Three of four Webster Parish High School teams will play Thursday this week, therefore the Pick’em contest will close a day early. Minden High School is the only team playing Friday. So get your picks in EARLY.

You can click below for this week’s games, pick the winning teams and get in the running to win $100. The game closes out at 6 p.m. Friday, and a new game starts Monday.

Our four parish high school teams will be featured in the contest, as well as some college and pro teams and two tie breakers.

Each week, the contest closes at 6 p.m. before Friday’s high school games, unless there is a Thursday game, then it closes at 6 p.m. that day.

Weekly winners will be notified and announced in the following Wednesday edition of the Journal. If you win, your photo will be taken with the owner of our Title Sponsor Under Dawgs. Remember, you must 18 or older to play.

Thank you to all our sponsors this year. In addition to Title Sponsor Under Dawgs, Broken Bean will be our anchor sponsor. Others include Holcomb’s Body Shop, A.J. Price Tire, Brown Chrysler, Shelter Insurance, KASO/KBEF, Express Tax and Title and Mike’s Hometown Spirits with Hugh Woods Specialty Meats and Catering. Please patronize these local businesses.

So, fire up your phones, tablets or computers to pick ‘em, click the button below and get started.

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The following persons are scheduled to appear in 26th Judicial District Court Friday, October 9:

ALSUP, JON WESLEY
100631 Gross Littering

ANDERSON, GERMAL RAY
100377 CT 1 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense
100377 CT 2 Simple Criminal Damage To Property Under $1,000
100377 CT 3 Possession of a CDS I Marijuana (Fourteen Grams or Less)

ANDREWS, II, JAMES ROBERT
99948 CT 1 Unauthorized Entry Of An Inhabited Dwelling
99948 CT 2 Attempted Unauthorized Entry Of An Inhabited Dwelling

ARMSTRONG, JOHN ISSAC
99883 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)

BATTON, JAQUAVA MALIK
99289 CT 1 Aggravated Assault Upon a Peace Officer
99289 CT 2 Resisting An Officer With Force Or Violence

BERAUD, KALEB PAUL
100089 Cruelty To Juveniles

BERAUD, KALEB PAUL
98423 Attempted Theft Of A Firearm – 1St Offense

BRADFORD, JR., KAWASKI C.
97082A Criminal Street Gangs and Patterns of Criminal Street Gang Activity

BRANTLEY, SPENCER PAUL
100628 Intentional Littering

CELMER, CAMERON DAKOTA
T091525 Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
T091525 Failure to Use Safety Belt
T091525 Failure To Report An Accident And/Or Provide Proper Identification (Damages Over $100)

CLARKSON, ISSAC DESHAWON
99259 Attempted Illegal Use/ Possession/ Control of Weapons – Crime of Violence or Controlled Dangerous Substance

CROCKETT, TYKEYUNA
100013 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense

CROWLEY, ALAN DALE
99615 CT 1 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
99615 CT 2 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
99615 CT 3 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
99615 CT 4 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
99615 CT 5 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals

CROWLEY, KIMBERLY B.
99615 CT 1 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
99615 CT 2 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
99615 CT 3 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
99615 CT 4 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
99615 CT 5 Aggravated Cruelty to Animals

DAVIS, LAWEZLEON M.
99577 CT 1 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Two Grams or More But Less Than Twenty-Eight Grams)
99577 CT 2 Simple Burglary
99577 CT 3 Felony Illegal Possession Stolen Things ($5,000 – $25,000)
99577 CT 4 Felony Illegal Possession of Stolen Things ($1,000 – $5,000)
99577 CT 5 Felony Illegal Possession Stolen Things ($5,000 – $25,000)
Restitution per impact statements- $1,969 plus $295.35 fee = $2,264.35 total

EASON, MICHAEL SHANE
100131 Possession of a Schedule IV CDS

EMORY, HALEY BROOKE
100207 Theft of $5000 or More but Less than $25,000
Restitution owed- $7,776, plus $1,166.40 fee = $8,942.40 total

FERRELL, JR., TERRY LEE
100190 Possession With Intent to Distribute a Schedule I CDS

FLOURNOY, DAMETRICK
100647-CT.1 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense
100647-CT.2 Possession of a CDS I Marijuana (Fourteen Grams or Less)
100647-CT.3 Possession Of Alcoholic Beverages In Motor Vehicles
100647-CT.4 Improper Lane Usage
100647-CT.5 Speeding 11-15 MPH

FRAZIER, WILLIAM MATTHEW
99583 Insurance Fraud

FRAZIER, WILLIAM MATTHEW
100521 CT 1 False Imprisonment
100521 CT 2 Simple Battery
100521 CT 3 Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled

GIFFORD, DAVID W
98789 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
98789A Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense

GIPSON, CURTIS
100571 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense

GOODWIN, MILLER DRAKE
100629 Intentional Littering

GRIGSBY, LATARICE DEWAYNE
100334 CT 1 Resisting An Officer With Force Or Violence
100334 CT 2 Possession Of Firearm Or Carrying Concealed Weapon By Convicted Felon
*BDCC OC 8/3 Trial 11/30

HAIR, DANIEL W.
99857 Simple Robbery
*Deceased 9-13-26
Restitution owed to the victim- $384 plus $57.60 fee = $441.60 total

HAIR, DANIEL W.
100331-CT.1 Simple Battery
100331-CT.2 Interfering with Emergency Communication
*Deceased 9-13-26

HARDY, JR, MARQUIS DANDRE
100294 CT. 1 Underage Driving Under the Influence
100294 CT. 2 Possession Of Alcoholic Beverages In Motor Vehicles
100294 CT. 3 Possession of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoids
100294 CT. 4 Improper Turn And/Or Failure To Give Required Signal
100294 CT. 5 Improper Lane Usage

HARRIS, LAJAYDEN VIDALE
99683 Simple Criminal Damage To Property Under $1,000

HARTWELL, TYLER JOSEPH
98237 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – Fourth or Subsequent

HARTWELL, TYLER JOSEPH
100376 Aggravated Flight From An Officer Where Human Life Is Endangered

HAWTHORNE, ELIJAH JOHN DAVIS
100637 CT 1 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense
100637 CT 2 Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
100637 CT 3 Failure to Use Safety Belt
100637 CT 4 Possession Of Alcoholic Beverages In Motor Vehicles
100637 CT 5 Operating a Vehicle Without Properly Lit Lamps for Condition
100637 CT 6 Operating A Vehicle With Improper Tail Lights

HILYER, III, WILLIAM G
100095 Theft Under $1,000

HODGE, BRANDON MICHAEL
100244 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)

IVERSON, JR., JAMES LEWIS
100577 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS

JOSEPH, DAVID LYNN
100088 CT 1 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
100088 CT 2 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
100088 CT 3 Distribution of a Schedule I CDS
Please make sure forfeiture of dwelling and property located at 707 Weston St, Minden, La and $3,268 in US Currency is part of any plea/sentencing agreement.

JOSEPH, DAVID LYNN
100088 CT 1 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
100088 CT 2 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
100088 CT 3 Distribution of a Schedule I CDS
Please make sure forfeiture of dwelling and property located at 707 Weston St, Minden, La and $3,268 in US Currency is part of any plea/sentencing agreement.

KEMP, DERRICK DWAYNE
99424 CT. 1 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense

KEY, MINNIE LEE
100636 CT 1 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense
100636 CT 2 Improper Lane Usage

KINNARD, JAREOUS
100634 CT 1 Gross Littering
100634 CT 2 Gross Littering

LAUDERDALE, CHANTACY NICOLE
100633 Gross Littering

MALONE, ANTHONY L.
98935 Distribution of a Schedule I CDS

MARKRAY, JADARIUS TERRENCE
100113 Unauthorized use of a Movable less than $1,000

MCDANIEL, KEVIN BERNARD
100635 CT 1 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense
100635 CT 2 Resisting An Officer
100635 CT 3 Modification of Exhaust Systems
100635 CT 4 Failure to Use Safety Belt
100635 CT 5 Prohibited Vehicle Modifications; Wheel Well

MCDONALD, CHRISTOPHER J.
99353 Resisting An Officer With Force Or Violence

MILES, KENECIYA TASIA
99366 Contributing To The Delinquency Of Juveniles

MOORE, DARIEN DANTRELL
98255A Accessory After The Fact

MOORE, DARIEN DANTRELL
100593 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense

MOORE, JR., TRACY DARNELLE
100541 CT 1 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense
100541 CT 2 Simple Battery

MORRIS, CHANSTONCE SHEQUELLE
100575 Cruelty To The Infirmed

NOLEN, JR., FREDDIE
98650 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense

NORMENT, WHITNEY LEE
100264 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS
100264 Simple Burglary of a Vehicle

PARISH, JAQUESHA
100383 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)

PARKER, CHRISTOPHER
99765 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense

RATLING, KERIKIMERON J.
99581 Illegal Use/Possession/Control of Weapons – Crime of Violence or
Controlled Dangerous Substance

RICHARDSON, CORWIN K.
99721 CT 1 Resisting An Officer With Force Or Violence
99721 CT 2 Resisting An Officer With Force Or Violence

SHAW, SIMUEL MALIK
100011 CT 1 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Two Grams or More But Less Than Twenty-Eight Grams)
100011 CT 2 Obstruction of Justice by Tampering with Evidence

SHEPPARD, KOBE
99557 Attempted First Degree Murder

SHEPPARD, KOBE
99239 Misdemeanor Access Device Fraud
Restitution owed to the victim per the report- $771.23, plus $115.68 fee = $886.91 total

SIKES, BRENT D
INCOMING Simple Criminal Damage To Property Under $1,000

STEVENS, MARCUS DARE
99524 Unauthorized Entry Of An Inhabited Dwelling

STEVENS, MARCUS DARE
100282 Simple Criminal Damage To Property Valued At $1,000 Or More But Under $50,000

STEVENS, MARCUS DARE
T031026 Improper Passing
T031026A Operating a Vehicle Without a Driver’s License

TAYLOR, MICHAEL WAYNE
98870 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS

TAYLOR, MICHAEL WAYNE
98870 Distribution of a Schedule II CDS

TAYLOR, MICHAEL WAYNE
99710 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Two Grams or More But Less Than Twenty-Eight Grams)

WARD, NACIA N
100215A Operating a Vehicle While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled

WEBB, CARTAVIOUS M
100526 CT 1 Distribution of a Schedule I CDS
100526 CT 2 Distribution of a Schedule I CDS
100526 CT 3 Distribution of a Schedule I CDS

WHITE, DEJUAN S.
99685 Resisting An Officer With Force Or Violence

WILLS, DEMARCUS DEANDRE
99937 Possession Of Firearm Or Carrying Concealed Weapon By Convicted Felon

WINKLER, JAMES C.
100296 CT 1 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)
100296 CT 2 Possession of a Schedule II CDS (Less than Two Grams)

WORTHAM, CHARLES DUANE
100448 Domestic Abuse Battery – 1st Offense

YARBROUGH, ASIA LASHA
95949 Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated – First Offense

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Bienville Parish FPD 7 fights forest fire

On Sept. 28, Bienville Parish Fire Protection District 7 experienced a fire that burned approximately 35 acres of pine forest. The crews from Fire District 7 set up for structure protection and Louisiana Department of Forestry plowed lines around the fire to contain it. On Sept. 29, the fire jumped the lines. At this point it estimated that approximately 160 acres were burned.
Fire crews from District 7, 1, 4 and 6 from Bienville were deployed to protect homes and a medium-sized gas plant. Crews from Quitman and Hodge fire joined in the fight as well. Forestry sent seven (7) bulldozers to plow lines around the fire. The volunteer crews stayed on scene until approximately 11:30pm that night. The fire has been confirmed to have burned 208 acres.
No homes were damaged, and the gas plant was protected. FPD 7 thanks all of the surrounding departments for the assistance and immediate response to this event. Thanks to everyone on District 7 for the dedication to help protect others when they have to get up the next day and go to work.

Alexandria International Airport now offers Gateside by TSA PreCheck™

ALEXANDRIA– The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now testing a new program, Gateside by TSA PreCheck, which allows TSA PreCheck® members and individuals with Known Traveler Numbers (KTNs) to access participating airports’ post-security area without a departing flight. This no-cost authorization is now available at select U.S. airports, including Alexandria International Airport (AEX). TSA plans to offer the program at additional airports in the coming months.
Gateside by TSA PreCheck expands upon traditional airline gate pass access, which is limited to special circumstances like accompanying a minor, a person with a disability, or a military service member. With an approved Gateside pass, eligible non-travelers can meet arriving passengers at the gate, accompany departing travelers, or enjoy airport amenities beyond security. Passes are valid for one calendar day, with same-day re-entry allowed.

Shreveport Police seize 17 firearms, ammunition and suspected narcotics in investigation

Shreveport Police Department patrol officers responded Oct. 5 to a treatment center in the 1300 block of Line Avenue after Mathew Bailey reportedly became angry when denied medication, left the facility and returned with three pistols in his waistband.
SPD patrol officers took Bailey into custody, and the Violent Crimes Abatement Team began an investigation. VCAT recovered two additional firearms from Bailey’s vehicle and developed information that led investigators to his residence in Vivian.
Working with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, investigators executed a search warrant. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 17 firearms, several thousand rounds of ammunition, 60 magazines and suspected narcotics.
Bailey was booked for simple assault. Additional weapons and narcotics charges are pending.

Bossier Parish man dies after being struck by front-end loader at west Shreveport work site

Antonio Harper, 40, of Princeton, Louisiana, was killed Monday evening after being struck by a front-end loader at an industrial work site in the 2700 block of East 70th Street in west Shreveport. Emergency responders pronounced Harper deceased at the scene at 7:48 p.m. The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office identified him. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating the heavy machinery accident.

Claiborne school board adopts new budget, sets October meeting on tax election

The Claiborne Parish School Board unanimously adopted its 2026-27 General Fund and Special Revenue Fund budgets during its Sept. 10 meeting and scheduled an October meeting to consider calling an election on a proposed property tax.
The board voted 9-0 to adopt the budgets for the fiscal year that began July 1 and runs through June 30, 2027. One board member, Mark Perot, was absent.
The board also unanimously approved the final revision of its 2025-26 budget.
The upcoming tax election was also addressed. Board President Perry Anderson read a notice into the minutes stating that the board plans to consider, at its Oct. 15 meeting, a resolution ordering and calling an election in the Claiborne Parish Consolidated School District to authorize the levy of an ad valorem tax.
The Oct. 15 meeting was approved after the board voted 9-0 to reschedule its October meeting.

Winnfield man arrested after shooting, overnight manhunt

A Winnfield man is in custody facing multiple felony charges following an overnight manhunt that began after a shooting on Oct. 1, according to the Winnfield Police Department.
Andrew Smith, 43, of Winnfield, was arrested and booked into the Winnfield City Jail. He faces charges of aggravated battery, aggravated second-degree battery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, criminal damage to property, and trespassing.

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Thursday

Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Calm wind.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 89. Light northeast wind becoming east 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 65.

Saturday

A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 63.

Sunday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 63.

*Information provided by National Weather Service

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

October 9-10

Springhill Lumberjack Festival (see special event schedule.)

October 10

8:30 until 10 a.m. 2nd Annual Angel Baby Fun Run

Halo Fest: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (free to the public) Halo Fest,Miller Quarters Park 198 Gleason Street Minden, hosted by Hearts & Halos: Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness. Fun Run Registration: https://runsignup.com/Race/LA/Minden/AngelBaby2KRunWalkAndFundraisingEvent

October 12

6 p.m. KASO 1240 AM AND KBEF 104.5 FM will host a public forum for candidates in the contested Minden City Council and Chief of Police races at Minden Community House.

6 p.m., Final Night at the Museum for 2026. Kevin Flowers of the Bossier Parish Library History Center, speaking about history of Shed Road. Admission to the evening event is free, although donations are kindly accepted. Doors to the museum on Pearl Street are open at 5:30, with pot luck snacks and desserts. Seating is limited.

October 13

5:30 until 7:30 p.m., Sibley Night Out and Grand Opening for the Town Hall Playground at Sibley Town Hall. Any business, church, organization or group who wish to reserve a spot to set up and hand out information, have giveaways, and/or provide activities for the kids may do so by calling Town Hall at 318-377-0345. Anyone wishing to volunteer may do so by calling Town Hall at 318-377-0345.

October 17

7 p.m. Outdoor Movie Night, corner of E. Union and Abney streets.

October 20-24

Webster Parish Fair, Minden. (See special event schedule.)

October 24

6 p.m. Fire in the Field, at 870 Highway 516 in Heflin. The evening will feature worship led by Enrique Magana, worship leader at First Methodist Church in Monroe.

November 7

10 a.m. until 1 p.m., Mission Adoption Bazaar, Craft, Makers Fair, Bake and Casserole Sale, Silent Auction and Lunch 

First Baptist Church, Family and Community Life Center, Minden. 

All proceeds go to participating families adopting and/or fostering.

November 14

8 until 10 a.m., American Legion Hall in Minden, Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast, hosted by Minden Evening Lions Club, with support from Webster Parish Veterans Safety Net and American Legion. Veterans and their families are invited to come out, share a meal, and spend the morning together.

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Word of the Day: Googol

Phonetic: /goo· gol/
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition
the figure 1 followed by 100 zeros equal to 10100

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Loading crossword puzzle. One moment please.

Play Sudoku online!

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By Pat Culverhouse

Narcotics charges have been filed against a Minden man after he allegedly attempted to discard his stash prior to a traffic stop Tuesday.

Minden Chief of Police Jared McIver said 50-year-old Romulius D. Coliston is looking at charges of flight from an officer, resisting an officer, possession of CDS Sch.II (methamphetamines) and improper lane usage. He reportedly is being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center. No bond has been set.

McIver said MPD Office Cody James attempted to stop Coliston’s vehicle for a traffic infraction at the intersection of High and West streets, but the vehicle turned into Brooks Alley. At the time of the turn, the officer reportedly noticed the driver apparently shaking items outside the driver’s window.

Coliston’s vehicle eventually came to a halt on Brooks Alley and  he was taken into custody when he attempted to exit the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle the officer reportedly found a white crystalline substance consistent with methamphetamines located on the drivers’ set.

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.

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Hershell A. Jones
September 4, 1938 — October 6, 2026
Cotton Valley
Visitation: 9 a.m. Friday, October 9, 2026, First Pentecostal Church, Cotton Valley.
Funeral service: 10 a.m., immediately following visitation.
Burial: Restland Cemetery, Nashville, Ark., under the direction of Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Minden.

Louis Rexford Haehn, Jr.
April 4, 1947  –  October 6, 2026
Sarepta
Visitation: 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, October 8, 2026, Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.
Funeral service: 1:30 p.m. Friday, October 9, 2026, Kings Corner Assembly of God, Sarepta.
Burial: Springhill Cemetery, under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.

Jonnie Allen Welch
February 2, 1948  –  October 2, 2026
Visitation: 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. Monday, October 12, 2026, Open Door Fellowship Church, Springhill.
Funeral service: 11 a.m., immediately following visitation.
Private Burial: Springhill Cemetery, under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.

Rickey Edward Holley
August 15, 1958  –  October 4, 2026
Springhill
Visitation: 1 until 2 p.m. Thursday, October 8, 2026, Bailey Funeral Home Chapel, Springhill.
Funeral service: 2 p.m., immediately following visitation.
Burial: Pilgrims Rest Cemetery, Shongaloo.

Fran Moore
October 6, 1937 — September 23, 2026
Memorial gathering: 3 p.m. Saturday October 17, 2026, Rose-Neath Funeral Home Chapel, Minden.

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.)

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By Paige Gurgainers –

The City of Minden and Minden Police Department are inviting residents to support survivors and raise awareness of domestic violence during a proclamation signing and community forum Thursday, October 8.

The event begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Minden Police Department parking lot at 520 Broadway Street. Held in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, the gathering will emphasize prevention, support and the community’s role in helping break the cycle of abuse.

An official proclamation signing and forum are planned, and attendees can purchase lunch from local food trucks while showing their support.

The event’s flyer carries the message “It’s Not Okay,” alongside a purple awareness ribbon, reinforcing the call to recognize domestic violence and stand with those affected.

Awareness T-shirts are also available for purchase through the QR code on the flyer. According to the flyer, all proceeds from T-shirt sales benefit the local Minden St. Jude fundraiser.

The event is hosted by the City of Minden Police Department and co-hosted by the Minden Police Association, a nonprofit organization, with support from community partners and sponsors.

For more information, contact the Minden Police Department at 318-371-4226.

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The City of Minden has issued a Boil Advisory effective October 6 for 100 Azalea Terrace Lane and 602-621 Germantown Road.

Please visit www.mindenusa.com for further information.

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By Bonnie Culverhouse –

As the fiscal year for City of Minden draws to a close, Minden City Council and citizens learned just how much bang for their buck the city is receiving before, during and after state Legislative sessions.

Caroline Mladenka, the city’s lobbyist reported during workshop and the council’s regular meeting that Minden secured more than $5.5 million in state appropriations across five line items in the 2026 regular session.

“Without Ms. Mladenka, that would’ve been zero dollars,” Mayor Nick Cox said.

The funds are appropriated in the breakdown at the bottom.

Mladenka said of the $1.7 million for the Robertson lift station (which services residences and businesses in Shreveport Road area around the business that was once Fibrebond) $800,000 is in cash.

“So you can get started on it right away,” she said. “The rest is in Priority 5.”

Above and beyond is $125,000 for a generator at Robertson.

“That’s adding another cash item, which means you can use that money right away,” Mladenka said. “Mayor Cox identified that as a high priority items, so we worked with the legislators on that.”

The $3.2 M, two million gallon water ground storage tank, which is already in progress, is receiving $547,000 in Priority 1 cash.

“We got cash on that two years ago, as well as last year, and this is to bring it to the finish line,” she said.

Another item was Marshall Street water improvements.

“That’s infrastructure, so that’s cash,” she said. “We got over $250,000 for Marshall Street.”

That item was unanimously approved during the regular council meeting.

Last on the list is money for a new fire station which will be built on Shreveport Road, west of the railroad tracks.

“We are waiting on lines of credit to be granted for the station,” Mladenka said. “But it’s really good we have the appropriations in there. We have $590,000 in Priority 2.

“We will work in the 2027 session to get that moved up,” she added.

Cox said $5.5 million does not include the money the lobbyist has secured in in 2025, the year she was hired by the council. Her contract is for approximately $10,000 a year.

“She more than earns that,” Cox said.

“Minden has a real presence in Baton Rouge,” Mladenka said. “Your mayor is easy to work with and your senator and representative are as well.”

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By Shannon Wright 

There are so many great family-friendly and community-building events taking place throughout Webster Parish, and the Men and Women of Courage are adding another special evening to the calendar with an outdoor movie night in Minden.

The event will be held Saturday, October 17, beginning at 7 p.m. in the area at the corner of E. Union and Abney, next to the funeral home. Just look for the big screen!

If you have never experienced watching a movie under the stars, this is a great opportunity to gather up your family and friends and enjoy an evening together. And even if you’ve done it before, come experience it again.

“I love seeing families get to spend time together…and witnessing God change lives,” said D. McCoy.

McCoy shared a story from the first movie night the group ever hosted.

“The first time we ever hosted a movie night, we were set up at the GBT drive-through on Broadway and a couple drove by, saw the big screen and stopped. Chris Plants spoke with them and gave them their very first Bible that night! They hadn’t seen an ad or anything, simply driving by, and God was able to change their lives,” McCoy said.

Those attending the October 17 event are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs or blankets and settle in for a free movie night. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

The movie being shown will be Disciples in the Moonlight, a powerful film that asks a thought-provoking question: What if the Bible became illegal?

The movie follows a group of believers who risk everything to preserve God’s Word and live out their faith when the Bible is no longer allowed. It is a thrilling story that is sure to give families plenty to talk about together after the movie ends.

Come enjoy a movie under the stars.

It promises to be a special night for the entire family. 

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By Paige Gurgainers –

For Hollan Randle, building a future in Minden means helping others see that they can do the same.

A registered nurse and licensed life and health insurance producer with Louisiana Benefits Group, Randle is building a career that connects two ways of serving people. Over the past year, she has helped individuals, families and businesses navigate their insurance needs while continuing her work in nursing.

Saturday evening, the Greater Minden Chamber recognized Randle as the 2026 Terry L. Gardner Top Young Professional of the Year during its “The Next Chapter of Greater Minden” celebration.

“I am so incredibly honored and grateful to be named the 2026 Terry L. Gardner Top Young Professional of the Year!” Randle said. “Thank you to the Greater Minden Chamber for this incredible recognition and for investing in the young professionals of our community.”

Randle was among the Chamber’s 2026 15 Under 40 honorees, a group recognized for building careers, growing businesses, serving others and investing in Greater Minden.

For Randle, the recognition is also an opportunity to encourage other young professionals to picture their futures close to home.

“I hope to continue encouraging young professionals to know that they have a seat at the table, their voices matter, and they can build meaningful careers and lives right here in Minden,” she said.

Her own next chapter includes continuing to develop her insurance career alongside her work as a registered nurse. She expressed gratitude for the community and the people who have supported her along the way.

That connection between professional growth and community commitment was at the heart of Saturday’s celebration. The Chamber praised the honorees not only for their accomplishments, but also for their willingness to lead, serve and invest in the place they call home.

TG Companies served as the presenting sponsor. The Chamber also thanked its Signature, Social and event sponsors, along with Cottle Catering, Under Dawgs Sports Grill, emcee Mandi Hart, Chamber board members and volunteers for helping make the evening possible.

The event celebrated 15 young professionals helping shape Greater Minden’s future. Randle’s message offered a reminder to those who may follow them: there is room to contribute, room to lead and room to build a meaningful life in Minden.

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Every now and then I think the Good Lord sends me an angel – something or someone to remind me how quickly life’s fortunes can change.  This time it was young Mr. Dylan Black. 

I struck up a conversation with Dylan the other day at a local Minden restaurant.  I learned that he was originally from Oklahoma and moved to Shreveport as a youngster where he attended Southwood High School. 

And that Dylan was quite an athlete at Southwood.  He was on the golf team and could drive a golf ball 320 years and was a star catcher on the baseball team.  His senior year, he was sought after by many colleges in both sports but decided to sign with Coach Paul Mainieri’s LSU tigers. Those of you who follow college sports know what a great honor it is to be invited to play baseball for 5-time national champion LSU.  He wanted to play golf for LSU – but Coach Mainieri, fearing he might get hurt, said he preferred he didn’t.

After he graduated, he was going to Baton Rouge to be an LSU Tiger.  Their starting catcher was going into his senior year so Dylan could look forward to lots of playing time. 

That was before a drunk driver hit Dylan’s vehicle. 

He told me about the day he was driving along Hwy. 169 near Greenwood when the trailer the man was pulling clipped his vehicle and caused it to flip 8 times.  Dylan, now 23, spends his days in a motorized wheel chair with most of his body paralyzed.

You’d think Dylan would have every right to be bitter, having his hopes and his future dashed on that fateful day – but he isn’t.  He came to Minden to reside at a local rehab center.  His physical therapy starts around 10 a.m. and goes sometimes until 4 p.m.  He exercises with a hand bike and does all he can to make sure his muscles do not atrophy.  

He showed me how he uses his good hand to change the gears on his motorized wheelchair.  “I can get it going up to about 10 miles an hour.  Sometimes, when the weather is good, I’ll drive it down Homer Road – all the way here to the restaurant.”

Dylan said that, because his spinal cord was not severed and only swollen, he has a chance at recovery.  Regaining the use of one of his hands gives him hope that more hard work during rehabilitation will continue to yield results in other areas of his body.  His confidence and determination is both amazing and contagious.

This time of year we like to think of things for which we can be thankful.  I’m thankful I met Dylan.  I’m thankful that he is alive and has a chance at recovery. 

Sometimes it takes a chance meeting, like the one we had, to make me stop to think how truly thankful I should be that my truck has never flipped over and left me the way it left Dylan.  And if it ever did, I wonder if I could sustain his level of courage and optimism.  Something tells me not.

This Thanksgiving won’t all be about the turkey, dressing, Black Friday sales, and desserts.  I owe it to Dylan and others like him, to make this Thanksgiving more of a reminder of the little things I need not take for granted – like just walking, talking, and, most of all, for the opportunity to meet an angel for Thanksgiving.

Randy lives in Minden.  He can be reached at planorand@yahoo.com.

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Congratulations Nathan Jones, winner of the Webster Parish Journal’s Pick’em contest, Week 5. Jones, along with one other player, got 10 for 10 and won with the tie breaker. He is shown here with Claudine Thomas, owner of Title Sponsor Under Dawgs, receiving his $100 prize.

Three of four Webster Parish High School teams will play Thursday this week, therefore the Pick’em contest will close a day early. Minden High School is the only team playing Friday. So get your picks in EARLY.

You can click below for this week’s games, pick the winning teams and get in the running to win $100. The game closes out at 6 p.m. Friday, and a new game starts Monday.

Our four parish high school teams will be featured in the contest, as well as some college and pro teams and two tie breakers.

Each week, the contest closes at 6 p.m. before Friday’s high school games, unless there is a Thursday game, then it closes at 6 p.m. that day.

Weekly winners will be notified and announced in the following Wednesday edition of the Journal. If you win, your photo will be taken with the owner of our Title Sponsor Under Dawgs. Remember, you must 18 or older to play.

Thank you to all our sponsors this year. In addition to Title Sponsor Under Dawgs, Broken Bean will be our anchor sponsor. Others include Holcomb’s Body Shop, A.J. Price Tire, Brown Chrysler, Shelter Insurance, KASO/KBEF, Express Tax and Title and Mike’s Hometown Spirits with Hugh Woods Specialty Meats and Catering. Please patronize these local businesses.

So, fire up your phones, tablets or computers to pick ‘em, click the button below and get started.

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Tuesday, October 20
Fair Parade Downtown Minden At 5 p.m.
Livestock Weigh-In 6 p.m.
Poultry And Rabbit Show 4:30 p.m.
No Rides Until Wednesday

Wednesday, October 21
Admission Gate Opens At 5 p.m.
Rides Start At 6 p.m.. ‘Armband Nite”
Gate Entrance Fee: $3.00/Rest Week
4-H Swine Showmanship At 6 p.m.. Then Swine Weight Classes (Livestock Arena)
Pet Show At 5 p.m.

Thursday, October 22
Doors Open At 8 a.m. (Coffee & Donuts Served)
Senior Citizens Day 9 a.m. Until 1:30 p.m. (Civic Center)
Rides Start At 6 p.m.. “Armband Nite”
4-H Goat, L a.m.b, Beef Showmanship At 6 p.m.
4-H Dairy And Doug Sale Showmanship At 7 p.m.

Friday, October 23
Buyers’ Luncheon At 11:30 a.m.
Livestock Auction At 1 p.m. (4-H Show Barn)
Admission Gate Opens At 5 p.m.
Rides Start At 6 p.m.

Saturday. October 24
Fair Gates Open At 12 p.m.
Kids Day! 1 p.m. To 5 p.m. (Kid’s Special Ends 5 p.m.)
Free Admission For Kids 12& Under
Pizza Eating Contest At 3 p.m. Forestry Bld) Sponsored By Johnnys Pizza

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Get ready for the 42nd Annual Springhill Lumberjack Festival!

Friday, October 9

• Street Dance (7 p.m.)
  
  • Location: Springhill City Park
    
  • Highlights: Live music featuring Delta playing current and classic country tunes! Bring your lawn chairs and get ready to cut a rug.
    

Saturday, October 10

• Lumberjack Festival Parade (11  a.m.)

• Location: Down Springhill Main Street
  
• Location: Down Springhill Main Street
  
• Highlights: Log trucks, tractors, custom cars, and floats!
  
• Biscuits and Gravy Cookoff (9 a.m.) (Behind Chamber of Commerce Building

• Car Show
  
  • Location: Springhill Main Street
    
  • Registration: 9 a.m. – noon ($25 fee)
    
  • Show Hours: noon – 3 p.m. (Awards at 3 p.m.)
    
  • Details: Open to all years, makes, and models, with a People’s Choice Award. Free admission for spectators!
    
• Car Smash Fundraiser (11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
  
  • Location: Springhill City Park
    
  • Details: Support the Springhill Fire District 11! Take 2 swings at a car for $5 to help fund equipment, training, and community programs.
    
• Best Beard Contest (2 p.m.)
  
  • Location: Main Stage, Springhill City Park
    
  • Details: Sign up on the day of the festival! Categories include Full Beard, Short Beard, Longest Beard, Best Groomed, Best Natural, Best Lumberjack, and People’s Choice. Prizes provided by Pine Plaza Barbershop.
    
• Baggo (Cornhole) Tournament
  
  • Location: Springhill Main Street
    
  • Check-In: 9:30 a.m. | Bags Fly: 11 a.m.
    
  • Details: 2-person teams, double elimination ($30 per team entry) with cash payouts for top 3 teams.
    
• Cruise Night & Piney Woods Jamboree
  
  • Location: Springhill Main Street
    
  • Details: Classic cars & trucks, food vendors, and live music. Come “drag Main” one more time!
    

All-Day Attractions & Highlights

• CKCarvings Chainsaw Demonstrations: Watch award-winning carver Chad Kilpatrick create wooden masterpieces at the Clock Tower Circle with four live shows throughout the day.
  
• Antique Tractor, Engine & Power Show: Antique tractors rolling in the parade and showcased on site.
  
• Bucking Bull Rides: Test your strength for $5 a ride at City Park.
  
• Food, Crafts & Live Entertainment: Food trucks, local craft vendors, and live entertainment all day long!
  

Contact & Details

Contact Phone: 318-578-8964

Email: lumberjackfestival@yahoo.com

TikTok: @springhilllumberj

Facebook: Krewe of Nemesis-Webster

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By John Monzingo, Assistant County Agent –

As fall approaches, many of us shift our focus from gardening and flower beds to football games and hayrides. The cooler months often bring thoughts of leaves changing color, crisp evenings, and plants going dormant. But what many people overlook is that fall and winter can be a vibrant time for planting. Numerous plants thrive in cooler temperatures and can bring color and life to your landscape well into the colder seasons.

Here in Louisiana, we’re fortunate to enjoy a long growing season. This gives us the opportunity to extend our gardening efforts beyond summer and into fall. A variety of beautiful fall annuals can be planted in late summer and early fall, offering a splash of color when most plants begin to fade. These annuals can be started with seed or purchased as young plants from your local garden center. Many varieties grow well in pots, hanging baskets, or existing flower beds.

The following are LSU AgCenter Super Plant recommended fall annuals:

• Supertunia Vista Bubblegum – One of my personal favorites, this plant features brilliant pink flowers that bloom from early spring until the first heavy frost.
• Amazon Dianthus – Transplant in September for vibrant blooms that last through fall and into early winter.
• Sorbet Violas – Available in a wide array of colors, these cheerful flowers bloom in fall and often persist through spring.

If you’re looking for something more permanent, consider these Super Plant recommended perennials:

• Leslie Ann Camellia and Shishi Gashira Camellia – Both shrubs offer stunning fall color and bloom from October through January.

Fall is a great time to refresh your garden and enjoy the beauty that cooler weather can bring. For more information about cool-season plants, contact John Monzingo at (318) 927-3110 or (318) 371-1371.

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For fans of Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Monroe, and Louisiana-Lafayette, strike up the band.

Happy days are here again. 

Good ol’ competitive college hate. 

Be true to your school and all that stuff.

Your intrepid reporter here was in college the most recent occasion that those three schools were in the same conference, the Southland — in 1982.

That’s a hard-to-believe 44 years ago.

But now they’re back. Three strands wrapped are hard to break.

Add a fourth in Southern Mississippi and at least a third of each school’s 12-game schedule is against rivals and, in Tech’s case, Hated Rivals. The best kind.

Old Tech fans will still call ULM Northeast. ULL is Southwestern. And Southern Miss is Mississippi Southern.

The dislike runs deep.

What a beautiful thing.

Now, the talking is taken up a notch because the wins and losses count toward a Sun Belt Conference title since the four teams — most importantly the three Louisiana teams — are bound together again, laced up in the same league.

Glory.

For Tech, which had wandered for good reasons at the time into the American West, the Western Athletic Conference, and Conference USA, the return to the Sun Belt has been a “Thank you Lord” moment for fans of the Bulldogs. 

Besides the three schools already mentioned, add Arkansas State, South Alabama, and Troy and you’ve got six schools within a seven-hour drive radius of Ruston. In the WAC days, Tech traveled regularly to Hawaii and Fresno and Boise State; them ain’t day trips. It’s hard to go to Sunday school the next morning, much less study for a math test, when you get back from Moscow, Idaho at 6 a.m.

Last fall, Tech football was in Newark, Delaware one week, Pullman, Washington the next. That’s a haul. The travel adds up, even when you’re 20 or 21 and an athlete.

So besides Tech saving $1 million-plus dollars in travel, the schedule means less wear-and-tear on the athletes and more chances for fans to support their teams in person. Concerning their rooting against Tech, fans of ULM and ULL are in the same boat. 

It’s refreshing that everyone can holler at everyone else in a stadium again instead of just on social media. Happy days … 

And it’s beautiful that all these schools should make a bit more money in ticket sales, money they missed when a Coastal Carolina or Kennesaw State came to town.

Also, Tech is not in those silly weeknight games anymore. As an old dude, I love a midweek college game on television, but I’m not a college student, and college football Saturdays are a big part of being a college student.

Speaking of, Tech and ULL get to tee it up in Joe Aillet Stadium this Saturday at 6:30. The two haven’t met since 2015, and Tech’s won the most recent eight meetings.

That won’t mean squat Saturday in Tech’s first football game in the Sun Belt.

And just when you thought it could not get much better for north Louisiana’s Bulldog or Warhawk fans, the fun continues next week when Tech visits Malone Stadium for a 7 p.m. kick Saturday, Oct. 17, the first meeting between the two on the football field since 2000.

Why those two schools haven’t played each other in football in a quarter century is a riddle. But at least for now, it’s solved. 

But first, ULL at Tech. Then ULM in Monroe. Back-to-back jack.

There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. And for competition’s sake, that’s a good thing.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

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Last week I bought out the Vatican. Granted, it was for one night only, and the Pope wasn’t part of the package, but for a few hours the most crowded museum on the planet belonged to 25 of my Yonderlust Travel guests and one very patient security guard.

I am writing this on the final day of our fall Rome, Amalfi, and Naples tour, my fourth time hosting this trip. We have visited the Vatican every time. This time was different.

Over the years we have bought out a royal palace in Portugal and taken over the Doge’s Palace in Venice for a private night visit. The week before Rome, in Santorini, we bought out an entire hotel for our group. None of it was done to impress anybody. Every bit of it was done for the guests.

This whole thing started by accident. For years, readers asked me to take them to Tuscany, to eat in the restaurants I had written about and meet the chefs behind them. I figured I would do it once, so I made a Facebook post.

The trip filled up in an afternoon. By that evening there was a waiting list, and before long the waiting list had a waiting list.

Those first guests came home and asked one question. “Where are we going next?”

So we went to Venice, Bologna, and Milan at Christmas. They asked again, and we came to Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and Naples. They kept asking, and we added Spain, Sicily, Greece, England, Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia, and a few places we haven’t announced yet.

As the map grew, we leveled up the trips. We used to stay in four-star hotels. These days it’s mostly five-star hotels and one-of-a-kind properties, with experiences that take people a little out of their comfort zone.

Though the hotels got nicer, the biggest change has been access. Anybody can book a hotel room and buy a museum ticket online. Very few people can buy out the Vatican.

My first visit there was in 2011, during our six-month trip through Europe with Jill and the kids. We booked a night tour, and even with several hundred other people in the halls, there was a different energy after dark. When you’re trying to level up a night tour at the Vatican, there is only one place left to go. You buy the whole thing.

For a long time, I ran Yonderlust like a mom-and-pop side project. Back home it was a two-person shop, my executive assistant, Simeon Williford, and me. Over here I have great boots-on-the-ground partners in Marina Mengelberg in Tuscany, Bill Thompson in Scotland, and Jesse Marinus everywhere else in Europe.

The demand kept growing, but the two of us back home were running out of hours in the day. Earlier this year I brought in Brittany Nicholson as director of Yonderlust Travel, and the business finally got the attention it deserved.

People had asked me for years to bring back our Mississippi tour, and I had always wanted to do one in New Orleans. We did both this year, and both had waiting lists. The credit goes to the two ladies in that office.

There’s no magic to the number 25. When I hosted my first tour 10 years ago, both villas we rented held 25 people, and I’ve kept it there ever since.

Jill and I do not do group travel. It’s just not our thing, which is why it took me almost 10 years to figure out why these trips never feel like group tours.

It finally hit me last year. We share three meals a day. When you sit across the table from someone at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you learn about their children, their grandchildren, and the things that truly matter in life. By day three, folks from all over the South (and a few strays from the coasts) are passing around pictures of each other’s grandbabies.

Now put that table inside the Vatican after hours. We had two great guides, so we split into two groups, with one security guard trailing behind us.

The Gallery of Maps is probably my second-favorite room in the building. I have always been fascinated by cartography and amazed that people mapped the world with little more than the stars and a few primitive tools. On a normal day, guards herd the crowd through, and you barely get a glance. This time we took our time.

When we reached the end, the guide asked me if I wanted to turn the S-shaped knob and open the door leading to the Sistine Chapel. It took me aback. I had no idea that was an option.

I turned the knob, opened the door, and was the first one into the most crowded room in the Vatican. It was completely empty and dead silent.

People say “I’ll never forget it” about everything from a wedding to a great plate of fried catfish. I mean it this time. I will never forget the faces of my guests as they walked in behind me, many seeing that room for the first time.

Michelangelo spent four years, from 1508 to 1512, painting more than 5,000 square feet of that ceiling and over 300 figures. He came back 24 years later, at 61, and spent another five years on “The Last Judgment.” That is the same room where the cardinals elected Leo XIV last year. For about half an hour, it was ours.

Afterward, we had dinner in the Cortile della Pigna, the courtyard named for a giant bronze pine cone the Romans cast almost 2,000 years ago. Vatican staff served the meal, and the food was mid, at best. Still, it might have been the most unique dinner we have ever had—= in the still of the night, in the open air— minutes after walking out of the Sistine Chapel. Trust me, nobody sent anything back.

I have been in the hospitality business for 45 years. Restaurants, columns, books, television, and now travel all come down to the same thing. Someone trusts you with their time and their money, and your job is to make sure it was worth it.

I am grateful to every guest who has ever handed us their vacation, to Brittany and Simeon back home, and to Marina, Bill, and Jesse over here, who make me look a lot smarter than I am.

People are still asking where we’re going next. We’ll do Mississippi and New Orleans again, plus one California trip north into wine country and another south through Big Sur and Carmel. The one I’m most excited about covers Maine, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. If history is any guide, the waiting lists will have waiting lists.

Tuscany is the most popular (and probably my favorite), and the reason we have guests who have been on 100, 11, even 12 Yonderlust Travel trips.

When dinner was over, the guards asked me if I wanted to be the one to close the door for the night.

“Does anyone ever say no to that?” I asked.

“Actually,” one of them said, “we’ve never asked anyone.”

I opened the first door of the night and closed the last one. That has been the job for 45 years— open the door, get everybody in, feed them well, and send them home with a story. The Vatican just has bigger doors.

Onward.

Apricot Tarts

The brown butter in the recipe gives these tarts a unique and appealing flavor.

16 pre-made mini frozen tart shells

Filling

3 /4 cup butter

1 1 /2 cup apricot preserves

1 /4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup dry apricots, chopped small

2 eggs

3 Tbl flour

Preheat oven to 350

Par-bake the mini tart shells for seven minutes.

For the filling, melt butter in a small aluminum sauce pot and cook until the butter begins to brown. Stir in preserves, honey, vanilla, and dried apricots. Remove mixture from heat.

In a separate bowl, combine egg and flour and beat until smooth. Slowly add the hot butter mixture, stirring constantly. Fill the tart shell and bake 12 minutes. 

Cool and serve topped with Chantilly Cream.

(Robert St. John is a chef, restauranteur and published cookbook author who lives in Hattiesburg, Miss.)

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Bass fishing is expensive in more ways than one. But one thing is inevitable: you’re going to lose something of value at some point while fishing in a bass boat. It’s like if you’re a motorcycle rider, it’s not if you’re going to have a wreck, but when. 

Over my many years of being on the water, I’ve lost several items that I wish I could get back. Today, we all have cell phones as one of our prized possessions. So, it won’t surprise anyone that I have lost one over the side of the boat. 

While fishing on Red River early one morning, I had a phone call. Scrambling to get my flip phone out of my pocket, I literally flipped it over the side of the boat and into 15 feet of water. 

At first, panic ran through my brain and major anxiety set in as to “what am I going to do now?” After looking at my depth finder and watching my phone fall to the bottom of the river, I knew there was no retrieving this device. 

Phoneless and totally out of touch with the rest of the world temporarily, as the day went on it was kind of refreshing and nice to not have a phone, to not be at someone’s beck and call at a moment’s notice. After I accepted the fact that my phone was gone, I actually enjoyed my entire day of fishing with no interruptions! 

Another item that every bass fisherman has lost at some point is one of his good rods and reels. Once again, it’s not if you’ll lose a rod and reel, but when. I’ve lost at least three rod and reel combos over the years — two in one day while fishing as a co-angler on Lake Sam Rayburn. 

The boater/pro I drew-out, back in 2004, had no rod tie downs on his boat for me to secure my rods. Sam Rayburn is known for high winds, which produce rough rides, and if you don’t have your gear tied down, something will end up in the lake. 

That day I had two brand new Bass Pro Shop’s Johnny Morris combos that probably cost $250 each. After making a long rough run across the lake late that day, we stopped to fish. I started counting my rods and realized two were missing. A total of $500 worth of rods and reels were now sitting on the bottom of Sam Rayburn, all because the boat I was in had no rod tie downs!

This past year on Lake of the Pines in East Texas, I was fishing in 5-6 feet of water flipping a boat dock. As I got a bite, I set the hook on a solid four-pound bass. Well, all due to my fault, I had a couple of rods hanging out over the water, and while I was fighting this fish to get him into the boat, my line caught the end of one of my really nice Daiwa combos,valued at $500, and jerked it off the deck and into the lake. 

As I was landing the four-pound bass, I made a mental note of where I thought the rod went over. Once the fish was weighed and placed in the live well, I began the search for the Daiwa combo by fan casting the area with a crankbait hoping to snag it. But after wasting 30 minutes of my tournament day, I just gave up on trying to find it. 

One other thing that is inevitable while fishing is losing your favorite hat! I can’t even count how many hats I have lost while running across the lake or up the river. Towels are another item that seem to disappear along the way. Some anglers have what they call their “lucky hat” or even their “lucky towel,” and losing either one can cause a full-blown emotional breakdown! 

So, as you can see, bass fishing can be an adventure. On top of possible damage to your boat every time you go fishing, there are all these other things that can make your trip expensive. Hopefully, none of this will ever happen to you! 

Oh, there is one more thing you can also count on if you’re a bass fisherman; it’s not a matter of if you’ll fall in the lake, but when.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com 

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By Brad Dison

André Citroën was born to Jewish parents in 1878 in Paris, France.  Inspired by books by Jules Verne and the three-year construction of the Eiffel Tower when he was a pre-teen, Andre was determined to become an engineer.  In 1898, twenty-year-old André graduated from the prestigious École Polytechnique.  He worked for the Mors automobile firm for six years, during which time he increased production from 125 cars per year to over 1,200.  In July 1919, he founded the Citroën automobile company.  By using mass production techniques, he built affordable, reliable cars for the masses and became the Henry Ford of Europe.

From April to October 1925, the Eiffel Tower was the centerpiece of the great Exhibition of Decorative and Industrial Arts.  The Eiffel Tower’s chairman of the board offered several companies the right to have their company’s name illuminated in electric lights on the tower for a fee. André accepted and more than 200,000 light bulbs spelled out the name “Citroën.”  It was the world’s largest advertising sign at the time, and André’s name was illuminated on the very object that sparked his interest in becoming an engineer.  By the early 1930s, Citroën was the fourth largest car manufacturer in the world.  André was constantly improving the design, safety, comfort, and most of all, the reliability of his cars.  When André died in 1935 of stomach cancer, Pierre Boulanger became Citroën’s vice president and chief of the Engineering and Design department.  Two years later, he became president of the company. 

Then came World War II.  In June 1940, Germany conquered France and occupied Paris.  Adolph Hitler celebrated the victory by touring Paris and had his cameraman take a photo of him staring at the Eiffel Tower to use as propaganda.  During the occupation, German leaders asked Pierre to have the Citroën factory build military trucks for the war machine and Pierre knew better than to refuse.  Pierre had his workers build the trucks as slowly as possible but fast enough to avoid alerting the German overseers.  The new Citroën military trucks rolled off the assembly line in perfect working order, but the engines in the Citroën trucks began seizing shortly thereafter.  German mechanics disassembled the engines but could find no reason for the engines seizing up.  All fluids in the engines were at their proper level and no parts showed excessive wear or damage.  They could find no sign of sabotage.  Pierre blamed the engine failures on the harsh wartime conditions and on the soldiers for not checking the fluids in the engines regularly.  His factory kept building trucks for the Germans at a slow pace.  We must remember that the French invented the word sabotage, and Pierre was certainly a saboteur.  So, the next time you pull the dipstick out of your car’s engine to check the oil level, maybe you will think of Pierre.  For that was his master blow against the German war machine.  You see, those Citroën engines which were among the most reliable in Europe kept seizing because Pierre lowered the safe level mark on the dipsticks.  It is amazing what a big difference a small alteration can make.

Sources:

1.     Stephan Joest, “Remembering André Citroën: A Visionary Who Shaped France and the World,” Citroënvie!, July 3, 2025, accessed September 27, 2026, https://citroenvie.com/remembering-andre-citroen-a-visionary-who-shaped-france-and-the-world/.

2.     “Citroën. 100 years of the Eiffel Tower illumination,” Citroënvie!, March 14, 2025, accessed September 27, 2026, https://citroenvie.com/citroen-100-years-of-the-eiffel-tower-illumination/.

3.     Henry Cesari, “French Motor-Heads Sabotaged the Nazi War Machine With…Oversized Dipsticks,” February 7, 2024, accessed September 27, 2026, https://www.motorbiscuit.com/sabotaged-nazis-dipsticks/.

© 2026 Brad Dison. All rights reserved. Remember This? is distributed for licensed publication only.

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