On September 28, 2024, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Troopers with Louisiana State Police Troop G responded to a two-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 146 near Public Boat Ramp Road. The crash claimed the life of a 5-year-old child and severely injured a 10-year-old child.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2015 Toyota SUV, driven by 31-year-old Jordan Burton of Homer, was traveling west on Louisiana Highway 146. At the same time, a 2014 Dodge Ram was traveling east on Louisiana Highway 146. For reasons still under investigation, the Toyota crossed the centerline and collided with the Dodge.

Burton, who was properly restrained, sustained severe injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The 5-year-old child, who was improperly restrained in the rear seat of the Toyota, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The 10-year-old child, who was improperly restrained in the front passenger seat, sustained severe injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The driver of the Dodge, who was properly restrained, sustained minor injuries and was also transported to a local hospital.

Impairment on the part of Burton is suspected. Toxicology samples were taken from both drivers and submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation, and charges are pending.

Troopers wish to remind motorists of the importance of making good decisions while in motor vehicles. Never drive impaired, fatigued, or distracted. Additionally, Louisiana law requires that every person inside a motor vehicle, regardless of seating position, always remain properly restrained. While not all crashes are survivable, taking simple precautions like these can often mean the difference between life and death.

Contact Information:

Trooper Eddie Thomas           

Louisiana State Police
Public Affairs Section – Troop G

Office: (318) 741-7411                      
eddie.thomas2@la.gov

By Shawn White

Under the Radar NWLA

It’s the annual rivalry that is over 100 years old and draws attention across the state. For the first time in a few years, a district title will not be on the line in the match-up.  This year Homer moved up to 2A while Haynesville remained at 1A, but bragging rights were definitely on the line this time.  

Haynesville took the crown in this year’s 2024 edition of the Claiborne Parish Superbowl. Haynesville stayed undefeated while the Pelican are still searching for that elusive first win of the season.   

Haynesville took their normal attack of the ground game with 204 rushing yards. Donnie Critton led the Golden Tornado with 16 carries for 84 yards. Quarterback Isaiah Washington took two quarterback keepers to the end zone. Yasin Meador crossed the goal line once.  

Although Haynesville, had more rushing yards, Homer had more offensive total yards out gaining Haynesville 258-254. The main source of yardage came from powerhouse Gregory Williams going 17 carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Kevin Williams was 8 for 17 throwing 82 yards and an interception. Spencer Dunn was the top receiver with 4 receptions for 51 yards.   

Haynesville reached the end zone first with a Washington quarterback keeper from 7 yards to give the Golden Tornado the 7-0 lead that they held until the end of the 1st quarter.  

Green added a pick-6 back 23 yards for Haynesville in the second quarter as they kept the shutout going to 14-0 halftime lead. 

Washington rumbled in from 6 yards to give Haynesville a 20-0 lead in the third quarter. With little over three minutes remaining in the third, the Gregory Williams express kicked off with a 1-yard crash into the end zone. Haynesville still led 20-6 at the end of three quarters. 

Williams struck again on the first play of the fourth quarter with a 7-yard run. The two-point conversion was no good as the lead was cut to 20-12. Yasin Meador pushed the Golden Tornado past the one score game with his 20-yard run and the 27-12 win. 

Although the two rivals are not in the same district any longer, a possibility of a rematch could occur in the playoffs as both play in the Nonselect Division IV playoffs.  

Homer will host North Webster on Friday night. Haynesville will travel for a district match-up against Plain Dealing. 

By Wesley Harris

Claiborne Parish Library Historian

One of the largest and best known salsa companies in the world has its roots in north Louisiana.

Born of Claiborne Parish stock, raised in Lincoln Parish, and taught to be an entrepreneur in Ouachita, David Earl Pace found success with his Pace Picante Sauce, “the original picante.” His parents, Amos Gideon “Gid” Pace and Effie Fomby Pace were the second generation of their respective families to live near Athens in Claiborne Parish. Gid engaged in a host of endeavors, from farming and timber to land speculation.

Tragedy befell many of the Pace children. The firstborn, Selwynne, lived only 24 days. His sister Camille, died at age eight. Their brother Amos Paul Pace lies entombed within the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, a victim of the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. His widow, Connie Manning Pace, enlisted in the Navy and served as an aviation machinist’s mate. The elder brother, James Ward Pace, died on a hunting trip in 1953. He drowned while trying to use a self-operated ferry and his jeep fell into a north Louisiana bayou. Only David Earl (79) and Imogene (81) lived into their senior years.

Gid always seemed to look for something better for his family. After Selwynne and Camille died, the Pace family moved to Simsboro in Lincoln Parish sometime between 1910 and 1914 to try their fortunes. David and Amos were born there.

By 1920, the family had moved on to Ouachita Parish. Gid first operated a produce and egg business in West Monroe. Gid moved into making syrup. Not just syrup but at least 13 varieties of syrup from Sunny Gold Corn & Cane Syrup that sold for 40 cents to Pace’s Grade “A,” the company’s most expensive at $1 each.

The company peddled its products across north Louisiana and delivered it to stores in Mississippi and southern Arkansas. Gid experienced a problem every entrepreneur envies—the company constantly outgrew its facilities. He moved his manufacturing plant several times to progressively larger buildings to meet demand.

David Earl learned the process of experimenting with recipes and developing new products. With the help of David and James, Gid opened his final location for the Pace Syrup Company about six miles west of West Monroe just off U.S. 80.

After working for the family syrup business, playing football at Tulane, and serving as a pilot in World War II, David settled down in San Antonio, Texas, the home of his wife Margaret. There he continued to improve an old family recipe for the perfect salsa.

Pace began his own food business of bottled syrups as well as jellies and jams. The products were made, packed, and shipped out of a small back room of a liquor store David and Margaret rented. Over time, he expanded the business to a variety of other condiments. In 1947 he decided the real “syrup of the Southwest” was a Mexican salsa or sauce.

Starting with a basic recipe, he experimented with different blends of ingredients. He tested the results on golf buddies before settling on one mix of jalapeños, onions and tomatoes. He named his creation “picante sauce,” after the Spanish for “piquant,” meaning “flavorful” or “spicy.” It was truly the original picante sauce since no picante sauce existed before David Pace coined the term.

While continuing to sell some 58 assorted condiments, he continued modifying his picante sauce formula for the better part of a decade. As demand grew, Pace dropped the rest of the company’s lines and focused on the Picante sauce. Using a $150,000 loan from Margaret’s mother, the couple expanded and built their production facility in 1951.

Pace Foods remained a family-owned company until it was sold in 1994, a year after David’s death, to the Campbell Soup Company for $1 billion. Campbell changed little of the operation, retaining Pace’s 471 employees. The sauce is still made in Texas, now by 900 Campbell employees.

In an attempt to address the ongoing issue of stray animals in the community the Town of Haynesville has made the decision to place dog traps at various locations around town.

They are asking if citizens have pets that are missing or suspect they may have wandered into one of the traps to please contact the Claiborne Animal Clinic immediately.

All animals caught in the traps will be safely transported to the Claiborne Animal Clinic, where they will be cared for.

Pets will only be held at the clinic for a period of three days. During this time, owners are encouraged to visit the clinic to identify and reclaim their pets. After the three-day holding period, any unclaimed animals may be subject to further actions.

For any questions or concerns, feel free to contact the Town Hall at 318-624-0911 or the Claiborne Animal Clinic at 318-927-9323.

Rhonda Gayle Grigsby was born October 18, 1958, in Homer, LA, to Peggy Williams Grigsby and L.D. Grigsby, JR. She entered into rest on September 19, 2024, in Homer, LA. Rhonda graduated from Claiborne Academy and then attended LA Tech where she received her Master’s plus thirty in Education. She worked as a Special Ed teacher for several schools in Louisiana and Arkansas. Rhonda was employed by Claiborne Parish School Board where she evaluated students for their IEP. She enjoyed traveling, gardening and shopping. Rhonda was a loving daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother who will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by her loving husband of over twenty years, Grady Andrews; daughter, Codie Merritt and husband Mikel of Homer; step-daughter, Carla Andrews; three grandchildren, Raylan Dale, Presley Jo, and Mikel “Wade”; and a few other relatives and friends.

Rhonda’s family would like to express their gratitude to Bristol Hospice and their staff for the care and compassion shown to her during her final days.

Services will be held at a later date.

It’s time to turn out your lights Louisiana because the fall bird migration is in full swing.

Thousands of Louisiana residents, business owners, and building managers participated in Louisiana Wildlife Federation’s Lights Out Louisiana program during the spring migration. Their simple act of turning off external and internal lights helped more than 450 million birds successfully navigate Louisiana’s homes and tall buildings to reach their nesting grounds elsewhere in the United States and Canada. Now it’s time for the return trip south. But the fall migration has an added twist. As with all fall migrations, this one includes new fledglings – approximately 50 million of them – making their very first trip.

According to Dr. Erik Johnson, Audubon Delta’s Director of Conservation Science, we’re off to a good start with many warblers appearing earlier than expected.

“From August 1^st to September 17^th, Cornell University’s BirdCast has estimated that an above-average 179.2  million birds have migrated through or over Louisiana, mostly on their way to Central and South America,” said Johnson. “But, sadly, many of these birds—estimated at more than a billion a year in North America alone—will die in collisions with buildings.”

This is why The Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) is calling on residents and businesses throughout the state to join others in turning off bright or excess lighting from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. each day from now until November 1^st to help protect the billions of migratory birds that fly through Louisiana at night during this period.

Louisiana sits within the Mississippi Flyway migratory path, with the state’s vast wetlands, forests, and coastline serving as critical stops along the birds’ migration routes. Twice a year, 325 bird species travel the Mississippi Flyway, including 40% of shorebirds. During the 2023 fall migration, an estimated 500 million birds migrated through the state of Louisiana. The majority of those birds migrate at night and typically start their nightly migration about 30 to 45 minutes post-sunset, with peak flights between 10 and 11 p.m.

While the dark skies allow the migratory birds to avoid predators, take advantage of calmer air and utilize the moon and stars for navigation, it also brings with it other dangers such as bright artificial lights and the skyglow from larger cities that can confuse the birds, often causing them to fatally collide into buildings or windows.

“Our city lights can misguide birds, diverting them off course with often dire consequences. This initiative is an easy yet impactful step in helping these birds continue their incredible journey,” said Rebecca Triche, executive director of LWF. “Louisiana is well-known for the populations of migratory birds we see here at different times of the year and people care about keeping wildlife sustainable. By supporting the Lights Out initiative, businesses and individuals can take a practical step to protect the birds that briefly call Louisiana home.”

According to news reports, one building in Chicago was responsible for as many as 1,000 bird collision deaths in one night last October. These deaths can easily be avoided by simply turning out or turning down exterior lighting.

At LWF’s February 2023 Board of Directors meeting, the organization passed Resolution #2, 2023 Lights Out to Save Migrating Birds requesting that “all public buildings observe ‘lights out’ as official policy of the State of Louisiana, City of Baton Rouge and other governmental entities.”

Individuals and organizations wanting to join others in the Lights Out Initiative should follow these guidelines:

• Turn off non-essential lights nightly from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. during the migration period.
• Avoid using landscape lighting on trees or gardens where birds may be resting.
• For essential security and safety lighting, use these dark skies-friendly lighting adjustments:

o   Aim lights downwards.

o   Use light shields to direct light downwards and prevent an upward glare.

o   Use motion detectors and sensors so lights turn on when needed.

o   Close blinds at night to limit the amount of light seen through windows.

• For building owners/managers:

o   Adjust custodial schedules to be completed by 11:00 p.m.

o   Ensure lights are turned off after custodial cleaning.

Additional Guidelines for Buildings Over 3 Stories:

• Dim or turn off:

o   Exterior/decorative lighting.

o   Lobby/atrium lights.

o   Perimeter room lights on all levels.

o   Floodlights.

o   Lighting on interior plants/fountains.

o   Lights on vacant floors.

o   Lights with blue-rich white light emissions (over 3000 K in color temperature.)

• Instead use:

o   Desk lamps or task lights instead of overhead lights.

o   “warm-white” or filtered LEDs outdoors (less than 3000 K in color temperature.)

Migration routes, along with the timing of the flight, can vary from day to day due to a number of factors such as the weather conditions.

Individuals can monitor the bird migration in their area by using BirdCast, a migration dashboard provided by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Dashboards for Louisiana and selected cities are:

• Louisiana – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA
• Alexandria – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-079
• Baton Rouge – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-033
• Houma – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-109
• Lake Charles – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-019
• Lafayette – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-055
• Monroe – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-073
• New Orleans – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-071
• Shreveport – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-017

###

Established in 1940, Louisiana Wildlife Federation is a statewide nonprofit organization that represents 19 affiliate organizations and more than 10,000 members dedicated to the conservation of Louisiana’s wildlife and natural resources. Louisiana Wildlife Federation is an affiliate of National Wildlife Federation and together forms a powerful network for conservation locally and nationally.

I for some reason felt led to discuss my career choice this week… still unsure why, but maybe that will be revealed to me at a later time.  

I should also say up front that I absolutely love what I do. Most of the time I do not consider it work at all. Yes, of course, there are times when it is stressful and anxiety-ridden, but that comes with the territory.  

As a journalist, I love the fast pace of things. I love sharing stories that inspire others. I enjoy researching and I jump at every opportunity I have to do an investigative piece. I thoroughly enjoy the adrenaline rush when attempting to be the first to break an important story.  

I believe the role I play is an important one and most of the time is well received and appreciated. Journalists are responsible for reporting objectively. Our work helps to keep the public informed. While we strive to report in a completely unbiased manner, the news we share can affect reader’s opinions on certain subjects, and on a larger platform can also affect the safety and ethics of a community as a whole.  

While there are many positives to this job, there are definitely downfalls, as well… a few of which I have become more familiar with over the years.  

First of all, it is extremely competitive. Most writers, like myself, must start their careers in a different position just to get their foot in the door and have the opportunity to work their way up the ladder. When you finally land the position, new journalists are not allowed to choose their own stories most of the time and you must keep working up that ladder to finally get yourself in a position where you have the freedom to make those decisions eventually.  

It is also very demanding. There are strict deadlines that must be met. Sometimes you must travel a lot to cover certain events that can also take place at any time of day or night, weekday or weekend. And there is always that nagging pressure to come up with new and exciting pitches and keep up with everything that is happening at all times.  

But the biggest thing for me is the exposure. Yes, exposure can be a good thing if you are trying to build a reputation as a journalist, but on the flip side of that it can also make you a target. Publishing a controversial piece can often result in backlash and negative comments. Believe me, I have received my fair share.  

It can also suck at times, to walk up to a group of people that are having a conversation and suddenly everyone stops talking because they are afraid to say something that might get turned into a story. I can’t tell you how many times in my career I have had people say, “don’t report on this” or “don’t flip this into a story.”

I have even had people that I considered to be friends become angry with me over a story I have written about that maybe they did not agree with or reflect their personal opinion on certain matters.  

Not to mention the commonly used phrase “fake news,” which completely undermines the credibility of legitimate and quality news sources.  

It all sounds kind of bleak doesn’t it, but then you write that one story that brings the community together to act on an important issue or inspires others to make a difference or exposes injustices or amplifies voices that would otherwise be left unheard. That’s what makes it all worthwhile and what drives me to continue getting up every day and doing it again. 

(Paige Gurgainers is a mom of three girls, digital journalist for Webster Parish Journal and publisher of Bienville Parish Journal and Claiborne Parish Journal.)

Chester, Illinois, is a city on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River about 70 miles south of St. Louis, Missouri.  What began as a ferry town on the Mississippi eventually became a major supplier of castor oil which was used as a lubricant.  Chester had the advantage over other towns because of its location on the river.  Wood-burning steamboats filled with castor oil delivered the lubricant to St. Louis, New Orleans, and even as far away as England.     

When Elzie Crisler Segar was born in 1894 in Chester, the city had an iron foundry, machine shops, several mills, a few taverns, an opera house, and a number of stores.  Elzie and his family often shopped at a general store on Pine Street in Chester which was owned and operated by Frank and Dora Paskel.  When Elzie was growing up, Dora made an impression on him.  Dora was a taller-than-average woman who wore long, black, fitted dresses which covered everything from her neck to her wrists and ankles.  Dora usually wore her hair in a tight bun.  Elzie remembered that she was strong-willed and feisty.    

As a teenager, Elzie went to work in the Chester Opera House which was operated by J. William Schuchert.  Elzie was such a good worker that William promoted him to projectionist of the opera house.  William and Elzie’s relationship evolved from boss and employee to true friendship.  When Elzie showed an interest in art, William paid for Elzie’s art correspondence courses.  William often sent Elzie to the nearby Wiebusch tavern with enough money to get them hamburgers.    

At the Wiebusch tavern in Chester, Elzie befriended a former Polish sailor who had emigrated to the United States named Frank Fiegel.  Frank kept the tavern clean when the place was quiet, but his real job was to maintain order.  Frank was a bouncer.  Frank was known for his fighting skills and although he never looked for a fight, he never shied away from one.  During one brawl, Frank received a blow that permanently disfigured one of his eyes.  While waiting on hamburgers, Elzie often listened as Frank told stories about his adventures out of one side of his mouth while the other side held his pipe. 

When he was about 20 years old, Elzie moved to Chicago to continue building his career as an artist.  He never forgot Dora, William, Frank, or the lubricant that Chester was so well known for, including them in his art which became popular around the world.  Sadly, 43-year-old Elzie Crisler Segar died of leukemia on October 13, 1938, cutting short his career.  Luckily, other artists have continued his cartoon work that we all know.  J. William Schuchert, Elzie’s boss who loved hamburgers, was the inspiration for a character named J. Wellington Wimpy.  Elzie named a character after Chester’s lubricant called Castor Oyl.  Dora Paskel, the operator of the general store in Chester, was the inspiration for Castor Oyl’s daughter, Olive Oyl.  Frank Fiegel, the scrappy brawler from the tavern who had a deformed or “pop-eye” was the inspiration for… Popeye.

Sources:

1.      “History of Chester,” City of Chester, IL, accessed September 20, 2024, https://www.chesterill.com/about/history-of-chester/.

2.     “Elzie Crisler Segar,” FindaGrave.com, accessed September 19, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3546/elzie-crisler-segar.

3.     ‌“Dora Schrader Paskel,” FindaaGrave.com, accessed September 19, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7846018/dora-paskel.

4.     “John William Schuchert,” FindaGrave.com, accessed September 19, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7846022/john-william-schuchert.

5.     “Frank ‘Rocky’ Fiegel,” FindaGrave.com, accessed September 19, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31875462/frank-fiegel.

As a concession to age, about five days out of seven for the past 20-ish years I’ve eaten, for breakfast, cottage cheese and yogurt mixed up together.

It’s starting to get on my nerves. Not happening for me.

It is not cottage cheese’s fault and it is not yogurt’s fault, though they are each easy targets. Cottage cheese is good for you but it couldn’t run out of sight in a day and a half. So much for it being “healthy.”

Cottage cheese is supposed to be just about the most perfect man-made (no offense to cows) food there is. A fistful of it is packed full of protein. It is low in fat and has carbs, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron ore and tin, and a four-ounce serving contains more than 12 percent the daily recommended helping of cottage.

When I am eating it I try not to think of the word “curd.” Curd does not sound good but, well, there is no getting around that those are the little things half floating around in the other stuff, which is, I suppose, curd runoff.

It is not an especially ugly food – it is lumpy and white, like good homemade mashed potatoes – but it will win no beauty contest for you either. 

Never until I started eating cottage cheese and yogurt together had I eaten cottage cheese alone. It doesn’t taste like anything really, but if you had to say it DID taste like something, you would think of something bad.

That is just my opinion.

But mix cottage cheese and yogurt together – say a vanilla or strawberry yogurt, whatever you prefer – and bingo!, you have a healthy combo that does not taste bad at all. Drop some blueberries or bananas and/or granola in there and you’ve got a most decent leadoff hitter.

Good, and good for you.

There are only two drawbacks.

One, after a while, curds and yogurt lose that sensual BAM!, you know, the one they never really had in the first place. After a couple of decades, you have an excuse for waking each morning and crying over spoiled (spoilt?) milk.

The second drawback: cottage cheese and yogurt is no bacon and eggs. And bacon and eggs is the flagship of the breakfast armada.

You’ve got your French toast. Your waffle. Even your morning pork chop or sausage, patty or link. Outstanding all.

But if the go-to breakfast foods were lined up and we’re choosing team captains, bacon and eggs would be my first selection. Cottage cheese is the healthy but uncoordinated kid who does not get picked.

The multi-talented egg needs no introduction, and just smelling a home where bacon fries makes you feel like you can make it one more day, no matter how tough the sledding.

Bacon is to meats what brown sugar is to sweets: it just makes everything better. 

Bacon makes people smile. Bacon beats cottage cheese in a footrace 10 times out of 10. I wish my name were Sir Teddy Bacon.

My second draft pick: biscuit. The chef is key, but even a buttered canned biscuit will at least look at you in the eye.

Third draft pick: grits. But only if someone who knows how to make them are in charge. Bad grits might as well be cottage cheese. 

Now you can come in with all your fillers, your pastries, Stuff With Syrup On It, fruit and hash browns. (I love sort-of-burnt hash browns.) 

Chocolate milk. Orange juice. Coffee. Eat all that and your day is made and you haven’t even left the house yet.

This week, I would like to go back in time and reflect on a group of guys who shared a championship season and were the first team in school history to win a state title. Not only were we teammates, but this group was truly something special. This group was the complete package of talent, attitude and commitment. We were players/friends who would forever be linked together.

Last week, I had the opportunity to reunite with this group of guys that would do something very special in 1978 by winning the Texas Class 3A State Baseball Title, the second highest level at that time. As an athlete who has played on all levels, high school, college and professionally, I’ve been blessed to be a part of several championships. 

But the one common thread for every team I’ve played on, was the personal connection to the players. The 1978 team was different and will always have special meaning for me personally. This was a group of guys who grew up together in the small East Texas town of Mt. Pleasant, Texas. 

During the 1970’s, MP was a prideful community that was very athletic minded. The mindset here was about winning and anything short of that was not acceptable. But before the early 70’s, MP was just another small town that had minimal athletic team success. Then a coach by the name of Donnie Laurence showed up and began to develop not just a great football power, but a solid all-around high school athletic program.

Along with Coach Laurence, several high-quality coaches arrived including two baseball coaches, Marion Giesecke and Steve Rippee. These coaches help build MP into the second winningest all-around program of the 70’s, only behind “Friday Night Lights” Odessa Permian. It was a very special time in MP Tiger history. 

Then in 1978, MP Tiger baseball would be the first team sport to ever win a state title. This was accomplished by a special group of guys who played loose and confident and never walked on a baseball diamond expecting anything less than a victory. These guys played with heart and determination and no matter how bleak a moment was, they never wavered or faltered. 

To understand how good they became, you first must look at where they came from. These young men grew up with great success coming up through the Mt. Pleasant Dixie Youth Program. They had great coaching early in their young careers from a handful of special men like James Stansell, P.A. Thomas, Pat Sisk, Joe Traylor and many others. These men knew the game and taught this group how to play the game the right way.

The 1978 Tiger baseball team was built around six seniors, eight juniors, and two sophomores. This was not an average group of players, but guys with an immense level of talent. The skills included great pitching, defense and the ability to hit the baseball. To illustrate the level of talent, this group had three players drafted: two by Major League Baseball and one by the NFL and several that went on to play collegiately. 

What made this group so special? Most of the guys on this team were members of the previous 1977 Tiger baseball team. A team that had great talent but underachieved mainly due to the amount of internal pressure that was placed on the shoulders of each player. From my perspective looking back, it seemed like we had a team meeting every other week talking about what we must do in order to make it to State. 

As the ‘77 season progressed, the pressure continued to build to the point that the team played tight and did not even win district, therefore being left out of the playoffs. The only year of my four years at MPHS that we did not make the playoffs. Again, this was a team with as much talent as any team I ever played on. 

But the 1978 team, guided by great senior leadership, made a group decision that there would be only ONE team meeting before the season started. We committed to play loose and have fun! We knew we had plenty of talent, we just had to relax and let our talent take us to where we wanted to go……. and that it did!

This MP team made it to the regional finals, having to play a best of three series against Fort Worth Boswell. MP hosted the first game of the series, and the mighty Tigers came up short. With the odds stacked against us, the remaining two games were to be played in Fort Worth. We had our work cut out for us; either sweep a double header or go home like so many other MP Tiger baseball teams had done in the past. 

But ’78 Tigers made it happen with great pitching, defense (zero errors in the last 4 games) and timely hitting and defeated Boswell twice and advanced to the State Tournament in Austin! As they say, the rest is history as we shut out top ranked Brazosport 10-0 in five innings in the semi-finals and defeated Burkburnett 5-2 in the title game and finished with a record of 26-4. 

I cannot describe the bond athletes have that get the opportunity to win a state championship. It’s a connection that forever links you as players. I remember Coach Giesecke’s locker room speech after our huge win. “Fellows, this is a victory you will cherish more later in life, than you do now. You will forever be remembered with this win.” Truer words have never been spoken! He was spot on with his statement! 

Steve Graf

Angler’s Perspective

Notice of Death – September 24, 2024

Rhonda Gayle Grigsby

Oct. 18, 1958 – Sept. 19, 2024

Homer, La. 

Service dates will be announced at a later date.

Patsy Ann Wilson Westerburg

March 17, 1936 – Sept. 24, 2024

Ruston, La. 

Graveside service: 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2025, Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Ringgold, La. 

Angela Harris 

March 06, 1967 – Sept. 14, 2024

Cullen, La. 

Visitation: 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, Memorial Funeral Home, Cullen, La.

Funeral service: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, First Baptist Church, Cullen, La. 

Interment to follow at Garden of Memory, Cullen, La. 

Beverly Hollan Brunson

Jan. 19, 1946 – Sept. 20, 2024

Haynesville, La.

Visitation: 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, October 4, 2024, Haynesville Community Church.

Memorial service: 10 a.m. Saturday, October 5, 2024, Haynesville Community Church

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.)

By Shawn White

Under the Radar NWLA

The two Claiborne Parish school room the show on the road as the Golden Tornado brought back a win and the Pelicans came up short.   Haynesville traveled to Camden, AR to bring back a 58-24 win over Harmony Grove.  Homer continued its David-Goliath tour as they faced 4A Minden at The Pit and fell 39-20.

Haynesville 58, Harmony Grove (AR) 24

The Golden Tornado wrecked the Hornets field racking up 626 all-purpose yards including 342 yards rushing and 182 yards receiving.  Donnie Critton had 17 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown.  Yasmin Meadors also had a big night with 6 carries for 86 yards.  Gary McElroy, Byruss Burns, Ethan Henderson, and Hayden Gilbert all contributed rushing touchdowns.  Quarterback Isaiah Washington threw 6-for-12 for 182 yards and two touchdowns.  Kaylen Payton and Keizavion Woods were on the receiving end of those TD passes.  

The Hornets stung early against Haynesville as Damien Burns took the opening kickoff return 88 yards to the house for a 6-0 lead.  Haynesville marched back down the field as Donnie Critton rumbled into the end zone on a 5-yard run.   Haynesville took the 7-6 lead.  Haynesville’s Burns took his turn to the end zone on a 4-yard run and pushed the lead to 14-6.  Elijah Bray expanded the lead to 17-6 with a 26-yard field goal.  Damien Burns continued to be deadly on the kickoff return with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown to cut the lead to 17-12. 

McElroy scored early in the second quarter on a 2-yard run giving Haynesville the 24-12 lead.  Isaiah Washington launched a 66-yard touchdown pass to Kaylon Payton to give the Golden Tornado the 31-12 which they held until halftime.  

Washington tossed his second touchdown pass to Woods on a 29-yard touchdown pass widening the lead to 38-12.  Ethan Henderson found an opening heading 15 yards to the end zone to keep pushing Haynesville further away at 45-12.  The Hornets took one more score in the third quarter when Burns connected with Keagan Jones on a 20-yard touchdown pass to head into the final quarter for a 45-18 score.  

Hayden Gilbert headed to the end zone on a 10-yard run and De’jon Wesson closed out the Haynesville scoring on a 5-yard run.  Logan Nipp gave the Hornets on final touchdown with 20 seconds left on a 70-yard run. 

Minden 39, Homer 20

The Homer Pelicans (0-2) came up short against Minden on Friday night at the Pit. The Pelicans out performed Minden on offensive yards 250 to 241.  The Pels fell victim to the yellow flag as they were called for 9 penalties for 83 yards.  

Gregory Williams once again had a stellar night as he had 15 carries for 189 yards and three touchdowns.  Kevin Williams was 7 for 17 and 75 yards.  The top target was Spencer Dunn with 5 receptions for 54 yards.

Minden’s Lucas Owen scored the only touchdown in the first quarter on a 27-yard run.  Minden carried the 7-0 lead into the second quarter. 

Minden took an 8-play drive and ended with a 36-yard field goal by Bryaon Ranger as The Tide lead grew to 10-0.   Williams forst touchdown of the night broke loose on a 76-yard bolt down the field to cut the lead to 10-7.  Minden bounced back as Owens crashed the end zone on a 1-yard run.  With 31 seconds left in the half, Hudson  Brown found an open Kameron Harris on a 12-yard touchdown pass and Minden carries a 25-6 lead into halftime. 

Williams struck again on a 9-yard run and added the 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 25-14.  Brown took the quarterback keeper into the end zone and closed out the third quarter up 32-14.  

Homer’s Williams took a 59-yard run to the end zone and closed in 32-20.  The celebration was short-lived as Braydon Britton returned the kick off 75 yards for a final score for Minden.  

The two Claiborne Parish paths will cross in the annual Claiborne Parish Superbowl  at Haynesville on Friday night at 7:30. 

Contributed by Wesley Harris (Lincoln Parish Journal)

Six local Claiborne Electric employees assisted the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative (SLECA) in Houma with restoration efforts after Hurricane Francine made landfall.

Foreman Rocky Lachney, Linemen Jeffrey Langford, Ryan Beach, Josh Dupree, and Andy Mills, and Right-of-Way Specialist Chris Snell responded to help restore electricity for SLECA members.

SLECA serves more than 16,000 meters, and nearly 100% of those customers were left without power following the landfall of Hurricane Francine.

This assistance with hurricane restoration is part of a statewide mutual aid program among electric cooperatives. Coordinators in the statewide organization work with operations managers at each electric cooperative within the state to manage available resources. When widespread outages occur, coordinators and managers work together to send staff and equipment to affected areas.

Claiborne Electric services over 17,000 customers in Lincoln, Bienville, Claiborne, Union, and Webster Parishes.

Louisianans can prepare for future storms and outages by having the following on hand:

• non-perishable food
• water
• flashlights
• batteries
• prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines
• a first aid kit
• matches
• battery-powered radio
• fully charged cellular devices with back-up external chargers

Those who use portable generators should follow these safety rules:

• Never operate a generator inside a home or other enclosed space, such as a garage.
• Make sure the generator is properly grounded and used with a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI).
• Do not overload the generator.
• Use only extension cords that have a three-pronged plug and are rated for the intended load.
• Position the generator at least 20 feet from doors, windows, or vents to prevent carbon monoxide from entering the home.
• Never connect a generator directly to household wiring without first installing a transfer switch. This prevents backfeeding and protects line workers making repairs.

The grants are paid for by the Historic Preservation Fund, which uses revenue from federal offshore oil and gas leases to support a broad range of preservation projects without spending tax dollars.

WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) today announced $12.125 million in Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants to 17 subgrant programs in 15 states to support economic development through the preservation of historic buildings in rural communities across the country. 

“The National Park Service helps rural areas across the country revitalize their communities through historic preservation,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “This locally stewarded work supports improvements to historic buildings, preserving America’s cultural resources while benefiting local economies.” 

The grants will allow state and local governments and nonprofit organizations to develop subgrant programs and select individual projects in their rural communities for physical preservation projects that will contribute to economic development.  

The grants are supported through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), which has provided more than $2 billion in historic preservation grants to states, Tribes, local governments, and nonprofit organizations since its inception in 1977. HPF funds may be appropriated by Congress to support a variety of historic preservation projects to help preserve the nation’s cultural resources.  

The HPF, which uses revenue from federal offshore oil and gas leases, supports a broad range of preservation projects without spending tax dollars. The intent behind the HPF is to mitigate the loss of nonrenewable resources through the preservation of other irreplaceable resources. 

HPF grant programs managed by NPS fund preservation of America’s premier cultural resources and historic places in underrepresented communities, rural areas, and at historically black colleges and universities, as well as sites key to the representation of Tribal heritage, African American civil rights, the history of equal rights in America, and the nation’s founding. 

These grants mark the sixth year of funding for the program honoring the late Paul Bruhn, who served as executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont for nearly 40 years. State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Certified Local Governments, special district governments, and nonprofits are eligible to apply for funding to create a subgrant program to fund multiple preservation projects in their rural jurisdictions. 

For more information about the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program, please visit https://go.nps.gov/revitalization. Congress has appropriated $10 million for FY24 funding with applications planned to be available in the fall of 2024. 

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 430+ national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. 

Projects from this year’s grants includes Main Street Homer in the amount of $140, 186. The Main Street Homer Historic Building Revitalization Program will provide sub-grants to develop move-in ready spaces for businesses in the City’s downtown Historic District. 

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited 75 subjects resulting in 100 citations for alleged dove hunting violations on the opening weekend of the 2024-25 dove hunting season that took place from Sept. 7-8.

Agents seized a total of 285 doves in connection with these cases and donated them to local charities.

Agents made the following dove cases in these parishes on opening weekend.

Livingston: Agents cited seven subjects each for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area and wrote one citation for placing bait to hunt migratory game birds.

St. Helena: Agents cited four subjects each for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area and wrote one citation for aiding and abetting others in taking migratory game birds over a baited area.

Tangipahoa: Agents cited one subject for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun.

Washington: Agents cited one subject for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area.

East Feliciana: Agents cited 12 subjects each for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area.

Beauregard: Agents cited one subject for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun.

Evangeline: Agents cited two subjects each for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun.

Acadia: Agents cited one subject for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun.

Calcasieu: Agents cited one subject for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun.

Avoyelles: Agents cited 10 subjects each for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area, wrote two citations for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun and wrote two citations for aiding and abetting others in taking migratory game birds over a baited area.

Pointe Coupee: Agents cited six subjects each for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area and wrote another citation for placing bait to hunt migratory game birds.

Natchitoches: Agents cited four subjects and wrote two citation for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area, one citation for aiding and abetting others in taking migratory game birds over a baited area and three citations for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun.

Concordia: Agents cited 10 subjects and wrote nine citations for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area, five citations for aiding and abetting others in taking migratory game birds over a baited area and one citation for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun.

Claiborne: Agents cited eight subjects each for possessing over the limit of doves and untagged doves.

Red River: Agents cited one subject for over the limit of doves.

Richland: Agents cited one subject for hunting migratory game birds from a moving vehicle.

Franklin: Agents cited three subjects and wrote one citation for hunting migratory game birds from a baited area, one citation for aiding and abetting others in taking migratory game birds over a baited area, one citation for placing bait to hunt migratory game birds and two citations for hunting migratory game birds from a moving vehicle.

Allen: Agents cited one subject for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun.

Bienville: Agents cited one subjects for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area and for aiding and abetting others in taking migratory game birds over a baited area.

All migratory game bird baiting cases are filed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution in Federal Court.

Elias toiled away in his machine shop trying to solve the problem that would make his contraption practical.  He thought solving the problem would be quick and easy.  Other inventors had tried but failed in the task that Elias struggled with.  He worked day and night on the problem and was nearing the point of poverty.  Even as he slept, the problem taunted him.  Finally, his life depended on the success of his invention. 

The king was a ruthless man who was feared by all.  When people saw him, they averted their gaze so as not to attract his attention.  If the king took notice of someone, it normally ended badly.  Somehow, the king heard about Elias’s work on his invention.  The king realized that Elias’s invention would put his country in the forefront in the Industrial Revolution, and it would also be a fun game.  To Elias, it was no game.  It was cruel.  The king sent word to Elias that he had just 24 hours to make his invention work.  If he failed to get it to work in that short length of time, the king would have Elias executed. 

Elias worked at a feverish pace.  At times, minutes felt like hours ,while at other times, hours felt like seconds.  Elias was running out of time.  With a knock on the door, Elias knew his time had run out. His mind frantically worked for a way to make his contraption work.  The king’s lead soldier knocked with such force the second time that the door almost came off its hinges.  Elias had no choice but to answer the door.  The lead soldier glared at Elias.  Several other soldiers waited in formation outside.  The lead soldier asked Elias if he had finished with his invention.  Elias knew better than to lie because the soldier would test the device and the outcome would be the same.  Elias hung his head and explained that he had failed to make it work.  He needed more time, time the king was unwilling to give.  The soldiers shackled Elias’s hands and led him away to be executed.  As they walked, none of the soldiers would speak to or even make eye contact with Elias.  Elias’s pleas for more time were answered with silence.  Elias looked at each soldier, then looked at each soldier’s weapon.  In the front were soldiers carrying pikes, long wooden shafts with leaf-shaped steel spears attached to the ends.  Elias noticed that the spear points had a small hole drilled near the tip.  It was a eureka moment for Elias.  In that instant, he knew how to make his contraption work.  The one part of his contraption that he failed to make work just needed a hole similar to those in the soldiers’ pikes.  He tried to explain this to the soldiers, but they kept marching Elias to the place of his execution.  Elias kept trying to persuade the soldiers all the way to the scaffolding.  As the soldiers held Elias’s head on the chopping block, Elias begged for them to reconsider.  The executioner drew back his ax.  As the blade of the ax fell, Elias jerked himself awake.  It had all been a dream.

It was about 4 o’clock in the morning when Elias awoke in his bed in Massachusetts.  There was no brutal king, no soldiers, and no execution.  Then, Elias remembered the pierced tips of the pikes the soldiers carried.  He ran to his shop and began working by candlelight.  By nine o’clock that same morning, Elias had solved the problem that had stumped other inventors for decades.  He tested his working model repeatedly with the expectation that it would soon fail, but it worked beautifully.  On September 10, 1846, the United States Patent Office awarded Elias patent number 4,750, from which he became wealthy.  Because of that dream, Elias knew where to position the eye in the needle.  One newspaper reported that his machine makes “beautiful and strong seams in cloth as rapid as nine tailors!”  That dream helped Elias Howe invent the first practical sewing machine.

Sources:

1.      London Daily News, March 15, 1847, p.2.

2.     The Boston Globe, March 25, 2018, p.K6.

Along with millions of Americans, I watched the Trump-Harris debate this past Tuesday night.  I generally saw what I expected to see.  

After the Trump-Biden debate in June with Biden being exposed as the addled staggerer he has become, the bar for Vice President Kamala Harris was a low one, which she met.  President Trump performed as I expected he would and if he came across as somewhat defensive it may be because the debate was essentially 3 on 1 with debate “moderators” David Muir and Linsey Davis not challenging the Vice President past their initial questions while simultaneously purporting to “fact check” Trump.  The bias was transparent but that also didn’t surprise me.

What I found interesting was two different things: 1) what both Trump and VP Harris needed to accomplish in the debate; and 2). How Independents viewed the debate.

Firstly, the Harris presidential campaign has labored mightily to protect her from any unscripted moment with the media.  While the Trump-Vance team has done over 60 wide ranging interviews together and separately, the Harris-Walz team has done only a handful, and they were not substantive or policy-based but showcased the “vibes” and “joy” of the Harris candidacy. 

Nevertheless, the VP stated, “my values haven’t changed.”  However, with no specifics about her policy positions all a reasonable undecided voter can do is conclude from this statement that she embraces the Biden policy, or she still embraces the views she has held for years in her Leftist California.  Neither is good for her politically.  

This is my point.

The questions a voter may have include whether she still favors banning fracking; whether she still favors unlimited abortion; whether she still supports a single-payer (i.e., government run) health care system in which private health insurance is abolished.  Whether she still supports the invasion of illegals on our southern border; whether she still favors mandatory gun buybacks and/or maintains her general hostility to the right to keep and bear arms? Or, what she proposes to do about the inflation that is still punishing average Americans daily; How does she view the debacle of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan?   Perhaps most importantly, voters may wonder what she means when she speaks of all of the things she will accomplish “on day one” when she has been Vice President for almost 4 years?  In the debate, she provided no guidance.

To my second point: did the debate affect the view of Independent voters of Harris?  I reference the remark of political pundit Charlie Kirk who stated on X that “Reuters interviewed 10 undecided voters after the debate.  Six said they are now voting for Trump or leaning that way.  Three said Harris. One remains unsure.  This wasn’t a debate about who delivered the zingers or one-liners.  It was about who could move the middle. Trump won.” 

I also found it interesting how closely Independents aligned with Republicans—at times even overlapping—as they watched the debate in real time using knobs with colors; blue (Democrat), red (Republican) and yellow (Independent) to register agreement or disagreement as the candidates spoke. 

Post debate, a focus group was hosted by Fox News journalist Harris Faulkner who was joined by pollster Lee Carter.  Carter stated that “I didn’t expect this.  Independents are tracking very much with Republicans. They’re looking for a couple of things. They’re looking for answers on immigration, they’re looking for answers on the economy. (And also fracking and abortion).  They want to hear that things will get better for them, and they also want change from what is happening right now.” Carter continued. “One of the most important things they were looking for last night from Kamala Harris is ‘how are you going to make it different’?

This is why the uber-liberal tool of the Democrat party, the New York Times, concluded, ‘Pundits Said Harris Won the Debate. Undecided Voters Weren’t So Sure … They want to see the fine print.’ Further, the highly regarded Democrat data analyst and statistician/pollster, Nate Silver, gives Harris a slight boost to her chances of winning after Tuesday’s debate. But, as of Thursday, following the debate, the pollster projects Trump has a 60.6 percent chance of victory, while Harris has 39.2 percent.

Why would this be?

Because Harris did not substantively answer any questions and that is likely going to send the majority of undecided voters to Trump.  Regardless of how inartfully, Trump made his positions clear.  I think he will benefit from this debate.

(Shreveport attorney, Royal Alexander, worked in D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 8 years for two different Members of Congress from Louisiana.  He has witnessed up close several Speaker races.)

Over my many years of tournament bass fishing, I have had the privilege and honor of sharing a bass boat with some great anglers. Some of these are 1997 Bassmaster Classic Champ Dion Hibdon, three-time FLW Angler of the Year Clark Wendlandt, and MLF Champion Kelly Jordon who all have the ability to not only find bass, but catch them as well. 

Sure, there are videos and some great fishing magazines that can help point you in the right direction, but nothing replaces experience and time on the water. Today, we’ll go over what makes a great tournament angler and the skills necessary to compete on a high level.

Just like any other sport, some athletes are just gifted and have great ability. Some are the complete package and have not only great physical talent, but they possess a great mental aptitude for whatever sport they are playing. 

But in the tournament bass fishing world, there are certain skills one must possess in order to compete. First, would be the ability to cast a lure and put it into places where bass live. He or she must be versatile and able to pitch, flip or cast the bait where they want. It’s like a baseball pitcher being able to throw the baseball with precision and accuracy in order to get batters out. If you can’t cast, you won’t be competitive. 

But one of the most overlooked skills necessary to be a successful bass fisherman is the ability to locate fish. Finding fish is probably the hardest skill to learn but with today’s high level of electronics, the task has been made much easier. 

Today’s up and coming anglers have it too easy with all the new fish locating tools they have at their disposal like down imaging, side scan and, yes, the new controversial forward-facing sonar. Anglers a generation ago had to learn this skill the hard way by understanding water clarity, water temperature, habitat or simply by getting on the water and making cast after cast to try and locate bass. 

Back in the day, anglers had to cover a lot of water fan casting a lure for hours trying to locate bass. But most anglers today never have to wet a hook to locate bass. Today’s angler will spend countless hours idling around the lake watching their sonar screens searching and GPS marking good structure or cover like laydowns, brush piles, hydrilla (grass) or more importantly…. baitfish!

All the pre-fishing they need to do today is on a 10- or 12-inch screen. It’s a known fact that some anglers will never make a cast before the tournament starts. Ten years ago, if someone showed up at a bass tournament without pre-fishing, they were just simply donating to the rest of the field. But oh, how times have changed here on Walton’s Mountain!

So, here’s my advice to all the young anglers coming up today. Learn how to find fish on your own. Don’t rely on someone else to send you waypoints or show you where they are catching fish. Rely and trust yourself to find fish! There are no shortcuts or a magical formula for being successful. One thing has remained true from the very beginning of tournament bass fishing, there’s no substitute for time on the water! 

Till next time good luck, good fishing and always wear your sunscreen and good UV protective clothing. Melanoma is the number one killer of all forms of cancer. Don’t roll the dice when it comes to your health. 

Steve Graf

Angler’s Perspective