Home Care In Gibsland, LA

GIBSLAND, LA (KSLA) - The mayor of a Bienville Parish town is quitting his post, citing his mother's health as the reason for his decision.

Gibsland Mayor Ronnie "Terry" Wilson's resignation became effective Thursday.

His letter of resignation is dated May 24 and was officially received May 29 by the Louisiana secretary of state's office.

"I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with some of Louisiana's most dedicated public servants; and I hope I have made a small difference in the community I had the joy of serving," the letter states.

Wilson contacted KSLA News 12 on Thursday evening to explain that his decision to step down had nothing to do with any issue related to the town of Gibsland.

Instead, he said, it was a very personal decision related to his mother's declining health.

Wilson called it a no-brainer for him to resign now to dedicate his full attention to her.

The sudden resignation surprised just about everyone, including Perry Carver, who owns the Bonnie & Clyde Ambush Museum.

"I was shocked. He was just in here like last week looking at the cafe. He didn't say anything about stepping down."

Carver's not alone. Museum employee Belinda Smith echoed her surprise at Wilson's sudden resignation.

In retrospect, Smith added, the town has seen more than its fair share of trouble over the years.

"This is nothing new for us. We're used to this. It's either no mayor, no water. I mean, Gibsland hardly, we don't have water quite a bit."

It was four years ago Mayor Odell Key was ordered to resign after pleading guilty to a charge of malfeasance in office. He spent a year behind bars.

KSLA News 12 caught up with Gibsland Alderman Alvin Pearson at a local gas station Thursday.

He too was caught off-guard by Wilson's decision.

"I don't know what happened. I couldn't even answer you. I couldn't tell you anything. I'm in the dark."

Wilson began serving as mayor Jan. 1, 2015. His term expires Dec. 31.

A special election is not required to fill the post since less than a year remains in Wilson's term, according to the secretary of state's office.

Whoever is appointed as interim mayor can serve until the current term expires.

Under Louisiana law, the mayor pro tem will serve as the town's mayor until that appointment is made.

Gibsland Mayor Pro-Tem Eddie Thompson said he's ready to step in to complete Wilson's unexpired term if requested to do so.

The Gibsland Board of Aldermen's next regularly scheduled meeting is set for June 11.

No preview available

Gibsland has a long history of financial problems.

But David Greer, who temporarily was appointed as the town's fiscal administrator, told the Louisiana Legislative Audit Advisory Council in November 2014 that Gibsland will succeed provided it continues to pay its outstanding debts.

Wilson, who then was the town's newly elected mayor, appeared with Greer before the panel.

Greer also told the council that the town had a budget in place and that it should have a "good audit" by June 2015.

He was appointed as Gibsland's fiscal administrator after the town was found to be delinquent in paying $23,000 on four U.S. Agriculture Department loans and to be $114,421 short in funding its Agriculture Department loan reserve funds.

At that time, the town owed $220,000 to vendors, had a negative cash flow of about $6,750 a month and had $13,000 less than necessary in its customer meter deposit bank account.

Greer was to finish his work as fiscal administrator by the end of January 2015.

No preview available

No preview available

Copyright 2018 KSLA. All rights reserved.

Deal Summary: GBT Hometown Rewards Checking, 4.11% APY on qualifying balances up to $15k.

Availability: All Louisiana residents.

I first wrote about Gibsland Bank & Trust’s (GBT) then-new GBT Hometown Rewards Checking account about seven years ago. At that time, the rate was 4.11% APY on qualifying balances up to $15k, with only the residents of North Central Louisiana eligible to open an account. While many reward checking accounts have experienced declining APYs and lowered balance caps in the past few years, GBT Hometown Rewards Checking has not only maintained its initial APY and balance cap since 2013, but has also expanded its availability to a statewide market area. Qualifying balances above $15k earn 0.51% APY, with non-qualifying balances earning 0.05% APY.

The statement cycle qualifications haven’t changed in seven years and include,

The GBT Hometown Rewards Checking account can be opened with a $100 minimum deposit. There is no minimum balance requirement to earn the stated APY, but there is a $9.99 monthly fee on balances of $499.99 and below. Unlimited nationwide ATM fees will be reimbursed up to an aggregate of $30 per statement cycle, if qualifications are met. Paper statements are not offered.

While the GBT Hometown Rewards Checking account has remained unchanged for the last seven years, the same can’t be said about the GBT Hometown REALSaver: it no longer exists. The REALSaver was a companion savings account linked to the Rewards Checking account and earned 1.51% APY on qualifying balances up to $25k. As stated on the Compare Our Accounts page,

Interest earned in GBT Hometown Rewards Checking is automatically transferred to GBT Savings account each statement cycle and does not compound.

Gibsland Bank & Trust's website does not list any rates for any accounts, other than the GBT Hometown Rewards Checking, and the GBT Savings account is the only savings account to be found on the website.

Availability

Headquartered in Gibsland, Louisiana (Bienville Parish), Gibsland Bank & Trust’s primary market area is northwest Louisiana, but all Louisiana residents are now eligible to open a Hometown Rewards Checking account.

Opening a GBT Hometown Rewards Checking account can be done online. The lobbies of the nine Louisiana branches (located in Arcadia, Athens, Bossier City, Gibsland, Homer, Minden, Shreveport (2), and Sibley) remained closed to walk-in traffic, but,

Branch staff and commercial bankers will be available by phone, email or by appointment. Please call your branch during regular business hours to schedule an appointment. All drive thrus will maintain regular hours of operation

Bank Overview

Gibsland Bank & Trust has an overall health grade of "B" at DepositAccounts.com, with a Texas Ratio of 28.86% (average) based on December 31, 2019 data. In the past year, GBT increased its total non-brokered deposits by $15.31 million, an excellent growth rate of 4.2%. Please refer to our financial overview of Gibsland Bank & Trust (FDIC Certificate # 16689) for more details.

Established in 1948 with $30k in capital, Gibsland Bank & Trust was originally known as the Gibsland Bank. Between 1997 and 2009, the GBT opened seven branches in seven northwestern Louisiana towns. GBT is currently the 30^th largest bank in Louisiana, with assets in excess of $465 million and more than 17,000 customer accounts.

How the Rewards Checking Account Compares

When compared to the High Yield Rewards Checking Accounts tracked by DepositAccounts.com that are available to all Louisiana residents and have qualifying balances of at least $15k, Gibsland Bank & Trust’s Hometown Rewards Checking APY* currently ranks first.

The above rates are accurate as of 6/27/2020.

To look for the best Reward Checking Account rates, both nationwide and state specific, please refer to our High Yield Reward Checking Account Rates Table page.

*We continue to work to keep our rates up-to-date, but there have been just too many rate cuts for us to process all the changes quickly. For the time being, please be aware that the rates listed at DepositAccounts.com may not reflect the latest rates published by the banks and credit unions.

Not a week passes that someone doesn't stop and ask folks in Gibsland to chat about Bonnie & Clyde and what happened to the infamous couple on a Louisiana backroad.

The curious come to Bienville Parish to find a piece of American history. You see, it was 82 years ago on May 23, 1934, the exploits of the notorious couple came to an end.

Now, you can learn what really happened that day in 1934 because… …on the anniversary weekend of that fateful day in late May, Gibsland hosts “The Authentic Bonnie & Clyde Festival.”

This year, the festival will take place on the Friday and Saturday.

Want to go?

What: The Authentic Bonnie & Clyde Festival

When: Friday-Saturday

Where: Gibsland

Directions: Take the Gibsland/Athens Exit (#61) off I-20. Travel south on Louisiana 154 for 1.5 miles. (56 miles west of Monroe and 45 miles east of Shreveport)

Cost: Free

Info: Brenda Henderson, Gibsland Bank & Trust – 843-6228

Friday

• Vendors will set up booths after 2 p.m.

• Bonnie & Clyde museums open

• 6 p.m. — Lorraine Joyner Historian’s Meeting in the Gibsland Bank annex building, next to Gibsland Grill, $10, includes jambalaya. I. J. “Boots” Hinton, son of Ted Hinton, who participated in the ambush, and Perry Carver, owner of the Ambush Museum, will preside. Everyone is invited to come and learn the real stories of Bonnie & Clyde.

• 6-8 p.m. gospel music, 8-10 p.m. street dance.Outside Music for both provided by DJ Don Miley

Friday-Saturday

• Vendors with Louisiana style food, arts & crafts and other items

• Bonnie & Clyde Festival T-shirts and souvenirs available

Saturday

• 8-10 a.m. — Gibsland Lion’s Club pancake breakfast, $5

• “Shoot-Outs & Bank Robberies” at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. by the famous “Public Enemies.” Each performance different.

• 4:30 p.m. — “Ambush at Death Site”

• 9 a.m. — day-long entertainment (including Elvis) in front of city hall

• Bingo games in Gibsland Bank annex, 50 cents

• 11 a.m. — Bonnie & Clyde Look-alike Contest for adults and children, front of city hall. Prizes of $50 adults, $25 children. No professionals.

• 2:30 p.m. — Classic Car Display at Gibsland Baptist Church

Special to The News-Star

Yes it was snowing just days ago, but spring is just around the corner. Now is the time to tell you about the Jonquil Jubilee Festival held annually in Gibsland. We hope by telling you early you will make time to attend Saturday.

In the spring of 1998, some friends sat drinking coffee. One said, "My daffodils were beautiful this spring, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could have a festival, say a 'Jonquil Jubilee'?"

All agreed that would be fun and the rest is, as they say, history.

The first Jonquil Jubilee was held February 27, 1999 about a year after that chat over coffee. There was much talk and conferring between the 1998 conversation and the actual first annual Jubilee. Committees were formed, goals were established and much thinking and planning was done.

The festival goals were: (1) to create interest in Gibsland and Bienville Parish, (2) to stimulate clean-up , rejuvenation and beautification of Gibsland and Bienville Parish, (3) to raise funds for Gibsland Revival 2000, Inc. and to enhance downtown Gibsland, (4) to promote unity and cohesion among citizens, (5) to promote Bienville Parish as the Daffodil Capital of Louisiana. Net proceeds from sales and activities go to Gibsland Revival 2000, Inc., a non profit organization.

A sense of community has been stressed in planning for each festival since its conception. Involvement of all citizens in every walk of life has been encouraged and received. All civic organizations and churches have joined to make the Jonquil Jubilee a success. You can see that success as we plan for the 16^th festival to be held on March 7.

There have been some changes over the years. Beautiful collector's posters are designed each year. Events and programs that didn't work have been replaced with new events and programs to change with the times. Children's programs are always included as well an annual t-shirt.

The outstanding visible sign of achievement is the blooming of thousands and thousands of daffodils, beginning in late January and continuing through March every year. The earliest blooms are to be from Interstate 20 all the way into the town of Gibsland, literally thousands of blooms. It is a site to behold.

Each year thousands of bulbs are planted in downtown Gibsland, in personal years, and along ditch banks of private and public roads in the Gibsland-Mt. Lebanon-Oak Grove area, the area which comprises the driving tours. Cost of the bulbs and labor for planting is paid by the Jonquil Jubilee. Homeowners have invested in improving their personal property by planting hundreds of bulbs. Finding the variety that does best in our climate is always a fun challenge.

To say that Gibsland and the surrounding areas are proud of their daffodils understates the thrill which the community feels each year during late winter when the blooming of the bulbs begins. On every corner, and in every gathering, there is always the talk of the daffodils "are yours coming up yet? Do you think the weather is hurting the blooms? How many did you plant? Did your Ice Follies come up again?" Everyone is happy; everyone is concerned; everyone delights in the beauty that is ours in Gibsland, the Daffodil Capital of Louisiana.

Saturday's Jonquil Jubilee

•Pancake breakfast at the Gibsland Lions Club building, 8-10 a.m., $5.

•Jonquil Jubilee 5K Run/Walk, registration 8:15 a.m. at the Merritt Pavilion.

•Gibsland Bank Annex features vendors with hand crafted items such as lotions, soaps, teacakes, decorative accessories, jewelry, and garden accessories. Raffles for a chance to win a handmade quilt or 1,000 bulbs planted at the location of your choice.

•Dine at the Gibsland Grill, tour the Bonnie and Clyde Museum, visit the Barbara Van Cleave Joiner Memorial Garden and the Burkhalter Gazebo, also see quilts at First Baptist Church, tablescapes at United Methodist Church, see blacksmithing at Russell and Sue Kettle's Blacksmith Shop and visit Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church Sanctuary, the oldest continuously operated in the state, and Mt. Lebanon Stagecoach Trail Museum.

•Purchase a $10 ticket which provides a map of a driving tour to view more than one million bulbs. Stop and stroll, enjoy a garden party, and listen to area experts such as Master Gardeners and columnist Maggie Martin.

Directions: Gibsland is one mile south of I-20 at the Gibsland/Athens Exit (#61), 56 miles west of Monroe.

Information: [email protected], www.jonquiljubilee.com, Facebook/Jonquil Jubilee