Grambling- On July 23-25, 2021, Brown Girls Do Gymnastics’ 5th Annual Conference will be hosted on Grambling State University’s campus in collaboration with The Doug Williams Center and Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Conference aims to increase exposure and access to gymnastics among women and girls of color, provide mentorship from high-level gymnasts, and offer resources and information for the parents of these young gymnasts. Registration is open now for ages 6 and up to learn advanced gymnastics and acrobatic techniques.

Blazing a Trail for Gymnasts of Color
Just months after the untimely death of the first Black woman to win the U.S.A. Gymnastics national championship, Dianne Durham, Brown Girls Do Gymnastics (BGDG) leads a grassroots initiative to introduce competitive gymnastics to Historically Black Colleges & Universities’ (HBCU) athletic programming. Durham set the world stage for Black American gymnasts, paving a path for stars like Dominique Dawes, Gabby Douglas, and Simone Biles. Following their success, there has been a rise in national participation of young Black women and girls. According to the NCAA Demographics Database, 9% of Division I women gymnasts in 2019 were Black, a significant leap from 4.5% in 2008.

As the sport continues to produce Olympic qualifiers of color, there is a growing need to provide platforms for these athletes to pursue their craft while continuing their education in the safety of inclusive spaces like HBCUs. Because there are no HBCUs currently offering gymnastics programs, those who wish to pursue competitive gymnastics at the college level do not have the option to attend an HBCU. Grambling State University is answering this call by hosting this event and looking to the future. Continue reading →

POSITION: ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

SITE LOCATION: NATCHITOCHES CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

SALARY: Starting salary: According to parish school salary schedule.

QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must be certified or eligible at the time of the application according to Louisiana State Department of Education requirements and must have 5 years of teaching experience.

WHERE TO APPLY:
Linda G. Page, Director of Personnel
Natchitoches Parish School Board
310 Royal Street, P. O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71458-0016
(318) 352-2358

DEADLINE: Thursday, July 8, 2021, 4:00 p.m.

APPLICATIONS: Application packet should consist of a letter of application, resume’, official transcripts from institutions awarding degrees, a copy of Louisiana Teacher’s Certificate with principal/education leadership endorsement, three (3) letters of reference, (one being from your immediate supervisor).

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Lincoln Parish is offering a FREE summer session workshop for students wanting to prepare for the ACT. Students will receive instruction and practice for the four sections of the ACT: English, math, reading, and science.

The workshop is available to students entering 10th-12th grade who are enrolled at Choudrant High School, Ruston High School, and Simsboro High School. The AM Session runs from 8:00-11:15, and the PM session runs from 12:00-3:15. Students would need transportation to Ruston High School for the workshop.

To register, email Emily Howell, ELA Facilitator for Lincoln Parish Schools, at ehowell@lincolnschools.org.

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When Sam Forgan was 16 years old, he attended his first Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in the small town of Hoylake at the northwest corner of the Wirral Peninsula.

That 2006 event saw Tiger Woods claim the title just months after his father had passed away.

It was an experience burned in Forgan’s memory.

“There were 50,000 people following him around,” said Forgan, who lettered for Louisiana Tech from 2009 through 2013. “It was the first time I had been to a professional event, and I thought it just won’t get any better than this.

“On the 18th, we couldn’t get a spot so we were quite close to the walk way. Tiger walked past and he is sobbing. He is absolutely sobbing. It was the first major he won after his father died. He was inconsolable.

“When I think of Open Championships, I think of that week. I got a feel for it that week. How big an event it was. But also how good you have to be if you want to win that event. I think I can make it every year. I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t think I could.”

On Tuesday, Forgan sank a 10-foot par putt on the final hole to tie for second at Prince’s in an Open qualifier and earn a spot in the 149th Open set for July 11-18 at Royal St. George’s.

Forgan, whose wife Morgan – who he met at Louisiana Tech – is expecting the couple’s first child this year, will fulfill a lifelong dream.

“For me growing up in the UK, I think the (British) Open is the major,” said Forgan, who grew up in Stowmarket, England. “It’s the golf tournament. It’s the only major in our time zone. It’s courses we relate to. I think there is something that makes it a little more special for some reason.

“I wouldn’t classify myself as an overly patriotic person, but playing in the (British) Open Championship … it would be something that when you look back at your career and know you have achieved something. You would know you played against the best. It would be huge. I would love to play and I would love to do well.”

Forgan, who turned 31 in May, opened the qualifier with a 72 on Monday before shooting a two-under-par 70 yesterday. He joined Deyen Lawson (70-71-141) and Connor Worsdall (67-75=142) in the top three, thus earning the opportunity of a lifetime.

Forgan played his collegiate career in Ruston for coach Jeff Parks and the Bulldogs. He was a four-time Academic All-WAC honoree who competed in 36 career tournaments at Louisiana Tech.

He showed his abilities early in his Tech career, recording a seven-under-par 65 in the second round of the Squire Creek Invitational his rookie season.

PHOTO:  courtesy LA Tech Athletics

Malcolm Joe McGrew
March 11, 1930 – June 28, 2021
Visitation:  Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Cemetery, Friday, July 2, 2021, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Service:  Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Saturday, July 3, 2021, 10:00 am
Cemetery:  Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Cemetery, Saturday, July 3, 2021

Eugene Simms Sr.
April 22, 1929 – June 27, 2021
Service:  10:00 A.M. on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at Riverview Cemetery in Monroe

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The Center for Economic Research, housed in Louisiana Tech University’s College of Business, recently published the sixth installment of the Regional Economic Analysis of Louisiana (REAL) Report.

A cohesive body of research examining multiple aspects of Louisiana standards of living, the Spring 2021 issue explores the economic impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, with specific focuses on economic forecasts for the state, employment losses and gains, and foreclosure rates. The report also examines the economic impact of Louisiana Tech newest residence facilities as well as the impact of one Tech student on the local economy.

Team members contributing to this issue include Assistant Professor of Economics Dr. Patrick Scott, who serves as Center director, senior finance major Bailey Catoire, junior economics major Patrick Miller, junior economics major Colyn Sevario, and junior finance major Joshua Whitlow.

According to the report, one Louisiana Tech student has an estimated economic output multiplier of approximately 2.84. This indicates that for every dollar spent, $2.84 is generated and recirculated into the local economy. Tech’s on-campus student population induces $1.9 million in sales tax annually, with one Louisiana Tech student producing $5,400 in sales tax revenue for the state and approximately $7,170 in state taxes of all types.

“As Louisiana Tech continues to grow enrollment, the strategic importance of the University to Ruston and Lincoln Parish is difficult to understate,” Scott said. “It is the largest employer in the parish and every student that attends Tech sends out numerous capillary waves throughout the local economy.”

One of those waves currently impacting the local economy is the construction of Louisiana Tech’s newest phase of student housing, Richardson and Cottingham Halls. The construction project, itself, is assumed to indirectly support 90 jobs and induce 130 more. It also brings Louisiana $1.6 million in tax dollars. Overall, there is twice as much of an economic impact for every dollar spent on this project.

To read the full Spring 2021 REAL Report, including state unemployment rates, wage growth, and foreclosure rates, visit business.latech.edu/realreport.

The REAL Report is a quarterly publication designed to provide insight into recent economic developments in Louisiana. It is produced by the Center for Economic Research, in collaboration with faculty and students in Louisiana Tech University’s College of Business, for the state of Louisiana and our region of the South.

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REYNOLDS, GRAYLON

Booked on: Mon, 28 Jun 2021 13:03:28
Booking Number: LPDC2021060095
Arresting Agency: RPD
Race: BLACK
Sex: MALE

Offense(s): POSS W/ INTENT TO DIST SCHEDULE I|POSS W/ INTENT TO DIST SCHEDULE II|POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

Bond Amount: $0

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Louisiana Tech’s Dr. Terri Maness, Associate Professor and Environmental Science Program Coordinator, received a 2019-2020 US Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director’s Conservation Partner Award for her work with the Gulf of Mexico Avian Monitoring Network (GoMAMN) team. GoMAMN is group of conservation professionals who came together after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill with the aim of coordinating efforts to develop and implement a Gulf-wide avian monitoring program.

The award ceremony was held virtually June 16.

“I feel strongly that one of the most important things I do as Regional Director is to honor the hard work and accomplishments of our employees and trusted partners,” said Leopoldo Miranda-Castro, Director of the South Atlantic-Gulf and Mississippi Basin Regions. “Conservation partner awards acknowledge significant contributions and willingness to work with the Service toward the conservation of natural resources in the Southeast. Together, our conservation efforts multiply far beyond what any one of us can do alone.”

Maness and GoMAMN were nominated for the award by USFWS Gulf of Mexico Migratory Bird Coordinator Jeffrey Gleason because the team “provides key information and real-time results to efforts to restore the Gulf and conserve and protect at-risk species,” he said.

The group recently published the book Strategic Bird Monitoring Guidelines for the Northern Gulf of Mexico, which is intended to advise stakeholders on how bird populations respond to conservation actions and underlying ecological processes. Maness co-authored a chapter in the guidelines concerning avian health and serves as chair of the Avian Health Working Group and co-chair of the Seabird Working Group.

“It was an honor to be nominated and extremely gratifying to have our work recognized with this award,” Maness said. “We published the guidelines to help coordinate bird-habitat conservation efforts so that we move forward using best practices. Birds in the Gulf region are at high risk of acute and chronic exposure to pollutants and stressors such as hurricanes and climate change. Monitoring the health of birds helps us understand the effects of these threats and how birds respond to restoration and management actions. Birds are also excellent indicators of the health of the environment, which can inform us about potential threats to human health and community resilience to disturbances in the region.”

Maness and her students are currently investigating the accumulation of heavy metals in the tissues of wintering waterfowl, landbird responses to restoration of Shortleaf Pine Woodlands, and the interaction between stressors and the immune system of seabirds. Maness also works with the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture’s Environmental Outcome Monitoring Working Group to help evaluate environmental outcomes of management actions.

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Big Creek Trade Days are held monthly on the weekend before the second Monday with over 100 indoor and outdoor vendors, food trucks, and fun for all ages! The site is handicap accessible with scooter rentals available on-site. Admission is only $5 per vehicle for an entire weekend!

For more information go to http://www.bigcreektradedays.com/show-dates.

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Kenneth Lofton, Jr. grew accustomed to wearing red, white and blue during his freshman campaign at Louisiana Tech.

Now the Bulldog forward will don the same color scheme as he heads to Europe with the Team USA to play in the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup in Latvia.

After impressing the college basketball world – even Fran Fraschilla … finally – Junior used the same skillset to impress the coaches during a two-day tryout at TCU last week as he was one of 12 players out of 27 invitees that made Team USA.

The Port Arthur, Texas, native’s rise to becoming a household name in the college basketball world got another boost. Now he will represent his country after catching the eye of the coaches for Team USA.

“Training camp was a hard battle,” said Junior. “As it went along, I just continued to play basketball. Just do what I was doing in the season my freshman year.”

The news comes as no surprise to Bulldog fans who watched the 6-foot-8 rookie bully his way to the Conference USA Freshman of the Year honor this past season. He averaged 12.1 points and 7.5 rebounds during the season while leading Tech to a 24-8 record and the West Division title.

Junior went from good to great during Tech’s NIT Final Four run, averaging 20 points and 8.5 rebounds in four games, including 27 points and 13 rebounds in the consolation win over Colorado State – including the game-winner with less than a second to play.

He also registered a double double with 20 points and 10 rebounds vs. Mississippi State and added 22 points and seven boards in a win over Ole Miss.

Junior’s biggest games came against the biggest opponents. Now he will be on one of the biggest stages as he represents Tech and Team USA.

“When I first heard I made it, it was a blessing,” said Lofton, Jr. “To be able to be a part of the United States, to represent my family, my hometown of Port Arthur, Louisiana Tech, it is a big deal. They said it was a hard decision. It has been great competing against some of the best players in the country.”

At only 18 years of age, Junior will garner invaluable international experience that will only help him as he prepares for his sophomore season in Ruston.

He and his Team USA teammates will have just a few days to adjust to the time difference as the World Cup gets underway on July 3 against Turkey. Team USA will than face Mali on July 4 and a close preliminary play versus Australia on July 6.

“I never thought I would be playing for Team USA,” said Lofton, Jr. “It was unreal when they called to give me an opportunity to try out.”

Chalk this up as one dream come true for Lofton.

And as excited as he is about the next few weeks, he is already got his eyes set on fulfilling another dream in 2021-22 when he is back in the LA Tech red, white and blue.

“Once I get back to Ruston, I will continue to keep doing what I have been doing, grinding,” said Junior. “I want us to become a better team and get to the NCAA Tournament.”

PHOTO:  courtesy of USA Basketball.

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Gov. John Bel Edwards supports the Biden administration’s extension of the federal eviction moratorium until July 31, 2021. He encourages all renters, homeowners and landlords who are experiencing ongoing economic hardship due to COVID-19 to take immediate steps to apply for state assistance that will help them address their housing challenges.

“We are grateful to President Joe Biden and his administration for extending this additional lifeline to those who are still struggling due to the pandemic,” said Gov. Edwards. “It’s important that everyone who needs this additional time act as soon as possible to secure state assistance or explore mortgage payment options because this is intended to be the final federal extension. While this will prevent evictions and ensure housing stability for another month, there are steps renters and homeowners who are struggling financially due to COVID-19 can and should take now to protect themselves from possible eviction or foreclosure beyond this extension. Later this summer, Louisiana will receive $146.7 million funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to assist homeowners economically impacted by the pandemic.”

Renters and Landlords

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a one-month extension of the eviction moratorium for renters impacted by COVID-19 until July 31.

About 50,000 renters and landlords have already applied for assistance through Louisiana’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program and similar programs administered by Caddo, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes. More than $10.7 million has been awarded to renters and landlords through the state-administered emergency rental assistance program. The program, which expanded in May to include utility assistance, provides funding support for past-due rent and utility fees dating back to April 2020, as well as future rent for eligible applicants. For more information about Louisiana’s Emergency Rental Assistance program and how to access locally administered programs, visit LAStateRent.com or call 877.459.6555 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Homeowners

Federal agencies that back mortgages—the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Agriculture—have extended their respective foreclosure moratoriums until July 31, 2021. The Federal Housing Finance Agency also extended the foreclosure moratorium for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac until July 31, 2021. While state programs for homeowner assistance are still in the planning stages, homeowners who are struggling financially can temporarily pause or reduce their mortgage payments by entering into a forbearance agreement with their lenders.

Forbearance allows homeowners to repay missed payments over time or when they refinance or sell their homes, and relief options depend on who owns or backs a mortgage, the programs they offer, and the eligibility criteria they set. To learn whether a mortgage is backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or the federal government, homeowners can contact their loan servicer or search online. Homeowners without federally backed mortgages who are behind on payments are urged to contact their mortgage servicers to determine any forbearance options. Visit the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau website for more information on the moratorium extension and preventing foreclosure.

Under the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, servicers of federally backed mortgages must provide forbearance for borrowers with COVID-related hardships for up to two consecutive 180-day periods. HUD, VA and USDA will continue allowing homeowners to enter into COVID-related forbearance through Sept. 30, 2021, while homeowners with Fannie Mae- or Freddie Mac-backed mortgages also continue to be eligible for COVID-related forbearance. HUD, VA and USDA will announce additional steps in July to offer borrowers payment reduction options that enable more homeowners to stay in their homes.

Lastly, Louisiana is set to receive $146.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds later this summer as part of the Homeowner Assistance Fund, which is designed to prevent mortgage delinquencies and defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities or home energy services and displacement of homeowners experiencing financial hardship after January 21, 2020. Louisiana is awaiting final guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department to launch the program.

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Lincoln Parish Libraries will be closed this weekend for the Fourth of July holiday. Don’t forget to stop by this week to collect your print materials. Can’t make it by? That’s OK! Our digital resources are available 24/7!

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Members of the Louisiana Tech Strategic Communications department collected six awards, including four first place honors, during the 2021 Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s annual sports information contest announced Sunday.

For the eighth straight year, LA Tech took home the most awards in the state as the department placed in six of the seven award categories. LSU claimed five awards while Northwestern State followed with four.

The Louisiana Tech Strategic Communications department has now won 106 awards in the state contest over the past 21 years, the second most of any program in the state. The four first-place finishes tied for the most since 2017.

In the Division I Release/Feature (Football) category, Ashley Springer, who just completed her first year at LA Tech, won third place for her feature on Bulldog offensive lineman Joshua Mote walking at graduation with his mother.

Also getting third place was Malcolm Butler in the Division III Release/Feature (WBB, Softball) category for his recap of the Lady Techster softball team using an 11th-hour rally to claim the UTSA series. It brought his awards total to 46, the most of any state SID in the last 21 years.

Kane McGuire collected first place in the Division IV Release/Feature (all other sports) for his release on the LA Tech Soccer team having to navigate through another unusual fall. It marked his 14th career award in nine years with the department.

“At 535 words, this may have been the shortest of the entries, but it was the most smartly written,” said the judges. “In writing on Tech’s soccer team dealing with a second straight unusual fall – COVID-19 in 2020 and having a tornado destroy its home pitch, this writer’s jaunty but succinct style shined.”

Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Nitz won first place for the fourth time in the College Radio Play-by-Play category for his call of Manny Garcia’s three-run homer sparking LA Tech Baseball’s comeback win over UAB. The radio legend has placed in the top two in eight of the nine years the category has existed.

In just the second year of having a Photography category, Tom Morris picked up first place honors for his photo of a Southern Miss pitcher in disbelief as Manny Garcia crosses home plate in the background after a walk-off homerun by the Bulldogs. The photo appears with this story.

“This photo epitomizes all that lies within every sport – the winners and losers – and emphasizes the quote from ABC broadcaster Jim McKay, ‘the thrill of victory … and the agony of defeat,’ ” said the judges.

A Graphics category is also in its second year of the awards. After earning second place last year, Courtney Pugh of Donnie Bell Design finished first with his graphic of LA Tech’s Amorie Archibald reaching the 1,000 career points mark.

WELLS’ TROPHY CASE SWELLS: Monday, Louisiana Tech third baseman Hunter Wells was once again named an All-American. Wells, already a two-time first team All-American and one-time third team All-American in this year’s assortment of A-A teams, earned a second team All-America honor from D1Baseball.

Wells, who ranks second in the nation with 101 hits and sixth in the country with 70 runs scored, led Conference USA in batting average (.385) and total bases (169). He also led the Bulldogs with a team-best OPS of 1.101.

Wells and teammates Parker Bates, Jonathan Fincher and Taylor Young form the quartet of Bulldogs to earn All-America honors in 2021.

PHOTO:  by Tom Morris

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CASA of NELA will offer online training sessions every Thursday evening from July 22-August 19. CASA Volunteers speak up for children in the foster care system due to abuse or neglect. CASA is currently serving 10 cases with 15 children in the 3rd judicial district. We need volunteers to help change a child’s story.

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Ninety-three-year-old former Governor Edwin W. Edwards joins Billy West Live and provides his thoughts on Donald Trump, the news media of today and social media’s impact on politics. Governor Edwards talks about his tenure as the only four-time elected Governor of the State of Louisiana, race relations and voter suppression issues that dominate the news.

Next week Governor Edwin Edwards joins Billy West Live and discusses teacher pay, the value of funding higher education and his relationship with former Governor Dave Treen as well as his thoughts on Governor Jon Bel Edwards. Governor Edwards also discusses his race against former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke.

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Billy West Live Profile

Billy West has been a practicing attorney in Louisiana for 32 years with an active practice in all areas of civil and criminal law.

Continue reading →

NONE REPORTED TODAY

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LEWIS, TRONTAIS LAMON
Booked on: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 22:16:33
Booking Number: LPDC2021060093
Arresting Agency: RPD
Race: BLACK
Sex: MALE

Offense(s): DOMESTIC ABUSE BATTERY
Bond Amount: $0

Domestic abuse battery  In Louisiana,  It is a charge that is a misdemeanor upon first conviction but is a felony on the second conviction.

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Trailblazer RC&D will be at the Lincoln Parish Library July 6 to present their Quail Forever Workshop Series to Lincoln Parish residents. If you are interested in quail management, put this date on your calendar!
Continue reading →

How It All Started

In 2019, Donna and Waylon purchased a 14-acre homestead in Eros, Louisiana. Upon purchasing it, they knew immediately what their mission would be, to use the land to produce farm fresh, delicious, and nutritious food. Food that would feed their friends, family, and community for years to come. When they began searching for a name, Waylon suggested DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm. A phrase that, quite literally, meant “of the earth.” The objective of the farm? To produce humanely raised animals, using regenerative grazing practices, and naturally grown fruits and vegetables, avoiding the use of harmful chemicals. To date, that is EXACTLY what the farm has accomplished. DeLaTerre is growing food the way nature intended!

Rolling Out Summer CSA

Donna and Waylon would like to be your farmers and are inviting you to subscribe to their Summer CSA. What is a CSA? Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a partnership between a farmer and the community. The CSA program is a type of “cooperative,” where a community member (customer), pays a subscription fee at the beginning of the growing season in exchange for a full season of “cream of the crop” produce, eggs & meat selections, a “share.” The items in your weekly share are then boxed and delivered to convenient pick-up locations in Monroe, West Monroe, Campti, Natchitoches and Ruston. The CSA model creates a direct connection between farmers and consumers.

DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm’s Summer CSA subscription will run for 12 weeks, from the week of July 13th through October 2nd, 2021. There are three different types of CSA boxes to choose from this season. Customers can choose from either a veggie box, a veggie and egg box or a veggie, chicken and egg box. Each box will contain at least 8 seasonal, freshly picked produce items. DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm is accepting pre-orders for the summer CSA boxes now. You won’t want to miss out on this amazing opportunity to have farm fresh, nutritious and delicious food from your local farmers!

Pricing For The Summer CSA Boxes:

* 12-week Veggie CSA Box Subscription – $300 ($25/week)

* 12-week Veggie and Egg CSA Box Subscription – $360 ($30/week)

* 12-week Veggie, Chicken, and Egg CSA Box Subscription – $600 ($50/week)

Other Farm Fresh Options

Every week, DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm stocks their online market with seasonal produce, a variety of herbs, a selection of pastured eggs and humanely raised meat products. You can shop online by visiting http://www.DeLaTerreDelish.com. To ensure you never miss the happenings on the farm, subscribe to their weekly newsletter, like them on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/delaterrepermaculturefarm, or follow them on Instagram, @delaterrepermaculturefarm.

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Buster Cotten’s Karate offers classes teaching the style of Jordan Korean Karate/ Tae Kwan Do. This style of martial arts has been taught in the Ruston community for nearly 40 years and is a year-round program that teaches students of all ages the merits of loyalty, ability, and integrity through a curriculum teaching fundamental arm and leg techniques for practical self-defense. Buster Cotten’s Karate also provides opportunities for its students to participate in local, state, and national level competitive events.

This traditional Korean Karate program was founded by Dr. David Jordan, a 10th-degree black belt. All classes are instructed by Buster Cotten, a 7th-degree black belt and five-time National Instructor of the Year with the United States Karate Alliance. Free trial lessons are available for new students.

Three separate classes are offered on Mondays and Wednesdays between 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM for youth and adults. For more information, please contact Buster Cotten at (318) 259-5000.

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FORT WORTH, Texas – Kenneth Lofton, Jr. is trading in his Louisiana Tech red and blue for a different kind of red and blue this summer.

After going through a six-day training camp in Fort Worth, Texas along with 25 other athletes, the Bulldog freshman sensation was selected to the 12-member 2021 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Cup Team roster.

The team features six players who completed their first collegiate season and six players from the high school class of 2021.

The Port Arthur, Texas native made the first round of cuts on June 21 as one of 17 finalists. The official team was selected following 10 training sessions held on the campus of Texas Christian University.

Lofton, Jr. becomes the first LA Tech men’s basketball player to earn ever a spot on the U19 World Cup Team and just the seventh from a current Conference USA school.

USA men’s teams have won seven gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal while compiling a 99-14 overall record in U19 World Cup play since the even launched in 1979. The UTSA has won four of the last six U19 golds since 2009.

The current team is scheduled to wrap up training on the TCU campus today, then travel to Riga, Latvia for the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup that will be played July 3-11.

Featuring U19 teams from 16 nations, the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup includes in addition to the USA and host Latvia, Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Japan, Lithuania, Mali, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Serbia, South Korea, Spain and Turkey.

The USA was drawn into Group D, alongside Australia, Mali and Turkey for the July 3-6 FIBA U19 World Cup preliminary round. The USA will open play against Turkey on July 3 (9:30 a.m. CT), followed by Mali on July 4 (12:30 p.m. CT) and close preliminary play against Australia on July 6 (12:30 p.m. CT).

USA U19 World Cup Team

Patrick Baldwin, Jr. (Hamilton HS/Sussex, Wis.)
Kennedy Chandler (Sunrise Christian Academy, Kan./Memphis, Tenn.)
Jonathan Davis (Wisconsin/La Crosse, Wis.)
Caleb Furst (Blackhawk Christian School/Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Chet Holmgren (Minnehaha Academy/Minneapolis, Minn.)
Harrison Ingram (St. Mark’s School/Dallas, Texas)
Jaden Ivey (Purdue/South Bend, Ind.)
Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton/St. Louis, Mo.)
Kenneth Lofton, Jr. (Louisiana Tech/Port Arthur, Texas)
Mike Miles (TCU/Lancaster, Texas)
Adam Miler (LSU/Chicago, Ill.)
Peyton Watson (Long Beach Poly Tech HS/Long Beach, Calif.)

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Delayed but not denied, the 2020 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction class finally took center stage Saturday night inside the Natchitoches Events Center.

And despite the two years between induction ceremonies, little changed during the 61st induction ceremony.

The 11-person induction class lived up to its billing of a diverse class, but the themes that permeated their presentations and induction speeches were generally similar.

From family members or coaches or teammates or co-workers – and of course, their Louisiana roots — the feelings of gratitude remained as consistent as they were ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic, which twice delayed the group’s official induction into the state’s sports shrine.

Whether it was the self-professed “city boy” from New Orleans like Kerry Kittles or the sweet, smooth shooting small-town girl from Bienville Parish in Lady Techster basketball great Angela Turner Johnson, those Louisiana roots run deep.

“Growing up in Shady Grove, it was such a small community, but we had a sense of family,” Turner-Johnson said “If someone did something wrong, our parents knew before we got home because everybody cared about everybody. Mr. Edward Mason, our principal, instilled in us to be the best we can be. He wanted us to not let our humble beginnings get in the way of us dreaming big.”

She was among four Lincoln Parish inductees, joined by fellow Tech graduate (both have bachelors’ and master’s degrees) and world-renowned outdoorsman Phil Robertson, along with Grambling graduates Ronnie “The King’ Coleman, an eight-time Mr. Olympia bodybuilder who earned cum laude honors in accounting at GSU, and prep football coaching legend Mackie Freeze.

The members of the long-awaited Class of 2020 dreamed big and delivered even bigger for the Sportsman’s Paradise.

In high school and college, Robertson’s talents were on the gridiron, but football didn’t rivet him like hunting did.

Robertson discovered his passion for hunting at 11 years old and ultimately converted it into the world-renowned Duck Commander brand that launched the A&E reality series “Duck Dynasty.”

“I told my Ma, ‘I’m not going to school today. I’m going duck hunting,’” Robertson recalled. “She said, ‘Go get us some.’ I walk to Little Lake, and I’m poaching. I see three green-winged teal and a pintailed hen flying together. They come right at me, and I empty my gun. Boom. Boom. Boom. I got two of them. I stripped naked, jumped in the water got my ducks, put my clothes back on and jogged home.

“I ran in the door and told my Pa, who was sitting by the header, ‘Paw, I’ve struck’ He said you got a teal and a pintail, tell your mom to cook them and we’ll eat. I’ve been chasing them ever since.”

Robertson, 75, was far from the oldest inductee spotlighted Saturday night.

After starting the Richwood High School football program with a $350 budget, Mackie Freeze captured four straight state championships from 1961-64, continuing the success he began as an undefeated pitcher for Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones’ Grambling baseball teams during his college career. He played in the first football game he ever saw, thanks to Grambling icon Eddie Robinson recognizing his ability.

At 94 years old, Freeze became the oldest living inductee in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, doing so with his trademark positivity.

“To be invited to this beautiful presentation makes my day, and I wouldn’t want to be in any other place on the globe than right here, right now,” Freeze said.

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