Art exhibit at LSMSA through Feb. 26

LSMSA announces Louisiana artist Joshua Chambers for the first exhibition of 2026, on display through Feb. 26 in the LSMSA Sharon Turcan Gahagan Art Gallery.His solo exhibition is open for viewing Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Dancing toward your dreams

When Madeline Lorio, a 2021 LSMSA graduate, returned to the Treen Auditorium stage in the fall of 2025 as a choreographer and dancer for the Informal Fall Dance Concert, it was more than a homecoming performance. It was a moment of affirmation.

Show Appreciation

Area men named in federal case investigating fentanyl trafficking

Following a lengthy investigation, on Dec.

Despite complaints, School Board stays with Echo Ride bus service

In a split vote following lengthy discussion regarding dissatisfaction with service due to repeated complaints, the Natchitoches Parish School Board gave the bus vendor contract to incumbent Echo Ride during its Feb. 10 meeting.

City will work on Sibley Lake

At its meeting Monday, the City Council adopted a resolution that allows the City to provide a match for a grant for maintenance on Sibley Lake. The spillway drawdown gate isn’t working and needs to be repaired and a short section of the levee embankment should be stabilized.

Freshman retention rate up 87% at Northwestern State

Northwestern State University’s Spring 2026 enrollment shows modest growth over last year and strong retention rates for freshmen. The university reports an undergraduate headcount of 6,913 students and 849 graduate and professional students bringing the Spring 2026 total to 7,762.

AKA Day

JUST TALKIN’

In case you didn’t get the memo…Monday is a Federal Holiday.It’s Presidents Day. It initially recognized George Washington’s birthday on Feb 22 but then added Abraham Lincoln’s Feb. 12 birthday to be recognized on the same day.

There’s still difficulty finding labor but its improving

NFIB’s January Jobs Report includes the launch of the new Small Business Employment Index, which measures the current state of the small business labor market.The new index integrates actual and planned changes in employment and employee compensation into a singular data point.