Chet Joffrion
October 3, 1963 — June 29, 2026
Service: Friday, July 3, 2026, 11am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Moreauville.
Faye Claire Reason
September 11, 1951 — June 10, 2026
Service: Thursday, July 2, 2026, 11am at Escude Funeral Home, Mansura.
Avoyelles Online News publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access.
SIMMESPORT – The Church of Christ Disaster Response Team and Pineville Church of Christ have partnered with United Way of Central Louisiana to offer free disaster clean-up services to families in the Avoyelles area affected by flooding due to the tropical storm. Residents are urged to complete an application form for services at the former Y-Not Stop on 16137 Hwy 1 Simmesport.
Services include:
For application forms, pick up at the RV office on property of the former Y-Not Stop location from 8am – 5pm Mondays – Saturdays starting on Monday, June 29. Forms are also available at the Simmesport Town (372 Mission Dr, Simmesport) from 7am – 4pm Mondays – Thursdays and 7am – 12pm on Fridays.
For more information about the Church of Christ Disaster Response, please visit https://www.
United Way of Central Louisiana mobilizes resources and partnerships to strengthen education, financial stability, health, and community resilience across the region. For more information about United Way of Central Louisiana, visit www.uwcl.org.
The following arrests were made by local law enforcement officers from June 8 – June 14.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office Crime Suppression Agents, alongside Louisiana Probation and Parole, assisted the Marksville City Police Department in apprehending a wanted fugitive, Mr. Matthew Moses Davis, in Marksville on Monday, June 15.
Officers located Mr. Davis in the area of Legion Drive, where he had active arrest warrants for Domestic Abuse Battery and Aggravated Assault. When Marksville Police attempted to make contact, Mr. Davis fled on foot across multiple streets and into a wooded area. After a foot pursuit lasting approximately one and a half hours in the pouring rain and crossing multiple ravines, law enforcement successfully apprehended Mr. Davis, where he was taken into custody without further incident.
Mr. Matthew Moses Davis was booked into the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office DC-1 on the following charges by the Marksville Police Department:
-Domestic Abuse Battery
-Aggravated Assault
-Theft
-Unauthorized Entry of an Inhabited Dwelling
-Resisting an Officer (8 counts)
Sheriff David L. Dauzat appreciates the great teamwork between our deputies, the Marksville Police Department, and Louisiana Probation and Parole. By backing each other up and working together, local agencies are making sure Avoyelles Parish stays a safe place for everyone to call home.
All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For non-emergency information or need assistance, contact the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-253-4000 or email at info@AvoyellesSO.org.
Hot and humid conditions will continue across Avoyelles Parish through the upcoming week, with temperatures near or above 90 degrees most afternoons. Scattered thunderstorms remain possible at times, especially Wednesday and Sunday, while summer heat persists into early next week.
Wednesday, June 24: Intervals of clouds and sunshine with scattered thunderstorms possible. Humid conditions continue. High near 89, low around 75.
Thursday, June 25: Mostly sunny, hot and humid. High near 92, low around 72.
Friday, June 26: Partly sunny with continued summerlike conditions. High around 90, low near 73.
Saturday, June 27: A mix of sun and clouds with warm, humid weather. High near 91, low around 75.
Sunday, June 28: Partly sunny with a few thunderstorms possible, especially during the morning and early afternoon. High near 92, low around 76.
Monday, June 29: Mostly sunny and humid. High near 93, low around 75.
Tuesday, June 30: Hot and muggy with partly sunny skies and a slight chance of an afternoon thunderstorm. High in the lower 90s, low in the mid-70s.
A typical late-June pattern is expected across central Louisiana, featuring persistent heat and humidity with isolated to scattered thunderstorms. Residents should remain alert for localized heavy rainfall in stronger storms and continue to use caution in flood-prone areas following recent heavy rains.
A Flood Warning remains in effect for portions of Avoyelles Parish through Monday evening due to ongoing high water and runoff from recent rainfall.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has closed roads on Grassy Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and Pomme de Terre WMA in Avoyelles Parish due to flooding from Tropical Storm Arthur.
Chenier Lake Road, Cas Cas Road, the Year Round Trail and South Bayou Natchitoches Road from the Bayou des Sot gate to Smith Bay at Grassy Lake WMA and Sutton Lake Road on Pomme de Terre WMA have been closed.
While the WMAs will remain open, users are asked to comply with road closures.
Heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Arthur has caused flooding on much of these WMAs. Once the water recedes, LDWF will inspect, repair and reopen the roads.
Grassy Lake WMA includes nearly 13,000 acres in northeastern Avoyelles Parish and is located approximately twelve miles from Bordelonville, Louisiana. Pomme de Terre WMA consists of over 6,400 acres and is located approximately six miles east of Moreauville on La. Hwy 451 in Avoyelles Parish.
For more information about Grassy Lake WMA, visit Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries – Grassy Lake WMA. For more information about Pomme de Terre WMA, visit Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries – Pomme de Terre WMA
Over the coming weeks, several organizations will be coming to the Moreauville, Simmesport, Bordelonville, Plaucheville, and Dupont areas to assist residents affected by the flood. These organizations will provide help with the removal of furniture and debris, as well as certain tear-outs at no cost to those impacted.
Recently, Mayor Beryl Holmes and Councilman Timothy Hill met with leaders from Hope For International regarding their organization’s efforts to provide assistance to flood victims throughout the area. Moreauville is grateful for their willingness to partner with local communities during this time of need.
Mayor Beryl Holmes indicated that as she receives additional information, she will share it with the public. For anyone who lives in the Moreauville area and needs assistance, contact the mayor to get added to the list.
At this time, the mayor cannot provide a specific date for when assistance will be available. Priority will be given to elderly residents, widows, and single-parent households. However, the goal is to eventually assist everyone in need.
The 4th of July Parade is BACK — and Marksville is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. That’s right: 250 years.
So Marksville plans on going bigger, louder, and more patriotic than ever before. Everyone should show up and show out: businesses, organizations, families and friend groups, and floats, golf carts, walking groups.
Let’s pack the streets and make this a parade to remember. Lineup begins at 8:30am in the Taco Bell Parking Lot. The parade rolls at 10am.
Register here: https://forms.gle/QcdW7iYrxn5WYJSm6
Don’t wait — this is going to be one of the biggest celebrations yet, one not to miss.
In the wake of the recent flooding, all residents affected by this disaster are welcome to use the public computers and WiFi available at all branches of the Avoyelles Parish Library.
Whether an individual needs to connect with loved ones or apply for emergency assistance, APL’s doors are open. They are here Monday–Saturday. If an individual has been displaced or lost property, know that support is available. The library is a safe place to regroup, recharge, and take the next steps toward recovery.
If anyone has damaged property, remember to document all damages. For those who have access to a mobile phone, use this link to report damages to property.
In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Arthur, rising waters can displace wildlife species from flooded habitats causing them to seek higher ground into nearby residential and commercial areas with which they may not be familiar, potentially increasing the likelihood of their encounters with people. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) urges the public to be especially cognizant of wildlife and to avoid contact with displaced animals as they seek temporary refuge.
Wild animals do not pose a threat to humans and should be left alone and not be fed. Feeding wild animals may encourage them to remain near an artificial food source rather than relocating to natural habitat and finding food on their own once flood waters subside.
Basic Tips:
* Avoid areas where displaced wildlife has taken refuge.
* Avoid interaction with and do not feed displaced wildlife.
* Avoid roadways near flooded areas to reduce likelihood of disturbance and collisions with wildlife.
To report nuisance or displaced wildlife, see the LDWF Nuisance Wildlife Control webpage.
Species of Concern:
Black Bears: The Louisiana black bear is a species of concern during a flood incident when high water moves bears out of their habitat. For assistance with black bears that may be forced into populated areas by flood waters, contact your local LDWF Region Office.
Alligators, Snakes: Flood waters will carry reptiles into populated areas where they may not normally be noted in significant numbers. Following the impact of flood waters, exercise extreme caution when salvaging possessions from flooded areas. Wildlife, especially reptiles, may remain in flooded areas and pose a safety threat.
Venomous snake species in Louisiana include the canebrake rattlesnake, the copperhead, the cottonmouth, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the harlequin coral snake, the pygmy rattlesnake and the Texas coral snake.
To report nuisance or displaced alligators, see the LDWF Nuisance Alligator webpage.
Deer, Feral Hogs: Deer and feral hog populations represent the two large quadruped species that may appear in populated areas in significant numbers as flood waters move wild animals out of natural habitat. As is the case with all wild animals, how these species will react to humans in close contact situations is unpredictable. LDWF recommends allowing these species, when sighted individually or in groups, to move unimpeded through flooded areas as they seek higher ground.
For other wildlife related emergencies, contact the LDWF Enforcement Dispatch number at 1-800-442-2511.