By Nina Murray and Zoe Hebert

The Broussard Family Juré will be inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center’s Hall of Master Folk Artists at this year’s Natchitoches-NSU Louisiana Folklife Festival. The festival will be held in the air-conditioned Prather Coliseum at 220 South Jefferson Street at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. The festival’s curated showcase of Louisiana folk musicians, food vendors, and traditional crafts persons will open at 9 AM, with live entertainment scheduled for 10 AM to 9:30 PM. 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 PM.

Juré is a type of call-and-response music performed in a cappella and is accompanied by hand clapping and dancing. Juré is a musical tradition dating back to the times of slavery, according to group member Millie Broussard. On the plantations, slaves were not allowed to own musical instruments. There were no televisions or telephones at the time, so entertainment and communication were both extremely limited. To make up for the lack of instruments, the Creole slaves used hand claps and foot stomps to create rhythms to sing to. At the time, juré served a dual purpose, keeping the slaves’ energy and spirits up, “a way for people to let loose… like a military cadence,” Millie explained, and as a way to pass along and preserve information.

After the abolishment of slavery, juré became a way of making music during the Lenten season, when it was frowned upon to go to clubs or play instruments. Juré has strong religious roots and was acceptable during Lent. Today, the Broussard Family Juré continue to recognize and praise the presence of God in their lives and his gift of music to their family. Millie stated that “We always want to give back the glory to the Giver of the gift.” Their music is at once a celebration of their family’s history and praise to God.

The Broussard Sisters started doing juré as young children, picking up the songs and dances from their mother. As they grew older, they began to join in on the juré from the outside. Over time, the sisters became part of the juré circles. The oldest in the group was the leader of the call-and-response, and the others would join in. During Lent, the sisters would alternate whose house they visited. They would prepare a big family dinner and perform juré together, changing who they visited every time.

Originally, Millie said, juré was a family tradition. They only started performing publicly six years ago. She explained that people became interested in the music and how it got started. It was beautiful music, so others became curious. The sisters decided to share their music to keep it and their ancestors’ memory alive. Millie compared the music to love, saying that “you don’t want to keep it inside, you want to share it.” It’s important to her and her sisters-in-law that they continue the traditions left behind by those who came before them.

Millie has been doing juré alongside her sisters-in-law since she was young, having been their neighbor from a young age. She served as their manager for six years but did not officially join the Broussard Family Juré group as a performer until a year ago, when one of the sisters became ill. She was already familiar with the music and dances, so she filled the role. She explained that it made her happy to do juré, especially in such a way that she and her sisters can share it with the world. She believes her ancestors would be proud to see how well-loved and popular their juré has become. Millie said “That was a pastime for them. Now, it’s a passion.” Millie and her sisters love to share the musical tradition which gave their ancestors moments of solace and freedom during times of oppression and slavery, and they are proud to keep the music alive.

The Broussard Family Juré will perform on the East Stage from 10:15-11:00 AM and 2:45-3:30 PM. They are excited to share their love of music and their family’s traditions with festival-goers.

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 Historic District Development Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, and the State of Louisiana.

---

The Awards Banquet for the 2022-2023 Riverdale Academy Fishing Team’s season was held recently.  The school posted, “These kids keep working and improving. We are so proud of each one of them. We cannot wait to see what the 2023-2024 season holds and it’s starting soon.”

---

A Classic Column from Steve Graf.  First published in July of 2021

Here’s an interview I did in 2021 with the 2021 Bassmaster Classic Champion Hank Cherry. Hank just accomplished what only three other anglers have ever done in history by winning back-to-back Classics. Today you’ll see from his perspective how this tournament unfolded and allowed him to win once again. Financially, a Classic win is worth $300,000 but the impact it has on an angler’s career is huge. Now let’s here from the man himself…Hank Cherry!

Angler’s Perspective: Hank have you recovered from the Classic and the high temperatures you all experienced at Ray Roberts?

Hank: “The heat was unbearable and just the grind of the Bassmaster Classic getting up at 3:00 in the morning every day takes a toll on you both mentally and physically. Now I’m just trying to figure out what happens next and where do we go from here? At the same time, I’m trying to get the family settled back down and make sure they are taken care of before setting out and completing the 2021 regular Elite Series season.”

Angler’s Perspective: This being your second go round with winning the Classic, you should have a pretty good idea for what lies ahead. Compare last year’s win to this year.

Hank:  “Well last year I won this event during the Covid 19 pandemic and this year’s win has already been a lot different. I missed out on several promotional opportunities last year with all the restrictions of Covid 19. But this go round, it looks like I’ll be traveling more and doing more speaking engagements which I really like. I enjoy the interaction with other anglers and the fans. Heck, I might have to hire a travel agent! This year I’m really looking forward to a true victory tour.”

Angler’s Perspective:: Hank, several anglers who many thought would win this event really

stumped their toe and struggled. Was it an advantage for you to not have any experience or history on this body of water?

Hank:  “I’ve never been a huge practice guy, but this tournament if you knew anything,  then you really knew nothing due to the high-water conditions and the lake changing every day. There were bushes that are normally on the water’s edge, that were now 4 feet under water. Also, that late winter freeze they had in this region back in the early spring, really set everything back about a month. So, for this event, you really had to fish the moment and disregard what you might have learned in practice due to the constant changing conditions.”

Angler’s Perspective:: Tell us about day 1 and 2 and what you did to catch a good limit both days.

Hank:  “Well the first 2 days I got off to a great start by catching a 6 pounder and 5 pounders early. This really put me in position to fish the way I wanted to by flipping the bushes and throwing a jerk bait along the dam.  The problem in this event was the fact that there was an early shad spawn bite up until 8:00 or 8:30. Then it got really tough, and it became a true grind as the bite really slowed down. But I was able to weigh-in a really good bag on day 1 at 20 pounds 4 ounces and 17 pounds 10 ounces on day 2. This was really unexpected but allowed me to get off to a great start one days one and two which set me up to go for the win on day 3.”

Angler’s Perspective:  Talk about how tough it was on the final day.

Hank: “The third and final day was really tough, hot and humid. Caught one early on a jig and then I went forever without a bite. Then I caught another fish that was a 4 and 3/4 pounder that was probably the dumbest fish in the lake as I pitched to a bush and the bait ricocheted off the bush 4 feet and the fish swam out and ate the bait and went back to the bush. The turning point for me on the final was when I hung up my jig and broke it off in a bush and I decided to downsize with smaller line and a smaller profile bait which is how I caught my last three fish and finished out my limit. I actually went the last two hours of the tournament without a bite.”

Angler’s Perspective: Hank did you know you had won the Classic as you headed in or were you thinking someone probably busted a big bag toady?

Hank: “No, but I knew I had done my best considering the conditions and how tough it seemed.  As I got to the weigh-in I heard that my buddy Matt Arey had caught them pretty good, but I also knew after doing the math in my head that someone would have really had to crush them to beat me.  The thing about this event was that every guy in the top 5 had lost enough fish to win the Classic including Matt Arey who lost two really good fish that would have sealed the deal for him had he landed those fish. But that’s the nature and unfortunate reality of this sport. You’re going to lose some fish; you just hope it does not cost you the win.”

Angler’s Perspective:  Hank earlier you talked about feeling good about how you fished this event and that you gave it your best. Have you ever fished a tournament where you did not feel this way?

Hank: “I’m sure there’s been an event or two where I defeated myself mentally. As a former baseball player, there were times when I felt like I was just going through the motions and just didn’t perform at a high level or the level that I expect. It’s not something I make a habit of but there are times when fishing is comparable to any other sport in that the mental approach is just as important as the physical approach.”

Angler’s Perspective:  Hank, talk about the frame of mind going into the final day as the leader versus being a few pounds back of the leader and having to come from behind.

Hank: “Well, I’ve always said it easier doing the hunting versus being the one hunted. Your approach is totally different in the fact that you don’t have that pressure of trying to close out the tournament. Mentally when you’re chasing someone, you can just go out and fish and swing for the fences so to speak. But when you’re leading and things aren’t going your way on the final day, you start to second guess yourself and what you’re doing.  But for me, I pride myself on being a closer and I can’t think of any time when I wasn’t able to close out a tournament when I did have a lead. Winning an event of this level and having won last year, gives you a tremendous amount of confidence knowing that you’ve been there and done it before.”

Angler’s Perspective:: Hank, thank you taking the time to share your incredible victory and I’m looking forward to watching you go for the three-peat in the 2022 Bassmaster Classic that will be held on your home body of water at Lake Hartwell.

Hank: “Hey thanks for having me today and I’m really looking forward to next year’s event. Hopefully I’ll being doing another interview with you!”

I hope you’ve enjoyed this interview and insight with 2021 Bassmaster Classic Champion Hank Cherry held at Lake Ray Roberts outside of Ft. Worth, Texas. Hank has done an outstanding job of representing the sport over the last year. He’s truly been a great champion and will once again do another awesome job of promoting the sport. Till next time, good luck and good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!!

---

Tommy Charles Wimberly

November 16, 1930 – July 01, 2023

Visitation and funeral service were held at Seaside Funeral Home Chapel on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.  Burial will be in the Wimberly Cemetery near Ringgold Louisiana, on Saturday, July 15, 2023 at 11:00 am.

The Red River Parish Journal publishes “Remembrances” – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $70. The obituary will be included in the emails sent to subscribers.  Contact your funeral provider or RedRiverParishJournal@gmail.com. Must be paid in advance of publication.

---

Sign up for Flag Football is underway at Open Door Fellowship.  The registration deadline is

August 11th.  Registration is done online at odfcoushatta.org/sports.

Abundant Life Worship Center has scheduled VBS for July 17^th through20th from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm nightly.  The church said meals would be provided.

The 2023 Red River Crusade begins Sunday and runs through the 19^th at 6:30 pm nightly.  Doors open at 5:30. This 4 day event if full of positive people, uplifting music, great food and an amazing message that will inspire you.

---

By: Chloe Spradley

As we are going into this upcoming school year, Riverdale Academy would like to welcome Dr. Hunter Brown to his new position as principal! Dr. Brown has been teaching high school science for 14 years, and fine arts for 10 years. He has also been teaching English to Chinese students online for 3 years. I asked Dr. Brown what inspired him to accept this new role, and this is what he had to say: “Riverdale is a part of my DNA. I attended school at RA K-12 (class of ’87). My dad was on the first board, my brother was rumored to be one of the first students enrolled in the school, and my aunt, Wanda Simpson, was the school’s secretary from 1970 – 2010. I feel a certain duty to honor and protect the sacrifices and investments that they have made. Now, after 14 years in the classroom, I am invested.”

 Dr. Brown never planned on becoming principal, until he attended the Administrators Conference for a free trip to the beach. The conference itself was inspiring, meeting and speaking with other administrators who love what they do and receiving encouragement from them to pursue the position of administrator. He says “I prayed and felt that God had opened a door for me, and it never closed. I’m excited about the new challenges that being a principal will bring. Everyone has been so encouraging and supportive of my decision. God has moved me from my comfort zone in the classroom into what I feel is a greater place of service.” 

I also asked Dr. Brown what were some things he looked forward to improving or changing this upcoming school year, and he had some great thoughts: “I look back at some of the tremendous leaders Riverdale has had, and I feel that I will continue to build on the foundation that has already been laid; so I prefer the words “improve upon,” rather than “change,” although I am not opposed to change where it is needed. I’m seeking to create a community in which we can all take pride. I’m backed by a stellar faculty and staff. I plan to have meetings with teachers regularly, by grade levels, to closely monitor what is working, what is not working, and what we can approve. I want my teachers to have an environment where they feel supported and love to teach. I plan on developing student  leaders, so the students feel invested in their school; for example, students leading in the daily prayer, pledge, and reading the scripture of the week. It’s going to be an adventure, but I’m up for the challenge! I’m inviting all who will, to join me on this journey.”

Congratulations, Dr. Brown! Everyone is so happy for you, and we can’t wait to watch you take on this new adventure, and cheer you on along the way!

---

Red River Elementary School announced the hiring of Michael Edwards for next school year.  The school said, “Bulldog Families, We are delighted to introduce our new Assistant Principal – Michael Edwards. He is a great addition to our school.

They added, “We will continue to accomplish great things with his expertise and dedication.  Please help us welcome Mr. Edwards to our Bulldog family.”

---

Green meadow Haven residents enjoyed coke floats and cupcakes on the Tuesday, July 4^th. The activity team did a great job of bringing some joy to everyone.

---

---

Natchitoches attorney-at-law Jack O. “Britt” Brittain Jr., one of the most remarkable and beloved ambassadors ever in his community, passed away Tuesday morning at age 67 after a brief illness.

A celebration of life service was held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Church in Natchitoches, with Father R. B. Williams, O.P., under the direction of Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home.

He was born June 20, 1956, and died July 11, 2023. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jack Oliver Brittain and Ann Williams Brittain, paternal grandparents, Clarence Lafitte Brittain and Irene Humphries Brittain, and maternal grandparents, Judge R. B. Williams and Ora Garland Williams.

He is survived by six treasured siblings: Dr. Marguerite “Cissy” Picou and her husband, Dr. Bryan A. Picou of Natchitoches; Rebecca Brittain Morris and her husband, Wallace “Wally” E. Morris of Alexandria; Judge Lala Brittain Sylvester, and her husband, Russell “Rusty” L. Sylvester of Natchitoches; Eliza Brittain Behrendsen, and her husband, Gunnar F. Behrendsen of Natchitoches; John A. Brittain, and his fiancé, Janice Wheat of Youngsville; and Mary Jane “Cookie” Brittain Richardson, and her husband, Kirk J. Richardson of Nashville, Tenn.

Britt has 16 beloved nieces and nephews: Marguerite “Megan” Picou Bishop, and her husband, Ashley, Sara Picou McCann, and her husband, Gabe, Catherine “Catie” Picou Oryl, and her husband, Ben, Dr. Bryan A. Picou, Jr, and his wife, Kassie, Winfield Hancock Morris, and his wife, Lidiane, Wade Hampton Morris, and his wife, Kathryn “Kat,” Lala “Brittany” Sylvester Gaspard, and her husband, Brett, Courtney Elisabeth Sylvester, Ashley Kathleen Sylvester, Kathleen Marie Sylvester; Behrend Brittain Behrendsen, Ashton Lafitte Behrendsen, Sydney Brittain Dickson, and her husband, Clayton, Ann Marie Brittain; Stanley John Richardson, Richard Blanchard Richardson.

He loved his 15 grandnieces and grandnephews: Emma Virginia Bishop; Ella, Liam and Andrew McCann; Mack, Molly, Fiona and Claire Oryl; Amelia, Oliver and Eleanor Picou; Cooper Morris; Maeve Bailey Gaspard; and Rigby and William Dickson.

In lieu of flowers, the family hopes friends will consider contributions to the Jack Brittain, Jr., Memorial Scholarship Fund at Northwestern State University to benefit a female student-athlete.

Contributions can be made online by visiting: fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/nsujack. Contributions can also be mailed to: Demons Unlimited Foundation, Attention: Jack Brittain, Jr., Memorial Scholarship, 468 Caspari Street, Natchitoches, LA 71457. For more information, please contact NSU Associate Athletic Director Darian Westerfield at 318-357-4560.

He was a faithful parishioner of The Minor Basilica Immaculate Conception Church. Among his social memberships, he was a longtime member of the Krewe of Dionysos, and had been a member of Holiday In Dixie Cotillion, Holiday In Dixie Planter’s Ball, and an escort for the St. Denis Art Guild.

“Britt” was a 1974 graduate of St. Mary’s High in Natchitoches and was one of the first people inducted in the St. Mary’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He lettered four years in track, football and basketball, and played in the Louisiana High School Coaches’ All-Star Football Game in 1974. Britt was selected to attend Boys State, and also served as a page in the Louisiana Legislature and at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. He also worked for U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston, helping staff his north Louisiana office. In his senior year of high school, his fellow students voted him Mr. SMH. As an adult, he was an active member of the Tiger Athletic Association.

He chose to stay home and attended Northwestern State University, earning a football scholarship. He lettered in all four seasons (1974, 1975, 1977, 1978) first as a running back, then a receiver, and was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Britt graduated with a business administration degree in 1979, and set his sights on law school to become an attorney like his father.

He was admitted to the Paul Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University and earned his Juris Doctorate in 1982.

He served as a clerk for Louisiana Head Supreme Court Justice Jack Watson.

Britt entered public service after law school, and joined Senator Johnston’s staff in a full-time capacity, working both in Washington, D.C., and around Louisiana.

“Britt worked for us even in high school. We trusted him to represent the requests of North Louisiana for his entire tenure with our offices,” said Senator Johnston. “My wife and I have known Britt since he was born. He will be missed.”

Britt worked with Senator Johnston until the senator’s retirement. He was immediately offered, and accepted, a position with new U.S. Senator John Breaux as his North Louisiana Chief Political Aide and served until Senator Breaux closed his Shreveport office.

After coming back to Louisiana, Britt settled in Shreveport, where he was well-known and beloved in Shreveport-Bossier society. He was even named by the Shreveport Times as one of the city’s “Most Eligible Bachelors,” a distinction he informally retained for years to come.

He became a member of the Indoor Tennis Association in Shreveport and later was part of a United States Tennis Association national finalist and state champion team. He was a state-ranked singles player.

After leaving government service, Britt worked as a Merrill Lynch Financial Planner in Shreveport. He ultimately returned to his hometown and joined the Brittain Family Law Firm as an attorney-at-law, remaining in practice for the rest of his life, with specialties including estate planning, timber management and oil & gas leasing. His invaluable service to a far-reaching and diverse group of clients and friends was universally admired.

He was among the best of the best and always provided the life and joy of any event. Britt made his priorities in life serving others, supporting countless noble causes and especially his beloved hometown and alma maters of St. Mary’s, NSU and LSU. For decades, he was an avid friend to NSU’s Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority co-founded by his grandmother Ora G. Williams in 1929. Early this century, the sisters showed their love and appreciation by creating the “Jack ‘Britt’ Brittain Service Award” given to a person who is remarkably supportive of the Tri Sigmas at NSU.

“Jack defined the virtue of generosity. He was generous of time, generous of treasure, and most importantly generous of spirit,” said Dr. Jim Henderson, president of the University of Louisiana System and former president of NSU. “His support for our alma mater knew no bounds and was exceeded only by his love and support of his family and friends. When our fathers met as football teammates at Louisiana Tech in the 1940s, they had no idea their sons would bond as Demon alums some 70 years later. Jack was a treasure to us all and I will cherish his friendship for life.”

He spent 18 football seasons as the often unconventional, always passionate sideline reporter for the Demon Sports Network, and did everything he could in support of NSU Athletics in all sports. Britt’s loyalty and service was recognized by the N-Club, the university’s association of former athletic letterwinners, in 2013 when he was surprised by being inducted into the N-Club Hall of Fame as a winner of the Distinguished Service Award. He was a founding member of Demon Brothers, a football alumni group, a member of the Demons Unlimited Foundation and the NSU Alumni Association, and was universally beloved by student-athletes, coaches and staff from all sports and all ages.

Through his involvement with NSU Athletics, he developed deep friendships with sports media, coaches and athletic personnel from around the state and Southland Conference. He volunteered to do legal work for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, some which was vital to the location of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in Natchitoches. He also enthusiastically attended annual inductions and assisted in LSHOF operations, notably taking a major role in hosting golf tournaments. He was awarded a Life Membership in the LSWA and later, in 2017, became a recipient of the organization’s most prized honor, the Mac Russo Award, given to an individual who “contributes to the progress and ideals of the LSWA.”

He made it his mission to spread joy and happiness at every opportunity, throughout his life, and was lovingly loyal to his family and friends. He was a trusted confidant and advisor to people in all walks of life, a gracious and festive host, and a servant/leader in his community, state and nation.

He will be missed. Britt left an indelible, lasting impact with no boundaries. To know him was to love and admire him, and also, to feel his unabashed love that he shared with everyone.

---

Town of Coushatta posted, “The Boil Water Advisory is now lifted for all customers.  The samples were cleared by the Louisiana Department of Health/Office of Public Health as of 9:40 a.m. July 11, 2023.”

The earlier boil advisory gave these details about the cause of the boil advisory”

The Town of Coushatta Water system has experienced problems with our water supply system due to a Water Main Break which caused low pressure below 20 PSI.

Because of these problems, the water produced by our water supply system is of questionable microbiological quality.

Therefore, as a precaution, the Coushatta Water System is issuing a BOIL ADVISORY for the entire system effective immediately.  The BOIL ADVISORY is to remain in effect until rescinded by the Water System.

That boil advisory was rescinded on Tuesday morning.  Water from the Coushatta water system is now deemed safe for consumption.

---

Classic Teddy Allen 

(From the Summer of 2011 after 34 MILLION pounds of tainted turkey was recalled. Some things never change; it’s still tough to be a turkey …)

Man the poor turkey just can’t catch a break. I’d almost rather be a catfish than a turkey, and the catfish gig’s no day at the park.

I was eating a Sloppy Joe, one of the world’s truly underrated and underappreciated foods, when someone brought up the most recent recalled meat fiasco – 34 million pounds of recalled turkey meat. “Tainted,” meat inspectors declare.

My mania for Sloppy Joes is such that this line of conversation did not bother me. The buns were soft, the secret sauce ingredient (V8!) was kicking in, and the meat was, thank goodness, hamburger.

But between bites, I felt bad for mister turkey, and for several million of his brethren.

They have that stuff hanging from their necks. They walk funny. Talk funny. The beady eyes, the chinless stare. A turkey could be the only entry in a beauty pageant, and still come in eighth, tops.

As if the cards weren’t already stacked, my buddies in the National Wild Turkey Federation are dressing up like shrubs and hunting them even though the turkeys are – unless you count ‘ugly as a weapon – unarmed. They call the turkeys, then shoot them.

So the turkeys in the news this week are double losers. They get called, shot, cleaned, packaged, then RE-called.

Is it any wonder that a guy who’s tabbed “a turkey” is a dud. An inept loser. Dumb as a chisel.

Turkey’s a tough row to hoe.

So if all that’s not enough, 34 million pounds of bird that will never gobble again was recalled. Punched out for nothing. Spoiled by salmonella, a word I never heard growing up. If you’re a turkey, you just can’t win.

Caught up in these poultry-based current events, my friend Doctor Pickles gobbled, “Here’s a question: what number do you have to get to in the Tainted Meat Game before it’s recalled? Before it’s Big News? Eight pounds? Eight million pounds? Twenty mil? If it’s just one box at the Jitney Jungle, do you keep it quiet? How many turkeys have to go bad before somebody squeals?”

And how do you know it’s 34 million pounds? Was it really 52 million? 75 million? Who is the quality control person in charge of keeping up with millions of pounds of spread-out tainted turkey meat?

Larry at the Tainted Meat Department: “Man, 52 sounds like a lot.”

Joe: “Well, let’s make it 18.”

Larry: “18? Who in their right mind would believe 18? We can’t say 18 million pounds. What are you, crazy? Are you insane, with the 18?”

Joe: “I’m just sayin’!, for cryin’ out loud. Make it 36 then.”

Larry: “We’ll say 34.”

Joe: “Fine. 18. 36. 34. Whatever. Let’s break for lunch.”
Larry, opening his pail: “Dang. Turkey again…

In the tainted turkey racket, nobody wins.

Never do I hear the phrase “tainted meat” that I don’t think of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple,” and the opening scene card game at the apartment of sportswriter Oscar Madison, who stares into his ice box and offers the guys some snacks during a break.

Oscar: “I got, uh, brown sandwiches and, uh, green sandwiches. Which one do you want?”

Murray: “What’s the green?”

Oscar: “It’s either very new cheese or very old meat.”

Murray: “I’ll take the brown.”

---

By 4-H Agent Jacque Fontenot

Each year 4-H members who are in the 8th-12th grade are eligible to participate in 4-H University to demonstrate their skills in more than 30+ competitive events. It is a culmination of a 4-H member’s year of hard work and dedication. Events range from Demonstrations, Automotive Care, Fishing Sports, Public Speaking, Fashion Revue, and more! Through competing, youth demonstrate life skills in teamwork, decision making, problem solving, resiliency, and many more.  Each competitive event allows youth an opportunity for personal growth, skill mastery, and other life skills vital to functioning members of society.  Students stay at LSU Baton Rouge for the week, maneuvering across campus and managing their time as they attend assemblies, educational sessions, and contests.

This summer, 17 students from Red River Parish 4-H participated in various contests and clover college classes, bringing 10 medals back home.  3 students won 4th place in the Next Healthy Food Star, for their Grand Bayou Stir Fry recipe using peaches from Ed Lester Farms.  Two students were elected as state ambassadors, Hannah Worsham (Wetlands Ambassador) and Addison Bounds (Shooting Sports Ambassador).

A special thanks to those that participated in fundraisers, including Rivertown for donations, so that these students could have this opportunity!

Award Winners and their specialty are:

Bryce Hunt (Fishing), Ben Moseley (Fishing and Visual Arts*), Rafe Suggs (Sports Broadcasting*), Cameron Jones (4-H Has Talent), Jacob Kellogg (Sports Broadcasting*), Adrianna Bradford (Next Healthy Food Star*), Cha’Destiny Taylor (Next Healthy Food Star*), BriAunna Taylor (Next Healthy Food Star*), Alaina Boyd (Personal Trainer), Fadasia Demery (Child Development), Makilah Murphy (Child Development*),

Elliot Grant (Robotics Clover College), Caitlyn Jones (Personal Trainer), Addison Bounds (Vet Set Geaux), Shirley Boyd (Vet Set Geaux), Katelynn Albright (ATV*), and Hannah Worsham (Photography*).

Adults attending included 4-H Agent Jacque Fontenot and Randarious Murphy, an adult volunteer.

---

By Royal Alexander

The case is Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, et al. 

In its landmark ruling, the Court held that by prohibiting the use of race in college admissions—broadly known as Affirmative Action but more accurately described as reverse discrimination—the Court returned the nation to the fundamental principle of equality for all, declaring that racial discrimination cannot be employed now—today—in order to fix or remove past racial discrimination.  

The Court reasoned that the promise of equal protection simply cannot be reconciled with the use of discrimination by race to make amends for discrimination by race.  As Chief Justice John Robert’s wrote in the opinion, “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”

In so doing, the Supreme Court returned to the clear meaning of the 14th Amendment.

In this context, what does the 14th Amendment provide?  That no State shall “deny to any person . . . the equal protection of the laws.”

What was the Court’s reasoning?

As the Court itself notes, “the 14th Amendment provides that no State shall “deny to any person . . . the equal protection of the laws.”  Proponents of the Equal Protection Clause described its “foundational principle” as “not permitting any distinctions of law based on race or color.”

Accordingly, the Court has held that the Equal Protection Clause applies “without regard to any differences of race, of color, or of nationality”— it is “universal in its application.”  Because “the guarantee of equal protection cannot mean one thing when applied to one individual and something else when applied to a person of another color.” 

This means that “a law which operates upon one man,” should “operate equally upon all.”   That is why the 14th Amendment guarantees “that the law in the States shall be the same for the black as for the white; that all persons, whether black or white, shall stand equal before the laws of the States.”

So, why was the Court’s decision necessary?

Because two well-known American institutions of higher learning, University of North Carolina and Harvard, have for many years used race as a critical if not determinative factor for admission to their institutions.

In the opinion, Chief Justice Roberts wrote that it’s simply not possible “to derive equality from inequality” by racially discriminating against a Vietnamese American student, for example, in order to admit an African American student simply because of their races. The Constitution “does not permit any distinctions of law based on race or color.”

Justice Clarence Thomas, someone who has actually lived through the inequality the 14th Amendment was enacted to prevent, cites the powerful dissent of Justice Harlan in another case, Plessy, that “our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.”

I think most of us consider this goal of equal protection of the law as a bedrock American principle and that our nation is a meritocracy—meaning the success we have in life is based upon our merit and nothing else; that all we are guaranteed in this country is an equal opportunity, not a legally mandated equal result.

It is said that the law “is not a respecter of persons” meaning that we are all the same in the eyes of our blindfolded Lady Justice.   In our country, success and status are not based upon nobility, heredity, government favoritism or skin color.  They are based upon effort, drive and sweat equity.  I once heard this concept succinctly stated with the expression that in America “the dream is free. The hustle is sold separately.”

So, the holding in this case remains faithful to the Constitutional promise of equality and equal protection of the laws, which itself directly reflects the Declaration of Independence and Jefferson’s profound and unprecedented principle that “all men are created equal.”  We also recall Lincoln’s words in the Gettysburg address that we are a nation “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

This decision firmly places our country back on the bedrock of equality, as powerfully called for by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he heralded that he had “a dream … that one day my children will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

All Americans should celebrate the end of the use of race in college admissions.

---

Red River Industries is holding a community-wide bingo night on Friday July 21^st.  It will be a the old washateria across from Mabile’s Pharmacy.

Tickets are $25 for 10 cards.  Folks who pre-order will get two free concession tickets in addition to the bingo cards.

There will be prizes awarded for every game.  Please no children under 10.

---

Report from the Red River Sheriff’s Office for June 30-July 6,  2023

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

---

Inez Osborn Holley

February 27, 1930 — July 3, 2023

A graveside service was held at Holley Springs Cemetery in Martin, Louisiana at 1:00 pm on Saturday, July 8, 2023.

Bonnie Giles

7/12/1950 – 7/4/2023

Service: Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at 11:00 am at Bethel B.C. in Frierson, LA.

The Red River Parish Journal publishes “Remembrances” – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $70. The obituary will be included in the emails sent to subscribers.  Contact your funeral provider or RedRiverParishJournal@gmail.com. Must be paid in advance of publication.

---

The Town of Coushatta Water system has experienced problems with our water supply system due to a Water Main Break which caused low pressure below 20 PSI.

Because of these problems, the water produced by our water supply system is of questionable microbiological quality.

Therefore, as a precaution, the Coushatta Water System is issuing a BOIL ADVISORY for the entire system effective immediately.  The BOIL ADVISORY is to remain in effect until rescinded by the Water System.

It Is recommended that all consumers disinfect their water before consuming it (including fountain drinks). Making ice, brushing teeth, or using it for food preparation or rinsing of foods by the following means:

Boil water for one (1) full minute in a clean container.  The one-minute starts after the water has been brought to a rolling boil.  (The flat taste can be eliminated by shaking the water in a clean bottle, pouring it from one clean container to another, or by adding a small pinch of salt to each quart of water that is boiled.)

Again, please be sure to disinfect your own water prior to consumption until you have been advised otherwise.

The Coushatta Water System will rescind this Boil Advisory upon notification from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals- Office of Public Health that additional water samples collected from our water supply system have shown our water to be safe.

---

The Town of Coushatta Water system has experienced problems with our water supply system due to a Water Main Break which caused low pressure below 20 PSI.

Because of these problems, the water produced by our water supply system is of questionable microbiological quality.

Therefore, as a precaution, the Coushatta Water System is issuing a BOIL ADVISORY for the entire system effective immediately. The BOIL ADVISORY is to remain in effect until rescinded by the Water System.

It Is recommended that all consumers disinfect their water before consuming it (including fountain drinks). Making ice, brushing teeth, or using it for food preparation or rinsing of foods by the following means:

Boil water for one (1) full minute in a clean container. The one-minute starts after the water has been brought to a rolling boil. (The flat taste can be eliminated by shaking the water in a clean bottle, pouring it from one clean container to another, or by adding a small pinch of salt to each quart of water that is boiled.)

Again, please be sure to disinfect your own water prior to consumption until you have been advised otherwise.

The Coushatta Water System will rescind this Boil Advisory upon notification from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals- Office of Public Health that additional water samples collected from our water supply system have shown our water to be safe.

---

Report from the Red River Sheriff’s Office for June 30-July 6,  2023

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

---

The Louisiana Gumbo Cook-Off is returning to the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival on Saturday July 22, in air-conditioned Prather Coliseum located at 220 South Jefferson Street on the Northwestern State University campus in Natchitoches. In honor of this year’s festival theme, Celebrating Louisiana’s Cultural Gumbo, the festival will see the long-awaited return of the Gumbo Cookoff, in which professionals and hobbyists alike can compete in any of three categories and demonstrate their cooking skills.

Registration and the Cooks’ Meeting will take place at 8:00 am. Tasting and judging will begin at 12:30 pm with winners be announced at 2:30 pm. There is no fee to compete in the Cookoff. Gumbo must be cooked on-site outside of Prather Coliseum.

The Gumbo Cook-Off is the Louisiana Folklife Center’s way of celebrating the state’s unique and storied foodways, as well as the rich culture behind the cooking of gumbo. The ways of preparing gumbo and the ingredients used are as varied as the people who cook it, so there is no better way to embody this year’s festival theme of Celebrating Louisiana’s Cultural Gumbo.

---

By Teddy Allen

I am writing this in the heart of the summer. If you are reading it during the stomach, lung, or bowel of summer — pick an organ — you can bet your last kidney that at this moment, somewhere along America’s highways and byways, there is a kid in a car asking his parents, “Are we there yet?”

It’s as sure a sign of summer as singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town is a sign of Christmastime. (Wonder if Rudolph ever asks Santa, “Hey, Big Man, are we there yet?”)

“Are we there yet?” is the bastard cousin of “How much farther?” and the illegitimate stepchild of “When are we gonna be there?!” Extra points if the lines are delivered with a whine and a squirm, as if the child, sweaty and starving, were asking from the confines of a straitjacket in the back of a rusty van.

“Are we,” a high-pitched voice of 5 years of age, shaky and tortured, “THERE yet?”

Vacation with the kiddos.

Good times.

This essay is nothing more than a reminder to traveling parents that the more things change in family travel, the more they stay the same. “Are we there yet?” is as American as the Grand Canyon. That childhood question echoed from the bowels of the Mayflower, from the shade of covered wagons, and from the backseat of a two-door 1967 Impala, white, black hardtop, when the road it traveled between Carolina and our grandparents in Louisiana was just a vision of the Interstate 20, we know today.

To my dad’s credit, he never looked in the rearview mirror and said to his towheaded son, “Did I raise an idiot? I’ve raised an idiot. If we were there, we would not be here. The car would be stopped. Go back to sleep or read.”

“But I need to pee.”

That’s another classic. Children have always needed to pee. But they’ve never needed to pee more than when they are toddlers and, in a restaurant, — usually right when the food comes — or when they are elementary school-aged and in a car on a

long trip. Somehow, a child’s bladder instinctively knows when it is farthest from a truck stop, and this is when it sounds the “I need to go” alarm.

The only explanation is that our Maker invented this behavior to keep parents humble and help us practice patience.

(Word to children: If a child is reading this, you also have a role to play. If a giant hand resembling your fathers suddenly appears in the backseat, seemingly with eyes of its own, grasping for what could be you, slide your own self into neutral. And if a voice resembling your fathers says, “Do NOT make me pull this car over!” don’t press the action. I was a kid once and in a vehicle that actually DID pull over, as threatened: it was not pretty.)

So … no, parents. Do not panic. This summer do not think that these things happen only in your Impala, only in your SUV. They are happening to someone right now, and there’s really nothing any of us can do about it.

Just try to enjoy the ride.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu or Twitter at MamaLuvsManning.

---

Riverdale Academy’s Booster Club is welcoming several new members of their faculty for the next school year.  They are Mary Ann Longino, Shannon Aton, and Jennifer Breedlove.

Mary Ann Longino is from Martin and a 29-year veteran teaching Pre-K and Kindergarten at Red River Elementary.  Longino is looking forward to teaching in Riverdale’s Little Red Building.

Longino said, “I’m so excited to be at Riverdale.  My kids all graduated from RA and I’m so excited to be a part of the traditions!”  Longino is also the mayor of Martin, her hometown.

Shannon Aton comes to Riverdale Academy from Fairview Alpha Elementary.  She served two years as a Kindergarten Tutor before beginning her internship as a Pre-K Teachers aid.

Anton said, “I am very excited for the opportunity to build relationships with the children and their families.  I’m also excited to be able to work with a staff that is already so welcoming and supportive.”

Jennifer Breedlove is a Coushatta resident married to Adam Breedlove.  Their two sons attend Riverdale.  She has taught special education in the parish for 20 years.

Breedlove said, ”Riverdale is very special to me.  I, along with. Numerous family members, have graduated from there.”  She is excited to be a part of the RA family.  She will be teaching in the same second grade classroom where her mother taught for over 30 years.

---