Special Christmas Eve services on December 24th have been scheduled by two local churches.  To add your church to the list of events the Journal is publishing, please text the Journal at 318-5609 or email to redriverparishjournal@gmail.com.

A donation to buy needed equipment has been made to the Red River Fire Department by DT Midstream.  Chief John Woodfin and Captain Jeremy Neal accepted the check on behalf of the department.

Jeremy Tingler and Eric Gray, representing DT Midstream presented the fire department with a $2500 donation.  Tingler explained that the company wanted to invest in the community in which they operate.  DT Midstream operates the Gen6 Frac Sand Plant.

Neal told the Journal that the donation would go to buy hazmat equipment and supplies.  One of the items on their shopping list is a hazmat plug kit, used to stop leaks in equipment such as oil or fuel that might spill as the result of an auto wreck.

The deadline is today to enter the Coushatta/Red River Chamber of Commerce 2021 business Christmas decorating contest.  Driving around Coushatta it is evident that many local businesses are getting into the holiday spirit.

The Chamber’s contest is offering cash prizes.  For 1st Place the prize is $200.00.  Second place wins $100.00.  The third place finisher will get a Prize Gift Basket.

Judging begins tomorrow (December 2^nd) and runs through Saturday, December 4^th.  The Chamber said the judging will be done by 6 judges and tallied by 2 individuals.  The winning businesses will be announced at the parade on December 9, 2021.

Let’s get ready to cook this Fall with The Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center’s Camp Culinary to be held on December 17-18 at Camp Grant Walker! This Fri-Sat program is open to all youth between 9-13 years old, and 4-H membership is not required to attend! Camp Culinary features an introduction to the rich cultural history of Cajun Cuisine with LSU AgCenter area nutrition agents and formally-trained chefs Quincy Vidrine & Kimberlyn Jones, along with LSU AgCenter Area Nutrition Agent Breanna Stabb!

The program fee will be $150 to attend and will be capped at 20 participants, so be sure to register ASAP! Drop-off will be from 4:30-6:30 PM on Friday, December 17, and Pick-up will be at 4:00 PM Saturday, December 18.

During online registration, you will be prompted to download and complete the Student Health Form. The Health Form and Program Fee will be due by December 3. Checks should be made out to The LSU AgCenter. The Health Form and Program Fee should be mailed to:

The Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center

Attn: Adam O’Malley

3000 Hwy 8

Pollock, LA 71467

Youth can be registered at the following link:

fs10.formsite.com/lsuagcenter/bkve1jd60a/index.html

For additional information on the program details, or to request a parent info-packet, you can either contact your parish 4-H Agent, or send an email to 4-H Program Coordinator Adam O’Malley at CampGrantWalker@agcenter.lsu.edu

The path to good health includes staying up-to-date on health screenings and diagnostic exams. Timely care and early detection can prevent serious illnesses and improve outcomes. The following are commonly recommended general health screenings for both men and women. You may also want to talk with your primary care physician about other possible screenings based on your personal or family medical history.

• Age 18 – Routine wellness exam and labs are recommended for both men and women beginning at age 18 and then performed on an annual basis. Blood sugar levels should also be screened to determine risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes.
• Age 20 – Cholesterol screenings are recommended for men and women every five years to assess the risk for cardiovascular disease. In families with a high incidence of cardiovascular disease, screenings may be recommended for children and adolescents as well.
• Age 21 – A Pap smear is recommended for women once every 3 years to test for the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells on the cervix, the opening to the uterus. No physician referral is needed, and OB/GYN physicians provide these screenings.
• Age 40 – A mammogram, to screen for breast abnormalities including cancer, is recommended for women at age 40 and then each year or two years thereafter depending on family history. No referral or doctor’s order is needed for an annual screening mammogram.
• Age 45 – The American Diabetes Association recommends both males and females be screened for diabetes.
• Age 45 – A colonoscopy is recommended tor men and women to detect any abnormalities in the large intestine and rectum, as well as for colon cancer. Physicians base their recommendations for follow-up screenings on the findings of the initial colonoscopy and family history.
• Age 50 – A prostate screening is recommended for men on an annual basis to help detect prostate cancer. This screening is performed by a urologist and includes a physical exam as well as blood work to measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA) present in the blood.
• Age 60 – A DEXA scan for both men and women to measure bone density is recommended. This scan can help determine if you are at risk for osteoporosis. Physicians will then recommend appropriate follow-up screenings in subsequent years.

So take control of your health by getting age-related screenings. It is important for you to speak with your primary care physician to schedule these screenings and ensure you stay on the path to good health!

Protect yourself from the Flu this winter.  Flu shots will be given at the Red River Council on Aging next Tuesday.

Mabile’s Pharmacy will administer flu vaccine on December 7^th beginning at 8:30 am.  Bring you insurance and your Medicaid or Medicare card.

The Council on Aging is hosting the event at the Jack and Laura Center on Front Street.   Note that CoA is not responsible for payment.

By Teddy Allen

Is this the 12th month of 2021 or the 24th month of 2020? When Waylon Jennings recorded “Stop the World and Let Me Off” in 1965, he was a man way, way ahead of his time.

Crazy, crazy …

But things are getting better, as evidenced by our annual Best Books of the Year list. You won’t find any pandemic-related works here like you did last year. Who can forget the 2020 bestsellers, like LOCKDOWN!: Your Place or Mine?, or 1,501 Ways To Make Banana Bread, or The Vaccine Two-Step: Let’s Give it a Shot.

And of course, everyone’s favorite recent trilogy, Why Masks Work and the sequel, Why Masks Don’t Work, followed by the recently published Why Masks Might or Might Not Work.

Crazy crazy crazy crazy crazy…

For years we’ve published our favorite books in late December, but in a rare moment of logical thinking, I figured it would be best to do this now in case you need a Christmas present idea. So …

Isaac’s Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson was my favorite book of the year. Published in 2000 and on my shelf since, I just got around to reading it, about the Galveston hurricane, Sept. 8, 1900. I have a friend who’s read it three times, and I can understand why.

These others get four of five stars:

News of the World (2016) by Paulette Jiles, about a 72-year-old man in post-Civil War times on a journey from Wichita Falls to San Antonio. In small towns along the way, he reads the news to people who have no access to it. His companion is a girl, 10, kidnapped but now safe, who he’s returning to her family. She basically brings him to life again. I haven’t seen the movie yet, starring Tom Hanks.

Also The Music of the Statler Brothers, An Anthology (2020) by the retired group’s lead singer, Don Reid, and Songteller: My Life in Lyrics (2020) by Dolly Parton. And two books by the late Carl Reiner, My Anecdotal Life (2003) and I Just Remembered (2013). I listened to the authors read the Parton and Reiner books, which was part of the joy. Same with a couple of Dick Van Dyke books, My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business (2011) and Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Living Well Longer (2016). Van Dyke will be 96 Dec. 13. Also Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, and Other Things I’ve Learned (2005), written and read by Alan Alda, if you happen to be a fan. Finally, This is Your Captain Speaking: My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith and Life (2013), a nice surprise by the entirely likeable Gavin MacLeod from “The Love Boat” and Murray on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

Same with the just-released The Boys, written and read by brothers Ron and Clint Howard, about growing up as child actors but mainly about their endearing relationship with their less-successful actor parents.

Loved it.

Other biggies:

Life Lessons (2021), a book of semi-Sunday school lessons, also by the Statlers’ Don Reid;

A Burning in My Bones (2021), the authorized biography of Eugene Peterson, translator of The Message, authored by Winn Collier;

Also The End of Me (2015) by Kyle Idelman, about the tricky business of dying to self, Improving Your Serve (2004) by Chuck Swindoll, and Anne Lamott’s 2012 Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers. Pastor Tim Keller and others would suggest she left out confession, that;

Help, Sorry, Thanks, Wow would be a more exact title, but most all agree, including Keller, that it’s a thoughtful and most helpful little book.

Also four of five stars to Inside Comedy (2021) a semi-modern history of comedy by David Steinberg, The Only Plane in the Sky (2019), an exhaustive oral history of 9/11 by Garett Graff, Squeeze Me (2020) by Carl Hiassen, who writes brilliant novel after brilliant novel defending his native Florida, pointing out political absurdities in ways that are scorching and funny, and The Queen’s Gambit (2003) by the late Walter Tevis about a female chess prodigy. (The recent drama series on Netflix, set during the Cold War 1950s, is as many thumbs-up as you can give it.)

Three of five stars to The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz (2020) by Erik Larson, The Dutch House (2019), a novel by Ann Patchett, and March Violets (1989), a Berlin noir-like novel by a new guy for me, the late Phillip Kerr, about his German private eye Bernie Gunther.

Finally got around to Moneyball (2011) by Michael Lewis; loved it. And Tobacco Road (1932) by Erskine Caldwell. Re-read The Adventures of Huck Finn (1884) by Mark Twain and The War of Art: Break Through Your Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles (2002) by Steven Pressfield, always a good call.

See you at the library. Read on!

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

Last week the Journal told you that there is a toy drive going on at Red River Junior High.  This week the school posted an update.

As you are out shopping and celebrating, please consider picking up a new, unwrapped toy for our Toys for Tots campaign.  Toys can be brought to the front office next week. Let’s give back!

They posted a picture of an empty collection box so there is plenty of room for your donaton.

Mark your calendar for December 12th. Abundant Life is serving lunch and they would love to have you join them.

The lunch will be a week from Sunday during morning worship.  Stay for a Christmas Lunch and fellowship following the service.  The church asks everyone to bring a covered dish.

By Brad Dison

In the summer of 1929, Anne Parrish and her husband, Charles Albert Corliss, were strolling leisurely along the picturesque Seine River in the City of Light (La Ville Lumière), Paris, France.  They spent their time taking in the sites and browsing through the numerous bouquinistes stalls along the Seine River.

Bouquinistes, French for booksellers, have sold used and antique books in small green stalls which line the banks of the Seine River at fixed points since 1859.  Prior to that, beginning around the 16th century, bouquinistes peddled their books from carts along the river.

Anne derived great enjoyment from looking through the stalls of old books.  Anne was a lover of books.  She was a successful American novelist and children’s book writer.  Many of her books appeared on the New York Times best sellers lists.

In one of the 900 bouquinistes stalls somewhere between Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre, Anne saw the cover of a familiar children’s book which brought back memories from her own childhood.  The book, “Jack Frost and Other Stories”, was worn from age but still in decent enough condition.  It was a book like the one she had as a child in Colorado.  Although she had never tried to seek the book out, she had never seen another copy.  Her mind raced back some 30 years back in time to the Colorado Springs of her childhood.  She glanced at the book for only a second or two and her mind was made up.  She bought the book for a single franc.

Anne was elated to find a book like the one she had cherished as a child.  Her husband was less than enthusiastic and was “skeptical as to its literary value”.  Anne explained that she wanted the book not because it was an important literary work but for its sentimental value.  Anne’s husband challenged her to recall anything about the contents of the book.  She thought for a moment and remembered a story about a girl named Dorothy who hated her nose.  Her husband, still skeptical, shuffled through the book until he came upon the story of Dorothy, just as Anne has claimed.  Her husband knew it was useless to question her further and shuffled through the pages.  Just then, something caught his eye.  On the front page of the book, the flyleaf, he saw a name and address written in a childlike scrawl.  He looked at the book with a seriousness that took Anne by surprise.  Without saying a word, he turned the book around and pointed to the writing in the book.  Anne read the childish scrawl and was just as shocked as her husband.  Written in the book was the original owner’s name, “Anne Parrish, 209 N. Weber St., Colorado Springs”.  Anne had unknowingly bought her own childhood copy of “Jack Frost and Other Stories”.

Sources:

1. Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa), July 28, 1941, p.9.
2. Lauren Gray, “40 Amazing Coincidences You Won’t Believe Actually Happened,” Best Life, June 14, 2019, bestlifeonline.com/weird-coincidence/.
3. “Les Bouquinistes,” Afar, accessed November 23, 2021, afar.com/places/les-bouquinistes-paris.

The Southern Plainsmen are known as Louisiana’s Goodwill Ambassadors.  A week from Sunday they bring their nationally known concert to Hickory Grove Baptist Church.

The Southern Plainsmen Quartet was organized in May 1978 in the rolling pine-hills of West-Central Louisiana and is an outreach of the Southern Plainsmen Ministries, Inc., a non-profit Christian organization.  The ministry, supported by the contributions of its Christian friends, appears in Christian churches regardless of denominational affiliation on an expense plus freewill-love-offering basis.

Hear the Southern Plainsmen beginning at 10:30 am on Sunday December 12^th.

HEADS UP! Now would be the time to get your Christmas Turkey and Ham.  There is a shortage on both.  Rivertown Market has a limited supply.

Red River Elementary is taking school Christmas pictures this week.  Today Kindergarten through 2^nd grade will have pictures made.  Tomorrow will be third through fifth grades.  Bring form and payment with the students.

There are no reported cases of the new Omicron variant in the state.  The Louisiana Department of Health continues to monitor the situation, and they strongly recommend that people prepare and take action to protect themselves and their families. People who are vaccinated and eligible for a booster need to use this time to get their boosters. Those who are not vaccinated should get vaccinated. All international travelers, regardless of vaccination status or recent history of COVID-19 infection, should be tested 3-5 days after arrival.

The annual American Indian Crafts Day scheduled for Saturday Dec. 4 at the Williamson Museum on the Northwestern State University campus has been cancelled.  NSU Professor of Anthropology Dr. Pete Gregory, who organizes the event, said COVID restraints and travel difficulties prevented large numbers of craftspeople from participating. Gregory said he plans to hold American Indian Crafts Day next year.

A funeral service celebrating the life of Mrs. Constance Faye Cole, 56, will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at Rose-Neath’s Coushatta Chapel. Officiating will be Bro. Mike Fort of Hickory Grove Baptist Church and Bro. Wylann Cloud of Magnolia Baptist Church. Interment will follow in Hickory Grove Cemetery at Hickory Grove Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Monday, November 29, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Coushatta.

Constance was born on June 3, 1965 in Shreveport, LA to Henry Arthur Breedlove and Elaine Mangham Breedlove, and passed away November 25, 2021. Preceding her in death are her parents, her grandmother Hortense Mangham, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Left to cherish her memory are her sons Bobby Norris, T.W. Norris and wife Jessica, Steven Norris and wife Katie; brother Johnny Ray Adams and wife Audi; god-daughter Jodie Jones Sweeney and husband Phillip; Uncle Tom Mangham and wife Brenda; very special friend Norma Newton; 14 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and a host of other friends and family.

Honoring Constance as pallbearers will be Taran Smith, Kolby Norris, Jason Adams, Thomas Mangham, Chris Brevelle, Jr., and Brandon Norris. Serving as honorary pallbearers are Bryce Norris, Cooper Norris, Ethan Norris, Johnny Ray Adams, and Dustin Adams.

Report from the Red River Sheriff’s Office for the week ending November 28, 2021.

Coach Dadrian Harris said the 2021-22 Bulldog Basketball team is ready to go.  Tuesday night is their first home game.

Tip-off for the Bulldogs is December 2nd at the Dawg Pound. Don’t meet us there, beat us there.

Photo by Brady Williams

Painting holiday themes on the windows on Coushatta’s historic Front Street is complete.  They are part of decorating our town for Christmas and the windows will form the backdrop of the festivities on December 9^th.

Have you seen the Front Street windows this week?  They look amazing thanks to Mr. Jeff Edwards and these following talented RRHS art students. 

Kayla Williams

Navaeh Caldwell

Precious Gray

Terry Jefferson

Shakiya Jones

Payel Patal

Annaston Villapando

The Christmas Parade and Fireworks will begin at 4:30 on Thursday, December 9th.  Let’s celebrate Christmas as a community.

Social Springs Baptist Church issued an invitation to join them this Sunday November 28^th as we kick off the Christmas season with our annual Hanging of the Green at 11:00 am.  Then at 6:00 pm the church will gather for “Christmas at the Springs” with Bro. Price Harris.

First Methodist Coushatta is also holding a Hanging of the Greens during the regular morning service on November 28^th.  Last week members decorated a huge Christmas Tree with Chrismons and that will serve as a backdrop for the special service.  Regular worship is at 10:50 Sunday morning.

By John Brewer

This past Monday was a significant day in the history of these United States and the World.  Yet this day went almost unnoticed.  It wasn’t a significant anniversary, like the 10^th or 25^th of the event.  It was the 58^th anniversary. Your reporter remembered and the images with this article bring those events back as vividly as when I first read that tattered sheet of news copy.

It was a Friday shortly after noon and I was a student in college.  I worked part time at the local radio station.  That is where I got the news. I was notified to get to work quickly, so I ditched afternoon classes and headed to the station.

The air was grim when I arrived.  I soon found out why.

My role was to cover the local angle, to see what people thought of those horrific events.  And as such began a career in radio journalism that would span 50+ years.  I suppose that is why I do the Journal.  It is sort of in your blood.

Have you guessed yet what happened at 12:39 pm on Friday, November 22, 1963 yet?  That was the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.  Fifty-Eight years ago.  I remember it just like yesterday.

Note:  The top photo is the President, First Lady and Texas Governor John Connally sitting in the Presidential Limo before departing Dallas Love Field for downtown.

The tattered and yellowed paper that has faded with time is the original news we received from the UPI.

The photo of the limo driving off just after the President was wounded is from a home movie made by one of the spectators who lined the motorcade route.

And the photo made up of type characters is from UPI and was sent to all teletype machines on their system a short time after the events of November 22^nd.

The teletype page and Presidential portrait are from UPI.  Other images are from the book Four Days by UPI and American Heritage Magazine.

Thursday morning, just before 11:00 a.m., Troopers assigned to Louisiana State Police Troop G began investigating a one-vehicle fatality crash on US Hwy 371, just north of US Hwy 71.  This crash claimed the life of 56-year-old Constance Cole.

The initial investigation revealed a 2012 Ford Focus, driven by Cole was traveling south on US Hwy 371.  For reasons still under investigation, Cole exited the roadway, struck a culvert, became airborne, then impacted the ground.

Cole, who was restrained, suffered fatal injuries as a result of the crash and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Impairment is not suspected to be a factor in this crash; however, routine toxicology samples were taken and submitted for analysis.  The crash remains under investigation.

In 2021, Troop G has investigated 33 fatal crashes, resulting in 35 deaths.

Johnson focuses on perseverance and purpose in Louisiana Tech’s Fall 2021 Commencement address.  Louisiana Tech University conferred degrees on 284 in the University’s Fall 2021 Commencement ceremonies, held Saturday in the Thomas Assembly Center.

State Rep C. Travis Johnson, a 2007 Louisiana Tech graduate in Political Science, advised Tech’s newest alumni to focus on perseverance and purpose in order to achieve their future goals.

“No matter what, when things seem not to be going in your favor, you must persevere,” Johnson said. “I believe you will soar if you do not let the adversities you face obliterate your passion. You must use your adversities and see setbacks as set ups for success.”

The graduates should also work to find their true purpose in life, Johnson said.

“Knowing your why is absolutely critical,” Johnson said. “When you are walking the path that is laid out only for you, then every person you meet, every mistake you make, every accomplishment you obtain, will lead you to your goals.

“Your purpose is not a job or a title, your purpose is what you are called to do.”

Johnson is a native of Ferriday who has served the 21st District in the Louisiana Legislature since 2019

By Steve Graf

Now that we have carved the turkey and taken a nap while watching the Dallas Cowboys traditional Thanksgiving Day game, we can now turn our attention to Christmas. But before we begin to think about jolly Ole St. Nick, let’s take a look at why I’m so thankful. No one appreciates more than me the opportunities I’ve had over the years to pursue and chase largemouth bass all across the southern United States. As a bass fisherman, I am truly blessed in so many ways. While I’m sure I’ll probably leave something out, here’s my list of what I’m thankful for.

1. My health… At the age of 60, and still in decent shape, I’m able to get in and out of my boat without busting my butt. I can still make that giant leap onto the front deck and drop the trolling motor in the water. I can fish all day and still feel pretty good the next day, as long as I’m taking my joint supplements and Aleve!
2. My boat… As a young man growing up, I looked forward to the day I would be launching my 20-foot Ranger bass boat with a 250 HP Yamaha engine on the back and the best Minn Kota trolling motor (Ultrex)… that with the push of a button will lock you down on a brush pile in the middle of the lake.It is a boat fully carpeted with awesome seats that rides like a luxury car and the best state of the art electronics that could probably help navigate your way to the moon and back.
3. The best rods and reels…. Another blessing is being a part of an awesome company like Daiwa. They have a tremendous line of rods and reels that I have used for the last six years, that just might be the best on the planet.
4. My relationships with certain companies…. Over the years, I’ve forged relationships with companies like Ranger Boats, Daiwa, SPRO, Gamakatsu, V&M,Seaguar fishing line and Santone Lures. Great companies that are staples in the bass fishing industry. What a blessing!
5. Great tournament organizations … I love competition and today anglers have a multitude of options to choose from. Organizations like B.A.S.S. and Major League Fishing (MLF) offer a wide range of tournaments for all skill levels from high school to college to professional. At no time in history has there been so many bass fishing opportunities that allow anglers to compete.
6. The best lakes in the country….Take a pen and draw a 150-mile radius around Natchitoches, Louisiana, and you will have circled three of top 10 lakes in the country. Located right here in our own back yard are legendary lakes like Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn and Caddo. But just outside that radius in East Texas sit Lake Fork, Lake of the Pines, Lake Monticello, and I’ll even throw in the Red River, just because of its history of hosting the Bassmaster Classic twice and a place I love to fish.
7. Friends and fellow competitors…. This is what makes tournament bass fishing special. The friendships and connections I have made through bass fishing is insane. While all of us want to win every time we launch our boats, there’s something special about the relationships you form with fellow anglers that cannot be explained. Just like any other sport, there are “clicks” or groups of guys that will help each other during an event like maybe sharing a technique they’re using or sharing information about a bait they’re getting bites on. Within each of these clicks though, is a word called trust. Bass anglers are a funny bunch when it comes to sharing info and before they will share, trust must be established. Just like a marriage, if trust is broken, that bond is severed forever.

One more thing, as an outdoorsman I’ve had the joy of watching some of the best sunrises and sunsets ever seen. God paints an awesome display each and every day on a giant blue canvas. There’s something special in the air on a tournament morning just before take-off with the sun rising in the east and anglers sitting on the water. It’s an indescribable feeling of how good God is and what a privilege it is to get to do what I do. I’m truly thankful for all of this, and so much more, that I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy during my long bass fishing career. Till next week, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!

The Red River Parish Journal publishes public and private announcements.  Some of the categories of announcements we publish include Help Wanted, Public Meetings, Obituaries, Engagement, and Wedding announcements.

Please submit details and photos to:  RedRiverParishJournal@gmail.com.  Be sure to include your name and working cell phone number.  You will be contacted to make arrangements for publication and pricing.