Month: May 2026

Remembering ~Jean Kay Clark~

/ Miranda

Jean Kay Clark passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Jean was born on January 7, 1941, in Vowells Mill, Louisiana, to Bud and Hazel Kay.

Jean grew up in Vowells Mill in a home filled with love, laughter, and good food. She was the eldest of eight children, so she often took care of the younger siblings while her parents farmed. Jean graduated from Provencal High School in 1959. She married her husband, Billy C. Clark, on August 27, 1960, and they settled and built their home in Provencal, Louisiana. Their doors were always open to friends and family, and no one ever left without a warm meal or feeling welcomed. Jean took great pride in creating a home centered around faith, family, and togetherness.

She opened her business, Jean’s Beauty Shop in 1964, and she continued to cut and style hair throughout her life. Not only did Jean find joy in making others feel beautiful, but she also enjoyed the friendships that came along with it. You could always count on finding laughter and good conversation in her beauty shop.

Billy and Jean shared many passions during their long life together, three of those being riding Harley Davidson motorcycles, going to the dirt track races in Marthaville, Louisiana, and spending time at their camp on Black Lake. They both loved to hit the open road, with Jean riding on the back of Billy’s motorcycle as they traveled the highways together, enjoying the freedom of the ride and the scenery along the way. They rarely missed the dirt track races in Robeline, where Jean spent many nights cheering on Billy and her brothers from the stands. Some of their happiest times were spent at their camp on Black Lake, where they enjoyed fishing, cooking, relaxing by the water, and gathering with family and friends for laughter, stories, and unforgettable memories.

Later in life, Jean and Billy sold their home in Provencal and moved out to Harmony Road to be closer to family. If Jean wasn’t sitting out on her carport enjoying the weather, you could find her working in her garden or in her kitchen cooking and baking. Jean took great pride in her garden, and she would often make the best homemade meals with the vegetables she would grow. It was also not a rare sight to see Jean riding on her four-wheeler to hand deliver a fresh made pie to her brothers.

Jean is survived by her stepmother-in-law Dale Clark; brother Kenneth Kay and wife Nina; sister-in-law, Nell Miller and husband Bob, Paula Steranasky and husband Jack, and Vivian Wynn; sisters Mildred Wall, Mary Tucker, and Rhonda Rachal and husband Bob; brother-n-law Jerry Clark and wife Geraldine and Melvin Clark; nephews Brian Kay and wife Kim, Jeff Rachal and wife Jessica, and Robin Rachal and wife Heather; nieces Kim Colston and husband Dewayne, Carla Salard and husband Paul, Kellie Wall, Tracy Hodge and husband Jason, Paula Self and husband Donnie, and Lisa Baxter and husband Marcus. She is also survived by numerous great nieces and nephews that she adored and by many friends whom she loved dearly.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents Bud and Hazel Kay; her beloved husband Billy C. Clark; brothers Billy Kay and Paul Kay; sister Dorothy Kay Neitte Burt and her husband Edward “Frog” Neitte; and brothers-in-law Harold Wall, Robert Tucker, and Clyde Clark.

A graveside service to honor her life will be held at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at Friendship Cemetery near Provencal, LA.

National Weather Service Predicts Below‑Normal 2026 Hurricane Season

/ Miranda

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is officially underway, and the National Weather Service is forecasting a below‑normal year.

Meteorologists expect 8 to 14 named storms, with 3 to 6 becoming hurricanes. Of those, 1 to 3 could reach major hurricane status, producing winds of 111 mph or higher.

This year’s list of 21 storm names begins with Arthur and ends with Winfried. Hurricane season runs through November 30.

Highway 117 Roadwork Continues; New Surface Expected by Fall

/ Miranda

Roadwork continues along Highway 117 from Highway 6 in Natchitoches south toward Leesville. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development reports that crews are currently laying new asphalt, and a fresh driving surface is expected to be completed by fall.

Additional improvements are planned for the stretch between Highway 8 and Highway 118, covering nearly 20 miles of roadway.

NSU Rodeo Team Adds Two New Competitors and Welcomes New Coach

/ Miranda

Northwestern State University’s rodeo team is expanding its roster with two new athletes.

Sydney Romero of Welsh, Louisiana, is transferring from Texas A&M–Commerce and specializes in breakaway roping. Alisa Culpepper has also signed with the NSU team and will compete in barrel racing, goat tying, and breakaway roping.

The team will be coached by 14‑time National Finals Rodeo bronc rider Cody DeMoss as they compete under the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office Releases Latest Arrest Report

/ Miranda

The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office has released its most recent arrest report. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

  • Michelle Waldrop, 30, Black female — charged with simple battery.
  • Orion McGuire, 21, white male — charged with illegal possession of stolen firearms, possession of Schedule I narcotics, and weapons violations related to drugs or violence.
  • David Brown, 33, white male — charged with failure to appear.
  • Audis Ross, 55, white male — charged with possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a convicted felon, and criminal trespassing.

Underclass All‑Star Baseball Games Coming to Natchitoches June 1–3

/ Miranda

Natchitoches will host four all‑star teams made up of top underclass baseball players from across Louisiana next week. The Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association’s annual Underclassmen All‑Star Games will take place June 1–3 at Northwestern State University’s Brown–Stroud Field.

The event includes three games and a home run derby. College coaches from around the region are expected to attend, and several players are anticipated to receive scholarship offers or sign commitments following the showcase.

The American Revolution, Natchitoches, and Your Ancestry event on June 6

/ Miranda

The American Revolution, Natchitoches, and Your Ancestry event on June 6

NATCHITOCHES – In honor of American 250, Northwestern State University’s Creole Heritage Center is partnering with Louisiana Public Broadcasting to host “Galvez & The American Revolution – Natchitoches’ Connection” on Saturday, June 6.

This free event begins at 10:30 a.m. with a special look at the recent Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, David Schmidt and PBS documentary The American Revolution. Next, the Center has invited representatives from NSU’s Cammie G. Henry Research Center, Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, Natchitoches Genealogy and Historical Association, and Daughters of the American Revolution – Cane River Chapter to give brief presentations on resources they have for individuals interested in learning about their family history and projects on colonial Natchitoches history they have been working on.

After the presentations, light refreshments will be provided, and attendees can speak more with the presenters and visit NSU’s Williamson Museum and Creole Heritage Center. The Center also will have a scanning station set up where attendees can get free high-quality scans of documents or photographs made and help the Center expand its genealogical collection of its Resource Library.

“We hope attendees will be inspired by the stories of those who lived in Louisiana during this pivotal moment of U.S. history, as well as walk away with tools they can use to conduct research and record their own family histories whether or not they are Creole or connected to the American Revolution,” Dr. Kent Peacock, director of the Creole Heritage Center shared.

The event will take place in Kyser Hall on the campus of Northwestern State University. Parking is available in lots next to or across the street from Kyser Hall, all accessible via Sam Sibley Drive.

Special thanks to Louisiana Public Broadcasting, NSU’s School of Social Sciences & Applied Programs and the Natchitoches Visitors and Convention Bureau for helping make this event possible.

Contact the Creole Heritage Center at (318) 357-6685 or [email protected] for more information.

Report: Health Care Tops List of Highest-Paying Jobs in U.S.

/ Miranda

A new analysis by Business Insider shows that health care positions dominated the list of highest-paying jobs across the United States in 2025.

The report examined occupations with at least 1,000 employees in each state and ranked them by average annual wage.

Family medicine physicians were the highest-paying job in seven states, including Louisiana, where they earned an average salary of about $260,000 and employed just under 1,100 people.

The state with the highest-paying top job overall was Colorado, where airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers averaged nearly $300,000 annually. The aviation field employs more than 8,300 workers in that state.

Teacher Pay Raises Still Possible After Amendment Fails

/ Miranda

Louisiana teachers may still see pay raises despite voters rejecting a constitutional amendment that would have guaranteed them.

A newly formed 15‑member committee of education leaders will now examine potential adjustments to the state’s Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) to identify funding sources for teacher salary increases.

A separate task force is also reviewing higher education funding. Meanwhile, legislators have revised the state budget to restore funding for K–12 schools and colleges, while also increasing pay for prison guards.

Because the amendment failed, teachers will not receive the temporary stipend they had been earning in recent years.

State officials say the committee’s recommendations will determine whether raises can be implemented through the MFP instead of constitutional changes.

Marthaville Elementary–Junior High Names New Principal

/ Miranda

The Natchitoches Parish School Board has announced that Marthaville Elementary–Junior High School will welcome a new principal on July 1.

Laura Powell Strahan, who brings 30 years of experience in education, has been selected to lead the school. Strahan has served in multiple roles at Marthaville and was recognized as the school’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.

District officials say her leadership experience and long-standing commitment to students made her the clear choice for the position.