Tensas gazette from Saint Joseph, Louisiana • 1

30 042507 2 3-DlGIT 708 1 CROP 1 I.M 1 NO DEPARTMENT LA STATE UNIVERSITY RATON ROUGE LA 70X03-0001 Vhat's Happening Tensas School board votes to close NHS V', I p. it vf1 1 f. mr I I r-, The Tensas Parish Schtxil Board has narrowly passed a motion to close Newellton High School. When school starts in August, Newcllton's 74 high school students will attend Davidson High School. Maintenance upgrades are currently being made at the school to accommodate the new students.

DIES currently has 1 14 high schxl students and an unoccupied wing with two classrooms. The decision to close the school was mailc during a special meeting last Tuesday. The extra students v. ill allow Davidson to begin offering electees such as art, music and speech to students. Those were not previously available at the schools because of a lack of available funds.

Other money saved by cloving Newellton High will go ward funding additional transportation costs. Tensas Parish Schools have been suffering from declining enrollments for years and closed Lisbon Elementary last summer. Newellton High recently lost three certified teachers, leaving the school system short of staff. The parish's start salary of is also making it difficult to attract new teachers. Tensas Parish Superintendent of Schixils Carroll Johnson said (hat while Newcllton's High School will close, students will continue going to kindergarten through eight grade at the school.

The school board had voted to leave NHS open at last month's meeting, but this month board member Marie Bachus of Waterproof changed her mind and voted for consolidation at this month's meeting. History honors At a recent Awards Day Ceremony at Tensas Janie Head, Summer McDaniel and Melanie Academy, Patty Rabb, of the Bruin-Vidal Chapter Netterville. Not shown is sixth grade student, Rush DAR presented a certificate of award for outstand- Capdepon, who received the Good Citizenship ing work in American History to fitth grade students Award. He received a certificate and bronze metal. Early voting scheduled for drainage district tax The election is for a mills property lax for constructing, improving and maintaining drainage works in Gravity Drainage District No.

I. The tax maintaining drainage works authorized to be levies through the year 2006 at a special election held Nov. 5, 19. Voers should be prepareed to Louisiana special identification card or other generally recognized picture identification card. A qualified applicant with none of the above can be allowed to vote by will replace a 4.61 mills tax for show a Louisiana driver's license, affidavit.

FS A committee nominations set C-) f.fi i Tensas Parish voters will decide the fate of a drainage tax July 15. Early voting will be hctd from 8: V) a to 4.30 p.m. July 5 8 at the Tcnvas Parish Registrar of Voters HfHrc in St. Joseph. 1 Play ball r-f Waterproof VFW and ladles Auxiliary meet the fourth Monday of each month.

Newellton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors mecu at the C.O.C. at noon the fourth Thursday of every month. Lake Bruin Fire Department meets at 7 p.m. every Monday. Newelltoa Fire Department meets every Monday night.

St. Joseph Fire Department meets at 6 p.m. every Monday. Highway 4 Firt Department meets every Monday night. Somerset Fire Department meets at 6 p.m.

every Tuesday. AMn Family Group meet at 8 p.m. each Tuesday in the Parish House of Christ Episcopal Church. St. Joseph.

Waterproof Fire Department meet every Wednesday night. The Waterproof Police Department meet at 3 p.m. every Sunday at the Police Department. Franklin Sharpshooter Camp IUI meets at 6.30 p.m. the first Monday of each month at Brown's Landing.

Lake Bruin Recreation tad Watar CcMMerotfenr District meets at 7 tl first Tuevday of each month. Tensas Parish School Board mecu on the fint Tuevday of each month. The Newellton Bavi Club meet the first Wednesday of each month at Lake Bruin Marina. The H.A. Dillon Southern I'nlvernity Alumni Chapter meet at 7 p.m.

on the fust Wednesday of each month. Tenia Parish Fire District mecu the first Thursday of each month. The Shepherd Center offers free testing of blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol on the first Saturday of each month from 8 to 10 a.m. Waterproof Town Council meets at 5 p.m. tlic second Monday of each month.

St. Joseph Town Council meets at 4 p.m. the second Monday of each month. Grambling Alumni Chapter meets second Tuesday of each month at the St. Joseph Community Mouse at 6:30 p.m.

Tensas Parish Police Jury meets at 10 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month and at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday. Newellton Town Council meets at 5:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month.

The Lake St Joseph Lake Commission meets at the Newellton Legion Hall or Newellton C.O.C at 5:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month. Tensas Parish Communications District (F.911) meetings are held at 5 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Congressman Rodney Alexander's satellite office will be in St.

Joseph Town Hall from 1-2 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. I J560 8u71269mi 7 The USDA's Farm Service Agency (F'SA) is not accepting nominations for eligible candidates to serve on local Farm Service Agency County Committees. According to Kevin Routon, County Executive Director in the Tensas Parish Farm Service Agency Office, the nomination period opened June 15, 2(X)6 and ends at close of business August 1, 2006. FSA County Committees play an important role in the decision making process for commodity price support loans and payments, conservation and disaster programs and other important agricultural issues in their farming community.

Almost anyone participating or cooperating in a local FSA pro-gram-and of legal voting age-may be a candidate. Individuals may "4 .1 4 v. ill" i-w Tensas Parish Registrar of Voters Bobby James said the election will effect Gravity Drainage District No, comprised of precints 15, 16 and part of 10 and 17. least one quart of water per hour. Not paying attention to these natural stressors could make the risk of an accident much more likely.

As you go out onto our waterways this holiday weekend please remember to be extra cautious in high boat traffic areas. Remember if you are going to consume alcohol designate a driver. The natural stressors placed on your body while boating increase the effects of alcohol. Also, the dehydration of your body causes alcohol to be absorbed more quickly into your system. Research has proven that one third of the amount of alcohol that it takes to make a person legally intoxicated on the road can make a boater equally intoxicated on the water.

Drinking while boating is a choice. The best way to minimize the risk of an accident is to make the ise choice. DON'T DRINK AND BOAT! Five classmates and friends from Tensas are playing baseball inWinnsboro. They are, top, from left, David Leake, Josh Sikes, Rush Capdepon, and bottom, Andy Hazel and Ryan Neuroth. Citizens reminded to practice safety County Committee member, or County Committee alternate; removed for any reason from public office; convicted of fraud, larceny, embezzlement, or any other felony; or dishonorably discharged from any branch of the armed services.

"I encourage local producers to become a member of their local FSA County Committee and make a difference," said Mr. Routon. "People who may be uncertain about their eligibility to vote in the FSA County Committee election should contact the Tensas Parish FSA Office located at 1223 Plank Road or telephone the office at (318) 766-3502 for more information, as affirmation of eligibility to vote must be determined in order for a vote to count in an election." W. 1 Pastor Bennie Britton offered the closing benediction for the flag ceremony. Used flags can be deposited in the blue box (formerly a mailbox) located at the gazebo by the levee in St.

Joseph. nominate themselves or others. All nomination forms must be received in the Tensas Parish FSA Office or postmarked by August 1, 2006 and voting will be from November 3, 2006 through December 4, 2006. Mr. Routon explained that in order to hold office as a FSA County Committee member, a person must meet the basic eligibility requirements described as follows.

Participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA; be eligible to vote in a county committee election; reside in the LAA in which the person is a candidate. (In some cases, this requirement may be waived. Check with the local Parish Office.) In addition, a person must not have been: Removed or disqualified from the office of FSA it Mi rv one to the program. Bill Stroud, a retired sergeant major from the Air Force, was guest speaker. He discussed the origination of taps and the retiring of worn out flags.

Afterwards. Stroud invited the audience to help retire the flags. -Je By Sg.t Russ Klser Specal to the Tensas Gazette Summer has officially arrived bringing with it temperatures in the mid to upper ninety's. Being out on the water for any length of time in hot weather can take a toll on your body. The glare and heat of the sun, and the motion, noise and vibration of the boat caused by the wind and the waves have a large impact on your body that you may not even be aware of.

These natural stressors make you tire more rapidly when on the water regardless of your age or level of fitness. The body rids itself of increased heat by sweating, which could lead to dehydration if fluids are not replaced. The best ay to minimize dehydration is to drink plenty of water both before going out and while you are out on the water. A good rule of thumb is to drink at Julie Hutzler, Bennie Britton, Alphonse Coco perform the flag disposal ceremony. Flag ceremony observed at park Davidson Perry Post 174 Newellton American Legion and Winter Quarters State Historical SiteLake Bruin State Park hosted a Flag Day Ceremony at the state park June 14.

Julie Hutzler. manager of Lake Bruin State Park, welcomed every.