News

(LTLA) graduates and welcomes future class; DeSoto’s Charlotte Miller Included in Class of 2024 New Orleans, La. (Jan. 16, 2024) – During its Annual Meeting this week, the Louisiana Travel Association (LTA) introduced their 2023 LTLA graduates, who have successfully completed LTA’s training program to continue educating the next generation of tourism professionals.

“As we applaud our graduating class, we can’t help but be proud of each of their bright futures ahead. Throughout this program, each candidate has shown immense growth and passion for the tourism industry,” said Chris Landry, LTA President and CEO. “We are excited to welcome the next class of leaders in the tourism industry and look forward to watching our graduates continue to develop in their careers.”

We always love to share these moments when all of the first responder teams/agencies from across the parish are represented. All teamed up for a planning and preparation briefing on the winter storm headed to our area. Rest assured, all hands are on deck for any possibility. We thank all of our area first responders for their hard work before, during, and after such events. Please keep them in your prayers in the coming days.

With 2023 behind us and 2024 just beginning, I look forward to great things from the DeSoto Parish Police Jury and for the constituents of DeSoto Parish. 2023 ended with several road projects getting completed and nearing completion, new inventory scale construction at the Road Department, new construction beginning at the Mundy Landfill, $1.6 million dollars in funding from the states capital outlay program dedicated to roads and the completion of a new boat ramp at Garrett Park in partnership with the Sabine River Authority and the Town of Logansport, among other smaller no less important projects.

Narcotics agents with the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office recently executed search warrant at 299 East Street in Logansport that led to arrests of Reagan Golden (28yo W/M of Logansport) and Gina Bylock (33yo W/F of Logansport) on January 11, 2024.

Items seized during this search consisted of 1.4 pounds of meth, vehicles, cash, weapons, body armor, gas masks and clandestine lab equipment.

This is an ongoing investigation that may lead to further arrests and/or information. DPSO has no further information to provide at this moment in time.

At their first meeting of 2024, the DeSoto Parish School Board unanimously approved placing a bond measure on the ballot for the April 27, 2024 election, with a revised plan to address growth in the North DeSoto area.

Voters in District 2 (North DeSoto Schools) rejected a bond proposal for capital improvements in a November 2023 election, and because of the urgency of overcrowding and growing enrollment, the Board has approved a revised plan for voters to consider. In a survey that saw input from more than 600 residents of District 2, 78% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that the Board needs to do something about the growth in the North DeSoto area.

Due to the Louisiana Supreme Court ruling that overturned child murderer Brian Horn’s death sentence, he was in court on January 11, 2024 and received the same sentence, once again. The courtroom was filled with 12-yearold murder victim Justin Bloxom’s family and friends who remained silent, but relieved, upon hearing Judge Amy Burford McCartney’s formal sentencing of Horn.

Horn, who was clad in orange and shackled at his waist and ankles, was quickly removed from the courtroom with DeSoto Parish deputies and state prison guards surrounding him. As McCartney told Horn to stand as she read the sentencing document, guards and deputies had already taken positions in the courtroom.

While Horn left the DeSoto Parish Courthouse en route back to a death row cell at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, his execution date will not be set until his appeals process is exhausted.

The DeSoto Extension Office, located at 10117 Hwy 171 in Grand Cane will host a Horse Health Clinic on Thursday, February 1, 2024, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Registration is required, so contact Joshua Salley, your DeSoto Parish Agriculture Agent at 318-872-0533 or email him at jsalley@agcenter. lsu.edu Topics to be discussed include General Equine Health with Dr. Neely Heidorn, PhD, Associate Professor; LSU AgCenter – Equine Extension Specialist; Saddle Microchipping by Livestock Brand Inspector, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry; Equine Nutrition by Jennifer Caldwell, Livestock Production Specialist of Purina Animal Nutrition and Rockin P Ranch and Leather by Austin Patton, Custom Leatherwork and Saddle Repair.

On New Year’s Day, 2024 began by seeing an incident occur around 3:00 p.m. at the C. E. “Rusty” Williams Airport in Grand Cane when a small aircraft landed at the field around 3:00 p.m.

The plane’s nose gear collapsed while landing causing the aircraft to skid and catch fire. No injuries were reported and there was no confirmation of how many were on the plane or who the owner was.

Apple iPhones now have a feature to detect if you have been in a car crash called “Crash Detection.” If you happen to drop your phone it can sometimes trigger this feature and call 911. The bottom line is, be sure to answer if dispatchers call you back. The DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office fully understands that mistakes happen. Half of our phone screens over here are cracked as well! But, they don’t want to dispatch a deputy every time someone drops their phone. If it triggers, a dispatcher will call to ensure that you are safe, and that’s all they need to know!

Keep DeSoto Beautiful has received a grant from Keep Louisiana Beautiful to bring road safety and litter awareness to those vehicles that have unsecured loads. The program affiliate grant will enable KDB to give out 150 tarps and bungee cords to DeSoto Parish citizens who want to cover loads to prevent litter and reduce waste on our roads and highways. This simple step helps keep our roadways clean and safe! When any debris or paper flies out of the back of pickup trucks and commercial hauling vehicles, an accident can happen!

Keep Louisiana Beautiful is helping Keep DeSoto Beautiful protect the natural beauty of our parish. We are proud to be the recipients of this grant.

About Keep DeSoto Beautiful Keep DeSoto Beautiful will inspire and empower people to take pride in DeSoto Parish through litter abatement and education. Keep DeSoto Beautiful is a project of the DeSoto Parish Police Jury.