The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) recently completed its second release of giant salvinia weevils into the Saline-Larto Complex as part of the department’s integrated pest management strategy to combat the invasive aquatic plant giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta).

LDWF Inland Fisheries personnel released a total of 48,380 giant salvinia weevils during two separate releases at five locations throughout the complex. The first release stocked 35,960 weevils, followed by a second release of 12,420 weevils in the Open Bayou portion of the complex.

The giant salvinia weevil (Cyrtobagous salviniae) is a host-specific biological control insect that feeds exclusively on giant salvinia. Both adult weevils and their larvae damage the plant by feeding on its leaves, buds, and rhizomes, reducing plant vigor and slowing its spread. While biological control alone rarely eliminates giant salvinia, established weevil populations can significantly suppress plant growth and complement herbicide applications.

Biological control is an important component of our integrated management strategy. By combining biological control with targeted herbicide applications, water level management, where feasible, and routine monitoring, we can provide more sustainable, long-term management of giant salvinia while reducing treatment costs and maintaining public access to Louisiana’s waterways.

The Saline-Larto Complex is one of several waterbodies where LDWF has established giant salvinia weevil populations as part of its statewide aquatic invasive species management program. Staff will continue monitoring both the weevil populations and giant salvinia throughout the growing season to evaluate establishment success and determine future management needs.

For further information about the Saline-Larto Complex, please see the management plan at https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/resources/category/freshwater-inland-fish/inland-waterbody-management-plans.

For Saline-Larto vegetation related questions contact Kane Finkbeiner, LDWF Aquatic Plant Control Biologist Manager, at (318)-362-3089 or wfinkbeiner@wlf.la.gov. For Saline-Larto fisheries related questions, contact Shelby Richard, LDWF Biologist Manager, at (318) 487-5352 or srichard@wlf.la.gov.

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Hot and humid weather persists across Avoyelles Parish through the upcoming week as the month of August continues. High temperatures will reach the upper 90s most days. Lots sunshine predicted for this forecast window, with a brief pause over the weekend for isolated thunderstorms.

Wednesday, Aug. 19: Partly cloudy skies. Stray storm possible. Partly cloudy skies overnight. High near 99, low around 74.

Thursday, Aug. 20: Sunshine and clouds mixed. Few clouds possible overnight. High near 99, low around 74.

Friday, Aug. 21: Partly cloudy. A few clouds overnight. High around 99, low near 74.

Saturday, Aug. 22: Sun and clouds mixed. A slight chance of thunderstorms during the afternoon; chance of rain 30%. Isolated thunderstorms during the evening hours with skies becoming partly cloudy overnight; chance of rain 30%. High near 96, low around 72.

Sunday, Aug. 23: Partly cloudy skies. Few clouds overnight; winds light and variable. High near 97, low around 73.

Monday, Aug. 24: Sunshine with some clouds. Partly cloudy overnight. High near 97, low around 73.

Tuesday, Aug. 25: Mostly sunny skies. Partly cloudy overnight. High of 98, low of 74.

Avoyelles Parish will remain under a persistent summertime weather pattern through the week, featuring hot afternoons and high humidity with clouds making frequent appearances. Isolated thunderstorms are possible but none are forecast to be severe. Heat index values may exceed 100 degrees during the afternoon, so residents are encouraged to stay hydrated and take frequent breaks if working outdoors.

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Louisiana House Bill 1, enacted during the 2026 Regular Session, includes a $100,000 allocation to the City of Bunkie for the installation of an HVAC system in the Bunkie Middle School gymnasium. The funding comes from the State General Fund as part of appropriations for local infrastructure and community projects.

Mayor Brenda C. Sampson and the Bunkie City Council extend their sincere appreciation to State Representative Daryl Deshotel for his efforts in securing these much-needed, long-sought funds for the community.

Upon learning of the funding, Mayor Sampson stated, “Since the city acquired the Bunkie Middle School property three years ago, the gym has been brought back online and revitalized to serve as a community resource. With funding for the HVAC system, the gym will now be able to host year-round educational, social, recreational, and health-related events.”

After being shuttered since 2009, the Bunkie Middle School gymnasium has undergone a series of repairs and upgrades since the City of Bunkie acquired the property in 2023. Improvements include mold remediation, refinishing the gym floor, remodeling two large classrooms, repairing exterior woodwork, refurbishing entrances and exits, enhancing electronic security, and installing new LED interior and exterior lighting.

Over the past three years, the facility has once again hosted a variety of community events. However, without air conditioning in the gymnasium itself, only the two climate-controlled classrooms were available for comfortable year-round use. The installation of the new HVAC system will greatly expand the facility’s usefulness and allow the city to make the gymnasium available year-round.

“Given the new, highly efficient HVAC system, the Bunkie City Council and I believe the Bunkie Middle gym will be able to operate more cost-effectively than Haas Auditorium for certain events,” Mayor Sampson continued. “It will also allow us to reduce some of the day-to-day wear and tear on our historic, nearly century-old Haas Auditorium—the crown jewel of our city-owned buildings. Further, once the appropriate ordinances and policies are put in place, the Bunkie Middle gym will provide our citizens with a much-needed, affordable, and accessible rental option.”

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The Avoyelles Parish School Board has announced the Leadership Team at Marksville High School. Great things happen when a school community works together with a shared purpose, and the leadership team at Marksville High School is ready to lead the way for another year of learning, growth, and achievement.

Leading MHS for the 2026–2027 school year are:

Kristin Lemoine, Principal
Valerie Bandy, Assistant Principal
Devin Tipton, Assistant Principal
Alisha Williams, Instructional Coach

From supporting teachers and strengthening instruction to encouraging students to set high expectations for themselves, this team plays an important role in creating opportunities for every student to succeed.

High school is a time for students to discover their strengths, prepare for their futures, and make memories along the way. With a new school year underway, the MHS leadership team is ready to work alongside students, faculty, staff, families, and the community to make 2026–2027 one to remember.

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Hunters For The Hungry Louisiana is back again on Aug. 23 asking Louisiana to make more room in their freezer for the upcoming hunting season. They’re welcoming all perishable donations to one of the drop-off locations throughout the state for the annual Clean Out Your Freezer Day on Aug. 23 (dates and times may vary).

 While most Clean Out Your Freezer Day drop-off locations are open on Aug. 23 only, everyone is encouraged to visit www.cleanoutyourfreezer.com to check ALL drop-off times and dates in their community as some may begin on Aug. 17 or run as late as Aug. 28. Hunters For The Hungry Louisiana (H4H) will accept any properly packaged, labeled, and dated game, fish, or other protein, as well as other frozen food at the multiple drop-off locations.

“Moving Clean Out Your Freezer Day to late August the last few years have proven to result in great success with record breaking pounds of donations. We want to continue to make it convenient for all sportsmen as they’re preparing for the upcoming hunting season and possibly unloading from the fishing season,” says Julie Grunewald, executive director of Hunters For The Hungry Louisiana. “We’ve also continued to make the drop-off locations more convenient so you’ll find that we’re hosting at more markets, specifically with a few more Rouses Markets on the schedule. We feel this will be easier for everyone, especially as they’re shopping for the week ahead.”

Nearly 18,500 pounds of frozen goods were collected from Clean Out Your Freezer Day 2025, just clearing over the 18,251 pounds in 2024. The goal for H4H is to surpass the 2025 donations to provide for the needy. The distribution goes through the five (5) major food banks in Louisiana, as well as direct to shelters and kitchens and other agencies.

With the support of local food banks, churches, and community betterment organizations, H4H hosts a 2026 Clean Out Your Freezer Day drop-off location in the following cities and regions:

• Alexandria
• Baton Rouge
• Central
• Clinton
• Denham Springs
• Eunice
• Gonzales
• Houma
• Lafayette
• Lake Charles
• Marksville
• Monroe
• Natchez
• Natchitoches
• New Orleans (Metairie)
• Opelousas
• Ruston (Dubach)
• Shreveport
• Slidell
• Thibodaux
• Youngsville
• Zachary

To find a local drop-off locations’ date and times, visit the Hunters For The Hungry Louisiana website.

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) recreational alligator harvest lottery will open Thursday (Aug. 20) through Aug. 30. LDWF will conduct the recreational season on eight harvest zones beginning Oct. 1-31.

Please note: This is for the recently adopted recreational alligator lottery and not the longstanding commercial alligator lottery harvest application that was completed in July.

Recreational alligator lottery applications will only be available on the LDWF licensing website. Those wanting to apply should click on the Lottery Applications tab, update or create their customer details similar to purchasing a license, and then submit an application for the zone that they wish to hunt.

There is a non-refundable $50 application fee for each zone application submitted. Customers may apply for and win a harvest opportunity for more than one zone, but there will be an application fee for each zone applied for. Applicants must be legal Louisiana residents, 16 years of age or older and meet all hunter education requirements.

If selected, you will be required to purchase a Resident Alligator Sports Hunter License ($25). To assist applicants with their selection(s), LDWF has posted a map and descriptions of the recreational harvest zones on its website.

For more information about recreational lottery alligator hunting please visit the LDWF website.

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Karen Gayle Cates
November 29, 1968 – August 14, 2026
Service: Saturday, August 22, 2026, 10am at Vick Baptist Church, Vick.

Doris Ann Keys
August 7, 1959 – August 13, 2026
Service: Saturday, August 22, 2026, 11am at Salem Baptist Church, Bunkie.

Senna Marie Jones
November 9, 1965 – August 12, 2026
Service: Saturday, August 22, 2026, 11am at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Marksville.

Hilda Grace Houston
February 14, 1943 — August 8, 2026
Service: Saturday, August 22, 2026, 3pm at Starlight Baptist Church, Marksville.

Michael Ross Reynolds
September 16, 1950 — July 26, 2026
Service: Saturday, August 22, 2026, 3pm at Melancon Funeral Home, Bunkie.

Avoyelles Online News publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access.

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The following arrests were made by local law enforcement officers from July 27 – August 2.

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.

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The Chief Of Bunkie Police Department, Byron Juneau, invites all community members to attend a Meet & Greet with the Chief on Thursday, Aug. 13, from 5pm to 6pm, at the City Hall Annex (107 W. Oak Street, Bunkie).

This is an opportunity for the community to meet with the Chief, express concerns, voice complaints, ask questions, and discuss issues affecting the community. The Chief and the police department value the community’s input and are committed to building stronger relationships through open communication and transparency.

Everyone is encouraged to attend and share their thoughts.

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Hot and humid weather persists across Avoyelles Parish through the upcoming week as the month of August opens. High temperatures will reach the upper 90s most days. Lots and lots of sunshine predicted for this forecast window.

Wednesday, Aug. 12: Mostly sunny skies. Clear skies overnight. High near 95, low around 75.

Thursday, Aug. 13: Abundant sunshine and clear skies. High near 96, low around 72.

Friday, Aug. 14: Sunny and hot. Clear skies overnight. High around 97, low near 73.

Saturday, Aug. 15: Sunny skies. Mostly clear overnight. High near 97, low around 73.

Sunday, Aug. 16: Mostly sunny skies. Mostly clear overnight. High near 98, low around 74.

Monday, Aug. 17: Sunshine with some clouds. Partly cloudy overnight. High near 97, low around 74.

Tuesday, Aug. 18: Hot with a few clouds from time to time. A few clouds overnight. High of 98, low of 74.

Avoyelles Parish will remain under a persistent summertime weather pattern through the week, featuring hot afternoons and high humidity with just a few clouds. Heat index values may exceed 100 degrees during the afternoon, so residents are encouraged to stay hydrated and take frequent breaks if working outdoors.

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