Hope Gordon Meeks                Dec. 24, 1935 – Sept. 13, 2020

Hope Gordon Meeks fought a brave fight against Lou Gehring’s disease (ALS) but peacefully passed on September 13, 2020 surrounded by family and friends. He never complained and as much as he loved to tell jokes and sing, sadly he endured the loss of his voice early to ALS but never lost his spirit.

You are welcome to join the family at a graveside service that will be Thursday September 17, 2020 at 11am at Hodge cemetery, located 406 Central Street, Hodge, LA 71247. Southern Edmonds Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

He was a fun-loving person who loved life and was a friend to all. After having travelled the world, he moved to Jonesboro Hodge where he worked to foster growth and create opportunities. Hope Meeks embodied the American Dream. He dedicated himself to the military, serving his country with pride for 22 years and received numerous honors including the Bronze Star.

Upon retirement, he was an entrepreneur having owned several successful businesses. He believed in civic duty. As the President of Jonesboro Hodge Downtown Development, he oversaw the renovation of downtown, organizing Business After Hours, and promotion of the Jackson Parish Sunshine Festival. He was president of the Jackson Parish Chamber of Commerce where he received several awards. Hope was the King of Jonesboro Hodge 2005 Mardi Gras Parade and he, along with his wife Vernie, served as the Grand Marshals of the 2009 Christmas Wonderland in the Pines.

His great joys were enjoying his family, serving the community, hunting and fishing, and having a little fun by telling his many jokes. Hope was a great singer who shared his voice at nursing homes, class reunions and church with his unique Elvis impersonation. Hope was dedicated to his church where he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Hodge United Methodist Church.

He was last born of Ruth and Charles Meeks of Arkansas. He is survived by his wife, Vernie Meeks, and his children, Clark Meeks (Ken), Keith Meeks (Jodie), Dana Hansel (Steve), Karl Meeks (Marshelle), Curtis Meeks (Lynette), Sonny Terrill (Kim), Cindy Terrill (Wendy), eight grandchildren (Kelsey, Paige, Hunter, Mason, Justin, Nicholas, Reese, Remi), his sister, Willie Mae Reitzell as well as numerous close friends. The family would like to thank Ascend Hospice especially Charlotte Odom and Deva Jones for their outstanding and loving care of Hope.

In lieu of flowers, memorials donations may be made to the Team Gleason Foundation at teamgleason.org – P.O. Box 24493, New Orleans, LA 70184 OR Jonesboro Hodge United Methodist Church, 402 4th Street, Jonesboro, LA 71251.

 

James Randall                      Nov. 30, 1961 – Aug. 29, 2020

Mr. James Randall “Leadfoot” McDaniel, age 58 of Dodson began an joyful reunion with his son, father and his Savior on Saturday, August 29, 2020.  Randy worked in the forest industry for most of his life where he was employed by Michael Franks.  He loved spending time with his family and friends, but one of his favorite past times was fishing on the Ouachita River.  He would always say, “Just call if you need anything”, and he meant it with all of his heart.

Those left to cherish his memory is his mother, Jo Ann McDaniel; brothers, Tommy McDaniel and wife Andie, Ronnie McDaniel, Donnie McDaniel; sister, Michelle Whisonant and husband Nathan; nieces and nephews, Brent McDaniel, Farrah Sullivan (Wesley), Whitney Wise, Cristayln McDaniel, Cade Whisonant, Anna Whisonant; great nieces and nephews, Kennedy McDaniel, Waylon and Abigail Sullivan, Audrey Woods; special friends, Karyn McDaniel, Bill Harston (Denise).  He was preceded in death by his son, Adam McDaniel; father, Cornell McDaniel.

Funeral services were Saturday, September 5, 2020 in Edmonds Chapel at 10:00AM with Bro. Author Robinson and Bro. Danny Green officiating.  Burial followed in the Hart Assembly Cemetery under the direction of Southern-Edmonds Funeral Home. Serving the family as pallbearers were Dewayne Carter, Quincy Carter, Randy Barton, Michael Franks, M.D. Franks, John Hunter.  Honorary pallbearers were Max Tolbird, Ricky Fields.

Cecil Joe “Joey” Bollier            July 16, 1954 – August 21, 2020

Mr. Joey Bollier, age 66 of Quitman, made his journey through the portals of Heaven on Friday, August 21, 2020.  Mr. Bollier was a talented cabinet maker who enjoyed working with his hands and making homes beautiful with his carpentry talent.  He loved to spend time with his family and cherished those moments he had with them.

There was a Memorial service held on Friday, September 4 in the chapel of Edmonds Funeral Home of Jonesboro.  Those left to cherish the memories of their time spent with Joey are his wife, Charlene Bollier; daughter, Cassandra Anne Collins; grandchildren, Taylor Elizabeth Crow, Tyler Glynn Crow; father, Cecil J. Bollier, Sr; siblings, Diana Lou Mathews, Brenda Kay Burton, Jimmy Wayne Bollier & Cheryl, Tania Denise Hilburn & Greg; mother-in-law, Mary Ellen Williams; a large number of cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.  Mr. Bollier was preceded in death by his daughter, Tammy Lynn Bollier; mother, Mary Lou Bollier; father-in-law, Charles Franklin Tolbird; grandfather, Frank Ernest James Bollier; grandmother, Mary Lizzie Lemons; grandfather, Irvin Gates; grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Boles.

Anyone who has lived in Jonesboro over the last several years knows that for a long time there water bill is not an accurate reading of how much water is being used. Non-working meters and lack of control by previous administrations has attributed to the problem with the town attempting to keep the public works department operable by estimating and charging residents for average water usage. 

While residents and businesses have enjoyed being able to use as much water as they want without having to pay for a true amount of usage the procedure being use has caused a severe strain on the town’s finances. Added to the problem is the large amount of renters who have been getting their water free.

This is the first area that is being addressed. According to town officials when people move out of a rented space they often don’t end their contracts when relocating. This allows access of water to tenants who move in afterward without having to pay for it or entering into a contract with the town.

“We are trying to find people who are getting water illegally and bring them legally into the system,” Janice Simmons, Mayor Leslie Thompson’s Executive Assistant, said.

More than 700 residents have had access to the town’s water without paying for it. Town officials said only does this hurt the departments finances isn’t fair to those who have been paying for their utilities. To help alleviate the problem public works employees are now going door-to-door, checking meters and making sure those who currently have water are in the town’s system.

“This forces the resident to come in, pay their deposit, and become a regular consumer who pays a regular water bill to the town of Jonesboro,” Simmons said.

Once it has been determined that a location is receiving water illegally access will be shut off. In order to get it back on you should go to city hall and pay your deposit to legally get water through the town’s system. As soon as payment is received the water will be cut on again.

 

First it was the Coronavirus epidemic. Then Hurricane Laura decided to visit Jackson Parish. The end result was that students of Jackson Parish schools finally got to begin their school year this past Tuesday, September 8^th at either their respective schools or virtual classrooms.

“Jackson Parish will start school on Tuesday, September 8,” relayed Superintendent David Claxton in an online statement following the cancellation of classes on Friday, Sept. 4^th due to the damage caused by the hurricane.  “After assessing our facilities, there were still power outages along with some water issues. We also lost most of our food and are had to wait on new shipments that were delayed due to the hurricane. We are looking to have a GREAT start to our school year and cannot wait to greet your children!”

Tracy Taylor of J-HMS named Louisiana PE Teacher of the Year

The mask that he wore on his Facebook post after being named Louisiana PE Teacher of the Year for 2020-21 says it all about Jonesboro-Hodge Middle School Coach and Physical Education Teacher Tracy Taylor.

Written across the front is the statement: “P.E. Teacher (Noun) – Like a normal teacher only cooler.”

Taylor’s demeanor with his students and players as well as his dedication to his classroom ethics has rewarded him being named the Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year for the state of Louisiana.  After beginning his career at the Magnolia School of Excellence in Shreveport, Taylor came to J-HMS in 2018 where he has been an integral member of the staff and mentor for the students in his care.   Congratulations Coach Taylor!

Louisiana Delta Community College begins classes on Sept. 8^th

All six campuses of the Louisiana Delta Community College (LDCC) system began classes on Tuesday, September 8^th. The local campus of the LDCC in Jonesboro is located on Industrial Drive off of Hwy 167 South. Additional locations are in Monroe, West Monroe, Ruston, Bastrop and Tallulah.

According to the Entergy website on September 7th all of the 9,014 customers in Jackson Parish have their power restored. Additional North Louisiana customers who could safely receive service power were expected to be back on line by this weekend. Hurricane Laura knocked out power to approximately 130,000 in the region.

The storm did tremendous damage to the transmission and distribution infrastructure across the state. Damages to Entergy’s distribution system in North Louisiana alone totaled approximately:

1. 1,340 poles
2. 3,070 spans of wire
3. 290 transformers
4. 1,540 cross-arms

Crews worked through challenging and oftentimes heavily wooded terrain to make repairs or rebuild the electric system. In some locations, especially in Winn Parish, crews had to use special off-road equipment to reach damaged infrastructure and make repairs.

Jimmie Davis State Park reopened September 4th

Hurricane Laura caused significant damage to large portions of the state, but most Louisiana State Parks, including the Jimmie Davis State Park on Caney Lake was open in time for Labor Day weekend, thanks to the tireless efforts of their staff.

“Many of our State Parks lost power, large trees were downed over powerlines, but great efforts were made to keep campers safe and clear the debris in time for Labor Day weekend,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.  “If ever there was a time for us to gather with our families and show the world we are Louisiana Strong, this is it..

Some overnight accommodations at Lake Chicot and Lake D’Arbonne State Parks are not available because they are housing crews restoring power or clearing the surrounding areas. RV spots are available in all open state parks. The central reservations vendor, Reserve America, is working to reschedule or refund all affected campsite and cabin reservations. People can call 877-2226-7652 for help with rescheduling.

Louisiana State Parks Now Open

Jimmie Davis State Park, Chatham, LA

Bayou Segnette State Park, Westwego, LA

Bogue Chitto State Park, Franklinton, LA

Chemin-A-Haut State Park, Bastrop, LA

Fairview State Park, Madisonville, LA

Lake Bruin State Park, St. Joseph, LA

Poverty Point Reservoir State Park, Delhi, LA

St. Bernard State Park, Braithewaite, LA

Tickfaw State Park, Springfield, LA

Cypremort State Park, Cypremort, LA

Grand Isle State Park, Grand Isle, LA

Lake Bistineau State Park, Doyline, LA

Lake Claiborne State Park, Homer, LA

Palmetto Island State Park, Abbeville, LA

Closed until further notice

Chicot State Park, Ville Platte, LA

Lake D’Arbonne State Park, Farmerville, LA

Lake Fausse Point State Park, St. Martinville, LA

North Toledo Bend, Zwolle, LA

South Toledo Bend, Anacoco, LA

Sam Houston State Park, Lake Charles, LA

The football season for LHSAA “select” and “non-select” schools will definitively begin October 8-10.

For weeks officials of the Louisiana Department of Education(LDE), Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) Board, Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) and state lawmakers bantered back and forth about the start date for the prep football season. It was a team effort by all of the above that finally got the firm date established.

The groups worked for more than a week behind the scenes — an effort that wrapped up Thursday night in advance of Friday morning’s House Education Committee meeting at the State Capitol. The agreement alleviated LHSAA coronavirus pandemic liability for schools and conflicts with Louisiana’s phased reopening.

“In this case, I waited as long as I could wait to make sure we got every path covered,” LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine said afterward. “And I truly believe our coaches and all the local administration people … they’ve kicked tail, and they are ready. With the hand that they have been dealt now, they are going to get another case of normality.”

Rep. Buddy Mincey Jr., R-Denham Springs, helped jump-start the process by requesting an opinion on Act 9-related liability for the LHSAA and its schools. Mincey was the original author of the legislation that became Act 9.

Attorney General Jeff Landry then issued an opinion stating that playing high school football would not carry liability for LHSAA schools under Act 9. When the Thursday meeting began, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, made an opening statement, which gave away the pending announcement of the agreement. Bonine also thanked all the groups involved for their work to reach an agreement.

“I appreciate you all working hard and getting things done like this,” Schexnayder said.  “This is huge. I want to be clear … this meeting and its actions are not an attempt to ignore public safety. It’s about beginning to move out of a temporary abnormal and back to life.”

Bonine then told the group he is prepared to go to the LHSAA executive committee on Sept. 9 with a proposal to move forward with full-contact football practices and the season on Oct. 8-10, regardless of Louisiana’s phased approach to reopening.

When asked, Bonine said he expected the proposal to pass without issue, clearing the way for LHSAA’s football schools to do full contact football drills late next week, leading to the possibility of scrimmages and possibly a jamboree before the start of an eight-game football regular season. Playoffs are set to run through the month of December.

Interestingly, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a statement after the meeting which stated that his proclamations were never intended to keep the LHSAA from playing football this fall. The sentiment was echoed by Cade Brumley, the state’s new Superintendent of Education, and BESE Board President Sandy Holloway.

“My proclamations have never said that you can’t play high school football. The LHSAA made a decision to link the phase that we’re in with my proclamation with what they would allow to happen on the high school campus,” Edwards said in a statement released Friday. “They have opted to change that guidance now in the event that we don’t go to Phase 3.

Plans for spectators for all fall sports are still to be finalized, but could tentatively allow 50% occupancy for football. Volleyball will be allowed to have a total of 50 spectators for its games next week under Phase 2 guidelines.

Jonesboro-Hodge High School head football coach Terrance Blankenship was very pleased with finally hearing on when the season would start.

“All we have ever asked was to give us a definite date of when we could play,” said Blankenship. “We felt all along that we would have a season but not knowing when it was going to start made it very difficult on the coaches and players. Now we know how to proceed.”

By: Glynn Harris

            The year was 1998. The month was December. Think back with me if you will to the days just before Christmas. Remember the massive ice storm that turned northern Louisiana into props for Ice Capades?

            We were unprepared at my house for the dreary bone-chilling days that followed. With no power; no source of heat other than gas logs in our fireplace, we slept on blankets before the fireplace dressed like we were going moose hunting in Minnesota.

            Once this awful event came to a slowly thawing close, I decided then and there that we weren’t going to be unprepared next time; we had to have a generator. Although it was like locking the gate after the cow got out, I bought a generator so I would be ready next time when power went out.

            For most of the 22 years since, I have had no use for the generator but occasionally when power was lost, Geno – that’s what I named the little fellow – was ready for the task.

            Then came Laura. I watched the big pines next to my house bending and lashing under winds in the Category One range. Prayers were offered up, lots of prayers. At 8:00 Thursday morning, our power was abruptly gone. No flicker or warning – just gone.

            I waited until the winds had subsided to allow enough time to go out back to the small building where Geno was kept, unwrapped the cover that kept him dust-free, brought him to the driveway, gassed him up and pulled the cranking cord. Nothing. I pulled the cord until I almost threw out my shoulder. Still nothing. So I called a friend, Joey who owns a small engines repair company (318/914-2097), he came and got Geno going. The little fellow kept my freezer, refrigerator and one fan going for a couple of days. On the afternoon of the third day without power, Geno said he’d had enough. The little fellow just laid right down and died.

            Fortunately, my son in law, Ross offered his generator so he loaded it up and drove over from his home in Minden and we were back in business with the borrowed generator running full speed until our power was mercifully restored at 4:20 Monday afternoon.

            No more listening to the incessant drone of the noisy but life restoring work of the borrowed generator. Lights came on, my computer came back to life and the heavenly music of our air conditioner kicking in brought sighs of relief from my wife and me. Maybe even a tear or two.

            As we were once again enjoying those things like lights and cool air that we too often take for granted, I began reading about others in our town who were not so fortunate. Some had their homes demolished by huge trees, hundreds are still without power with big question marks hanging like the broken power lines that littered the streets in our town as to when their power would be restored.

            I began hearing that gasoline that kept generators running was in short supply with some driving to distant towns to fill gas cans. There was a crying need for potable water; for ice to keep freezers from thawing; for electric fans to hook to generators to provide a tiny bit of relief from the August heat and humidity. All this made me even more thankful that somehow, our home and power lines had been spared from the huge pines that dot our yard only feet from our house and after only a few days, we had power and others didn’t and wouldn’t for no telling how much longer.

            I know that Thanksgiving Day is still some three months away but I think it’s okay if I start it early. Although we were inconvenienced for a few days, my wife and I have so much to be thankful for. I’m thankful for the hard working linemen who worked and are still working long hours every day to restore power to those less fortunate than us.

            I’m thankful for son in law, Ross, who provided a generator for us, for daughter Kayla and husband Keith who fed us, for the helpfulness of neighbors who came to our rescue.

I’m also thankful for little old generator who did what he could to help until his tired old carburetor gave out.  Rest in peace, Geno; you’ve earned it.

FISHING REPORT  9-2-20

BUSSEY BRAKE – Before the hurricane hit, bream were fair on worms and crickets. No report on crappie or catfish. Bass were fair with a few in the 5 pound range caught around the trees on soft plastics and jigs.

BLACK BAYOU –  Bream are fair; others are slow. Contact 323-8707 for latest information.

OUACHITA RIVER – The river is rising and fishing has slowed. Crappie are fair in the river lakes fishing 8 feet deep in 10-12 foot water. Bass have been fair fishing the mouth of the cuts on soft plastics. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE D’ARBONNE – Very little fishing has been reported since the hurricane; most fishermen are cleaning up after the storm. Crappie fishing has been best fishing the flats 14 feet deep in 20-22 foot water with shiners or jigs. Bass have been best in the sloughs fishing around grass and moss on topwater lures, spinner baits and jigs. Bream have slowed and are fair on crickets and worms. Catfishing has been good fishing off the banks with cold worms and night crawlers. For latest reports, call Anderson’s Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE CLAIBORNE – The only report I was able to get from Claiborne is that the crappie are still hitting shiners and jig and stripers continue to school and will hit shad imitations, white bucktails or spoons. No report this week on bass, bream or catfish. For latest information, call Tim Loftin at Kel’s Cove at 927-2264.

CANEY LAKE – Because of the devastation caused by Laura, I was not able to get through to my Caney Lake contact so there is no report this week as most folks are cleaning up after the storm. For latest information contact Bateaux on Caney Lake at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE POVERTY POINT – Crappie have been slow to fair with a few picked up around the boat slips. No report on bass. Catfishing is fair for smaller sized fish. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318-878-0101.

LAKE ST. JOHN – No report. For information, call Ken Mahoney at 318-201-3821.

LAKE YUCATAN – Water is rising again but some good reports came in on bass and catfish while crappie and beam are fair. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.

LAKE BRUIN – No report. For information, contact Carlos Gray at 318/766-0075.        

This Saturday, September 11th the Jackson Woman’s Missionary Union is hosting “The Crafty Café 2020 at the First Baptist Church in Jonesboro located at 500 South Cooper Avenue. The wonderful bazaar that will feature handcrafted items, antiques/collectibles, baked goods, frozen casseroles, jellies and canned items will run from 8:00 am till noon.

Early attendees will get to enjoy beignets and coffee while the late comers and those who make a morning of it will be served a gumbo and soup lunch. Come sip, shop and enjoy good fellowship. All proceeds go to help local mission endeavors.

Louisiana participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can use their benefits to purchase “hot” or prepared foods from authorized SNAP retailers during the month of September, following waiver approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

Normally, SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase “hot food products prepared for immediate consumption.” Waiving that restriction is vital in the immediate aftermath of a storm such as Hurricane Laura, where many residents are displaced and cannot access a kitchen to prepare their meals.

The waiver, granted Thursday and lasting through Oct. 1, will allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy prepared foods at any retailer that accepts SNAP EBT cards, whether in Louisiana or in another state. Restaurant purchases are still prohibited.

The same waiver would apply to Disaster SNAP (DSNAP) benefits, if and when that program comes online in the coming days. More information about the “hot foods” waiver can be found at http://www.dcfs.la.gov/hotfoods.

SNAP Updates

All current SNAP recipients received their September benefits on Sept. 1, rather than their regular issuance date between the 1st and 14th of the month. SNAP recipients not already receiving the maximum amount for their household size will also receive a COVID-related emergency allotment on Sept. 18, to bring their household up to the maximum for the month.

SNAP recipients who lost food purchased with their SNAP benefits due to a power outage of 24 consecutive hours or more may also be eligible for replacement benefits. Recipients do not need to take any action on this at this time.

DCFS has applied for a waiver from FNS to provide for automatic issuance of 50% replacement benefits to SNAP recipients in 26 parishes due to widespread power outages. For any parishes not approved for that waiver, DCFS also applied for a waiver to extend the deadline for reporting food losses from 10 days to 30 days.  More information about SNAP benefits related to Hurricane Laura can be found at www.dcfs.la.gov/SNAPLaura.

There is good news. Then there is really good news. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) brought smiles to parents of school children all over the nation this past Monday when it announced it will extend free school meals to all children through the end of 2020.

“It’s for everyone, all kids regardless of economic abilities,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue explained. “All the kids everywhere — those who are attending school in person, those who are attending virtually.”

Flexibility standards created by Congress to help families during the coronavirus pandemic were set to expire in September. Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry said she has been calling on Perdue for months to extend the program.

“It is good news that they listened and that we’ll have this flexibility for children to have access to healthy meals at least till the end of the year,” Stabenow said.

Perdue warns there’s no guarantee the cash will last until then. He said if the money does run out, the program will again be restricted to families in need. For now though, the program remains unchanged. Families can continue to pick up school meals or have them delivered to community sites.

“We are legally not able to extend more than Congress has appropriated, so hopefully, we would not need to shorten that period of time,” Perdue said.

Stabenow said she believes the USDA has adequate funding and that if the agency requests more money, Congress will work to keep the program afloat.

The Heeresgeschichtliches Museum in Vienna, Austria, houses a large collection of artifacts spanning five centuries of Austrian military affairs.  The collection consists of weapons, tanks, airplanes, vehicles, as well as a plethora of other war-related items.  In the Sarajevo display of the Franz Joseph Hall in the museum sits an antique 1911 Gräf & Stift convertible automobile which still displays its original license plate; AIII118.  If you look closer, you will spot evidence of something sinister. 

On June 28, 1914, Emperor Franz Joseph sent his son, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, to Sarajevo to observe military maneuvers.  Well-wishers waited to greet the Archduke and Duchess.  Members of a terrorist group also waited.   

In 1901, officers in the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia formed a secret military society known as Unification or Death, more commonly known as the Black Hand.  Their singular goal was the unification of Serb-inhabited territories by training guerrilla-type fighters in the art of sabotage and assassination.  By 1914, the Black Hand had hundreds of members who operated in small cells of three to six members.  Supervisors each handled a small group of cells.  Secrecy was of the utmost importance, and members of a cell rarely knew anything about the activities of other cells.  Cell members went about their daily lives until their supervisor gave them a mission.

In the Spring of 1914, a six-member cell comprised of Vaso Čubrilović, Cvjetko Popović, Gavrilo Princip, Trifko Grabež, Nedeljko Čabrinović, and Muhamed Mehmedbašić, received the order to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand during his trip to Sarajevo.  The Black Hand trained the six cell members and furnished them with six bombs, five Browning FN Model 1910 automatic pistols with .380 ammunition, an undisclosed amount of money, suicide pills, and maps.  The members of the cell planned and trained for the Archduke’s and Duchess’s upcoming visit.     

On Sunday morning, June 18, 1914, Franz Ferdinand, his wife, and several members of the royal entourage arrived at Sarajevo by train, where a motorcade of six automobiles waited.  Franz Ferdinand, his wife, and two other officials rode in the third car, a 1911 Gräf & Stift convertible automobile with license plate number AIII118.  Within minutes of their arrival, the motorcade set off through Sarajevo on its pre-announced route toward the Town Hall.

The assassins anxiously awaited their target.  The Black Hand strategically placed each of the assassins at different points along the route as a failsafe of sorts.  If one assassin failed, the next would step in.  Mehmedbašić stood in front of the Mostar Café armed with a bomb.  Čubrilović stood nearby with a pistol and another bomb.  Čabrinović stood a short distance away on the opposite side of the street near the Milijacka River armed with a bomb.

The unsuspecting passengers in the motorcade passed Mehmedbašić and Čubrilović without incident.  For some reason, both failed to act.  At 10:10 a.m., the motorcade approached Čabrinović.  He removed the safety from the bomb and threw it.  His aim was good.  The bomb hit the folded down convertible top of the Franz Ferdinand’s car, bounced off, landed under the next car in the motorcade, and exploded.  Some contemporary newspaper accounts reported that “the Archduke saw the missile hurtling through the air and warded it off with his arm.”  The bomb wounded some twenty people and left a small crater in the street.  The other three assassins, Popović, Princip, and Grabež, heard the bomb blast and assumed Franz Ferdinand had been killed.  They watched in shock as the remaining cars in the motorcade, including Franz Ferdinand’s car, passed them by at a high rate of speed toward the Town Hall.

Čabrinović swallowed his cyanide pill and jumped into the river, but his suicide attempt failed.  The cyanide pill was weak and only induced vomiting.  Due to a drought, the water level in the river was only a few inches deep.  The crowd pulled him from the shallow river and gave him a severe beating before police took him into custody.

Franz Ferdinand was visibly shaken as he spoke at the reception at the Town Hall.  During his speech, the Archduke said, “…as I see in them an expression of their joy at the failure of the attempt at assassination.”  Franz Ferdinand and Sophie abandoned their planned schedule and decided to visit those injured in the bombing at the hospital.  The drivers in the motorcade were confused about the route to take to the hospital, and drove along the same route they had taken from the train station to the Town Hall. 

Undeterred by the unsuccessful first assassination attempt, Princip stood in front of a delicatessen near the Latin Bridge and waited for the Archduke to pass by on his return trip.  The drivers of the first, second, and third cars in the motorcade, which included the Archduke’s car, made an incorrect right turn at the Latin Bridge.  Governor Potiorek, who was riding in the car with Franz Ferdinand, told the driver to stop because he had made a wrong turn.  The driver applied the brakes and stopped the car right beside Princip.

Princip would not fail this time.  He pulled his .380 pistol, stepped onto the car’s running board, and fired into Franz Ferdinand and Sophie.  One shot penetrated Franz Ferdinand’s jugular vein, and another struck Sophie in the abdomen.  Princip attempted to commit suicide with the pistol but was seized by the crowd before he could pull the trigger.  Sophie lost consciousness immediately, followed by Franz Ferdinand a couple of minutes later. 

The driver sped the injured couple to the Governor’s residence for medical treatment.  Sophie died before they reached the Governor’s residence and Franz Ferdinand died a few minutes after their arrival.  June 28, 1914, the day of their assassination, was Franz Ferdinand’s and Sophie’s fourteenth weeding anniversary.

Most historians agree that Princip’s shots were the spark which ignited World War I, one of the deadliest conflicts in human history.  This “war to end all wars” killed an estimated nine million combatants and thirteen million civilians, in addition to many millions more who died as a result of genocide and the related Spanish Influenza Epidemic of 1918.

If you visit the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum in person or by virtual tour, you will see the macabre artifacts from the assassination including the pistol Princip used in the assassination, the clothing worn by Franz Ferdinand and Sophie, the cot on which the injured Archduke died, and the car in which they were assassinated.  Some people have argued that the automobile’s license plate, AIII118, was prophetic.  If you convert the letters and numbers of the license plate into a date format, the result is 11/11/18.  The license plate on the car in which the Archduke was assassinated, the assassination which began the First World War, prophetically gave the date of the Armistice of 11 November 1918, the date on which the fighting ended in World War I. 

How would you like to enjoy a fun day at the lake competing against others at one of the most fun and wildly popular games around? Even better how would you like to earn some money while you are doing it?

At 1:00 pm this Saturday, September 12^th, Hook’s Marina located at 400 Spillway Road on Caney Lake will be presenting a Cornhole Doubles Tournament that has a $1000.00 purse attached. The tourney is sponsored by Twin City Cornhole in Monroe. No early registration is required but contestants are asked to come early to sign up. 

What exactly is a Cornhole Tourney?  Back in the day it was called the “bean bag toss” where you attempt to throw weighted bean bags into a hole that is on a slanted platform. The game has always been popular among tailgaters at football games but recently has become a national phenomenon with regular tournaments almost every weekend in the larger cities.

1. David L. Harrell (Jonesboro, LA) – Disturbing the Peace
2. Kristina Woodall (Winnfield, LA) – Disturbing the Peace
3. Marcus U. Jackson (Tolleson, AZ) – Attempted 2nd degree murder , Contributing to the delinquency of a Juvenile
4. Aaron T. Johnson (Jonesboro, LA) – Bench Warrant for resisting an officer
5. Phillip Andrews (Chatham, LA) – Illegal possession of a stolen firearm
6. Garry Leggett (Jonesboro, LA) – Aggravated Assault
7. Ira Q. Brook (Baton Rouge, LA) – FTA Warrant for driving left of center
8. Antwon Atkins (Jonesboro, LA) – Warrant for Battery of a dating partner, P&P Hold
9. Sadawate Livingston (Jonesboro, LA) – Principal to attempted 2nd degree murder, Contributing to the delinquency of a Juvenile
10. Steven L. Moore (Jonesboro, LA) – Possession of Schedule II drug with intent to distribute, Open container, No turn signals
11. Donald L. Essmeier (Quitman, LA) – Bench Warrant for violation of protective order
12. Thomas V. Hilliard III (Bridge City, TX) – Simple Battery, Disturbing the Peace
13. Christopher Futrell (Farmerville, LA) – Possession of Legend drug (x3), Possession of Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS), Possession of a firearm in presence of a CDS, Theft
14. Cameron D. Johnson (Monroe, LA) – Possession of Schedule I drug – Marijuana
15. Christopher Combs (Jonesboro, LA) – Possession of Schedule I drug – Marijuana
16. Temeria A. Jefferson ( East Hodge, LA) – Aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon, Simple Criminal Damage to Property
17. Timothy P. Franks (West Monroe, LA) – Grant Parish warrant for Contempt of Court
18. James E. Brimer (Quitman, LA) – Warrant for FTA & IWC
19. Shelby Moras (Quitman, LA) – Theft
20. Selena Clifton (Winnfield, LA) – Theft
21. Michael J. Edmonds (Jonesboro, LA) – Possession of Schedule II drug, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Illegal carrying of a dangerous weapon with drugs
22. Aliana M. Barnes (Jonesboro, LA) – Possession of Schedule II drug, Possession of drug paraphernalia
23. Eddrick Hampton (Lake Providence, LA) – Simple Battery, Obstruction of Roadway
24. Rodney Williams, (Ruston, LA) – Aggravated Assault, Damage to Property, Simple Obstruction

The Jackson Parish Journal is pleased to offer a Classifieds section where you can make announcements, post items for sale, offer job opportunities or professional services and review public notices. Cost per post is $10.00 per week and can be submitted by email at jpjjacksonla@gmail.com or by text to 318-480-1206.

For Sale:

5.06 acres of land (Price Reduced) – located one mile East of Jimmie Davis Tabernacle on Hwy. 542, Beech Springs Road, Quitman, LA.  Call (706)745-3933 for more information.  

Facemasks – Show your school pride with special designed cloth facemasks for Jonesboro-Hodge, Quitman, Weston, LA Tech, Grambling, ULM, LSU and the New Orleans Saints. You can even add personal monograms. Adult and children sizes available. Only $5.00-$7.00.Call 318-475-0349

Church Bus – Jonesboro-Hodge United Methodist Church is selling small Bus that is equipped with Handicap accessibility. Engine work needed. Contact Paul Sterns for more information at (360) 399-8347.  

Book for sale – “The 100 year history of JHHS football” – An in-depth, year by year review of each season that includes names of players from virtually every year and individual/school records. Cost is $25.00 per copy plus $3.00 shipping and handling. To place your order, call 318-480-1206.

Organizations:

Boy Scouts of America – For boys in 6^th grade through 18 years old. For more information contact: Dawn Slezak at (713) 824-1772.

Cub Scouts of America – For boys and girls in Kindergarten through the 5^th grade. For more information contact: Dawn Slezak at (713) 824-1772.

Services offered:

Harris Yard Beautification – Professional Lawn Care provided at reasonable rates. Call Greg at (318) 245-2349

A1 Honey Do, LLC – Boat house, deck building and repairs. A Limited Liability Corporation (LLC). For estimates contact Mark Droesser, Owner at 318-366-7598 “We do what your honey can’t do”.

PUBLIC NOTICES:

Jackson Parish Police Jury Emergency Special Session Minutes

August 30, 2020

The Jackson Parish Police Jury met in Emergency Special Session, Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 2:00 PM in the Police Jury Meeting Room of the Jackson Parish Courthouse, 500 E. Court Street, Room 301, Jonesboro, Louisiana. Members present: Mr. Todd Culpepper, Ms. Amy Magee, Mr. John McCarty, Ms. Tarneshala Cowans, Ms. Regina Rowe, and Mr. Lynn Treadway. Absent: Mr. Lewis Chatham. Also present: Mr. Darrell Avery, Assistant District Attorney; Mr. Mark Treadway, OEP Director; Representative Jack McFarland; Senator Jay Morris; and all Department Superintendents.

The meeting was called to order by the President, Ms. Magee. Mr. McCarty gave the invocation and Ms. Cowans led in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

The President opened the floor for Public Comments and recognized Representative McFarland and Senator Morris who gave comments on the work done by local governments for the hurricane relief efforts and discussed FEMA reimbursements and the threshold for eligibility.

The President updated the Jury on the measures taken by the OEP Department and Police Jury departments in response to Hurricane Laura including a distribution center at the Community Center for ice, water, and MREs, supplying fuel for the Sheriff’s Department and first responders during the power outage, and the general debris removal and road clearing.

Motion Mr. Culpepper, seconded Ms. Rowe to authorize the President to enter into a contract for debris removal for all roads parish-wide including state, municipal, and private roads. Mr. Culpepper stipulated that if the contract could cover all roads, it would need to come back to the Jury for approval. Motion carried.

Motion Mr. Culpepper, seconded Mr. McCarty to temporarily extend the hours of the Solid Waste Landfill for Monday – Saturday from 7:00 am – 5:00 pm effective August 31st through September 12^th. Motion carried.

Motion Ms. Rowe, seconded Ms. Cowans to make Labor Day a floating holiday for the Road and Solid Waste departments so that the crews could continue to work and take the holiday off at a later date. Motion carried.

The President opened the floor to Mr. Treadway. Mr. Treadway gave special remarks to the state representatives for their assistance, he stated that the State Fire Marshall’s Office would be conducting a secondary survey of the parish and discussed the parish-wide relief efforts.

Motion Mr. Culpepper, seconded Ms. Rowe to adjourn. Motion carried.

A friend in need is a friend in deed– Ancient Proverb

Virtually everyone alive has heard this statement at least once in their lives. For the residents of Jackson Parish the past several days has brought a real understanding to what age old saying means.  While dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Laura locals have found several new “friends” indeed.

These new “friends” are the electrical workers and tree cutters, some from as far away as New Hampshire and Massachusetts, who have worked tirelessly along with local Entergy crews to help restore power to the parish. There is the National Guard who for days has stood out in the blazing heat to provide families with food, ice and water.

Then there are the residents of Jackson Parish who have pitched in to help their neighbors in time of need such as the congregation of the Galilee Baptist Church in Jonesboro who at Pierre Park this past Sunday provided meals for those who have lost power.

Someone once said that it is only in times of peril that you can truly appreciate the times of comfort. This has also proven to be so very true. Thanks to Jackson Parish’s newest “friends” the time forced to wait till things get back to normal is moving as quickly as can be done.

Power update:

Most of the incorporated areas of the parish and major subdivisions including the Caney Lake area already have power or will in a day or two. Entergy expects to have basically the entire parish back with power by the end of the week with possibly the exception of certain areas where the roads haven’t been cleared.

Road update:

This is the one area that got the quickest results. State and parish road crews were at work immediately to remove trees, limbs and debris from the roadways. Residents all over the parish also pitched in to help with the cleanup. Virtually every roadway in the parish is now passable.

School update:

Per Jackson Parish School Superintendent David Claxton classes will begin as soon as possible after September 2^nd. Keep a check on social media pages for the latest updates. No further injuries or deaths have been reported since the Parish was saddened to learn of John Hollings being killed in the storm.

Water supply update:

Water problems are plaguing the parish due to the lack of electricity required to run the pumps causing the tanks to run low or even dry in some cases. The Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office, LA National Guard and WestRock have been able to acquire generators to help with the pumping of water but until power has been completely restored possible flow problems will continue.

Services update:

Those who needed gas Friday and Saturday were forced to wait in lines at local gas stations not seen since the 1973 oil embargo with some finally reaching their destination only to find out there was no more gas. Most of the grocery markets and convenience stores were unable to open due to lack of power but those that did soon were closed again as supplies quickly diminished. 

The normal ability to purchase goods and services as well as gasoline should get back to normal by this weekend. This is according to an authoritative figure at one of Jonesboro’s leading food markets who and the owners of a couple of local convenience stores in Jonesboro.  

Statewide update:

The death toll from Hurricane Laura rose to 14 statewide on Sunday. Most of these deaths are attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning as result of running a generator indoors and not having proper ventilation established. 

More than 350,000 Louisiana residents remained without electricity Sunday, while 87 water systems serving upward of 150,000 people remained inoperable.  As of 9/1 more than 10,000 people were staying in hotels across the state and more than 324,000 were still without power.

A couple of days after Jonesboro resident John Holland was tragically killed KTVE Channel 14 out of Monroe produced a heart-warming interview with his daughter Christian Faith Turcotte. Everyone got to learn about how Holland had a special love for storms and bad weather and as Turcotte explained to be able to go in a hurricane would have been the way her father would have wanted it.

In order to help the Holland family with the related expenses a GoFundMe account was established so donations could be made to the family through the website. An account at Hodge Bank has also been established and donations jars are going to be placed in several stores and markets.

As of 6:00 pm on August 31^st $1477.00 had been raised on the website with 24 donors helping reach the goal of $4000.00. If interested in participating go to the GoFundMe website and look up fundraiser “Please help lay my daddy to rest”.

After a recent audit of the Jackson Parish Recreation district a former employee who had already been accused of misappropriating thousands of dollars has been arrested. Taken into custody by the Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office was Edward Zehr, who last year managed the Pro-Shop at the Jackson Parish Golf Course.

According to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor report this past Sunday an independent auditor analyzed the organization’s financial records and noted that the former manager of the golf course admitted to misappropriating $12,000 over a seven-month period. However, the auditor estimated the amount missing was actually $19,000.00.

The auditor said the situation occurred due to a lack of appropriate internal controls at the Golf Course and suggested that procedures be implemented to ensure cash collections are properly handled, deposited, and recorded. At the time of the independent auditor’s report, a court hearing had yet to be set for the arrested individual.

NOTE:  (This is the first of a 12-part series by the Jackson Parish Journal focusing on the Jackson Parish Hospital, the people who work there and the services that are offered. Today’s feature – Jackson Parish Hospital Family Care Clinic)

How familiar are you with the Jackson Parish Hospital (JPH)?  Surely you know that the JPH has been the primary emergency healthcare provider in Jackson Parish for over a half a century. You most likely know some of the people who work or have worked there over the years as well.

Yet do you really know about “today’s” Jackson Parish Hospital? The best way to currently describe the JPH is to paraphrase a statement made in an old car commercial that said “This ain’t your daddy’s car.” Well, this isn’t the same hospital that your daddy knew either, not even close.

Speaking of statement’s the first sentence of the JPH “mission statement” says it all. “We at Jackson Parish Hospital are invested in caring from the heart every day of every year.”  Talk to almost anybody that have been treated at the JPH over the last couple of years and you will know this isn’t just words but a true working focus.

It isn’t just the reviews from patients or family members of one that prove this out either. Last year the JPH was listed as one of the top hospitals in the state by a leading healthcare auditing group who had them ranked in the top five percent in every single rating category of hospitals of their size.

Today we focus on the Jackson Parish Family Clinic which is a part of the JPH family tree that specializes on family medical needs ranging from disease care to management and care of all organs and organ systems.  Located at 107 Watts Street in Jonesboro, the medical staff of the Clinic is made up of Dr. William J. Slusher and Nurse Practitioner’s Dana Williams and Holly Knapp.

Doctor Slusher has been a Family Physician for over 20 years in north Louisiana. He is recognized not only for his diagnosis accuracy and professionalism but for forming lasting relationships with patients and paying special attention to their lives outside of their physical health, specifically their family and community relationships. It is very rare occurrence indeed that he isn’t familiar with you or someone in your family.  

It could be considered that Williams and Knapp are “two NP’s in the same pod.” This is not only in their credentials (both are APRN, FNP-Certified with nursing degrees from the University of Louisiana-Monroe) but also the reason they chose to practice their skills at the JPH Family Care Clinic.

What exactly is a Nurse Practitioner (NP)? An NP is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who has earned at least a Master’s degree and completed additional training in a specialty area of medicine. NP’s are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe treatment plans.

When asked why they work here instead of the many other places they had the opportunity to work at they both said it because they not only wanted to be able to care for people but especially for the people of Jackson Parish and the surrounding area.

From providing medical care in their facilities to running vital programs in our community the Jackson Parish Hospital and the JPH Family Care Clinic is committed to supporting the health and well-being of the residents of Jackson Parish.

We at Jackson Parish Hospital are invested in caring from the heart every day of every year. Join us in thanking the many individuals who give their all to their neighbors. From providing medical care in our facilities to running vital programs in our community, we are committed to supporting the health and well-being in and around Jackson Parish Hospital. Jackson Parish Hospital serves our local community with excellent quality services with ancillary, emergency services, three clinic locations and swing bed availability.

As insistent and diligent as Black teachers taught and instilled in us that  Black Lives Matter, it has taken  years for the nation to come to grips with the realization that Black Lives Matter, which gave birth to the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2013.  The Black Lives movement and recent marches against police brutality, the protests for justice and equality have catapulted an international movement where young black, white, brown and  yellow citizens have taken to the streets, demanding and removing statutes of racist figures, U. S. slave holding Confederate generals, and they are calling for renaming military bases currently named for Confederate soldiers.  Young, old and in between citizens are marching, chanting, hoisting banners and signs displaying a unified message, down with police brutality, up with justice and equality for all, end racism in America  Black Lives Matter, chanting “no justice, no peace”.

Over the last one hundred years African Americans have felt the sting of the fact that  their lives did not matter especially Black citizens who lived in southern states such as Alabama, the Carolina’s, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas where they suffered at the hands of mean and brutal white citizens.  In these and in some northern states, citizens of color were and still are devalued, marginalized, considered inferior and unequal to their white counterparts and have been denied rights freely granted to white citizens.

Fast forward to 2020 America where it is becoming more and more difficult for one to vote, where once again states are using all kinds of schemes and tactics to suppress ones’ Constitutional right to vote.  Southern states are now requiring a valid state ID to vote which many African Americans do not possess.  It is an America where the late Congressman John R. Lewis’ fight to renew the 1965 Voting Rights Act for another ten years is purposefully being stalled in the U. S. Congress and is under immense scrutiny and attack by critics and voting rights adversaries.  President  Trump is threatening to try to derail and deny states the right to allow citizens to vote by mail in ballots, with Trump contending that the November election is rigged against him and that there will be massive voter fraud but more noticeable that his poll numbers are sagging and that he could possibly lose the election.  The .US. Postmaster is attempting to streamline Postal Services by eliminating overtime and limiting work hours.  It was reported that mail at some U.S. Post Offices is stacking up, which present optimal conditions for the coming of a disaster and are the conditions for a perfect storm during the November Presidential election.

Continue to fast forward to an America, where police officers have little or no regard nor remorse about putting their knees on the necks of Black men and holding them there until the last ounce of life is snuffed out of men like George Floyd and captured in real time.  America tolerates white supremacy groups marching  in the streets of Virginia chanting kill Jews and Blacks and look the other way when President Trump comments that “there were good and bad people on both sides” and in the Nation’s capital, the seat of power, in front of the White House where thousands of  Black Lives Matter protesters who were peacefully gathered, were pushed out of the way, beaten, tear gassed so that Trump could pass on his way for a photo opportunity in front of a church holding a Bible upside down.

One cannot forget the time when a Black man was jogging through the streets of a Georgia neighborhood and was apprehended by three white vigilantes claiming that they perceived the young man to be a burglar.  They shoot him not once, but three times with a shotgun killing him simply because he was Black and was not supposed to be jogging in a white neighborhood.  What about the murder of a young African Amerian female (Breonna Taylor) sleeping in bed in Louisville Kentucky, being shot and killed because she did not respond to police officers kicking in the wrong door  to her apartment under the belief and suspicion that she was hiding her ex-boyfriend.  What about the lives of  Sandra Bland who was killed while locked in a Texas jail cell, Michael Brown who was gunned down in the streets of  Missouri, Trayvon Martin who was murdered in Florida by Zimmerman, Eric Garner’s life choked out in New York by a band of rogue police officers, Orlando Castile in Louisiana shot and killed by police officers, Black women being pulled from their vehicles in Colorado and Washington, DC, for suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle.  (The Colorado incident involved four small children being handcuffed and forced to lay face down at gunpoint on hard concrete) with police officers contending that the women were believed or suspected to be driving a stolen vehicle.

The list of incidents of police brutality being heaped upon citizens of color is common, but totally unacceptable and must be addressed.  That is the mission and objective of the Black Lives Matter Movement, to seek peaceful non-violent protests until the nation moves to address the matter.  Many states are moving expeditiously to address police brutality.  The amount of change that the protests have produced in such a short period of time is noteworthy.  For example, in Minneapolis the site of George Floyd’s death, the City Council pledged to dismantle the police department.  In New York, policy makers repealed a law that kept police disciplinary records secret.  Across the nation towns and cities have enacted laws banning chokeholds.  The state of Mississippi has retired the state flag which included a Confederate battle image.  Many Confederate statutes have been removed from town and city squares across the nation.  The protests with the support and insistence of Black Lives Matter has set in motion a period of significant change, nevertheless the battle for social, political, and economic justice, the battles for renewal of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, gun control, climate change, immigration, and quality healthcare for all are ongoing and we must never give up on achieving such gains.

Dr. Herbert Simmons, Jr. is an associate Professor, Department of Criminal Justice, Grambling State University, former President, Grambling State University Faculty Senate and former Chair, Department of Consumer Education and Resource Management, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

 

An incident occurred this past Saturday at the Jackson Parish Correctional Center when a small number of inmates damaged their dormitories in protest of the fact there was no electricity or water available after damages caused by Hurricane Laura.

It wasn’t too long after, but in no way as result of the protest, that water and electricity services were re-established at the Correctional Center. The protest was then quickly squashed and activity resumed back to normal

“No one was injured and the public was never in any danger,” said Jackson Parish Sheriff Andy Brown. “I also give thanks to the Jonesboro, Quitman and Ward 4 Fire departments.”

The three fire departments were very helpful in keeping the inmates from overheating after they were forced to go outside so the dorms could be repaired by providing a shower of water overhead to help alleviate the heat.   

By: Glynn Harris

            North Louisiana is known for lakes that produce big bass. Caney Lake holds the state record with other lakes such as D’Arbonne, Claiborne, Bistineau, Black and Caddo getting in on the action as well.

            There is one lake, however, that has quietly and without fanfare, been a quality bass producer since it was formed 63 years ago when Kepler Creek was impounded to form 2000 acre Kepler Creek Reservoir, locally known as Kepler Lake.

            Billy Willis, 62 year old bass angler from Ruston, has caught bass in virtually all these lakes but had not really tried for big bass on Kepler until this past weekend.

            “A guy I work with has a friend who has been telling him about catching big bass on Kepler so I decided to give it a try,” said Willis.

            Arriving at the lake around 7:00 Saturday morning August 22, the lake nestled and virtually hidden in the hills of Bienville Parish, Willis spent several hours without catching a bass. It was not until around 11:00 that his luck changed for the better.

            “There were a couple of other bass fishermen on the lake and they were picking up some schooling fish, nothing of any size. They eventually moved on so I moved into the area where they had been fishing. This lake is loaded with stumps and the bass had been schooling around a particular area. I noticed that the stump line was in about three feet of water but there was a drop off next to the stump line that dropped quickly to six feet. I decided to give it a try,” Willis said.

            He was fishing with a Shimano reel mounted on a 7’4” Falcon rod with 20 pound fluorocarbon line. His preferred method of fishing is using a Carolina rig and below a swivel, he had tied a two to three foot 12 to 15 pound leader, a 2-0 hook to which was attached a green pumpkin Fluke with gold flake.

            “There were lots of shad in the area so this color matched what the fish were feeding on. I caught a couple of school fish around the stumps and I decided to back off and fish the drop off that was away from the stumps,” he said.

            Casting to the edge of the drop off, Willis let the lure go to the bottom and immediately felt something hit. He set the hook and knew it was into something pretty big because it hardly budged, he continued.

            “Fortunately I was able to work the fish away from the stumps into the deeper water but because it never came to the top, I assumed I’d hooked a big catfish because most bass will come to the surface and try to shake off. This fish just kept pulling until it seemed to give up and I was able to bring it to the boat. It was only then that I saw I’d hooked a really big bass,” he said.

            Placing the bass in his live well, Willis noticed that the bass quickly turned belly up. He had planned to release the fish but because of the stress or the heat of the day, the fish soon expired.

            He had no scale with him and it was only after he returned home a couple of hours later that he weighed the dead fish which tipped the scales at 10 pounds, 9 ounces. One has to wonder what the big female would have weighed when she was full of eggs in March rather than in August.

FISHING REPORT  8-26-20

BUSSEY BRAKE –Bream are fair on worms and crickets. No report on crappie or catfish. Bass are fair with a few in the 5 pound range caught around the trees on soft plastics and jigs.

BLACK BAYOU –  Bream are fair; others are slow. Contact 323-8707 for latest information.

OUACHITA RIVER – Crappie are fair in the river around submerged tops and in the river lakes fishing 8 feet deep in 10-12 foot water. Bass have been fair fishing the mouth of the cuts on soft plastics. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE D’ARBONNE – Crappie fishing has been best fishing the old sloughs 10-12 feet deep in 15-18 foot water on shiners or jigs. Bass have been best in the sloughs fishing around grass and moss on topwater lures, spinner baits and jigs. Bream have slowed and are fair on crickets and worms. Catfishing has been good fishing off the banks with cold worms and night crawlers. For latest reports, call Anderson’s Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie fishing continues to be fair to good fishing around the deeper tops with shiners working best. Bass have been slow this week. Stripers continue to school and are hitting shad imitations, spoons and white bucktails. Catfishing has been fair to good tightlining cold worms. The bream bite has been quite slow. For latest information, call Tim Loftin at Kel’s Cove at 927-2264.

CANEY LAKE – A few smaller bass have been caught in breaking schools on topwater lures and shad imitations. Crappie are slow this week. Bream fishing has been slow to fair with a few caught fishing worms or crickets around the piers. Catfish are slow. For latest information contact Bateaux on Caney Lake at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE POVERTY POINT – Bass are slow to fair but one over 8 pounds was caught this week. Catfishing is fair for smaller sized fish while crappie and bream are slow. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318-878-0101.

LAKE ST. JOHN – No report. For information, call Ken Mahoney at 318-201-3821.

LAKE YUCATAN – Water is falling and this past weekend fishing was good for crappie, bass and bream. Catfishing is good at both ends of the chutes. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.

LAKE BRUIN – Fishing overall is quite slow this week. For information, contact Carlos Gray at 318/766-0075

State Fire Marshal H. “Butch” Browning and Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain have issued a cease and desist order for all private burning for Jackson Parish as well as: Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, Union and Winn in north Louisiana.

 “The extensive damage caused Hurricane Laura includes several water systems. That means many communities are without adequate water service for potential fire suppression needs,” said Browning, “This order will hopefully assist local first responders by reducing unnecessary fire calls that they will be challenged to answer due to a lack of infrastructure, resources and personnel already tasked with Laura recovery efforts.”

Private burning shall only be allowed by permission of the local fire department or local government. This order is effective as of 8 a.m., August 31, 2020 and shall remain in effect until rescinded. This ban shall not apply to prescribed burns by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, by those trained and certified by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, or by those who conduct prescribed burning as a “generally accepted agriculture practice” as defined by the Louisiana Right to Farm Law.

By: Brad Dison

The brutal unsolved murders by the individual commonly referred to as Jack the Ripper is one of the most famous criminal cases in history.  In 1888, Jack the Ripper violently murdered at least five women in London’s Whitechapel district.  Some authors claim there were many more victims, several even speculate on the real identity of the murderer.  However, the case remains unsolved.

Since his horrifying murder spree, newspapers columnists have used the name Jack as a place name whenever the culprit of a crime was unknown.  There have been many bad Jacks such as “Jack the Kisser,” a man who kissed unwilling women, “Jack the Peeper,” what we now call a “Peeping Tom,” “Jack the Smasher,” who broke into homes and destroyed everything within without taking a single item.  One irritated newspaper columnist argued that “the ‘Jack’ business has become a fad among the vicious and nothing short of a few doses of cold lead will cure it.”

There was another Jack, who had his own unique crime spree.  Unlike Jack the Ripper, our Jack struck in broad daylight rather than at night.  Like Jack the Ripper, our Jack attacked and disappeared seemingly without a trace.  Jack the Ripper’s murder spree, by most accounts, only lasted a few weeks and occurred within a small geographic region.  Our Jack victimized girls in multiple cities and in multiple states.  The first reports of our Jack were in Brooklyn, New York. 

On Thursday morning, January 8, 1891, Miss Lulu Hewitt walked the several blocks from her home on Schermerhorn Street to her school at the corner of 3^rd Avenue and State Street in Brooklyn.  During her walk, Lulu felt something cold touch her neck, but thought little of it since it was a cold morning.  When she arrived at school, her friends pointed out that something of hers was missing.  She remembered that a man, whom she was unable to describe except that he was tall and slim, had passed unusually close to her while she was walking.

A week later, January 15, a young girl named Mamie McMurray peered into a store window on Grand Street.  After a few minutes, she realized something of hers was missing.  Mamie was focused on the items displayed in the shop’s window and failed to notice anyone approach her.  She looked around but saw nothing and no one unusual. 

On January 20, two young girls, Eva Whitehead and Nellie Kaiser, left their school at noon to visit Eva’s aunt’s home for lunch.  Eva’s aunt lived just a few houses down from the school.  In the middle of a crosswalk, Eva felt a slight tug and thought something had gotten caught on one of her jacket’s buttons.  She adjusted her jacket and continued to her aunt’s home.  When she and Nellie arrived, Eva’s aunt pointed out something was out of place.  Only then did Eva realize someone had tried to steal something from her.  Jack had failed this time.  Eva remembered that a tall, slim man had brushed close by her side in the crosswalk.  Nellie was unaware that anything had happened and had not noticed the man.  

At about 8:30 a.m. on January 26, Gertrude Breast left her home and walked toward her school.  During her walk, she noticed a man whom she had seen on several occasions.  She had previously suspected that the man was watching her.  As she neared her school, she noticed someone was walking unnaturally close to her.  She turned and saw the man whom she had suspected of watching her.  The man, armed with a large knife or a pair of scissors, grabbed the object of his obsession, cut it free, and quickly walked away.  Gertrude was in shock.  She was the first to give a proper description to police.  She said the man was “about 30 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches, medium build, light mustache, black derby hat, blue pea jacket.”  Even with Gertrude’s description, police were unable to locate a suspect. 

At first, police doubted that the attacks had taken place.  However, three young boys had seen Gertrude’s attacker, armed as Gertrude had described, just before the attack.  During their investigation, police learned of other girls who had been Jack’s victims.  In the Summer of 1890, Florence Billings had an almost identical encounter with Jack.  Unlike Gertrude, she was unable to provide a description of Jack.

Jack seemed to disappear for a while.  He, or most likely a copycat, began his dastardly deeds again in 1914, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  This Jack used the darkness of “5 and 10 cent ‘movie’ theaters” to commit his crimes.  Jack sat in theaters and watched as the crowd entered and took their seats.  Then, he selected his victims and calmly sat directly behind them.  Only after the film ended would the girls realize that they had been victimized.  These incidents became so frequent that movie theaters in the region began showing warnings on their movie screens before the feature presentation.

Although Jack put a cold blade next to the throats and necks of numerous young girls, he was no murderer.  Jack never physically harmed his victims.  Most of them only realized they had been victimized well after the attack had taken place.  Incidents such as these occurred in multiple cities in the United States.  Many more cases certainly occurred but were never reported to police or printed in newspapers.  Jack had a condition known as trichophilia.  Jack’s obsession was cutting and collecting long braided hair.  Because of his infatuation, newspapers dubbed him “Jack the Snipper.”

For more Real Stories about Real People …with a Twist, order your copy of “Remember This?” at http://www.BradDison.com.  Brad earned his masters degree in history from Louisiana Tech University.  He has written history books and has been published in newspapers and scholarly journals. 

Sources:

1. Buffalo Morning Express and Illustrated Buffalo Express, February 20, 1889, p.4.
2. The Brooklyn Citizen, January 21, 1891, p.1.
3. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 28, 1891, p.6.
4. The Hope Pioneer (Hope, North Dakota), April 22, 1892, p.2.
5. The Des Moines Register, June 5, 1905, p.5.
6. The Los Angeles Times, March 29, 1914, p.13.
7. The Sacramento Star, April 28, 1914, p.8.
8. The Ottawa Citizen, January 3, 1947, p.21.
9. The News (Paterson, New Jersey), January 22, 1947, p.30.
10. The Birmingham News, July 27, 1947, p.10.

Now that the clean-up process from Hurricane Laura has begun in earnest Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., reminds residents to hire only professional-licensed arborists to perform work on storm-damaged trees.

“Anyone doing tree work in Louisiana is required to obtain a license through the LDAF,” Strain said. “Hiring only licensed-professional arborists protects you, the homeowner, since licensed arborists are not only trained to properly execute tree work, but they must also maintain liability insurance.

I also urge you to get a written estimate and, while you may be required to pay a reasonable deposit, you should never pay for the job in full up front, ” continued Strain. “Following hurricanes, we see an increased number of people going door-to-door offering tree services. Always ask to see their license and a current copy of the arborist’s liability insurance certificate.”

According to the Louisiana horticulture law: No person shall receive fees, advertise or solicit business in a regulated profession or occupation unless this person holds the appropriate license or permit, or has a regular employee who holds the appropriate license or permit, or is employed by a person who holds the appropriate license or permit. In addition, all licensees are required to place their license numbers on all business-related vehicles that have advertisements on them.