News

Governor John Bel Edwards announced today that he is ending the statewide mask mandate for Louisiana schools. After the end of the current academic semester (spring 2021), school systems will determine policies on wearing masks. Louisiana State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley met with the Governor last week to request the mask mandate be lifted for K-12 students. School systems can begin implementing their own policies following the end of the 2020-2021 school year. New school system face mask policies will take effect starting with summer programs.

The little community of Kickapoo, Louisiana will be alive with music and food as the first ever “Bugs & Bands Crawfish Boil Contest and Festival” begins Friday, June 4 and ends on Saturday, June 5 at 12:00 p.m. The event was planned with the main goal of promoting DeSoto Parish while raising money for the DeSoto Regional Health System and their upgrade project. The projected attendance at the event is for over 3,000, including ticket holders, cooking staffs, event staff and musicians. The physical address of the Fest is at 4729 Hwy 171 in Kickapoo, which is between Stonewall and Mansfield.

Activities will begin on Wednesday, June 2 at 9:00 a.m. for team arrivals and set up and all stage, restroom facilities, sound tent set up, etc. On Thursday, vendors will begin setting up their stations with the crawfish teams attending a regulation meeting, backline crew meeting and sound check, and test run on water and power.

At the May DeSoto School Board Meeting, winners of the DeSoto Regional 5K Heart & Soul Run/Walk T-shirt art contest were named and presented various prizes. Each of the students drew and submitted their design for the event. Ironically, all winners were from Stanley High School. Pictured l-r are DPSB Member District 1 Dudley Glenn; Anna Yarborough-4th Grade; Grynlee Hilliard -5th Grade; Kinsleigh McMillion-4th Grade; Dan Spears-4th Grade, 1st Place Winner of $25.00 Noah Chreene-4th Grade; and DeSoto Regional Hosp. Assoc. Director Terri Byrd. DeSoto Superintendent of Schools Cade Brumley is pictured behind the group. Not pictured is Payden Simpson-4th Grade. All students received a day pass to Splash Kingdom, 5K Run T-shirt and a goody bag complete with candy.

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Mayor John H. Mayweather issued a proclamation for Mental Health Awareness Month. This runs from May 1-31. May has been designated Mental Health Awareness Month, it is designed to highlight the importance of taking care of your mental wellness. It is also a time to share valuable resources and learn where you can get mental health support. Mental Health Awareness Month was started in 1949 by Mental Health America, and each year the organization chooses a theme. The theme for 2021 is Tools 2 Thrive, with a focus on helping you find healthy ways to cope with stress.

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The Veterans Memorial Wall in Logansport is located on the South end of the park, on a hill, very near the Sabine River Bridge. After much talk and many prayers the Town of Logansport and the Gordon Cohen American Legion Post 157/ Logansport Veteran’ Club of Logansport made a commitment to honor all of our military men and women. This was done with a standing memorial in the Town’s park so that all of our people could see the names of the many veterans that have served our country so faithfully. The wall was dedicated during a ceremony at the site on July 4th, 1998. The late Mayor Dennis Freeman was the Master of Ceremony. The guest speaker for the ceremonies was the late Lieutenant General Orren R. Whiddon, a native of Joaquin, Texas. General Whiddon was Commanding General of the Second United States Army at the time of his retirement in 1990. Many other dignitaries too numerous to mention here were present to honor our veterans.

You are invited to attend the DeSoto GOP dinner with Lt. Billy Nungesser on Tuesday, June 1st at 5:30p.m.at the RB4 Event Center, 791 Nash Road, Logansport, LA 71049.

Dinner will be blackened chicken pasta with a side salad, bread and a yummy cobbler for $15 that is payable at the door by cash or check. Please RSVP by replying by email to desotoparishgopatgmail.com ot by testing 318-218-6854. This will enable to plan accordingly for tables, chairs, and food.

Directions to reach RB4’s Event Center:

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On May 13, Gov. Edwards testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources about recent federal offshore oil and gas developments. Specifically, he will address the adverse impact that a protracted moratorium on mineral leases in the Gulf of Mexico will have on Louisiana’s economy. In addition, he will highlight the state’s ongoing work on climate initiatives.

An excerpt of his submitted testimony is below:

On May 17, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that based on the recommendations by the CDC and in consultation with the Louisiana Dept. of Health, those who are fully vaccinated no longer have to wear masks indoors except in certain situations including: educational facilities, public transit, correctional settings, and health care facilities as regulated by LDH. This is in addition to recent guidance that also eased restrictions on masks outdoors for those who are fully vaccinated. Businesses may decide whether to continue requiring patrons to wear masks and are not limited by the revised proclamation. Further, local governments will continue to be able to make decisions to have further restrictions, including face covering requirements, in place.

On May 11, HB 199, which is the first of a package of bills to streamline the state’s sales tax system, cleared another hurdle, passing through the Louisiana Senate. Authored by House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, HB 199 seeks to streamline the state’s outdated sales tax collection system, in the hope of bringing Louisiana closer to practices seen in other states throughout the country.

As a whole, the tax reform package has received much support from leadership throughout the state and the legislature. House Speaker Schexnayder said, “We have spent a great deal of time working on this solution to our outdated sales tax collection system. Democrats and Republicans alike can recognize the benefits of these efforts, and the support we have seen throughout the legislature with the passage of this first incentive is proof.”

The UIL Track and Field State Championships took place May 7,8 and 9 in Austin, Texas. Junior, Victoria Byrd, brought home 3 individual medals.

She earned her first medal in the Long Jump competition where she placed 3rd in the event with a jump of 17’ 9.25 inches. Victoria also competed in the 100m and 200m events and took GOLD in both, naming her the 2A STATE CHAMPION in those events.

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