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3 months ago
*What a Blessing it is to see the beginning of another new year… January 1, 2026! As I reflect back over the year 2025, I realize that many of us have dealt with various situations in our lives. We’ve had so many ups and downs; some sunshine and rain but through it all we survived and that’s something to celebrate. Happy Blessed New Year’s Everyone!
Wesley Ray UMC:
By Gwen Pigott on
3 months ago
Greetings from Hot Springs, Arkansas! We have spent the weekend after Christmas exploring Hot Springs yet again. It really is a cool little town with lots of history. I have learned so much more about it in the last month or so. I know the mountains here aren’t as mountainous as the Smokies, which in turn aren’t as mountainous as the Rockies, but still, very pretty and highly recommended, nonetheless.
By Karen Thigpen on
3 months ago
Louisiana’s third annual Rose P
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3 months ago
By Jim Brown on
3 months 1 week ago
Keep an eye open for this dog, missing in the Franklinton area. It belongs to the Phelps family, and a reward is being offered. Call 985-515-2122 if you spot it.
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3 months 1 week ago
Donna Arceneaux
, Scott Jordan
, New Orleans TV stations were present for the Sheriff's press conference regarding the arrest of Scott Jordan.
PHOTO BY TRACEY LADNER
, Sheriff Jason Smith discusses the Jordan arrest at Tuesday press conference.
PHOTO BY TRACEY LADNER
An arrest was made early Tuesday (Dec. 23) in the 2017 murder of Donna Arceneaux just south of Franklinton.
Scott Jordan, age 59, was booked into the Washington Parish Jail after being charged with second-degree murder in the case. He is being held on $2 million dollars bond. Jordan was arrested as he was leaving his Franklinton workplace.
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3 months 1 week ago
Happy New Year! 2026 beckons.
Hard to believe it’s that time again. The holiday season is drawing to a close. One more week and then it’s time to tighten the belt and get on with the new year.
At 67, my New Year’s celebrations are getting a little less rowdy and late. When I was young, I wouldn’t even dream about not staying up until midnight to watch the new year roll in. Now it’s a bit less exciting.
By Wyatt Emmerich on
3 months 2 weeks ago
The Franklinton Board of Aldermen and Mayor Darwin Sharp met for the final time of 2025 on December 9. The Board voted in October to hold only one meeting in each of November and December because of the holidays. The minutes from the November 10 meeting were approved and the Board moved through the agenda items at a brisk pace.
By Toni Tageant on
3 months 2 weeks ago
The Washington Parish School Board held its final meeting of 2025 on Thursday, December 11.
During the committee meeting held prior to the regular meeting, Katie Miller presented district and school performance scores. Scores are for the 2024-25 school year. Highlights of the presentation included:
•Washington Parish's school system's score has risen 2.4 points since 2019 and the system earned a letter grade B;
By Toni Tageant on
3 months 2 weeks ago
Judge Will Crain
Louisiana Supreme Court Justice William J. Crain has been confirmed to a lifetime appointment as a judge of the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Crain is a native of Washington Parish.
Justice Crain will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Eldon E. Fallon.
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3 months 2 weeks ago
Police officers and others helping with Saturday evening’s Christmas Block Party paused long enough to pose for a group photo. The Police Department’s Block Party was well attended. In addition to fun and photos with Santa, attendees also performed s good deed by donating toys for kids and cold weather items for the elderly.
PHOTO BY TRACEY LADNER
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3 months 2 weeks ago
Cecily Bateman
By the time you read this, I sure hope it's over. The government shut-down, that is. But from my perch on the porch swing at the farm in early November, things don't look so bright. Perhaps my pessimism stems from what was to have been a wonderful weekend gone awry. Eager beavers - my better half and I - made a bee-line for the airport early on Thursday to get a jump on the TSA lines, which we had heard were becoming a bear.
By Cecily Bateman on
3 months 2 weeks ago
Callie Foreman
Last week I wrote about a precious gift I received out of the blue that made a major impact on me and continued to do so throughout the year. As I wrote in that column, a flood of memories and thoughts came pouring out on this topic. It was far too much to include in one version, so I chose to wait and add to this topic in future weeks. Gifts come in all shapes and sizes. They can be both tangible and intangible with often the intangible being the most prized possession.
By Callie Foreman on
3 months 2 weeks ago
The Franklinton Lady Demons basketball team won a non district game over Fredrick Douglas in a big way last week, 43-10. The Lady Demons, coached by Coach Atari Warner, dominated the game from start to finish.
The Lady Demons roared out to a 10-4 lead after the first period before an even better second period moved the score to 22-6 at the halftime intermission. A 7-2 third period pushed the score to 29-8 before they had their best showing in the fourth period with a 14-2 score for a final of 43-10.
By DAMON SMITH on
3 months 2 weeks ago
It was a happy commencement for two Franklinton pastors at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary on Friday, December 12, 2025.
Keith Sheridan, Pastor at First Baptist Church Franklinton, received his Doctor of Ministry in Church Revitalization.
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3 months 3 weeks ago
The National Weather Service is predicting a hard freeze for the Franklinton area and much of the Northshore Sunday and Monday nights, December 14 and 15.
Temperatures are expected to drop to 26° Sunday night and 25° Monday night in the Franklinton area.
Be prepared. Protect people, pets and plants. If necessary, protect pipes and/or run water.
Check in on senior citizens and anyone else who might need assistance.
As always, check smoke alarms. Freezing temperatures can strain heating systems.
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3 months 3 weeks ago
Cecily Bateman
All the world's a stage…"
So said William Shakespeare, and it is especially so in Washington Parish. From the early days, our forebears were putting on and performing in shows and pageants. And it wasn't just at Peter Pan, a magical summer tradition and program featured in my column last summer. Fantastic local talent is found on the stage community-wide with schools the training ground.
By Cecily Bateman on
3 months 3 weeks ago
Callie Foreman
I learned recently that there was a time when Christmas was not the biggest holiday of the year. Easter was the largest celebration among Christian households.
It was in fact retail stores who brought a great deal of hype to Christmas, creating characters such as Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to boost sales. The economy brought about this enormous celebration even though St. Nicholas in some form or another had been visiting children to leave gifts for centuries before.
By Callie Foreman on
3 months 3 weeks ago
Rev. Jimmy Oalmann
Luke 7:36-50
By Rev. Jimmy Oalmann - Richardson Baptist Church on
3 months 3 weeks ago
The coaches of district 7-4A have released their all district football selections for the 2024 season. The district is made up of Franklinton, Hannan, Lakeshore, Loranger and Pearl River.
Franklinton, the division II non select state quarterfinalist was well represented with seven first team selections and six second team selections.
By DAMON SMITH on
