Proposed state construction budget includes more than $5.4 million for Natchitoches projects
Proposed state construction budget includes more than $54 million for Natchitoches projects; $16.6 million for NRMC tower projectBy Richard Searles Healthcare, education, roads and flood protection projects receive funding recommendations in House Bill 2 More than $54 million in state construction and infrastructure projects tied to Natchitoches Parish are included in the latest version of Louisiana's capital outlay budget, with major funding proposed for healthcare facilities, higher education projects,
State and local leaders celebrate broadband expansion in Natchitoches Parish
Local officials and state leaders gathered on June 8 for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting celebrating the completion of a major broadband infrastructure project. Funded by Louisiana's Gumbo grant program, the newly installed in-ground fiber optics network brings high-speed internet access to 171 homes and 24 small businesses across long-underserved pockets of Natchitoches Parish, including the Clarence and Natchez areas. Natchitoches City Councilwoman-at-Large Betty Sawyer Smith welcomed attendees, emphasizing
Natchitoches Central students sign job offers through RoyOMartin's 'Girls Can Too' program
Two Natchitoches Central High School students have signed job offers with RoyOMartin through the company's Girls Can Too! workforce development program. The students were among 16 students recognized during RoyOMartin's recent Career Signing Day. Fourteen Central Louisiana students signed job offers during the event, while two additional students from Corrigan, Texas, signed earlier this month. The signing day marked the first two hires from the Girls Can Too! program, which is now in its fourth year. The
BPCC Video News Team Wins Silver at National SkillsUSA Championships
Bossier Parish Community College students earned national honors at the 2026 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, highlighted by a silver-medal finish in Video News Production. The BPCC Video News team, comprised of Alice Hawthorne, Jailyn Guillory, Josh Campbell and Timothy Russell, earned second place nationally during the June 1-5 conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The team advanced to the national competition after winning a gold medal at the SkillsUSA Louisiana State Leadership and
11th Antoon Golf Tournament raises $7000 for student scholarships
NATCHITOCHES - The 11th annual Johnny Antoon Memorial Golf Tournament raised more than $7,000 to support scholarships for Northwestern State University students. Twenty-four teams competed in the June 6 event that honors the memory of one of NSU's most loyal supporters. "Our scholarship benefits students directly," said Danielle Cobb, Antoon's daughter and associate director of Donor Engagement and Stewardship at NSU. "Any way that we can offset the cost of their education at Northwestern means the
Recent graduates and student in NSU's Dept of Engineering Tech stand out at international conference
NATCHITOCHES - Recent graduates and a student from the Department of Engineering Technology at Northwestern State University swept the student competition, winning in three categories at the 11th North American International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The project "Interactive Outdoor Learning Center: Smart Irrigation for Hands-On STEM Learning" won first place in the Senior Capstone Design Project Competition. The project was presented by
NSU earns recognition for preparing future elementary teachers in the science of reading
NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with 1-5 certification earned an A+ from the National Council of Teacher Quality for how well they prepare for future teachers to teach reading to elementary students. The report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, published on June 9, spotlights NSU for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. Specifically, this
BPCC Awarded $300,000 H.E.R.O. Fund Grant to Expand Rural Nursing Workforce
Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) has been awarded $300,000 through the Louisiana Department of Health's Health Care Employment Reinvestment Opportunity (H.E.R.O.) Fund. The funding will support the college's LPN-to-RN Rural Apprenticeship Pathway, an innovative program designed to address critical nursing shortages across northwest Louisiana. BPCC's LPN-to-RN Rural Apprenticeship Pathway will serve a cohort of 20 licensed practical nurse (LPN) apprentices over a 24-month period, with 10
BPCC, Louisiana Department of Education Launch AI Powered CTE Pilot to Expand Computer Programing In
Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) has partnered with the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) on a two-year pilot program focused on strengthening educator capacity and improving the delivery of computer programming instruction across the state. The initiative is designed to ensure students develop the technical skills necessary for success in both higher education and Louisiana’s evolving workforce. As many educators are teaching computer programming coursework for the first time — and many
