For the first time ever, Louisiana has approved a hunting season for black bears. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) announced that it has adopted a Notice of Intent to hold a hunting season for the animal in December 2024. The commission voted unanimously on Thursday to allow the hunt. The hunt will be by lottery and will be …

In my early years in Arabia I was fortunate to have been associated with workers from around the world.  These workers comprised an amalgamation of color, religion, national pride, education and a myriad of other norms that makes up our world.  One aspect of this is that no two countries is the same and it is only right that we …

By Luke BrittEditor For months Police Jury Secretary-Treasurer Paula Strickland has been trying to get the Union Parish Police Jury to adopt a new policy governing how the parish handles public records requests, and once again, at their monthly meeting on Tuesday, the jury tabled the issue, this time without so much as a syllable of explanation. The reason, I …

By Luke BrittEditor The Union Parish Detention Center’s $3 million-a-year inmate work release program has been under audit since September when the Department of Corrections discovered that the balances in a number of inmate accounts did not match the balances recorded in the detention center’s accounting software. The DOC’s Chief Auditor, Jewell Freeman, confirmed on Wednesday that no inmate funds …

Funeral services for Dr. Verna Lucille Barron, age 75 of Nacogdoches, TX, formerly Spearsville, LA, were held at 2:00 PM, Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at Farrar Funeral Home with Bro. Kurt Auger officiating. Burial followed at Spearsville Community Cemetery under the direction of Farrar Funeral Home. Dr. Barron was born September 23, 1948 to Guy Tom Waston Barron and Lucille …

 By Sarah Hamilton Union Parish High School The Union Parish High School FFA chapter recently competed in the FFA National Chapter Award competition.  The National Chapter Award evaluates a portfolio built by FFA members to showcase the outstanding leadership and citizenship displayed by its members.  During the 2022-2023 school year, UPHS FFA members completed 15 community service projects and leadership …

By Luke BrittEditor If the 2023 election season is any indication, parish voters are happy with any elected official who isn’t a member of the Union Parish Police Jury. Voters re-elected incumbents Sheriff Dusty Gates and Sen. Stewart Cathey to another four years in their respective offices, while Clerk of Court Dodi Eubanks, Tax Assessor Lance Futch and Rep. Chris …

I was born in Louisiana and growing up I couldn’t have been prouder.  We went to the local theater, attended a local church and after lunch on Sunday drove around the streets of our town in a car loaded with friends.  Thomas FieldsThomas “Tuffy” Fields is an author and regular contributor to The Gazette. He can be reached by email …

The news item that started it all had this headline: “Kendall Jenner Struggles to Climb Stairs in Fitted Dress at Kourtney’s Wedding.” Sallie HollisSallie Rose Hollis is a native of Rocky Branch and retired Journalism Professer from Louisiana Tech University. Contact her at sallierose@mail.com. I just had to take a screenshot of that “news story” when it appeared in my …

School Choice Will Soon Find Another Opportunity in LouisianaAll the way back to the administration of Governor Bobby Jindal, Louisiana has viewed private-school choice statewide as very positive public policy that needed to be enshrined in state law to improve the quality of education of poor and minority children, and to provide the same educational choice enjoyed by children from …