DeSoto Parish Emergency Medical Services has been planning to expand services by erecting a new building in Southern DeSoto Parish for a while. They are pleased and excited to announce that the improvement of coverage of the Parish with the construction of a new facility in the Pelican area.
Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle expressed his congratulations to two DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies on their recent TOP COPS awards. Sgt. Adam Jones and Sgt. David Boudreaux were both presented with awards and recognized for their efforts for rescuing a child involved in an Amber Alert. Both Sgt. Jones and Sgt. Boudreaux, along with other members of the FBI Task Force in Shreveport, responded to a Days Inn hotel in Bossier City following a tip that a nine-year-old girl and her abductor, an uncle by the name of Jesse Williams, were located at the Days Inn hotel.
Mansfield State Historic Site will host a cannon-firing demonstration and living history encampment on Saturday, May 28. Come see how the big guns fired! Cannon firing demonstrations, camp tours, soldiers’ life talks and much more will be featured at this exciting event. Start your summer off with a bang! Artillery talks and demonstrations will take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The DeSoto Parish School System is proud to announce a cohort graduation rate of 95.8% for the Class of 2015. The results, which annually come one year in lag, show a continued increase for the public school system. The graduation rate of 95.8% is up 1.3% from last year’s rate of 94.5% and up 20.0% over the last five years.
At the April 25 meeting of the Mansfield City Council, Aldermen unanimously approved the appointment of Brenda H. Hall to fill the seat of Alderman Roy R. Jones. Jones was suspended from the city council due to his recent felony conviction while in office, with his attorney filing an appeal on his behalf. Mrs. Hall will serve as interim alderwoman until the appeal has been decided and the matter resolved.
Attorney Adrienne D. White, President of DeSoto Parish Bar Association, has announced her candidacy for District Judge, DeSoto Parish Division A. The election is scheduled for November 8, 2016. Ms. White will run for the DeSoto Parish District Judge seat being vacated by Judge Robert E. Burgess, who is retiring in June 2016.
A discussion that first had DeSoto Parish Police Jury Vice President Jimbo Davlin asking to table any decision regarding the EMS Board for 90 days, soon escaladed with Jurors Richard Fuller and J. O. Burch giving their personal dealings with EMS services’ billing that had jurors discussing the disbandment of the current EMS Board. Jurors Reggie Roe, Charlie Roberts and Greg Baker voted against the measure with all other jurors voting to dissolve the board immediately, thus making it a part of the Police Jury.
With the state of Louisiana in a financial crisis, a list of park closures was issued by Gov. John Bel Edwards on proposed closings. There was little surprise that the Mansfield Historic Site was included on that list. The Mansfield Historic Site (locals still refer to it as the “Mansfield Battle Park”) stands on the land where one of the last Confederate victories of the Civil War occured. The Battle of Pleasant Hill took place on the following day.
The church family of Mims Springs Baptist Church in Logansport will hold a fundraising luncheon to benefit Coach Eugene Cox, who is also their Pastor. The retired coach from Logansport High School, who is loved by the entire community, has had some recent medical issues, and the funds raised will be donated to him to go toward those expenses.
Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle has announced the recipients of the Deputy of the Quarter Awards for the 4th quarter of 2015. He wants to point out that these awards are to recognize deputies for their outstanding performance both on and off the job.
