Last week at its monthly meeting, the Union Parish Police Jury fired its ‘Certified Building Official’ [building inspector], Inspections Unlimited, LLC, owned by Chad Parker and others, although the company had been doing a good job. The firing was without notice to the contractor and with no reason given for the termination, provoking a heated argument among the jurors, some …

Thomas FieldsThomas “Tuffy” Fields is an author and regular contributor to The Gazette. He can be reached by email at thelouisianaexplorer@yahoo.com. Some of the most intelligent men of their time came together to decide what the complexion of a new nation would look like. Men such as Benjamin Franklin, inventor, scientist, politician and above all a patriotic statesman, met to …

Sallie HollisSallie Rose Hollis is a native of Rocky Branch and retired Journalism Professer from Louisiana Tech University. Contact her at sallierose@mail.com. Dum-Dums are turning 100 this year. That’s right. The little candy that inspired so many childhood sugar rushes is a century old – and I’ve been helping celebrate the occasion. Maybe you’d like to get on board. I …

During the weekend of August 23, 2024, the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a sobriety checkpoint inside the boundaries of Union Parish, Louisiana. This checkpoint will not be limited to the parish only and may be conducted within a city or village limits as long as it is within the parish. The purpose of this checkpoint is to deter …

Johnny Dollar Wednesday August 7, 2024 Hello to all our readers and thank you – and your ancestors - who have supported the Gazette since 1878. The Gazette is one of the oldest newspapers in America, having served Union Parish for 146 years – yes, 146 years. [https://www.loc.gov/item/sn88064076] Local newspapers are disappearing across America due to technology and increased costs …

Museum to host conservancy repAugust 22Nikki Mattson, Southeast Field Representative for The Archaeological Conservancy, will give a talk in the Union Museum of History and Art on Thursday, August 22, at 5:30 p.m.Mattson will outline the work of the Conservancy in identifying, acquiring and preserving the most significant archaeological sites in the United States. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s …

”During the hot days of summer, some of the best bass fishing can be had fishing after dark.” Glynn Harris photo After a couple of weeks of cooler than normal temperatures and showers every day or so, that period of comfort is gone. It’s August and things are heating up and drying up. As the old song says, “Summertime and …

Catahoula Leopard Dog In a recent study conducted by Showsight Magazine canine experts, a test was devised to see how each of the state dogs competed against each other based on the golden ratio of facial proportions to scientifically devise which breed was the most beautiful. After careful analysis of each of the state’s dog breeds, it was determined that …

Farmerville Town Hall, 1024 Sterlington Hwy, Farmerville, LA 71241 Recent reporting by the Gazette has addressed the Town of Farmerville’s environmental indifference [improper asbestos disposal], drinking water quality issues, partially treated and on occasion, raw sewage being released into the ephemeral stream flowing from the town sewage treatment plant into Lake D’Arbonne. Repeated efforts by the Gazette to interview Mayor …

Thomas FieldsThomas “Tuffy” Fields is an author and regular contributor to The Gazette. He can be reached by email at thelouisianaexplorer@yahoo.com. To paraphrase a comment from the iconic blockbuster movie “Jaws”, “Just when we thought it was safe to go into the water:”. This refers to a time that people were terrified by a shark attack and then when the …