The Centers for Disease Control is warning that some red, white and yellow onions have been found to contain salmonella.

According to the CDC, onions shipped from Chihuahua, Mexico, between July 1, 2021, and August 31, 2021, have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.

The onions have currently sickened more than 650 people in 37 states, including Louisiana. Nearly 130 individuals have been sent to the hospital because of salmonella.

Officials stated that ProSource Produce LLC and Keeler Family Farms have recalled whole raw red, white, and yellow onions that were sold to restaurants and grocery stores throughout the United States. The onions were last imported Aug. 31, but they may last up to three months in storage and may still be in homes and businesses.

The CDC recommends that businesses check storage coolers for these onions. If owners cannot tell where they are from, throw them away and then wash and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with these onions.

For individuals, the CDC said for onions already purchased, if they don’t know where the onions are from, don’t buy or eat them. Throw away any recalled whole raw red, white or yellow onions.

Individuals should check to see if they have any recalled onions. If they do have any recalled onions or if don’t know where the onions are from, do not eat them. Throw them away. Wash surfaces and containers these onions may have touched using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.

Most people infected with salmonella experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually start six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria. Most people recover without treatment after four to seven days. Some people – especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems – may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.

Severe salmonella symptoms requiring medical attention include the following: 

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
• Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
• Bloody diarrhea
• So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as:
  • Not peeing much
  • Dry mouth and throat
  • Feeling dizzy when standing up

Erik Weisz was born on March 24, 1874 in Budapest.  When Erik was four years old, his family emigrated to the United States.  The family settled in Appleton, Wisconsin and changed their last name to the German spelling Weiss.  Erik adopted the German spelling Ehrich.  To lessen confusion, this article will refer to him by his birth name, Erik.

Erik’s family moved often to find work.  His father, Mayer Samuel Weisz, was a Rabbi who was often in search of employment.  In 1882, they moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Five years later, they moved into a boarding house in New York City.  To help earn money for the struggling family, young Erik held several jobs.  At nine years old, Erik made his public debut as a trapeze artist under the name “Ehrich, the Prince of the Air”.  Erik often performed in small tent acts, dime museums and circus sideshows, usually with another performer to double the draw and to share expenses.  For the rest of his life, Erik’s world revolved around entertaining and amazing crowds of people.

In 1894, while performing with his brother, Theodore, Erik met another sideshow performer named Wilhelmina Beatrice “Bess” Rahner.  Within a short time, Erik and Bess married.  They performed together for the remainder of Erik’s career.

On October 21, 1936, Erik lectured before the male student body of McGill University in Montreal.  Topics of his lecture included his ability to withstand immense pain without so much as a wince.  Following his lecture, he answered questions from the students.  One student asked if it was possible to painlessly pass needles through his cheek.  Rather than verbalizing an answer, he took out a hat pin and ran it through his cheek.  He showed no sign of pain.  At the end of his lecture, Erik invited them back to his dressing room for further discussion if they were interested.  To his surprise, many of the students took advantage of the invitation, including Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead.

During the discussion in Erik’s dressing room, Whitehead remarked, “You would hardly feel a blow in the stomach, would you?” “Certainly no,” Erik replied.  Erik was unprepared for what came next.  Before he could tighten the muscles in his stomach to lessen the blow, Whitehead gave Erik “two short-armed punches to the pit of his stomach.”  Erik shuddered because, as he told the boys, he was not prepared for the punches.

While giving his final performance in Montreal on the following night, the crowd noticed that Erik doubled over in pain several times.  Ever the showman, Erik fought through the pain and finished his performance before a cheering crowd.   Erik complained of severe stomach pains, something that had never bothered him before. 

A few days later, while performing alongside Bess in Detroit, Michigan, Erik collapsed.  After he regained consciousness, to the surprise of everyone present, Erik continued with his act.  After the show, Erik checked into a local hospital.  On the following day, doctors operated on Erik for appendicitis.  Following surgery, Erik showed symptoms of swelling of the tissue that lines the abdomen called peritonitis.  Erik’s peritonitis was linked to his burst appendix.  Erik underwent a second surgery to save his life from the effects of peritonitis.  Despite their best efforts, they were unable to save Erik.  He lived long enough to say his final goodbyes to his family and friends who surrounded his bedside. 

Bess was saddened by her husband’s passing but she held out hope that she would soon be in contact with Erik.  “Long before he died,” Bess explained, “we agreed that whoever should go first would try to return to the other.  We agreed upon a message, phased in code.  It was known only to the two of us.  The compact was to last 10 years and no longer.  After that period, the one of us still alive was to abandon hope either in the possibility of the survival of the dead, or their ability to communicate with the living.”  Bess said, “In his last hours, he said to me: ‘Beatrice, I’ll come to you somehow, even though I have to go through hell.”

On the first anniversary of Erik’s death at 8:30 p.m., the exact time of Erik’s death, Bess held a séance in an attempt to contact her beloved Erik.  She anxiously awaited a communication from Erik which said “Rosabelle, Believe,” the code words she and Erik had decided upon.  The words did not come.  She repeated the séance on the second anniversary of Erik’s death, then the third and fourth.  News of the séances spread throughout the world and other people began holding séances to try to contact Erik.  In 1936, on the tenth anniversary of Erik’s death, Bess prepared for the final séance to contact Erik, as per their agreement.  At 8:30 p.m., Bess and other believers in psychic phenomena, one of which was a Los Angeles superior court judge, gathered on the roof of a Hollywood hotel to try to make contact with Erik one final time.  They were not the only ones trying to contact Erik.  People held simultaneous séances in sixteen cities in the United States, England, Australia and Canada, but no lights flickered, no objects moved without explanation, and no one heard “Rosabelle, Believe.”  All was quiet.  Bess never received the message from Erik that she so longed to hear.  On February 11, 1943, seventeen years after Erik’s death, Bess died from a heart attack.  She never remarried.

People still hold séances each year on the anniversary of Erik’s death to try to make contact with him, but all attempts have failed.  Erik was an illusionist, stunt performer, and is most remembered as an escape artist.  He died on Halloween night in 1926.  On this Halloween night, if your lights flicker or you hear a strange sound, it may just be Erik trying to make contact with the living world.  You may not recognize the name Erik Weisz, but you certainly know him by his stage name…Harry Houdini.  Happy Halloween!          

Jimmy Dewayne Rose 
December 03, 1967 – October 22, 2021 
Visitation: 1-2 p.m., Friday, Oct 29, 2021, at Rock Corner Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 824 Rock Corner Rd, Dubach 
Memorial Service: 2 p.m., Friday, Oct 29, 2021, at Rock Corner Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, , 824 Rock Corner Rd, Dubach 

Omega Simmons Sturdivant 
September 3, 1952 – October 20, 2021 
Memorial Graveside Service: 1 p.m., November 10, 2021, Grambling Memorial Garden, Hwy. 80 W., Grambling 

It seemed like all of Ruston turned out for the annual Monster Mash held Monday evening in its new location at the Ruston Sports Complex.

Hundreds of ghouls, princesses and witches were ready to trick-or-treat at various booths participating in the event.

Amy Stegall, the Ruston Main Street director, said more than 50 organizations were represented with booths at this year’s festivities.

“Monster Mash is one of my favorite traditions,” Stegall said. “Our community really loves coming together for this event every fall. The best part is—it is all about the kids! Moving it to the Ruston Sports complex this year was about safety and room to spread out, but it really made it even more fun! We can’t wait for next year.”

Ruston officers helped guide vehicles as individuals began parking even before the 4 p.m. start time.

 “It’s a big event,” Stegall said. “You get a lot of traffic, and you’ll see people from the community. So it’s great for businesses to get out there and have their name out there.”

Up to 2,500 kids have shown up for downtown trick-or-treating in the past, Stegall said, and she looks forward to continuing the tradition and bringing the community together for this traditional event.

 “This is a great opportunity for community, so we look forward to as much participation from the businesses and our community on both sides,” Stegall said. “It’s just a great way to get together and enjoy a fun family event and have a good time. That’s really what it’s about.”

Winners of seven straight games, Ruston High continues to appear in this week’s Louisiana Sports Writers Association Top 10 poll while the Cedar Creek Cougars are receiving votes in the Class A poll after a historic win.

The Bearcats, now 7-1 after a 37-23 win over Alexandria Senior High Friday night, were ranked No. 7 last week and remained in the same spot, receiving 80 points. Catholic of Baton Rouge (8-0, 143 points) picked up 11 of the 12 first place votes this week to rank No. 1.

Zachary (8-0, 129), Brother Martin (6-0, 115), Ponchatoula (6-0, 105), Acadiana (6-2, 75) and Captain Shreve (8-0, 84) are all ranked ahead of Ruston High while Destrehan (4-0, 61), Jesuit (6-1, 36) and Byrd (7-1, 34) round out the top 10 for Class 5A.

Ruston travels to West Ouachita Thursday night.

The Cougars (4-3) are coming off a landmark 13-9 win over No. 6 Oak Grove on Friday night. With the victory, Cedar Creek is now receiving 10 points in the Class A poll to sit No. 13. The Cougars losses have all come against tough competition, falling 7-6 to No. 9 St. Fredericks, 33-22 to No. 1 Ouachita Christian and 28-26 to Class 2A Jonesboro-Hodge.

Cedar Creek hosts Delta Charter this Friday night.

A Ruston police officer netted a man wanted on several felony warrants Sunday afternoon after spotting him at a southside convenience store.

Sergeant Kayla Loyd was on patrol near the B & B Mart at 601 Martin Luther King Drive when she saw Lantis Tatum, 24, of Ruston, walk into the store. Tatum was involved in an incident earlier in the day where he reportedly flashed a firearm at another convenience store.

Sgt. Loyd knew the Lincoln Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team (LPNET) held warrants on Tatum from earlier investigations and called backup officers to the store. Tatum was located and arrested in a back room of the store without incident.

On the way to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center, Tatum reportedly told an officer he had “mojo” in his underwear. The officer told Tatum it would be retrieved at the Detention Center.

During booking, officers discovered suspected crack cocaine, $22 in small bills, and 10.6 grams of a suspected illegal substance in small individual baggies in Tatum’s underwear.

Tatum was booked on three LPNET warrants for distribution of a Schedule I controlled substance, distribution of Ecstasy, and distribution of marijuana with a bail total of $95,000. Sgt. Loyd additionally charged him with possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance and introduction of contraband into a penal institution. Bail had not been set on those charges as of Monday afternoon.

A Lincoln Parish deputy garnered an arrest of a wanted fugitive this past weekend after a brief pursuit of a traffic violator.

On Sunday night at about 11:30, Deputy D. Johnston attempted to stop a vehicle on Louisiana Highway 556 south of Choudrant for a traffic violation.  The vehicle failed to stop after the deputy activated his emergency lights and siren. Although the vehicle initially slowed down, it increased speed and refused to stop until it pulled into the driveway of the driver, 21-year Alex Ethan Miller.

Once Miller was identified, a computer check revealed he was wanted on fugitive warrants from Ouachita Parish for possession of Schedule II and Schedule IV controlled substances and illegal carrying of weapons. He was also found to be driving with a suspended license.

Miller was arrested on the Ouachita warrants and for flight from an officer, driving under suspension, and a traffic violation and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. Bail had not been set as of Monday afternoon.

(This is the first part of a two-part story on RHS principal Dan Gressett. Part 2 will run Wednesday.)

By T. Scott Boatright

As a former baseball player for Louisiana Tech University, Dan Gressett knew how to throw many different kinds of pitches.

After student teaching at Ruston Junior High School and serving as a volunteer assistant at Ruston High, Gressett ended up becoming a longtime assistant coach for the Bearcats.

He expected to continue his career mentoring RHS pitchers and teaching science well into the future.

But sometimes life is like standing in front plate on a baseball diamond — sometimes it throws you a change-up. Later it might sometimes throw you a curve.

Stay at the plate long enough and a batter might face both, and that’s kind of the story of how Gressett, who grew up in Lake, Mississippi, unexpectedly ended up becoming the current principal at RHS.

“Lake is a really small town in central Mississippi,” he said. “There is no lake there. I get asked that a lot. It’s a rural area known for poultry production. The town was named by a man named Lake.”

At Lake (1993-96), Gressett’s athletic awards included twice being named All-County, twice named All-District, and a Mississippi High School Athletic Association All-Star. 

He recorded 82 strikeouts in 49.3 innings his senior season at Lake before he moved on to play for East Central (Mississippi) Community College.

There he helped lead the Warriors to the school’s first state baseball championship in school history in 1998. In the same season, Gressett received All-State and All-Region honors and was named to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges All-Star team. Gressett recorded 15 career wins, the second-most in school history at the time.

After two seasons of junior college play, it became time for Gressett to decide where to continue his college education.

“I had committed to Southern Miss and was going there, but then I met (former Tech assistant coach) Brian Rountree, who recruited central Mississippi quite a bit,” Gressett said. “He and I ended up hitting it off. Randy Davis was head coach but they made a coaching change that summer before I got to take and (Jeff) ‘Whitey’ Richardson was named head coach. So his first year was my first year. ‘Tree’ got me to come over on a visit and I just fell in love with the place, and with ‘Tree’ and ‘Whitey.’ I’m still close with Tree.

“I didn’t know anyone in the state of Louisiana when I moved here. There was one player on the baseball team that I had known, but he ended up transferring before I ever made it over here, so I was a little bit out of element. That was August of 1998.”

After living in central Mississippi his entire life up to that point, life away from home did give him some doubts early on.”

“I’ll admit, I was a little homesick at first,” Gressett said. “Away from everything and everyone I was used to was hard, but I just kept telling myself I had to stick it out — just make it to Christmas. At the end of the first quarter (of the Tech academic year), I moved in with another baseball after living alone at first, and everything was great after that. But those first few months were tough.”

At Louisiana Tech from 1999-2000, Gressett was a two-year starter in conference games and a two-year letter winner. In 33 appearances on the mound, Gressett recorded 60 strikeouts for the Bulldogs and was also chosen to serve on the university’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

He graduated with a degree in secondary education with a certification in biology and general science in the fall of 2001. Gressett didn’t immediately find a job, so he started subbing at RJHS and volunteer coaching at RHS.

After finishing out that academic year at RJHS, Ruston baseball coach Tim O’Neal needed a pitching coach and the school was also looking for a science teacher.

“It just so happened those openings popped up, and ‘Tree’ put in a good word and they hired me,” Gressett said. “That was 20 years ago. I don’t know what it’s like at other places — Ruston High is the only place I’ve worked. But that’s a good thing. It’s the only place I know.

“And I never taught biology. I didn’t want to teach biology and they didn’t want me to teach biology. I actually taught physical science and environmental science.”

By Elijah Walker

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a struggle for many in the education systems across the world. 

Many teachers have faced many challenges at work and at home. 

Santoria Black is an instructor at Grambling State University in the department of mass communication. 

He said he is confident that we will overcome the COVID pandemic if everyone safely governs themselves according to all CDC rules that are in place. 

Black said that when the COVID pandemic began last spring, his wife asked him to retire early. She was afraid of losing him to the virus and spreading it to family members in their home. 

He is the father of two girls. His wife is a retired Army Sergeant. 

Black told his wife that when the good Lord is ready for him, COVID or nothing else can stop him. 

Then the school reverted to online-only schooling, which Black said was safe and he loved it. 

“I am not good with Zoom, but I had no choice if I wanted to stay connected with my students,” he said. 

He said he enjoyed putting on clothes and being alone working from the comfort of his home. It was convenient and he saved more money not having to commute every day.

When in person learning came back, Black brought a pool noodle to work with him every day. 

“I wanted to make sure everyone kept their distance and stayed six feet away from me. If you walked past my pool noodle you were too close,” Black said. 

Black shared that every day he struggled with the option to retire or continue to pursue his passion of molding students into great journalists. 

“My students are just like my children and I always want to be a part of their greatness,” he said. 

Black was against getting vaccinated, but everyday as he watched CNN and read articles from Web MD, the death rate was steadily climbing day to day. 

“I pray everyday and my faith in God opens my mind and heart to words of wisdom daily,”  he said. 

While watching CNN and drinking his coffee one morning he was moved by some strong words from Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon. Gupta said that being vaccinated was a way to protect oneself with a lower chance of dying from the virus. 

Black said after praying and listening he decided to take a chance on getting vaccinated. 

It was a hard decision as well as a scary one, he said, but with the death rate climbing he felt it was a duty. He was also able to get his wife and children to get vaccinated. He felt that he would feel at ease knowing he was sending his children around others with a lower risk of contracting the virus. 

Black said he will never pressure students with his personal opinion about vaccination.  He just hopes everyone will do as much as possible to stay safe.

This story originally appeared in The Gramblinite.

By Wesley Harris

I still have my marbles. At least some of them.

I wasn’t very involved in sports as a kid. I did read the entire set of World Book Encyclopedia by end of sixth grade, though. Never joined Little League or participated in school sports teams. The school playground was the extent of my sports participation and even that was tentative, always the smallest boy in my class and perpetually one of the last chosen when teams were selected.

The competitiveness on the playground was fierce.

Whether it was attacking one another’s pine straw forts, playing ball, or shooting marbles, some of my classmates took the games way too seriously. Friendships were placed on temporary hold while on the field of battle. 

The fights linked to the rough-and-tumble life of growing up on the wrong side of town in the sixties were innocuous for the most part. You didn’t throw punches. More like the Mid-South Wrestling we watched on Saturdays than real fighting. It got you taken to the principal’s office but unlike today, you didn’t get charged criminally and kicked out of school.

Recess did not provide time for full-fledged ball games. Even in P.E. class, by the time we got organized into teams and assignments made, the period ended. Sometimes you were glad of the brevity of the class considering the wide range of sizes and strengths among the boys in fifth and sixth grade. It could be brutal out there.

But marbles were the playground equalizer. Physical strength, size, and speed don’t matter in a game of marbles. Since the action is subdued in marbles, there’s less chance heat will rise to the level of fisticuffs.

Marbles have a long history. They have been excavated in the ruins of the Pharaohs’ Egypt and on Civil War battlefields. Marbles are mentioned in the writings of ancient Rome and were even banned from a town in medieval Germany.

In my youth, the keenest contests on the playground came in marbles. The most ferocious competitors collected the marbles of unfortunate losers like they were gold nuggets. Marbles are a competition, but one where skill and luck both play a role. Less skillful players can participate knowing at least a chance of success exists as opposed to game of skill like chess with little to no chance of a win. 

You had to know the rules. The greatest faux pas in any competition was to be in the middle of the action and realize you didn’t know the rules. Embarrassment and humiliation followed.

The first rule was to decide if you were playing for “keeps.” Either marbles are given back to the owner at the end of the game, or players keep the marbles they win. Though playing for “keeps” emphasizes claiming the property of others, it provided lessons in loss, fairness, and status building.

To begin a game, normally a circle is drawn on the ground with a diameter of 3- 6 feet. You can use chalk on the sidewalk or blacktop. Our circles were much smaller to compensate for the drag of marbles rolling on our rough hardpacked dirt playground. Marbles were placed near the center of the circle. To determine who went first, we “lagged,” tossing a marble at the line drawn about ten feet away. Order of play was determined by how close each marble came to the line. 

To shoot the marble, a player rested his knuckles on the ground and used his thumb to flick the marble from his hand. The goal of each shot was to hit a marble and knock it out of the circle. If the player knocked a marble out, then he kept the marble for the rest of the game and took another turn. If no marble was knocked out of the circle, the next player took a turn. The first shot must be taken from the edge of the circle. If the shooter stayed inside the circle, then next shot was be taken from the spot where the shooter landed. 

Cheating brought cries of unfairness, but complaints rarely changed the outcome. Winners and losers were expected to finish the match with grace and sportsmanship and those attitudes prevailed most of the time. The courage needed to face a playground champion was no small matter for a newcomer, previous loser, or tentative player, but he knew instant recognition and status came with success in the fateful encounter of the game. A player risked his marbles, but more important, he risked his pride.

The phrase “to lose one’s marbles” is more than just an expression about one’s mental state. To lose a prized marble carried a price. And it is no mistake that someone who has “lost his marbles” idiomatically also suffers losses.

We prize status markers, and games like marbles teach us early about their importance. But they also force us to face loss as a part of life—and perhaps this is why we find marbles in so many places throughout history. Even the expert can lose, so marbles teach about calculating risks and when to take chances. It’s not easy facing the playground champion, but a path of potential matches can lead up to that ultimate battle. Though possible loss exists, nothing is gained unless something is gambled. 

The player with the most marbles at the end of the game was the winner. The saying, “He who dies with the most toys wins,” attributed to multimillionaire Malcolm Forbes, would suggest the most important thing in life is collecting playthings. That’s a trivial life priority, but by itself might mean having fun while you can enjoy it. But it depicts life as a contest where “winning” comes not through fulfillment or happiness while living, but by accumulating the most stuff by death. Unfortunately, the win comes posthumously.

The message here is simple. Who we are is far more important than what we have! Life is more than stuff.

The last time I played marbles was in sixth grade in 1969. You put away your marbles when you entered junior high. We weren’t kids any more. At least that’s what we thought. It was a turning point; we were growing and hopefully learned some lessons on the playground, but moving on from elementary school opened a season for other lessons.

I haven’t lost my marbles. Yet. At least not the ones in the glass jar in the closet.

 The City of Ruston announces, weather permitting, the intersection of North Monroe Street and West Mississippi Avenue will be closed to through traffic beginning 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, through 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, 2021.  This closure is necessary to allow for utility repairs. 

As always, the City of Ruston will strive to minimize both the duration and impact of this closure. 

If you have any questions, please call 318-242-7703. 

By Thomas Stodghill, IV

People who are getting married have many choices to make, but the wedding venue can be an easy choice. Lincoln Parish is home to some great venues, and these are some of the most popular.

The first venue in Ruston is the Historic Fire Station. This was opened to the public in 2008. It features a full caterer’s kitchen, original fire poles, and a garden area with a pergola and fountain. The fire station can host 80 to 120 people.

The next venue is The Norton Building. Located in Downtown Ruston, this building features a rustic, yet modern feeling which makes it perfect for weddings, dinners, parties and other occasions.

The third popular venue in Ruston is the White Oak Venue. This venue sits on around 70 acres of land, and it features indoor and outdoor venues. The owners believe that creating memories for families is art in its purest form.

The last of the most popular venues is Creekwood Gardens, which is in Simsboro. This is not just a wedding venue, but also a bed and breakfast and an RV site. Creekwood Gardens is available all year round.

Tori Davis, marketing director for Experience Ruston, explained why she considers Creekwood Gardens to be a hidden gem in Lincoln Parish.

“Most people, even locals, don’t know it exists and they are blown away when they go out there for a wedding,” Davis said.

Davis also shared that Experience Ruston can help people set up hotel blocks for those getting married in Lincoln Parish. This service is offered free to the public.

For more information about hotel blocks, people can contact Jennifer Mamon, the Sales and Services Manager at Experience Ruston, at jmamon@rustonlincoln.com. 

Jimmy Dewayne Rose 
December 03, 1967 – October 22, 2021 
Visitation: 1-2 p.m., Friday, Oct 29, 2021, at Rock Corner Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 824 Rock Corner Rd, Dubach 
Memorial Service: 2 p.m., Friday, Oct 29, 2021, at Rock Corner Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, , 824 Rock Corner Rd, Dubach 

Laverne Kirbow 
November 25, 1927 – October 20, 2021 
Visitation: 1-2 p.m., Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 2300 W. California Ave., Ruston 
Funeral Service: 2 p.m., Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 2300 W. California Ave., Ruston 
Cemetery Committal: Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at Forest Lawn Cemetery, 2500 West California Ave., Ruston 

Omega Simmons Sturdivant 
September 3, 1952 – October 20, 2021 
Memorial Graveside Service: 1 p.m., November 10, 2021, Grambling Memorial Garden, Hwy. 80 W., Grambling 

William B Brantley   
August 25, 1963 – October 19, 2021    
Memorial Service: Temple Baptist Church, Ruston LA; Tuesday, Oct 26, 2021, at 10:00 AM  

A Ruston juvenile has been taken into custody and charged with one count of second degree murder and one count of attempted second degree murder.  

On Thursday, the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested the juvenile for his involvement in the Oct. 16 shooting at Peachland Mobile Home Park that left one man dead and another seriously wounded. The youth is currently being held without bond.  

The mobile home park is located on U.S. 80 between Ruston and Grambling.

Killed in the incident was Zelanz Richard French, 23, of Shreveport. Also injured in the shooting was D’Nique Walker, 22, Shreveport.

The Sheriff’s Department stated last week the shooting apparently arose from an argument over a $5 fee when French attempted to park at the mobile home park to attend a GSU Homecoming afterparty nearby.

A press release by the Sheriff’s Department acknowledged the joint effort of various units of the agency in the case. “We would like recognize and thank the members of our Uniform Patrol Division, Lincoln Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team, Special Response Team, and the Criminal Investigative Division for their hard work over the course of the last week.”

The investigation continues and the Sheriff’s Department is still asking for information pertaining to this crime. Information can be submitted by calling the Sheriff’s Office at 318-251-5111 or CrimeStoppers of Lincoln Parish at 318-255-1111. CrimeStoppers information can also be given by texting a tip to “TIP515 plus your message” to CRIMES (274637), or online at http://www.rustonlincolncrimestoppers.com. Callers remain anonymous and are eligible to receive a cash reward if the information given leads to an arrest or grand jury indictment.

Gather in the Shed. 

The Ruston Community Men’s Shed, located at 2782 Hwy 33 in Ruston, is gearing up for two events in the next two weeks but also hoping to encourage area residents to visit and get involved with the Shed community. 

The Shed is hosting a Business After Hours from 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday and then will have its third annual Open House from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 6. 

Tommy Folk, president of the Men’s Shed, said the purpose of the Shed is to help the community and involve the community while preventing social isolation. 

“All our projects are geared around getting people to come,” Folk said. “The point is to get people out and socialize.” 

With as many tools to make any tool retail store envious and a large working environment, the Shed is filled with spray cans and paint for crafts, numerous various saws, multiple workstations, projects in progress, and even puzzles and games. 

“We get these folks who walk in who want to build something,” explained Rhea DeOliviera, shop manager. “They may can only hold the wood, but they want to make something. They don’t know how to do it, so we teach them. And then someone else comes in and sees the project and wants to make it, so the first person teaches the second person, and then a third person comes along, and it continues. It’s fun to watch that process.” 

Folk said the Shed is open to everyone, though anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, as the power tools need to be used responsibly. Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and families have come to complete projects at the Shed. 

“We are a non-religious, non-political group,” he said. “We’re a place for people to come work on things. Our point is to get people here.” 

Females are welcome and actively participate any time the Shed is open, said member Patti Hendricks. In addition to regular operating hours, female members gather on Monday mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a time they refer to as “SheShed Mondays.”

The Shed has an amazing wood shop that can only be truly appreciated by working in it,” Hendricks said. “But we are much more than a wood shop. The Shed is a place where members gather to visit, to play games, to work on individual, group and community projects, to learn new crafts and skills. Shedders freely share their knowledge and are encouraging of one another. We visit, we learn, we teach, we share –  and, somewhere in the middle of it all, members connect and friendships grow.”

The group was started by the late Beulah Brown Laster in 2018. At the time, there were three Sheds that were part of the U.S. Men’s Shed Association. Ruston’s Shed was the fourth. Through donations and grants from various individuals and even businesses, such as the Jonseboro State Bank, the Shed has managed to thrive, even during COVID, DeOliviera said. 

“We’re starting to see people come back now,” DeOliviera said. “Now there’s about 20 Sheds (in the US association). It’s growing fairly quickly.” 

The Shed is open Mondays from 6-9 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fridays from 1-4 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additionally, the She Shed Monday group of women specifically meet Mondays from 9 a.m. to noon. 

Annual membership to the Ruston Community Men’s Shed is $120 a year or $10 for a day rate. Group rates are also available. Events are publicized on the Facebook page. 

The Ruston Community Men’s Shed is a 501(c)(3) organization, and Folk said donations are tax deductible and appreciated to keep the Shed running. 

“We provide for people from all walks of life,” Folk said. “We want to help the community and get people here to help the community.” 

By Alexis Newman

The Lincoln Parish 4-H Talent Show is a tradition for the 4-H program, having run for 18 years. It is a fun way for the youth to showcase their abilities while also teaching them important skills.

This year, the 4-H talent show was held in Louisiana Tech’s Howard Auditorium. Participants who placed in first, second or third place were awarded trophies and will have the opportunity to compete at the state level. The show itself was sponsored by the American Society of Interior Design organization at Louisiana Tech University.

The talent show is made up of two divisions: junior for ages 9-13 and senior for ages 14-19. Within both of those divisions, participants are divided into categories based on whether their performance is dance, vocal, instrumental or other.

For the dance category, Carley Carter won first place. Meadow Burns and Keatyn Brasher won first place in the other category for their performance in which they danced to Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” while wearing inflatable dinosaur costumes. First place in the instrumental category was piano player Preston Parker. In order from first to third, the youth that placed in the vocal category are Elise Clare Causey, Ella Stroud and John Cole Parker.

Amanda Simmons, the Lincoln Parish 4-H Youth Development agent, explained that the talent show offers multiple benefits to the youth of 4-H who participate.

“The goal of the Lincoln Parish 4-H Talent Show is to provide a positive youth development event for 4-H youth of Lincoln Parish to gain experience preforming on a stage for an audience,” Simmons said. “It provides an opportunity for youth to gain life skills such as responsibility, independence, positive self-image, confidence, etc. It also provides an opportunity for the youth to receive recognition and awards for their talent.”

Magan Causey, the mother of Elise Clare, said that although the show was smaller than it has been in the past, all of the performers did a good job. Her own daughter has been waiting for a chance to participate in the show since 2019 when the two attended the show as audience members, and Elise Clare decided she wanted to sing at the next talent show. After a two year wait, Elise Clare finally got to perform this year and now gets the chance to sing at the state fair.

“She is just so excited. She’s counting down the days, can’t wait to sing again,” Causey said. “She loved it. It’s like she just came alive on stage when she started singing.”

The participants who placed in the talent show have the opportunity to compete at the next level at the State Fair of Louisiana 4-H Share the Fun Talent Show on Oct. 30 in Shreveport. These youth and fellow qualifiers from around the state will perform in from of judges for the chance to receive rosette ribbons, an award premium check, and parish and statewide recognition.

The Grambling State University World Famed Tiger Marching Band performed at halftime during Sunday’s Las Vegas Raiders game presented by Twitch at Allegiant Stadium. 

The Tiger Marching Band has provided its unforgettable entertainment around the world and at Super Bowls, presidential inaugurations, world-famous parades, in movies, television commercials and on recordings. 

“We’re certainly grateful to the Raiders organization and Mark Davis for inviting the World Famed Tiger Marching Band to perform at the Raiders game this weekend,” said GSU President Rick Gallot, noting that World Famed has performed in more Super Bowls than any other band or entertainer. “We’re thankful that they’ve given us yet another opportunity to perform for not only an NFL crowd but for a worldwide audience. Go Raiders!” 

In 2019, history was made as Dr. Nikole Roebuck was hired as the first female band director in school history, and only the third in the history of HBCUs.  

“The band is excited about our upcoming performance for the Raiders,” said Roebuck. “To be the first marching band to perform at an NFL game in Las Vegas is another first for the band. We are looking forward to bringing the house down with our high-energy packed show. Look out Vegas, the World Famed is coming to put on a great show!” 

Grambling is the alma mater of six Raiders Alumni – Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Brown, Al Dotson, Andrew Glover, Albert Lewis, Willie Williams and Nemiah Wilson.  

By T. Scott Boatright

Long ago, Leon Barmore cemented himself into the annals of Ruston and Louisiana Tech sports history.

That cement became even more permanent on Friday with a bronze statue of Barmore unveiling outside the front of the Thomas Assembly Center.

Barmore, who was a Ruston High School hoops standout before taking his talent to Louisiana Tech, became a Tech Athletics Hall of Famer for the Bulldogs.

As head coach of the Lady Techsters, he tallied a 300-15 home record and a 576-87 overall record in 20 seasons (1982-2002) — retiring with the highest winning percentage in the history of both men’s and women’s college basketball.

Barmore helped his Lady Techsters capture the AIAW national title in 1981 and the NCAA title in 1982 and 1988. Barmore is a member of the Louisiana Tech Athletics Hall of Fame (2003), the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (2004) the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2003) and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (2004).

Debbie Primeaux Williamson, who helped lead the Lady Techsters to four Women’s Basketball Final Four appearances and was co-captain of the 1984 team, admitted seeing the unveiling happen was emotional.

“It was just so surreal having him up there watching the whole thing unfold, with his family, his closest friends … his former players,” said Williamson. “Just seeing him enjoy what was happening around him. With everybody there watching. That was incredible. Amazing.

“Just to watch all the pieces come together for him, with the closest people to him standing there. All the pieces were there together at the same time, and I can’t remember another time I’ve been part of something like that.”

Katie (Cochran) Hall also played for Barmore before later becoming an assistant coach for the Lady Techsters.

“He’s part of my family,” Hall said. “Ruston is my home now. He brought so many of his former players together, and helped them get through life lessons … I don’t know, but I think one day we’ll think about and appreciate it that much more.

“I’m out of coaching. I’m not in coaching anymore. But he still kind of knows when to reach out, or when to give that extra little, ‘Hey, I’m thinking of you.’ And that jolt just hits you. The feeling makes me just feel good, because he just knows how to do that. I don’t know how, but he just knows.”

Barmore had bigger opportunities offered over the years. But he was from Ruston.

“It’s the perfect size for me,” Barmore said of his hometown. “I was just so comfortable. We won championships in high school At Louisiana Tech we went to the tournament under (head coach) Scotty (Robinson). I just remember at the last game my senior year, at the last game, when I was announced I got a five-minute standing ovation. You just don’t forget those things. I could have gone to bigger schools, but this was the perfect place for me.”

For Barmore, the statue isn’t about who he is, but instead the hometown he loves.

“I’ve given Ruston and Louisiana Tech a lot of years, five as a player but then I grew up here, too,” Barmore said. “It’s a two-way street. I gave them a lot. But they gave me a lot more. And I so much appreciate what Ruston, Louisiana Tech and the people here have done for me. But it’s the kind of thinking that I believe everybody shares in – former players, coaches, fans and community.

“It wasn’t just me. I look at that statue and I see Pam Kelly. I see Kim Mulkey. I see all the things and people that went into making the Techsters successful. That’s what that statue is about — way more than me.”

HARAHAN, La. – The No. 9 Louisiana Tech women’s bowling team registered a 12-0 start at the No. 16 Tulane-hosted Colonial Lanes Classic before falling, 4-1, to No. 5 North Carolina A&T in the championship match on Sunday.

The Lady Techsters won all five of their Baker games on Friday after opening the day with a 1,003-887 victory over No. 20 Maryland Eastern Shore. Tech then defeated Jackson State, 935-878, and No. 22 Prairie View A&M, 1,032-902. LA Tech and North Carolina A&T tied the fourth game, 1,028-1,028, but Tech won the tiebreaker, 106-87. Louisiana Tech’s last game of the day was a 990-912 victory over Alabama State.

Tech’s undefeated streak continued in Saturday’s traditional matches. LA Tech opened with a 1,105-1,025 win against North Carolina A&T. The Lady Techsters then defeated Texas Southern, 1,025-895, and No. 10 Stephen F. Austin, 931-921. Louisiana Tech ended the day with a 1,067-922 win against Florida A&M and a 1,006-676 victory against Grambling State.

Louisiana Tech entered Sunday’s championship bracket as the No. 4 seed to take on third-seeded Tulane. After dropping the first game, the Lady Techsters defeated the Green Wave, 4-1 (158-247, 226-179, 224-214, 258-196, 188-187). Tech then defeated No. 6 Sam Houston, the top seed of the Colonial Lanes Classic, 4-3 (199-221, 233-210, 191-217, 244-227, 160-191, 257-248, 204-187).

LA Tech entered the championship contest against North Carolina A&T with an undefeated 12-0 mark, but lost, 4-1 (195-257, 213-176, 170-174, 184-210, 164-211), to the Aggies in the final match.

Junior Allie Leiendecker was named to the all-tournament team after finishing fourth individually with a total pin count of 1,118 (244-252-180-259-183). Senior Lindsay Manning also finished in the top-10 with a mark of 1,085 (216-193-238-237-201, 9th).

The Louisiana Tech School of Theatre will host the 2021 Fall Theatre Festival at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2-6 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7 in Stone Theatre.

The first production of the 2021-22 season, the Festival is a showcase of student talent in directing, acting, technical theatre, and performance. Besides being student produced and directed, it will feature a variety of performing arts mediums: period piece comedy, modern drama, stage combat, student written short film, and more.

Ticket prices are $10 general admission, $2 students with student ID, $5 for patrons under 14, and $5 for those 65 and older. For group rates, contact the box office in the lobby of Stone Theatre, 318.257.3942. Hours are Monday-Friday, 1:30-4:45 p.m.

To help keep all actors, audience, and staff safe, seating in the first two rows of Stone Theatre will be limited due to COVID-19. All patrons will be expected to wear masks and present negative COVID test results from within the past 72 hours of the date they attend.

Be advised that coarse language and violence is included in all performances of the Festival. Discretion for young viewers is advised.

By Thomas Stodghill, IV

When holiday movies get brought up in conversation, one popular debate comes to mind. Is “The Nightmare Before Christmas” a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? Personally, I watch it at both times of the year.

While this is a short movie, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is not only one of my favorite holiday movies but also one of my favorite movies ever made. I adore this movie and I have some sentimental value towards it.

The movie tells the story of Jack Skellington, who becomes bored celebrating Halloween every year. After discovering Christmas Town, he wants to celebrate that holiday instead. However, he must be careful what he wished for.

This is the first of the few stop-motion films that Disney has put out, and the animation is incredible. The animators brought Tim Burton’s ideas to life seamlessly, and the characters of Halloween Town are all kooky and wonderful to look at.

The other part of this movie I enjoy is the songs. The song that introduces the movie, “This is Halloween,” is a spooky delight. Another favorite song of mine from the soundtrack is “What’s This?”, which is when Jack gets excited about Christmas.

My favorite part of the songs is how they reprise them. The reprises add a fresh twist to the familiar songs, and they do not get stale.

The characters of Halloween Town are a terrifying bunch, which I mean in the best way possible. However, I think Oogie Boogie, the antagonist of the movie, could use more screentime. He is a great singer, his design is amazing, but we never know his true motive for wanting to ruin the party.

The last reason why I love this movie is for personal reasons. In elementary and middle school, my art teacher, Mr. Norton, would put this movie on around the holiday season. Norton, or Norty as we called him, is one of my favorite teachers I had during my time in school. 

Unfortunately, he passed away after a battle with cancer in 2014. I always think of him when I watch this movie, and I will never forget him.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a movie that holds a special place in my heart. This is worth a watch in both October and December. 

Each Monday and Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com. 

Monday, Oct. 25
3:30 p.m.: Biology Colloquium, “COVID-19: What to Expect in the Next Few Years” (Tech)
4-5:30 p.m.: City of Ruston Monster Mash (Ruston Sports Complex)

Tuesday, Oct. 26
6 p.m.: GSU v Tech volleyball (Hobdy Assembly Center, Grambling)
5-6:30 p.m.: Business After Hours at Ruston Community Men’s Shed, 2782 LA 33, Ruston
6:30 p.m.: We The People meeting featuring speaker Diane Long (Lincoln Parish Library Community Room)

Thursday, Oct. 28
7-10 p.m.: Screaming Woods Haunted Trails (285 Jed Road, Ruston)

Friday, Oct. 29
5 p.m.: Grambling State Soccer vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff 
6 p.m.: Downtown Ruston Wine Walk (Railroad Park)
7 p.m.: Cedar Creek Football v. Delta Charter 
7 p.m. Lincoln Preparatory School Football v. Haynesville
7-10 p.m.: Screaming Woods Haunted Trails (285 Jed Road, Ruston)

Saturday, Oct. 30
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
5-8 p.m.: MedCamps Annual Fall Bash (2090 LA-145, Choudrant)
11a.m.: Grambling State Volleyball vs. Florida A&M
7-10 p.m.: Screaming Woods Haunted Trails (285 Jed Road, Ruston)

Sunday, Oct. 31
1 p.m.: Grambling State Volleyball vs. Alabama State
7 p.m.: Guest artist Dieter Hennings on guitar (F. Jay Visual Arts Center at Tech)
7-10 p.m.: Screaming Woods Haunted Trails (285 Jed Road, Ruston)