Celebrate the 4th of July at Mt. Lebanon Historical Society’s annual Flag Raising Ceremony at the Stagecoach Trail Museum. The program will begin at 8 a.m. A special part of the program will be honoring our veterans. A covered dish breakfast will follow. Please bring your favorite breakfast food to share, and bring a lawn chair for seating. The museum is located south of Gibsland at Highway 154 and Stagecoach Trail Road.
Send non-profit calendar events to wpjnewsla@gmail.com .
June 20
1 p.m. Budget workshop. Council of the City of Minden, Pelican Conference Room, Minden City Hall.
June 22
5 until 8 p.m. Juneteenth Celebration at Woo’s on Martin Luther King Drive, Minden. Family fun with food trucks, music, special performances, Juneteenth History, bounce house, fireworks provided by Beyond Burgers and Woo’s Daiquiri Shop. For more information, contact Michael Walker at 318-210-1799.
June 28
6 until 10 p.m. Webster Parish Boys 2 Men “Bridging the Gap” Meet & Greet. Central Community Association, Inc., 5500 Highway 531, Dubberly, La., Register by June 211. Free event; ages 9-18. For more information: Deware Jones (214) 537-0208 or dwrenjones@yahoo.com .
June 29
7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Webster Parish Boys 2 Men “Bridging the Gap” Fishing & Fun. Central Community Association, Inc., 5500 Highway 531, Dubberly, La., Register by June 211. Free event; ages 9-18. For more information: Deware Jones (214) 537-0208 or dwrenjones@yahoo.com .
June 29 & 30
UCAP Golf Tournament. Sponsored by UCAP, b1 Bank and others. Pine Hills Country Club, Minden. Sign up in the Pro Shop.
June 30
8 a.m. Webster Parish Boys 2 Men “Bridging the Gap” Sunday Worship. Central Community Association, Inc., 5500 Highway 531, Dubberly, La., Register by June 21. Free event; ages 9-18. For more information: Deware Jones (214) 537-0208 or dwrenjones@yahoo.com .
5 p.m. 6th Annual Duck Derby Extravaganza, downtown Minden. Food vendors, face painting, jump houses, music and Duck Derby race.
The following persons are scheduled to appear in 26th Judicial District Traffic Court June 21, 2024:
ADAMS, HAYWARD BERNARD
T058924 Speeding 11-15 MPH
AT Arraignment LSP
*69/55 G/A Notice sent 5/29
ADAMS, JACOBEE D
T061124 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
AKEROYD, JOSHUA JAMES
T061224 Speeding 16-24 MPH
AT Arraignment LSP
*72/55 G/A
ALLEN, LADAYEISHA R
T058024 Speeding 16-24 MPH
AT Arraignment WPSD
*73/55 Notice sent 5/29
ANDERSON, BETTY
T058824 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
ANDERSON, MELISSA
T038023 Speeding 16-24 MPH
T038023A Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Arraignment WPSD
*OC 3/22 Notice sent 5/29
ARMSTRONG, CHARLES RENE
T058124 Switched License Plates
T058124A No Insurance
AT Arraignment WPSD
*Notice sent 5/29
BAILES, BRITTON KAINE
T059024 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
BAILEY, PARKER CHRISTIAN
T059124 Operating a Vehicle with an Expired Motor Vehicle Inspection
T05914A Window Tint
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
BARBA, ALEJANDRO
T086023 Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
AT Arraignment Bond Return Date LSP
Crash
BARRETT, TRAVIS WALKER
T059224 Speeding 16-24 MPH
AT Arraignment LSP
*71/55 G/A Notice sent 5/29
BASS, JIMMY DALE
T059324 Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
BERRY, CHARLES ETHAN
T059424 Failure to Use Safety Belt
T059424A Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
BERRY, PATRICK L
T061324 Window Tint
AT Arraignment LSP
BISSELL, GREGORY DEWAYNE
T061424 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
BROCK, TAYLOR KIERRA
T061524 Failure to Use Safety Belt
T061524A Operating a Vehicle Without an Inspection Certificate
AT Arraignment LSP
BROWN, MARILYN WILSON
T059524 Operating A Vehicle with an Expired License Plate
T059524A Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
BROWN, JR, TOBY WADE
T059624 Failure To Dim Lights – Oncoming
T059624A Operating A Vehicle with an Expired License Plate
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
BUCKLEY, MIKHAILA GABRIELLA
T061624 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
CAMERON, DAVID WAYNE
T059724 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
CARAWAY, ANGELA
T059824 Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
AT Arraignment LSP
*Crash
Notice sent 5/29
CAREY, RANDANESHEY
T061724 Improper Child Restraint
T061724A Operating A Vehicle with an Expired License Plate
AT Arraignment LSP
CORTEZ, JOHNNY ALAN
T059924 Speeding 11-15 MPH
AT Arraignment LSP
*68/55 G/A
Notice sent 5/29
COTTON, AQUIRIANNA
T061824 Operating a Vehicle Without a Driver’s License
AT Arraignment LSP
DOSTER, ZACKARY LOGAN KADE
T061024 Speeding 16-24 MPH
AT Arraignment WPSD
*75/55
DUNN, BRENDAN LEE
T060024 Window Tint
T060024A Operating A Vehicle Without Proper Required Equipment
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
DURBIN, COREY
T022124 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
*RCBW if present
EASON, TIMOTHY WAYNE
T060124 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
EMORY, HALEY BROOKE
T060424 Failure To Yield At An Intersection When Turning Left
AT Arraignment LSP
*Crash
Notice sent 5/29
FALCO, RICHARD MICHAEL
T060524 Operating A Vehicle with an Expired License Plate
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
FITZERALD, DAVID
T058224 Speeding 25 & OVER
AT Arraignment WPSD
*Notice sent 5/29
FLORES, ISIDRO
T060624 Speeding 11-15 MPH
AT Arraignment LSP
*68/55
Notice sent 5/29
FOSTER, SANDRA W
T060724 Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign
AT Arraignment LSP
FRAZIER, BRANDY GILL
T061924 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
GILL, BRITTANI N
T058324 Speeding 25 & OVER
AT Arraignment WPSD
*104/55
Notice sent 5/29
GORHAM, JOSHUA THEODORE
T062024 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
GRANT, BRADY SCOTT
T060824 Speeding 11-15 MPH
AT Arraignment LSP
GRAY, HARLIE ESTELLE
T060924 Operating a Vehicle with an Expired Motor Vehicle Inspection
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
HARRISON, WILLIAM CAMERON
T062124 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
HENDERSON, BROOKE HORTMAN
T062224 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
JACKSON, KENZIE KELBY
T062324 Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
T062324A No Motorcycle Endorsement
AT Arraignment LSP
*Crash
JEFFERSON, TYLER
T062424 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
JOHNSON, ERICKEN
T058424 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment WPSD
*Notice sent 5/29
KERR, JAY DICK
T062524 Failure to Use Safety Belt
T062524A Operating a Vehicle with an Expired Motor Vehicle Inspection
AT Arraignment LSP
KEY, YOLANDA CHANTARY
T062624 Window Tint
AT Arraignment LSP
KURTOVIC, ERWIN
T058524 Driving Left Of Center
AT Arraignment WPSD
*NP
MALONE, MARGO MICHELLE
T077623 Speeding 11-15 MPH
T077623A Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Arraignment LSP
*OC 5/31
MANGRUM, JR, RUSSELL THOMAS
T062724 Possession Of Alcoholic Beverages In Motor Vehicles
AT Arraignment LSP
MAXIE, JAVEN CARL
T062824 Window Tint
AT Arraignment LSP
MCBRIDE, KERRY GRANT
T062924 Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Arraignment LSP
MENDEZ, CHRISTOPHER SAMUEL
T063024 Window Tint
AT Arraignment LSP
MILLER, BROOKLYN DORSHA
T063124 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
MOORE, KENDARRIUS MONTREL
T063224 Failure to Use Safety Belt
T063224A Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Arraignment LSP
MOSS, III, THOMAS TERRELL
T063324 Window Tint
AT Arraignment LSP
MOUSER, THOMAS J
T045624 Failing To Stop At Stop Sign-Accident
T045624A Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/29
PARKER, STEVEN DREW
T022924 Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Arraignment LSP
*RCBW if present
PEREZ, ELROY
T-1278-09 No Seat Belt
T-1278-09 Driving Under Suspension
AT Arraignment
*BDCC
PULLEY, RAYMOND C
T058624 Speeding 16-24 MPH
AT Arraignment WPSD
*Notice sent 5/29
PULU, UNAITESITETEOAMERIKASAMOA LEPE
T063424 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
RANKINS, JR, LEWIS
T063524 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
REICH, CAMERON ALEX
T063624 Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
AT Arraignment LSP
*Crash
SANTOS, PRISCILA
T063724 Failure to Use Safety Belt
T063724A Operating a Vehicle Without a Driver’s License
AT Arraignment LSP
SPENCE, STEPHAN COLLIE
T063824 Failure To Yield At An Intersection When Turning Left
AT Arraignment LSP
STRONG, JAMAYIA
T063924 Failure to Use Safety Belt
T036924A Switched License Plates
AT Arraignment LSP
SWINT, ROSE
T064024 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
TANNER, TAMARA WALEA
T064124 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
TAYLOR, EBONY MONIQUE
T064224 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
THOMAS, KADENCE CATHERINE
T051224 Following Too Closely
AT For Further Disposition LSP
*OC 5/24
WALKER, GLEN WAYNE
T051324 Failure to Use Safety Belt
T051324A Operating a Vehicle Without a Driver’s License
AT Arraignment Bond Return Date LSP
WALKER, TYREANTE LADUSTIN
T064324 Failure to Use Safety Belt
T064324A Operating A Vehicle with an Expired License Plate
T064324B Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Arraignment LSP
WALLER, SAMUEL
T064424 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
WHEELER, STEFAN ANDRE
T057724 Operating A Vehicle In An Unsafe Condition
T057724A Operating A Vehicle Without A Driver’s License On Person
AT Arraignment LSP
*Notice sent 5/30
WILLIS, TROY LAWRENCE
T064524 Failure to Use Safety Belt
AT Arraignment LSP
WILSON, RICHARD KENDRICK
T064624 Speeding 16-24 MPH
AT Arraignment LSP
*76/55 G/A
YOUNG, JR., CURTIS DALE
T058724 Operating a Vehicle Without Properly Lit Lamps for Condition
T058724A Operating A Vehicle With Improper Tail Lights
AT Arraignment WPSD
*Notice sent 5/29
YOUNG, LEVERT L
T046118 Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
T046118A Operating A Vehicle with an Expired License Plate
AT Bond Return WPSD
YOUNG, LEVERT L
T101323 Speeding 11-15 MPH
T101323A Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
AT Bond Return LSP
Stan Phillip Shofner
June 10, 1958 – June 17, 2024
Shongaloo, La.
Visitation: 1 p.m. Thursday, June 20, 2024, Western Baptist Church, Emerson, Ark.
Funeral service: 2 p.m. immediately following visitation.
Burial: Western Cemetery under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill, La.
Audalie Nuckolls
June 23, 1917 – June 10, 2024
Springhill, La.
Visitation: 3 p.m,. June 23, 2024, Kings Corner Assembly of God Church, Springhill.
Service: 4 p.m., immediately following visitation.
Supper reception: 5 p.m.
Charles “Bo” Thomas Blackwood
Oct. 23, 1940 – June 8, 2024
Homer, La.
Service: 2 p.m. Saturday, June 29, Cornerstone Church (former First UMC), Homer, 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.)
By Pat Culverhouse
Safety for the residents of Webster Parish is a top priority of Sheriff Jason Parker, and being prepared for emergency situations means training for the unexpected.
Webster Parish is home to miles of oil and natural gas pipelines. Although there’s been no major event involving those lines in recent years, Parker and members of his command staff were part of a drill Tuesday designed to review response to a potential crisis.
Parker, accompanied by Chief Deputy Hank Haynes, Patrol Commander Maj. Robert Hayden and Chief of Investigations Maj. Phillip Krouse joined Energy Transfer LP staff to conduct a simulated gas leak in a transmission line.
Energy Transfer LP is engaged in the pipeline transportation, storage, and terminaling for natural gas, crude oil, NGLs, refined products and liquid natural gas.
“There’s a lot of pipelines in the parish and they’re located in both heavily populated and rural areas,” Parker said. “We have to be prepared to immediately take action and that’s what this training session was designed to study.”
Parker said the drill showed how cooperation and coordination between private and public agencies is critical to preventing an incident such as a pipeline failure from becoming a catastrophe.
“If the event involved Energy Transfer, they have a response plan that would involve our department and other affected law enforcement agencies,” Parker said. “We would join with fire departments from Minden and nearby communities, Homeland Security and state agencies to incorporate a coordinated response.”
Duties of each responding department were reviewed during Tuesday’s session, and Parker said the drill will help responders understand their roles in case of emergency situations.
“We are constantly training and planning, and I believe that helps us improve in the ways important to the safety of the people of Webster Parish,” Parker said.
By Marilyn Miller
Fans of the annual Minden St. Jude Dixie Open will have to wait until February of 2025 to find out exactly how much money was raised during this past weekend’s tournament at the Minden Recreation Center Complex. But rest assured, it set a record!
The hot and dry baseball weather, coupled with the upcoming Dixie All-Stars season, encouraged 60 teams to register for play in five divisions.
The tournament is played in memory of Stanton Haynes, the son of Jeff and Tina Haynes, who was a patient of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He passed away in 2005. This year, there were still teams with “Stanton” embroidered on their uniform backs after seven years of Dixie Open action (COVID eliminated two years).
According to director, Jeff Haynes, winners in the five divisions of 2024 play were:
Funds for St. Jude are generated through team registration fees ($200 this year), donations, and a percentage of the concessions. With 60 teams and their entourages coming to town Saturday and Sunday, the City of Minden also benefitted through hotel and restaurant sales.
Haynes extended a sincere thank-you to the individuals and businesses who participated in and donated to the annual tournament, and to the umpires, coaches, and players who made it all possible.
“We did better than ever!” Haynes said. Look out 2025!!
Today, June 19 is also known as Juneteenth and marks the country’s second independence day. Although it has long celebrated in the African American community, this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans.
The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times.
From 5 until 8 p.m. Saturday, June 22, this year’s Juneteenth Celebration will be held at Woo’s on Martin Luther King Drive, Minden.
“This is for the whole city,” said coordinator Michael Walker. “Are looking for a great turnout.”
Juneteenth is historically on June 19, however, this year that is (today) a Wednesday.
Walker said the time for the event was moved to the evening because of last year’s heat.
“And we didn’t want to conflict with Wednesday Bible study or church,” he added.
There will be family fun with food trucks, music, special performances, Juneteenth History, bounce house, fireworks provided by Beyond Burgers and Woo’s Daiquiri Shop and much more.
For more information, contact Walker at 318-210-1799.
The Board of Trustees of Minden Medical Center and Allegiance Health Management are pleased to announce the appointment of Keith Cox to the position of Chief Executive Officer, effective June 10, 2024. Cox is replacing Jim Williams, who moved to Allegiance Health Management as Regional Chief Financial Officer in October 2023.
Cox proudly served in the Louisiana Army National Guard. After his service he attended Northwestern State University of Shreveport where he received his nursing degree. Following his passion for business he moved into Business Development department as a Clinical Liaison. He decided to further his education and graduated from Centenary College in 2005 with his Master’s in Business Administration.
Lifecare Hospitals of Shreveport is where Cox began his senior level management career as COO and was promoted to CEO. Cox was also the CEO at Pathway Rehabilitation Hospital in Bossier and Intensive Specialty Hospital in Shreveport.
“I have known Cox for 25 years or more,” said Scott W. Prouty, COO, Allegiance Health Management. “We ran competing hospitals for years and remained friends. He has incredible leadership skills and is great with communicating with his providers. I’m looking forward to Cox growing MMC and its services.”
“Patients entrust us with their healthcare,” Cox said. “Whether it is a focus on wellness, healing or end of life transition. We want you to know we are here for you. You as a patient, family, friend and our community deserve for all of our staff – all positions, all shifts, all locations and settings – to bring our best talents, skills and best efforts each day. I am looking forward to helping support this team in making that happen.”
Cox lives with his family in Benton. He and his wife have 3 children. When asked what he loves to do, he said hunting, fishing and cooking were on the top of the list. He also mentioned loving to travel.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. East wind around 5 mph.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 93.
Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 71.
Saturday
Sunny and hot, with a high near 97.
* Information courtesy of National Weather Service.
By Marilyn Miller
When some folks retire, they sit around wondering whether to go fishing, to start a garden, or just to play with the grandkids. It’s not that Evelyn Germany might not have done those things since retiring after 20 years in the banking industry. It’s just that the Springhill resident likes to learn.
“I know the front side of the banking business,” Evelyn stated. “Now I’m learning the back side.”
It’s a good thing that her favorite subject is math, with creativity and mythology coming in a close second, because computers and their programs require both subjects today. For someone who started their career on a basic typewriter over 20 years ago, entering the computer classes at the Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College was a “101” experience.
“All my classes were offered on-line, so I had to get into that, too,” Evelyn said. “But the teachers were very nice, very polite. And there is an open-door policy, so you could use the computers anytime, and if you got stuck, a teacher or a fellow student was there to help you.”
Evelyn has a suggestion for that time in Orientation when students are asked “What are your goals when you graduate?”
“’How do you feel getting back into the workforce?’ would be a good question to ask,” she suggested. “And at job fairs, older students are limited because, when you are 25, an employer sees you working for them for the next 15 years. They only see eight years with me…”
While Evelyn was earning her Technical Diploma in Business Office Technology in late 2023, she was also suffering from a bad knee. The doctors scheduled her surgery for Dec. 4, so she was unable to march in the graduation ceremony on Dec. 12. Despite the painful knee, Evelyn was always able to maintain a GPA of 3.2 to 3.5. Now, six months later, she is ready to get back into the swing of things. She’ll register for the Fall semester in August, hoping to add five more credits to her record, those being in Public Speaking, Algebra, and three business classes. These will be added to credits she has amassed in computers, loans, liability, payroll, INTU (portal for online student services), and similar courses.
Evelyn believes she can be finished with her business degree “in one good year.” It always depends upon the availability of classes. She says Algebra will be her hardest course.
Evelyn had never heard of a “Vision Board” before enrolling at NWLTCC. But she enjoyed building her board outlining her vision for the next five years, and looking back at her past. “My board included my family, my church, retirement, and my future (visiting Egypt and Hawaii),” she said. She also enjoyed a “Time Management” program, which had her totaling time spent watching TV, sleeping, driving, etc. The big question at the end of the program was, of course, could some of that time have been better spent studying, exercising, and more?
“I really learned a lot,” Evelyn said. “I’ve always been interested in learning…I wanted to keep my mind on education. My grandfather and my mother were my biggest motivators.” She has a quote from her grandfather that she still remembers today, “Don’t let anybody send you to Hell…it’s too easy to go by yourself.”
“It has to do with allowing someone to lead you in the wrong direction. If you are led astray by a seed that is planted, say someone tells you to steal something, then you’re in double trouble – because you listened to them, AND, you did what they said.”
Evelyn is an only child, and she has two children, a son, Gregary Germany, who lives in Houston, and Gwenzetta Bradford, who is principal of North Webster Jr. High School in Sarepta.
Because her classes were virtual, Evelyn did miss interacting with other students. However, the difference in ages did sometimes make her uncomfortable when she was on campus. “I was more uncomfortable with the younger kids than they were with me,” she admitted. “They were comfortable with me. But they wanted to call me Ms. Evelyn.”
“Just call me Evelyn,” she’d say.
Is your church hosting Vacation Bible School? Webster Parish Journal would like to know about it, so we can inform the public on where they can bring their kids to join in on the fun.
Please email the time, date and location of your church’s Vacation Bible School to wpjnewsla@gmail.com and we will begin publishing immediately. (See below)
First Methodist Church
5 until 8 p.m. July 15-19, 903 Broadway. Kindergarten entering sixth grade. SCUBA – each day students will encounter God through a well-known story of the Bible, interacting with the text tangibly through kinetic, immersive activities. The link for First Kids is: www.facebook.com/fmcmindenkids . The link for First Methodist Church is: www.facebook.com/fmcmindenla . Church office also has registration applications.
Mt. Zion C.M.E. Church
6 until 7:30 p.m. June 19 – 21. 414 East Union Street, Minden. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the scenes of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11.
Galilee Missionary Baptist Church
6:30 p.m. nightly, June 17 – 19, 595 Central School Rd., Dubberly. You are invited to our 2024 Vacation Bible School experience: “God’s Superheroes: Adventures in Faith!” Our theme verses read, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.” (Hebrews 11:1-2, KJV) This summer, God’s Superheroes will lead us on adventures in faith! We will be encouraged to look within ourselves and find inner strength to believe and endure whatever comes our way. When we believe, we see that God’s promises are true for everyone. So, let us activate our faith and enjoy the adventure!
Lakeview’s Vacation Bible School
9 a.m. until noon, Monday, June 17 – Thursday, June 20 for those turning 4 this year – those entering 5th grade this fall. You may register online at https://lakeviewmethodistchurch.mycokesburyvbs.com . Click on Child Registration at the top of the page. Please register by Wednesday, June 12. Lakeview Methodist Church, 301 Lakeshore Drive, Minden VBS Contact: Susan Strange: 318-268-0669.
North Acres Baptist Church
6 until 8:30 p.m. June 24 – 28, PreK-6th grade. Join us for VBS this year, as we discover that God’s truth never changes, everyone needs Jesus, and we learn to speak the truth in love. Adventure awaits each day as we explore Breaker Rock Beach! “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 Online Registration: https://nabcminden.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2328987
Springhill Methodist Church
6 until 8:30 p.m. June 23 – June 27, Springhill Methodist Church, 104 4th Street NW, Springhill, LA 71075, children from Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to attend. You may register at https://tinyurl.com/SMCVBS24 . For more information, email djr498cr74@gmail.com . Camp Firelight VBS is based on Psalm 56:3 “Whenever I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.” This theme will focus on trusting God to go with us, to lead the way, to share wisdom, to give us peace, and to spark joy. There will be music, crafts, science and recreational activities related to the Bible Theme.
Beech Springs Baptist Church
9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. June 24 – 28, VBS – Keepers of the Kingdom, 4 yrs old – 6th grade Beech Springs Baptist Church, 15910 HWY 80, Minden Register at https://beechspringsbc.myanswers.com/keepers-of-the-kingdom or thru our FB page. We are engaged in an epic battle for the hearts and minds of our youth. Every day, they’re bombarded with lies about who they are, who their Creator is, and where their salvation comes from. Thankfully, God has given his children armor to wear in this battle between truth and lies, light and darkness.
Eastside Missionary Baptist Church
6 until 8 p.m. July 8 – 12. Schools out for Summer. That means it’s VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL TIME. We’d love to have your kids SHINE with us as we learn about Jesus. Here’s a preregistration link to get a head start on the fun. Please use this link to pre-register your children: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16Qvm4fl3Au5s8XG9l5WEs1eQp64JfF46btSk6rFyhSw/viewform?edit_requested=true
What are you connected to? Who are you connected to? Does connection matter? Yes, it does!
In order to get internet, we must be connected to WiFi. In order for our cell phones to be charged, we must connect them to a charger and plug it up to receive some power.
In that, connection matters!
When I think about spiritual connection, I think about God our power source! I think about His Son Jesus.
I think about his precious Holy Spirit.
All three are joined together as one!! The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!! What a powerful connection!!!
I like working in the yard, and oftentimes I notice when a strong wind and rain comes. Afterward, there are branches lying in the yard…after a couple of days later, the green leaves on the branches have withered and dried up because there was no connection.
The trees give nourishment, and if the branches are disconnected from the tree there’s no connection!
The closeness of the relationship with ourselves and Jesus is like the branch and tree.
It’s the same way in our spiritual lives. If there’s no connection with Jesus, we will withered away spiritually with no hope! But being connected to the true vine brings salvation, hope, peace, joy, and so much more.
Being connected to God through His Son Jesus Christ brings much fruit and blessings in our lives.
There’s hope for everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior.
John 15: I-5 says
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
~Stay Connected To The Vine~
Prayer: Father, we thank you for your grace and mercy. Search our hearts and remove anything that’s not like you. Help us to stay connected to you. In Jesus’ Name Amen
Be Encouraged!
All Glory Goes To God.
(LaTina DeLoach, a native of Minden, is a Christian,a devoted wife and mother and Lady Deloach As the wife of Pastor Gregory DeLoach, Blue Run Baptist Church.)
Paul Skenes has got a chance.
My new friend Victoria, in control of the remote and much more behind the bar, was kind enough Monday evening to turn the channel at Antoon’s in Natchitoches to the telecast of the Pittsburgh Pirates (let’s not kid ourselves, of Paul Skenes pitching) against the Cincinnati Reds in a National League Central contest that otherwise was of muted interest to anyone, even hard-core Bucco and Redlegs fans.
Other channel options: the College World Series, Kentucky vs. Texas A&M. The NBA Finals. And I mean final. Did anyone outside of Dallas fanatics doubt the Celtics were closing it out tonight? The poor 10 p.m. newscast production team at KTBS knew they’d wait an hour later than normal for ABC to finish commemorating the Boston victory.
We watched that postgame overkill. Kind of. Not like I watched Skenes carve up Cincinnati, just as he’s handled every other professional baseball team, minors or bigs, since leaving Omaha last summer after anchoring LSU’s run to the College World Series championship.
It’s something extremely rare in MLB history. Combine that with the fact that Skenes is forever tangled up in purple and gold, so there were no protests from the Antoon’s audience when Victoria dialed in Pirates-Reds as the fifth inning began. She knew. We all did, too.
Paul Skenes is something very special. You don’t have to dive down the rabbit hole of metrics and MLB statistics to know that. You see it. You’ve seen it when he threw laser beams for Jay Johnson at LSU.
Has he done enough, right now, to rank among the legends of the game? Not yet. He’s phenomenal, yes. But longevity enters in the legends discussion.
Another LSU phenom, Mondo Duplantis, does rank among the all-time greats in his sport, track and field. He has longevity even at the age of 24, having been a world champion since he was 15, and owning seven different world-record clearances in the pole vault. The Lafayette native has been over the bar at 20-feet, 5 ¼ inches, higher than any other human.
Duplantis owns 12 gold medals in international competition, including Olympic gold in 2020 in Tokyo, and is the prohibitive favorite to win the crown at this summer’s Paris Olympics. He competes for his mother’s home country, Sweden, because the Swedes have a selection process, not Olympic Trials where with one bad day, dreams die hard.
Mondo’s already a world legend, no phenom, with Louisiana roots. Skenes has Louisiana ties, a tremendous LSU resume, and if he keeps on track, he will soon rank among the best ever with LSU ties to play in the big leagues, joining the likes of local legends Albert Belle and Todd Walker.
Which brings me to this week’s showcase in Natchitoches, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 inductions. Belle and Walker have enjoyed their well-earned turns in the induction spotlight.
This year’s festivities kick off Thursday with a 3 p.m. press conference live streamed on LaSportsHall.com, and include a Thursday evening free reception (5-7) at the Hall of Fame museum, where the curtain will come up on a wonderful new exhibit of Pete Maravich photos from his extraordinary days at LSU. Showtime, indeed.
There’s a Friday evening riverfront concert – free again – with Louisiana Music Hall of Fame bands, and after 9:15 introductions of the Class of 2024, a sports-themed fireworks show over Cane River Lake downtown.
Saturday’s induction ceremony is sold out, nearly 800 patrons at the Natchitoches Events Center. You can watch a free live stream at LPB.org, or dial it up afterwards, then on July 11, enjoy a two-hour recap show on LPB channels statewide.
Years from now, Paul Skenes will almost certainly be one of the inductees in our state’s sports hall. Mondo Duplantis, the way I see it, is already assured of that status. But way before then, this weekend, 12 people, many who you have heard plenty about, are going to officially take their place among Louisiana’s greatest sports heroes.
We get to do this every summer. But never should we take it for granted. There are a dozen taking their place in our state’s sports elite. They came from a ballot of nearly 160 nominees from 28 different sports categories. Since 1958, just 492 have been chosen.
That’s reason to celebrate. Hope you’ll join the party this weekend.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com
Hundreds of kids who dream of playing in the pros – or, kids who just love to play – are registered for the already filled-to-capacity free New Orleans Saints & Pelicans/Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Junior Training Camp on Saturday morning on the Northwestern State campus in Natchitoches.
The JTC annually provides two hours of full throttle fun alongside Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame members and NSU coaches, and staff from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans community relations department. It is presented by Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.
Everyone who registered should have received an email Monday with a link to an easy-to-complete JTC waiver form that needs to be submitted online by Friday at 5. Those who don’t return that form online will have to complete it Saturday morning before being able to join the fun. JTC organizers are using the online form to hopefully avoid a bottleneck of kids whose participation could be delayed by having to fill out the form on Saturday.
If there are questions about the waiver form, or if it wasn’t received, call the LSHOF Foundation office at 318-238-4255. The camp filled to capacity last month.
The LaSportsHall.com website has the full schedule for the Induction Celebration this weekend. The JTC is one of three free events, beginning with the Thursday evening Welcome Reception from 5-7 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches. The biggest free ticket is Friday night’s Rockin’ Riverfest concert from 6-10:30 on the downtown riverbank, featuring a fireworks show after the Class of 2024 is introduced at 9:15.
The Junior Training Camp runs from 9-11 a.m., starting with registration between 8-9 a.m. at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center (WRAC) gymnasium. Due to the full capacity of 350 campers signed up, it’s important for parents to get their campers checked in well before the fun starts at 9 a.m. Then, campers get introduced to the sports stars who will be coaching them for the next two hours, inside focusing on basketball skills, and outside at Turpin Stadium, with football and general sports skills instruction.
Every camper will bring home two free T-shirts, other items, and a coupon for a meal at Raisin’ Canes. Photos from the camp will be posted on the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Facebook page, and so will a highlight video.
The goals of the JTC are simple – a fun, and thrilling, experience for the kids, free of charge; skills instruction from some of the best to ever play, or coach, the games; and promotion of health lifestyles and positive life choices.
The campers are separated into two groups. One stays inside for the first hour for basketball instruction, while the other is next door at Turpin Stadium, having football fun. The groups switch locations in the second half of the camp.
Parents can follow their favorite campers and watch all the fun from the stands in the gym and on the east side of Turpin Stadium – where it will be sunny, and hot, watching some really cool memories being made.
This week a new College World Series champ will be crowned, and that champ will be from the South, and that is unlikely to change any time soon.
For the foreseeable future, unless they redo geography, Omaha in June is likely to look a lot like this year’s All SEC-ACC showdown.
Before LSU won its first NCAA baseball title in 1991 and began a string of southern teams showing up in the CWS as often as biscuits show up with butter, the Bible Belt Baseball Boys were generally out of the running by the end of May. In college hardball, the South just couldn’t hang. Didn’t care, really.
You can take this train of thought back to the inaugural Series in 1947, when California, led by future American League MVP Jackie Jensen, beat Yale two games to none.
(USELESS INFORMATION ALERT HERE: Yale was the first team to have the popular mascot of Bulldogs. Louisiana Tech was the second. Also, Yale finished 19-10-1 that season, 9-3-1 in the always competitive Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League. The other teams in the league finished either 7-5 or 6-6, which means they were the equivalent of any division in today’s NFL.)
Consider for a moment that Yale played 13 regular-season conference games back then. It was like a college football season today, with every game counting. Also of note (or could possibly be considered as More Useless Information), the Eli Nine were helped to the Series in ’47 by infielder George H.W. “Hot Corner” Bush, the future president, who is rumored to have kept his old Yale glove in his Oval Office desk drawer; never hurts to have your leather handy.
So, the game has changed — the Golden Bears finished the season 31-10 and got to play more games than the weather-addled Yale team — but what’s the same is that Yale and California weren’t from the South then and still aren’t. What the Golden Bears did was start a trend, one aided by the South’s love for football and the West Coast’s love for the more laid-back game of baseball. Pacific and Mountain Time teams would continue to dominate the Series for years, even decades, until LSU came along.
Check the record books pre-1990 and you will see a CWS dominated by Southern California, Arizona State and Arizona. Every now and then, a Texas or Miami would show up. During those formative years, teams from the north had all the impact of a snowball in a five-alarm fire, and that impact is the same today. To put it in perspective, Ohio State won a national title in 1966, the year Bush was first elected to the House of Representatives. A lot has happened since then, but one thing hasn’t: a Northern Team hasn’t sniffed the CWS.
Southern teams have won 11 of the past 14 College World Series — and finished second the three times Southern teams didn’t win it all.
For years and years, the West Coast had it made, baseball-wise. They had it made for sure — right up until the time the South started caring. And we won’t quit caring any time soon.
Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
Springhill Medical Center is hiring licensed practical nurses (LPNs) to provide basic direct patient care under the supervision of registered nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals. A LPN job description often includes a variety of tasks to provide assistance for injured, ill, disabled, and other patients throughout a range of different healthcare environments.
By the time this column is published Father’s Day will be several days in the rearview mirror. That may be the case when it comes to the calendar, but I’m still basking in the afterglow of that fine day.
There was nothing monumental, or out of the ordinary, that happened this Father’s Day. At least not in typical terms. I didn’t travel to an exotic locale or eat a multi-course meal in an exceptional restaurant. I barely left the house.
I have been running hard over the past year or two and double-hard since February of this year. Over the course of those five months there hasn’t been much downtime. Yesterday (I am writing this on the day after Father’s Day), was a welcome respite.
Every day I am in town, I am in the bakery at Loblolly by 5:30 a.m., then sitting at table 19 in The Midtowner by 6:45 a.m. That’s every day, never skipping a day. Yesterday was a rare skip day when I let the restaurants do their thing. I slept until 6:30 a.m. and then got up and made pancakes using my grandmother’s recipe. After that I started a “Mission Impossible” movie marathon, had barbeque for lunch, and tacos for dinner. Again, nothing special.
The most special part of the day was getting to spend time with my daughter. My son is off at culinary school and will miss the next couple of Father’s Days until he moves back to the area and goes to work for us.
They ask me every year what I want for Father’s Day and the answer is always the same, “To spend time with my kids and maybe go to a movie.”
Again, seemingly nothing special. Just a rare day off relaxing. But it was special. Very special, actually. It was Father’s Day.
“I hate Father’s Day” That’s what I used to tell my mom when I was a young boy. At our church all the kids in Sunday School wore red boutonnieres on that day. Since our father had died, my brother and I were made to wear white boutonnieres. I hated that. Looking back, it seems like a cruel tradition to make kids stand out that are already walking around feeling different than everyone else.
Though there is something about not having a father that made me want to be a father. Even in my early teen years, when no kid is thinking about being a father, I dreamed of it. As life would have it, I was 36-years old before I became a father.
It was so worth the wait.
These days I love Father’s Day.
Becoming a father was, unquestionably, the best thing that ever happened to me, and will remain the best thing that ever happened over the course of my entire life. I love being a dad. I believe it— like the restaurant business— is what I was born to do. I’ve been on this planet for over six decades and have seen enough people who are in jobs and careers that they hate. I believe that everyone has a purpose and a unique talent, and one of the early challenges in life is finding that skill set and pursuing it. The fortunate ones do, others don’t. I believe, to my core, that I am doing exactly what I was born to do, careerwise. I also believe fatherhood was something I was born to do. Have I been perfect at it? No. Have I loved every minute, even the challenging times? I believe so.
I have a lot of job titles– restaurateur, chef, author, columnist, tour leader, tv host, tv producer, etc. But, by far, the best job title I will ever have is “dad.”
There are only two photos that exist of my father and me together, but my grandmother used to have our senior portraits side by side on a table where she could see them every day. I have tons of photos of my kids and me together. I realize how blessed I am to be able to have them.
I don’t know if little boys still wear red or white boutonnieres to Sunday School these days. I hope not. But if I could tell those kids one thing, it would be, “Don’t sweat it, embrace the uniqueness. There are great days ahead. You can’t fathom it now, but there is a box hidden deep in your heart, and when your children are born, that box opens, and you discover that you have the capacity to love other human being more than you could have ever dreamed.”
Father’s Day is the BEST day.
Zucchini-Squash Casserole
2 TBL olive oil
1 1/2 pounds yellow squash, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp Creole Seasoning
2 TBL unsalted butter
1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice
1/4 cup red bell pepper, small dice
1/4 cup celery, small dice
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup green onions, sliced thinly
1 TBL fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup smoked cheddar or provolone cheese, shredded
1 cups coarse unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 TBL melted butter
Preheat oven to 400.
Toss the olive oil, cut squashes, first teaspoon of salt, and Creole seasoning in a large mixing bowl. Spread the squash onto a large baking pan and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and place it into a colander. Gently press the squash to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
While the squash is roasting, melted the butter over a medium heat in a small sauté pan. Add the yellow onion, red bell pepper and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic, salt, pepper and green onions and cook for 3 more minutes.
Place the cooked squash, the onion mixture, fresh basil, sour cream and cheddar cheese and in a large mixing bowl. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the mixture together until the sour cream has been incorporate well. Lower the oven to 325.
Place squash mixture into a 2 quart baking dish.
Combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley and melted butter and top the casserole evenly. Bake for 20 minutes.
Yield: 8-10 servings
(Robert St. John is a chef, restaurateur and published cookbook author who lives in Hattiesburg, Miss.)
Jerome “Jerry” Silberman was born in 1933. When Jerry was eight years old, his mother had a heart attack. When she was well enough to return from the hospital, her doctor escorted her and Jerry’s father back to their home. This was in the era when doctors made house calls. The doctor made sure Jerry’s mother was comfortable in bed and gave Jerry’s father a few instructions. Then, the doctor spoke to Jerry in another room. The doctor took Jerry by the arm, leaned over him, sternly looked him in the eye, and slowly said, “Don’t ever argue with your mother because you might kill her.” Eight-year-old Jerry stood there in silence as he tried to process what he had just been told. Then, the doctor continued, “try to make her laugh.” Those instructions changed Jerry’s life.
Jerry followed the doctor’s advice and his mother slowly recovered. When Jerry was eleven, he saw his sister, Corinne, perform in a dramatic recital in front of about 200 people. Before the show began, the people in the audience jabbered away loudly. Then, the lights went down, and a single spotlight shone on his sister. For twenty minutes, the crowd was absolutely silent. Jerry was entranced by his sister’s ability to make the crowd want to hear her every word. Jerry remembered thinking that that was, “about as close to being God as you could get as a human being.” After the recital, Jerry asked his sister’s acting coach to teach him. The teacher asked Jerry his age. When Jerry answered, “eleven,” the teacher responded, “If you still want to when your 13, come see me.” The day after he turned thirteen, Jerry began studying acting.
In high school and college, Jerry studied drama and theater and performed in several Shakespearean plays. His acting earned him a spot in the prestigious Actor’s Studio, a membership organization for professional actors in New York City. His plan was to become a serious actor, but life has a way of changing plans. Throughout his long career in the film industry, Jerry often remembered the words his mother’s doctor told him when he was eight years old; “Don’t ever argue with your mother because you might kill her. Try to make her laugh.” For more than forty years, he tried and succeeded in making us laugh.
As I said earlier, Jerry initially aspired to become a Shakespearean actor. Jerry said, “I didn’t think Jerry Silberman in MacBeth had the right ring to it.” Jerry decided he needed a stage name but was unable to find just the right one. One evening, Jerry went to his sister and brother-in-law’s apartment for dinner. Also joining them was a screenwriter named David Zelag Goodman. During dinner, Jerry explained his stage name dilemma. David saw this dilemma as a fun challenge. Over dinner, David went through the alphabet, beginning with A, and came up with a last name for each letter. David was nearing the end of the alphabet, but nothing seemed right. Then, he came to the letter W. When David said a name that began with W, Jerry said, “the bell went off. I wanted to be Wilder.” Thus, Jerry Silberman became Gene Wilder.
Sources:
1. “Gene Wilder Interview (HARDtalk Extra 2005) – BBC News,” YouTube, September 6, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYGxF-VLL08&t=4s.
2. “Gene Wilder: In His Own Words | a Docu-Mini Narrated by Gene Wilder,” Hats Off Entertainment, February 21, 2021, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoJMkIshGHY&t=170s.
Send non-profit calendar events to wpjnewsla@gmail.com .
June 20
1 p.m. Budget workshop. Council of the City of Minden, Pelican Conference Room, Minden City Hall.
June 22
5 until 8 p.m. Juneteenth Celebration at Woo’s on Martin Luther King Drive, Minden. Family fun with food trucks, music, special performances, Juneteenth History, bounce house, fireworks provided by Beyond Burgers and Woo’s Daiquiri Shop. For more information, contact Michael Walker at 318-210-1799.
June 28
6 until 10 p.m. Webster Parish Boys 2 Men “Bridging the Gap” Meet & Greet. Central Community Association, Inc., 5500 Highway 531, Dubberly, La., Register by June 211. Free event; ages 9-18. For more information: Deware Jones (214) 537-0208 or dwrenjones@yahoo.com .
June 29
7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Webster Parish Boys 2 Men “Bridging the Gap” Fishing & Fun. Central Community Association, Inc., 5500 Highway 531, Dubberly, La., Register by June 211. Free event; ages 9-18. For more information: Deware Jones (214) 537-0208 or dwrenjones@yahoo.com .
June 29 & 30
UCAP Golf Tournament. Sponsored by UCAP, b1 Bank and others. Pine Hills Country Club, Minden. Sign up in the Pro Shop.
June 30
8 a.m. Webster Parish Boys 2 Men “Bridging the Gap” Sunday Worship. Central Community Association, Inc., 5500 Highway 531, Dubberly, La., Register by June 21. Free event; ages 9-18. For more information: Deware Jones (214) 537-0208 or dwrenjones@yahoo.com .
5 p.m. 6th Annual Duck Derby Extravaganza, downtown Minden. Food vendors, face painting, jump houses, music and Duck Derby race.
Last week we covered some of the issues going on with anglers on our lakes and waterways. We talked about the confrontations taking place daily as guys compete for water space. Every angler of course, wants an area of the lake to themselves. Twenty-five to thirty years ago, this might have been possible but not in 2024! Since the Covid pandemic, it is crazy how many people have taken to the outdoors, and specifically the water, for either fishing or just pleasure boating.
So, with so many people on our lakes and rivers, competition for water space is at an all-time high. Today, I’m going to grab my whistle and put on my coach’s cap and teach anyone willing to listen (boat captains and high school anglers) on the unwritten rules of tournament bass fishing. Actually, these rules should apply to all anglers!
Rule #1: Don’t back your boat down the ramp if you’re not ready to launch. This is a major sore spot with anglers as so many times some anglers will block the ramp by loading all their gear, putting on the running light, loading their rods, removing the trailer bar and unhooking all the trailer straps. Do all this before you get to the ramp! Same goes for pleasure boaters; do all your prepping away from the ramp. Now when you get to the ramp, you’re ready to drop the boat in the water and get out of the way.
Next, brush piles….Rule #2: You don’t own a sunken brush pile. This might be the most controversial topic among tournament anglers and can be a major source of tension. But you must understand, that even though YOU spent hours sinking brush piles all over the lake, in reality, you do not own them. Once anything is sunk on a public waterway, it is no longer YOUR personal fishing spot, it’s public. YOU DO NOT OWN THAT OR ANY OTHER BRUSH PILE! Anyone and everyone have just as much right to fish that brush pile as the person that put it there.
Now, with all this being said, if I know that an angler in the tournament put out a particular brush top, I’ll honor him by not fishing it. Also, if I see a good friend fishing a particular brush pile, I’ll check it off my list of places to fish out of respect for him.
Here’s the thing about brush piles; most lakes have hundreds of brush piles all over the lake. All you have to do is use your electronics and go find them. Which leads us to Rule #4: Go find your own fish! Don’t rely on another angler to find fish for you! Find them on your own! You’ll get a greater satisfaction from fishing when you do it on your own.
Rule #4: Don’t cut another angler off! This is the most controversial unwritten rule there is and the one that has created the most verbal wars on the water. Nothing sets a bass fisherman off quicker than another angler cutting them off. If you see a boat going down a stretch of boat docks, grass line or tree line, don’t run in on him and start fishing a few hundred feet in front of him. THIS IS A MAJOR NO NO! Give the angler his space and go at least 300 yards or more before dropping your trolling motor. Or start behind the angler and go away from him which is what he would prefer anyway.
Rule #5: Don’t run up on another boat and shut down on top of them. This is more of a problem on lakes that have a defined boat lane with little to no wiggle room. If another angler is fishing close to the boat lane, shut down at least 40 yards from them and idle by him a few yards before getting back on pad.
In some cases, anglers will motion you with a hand signal waving you on to stay on pad and run by them. I personally would rather have someone just run by me on pad rather than shutting down and throwing a 2-foot wake on me. A running boat produces a smaller wake than one with a fast idle. But it’s always good to be courteous and let the other angler tell you what they want you to do.
Rule #6: Never drop waypoints with your GPS of another angler’s fishing spot. This one is a major issue with all tournament bass anglers. Just because you see one of the local favorites on a particular body of water fishing a specific spot, does not mean you should idle by him and drop a waypoint. I’ve seen anglers go out of their way to mark another angler’s location only to return and fish the same spot. If you can’t find your own fish, don’t enter the tournament!
Rule #7: At no point should an angler have a pair of binoculars in their boat! This really makes an angler using them look pitiful. It shows you’re spending time sitting and watching other anglers catch fish while you’re waiting for them to leave so you can fish that spot. Don’t do this! Binoculars have no place in a bass boat!
The next two rules (#8 and #9) apply mainly to anglers fishing a pro/am tournament. Rule #8: Don’t throw past the front of the boat. This is actually a written rule, but also the most overlooked or ignored rule by co-anglers. Some co-anglers think they can cast anywhere they want, but that’s not the case. The co-angler should fish the water from the imaginary line from the middle of the boat to the back of the boat. My advice to co-anglers…if you want to fish in front of the boat, then sign up as a boater/pro.
Rule #9: Make sure to help the boater/pro with gas on tournament day. Most guys will never ask for the money, so it’s up to you (co-angler) to offer. It’s pretty much understood that unless gas prices are high, $40 is a good offer. Some boater/pros may not take it, but it’s a courteous gesture on your part to offer, especially if you covered a lot of water that day.
Finally, Rule #10: Your bass boat is not a rocket ship! You’re not impressing anyone on the lake by going fast. So SLOW DOWN and be courteous and respectful of all boaters. In the words of former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jimmy Johnson…speed kills! Now obviously he was talking about football, but the same rule applies for going too fast in a bass boat.
Whether we think it or not, we (anglers) do not own any portion of the lake. Everyone is entitled to all areas of any public lake or river. So be respectful of all boaters using the lake. As hard as it can be, exercise patience and try to be nice.
The rules listed above have been passed down to me by previous generations of anglers during my many years of tournament experience. These are things that all bass fishermen need to be reminded of from time to time.
We all get frustrated, but today our lakes and waterways are overrun with boaters and it’s up to us to educate each other as to what is considered acceptable behavior on the water. If you know of anyone, like a boat captain, high school angler or someone new to tournament bass fishing, please share this information with them. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and when in doubt…set the hook!
Steve Graf
Angler’s Perspective
Stan Phillip Shofner
June 10, 1958 – June 17, 2024
Shongaloo, La.
Visitation: 1 p.m. Thursday, June 20, 2024, Western Baptist Church, Emerson, Ark.
Funeral service: 2 p.m. immediately following visitation.
Burial: Western Cemetery under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill, La.
Audalie Nuckolls
June 23, 1917 – June 10, 2024
Springhill, La.
Visitation: 3 p.m,. June 23, 2024, Kings Corner Assembly of God Church, Springhill.
Service: 4 p.m., immediately following visitation.
Supper reception: 5 p.m.
Charles “Bo” Thomas Blackwood
Oct. 23, 1940 – June 8, 2024
Homer, La.
Service: 2 p.m. Saturday, June 29, Cornerstone Church (former First UMC), Homer, 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.)
By Bonnie Culverhouse
It took Minden City Council a little more than 30 minutes in executive session Monday to reach an agreement with former Minden Airport Manager Steven Burdeaux, who was appealing his recently terminated employment.
Minden City Attorney Jimbo Yocom and Burdeaux’s attorney Pam Breedlove worked out the deal where Burdeaux resigned his position. Other details remain unknown.
“Council for the City of Minden and Mr. Burdeaux have discussed the matter and decided it is in the best interest of the City and Mr. Burdeaux to reach an amicable resolution,” Yocom said. “An agreement has been met and, based on that agreement, Mr. Burdeaux is going to withdraw his request for appeal to the council. That’s all that can be discussed about the matter.”
Breedlove said it is a good agreement.
“It’s a resolution that’s going to be best for him (Burdeaux) and the town,” she said. “Part of the agreement is we are not going to air this out to the public. We know both sides are going to learn something from this.”
Burdeaux, who was with City of Minden 8 years, could not speak on the record but there was a large support crowd at Minden City Hall. Burdeaux did not ask any of them to speak on his behalf but some did.
“The mayor has done some good things for the city, and that’s done (Burdeaux’s agreement),” said Chuck Self. “It will all come out at some point.”
Molly Fowler said during his time at the airport, Burdeaux has been her mentor.
“I’ve worked with Mr. Burdeaux for three years … I’ve known him for four,” Fowler said. “He’s been the greatest mentor and the greatest help in my career. I wouldn’t be where I am without him today.
“Flying into different airports, you can just tell all the great things he’s done for this city,” she added. “He is an amazing person.”
Due to legalities, no one from the city was allowed to comment further on the details of the agreement.
“We are pleased that all parties were able to reach a mutually agreeable resolution,” said Mayor Nick Cox.
By Pat Culverhouse
A pair of serious sex crime charges involving a minor have been filed against a 33-year-old Minden man following a lengthy investigation by the Springhill Police Department’s investigative unit.
Springhill Chief of Police Will Lynd said Alex D. Bradley, an Emerald Drive resident, was arrested last week and charged with rape of a minor under 13 years old. Bradley has also been charged with pornography involving juveniles after a number of images were discovered on his cell phone.
Bond on the rape charge has been set at $450,000, while a $350,000 bond has been set on the pornography charge.
SPD investigator Det. Rodney Hile said he received information from another law enforcement agency and began investigating allegations.
“We found the allegations to be true and uncovered plenty of supporting evidence to make the arrest,” Hile said. “It was also during this investigation that we were able to retrieve pornographic images from his phone.”
Bradley is currently being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
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.