A repeat performance of domestic abuse landed a Minden man behind bars and his girlfriend in the hospital.
Gabriel Jose Maldonado, 39, of the 800 block of Center street, was arrested July 15 by Minden Police and charged with felony domestic abuse, aggravated second-degree battery with a child present and resisting an officer.
According to Minden Police Chief Steve Cropper, his officers Lt. Tokia Whiting-Harrison, Sgt. Donald Brice and Lt. Christopher McClaran arrived at the Center Street residence where they were aware that Maldonado had battered his girlfriend of 12 years inside their shared home.
“They have been together for 12 years and have an 11-year-old special needs child,” Cropper said. “The victim said Maldonado accused her of cheating on him and began striking her. She said he hit her with a baseball bat, a hatchet with a hammer affixed to it and then shot her with a pellet rifle.”
All three weapons were reportedly recovered inside the residence, the investigating officers said.
Medics subsequently treated the victim for an apparent fracture in her hand, possible broken leg, lacerations and contusions, and transported her to Willis-Knighton South.
“Upon initial contact, officers heard arguing and a loud ‘thump’ noise from inside the house,” Cropper said. “Officers heard Maldonado speak to them from inside the house, asking ‘who is it?’ Officers identified themselves and Maldonado told him they were all right. Officers ordered him to open the door and he replied ‘no!’
“Eventually, Maldonado exited the front door after multiple commands,” the chief continued. “He was taken into custody. Officers observed blood spatter throughout the inside of the home.”
According to records, April 4, 2021, Maldonado was arrested by Webster Parish Sheriff’s deputies for domestic abuse battery with child endangerment. That case was dismissed.
It’s that time of year again! The students, teachers and staff of the Webster Parish School System and Glenbrook School will very soon begin the 2021-2022 school year.
Once again, First United Methodist Church, 903 Broadway, will be hosting a Back-to-School Prayer Vigil in the Sanctuary from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 10.
This new school year brings some changes for the public school system as they begin year round schooling. This will certainly create new issues and concerns for everyone involved, not the least of which, are the concerns surrounding the COvid 19 virus. So – prayers are needed.
Please come by the sanctuary and spend some time lifting all those connected to our school systems before the Lord. Prayer guides will be available. If you have specific requests or have a family member that you would like to have prayed for by name, please call the church office at 318-377-1483, and we will list them for prayer.
Involvement of a concerned citizen may have gone a long way in protecting a young child.
Minden Police responded to the call in the 900 block of Hinton St., where they located a couple with a five-year-old child.
Chief Steve Cropper said when Heather Johnson opened the door to her home, officers smelled “an alarming” odor of burnt Marijuana.
“Heather allowed officers to enter her residence and check on her son,” Cropper said. “While inside the residence, Heather was advised of her rights and asked about the smell of Marijuana.”
Lt. Chris Cheatham, Ofc. Shane Griffith and Lt. Chris Hammontree reportedly entered the residence where Heather Johnson provided a small amount of Marijuana in a small purple flowered wooden container with a rotating top.
“A family member was then contacted to come pick up the child, so he could be removed from the situation,” Cropper said. “While talking with Mrs. Johnson, she mentioned a search warrant. At that time, all occupants were removed from the residence, the search warrant was obtained and executed.”
During the search, multiple syringes were located, some loaded with liquid, according to police reports.
“A drug field test kit on the liquid inside of the syringes, tested positive for Methamphetamine,” said the chief. “Located also were two small plastic bags with Methamphetamine residue and approximately seven grams of natural Marijuana.”
In addition, multiple smoking pipes were reportedly located in different locations inside the residence, along with a shotgun inside a bedroom closet.
“Keith Johnson claimed ownership of the firearm and claimed knowledge of the illegal narcotics in the residence,” Cropper said.
Keith Charles Johnson, 38, and Heather Renee Johnson, 37, were charged with possession of Marijuana, possession of Methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and use of controlled dangerous substances in the presence of a minor. Keith Johnson was also charged with illegal carrying of weapons.
Both Johnsons were booked at the Minden Police Department and transported to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
Below is a heart-felt letter written by Sibley Mayor Jimmy Williams pointing out what he feels is a lack of response to the needs of Lake Charles.
Lake Charles, the city America forgot
By Mayor Jimmy Williams, Town of Sibley
The June issue of the Louisiana Municipal Review is one that should stir each of us as municipal leaders, to action. In 2018, many of us gathered in Lake Charles for LMA’s 81st Annual Convention. The LMR editorial board placed a beautiful sunset image of Lake Charles with a welcome letter from Mayor Hunter on the July 2018 cover. His warm letter to our membership painted a vivid picture of “sparkling Lake Charles next to our beautiful lakefront Promenade, Marina and our unique 9-11 Memorial.”
We were enticed to visit the “extraordinary Millennium Park, built solely by area volunteers,” and to “travel a little to the north and stop by our recently expanded Veterans Memorial Park, commemorating all branches of the United States Armed Services.”
Mayor Hunter’s 2018 welcome letter prepared us, while in southwest Louisiana, “to sail, ski, swim, sunbathe, game, ride in horse drawn carriages, play golf, tennis or beach volleyball, crab and fish, dine on fine foods and soak in the friendliness of our people and the southern hospitality so prevalent in our area.”
Lake Charles welcomed us with open arms, and we had a wonderful time. No, in their time of need, we can use our voices to help usher this incredible region and its residents back to their splendor.
Here we are nearly three years later, and Lake Charles is on the cover of this publication again; but this time, the image and message are starkly different. Still reeling from an onslaught of natural disasters, this picturesque American city on the lake now seems to the city that America forgot.
By the time you read this, it likely will have been more than 300 days since Hurricane Laura hit in August 2020, and there is still no supplemental disaster aid for this region in sight. It is unthinkable that any American city would be forsaken for so long – actually, for a record-setting amount of time.
Just recently, $46 million in funding from FEMA for debris removal reimbursement was announced. While we are grateful for every step forward, that only scratches the surface for a storm that caused an estimated $8 to $12 billion in damage, and which left Lake Charles with a current housing need of more than $230 million.
Consider the four additional federally declared disasters that hit the region over the past 14 months, and it is not hard to see why federal aid is critical.
We should all be alarmed by this snail’s pace in providing supplemental disaster aid and by the lack of urgency from Washington DC. As a Gulf Coast state facing increasingly severe weather events, this could happen to any of us and we must ask ourselves: Could my city survive 300 days afer back-to-back major hurricanes, a winter storm, a 1,000-year flood and a global pandemic? Are we fiscally secure? Do we know how to get maximum reimbursement from damage repairs? Do we have a solid game plan?
We have now crossed into hurricane season, and the warmer Gulf waters become, the less time we have to get prepared. Make sure you are taking all the right steps to secure funding available for municipal governments under the American Rescue Plan Act. Lastly, it is critically important for us to remember that our collective voices can extend beyond the borders of this state. Our colleagues in southwest Louisiana need us to rally DC for swift action. None of us can afford to sit idly by while they fight to recover with finite resources and growing needs.
Advocacy is our mission and now is the time for all of us to take action – not only for the recovery of Lake Charles and southwest Louisiana, but for the future needs of our entire state.
If there is just one lesson longtime educator Lessie Brown wants members of the Minden High Tider Line to learn during their time as part of the team it is that you must prepare for everything in school life and beyond.
As part of that lesson, Brown oversaw the annual Tider Line camp last week which culminated in a Saturday retreat where team members completed vision boards of their lives five years in the future.
A vision board is a visual representation of a person’s goals. These poster-sized visuals contain images and text that represent something a person is trying to accomplish.
“They practiced routines they learned but then worked on their vision board,” Brown told The Journal during a telephone interview Monday morning “In five years where will you be? They had to consider what plans they needed to make now so they could achieve their goals.”
Brown, who has been teaching Spanish at MHS since 1999 and an educator for 47 total years, said the team worked on their boards for several hours. “They need to know they have to put all they can into their future. You say you want to be a nurse, but what steps do you have to follow to get there?”
Prior to Saturday’s retreat, Brown said the team participated in a week-long camp at Minden High. At camp, the team was instructed by Coach Willie Miller and Coach Teshia Lincoln with Pro Styles Elite and Delta Phi Delta Dance for Eternity, Inc.
Brown said the camp was intense as the presenters taught six dance routines as well as proper procedure for performing in pep rallies, field shows, and parades.
“It was an effort to introduce new techniques,” Brown said. “They showed them what they were doing right but how to adapt and adjust for what they were doing incorrectly. Toe point here, flex here. It was an explanation, demonstration, practice – really something the girls needed.”
Brown, who has sponsored the Tider Line since 2010, said the team must give everything during performances because they represent Minden High School and the City of Minden.
“It’s not just about you, I tell them,” she said. “You are always on display. Our presenters reinforced that. It’s not just about athletics. It’s about who you are and who you represent.”
The team has been preparing for camp all summer. The team gathers at 5 a.m. daily to run, lift weights, stretch and practice.
“We are full force,” Brown said. “We are intense and want our girls to be the best they can be every time they step out to represent their school.”
Lakeside Jr./Sr. High School is getting a bit of makeover over the summer.
Principal Denny Finley told The Journal that the South Webster school is 20 years old and there are many areas that have not been updated.
“Lakeside is blessed to have the very best of everything due to the people that live in this district,” Finley told us. “The school is 20 years old this year, and the parking lot is one of the few things that has not been updated. The one eyesore was the parking lot, so it was time to give it a makeover.”
The parking lot project is a year or more in the making. Benton and Brown won the bid for the work.
“They are working around the clock to ensure that it is completed by the beginning of school,” the principal said. “It is a blessing to get a local contractor because they have ties to the community.”
Finley said Lakeside is a hidden gem down in South Webster Parish, adding that the facilities are top notch and getting better everyday.
“It is hard for people that have never visited the campus to picture just how nice it is,” he told us. “We are far from finished and will always strive to give the people of South Webster Parish the very best.”
Other projects that will be completed by the end of the summer include: The ag building is about to get a facelift, the halls are being painted, and the office is being remodeled.
“The athletic facilities at Lakeside are already beautiful, but more improvements can be expected in the future that will really make them stand out,” Finley said. “Lakeside has many things to offer other than a wonderful campus like, top quality academics, sports, clubs, and some of the best teachers in the state of Louisiana.”
John Taylor Ward July 15, 1935 – July 13, 2021 Service: Mansfield Church of Christ, Saturday, August 7, 2021 Visitation: Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Service: following at 10:00 a.m. Cemetery: Herndon Cemetery in Jonesboro, AR.
Betty Lay Kirby October 7, 1925 – July 8, 2021 Service: Arlington Cemetery in Homer, Louisiana on Saturday, July 24, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
Virginia Craven November 20, 1929 – July 14, 2021 Visitation: 2:00 p.m. until time of service Service: 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 23, 2021, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2201 Airline Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana. Interment: Rose-Neath Cemetery will follow the funeral service
Mary Manitzas Georgiafandis November 8, 1940 – July 18, 2021 Visitation: Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall Street, Shreveport, July 21, 2021 from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Service: Thursday, July 22, 2021 at 11:00 a.m., at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1719 Creswell Avenue, Interment: follow the service at Greenwood Cemetery, 130 E. Stoner Avenue
Kay Sue Fincher Staples Ogletree October 2, 1941 – July 16, 2021 Visitation: Tuesday, July 20, 2021 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Service: Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2500 Southside Dr. on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Interment: Forest Park West Cemetery, 4000 Meriwether Rd., immediately following the service
Richard Maurice January 21, 1947 – July 17, 2021 Visitation: Tuesday, July 20, 2021 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Southside Funeral Home Service: Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at Forest Park West Cemetery, 4000 Meriwether Rd., Shreveport
Paul W. Eldridge, Sr. October 30, 1959 – July 16, 2021 Service: Little Flock Cemetery in Many, Louisiana, Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
A one-vehicle crash has claimed the life of 27-year-old Joshua Montgomery, of Plain Dealing.
Louisiana State Police Troop G said the accident happened around 1:40 p.m. Sunday on Dorcheat Road , in the 1000 block, south of Allen Drive.
The initial investigation revealed that a 2008 Pontiac G6, driven by 24-year-old Darien Moore, of Minden, was traveling southbound on Dorcheat Road. For reasons still under investigation, the vehicle traveled off the road, collided with a utility pole, and then a tree.
Neither man was wearing a seat belt. Moore was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Montgomery was pronounced dead at the scene.
Impairment is not suspected, but routine toxicology samples were taken and will be submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
Original:
A one-vehicle crash has claimed the life of one person and sent another to the hospital.
Sheriff Jason Parker said the accident happened around 1:40 p.m. Sunday on Dorcheat Road in Minden.
“One is deceased and the other has serious injuries and was transported to Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport by Life Air,” Parker said.
The sheriff went on to say he does not have the identities of those involved at this time.
Louisiana State Police Troop G is investigating, and more information should be available shortly.
Louisiana State Police Troop G has reported the suspect that shot and killed Doyline Police Officer and Webster Parish Sheriff’s deputy William “Billy” Earl Collins, Jr. has succumbed to his injuries at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport. The suspect is identified as 59-year-old Mahlon Taylor, of Doyline. Taylor was pronounced deceased at approximately 6:39 p.m. today (Saturday, July 17). It is unknown if he killed himself or was shot by law enforcement officers answering the call.
Taylor killed Collins Friday, July 9, when Collins went to Taylor’s residence in answer to a call concerning a suicidal man.
Collins was laid to rest Friday, July 16.
Update: A driver killed in a two-vehicle crash Thursday morning remains unidentified.
According to Louisiana State Police, the man who died will have to be positively identified through an autopsy.
This morning, around 9 a.m., troopers assigned to Louisiana State Police Troop G began investigating the fatal crash on U.S. Highway 371, near Woodmill Road. The crash claimed one life.
The initial investigation revealed that a 2019 Dodge Ram pickup, driven by the unidentified driver, was traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 371, behind an uninvolved vehicle.
At the same time, a 2000 Ford pickup was traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 371. As the Ram was attempting to pass the vehicle in front, it lost control and collided head-on with the southbound Ford. After the collision, the Ram exited the roadway and overturned, before becoming engulfed in flames.
The unidentified driver suffered fatal injuries, as a result of the crash. Positive identification is pending by the Webster Parish Coroner’s Office.
Also responding were Heflin’s fire department and City of Minden’s rescue unit.
Routine toxicology samples were taken and will be submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
Original: A two-vehicle accident around 9 a.m. today has ended in one fatality. Webster Parish Sheriff’s deputies and Louisiana State Police Troop G are working the wreck that took place on Hwy. 371 south near Windmill Road.
One vehicle was completely involved in flames. Also responding were Heflin’s fire department and City of Minden’s rescue unit.
A jokester. A protector. A girl dad. Man of courage. Honorable. A lot like an M&M.
Those are just a few of the words used Friday morning to remember 53-year-old Deputy William Earl “Billy” Collins Jr., who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty on the night of July 9.
The Webster Parish sheriff’s deputy and Doyline police officer responded to a disturbance call of a suicidal man and stepped in to shield a woman when he was fatally shot.
“He served and protected until his very last breath,” said the Rev. Gevan Spinney, pastor of First Baptist Church in Haughton.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers from throughout Louisiana and from other states joined Collins’ family and friends in celebrating his life in a funeral service at First Bossier.
The service was preceded by a series of photographs of Collins and his family, giving glimpses of Collins’ life. There were photos of him and his wife with their daughters through the years, images of Collins and his family enjoying vacation spots and even a young Collins as a Boy Scout.
“I know this will be a sad day. But the family wants everybody to know that this is a celebration of Billy’s life today. And I can hear him now, ‘Sheriff, boss, all this ain’t necessary.’ My reply back to Billy, ‘Buddy you deserve every bit of this. Sit back, pop you some popcorn and enjoy the show,’” Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said. “He was not an easy man to blush, but we’re going to make him blush today.”
Parker said there were not enough words to eliminate the pain of Collins’ loss, but words could bring a smile. He recalled after he was elected Collins approached him with some thoughts on improvements at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center, where Collins worked as a supervisor.
“What I got was a five-page report that I know Billy didn’t type,” Parker said to laughter.
Parker said he was so impressed with Collins’ details and some of his suggestions on how to build on the operations and be more efficient and productive were implemented.
Collins was “a man who loved his job and his community,” Parker said.
Without hesitation, Collins answered the call to serve and protect – a duty he held to the highest esteem.
“As much as he loved his family and God, he did his part to … respond to those in need, even in harm’s way,” Parker said. “That’s what he did last Friday … when he responded to someone in need.”
Collins’ “selflessness” prevented someone else from taking a life, Parker said.
“Billy was a man of courage,” he added. “He will forever be celebrated for his sacrifice, for his loyalty, for his courage, for his love for his fellow man. Thank you, Billy. We love you brother.”
After the song “I Can Only Imagine,” a contemporary Christian song about Heaven, was played, Collins’ teenage daughter, Danielle, shared about her father.
Danielle Collins said he raised two strong daughters and always made sure his family was taken care of. She told stories of how he liked to joke to lighten the mood, including his rating of restaurant bathrooms.
And she brought smiles by referencing the photographs over her shoulders of him wearing his full Doyline uniform with a boutonniere. That was the night of her prom but even though he was patrolling that night, he stopped to escort her while in his uniform.
“He chose everyday to wake up and put on that badge,” Danielle Collins said.
“The Lord has a plan,” she said, ending with, “Thank you for being my dad, my friend and most of all my protector. I love you daddy.”
Doyline Police Chief Robert Hayden said Collins always told him he would make him shake in his boots one day. “He’s getting his wish today.”
Hayden was in Wisconsin at his son’s wedding Friday night when he got the call about Collins, who worked part-time for the small police force. Collins and two Webster sheriff’s deputies responded to the disturbance call.
“It was a nightmare in my little village,” said an emotional Hayden.
At the request of Collins’ family, Hayden recognized Lt. Chuck Clark and Sgt. Coby Barton, along with Deputy Tommy Maddox and Parker.
Collins started working for the Doyline Police Department over four years ago. He wanted to serve his community and get to know everyone.
Hayden did some checking before hiring Collins and said his coworkers at BDCC described him as “hard-headed” but with a “heart as big as this room.” The next obstacle, though, was getting the approval from Collins’ wife, Teresa.
Hayden shared that on July 19, 1999, Teresa Collins lost her grandfather, Oklahoma Deputy Vernie Roberts, in the line of duty. Because of that, she was hesitant for Collins to work the streets.
But Hayden said he told her how long he had been doing the job and he didn’t think anything would happen inside the one square-mile village of Doyline because “we are good people.” Teresa Collins gave her blessing.
It didn’t take a few weeks before Hayden started getting phone calls from Doyline residents about Collins. Most complaining about “this new man” writing speeding tickets, Hayden said with a smile.
After a few weeks, the complaints stopped. Everybody started calling the new man, “Mr. Billy.”
Hayden offered words of encouragement to Collins’ wife, his mother and his two daughters. He knew them because Collins talked non-stop about them.
But Hayden became emotional again when he said he learned “shots fired” and “officer down” rang out across his little town in North Louisiana. Then he remembered the conversation he had with Teresa Collins four years earlier and the “nightmare” she lived before and what he told her about Doyline.
“It will always haunt me,” said a distraught Hayden.
“Serving the people is what he loved to do. He never complained about going out day or night. … It did not matter if he knew them or not. His only desire was to help any way he could. Today, I thank God for the time I had with Billy Collins,” Hayden said.
“Where do we go from here?” Hayden asked. “Myself and all the others who wear this badge and uniform, will leave here today and go out and serve and protect and do the very best job we can in our communities because that’s what God called us to do. …. Billy, you were my friend, my brother, fellow officer. I love you, will miss you, but I will see you again one day.”
Pastor Spinney offered words of comfort to Hayden and those who may feel responsibility for what happened to Collins. In the Bible, God says “all of the days of our lives” are known.
“July 9, 2021. I don’t like that it was Billy’s last day but that’s the day God had written in his Book. So, it’s not your responsibility,” he told Teresa Collins and others. “It takes the weight off of us to know God has a perfect plan for our lives.”
Billy Collins was a man of deep but private faith. Then again, he was a lot like an M&M, joked Spinney. He had a hard candy shell but inside was sweet – “with a heart as big as this room.”
Many in the room dabbed tears during the End of Watch call by the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office.
“Your sacrifice will never be forgotten. Officer Billy Collins is 10-7.”
Webster deputies and Doyline officers filed past Collins’ casket at the end of the service, then were joined by the multitude of other law enforcement officers. Some stopped to salute, others simply touched the flag-draped casket as they passed by.
Their departure from the church sanctuary was to a 1969 rock hit called “Spirit in the Sky.”
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that’s the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin’ up to the spirit in the sky
More than a mile-long procession of law enforcement, fire and EMS vehicles left the church along Texas Street to Hill Crest Memorial Park, where the graveside service was held. But just before getting there, the hearse was stopped so that Webster sheriff’s deputies, who were his pallbearers, could move the casket into a horse-drawn carriage.
A helicopter flyover, 21-gun salute and presentation of flags ended the service around 2 p.m.
Update: A driver killed in a two-vehicle crash Thursday morning remains unidentified.
According to Louisiana State Police, the man who died will have to be positively identified through an autopsy.
This morning, around 9 a.m., troopers assigned to Louisiana State Police Troop G began investigating the fatal crash on U.S. Highway 371, near Woodmill Road. The crash claimed one life.
The initial investigation revealed that a 2019 Dodge Ram pickup, driven by the unidentified driver, was traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 371, behind an uninvolved vehicle.
At the same time, a 2000 Ford pickup was traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 371. As the Ram was attempting to pass the vehicle in front, it lost control and collided head-on with the southbound Ford. After the collision, the Ram exited the roadway and overturned, before becoming engulfed in flames.
The unidentified driver suffered fatal injuries, as a result of the crash. Positive identification is pending by the Webster Parish Coroner’s Office.
Also responding were Heflin’s fire department and City of Minden’s rescue unit.
Routine toxicology samples were taken and will be submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
Original: A two-vehicle accident around 9 a.m. today has ended in one fatality. Webster Parish Sheriff’s deputies and Louisiana State Police Troop G are working the wreck that took place on Hwy. 371 south near Windmill Road.
One vehicle was completely involved in flames. Also responding were Heflin’s fire department and City of Minden’s rescue unit.
A two-vehicle accident around 9 a.m. today has ended in one fatality. Webster Parish Sheriff’s deputies and Louisiana State Police Troop G are working the wreck that took place on Hwy. 371 south near Windmill Road.
One vehicle was completely involved in flames. Also responding were Heflin’s fire department and City of Minden’s rescue unit.
John Doe 44 has been identified and located. He is currently in custody. The FBI appreciates the assistance from both the media and the public.
ORIGINAL: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking the public’s assistance with obtaining identifying information regarding an unknown male who may have critical information pertaining to the identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation. Photographs and an informational poster depicting the unknown individual, known only as John Doe 44, are being disseminated to the public and can be found online at the FBI website at https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/ecap
Initial video of the unidentified male, John Doe 44, shown with a child were first recorded by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in February of 2021. The EXIF data embedded within the video files indicated that the files were produced prior to November of 2018.
John Doe 44 is described as a White male with light brown hair and wearing a navy blue t-shirt. He is heard speaking English in the video. Due to the age of the images, it is possible that the individual’s appearance may have changed over the years.
Anyone with information to provide should submit a tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov/, or call the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). The public is reminded no charges have been filed in this case and the pictured individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This individual is being sought as part of the FBI’s Operation Rescue Me and Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) initiatives, both of which represent strategic partnerships between the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Operation Rescue Me focuses on utilizing clues obtained through in-depth image analysis to identify the child victims depicted in child exploitation material, while ECAP seeks national and international media exposure of unknown adults (referred to as John/Jane Does) who visibly display their faces and/or other distinguishing characteristics in association with child pornography images.
Members of the Minden City Council are not yet seeing the light when it comes to converting the town’s almost 800 streetlights to smart LED lighting all at the same time.
Representatives of NextEra Energy and Ubicquia pitched the idea during a workshop Tuesday, saying a contract with them would help with maintenance and replacements, and their products would be energy efficient.
“Our program would be for 10 years,” Ivy Davis with NextEra said. “Our agreement is for design, material, labor, as well as maintenance and warranty for the duration of the contract.”
It is renewable at the end.
Jeremy Ferrell, Manager of Strategy and Market Intelligence for NextEra, predicted the City of Minden could be paying $11 to $15 per light, as they replace current fixtures with LED.
“We can get them in the $5 to $8 range, and we pass that along to you as part of the program,” Ferrell said.
With no hard numbers to go by yet, assumptive annual cost of the program would be $55,000, with a potential savings of $22,000 per year, based on replacing 800 streetlights using existing poles, with an additional $33,000 in maintenance savings.
“We are going to cut your energy costs by 50 to 60 percent,” Ferrell said.
Gary Moreland, Power Transmission & Distribution Manager for the city, said there is no data at this point to show what the city spends on streetlights annually.
“We spend maybe $20,000 a year at the most,” he suggested. “That’s including labor. Once we convert them to LED, we are sitting there for about three years with no maintenance.”
District A councilman Wayne Edwards told the representatives he needs something “more tangible to show that those savings indicated are what we are going to receive.”
Since this was considered initial dialogue, it was agreed each party would meet again to put some hard numbers on paper.
Moreland said he would like to propose the city “eat this elephant one bite at a time,” by not replacing all streetlights, but instead choosing areas where they would make the most impact.
Economic Development Director Phillip Smart said the smart LED lights have other benefits, including the ability to dim at night and add cameras with WiFi hubs – two things that will help with safety and bring new businesses to the area.
“The hub has the camera and dimmer on it,” Smart explained. “It acts as a modem, basically. You can run Internet to it and it allows an access point where everyone else can connect to the Internet.”
It will require the fiber optic cable, and the city is still waiting for grant approval to install it, he said.
“You wouldn’t need it for every hub,” he pointed out. “For every six (lights) you will need one. They have different features, so not everyone would need a camera, not everyone would need an (Internet) access point.”
Smart said he hopes the council will vote to replace all streetlights, instead of just the suggested major thoroughfares, such as Shreveport and Homer roads and downtown.
“We are looking at smart capabilities, so we can have community safety,” he said. “But we are already segregated, why would we want to tell businesses or residents that only certain parts of town will have this? Why just be good when we can be great?”
The service will be held at First Church Bossier on East Texas Street in Bossier City.
Collins, a Webster Parish Sheriff’s deputy and Doyline Police officer, was struck down in the line of duty while making a domestic call for a possible suicide victim in Doyline.
The shooter, identified by his family as Mahlon Taylor, is still in critical condition at a Shreveport hospital.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking the public’s assistance with obtaining identifying information regarding an unknown male who may have critical information pertaining to the identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation. Photographs and an informational poster depicting the unknown individual, known only as John Doe 44, are being disseminated to the public and can be found online at the FBI website at https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/ecap
Initial video of the unidentified male, John Doe 44, shown with a child were first recorded by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in February of 2021. The EXIF data embedded within the video files indicated that the files were produced prior to November of 2018.
John Doe 44 is described as a White male with light brown hair and wearing a navy blue t-shirt. He is heard speaking English in the video. Due to the age of the images, it is possible that the individual’s appearance may have changed over the years.
Anyone with information to provide should submit a tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov/, or call the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). The public is reminded no charges have been filed in this case and the pictured individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This individual is being sought as part of the FBI’s Operation Rescue Me and Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) initiatives, both of which represent strategic partnerships between the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Operation Rescue Me focuses on utilizing clues obtained through in-depth image analysis to identify the child victims depicted in child exploitation material, while ECAP seeks national and international media exposure of unknown adults (referred to as John/Jane Does) who visibly display their faces and/or other distinguishing characteristics in association with child pornography images.
A 32-year-old Minden man is in trouble with the law and his mother after showing up where he wasn’t wanted.
Lavancia Jamerel Sterling, of the 100 block of Lorex Rd., Minden, was arrested by Minden Police for remaining after being forbidden, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, possession of Sch. I synthetic Marijuana and possession of Sch. II Ecstasy.
Chief Steve Cropper said Lt. Chris Hammontree and Off. Jason Lee answered the call at a Bayou Avenue apartment where police had been called the night before where Sterling was trying to beat down his mother’s door.
“When they arrived, the officers found Sterling walking away from the apartment,” Cropper said. “They asked Sterling if he knew he was banned from the property, and Sterling’s response was that he was homeless and had no other place to go.”
Officers reportedly Mirandized Sterling and placed him under arrest.
“During a search of Sterling’s person, they located three Ecstasy tablets in his left shorts pocket, along with a package of Cigarillos that only tobacco inside,” said the chief.
The officers then reportedly made contact with Sterling’s mother, who told them Sterling arrived at her house and came in her open front door.
“She told the officers she is scared of Sterling and has told him many times he is not welcome at her residence,” Cropper said. “Sterling entered anyway, and his mother told him to leave multiple times, reminding him that he was banned from the apartment complex by the manager.”
At that time, Lt. Hammontree went back to where he made original contact with Sterling because he reportedly noticed a balled-up piece of paper on the ground.
“He collected the paper and found less than a gram of synthetic Marijuana,” said the chief. “Once at the police department, a fourth Ecstasy tablet was located in Sterling’s pants.”
Cropper said Sterling was “adamant that the pants he was wearing were not his and that he got the pants from his mom’s house, so the Ecstasy was hers.”
“His mother described the pants Sterling had on when he entered her residence, and her description match the pants he was wearing – light blue women’s denim shorts,” Cropper said.
The middle of the road may not be the best place for any kind of transaction, as one man discovered recently.
Minden Police arrested Bryan Alfonso Champion II, 21, of the 400 block of Bailey St., on one count of illegal carrying of weapons and a fugitive from Bossier Police.
Chief Steve Cropper said Off. Kendale Booker and Det. Shane Griffith were patrolling the area of East and Carolina streets due to a spike in gun violence.
“Off. Booker saw Champion and a juvenile male near a vehicle that was illegally stopped in the roadway,” Cropper said. “There was a hand-to-hand transaction between Champion and the person in the vehicle.”
When the two Minden Police officers exited their vehicle, the other one sped off, said the chief.
“Booker made contact with Champion and while preparing to pat him down, observed what appeared to be the handle of a firearm concealed in his right pocket,” Cropper said. “The officer placed Champion in handcuffs and removed the firearm from his pocket.”
Kevin Chess Smith, 33, of Pope St., Taylor, Ark., was arrested by Springhill Police for monetary instrument abuse, no proof of insurance, and not using headlights when required.
Sh’raine Williams, 20, of the 900 block of Whispering Lake, Shreveport, was arrested by Troop G for speeding (111/70 mph), aggravated flight, child restraint violation and no driver’s license.
Storm Brennan Marlin, 27, of the 1900 block of Burson Rd., Heflin, was arrested by Heflin Police for theft of goods and contempt of court.
Jeffery Charles Harrison, 49, of the 300 block of N. Middle Landing, Minden, was arrested by Minden Police on a bench warrant.
Victor Newman Thomas, 36, of the 16,000 block of Hwy. 80, Minden, was arrested by MPD for possession of Sch. I natural Marijuana, possession of Sch. II Ecstasy, possession of drug paraphernalia and an active bench warrant.
Billy Mitchell, 49, of the 800 block of Watterman St., Minden, was arrested by MPD for disturbing the peace by intoxication and possession of Sch. I.
Jesus Manuel Perez, 42 of Boone St., Bossier City, was arrested by Springhill Police for theft, possession of Sch. II Crack Cocaine and possession of Sch. IV Xanax.
Labroderick M. Thomas, 39, of the 200 block of Robinson Rd., Elm Grove, was arrested by Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries and Webster Parish Sheriff’s deputies for possession of Sch. I Marijuana and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Corey Matthew Ray, 50, of the 2900 block of Horseshoe Loop, Doyline, was arrested by WPSO deputies on a warrant for domestic abuse battery.
Brooksy McCuen, 39 of Broadway, Minden, was arrested by WPSO deputies for an expired license plate.
William E. High, 47, of the 100 block of South Field Park, was arrested by Dixie Inn Police for disturbing the peace.
Daedra Moore, 30, of the 900 block of Mayfield St., Homer, was arrested by the Homer Police Dept. on three active bench warrants and a fugitive from justice.
Webster Parish was well represented in Oklahoma over the weekend in the National Little Britches Rodeo Association (NLBRA) Finals.
Lakeside students Alyssa Culpepper, Clara Robinson, Lauren Williamson and North Webster Junior High Charger Levi DeHart all had impressive performances in their respective events.
DeHart earned NLBRA World Standings 4th place; Finalist Aggregate 4th place; Short Go Round 4th place; Second Go Round 6th place; First Go Round 3rd place.
Culpepper qualified in poles, goat tying, and ribbon roping. She made back to the short go in goats tying but didn’t place at the end.
Robinson qualified in poles, barrels, and ribbon roping while Williamson qualified in the goat tying.
These locals were part of Team Louisiana. The state team had more than 200 representative, making Louisiana the largest team out of all other states represented at the finals. More than 1,600 competitors were at the finals from all over the nation.
In the early morning hours of Saturday, November 5, 1960, 19-year-old Texas A&M student James E. Davis was driving his pickup truck on Hwy 79 near Milano, Texas. The student had spent most of that Friday night drinking, which carried over into the wee hours of Saturday morning. Davis drove his truck at a high rate of speed. The alcohol had dulled his senses. His vision was blurred. His reaction time had slowed. He was too drunk to drive.
Three friends, Tillman Franks, Gerald “Tommy” Tomlinson, and John LaGale were driving from Austin, Texas, to Shreveport, Louisiana, on Highway 79 in a Cadillac sedan. The trip should have taken about six hours to complete. LaGale was driving and conversing with front seat passenger Tillman Franks. Gerald Tomlinson, was lying down in the back seat, attempting to sleep.
Between 1:35 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., sources vary on the exact time, James Davis drove his pickup truck at high rate of speed as he approached the railroad overpass in Milano. The trio in the Cadillac sedan approached the railroad overpass from the opposite direction.
As the trio in the Cadillac reached the overpass, Davis, his vision blurred from the effects of alcohol, slammed the passenger side of the truck into the bridgehead at approximately 90 miles per hour. In a split second, the truck ricocheted off of the bridgehead and back onto Hwy 79.
LaGale had no time to react. The truck and Cadillac met in a head-on collision with enormous force. Tomlinson flew from the back seat of the Cadillac into the back of the front seat. Franks crashed into the Cadillac’s metal dash. LaGale struck the steering wheel and dash. Davis hit the steering wheel of his pickup truck.
The force of the head-on collision crumpled the driver’s sides of the Cadillac and pickup truck. Both drivers were pinned in their vehicles.
After freeing the drivers from the vehicles, paramedics transported the four men to a hospital in Cameron, Texas. LaGale received numerous injuries and died in the ambulance as it sped to the hospital. The drunk driver received multiple abrasions and a fractured ankle. Franks had multiple abrasions and bruised ribs. Tomlinson received multiple abrasions, along with multiple fractures and blood vessel damage to his left leg. Over a period of eighteen months, Tomlinson had numerous operations, but doctors were forced to amputate his left leg.
Two days after the crash, family and friends gathered at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Haughton to pay their last respects to LaGale. Despite his injuries and against the advice of his doctors, Franks was determined to attend LaGale’s funeral. Finally, the doctors relented and transported Franks to LaGale’s funeral on a hospital stretcher.
James E. Davis, the driver of the pickup truck, received a suspended sentence for drunk driving. Two years later, he was killed in another drunk driving accident.
The three friends in the Cadillac were more than buddies, they were a rockabilly band. Gerald “Tommy” Tomlinson was a guitar picker who worked with artists such as Jim Reeves, Claude King, Marty Robbins, David Houston, and many more.
Tillman Franks had multiple roles in the band. He played the upright bass, wrote or cowrote several hit songs, and was also the manager for the band. In a career which spanned more than three decades, Franks managed and aided in the careers of such acts as Hank Williams Sr., Faron Young, Elvis Presley, and several others.
John LaGale was the star singer of the band. He recorded several hit songs including “Sink the Bismarck,” “North to Alaska,” “Springtime in Alaska,” and “Honky Tonk Man.” His best-known song was the 1959 single “The Battle of New Orleans.” His full name was John LaGale Horton…Johnny Horton.
Sources:
1. The Courier-Gazette (McKinney, Texas), November 5, 1960, p.1. 2. The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana), November 6, 1960, p.1. 3. The Shreveport Journal, July 12, 1976, p.25. 4. Rockabilly Hall of Fame. “Tommy Tomlinson.” Accessed July 6, 2021. rockabillyhall.com/tommytomlinson.html. 5. Hillbilly-Music Dawt Com. “Tommy Tomlinson.” Accessed July 6, 2021. http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=11263.
Local students earn community service hours for school at the Joe LeBlanc Food Pantry. Minden High teacher John Dillon believes volunteerism is one of the most important acts society can introduce to young people.
By Josh Beavers
A Minden teacher believes volunteerism is one of the most important acts society can introduce to young people.
John Dillon, who has taught English at Minden High School since 2006, maintains empathy (the ability to understand and share the feelings of another) is one of the most important skills a person can possess. “And I don’t think you can be a very good citizen without it, either,” he told The Journal during an interview last week. “If schools are supposed to teach kids from adolescence to adulthood, I say teaching empathy, especially through direct volunteerism, is a good place to start.”
As such, Dillon requires public service hours from every student who enrolls in his English honors classes. Combined with the same requirement from Karen Greer, MHS English I honors teacher, Minden honors English students will have a total of at least 50 volunteer hours upon earning their diploma.
Jessica Lewis, director of the Joe LeBlanc Food Pantry, says organizations such as the one she represents benefit from school initiatives that place an emphasis on student community service.
“Our two greatest needs are getting the bags packed and then distribution day,” she told The Journal as she prepared for last week’s “Students’ Day.”
“We were receiving so many phone calls from area students that have been required to obtain volunteer hours over their Summer Break that it only made sense to let them all come in at one time and knock them out,” she continued. “We’ve had kids from Glenbrook, Minden High, Lakeside and even Calvary in Shreveport come serve with us.”
She said it was exciting to see teachers making volunteerism a priority. “We hope that when kids come and have fun while serving that they continue to want to do it even when it isn’t being required of them,” she told us. “In my opinion, there is such a great opportunity in teaching these kids about how they can connect and give back to their communities. Hopefully it sparks something inside of them that continues on into adulthood.”
“We’ve had quite a few kids working already this summer, and in every single one of them I have seen an eagerness to help and great attitudes,” she added.
And it is a positive attitude that she hopes continues as kids become adults. The need to help the less fortunate is unending.
“There are so many ways you can get plugged in and help out at the pantry all the way from coming and serving in person to connecting your Amazon Smile account to the pantry where a portion of every purchase you make gets donated to us,” she said. “Our greatest needs are finances and volunteers.”
Joe LeBlanc distribution day is always the third Saturday of each month and volunteers are needed “so badly to make sure every little part goes off without a hitch.”
To volunteer, all you need to do is show up at about 8:45 a.m. at 814 Constable Street. The next distribution is this Saturday, July 17th. “To find out about all of the other ways you can get involved just follow us on Facebook,” Lewis said. “When there is a need we post it there.”
Dillon’s program is tied to a traditional summer reading assignment; however, he said he wanted to make a greater impact on students than just reading and writing over the break.
“I want students to learn that there are a lot of gaps in Minden and Webster Parish,” he told us. “I have honors students from every socioeconomic segment. If volunteering makes the more privileged kids even better young people (because they end up with a broader understanding of helping their fellows) and consequently having a more mature view of how lucky they are to have what they have, then that’s what we’ll do.”
And as for the honors kids who aren’t as privileged? “I think [they] appreciate the fact that their teacher places as much emphasis on the Golden Rule as he does on essays and Shakespeare,” Dillon said.
To parents, Dillon admits of traditional summer reading assignments: “who cares if those kids read a couple extra books over the summer?”
“But if they volunteer at a soup kitchen, a pregnancy crisis center, vacation Bible school, a camp for physically disabled children, etc. That matters,” he wants parents to know. “So the next time you want to brag on your kid, make sure it’s something that really has enough human value to make the bragging worth it. We have a bad habit of rewarding any kid who can hit a baseball or catch a football, but we tend to ignore kids who play checkers with the old folks at the nursing home. Teach that to the kids. Then brag all you want when they do something to help others. They’ll deserve it.”
