News

On Wednesday, April 6, DeSoto School Superintendent Clay Corley sadly reported, “It is with great sadness to announce DeSoto Parish School Board Member Reverend L.J. Mayweather, Jr. passed away Tuesday, April 7 following a recent illness.”

Mayweather, first elected in 1980, served District 11 proudly. Many of those years, he served as a Board Officer, including President of DeSoto Parish School Board.

Fellow Member, Donnie Dufour stated,“L.J. set the standards when it came to representing his constituents. I am blessed to have served with him for over 30 years.”

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Sheriff Jayson Richardson has reported that on April 5, the DeSoto Parish Sheriff ’s office wrote citations to 15 people who were in a group gathered on horseback and in vehicles in South Mansfield. Deputies had responded to a complaint that more than 30 people, 20 horses, and a dozen vehicles were gathered at the end of Albert Lewis Way.

Upon DPSO’s arrival, some of those gathered began to scatter but deputies were able to detain the majority who received misdemeanor court summons for being in violation of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ stay at home order limiting gatherings of no more than 10 people.

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On March 25, Sheriff Jayson Richardson sadly reported that DeSoto Parish had suffered its first COVID-19 related death, a 77-year-old Mansfield woman.

Richardson said that died early Thursday, March 26, and he expressed his and DPSO’s condolences to the family during this tragic loss.

He continued, with that said he wanted to say thank you to DPSO and other essential workers who are doing such a fantastic job keeping DeSoto Parish going.

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Texas Governor Greg Abbot issued an Executive Order on Sunday, March 29, closing all entry points from Louisiana into Texas to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Locally, Constable Roy Cheatwood stated at noon on March 30, traffic proceeding into Texas would be checked and required to quarantine if they enter Texas. The only exceptions are “commercial activity, military service, emergency response, health response, or critical-infrastructure functions”. If you have questions you can call Texas DPS for info at 512-424-2080.

State Fire Marshal H. “Butch” Browning, in collaboration with Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, has issued a statewide cease and desist order for all private burning, pursuant to authority under R.S. 40: 1602. Private burning shall only be allowed by permission of the local fire department or local government. This order is effective as of 8 a.m., March 25, 2020 and shall remain in effect until rescinded.

“This burn ban is necessary to supplement the governor’s ‘stay home’ order aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 due to the anticipation that there may be an increase in open burning occurring across the state as families look for ways to pass the time at home,” said State Fire Marshal H. “Butch” Browning, “This order will assist in preventing potential fire-related dangers that could result in unnecessary fire service response as well as diminish airborne irritants caused by burning.”

DeSoto Parish EMS Station 6 recently broke ground for construction for a facility in Keachi on Highway 5, adjacent to the U. S. Post Office. This will place it in close proximity to the four-way intersection, where LA 172 heads west to the Texas state line, LA 789 heads north toward Spring Ridge, and LA 5 turns to the east providing emergency vehicles to proceed in any direction quickly.

According to DeSoto EMS Administrator Joe Magee, Station 6 will house a DeSoto EMS medical unit (ambulance) crew in addition to DeSoto Fire District 2 occupying the other half with a fulltime fire fighter crew. The two first responder groups have entered into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement to provide emergency services to the citizens of Northwest Louisiana.

Most Louisiana utility customers put at economic risk by coronavirus won’t have to lose service for missing a payment, thanks to an emergency order by the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

The LPSC issued an order drafted by commission Executive Secretary Brandon Frey on Friday. It directs Entergy, Cleco and SWEPCO — and a host of other electric, natural gas, telephone, water and sewer companies regulated by the LPSC — to immediately stop disconnecting customers for non-payment of their bills.

The comprehensive order covers millions of utility customers across all parts of Louisiana. It only exempts situations where concerns of public safety cause a utility to disconnect a customer, such as a gas leak. It will remain in place until the LPSC changes or revokes it.