Northwestern State University announces the names of Honor List students for the Fall 2025 semester. Students on the Honor List must be enrolled full-time at Northwestern and have a grade point average of between 3.0 and 3.49.

For questions regarding the Honor Roll, contact the NSU Registrar’s Office at (318) 357- 6171 or email registrar@nsula.edu.

Coushatta – Laynie Brown, Meagan Corley, Brett Danzy, Trinity Hayes, LaFrances Jones, Madelyn Lawson, Schelby Nailes, Haylee Smith, Sydney Thompson

Red River Public Schools will hold Parent-Teacher Conferences Jan 22 from 4-6pm and Jan 23 from 7:30am until 12pm.

MBA Beta Club is holding a Bake Sale Jan 24 at AA Donuts from 10:30am until.

LSU Shreveport invites the community to celebrate African-American icons in a musical and theatrical performance Jan. 20 in the University Center Theatre. The program begins at 10:30 a.m. and will last until noon.

A beginning ceramics class, “Playing in the Mud,” will be offered through Northwestern State University’s Office of Electronic Learning and Global Education starting Jan. 29. The class will be held on Thursday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. through March 5 in Room 113 of the Fine Arts Annex. The fee is $150 plus a $20 material fee paid directly to the instructor on the first night of class. Enrollment in the class is limited.
This course is an introduction to working with clay. For more information or to register for classes, go to checkout.nsula.edu or call (318) 357-6355.

The Shreveport Regional Airport announced a 12% increase in travelers compared to 2024 passenger numbers seeing more than 800,000 passengers fly through the airport. This is the highest the passenger count has been since 1980.

Charles Brown
November 11, 1946 — January 16, 2026
Graveside services will be held Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 2:30pm at Springville Cemetery in Coushatta.

The Red River Fire District highlighted 2025 state certification accomplishments in a recent social media post.   
The Red River Fire District is proud to recognize the hard work and dedication of our personnel who earned state certifications in 2025. Their commitment to continuous training and advancement directly improves the level of service we provide to our community.

Fire Operator Colbey Bryant
Fire Instructor I • Fire Investigator • Live Fire Instructor
Fire Operator Andrew Bartlett
Fire Instructor III • Fire Officer III • Passenger Vehicle Rescue Awareness
Fire Operator Justin Erwin
Fire Instructor II • Live Fire Instructor • Live Fire Instructor in Charge • Fire Inspector I • Fire Inspector II
Captain Jeff Gibson
Fire Instructor II • Fire Officer I • Fire Officer II
Firefighter Kaci Latham
Hazmat Awareness • Hazmat Operations
Fire Operator Chris Keith
Fire Instructor I
Firefighter Ken Mangham
Hazmat Operations • Firefighter I
Fire Operator Ivan McDaniel
Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator – Pumper
Fire Operator Vince Mitchell
Firefighter I • Firefighter II • Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator – Pumper • Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator – Aerial • Rope Rescue Awareness
Firefighter David Norwood
Firefighter I
Fire Operator Mike Prince
Instructor I • Instructor II • Live Fire Instructor • Fire Officer I • Fire Officer II • Fire Investigator
Captain Jacob Santos
Fire Instructor II • Live Fire Instructor • Live Fire Instructor in Charge • Fire Officer II • Fire Officer III • Fire Inspector I • Fire Inspector II
Fire Operator Cameron Smith
Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator – Pumper
Fire Operator Brandon Spears
Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator – Pumper

These accomplishments represent many hours of study, training, and commitment. RRFD is proud of each member listed above and thankful for their dedication to professional growth and public service.
Congratulations to all on a successful 2025.

Matt Vines

Riverdale to celebrate seniors in Senior Night festivities
The Riverdale girls and boys basketball teams will honor their seniors Friday when the Rebels host a doubleheader against West Side Christian on Friday.

The girls tip at 6 p.m. with the boys scheduled to play after.

The Lady Rebels (19-5) are honoring five seniors, including two who just eclipsed career scoring plateaus.
Mary Claire Jones surpassed the 2,000-point career mark in recent weeks while Makayla Pickett tallied her 1,000th-career point on Jan. 9.

Other Riverdale girls seniors being honored include Hanna Huddleston, Charity Williamson, and Julia Grace Riggs.

Riverdale (19-5, 4-0) has won its last six games, including district wins against Claiborne Academy (65-43) and Central School (77-20).

Tanner Carlisle is the lone honoree for the Riverdale boys.

The Rebels (2-10) are looking for their first district win after falling to Claiborne Academy by the score of 71-30 this past Friday.

Red River girls enter district play on hot streak
The Red River girls start District 3-2A play today as winners of five of their last six games.

The Lady Bulldogs (12-10) head to Many (8-12) today for a 6 p.m. tip.

Red River has dominated its last three opponents, topping Class 5A Benton (56-28), Class 5A Pineville (49-22) and Class 1A Lakeview (39-18).

During this latest stretch, Red River can also count wins against Class 4A members Southwood (64-61) and Bossier (58-40) followed a loss to Class 5A Alexandria (45-38).

The Lady Bulldogs climbed to No. 14 in the latest Division III Non-Select power rankings with Many sitting at No. 28. No. 10 Mansfield is the highest rated team in the district.

Red River boys aim to end skid with district play beginning
The Red River boys basketball team enters District 3-2A play today as the Bulldogs head to Many for a 7:30 p.m. tip.

The Bulldogs (9-8) are on a three-game losing streak with all three games decided by six points or less.
Red River dropped contests at Evangel (45-39), against Natchitoches Central (63-57) and at Lakeview (49-46).

The brutal non-district schedule, which included 13 games against larger classification teams (including eight against Class 5A competition and two against elite Class 4A squads), is designed to prepare Red River for a third straight Top 28 appearance.

But first is district play, where Many (12-5) might pose the biggest threat to Red River’s district supremacy.

Many’s schedule is much different, as their power ranking sits at No. 15 compared to Red River’s No. 6 (sliding four spots in the last two weeks).

Other district members include No. 23 Winnfield, No. 25 Mansfield and No. 37 Lakeside.Tickets to Red River’s home district opener vs. Mansfield are being sold at the school today from 8 am-2 pm. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

Matt Vines

COUSHATTA – The Red River football team placed eight players in nine spots on The Shreveport Times’ All-Area Football teams published earlier this week.

Two Bulldogs earned first-team status as defensive lineman Gaylon Brewer and defensive back Cameron Jones got the nod.

Seven players were selected for eight spots on the second team.

Lathyn Lewis did double duty as a second-team wide receiver and return specialist.

Other second-team members included quarterback Malique Smith, running back Cedric Moody, receiver Warren Bowman, offensive lineman Cole Pierce and linebacker Nathaniel Burton.

While most positions listed four or more players each on the first and second teams, Smith’s selection as a second-team quarterback placed him behind just All-Area MVP Luke Delafield (North DeSoto) and first-team quarterback Sam Hartwell (Ruston).

The All-Area Team encompassed nine parishes (not including Caddo and Bossier) that stretched from DeSoto and Sabine over to Lincoln and Jackson parishes and down to Natchitoches.

Red River finished its season 6-5 and advanced to the first round of the playoffs under first-year coach Travis Gary.

Northwestern State University announced the names of undergraduate students who were named to the Fall 2025 Dean’s List. Students on the Dean’s List must be enrolled full time and earn a grade point average of between 3.5 and 3.99.

For questions regarding the Dean’s List, please contact the NSU Registrar’s Office at (318) 357-6171 or email registrar@nsula.edu.

Coushatta – Madison Chamberlin, Bryn Danzy, Precious Drake, Tammra Eason, Hayden Hillman, Anna Grace Mabile, Rafe Suggs, Mary Tilley

Friday:
Mostly sunny skies with a high of 69. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.

Clear conditions overnight. Low 36F. Winds light and variable.

Saturday:
Mainly sunny skies with a few afternoon clouds. High 52F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.

Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Cold. Low 24F. Winds light and variable.

Sunday:

Mainly sunny with high of 54F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

Clear skies overnight., Cold. Low 31F. Winds light and variable.

Jerry Hubbard was a singer/songwriter. In February 1967, Hubbard released his first album, but it failed to reach the top 100 charts. He had recorded singles as early as 1955, when he was 18 years old, but after twelve years in the industry a hit song still eluded him. Disc jockeys occasionally played songs from his debut album on the radio, one of which peaked at No. 53 on the Billboard country music charts, but still no hit song. Critics compared his voice to the sound of a bandsaw. Hubbard admitted, “I can sing, but I’m not a polished, theoretical singer,” but he kept trying.

A few weeks later, Elvis Presley, who regularly listened to the radio in search of songs to record, heard one of Hubbard’s songs and loved it. He decided he wanted to record a version of it. Elvis and his band gathered at Studio B in Nashville and began working on the song, but there was a problem. Elvis was disappointed with the result. Despite numerous attempts, they were unable to get a sound that suited Elvis. Producer Felton Jarvis told Elvis that the key to the song was the lead guitar which Scotty Moore was unable to duplicate. Jarvis said that if he wanted that sound, he needed to get Hubbard in the studio because he played the lead guitar part. Elvis agreed. Elvis and his band worked on other songs while Jarvis began searching for Hubbard. Jarvis located Hubbard’s wife, but she explained that Hubbard had taken his daughters fishing on the Cumberland River just outside of Nashville. Once Jarvis explained the situation, Hubbard’s wife rushed to the river. Hubbard was in disbelief. He had been performing Elvis songs live for years. Hubbard called the studio and explained that it would take him a while to get there. Hubbard did not take the time to shower, change clothes, or shave. He later explained that he had not shaved in several days and reeked of fish. He grabbed his guitar and headed to the studio. Hubbard quipped, “I was there in about twelve and a half minutes.”

Everyone was shocked at Hubbard’s appearance as he walked into the studio. That all changed when Hubbard began playing the intro to the song. Hubbard recalled, “[Elvis’s] face lit up and here we went.” In about as much time as it took Hubbard to drive to the studio, twelve and a half minutes, they had a recording that Elvis was thrilled about. That song, “Guitar Man”, went to No. 1 on the country charts.

Hubbard was thrilled that one of his songs reached the No. 1 position even though it was recorded by another artist. In 1971, Hubbard finally took one of his own songs to No. 1 on the country charts, “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot”. He recorded other hit songs such as “Amos Moses”, “The Bird”, “She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)”, and “East Bound and Down”, which was the theme song for the iconic film in which he co-starred with Burt Reynolds, Smokey and the Bandit. Few people remember the name Jerry Hubbard, but it all becomes clear when you see his full name, Jerry Reed Hubbard.

Source: “Jerry Reed Impromptu Gearz Interview, Part 4,” G V, Youtube.com, July 9, 2010, https://youtu.be/bF9te3INOZ0?si=9e0PKUyycdsJrzEV.

Research in child development continues to show that an infant’s first year of life is a critical period for building emotional regulation and a sense of safety. During this time, babies are not biologically capable of self-regulating stress. Instead, their developing nervous systems rely on co-regulation—calming that happens through responsive interaction with caregivers.

When infants experience stress, close contact with a parent or caregiver helps signal safety, reduce stress hormones, and support healthy brain development. Proximity, touch, and timely responses play an important role in helping babies gradually learn how to regulate their emotions over time. Practices such as room-sharing and responsive nighttime care can support this process, particularly during the early months.

Some child-development experts caution that introducing sleep-training methods too early may not align with an infant’s neurological readiness. They note that learning calm does not come from managing stress alone, but from repeated experiences of being soothed. Over time, these supported experiences help infants internalize regulation skills as their brains mature.

It is important to note that parenting decisions around sleep exist within cultural norms that often emphasize early independence. Many parents have made sleep choices based on the best information available to them at the time. Current research encourages viewing infant sleep through a developmental lens rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Experts agree that secure attachment is built through consistent, responsive care—not through a single sleep strategy. Supporting infants during moments of distress helps lay the foundation for emotional regulation, resilience, and healthy relationships later in life.

As understanding of infant brain development continues to evolve, families are encouraged to choose sleep approaches that reflect both current science and their child’s individual needs.

LifeShare Blood Center is kicking off Mardi Gras season in the ArkLaTex in a way that blends local tradition, community spirit, and lifesaving impact—and we’d love for you to consider sharing it with your audience.

On January 22–23, donors at LifeShare’s Shreveport and Bossier City donor centers will receive a free king cake from Lilah’s Bakery and a limited-edition Mardi Gras donor shirt as part of LifeShare’s annual King Cake Promotion. The event celebrates community while addressing the ongoing need for blood donations across the region. And to make saving lives even sweeter, we have an exclusive offer for Type O blood donors.

This year’s event adds a competitive, community angle: LifeShare has partnered with the Krewe of Demeter and they are challenging local Mardi Gras krewes to donate blood and compete for a Spirit of Giving Award, bestowed by the Krewe of Demeter upon the Mardi Gras krewe with the most donations given, highlighting how Carnival spirit can translate into real impact.

This is one of LifeShare’s most anticipated donor events of the year and offers strong visual and human-interest elements—local partnerships, Mardi Gras culture, and everyday heroes stepping up to save lives.

Full details are in the attached press release. Please consider sharing this with your audience — every donor makes a difference for local patients. We welcome your help in spreading the word to encourage blood donations during this vital time.

For interviews, additional information, or to schedule a visit to a blood drive, please contact the Regional Director of our Shreveport & Bossier centers, Megen Risinger, at megen.risinger@lifeshare.org. Our Shreveport donor center is located at 8910 Linwood Avenue, Shreveport, LA and our Bossier donor center is located at 1523 Doctors Lane, Bossier City, LA. You may also contact me directly at mandi.johnson@lifeshare.org or 318-671-5850.

I’ve always wondered what makes one athlete better than another. Why do some excel more than others? Is there a secret pill or an exercise regimen that makes them better? Well today we’ll ask the same questions about bass tournament anglers.

I’ve heard for years that no angler has learned anything without another angler telling them. While this might be true in a few cases, I’m not sure that’s the case with everyone.

So many of today’s anglers have learned so much through the internet and on YouTube. You can literally learn any technique and know when to use it simply by watching a YouTube channel.

Want to learn how to use your electronics? Watch YouTube! Want to learn about a drop-shot, Carolina Rig, or how to flip a jig? Watch YouTube! Want to understand how to fix an issue with your boat? Watch YouTube! It’s an endless resource of information.

But the older generation of anglers, like me, has learned through trial and error. We’ve learned from other anglers who came before us how to get better or how to fix an issue we’re having with our boats. We didn’t always have the internet as a resource. But there was one resource that came by mail once a month: Bassmaster Magazine!

This was my generation’s internet. Every issue in the mailbox addressed everything from different ways to catch bass, to how to replace a water pump or change the oil in the lower unit of the motor. Today, I’m still a subscriber to not only Bassmaster Magazine, but another publication called B.A.S.S. Times.

But just like great athletes, there’s something different about anglers who win more than others. The first thing I have noticed is their confidence level is usually high. They believe in what they are doing to catch bass and they understand bass behavior.

Another trait I’ve noticed is how the top anglers tend to think outside of the box. They don’t follow common trends or thought patterns other anglers do. Most of these winning anglers tend to do things a little differently.

I believe that the great anglers like Kevin Van Dam, Dustin Connell, Jacob Wheeler and the late Aaron Martens, each possess a sixth sense. They tend to think a little differently than the average bear. They don’t always follow traditional thinking when it comes to how they should be catching bass.

A phrase commonly used by these exceptional anglers is that “they let the fish tell them what and how they want the bait.” Saying this to the average angler means nothing, but to the great anglers, it explains a lot.

They don’t try to force a technique onto the bass. Every angler always has a game plan going into the tournament based on what and how they caught bass in practice. But on tournament day, the great anglers are not afraid to abandon that game plan and change their approach in the middle of the day.

I’ve also found that great anglers are really good at reading the water. To those who don’t bass fish, this is something that’s a gift that not all anglers have. They can literally walk up to the edge of the lake and tell you how they will catch them on that day just by looking at the water.

The great anglers have abilities just like great athletes. They have intangibles that make them special that some call the ‘it” factor. You can’t coach “it,” you’re born with “it.”

While all anglers can get better by spending time on the water, reading magazines or watching You Tube videos, there will always be those anglers who possess something that cannot be measured…God-given talent!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com.

Verizon customers can apply for a $20 credit due to the outage on Wed. More info on the Verizon website.

Riverdale Academy will celebrate Senior Night at their games tonight. The presentation begins at 6pm with varsity games to follow. Players and cheerleaders will be recognized.

The Red River vs Mansfield basketball games Tue Jan 20 are pre-sale ONLY. Tickets will be sold TODAY from 8am to 2pm at the school’s main office. 

Coushatta native, Carolyn Jackson Grace will hold a book signing for her new book, Mastering the Mindset of Wealth at the Coushatta Event Center Sat Jan 18 at 3pm.

New Beginnings Baptist Church Youth will have their annual Chocolate covered strawberry fundraiser for Valentine’s Day. 1/2 dozen $10, dozen $20. To pre-order text or call Breanne Dupree 318.663.6607 or Kathy Quick 318.422.9516. Pre-orders are due by Feb 11. Pick up will be Feb 13 for all pre-orders from 3-6:30pm at the church (2169 Punkin Center Road, Castor) or Feb 14 at the Castor Pavilion from 10am until 12pm.

President Trump signs law returning whole milk to school lunches.

50 Cent secures $124 million deal to transform Shreveport into Entertainment hub.

Infant Akyris Gaddison
September 5, 2025 — January 10, 2026
Graveside rites will be held Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 2:30 pm in the sanctuary of Springville Church in Coushatta.

Dorothy Ann Hester
February 11, 1956 — January 8, 2026
Funeral services will be held  Friday, January 16, 2026 at 12pm at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Coushatta.

Carolyn Brown
January 22, 1968 — December 31, 2025
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 11am at Springville Baptist Church in Coushatta.

With cooler temperatures expected in the evenings and early mornings in the coming days, the Red River Fire Protection District is reminding residents to take time now to ensure their homes are prepared for colder weather.

Fire officials encourage residents to check that smoke alarms are installed and working properly, especially as heaters and other heating sources are used more frequently during colder months. Working smoke alarms provide critical early warning and can save lives in the event of a fire.

The RRFPD also wants residents to know help is available. Anyone who needs assistance checking a smoke alarm or is in need of a smoke alarm is encouraged to contact the department.

For more information or to request help, residents can call 318-932-6676.

Officials say taking a few minutes now to check smoke alarms can make a big difference in keeping families safe throughout the colder season.

Wednesday:
Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing in the afternoon. High 63F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.

Clear conditions overnight. Low 32F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday:
Sunny skies. High 52F. Winds light and variable.

Clear sky overnight. Low 37F. Winds light and variable.

Northwestern State University announces the names of President’s List students for the Fall 2025 semester. Students on the President’s List must be enrolled full-time at Northwestern and have a grade point average of 4.0.

For questions regarding the President’s List, contact the NSU Registrar’s Office at (318) 357- 6171 or email registrar@nsula.edu.

Coushatta – Emily Arledge, Adrian Davis, Aiden Jones, Matthew Shaffer

 Mardi Gras season in North Louisiana kicks off soon!

Coushatta:
Coushatta Mardi Gras Parade Sunday, February 15. Rolls at 2pm at the Coushatta Ballpark.

Surrounding Area:

Krewe of Demeter Parade January 25 at 3pm in Grand Cane.
Krewe of Aquarius Parade January 31 at 6pm in Logansport.
Krewe of Centaur Parade February 7 at 3:30pm in Shreveport/Shreve City.
Krewe of Barkus& Meoux Pet Parade February 8 at 2pm in Bossier City/Louisiana Downs.
Krewe of Dionysos Parade February 14 at 6pm in Natchitoches.
Krewe of Gemini Parade February 14 at 3:30pm in Downtown Shreveport.
Krewe of Highland Parade February 15 at 2pm in Highland Historic District Shreveport.

One of the great joys of ministry is baptizing infants. We Methodists believe that God does the baptizing—we’re just the human instruments of His gracious activity. And because we’re Methodists, we’re so laid back about it that we offer the full buffet: immersion, sprinkling, and the mysterious middle option known as affusion.

If you’ve never seen affusion, imagine a college prank that somehow wandered into the sanctuary and got canonized. For the uninitiated, affusion is simply pouring water over the candidate’s head. It’s the liturgical equivalent of someone saying, “Hold still, this won’t hurt… probably.”

Most babies are adorable, and I love holding them for those few sacred moments. But sometimes the baptismal waters are troubled. One Sunday, little Junior had a pacifier in his mouth. Before I took him from his mother, she reached in and pulled the pin. Now, taking a pacifier from a baby and pulling the pin on a grenade share certain similarities. In both cases, you brace yourself, because the next sound you hear will not be angelic.

Some infants, on the other hand, fall asleep in my arms mid baptism. They’re so peaceful and precious. I’ve been in ministry long enough that those sleeping cherubs are now full members of the church—and they still fall asleep in my arms, only now it’s during the sermon. So the next time you see a brother or sister snoozing in the pew, feel free to wonder whether they slept through their baptism too. And remember: every one of them was once a cute baby… or at least someone said they were.

But here’s the part that stops me in my tracks: many of the infants I’ve baptized recently will live to see the year 2100. I will not. They will witness things we can’t imagine. Think of the changes you’ve seen in your lifetime. Technology evolves so fast it makes your head spin. A decade ago, we were introduced to the smartphone. Before that, our phones were not very bright. They were basically pocket bricks that could call your mama and maybe play Snake if you were lucky. Now they can do everything except fold the laundry—and I’m sure that’s coming.

So the next time you see an infant, be amazed. You are looking at someone who will experience a century you will never see. Pray for them. Pray that they inherit a world shaped more by compassion than conflict. Pray that our technology builds community instead of tearing it apart. Pray that they grow up knowing peace, and knowing the astonishing power human beings have to love one another.

Because the future they will live in is the future we hand them. Through them, you and I get to touch a world beyond our years. That’s worth pondering the next time you’re in the presence of a child.
Maybe that’s why this story is in the sacred text:

Parents brought their children to Jesus so He could bless them. The disciples tried to shoo them away—because apparently even in the first century, church people were good at gatekeeping. But Jesus was having none of it. He said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them. The Kingdom belongs to such as these.” And then He gathered them up, placed His hands on their tiny heads, and blessed them.

Pray for a child.

They hold the keys to the kingdom.

And they hold the future we will never see—but God will.