Katie Buckner Coburn, a lifelong resident of Claiborne Parish, has both the desire and the experience to help serve this great parish as your next Assessor.
“I promise to serve the citizens of Claiborne Parish in an honest and efficient manner,” said Coburn. “I look forward to this campaign and I hope to earn your support and your vote this Fall.”
Katie is a Real Estate Appraiser with 17 years of market analysis experience. Katie has a heart for service and she prides herself on always being fair, professional, and transparent in her business and would operate the Assessor’s office with these same principles. This profession has afforded her the opportunity to do business with many Assessor’s offices across Northwest Louisiana where she has seen firsthand the operations, differences, functions, and pros/cons of each one and she is ready to apply that knowledge where her heart is, Claiborne Parish.
Katie was born and raised in Athens, Louisiana to Buzzy and Judy Buckner. She still resides in Athens today with her husband, Todd, and 2 children, Grady and Linny Grace. Katie is a member of Athens Community Church and a 2005 graduate of LA Tech. She is a land and cattle owner with a family owned oil and gas construction company in Homer, LA. In her spare time she enjoys spending time on the farm with her family. Her roots run deep in the area and she looks forward to serving the people of Claiborne Parish.
“I am eager to hear from voters about what is important to you,” Coburn said. “Should you have any other questions, comments, or concerns, please visit my website http://www.katieforassessor.com to let me know what is on your mind, if you are interested in volunteering, want to support my campaign, want a yard sign, or would be willing to host a campaign event.”
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents will take part in Operation Dry Water from July 1 to July 3.
During the Operation Dry Water weekend, LDWF agents will be out in force patrolling state waterways for impaired boat operators. LDWF also made a special Operation Dry Water video about a family that lost a loved one from a fatal boating incident that involved an impaired boat operator. That video can be found at https://youtu.be/F0VM9Nz_sQo.
Alcohol can impair a boater’s judgment, balance, vision and reaction time. It can increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion. Sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion intensify the side effects of alcohol, drugs and some prescription medications.
Nationwide, alcohol is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating incidents causing 16 percent of all deaths on the water. Louisiana had 29 boating fatalities in 2022, with alcohol playing a role in five fatalities or 17 percent.
Last year during Operation Dry Water Weekend, LDWF Agents arrested 12 boaters for DWI on the water.
Impaired boaters caught this weekend can expect penalties to be severe. In Louisiana, a DWI on the water carries the same penalties and fines as on the road and includes jail time, fines and loss of driving and boat operating privileges.
Anyone cited for a DWI on the water or on the road will lose his or her driver’s license and boating privileges for the specified time ordered by the judge in the case. Also, each offense of operating a vehicle or vessel while intoxicated counts toward the total number of DWI crimes whether they happened on the water or road.
In Louisiana, a DWI can be issued to anyone operating a moving vessel or vehicle while impaired. First offense DWI carries a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.
LDWF is also encouraging the use of personal flotation devices while on the water this holiday weekend.
Operation Dry Water was started in 2009 and is a joint program involving the LDWF, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the U.S. Coast Guard. More information is available at www.operationdrywater.org.
The Claiborne Parish Journal is currently looking for a writer to help cover our parish.
If you love to write and would like to make some extra money while doing so, this would be a great opportunity for you.
We currently need help covering local events, government and features about people within the community.
If this seems like a great match for you, we would love to hear from you! Please contact us by email at cpjnewsla@gmail.com or by phone at 318-382-2118.
As the 4th of July holiday weekend approaches, the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office wants to remind you of a few firework safety tips. Keep this holiday enjoyable and safe this year!
• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit—hot enough to melt some metals. • Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy, in case of fire or other mishap. • Light fireworks one at a time, then move quickly away from the fireworks device. • Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away. • Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks. • Never point or throw fireworks (including sparklers) at anyone. • After fireworks complete their burning, to prevent a trash fire, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding the device. • Only purchase from a reliable source and set off fireworks that are labeled for consumer (not professional) use. • Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
4-H Summer Camp was held at Camp Grant Walker in Pollock, LA.
16 Claiborne Parish 4-H youth in grades 4-6th attended this camp and had three camp counselors attend.
Campers were able to choose educational tracks in wetlands, STEM, Art, etc. They had free time each day in which they were able to swim, play sports, line dance, and do arts & crafts.
“Camp Grant Walker has been established since 1938 and I am so glad they are able to continue this tradition with future generations,” said 4-H Youth Development Agent Destiny Hightower.
If you have any questions about 4-H, please contact their office at (318) 927-3110 or email Mrs. Destiny Hightower at dhightower@agcenter.lsu.edu.
I refer to my children as my “little ducks” all the time. Why? Because they follow me everywhere all day long. I mean everywhere. Going to the kitchen to get a drink of water? There they are. Going to the tiniest room in my house (also known as the laundry room)? Yep, they are coming, too. Need to use the bathroom? Well good thing I don’t mind an audience, I guess.
I am not just talking about the younger two either, all three of them follow me around in a line from youngest to oldest all day. It is absolutely maddening some days. Especially when I just want to run out to check the mail, which should only take about 55 seconds round-trip, but it turns into a 30-minute expedition by the time the little ducklings have strapped on their shoes, grabbed their drinks, followed me to the mailbox (after fighting about who gets to check it). The next thing I know, we are out in the front yard for half an hour because one of them found a lizard, wanted to pick flowers, learn how to ride a bike without training wheels or dig for buried treasure.
After a day slap full of playing “follow the leader,” I was feeling a little overstimulated, so I loaded the girls up in the car to go grab a sno cone and head to the library. I do this often when they start driving me crazy at home, just to get a little bit of time where I am not being chased after. It is a good little break and reset for us all. We get a treat and some time for them to scatter about the library looking for a few good books.
As we were pulling back into our neighborhood feeling a bit refreshed, I suddenly had to slam on the brakes. We have two rather large ponds close by our house and they are always full of geese and here they were just taking a casual stroll across the street from one pond to the next. The girls and I just sat and watched them as they took their time, all of them walking in a straight line one after the other.
This goes back to the reasoning behind why I refer to the girls as my “little ducks” or I guess geese in this instance. This is what happens when a baby duck or goose is born, they imprint on the first thing they see, which almost all of the time will be their mother. You see a mother duck waddling or swimming around and she is sure to have a line of little ones following very closely behind her.
Although it can get overwhelming as parents and I am sure the mother ducks and geese, too, having constant shadows following you about, if I look on the bright side, I know they do this because they feel safe, comfortable and loved in my presence.
I know they will not always be my “little ducks.” One day they will fly the coop and I will be left wishing that I could get them lined up in a row behind me again. I feel the empty nest syndrome kicking in already just thinking about it.
(Paige Nash is a wife, mother of three little ducks, publisher of Bienville Parish Journal and Claiborne Parish Journal and a digital journalist for Webster Parish Journal.)
Q: How can I make good decisions under pressure, or in a crisis? A: Train your brain.
Whether you’re a youngster with no life experience, or a highly trained, seasoned, steely-eyed dealer of death, you’re capable of making poor choices under pressure. We’d likely prefer the latter coming to our rescue if bullets start to fly, but everyone is fallible. The difference between the trained and the untrained is that trained people understand how decisions are made. Therefore, they can think faster under stress and are more likely to persevere under extreme circumstances.
In a 1976 essay titled “Destruction and Creation,” United States Air Force Colonel and military strategist, John Boyd – affectionately referred to as “Genghis John” by some of his cohorts – first presented his interpretation of the decision-making process, specifically as it pertained to arial combat.
The “O.O.D.A. Loop,” as he aptly named the decision-making cycle, is an acronym for Observe – Orient –Decide – Act, and is still widely taught to military, law enforcement, and other combat-ready entities. The cool thing is it applies to all of us.
We complete the O.O.D.A. Loop hundreds, if not thousands, of times each day. We aren’t always conscious of the decisions we make, but we make them, nonetheless. When we think about observation, we tend to think about what we see, but an observation can be anything our brains process from any of our five senses. The time between our sensing something and our brains processing the information is orientation. For example, by the time you realized the stove was hot, you were already burned. After orientation has occurred, a decision must be made, either consciously or subconsciously, and that decision must be put into physical action – like jerking your hand away from the hot stove.
Many things can determine how quickly we’re able to navigate the decision-making process, but training and life experiences rank among the top factors that can speed up or slow down one’s ability to react, especially in a crisis.
Imagine you’re driving on the interstate, and you come up on an 18-wheeler traveling 68 MPH, in the right-hand lane. You decide to pass on the left, and just as you get alongside the big truck, you OBSERVE that 80,000-pound vehicle begin to merge into the left lane, right toward you. Is the driver dodging a roadway hazard? Is he simply being careless? Is he snorting meth off a Milli Vanilli cassette case? It doesn’t really matter, does it? Now that you’re ORIENTED to what’s happening, you have a DECISION to make. Turn the wheel? Hit the brake? Punch the gas? Perform a combination of wheel turning and pedal pressing? Then you ACT and do whatever you decided in that instant would give you the highest probability of survival, and it all likely happened without conscious thought. That’s your O.O.D.A. Loop hard at work.
Now imagine a situation that’s probably foreign to you. You’re sitting in church and a man armed with an AK-47 enters the sanctuary and starts shooting parishioners. First, you’ll have to overcome a sense of denial. “This can’t be happening here. Not at my church.” You may also have emotional filters to deal with – especially if the person doing the killing is known to you or, God forbid, one of your own relatives. What options do you have for survival? Are there people with you that are your responsibility to protect? Are you even equipped to fight back?
See where I’m headed here? The deadly traffic crash was avoidable in an instant because you’ve been there before. At the very least, you were mentally prepared to react appropriately. The active shooter situation started just as quickly, but your response was slower because that isn’t something you’ve experienced and haven’t spent nearly as much time preparing to overcome.
We know from middle school science that action is always faster than reaction. So, it’s important to understand that bad guys have O.O.D.A. Loops too. Colonel Boyd believed that the orientation phase of the process was the most crucial because that’s where people would most often get bogged down, preventing them from completing the cycle and performing the necessary action. The point is to DO SOMETHING. Do something other than freeze. When we act, we can make an attacker react to us. That, in turn, gives us a tactical advantage, effectively allowing us to own the initiative. The right choice, whatever that may be, is obviously preferrable, but even if we do the wrong thing, and continue to act, we can effectively keep the bad guy bouncing between the observe and orient phases of his own O.O.D.A. Loop.
Join us next week when we cover what to expect from adrenaline and how to overcome its effects. Until then…
Avoid what you can. Defeat what you can’t.
-Ryan
(Ryan Barnette is not a licensed attorney or a medical provider, and no information provided in “Slicing the Pie,” or any other publication authored by Ryan Barnette should be construed, in any way, as official legal, or medical advice.)
A long time ago I wrote a romance story about an American soldier and a young Cherokee girl set against the backdrop of the Trail of Tears. The opening line was “the sky glowed amber in the west.” It was evening and the day was done. It was dusk, and the world was settling after labors under the sun. Nature was voicing its presence as little creatures of all kinds came out from under their daytime hiding spots to stretch their legs and get some grub.
I love the evening. I love dusk because it’s a magical time when the sky is painted with hues of orange, pink, and purple. It’s a stunning natural phenomenon that deserves our admiration. As the day fades into night, the world seems to slow, and a sense of calmness and tranquility sets in. One poet says: The sable veil of the night is drawn, and the stars rush out in their myriads.
The beauty of dusk lies not only in the way it transforms the world around us but also in the way it brings a sense of calm and completion. Of finality. As the day comes to a close, I feel the transition from the weariness and negotiations of the day to the oneness of the night. It’s hard to hear my Father’s call when the braying of man is in your ear. Dusk is a time when we can slow down, take a deep breath, and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.
In our grim world, it’s easy to overlook the beauty. We’re often too busy rushing from one thing to the next to take the time to appreciate the world the Son gave us. Mr. McGraw said: Six lanes. Taillights. Red ants marchin’ into the night. They disappear to the left and right again. Another supper from a sack. A ninety-nine cent heart attack. I got a poundin’ head and an achin’ back. And the camel’s buried in a big straw stack.
Meanly like ants our life it frittered away. The poet William Wordsworth wrote, “the world is too much with us; late and soon, getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.” But if we can slow down and take a moment to enjoy the magnificence of dusk, we’ll be rewarded with a sense of peace and tranquility that we can carry with us into the night and beyond.
And I write:
As the sun sets, and the sky turns to dusk
The world around us slows, no longer a rush
The sable veil of night is drawn, stars shine bright
As the day is done, and darkness takes flight
The sky is painted, with hues so divine
A sight to behold, it’s truly divine
The heavens declare God’s glory, the sky proclaims
And the beauty of dusk, is nature’s sweet refrain
In this moment, we can slow down and breathe
Appreciate the beauty, our hearts to relieve
Nature’s balm, for our weary souls
As dusk sets in, and the day unfolds
So let us take a moment, to cherish dusk’s beauty
To reflect, and renew our sense of duty
For in this moment, we can find peace
And let the worries of the day, finally cease
(Josh Beavers is an award winning writer and author. He has earned more than 40 individual writing awards and is syndicated in 12 North Louisiana news journals. The Louisiana Press Association has recognized him five times for excellence in opinion writing, and he has earned numerous Best Investigative Reporting Awards and Freedom of Information Awards for exposure of governmental corruption in Webster Parish.)
Billy Cannon didn’t raise his arm and signal No. 1 as he neared the goalline, 89 yards later, on that Halloween night in 1959.
None of his 1958 teammates on the LSU football team pointed to their ring fingers in the waning moments of the regular-season finale, a 62-0 trashing of Tulane in New Orleans that confirmed those Tigers as national champions.
Now it’s in vogue. Joe Burrow coming off the field in the Superdome with Clemson subdued, pointing jubilantly at his ring finger. Burreaux was already Joe Cool in the eyes not only of LSU fans, but much of college football. It fit. He was kicking off the Natty celebration.
A couple of months ago in Dallas, Angel Reese spends the last seconds of LSU’s dismantling of Iowa pointing jubilantly at her ring finger. The Bayou Barbie long since had established her flamboyant on-court persona, delighting many LSU fans and plenty of avid women’s basketball followers. It fit. She was tipping off the national championship celebration.
Monday night in Omaha, having emphatically said “later, Gator,” Dylan Crews is the first of a series of Tiger teammtes savoring their late-game moments in the spotlight, pointing jubilantly at his ring finger. Crews, like Burrow, had just been annointed the premier player in his sport. Unlike Burrow, Crews has a subtle, blue-collar approach accompanying his prodigious production. His ring thing didn’t fit, but with a double-digit eighth-inning lead, not even Florida fans could protest his exuberance. He was launching the College World Series championship celebration.
Conversely, Reese drew heat from many, including some Purple and Gold loyalists, for her antics. She seemed to go toward Iowa star Caitlin Clark, taunting her in the waning moments of play. Clark later said she took no offense. To do so would have been hypocritical, since the Hawkeye hotshot had done much the same thing several times during the Big Ten season and notably to Louisville star (and now LSU’s own) Hailey Van Lith closing out an NCAA Elite 8 contest.
So in the aftermath of Monday’s grilling of the Gators in Omaha, LSU’s series of stars ringing it up quickly attracted the spotlight. The game’s ESPN telecast immediately referenced Reese, but overlooked Burrow, catching the oversight late in their coverage and in time for Scott Van Pelt’s SportsCenter show. The recovery surely was spurred by rampant social media posts showcasing Burrow along with Reese and Crews.
Very quickly on social media, the question arose – what’s the difference? Why is nobody objecting that Crews, Tommy White, Tre’ Morgan and more Tiger baseball heroes flashed their ring fingers, and a crescendo of critics rose up to rip Reese?
From some corners, there were undercurrents of racism, and sexism, at play. Reese is an effervescent personality who happens to be a Black woman. Undoubtedly some of the disgust stirred by her activity came from pigheaded people seeing someone of a different appearance doing something brash.
But her celebration was different because it certainly was directed at her opponent, Clark. You can’t get around the fact it was taunting. That’s the part that I didn’t like. The fact that it’s widespread nowadays to confront and mock foes doesn’t justify it.
Celebrate, yes. Be flamboyant, great. But don’t scurry to show up an opponent. Hurry to find a teammate to embrace. That’s how an AARP-eligible dude sees it.
If Reese had ignored Clark and trotted toward teammates pointing at her ring finger, it would be no less an iconic moment in the history of women’s basketball – not only in LSU lore, but for the sport overall.
I didn’t condemn Reese then and will not now. She’s only doing what she sees her heroes doing. She’s only doing what we’ve seen for years in pro wrestling and so much of modern culture outside of athletics. She’s a strong young woman, very smartly building her brand, and bringing in the Benjamins at a rate none of her predecessors in college women’s basketball ever could.
Was it spontaneous, or calculated for cash value? She’ll never tell. After the heat faded, it’s worked way in her favor. Reese’s fan base continues to expand. It should. She’s a special talent, a dynamic figure in her sport, whose persona not only entertains but inspires, and forces us to ponder our perspectives.
That’s not entirely comfortable. If you want to go down that rabbit hole, it’s there for your consideration.
But currently, I’ll just savor the jubilation and salute LSU’s champions. The rings fit.
Texans are often recognized for the pride that they have in their home state. I get that. Not because I think Texas is that much better than other states in our country, but because I take great pride in my home state of Mississippi. Six years ago, I wrote an introduction to the book, “A Mississippi Palate.” In it I relayed a story of an epiphany I had a dozen or so years ago. It’s always struck me as odd that I had to travel halfway around the world to truly appreciate the entirety of my home state.
The state of Mississippi adopted the motto, “The birthplace of America’s music,” several years ago. It is catchy and clever. The PR department must have been working overtime when they came up with that phrase, I thought. Maybe it will help paint a positive light on our state in the eyes of the 21st Century the world. I get it.
It wasn’t until I was thousands of miles away from home that my love and appreciation for my home state grew into what it has become today. It happened one night in Italy working on An Italian Palate. Our Tuscan friends Annagloria and Enzo had just introduced us to a couple from Milan— Barbara and Alberto— who would eventually become great friends of ours, too. We were all having dinner in a small bed and breakfast in the Italian countryside. This was a special night because the B&B hired a live band. Live music is not as commonplace in the Italian countryside as it is in Mississippi.
You haven’t lived until you’ve heard a British cover band sing American rock and roll in Italian. I was seated across from my new friend Barbara. She was warm, sophisticated, and inquisitive. “Tell us about Mississippi,” she said, shouting over a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover.
“Well I come from a town called Hattiesburg,” I said. “It’s about an hour north of the Gulf of Mexico.” Her eyes lit up. She might not have been able to point out Mississippi on a map— The Weather Channel once referred to us as that “Land mass” between Louisiana and Alabama— but she knew where the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico were located. I began searching for more familiar landmarks to help her pinpoint my home state’s location.
“My hometown is just an hour and a half northeast of New Orleans,” I continued.
A brief glint of recognition hit her eyes. “Jazz!” she said.
“That’s right New Orleans is where jazz was invented. And in Mississippi, if you travel up Highway 49 which passes two blocks from my house, you’ll hit Highway 61 in the Delta, where blues music was invented.
“Ah the blues,” she said. “B.B. King.”
“Yep, he’s from Mississippi. And so is Muddy Waters, and if you believe Muddy Waters who said, ‘the blues had a baby and they named the baby rock and roll,’ and I do, then just an hour or two to the east of the Delta is Tupelo, Mississippi the birthplace of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll.”
“Elvis Presley!” Barbara— a child of the Elvis era— squealed, as if I was talking about some far off, exotic land.
“And just two hours south of Tupelo is Meridian, Mississippi…” I was just about to go into my pitch for Jimmie Rogers, The Singing Brakeman, and “the inventor of country music,” when it hit me like a shot from a cannon— Mississippi, my home state, is truly the birthplace of America’s music, and ground zero for the most influential and popular art form of the 20th Century. It’s not just a PR slogan or marketing phrase, it’s true. Mississippi is the birthplace of the music that has changed the world for over 100 years. This IS an exotic land.
There is no question that we have scars and bruises from a rough, cruel, and many times inexcusable and unexplainable past, but those are the burdens of the entire country, too. All nations have scars. What defines us as a culture is how we move past those tragedies.
We are often cursed by the sins of our ancestors. It is unfortunate that almost every civilization in history was founded on the pain and conquest of others. Though what distinguishes civilizations, nations, and states within those nations, are the ones who rise above it. I believe Mississippi has risen above our past.
I believe I am a son of the new Mississippi.
When compiling the book “A Mississippi Palate,” I asked several friends and notable Mississippians to text me their feelings on our home state. I’ll let their words do the talking.
“In Mississippi, Friday and Saturday nights are filled with football. Sunday mornings are reserved for church. Though, no matter what time of the day, day of the week, or activity on the schedule, life in Mississippi is always centered around family.” — Archie Manning
There is something about our Southern palette. Maybe it’s the fresh produce, the long growing season, the cross cultural influences, or the abundance of seasoning on everything that equips someone from down here to travel with a sense of curiosity. To be curious not only about people or place but the food of other cultures. We will eat anything and can, more often than not figure out what they are doing, and incorporate it into what we do.” – Bill Dunlap
No other state in the union has contributed more to American culture than Mississippi, specifically in the areas of music, literature, art, history, food, architecture, and sports – you’re welcome! – Malcolm White
“One of the things that I’ve noticed when I cross paths with a Mississippian out in the world, after you shake hands and ask each other, ‘Which town are you from?’ you just start visiting. Most Mississippi people are at home anywhere on the planet. Wherever they are it’s basically the same as being on the front porch of somebody’s cabin at the Neshoba County Fair— everyone’s welcome.” – Marty Stuart
“I grew up on field peas and corn bread, and still consider it a necessity at least once a week. Of course, Mom’s coconut cake perched on the dessert table is mandatory to complete the meal.” – Gary Grubbs
“Whenever I get questions about Mississippi from those who haven’t had the good fortune to visit us, I’m reminded that it’s…complicated. Though financially we may be the poorest state, we are undeniably rich in culture, and while tensions remain in politics and race relations the generosity and graciousness that are our shared heritage shines through in our daily interactions with each other.” – Cary Hudson
“People ask me all the time how Mississippi has produced so many of the world’s greatest writers. It’s because we tell stories. That’s what Mississippians have done – and have done well – for as long as there has been a Mississippi. Per capita, Mississippi produces more writers, musicians, chefs, and athletes than any other place on earth. We entertain, it’s what we do.” – Rick Cleveland
“In one short drive down US Hwy 49 South out of Jackson, Mississippi, one can get barbecue, homegrown tomatoes, fried pies, catfish, Elvis clocks, and a metal chicken bigger than a Volkswagen. You can get baptized at least 38 times at different churches before you get past Florence, you can have your fortune told and see a neon yellow statue of a raging bull in a handstand, with “JESUS SAVES” inexplicably written on its flanks. Talk to me about ‘diversity.’” – Jill Conner Browne
“I carry Mississippi all over the world, and that’s the least I can do. It has blessed and charmed and informed all my days. With a fire that can only be fueled by the sum of what is right and what is and has been wrong I go forward with a mission. I hope to see you somewhere on the high road. Cause that would mean we’re both on it.” – Mac McAnally
Morgan Freeman once said, “The big question was, ‘My Lord, you can live anywhere in the world you want, why did you choose Mississippi?’ My glib answer was, because I CAN live anywhere. But the true answer is that of any place I’ve ever been, this feels most like home. When I come here, when I hit Mississippi, everything is right.”
Amen.
I love my home state.
Onward.
Banana Pudding
1 cup Sugar
6 Tbl. Flour
pinch of salt
4 Egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
2 cups Milk
2 tsp. Vanilla
6 Tbl. Butter
4 Bananas, ripe, peeled and sliced
Vanilla wafers
4 Egg whites
1 /2 cup Sugar
1 /2 tsp. Cream of tartar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine sugar, flour, salt, eggs, milk and vanilla in a small non-reactive saucepot. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the pudding thickens. Remove from heat and slowly add butter until incorporated.
Butter a two-quart baking dish. Arrange the vanilla wafers around the outside and across the bottom of the baking dish. Spread a layer of custard over the wafers. Place sliced bananas on top of custard and spoon the remaining custard over bananas, spreading evenly.
Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites until they are increase in volume. Add sugar and cream of tartar. Beat to stiff peaks. Spread meringue over pudding and bake 8-10 minutes. Yield: 8-10 servings
(Robert St. John is a chef, restaurateur and published cookbook author who lives in Hattiesburg, Miss.)
Please send all non-profit events to cpjnewsla@gmail.com
July 1 (7 a.m.)
Claiborne Parish Watershed District with Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office
Fish Distribution at Kel’s Kove – Lake Claiborne
July 6 (11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
LifeShare Blood Drive – Claiborne Memorial Medical Center Conference Room
July 14 – 15
Claiborne Parish 4-H Claiborne Classic Open Jackpot Show
Claiborne Parish Fairgrounds – Haynesville
July 24-28 (8 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
Fourth Annual Teacher Lock – In – Haynesville Elementary School
Donations for Haynesville Elementary School teachers and staff, gift cards, teacher supplies and donations from business, can be dropped off at the school office during this week.
Visitation: Friday, June 30 from 12- 6 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Home – Homer
Funeral: Saturday, July 02 at 2:30 p.m. at Homer High School
Interment: Following funeral at Willis Chapel Cemetery in Lisbon
Mildred Littleton
December 09, 1954 – June 24, 2023
Visitation: Friday, June 30 from 1 – 6 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Home in Arcadia
Funeral: Saturday, July 02 at 2:30 p.m. at New Living Word in Ruston
Ralph Robinson
February 03, 1929 – June 25, 2023
Memorial service: Thursday, July 6 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro
Billie L. Maxey
May 02, 1940 – June 25, 2023
Visitation: Monday, July 03 at from 10 – 12 p.m. at Evening Star CME Church in Cullen
Funeral: Following visitation
Claiborne Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or cpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are free of charge.)
As of this morning, June 28, Homer Police Chief Van McDaniel has confirmed that Ja’Kerion Calome was fatally shot and the incident is still under investigation.
According to McDaniel, all deaths are investigated as a homicide until evidence proves otherwise.
Since the HPD Chief is a distant relative of the Calome family, he has recused himself from further participation in the investigation. The State Police will be taking over the investigation from this point with the continued assistance of the HPD and the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office.
UPDATE:
After the passing of Homer High School senior, Ja’Kerion Calome, on Friday morning, June 24, family members are speaking out.
In a Facebook post with almost 600 shares, Calome’s cousin Semaje Taylor asked for assistance in sharing the family’s story in hopes that justice is served.
According to Homer Police Chief Van McDaniel, it was not clear whether the fatal gunshot wound to Calome’s head was the result of suicide or homicide. His body was sent to Little Rock, Ark. for an autopsy.
In Taylor’s post she shared details that Calome was staying the night with a group of friends at a house to attend football practice when he was shot.
She said, “Instead of seeking medical attention, they called family members who then came over and put Ja’Kerion (picked up his body) inside the car themselves and drove him to Homer Hospital where he was then lifeflighted to LSU. Ja’Kerion went close to an hour or longer without medical attention before he was actually brought to the hospital, we do not have information on why a call was never made until later on and not immediately when it happened. We are still seeking answers at this time.”
Calome’s death is still under investigation.
Calome was a member of the school’s first state football championship since 1939, two seasons ago. In 2022, he was a member of the team that finished as a runner-up in the Division IV title game.
Funeral arrangements are still in the planning stages, but is set to be held on Saturday, July 1, at Homer High School. More details on the times for visitation and service will be released in the coming days. Family is asking for assistance in covering burial and funeral expenses. Donations can be made through GoFundMe.
Homer High School senior and standout football star Ja’Kerion Calome has passed away.
Calome was found in a home in the 200 block of West Third Street in Homer on Thursday night, June 23, with a gunshot wound to the head.
He was taken by private vehicle to Homer Hospital, but was later airlifted to Ochsner LSU Health hospital in Shreveport where he succumbed to his injuries early Friday morning.
According to Homer Police Chief Van McDaniel, Calome’s body has been sent to Little Rock, Arkansas for an autopsy to determine whether the gunshot wound was a result of suicide or homicide.
“We know he had a gunshot wound, but we don’t know at this time if it was a suicide or a homicide. Until then, this matter is still under investigation,” McDaniel said.
Calome was a member of the state championship Homer High School Pelicans football team.
Homer High School made a statement on their Facebook page Saturday morning, June 24.
“Our hearts are heavy after suffering the loss of one of our students, Ja’Kerion Calome. We recognize that losing a classmate, friend, and teammate is a hard situation for a young adult to process.”
The school is offering professional counseling services for students beginning Monday, June 26 at 8 a.m.
The school is currently conducting EOC re-testing, but will proceed with caution taking each individual student into consideration during this time. Rescheduling testing is an option for students that may need it.
A GoFundMe Page has been set up to assist with funeral and burial expenses.
After the passing of Homer High School senior, Ja’Kerion Calome, on Friday morning, June 24, family members are speaking out.
In a Facebook post with almost 600 shares, Calome’s cousin Semaje Taylor asked for assistance in sharing the family’s story in hopes that justice is served.
According to Homer Police Chief Van McDaniel, it was not clear whether the fatal gunshot wound to Calome’s head was the result of suicide or homicide. His body was sent to Little Rock, Ark. for an autopsy.
In Taylor’s post she shared details that Calome was staying the night with a group of friends at a house to attend football practice when he was shot.
She said, “Instead of seeking medical attention, they called family members who then came over and put Ja’Kerion (picked up his body) inside the car themselves and drove him to Homer Hospital where he was then lifeflighted to LSU. Ja’Kerion went close to an hour or longer without medical attention before he was actually brought to the hospital, we do not have information on why a call was never made until later on and not immediately when it happened. We are still seeking answers at this time.”
Calome’s death is still under investigation.
Calome was a member of the school’s first state football championship since 1939, two seasons ago. In 2022, he was a member of the team that finished as a runner-up in the Division IV title game.
Funeral arrangements are still in the planning stages, but is set to be held on Saturday, July 1, at Homer High School. More details on the times for visitation and service will be released in the coming days. Family is asking for assistance in covering burial and funeral expenses. Donations can be made through GoFundMe.
Homer High School senior and standout football star Ja’Kerion Calome has passed away.
Calome was found in a home in the 200 block of West Third Street in Homer on Thursday night, June 23, with a gunshot wound to the head.
He was taken by private vehicle to Homer Hospital, but was later airlifted to Ochsner LSU Health hospital in Shreveport where he succumbed to his injuries early Friday morning.
According to Homer Police Chief Van McDaniel, Calome’s body has been sent to Little Rock, Arkansas for an autopsy to determine whether the gunshot wound was a result of suicide or homicide.
“We know he had a gunshot wound, but we don’t know at this time if it was a suicide or a homicide. Until then, this matter is still under investigation,” McDaniel said.
Calome was a member of the state championship Homer High School Pelicans football team.
Homer High School made a statement on their Facebook page Saturday morning, June 24.
“Our hearts are heavy after suffering the loss of one of our students, Ja’Kerion Calome. We recognize that losing a classmate, friend, and teammate is a hard situation for a young adult to process.”
The school is offering professional counseling services for students beginning Monday, June 26 at 8 a.m.
The school is currently conducting EOC re-testing, but will proceed with caution taking each individual student into consideration during this time. Rescheduling testing is an option for students that may need it.
A GoFundMe Page has been set up to assist with funeral and burial expenses.
Summerfield High School Junior, Jorja Thornton, was selected to represent the Northwest Region for the upcoming 2023-2024 Louisiana 4-H session. As a representative she will be required to plan, assist and implement numerous camps, events and other opportunities within the region and by doing so, promote the Louisiana 4-H Youth Development Program.
While in attendance at this year’s annual 4-H University held in Baton Rouge, Thornton learned that she was selected out of many who applied to serve in this position.
She said, “When they called my name, I can’t describe how excited I was.”
The lengthy application process included answering questions and obtaining letters of recommendation that addressed the applicant’s overall leadership and service qualities.
This is not the first leadership role Thornton has held during her time with the Claiborne Parish 4-H. She has spent the last year being involved in 4-H as a Northwest Region Agriculture Ambassador and is the current Vice-President of the 4-H Junior Leadership Club. Outside of the 4-H program, Thornton also serves at the President of Summerfield High School’s Future Farmers of America club. She is a member of the Fellow Christian Athletes, Future Business Leaders of America, BETA club and the softball team.
This year was her first year competing at 4-H University. Thornton competed in Tractor Operations.
“There were many different factors in this competition including a written exam, parts identification, oral presentation and the driving course,” said Thornton.
She placed 9th in parts identification, 6th in the presentation and 12th overall.
Destiny Hightower, LSU Ag Center Assistant 4-H Agent for Claiborne Parish, is excited to see what Thornton will continue to acheive through her new role as Northwest Regional Representative.
“Jorja is a bright young lady with a great future ahead of her,” said Hightower. “I am thankful to have her as a member.”
The next big event for Claiborne Parish 4-H will be their Claiborne Classic Open Jackpot Show on July 14th and 15th and the Claiborne Parish Fairgrounds in Haynesville.
Saturday morning, July 1, the Claiborne Parish Watershed District will be introducing 80,000 F-1 Tiger Bass and 25,000 Coppernose Blue Gill to Lake Claiborne.
“This will be the sixth consecutive year of us introducing these fish to the lake,” said Vice President of the Claiborne Parish Watershed District Commission Chad Reeder. “This was orginally a five year project, but they gave me another year.”
According to Reeder, the commission receives these fish annually from America Sport Fish Hatchery – one of the largest producers of sport fish for stocking ponds and lakes in the southeastern portion of the United States.
The Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office will be launching one of their boats at Kel’s Kove between 7 – 7:30 a.m.
“They will be loading up kids to go distribute oxygenated bags of fish across the lake,” said Reeder.
Anglers and commission members along with other volunteers will also be helping to distribute these fish to various loactions on Lake Claiborne.
This is the last week of the Claiborne Parish Library’s Summer Reading Program.
So far, the library has had a total of 52 participants who have read 394 books. The goal is to hit 450 books read for this year’s program.
On Thursday, June 29, Harvey Rabbit and Friends will be at the library at 2 p.m.
Harvey Rabbit and Friends include entertaining educators and music teachers, Tim and Laura Allured, who both graduated from McNeese State University in Lake Charles in 1983. According to their bio, they decided to take an “early retirement” in 1986, from teaching to pursue entertaining full-time as ventriloquists.
They specialize in school programs during the school year and library programs during the summer months. All of their programs include a positive message and are interactive for all who attend.
For those interested in attending this week’s event, please contact the library at 318-927-3845.
OMAHA, Nebraska — Paul Skenes didn’t take the mound Monday night. Not in the traditional sense.
LSU’s All-American ace never got the call to come out of the bullpen into the winner-take-all game against Florida. His immense talents were not needed, but Skenes still found himself heading toward the mound at Charles Schwab Field.
After the final out was recorded in LSU’s 18-4 annihilation of Florida, Skenes triumphantly hoisted his injured teammate Alex Milazzo, confined to crutches, onto his back for a jog out to the mound for the obligatory dogpile.
It was a touching storybook moment to end a remarkable championship season — the program’s seventh College World Series title and first since 2009. LSU opened 2023 as the consensus No. 1 team in every poll, and not without abundant drama, ended it as the national champ.
The Skenes piggyback wasn’t the only marquee moment that stands out from the Tigers’ championship victory.
After spotting Florida a two-run lead in the first, LSU got things going in the second and it was courtesy of an unlikely hero, Jordan Thompson.
The shortstop entered Monday’s game having gone 1-for-30 in the CWS, including 0-for-9 in the first two games of the title series. Compounding his struggles, Thompson was seriously shaky with the glove in Sunday’s 24-4 drubbing and in the aftermath, many LSU fans called for his benching. Apparently none of those were in Omaha.
Greeted by a rousing ovation and cheers as he stepped in for his first plate appearance, Thompson drove a single to left field that scored the Tigers’ initial run, ignited the massive fan base in the stadium, and launched a massive six-run second inning that floored Florida. In the field, he looked worthy of a Gold Glove Monday night.
Starting pitcher Thatcher Hurd had gotten off to a scary first frame by giving up a two-run home run and throwing a wild pitch. Yet Hurd, who weathered a rough patch of the season to become one of Jay Johnson’s most trusted arms, quickly settled down and subsequently silenced the Gators.
After the first-inning homer, Hurd retired the next eight hitters, didn’t surrender another hit in five innings, struck out seven and earned the victory.
Of course, one can’t discuss Monday’s championship win without mentioning Dylan Crews, who went 4-for-6 with three runs scored in his final game in purple and gold. The 2023 Golden Spikes winner finished the season with a .426 batting average and the CWS crown that he coveted when he skipped last summer’s MLB Draft.
The soon-to-be Top 3 MLB draft pick also continued LSU’s developing tradition of cementing legendary status with a hand gesture.
After leading off the eight with a standup triple, Crews took a moment to point to his ring finger — the same sign of impending victory flashed previously by fellow Tiger national champions Angel Reese and Joe Burrow.
Of course, the title run wasn’t just what happened on Monday night.
There wouldn’t have been that dogpile without Ty Floyd’s 17-strikeout performance propelling LSU over No. 1 Wake Forest and into the CWS finals. Or Tre’ Morgan’s game-saving defense at first base or Tommy White’s clutch home runs or Josh Pearson making catches in leftfield in the shadows when it mattered most.
From start to finish this season, everyone contributed to the Tigers’ title run, which made watching Skenes carrying his injured teammate to the dogpile just so perfect.
John and his wife, Mary, were expecting a child. Like his father, also named John, John was a clergyman in the 13 colonies. He was pastor of the United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts. Finally, on January 23, 1737, the child was born. As you might expect, John and Mary named the boy John. This made him John III.
When John III was just seven years old, his father died and Mary sent John III to live with his aunt Lydia and uncle Thomas, who had no children of their own. Thomas owned a successful shipping company which imported manufactured goods from England and exported goods such as rum and whale oil. After graduating from Boston Latin School, John III enrolled in Harvard College, his father’s alma mater. In 1754, John III earned a bachelor’s degree and began working for his uncle Thomas.
In the same year John III graduated from Harvard, the North American colonies, then part of the British Empire, entered into a conflict against the French in what is known as the French and Indian War. Thomas’s business thrived during the war as he was able to secure numerous government contracts for shipping supplies to support the war effort. All the while, Thomas was training John III to become a partner in the business, but in 1762, Thomas’s health began to fail. In the following year, John III became a full partner in the shipping company. In August 1764, Thomas died. John III inherited his uncle’s business and became one of the wealthiest men in the colonies.
The British Empire won the French and Indian War, but the victory put the country deep in debt. The British Empire enacted several acts or taxes, such as the Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp of 1765, to raise much-needed revenue. John III ignored the Stamp Act. In May 1766, John III’s ship Boston Packet “was the first ship that cleared out at this port [Boston], without stamped papers… and we hear was entered at the custom house in London without any the least difficulty.” Once officials in London began giving John III’s ships difficulty, he boycotted their goods altogether. Word spread quickly of John III’s snubbing the mother country and he was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
In the following year, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts which was another tax on various imported goods and John III became a target for customs officials. In 1768, customs officials boarded a ship owned by John III without a search warrant. John III refused to allow the customs officials below decks to search the ship. Customs officials wanted to file charges against John III for smuggling, but the case was dropped for lack of evidence. John III’s supporters contended that John III’s refusal was the first act of resistance against Parliament and was the act which initiated the American Revolution.
In May 1775, John III was unanimously elected President of the Continental Congress. He was presiding when a fellow Massachusetts delegate nominated George Washington as commander-in-chief of the continental army. In the following year, the colonies declared independence and John III was one of the main financiers of the American Revolution. If the series of events had not taken place which enabled John III to inherit his uncle’s fortune and shipping company, the American Revolution might never have taken place and we might have remained British subjects.
John III also snubbed the mother country when he signed the Declaration of Independence. By signing this document, all 56 signers knew that they would certainly be executed if America lost the war. Of all the 56 signatures, John III’s is the largest, the most flamboyant, and the most prominent on the page. John III’s signature became a part of popular culture. Even today, nearly two and a half centuries later, when someone asks for a signature, they sometimes ask for John III’s signature. They ask you for your John Hancock.
Sources:
1. The Pennsylvania Gazette, May 8, 1766, p.2.
2. The Pennsylvania Gazette, May 29, 1766, p.2.
3. Maryland Gazette, June 12, 1766, p.1.
4. Thomas Jefferson, et al, July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence.
You can definitely never go wrong with the combo of brown sugar and cinnamon in my book. I have so many variations for “honey bun” recipessssssss that I could probably make a mini cookbook of them! These cookies are scooped, pressed with a tablespoon and filled to overflowing with honey bun goodness. Then drizzle with extra icing to send them right over the top! Enjoy.
Cookies: 1 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping: 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 cup butter, melted
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Pour dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix until combined. Use a medium or large cookie scoop to place on baking sheets. Make the topping by whisking the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add in melted butter and mix until combined. It will be crumbly. Use a tablespoon to press a well into the center of each cookie. Fill the well with the crumbly topping. Overflowing is ok! Bake for 12 minutes.
A Community Presentation will be held next Thursday, June 29, at 5:15 p.m. in the Claiborne Parish Library large Meeting room.
This presentation will feature guest speaker Louisiana Main Street Assistant Director Amanda Lanata.
Lanata will be presenting the results of the community survey recently submitted by residents of Homer and the surrounding area that will make up a six-month Transformation Strategy focusing on Main Street Homer. This strategy was formed based on a solid analysis and understading of the area’s economic needs and opportunities.
Louisiana Main Street selected Homer as the second community for the Transformation Strategies Pilot Project. Over the next six months, Main Street Homer will receive intensive technical assistance to identify, develop, and implement the Transformation Strategy.
A Transformation Strategy provides a focused and deliberate path to revitalizing or strengthening a downtown area, like Main Street Homer. In order for this strategy to come to fruition and be successful Louisiana Main Street required feedback from the community. One of the most important characteristics of a transformation strategy like this one is that it is rooted in community’s vision for the area that Main Street Homer serves.
Main Street Homer will use the strategy to align programming and identify specific goals and measures of success. Louisiana Main Street will facilitate community visioning, market analysis, workshop sessions, and more.
The Community Presentation is part of an ongoing effort to allow community wide participation in guiding the future road map of our downtown district’s economy. Lanata will provide updates on the Transformation Strategies effort and answer questions about the process.
No one in real life ever wears what models in big city fashion shows wear.
You’ve seen clips of these things on television or, in a weak moment, clicked to see the newest styles, all the rave, “the newest line” by (Made Up Designer Names Alert!) Melik Boovoir or Salome deNeuve or Pepe Duboir.
The model looks like he or she is wearing either a pastel Hefty bag — how to you take a bathroom break with this thing on? — or something they stole off a scarecrow. Everything is really tight or really slouchy. Sometimes they have hats on their heads that look like things we used to make in Vacation Bible School.
Who wears this stuff?
Even at awards shows, most of the Who Looked Best On The Red Carpet gang appear to have lost a bet. Tip of the cap for the man or woman who bought something off the rack pulled the standard tux out of the back of the closet, shined their shoes, and showed up looking like a person you wouldn’t be scared to share either a cab ride or a hymn book with.
For the past 10 days or so, between thunderstorms and power outages and picking up limbs, most of us north Louisiana common folk were too busy looking for air conditioning and cable to watch LSU scrap its way to a seventh College World Series championship to notice that the Berlin Fashion Show was underway in Germany which, conveniently, is where Berlin still is.
Dapper dressers were all up in the Neue Natoinalgalerie to become one with the highlight of the week, the Saint Laurent show, quite a spectacle with fans taking phone videos of, as GQ reported, “the latest evolution of Anthony Vaccarello’s seductive menswear collection.”
The fashion writer continued, something along the lines of how “all eyes” would be on “nonstop action on and off runways elsewhere, too.” Yes: after the “hyper-exclusive” affair in Berlin, we are off to places like Florence and Milan, which precedes a “whirlwind blitz through a jam-packed Paris Fashion Week.”
Again, the only real people you ever see in these runway clothes are the people on the runways. And as soon as they’re off the runways, they put on jeans and T-shirts and look much, much sharper than they did wearing clothes that look like balloons.
Granted, when I was growing up my dad told me my idea of being “dressed up” was having my shoes tied. And God love him, he was right. I can tie a tie now and keep my oxfords shined, but the only sense I have of fashion I have is, “Does this look normal? Would this embarrass my grandmother?” It’s about one step ahead of Granimals.
My personal mechanic, old-school country music supplier, and fashion assistant is Shine Broussard, who is from Morgan City. (He goes by “Francois” during Fashion Season; his signature color is brown.) He has assured me that although he can’t “travel abroad” to the Big Shows this summer and fall, he is making the local circuit, which includes stops in Dubach (August 7-11, Denim Week), Greater Sibley (September 18-22, Burlap), Gibsland (October 2-6, Gingham), and Lower Summerfield (November 27-December 1, Dealer’s Choice).
“My main fashion advice,” said Shine, “is to remember that no one pays nearly as much attention to you as you think they do. Save your money and be comfortable and presentable and non-offensive. Good taste never goes out of style.”
Shine, who is a fashionista only during the fall shows, told me this on a break from changing out the transmission on a GTO his uncle willed him. This is a man you can trust.
So …
If you’re like Shine and grease is a common opponent, consider a Dickies jumpsuit. Otherwise, an iron, a white button down, shined shoes, an A-line, a Godet or flare dress, a business suit, jeans that fit, and a clean T-shirt, those are always in style. It doesn’t have to match: it just has to “go.”
