It took place a day later than originally scheduled but when the Jackson Parish Police Jury (JPPJ) did meet this past Wednesday, the lion’s share of agenda items involved personnel decisions ranging from JPPJ employees to various committee and board appointments.

The session held at the Charles H. Garrett Community Center opened with Charles Hopkins making a public comment to the panel of Todd Culpepper (President), Amy Magee (Vice President), Lewis Chatham, John McCarty, Tarneshala “Niki” Cowans, and Regina Rowe. Lynn Treadway was absent.

Hopkins, representing the Ward 2 Fire Protection District, requested that Jury members consider including full-time fire department employees under the umbrella of the JPPJ insurance program citing the difficulty being had in staffing their department.

“We are looking to expand and would like to hire employees as volunteers are hard to come by these days,” said Hopkins. “We are having difficulty though in finding good people without having benefits to offer them so I am asking you to consider including firefighters in the parish insurance program. I feel residents of our parish will benefit by you doing so.”

President Culpepper replied that the suggestion would be relayed to the respective committee for consideration.

After Finance and Personne Committee Reports were approved the panel agreed to increase the budget for asphalt in the Road Maintenance Program from $200,000.00 to $300,000.00 and post for hiring a Mechanic 1 with a Class CDL in the Road Department. It was also agreed to announce the upcoming vacancy of the Road Superintendent, change the designation of the vacant position of Solid Waste Laborer to Operator 1, and allow the Maintenance Dept. to receive quotes for a new roof and associated repairs at the Cooper St. Building.

Brad Roller followed with the Operations Manager Report where he indicated another meeting with Optimum regarding the Broadband Project in Jackson Parish was held where it was learned that all residents that currently have cable through Optimum now have Broadband access.

Road Superintendent Jody Stuckey was next to report that $24,409.37 was spent on emergency call-outs last month and that all the tornado clean-up was completed. Solid Waste Superintendent Robin Session then took the podium to note that tonnage was up by 131 tons this month.

Attention then turned to approve appointments/re-appointments to various boards and commissions as follows:
Chris Womack – Recreation Board
Brent Barnett – Recreation Board
Wes Harvey – Watershed Board
Tracy Rusing – District 4 Fire Protection Board
Sharon Satcher – E911 Commission
Jeff Carpenter – E911 Board
Israel Smith – E911 Board
Aaron Blalock – E911 Board

In final action, a waiver for travel was approved for Brad Roller and Robin Sessions and the cost of engraved bricks at the Veteran’s Memorial Park was raised to $45.00 per brick. It was also agreed to contract with Folden and Associates for $125.00 per hour for bank reconciliations until March 21st when this would be revisited and to add Brad Roller to the Watershed Initiative Steering Committee.

The session adjourned following comments by each juror and a request to keep member Lynn Treadway, who is experiencing health problems in prayers.

 

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The 2022-23 prep hoops season continues for Jonesboro-Hodge as they advanced to the second round LHSAA Division IV boys basketball playoffs by upsetting Merryville 58 -39 this past Friday night. After dispatching the #14 seed on their home floor the 19th-seeded Tigers will now venture even further south to take on #3 seed Franklin in regional play on Tuesday, February 28th.

The district 8-2A champion, who drew a first-round bye, enters the contest with an 18-5 overall record against competition that was no lower than Class 2A, having lost only to two Class 5A schools, two Class 3A schools, and one district contest. The Tigers, who uncharacteristically finished 5th in the six-team district 3-2A, lost their final six games of the regular season to end with a 9-16 mark.

The main culprit of the disappointing season had been the inability to score but in the playoff opener, JHHS shot surprisingly well, especially in the second half and from the free throw line where the Tigers converted 19 of 23 charity shots. The defensive effort was also impressive as the 39 points allowed was the third lowest amount of points given up all year.

Zion Gray was especially sharp making 8 of 8 from the line to lead all JHHS scorers with 22 points. Ajay Tew and Savantez Phillips scored 13 and 8 points respectively and were also perfect from the charity stripe. Cameron Leonard also played a big role in the victory, contributing 8 points including a three pointer. Jarrious Lumpkin added four, Edward “Tre” Beard made a basket and Symeon Malone sank a free throw to round out the scoring.

Early on it looked like JHHS would suffer the same fate as had become the norm late in the season as the Tigers managed only 8 points in the first quarter and 7 in the second to enter the half trailing 19-15 against the district 5-A competitor.

The Tigers refused to let their season come to an end though by turning in one of their halves of the year as they dominated the third quarter by outscoring Merryville 20-4 and then tallied 23 points in the final frame, connecting on 10 of 11 free throws down the stretch.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
#19 JHHS (10-16)	8	7	20	23	58
#14 Merryville (19-15)	11	8	4	16	39

Quitman swamps Saline! Next up #1 Zwolle on Tuesday

In Saline’s last game before the first round playoff contest on Friday the Bobcats proved that it is hard to beat a team three times in a season when they bested Atlanta to win the district 2C championship. Apparently Quitman didn’t notice. 

The 16th seeded Wolverines had no trouble beating #17 Saline for their third win of the year over the Bobcats in four tries.  The 54-37 victory in the Division V opener sets up a regional round matchup with #1 Zwolle on Tuesday for the Wolverines who improved to 18-12. Saline ends the year with a 19-15 record. 

The two teams battled to a 8-8 tie in the first quarter then Quitman broke it open by outpointing the Bobcats 14-4 in the second in the contest played at the Jonesboro-Hodge High School gymnasium which has been the de facto home court for the Wolverines this year. 

Things got worse for Saline in the second half as Quitman extended the lead to 36-22 heading into the fourth period and then closed things out by taking the fourth period by a 18-15 margin to win  going away. 

Brayden Smith and Logan Ponder scored 11 each to lead a balanced attack that saw eight Wolverines tally. Blake Carter added nine followed by sharp shooters Eli Walker and Gavyn Caskey with seven each. Riley Duck ended with five and Grant Williams made a three pointer. Noah Leach hit a fourth quarter free throw to round out the scoring. Will Dison and Shawn Staggs closed out their high school career by scoring ten each for Saline  while DJ Rager-Ridley had six and Wesley Crawford added five. 

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Sophomore forward, Briley Peterson and head coach Stacy Tucker led the Weston girls’ basketball team to their first district championship since 2016 and at 25-7, the best winning percentage since 2009-10. Now the pair lead the All-District 1B girls’ basketball team, having swept top honors of Most Valuable Player and Coach of the Year.

Weston senior and South Arkansas Community College commit Emma Kate McBride and Quitman Sophomore Cali Deal also earned first-team designation along with Kaylyn Long and Ambree Collinsworth of Castor.

Lexie Millen and Jessica Newton from Weston and Brayli Stewart and Emma Carter from Quitman were named to the second team. Lainee Trosclair of Weston and the Quitman pair of Summer Grillette and 8th grader Anna Leach earned Honorable Mention.

This year the elite squad also had a special designation attached as through the recommendation of coaches from Doyline, Castor, and Weston, Quitman senior Bethany Leach was named Honorary All-District.

Heading into this season, Leach had already been named 1st team All-District for four consecutive years and was enjoying a stellar senior season but just before district competition, she injured her shoulder and then came down with mononucleosis forcing her to miss all but the final two games of district play.

Peterson earned MVP honors after averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds over the six district games that included posting four “double doubles” and a pair of tremendous outings where she posted 31 points and 20 rebounds in a contest against Doyline and three nights later registered a 22 point, 15 rebound effort against Quitman.

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Jacie Ledford’s second triple of the game and a double by Raelynn Shell sandwiched a single by Alaina Trosclair and two errors on ball hit by Penelope Ferguson and Hailey Chatham that led to five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as Weston took an 11-7 win over Downsville. The victory in their opening contest of the Polar Bear Classic held on the campus of ULM was the first in three tries for Weston for their first victory of the season and dropped Downsville to 3-1 on the year.

The Lady Wolves finished an inning with the lead for the first time this season by scoring four runs in the first inning of their contest in the Polar Bear Classic held on the campus of ULM. Facing a 3-0 deficit, Carly Jo Griffin and Jacie Ledford drew walks and Alaina Trosclair reached on a two out error that scored a run. A pair of clutch singles by Carlynn Waters and Penelope Ferguson plated three more including Olivia Marsh, who was pinch running for Gracie Mudge.

After Downsville scored two in the top half of the second inning, Weston responded with a pair of their own, when Griffin reached on an error and scored on Ledford’s “three bagger” followed by a Mudge single that scored Weston’s sixth run in the first two innings with two outs.

Overcoming seven Weston fielding errors, Ferguson was outstanding in the circle for Weston, allowing just two earned runs and striking out six in the complete game, seven inning performance to pick up her first win of the year.

Downsville (3-1) 3 1 1 0 1 0 1 – 7 6 4
Weston (1-2) 4 2 0 0 0 5 x – 11 11 7
WP – Ferguson (1-0), LP – Barkley
2B – Shell
3B – Ledford 2
RBI – Ledford 2, Ferguson 2, Mudge, Waters, Shell
SB – Irvin, Griffin, Ferguson, Waters

Polar Bear is frigid for locals on Saturday

The weather was relatively warm for February but the results were down right frigid for both Weston and Quitman on Saturday at the Polar Bear Classic held on the campus of ULM in Monroe. 

Both local schools lost a pair of games with Weston falling to Mangham 15-4 and Evangel Christian Academy 13-1 and Quitman losing to both Caldwell Parish 9-2 and Calvary Baptist Academy 17-5. As result both schools limp back to Jackson Parish with 1-4 records but better for the experience of playing some of the stronger teams in north Louisiana. 

Lady Tigers fall to Calvin in season opener

The first game in new head coach Matthew Pierce’s reign as skipper of the Jonesboro-Hodge softball team ended much like all but one game did last year for the Lady Tigers. The difference was that in the 15-0 season-opening loss to Calvin, the Lady Tigers showed signs of improvement as the game went on.  That couldn’t be said a year ago. Or for that matter even the year before that.

Perennial Class C and now Division V, power Calvin wasted no time showing their superiority as they jumped on JHHS quickly and then slowly pulled away. Zoie Anderson was the only Lady Tiger to reach base.

“I am encouraged by the effort the girls gave, “ said Pierce following the game. “We have a long way to go before we get to where we want to be. We just have to keep working.”

D’Arbonne Woods spoils QHS home opener

It could be said that Quitman didn’t put their best foot forward in their first true home game in three years. What the vague analogy refers to is that the Lady Wolverines were forced to play against the highest-ranked Division III team in north Louisiana among “non-select” schools without star pitcher Cali Deal, who was out of action due to a foot injury.

As result, the contest turned into a slugfest that saw both teams combine for 26 hits and 26 runs. The fatal blow to Quitman was an 8-run fifth inning by DWC that broke open a 5-4 contest. Highlights for the Lady Wolverines were the outstanding hitting display by freshman Maggie Guyotte who went 4/4 which included her first home run of the season and a double which led to 2 RBI and a run scored. Another first was recorded when Halle Kate Pullig connected on a three-run blast for the first varsity home run of her career.

Additional offensive contributors were Madison Chaplin (2/3,3 RBI, RS) and Skyler Hall (2B, 2BB, RS). Madison Vail (SB, RS, BB), Averie Williams (RBI, RS, BB), and Karlee Huckabee (SB) all got an RBI. Marley Bell scored twice and Maddie Brymer once for the Lady Wolverines who saw their record evened at 1-1. After their second victory over a Jackson Parish school in three days, DWC improved to 3-0 on the year.

DWC (3-0) 2 0 1 2 8 2 0 – 15 16 1
QHS (1-1) 2 0 1 1 4 3 0 – 11 10 5
WP – Redden, LP – Guyotte
2B – Guyotte, Hall
HR – Guyotte, Pullig
RBI – Pullig 3, Chaplin 3, Guyotte 2, Vail, Williams, Huckaby
SB – Huckaby, Vail

Franklin Parish 10 Quitman 6: Two errors, two walks, and two hits before the second out of the game was made staked FPHS to five runs in the bottom of the first inning. That, along with QHS being able to score only 16 runs despite pounding out 16 hits, proved to be fatal in Quitman’s first game of the Polar Bear tourney held on the campus of ULM.

Madison Chaplin, who scored four of the six Quitman runs, and Maggie Guyotte, who knocked in three, both went 4/4 with a double. Madison Vail rapped a pair of two-baggers, knocked in two, and scored a run while Maddie Brymer and Averie Willams also collected a pair of hits each. Anna Leach collected her first RBI of the year with a sacrifice fly.

Quitman (1-2) 1 0 1 0 3 1 0 – 6 16 5
FPHS (3-0) 5 1 3 0 0 1 x – 10 8 0
WP – Harvard, LP – Guyotte (0-2)|
2B – Vail 2, Chaplin, Guyotte
RBI – Guyotte 3, Vail 2, Leach

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Two games. Two no-hitters for the Weston pitching staff. The first was a three-inning combined job by Cooper Delaney and Layton Garrett in the season-opening victory over Downsville. The 10-strikeout, four inning gem in the 17-0 victory over Jonesboro-Hodge was all Tayt Culpepper’s.

Offensively Weston saw 23 batters reach via 9 hits, seven walks, four hit batters and three JHHS errors to methodically pull away scoring five in the first, four in the second, five more in the third and three in their final at-bat. Following a Jacob Gill triple, Braden Theriot hit a two-run shot for his first ‘dinger” of the year to put the finishing touches on the first-inning onslaught. Colton Blundell and Cole Tolar hit doubles in the third and both Cooper Delaney and Drew Williams scored four runs each.

Weston (2-0) 5 4 5 3 – 17 9 0
JHHS (0-2) 0 0 0 0 – 0 0 3
WP – Culpepper (1-0) LP – Ulloa
2B – Blundell, Tolar
3B – Gill
HR – Theriot
RBI – Theriot 4, Tolar 3, Gill 2, Browning, Henderson, Blundell

Wolves drop opener of EA / Zachary Tourney

Weston was limited to just three hits by defending district 6-4A champion St. Michael’s of Baton Rouge who had 21 batters reach base and scored in every inning to take an 11-1 victory. The contest was called after five innings due to the “ten run” rule and left Weston, who entered with a #7 ranking in Division V, with a 2-1 record on the season. The victory was St. Michael’s first of the year after opening with two losses.

The Wolves avoided the shutout when Braden Theriot slapped a double to score Drew Browning who had singled previously in the fourth inning. Sawyer Watkins got the final hit for Weston. Blaine Graham got hit by a pitch and Cooper Delaney, who absorbed his first loss of the season on the mound for Weston, reached base via the only walk given up by the two St. Michael pitchers who combined to fan seven. St. Michael’s got 8 hits off of Delaney and Layton Garrett in the contest but was helped by nine free passes and four Weston errors.

Weston 0 0 0 1 0 3 – 0 3 4
St. Michael’s 1 1 5 1 3 –  11 8 2
WP – Achberger, LP – Delaney (1-1)
RBI – Theriot

Wolverines drop pair in Many Tourney

Converse 9 Quitman 6: In the rematch of last years Class B semifinal matchup, Converse scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the win in the Wolverines first game of the Many Tournament on Saturday. In game two Quitman fell to St. Mary’s in a 11-10 slugfest dropping the Wolverines record to 0-4 on the season.

Quitman actually outhit Converse 9-6 led by three singles by Logan Ponder, who also stole three bases. Both Riley Duck and Ian Tilley (2SB) collected a pair of singles each and Cam Deal and Jake Potts got a hit each. Hudson Pullig pitched well in his first ever varsity start before tiring to absorb the loss. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Quitman	3	1	0	0	1	1	0	6	9	2
Converse	2	0	1	6	0	0	x	9	6	1

St. Mary’s 11 Quitman 10:  Neither a four run lead in the first or a two run advantage in the seventh held up as St. Mary’s rallied three times to steal the one run victory in eight innings. Cam Deal got three hits and three RBI to lead the QHS offense followed by two hits each form Kase West and Logan Ponder, who scored three times. Riley Duck and Ian Tilley, who also slapped a double, scored twice. Hayden Davis took the loss on the mound. 

The contest was marred by expected ace Blake Carter colliding with a teammate while attempting to field a pop fly which resulted in him being airlifted to a nearby hospital. At last report the CT scan came back clear and Carter was released to go home. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
Quitman (0-4)	4	0	0	1	1	1	3	0	10	11	4
St. Mary’s	1	3	2	0	2	0	2	1	11	10	3

Tigers fall to Delta Charter in season opener

Jonesboro-Hodge couldn’t ask for a better offensive start to the 2023 LHSAA baseball season as W. Evans led off by drawing a walk, stealing two bases, and scoring on a passed ball. The ending to the contest was far from pleasing though as Delhi Charter saddled the Tigers with a 14-1 loss in new head coach Zach Cheatwood’s first game as a high school skipper.
Proving why they are ranked #4 in Division IV among “non-select” schools the Gators, who compete in district 2A scored two runs in the first and then exploded for seven more in the second and five in the third inning to take the “ten-run” rule game victory.
Trey Trosclair reached base in both of his at-bats for the Tigers by drawing a first-inning walk and a third-inning single. Alfonzo Calahan also got a hit and Titus Thomson drew a walk in the third as JHHS loaded the bases but failed to score. Pierce Ulloa added a second-inning single.

Delhi Charter (1-0)         2 7 5 – 14 5 0
Jonesboro-Hodge (0-1) 1 0 0 – 1 2 2
WP – Mize, LP – Trosclair (0-1)

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Here are some actual answers given by children on their science exams:

“How is dew formed?” “The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them sweat.”

“How can you delay milk turning sour?” “Keep it in the cow.”

“What is the fibula?” “A small lie.”

“Name the four seasons.” “Salt, pepper, mustard, and vinegar.”

“What does ‘varicose’ mean?” “It means nearby.”

“What does ‘caesarian section’ mean?” “It’s a housing district in Rome.”

“How are the main parts of the body categorized?” “The body consists of three parts—the brainium, which contains the brain, the borax, which contains the heart and the lungs, and the abdominal cavity, which contains the five vowels-A,E,I,O, and U.”

“What does the word ‘benign’ mean?” “It’s what you’ll be after you be eight.”

One part of our divine nature is the ability to laugh. With all the hurt in the world, sometimes we need to turn away and find something that makes us smile. The Bible never tells us if Jesus laughed, there is circumstantial evidence that Jesus laughed. The Bible tells us that the children wanted to be close to Jesus. He was so magnetic to children that the disciples, acting as bouncers, tried to keep them from coming to Him.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come unto me, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” Kids will not hang out with or seek out grumpy people. It won’t happen. They are drawn to a smile and laugher.

That smile of yours and your laugher are both parts of childlikeness. Listen when groups of children are together, those are happy and joyous sounds. We all know why we lose that joy.

We grow up!

For just a few moments, be a child again and laugh. Now that you laughed, let’s talk about you having “childlike” faith. We will have that conversation on Sunday.

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Eli Walker of Quitman High set a lofty goal at the beginning of the 2023 LHSAA prep golf season to win every tournament he entered. Following his season-opening entry in the President’s Day Junior Classic held at the Trails End Golf Course in Arcadia he’s one for one.

Battling cold and windy conditions, Walker fired a 7 over par round of 79 to outduel LSU commit Noah Williams of Benton High School and Carter Priestly of Airline High by one stroke to bring home the medalist title in the boy’s high school division.

Weston High representative Tayt Culpepper also turned in a fine effort to finish in a tie for fourth, shooting a nine-over par 81 along with Cason Toms of Benton High and Memphis Singleton from Sterlington.

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The selections of the Student-Athletes of the Week at Jonesboro-Hodge, Quitman, and Weston High School for February 19t – 25th have been announced. The honorees, that are chosen by select members of the faculty and staff from each school, earn the award by best exemplifying what it means to be a true student-athlete through academic achievement and athletic accomplishment. Each recipient not only receives public recognition but also is given a commemorative T-Shirt by the Jackson Parish Hospital, which sponsors the weekly award. 

Student-Athlete of the Week

Jessica Aaliyah Newton (12th Grade) – Varsity Girls Basketball player at Weston High School

Anna Bougues (12th Grade) – Senior Cheerleader at Quitman High School

Ariy’un Bradford (10th Grade) – Varsity Boys Basketball player at Jonesboro-Hodge High School

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Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, located at 908 Evergreen Road in Jonesboro, is hosting a Black History Month Celebration at 10:00am this Sunday, February 26th. Special Guest Speaker will be Mr. David Aubrey, Regional Vice President for AT&T out of Baton Rouge, LA orating on the theme: Black History Month is Over. Now What?

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Stiff Neck

I woke up one morning recently with a stiff neck; it was the worst one I’ve experienced in years. A heating pad relieved most of the pain. Stiff necks are a literal pain in the neck!

We do not need to be stiff-necked people.

“You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit; as your ancestors did, so do you (Acts 7:51 HCSB).”

I remember witnessing to a loved one; it was as if she stiffened her neck in rebellion. She was not only resisting my witness but the Holy Spirit too. Praise God; she later gave her life to Christ.

Why do we resist the Holy Spirit?

Stiff necks are healed and adorned with loyalty and faithfulness.

“My son, don’t forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commands;
for they will bring you
many days, a full life, and well-being.
Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.
Tie them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will find favor and high regard
in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
think about Him in all your ways,
and He will guide you on the right path.
Don’t consider yourself to be wise;
fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
This will be healing for your body
and strengthening for your bones (Proverbs 3:1-8 HCSB).”

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During the last week of April, the top pro bass fishermen in the nation will descend on north Louisiana once again to compete in the General Tires Heavy Hitters Major League Fishing Tour event in an effort to win the $100,000.00 first place prize for total catch and Big Bass.

After wowing anglers with large catches last year in the Knockout round and drawing comments such as “This lake is the best we have ever fished on”, Caney Lake will play an even greater role in the event this year by hosting the Qualifying Round and the Knockout Round before the five day event concludes with the Championship Round on Bussey Brake Reservoir in Morehouse Parish.

In an effort to allow local residents to get involved with welcoming MLF back to our area the Jackson Parish Tourism Board is sponsoring a Banner Contest with the winners receiving gift cards from local businesses in the parish.

To learn how to get involved see the flyer posted below.

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The pied-billed grebe is a rather nondescript water bird most of us have never heard of. However, when you mention “di-dipper”, heads nod in recognition. They’re one and the same.

Just about every country boy who spent anytime around a lake while growing up has
encountered these shy little critters that are there on the surface one minute; gone the next.

I see the little brown birds frequently on the surface of the lake at Lincoln Parish Park
and they only let you see them for a short while. Try to get closer and they dive, popping up a few seconds later 10 feet from where they dived.

According to George Lowery’s “Louisiana Birds”, the most remarkable feature of these
birds is their ability to submerge instantaneously, thus their French name of sac-a-plomb, which means “sack of lead”. Lowery also noted that it is virtually impossible to shoot a grebe because “at the flash from the muzzle, the bird submerges and is gone before the pellets arrive.”

With all due respect, George, I beg to differ. Read on….

My first encounter with a grebe was down on Chee Chee Bay in Natchitoches Parish. I
was in my early teens when I went to spend the night with a friend from school with the idea of going duck hunting the next morning. My friend, Arthur, lived near the lake, which made it convenient for us to be at the lakeside at first light, hoping to get some pass-shooting at a duck or two.

Arthur went one way; I went another as I waited in the cold dampness for a crack at a
duck. While hunkering down behind some button willows next to the shoreline, I waited for what seemed an hour without a single duck flying my way. Then I spotted something moving on the water just up the lake from where I was. In my mind’s eye, it was a duck.

I formulated a plan to outsmart that duck and at least have something to show for my
efforts that morning. By using the row of button willows as a shield, I belly-crawled through the cold mud for 100 yards until I had sneaked within shotgun range of the little brown “duck”.

When I’d gotten close enough, I eased to one knee, raised my gun, took aim, and fired. The “duck” rolled over, dead as a…..well, you know. Then I encountered a problem. The wind was blowing out and my prize was floating away toward the big lake.

Luck was on my side, though, because I spotted an old wooden boat somebody had
beached just up from where I was. There was no paddle in the boat but I found a plank nearby that would serve as my paddle.

The boat was made of wood, it was big and very heavy. It took all the strength I could
muster but I finally pushed and pulled; grunted and strained until I had the boat in the water. As you might expect, a boat such as this would never have been abandoned if it were still sea-worthy. It leaked; not too bad but enough that I figured I had to paddle fast to reach my duck and then get back to shore before it sank.

Flailing the water with the one-by-six plank, I was finally able to catch up with my
“duck”. It was not until I had lifted it from the water that I realized my mistake. It was no duck; it was a di-dipper. I had little time to browbeat myself because the boat was sinking. I had to fight the wind and paddle with all my might to get the boat back to shore. I just barely made it before the creaky old craft filled with water. I left it in the shallows and walked ashore, wet and muddy, with my di-dipper.

For the uninformed, the pied-billed grebe is described as a “ducklike water bird closely
related to LOONS.”

After this hunt, I felt I may have been that grebe’s cousin.

FISHING REPORT

CANEY LAKE – Caney Lake Landing has been renovated with a new name and is now open for business at the bridge on Highway 4. Bass are beginning to move into the coves and pockets and are hitting soft plastics, jigs and crank baits. Carolina rigs are picking up some nice bass fishing underwater humps and drop-offs. Crappie still in deep water around brush and hitting shiners or jigs. 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.
BLACK BAYOU – Crappie are improving around the trees on jigs or shiners. Bass are improved around the trees on a variety of lures. No report bream. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Some nice bass including a new lake record of over 13 pounds have been caught this week on jigs and soft plastics. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and shiners around brush. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – The water is on a slow fall but very little fishing reported this week. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Crappie are on the move with some early spawners starting to move onto staging areas in 6-8 foot water. Some nice ones are being caught on shiners or jigs. Bass are beginning to move up as well and some good fish have been caught fairly shallow on spinners, crank baits and topwater lures. Bream are not yet ready but lots of catfish were caught fishing cold worms and night crawlers off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Bass are starting to move toward the shallow spawning areas with some nice fish caught on soft plastics, topwater lures and crank baits. Crappie are still best fishing deep water with jigs and shiners picking up some fish. Catfishing is good on a variety of baits. No report on bream or stripers. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfishing is good. Crappie fishing is improving on jigs and shiners as the fish begin to move more shallow. A 2.16 pound slab was weighed in. Bass are starting to improve on soft plastics. No report on bream. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is on a slow rise but there has been very little fishing this week because of high winds. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.

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Jay Mallard Ford in Jonesboro has a deal for you. Not everyone! But you! That is if you are looking for a slightly experienced, one owner, 25 Passenger Bus. No it wasn’t owned by a little old lady who only drove it to church on Sunday’s but it was owned by a church which kept it very clean and well taken care of and has only 39,749 miles. 

The 2010 F-450 DRW 25 Passenger Bus has a gas powered  6.8L V10 engine and a 5 speed automatic transmission. Additional amenities include a 55 gallon gas tank and a TV with DVD entertainment. Price offered for is $22,995.00.

Interested parties should mention the following:
Vin #:1FDXE4FS7ADA49198
Stock #: A49198

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High school seniors who sing or play a musical instrument are invited to audition for
Louisiana Christian University’s premier musical ensembles—and a chance to earn
scholarship money.

Elevate, the band that performs weekly in Chapel, and Voices, LCU’s traveling ensemble, will be holding open auditions March 11 from 12:30-3 p.m., following Preview Day.

Auditions are open to high school seniors who will be starting college in the fall and current LCU students or students transferring to LCU from another college or university.

Jacob Wittkopp, chair of the Division of Fine Arts, said the university has increased
scholarships for these ensembles to account for the time, energy and talent investment required by students.

“The university is offering significant scholarships for these students who provide their
God-given musical talents in representing LCU,” said President Dr. Rick Brewer.

Voices will be auditioning for 12 singers and a sound board operator. Elevate will be
auditioning for vocalists, guitar, drums, bass and a sound technician.

To sign up for a March 11 audition time slot or for more information, students should email music@lcuniversity.edu. A second audition date of April 15 will be available for students who can’t make the March auditions.

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