HHERALDING OOVER A CCENTURY OF NNEWS CCOVERAGE •• 1903-20151903-2015 LIFESTYLES INSIDE SPORTS SUSTAINER FIRE MARSHALL NCHS HOSTS LUNCHEONS BANS YOUTH SOFTBALL GROW SKY LANTERNS SKILLS CAMP See Page 1B See Page 5A See Page 6A The Natchitoches Times And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free, John 8:32. Weekend Edition, May 30-31, 2015 Natchitoches, Louisiana • Since 1714 Seventy-Five Cents the Copy INSERTS INSIDE Natchitoches Wins!!! Walmart Natchitoches named best 6. Rite Aid southern small town by Eureka USA Friday. Springs, Best Buy It was a very close race Ark. between the top two finish- 7. Walgreens ers, but in the end, Beaufort, Brandsavers Natchitoches took home top S.C. honors. “Nack-a-Tish,” B&B 8. Dick’s Sporting Capital of Louisiana and Berkeley Goods quaint setting for the Springs ensemble-cast classic, Steel 9. Floyd, Va. Magnolias, is the oldest 10. Fredericksburg, Texas Letters to the Editor town in the state of Mayor Lee Posey said Let us know what you think, Louisiana. Friday morning he wanted write a letter to the editor. Runner up for Best to thank everyone who See Page 4A for details. Southern Small Town is voted for Natchitoches. Natchitoches Times e-mail Abingdon, Va. (population “”It’s neat that so many peo- [email protected] 8,206), located in the Blue ple came together. That’s Visit our website at: Ridge Mountains and home what makes us #1 when the www.natchitochestimes.com Several Natchitoches coeds are among the members of the 2015-16 Pom Pon Line at to the Barter Theatre and whole community gets Northwestern State University. On front row from left are Alayna Zaunbrecher of Virginia Creeper Trail. involved. He said people Vinton, Jenna Baldwin of Baton Rouge, Connor Geer of Haughton, co-captain Stephanie The top 10 winners in the were calling from around WEATHER Parker of Stonewall, captain Faith Stanfield of Natchitoches, Caroline Aydelott of category Best Southern the country wanting to HIGH LOW Monroe Rici Mcdonald and Alexis Britt of Shreveport. On the middle row from left are Small Town are as follows: know who to get involved. Crystal Brooks of Opelousas, Emily Jackson of Leesville, Special Crawford of Minden, 1. Natchitoches, La. “We’ve had a lot of posi- 84 66 Emily Rawls of Rayville, Madison Farquhar and Jamie Phillips of Haughton, Claudia 2. Abingdon, Va. tive publicity about our City Rouleau of DeRidder and Austin Aldredge of Natchitoches. On the back row are Jamie 3. Bardstown, Ky. but never anything of the Brooks of Baton Rouge, Lauren Pope of Opelousas, Lo’gon Lombard of New Orleans, 4. Dahlonega, Ga. magnitude as this from USA Area Deaths Lindsay Lee and Emily Heard of Natchitoches, Victoria Bradford of Natchez, Miss., 5. Natchez, Miss. Today. Alvin Bush Sr. Terrye Christina of Shreveport and Megan Alwell of Pineville.The Pom Pon Line serves Devonte Riko Hardison as the official spirit hostess group for Northwestern State. During the fall semester, the Olevia Mitchell Pom Pon Line performs at all home pep rallies, football games and selected away games. The group specializes in precision Pom Pon style dance routines as well as chants during football games. Pep rally routines consist of pom style choreography. During the spring Body cameras will Obituaries Page 2A semester, the Pom Pon Line performs at home basketball games. The squad also per- forms at many functions in the community and other NSU events. monitor officers, Rachal Group will ask school board to reconsider announces interaction with public run for and change name of junior high school Thirty-two Natchitoches Parish Police officers are sporting Council mounted body cameras. A group of people including deputies and suspending the seat The second class of officers five school board members, 13 citizens’ perogative to defer underwent training Thursday members of the Clergy for speaking time to another were afternoon on protocol of use of See Page 3A Community and members of sure signs that their minds the small gadgets that conve- the Voters and several Civic were already established and niently clip to their uniforms. League will ask the school that the meting was simply an Police Chief Micky Dove Mayor says be board to reconsider its decision act of going through the says that national events to name the new junior high. motions. proactive with involving police officers was a The Rev. Aill Harris Jr. spoke “I do not believe that race major factor in purchasing the during a press conference was the real factor in making flooding; sandbags 32 cameras that cost $25,595. A Friday morning outside the determination. I believe that federal grant paid $6,898 while Frankie Ray Jackson Sr. the best characterization of the available at mill the remainder came from the Technical Center that is the cen- tone and tenor of that meeting NPD budget for the VIE VU ter of the controversy. is that of ignorance and indif- Mayor Lee Posey said cameras.. The school board voted 6-5 ference.” Friday he wanted to urge all “They protect our officers Tuesday to name the new Harris said he felt that the residents to be cognizant of The Rev. Aill Harris Jr. spoke and our citizens,” Dove said of school Natchitoches Jr. High. vote said they didn’t care about the rising water since it will at a press conference Friday the cameras that were issued Those protesting want the all of the city’s citizens having a continue to flood many parts morning. to traffic and patrol officers. junior high to be named senses of value and equity. of the parish. Lt. Nikeo Collins trained Frankie Ray Jackson Sr. Jr. “Their vote made a terrible The action that the group Lt. Jeff Franks wears a body Posey said he hoped resi- the first class Tuesday and High since it will be in the statement about their interest was protesting took place camera clipped to his uni- dents would be proactive and those officers wearing their building that housed the in the racial harmony... of our Tuesday during a special form, It is to the left of his take corrective measures. cameras are already on the Frankie Ray Jackson Sr. city. called meeting for the purpose badge. “There’s just no place for streets. The second class Technical Center. The five “We are asking the NPSB to of naming the school. contents. the water to go,” Posey said. began using them Friday minority school board mem- reconsider and reverse their Nearly an hour and a half The cameras can capture 68 Posey said sandbags are morning. bers who were on the losing decision and give the new of talking and pleading did lit- percent of available from the City’s “It’s very side of the vote were at the junior high school the name tle to persuade six members of the view of Public Works Dept. in the easy to use. press conference. Frankie Raya Jackson Sr.” the Natchitoches Parish field and ADM building on Mill Street. It will work The center was the location Harris said the group was School Board to keep the are battery- It is on City property that was to your of the alternative center that asking for a dialog with the name of Frankie Ray Jackson powered. once the cotton oil mill. The advantage. has been housed at Parks members who voted for the Sr. on the junior high that will “It will doc- sandbags are free It’s unique Elementary since a remodel name Natchitoches Jr. High and open in the fall. ument what to you,” began of the building on Welch were anticipating a definitive It didn’t take long for the you saw. It Collins told Street. The remodel was begun and coherent plan of action to controversy to start after works like the officers so a central junior high could deal with low test scores, safety Supt. Dale Skinner announced your eye as he be located there. and public relations. that his recommendation was Dove does,” Payne reviewed “We’re here today because Following his talk Harris to name the school Collins said. protocol governing use of the one of the most important ser- asked if there were questions or Natchitoches Jr. High. cameras and filing the digital vant/leadership organizations comments from the audience. See School Page 3A See Cameras Page 3A of our parish’s government, the The Real Views Publisher Natchitoches Parish School Randy Stelly said that it was Mayor Randy Dupree has Board, has failed to carry out a important for the minority issued a boil order for simple yet profound obligation school board members to build Provencal in effect until fur- and that is to be government for a coalition with the other mem- ther notice. the people by the people,” bers. “It’s almost impossible to Harris said. have a coalition and we must Harris said he and his group address that ourselves,” Stelly felt thay had no value and worth said.”You cannot make them Index in the board’s decision to name mad and then ask them for the school. something.You must have a dif- Obituaries 2A “We desired that the name of ferent attitude on the board that school would be called the exclusive of race.” He refer- Editorial 4A Frankie Ray Jackson Sr. Jr. enced board member telling High School. I’m convinced, in board president George Annie’s Mailbox 9B looking back with perfect 20/20 Rhymes that he was a racist at a Lifestyles 1B hindsight, that Supt. Dale recent meeting.