The Marksville Fire Department has announced the passing of Fire Chief Jerry Bordelon, prompting an outpouring of condolences from the local emergency services community and residents.

In a public statement, the department expressed its deep regret over the loss and asked the community to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Visitation has been scheduled for Monday, May 25, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Hixon Brothers Funeral Home in Marksville. Visitation will resume Tuesday morning prior to services, which are expected to conclude at approximately 9:45 a.m.

Officials said additional details will be shared as they become available.

The department noted that Chief Bordelon’s passing is a significant loss for the agency and the community he served.

---

A multi-thousand-dollar infrastructure improvement loan for an Avoyelles Parish municipality is up for consideration by the State Bond Commission during its Thursday morning meeting.

The commission will meet at 8 a.m. in Senate Committee Room A-B at the State Capitol to review local government requests, including a significant waterworks project in the Town of Evergreen.

Evergreen officials are seeking approval to issue a promissory note not to exceed $190,000. The borrowed funds carry an interest rate capped at 6% with a maturity term of no more than 10 years.

According to the commission’s agenda, the town plans to use the capital to fund the design, construction and acquisition of improvements, extensions and replacements for its waterworks system, including necessary equipment and fixtures.

Continue your article here…

---

The Avoyelles Parish School Board is offering students a summer opportunity focused on building digital design and career-ready skills through Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator training at Marksville High School.

The program is open to current Avoyelles Parish students entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grade who do not already hold an advanced credential. Sessions will run June 2 through June 26 at Marksville High School, meeting Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

According to the school system, participating students will have the opportunity to earn Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator credentials, receive Carnegie credit, gain up to $800, and develop hands-on experience in graphic design and digital media.

School officials say the program is designed to help students build practical, workforce-aligned skills while still in high school, with an emphasis on creative industries and digital technology.

The initiative is part of ongoing efforts by the school system to expand career and technical education opportunities for students across the parish.

---

The Town of Mansura is officially welcoming residents to enjoy its splash pad, which is now open for the summer season.

The recreational water feature will be available daily, Monday through Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., providing families with a free local option for summer activities and outdoor fun.

Town officials are encouraging residents to bring children out to enjoy the facility as temperatures rise, highlighting it as a seasonal attraction designed to offer a safe and accessible way to cool off during the summer months.

The splash pad is part of ongoing efforts to enhance recreational opportunities within the community and provide family-friendly amenities for residents throughout the parish.

---

The Avoyelles Arts Council has announced the recipients of two of its annual scholarship awards, recognizing local students for their academic achievement and dedication to the arts.

Arianna Gerace was selected as the recipient of the Norma Roy Scholarship, while Braylon Pierite was named the recipient of the Avoyelles Arts Council Scholarship.

In announcing the awards, the organization highlighted the students’ hard work, passion, and commitment, noting that both individuals stood out during the selection process.

Officials with the Avoyelles Arts Council said the scholarships are intended to support students as they continue their education and pursue future opportunities in their chosen fields.

The organization encouraged the community to join in congratulating the recipients on their accomplishments.

---

When you hear ‘Peach Festival’, you may picture baskets of fuzzy peaches, maybe a peach cobbler bake-off, or even a parade. But here in Ruston, the Louisiana Peach Festival is so much more than just a celebration of our locally grown fruit. It is a time to experience the rich tradition and culture that can only be found in our small historic town. Residents and visitors alike come for this special day, filled with activities that keep people coming back year to year. This year’s Peach Festival in Ruston is Saturday, June 6.

Here are 5 ways that the Peach Festival exceeds just peach appreciation (although, we love our peaches too):

1. A Love Letter to Louisiana Culture

Area artists, vendors, musicians, and makers are the forefront of what makes this festival thrive. Browsing our curated arts market with 90+ artists of all mediums allows you to get a glimpse into the vibrant arts of our state. And you can’t miss the music! Louisiana-based musicians play on the Railroad Park Stage to ensure the spirit of the festival carries on into the night. Celebrate our Louisiana roots with us, and dive into what makes our culture so unique.

2. The Food Scene Goes Full Peach (In the Best Way Possible)

Here in Ruston, we pride ourselves on the quality and diversity of our local restaurants and food trucks. The creativity of Ruston’s culinary scene is unmatched, and the sweet peach flavor is no exception. In the week leading up to the festival, 30+ local restaurants come together for the Peach Culinary Crawl, featuring unexpected dishes, drinks, and pairings. From a peach caprese turkey melt to a pint of locally-brewed peach wheat ale, indulge your tastebuds with this staple, seasonal ingredient.

3. It Still Holds Tight to Its Sweet Southern Traditions

Of course, it would not be a southern festival without all of the classic contests and exhibits. The Peach Pageant, Peach Parade, Antique Car Show, Peach Rodeo, Peach Art Exhibit, and Cookery Contest are all ways that the community engages with the roots of the festival. These fun traditions have been happening for generations, and plan to stay for many, many more. The Ruston community continues to add to these celebrations, with sidewalk sales, a 5K race, and even a Pickleball Tournament. All these traditions keep the festival feeling like a small town gathering, keeping it close to the hearts of our residents and visitors.

4. It’s One of the Few Festivals Where You Don’t Feel Nickel-and-Dimed

The Peach Festival prides itself on having free admission, making it accessible for a Saturday full of activities. In Kids Alley, there are no paid vendors, allowing all kiddos to enjoy hands-on crafts, games, entertainment, and more festival activities. It is the perfect opportunity to bring the family out for fun that won’t break the bank. Our goal is to make the festival easy and accessible for all ages to enjoy!

5. It Feels More Like a Community Gathering Than a Carnival

No flashy rides or ferris wheels here – the Peach Festival provides something even more memorable. Surrounded by the painted murals of downtown, local organizations, and all the friendly volunteers, it’s easy to feel like a part of the Ruston community that we know and love. With festivities happening from morning to late into the night, you have plenty of time to experience the festival at your own pace. So bring out your lawn chair, grab a bite, listen to the music, and enjoy all the sights and sounds of our community. 

The traditions, culture, and hospitality surrounding this celebration reminds us that this isn’t just a festival, but a signature kind of Southern experience you don’t find everywhere. The peach flavor is just the tip of the iceberg to all of the sweetness of peach season in Ruston, LA. 

For more information on the 76th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival and to see the full schedule of events, visit www.lapeachfest.com/. 

---

Louisiana has emerged as a national leader in academic recovery, becoming the only state in the country to surpass its 2019 pre-pandemic reading benchmarks. According to the latest Education Scorecard, a collaborative report from Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth, Louisiana also ranks 3rd in the nation for academic growth in math.

The report, which combines state test results from 35 million students nationwide with national assessment data, provides a high-resolution look at the state’s educational landscape between 2022 and 2025.

Key Statewide Findings:

• Reading Leadership: Louisiana is the only state in the nation where students are performing above pre-pandemic levels in reading (+.29 grade equivalents over 2019).

• Math Growth: Louisiana is one of only two states performing above 2019 math levels, ranking 3rd out of 38 states in growth.

• Economic Impact: Gains in high-poverty districts were largely driven by federal pandemic relief (ESSER) funds, which provided roughly $6,000 per student.

• Challenges Ahead: Chronic absenteeism remains a significant hurdle, rising from 18.8% in 2022 to 22% in 2025.

Based on the technical report from the Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford and Harvard universities, here is a summary of academic performance and trends for Avoyelles Parish:

Overall Academic Performance (2022–2025)

• Test Scores: Students in Avoyelles Parish performed 1.45 grade levels below the 2019 national average. This is lower than the average for the state of Louisiana (-0.70) and similar districts (-0.71).
• Learning Rates: While average scores are below the national baseline, the district’s learning rate was 1.04, meaning students gained slightly more than one full grade level of skills per year during this period. This ranked the parish higher than 69% of districts nationwide for average learning rates.
• National Ranking: Avoyelles Parish ranked in the 16th percentile for math performance and the 26th percentilefor reading performance nationwide.

Student Subgroup Trends

• Race/Ethnicity: There is a significant performance gap between student groups. White students performed 0.70 grade levels below the 2019 national average, while Black students performed 2.18 grade levels below.
• Economic Status: Students from low-income families performed 1.73 grade levels below the 2019 national average. However, their scores have been improving at a rate of +0.10 grade levels per year since 2022, a higher growth rate than their non-poor peers (-0.01).
• Gender: Female students (-1.29) outperformed male students (-1.59) relative to the national average.

Chronic Absenteeism

• Rising Rates: Chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or more of the school year) has increased in Avoyelles Parish.
• Current Standing: Between 2022 and 2025, the average chronic absenteeism rate was 24.5%, an increase of 1.9 percentage points from the 2017–2019 pre-pandemic average.
• Comparison: This rate is higher than the state average (21.8%) and similar districts (21.1%).

Recovery Context

• Math Recovery: Between 2022 and 2025, math scores in the parish showed a slight upward trend of 0.06 grade levels per year.
• Reading Recovery: The district’s reading trend was particularly strong relative to others, with a reading score trend that ranked in the 91st percentile nationally.

While the “learning recession” of the last decade has been severe, the recovery has officially begun in Louisiana. Harvard Professor Tom Kane, faculty director of the Center for Education Policy Research, noted that while a small group of state leaders have started “digging out” by changing how students learn to read, the work must continue.

With federal relief funds expiring, the report suggests Louisiana focus future school improvement dollars on middle- and higher-poverty districts that still trail their pre-pandemic levels.

---