News

Northwestern State announces Spring 2025 graduates

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State awarded 937 degrees to 914 graduates during Spring 2025 commencement ceremonies May 14-15. Spring 2025 graduates listed by hometown are as follows. Mamou: Alex Chapman, Bachelor of General Studies; and Treyton O’Connor, Bachelor of Science.

LSUE announces Chancellor’s List for Spring 2025

EUNICE - Louisiana State University Eunice is proud to announce that 479 students have been named to the Chancellor’s List for the Spring 2025 semester.

McNeese confers 624 degrees for Spring 2025 semester

McNeese State University conferred degrees on 624 graduates during two ceremonies for the university’s 164th commencement Friday, May 9, in McNeese’s Legacy Center.

LSU breaks record: Awards 5,431 degrees during Spring commencement

BATON ROUGE – LSU is celebrating its largest spring graduating class on record, with 5,431 students earning degrees this semester. This surpasses the previous record of 4,949 set in Spring 2024.

Rubio to the rescue

The first four months of President Donald Trump’s second term has been a whirlwind of historic progress. From his executive actions to his reciprocal tariffs to his determination to bring peace to the world, President Trump has acted quickly to implement the Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda.

Read all about it: Local library opening new chapter

By: DARREL LEJEUNE LSN Editor The Evangeline Parish Library System will celebrate a new chapter in Basile’s history with the grand opening of its brand-new Basile branch building on Thursday, June 5 at 9 a.m.

Fourth annual Avoyelles Parish Juneteenth Gala set for June 21

The Men of Honor of Avoyelles Parish will host its seventh year of honoring and recognizing Juneteenth in Avoyelles Parish, culminating with the Fourth Annual Juneteenth Gala, which will be held at Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville on Saturday, June 21.

Former editor of Ville Platte Gazette passes away

By: TONY MARKS Editor Carissa Hebert, who served as editor of the Ville Platte Gazette from 1998-2011, passed away on Wednesday, May 21, at the age of 59. A Catholic funeral service was held at Ardoin’s Funeral Home in Eunice on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 1 p.m. Deacon Gary Gaudin officiated.

In her own words

(Editor’s Note: Carissa Hebert wrote this column during the week of the Louisiana Cotton Festival back in 2021, and it is a wonderful reminder of the what the festival means to the local area. We thought it would be fitting to reprint it at this time as we mourn Carissa’s loss.) “It’s Cotton time.

La. Cotton Festival presents donation to FFA programs

By: TONY MARKS Editor VILLE PLATTE - Members of the Louisiana Cotton Festival board presented a donation to the Future Farmers of America clubs at Ville Platte High School, Mamou High School, Pine Prairie High School, and Basile High School.