The City of Pineville is spreading holiday cheer with the return of the Pinecrest Christmas Lights display, a beloved local drive-through tradition featuring thousands of glowing lights and festive character cutouts.

City officials announced that the display is open nightly beginning at dusk, offering families a chance to enjoy a winter wonderland from the comfort of their vehicles.

Visitors are advised to plan ahead for peak traffic. The city notes that heavier congestion is expected between 7:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. due to a shift change at Pinecrest. Families hoping for a smoother ride through the display are encouraged to visit outside this window.

The City of Pineville encourages residents and guests to enjoy this long-standing holiday favorite at Pinecrest in Pineville, where the season shines bright every night.

COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE (CDL) – BPCC, Natchitoches Campus

Program Overview

This course prepares students for employment as professional commercial drivers and follows all Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Entry-Level Driver Training rules, regulations, and guidelines. Classroom theory and behind-the-wheel training will cover topics such as DOT rules and regulations, pre-trip and post-trip inspections, backing and maneuvering, day and night driving on rural, urban, and interstate highways, trip planning, logging hours, coupling and uncoupling, handling cargo, and defensive driving.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be eligible to test for one of the following licenses:

• CDL Class A-tractor-trailer
• CDL Class B-straight truck

A contracted state-approved examiner administers the final skills test.

To be eligible for this course, students must meet all the criteria listed below before they can begin their CDL training:

• be at least 18 years of age;
• have a valid LA Driver’s License with no flags or blocks;
• pass a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical and drug screen; and
• obtain a CDL Class A Permit through the LA Office of Motor Vehicles.

Classes will be Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM for 6 weeks.

Cohort 3         Monday, January 12, 2026 – Friday, February 20, 2026

Cohort 4         Monday, March 2, 2026 – Friday, April 10, 2026

What’s required, overview and estimated costs: Click Here > bpcc.edu/CDL

Enroll Today: https://www.bpcc.edu/academics/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics/commercial-drivers-license

Sherie Moore
CDL Program Coordinator
smoore@bpcc.edu
318-951-4506

Vernon Sykes
CDL Instructor
vsykes@bpcc.edu
318-951-4506

The Alexandria Lions Club wrapped up its final CubSight vision screenings of 2025 at Country Day School, assessing the eyesight of 65 young students.

As part of the statewide CubSight program, Lions Club volunteers conducted free screenings designed to detect early vision issues in children. Of the students screened, five were referred to an optometrist for further evaluation.

These no-cost screenings are made possible through the Louisiana Lions Eye Foundation, Inc., which partners with local Lions Clubs to provide early detection services and support children’s eye health across Louisiana.

The Alexandria Lions Club extends its appreciation to Country Day School and the families who participated, and looks forward to continuing its mission of service in the coming year.

This Christmas season, First United Methodist Church of Alexandria invites the community to experience The Light of Joy, a breathtaking Christmas cantata set in the historic sanctuary at 2727 Jackson Street—a storybook setting in the heart of the Garden District. This special holiday program is on Sunday, December 14 at 10am.

Stepping inside the church feels like entering a holiday illustration come to life: live poinsettias lining the chancel, a towering poinsettia tree, vintage decorations, glowing garlands, and soft lights that play against stained-glass windows. The sanctuary’s beauty—enhanced by the church’s extensive art collection—creates the perfect backdrop for a morning of wonder for all ages.

The program features the Chancel Choir with guest musicians and live orchestration, all arranged and directed by Elizabeth Nix, Music Ministry Director. An original narrative written by Rev. Kennon Pickett, Senior Pastor, ties the musical selections together with warmth, depth, and Advent joy. Guests will hear inspiring works including “I Wonder as I Wander,” “Breath of Heaven,” “Mary, Did You Know?,” and “This Holy Night.”

This special experience blends music and storytelling to draw listeners into the mystery and hope of Christ’s coming. It’s more than a concert—it’s a community celebration of the season’s beauty and meaning.

Following the cantata, all are welcome to a festive holiday reception in the Fellowship Hall.

Free and open to the public, this is an event designed to uplift, inspire, and bring joy to the whole family. Come experience the light, the music, and the wonder of Christmas at First UMC Alexandria.

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Services for Esther Sanson Weatherford will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, December 13, 2025, in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers, Pineville, with Reverend Jerry Crise and Dr. Jack West officiating. Burial will be in Bethel Cemetery.

The family requests visitation be held Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Hixson Brothers, Pineville from 11 a.m. until service time.

Mrs. Weatherford, 83, of Deville, passed from this life, Monday, December 8, 2025, at Oak Haven Community Care Center.

Her first job was being a loving mother and wife who would also take on the roles of substitute teacher, seamstress, and active member of various clubs and organizations across the community. She became a business owner and worked as a florist for several years. She was a member of Bethel Church and Eastern Star.

Preceded in death by her first husband, James Kent Sanson; sons, John Keith Sanson, Kevin Sanson; parents, Heaton Buzby Crammer and Earlena Esther Blasdell Crammer.

Left to cherish a lifetime of memories include her husband, Charlie Weatherford; sister, Carol L. Lawrence; brother, Robert Crammer; daughters, Melinda Rosier, Teresa Fairchild and husband, Donald; son, Karl Sanson and wife, Johanna; step-daughter, Dona Kay Johnsey; honorary son, Doug Dewey; grandchildren, Jon Fairchild, Laurin Fairchild, Luke Rosier, James Rosier, Kasey Sanson, Kash Sanson, Kent Sanson, Shelby Sanson; great grandchildren, Sophia Cassel, Blaize Cassel, Ripp Sanson, Koe Sanson, Walker Sanson and Caston Hudgens; step-grandchildren, Anthony Weatherford and Aaron Gibson; six step-great grandchildren, Charlie Weatherford, Connor Weatherford, Corrin Weatherford, Lily Gibson, Jackson Gibson and Oliver Gibson; and a host of other family members and friends.

Pallbearers honored to serve Kasey Sanson, Kash Sanson, Kent Sanson, Trell Dewey, Steven Cassel, and Luke Rosier. Honorary pallbearers will be Doug Dewey, Charlie Weatherford, James Rosier, Blaize Cassel and Connor Weatherford.

Funeral services for Mrs. Barbara “Bobbye” Lawson McGee will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at The Pentecostals of Alexandria, G. A. Mangun Center, with Reverend Anthony Mangun officiating. A time of visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Interment will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Ball, under the direction of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville.

Mrs. McGee, 86, of Alexandria, entered eternal rest on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Legacy Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Pollock.

She was a long-time member of the Pentecostals of Alexandria, where she faithfully taught Sunday School children for many years. A devoted educator, she served as a first-grade teacher in Rapides Parish for over forty years. She dearly loved the children she taught and carried many fond memories and stories with her throughout her life. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth McGee; her parents, Reverend Paul J. Lawson and Mary Lena Antee Lawson; two brothers, JD Lawson and Nerry Lawson; four sisters, Jean Himel, Fern Walley, Dianne Gauthier, and Sue Morris; and two brothers-in-law, Ray Himel and Donald Walley.

Those left to mourn her loss and cherish her memory include one son, Kent McGee (Dana) of Pollock; two grandchildren, Kyle McGee (Emily), and Mikayla Crawford (Riley); six great grandchildren, Gavin McCarty, Euri McCarty, Ellie McGee, Kendal McGee, Elizabeth Crawford, and Emmaline Crawford; two brothers, Wayne Lawson and Tim Lawson (Sherry); and two sisters, Debbie Walley and Faye Bergen.
Honored to serve as pallbearers are: Kyle McGee, Riley Crawford, Gavin McCarty, Euri McCarty, Mickey LeBlanc, and Michael Walley.

The family would like to thank Stillwater Hospice, Abundant Care, and Legacy Nursing Home who all provided excellent care and love during her sickness.

By JIM BUTLER

England Authority commissioners will huddle Thursday for privileged discussion of negotiations with an economic development prospect.

The closed portion of the 4 p.m. special meeting allows, as is proper under Louisiana law, such exchange as well as attorney-client communications.

England Executive Director Ralph Hennessy, citing a non-disclosure agreement vis-a-vis the prospective tenant, could not comment Monday regarding Project Jerry as it is labeled on the posted agenda.

Normally credible sources would comment only as background, not for publication, attributed or otherwise.

Following the executive session commissioners will consider a resolution designating a project area and creating Airpark Subdistrict No. 3.

The agenda does not delineate those boundaries or the effective date.

Dancing the development waltz is part of the process for industry hunting.

If there are no stumbles projects such as England-bound Ucore sometimes materialize.

That strategic metals processing facility’s initial site work is pretty much complete at the Airpark with “early production” possible late next year.

The $75 million investment is expected to create about 100 jobs.

City Council district boundaries remain unsettled in Alexandria as officials continue revisiting redistricting decisions that have shifted repeatedly since 2022.

Mayor Jacques Roy briefed residents Monday on the status of the maps after the council voted 4-3 last week to reinstate the boundaries used in the 2022 election. That decision reversed an April vote — also 4-3 — that had expanded District 4 and reduced the size of Districts 2 and 3.

Roy said both the 2022 and 2024 maps comply with federal voting laws, framing the current divide as a political choice rather than a legal dispute.

District 4 Councilwoman Lizzie Felter, who supported the 2024 configuration, maintains that the 2022 boundaries were put in place after candidates qualified for office, altering district lines in the middle of the election cycle and affecting representation in her race.

The City Council will continue the discussion at a second public briefing scheduled for Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in council chambers.

I’d like to offer some free advice to Lane Kiffin since signing that great big, beautiful contract (7 years, $91 million) to be LSU’s new football coach.

In case you didn’t know, that contract he signed a little over a week ago makes him the second-highest paid college coach in America, earning $13 million a year. That puts him behind only Georgia’s Kirby Smart, who makes $13.28 million annually, according to a USA Today database.

It puts him ahead of Ohio State’s Ryan Day, who earned a $12.5 million a year deal after leading the Buckeyes to a national championship (his first as a coach) last January. Unlike Smart and Day, Kiffin has never won a national title. Smart has won two, guiding the Bulldogs to consecutive national crowns in 2021 and ‘22, including an undefeated 15-0 season in ’22.

To his credit, Kiffin coached Ole Miss to four 10-win seasons in the past five years, including the school’s first 11-win regular season this fall. That was enough to convince LSU to empty the bank vault to snag him in hopes that he can lead the Tigers to a fourth national championship since 2003 and fifth overall.

With such a hefty salary, not to mention the way he departed Ole Miss before the Rebels’ playoff-bound season was over, Lane’s endured a lot of criticism. He’s generated considerable envy, and in a heartbeat, he’s gone from a hero in Oxford, Miss., to a pariah.

The best thing he could do, before coaching his first LSU practice, is to take a page from his foremost mentors, Nick Saban and Pete Carroll, and announce to the public he will donate a significant part of his salary to the faculty, academic scholarships and/or other philanthropic causes at LSU or in the community.

I know Kiffin donated $20,000 of his salary at Ole Miss to “Rebel Aid,” a school fund that provided Covid-19 relief to students in April of 2020. But to whom much is given, much is expected, right? You can find that message in St. Luke’s gospel, and the new LSU coach could take a step towards becoming St. Lane if he follows the example of Saban or Carroll.

Some other coaches, too, past and present, have generously shared their wealth for the betterment not only of football or the athletics budget for the betterment of the entire university or even mankind.

Saban, at both Alabama and LSU, made significant donations to academics and other causes. The “Nick’s Kids Foundation” that started when he was coaching LSU continues to support various charities in Louisiana. While at LSU, he played a crucial role in pushing for, and then helping with the fund-raising for, a new academic center for athletes. He started the fund with about $50,000 of his own money.

At Alabama, Saban’s foundation focused on education, housing and playgrounds. He also made large contributions to various non-profits serving underprivileged youth. He and his wife, Terry, pledged $1 million for first generation scholarships and funded projects such as the Tuscaloosa Juvenile Detention Center’s welding division.

Nick and Terry also started the financing and fundraising for the Saban Catholic Student Center at St. Francis of Assisi University Parish near the university campus, helping raise the $1.9 million needed for the new facility, which served as an education and gathering space for Catholic students.

Pete Carroll established a scholarship at USC for students pursuing graduate degrees. This was in ’07-08, when he was the highest paid employee at a private university in the country. After leaving as coach of the NFL Seattle Seahawks in 2024, he returned to USC to co-teach with two others an undergrad business course. There were 300 applicants for only 52 spots for the course, which focuses on leadership, personal development and creating a “game plan” for life after graduation.

Kiffin’s predecessor, Brian Kelly, talked about the need for more academic funding but Kelly donated to the Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) and challenged fans to support NIL, demonstrating generosity primarily for football competitiveness. He also made a $1 million donation in 2020 for the athletic training facility.

The message Kiffin needs to send is that he is all-in at LSU, for academics as well as athletics, and that he’s all-in for the Baton Rouge community’s welfare.

Kiffin should consider this path of philanthropy, and he might also ask his handsomely paid assistants and his upper-crust NIL players to follow suit.

I suggest these things with an attitude of hope in this season of giving. Yet, I recall a vignette from a recent Wall Street Journal story on the Big Ten Conference’s becoming a money machine.

Former Michigan athletics director Bill Martin suggested in 2005 to fellow conference ADs that schools cap how much their departments received with any excess going to a general scholarship fund. They refused, not wanting to risk an opponent luring away their coach with a big payday.

Well, we just have seen a spate of opposing schools luring away coaches with big paydays – the biggest of all being LSU’s luring Kiffin away from Ole Miss.

If there’s any sanity, any sense of unselfish generosity left in a sport that seems crazier than ever, it could come from a ballyhooed coach who sees two roads ahead. The signs above them are “Give” and “Take.”

Hope he chooses the right Lane.

Northwestern State University’s Department of Military Science and Leadership recognized cadets for academic, military and leadership achievements during the Fall 2025 semester. ROTC’s mission is to recruit, educate, develop and inspire cadets with a focus on academics.

During the program, Cadets Mia Cole, Evyn Goree, Camryn Huff, Layden Jack, Jazmyn Johnson and Lanai Miller took the Oath of Enlistment administered by Professor of Military Science LTC Joshua Drake. When students first enroll in an ROTC class, they have no military obligation. By choosing to contract, cadets demonstrate their desire to serve in the U.S. Army.

Commissionees and branch assignments were also recognized. These cadets will commission as second lieutenants in the U.S Army during a ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 18 in conjunction with fall commencement exercises. They are Cadets Jan Amutan, Jaylon James, Damarkus Lawson, Todd Gladish, Ethan Jones, Christian Holmes, Layla Theriot and Lawson Turner.

Cadets and awards are as follows.

Cadet Arch Bandin of Rodessa – PMS Commendation Medal, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Amber Bledsoe of Shreveport – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet TaMiya Brown of Shreveport — Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Brendan Campbell of Pearland, Texas – Cadet Command Sergeant Major, President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS Commendation Medal, Bronze Medal Athlete, Color Guard

Cadet Kyra Cole of DeRidder – Cadet Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS Commendation Medal, Gold Medal Athlete, Color Guard, Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Mia Cole of DeRidder – ROTC Honors, Leadership Excellence Award, Silver Medal Athlete, Color Guard, Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Rebecca Deaton of Leesville – ROTC Honors, Cadet Scholar Award, PMS Commendation Medal, Leadership Excellence Award,

Cadet Jayden Diggs of Fort Polk – PMS Commendation Medal, Leadership Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Teresa Cazales Scholarship

Cadet Joseph DiMaggio of DeRidder– PMS Commendation Medal, Silver Medal Athlete

Cadet Joao Dos Santos of Fort Polk – President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Gold Medal Athlete, Color Guard, Intramural Sports Coordinator

Cadet Miguel Flores of Ball – ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Honors, Platinum Medal Athlete

Cadet Skylar Fontenot of Kinder – PMS Commendation Medal, PMS PT Attendance Award

Cadet Megan Franchino of Sant Rita, Guam – Battalion Recruiting Officer, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Honors, Leadership Excellence Award, Gold Medal Athlete, Outstanding Service Award, secretary of the Black Knights

Cadet Evyn Goree of Pineville – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Leadership Excellence Award, PMS PT Attendance Award, Silver Medal Athlete

Cadet Todd Gladish of Willis, Texas – Cadet Lieutenant Colonel, ROTC Honors,

Cadet Camryn Huff of Leesville – Dean’s List, Leadership Excellence Award, Bronze Medal Athlete, Color Guard, Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Jillian Huff of Fort Polk – PMS Commendation Medal, PMS PT Attendance Award, PMS Athletic Award, Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Tin Huynh of Morgan City – President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Leadership Excellence Award, Silver Medal Athlete, Color Guard Sergeant/Color Guard, Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Layden Jack of Denham Springs – Dean’s List, PMS Scholastic Excellence award, Leadership Excellence Award, Gold Medal Athlete, Brittany Jeanice Leadership and Excellence Scholarship

Cadet Jaylon James of Stonewall – Silver Medal Athlete

Cadet Jazmyn Johnson of Shreveport – ROTC Honors, Cadet Scholar Award, Leadership Excellence Award, Color Guard

Cadet Tyreke Johnson of Lake Charles – PMS Recruiting Award, Intramural Sports Recognition

Ethan Jones of Montgomery – Operations Officer, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Honors, Silver Medal Athlete, Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Grace Kerney of Barksdale AFB – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Bronze Medal Athlete

Cadet Demarkus Lawson of Fort Polk – Bronze Medal Athlete

Cadet Morgan Lee of Shreveport – Dean’s List

Cadet Passion Lemelle of Ville Platte – ROTC Honors, PMS Commendation Medal,

Cadet Jackson Lester of Iowa – ROTC Honors, Leadership Excellence Award, Color Guard, Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Miriam McDaniel of Natchez – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS Commendation Medal, Color Guard

Cadet Darren Melton of Haughton – ROTC Honors

Cadet Emmy Melton of Haughton – ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Scholar Award, PMS Academic Award

Cadet Aniyah Miller of LeCompte – ROTC Honors

Cadet Lanai Miller of LeCompte – ROTC Honors, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, PMS Achievement Medal, Color Guard, Harris Family Scholarship

Cadet Caitlin Moak of Robeline – ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Scholar Award

Cadet William Moore of Leesville – ROTC Honors

Cadet Jacob Mullican of DeRidder – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Leadership Excellence Award, Platinum Medal Athlete, Outstanding Service Award, vice president of the Black Knights, Color Guard

Cadet Joseph Resendez of Bossier City – PMS Commendation Medal, Gold Medal Athlete

Cadet Marivel Rodriguez of Leesville – ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Scholar Award, Silver Medal Athlete

Cadet Madison Scott of Shreveport — Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Anthony Soileau of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas – Leadership Excellence Award

Cadet Destiny Theriot of Gheens – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS Commendation Medal; PMS PT Attendance Award, Outstanding Service Award, public relations officer of the Black Knights, Color Guard, Intramural Sports Recognition

Cadet Layla Theriot of Gheens – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS Commendation Medal, PMS PT Attendance Award, Bronze Medal Athlete, Intramural Sports Recognition, “Above the Best” Scholarship

Cadet Lawson Turner of Haughton – Dean’s list, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Leadership Excellence Award, Silver Medal Athlete, Outstanding Service Award, president of the Black Knights, Color Guard

Cadet Lorena Williams of Lafayette – PMC Commendation Medal, Cadet Honors, Malcolm Daisy Scholarship

Cadet Colton Wood of Ragley – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Leadership Excellence Award, PMS PT Attendance Award, Bronze Medal Athlete, Outstanding Service Award, treasurer of the Black Knights, Color Guard, Intramural Sports Recognition, James A. Noe Memorial Scholarship

Cadet Alexander Youngblood of Coushatta – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Information on NSU’s Department of Military Science and Leadership is available at
nsula.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/gallaspy-college-of-education-human-development/military-science-and-leadership.

Pictured: Graduating NSU ROTC cadets who will commission on Dec. 18 learned their branch assignments during the awards program. From left are Jan Amutan, Jaylon James, Damarkus Lawson, Todd Gladish, Ethan Jones, Christian Holmes, Layla Theriot and Lawson Turner.

With the holiday season approaching, the Pineville Police Department is reminding residents to take simple precautions to reduce the risk of vehicle burglaries, which typically increase this time of year.

Officers note that most vehicle burglaries are crimes of opportunity, often involving unlocked cars. The department advises drivers to lock their doors at all times, even when parked at home.

Police are also urging gun owners to secure their firearms inside their homes rather than storing them in vehicles. According to the department, stolen firearms frequently end up in the hands of criminals and pose a significant danger to the community.

Residents are encouraged to remove all valuables from their vehicles and avoid leaving items such as purses, wallets, electronics, tools, and packages in plain sight. Any visible item—regardless of its actual value—can attract a thief.

While no one deserves to be a victim of crime, the department warns that an unlocked vehicle with belongings inside can serve as an invitation for theft. Those who choose to leave vehicles unlocked are advised to ensure that nothing of value is left inside.

The department urges the community to stay vigilant, take a few extra moments to secure their vehicles, and look out for one another throughout the holiday season.

Mary Elaine Morace McNeely, 83, left this earth quietly and wrapped in love on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at her home in Deville. She was born on September 23, 1942, in Marksville, Louisiana. She married her one and only love, Jimmy Wayne McNeely, at the young age of 14, and together they shared sixty-eight beautiful years of marriage, until his passing in June of this year.

Mary spent her early years as a homemaker, raising their two daughters and son. Once the kids were grown, she decided to chase a dream of her own. She went to beauty school and became a cosmetologist, eventually opening her own in-home beauty shop.

Mary found joy in shopping, especially thrift stores and garage sales. She loved to read, never turned down a plate of fried fish, always kept a fully stocked candy bowl, and never missed an episode of Wheel of Fortune. Casinos and slot machines were her guilty pleasure, and she embraced every bit of life that brought her joy.

The camp at Little River was her home away from home and her favorite place to make memories, fishing and spending time with friends and family.

Her greatest joy, though, was always her family. She loved them fiercely and was the most devoted and proud Mawmaw to her grandkids and great-grandbabies.

She loved her family without limits. Every birthday, every holiday, every excuse to gather brought her immense joy. Family wasn’t just important to her. It was the center of her world.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dora Moreau Morace Beauboeuf and William Gillespie Morace, Sr.; stepfather, Cleve Beauboeuf; brothers, John Charles Morace and William Gillespie Morace, Jr.; as well as many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She is survived by her daughters, Nannette Brouillette and Collette Clanton; son-in-law, Skip Clanton, who was far more than just family by marriage; son, Michael McNeely (Julia); grandchildren, Tyson Clanton (Gina), Dore Fletcher, Jacob Clanton (Melissa), Molly McNeely Smith, and Hunter McNeely; great-grandchildren, Jackson Clanton, Brayden Phillips, Addison Clanton, Brody Phillips, Brock Fletcher, Madison Porter, John Scott Porter, Alexis Haney, Brantley Haney, and Jace Smith; brothers-in-law, Alvin Lee McNeely II and Billy Ray McNeely; and special lifelong friend, Shirley Woodson.

Per her and Jimmy’s wishes, there will be no formal services. Their ashes will be laid to rest together in a private family burial at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Cemetery.

Her family would like to thank Compassionate Care Hospice, especially Tahnee Perry, Karen, Dom, and Q, for the love and care they provided.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Mary’s honor.

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1

All funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Rush Funeral Home, Pineville, LA

Darryl Glenn Bennett, age 65, of Alexandria, Louisiana, passed away on November 30, 2025, after a brief hospital stay. He was born on July 25, 1960, in Hawaii to the late Ray Victor Bennett and Margie Foster Bennett.
Darryl worked many years as a dedicated copy repair technician, known for his skill, patience, and strong work ethic. He took pride in helping others and approached his work with care and precision. Outside of his profession, Darryl found joy in family, conversation, and the simple pleasures of life shared with those he loved.
He was a devoted husband to his wife, Gisele Didier Bennett, and a proud father to his children: Victor Bennett of Show Low, Arizona; Jeremy (Ty) Fowler of Denham Springs, Louisiana; Joseph Fowler of Colorado; Danielle Bennett of Pineville, Louisiana; Krystal Ann (Adam Rivers) Bennett of Ball, Louisiana; and Shelly (Tim) Foushee of Minnesota. He is also survived by his brother Justin (Marty) Bennett of Pollock, Louisiana; and a host of grandchildren whom he dearly loved: Haven Fowler, Gabrielle Bennett, Khloe Bourgeois, Jeremy Fowler Jr., Jayden Fowler, Jayla Fowler, Jovon Fowler, Jade Fowler, and Jameson Fowler.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death brothers Roy Victor Bennett Jr. and Richard Dale Bennett.
Darryl will be remembered for his quiet strength, his kind heart, and his steadfast devotion to his family and friends. His memory will continue to bring comfort and love to those whose lives he touched.

During the holidays, we spend a lot of time and effort on what we eat. One mandatory item on most of our tables is bread, one of the oldest prepared foods.

In 2018, scientists discovered the earliest known evidence of bread-making, including a bread oven and 24 charred bread crumbs, from a 14,400-year-old dig site in the Black Desert in Jordan. The stone age bakers ground flour from wild wheat and barley, mixed it with the pulverized roots of plants, added water, and then cooked it.

This was before the advent of farming, when people were hunter-gatherers. The bread they made looked similar to modern flatbread because it contained no rising agent such as yeast and tasted like today’s multi-grain bread. Professor Dorian Fuller of University College London said, “this is the earliest evidence we have for what we could really call a cuisine, in that it’s a mixed food product.” Dr. Amaia Arranz-Optaegui of the University of Copenhagen, who discovered the remains of the bread, said “bread is a powerful link between our past and present food cultures. It connects us with our prehistoric ancestors.”

Fluffy loaves of bread that look like the bread most of us eat today came several thousands of years later. In 2017, archaeobotanist Lara González Carretero studied the remains of unbaked, leavened bread found at the ancient Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük in southern Turkey. They dated back to 6600 BCE, making it the oldest evidence of leavened bread found to date.

Through the ages, people bartered for bread rather than bake it themselves. The barter system had a major disadvantage in that the two parties involved each had to want what the other party was offering to trade. Sometime around 640 BCE, people in China began to mint the oldest known standardized forms of metal coinage. As money became the more common medium of exchange, bakers sold their bread.

The problem was that money was standardized but bread was anything but standardized. It came in a variety of sizes, qualities, and prices. Unscrupulous bakers took advantage of the situation and sold poor-quality bread for premium prices. In 1266, the Parliament of the United Kingdom created the “Assize of Bread and Ale” to regulate the production and sale of bread and ale. Under this law, the weight and quality of a loaves of bread were specified and the price was set according to the fluctuating price of wheat. Bakers whose bread was not to up the standards set forth by the law were subject to the wrath of King Henry III.

This law slowly began to weed out the dishonest bakers, but honest bakers became worried that a simple mistake could get them into trouble. Depending on the seriousness of the offense, they could be fined, placed in a pillory (where the community was expected to throw things at them), be jailed, or have their trade taken away.

Honesty was the best policy. They were able to make bread that was good quality and sold it according to the law, but getting a standardized weight for each loaf was difficult. To ensure that they were well within the weight limit prescribed by law, bakers began adding a bonus loaf, what they called the “vantage loaf,” when someone bought 12 loaves of bread. That is why when visiting a bakery, you sometimes get a baker’s dozen.

Sources:

1. Helen Briggs, “Prehistoric bake-off: Scientists discover oldest evidence of bread,” July 17, 2018, BBC.com, Accessed November 30, 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44846874.

2. Sarah Bond, “Discovery of 8,600-Year-Old Bread Gives Rise to Half-Baked Claims,” Hyperallergic.com, March 18, 2024, accessed November 30, 2025, https://hyperallergic.com/discovery-of-8600-year-old-bread-gives-rise-to-half-baked-claims/.

3. “Oldest Fermented Bread,” Gunness World Records, accessed November 30, 2025, https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/768791-oldest-fermented-bread.

4. Andrew Beattie, “Evolution of Money: From Barter Systems to Bitcoin,” Investopedia, November 25, 2025, accessed November 30, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/articles/07/roots_of_money.asp.

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By JIM BUTLER

A committee recommends the Police Jury allow three months to gather more data relative to carbon capture and the Beaver Lake green methanol project.

Parish President Craig Smith wants more,  proposing supporting a move afoot to make Carbon Capture Sequestration a ballot box local option issue.

Both proposals are on today’s monthly meeting agenda.

The Personnel, Elections, Insurance & Legal Committee last week left CCS opponents disgruntled by failing to recommend the Jury reject it out of hand.

Save My Louisiana is carrying the water for those opponents. The non-profit organization has taken its message to many parishes, successfully in some cases.

The jury panel recommends the parish president create a 17-member task force to engage in “transparent and thorough” research for the next 90 days to provide citizens a “valid and unbiased” report on any safety concerns or risks of the $2 billion Beaver Lake project and hold a public hearing to receive results of a requested independent geological study.

Gulf Engineer & Consultants of Baton Rouge has been suggested for that study. It is a firm with environmental experience in Louisiana and other states.

Smith proposes the jury express opposition to use of eminent domain/expropriation of property related to carbon capture operations in the parish.

Save My Louisiana last month filed suit challenging three state laws relative to that subject as unconstitutional.

He also wants the jury to express full support for legislation to allow parish local option elections on the topic, providing an avenue for citizens to return a verdict on the matter.

Reader-submitted opinion

I have a big slipper-back cast iron bathtub on legs and I love to soak. I’m laying here putting more hot water in and thinking about the situation we are all in, some just don’t realize the seriousness of it but we are all in a serious fork in the road.

If our Chicot Aquifer is damaged when they inject carbon with many different toxins at an extremely high pressure of 2200 pounds of pressure per square inch under that aquifer and the water is contaminated, I won’t be enjoying soaking in my tub like I’m spoiled to. If I can’t drink it, then I sure can’t soak in that water. All my oilers know our skin is our largest organ and absorbs everything that is applied to it.

Contaminated water can’t water your flowers or vegetable gardens, livestock. It will kill everything. Do you have a plan??? I can’t even imagine what 700,000 people will do.

Allen Parish Police Jury, Beauregard Parish Police Jury, Vernon Parish Police Jury, The Village of Woodworth, have all passed similar resolutions stating no carbon sequestration or pipelines in their parish and Woodworth. I think Mayor Butler got tired of waiting on Rapides Police Jury to stop behaving like children and do the right thing, so they went ahead without them. Good for him!!!

Craig Smith, maybe you need to say Ward 11 will make their own resolution (like Woodworth) and at least protect that much of the parish. Maybe the other citizens in the other districts will convince their jurors how wrong they were and they’ll change their opinion too.

People, I may not know all the “whys” but Rapides Parish is the key to ALL of this. The governor didn’t send his people to sit there like we were watching a scene from The Godfather to these other parishes—-they were there last Monday. They have been attempting to intimidate the women this week—-it’s been ridiculous.

There was something brought to my attention today, I didn’t realize that FEMA does not help when there’s toxins involved. So your insurance isn’t going to help even though you’ve been paying them for years, the government isn’t going to help, you’ll have to pay for attorneys to sue the companies and there’s a $250,000 cap—only once can you collect on that. How much you think that lawyer will take???

Then what’s left? That’s if you survive. Dead you worth $500,000. It’s so safe they needed a cap on how much they could be sued for. Mr. Bishop will receive more than that on the sale of the property to Sungas or Beaver Lake Renewables, he has a buyers/sellers agreement on it and he’s received I believe it was $75,000 just to hold it for them—-if they buy or not, he gets to keep that.

Just things going through my mind, thinking how I will miss my long hot soaks in this tub if a bunch of politicians from The Green Greedy Party have their way. WHY??? I want to know why they aren’t voting for the people. WHY????

I want to invite all of you 700,000 people that has an interest in how the Rapides Parish Police Jury decides to go with their resolution at Monday’s meeting to come. There’s the resolution that President Craig Smith presented and read—it said just what the voters and citizens of Rapides Parish ask for. We weren’t allowed to discuss it and without following proper parliamentary procedure, Randy Wiggins went straight into reading “his” alternate resolution. It was oblivious that a secret meeting was held about his plan to hijack Smith’s plan because he read it they voted and discussions weren’t allowed. It was not in the best interest of the people. Juror Jay Scott said they had their secret meeting and he wasn’t invited, neither was Juror Parrish Giles and Jay said there was no transparency with them.

The people that attended last Monday’s meeting was assured that we would have the chance to speak before they voted on Monday. If you haven’t had a chance to talk to your police juror come and speak to him before they voted on this resolution and ask him to vote against Wiggins and to bring Smith’s back up. They should be voting what’s best for Rapides Parish, not what the governor or his lobbyist or the corporations (mostly foreign) want because they don’t care about you or your family. If they inject in Rapides and damage that aquifer then it’s contaminated for all 15 parishes and a section of Texas. Do you think Texas won’t sue Rapides for that?!?? Do you think the other parishes won’t sue Rapides if they contaminate their groundwater?!???

Come, exercise your freedom while we still have it. It’s questionable in this land of the free, how much freedom we have in our parish, maybe our state.

-Gladys Carmouche

Monday, December 8, 2025 at 3 PM
Rapides Parish Courthouse – Second Floor
701 Murray Street
Alexandria, La 71301