VFW Post 2885 will be holding a “Day of Service” on May 24, 2025 at The Minden Cemetery beginning at 9 a.m. in the Old Section. They will be cleaning around and putting American Flags on Veterans graves. The VFW will provide the flags. All volunteers are welcome. Bring flags, gloves, rakes and respectful hearts to serve those who served us. “No one is forgotten when we remember.”
Dorothy S. Butcher
April 20, 1932 — May 19, 2025
Minden, La.
Visitation: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24, 2025, Rose-Neath Funeral Home Chapel, Minden.
Funeral service: 11 a.m. immediately following visitation.
Burial: Gardens of Memory Cemetery, Minden.
Celessie E. DeLoach
July 5, 1926 – May 18, 2025
Springhill, La.
Visitation: 3 until 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
Funeral services: 4 p.m. Wednesday, immediately following visitation.
Burial: Welcome Cemetery, Taylor, Ark., under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
Jarvis Landon Jennings
July 5, 1936 – April 21, 2025
Graveside service: 11 a.m. Saturday, May 24, 2025, Welcome Cemetery, Taylor, Ark., under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
Faye Basinger
April 29, 1931 – May 18, 2025
Ringgold, La.
Visitation: 9 a.m. until service time, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Rockett Funeral Home, Ringgold.
Graveside service: 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Providence Cemetery, Ringgold.
Lane Knotts
February 19, 1929 – May 18, 2025
Elm Grove, La.
Graveside service: 2 p.m. Friday, May 23, 2025, Ebenezer Cemetery, Castor, La., under the direction of Rockett Funeral Home, Ringgold.
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
Two Minden teenagers are in custody and a third is being sought in connection with incidents early Thursday morning involving attempted break-ins of vehicles and shots fired during an alleged robbery attempt.
Chief of Police said 18-year-olds Jaylen Shine and Ralterrian Reeder are both charged with attempted simple burglary and attempted armed robbery. Both are being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center where Shine’s bond has been set at $120,000. Reeder is looking at a $35,000 bond.
A third person suspected of being involved, 17-year-old Tyson Franklin, is still being sought by investigators.
Officers patrolling the Shreveport Rd. area shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday (May 15) reportedly heard between six and 10 gunshots in the area near Circle K. As those officers responded, homeowners in the Roosevelt Dr. Area began calling in reference to three males trying to break into vehicles.
Investigators said shortly after the suspects fled from the Roosevelt area, witnesses also heard shots in the vicinity of Circle K. Officers arrived at the store and found several shell casings in the parking lot near Shreveport Rd.
Around 2:40 a.m., officers received a call of property damage to a vehicle in the area of Pennsylvania Avenue. Responding officers learned the vehicle damage was due to the shots fired at Circle K.
Following a brief interview with the victims, officers learned the shots were fired during a failed armed robbery attempt by the suspects. Following leads and witness accounts, Shine and Reeder were both arrested Saturday around 7:30 p.m.
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.
By Pat Culverhouse
Eight charges, including seven for distribution of illegal narcotics, have been filed against a Minden man arrested following a standoff Monday at his residence in the 600 block of Martin Luther King Dr.
Samuel E. Elkins, 51, was taken into custody after members of the Minden Police Department’s Special Response Team enforcing warrants forcefully entered the residence and found him hiding in a bedroom.
Minden Chief of Police Jared McIver said Elkins was arrested on four warrants charging him with four counts of distribution of CDS Sch. I (synthetic marijuana) and three for distribution of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamines). He is also charged with felon in possession of a firearm.
Elkins is reportedly being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center on bonds totaling $175,000.
McIver said MPD Detective Lt. Kenny James received information that Elkins was inside the residence, and officers surrounded the mobile home just before 10 a.m. Elkins reportedly ignored repeated orders to exit the residence.
Gas cylinders were fired into the residence in attempt to remove him, but he remained inside until SRT members, accompanied by the department’s K9 team, entered around 11 a.m. Elkins reportedly surrendered without incident.
During a search of the home, officers reportedly recovered a 9MM handgun, live rounds of ammunition and three prescription bottles with assorted pills in the bedroom.
Elkins’ criminal history showed he had previously been convicted and sentenced in 2020 to five years in prison for illegal use of weapons during a crime of violence.
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.
By Marilyn Miller
“If you’re going to say the word, ‘Can’t’, put the word ‘Yet’, behind it.” Cynthia Sandidge
Writing feature stories all begins with one thing – the subject. Sometimes the subject may center around music – playing it, teaching it, writing it…The instrument: bass guitar, rhythm guitar, mandolin, ukulele. There are all kinds of instruments.
There are those times when the subject centers around painting, perhaps with a focus on abstract art, folk art, pen and inks, portraits; maybe with the type of paint used, for instance oils, acrylics, water colors. Home decorating is yet another talent that’s worthy of the written word and most certainly, photographs. And then there is creative art, like how to make a windchime out of a wine bottle.
It’s wonderful to find this talent. And it’s unusual to find a person who is multi-talented.
For instance, Cynthia Sandidge, a professed “Minden girl” who resides in a hip house on Buchanan Street and is the daughter of late musician Bud Sandidge is such a person.
Let’s see, her “paid” gigs include playing for the Praise Team at Minden First Methodist Church, teaching guitar, ukulele, and piano, teaching yoga both online from her house and at FMC, selling for the WP Journal, and, oh, there was a time she mined for gold in the Yukon Territory in Canada.
However, the mining wasn’t worth it, she said, especially when you could only drive so far before having to get out and hike to the claim. If the bears were otherwise engaged at the nearby city dump, they’d be less likely to view hikers as dinner. And, the hikers could leave the safeties on their guns. Besides, she received more gold nuggets as tips during her music-making sessions.
“I’m going to sell that gold now and finally say I got something for my efforts,” Cynthia said. She spent 10 years in Alaska, so maybe her tips will be worth something today.
Cynthia is foremost a musician. Did she start music because of her dad?
“Oh, absolutely…absolutely,” she said. “Daddy started music at 16 years old…found a mandolin and taught himself how to play it. He and his two cousins, who were brothers, were picking cotton. They would get 25 cents for however many pounds they picked. They got a gig one night and they got paid $25 for having a little three-piece band. So they quit picking cotton and started playing music. They were good, they used to be on the radio.” The trio got offered a record-making deal, but Bud was in love. He married Cynthia’s mama instead, and became a tow boat captain on the Mississippi River, working two months on and one month off.
“I have his guitar, that he bought at W. D. Roberts Music (in downtown Minden) in 1972. I told him at that time ‘daddy I want that guitar. It’s mine.’ (I didn’t even play at the time). And before he passed away (in 2016), he gave it to me.”
Laying claim to the guitar was gutsy, since Cynthia had a sister, Kathy Sandidge, and has two brothers, Kevin and James Sandidge. And Kathy was the “singer” in the family. “I had to learn more things – sewing, art, macrame, piano, twirling the baton – I had to learn all that stuff to be as good in others’ eyes as my sister was,” Cynthia acknowledged thinking.
Did Cynthia and her dad ever sing together?
“Growing up, he was gone a lot. He and my brothers and my sister and I would sing at different things.” But it was nothing organized. It would be a get-together or a family thing. “We would play at the Bluegrass Festival, and he would come play with me. I sing a lot with Nancy Collins, and he would bring his mandolin and play. And I have his mandolin.
“My mother gave my father the mandolin for an anniversary in March of the year I was born (in April),” Cynthia recalled. So, Cynthia literally grew up with guitars and mandolins and singing in the house. And at the age of eight, she started taking piano lessons from Mrs. Hazel Rankin, a well-known pianist in Minden. Cynthia got her first rhythm guitar for Christmas at the age of 15. Her friend, Steve Roe, taught her how to play it.
Years later, she married a musician, and they moved away to Alaska. Her ex-husband taught her more about the guitar and about music in general. “I started my music career in Anchorage,” Cynthia disclosed.
When she moved to Sacramento, CA, she started painting, using pastels and water- colors. She also loves to draw. Today, this artist creates macrame designs and windchimes (lighted or non-lighted). The chimes include a “pour” stylized by artist Chris Broussard. All are unique and for sale.
She does have one big project she’s working on in her backyard. She’s creating a tearoom at the shady rear side of her garage. Artist Broussard has volunteered to teach her how to paint a mural on the garage wall.
That will be something to see, and a fine place for some singing and picking…and REST!
Oh, but she’s also taking up golf.
Tuesday
A slight chance of thunderstorms before 7 a.m., then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. South wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 61. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
* Info provided by National Weather Service.
Minden Mayor Nick Cox joined other agencies in proclaiming May 17-23 National Safe Boating Week.
According to his proclamation, an average of 650 persons die each year in boating-related accidents in the United States. Of these fatalities, 76 percent are caused by drowning.
The majority of these accidents are said to be caused by human error or poor judgment and a significant number could have been prevented with life jackets.
During Safe Boating Week, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will be reminding all boaters about the importance of being safe, responsible and knowledgeable while on the water. Safe Boating Week is the perfect time for all boaters to inspect their vessels to ensure that all required safety equipment is on board and that vessels are in good working condition.
LDWF agents will be out in full force during the week to perform boating safety checks that include making sure all personal flotation device (PFD) regulations are being followed and that each vessel has a sober operator.
The Case Manager plays a crucial role in patient care coordination, serving as a liaison between patients, families, and physicians to ensure effective communication and seamless transitions across the continuum of care, including post-acute services. The team diligently maintains medical records, facilitates timely documentation, and supports discharge planning while making appropriate referrals to community resources. Upholding strict confidentiality standards, they collaborate with healthcare professionals and social agencies to address patient needs comprehensively. Additionally, they participate in performance improvement initiatives, adhere to regulatory policies, and engage in continuing education to enhance service quality. Their dedication to critical thinking, peer review, and professional integrity strengthens both internal operations and customer relationships, ultimately fostering a supportive healthcare environment for the Springhill community.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will conduct alligator lottery harvests on 22 LDWF Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), 28 public lakes and one U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) property beginning on Aug. 27, 2025. Applications are now available and are due by June 15.
Alligator lottery applications are only available on the LDWF website at https://louisianaoutdoors.com/lottery-applications. Those wanting to apply should click on the Lottery Applications tab, update or create their customer details similar to purchasing a license and then submit an application. There is a $5 application fee and a $3.50 transaction fee. Only one alligator lottery application may be submitted per customer but applicants can rank and submit up to three hunt area choices on their application. Applicants must be legal Louisiana residents and 16 years of age or older. If selected, you will be required to purchase an alligator hunter license ($25) and to submit payment of $40 for each alligator tag allocated.
To assist applicants in selecting specific WMAs/public lakes, LDWF has posted the percentage of lottery alligator harvest applicants selected for their first choice in 2024 by WMA or public lake as well as a map showing the general location of each area and the appropriate area manager’s contact information on its website at https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/assets/Hunting/Alligator/Files/lottery_choices.pdf.
For more information concerning lottery alligator harvests on LDWF WMAs or public lakes, contact the appropriate LDWF Field Office or email LAalligatorprogram@wlf.la.gov.
A strong turnout marked the recent success of the End-of-Life Decisions Workshop hosted by the SMC Foundation. Designed to educate the community on critical end-of-life planning, the event covered essential topics such as wills, living wills, and organ and tissue donation.
Amberlee Nix, a respected attorney and Springhill native, provided clear, practical guidance on preparing wills to ensure final wishes are honored. Her presentation helped simplify complex legal concepts and encouraged attendees to take meaningful steps toward planning.
Anita Maxwell, representing Springhill Medical Center’s administration, spoke on the importance of living wills. She explained how these documents guide medical decisions when individuals are unable to speak for themselves and offered advice on how to begin these vital conversations with loved ones and healthcare providers.
Attendees expressed appreciation and left feeling more confident and prepared to make thoughtful decisions for themselves and their families.
SMC Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health and healthcare services to local families through charitable donations, educational initiatives, and community outreach programs.
Document: Ordinance No. 1154
Location: Minden City Hall
Address: 520 Broadway, Minden, La. 71055
Date/Time: May 5, 2025, Regular meeting of the Minden City Council.
The following is an ordinance of the Minden City Council as recorded by Ashlee Drake, Administrative Assistant to Mayor Nick Cox of Minden. If you have any questions, please contact Minden City Hall at 318-377-2144.
Document: Minutes of the City of Minden Workshop
Location: Minden City Hall
Address: 520 Broadway, Minden, La. 71055
Date/Time: May 5, 2025, 5 p.m.
The following are the minutes of the Minden City Council minutes as recorded by Ashlee Drake, Administrative Assistant to Mayor Nick Cox of Minden. If you have any questions, please contact Minden City Hall at 318-377-2144.
Document: Minutes of the City of Minden Regular Council Meeting
Location: Minden City Hall
Address: 520 Broadway, Minden, La. 71055
Date/Time: May 5, 2025, 6 p.m.
The following are the minutes of the Minden City Council minutes as recorded by Ashlee Drake, Administrative Assistant to Mayor Nick Cox of Minden. If you have any questions, please contact Minden City Hall at 318-377-2144.
United Christian Assistance Program has the following needs:
Food: Soup, cereal, pasta, biscuit & cornbread mix
Clothing: Men’s shoes
Household goods: sheets, towels & wash cloths, pots & pans
Note: We will be closed Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day!
Thank you for supporting UCAP!
UCAP is open from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 204 Miller Street, Minden, for food, utility and rent assistance. Clothing is dispersed on Wednesdays only.
I don’t know that there has been a more significant trip to the Middle East by an American president. The Middle East, with its eternal hatreds, is a perpetual tinderbox from which conflict and war may, at any time, spring.
Yet, there President Trump was.
His speech in Riyadh at the Saudi U.S. Investment Forum highlighted a very promising and optimistic vision for a more stable Middle East. Trump stated that “before our eyes, a new generation of leaders is transcending the ancient conflicts and tired divisions of the past and forging a future where the Middle East is defined by commerce, not chaos, where it exports technology, not terrorism, and where people of different nations, religions and creeds are building cities together, not bombing each other out of existence.”
Trump again spoke directly to Iran stating that while he wanted to avoid a harsh conflict with that country it simply “may not ever possess a nuclear weapon.” However, he also offered Iran a great future if that nation chooses the right and peaceful course.
Further, I wasn’t anticipating but am not surprised by Trump’s criticism of past American presidents and their foreign policy. Trump declared that “the gleaming marvels of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were not created by the so-called nation builders, neocons or liberal nonprofits like those who spent trillions and trillions of dollars failing to develop Kabul, Baghdad, and so many other cities. Instead, the birth of a modern Middle East has been brought by the people of the region themselves, the people that are right here, the people that have lived here all their lives, developing your own sovereign countries, pursuing your own unique visions, and charting your own destinies in your own way. It’s really incredible what you’ve done. In the end, the so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built.”
Wow. That’s a blistering denunciation of several former presidential administrations but none more than that of President George W. Bush and the Iraq War that has cost America trillions of dollars and many lost American lives—based upon the assertion that Iraq and Saddam Hussein were somehow tied to 9-11 and also possessed “weapons of mass destruction.” All false and profoundly damaging to our nation. The really unforgivable part of the Iraq War is that President George W. Bush never even completed the war against Afghanistan, the nation that actually served as a base for al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, before the attacks.
Some described President Trump’s criticisms of George W. Bush and other past presidents to be in “poor form” and that it “undermines” us. I strongly disagree. The Iraq War has been a traumatic event in American history from the standpoint of the blood and treasure it cost us, and Trump needed to call it out as unequivocally as he did in the hopes no future American president will ever undertake a similar course.
I also find Trump’s approach to Syria interesting. While in Saudi Arabia, he met with the new leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Shara. Trump stated, “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness.” Note, al-Shara, Syria’s new leader, is a former jihadist. However, he is also the enemy of Iran and pushed out Syria’s brutal dictator, Bashar al-Assad. While Trump has indicated he will make sanctions relief contingent upon certain conditions being met by Syria, the removal of U.S. sanctions against the country actually makes sense from the standpoint that al-Shara may end up feeling a stronger alliance with the U.S. than with China or Russia.
I also heard reports recently that Trump had somehow “sidelined” Israel during his trip to the Middle East. I disagree. Trump took the trip to make deals and strengthen alliances and if there was any chance that an interaction with, or perceived deference to, Israel might somehow make that effort more difficult, Trump was not going to allow it. Israel is the strongest U.S. ally in the region, if not the world, and its bond with us has not been diminished here.
I don’t know how this Trump effort in the Middle East will ultimately work out but right now there is more strength, energy and focus being projected in that region than, perhaps, ever before and that is a dramatic improvement from even 6 months ago. Trump is bestriding the world stage and the impact it is having is historic.
(Shreveport attorney, Royal Alexander, worked in D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 8 years for two different Members of Congress from Louisiana. He has witnessed up close several Speaker races. He can be reached at RoyalAlexanderlawfirm@gmail.com .)
Send non-profit calendar events to wpjnewsla@gmail.com .
May 20
6 p.m. Livestock Show meeting for kids in 4th through 12 grades interested in showing animals through Webster Parish Livestock Program for 2025-2026 school year. Webster Extension Office, 1202 Homer Road, Minden. Call 318-371-1371 or jmonzingo@agcewnter.lsu.edu.
May 22-23
9 until 11 a.m., Calvary Baptist Church Basketball Camp, 1400 Homer Road, Minden (Across from Walmart) $25. T-Shirt included if registration and payment are received by noon May 8 Register now: calvaryminden.com/basketballcamp
11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Special Needs Basketball Camp.
Same information as above. Register now: calvaryminden.com/basketballcamp.
May 24
10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Fan Drive – donations or drop off at 212 W. Roosevelt St., Minden. Cash App is accepted. Call 318-210-1799 or 318-707-3532.
May 28
10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Minden Senior Health & Fitness at Minden Rec Center. Free for seniors 50 and older. Numerous vendors, health tips, BINGO, and door prizes. Sponsored by Minden Medical Center.
May 30
6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.) Seeds Women’s Center “Totally 80s Bingo.” Minden Civic Center, 520 Broadway, Minden. Sponsorships needed. Call Amber Bradford at 318-639-0907 for more information.
August 7-10
Wheaton Family Reunion for Webster and Claiborne parishes. Call If you are a Wheaton descendent and have not been contacted, please reach out to Brian Mosby at 214-794-3986.
Jonathan Duck, 32, 3600 block Hwy. 371, Taylor, AR: arrested May 15 by WPSO on warrants for failure to register vehicle, possession of CDS Sch. II. Bond set $7,500.
Somalia Knisha Johnson, 32, 100 block Shane Dr., Minden: arrested May 18 by WPSO for domestic abuse battery. Bond set $5,000.
Christa Miller, 35, Minden: arrested May 19 by WPSO on warrants for hit and run driving, operating unsafe vehicle. Bond set $2,500.
John Richard Warren, 47, 1400 block LA Hwy. 153, Castor: arrested May 17 by Louisiana State Police for DWI first offense, careless operation. No bond set.
Calvin L. Theus, 40, 200 block Goode Ave., Minden: arrested May 17 by Minden PD for simple battery, possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamines), possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana). No bond set.
Levi Scott Dance, 30, 100 block Loop Rd., Minden: arrested May 18 by Minden PD for felony theft, criminal trespass, on bench warrants. Bond set $20,750 surety or $1,100 cash.
Laticia L. Kimmons, 200 block Marshall St., Minden: arrested May 18 by Minden PD on outstanding fugitive warrant from Harris County, TX.
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.
Celessie E. DeLoach
July 5, 1926 – May 18, 2025
Springhill, La.
Visitation: 3 until 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
Funeral services: 4 p.m. Wednesday, immediately following visitation.
Burial: Welcome Cemetery, Taylor, Ark., under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
Jarvis Landon Jennings
July 5, 1936 – April 21, 2025
Graveside service: 11 a.m. Saturday, May 24, 2025, Welcome Cemetery, Taylor, Ark., under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
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.)
An arrest has been made in a standoff between local law enforcement and a Minden man on the corner of Martin Luther King Dr. and Talton St. this morning. More details as they become available.
By Pat Culverhouse
A Minden teenager is in custody facing a number of firearm related charges after he allegedly stopped a vehicle at gunpoint, then fired at least one shot as the driver sped away.
Chief of Police Jared McIver identified the suspect as 17-year-old Zigarri R. Miller, a resident of the 400 block of Whitlock. He was arrested by officers, including the department’s Special Response Team, just after 11 p.m. Thursday at a Brenda Circle residence.
McIver said around 10:20 p.m. Miller was walking in the middle of Pine St. while talking on the phone to a female who was a passenger in a vehicle traveling in his direction on Pine St.
When the vehicle was forced to stop to avoid hitting Miller, he allegedly approached the driver’s side window armed with a handgun and demanded the driver get out of the car. Instead, the driver accelerated away and Miller allegedly fired at least one shot in the direction of the vehicle.
McIver said the driver alerted police, and officers learned Miller had traveled to the female passenger’s residence in the 1100 block of Brenda Circle. A witness reportedly saw Miller enter the residence, armed with a handgun.
Miller reportedly entered the female’s bedroom where he remained as officers negotiated with him to come out. Police successfully talked Miller out of the house and placed him in custody.
During a search of the bedroom where Miller had barricaded himself, officers located a 9MM handgun hidden beneath clothing inside a chest of drawers. The gun’s 17-round capacity magazine contained 15 live rounds, and attempts had been made to obliterate the serial number, officers said.
Charges filed against Miller include aggravated assault with a firearm, illegal use of weapons, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number and felony obstruction of justice.
McIver said Miller has been transported to the Jackson Parish correctional facility.
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.
Sunday, May 18, 2025, marks Webster Parish Journal’s fourth anniversary of publication.
We have grown so much since the first day we published in May 2021 and, in 2024, we had more than 2.2 million total views. Five months into 2025, we already have more than one million views. so we are on track to surpass those 2024 figures already.
How are we doing it?
WPJ has added to our staff while retaining some really good ones: Marilyn Miller and Paige Gurgainers, for instance. We are proud to say we’ve added a correspondent in the southern part of Webster Parish – Shannon Wright and in the northern part – Zoë Pickett.
In sales, Zoë and Shannon are contributing in their areas, while we have Tegan Batton, Randy Ward and most recently, Cynthia Sandidge. We can put you in touch with any of these folks.
We would like to thank all our columnists who contribute their take on life and different aspects of current and historic events: Tina DeLoach, Mitzi Thomas, Shakera Williams, Jessica Gorman, Jennifer Thomas, Teddy Allen, Robert St. John, Brad Dison and Steve Graf.
During football season, we have contributors who often stay up late after a ballgame to write stories about our parish teams: Scott Blackwell, Travis Chapman, Pat Culverhouse and Gray Haynes.
Our local law enforcement agencies keep us busy, and we are proud to report our weekly Most Wanted submission, has a 90 percent success rate for MPD, thanks to responsible citizens.
What’s up for the rest of 2025? We plan to continue working hard to ensure our readers are informed about local, parish and state events, as they apply to us. We also will give our advertisers as much exposure as possible because they are the reason Webster Parish Journal will always remain SIMPLE AND FREE.
Thank you for supporting us.
Pat and Bonnie Culverhouse
A cause of death has been determined in the case of a Minden man whose body was found last month in a heavily wooded area off the westbound lanes of I-20 near the Dubberly exit.
Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said results of an autopsy performed in Little Rock, Arkansas, showed 52-year-old Kendrick “Ked” Kennon died as the result of an overdose of a combination of narcotics including fentanyl.
Kennon was first reported missing Saturday, March 30 after he left for work and did not return. His truck was found abandoned off the shoulder of I-20.
His body was discovered Tuesday, April 1 in heavy woods and thick underbrush nearby after an intensive search of the surrounding area.
This week’s Most Wanted is Kevin Smith, who has been under investigation since early summer of 2024 for multiple counts of access device fraud and identity theft.
Smith allegedly decided to use the stolen identity of a Webster Parish resident to sell the victim’s property and make $20,000. He even opened several different bank accounts using the stolen identity.
Smith allegedly moved the money to several different banks using the stolen identity to hide his malicious acts. MPD Det. Sgt. Jason Lee was able to follow the trail of money from the unknowing buyer of the property to a bank account with Kevin’s name as the sole account holder.
Smith has an arrest warrant for the following charges: 3 counts of Access Device Fraud – $30,000 bond; 6 counts of Identity Theft – $30,000 bond.
Bond total – $60,000.
Anyone with information on Kevin Smith is encouraged to contact MPD Detective Lt. Jason Smith at 318-371-4226 (office), 318-268-1441 (cell) or email at jksmith@mindenusa.com., or Det. Sgt. Jason Lee at (office) (318) 371-4226 ext. 482; or email jlee@mindenusa.com.
All information will be confidential.
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.
