Lifestyle

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now accepting nominations for county committee members. Elections will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA) for members. LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction. This may include LAAs that are focused on an urban or suburban area.

County committee members make important decisions about how Federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2022 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2022.

Join us at BackAlley Community Theatre for our last show of the season, “Farce of Nature.” Enjoy one outrageous day at the Reel ‘Em Inn, the finest fishing and hunting lodge in the Ozarks. D. Gene Wilburn and his wife, Wanelle, play hosts to family, gangsters, cops, and critters who collide in this Southern farce.

New to our BackAlley stage is Patrick Nally, who recently moved from Raleigh, NC, to Grand Cane with his wife, Abby, who is also in this play. Patrick has performed in many stage productions including Rooster in Annie, Lloyd in Noises Off, and Magaldi in Evita. He pursued a Bachelor of Religion at Liberty University in Virginia, where he also led a praise team. Patrick works at Cintas Fire Protection, and enjoys singing, playing guitar, serving at church, and watching a good action movie.

DeSoto Chamber Executive Director Brenda Hall has reported that the DeSoto Parish Chamber of Commerce will be making some financial changes to keep up with inflation and cost of goods.

As of August 1, 2022, Chamber membership dues will increase fifty dollars ($50.00). The board meeting lunches will increase from $11.00 dollars to $13.00 paid ahead, and $14.00 paid the day of the luncheon. If you RSVP and do not attend, you will be charged $15.00 dollars. Cash App is available to pay ahead at $desotochamber.

Our board luncheon meetings are a way for all of us to keep up on what is happening in DeSoto Parish and our state, as well as networking. It’s an enjoyable hour for all. Please continue to support your Chamber and thank you for your understanding. Please try to attend these important meetings.

On her 103rd Birthday, Mrs. Mabel Taylor celebrated with friends and family with former Mayor John Mayweather and others participating in a birthday parade organized by Annie Peoples.

It seems Mrs. Mabel loved her maiden name so much, which happens to be Taylor, that she decided to look for a mate that wasn’t a relative but shared the same fabulous name. She then became Mable Taylor Taylor, or Mrs. Ben Taylor. They became the proud parents of one daughter, Linda Taylor Woodard.

She was born and raised in the Grove Hill Community that is known locally as Double Churches, and enjoyed her family life in the country.

Kellen Cox has been crowned Miss Fashion Global and will be representing Louisiana. in the international Miss Fashion global competition . This is her 4th crown and she also has been doing pageant coaching for the youth here in Mansfield for the Juneteenth pageant. She says that she was so happy to be apart of it all . The ability to be able to impact young girls lives in a positive way was it’s own reward . Kellen is a mother of 3 and is also a nurse , actress, singer, Model , and certified aroma therapist . As a young girl she traveled the world with her family and got to see so much of the world and cam back to Mansfield where her mother is from and She graduated from high school at Mansfield High school Was the first battalion commander of ROTC at Mansfield high . As a mother that realizes the things She does actually effects other little girls because of how they see her . So she says “I have to make strides to be the best example I can be”.

The UM Share School Uniform Ministry, a cooperative ministry of DeSoto Parish United Methodist Churches, offers free school uniforms to all in the parish who have need. Parents are invited to bring their child(ren) to the distribution sites to help pick their favorite style and size. This organized group of Methodist is excited and happy to help those who need a little assistance in getting ready for school.

Logansport and Stanley Schools uniform distribution is Monday, July 18, and Tuesday, July 19th, from 4-6:30PM each day. The distribution will be held at First United Methodist Church, located at 401 Gum Street in Logansport.

Mansfield and North DeSoto Schools uniform distribution is Friday, July 22, from 10AM – Noon and 4 – 6PM, and Saturday, July 23, 10AM – Noon. The distribution will be held at First United Methodist Church, located at 502 Polk Street in Mansfield.

To be called a force of nature means that one is full of energy, unstoppable or unforgettable. The same can be said for Farce of Nature, the laughout-loud farce written by Nicholas Hope, Jessie Jones, and Jamie Wooten. The hilarious romp will soon be playing out at the BackAlley Community Theatre. It takes place inside the lobby of an old fishing and hunting lodge in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas (or Mississippi?) to borrow a common line from the show. What makes Farce of Nature a force is the ensemble cast of six well-known actors and three new actors to the Back Alley stage.

Fourteen-year-old Hollie Stone of Stanley began writing poetry when she was 12 years old. After she began posting her work on social media, relatives and friends encouraged her to write a book containing her writings.

The straight A student at Stanley High School did just that. Hollie has published a book comprised of 30 pages of poetry that she wrote based on her own experiences in life. She titled the book, “Hindsight with Hollie: The Poetic Journal”. As a baby, doctors told her parents, Patricia Taylor Monsour and Larry Stone, that she would never be able to walk or talk, but here she is today doing that and so much more.

She is also a young entrepreneur and owns her own small business called Radiant Relaxation by Hollie. She makes and sells bath salts.

The family of Mattie Durant Cockerham Williams established a memorial scholarship to honor her memory and dedication to education. The inaugural MDCW Memorial Scholarships were $500 each and have been awarded to Mansfield High Students, Emmanuel Falcon, Madison Jones and Ariel Thomas. Congratulations!

The annual state contest known as 4-H University was held June 21-25, 2022. Seven 4-H members represented DeSoto Parish. Sydney Hall competed in the Environmental Conservation Illustrated Talk and placed 5th. Elizabeth Walker competed in Career Preparation/Professional Development and placed 7th. Mason Huey competed virtually in Photography and placed 8th. Lyndzey odom competed in 4-H has Talent and Layla Feazel competed in Child Development. Josie Celichowski and Avery Barber participated in career focused Clover College sessions. Also while 4-H University, Elizabeth Walker and Avery Barber were selected to serve on the Shooting Sports Ambassadors 4-H Leadership Board. All of these youth worked extremely hard and we are proud to have them represent DeSoto Parish!