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Former Village of Longstreet Clerk Kristen Jackson Thompson appears to have paid herself excess wages totaling $35,428 from January 23, 2019 to May 19, 2021. According to Mayor Wanda Sue Field, s. Thompson was authorized to work a maximum of 30 hours per week; however, available time sheets show that Ms. Thompson paid herself an average of 46 hours per week during this period. By paying herself for excessive hours, Ms. Thompson may have violated state laws.

On Saturday, April 30, Mansfield Mayor John Mayweather, Sr.-D, was unseated by challenger Thomas Jones-D with 920 votes (60%) to Mayweather’s 625 (40%). Jones is currently serving on the DeSoto Parish Police Jury for District 1-B. He will have to resign from that position to fulfill the duties of Mayor.

Also scheduled on the ballot were two propositions for DeSoto Fire District 2 that were cancelled.

Local physician and DeSoto Parish Coroner Dr. Jeffrey Evans, is under investigation with the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The investigation focuses on the amount of controlled substances being dispensed through prescriptions. Other hospital employees also have been questioned.

No comments can be made to the media at this time by the related parties including Evans, the DEA and DeSoto Regional Health System, where Evans has been on staff for decades, even serving as Chief of Staff at one point.

The Board of Directors of DRHS was to meet regarding Evans as of this writing but information could not be updated before The Enterprise’s press time. The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners still lists Evan’s license as active with no discipline noted. The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy separately lists his status as current and without restriction or limitation.

The 2022 National Day of Prayer in DeSoto Parish will be at three locations again this year. Since the COVID Mandates ave been lifted, the DeSoto ceremonies will return to the North DeSoto Middle School gymnasium on Wednesday, May 4 at 6:00 p.m. Logansport will be holding theirs also on Thursday, at a new location. It will be held at the Logansport Branch Library at 6:30 p.m. Those closest to Mansfield can attend theirs that is scheduled for Thursday, May 5 at noon around the DeSoto Courthouse Square.

Local organizer of the event, Winter Case, said, “We are so happy to see our version of The National Day of Prayer return to DeSoto Parish. Stonewall’s worship will be led by Pastor Mike Hawkins of Salem Baptist Church, with Pastor Amador Santos of Hunter Magnolia Baptist Church leading the Logansport service. Mansfield’s event will be directed by retired minister Pastor Toby Shaw.

Jakalynn Taylor is a 15 year old missing juvenile from the Mansfield area. Jakalynn was last seen at his residence just before midnight on April 19, 2022. He was wearing a black hoodie and black pants, and he is believed to still be in the area. Jakalynn is considered to be a possible runaway, and not believed to be in immediate danger. His family is concerned for his safety, and would appreciate any information that may be helpful in his safe return home. If you have information that may assist investigators in this case, please contact 318-872-3956 and ask to speak with an investigator.

Thanks to the sponsorship of the DeSoto Parish Police Jury, Shreveport Green will provide DeSoto Parish residents a day of hazardous waste material collection to be held on Saturday, April 30, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. This year’s collection sites include Logansport, Grand Cane and Stonewall. The services provided by Shreveport Green return to the three locations that had the most participation from the public, and are strategically placed for the ease of usage for the yearly recycling opportunity.

DPPJ President Ernel Jones said that this would be the perfect opportunity to get rid of all those things cluttering your garage and storage unit. However, this collection is for residential waste only, and not for business or farm materials. Shreveport Green will have chemists, staff and volunteers available at the three locations, to help with the identification of your waste substances for proper disposal.

Mansfield Mayor John Mayweather (D) and candidate Thomas Jones (D), who currently serves on the DeSoto Parish Police Jury, will both be on the April 30, 2022 ballot. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. with voters going to their usual location to cast their ballots.

During the March 26 election, Jones received 626 (43%) to Mayweather’s 502 (34%). Former Mansfield Alderman Joseph Hall, Jr. (D) garnered 330 votes (23%). A total of 1,458, or 49.5%, turned out to cast their Mansfield mayoral votes. Since none of the three candidates received 51% of the vote, a runoff was declared between Mayweather and Jones.

DeSoto Fire District 2 will decide on two propositions, with one a tax continuation and the other a service charge for persons owing residential or commercial structures. The propositions read as follow:

Lady Griffins Punch Their Ticket to Sulphur with Walk Off 3 Run Homer from Laney Johnson; NDHS Wins 11 to 1. More photos on page 8 Photos by Madison Ruston

According to a report by LSU news service, three anti-vaccine bills ran into trouble with lawmakers Tuesday during lengthy debates.

Rep. Larry Bagley had proposed a bill that would make it a misdemeanor crime for government agencies and schools to discriminate against people based on their vaccine status.

The bill, House Bill 54, was aimed at blocking requirements for people to be vaccinated to access the premises. Bagley ended up returning the bill to the calendar, which means it will not be taken up again unless two-thirds of the House votes to reconsider it.

“I had hundreds of calls, as most of you did, too, in the past year…Friends…losing jobs,” Bagley said on the House floor. “I fully believe that you as an individual could have the right to choose.”

But other lawmakers pointed out problems with the bill concerning enforcement, charges and freedom of speech.

Mayor John Mayweather Sr.’s appointment of Captain Bryan L. Ross to the position of Fire Chief with the Mansfield Fire Department was brought before the City Council on February 28th.

Captain Ross has been employed with the city’s Fire Department since October 6, 2016. Since his employment, he has attained additional training and received certifications as a Firefighter II, a Fire Service Instructor and a licensed EMS practitioner in the State of Louisiana. He has expressed a desire to assume all the duties and responsibilities as Fire Chief of this Department. Motion Passed by the Mansfield City Aldermen unanimously.