By T. Scott Boatright

CADEVILLE — Third time’s the charm. Third time lucky. The reasoning behind the sayings didn’t matter to Ruston High School girl’s basketball coach Meredith Graf. She and her Lady Bearcats just needed a third straight win over West Ouachita this season.

And the Lady Bearcats made that happen Monday night as fifth-seeded Ruston pulled away from the 19th-seeded Lady Chiefs in the second half as RHS defeated West Ouachita 74-40 at the WOHS Gym to advance to the quarterfinals of the Class 5A girl’s playoffs.

 “I’m proud of how we came out and executed our game plan and really competed,” Graf said. “It’s hard to beat any team, let alone a playoff team, three times in a row. We know each other well. We respect each other. We know what each other is capable of. It’s just hard doing it three times. That’s a feat in itself, to be honest. I just love from the beginning until the very end, we were competing.

“We made some mistakes and did some things wrong, but there was 100% effort from every single player from the time they stepped on the floor until the final horn sounded. Every single one of them.”

Ruston scored the first six points of the contest as Jaliyah McWain and Alexis Foster both swished through 3-point shots in the opening two minutes of the contest,

By the time the opening stanza ended, Emerald Parker had scored three baskets in the paint (one from underneath and a pair of short jumpers in the lane) that helped push the Lady Bearcats out to a 22-11 advantage heading into the second quarter.

But as Graf said, it’s hard to beat the same team three straight times, and West Ouachita wasn’t ready to go down without a fight. 

Ruston had moved out in front by 13 points at 26-13 when West Ouachita heated up behind the 3-point shooting of Jill Peacock, who nailed a pair of treys along with a 2-point jumper that cut the Ruston lead to 30-25 with 1:03 left before halftime.

But in the final minute of the second quarter the Lady Bearcats took advantage of a steal and layup from Alexis Foster sandwiched in between four made free throws by Zaccheya Jackson, the last two coming with only herself on the court with no time left on the clock, to push the RHS lead back to nine at 36-25 as the team went into the locker room.

The Lady Bearcats roared out of the gates to open the second half, going on a 15-0 run to build a 51-25 advantage at the 3:43 mark of the third quarter.

By the end of that stanza, Ruston’s lead stood at 57-27 heading into the final eight minutes.

“We told them before the game it was going to be a dogfight. We knew that,” Graf said. “We knew both teams were going to have their moments of runs. That’s part of basketball, especially in any high stakes game. You just can’t get caught up in the highs and the lows.

“But the biggest thing I stressed at halftime was second chances. We had to win the second-chance battle on the offensive end. And that was huge for us. When you have that kind of mentality it feeds and funnels off of everything else. Of course, we stressed defense – that’s normal. But those second chance points were really what it was combined with our defense and then getting some easy baskets in transition.”

Graf said her Lady Bearcats are ready to hit the road and face fourth-seeded Ponchatoula, which defeated West Jefferson 66-41 Monday night to advance to Thursday’s quarterfinals round.

“You want to get a rhythm, where you’re excited and feeling good about yourself, and right now we are, ” Graf said. “Ponchatoula is a fantastic team and well-coached. We’ve been well-tested on the road this season, and I feel we’ve got a lot of experience that can help us go into that environment and really compete and make some noise.”

Graf added that she’s not all surprised to see her team in the position it’s in.

“I knew what this group was capable of,” Graf said. “They work hard, they have great team chemistry and we all have the same goals. We’ve had the same goal from day one, so I’m not surprised at all where we are right now. That’s not to sound arrogant, but we expected to be here. When you’re fortunate enough to have a group of girls like this group I have right now, that work hard, love each other and are bought in, good things happen when you have those things together.”

By T. Scott Boatright

Lincoln Preparatory School, Simsboro and Choudrant each turned in strong boys basketball seasons, and all three have earned first-round playoff byes as announced when Louisiana High School Athletics Association brackets were released Monday afternoon.

Simsboro, the defending Class B state champion, is the top seed in that classification and has a first-round bye. The Tigers’ first foray into the 2022 postseason will come on March 1 when the Tigers play host to the winner of Friday’s first-round contest between 16th-seed Midland and 17th-seed Pitkin. 

Earning the No. 1 seed wasn’t a surprise for Simsboro coach Josh Brown.

“That’s what we work for,” Brown said. “That’s why we schedule tough games like we do – to earn the No. 1 seed, and I’m proud of our guys for doing that. But it doesn’t mean anything unless we go win these next four games.”

Brown said he and his staff have already been looking at both Midland and Pitkin.

“We started getting film last week because we could kind of see the possibilities for these second and third round games, so we started collecting film and watching,” Brown said. “ But now that we know it’s one of those two for sure we’ll start digging in a little deeper and put together some scouts so we’ll be ready for whoever wins the game between those two Friday night.

“They’re very similar. Both are well-coached and play very hard. But we’re going to have a major size advantage with our guards no matter which one we face.”

He also said his Tigers are ready to once again have a big target on their backs.

“We’ve dealt with that all year and really the past couple of years,” Brown said. “We tend to get everybody’s best game because of the success that we’ve had. Our guys are used to handling that. I have all the confidence in the world in our players, but the bottom line is that we have to go out and play good basketball and win four more games. Just because we’re the No. 1 seed and have Simsboro written across our jersey, that doesn’t mean anything if we don’t prepare well and play well.”

Simsboro closed out the regular season with a 66-41 win over Summerfield, with Chilaydrien Newton leading the way with 15 points, Jordan Craword  adding 14 and  Nick Maryland and Lee Abney chipping in with 10 points each.

Choudrant is the No. 7 seed in Class B and will play host to the winner of a first-round contest between No. 10 seed Florien and No. 23 seed Glenmora on March 1.

Last year the Aggies were the 14th seed, falling in a second-round contest. Choudrant coach Ryan Smith said earning the first-round bye should help his team’s confidence factor this playoff season. He added that having three senior veterans doesn’t hurt that confidence either.

“This group of seniors have been together three years now with two of those with all starting,” Smith said. “The way they’ve stepped up to the table and given us our first bye is something everyone around here is excited about.”

In Class 1A, Lincoln Prep is the No. 4 seed and has a first-round bye.

The Panthers will begin their postseason play on March 1 as they face the winner of a first-round contest between 13th-seeded Homer and 20th-seeded Sicily Island.

Lincoln Prep defeated Franklin Parish 49-37 in the Panthers’ final game of the regular season with Braylan Mayfield leading the way with 18 points and 18 rebounds while D’Mitry Payne added 17 points.

Emmanuel Butler added 14 rebounds, five steals, three assists and a blocked shot in that regular-season finale for Lincoln Prep. 

It’s been a challenging year for the Cedar Creek boys basketball team.

Between games missed by injuries and illness, head coach Robert Mitcham has had very few games where he could suit up a full squad.

However, the No. 15 seeded Cougars (12-16) fought through the adversity to earn a spot in the Division IV playoffs and will open the postseason against the No. 2 seed Calvary Baptist (21-7). The contest will be Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. at Calvary Baptist.

Creek’s task will loom large.

The Cavaliers enter the postseason on a 13-game winning streak, having not dropped a game since Jan. 8 against 3A Bossier.

Calvary Baptist’s schedule is full of 3A, 4A and 5A opponents. In fact, the Cavaliers haven’t lost a game against a 1A or 2A opponent this year. CB has wins over 2A Lakeside, 3A Green Oaks, 2A Rayville, 4A Evangel Christian, 4A Northwood, and 5A Parkway.

The Cougars started the season with wins in their first five games and seven of the first nine, but struggled over the past two months, winning just five of their last 19 contests. Creek did end the regular season on a high note, defeating Downsville 75-39.

Cedar Creek has been led this year by names like Carter Hill, Hayden McClusky, Connor Norris and Bryce Rushing. However, Rushing suffered an injury late in the year and won’t be available for the contest.

The winner of the game will face the winner of No. 7 Ascension Catholic and No. 10 River Oaks.

Photo: Darrell James (dgjames.photoshelter.com)

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By Doug Strickel

It was the fall of 1980, and I was a sophomore in high school.  We were in the middle of two-a- day football practices before school started, and it was a typical hot August afternoon in Northwest Louisiana.  At that time, sophomores were the new to high school and were also the new guys on the football team.  Having that distinction, we were also the scout team for the varsity starters to practice against each day on the field.  Back in those days, we did things like practice in full pads and tackle to the ground on a regular basis.  The restrictions weren’t as rigid as they are today.

During the second practice of one of those days, things weren’t going very well on the scout team, and we were not putting forth our best effort against the varsity defense.  One of the coaches called me over, grabbed my face mask, (you can’t do that anymore!) and made a statement that I will never forget.  He said, “Son, do you consider yourself a leader on this team?” I am sure I answered “Yes.” I was not the best player by any means, but the position I played led to that role in many cases.  His response was what I remember the most. “Son, if they ain’t following, you ain’t leading!”  

Now, Coach’s grammar wasn’t solid that day, but the message was so true.  Many years later, I would read an excerpt from Peter Drucker’s book “The Practice of Management,” where Drucker made a similar claim, that followers actually made one a leader.  I am not sure Coach ever read Drucker’s book, but he sure understood the concept.  

There is such a misunderstanding of leadership today.  Many people associate a position with leadership. Managers, supervisors, owners, presidents, etc. have positions, but that does not make them leaders.  Leadership is about influence.   In other words, if there is no one following you, you aren’t leading anyone.

So, what’s the key to stepping out of a position and being a leader?  First of all, one has to recognize that leadership is not about power, personal gain, pushing a personal agenda, or even intellectual horsepower.  Leadership is about taking people somewhere they wouldn’t go on their own.  While solid strategies or plans are important, people follow leaders, not plans.  They follow leaders with a clear vision of a better future.  They follow leaders who are genuinely invested in the people.   When Martin Luther King Jr. stood on those steps in Washington, D.C., with all those people listening to him, he didn’t say, “I have a strategic plan that I want to share with you today.”  He said, “I have a dream!”  He communicated a clear vision of a better tomorrow, and people were inspired.

We need leadership in every facet of our society today.  We don’t need more management positions filled or more governmental officials elected, but rather people in those positions to step up, make the decision to lead, and put the well-being of people first. The long-term success of any organization rests on the quality of its leadership.  Winning organizations or teams have leaders who not only understand the key drivers to success, but leaders who care about people, see people as a valued asset, and who truly seek to serve those they lead.  

Leadership is a selfless task that is always focused on the followers.  The message won’t always be what the people want to hear nor what they always want done, but the message will always be honest, timely, and have the long term best interest of the people in mind.  That’s what leadership is all about.  That’s what makes one a leader worthy of following.

By T. Scott Boatright

FLORIEN — Choudrant stayed within striking distance in the first half before Florien pulled away in the third quarter as the Lady Aggies were downed 79-42 Monday night in second-round action of the Class B girls basketball playoffs at the FHS Gym.

The Lady Blackcats sank five three points — three from Londyn Sparks — to pull out to a 24-14 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Choudrant battled back in the second stanza, outscoring Florien 18-15 in that period to shrink the halftime deficit to seven points at 39-32.

But Florien doubled the Lady Aggies third-quarter scoring output, 19-8, and then held Choudrant to only two points in the final eight minutes to advance to the quarterfinals and end Choudrant’s season at 18-14.

It was the usual top three scorers leading the way for Choudrant, with senior Kylee Portilloz totaling 14 points while Mattie Johnson added 11 and Aly Thomas hit for eight.

Gracie Rutherford led Florien with 20 points while Sparks added 16, LaToya Holmes chipped in with 12 and Keundra Richardson scored 11 points, all in the fourth quarter, for the Lady Blackcats.

Third-seeded Florien, now 34-2, moves on to play host to sixth-seeded Holden on Thursday.

Holden defeated 11th-seeded Laccasine 68-48 Monday night to move to 24-9 on the year.

Jin Ouyang 
October 1, 1930 – January 21, 2022 
Arrangements pending 

Milton Odom  
July 5, 1934 – February 18, 2022  
Visitation: First Baptist Church, 2249 Hazel Street, Arcadia, Tuesday, February 22, 2022, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm  
Service: First Baptist Church, 2249 Hazel Street, Arcadia, Tuesday, February 22, 2022, 2:00 pm  
Cemetery: Simsboro City Cemetery, Tuesday, February 22, 2022  

Felton Wayne “Pat” Barlow  
June 11, 1934 – February 14, 2022  
Visitation: Temple Baptist Church Sanctuary, Saturday, February 26, 2022, 10:00 am – 11:00 am  
Service: Temple Baptist Church Sanctuary, Saturday, February 26, 2022, 11:00 am  

James Leroy West  
May 26, 1959 – Feb. 14, 2022  
Family gathering: 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 25 at King’s Funeral Home, 1511 W. California Ave., Ruston  
Visitation: 3-5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 25 at King’s Funeral Home, 1511 W. California Ave., Ruston  
Funeral service: 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26 at St. Rest Baptist Church, 813 St. Rest Road, Quitman  
Interment: Saturday, Feb. 26 at Mt. Zion/St. Rest Cemetery, Quitman  

Mike Marshall  
July 24, 1952 – February 17, 2022  
Visitation: 5-7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 22 at Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 2300 W. California Ave., Ruston  
Funeral service: 10 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 2300 W. California Ave., Ruston  
Cemetery committal: Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Dean Cemetery, Hwy 827, Dean Halle Rd., Dean Church Rd., Marion 

On Feb. 17, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Water Tank Road in reference to a harassment complaint.  

When the deputy arrived at the residence, Ratasha A. Smith, 45, was screaming on her front porch, and at least one resident six homes down could hear the screams.  

Deputies found Smith in an agitated state and screaming so that deputies could not understand her. Smith was advised six times to lower her voice, and she did not. At this point, deputies tried to put Smith in mechanical restraints. She tensed her body and pulled away from deputies while being given multiple loud, audible commands to stop pulling away and stop resisting. Once Smith was restrained, she was escorted to the patrol vehicle. 

When Smith arrived at the patrol vehicle, she became combative again as deputies were checking her for weapons and retrieving her property. As the deputy was retrieving items from Smith’s front left jacket pocket, Smith made a furtive movement toward her right side and audibly stated something along the lines of, “I’m going to get my blade.” A deputy then found and wrestled a green box cutter away from Smith. 

Smith then began to complain about high blood pressure. She was checked by Ruston Ambulance Service, and she stated she would like to go to the hospital. A deputy transported her to the Northern Louisiana Medical Center, where she was seen and cleared by medical staff. After that, she was transported to the detention center and charged with disturbing the peace and two counts of resisting arrest by force or violence. Bond was set at $2,500. 

Additionally, while deputies were arresting Ratasha Smith for disturbing the peace, Laterrance Smith, 30, showed up on the scene and began to question why Ratasha Smith was being arrested. When deputies explained the reason for the arrest, Laterrance Smith began acting very aggressively. He was told by deputies several times to calm down and lower his voice. He continued to scream and use profanities. He was then told to move away from the scene but continued to interfere with the deputies’ investigation. Once deputies attempted to handcuff Laterrance Smith, he started resisting and pulling away. 

Three deputies were needed to secure Laterrance in mechanical restraints. Once he was secured, he was transported to Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked on disturbing the peace, three counts of resisting and officer and interfering with a law enforcement investigation. Bond was set at $2,000. 

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The Lincoln Parish Journal will have a random drawing to give away two tickets to the Louisiana Tech vs. LSU baseball game on Wednesday.

First pitch from JC Love Field at Pat Patterson Park is at 6 p.m.

In order to become eligible for the drawing individuals must subscribe to the LPJ morning email, a free and easy way to have the LPJ come straight to your inbox each and every morning at 6:55 a.m.

Current LPJ email subscribers who share this on Facebook or Twitter are also entered into the drawing for the tickets.

The drawing will take place Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. and one lucky winner will win two tickets to the game.

To subscribe to the LPJ morning email, simply click on the link below and enter your information. This information is not given away or sold to third parties.

Tech hosts LSU for the first time since 1997.

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During the evening of Feb. 15, Grambling State Police Officers were dispatched to McCall Hall cafeteria on GSU’s campus to assist another officer regarding a disturbance involving numerous female students. 

An officer told the females to leave several times, and one of the females, Ta’khia Holloway, 18, of Tallulah, refused to do so and started to walk toward the officer. Holloway said she didn’t do anything, and the officer advised Holloway to stop walking towards her. Holloway still did not comply. The officer repeated the request, and then Holloway pushed the officer. 

The officers believed Holloway was under the influence because of her slurred speech and aggressive behavior. Holloway was charged with battery of a police officer, resisting an officer and remaining after being forbidden.  

She was transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. Bond was set at $4,500. 

By T. Scott Boatright

BATON ROUGE — The Ruston Lady Bearcats’ had a mission heading into the 2022 Indoor track and field season – taking state.

On Saturday at the LHSAA Div. 1 championships at LSU’s Carl Maddox Field House, the RHS girls made it mission accomplished.

And they left no doubt in the process.

It was the first indoor state title for the Lady Bearcats, who won the 2021 outdoor state championship.

The Lady Bearcats dominated in the 2022 indoor state championship run with 79 points, well ahead of runner-up St. Joseph’s Academy 57-point finish.

It was Ruston’s relay teams that set the Lady Bearcats apart from their competition.

The RHS team of Anna Naff, Sara Naff, Sydney Owens and Zoie Holstead finished first in the 3,200m run with a time of 9:58.02. Jada Williams, Bryana Craig, Shinaya Branch and Kiona McAllister teamed up for a another top showing in the 1,600m at 3:56.71, setting a new meet record and the fourth-best time in the U.S. in the process.  

“Coming in, we knew that if we just took care of business our girls would pull it off,” Whitaker said. “We had room for mistakes – not many – but we felt good going in. We felt we could win it. I told them what it would take would be a total team effort. And they bought in. 

Cedar Creek entered the Division IV playoffs as the No. 2 seed and through the first two playoff games, the Lady Cougars have looked the part.

After dismantling Hamilton Christian in their first round win, Cedar Creek (27-2) used a huge second half to run past Central Catholic 81-34 Saturday evening at the Brickhouse.

In what head coach Gene Vandenlangenberg called a total team effort, senior Sarah Adams scored 40 points in the win. It’s thought to be the most points scored in a single game since the school joined the LHSAA ranks in the last 1980s.

The game started out tight with the two teams tied 14-14 at the end of the first quarter. Then the Lady Cougars put it into another gear.

Adams scored 17 of her 40 points in the second quarter as Cedar Creek built a 35-24 halftime advantage.

“The first quarter was tied. It was a back and forth game,” said Vandenlangenberg. “They were a very athletic team. They had two good guards that were drivers, slashers. They made some shots. It looked like we had a ball game on our hands. Then in the second quarter we got some transition baskets. And Sarah got hot.”

Any chance of a comeback was doused in the third quarter. Cedar Creek outscored its Central Catholic 20-7 in the third quarter to push the lead to 55-27, and then boat-raced them in the fourth by a tune of 26-7.  

“Playing at home we had a really good crowd and that gave us energy,” said Vandenlangenberg. “They inspired us. The girls played really hard, and we ran the floor. I thought in the first quarter we were a little flat. We stood around. Then we got going and once we got going, there wasn’t any stopping them.

“We had more energy in the second and third quarters. Once we picked up our energy and played a little better defense and rebounded better, we played really, really well.”

Cedar Creek will now travel to New Orleans to face No. 6 seed St. Martins Episcopal Tuesday at 4 p.m. St. Martin’s Episcopal defeated No. 11 seed Hanson Memorial 39-22 and No. 3 seed St. John’s 41-36 to advance to New Orleans.

“They are very athletic,” said Vandenlangenberg. “We saw film on them. They play hard. We have to bottle it up and bring our show to New Orleans. We have been playing really well at home. Maybe we can just consider New Orleans our new home. The girls are excited.”

The contest will be at the Alario Center.

“It’s our third consecutive year to go to the semifinals,” said Adams. “We’ve put so much effort and energy into this year and we’ve loved every minute of it. I’m just so excited for one last trip with my team. I’m ready to have fun and enjoy playing basketball in New Orleans.”

The other semifinal pits No. 1 seed Ouachita Christian against No. 5 seed Southern Lab Tuesday at 2:15 p.m.

Vandenlangenberg said the Lady Cougars will depart late this morning and will have an opportunity to practice at the Alario Center at 7 p.m. tonight in preparation for Tuesday’s game.

 “We are playing together,” he said. “You see team work. We have put back-to-back great team effort together. We are playing with a lot of confidence, and we are trusting each other. We are going to be where we need to be. We are going to be where we need to be. And we are playing our roles very well.”

Tickets for Tuesday’s contest can be purchased online at https://championships.slocaltix.com. 

Last Wednesday, a Ruston Police officer clocked a red Mercury sedan traveling 45 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour school zone and ended up arresting the driver. 

Once checking the vehicle’s speed, the officer initiated a traffic stop, and the driver began maneuvering the vehicle between both north and south bound lanes of travel.  

When the vehicle was passing Saratoga Street, the driver threw something out of the window. At that point, the officer requested backup. 

The driver, who was later identified as Arthur Doakes III, 41, of Ruston, began hanging out of the driver window and pointing, and the officer noticed he did not have a seatbelt on. 

Doakes finally stopped in the parking lot of Charleston Square Apartments. He exited the vehicle, and the officer had Doakes place his hands on the trunk of the vehicle. The officer located a green pill bottle on Doakes, and the bottle contained 46 Ecstasy pills.  

Doakes was arrested and charged with possession of Ecstasy, speeding, improper lane usage, no driver’s license and no seatbelt. 

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, Feb. 21
5:30 p.m.: Ruston Planning and Zoning Meeting (Ruston City Hall)
7 p.m.: Percussion Ensemble (Howard Auditorium, Tech)

Tuesday, Feb. 22
10 a.m. to noon: Small Appliance Workshop (Lincoln Parish Library)
2 p.m.: Grambling Softball vs. ULM
5-7:30 p.m.: Lincoln Parish School District Open House (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
5:15 p.m.: Domestic Violence Survivors Support Group (Contact Erika McFarland at 318-513-9373) for information.
6 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Softball vs. Stephen F. Austin
6 p.m.: We the People meeting (Lincoln Parish Library)
7 p.m.: Beekeeper meeting (Lincoln Parish Public Safety Complex, 161 Road Camp Road, Ruston)
7 p.m.: Winter Choral Concert: Of Lighter Fare (Howard Auditorium, Tech)

Wednesday, Feb. 23
6 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Baseball vs. LSU
7 p.m.: GSU Performing Arts presents: Bottled Juice (Floyd L. Sandals Theatre, 403 Main Street)
7 p.m.: Concert and Symphonic Wind Ensemble Program (Tech, Howard Auditorium)

Thursday, Feb. 24
6:30 p.m.: Lady Techster Basketball vs. Rice (Thomas Assembly Center)
7 p.m.: NCLAC Independent Film Series (GSU)

Friday, Feb. 25
11 a.m.: Louisiana Tech Women’s Tennis vs. Middle Tennessee
6 p.m. Louisiana Tech Baseball vs. Tulane

Saturday, Feb. 26
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
10 a.m.: Louisiana Tech winter commencement ceremony
2 p.m. Louisiana Tech Baseball vs. Tulane
3 p.m.: Grambling Women’s Basketball vs. Florida A&M
5:30 p.m.: Grambling Men’s Basketball vs. Florida A&M
6 p.m.: Lady Techster Basketball vs. North Texas (Thomas Assembly Center)

Sunday, Feb. 27
11 a.m.: Louisiana Tech Women’s Tennis vs. Arkansas State
1 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Baseball vs. Tulane

By Hunter Jones 

Most people would argue that the point of viewing a movie is for enjoyment, and while that is true, Madeline Marak believes it can also be used as a tool to spread specific messages. The North Central Louisiana Arts Council in Ruston have created a series of independent movies for the Lincoln Parish area. 

Marak is the executive director of NCLAC, and with the help of the committee board of NCLAC, she has chosen specific movies for people to relate to and captivate feelings that a typical viewer probably never thought of. 

Marak said, “It’s to make you see a national problem and see how it can be seen in Ruston.”

The movies that are being shown are Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools, Feels Good Man and A New Color: The Art of Being Edythe Boone which are being shown virtually and in person at Louisiana Tech University and Grambling State University. 

Marak’s said the goal is to use art to spread awareness on the issues seen in Ruston with ethnicity as well as the importance of intellectual property as seen with Feels Good Man in a fun art form. 

NCLAC has shown movies in person up until 2021 where everything went virtual. With the movies now in person and virtual, Marak said she hopes that this series reaches a lot of people and to help them see the issues surrounding Ruston. Marak’s goal is for viewers to benefit from these films. 

“I think the main reason for starting the series is to bring an outside layer of culture and humanity to the city,” Marak said. 

Carter Carroll is a local filmmaker in Ruston as well as the athletics director of broadcasting for Tech athletics.

“I think that events like this help to solidify for me that local documentary filmmakers can have their works shown to wider audiences,” Carroll said. “It’s encouraging to me.”

Carroll said that he loves watching these films as they help gain a new perspective on topics and encourages others to do the same.

“Not only are the films great,” Carroll said, “but it also helps our local art community when people come out to any kind of art event.”

NCLAC first movie, Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools, will be shown Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in person for GSU students and invited guests only in the School of Nursing and virtually for all others interested. 

More information and how to sign up for the virtual showings can be found on their website at NCLAC.org/Film-Screening.

It’s only one weekend, but through three games it looks like these Diamond Dogs are for real.

Louisiana Tech, coming off a historic 2021 season, opened the 2022 campaign with a three-game sweep of a perennially strong Wichita State squad in front of sold out crowds at JC Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

Tech (3-0) recorded back-to-back come-from-behind victories on Friday and Saturday by scores of 7-3 and 9-6 before holding onto an early inning lead in a 5-3 win on Sunday.

“I thought we played extremely hard and that’s who we are,” said Tech skipper Lane Burroughs. “I thought we competed our tails off. Very, very pleased with our pitching. Friday night we had fourteen strikeouts over zero walks. We talk about dominating average plays, and we did that. Just one error and it was a throwing error that just got away from him.”

The Bulldogs got some pretty stellar pitching from its starters – Jonathan Fincher, Ryan Jennings and Jarrett Whorff. That’s to be expected.

But maybe the most exciting part of the weekend was the job the Bulldogs bullpen did.

Cade Gibson: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 runs, 7 Ks on Friday

Kyle Crigger: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 runs, 7 Ks on Saturday and Sunday

Greg Martinez: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 runs, 4 Ks on Sunday

It was the one big achilles heel for Burroughs and Co. last year. So far, it seems to be in much better order.

And the never-say-die mentality of the 2021 team seems to have carried over to this year. Just look at Saturday.

The Bulldogs trailed 6-1 through six innings before erupting for eight runs over the final three innings.

Bottom line is the Bulldogs appear to have picked up where they left off last year.

“It wasn’t a hitter’s day today so we put some runners in motion all weekend and starting to figure out who we are,” said Burroughs after Sundays win. “You cannot start it off any better. Very proud of them and the way they competed.”

Wednesday night will be a great early season test when 8^th ranked LSU comes to Ruston for the first time since 1997.

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It was a tale of two days for the Lady Techsters softball team.

After losing two games in about as emotionally draining a way as a team could on Saturday, Josh Taylor and Co. showed great heart on Sunday.

Tech (6-4), which lost 8-7 to Tulsa – giving up eight runs in the final inning – and 4-2 to Sam Houston State in extra innings less than 24 hours earlier, came out and avenged both setbacks Sunday, defeating Tulsa 3-2 and Sam Houston State 5-0 at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.

“I challenged them,” said Taylor. “Even in the first inning of game one today, I went out and challenged the entire infield. I wanted to see how we would respond to that type of adversity, much of it we created ourselves.

“We are a long way from where we want to be, but I am proud with what I saw today. We have the talent to compete in every game and give ourselves a chance to win. We just have to learn how to win. We took a step forward today.”

Tech trailed 2-0 after the first inning on Sunday against Tulsa before rallying. Lindsay Edwards recorded a two-out RBI single in the sixth to tie the game at 2-2 and then freshman – and birthday girl – Aleya Hill connected on her first college home run, a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh to give the Techsters a 3-2 win.

Emma Hutchinson (3-2) got the win, allowing just two runs on five hits in 7.0 innings.

Game two saw Madie Green hit a two-run shot and Katelin Cooper register three RBI while Audrey Pickett (3-2) got the win in the circle.

By Sophie Edwards

The College of Business recently hosted its fourth annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace event with over 900 students, faculty, alumni, employer partners, and community members participating. 

“We are committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in business, in society, and at Louisiana Tech,” said Dr. Chris Martin, Dean of the College of Business. “We strive to create a rich learning environment that appreciates a multitude of perspectives, leading to enhanced decision making and performance. It is critical that our students understand how to study, work, and lead in this type of environment because it reflects the global, diverse, and inclusive workplace that most will enter upon graduation.” 

The event, now in its second year of online delivery, was previously hosted in conjunction with Grambling State University and featured an in-person panel of executives from JP Morgan followed by a hands-on activity and networking. 

“When COVID-19 hit, though, we had to find a way to recreate the event so that our students still had exposure to these important topics,” said Jessica George, Executive Director of Student Services and Placement in the College of Business. “We looked at this as an opportunity to reach a wider audience and include top speakers from across the U.S. It also gave us the chance to host networking sessions with talent acquisition teams from many of the speakers’ corporations.” 

The conference featured six virtual seminars, with DEI thought-leaders from organizations including IBM, Lowe’s, GDIT, Microsoft, Deloitte, General Motors, JP Morgan Chase, and Ford Next. The conference also offered eight networking events where business students from Louisiana Tech and Grambling were able to meet with recruiters from these top global companies. 

Jessica Litolff, a Master of Business Administration student at Louisiana Tech, was one of 400 students who participated in this year’s conference and several of the virtual networking sessions. 

“My biggest takeaway from the event was that diversity, equity, and inclusion is a journey, not something that can be overcome overnight,” Litolff said. “There will always be problems because of learned behavior and cultural norms, so diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives should not focus solely on mindsets but behaviors. We should ensure employees feel seen and heard in the workplace and community. Every employee should feel empowered to show up as their true, authentic self.” 

Karen Perham-Lippman is the Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Program manager at Lumen Technologies. Perham-Lippman led “Authenticity, Allyship and Advancement”, a session on how everyone can be a leader in ensuring the psychological safety of their work environment. 

“We all have the ability to take action as champions of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Perham-Lippman said. “This includes creating awareness, challenging our definitions, educating ourselves, and promoting cultures of acceptance, empathy, and inclusion. College students doing this work deepen critical thinking skills, and further develop effective communication skills through broadening their perspectives.” 

After the virtual sessions, Crystal King from Dow led a post-conference case study for College of Business students. 

King is a Louisiana Tech graduate where she earned her degree in Chemical Engineering. Now, she is the Senior Lead Site Director for Dow’s second largest site. 

“I do everything I can to make sure the work environment I create is physically and psychologically safe,” King said, “but until we become more comfortable speaking up about these issues, we will always have our tail in between our legs.” 

In the activity, students confronted their own unconscious biases when they connected biographies to pictures of Dow employees. Afterwards, students brainstormed solutions to real-life examples of DEI issues encountered in the workplace. 

“At this conference, students saw DEI beyond just a definition – beyond principles and philosophies,” said George. “We are talking about these issues in the classroom, but here, students were able to see what it actually looks like exercising these principles in an organization.” 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of six values the College of Business intentionally incorporates into its curriculum and co-curricular activities. 

“While DEI is certainly the right thing to do, there is also ample evidence that fostering diversity and inclusion in organizations is a powerful enabler of business performance. When DEI efforts become a part of the organizational culture, it also helps to attract, develop and retain exceptional people,” Martin said. 

After the conference, the College of Business encouraged students to think about these issues and apply these values to their studies and job searches. 

“One thing that we really want our students to understand is that this is an important topic they will be faced with in the workplace. They need to be aware of the business case for D&I,” said George. “Recognizing that we have further to go in the DEI space, we want students to go in with an awareness, a passion, and a hunger for assisting in that change.” 

To view the recorded sessions from the 2022 conference, visit tinyurl.com/LATechDEI22. 

Nearly 200 Louisiana Tech University graduates and their children gathered on campus Saturday to learn more about the Tech Family and their options for college during the University’s annual Legacy Day.

Despite the cold morning, about half of the guests also accompanied Dr. Les Guice on his Tech Family Walk for a special tour led by faculty, staff, and the President himself.

“This morning, I was able to visit with former students – now alumni – I had not seen in years,” Guice said. “Having our graduates and their children accompany us on our Tech Family Walk allowed us to show our University’s focus on health and wellness for our campus community and to give these Legacy Bulldogs a chance to see where they will take classes and live.”

Legacy Day offers Tech graduates and their children a special time to visit with academic advisors, tour residence halls, and explore the Tech campus. Parents also have the opportunity to learn about financial aid, scholarships, residential life, and alumni news.

“We welcomed future Bulldogs and their parents from all over Louisiana and Texas,” said Treé George, Director of Admissions. “Our campus continues to grow and provide greater opportunities for our students to enjoy an unparalleled learning experience, and our guests definitely enjoyed being a part of the Tech Family today!”

Louisiana Tech will welcome students to campus for Time Out for Tech on May 7. Registration is available at experience.latech.edu/portal/toft.

It’s time to dream again – to dream of winning a prize in the area St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway, that is. And also to dream of helping the St. Jude kids, thus fulfilling the vision of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital founder Danny Thomas, whose vision was: “No child should die in the dawn of life.”   

Tickets for the 20th annual Monroe St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway will go on sale Feb. 22 and, as with the local St. Jude Radiothon, both radio station Z107.5 and the Zeta Rho chapter of the service group Epsilon Sigma Alpha are among key players with the project. 

Z107.5 is the official radio sponsor for the Dream Home, and Zeta Rho-ESA serves as the main volunteer group. 

BRACO Construction of Rayville is building the four-bedroom, three-bath, 2,600-square-foot home in Frenchman’s Bend subdivision. Tickets for a chance to win the $400,000 house will be sold for $100. The Bonus Prize to be given away May 6 is a 2022 Chevy Trailblazer donated by Legacy of Farmerville.  

ESA’s Dream Home chair, Beth Fife, said that in previous Monroe campaigns 7,500 tickets were available, but this year the number is being increased to 8,000. She encouraged people interested in purchasing tickets to buy early because “for as long as I can remember, tickets have sold out.” 

“That’s a testament to the dedication that people in North Louisiana feel for St. Jude,” Fife said. 

Earlier purchases also mean that buyers are eligible for more prizes.  

“But we know that for many people it’s not about prizes,” Fife said. “It would be nice to win – no doubt – but in the end, it’s really about helping the children of St. Jude.” 

More than 800 active patients from Louisiana are currently being treated by St. Jude, and no family ever receives a bill from the hospital. “This is why such projects as the Dream Home are essential to the hospital’s mission,” Fife said. 

Among Zeta Rho-ESA’s duties for the Dream Home will be picking up mail from the Monroe post office, sorting and processing tickets in the project’s Monroe office and coordinating the Open House. 

Key dates for the 2022 Monroe Dream Home: 

– Ticket sales launch – Feb. 22 – KTVE/KARD’s Jarod Floyd will host a 22-hour live stream on both television and Facebook covering all Dream Home details and with exclusive interviews. 

– Tickets on Sale Prize – March 4 – $2,500 Visa gift card (courtesy of Assurance Financial). 

– Early Bird Prize – March 25 – Exmark 42-inch zero-turn mower; Echo string trimmer, 

edger, handheld blower and hedge trimmer; and four years free engine service on zero-turn mower (courtesy of 3B Outdoor Equipment). 

– Open House – May TBA – Attendees can register for a chance to win custom design services and furniture valued at $10,000 (courtesy of Sleepy Hollow Furniture). 

– Bonus Prize – May 6 – 2022 Chevy Trailblazer (courtesy of Legacy of Farmerville). 

– Giveaway – May 26 – on KTVE/KARD. 

Visit dreamhome.org to buy tickets or register for updates. 

CLICK to COMPARE: https://www.humanateam.com

If you are enrolled in a Medicare/Medicaid plan rated less than 5 stars, you may switch to a Humana 5-star plan even after the Annual Election Period ends. The 5-star Special Enrollment period runs from December 8, 2021 through November 30, 2022.

A Humana Advantage Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan has everything Original Medicare has – and benefits you might not get with Medicare Part A and Part B alone. Your Humana Dual Eligible Special Needs plan works with your Medicaid benefits, so you can get the benefits you need – and even more – like:

• Healthy Foods Card – $75 each month for approved groceries
• $200 over-the-counter allowance every three months*
• Hearing benefit includes annual exam and $0 copay for advanced TruHearing hearing aids
• Unlimited rides to your doctors**
• $3,000 dental coverage annually for select services, plus exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings and more

*, Available only through participating retailers and Humana’s mail-order pharmacy, Humana Pharmacy, always consult with your doctor or medical provider before taking over-the-counter medications.

**, This benefit is not to exceed 100 miles per trip.

CLICK to COMPARE: https://www.humanateam.com