This week, the Red River Parish School Board reached a milestone with one of its most dynamic employees.

When Deborah Webb began her career in Red River Parish Schools, she never imagined that she would be a loyal employee for 50 years. Webb has worked for at least five superintendents in the school system and has been a central office administrative assistant for over 30 years.

If you see Webb this week, thank her for her service to the parents and students of Red River Parish Schools. Her caring manner and keen ability to work with people from all walks of life have been the hallmarks of her career.

Red River Parish School Board meets on January 27th at 4:30 PM. This is the first regular meeting of the year, and the agenda includes electing the President and Vice President and setting the dates and times of the 2025 meetings.  

Also included in the agenda will be the audit report of 23-24.  

Today I’ll wrap up my life’s journey explaining how I have become the person I am today. While fishing and the outdoors have been a huge part of my life, sports have been my saving grace. It has all been due to great parents, teachers, and coaches who have had the greatest impact on my life.

Although my biological mother made a tough decision to walk away from me in the summer of ’69, it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. My life turned 180 degrees as my aunt and uncle made it official in 1970 by adopting me.

A year or two before, they decided to adopt a child from birth and named him Chad, who was 6 or 7 years younger than me. Now this young boy was super smart, funny with a great personality, somebody who never met a stranger. Was class president and class favorite throughout his entire junior and senior high years. He was a good athlete, a team player, and very mechanical minded who could fix anything.

As I stated earlier, I had a younger stepbrother (Kenny) who I have lost contact with but did very well for himself as he graduated from Texas A&M and became a navy captain on a nuclear submarine. Last time I heard, Kenny was working for Texas Instruments out of Dallas. Hats off to my bio mom as she decided to raise Kenny herself and it appears she did a pretty good job. After her second divorce, she finally found a good man in her third husband (Bill) who gave Kenny some direction and discipline being a former military man himself.

Now according to my aunt, who I later would call mom, it turns out that it took me a little while to adjust and feel secure, as I still was hiding food under my bed for about a year. Based off what a psychologist told her, this was considered normal behavior because I was still in survival mode. This would eventually stop as I became confident that I was going to be taken care of.

There was another obstacle I had to overcome early with my education. I was diagnosed with dyslexia going into the second grade. Every day for both the secod and third grade years, I would leave my mainstream class during the English period and go to Mrs. Carpenter’s classroom as she slowly turned me around by improving my ability to read. I owe a lot to Mrs. Carpenter who did an outstanding job of getting me on the right path.

My junior high years offered a different kind of challenge especially athletically as the skinny beanpole kid, which is a perfect description of me at that time, went out for seventh grade football. I was so skinny that extra-small pants were loose on me. I was still a good athlete but did not have any lead in my britches, so to speak. As good as I was at baseball, that did not translate to being that good at football initially as I started the season as a third team running back. Not first or second string — third string!

By the end of my eighth grade year, I had moved up to second string. Then as I got to high school in the ninth grade, I was moved to starting quarterback and never looked back as my body started to fill out and with great coaching, my confidence soared.

The one thing I never lacked was confidence on a baseball field. This is the one area of my life that I always felt I was as good as anyone who stepped on the field. After a great Little League and Dixie Youth experience, I was ready for high school and the best four years of my life!

My high school (Mt. Pleasant) had the reputation as one of the top athletic programs in Texas. The 1970s were some glorious times for the Mt. Pleasant Tiger athletic program in all sports. During this period, Mt. Pleasant was the winningest all-around program in the state of Texas, only behind Odessa Permian which many of you know from the movie, “Friday Night Lights.” It did not matter what sport; the MP Tigers were a state contender in all sports throughout the ‘70s.

Then during my junior year in the spring of 1978, it all came together for a group of guys who had grown up together playing baseball. After a couple of disappointing finishes from the previous two seasons, we finally got the job done, going 26-4 and winning the ’78 Class 3A state baseball title — Mt. Pleasant’s first state championship in any sport!

Then came my senior year, which was a year of highs and lows, as the ’78 football season would be a true trial and tribulation for me mentally and physically. We struggled the entire season with a new coaching staff. To this day, I still have mixed emotions about that year as it was probably the most difficult season I would ever endure as an athlete.

Compounding a difficult football season, I lost my best friend Kevin Owsley. He was a brother from another mother for me and we shared some good times together growing up playing ball, hunting and fishing. Kevin was one of those people everyone liked due to his infectious personality. He was also our starting second baseman on our defending state championship baseball team and losing him really put a huge damper on our attempt to repeat as we came up one game short of a trip back to the state tournament in Austin.

But there was one great thing that came out of my senior year, an offer to play in college on the Division I level. While I had several Division I offers, it wasn’t until a coach by the name of Al Miller (later an NFL strength coach for the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Falcons) came to my house and made an offer to continue my athletic career and education at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches.

Committing to NSU turned out to be the best decision I ever made. This is where I met my wife of 43 years, Sherrie. We have celebrated life together and raised three awesome kids Brittany, Meredith and Brandon. I cannot imagine where I would be today had I not gone to NSU.

After graduating from NSU with a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology/engineering, I was blessed with the opportunity to play baseball on the next level after being drafted in 1983 by the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals). Playing in the Expos minor league system and trying to reach the major league level was truly a great experience and one I am thankful for.

The friends I have made through my college experience is priceless. I had the privilege to play with some of the greatest to ever wear an NSU Demon uniform, several that went on to play in the NFL with great success. The level of talent at NSU during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s was incredible!

In 2009, I had the greatest honor you can receive from your alma mater, being inducted into the Northwestern State N-Club Hall of Fame as a two-sport athlete. In 2023 I was welcomed into the Mt. Pleasant High School Hall of Fame.

The good Lord has blessed me in so many ways I’ve lost count. The early years of my life were merely a test of my determination and perseverance. I’m a true believer in the words, “God had a plan.” Over my lifetime, so many families, friends, teammates, coaches and teachers have had an impact on my life that I cannot even begin to list them all.

Most of them know who they are and all I can say is “thank you.” Thank you for believing in a young boy who had all kinds of issues and challenges he had to overcome to achieve success. Without each of you, none of it would have been possible.

If you haven’t already done so, make sure to thank those that have impacted your life before they are no longer with us. Next week we’ll get back to more stories and experiences of the great outdoors as tournament fishing season is upon us.

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and when in doubt … set the hook!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

Marian Plant Petry’s Passion for Louisiana’s Wildlife and Habitats to Continue long into the Future

Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) has been bequeathed $5 million that will enhance its mission of wildlife conservation and being the voice of Louisiana’s wildlife and natural resources. The gift from the estate of Marian Plant Petry was finalized in December and has been put to immediate use by LWF. It is the largest bequest received by LWF since its creation in 1940.

“We are deeply honored by Mrs. Petry’s generosity,” said LWF Executive Director Rebecca Triche. “As a former teacher and avid gardener, she cared about children and nature and enjoyed being outdoors. Her gift supports LWF’s priority to leave future generations abundant wildlife and wild spaces to enjoy in Louisiana.”

Triche continued, “Her gift has allowed LWF to encourage new partnerships that advance habitat conservation, collaborate on education and policy, and engage more citizens throughout our state. The issues we grapple with today include coastal land loss, water management policy, potential impacts on wildlife habitat from expansion of energy production and carbon management, increased wildlife diseases and invasive species, and prudent management of public lands.”

The Petry bequest helped fund LWF’s partnership with the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana to produce two educational coloring books that promote and preserve the native Tunica and Biloxi languages using wildlife as the focus. These two coloring books are now available in every public library in the state and can be found on the LWF website at lawildlifefed.org.

The funding has also helped LWF support creating a post-graduate fellowship at the Tulane Center for Environmental Law to collaboratively work on emerging policy issues and provide more research and analysis.

Triche noted, “Marian and her husband John Petry, Jr. were long-time members of LWF. They believed in LWF’s earliest purpose to conserve our natural resources and the right to enjoy them, and their generosity helps LWF’s members and leaders advance our mission in ways we only dreamed of before.”

About Louisiana Wildlife Federation

Established in 1940, Louisiana Wildlife Federation is a statewide conservation education and advocacy organization with more than 12,000 members and 24 affiliate groups representing a broad constituency of hunters, anglers, birders, boaters, campers, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

Louisiana Tech University’s Professional Master of Business Administration (MBA) and online Master of Engineering and Technology Management (ETM) programs are among the 2025 Best Online Programs rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report.

The online MBA is the highest ranked program in Louisiana for the fourth consecutive year.

“Our continued inclusion on U.S. News’ list for Best Online MBA is a testament to the academic and professional excellence seen across our college,” said Dr. Chris Martin, dean of the College of Business. “These rankings also reflect our commitment to providing students with flexible MBA options, ensuring they receive the same high-quality education taught by world-class faculty, regardless of where they are in the world.”

Accredited by AACSB International, Louisiana Tech’s Professional MBA program is designed to provide a solid foundation in all business disciplines while integrating technology and innovation. The online delivery method makes learning convenient for those who cannot attend a consistent class schedule and prefer to work at their own pace. MBA concentrations are offered online in data analytics, marketing, aviation management, and Six Sigma.

“As we continue to expand our academic offerings and grow enrollment, our focus remains on developing ethical, innovative, and tech-savvy business leaders,” said Martin. “The strong career placements of our graduates indicate our curriculum prepares them for success in today’s rapidly changing business environment.”

Similarly building its own track record of consistency, Tech’s College of Engineering is ranked in the U.S. News list for the second year in a row.

“We are excited to be included in the U.S. News and World Report for our online Master of Engineering and Technology Management,” said College of Engineering and Science Dean Dr. Collin Wick. “This program prepares our students for leadership positions in technical fields and companies, focusing on project management, continuous improvement, and risk analysis.”

The ETM program provides students with an understanding of mathematical, statistical, and risk modeling analysis. It includes systems design, engineering management, project management, and financial analysis to make graduates more effective in technical managerial and leadership roles in a business environment.

“This year, we are enhancing our efforts to showcase the outstanding opportunities within our ETM program, ensuring that more students can discover how it equips them for successful careers in a dynamic field,” Wick said. “I extend my sincere gratitude to our dedicated faculty for their unwavering commitment to student success and to U.S. News & World Report for recognizing their contributions through this ranking.”

U.S. News evaluated schools in the Best Online Programs rankings based on a variety of factors, such as student engagement, faculty credentials, and services and technologies.

For more information on these rankings, visit USNews.com.

Peanut butter is an American staple in many of our pantries. Whether you prefer creamy or chunky, mixed with jelly or bananas, January 24 is the day to celebrate all things peanut butter.

Peanut butter didn’t become widely used until the 20th century. Peanuts were considered animal feed, until the late 1800s. At the turn of the century, inventions that made planting, cultivating, and harvesting the legume (the peanut isn’t a nut at all) made it possible to see the peanut as a retail and wholesale food item.

Several men created inventions and processes that bring us the creamy, smooth peanut butter we enjoy today: Marcus Gilmore Edson of Canada, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, Dr. Ambrose Straub of St. Louis, Missouri, and chemist Joseph Rosefield.

In 1884, Edson developed a process to make peanut paste from milling roasted peanuts between two heated plates. The famous cereal maker, Kellogg, patented a process with raw peanuts in 1895. Dr. Straub is responsible for patenting a peanut butter making machine in 1903.

But the man who brought us the peanut butter we know and love today was Joseph Rosefield. In 1922, through homogenization, Rosefield was able to keep peanut oil from separating from the peanut solids. He later sold the patent to a company that began making Peter Pan peanut butter. Rosefield then went into business for himself selling Skippy peanut butter through Rosefield Packing. 

Celebrate PB Day by making your favorite peanut butter recipes. Whether it’s a sandwich or a baked good, someone is sure to enjoy it with you.

Source: nationaldaycalendar.com

The detective was dead. On August 6, 1975, the New York Times published a front-page obituary for one of the most famous private detectives in history. Before becoming a private investigator, he had been a high-ranking detective in the Belgian police force. In 1904, he was forced to flee his home because of the invasion, occupation, torture, and mass murder of Belgian citizens by German troops during World War I in what is now referred to as the Rape of Belgium. The detective became a refugee and fled to a town called Styles St. Mary in Essex, England. Despite being a man of small stature—he stood only about 5 feet 4 inches tall—the detective was proud, always impeccably dressed, and very clever.

Shortly after his arrival in England, a wealthy, elderly lady was murdered in her home in the same small town in which he had settled. A friend of the murdered lady knew of the detective’s police background and asked him to help. The Scotland Yard detective allowed the former police detective into the home just to see if there was anything he could offer. Within a short time, the Belgian refugee had solved the crime, earned the respect and friendship of the Scotland Yard detective, and began his career as a private detective. For decades, the private detective had worked independently and with Scotland Yard to solve crimes.

The private detective, now aged, wheelchair bound because of arthritis, and suffering from a weak heart, was working a murder case in the small town where his private detective career began, Styles St. Mary.

The private detective linked four other unsolved murders to the one he was investigating. Through meticulous investigation, the private detective learned the identity of the murderer and wrote it down in a detailed letter to an acquaintance. He went to bed that night without taking his amyl nitrite heart medicine and died during the night from a heart attack.

The New York Times reported that the detective’s age was unknown. Although elderly, the proud detective concealed his age with false hair and makeup. Even his being wheelchair bound was a ploy to help him gain information in what was to be his last case. The former Belgian police detective, the refugee who escaped the atrocities of the Germans, the private detective who purportedly died as a result of a heart attack while solving his last case, was murdered. He was murdered by his own creator.

The private detective was the creation of the most successful novelist of all time, outsold only by Shakespeare and the Bible. The private detective’s name was Hercule Poirot. He was murdered by Dame Agatha Christie just months before her own death. The obituary published on the front page of the New York Times on August 6, 1975, was the first instance in which the newspaper had printed an obituary for a fictional character.

Source:

1. The New York Times, August 6, 1975, p.1.

2. Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (New York: John Lane, 1920).

3. Agatha Christie, Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case (London: Collins Crime Club, 1975).

Vendors and BBQ teams are needed for the Village of Hall Summit’s Hometown Festival and BBQ Cook-off, taking place on February 22nd. The BBQ cook-off features cash prizes totaling $3000.00. Proceeds from the festival will be allocated towards the construction of a playground at the park. For info contact Jason-hallsummit@outlook.com or call 318.932.5355.

Northwestern State University’s Department of Hospitality Management and Tourism is hosting a Columns Café King Cake Fund Raiser. King cakes made from scratch by culinary arts students will be available in five flavors: cinnamon sugar, cinnamon cream cheese, pecan praline cream cheese and strawberries and cream, which are $50, and white chocolate raspberry for $55. Available pick-up dates are Thursdays, Jan 30, Feb 6, Feb 20 and Feb 27. The cakes can be picked up at the Culinary Arts Building. Orders can be placed online at www.nsu.la/kingcakes.

The Three Reeds Duo will perform in concert on Tuesday Jan 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall at NSU. Admission is free and open to the public. The Three Reeds Duo is Northwestern State University Professor of Saxophone Paul Forsyth and Assistant Professor of Oboe Leah Forsyth. The concert will include works by Eugene Bozza, Stacey Berk, Grazyna Bacewicz, John Anthony Lennon and a work commissioned by Three Reeds by Joshua Burel. Associate Professor of Piano Dr. Chialing Hsieh will join the duo on two pieces. More info on Three Reeds can be found at https://www.leahforsythmusic.com/three-reeds-duo. 

Howard Bamburg
August 11, 1938 — January 21, 2025
Mr. Bamburg will be cremated per his wishes and buried in Old Chapel Cemetery in Martin at a later date.

The National Weather Service issued a Freeze Warning for Red River Parish until 9am today. Sub-freezing temperatures with overnight lows ranging from 18-20 degrees expected. 

Wind chill values can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure. Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. Keep pets indoors as much as possible.

Make frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors. Ensure portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills inside.

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent water pipes from freezing; wrap or drain or allow them to drip slowly.

The extended forecast shows a gradual warming in the afternoon hours but temps will fall below freezing overnight the rest of the week. 

Area Closures:
Red River Parish Health Unit

All Louisiana state offices

Northwestern State University 

Natchitoches Parish Schools

Sabine Parish Schools

Matt Vines

COUSHATTA — With the winter weather closing Red River High on Tuesday, the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs district matchup at Mansfield has been moved to Monday.

But both the boys and the girls hope that the sub-freezing temperatures don’t cool down recent hot streaks.

The girls broke a seven-game losing streak when they walloped Class 5A member Pineville (57-37) on Jan. 14, following that up with a big 44-35 win against Many to kick off District 3-2A play.

The wins do more than just improve Red River’s record to 8-11 – these victories signal that the Lady Bulldogs could perhaps be the favorites in the district.

Many entered with 12 wins with Mansfield also taking a step back from its dominance this past season.

Remaining district members Lakeside and Winnfield have three wins each this season.

If the Lady Bulldogs win at home Friday against Winnfield, Red River could take a commanding lead in the district with a win Monday at Mansfield.

The recent wins also place Red River at No. 16 in the Division III Non-Select power rankings, the final spot to host a first-round game.

The Red River boys (15-3) continue to widen its lead atop of the Division III power rankings as they hold a nearly two-point advantage over No. 2 Marksville (18-6).

The Bulldogs have won seven straight, including the last six by double-digits.

That includes big wins against Many (76-41) and Union Parish (66-28), the latter of which came at Lincoln Prep in Grambling.

Red River is the favorite to win the district although Mansfield pulled off an impressive win against Winnfield as the Wolverines seek to throw their hat into the ring.

The Bulldogs host Winnfield (7-5) on Friday before heading to Mansfield in the makeup game.

Riverdale girls still hit the road Tuesday
With little to no snow and ice accumulation in Red River Parish, the Riverdale girls still made their way north to face Westside Christian in El Dorado, Ark.

Final results weren’t available before press time, but if an earlier 59-31 win against Westside is any indication, the Lady Rebels surely extended their winning streak to an astonishing 17 games.

A coaches poll earlier this month slated Riverdale as the top Class 2A squad in the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools, and Riverdale isn’t giving any indication that might change before the end of the regular season.

After a three-point win against rival Claiborne Academy, Riverdale has won the last three games by at least 39 points.

Junior guard Mary Claire Jones surpassed the 1,500 career scoring mark as a junior, putting 2,000 career points squarely in her crosshairs before the end of her high school days.

The Riverdale boys are aiming to find their stride with three regular-season games left.

The Rebels (1-12) host Briarfield Academy on Friday before finishing up with road trips to Union Christian and Claiborne Academy.

Tickets remain for Northwestern State’s annual baseball auction, set for Jan. 25 inside Prather Coliseum.

The event, which this year includes the retirement of David Fry’s No. 1 at Northwestern, opens its doors at 6 p.m. for a cocktail hour.

Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. with the program beginning shortly after. In addition to Fry’s jersey retirement ceremony, the 2025 Demons will be introduced to the crowd and the night’s guests will have the opportunity to bid on numerous auction items, including travel packages, sports memorabilia and more.

Corporate sponsorships are available for $500 and include a reserved table with eight seats, a mention of the sponsor in the program insert, a verbal thank you during the event, an exclusive gift from the 2025 Northwestern State baseball team and premium event seating.

Individual seats are available for $25. Proceeds from the event benefit all areas of the Northwestern State baseball program, including the continuing improvements at Brown-Stroud Field.

For more information on becoming a corporate sponsor of the event, contact director of operations Mackenzie Fletcher at 985-302-1956.

Speaker Johnson recently published an op-ed on FoxNews.com encouraging all Americans to unify and root for the success of the Trump presidency. 

“We can make this the most consequential period of our history if we all stand together and show the world that we understand and embrace anew our unique role as the beacon of freedom and the most powerful nation on the planet,” Speaker Johnson writes.

Read the op-ed below:

Op-ed: Every American Should Root for President Trump’s Success

We can make this the most consequential period of our history if we all stand together

Speaker Mike Johnson

Fox News

January 20, 2025

Americans of a certain age remember the success of the Ronald Reagan era in the 1980s. Throughout his presidency, there was a real sense that America was “back.” Taxes were cut by double digits. Americans were making more money on their investments. Inflation was falling. Homes were becoming easier to purchase. America was producing the best movies and music, and personal computers were entering people’s homes. We were cracking down on violent crime and drugs. Our military was being rebuilt, and the Soviet Union was on its back foot. Plain and simple, America was thriving.

Polling from this fall shows that 80% of Americans think we are sharply divided on key issues. But in this moment of President Trump’s second inauguration, our country has a bright, new opportunity to come together and come roaring back once again. If President Trump succeeds, all of us will succeed together. 

It’s no secret that the last four years have been needlessly difficult for the American people. Joe Biden’s open-border policies have left our cities ransacked and our state budgets bankrupted. Fentanyl has poured into our schools and neighborhoods and poisoned our children. Forty-year high inflation has left Americans poorer and produced interest rates that put homeownership out of reach for young people. Over-regulation has strangled our industries. Virtually every policy decision of the Biden White House has put America last.

But with Donald Trump, a new Golden Age can be realized. He has promised to make America safe, strong, and prosperous again. He has proven before he can fulfill those promises. Life will be better for every family in his second term. We have a plan to get there. 

President Trump will deregulate industries, reinvigorate our pioneering spirit of innovation, and jumpstart our stagnant economy. He will restore America’s energy dominance by ending Biden’s war on American energy. And working with Congress, he’ll prevent the largest tax hike in American history. Our economy will grow, businesses will thrive, and workers will have more money in their pockets.   

Thanks to President Trump, we will also restore borders that are closed to human traffickers, drug cartels and terrorists, and reduce crime across our country.

President Trump understands the necessity of maintaining peace through strength. He is committed to revitalizing our military and ensuring our enemies fear us. Already, President Trump’s posture of strength has led our enemies to call off missile attacks and forced terrorists to return to the negotiating table concerning American hostages. And when Trump re-focuses our military on lethality, warriors, and readiness, we will maintain our status as the last great superpower.

Common sense will be a central theme of Trump’s presidency. We all want a world where parents – not school bureaucrats – are in charge of their children, where female-only sports and spaces are protected, and where no one is punished or shamed because they disagree with far-left, radical gender madness. The American people know in their hearts what is right, and respecting that again will restore strength, dignity and national pride.

Because Donald Trump’s policies are good for all Americans, he has built the most expansive and diverse coalition of the modern era. Podcasters like Joe Rogan and Megyn Kelly, musicians like 50 Cent and Trace Adkins, innovators like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, and celebrities like Danica Patrick and Russell Brand, and people from Dearborn to Miami are all coming together under one belief: the America First Agenda will help everyone – of every color, creed, and corner of our beautiful country. 

Over the past two and a half centuries, Americans have enjoyed periods of extraordinary strength and prosperity. The mandate of the November election shows that our people are hungry for that again. 

We can make this the most consequential period of our history if we all stand together and show the world that we understand and embrace anew our unique role as the beacon of freedom and the most powerful nation on the planet. 

A strong America is good for everyone, everywhere, and time is of the essence. May God bless our efforts as we embrace this opportunity and work quickly to make America great again. 

Republican Mike Johnson is the 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives and represents Louisiana’s 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

At its January 10, 2025 meeting, the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved a motion to work with the Louisiana Supreme Court (LASC) and Governor’s office to convene a statewide summit to address the issue of truancy and chronic absenteeism in Louisiana K-12 schools. The initiative will bring together educators, legal professionals, social workers, faith-based representatives, state and local officials and other community leaders, and will convene this year.

BESE welcomed LASC Chief Justice John Weimer to its January meetings for a discussion on the issue of excessive student absenteeism, and how the education and judicial communities can best collaborate to develop solutions and supports for families and school systems. The resulting conversation, informed by the input and recommendations of Chief Justice Weimer, Judge Blair Edwards of the Louisiana Court of Appeal, First Circuit, Judge Gail Grover of the East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court, and other court officials led to the Board’s decision to develop the student attendance summit.

“There are reactive and proactive approaches to tackling the issue of student attendance, and this joint effort between education and the court system reflects both,” said BESE President Ronnie Morris. “Unfortunately in many cases crime is linked to truancy. This fact drastically increases the urgency of identifying and understanding the fundamental causes of excessive absenteeism. Working with the judicial system and stakeholders, we will seek to uncover causal factors, improve the accuracy of reporting, and investigate potential law and policy solutions. These actions will enable us to develop the appropriate supports to help children, families, and communities.”

“Judges throughout Louisiana have been dedicated to improving their communities for decades in ways that most people don’t even realize,” said Chief Justice Weimer. The Louisiana Supreme Court has managed the Families In Need of Services Assistance Program (FINS-AP) for decades, and the Court Appointed Special Advocates Assistance Program (CASA AP) for decades, and the Judges in the Classroom program has reached out to students throughout the state. If we do not improve children’s school attendance, unfortunately, we will have to address in our court system problems caused by truancy. We would prefer not to do that but instead support collaborative efforts to address root causes.”

The collaboration is the latest example of the continuing partnership between BESE and the state’s highest court to strengthen student engagement and assist families in meeting difficult challenges. In 2021, BESE’s then-President Sandy Holloway and Chief Justice Weimer led an expansion of the Louisiana Center for Law and Civics Education’s Judges in the Classroom program to promote awareness and understanding of the legal justice system among the student population. The initiative has brought a positive interaction with the judicial system to the classroom, helping students focus on and achieve successful outcomes.

Student attendance issues have recently been at the forefront of the education conversation in Louisiana, with BESE, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), and the state Legislature taking actions to quantify and curb truancy and chronic absenteeism. For the 2023-24 school year, the statewide truancy rate stood at 41.8 percent, with an average student number of days absent at 11.6.

LDOE’s Success Through Attendance Recovery (STAR) Task Force, comprised of representatives of multiple state agencies and stakeholders, has been working to examine data and identify the underlying causes of truancy. The group was active throughout 2024 and delivered recommendations to BESE at its December 2024 meeting. The complete 2024 STAR Task Force Report is available here.

“Consistent, accurate data is paramount to identifying and addressing the root causes of truancy and chronic absenteeism,” said BESE District 2 Member Dr. Sharon Clark, chair of the STAR Task Force. “While Louisiana school systems have been engaging in intervention and prevention measures, some data currently being collected from parish to parish is inconsistent and neither qualitative nor quantitative. We must prioritize a framework for tracking and assessing truancy that is consistent across school systems. Then we will be productive in developing effective statewide solutions.”

The 2024 report of the STAR Task Force includes a number of recommended actions for policymakers and legislators that will be part of the ongoing conversation regarding student attendance:

• Require schools to utilize an existing team to monitor and analyze attendance data.
• Keep definition of truancy in statute but create a discretionary referral process to most efficiently utilize the resources of the justice system.
• Adopt a formal definition of chronic absenteeism as students who are enrolled for at least 10 days and are absent 10% or more of days enrolled; students are counted once at each level.
• Identify ways to make past attendance history available to the receiving school system.
• Create model program guidance on reducing truancy in conjunction with juvenile court judges.
• Limit number of days that can be excused by a parent note to five per year.
• Create a standardized paper and digital form for parent notes.
• Require and improve delivery of career exploration and extracurricular activities in elementary and middle schools.

BESE will issue updates on the development of the student attendance summit as content and planning is finalized. For additional information, contact Kevin Calbert at kevin.calbert@la.gov.

Writer Robert Fulghum in his book, Uh-Oh, talks about a neighbor of his who drives a brand-new Range Rover, a vehicle that Fulghum says “can outrun a lion and take a rhino charge head-on.”

One morning Fulghum left his house about the same time as his neighbor. The neighbor was carrying a golf bag, a gym bag, a raincoat, an umbrella, a coffee cup, a sack of garbage for the dumpster, and his briefcase. He was in a hurry. Two little pieces of toilet paper stuck to his chin from a hasty encounter with his razor and a knitted brow testified to a hasty encounter with his wife. But he is carrying that talisman of his success, his briefcase-solid-brass hardware, combination lock, lined with watered silk with his name embossed in gold. The prestigious bag probably weighed ten pounds.

A neighbor lady two doors down, a social worker for the Episcopal church, pulls out of her driveway about the same time as this businessman and Fulghum. The businessman cranks the engine of his Range Rover like he has the pole position at the Indy five hundred. Uh-oh–he has put his coffee cup and briefcase on the roof of the Range Rover, and there they stay as he drives away.

The lady neighbor is right behind him in her eight-year-old Just-Get-Me-There-and-Back-Please-God Ford sedan. Fulghum is behind her in his 1952 GMC two-ton Go-Ahead-and-Hit-Me panel truck. The lady begins to honk her horn at the Range Rover, which the man ignores because he is already on his phone talking to London. She keeps honking. He finally hears her, flings down the phone, leans out of the window, and makes an obscene gesture at her. She continues to honk while waving to him to stop.

Fulghum, then, hits his horn which he salvaged off an old Model A. It goes AAAOOOGAAH. The man jams on his brakes, flings open the door of the Range Rover and tries to get out–without first unlatching his seat belt. At the same moment, his morning cup of coffee slides off the roof, bounces across the hood, and smashes onto the street. This is followed by the brass-bound briefcase, which crashes onto the hood and scrapes paint off as it screeches to the ground.

The dear lady coasts slowly around the scene of the accident, smiles, waves, sings out “Have a nice day!” to her neighbor still dangling from the car in the clutches of his seat belt. Let me quote Fulghum, “And, no, she did not, as you might expect, run over his briefcase. No, she did not,” he says. “I did.” Fulghum reports the man is a little distant these days, but his wife smiles and waves. Fulghum writes, “He’s not a bad guy. Like me, he takes on more than he can manage sometimes. Like me, he gets confused about what’s important. I see myself in his mirror. It’s less embarrassing to talk about how he runs his life than to talk about the cartoon quality of my own.”

Fulghum closes this story with these words, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his own soul?”

National Pie Day, Jan 23, celebrates one of the Nations’ favorite desserts. No matter how you slice it, pie in just about any form makes a crowd happy.

Fruit pies, berry pies, cream pies – they are mouthwatering servings of homemade goodness. The only other question to ask is, will it be al a mode?

The first pies appeared around 9500 BC in the Egyptian Neolithic period or New Stone Age. So, humans have been eating pies for a very long time. And with so many to choose from, we shouldn’t have any problem finding one we like.

The American Pie Council created National Pie Day in 1986 to commemorate Crisco’s 75th anniversary of “serving foods to families everywhere.”

Ever wondered why are pies round? There are a few reasons. First, when forming the dough and rolling it out, a circle is a more natural result of this process. Also, the dough used to be wrapped around the ingredients much like hand pies are still made today. A round shape bakes more evenly, too. Now, if a pie was squared, mathematically there’d be more pie.

It’s time to gear up for Love the Boot Week–April 5-13, 2025.

This is your chance to join thousands of volunteers in cleaning up our communities and beautifying our landscapes.

Be a part of Louisiana’s largest litter removal and beautification effort taking place in all 64 parishes. It is 
organized by Keep Louisiana Beautiful and supported by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. 

Litter is not a new problem for Louisiana. For decades, litter has become increasingly detrimental to our communities, leading to a multitude of repercussions such as:

• Blight on natural areas, cities, towns, roadways, and waterways
• Death of wildlife due to polluted habitats
• Decline in quality of life in neighborhoods
• A negative impact on economic development, infrastructure, and tourism
• Flooding caused by storm drains clogged with litter and debris

Despite spending over $91.4 million in litter abatement each year, Louisiana is still experiencing shocking levels of litter statewide.

“Picking up litter is important, but litter education is the primary goal of Love the Boot Week,” says Susan Russell, Executive Director of Keep Louisiana Beautiful. “If we can all learn the repercussions of litter and adopt behaviors to prevent it from happening in the first place, we will see a cleaner, greener Louisiana.”

Organize an event today.

Find resources to organize, plan, announce and carrying out your event here.

Please share with RRPJ any events taking place in Red River Parish.

Hoping for a fresh start with the incoming Trump Administration, I had not planned to return to the topic of corruption in the Biden Administration. However, news of a concerning circumstance—with a direct connection to Louisiana—came to my attention and prompted me to address it once again.

This past week, former Louisiana U.S. Rep Bob Livingston penned a letter in the Wall Street Journal that highlights the corruption of the Biden Administration. The events he recounts in his letter are disconcerting and much more befitting a third world country or a banana republic than the United States of America.

I first met Mr. Livingston years ago when I was working in D.C. for his fellow Louisiana Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, the late Clyde C. Holloway. I was quite proud of, and grateful for, the opportunity to work for Congressman Holloway. Both men exemplified the “service” part of public service.

When Mr. Livingston left Congress, he founded the Livingston Group and has represented a wide range of interests over the years before the U.S. Congress. Many of the individuals I knew on his congressional staff joined him in his new firm.

Mr. Livingston and Mr. Holloway were conservative Republicans. As such, it is unsurprising that Mr. Livingston would have supported President Trump when he sought the presidency and that is the basis of his letter.

The Livingston letter is entitled “A Letter to Merrick Garland.” Salient portions of the letter include this excerpt from Mr. Livingston to Attorney General Garland: “Your time in office won’t run out a moment too soon. You will be remembered as a tool in the Democratic Party’s strategy of misusing the Justice Department to visit injustice on innocent people with differing political views. I am a victim of your dysfunctional leadership but, unlike many of your targets, I have survived unscathed.” (WSJ, 1-15-2025).

WOW.

The Livingston letter continues: “In 2022 two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents came to my home in New Orleans and questioned me about incidents involving our representation of an international client. Having nothing to hide, I spoke with them for about 2.5 hours … I was given to believe that they were looking only for background information.” However, the letter continues, I soon learned that the meeting “was neither benign nor simply for background … I soon learned I was a target.” (Emphasis added).

Mr. Livingston then points out something about which I have no doubt: “In all my years as a lobbyist, I have bent over backward to comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) … I have repeatedly told my clients that we must comply with FARA to avoid any possibility of transgressing the law … and our company has employed a full-time officer to assure compliance.”

Nevertheless, Justice Department prosecutors “said on several occasions that I was the target of felony charges. Every day and night for 20 months, I lived with the possibility that the hammer could drop at any moment. Everything I worked for would be tarnished. My firm would collapse, my employees would lose their jobs, all of us would be ruined in the press, and I could go to prison.”

Can any of us imagine living under such a cloud of uncertainty?

Tragically, one of Mr. Livingston’s employees—the firm’s very compliance officer—could not. “David Lonnie was interviewed and harassed. He was told that if he knew what was good for him he would talk. He went to bed on December 31, 2023, and didn’t wake the next day. His family is devastated.”

While his company was innocent of all charges, Livingston states, we were forced “to spend incredible amounts of money on legal counsel … and while our 88-page brief backed prosecutors down … I am convinced that the department’s actions were political and malicious, targeting me for having supported Donald Trump and being critical of President Biden.”

We are painfully familiar with the lawfare and weaponization suffered by President Trump himself, most of the J6ers, as well as the “investigations” into picketers at abortion clinics and parents at school board meetings who were characterized as “domestic terrorists.” This is to say nothing of the FBI “investigation” into Catholic churches across the country to “monitor and report” on their parishioners. However, the Livingston letter reflects as egregious an example as any I have seen. This simply cannot be allowed to occur in America.

Royal Alexander

Meriwether Wealth and Planning has announced their support of local students by offering four (4) $1,000 scholarships to eligible graduating high school seniors. Applications are available at https://www.meriwether.com/resources and must be received by Monday, March 31, 2025 at 5 p.m.
Meriwether Wealth & Planning, LLC is a registered investment adviser with offices in Minden and Ruston. They provide services such as investment management, retirement planning, business valuation, and advisory services for employer plans. 

Do your littles love Ms. Rachel? Then some great news for them. She announced on social media the her YouTube series will soon be on Netflix. A four-episode season will be available Jan. 27. More coming later this year too. 

Krewe of Demeter Mardi Gras parade date has changed due to weather forecast. It now rolls Sunday,
Feb 9 at 3pm. Route begins at Independence Ave turning right onto Liberty Ave in Grand Cane.

Red River Parish Public Schools will host Parent Conferences Jan 30 (4-6pm) and Jan 31 (7:45am-12pm). Be on the lookout for info to sign up soon.

Jo Ann Conly Carson
September 7, 1931 – January 19, 2025
Graveside services will be held Friday, January 24, 2025 at 11am at Providence Cemetery in Ringgold.

After a noon weather update by the National Weather Service and out of an abundance of caution Red River Parish Schools, Riverdale Academy, Red River Parish Offices and the Courthouse will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

During the weather call, Marty Mayeaux Senior Forecaster for NWS, explained that in the upcoming afternoon update Red River will once again be included in the Winter Weather Advisory which includes wintery precipitation of up to 1 inch of snow. 

The forecast shows the possibility of wintery precip between 12am and 12pm on Tuesday.

The area will also be under a Cold Weather Advisory with wind chills 10-15 degrees in our area.

RRPSB put out the follow message on ParentSquare:
Due to the winter weather conditions and a concern for the safety of our students and staff all Red River Parish Schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 21. This includes all after school activities as well. We will put out another alert at noon tomorrow about possible closure on Wednesday.

Other known closures for Tuesday:

Red River Council on Aging

All Louisiana state offices 

All Northwestern State University campuses 

Bossier Parish Community College campuses

Louisiana Christian University in Alexandria

Natchitoches Parish Schools

Sabine Parish Schools

Lori Wallace Lee, formerly of Castor, has been selected to attend the Leadership Natchitoches program.

She is an Assistant Vice President and Staff Accountant for BOM Bank in Natchitoches. She is married to Taylor Lee, and they have a nine-month-old son, Brody.

Lee shared, “I look forward to the Leadership Natchitoches experience, the opportunity to expand my knowledge around the region that I live and work in, and the opportunity to grow alongside my talented peers.”

Leadership Natchitoches is an immersive learning experience designed to engage and activate proven leaders to effect change. Throughout the program, the diverse group of professionals becomes one class and one voice, becoming more interconnected not only with each other but also with the broader community and region.

Nominees are accepted from public and private agencies, corporations, civic organizations, and individual nominators. Applicants are accepted based on demonstrated leadership ability through career or community achievements, concern for the future of the Natchitoches area, and commitment to the program. A selection committee of Community and Chamber leaders recommends 15 to 20 candidates based on a diverse cross-section of the community in terms of occupation, gender, race, age, and affiliations.

Leadership Natchitoches devotes one full Friday per month to hearing presentations from subject matter experts and participating in discussions, field trips, and practical exercises pertinent to six key community issues: history, culture and tourism, natural resources, business and industry, education and workforce, healthcare and public safety, and government and governance.

Graduates learn firsthand about the issues facing our region and have the opportunity to make a positive community impact through volunteerism and civic engagement. The program consists of eight sessions, including an evening team-building social and a full day of experiential learning. At the end of the program, participants are celebrated at a graduation ceremony.

Cold weather impacts will be greatest Monday through Thursday, but hazardous travel is expected Tuesday and into Wednesday, due to wintery precipitation.

At publication, Red River Parish in included in a hard freeze warning and winter storm watch issued by the National Weather Service. Heavy snow is possible in the watch area with total accumulations between 1 and 3 inches possible. The watch is in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon. 

Monday night forecast: A 40 percent chance of snow showers after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 22. Wind chill values as low as 12. Northeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday forecast: A 40 percent chance of snow showers before noon. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 36. Wind chill values as low as 11. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night forecast: Mostly clear, with a low around 17. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Any wintery precipitation will impact roads, and especially bridges and overpasses. They will likely become slick and hazardous. Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Tuesday morning and evening commutes.

Persons are urged to stay indoors until conditions improve. If you must go outside, dress in layers. Several layers of clothes will keep you warmer than a single heavy coat. Cover exposed skin to reduce your risk of frostbite or hypothermia. Gloves, a scarf, and a hat will keep you from losing your body heat.

Persons should consider delaying all travel. Motorists should use extreme caution if travel is absolutely necessary.

Stay with RRPJ for continued updates as this artic blast moves through our area.