fgazette.com Community news site for Union Parish Louisiana

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board signed an order Wednesday banning licensed sportsbooks from offering prop bets on college athletes.The suspension on collegiate athlete prop bets begins Aug. 1 at 9 a.m. ET. The ban comes in time for college football season. The state of Louisiana has 10 Division I football program, including LSU.“It is the intention of the Louisiana Gaming …

BLACK BAYOU – Crappie fishing is improving around the trees on shiners and jigs Bass are fair fishing spinners and soft plastics around the points. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.BUSSEY BRAKE – Bass fishing is improving with some to around 8 pounds caught on spinners and flipping creature baits around he brush. Crappie are in transition …

Ross Downer, Minden, is proud of his first gobbler, one he called in by himself Glynn HarrisGlynn Harris is a long-time outdoor writer from North Louisiana and has won more than 50 writing and broadcasting awards during his 47 year career. There is no way I could ever forget my introduction to hunting wild turkeys. I had actually tagged along …

Thomas FieldsThomas “Tuffy” Fields is an author and regular contributor to The Gazette. He can be reached by email at thelouisianaexplorer@yahoo.com. When I was in elementary school I had heard the story of the crucifixion of Jesus. For those that are younger, you heard right; I heard about it not only in Sunday School but also in school. Being Cristian, …

Sallie HollisSallie Rose Hollis is a native of Rocky Branch and retired Journalism Professer from Louisiana Tech University. Contact her at sallierose@mail.com. One of my most cherished memories concerning nature sprang from our last big solar eclipse here in North Louisiana. But it wasn’t the actual eclipse itself. It was a mere byproduct – one little incident that has remained …

Luke Britt Editor’s note: The following commentary was authored by Allison Plyer and Robert Habans, both with The Data Center of Southeast Louisiana. Plyer is the former chair of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Scientific Advisory Committee, and Habans is chief economist at The Data Center.Louisiana’s population loss is troubling because it suggests that the cost of living is out of …

Health Exposet for April 13The Town of Farmerville will host a Health Expo April 13.Local and regional health care professionals will be on hand to discuss health issues of concern to those in attendance.The Expo will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Willie Davis Jr. Recreation Center at 116 Cox Ferry Road in Farmerville.The Expo is …

An ongoing effort by the Town of Farmerville to upgrade the town’s water system got a big assist last week when the Environmental Protection Agency approved a $560,000 grant to purchase state-of the-art, “smart” water meters.Coupled with the $140,000 the town has committed to the project, Farmerville will be able to purchase and install $700,000 worth of new meters over …

Parents in Louisiana would receive from $5,000 to $15,000 in state money to send their children to private schools under a Landry administration bill that is moving through the State Legislature.The Louisiana GATOR Scholarship program passed the House Appropriations Committee in a 13-8 vote Tuesday despite concerns over cost and implementation.The bill, proposed by Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, would create …

Detention Center audit costing parish thousands in lost TWP revenue By Luke BrittEditorThe Union Parish Police Jury on Tuesday hired a reserve sheriff’s deputy and former U.S. Marine to head the parish’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, replacing the former director who resigned in January.Matthew A. Ford of Farmerville, one of five applicants for the position, was recommended …