Current technical issues caused by the storms last night will prevent the Jackson Parish Journal from publishing today. These issues are expected to be resolved by Wednesday.
Watch for the Jackson Parish Journal at 6:55 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
Thank you for your patience.
Gov. Jeff Landry visited Northwestern State University on Feb. 25 to meet with community officials, legislators and leaders in business, industry, education and economic development to address the pending closure of the International Paper mill in Campti and its projected negative impact for Natchitoches Parish.
“There is no one who understands the economic impact of the loss of these jobs more than me,” Landry said, referencing the closure of multiple Fruit of the Loom facilities in south Louisiana in the 1990s and early 2000s. “It’s not only the jobs that are leaving the Campti facility, but the downstream effect of what it does to the small businesses that are attached. While I don’t have all the answers today, I can tell you that we will continue to work towards building economic opportunities throughout central and north Louisiana.”
“I think that the greatest opportunity that we have for economic development is actually central and northern Louisiana,” he said, referencing the selection of Richland Parish as the site of Meta’s $10 billion artificial intelligence data center.
The governor said a proposed constitutional amendment on the March 29 ballot to reform the state’s tax code could open new opportunities to bring jobs to north and central Louisiana. He has also tasked higher education administrators with shaping Louisiana’s universities and community college systems to support jobs and industry.
“I think it’s evident from the governor’s remarks that his intention is clearly to bring the full force of the government to do whatever we can do to mitigate the reality of this decision by IP,” said Susan Bourgeois, secretary of the Department of Louisiana Economic Development. “One of the things I started out talking about in my role was that we really had to take the whole of government approach to economic development. It’s not just a government solution to the challenges or the opportunities that we face. It really does have to be the private sector, the education sector, the public sector, all of us pulling on the same rope.”
Bourgeois said her office is currently working with five active wood-related projects in north Louisiana.
“We’ve announced 21 wood-related projects in the last seven years that our team is now going to focus on seeing about placement of employees, placement of product and how we can redeploy some of the Louisiana resources that were used at the Campti facility in those projects,” Bourgeois said.
Susie Schowen, secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, said she has engaged a rapid response team, the team that responds to layoffs, who can offer services specifically for IP workers.
“The IP workers are getting services in career counseling, envisioning where their career could go and how to connect with training. We can help offset the cost of that training with the focus of getting people jobs right here in this area.”
“We want to do as much as we can to backfill, to give back, what the closure is going to cause,” Landry said. “We will work as hard as we can and the good news is you’ve got other areas of the state that are performing, and a high tide has a tendency to lift all boats. We are focused on this area, not only Natchitoches but the central and north Louisiana area. We are hyper focused on opportunity because I think that there are opportunities out there.”
Landry said there are companies around the country and around the world are looking for investments in the U.S., which aligns with President Donald Trump’s agenda to boost American manufacturing.
“Right now, that is being driven primarily by the president’s agenda and we want to be able to capture as much of that as we can. You see this great team and we have worked hard and I don’t know anyone who isn’t trying to soften the impact,” he said.
The Louisiana Workforce Commission has resources available at https://www.laworks.net/.
Information on the Louisiana office of Economic Development is available at
https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/.
WHEN: Saturday, January 18, 2025
TIME: 9 AM
WHERE: 7675 Hwy 167S, Winnfield, LA 71483
Selling for: City of Winnfield, City of Natchitoches, Local Rental Company, Contractors and Farmers Construction Equipment, Tractors, Trucks, Trailers, Farm Equipment, 50+ Vehicles, Tools & Much More!
For more information, call Rex at 318-648-8509 or 318-471-0962 or visit us online at: www.lasyoneauctions.com
LIVE BIDS: www.proxibid.com/lasyone
There’s something for everyone!! We hope to see you there!!
Rex Lasyone, LA lic#:1549, TX lic#: 16267
WHEN: Saturday, November 16, 2024
TIME: 9 AM
WHERE: 7675 Hwy 167S, Winnfield, LA 71483
Selling Surplus from: City of Natchitoches, Town of Grayson, Natchitoches Parish Fire Dept, Petron, Hydroline, Contractors & Local Farmers
For more information, call Rex at 318-648-8509 or 318-471-0962 or visit us online at:
www.proxibid.com/lasyone
There’s something for everyone!! We hope to see you there!!
Rex Lasyone, LA lic#:1549, TX lic#: 16267
Partial Listing: Xtreme XR1045 Telescopic Forklift w/Pipe Clamp, 10000lb capacity, 45ft Reach, 3200hrs ∙ John Deere 160C LC Excavator, cab/air, 6528hrs ∙ (2) Ottawa Yard Trucks (salvage) ∙ Genie GS-2632 Manlift ∙ Miller Big Blue 300R Pro Welder on Trailer ∙
(2) Hyster 16k Capacity Forklifts, diesel ∙ Komatsu WA250 Wheel Loader ∙ Cat 120 Motor Grader w/Scarifier ∙ Galion T400 Motor Grader, Enclosed Cab w/Scarifier ∙ Ditch
Witch 3610 Trencher w/A322 Backhoe ∙ Smith Co Drop Deck Trailer, Tri-Axle ∙ CMC Aluminum 22 yard Dump Trailer ∙ 1998 Mate Tri-Axle Dump Trailer ∙ Goose Neck &
Bumper Trailers ∙ 2008 Ford F-450 Truck, Auto, 4×4, Cummings Diesel, 78k mis ∙ 2012 Mack CXU613 Sleeper Truck, 10 speed, Eaton Mack Engine ∙ 2007 Sterling Day Cab
Truck, Auto, Air Ride, 231k mis ∙ 2000 Chevy C6500 w/210 Cat Engine, 6 speed, manual, air brakes, Vulcan 894 14 ton Wrecker Bed ∙ 2002 Chevy C6500 w/210 Cat, 6 speed,
manual trans, hydraulic brakes, w/21ft Champion Roll Back Bed ∙ 1999 International Roll Back Truck, 10 speed, 193kmis ∙ 1998 GMC C6500, 210 Cat Engine w/Manual Transmission, Hydraulic Brakes, w/Chevron 512 12 ton Wrecker Bed ∙ 2006 Toyota Avalon, Leather, Loaded ∙ 2007 Buick Lucerne, nice car ∙ 2023 Honda 420 Rancher 4- wheeler ∙ 2014 Kawasaki Teryx4 800, 4 seater, 4×4, 275 hours∙ 40ft & 20ft Storage
Containers ∙ Bush Hogs ∙ Box Blades ∙ 100 joints 2 7/8 Pipe ∙ Load of New Attachments Welders ∙ Load of New Tires on Rims ∙ Western Furniture ∙ Antiques & more!!!
WHEN: Saturday, September 21, 2024
TIME: 9 AM
WHERE: 7675 Hwy 167S, Winnfield, LA 71483
Selling for: City of Winnfield, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Dept, City of Natchitoches, Natchitoches & Caldwell Fire Districts, Local Contractors and Farmers Construction Equipment, Tractors, Trucks, Trailers, Farm Equipment, 100+ Vehicles, Tools & Much More!
Notice: Sale starts at 9AM, we will be selling 2 Rings starting at 11AM.
Ring 1 (starts at 9): Golf Carts, 4-Wheelers, Lawnmowers, Boats, Construction Equipment, Tractors, Trucks, Cars, Containers, Trailers, Attachments, & Salvage
Ring 2 (starts at 11): Hay & Farm Equipment, Cattle Equipment, Tools & Misc.
For more information, call Rex at 318-648-8509 or 318-471-0962 or visit us online at:
www.proxibid.com/lasyone
There’s something for everyone!! We hope to see you there!!
Rex Lasyone, LA lic#:1549, TX lic#: 16267
Partial Listing: ∙ John Deere 160C LC Excavator, nice ∙ Komatsu PC45MR Excavator ∙ Komatsu WA250 Rubber Tired Loader ∙ Case 480F Loader Landscape Tractor w/grapple ∙ IH 806 Tractor, restored from an estate, barn kept, Very Nice! ∙ JLG 10054 Telescopic Forklift ∙ John Deere 450J LT dozer ∙ Komatsu D31P Dozer ∙ (2) Taylor 16K Forklifts ∙ Case 1150G Dozer ∙ Kubota L3300 Tractor, 4×4, Hydrostat, 200 hours, w/Implements: Bush Hog, Box Blade, Post Hole Digger ∙ (2) New Mini Excavators, rubber tracks ∙ 2007 Peterbilt 386 Day Cab Truck & Tanker Water Trailer from Fire Dept ∙ 2010 Mack Sleeper Truck ∙ 2008 Freightliner Single Axle Truck ∙ Army Truck ∙ Dump Trucks & More!
Absolute!! – 30 Parish Vehicles – (2) 2018 Dodge Durangos ∙ 2010 Ford Explorer ∙ (3) 2009 Chevy Impalas ∙ 2016 Ford Taurus ∙ 2015 Ford Taurus ∙ (2) 2013 Ford Taurus ∙ (2) 2016 Dodge Chargers ∙ 2008 Lincoln MKZ ∙ 2013 Chevy Tahoe ∙ 2001 Dodge Dakota ∙2011 Chevy Tahoe ∙ 2008 Ford F-450 Truck, Cummings Engine, 78k mis ∙ 2004 Ford F-250 Truck ∙ 2005 Dodge 2500, 4×4 ∙ (2) 2006 Chevy 1500 Trucks & Lots More!
2008 Mate Tri-Axle Dump Trailer ∙ 2024 Performance GN Flatbed Trailer, dual tandem ∙ (3) 2001 Dragon Oilfield Trailers ∙ Stock Trailers ∙ Bumper Trailers ∙ Vermeer 605XL Round Baler ∙ Hay Grapple ∙ Great Plains Pasture Drill ∙ King Kutter Tiller ∙ (2) Kuhn Hay Cutters ∙ (2) Hydraulic Disks ∙ Bush Hogs ∙ Box Blades ∙ Semi Load of New Tires ∙ Attachments ∙ Feed Troughs ∙ Hay Rings ∙ Panels & Gates ∙ Welders ∙ Air Compressors ∙ Pipe ∙ Tools ∙ Golf Carts ∙ 6×6 Marsh Buggy ∙ Four Wheelers ∙ Lawnmowers ∙ Western Furniture ∙ Tools & Lots More!
WHEN: Saturday, September 21, 2024
TIME: 9 AM
WHERE: 7675 Hwy 167S, Winnfield, LA 71483
Selling for: City of Winnfield, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Dept, City of Natchitoches, Natchitoches & Caldwell Fire Districts, Local Contractors and Farmers Construction Equipment, Tractors, Trucks, Trailers, Farm Equipment, 100+ Vehicles, Tools & Much More!
Notice: Sale starts at 9AM, we will be selling 2 Rings starting at 11AM.
Ring 1 (starts at 9): Golf Carts, 4-Wheelers, Lawnmowers, Boats, Construction Equipment, Tractors, Trucks, Cars, Containers, Trailers, Attachments, & Salvage
Ring 2 (starts at 11): Hay & Farm Equipment, Cattle Equipment, Tools & Misc.
For more information, call Rex at 318-648-8509 or 318-471-0962 or visit us online at:
www.proxibid.com/lasyone
There’s something for everyone!! We hope to see you there!!
Rex Lasyone, LA lic#:1549, TX lic#: 16267
Partial Listing: ∙ John Deere 160C LC Excavator, nice ∙ Komatsu PC45MR Excavator ∙ Komatsu WA250 Rubber Tired Loader ∙ Case 480F Loader Landscape Tractor w/grapple ∙ IH 806 Tractor, restored from an estate, barn kept, Very Nice! ∙ JLG 10054 Telescopic Forklift ∙ John Deere 450J LT dozer ∙ Komatsu D31P Dozer ∙ (2) Taylor 16K Forklifts ∙ Case 1150G Dozer ∙ Kubota L3300 Tractor, 4×4, Hydrostat, 200 hours, w/Implements: Bush Hog, Box Blade, Post Hole Digger ∙ (2) New Mini Excavators, rubber tracks ∙ 2007 Peterbilt 386 Day Cab Truck & Tanker Water Trailer from Fire Dept ∙ 2010 Mack Sleeper Truck ∙ 2008 Freightliner Single Axle Truck ∙ Army Truck ∙ Dump Trucks & More!
Absolute!! – 30 Parish Vehicles – (2) 2018 Dodge Durangos ∙ 2010 Ford Explorer ∙ (3) 2009 Chevy Impalas ∙ 2016 Ford Taurus ∙ 2015 Ford Taurus ∙ (2) 2013 Ford Taurus ∙ (2) 2016 Dodge Chargers ∙ 2008 Lincoln MKZ ∙ 2013 Chevy Tahoe ∙ 2001 Dodge Dakota ∙2011 Chevy Tahoe ∙ 2008 Ford F-450 Truck, Cummings Engine, 78k mis ∙ 2004 Ford F-250 Truck ∙ 2005 Dodge 2500, 4×4 ∙ (2) 2006 Chevy 1500 Trucks & Lots More!
2008 Mate Tri-Axle Dump Trailer ∙ 2024 Performance GN Flatbed Trailer, dual tandem ∙ (3) 2001 Dragon Oilfield Trailers ∙ Stock Trailers ∙ Bumper Trailers ∙ Vermeer 605XL Round Baler ∙ Hay Grapple ∙ Great Plains Pasture Drill ∙ King Kutter Tiller ∙ (2) Kuhn Hay Cutters ∙ (2) Hydraulic Disks ∙ Bush Hogs ∙ Box Blades ∙ Semi Load of New Tires ∙ Attachments ∙ Feed Troughs ∙ Hay Rings ∙ Panels & Gates ∙ Welders ∙ Air Compressors ∙ Pipe ∙ Tools ∙ Golf Carts ∙ 6×6 Marsh Buggy ∙ Four Wheelers ∙ Lawnmowers ∙ Western Furniture ∙ Tools & Lots More!
A $500.00 reward has been offered for locating “Lily”. The Cardigan Welsh Corgi was last seen on Wednesday, March 23, 2024 on Collins Road in Natchitoches, LA. Lily is Red Merle and White in color and has different colored eyes. She also has a tail, although not seen in picture above.
If you have any information please call (318) 357-0377.
Tasting victory in sweet. Doing it twice in the same night is doubly nice. That is what the Jonesboro-Hodge Elementary School (J-HES) did on Monday, February 5th when the girls team won by a score of 14-8 followed by the boys putting the exclamation point on the double dip by besting Choudrant 21-18.
JHES 14 Choudrant 8 (girls) – De’Riyah Mills and Marlei Moss did all the scoring with Mills leading the way with 8 points and Moss chipping in with six.
JHES 21 Choudrant (boys) – A balanced attach paved the way to the impressive victory as five scored. Antley Wright led the way with 8 points with Addaren Amos finishing with five. Caiden Jackson chipped in with four points and both Brady Malone and Antoine Spivey scored two.
The final home game of the year which will be 5th Grade Recognition Night will be against Simsboro at 6:00 pm on Monday, February 12th 2/12 at the J-HHS boys gymnasium.
NONE
GET YOUR Natchitoches Jazz/R&B EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW!!!
THIS WEEK IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to secure your 2023 tickets at the lowest price possible for the Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival on May 12th & 13th.
The Early Bird sale ends March 31st at 11:59 pm!
Buy tickets and be entered in the Steel Magnolia’s Getaway Giveaway!
VIP ticket buyers will be entered into an exclusive VIP Giveaway to be announced! STAY TUNED!
Get your tickets & enter the giveaway here:
Jack McFarland, State Representative for Winn, Jackson and parts of Bienville and Natchitoches Parishes talks about his proposed legislation and attempts to relieve local Governments of their budget problems related to fixing our roads and bridges. Representative McFarland also talks about teacher pay raises and the $1.5 Billion surplus and how to be a good steward of that budgetary windfall.
The Jonesboro Branch of the Jackson Parish Library is pleased to announce that they will host a Book
Signing for local teen author Kaelin Palmer. The event will run from 9:00 – 11:45am on Saturday,
December 17 th .
Palmer’s book, A Teenager’s Mindset, talks about everyday issues and life and how they can affect
others. The 17-year old from Jonesboro wrote many of these stories during down time in class and
decided to publish them and make available to people around the world. Copies will be available for
purchase at a cost of $12.00. Please come and support this budding author.
The selections of Student-Athlete of the Week for December 11-17 have been announced. The award,
which is sponsored by the Jackson Parish Hospital, recognizes a student-athlete from Jonesboro-Hodge,
Quitman, and Weston High School as chosen by select faculty and staff from each school. Each honoree
is chosen through best exemplifying what it means to be a true student-athlete through academic
achievement and athletic accomplishment. Congratulations to you all!
Student-Athlete of the Week (December 11-17)
Kaelin Palmer (12th Grade) – Varsity Girls Basketball player at Jonesboro-Hodge High School
Briley Peterson (10th Grade) – Varsity Girls Basketball player at Weston High School
Summer Grillette (12th Grade) – Varsity Girls Basketball player at Quitman High School
Weston High swept Dodson in a pair of games played on Monday. The Weston boys won their season best third straight by a 66-24 margin to improve to 6-9 on the year while the Lady Wolves ran their record to an area best 14-4 with a 73-50 victory, already the sixth time this season that WHS has scored 70 or more points in a season.
Weston 66 Dodson 24 (boys): The Wolves raced to a 22-11 first quarter lead and then clamped down hard by allowing just 13 points the rest of the way as ten players scored led by 18 from Bryce Zehr. Senior, Daniel Watlington also had a big night with a career best 12, all in the second half and Braden Theriot added 11. Nathin Wages also set a new career high with 8 that included a pair of three pointers. Additional scorers were Mitchel Mathews and Jude Otwell with four, Garrett Nickerz had three and Ja’Michael Fourd, Juan Gonzalez and Daniel Williams all scoring two apiece.
Weston 73 Dodson 50 (girls:) The girls continued their up and down December slate by winning a third game in a row after a loss to keep Dodson winless at 0-8 on the year. Lainee Trosclair once again caught fire from deep, draining four three pointers in the first half to lead a balanced Weston attack with 20 points. Ansley Aldy also drained four “bombs” to finish with 14, the same amount of points that Jessica Newton tallied. Briley Peterson was the fourth to register “double digits” as she ended the night with 13. Emma Kate McBride scored four and Raelynn Shell, Livi Otwell, Jakayla Fourd and Tailan Bearden all made two points each.
Folks are getting excited as the way things are going it won’t be long before the newest addition to the
business district of Chatham will be in operation. The roof is nearly completed and the skin around the
building frame is in place on the Chatham Branch of Mitchell’s Pharmacy located at the corner of Oak
Street and Hwy 4, which once open will bring to Chatham the same fast and friendly service that people
in Jonesboro has enjoyed for many years.
“We are really looking forward to when this opens,” said Chatham Mayor Greg Harris. “I know I speak
for everyone in our community when I say how much we appreciate Mitchell’s for building a branch
here.”
Jonesboro-Hodge Elementary is pleased to announce that Jazzeria Ellis and LaJulia Blankenship have
been selected as Student and Teacher of the Year for 2022-23. Ms. Blankenship was also honored as
Jackson Parish School District Teacher of the Year.
J-HES Student of the Year
Jazzeria Ellis is the daughter of Shan Jackson and Jazz Ellis. Her favorite subject is math because she
enjoys working with numbers and Mr. Boston teaches fun and engaging strategies that make math
easier to learn! She currently serves as Miss Jonesboro-Hodge Elementary and plays on the Jonesboro-
Hodge 4th & 5th Grade Basketball Team. She is an active member of 4-H, the School Garden Club, and a
D.A.R.E. participant. Her extracurricular activities include Gymnastics and Basketball. She attends House
of Prayer in Shreveport under the leadership of Apostle Teresa Jackson, where she serves as Lead Praise
Dancer, Youth Finance Officer, and Head Youth Officer. Her community service projects include the 2022
United Way Ready 4 Service Project, 2022 Canned Food Drive, and House of Prayer-Feed the Hungry,
Nursing Home visits, and Elderly Care Baskets. She has future plans to attend the Grambling State
University to become a lawyer. She enjoys eating, sleeping, and spending time with her family in her
spare time and promises to represent J-HES in a positive and respectful manner.
J-HES Teacher of the Year
LaJulia Blankenship is humble and honored to have been chosen as this year’s Jackson Parish District
Teacher of the Year. Blankenship is a graduate of Grambling State University where she received her
degree in Elementary Education. She has worked in the parish as a paraprofessional for 7 years and
moved to Pine Belt Head Start where she worked for 13 years. This is Ms. Blankenship’s 3rd year at
Jonesboro-Hodge Elementary where she is proud to be part of a strong 1st-grade team. She is also a K-2
Content Leader and a certified CLASS observer.
Blankenship says “teaching is a gift from God that comes naturally to me. I credit my late mother, Mrs.
Linda Spence, for grooming me to become a successful teacher”.
The QHS Parent Teacher Committee (PTC) made it feel like Christmas come early for several select
students and a pair of teachers this past Monday. That was through the joy brought by the annual
Christmas giveaway where a student from each grade class was given gifts and Mrs. Michelle Davis and
Mrs. Cherie Odom were winners in the Teacher Christmas Games.
See below for the list of student giveaway winners.
Today is the unofficial First Day of Christmas since it’s 12 days until The Big Day, which means it’s fixing to be Christmas.
That we say “fixing to” instead of “about to” is one of the joys of being a Southerner. Who said it first, I don’t know, but bless his heart, and merry First Day of Christmas to you.
Some traditions hold that the First Day of Christmas is December 25, and the 12 days run into the New Year. Who wants to wait that long? Not me. We’re fixing to start celebrating now.
Speaking of things southern, we’ve been working on some carols, Southern-themed:
“I’m dreaming of a white cornbread,
In every skillet that’s in sight.
May the sides be crispy, to bite,
And may all your cornbreads be just right.”
Or, how about . . .
“Pork skins roasting on an open fire.
Chittlins’ nipping at your nose.
Waylon and Willy being sung by the fire,
While dad spends Christmas Eve at Lowe’s.”
Give me some time to work on it …
Thankfully, the most important songs were written at the dawn of time and wait as gifts for us to receive and to sing with sincerity, even as the angels sang, that long-ago Judean night, as Luke recorded:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
goodwill toward men.”
Peace and goodwill came to earth, to men, in the flesh and as a baby. Only God could have thought of something like that.
William Billings, regarded as America’s first choral composer, captured — at least as well as a human mind can — the mystery of the incarnation in his Shepherd’s Carol, composed in New England in the mid-1700s.
“Seek not in courts or palaces,
nor royal curtains draw.
But search the stable, see your God
extended on the straw.”
God, extended on the straw.
Extended, as a baby, a stretching newborn. Extended, from a heavenly throne to an earthly manger. Extended, to mankind and to man, to each of us, individually.
God extends his hand. Even to me. Even to you.
Christmas is always the opportunity to receive the best gift of all, a new birth in our old selves. And a new song the Psalmist told us about.
“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God . . ..”
Now some 2,000 years after Christ’s birth, the message is the same. A 19th century minister named Phillips Brooks reminds us, each year at this time, that the Good News is everlasting. If we choose to be quiet, we might even hear the song, the new song, born in a manger.
“How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him still,
the dear Christ enters in.”
If no one’s wished you Merry Christmas yet, I’m “fixing to.” Let me be the first. Here’s hoping we can get in tune with the baby and ourselves and each other, and make this our best song yet.
Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
At this rate it won’t be long before coming to the Jonesboro Branch of the Jackson Parish Library will
mean educational entertainment inside and out. Just a few weeks ago the final contract papers on the
Library Park and Inclusive Playground were signed but if you drive by the park location behind the
Jonesboro Branch you will already see the retaining wall and earthwork nearly completed.
“We are very pleased with the speed that things are coming along at,” said Jackson Parish Library
Director Floyd Knox. “Hopefully the weather will continue to cooperate and soon our patrons will get to
enjoy this creative addition.”
Every day is a new experience this week at Jonesboro-Hodge Middle School as the faculty, staff and
student body is enjoying Christmas Spirit Week
The festivities began on Monday when everyone was invited to wear their coziest Christmas or wackiest
socks or slipper to school. Tuesday was wear a plaid shirt day followed by ugliest sweater day on
Wednesday. On Thursday it will be time to wear a favorite Christmas headgear with Friday being
Christmas Pajamas day.
Students are reminded that all apparel must be school appropriate.
To have your job opportunities, business services, items, or any Legal/Public Notices, Advertisements for Bid, Requests for Proposals, and/or Quotes listed – send an email to: jpjjacksonla@gmail.com
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 Village of Quitman has an opening for the position of Part Time Clerk. Please bring Resume to Village of Quitman between 8-12 Tuesday-Thursday (Dec. 13-15). Pay will be discussed after Interviews are conducted and candidate is selected. Will take Resumes until December 15th a 11:00 am. The Village of Quitman is an equal opportunity employer!
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 Christmas 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.
Monitoring Requirements Not Met For Spring Creek Subdivision Water System Spring Creek Water System (Magnolia Water UOC) did not fulfill the monitoring requirements over the past year. Even though this was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct the situation
What Happened?
We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During the period of June 1 through September 30, 2022, we did not complete all required monitoring for lead and copper and, therefore, cannot be sure of the quality of our
drinking water during that time. Necessary action has been taken to prevent this violation from recurring.
What is being done?
Central States Water Resources Louisiana (CSWR-LA) purchased the facility in July 2022 and personnel are working to ensure monitoring requirements are met every year going forward.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
Magnolia Water UOC is committed to bringing our customers safe, reliable water services and will continue to work with the LDH to carry out this commitment.
For more information, please contact Magnolia Water at 1-855-643-8152.
This notice is being sent to you by Spring Creek Water system. PWS ID# LA1049028
Date distributed: December 11, 2022
The Jackson Parish Police Jury met in regular session on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 5:30 PM in the Dr. Charles H. Garrett Community Center, 182 Industrial Drive, Jonesboro, Louisiana. Members Present: Mr. Todd Culpepper, Mr. Lewis Chatham, Ms. Amy Magee, Ms. Tarneshala Cowans, Ms. Regina Rowe, and Mr. Lynn Treadway. Absent: Mr. John McCarty. Also present, Mr. Brad Roller, Operations Manager; Mr. Jody Stuckey, Road Superintendent; Mr. Robin Sessions, Solid Waste Superintendent; Mr. Darrell Avery, Assistant D.A.; and Mr. Paul Riley, Parish Engineer.
The President, Mr. Treadway, called the meeting to order. Ms. Cowans gave the invocation and Mr. Chatham led in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
The President opened the floor for public comments. There were no public comments.
The President moved to the approval of minutes.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Mr. Chatham to adopt the minutes of the October 18th Jury Meeting, monthly purchase orders, and the payment of all bills. Motion carried.
The President moved to Committee Reports.
Motion by Mr. Chatham, second by Ms. Cowans to adopt the following minutes from the October 19th Solid Waste Committee meeting. Motion carried.
Solid Waste Committee
October 19, 2022
The Solid Waste Committee met Wednesday, October 19, 2022, at 12:00 PM in the Nathaniel Zeno, Jr. Meeting Room, Jackson Parish Administrative Building, 160 Industrial Drive, Jonesboro, Louisiana. Members Present: Ms. Amy Magee, Mr. John McCarty, and Mr. Lynn Treadway. Absent: None. Also present: Mr. Todd Culpepper, Mr. Brad Roller, Operations Manager and Mr. Robin Sessions, Solid Waste Superintendent.
The meeting was called to order by the Chair, Mr. Lynn Treadway. Ms. Magee gave the invocation and Mr. McCarty led in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion by Mr. McCarty, second by Ms. Magee to recommend to the Police Jury for the purchase of an excavator for the transfer station. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Mr. McCarty to recommend to the Police Jury for the purchase of a new $380,000 compactor truck for year 2024 from ARP funds. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Mr. McCarty to recommend to the Police Jury for the purchase of 32 new trash bins from ARP funds. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Mr. McCarty to recommend to the Police Jury for the approval of overtime for the solid waste employees: 4 employees on November 12, 2022, a full crew on November 26, 2022, and a full crew on December 26, 2022. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Mr. McCarty to adjourn. Motion carried.
Motion by Mr. Culpepper, second by Ms. Magee to approve the purchase of 32 trash bins from ARP Funds. Motion carried.
Motion by Mr. Chatham, second by Ms. Magee to approve the purchase of an Excavator for the Transfer Station. Motion carried.
Motion by Mr. Culpepper, second by Mr. Chatham to approve the setting aside $380,000 of ARP Funds for the purchase of an excavator for Year 2024. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Rowe, second by Mr. Culpepper to approve the holiday overtime of Solid Waste employees: 4 employees on November 12, 2022; a full crew on November 26, 2022; and a full crew on December 26, 2022. Motion carried.
The President called for monthly management reports.
Mr. Brad Roller, Operations Manager, gave the October 2022 Operations Manager Report.
Mr. Jody Stuckey, Road Superintendent, Mr. Jamie Holland presented the October 2022 Road report noting that $804.36 had been spent on emergency call-outs/off-schedule work.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Mr. Culpepper to accept the October 2022 emergency call outs/off-schedule report. Motion carried.
Mr. Robin Sessions, Solid Waste Superintendent, presented the October 2022 Solid Waste report.
Mr. Emmett Gibbs, Secretary-Treasurer, gave the October Financial Report highlighting the budget vs. actual comparisons for all funds.
The President moved on to Other Business.
Mr. Paul Riley, Parish Engineer, gave an update on parish engineering projects.
Motion by Mr. Culpepper, second by Ms. Magee to approve the use of the Community Center for the Northwest Regional 4-H Quarterly Meeting on November 30, 2022. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Mr. Culpepper to table the Revised Building Permit Application and Building Permit Checklist for the Projects Committee to review. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Mr. Culpepper to accept the 2023 Materials bids. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Ms. Rowe to adopt a resolution to enter into agreements with the Riley Company and Frye Magee associated with administration and engineering services for the FY 2023 LCDBG Program. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Ms. Rowe to adopt the FY 2023 LCDBG Program Procurement Policy. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Ms. Rowe to adopt the FY 2023 LCDBG Program Procurement Policy Resolution. Motion carried.
PROCUREMENT POLICY RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Jackson Parish Police Jury has been afforded the opportunity to apply and participate in the State of Louisiana 2023 Community Development Block Grant Program administered by the Division of Administration; and,
WHEREAS, the STATE requires the establishment of uniform procedures in compliance with OMB Circular A-102;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Jackson Parish Police Jury, that the attached policy entitled “Procurement Procedures Relative to the LCDBG Program” is hereby adopted.
Passed, approved and adopted this __15th _ day of _November___, 2022.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Ms. Rowe to adopt the FY 2023 LCDBG Program Citizen Participation Plan. Motion carried.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Ms. Rowe to adopt the FY 2023 LCDBG Program Citizen Participation Plan Resolution. Motion carried.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Jackson Parish Police Jury has been afforded the opportunity to apply and participate in the State of Louisiana 2023 Community Development Block Grant Program administered by the Division of Administration; and,
WHEREAS, the STATE requires Grantees to establish procedures to ensure adequate citizen participation with the program;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Jackson Parish Police Jury , that the attached policy entitled “Citizen Participation Plan”, dated _November 15_, 2022 is hereby adopted.
Passed, approved and adopted by the Jackson Parish Police Jury, Parish of Jackson , State of Louisiana, on the __15th
__ day of __November__, 2022.
Mr. Emory Belton, Jr. of the Belton Law Firm gave a presentation of the Southern Spirit Electric Transmission Project.
Motion by Mr. Culpepper, second by Mr. Chatham to approve the 2023 Library Budget. Motion carried.
Motion by Mr. Chatham, second by Mr. Culpepper to approve the 2023 Recreation District Budget. Motion carried.
The Jury reviewed Parish Boards and Commissions Appointments.
Motion by Ms. Magee, second by Mr. Culpepper to re-appoint the following board members:
• Re-appoint Mr. James Fitzpatrick to the Museum Board for a 3-year term ending 12/31/2025.
• Re-appoint Mr. Allen Lindsay to the Ambulance Board for a 6-year term ending 12/31/2028.
• Re-appoint Ms. Barbara Johnson to the Museum Board for a 3-year term ending 12/31/2025.
• Re-appoint Mr. Gary Joynor to the Watershed Board for a 4-year term ending 12/31/2026.
• Re-appoint Ms. Wendy Hall to the Jonesboro Fire Board for a 2-year term ending 12/31/2024.
• Re-appoint Ms. Tammy Gunter to the Tourism Board for a 3-year term ending 12/31/2025.
The President opened the floor for announcements and notifications.
The President made the following announcements:
• The proposed 2023 Consolidated Budget of the Jackson Parish Police Jury is available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Police Jury Administrative Building, 160 Industrial Drive, Jonesboro, LA 71251. The proposed budget is scheduled for a Public Hearing and final adoption at the Regular Police Jury Meeting on December 20, 2022, at 5:15 PM at the Dr. Charles H. Garrett Community Center, Jonesboro, LA.
• A 2023 liquor application has been processed for Class A Retail Beer and Retail Liquor to The Lazy Gator.
• Notice is hereby given that at its meeting to be held on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, 5:30 p.m. at its regular meeting place, the Dr. Charles H. Garrett Community Center, 182 Industrial Drive, Jonesboro, Louisiana, the Police Jury of the Parish of Jackson, State of Louisiana, plans to consider adopting a resolution ordering and calling an election to be held in the Parish of Jackson, State of Louisiana to authorize the continuation of an ad valorem tax therein.
The President opened the floor for Juror comments.
Motion by Ms. Rowe, second by Mr. Culpepper to adjourn. Motion carried.
In the mid-1960s, the space race, the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, Cold War rivals, was at its peak. At first, the Soviet Union was ahead. They sent up the first artificial satellite (Sputnik 1), sent the first human into space (Yuri Gagarin), and had the first human make a “spacewalk” (Alexei Leonov). America had to play catch up, but had several firsts as well. This is the true story about one of the American firsts in space.
Launching people into space has always been dangerous, and so it was with the Gemini 6 mission. Gemini 6, crewed by command pilot Walter Schirra and pilot Thomas Stafford, was scheduled for launch on October 25, 1965. One of their main objectives included four dockings with an unmanned space vehicle, the Agena Target Vehicle. On the morning of October 25, Schirra and Stafford boarded the Gemini 6 spacecraft and prepared for launch. During their preparations, NASA launched the unmanned target vehicle on a separate rocket. Six minutes into the unmanned craft’s flight, a catastrophic failure caused it to explode. As the target vehicle was needed for the mission, NASA cancelled the Gemini 6 launch.
NASA rescheduled the spaceflight for December 12, 1965, with an altered mission objective referred to as Gemini 6A, to rendezvous but not dock with Gemini 7, a spacecraft crewed by command pilot Frank Borman and piloted by James “Jim” Lovell. As they had done on the previous launch attempt, Schirra and Stafford boarded the spacecraft and prepared for launch. At 9:54 a.m., the main engines ignited and, after just a second and a half, shut down abruptly. Engineers determined the cause of the problem was a plastic dust cover mistakenly left inside the booster when it was assembled months earlier. Engineers removed the cover and, after reinspecting the spacecraft, deemed it safe to fly.
Three days later, on the morning of December 15, astronauts Schirra and Stafford boarded the rocket for another attempt. At 8:37, the spacecraft lifted off and rocketed into space in what engineers called a textbook launch. After four orbits, Gemini 6A propelled towards Gemini 7 for the planned rendezvous. The two spacecrafts carefully positioned themselves, and at one point, came within one foot of each other, and the astronauts conversed over their radios. This was the first rendezvous of two spacecrafts in space. After nearly four hours of remaining together in close proximity, Gemini 6A positioned itself 19 miles from Gemini 7 to ensure that there would be no accidental collisions while the astronauts slept.
On the following morning, December 16, 1965, as the crew of Gemini 6A prepared for reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere, they radioed a distressing message to the Houston space center:
“…this is Gemini VI. We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, up in a polar orbit. He’s in a very low trajectory traveling from north to south and has a very high climbing ratio. It looks like it might even be a … Very low. Looks like he might be going to reenter soon. Stand by one … You might just let me try to pick up that thing.”
Then, over the radio, Gemini 7 and the Houston space center heard a metallic jingling sound along with some musical notes. They were relieved when they realized that Schirra was playing a harmonica and Stafford was shaking some bells, instruments that the stowage people at Cape Kennedy would have had to approve for the flight. This was another first in the space race as it was the first song ever played in space. The name of the song astronauts Schirra and Stafford played in space was “Jingle Bells.”
Sources:
1. The Buffalo News, December 16, 1965, p.1.
2. The Raleigh Register, December 16, 1965, p.15.
3. The Buffalo News, December 16, 1965, p.1.
4. “First Song Played in Space,” Guinness World Records, accessed December 8, 2022, guinnessworldrecords.com.
