NATCHITOCHES AREA NEWS

NPSD Alerts Residents of ATV Thefts The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents about a recent rash of all-terrain vehicle thefts. According to a social media post from the sheriff’s office, the thefts have occurred across multiple communities in the parish. The office did not share the specific number of thefts being investigated. Sheriff Stuart Wright says his office is urging ATV owners to take extra precautions including securing ATV vehicles with locks or chains. He also recommends parking your ATV in a well-lit, visible area and storing it in a locked garage or shed. Wright added that ATV owners should keep their registration and vehicle identification numbers readily available in case of theft. Anyone who has any information related to the thefts should contact the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office at (318) 352-6432, 357-7851, or the Criminal Investigations Bureau at 357-7830. Anonymous tips can be submitted through the Natchitoches Crimestoppers website. LDWF Cites Two Vernon Parish Residents Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited two subjects for alleged turkey hunting violations in Vernon Parish on April 12. Agents cited Ashley Bass, 45, of Lake Charles, and Charles Bass, 66, of Pitkin, for hunting turkeys over a baited area. On March 27, agents on patrol near Pitkin located and documented numerous feeders actively throwing whole kernel corn and birdseed with a turkey hunting blind about 200 yards away. Agents setup surveillance on the area and observed Ashley Bass and Charles Bass place a decoy near the blind and then enter the turkey blind near the baited area. Agents then made contact with the subjects and issued them citations. According to the 2025 Turkey Regulations, no person shall hunt or take turkeys by the aid of baiting or on or over a baited area. Hunters are not allowed to place, expose, deposit or scatter corn, wheat or other grain, salt or other feed to lure turkeys to their hunting area. Hunting turkeys over a baited area brings a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Catahoula Parish Grand Jury Indicts Man for Murder A grand jury in Catahoula Parish indicted Thomas Steven Sanders on April 14 for the first-degree murder of 12-year-old Lexis Roberts of Las Vegas in 2010. Since 2014 and prior to December 2024, Sanders was on federal death row. He was first sentenced to death by a jury at the Alexandria Federal Courthouse in 2014 after he admitted to kidnapping Lexis Roberts in Arizona and killing her in Catahoula Parish. He also admitted to murdering Lexis mother, Suellen Roberts, in Arizona. Sanders was in the process of appealing his death sentence in at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans until his and 36 other inmates sentences’ were commuted to life imprisonment by former President Joe Biden in December 2024. Following Monday’s indictment in Catahoula Parish, Sanders may again face the death penalty, this time by the State of Louisiana. Catahoula Parish District Attorney Brad Burget said that nine of 12 grand jury members concurred with Sander’s indictment at Monday’s trial. Sanders is currently imprisoned at the United States Penitentiary in Terry Haute, Indiana. However, Burget is pushing for Sanders’ to be extradited back to Louisiana. Louisiana Ranked as Third-Lowest State in Life Expectancy Louisiana has been ranked as the third lowest state regarding life expectancy. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put Louisiana at the bottom of the list, just above West Virginia and Mississippi. According to Greg Sonnenfeld, a coordinator of oncology services for Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport, Louisiana, many people in the state skip screenings or put them off too long, leaving them at risk of developing serious and life-threatening conditions. "We know that screening saves lives when we catch cancer at an early stage." Cancer was the second highest cause of death among Louisiana residents as of 2022. The top cause was cardiovascular disease, another problem that can be fatal if not found early. The low life expectancy in Louisiana may be related to two other medical-related problems: the accessibility to and affordability of healthcare. Jonesville Man Cited for Hunting Violations Jeffrey K. Hudnall, a 58-year-old man from Jonesville, is facing multiple charges related to illegal turkey hunting in Catahoula Parish. On March 21, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents apprehended Hudnall on accusations of hunting turkeys out of season and trespassing on private land, as reported by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries. Turkey season hadn't begun as of the date of Hudnall's arrest, with an official start set for April 5. Despite the clear regulations, agents collected three freshly harvested male turkeys, hidden allegedly by Hudnall, who was caught in the act of hunting. Each offense of hunting wildlife during a closed season and hiding it comes with heavy fines and possible jail time. The legal bag limits in Louisiana restrict hunters to two adult male turkeys per season and only one per day, a rule clearly disregarded if the agents' discovery of three turkeys is any indication. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries reports that Hudnall was booked into Catahoula Parish Jail and now faces charges of taking turkeys during a closed season, intentional concealment of wildlife, not tagging harvested turkeys, criminal trespassing, and exceeding the daily and seasonal bag limits of turkeys. Louisiana Legislature Addresses Highway Construction In an effort to pick up the pace of how quickly Louisiana builds and maintains roads and bridges, legislators are considering sweeping changes to the state Department of Transportation and Development — including creating an entirely new office outside the department to handle road work as well as privatizing many services. Over the course of a three-hour hearing Tuesday, House transportation committee chair Ryan Bourriaque, R-Abbeville, presented a package of four different bills aimed at overhauling the transportation department. If House Bill 621 passes, a new Office of Louisiana Highway Construction would be created — not within DOTD, but under the Division of Administration, which functions as the administrative arm of state government. It would be led by an executive director appointed by the governor. The office would handle planning, engineering, design, construction, operation and maintenance of any of the state’s nonfederal aid highways, which include rural and local roads that aren’t major thoroughfares. Pollock Man Cited for Turkey Hunting Violations Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited a Pollock man on March 29 for alleged turkey hunting violations in Natchitoches Parish. Agents cited Chad Alston, 47, for hunting turkeys over a baited area and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. Agents found bird seed in the days prior to the opening day of youth turkey hunting season near Robeline. The bird seed was placed approximately 10 yards from a box blind with two chairs inside. On the morning of March 29, agents setup surveillance on the baited area when they observed Alston and a juvenile arrive to the area. Agents observed Alston setup three decoys and enter the box blind with the juvenile. Hunting turkeys over a baited area brings a $250 to $500 fine. Contributing to the delinquency of a minor carries up to a $500 fine and six months in jail. Two Arrested in Winn Parish Murder Two people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a Winn Parish man on April 6, according to the Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office. WPSO said Randell Kelley, 55, was found deceased in his home in the Brewton Mill community late Wednesday evening. Family members discovered his body after being alerted by Kelley’s employer that he had not reported to work. Winn Parish Sheriff Josh McAllister reported that Christian Scott Douglas Campbell, 22, and Amaney Paige LaBouve, 19, both of Welch, were arrested on April 11 by St. Mary Parish authorities. WPSO said they were found in possession of a stolen vehicle belonging to the victim and are currently being held in St. Mary Parish under a $1 million bond each. Sheriff McAllister, accompanied by a team of his investigators, traveled to Morgan City to interview the suspects. Warrants are being prepared, and Campbell and LaBouve will be transported to Winn Parish to face formal charges in connection with the homicide.

LA Department of Health Audited A recent report by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor shows that Louisiana’s Department of Health has been dealing with a handful of persistent financial and compliance issues over the last few years, The Center Square reports. While the report notes some progress, the agency has reportedly failed to resolve a majority of issues identified in prior audits—some for as long as seven years. The audit, reviewing the status of problems flagged in a March 2024 management letter, notes that LDH had resolved only one issue: inadequate controls over and noncompliance with National Correct Coding Initiative requirements. Remaining concerns—ranging from financial misreporting to Medicaid eligibility and provider oversight—remain unresolved and, in some cases, have worsened. LDH points to staffing shortages and insufficient training as causes of the reporting errors. Senator Bill Cassidy Meets with Cenla Sheriffs Senator Bill Cassidy met with law enforcement officials from several Cenla parishes last week in Bentley. Grant Parish Sheriff Steve McCain was joined by sheriffs and officials from Rapides, Natchitoches, Winn, Vernon, Grant, Webster, and Claiborne Parishes. Officials said they met with Cassidy to discuss the growing expenses from policing Kisatchie National Forest without support from the federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILT program. Senator Cassidy said, "...Our sheriffs in Central Louisiana told me how they’re providing law enforcement on federal lands. This is a service like any other service federal parks pay for. They should pay for this too." Cassidy reportedly agreed with the sheriffs’ view that the U.S. Forest Service should treat payments for local law-enforcement services like a routine budget item, akin to any other operational expenditure. As a result of the meeting, officials agreed to compile the cost each parish pays to patrol Kisatchie National Forest and to compare those costs with sheriff’s associations in other states. The findings will be sent to Senator Cassidy, who will then work with colleagues in states like Nevada and Utah to create a bipartisan effort to support local law-enforcement agencies that police federal lands with PILT-style reimbursements. NSU Commencement Dates Announced Northwestern State University will award diplomas during three Commencement ceremonies Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15 in Prather Coliseum. The ceremony for graduates from the College of Business and Technology and the Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development will be at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 14. The ceremony for graduates from the College of Nursing and School of Allied Health will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. The ceremony for graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Louisiana Scholars’ College will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, May 15. Also during the 10:00 a.m. ceremony, NSU’s graduate class of 1975 will be recognized and awarded 50-year diplomas in celebration of their Golden Jubilee. All ceremonies will be live streamed via www.nsula.edu. For a detailed schedule, a list of Frequently Asked Questions and candidate information, visit www.nsula.edu/graduation. NPD Arrest Report The Natchitoches Police Department reported that they arrested the following people between March 9 and March 22: Robert Pierre (D.W.I., reckless operation and driving under suspicion) Marcel Evans (Resisting, battery of a police officer, possession of Schedule I) William Skyes Jr. (Violation of protection order) Kevin Harrell (Domestic abuse battery) Donald Allen (Remaining) D’Angelo Martin (Theft) Tyler Winchester (Possession of marijuana) Kenneth Johnson (Possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon) Christopher Braden (Resisting, disturbing the peace) Rynell Jefferson (Battery of a dating partner) Tiffanie Perkins (Theft) Christopher Braden (Attempted theft, criminal mischief, simple burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, hit and run and reckless operation) David Dixon (Contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile) Calandra Evans (Theft) Frances Meziere (D.W.I., hit and run) Lonnie Shields (Aggravated battery) Charnard Johnson (Battery of a police officer, battery of a dating partner and resisting) Vernon Robinson (Violation of a protection order) Christina Bernstine (Simple burglary) Tiana Mitchell (Possession of marijuana) Harold Grindle (D.W.I., speeding) Julius Washington Jr. (Possession of Schedule II, drug paraphernalia) NPD said any suspicious activity can be reported to them at (318) 352-8101. Cuts Proposed for SNAP Benefits For tens of thousands of Louisiana families, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is more than a safety net — it’s a lifeline. But proposed cuts at the federal level could put major pressure on that lifeline and ripple across both dinner tables and grocery store aisles here at home. According to a recent report from CNBC, House Republicans are proposing a $230 billion cut to the USDA over the next 10 years, with much of that targeting SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. The Senate’s version suggests a smaller—but still significant—$1 billion reduction. While final decisions remain tied up in the ongoing farm bill debate, either version would be the largest cut in SNAP’s history. As grocery prices remain high and inflation continues to stretch household budgets, families across the Bayou State are already feeling the pinch. Cutting SNAP benefits could leave many having to choose between groceries and other essentials like rent or utilities. The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) reported that, as of early 2024, more than 830,000 people in the state were receiving SNAP assistance, which is nearly 1 in 5 Louisiana residents.