News

According to DeSoto Parish Police Jury President Rodriguez Ross, a parish-wide burn ban has been issued as of Tuesday, October 15, 2024. The ban will continue until notices are posted or announced by area media.

According to the order, anyone violating the burn ban will be subject to the maximum fines and penalties allowed by law. The ban will be in effect until the area receives a substantial amount of rainfall. Smokers are also asked to not throw lit smoking materials out the window of their vehicles. Not only is it illegal to litter with subsequent fines, it is currently a dangerous and potential fire hazard.

The Episcopal Church Women (EWC) of Christ Memorial Episcopal Church are busy finalizing details for the 70th Annual Bazaar and Spaghetti Supper and Bazaar to be held on Thursday, November 7. In addition to the to the delicious spaghetti dinner, there will be an array of homemade cakes, pies, cookies, jellies, spaghetti sauce, soups, and many other baked goods too numerous to list. Entrees ready to serve or freeze will also be available. Take-out lunch servings will begin at 10:45 AM, with dine-in plates starting at 11:00 AM. The Bazaar will be held from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM.

The White Elephant Sale, which is always a popular portion of the bazaar, will return offering lightly used clothing, dishes, books, home décor and many other items at great prices. This year’s quilt raffle will be for a vintage 1940’s Double Wedding Ring quilt, with tickets selling at $2.00 per chance, or three for $5.00. It usually is set up at the rear of the Parish Hall and begins at 9:00 a.m.

On October 18th @ 11 am, a Fish Fry Fundraiser will be held at the DeSoto Parish Police Jury parking lot for Jeff Zeigler. Jeff is the husband of Parish Secretary Jodi Zeigler. Jeff recently underwent a liver transplant and all proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards his medical expenses. Plates are $15 each and will include fish, fries, hushpuppies, dessert, and drink. You can reserve a plate by calling Kerri @ 318-8720738 or 318-270-3421. Delivery will be available and walk-ups welcome!

October 11, 2024 — Upon taking office on July 1, 2024, I was immediately facing a significant budget deficit and managing three separate offices. I quickly discovered that spending in the previous administration was excessive. Despite unaudited revenues of $2,211,714.12 for the Fiscal Year 23-24, there were significant expenses for personnel services of $2,059,513.89, operating expenses of $709,062.82; and capital outlay expenses of $20,094.88. That left the Clerk’s Office with an unaudited actual deficit of $576,957.47. If the trend continued, the office would be bankrupt in approximately 4 years. Therefore, immediate correction was necessary to protect your Clerk of Court’s Office.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development advises motorists that beginning on Monday, October 7, 2024 at 7:00 a.m., the outside (right) lane of US 171 southbound south of the City of Mansfield in DeSoto Parish will be closed.

This closure is scheduled to remain in place for approximately 21 days, and is necessary to allow a contractor for the DeSoto Parish Police Jury to conduct improvements at CSJ Private Drive.

The lane closure will be located just south of Bedsole Lane, about a mile south of the City of Mansfield. Restrictions/Permits: N/A and Alternate Route: N/A.

This work will be performed weather permitting.

DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment. Remember to leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you.

Continuing our “Know Your SRO” series this week by introducing you to Dy. Kamari Clay at Mansfield Middle School! Dy. Clay has been a deputy with DPSO since May of 2022, and an Alumni of Booker T. Washington! We hope that you share these with your students so they can better know their SRO serving and protecting them at our DeSoto Parish Schools!

After years of paying excessive rates to speak by telephone with their family members in Louisiana jails and prisons, the 40,000 families of Louisiana inmates will soon receive relief, thanks to Congress and federal regulators.

The DeSoto Parish School Board is proud to recognize the incredible individuals who have been selected as the Support Staff of the Year from each of our schools! These dedicated team members go above and beyond every day to make a positive impact on our students, staff, and community. Their hard work, commitment, and passion are truly at the heart of #TheDeSotoDifference.

During their October 4th board meeting, the DeSoto Parish School Board unanimously approved a $5,542,274 capital improvement project to enhance the athletic facilities at Mansfield High School. The initiative underscores the Board’s commitment to providing top-tier resources and infrastructure for student-athletes, with upgrades spanning baseball, softball, and football facilities.

“Our core value of high performance drives every decision we make, and this project is a testament to that commitment,” said Superintendent Clay Corley.

“By providing stateof- the-art facilities for our student-athletes, we are ensuring that they have the tools needed to excel. It is a blessing that we can complete these upgrades with available funds without having to raise revenue with a bond or additional tax measures. This not only allows us to continue our mission of excellence but also reflects the sound financial stewardship of our district.”

Do you have too much “stuff” in your house and you would like a chance to get rid of it while making a little extra cash? The Ninth Annual Fifty Mile Trail of Treasure, which is always the second Saturday in October, will be held on October 12 with a rain date of October 19. The path of the continuous yard sale begins with vendors setting up on Hwy 171 in Stonewall, where they will continue through Mansfield. Pickers and treasure seekers will then find their way down Hwy 84 through Stanley and Logansport, cross over the bridge into Texas with Haslam and Joaquin completing the journey. Or, you can reverse the trail and begin in Texas, according to your preference. There are some booths such as Kickapoo Winery, plus a few more, highway 5 from Kickapoo to Logansport.