The North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory is warning the public after recent testing found that nearly one in three pharmaceutical-style tablets examined by the lab were counterfeit.

According to the crime lab, analysts examined 3,394 pharmaceutical tablets bearing legitimate drug imprints intended to identify the medication. Of those, 1,047 tablets were determined to be counterfeit, representing a counterfeit rate of 30.8%.

Lab officials said fentanyl and fentanyl analogs were the most commonly identified substances found in the counterfeit pills. Designer benzodiazepines, including bromazolam and phenazolam, were the second most common. Combined, those two drug classes accounted for approximately 80% of the counterfeit pills analyzed.

The remaining counterfeit tablets contained stimulants, other mismatched substances, and emerging novel opioids such as nitazenes and orphines.

According to the lab, the most frequently counterfeited pill was the M30 tablet, which is the imprint for legitimate 30-milligram oxycodone. Investigators also identified counterfeit versions of several alprazolam (Xanax) bar imprints, including S903, B707, GG249 and G3722, which instead contained designer benzodiazepines.

The crime lab said counterfeit pills have been identified throughout its 29-parish service area, including Ouachita, Caddo and Bossier parishes, as well as rural parishes such as Sabine, Lincoln, Morehouse and Winn.

Officials emphasized that it is impossible to determine what a pill contains based solely on its appearance and urged the public to only take medications dispensed by a licensed pharmacy with a valid prescription.

The North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory warned that any pill obtained outside of a pharmacy should be considered potentially lethal, noting that a single counterfeit pill can be fatal.

Demetria Gene Guynes was born in 1962 in Roswell, New Mexico.  Hers was a troubled childhood.  Demetria’s parents, Dan and Virginia Guynes, were alcoholics and the family moved often to avoid debt collectors.  Dan and Virginia fought often, and they married and divorced twice.  When Dan left for the last time, in contrast to the natural order of things, Demetria had to take care of her unstable mother.  Virginia found occasional work as a model in Los Angeles, California, but her alcoholism worsened.  When Demetria was 12 years old, her mother tried to commit suicide the first time by taking pills.  Demetria saved her mother’s life by digging the pills out of her unconscious mother’s mouth and calling an ambulance.  Shortly thereafter, she learned that the man she called dad was not her biological father.  Her real name was not Demetria Gene Guynes, but Demetria Gene Harmon.  Her family had withheld the fact that her biological father was Charles Foster Harmon, an airman with the Air Force who had abandoned Virginia while she was pregnant with Demetria.

Virginia’s lack of steady employment and abuse of alcohol led to constant money problems.  The money problems led to more alcohol abuse, which led to more money problems.  It was a vicious cycle.  When Demetria was a young teenager, her mother started taking her to bars to get attention.  Late one night, Demetria and her mother returned to their apartment from a bar.  Demetria was surprised to find a man they knew waiting for them inside their apartment.  Virginia was not surprised.  The man had a key to their apartment.  The man took Demetria into her bedroom and raped her.  Demetria was 15 years old.  Before the man left, he asked her how it felt to be sold by her mother for $500.  In addition to the awfulness of being raped, Demetria felt betrayed by her mother, the one person who should have protected her.    

At 16, Demetria became a high school dropout and a runaway.  Like her mother, Demetria began working sporadically as a model.  At just 5 feet, 5 ½ inches, she was considered too short for most modeling jobs.  Like her parents, Demetria tried to drown her troubles with alcohol.  With nothing to lose and with no experience, she began auditioning for acting jobs.  As with modeling, her acting jobs came sporadically.  Alcohol abuse led to drug abuse.  Demetria was headed for certain self-destruction when her boss and coworkers forced her to go to rehab.  While Demetria’s mother’s life spiraled out of control with numerous arrests including burglary, arson, and multiple charges of drunken driving, Demetria led a life of sobriety.  Because of her troubled childhood, Demetria now works with a foundation whose goal is to eliminate child sex slavery and human trafficking called Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children.  You may not have known about Demetria Gene Guynes’s troubled childhood or her work with Thorn, but you certainly know her from films such as “Striptease,” “G.I. Jane,” and “Ghost.”  You know Demetria Gene Guynes as Demi Moore.  

Sources:

1.     Concord Transcript (Concord, California), March 31, 1970, p.18.

2.     Citizen (Solana Beach, California), December 11, 1987, p.58.

3.     “Demi Moore reveals the devastating childhood that shaped her – ABC News – Part 1/3,” ABC News, Youtube.com, September 23, 2019, accessed June 21, 2026, https://youtu.be/MlFl5WiMzBI?si=7f03o7LeOZqfYj3-.

4.     The Fresno Bee, October 7, 1994, p.2.

5.     The Signal (Santa Clarita, California), October 5, 1995, p.2.

State Representative Gabe Firment officially announced his candidacy for Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District, pledging to bring proven conservative leadership, rural values, and a results-driven approach to Washington.

Firment, who has represented his district in the Louisiana House of Representatives since 2019, currently serves as Chairman of the House Insurance Committee and has built a reputation as a principled conservative leader, small business owner, and advocate for Louisiana families.

“Washington doesn’t need another career politician,” Firment said. “It needs leaders who understand the people they serve, share their values, and are willing to fight for them. 

I’m running for Congress because Louisiana deserves a proven conservative who will stand up for our families, our freedoms, and our future.”

A native of Rapides Parish, Firment is a graduate of Louisiana Christian University and Louisiana Tech University. He and his wife, Erica, a public school educator, raised their family in Grant Parish and are proud parents of three children and grandparents of three grandchildren.

A committed Christian, deacon, and Sunday School teacher, Firment has been recognized as a defender of traditional values and individual liberties, earning thePrestigious Gladiator Award from Louisiana Family Forum for his leadership in the Louisiana Legislature.

As a lifelong Republican, Firment has championed policies that defend life, protect the Second Amendment, strengthen public safety, lower taxes, and protect private property rights. He has been a vocal advocate for farmers, timber producers, and rural communities throughout Louisiana.

If elected, Firment says his priorities will include securing the border, restoring American energy dominance, protecting Social Security and Medicare, defending constitutional freedoms, and supporting President Trump’s America First agenda.

“Louisiana’s 5th District deserves a fighter who will stand firm and deliver results,” Firment said. “I’m ready to take that fight to Washington.”

The Cenla Mental Health Workforce Accelerator Program Grant funded by The Rapides Foundation and in consultation with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is accepting applications from candidates and placement sites in nine parishes: Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Vernon and Winn. Applications will be accepted until June 30.

The program helps bridge the gap between a master’s degree in mental health and licensure in Louisiana and supports mental health and community support systems in central Louisiana. It’s administered through Northwestern State University’s Gallaspy Family College of Education and Human Development. 

Eligible candidatesare master’s level mental health professionals interested in pursuing Louisiana licensure as either a Licensed Professional Counselor or Licensed Clinical Social Worker. The program supports candidates through licensing exam preparation, licensure application fees, professional development and mentoring by content experts in counseling and social work. The program also covers the cost of candidate’s clinical supervision if the employer does not provide it.

Eligible placement sites are employers offering mental health services to children, adults and families living in central Louisiana. The program supports placement sites through job placement assistance and partial reimbursement of salaries for up to two years. 

“We look forward to reviewing applications and to welcoming our next cohort of approved candidates and placement sites,” said Steven Gruesbeck, MS, NCC, executive director of Cenla Mental Health Workforce Accelerator Program at NSU.

Joe Rosier, President and CEO of The Rapides Foundation, said the Foundation’s Board of Trustees created the Cenla Mental Health Workforce Accelerator Program Grant in 2025 to help address the critical shortage of licensed mental health professionals in Central Louisiana. The four-year grant was awarded to NSU to carry out this important work.

“The program builds on our longstanding commitment to strengthening the region’s healthcare workforce, particularly in nursing, behavioral health and allied health fields,” Rosier said. “By supporting mental health professionals on their path to licensure, this program will help expand access to quality behavioral health services throughout our nine-parish service area.”

“Social workers are desperately needed and highly sought after in rural Louisiana to meet the needs of individuals with diminished access to services,” said Byron D. McKinney, MSW, LCSW-BACS, an associate professor of social work at NSU and social work mentor for the program.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (PLPCs) beginning their licensure journey and a win for our region,” said Dr. Gerra Perkins, program coordinator for NSU’s Master of Arts in Counseling program and counseling mentor for the program. “Increasing the number of licensed mental health professionals and improving access to mental health care brings a host of benefits for individuals and families in our communities, including connection and resilience, economic well-being and better health outcomes.”

“By removing obstacles and providing relevant support, we will increase the number of fully licensed professionals in Central Louisiana by 2029,” said Dr. Susan Campbell, associate professor of social work at NSU and associate director of the program.

More information and applications are available at nsula.edu/mental-health-workforce/

As Louisiana families prepare to celebrate Independence Day and America’s 250th year, the Office of State Fire Marshal (SFM) is urging residents to put safety first and use fireworks responsibly.

Fireworks remain a leading cause of preventable holiday injuries each year. Sparklers can reach temperatures above 2,000 degrees, creating a serious burn risk, especially for children.

According to 2025 data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks misuse and malfunction were linked to at least 15 deaths and an estimated 13,000 emergency department-treated injuries. Sparklers accounted for an estimated 1,300 injuries. People ages 15 to 24 were injured most often, with burns to the hands, fingers and head among the most common injuries.

More than 660 permitted fireworks stands will operate statewide this season, with retail sales allowed through 11:59 p.m. July 5. Louisiana law requires fireworks vendors to be licensed and permitted through the SFM and to sell only where fireworks are authorized.

“Public fireworks displays remain the safest way to celebrate,” said DPS Principal, Assistant Chief Bryan J Adams. “If you choose to use consumer fireworks at home, plan ahead, follow safety guidelines and buy only from licensed vendors.”

To help prevent injuries, the Office of State Fire Marshal recommends:

Check local burn bans and avoid fireworks during dry or windy conditions

Use fireworks in open areas at least 200 feet from buildings, vehicles and flammable materials

Never allow children to handle fireworks; consider safer alternatives such as glow sticks or public displays

Never use homemade, altered or illegal fireworks and always follow label instructions

Do not use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs

Light one firework at a time and keep a hose or bucket of water nearby

Soak used fireworks before disposal and never place dry fireworks in the trash

Have you ever questioned why you’re here? Ever wondered, ‘what am I supposed to be doing with my time on this Earth?’

Each of us has a calling but it may take a while to discover what it is. As a child, I questioned a lot of things that took place during my younger years, especially as I started school. 

It became very apparent that the classroom was going to be a challenge. The biggest problem was that I had no guidance, no one to make sure I did my homework or that I even got up every day to go to school.

But there was one day in my life that I will never forget. It was the day they had Little League baseball tryouts. Even though I was not old enough to play Little League, I still showed up with glove in hand and ready to show anyone that I could play this game. 

I rode my bike up the street to a local ballpark where the tryouts were taking place. I hopped off my bike and ran onto the field and got in the first line of players I saw as they were taking ground balls and throwing them back to a coach. 

When my turn came around, the coach hit the ball to me, and I scooped it up and fired it back at the coach. I’ll never forget his reaction as he waived me over to talk to him. Then he uttered words that I will never forget. 

“Son, I don’t think you’re old enough to play Little League, but I can tell you one thing for sure. You’re going to be one heck of a player when you get older.”

Disappointment that I was not eligible to play baseball yet really hit me hard mentally. Finally, there was something that I knew I was good at! Baseball was going to give me purpose! 

It would be on a baseball field that I would shine. It would be through baseball that my confidence and self-esteem would soar. The baseball field was where I was supposed to be!

School on the other hand would continue to be difficult as I was diagnosed with dyslexia going into the second grade. But because of a couple of great teachers by the name of Mrs. Mickey Sinclair and Mrs. Elwanda Carpenter, my world in the classroom was turned around.

From the third grade on, school curriculum would not be as challenging, but I had to work hard to make passing grades. Studying was a necessary evil in order for me to do good in school and get to play sports.  

My parents understood school was a challenge but expected nothing short of A’s and B’s. C’s were not acceptable and there would be consequences for bringing home one. Mother would threaten to pull me out of sports when a C appeared on a report card. 

But again, I figured out early in life that sports, especially baseball, would be my purpose in life. It would be my calling and my saving grace for me as person. It gave me a feeling of confidence that nothing else could. 

Today when I speak to youth, this is one of the topics I’ll discuss. No matter what it is, find that one thing you’re good at and make that your purpose. Make that the reason you get up every day. Make that your passion whether it’s sports, education, music or, maybe if you’re lucky, it’s bass fishing!

Life can offer us so many opportunities but it’s up to each of us to take advantage when those opportunities roll around. I truly believe that God has a purpose for each of us. 

It just might take some of us longer to figure out exactly what our purpose is, but isn’t that what life is all about? The journeyis the great adventure.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

The 46th Annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival will be held on Saturday July 18, in the air–conditioned Prather Coliseum located at 220 S. Jefferson Street on the Northwestern State University campus in Natchitoches. The festival’s curated showcase of Louisiana folk musicians, food vendors and traditional crafts persons will open at 9 a.m. with live entertainment scheduled for 9:45 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The family-oriented festival is fully wheelchair accessible. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets are $10 at the door for all events or $6 for an evening pass to all events after 5 p.m. 

In honor of the 2026 Festival theme, “America the Beautiful,” the Festival will feature the traditional music of the nation – blues, gospel, Cajun, Celtic, country, bluegrass and zydeco on three stages of music as well as in the Magale Recital Hall. Music and dance headliners include Cajun bands Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys and Poisson Rouge, zydeco band Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie, blues artists the Wayne “Blue” Burns Band and the Snake Doctors, western swing and classic country artists Gal Holiday and the Honky Revue, the Rising Dragon Lion Dance Team, bluegrass group Catahoula Drive, gospel groups the Amazing! Rhythm Disciples and the Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble and dance performances by Native Nations Intertribal, the Rising Dragon Lion Dance Team, the Thistle Dancers and Pipers and Fijian traditional dance by the Rokobou Family. In addition will be a special appearance by Kovanda’s Czech Band which will accompany the Louisiana Czech Heritage Dancers. The festival also includes numerous food vendors offering traditional Louisiana cuisine. Outdoor activities feature demonstrations of traditional blacksmithing, Dutch oven cooking and a child-friendly hands-on demonstration of a 19th century wash day. 

More than 80 crafts vendors have been invited to display and discuss their traditional work with festival patrons. Craftspeople are expected to display beadwork, baskets, cowhide chair covers, alligator jewelry, Pysanky eggs, Native American crafts and pottery. Other expected craftspeople will display needlework, wood carvings, handmade toys and dolls, paintings, sculpture, homemade soap, spinning and weaving, handcrafted knives, handmade brooms, walking sticks, folk art quilts and more. 

The Festival will include a Gumbo Cook-Off, in which professionals and hobbyists alike can compete in one of the multiple categories and demonstrate their cooking skills in any of three categories, Seafood, Poultry Plus and People’s Choice. All gumbo must be cooked on-site, with no commercial or pre-made roux allowed. Poultry, meat, seafood, rice and broth or stock may be prepared in advance or on-site and canned broth is allowed. Registration and the Cooks’ Meeting will take place at 8:00 a.m. Tasting and judging will begin at 12:30 p.m. with winners announced at 3:15 p.m. There is no fee to compete in the Cook-Off. 

The Annual Louisiana State Fiddle Championship will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the Magale Recital Hall. There will be a non-championship class and a championship class. A twin fiddle category will also be held. Registration is at noon in the first-floor foyer outside Magale Recital Hall. The Fiddle Championship winner will perform on the main stage at Prather Coliseum at 5 p.m. 

The festival includes several opportunities for patrons to engage directly with Louisiana folk culture. Free dance lessons include clogging or flatfoot dancing with Clancey Stewart, Celtic dance taught by the Thistle Dancers and Pipers and Cajun and zydeco dancing taught by the Cajun French Music Association Dance Troupe. Interactive activities include dancing with the Louisiana Czech Heritage Dancers and Native Nations Intertribal. 

“The festival bridges the distance between artists and the festival patrons, thus breaking the artificial barriers between artists and audience,” said Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the festival and NSU’s Louisiana Folklife Center. “Rather than watching from the sidelines, everyone who takes part in these activities will share and engage in Louisiana’s rich culture.” 

KidFest will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kidfest is an area dedicated to child-friendly activities and is a fun way for children to examine their own cultural and family traditions as well as those from around the state. 

Narrative sessions will be held in the festival N-Club Room from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature presentations on the making of the first sinker cypress fiddle, traditional carding, spinning and weaving, Fijian traditional culture, Louisiana foodways and heritage language revitalization. In addition will be music informances on Cajun music with bands Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys and Poisson Rouge. ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices and audio description for these cultural discussions will be made available upon prior request by July 10.  

This year also features several pre-Festival events which are free and open to the general public. A Visit with the Bagpipe will be held at 2 p.m. on July 11 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches. Attendees at this free workshop will learn the basics of traditional Celtic bagpipe and drumming, as well as Highland dance. The workshop will also feature a Celtic music and dance performance by the Thistle Dancers and Pipers. A second free pre-festival event will be a music and dance performance by Native Nations Intertribal at 6 p.m. on July 17 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Members of Native Nations Intertribal will also engage in a discussion of their traditions with anthropologist Dr. Hiram “Pete” Gregory, an expert on Southeastern Native American tribes and culture. 

For a full schedule of events, online registration forms to participate in the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship and the Gumbo Cook-Off or to make a donation contact the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332, email folklife@nsula.edu or go to nsula.edu/folklife/. 

Support for the Festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the State of Louisiana. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program will not necessarily represent those of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.  

The festival is sponsored by Alliance Compressors, Atmos Energy, C&H Precision Machining, City Bank, Cleco, Evans Family, LLC, the Harrington Law Firm, Natchitoches Wood Preserving Company, Ronnie’s Auto Glass and Collision Center and Young Estate, LLC. 

Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am.”

Doug said, “I drive, therefore I am,” and honestly, I’m starting to trust my version more.

I spend so many hours with my body attached to a car that I’m basically a mobile Methodist. I know I20 like the back of my hand—every bump, every dip, every spot where my cell signal disappears as if it’s entering the Witness Protection Program. I know where law enforcement hides, waiting to catch those who treat the speed limit as a suggestion from a friend rather than a command from the state. I know exactly how far I can push the fuel light before I’m praying in tongues at the next exit. If you see me on the Interstate, give me a wave. I’ll wave back. I’m friendly like that.

Driving entertains me. I read bumper stickers like they’re sacred texts. If you see me tailgating, don’t worry—I’m not being aggressive; I’m just trying to discern whether your “Coexist” sticker is faded or ironic. And I’ve developed a spiritual gift: I can tell when someone is talking on the phone while driving. They always slow down. Always. It’s like the car senses the conversation and decides to meditate.

Today I was headed to Bossier City when the nice truck in front of me decided it was time for a midjourney spa treatment. He hit his windshield washer at 70 mph. At my following distance, his washer fluid became my washer fluid. A surprise baptism by RainX. I just smiled and thanked God for the improvisational rain shower. Louisiana weather is unpredictable, but apparently so are Louisiana drivers.

Now here’s where the sermon sneaks in.

My actions can change your attitude, and your attitude interprets my actions. That’s the whole ballgame.

I could’ve gotten mad. I could’ve imagined he did it on purpose. I could’ve turned on my wipers and smeared my windshield into a Monet painting. Or I could interpret it factually: I was following too closely behind a man with a dirty windshield who needed to see better. Or I could interpret it spiritually: God’s grace falls on the just, the unjust, and the guy behind the truck who wasn’t expecting a windshield blessing.

We don’t live in a vacuum. Our actions splash onto the people behind us—sometimes literally. That’s why Scripture tells us to be careful how we walk. We don’t want to trip someone else up. But the other side is just as important: I’m not responsible for what you do to me, but I am responsible for what I let your actions do inside me.

The world is small. The road is shared. And whether we like it or not, we’re all windshield washers for somebody.

So drive kindly. Live kindly. And if you must baptize the car behind you, at least use the good fluid.

July 1 marks the anniversary of one of the most significant events in American history—the beginning of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.

Fought over three days in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the battle became the largest and deadliest engagement of the American Civil War. More than 160,000 Union and Confederate soldiers converged on the small town, where intense fighting ultimately resulted in an estimated 51,000 soldiers killed, wounded, captured or missing.

The battle began on July 1 as Confederate and Union forces unexpectedly encountered one another outside Gettysburg. As additional troops arrived throughout the day, the fighting intensified and eventually spread across the surrounding hills and ridges.

The conflict reached its climax on July 3 with Pickett’s Charge, a massive Confederate assault against the center of the Union line. The attack failed, forcing Confederate General Robert E. Lee to retreat south, ending his second and final invasion of the North.

Historians widely consider the Battle of Gettysburg a turning point in the Civil War. Lee’s defeat halted Confederate momentum, while the Union victory strengthened Northern morale and shifted the course of the conflict.

Just four months later, President Abraham Lincoln returned to Gettysburg to dedicate the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. During the ceremony, he delivered the Gettysburg Address, a brief speech that became one of the most enduring expressions of American democracy and the nation’s founding ideals.

Today, Gettysburg National Military Park preserves the battlefield, allowing millions of visitors each year to explore the site where one of the defining moments in United States history began on July 1, 1863.

For 20 years Cris had worked as a commercial fisherman and a dockworker.  On this particular cold March afternoon, Cris had some time on his hands.  He had just returned from working on a ship in the Bahamas and was waiting to catch another ship which would take him to yet another port city.  He never caught that ship.  While he waited, Cris walked over the frozen, snow-covered ground to King Street, the port city’s main hub of activity.  Cris carried a pound stick, a tool of his trade.  A pound stick was a large stick used to strike or pound a ship’s deck to summon crew to their stations and for setting the pacing for others while they were loading and unloading a ship’s cargo.  When not on duty, Cris and other sailors used their pound sticks as walking sticks.  

Shopkeepers on King Street recognized that something other than the comings and goings of regular commerce was happening in front of the government building nearby.  Shopkeeper Edward Payne stood in his entry doorway gazing at the large crowd trying to understand the situation.  Edward heard the voices of men and boys yelling at each other in the crowd.  Suddenly, chaos erupted.  The men and boys threw rocks, hard-packed snowballs, and anything else they could get their hands on at the nine guards protecting the government building.  Some of the sailors swung their pound sticks at the guards.  Whether Cris swung his stick has never been confirmed, but he was in the front when the guards opened fire.  The gunfire lasted for only a few seconds.  

Yells of anger turned into a mixture of moans of pain and shrieks of terror.  51-year-old Sam Gray, a rope maker, was shot in the head and died instantly.  17-year-old Sam Maverick, an apprentice, was shot in the stomach and died the following day.  49-year-old James Caldwell, a mate on a ship, was shot twice in the back and died in the street.  30-year-old Patrick Carr, leather worker, was shot in the hip and died nine days later.  Cris was shot twice in the chest and died instantly.

Others were injured but survived.  Shopkeeper Edward Payne’s arm was broken when he was struck by a shot as he stood in his shop’s doorway.  John Green, a tailor, was shot in his thigh.  Robert Patterson, a sailor, was shot through his right arm.  A youth named David Parker was shot in his thigh.  Two 17-year-old boys, Christopher Monk and John Clark, both apprentices on ships, were shot; Monk in the back and Clark in his abdomen.  All but Monk recovered from their wounds.  Monk’s wound was extremely severe, left him disabled, and led to his early death ten years later.  

Most citizens in Great Britain are unaware of this altercation, but the British government officially referred to it as the Incident on King Street.  Colonists initially called it the Bloody Massacre.  The world now refers to the Incident on King Street as the Boston Massacre.  

Sources:

1.     The Boston Gazette, March 12, 1770, p.1-3.

2.     “The bloody massacre perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Regt.,” Library of Congress, accessed June 28, 2027, https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661777/.

3.     “What was the Boston Massacre?” Boston Massacre Historical Society, accessed June 28, 2027, https://www.bostonmassacre.net/index.html.

The Winn Parish Police Jury will meet Thursday, June 25 at 5:00 PM for a regular meeting at the Winn Parish Courthouse, 119 West Main Street, Room 112.

June 24 marks the anniversary of the event that helped launch America’s modern fascination with unidentified flying objects.

On June 24, 1947, private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine bright, unidentified objects flying in formation near Mount Rainier. His account became one of the first UFO sightings to receive widespread national attention in the years following World War II.

Arnold was flying near the mountain when he said the objects moved rapidly across the sky. He described their motion as similar to a saucer skipping across water. News reports interpreted the description as referring to the objects’ shape, helping popularize the phrase “flying saucer.”

The objects were never definitively identified. Arnold initially considered whether they could have been experimental military aircraft, but officials said no test flights were taking place in the area at that time.

The report was followed by a surge of similar sightings across the country and helped establish the public interest in UFOs that would continue for decades. While accounts of unusual objects in the sky existed long before 1947, the Arnold sighting is widely regarded as a starting point for the modern UFO era.

In sports there’s nothing better than playing at home. Doesn’t matter if it’s a regular season game or a playoff game, playing at home in front of your home crowd can make a huge difference in the outcome of the game.

But there is one sport where the “home field advantage” doesn’t always pan out. In fact, it can actually be a disadvantage! The sport would be tournament bass fishing. 

When you’re the “local” angler, you are usually considered the favorite due to the amount of success and knowledge you have about the lake/river.

Anglers always look forward to fishing an event on their home water. It’s an opportunity to sleep in your own bed, eat a good home cooked meal and everything is very routine. You tend to be more relaxed, but you also feel the pressure of being the favorite.

Then as you prepare for the tournament, you put a game plan together that usually involves looking at past history. This is where things can go wrong!

Just like people, anglers are creatures of habit and tend to lean towards fishing the same way we have in the past, especially when we’ve been successful on our home lake/river. 

When you are fortunate enough to have an event on your home water, you want to make a good showing and hopefully bring home a win. 

But why is there so much pressure on the angler who is fishing his home lake? Here’s the problem. Because you know the lake/river so well and you know so many good areas that hold fish, you can’t decide which area you should hit first. 

Do you go where you caught them last year at this same time, or go where you caught them two years ago where you won the tournament? Too much history on a body of water can really clutter the brain and destroy a game plan. 

Then you decide to go with your gut and start in area A where you’ve done well in the past. But after you start fishing this area on tournament day with little to no success, you start to question your decision. 

Now confusion or panic sets in and you really start thinking too much! So, then you decide to fall back to Plan B to try and salvage the day and just make a good showing. 

Too much knowledge on any body of water can be detrimental to putting a good game plan together and is the fear of every angler who fishes their home water, especially in a big event.  

Sometimes you’re better off throwing history out the window and approach the lake like you would any body of water you’ve never fished before. This is why scouting before an event is so important. Pay attention to what the fish are doing at that particular time and make your game plan around that.

All anglers at some point make fishing complicated. We tend to try and outsmart the fish and end up outsmarting ourselves. While I’m not sure who said it, but the words “keep it simple stupid” are very fitting for bass anglers! 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com