Thanks to police work and a little bit of luck, an alleged shooter is off Minden streets.
Around 10:30 this morning (Thursday, February 29), Det. Sgt. Jason Smith spotted 28-year-old Jaryon Stephens outside a residence on Peach Street. A foot pursuit ensued and several other officers joined in the chase. As a result, Stephens was taken into custody. He is charged with attempted second degree murder, attempted second degree battery, possession of methamphetamine and resisting arrest. A charge of burglary may be added.
Minden Police Chief Jared McIver said Minden citizens can rest easier.
“We are glad to get him off the streets, and I applaud our guys for their hard work,” McIver said.
Stephens has been sought by police after he was identified as the shooter of Minden resident Ronnie Hemphill on Martin Luther King Dr. Hemphill was shot eight times, allegedly by Stephens.
For the full story of Stephens’ apprehension, please see tomorrow’s Webster Parish Journal.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Reverend Linda Muriel Cooper-Baker, a life-long resident of Minden, wears many hats including preacher, teacher, musician and a motivational speaker. In fact, she says her “superpower” is the gift of encouragement and motivation.
“It is my prayer that I have been able to encourage and motivate others to achieve their dreams,” said Baker.
Rev. Baker knows all too well about the obstacles and challenges one may face during a lifetime because she has experienced her fair share.
“Life is full of challenges,” Baker explained. “Whether you consider life’s roadblocks as obstacles or challenges, they are a part of the growth process, and that growth process helps you to be strong so that when you reach the goal, you can stand.”
As a 1969 graduate of Webster High School, she became the first African American contestant to participate in the Miss Minden Pageant and won first place in the talent portion of the competition. She went on to attend Grambling State University, where she was selected as “Miss Cover Girl” in 1974.
Adding to her long list of accomplishments, Baker won fourth place in the Metropolitan Opera Regional Auditions in Shreveport and third place in the National Association of Teachers of Singers in Nashville.
She went on to graduate from Grambling with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and shortly after she began a very successful career educating the youth through music and teaching.
Baker taught from 1974 – 1998 at various schools. She enjoyed a couple years of retirement before the principal of Bethune Middle School in Shreveport convinced her to begin a choral music program. The choir traveled to Dallas where they were awarded first place male chorus, female chorus and mixed chorus. As a result of their performance, Bethune Middle School won the Sweepstake Award for best overall choir and Rev. Baker was presented with the Choral Conductor of the Year Award.
Baker’s accomplishments and awards are too numerous to name.
In 2001, Baker accepted a call to ministry. She went on to earn of Bachelor of Theology Degree from the United Theological Seminary in Monroe where she maintained a 4.0 GPA. She was licensed as a Minister of the Gospel by Rev. B.J. Martin at St. Rest Baptist Church and then received her Deacon’s Ordination in 2013 and her Elder’s Ordination the following year.
Currently, Rev. Baker serves as Pastor of Bracks Chapel CME in Elm Grove. She was also appointed as the 4th Episcopal District Music Coordinator covering Louisiana and Mississippi and served one year on the National Board of Christian Education board during a Unity Summit held in Houston.
What or who inspires a woman like Rev. Baker?
She says, “My mom- simply because she was born into this world with nothing and yet she was able to successfully grow and mature into not only a beautiful woman but an awesome mother.”
Rev. Baker is happily married to Bobby Gene Baker, Sr. Together they have three children and are the very proud grandparents of six and godparents to many.
It took an Arabian Village on an Arabian night to pull off the 82nd Annual Greater Minden Chamber’s Awards Gala, complete with decorations, food and entertainment.
Presenting sponsor Home Federal Bank aided chamber members and staff with everything needed to make it a magical evening. The VIP reception was sponsored by TA Express Travel Center and catered by Hugh Wood Catering, as was the evening dinner.
Social Sponsors included Catherine Hunt Realtor, LaState Realty, Durrett Law & Title, Fibrebond Corp., Interstate Building Materials, Mike’s Hometown Spirits, Shug’s Minden and The Villas at Spanish Court.
Silver Sponsors were Barksdale Federal Credit Union, Coca-Cola Bottling Co., of Minden, Madden Contracting, Meadowview Health & Rehab and Town & Country Health & Rehab.
Gibsland Bank & Trust and Minden Medical Center served as Gold Sponsors, while b1 Bank took over as Awards Sponsor.
Chamber Awards
Small Business of the Year: Under Dawgs
Business of the Year: LaState Realty
Businessperson of the Year: Mike Elshout
Community Partner of the Year: Minden Foundation
Hometown Hero: Colin Campbell
Lifetime Achievement: Jack Byrd
Young Women’s Service Club chose Charlotte Jones as Woman of the Year, while Minden Lions Club picked Larry Milford as Man of the Year.
A Springhill woman has been charged for reportedly taking money from a wallet that was inadvertently left by a customer at a Sarepta convenience store where she was a clerk.
Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said 26-year-old Brenna Nicole Reynolds is facing a theft charge for removing more than $400 from the wallet, which was returned empty to the customer the following day.
Parker said a customer had made purchases at the store and apparently walked away, leaving the wallet on the counter. Later, another customer found the wallet laying on the store’s counter and turned it over to Reynolds, who reportedly checked the contents and ID.
“She told the person who found the wallet its owner would be back and then placed it on the counter behind her,” Parker said. “Later, she turned away from the store security counter and took the money from the wallet. The next day it was returned empty to the person who left it.”
During questioning, Reynolds reportedly admitted she took the money. WPSO Det. Terry Brown investigated the incident.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
While the state is NOT under a burn ban, State Fire Marshal Bryan J Adams is strongly encouraging Louisianans avoid any outdoor burning practices until conditions become less concerning.
Continuous, elevated winds coupled with mostly dry conditions across the state have led to an increase in brush fire calls for local fire departments. Several of these calls have escalated into large and dangerous wildfires that involved response from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
“Even though the current conditions are nowhere close to what the state experienced last summer, we need everyone to understand the ingredients for dangerous fires are in place right now,” said Adams, “These fires are resulting from small outdoor burn piles getting quickly out of control. They are proving to be challenging for firefighters and have destroyed properties.”
Minden Fire Chief Brian Williams said his firefighters have responded to four grass or woods fires over the past week.
“Also, there have been 27 across the parish, since February 18,” he added.
Open, outdoor burning is defined as setting fire to any trees, branches, grass, leaves, brush, or debris by private property owners for non-commercial purposes. If outdoor burning is unavoidable at this time, safety tips include:
• Ensuring weather conditions, including wind speed and direction, are safe for burning
• Confirming open burning is legal in your area
• Establishing a burn pile at least 75 feet from any structures
• Creating a 5-foot wet control line around the area
• Avoiding the use of flammable liquids to ignite a burn pile
• Remaining vigilant over the fire with a water source nearby at all times
• Alert a loved one or neighbor of your activities or conduct them with help
Several months ago, I wrote about Emily Garrison Boone. Several items belonging to the Boone family had been donated to the museum. Among them was Mrs. Boone’s diploma from the Minden Female College.
Last week, more items from the Boone family were donated. As I was sorting through them, skimming and scanning postcards and letters to get an idea of what was there, one letter caught my attention. It was dated 1831 and addressed to William C. Garrison, Esq. at Liberty, Tennessee. The thing that stood out was the location.
Liberty, Tennessee was founded in 1797 by Adam Dale, my sixth great-granduncle. Family members and other settlers from Maryland soon followed, including Adam’s parents, my seventh great-grandparents, Thomas Dale and Elizabeth Evans. Coincidentally, my first memories of interest in family history are when I was about nine or ten years old. I remember reading through our copy of “A Dale Family History” and being fascinated.
When I saw Liberty, Tennessee on the front of that letter, I knew that William Garrison would have known my ancestors. As I started looking back at the information I had on the Garrisons, I was reminded that Mr. Garrison had died and his wife, Melvina, had remarried to R. A. Lancaster in Harrison County, Texas in 1845 before moving to Bossier Parish. Mr. Lancaster served several terms as mayor of Minden. As I reviewed the records, I was reminded of another detail that didn’t hold any particular significance before. In census records, Melvina’s mother is listed in the household. Her name was Mary Evans and she was born in Maryland. With the knowledge that my seventh great-grandmother, Elizabeth Evans, was also from Maryland, I knew that I was going to find out that we were related. I just had to prove it.
I was born and raised in Minden, but I don’t consider myself to have deep family roots here. Several generations of my family have lived here, but not before the late 1920s when my great-grandmother’s sister moved here and the rest of the family followed. My maiden name is Stewart. Whether or not I am of the Webster Parish Stewarts is not an uncommon question. I am not. My Stewarts descend from the Dales of Liberty, Tennessee, and are from Illinois. I never imagined that I could have a connection to Minden’s early history.
Much of the Dale family history has already been documented and there are multiple marriages between the Dale and Evans families. This led me to believe it would be fairly easy to find the Evans connection I was looking for. In reality, it was a little more difficult than I expected. Records from the time are missing. Without those records, I started cross-referencing everything I could think of, looking for any clue, any relevant piece of information, to put the pieces together.
Monday afternoon, I remembered that there is an Evans buried in the old section of the Minden Cemetery. A quick check of FindAGrave reminded me that it was Martha, wife of Dr. John Evans. A few more clicks revealed that Dr. Evans was also born in Maryland, just like Elizabeth and Mary. This gave me another avenue of collateral research to pursue.
At first, I kept hitting some of the same roadblocks, still not finding the information I needed to put it all together. And then, I found it. In a document, a member of the Evans family recorded their history. One of the sources cited was a letter, written in 1827, from William Dale, my sixth great-grandfather, to his cousin, Dr. John Reed Evans, whose wife is buried in the Minden Cemetery. In this letter, William explains to John how they are related.
William’s father, Thomas, and John’s grandmother, Sarah, were brother and sister. At the same time, William’s mother, Elizabeth, was a niece of John’s grandfather, Joseph. On the Dale side, they were first cousins once removed. On the Evans side, they were 2nd cousins.
In June 2022, I was in Liberty, Tennessee. We visited the church founded in 1809 and the adjacent cemetery. We saw the historical marker commemorating the founding of the town and the mill stone from Adam Dale’s mill that was located on Smith Fork Creek. I stood at William Dale’s grave, never imagining that a little over a year and a half later, and on the 155th anniversary of the death of Dr. John Reed Evans, a letter written by William nearly 200 years ago would tell me I had relatives living in Minden in the 1850s and 1860s, that Miss Emily Garrison, whose diploma now hangs in the museum, was my cousin.
(Jessica Gorman is the Executive Director of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Webster Parish Historian, and an avid genealogist.)
We honor the life of Gladys P. McGee, a treasured educator and family matriarch, who left us on February 26, 2024. Gladys, a revered teacher at J. L. Jones Elementary School in Minden, Louisiana, is survived by her daughters Bonnie, Jasmine, and Rhoda of Minden, and five grandchildren: English Runyan, Alexis Fisher, Allie McGee, Paul McGee, and Ronald Foster Jr. We invite you to commemorate her life at 12:00 noon, Saturday, March 2, 2024, at St. Rest Baptist Church, in Minden, Louisiana. Interment will be held at Sheppard Street Cemetery with a repass following at B.F Martin Community Life Center. Join us in remembering a life beautifully lived.
Punxsutawney Phil hit it right on the head with his estimation of how soon spring would arrive and boy did it arrive just in time for a beautiful day of “America’s Pastime”. Your Glenbrook Elementary and Jr High Apaches capped off great seasons in baseball. The lower and upper elementary teams made war all the way over in Monroe, LA last Saturday, while the Jr High Apaches took the diamond in their finale at the LSUS Pilots beautiful facility.
It was a beautiful day for baseball as the 5/6 Apaches baseball team kicked things off against the formidable Riverfield Raiders who made the trek over from the metropolitan area of Rayville, LA. While the Apaches put on a great show, they fell just short of victory against the Raiders who went on to win the whole tournament later that evening. We look forward to another great season next year for this group of Apaches as they welcome a new group of ballers into their ranks.
Next, we can look at the Jr High Apaches as they looked to bring home the Championship and cap off an undefeated regular season. They played 4 games for the tournament. In game one, the Apaches blanked the Lakeside Warriors by a score of 10-0. The seven run third inning showed Brayden Watkins blasting and inside the park round trip with 2-RBI, Tanner Cox with an RBI ground out, in which an error scored another run. Ryder Malone stroked a triple scoring a run and Big D and I don’t mean Dallas-Darron Hollingsworth smoked a double that scored one as well. Carson Powell channeled his inner Ricky Henderson and stole two bags right from under the Warrior’s noses. In game two, the Apaches put it on the Ruston Bearkats by a score of 8-3. With Colton Jellum drawing a walk, the good eyes propelled the Apaches to a five run fourth inning. An error made by the Bearkats scored two runs and the Apache speedster and 2-guard, Carson Powell doubled scoring two, and Kleaton Davis who saw playing time for the Varsity Apaches earlier in the week also had a single and RBI. In game three, it was Brayden Watkins that led the Apache war party ahead of Lakeside, 11-2. Brayden went 3-3 at the plate and finished a round tripper shy of the ever so coveted cycle. Brayden had a triple in the fourth, double in the second and single in the third inning. The Apaches really stretched the game out of hand in the third inning when The Big Red Machine, Colton Jellum blasted a triple that scored one, Brayden’s single scored one, Carson Powell tripled with 2-RBI, and the Beast himself, Carson Whitehead drew a walk and later scored. Brayden Watkins continued his dominance along with Carson Whitehead, who each knabbed multiple stolen bases, but the team had 10 stolen bases total in the game. This big win propelled the Apaches to the semifinals to face Evangel. Evangel had a big third inning to lead them ahead of the Apaches by a score of 11-5. Evangel scored 3-runs in the first, but the Apaches answered tying the game up from a triple by Brayden Watkins, a single by Carson Powell, and a single by Kleaton Davis. But a double by the Big Red Machine gave the Apaches the lead in the second from a steaming double. But the Evangel big third inning pushed them passed the Apaches to head to the finals. The season didn’t end the way the Jr High wanted, but they had an incredible season going undefeated in the regular season against some very stiff competition. This group of young men are a tight group and will be battling for state championships for the next 5-years. This group of young men displayed great character and showed what it means to be a Glenbrook Apache.
Finally, we will recap the stellar tournament for the 3/4 Elementary Apaches. This group of young men had an undefeated regular season in football with great run in the playoffs. Coming up just short in football only lit their fire for the baseball season. These boys put on a clinic in Ruston. Their grit and determination showed as they fought and clawed in every single game to bring home the title back to the halls of Glenbrook. In the first game, your Apaches took on the OCS Green team and arose victorious with a come from behind score of 4-3. OCS opened the game with a pair of singles, followed by a clutch single that brought home the two base runners in the top of the first. Hagan Hay got the nod throwing from an elevated position and had some struggles early as the righty gave up three hits and three runs. Hagan also struck out four and walked three in two and a third innings. Marshall Duck came in relief and put on a clinic form the bump. Marshall surrendered ZERO hits, caught three batters guessing and only walked two. Ryder Hollingsworth, Hammering Hank Rowton and Marshall Duck all drove in runs for the Apaches. But when the game was tied 3-3 in the bottom of the third Marshall Duck continued his outstanding game scoring the go-ahead run from a seeing eye single that propelled the Apaches forward for the win. Game 2 provided more fireworks with the Apaches winning in walk-off fashion against FCCS by a score of 6-5. FCCS jumped out to an early 4-0 lead over the Apaches, but they weren’t ready to go home as they scored two runs in the first, but FCCS gained another run in the second to extend the lead 5-2. The towering righty, Ryder Hollingsworth came in relief to the hill and his “Filthy McNasty Sandwich” served a shut out of FCCS in an absolute dominant fashion, throwing the “no-no” with SIX strikeouts. The strong eyes at the plate of the Apaches proved true as Hammering Hank and the hine catcher, Big G-Grayson Avery lead the Apaches with multiple RBI’s and the team totaled six walks. But with the game on the line in the bottom of the 5th, Big G striped a double, Oh Captain, my Captain Powell drew a walk with the game tied at 5. With the bases juiced, Hammering Hank drew a walk that brought in a run for the walk-off win to advance to the finals!
In the finals your Apaches prevailed 9-0 over the extremely talented OCS green and white team that edged this Apaches team during the football season in the playoffs. These Apache boys wanted the rematch and showed out to blank their cross-state rivals to win the Championship! The Apaches Ace, Ryder Hollingsworth took the bump and threw another gem only giving up one hit, made seven, yes seven Eagle batters drag their bats back to the dugout to sit down in three short innings of work. Big G lead the Apaches at the plate going 2-3, but the big second inning really put the game out of hand as the Apaches scored seven runs with Warren Johnson, and Hank drawing a walk that each scored runs. Hagan Hay drove two runs across the plate from a fielder’s choice. Ryder doubled, driving in a run, Big Captain Powell doubled as well that had a runner boot-scoot and boogying across the plate. Big G also had an RBI as well. Hammering Hank came in relief after the great game Hollingsworth started and continued the pitching dominance with only surrendering one hit and zero runs accompanied with ZERO errors in the field to propel your Apaches to glory, sealing the Championship for Glenbrook.
We look forward to watching this tight-knit group dominate in football, baseball, and basketball for years to come. This is another special group of young men who rely on each other and push one another throughout the year to grow and WORK to get better. What a great season for the Apaches baseball teams as they proved they will be a perennial force to be reckoned with for years to come.
Five Ingredient Italian Beef & Noodles are so good that my teenager ate 3 plates. And I loved this as much as he did because it took less than 2 minutes to prepare! Serve with a noodle of your choice or mashed potatoes. I am the biggest fan of a REALLY good crock pot recipe and this is exactly that!
Ingredients:
2 pounds stew meat
½ – ¾ can of beef broth
1 package Italian seasoning
1 stick butter
Pasta of your choice (I like a wide, flat noodle) or mashed potatoes
Directions
Place stew meat in slow cooker. Pour beef broth in. Sprinkle season evenly over. Place butter in the center. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. When it is almost time to eat, prepare your noodles, drain and mix into slow cooker. Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.
(Ashley Madden Rowton is a wife, mom and published cookbook author who lives in Minden, La.)
The highly-anticipated return of the Springhill Farmer’s Market is set to bring artisanal goods and a vibrant community atmosphere back to Springhill. After a brief winter hiatus, the market reopens its doors this Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Locals and visitors alike can once again indulge in a diverse array of locally sourced hand-crafted products, home-made foods and more. The market will be held on the first Saturday of each month from March through November at the Springhill Farmer’s Market pavilion.
“We’re thrilled to welcome back the community to the Springhill Farmer’s Market. It’s not just a market; it’s a celebration of our local farmers, artisans, burgeoning business owners and the spirit of our city,” said Amie Poladian, Director of Springhill Main Street. “In addition to the bountiful goods you will find to fill your loved-ones Easter baskets, attendees can look forward to music in the sunshine with friends, the feeling of community, great weather and delicious foods. This is a family-friendly activity– bring the whole gang – even the pups. There are treats for them, too.
“There will be limited produce as the planting season has just begun, but we have plenty of home-made food and craft vendors to fill your day with fun,” she continued. “There will be fresh pretzels and lemonade, cookies and cakes, home-baked breads, made-fresh iced coffees, jewelry of all sorts, plushies, freshies, hand-carved wood projects, dozens of fresh jellies and jams by more than 40 vendors.”
The market remains committed to promoting sustainability and encouraging local business. Head down Main Street after you leave the market for some superman ice cream at AmJenn’s Soups & Scoops, stop into GG’s Coffee Shop & Classy Collectibles, The Corner Drug Store, M&M Floral and More, L&N Boutique, and House of Diamonds to see what other greats finds there are. Don’t fill up on market foods alone – Chania Greek Café, Cajun Gypsy, Panda Garden, and El Nopal will all be open for a post-shopping meal break.
Springhill Main Street encourages everyone to join in and experience the joy of the market’s return. “Let’s come together, celebrate our community, and enjoy the incredible offerings of our local producers.”
Springhill Medical Center proudly welcomes Ashley Pulley, PA to the family. Ashley’s specialty is Orthopedics. She is seeing patients by appointment at the Doctors Clinic. Call 318-539-1701. Springhill Medical Center, treating you like family. www.smccare.com .
Learning how to read and use the Nutrition Facts label can help you make informed food choices that support a healthy diet. See below three definitions that are important to learn before reading food labels.
Calories: the total number of calories, or “energy,” supplied from all sources (fat, carbohydrate, protein, and alcohol) in a serving of the food.
Nutrient: a substance in food that is used by the body to function and grow. Examples: fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water.
Percent Daily Value (%DV): shows how much nutrient in a serving of the food contributes to a total daily diet. It can help you determine if a serving of the food is high or low in an individual nutrient and to compare food products.
What the New Nutrition Facts Label Tells Us
The first line tells you about the servings per container, which is the total number of servings in the entire food package or container. It’s common for one package of food to contain more than one serving.
The second line is serving size. The serving size is based on the amount of food people typically eat at one time and is not a recommendation of how much you should eat. The nutrition information listed on the Nutrition Facts Label is based on the serving size listed on the label, and, if there is a second column based on the amount per package, that column of nutrition information will be based on the entire package. Serving size is shown as a common household measure that is appropriate to the food (such as cup, tablespoon, piece, slice, or jar), followed by the metric amount. When comparing calories and nutrients in different foods, always check the serving size to make an accurate comparison.
The third line is calories. Calories refer to the total number of calories, or “energy,” supplied from all sources (fat, carbohydrate, protein, and alcohol) in a serving of the food. To achieve or maintain a healthy weight, balance the number of calories you eat and drink with the number of calories your body uses. 2,000 calories a day is used as a general guide for nutrition advice.
The Percent Daily Value, or percent DV, shows how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a total daily diet.Use the %DV to determine if a serving of the food is high or low in an individual nutrient and to compare food products – but make sure the serving size is the same. As a general guide: 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low, and 20% DV or more of a nutrient per serving is considered high. You can find the %DV on the right side of the list of nutrients.
On the left side of the food label lists the different nutrients contained in the food product. Use this section of the label to help choose products that are lower in nutrients you want to get less of and higher in nutrients you want to get more of. Nutrients to get less of include saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and added sugars. Most Americans exceed the recommended limits for these nutrients—and diets higher in these nutrients are associated with an increased risk of developing some health conditions (such as cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure).Compare and choose foods to get less than 100% DV of these nutrients each day. Nutrients to get more of include dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium.(Shakera Williams, M.P.H. is Assistant Nutrition Extension Agent- FCS for Webster/Claiborne parishes. Contact her at (318) 371-1371.)
10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Jonquil Festival in Gibsland. Tickets for the self guided tour remain at $10 and may be purchased downtown on the day of festival. The Historical Red Barn will be the featured tour stop. Please follow social media for more information about vendors, tour stops and other activities surrounding the festival day. Raffle tickets for bulbs and the jonquil quilt are on sale at all GBT branches for $1 donation each.
Caney Puzzler Adventure Race, Caney Lakes.
6 p.m. Bingo with $500 jackpot. Proceeds for LaMa Animal Rescue. 101 Machen Dr., Springhill.
March 3
6:30 p.m. True Girl Crazy Hair Tour at First Baptist Minden for mothers and daughters ages 7-12. This live event will be full of games, worship, fashion show, solid biblical truth and will deepen the relationship between mothers and their daughters. Visit www.mytruegirl.com for tickets. For more information, call the church office at 318-377-4434.
March 10
2:30 p.m., “Something Extraordinary,” Annual Youth Explosion, Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, Minister James E. Smith Pastor/Teacher, 595 Central School Rd., Dubberly. Contact Alysia Mason (318) 458-1916 or Mechelle Hall (318) 573-7171.
March 11
6 p.m., Night at the Museum with Mary Claire Kettler. History of Mount Lebanon. Admission is free; donations welcome. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; seating is limited. Refreshments are potluck snacks and desserts.
March 16
9 a.m. until noon, District 2 Star of Hope O.E.S. 30th Annual Gala, “Star Struck” Welcome to Old Hollywood. 630 Factory Outlet Dr., Arcadia, La. Attire: Sunday’s best with “fascinators and fedoras. Entertainment, food, drawings. Public is welcome. $5 donation at the door.
A committee of former Thomas & Rhone Elementary School students have planned a reunion for all former students, faculty and staff. This reunion is schedule for Memorial Day Weekend, Friday and Saturday, (May 24th and 25th). All activities will be held at the Shongaloo Civic Center, 119 LA 2 Alt Rd, in Shongaloo, LA. Listed below is the schedule of events:
March 24
Noon until 5 p.m. Thomas & Rhone Elementary Reunion. Registration, Meet & Greet, Ole Fashion Fish Fry.
March 25
10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Thomas & Rhone Elementary Reunion. Games, Hamburgers & Hot Dogs, Visit to School Site,Shongaloo Civic Center. For more information, call (318) 847-4436 or (501) 347-4856
April 3
Greater Minden Spring Job Fair & Resource Expo.
April 4
6 p.m. 2024 UCAP Hunger Fest and Dessert Auction. First Methodist Church, 903 Broadway, Minden. Tickets are $5 each; table sponsorships are $100.
In 1966, 21-year-old Wayne Anthony Allwine began working in the mailroom at Disney Studios in Burbank, California. For three years, Wayne sorted and delivered mail in the studio. In 1969, Wayne’s talents were such that he was promoted to the sound effects department where he worked under sound effects creator and voice actor Jimmy MacDonald. Wayne was glad to work alongside Jimmy because, in addition to other sound effects Jimmy had been the voice of Mickey Mouse since 1947 when he took over the role from Walt Disney himself. In addition to creating various sound effects for Disney movies and TV episodes, Wayne voiced one of the thug guards in The Great Mouse Detective, a weasel called Otto and a poor dog in Mickey’s Christmas Carol, and Ludwig Von Drake in the Disney Channel special Ludwig’s Think Tank.
In 1977, Jimmy announced that he was retiring from Disney. Disney held open auditions for someone to take over the voice of Mickey Mouse. With the auditions being open to the public, Wayne thought he had little chance of getting the part. He auditioned anyway because he knew that he would have no chance of getting the part if he failed to audition. As you probably guessed, Wayne became the voice of Mickey Mouse.
Some two decades earlier, a young girl named Russel “Russi” Taylor was on vacation with her parents at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. As they were walking in the park, little Russi saw someone she recognized. It was not one of the many character actors. It was Walt Disney himself. Walt spoke to little Russi and asked her what she wanted to do when she grew up. Russi quickly replied, “I want to work for you.” Taking the response in stride, Walt smiled and said, “Okay.” Russi became a voice actor. In the mid-1970s, Russi voiced the role of the baby on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. As if the conversation with Walt Disney was prophetic, Russi eventually worked at Disney as the voices of Huey, Dewey, and Louie and Webby Vanderquack in the animated series Duck Tales. She also voiced several characters in the animated series The Simpsons including twins Sherri and Terri, German exchange student Üter, and nerd Martin Prince. She provided the voice for Pebbles Flintstone in Hanna-Barbera’s The Flintstone Comedy Show. In all, she provided the voices for dozens of characters through the years.
In 1987, Wayne and Russi met while working on a Disney special. The two voice actors fell in love and married four years later. For Wayne and Russi, it was a dream come true. You see, Wayne, the voice of Mickey Mouse, married Russi, the voice of Minnie Mouse.
I would like to preface this article by letting you know it might be a little long, but worth the read….enjoy!
Over my many years of fishing Pro/Am bass tournaments, I have run across some very interesting characters. For me, one of the most intriguing parts of fishing these types of tournaments is the people you meet, anglers you get to spend eight hours with inside a bass boat. It’s an opportunity to learn even if they are a novice angler in terms of skills. Most are very cordial and pleasant to be around. But then there are the ones who you can’t get out of your boat soon enough.
I’ve only had two that fall into the category of “get off my lawn” or in my case “get out of my boat!” One angler I had the pleasure of drawing was at a National Championship event on Red River. That’s right, a huge event in my backyard and I was in position to win. After day one, I was sitting in 3rd place going into the final day just a little less than three pounds behind the leader. My day one partner (co-angler) was an awesome guy and we both had good 5-fish limits as he was sitting in 4th on the co-angler side of the event. We had a great time and a great day while enjoying each other’s company.
Then day 2 rolled around and I drew a Tennessee co-angler who turned out to be the co-angler from hell. For me, it usually doesn’t take long to get a feel for how someone will be simply by his demeanor. Unaware of this co-angler’s crazy reputation, I had a bad feeling from the second he “jumped” into my boat, and I literally mean “jumped” into my boat. This guy was hyped up on some kind of drug or he must have had 15 cups of coffee that morning.
He had 15 rods and 4 tackle boxes along with a huge thermos ( I can only assume was coffee), almost a complete change of clothes, and enough food to feed a small nation. It was as if Boy Scout Tennessee Ted was now in my boat and prepared for any and all situations including an attack on US soil.
You must remember, this was at a time in my life when I had zero patience and a low tolerance for craziness…. which will be revealed here shortly. As I helped the angler get situated with all his gear, he started talking and pacing on the back deck of my boat at such a high rate of speed, I thought my carpet was going to catch on fire. He also spoke a language that I think was a combination of Italian and southern slang. Either way, we had trouble communicating from the start.
I was already frustrated with this guy, and we had not even left the boat dock yet. It was all I could do to prepare myself mentally for eight hours with the crazy man from Tennessee. Finally, it was time to go fishing which meant I would get at least ten minutes of peace while we ran to our first fishing spot. We stopped on the river to fish a certain piling next to a rock jetty.
This one specific piling for some reason held a good bass on it every time I fished it and was a great place to start each day. Sure enough, on my first cast I hooked a 3-pound bass and as I swung the fish into the boat Tennessee Ted decided to make a cast past the front of the boat to the same piling.
Now there are rules in most Pro/Am tournaments that don’t allow for a co-angler to make casts past the pro/boater in the front of the boat. But he decided to ignore this simple rule and proceeded to catch a 4-pound bass off the same piling, which really irritated the hell out of me! I expressed my displeasure with him and reminded him of the rule. He sincerely apologized and I reluctantly forgave him, but also reminded him to please not do that again.
So, now that he had been reminded of the rules, we made stop number two on a cut just off the river. I made one cast into the cut and caught a 2 ½ pound bass! Well low and behold, Tennessee Ted struck again by flipping his spinnerbait into the same cut past the front of the boat and catches a 3-pound bass! Now I’m really ticked off and proceeded to reprimand him with a few extra choice words that you might hear in a locker room. Once again, he gave another full apology for his bad judgment as I continued to pull the trolling motor up and head for my next stop.
Then on our fourth or fifth stop, not sure due to my state of mind, I hooked a four-pound bass on a spinnerbait and as I swung the bass into the boat, I hear a cast go within inches of my ear as his bait hit the water twenty feet in front of the boat! After I dropped my fish into the livewell, I simply reached up, grabbed his fishing line with my hand and bit his line in two! That’s right, I was done and so was the bait at the other end of his line that fluttered to the bottom of Red River like a wounded baitfish.
Tennessee Ted was in shock as I quietly stepped back onto the front deck and began to make a cast as if nothing had ever happened. I truly believe, for the first time in his life, he was speechless. He then asked me why I did that? I told him that after three warnings, I had run out of both patience and forgiveness and needed to make sure he understood what I meant by “do not cast past the front of the boat!” He was then told that if he continued to break the rules, I would not sign his weigh slip at the weigh-in, therefore getting him disqualified.
Sometimes you must take matters into your own hands (no pun intended) in order to make a point. He finally calmed down, which I think was due to the fact his thermos was empty, and he did not have a whole lot to say the rest of the day. This was music to my ears as I continued to fish hard trying to win this event. While I caught my limit for the day, I was unable to overcome the three-pound deficit, falling short by less than a pound.
Ever since this event, I have made it a point to remind all my co-anglers about specific rules they may have forgotten. So far, this has worked in my favor, saving me and my sanity, by making sure they know the rules. It’s also saved my co-anglers a few baits by getting their line bit in two! Till next time, good luck, good fishing and I hope you never have to fish with a Tennessee Ted!
The following arrests were made by local law enforcement agencies. Minden Police Department (MPD), Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office (WPSO), Louisiana State Police (LSP) and others which are named.
Feb. 27
Justin S. Bills, 23, of the 1300 block of Dorcheat Rd., Minden, was arrested by WPSO for domestic abuse battery.
Jason Michael Hillman, 21, of the 200 block of Horseshoe Bridge Rd., Doyline, was arrested for a probation violation.
Jose Jesus Deleon, 55, of the 4900 block of Hwy. 518, Athens, was arrested by Sibley Police for switched plates, no driver’s license, speeding (61 in a 45 mph zone), no license plate on trailer, no insurance, failure to register and expired motor vehicle insurance.
John Jason Badillo, 46, of the 2500 block of Hwy. 163, Doyline, was arrested by LSP for driving while intoxicated, driving across center line and and expired inspection sticker.
Rudy Quinonez, 29, of the 800 block of Norton St., Minden, was arrested by MPD for domestic abuse with child endangerment.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Visitation: 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, March 1, 2024, Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill, La.
Graveside service: 2 p.m. Saturday, March 2, 2024, Old Shongaloo Cemetery.
Marilyn Williams
Sept. 3, 1939 – Feb. 26, 2024
Sarepta, La.
Visitation 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, March 1, 2024, Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
Funeral service: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 2, 2024, New Sarepta Baptist Church.
Burial: Pilgrims Rest Cemetery, Shongaloo, La., under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
Douglas Lloyd
Nov. 26, 1945 – Feb. 18, 2024
Heflin, La.
Graveside service: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 2, 2024, Bistineau Cemetery, Heflin, under the direction of Rockett Funeral Home, Ringgold, La.
Webster Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or wpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are no charge.)
Minden Police Association is offering a $1,000 reward for direct information leading to the arrest of Jaryon O. Stephens, who is wanted for attempted second degree murder and aggravated second degree battery.
All information is in the above flyer. Callers’ names will be kept anonymous to the public. Follow the link below to see the most recent stories on this case.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Greater Minden Chamber of Commerce’s Arabian Knights-themed annual banquet boasted a packed house, start to finish Tuesday.
In addition to a meal catered by Hugh Wood Catering, the chamber honored several business and other awards. Above, Woman of the Year winner Charlotte Jones (left) was introduced by former award-winner Marilyn Miller. Afterward, Lary Milford (left) accepts his Man of the Year award. He is photographed with Dr. Richard Campbell.
See Thursday’s Webster Parish Journal for more award winners.
The first time Jane Sneed changed her son’s diaper, did she know he would be a Super Bowl winning cornerback with Kansas City Chiefs?
“No, I did not,” Jane said. “That was a formula that was not even generated yet.”
Not only did L’Jarius Sneed play for a Super Bowl winning team once, he now boasts two Super Bowl rings for the same team.
And his mother is becoming almost as popular because now Jane is known in KC as “Mama Sneed.”
“With the popularity on his behalf, we don’t put ourselves out there because we know there are individuals that are not happy for you,” Jane said. “Security is everywhere we go, now. As becoming known as ‘Mama Sneed,’ the popularity is just overwhelming. I never thought that title would hit as popular as it is. I’m just his mom, but the people up there (KC) say, ‘no, you’re Mama Sneed.’”
It feels like a celebrity name to her, but even with security, Jane Sneed is still the same person … only better.
“I still have that outspokenness … the firmness,” she said. “I’m more of a people-person now than I have ever been. I get out and make myself comfortable around others.”
It’s not about being the mother of a celebrity. “I’m still an individual – I’m still me.”
When L’Jarius Sneed was a youngster, he played basketball. Between 8 and 10 years old, he played Little League football. But Jane says when he was in ninth grade, her other sons – T.Q. Sneed and the late T.Q. Harris – convinced him to play football at Minden High School, and he loved it.
“That’s when people said ‘he’s good; he’s going pro,’” she said. “And yet, we could not see it. To us, it was just playing football.”
About the same time, L’Jarius said he began to realize he had a future in the pros.
“About my junior year in high school,” he said. “I was playing both sides of the ball, and I started getting offers. That was a special year, so I took the chance.”
L’Jarius did not finish his time at Louisiana Tech University, because the future of professionalism was calling his name.
“It’s not because anyone was coming after him,” Jane explained. “He was going in as a walk-on. The day of the (NFL) Combine, someone called and invited him. At the Combine, he worked himself out and he made it, and that’s where we are today.”
L’Jarius has been credited with a play or two that may have sent Kansas City to this year’s Super Bowl. Some of those plays include hitting the opposition really hard. Does Mama Sneed ever fuss at her son for how hard he hits? It was a question that made her laugh almost as hard as L’Jarius hits.
“Actually, we have talked about it after every game,” she said. “What he tells us is it’s his thrive and his drive. It’s his motivation, and whatever is happening in his life, he takes it to the field and lets it out.”
She said her son is aggressive on the field because of his work ethic.
“He goes out there knowing who he is and what he can accomplish, and that’s what makes him be that aggressive player,” she said. “He likes to get into the mind of the opponent. He lets them know he is not one they can talk noise to and get away with it.”
But, she added, “when his words catch up with his actions, that’s where you have trouble.”
L’Jarius, joined his mother to hand out groceries at Mt. Calm Senior Hamlet on Lee Street in Minden Tuesday morning. The groceries were provided by Northwest Louisiana Food Bank, but Sneed missed a plane and donated his time to help Mama Sneed and be available for the community he still calls home. However, he said he loves Kansas City, too.
“I try to help the children as much as I can,” he added. “I try to put in time with the Boys and Girls Club.”
He said it meant a lot to him to come back home and help his mother with the food project.
“We have a responsibility to these people who don’t have as much as we do,” he said.
These days, Jane attends all of L’Jarius’ home games in Kansas City.
“Well, it depends on where the games are,” she said. “I’m not into the cold weather.”
She has, however, learned to love flying because “it goes quicker.”
Jane was in Kansas City the day of the mass shooting at the Super Bowl rally the week following the game.
“It was very scary because at the time it started, the players were on the stage, and we saw the police running and then we heard boom, boom, boom – shots,” she said. “Everybody ducked and went to the ground. I did not see my son L’Jarius and at that time, I was in panic mode. I’m a ‘whining mama’ then. They got us out of Union Station and onto the buses that were protected from bullets so we were safe. I saw L’Jarius walking out and he got on after I did. That was the scariest time of my life.”
Since that day, two adults were arrested and charged with two counts of felony murder and two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.
Last year, Minden held its own celebration for L’Jarius Sneed, including a parade and a time for autographs and awards, all held downtown.
Plans are underway right now for Saturday, March 2, but it will be a little different from last year.
Security was upgraded last year and will be again this year.
“The mayor gave JJ a proclamation day on (Monday) March 4, but we are actually doing the celebration Saturday at 11 o’clock. There’s a parade downtown,” she said. “Afterward, we will resume with an event at the recreation center on Industrial Drive where there will be photo shootings and signings, things for the kids – a concert for everyone that’s going to be a surprise. We know who’s coming, but we’re not saying who it is yet.”
She said because of security, she likes the idea of moving everything inside a closed area.
“It makes me feel 100 percent better,” Jane said. “There will still be security for the parade, but being in doors for the rest of it … that will be easier for security to keep everyone safe.”
All of Minden and the surrounding area Sneed fans – whether mother or son – are encouraged to attend Saturday’s events.
It’s official! The 22nd Annual Scottish Tartan Festival will be returning to Miller Quarters Park in Minden on April 20, 2024. Although this event is native to the Minden area, last April was the first year the event was held downtown.
Festival organizers experienced record-breaking attendance and tons of out-of-state visitors and vendors.
“The Ark-La-Tex has a rich Scottish heritage and culture from which many of us in this region can trace our roots,” said Tartan Festival co-chair Stephen Webb.
This makes Minden the perfect centralized location for those in the tri-state area to come celebrate and learn more about their heritage.
“Many people have heard their grandparents refer to the ‘Scots-Irish’ ancestors in their family tree,” said Scottish Society President Sheila Hoh. “The annual Scottish Tartan Festival is a family friendly event that offers a fun way for people to learn more about that heritage and it also provides a boost to our area’s economy through increased tourism and local business sales.”
According to Executive Director of Webster Parish Convention and Visitors Commission Serena Gray, approximately 3,000 people came to enjoy the festivities and marked one of the largest events hosted in downtown Minden.
The 2024 Festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will feature: • Scottish Clan tents with heritage exhibits and a March of the Clans
• Highland Games
• Traditional and Celtic Rock musicians
• Scottish Highland Dance as well as Irish Dance and Belly Dancing
• Artisan and craft demonstrations
• Dogs shows with Scottish and non-Scottish breeds
• Celtic wares vendors and Scottish foods as well as traditional festival foods
A new addition to the already packed line-up of events will be media sensation Ally the Piper, who is famous for combining bagpipes with modern music and plays a wide variety of traditional music.
Tickets for the 22nd Annual Scottish Tartan Festival are now live! All pre-purchased ticket holders will receive a coupon for a free soft drink in a souvenir cup.
The Scottish Society of the Louisiana Highlands would like to thank their sponsors: Visit Webster Parish, Walker’s Shortbread, Vegans on the Run and Minden Stays. They are still looking for sponsors. If you are interested, reach out to Tricia Grayson at 318-617-6458.
Springhill Medical Center proudly welcomes Ashley Pulley, PA to the family. Ashley’s specialty is Orthopedics. She is seeing patients by appointment at the Doctors Clinic. Call 318-539-1701. Springhill Medical Center, treating you like family. www.smccare.com .
