Richard “Ricky” Lee Allen was born March 26, 1962, in Killeen, Texas and passed away in DeRidder, Louisiana April 1, 2025, at the age of 63. He was a mechanic for his entire career, and for many years he worked for Nash Paint and Body Shop. Ricky was a true car enthusiast, and he especially loved old cars and antiques. Besides repairing cars and painting them, he would also race. He enjoyed the simple things in life like spending time on the Sabine River as well as hunting and fishing.

Ricky was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph B. Allen and Meryl Lucille Craft Allen; sister, Cherie Allen; and stepdaughter, Sarah Meeks.

Those left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Crystal Lucille Perkins (Chandler) of Leesville; stepdaughters, Heather Gelinas (Jay) of Terre Haute, IN, and Christina Michelle Bailey (Austin) of Leesville; grandchildren, Ainslee Lucille Perkins, Corbin Perkins, Breelyn Jeannelle Perkins, Magnolia Ophelia Perkins, Marlie Leann Gelinas, and Riley Balli Bailey; sister, Var Benum (Vigdis) of Tromso, Norway; nephew, Yngve Benum; and extended family members and friends.

A gathering to remember Ricky’s life was held at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at the Sabine River bridge on the Louisiana and Texas line.

SANDRA KAY WEDGEWORTH HICKS
August 14, 1947 – April 3, 2025
Service: April 7, 2025, at Labby Memorial Funeral Home in Leesville at 3 p.m.

EDDY “DRAKE” SIGLER
May 28, 1961 – April 5, 2025
Service: April 9, 2025, at Beauregard Cemetery in DeRidder, Louisiana at 11 a.m.

ALEX SMITH
July 5, 1961 – April 1, 2025
Service: April 12, 2025, at Leesville Memorial Cemetery at 11 a.m.

The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office reports that it received a phone call about suspicious activity at an abandoned residence near Highway 117 on Thursday afternoon.  Deputies responded and found two male suspects of foreign nationality.

VPSO contacted agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and were asked to detain the suspects until ICE agents could interview them.  Both were transported to the Vernon Parish Jail.

The suspects were identified as Salome Luna Mena of Mexico and Jose Rigoberto Vasquez Martinez, an undocumented male from El Salvador.  ICE agents spoke with both men and took Martinez into their custody.  Mena was released by the ICE agents.

Sheriff Sam Craft takes this time to remind all local residents who see suspicious activity to call the VPSO at 337-238-1311.

Bertha Foy, age 54, of Leesville, was arrested on an outstanding Bench Warrant.  Bond has not been set.  Foy remains in the Vernon Parsh jail.

James Douglas Witcher, age 56, of Fredricksburg, Virginia, was arrested by Agents with the Vernon Parish Narcotics Task Force.  Agents charged Witcher with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic and one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Bond has not been set.  Witcher remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Aaron Moore Poisso, age 30, of Leesville, was arrested by Agents with the Vernon Parish Narcotics Task Force.  Agents charge Poisso with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic, one count of Drug Paraphernalia and one count of Resisting an Officer.  Bond has not been set.  Poisso remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Nakaila Cheyenne Pinkett, age 20, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of Aggravated Domestic Abuse Battery.  Bond has not been set.  Pinkett remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Terry Russell, age 62, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of domestic Abuse Battery.  Bond has not been set.  Russell remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

Many residents of West Central Louisiana have heard the news that MayFest 2025 has been moved from its one-and-only-home in downtown Leesville to the West Louisiana Forestry Festival Fairgrounds. MayFest has been a staple of downtown since its inception and was named the 2012 Louis winner as State Festival of the Year.

This move will give organizers added flexibility to schedule events that can be sheltered from bad weather.  Parking is certainly plentiful, and many of your favorite activities will go on as planned.

MayFest officially begins Friday, May 2, with opening ceremonies on the main stage at 3 p.m. Music will begin at 4 p.m.  The last act is set for 8 p.m.   The welcome ceremonies will include a military color guard and a flyover by Blackhawk attack helicopters.

The Vernon 4-H program and 4-H Club will be involved with kids’ activities, sponsoring mutton busting in the Lions rodeo arena at 4 p.m. Friday and team roping competition Saturday at 10 a.m.  Contact the 4-H office to enter either event.

Saturday at 7 a.m., the Leesville Lions Club will host their annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser on the midway.  They’ll be serving hot pancakes and all the trimmings for breakfast or brunch.  Join the fun and food with the Leesville Lions Club at the fairgrounds.

MayFest will feature a giant car show this year on the midway.  The cars will be lined up for your approval on Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.  The cost to enter the show is $20.  Pre-register your ride at the Vernon Parish Police Jury office at 300 S. 3rd Street, or call 337-238-0324.  Winners will be announced from the main stage at approximately 2 p.m. Saturday.

The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office will host a new event Saturday in the fairgrounds auditorium.  Area seniors are invited to come out and be welcomed at 10:30 a.m.  You’ll enjoy a day of great gospel music and a free meal.

GOSPEL LINEUP-In the Auditorium/Saturday, May 3

11 am/Chuck Mars   11:30/Lunch   11:45 am-12:15 pm/Good Old Boys   1:30 pm-2:15 pm/Pollock Family   2:30 pm-3:15 pm/Johnson Temple Church of God   3:30 pm-4:15 pm/Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

Friday, May 2-Music Lineup on Main St

4 pm-5:15 pm/Rosedown Ramblers   5:30 pm-6:45/Beaushyne   7 pm-8:15 pm/Born to Boogie         8:30 pm-10 pm/Kenne’ Wayne

Saturday, May 3-Music Lineup on Main Stage

11:30 am-12:30 pm/”Chief” Mike Kuk   11:45 pm-1:45 pm/Old Man Band   2 pm-3:15 pm/KCM

3:30 pm-4:45 pm/Southern Country   5 pm-6:15 pm/Whiskey Dent   6:30 pm-8 pm/Sundown Band   8:30-10 pm/Glen Templeton

There is NO  ADMISSION to MayFest 2025, so pack up the family.  You’ll find loads of food and beverage options Friday and Saturday, plus rows of arts and craft items.  The U.S. Army at Ft. Johnson will have a static display for viewing Saturday on the midway from 1-5 p.m.

MayFest is moving!  If you like music, good food and sunshine, MayFest weekend is for you!  Thanks to the Vernon Parish Police Jury and all the volunteers who have been working behind the scenes to make this first year memorable. 

The Vernon Parish School Board met in regular session April 3.  Board members voted to advertise for bids on janitorial supplies, cafeteria supplies, bread, milk, and juice for the upcoming school year.

A motion to approve a change order for Ward 7 construction was approved.  This will add 68K to the project as water/sewer lines will have to be moved in the new building.

Luke Brandon, President of the Merchants and Farmers Bank, accompanied by VP of Marketing, Wendy Lentz, announced to the Board they will partner with the Rapides Foundation and the Vernon Parish Head Start (Birth thru 5) in supporting young children through the Dolly Parton/ Imagination Library.  This unique program provides a book a month to registered children to call their own.  Any child under the age of five in Vernon Parish is eligible for the program. They could receive up to 60 books by the age of five. Register for the program at  https://imagination library.com/usa/affiliate/LAVERNON/.  Head Start coordinator Cheree Atkins told board members that since beginning this program, over 1,000 children have enrolled.  Curtis Clay with Head Start asked Board members to add four new policy changes to next week’s agenda.

For over a month the Vernon Parish School Board has been polling employees on potential changes to the school calendar.  Results of the two polls were shared with board members yesterday.  Approximately 80% of employees were in favor of a new “hybrid” calendar.  With this calendar, students would attend school Tuesdays through Fridays.  There would be no school on Mondays.  Parents voted in a separate poll and were also in favor of a hybrid calendar.  The full board will address the matter at the Tuesday, April 8 meeting.  Personnel Director, Joey Bartz, estimated, on the conservative side, a savings of over one million dollars per year on a hybrid calendar.

Another change is being considered by personnel and athletic staff on the Louisiana High School Athletic Association designation on Select and Non-Select schools.  Since Vernon is open enrollment, a re-wording of the board policy could satisfy the LHSAA and return the non-select designation to Vernon schools.  The wording would reflect closed attendance zones in the parish.  Students would attend school in their zone, however, exceptions can be made.  No students currently enrolled would be forced to move and some would be grandfathered in.  This would be enough to allow the non-select designation for Vernon schools at the next LHSAA re-classification meeting.  This matter will be on the Board’s agenda at the April 8 meeting.

The Academic Achievement Banquet, sponsored by the VPSB, the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce and the 30^th Judicial District Bar Association for high school seniors will be Monday, April 28, at the East Leesville Baptist Church’s Family Life Center at 6 p.m.

The Spring Musical and Visual Arts Showcase, presented by the VPSB Talented Program will be held Friday, April 11 at 6 p.m. in the Christian Life Fellowship building at 12955 Lake Charles Highway, just south of the Entrance Road.  The public is invited.

The annual Vernon Parish High School rodeo will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 4-6 at the Lions Rodeo Arena on the Forestry Festival Fairgrounds.

Friday night features Junior High performances at 7:30 p.m. and again at 10 a.m. Saturday.  High school cutting is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. High School performances will be Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday morning at 10 a.m.

Cowboy Church will be held on Sunday at 8 a.m.

Cost to attend is $10 per person or $15 for a weekend pass.  Children five and under are admitted free of charge.  A concession stand will be open with food and beverages to purchase.

The Red Devils represented their school and the Vernon Parish community well, with medal winners across the board. All of the lady lifters that scored this year will be returning, and the boys are all improving. 

The Lady Red Devils placed 4th Overall out of 32 Division IV programs, scoring 28 team points. Serena Quiambao secured her second straight state 2nd place finish in the 105 weight class while Zanyah Walker won 2nd place in the132 class. Only two lady lifters failed to score points and finished in the top 5 of their weight classes.

The Pickering boys team placed 7th out of 32 teams with 12 team points. Braden Ford secured his 2nd straight state medal taking 2nd in the 148 class and Braden Willis got 3rd place at Super Heavyweight. Several other boys got new personal records on multiple lifts.

Girls
Serena Quiambao 2nd place, 105 class-510 total lbs.
Zanyah Walker 2nd place, 132 class-765 total lbs.
Gabriella Williams 4th place, 148 class-695 total lbs.
Amaya Eaves 4th place, 165 class-735 total lbs.
Layla Anthony 4th place, 198 class-735 total lbs.
Ava Nixon 4th place, 220 class-720 total lbs.
Abby Kunath 5th place, 123 class-665 total lbs.
Lindsey Bartlett 5th place, 148 class-695 total lbs.
Alyssa Brown 5th place, 198 class-695 total lbs.
Hanna Marsalise 7th place, 132 class-600 total lbs.
Boys

Braden Ford 2nd place, 148 class-1,085 total lbs.
Braden Willis 3rd place, SHW class-1,180 total lbs.
Hunter Noel 6th place, 181 class-1,095 total lbs.
Alex Austin 6th place, 242 class-1,240 total lbs.

Landon Noel 6th place, 275 class-1,190 total lbs.

Klayton Washington 7th place, 123 class-655 total lbs.

Other State lifters who competed were Ethan Brown and LaMya Suire.  Ricardo Sastre was a state alternate but did not get to compete.

2026 will be a great showcase for the Pickering Powerlifters. They will have their annual home invitational meet and will also host the Boy’s Central Regionals at Pickering!

Post Season Honors for Rosepine Duo

The Louisiana Sports Writers Association announced their Class 2-AA All State Basketball teams this week.  Rosepine’s Amaya Shine was named to the Girls First Team and classmate Hayden Brister was selected to the second team Boys All State squad.

Softball and Baseball results.

The state playoffs begin in the next three weeks as teams jockey for post-season seeding.  Locally, the Anacoco Lady Indians are ranked #3 in the Class B poll.  They clinched the District 4-B title on Tuesday with a 13-9 win at #5 ranked Hicks.  Anacoco’s Ava Davis had four hits, including two home runs.  She drove in 8 runs.  Hicks clawed back in the fifth to make it a two- run game but Anacoco responded with four in the top of the seventh to deal the deal.  Anacoco is 19-3 on the season and has won 17 of their last 18 games.  Hicks has lost three of their last four games.

The Rosepine Lady Eagles have won seven of their last eight games to move to 11-10, on the year.  They are ranked #13 in the Division III select rankings.  Rosepine got a District 4AA win over DeQuincy this week, 3-2.

Pitkin is the #1 team in the state Class B rankings and the Tigers have won seven in a row.  They defeated 4-AAAA DeRidder, 14-6 and Elizabeth 13-1. Pitkin is 13-5 on the season.

Hicks is ranked #3 in Class B rankings with a 12-5 record.  They defeated Anacoco 3-1 this week.

Hornbeck’s Hornets have the #7 ranking among Class C teams with an 8-8 mark.  They lost to Ebarb on Tuesday, 6-5.

The Rosepine Eagles are 16-8 on the year and currently ranked #8 in Division III Select rankings.  They fell to DeQuincy on Monday, 9-3 and played at 4AAAA Tioga last night.

Tournament bass fishing has been a huge part of my life since the early 1990s and occasionally,
the sport reminds you that you’re not as good as you think you are. Tournament bass fishing
has a way of checking your ego and bringing an angler back down to earth. This happened to
me just recently at an event on Lake of the Pines located in the heart of East Texas. 

As I arrived for practice on Tuesday for the ABA Solo 150 Tour event No. 1, I carried high
expectations for several reasons. I had fished well there in the past and a warming trend was
taking place for the entire week, which should have meant the bass would be pulling up into
the shallows.

Next, based on the results of tournaments staged over the weeks prior to our event, it
appeared the bass were biting. And the fact that spring was looking to make an early arrival had
me beaming with excitement.

Nothing gets an angler’s blood flowing more than the thought of bass getting ready to spawn.
This is when the big female bass (known as big girls; sorry ladies) come in looking for a place to
lay their eggs. It’s a time when they are most vulnerable to being caught, so it just might be my
favorite time of year to bass fish. 

While 90 percent of all tournament anglers don’t keep bass to eat, they still enjoy the challenge
of catching bass off their beds. Female bass (big girls) can be tough to catch this time of year
when it comes to biting an artificial lure during the spawn. They just don’t bite the same when
they are on the bed (nest) laying their eggs.  
 
For this event, however, it was all about location, location, location! Never in my 30-plus years
of tournament bass fishing have I seen the number of five fish bags being weighed over 30

pounds each. Based off simple math (which I can do), some of these anglers were weighing in a
6-pound average for every bass in their bag.
 
It would not shock many anglers for someone to do this during any springtime event, but in this
tournament, five anglers did it on the final day with one angler (the winner) bringing in a little
over 39 pounds with a five bass limit! 
 
That’s just shy of an 8-pound average, which is unheard of. By the way, the same angler that
weighed 39 pounds on the final day of our event, followed that up with another huge bag over
30 pounds the next weekend in another event.
 
Here’s how the weigh-in went for me: I had a little over 13 pounds on Day 1 and 14 plus on Day
2 for a total of 27.85 pounds, landing me in the middle of the pack at 21 st  place. Basically, I was
34 pounds behind the leader, which is the largest margin I’ve ever lost by in a tournament. It
was as if I was fishing on a completely different lake than the top 10 anglers!
 
I would like to point out that there were a few guys complaining about ONLY catching 23-24
pounds at the weigh-in. Hey guys, here’s some free advice from someone who has been doing
this for over 30 years. When you complain about having over 20 pounds at a weigh-in, it makes
you look arrogant and dumb — SO DON’T DO THAT!!!
 
Now that I have that off my chest, there’s one thing I do know about bass fishing. You never
stop learning, and you never quit trying. You just lick your wounds and move on to the next
tournament. I do recognize that this event was the exception to the rule when it comes to 30-
pound bags being weighed-in. But this one event truly humbled me as an angler.
 
While these kinds of weights coming to the scales is not the norm for most area lakes, Lake of
the Pines is fishing exceptionally well at this time when compared to other lakes in our region.
This is a testament to the outstanding job Texas Parks and Wildlife is doing with managing all
our Texas lakes. 
 

‘Til next time, keep your hooks wet and your live wells full and make sure you take the time to
take a kid fishing! 
 
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

From April 5–12, 2025, Leesville is turning up the green vibes for Love the Boot Week, an exciting celebration of environmental stewardship and community spirit! With Keep Louisiana Beautiful sponsoring the fun, and the Leesville Junior League, City of Leesville, and Mayor’s Women’s Commission leading the charge, this week-long extravaganza invites everyone to roll up their sleeves and beautify our hometown.

🌟 Event Highlights:

1. Saturday, April 5th – Trash Bash: Start the week strong with a trash-picking party at Leesville Art Park! Kick-off at 8 AM—come ready to clean and cheer!
2. Sunday, April 6th – Help Your Neighbor Day: Sprinkle kindness around town—assist a neighbor with yard work or make their day bloom by helping them planting flowers.
3. Monday, April 7th – Evening Trash Bash & Poster/Essay Awards: Join the evening cleanup at Leesville Event Center at 4:30 PM. Stick around to celebrate creativity with awards for environmental-themed projects!
4. Tuesday, April 8th – Recycle Something: Swing by Vernon Parish Recycle Center to drop off recyclables or go green at home by starting a compost pile.
5. Wednesday, April 9th – Kid’s Cleanup Day: Rally the kiddos for a neighborhood-wide cleanup! It’s fun, simple, and teaches them to keep it clean.
6. Thursday, April 10th – Love Main Street & Historic District: Brainstorm and explore ways to jazz up Leesville’s historic heart—every idea counts!
7. Friday–Saturday, April 11th–12th – Paint a Fire Hydrant: Let your inner artist loose! Add creative flair to town by painting fire hydrants. For details, contact Brittney Merritte or Wendy Kreps.
8. Saturday, April 12th – Spring Fling in the Park: Wrap it all up with music, fun, and fellowship at Dogwood Park, starting at 8 AM. Hosted by the Pilot Club, it’s the perfect grand finale!

🎉 Let’s Make Leesville Shine!

Love the Boot Week is all about teamwork, creativity, and environmental awareness. Thanks to Keep Louisiana Beautiful and the amazing efforts of local organizations, this event promises to leave Leesville cleaner, brighter, and bursting with pride.

Ready to pitch in and make an impact? Let’s show the world what Leesville can do! For more information, contact Brittney Merritte or Wendy Kreps—we’ll see you out there!

The City of Leesville will host a Spring Music Festival on Saturday, April 19, at 5 p.m. on the Polk Outdoor Stage, located on East Texas Street, a block from downtown Leesville.

Admission is free, so bring your lawn chairs.  Enjoy food trucks, kids activities and the Casey Peveto Band.

The Spring Music Festival is Saturday, April 19, on the Polk Outdoor Stage.  Free and open to all!

The NSU Bassoon and Oboe Studios recently performed at the International Double Reed Society Midsouth Regional Chapter Symposium held at LSU in Baton Rouge. The group performed two pieces for double reed ensemble. “Quinteto Dobles Cañas Colombianas” by Alvaro Castro and “Extra Fancy” by Viet Cuong. 

Assistant Professor of Oboe Leah Forsyth said the performance was a big success. Students were also able to participate in the Midsouth Double Reed Ensemble, attend several recitals and masterclasses and network with other oboists and bassoonists. 

Those attending included Forsyth and NSU students Joel Ramos and Allison Flores of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and Kamryn Purdue of DeRidder on oboe, and Professor of Bassoon Douglas Bakenhus, and students Kristoff Hairr of DeRidder, Victoria Gomez of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and Alexis Ortega of Anna on bassoon. 

For more information on the Symposium go to https://www.midsouthidrs.org. 

Vernon Council on Aging will hold a fan drive for area seniors on Thursday, April 24, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.  The VCOA is looking for donations of fans or currency to buy fans for seniors to help combat the summer heat.

The VCOA is located at 200 N. Third Street in downtown Leesville.

The VCOA will also host a health fair on Wednesday, May 14, from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.  Area health professionals will assist in the fair to be held at the VCOA offices.  This is open to all seniors in the area and is offered free of charge.

I was chasing a rabbit the other day and I went down the theological rabbit hole. This is what I discovered.

There is a great deal of sleeping going on in the New Testament.

Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat during a storm. The story appears in all three synoptic gospels. The disciple’s question was, “Lord, don’t you care that we perish?” The Bible says after God created; he rested. The Hebrew word is the intensive form of the verb. God intensely rested and commanded us to rest too! I’m not surprised Jesus was asleep after a long day of preaching and healing!

According to Luke, the disciples were asleep on the Mount of Transfiguration. The bright light and the visitation of Moses and Elijah awakened them. As Luke records the story, the bleary-eyed disciples missed the good stuff and became “fully awake” toward the end of the event.

Jesus told His followers to stay awake and watch for signs of great spiritual upheaval and then the second coming. He asked the disciples to stay awake and watch while He was praying in Gethsemane. But after the big supper and wine, the disciples kept falling asleep.

Sleeping soldiers were the first witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descended from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it…. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.” The punishment for a Roman soldier falling asleep on duty was death. The soldiers had a problem explaining to their superiors who rolled the stone back from the tomb’s entrance. Can you hear these soldiers trying to give the angel report? It was easier for them to face death and confess to being asleep.

The book of Acts records another example of a sleepy disciple. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, “he fell to the ground from the third story was picked up dead.” The story has a happy ending, he was not dead, just had the wind knocked out of him.

Sleeping is a good thing. In some of the modern works on spiritual formation, sleep is listed as a spiritual practice under “stillness” or “Sabbath.” God rested, Jesus slept, should we not take the hint?

The other side of the coin is known as “spiritual sleepwalking.” That happens when we practice all the rituals of our faith, yet we are not connecting with God. It does happen in church, when after the hymn singing the congregation sits down and some of them zone out.

I leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul, “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”

BOBBY WYNDELL FUNDERBURK
February 28, 1937 – March 25, 2025
Service: None announced

TERRENCE O’NEIL JACKSON
December 8, 1965 – March 26, 2025
Service: April 5, 2025, at Church of Transformation in Leesville at 1:20 p.m.

DORIS JEAN EVANS
June 16, 1932 – March 31, 2025
Service: April 6, 2025, at Evans Congregational Methodist Church in Evans, Louisiana, at 3 p.m.

KATHY (SCARBOROUGH) MIDKIFF BURLEY
October 1, 1951 – March 29, 2025
Service: April 5, 2025, at Labby Memorial Funeral Home in Leesville at 1:00 p.m.

RICHARD “RICKY” LEE ALLEN
March 26, 1962 – April 1, 2025
Service: none announced

Cortney Michelle Kochell, age 38, of Florien, was arrested on an outstanding Bench Warrant.  Bond has not been set.  Kochell remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Matthew Douglas Nolen, age 36, of Pitkin, was arrested and charged with one count of Safety Helmets Required, two counts of Stop Signs and Yield Signs, one count of Driver Must Be Licensed, one count of Required Classes of License, one count of Aggravated Flight from an Officer, and one count Maximum Speed Limit.  Bond was set at $34,685.  Nolen remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Catherine Talene Nash, age 51, of Evans, was arrested on an outstanding Bench Warrant.  Bond was set at $5000.  Nash remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

The City of Leesville is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Keep Louisiana Beautiful Trash Receptacle Grant for 2024-25. This grant, made possible by the State of Louisiana and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, provides essential infrastructure to reduce litter and beautify public spaces.

As a recipient of this competitive grant, Leesville will receive five high-quality trash receptacles to be installed in high-traffic, outdoor public areas. These receptacles, proven to reduce litter in communities by up to 78%, will support the city’s commitment to creating clean, safe, and welcoming environments for residents and visitors alike.

“This grant represents a significant step in our ongoing efforts to maintain the beauty and vibrancy of Leesville,” said Grant Bush, Leesville Code Enforcement Director. “We are grateful to Keep Louisiana Beautiful for their partnership and support in helping us achieve this vision.”

Demonstrating its commitment to environmental stewardship and litter reduction, the City of Leesville will actively join Keep Louisiana Beautiful’s annual Love the Boot Week. Several initiatives will take place to encourage community participation:

Neighborhood Large Item Pick-ups by Public Works: March 31–April 4, 2025, throughout the city.

Public Dumpster at the Leesville Art Park: March 31–April 14, 2025. Provided by Waste Connections to support cleanup efforts.

In addition, the Mayor’s Women’s Commission and Leesville Junior League will host the following community-focused clean-up events for teams:

Trash Bash: April 5, 2025, at 8:30 AM at the Leesville Art Park.

Leesville Love the Boot: April 7, 2025, at 4:30 PM at the Leesville Event Center.

These events offer residents a chance to contribute to the city’s mission of creating a cleaner, greener community. For more details, visit the City of Leesville’s official website: https://www.LeesvilleLA.gov.

The new trash receptacles are expected to be installed between February and May 2025, with their placement supported by community volunteers and city staff. Residents are encouraged to celebrate this achievement with the city and to remain engaged in preserving Leesville’s natural beauty.

For further information, please contact: Grant Bush, Code Enforcement Officer, 337-404-4078.

About Keep Louisiana Beautiful: Keep Louisiana Beautiful is a statewide organization dedicated to promoting litter reduction, waste management, and community beautification. Through partnerships, education, and grants, they empower communities to protect Louisiana’s natural and cultural resources.

The Vernon Parish School system held the annual Special Olympics competition Tuesday, April 1, at the Leesville High School track complex.

Hundreds of athletes, teachers, volunteers, and paraprofessionals made hundreds of smiles on the faces of competitors.  The pictures above reflect the fun times had by everyone.

The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office fed all the athletes, teachers and volunteers, and the Vernon Parish business community showed up to support the effort.

The Leesville City Police Department responded on Saturday, March 29, to a call of a person being hit by a train on North Sixth Street in Leesville.  The incident occurred at approximately 3 p.m.

The police investigation revealed the 65-year-old victim was walking along the train track when he was struck by a CPKC train traveling southbound.

Life-saving measures were taken at the scene, but responders were unable to save the man’s life.  The Leesville Fire Department, Med-Express Ambulance Service, Acadian Ambulance, and the Vernon Parish coroner responded to the incident.

The victim’s name has not been released by the Leesville City Police at this time.

Southwest Jazz, the 20-piece big band orchestra composed of band directors, music teachers, and professional musicians, will help with a fundraiser being held by the Impromptu Players.

The group will host a dinner/dance at the Wooten Theatre at 102 East First Street in DeRidder on Friday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m.  The orchestra will play three sets of popular dance music, and a wonderful dinner will be prepared by Maria and served by the Impromptu Players.  Dinner will consist of a green salad, Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, bread, and an Éclair Parfait dessert.  A meatless meal can be provided for diners on a Lenten restriction.

For more information, call 337-221-8453.  It is not too late to purchase tickets in advance.  Advance sales will end at 8 p.m., Wednesday, April 2.  Tickets will also be available at the door for $15 per person.