The incredible success that Quitman High School has enjoyed this spring in softball that has propelled the team to the 2021 LHSAA state softball tournament is no longer a secret. That is result of the feature story that KTVE-TV sports director Chris Demardjian, did on the #5 seed team in Class B that aired on Tuesday, April 27th and was published on the myarklamiss.com website. To view the feature of Quitman click here:  https://www.myarklamiss.com/sports/quitman-softball-hopes-to-leave-sulphur-with-teams-first-championship/

Lady Wolverines to face Anacoco on Thursday, April 27

The goal of going to Sulphur, LA to play in the Class B state championship tournament is now a reality but to compete in the title game the Lady Wolverines who enter with a 27-7 record must first get past upstart Anacoco. The #9 seed, who is the district 5B champion with a 16-14 overall record earned the opportunity to play Quitman by upsetting top ranked Forest High in the quarterfinals. Game time is set for 3:00pm.

Directions to Frasch Park: According to Google Maps the best way to get to to the Frasch Park of the Sulphur Parks and Recreation softball complex is to take Hwy 167S to Alexandria and then take Hwy 165S to Interstate 10 and head west. From there you will take exit 20 on to Ruth Street and continue for appoximately 5 miles. The exact address of the Park where Quitman will play on field #15 is 400 Picard St. in Sulphur, LA.

Profile of the 2020-21 Lady Wolverines (27-7)

It would be safe to say that never before in Jackson Parish sport history has such a youthful team enjoyed as much success and advanced as far as the Lady Wolverines have this season. To put it into perspective Quitman has played seven schools that have qualified for the state tournament in various classifications and divisions and has beaten five of them including the top ranked team in Class 3A (Grant). 

Team statistics: Offensively the Lady Wolverines have scored 372 runs (Madison Chaplin – 54) in their 34 games for an average of 10.94 runs per game and has a composite team batting average of .362 (Cali Deal – .500). This includes 59 doubles (Maggie Guyotte -14), 13 triples (Cali Deal – 4) and 24 home runs (Guyotte & Maddie Kaye Brymer – 7). Quitman has also stolen 183 bases (Chaplin – 31) for an average of 5.38 per game while being caught stealing only nine times.   Defensively Quitman enters the state tourney with an .886 fielding average (Averie Williams – .986) and sports a pitching staff that boasts a sparkling 2.082 ERA (Deal – 1.333) and has struck out 269 batters (Deal – 181) for an average of 7.91 per game.

Individual capsules (team leaders shown in bold)

Starters	Statistics
Cali Deal	.500BA, 38RS, 32RBI, 12-2B, 4-3B, 4HR, 16SB, 15-5 record, 181K’s, 1.333 ERA
Maddie Kaye Brymer	.467BA, 43RS, 59RBI, 12-2B, 1-3B, 7HR, 9SB, 3-0 record, 19K’s, 2.471 ERA
Maggie Guyotte	.442BA, 34RS, 36RBI, 14-2B, 3-3B, 7HR, 2SB, 8-2 record, 69K’s, 3.635 ERA
Madeline Vail	.360BA, 35RS, 21RBI, 3-2B, 23SB
Madison Chaplin	.356BA, 54RS, 30RBI, 5-2B, 3-3B, 4HR, 31 SB
Skylar Hall	.347BA, 27RS, 23RBI, 4-2B, 2-3B, 22SB
Jada Naron	.309BA, 30RS, 29RBI, 4-2B, 16SB
Karley Huckaby	.256BA, 34RS, 19RBI, 2-2B, 2HR, 19SB
Averie Williams	.221BA, 31RS, 14RBI, 3-2B, 27SB
Reserves
Marley Bell	.417BA (5/12), 5RS, 4RBI, 1SB
Katie Lynn Roberts	.500BA (1/2), 1RS, 1SB
Taylor Harvey	.364BA (4/11), 13RS, 2RBI, 4SB
Bethany Leach	(0/3), 6RS, 4SB
Emily Borland	(0/4), 13RS, 4SB
Summer Grilette	(0/7), 6RS, 3SB
Emily Maxwell	(0/6), 1RS, 1SB

Poppa is coming home! Former JHHS basketball star Ladamien Bradford tweeted the news Tuesday that he was would be plying his skills at Louisiana Tech next season. It took a year longer than he wanted but Louisiana Tech head basketball coach Eric Konkol has now gotten the one that he said he wanted to build his backcourt around while initially recruiting Bradford before losing him to Texas A&M. Bradford will be immediately eligible to play next season for Tech. 

The versatile 6’4″ guard made two starts in the 2020-2021 season and played in 14 games for the Aggies recording recording five assists, five steals, four points and a block. As his tweet indicated, he was grateful for his experience this past season.

“First of all I want to thank Coach Johnson and Coach Williams and the rest of the coaching staff for the opportunity to play at Texas A&M,” Bradford wrote in a message posted to Twitter. “I want to thank all my teammates for their love and support and great memories that I will never forget. I am forever grateful for this opportunity in my life. I have decided to enter the transfer portal and explore new opportunities.”

Bradford was a candidate for the LSWA’s Mr. Basketball honor and also the Gatorade Player of the Year in Louisiana at the close of his high school days at JHHS. He was the Shreveport Times All-Area Player of the Year for 2019-20 after averaging 24.5 points and 13.3 rebounds, along with 5.5 assists and 3.3 steals.

 

 

 

With a pair of 3-run, home runs by Davis Tolar and Braden Theriot in the bottom of the fourth inning #10 seed Weston High denied an upset bid by #23 Castor by rallying for a thrilling 7-6 victory. The win propels the Wolves, now 12-7 on the year, into a Regional round contest on May 3rd on the road against #7 Converse who is the district 4B co-champion and has an 18-8 overall record.

Fourth inning magic: Suddenly the fourth inning has become a game changer for the Wolves. This past Thursday, Weston used a grand slam by Caleb Waters to rally past Quitman. On Monday the Wolves got a pair of three run blasts to rally from a 5-1 deficit. 

Scoring in bunches: Kaden Shirley got the big inning started with a one out double. This was followed by a walk to Blaine Graham. Theriot then hit a shot to dead center for first home run of the season that narrowed the gap to 5-4. Bryce Zehr and Waters then singled to right with two outs setting up the game winning blast by Tolar, his second of the year to give Weston a 7-5 lead.

Shirley seals the deal: Head coach Jacob Otwell was hoping not to have to pitch his ace after Shirley went seven innings just three days before but with Weston down by four the first year head coach turned to his ace in hopes of stopping the bleeding. Shirley responded with a superb 3.2 innings in relief where he allowed only three hits and no earned runs while striking out four to earn the win. 

Sloppy game: While the contest was exciting it was also sloppily played on defense as the twoformer district foes combined for 12 errors. A season worst seven were made by Weston which is what led to Castor taking the early lead.  

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
#23 Castor	1	0	3	1	0	0	1	6	6	5
#10 Weston	0	0	1	6	0	0	X	7	8	7

WP – Shirley, LP – n/a
2B – Shirley, Zehr
HR – Theriot, Tolar
RBI – Tolar 4, Theriot 3
SB – Waters 2,  Henderson

Anyone who knows Tag Rome, the son of former Jackson Parish residents Tony and Marlene Rome,  would not be surprised by the recent announcement that he was named to the State Farm Insurance Chairman’s Circle for 2020.  After all, they will tell you that overachieving has always a specialty of the 1979 Cedar Creek High School and NLU (now ULM) football star whose competitiveness and love for a new challenge is unrivaled. 

As a testament to his drive, Rome not only qualified for his 16th Chairman’s Circle designation at his Bossier City State Farm Legacy Office, he also did it also for the first time at his Blanchard office. To put this achievement into perspective State Farm has over 19,000 agencies in their network and less than 3% earn Chairman’s Circle designation and Rome did it twice. This being in a year that the COVID-19 pandemic created more obstacles for business owners than ever before.  Tag – your still it!

 

 

 

Savannah Dowden and Lake Vines of Quitman High School has been named the 2020-21 recipient of the annual I.J. Allen Scholarship. The memorial scholarships are awarded each year by the Jonesboro State Bank to deserving graduating seniors of Jackson Parish schools in the name of former bank president I.J. Allen (1883-1980)

Vines, who plans to attend Louisiana State University (LSU) and pursue a major in Biology received a scholarship in the amount of $6,000.00. Dowden, was awarded a $3,000.00 to which she plans to apply towards a Pharmacy degree at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.  

To say that Tuesday, April 22nd was a special day at Weston High School is an understatement. Words cant do justice to the exhilaration and heart felt tidings that were abound on what was dubbed as “Chase the Win” day in honor of former WHS teacher and coach Chase Frasier, who tragically lost his life last year in an auto accident. 

First there was the baseball game between Weston and rival Quitman, that saw the Wolves win in dramatic fashion. Then the event was highlighted by the presentation of the inaugural Chase Frasier Memorial Scholarship. The well deserving, recipient was Madison Coody, who not only exemplifies the kind of school spirit Coach Frasier brought but is also wonderful representative of what it means to be a true student-athlete. 

An eagle three on the par five, third hole offset the only par the team of Dwayne “Snook” Harrell, Walter Simmons, Colton Moore, Eli Walker and Luke Walker made on their way to a winning, nine under par, score of 27 in the Tuesday Night Scramble held on April 20th.

The total on the par 36 course was two better than three teams led by the fivesome of Dawson Tolar, Drew Huddleston, Phillip Brown, David Brown and Gary Willis who won the scorecard playoff for second place by making a birdie two on the par three, fifth hole that bettered the third place finishing team of Tommy C., Bill Decou, Josh Smith, Noah Leach and Glen Watkins.   

Final results:

1. Harrell, Walker, Walker, Simmons, Moore	27 (9 under)
2. Tolar, Huddleston, Brown, Brown, Willis	29 (7 under) **
3. Tommy C., Decou, Smith, Leach, Watkins	29 (7 under) **
4. Marshall, Sony, Tolar, Knighten, Knighten	29 (7 under)**
5. Tolar, Foshee, Gaines, Beck, Peyton	30 (6 under)
6. Richie S., Jeffrey M., Smith, Hobson, Horton	32 (4 under)
7. Morris, Wells, Conville, Brown, Davis	32 (4 under)

Jace Holt and Macie Hall has been named Mr. and Miss Weston High School for the 2020-21 school year. Jace Holt is the son of Justin and Tammy Holt. Jace has attended Weston High School since Kindergarten. During this time he has been active in athletics and other organizations. He is a member of FFA and FCA. Jace has also been on the Weston Wolves Basketball team for the last six years. He was chosen District 2-B All District Boys Team, First Team. He has served on Homecoming Court the last two years and also has been chosen class favorite each high school year. He attends Hodge United Pentecostal Church. Jace’s future plans are to attend Louisiana Delta Community college pursuing a degree in E & I Engineering.

Macie is the daughter of Chad Hall and Dara Davis and has attended Weston since PreK. She is involved in FBLA, BETA, student council, is her class secretary and has been on the Lady Wolves softball team all four years. She has also been on the Homecoming Court every year of her high school career. Macie worships at North Hodge Assembly of God. Her future plans are to attend the University of Louisiana in Monroe and major in dental hygiene.   

 

Gracepoint Christian Academy (GCA), located at 1691 South Hudson Avenue in Jonesboro, LA, has begun enrollment for the 2021-22 school year. Registration is open to youth from the ages of Pre-K and the 3rd thru 12th grade.

The Christian based school offers Bob Jones University (BJU) Curriculum which provides educational materials written from a biblical worldview that focus on academic rigor and encourage critical thinking, all delivered by expert teachers and video lessons. 

Additional amenities the school offers is a weekly chapel period for students, Patriotic Heritage studies, no Common Core math curriculum and class sizes that are limited to 12 students per class ensuring maximum individual attention. 

For more information you can send a message on the GCA Facebook page or contact Administrator David “Bubba” Walsworth at 318-259-4968.

Lauren Menzina, who has deep family roots in Jackson Parish and is the daughter of former Jonesboro business owners, Lonnie and Jill (Brown) Menzina, has been named Student-Athlete of the Week at Louisiana Tech University. 

After pitching Cedar Creek High School to a state title in softball where she was named Most Outstanding Player of the Division IV State Tournament, the scholar student has continued to achieve tremendous success on the collegiate level in both the classroom and playing field.

This is demonstrated by her posting a perfect 4.0 grade point average in each of her first two quarters at Tech and compiling a 2-0 record and a 3.11 earned run average in four starts that included a complete game victory against USA conference foe University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB).

The Jackson Parish Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that on Saturday, May 1st, a senior student from Jonesboro-Hodge, Quitman and Weston High School will be selected as the 2021 Community Service Award winner. 

This year marks the 5th Annual Community Service Award (CSA) program sponsored by the Jackson Parish Chamber of Commerce. For this school year only, in honor of an exemplary educator from each school who tragically lost their life this past year, the 2021 CSA award has been named in memory of Coach Chase Frasier of Weston High School, Mrs. Bertha Robinson of JHHS and Coach Zach Harris of Quitman High School. 

 

The Jackson Parish Tourism Board seeks your help with the preparation of a new tourism brochure. The effort is designed to beckon visitors to enjoy the beauty of our piney hills, take part in the great fishing and hunting that is abound and learn that Jackson Parish is a wonderful destination for relaxation. If you have a photo of a Jackson Parish location, event, or scene that will help people outside our area understand what an unsung jewel our parish is, email a high resolution copy to info@visitjacksonparish.org for possible inclusion.

The continued revitalization of downtown Jonesboro got another boost this week when Hideway Hair Salon was opened on Tuesday, April 27th. Located at 520 South Polk Avenue, which is on the corner of South Polk and 6th Street, the newest edition to the Jonesboro business district is owned and operated by Rachel Potts.

“I am so glad to be doing business in my home town,” said Potts.

A native of Jonesboro and current Quitman resident, Potts formerly worked at Davis & Company Hair Salon in Ruston and studied Cosmetology at Pat Goins Beauty School. Walk-ins are welcome or you can make an appointment by calling (318) 548-7044.

 

 

 

2021 Boys Track and Field

Event	JHHS	QHS	WHS
100M	Jameon Tate – 11.62	Noah Vail – 11.52	Gage Albert – 11.90
200M	LaJavion Nichols – 23.66	Noah Vail – 24.46	Caleb Waters – 25.71
400M	Datre’vien Bowie – 53.13	Jamall Johnson – 57.78	Landon Roberts – 56.81
800M	Cameron Leonard – 2:19.79	Taylor Huddleston – 2:26.84	Landon Roberts – 2:22.91
1600M	David Johnson – 5:43.05	Harley Brown – 5:18.75	Dillon Pardue – 5:32.78
3200M	David Johnson – 14:38.05	Chance Chaplin – 13:32.00	Dillon Pardue – 12:35.00
110Hurdles	Savantez Phillips – 17.50
300Hurdles	Devontae Mozee – 44.34	James Pabaya – 51.14
4x100Relay	45.10	49.11	48.71
4x200Relay	1:34.27	1:43.07
4x400Relay	3:38.41	4:12.79
High Jump	Datre’vien Bowie – 6’6″	S. Rowe, N. Klibert – 5’2″
Long Jump	Justin Calahan – 20′ 5″	Jamall Johnson – 18’10”	Daniel Albert – 16’3.75″
Triple Jump	Datre’vien Bowie – 44’7.75″	Ty Simonelli – 36’5.5″
Pole Vault		Hunter Folks – 9’6″
Shot Put	Chase Bryant – 43’7″	Bailey Keys – 39’1.25″	Rylee McBride – 39’3″
Discus	Chase Bryant – 102’8.5″	Jamikel Moffett – 90’2.5″
Javelin	Kolby Mitchell – 139’2″	Bailey Keys – 117’9″

2021 Girls Track and Field

Event	JHHS	QHS	WHS
100M	Zymea Hoggro – 13.46	Clara Womack – 13.86
200M	Laila Johnson – 27.20	Grace Sharplin – 30.14	Jacie Ledford 32.05
400M	Yahzmynne Andrews – 1:12.38	Emma Carter – 1:11.60	Josie Irvin – 1:13.02
800M		Faith Odom -2:57.28	Josie Irvin – 3:01.99
1600M		Faith Odom – 6:34.32
3200M		Faith Odom – 14:42.52
100Hurdles	Yahzmynne Andrews – 21.31	Maddie Giddens – 19.78	LaKerria Austin – 18.19
300Hurdles	A’Joriana Hoggro – 57.42	Maddie Giddens – 56.21	LaKerria Austin – 55.55
4x100Relay	52.71	56.53	1:01.26
4x200Relay	1:52.92	2:04.80
4x400Relay	4:52.32
High Jump	Xabrianna Jackson – 4’10”	Emma Carter – 4’6″	Briley Peterson – 4’10”
Long Jump	Zymea Hoggro – 18’3″	Bethany Leach – 15′ 11″	Lakerria Austin – 14’2.50″
Triple Jump	Xabrianna Jackson – 34’11”	Bethany Leach – 30′ 11.5″
Pole Vault		Clara Womack – 8’0″	Carroll Foshee – 5’6″
Shot Put	Chamya Waters – 27’3″ (LSI)	Lajaesha Bailey – 27’2.5″	Jalexia Claridy – 31’9.5″
Discus	Chamya Waters – 66’10.5″	Lajaesha Bailey – 65’4.5″	Jalexia Claridy – 96’7.50″
Javelin	Chamya Waters – 77’7″	Jamine Pittman – 110’2″	Mallory Tolar – 122’5″

 

 

On Friday, April 23rd, the Weston High School Kindergarten class enjoyed a fun filled and educational program led by Pine Belt Head Start Director, Conchita Malone-Doyle. The event was highlighted by the children dressing up in their desired occupations when they become adults. 

“Today was a very good day,” said Malone. “One of my former Head Start students desires to be a Physician and I got to be her first house call.”

Malone, who is the Executive Director at the Pine Belt Multi-Purpose Community Action Agency and has been with the non-profit organization since 1989 went on to relay the importance of encouraging children to work hard, maintain integrity and never give up on their dreams. 

“Children need to know that all things are possible to those who believe.”

Malcom Cagnoletti III (Lake Providence, LA) – Felony Theft
Roberts E. Starky III (Dodson, LA) – Winn Parish warrants, Improper lane usage, expired vehicle license, Operating a vehicle without an inspection certification , possession of drug paraphernalia
Marcus K . Walker (Jonesboro, LA) – Improper usage, Possession of schedule I and II drug
Marcus R. Livingston – (Simsboro, LA) – Possession of Schedule I drug
Dana Sebastian (Ringgold, LA) – Possession of Schedule drug, improper lane usage
Lucas Thomas (Jonesboro, LA) – Battery of an athletic official, Disturbing the peace, Resisting an officer x2, Possession of schedule III drug
Michael Bland (Quitman, LA) – Simple criminal damage to property, Unauthorized entry of an inhab ted dwellimg)
Revere St. John (Friendswood, TX) – Possession of Marijuana, Possession of drug papahernalia 
Louis K. Martin (Improper lane change, DUS, Possession of schedule II drug, switched license plate
Kaitlyn McCormick (Jonesboro, LA) – Malfeasance in offi3.  

Monday, April 26th
Meme’s Minis vs Mitchell Pharmacy – Age 3&4 – 6:00pm- TBall 1 Field
State Farm vs Jonesboro St. Bank – Age 3&4 – 6:00pm – TBall 2 Field
Mercy Medical vs Jonesboro St. Bank – Age 9&10 boys – 6:00pm – Field 2
Klassy Kleen vs M&M Handy Foods – Age 9&10 girls – 6:00pm – Field 3
Cap Roofing vs Hodge Bank – Age 11&13 girls – 6:00pm – Field 4

Sign Design vs Champion Trophies – Age 3&4 – 7:00pm – TBall 1 Field
Dodson Enterprises vs Mitchell’s Pharmacy – Age 3&4 – 7:00pm – TBall 2 Field
Traina’s Bakery vs Jonesboro Glass – Age 9&10 boys – 7:00pm – Field 2
Todd’s Bailbonds vs M&M Handy Foods – Age 9&10 girls – 7:00pm – Field 3
Listle Real Estate vs Barksdale Credit Union – Age 11&13 girls – 7:45pm – Field 4

Tuesday, April 27th
Pardue Builders vs Johnny’s Pizza – Age 5&6 – 6:00pm – TBall 1 Field
Ables Farms vs Family Pharmacy – Age 7&8 boys – 6:00pm – Field 2
Bucketboat vs Leach Lawn Services – Age 7&8 girls – 6:00pm – Field 3
Academy Mortgage vs M&M Hand Foods – Age 11&13 boys – 6:00pm – Field 1

Affordable Autos vs J & L Works – Age 5&6 – 7:00pm – TBall 1 Field
Kohler Krew vs LA Family Med Clinic – Age 7&8 boys – 7:00pm – Field 2
Ruffled Feathers vs Rise & Grind – Age 7&8 girls – 7:00pm – Field 3
Elite Roofing vs Southern Kustoms – Age 11&13 boys – 7:30pm – Field 1

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There are a few things that really set me off when it comes to angler/boater incidents both on and off the water. Things that make you ask the question “How dumb are Ya?” Today I’m going to give you a few examples of what I mean and hopefully you won’t fall into one of these categories. Some of these situations I’ve heard about from other anglers but most I’ve witnessed personally. If you’re wondering if I’m being judgmental, the answer is yes!

I’m so tired of seeing people do stupid stuff especially at the boat ramp. If you’re an angler or a boater, listen up!  Please do me and everyone else a favor! DON’T BLOCK THE BOAT RAMP! Load your boat with all your gear before you back down the ramp. This happens all the time where an angler or pleasure boater waits to unhook his tie down straps, remove the motor mate, put in the plug, load the ice chest, fix a sandwich and place their rods in the boat. Oh, and I forgot to mention, that after they’ve done all these other things and get in the boat to back it off the trailer, they forgot to unhook the front. Do ALL this before you back down the ramp and launching your boat will only take a minute or two versus ten minutes. Please stop doing this! Do ALL your prep work before you get on the ramp!

This next category I call “cutters.” These are bass anglers who like to cut off or cut in front of another angler on the water. A prime example that I’ve experienced in my last two trips to Toledo Bend occurred when I was fishing a main lake point about thirty yards off the bank when another angler came around the same point that I’m obviously fishing. As I make another cast towards the point, I notice that instead of going around me, this anger decides to go between me and the bank and is literally twenty feet from my boat! The first problem I had with this idiot, is that he never even acknowledged that I was there. The second problem was the fact he actually trolled directly over my fishing line and still never acknowledged my presence. Needless to say, after I shouted a few expletives questioning this man’s intelligence, I just could not believe what I had witnessed. After a case of water rage, I literally wanted to physically hurt this man! I wished I had videoed this incident so I could post it on Facebook on what not to do when fishing a point that another angler is also fishing. Again, this has happened to me my last two trips to Toledo Bend. I just don’t understand what people are thinking!

This next incident took place on Sam Rayburn in March while fishing the ABA Solo Top 150 Tour event. Now you have to understand that anglers who fish this tournament trail, do so without co-anglers or partners. This is not a team bass tournament, so anglers have to launch their boats by themselves. This means as you back your boat off the trailer, you need a place to park it so you can pull your trailer off the ramp and park it in the parking lot. The problem was, as the first 10 or 15 anglers launched their boats, they decided it was a smart idea to park along the bank and alongside the boat dock This made it impossible for the other 65 anglers to find a place to park their boats so other anglers could launch as well. Just like the “cutters” at Toledo Bend, I could not pass up the opportunity to inform this group of anglers of just how dumb they are. I mean it’s just common sense that everyone cannot park next to the boat ramp while other anglers are trying to launch their boats. Again, “How dumb are Ya?”

I hope today that you’ve learned a few things about what NOT to do at a boat ramp and on the water. With so many anglers and pleasure boaters on the water today, it’s important that everyone be conscious of what they are doing and how their actions might affect other boaters. I feel like it should be required that anyone operating a boat of any size be required to take a boating safety course and that the unwritten rules of etiquette be taught as part of this course. Until next time, if you hear someone chewing out another angler or boater on any body of water, it’s probably just me trying to educate a few people. Good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!

With Jonesboro-Hodge winnings their district track meet and the Lady Tigers and Quitman girls coming in second a large contingent of local athletes will be representing Jackson Parish in the Class B and Class 2A regional meets that will be held on Tuesday, April 27th. 

The Class 2A meet that will see 27 boy and girl thinclads from Jonesboro-Hodge, including district 1-2A champions in 18 events, takes place at Red River High School in Coushatta at 12:00pm. The Class B meet will be run in Castor beginning at 1:00pm with Quitman sending four, district 2B champions and 28 competitors and Weston taking five district champs and ten athletes. 

2020-21 Individual District Champions

Jonesboro-Hodge	Quitman High	Weston High
Savantez Phillips – 110H (17.50)	James Pabaya – 300H (51.14)	Lakerria Austin – 300M (55.55)
Devontae Mozee – 300H (44.34)	Faith Odom – 1600M (6:40.81)	Jalexia Claridy – Discus (96′ 7.50″)
Datre’vien Bowie – High Jump (6’6″)	Hunter Folks – Pole Vault (8’00”)	Jalexia Claridy – Shot Put (30′ 7″)
Justin Calahan – Long Jump (20’4.5″)	Clara Womack – Pole Vault (6’06”)	Mallory Tolar – Javelin (109’5″)
Datre’vien Bowie – Triple Jump (44’7.75″)		Landon Roberts – 800M (2:22.91)
Chase Bryant – Shot Put (42’9.5″)
Zymea Hoggro – 100M (13.460
Laila Johnson – 200M (27.20)
Yahzmynne Andrews -100H (21.66)
A’Jorriana Hoggro – 300H (58.46)
Xabrianna Jackson – High Jump (4’10”)
Zymea Hoggro – Long Jump (18’3″)
Xabrianna Jackson – Triple Jump (33′ 11.5″)
4 x 200M relay (boys) – 1:34.27
4 x 400M relay (boys) – 3:45.27
4 x 100M relay (girls) – 52.79
4 x 200M relay (girls) – 1:52.92

The Jackson Parish Police Jury (JPPJ) Policy and Personnel, Project and Operations Committee’s will meet this Monday, April 26th at the JPPJ Administration Building, located at 160 Industrial Drive in Jonesboro. The Policy and Personnel Committee will meet first at 11:30am at the Nathaniel Zeno Jr. Meeting room followed by the Project Committee at 4:30pm and the Operations Committee at 4:45pm. Agenda items for each are shown below. 

Policy & Personnel Committee: (Regina Rowe – Chairperson, Todd Culpepper, Lynn Treadway)

(1) Discuss and recommend guidelines for board recognition
(2) Discuss and recommend strategies for operational effectiveness
(3) Discuss and recommend policy for the Sunshine Room
(4) Discuss and recommend modified duty policy
(5) Discuss and recommend action of Groundwater Protection Ordinance

Project Committee: (Lewis Chatham – Chairman; Todd Culpepper, Amy Magee)

(1) Discuss and recommend partnership opportunity with Jackson Parish Library
(2) Discuss and recommend action on office space for Robert Moore
(3) Update on Hospital Drainage Project
(4) – Review designs for Police Jury seal. 

Operations Committee: (Amy Magee -Chairperson,; Lewis Chatham; John McCarty

(1) Quarterly status update of traffic counter project – Road Department
(2) Discuss Road Department concerns and requests
(3) Notice: Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office assistance request
(4) Discuss Admin & Maintenance Department concerns and requests
(5) Discuss and recommend action on speed bumps at model bin sites
(6) Discuss and recommend action from results of tax election
(7) Discuss Solid Waste Department concerns and requests 

Zoie Anderson and Amber Melton represented Jonesboro-Hodge on the district 1-2A All-District first team as reported by JHHS head coach Tracy Taylor. Kaylee Etheridge, Kyla Hayes, Madison Page, A’Briana Paggett and Ja’Kaja Philips earned honorable mention.

Lakeside takes two from Tigers
Jonesboro-Hodge fell 20-5 and 7-0 to Lakeside that left the Tigers winless at the conclusion of district 1-2A play and end the regular season with a 4-15 record. In the first contest Lakeside (15-15, 5-4) took advantage of 8 errors and 9 walks that resulted in runs being scored in every inning. A Xavier Atkins double and Chandler Harvey’s triple were two of the eight hits racked up by J-H. Marcus Thompson had 2 RBI with Dominick Strickland and Nathan Vines plating one each. In the second game Logan Smith, and Strickland had singles and Drew Davis slapped a double for all the offensive production the Tigers could muster as they were blanked for the seventh time this season.

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Lauren Maxwell of Weston and Jada Naron from Quitman High School are two of only six softball players in Class B to be named to the composite Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) 2020-21 All-Academic Girls Softball Team. The pair earned the honor after compiling a perfect 4.0 GPA over the course of the year. 

Also being named Academic All State in their respective classes is Jakaja Phillips of Jonesboro-Hodge in Class 2A and both Madison Coody and Macie Hall from Weston. Phillips had a 3.6078 GPA while Coody and Hall compiled a 3.6604 and 3.6793 GPA respectively. Araya Coleman of Quitman was also named to the Class B team in tennis by virtue of her 3.8823 GPA.

A zoning change in regard to the property at 705 Leon Drive dominated discussion at the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Jonesboro Board of Aldermen held on Tuesday, April 13th. Also the date of May 11th, 2021 was set for five separate Public Hearings regarding the General Budget, Water and Sewer Revenues and Expenditures, Sewer Rates and the Louisiana Rural Water Association.

Additional actions taken was the termination of Michael Figueroa as a part time dispatcher to the Jonesboro Police Department and the hiring of Mathew Nash to the position. The council also agreed to override Mayor Leslie Thompson’s veto to hire Sketea Walker as a part time Deputy and give Patricia Cowans signature authority. Fire Chief Brandon Brown gave an update on Operation Clean-up regarding a list of roughly 40 abandoned houses and buildings that are scheduled to burned.

In regard to the request by James Bradford to have the property on 705 Leon Drive changed back from commercial to residential zoning, attorney Teresa Culpepper-Carroll addressed the council of Devin Flowers, Robbie Siadek, Pete Stringer, James Ginn and Nia Evans-Johnsonon Bradford’s behalf. 

“After reviewing all public records requested prior to the meeting pertaining to 705 Leon Drive, I don’t see any proof that the action taken by the town to enter into a settlement and change the zoning back to commercial from the actions taken in 2016 has been properly changed,” said Carroll. 

Attorney Carroll the asked the board members to rescind the action taken in 2019 that changed the property to commercial zoning and go back to the original residential zoning that took place in 2016 because the rezoning was not done properly in 2019. After a request by the council to the Jonesboro City Clerk to provide documentation to the 2016 actions was met with the inability to provide such documents, Councilman Robbie Siadek made a motion to rescind the action of changing the zoning of the property to commercial from residential.

Mayor Thompson then stated that the motion was out of order. When asked his opinion, City Attorney Douglas Stokes stated he requested the recommendation from the zoning board for the zoning change and one was not provided. Therefore in his opinion the change was not done properly which led Mayor Thompson to declare that this had now become a legal matter. 

Saidek then reiterated the motion he had set forth to reverse back from commercial  to residential zoning for 705 Leon Drive and to rescind all licenses and refund the people their money spent for licensing. Again Attorney Stoke was asked his opinio

“You are reversing the settlement the council entered into, so you are going to get sued again,” said Stokes.

The motion was then voted on with Johnson, Ginn, Stringer and Siadek voting yes and Flowers voting no resulting in 705 Leon Drive now being a residential property once again. For entire minutes of meeting click here: