thistle Dancers and Pipers and Cajun and zydeco dancing taught by the Cajun French Music Association Dance Troupe. Interactive activities include a yodeling demonstration by Kristyn Harris, dancing with the Louisiana Czech Heritage Dancers, a son jarocho fandango dance by the Armadillos Tejano and a musical spoons workshop taught by folk musician Clancey Stewart, with 50 free musical spoons given to workshop attendees.

“The festival bridges the distance between artists and the festival patrons, thus breaking the artificial barriers between artists and audience,” said Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the festival and NSU’s Louisiana Folklife Center. “Rather than watching from the sidelines, everyone who takes part in these activities will share and engage in Louisiana’s rich culture.”

KidFest will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kidfest is an area dedicated to child-friendly activities and is a fun way for children to examine their own cultural and family traditions as well as those from around the state.

Narrative sessions will be held in the festival N-Club Room from 10 a.m. to 6 p,m. and feature presentations on traditional dolls and dollmaking, Creole architecture, Mexican fiddle styles and folk artist Clementine Hunter, with music informances on the blues with D.K. Harrell and roots music with Smithfield Fair. ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices and audio description for these cultural discussions will be made available upon prior request.

This year also features several pre-Festival events which are free and open to the general public. Fiddlin’ with the Finest will be held at the Many Depot Museum on June 14 and will include several Louisiana State Fiddle Champions discussing and performing traditional fiddling. Attendees are invited to bring their own acoustic instruments for a folk music jam session. A second free pre-festival event, A Life of Zydeco, a Musical Informance with Chubby Carrier, will be held on June 21 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in Natchitoches with Grammy winner Carrier discussing the cultural significance of zydeco to Louisiana with Rasmussen. A third pre-festival event will be an interactive crafts workshop, with Creole and Native American tradition bearers sharing their cultural knowledge. It will be held at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum on July 12. Free crafting materials will be provided for attendees.

For a full schedule of events, as well as registration forms to participate in the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship and the Red Beans & Rice Cookoff contact the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332 or email folklife@nsula.edu or go to louisianafolklife.nsula.edu.

Support for the festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the City of Natchitoches, the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, and the State of Louisiana. The festival is sponsored by C&H Precision Machining, City Bank, Cleco, Evans Family, LLC, Exchange Bank, the Family Doctors of Natchitoches, the Harrington Law Firm, Natchitoches Wood Preserving Company and Young Estate, LLC.

Two weekends, double the sparkle! Natchitoches is hosting free fireworks shows. The first is this weekend during the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction then again next weekend during the Balloon Festival/ July 4th fun. 

Mark your calendar for Harvey Rabbit and Friends. He will be stopping by the Red River Parish Library Monday, June 30 at 2pm. There will be lots of fun and prizes.

Red River 4-H is looking for 10 students going into grades 7-12 who want to get away and unplugged for a day full of fun. The 4-H Unplugged Teen Leadership Conference is July 8 at Jimmie Davis State Park. Registration ends July 1. 

Get ready for faster, easier checkouts with Tap to Pay from Bank of Coushatta/BC Bank. Just tap your card and go–it’s that simple. 

Time is running out to sign up for the NSU HHP Sport Agility & Nutrition Camp. Ages 8 to 17 are welcome to join in. Returning campers receive a discount. Camp runs from 9:30am to 1pm, but campers may be dropped off at 8am for free play. Participants will learn from HHP faculty and NSU Athletes. Call 318-357-5128 for questions. Sign up: https://northwesternstatealumni.com/sport-camp/

Mark your calendars for the 49th Annual Red River Revel Arts Festival September 25-October 5, 2025. 

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At the Red River Courthouse on June 18, 2025, Kenyatta Newton pled guilty to two counts of harassing a school athletic official. Newton was sentenced to 90 days of probation, community service, completion of an anger management session, and fines of $1,000 plus court costs.

The incident happened during a basketball game on February 6, 2025, in the Red River High School gym. Newton came out of the stands after a foul was called on the floor. Spectator videos show her slapping the ball out of one of the officials’ hands and getting in the face of another official.

Newton was removed from the gym by police officers, and complaints were filed against her the next day by one of the officials.

17 Red River High School students have earned national recognition for their achievements on the PreACT 8/9 exam.

The PreACT Rising Stars program, in its inaugural year, honors students who score in the top half of all U.S. students who take the PreACT 8/9 assessment. That exam provides a preview of the ACT experience, along with a highly reliable prediction of how students might perform on the ACT. The information is critical in helping schools adjust learning plans and demonstrating to students that college could be within reach should they decide to pursue that path.

“More than anything, we want to support conversations between students and their families, educators, and guidance counselors about what’s next after high school, so students feel more secure about their postsecondary options,” said ACT CEO Janet Godwin. “Students who take the PreACT also have the opportunity to share their information with colleges and scholarship agencies, which can increase their chances for early college recruitment and financial support.”

Christal Carper, RRHS Assistant Principal, echoed those priorities.

“We are incredibly proud of our students for their outstanding performance on PreACT and for being recognized through the Rising Stars program,” Carper said. “PreACT is an important practice tool that can help our students prepare for future standardized testing, helping our students to build confidence and develop essential test-taking skills.”

The PreACT Rise Stars program recognizes students at three levels:

• Distinguished Scholars Award, recognizing students who score in the top 5% of test takers.
• Rising Scholars Award, celebrating students who score in the top 6-15% of test takers.
• Early Scholars Award, honoring students who score in the top 16-50% of test takers.

Mary Morse earned the Distinguished Scholars Award and is recognized for scoring in the top 5% of test takers.

The following students earned the Early Scholars Award, scoring in the top 50%.
Gabriel Bounds, Jadah Duhon, Raymond Eichorn, Iva Hanson, Trinitie Heyl, Ariel Jefferson, Kamari Johnson, Lisa Keith, Callie Kowal, Ayden Moseley, Julianna Price, Ashlee Procell, Maximus Street, Brody Tong, Madelyn Willis and Jayda Woods.

“We created the PreACT 8/9 assessment—and the Rising Stars program—to help identify areas of academic strength and opportunity,” said Adrienne Dieball, ACT’s senior vice president of measurement research and development. “This assessment provides a starting point to postsecondary pathways, helping educators, students, and parents get a better understanding of a student’s college and career readiness earlier in their academic career.”

For more information on the PreACT Rising Stars program, visit https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/preact/rising-stars-awards.html. For more information on PreACT assessments, visit https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/preact.html.

About ACT

ACT is transforming college and career readiness pathways so that everyone can discover and fulfill their potential. Grounded in more than 65 years of research, ACT’s learning resources, assessments, research, and work-ready credentials are trusted by students, job seekers, educators, schools, government agencies, and employers in the U.S. and around the world to help people achieve their education and career goals at every stage of life. Visit us at www.act.org.  Contact: publicrelations@act.org