Play Sudoku online!

---

Gilbert “Mark” Peel
October 24, 1951 — September 14, 2025
Bossier City
Graveside service: 11:30 a.m. Friday, October 3, 2025, Northwest LA Veterans Cemetery.

Claudia Toinette Sewell
March 5, 1947 — July 26, 2025
Bossier City
Visitation: Noon Saturday, October 11, 2025, Airline Baptist Church, Bossier City.
Celebration of Life: 1 p.m. immediately following visitation.

Leavy Glen Nugent
May 13, 1938  –  September 20, 2025
Plain Dealing
Visitation: 9 a.m. Saturday, September 27, 2025, Plain Dealing Methodist Church.
Graveside service: 2 p.m., Cleveland Cemetery, Lena, La., under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Plain Dealing.

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

A lengthy investigation centering on a Springhill man’s alleged illegal drug and firearms activities ended last week when Springhill officers apprehended 23-year-old Brandon Michael Charles as he attempted to flee a traffic stop.

Chief of Police Will Lynd said Charles is facing a number of charges involving drugs and firearm possession, including:

• Possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana) with intent to distribute.
• Possession of CDS Sch II (methamphetamines) with intent to distribute.
• Possession of a firearm in the presence of CDS.
• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
• Resisting an officer with force or violence.
• Aggravated battery of a police officer.

Charles reportedly is being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center under a $40,000 bond.

Lynd said Springhill detectives attempted to take Charles into custody on outstanding warrants during the traffic stop, but the suspect attempted to flee in his vehicle.

During his attempted escape, he allegedly dragged Det. Amandia Hamilton approximately 75 yards with his vehicle before she managed to work free. Det. Hamilton reportedly was not seriously injured.

Springhill Det. Rodney Hile reportedly pursued Charles roughly 500 yards before he wrecked his vehicle, then fled on foot. He was apprehended following a brief chase.

Detectives reportedly retraced the route of Charles’ attempted escape and discovered a backpack on the roadside. Inside, the officers found one ziplock baggie containing suspected methamphetamines and another large bag of suspected marijuana. Also inside the backpack were packaging materials, scales and a magazine for a 9MM handgun.

A further search of the area near where the backpack was discarded reportedly revealed a loaded 9MM handgun with obliterated serial numbers.

Detectives reportedly searched Charles’ social media accounts and found photographs of a handgun similar to the one discarded. After obtaining a search warrant for his Reiny Circle residence, detectives found drug paraphernalia and an extended firearm magazine.

Lynd said the firearm and backpack have been forwarded to the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory for DNA analysis to support their case.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

---

Congratulations, Jerry Lott, our week 3 winner of Webster Parish Journal’s Pick’em Contest. Lott was one of 15 players who got 8 correct, but Lott took the $100 prize on the tie breaker.

You, too, could be a $100 winner. Remember, you must be 18 years or older to play. Be sure to get your entries in before 5 p.m. Friday or they won’t count.

Just like the Webster Parish Journal, the contest is free.

Here is your live link to play the Webster Parish Journal Pick’em Contest.

https://form.jotform.com/232385564755163

---

Ruston, LA – Radiance Technologies (Radiance), an employee-owned leader in defense and intelligence solutions, has been awarded a prime Other Transaction (OT) contract valued up to $5.85 million over 18 months by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO). The contract supports the Simulating Microbial Systems (SMS) program, where Radiance will lead a groundbreaking partnership with Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Shreveport and Louisiana Tech University to develop whole-cell modeling and simulation capabilities for Escherichia coli (E. coli).

This marks Radiance’s first collaboration with DARPA BTO and establishes North Louisiana as an emerging hub for cutting-edge biotechnology research. The project, named “Crowded, Heterogeneous, Intracellular, and Multi-Scale Environments for Revolutionary Bio-Applications (CHIMERA),” aims to create a next-generation simulation system capable of predicting bacterial behavior under various conditions. This technology could transform national security, healthcare, and biotechnology applications.

With CHIMERA, researchers and the Department of Defense will be able to virtually test how bacterial cells respond to various environments, including exposure to antibiotics or conditions relevant to bio-manufacturing, before conducting physical experiments. This predictive capability could aid in preventing antibiotic resistance, optimizing microbial production processes, and understanding how pathogens behave in battlefield conditions.

“This partnership represents exactly the kind of innovative collaboration that drives real breakthroughs,” said Radiance CEO Bill Bailey. “It’s exciting to see North Louisiana becoming a real player in advanced biotech research.”

Leveraging the unique strengths of each institution, this joint initiative will tackle complex scientific challenges that no single organization could address alone. Radiance brings advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning expertise to interpret extensive biological data. LSU Health Shreveport contributes state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics facilities. Louisiana Tech University adds expert microscopy and computational analysis capabilities.

Dr. Jason Comer, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at LSU Health Shreveport and Director of the BSL-3 Research Facility, emphasized the collective nature of the effort: “This is a bold new chapter in research for North Louisiana. Each partner in this collaboration brings something unique to the table. Together, we are forming a true research corridor along I-20.”

“We’re excited to contribute our interdisciplinary expertise in microscopy and computational analysis to CHIMERA, driving innovative solutions at the intersection of biology and technology,” said Dr. Mark DeCoster, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and leader of Louisiana Tech’s research efforts for the project.

“CHIMERA has the potential to revolutionize how we understand and engineer microbial systems, delivering real-world benefits for national security and beyond,” said Dr. Andrew Gardner, Principal Investigator of the SMS program at Radiance Technologies.

Together, Radiance, LSU Health Shreveport, and LA Tech are pushing scientific boundaries in ways that couldn’t be accomplished alone.

---

Besides God and my old friend and Louisiana Tech associate athletics director and former all-league defensive end and terror Ed Jackson, I am the only person to have seen every snap of Louisiana Tech football since 2011.

There have been good times — seven straight bowl games — and there have been bad times, like in 2013 when I was the third-fastest person associated with the program, and I was just writing and helping do radio stuff.

Also the past four seasons come to mind: three wins, three wins, three wins, and five wins.

So since I’ve lived it and am just a writer and a broadcaster, I can say the part that players and coaches can’t say:

Louisiana Tech, 3-1 after beating old rival Southern Miss, 30-20, Saturday, has a fightin’-man’s chance to finish the regular season 11-1. That’s up from Zero Chance in the past few hand-wringing, trying seasons, when hopes fell faster than autumn leaves.

Naturally, it would take some help from the football gods. Tech would need to stay healthy — a problem since 2019, especially at quarterback — and get a break or two. One school of thought is that you make your own breaks, so that’s another coin flip.

And there’s the Bummer Game that even good teams suffer now and then. (See Green Bay, a 13-10 loser to Cleveland Sunday.)

Plus, three of the Bulldogs’ final four games are on the road, including a transcontinental Delaware/Washington State sandwich. 

Those are all acceptable reasons why they can’t go 11-1, or 10-2, or a more reasonable 9-3 or 8-4.

But here are some reasons why they can:

First, Conference USA has some good players but I’m not sure how many really good teams. In ESPN’s power rankings, only Tech (81) and Jacksonville State (85), who Tech doesn’t play in the regular season, are in the NCAA’s Top 100.

Second, their defense has been dynamite in the red zone — two touchdowns allowed in 10 red zone appearances — and hasn’t given up a fourth down conversion in opponents’ four tries. The highlight has been a goal line stand that saw Southern Miss turn the ball over on downs after a first-and-goal from the 1.

Tech’s punter, John Hoyet Chance of Captain Shreve High, a redshirt freshman, was the league’s special teams player of the week after two of Tech’s first three games and should have won the recognition again this week after punting 8 times for a 49.8 average and placing four inside the 20. Right now, he’s doing for Tech what All-America Ryan Allen did for the WAC champion 2011 team and the high-scoring 2012 team.

Offensively, this is the deal: Ashanti Cole, Jonathan Denis, Roy Brackins III, Landon Nelson, Hayden Christman, and Kenneth Bannister. Those six team to play nearly every snap of the five positions in the offensive line. It is nasty, big-boy work, and they’ve gotten better each week. Because the young quarterback, Blake Baker, can run a bit, and because they have three or four tailbacks, and because the offensive line has been able to stay together since spring, Tech was able to throw the ball downfield early in the second quarter against Southern Miss on third-and-one — gained 25 yards, Baker to Devin Gandy, which led to another score and a 30-10 halftime lead. This is a team with the confidence it could convert on fourth down if the pass were incomplete; Tech was never confident or successful on short yardage in the red zone last season.

Which brings us to intangibles. Like, for instance, the team’s best player, a 220-pound linebacker who cries when he talks about his momma and has this to say about why he feels this team might exceed expectations.

“We all love each other,” Kolbe Fields said, “a lot.”

Love helps. That, and blocking and tackling, the latter a thing that Fields excels in.

Something for sure feels different this season compared to the past several autumns, when it seemed Tech football teams invented miraculous, heart-breaking ways to lose. But Saturday in Joe Aillet Stadium, there was the long completion on a third-and-one, the goal-line stand, Field’s interception return for a touchdown, the defense’s third score of the season.

And still, during a second half when Tech played to the score and didn’t extend the lead, no Dog fan with a memory felt the three-score advantage was safe. No way, no how. Not until the fourth quarter.

But this team is getting easier to trust and impossible not to love. They play hard. Lots of energy on the sideline. Root for each other. All that kind of love stuff.

To keep the good vibes going, they’ll have to overcome a long day in a hotel before Saturday night’s 8 p.m. CST kick in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, a place where Tech has consistently won but not without difficulty. Ten years ago, a 9-4 Tech team that won the New Orleans Bowl survived a 17-15 game out there after the Miners, who’d finish 5-7, missed a chip shot field goal in the final two minutes.

Tech’s a four-point favorite this time around against a 1-3 UTEP team better than its record suggests.

If I were a coach, here’s where I’d say that nobody who’s 3-1 can go 11-1 without going 1-0 this week.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

---

BOSSIER CITY – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development celebrated another significant milestone for the $128 million I-20 major rehabilitation project in Bossier City, officially marking two years of construction as the project marches steadily toward completion.

While daily tasks have included laying thousands of tons of asphalt and square yards of concrete, the deeper accomplishment lies in the project’s adherence to the original timeline and schedule. This success is a direct result of DOTD and the contractor’s strong commitment to open and ongoing communication, ensuring that challenges are identified and resolved quickly and efficiently.

In addition to the full reconstruction work, the project also includes extensive concrete panel repairs on the Shreveport side of the I-20 corridor, from Pines Road to past LA 3132, as well as near the I-49 interchange.

Below is a list of current ramps that are closed for reconstruction:

Airline Drive: all on and off-ramps (Est. reopening: late October 2025)
Barksdale Blvd. westbound on-ramp (Est. reopening: late November 2025)
Benton Rd. westbound on-ramp (Est. reopening: November 2025)
Benton Rd. eastbound off-ramp (Est. reopening: late December 2025)

Additional I-20 major rehab fun facts – materials used to date:

146,618 cubic yards of general excavation
252,279 cubic yards of soil cement (roadway base)
3,298 square yards of approach slabs
5,824 linear feet of new roadway median barrier
9,901 square yards of concrete pavement patching
192,000 linear feet of cleaning/resealing existing pavement joints

Frequent updates, current construction activities, and several helpful resources can be found at the I-20 project webpage. Click here to visit that page.

---

Choosing a college can feel overwhelming for students and families. With so many questions about programs, admissions, campus life, and cost, the search often begins online. But if a university website feels dated or confusing, that first impression can create more stress than clarity.

Northwestern State University in Natchitoches has recognized this challenge and responded with a bold solution: a redesigned website that puts students and families first.

Unveiled this month, the new nsula.edu is built to guide prospective students, parents, and the community through a clear, engaging digital experience.

“Our enhanced site is dynamic, mobile-friendly, and designed with users in mind,” said Cole Gentry, Chief Marketing Officer. “Whether you’re a high school student exploring majors, a parent reviewing financial aid, or a faculty member sharing research, the website is your first step into NSU.”

The redesign highlights admissions, academic programs, and campus life while showing the long-term value of an NSU degree.

“The website is more than just a facelift,” Gentry explained. “It’s a living, adaptable platform that will continue to grow alongside our students, faculty, alumni, and the broader Natchitoches community.”

Features include:

• Simple admissions navigation
• Interactive views of academic offerings
• Mobile-first design for families on the go
• Accessibility to ensure every visitor has a seamless experience

For President James T. Genovese, the project signals NSU’s forward momentum.

“This new digital front door reflects who we are today and the bright future we’re building,” Genovese said. “It shows students across Louisiana and beyond that NSU is a place where they can belong, grow, and succeed.”

While prospective students are the primary audience, the refreshed website also serves alumni, current students, faculty, staff, and the local community. From campus events to academic updates, nsula.edu is designed to be a central hub for all who are part of the NSU family.

“Our goal is for everyone who visits the site to feel connected,” said Gentry. “For prospective students especially, we want them to see themselves at NSU from the very first click.”

As students and families look ahead to the next chapter of education, a strong first step can make all the difference. Northwestern State University’s new website is designed to open doors, answer questions, and showcase the opportunities waiting in Natchitoches.

Discover the redesigned experience today at www.nsula.edu.

---

An organization dedicated to empowering youth in three parishes of Northwest Louisiana, will be hosting a fundraiser this weekend at Minden Community House, 711 Gladney Street.

22 Hands Up will, for the second year, offer Food Fest from 1:30 until 4:30 p.m. Saturday, September 27. Tickets are a $40 donation to the organization.

According to 22 Hands Up founders Darrell and Sandra Hampton, “We focus on preparation for generational wealth and wellness through comprehensive financial literacy education, leadership development, and community engagement programs” for ages 11 through 18 in Webster Claiborne and Bienville parishes. Programs include fan and bicycle drives, as well as baseball camps and other community events.

Only advanced ticket sales will be recognized. To get tickets, visit https://www.22handsup.net/events .

---

A Christian Response to the Culture

By Keith Mariott, Pastor, Minden Presbyterian Church

Yet again, our nation faces violence and searches for understanding, as we remember figures like Charlie Kirk, Iryna Zarutska, Melissa and Mark Hortman, and too many schoolchildren whose lives ended tragically in places of learning and worship. Our national wounds seem to be forever raw, the scabs ripped away yet again, leaving us acutely polarized.

God cried out through the prophet: “They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:14, NLT) Across America, we feel grief, anger, and despair—not just from acts of violence, but from an underlying atmosphere of unrest.

It is not only the act of violence that afflicts us but the spirit of violence that hangs heavy in the air

And if we’re honest, we often feel like we only have two choices before us: pick a side and point fingers. Proclaim the justice of our side and the evil of the other. Lament the loss of life for the Democrat but say nothing for the Republican, speak up for the Republican but ignore the Democrat. Yet is not life more than partisanship? Is not all human life sacred?

“Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image’…So God created human beings in his own image” (Genesis 1:26-27, NLT). Our Scriptures proclaim the imago dei, the sacredness of all humankind: irrespective of the stage of life, irrespective of race or culture or national origin or immigrant status, irrespective of social class, irrespective of gender, irrespective of political affiliation.

We are not the first nation to struggle with division and violence. In every time and in every place, humankind has wrestled with the primal urge to retaliate, to even the score, to avenge the wrong. Yet as the histories of Northern Ireland, India, South Africa, Palestine, Rwanda and the United States have taught us, meeting violence with violence never really evens things. It only sets the stage for the next outbreak.

“I have decided to stick with love,” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said. “Hate is too great a burden to bear.” And Mohandas Gandhi echoed, “Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him with love.”

For Christ-followers, our calling is clear. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9, NIV) As American Christians, we must find our way back to the Son of Man, to sit at his feet, to learn from him. Our ultimate calling is to not to a flag or a party, but to the Shepherd of our souls. Our symbol is not a sword but a cross.

It is a moment to forsake our lesser ambitions and re-commit to the Kingdom call of Jesus

In the face of increasingly perilous times, when fear and distrust rise, we the followers of Jesus must humble ourselves and commit to a singular calling of peacemaking. Jesus’ way doesn’t fit neatly into red or blue, right or left. It is a transcendent way, a way rooted in the gospel of peace. And not a pathway of theocracy but a path that models Jesus with an open hand, one that treats all our neighbors of differing culture, class and faith with respect and love.

This is a fearsome time, but an opportune one. It is a moment to forsake our lesser ambitions and re-commit to the Kingdom call of Jesus. A moment to learn from the Global Church how to love through suffering. A moment to show a world of division what hope looks like when it is anchored not in politics but in the Kingdom of Jesus, a hope that calls us to transformative healing, authentic reconciliation and peace. A calling that never gives up on loving one another as Jesus loves us.

---

2025 Webster Parish Fair begins next Tuesday, with rides in motion one week from today. Here is a list of the daily events:

Tuesday, Sept. 30
5 p.m. Fair Parade downtown Minden
5 p.m. Livestock weigh-in
6 p.m. Poultry and Rabbit Show
NO RIDES UNTIL WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, Oct. 1
6 p.m. Rides start. Armband Nite, Gate entrance fee: $2/rest of week
6 p.m. 4-H Swine Showmanship then Swine Weight Classes (Livestock Arena)

Thursday. Oct. 2
9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Senior Citizens Day, Minden Civic Center
6 p.m. Rides start. Armband Nite.
6 p.m. 4-H Goat, Lamb, Beef Showmanship
7 p.m. 4-H Dairy and Doug Sale Showmanship.

Friday, Oct. 3
11:30 a.m. Buyers’ Luncheon
1 p.m. Livestock Auction (4-H Show Barn)
6 p.m. Rides Start.

Saturday, Oct. 4
1 p.m. Fair Gates Open
1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Kids Day!
2 p.m. Pizza Eating Contest sponsored by Johnny’s Pizza.

---

By Brad Dison

Jimmie Bodard and Ronnie Peterson of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, suffered from continual wanderlust.  Jimmie wanted to go to New Mexico, and Ronnie wanted to go to Shamrock, Texas, but they disagreed on how they were going to get to their destinations.  Ronnie wanted to hitchhike, but Jimmie wanted to fly.  Neither had enough money for a plane ticket, but Jimmie had another idea.  Once before, when they were overcome by wanderlust, Ronnie had talked Jimmie out of borrowing an airplane, but Jimmie was more convincing this time.   As most thieves do to minimize their actions, Jimmie called it borrowing rather than stealing.  That evening in May 1948, Jimmie and Ronnie walked to Oklahoma City’s downtown airpark which was open to the public.  They agreed that they would wait until the following day to steal an airplane and spent the night in one of the many airplanes in the airpark’s hangar.  Rather than getting an early start on their trip, they spent most of the day deciding which plane to take.  While browsing, they stole a pair of headsets and microphones which they needed for their flight. 

Finally, a little after 5 p.m., Jimmie and Ronnie pushed their plane of choice out of the hangar and onto the runway.  In the cockpit, Jimmie started the engine and opened the throttle.  The airplane gained speed, Jimmie pulled back on the yoke, and the airplane lifted off.  It was a textbook takeoff.  Just after the plane got off the ground, the engine sputtered.  Jimmie reassured Ronnie that airplanes always did that on takeoff.  Ronnie was unconvinced until, just as Jimmie had said, the engine smoothed out.  Jimmie aimed the plane westward toward their destinations.  Their plan was for Jimmie to drop Ronnie off near Shamrock and then continue to his destination in New Mexico.  Jimmie and Ronnie took turns flying the plane until Ronnie decided he had had enough.  He told Ronnie to land so he could get out.  They found a large field and landed just northwest of Cheyenne, Oklahoma, about 40 miles from Ronnie’s intended destination.  Just after touchdown, the front wheel of the plane got stuck in the field.  They had no choice but to abandon the airplane. 

Undeterred, Jimmie and Ronnie stole a saddle horse from the farmer in whose field they had landed and rode toward Cheyenne.  At the Washita River, the horse refused to cross, so they abandoned the horse, swam across the river, and continued on foot.  Soaked to the bone, Jimmie and Ronnie drew so much attention in Cheyenne that someone notified the sheriff.  The sheriff questioned Jimmie and Ronnie, but they told the sheriff they had hitchhiked into town.  The sheriff arrested them after he learned that they were wanted by the highway patrol, but not for stealing the airplane.  A confused farmer located the airplane in his field the following day and called the police.  Investigators traced the airplane back to the airport, but no one at the airport had realized the airplane was missing.  Finally, after some tough questioning, Jimmie and Ronnie confessed everything to the shocked sheriff.  You see, Jimmie and Ronnie, the airplane and horse thieves, had run away from home.  They were fifth graders; Jimmie was 11 years old, and Ronnie was 12.  They had learned how to fly an airplane by reading comic books.

Sources:

1.     Pawhuska Journal-Capital, May 21, 1948, p.1.

2.     The Daily Oklahoman, May 22, 1948, p.30.                    

---

When you say the words “Red River” to most tournament anglers, the majority will instantly start telling you how much they hate this body of water. BUT NOT ME! Yes, the Red River is a challenging river system and not just with fishing, but navigation as well. But I love the Red River for several reasons. 

First is the fact that it’s such a diverse fishery. You have two choices on where to fish. It’s either the shallow backwaters or the jetties and cuts on the main river, which pretty much narrows down where you’re going to attack this body of water.

The fishing can be really good, especially when it comes to catching numbers of bass. Quality, on the other hand, can be a little tougher to come by. When fishing the Red, you must lower expectations in terms of size and quality. A 13-to-15-pound bag with five fish will be in the running to win. However, the Red River is on its way back to providing catches of good solid five-fish bags of 15 to 18 pounds. 

The improvement in fishing is thanks to the Red River Waterway Commission which has implemented an annual restocking program for black bass ever since the flood of 2016.  

My latest adventure on the Red was one of regret and one of joy as I participated in the recent American Bass Anglers Louisiana Pro League make-up tournaments. Two of the three regular season LA Pro League events were canceled back in April and May due to various reasons.

While I’ve been fishing the Texas division since its inception, I decided to jump into the Louisiana circuit when ABA rescheduled both make-up events on back-to-back days on my favorite body of water — the Red River. 

Over my tournament fishing career, the Red has been the site of some of my most successful tournament experiences with a few wins and several Top 10 finishes. For some strange reason it seems to fit my style of fishing. I’ve always been a shallow water angler since I was a kid growing up on small ponds. And the river is conducive to my throwing a crankbait, spinnerbait and flipping a creature bait in thick cover. 

Tournament 1 was on Saturday, August 23 and the results were average for me with a sixth-place finish, weighing a little over 11 pounds.  But tournament 2 on Sunday was much better as I finished second with 13 pounds. Former FLW pro Jim Dillard won the event on Day 2 with 15.03 pounds.

On Day 2, I pretty much followed the same game plan as Day 1 but with a couple of adjustments. Instead of starting on the main river, I went straight into the backwater areas. This turned out to be a good move as I had a five-fish limit by 8 a.m. I still caught two good keepers on the main river later that day, which allowed me to cull up in weight. 

Turns out, one specific spot I had found in Pool 4 during practice was the key to my success on Day 2. Over a two-day period, I caught over 22 bass off this one spot about the size of a pickup truck.  I caught 15 fish off it on Day 1 with only two keepers. Day 2, I caught seven fish off this same spot and three fish were 3 pounds each or better. As they say, “What a difference a day makes!”

Again, I’ve never been able to say exactly why I seem to do so well on the Red River. It’s just a place I feel so confident and comfortable on that no matter how big the event, I seem to do very well. 

Every angler who has ever fished tournaments will tell you that there are certain bodies of water where they just feel right at home. For me, that would be the Red River.

---

Wednesday

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night

A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.

Thursday

A 20 percent chance of showers after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 62.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 83.

Friday Night

Clear, with a low around 60.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 85.

* Info provided by National Weather Service.

---

Send non-profit calendar events to wpjnewsla@gmail.com .

Sept. 25-30

Deadline to pick up SKELETOUR skeletons from Minden City Hall. Must register by Sept. 15.

Sept. 26

6:30-7:30 p.m., Brushwood Methodist Church of Dubberly will host a Revival.

Sept. 27

9 a.m. until … Minden Lions Club Fall Chicken Charbroil. Minden Walmart parking lot.

1:30 under 4:30 p.m. 2nd Big Annual 22 Hands-Up Food Fest Fundraiser. Doors open at 1 p.m., Minden Community House.

2 until 4 p.m. Taco Tips, American Legion Hall, Minden. Sponsored by We’re Here.

Webster Parish Fair Pageant:

9:30 a.m. Princess Pageant, Girls baby through 18 years, Minden High School Auditorium.

Queen Pageant: 5 p.m. Minden High School Auditorium.

Sept. 28

Brushwood Methodist Church of Dubberly will host a Revival.

Sept. 30

5 p.m. Webster Parish Fair Parade. Downtown Minden. See Fair Events separately.

Oct. 2

6 p.m. Lumberjack Festival Pageant, Sarepta Community Center.

Oct. 4

9 a.m. until? Sarepta Celebration Of Friends, former students, teachers and workers of Sarepta High School, Sarepta Community Center, 210 Vines Street off of Hwy. 2, behind Post Office,  

lunch $17 plus $1 for community room clean up. RSVP: 318-847-4270, by September 30.

Oct. 10

Community starts voting on SKELETOUR skeleton in downtown Minden businesses.

Oct. 11

9 a.m. Festivities begin for Lumberjack Festival in Springhill.

11 a.m., Lumberjack Festival Parade, downtown Springhill.

Oct. 17

CHANGE OF VENUE 5 until 8 p.m. BIG YEET, in concert, Springhill RV Park on Church Street, Springhill. Free admission to event.

Oct. 18

8 a.m. Registration for Baby Fun Run, Miller Quarters Park, Minden. 9 a.m. run begins.

Oct. 25

6 p.m. Haunted Hotel Homicide murder mystery, The Oak Cottage, 406 3rd St. WN, Springhill. Registration Required, text 318-272-6093.

Nov. 3

SKELETOUR winners announced.

---

Loading crossword puzzle. One moment please.

---

Play Sudoku online!

---

Ray Dean Mazie
January 28, 1942 — September 21, 2025
Minden, La.
Graveside service: 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 24, 2025, Gardens of Memory, Minden, under the direction of Rose-Neath Funeral Home.

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

Minden police officers responding to a welfare concern check at a local apartment complex Monday discovered the body of a man who investigators believe had been deceased for several weeks.

And, Chief of Police Jared McIver said, the man’s wife had apparently been living in the apartment with the body since the man’s death. The body has been sent to Little Rock, Arkansas for autopsy to determine the cause of death, the chief said.

Lead investigator on the case, Lt. Shane Griffith, head of the MPD Major Crimes Unit, said officers discovered the body lying on the floor of the apartment’s living room.

“Responding patrol officers found the man’s body, and learned his wife had been living there with the body,” Griffith said “One of the questions we have in our investigation is why she did not report the death.”

Griffith said the male, who will remain unidentified while more information is gathered, was 54 years old. His wife’s name is also being withheld while the investigation continues, he said.

---

By Pat Culverhouse

What began as a traffic stop for failure to signal a turn has landed a Minden man in the parish jail on charges of DWI and possession of illegal narcotics.

Tevin Lovar Turner, 33, is being held under a $1,000 bond at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center under charges of  DWI first offense, possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamines), possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana), possession of drug paraphernalia and no turn signal.

Turner reportedly was stopped in the early morning hours Saturday by a Louisiana State Police trooper after he failed to properly signal a turn off Sheppard St. onto Martin Luther King Dr.

During questioning, the trooper reportedly smelled the odor of marijuana on Turner’s person and observed him repeatedly moving his hands in the area of his waistband. While performing a safety pat-down, the trooper reportedly noticed bulges in his front pockets.

After reportedly receiving permission to retrieve items inside the pockets, the trooper found a sock containing a glass pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamines and a small clear plastic baggie containing a white, crystal substance in one pocket.

Inside the suspect’s other pocket, the trooper reportedly discovered a clear baggie with 19 unmarked blue pills which tested positive for methamphetamine. Inside a laptop bag in the rear seat of the vehicle, the trooper reportedly found a small amount of natural marijuana.

During questioning, Turner reportedly admitted to drinking and smoking marijuana prior to the traffic stop.

Approximately 1.6 grams of methamphetamines and approximately 28 grams of natural marijuana were seized.

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

An estimated 500 airplane and car enthusiasts turned out at the Minden Airport on Saturday, Sept. 20 to take part in the annual Wings & Wheels Fly-In and Car Show. The free event featured more than 60 cars, many of which were vintage.

The show featured an estimated 30 new and vintage planes from all around, including Springhill, Monroe, Longview, TX, Alexandria and Minden.

“We pulled people from all over the Ark-La-Tex,” said Minden Airport Manager Molly Fowler. Pafford Emergency Services also showcased one of its helicopters.

Attendees were allowed to get as close to the planes as possible and to witness the various fly-ins.

There were numerous booths this year, including Pilots for Patients, the Civil Air Patrol, the Navy Reserve, Still Aviation and many other aviation groups. The Minden Fire Department provided a truck on site for additional safety.

“I’m very thankful for the people who set up booths, including the food booths,” Molly said. With temperatures climbing into the middle-90’s, the lemonade booth turned out to be a popular place.

“We’re floating the idea of having the show during the Spring next year because of the heat,” she added. “I’m just thankful for everyone who showed up. It looked like everyone had a good time, especially the kids. Next year we’ll have a bigger and better show…that’s what we always aim for.”

---

By Paige Gurgainers

Louisiana’s economy is showing a blend of resilience and challenges, with recent state data pointing to modest job growth in key parishes and shifting real estate trends. In Northwest Louisiana, Webster Parish stands out for posting steady employment gains while also experiencing some of the state’s most dramatic housing market changes.

According to the Louisiana Economic Development report released September 12, total covered employment in Webster Parish rose to 11,220 in the first quarter of 2025. That marks a 0.6 percent increase from the previous quarter and a 2.4 percent gain compared to the same time last year. That performance outpaced several neighboring parishes, including DeSoto, which slipped 0.2 percent year-over-year, and Claiborne, which declined 0.7 percent year-over-year.

Statewide, Louisiana recorded 104,000 job openings in June, down 6.3 percent from the prior month but still 8.3 percent higher than June 2024. Hiring also slipped slightly, with Louisiana employers filling 70,000 positions, a 2.8 percent decline year-over-year. Worker turnover shifted as well, with “quits” dropping by more than 23 percent in Louisiana compared to last summer, signaling employees may be more cautious about changing jobs in an uncertain economy.

On the real estate front, Webster Parish’s seat, Minden, saw a surge in housing activity even as prices dropped sharply. The median listing price in Minden rose 3.2 percent in August to $162,500 compared to July, but that figure remains nearly 19 percent lower than a year ago – one of the steepest declines in Louisiana. Homes are still moving relatively quickly, averaging 65 days on the market, up slightly from 60 days a year earlier.

Louisiana as a whole has struggled with real estate affordability. The state’s median listing price of $279,900 in August was well below the United States median of nearly $430,000, but homes lingered on the market longer in Louisiana than nationally, 68 days compared to the U.S. average of 60.

For Webster Parish residents, the employment uptick and steady housing movement provide cautious optimism amid statewide uncertainty. Economists say local gains are significant given the broader national slowdown in hiring and ongoing price pressures.

---

United Christian Assistance Program’s shelves are depleted! Please see the following list of needs:

Food: canned meats, soup, green beans, macaroni & cheese, crackers, cereal, powdered or non-refridgerated milk, rice

Household goods: towels, twin sheets

Clothing: men’s short-sleeve shirts (large sizes)

All food items are especially appreciated. Our pantry is low!!

Thanks to all 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.

---