A Louisiana Tech student was arrested after police say they found marijuana and related paraphernalia in an on-campus residence hall.

At about 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Louisiana Tech police officers responded to the Kidd A residence hall regarding a fire alarm. During the investigation, an officer found a clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana and scales used to measure marijuana for distribution. 

The resident student Allen J. Walker, 18, of New Iberia. La., admitted the marijuana and scales belonged to him. A search revealed another clear plastic bag of suspected marijuana, several plastic bags in a backpack on the bed, and a fanny pack containing cash on my bedside table. Alan reportedly stated he sells marijuana in his hometown but has not sold marijuana on the Tech campus.

Allen was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. Bail was set at $30,000.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.   

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A body was found Saturday near the campus of Grambling State University, according to campus officials.

In a brief social media post Saturday evening, GSU stated, “This evening, GSUPD and Louisiana State Police investigated a report of a body discovered near campus. Preliminary findings concluded that the incident is not connected to Grambling State University.”

No other information was provided by authorities.

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Sometimes it takes a little bit of time to find the right answer. 

For Buffy Walker, owner of Walker & Co., located at 107 W. Mississippi Ave., the story of how she found the perfect building for her growing business took time, patience and just a little bit of history. 

Walker had been searching for a building for years that could hold art camps, painting lessons and more but none were just right – until she found the West Mississippi Avenue location. 

Amy Bernard owned the building, and Bernard and Walker knew each other from when Walker was in college. 

“Amy Bernard owned this store, Daddy’s Money, on California Avenue across from the Kidd Dorm,” Walker said. “She inspired me while I was in college — it was seeing her use her creativity to start her business that impressed me.  I would walk over and offer to help them paint cups from time to time.” 

During this time, Walker was also working in Lewis’s home décor and gift shop store, and she would walk through in the building she now owns when coming in for work. 

“That was the job I had when Scott (my husband) and I started dating — I was working in the gift shop the day I got engaged,” Walker said. “Lewis’s was a family-run business that made employees and customers feel part of the family. They took pride in getting the little things right.  Ask anyone whoever wrapped or received a gift from there. We can still remember those gold logo stickers that secured the perfect bow.” 

Fast forward a bit now – Bernard moved into the old Lewis building after she started Beehive and used it for offices and creative spaces. 

“I was able to get the building that I worked in during college from the person who inspired me to find a way to use your creativity as your job,” Walker said. “Scott and I kept looking around and we’d see a building, but Scott would say, ‘This is not a no, just a not yet.’ We looked for 10 years.” 

Currently, Walker & Co. boasts a variety of offerings for those looking for several art camps, birthday parties, adult painting classes, anniversaries, retirement parties, rehearsal dinners, weddings and even gender reveals. Walker and Co. has also had pop up events such as bridal fair and ladies’ night with local boutiques.  

“Watching Amy and watching how Lewis’s treated their customers – they wanted them to feel special, and that’s what we want for this space,” Walker said. “We want to make the celebrations special. We want people to look forward to celebrations here. We want it to be a fun, welcoming space.” 

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Softball

Madie Green may just stay in El Paso.

The Louisiana Tech senior outfielder hit four home runs, drove in nine runs and scored six more to lead the Lady Techsters to a series win over UTEP this weekend.

Green, who hit a pair of home runs in El Paso, in 2020, homered in all three games, going 7-of-9 at the plate over the weekend as Tech won Friday 9-3 and Sunday 6-1 while falling Saturday 7-6.

Audrey Pickett (13-4) was stellar in the circle for the Lady Techsters (20-13, 5-4 C-USA), picking up complete-game victories in both wins. Pickett allowed just four runs in 14.0 innings while striking out nine and walking just three.

Green homered twice and drove in five runs while Caroline Easom added at two-run home run on Friday. Green added a home run and three more RBI on Saturday although the Lady Techsters couldn’t overcome control issues in the circle, walking 10 batters and hitting two more in the 7-6 loss.

On Sunday, Tech pounded out a season-high 14 hits, including three more by Green including a solo home run, in the series-clinching win.

“I am proud of the way our team responded,” said Tech coach Josh Taylor. “We challenged them after yesterday’s game, and they came back and showed what we are capable of doing. Audrey pounded the strike zone, getting ahead of hitters. And our hitters had quality at bats for the majority of the game.”

Tech will travel to Northwestern State Tuesday for a 6 p.m. contest before hosting UTSA this weekend (Friday through Sunday) on Alumni Weekend.

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Bowling

Fifth-seeded Louisiana Tech fought its way through the loser bracket, posting wins over three Top 10 ranked teams, but the Lady Techsters fell Sunday to Youngstown to finish third at the 2022 Southland League Championships.

Tech dropped its first match on Friday to No. 5 Youngstown on the opening day to fall into the loser’s portion of the double elimination bracket.

The Lady Techsters then defeated No. 8 Valparaiso (4-1) on Friday and No. 1 Sam Houston State 4-3 on Saturday and No. 3 Arkansas State 4-2 on Saturday to advance to Sunday’s final day.

However, Youngstown once again got the best of Tech (4-3) on Sunday morning.

Allie Leiendecker was named to the all-tournament team, her fourth of the season. Vanderbilt won the title.

The Lady Techsters finish the year with a national RPI of eighth and will find out on Wednesday if they earn their second straight bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“I am extremely proud of this team,” said Tech coach Matt Nantais. “We had a good run at the championships. We need to quit putting ourselves in the elimination bracket early. We did have some great matches that showed we can compete at the highest level.

“Unfortunately, today was not our day. We will work on consistency and spare shooting these next two weeks. We will find out Wednesday if we will be an at-large bid for the NCAA championships. This was our fourth weekend in a row and we can use a break before our next event.”

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Tennis

All streaks come to an end, and Louisiana Tech’s 14-match winning streak did just that on Saturday in a tight 4-3 loss to No. 1-ranked Tyler Junior College at the LA Tech Tennis Complex. 

“It was a tough loss today,” said Tech head coach Amanda Stone. “I felt like we did not show up in the way we needed to on some key lines and that made the difference. All streaks come to an end and this was a great one we were on.

“We have had some good wins this season, but I still feel like this team has upside. While we have produced wins on every line, we have not started firing as an entire lineup yet. Now is the time and maybe this loss is the push we need. That is certainly the goal this week as we head into the final part of the regular season.”

The doubles point ended up being the difference as LA Tech (16-3) and TJC (10-4) split the six singles matches. The Apaches were able to seal the opening point with wins of 6-4 and 6-3 on courts one and two. 

LA Tech used its depth though in singles to grab the upperhand.  Ilana Tetruashvili was near flawless in her match against Abigail Wild, winning all 12 games to deliver a 6-0, 6-0 victory at the No. 4 position.  Her court neighbor Tiffani Nash was equally as impressive, downing Yeva Kononovych by a score of 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot to give the home team a 2-1 advantage.

TJC evened things up at 2-2 in the final match on the backcourts with a straight-sets win on court six.  Meanwhile, after LA Tech took the first set across all three top positions, the Apaches took the second sets on all three to force a third set. After Najah Dawson and Kelly Arends each claimed a 6-1 set on court three, the senior Dawson took control early and ended up giving LA Tech its third point of the day with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-0 win.

However, TJC was able to get come-from-behind victories on courts one and two behind two of the top three singles players in the country in the NJCAA national rankings. 

 

The Lincoln Parish Police Jury has announced partial closure of Burgessville Road between Haddox Road and Rough Edge Road during several weeks of construction.

Burgessville Road will be under construction for several weeks beginning March 28 to rehabilitate the driving surface. This section of road will be down to one lane during working hours. The Police Jury ask for motorists to use caution while driving through this area. Extremely slow speeds are encouraged to keep vehicles from collecting surface materials during application and curing of the pavement material.

The Lincoln Parish Police Jury appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution around the construction site and watch for work crews and their equipment.

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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. 

Tuesday, March 29
2 p.m.: Ribbon cutting for Imperium Weightlifting and Fitness (112 Gus Lane)
4-6 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Open Houses (Hillcrest, Glen View, Cypress Springs, Ruston Elementary, I.A. Lewis)
6 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Baseball vs. Dallas Baptist University 
6:30 p.m.: Snake Identification class (Lomax Hall, 1401 Reese Dr.)

Friday, April 1
2 p.m.: Louisiana Women’s Tennis vs. Southern Miss
3 p.m. Grambling Softball vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Grambling)
6 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Softball vs. UTSA

Saturday, April 2
North American Conference on Video Game Music (University Hall and Howard Auditorium, Tech)
8:30 a.m. to noon: Autism Acceptance Festival and 5k (Lincoln Parish Park)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
9:30-11:15 a.m.: Spring Plant Swap (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
10 a.m.: Free community yoga (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
10 a.m.: RCT auditions for “Frozen, Jr.” (Dixie Center for the Arts)
11 a.m. to 8 p.m.: GramFam Spring Game Tailgate and Crawfish Boil 
12 p.m. Grambling Softball vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Double Header Grambling)
2 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Softball vs. UTSA
4:30 p.m.: French Story Time with Valerie Graham (Lincoln Parish Library Community Room)
7 p.m.: Sweet Cecilia at the Dixie
7 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Concert Association presents Mega Ran (Howard Auditorium)

Sunday, April 3
North American Conference on Video Game Music (University Hall and Howard Auditorium, Tech)
10 a.m.: Louisiana Tech Women’s Tennis vs. UAB
2 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Softball vs. UTSA

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On Friday, March 25, 2022, at approximately 8:18 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop F responded to a hit-and-run crash which occurred on Louisiana Highway 616 west of Louisiana Highway 143.  This crash claimed the life of 55-year-old Charles Lowery of West Monroe.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a bicyclist and an unknown vehicle was traveling west on Louisiana Highway 616.  For reasons still under investigation, the unknown vehicle struck the bicycle in the rear and continued west.

As a result of the crash, Lowery sustained severe injuries and was transported to a local hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

After conducting a thorough investigation, Troopers, with the assistance of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, identified the unknown vehicle as a 2010 GMC Sierra.  At the time of the crash, the GMC was driven by 51-year-old Bryan Hinton of West Monroe.  Hinton was arrested and booked for vehicular homicide, hit-and-run, careless operation, and driving without a driver’s license.

Hinton is suspected of being impaired at the time of the crash.  A toxicology sample was obtained and submitted for analysis.  This crash remains under investigation.

Louisiana State Police would like to remind all motorists that if you feel differently, you drive differently. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and other drugs have many effects on the body that negatively affect driving skills. These drugs can impair visual ability, alter the sense of time and space, impair fine motor skills needed to operate a motor vehicle, and decrease reaction times.  Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and designate a sober driver. Not doing so can have deadly consequences.

In 2022, Troop F has investigated seven fatal crashes resulting in eight fatalities.

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Peggy Hillier Thompson 
November 16, 1940 – March 25, 2022 
Visitation: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 
Service: Temple Baptist Church in Ruston, Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 10:00 am 
Cemetery: Kilpatrick’s Memorial Garden, Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Merrill Goodwyn Jr.
June 15, 1940 – March 23, 2022
Memorial: 1 p.m., May 22, Norton Building, 207 W. Mississippi Ave., Ruston. RSVP at www.davidgoodwyn.com  

Dr. Jethro Terrell 
July 20, 1937 – March 22, 2022 
Family Gathering: 2 p.m., April 1 at King’s Funeral Home, 1511 W. California Ave., Ruston 
Visitation: 3-5 p.m., April 1 at King’s Funeral Home, 1511 W. California Ave., Ruston 
Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m. April 2 at New Rocky Valley Baptist Church, 2155 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Grambling 
Interment: April 2 at Grambling Memorial Garden, Hwy. 80 W., Grambling 

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For the second time this month, Grambling State University Police have arrested suspects on campus with firearms. 

At about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, two GSU officers were patrolling through the Douglas Residential Hall when they observed three men in a first-floor hallway. During a subsequent investigation, the men were patted down for weapons. 

Alvin Wilson, 19, of Oakland, Calif., was carrying a 9 mm pistol in a small bag strapped across his upper body. Wilson also possessed a backpack that contained an extended pistol magazine. 

Willie A. Johnson, 18, of Chicago, Ill., was concealing a 9 mm pistol in the crotch of his pants. Both men were arrested for carrying a firearm on school property. 

The third individual was unarmed. 

Wilson and Johnson were transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked. Their bail was set at $50,000 each and they remained in the custody of the detention center as of Thursday.

GSU Police officers have appeared to have increased efforts to interdict firearms since two shootings on campus last fall. While some of the guns recovered in the ensuing months were the result of disturbance calls, most have originated from actions initiated by officers on patrol.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.   

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By T. Scott Boatright

MONROE — The Cedar Creek boys powerlifting team finished third at the Louisiana High School Athletics Association Boys Powerlifting Championships at Fant-Ewing Coliseum on the campus of the University of Louisiana-Monroe.

Cedar Creek, the defending Division V state champs, totaled 34 points, being edged out by new state champion Ascension Catholic (36) points and second-place finisher Sacred Heart of Ville Platte (35 points). 

Pointe Coupee Catholic finished fourth with 23 points, well behind the Cougars.

In top three finishes on Friday, Cedar Creek had a pair of athletes place in the 148-pound class with Lawson Lillo totaling 425 pounds in the squat, 310 in the bench press and 405 in the deadlift for a total lift of 1,140 while Parker Newman finished third in the 148-pound class with a 410-255-385=1,050  (squat/bench press/deadlift=total).

Cedar Creek’s Austin Webb finished in third place of the 165-pound class with lifts of 380-290-415=1,085.

In the 181-pound class, Cedar Creek’s Owen Robinson finished second with a total of 1175 pounds, while Regan Pike finished in fourth place with a total lift of 1,125 pounds.

Cedar Creek’s Landon Amidon came in third in the 198-pound class with lifts of 435-275-410=1,120 while Cougar Jordan Vail finished two spots behind in fifth place with a total lift of 1,095 pounds.

Cedar Creek’s Nicholas Thompson placed seventh in the 220-pound class with a total lift of 1,105 pounds.

Cougar Carson Riley finished first in the 242-pound class with lifts of 550-395-555=1,500.

It was a team finish that Cedar Creek coach Jacob Angevine found pleasantly surprising.

“We had a lot of kids step up,” Angevine said. “We had a lot of kids exceed expectations that we had placed on them. We told a couple of kids that we needed them to move up one spot, and we had a couple of kids move up two to three spots. 

“There was one or two mistakes we made that kind of cost us in the end, but then again, after everything we’ve been through over the last couple of months with injuries and everything else, it’s remarkable. We had a great team with only two seniors, so another great thing is that most of them are coming back. We’ll be climbing to the top of the mountain again next year.”

Today the Cedar Creek female powerlifters, who finished as runners-up last year, will compete in Girls State Championships.

“All the girls made weight tonight and they are fired up,” Angevine said. “They came in with game faces on. They stayed the whole time at the meet, so they’ve had game faces on since about 9:30 (Thursday) morning.”

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Ruston Community Theatre’s play “Father of the Bride” opened Thursday night and will continue to run until Sunday.

Sponsored by Century Next Bank, and directed by Mary Watkins, the show will start at 7 p.m. tonight and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are still available for $14 for adults and $7 for students/children by visiting rctruston.org or buying tickets one hour prior to each show in the Dixie Theatre lobby. 

Restaurants in downtown Ruston are also getting in the wedding spirit by offering specials. Champs, Grown & Grazed, Staple Sandwich Co. and Utility Brewing each have “Father of the Bride-“themed offerings. Additionally, Peach City Rolled Ice Cream will be available at the Dixie after each show.

Main Street Director and Community Coordinator Amy Stegall said the interaction between the Ruston Community Theatre performance and the downtown restaurants is just another benefit of the parish.

“I love seeing businesses and the art organizations work together to make downtown even better for our community,” Stegall said. “The collaborative spirit is what makes our downtown so special.”

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By T. Scott Boatright

In a meeting that looked more like batting practice than a softball game, Cedar Creek cruised to a 27-0 win over Delhi Thursday evening at the Lady Cougars’ softball field.

Cedar Creek totaled 19 hits with 10 walked batters, building a 15-0 advantage by the end of the first inning. 

The Lady Cougars’ Lizzie McAdams threw a three-inning, one-hitter, striking out eight Lady Bears in the 11 at-bats Delhi took.

Bailey Adams and Chloe Brashear each hit inside the park home runs while Rosemary Sewell and Sarah Adams each sent dingers over the fence. In fact, Sarah Adams hit two for her 10th and 11th homers of the season.

The big win over Delhi came after Cedar Creek took two of three games as the host school of the Caroline Menzina softball tournament over the weekend at the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters Softball Complex.

Cedar Creek defeated Forest 8-0 in the first tournament game on Friday and Glenbrook 19-3 in the Lady Cougars’ first game on Saturday before falling to Haughton 7-6 in Saturday’s second game in which they rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning before the Lady Buccaneers escaped with the win.

Allie Furr and Adams provided plenty of offense for the Lady Cougars in the tournament’s three games, with Adams going 4-of-7 at the plate with six runs batted in while Furr went 6-of-10 with five RBIs. 

“I wish we would have beaten Haughton, but it is what it is,” said Cedar Creek coach Julie Riser. “We made too many errors, and we didn’t hit as well as we had been earlier. That part of our game was down a little bit, which was why it was good to see us hit like we did (on Thursday against Delhi). 

“But the big takeaway was that we really need to get sharper on defense. That’s something we’re really going to focus on.”

At the season’s midpoint, Riser likes the way her team seems headed — just as long as they improve their fielding.

“We’re hitting it,” Riser said. “That’s not the problem. But it’s like we can’t get consistent. We’ll hit the ball well and beat a team bad and then face the same kind of team and not hit well and play a close game. We can hit, we’ve shown that. I’d just like to see it more consistently. We’re lost four games by only one run, and we just haven’t hit all that well in those losses.

“And errors — fielding — can cost you in those close games. So that has to get better. We’re at a point in the season that we have to keep improving — getting better in all phases of the game — if we really want to do something. We have good potential. We just have to work on getting better. 

The Lady Cougars, now 10-6, will next play in a pair of games at the Quitman High School Tournament at the Jackson Parish Recreation Complex on Saturday. That tournament will feature 17 teams ranging from Class C to 5A playing in a total of 23 games.

“We have a group of girls (Elli Dickerson, Emma Moore, Madelyn Carroll, Olivia Salter and Peyton Muse were qualifiers) competing in the Girls State Powerlifting Championship (today) in Monroe,” Riser said. “Then we play two games at the Quitman Tournament on Saturday. We play Buckeye and Caldwell on Saturday.”

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By Madison Remrey

Phillip Smart, Ruston’s new economic development director, shares plans aiming to enrich the city in this week’s Q&A. 

Q: What does your job entail as the economic developer for Ruston?

A: My job, in a broad statement, is the process by which creating a better quality of life for the citizens of Ruston. A more precise answer is to direct and coordinate economic and community development engagement for the City of Ruston and Lincoln Parish. I assist with the growth of Ruston by recruiting and encouraging businesses and people to locate here.

Q: What goals would you like to accomplish during your time as an economic developer? Why are these your goals?

A: There are many goals we have for Ruston; you probably don’t have enough space to write them all down. Each one of our goals is just as important as any other goal we have for the City of Ruston. We want to develop a highly skilled workforce, reduce unemployment, increase the standard of living, promote economic stability and support local entrepreneurship as well as to assist with developing ready land for commercial and industrial use. We are strengthening, maintaining and continually upgrading our infrastructure to provide the best capacity to our current and anticipated needs. We are assisting with retaining and expanding current local businesses. We do consider annexing additional land, as necessary and when possible according to smart growth principles to accommodate future expansion in cities. The City also does this to help establish housing and transportation to improve the quality of life. We want the city to be as prosperous as we know it can be; henceforth, every goal we have is the most important one to us. 

Q: How do you plan to implement your goals?

A: To obtain these goals, we will focus on workforce development, job creation, infrastructure, small business development, greenfield/certified sites, business retention and expansion, secondary education, technology transfer, K-12 education, crime prevention and housing. We network throughout the region to provide the most efficient plan to achieve our goals.

Q: What benefit do you see your plans having on Ruston?

A: Once we adhere to these plans, the benefits are endless. We will reduce economic barriers and become more resourceful. The City of Ruston will experience growth through tourism, lodging, retail, education and the overall quality of life.

Q: You’ve mentioned in previous articles that unification within the community is important—- that we all must work together. Will your plans help achieve this for Ruston?

A: Yes, there is no need to duplicate our services if the service is already available. We can save time and money by partnering with the current programs and agencies that are in place. We have to come to an understanding that we all want the same goals and that is to make Lincoln Parish “THE” place to work, live and play.

Q: Why do you do the job that you do? What makes you excited to be Ruston’s economic developer? 

A: I would love to say that I do this job because it’s something that I have always wanted; however, God has chosen this job for me, my steps are ordered by him. I believe I was put here to help all citizens increase his or her quality of life. I am committed to creating a favorable economy, a place where people of diverse talents choose to work/live and where investors as well as entrepreneurs can choose to locate and grow. I want everyone to have something to look forward to. We want citizens to enjoy life to the fullest potential. We are focused on solutions to improve everyone’s quality of life.

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This weekend, the American Crappie Trail is coming to Lake D’arbonne for their national championship.  The top 100 teams in this series are qualified for this event.  The tournament started on Thursday with the top 100 and will be knocked down to the top 50 to fish on Friday (day 2).  After Friday, the top 25 teams will be fishing on championship Saturday.  Weigh-in will begin at Rhett’s Tails and Shells at 3PM on Thursday and Friday.  Saturday, the top 25 will weigh-in will be in downtown Farmerville.

Fishing conditions have been tough this week, plagued with wind and storms.  The lake has risen and the gates at the dam have been opened, adding current as another challenge to any team’s gameplan.  The fish seem to be somewhere in the middle of the spawn, which adds even more challenges.  The big females that the anglers target, have mostly spawned out but the smaller females seem to still have eggs.

Josh Starkey and I teamed up last year in hopes of qualifying for this event and were successful.  Unfortunately, he has to have a minor surgical procedure, so I am fishing solo this weekend.  This was a slight kick to the gut, as Josh has been fishing really well in the tournament trails all year and I was going to lean on him a lot, but his health has to come first.

Josh gave me all of his spots that have been producing, and I have my spots, but the wind is going to keep me out of 98% of the water that we have prepared for.  This weekend I’m essentially starting from square one.  I have one spot that I should be able to fish….  Will that get me past day one into the top 50?  I believe so.  Are there enough fish there to get me to championship Saturday?  That I’m not sure of.  This place is going to get a lot of pressure, so I will just have to out-fish those near me.

What will it take to win?  We weigh in our seven best fish each day.  If the weather would cooperate, I’d say a 2-pound average would win it.  However, with the brutal winds, I don’t think 14 pounds per day each day will be attainable.  I think around 12.5-13 pounds each day will win it.

What kind of fish am I on?  Ones that are big enough for a really good fish fry!  I wish I was totally kidding here, but I think I can catch 11 pounds the first day.  After that, your guess is as good as mine.  I’m hoping I can ride the luck truck through championship Saturday, but that has never panned out for me.

Here is the silver lining in all of this!  If I get knocked out on Friday, I will be going turkey hunting Saturday here in Lincoln Parish.  This will be a lose/win in a sense (if there is such a thing) …. although I lost, lest not forget I am a turkey hunter #1.

Area 2 Youth Turkey season begins in our area this Saturday, and expectations are high.  There will be 3 generations of McGehees hunting together in Lincoln Parish (My dad, myself, Anders) and we are all looking forward to it.  How do I feel about a successful youth turkey hunt?  It’s already a success with the 3 of us hitting the woods, but how do I feel about a successful harvest?  I feel much better about that than winning the fishing tournament.

The greatest outcome would be me hoisting a fishing trophy beside my boy holding a trophy turkey.  Reality is, I just hope to catch some fish, letting the chips fall where they may, and my oldest boy get his turkey.  No matter what, we will all have a great time.  For all the youth out there hitting the woods this weekend, I hope you have a safe and successful opener.   Email me some pictures and let me help tell your story!

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Dusty McGehee is a native of Downsville and a 2006 graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a bachelors in wildlife conservation. He is currently employed by WestRock and serves as an environmental engineer at the Hodge Mill. Dusty is an avid hunter and crappie fisherman, fishing crappie tournaments with his son when he is not in the woods. He and his wife Rachel have three young outdoorsmen/women: Anders (9), Ridge (7) and Mae (5). If you have a story idea or question about the great outdoors, you can reach Dusty at dusty.mcgehee@westrock.com.

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By Wesley Harris

Rolling Hills to open bookstore

Rolling Hills Ministries is opening a bookstore this spring in Ruston. The store will offer  approximately 30,000 books in-store and online.

Construction of additional parking will be completed before the bookstore opens at 1103 Farmerville Highway, the former site of Trappings and Ruston Florist.

Since 2003, Rolling Hills Ministries has been serving North Louisiana with compassionate services to those who need hope and help. RHM makes a difference through five core ministries—disaster relief, compassionate services, thrift stores, international missions, and recreational programs. Services are funded through donations from individuals, churches and sales from RHM thrift stores. Stores are stocked with items donated from the local community. 

Rolling Hills Ministries serves as the disaster relief organization in North Louisiana through the North American Missions Board. RHM is governed by a board of trustees and is a 501c(3) non-profit organization.

More accolades for LA Tech

Louisiana Tech’s Engineering and Technology Management (ETM) program has been named the fifth “Best Engineering Management Online Master’s Program” in the United States for 2022.

The College of Engineering and Science program earned the ranking based on the low cost of the degree and the option to complete it online.

Students in the program have the option to earn a concentration in one of four focus areas—engineering management, management of technology, construction, or data science.

Mark your calendars

It is not too early to note some of the area’s popular summer events on your calendar. The Louisiana Peach Fest is scheduled for Saturday, June 4 in Historic Downtown Ruston. Temple Baptist Church will host “LoveLincoln Freedom Fest,” its annual patriotic program and fireworks on Sunday, July 3 at 7:30 p.m. The annual Lake Claiborne fireworks show will also be held on the evening of July 3.

Parish upgrades website

Lincoln Parish government has a revamped website. The site features links to all parish agencies and schools, a calendar of events, police jury agendas and minutes, job postings, information on building permits, and more. Under the “History” link, check out the photographs of Old Ruston. Access the website at www.lincolnparish.org/. 

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Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Fresh off its second win over LSU this year, Louisiana Tech will host FIU in a three-game Conference USA series at JC Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

Tech (15-6, 2-1 C-USA) and FIU (9-12, 2-1 C-USA) will play Friday (6 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) with all three games being carried on CUSA.tv. Fans can also hear Dave Nitz on the LA Tech Sports Network on 97.7 FM and the Louisiana Tech Athletics app.

The Bulldogs defeated LSU 7-6 in 12 innings on Wednesday night and now turn their attention back to C-USA action having won eight of its last nine contests.

Jonathan Fincher will get the start Friday night while Taylor Young puts his 15-game on-base streak on the line. Young has reached base in 20 of 21 games this year, while Fincher sports a perfect 4-0 mark on the mound, tallying an eye-popping 31 strikeouts and only three walks.  

FIU is also coming off a weekend where they finished 2-1 in conference play, defeating Marshall on Saturday and Sunday 11-3 and 13-3.

FIU leads the all-time series over LA Tech 18-15 with the schools splitting the season series 1-1 in 2021. The last time the Bulldogs and Panthers met in Ruston, the Bulldogs took two out of three games. LA Tech is 6-4 in the last 10 meetings dating back to 2017.

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Fresh off a three-game sweep over FIU last weekend, Louisiana Tech will look to build on that momentum when the Lady Techsters face UTEP at Helen of Troy Field starting Friday night.

Tech (18-12, 3-3 C-USA) and UTEP (10-17, 1-5) will play Friday (7 p.m.), Saturday (4 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m.) in the third weekend of league action.

Head coach Josh Taylor wants to see his team execute on a similar level as last weekend when it defeated FIU 3-2, 4-2 and 2-0.

“Consistency,” said Taylor. “That’s what we are looking for on a game-by-game basis. We have seen flashes. We have seen stretches. But I want to see it from pitch to pitch, out to out, at bat to at bat and game to game. Great teams execute on a consistent basis.

“I am really pleased with where we are. The kids continue to work hard and buy in to what we are trying to accomplish. It’s exciting to see. This is just the next weekend on the schedule. We know playing on the road is always a challenge.”

Tech continues to rely on its pitching. The Lady Techsters rank No. 2 in Conference USA in team ERA at 2.12 led by Audrey Pickett (11-4, 1.41), Emma Hutchinson (5-4, 2.59) and Lauren Menzina (2-4, 3.41). Tech has also relied on its defense behind those arms as the Lady Techsters rank No. 1 in the nation in double plays per game, turning 20 of them in 30 games.

Amanda Gonzalez is coming off a stellar week where she was named the Conference USA Hitter of the Week after reaching base safely in 9 of 10 at bats against FIU with two game-winning home runs.

UTEP is 7-5 at home this season. All three games can be seen streamed live on CUSA.tv.

Tech leads the all-time series 18-14, including winning eight of the last 10 meetings.

 

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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. 

Friday, March 25
5:30-7:30 p.m.: Reception for Backyard Effects exhibition by Madeline Marak (Creative Exchange)
6 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Baseball vs FIU
7 p.m.: RCT Presents Father of the Bride (Dixie)

Saturday, March 26
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Ruston Skate Jam Fundraiser (Spears Lot behind Bayou, Butts and Booze)
10 a.m.: Community Yoga Classes (Lincoln Parish Events Center)
1 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Women’s Tennis vs. UT-Tyler
2 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Baseball vs FIU
4 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Women’s Tennis vs. Southern Arkansas
6-9 p.m.: Louisiana Tech International Scholarship Dinner
7 p.m.: RCT Presents Father of the Bride (Dixie)

Sunday, March 27
1 p.m.: Louisiana Tech Baseball vs FIU
2 p.m.: RCT Presents Father of the Bride (Dixie)

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Louisiana Tech University students received information directly from veterinary schools concerning how to prepare for successful application to vet school and how to be a successful student and veterinary professional recently at the third biennial Veterinary School Showcase on South Campus.

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I want you to ponder “expectations.”

We all grew up with them. Our parents expected us to be good children, clean our room, eat our veggies, do well in school and always leave home with clean underwear. Our parents told us we needed clean underwear in case we were in a car accident, in which case they would not be clean.  

Teachers, coaches, professors, bosses, and spouses all placed a series of expectations on us which we have met, exceeded, or failed to achieve. We are living with those consequences, good or bad.

Careers carry expectations. In my line of work, I have discovered churches have expectations for their pastors. Congregations want us to be twenty years old with forty years’ experience. They want us out visiting all the time but available all day in the church office. We need to be able to sing, play an instrument, fix the plumbing, hang light fixtures, decipher computer code, and translate from the Greek. Our sermons should be serious while still being humorous. You get the picture.

We all live with expectations.

At one grocery store they are selling firewood bundles for a dollar! Seems that someone from corporate was expecting a brutal winter and ordered lots of firewood for their stores, and now they have an abundance of firewood. If you want to stock up for next year, I suggest you buy some of that dollar wood. It will be well aged by next fall.

 I looked at that pile and wondered who got chewed out for ordering that much wood? What a bone-head order, did they take last year and double it? How did it happen, what were they expecting? Or perhaps there is another way to look at all that firewood.

Expectations are often misplaced and misguided. The news media has made tons of money reporting on “expectations.” The evening news can’t go broadcast without using the word, “expectation” in the newscast. Which means they are not reporting news, they are speculating on the future. The stock market is driven by whether a company meets “expectations” not what the actual corporate numbers are, listen to a stock report and see what I mean. Marriages are made or broken on expectations as much as on real behavior. We all have them, use them, and have been victimized by them.

While we don’t control events, we have control over our expectations. When we add grace to the mixture, we are adding God to the equation, and He does change things. In our personal relationships, in our church life, even in our corporate lives, maybe we should give our expectations to the Lord and allow his grace to transform them.

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Louisiana State Police has zero tolerance for impaired drivers.  To combat impaired driving in our area, Louisiana State Police Troop F and West Monroe Police Department will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint.  The sobriety checkpoint will take place tonight from approximately 6 p.m. to approximately midnight, weather and traffic conditions permitting, in Ouachita Parish.

The mission will be to intercept and incarcerate impaired drivers before they can cause injury or death to themselves, their passengers, or members of the public.  Drivers are less likely to drive impaired when they recognize the increased probability of law enforcement action.

LSP is asking the public to make the mature decision and to designate a sober driver.  Remember, “You drink, You drive, You lose!”

To report aggressive/impaired driving, call *LSP (*577) from your cellular phone or your local law enforcement agency.

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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

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Sullivan Johnson Jr.    
January 3, 1942 – March 15, 2022    
Graveside service: 3 p.m., Saturday, March 26 at Rhymes Cemetery, Hwy. 15, Rayville 

Stanley Lee Morrow 
August 15, 1964 – March 22, 2022 
Service pending 

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