COUSHATTA – To be the best, you have to beat the best.
That’s the mindset coach Travis Gary is instilling in his team as the Bulldogs open the regular season with Tioga at Pat Strother Stadium.
One week after Calvary Baptist (Division III Select runners-up) put their offensive firepower on display in a 35-0 jamboree win, Red River will turn around and face another explosive offense in Class 4A Tioga.
“We have to match Tioga’s physicality up front and use our speed to our advantage,” Gary said. “The take away from the jamboree is that we have to learn not to play the name on the jersey, but treat every opponent as our equal.
“We did some good things (in the jamboree), but we were hesitant and didn’t execute like we could have.”
Red River was nearly Tioga’s equal in the 2025 jamboree matchup, falling 21-13 in one half of football.
But both teams had a different quarterback situation in 2025 – Red River counted on three-year starter Malique Smith while Tioga three-year starter Cace Malone engineered one of the most dangerous offenses in the state.
The Bulldogs have installed Landon Wilson under center this season, a former all-district receiver.
If Wilson can’t go because of an injury suffered this past week, Ashton Johnson will get the nod in the season opener.
Tioga will turn to quarterback Ronnie Stevens, who guided the Indians to a 30-0 jamboree win against Grant this past week.
Gary said new quarterbacks at the varsity level take some time, but his group is making progress.
“It is a challenge, especially when our guy (Wilson) has been playing receiver more than taking quarterback reps,” Gary said. “But both Landon and Ashton are more than capable of getting the job done.”
Gary said playing opponents of this quality early in the season will open his players’ eyes to what is possible.
Calvary Baptist was the Division III Select runners-up and has two titles since 2020 and Tioga is a fast-rising program who won nine games and a playoff game in Class 4A/Division I Select.
Both Calvary Baptist and Tioga came to Coushatta to play, offering the community a glimpse into the direction he wants his program to travel.
“That brings great value to our community,” Gary said. “It’s also a representation of who we want to be as a football team.
“Playing quality opponents will expose our team to a speed and intensity that the top teams in our division play with.”
Friday’s battle is also a contest between second-year head coaches in their current positions.
Gary has one season under his belt in which his Bulldogs won their last four regular-season games to finish second in District 3-2A and advance to the playoffs.
Christman served as Tioga’s athletics director and track and field coach when he was promoted from football assistant to the head job, in which the Indians made a five-game improvement in their record.
Local first responders are invited to a special lunch on Friday, September 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in recognition of the 9/11 National Day of Service.
Lunch may be picked up in the CBS parking lot during the event.
The lunch is hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a way to serve and show appreciation for local first responders.
SAINT JOSEPH – Riverdale remembers the sting, the hurt, the loss.
The Rebels thought they had scored the game-tying touchdown when Ashton Almond darted for the end zone late in the fourth quarter, setting up a potential game-winning two-point conversion.
A controversial holding penalty wiped out that score and sealed Tensas Academy’s 36-30 in East Point this past season, a golden opportunity to snap what has turned into a 13-game losing streak dating back to the 2024 playoff loss.
Almond and that large senior class aren’t wearing Riverdale red anymore, but the players left will aim to soothe that ache and snap the losing streak when the Rebels head to Tensas Academy on Friday.
“We competed with them last year,” said Denver Williams, a first-year head coach who was an assistant on last year’s staff. “With their numbers and ours, it’ll be a very competitive game.
“We’ll need to contain the outside and let our linebackers make players in the hole. That’ll be key in stopping them.”
Riverdale (0-3) is making improvements after limited offseason and preseason work because of low numbers.
The Rebels pieced together a 12-man team to play 8-man football, and Tensas Academy also isn’t immune to small roster size and player shortage.
Tensas Academy is the only football team left in Tensas Parish, the least populated parish in the state with about 3,700 in the 2025.
It’s the first parish without public school football after Tensas High discontinued their football program after the 2024 season because of low enrollment and lack of players.
Red River Parish knows the challenges of population loss as estimates sit around 7,100, the fourth-least populated parish.
But the football field is no place for talk of population decline or economic inflation impacting school enrollments.
Riverdale (0-3) and Tensas (0-3) are just trying to claw their way to their first wins of the season.
The Chiefs came close in a 14-6 loss to Franklin Academy, scoring first on a Tobin Matthews 86-yard run on the first play of the game but not able to add after that.
Riverdale’s three-game schedule so far might be the toughest among MAIS Louisiana teams with losses to Wilkinson County Christian, River Oaks and a Class 2A public school out of Arkansas (Lafayette County).
WCCA went undefeated in the 2025 regular season and River Oaks is the reigning champions in MAIS Class 2A.
Where are the flying cars that engineers began promising us as early as the 1940s? In 1946, Popular Mechanics magazine predicted that flying cars would become commonplace soon. Nearly 40 years later, Doctor Emmett Brown in the Hollywood film Back to the Future told Marty as they were preparing to hit 88 miles per hour, “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.” That was in 1985 and flying cars are still not commonplace. What happened to the flying cars that we have been promised for generations?
During World War II, Theodore “Ted” Hall proposed a flying car that could be used in commando-type raids but he was unable to convince the military of its practicality. Following World War II, Ted worked with Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation to build flying cars for the masses. They began with the Convair Model 116, a two-seater crude car body with detachable wings and tail. Test pilots completed more than 65 flights in the Model 116 before Ted began working on a more marketable model called the Model 118 (see photo above).
The Model 118 had a more refined plastic car body, a 26½ horsepower car engine, a more powerful Lycoming airplane engine, and could comfortably transport four people. Convair planned to produce 160,000 of the Model 118s and expected to sell many of them to airports to use as rental vehicles.
On November 15, 1947, test pilot Reuben Snodgrass flew the prototype Model 118 for the first time, and it performed splendidly. Three days later, pilot Snodgrass and flight researcher Lawrence Phillips flew the flying car over San Diego, California, on what was supposed to be a one-hour flight to test the engine’s calibration. A few minutes into the flight as they were enjoying what had been a flawless test, the engine sputtered and died. All attempts to restart the engine failed. Pilot Snodgrass was familiar with the area and glided the flying car toward the hard-caked mud flats near South Bay. It was a textbook landing for the first 200 feet, but pilot Snodgrass did not see the four-foot-high embankment until it was too late. In the crash, pilot Snodgrass suffered only minor bruises, but Phillips suffered a fractured shoulder. The car portion was destroyed, but the wing and airplane engine were repaired and used on further test flights. Although public interest in the flying car was initially high, it was not high enough. The company cancelled the flying car.
The reason the Model 118 flying automobile was never made available to the public was not because of a design flaw, not because of something the pilot did, but something he did not do. On that cool November day, the Convair flying car crashed because… it ran out of gas. Pilot Snodgrass was a careful pilot who always used a preflight checklist to avoid accidents such as this. After the crash, Pilot Snodgrass went over the checklist more carefully one item at a time. He remembered vividly checking the fuel gauge which showed to be full. Then, he realized his mistake. It was a simple mistake that anyone could make. Pilot Snodgrass had checked the fuel gauge, the car’s fuel gauge. He had not checked the airplane’s fuel gauge.
Sources:
1. The Fresno Bee, November 12, 1947, p.1.
2. The Los Angeles Times, November 19, 1947, p.14.
3. Holdenville Daily News, November 20, 1947, p.4.
SWEPCO is offering temporary assistance to residential customers facing higher electric bills following the summer heat, with several measures available through the end of October.
Effective immediately, residential customers who have a required deposit on file with SWEPCO may ask to have that deposit applied toward an outstanding account balance, reducing the amount currently owed.
SWEPCO is also temporarily pausing required deposits that result from late payments for existing residential customers. In addition, late payment fees will be waived for residential customers who contact the company about concerns paying their bill.
The company is also expanding eligibility for its Average Monthly Payment (AMP) program. The program spreads electricity costs over time to provide customers with a more predictable monthly bill and will temporarily be available to more customers.
Other assistance remains available, including payment arrangements, bill assistance resources, weatherization programs, rebates and energy-saving tools for eligible customers.
Customers who are having difficulty paying their electric bill are encouraged to contact SWEPCO as soon as possible to discuss which options may be available for their account. Customers can call 888-216-3523 for assistance.
The temporary measures are scheduled to remain available through the end of October.
Back in 1990 when I started fishing bass tournaments, I had a great partner, Randy Farrar, who helped teach me a few things about how to pre-fish before a tournament — pre-fishing techniques like how to find bass but not catch them right before a tournament. You always want to catch them on tournament day and not so much in practice.
So many guys go out and catch bass right before the tournament and take them home for a good fish fry. One thing I know for sure, you will not be able to catch them on tournament day after you’ve eaten them!
I learned a lot from my first fishing buddy. One thing he taught me was how to “shake fish off” and not hook bass during practice since you want to catch them on tournament day.
“Shaking” refers to when a bass bites your lure, you shake the tip of the rod and hopefully the bass will let it go. Close to tournament day, the last thing you want to do is set the hook and sore mouth bass you’re wanting to catch when it counts.
However, during pre-fishing when the bass are in spawning mode, you don’t have to worry if you hook a fish. Because during spawning, bass are very aggressive and will strike a lure multiple times if it comes anywhere close to their spawning bed.
But over the years, I have learned on my own that bass might be the most unpredictable creatures on earth. So many times during practice, I have gone through a particular area and shook off a lot of bass thinking they will be there on tournament day. Well guess what? For whatever reason, the bass have either left or will not bite.
This is when fishing gets very frustrating! But then there are times when finding those bass, a day or two before tournament day, actually pays off.
Another pre-fishing technique that I now employ is fishing without a hook and using what is called a screw lock. I use this when I’m fishing with any type of soft plastic worms. This is where you tie on a screw lock and use it to hold your worm or soft plastic bait instead of using a hook.
This way you never have to worry about hooking any fish you want to catch on tournament day. This is a pre-fishing technique I always use, especially the day before the tournament.
In today’s bass tournament world, if you don’t pre-fish several days in a row before a tournament, you’re probably not going to win. The anglers winning today are guys who are on the water at least three days before the tournament.
The days of showing up and winning or even getting a check are gone, as there are too many anglers putting in 8-10 hours a day locating bass. Even fishing on a lake that you know very well is not good enough to beat the guys putting in hours of pre-fishing.
There are a lot of variables that can affect your ability to locate bass and catch them on tournament day. The first and foremost is the weather. This is something an angler has no control over, but you must understand bass behavior well enough to know how the weather affects them.
Another factor you can’t control is the movement of baitfish they like to feed on. Bass will always be close to wherever the bait fish are. It’s their buffet; it’s their grocery store. Wherever the baitfish go, the bass will follow.
So, if you want to compete and have a shot at winning or even getting a check in today’s bass tournaments, you better pre-fish and find as many schools of bass as you can during practice. Otherwise, you’re just donating your entry fee.
Northwestern State University’s School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will host NSU STEM Day from 8 a.m.-noon Friday, Sept. 25 at the main campus in Natchitoches. Registration is currently open and ends Sept. 20.
“STEM Day is for students in grades 9-12 who are interested in science, manufacturing technology, computer science, mathematics, chemistry, physics and engineering, or those interested in becoming a medical doctor, veterinarian, dentist, pharmacist, data analyst, environmental scientist, crime lab scientist, hospital lab clinician or factory manager and other careers,” said Dr. Anna Dugas, professor of physics and collaboration facilitator for the School of STEM.
The School of STEM includes the Departments of Biology & Microbiology, Mathematics, Physical Science, Engineering Technology and Veterinary Technology. NSU offers undergraduate degrees in those areas of study, as well as degree concentrations in physics, chemistry, computer science, sports analytics, advanced manufacturing, forensics, clinical lab science and other high-demand areas.
“At STEM Day, students will directly interact with STEM faculty and students through hands-on science and technology demonstrations in the following fields of interest in engineering and manufacturing, wildlife and environmental science, veterinary science, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, physics, biomedical and microbiology,” Dugas said. “Students can come to experience a day in the life of a STEM major and learn more about degree programs, events and organizations, scholarships, research facilities and career opportunities”
“We have designed the STEM Day event with five different ‘tours’ of four workshops for the students. The registrations into the field-specific tours are on a first submitted basis. This event can accommodate 500 students comfortably, so high schools are welcome to bring students as a field trip and can email me at dugasa@nsula.edu for group registration,” Dugas said.
Louisiana students and families have access to free academic help through Homework Louisiana, an online tutoring service offered by the State Library of Louisiana. The program provides one-on-one assistance from more than 4,000 vetted tutors in nearly 200 subjects, ranging from elementary reading and math to high school chemistry, college writing and standardized test preparation.
Tutoring is available seven days a week from 10 a.m. to midnight, with no appointment required. Students can connect from a public library, home computer or mobile device. Sessions take place in a secure online classroom using real-time chat, an interactive whiteboard and other shared learning tools. Spanish and Vietnamese language options are also available.
The service is not limited to K-12 students. College students and adult learners can also use Homework Louisiana for academic assistance, GED and HiSET preparation, ACT preparation, writing reviews and other learning resources. The program also offers career-related help, including resume assistance and practice interviews.
Homework Louisiana is provided by the State Library of Louisiana and powered by Tutor.com, a service of The Princeton Review. The program handled more than 40,000 tutoring sessions during 2024-25, according to the State Library.
Louisiana residents can access the free service by visiting HomeworkLA.org and selecting “Connect Now” to begin working with a tutor.
The Budweiser Clydesdales will join Lane Kiffin for the Victory Hill walk tomorrow to support Folds of Honor charity. And Louisiana native, country music sensation Lainey Wilson will be the guest picker for College Gameday. She’ll also perform live Saturday morning in Baton Rouge–it will also be the 500th show on the road for College Gameday.
Looking for something to do this weekend there’s three different events happening in Natchitoches. Natchitoches Bigfoot Festival, Cane River Zydeco Festival and the 3rd Annual Renaissance Comes to the Cane at Fort St. Jean Baptiste.
Red River Junior High School will host Grits with Grands on Wed Sept 9 at 7:30am in the school gym. Grandparents are invited to enjoy a special morning and breakfast with their grandchildren at the school. The event offers students and their grandparents an opportunity to spend time together while celebrating the important role grandparents play in their lives.
The Shreveport Observatory will host its first Fall Star Party on Sat Sept 19. The free event is open to all ages and offers visitors a chance to spend an evening learning about and observing the night sky. The observatory is located about eight miles south of Shreveport on Highway 175 along Astronomical Road.
Sci-Port Discovery Center will be temporarily closed Sept 28–Oct 2 for deep cleaning, reorganizing, making improvements, and preparing some exciting new additions around the center.
The great hummingbird migration has begun to move south. Look for the largest concentration in our area between Sep 27-Oct 4.
RocketFast car wash, 7320 Youree Drive in Shreveport, presents SCREAMPORT–Haunted Car Wash Oct 29-31 from 7-11pm. Cost per car is $20. Proceeds benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana.
The Supreme Court has cleared the way for construction to begin on The White House ballroom.
The SCAC Sports (Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) will bring its men’s and women’s basketball championships to Brookshire Grocery Arena from 2027 through 2029, giving Shreveport-Bossier a recurring event that brings teams, families and fans into the area. The 2027 tournament is scheduled for Feb. 26–28, with the conference’s top six men’s and women’s teams competing for automatic NCAA Division III tournament bids.
Pam Williams Rushing February 3, 1970 — August 26, 2026 Funeral services will be Saturday, September 5, 2026 at 11am at Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home in Natchitoches.
William Lary Wimberly August 8, 1937 — August 27, 2026 A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 10am at New Life Church in Hall Summit.
Red River Parish hunters planning for the upcoming season will have a three-day opportunity to save on hunting equipment when Louisiana’s Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday begins Friday, Sept. 4.
The holiday runs through Sunday, Sept. 6, with qualifying firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies exempt from both state and local sales taxes. The exemption applies to individual consumer purchases made during the three days.
For hunters getting ready for deer season, the list of qualifying equipment goes well beyond firearms and ammunition. Louisiana’s Department of Revenue includes bows, crossbows and archery accessories, along with hunting clothing, camouflage, gloves, face masks, thermal underwear and hunting boots. Bags for carrying game or hunting equipment, firearm cases and accessories, range finders, decoys, tree stands, blinds and hunting chairs also qualify.
Optics such as rifle scopes and binoculars purchased for hunting also qualify, as do hearing protection, holsters, hunting belts, and slings. Knives can qualify when they are manufactured and marketed primarily for hunting. Other gear, including deer corn, can qualify when it is manufactured and marketed primarily for hunting use.
The tax break can make a noticeable difference on larger purchases. Red River Parish currently has a 5% state sales tax, with local rates bringing the total to 9.5% in the balance of the parish and 10.5% in Coushatta and Hall Summit.
That means a $900 qualifying purchase in Coushatta would normally carry $94.50 in sales tax. During the holiday, that tax would be eliminated, assuming the entire purchase qualifies.
Not everything hunters use is included. Hunting dogs, animal feed, off-road vehicles, golf carts, motorcycles, tractors, motor vehicles, heavy equipment, float tubes and vessels such as airboats remain taxable. Business and commercial purchases also do not qualify.
The holiday also allows eligible merchandise to be placed on layaway or ordered for immediate delivery under certain conditions. Louisiana Revenue officials advise consumers to check the complete list of qualifying items before making a purchase.
For Red River Parish hunters, the weekend falls as many finish preparing for the season, making it a good time to check the list, plan your shopping, and save on tax.
Pastors are asked to join in a meeting to discuss plans for the Parish-wide revival. The meeting is set for September 3, 2026, at 7:00 pm at Grace Assembly Church. For more information, contact Pastor Ben Taylor at 318-471-2005.
Healthy Blue will exit at the conclusion of its Medicaid managed care contract, effective December 31, 2026; members will continue receiving Medicaid coverage through another health plan
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) announced today that its Medicaid managed care contract with Healthy Blue will end on December 31, 2026. Current Healthy Blue members’ coverage will continue through that date and will then be enrolled with one of the four remaining Healthy Louisiana health plans with new coverage beginning January 1, 2027.
The transition will not affect members’ Medicaid eligibility. Members will continue to have Medicaid coverage and will receive information and resources to help them transition to another plan without interruption to the care and services they rely on.
“For the people we serve, the measure of a successful transition is simple: Can they continue seeing their doctors, filling their prescriptions, and receiving the services they need?” said LDH Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein. “That is the standard guiding our work. We are planning carefully, communicating directly with members, and coordinating with our health plan partners to protect continuity of care throughout this process.”
“Significant efforts are already underway,” said Louisiana Medicaid Executive Director Seth Gold. “Additional resources for affected members will be available to ensure this is a seamless transition, and no one is left without the coverage they need.”
More than 290,000 Medicaid members are currently enrolled with Healthy Blue. LDH is working closely with Healthy Blue, the four remaining managed care organizations, providers, and the Healthy Louisiana enrollment broker to coordinate the transition.
Healthy Blue’s website will be updated soon with details, including the message: “Since 2012, it has been our privilege to serve Louisiana Medicaid members, and since 2017, to serve Medicaid and Medicare Dual Eligible members through Healthy Blue Louisiana in collaboration with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. Our focus remains on serving you through December 31, 2026. Until then, continue to use your Healthy Blue benefits and get the care and services you need. We are working with the Louisiana Department of Health to help make this change as smooth as possible. Thank you for allowing us to serve you.”
What Healthy Blue members should know
Healthy Blue members will receive a member letter explaining their health plan options, important deadlines, and next steps. This letter will arrive by mail from Healthy Blue by October 1, 2026.
Members will have the opportunity to select one of the four remaining Healthy Louisiana health plans during a special enrollment period from October 15 to November 16, 2026. Members who do not select a plan will be assigned to one before January 1, 2027.
When assigning members, LDH will make every effort to:
Keep members of the same family enrolled in the same health plan.
Place members in a plan that includes their in-network health care providers.
Members may compare plans and make a selection in the following ways:
By phone:855-229-6848, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mobile app: Through the Healthy Louisiana app, available from Google Play and the App Store
Members who choose a new plan during the special enrollment period will receive a welcome packet and identification card from their new plan. Digital identification cards will also be available through the LA Wallet app.
LDH will provide additional information about existing prior authorizations, prescriptions, scheduled appointments, and other continuity-of-care protections before the transition.
Healthy Louisiana health plans
Beginning January 1, 2027, Healthy Louisiana Medicaid managed care services will be provided through:
Aetna Better Health
AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana
Humana Healthy Horizons in Louisiana
Louisiana Healthcare Connections
Members currently enrolled in one of these four plans are not affected and do not need to take any action.
This change applies only to Medicaid members enrolled with Healthy Blue. It does not affect private insurance coverage provided through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana.
LDH will continue communicating with Healthy Blue members and providers throughout the transition. Member notices, frequently asked questions, and other resources will be available at ldh.la.gov/medicaid/medicaid2027.
The Red River Parish Journalwants to thank American Bank for once again being the title sponsor for this year’s Football Pick’em contest. Tyler Insurance Agency is the anchor sponsorship for the third year in a row. These two businesses love football and love to see you win.
We also want to thank BOM, Red River Parish Library, 4B Garage, Bethard & Bethard, Red River Land Specialties,Jimmy Keel-Greg Tilley’s and Tray Murray-State Farm for their Pick’em Partnerships within the contest.
Are you ready for some football?!?
Bigger question. Are you ready to win $100.00 in cash each week?
The Red River Parish Journal and American Bank are proud to bring you the 2026 Football Pick’em Contest anchored by Tyler Insurance.
Anyone is eligible to participate for FREE, and each week’s winner will go home with a $100.00 prize. Each week, the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 10 selected college and 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 and Tyler Insurance Agency Football Pick’em Contest will be conducted over 10 regular-season weeks of the season, starting with Week 1 games (September 4-5) and running through early 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 be our first winner!
Local seniors are invited to enjoy food, fun and fellowship during the first All American Senior Fun Day on Wednesday, September 9, in Coushatta.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jack & Laura Center, located at 1824 Front Street. It is open to adults 55 and older.
The day will include activities, prizes and a free lunch for those attending. The event is hosted by Bristol Hospice and the Red River Council on Aging.
Vendors interested in participating may contact Natalie Beavers at 318-560-4744 or Morgan Vise at 318-663-6287 for information or to reserve a spot.
Organizers hope the inaugural event will provide area seniors with an opportunity to get out, visit with others and enjoy a day designed especially for them.
Entergy Louisiana says a new agreement with Meta is expected to provide an additional $2 billion in savings for customers over the next 20 years, as the technology company continues its major investment in Louisiana.
The agreement is connected to Meta’s large data center development in Richland Parish. Combined with benefits previously announced as part of the project, Entergy says Meta’s investment is expected to generate approximately $2.65 billion in total customer savings over the next two decades.
The savings will not come in the form of a one-time rebate or check to customers. Instead, Entergy says Meta will pay the full cost of serving its massive data center while also contributing toward costs that otherwise would be shared among the utility’s existing customers. That additional revenue is expected to help reduce pressure on electric rates over time.
Entergy says Meta will also cover approximately 10 percent of the company’s current storm and resiliency charges once the facility is operational. Customer benefits associated with Louisiana’s new data centers are expected to begin as projects come online in early 2027 and increase over time.
The agreement also includes $120 million for Entergy’s Power to Care program, including matching funds. The program provides utility assistance to qualifying seniors and people with disabilities. Another $140 million is being committed to energy-efficiency programs aimed at helping vulnerable customers.
Meta’s Richland Parish project has grown substantially since it was first announced. The company announced this summer that its total investment in the Louisiana development is expected to exceed $50 billion, making it one of the largest private capital investments in state history. The expanded project is expected to support more than 7,500 workers at peak construction and approximately 1,000 jobs once operational.
Supplying the enormous amount of electricity needed for the development will require major additions to Louisiana’s power system. Plans include new generating facilities, substations and transmission infrastructure. Entergy and Meta have maintained that existing customers will not be responsible for paying the costs associated with serving the data center.
Entergy has also pledged that large data centers will provide financial benefits to its existing customers. Under the company’s Fair Share Plus commitment, Entergy Louisiana now projects that data center agreements collectively will provide more than $2.8 billion in savings to Louisiana customers over 20 years.
The potential impact extends across Entergy Louisiana’s service territory, which includes portions of Red River Parish. However, Entergy has not announced specific savings amounts for individual customers or parishes.
The Meta agreement comes as Louisiana continues to attract large technology and data center developments that require significant amounts of electricity. Supporters say the projects can strengthen the state’s economy and help spread utility costs across a larger customer base, while the rapid growth in electricity demand has also raised questions about infrastructure needs and how costs will be allocated.
For customers, Entergy says the key provision is that the companies creating the new demand will pay their share of the costs — while existing customers receive a portion of the financial benefit.
Dr. Chantee Earl leads a group of Atlanta educators through Auburn Ave., one of the most active African-American economic districts in American history with its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s. Earl, who is now the chair of LSUS’s education department, earned a grant to take local middle and high school teachers on a historic tour of Shreveport in search of ways to incorporate local historic examples and primary sources into all types of content areas. CREDIT: Submitted photo
One LSU Shreveport educator is working to attune middle and high school teachers and their students to Shreveport’s rich history.
Dr. Chantee Earl earned a grant from the Library of Congress to demonstrate how teachers can use primary sources to bring topics alive for their students.
Earl is organizing a teacher field trip of sorts in which 40 educators will tour various historic Shreveport sites related to the city’s role in the Civil Rights Movement.
The free professional development opportunity is called “From Landmarks to Lyrics: Teaching Civil Rights History Through Primary Sources, Music, and Place-Based Learning.”
Teachers can participate in excursions on Sept. 19 or Sept. 26 (8:30 am to 4:30 p.m.) to visit these sites and to explore ways in which educators across all subject areas can incorporate tangible historic examples, documents and music in their lessons.
Interested educators can register for the event through a registration form. Participants will receive a $75 stipend and educational resources, including two books about the power of primary sources and placed-based learning.
Educators in all content areas are invited to register ahead of the Sept. 12 deadline for the program, which is sponsored by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Southern Region at Middle Tennessee State University.
“We’re looking at primary sources and historical landmarks, training teachers how to use local history to connect to the larger historical narrative,” said Earl, who is the chair of the education department at LSUS. “And I really wanted to incorporate not only local landmarks but also Northwest Louisiana’s great musical culture.
“We’re going to talk about people like Sam Cooke but also about local artists like Ledbetter and the community (Ledbetter Heights) named for him. By understanding this history, how do we bring about change and uplift?”
Cooke wrote his famous song “A Change is Gonna Come,” partially inspired by his experience in Shreveport in 1963.
He and his wife were denied a room at Holiday Inn North on North Market before his performance at the Municipal Auditorium. He was arrested later at the black-owned Castle Hotel for disturbing the peace.
Earl led a one-week summer camp this summer using Cooke as the tangible example to explore segregation and the Civil Rights Movement.
“If you couldn’t go to any other hotel because of segregation, the Castle Hotel is where you went,” Earl said. “We weren’t able to go and see these sites firsthand, but a couple of kids did get the chance to go with their parents.
“Then we created our own hotels from the 1950s and 1960s in the Collaboratory at LSUS. What would their hotel look like, and who could come? We began to talk about inclusivity, why weren’t more people pushing for it and why the voices of the ones that were weren’t louder than the noise. It gives an opportunity for deeper learning, which is more than just knowing the standard and passing the test. It’s about the student as a human and how they move and interact in the world.”
Sprinkling in the use of primary sources where educational curriculum allows can be a powerful tool, Earl said.
“I showed the kids a map of Shreveport and where these things happened, and kids recognized streets, connecting them to the content in ways that are meaningful,” said Earl, who spent seven years teaching in K-12 classrooms in addition to her extensive experience at the college level and with similar programs. “Primary sources are so important because students build skills from studying them.
“They are asking themselves, ‘What do I see, what do I think, what am I interpreting? It engages critical inquiry skills that a lecture might not engage, and it invokes a picture in their minds and an emotion. We know that understanding place and location allows you to think about what you’re learning differently.”
Building an enduring curriculum
While teaching at Georgia State in Atlanta, Earl put together an immersive program using Atlanta’s broad impact in the Civil Rights Movement as well as nearby regional locales like Montgomery, Ala., Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C.
Earl led educational tours of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park, which houses the King Center on Auburn Ave. in Atlanta
That street thrived in the 1940s and 1950s with scores of African-American owned businesses, one of the most successful African-American economic zones in the country’s history.
King has a history in Shreveport, too, visiting the city twice in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, including his 1958 “Speech at Galilee,” thought to be the first of his speeches that was recorded. The speech was given at the Old Galilee Baptist Church, built by formerly enslaved people in 1877 at the southern edge of present-day downtown Shreveport.
The educational experiences became much more than just walking tours as Earl steeped local educators and students in the significance of place-based learning, eventually connecting the program with long-time residents of Atlanta’s West End neighborhoods who experienced the Civil Rights Movement personally.
She hopes to do the same in Shreveport with future grants and resources, connecting educators and their students to community history.
“Looking at actual documents and places, students can learn from what people in the past did – how they maneuvered and navigated because they’re reading their thoughts from something like memos they wrote,” Earl said. “Students can follow their frames of mind and critically inquire.
“Students develop critical literacy skills because they’re able to look at multiple things, not just media, but physical documents. It’s not just basic content anymore – it’s looking deeper.”
Football season has arrived in the South, which means several things are about to change. Our Saturday schedules will change. Our diets will change. Hopefully, the weather will change. And for the record, if Alabama is playing, please do not call the preacher unless the church is on fire, somebody is bleeding, or you have discovered a previously unknown Bible verse promising a Crimson Tide victory. Did you know the phrase Crimson Tide appears in many hymnals?
I am an Alabama fan living and pastoring near Louisiana Tech, and my children went to LSU. So, I know what it feels like to be a football outsider. I have survived years of purple and gold. I have smiled through “Geaux Tigers.” I have lived close enough to Louisiana Tech to know that on game day, Ruston suddenly contains considerably more red and blue than the census would suggest. Football in the South is not merely recreation. It is geography, family history, tribal identity, and occasionally a reason not to speak to your brother-in-law until Monday.
Football season also changes our schedules. In July someone says, “How about Saturday afternoon?” Everybody answers, “Sure.” In September, the response becomes, “What time is kickoff?” Don’t get me started on couples who plan a big church wedding on Saturday afternoons in the fall! That may be the first theological lesson football season offers us:
We make time for what matters to us.
People who are “too busy” can somehow find four hours for a football game, an hour for the pregame show, and another hour afterward listening to people explain why the coach should have gone for it on fourth-and-two. Our calendars reveal our priorities. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I suspect our calendars may reveal our treasure almost as clearly as our checkbooks.
Football season also changes our wardrobe. We wear team colors. We have lucky shirts. Some fans own clothing containing more school logos than actual fabric. Wouldn’t it be interesting if Christians were equally recognizable—not by what we wear, but by how we live? Jesus said the world would know his disciples by their love. Not their bumper stickers. Not their church membership. Not their ability to identify all the verses in Revelation. By their love.
Then there is the football diet. Nobody has ever said, “Alabama and LSU are playing tonight. Let’s celebrate with steamed broccoli.” Football calls for wings, nachos, sausage, barbecue, cheese dip, and whatever mysterious creation has been simmering in somebody’s Crock-Pot since breakfast. And strangely enough, there is something theological even there.
People gather around tables. They laugh. They tell stories. They argue about officials. They remember old games and old friends. We were created for community. That may be why Sunday worship matters. Church is not simply a place to hear a sermon any more than football is simply a way to discover the final score. We gather because we belong to one another.We celebrate victories. We carry one another through losses. We pray when life goes into overtime.
So enjoy football season. Wear your colors. Cheer loudly. Eat irresponsibly. And when Sunday morning comes, remember there is another gathering where you belong. The admission is free. The fellowship is better. And unlike football, we already know who wins.
STATE OF LOUISIANA, DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND ENERGY, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.
In accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana, and with particular reference to the provisions of Title 30 of Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, a public hearing will be held in the Hearing Room, 1st Floor, LaSalle Building, 617 North 3rd Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 9:00 a.m. on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, upon the application of EXPAND OPERATING LLC.
At such hearing the Department of Conservation and Energy will consider evidence relative to the issuance of Orders pertaining to the following matters relating to the Haynesville Zone, Reservoir A, in the Carroll Creek Field, Red River Parish, Louisiana.
1. To permit the applicant to drill, designate and utilize four cross unit horizontal wells: two as alternate unit wells for HA RA SUI and HA RA SUT; one along the common unit line as alternate unit well for HA RA SUI, HA RA SUT, and HA RA SUJ and as the substitute or alternate unit well for HA RA SUM; and one as alternate unit well for HA RA SUJ and as the substitute or alternate unit well for HA RA SUM, all at the locations and in the general manner shown on the plat submitted with the application and made a part hereof, in exception to the spacing provisions of the 1186-C Office of Permitting and Compliance Series of Orders, provided there are no perforations in any wellbore closer than 330’ to any unit boundary and limited to 100’ from any unit boundary in the direction of the horizontal wellbore closest to the top of perforations or base of perforations (200’ between wells in adjacent units), except for the common unit boundaries between said units.
2. To find that the proposed wells are necessary to efficiently and economically drain a portion of the reservoir covered by each unit which cannot be so drained by any existing well within such units.
3. To permit the operator to produce the unit allowable for each unit from the unit well, substitute unit well and/or the alternate unit wells, in any combination, at its discretion.
4. To find that unit production from the proposed cross unit horizontal well along the common unit line shall be allocated as follows: (a) equally between HA RA SUI and HA RA SUJ, in the same proportion as the perforated length of lateral within 330’ of the common unit boundary between HA RA SUI and HA RA SUJ bears to the total length of the perforated lateral as determined by an “as drilled” survey performed after the cross unit well is drilled and completed, and (b) equally between HA RA SUT and HA RA SUM, in the same proportion as the perforated length of the lateral within 330’ of the common unit boundary between HA RA SUT and HA RA SUM bears to the total length of the perforated lateral as determined by an “as-drilled” survey performed after the cross unit well is drilled and completed, provided that unit production shall continue to be shared on a surface acre basis.
5. To provide that production from such cross unit horizontal wells shall be separated and metered individually and this information shall be reported in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Energy.
6. To find that, with respect to such cross unit horizontal wells drilled to the Haynesville Zone, Reservoir A, within or to serve HA RA SUI, HA RA SUJ, HA RA SUT, and HA RA SUM, where the horizontal portion of the well is cased and cemented back above the top of the Haynesville Zone, Reservoir A, the distance to any unit boundary and offset wells(s) should be calculated based on the distance to the nearest perforation in the well, and not based on the penetration point or terminus.
7. Except insofar as set forth above, to confirm and continue in effect the provisions of the 1186-C Series of Orders, the units created thereby and applicable Statewide Orders.
8. To consider such other matters as may be pertinent.
The Haynesville Zone, Reservoir A was defined in Order No. 1186-C, effective December 16, 2008.
A plat is available for inspection in the Department of Conservation and Energy in Baton Rouge and Shreveport, Louisiana.
All parties having interest therein shall take notice thereof.
BY ORDER OF:
DUSTIN H. DAVIDSON, SECRETARY
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND ENERGY
Baton Rouge, LA 8/25/26;8/28/26 S lck
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND ENERGY P.O. BOX 94275, BATON ROUGE, LA 70804-9275 IN WRITING WITHIN TEN (10) WORKING DAYS OF THE HEARING DATE.
Robinson Film Center to honor Dolly Parton with a showing of ‘Steel Magnolias’ and book drive Sept 4-6.
Swepco announced temporary customer assistance measures due to a hot summer and higher electric bills.
Northwestern State University’s Career Center will sponsor its annual Part-Time Job Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the Friedman Student Union Ballroom. NSU students will be able to connect with local employers offering flexible schedules and opportunities to build skills and gain added income. Employers will also have internship opportunities. All majors and classifications are invited to attend. Scheduled participants include RoyOMartin, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, Natchitoches Army Recruiting, BOM Bank, Campus Living Villages, Timber Ridge Adventure Park, Louisiana National Guard at NSU, Cane River National Heritage Area, the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce, SodexoUSA, Guidroz Physical Therapy and Rolling Hills Ministries. Students can register for the event at: https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/019d159a-eab9-43bc-8d29-0421beb7b32d/student_preview. Employers can register for the event through Sept. 8 at :https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/019d159a-eab9-43bc-8d29-0421beb7b32d/employer_preview. For more information, contact Job Location and Development Officer Natalie Mangandi at mangandin@nsula.edu.
The Southern Plainsmen Quartet will be in concert at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 5404 Hwy. 783, Oct 11, 2026 at 10:30am. A love offering will be taken.
LDWF will host its annual Mother-Child Families Understanding Nature (FUN) Camp Oct. 16-17 at Waddill Wildlife Refuge in Baton Rouge. The free camp is open to mothers and children ages 10-13 and offers families a chance to spend time outdoors together while learning outdoor skills. Meals, lodging and supplies, including tents, are provided, although participants should bring their own bed linens and sleeping bags. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.
Bonnie & Clyde Trade Days is building storage units on-site for vendors.
LSU recently announced that football tickets for the student section sold out in five hours. The 13,000-seat section has typically taken up to three weeks to completely sell out in the past.
The Krewe De Khulu will host the Grand Bal Afro-Carnival on the Bayou on Friday, January 22, 2027. $120 er person for tickets. Northwestern State University Ballroom, Doors open at 6:45. Tableau at 8:00pm.
Larry Douglas Page September 20, 1954 — August 29, 2026 A life celebration will be held Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at 11am at Briarwood Baptist Church in Readhimer.
William Lary Wimberly August 8, 1937 — August 27, 2026 A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 10am at New Life Church in Hall Summit.
Pam Williams Rushing February 3, 1970 — August 26, 2026 Funeral services will be Saturday, September 5, 2026 at 11am at Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home in Natchitoches.
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