News

This morning, to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries laid a wreath at the 9/11 Memorial in the U.S. Capitol, which honors the brave patrons of Flight 93 — the hijacked airplane that was intended to attack the nation’s capital on September 11, 2001.

“23 years ago, nearly 3,000 innocent Americans lost their lives during the most devastating terrorist attack on American soil in our history. The 9/11 attacks changed everything; from the way we live our daily lives, to the way we defend our country, and how the world perceives America. This cataclysmic tragedy left an enormous scar, but it also inspired a spirit of sacrifice and duty that that has carried us forward to today.

We want to congratulate Sheriff Jayson Richardson for being chosen tonight as “Sheriff of the Year” by KSLA News 12, for their first ever First Responders Awards Recognition Banquet! Many amazing nominations were sent in, and our own Sheriff of DeSoto Parish was selected and awarded! We thank KSLA for holding such a great event, and to all of the great first responders nominated and awarded tonight that protect us day in and day out. Here is what the Staff of the DeSoto Sheriff’s Office submitted, to Sheriff Richardson’s surprise: “We nominate DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jayson Richardson for Sheriff of the Year! In his first term, being sworn in as the youngest Sheriff in Louisiana, Sheriff Richardson did not allow his young age to slow him down. He immediately founded the Bringing Joye Program for those living in our community with Special Needs, and founded the Friends of the Sheriff Special Needs Decal Program both of which have become successful on a local and now national scale.

On September 11th, 2001 “9-11”, 19 suicide bombers linked with the Islamic extremist group al-Quaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York City. A third plane hit the Pentagon just outside of Washington, D.C and the fourth plane intended to crash into the Capital Building, or possibly The White House, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania when passengers were able to divert that target, but dying as heroes.

The 9-11 Attacks

On Tuesday morning of September 11, 2001, at 8:45 AM, the United States suffered a terrorist attack when an American Airlines Boeing 767 filled with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center (also known as WTC) in New York City.

These terrorist attacks became known as 9/11, which is how the American date of September 11 is written.

132 students from 38 Louisiana parishes are among the new students who were enrolled during a traditional ceremony held on Friday, Aug. 30 Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) officially welcomed 132 new students representing 58% of the state’s parishes during its 42nd annual Matriculation Ceremony held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30 at A.A. Fredericks Auditorium on the campus of Northwestern State University. From a pool of more than 200 applicants statewide, 140 students were invited to attend the tuition-free, state-funded residential school for high-achieving, academically motivated students.

This group of new students includes 77 new sophomores, 50 new juniors, and five new seniors. Matriculants joined LSMSA leadership onstage to sign the school’s enrollment roster, a tradition that officially enshrines each of their places in the school’s 41-year history.

On July 18, 2024, a tractor was stolen in Stonewall, LA. Investigators with the DeSoto Sheriff’s Office are requesting help from the public in an effort to identify the two pictured suspects (one white male and one white female) who are believed to be involved in this crime. Crime Stoppers is willing to pay up to $1,000 for any information that would lead to the identification or arrest of one or both suspects involved in this crime. You can send in a tip anonymously using one of the following methods: — IN THE APP: You can go to Forms & Tips on the Home Screen of our App, and tap on Submit A Tip to fill out a short form.

— BY PHONE: You may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-505-7867, or call our office directly and ask for an investigator at 318-872-3956.

— WEBSITE: You can go to www.P3Tips. com to submit a tip.

Tips will remain anonymous, but in order to get paid we may need to make contact with you somehow.

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? Organizers are making plans to help you out and have announced the date for the first event of its kind to wind through DeSoto Parish and end in Joaquin, Texas. The “Fifty Mile Trail of Treasures” will be a continuous yard sale, with vendors setting up on Hwy 171 in Stonewall, where they will continue through Mansfield. Shoppers 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 lying at the end of the trail.

Join us at BackAlley Community Theatre in Grand Cane as we present Drinking Habits by Tom Smith, the weekends of September 20 and 27. To save the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing Convent financially, two enterprising nuns have taken it upon themselves to turn grapes into wine and sell it to local residents. However, Mother Superior loathes alcohol, and two journalists work tirelessly to expose this rumor. Things go haywire very quickly, and the action gets crazier and crazier.

Terry Sparks recently performed in the sell-out performance of Terry, Rocky, and Friends. She is a long-time favorite of BackAlley, having performed in our popular music shows Double Trouble, Patsy Cline, and Classics. She has performed in multiple plays including Dashing Through the Snow, Rumors, and Southern Fried Funeral. Terry has directed many shows including Chapter II and Farce of Nature. Terry sings with Rose Park Baptist Church Choir and is a retired registered nurse, living in Grand Cane.

Dy. Coleman Caston — Logansport High School

Each week the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office will be sharing a little more information about your SRO’s at each of the DeSoto Parish Schools! This week, we’d like to introduce you to Dy. Caston who graduated from Stanley, has served at North DeSoto, and this year can be found roaming the halls of Logansport High School! We hope you share these with your kiddos so they can “Get to Know their SRO’s” a little better!

Last week, a Trooper assigned to Troop A was on patrol and observed a vehicle cross the divider line while traveling south on Interstate 110 in East Baton Rouge Parish. A traffic stop was initiated, and the driver was identified as 28-year-old Isaiah Gilbert of Hammond. At the time of the arrest, Gilbert was on leave following a separate incident on March 10, 2024, where he was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated (1st Offense) and Careless Operation. Gilbert has been employed with the Louisiana State Police since 2021.

During the DWI investigation this morning, Gilbert was transported to Troop A, where he gave a breath sample, which registered above the legal limit. He was transported to the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail and booked on the following charges: Improper Lane Usage, Driving While Intoxicated (2nd Offense), Driving While Under Suspension for Certain Offenses, Simple Damage to Property, and Open Container.

DeSoto Parish Cattlemen’s Association Quarterly Meeting will be held Tuesday, August 27 at 6:00 p.m. To register contact John Salley at jsalley@agcenter.lsu.edu or 318-872-0533. The event location is at DeSoto Parish Extension Office, 10117 Hwy 171 in Grand Cane.

Speakers and their topics include Harry Richardson, District Sales Manager of Lonestar Feed; Brett Richard, Account Manager of Ridley Block Operations; and Joshua Salley, County Agent, LSU AgCenter Update. Dinner will be provided.