Life DIRK ELLINGSON: FASCHING MARDI GRAS | PAGE 5
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020
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MINDEN, LOUISIANA
MHS Darling taking place this weekend
COURTESY PHOTO
The Louisi-Annes are hosting the 2020 MHS Darling Pageant this Saturday, Feb.22. The pageant will take place at the MHS Auditorium starting at 6:00 pm. The tickets will cost $7 and can be purchased at the door. (Contestants Pictured) Front Row: Mackenzie Washington, Rayne West, Addison Fields, Elynn Kate Boothe, Emily Ramie, Gracie Crawford, Cammy Edwards, Kaylaan Washington Back Row: Evie Walker, Emma Greer, Hollan Haynes, Ella Glover, Lily Spillers, Alexis Guin, Cheyenne Guillory, Bailey Paul
WORKSHOP
Council meets with city department heads to discuss employee manual WILL PHILLIPS Minden Press-Herald
The City Council, Mayor, and Department Heads gathered in the Pelican Room at City Hall Wednesday afternoon to discuss potential changes to be made to the Employee Manual, including giving the City Council oversight over major city employee hires, allowing supervisors to send home employees whenever they are causing issues, and keeping the personnel committee intact. It was also discovered that the handbook that the council has is different from the one that the department heads have, leading to some confusion regarding certain sections where the handbooks differed. This issue wasn’t resolved, seeing as the council hadn’t made
Claiborne Parish principal arrested for multiple sex crimes
CLAIBORNE – Thursday morning, 54-yearold Brian Biggs, principal of Summerfield High School, was taken into custody and charged with computer aided solicitation of a minor, prohibited sexual conduct between educator and student, production of pornography involving juveniles, and forty-six counts of indecent behavior with juveniles. Biggs was booked into Claiborne Parish Detention Center on a million-dollar bond. In February 2020, the Louisiana State Police Special Victim’s Unit (LSP SVU) received a complaint from concerned parents alleging Biggs acted inappropriately with their child on a social media website. Through investigative means, Biggs was found to use the internet to engage in sexually explicit conversations, send sexually explicit materials, and requested inappropriate images. Based on find-
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these changes to the handbook and their copies were the ones they received when coming into office, but it is an issue they’re looking into, to ensure that everybody is on the same page so to speak. This workshop comes
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after being one of Councilman Terika Williams-Walker of Dist. B main focuses, bringing up the Employee Handbook at many of the previous meetings. A few months ago, Councilman Walker provided her proposed changes to the
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handbook. While they were supposed to discuss the employee handbook at one of the previous workshops, at the request of a Department head, they See, COUNCIL, Page 3
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ings of the investigation, LSP SVU obtained an arrest warrant for Biggs, along with a search warrant for his residence and social media accounts. Earlier Thursday morning, Troopers were assisted by the Department of Homeland Security, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Bossier City Marshal’s Office in executing the arrest and search warrants. Biggs was located at his residence and was taken into custody. Following the arrest, Troopers made contact with the Claiborne Parish superintendent, and a secondary search was conducted at the school for other devices used by Biggs. Louisiana State Police urges Summerfield parents to talk to their children. If you or someone you know has had inappropriate contact with Biggs online or in person, please contact the Louisiana State Police at (318) 741-2733 or call Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Minden Airport to receive $2 Million in grants STAFF REPORT Minden Press-Herald
The Minden City Council and Mayor discussing the proposed changes to the Employee Handbook.
75 CENTS
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Wednesday announced $10.9 million in federal grants from the Department of Transportation to improve airports across Louisiana. “Millions of travelers fly to and from Louisiana airports each year. This funding will promote safety, reduce delays and make air travel more efficient,” said Kennedy. According to their press release, “$2 million will help repair runway pavement and lighting for the Minden airport.” Steven Burdeaux, Mid-
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nen’s Airport Manager, said that these grants will be used to pay for runway rehabilitation and airfield lighting rehabilitation. These grants are for projects that the airport has made many years back. “The whole reason behind it is we plan these projects at least six years out, and everybody including the FAA, the State, and the airport count on this list of projects that we have planned for the airport. So as the time advances, we do more planning, we get things passed, we fill out applications, and it typically falls as expected,” said Burdeaux See, AIRPORT, Page 2
INDEX Obituaries Editorials Sports
3 Classifieds 10 4 Crossword 8 6 Comics 9
2 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020
MINDEN PRESS-HERALD | MINDEN, LA
Second Front EDUCATION
Louisiana’s college admissions standards toughened by board BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A month after delaying a decision, Louisiana’s higher education policy-making board voted Wednesday to bolster its minimum admission standards for public universities by adding the threat of financial penalties for campuses that disobey the requirements. The Board of Regents approved the adjustments to the state’s existing, 15-year-old admissions standards without objection, after weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations to get board members comfortable with the changes. Most of the rewrites were modest. But the penalty provisions represent the first real effort to force compliance with the policy. The board has never penalized schools for not complying with admissions criteria. Still, financial penalties won’t be automatic for campuses that violate the admissions criteria, and the threat of reduced funding doesn’t come unless a school has breached the policy for two consecutive years. The Board of Regents, which divvies up most state financing for public college campuses through its funding for-
mula, would have vote to strip some dollars from a school. “Today’s policy improvements retain the Regents’ steadfast commitment to have students admitted where they can be most successful,” Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed said in a statement after the vote. Reed and her staff spent months working on the adjustments to the minimum admissions standards after LSU sparked criticism for breaching the requirements and granting more exceptions than allowed. When the changes came up in January for review, regents members postponed a decision, saying they wanted more time to comb through the suggested tweaks and hear from Louisiana’s public university system leaders. By Wednesday, members appeared comfortable after adding language that spelled out a regents vote would be required to penalize an institution. LSU said it supported the admissions policy changes. Louisiana’s public twoyear community colleges are open admission. But the Board of Regents first
started requiring admissions standards for public four-year universities in 2005, mandating that freshmen meet certain grade point averages, college entrance exam scores or other benchmarks. The standards — and the percentage of exceptions allowed — vary depending on the type of campus, with LSU’s main campus in Baton Rouge having the toughest admissions requirements. Under the requirements, LSU’s incoming freshmen must have a 3.0 high school GPA or a 25 ACT college entrance exam score, with up to 4% of the enrolling class allowed exceptions. Those provisions remain unchanged in the updated standards, along with the basic admissions criteria that have existed for years for other campuses. But the rewritten admissions policy specifically allows for cuts to financing for campuses that repeatedly breach the exceptions limit, as the board “deems appropriate.” The rewritten policy declares that “penalties will be graduated in accordance with the degree, repetition and/ or systemic nature of the
violation,” as determined by the board. Other changes include new exceptions for non-resident students and certain other students, along with detailed auditing and reporting procedures. Renewed debate over the standards stemmed from LSU’s decision to rework its own admissions approach for first-time students in the fall 2018 semester. The university’s main campus in Baton Rouge has lessened reliance on standardized test scores and grade point averages, arguing that followed the approach at 80% of the nation’s flagship universities. In doing so, LSU exceeded the number of exceptions allowed to the admissions standards — drawing criticism that it was diminishing the school’s reputation. Amid the criticism, then-LSU President F. King Alexander questioned the regents’ ability to penalize his school for violating the admissions standards. Reed disagreed, citing the board’s constitutional authority. Alexander’s comments drew rebuke from Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Airport: The grant is adding another $2 million to the nearly six or seven million that the airport has received in funding in the past few years Continued from Page 1 “We thought it was actually going to be the end of next year before we were able to do these projects, but our FAA program manager, State program manager, and our project engineer were able to get it fixed up so we could do the project about a year earlier than we expected.” He also made note that this project won’t be costing the Minden taxpayers anything, and that it’s not taking away funding from other projects in the City of Minden. “That’s 90% of the grants we will be getting, and we will be getting another 10% grant to match with that 90% to fully fund the project at no cost to the taxpayers of the City of
Minden. It’s like every other big project we do out here.” Some people may ask questions such as, why would we spend 2 million on the airport when we need to have a road overlayed. Burdeaux’s answer is, “It’s different money, it can’t be used for that. All of it is funded through aviation fuel taxes, ticketing fees, and those types of things. It doesn’t come out of property tax or income tax or anything like that.” Burdeaux also mentioned that this grant is adding another almost two million dollars to the nearly six or seven million that the airport has received in funding in the past few years.
MINDEN PRESS-HERALD | MINDEN, LA
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020 | 3
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Council: The next workshop is set for February 26 at 1 p.m. Continued from Page 1 rescheduled the meeting so that department heads could be present for the meeting and provide their input, seeing as they would be the ones having to enforce whatever changes were made. Early into the meeting, Gary Moreland, Department Head for the Electricity Department, provided the Councilmen and Mayor with a list of items that he wanted to address about the proposed changes to the handbook and also made some suggestions for additions to it himself. He was speaking on behalf of himself and some of the other Department Heads who had also discussed these changes with him. “The Public Works had a meeting last week and we discussed, went through it line item by line item, on changes that were proposed, and also, we have some things that haven’t been mentioned in the employee handbook that we think needs to be addressed at this time since we’re doing it,” said Moreland. One of the issues he addressed regarded one of the changes that would make it so the Council would be the authority that disciplines city employees. The issue is, the Council is also the body that would here their appeal if they were treated unfairly. “If you’re disciplined by the council, you’re the only appeal is to the council, is what was proposed in what we saw here, said Moreland, referring to the manual with the proposed changes. “This method will maintain city personnel issues to be handled in a timely fashion and give the employees an adequate appeal process.” “We can’t be the jury and the judge,” said Councilman Vincen Bradford of Dist. C in agreement. While some more discussion took place, it was ultimately decided that they would keep the Personnel Committee, and make it so a City Councilman would be the Chairman of the Committee again. Councilman Walker proposed that Councilman Keith Beard of Dist. D should be the Chairman, to which Beard and the other Councilmen agreed. Another proposed change from Moreland would be a new addition that would address an occasional problem that happens in his and others’ departments. Essentially, they are asking for an addition that would allow them the ability to send home employees
with pay. While it may sound like an odd request at first, after hearing the Department Heads explain how it would help, it makes a lot more sense. “If you catch an employee that’s doing something blatantly unsafe, right now the supervisor does not have the authority to do anything to that employee immediately to stop the situation until you go to the Mayor. All we’re saying is give the supervisors the authority to stop what’s going on, with pay, until reviewed by the Mayor,” said Eric Lee, Department head for Water and Sewage. This would essentially allow supervisors to immediately stop an employee from working if they’re causing a problem in the workplace, which is an authority they do not currently have. Sending them home with pay would make it so potentially the employee has time to reflect on their mistake, and won’t be bitter about losing a day’s worth of pay. One of Councilman Walker’s central changes to the handbook was that defining where the Council has oversight regarding the hiring of new employees, the creation of new positions, promotions, and wage increases. Throughout the meeting, they arrived and the understanding regarding the hiring of temporary, they only wanted to have a decision regarding the creation of new positions, not necessarily the hiring of each individual employee. “Correct me if I’m wrong Terika, if any new parttime positions are created, we just want to know what they are, so that we can have a say on it,” said Beard, to which Walker agreed. There was a discrepancy based on the wording of the changes that made it seem like the Council would be involved with every single hire that the city did, but after some clarifying discussion, everyone understood what Walker was suggesting. “That’s what I was trying to clarify. The hiring of parttime employees and temporary employees can stay the way it is right now, but when there is a new part-time position created, for some reason or another, we would like to know about that,” said Beard. There were some other changes to the handbook to be addressed, but it was decided that they would be discussed in a later workshop which is set to take place on Feb.26 starting at 1 p.m.
OBITUARIES
Hilda Rene Pace Graveside services for Hilda Rene Pace will be held Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 10 a.m. at Gardens of Memory Cemetery in Minden, Louisiana under the direction of Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Minden. Officiating will be Gary Faircloth. Hilda Rene was born June 2, 1927 in Columbia, Louisiana and entered into rest February 19, 2020 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was preceded in death by her husband M.T. Pace, Jr. son Lewis Pace, and daughter Sally Pace Cox, parents C. H. and Georgia Robinson and brother Leonard Robinson. She is survived by her granddaughter Amanda Pace Landry (husband Marcus) of Prairieville and grandson
Matthew Pace of California, step-grandson Dwain Cox and daughter-in-law Laverne Pace of Minden, great grandchildren Ava Landry, Bryce Pace, Rowan Pace and Addison Pace, and niece Ann Berry and nephew Eugene Robinson. Hilda Rene married M.T. Pace, Jr. on April 27th, 1947. Hilda Rene received her college degree in Home Economics from LA Tech University in 1950. She retired from the State of Louisiana as an Administrator for Child Protective Services for Webster Parish. Education was so important to Hilda Rene and encouraged family to always learn. Rose-Neath Funeral Home 211 Murrell Street Minden, Louisiana 71055 (318) 377-3412
4 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020
MINDEN PRESS-HERALD | MINDEN, LA
Opinion Minden
Press-Herald 2 0 3 G LE AS O N STR E E T MIN DE N, LO U IS IAN A 7 1 0 5 5 318-37 7 - 1 8 6 6 w w w.pre ss- herald . co m U SPS N U M BE R 5 9 3 - 3 4 0
JOSHUA SPECHT Editor & Publisher WILL PHILLIPS Lead Reporter KELLY MAY Chief Financial Officer
JOSHUA SPECHT, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER jspecht@press-herald.com
OTHER OPINION
Sam Hanna Jr.: Whack the piñata EDITOR’S NOTE: This column was first published the week of Feb. 11, 2019. It is worth revisiting in light of the flap over Gov. John Bel Edwards not including a teacher pay raise in his proposed budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
The Minden Press-Herald is published Tuesday through Saturday afternoon by Specht Newspapers, Inc. at 203 Gleason Street, Minden, Louisiana 71055.
The spat between Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives over the health of the state’s finances has nothing to do with whether Louisiana can afford to give school teachers and support personnel a pay SAM raise in the HANNA JR. coming fiscal year. The rub, my friends, is over who will get credit for it. For the fourth time in the past four or five months, the Revenue Estimating Conference this week failed to acknowledge the state will have more money to spend than previously thought for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, which begins July 1. And for the fourth time in the past four
Telephone: (318) 377-1866.
EDITORIAL ROUNDUP
AMANDA ANDERS Circulation Manager JJ MARSHALL Sports Editor DENNIS PHILEBAR Production Director CURTIS MAYS Advertising Executive CHELSEA STARKEY-HENDERSON Advertising Executive COURTNEY PLUNKETT Classifieds/Public Notices
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“The REC is composed of four individuals. They would include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or his designee; the president of the Senate, or his designee; an economist from one of Louisiana’s colleges or universities; and someone from the governor’s office, which usually is the commissioner of administration. All four of them must be in agreement to recognize revenues for state government to spend. Just one “no” vote can block it.” or five months, it was the individual representing the House of Representatives on the REC who cast the lone vote against recognizing some $150 million in additional revenue for the state to appropriate in the new fiscal year. The REC is composed of four individuals. They would include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or his designee; the president of the Senate, or his designee; an economist from one of Louisiana’s colleges or universities; and someone from the governor’s office, which usually is the commissioner of administration. All four of them must be in agreement to recognize revenues for state government to spend. Just one “no” vote can block it. Recognizing the additional money is important for Edwards because he must present a new fiscal year budget to the Legislature later this month. Lawmakers, of course, will entertain the governor’s proposed
budget during the fiscal-only session of the Legislature. The session begins April 8 and must conclude June 6. Edwards wishes to include a $1,000 pay raise for teachers and a $500 pay hike for support personnel in his proposed budget. Without the $150 million in additional revenue, Edwards would have two choices: drop the pay raises or find the money for them in other areas of the budget. The latter would mean the governor must cut funding for a program or service in order to fund his proposed pay raises. No governor of a sound mind wants to cut anything in an election year, and this is an election year in Louisiana in case you didn’t know. And yes, Edwards is running for re-election. The Republican leadership in the House wants to deny Edwards the opportunity to take credit for giving teachers and support personnel a fatter pay check, even if it’s less than $100
a month for teachers and worse for support personnel. A pay raise is a pay raise and this is an election year and everybody loves a governor who hands out pay raises. Right? At least that’s what the governor must be thinking. Obviously the House Republican leadership is banking on the REC revisiting the revenue projection issue at a later date — such as in the final weeks of the fiscal-only session — and discovering the state, indeed, has an additional $150 million to throw around in the new fiscal year. At that point, it wouldn’t be Edwards handing out pay raises for school teachers and support personnel. Instead, it would be the Republican-controlled House of Representatives since all appropriations bills, including legislation giving teachers and support personnel a pay raise, must originate in the House. Sound silly? Of course it is. It’s purely politics. In an election year. It just so happens school teachers and support personnel are the piñata.
Sam Hanna Jr. can be reached by phone at 318-805-8158 or e-mail at samhannajr@samhannajr.com.
LA Times: Trump misuses pardon power with Blagojevich Not for the first time, President Trump has perverted the presidential pardon power to benefit undeserving recipients with whom he shares a personal or political affinity. On Tuesday, the White House announced that Trump had commuted the prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, an epically corrupt politician who once appeared on Trump’s reality TV series “Celebrity Apprentice,” and granted a pardon to former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard B. Kerik, who was appointed to that post by then-Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, currently Trump’s personal lawyer. Objectionable as these grants of clemency may be, they also raise concerns about what would be an even more outrageous abuse of the pardon power: clemency for convicted Trump associates such as Paul Manafort, Trump’s 2016 campaign chairman, and Roger Stone. On Tuesday, Trump again expressed sympathy for Stone, who faces sentencing Thursday in federal court for lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing a congressional investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. (Trump asserted, however, that he hadn’t given any thought to a pardon for Stone.) The Constitution gives the
president essentially unbounded power “to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.” But a principled president will exercise that power in the interests of mercy, not because the recipients of clemency are prominent or political bedfellows or well-connected or cronies of the president himself. Trump, however, seems to see the pardon power as a way to reward supporters and score political points. The beneficiaries of his clemency have included former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a hero of the anti-immigrant right who was absolved of a contempt-ofcourt conviction; conservative provocateur Dinesh D’Souza, who was pardoned after pleading guilty to violating campaign-finance laws; and, more recently, several members of the U.S. military, including three service members accused or convicted of war crimes. Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 of several counts of corruption, including trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after he won the presidency. He has served eight years of a 14-year sentence. In addition to the “Celebrity Apprentice” connection, Blagojevich was prosecuted by Patrick Fitzgerald, a friend of James B. Comey, who was fired as FBI director by Trump and who has
become an obsession for the president. On Tuesday, Trump said that the case against Blagojevich was “a prosecution by the same people — Comey, Fitzpatrick — the same group.” (Comey wasn’t even in the Justice Department when Blagojevich was prosecuted.) Trump made the point in his own defense that Blagojevich was a Democrat, and the White House noted that some prominent Democrats have supported cutting short Blagojevich’s sentence. But that doesn’t mean Trump’s action wasn’t improper for other reasons. As all five Republican House members warned the president last year in a joint statement: “Commuting the sentence of Rod Blagojevich, who has a clear and documented record of egregious corruption, sets a dangerous precedent and goes against the trust voters place in elected officials.” Kerik was sentenced to four years in prison in 2010 after pleading guilty to tax fraud and making false statements. Among other actions, he admitted to speaking to city regulators on behalf of a contractor who had done renovations on his apartment for free. Kerik was released in 2013. In granting clemency to Blagojevich and Kerik, Trump, who has spoken in lurid terms about street crime, seemed to be less bothered by crimes
involving white-collar defendants and corrupt public officials. That same message is sent by his pardons of Edward J. DeBartolo Jr., a former owner of the San Francisco 49ers who pleaded guilty in 1998 to concealing an extortion attempt by former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, and junk-bond king Michael Milken. Some of the grants of clemency issued by Trump on Tuesday are defensible, including commutations for two women convicted of drug offenses. But often when Trump extends clemency to a recipient, deserving or less so, he does so after the intervention of a celebrity. That was the case with Alice Marie Johnson, whose sentence for a nonviolent drug conviction was commuted after intervention by reality television star Kim Kardashian West. That hardly seems like justice. Overall, Trump’s exercise of the pardon power has been at best whimsical and at worst self-serving and blatantly political. The president would be a committing an even worse corruption of the pardon power if he used it to annul the convictions of figures such as Manafort and Stone. Given Trump’s contempt for law enforcement and the judicial system, that is a real concern. Online: https://www.latimes.com/
MINDEN PRESS-HERALD | MINDEN, LA
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020 | 5
Life AROUND TOWN
UCAP needs for week of February 17: Food: chicken & dumplings, cereal, fruit, pasta Household goods: sheets (twin and regular), pots, pans, skillets Clothing: Men’s pants (waist 36), men’s boots/tennis shoes and underwear
58th Annual Rainbow Tea The Mt. Zion CME Church will be hosting their 58th Annual Rainbow Tea on Sunday, Feb. 23. The guest for the evening will be Pastor Bobby Williams and the St. Rest Baptist Church.
Buds & Blooms Educational Seminar The Piney Hills LA Master Gardeners will host their annual Buds & Blooms educational seminars Feb. 29 at the First United Methodist Church, located at 903 Broadway Street. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and lectures will run from 9 a.m. until noon. Cost to attend is $15. For more information, please call 318-464-0594, 318-371-1371, or visit www. phlmg.com.
Annual Ushers’ Day Annual Ushers’ Day to be held at Union Grove Baptist Church on Sunday, March 8. starting at 3 pm. The guest speaker will be Pastor Anthony Abney and White Oak Baptist Church of Homer, LA.
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STRANGER FROM A STRANGE LAND
Fasching Mardi Gras I’ve yet to invest in those tion and revelry before dour genealogical DNA tests but Ash Wednesday arrived. I’d as far as I know, I’ve no Ger- seen some Catholics with man or French or Catholic sooty crosses on their foreheritage. I suphead occasionally pose Mardi Gras in Missouri, but down here is like just the extraorSaint Patrick’s dinarily devout. Day in other There are even parts of the counsome Protestants try where even here who practice those without the the tradition too. lineage can still And some schools DIRK ELLINGSON make it a party. and government Mardi Gras is offices in Louisia fun holiday the rest of ana get a day off next week? the country doesn’t really I learned the hard way a celebrate. That’s certainly couple years back peeking something to add to the list through the windows of the of why Louisiana is a fun vacant Department of Moplace to live. Who doesn’t tor Vehicles on Fat Tuesday. like parades where they According to an insert throw candy and beads at card accompanying my you? Except for those bust- King cake baked at Lilah’s in ing a tooth on hidden plas- Shreveport, the delectable tic babies embedded in pas- tradition commemorates try, who doesn’t like King the wisemen from the 2nd cake? Walmart here has a chapter of Matthew and whole section devoted to their quest to find baby JeMardi Gras decorations and sus. “The cakes were made party favors. circular to portray the circuIn Missouri, Mardi Gras lar route used by the kings was a distant celebration to get to the Christ child, in a town of drunken de- which was taken to confuse bauchery. Like many peo- King Herod who was trying ple think the state of New to kill him.” Joseph then York is the borough of Man- saved the day by hustling hattan, many people in the his family off to Egypt safeUnited States think Louisi- ly away from the murderana is New Orleans. When ous Herod who thankfully Hurricane Katrina stomped hadn’t long to live. the Gulf, Missourians freThe Manny Randazzo quently asked my wife Lisa cakes from Metairie I samhow her family was faring pled last year were hard down south. They were ac- to beat. My advice to you tually safely nestled in West northerners of the state Monroe. is to make friends with Mardi Gras is French for someone with ties to the Fat Tuesday, a last chance southern part of the state. for observant Catholics to Maybe they will bring up a eat, drink, and be merry King cake and share. This before Lenten season. A season I tried one from once judgmental Protestant Haydel’s Bakery in New friend in college ridiculed a Orleans. Like the sugary Catholic fellow in our dorm cereals of my youth, it was with the query, “So Bob, delicious and came with a what are you giving up for prize. Not just a baby but Lent?” Bob replied, “Giving also a collectible figurine up coming to your room and celebrating Mardi Gras talking to you guys.” Then heritage. My friend who he walked away. Even in a ferried the cake from New time before I knew much Orleans to Minden let me about religion, I knew this keep the tiny recreation of was a funny retort. The old the Rex House where the Protestant friend has since King of Carnival always married a Catholic and con- made a parade stop. Until verted. I’m happy to report it burned down last year. he and Bob are talking once Minden’s take on Mardi again. Gras is to mix the French I was surprised to learn with its own 19th century there were Mardi Gras cel- heritage and add the Gerebrations more wholesome man word fasching which than prurient throughout means carnival. Minden the Pelican State. Long ago, has long celebrated Mardi I learned from television Gras but according to John that Mardi Gras was girls Agan’s book Lost Minden, hoisting their tops for beads the city took a few years off and a last chance at inebria- from the festivities after a
deadly Mardi Gras fire nearly a century ago. The book includes an eerie photograph of the ill-fated cast the afternoon before the tragedy. “On Tuesday night, February 13, 1923, the Minden High School auditorium was the site of the annual Mardi gras Pageant. During the performance, sparklers being held by some of the participants in the show ignited the dresses worn by a group of young girls dressed as angels. Sadly, four of the girls died from their injuries, and others suffered severe burns. Minden would not fully celebrate Mardi gras again for more than a half-century.” I’ve watched the Minden parade from a couple different vantage points in recent years. It’s a very foreign celebration to a non-indigenous stranger but locals seem to love it. Like much in the south, it doesn’t resonate with me but I’m willing to watch and analyze. That might say more about my introverted personality than my geographic origin. Kansas City hosts one of the nation’s most ambitious St. Patrick’s Day parades every March. I lived nearby for over three decades and never bothered to go. I’m
not Irish even though others assured me I could be for a day. I’m not German or French or Catholic, but I guess if they’re throwing candy I’ll show up. Infatuation with the Fleurde-lis puzzles me. It’s a symbol of the French monarchy. I’m most patriotic when I proudly reflect on this country being founded on rebellion towards royalty. Kings and queens? Those things should never leave a chessboard. No European crown has any claims to my allegiance. But I suppose in the early years of these United States, we were partial to France who was frequently squabbling with England. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. So, until my brother buys one of those ancestry tests and shares with me the results, I’ll just have to pretend I’ve allegiance to symbols of the ancient French monarchy. Regardless of your heritage, happy Mardi Gras season to all. There are some really good King cakes out there. Dirk Ellingson is a minden, la resident and is currently a pharmacy technician at the local walgreens.
6 MINDEN PRESS-HERALD | MINDEN, LA
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020
Sports
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Warriors drop north caddo handily, play friday at arcadia to finish regular season
JJ Marshall
jjmarshall@press-herald.com Lakeside is firing on all cylinders heading into their last game of the regular season. The Warriors showcased their offensive firepower in a makeup game against North Caddo at Green Oaks on Wednesday. The Warriors beat North Caddo 70-49, and inched one step closer to a district title in the process. With a tie atop the district leaderboard, Lakeside will travel to Arcadia on Friday to play Jonesboro-Hodge for the district title. A title could push Lakeside even further up in the power ratings as well, as a district championship accounts for an extra point in the ratings. The Warriors were at #19 in the power ratings before the win over North Caddo. Lakeside improved to 16-14 with the win led by 19 points from Austin Sims. Orlando Roberson caught fire in the third quarter and dropped four threes in the frame.
CHRISTINE LEE/COURTESY PHOTO
CHRISTINE LEE/COURTESY PHOTO
Lakeside celebrates a charge during their win over North Caddo.
NCAA BASKETBALL
Donohoe to join Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
RUSTON, La. – Former Louisiana Tech graduate assistant coach Sue Donohoe will be enshrined into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame this summer as part of the Class of 2020. Donohoe, who received the 2019 Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her lifelong commitment of service to women’s basketball and who was the recipient of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s Dave Dixon Sports Leadership Award in 2017, completed a highly successful career within the NCAA basketball offices. In 2011, Donohoe was named executive director of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, a position she held until 2015. Before joining the fund, she had nearly 12 years of experience working as an administrator at the NCAA national office. She joined the NCAA in 1999 as the director of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship and in 2002 she moved into the same position of the men’s championship. The majority of her tenure with the NCAA saw her as vice
Donohoe president of Division I women’s basketball, which began in 2003. She currently serves on the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors. Before joining the NCAA, Donohoe served as the assistant and later associate commissioner of the Southland Conference. She moved to the Southland in 1998 after holding the position of associate director of athletics at the University of Arkansas where she was previously the assistant women’s basketball coach. She also was assistant women’s coach at Stephen F. Austin State University and a
teacher coach at Lake Highlands High School (Richardson, Texas) and Carthage High School (Carthage, Texas). Her start in athletics came as a graduate assistant women’s basketball coach at Louisiana Tech University in 1981. She joins Debbie Brock (Veteran Player), Carol Callan (Contributor), Swin Cash (Player), Tamika Catchings (Player), Lauren Jackson (International Player), and Carol Stiff (Contributor). The 2020 Induction will mark the 22nd Class of Inductees to be honored by the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, which held its grand opening and inaugural induction in 1999. The Class of 2020 will be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, receiving their coveted Eastman Trophy and Baron Championship Induction Ring, on June 13, 2020, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tickets for the ceremony are on sale now. She is the ninth member of the Lady Techster basketball program to be enshrined into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Top: Travion Sanders pushes the pace. Bottom: Austin Sims scored a game high 19 points.
SOFTBALL
LA Tech falls to LSU
BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 6 ranked LSU used a nine-run fourth inning to blow open a tight game and defeat Louisiana Tech 11-0 in five innings Wednesday night at Tigers Park. After two scoreless innings of play, LSU took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when Shelbi Sunseri launched a two-run home run to straight away center-
field against Tech starter Bre Hernandez.The floodgates opened in the bottom of the fourth inning. After three walks and a single made the score 3-0 loading the bases, Georgia Clark hit a grand slam home run to left field, clearing the bases and making the score 7-0.Back-to-back doubles by Sunseri and Morgan Cummins plated another run. Taylor Tidwell then hit a
two-run home run to make the score 10-0. Jorydn Perkins followed with a solo home run to finish out the scoring. Tech managed just one hit against LSU starter Gorsuch as senior Zoe Hicks singled in the top of the fifth inning. The Lady Techsters return to action this weekend when they travel to compete in a tournament hosted by the University of Houston.
MINDEN PRESS-HERALD | MINDEN, LA
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020 | 7
NCAA BASEBALL
Bulldogs wrangle Cowboys in 7-4 road win LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs completed their first road trip of the season with their fourth straight win, defeating the McNeese Cowboys 7-4 in front of 1,215 at Joe Miller Ballpark. Tech pounded out a season-high 13 hits in the road triumph. Greg Martinez earned the win in his Bulldog debut, going 4.2 innings while striking out 4 and allowing 2 earned runs. McNeese managed six hits off the freshman. d “I’m very proud of our guys. We answered every time they scored. When you do that, it breaks the will of the other dugout,” said Bulldog head coach Lane Burroughs. “We’ve got real players down there. We’ve got real dudes. We started five freshman today and they’re going toe-to-toe with some really good teams.” The Bulldogs threatened early in the first, putting runners on second and third after Parker Bates doubled down the right field line. McNeese escaped, however, after a questionable call at home where Hunter Wells appeared to sneak under the tag but was called out. In the second, freshman Ben Brantley notched his
first collegiate base knock via a leadoff single to right center, but McNeese pitcher Daniel Hecker escaped any damage, retiring the next three batters in order. McNeese built its first threat of the evening in the bottom of the second as three of the first four batters reached, loading the bases with one out. The Cowboys managed one run via an RBI groundout, but Martinez buckled down and struck out the next batter, limiting the damage to one.
Tech wasted no time getting the run back. Taylor Young singled with one out and advanced to second on a throwing error, putting the junior in scoring position for Wells. He delivered. The senior singled through the right side to even the game at one. Bates gave Tech a 2-1 lead when he drove in Wells with an almost identical single. With one out in the fourth, Tech worked back-to-back walks, chasing reliever Brody Strahan. With a pair
aboard, freshman Jorge Corona laced an RBI double to the gap in left center field, plating Brantley and extending the Tech lead to 3-1. After a two-out walk from Young, Wells delivered with the bases full of ‘Dogs and singled to centerfield, bringing home freshman Adarius Myers to extend the Tech lead to 4-1. McNeese attempted a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth with back-toback singles off Greg Martinez, but the true freshman
NBA
Pelicans return from All-Star break at Trail Blazers tonight
New Orleans Pelicans (23-32, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (25-31, ninth in the Western Conference) Portland; Friday, 10 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Portland will try to keep its five-game home win streak intact when the Trail Blazers face New Orleans. The Trail Blazers are 15-23 in Western Conference games. Portland gives up 115.3 points to opponents and has been outscored by 1.9 points per game. The Pelicans are 14-21 against Western Conference opponents. New Orleans is fourth in the NBA with 26.3 assists per game led by Lonzo Ball averaging 6.7. The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Pelicans won 138-117 in the last meeting on Feb. 11. Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 31 points, and CJ McCollum led Portland with 20 points. TOP PERFORMERS: McCollum is second on the Trail Blazers averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers and scoring 21.3 points per game while shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc. Hassan Whiteside has averaged 12.8 rebounds and added 15.2 points
per game over the last 10 games for Portland. Jrue Holiday ranks second on the Pelicans averaging 19.3 points and is adding 4.7 rebounds. JJ Redick has averaged 2.9 made 3-pointers and scored 16.4 points over the last 10 games for New Orleans. LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 6-4, averaging 118.9 points, 44.8 rebounds, 21.6 assists, 5.9
steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.6 points on 46.9 percent shooting. Pelicans: 6-4, averaging 121.5 points, 50.2 rebounds, 29.7 assists, 7.9 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.9 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.6 points on 46.0 percent shooting.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Nassir Little: day to day (ankle), Rodney Hood: out for season (leg), Mario Hezonja: day to day (ankle), Jusuf Nurkic: out (leg fracture), Zach Collins: out (shoulder), Damian Lillard: out (groin). Pelicans: Kenrich Williams: day to day (back), Brandon Ingram: day to day (ankle), Darius Miller: out (achilles).
buckled down and got a big strikeout of centerfielder Payton Harden to retire the side and strand a pair. After Tech was held off the board in the fifth, the Cowboys got a run back via an RBI triple to dead centerfield from rightfielder Clayton Rasbeary. Southpaw Kyle Griffen entered the contest for Martinez, and promptly induced a swinging strikeout, stranding the runner at third. The Bulldog offense went right back to work in the top of the sixth as Jorge Corona led things off with his second double of the evening and was promptly driven home on an Alex Ray single down the right field line, giving Tech back its three run lead at 5-2. Tech added on in the top of the seventh. Brantley reached base on an HBP before scoring from first when Adarius Myers snuck a blooper down in left field. Trailing now by four, the Cowboys drew back to within two in the bottom of the eighth via the long ball, as Nate Fisbeck and Jake Dickerson struck for back-toback solo shots off Griffen. The left-hander battled back and ended the inning with a swinging strikeout, preserv-
ing the Tech lead at 6-4. As it had done all evening, the Tech bats once again came right back for their pitchers, as Brantley laced his second career hit to right field, plating Cole McConnell, who led off the ninth with a three-pitch walk. Griffen closed out a painless ninth inning, picking up his first save of the season after a strong 4.1 innings of relief. The southpaw struck out five while allowing just the two solo home runs. Martinez earned the win in his Bulldog debut, going 4.2 innings while striking out 4 and allowing 2 earned runs. McNeese managed six hits off the freshman. Wells paced the Bulldog offense with a 3-for-4, 2 RBI effort at the plate. Brantley bounced back from a tough opening weekend to reach base four times with an RBI. Tech returns to action on Friday, Feb. 21. The Bulldogs head to Alabama to take on Troy in a three-game non-conference series. Follow @LATechBSB on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates, news, and other items of interest pertaining to the 2020 Diamond Dogs.
MLB
Houston’s Díaz, Aguilar, Goodwin win salary arbitration cases PHOENIX (AP) — Houston infielder Aledmys Díaz, Miami first baseman Jesús Aguilar and Los Angeles Angels outfielder Brian Goodwin all won their salary arbitration cases Wednesday, cutting the teams’ advantage to 6-4 in decisions this year with three cases remaining. Díaz was awarded $2.6 million by arbitrators Mark Burstein, Stephen Raymond, Gary Kendellen rather than the $2 million offered by the Astros, which matched Díaz’s salary last year. Aguilar was given a raise from $637,500 to $2,575,000 instead of the Marlins’ figure of $2,325,000 in a decision by Jeanne Charles, Steven Wolf and Edna Francis. Goodwin received a raise from $585,500 to $2.2 million rather than the team’s $1.85 million offer. That case was decided by Dan Brent, Melinda Gordon and Elizabeth Neumeier. Acquired by Houston from Toronto in November 2018, Díaz hit .271 for the AL champions with nine homers and 40 RBIs in 247 plate appearances over 69 games. He was 0 for 9 with a walk in the postseason. Goodwin hit .262 last year and set career bests with 17 homers and 47 RBIs in 458 plate appearances for the Angels, who claimed him off waivers from Kansas City last
year. Aguilar hit .236 with 12 homers and 50 RBIs in 131 games last season for Milwaukee and Tampa Bay, which acquired him on July 31 for pitcher Jake Faria. He was claimed off waivers on Dec. 2. Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Pedro Báez had been the only player to win a decision previously this year. Teams beat Boston pitcher Eduardo Rodríguez, Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson, Minnesota pitcher José Berríos, Milwaukee closer Josh Hader, Atlanta reliever Shane Greene and Colorado catcher Tony Wolters. Philadelphia All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto asked for a raise from $6.05 million to $12.4 million during a hearing on Wednesday and the Phillies argued for $10 million. A decision by Kendellen, Charles and Richard Bloch is expected Thursday. Obtained from Miami just before spring training last year, Realmuto hit .275 with 25 homers and 83 RBIs, earning his second straight All-Star selection. Phillies reliever Héctor Neris is the lone player still scheduled for a hearing. A decision is pending for Arizona pitcher Archie Bradley, whose case was argued Tuesday.
8 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020
MINDEN PRESS-HERALD | MINDEN, LA
FUN & GAMES
On This Day In History 1972 - U.S. President Richard Nixon embarks on his historic visit to China. The first visit of a U.S. President in China was an important step in normalizing relations between the two countries. 1958 - The peace symbol is designed by Gerald Holtom. The symbol was commissioned by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and combines the semaphore symbols for the letters N and D - an abbreviation of “Nuclear Disarmament”. 1878 - The world’s first telephone book is issued in New Haven, Connecticut. The directory consisted of a See, HISTORY, Page 9
CRYPTOQUIP
CROSSWORD
MINDEN PRESS-HERALD | MINDEN, LA
SUDOKU
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020 | 9
WORD SLEUTH
HISTORY
Continued from Page 8
single piece of cardboard and comprised 50 numbers. 1848 - Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish “The Communist Manifesto”. “Das Kommunistische Manifest” outlined the sociopolitical worldview today called “Marxism” and was translated from German into over 100 languages. 1804 - The world’s first railway journey takes place in Wales. The first full-scale steam locomotive, built by Richard Trevithick, traveled from the Pen-y-darren ironworks near Merthyr Tydfil to Abercynon. On this Day in History is brought to you by www.timeanddate.com
COMICS BABY BLUES | RICK KIRKMAN AND JERRY SCOTT
BLONDIE | DEAN YOUNG AND JOHN MARSHALL
BEETLE BAILEY | MORT & GREG WALKER
FUNKY WINKERBEAN | TOM BATIUK
HI AND LOIS | BRIAN WALKER, GREG WALKER AND CHANCE BROWNE
HAGAR THE HORRIBLE | CHRIS BROWNE
SAM AND SILO | JERRY DUMAS
MOTHER GOOSE & GRIMM | MIKE PETERS
10 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020
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SHERIFF’S SALE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE VS. MARGARET ANN BURNS A/K/A MARGARET BURNS In the Twenty-Sixth Judicial District Court of Webster Parish, Louisiana, No. CV78243. By virtue of a WRIT OF SEIZURE AND SALE issued out of the Tw e n t y - S i x t h Judicial District Court of Webster Parish, Louisiana, in the above styled and numbered suit and to me directed, I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale at public auction to the last and highest bidder for cash WITH the benefit of appraisement and according to law at the principal front door of the Courthouse in the City of Minden, Webster Parish, Louisiana on W E D N E S D AY, February 26, 2020, During the legal sale hours, the following property, to wit: A certain parcel of land situated in the Southeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, Section 19, Township 23 North, Range 10 West, Cullen, Webster Parish, Louisiana, (being the same property as described in Conveyance Book 612, Page 757, Records of Webster Parish, Louisiana, containing 0.759 acres, more or less, and being more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the Southwest Corner of the southeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter; thence East 631 feet; thence North 432 feet; thence East 210 feet to a 5/8 inch rebar and the point of beginning; thence North 210 feet to a 5/8 inch rebar; thence North 89 degrees 36 minutes 14 seconds
East 157.50 feet to a fence corner post; thence South 210.00 feet to a 5/8 inch rebar; thence South.89 degrees 36 minutes 14 seconds West 157.50 feet to the point of beginning; together with all improvements located thereon and all rights thereto belonging. Property Address: 212 Dunn Street, Cullen, La 71021. Municipal address: 212 Dunn Street, Cullen, LA 71021 A/K/A 204 Thompson Street, Sarepta, LA 71071. SOLD SUBJECT TO ANY SUPERIOR LIENS, MORTGAGES OR PRIVILEGES THERETO. Said property seized is that of the defendant and will be sold to satisfy a judgment rendered in our Honorable Court. GARY S. SEXTON Sheriff & Ex-Officio Auctioneer Webster Parish, Louisiana Linda Vaughan Deputy January 24, 2020 February 21, 2020 Minden Press-Herald
Mike’s Hometwon Spirits LLC. dba Mike’s Hometown Spirits is applying to the Office of Alcohol & Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell beverages of high & low alcohol content at retail in the Parish of Webster at the following address 214 Homer Rd. Minden, LA. 71055 Mikes Hometown Spirits LLC Member/Manager/Mike Elshout February 21, 2020 February 22, 2020 Minden Press-Herald
The Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the Town of Sarepta met in regular session Thursday February 13, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.in the Municipal Building, Sarepta, LA. Present: Mayor Adkins, Michael Corley, Melanie Dean, Claire Lay and Heath Warford. Also present: Charlie Livingston, Bob Seiple, Jeremy Timmons, Eddie Dale Dunn and Christopher Stahl. Absent: David Neal Mayor Adkins
called the meeting to order and Michael Corley opened with prayer. Melanie Dean led the Pledge of Allegiance. Requests for additions to the agenda were called for and Heath Warford made the request to purchase shed for baseball fields to be added to the agenda. Peggy Adkins requested that we also add approval of Handbook to the agenda. Melanie Dean made the motion to approve, seconded by Claire Lay. All in favor, no opposed, motion carried. Public comments were called for and there were no comments made. Mayor Peggy Adkins asked for approval of the agenda. Michael Corley made the motion to approve, seconded by Melanie Dean. All in favor, no opposed, motion carried. Claire Lay read the minutes from the January regular meeting. Michael Corley made a motion to approve the minutes as read. Claire Lay seconded the motion. All in favor, no opposed, motion carried. Financial Statements of all funds, including a current budget vs. actual, were presented. Claire Lay made a motion to approve financial statements as presented, seconded by Heath Warford. All in favor, no opposed, motion carried. Mayor Peggy Adkins made a recommendation to amend the 20192020 budget. Michael Corley made the motion to amend the budget, seconded by Claire Lay. All in favor, no opposed, motion carried. Mayor Peggy Adkins, stated that we have introduced an ordinance to move town meetings from the second Tuesday to the second Thursday. Melanie Dean made the motion to approve, seconded by Michael Corley. All in favor, no opposed, motion carried. Mayor Peggy Adkins pointed out all the changes in the Handbook,
Melanie Dean made the motion to approve the changes, seconded by Claire Lay. All in favor, no opposed, motion carried. Heath Warford requested that the town purchase a storage shed for the ball park that cost no more than $2000. Michael Corley made motion, seconded by Heath Wardford. All in favor, no opposed, motion carried. There being no further business, Heath Warford made a motion to adjourn; seconded by Claire Lay. All in favor, no opposed, motion carried Peggy Adkins, Mayor Charlie Livingston, Clerk February 21, 2020 Minden Press-Herald
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