Charles Davis Hogan Sept. 18, 1936 – Dec. 02, 2020
Mr. Davis Hogan, age 84 of Weston, crossed through the gates of Heaven Wednesday, December 2, 2020. He is preceded in death by his parents, V.J. and Martha Eugenia (Davis) Hogan; six brothers and four sisters.

Those left to cherish his memory is his loving wife of 63 years, Linda (Johnson) Hogan; children, Tim Hogan and wife Jo, Dana Hogan Bollier and husband Bill; grandchildren, Jordan Alford, Hannah Meredith, Gina Hogan, Chance Hogan, Brock Bollier; great grandchildren, Waylon Clifton, Hazel Grace Bollier, Tillie Alford; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A private service was held by the family.

Ila Jean Walsworth Sept. 27, 1944 – Dec. 05, 2020
Mrs. Ila Jean Walsworth, age 76 of Jonesboro, entered into heaven on Saturday, December 5, 2020. She was a member of Walnut Ridge Baptist Church. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She loved spending any and all time she could with her grandchildren and great grandchild. She was loved by many and will be missed dearly.

Those left to cherish her memory is her loving husband of 57 years, Truett Walsworth; daughters, Karen Morrow (Donald), Carla Walsworth (Lloyd Siebert); grandchildren, Matthew Bosch, Travis Bosch (Amber), Shannon Bosch, Dylan Morrow; great grandchild, Andrew Bosch; siblings, Clyde Gray, Jr. (Laverne), Glenda Simpson; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by parents, Clyde Alfred and Ima Jewel (Farmer) Gray; sister, Inez Sapp; brother in laws, Johnny Simpson, Eddie Sapp.

A private service was held for the family. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be made to the Springhill Cemetery.

Flu vaccines are now available at Mitchell’s Pharmacy located at 202 East Main St. in Jonesboro, LA. For those not good with addresses the Pharmacy is located right beside McDonald’s fast food restaurant in Jonesboro.

The vaccination program allows for a recipient to drive up curbside and receive a vaccination without ever having to leave your vehicle. There is also high dosage, vaccines available upon request. For quickest turnaround simply call in advance to make a reservation or you can also call once you arrive and be seen on a first come first serve basis.

Mitchell’s is open from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Monday thru Friday and 8:00am – 12:00pm on Saturday and now has two other pharmacists on staff along with a courteous crew of assistants always ready to help you with your prescriptions and other medical supply needs.

The lobby is not open but you can go to the drive thru for all your needs. If you desire you can also take advantage of Mitchell’s Home Delivery program that most of the time gets your prescriptions brought to your house the same day you place the order.

Edward “Robbie” Kary scored 10 points in the second overtime to lift Jonesboro-Hodge to a thrilling 59-56 victory over Quitman in the Tigers de-facto home opener despite Quitman being listed as the home team. The game was moved from Quitman to J-H to accommodate the large crowd that witnessed the exciting contest. The win evened J-H’s record at 1-1 while Quitman suffered their first loss after starting the year with four straight victories.

The two teams battled to a 41-41 draw at the end of regulation and remained tied at 46 apiece after the first extra frame. Kary, who led J-H with 18 points, then put the Tigers on his back by scoring the first eight Tiger points of the second overtime period on the strength of a lay-up and back to back three pointers on consecutive possessions to give the Tigers a lead they would hold till the end.

Sloppy start! Quitman led 21-19 at the break after both teams committed more turnovers than made baskets. The Wolverines committed 8 turnovers and made only 7 baskets with J-H following suit with 9 turnovers and 8 baskets.

Josh by gosh! Senior Joshua Smith kept Quitman in it early by scoring 11 of the Wolverines 21 points in the first half and ended regulation play with a team high 17 points. As soon as the first overtime period started the lanky forward was forced to exit due to his legs cramping up.

Still plagued with the gimpy legs Smith re-entered late in the overtime period battled through the pain and through sheer determination took a pass at midcourt and thrilled the Quitman crowd by making a driving three pointer at the buzzer to send the game into the second overtime.  

Spreading the wealth! Quitman had four players make all but five of their 56 points. Conversely Jonesboro-Hodge whose roster was bolstered by the football players playing their first game of the year had nine contribute valuable points in the game.

JHHS (1-1) 6 13 13 9 5 13 – 59

QHS (4-1)  4 17 9 11 5 10 – 56

JHHS scoring: Kary 18, Malone 8, Andrews 7, Calahan 6, McGuire 6, Tew 5, Joe 4, Nichols 3, Gray 2

QHS scoring: Smith 23, Everett 13, Ponder 9, Williams 7, Manning 2, Carter 2, Pabaya 1

Turnovers: JHHS – 18, QHS – 23

Lady Tigers saddle Quitman with first loss of the year

On the strength of a pesky defensive effort Jonesboro-Hodge won their third straight to improve to 4-1 on the young season by taking down Quitman 58-41. The loss was the first in seven games and ended one of the longest unbeaten strings to start a season in Lady Wolverine history.

After both teams played to a 14-14 draw in the first quarter the Lady Tigers aggressive man-to-man defense started causing major problems for Quitman and led to J-H stretching a 27-19 halftime advantage into the 17 point advantage.

Grounded bombers! In the first six games of the year Quitman averaged taking around 20 three pointers a game, making over half of them often times. With the Lady Tigers staying close to Quitman as soon as they crossed the half court line the Lady Wolverines were never able to get their bread and butter shots off. For the night Quitman made only 3 trey’s on a season low 10 attempts and only one after the first quarter.

Shorthanded success! One would think that to implore such defensive pressure it would take a bevy of players to handle the job. Remarkably though the Lady Tigers dressed only 8 players and played the majority of minutes with an even shorter rotation

Trice as nice! If you thought the shorthanded defensive success was impressive on offense it was only three players that scored all but two of the Lady Tigers 58 points. Chamya Waters led the way with a season high 25 points followed by 15 from Zymea Hoggro and 14 from Xabrianna Jackson.

Leach stands tall! Bethany Leach may be small in stature but her game stood tall for Quitman. The diminutive guard not only sank the only three trey’s Quitman made on the night but constantly drove the lane for easy baskets en-route to a team 21 points, which was one more point than the rest of team collectively scored.

Game changer! Entering the final frame the Lady Wolverines were down 40-31 but gamely fought back through a trapping defensive effort of their own to cause several turnovers and narrow the margin to 43-39. For one of the few times in the game Quitman got a good look at a three that would have cut the lead to one with 4: 44 left to play. The shot bounded away and J-H proceeded to score six straight to open up a safe lead once again.

JHHS (4-1) 14 13 13 18 – 58

QHS (6-1)  14   5 12 10 – 41

JHHS scoring: Waters 25, Z. Hoggro 15, Jackson 14, Andrews 2

QHS scoring: Leach 21, Womack 8, Stewart 7, Deal 5

 J-H Girls win two at Lakeview Tourney

Jonesboro-Hodge had four players scored in double figures to impressively down defending Class 2A finalist Red River 71-50 in the Lakeview Tournament. The Lady Tigers followed that up by destroying Class 4A North DeSoto 66-32.

Against Red River, Xabrianna Jackson led the way with 25 points followed by Chamya Waters with 16, Yahzmynne Andrews 14 and Zymea Hoggro 12.  J-H turned a 32-32 game at the half into the 19 point rout by outscoring Red River 21-6 in the third and 18-12 in the fourth period.

JHHS (2-1)           15 17 21 18 – 71

RRHS (0-1)           17 15  6  12 – 50

Jackson and Waters scored 24 each in the victory over North DeSoto with Zymea Hoggro pitching in 11. It was over early as J-H raced out to a 24-11 first quarter lead and limited the Lady Griffins to just 21 points the rest of the way.

JHHS (3-1)           24 11 16 15 – 66

NDHS (0-2)         11   7 10   5 – 32

 Weston 72 Dodson 28 (Girls)

Dodson made three, 3-pointers in the first quarter of their season and home opener to take an 11-10 lead but Weston allowed only four more baskets the rest of the way to pummel the Lady Panthers by a 72-28 margin. The 28 points sets a new season best for the Weston defense.

Weston broke it open in the second quarter by taking a 24-8 advantage leading to a 34-19 lead at the half. Seven of Briley Peterson’s game high 19 points and six of the twelve scored by Emma Kate McBride led the way with Lauren Maxwell adding five and Mary Catherine Hay four of her six points in the game.

Weston completely dominated the third period to break the game open by scoring 22 and holding Dodson without a basket and only three free throws to go up by a 56-22 advantage.  Seven players scored in the third led by Peterson’s five. McBride added four as did Lainee Trosclair, who ended the night with a season best nine points.

Maxwell also chipped in with the last of her 11 points on her third, 3-pointer of the game while Jacie Ledford (4 pts.), Lakerria Austin (4 pts.) and Mallory Tolar (4 pts.) all made a basket in the pivotal period. 

Mary Beth Bond and Cameron Rushing’s basket rounded out the scoring as Weston had ten players tally for their best overall team scoring contribution of the year.  The victory evened Weston’s early season slate at 4-4 and continued the string of winning every game after a loss. Dodson fell to 0-1 on the year.

WHS (4-4) 10 24 22 16 – 72 

DHS (0-1)  11  8   3    6 – 28

WHS scoring: Peterson 19, McBride 12, Maxwell 11, Troslclair 9, Hay 6, Tolar 4, Ledford 4, Austin 4, Rushing 2, Bond 2

 Dodson 71 Weston 68  (boys)

Dodson finally got to hit the hardwoods after having their first five games cancelled or postponed to a later date due to the Coronavirus but the wait was worth it after taking down Weston 71-68 to win their season and home opener.

Xaiden Hall scored 11 of his team high 23 points in the final frame to keep Weston at bay after the Wolves scored 21 in the fourth to come close overcoming a seven point halftime deficit. Quinton Edwards added 20, Caleb Barton 14 and Beau Canter 10 as the four made nine three pointers on the night and all but two of Dodson’s total points. Caden Potts made the other basket.

Jace Holt scored 13 of his game and career high 31 points to valiantly lead the attempted rally. The Wolves had two more in double figures with Davis Tolar adding 13 that included a pair of three pointers in the third period and Mitchel Mathews chipping in with twelve. Eli McBride scored 6, Cooper Harvey 3, Kaden Shirley 2 and Braden Theriot hit a free throw to round out the scoring for Weston who remained winless on the road after four attempts and fell to 3-5 on the year.

WHS (3-5) 16 14 17 21 – 68

DHS (1-0)  18 19 14 20 – 71

WHS scoring: Holt 31, Tolar 13, Mathews 12, McBride 6, Harvey 3, Shirley 2, Theriot 1

DHS scoring: Hall 23, Edwards 20, Barton 14, Canter 10, Potts 2 

He’s done it again! It should be no surprise though as if you know local resident Robert Tyler you know that he is always searching for another way to spread the Gospel. Over the past several years he has penned books, wrote songs, performed concerts and given motivational speeches whenever and wherever he is called.

Tyler, who writes under the pen name R. D. Tinsley, has recently added to his library with his newest edition entitled “Snowbird to a Dove.” The wonderful book that incorporates local landscape and towns stresses things like how to cope in this most uncertain world and how important it is to welcome into your life God’s word.

Snowbird to a Dove and his previous children’s book Baptism on the Bayou which was published by Harper Hill Publishing in Saline, LA is available for purchase through Amazon.com. It makes the perfect stocking stuffer for adults and children alike. Supplies are limited so you will want to get your order in early.

By: Glynn Harris

            A year or so ago, my good friend and avid, make that obsessed, turkey hunter, Jim Spencer decided to put a book together about his encounters with wild turkey gobblers, birds he described as “bad birds”. In fact, that was the name of his first book,”Bad Birds”.

            Realizing that his book that took readers step by step up mountains, through briar thickets and across creeks to chase bad birds only covered part of his experiences, Spencer has assembled his accounts of more brushes with bad birds. His new book, “Bad Birds 2” is hot off the presses and is available for the perfect Christmas gift for turkey hunters.

            Beneath the title on the cover of his new book, Spencer adds…”Another collection of “mostly” true stories starring the gobblers we all love to hate.”

            Just who is this guy, Jim Spencer, anyhow? Here’s what a blurb on the back cover of the book says about this turkey fanatic….”Jim Spencer’s name and reputation are well-known in the turkey hunting subculture. A self-described turkey bum, Spencer has written more than a thousand magazine and newspaper features about turkeys and turkey hunting, and now, a third book on the subject. In more than 40 years of being whipped by turkeys, he has hunted them in three countries and 30 states. He and his wife Jill (also a well-known outdoor writer) live in the north Arkansas Ozarks, near Calico Rock.”

            The book is beautifully illustrated in photos taken by Spencer, his wife and renowned wildlife photographer, Tes Jolly. The foreword was written by Tes and her husband, Ron Jolly. Here’s what Ron Jolly wrote in the book’s Foreword about the kind of turkey man Spencer is.

            In describing a hunt in which Spencer was the shooter and Jolly the cameraman shooting a video for television, they had set up on a gobbler and when the gobbler closed the distance and was within shooting range, Spencer never got the signal to shoot before the gobbler walked away.

            “When he was gone, Spencer pulled down his mask and grinned at me over his shoulder. ‘You couldn’t see him, could you?’ I shook my head. ‘You should have killed him anyway,’ I said. ‘Naw,’ he said, ‘that wasn’t the deal. You couldn’t get any footage, so I didn’t want to shoot. It’s just a turkey.’”

            Giving it their all for two more days to film Spencer taking a gobbler they never had another chance but Jolly added, “Spencer proved to us to be a turkey man”.

            Bad Birds 2 contains 40 stories of Spencer’s encounters with tough old birds, some he was able to conquer; some where the gobbler got the best of him. He affixed monikers to each of the bad ones he has met, names like Lazy bones, Gabby, Sir Edmund, Ringo, Blinky and on and on.

            As thrilling and frustrating and fun to read as Spencer’s stories are about the bad birds he has encountered, the book ends soberly with his epilogue where he describes in a manner only he can do of the problems wild turkeys are facing in today’s world. “Something is happening out there in turkey country, and we need to get a handle on it,” he wrote.

This is a book every turkey hunter should read, for enjoyment, for pleasure and for instructions on what not to do. It’s also one that needs reading for his serious message about the plight of wild turkeys today.

            To order your copy in time for Christmas giving, send a check for $26, which includes cost of shipping and handling to Treble Hook Unlimited, P.O. Box 758, Calico Rock, AR 72519 or to Paypal at modernmountainman@gmailcom.

FISHING REPORT

BUSSEY BRAKE – Bass have been fair on spinners and soft plastics around pads and structure. Crappie fishing has improved a bit fishing the lower end of the lake around the dam with shiners working best. No report on bream or catfish. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

BLACK BAYOU –  Bass are fair around the grass on jigs and soft plastics. Bream and crappie are slow. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.

OUACHITA RIVER – Crappie are fair on shiners and jigs around submerged tops in the river with some caught in river lakes.  Bass have been fair fishing shad imitation lures around the mouth of the cuts. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE D’ARBONNE – With the lake lowered, everything is mostly active in the deeper channels. Crappie fishing has been best up the creeks on shiners and jigs. Bass fishing has been best fishing the edges of the channels on crank baits and soft plastics. A few bream have been caught deep on night crawlers. Catfishing is good on cold worms and night crawlers. For latest reports, call Anderson’s Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE CLAIBORNE – Bass fishing has improved as the fish have moved to the secondary points feeding on small shad. White is the main color for spinner baits or chatter baits. Crappie fishing has been best on shiners or jigs on the south end of the lake. Stripers are fair trolling white bucktails with Beaver creek area producing best. Catfishing has been fair on trotlines baited with chicken livers or blood bait. Bream are slow. For latest information, call Tim Loftin at Kel’s Cove at 927-2264.

CANEY LAKE – Bass fishing has been best in deeper water with soft plastics such as drop shot rigs or jigging spoons picking up a few. The yellow bass are starting to bite in deep water with some caught on jigging spoons and tail spinners bounced off the bottom. Crappie fishing has been best around deep tops with some caught under the Hwy 4 bridge on shiners or jigs. No report on bream or catfish this week. For latest information contact Bateaux on Caney Lake at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE POVERTY POINT – Crappie have been best on the south end of the lake. Catfishing is fair to good while bass are slow. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318-878-0101.

LAKE ST. JOHN – The gates are open and fishing overall has been slow. For information, call Ken Mahoney at 318-201-3821.

LAKE YUCATAN – The water is falling. Bass and catfish have been good while crappie are slow. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.

LAKE BRUIN – The water is very clear and fishing overall has been slow. For information, contact Carlos Gray at 318/766-0075.   

All three of the Jackson Parish schools will be in action this week with Friday and Tuesday games but the games that Weston plays has the most intriguing local flavor. This Friday, December 4th the Wolves will make the short trip to Jonesboro-Hodge for a rematch of the boys and girls contest played on November 19th that saw the J-H girls and Weston boys take victories. Quitman will also host D’Arbonne Woods for a boys and girls matchup.

Weston will travel to Summerfield on Monday for a boys and girls contest scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm but it is Tuesday’s action that is spiciest of all. That is when former Wolves star Ryan Bond, who also led the Weston boys to their only state tournament in school history as a coach, brings Class 5A Ruston for a contest slated to begin immediately following the girls game, which is set for 6:00 pm.

Additional games on Tuesday will see Jonesboro-Hodge visit Homer, Quitman will travel to Calvin and Union Parish will invade Saline. Tip off time is to be at 6:00 pm for the Quitman and Saline games while Jonesboro-Hodge will begin action with a junior varsity game at 5:00 pm before varsity boys and girls action takes place.

Friday (Dec.4th)
Weston at Jonesboro-Hodge (B&G) 6:00 pm
D’Arbonne Woods at Quitman (B&G) 6:00 pm

Monday (Dec. 7th)
Weston at Summerfield (B&G) 5:00 pm

Tuesday (Dec. 8th)
JHHS at Homer (JV, G&B) 5:00 pm
Quitman at Calvin (B&G) 6:00 pm
Saline at Union (B&G) 6:00 pm
Ruston at Weston (B&G) 6:00 pm

With the world enduring through the Coronavirus Epidemic it could be said that never before in the history of modern medical treatment has the skills of a respiratory therapist been so vital to the recovery of the patients they come in contact with. Go to any hospital in America over the past several months and you would find virtually every floor full of patients suffering from respiratory illnesses.

Fortunately for local residents, the Jackson Parish Hospital employs the services of one of the best staff in the industry under the direction of Respiratory Manager, Teresa Jones.  They are a very dedicated group of respiratory therapists serving our community 24 hours a day / 7 days a week and are credentialed by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) and licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME). Per information provided by usafacts.org (see below) which provides parish by parish statistics as a result of their abilities and care, Jackson Parish has one of the better recovery rates among COVID-19 infections anywhere in the state.

Not familiar with what does a respiratory therapist actually does? They have quite a broad scope of practice within the hospital. Daily responsibilities include various respiratory care modalities in the treatment of pulmonary diseases as well as advanced critical care procedures, including the use of advanced diagnostic tools to accurately diagnose the severity of respiratory dysfunction in patients.  They conduct preliminary examinations on patients suspected of having respiratory ailments and collaborate with attending physicians to come up with patient treatment plans.

As part of their work, they also administer respiratory therapy treatments by performing nebulization of bronchodilators and corticosteroids, bronchopulmonary drainage, administering oxygen, assisting with breathing exercises, mechanical ventilation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and monitoring physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, and blood chemistry changes.  Each one of these treatments is designed to ensure that a patient’s lungs operate efficiently and effectively when it comes to supplying oxygen to the body, and if the lungs aren’t fully capable, providing the necessary support to make up for the shortfall until the lungs are capable of operating independently again.

At the Jackson Parish Hospital, you can take advantage of the following outpatient services:

• Holter Monitor (Heart monitor usually run continuously 24 – 72 hours in the comfort of your home)
• Pulmonary Function Testing
• Breathing Treatments
• Chest Percussion Therapy
• Pulse Oximetry
• Arterial Blood Gases
• Incentive Spirometry
• Peak Flows
• Pulmonary Education

For complete parish by parish stats on number of COVID-19 cases vs. number of deaths go to:

https://usafacts.org/visualizations/coronavirus-covid-19-spread-map/state/louisiana

Vice President Pence, who heads up the Nation’s Corona Virus Task force, decided that it was time for some fun time and decided that he was going to vacation time in sunny Florida.  However, his vacation was called off and plans were scrapped due to an approaching hurricane named Eta.   Amid virus numbers climbing as never before, Pence would find time to take a vacation as Americans are dying in record numbers.  Republican Governors like Mike Dewine, of Ohio, Larry Hogan of Maryland, are calling on citizens to control their personal lives by wearing masks, avoiding large gatherings at funerals, football games, social events, and practicing good health hygrine.  Wearing a mask and taking responsibility for what citizens do in their own personal lives is key for the nation to conquer this virus.  Someone commented that “we are fighting a common enemy and it is not Republicans, Democrats or Independents, it is COVID 19”. 

It is now past time for President Trump to accept defeat and allow the county to move forward. Political experts and commentators are warning that President Trump’s behavior is putting the nation’s security at risk  His only concern seems to be what he WANTS, not what is good for the country,

While President Elect Biden garnered more popular votes and currently has 279 Electoral votes, President Trump is contending that the Democrats stole the election from him,  and without any plausible evidence has inundated the courts with frivolous and baseless claims of voter fraud in the red states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, states headed by Republican Governors.  From all indication, President Trump has mesmerized his base to the extent that they will do almost anything to support him.  I am informed that many Republicans do not want to become engulfed in a political spat with Trump and his base that could impact their election chances in the future.  They believe that Trump’s base, which consists of over 70 million voters, could bury them alive, politically.

We are witnessing one of the most shameful and embarrassing moments in the history of the nation all while there is a legion of crises facing the nation.  It is hoped and citizens are praying that President Trump will come to his senses and for the sake of our democracy, accept  his loss and rejection by the American people and do what is right and best for the country, not what is right for Donald Trump.  This ugly fabricated crisis by President Trump must give way to the Biden elect administration which hopefully signals a new beginning for greatness in all peoples.   

Dr. Herbert Simmons, Jr. is an associate Professor, Department of Criminal Justice, Grambling State University, former President, Grambling State University Faculty Senate and former Chair, Department of Consumer Education and Resource Management, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

Home-standing Jonesboro-Hodge put up a good fight in the first round of the LHSAA playoffs but in the end it was 18^th seeded Kentwood who continued on the road to the Dome with a 27-18 victory. Kentwood advances to play #2 Mangham this Friday while Jonesboro-Hodge’s season comes to a close with a 3-4 mark

In most years if a Louisiana high school is playing football after Thanksgiving it means that team had a fairly successful year. That is because normally it would mean that school had won a couple of playoff games, was playing at least in the quarterfinals and would end the year with a winning record.

By no means was 2020 a normal year as this year every team that made the playoffs were playing after Thanksgiving. First it was scare there would be no season at all due to the Coronavirus. Then only an eight game schedule would be played. As a result the annual contest with rival Winnfield wasn’t played for the first time since World War II. 

Fortunately for the Tigers most of the contests on the schedule were able to be played but J-H did have a couple of games (Loyola, Lakeside) cancelled by outbreaks of the virus, leaving J-H playing six games in the regular season. In those J-H finished 3-3 overall and 1-1 in district 1-2A play.

First round blues! The loss continued the string of first round Class 2A playoff losses by the Tigers to six straight and dropped head coach Terrance Blankenship’s playoff record to 4-8 in his eight years at the helm.  

Suspect seeding! Perennial playoff power Kentwood entered as an 18^th seed. This was due to their last two games being cancelled which caused a major loss of valuable power points. As result they entered the contest with only six games under their belts but sported a 4-2 record overall and a perfect 3-0 record in 9-2A play. If they would have been able to play their last two Kentwood would have been seeded much higher.

Roos jump on top! Kentwood went up 14-0 before J-H finally got on the board in the second quarter when JaMarriyea Lewis caught a Tydre Malone touchdown pass to narrow the half time margin to just an eight point deficit.

Heartbreaking turnaround! J-H started the third quarter by driving the ball into Kentwood territory and bringing hope to the Tiger faithful that they might draw even. Then disaster struck as Kentwood intercepted a pass at their own 27 yard line and returned it 73 yards for a touchdown. Instead of the score possibly being tied at 14 apiece it was now a 21-6 Kentwood lead.  Another Roo score pushed the margin to 27-6 midway in through the fourth quarter.

Still fighting to the end! With such a large deficit and really no hope of making a comeback to win it would have been understandable if the Tigers just laid down and let the clock run out.  To their credit they continued to fight and scored a pair of touchdowns to make the final score respectable.  First it was a Devontae Mozee and Tydre Malone connection for 50 yards. Then JaMarriyea Lewis picked up a blocked punt and returned it for a touchdown to narrow the margin to the final 27-18 score.

“I hate we lost this game as it is one we could have won,” said Blankenship. “Still I am proud of the way the guys fought. They played to the end. “ 

No ground game! Quarterback Tydre Malone completed 13 passes for 239 yards and two scores but that was virtually all the offense could muster as Kentwood totally shut down the Tigers running game. LaJavion Nichols led the Tigers rushing attack with 15 carries for only 36 yards as J-H had their lowest rushing output of the season. DeVontae Mozee caught 3 passes for 89 yards and a score to lead the receiving corp. Jamarriyea Lewis followed with 5 catches for 74 yards and a touchdown.

#15 JHHS (3-4)   0 6 0 12 – 18

#18 KHS (5-2)      7 7 7   6 – 27

1^st Quarter: Kentwood 11 yard run (PAT good) 7-0

2^nd Quarter: Kentwood 11 yard run (PAT good) 14-0

                        JHHS – Malone pass to Lewis (PAT no good) 14-6

3^rd Quarter: Kentwood 73 yard interception return (PAT no good) 20-6

4^th Quarter: Kentwood 2 yard run (PAT no good) 27-6

                          JHHS – Malone 50 yard pass to Mozee (2 pt. no good) 27-12

                         JHHS – Lewis return of blocked kick (2 pt no good) 27-18

JHHS offensive statistical leaders: (GAME)
Passing: Malone (13/23 – 239, 2 TD’s, 1 Int)

Rushing: Nichols (15/36), Malone (10/1), Calahan (4/-1)

Receiving: Mozee (3/89, 1 TD), Lewis (5/74, 1 TD), Bowie (2/53), Calahan (1/15), Boston (1/8)

  JHHS offensive statistical leaders: (SEASON)

Passing: Malone (59/115 – 974, 10 TD’s, 4 Int’s)

Rushing: Nichols (73/513, 6 TD’s), Thompson (23/341, 4 TD’s)

Receiving: Calahan (16/221, 4 TD’s), Lewis (11/258, 2 TD’s)

Just a few miles northwest of Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is the town of Oberndorf.  Towering over the town was the bell tower of St. Nicholas’s Church.  The church and bell tower were visible from anywhere in town.  People for miles around could hear the bell calling them to worship. 

St. Nicholas’s Church was equipped with a pump organ.  In the days before electricity, the organist sat on a stool and pumped foot petals, alternating between the right and left feet, which were connected to a set of bellows.  The bellows increased the air pressure in the organ’s drum.  The organist pulled out knobs called stops, which adjusted the volume and tone of the organ.  (The phrase “pull out all the stops” derived from pump organs, and “pulling out all of the stops” meant the organ played at its highest volume and fullest tone.)  The organist pressed the black and white keys on a keyboard similar to a modern piano or organ.  The keys released air which passed over reeds and created different tones based on the length of the reed. 

In 1816, thirty-year-old Franz Xavier Gruber, a teacher in a neighboring town, became the organist at St. Nicholas’s Church.  In the late Fall of 1818, Franz noticed a hissing, wheezing sound coming from the bellows of the old organ.  The bellows were leaking.  Each time Franz played the organ, the hissing grew louder and the wonderful tones of the organ grew quieter.  The leak worsened until the organ would no longer make any sound other than a hiss.  Franz and Joseph Mohr, the assistant to the priest of St. Nicholas’s Church, sent for Karl Mauracher, an organ-builder from Fügen, a small town about one hundred miles southwest of Oberndorf in the Zillertal valley.  The valley was renowned for its many families who built the best quality instruments and played them just as well.

Karl gathered his hand tools and began the slow trip to Oberndorf in a horse drawn wagon.  Several days later, Karl arrived at St. Nicholas’s Church and assured the organist that he would have the organ repaired in time for the Christmas Eve Advent service.  He planned to have the organ repaired in time for him to make the several-day trip back to Fügen in time for Christmas.  However, as he inspected the organ more thoroughly, he determined that the organ needed more than mending, it needed a total refurbishment.  Karl worked on the delicate instrument as quickly as he could, but he was a perfectionist.  As it neared the date for him to leave so he could arrive in Fügen by Christmas, it began to snow.  It snowed until the wagon trails were impassable.  Karl’s work on the organ was going slower than anyone, especially Karl, had expected.  He knew he would not be home for Christmas, but he tried to complete the organ in time for the Christmas Eve service.  He worked in the short days of winter from early morning until late into the night.  On Christmas Eve morning, Karl told Franz and Joseph the bad news.  The organ refurbishment would not be completed in time.

Franz and Joseph searched through their sheet music for something suitable to perform without the pump organ at the service.  Nothing seemed to satisfy them.  In desperation, Franz quickly came up with a melody.  Joseph listened to Franz’s melody, picked out the chords on a guitar, and provided lyrics to fit.  They rehearsed the song later that afternoon until they were comfortable with its arrangement, then they rehearsed the song with the choir. 

Karl had become friends with several members of St. Nicholas’s Church and decided to go to the Christmas Eve Advent service.  During the service, Joseph and Franz began to play and sing their new song.  Joseph played the guitar and sang tenor and Franz sang bass.  The choir joined in on the choruses.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the song, especially Karl.  He asked Joseph and Franz if he could get a copy of the song to take home with him, and they obliged. 

A few days later, Karl completed the refurbishment of the pump organ and returned to Fügen with his copy of Joseph’s and Franz’s new song.  The following year, Karl convinced a local family of singers, the Rainers, to perform the song at their Christmas Eve service.  The congregation loved the song and the Rainers added it to their repertoire. 

In 1822, Ferdinand I, the Hapsburg Emperor, and Czar Alexander I of Russia spent Christmas in Fügen Castle.  During their stay, the Rainers performed several songs including the song Franz and Joseph had written.  Ferdinand and Alexander were impressed by the Rainers and made arrangements for them to perform on a European tour of royal courts.  The highlight of each show was their performance of Franz’s and Joseph’s song, which they saved until last.  They performed the song in London and the audience was as enthusiastic as any the Rainers had encountered even though the song had not yet been translated into English.   

Within a few years, the Rainers had forgotten who had written their most popular song.  Rumors persisted that the song must have been written by Mozart or some other renowned musical genius.  Finally, a special commission from the Prussian court dispelled the rumors and learned that Joseph and Franz were the true authors of the special song that we still sing each year at Christmas time.  Had it not been for the incredible sequence of events mentioned above, we would never have heard one of the most popular Christmas carols of the past two hundred years, “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht.”  The English translation is “Silent Night, Holy Night.”               

Sources:

1. The Bangor Dialy News, December 24, 1973, p.20.
2. The Windsor Star (Windsor, Ontario, Canada), December 18, 1986, p.27.
3. YouTube.com. “Mrs Flewwelling Explains – How to Play a Pump Organ.” Accessed November 24, 2020. https://youtu.be/iBXV8Aol_wo.

Sarah McCurdy (Eros, LA) – Domestic Abuse Battery

Lawrence R. Tatum (Jonesboro, LA) – Jackson Parish Bench Warrant on Possession of synthetic marijuana charge

Courtney Dennis (Hodge, LA) – Simple theft

Casey D. Cathey (Quitman, LA) – Disturbing the peace, Resisting an officer

Matthew Joseph Gray (Jonesboro, LA) – Bench Warrant on Disturbing the peace charge

Jovan Wright (Jacksonville, AR) – Bench Warrant on speeding and driving under suspension charges

Kenneth L. Snyder (Dodson, LA) – Failure to appear on violation of seatbelt law charge

Jasmin Barnes (Jonesboro, LA) – Warrant for theft

Phillip R. Andrews (Jonesboro, LA) – Battery of a dating partner

Johnathon Turner (Jonesboro, LA) – Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Andrea Tatum (Jonesboro, LA) – Possession of Schedule II drug, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Christopher G. Ross (Jonesboro, LA) – Jackson Parish Bench Warrant for theft charge

John W. Robertson (Shreveport, LA) – Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Vicki Cottonham                        Sept. 18, 1959 – Nov. 21, 2020

Ms. Vicki Cottonham, age 61, went to be with the Lord on November 21, 2020. A graveside service was held on Saturday, November 28^th at the Galilee Cemetery under the direction of Paradise Funeral Home in Jonesboro.

Paul Humphrey                           Feb. 10, 1929 – Nov. 27, 2020

Mr. Paul Humphrey of Saline, Louisiana passed away on Friday, November 27, 2020 at the age of 91.  Paul entered into his heavenly home peacefully with his beloved wife, Margie by his side.  Dementia is cruel and watching a brilliant mind fade away was incredibly rough.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions placed on nursing homes, our family was unable to visit him for the past nine months except through a window or a video chat.  The family would like to thank all of the staff at Forest Haven in Jonesboro, LA for the wonderful care provided over these final months.

Paul was born in Friona, Texas on February 10, 1929 to David and Maudie Humphrey.  Growing up during the depression undoubtedly shaped his exemplary work ethic, innovative mind and resourceful ways.  He was the pillar of our family, loved God and served as a deacon of Old Saline Baptist Church for many years. 

He loved his country and served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, California.  Paul was a master mechanic and had the ability to fix, build or fabricate almost anything.  He was a straight and plumb carpenter and his construction was top notch.  He was a lover of music and could play many instruments by ear.  He passed on his many talents and passions to his children and grandchildren.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Aubrey Humphrey.  He is survived by his wife, Margie of 70 years; their three sons, Douglas Humphrey and wife Gail of Saline, Gene Humphrey and wife Gail of Saline, Ronnie Humphrey and wife Janice of Shreveport.  Grandchildren include Tanya and Jeremy Paul of Ruston, Trent and Emily Humphrey of Haughton, Ryan and Amy Humphrey of Shreveport, Alyson Lancaster of Forney, Texas, Ashlin and Heath Thompson of Shreveport, Matthew and Cody Rawls Beaverton, Oregon, Eric and Jennifer Rawls of Keithville, Chris and Shannon Fife of Sterlington, Matthew and Kristi Fife of Farmerville, Leigh Ann and Nicholas Hamburg of West Monroe, eleven great grandchildren and a host of family and friends.

Graveside services were held on December 1^st, 2020 at Old Saline Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of Southern-Edmonds Funeral Home following a brief visitation period at the Old Saline Baptist Church.

Evelyn Russell                             May 03, 1958 – Nov. 15, 2020

Funeral Services were held at the New Galilee Baptist Church in Jonesboro, LA on Friday, November 27, 2020 for Evelyn Russell who passed away at the age of 62 years old. Internment followed at the New Galilee Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of Paradise Funeral Home in Jonesboro. 

Casey “Buck” Anders Jr.          Jan. 04, 1956 – Nov. 19, 2020

Funeral Services were held Casey “Buck” Anders Jr., age 64, on Saturday, November 28, 2020 at Anders Farm in Eros, LA. Internment followed at the Old Ziggler Cemetery in Eros, LA under the direction of Paradise Funeral Home in Jonesboro, LA.

Marie Knox                         August 09, 1935 – November 23, 2020

Ms. Marie Knox, age 85 passed away on November 23, 2020. A graveside service was held at the Sandhill Cemetery in Quitman, LA on Monday, November 30^th under the direction of Paradise Funeral Home in Jonesboro, LA.