Visitation: Friday, April 19, 2024, 1 – 6 p.m., Memorial Funeral Home, Homer, La.
Funeral service: Saturday, April 20, 2024, 10:30 – 12:30 p.m., Mt. Superior Baptist Church, Homer, La.
Interment: St. John Cemetery, Homer, La.
Roy Franklin McClure
Nov. 01, 1947 – April 14, 2024
Homer, La.
Memorial service: Friday, May 3, 2024, 10 a.m., St. Margaret Catholic Church, Homer, La.
Interment: Lisbon Methodist Cemetery, Lisbon, La.
Bienville Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or bpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are no charge.)
A Haynesville man who was wounded during a domestic incident on April Fool’s Day at a Pistol Thomas Rd. residence has been charged with attempted second degree murder.
Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said 30-year-old Gabriel Amr Ibrahim Elgindy was arrested Thursday by U.S. Marshals on a Webster Parish warrant following his release from a Shreveport hospital where he had been treated for a gunshot wound suffered in the incident.
Parker said Elgindy was booked into Caddo Correctional Center as a fugitive from Webster Parish. He currently is awaiting transfer to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
Elgindy is charged with threatening his uncle, 51-year-old James Patrick Lumpkin, inside the Pistol Rd. residence, then following Lumpkin outside while armed with a knife. Despite continued warnings to stop, Elgindy was eventually shot once in the leg when he refused requests to stop.
“Witnesses verified Elgindy was the aggressor, continuously coming toward Mr. Lumpkin and screaming threats,” Parker said. “Witnesses also told our investigators that Mr. Lumpkin retreated several yards and asked him to put the knife down many times before finally firing a shot.”
Parker said results of the investigation were forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for review.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement agents cited 14 people for alleged turkey hunting violations during the opening weekend of the 2024 turkey hunting season. Turkey season opened statewide on April 6.
On April 6, agents cited:
Jacob Gauthier, 36, of Addis, for hunting turkeys over a baited area in East Feliciana Parish.
Tristin Landry, 25, of Clinton, for hunting turkeys over a baited area in East Feliciana Parish.
A juvenile for hunting turkeys over a baited area in East Feliciana Parish.
Donald Kellar, 41, of Poplarville, Miss., for hunting turkeys without possessing a non-resident turkey license, hunting without possessing a basic hunting license, taking over the daily limit of turkeys, taking over the seasonal limit of turkeys, hunting with an unplugged gun, criminal trespassing, and three counts of failing to tag turkeys in Washington Parish.
Paul Farnham Jr., 59, of Lafayette, for hunting turkeys over a baited area in Winn Parish.
Russell Sullivan, 58, of Bossier City, for hunting turkeys over a baited area in Winn Parish.
Lloyd Dunn, 49, of Epps, for hunting turkeys over a baited area in Winn Parish.
Raymond Laborde II, 61, of Many, for hunting turkeys over a baited area in Rapides Parish.
On April 7, agents cited:
Justin L. Brummett, 39, of Camden, Ark., for hunting turkeys without possessing a non-resident turkey license, hunting without possessing a basic hunting license, and failing to possess turkey tags in Claiborne Parish.
Aaron Latiolais, 31, of Lafayette, for hunting turkeys over a baited area in West Feliciana Parish.
Randal Stewart, 66, of Albany, for hunting turkeys over a baited area in Livingston Parish.
Robert Pitts, 68, of Houma, for failing to tag a turkey in Washington Parish.
John Hubbard, 37, of Farmerville, for failing to tag a turkey, intentional concealment of wildlife and criminal trespassing in Union Parish.
Darron McCann, 52, of Marksville, for hunting turkeys over a baited area and failing to tag a turkey in Caldwell Parish.
According to the 2024 Turkey Regulations, no person shall hunt or take turkeys by the aid of baiting or on or over a baited area. Hunters are not allowed to place, expose, deposit or scatter corn, wheat or other grain, salt or other feed to lure turkeys to their hunting area.
Placing bait to attract wild turkeys causes them to congregate in places they would not normally be and is not a substitute for good habitat management. Continued use of baited areas by flocks of wild turkeys increase predation risks and the potential for disease transmission. In addition, hunting over baited areas violates the basic principles of fair chase with regard to hunting wild turkeys. For these reasons, hunting wild turkeys over bait or within 200 yards of a baited area is prohibited.
Also, turkey hunters are required to possess a Louisiana basic hunting license, turkey license and turkey tags. The possession limit on turkey is one gobbler (male turkey) per day and two gobblers per season.
Hunting turkeys over a baited area, taking over the daily and seasonal limit of turkeys and hunting with an unplugged gun brings a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail for each offense. Failing to comply with turkey tagging regulations carries up to a $350 fine. Failing to possess non-resident basic hunting and turkey hunting licenses brings up to a $350 fine for each offense.
Intentional concealment of wildlife brings a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Criminal trespassing carries a $100 to $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail.
The Claiborne Parish School Board recently approved a resolution to ask voters to consider a proposal for a special tax of 9 mills on all property subject to taxation within the district. The election is scheduled for April 27, 2024, with early voting beginning on April 13 through the April 20.
Claiborne Parish School Board Millage Election Overview:
The 9 mills will replace the current millage amounts that residents are currently paying in their respective districts.
The proposed millage will generate approximately $1, 017,000 per year for ten years beginning in 2024 and ending in 2033.
The funds generated by the millage proposal will be used to maintain and improve school facilities and other school properties at all three campuses in the parish. The funds cannot and will not be used for other purposes such as staffing costs.
The purpose of proposing the parish-wide millage is to have all property owners contribute equitably to the maintenance of school facilities.
Approval of the millage proposal will help to address current facility issues as well as having the funds available to address future needs.
If the millage proposal is not approved, funds will not be available to maintain facilities and each district will likely need to increase its millage in the coming years. These increases will likely cost taxpayers more than the proposed parish-wide millage.
More information regarding the millage will be shared to the public in the coming weeks.
Charlotte Logan Suggs entered into rest on April 9, 2024 in Homer, Louisiana. She was born November 30, 1939 to W. B. and Betty Logan.
Charlotte graduated from Lisbon High School and continued her education at Louisiana Tech University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Education. At the age of 19, she married the love of her life, Billy Ray Suggs. Together they had three children and traveled the globe, living on three continents. She taught many students at Claiborne Academy. Charlotte loved to spend her days sitting in the “command center,” reading with her dog Charles. She was a loving wife, mother, Memaw, and friend.
Charlotte is preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Billy Ray Suggs; parents, Wildy and Betty Logan; brother, Lamar Logan; and daughter-in-law, Renee Davis Suggs.
Left to cherish her memory is her older son, Billy Scott Suggs and wife, Yvonne of Homer; daughter, Karen Lynn Roper and husband, Bill of Galveston, Tx; and younger son, Sammy Logan Suggs of Conroe, Texas; grandchildren, Kelli Suggs, Casey Roper, Kyle Suggs, Cooper Suggs, Cassidy Roper-May and husband Nathan, Koby Suggs and wife Hallie, Keeley Suggs, and Kaitlyn Suggs; great-grandchildren, Kady Suggs, Kade Suggs, Brodie Suggs, and Isla May; long-time friend and confidant, Susan Connelly; good friend, Renee Davis, and numerous other family and friends.
The family would like to thank the staff of Claiborne Memorial Medical Center and Passages Hospice for their care of Charlotte. A special thanks to Dr. Salmon and his staff for their years of caring for Charlotte.
A memorial will be held at a later date with interment immediately following for Billy Ray and Charlotte.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Lisbon Methodist Church or Claiborne Academy.
It’s not what I would call wholesome. It’s actually a little vulgar, but if you have seen it and relate to it in any way, then you will be able to relate to my column this week.
So, basically in this movie there is a guy and after every woman dates him, she goes on to find her true love. The main character, Charlie, refers to this as a curse. A lot of women find out about him being a ‘good luck charm’ and they seek him out to date him because they know that as soon as they do, the next guy will be her ‘true love’ and the guy she goes on to marry.
Charlie is just seen as a stepping stone.
The literal meaning of steppingstone is what most are familiar with: a large stone or line of stones in which one could walk over to get from one place to another.
Another way a stepping stone could be described would be something that helps someone advance or achieve something. (Like Good Luck Chuck)
There could be millions of different types of these stepping stones, in many forms, throughout someone’s life. For instance, a certain job could be a stepping stone to a better one, playing in the minor leagues could be a stepping stone to go to the major league, getting engaged is a stepping stone to marriage, or even a person could be a stepping stone, like Charlie.
The thing with stepping stones is that they are often forgotten. We are always standing on that stone, not exactly enjoying it because we are waiting for something better.
From an early age, we are always asked what we want to be or accomplish when we grow up – a pre-destined vision of what we want our lives to look like. Most people view life in three dimensions: the past, the present and the future. But only have a clear view of two of those, the past and the present. We can look back all we want, but alas we only have influence over one of those and that would be the present.
As we walk along this path called life, we leave behind us a trail of stepping stones, each one mapping out the journey we have been on. If we take the time to look back and reflect, we may feel sad, grateful, joyous, angry, etc.
Although we don’t know what the next steppingstone may bring, we can at least hope that we have learned enough from the past to handle whatever the future steppingstone may bring your way.
The only thing I know is that the stepping stone I now stand on firmly is solidified by happiness and I am no longer consumed by my past because it is what landed me here and cannot be changed. I am no longer overwhelmed by the future because I will be too busy honoring the promise I have made to myself and others that I encounter to leave a little love behind along the way.
I am standing firm on this stone with confidence knowing that it will lead me to something better. I won’t look back at this stone in despair. Instead, I will appreciate all the knowledge and lessons it’s instilled in me.
(Paige Gurgainers is a mother of three, digital journalist for the Webster Parish Journal and publisher for the Bienville and Claiborne Parish Journal.)
The sun went out and blackened the earth, leaving the landscape bare against that unmerciful loss of light. To some, this eclipse spoke harshly of our insignificance – tiny specks dwarfed by the vast, wheeling cosmos that draws all into its enveloping darkness.
But I’ll tell you the truth. When the sun finally tore back through that gloom edging the world, what I saw was not a lessening but a closening. Those infinite distances, forever clawing out of reach, now seemed drawn in, tight to old pastures. Into the strained handle of a worn door beneath our hand. The warmth of the porch slats through our boot soles. Even the growing hairs on our arms.
In the retreat of that cosmic radiance, the world shrank until each speck of dust, each grain, every small crevice between, became our entire domain. Ample enough for any man’s caring.
The eclipse did not dismiss our importance but summoned us to fully see this life. To heed the prick of a splinter in your thumb. To mark the chirping of sparrows deep in the brush. Let others speak of galactic visions if they wish. I’ll take the weathered board underhand. The pleasant scent of earth after a rain. For does not each of God’s majesties enshrine itself in the tiniest of things?
Is a miracle any less wondrous for being spun in modesty? I say it is the greater wonder. For only disguised as commonplace might the everyday endure that blind awe that comes with our recognizing it. The eclipse came, and the masses gaped at the drama. But when that blankness yielded again to the day, it was the everyday green fields that continued to hold my amazement.
I know what we see each day echoes the eternal, a joyful chorus of angels. Because in these ordinary miracles of light, heat, growth and our own voices, I feel the sacred essence of the universe surrounding me.
(Josh Beavers is a teacher and a writer. He was named as a semi-finalist for Louisiana Teacher of the Year in 2020. He has been recognized five times for excellence in opinion writing by the Louisiana Press Association.)
Pollination is when pollen is moved within flowers or carried from flower to flower by pollinating animals such as bees, butterflies, or the wind. This transfer leads to fertilization and successful seed and fruit production.
Monarch butterflies are one of the major pollinators. They are considered endangered. They enjoy milkweed, butterfly weed and Butterfly bushes. Planting these in and around your garden can provide good food sources for them.
Hummingbirds are another good pollinator. Planting those same plants helps to attract them to. Nepeta Walker’s Low are blue that both attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Also Asclepias Tuberosa Hello Yellow is a great attract butterflies and birds.
Planting clovers are a great way to attract bees. There are many kinds of clovers to plant, most people use white or crimson clover. It is best to plant these in the fall.
What can you do to promote and protect pollinators? You can plant gardens including milkweed and butterfly bushes, and the other plants that we mentioned earlier. Install houses for bats and bees. Provide salt or mineral licks for butterflies and water for all wildlife. Reduce pesticide use, and put flower beds in your lawn.
Lots of schools are teaching this in class and encouraging kids to protect the pollinators. These gardens look a lot like weeds but are so great for teaching.
Besides trying to feed them, most of the flowers that you plant are beautiful and work well in your flower beds.
There are lots of people that have bee hives and sell honey locally. Support them and enjoy the local honey.
(Mitzi Thomas owns Minden Farm & Garden LLC. Watch for her column on Fridays in Claiborne Parish Journal.)
BARBERINO-TAVARNELLE, TUSCANY— Naples is the birthplace of pizza. It’s an ancient and historic seaside city that can be a little scary at times these days, but it is Ground Zero for the savory pie the world has come to love. The Neapolitan version has been around Southwestern Italy for more than 500 years. Pizza eventually travelled across the Atlantic and through Ellis Island in the late 1800s. The first restaurant to sell pizza in America was Lombardi’s in New York.
It took another 75 years for pizza to reach my hometown of Hattiesburg MS. There was a drought of good pizza places in the 1960s and early 1970s. Pasquale’s, a small chain, and Pizza Hut, a large chain, were it. But at 12-years-old I was happy with those choices and ate pizza, often.
Nothing has changed.
In the mid 1970s a pizza joint called Mr. Ed’s opened. The pizza there was excellent. It’s still some of my favorite pizza I’ve ever eaten— America or Italy. The crust was thin, the tomato sauce had a nice depth to then flavor profile with just a touch of sweetness, and the mozzarella was different than any other mozzarella I had eaten up until that time. Ed cut it into small squares and I ate there once a week in my teens and early twenties.
To my recollection Ed was from somewhere in the Midwest and had been a college student at University of Southern Mississippi. He opened Mr. Ed’s in a small building on Hardy Street that used to house a Dairy Queen, then found a financial backer and opened in a building they built from the ground up. I heard they opened restaurants in a Mississippi Coast city and a suburb of Jackson and the business didn’t have the infrastructure to support such rapid growth. All three closed. That robbed us of what I still remember as some of my favorite pizza, ever.
I love pizza. I’ve always been a firm believer that even bad pizza it’s pretty good. In Italy I’ve eaten pizza from the southernmost tip of Sicily to the Dolomites. Like most of the food in Italy pizza differs slightly from region to region.
My favorite pizzeria in Rome is Piccolo Buco. I’ve been eating there since 2011 when it was just a basic trattoria that served typical Italian fare and a few pizzas. Several years back Luca Issa, Piccolo Buco’s owner, ditched all the Italian classics on the menu and did a deep dive into pizza culture. He basically has a PhD in pizza. Over the years, I’ve probably sent several hundred people to eat there. None of them have ever been disappointed. There’s a fairly long line there these days and it’s one of the few places that I would wait in line for 30 minutes.
Issa’s commitment to fresh ingredients and quality is unmatched. Piccolo Buco receives shipments of fresh Buffalo mozzarella from a small farm outside of Rome every day. The crust at Piccolo Buco is a combination of the very flat, very thin style of Tuscan pizza with a substantial outer crust. It’s the best in Rome.
I’m a restaurateur by trade but three to four months out of the year I host tours in Europe, mostly Italy. When I’m hosting a tour in Tuscany, we stay just outside of the small hamlet of Barberino-Tavarnelle. For almost a thousand years they were two separate townships. But a few years ago, they combined their two city governments and became one entity. The combining of those two cities— that I have spent probably spent two years of my life in over the past decade— created a Ground Zero for pizza in Italy. At least as far as I’m concerned.
There are four distinct pizzerias in Barberino-Tavarnelle and I eat at all of them, often. The beauty of this Tuscan town, that is smaller than McComb, MS, is that there are virtually no tourists. I almost consider myself a part time resident at this point, and when I host groups here, they are typically the only tourists for miles. We get to submerge ourselves in true Tuscan culture. This is not Epcot Italy. We do what the Tuscans do, go where the Tuscans go, and eat where the Tuscans eat. When it comes to pizza, they’ve got it nailed.
My first exposure to pizza in this area was in 2011 in a pizzeria called Archibugio in the small medieval town that, at the time, was known as Barberino. The pizzeria was tiny and located in a building that had been built over 700 years earlier. I love thin pizza, and this was the thinnest pizza— by a long shot— I had ever eaten. It had minimal ingredients and was, to my taste, pizza perfection.
When leading the first group I ever hosted over here in 2016 we dined in the original Archibugio. A few years ago, the business moved just down the Via Roma into a larger building with substantial outdoor dining space. Luckily the pizza didn’t change at all. It’s still in my rotation when I am boots-on-the-ground over here.
The pizzeria I dine in most often is Vecchio Piazza. That’s not a misspelling of pizza. Translated it means the “old square.” As one would imagine, it’s located directly across from what used to be the old town square of Tavarnelle. I have hosted well over 800 Americans at Vecchio Piazza over the years. To my knowledge, no one has ever left disappointed. The Vecchio Piazza pizza, like Archibugio, has a razor-thin crust, and the tomato sauce is very minimal, as are the ingredients.
The method by which the locals eat pizza in Tuscany is to order an entire pizza for each guest. Most menus are loaded down with dozens of options. But the pizzas are so thin, and the ingredients are so minimal, that even a small person can handle an entire pizza.
My go-to is typically a Buffalo Margarita. I have them add extra basil. Occasionally I order what they sometimes refer to as a spicy salami. It looks a little like our pepperoni, but it’s much spicier. They make a mean white pizza with truffles and an excellent dessert pizza using Nutella, thinly sliced strawberries, and bananas. I love that one so much I’ve replicated it at our restaurant in Enzo.
La Fornace is another pizzeria in Tavarnelle that ends up in our rotation. I’ve been eating there for 13 years. The pizza there is a little closer to the Piccolo Buco variety in Rome where the edges of the crust are more substantial and bread like.
A new entry to the pizza game in this part of the world is Pico. Chef Giovanni is a world-class pizza chef. He’s from Naples and stays true to that city’s roots when it comes to pizza, although he’s taken it up a level. The crust— almost exactly like Piccolo Buco in Rome— is very thin in the center and substantial around the edges. He incorporates a lot of exotic ingredients in the 10-12 pizzas he offers. Instead of offering beer he offers an extensive cocktail list. Like many Italians, Giovanni believes that beer and pizza are yeast on yeast.
I have loved this area for years. The people, the architecture, the landscape, and the ancient history, are all a part of what makes this are special. The fact that they have so many outstanding pizzerias seals the deal.
Onward.
Prosciutto Pizza
Always purchase the best prosciutto you can find. It makes a huge difference, especially since there are only five ingredients.
1 each Portion of pizza dough 2 TB Marinara 2 slices Fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced ¼ inch thick ¼ lb. Prosciutto ham, sliced thin and torn by hand into 2 inch pieces 4-5 leaves Fresh basil, chiffonade Flour as needed Cornmeal as needed
Preheat a pizza stone at 450 in the oven.Or use a wood-fired pizza oven burning 600+ degrees F.
On a floured surface, roll out pizza dough very thin and stretch into a rectangle about 6 inches by 8 inches. Transfer to a pizza peel.
Spread the marinara across the dough. Tear the slices of mozzarella into roughly 1 inch sized pieces and sprinkle across the dough along with the torn prosciutto ham. Sprinkle the preheated pizza stone with cornmeal, slide the pizza off of the peel and bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges of the dough begin to brown and the cheese begins to bubble.
Stack the basil leaves on top of each other, roll them up and slice to make the basil chiffonade. Sprinkle over finished pizza.
Pizza Dough
1 (1/4 oz.) Package yeast 1 tsp Honey 1 cup Warm water, 105-115 degrees 3 cups All-purpose flour 2 tsp Kosher salt 1 TB Extra virgin olive oil
Dissolve the honey and yeast in ¼ cup of the water in a small bowl.
Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on low speed. Add the oil, yeast mixture and remaining ¾ cup water and continue mixing until mixture comes cleanly away from the side of the bowl.
Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 2-3 minutes until smooth and firm. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a cool spot for 2 hours.
Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat this 4 or 5 times with each ball. Roll each ball on a clean surface under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute.
Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 1 hour. The dough can be wrapped and refrigerated for 2 days or frozen at this point.
Yield: 4 7-8 inch pizza crusts
(Robert St. John is a chef, restaurateur and published cookbook author who lives in Hattiesburg, Miss.)
The following arrests were made by local law enforcement agencies.
March 25
Raqual Warren of Homer was arrested by the Homer Police Department for criminal trespass and simple criminal damage to property.
March 27
Kevin Ford of Homer was arrested for the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office for failure to appear
April 04
Willie Watts of Homer was arrested by the Homer Police Department for remaining after being forbidden.
Terrance French of Haynesville was arrested by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office for driving with a suspended license.
Lester Love of Homer was arrested by the Homer Police Department for simple battery/ domestic abuse.
April 05
Lester Love, Jr. of Homer was arrested by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Department for a warrant for failure to appear.
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.
Interment to follow service at Friendship – Cemetery.
Clinton Grigsby
Jan. 14, 1948 – April 06, 2024
Homer, La.
Funeral service: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13, 2024, Memorial Funeral Home, Homer, La.
Interment to follow at Pine Hill, CME.
Charlotte Logan Suggs
Nov. 30, 1939 – April 09, 2024
Homer, La. A memorial will be held at a later date with interment immediately following for Billy Ray and Charlotte.
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 no charge.)
A Claiborne Parish woman was arrested around 8:45 p.m. Sunday by Minden Police for driving while intoxicated and improper lane usage.
Jaqueline Cathey, 30, of the 200 block of James St., Homer, was stopped by Ofc. Anthony Crittenden on U.S. 79 north (Homer Road) when he noticed a brown Honda Accord change lanes without signaling, passing the officer in the left lane.
“The vehicle then made an abrupt lane change again without signaling back to the right and then again to the left,” said Chief Jared McIver. “When Ofc. Crittenden activated his lights, the vehicle pulled into a pharmacy parking lot and stopped.”
McIver said Crittenden made contact with the driver – identified as Cathey, who appeared visibly upset.
“Cathey told the officer she was ‘having a bad day,’” said the chief. “Her speech was slurred and she appeared to be lethargic. The officer said he did not detect the odor of alcohol at the time of the stop, however, he suspected she was impaired based on his observations of her driving and general impression during the stop.”
Crittenden reportedly requested the presence of Sgt. Chris Cayer who is certified in field sobriety testing. Cathey was taken into custody based on the results of the test.
McIver said a prescription bottle of liquid codeine-Guaifen was found in Cathey’s purse.
“It was not prescribed to Cathey. She said it belonged to her father and she had not taken any of it,” McIver said.
A license plate check showed Cathey’s vehicle was not insured.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
A North Louisiana man was sentenced on April 3 in Claiborne Parish for turkey hunting violations.
The Honorable Judge Walter May sentenced Justin Lester, 36, of Homer, to pay a $500 fine, pay $1,539.37 in civil restitution and sentenced to serve 60 days in jail.
Lester’s conviction stems from a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) investigation that resulted in him being cited for hunting turkeys over a baited area, possession of an illegally taken turkey and failing to tag a turkey on April 16, 2023 in Claiborne Parish.
Agents were on patrol when they came across Lester actively hunting turkeys near Athens. Agents then heard a shot shortly thereafter and were able to make contact with Lester.
During the hunting check, Lester was in possession of a freshly harvested turkey and agents documented corn spread on the ground where Lester was hunting. Agents also found that Lester was on probation and had his hunting licenses revoked for being cited for hunting turkeys over a baited area in April of 2022.
Agents participating in this case were Sgt. Ryan Brasher and Agent Evan Hoek.
Placing bait to attract wild turkeys causes them to congregate in places they would not normally be and is not a substitute for good habitat management. Continued use of baited areas by flocks of wild turkeys increase predation risks and the potential for disease transmission. In addition, hunting over baited areas violates the basic principles of fair chase with regard to hunting wild turkeys. For these reasons, hunting wild turkeys over bait or within 200 yards of a baited area is prohibited.
Haynesville Varsity won big over Arcadia on Friday, 11-3.
Haynesville got on the board in the bottom of the first inning after Miller Toney singled, Aiden LaBlanc scored after tagging up and Connor Camp singled. Arcadia committed an error with each scoring one run.
The error extended Haynesville’s lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the third inning.
AJ Vines earned the win for Haynesville. The starting pitcher allowed zero hits and zero runs over two innings, striking out four and walking two. Hayden Gilbert pitched three innings in relief for Haynesville. The righty allowed one hit and three runs (two earned) while striking out six and walking one. R. Jackson took the loss for Arcadia. He went five innings, giving up 10 runs (six earned) on seven hits, striking out two and walking seven.
Toney, LeBlanc and Luke Padgett each collected two hits for Haynesville. Padgett led with two runs batted in. The outfielder went 2-for-3 on the day. LeBlanc and Vines earned two bases on balls each. The team collected 13 stolen bases for the game.
J. Salvaterra led Arcadia with one hit in one at bat. The team piled up eight walks for the game and turned one double play.
Haynesville is set to play North Caddo at home on Friday, April 12 with the game beginning at 5:30 p.m.
I am writing on behalf of the Claiborne Adopt a School/Family Ministry (CAS/FM) to request your support for our voter registration drive, which is taking place from March to May 4, 2024.
Our initiative aims to empower our community by informing them of their voting rights and facilitating the registration process. According to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s webpage (https://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/RegisterToVote/Pages/default.aspx), eligibility for voter registration is more inclusive than many realize. Notably, individuals are not required to be 18 years old nor possess a valid state ID card to register. In fact, starting at 16 years old, one can begin the registration process at any Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office.
This policy ensures that all eligible voters have the necessary identification to participate in elections without any financial burden. There are several ways and locations to register to vote (see flyer).
To increase the likelihood of voter turnout, we are encouraging parents to take a proactive role by registering their children to vote as soon as they turn 16. Early engagement in the democratic process fosters a sense of civic duty and prepares our youth to be informed, active participants in shaping the future of our state and country.
We believe that your platform can play a pivotal role in spreading this message. Your commitment to community service and public awareness aligns with the goals of our voter registration drive. By announcing these lesser-known facts about voter registration, you can help us reach a wider audience and strengthen the democratic fabric of our society.
The Claiborne Parish Police Jury will be holding their regular April meeting today, April 09, at the Claiborne Parish Police Jury Office Complex, 507 W Main Street, Homer. The Road Committee meeting will begin at 9 a.m. followed by the regular meeting at 10 a.m.
Harold Lloyd Jenkins was born on September 1, 1933, in Friar’s Point, Mississippi. His great uncle suggested the boy be named after his favorite silent film actor, Harold Lloyd. Harold’s family moved to Helena, Arkansas during World War II. Everyone realized early on that Harold had talent. He was just 10 years old when he first sang on the radio. Two years later, he formed his first band, the Phillips County Rambles, and they had their own show on radio station KFFA. As a teenager, in addition to his singing, Harold preached at local revivals. He was a star baseball player in high school. After he graduated, the Philadelphia Phillies offered him a contract, but Harold was drafted into the Army. While in the Army, he formed a band called the Cimmarons to entertain other soldiers. Following his stint in the military, the Phillies renewed their offer, but Harold decided to focus on a musical career.
Although he had been performing long before Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, Harold was influenced by Elvis. Harold tried to emulate Elvis’s sound. Harold formed a band called The Rockhousers, and wrote a song with the same title. His talent was such that he was able to record at Sun Studios in Memphis, Elvis’s recording studio, but none of The Rockhousers’ records were considered good enough to be released at the time.
In early 1958, the Rockhousers were touring across Ontario, Canada trying to build up a following. During an intermission at a show at the Flamingo Lounge in Hamilton, Canada, drummer Jack Nance scribbled out some lyrics. He showed the lyrics to Harold who helped Jack Nance complete the song. Shortly thereafter, Harold and his band recorded a demo of this song and a few others. They sent the demos to their manager, Don Seat. Don sent the demos to MGM Records, and they set up a recording session for Harold. The other members of The Rockhousers were not included. On May 7, 1958, Harold went to the studio where some of the best musicians of the era waited. The Jordanaires, Elvis’s backup singers, provided backing vocals. Floyd Cramer was on piano. Grady Martin played guitar, and Floyd “Lightnin” Chance played the double bass. During the session, two songs were chosen for release. In those days, a single came out on a 45 rpm record. The “A” side of the record was the expected hit and the “B” side was usually considered less commercial. The “A” side of Harold’s first single was a song called “I’ll Try.” The “B” side was a version of the song drummer Jack Nance and Harold had written.
Harold’s single was released on July 14, 1958, but “I’ll Try” fell flat with the listening public. The record should have drifted into obscurity along with Harold’s career. Then, a DJ in Columbus, Ohio decided to play the B-side on the air. Listeners called the radio station with questions and to request that it be played again and again. Listeners wanted to know who was singing the song. Many people concluded that it was Elvis singing the song under an alias. Remember, the backing voices on the songs were provided by the Jordanaires, Elvis’s backup singers. This was an intentional marketing ploy by MGM. They released no picture or biography of Harold to the press, as they normally would have done with a newcomer. Harold said later, “I actually did try my best to sing like Elvis.” My voice and style sounded like Elvis, and the only thing that identified me was that little throaty growl. I remember when I recorded [the song], producer Jim Vienneau came into the studio and asked me what that little thing was that I had done with my voice. That was what really saved the day, yet I never meant to growl at all. I was afraid they might not like it and I wondered if it should come out. ‘No way!’ replied Vienneau. ‘Keep it in there!’ I agreed because it was the first time somebody had complimented me on that particular thing . . . In the end, it was the identifying feature that separated me distinctly from Elvis.”
The song was the only number 1 “pop single” of Harold’s career, but Harold was certainly not a one hit wonder. He eventually had 55 number 1 hit singles. To put that into perspective, The Beatles had 20 number 1 singles, Elvis had 18, and Michael Jackson had 13. The only performer in history to have more number 1 hits was George Strait with 60. Harold Loyd Jenkins is a name you may not recognize or remember, which is exactly why Harold’s manager convinced him to adopt a more memorable stage name with star quality. “It’s Only Make Believe” was the first hit from Harold Loyd Jenkins who chose his stage name by pointing at two random points on a map, Conway, Arkansas, and Twitty, Texas. Conway Twitty!
Sources:
1. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, March 1, 1985, p.118.
2. The Atlanta Journal, June 6, 1993, p.4.
3. Palladium-Item (Richmond, Virginia), June 6, 1993, p.2.
Over my many years of tournament angling, I have either heard about or created some very helpful tips that just might come in handy. Some are designed to save you money and to be more efficient with your time. But some are just a few ways that can make you a better angler. As anglers we are constantly looking for ways to improve. Today we’ll look at how we can become a better fisherman in ways not related to a fishing technique.
First, let’s look at how to become better organized inside our boats. A bass boat is like a business office or mechanic’s shop. Everything has its place, and in order to be efficient on the water our tackle must be easily accessible and organized. Time is a critical factor on tournament day, and you can’t waste it looking for tackle! Confucius once said, “If hook not in water, you no catch fish!”
Small utility boxes are all the rage and are perfect for segmenting all our different types of tackle. But to use these smaller utility boxes, we need to label each one, making it easier to locate tackle on tournament day. That’s where a good Dymo label maker comes in handy as it makes it easier to find the particular utility box you’re looking for.
Next, we’ve all heard the saying, “Make sure you use protection.” Well, this is a different kind of protection than where your mind went to start with! That’s right, it’s about protecting your treble hooks on all your crankbaits and jerk baits. Unprotected hooks can get damaged or dull even if just sitting in a tackle storage box.
This is where “Safety Caps” made by Owner Hooks will ensure your hooks are always sharp and ready for action. The only drawback with Safety Caps is that your lures tend to take up more space by using these perfectly made hook protectors. But they are well worth the small price of $2.99 for a package of 13.
My final tip involves the debatable topic of scent. Some anglers think scent is just a scam and has no affect when fishing for bass. In my humble opinion, “they” could not be more wrong. Years ago, I did an experimental study using trickworms where I took a bag of Zoom Trickworms which have no scent when purchased and compared the number of bites I got with another bag of Zoom Trickworms with scent. A friend of mine went with me to perform this test. He started out with the unscented bag while I used the bag with scent.
I caught 5 bass to his 1 and then we switched bags and positions in the boat. He went to the back of the boat with the scented bag while I fished off the front deck with the unscented bag. Same results…the scented worms caught 5 bass to my 1 confirming that scent can make a difference.
It was from this day forward that I have and will continue the practice of adding scent to every bag of soft plastic baits I own. To this day, there’s not a single bag of soft plastic worms hanging on a peg in my fishing cave (Graf Mart) that doesn’t have scent added.
I once asked the GOAT, KVD (Kevin Van Dam), if he believed in scent? His reply caught me off guard when he turned the question back on me and asked if I believed it works. My reply was yes and KVD said then that’s all that matters. If you believe it works then use it because bass fishing is a mental game and when you believe in something, you tend to fish that bait better and with more confidence, making you a better angler!
Next week I’ll have a few more tips that I would like to pass along to help you become a better angler. Till next time good luck, good fishing and when in doubt if it’s a bite, set the hook anyway! Make sure to check out Tackle Talk Live podcast, as well as the Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Show on You Tube.
You don’t think so? I beg to differ. Hang with me and I’ll prove that not since Dean Martin has something been so versatile, so good, and yet, despite a fair amount of fame, still so underappreciated.
Seriously, did somebody say something about an egg? If you did, I’m listening. Eggs get my attention. Were it not for eggs, the world would be a much less happy, less tasteful and less interesting place. What kind of question is “Which came first, the chicken or the … other chicken?”
See? You almost GOTTA have eggs!
It’s been nearly 50 years — 1977 to be eggsact — since the Egg People, that wonderful group of egg enthusiasts who tout this white-shelled miracle of nature, originated “The Incredible Edible Egg” jingle. One of the greats. Its gleeful message is the same now as then: Eggs Rock!
Think of how deeply this tiny food has embedded itself into our culture. There are eggs in cakes, in pie crusts, in brownies, in egg salad and in breads. Eggs help to hold the crust onto its first cousin, the chicken. (Maybe instead of “first cousin” it should be “mother once removed.”)
Eggs are in cookies and creams, in fried rice, and in demand. That’s why the United States production of 75 billion eggs a year is an impressive yet big-picture moderate 10 percent of the world’s supply.
We are an egg society.
Think of this food’s adaptability, if you will. It can be boiled and poached and scrambled and fried. And that’s just at breakfast! What a wonderful thing to wake up to.
It can be served sunny side up, over easy, yellow hard, yellow runny. Omelet, you say? Fine!
It can even be split into either yellow or white. How many everyday foods offer you TWO colors in such a small package? The egg is the fruit of the barnyard.
I could rest my case. But I won’t. Because not only is the egg versatile, it’s good for you. You’ve got 13 essential nutrients in a single egg, the egg publicists tell me, which might be a lie but hey, I’m buying it!, because they know I can’t tell a nutrient from a nutria. But I did grow up around chicken snakes, and not once did I see a sick one.
A large egg contains just 70 calories and has six grams of protein. My sources tell me that this is another “plus” in the “healthy food” column. In other words, an egg as a food is a “good egg.”
See? The word even lends itself to playfulness. You can be a good egg or a bad egg. Some people are egg heads. Some have egg on their face. Or a goose egg on their forehead. Some people put all their eggs in one basket, walk on egg shells, lay an egg, egg others on or protect their nest egg.
“Last one in’s a rotten egg!”
It’s a beautiful word, a beautiful food, and you’ll likely enjoy one today, even if it’s disguised in another food. Which is another reason to love the egg: it’s a simple food of delightful complexity. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Mystery is the egg’s “coop” de gras.
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Some storms could be severe, with heavy rain. High near 75. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Wednesday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 72. Northwest wind 15 to 20 mph.
Thursday Night
Clear, with a low around 43. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
(Information provided by the National Weather Service)
