Lifestyle

Whether the weather is sunny and warm or dreary and cold, your favorite branch of the DeSoto Parish Library is ready to help you select books or attend activities regarding things that you love to do or want to learn about.

During February we celebrate Black History Month, Ground Hog’s Day, St. Valentine’s Day, Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, George Washington’s Birthday, and the Chinese New Year. Get one of the library staff to help you select books, audiobooks, or DVDs about any of these subjects to expand your knowledge or help you to develop a new or better respect about the occasion.

Another February occurrence you might want to learn more about is Leap Year. The second month of the year is also the shortest on the Julian calendar, which was introduced to us by Julius Caesar on January 1, 45 BC. February is also the month where we add a day every 4 years and call it Leap Year. The next Leap Year will be in 2024.

Ruby Lee Hamilton Carroll recently donated her book, “Saint Mark Cemetery Directory, Holly, LA” to the DeSoto Parish Library. Branch Manager Doris Ross said, “This is an excellent book to add to our Louisiana Room. We really appreciate our local authors.”

Mrs. Carroll was born and raised in Kingston. Her parents are Emma Dunn Hamilton and World War I Veteran Isaac “Ike” Hamilton. She grew up walking the dirt roads of Holly (which included St. Mission), and attended Holly Elementary School. She was baptized at the St. Mark Baptist Church in 1950 and recalls a vibrant community of African American sharecroppers who loved community and loved God. As a child she recalls the many instances the community would gather at the grave yard to pay homage and respect to those who had gone on before and to maintain a beautified cemetery.

DeSoto Parish’s T. P. Yopp Animal Services COVID-19 Update: Due to the recent events of Coronavirus, we are taking precautions at the shelter. We encourage people to stay home as much as possible and distance yourself from others. However if you would like to adopt or foster an animal, please be advised we are allowing adoptions and foster opportunities by appointment only! We are also screening people before they come into the shelter for health and safety reasons. We have the ability to isolate potential adopters and fosters with their respective animal for everyone’s safety. 

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On December 18, 2020, the DeSoto Parish Sheriff ’s Office paid a visit to Mrs. Verlean Vanzant to celebrate her 97th Birthday! Deputies lined up with balloons to drive by her home in Mansfield, La. Due to concerns over COVID-19, Mrs. Vanzant stood at her door and waved as deputies flashed lights and sirens driving by. 

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President Donald Trump has issued an executive order based on Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) legislation requiring the Treasury Secretary to provide states with information to help their residents claim approximately $26 billion in unredeemed savings bonds.

“Government is always delighted to collect taxes, but it’s not often that Big Brother goes out of its way to reunite people with their hard-earned money. I’m thankful that the president’s executive order does just that by making the government pay up on matured savings bonds, even if the original investors have passed away.

It seems that Santa Claus has helper elves in locations other than the North Pole with some of them holding jobs even more important than that of building toys. Santa’s elves in DeSoto at the Sheriff’s Office recently formed a plan with St. Nick for him to be able to travel to Mansfield and visit Mansfield Nursing Home and DeSoto Retirement Center. The organization crew included Sheriff Jayson Richardson, Administrative Assistant Holley Kennedy-Jones, Public Liaison Deputy Sgt. Kevin Coleman, Deputy of Public Relations Mark Pierce, and old Santa himself, Lt. Dean Register.

Photos courtesy of Fr. John Paul Crispin

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Spectators are lined up on both sides of Main St. in the historic district of Grand Cane awaiting the parade. The century old buildings are decorated with traditional Christmas decor and two tall angels are perched on the windowsills of the Romanesque structure of city hall.

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On December 5 in downtown Joaquin, the East Texas Chopper Guys will present various events planned as a part of Joaquin’s “Red, White and Who Christmas in Ramville” Festival. 

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With careful consideration regarding the situation we have with COVID-19 and keeping with Gov. John Bel Edwards mandates organizers of the Stonewall Christmas Parade and Festival have made a few changes for 2020.

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