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19/03/2026

The Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office asks our community to join us in prayer for the family, friends, and loved ones of former Deputy Tyler Grezaffi.

Tyler worked for the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in the early parts of her career. She is also the daughter of one of our own, Sgt. Scott Grezaffi, a longtime member of our agency. Many of us have had the privilege of watching Tyler grow up over the years as she followed in her father’s footsteps and became part of our law enforcement family.

Tyler was a beautiful soul who brought light to everyone around her — both within our department and throughout the community. Her kindness, dedication, and bright spirit left a lasting impression on those who knew and worked alongside her. At the time of her passing, Tyler was proudly serving at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, continuing her commitment to a career in public service.

The loss of Tyler is deeply painful and impactful for our entire PCPSO family. During this incredibly difficult time, we ask that you keep Sgt. Grezaffi, the Grezaffi family, and all who loved Tyler in your thoughts and prayers.

Please continue to lift this family up as they navigate the difficult days ahead. 💙

14/03/2026

"HEROIC PROTECTOR" | This is Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, the Old Dominion University ROTC instructor killed in Thursday’s campus shooting. He logged 600 combat flight hours, mentored hundreds of future soldiers and in his final moments became the ultimate protector: http://www.wwltv.com/article/news/nation-world/old-dominion-rotc-instructor-killed-in-campus-shooting-remembered-heroic-protector/507-5c88ec81-dcfe-48ed-aee2-fcd734dc7ba9?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WWLTV

02/02/2026

FAKE COVER — JUST FOR FUN ❄️📰

While Punxsutawney Phil up north declared six more weeks of winter, Pointe Coupee Parish received confirmation a little closer to home.

Saturday evening’s Mardi Gras parade in New Roads rolled at 5 p.m. in temperatures more fitting for February in Pennsylvania than South Louisiana, proving that winter clearly hasn’t gotten the message yet.

Enter our own unofficial forecaster: the nutria.

Cold weather aside, the parade rolled on as planned, with spectators and riders braving the chill to keep tradition alive. Around here, even freezing temperatures won’t stop a parade.

(This image is a parody and not an actual front page.)

23/01/2026

\Winter storm could prove treacherous, state climatologist says

The winter storm forecasted for the Deep South will likely pose treacherous conditions mostly in northernmost part of Louisiana, but the central portions of the state could also face challenges this weekend, according to State Climatologist Jay Grymes.
Confidence is "high" for an impactful, dangerous and potentially crippling winter weather event this weekend for north Louisiana ... beginning as early as this evening for northwestern parishes and continuing into next week with bitterly cold Arctic air, he said Friday morning.
Freezing rain and subsequent icing could result in surface accumulations of 0.5" up to 1.0" (or more) along and near the I-20 corridor. An inch or more of snow could be added on top of that ice, further insulating and extending the duration of the ice glaze well into next week
“The main threats appear to be north of a Lufkin-Alexandria-Natchez line, although some minor icing south of that line is possible,” Grymes said. “The threat of significant ice accumulations reaching the I-10/12 corridor is generally 20 percent or less.” North Louisiana residents should prepare temps to remain below freezing through the weekend with lows dipping to around 10° for Monday and Tuesday mornings. Some northern communities could stay below freezing through Monday as well, with only brief runs of temps above freezing for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. 'Hard' freezes (25°F or below) will be an issue for much of south Louisiana for Monday and Tuesday mornings.

Power outages and other infrastructure problems could become fairly widespread for the northern half of Louisiana, where the cold weather will elevate the potential for house fires, carbon-monoxide poisoning, and hypothermia/exposure.

02/01/2026

Okay, so if you’ve been wondering where Lizzie’s been lately… surprise 👀

I’ve been a little quieter than usual because I’ve been putting together something BIG behind the scenes — The Pointe Coupee Banner officially has a brand new website 🎉📰

And yes, I am ridiculously excited about it.

We finally have a fresh digital home for our stories, features, community spotlights, and everything that makes Pointe Coupee Parish, well… Pointe Coupee. No more digging through old links or screenshots — it’s all in one place now.

Right now, our Best of 2025 stories are live, and this is where I need y’all.
Was there a story this year that stuck with you? One you shared, talked about, or still think about? A feature, profile, or moment that made you stop scrolling? Drop it in the comments 👇

I’m digging back through our 2025 archives and scouting for award-worthy stories, and reader favorites absolutely matter.

I’ll put the website link in the comments — go explore, revisit your favorites, and tell me what deserves a spotlight ✨

Worth the silence? I think so.

30/12/2025

This season, our Christmas present to Pointe Coupee is a little extra ink and a little extra time together.

For two weeks in a row — last week and again this week — The Pointe Coupee Banner will be delivered on Tuesday, rather than our usual Thursday publication day, due to the holiday schedule. We wanted to make sure our readers still had a fresh paper in hand during one of the busiest and most meaningful times of the year.

As we wrap up another year of telling the stories of this parish — its people, its progress, its traditions, and its everyday moments — we want to say thank you. Thank you for reading, for supporting local journalism, and for continuing to make this paper a part of your weekly routine.

We hope you enjoy these holiday editions as we head into the New Year. From all of us at the Banner, we wish you a joyful holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year.

And don’t put us away just yet — we have a surprise coming January 1st.

24/12/2025

Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office Demonstrates Spirit of Giving

John Dupont
The Pointe Coupee Banner

The front of the Pointe Coupee Parish Courthouse generally serves as a hub of most governmental activity, but it takes different role just before Christmas.
On a warm and humid Tuesday morning, it was the center of giving.
A total of 60 bicycles and an array of toys were given to children from needy families as part of an annual tradition of the Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office.
“It’s our way to give back to the community — especially the kids,” Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux said.
The bicycles which consumed much of the space in front of courthouse came from officials in parish government along with many residents throughout the parish.
In addition, deputies and volunteers served up several hundreds plates of jambalaya and pastalaya free of charge as part of the Yuletide giving day.
More than 1,000 plates were served.
“I was the biggest turnout we’ve ever had.” Thibodeaux said.

23/12/2025

A Marker That Makes History Visible at the Pointe Coupee Museum

Lizzie Baudoin
The Pointe Coupee Banner

This week, a new historical marker was installed and dedicated at the Pointe Coupee Museum, and it is one of those projects that makes you stop, read, and really think about the history beneath your feet.

The marker is the first installation of the Great Flood Project, which focuses on telling the story of the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927 in a way that feels real and present. Designed by Louisiana artist Joel Breaux, the marker is intentionally interactive. At the top is a metal funnel that collects rainwater, a quiet reminder of the role water played in reshaping entire communities along the river. In flood-impacted areas, future markers will also include gauges showing how high the water actually rose.

At the base of the marker is a circular compass with historical facts and directional references to other sites impacted by the 1927 flood. As you walk around it, you begin to understand that Pointe Coupee’s story is part of something much larger, shared by towns and parishes all along the Mississippi River.

This marker would not have been possible without the work of the Pointe Coupee Historical Society and their collaboration with the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation. Their efforts helped bring this important piece of history to life right here in New Roads.

The Great Flood Project ultimately plans to create a mapped trail of markers across flood-impacted communities, allowing people to follow the history of the 1927 flood across the region. For Pointe Coupee, this first marker stands as a meaningful reminder of resilience, memory, and the importance of preserving our local history for generations to come.

22/12/2025

If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been since Thanksgiving… no, I didn’t fall into a food coma or disappear into the swamp.

I am, in fact, a one-band operation over here — writer, content creator, marketer, and occasional professional plate-spinner. As we rolled into the holiday season, a big priority became selling and building out our special advertising sections, which means a lot of behind-the-scenes work that doesn’t always show up on your feed right away.

That said, Pointe Coupee stories are very much still happening. More local features, community highlights, and familiar faces will be hitting your feed over the next few weeks.

Thank you for your patience, for sticking with us, and for supporting local journalism — even when it’s run by one very busy person with too many tabs open. Happy Holidays!

-Lizzie
(At The Banner)

09/12/2025

Magic in Every Crayon Line: Pointe Coupee’s Sweetest Christmas Tradition

Feature | Lizzie Baudoin
The Pointe Coupee Banner

There are few moments in a small-town newspaper as heart-warming as this one—the week our office fills with color, crooked handwriting, and the pure honesty only a first grader can deliver. Every December, the Banner proudly publishes the Letters to Santa written by Pointe Coupee Parish’s first grade students, a tradition that has quietly become one of our most anticipated issues of the year. Long before social media timelines and digital wish lists, these pages have captured something timeless: the wonder of childhood, preserved in print for families to cherish.

If you’ve ever flipped through those pages, you know they’re more than simple notes addressed to the North Pole. They are windows into a child’s world—equal parts funny, touching, hopeful, and sincere. One might ask Santa for world peace, while another hopes for a puppy that “doesn’t bite this time.” Teachers help guide the writing, parents wait excitedly for the paper to hit stands, and our community rallies behind the magic these letters bring.

Just beneath each letter is something equally special: messages from local businesses who sponsor these pages every year. Their support keeps this tradition alive, allowing every child’s letter to be printed and shared. Those small ads—“Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” “Wishing You Joy”—become part of the story. They remind us that Pointe Coupee is a parish where businesses don’t just serve customers; they invest in childhood memories.

As we prepare this year’s Letters to Santa edition, we invite our community to celebrate the charm, the laughter, and the magic of a tradition that has delighted generations—and continues to remind us what Christmas feels like through the eyes of a child.

08/12/2025