July, 2025

• 24 July

  Running back transfers amid legal issues

  An LSU running backhas suddenly transferred toSouthern amid an ongoinglegal issueFormer LSU running backTrey Holly has enrolled atSouthern as a walk-on, ateam spokesperson confirmedTuesday night.Holly participated in theJaguars’ first preseason footballpractice Tuesday night, accordingto WVLA-TV. Southern coachTerrence Graves told reportersthat Holly is eligible to play.

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• 24 July

  Lawmakers decline veto overide session

  The Louisiana Legislaturehas declined to reconvene for aveto override session this year.The majority of lawmakers– 87 members of the Houseof Representatives and 29in the Senate – voted not tohold a special session in whichlawmakers try to overturn Gov.Jeff Landry’s rejection of bills.In all, the governor vetoed15 pieces of the legislation andremoved portions of threebudget proposals that legislatorscould have voted to …

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• 16 July

  Reed comes full circle back to Lincoln Parish Hills

  (I spotted something sitting on a shelf in myoffice, a Wheaties box honoring Willis Reed that heinscribed for me. Seeing the box rekindled memoriesof an interview I had with him, a local fellowwhose NBA career was spectacular and whopassed away at age 81 in 2023. In memoryof Reed, here’s an article I wrote about myvisit with him in 2009.)Willis Reed …

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• 16 July

  Remembering Brother Jimmy Swaggart

  Fifty Eight years. That’s how long ago it’s been sinceBrother Jimmy Swaggart’s father, also a minister, cameinto my small Ferriday law office where I was a sole practitioner,and asked me to incorporate his church. Hetold me about his son who had recently been ordained asa Pentecostal minister in the Assemblies of theLord Jesus Christ branch of the church.Young Brother Swaggart …

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• 16 July

  Fail Your Way to Success

  Fear of failure is one of the biggest fears peoplehave. Ironically, failure is an integral component of thesuccess process. There are two distinctly different typesof failure. Absolute failure is when you give up. Successfulfailure is when you get back up.Of course, not everything you attempt works outas planned. When striving for a goal, you will likely discovermany ways which don’t …

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• 16 July

  CHURCH NEWS

  Antioch Baptist Church3501 Hwy 828Farmerville318-368-3591Early Worship – 8:30 a.m.Sunday School – 9:45 a.m.Morning Worship – 10:45 a.m.Bethel TemplePentecostal Church2144 Hwy 33 N.MarionSunday School -11 a.m.Sunday Worship -12 p.m.318-608-6766Canaan Baptist Church502 Canaan Church Rd.SpearsvilleSunday School -10amSunday Worship -11am870-312-3440Bro. Brian WilliamsConway BaptistChurch Homecoming4323 HWY 549North of FarmervilleDean Baptist Church2309 Hwy 827MarionSunday School – 9:45 a.m.Sunday Worship – 11 a.m.Wed. 6:30pm318-292-4463Evergreen Baptist Church1380 …

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• 16 July

  Road rage incident turns violent

  MICHIGAN MAN JAILEDAFTER ROAD RAGE INCIDENTTURNS VIOLENTOn July 5, 2025, atapproximately 1:41 PM, UnionParish Sheriff’s Office deputiesresponded to a battery complainton Hwy 2 near the Antiochcommunity in Farmerville,Louisiana, following a suspectedroad rage incident.

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• 16 July

  Recognizing Five UPSO Deputies

  In July 2025, Union Parish Sheriff’s Officedeputies responded to a critical call involving aperson with a severe, self-inflicted injury withinUnion Parish. Upon arrival, they encountered acombative individual resisting medical aid. Withgreat composure, deputies performed criticalinterventions, including applying tourniquets,to stabilize the individual, while other deputiescoordinated efforts to secure the chaotic scene.

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• 16 July

  Editor’s Note – UPPJ Courthouse UPDATE:The UPPJ Courthouse Committee met on July 15, 2025, and opened bids for labor, plumbingand mechanical to replace/repair the air-conditioning system in the existing courthouse. Later thatafternoon the full jury approved the low bid from Mechanical Services & Systems, LLC from WestMonroe, La. The low bid was $875,200.00.Two other bids were received: one from The Payne Company of Shreveport, La. in the amount of$928,000.00; and one from Byrnes Mechanical Contractors, Inc. of West Monroe, La. in the amountof $1,060,000.00.The Gazette attended the bid opening and asked when the start work date and finish work datewould be. No one knew the answer to that question. Juror Hutto stated “as soon as possible.”The Gazette also inquired about the status of security for the courthouse, to which Juror Huttoresponded to the effect that while discussions were being had, there was no information he couldrelease on that subject at that time.

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• 16 July

  Father dead and son arrested, hatchet attack

  Bernice, LA — On Saturday, July 12, 2025, deputies with theUnion Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported stabbing atthe Bernice Villa Apartments, located at 115 W. 4th Street. Uponarrival, they discovered a man deceased inside the apartment.UPSO Criminal Investigations Division (CID) responded andbegan an investigation. Investigators determined the victim,71-year-old Delmer Watt Sr., of Bernice, was likely deceased severalhours before …

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