How we made it through Mardi Gras parades without them, only our excretory systems know for sure.
Those were archaic and tawdry times.
Today, we are more civilized out there on the parade highways and byways, all thanks to the upright and rectangular 3-D miracles of translucent roofs and vents, and the miraculous pairing of high-density aluminum and polyethylene.
They are no question the MVPs of the Mardi Gras parade season.
Most Valuable Potties.
Look at them, will you? Admire them. Lay flowers and rolls of toilet paper at their feet, which is probably a worn spot in the grass where quick-stepping, over-served revelers hurried to take advantage of their favors.
They are the figurative port in the storm. Or the literal Port-O-Let in the storm.
A mere few feet off the parade route, they stand there as silent sentries, loyal soldiers, dutiful and dependable, ready if called upon, available but not obvious.
On the streets and in our ’hood they go by names like “Honey Bucket” or “Porta-Loo” or “Johnny-on-the-Spot.” The business community that makes a living renting, servicing, and supplying these crucial devices to the Great Unwashed call them portable toilets or chemical toilets.
But the way most of us first came to appreciate them was when we heard the phrase “Port-o-Let” or “Port-a-Jon” or “Porta Potty.” It should come as no surprise that each starts with a “P.”
Poetic justice is served.
Hemingway said once that Paris is “a moveable feast.” Had the outhouse of his day been mobile, he’d have said the same thing of the Port-o-Let.
The street where I live is perpendicular to the four-lane that marks the end of the route of Shreveport-Bossier’s two largest parades. By largest, I mean a quarter-million of our closest friends turn out to enjoy what krewes have worked (and played) all year to assemble. There are smaller parades in town and in the area, but these two pulled in the most bladders.
Thus, the Potty Patrol is needed. Down that otherwise unassuming street that marks the parades’ end, these portable must-haves stand stately for a quarter mile, maybe a bit more. They are rented by people who have reserved “spots” along the route, and the envied contraptions will be picked up next week. But right now, they are assurance and insurance for the renters, who can sleep well, knowing that on The Big Day, help will be just one opening of a plastic door away.
If you didn’t rent one and you need to “go,” well, you’ll find out who your friends are come parade time. You think you’re No. 1 and might just find out that you’re No. 2.
Sad, but such is the human condition. There will come a time when relief is demanded for the laboring kidney, the anxious bladder, the suspect colon. Those who fail to prepare are prepared to fail, and this is the kind of failure that does not go quietly into that dark night.
When Mardi Gras in our area was new, in pre-Port-o-Let days of yore, the make-believe portable potty was a shrub, a shadowed tree, the side of an unassuming garage.
That was rural fare. Tacky. We’ve since come a long way.
Who could have known then that instead of going to the bathroom, the bathroom would one day come to us. And usually, not a second too soon.
A cold day led to tough fishing but after the three, 2 1/2 hour sessions, it was Jacob Tinnerello and Rylon Ganey that caught 10 fish weighing 53.39 lbs. to win the Caney Creek Bass Club 15 Fish Total Weight Tournament that took place on Saturday, February 19th.
Nick LaDart and Blake Alford came in second place with a total weight of 22.10 lbs. from 8 fish while Tyler Stewart and Bryan Stewart brought in a stringer of 20.69 lbs after catching 13 fish, the most of any in the tournament. The Big Bass Award went to Tinnerello and Ganey who landed an 8.50 lb. lunker. LaDart and Alford won the “7lb or closest” award with a 5.20 pounder.
Top ten finishers:
1st Place: Jacob Tinnerello & Rylon Ganey TW: 53.39lbs. with 10 fish. 2nd Place: Nick LaDart & Blake Alford TW: 22.10lbs with 8 fish. 3rd Place: Tyler Stewart & Bryan Stewart TW: 20.69lbs on 13 fish. 4th Place: Heath Kennedy TW: 19.12lbs on 12 fish caught. 5th Place: Bryan Faulkner & Bradley Barrett TW: 18.62lbs on 7 fish caught. 6th Place: Hunter Sims & Ryan Foy TW: 10.05lbs on 5 fish caught. 7th Place: Will Lambert & Kent Berry TW: 6.99lbs on 3 fish caught. 8th Place: Kenny Cobb & Trevor Higgs TW: 5.52 lbs on 4 fish caught. 9th: Kolton Mitchell & Blake Paul TW: 3.67lbs on 2 fish caught. 10th Place: Gavyn Kinman & Josh Roberts: TW less than one pound
After celebrating President’s Day this on Monday the normal schedule of programs resumes at both branches of the Jackson Parish Library throughout the rest of the week. See below for activities scheduled at the Jonesboro and Chatham branches.
Wednesday, February 23rd:
Check Out Fitness: 9:00 am at the Chatham Branch Toddler Story Time: 10:00 am at the Jonesboro Branch
BOOKMOBILE SCHEDULE 8:00-12:00 at Weston High School 1:15-1:45 at Pearrie Park 1:55-2:15 at Caney Creek
Thursday, February 24th:
PreK – 3rd Grade Art Class: 4:00pm at the Jonesboro Branch Play, Grow, Read Program for up to 3rd Grade: 4:30 pm at the Chatham Branch
BOOKMOBILE SCHEDULE 8:00-10:30 at J-H Middle School
Clippers 14 Bulls 8 – (Clippers scoring) Ryleigh Puffer 6, Tytus Campbell 4, Brenleigh Whitman 1, Ava Palmer 1, Jace Watkins 1, Beaux 1 (Bulls scoring) D J Hudson 2, Pistol McCurdy 1, Thomas Sessions 1, Bryce Martin 1, Korea Burks 1, Ellie Shultz 1, Isaac Sessions 1
Warrior 20 Lakers 9 – (Warriors scoring) Reese Johnson 10, Mayson Terral 4, Landrie Watson 2, Sebastian Love 2, Carter Hall 1, Trenton Jerry 1 (Lakers scoring) Colton Haney 3, Kylee Allen 1, James Odom 1, Star Bradley 1, Emett Hall 1, Ladaryeon White 1, Gracie McBride 1
Celtics 51 Heat 25 – (Celtics scoring) Taden Thomas 25, Abel Leach 20, Rylan Reynalds 6 (Heat scoring) Brayden Martin 19, Kason Roberts 4, Keistan Hearn 2
Blazers 38 Magic 31 – (Blazers scoring) Shane Reed 18, Abel Leach 9, Brody Tidwell 5, Jackson Bougues 4, Larson Thomas 2 (Magic scoring) Asher Shultz 10, D.J. Palmer 8, Skylar Nelson 4, Jeremiah Jerrerson 4, Jamarcus Dozier 3
Scoring Stars: Taden Thomas 25, Abel Leach 20, Shane Reed 18, Asher Shultz 10
NOTE:Scoring Stars are those who score 10 or more points in a game
League Standings
AGE 5 & 6 LEAGUE
RECORD
Bucks
7-1
Clippers
7-2
Spurs
6-2
Pelicans
3-3
Warriors Bulls
3-5
Bulls
2-6
Lakers
1-8
AGE 7 & 8 GIRLS
RECORD
Mercury
6-2
Aces
4-3
Stars
0-7
AGE 7 & 8 BOYS
RECORD
Magic
7-0
Hawks
5-2
Blazers
3-4
King
3-4
Celtics
2-5
Thunder
2-5
AGE 9 & 10 GIRLS
RECORD
Mystics
8-0
Sky
6-2
Storm
4-3
Fever
1-7
Sparks
1-8
AGE 9 & 10 BOYS
RECORD
Kings Thunder
5-2
Thunder
4-3
Raptors
4-3
Celtics
4-3
Grizzlies
2-5
Rockets
2-5
AGE 11 & 12 GIRLS
RECORD
Liberty
9-1
Sun
8-1
Lynx
4-4
Wings
1-8
Dream
0-8
AGE 11 & 12 BOYS
RECORD
Bulls
8-0
Lakers
6-2
Bucks
5-3
Spurs
5-4
Suns
3-4
Hornets
2-7
Maverick
0-9
AGE 13 & 14 BOYS
RECORD
Blazers
6-1
Magic
3-4
Celtics Heat
3-4
Heat
2-5
It is the goal of the Jackson Parish Journal to show as many pictures as possible of the youth playing in games. If you have pictures you would like to see published send email to: jpjjacksonla@gmail.com or text to 318-480-1206.
Sam was born in Missouri in 1835, the sixth of seven children. His father, John, was an attorney and judge in Hannibal during Sam’s childhood. In 1847, when Sam was 11-years old, his father died “after a protracted and painful illness,” which was later revealed as pneumonia. In the following year, Sam quit school and went to work for the Hannibal Journal, a newspaper owned by his older brother Orion.
Beginning in 1859, newspapers reported the discovery of the Comstock Lode, a rich gold and silver ore deposit located in the Virginia mountain range in Virginia city, Nevada. The Comstock Lode was the first major discovery of silver ore in the United States. News of the find quickly spread across America and beyond. It created an excitement reminiscence of the California Gold Rush ten years earlier. Droves of prospectors flocked to Virginia City to make their fortune. The population quickly rose from a few hundred and peaked at around 25,000 residents. Businesses in Virginia City flourished and new businesses opened seemingly overnight with much success.
In March of 1861, during a two-hour Executive session, the Senate confirmed numerous nominations for office including Orion’s nomination as the Secretary of the Nevada Territory. Orion’s appointment required him to move to Nevada. Rather than going alone, Orion and Sam decided to move to Nevada together. As Secretary, Orion would work under Nevada’s governor, James W. Nye, and Sam planned to make his fortune as a prospector in the gold and silver mines. It would be an adventure.
Sam and Orion gathered their belongings and began the journey to Nevada. For more than two weeks, Orion and Sam rode in a dusty, bumpy, and swaying Concord stagecoach. Rather than a hard iron suspension, the Concord stagecoach had an improved suspension system which employed leather straps to produce a swinging motion when the coach was in motion. Sam later described the ride on the Concord stagecoach as being like “a cradle on wheels.” Another Concord stagecoach traveler described a “ride [which] will always live in my memory – but not for its beauty spots.” He and the other passengers were “jammed like sardines on the hard seats.” When traveling over rough terrain which required the stagecoach to creep along at a snail’s pace, the passengers would get out of the coach and “foot it” for relaxation. The coachman made frequent stops to exchange horses with fresh ones and the closer they got to Nevada, the more stories they heard about minors becoming wealthy. They trekked over 1700 miles from the Great Plains, over the Rocky Mountains, through Salt Lake City, and eventually arrived at the boomtown of Virginia City.
Almost immediately, Sam began working to unearth his fortune. He toiled for months at the backbreaking labor but never found his fortune. Unlike a lot of prospectors who continued searching in almost a maniacal fashion, Sam was smart enough to know that prospecting was not for him. He needed a job. His experience working for the newspaper owned by his brother enabled him to find employment at Virginia City’s Territorial Enterprise newspaper. Two years later, in 1865, Sam had his first significant success as a writer when he published “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” He wrote a book called “Roughing It” based on his experiences in the American West. Sam is most well-known for two books based on his own childhood entitled “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” However, we know Sam under a different name. It was in 1863, in Virginia City’s Territorial Enterprise, the job Sam took when his prospecting career failed, where Samuel Clemens first used his pen name, …Mark Twain.
The Jonesboro State Bank / Pledge 10 applications are now being accepted from area non-profits in Jackson, Lincoln, Winn and Bienville Parishes for the Fall window that runs from July 15th to September 15th. The Spring application window that began on January 15th continues through March 15th.
These grants assist with innovative projects that promote education, youth development, financial literacy or community enrichment in this four-parish area. Awards range from $2500.00 to $10,000.00 To apply for a Pledge 10 grant go online @ Pledge10.com.
Grants are largely evaluated, scored and recommended for funding based on how carefully the guidelines are followed. Please send questions to Pledge10@jboro.com. Upon submission of a grant proposal, contact will be made if any additional information or clarification is necessary. To learn more about the guidelines, grant agreement and for Frequently Asked Questions click here.
The Chatham Rural Health Clinic is still taking applications for a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and a Medical Assistant. Located at 6619 Hwy 34 in Chatham, the clinic is a division of the Caldwell Memorial Hospital. To learn more or to apply contact Carrie Freeman at 318-649-6111 ext. 136. Applicants can also fax resume to 318-649-5094.
Description of positions available:
Clinic LPN – Planning and managing patient care according to each patient’s needs. Interviewing patients and recording their medical history. Obtaining patient vital signs and escorting patients to their rooms. Administering injections of medications.
Medical Assistant – Assists physicians, nurses, and other medical staff by performing administrative and clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Clinical duties may include, such preparing treatment room for patient exams, recording patient medical history, and cleaning and sterilizing medical equipment.
The Jackson Parish Police Jury is accepting applications for the position of Secretary-Treasurer.
Applicants must be knowledgeable and proficient in performing all accounting functions in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, preparation of consolidated budgets, and responsible for compliance with procedures and policies under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor. The Secretary-Treasurer is required to attend all official Police Jury and committee meetings, is responsible for preparing the official minutes of all meetings for publication and adoption and is responsible for all correspondence conducted on behalf of the Jackson Parish Police Jury.
Minimum Requirements: Four (4) year college degree in Accounting/Finance; CPA certification preferred; five (5) years direct experience in management and supervision; advanced computer and data processing skills with expertise in Microsoft Office Suite required; proficient in training staff; must be a resident of Jackson Parish or be willing to re-locate.
Resumes and job applications may be hand-delivered or mailed in a SEALED ENVELOPE marked “Application for Secretary-Treasurer” to the Jackson Parish Police Jury Administrative Building, 160 Industrial Drive, Jonesboro, LA 71251. No electronic submissions will be accepted. A detailed job description can be obtained from Police Jury Office or from our website: www.jacksonparishpolicejury.org.
Jackson Parish Police Jury (JPPJ) Secretary/Treasurer, Gina Thomas, has resigned from her position. The announcement was made official earlier this past week after a letter was submitted to Jury President, Lynn Treadway.
In a corresponding move the JPPJ held a Special Meeting on Friday to act on the recommendation of the Policy and Personnel Committee to authorize a Public Notice announcing a notice of vacancy and that applications are now being accepted for the position of Secretary/Treasurer.
The question facing the Quitman girls is will this be the year that they can get past the second round? The answer will be given this Monday night at 6:00pm when they host one of Louisiana’s perineal small school powers in ninth seeded Anacoco.
For four straight seasons the Lady Wolverines have advanced to the second round, including the last two where after a tremendously successful regular season they earned a first-round bye. In the previous two attempts to reach the quarterfinals they lost to a team from southwest Louisiana. Now they face another one in Anacoco, who is the runner-up of District 5B to defending Class B state champion Fairview and sports a 20-13 record after walloping Simsboro 93-34 in the first round.
Quitman enters the regional playoff contest with a 24-8 record that includes a victory over Elizabeth, which is from the same district as Anacoco. Comparative game scores show Quitman winning by 4 points, while Anacoco beat them twice, by 15 and 20 points.
Weston falls to 53-44 Choudrant in first round
Two times this year prior, Weston and Choudrant played district 2B contests with the visiting team winning each time. Maybe it would have been better if Choudrant had earned the higher seed for the first round playoff game between the two as for the second time in seven days Weston lost on their home floor to the Lady Aggies.
Weston had their shot. Actually, they had a lot of them. Seventy-seven of them in fact, which usually leads to a victory but on this night the shots simply weren’t falling.
“Our goal was to get at least 70 shots,” said Weston head coach Stacy Tucker. “We lost only one game all year getting 70 shots or more but tonight we couldn’t throw one in the ocean, especially early on.”
That could be considered an understatement. Weston failed to make a field goal in the first quarter that ended with the Lady Wolves scoring only on a Mary Catherine Hay free throw. It wasn’t much better in the second frame as Weston managed only five baskets, two each by Mary Kate McBride and Briley Peterson to go with a bucket by Lainee Trosclair.
While it seemed, Weston forgot to take the proverbial lid off the basket before the game, Choudrant was having no such problems. The Lady Aggies made six baskets in the first quarter, including three, 3-pointers to take a 15-1 lead and never look back.
Briley Peterson scored 17 to lead Weston, who closes out a 17-13 season. for the #14 seed Lady Wolves, while #19 Choudrant improves to 18-13 and continues in the playoffs with a second-round visit to #3 seed Florien.
Jonesboro-Hodge pushed past Pine 61-41 to advance to the regional round of the Class AA girls basketball playoffs. The district 1-2A champion and 16th seed Lady Tigers will now advance to play top ranked, Amite in “Marsh Madness” which is what the LHSAA girls basketball tournament is fondly called.
Getting past the visiting, district 9-2A runner-up and #17 seed wasn’t as easy as the score indicated. Far from it. Actually, after the first 16 minutes of play it looked like Pine and Amite, who was the champion of 9-2A would play for the third time in three weeks.
That was before JHHS head coach Kris Cash challenged his girls during the break.
“I just asked them if they wanted to play for just 16 more minutes or want to continue the season,” said Cash.
You could say that “the proof was in the pudding” in regard to their response to the question. JHHS limited Pine to just three second half field goal and just 11 points over the final 16 minutes to rally from the 30-18 deficit and win going away.
“I guess they wanted to keep playing,” laughed Cash after the contest that gave JHHS their 12th win in 14 games played after he took over the team following the Christmas break.
Xabrianna Jackson scored 22 of her game high 27 points in the final two quarters including 12 in the third that saw the Lady Tigers come from 12 points behind to go ahead by seven entering the final frame. Ke’Asiah Andrews added 11 and Tyya Davis 9, with the Hoggro sisters of A’Joriana and Zymea, chipping in with six and five respectively. LeRonda McGuire tallied three to round out the scoring.
Now the Lady Tigers face their most daunting task of the season in order to advance to the quarterfinal round. Awaiting them on Monday is Amite, a team that has lost only to a pair of top ten ranked, Class 5A teams early in December of last year and is currently riding a 17-game winning streak. Amite is not only winning but winning BIG.
In district 9-2A play where they went a perfect 10-0, the closest anyone came to Amite was 49 points. That includes 82-21 and 79-21 victories over Pine and 88-7 and 94-19 beatdowns of Varnado and Independence. In their first-round playoff game, Amite beat Kentwood 94-19.
“We have a strong challenge in front of us,” said Cash. “It will take a complete game effort to move on.”
#16 JHHS (14-13)
11
7
27
17
61
#17 Pine (14-9)
15
15
7
4
41
(JHHS scoring) Jackson 27 Andrews 11, Davis 9, A. Hoggro 6, Z. Hoggro 5, McGuire 3 (Pine scoring) Sumrall 9, Phelps 8, Martin 7, Dawson 7, Phelps 4, E. Lyons 4, S. Lyons 2
In the one game, winner-take-all special playoff contest held at Lakeside High School this past Wednesday that would determine the champion of district 1-2A JHHS fell to North Caddo by a 61-49 margin. The difference was the decisive third quarter that saw North Caddo bump their four point lead at the half to a commanding 46-29 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Cameron Joe and Tydre Malone led the Tigers in scoring with 13 and 12 points respectively but 11 of those came in the fourth quarter after the contest had basically, already been decided. Ajay Tew added 8 on the strength of a pair of three pointers. O’marrion Miller scored a game high 20 points to lead North Caddo with 16 being contributed by Jeremiah Martin.
The contest was necessary so that final seeding’s in the upcoming LHSAA playoffs could be determined. This was because the two teams shared the district lead with 5-1 records, after both won all other district games and split the two between them. At stake was the one power rating point that went to the district champion. What it boiled down to was that in the biggest game of the season to date, that would have won the Tigers the district 1-2A title and could have moved their power point ratings possibly up two places, the Tigers played one of their worst.
“We were terrible,” said disconsolate Tiger head coach, Allen Tew.
The stats of the game prove it out. From two-point range the Tigers shot only 28.5%. From behind the arc it was worse at 16.7%. Despite the Tigers having a distinct height advantage, North Caddo got eight more points in the paint.
Fortunately for the five Tiger seniors there are still games left to be played as the LHSAA will commence first round playoff games early this week. Pairings will be announced on Monday, February 21st, with the Tigers expected to be seeded #7 in Class AA which will result in home playoff games for the first two rounds if JHHS wins the opener of the playoffs.
JHHS
9
13
7
20
49
NCHS
13
13
20
15
61
JHHS scoring: Joe 13, Malone 12, Tew 8, Calahan 5, Andrews 4, Beard 3, Mozee 2, Leonard 2 NCHS scoring: Miller 20, Martin 16, Armstrong 7, Bridges 6, Collins 6, Hill 5, Rainey 1
Monroe, LA – Northeast Delta Human Services Authority (NEDHSA) unveiled a Prescription Drug “Takeback Box” in Jonesboro on Friday, February 18. This was done as part of a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Jonesboro Police Department and is another opportunity for NEDHSA to provide further service following a recent Rise Above Stigma town hall with parish residents.
The “Take Back” box is located at 100 Fourth Street, Jonesboro, LA 71251, with 24/7 security. Anyone can put unwanted medications in the drop-box with no questions asked. The contents are collected and destroyed by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
NEDHSA Executive Director Dr. Monteic A. Sizer said medication drop-box initiatives have proven to be an “effective weapon in helping to combat the opioid crisis and ultimately help people overcome the stigma they have towards behavioral and primary health services.”
“Studies show that many people store their controlled prescriptions, which plays a significant factor in contributing to misuse and abuse,” Dr. Sizer said. “Dropbox placements throughout the community with 24/7 access, in conjunction with the outreach education from our Prevention and Wellness Department, allows for immediate disposal, drastically reducing the opportunity for misuse and abuse within the home and community at large.”
Dr. Sizer said helping keep our communities safe by disposing of unwanted, unused, or expired medications is just one of many ways NEDHSA is “working to break the cycle of addiction and substance use disorder that plagues our region.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 841,000 prescription drug overdoses have occurred in the United States since 1999.
Jonesboro Police Department Chief Dr. J. Spike Harris said the police department’s relationship with NEDHSA is a valuable asset to assist with prescription drug overdoses and added that “partnering with NEDHSA as a part of our community policing initiative to assist in this war on prescription medication misuse and overdoses is invaluable.”
“We hope to increase awareness throughout our community and surrounding areas of the dangers of prescription medications,” Dr. Harris said. “We understand that many of us may have unused medications in our homes that should be discarded. Educating the community and giving our citizens a convenient location to discard unused prescribed medications will allow the Jonesboro Police Department to do our part to lower the overall national average of overdoses using prescribed medications.”
In December, NEDHSA hosted two town halls as part of its Rise Above Stigma work, and in those meetings, it was realized that many were not aware of the agency’s resources and how to access them. Dr. Sizer said the information that the community spoke of is one of the reasons the takeback box is in Jonesboro.
“We took the information shared by Jackson Parish residents and turned it into action.” Dr. Sizer said. “In addition to the drop-box, we’re reintroducing them to our resources, clinical services, and technology, such as our mobile app and our 24/7/365 crisis hotline that they can dial at any time – day or night. We also have prevention and wellness programs operating in the parish and will soon have our mobile health unit there providing mental health, addiction, and primary health care screenings.”
For more information contact Public Information Director, DeRon Talley, by emailing: deron.talley@la.gov
A couple of first year coaches and the “Dean of the Diamond” in Jackson Parish will lead their respective teams in season openers this week. The first pitch of the year will take place on Monday, February 21st, at the Jackson Parish Recreation Department Sports Complex, where Joe Lockhart, entering his 14th season at Quitman High and 18th overall, will lead the Wolverines against Class 2A D’Arbonne Woods. Game time is set for 4:30pm. On Tuesday, February 22nd, Justin Durbin will take the third base box for his first varsity coaching experience when JHHS visits Simsboro. Also, Joey Kemp starts his tenure at Weston in a home contest against Plain Dealing. First pitch for both games is set for 5:00pm. Durbin and Kemp inherit teams that had very different results last year with JHHS suffering through a 4-15 season and Weston finishing 12-6 and advancing to the Class B quarterfinals. Quitman also reached the quarter’s in Class B before bowing out with a 12-7 overall record.
Major League fishing is an event that differs from some of the other types of competitive bass fishing and north Louisiana was in the spotlight as three of our lakes were home field for 80 of the nation’s best professional bass anglers.
Here’s how it worked; the anglers were divided into two groups for the first round of competition which took place on D’Arbonne. Half of the group fished two days, Saturday and Sunday and the remainder fished Monday and Tuesday with the top 30 earning the right to compete head to head on Caney Lake Wednesday for the Knock Out round. The top 10 fishermen who survived the Caney experience headed for Bussey Brake near Bastrop for the final round to see who would endure to the end and take home a check for $100,000.
Alabama angler, Randy Howell, survived the D’Arbonne fish fest and joined the top 30 anglers to give Caney Lake a try. Howell had never fished either lake and had to make use of maps to locate features that he calculated would have the best chance to hold big bass.
While Howell was trying to figure out Caney Lake’s bass, a pair of Ruston fans were hanging in the background watching the pro fish, and although there were 30 anglers scattered around the lake, the focus of Mike and Clay Brister were on Howell.
“I have kept up with Randy because he is a special fellow,” said Mike Brister. “He is not only a great bass angler but he’s a good Christian. He and his wife are affiliated with King’s Home, an organization that works with abused women.”
Brister was keeping up with the score tracker that pings every time one of the pro anglers caught a bass and as it started to light up while nothing was showing up in Howell’s corner, the duo started considering moving around the lake to where more action was going on.
“We thought about moving on but I was telling Clay we should just wait a few minutes more and a minute after saying that,” said Brister, “I saw Howell rare back as he was loaded up on a good fish.”
As they watched Howell fight the big bass, it was obvious he was into a really big one and excitement grew as they watched him bring the big Caney fish into the boat.
“We were anxiously watching and listening when he put the bass on the scale and Randy hollered out ’10-11!’ Clay and I did some hollering ourselves,” said Mike.
The bass was the biggest Howell had ever caught and proved to be the heaviest ever taken in the Major League Fishing event. Howell, however, was just getting started. Having now qualified for the final championship round where he would be included in the top ten anglers, Howell headed for Bussey Break Thursday for the finals.
Writer Lynn Burkhead wrote a description of what happened. “Like he had done barely 24 hours earlier, there was a magical thump at the end of the line and a fight to remember, this time with fans watching on-line,” wrote Burkhead. “Howell wrestled the giant double-digit lunker to the boat and then a couple of heart-stopping moments as he tried to land the fish. Eventually he was able to lip the huge bass, hoist it into the boat and wildly celebrate as the boat official let the scales do some talking to the tune of 12 pounds, 14 ounces.
Howell caught only one other fish that day, one under 4 pounds to go with his giant but his two fish netted him a sixth place finish and a nice check for his efforts.
“To say this was a memorable day would be an understatement,” Howell said. “I can’t believe I caught my two biggest bass ever and did it two days in a row.”
Burkhead summed it up like this….”Howell certainly has his own reasons to be thankful to the tune of two back-to-back bass weighing more than 23 pounds combined. That’s a dreamy week of bass fishing, no matter who you are.”
FISHING REPORT
BLACK BAYOU – Fishing is slow. No report this week. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information. OUACHITA RIVER – Crappie fishing is best fishing the deep tops, 15 feet deep in 18-25 foot water on shiners or jigs. Bass are fair in the run-outs from river lakes to river with spinners, crank baits and soft plastics working best. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707. LAKE D’ARBONNE – The big bass tournament last week has put lots of anglers on the lake trying for bass. Some good reports are coming from the bayou where some bass were moving toward the banks and hitting Rat-L-Traps. Flipping jigs or creature baits around the trees and bushes are taking some fish as well. Crappie fishing has been best fishing channel edges 20 feet deep in 25-30 foot water on jigs or shiners. Bream fishing is slow while catfish are still biting cold worms fished off the banks.. For latest reports, call Anderson’s Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707. LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie fishing continues to be best fishing shiners in deep water out from the dam. Some are also being caught at night around the lighted piers. Some bass are starting to move up and have been caught off the banks on spinner baits. No report on bream, catfish or stripers.. For latest information, call Misty at Kel’s Cove at 331-2730 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498. CANEY LAKE – Bass fishing has gotten the attention of bass anglers after last week’s Major League Fishing event on the lake. A few good bass have been caught off the deep points on soft plastics or deep diving crank baits with one over 8 pounds reported. Crappie fishing has been fair to good with best fishing down by the dam in deep water with shiners producing best. No report on bream or catfish. For information contact Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707. LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfishing has been good on cold worms with mostly frying sized fish caught. Crappie are off and on with some caught on shiners or jigs around the boat slips. Bass are fair. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101. LAKE ST. JOHN – The water is low; launching boats is a near impossibility. Some hybrid stripers are being caught off the piers. For information, call Ken Mahoney at 318-201-3821. LAKE YUCATAN – The water is on a slow rise with water levels beginning to fall by this weekend. Not many anglers have been out this week. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.
The Jackson Parish Bowhunters Archery Club will begin the 2022 3D archery season this Saturday, February 26th, with a benefit shoot to be held at the Stephen Morgan Shooting Range at the Jackson Parish Recreation Department Complex, located at 5254 Hwy 4, just east of Jonesboro.
All proceeds go to a family in the community to help with medical expenses. Entry fee is $15.00 with additional donations accepted. Concessions will be available. A $5.00 raffle will also be held with special prize donated by Superior Outdoors in Hodge. Startime time is 8:00am
Jonesboro-Hodge High School running back, Brantrel Thompson, has signed a letter of intent to continue his collegiate football career at Southern University – Shreveport, LA (SUSLA). Entering the second year of hosting a football team, the Jags compete in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference.
Thompson, a first team All-District performer rushed for 756 yards on 156 carries and five touchdowns to help lead the Tigers to a share of the District 1-2A championship and Class AA state semifinal berth. He also caught 14 passes for 103 yards and three TD’s and returned a kickoff for a score.
Long time Library Board member Carolyn Crawley will be honored at the Jackson Parish Library Board meeting that will be held at 4:30pmon Tuesday, February 22nd in the McBride Room of the Jonesboro Branch. Crawley is being recognized after stepping down from her position as a Library Board member after over 30 years of service.
Additional agenda items include reviewing and acting on proposals for repairs and renovations at the Chatham branch and updating projects currently underway. Adoption of the January financial and statistical reports and meeting minutes will also be considered.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance, please contact Floyd Knox at (318) 259-5697.
Library to be closed Monday, February 21st
The Jonesboro and Chatham branches of the Jackson Parish Library will be closed on Monday, February 21st in observance of Presidents Day. Both branches will resume normal activity on Tuesday with the Jonesboro Branch holding the scheduled Pre-K thru 3rd grade art class at 4:00pm
The final day to apply for 4H scholarships is Monday, February 20th. You can stop by the 4H office pick one up if needed. Late applications will not be accepted.
Leader Spotlight
This month the 4H Club of Jackson Parish would like to spotlight coaches Thomas Lay and Corey Rowe and the new Shooting Sport Coordinator, Michelle Lay. They have been practicing once a week and this year there are 42 youth enrolled in the Shotgun Project. On March 29th the youth will participate in regional competition.
Member Spotlight
Shane is a Senior at Quitman High School. He has been active in 4H since the 4th grade. He served as junior leader for two years. Shane’s passion is 4H Shooting Sports. He has competed on a regional and state level in Archery, .22 rifle and shotgun categories. As his final year of competition approaches, his goal is to achieve a position on the Louisiana team to compete in Archery on a national level.
Summer Camp Information released
Summer camp information has been released. Jackson parish will be able to take 10 boys and 10 girls. Because our space is so limited applications will not be considered until they accompany a payment. All applications will be delivered to the schools on Monday the February 28th. Applications can also be picked up at our office on Monday. We are excited to again attend summer camp at Camp Grant Walker.
All our lives we have heard of things we should “never do,” things like never play with matches, never kiss a girl on the first date, never ride in the back of a pickup truck, never run with a knife, never run at the pool… and the list goes on and on. Our parents took the time to teach us these, and many others, that you should and should not do. Now we did not always follow their teachings, but at least we were told. It was your own fault if you went against these teachings and got hurt. As we all know, it’s human nature to disregard the advice of our parents. It was more fun to be a rebel, no matter what the consequences were. Bass fishermen are no different, and today we’ll go over a few things you should never do as an angler.
Let’s first start with launching the boat. This can be a circus to watch, as you know, if you’ve spent much time around a boat ramp. You could make some really funny YouTube blooper videos with some of the antics I’ve seen at a boat ramp. But the most important thing to remember…never block the boat ramp while launching your boat. I’ve seen this so many times; an angler backs his boat down to the ramp and then starts to put all of his gear in the boat! Major no-no!!! Load your boat BEFORE you back it down to the ramp!!!!
Next, always wear your life jacket. This is a must, no matter how much experience you have. Unfortunately, this is something some people ignore. Just like driving a car and wearing your seatbelt, sometimes things happen beyond your control that can result in serious injury or even death. Even the pro’s, who basically run a boat every day, wear their life jackets all the time. Too many deaths have occurred on our waterways due to people not wearing their life jackets. Today, there are more anglers on the water than ever before, many who are young and inexperienced. Don’t take a chance, put your life jacket on!
On a lighter note, never go fishing without snacks. This is a major no- no as well. Snacks can turn a bad day into a not-so-bad day, especially when the fish aren’t biting. Here are a few items I like to bring every time I hit the water. Number one for me is a turkey sandwich. Now I have a special bread I use for my turkey sandwiches. I really like the Hawaiian Bread sub rolls, along with either a good Hellman’s low-fat mayo or mustard. Most tournaments I’ll bring one for my co-angler and I’ve had several that have said they would like to marry me after they’ve eaten one of these. But I always tell them that I’m already married to the best lady on planet earth…. sorry!!! If I don’t have any sub rolls, I’ll just take a sandwich bag full of smoked turkey or sliced Honey Baked Ham. But there’s one thing I will always have in the boat…beef jerky. This is a great filler food that will hold you over until you get back to the house.
Obviously, these are just a few of the thing’s anglers should never do. Of the three I’ve listed today, none is more important than wearing your life jacket and yet, there will be someone who will totally ignore what I’ve just written. Next week we’ll look at more things that anglers “should or should never do.” Till then, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook! Make sure to check out Tackle Talk Live every Tuesday at 11:30 on our Facebook or You Tube channel.
The Chatham Rural Health Clinic is currently seeking a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and a Medical Assistant. Located at 6619 Hwy 34 in Chatham, the clinic is a division of the Caldwell Memorial Hospital. To learn more or to apply contact Carrie Freeman at 318-649-6111 ext. 136. Applicants can also fax resume to 318-649-5094.
Description of positions available:
Clinic LPN – Planning and managing patient care according to each patient’s needs. Interviewing patients and recording their medical history. Obtaining patient vital signs and escorting patients to their rooms. Administering injections of medications.
Medical Assistant – Assists physicians, nurses, and other medical staff by performing administrative and clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Clinical duties may include, such preparing treatment room for patient exams, recording patient medical history, and cleaning and sterilizing medical equipment.
Joseph A. Malone (Chatham, LA) – Bench Warrant for charge of Obscenity Michael Waldroup (Eros, LA) – Fire raising on land with malice, Simple Arson, Negligent Arson Kyowa Reynolds (Jonesboro, LA) – Bench Warrant on charge of Simple Battery Dolphus Frith (Jonesboro, LA) – Violation of Protective Order, Improper tele-communication DyShonna Brown (Jonesboro, LA) – Domestic Abuse Battery Skylar Dye (Jonesboro, LA) – Assault by Drive by Shooting (4 counts), Possession of and Dealing in Firearms with obliterated vendor marks Craig R. Nowlan (Dodson, LA) – Disturbing the Peace Ashley R. Harvey (Quitman, LA) – Warrant for Possession and Possession of Schedule II Drug Tamia Dixon (Jonesboro, LA) – Aggravated Assault with a Firearm, Illegal carrying of a Weapon Shanda Kelly (Jonesboro, LA) – Unauthorized use of a moveable Glenda C. Netherland (Jonesboro, LA) – Possession of Cannabinoids, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Donald L. Essmeier (Quitman, LA) – Domestic Abuse, Battery by Strangulation Kuprianna Smith (Jonesboro, LA) – Home Invasion, Aggravated Battery
