Offers Due by: Friday, September 13, 2024 at 3:00 pm Central Time
Closing Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 3:00 pm Central (or sooner)
Land Offered: Approximately 2,837.896+/- acres. (comprised of several tracts)
Contact: henry@echotitlecompany.com
Phone: 318-236-6000
WHEN: Saturday, August 31, 2024
TIME: 9 AM
WHERE: 100 Starkway Rd, Coushatta, Louisiana
Partial Listing: (8) Power Generation 30KW Generators, Cummings Engine ~ Approx 50 Solar Solutions Panels ~ Job Boxes ~ Bottle Racks ~ Testing Equipment ~ Valves & Fittings ~ Fuel Tanks ~ Power Units ~ Truck Beds ~ Metal Tables ~ Pipe Racks ~ Lots of Rolls of Electrical Wire ~ Approx 2000 Joints of 2 3/8 inch pipe (lots unused) ~ 500 Joints 2 inch Pipe ~ Log Mats ~ Approx 200 Joints of 3 & 4 inch pipe ~ Approx 300 Joints of 6 inch pipe ~ 50 Joints 10 inch Pipe ~ GN Flatbed Trailers ~ Haul Mark Bumper Enclosed Trailer ~ Cat D5G Dozer, cab/air ~ Ford 575 Loader Backhoe ~ (5) Ford Service Trucks ~ Several other trucks ~ (2) Diamond T GN Dump Trailers ~ Several Bumper Trailers ~ Approx 15 Big Standup Metal Vessels ~ (7) 10,000 Gallon Water Tanks on Skid ~ Irrigation 6 inch Pipe Reels ~ 40ft & 20ft Metal Storage Containers
For more information, call Rex at 318-648-8509 or 318-471-0962 or visit us online at:
www.proxibid.com/lasyone
There’s something for everyone!! We hope to see you there!!
Rex Lasyone, LA lic#:1549, TX lic#: 16267
(Liquidation of Coushatta equipment yard location only)
Directions to Auction Site ~ From Coushatta:
Hwy 71N, go 1 mile, Take Y in the road to the right on Hwy 371 North, go 4 miles, take right on Hwy 786, sale site will be 2 miles on the left. Follow the SWN Entergy signs.
I learned what Rene Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am.” I’m still not sure what Rene was getting at, but it sounds good. If you say it in Latin, “Cogito ergo sum” you can sound very intellectual, while not wholly understanding the concept.
I’m a more pedestrian thinker. My version of it is, “I drive, therefore I am.” I should have kept up with all the miles I have put on vehicles. I live twenty-three minutes from the church. I spend nearly an hour in the car each day going to and from the office. I love my commute on I-20. I have prayer time in the morning and again in the afternoon. There are times that I’m praying for the driver in front of me, that they would quit being “doubleminded” and put their foot on the accelerator. I have also called upon the name of the Lord when the driver in the left lane suddenly cuts across my lane to exit the interstate quickly. I’ll wager they are thinking, “I signaled, didn’t I?”
For the past weeks from roughly the Bienville Parish line to the city limits of Ruston a little work has been going on. The trees on the side of the interstate are being removed. There is heavy equipment involved in the clearing of the shoulder. The contractor is cutting the trees down and then a machine comes and turns the tree into mulch. For miles, this crew is transforming the shoulder of the interstate. They are also removing the trees from the median of the interstate.
My first thought, when I saw the equipment, was I needed one of those.
My view has changed as the trees have disappeared.
The trees were allowed to grow too close to the road. I don’t know that factually, but it is an educated guess. This trimming allows for a margin of grass to separate drivers from trees that might fall in some kind of storm. It is visually appealing and calming.
Who would have thought that margin was important on the Interstate? Margin is the edge or border of something. The page you are reading has some kind of margin. If it did not, your brain would revolt at the visual effrontery. We need a margin around the page to read. I’m learning that margin around the road is important too.
How about margin in your life? How are you getting it all done? Are you taking time to reflect? To rest? To pray?
I’m going to translate what Jesus said, in your Bibles it is transliterated.
Jesus said, “Rest (The Sabbath) was created for humanity, not humanity for the rest. (Sabbath.) Sabbath, rest, downtime, relaxing, or if you will margin, is a gift from God that allows you to renew yourself and to discover God’s grace in the simple things of life.
Take time off, it will change your view of the journey.
Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston. You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com
There are also plans for enhancements around Lake Buhlow directly across the highway.
You see, Teddy Ray Price is moving his corporate headquarters in Winnfield for Central Management Company (CMC), which operates 22 nursing homes throughout Louisiana, to Pineville, on the grounds of the former Central Louisiana State Hospital. He also has plans to build a state-of-the-art Hilltop Nursing Home on (get this) the hilltop beyond the 20,000-square-foot office area. Both projects represent an investment of $35 million.
Price said there are a few reasons he decided on the move. Many who work on the office staff are from Alexandria or Pineville and have had to commute to and from work. It’s also easier to recruit new workers from Alexandria and Pineville than from Winnfield. And, finally, it makes it more efficient to have Pineville as a home base than Winnfield since more of their business “takes them south rather than north” in Louisiana. Pineville was also closer to move to from Winnfield than Alexandria.
This move was made possible when Central began moving a reduced population of patients from its old location, which was built in 1906, to its new location off Esler Field Road. That’s on state property near the Louisiana Army National Guard grounds formerly known as Camp Beauregard. The new Central facility occupies 10 acres compared to its previous 500 acres.
The location change opened the possibility for the Pineville Downtown Development District to work with the state to “repurpose the land,” as Pineville Mayor Rich Dupree says, “for either commercial or residential purposes.” The city had its first such deal three years ago with the opening of the Y Not Stop on the interstate side of the old hospital grounds. And last year, Giles Hyundai relocated its new car dealership from Alexandria to Pineville, to the right of the Y Not Stop, just as you cross the Curtis-Coleman Bridge coming into Pineville.
Central’s location change also opened the opportunity to move water and sewer line services to the opposite side of the highway by Lake Buhlow. The newest additions by the lake are two beach volleyball courts, which will soon be open for play.
“We’ve been told that beach volleyball is very competitive in other areas and is very popular in north Louisiana and south Louisiana,” said Dupree. “This will bring folks to this area, not to mention the (Pineville) Municipal Airport, which is about to have a $2 million project to overlay the runway.” Money for that project, Dupree says, comes from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s Aviation Division.
Another possibility for the Lake Buhlow area is a restaurant beside the lake, which sounds as if Pineville could have its own version of Mariner’s or Tunk’s. Might even nurture a future Thoreau to write about “Buhlow Pond.”
“Multiple developers,” says Dupree, have inquired about the availability of a sub-lease to the property for such a dining experience.
We can dream. And this dreaming started with a site plan for Central Management Company from the architectural firm of Ashe, Broussard and Weinzettle.
“Development begets new development,” says Dupree, who offers another vision that some have already heard about but might be new to many of you.
It’s a retirement community. For folks 55 and older. Such an investment now is worth $60 million. “Prospects are on the table,” says Dupree, for this senior living area with 132 units. “We’re working with the state to find the right 22 acres to do that.”
And the location? On the grounds of the old Central State Hospital. Not far from the iconic Central Louisiana State Hospital Dairy Barn, recently renovated to its early 1920s luster.
They’re going to “milk” this renovation and expansion thing at Central for all its worth.
(Yet another project from Price’s company is the construction that started July 1 on the replacement for the Naomi Heights Nursing Home on Versailles Road in Alexandria, to be called Belle Grande, expected to be finished in 2026. It will be modeled after CMC’s Cypress Point Nursing Home in Bossier City.)
By Brad Dison
At about 7:00 on the morning of August 21, 1911, Vincenzo arrived at work as usual. Over his clothes he wore his white smock, the same as all other employees at the museum wore. On the surface, there was nothing to signify that this day would be any different than any other, but Vincenzo had a plan. While working at the museum, Vincenzo became obsessed with the idea of stealing one of the Italian paintings and returning it to Italy. He realized that no one would suspect him because he had worked at the museum for over four years. On that Monday morning, Vincenzo waited until the room was unoccupied, then put his plan into motion. He took the painting off the wall and carried it to a nearby stairway where he removed it from its frame. He hid the discarded frame among some student artworks which were sitting on the landing of the staircase. Vincenzo was unable to roll the painting up because the artist had painted it on a piece of wood. Vincenzo wrapped his white smock around the painting, tucked it under his arm, and walked out the same door that he had entered earlier that morning. When other employees noticed the empty spot on the wall where the painting had been hung, they notified the police. They ushered the visitors out with the ruse that a water pipe had burst.
Police searched the building and found the painting’s discarded frame. They questioned all of the museum’s permanent employees as well as temporary employees such as bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, and glaziers. Police visited Vincenzo at his apartment and questioned him. When questioning the museum’s employees revealed no leads, investigators figured they had missed something and repeated the process. Once again, investigators visited Vincenzo’s apartment and questioned him, but they found no reason to suspect Vincenzo. Vincenzo gave them permission to search his apartment, which disarmed suspicion. Had investigators glanced inside a large trunk which sat just inches from them in the apartment, they would have found nothing incriminating. However, if they had noticed that the trunk had a false bottom, they would have solved the crime.
As per his plan to not raise suspicion, Vincenzo continued working at the museum for two more years. In 1913, Vincenzo left his job at the museum. He tried to sell the stolen painting to various dealers in London and Paris, and even offered it to a representative of American financier J.P. Morgan, none of which notified the authorities. On November 28, 1913, Vincenzo wrote a letter to art dealer Alfred Geri, owner of the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Florence and offered to sell him the stolen painting. Alfred agreed to meet once Vincenzo was in Florence. Vincenzo took the trunk with its hidden cargo to Florence. On December 11, 1913, Alfred watched as Vincenzo removed the painting from the false bottom of the trunk. After inspecting the painting, Alfred and Vincenzo purportedly came to some agreement on price and Alfred left the room. Alfred immediately notified the police of the stolen painting and its hiding place. Acting on Alfred’s tip, police arrested Vincenzo and slid the painting out from its hiding place. The face in the painting seemed to almost smile as if happy to have been rescued.
During questioning, Vincenzo claimed he had no accomplices and explained that accomplices were not necessary. “I did not take the painting from a desire to gain from it,” he told authorities, “but wished to accomplish a good and holy work by returning to my country one of the many treasures stolen from it.” Vincenzo said he thought he should receive adequate compensation for returning the painting to Italy. He neglected to mention that he had tried to sell the painting to people in three other countries before offering it to a dealer in Italy.
Thus ended what some people have described as the greatest art theft of the 20th century. The painting that Vincenzo stole was certainly prominent in the art world, but the painting’s theft and eventual return took the painting to another level. For two years, people all around the world saw pictures of the painting and followed the investigation in newspapers. Before it was returned to France, the painting was exhibited in art galleries throughout Italy to jubilant crowds. When it was returned to France, the celebrations were even larger. Crowds viewed the painting in a sort of modern concert atmosphere with pushing and shoving and everyone vying for a better view. Little has changed in the past century. Throngs of people still visit that same museum, the Louvre, to see that same painting. Because of Vincenzo Peruggia’s theft, we can instantly produce a mental image of what is arguably the most famous painting in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
Sources:
1. The Baltimore Sun, August 23, 1911, p.13.
2. The Kansas City Star, August 22, 19011, p.4.
3. The Tampa Tribune, December 14, 1913, p.81.
4. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 15, 1913, p.6.
5. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 26, 1913, p.15.
July 30, 1938 – August 23, 2024
Funeral services for Mr. Errol Lynn Aymond will be held on Wednesday, August 28th, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at Oak Grove Community Church in Effie, Louisiana with Pastor Clovis Christman officiating. Interment will be held at Oak Grove Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Marksville.
Mr. Aymond, age 86, of Effie passed away peacefully at his home in the presence of his family on Friday, August 23rd, 2024. He is preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Thelma McNeal Aymond; daughter, Donna Renee Aymond; and one grandchild, Joshua Martin Ramirez.
He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and uncle, and mentor and friend to all who knew him. He was born and raised in Effie and spent his childhood years with his family and cousins riding stick horses which led to his life-long passion as a rancher. He graduated from Lafargue High School, then Louisiana College, and began his teaching and coaching career at Buckeye High School. While at Buckeye, Errol Lynn forged lasting relationships with his players. He finished his career as a teacher and coach at Lafargue High School where again he established long-lasting relationships with his players. After retiring from Lafargue, Errol devoted his time to farming and ranching.
Errol Lynn was a life-long member of Oak Grove Church where he led singing for over 50 years. He also donated his time and attention to the Oak Grove and French cemetery board. He believed in sharing with others the blessings he received by generously giving and supporting many organizations such as St. Jude’s and the Methodist Children’s Home in Monroe.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 65 years, May Bullard Aymond; son, Lynn Aymond (Andrea) of Effie; daughters, Melanie Morgan (Brad) of Natchitoches and Vanessa Hogan (Paul) of Center Point; one sister, Teddie Jo Bordelon (Kenneth) of Vick; seven grandchildren, Kara Brown, Chad Morgan, Martin Ramirez, Cortlynn Ramirez, Jace Aymond, Jaxson Aymond and Jacob Aymond; and seven great grandchildren.
Visitation will be held in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home on Tuesday, August 27th, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Pallbearers honored to serve will be Chad Morgan, Martin Ramirez, Cortlynn Ramirez, Jace Aymond, Jaxson Aymond, Jacob Aymond and Jacob Brown.