Following a family line of musical genius ranging from Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter to grandmother and gospel recording artist, Sister Alberta Gullage, and bassist father, Tony Gullage, who has performed with many well-known musical greats, such as Henry Butler, emerges Sonny Gullage. Sonny is taking the industry by storm, reviving the passion and excitement of the Blues with his smooth voice and charismatic performances. Natchitoches welcomes Sonny to the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival stage on July 20th in the air-conditioned Prather Coliseum.

Many may remember Gullage from American Idol season 20 where he made quite the impression upon viewing audiences and the Idol judges. While his departure was shocking, the silence surrounding it was confusing. Gullage states that he remembers very well what they said to him that day. “They said Kevin, you’re a head scratcher. You’re one of the few people who did everything right, nothing wrong, but we just don’t have a spot for you on this show,” he relays with no anger or animosity. Instead, he looks upon his time on the hit show as a growing experience. Gullage is an artist who already knows who he is, where he is from, and who he wants to be.

Sonny feels that being born and raised in Luling, Louisiana has prepared him for his career. He states, “It’s a place that I can’t describe better than it’s the perfect center. Forty-five minutes to the east you have all the New Orleans stuff – Jazz, R&B, Hip Hop, certain types of Blues. While on the other hand, forty-five minutes to the west you have Swamp Pop, the Cajun guys, and the Zydeco. It demands you to know both.” This merging of musical genres and fandoms has helped Gullage to cultivate his performances to grab the attention of all audiences and helps him to bring listeners back to the heart of the Blues.

Gullage states, “Being young and in Blues is not an easy path to choose. You can choose the Pop route, the R&B route, because people already naturally want to listen to something that sounds new. But, trying to convince people that something they don’t listen to anymore is still just as relevant, that’s not an easy job to do.” He is certainly up for the challenge and his new album, “Go Be Free!” will be available August 23rd, and his single by the same name is out now. Gullage states this original song, “really is my story.” With the album promising many originals, Gullage is giving listeners an up-close and intimate look at his own life, his story, his hopes, and even his worries for the future. He states, “It’s a new step for me, to allow that much of myself into anything, to be vulnerable in that way. When you write songs, you write from a very raw place a lot of the time, so, with this new album, I’m giving that part of me that I don’t normally just give out. I’m putting a lot of myself out there.” This album is being produced under Blind Pig Records and marks a monumental step in Gullage’s musical career. The label has produced records for Muddy Waters, Otis Clay, and many other talented musicians.

With Gullage’s desire to remind listeners of the relevancy of the Blues, his musical styling is the perfect fit for the Festival’s theme, “The Old Songs Live Forever.” The festival is held in the air-conditioned Prather Coliseum, located at 220 South Jefferson St on the beautiful campus of Northwestern State University. In addition to three stages of live entertainment, the festival will include a jambalaya cook-off, the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship, over 75 crafts people, Louisiana cuisine food vendors, dance lessons, informances, narrative sessions, on-site demonstrations, and much more. Admission to this family friendly event is $10 for an all-day all event pass, after 5pm passes are only $6, and children 12 and under are admitted free at any time. The Festival celebrates and presents the unique and traditional folk culture of Louisiana.

Support for the Festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the City of Natchitoches, the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, and the State of Louisiana. The festival is sponsored by C&H Precision Machining, City Bank, Cleco, Evans Family, LLC, the Harrington Law Firm, International Paper, Natchitoches Wood Preserving Company, and Young Estate, LLC.

I saw the name William Kinnison Haddox in an obituary and it didn’t ring a bell until I realized this was the real name for one of my best friends in the outdoors media. His nickname was one I could grasp as could thousands of others who have read and appreciated his work down through the years. Everybody knew him as Kinny Haddox.

The month of July marked the beginning and the end for this remarkable man, who was born on July 30, 1952 and passed away on July 1, 2024.

Kinny graduated from what was then NLU and began work as an outdoor writer, first for the News Star in Monroe. After several years, he began working for International Paper in Bastrop handling that company’s communications. When he left the News Star, I was hired as his replacement, writing weekly outdoors columns for that publication for 13 years.

Once he retired from International Paper, he dove head first into free lance writing for magazines and ultimately was named editor of the most popular outdoors magazine based in Louisiana, the Louisiana Sportsman, a position he held until his death. The July 2024 issue of that magazine carried two stories written by Haddox.

My relationship with Kinny Haddox has continued through the years chatting via phone about outdoor story possibilities. I picked his brain; he picked mine as in addition to his commanding duties as magazine editor, he continued to churn out excellent free-lance work.

Kinny and I were members of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA). Most of the members of LOWA lived in south Louisiana. On more than one occasion at annual conference he and I and the other north Louisiana member, Terry Jones, would be honored with writing awards. The three of us became jokingly the Piney Woods Mafia, a title we were honored to claim.

I could go on and on about what this guy has meant to me down through the years but nothing is more outstanding in my mind than when I decided to write a book last year. I was asked by the editor to have people I knew who would be willing to write endorsements for my book, “Bamboozled By A Bobcat”. The first name I thought of was my friend, Kinny, and he was completely willing to do this for me.

In his own whimsical way, as only Kinny Haddox could do, he wrote “When he picks one out to write about it and you read it, you feel like you’ve been there with him the whole way. I swear one time after reading one of his tales about catching and cleaning some big old bluegill bream, I thought I could smell fish on my own hands.”

Kinny Haddox never backed away from writing about controversial matters and he dove into the topics headfirst. Whether it had to do with the proliferation of black bears and the hesitance of state officials to declare a hunting season for bears, or what to do about the rapid spread of feral hogs around the state, Kinny called ‘em as he saw ‘em and was not afraid to call officials out when they needed calling out.

On the flip side, he wrote about introducing kids to fishing and hunting and his upbringing and being tutored by his elders. He loved to write about his favorite fishing hole, Bussey Brake and his stories about how this fantastic fishery evolved make fascinating reading.

The outdoors world has lost a true disciple of all things outdoors and the thoughts in his mind that were transferred to his fingers as the millions of words he wrote over the years will remain in the hearts of Kinny Haddox’s fans for ages to come.

I, for one, will never forget my special friend.

The Hall Summit City Hall office will be closed July 18 & 19. It will reopen July 22. 

Red River Parish 4-H will hold a culinary workshop on July 29 from 8am – 2pm at the 4-H Office. The cost is $10 to participate. Sign up today by calling the office at 318.932.4342. 

Northwestern State University’s Office of Electronic and Continuing Education will offer a cookie decorating class with royal icing for beginners. The class will start July 30 and continue August 1, 6 and 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in NSU’s Culinary Arts Building. The fee for the class is $75 plus a $25 material fee that cover all ingredients needed in the course including cookies prebaked for some class dates, food coloring, paintbrushes, cookie cutters to be shared in the class and a set of three piping tips, a coupler
and a reusable piping bag for each student to keep. This course will teach students basic decorating techniques, how to make an amazing sugar cookie dough suited for shaped cookies and then explore different royal icing techniques such as dip tie-dye, outlining and flooding with single and multiple
colors, and painting on royal icing. Students will be encouraged to express themselves creatively. Students must be at least 14 years old to attend this course.

NONE

The Louisiana Construction Education Foundation (LCEF), Louisiana’s Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) and the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) announced the newest recipients of the Jump Start Construction Connect Scholars Program. This program is the state’s first and only scholarship dedicated exclusively to Jump Start graduates who have earned a Jump Start credential and a Louisiana high school diploma and subsequently enroll in an LCTCS Construction Pathway Program or Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) training program the summer or fall immediately following graduation.

Two 2024 graduates from Red River High School were selected, Aaron Simmons and Zachary Jordan. 

This $1000 scholarship will assist these graduates in gaining the necessary training to earn industry employment in construction crafts and STEM-related fields aligned to high-demand, high-income jobs. 

First Methodist Church Coushatta is planning a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Methodists in this area. The initial meeting will be on Tuesday, July 16, at 9:00 a.m. at Mclemore Hall. All area Methodist Churches are encouraged to send a representative.

In 1824, the Sabine District, which encompassed Sabine, Natchitoches, Desoto, and Bienville, began in what is now Red River Parish. Circuit riders moved through the area creating small groups of Methodist and area churches.

Anyone with questions may contact First Methodist Church Coushatta at 932-4069, Karen Squires at 318-272-1468, or Norma Lester at 337-606-1563.

Week of July 28-August 3

First Baptist Church of Coushatta will host VBS July 28 – August 2. Supper begins at 5:20pm. Pick up is at 8pm. Students who have finished preschool (PK4) through 6th grade may attend. For more information or to register click here

For Immediate Release
July 14, 2024

Milwaukee, WI — Tonight, Speaker Johnson joined CNN’s AC360 with Anderson Cooper ahead of President Biden’s Oval Office address to discuss the need for unity following the assassination attempt of President Trump and the House’s efforts to investigate the security failure.

Below are excerpts from the interview:

On the need for national unity:

“It’s a dark time in the history of the country. This is a dangerous time. And we’ve been suggesting that all elected officials, from the President on down, really try to draw the country together. We need a unified message. We need to turn the temperature down. And I think it’s a time for moral clarity. I mean, I think everyone in elected office has a responsibility in all of this, and we need to remind this country that we’re all together. You know, there’s no place for this rhetoric that has heated up the political environment and it leads to this kind of action, and we all have to do our part.”

On the responsibility of elected officials to turn down political rhetoric:

“There are offenders on both sides, of course. We’ve got to get back to civility in this country. I mean, I’m one that tries to work on that in Congress. There are others as well. But here’s the thing: I mean, it, it’s an objective truth that Donald Trump is probably the most persecuted and attacked political figure in history, certainly among presidents, maybe at least since Abraham Lincoln, Civil War era.

“And that takes a toll. I mean, when my colleagues go out and say, ‘democracy will end, the republic will be in an emergency stage if Donald Trump wins for president,’ it’s just not true. It’s another election. And when they say that kind of rhetoric and they heat it up like that, there are people out there that take these things to heart and they act upon them. Politicians are not responsible for that, but we do have a responsibility to be responsible. I mean, we’re not asking for much, let’s just dial the rhetoric down. Let’s have a vigorous debate. That’s what our country is built upon. But we have to see one another as fellow Americans and not enemies.”

On the House’s effort to investigate the assassination attempt:

“I called last night for hearings. We’re going to do this as quickly as possible, to get the answers that the American people deserve. What happened here? I mean, I think pretty clearly there was a security lapse, at least. And we need to find out, for example, why were drones not used in the area? I’ve not gotten a satisfactory answer on that yet. I mean, that seems pretty obvious that you would do that so you could see people on rooftops. This one from, the vantage point of the stage, was just seemingly an easy thing to monitor, and they didn’t. Of course, we’ve all heard the eyewitness accounts, the people on the ground who saw a guy with a gun on the rooftop. Why wasn’t it stopped sooner? Lots of questions. We have more questions than we have answers, but Congress is going to get down to the bottom of this.”

Click here to watch Speaker Johnson’s full interview

Every day can feel like a scorcher during the summer months. That is why it is important to take the heat seriously since overheating can pose a risk to your health.

Here are a few ways to prevent heat exhaustion when it’s really hot outside:

1. Avoid becoming dehydrated – Staying properly hydrated can help your body regulate its temperature.
2. Dress for the heat (and humidity) – It’s important to dress light when it’s hot. Humidity also affects your ability to sweat, so if it’s hot and humid, consider wearing moisture-wicking fabrics.
3. Seek A/C or shade as often as possible – After being cooped up inside all day, getting outdoors can be a great reprieve. But, when it’s really hot, you may consider staying indoors during the hottest parts of the day.
4. Exercise indoors or early in the morning – Strenuous activity can make it even easier to overheat on a hot, humid day. Consider switching to workouts you can do indoors. If your workout requires being outside, plan for an early morning workout.
5. Know the signs of heat exhaustion and when to seek emergency care – According to the CDC, heat exhaustion can involve symptoms such as:
6. Weakness
7. Cramps
8. Nausea and vomiting
9. Headache
10. Fainting

If steps aren’t taken to reduce overheating, heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke — the most severe form of heat illness. Heat stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment in an emergency room. 

Source: Office of Group Benefits newsletter

Ruston, LA – Louisiana Tech University and its College of Engineering and Science have announced a new doctoral program geared toward engineering and technology professionals. The University is now accepting applications for the Doctorate in Engineering and Technology Management (DETM) program, which will equip graduates for leadership positions in the growing and rapidly changing technological landscape.

The DETM expands on Louisiana Tech’s commitment to innovation in education, building on the success of the MS in Engineering and Technology Management program by integrating more specialized and advanced coursework with practical original research. Through this original research, graduates will contribute new insights or solutions to engineering, technology, or management challenges.

DETM students will delve into in-depth topics such as technology management, strategic planning, and decision analysis, skills crucial for innovation and major advancements across their professions. Through these studies, they will develop management, leadership, engineering, and technology principles relevant to their specialization. With this knowledge, the students will be able to effectively lead teams of technical professionals and make informed decisions about technological investments and strategies.

This program is tailor-made for working professionals’ busy schedules; it features flexible scheduling, including online classes, to ensure a perfect fit with students’ professional commitments. Graduates of the DETM program will be uniquely prepared for senior roles in their careers. Potential career paths include technology management, engineering management, continuous improvement management, senior system engineering, project management, engineering design, operations management, university faculty, research and development leadership, innovation management, and strategic planning.

With a DETM degree, students will have the multidisciplinary skills and expertise to drive innovation, manage technological change, and lead successful organizations in today’s complex and dynamic global marketplace.

Learn more about the DETM program at coes.latech.edu/graduate-programs/engineering-and-technology-management-detm/

Email Dr. Beth Hegab (bhegab@latech.edu), DETM program coordinator, with questions.

Shreveport, LA – LifeShare Blood Center is proud to announce its partnership with the All of Us Research Program, an initiative of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This collaboration provides community members and blood donors in the Shreveport, Louisiana area with a unique opportunity to positively impact health outcomes for generations of Americans.

The All of Us Research Program aims to recruit over one million people who reflect the diversity of the United States and its territories. The program is building one of the most expansive health information databases of its kind that will help researchers learn more about how biology, lifestyle, and environment influence health.

“LifeShare is excited to be part of this effort by the NIH to accelerate health research,” said Dr. Chad A. Douglas, President and CEO at LifeShare Blood Center. “By joining the All of Us Research Program, our blood donors and community members can play a crucial role in creating a comprehensive health database that may drive future medical breakthroughs.”

Established in 1942 in Shreveport, Louisiana, LifeShare Blood Center is a nonprofit blood collection agency dedicated to saving lives. With centers and blood drives across Louisiana, East Texas, and South Arkansas, LifeShare plays an integral role in the healthcare of these regions. Their mission is to connect donors and the lives they impact.

For more information about participating in the All of Us Research Program through LifeShare Blood Center, please visit JoinAllofUs.org/LifeShare or call 318.632.7940. The All of Us team at LifeShare is ready to answer any questions and assist with the enrollment process.

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty

MORRIS, KEVIN
47 B M 7/5/2024 INCARCERATED
CRIMINAL TRESPASS $1,000.00
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

SCOTT, JERROD
29 W M 7/6/2024 7/7/2024 BONDED OUT (CASH BOND)
OPERATING A VEHICLE WHILE INTOXICATED $1,185.00 (CONCURRENT)
VEHICULAR NEGLIGENT INJURING $2,500.00 (CONCURRENT)
ARRESTING AGENCY: LOUISIANA STATE POLICE

BAKER, BRENDAN
33 W M 7/9/2024 7/11/2024 BONDED OUT (SURETY BOND)
CRIMINAL TRESPASS $1,000.00 (CONCURRENT)
THEFT OF A VALUE LESS THAN $1,000.00 $2,500.00 (CONCURRENT)
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

FARLEY, ALEXUS
30 B F 7/9/2024 7/9/2024
OUT OF PARISH FUGITIVE WARRANT – NATCHITOCHES PARISH
OUT OF PARISH FUGITIVE WARRANT – NATCHITOCHES PARISH
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

RUSSELL, TRACI
39 W F 7/10/2024 7/11/2024 BONDED OUT (SURETY BOND)
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT $2,500.00 (CONCURRENT)
SIMPLE BATTERY (2 COUNTS) $1,000.00 (EACH) (CONCURRENT)
ARRESTING AGENCY: COUSHATTA POLICE DEPARTMENT

PARKER, JUSTIN
44 W M 7/10/2024 7/11/2024 BONDED OUT (SURETY BOND)
SECOND DEGREE BATTERY $5,000.00 (CONCURRENT)
FALSE IMPRISONMENT $5,000.00 (CONCURRENT)
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Join the LSU AgCenter and Red River Parish Helping Hands Thursday, July 18 at 1pm at the 4-H Office to learn about a dynamic program aimed at boosting fruit and vegetable consumption and encouraging physical activity. Discover the joy of nutritious eating and the benefits of regular exercise in a welcoming environment. Don’t wait—take charge of your health journey now! For more details and to secure your spot, contact Jessica Salley at 318-461-2730.

Classes will be the 2nd Thursday of each month at 1pm at the 4-H Office, 1919 Alonzo Street in Coushatta. Upcoming meeting dates are July 18, August 8 and September 12. 

Mighty Moms: Moms of Mighty Special Kids will hold their monthly meeting Friday, July 26 at 6pm at First Methodist Church in Coushatta. Guest speaker will be Kambrie Bethard Hays with Bethard & Bethard and Teal Lowring with Red River Industries. Join other mothers of children with special needs and fellowship together. Dinner will be provided. There is no childcare at this time. RSVP to Raylie Hardy at 318.471.8554. 

Riverdale Academy will hold a football meeting July 26 at 6pm in the school cafeteria for any student interested in playing. Parents should attend also. For more information contact the school or Coach Nathan or Coach Denver. 

Red River Parish Public Schools will hold Open House for the 2024-2025 school year for students in grades K-12 from 4:30-6:30pm Thursday, August 1 at each campus.  

Upscale Events, owned by Coushatta native Lavandria Taylor, is hosting their first Back 2 Tha Books Party on Friday, August 2 at the Red River Boat Launch from 5-9pm. Plans are in the works for multiple DJs, free food and drinks and backpacks stuffed with back to school goodies. Vendors, volunteers, donations and sponsors are needed to help make this event a huge success. Contact Lavandria through Facebook messenger to be apart of this event.

Red River Crappie Club will host a tournament on the Red River August 3. It is an open tournament and can fish any pool. Registration from 5:30-6am at Coushatta Ramp. Lines in at 6:15am out at 2pm. Weigh in at 2:30pm. 7 fish weigh in with 9″ minimum length. No more than 8 poles per boat. Trailering is allowed. Contact Justin Keith 318.517.2027 or Ed Welling 318.527.1674.

Carl Max Stothart
May 22, 1947 – June 25, 2024
Graveside memorial will be held at 11am on Saturday, July 20 at Springville Cemetery in Coushatta

On Monday, July 8, 2024, the NSU Presidential Search Committee met in Baton Rouge to determine semi-finalists in the selection of the next Northwestern State University president. After a diligent review, two  candidates were selected for on-campus tours and interviews.

They are James “Jimmy” Genovese and Jose Cantu.

Genovese, a Louisiana Supreme Court Judge, is an Opelousas native and resident who is a 1971 Northwestern State graduate. He was inducted in 2018 as a member of NSU’s Long Purple Line Alumni Hall of Distinction and has been a Supreme Court justice since 2017. A 1974 Loyola law school graduate, he served as an Opelousas City Court ad hoc judge from 1975-89, while spending 21 years as a trial attorney. Genovese was elected as a district judge in 1995 and served in that capacity until being elected to the Third Circuit Court of Appeal in 2005.

Cantu, recently served as the vice chancellor for enrollment management at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. He also held the vice president for enrollment management at University of Houston-Victoria. He is a 1995 University of Houston graduate.

On July 16th, on-campus visit/interviews will be conducted in Natchitoches. During campus visits, semifinalists will meet with various constituent groups and interview with the search committee. This is an opportunity for stakeholders to interact with candidates and provide feedback to inform the search committee. All meetings and interviews are public and will take place on Northwestern’s campus.

Faculty and staff meetings will take place in the Natchitoches Room of Russell Hall at 8:45 am for Genovese and 10:45am for Cantu. 

Student meetings will take place on the first floor of Student Services in classroom 147. Cantu will meet at 9:45am followed by Genovese at 10:45am. 

Community leaders and NSU Alumni will gather in the President’s Room of the Student Union to meet with the two candidates. Cantu at 8:45am and Genovese at 9:45am.

Search Committee interviews will take place in Magale Recital Hall. Cantu’s interview begins at 1pm. Genovese follows at 2:30pm. Upon conclusion of semifinalist interviews, the Search Committee will meet to select finalists.

On July 18, the finalists will interview with the UL System Board of Supervisors, and a new president will be selected.

As we get into the heat of summer, it is time to be on the lookout for a highly toxic plant, perilla mint, in pastures. Perilla mint is often found in the shaded areas of pastures, particularly along the edges. As a member of the mint family, perilla mint has a distinctive square stem. The leaves are large, broad, serrated, and oppositely arranged with a purplish coloration on the underside of the leaf. The plant grows upright and will put on a 6 inch long spike of purplish flowers. While all parts of the plant are toxic to livestock, the flowers are the most toxic part of the plant. Perilla mint flowers between July and September, which is also when cattle tend to congregate in shady areas where the plant is found, posing a danger of ingestion. Cattle will typically leave perilla mint alone when there is plenty of forage available, but when forage is limited due to drought, there is a danger of cattle grazing the plant. When the plant is ingested, it causes respiratory distress and death in cattle.

There are several herbicides available that provide effective control of perilla mint. It should be noted that once the plant begins to wilt after spraying, it becomes more attractive to livestock, so animals should be kept away from treated areas. Post-emergence chemicals that control perilla mint include picloram, aminopyralid, 2,4-D, glyphosate, and dicamba. As always, follow the labeled instructions when applying pesticides.

For more information contact LSU AgCenter County Agent Randall Mallette in Natchitoches at 318-357-2224, or in Coushatta at 318-932-4342.

Shared by Randall Mallette, Associate Extension Agent

In the spring of 1925, a wealthy diamond merchant from Strasburg, Germany, named I. Lasker had his personal secretary make arrangements to transport a consignment of precious stones valued at about $100,000 from Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary via airplane.  Adjusted for inflation, that would be just under $1,800,000 in today’s money.  Lasker could have shipped the diamonds through the mail, but he deemed that too risky.  He could have sent them with his personal secretary, but he deemed this too risky as well.  To ensure that nothing happened to the valuable cargo, Lasker had decided to charter a plane and deliver the stones himself.  Lasker’s brother would await their arrival in Budapest and was instructed to spread the alarm if anything out of the ordinary happened. 

On the day of the flight, Lasker and his personal secretary made their way to the Austrian airfield.  Lasker and his secretary boarded the small plane and made themselves comfortable.  Minutes later, the pilot took off and flew to the southeast on what should have been an uneventful 150-mile flight.  But this flight was anything but uneventful.  As Lasker peered out of the airplane’s small window, a cloth doused with chloroform was pressed over his nose and mouth.  Out of surprise, Lasker gasped which drew the powerful anesthetic into his lungs.  He had little time to fight back.  Within moments, he was unconscious.

Lasker’s brother waited uneasily at the airfield in Budapest.  He knew precisely when his brother was due to arrive with the valuable cargo and the time had passed.  He watched the skies in anticipation of the arrival of the chartered airplane.  As the old idiom goes, “a watched pot never boils.”  Lasker’s brother paced, checked his watch, scanned the skies, and paced some more.  Minutes felt like hours.  As per his instructions, Lasker’s brother notified the police of the missing plane.  Search parties hunted for the missing plane and its occupants along the airplane’s flight path.  Five days later, searchers found Lasker’s lifeless body near Sophronia or Shopronia, Austria.  Sources vary on the spelling of the town’s name and neither appear on modern maps.  Investigators determined that Lasker had been drugged, murdered, and his body had been thrown from the airplane.   

The search for the missing plane quickly turned into a murder investigation.  Investigators learned that Lasker’s private secretary and the pilot, whom Lasker’s secretary had hired, devised the plot to steal the diamonds.  Greed is a powerful motivator.  Once Lasker’s body had been thrown from the plane, the pilot continued flying the plane to the southeast.  The pilot landed the plane in a secluded spot somewhere in Bulgaria.  Once again, greed took over.  Police determined that once they landed in Bulgaria, Lasker’s secretary killed the pilot to avoid sharing the proceeds of the robbery and destroyed the airplane.  Lasker’s secretary was never captured.  Lasker’s secretary had committed the perfect crime and, although his name has been lost to history, he is remembered because he committed the first murder in an airplane.          

Sources:

1.    Chicago Tribune, June 12, 1925, p.1.

2.    The Bridgeport Telegram, June 13, 1925, p.2.

3.    The Day (New London, Connecticut), June 13, 1925, p.6.

4.    The Sentinel (Carlisle, Pennsylvania), June 13, 1925, p.3.

5.    The Sioux City Journal, June 13, 1925, p.3.

Alvy Ray Slatten Jr. was born on April 25, 1944 to Alvy Ray Slatten Sr. and Pearle Thompson Slatten of Boyce, Louisiana and passed away at age 80 on July 9, 2024 in Coushatta. He was a 1962 graduate of Boyce High School, remained close to his classmates, and attended annual reunions until this year. He earned a B.S. in agriculture from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now UL Lafayette) and immediately went to work for the Soil Conservation Service (now Natural Resources Conservation Service), where he retired as district conservationist in 2005 after 40 years.

He was very active in the St. George Catholic Church Parish Council since its origin. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, and sharing his tomatoes with friends and neighbors.

He is preceded by his parents, sister Virginia Rae Slatten and brother William Crosby Slatten.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years Dianne Elias Slatten, sons Chris (Tommie) and Ricky, daughter Anna, granddaughter Taylor Slatten, sister Billie Lane, brother Tommy (Susan), sister Mary Deville (Charlie) and many other relatives and friends.

Serving as pallbearers will be Allen Jones, David Jones, Jason Slatten, Brian Elias, Darrell Lafitte, and Jackie Crader

Services will be on Friday, July 12, 2024, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Coushatta. Recitation of the rosary will be at 9:30 a.m., followed by visitation from 10:00 a.m. until commencement of a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. presided over by Father Karl Daigle. Interment will be at the Colfax Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. The family expresses our sincere gratitude to our longtime friend and physician Dr. Greg Bell, who has always been there for us, and Dr. Gavin Chico and the staff at Green Meadow Haven who also cared for Alvy during his final days. The family asks that those who wish to express sympathy consider donating to their favorite charity.

Occasionally, as a tournament angler, you ask yourself, “Why am I out here? Why can’t I figure out a good fish-catching pattern?” These are just a couple of questions, and many others, I recently asked myself during a mid-June tournament on Sam Rayburn. Then I started trying to make excuses as to why I was not catching fish, like the lake is 7 feet too high, the wind is not blowing, and there are too many people on the lake. The excuses were endless!

For me, and this might be an age thing because I hate summertime fishing for one main reason — it’s too damn hot! I would rather fish in 30-degree weather than fish with temperatures in the mid to upper 90’s. I can put enough clothes on to stay warm and comfortable, but I can’t take enough off to get cool. Nothing is worse than when sweat is dripping off your nose, running down your back, and down the back of your pants.

This is when you must fight through all the negative gremlins running through your head and refocus yourself. But nothing helps your mindset more than when you start catching bass, even if they are not the size you need to win the event. Just getting bites gives you reason to have hope that at some point you’ll find some bigger bass. This tends to keep you in tune and alert, making it easier to stay in the right frame of mind. But when you’re not getting bites, and it’s hotter than a frying pan full of Crisco, frustration starts to set in, and your mind starts to drift.

It’s also when you are constantly trying to figure out what technique will work the best. Should I be throwing a topwater bait, a crankbait or maybe a spinnerbait, or do I need to tie on a good Texas rigged worm and go to work? Do I need to be fishing shallow or deep brush tops in 20 feet of water? But no matter what I decide, nothing seems to be working and did I mention, IT’S HOT!

Summertime fishing can be more of a mental challenge than any other time of year. It’s the time of year for tournament anglers when we go “trash fishing.” What is trash fishing? This is when you cannot seem to figure out any sort of pattern but can still catch fish on several different baits using many different techniques.

For me at Sam Rayburn this past June, I was totally locked in on a trash fishing pattern. I caught fish on a topwater bait, a spinnerbait, a crankbait, a Texas rigged worm and a jerkbait. Five different baits employing five different techniques! Here’s the remarkable thing about this particular day. Five times during the day, I picked up a different bait and caught a bass on the very first cast with that bait! That has never happened to me before!

But that’s what trash fishing is all about, catching bass on several different baits. It is a typical summer pattern, if you even want to call it a pattern. So, the next time you’re struggling to catch fish on one of those hot summer days, don’t load the boat and go home, tie on ALL your favorite baits and go trash fishing.

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and be sure to wear your sunscreen and good protective clothing because Melanoma does not discriminate.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

(BATON ROUGE, LA) – Louisiana students in grades K-3 improved their reading scores by 10 percentage points on the state’s first universal literary screener. The percentage of K-3 students reading on grade level jumped from 44.6% on the beginning of year screener to 54.6% on the end of year screener. This data is from the 2023-2024 school year and sets a new baseline that can be used to measure progress in future years.

“I’m encouraged by this growth. It speaks to the commitment of Louisiana teachers to provide students with the basic building blocks of a quality education,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “The early elementary years are critical to a student’s academic success and we now have a tool to better identify where support is needed whether at the student, school, or system level.”

Overall, Louisiana saw a 10% increase in students reading on grade level in grades K-3 from beginning to end of year. Students in grades K-1 made significant gains, with 27% more kindergarten students and 14% more first grade students reading on grade level from the beginning of the year. More detailed data is available in the Louisiana Department of Education’s (LDOE) K-3 Spring Reading Report. K-3 literacy screener results by school system and school are also available online for spring 2024 and fall 2023.

All Louisiana public school students in grades K-3 are required to complete literacy screeners. These assessments, which increase in difficulty from beginning to end of year, provide teachers with real-time data to support students during their foundational years in school.

Louisiana has made considerable progress since launching its comprehensive literacy plan in 2021. The Education Recovery Scorecard found that Louisiana is one of only three states where average reading achievement in 2023 was above 2019 levels. Louisiana’s 4th graders were No. 1 in the nation for reading growth on The Nation’s Report Card and economically disadvantaged 4th graders improved from 42nd to 11th overall for reading proficiency from 2019 to 2022.

Louisiana has also drawn national attention for its bold literacy policies. The non-profit education organization ExcelinEd recognized Louisiana as one of only three states taking action on all 18 of the organization’s early literacy fundamental principles. These include a universal screener for K-3 students and science of reading training for all K-3 teachers.

“This marked the first year of full implementation for key literacy policies,” said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson. “Not only are we poised for additional reading progress, but similar math policy shifts have been made to accelerate student outcomes.”

About Louisiana’s K-3 Literacy Screener

This is the first year the LDOE is administering one universal literacy screener to students in grades K-3. These assessments provide teachers with information on student reading levels and how well students are progressing on particular skills. The screeners are given through a secure administration and measure skills predictive to reading success as a student progresses through school. Student scores are reported as Well Above Level, On Level, Below Level, or Well Below Level.

Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, third grade students who score at the Well Below level at the end of the school year are at risk of retention. Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, results from the literacy screener will be included in school performance scores.

BATON ROUGE, La. Department of Transportation & Development Secretary Joe Donahue presented an update on infrastructure projects across the state during an oversight hearing today with the House Committee on Transportation. .

During the 2024 Regular Session that ended in June, lawmakers distributed an additional $400 million in the budget (HB1) to DOTD for road improvements and were eager to learn which projects received funding. Committee members also questioned the department about systemic problems they hear about from constituents and inefficiencies within the agency. Members pressed Secretary Donahue to clearly outline changes that have been implemented to date addressing those complaints.

“Today was a good start to see how we’re executing the plan we set forth in the budget passed in June,” said Transportation Chair Ryan Bourriaque (Cameron). “Citizens are expecting major reforms at DOTD and oversight by this committee is necessary to see how that effort is taking shape.”

In addition to today’s hearing members say the Boston Consulting Group is conducting an independent internal review of DOTD searching for organizational challenges and ineffective practices within the agency which employs 4,200 staff. That report is expected to be completed by year’s end.

“One thing we know about DOTD is that it doesn’t work in its current form. That must change,” said Vice Chair Bryan Fontenot (Thibodaux).

On July 1st, DOTD sent a questionnaire to all members of the Louisiana House and Senate legislators asking for their input on future transportation needs, investments, and establishing a vision for policy decisions by 2025.

The Transportation Committee plans to hold a follow up hearing in August.

Two recent U. S. Supreme Court cases will help return our national government to the correct constitutional order. These two cases involve, firstly, the immunity of a president from criminal prosecution and, secondly, the practice—now ended by the Supreme Court—of having federal courts defer to agency interpretations of that agency’s rules and regulations.

The first case is Trump. v. United States and involves the charges brought against Pres. Trump for his alleged actions on Jan. 6, 2020. Jack Smith, the highly partisan Special Counsel (who’s very appointment as special counsel is legally suspect) alleged that Pres. Trump supposedly conspired to overturn the election by “spreading knowingly false claims of election fraud to obstruct the collecting, counting and certifying of the election results.” Trump argued, in response, that a president has absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions performed within the “outer perimeter” of his official responsibilities and that the allegations fall within the core of his official duties.

This case is especially significant because of the lawfare waged against President Trump—i.e. the weaponizing of our courts and legal system to try to damage a political opponent as Pres. Biden has orchestrated against Trump—that the Supreme Court, for the first time in our nation’s history, was forced to address the issue of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution.

So, what did the Court do?

The Supreme Court laid down “a rule for the ages.” The Court stated that “under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of Presidential power entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his core constitutional duties and … presumptive immunity from prosecution for all of his official acts” (i.e., “outer perimeter”). The Court also held that “unofficial” acts enjoy no immunity.

Obviously, the need for immunity from criminal prosecution stems from the fact that a president must often make snap, real time judgments with incomplete information on a host of issues affecting many things, including national security. We cannot have a president looking over his shoulder—overwhelmed with worry—that some action he feels needs to be taken on behalf of the country may subject him to criminal charges after his presidency. (Biden and Pres. Obama should be grateful for this ruling, as well).

The Supreme Court sent the case back to the federal district court to determine what alleged acts of Pres. Trump on Jan. 6 were “official” and “unofficial” acts.

I think there will be very little left of these charges against President Trump once the district court jumps through the legal and analytical hoops the Supreme Court laid out in this decision.

The second case is Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce. In its decision the Supreme Court overruled a 1984 decision, Chevron, that required federal courts to defer to an agency’s “reasonable interpretation” of an ambiguous statute that those agencies administer. The reason this is so important is because the enormous federal agencies in our country impose the actual law we live under, and that is wrong. These career bureaucrats were elected by no one.

The Loper Court held that “the Administrative Procedure Act requires courts to exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority, and courts may not defer to an agency interpretation of the law simply because a statute is ambiguous.”

It’s important that a federal court, and not an administrative law judge (ALJ) in the very agency itself, decide these cases because an ALJ employed by and within a given agency is invariably going to favor the position of the agency. A given agency simply cannot be allowed to serve as “judge, jury and executioner” in our constitutional scheme.

The dissent in the case argued it is a mistake not to defer to agency interpretation of rules and regulations because “some interpretive issues arising in the regulatory context involve scientific or technical subject matter. Agencies have expertise in those areas; courts do not.” To which Chief Justice Roberts succinctly replied “agencies have no special competence in resolving statutory ambiguities. Courts do.”

These two cases are helping restore the appropriate constitutional order. They continue the critical process of removing power from unelected government bureaucrats who falsely believe they have the power to do many things—including exercise legislative policy making authority in their various agencies—that the Constitution expressly reserves to the Congress.

Royal Alexander

The Louisiana Jambalaya Cook-Off is returning to the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in the air-conditioned Prather Coliseum located at 220 South Jefferson Street at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. Professionals and hobbyists alike can compete in any of the three categories and demonstrate their cooking skills. Registration and the Cooks’ Meeting will take place at 8:00 AM inside Prather Coliseum in the N-Club Room, with cooking to officially begin at 8:45 AM. Tasting and judging will begin at 12:30 PM, with winners to be announced at 3:30 PM. with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awarded to each of the three categories: Seafood, Poultry Plus, and People’s Choice. There is no fee to compete in the Cookoff. Jambalaya must be cooked on-site outside of Prather Coliseum.

Jambalaya is a savory dish enjoyed across the states, but its origin can be traced back to Louisiana. With the melting pot of cultures within the Louisiana region, something unique and tasty was created in the delicious foodway. Ingredients and spices vary as widely as the people who regularly prepare and serve the dish; often the chefs are convinced that theirs is the “true” or “correct” way. Such chefs will present their finest representation of their own culture, methods, and stories as they battle it out to claim 1st place.

Competitors are provided a 10’ x 20’ cooking space outside of Prather Coliseum where they will make their temporary kitchens using either propane burners or contained cookfires in order to prepare a minimum of 2 gallons of their finest jambalaya. Running water is available to them, but all ingredients and supplies must be brought on site by the head cook. Chefs are not allowed to use any premade mixes or roux, though proteins and broth/stock may be prepared in advance, with all proteins being kept on ice until use. The jambalaya must be cooked on site and contestants are responsible for all serving and sampling dishes and utensils, as well as all items needed to prepare their dishes and workstations. For a complete list of rules and entry form, please visit https://www.nsula.edu/folklife/. For more information contact the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332 or email folklife@nsula.edu.

“A Buck A Cup” jambalaya sales to the public for the People’s Choice category will begin at 1 PM. Festival attendees will be invited to purchase jambalaya and vote on which jambalaya they most enjoyed. Chefs participating in “A Buck A Cup” must provide their own bowls, spoons, and napkins.

The Jambalaya Cook-Off is being held at the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival. In addition to the cook-off, this year’s festival will include the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship, three stages of live music, over 75 crafts people, Louisiana cuisine food vendors, dance lessons, informances, narrative sessions, on-site demonstrations, and much more. Admission to this family friendly event is only $10 for an all-day all event pass, after 5pm passes are only $6, and children 12 and under are admitted free all day.

Support for the festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the City of Natchitoches, the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, and the State of Louisiana. The festival is sponsored by C&H Precision Machining, City Bank, Cleco, Evans Family, LLC, the Harrington Law Fir m, International Paper, Natchitoches Wood Preserving Company, and Young Estate, LLC.