News

It has been a tradition for The Enterprise to team up and help Santa with his letters from DeSoto Parish, Joaquin, and Pleasant Hill children for several decades. This year with postal issues continuing to plague the country, Santa needed our help more than ever. Believe me, we did our part with special Santa letter typist elf Taylor Curry, along with staff members Kaycee Deas and Julie Morris. Together we typed over 29 newspaper pages of letters comprising 2 sections that expressed the children’s heartfelt wishes and want lists. The popular yearly feature has become so popular that Santa couldn’t help but chuckle “Ho! Ho! Ho!” when he saw the letters that The Enterprise printed in 2021.

On November 18, Fifth Grade students from Stanley High School were honored with a DARE Graduation ceremony, with Sheriff Jayson Richardson and Sgt. Natasha Jones leading the programs.

Two essay winners, Lillie Pierce and Karlee Moton, were recognized with special DARE patches and backpacks, loaded with special goodies.

Sgt. Jones, who is their instructor, said, “We are so proud of each of them and for our two essay winners. We can’t wait to see them use what they learned in DARE in their everyday lives!”

The DeSoto Parish Sheriff ’s Office says, “Go Panthers!”

The year 2020 was probably one of worst years in both American and world-wide history due to the dreaded words of COVID-19. Everyone seemed ready for this year to pass on by as quietly as possible, but the celebration of greeting a new year will still be brought in with hope for much better health, wealth and happiness. True the celebration as we greeted 2021 was not be as lavish and populated nor held in venues that parties are usually held in, but we moved forward making new customs for the year with hope that we could return to as normal of a life style as possible.

On December 17, Victoria Byrd signed her National Letter of Intent to run track at Northwestern State University. Victoria is a 4 year letterman in track at Joaquin ISD.

Victoria qualified for the state track meet her freshman year in 3 events. That year she placed 2nd in the 100 meter. Due to the Covid shutdown she missed her sophomore year track season but did not let this slow her down. During her junior year she qualified for the State track meet again in the 100, 200, and the long jump. She placed 3rd in the long jump and won State in the 100 meter and 200 meter.

Citizens, coaches, teachers and students of Joaquin, as well as the entire area, are so proud of Victoria for all her past accomplishments and look forward to what she will achieve during her Senior year as well as her upcoming years at Northwestern.

Doris Ross, Branch Manager/Cataloguer of the Mansfield Main Library is shown receiving a pin and letter from Library Director Delbert Terry for her 40 years of service. Ross began her library career on December 14, 1981 when the library reopened under its first director Ronald Bausch.

Mansfield High School’s Athletic Booster Club has a tradition of selling fireworks as one of their annual main fundraisers. This year is no exception as the familiar fireworks stand returns to the former Market Basket grocery store parking lot, located on Hwy 84 (Washington Avenue).

MHS Boosters’ stand opened at noon on December 18 and will continue to sell fireworks, sparklers, Roman candles, etc. until 12:01 PM on January 1. Hours are 10:00 AM until 9:00 PM, but can run over during busy times. Go out and show your Wolverine Pride as you show them your support with a purchase or two!

Coach Fletcher Carter and Robert “Bull” Kent stress that this is the ONLY Mansfield High School Booster firework’s stand in the city and the competitors in town are not related to their fundraising efforts. No matter what the weather is like from freezing to summer-like, you’ll find these dedicated men working to make all the money that they can to support MHS’s Wolverine football.

Blaine Hodges, Assistant Vice President at Community Bank of Louisiana, was recently installed as Membership Chairman of the Louisiana Bankers Education Council. He had previously served on the board as a Member at Large.

Hodges is a graduate of Northwestern State University where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree, specializing him in the areas of business, management, marketing, and related support services.

He began is banking career in Loan Review at the Bank of Jena in May 2009. Once transferring to Community Bank in Mansfield in October 2010, he served as a Credit Analyst and later was named Assistant Branch Manager at Community Bank’s Gloster Branch. He was promoted to Assistant Vice President in January 2021, serving Community as an employee for 11 years. He is certified as a Notary Public for the State of Louisiana, and had served as the President of the DeSoto Parish Chamber of Commerce for the last 3 terms.

On December 13, 2021 the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department held their annual officer election. Over this past year there were several big changes to the department, including losing the Fire Chief of the past 11 years, Perry Pugh, to COVID-19. Therefore, this election saw the most shake-up in quite a while.

The results are as follows: Fire Chief- Jeremy Boyett, a veteran of the department for 30 years and former Assistant Chief to Pugh for the last 11; Assistant Chief- Rusty Wilson; 2nd Assistant Chief- Michael Stephens; Secretary/Treasurer- Athena Ezernack, a relatively new member to the department, and the first female member to hold an office in the Department’s 49 years; Training Officer- Stephen Ewing; Fire Marshall- Jeremy Boyett; Assistant Fire Marshall- Nat Rogers; Traffic Officer- Tommy Boyett; Maintenance Officer- Michael Bates; Chaplain- Steve Cockrell; Safety Officer- Steve Cockrell; and Reporter- Brock Pugh.

The City of Mansfield is announcing a rate increase in their sewerage user fees, effective January 1, 2022. Current sewer rates have been in effect for better than 17 years. The last rate change occurred in January 2004. The ever-increasing costs of maintaining the City’s Sewer Treatment Plant now necessitate a need to increase user fees to satisfy the costs associated with operating this facility. The operating costs related to plant operations have steadily increased over the years. Those increased expenses must now be passed on to the property owners/customers who use these services. Below is an overview of the current fee structure, and below that is a summary of the new fee schedule effective in January 2022:

Present Sewer Fees:

Inside City of Mansfield Corporate Cimits:

A flat rate of nine dollars and ninety-five cents ($9.95) per month; plus Eighty-nine cents ($0.89) per one thousand (1,000) gallons of water consumed.

The Board of Aldermen met in regular session on November 22nd with Mayor John H. Mayweather, Sr. calling the meeting to order. Alderman Kervin D. Campbell offered the Invocation. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Alderwoman Mary J. Green. Following the pledge, the roll call was suspended. However the following officials were recorded as in attendance at this regular meeting of the city council with Mayor John H. Mayweather, Sr., -, Mary J. Green –District A, Christopher S. Thomas –District B, Mitchell L. Lewis –District C, and Kervin D. Campbell –District E all present. Joseph Hall, Jr. of District D was absent. City Hall Personnel, Dept. Heads, & Other City Personnel Present included Gwendolyn Jones (Deputy Clerk), Annette Blue (Police Chief), Billy Locke (Asst. Police Chief), Bryan Ross (Captain –Fire Dept.), Christopher Samuels (Firefighter –Fire Dept.), and NaKiesha Turner (Firefighter –Fire Dept.). Press Present: None.