You are invited to join the Krewe of Life for a blood drive this Tuesday, February 14th, at Jay Mallard Ford, located at 301 Hudson Avenue in Jonesboro. Sponsored by LifeShare, donors can participate from 11:00am – 4:00pm. In appreciation a Krewe of Life T-Shirt will be given to donors as long as the supply lasts.
Your precious gift is carefully provided to someone in need and your donation could impact the life of someone you know, someone you’;ll meet or even your closest loved one.
How do you spell WINNER? One was is C-O-L-T- P-O-W-E-L-L! After a fierce competition among the 3rd – 7th grade students at Quitman High School on Friday, Colt Powell emerged as the Grand Champion with Bethany Webb claiming the Runnerup position.
Grade level winners were:
3rd grade- Kutter Blalock
4th grade- Jonah Morris
5th grade- Colt Powell
6th grade- Bethany Webb
7th Grade- Evelyn Moore
Jonesboro-Hodge High School Freshmen students are participating in Teach One to Lead One®. This is a community mentoring program that offers hope to all students, including those at risk, to live out their purpose and potential. Pictured below are students, along with their mentors and teachers. Their community service project was to beautify the campus. Thank you to all the mentors, Mr. Grayson Allen, and his team at Jonesboro State Bank. They made it possible for Mr. Terry Cottonham to remount this Senior Class sign from 1966-1967, shown in banner above. The administration and staff of JHHS woudl like to thank each mentor for giving of their time and service!
Registration is ongoing at the Jackson Parish Recreation District (JPRD) for summer league baseball, softball and T-Ball and will run until February 24th. Costs are: $30.00 for boy and girls aged 3-4 and $50.00 for boys and girls of ages 5 & up. There will be a $10.00 fee added for any late registration. To register go to the administrative building at the JPRD Sports Complex, located at 5254 Hwy 4 West just outside of Jonesboro or send check or money order to:
JPRD
PO Box 315
Jonesboro, LA 71251
For more information contact JPRD Director Tommy Smith at 318-259-3031.
Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) is seeking a full time Practical Nursing Instructor at its Huey P. Long Campus in Winnfield. This is a full time, nine month position that includes some evening and weekend duties. For more information go to: www.cltcc.edu/about-cltcc/job-openings-at-cltcc.
Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC), a two-year technical and community college headquartered in Alexandria, La. Today, CLTCC provides comprehensive educational programs that meet the needs of its students and communities. These programs include career and technical education, general education, adult basic education, and workforce development training. CLTCC serves 8 parishes through six campus locations:
| Campus Name | Campus Location | Phone Number |
| Alexandria Main Campus | Alexandria, LA | 318-487-5443 |
| McArthur Extension Campus | Alexandria, LA | 318-487-5443 |
| Ferriday Campus | Ferriday, LA | 318-757-6501 |
| Huey P. Long Campus | Winnfield, LA | 318-628-4342 |
| Rod Brady Campus | Jena, LA | 318-992-2910 |
| Ward H. Nash Avoyelles Campus | Cottonport, LA | 318-876-2401 |
Deer season, for all practical purposes, has come to an end but opinions on deer hunting vary widely and run the gamut from “if it’s brown it’s down” to not shooting one unless it’s a trophy.
For the past 10 years or so, I have had the privilege of writing about trophy bucks taken around the state for LA Sportsman magazine. I have come away with the firm belief that Louisiana rivals states like Kansas and Iowa where some genuine buster bucks taken every season.
For example, if a buck has antlers with measurements of at least 140 inches including number of points, tine length, overall mass and inside spread, it got written up as a trophy. As the season progressed, we had so many 140 inch bucks it was necessary to move the cut-off point to 150 inches. Looking back over the bucks that earned a spot in the magazine, the top five bucks
ranged from 177 inches to a whopping 192 inches.
Some hunters work hard all year in providing nutritional feed for deer, scouting, using trail cameras to locate and pin-point target bucks. Other hunters are not interested in what a buck scores but just want to put a deer or two in the freezer, buck or doe – it doesn’t matter.
I ran across a page on Face Book that highlights just how far ranging opinions are on what is an acceptable deer to take. There has been some talk about wanting to change Louisiana’s deer hunting regulations from six, which currently includes three antlered and three antlerless deer.
One respondent on the page I read wrote…”About changing Louisiana deer hunting reg…in my opinion, I say leave it like it is. I don’t care about horns; I’m a meat hunter and I would be happy with six doe tags.”
This comment triggered the following rather heated response…..”Meat hunter is what someone calls himself if he’s too lazy to scout and hunt for big deer, part of the ‘if its brown its down’ crowd. Ain’t a hunter in Louisiana would pass a good buck for a doe. Everyone wants to kill a good buck.”
Deer hunting today is far different than it was back in the days when I began hunting. For the first few years I hunted, bucks were the only legal deer that could be taken. That included anything from 2 inch spikes on up. I can remember when all I looked for was to see something sticking up on a deer’s head. Spike or four point; it didn’t matter because it was a buck.
Later, there were mixed reactions when regulations allowed one “doe day”. Some were happy to see this happen while others were bemoaning the belief that if you allowed hunters to shoot does, it would be the end of our deer herds in the state. This didn’t prove to be the case as a few years later more “doe days” were added until the current picture emerged where the tagging
system was implemented allowing hunters to take deer of either sex up to the daily and season limit.
Here is the response from another on the page I read that gives deer hunters something to think about….”I have no problem with anyone choosing to shoot any legal deer on their property. Sure, we let some deer go and our neighbors shoot them. So what…we don’t own the deer. If it makes them happy, so be it. People have different wants, needs and goals. Hope
everyone can enjoy the hunt the way they see fit.”
In this writer’s opinion, this respondent pretty much nailed it.
BLACK BAYOU – Crappie are improving around the trees on jigs or shiners. No report on bass or bream. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Crappie fishing has slowed a bit but some good bass are being caught around structure on creature baits. For latest information, contact the Honey Holeat 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – The water is rising with current and fishing has been slow this week. No reports on crappie or bass. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Water levels are slowly falling and fishing has improved. Crappie fishing has been good this week fishing the channel edges with shiners or jigs. Bass fishing has been good fishing Bandit crank baits or Rat-L-Traps along the banks. Bream have not started just yet but you can catch catfish fishing night crawlers or cold worms off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie fishing continues to be fair to good with jigs and shiners picking up some fish in deep water. Bass have improved with some to around 8 pounds caught on crank baits and soft plastics. 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.
CANEY LAKE –Jigging spoons and tail spinners are picking up a few bass and yellow bass bouncing these lures off the bottom in deep water. Carolina rigs are picking up some nice bass fishing underwater humps and drop-offs. 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 with a 29 pound cat caught this week. Crappie fishing around the slips and on the south end has been better in the afternoons on shiners or jigs. Bass fishing has been fair. No report on bream. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is on a slow fall and there has been very little fishing except some catfish have been caught. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.
Let’s Get Vaccinated! That is the message the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is trying to convey. To help make that possible LDH Region 8, of which Jackson Parish is a part, has scheduled dates for free Covid-19, Flu and Monkeypox vaccinations in each parish of the region this week. The Jackson Parish Health Unit, located at 228 Bond St. in Jonesboro, will be giving vaccinations Monday – Friday (February 13-17) during times of 8am-4:30pm. Appointments suggested, but not
necessaryTo schedule an appointment call (318) 259 – 6601.
The Heart of Listening
When Norm and I were dating, we talked on the phone most of the night.
He was a WNDR, Syracuse disc jockey. Known as ‘the Rebel,’ he ran his nightly shows from midnight-6am. I listened to his all-nighters on my pocket size transistor radio. In between the records, I listened to telltale southern drawl on my telephone. We were young and in love. Conversation came easily.
Conversing with God should be as natural as breathing. He has my heart.
The LORD has so much to share in our 2-way prayer conversations. He challenges; convicts me of sins and gives comfort.
The Father loves me; He loves you.
Am I a good listener?
I confess; I have much to learn about listening.
Samuel serves as a good example.
“Now Samuel had not yet experienced the LORD, because the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. Once again, for the third time, the LORD called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’
Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the boy. He told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
The LORD came, stood there, and called as before, ‘Samuel, Samuel!’
Samuel responded, ‘Speak, for Your servant is listening (1 Samuel 3:7-10 HCSB).”
The Louisiana Retired Teachers Association is inviting all retired teachers from several NELA parishes to attend the spring District X meeting on Mar. 8, 2023. The meeting will be held at the Lincoln Parish Library at 910 North Trenton St. in Ruston.
District X includes Caldwell, Jackson, Lincoln, Morehouse, Ouachita and Union parishes. Any retired teachers from these areas are invited to attend. The meeting begins at 2 p.m. with registration starting at 1:45 p.m.
The District X president, Becky Solley, will preside over the meeting. Rodney Watson, LRTA Executive Director will discuss the 2023 Regular Session and legislature that could impact retired teachers.
For more information on the upcoming meeting and legislature, visit LRTA’s website by clicking here.
Over the course of an angler’s career, there are times and situations that can turn deadly really quickly. How you react when you’re in one of these unexpected disasters can be the difference between living or dying. Your ability to remain calm is very important in maintaining a clear head and thinking things through. Today, we’ll go over one of these life-or-death events that this angler had to live through.
During the course of a bass tournament, things can go wrong. You hit a stump and destroy your lower unit on your big motor. You run into a log with your trolling motor and break the shaft. You blow a fuse, and all your electronics stop working. You lose your aerator system with your live wells and all your fish die. But there’s also the possibility that your batteries go dead, leaving you without the ability to use the trolling motor. This is what happened to me during a promotional tournament sponsored by the Horseshoe Casino.
For three or four years, the Horseshoe Casino sponsored an event in which they brought in all their “high rollers” and hired 20 to 25 of the best anglers in the area to guide these guys while they fished for a $10,000 purse, a “winner take all tournament.” It was truly a fun event with some great guys who were just looking to go fishing and have a good time. But make no mistake, each wanted to win, and they would sell their mother down the river in order to get the win. Horseshoe paid us (guides) well to take these guys out for a two-day tournament. We fished from daylight till about 1:00 each day and had to be at the Horseshoe for the weigh-in by 2:00.
One of these events was on Red River and this is where one of my worst nightmares unfolded. My partner and I were fishing and doing pretty good, when around 10:00 AM that morning my trolling motor batteries went dead. At the time, we had about 14 pounds of fish in the live-well with three hours of fishing left. Well, let’s just say the wind was not our friend, blowing about 15 to 20 MPH out of the south, so not having a trolling motor was going to make fishing very difficult. So, I decided to go back close to the boat ramp we launched from and let the wind push us down a stretch of bank that I had caught good fish off of before. We made one pass down this 150-yard stretch and culled two good keepers that gave us about 16 pounds by 11:00 AM with two hours left.
After we made that first pass, we ended up by a boat dock where people had a couple of houseboats tied up. Again, the wind was really blowing hard and as we drifted, we got hung up on the boat dock and I had to try and push us off. There was one piling that was in my way and as I was trying to push the boat away from this piling, my hand slipped off and into the water I went! One thing I learned when I hit the water was not just how cold the water was, but that the pullover jacket I had on, which was made of Burma fleece, was equivalent to a huge sponge. Understand this, you cannot imagine how absorbent Burma fleece really is. The minute I hit the water, I gained 25 pounds of extra weight on top of my 230-pound frame. I went straight to the bottom and landed like an anchor being dropped from the Titanic.
The first thing that went through my mind was, “This is not good,” as I opened my eyes and realized I was in a bad situation in 15 feet of water. I attempted to try and remove my pullover, but it was as if I had been shrink wrapped with this Burma fleece jacket. There was no getting it off, so now I’m just trying to figure out how to get back to the surface. The piling my hand had slipped off of was about 4 feet away from me, so I started walking on the bottom of the riverbed and wrapped my legs around the piling and started trying to shimmy my way up. Problem was, the piling was covered in algae, and it was like a monkey trying to climb a greased pole. Finally, I was able to get enough grip with my shoes, that it allowed me to get my head above water. I’m not sure how long I was under the water, but according to my 75-year-old partner, it was at least 2 minutes. He thought I had drowned and was in total panic mode.
After surfacing I asked him to throw my life jacket to me. Even though it was laying in the driver’s seat in plain sight, he could not see it. At this point there was no choice, it was either swim to the bank or try to get back to the boat. Getting to the boat, in my mind, was a priority as my partner was on the verge of a heart attack! At this point I pushed off the piling and swam towards the boat and lifted myself back into the boat with the help of the trim switch on the motor. Totally exhausted, I laid on the back deck of the boat for about 15 minutes trying to recover and gain my energy back.
Once fully recovered, it was time to get these wet clothes off. This is why you should keep a complete change of clothes in your boat at all times. Once changed out, we went back to fishing…. against my partners wishes. But as far as I was concerned, we were in it to win it and we needed to get to 18 pounds to have a shot. Well, we ended up in 3rd with a little over 16 pounds, but to say it was an adventure is an understatement.
After it was all said and done, I realized on my drive back home that day just how quickly things can take a turn for the worst. But looking back, the thing that stood out from this experience was that I never panicked. For some reason, I was able to maintain my composure, think clearly and slowly process my situation, and find my way back to the surface. Talking to a game warden one day about my experience, he told me that most drownings take place in water 4 feet or less, all because people panic and lose their thought process…when all they really had to do was stand up. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget your sunscreen.
To have published your Business Services, Job Opportunities, Items for sale, Advertisements for Bids, Requests for Proposals, Requests for Quotes, Public Notices, and Legal Notices – send an email to: jpjjacksonla@gmail.com. Possible costs are dependent on content.
Stump Removal and Grinding: Call James Stewart at (318) 243-1009 or (318) 768-2554 for your stump removal and grinding needs. Free Estimates!
The Hodge Fire Department is looking for individuals interested in serving their community. If you live within Hodge or the Hodge Fire Protection District and are interested in joining contact Chief Michael Heard at (318) 259-4704 or go to the station located at 1002 South 1st Street in Hodge.
Book – “100-year history of JHHS football” Comprehensive year-by-year description of the first 100 years (1919-2019) of JHHS football. Includes categorial individual and team top ten rankings. Perfect gift for that family member or friend who would enjoy remembering their “glory days”. The cost is $25.00 per book plus $3.00 for shipping and handling. To order call (318) 480-1206.
Commemorative Plates – Beautifully etched china plates commemorating Jonesboro-Hodge High School and Jackson Parish. To order contact Wilda Smith at (318) 426-6511 or Barbara Johnson at (318) 450-5561.
REQUEST FOR BIDS: The Jackson Parish Recreation District is looking for a vendor to run the concession stand for the upcoming baseball season. If you want to submit a proposal or have questions, contact Tommy Smith at 318-737-8493.
Veteran’s Affairs Office Opens: The Veteran’s Affairs Office, located at 322 6th Street in Jonesboro, will now be open on Tuesday and Wednesday each week from 9:30a.m. – 3:00p.m. The VA Representative is Mr. Gary Poole who can be reached at 318-259-2100 or gary.poole@la.gov
PEOPLES BANK
# 35438
PARISH OF JACKSON
STATE OF LOUISIANA
DONNA KAY KYLE
By virtue of a Writ of Seizure and Sale issued out of the Honorable Second Judicial District Court, Parish of Jackson, State of Louisiana, and to me directed, I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale for cash at the principal front door of the Courthouse, Jonesboro, Louisiana, on Wednesday, the 22nd day of March, 2023 Between the hours governing judicial
sales, the following property to wit:
THREE AND ONE-HALF ACRES IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THEE 1/2 OF THE NE 1/4 OF THE SE 1/4, SECTION 21, TOWNSHIP 16 NORTH, RANGE 1 WEST, JACKSON PARISH, LOUISIANA, INCLUDING ANY AND ALL IMPROVEMENTS SITUATED THEREON AND THERETO BELONGING.
Seized as the property of the above-named defendant and will be sold to satisfy said Writ and all costs, sale to be made for cash with WITH the benefit of appraisal.
ANDY BROWN, SHERIFF
EX-OFFICIO, AUCTIONEER
TINA SPILLERS, DEPUTY
2/8/23
3/15/23
The “best of the best” that the Jackson Parish School District has to offer regarding students, teachers, and principals was recognized by the Jackson Parish School Board at their regularly scheduled meeting held on Monday, February 6th. The session opened with JPSD Superintendent David Claxton presenting the Students, Teacher, and Principal of the Year to the board members and the crowded meeting room of the Central Office, located at 315 Pershing Hwy. in Jonesboro.
Ella Simonelli – 5th Grade Jackson Parish Student of the Year
Ty Henderson – 8th Grade Jackson Parish Student of the Year
Dillon Pardue – 12th Grade Jackson Parish Student of the Year
LaJulia Blankenship – Jackson Parish Elementary Teacher of the Year
Megan Rackley – Jackson Parish Middle School Teacher of the Year
Haley Staples – Jackson Parish High School Teacher of the Year
Billy Carter – Jackson Parish Principal of the Year
Following the presentation of plaques to each, Matthew Margaglio from Kolder, Slaven, and Company, LLC presented the 2022 audit. The board then approved the following recommendations that were submitted by the Transportation, Building and Grounds, Policy, and Executive Finance Committees
1. Accept low quote of $38,406.25 from Jay Mallard Ford Lincoln, LLC to purchase a 2022 Ford F-150 Super – Serial # 1FTEX1EB4NKF27245, to be paid from ESSER II.
2. Payment of invoices totaling $23,372.00 for emergency cleanup and repairs at Jonesboro Hodge Middle School due to a pipe that burst during Christmas break, to is paid from the General Fund. to:
Servpro – $10,500.00
Wood Electronics – $2,430.00
Dodson Enterprises – $8,795.00
Jonesboro Plumbing – $1,647.00
3. Accept low quote of $24,500.00 from Dodson Enterprises, Inc. for materials and labor to install a new concrete slab and new sidewalk at Jonesboro Hodge Middle School courtyard, to be paid from ESSER II.
4. Accept low quote of $39,792.50 from Floors by Design & Construction for materials and labor to replace the floors at the Central Office, to be paid from ESSER II. (Pending LDOE approval)
5. Payment of $35,016.00 to Triad Builders of Ruston, Inc. for the Change Order Request “D” for Quitman High School addition and renovation project, to be paid from ESSER III.
6. Adopt new policy: JGCDA – Administration of Naloxone
7. Payment of General Fund bills, Federal Program bills, Food Service bills, Sales Tax bills, Special Education Fund bills, and District Maintenance bills.
8. Pay Employer’s Share of Office of Group Benefits insurance premiums from General Fund for the March 2023 sales tax distribution.
9. Declare the steamer and kettle removed from Weston High School cafeteria as surplus and advertise for bids. If no bids are received the equipment will be sent to the scrap yard.
10. Approve a service contract with Vocovision LLC to provide live interactive remote Teletherapy services (Speech Therapy) from February 7, 2023, to May 12, 2023, at a cost of $75.00 per hour, to be paid from IDEA funds.
11. Accept an agreement with the Outdoor Wilderness Learning Center (OWL) to provide social-emotional learning activities for designated students in grades 3-5 at Jonesboro Hodge Elementary School, Quitman High School, and Weston High School at a cost of $33,750.00, to be paid out of ESSER IIIEB funds.
12. Accept low quote of $13,561.96 from Quill for office supplies to be used for Special Education parish-wide, to be paid from IDEA funds.
13. Payment to mentor teachers for the 2022-2023 school year for mentoring ITeach, New Teachers, and New Teacher Pilot participants, not to exceed a total cost of $40,000.00, to be paid from ESSER II Incentive, ESSER III and MFP.
Quitman High School celebrated “Senior Night” in grand style by sweeping Jackson Parish and District 1B rival Weston by scores of 54-47 and 61-52 in girls and boys contests on Monday. Before the games began Blake Carter, Jamall Johnson, Emma Carter, Ansley Folks, Summer Grillette, Bethany Leach, Brayli Stewart, Wyatt Timm, Breanna Canady, Anna Bougues, Gracie Nalley, and Kylee Ann Dixon were recognized in front of a packed house at the Jonesboro-Hodge High School gymnasium.
Quitman 54 Weston 47 (girls): The 2022-23 prep basketball campaign had all the makings of being a “dream season” for Bethany Leach. Then injuries and illness turned the senior point guard last year into a continuous nightmare and one she would rather forget. In three minutes all that changed!
With Weston leading 44-40, the diminutive Leach blocked a shot and dropped a dime to Cali Deal to bring Quitman to within two. Then with Quitman holding onto a 47-44 lead, Leach took over to make the last seven points of the contest, five coming results of clutch free throws.
“I was happy just getting a chance to play,” said Leach, who was cleared to play just hours before tip-off and expected to play just a few minutes of the contest. “But to help us win at the end is the best.”
According to her father, QHS head coach Kyle Leach, she wasn’t supposed to play more than just a few minutes at the start of the game.
“As it was Senior Night, the plan was to let her start and then pull her,” laughed Leach. “She kept telling me she felt fine, so we put her in for short times throughout the game and when we got down she said she wanted to play. Glad I listened to her.”
Homerun! The deciding point in the game came with less than a minute to go and Quitman up 47-44. Emma Kate McBride had just made a clutch three-pointer to cut the QHS lead in half. After a timeout, Weston employed a full court as Quitman set up an inbounds play with Leach taking the ball out. Suddenly, Cali Deal jumped out of the court and joined Leach out of bounds. Leach passed Deal the ball, cut around a pick, and sprinted downcourt where she was all alone to haul in a long pass from Deal for a layup making it a two-possession game. Game over!
“We call it Homerun and have had that play a long time but very seldom use it as it is risky,” said Leach who explained further. “If the pass isn’t completed and goes out on the other end, Weston would have gotten the ball under their own goal needing only a three-pointer to tie.”
The third district win in a row after opening with two losses puts Quitman just one game back of Weston at 3-2 in 1B play and vaulted the overall record to 20-8, the first time since 2017-18 that the Lady Wolverines have posted a 20 win season. Cali Deal led Quitman with 19 points and 12 rebounds, both game highs as well as blocking six shots. Leach and Brayli Stewart had ten points each followed by Anna Leach who scored eight. Ansley Folks contributed a three-pointer and both Summer Grillette and Emma Carter made a basket.
Briley Peterson, who was instrumental in helping Weston overcome a 35-27 deficit to take a 44-40 lead by scoring 8 points, grabbing five rebounds, and making two steals led the Lady Wolves with 14 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Emma Kate McBride with 13 and Jessica Newton who had nine. Lainee Trosclair and Anslee Aldy finished with five apiece and Lexie Millien chipped in with a free throw. Weston still has the inside track to claim the district 1B title needing only a victory over Castor this Thursday.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | TOTAL |
| Quitman (20-8, 3-2) | 14 | 15 | 6 | 17 | 54 |
| Weston (26-6, 4-1) | 7 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 47 |
Quitman 61 Weston 52 (boys) The two games prior Quitman had trouble making their free throws, especially down the stretch. They did again on Monday night connecting on only 20 of 36 (55.5%) but this time when it counted the Wolverines hit a clutch 9 of 13 charity shots to stave off a late Weston push. The victory sets up a winner take all showdown for the district 1B crown at Doyline on Thursday as the Wolverines improved to 4-1 in district 1B play and 17-11 overall. Meanwhile, the district doldrums continued for Weston who dropped their sixth in a row and 10th of the 12 games played since the calendar rolled to the new year to fall to 9-21 overall and winless in 1B at 0-5.
Logan Ponder, who had missed six of seven free throws over the first three periods, connected on 5 of 8 in the fourth to lead all scorers with 18 points while also dishing out 5 assists. Blake Carter also came up big with 15 points and 11 boards followed in scoring by Brayden Smith with 13 and Gavyn Caskey with 8. Riley Duck scored four and both Eli Walker and Grant Williams added a basket.
Tait Henderson scored 15 for the Wolves had Bryce Zehr and Mitchel Mathews also reach double figures with 13 points each. Braden Theriot had four, Ja’Maichael Fourd three, and Tyler Pardue a basket. Jude Otwell and Nathan Wages chipped in with a free throw each.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | TOTAL |
| Quitman (17-10, 4-1) | 17 | 18 | 7 | 19 | 61 |
| Weston (9-21, 0-5) | 11 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 52 |
The Jackson Parish Chamber of Commerce has selected Dougdemona Farm & Seed as the Business of the Month for February. Located at 132 Lowery Road in Quitman the garden center is owned and operated by Jackson Parish residents Patrick and Brandy Willis who strives to provide the finest in farm and garden products. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7 AM to 6 PM and Saturdays at 7 AM to 2 PM. For more information call 318-259-9004 or email dugfeedllc@gmail.com.
Jonesboro-Hodge and Weston High Schools will hold Senior Night ceremonies this Thursday and Friday as the regular season of the 2022-23 LHSAA prep basketball season nears the end. On Thursday, Weston High will be honor their 12th graders in between the girls and boys games against Castor. The contest carries added interest in that the Weston girls needs to win to secure the district 1B title. Jonesboro-Hodge will honor their seniors on Friday with a ceremony beginning at 5:30pm before their contest against Many.
The Quitman High boys also have a big game on Thursday as they take to the road to play Doyline in a battle for the right to be called district 1B champions. Saline High also has a big contest that possibly could carry district 2C title implicaitons with the Bobcat boys needing to beat Georgetown in their regular season final.
Thursday, February 9th
Weston vs Castor (Senior Night) 6:00pm
Quitman at Doyline 6:00pm
Friday, February 10th
JHHS vs Many (Senior Night) 5:30 pm
Saline vs Georgetown 6:00pm
Saline 43 Central-Jonesville 22 (girls) The Saline girls weren’t expected to have much trouble with Central-Jonesville on Tuesday. They didn’t. As result on of the best stories in prep basketball this season was finalized as one of the doormats of Division V in the early part of the 2022-23 season ended as the undefeated District 2C champions. The contest also saw one of the better individual performances of the year take place as Alana Gray posted a triple-double by turning in a stat line of 18 points, 15 rebounds and 11 steals. Don’t forget the 7 assists she dished out. Even more impressive is that all this was done in a little more than 2 1/2 quarters.
Kasidy Sims continued her late scoring spree by adding ten points, while Alaya Gray, Alana’s twin sister chipped in eight. X Lard scored five and Tyla Malone scored a basket to round out the scoring for the Lady Bobcats who now stand at 7-0 in district 2C play and improved the overall mark to 14-16 after starting the year 1-11. Central-Jonesville fell to 0-7 in district and 0-19 overall.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | TOTAL |
| Saline (14-16, 7-0) | 14 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 43 |
| Central-J’ville (0-19, 0-7) | 5 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 22 |
Saline 89 Central-Jonesville 26 (boys) Led by eight points from Trent Ledbetter and DJ Rager-Ridley as well as a pair of three pointers by Shawn Staggs, the Bobcats set a new team best and area best for points scored in a quarter. The 37-6 advantage allowed head coach Klint Robinson to start clearing his bench in the second quarter which led to some new career highs in scoring including ten points each from Jay Nash and Eli Ferguson, who also registered the first two dunks of his varsity career. In all 15 players, also a new season best, scored for the Bobcats. The victory improved Saline’s district 2C slate to 7-2 and 18-14 ovwerall while Central-Jonesville lost for the 9th straight time in district play and 19th overall without a win.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | TOTAL |
| Saline 18-14, 7-2) | 37 | 5 | 28 | 19 | 89 |
| Central-J’ville (0-19, 0-7) | 6 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 26 |
Winnfield 73 JHHS 52 (boys) Winnfield erupted for a 22-5 first quarter lead and never looked back. The 16th victory in a row that includes niine straght district 3-2A victories clinches Winnfield a tie for the district crown with a contest left agasinst Lakeview on Friday. JHHS fell to 4-5 in district play and 9-13 overall. Ajay Tew scored 14, Savantez Phillips had 13 and Zion Gray added 11 but no one else had more than the five points that Symeon Malone scored.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | TOTAL |
| JHHS (9-13, 4-5) | 5 | 13 | 20 | 14 | 52 |
| Winnfield (21-4, 9-0) | 22 | 15 | 23 | 13 | 73 |
Winnfield 67 JHHS 36 (girls): Like the boys the girls fell hopelessly behind by a 20-4 margin after the first quarter only it got worse by the half as Winnfield took a 35-11 lead into the break. Tyad Davis came alive int he second half for the local girls to end up leading JHHS in scoring with 13. Morgann Magee finished with seven and Kaelin Palmer had five. The 15th straight loss dropped J-H’s record to 3-21 on the year and 0-9 in district play. Winnfield improved to 17-9 overall and 8-1 in District 3-2A play.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | TOTAL |
| JHHS (3-21, 0-9) | 4 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 36 |
| Winnfield (17-9, 8-1) | 20 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 67 |
The top high school anglers in northeast Louisiana will descend on Caney Lake this Saturday, February 11th, for the fourth leg in the Northeast Louisiana High School Anglers Tournament Schedule. Jackson Parish is expected to be well represented with teams from Quitman and Weston High Schools as well as other local high school students who will be fishing with partners from out of the parish.
Check in will be at Hooks Marina, located at 400 Spillway Road from 5:30- 6:15am with the two person teams along with their captain expected to be in the water by 6:30am awaiting blast off as soon as there is safe light. Weigh in is set for 3:00pm.
For anglers that didn’t fish the January tournament and have not already taken care of this, please be reminded that all SAF dues MUST be renewed by calling 580-765-9031. If joined or renewed after September 1st, memberships are active through 2023. If done prior to September 1st, memberships expired 12-31-22. For liability reasons, anglers will be ineligible to compete without an active SAF#. This needs to taken care of by Wednesday, February 8th.
Meet Brother Jeff Toms, Ebenezer Baptist Church’s Children’s Coordinator. Jeff grew up in West Monroe and moved to the Caney Lake area in 1994. He and his wife Dawn have four children, nine grandchildren, and one grandchild on the way. A testament to their love of Christ, two of Jeff and Dawn’s children were called into youth ministry. Their son-in-law, Josh Jones, is also the youth minister at Ebenezer Baptist.
Jeff starts each day with prayer and the three bible verses shown below, feeling that if he can recite these to himself throughout the day that the day will be a good one.
Psalm 118:24– This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
John 15:12- My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
1st Corinthians 10:31– So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Jeff is an active member of Ebenezer’s choir. He loves all worship songs, but his favorites are “It is Well” and “Give Me Jesus”. Brother Jeff feels that the greatest benefit that Ebenezer Baptist Church has to offer those looking for a home church is that we are a Family of Families. Our church ministry serves all individual ages but truly brings the family together through all of our worship opportunities.
As part of that ministry, God called Jeff to provide our children with age-appropriate church services. Ten years ago, Jeff learned the art of ventriloquism. What started out with one puppet has grown now to seven different characters that are used to bring our little God’s word each Sunday.
What is Jeff’s favorite part of ministry?
“I say all the time when someone sees a young child run up and give me a great big hug- that’s one of the perks of doing Children’s Church.”
Ebenezer Baptist Church is so blessed to have Brother Jeff Toms minister to our children. He lights up the room with his smile and his love of Christ is seen throughout his daily actions.
The selections of the Student-Athletes of the Week at Jonesboro-Hodge, Quitman, and Weston High School for January 29th – February 4th 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.
Tait Henderson (11th Grade) – Varsity Boys Basketball player at Weston High School
Sebastian Guin (12th Grade) – Varsity Powerlifter at Quitman High School
AJoriana Hoggro (12th Grade) – Varsity Girls Basketball player at Jonesboro-Hodge High School
(Editor’s Note: In light of the new year’s eye-popping egg prices, we go back to 2012 to explain, in this timeless salute to something both incredible and edible, why we are not chicken to pay whatever price is necessary for this fabulous food.)
I am the shell of a man.
That’s because my insides are mostly eggs.
And that goes for you and you. And you too.
Break us and we bleed yellow.
You don’t think so? I beg to differ. Hang with me and I’ll prove that not since Dean Martin has something been so versatile, so good, and yet, despite a fair amount of fame, still so underappreciated.
Seriously, did somebody say something about an egg? If you did, I’m listening. Eggs get my attention. Were it not for eggs, the world would be a much less happy, less tasteful and less interesting place. What kind of question is “Which came first, the chicken or the … other chicken?”
See? You almost GOTTA have eggs!
I am so proud that after 35 years, the Egg People — that wonderful group of egg enthusiasts who tout this white-shelled miracle of nature — have brought back the jingle originated in 1977, “The Incredible Edible Egg.” Listen for it. The song is updated in both style and lyrics, but the message remains the same: Eggs Rock!
Think of how deeply this tiny food has embedded itself into our culture. There are eggs in cakes, in pie crusts, in brownies, in egg salad and in breads. Eggs help to hold the crust onto its first cousin, the chicken. (Maybe instead of “first cousin” it should be “mother once removed.”)
Eggs are in cookies and creams, in fried rice, and in demand. That’s why the United States production of 75 billion eggs a year is an impressive yet big-picture moderate 10 percent of the world’s supply.
We are an egg society.
Think of this food’s adaptability, if you will. It can be boiled and poached and scrambled and fried. And that’s just at breakfast! What a wonderful thing to wake up to.
It can be served sunny side up, over easy, yellow hard, yellow runny. Omelet, you say? Fine!
It can even be split into either yellow or white. How many everyday foods offer you TWO colors in such a small package? The egg is the fruit of the barnyard.
I could rest my case. But I won’t. Because not only is the egg versatile, it’s good for you. You’ve got 13 essential nutrients in a single egg, the egg publicists tell me, which might be a lie but hey, I’m buying it!, because they know I can’t tell a nutrient from a nutria. But I did grow up around chicken snakes, and not once did I see a sick one.
A large egg contains just 70 calories and has six grams of protein. My sources tell me that this is another “plus” in the “healthy food” column. In other words, an egg as a food is a “good egg.”
See? The word even lends itself to playfulness. You can be a good egg or a bad egg. Some people are egg heads. Some have egg on their face. Or a goose egg on their forehead. Some people put all their eggs in one basket, walk on egg shells, lay an egg, egg others on or protect their nest egg.
“Last one in’s a rotten egg!”
It’s a beautiful word, a beautiful food, and you’ll likely enjoy one today, even if it’s disguised in another food. Which is another reason to love the egg: it’s a simple food of delightful complexity. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Mystery is the egg’s “coop” de gras.
I missed you last week.
There are rare occasions when I don’t write these articles. Last week was such a time.
My gallbladder went rogue a couple of days before Christmas. I remember the ER doctor telling me after all the tests were run, “your gallbladder needs to come out.” He seemed to take great delight in sharing the next bit of news. “And you need to be on a bland diet until it comes out.” The gallbladder news was not earth shattering, the bland diet news two days before Christmas was not good news.
I found a surgeon in Minden. Since the journey started there, I thought it only fair that the folks in Minden saw it through. I showed up for my surgeon’s visit with my X-acto knife and betadine ready for her to cut the thing out that day. She, being a thorough surgeon, ran more tests.
A couple of weeks ago, I had an appointment to review the test results. She carefully laid out my options and I said, “When can we do this?” The date was set. She described laparoscopic surgery and the recovery time. I told the church staff that I was having surgery on Monday and I would return to the office by Wednesday. This small surgical procedure would not keep me down.
I checked into the day surgery area of the hospital. They gave me a southern exposure hospital gown. They started the IV and told me surgery would begin about 11:30. I remember the ride to the surgery suite and that is about it. My simple surgery lasted four hours!
When I work up, I was in the labor and delivery area of the hospital. I wondered what they had removed in surgery that caused me to end up in a place where I was the only male on the floor. Being the only male on the floor, did have several advantages and moments of great levity. I could tell when the older nurses sent a student nurse to my room to get my vitals, without warning her I was a he. There were some funny looks. There were questions, “What are you doing here?” There was laughter at the nurse’s station!
All levity aside, I spent Monday night under the watchful care of a great nursing staff. The nurses on Tuesday were good too. I noticed that no one was talking about discharging the patient. It seemed the patient was causing concern with his numbers. Also when they tried to stand me up and I folded up like a church fellowship hall folding chair, there was concern.
The concern came to a head after supper on Tuesday night. The surgeon came in and said, “Did you eat?” I said, “Only the fruit.” She said, “Good, we need to take you back to surgery.” I knew that you can’t have surgery after eating, it is like swimming after you eat. I asked her, “When?” She said, “We can’t wait eight hours, we are taking you now.”
I had three more hours of surgery.
So that’s where I was last week. Seven hours of surgery and three days in the labor and delivery section of the hospital.
I learned the power of prayer and patience. I’m grateful for the care I received from the staff of the hospital who along with great nursing skills had wonderful senses of humor. I’m humbled by all the folks who prayed for me. I’m thankful for the moments of helplessness which reminded me again of the words of the Psalmist.
From whence does your help come. My help comes from the Lord.
Seven student athletes from Jackson Parish have earned LHSAA Composite Academic All-State honors for basketball. To qualify for Composite Team honors, a student-athlete’s six-semester GPA must have an un-weighted 4.00 average. These students cannot even have an “B” on their transcript.
Ajay Tew – Jonesboro Hodge High School
Blake Carter – Quitman High School
Emma Carter – Quitman High School
Ansley Folks – Quitman High School
Bethany Leach – Quitman High School
Brayli Stewart – Quitman High School
Emma Kate McBride -Weston High School
CEO John Morgan and staff are constantly bringing the best possible innovative programs and equipment to the hospital for the benefit of Jackson Parish residents If you have been a patient of the Jackson Parish Hospital (JPH) over the past year or so then you can’t help but admire the many improvements that have been made to the facility. Certainly, the medical industry has taken notice, voting JPH as a top facility.
Recently an overlooked but very important sector of JPH, the food service division, was recognized in a featured article written by Jennifer Crain highlighting the unique menu and special care that John Mayer and his staff provides.
See below for a reprint of the article that was published in Food Management Magazine on February 1st, 2023.
At the Jackson Parish Hospital, a popular chef-driven retail menu features Southern comfort foods and Cajun favorites.
When John Mayer visits patient rooms wearing his chef’s coat, the patients sometimes ask what kind of doctor he is. It makes sense — chefs don’t usually visit patient rooms.
But Mayer checks in with patients daily in the 25-bed hospital to ask what they thought about their meals. He believes it improves the patient experience, and his culinary program, to make these kinds of one-on-one connections.
The hospital’s CEO, John Morgan, agrees. “Food is such a central theme to what we do and who we are in this deep South,” he says. “Food truly is medicine…I can’t say strongly enough how important [this food program] has been to the progression of this hospital and the continuity of care.”
Mayer has run the kitchen at Jackson Parish Hospital in Jonesboro, Louisiana since 2021, when the hospital switched from its self-managed program to Culinary Services Group. Morgan notes that the company was “aligned with our thought process. We wanted an on-site chef with experience.”
Mayer certainly has it. He’s worked in restaurants, bars, and nightclubs his entire career. It’s a big change for him — and a positive one. “I’ve never done this side of the food industry before,” he says, “and I’ll just tell you what…it’s been very rewarding. It’s something I should have been doing for the last 40 years.”
The hospital staff, visitors, and patients seem to be similarly enamored with Mayer and his team. Routinely, people in the community time their hospital visits to coincide with lunch and dinner. The menu is packed with Southern comfort foods and features Cajun dishes regularly.
One week in January, entrées included chicken and sausage jambalaya; fried catfish; smothered pork chops; shrimp and crab penne pasta; and “Penny’s Pot Roast.” Each entrée is paired with complementary sides and desserts, like greens, cornbread, and bread pudding with the jambalaya and hush puppies, fried okra, and apple cobbler with the catfish. They serve about 50 lunches daily. If fried chicken is on the menu, it’s closer to 100.
Sometimes, they add dishes to the menu at the request of staff members. “I did chicken parmesan because one of the nurses said she really missed it,” Mayer says.
For staff, the kitchen serves a full traditional breakfast every morning that includes scrambled eggs, sausage patties, bacon, grits, and scratch biscuits.
For overnight staff, Mayer and his team fill an overnight cooler with salads, sandwiches, yogurts, desserts, and other grab-and-go items. “We break down a lot of food and make it accessible,” Mayer says. “That’s been popular with the entire staff…there’s always something available.” They currently use a low-tech solution for payment but plan to upgrade to an electronic kiosk in the future.
Patient meals follow a four-week rotating menu that follows stricter guidelines, though it sometimes runs parallel to the retail menu. Patient meals have less sugar and salt and may be flavored with different spices. To make patient meals feel less institutional, the kitchen includes name-brand sauces and flavorings on every tray, such as Mrs. Dash, Duke’s, and Log Cabin.
Another way the culinary staff builds connections is by making a special end-of-stay meal for long-term patients. Mayer and his team once made, at a patient’s request, a surf-and-turf meal with cornbread dressing. The patient, who had sent every other meal back to the kitchen during his stay, was thrilled.
On another occasion, Morgan recalls, a patient “refused to be discharged until we could get him a quote-unquote, ‘bucket of that soup’ that Chef John made.” When they sent him on his way, he did so with soup in hand.
Asked how he approaches to cost, Mayer says they keep an eye on prices and focus on building items from scratch, as often as they can, while keeping a handle on labor. “Don’t let the company you buy it from clean and cut it for you…Productivity is one of the foundations of what we do.” The kitchen cuts their own sandwich meats, makes scratch biscuits, and creates their own soups. They also nurture relationships with food vendors and know where to go to get good local produce.
As part of the culinary upgrade, they upgraded the kitchen with a new slip-proof floor, a new fryer, and a retooled line to help patient meals reach the rooms hotter. They also redesigned their dining area this year, replacing institutional tables and uncomfortable chairs with 36-inch butcher block round tables, comfy seats, and votives.
“You look out there and people are happy and smiling and eating,” Mayer says. “We must be doing something right.”
The Louisiana Tech University Debate Team re the 2023 Louisiana State Champions. Repeating its success at last year’s state tournament, the LTU team competed at the Southern Forensics Championship held at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. This tournament is the state competition for Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
In addition to being the Louisiana State Champions, the following members of the team also won individual state titles: Kailee Carter of Quitman, senior accounting major, is the junior varsity state champion and junior varsity speaking state champion. Anthony Copeland, senior engineering major, is the informative speaking state champion. Ashley Owens, volunteer, is the professional state champion.
“Being a state champion is still so surreal,” Carter said. “I never saw myself getting to this point in such a short amount of time. I could not have done this without my team, my coach, and my cheering section back at home. Debate to me is community, friendship, and mentorship, but most importantly, debate is a voice. I used to feel like my voice wasn’t important or didn’t want to be heard and debate has taught me how to embrace my voice. Not only am I now proud of my voice, but I love how I can use it to impact people. The debate has changed my life.”
One member of the “cheering section” is Kailee’s father and Quitman High School Principal Billy Carter.
“We are so very proud of Kailee,” said Carter. “What she has achieved in such a short period is amazing and a testament to her desire to be the best,” said Carter.
A chip off the “ole block”?
“Oh no, I can’t take any of the credit,” deadpanned Carter. “I can’t win debates with any of my girls.”
Debate coach Megan Smith said she is thrilled with the team’s success.
“This group of extraordinary students works tirelessly on their research, presentation, and impromptu speaking skills,” Smith said. “They showed up ready to showcase their talents and represented Louisiana Tech University in the best possible way. Last year’s state title was the first time we had won the title in a while. This year’s title helps establish Louisiana Tech Debate as a competitive force in our state and beyond.”
Carter echoed Smith’s sentiments, saying that she believes Tech’s debate team will continue to rise.
“I could not say enough about my team,” Carter said. “Our coach prepares us so well. She teaches us not only to be good debaters but also to be good people. I am so proud and impressed by all of my teammates. I’ve been on the team less than two years, and the growth I have seen is amazing.”