The Bayou Pierre Water System is seeking assistance for engineering services related to the Water System’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Emerging Contaminants grant funding for water system improvements. The Bayou Pierre Water System is soliciting qualifications statements for engineering services to assist in preparing the application package for the Emerging Contaminants funding, which includes planning, design, plans and specifications, cost estimate, and related work. Also needed in the scope of work is preparation of bid documents and conducting the preconstruction conference. Finally, the on-site supervision of construction and preparation of inspection reports is needed. These services may include preparing narratives, project descriptions, maps, cost estimates, and all necessary documents. The intent of water system is to award a cost reimbursement contract with pricing for billable hours on a task completion basis All responses will be evaluated in accordance with the selection criteria identified in the Request for Qualifications Packet. Bayou Pierre Water System will
begin contract negotiations immediately following selection of successful respondent.

Interested parties are invited to secure a Request for Qualifications Packet from Bayou Pierre Water System., Attn: Ms. Alissa Carpenter, 6217 Hwy 1, Coushatta, Louisiana, 71019, during the hours: Monday through Friday 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. Packets may be obtained upon request beginning June 12, 2025.

Responses to this Request must be hand delivered or mailed to Bayou Pierre Water System at the above-named address in such a manner that it is received no later than 3:00 P.M., on Monday, July 14, 2025 by the contact person, Alissa Carpenter.

The Bayou Pierre Water System is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage all small and minority-owned firms and women’s business enterprises to apply.

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The Red River Parish School Board, in accordance with State guidelines, will destroy all special education records of former students born prior to January 1, 2000. These records are no longer needed for educational purposes.

You have an opportunity to obtain these records prior to August 1, 2025. The records can be claimed at Red River Parish School Board Office, 100 Bulldog Dr., Coushatta, LA. 71019 between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm, Monday through Wednesday and 8:00-12:30 pm Thursday.

Once your request is made, your records will be available for pick up the following business day.

All unclaimed records will be destroyed on Monday, August 4, 2025.

If you have any questions, please call Red River Parish Special Education Department at (318) 271-3138.

The biggest, most star-studded and fun-filled party of every summer for miles around is coming your way at the end of the month.

Three days of festivities are approaching beginning Thursday June 26 through Saturday June 28 for the 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Natchitoches.

The LSHOF’s Class of 2025 will be enshrined Saturday night June 28 at the Natchitoches Events Center to culminate the 66^th Induction Celebration. The final event is already full with a waiting list and standing room only tickets available.

The Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, June 26, with the Welcome Reception from 5-7 p.m., free to the public at the Hall of Fame museum at 800 Front Street.

The Friday, June 27 schedule begins with the Celebrity Bowling Bash presented by BOM at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. The 2025 Rockin’ River Fest, a free concert on the downtown riverbank stage, begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 10:30. In conjunction with the Rockin’ River Fest is the VIP Taste of Tailgating party, a ticketed indoor-outdoor event that is approaching capacity.

The slate on Saturday, June 28 kicks off with the free LSHOF Junior Training Camp led by community relations personnel from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, along with Northwestern State coaches and this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, on the NSU campus at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center and Turpin Stadium. This event is presented by Natchitoches Regional Medical Center and is nearing capacity. Free registration for kids ages 7-16 is required and can be easily accomplished at LaSportsHall.com.

At noon Saturday, the Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation is set for Riverside Reserve on Mill Street. Fox Sports broadcaster Tim Brando emcees an entertaining program.

Festivities culminate Saturday evening with the Induction Reception at the LSHOF museum beginning at 5, followed at 7 by the Induction Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center. Northwestern State University and State Farm Agents of Louisiana are presenting sponsors Saturday evening.

The VIP Taste of Tailgating, the Bowling Bash, the Round Table Luncheon and the Induction Reception and Ceremony are ticketed events requiring purchase in advance through LaSportsHall.com or by calling 318-238-4255.

The Thursday reception, the Friday evening River Fest and the Junior Training Camp are free.

The Class of 2025 is headlined by two men pivotal in LSU’s 2003 football national championship – coach Nick Saban and Andrew Whitworth, a champion at West Monroe High School, LSU and in the NFL during a 16-year pro career. More sparkle is provided by pro basketball All-Stars Danny Granger and Vickie Johnson, the state’s winningest all-time college baseball coach Joe Scheuermann and Danny Broussard, one of the nation’s most successful high school basketball coaches, in this year’s induction class.

It also includes LSU gymnastics great and NCAA individual champion April Burkholder, transformational Catholic-Baton Rouge high school football coach Dale Weiner and George “Bobby” Soileau, a four-time high school and 1956 NCAA boxing champion at LSU who also won a state crown as a football coach at his alma mater, Sacred Heart High School in Ville Platte.

LSU graduate Herb Vincent, now a longstanding associate commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, is receiving the Hall’s Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award with his enshrinement.

Also being honored: Ed Daniels, a generational television sports broadcaster in New Orleans, and Glenn Guilbeau, one of the nation’s more decorated sportswriters in a career that has seen him cover LSU, state college, high school and pro sports along with stories across the South and around the SEC. They are being inducted as recipients of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism.

The 2025 Induction Celebration will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors. 

For information on sponsorship opportunities and other participation, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040 or RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com, or Greg Burke, Director of Business Development and Public Relations, at 318-663-5459 or GregBurke@LaSportsHall.com via email.  

The Harrington Law Firm in Natchitoches, while providing their clients with a small-town family feel, at the same time provides top notch legal representation as recognized by the nation’s leader in attorneys’ ratings.

“Some might call our business model a little ‘hokey’ or old-fashioned, but it is something that we truly believe in,” said partner Eddie Harrington when referring to the family approach to their business.

“My Dad (Rodney) and I are obviously family and the members of our staff have each been with us many years, and some cases, decades.” He continued, “We consider them to be part of our family as well and when someone becomes our client, we tell them that they have become a part of the Harrington Law Firm family.”

Harrington said that the attorneys and staff at the firm endeavor to treat every client the same as if they were an actual blood relative.

“Every client who comes to see us is involved in one type of stressful situation or another,” Harrington concluded. “They’ve either been in an automobile accident, are having financial problems, have been denied Social Security Disability, or are dealing with some other serious issue. We find that they are comforted by the fact that not only are we going to take care of their business, but we truly treat them like our own family members.”

When it comes to taking care of their clients’ business, one highly respected attorneys’ rating service says that the Harrington Law Firm does that as well as any firm in the country.

Martindale-Hubbell, the leading world-wide legal information service, which has been providing background information on lawyers and law firms in the United States and other countries for over 150 years, has given the Harrington Law Firm and partners C. Rodney Harrington and “AV Preeminent Rating,” the company’s highest rating. According to Martindale-Hubbell, the “AV Preeminent Rating,” which is established by the company obtaining peer reviews from other attorneys in the same geographical area, recognizes law firms and attorneys for their strong legal ability and high ethical standards.

An elite group of approximately 10% of all firms and attorneys in America hold an “AV Preeminent Rating,” a designation recognized as the “Gold Standard” of legal ratings. If that wasn’t enough, the firm has also been awarded the “Special Edition Judicial Award” which is especially noteworthy because it is based upon the confidential opinions and recommendations of members of the Judiciary familiar with the attorneys in the Harrington Law Firm. The “Judicial Edition Award” indicates perfect ratings from the Judiciary on the Harrington’s legal ability and ethical standards. 


Harrington Law Firm clients have the comfort and confidence knowing that not only are they going to be treated like family but that they represented by a firm that is recognized as the “Gold Standard” for legal firms across the country. The Harrington Law Firm is composed of partners C. Rodney Harrington and C. Edward “Eddie” Harrington and is located at 459 Jefferson Street, Natchitoches, LA. Their areas of practice are Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Bankruptcy, Social Security Disability and Wills & Successions.

Their website is www.theharringtonlawfirm.com.

For more information about Martindale-Hubbell and their rating system, go to http://www.lawyers.com .

Brad Dison, a lifelong resident of Bienville Parish and writer whose history column “Remember This?” runs weekly in the Journal, has released a new book about Sheriff Henderson Jordan’s pursuit and capture of notorious gangsters Bonnie and Clyde.

“The Trap: The Untold Story of Sheriff Henderson Jordan and the Final Pursuit of Bonnie and Clyde” is now available for purchase at www.HendersonJordan.com. 

“There has been more fiction than fact written about their crime spree,” Dison said. “For 91 years, people have assumed that former Texas Ranger Frank Hamer used his superior tracking skills to locate Bonnie and Clyde. This is another bit of fiction. It was Bienville Parish Sheriff Henderson Jordan who located two of their hideouts in Bienville Parish. It was he who set three traps to capture the gang.  It was he who used an ‘undercover man’ and a ‘man on the inside’ to determine where they would be on that fateful morning of May 23, 1934. It was he who led the ambush posse and ended their violent crime spree.”

I had it but it is gone now.

You read these articles days after I send them. My habit is to write and send them on Monday morning before noon. So, I start thinking about them on Sunday afternoon. I had the greatest idea in the history of these articles for an article. The idea was brilliant. It was illuminating. It was humorous. It was less than six hundred words. I remember exactly where I had the idea. I was sitting in traffic at Walgreens. I was on my way to Tractor Supply to look at things I will never use in my life. I call this “expanding my horizons.” I smiled to myself and asked myself if I should write the idea down. Somewhere in my brain the voice told me that this idea was so brilliant, illuminating, and humorous there would be no way I could ever forget the idea.

Never ever trust that voice in your head. The voice lies. I have no idea what I was going to write. I do not have a clue. I do not know if it was animal, mineral, or vegetable. I lost it. The idea is gone or has landed in someone’s Instagram feed, and they are claiming it as their very own idea. Today, if you read something brilliant, illuminating, and humorous, it was probably my idea!

The idea for the article had something to do with a Yiddish proverb. The Yiddish proverb teaches, “If one man calls you an ass pay him no mind. If two men call you an ass—go and buy a saddle.” I thought it was brilliant, illuminating, and humorous. I forgot what else went with it.

Do you forget?

As I grow more mature and notice all the physical stuff that does not work anymore, I have noticed that my mind is not as quick as it once was. I forget things. I just remembered that I forgot to read an Internet article on remembering not to forget.

Here is the truth in all this. God remembers you! He loves you, knows you, and remembers you as if you were His only child!

When you confess your sins to Him, He forgets them. Since God has forgotten your sins, why do you keep carrying them around?

I am glad God remembers and forgets!

Get ready for the first ever Rumble on the Bayou Saturday, June 14 at Grand Bayou Resort. All cars, trucks, motorcycles and Rat Rods are welcome. Registration starts at 10am with awards at 2:30pm. There is a $25 registration fee. Free admission for spectators. Vendors are needed. If you are interested contact Jacqueline Martin 318.471.8370 or Patrice Harper 318.471.4714.

Dixie Maze Farms will host the Sunflower Fest Saturday, June 14 from 9am until 3pm. Everyone is invited to a day filled with free-spirited adventures and over 20 attractions. Admission is FREE and includes access to the sunflowers and most farm activities. There are a few activities that require a $5 wristband. See the full schedule here.

Natchitoches was chosen as one of the 7 most scenic small towns in Louisiana by WorldAtlas.

The Louisiana Art & Science Museum in Baton Rouge announced the continuation of its year-round free admission program for veterans, active-duty military, first responders, and their families through the Blue Star Museums initiative. This offering is made possible through the generous support of Special Risk Insurance dba VFIS of Miss/Lou, in memory of Bo James, Fire Chief of Galvez-Lake Volunteer Fire Department. To learn more about this program and year-round free admission to LASM, visit lasm.org.

Morgan Wallen becomes the first artist in history to claim the entire Top 10 of the Hot Country Song Chart.

FUN FACT: On July 2, 2025, we will officially reach the halfway mark of the year. At that point, we will be closer to the year 2025 than the year 2000. 

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A final decision will be made on Wednesday, June 11 at 3pm. 

Due to the possibility of inclement weather, Red River High School shared on social media it is prepared to move the graduation ceremony to the school’s gymnasium. 

RRHS shared in the event graduation must be moved the following will apply:

• Each senior will be assigned 10 tickets for guest attendance.
• Any person attending the ceremony, regardless of age, must have a ticket to enter.
• To conserve space for guests, no gifts or baskets are allowed in the gym
• Doors will open at 6pm and close at 6:30pm to allow graduates to be seated. Once they are seated the doors will be reopened.

The school will continue to monitor the weather. 

Please see the complete statement from RRHS below.

The Umbrella Foundation presents the Juneteenth Celebration Saturday, June 21 from 8am until 8pm at the Coushatta Ball Park.

Activities include vendors, food vendors, entertainment, games and an ancestor walk.

For more information contact Johnny 318.332.9940 or Alexis 318.471.8109.

Matt Vines

EAST POINT – The Riverdale football program is acutely aware of how the health of every player can impact their season.

Quarterback/linebacker Ashton Almond battled injuries throughout this past season, and the Rebels had to drastically change their offense particularly when Almond couldn’t play.

It was a key factor in Riverdale’s 5-6 season, and the Rebels aim to stay as healthy as possible this coming season.

Every player’s health will be crucial as the Riverdale roster lists just 12 players currently to play eight-man football, although seven of those players are seniors.

There weren’t enough players to conduct spring practice again this year, and coach Nathan Edie hopes he can add players through the summer.

“Our numbers are unfortunately dropping,” Edie said. “The takeaway from the spring and summer is that we need more players.

“It looks like we’re losing some of our younger players as we don’t have any seventh-graders, two eighth-graders and one ninth grader. We have good players returning, but even good players need a break. Hopefully we find a way to build some depth.”

Almond and Tanner Carlisle are key returning skill players with senior linemen Ben Moseley and Remington Dabbs paving the way.

But every player will be counted on to play both ways in some fashion, and that’s before any potential injuries incurred throughout a physical season.

Healthy bodies are also crucial to productive practices as the current setup wouldn’t allow for full offense vs. defense repetitions.

The coaching staff must be selective on if and how much live tackling happens in practice, which affects the quality of tackling in games.

Edie and his staff will seek to increase numbers while fortifying their current players to play as many snaps as possible.

Red River Junior High Performing Arts Program will present a Performing Arts Concert, “End of Year Flashback,” Wednesday, June 18 from 9:30-11am.

Performances will include choir, dance, art and FCA.

Parents are invited to attend.

Best Friend Day (BFF Day) is a time to enjoy and appreciate your good old buddy, your pal. On this day, honor and cherish the relationship you have with your Bestie. And, while you are at it, it’s a good opportunity to nurture better relations with all of your friends, from your BFF to casual relationships.

If you’re lucky, you have a best friend. Not everyone does. If you are really lucky, you have several best friends. Yes, you can have more than one. They are very, very special people. You spend countless hours with your best friend going to events and activities or just hanging out. You share secrets, hopes, dreams, aspirations, and disappointments with your best friend.

Celebrate by hanging out with your Bestie. If you aren’t lucky enough to live close to him or her, then call them or send a card.

“Friends can help each other. A true friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself – and especially to feel. Or, not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at the moment is fine with them. That’s what real love amounts to – letting a person be what he really is.” – – Jim Morrison

The VISTA (Visual Integration of Science Through Art) Center at Louisiana Tech University celebrated a decade of innovation and student achievement earlier this month with its annual Scholarship and Award Celebration, marking the occasion with the launch of Louisiana’s first interdisciplinary degree program in scientific communication.

The new Bachelor of Science in Scientific Visual Communication, approved by the University of Louisiana System in December and the Louisiana Board of regents, is set to launch in fall 2025. It will prepare students to enter careers in medical illustration, scientific visualization, biomedical animation, and digital communication. The program builds on the center’s successful minors in pre-medical illustration and scientific visualization and is designed for students who want to bridge the gap between science and art.

“Over the years, we’ve seen many students come to Louisiana Tech with a passion and talent for art who think they have to give it up to pursue a career in science or medicine,” said Dr. Jamie Newman, associate director of the VISTA Center. “This new degree program not only solidifies a curriculum for these students, it also offers a concentration for premedical and predental students, making it that much easier for them to balance their commitment to both art and science.”

This year’s scholarship and awards event featured student showcases, faculty-led tours of the VISTA Labs, and interactive exhibits highlighting the center’s work, from anatomical illustrations and immersive digital models to educational tools used across Louisiana. Attendees included alumni, local educators, nonprofit leaders, and industry partners.

Among the evening’s highlights was the presentation of the Dr. Joseph and Charlotte Barron Endowed Scholarship to Kaylee Davis for excellence in scientific illustration. The newly established Jeanette and Justin Hinckley VISTA Scholarship, funded by Louisiana Tech alumni, was awarded to Teagen Griffin for outstanding work in digital painting and client-based collaborations.

“This event was a vibrant celebration of the VISTA Center’s growth and impact,” said Professor Nick Bustamante, director of the VISTA Center. “It brought together university leadership, alumni, faculty, community partners, student clients, and mentors, each of whom plays a vital role in our journey. It was especially meaningful to see our talented students proudly showcase their scientific illustrations and design work. The evening truly captured the spirit of collaboration, creativity and community that defines the center’s mission.”

“I’m incredibly proud of the scholarships awarded to our students,” said Tom Futrell, director of design for the VISTA Center. “The support from our community has been truly inspiring. These students are blending science and art in ways that are not only creative but also deeply practical, opening doors to careers in scientific illustration, research-driven information design, and more. Projects like the Greenway interpretive signage show just how powerful it can be when data and design come together to tell stories everyone can understand.”

VISTA students have already made a significant impact across Louisiana and beyond. Recent projects include:

• A full redesign of the History of Flight exhibit at Sci-Port Discovery Center in Shreveport, incorporating dynamic visuals and interactive storytelling.

• An illustrated children’s book for MedCamps of Louisiana to help young campers feel welcomed and confident.

• Interpretive signage along Ruston’s Rock Island Greenway that blends ecological data with engaging design to connect the public with local biodiversity and history.

The VISTA Center continues to seek new community partners, project collaborators, and scholarship supporters to help expand student opportunities and increase its statewide reach.

For more information, contact the VISTA Center at vista@latech.edu.

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On May 19 and again on May 29, Red River High School EMR students were able to attend two different ambulance operations and helicopter landing zone classes presented by Pafford Air One/Pafford Ground Ambulance and Life Air/Red River EMS.

Topics covered in both classes included: patient care, loading and unloading patients into the ambulance/helicopter, equipment variances, set-up for helicopter landing zone, when to call for a helicopter, radio communications, and safety concerns.

Wednesday, June 4, was the regular monthly meeting of the Red River Parish Police Jury. All members were present.  

The CVU report included permit receipts of $44,238 and fines of $5,716 for the month. A discussion was introduced to consider raising permit prices to bring the parish more in line with other parishes. The decision was to gather information and bring it to the next meeting for further discussion.  

An update on the new joint construction with the Red River Sheriff informed the members that all core samples have been completed. Initial renderings are complete, and engineers are now working to finalize building plans. Jessie Davis updated everyone on the demolition of the old building on the property and the breaking up of the concrete.  

Jury members discussed creating a special committee to approach other municipal entities to create cooperative endeavors for tourism and economic development. The committee includes Ben Taylor, Shane Young, and Brandon Hillman.  

All other routine items were approved, and the meeting was adjourned.  

Social Springs Baptist Church will host VBS,  “Wonder Junction” June 8-13 from 6:30 until 9pm, June 8-13. Family night will be Friday, June 13.

Hickory Grove Baptist Church will host VBS “Camp Firelight” June 9 – 13 from 5:30-8pm for grades PK3-12. Gather ’round the campfire for a week full of adventure, friendship, and discovery. At Camp Firelight, kids will learn how God’s light guides us through every challenge and adventure. Through inspiring Bible stories, fun games, crafts, and music, kids will grow in faith and courage–all while making memories that will shine for years to come. The fire is burning bright, and they’re saving a spot just for your kiddos! Contact Melissa Allen, VBS Director, for more information (318.205.8362).

First Methodist Church Coushatta will take kids on a “True North” adventure from June 23-26, from 5:30-8:00 p.m., for ages 4 years through 5th grade. Join FMC on the ultimate Alaskan adventure where northern lights glow over majestic mountains, racing rivers, and glistening glaciers. True North VBS shows kids that Jesus is a faithful friend we can always trust. He’s our True North! Dinner is provided each night.  Register online or in person.  

All area churches may share their VBS dates/info with RRPJ at the following email redriverparishjournal@gmail.com