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Sicily Island Christmas Parade photos (published December 16, 2009)
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JPD arrests suspected armed robber on warrant (published December 16, 2009)
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He is being held at the Catahoula Parish Jail on one count of armed robbery,
three counts of aggravated assault, and one count of simple battery.
Bond was set at $150,000.
In other recent activity, Jonesville Police officers attended a class given by
LSU Research Assiciate in the Highway Safety Research Group Nicole Blanco.
Blanco explained to officers how to use new software developed by LSU for
creating acci- dent reports.
Jonesville/Troyville mounds get national attention (published December 16, 2009)
By Stanley Nelson
The Town of Jonesville is getting national attention this month in American
Archaeology magazine with a six-page spread on the Troyville moundbuilders and
specifically on the local effort to reconstruct The Great Mound.
The magazine is the only publication devoted solely to archaeology in the
Americas. It is published four times a year (each quarter) by The Archaeology
Conservancy based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Conservancy is a non-profit
organization which acquires and preserves treasured archaeological sites across
the country. It previously purchased the DePrato Mounds in Ferriday.
An alliance in Louisiana made up of Jonesville citizens, state and local
government, and archaeologists, has been working together in Jonesville to
build The Great Mound replica with the actual material used by Native Americans
1,400 years ago. This work is coming at a time when archaeologists are making
new discoveries about the mysterious Troyville Culture (400-700 A.D).
The Great Mound once stood 80-ft. high, the second highest in North America
behind the 100-ft. tall Monk's Mound at the Cahokia Mounds site in Illinois.
The Great Mound was the centerpiece of Troyville, "a crown jewel of American
archaeology," Louisiana archaeologist Jon Gibson
told the magazine. He said it was "one of the largest mound complexes in
America, and the Great Mound was one of the tallest structures ever built in
pre-Columbian America, which proves its local and regional importance in the
sweep of history in the Lower Mississippi Valley."
Jonesville resident Bill Atkins has spearheaded the effort to build a replica of
The Great Mound with some of its original dirt, which was used as an approach
to the old Black River Bridge. That material became available after the old
bridge was demolished following the construction of a new bridge.
In addition to Atkins, Northeast Louisiana Regional Archaeologist Joe Saunders
of Monroe and archaeologist Butch Lee of Earth Search Inc. of New Orleans were
also interviewed for the magazine piece. The archaeologists provided insight on
the Troyville Indians and on the archaeological work.
The Great Mound was a two-tiered, pyramid-shaped, conical-topped mound which
stood over at least nine other mounds, eight of which were contained within an
embankment that ran to the Little River on the northwest and Black River on the
southeast.
Jessica Crawford of Marks, Miss., is the Southeastern Regional Director for The
Archaeological Conservancy, which has five regional offices in the nation, and
finds the Troyville site unique.
"Our editor is always asking the regional directors for story suggestions and
since I've been in Jonesville a lot lately, I suggested the story of
Troyville," she said. She said the interesting thing about Troyville is "how
large and important Troyville was as well as the fact that much of the mounds
were torn down and a whole new town was built on top of the site."
She said archaeological work is revealing that "a lot of Troyville remains.
There is still a lot we can learn from what is left."
Crawford said the idea of building a replica of The Great Mound with the dirt
from the original mound "is something that's never been done before, at least
not in a situation like this one. The Conservancy's main purpose is to acquire
archaeological sites that hold good research potential so they will be
preserved for future generations and future researchers. Since we
purchased a lot on Pond Street (Mound 4), it's our hope that we will be able to
acquire additional portions of the site."
Crawford said archeologist Joe Saunders has identified "several places
throughout the town that he thinks we should focus on. I'd really like to
preserve some of the embankment. Whatever we're able to acquire, we'll just
hold and maintain indefinitely. As long as we own it, we can be sure it will be
protected."
Mary Bradford Gibson publishes two books (published December 16, 2009)
Two new books by local writer Mary Bradford-Gibson of Concordia Parish will go
on sale next week -- "Tales from the Front Porch," and "Remembering."
"Remembering," is a compilation of stories told by Idell Stevenson, a lifelong
resident of Catahoula Parish who lived at Archie until her death last month.
She was in her 90s.
"She was as sharp as a tack," Gibson said of Stevenson. "Everytime I visited her
she told me another story. In 1945, she watched her church float off in high
water. She talks about seeing baptisms in Little River."
Stevenson grew up in Archie where Hwy. 28 intersects with Hwy. 84. Before the
train station was built there in the early 1900s, the community was known as
Lavacca. But when the train station was built, it was named Archie after the
owner's granddaughter.
Bradford-Gibson's other book, "Tales from the Front Porch," is 90 pages of
stories She heard over the years about ghosts, wild animals, the old days, hog
killing, logging camps, the railroad station and other topics.
"I was just compelled to write this book," said Gibson, who grew up in the
French Fork/Archie/Walters area. "I had to write down the stories I heard from
talking to people there all my life. It was a different life back then. It was
a time when people worked together and did things together. Friendship and
family were the most important things in life."
In the book she writes: "Every evening after supper the family would gather on
the front porch and catch up with the latest happenings in the community...As
the night began to fall, the story telling would begin. That was many years ago
in the early 1900s, and most of the family that grew up in this house are no
longer with us. The stories, however, live on as long as their stories are
shared."
Gibson's husband, Dr. Herman Gibson, did the illustrations for the book. She
will hold a book signing at 1 p.m. December 22 at Vaughn's Drug Store in
Ferriday.
Christmas in the Village set for Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. (published December 16, 2009)
The Harrisonburg Christmas Parade has been scheduled for Friday, December 18 at
5 p.m.
We're having Christmas in the Village! Come and celebrate with your neighbors as
we ring in the Christmas season.
Come early to get a good spot, or, better yet, call the Town Hall to enter your
car or float in one of the four divisions.
Contact Lisa at 744-5774 or Betty at 339-8356 or the Town Hall at 744-5794.
The deadline for food or arts and crafts booths is December 14, and space is
limited. Reserve your spot soon.
Don't forget to bring a folding chair and enjoy the entertainment on the
courthouse grounds after the parade as well as the free hot cocoa and cookies
at the Methodist Church and Santa under the oak tree as he visits with all the
children.