News

For the past year, DeSoto Parish has been hit by controversy over whether or not the Local Agency Compensated Enforcement (LACE) and Traffic Diversion programs were affecting the criminal court fund. Previous DeSoto Parish Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle had pulled his deputies out of the program in June of last year after not being reimbursed by District Attorney Gary Evans for deputies LACE participation and suspecting the diversion program was depleting the criminal court fund.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor has been investigating the DeSoto Parish District Attorney’s Traffic Diversion Program. On July 16, the auditor released the discoveries. Auditor Daryl G. Purpera, CPA, CFE, found that the ticket diversion program had significantly reduced funds flowing into the criminal justice system.

River City Track Club has done it again. They won nationals last year, and now they are to North Carolina to bring it all home again.

The team went to Tennessee July 7-8 and came home with first place gold metals. National Junior Olympics will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina July 23-29.

The River City Track Club Girls Team includes 11 children who qualified for the 2018 Junior Olympics. For girls ages 7-8, Kendalyn Duncan participated in 100# and 200# and Andrea Washington participated in 400. For girls ages 9-10, Keniyah Davis participated in 4x100#, Zy’Mauri Canada participated in 4x100#, LaBrasia Ross participated in 4x100# and Aaliyah Brown participated in 100, 200 and 4x100#. For girls ages 11-12, T’La Dewitt participated in 100 and 4x100 and Zakhia Austin, Trinity Langham, Aniyah Jackson, LaJordan Boykins all participated in 4x100.

DeSoto Parish Police Jury recognized two employees for their achievement and service. The jury awarded Norman Ellis for five years of service and Marvin Cooper for 10 years of service.

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New Town of Stonewall Mayor, Randy Rodgers, appointed Crystal Walsh as a councilmember to fill the vacant position until it can be filled permanently in the next election. Judge Amy Burford- McCartney swore Walsh in during the Town of Stonewall’s July meeting.

During the meeting, Rodgers recommended Shree’ Young to continue serving as Town Clerk. He also recommended Janis Davis as the Code Enforcement Officer. Rodgers recommended Charles Watson, Diane McDonald, Earl Brown, Tommy Williams and Mike Cruise to continue serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission. The town council voted and approved these recommendations. These positions will continue for the next four years.

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Several years ago, the DeSoto Parish District Attorney’s Office occupied an office in the courthouse to do business in. The DeSoto Parish Police Jury is considering bringing that arrangement back. Judge Charles Adams revealed his opposition to the idea during the Police Jury’s meeting on July 9. Adams believes that a recent incident he encountered with a District Attorney’s Office employee threatens the safety of the courthouse.

“I’m a little bit curious about what exactly is on the agenda for the rooms in the courthouse,” Adams said. “I listened to the audio version of the July 2 meeting and in that meeting there was discussion about assigning the probation officer’s office to the district attorney, and that was my belief from Mr. Fuller’s committee that’s presented to the committee and that was voted on. That would be very, very problematic for me, the chief judge, to maintain the security of the courthouse. I guess I would ask, is that what is on the table now?”

Randy Rodgers won unopposed in the Town of Stonewall’s recent mayoral election. Judge Amy Burford McCartney swore Rodgers in as Town of Stonewall Mayor in June at Stonewall Town Hall. Rodgers officially took office on July 1.

Rodgers worked 44 years for AT&T, 20 of which he ran a company after hours. Since moving to Stonewall in 2005, he has cutback. As a way to give back, Rodgers has served on the local water board, the town council and now as mayor. He served one fouryear term on the Stonewall’s town council before running for mayor.

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Many people across DeSoto Parish celebrated July 4 with fireworks. Keatchie and Logansport both held Independence Day celebrations that concluded with fireworks.

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City of Mansfield elected John Mayweather Sr. as their new mayor in November of 2017. Mayweather’s term officially began July 1. Before taking office, Clerk of Court Jeremy Evans swore Mayweather in under oath at Mansfield City Hall on June 29. Evans also swore in City of Mansfield’s aldermen for the new term.

Mayweather recited after Evans: “I, John Mayweather Sr., do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution and the law of the United States and the constitution and the law of this state, and I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me as mayor of Mansfield.”

The DeSoto Parish School System has named two new principals for the upcoming 2018- 2019 school year. Brittany Anderson has been named Mansfield Elementary School’s new principal. Kevin Fitzgerald Gardner has been named Mansfield Middle School’s new principal.

Brittany Anderson is a 2005 graduate of Texas A & M University Commerce with a Bachelor of Science in Middle School Math Education. She later received her Masters in Educational Leadership in 2014 from University of Louisiana Monroe.

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A few years ago, the Town of Stonewall partnered with the Louisiana Coalition for Accessible and Sustainable Healthcare to build a facility to provide affordable and sustainable healthcare for North DeSoto. That building has finally opened with Stonewall Family Medicine being housed in the facility. DeSoto Parish Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for the family practice and urgent care facility on June 28.

Stonewall Family Medicine is part of Bossier Family Medicine, which is one of the largest independent groups in Louisiana. They are owned by their physicians who practice and see patients. They work with all of the major health systems in the area.

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