In August 1941, four months before the United States entered World War II, a 26-year-old tailor named Shoichi Yokoi was drafted into the Japanese Imperial Army.  For about two years, he served with the 29^th Infantry Division in northeast China until his superiors promoted him and transferred him to Guam in the Mariana Islands.  

On July 21, 1944, just over a year after Yokoi’s transfer, U.S. forces stormed the island of Guam.  Admiral Chester Nimitz’s plan was to capture the Mariana Islands so the U.S. military would have airfields from which they could bomb the Japanese home islands.  Yokoi and the rest of the soldiers in the Imperial Army were under strict orders never to surrender.  

On August 10, after 20 days of fighting, U.S. soldiers declared Guam secure.  Thousands of Japanese soldiers were killed, but less than 1,500 surrendered.  Many Japanese soldiers, including Yokoi, fled into the jungle to avoid being captured.  Japanese soldiers were trained to fight to the death because becoming a prisoner of war was the greatest shame a soldier could bestow upon his family back home.

Yokoi and other fleeing soldiers hid in caves and foraged for food.  As per their orders, they burned their Japanese army uniforms.  The only thing that Yokoi kept was a pair of scissors, a waistband his mother had embroidered, and a Japanese flag, all of which he kept hidden in the cave.  

Finally, Shoichi Yokoi’s luck ran out when two hunters, Jesus Duenas and Manuel Degracia, came upon him just after nightfall as Yokoi was going to set out a homemade shrimp trap on the Talofofo River.  Yokoi panicked and tried to attack them, but Jesus and Manuel trained their rifles on the Japanese soldier.  

Yokoi halted his attack, but he had another plan.  As the men neared Yokoi, he grabbed one of the men’s rifles but they quickly overpowered him.  Despite his orders to fight to the death, there was little he could do.  Yokoi was captured.  At gunpoint, the hunters led him out of the dense jungle.  

Yokoi cried for them to kill him because he thought he would be killed either by his captives or, worse, by the Japanese if they returned him to his home country.  According to Japanese teachings, being killed on the battlefield was honorable.  Being captured alive was disgraceful.  Despite his pleas, the hunters marched him to a local police station.

Yokoi had nothing to fear.  No one wanted to harm him.  From the police station, Yokoi was taken to Guam Memorial Hospital for treatment for malnourishment and anemia.  

When Yokoi returned to Japan two months later, he told reporters, “I have returned although I feel shame…I want to report that I am sorry I did not serve his majesty to my satisfaction.”  He pounded on a table and insisted that “Japan lost the Pacific war because it lacked arms, warships, and planes, and not because of any lack of fighting spirit.”  

Rather than being ostracized by his Japanese homeland, he was a media sensation.  You see, by the time Jesus and Manuel captured the Japanese soldier, World War II had ended.  Shoichi Yokoi had been hiding in the jungles of Guam for 28 years.

Sources:

1.     “Battle of Guam” National Park Service, accessed August 31, 2025, https://www.nps.gov/wapa/learn/historyculture/battle-of-guam.htm.

2.     Mike Lanchin, “Shoichi Yokoi, the Japanese soldier who held out in Guam,” BBC News, accessed August 31, 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-16681636.

3.     Evening Herald (Dublin, Ireland), January 25, 1972, p.5.    

4.     The Morning Press (Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania), March 2, 1972, p.22.

It wasn’t wedding bells that broke up the gang Coulon was correct. The gang, like the country, hasn’t got back together since this in September 2021.

Coulon says the Labor Day weekend gathering of the watering hole gang may have been the last.

Age and Covid have thinned the gang’s ranks but politics may kill the loosely knit organization.

At Sunday evening’s end-of-summer session there was much back and forth about masks, vaccinations, Coach O and Afghanistan, all in the usual bantering spirit.

The continuing misery in the wake of Hurricane Ida brought talk of sending supplies to South Louisiana.

And then someone said it was good of the President to visit the region. Uh oh.

And someone responded too bad it wasn’t the real President.

And the air conditioning system could not cool the room.

Men who have shared many turns in life’s path said things to each other that perhaps they now regret. Perhaps, perhaps not.

Odds on the annual Thanksgiving soirée are not good.

By LORI LYONS, Journal Sports

Rapides Parish football teams got off to a good start to the 2025 season Friday night with five teams posting season-opening wins, including a pair of impressive victories by Peabody and Pineville in their first games under new coaches.

Other parish winners were Alexandria Senior High, Buckeye and Menard, all who entered Week 1 as solid favorites to go 1-0.

ASH, which took area fans all the way to the Ceasars Superdome last December in an undefeated run and finished as Division I Select runner-up to Edna Karr, started 2025 very impressively, with a decisive 54-7 win over visiting West Feliciana.

Quarterback Karsen Sellers threw four touchdowns, three to junior wide receiver Alex Fontenot. Sophomore running back Noble Williams also scored three touchdowns. He and fellow ball-carrier Kason Williams combined for nearly 225 yards and four scores.

“I’ve been waiting two years for this moment,” Fontenot said after the game to Louisiana vs. All Y’all. “Karsen and I have been working together together since sixth grade, so finally getting on the field and scoring felt amazing.”

In the only matchup between local teams, Class 2A Holy Savior Menard traveled up I-49 and handled Class A Northwood Lena, 42-0. Jake Vaughan passed for 226 yards and two touchdowns, plus 58 rushing yards and two touchdowns on five carries for the Eagles. Receiver Matthew Hicks was on the receiving end of 142 of those yards and both touchdowns.

Peabody opened the season and new coach Jamar Washington’s era with a 33-10 victory against LaGrange. Running back Jonathan Hargrove scored three touchdowns. He rushed for 81 yards, caught for 69 and had 30 yards in returns. Kemareun Adams caught a touchdown pass from Zaiden Bolden. It’s a solid start for the Warhorses, who need only one more win to match last year’s overall record.

Justin Charles got his first victory as the new head coach at Pineville as the Rebels went on the road and rolled over a perennially solid New Iberia team. The Rebels certainly had some offense.

Running back Ayden Tate ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Quarterback Carter Smith was 13 of 15 for 267 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Kelmarion Phillips had seven catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns.

Buckeye bullied Block Friday night, with the Class 4A Panthers taking a 45-0 victory over their Class 2A foes. Last year Buckeye won 35-0.

First-year Tioga coach Dan Christman can’t be too disappointed in the Indians’ effort, Friday’s 47-31 loss to defending Division III Non-Select state champion Sterlington. Tioga led 19-7 midway through the game, opening eyes statewide, before giving up a kickoff return for a touchdown. The Indians still led in the third quarter before the always powerful Panthers overcame them in the final period of play.

New Bolton Academy head coach Lance LaGrange and the Bears lost to Mamou 62-6 on Thursday. The lone Bears’ score was a 32-yard touchdown pass from Royce Roberts to Kenneth Bowie.

Week 1 Rapides Parish football scores

Alexandria Senior High 54, West Feliciana 7

Mamou 62, Bolton Academy 6

Buckeye 45, Block 0

Holy Savior Menard 42, Northwood Lena 0

Peabody 33, LaGrange 10

Pineville 44, New Iberia 34

Sterlington 47, Tioga 31

Datlan Cunningham powered into the end zone from two yards out with 1:38 remaining to give the Louisiana Christian University football team the lead and an interception by Brandon Johnson sealed a 31-24 win over the Langston Lions to start Sooner Athletic Conference action Saturday night in Langston, Okla.

The Wildcats (1-1) and Lions (0-2) each absorbed lopsided losses to NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision foes in the opening week, but rebounded to stage a tremendous battle with six lead changes in the SAC opener.

Trailing 23-21 in the fourth quarter, Langston got inside the LCU 5 but the Wildcats held them out and forced an 18-yard field goal that moved the Lions back on top 24-23 with less than six minutes left.

The Wildcats answered with an 11-play, 77-yard drive capped by Cunningham powering in from two yards out on third and goal. Bryce Perkins found David Voorhies for a two-point conversion to give LCU a full touchdown lead at 31-24 with 98 seconds to go.

Langston didn’t fold, getting down to the LCU 32.  There, the Lions took a deep shot down the middle of the field, but Johnson stepped in front of the intended receiver and picked it off, securing the Wildcat victory.

LCU opened with the lead after a six-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Levi Hilborn hitting a 35-yard field goal.

Langston took its first lead early in the second quarter, taking advantage of good field position after a punt and going 34 yards in eight plays and scoring on a one-yard pass.

The Wildcats ate up almost all of the back-half of the second quarter with a 14-play, 84-yard drive which took 6:40 off the clock. But it netted only a 25-yard field goal by Hilborn, pulling LCU within one at 7-6 at the halftime break.

LCU went 95 yards, the last 81 on one play, to open the third quarter. Perkins hit Xavion Butler in stride, putting the Wildcats back in front at 13-7.

Just a couple plays later, LCU’s situation got even better when Jordan Oglesby stripped the ball from Langston quarterback Aden Hooper and Lyric Hawkins scooped it up, running 30 yards for another Wildcat touchdown, extending the lead to 20-7.

But the Lions roared back, scoring on back-to-back drives to reclaim the lead at 21-20 to end the third quarter.

The Wildcats went back on top as Hilborn split the uprights from 36 yards out to wrap up a five-play, 32-yard drive and make the score 23-21 LCU before the intense closing minutes.

Perkins was 10-of-23 through the air for 258 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

E.J. Scott was his top target, getting four receptions for 112 yards.

Butler had three catches for 110 yards, including the 81-yard touchdown catch-and-run.

Cunningham was the top rusher for the Wildcats, picking up 84 yards on 26 carries and the game-winning TD. Tyrese Mosby added 50 yards on nine carries.

The Wildcats are home Saturday as Wayland Baptist (0-1, 0-1 SAC) comes to Pineville for a 6 p.m. conference contest at Wildcat Field.

Update

The Louisiana State Police’s preliminary investigation revealed that an Alexandria Police Department officer was responding to a disturbance call. While on the way, the officer observed a male subject near the call location matching the description provided by the complainant. The officer stopped to speak with the individual. As the officer exited the APD patrol vehicle, the individual immediately opened fire, discharging several rounds toward the officer. The officer returned fire, striking the individual. Following the shooting, officers immediately provided medical aid until EMS personnel arrived on the scene.

EMS transported the subject to a local hospital, but the subject was ultimately pronounced deceased.
LSP is the lead investigating agency in this officer-involved shooting incident. The investigation remains ongoing, with further information to be released in coordination with the Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office at the appropriate time.

Anyone with information and/or pictures and video is urged to share that information with LSP Detectives. Individuals may anonymously report information through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system by visiting lsp.org and clicking on Report Suspicious or Criminal Activity, or calling the LSP Fusion Center Hotline at 1-800-434-8007.

Original

Detectives with the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations were requested by the Alexandria Police Department to investigate an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Chester Street near Rapides Avenue on Sept. 3 at approximately 1pm.

Detectives worked to process the scene and gather further information.

One subject was shot and has been pronounced deceased. No officers were harmed during the incident.

This is an active investigation; further information will be released when it becomes available.

Anyone with information and/or pictures and video is urged to share that information with LSP Detectives. Information may be reported anonymously through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system by visiting lsp.org and clicking on Report Suspicious or Criminal Activity, or by calling the LSP Fusion Center Hotline at 1-800-434-8007.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

Sept. 7

Brittany Elaine Bonds, 39, Pineville – OWI first offense, running a red light, $1,100 bail;

Lex Dwayland Martin, 37, Pineville – possession of CDS, possession of drug paraphernalia, improper display vehicle license plate, switched license plate, driving under suspension, expired MVI sticker, safety belt violation, no signals, Louisiana fugitive, $3,600 bail;

Crystal Lynn Means, 40, Deville – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, no insurance, expired plate/registration, $3,200 bail;

Nia Imani Parker, 31, Colfax – three counts contempt of court, $13,000 bail.

Sept. 6

Johnathan Casey Baker, 31, Alexandria – possession of a firearm by convicted felon, illegal carry firearm with drugs, possession/selling firearms with obliterated serial number, possession of CDS, no head light, $21,100 bail;

Diamond Z.Bennett, 23, Alexandria – OWI first offense, improper turn, $1,100 bail;

Blake Michael Brouillette, 18, Centerpoint – four counts simple burglary, $200,000 bail;

Cade Bryant Charlie, 34, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery strangulation, no bail data;

Krista Danielle Hooper, 48, Alexandria – sex offender failure to renew registration, two counts contempt of court, $17,000 bail;

Chandler Alan Johnson, 24, Alexandria – OWI second offense, careless operation of a vehicle, improper lane usage, safety belt violation, no bail data;

Lauren Lacombe, 35, Lecompte – domestic abuse with child present, no bail data;

Derrick Dewayne Moore Sr., 47, Alexandria – possession of CDS, running a red light, producing manufacturing distributing with intent CDS, resisting an officer, obstruction of justice, switching license plate, parole violations, $2,700 bail;

Isabella Grace Racine, 18, Pineville – OWI underage, reckless operation/speeding, unlawful sale/purchase of tobacco under 18 years of age, open container, $2,300 bail;

Morgan Lacy Wampler, 30, Bentley – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, $1,100 bail;

Shella Williams, 38, Ball – OWI with child endangerment, driving under suspension, $900 bail.

Sept. 5

Kevin Brown 61, Alexandria – OWI fourth offense, safety belt violation, open container, unlawful refusal to submit to chemical test, operating a vehicle while under suspension for certain prior offenses, $200,600 bail;

Lana Ruth Broussard, 38, Alexandria – possession of CDS, create distribute possession with intent counterfeit CDS, produce manufacture distribute hallucinogenic plants, nine counts contempt of court, $319,000 bail;

Mia C. Dipietro 29, Boyce – five counts contempt of court, $100,000 bail;

Donald Ray Hayward Jr., 44, Alexandria – OWI fourth offense, improper lane usage, $100,100 bail;

Aaron Demond Jones, 28, Alexandria – four counts attempted second degree murder, two counts producing manufacturing distributing CDS, possession of CDS, $2 million bail;

Matthew Paul Koepke II, 37, Deville – possession of CDS, producing manufacturing distributing with intent CDS, obstruction of justice, intentional littering, operating a vehicle while under suspension for certain prior offenses, $1,500 bail;

Sherry Renee Ryder, 59, Deville – two counts possession of CDS, obstruction of justice, intentional littering, $3,000 bail;

Michael Shane Taylor, 39, Ball – second degree murder, manslaughter, parole violations, $400,000 bail;

William Ray Watson, 59, Pineville – three counts contempt of court, $29,000 bail;

Donald Frank Willis, 60, Bunkie – theft (second/subsequent conviction), possession of CDS synthetic, possession of CDS, $23,000 bail.

Sept. 4

Christopher Daniel Barbat, 35, Pineville – violation of protective orders, contempt of court, $4,000 bail;

Lana Ruth Broussard, 38, Alexandria – seven counts contempt of court, $215,000 bail;

Sundrea Denae Campbell, 28, Pineville – three counts contempt of court, $200,500 bail;

Donald Ray Dupre Jr, 38, Boyce – Louisiana fugitive, unauthorized entry into an inhabited dwelling, criminal damage to property, reckless operation of a vehicle, off road vehicle on public road, $8,100 bail;

Adrian Orez Jefferson, 50, Alexandria – OWI third offense, open container, improper lane usage, speeding, no driver’s license, unlawful refusal to submit to chemical test, $75,900 bail;

Hailey Juneau, 27, Pineville – possession of CDS, legend drug possession, $3,000 bail;

Brian Scott Rachal, 49, Flatwood – three counts contempt of court, $15,000 bail;

Matthew Lee Snowden, 44, Alexandria – two counts contempt of court, $50,500 bail;

Chasity Starks, 43, Ball – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, $1,500 bail;

Kenny Bert Troquille, 37, Boyce – possession of CDS, criminal trespass, off road vehicle on public road, $3,100 bail;

William Ray Watson, 59, Pineville – three counts contempt of court, $29,000 bail;

Latashia Monique Williams, 49, Alexandria – possession of CDS, two counts create distribute or possess counterfeit CDS, paraphernalia, safety belt violation, $54,100 bail.

Brittany Lynne Woodard, 39, Alexandria – contempt of court, $15,000 bail.

Cenla Physicians Healthcare Clinic will celebrate the opening of its new facility in Pineville with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 8:30 a.m. The clinic is located at 5101 Highway 28 East.

Community members are invited to attend the event, meet the staff, and tour the new clinic.

Refreshments will be available, and guests are welcome to stop by throughout the day.

The grand opening marks an important step in expanding healthcare services for the Pineville area, with the clinic aiming to provide accessible and comprehensive care for Central Louisiana residents.

An encounter Thursday, in a pharmacy waiting line of course, brought this to mind from a while back. As true now as then:

“Jimmy Butler!”

When I hear the Jimmy I know without turning that it’s being said by someone I’ve known most of my life and probably haven’t seen for more than half of it, as was the most recent case.

In all likelihood, it’s a high school classmate, surprised to see me at whatever venue we are in, he or she recognizing me by my unchanged profile — ears of Dumbo, nose of Ceaser, as stooped now as then.

And before I turn around, I almost always recognize the voice I haven’t heard for decades. Voices stay pretty much the same, appearances are another matter.

From Day 1 until shortly after taking my first newspaper job I was Jimmy to all who knew me.

I became a Jim only after the city editor said he had to shorten Jimmy to Jim to make the byline fit the column width.

Didn’t matter what my mother thought – I would be Jim to most from that point on.

By LORI LYONS, Journal Sports

High school football fans in Rapides Parish had something extra to celebrate last year – especially if they were fans of the Alexandria Senior High Trojans.

ASH coach Thomas Bachman put together a memorable season for the Trojans, leading the team to its first undefeated district championship, its first undefeated regular season and its first trip to the Caesars Superdome to vie for a state championship.

Alas, the trip ended with a stunning 53-8 loss to Edna Karr for the Division I Select title.

The Trojans had also reached the title game in 2020, but the game was not played at the Dome due to Covid restrictions.

But as Bachman preps his team to begin the 2025 campaign, don’t look for him to rest on his or his team’s laurels. Nor does he know if last year’s success will carry over to this year’s team.

“We’ll find out,” Bachman said. “Alexandria Senior High is a special place. We have incredible kids that are tough, resilient, and embrace the challenges that are in front of them. We’re looking forward to another year of competition. It’s just the beginning of the year, so let’s put our heads down and go to work. Let’s see what we can accomplish.”

The Trojans will get to work tonight against West Feliciana, a team that went 7-5 last year and lost in the Division II quarterfinals – after a season-opening 44-7 loss to Alexandria. The Saints have a new coach this year in Terry Minor, a former assistant at Catholic High.

Three other parish teams also kick off the 2025 season at home tonight – Menard, Peabody and Tioga.

Buckeye, which went 6-5 after losing in the Division II Select  bi-district round of the playoffs, was the only other Rapides team to finish above .500 last season. The Panthers will open their season at Block, a team that was 2-8 last year. Buckeye won last year’s season-opener 35-0.

Holy Savior Menard, under the direction of David Perkins, went 4-7 with a 39-14 loss to Pope John Paul in the bi-district round of the Division III Select playoffs. The Eagles will visit Northwood-Lena tonight.

Northwood went 3-7 last season.

After a season in which Rapides Parish teams went a collective 32-50, the area will see four new head coaches to lead their teams into the future.  

Lance LaGrange is the new skipper at Bolton Academy, which went winless in 2024 transitioning to a magnet-style school with heavy academic emphasis. The Bears opened their season Thursday night at Mamou and was walloped 62-0, after a 58-0 loss to the Demons in the 2024 opener.

Jamar Washington took over at Peabody, which finished a surprising 2-8 last season. The Warhorses open their season at home tonight against LaGrange, which won last year’s contest 22-20.

Pineville’s new head coach is Justin Charles, who served previous stints at Holy Savior Menard and Louisiana Christian University. Charles and the Rebels open tonight at New Iberia.

Tioga, which finished 4-6 last season, has a new head coach in Dan Christman, who had served as the school’s athletic director, receivers coach and track and field coach. He previously coached football at ASH and Pineville.  The Indians will host powerful Sterlington tonight to get the season started.

The 2025 dove hunting season begins Saturday (Sept. 6) statewide, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced.

Louisiana is divided into the North and South zones for dove season. The North Zone runs from Sept. 6-28, Oct.11-Nov. 16 and Dec. 20-Jan. 18, 2026. The South Zone runs from Sept. 6-21, Oct. 18-Nov. 30 and Dec. 13-Jan. 11, 2026.

Dove hunters 18 and older are required to have a basic hunting license and be Harvest Information Program (HIP) certified. Youth 17 and under do not need a hunting license or HIP certification to dove hunt. To purchase a hunting license, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/hunting-licenses-permits-tags.

LDWF will have lease fields available in DeRidder and Colfax for the opening day (Sept. 6) of dove hunting season along with several LDWF Wildlife Management Area (WMA) dove fields.

Hunters may access permits for the lease field hunts through the LDWF website at https://la.accessgov.com/dove-hunts/Forms/Page/dove-hunts/registration/. Both hunts will begin one-half hour before sunrise on Saturday. The registration fee for the lease fields is $10 for adults plus a convenience fee. Youths age 17 and younger do not have to pay the registration fee.

Only non-toxic shot size 6 and smaller may be used at these hunts and no lead shot is to be used. Dogs are allowed and ATVs are allowed but may be restricted to field roads if wet conditions prevail.

LDWF Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) offering dove fields or dove hunting opportunities, including Bodcau WMA, Boeuf WMA, Clear Creek WMA, Elbow Slough WMA, John Franks WMA, Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA, Richard K. Yancey WMA, Russell Sage WMA, Sabine WMA, Sandy Hollow WMA, the U.S. Forest Service Calcasieu Ranger District Vernon Unit, and West Bay WMA. For more information on WMA dove fields, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/dove-fields.

For a complete list of WMAs open to dove hunting and more information on WMA dove hunting, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/seasons-and-regulations.

All visitors to LDWF WMAs must have either a WMA Access Permit, Senior Hunting/Fishing License, Louisiana Sportsman’s Paradise License or Lifetime Hunting/Fishing License. Go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/wmarefugeconservation-area-licenses-and-permits for more information.

For more information on dove hunting in Louisiana, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/subhome/dove or contact Richard Temple at rtemple@wlf.la.gov or 337-491-2110.

Paid Editorial Feature – The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Journal.

Last week, I published the first installment of How Credit Unions Are Draining Louisiana Communities. Today, I am providing a more detailed article outlining the direct and measurable impacts that credit unions purchasing banks in Louisiana will have on local governments.

Louisiana is somewhat unique in the way banks are taxed. In our state, both C-Corp and S-Corp banks are subject to a corporate tax, based on the bank’s capital and income, called the Bank Shares Tax. Under this system, banks in Louisiana pay taxes directly to the parishes, towns, and cities in which they operate. 100% of the Bank Shares Tax remains local—supporting schools, fire departments, police forces, infrastructure, and other vital public services.

Since credit unions are exempt from the Bank Shares Tax, any time a credit union acquires a bank in Louisiana, the local taxes that were once collected via the Bank Shares Tax disappear.

For many Louisiana municipalities, this tax loss can have devastating consequences.

My institution, BOM Bank, is headquartered in Natchitoches, LA, and holds approximately $1.4 billion in assets. We also maintain branches in several other towns, cities, and parishes across Central and Northwest Louisiana. Below are the actual Bank Shares Tax and property taxes BOM Bank paid in 2024. As you’ll see, these tax dollars stayed local, directly supporting the communities where our branches operate (SEE GRAPHIC BELOW).

Credit unions often argue that they pay payroll taxes, sales taxes, and in some cases, property taxes. However, every business—whether for-profit or not-for-profit—also pays payroll taxes. These support the Social Security Fund and the Unemployment Insurance Fund. In contrast, banks pay payroll taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, the Bank Shares Tax, and federal income taxes.

In Louisiana, credit unions can be taxed on their property, but this is entirely up to the discretion of each parish’s Tax Assessor. I encourage every reader to contact your local Tax Assessor and inquire: Are credit unions in your town, city, or parish paying property taxes? Or has your Tax Assessor decided to exempt them from these taxes?

In addition to the $1.1 million in local Bank Shares Taxes and property taxes paid in 2024, BOM Bank also paid approximately $4,050,000 in federal income taxes. As a reminder, credit unions do not pay federal income taxes. That brings our total tax contributions in 2024 to over $5,100,000, not including payroll and sales taxes.

Let me reiterate: if a credit union were to purchase a bank the size of BOM Bank, most (if not all of) the over $1.1 million in annual local tax revenue would vanish from the towns, cities, and parishes in which we operate—never to be collected again, as credit unions do not pay the Bank Shares Tax.

So what typically happens when a municipality loses a major portion of its tax base?

• Essential services are often cut.
• Vulnerable residents—such as schoolchildren, the elderly, and low-income families—are the most affected.
• Municipalities may be forced to raise taxes on residents and businesses to make up the shortfall.

In conclusion, the acquisition of Louisiana banks by credit unions isn’t just a business transaction—it’s a shift with long-lasting fiscal consequences for local governments and the communities they serve. The debate must extend beyond industry preferences and focus on the real cost to the public.

Ken Hale, President and CEO of BOM Bank

About BOM Bank: Established in 1903 in Montgomery, Louisiana, BOM Bank has grown from a local institution with $15,000 in capital to a community-focused bank with over $1.4 billion in assets. Serving more than 32,500 customers across 26 branches in Louisiana and Texas, BOM Bank offers a range of financial services, including banking, insurance, and investment opportunities through its subsidiary, BOM Financial Services. With a deep commitment to community engagement and employee development, BOM Bank continues to build on its legacy of trust and service. Learn more at bofm.com or follow us on social media @bomest1903. BOM – a face you know, a bank you can trust.

Paid Content

School is officially back, and Rapides Parish Library is here to help start the year off right. Join the Pineville branches of the Rapides Parish Library and their amazing community partners for the 8th Annual Back to School Bash at Kees Park (2450 LA-28, Pineville) on Saturday, Sept. 6, 9-11am. 

The first 200 students will receive free school supplies. There will be fun activities, giveaways, and more. 

Several community partners will be on site, including Red Cross, Seeds 4 Trees, the Food Bank, Fire Department, and more. 

Call 318-443-7259 for more info.

Detectives with the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations were requested by the Alexandria Police Department to investigate an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Chester Street near Rapides Avenue on Sept. 3 at approximately 1pm.

Detectives worked to process the scene and gather further information.

One subject was shot and has been pronounced deceased. No officers were harmed during the incident.

This is an active investigation; further information will be released when it becomes available.

Anyone with information and/or pictures and video is urged to share that information with LSP Detectives. Information may be reported anonymously through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system by visiting lsp.org and clicking on Report Suspicious or Criminal Activity, or by calling the LSP Fusion Center Hotline at 1-800-434-8007.

The boil advisory for residents on Paul Cemetery Rd. and all adjoining roads has been rescinded by the Department of Health.  The Village of Forest Hill thanks residents for their patience.