BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana health officials are reporting a significant increase in cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health, more than 100 cases have been reported statewide, resulting in six hospitalizations.
Despite the increase, health officials say Louisiana has not experienced the rapid growth in cases reported in some other states.
Historically, the state has seen approximately 35 cases annually over the past five years.
Cyclospora infections commonly cause symptoms including:
Severe diarrhea
Frequent bowel movements
Stomach cramps
Nausea
Fatigue
Health officials encourage residents to practice proper food handling and hygiene to help reduce the risk of infection.
NATCHITOCHES, La. — Motorists should prepare for periodic delays as the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development begins a roadway improvement project across several parishes.
The approximately $1.1 million project includes new pavement striping and rumble strip installation on highways throughout the region.
Roadways affected include:
U.S. Highway 71 in Grant, Natchitoches, and Winn parishes
Louisiana Highway 8 in Sabine Parish
Louisiana Highway 120 in Natchitoches Parish
Louisiana Highway 3191 in Natchitoches Parish
Louisiana Highway 174 in Natchitoches Parish
Work is scheduled to begin Aug. 3 and may cause traffic delays in affected areas.
Drivers are encouraged to use caution near work zones and allow additional travel time.
NATCHITOCHES, La. — Students across northwest Louisiana will soon be returning to the classroom as school districts prepare to begin the 2026-27 academic year.
Classes are scheduled to begin:
Red River Parish: Aug. 3
DeSoto Parish: Aug. 6
Natchitoches Parish: Aug. 10
Sabine Parish: Aug. 10
Vernon Parish: Aug. 10
With the new school year approaching, families are also making transportation plans. The Natchitoches Parish School Board has posted bus transportation information on its website.
Parents can find route and transportation details for individual schools by visiting:
npsb.la/page/transportation
School officials encourage families to review transportation information before the first day of classes.
Registration Rally helps nontraditional students return to college at NSU’s CENLA campus
One-stop event connected students with enrollment services and academic resources ahead of the fall semester.
NATCHITOCHES – Students preparing to begin or return to college completed enrollment steps, met with university staff and connected with campus resources during Registration Rally at Northwestern State University’s CENLA campus July 28. While the event served students from a variety of academic programs and backgrounds, many nontraditional students took advantage of the one-stop enrollment opportunity.
The event, held from 9 a.m. to noon, brought together representatives from Financial Aid, the Registrar’s Office, Student Accounting and Cashiering, Admissions, academic colleges and other university departments to answer questions and guide students through the enrollment process. By hosting Registration Rally in Alexandria, NSU provided students across central Louisiana with an opportunity to complete enrollment closer to home before classes begin.
Vanner Erikson, director of Enrollment, said Registration Rally helps students complete every step of the enrollment process in one visit.
“Registration Rally is a fantastic event for students of all types,” Erikson said. “We will help you through every process that you need, and that begins with simply applying and goes all the way through registration, finishing, of course, with an ID.”
Erikson said the event gives students confidence that they are ready to begin the semester.
“I think today’s event gives them the finality of, ‘Hey, you’re ready to roll,'” Erikson said. “I think that’s what’s cool. There are so many smiles when they walk out the door knowing that in three or four weeks, they’re going to be starting classes with us.”
Erikson said NSU’s satellite campuses serve many College of Nursing and School of Allied Health students, along with nontraditional students and those pursuing accelerated programs.
“Our satellite campuses are unique,” Erikson said. “We see a lot of our College of Nursing and School of Allied Health participants here, but you also see a lot of nontraditional students, which I love. I think there’s really no point in time that is not a good time to start school.”
Ebony Casey of Pineville attended Registration Rally as she prepares to return to college through an accelerated nursing program while raising her son.
“I joined the military my first summer to pay for college, and my plan was to do nursing,” Casey said. “I started nursing, but I got pregnant with my son during nursing school, so I didn’t finish the program. Life happened, parenting happened, and I just kind of steered away from it. I finally decided, ‘I’m going to go back to school full time,’ and I realized they had accelerated programs. It’s right here in Alexandria, it’s local, and they have everything I need.”
Casey said Registration Rally allowed her to complete multiple enrollment steps in one visit instead of trying to navigate the process on her own.
“I just haven’t had the time to get up here and make sure my stuff was in order,” Casey said. “I got an email about Registration Rally, and I thought, ‘Man, that’s perfect.’ You can do everything in one place. Financial aid, admissions, everything, and get it knocked out. You can just be complete and walk away feeling accomplished. It’s helped me see it through, things that I’ve been putting off that I should have already done and not leave until it’s finished.”
Erikson said students at NSU’s Alexandria, Shreveport and Leesville campuses have access to accelerated programs and other pathways designed to help them complete their education and enter or return to the workforce.
“There’s also a lot of students on our Alexandria, Shreveport and Leesville campuses that are doing some accelerated programs, fast tracks or unique ways to get back enrolled so that they can contribute to the workforce,” Erikson said. “I think it’s really important. There’s such a big role that our satellite campuses serve in who we are as Northwestern.”
Registration Rally is open to new and returning students and provides an opportunity to complete multiple enrollment steps during one visit before the semester begins.
Registration for the fall semester will continue through Aug. 16. Late registration, during which additional fees apply, will continue through Aug. 25. Information about registration is available at vic.nsula.edu.
CENLA Registration Rally
An academic advisor assists a student during Registration Rally at Northwestern State University’s CENLA campus July 28.
NSU student Cannon Hatcher wins cornhole world championship
NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University student Cannon Hatcher is not only a champion in the sport of cornhole. He is now considered royalty.
Hatcher was recently named “King of Cornhole” after winning the World Singles title at the American Cornhole Organization World Championships in Owensboro, Kentucky. Hatcher, a computer information systems major from Goldonna, was ranked number 1,027 in the world standings going into the championships but kept winning and advancing before claiming the title.
“It was an interesting experience,” said Hatcher. “I was so locked into the game that whenever it was over I felt like I had another game ready to play. Though once the moment set in, it was awesome to see my success of over the week.”
Cornhole is a popular lawn game and competitive sport where players take turns throwing fabric bean bags at an inclined wooden board to hit the target or go through the hole. Wooden boards are placed 27 feet apart with bags landing on the board scoring one point and three points if it goes in the hole.
Hatcher has played competitively for almost six years
“I’ve participated in major competitions since I started but didn’t find any success until after about one to two years of consistent playing and practice,” said Hatcher.
NSU has created a cornhole club team to give students the opportunity to play, compete, and earn a scholarship after competing in the collegiate nationals. Hatcher is the team’s president.
“People prefer the sport of cornhole over other sports due to the camaraderie and sportsmanship that many of the players have,” said Hatcher. “The social aspect of the game is what keeps it enjoyable.”
Joyce Marie Gallien, 78, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, passed away at LSU Medical Center-Shreveport on 17 July 2026.
Born June 10, 1948, in Cloutierville, to the late Sammy Gallien and Gestina LaBomme- Gallien. Joyce was known for her unmistakable, strong will, generous heart, and unforgettable personality. She was preceded in death by her parents, her former husband Thomas James Aught, and several brothers and sisters.
Joyce leaves to cherish her precious memory her loving children, Stephanie Warren (DuJuan), Monakisha Moore (Marquise), Laura LaCour-McDaniel (Derek), and Calvin LaCour. She also forever carried in her heart the memory of her precious infant son, Willfred Frederick, who preceded her in death at just seventeen days old She was the proud and devoted grandmother of Jasmine, Courtney (D’Angelo), Alonzo, Deondrae, Kedric, Khan, and Savannah. Her greatest joy continued to multiply as she became the loving great-grandmother of Kennedi, Jameson, Jaxson, Maliyah, Allysa, and Rhylie. Each child held a special place in her heart, and each one was loved beyond measure.
She is survived by her beloved sisters, Mary Carter, Kimberly Myles, Jackie Dooley, her devoted brother, Kenneth Brown, and a host of cherished nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and dear friends whose lives were forever enriched by her love.
A lifelong and devoted Catholic, Joyce was a faithful member of St. Anthony Catholic Church. Her faith was not something she practiced, it was the foundation upon which she built her life. Through every joy and every hardship, she trusted God’s plan, leaned on prayer, and lived with humility, compassion, and unwavering devotion. Joyce’s greatest legacy is the love she poured into her family. Her strength, independent spirit, and fierce love will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew her. While words can never fully capture a woman as remarkable as Joyce, those who knew her will forever remember the aroma of her home-cooked meals, the birds gathered faithfully outside her window, the familiar sound of Gunsmoke playing during quiet mornings, and the unmistakable Southern voice that could always be recognized before she entered a room. Her legacy lives on in every value she instilled, every tradition she began, every life she touched, and every generation that follows because of the sacrifices she made.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home. Viewing and mass will be held at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church (911 5th St, Natchitoches) starting at 9:00 AM. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 10 AM with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10:30 AM. Entombment will follow at St. Augustine Catholic Cemetery Mausoleum in Isle Brevelle, LA.
BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley has sent a letter to school districts across the state encouraging administrators to maintain safe and orderly learning environments and to strictly enforce anti-bullying policies.
The letter urges school leaders to address disruptive behavior and ensure that comprehensive anti-bullying policies are implemented and enforced in accordance with state law.
Brumley said the communication was intended to be proactive and was not sent in response to a specific incident.
The letter follows the Louisiana Legislature’s passage of a resolution encouraging school systems to strengthen enforcement of anti-bullying provisions contained in student codes of conduct.
Education officials say maintaining safe classrooms remains a priority as students and teachers prepare for the upcoming school year.
Louisiana Folklife Center inducts three into Hall of Master Folk Artists NATCHITOCHES – A blues musician, a filé maker and a pine needle basket maker were inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center’s Hall of Master Folk Artists during an induction ceremony held at Northwestern State University as part of the 46th Annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival. Inductees included blues musician Wayne “Blue” Burns, who also served as honorary Festival chair, filé maker Dustin Fuqua and Choctaw basket maker Becky Thomas-Meziere. Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the Louisiana Folklife Center at NSU, led the induction ceremony. Burns has been playing music all his life. He is a world-famous bassist, but the blues guitar is his thing. A native of Lafayette, Burns credits Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller as two of his favorite musical influences. Burns has performed with many artists but is most famous for nearly 20 years as bassist for Clifton Chenier, the King of Zydeco. He has also performed with Ernie K-Doe, The Larks, Betty Wright, Buckwheat and the Hitchhikers, Lil Buck Senegal, Jude Taylor, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas, Walter Junior, The RoadDoctor and a decade with C.J. Chenier, Clifton Chenier’s son. In his career, Burns has performed in all 50 states and in South America, Europe, Asia and Africa, and is one of the first African Americans to perform in East Berlin after the Wall came down. Burns’ proudest moment came in 1982 when he played bass on Clifton Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band’s Grammy-winning album, “I’m Here!” With roots in Avoyelles Parish and formal training as an anthropologist, Fuqua has spent over two decades documenting and commemorating the living traditions of Louisiana’s diverse communities. Whether through cultural resource management, oral history interviews, or work with museum collections and material culture, he brings a deep reverence for sense of place in all things he does – particularly in his efforts to elevate the importance of traditional ecological knowledge. His research and hands-on work explore the links between nature and culture, ecology, seasonal cycles, and traditional food preservation – all rooted in a respect for the Native, Creole, and African diasporic contributions to the gumbo filé legacy. Becky Thomas-Meziere is a traditional pine needle basket maker of Choctaw descent currently living in Natchitoches parish, Louisiana. Becky is also an enrolled member of the Clifton Choctaw Tribe with family ties to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. As a young child Becky’s mother handed down the traditional Native American methods and techniques of gathering long leaf pine needles from the local forest, how to use raw material to make baskets, and the art of weaving. A renowned master basket weaver with over 30 years of experience, Becky has received numerous awards, the most recent being The Diverse Heritage Award from The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation (LTHP). Her baskets are in private and public collections throughout the world including The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. She has demonstrated her traditional art form of pine needle basket making in multiple juried art shows and festivals such as The New Orleans JazzFest Native American Village and the annual Tunica Biloxi Tribe Intertribal Basketry Summit. She is currently active in promoting awareness of traditional pine needle basket making and the importance of passing down this rare art form to younger generations. There are now 145 members in the Hall of Master Folk Artists, which was started in 1981. This year’s festival theme was “America the Beautiful.” The festival is held annually in air-conditioned Prather Coliseum on the Northwestern State University campus. Next year’s festival, to be held on July 17, 2027, will recognize many artists young and old who are keeping tradition alive in Louisiana, and will feature Cajun music by the Holiday Playgirls and T Marie and Bayou Juju, zydeco by Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners, bluegrass by the Spring Chickens, Celtic music by Emerald Accent, country and western swing by Hugh Harris and the Dancehall Disciples, western and Americana music by The Western Troubadours and a special performance by Danza Azteca, as well as the annual Louisiana State Fiddle Championship. For more information, call the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332, email [email protected], or online at http://louisianafolklife.nsula.edu/. Support for the Festival was provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the State of Louisiana. Support also came from generous sponsorships from Alliance Compressors, Atmos Energy, C&H Precision Machining, City Bank, the City of Natchitoches, Cleco, Evans Family, LLC, the Family Doctors of Natchitoches, the Harrington Law Firm, Ronnie’s Auto Glass and Collision Center, Natchitoches Wood Preserving Company and Young Estate, LLC. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the program did not necessarily represent those of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. Caption 2026 Louisiana Folklife Center Hall of Master Folk Artists Inductees, from left, Becky Thomas-Meziere, Wayne Blue Burns and Dustin Fuqua with Louisiana Folklife Center director Dr. Shane Rasmussen.
