The Webster Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is asking anyone that had damages to their home during the recent winter storm to complete the brief questionnaire at DAMAGE.LA.GOV OR scan the QR code above. This is not an application for assistance or a guarantee that assistance will be made available, it is just to gather an estimate on the total amount of damage around our parish.
By Pat Culverhouse
Drifting from lane to lane on a parish road led a local man straight to the parish prison Monday on drug charges, including possession with intent to distribute.
Tardarrius Marquis Green, 31, a resident of the 200 block of Abney St., was stopped by a Webster Parish deputy for a traffic violation near the intersection of Industrial Dr. and Hwy. 531 just after 8 p.m.
As he approached the vehicle, the deputy reportedly noticed the odor of marijuana coming from inside. After receiving permission to search, the deputy and an assisting Minden police officer reportedly discovered 102 suspected Ecstasy pills, approximately 23 grams of suspected marijuana and approximately 36 grams of suspected synthetic marijuana.
Officers reportedly found 20 Ecstasy pills divided into two, clear blue zip lock bags and located another 57 similar zip lock bags in the glove box next to Ecstasy pills. Synthetic marijuana reportedly was partially divided and rolled into 20 individual pieces approximately one and a half inches long.
Green reportedly admitted ownership of the substance found in the vehicle.
He reportedly was booked into Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center on possession of CDS Sch. II (Ecstasy) with intent to distribute, possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana) with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to maintain control. His bond is set at $20,002.
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.
Webster Parish Community Services is offering the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Funds have been made available for fiscal year 2025 for non-crisis assistance as well as crisis assistance. Applicants will be served on a first come, first serve basis.
TARGET GROUP: The target group for this program are elderly, disabled, and families with children five years of age or younger.
♦ Target Group individuals from the south part of the Parish, Minden, Sibley, Doyline, etc., may request assistance by calling
318-377-7022, beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., MONDAY – FEBUARY 23, 2026 on a first-come, first-serve basis.
ALL OTHER GROUP: Individuals who do not qualify as target group.
♦ Individuals from the south part of the Parish, Minden, Sibley, Doyline, etc., may request assistance by calling
318-377-7022, beginning at 1:30 P.M. until 4:00 p.m., MONDAY- FEBUARY 23, 2026 on a first-come, first-serve basis.
TARGET GROUP: The target group for this program are elderly, disabled, and families with children five years of age or younger.
♦ Target Group individuals from the north part of the Parish, Springhill, Cullen, Cotton Valley, etc., may request assistance
by calling 318-377-7022, beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., TUESDAY – FEBUARY 24, 2026 on a first-come,
first-serve basis.
ALL OTHER GROUP: Individuals who do not qualify as target group.
♦ Individuals from the north part of the Parish, Springhill, Cullen, Cotton Valley, etc., may request assistance by calling
318-377-7022, beginning at 1:30 P.M. until 4:00 p.m., TUESDAY, FEBUARY 24, 2026 on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Once assistance has been requested, individuals will be notified of appointment date and time, as well as the necessary documentation required to apply by telephone.
Each individual must be a resident of Webster Parish and provide proof of eligibility. In order to be eligible, the entire family income must be at or below 60 per cent median income family guidelines and not have received assistance within the last 6 months. They may be eligible if residents in the home receive food stamps, Supplemental Security Income, TANF, or certain veterans’ pension payments. Besides the proof of eligibility, each applicant must provide copies of current utility bills. The payment of each utility bill remains the responsibility of the individual or family. This program is not responsible for utilities being shutoff between the time an application is made and payment is received by the utility company. Benefit may take 30-90 days to credit to individual’s utility account.
CRISIS ASSISTANCE:
The LIHEAP program also provides energy crisis intervention to eligible households. The program provides for an energy payment up to a maximum benefit amount of $1000.00. To be eligible for LIHEAP Crisis Assistance, the applicant’s household must meet the following requirements:
1. Income eligibility.
2. Disconnection Notice(threatened or actual interruption of service which may cause a lack of cooling/heating source.)
3. Vulnerability (mail that has been received within the last 30 days which has the same address as the utility bills.)
4. Faced with health risk and/or safety hazard.
A household can receive only one (1) crisis assistance benefit during a 12-month period. Services are available to all persons on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age or disability. Anyone who feels they have been discriminated against should contact the Office of Community Services, 208 Gleason St., Minden, LA, phone 318-377-7022 or Louisiana Housing Corporation, 2415 Quail Dr., Baton Rouge, LA, phone 888-454-2001. Webster Parish Police Jury Office of Community Services is an equal opportunity employer/provider. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Call 318-377-7022, 318-539-5696, TDD 1-800-846-5277 for information.
By Pat Culverhouse
A speeding violation turned into something more serious for a Sibley man who now sits in the parish prison on charges that include drugs and a firearm.
Ardaryous Tarrael Jackson, 28, a resident of the 500 block Penal Farm Rd., is charged with possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana), possession of CDS in presence of a juvenile and illegal carrying of a weapon/use of a weapon in presence of CDS after his Monday arrest.
He is being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center. His bond has been set at $12,001.
Jackson reportedly was stopped by Minden police for speeding (68 in a 55) on Hwy. 531 near U.S. Hwy. 80 around 9:45 p.m. Monday. During initial questioning, the officer reportedly smelled “an overwhelming” odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.
Jackson reportedly was Mirandized and afterwards admitted he had marijuana and a handgun inside the vehicle. A subsequent search revealed roughly 30 grams of marijuana and a 9MM handgun. Also reportedly present inside the vehicle was a young child.
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.
The following persons are scheduled to appear in 26th Judicial District Court Friday, February 6:
ANDERSON, ELROY
100007 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
ANDERSON, ELROY
T036325 Operating A Vehicle Without Proper Required Equipment
T036325A Operating a Vehicle Without a Driver’s License
BECK, JR, CHARLES THOMAS
99373 CT. 1 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense
99373 CT. 2 Possession of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoids
BECK, JR, CHARLES THOMAS
99043 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
BERNDT, CRAIG A.
98633 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
BERNDT, CRAIG A.
100029 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Two Grams or More But Less Than Twenty-Eight Grams)
BRADLEY, HENRY ALLEN
100048 CT. 1 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense
100048 CT. 2 Possession Of Alcoholic Beverages In Motor Vehicles
BROWN, JR., JOHN ELTON
99994-CT.1 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
99994-CT.2 Possession of a Schedule IV CDS
BROWN, KATHLEEN NICOLE
99599 Improper Supervision of a Minor by Parent or Legal Custodian
BROWN, ROBERT TYRONE
99907 Possession With Intent to Distribute a Schedule I CDS (Two and One Half Pounds or More)
BRUMELS, ANTHONY D
100108 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense
CAVENAR, JOSEPH ROBERT
99990 Video Voyeurism
CHESNEY, AMY
100054 Violation Of Leash Law
Restitution owed to the victim for Medical bills- $3,687.13, plus $553.07 fee = $4,240.20 total
COLEMAN EASON, JACQUALINE KING
100119 Issuing Worthless Checks Less Than $500
COLEMAN, DAMION
99679 Illegal Possession Of Stolen Firearms
CONLEY, TIFFANY BROOKLYN
100024 Vehicular Homicide
CORNELIUS, NAPOLEON
100125 Simple Battery
DAVIS, JR., LARANCE EDWARD
100026 Indecent Behavior With A Juvenile
EDWARDS, LAMAR
97136A-CT.1 Cruelty To Juveniles
97136A-CT.2 Cruelty To Juveniles
FARRAR, SHELLY ARETHA
99191 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – First Offense
FIELDING, BRIAN EVERETT
98394-CT.1 Possession With Intent to Distribute a Schedule II CDS
98394-CT.2 Possession With Intent to Distribute a Schedule I CDS
98394 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
FIZER, VINCENT
99814 Theft of $1,000 or More but Less than $5000
Restitution- $1,199.00, plus $179.85 fee = $1,378.85 total
FIZER, VINCENT
T014523A Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
FLOURNOY, DAMETRICK
99478-CT.1 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
99478-CT.2 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
99478-CT.3 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
FLOURNOY, DAMETRICK
99478-CT.1 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
99478-CT.2 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
99478-CT.3 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
GRAHAM, DERRICK D
99166 Possession With Intent to Distribute a Schedule I CDS (Two and One Half Pounds or More)
HALE, RYAN
100033 Unauthorized Entry Of An Inhabited Dwelling
HALL, CANDACE M.
99449 Simple Burglary
Restitution owed to the victim- $870.00, plus $130.50 fee = $1,000.50 total
HALL, CANDACE M.
99643 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
HARRIS, KENDRICK R.
100009-CT.1 Resisting An Officer With Force Or Violence
100009-CT.2 Obstruction Of Justice
HARVEY, ANDREW JAMES
100085 Theft of $1,000 or More but Less than $5000
HENDERSON, JR., EUGENE ELIAS
99693 Hit and Run Driving
99693A CT 1 Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
99693A CT 2 Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
HOLT, RYAN JOSHUA
99473 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense
HOOD, GRACE LOUISE
98843 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Two Grams or More But Less Than Twenty-Eight Grams)
HOOD, GRACE LOUISE
99835 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
JACKSON, JR., CURTIS FITZGERALD
100134-CT.1 Possession of Schedule II CDS
100134-CT.2 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
JENKINS, JASON DARRYL LAMONT
100058 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense
KELLEY, GINGER L.
98846 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
KINGSTON, MICHAEL
99596 Second Degree Murder
KLICK, DONALD JAMES
95924A-CT.1 Possession of a Schedule I CDS
95924A-CT.2 Possession with Intent to Distribute a Schedule I CDS, to wit: Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoids
Restitution owed to the victim Robert Wilson $17,041.02, plus $2,556.15, = $19,597.17 total
KLICK, DONALD JAMES
99752 Hit and Run Driving
99752A CT 1 Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
99752A CT 2 Failure to Use Safety Belt
LARD, DJIMON HETONIUS
97082A Criminal Street Gangs and Patterns of Criminal Street Gang Activity
LARD, DJIMON HETONIUS
97082A Criminal Street Gangs and Patterns of Criminal Street Gang Activity
MARTIN, ANTHONY DALE
99967-CT.1 Simple Cruelty to Animals
99967-CT.2 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense
MOORE, KALION
99803 Resisting An Officer With Force Or Violence
99803A Battery Of A Correctional Facility Employee
NEAL, LAQUALIN A.
99902-CT.1 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
99902-CT.2 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
99902-CT.3 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
99902-CT.4 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
OUTLAW, JOHN DAVID
99781-CT.1 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
99781-CT.2 Home Invasion
POWELL, JERMAIN RASHUN
100034 Resisting An Officer With Force Or Violence
RADFORD, KALELAH
98977 Theft Under $1,000
Per the court minutes on 10/10/25 the defendant is ordered to pay a total of $7,000 restitution plus a 15 percent prosecuting fee.
REESE, DER’EON D’JAICEON CHRISTOPHER
99633 Manslaughter
ROE, CARSHANENA LATRICA
98189-CT.1 Issuing Worthless Checks
98189-CT.2 Issuing Worthless Checks
OC 12/29 Restitution 846.99 with fees. As of 2/4/2026, has paid $130 balance is $716.99.
RUSHING, NIKKI COURTNEY
98735 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Two Grams or More But Less Than Twenty-Eight Grams)
RUSHING, ZACHAREY TODD
99643A Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Two Grams or More But Less Than Twenty-Eight Grams)
STROTHER, KIMBERLY FONTENOT
100050 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
SULZER, TROY D.
100122 Aggravated Obstruction Of A Highway Of Commerce
TAYLOR IV, ALBERT W
97082 Criminal Street Gangs and Patterns of Criminal Street Gang Activity
TAYLOR, JASON ARTHUR
T161416 Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
T161316 Operating a Vehicle with an Unlit License Plate
TAYLOR, JASON ARTHUR
99560 Possession Of Firearm Or Carrying Concealed Weapon By Convicted Felon
TOBIN, CLARA ELIZABETH
99987 CT. 1 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense
99987 CT. 2 Speeding 16-24 MPH
99987 CT. 3 Improper Lane Usage
99987 CT. 4 Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled
WELLS, JR., CHARLES EUGENE
99526 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated Fourth or Subsequent
By Pat Culverhouse
What could have been only a warning for a traffic violation turned into a negative experience for a Minden woman who now finds herself facing a series of drug charges.
A Louisiana State Police trooper initially stopped 36-year-old Leah M. Ellisor just after 8 p.m. Monday on U.S. Hwy. 80 at St. James Church Rd. for improper lane usage and a turning violation. The trooper reportedly considered only issuing a warning before noticing her drivers license had expired.
While completing the traffic citation and speaking with Ellisor, the trooper reportedly found inconsistencies in her statements. Ellisor reportedly granted permission to search her vehicle, and inside the officer reportedly found an Oxycodone pill.
After being placed in custody, Ellisor reportedly denied having more contraband on her person. That statement proved to be false when deputies at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center conducting a pre-incarceration search reportedly found three plastic baggies containing a white crystal substance hidden inside her bra.
Ellisor reportedly is charged with possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamines), possession of CDS Sch. II (Oxycodone), introduction of contraband into penal facility and possession of Legend drugs. She is being held in the parish jail on a bond of $8,500.
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.
BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Department of Education announced that early bird registration for Teacher Leader Summit 2026 will take place February 9 to March 15. Louisiana’s premier professional learning event for educators will take place May 26–28 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Teacher Leader Summit brings together thousands of educators from across the state to sharpen their skills, share what’s working, and get inspired by ideas that are making a real difference for Louisiana students. This year’s theme, “Big Ideas Start Here,” reflects the Summit’s continued focus on real classroom impact, educator collaboration, and meaningful growth. Over the course of three days, educators will participate in hundreds of sessions aligned to Louisiana’s education priorities.
2026 Registration Details
Early Bird Registration
Registration Window: February 9 – March 15
Rate: $249
Regular Registration
Registration Window: March 16 – April 12 (or when capacity is reached)
Rate: $299
Registration must be completed on the TLS 2026 event site. All registrations include full access to sessions, an official TLS 2026 t-shirt, and lunch on May 26 and May 27. Once capacity is reached, additional registrants will be added to a waitlist. No onsite registration will be available.
About Teacher Leader Summit
Teacher Leader Summit is Louisiana’s premier professional learning event. Thousands of Louisiana educators dedicate part of their summer break to improve in their craft and prepare for the school year ahead. Attendees gain new skills, share their expertise, and collaborate with peers from across the state to make a greater impact on student achievement. Designed for educators serving students from birth to grade 12, Teacher Leader Summit offers sessions for classroom teachers, school and system leaders, district administrators, counselors, early childhood professionals, and more.
Notice is hereby given that the Webster Parish Convention and Visitors Commission is requesting proposals fromualified professional photographers.
Deadline: 4 p.m February 13, 2026.
Please see below.
“When he came near the den, (King Darius) called to Daniel in an anguished voice, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?’”
– Daniel 6: 19-20 (NIV)
Somebody will fumble or throw an interception or drop a pass or blow a coverage in Sunday’s Super Bowl. A Patriot will jump offsides. A Seahawk will miss a block.
In football, that’s not a good thing. The pain the player feels will be real.
Still, it’s entertainment. It’s not being in the lion’s den. It’s not trying to feed a family on a tiny salary, despite working two jobs. It’s not a troubling health diagnosis. Although a mistake in Sunday’s game could be, depending on the situation at the time of the hiccup, the worst thing to ever happen in that person’s athletic life.
No matter the level of pain and disappointment, each error is an opportunity for faith and courage. For sure, discouragement will visit us all. Because of that, it’s nice to have this in your bag:
“A hero is not fed on sweets,
Daily his own heart he eats;
Chambers of the great are jails,
And head winds right for royal sails…”
So wrote Emerson, a man who, like the rest of us, was unable to dodge failure and disappointment. But in a way at least similar to what Daniel felt, Emerson saw the advantage of chaos and trouble: opportunity to learn and to prove. And to improve.
It wasn’t until the tragedy of 9/11 that the New York fire and police departments developed a plan, void of ego, for working together instead of separately during a crisis.
The same goes for a massive subway station in London called the Underground, the violent site of a fire fatal to more than 30, mainly because the Underground’s leadership had not thought through the implications of its childish, ego-driven work structure. As recounted in Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit, it was only AFTER an inevitable rush of gross surgical errors in a Rhode Island hospital did the workers there – administration, surgeons, nurses, everybody – humble themselves to completely turn the organization around from one of the worst hospitals in the state to one of its finest.
Crisis can be a good thing. Maybe it helps us understand we’re on the wrong path, or maybe it helps us understand how much we need God.
In a ballgame, you know how much time you have to overcome crisis. In real life, you never do. There’s a clock, but not one we can see.
Real life often refuses to offer us the luxury of self-pity.
You might recall how David answered King Darius: “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight…”
When you see the lions, refuse to be discouraged. Victor Hugo, French author of Les Mis and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, seems a wise man. “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones,” Hugo wrote. “And when you have finished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.”
Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
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Woman of the Year Nominations
As we step into 2026, the Young Women’s Service Club of Minden, LA invites you to help us recognize one of Minden’s most deserving women.
YWSC is proud to sponsor the 2026 Woman of the Year Award, honoring a woman who has served our community with selflessness, leadership, and heart. This honoree has gone above and beyond to support others and help make Minden a better place to live.
Nominations close: February 18, 2026
Winner announced at the Greater Minden Chamber’s Annual Awards Gala on March 24, 2026
Nominate here: https://forms.gle/jncMLe6jMjCFDWBd7
Man of the Year Nominations
Don’t let service and dedication to our community go unrecognized! Nominate an outstanding man for the Minden Man of the Year Award, sponsored by the Minden Lions Club. The winner will be announced during the Greater Minden Chamber Awards Gala on Tuesday, March 24.
DEADLINE: February 18, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
Man of the Year nominations will be judged by a committee consisting of representatives from the Minden Lions Club, Young Women’s Service Club, Greater Minden Chamber, Minden Evening Lions Club, and Minden Civitans.
Click here to submit your nomination and to see the complete list of past recipients:
https://docs.google.com/…/1ebb7DFsd-TIb…/edit…
Phonetic: /af·fray/
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: an instance of fighting in a public place that disturbs the peace.
“Lowe was charged with causing an affray”
Send non-profit calendar events to wpjnewsla@gmail.com .
Feb. 5 through 8
Champions for a Cure, Minden St. Jude.
Feb. 5-7
Swing for a Cure, golf lessons by Blake Thomas, PGA Director of Instruction, Minden Presbyterian Church, 1001 Broadway, Minden
Feb. 6-8
UPDATE: 2026 Northwest District Livestock Show.
Feb. 6 – 4-8 p.m. Animals begin to arrive.
Feb. 7 – Goats and sheep show
Feb. 8 – Swine Dairy, Beef, Poultry, Rabbit show.
Feb. 6
6:30 p.m., Krewe des Abassadeurs’ Military Bal’ XXIV, Live Casino & Hotel, Bossier City.
Feb. 7
8 a.m. Fun Run for St. Jude, First Baptist Church, Minden.
10 a.m. until 1 p.m. St. Jude Kids Day, Minden Civic Center.
11 a.m. Tasting cups on sale for the 2026 Minden St. Jude Chili Cook-off, Minden Civic Center.
4 p.m. Bring your instrument and join us at Pine Grove’s Music Circle. Food served at 6 p.m.
Feb. 8
8 a.m. Pine Grove M.. Community Prayer Breakfast, 4549 Lewisville Rd., Minden.
Feb. 10
11:15 a.m. Line Dancing Class, Webster Parish Council on Aging, 1482 Sheppard St., Minden.
Feb. 21
11 a.m. Black History Parade, downtown Minden.
Feb. 28
8:30 a.m. Buds & Blooms, First Methodist Church, Minden, sponsored by Piney Hills La Master Gardeners.
11:30 a.m. North Louisiana Historical Association will meet at Noel Memorial Library, LSU-Shreveport.
March 10
Deadline to sponsor 2026 Springhill, North Webster Chamber of Commerce Banquet. Email chamber@springhillla.com . Tickets go on sale April 1.
March 20
7 p.m., Malpass Brothers Show, CAC building, Springhill. Tickets are $ 25.00 for general admission and $ 30.00 for reserved seats. You can purchase tickets at Express Tax Title & License at 101 N Main Street or call (318) 539-2750.
March 24
7 p.m. 84th Annual Greater Minden Chamber Awards Gala. Minden Civic Center, Minden, La. Tickets: greatermindenchamber.com/awardsgala.
April 1-April 9
2026 Chamber of Commerce Banquet, Springhill, North Webster. Tickets: chamber@springhillla.com .
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 56. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 73. West wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 43.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 68.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 46.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 74.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.
*Information provided by National Weather Service.
Melvin KaDarrel Mims, 29, Weatherton St., Sibley: arrested Feb. 2 on warrant for failure to appear. Bond set $500.
Brittany M. Colley, 38, 1200 block Reynolds St., Springhill: arrested Feb. 3 by WPSO on warrant for failure to appear. Bond set $8,233.62.
Diamond Tierra Hudson, 30, 200 block Edgar St., Springhill: arrested Feb. 3 by WPSO for speeding, driving under suspension, on fugitive warrants from Claiborne Parish SO. Bond set $501.
Beverly P. Stone, 71, 2600 block Horacek St., Haughton: arrested Feb. 3 by WPSO on warrant. Bond set $1,000.
Joshua C. Butcher, 42, 400 block 5th St., Springhill: arrested Feb. 3 by Dixie Inn PD on multiple fugitive warrants. No bond set.
Shannon Thompson, 50, 100 block Hickory St., Springhill: arrested Feb. 3 by Springhill PD for possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamines), possession of drug paraphernalia, on fugitive warrant from San Antonio, Texas. Bond set $5,001.
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.
Gladys Lane Ledbetter
May 16, 1940 — January 30, 2026
Minden
Visitation: 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, February 6, 2026, Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Minden.
Funeral service: 10 a.m. Saturday, February 7, 2026, Eastside Missionary Baptist Church, Minden.
Burial: 1 p.m., Little Flock Cemetery, Toro, La.
Jack Maxie Giles
December 7, 1936 – January 30, 2026
Sarepta
Funeral service: 2 p.m. Thursday, February 5, 2026, Bailey Funeral Home Chapel.
Burial: Springhill Cemetery.
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
Webster Parish Police Jury members went on record Tuesday in support of funding for upgrades to a pair of parish water systems.
Jurors unanimously approved a resolution for community water enrichment funding from the Office of Community Development for the Gilgal Water System totaling $76,206.
Funds reportedly will be used to replace pumps for the Gilgal system.
A second resolution targeted the Leton Water System request for $77,170 in funds, also from the Office of Community Development for community water enrichment. Those funds reportedly will target water lines in the system.
Jury members also heard a report on last month’s winter storm event from Brian Williams, Director of the Webster Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
Williams said all agencies in the parish worked well together to provide necessary services, including one incident which helped alleviate problems with a traffic jam of 18-wheelers.
“Love’s Truck Stop was running out of fuel and that was causing a stack-up of 18-wheelers. We were able, through Homeland Security, to get a fuel tanker diverted to that location and relieve the situation.”
Angie Chapman, Webster Parish 911 Director, said her agency received no 911 calls related to the weather “…because of pro active law enforcement. We repeatedly heard radio calls from law enforcement that they were out helping someone, so we really had no calls relating to the weather.”
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, jury members approved a resolution for a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation to rebuild a section of parish roadway.
Road committee chairman Steve Ramsey said the grant would target roughly 5.5 miles of Lake Rd., located in Webster Parish. Ramsey said another approximately 10 miles of the road is in Bienville Parish, “…so this is a joint effort.”
Jury President Jim Bonsall said efforts have been ongoing for some time, but have been stepped up over the past nine months to seek the grant.
By Tiffany Flournoy
CULLEN — The Town of Cullen council approved most agenda items Monday without recorded motions or seconds, and the meeting agenda, which was posted on a Saturday, may not have complied with Louisiana’s open meetings law, raising questions about how decisions were brought before the council and how the public was notified.
All agenda items presented for a vote were approved unanimously, 3–0. Alderwomen Barbara Green and Bianchi Veal were absent. Alderwomen Floydean White, Yolonda Castleman and Denise Epps‑Hoof were present and cast the votes.
Under standard parliamentary procedure, a motion and second are typically required to formally place items before a governing body for discussion and a vote. No such motions or seconds were recorded for most items approved during Monday’s meeting, meaning the matters were acted on before the council formally considered them — a step that helps ensure transparency and a clear public record of decisions.
Among the items approved was the hiring of Amberlee Nix, an attorney with the law firm Bradley and Murchison, as the town’s legal counsel. The council also approved, in the same manner, the hiring of UnTracy Brittentine as town clerk. Brittentine has served as the town’s assistant clerk since October.
The council approved a measure limiting municipal police officers to no more than 30 hours per week, a move Mayor Terry Hoof said is intended to avoid paying retirement contributions on behalf of officers due to financial woes. The town currently employs one police officer and a police chief. That item was likewise approved without a formal motion or second.
In addition, the council approved the use of a new time-clock application to track employee whereabouts and work hours while on the clock. Officials acknowledged that some Town Hall employees had already been using the application before the matter was officially brought and voted on by the council. The police department will also now be expected to use the system.
Brittentine said the town will not provide devices, instead employees will use the work-related application on their personal mobile devices.
During the meeting, officials also introduced a proposed water rate adjustment. A hearing on the matter is slated for the next regular council meeting on Feb. 23 at 6 p.m., Hoof announced. An introduction of the proposed budget for July 2026 through June 2027 was also announced.
Monday’s meeting agenda reflected a posting date of Saturday, Jan. 31, but some town officials said they did not receive their meeting packets until Sunday, Feb. 1. Under Louisiana law, written notice must be provided at least 24 hours in advance, excluding weekends and legal holidays. The posting should have been made on Friday, Jan. 30, no later than 6 p.m., meaning the actual posting may not have fully complied with statutory notice requirements.
Brittentine confirmed to the Webster Parish Journal on Tuesday that council members did not receive their meeting packets until Sunday. She also said she was unaware that the state’s 24-hour agenda notice requirement excludes weekends. It also excludes certain holidays. The packets were delivered by a town water operator.
Alderman Barbara Green said her packet was left wedged in the exterior door of her kitchen.
The issue arises as the town remains under ongoing public scrutiny, with questions repeatedly raised about adherence to procedural requirements, public notice standards, and transparency in municipal government.
Alderman Denise Hoof, the mayor’s spouse, led an off-agenda discussion over police salaries and the department’s $5,900 in 2025 collections, while Police Chief Fannie Rankin noted a cruiser had remained uninsured part of that year.
Cullen’s previous town attorney resigned last year after the town failed to pay him, according to officials. Nix said the town will be required to pay $10,000 upfront to retain new legal counsel with Bradley and Murchison because of ongoing legal issues plaguing the municipality.
(Editor’s note: According to officials, Town of Cullen is under Roberts Rules of Order. Visit https://robertsrules.com/ ).
Minden St. Jude volunteer workers were at the Minden Civic Center Monday evening, setting up computer systems to take your orders and bids for the auction, which begins Thursday and runs through Sunday. Webster Parish Journal has been a proud silver sponsor/supporter of the auction every year since we have begun publishing almost five years ago.
From the volunteers of Minden’s auction to benefit St. Jude:
We have adopted a patriotic/champion theme for this year, as our country is celebrating its 250th birthday and the winter Olympics will be going on during our auction dates – CHAMPIONS FOR A CURE! We believe our St. Jude patients and their families and supporters are all Champions for St. Jude and that celebrating them during this time would be an exciting theme for 2026.
And like the athletes who give their all for a dream, our community comes together each year with strength, courage, and heart. And every donation, every volunteer hour, and every act of generosity brings us one step closer to victory – a cure for childhood cancer.
This year, we honor the spirit of perseverance.
We celebrate the champions among us.
And we fight for the ultimate gold medal: saving lives.
You can tune in via our Livestream at MindenStJude.com, on KASO 1240AM / KBEF 104.5FM, or on Optimum Channel 11 to catch all of the AUCTION ACTION. If you wish to place your raffle orders or put in board item bids over the phone, give us a call at 318-377-1100.
Visit mindenstjude.com .
By Pat Culverhouse
Monday’s Webster Parish School board meeting took on an international flair when 15 foreign exchange students were welcomed to the parish school system.
North Webster High School is playing host to nine of the students while Lakeside Jr/Sr High is home to five. One is attending Minden High.
Students and their home countries at North Webster include Mari Bjoerkheim (Norway), Karoline Brandi (Denmark), Lena Herrmann (Germany), Eloa DeGroot (Netherlands) and Rachel Gelding (Australia).
Also, Liliana Nesbach (Germany), Elettra Mannato (Italy), Petra Jovanovic (Norway) and Liv Van Dijk (Netherlands).
Lakeside’s students are Claudia Alomar (Spain), Ida-Adelina Hemminki (Finland), Romana Psotova (Slovakia), Lena Dabrowska (Poland) and Anna Petrochenkova (Russia).
Laura Guentzel of Germany is attending Minden High School.
Dr. Rebecca Wilson, parish school system personnel director, recognized host families for the students, thanking them for their willingness to support the foreign exchange program.
Dr. Wilson also pointed out that four of the students were unable to attend Monday’s meeting due to practice on athletic teams.
“They are involved in sports as well as academics,” she said.
During their meeting, school board members also:
Board members also approved, in globo, invoice payments totaling $170,953.06 from the various parish maintenance and tax funds. Those payments included:
By Pat Culverhouse
Attempting to flee a traffic stop on Interstate 20 didn’t work out well for a Georgia man who now is sitting in the parish prison looking at multiple charges, including possession of illegal narcotics.
Minden Chief of Police Jared McIver said 21-year-old Jaymar Isaiah Ponder of Lithonia, Georgia, is currently being held under a $25,504 bond at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
He reportedly is charged with speeding (89 m.p.h. in a 70-zone), aggravated flight, driving under suspension, simple possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana), possession of CDS Sch.I (THC pen) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Minden Police Officer KenDale Booker was working the interstate shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday when he reportedly clocked a vehicle traveling eastbound at 89 miles per hour in a 70 zone.
When the officer activated his emergency lights and siren, the vehicle reportedly accelerated quickly, reaching speeds of more than 110 miles per hour. At the 47-mile marker, the vehicle reportedly took the exit but returned to the interstate and continued east.
As Ponder reentered the interstate, his vehicle reportedly forced another onto the shoulder of the road. He reportedly continued to drive in a reckless manner at high speeds in an attempt to elude the officer, but finally came to a stop after roughly four miles of chase.
A search of the vehicle reportedly was initiated when Officer Booker noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle following Ponder’s arrest. During the search, 30 grams of marijuana, a grinder, one digital scale, rolling paper and one THC pen was found.
In drug terms, a THC pen (often called a weed pen, vape pen, or cartridge) is a handheld electronic device designed to vaporize concentrated cannabis oil or extracts for inhalation.
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.
A family’s guide to navigating the biggest decision of a young adult’s life, and why a single Saturday in Natchitoches might hold the answer.
By Cole Gentry, Chief Marketing Officer at Northwestern State University
The kitchen table is often where the panic sets in. It starts with a stack of glossy mailers, each promising the best four years of a student’s life. Then come the spreadsheets, the deadlines, and the quiet, gnawing questions that keep parents awake at 3 a.m. Can we afford this? Will they be safe? Is this the place where my child becomes the person they are meant to be?
For high school seniors, the pressure is immediate. They are standing on the cliff of adulthood, trying to discern their future from a website or a brochure. For families, the challenge is different. You bring the weight of experience. You understand the long-term implications of student loans and the reality of living away from home. You want to protect them, yet you know you must let them lead.
This tension between parental wisdom and student autonomy is natural, but it does not have to be stunned by anxiety. The remedy is not found in more paperwork. It is found in experience. It is found in stepping onto a campus, walking the grounds, and feeling the texture of the community.
That is the philosophy behind Northwestern State University’s N-Side View Day.
On Saturday, February 28, 2026, NSU opens its doors for an event designed to cut through the noise of the college search. It is an invitation to move beyond the statistics and step into the reality of life in Natchitoches.
“Your future is calling and it begins here,” says Emily Miller, Director of Recruiting. “We want students and families to see not just what Northwestern offers, but how it feels to be part of our community.”
Finding the right college is about finding a value match. It is about aligning a student’s ambition with an institution’s culture. This is difficult to do from a distance. You need to see the residence halls. You need to sit in the classrooms. You need to look a professor in the eye and ask them how they will mentor your student.
N-Side View Day provides that access. It transforms the abstract idea of “going to college” into a tangible plan.
The day is structured to address the specific anxieties that families face. Financial stability is often the largest hurdle. Many students, and honestly, many parents, are inexperienced in managing large-scale finances. During the event, financial aid experts break down the process, comparing packages and explaining scholarships in simple terms. It turns a conversation about debt into a strategy for investment.
Academically, the event allows students to explore over 100 degree programs. This is where the student takes the lead. While parents look for security, students look for inspiration. They can connect directly with faculty, asking the questions that matter to them.
“We have designed N-Side View Day to go beyond information. It’s an experience that inspires,” Miller explains. “Families leave with clarity, confidence, and excitement about the future.”
There is also the undeniable influence of place. Natchitoches is Louisiana’s oldest city, a place where history and progress coexist. The campus reflects that balance. It feels grounded. It feels like home. When families visit, they often find that their preconceived notions shift. A parent might have envisioned a different path but seeing their student light up while walking through Alost Hall changes the conversation. It validates that the student knows themselves better than anyone else.
NSU President James T. Genovese views this day as a critical first step in a lifelong relationship. “We are committed to preparing students not just for jobs, but for meaningful lives of impact,” Genovese says. “N-Side View Day is a chance to experience that mission firsthand.”
The event acknowledges that this transition is emotional. Having family support provides a safety net that fosters confidence. By visiting together, you are not making the decision for them; you are standing beside them as they make it.
The day concludes with a classic collegiate experience: a Demon Baseball game. Every attendee receives a free ticket. It is a chance to sit in the stands, eat a hot dog, and watch the B-Stro Boys compete on the diamond. It is a moment to stop worrying about the application process and start enjoying the atmosphere.
“NSU is Louisiana’s best-kept secret,” Miller says. “Once students step on campus, they feel it. They know this is where they belong.”
The labyrinth of college admissions is navigable. It requires patience, honest conversation, and a willingness to explore. It requires a trip to Natchitoches.
Register today for N-Side View Day at www.nsu.la/nsideviewday.
What: N-Side View Day
Where: Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA
When: Saturday, February 28, 2026
Includes: Campus tours, academic sessions, financial aid guidance, and Demon Baseball.
Register: www.nsu.la/nsideviewday
There are many intelligent ways to sell king cakes. Standing on a frozen sidewalk in Gulfport while the wind removes your will to live is not one of them. And yet. Twenty-eight degrees. Wind like a razor. A line of 125 people who didn’t care.
Neither did I.
Our first attempt the week before was a mess. We took 75 king cakes down to the coast and pulled up to find 125 people, most of whom had been waiting in line for 45 minutes. The math didn’t work. The two team members running the event had never done a pop-up and were letting early arrivals grab multiple cakes. By the time someone realized we’d never make it to the end of the line, it was too late. The media gave us glowing reviews. But as a 45-year veteran of this business, I was not happy.
Yesterday we regrouped. We strategized. We brought 200 king cakes. This is what passes for crisis management in the restaurant business—you fail publicly, go home, stare at the ceiling for a while, and then solve the problem by throwing more pastry at it.
This time, 125 people showed up again—the first couple in line got there 90 minutes early. A man drove from Fairhope, Alabama. It was 28 degrees outside with 20 mph gusts. The Gulfport Main Street Association bought king cakes for the first person in line and the hundredth. We were fully staffed with our bakery manager and three others. I was there as an expensive luxury—essentially a mascot with a checkbook. Everyone was bundled up, breath visible in the cold, and everyone was happy.
After a quick TV interview inside the construction zone of our soon-to-open restaurant, I met up with Poem Love.
Poem is the daughter of the owner of the former Triplett Day Drugs, which occupied the corner of 14th and 25th in Gulfport for more than 60 years. She grew up in that pharmacy. Ran it in the later days. And until I started working on opening a restaurant in that space, I had no idea what that corner meant to the people of Gulfport.
I’ve heard from hundreds of them. Sons and grandsons of local businessmen and judges who were part of the morning crew of guests. Or the mid-morning crew. Or the afternoon crew. People who had coffee and breakfast there every day. People who ate pork chops at lunch for decades. Triplett Day wasn’t just a pharmacy with a lunch counter. It was the center of everything social in downtown Gulfport for over half a century.
I love this. Because what I’m working on is opening a true community café. If I do my job, The Downtowner will be the most Gulfport restaurant ever in Gulfport.
Poem was gracious enough to bring massive scrapbooks she’d kept from those years. A stranger shows up wanting to open a restaurant in the space where her father built his life’s work, and instead of holding those memories close, she spread them across a table at the White Cap and, while we ate oysters, she walked me through 60 years of her family’s history.
There was one photograph I kept returning to. A group of men in the 1970s gathered at the counter—coffee cups, cigarettes, folded newspapers. You could tell by the way they were leaning in that this was ritual. This was where they belonged. That photograph is what a community café looks like. I’ve been trying to build that for 38 years. Triplett Day had it all along.
And here’s where I have to be honest.
I’ve owned a restaurant at 3810 Hardy Street in Hattiesburg for 38 years. Thousands of team members have worked there. Tens of thousands of guests have dined with us. First dates. Anniversaries. Graduations. Funeral lunches. Thirty-eight years of life happening in that building.
And I don’t have a photographic record of any of it.
Sitting across from Poem, watching her turn those pages, it hit me how badly I’d failed to document our own history. All those faces. All those moments. Gone except in the memories of the people who were there.
As the old saying goes, the best time to plant a tree was 60 years ago. The second-best time is today.
So here’s my ask: If you took photographs at Purple Parrot Café, Crescent City Grill, the old Purple Parrot Grill, or Mahogany Bar over the years, please send them to robert@robertstjohn.com. I’d like to start our own book. It’s 38 years late, but it’s not too late.
My original goal at 26 was to own one restaurant so I could wear T-shirts and shorts to work every day. That was it. That was the entire life plan. I had a deep and unwavering commitment to casual footwear.
But over the years, I’ve met a lot of the right people and been in a lot of the right places and stayed open to opportunity when it came my way. There’s also a ton of dumb luck involved. And a little bit of kismet.
Case in point: at a book signing in Pass Christian this past December, a gentleman named Paul Jermyn walked up and handed me a flash drive. Thousands of images of Gulfport and the Gulf Coast.
Paul is a retired military engineer and a serious local historian. I would say amateur historian, but there’s nothing amateur about Paul. After our third hour together, I realized he wasn’t giving me a history lesson. He was giving me a history degree. I should owe him tuition.
Yesterday, after my meeting with Poem, Paul came to the White Cap with more images and memorabilia. Then we went to his house, where he gave me more still.
I saw the Gulfport harbor in the early part of the 20th Century, shrimp boats lined up like piano keys. Old downtown buildings before hurricanes took them. A Fourth of July parade down 25th Avenue in 1957—children on bikes with streamers, their parents long gone now, maybe their children grown with children of their own. History pressed flat and preserved by a man who understood that someone, someday, would need it.
It was going to be a challenge to fill the walls of The Downtowner with images of Gulfport. I needed a thousand. Thanks to Paul, the problem now is deciding which ones to use.
Mid-afternoon, Paul and I sat in the White Cap—him with a beer, me with iced tea—and I listened as he covered Gulf Coast history off the top of his head. Street names. Businesses that thrived and vanished. Families who built this coast. I thought, there are probably a lot of people who would be bored with this.
Not me. I was enthralled.
I’ve always loved local history, and I spent five hours yesterday steeped in it. Could’ve spent another ten. There’s always another story down here, and always someone willing to tell it.
The private dining room at The Downtowner will be dedicated to Triplett Day—its walls covered with 60 years of photographs from that corner. We will continue that history, serving breakfast and lunch to the community.
The entire community.
Yesterday morning it was 28 degrees on that sidewalk in downtown Gulfport. Wind cutting through like it had somewhere important to be. But I never once thought about the temperature. Too busy thinking about Poem Love trusting me with her father’s legacy. About Paul Jermyn handing over a lifetime of history to a man he barely knows.
It comes from people who show up. People who share what they have. Poem with her scrapbooks. Paul with his flash drives. A hundred and twenty-five strangers who didn’t mind the cold.
Yesterday was one of those days.
Onward.
Grilled Tripletail with Lump Crab and Chive Beurre Blanc
Tripletail has always been my favorite Gulf fish. The old-timers used to say, “If you can see a tripletail, you can catch a tripletail.” They have this peculiar habit of floating near the surface around buoys, crab traps, and other floating objects, often lying on their sides and appearing almost lifeless. This behavior makes them easy to spot and, if you’re quick with your cast, easy to hook. The meat is mild, white, and flaky—perfect for grilling. Pairing it with lump crab and a chive beurre blanc elevates this dish to something truly special.
Serves 6
Prepare your grill
For the Fish
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning (see recipe page**)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
6 each 6-7-ounce Tripletail filets, skin off
2-3 tablespoons canola oil
Beurre Blanc
2/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
For the Crab
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter for warming the crab
8 ounces lump crab meat, shells removed
Combine the flour, Creole seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Lightly coat the fish filets with the flour mixture.
In a large skillet or a griddle, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the filets for two minutes on each side. Once all the filets have been browned, transfer them to your prepared grill. Cook for two minutes, then using a metal spatula, rotate the filets 90 degrees and continue cooking for two more minutes. Turn the filets over and repeat the same process for the other side. Remove from the grill and hold in a warm place until ready to serve.
To prepare the beurre blanc, combine the white wine, vinegar, lemon juice, and shallots in a two-quart saucepot. Place over medium-high heat and reduce until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the cream and reduce by half. Lower the heat and begin whisking in the butter cubes a few at a time. Stir constantly until all the butter has been incorporated, remove from the heat, and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Add the salt and chives and hold in a warm place while preparing the crab.
In a small skillet, melt the remaining butter over low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the crab to the skillet. Using a rubber spatula, gently turn the crab, being careful not to break it up.
To assemble, place the cooked filets on a serving platter. Divide the crab evenly on top of the filets, then drizzle the beurre blanc over the top.
Serve immediately.
(Robert St. John is a chef, restauranteur and published cookbook author who lives in Hattiesburg, Miss.)
