Red River Parish Office of Homeland Preparedness will host an Earthquake Community Informational Meeting Fri Mar 20 at 5pm at McLemore Hall at First Methodist Church Coushatta. Guest speaker is Dr. Cynthia Ebinger from Tulane University.

Ashland Baptist Church is hosting a Community Revival March 26-28 at the Ashland Pavilion. Thursday & Friday services begin at 6:30pm, Saturday at 5pm. Speakers include Stephen Beard and Brandon Digilormo with music by Johnny Couch and The Bumgardner Family.

Liberty Baptist Church & Davis Springs Southern Methodist Church are hosting a 5th Sunday Singing Mar 29 at 6pm at Liberty Baptist Church. Everyone is invited to join for song, food and fellowship.

The Coushatta-Red River Chamber of Commerce announced the Farmers’ Market and Makers’ Fair is returning! Third Saturdays April through July. Vendor Registration here.

Zwolle Loggers & Forestry Festival will be held Apr 17-18. Live music, food vendors and craft booths.

Red River Junior High is hosting “Carnival of Knowledge Math & Literacy Testing Night” Apr 23 from 4-6pm. LEAP testing information will be shared. Join in for snacks, games and fun!

LSU Womens Basketball will host the first and second round games as the #2 seed. They will host Jacksonville in the first round on Friday. With a win, LSU would face the winner of Texas Tech vs Villanova in the second round.

Gov Landry suggested Louisiana should work toward eliminating the income tax. 

Terri Trichell Adams
November 26, 1956 – February 13, 2026
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 11am at Open Door Fellowship in Coushatta.

Fire Chief Woodfin notified RRPJ this morning that the burn ban for Red River Parish has been lifted at this time.  

My wife (Debbie) and I were excited about visiting Israel. We entered the country on the 23rd of February after 12 days in Egypt and Jordan. We had been planning this trip for years, but the attacks of October 7th, 2023, and subsequent military actions made it too unsafe to travel.

I finally decided that things had settled down enough that it was safe to go…I was wrong! The first 5 days were filled with marvelous experiences: a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, renewing our wedding vows at Cana (where Jesus turned water into wine), seeing the birth sites of Jesus and John the Baptist – just a few of the incredible events that we had waited so long to see.

On Saturday, 28 Feb, everything changed. We were staying in a hotel in Jerusalem and were on a bus to the Mount of Olives when our phones started blaring alarms about incoming rockets from Iran. Air raid sirens sounded and our tour guide was informed that Israel had launched an attack in Iran. He had us return to the hotel to take shelter. Over the course of the day, we ventured out briefly to see some more sites: the path Jesus took to enter Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the garden of Gethsemane, the shrine where Jesus taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, the rock where Jesus prayed on the night he was betrayed and a few more.

The rocket attacks from Iran were frequent, so we took shelter wherever we could until the “all clear” sounded. Though I had experienced events like this in my military career, it was a bit unnerving having my wife in the middle of this war zone. We witnessed two Israeli “Iron Dome” interceptors launch and heard the explosions overhead as they successfully engaged Iranian rockets. Only a few of the explosions were close enough to raise our alarm and we continued to hear them throughout the day and night from our hotel room.

On Sunday, our tour company arranged for us to travel by bus to Amman, Jordan, where we eventually flew back to the US. Jordan was also being attacked by Iran so we continued to hear the air raid sirens from our hotel room.

Our flight on Monday was one of the few that left – Jordanian airspace had been shut down intermittently and almost all flights into and out of the country were cancelled. Thankfully, ours was not! All in all, this was an experience we’ll never forget – the fulfillment of a dream to visit the Holy Land…along with an up close and personal view of the conflict that continues to rage.

Our “once in a lifetime” encounter with rockets is sadly a frequent occurrence for the people who live there. We’re grateful for our safe return and prayerful that peace will eventually be restored in that troubled region.

Tom Jones

Pictured are Tom and Debbie Jones at the Sea of Galilee

Matt Vines

Red River baseball snaps losing streak, starts district play right
COUSHATTA – The Red River baseball team got a win to end its three-game losing streak, then logged a victory that set it on the right path in District 3-2A play.

The Bulldogs (6-7, 1-0) blasted Ringgold on Monday in a 16-1 win before overcoming Lakeside at home Tuesday in an 8-5 victory.

Lakeside (5-13) tied for the district title this past season in its first in the new league, and while the five-win Warriors likely weren’t title threats this year, the victory is a nice obstacle to overcome.

Lakeside swept Red River in a three-game series this past season.

The second and final game of the series was washed out Thursday because of effects of Wednesday’s storms, and a makeup date hasn’t been added to the schedule.

Now Red River turns its attention to Winnfield (1-14), a team that also shared a piece of the district crown this past season.

This year’s Tigers have struggled at the plate and on the mound, but it’s a group that also won the three-game series against Red River this past season.

Taking the Winnfield series will effectively make the series against Many at the end of the month the defacto district title matchup.

Many (13-4) has feasted on its competition this season with nine of its wins by double digits.

Red River softball falls to elite competition this past week
The Red River softball team knew it had uphill battles against an elite schedule, and that fact bore out in the results.

The Lady Bulldogs (3-6, 0-2 District 3-2A)) were shutout by Montgomery (16-0 score) and Winnfield (20-0) this past week.

That streak started with a 22-1 loss to Lakeside to open District 3-2A play.

Red River should be favored in its next slate of games, including a home game against Homer played Thursday evening, a Tuesday home contest against Mansfield and a Wednesday date at Providence Classical Academy.

Friday:

Sunny. High 75F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

Clear skies overnight. Low 48F. Winds light and variable.

Saturday:

Some clouds in the morning will give way to sunny skies for the afternoon High around 78F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. 

Partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 59F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday: 

Partial cloudiness early with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

Thunderstorms during the evening then partly cloudy overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 36F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.

Lowell K. “Sandy” Robinson was a deputy for the Tulare County California Sheriff’s Department until he was elected Sheriff in 1951.  From that election until the election in 1966, Sandy had easily defeated all others who vied for the office.  The November 8, 1966, election day was a disaster for Sandy because he received only about half as many votes as his contender received.  On January 1, 1967, he turned his office and the title of sheriff over to the incoming sheriff. 

One of Sandy’s daily tasks was to retrieve his mail from post office box number 510 at the Visalia Post Office.  It was a task that had become so routine that he performed it without much thought.  It was just one of the routine details of his daily life such as putting on his shoes and grabbing his car keys.  Soon after the election, Sandy decided to leave Visalia, California and move to Baxter Springs, Kansas to be near his parents and siblings.  In the chaos of moving, Sandy forgot to return his post office box key.  It remained on his keyring.  Sandy was still getting things settled in Baxter Springs when a local hotel manager resigned and moved to another town.  The hotel owner offered Sandy the hotel manager position and he quickly accepted.  Sandy had not set up his new address in Baxter Springs when he was hired for his new job.  When he visited the post office, he requested the same post office box which had been used by the previous manager just in case any mail intended for the hotel was delivered to that box.  After completing the necessary paperwork, the postal clerk gave Sandy the box key.  Stamped on one side of the key was the post office box number.  Sandy was surprised when he looked at the key and saw it stamped with the number 510.  Sandy had the same post office box number in Baxter Springs that he had in Visalia some 1650 miles to the west.

Sandy shrugged off the coincidence.  He made sure the new key worked, retrieved a few pieces of mail from the box, then put the key on his key ring with little thought.  Nearly two years went by, and checking his mailbox at the Baxter Springs Post Office became just another item on his daily routine.  Then in August 1969, Sandy pulled out his keyring and opened box number 510.  He retrieved the mail and was in the process of locking his post office box when he noticed that another key on his key ring was stamped “510.”  That is when he finally realized that he had forgotten to return his key to the Visalia Post Office.  Then, he wondered which of the two keys he had been using for nearly two years to get his mail.  Other than normal wear, the keys were practically identical.  Sandy tried both keys in each of the mailboxes in the Baxter Springs Post Office.  Although they would not open any other box at that post office, both keys opened post office box number 510.           

Sources:

1.     The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas), August 25, 1969, p.5.

2.     The Daily Item (Port Chester, New York), October 1, 1969, p.8.

3.     “Lowell Sandy Robinson,” FindAGrave.com, accessed March 1, 2026, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28198671/lowell-sandy-robinson.

SHREVEPORT – Pure shooter.

That’s the first thing that pops about Red River High product Emareyon McDonald.

The college basketball senior has made at home at LSU Shreveport, where he’s a starter and helped the Pilots to a regular season and conference tournament title in the Red River Athletics Conference.

McDonald will take aim at the postseason one more time in his college career as the No. 2 seed Pilots (26-5) host the first two rounds of the NAIA National Tournament, starting Friday at 7 p.m. against No. 15 seed Tougaloo (Miss.).

McDonald has brought his sharp-shooting skills to Shreveport, where he’s second on the team in scoring with more than 16 points per game and 103 made 3-pointers.

Those totals include two games of a career-high 31 points and 20 games with double-digit scoring. In one weekend in January, McDonald made seven and nine 3-pointers in consecutive games, both wins.
He’s shooting 44 percent from deep, something he’s achieved in each collegiate season he’s played.
LSUS head coach Kyle Blankenship, who has guided the Pilots to both of the program’s two Fab Four appearances and an Elite Eight, wanted McDonald out of high school.

But McDonald’s college journey started at Northwestern State as the top-ranked point guard prospect in Louisiana took his talent to Natchitoches.

He made an impact off the bench under both Mike McConathy and Corey Gipson, making 82 3-pointers combined in his two seasons.

Gipson left after his one and only season in which NSU won 22 games.

That prompted McDonald to hit the transfer portal, where he didn’t play in 2023-24 with his 2024-25 season at Grambling impacted by an ankle injury.

He averaged three points in eight minutes over 11 games.

Another coaching change (Donte Jackson left for conference foe Alabama State) put McDonald into the portal again, where he reconnected with LSUS’s Blankenship and came to Shreveport.

It’s not a completely unfamiliar situation to McDonald, who played his first two seasons at Red River High before finishing his career at Scotlandville in Baton Rouge.

He helped the Bulldogs to the Class 2A semifinals in 2018 and the 2019 quarterfinals before finishing his high school career at Scotlandville in a trip to the Division I state title game in 2021.

Now McDonald has one more shot at the postseason, and perhaps his basketball career entirely, over the next few weeks.

The Pilots finished the regular season ranked No. 13 in the NAIA, and winning two games in Shreveport means LSUS punched their tickets to the Sweet 16 in Kansas City, Mo.

A win Friday pushes LSUS to a second-round game on Saturday at LSUS against the winner of No. 7 seed Morningside and No. 10 seed Texas Wesleyan.

LSUS has never won an NAIA national championship in men’s basketball, but McDonald will give opposing coaches headaches as they pop in the film to prepare for LSUS in a rapid-fire tournament environment.

Matt Vines
Communications Specialist, LSUS Public Relations

Coushatta, La. — Voters across Louisiana will encounter a change at the polls when they participate in the statewide election scheduled for May 16, 2026.

Beginning with this election, several races will use a closed-party primary system, a change approved last year by the Louisiana Legislature. The updated process affects races for the United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

Under the new system, voters will only be able to participate in the primary election of their registered political party for these offices.

Registered Democrats may vote only in the Democratic primary.

Registered Republicans may vote only in the Republican primary.

Voters registered as “No Party” may choose either the Democratic or Republican primary when they arrive at the polls.

Election officials say this change could cause some confusion for voters who are accustomed to Louisiana’s traditional “open primary” system.

Officials also emphasize that choosing a party primary at the polling location does not change a voter’s registration status. A voter registered as “No Party” who selects either primary will remain registered as “No Party” after voting.

State election officials encourage voters to familiarize themselves with the new process before heading to the polls. A simple guide to remember is K.N.O.W.

K – Keep your voter registration current.

N – Not everyone will vote on every race.

O -Offices affected: U.S. House and Senate, Louisiana Supreme Court, Public Service Commission, and BESE.

W – Where to find more information: GeauxVote Online Registration System at GeauxVote.com.

Voters planning to participate in the May election should also be aware of upcoming registration deadlines.

April 15 – Deadline to register to vote in person, by mail, or at an Office of Motor Vehicles location.

April 25 – Deadline to register online through the GeauxVote system.

The same deadlines apply for voters wishing to change their party affiliation before the election.

Local voter data shows the changes could impact many residents. In Red River Parish alone, more than 1,000 voters are registered as “No Party,” meaning they will be asked to choose which party’s primary they wish to participate in when they check in at the polls.

Election officials say informational posters explaining the new process will be displayed at all polling locations.

“The more our voters know, the smoother the election process will go,” officials said, encouraging residents to review their registration and learn what to expect before they “Geaux” to vote.

Residents are encouraged to watch these educational videos before voting.  

Oh, how times have changed in the tournament bass fishing world. In the last 20 years, tournament bass fishing has had several things that have taken the sport to another level. The first being the most obvious, electronics and forward-facing sonar. But there have been a few other things like how anglers get information today. 

“Back in the day” as we old timers would say, getting information was sitting down with another angler and a paper lake map. You would use a highlighter to mark spots on the map where either he had caught bass before or places you might want to check. 

Anglers would spend hours staring at a waterproof paper map like it was the Holy Grail. We brought them along with us in the boat to make sure we hit every spot marked. We made notes on the map as to what we caught, what time we caught fish, what bait we caught them on and what depth the fish were. We made notes on the water temperature as well as wind direction. 

Maps were our main source of information on how a lake would set up for how we wanted to fish. Maps today are still very important, but now they’re on a screen, on our I-pads, cell phones and electronic units on our boats. 

But there were also other ways anglers got information just like they do today. Who has more information than an angler who guides on a particular body of water? It’s that guy that spends every day of the week taking people out fishing. This person is full of information that can be a real asset to a tournament bass fisherman. 

Also back in the day, we would meet a friend for lunch who maybe fishes a certain body of water frequently. He would tell you about spots that he knew about or had caught fish before. So, word of mouth was also a way we got information. 

Fast forward to 2026, and the information highway is insane. Today, there is so much information that the younger generation has grown up with that it’s mind blowing. Someone asked me before, “Can you get too much information?” 

Yes, too much information can create confusion and sidetrack you on what you need to be doing in order to compete in the tournament. Also, information is only good for so long, as bass fishing can change daily or even hourly. 

All anglers process information differently, and personally, I don’t like talking to a lot of anglers about what, how and where I need to fish. Over my 30-year career, I can only think of maybe twice that information actually paid off with either a win or cashing a check. 

To this day, I feel confident in my ability to find fish on my own. One of the first lessons I learned was that it’s hard to go and catch another angler’s fish. Even with good information about a certain spot, you still have to figure out boat positioning and the best way to approach the spot. 

A lot of people complain that today’s anglers are networking together and forming their own little information group, especially the rookies on tour. The young anglers today have come up through the ranks with college and high school fishing teams, where they communicate a lot. 

This is nothing new. Ever since professional bass fishing started, anglers have been forming partnerships with other anglers. That’s why anglers form small groups that travel and eat together, while developing true friendships and trust. 

But the younger generation of anglers today are doing some things that I feel may not be in good spirit of the sport. They have budgets they use to purchase weigh points or dots as they call it.  

That’s infringing on the integrity of the sport. This, in my opinion, is going too far and should not be allowed in tournament competition. 

Of course, just like so many other things today, money is a factor along with how much you have. Some of the younger anglers have budgets of $30,000 plus (provided by parents) to spend each season for weigh points. 

This is an unfair advantage whether you want to admit it or not. It’s proving the point that if you have money, you can compete for the win rather than just trying to cash a check.

It’s really hard to make it as a pro on your own. Today, you need that support system of information and money because it’s so difficult to fish against the best anglers on the planet on your own. It’s a different game today than it was 20 years ago.  

Mt. Zion Baptist Church will have guest speaker, Clayton Dyess Sun Mar 15 at 10:45am. Everyone is welcome. 

Riverdale Academy Spring Thaw 2026 will be held Sat Mar 28 at the Coushatta Country Club. For more information contact Matt Huddleston at 318.464.0277.

According to multiple sources, ChatGPT is formally no longer permitted to give medical, legal or financial advice.

McDonald’s has dropped a new Crocs Happy Meal. Each Happy Meal comes with 1 of 6 basketball themed Crocs.

Keep Louisiana Beautiful invites schools in every parish to participate in Love the Boot Week, the state’s largest litter cleanup and beautification event held April 18-26 during Earth Month. This year, we are cleaning up in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. Love the Boot provides a great opportunity to honor your country by cleaning up your community. Register your event today at lovetheboot.org.

Google shared it is making major changes to its Maps app.

Louisiana Christian University is excited to announce a new podcast, featuring LCU President Mark Johnson and his wife, Heather. The eight-episode first season of the P356 podcast debuts this spring, with episodes released biweekly. You can also find the P356 podcast on YouTube, the LCU website and Facebook.

Zacorion Deshawn Miller
August 7, 2006 – March 1, 2026
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 1pm at Deliverance Temple Church in Coushatta.

Carrie Orr McDonald
December 18, 1967 – January 23, 2026
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 11am at Abundant Life Worship Center in Coushatta.

Terri Trichell Adams
November 26, 1956 – February 13, 2026
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 11am at Open Door Fellowship in Coushatta.

The Red River Parish Library Board of Directors held its spring meeting on March 9, 2026. Board members in attendance included Trey Lewis, Barbara Brister, Ann Shaw, Virginia Webb, Judy Covington, Bob Harris, and Alvester Barfield.

Librarian Trey Lewis read the minutes from the previous meeting and reported that board member Laurie Jones had resigned. The board also approved an 8% annual raise for library staff and authorized a $3 million capital outlay project.

During New Business, Lewis welcomed new board member Dr. Virginia Webb and praised the success of a recent AI workshop, noting a follow-up workshop is scheduled for April. He also reported that recent earthquakes had caused minor stress fractures in the library building’s sheetrock. Lewis added that no spring book sale will be held this year due to limited inventory in storage.

The board then heard a presentation from architect Wayne CoCo regarding a proposed historical cultural center connected to the library. The plan includes a 7,000-square-foot facility capable of holding about 300 people, featuring a 4,000-square-foot display area for historical exhibits and dioramas highlighting the history of Red River Parish. The estimated construction cost is $3 million, with an additional $500,000 projected for exhibit preparation. No vote was taken to move the project forward.

Guests at the meeting included Alison Strong, superintendent of Red River Parish Schools, and Hunter Brown, principal of Riverdale Academy. Strong presented a proposal outlining possible alternative uses for surplus library funds, including a bookmobile program, mobile GED and adult education services, satellite library locations, school partnerships, community STEM and writing programs, social service collaborations, and workforce development support.

Board member Bob Harris thanked Strong for her suggestions but stated the board intends to move forward with the museum project first and consider additional community outreach if funds remain. Several board members emphasized preserving parish history as a priority. Strong noted the importance of responsible use of taxpayer funds.

Shane Young of the Red River Parish Police Jury asked why the proposed facility would only be located at the current library site, suggesting other communities, such as Hall Summit, might also benefit. District Attorney Jones explained that library tax funds must be used for library purposes, noting the museum concept is possible because it would be structurally connected to the library. She added that smaller library facilities in other areas could also qualify for funding. Jones also stated that one of her concerns was that the museum must be sustainable and not a burden on the parish in 20 years.  

After much discussion and audience comments, Harris made a motion, seconded by Barfield, to form a committee of board and school/community representatives to explore ways to implement some of the proposed community programs. The motion passed, and the meeting was then adjourned.

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Economic Development has announced 19 sites across 16 parishes advancing to the inaugural round of the FastSites program, marking what officials call the largest coordinated site-investment effort in state history. The initiative is designed to proactively prepare industrial sites for high-impact projects in advanced manufacturing, logistics, energy innovation and other next-generation industries.

Backed by the $150 million Site Investment and Infrastructure Fund established during the 2025 Regular Legislative Session, FastSites introduces a state-led, revolving capital framework. Instead of reacting to business inquiries, Louisiana is investing upfront to ensure utilities, roads, rail access and due diligence are already in place — positioning the state as project-ready before companies begin site selection.

“This isn’t economic development as usual. FastSites turns site preparation into a revolving investment and ensures public dollars don’t disappear, but instead work, return and work again,” said Jeff Landry.

LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said the program eliminates common barriers that often cost states competitive projects. “In today’s environment, if infrastructure and due diligence aren’t in place, companies simply move on. FastSites allows us to eliminate those barriers in advance.”

FastSites advancing closest to Monroe, Louisiana:

South Monroe Industrial Park — Ouachita Parish
Port of Caddo Bossier — Caddo Parish
ARQ Red River — Red River Parish (formerly ADA of Coushatta)
Port of Columbia — Caldwell Parish
Natchitoches Parish Port Warehouse — Natchitoches Parish
Beaver Lake Industrial Park — Rapides Parish
England Airpark — Rapides Parish
Port Distran — Rapides Parish

Each selected project underwent a competitive evaluation process measuring market viability, infrastructure needs, execution timelines and return of capital to the state. Participating sites must demonstrate a clear path to repayment as development occurs, reinforcing the program’s disciplined investment model.

As properties are sold or leased, state funds will be recovered and reinvested into future industrial development, creating a long-term, self-sustaining pipeline of competitive sites across Louisiana.

Red River Parish School District Board Meeting
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 @ 3:30 PM

Posted: Monday, February 9, 2026 (Noon)
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
AGENDA
The next meeting of the Red River Parish School Board will be Wednesday, March 11, 2026 @ 3:30 PM in the Red River Parish School Board Administration Building, 100 Bulldog Drive, Coushatta, LA

MEETINGS WILL RUN CONSECUTIVELY

1. Open – Melinda Hardy, Board President

Prayer, Pledge of Allegiance & Mission Statement led by Mission Statement: Mr. David Jones,
Business Manager

“Red River Parish Schools Provide Excellent Education: Every Child, Every Day, Whatever It Takes!

A. Finance Committee – Cleve Miller, Chairperson
1. To approve payment of bills
2. To approved Revised Salary Scale
3. To receive Monthly Report for all Major Funds from Mr. David Jones, Business Manager

BOARD MEETING

2. To approve Agenda for Wednesday, March 11, 2026
3. To approve Minutes of Wednesday, February 11, 2026
4. To approve Consent Agenda
A. Finance Committee – Cleve Miller, Chairperson
1. To approve payment of bills
2. To approve Revised Salary Scale
2. To receive Monthly Report for all Major Funds from Mr. David Jones, Business Manager
5. Superintendent’s Report
   Monthly Report for Red River Head Start Program
   Personnel Report – Resignations, Retirements, and New Hires
6. To approve Revised Job Description for Payroll and Technology Departments
7. To discuss investigative proceedings, pursuant to LA. R. S. 42:6.1.A.4
8. To consider employment for Head Start Personnel
9. Announcements Next Board Meeting Wednesday, April 8, 2026 @ 3:30 PM
LSBA Convention March 29-31, 2026
10. Adjournment

Public comment is asked for on each agenda item. If you wish to address the Board, please fill out a speaker’s form
prior to the meeting indicating the agenda item to be addressed and give form to Board President

Red River Parish residents felt the ground shake again on Monday, March 9, as four earthquakes struck within a span of about 10 minutes, continuing a string of seismic activity in the area.

According to preliminary reports, the quakes ranged in magnitude from 3.1 to 4.4, strong enough for many people to feel the shaking indoors and out. The series of tremors was closely clustered in time, adding to the concern and curiosity of residents who have experienced several quakes in recent weeks.

As of press time, no significant injuries or major structural damage had been reported, though some residents noted rattling windows, swaying light fixtures, and items shifting on shelves. Local officials are encouraging anyone who notices cracks, foundation changes, or other possible damage to document it and contact the appropriate authorities or their insurance representatives.

Monday’s earthquakes are the latest in a pattern of small to moderate tremors affecting Red River Parish, prompting many to follow seismic updates more closely than ever before. Parish officials and emergency personnel are staying in contact with state agencies and monitoring information from geological services as more data becomes available.

Residents are reminded that even small earthquakes are a good reason to review basic safety measures: know where to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On,” secure heavy items that could fall, and keep an emergency kit with essentials such as water, flashlights, and medications.

While the recent activity has been unsettling, local leaders emphasize that staying informed and prepared is the best way for Red River Parish to face this bout of shaking together.

Through the whole season of Lent, I work on answering the question, “What am I giving up for Lent.”

A friend told me recently, “I’m simply frazzled.” Now, when a minister says “frazzled,” my imagination goes straight to cartoon mode. I pictured him with his hair standing straight up, soot on his face, clutching a smoldering Bible in one hand while trying to answer a phone call and a text message with the other. Ministry does that to us. Then I looked at my own calendar—those blank spaces I had optimistically filled in with “rest”—and I understood exactly what he meant.

There’s an old saying: “I’m so busy I don’t know if I’ve found a rope or lost a horse. “Some days, that feels less like a saying and more like a spiritual condition.

Our culture practically demands frazzled, frenetic activity. If we’re going to play the game, we’re expected to check email, Facebook, Instagram, and X like we’re on some sort of digital scavenger hunt. I left Facebook, I never tweeted, and my computer only checks email a couple of times a day. I do peek at Instagram—because that’s where my family hangs out—but even that can feel like a part-time job.

Maybe a good Lenten discipline would be to give up the tyranny of the immediate. If it doesn’t get done today, I’ll get to it tomorrow. And if it’s still sitting there tomorrow, maybe it didn’t need doing in the first place.

Now, I’m not suggesting you shirk your responsibilities. I’m suggesting we learn something about living for the long run, something our souls have been trying to tell us while we’ve been too busy checking notifications.

God took the seventh day off. You, however, will not—because I know you. So let me offer a substitute: two peace pockets a day.

A peace pocket is a ten-minute break where you turn off the phone, turn off the computer monitor, close the door, and do absolutely nothing. If anyone asks, tell them you’re about to “work very hard for the next ten minutes on doing nothing.” Only we could turn rest into a job description.

If you can’t take a day off, take two peace pockets and call me later.

We spend so much time ruminating over trifles. The disciples once “lost” Jesus—not because He was lost, but because they were. They finally found Him praying alone. Breathless, they announced, “The whole town is looking for you!” Jesus calmly replied that He had other places to go. In other words: “I’m not ruled by your urgency.”

Jesus had priorities. He didn’t let the trivial masquerade as the essential.

If God rested and Jesus set priorities, maybe we should take the hint. Maybe Lent is the perfect time to let go of the things that make us feel frazzled, frantic, and spiritually threadbare.

Then, perhaps, we can finally decide whether we’ve found a rope or lost a horse.

Wednesday:

Rain showers in the morning with thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 73F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.

Thunderstorm during the evening then partly cloudy overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.

Thursday:

Mainly sunny with cooler temperatures. High around 69F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. 

Clear skies overnight. Low 38F. Winds light and variable. 

Lawmakers consider state budget, education programs, AI regulation and more

The 2026 Regular Legislative Session convened Monday at noon as required by the State Constitution. Returning to Baton Rouge, lawmakers will tackle a variety of subjects including regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly when it comes to protecting children, regulation of carbon capture activities here in Louisiana, and proposals to increase investment in public safety and education.

“We have made such great strides in the first two years of this term, when you look at how far we have come in areas like tax reform and beginning to see insurance rates come down here in Louisiana,” said Speaker of the House Phillip DeVillier. “This year we want to build on those successes to encourage even more economic investment in our state and better prepare our workforce to take advantage of those opportunities.”

“As we carefully consider the proposed $47 billion state budget for next year, legislators want to fund the priorities that are important to Louisianans without committing our state to spending we can’t afford in the years ahead,” said Senate President Cameron Henry. “As we look ahead to next year when we want to bring down our state income tax rate even further, we’ll be looking to strengthen our long-term revenue sources so that whether it’s education, energy or public safety, we build revenue sources that our state can depend on going forward.

The House of Representatives welcomed four new members. Chasity Martinez will serve District 60 in the parishes of Assumption and Iberville and has been named to the Education, Labor and Transportation committees. Ed Murray will serve District 97 in Orleans Parish and has been named to the Insurance, Municipal, and Transportation committees. Reese “Skip” Broussard will serve District 37 in the parishes of Calcasieu and Jefferson Davis and has been named to the Agriculture, Education and Transportation committees. Doyle Boudreaux will serve District 39 in Lafayette Parish and has been named to the Transportation, Administration of Criminal Justice and Retirement committees.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 1,360 bills have been filed by legislators, including the state budget, to be considered over an 85-day general legislative session.

To follow the legislative session in real time, the public can log into http://www.legis.la.gov to search for bills and watch live streams of committee room and floor debates. The legislative mobile phone app LALEGE can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play. This app includes a bill search and “find my legislator” function. Other key features include legislator profiles, Senate and House schedules and a visitor’s guide to the Capitol.

The 2026 Regular Legislative Session must adjourn no later than 6:00pm on Monday, June 1, 2026.

Talent is common, but experience is rare. Here is how CAPA turns students into working professionals before they ever graduate.

By Cole Gentry, Chief Marketing Officer at Northwestern State University

There is a moment of terrifying clarity that happens to every young artist. It usually strikes midway through a senior showcase or during the quiet drive home from an audition. It is the realization that raw talent, no matter how bright, is only a starting line. The world is full of people who can sing, paint, or write. The industry does not pay for potential. It pays for polish.

This is the hard truth of the creative life. The gap between having a gift and having a career is wide, and it is paved with rejection, technical demands, and the need for a relentless work ethic. Many young creatives hesitate here. They have the vision, yet they lack the professional-grade portfolio or the stage hours to make a casting director pause. They wait to start their careers until after graduation, only to find they are already years behind.

At Northwestern State University, inside the Mrs. H.D. Dear, Sr. and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), we operate under a different philosophy. We believe you cannot learn to be a professional by sitting in a classroom talking about it. You must do the work.

The halls of CAPA carry a specific energy. It is the sound of a piano practice room occupied in the early morning hours and the scent of oils in a painting studio late at night. Here, we do not view the arts as a hobby or a fragile dream. We treat them as a discipline.

This approach changes the trajectory of a student’s life.

When you walk through the doors of CAPA, you are not asked to wait for your turn. The hierarchy that exists at other institutions, where freshmen wait years to touch a camera or step into the spotlight, does not exist here. From your first semester, you are in the mix. You are auditioning for mainstage productions. You are hanging your work in gallery exhibitions. You are recording in professional studios and reporting for digital media outlets.

The faculty guiding this work are not retired observers. They are active artists, performers, and creators who understand the modern landscape of the industry. They know that a degree is necessary, but a reel is vital. They push students to build a body of work that stands up to scrutiny in New York, Los Angeles, or Atlanta.

Scott Burrell, Director of the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts and Professor of Theatre, emphasizes that the curriculum bridges the gap between student and professional. “We don’t ask you to wait until graduation to become an artist,” Burrell says. “We hand you the tools and the stage on day one. By the time you leave, you’re not starting a career. You’re continuing one.”

The results of this immersion are etched into playbills and credit rolls across the nation.

Look at the numbers. Twelve alumni have landed on Broadway. Graduates have appeared in over 120 film and television productions. Thirty-two professional dance companies feature NSU-trained talent. Our alumni are defining the arts. They are the graphic designers shaping global brands, the journalists leading newsrooms, and the music educators inspiring the next generation. 

This success stems from a curriculum that balances creative freedom with technical rigor. Whether it is the NASAD-accredited Fine & Graphic Arts program, the elite ensembles of the Department of Music, or the Department of Theatre & Dance, one of only 150 NAST-accredited programs in the country, the standard is excellence.

We understand that talent is the fuel, but training is the engine. From Theatre and Music to Art and New Media, Journalism, & Communication Arts (NMJCA), our programs are defined by cutting-edge collaboration rather than outdated instruction. We prioritize career training that is pertinent to the industry and vital to the student. For example, NMJCA students are currently producing nationally award-winning podcast series. The Department of Music routinely brings Grammy-nominated producers into the studio to work alongside faculty and students. The Department of Art’s Design Center for in-house internships was recognized as one of only twenty elite models in a 2025 study by the Louisiana Board of Regents.

When an NSU student walks across the graduation stage, they carry a resume. They have a network of peers and mentors who open doors. They possess the confidence that comes from having done the job a hundred times before the first paycheck ever arrived.

The creative world is competitive, but it is not impenetrable. It yields to those who show up prepared. If you are ready to stop dreaming about the work and start doing it, you belong here. The studio is open. The lights are on.

Whether you seek to command the stage or master the craft behind the scenes, you will find your place within CAPA’s professionally oriented programs. The invitation is open to join the Demon family. Apply to CAPA today, schedule your visit, and let’s get to work.

Explore CAPA: https://www.nsu.la/capa 

Schedule a CAPA Tour: https://www.nsula.edu/admissions/campus-tours/ 

Apply for Admission: https://www.nsula.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/