News

On Monday, December 11th, the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department held its annual Officer Election to determine who would serve as the leadership of the department in 2024. The results are as follows: (Not pictured in group as listed) Chief – Jeremy Boyett 1st Assistant Chief – Rusty Wilson 2nd Assistant Chief – Mike Stephens Secretary/ Treasurer – Athena Ezernack Training Officer – Stephen Ewing Traffic Officer – Tommy Boyett Maintenance Officer-Michael Bates Assistant Maintenance Officer – Mike Parker None of the officers were changed from their positions in 2023. We congratulate them on another year in their roles within the department. With that, this edition of the report will come to a close. The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department hopes everyone has a great and safe week going forward.

On December 15, Gov. John Bel Edwards was joined by Congressman Troy Carter and other officials as he and the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that the NTIA has approved Louisiana’s Initial Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative. Louisiana is the first state to reach this important milestone and may now request access to 20% or more of the $1,355,554,552.94 that NTIA allocated to the state.

The DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of a well known Scam recirculating in our area, and they would like to remind citizens to be cautious if you should receive a call, email, or text from individuals claiming that: “We have a warrant for your (or your loved ones) arrest.”

Basketball Sweetheart Ryleigh Cliburn is pictured with Central Christian Academy’s Varsity Basketball team.

Pictured with Central Christian Academy’s 2023-24 Homecoming Queen are her father Ron Hughes, Queen Vivy Anne Hughes, Ashley Young (Central’s 2022-23 Homecoming Queen), and Principal Cally Brumley. Front row are crown bearers Delanie Hubier and Hub Salley.

Pictured in no particular order are Freshman Maid Olivia Price, Sophomore Maid Macyn Whitlock, Junior Maid Reagan Riley, Senior Maid Shelby Bartels. Basketball Sweetheart Ryleigh Cliburn (center in yellow), and Queen Vivy Anne Hughes (center in white).

Operation Christmas Child is a worldwide children’s project of Samaritan’s Purse that uses simple gift-filled shoeboxes containing school supplies, toys, necessity items and notes of encouragement to let hurting children know God loves them and they are not forgotten. It has become a tradition for many of the churches within DeSoto Parish that challenge themselves to improve their total amount of boxes year after year. This year 2,731 boxes were on record as being completed and sent to eagerly awaited hands worldwide. Samaritan’s Purse and its national partners will deliver each of the millions of shoebox gifts to children in more than 100 countries on six continents.

Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest of the attached suspect. Tips can be made anonymously. We don’t need your name, just your information. You can provide law enforcement with a tip by visiting www.P3Tips.com, by calling 1-800-505-7867, or by filling out the Submit A Tip form in the “Forms & Tips” section of the DeSoto Parish Sheriff App. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

As Christmas approaches we would like to ask that you keep Project Celebration, Inc. in your holiday plans. While preparing for the joyous holiday celebrations with your friends and family, it’s important to stop and reflect on the joy and blessings in our own life while also being aware that not all families are that fortunate. While shopping for gifts and gathering with loved ones, please consider setting aside a gift or donation to support the work that Project Celebration, Inc. does for the community.

PCI is seeking the support of our wonderful community to help these families in need anyway we can whether it be food for their pantries, gifts for Christmas, or just providing basic supplies for the women and children in need.

Every year PCI gears up to provide needs for the clients we serve. PCI is a nonprofit organization; all donations are tax deductible.

The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department held its annual Christmas Banquet on Saturday, December 2nd. During the banquet a few awards were given out to members who displayed outstanding service throughout the year.

After the award ceremony, Chief Jeremy Boyett shared news of a new fire station that will be constructed near the post office on Highway 84 East. Construction will take place over the next few years as funds allow, but the groundwork for the pad the new station will rest on will be started within the next few weeks.

In other news, the JVFD is still looking for motivated individuals who want to serve their community to add to the firefighting team. Those who are interested in joining must fill out an application and attend 2 consecutive fire meetings, which are held on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month, to qualify for membership.

Sheriff Jayson Richardson would like you to join us in congratulating Corrections Assistant Warden, R.L. Cox, for his recent retirement from the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office.

R.L. Cox began his career with DPSO in 2003 as a deputy in the Detention Center under then Warden Reed and Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle. Through the past 20 years he has progressed in his career through the ranks from Corporal, Sergeant, and eventually retiring as Assistant Warden. He retires today with 20 years (all spent in the Detention Center) and is seen being honored by Sheriff Richardson, with his girlfriend Rhonda Thompson as his side.

Keep DeSoto Beautiful has received a grant from Keep Louisiana to Increase our capacity to hold cleanups across the’. Parish. The cleanup supply grant provldes the affiliates with the tools needed to conduct community cleanups in all parts of-the Parish. We will be able to equip our volunteers with bags, gloves, litter pickers and vests. These supplies will help with local cleanups of litter and debris removal from roadways and waterways.

Keep Louisiana Beautiful Is offering cleanup assistance all across the state. We are proud to be the recipient of thls grant here in DeSoto Parish.

About Keep DeSoto Beautiful

Our mission is that Keep DeSoto Beautiful will inspire and empower people to take pride in DeSoto Parish through litter abatement and education. Keep DeSoto Beautiful is a project of the DeSoto Parish Police Jury