by Malcolm Butler

 

“I saw fear everywhere.”

Local Ruston resident Natalie Wise saw fear and more in the faces of the people of war-torn Ukraine during a recent month-long mission trip where she served as a nurse practitioner with Samaritan’s Purse.

Natalie, a member of First Baptist Church of Ruston, and her husband, Chad, both feel that Natalie’s participation in this mission trip and others is a part of God’s calling. She has participated in about 10 to 12 medical mission trips internationally, something she began after a conversation with a friend.

“I applied to work with Samaritan’s Purse after being encouraged by a good friend who thought I would be a good fit,” said Natalie. “I have worked with them for four years now, and it’s a passion that I love. They are a gospel focused, people loving organization that I highly recommend and respect.”

According to First Baptist Church Pastor Chris Craig, mission trips like this are a huge part of God’s ministry around the world. And it takes people like Natalie and Chad to minister to both believers and non-believers.

“Chad and Natalie Wise are great examples of real Christianity,” said Craig. “They love Jesus, and they love people. And they love bringing people to Jesus.”

Although Natalie isn’t a rookie to mission trips, she did say this one was the first time she worked one in relation to an active war.

“When I feel like God is asking me to go on a trip or disaster response, then saying ‘No’ becomes harder than saying yes,” said Natalie. “I have said no before when I knew God was calling me to serve in a country in the Middle East. Out of fear I backed out.

“Since then I knew I missed an opportunity to meet God closer than before. Leaving my husband, children, job and other responsibilities definitely weighs on the decision process and a lot of prayer and discernment go into the decision-making process.

“But every trip, it never fails, God challenges me more, equips me in ways I never expected, meets needs I didn’t know I would have, and grows my faith and my joy in him.”

With two children and a husband at home, Natalie’s decision to go to Ukraine wasn’t made in a silo. But Natalie left the comforts and safety of home for a month with Chad’s full support and understanding.

“Getting past a worldly fear and trusting God for her safety, but ultimately understanding that whether in life or death His calling for our life and following it, brings all glory to God and is where true joy and peace is found,” said Chad. “It was during this mission that I can say that I gave my wife over to God and trusted him for the total plan for not only her, but to comfort my two young girls and fill the gaps while mom was fighting spiritual battles in Ukraine.”

Natalie’s team of missionaries stayed in the western part of Ukraine. And what she saw was heart-breaking yet confirmed the need for the group’s presence.

“I was witness to cities overcrowded with refugees,” said Natalie. “Three or four families sharing a school classroom as their new home indefinitely. I saw people with only a suitcase to their name as they have left everything they have worked for their entire life. I saw fear everywhere.

“I saw tears and heartache from mothers, wives, and children who watched the leader of their family leave to fight in the war not knowing if it’s the last goodbye. I saw men torn between the responsibilities of serving their country or protecting their wife and young children who are now homeless.

“I saw a country heartbroken by Russia where so many of the people from Ukraine and Russia have existed as friends, family, and neighbors for so long. I saw a country being physically demolished in areas that will take decades to rebuild and a loss of infrastructure that has taken away homes, jobs, and security, and left people wondering how they will ever survive. I saw people so tormented by the attacks they witnessed and were physically injured by that they may never fully recover from.”

Yet she also saw God working.

“God used his people (our team) to show compassion and meet needs of Ukrainians who are at their lowest, desperate, and wondering where God is at during this time,” said Natalie. “I heard responses consistently of Ukrainian’s crying, thanking us because now they knew God had not forgotten them.”

Craig said First Baptist Church uses some of its resources to help support missions such as Natalie’s and many others throughout the year – both locally, nation-wide and even world-wide.

“Our church gives a lot of money to mission causes for Ruston and throughout the world,” Craig. “We also take trips yearly to different parts of the country and around the world to minister. But it is also great and important for people like Chad and Natalie to find places where they can plug-in with other mission organizations to serve the Lord. It just helps further the cause of Christ and for reaching people for Him.”

Individuals can learn more about the organization at SamaritansPurse.org.

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Everyone loves a Panda, right?

Well Ruston residents will get an opportunity to prove it.

Wait, what?

Different type of Panda.

The rumor is true. Our community will be welcoming Panda Express to its options of restaurants as the popular chain that serves American Chinese Cuisine.

Phillip Smart, the City of Ruston’s Economic Development Director, said that an exact timeline for the opening is hard to say based on supply and demand, but that the restaurant should be opened by this coming November.

“It increases the quality of life for our residents and promotes tourism by offering different food options in our area,” said Smart. “Most importantly, in increases job opportunities for our growing community.” 

Smart said the new restaurant should create around 40 construction jobs and 25 Panda Express jobs once opened.  

“We are excited to continue to provide numerous eating options and increase the quality of life to our citizens,” said Smart. “It is a benefit to have the convenience of numerous food options without having to leave Ruston.

“Residents will continue to see this trend as we recruit businesses to establish a presence in Ruston, so the majority of our constituents’ needs may be met.”

Panda Express is going to be located on the North Service Road East by Whataburger.

Smart also acknowledged that more additions to the Ruston community are in the works.

“We do have other restaurants and shopping retailers on the horizon,” said Smart. “We are also looking at industrial and manufacturing companies as well.  We feel there are great things in store for the citizens of Ruston.”

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An Arkansas man was arrested Sunday afternoon after it was learned he was under a protective order to stay away from a woman who was a passenger in his car.

At about 2:00 p.m. Sunday, Lincoln Parish Deputy Sheriff M. Harrison stopped on car for speeding 70 in a 55 mile per hour zone on U.S. 167. While the driver, Christopher D. Moffett, 41, was being told of the speeding violation, Harrison smelled marijuana in the car.

A records check showed Moffett was under an active protective order issued in Union County, Arkansas on behalf of a woman. To search the car, Harrison removed the passengers and the woman identified in the protective order was traveling in the back seat.

Protective orders typically dictate the party cannot have any contact with the protected person who also cannot personally rescind the order.

Moffett was arrested for violation of a protective order and speeding. On the way to the detention center, Moffett was informed if he had any contraband on him, it would be found. Moffett became restless in the patrol car back seat and after arrival at the detention center, a bag of marijuana was found on the seat.

Moffett was booked for the protective order violation, speeding, and possession of marijuana.

Bail was set at $10,000.

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How could I have missed out on telling the story of Ridge and his first buck this past season?  I wrote one on his first deer, a doe, and it is my #1 read/viewed story thus far.  Ridge drives the ratings, so let’s give the people what they want!

Ridge killed his first deer on October 8^th during the youth season.  After all the celebrations and fanfare associated with it, he lost a little steam as far as hunting was concerned.  He seemed content that he went out and accomplished the goal he had set for himself the year before.  I decided I was going to alternate hunts between him and Anders for the season, but each time I asked he would just say “meh, I don’t want to go today.”  That was fine, as I am certainly not going to force my child to go, and it worked out well in Anders favor.  However, that all changed a month later.

Anders and I headed out to “The 100” to hunt one evening at the end of October.  This was the stand I’ve shared the majority of my hunts with my kids in over the years.  My dad built this stand when he found out Rachel was pregnant with Anders.  It’s 6 ft x 6 ft heated, with a 3-foot porch.  My dad wanted a stand where he and the grandkids could all sit in comfort and make memories.  And many memories we have made in that stand over the last few years.  The walls are filled with crayon drawings, dates of kills, and books, and the floor is littered with empty snack wrappers.

We get settled into the stand and we are targeting a nice 8-point that was showing up on camera.  We see plenty of does and small spikes, but our buck never shows.  About 10 minutes before dark, I see a dark body coming out of the pine thicket and tell Anders to get ready.  I can tell it’s a nice buck, so I put the binoculars on him and immediately see it’s not the 8-point.  It was a big-bodied 2.5-year-old 5-point, which I would have happily let him shoot but we were dead set on getting the bigger buck.  I told Anders that this would be the perfect buck for Ridge and he agreed; we watched him chase does until the sunset.

We get back home and tell Ridge about this buck (now his buck) and I saw a little spark in his eye.  Now it’s game on, and I’m fired up.  I monitor the buck on camera and see he is hit or miss showing up at this stand.  He would come out maybe twice a week and there was no rhyme or reason.  Finally, on the evening of November 9^th I was able to get off work just a little early, just in time to make a late evening hunt.

The weather was pretty warm but the does were showing up and the rut was getting close.  Ridge was fired up to go after his buck and so was I.  We sneak to the stand and there were deer already out.  We tried to get into the stand without being noticed, but the deer saw us and busted out.  Oh well, I knew they would be back.

30 minutes passed, and they begin filing out.  We had over a dozen does feeding about 75 yards away.  Next comes 2 spikes and I try to convince Ridge to shoot one, but he was hesitant.  After 10 minutes of persuasion, he finally decided a spike would be big enough for his first buck.  I get him lined up on the biggest spike, a trophy 5-incher, but there are too many deer around and he can’t get a clear shot.  He stayed on the gun for what seemed like an eternity, and he finally got an opening.

As I’m telling him to go ahead and shoot, I see an all too familiar image coming out of the pines.  I say “no, no, no here comes your buck!”  The buck comes out and the spikes and does scatter.  Ridge was already ready, so as soon as he stopped, I cocked the hammer back and told him to put it right behind the shoulder and take the shot.  He gets off the gun and says “dad is that where you want it?”  I look through the scope and it is perfect.  I said “YES right there.  Bust him!”

The 350 Legend cracks and his buck folded without a flinch.  Left eye dead eye had done it again!  His first buck was down for the count!  We embrace on the stand, yell a little bit, and I tell him how proud I am of him.  But enough of that, let’s go get your buck!

Ridge and his favorite stuffed animal “Wolfie” ran down the steps and went to recover his deer.  Just as expected, a beautiful 5-point that weighed in at 165 pounds.  His antlers may not have been huge, but it was a Boone and Crockett buck for him (and me) that day.

As stated earlier, my dad (Pop) built that stand for his grandchildren and I think this was exactly what he had in mind while he was putting it together.  You only get to experience a child’s first buck once, and this was the perfect spot for it.

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Dusty McGehee is a native of Downsville and a 2006 graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a bachelor’s 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 (10), Ridge (8), 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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HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Another day, another pitching gem by a Bulldog hurler.

Ryan Jennings tossed seven shutout innings and Louisiana Tech picked up its 40^th win of the season as the Bulldogs defeated Old Dominion 7-2 Thursday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park in the second day of the 2022 Conference USA Tournament.

Facing a Monarch team that ranks No. 3 in the nation in home runs, Jennings didn’t allow a hit until the seventh inning and by then the good guys led 7-0.

“(Ryan Jennings) is the man of the hour. There is no question,” said Tech head coach Lane Burroughs. “It’s about as good as I’ve ever seen him pitch. And he has pitched really good the last month of the season. He has really been our best guy. To hold that team down is unbelievable. I’m very proud of Ryan. He was electric.”

Jennings struck out 10, walked two and surrendered two singles while throwing 108 pitches in 7.0 innings. And he got some help from his offense.

Tech struck for three runs in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Logan McLeod and a two-run single by Taylor Young. A Jorge Corona ground-rule double in the bottom of the third made the score 4-0 Tech.

The score remained the same until the bottom of the sixth inning when Tech struck for three runs on five straight two-out hits, including RBI singles by Wade Elliot, Young and Phillip Matulia.

Kyle Crigger came on in relief of Jennings in the eighth and tossed the final two innings. Tech was one out away from its second straight shutout before ODU’s Andy Garriola hit a two-run shot to left field to put the Monarchs on the board.

Tech (40-18) will have Friday off before facing the winner of Old Dominion vs. Charlotte on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.

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By Julia Griffin

“To continuously improve the health and well-being of the people we serve” is Willis-Knighton’s mission statement.

Brandi Burnham at Willis-Knighton Cardiology Ruston makes sure to emulate this statement every day at work and has been doing so alongside Dr. Michael Langiulli for 11 years. Burnham has been the practice manager since 2019.

Burnham’s story started at Louisiana Tech, where she majored in sociology and loved it — except the problem was she didn’t know exactly what career she was going to have after college, so a friend mentioned nursing school. Burnham liked the idea of being a nurse and getting to work with people and having definite career. 

“In nursing there are so many different directions you can go and now that I am manager, I get to do even more things like finances and PR,” Burnham said. 

Burnham said being a clinical nurse before becoming practice manager prepared her to handle the job.

“Becoming manager has really humbled me and showed me that everyone in the office plays such an important role,” Burnham said. 

Burnham explained that everyone in the office wants the same thing, and the current crew is amazing. The clinic runs noticeably different even if one person is missing. 

“I was here when my husband passed away in 2018,” Burnham said. “I went through the hardest time of my life with these people; I took a week off and they pushed me because they needed me.”

She expressed how she always imagined the office running smoothly when she wasn’t there, but everyone is equally important and plays a huge role. 

Kimberley Pierce has worked at WK Cardiology for four years. She started as a receptionist and is currently a medical assistant. 

“Brandi is great because she started as a nurse and moving from nursing really helped her have a good perspective of all the work that goes in throughout the office and what everyone needs,” Pierce said.

Pierce said that Burnham always takes care of her crew and patients and gives good criticism.

Burnham said she likes to keep up with her employees, make sure they are doing well outside of work and wants her employees to know that she really cares. 

“If someone is having a rough week, I want them to feel comfortable enough to tell me so we can work past it together,” Burnham said.

Toni Spillman, the head nurse at WK Cardiology, worked under Burnham when she was head nurse.

“We have always worked well together because we work very similar; we want to get stuff done,” Spillman said.

Spillman was trained by Burnham to be head nurse, and she does it the exact same way that Burnham used to do it three years ago when she was head nurse. 

“If we can’t find the answer to something Brandi goes above and beyond to find the answer for us,” Spillman said.

Burnham said she likes to fix things, so when employees or patients come to her with something she will find a way to give them an answer. 

“When someone gets my care, I want them to feel seen, and knowing that I’ve answered all their questions shows that I want them to get the best care possible, same with my employees,” she said. 

Burnham describes herself as a “fixer,” and said they call her “Handy Brandi” around the clinic. 

Even the little things she said, perhaps a patient has not been enjoying their meals she said she will make sure they get something that they enjoy just to make their stay a little better. 

“I like a challenge and to go the extra mile to help someone,” Burnham said. 

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In order for our Lincoln Parish Journal staff to spend time with family and friends this holiday weekend, we will not have our usual Monday publication.

However, our Tuesday publication will arrive in your inbox at its regular time at 6:55 a.m. Our Weekly Events notice, which usually available on Monday, will arrive in Tuesday’s publication.

Remember, if you’re not currently subscribed to receive our email five days a week, please sign up by clicking HERE. The Lincoln Parish Journal always publishes free news articles, and they will always be free.

Happy Memorial Day to our parish!

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A Ruston man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on numerous charges after he fled on foot from a traffic stop.

At about noon Wednesday, Ruston Police Officer D. Smith checked the license plate of a vehicle observed at Farmerville Street and Martin Luther King Drive and found the license of the registered owner was suspended. The car was stopped at the Brooks Village Apartments on Gill Street.

While the officer was talking to the driver about her suspended license, the smell of marijuana was detected. When asked about the marijuana, the driver said, “It’s not on me.”

The passenger, Howard Jackson, 26, was approached and a tan shoulder bag was found near him. During a search of the car, Officer Smith found a handgun in the bag. At that time, Jackson fled on foot.

Officer W. Aldridge gave chase and apprehended Jackson on Second Avenue. Once Jackson was secured, further search of the shoulder bag revealed a Smith & Wesson .40 pistol, three bags of marijuana, methamphetamine, synthetic marijuana, ecstasy pills, and alprazolam pills, all in quantities believed to show the intent to distribute the substances. Empty plastic bags and digital scales were also found in the bag.

Jackson was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, synthetic marijuana, MDMD (ecstasy), methamphetamine, alprazolam, and Oxycodone, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during commission of a drug felony, resisting an officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, and parole violation.

The arresting officer’s affidavit noted Jackson was convicted of number drug charges and terrorizing in 2021 and is on parole through 2026.

No bail had been set as of press time.

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Recently my bride and I took a short trip to the beach. It was a perfect beach trip for an old guy and his wife. We looked at the beach from the fourth floor of the condo. We did go down to the beach one morning and take a quick walk. I love the sound of the waves. I like watching the various characters on the beach. I have never been a sand fan. Sand manages to get everywhere. Sand will find its way into places that are an abomination.

I knew I was getting old when I noted what people were wearing on the beach and wondering if their parents knew they were out on the beach dressed like that. One summer, I followed some people up and down the beach so I could read their tattoos. I participated in no such behavior this time. Although I will note for you that tattoos seem to have multiplied exponentially on people since the 1990’s.

Being at or near the beach was fun. I came home rested and without a sunburn.

Driving was another matter. The beaches of Gulf Shores attract many drivers. I’m not sure where they were all headed but Mississippi seemed full. Everyone on the road was headed south. It was a crowded slow drive to the beach. Returning to the safety of north Louisiana was another matter. We drove home on Sunday.

These are my observations from that drive. From Fort Morgan, Alabama to Gibsland, Louisiana on the route of travel we counted 21 Dollar General stores. I am sure there are many more stores, but a good part of our drive was on the interstate. We bypassed many small towns that doubtless claimed one. Dollar General stores seem to be like Wisteria in my back yard, they are popping up everywhere. There was one place in Mississippi there were two of them within a half mile of each other. I’m wondering why we can’t get a Dollar General store in the Gibsland metroplex.

My ratio of 14:1 travel trailers still holds. I noted years ago that for each travel trailer you see in your direction of travel, you will see 14 headed in the opposite direction before you encounter the next travel trailer headed your way. The 14:1 ratio held up in the state of Alabama, even as we neared the Gulf Coast beaches.  The math fell apart the Love’s Travel stops and the one Buc-ee’s on the way to the beach. 

There are lots of churches between Fort Morgan, Alabama and Gibsland, Louisiana. They are in all shapes, sizes, and denominations. Most of them seemed to have one thing in common. Their parking lots were empty.

On any given Sunday in our part of the Bible belt, 80% of the population does something other than go to church. Maybe you need to sit with that number for a moment. Could the lack of church participation and the insanity of our culture share some inverse proportional relationship? It certainly makes one wonder.

Of the 21 Dollar General’s I could see, most of them were doing a brisk business on Sunday morning. What does Dollar General have that the church is missing?

I decided for my soul’s sanity I won’t plan any more vacations where I am driving on a Sunday morning. I need to be in church. I want to be in church. Perhaps you will join me there.

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This is Part Two of a two part series. Check out yesterday’s publication to read Part One.

By Kelsey Horath

What once was a company with the goal to simply sell over the span of Louisiana, has now surpassed that, selling worldwide. 

“My whole goal when I first started doing this was to cover all of Louisiana and now, we are pretty well all over the world,” Dolph Williams, founder and CEO of Frosty Factory, said. 

Since opening Frosty Factory in 1983, the production demand for frozen drink machines has nearly doubled. This allowing the factory to sell to hundreds of cities across America. 

“If you go down to Bourbon Street, you’ll only see our equipment,” Allison Lee, sales manager of Frosty Factory, said. “If you go to Las Vegas, you’ll see our equipment on the strips and Fat Tuesday’s, Wet Willie’s and all the big daiquiri bars have our machines as well.”

Lee said Frosty Factory provides dozens of frozen drink machines for adventure parks such as Disney World and Harry Potter World too. 

With the popularity and success of the machines, Frosty Factory has also made its way out of the U.S. and North America. Every continent holds a Frosty Factory machine, Antarctica being the only exception of course.

“Our machines can be found in multiple countries over the world and in every continent,” Lee said. “We are the industry standard for frozen drink machine equipment.”

With this title and recognition, Frosty Factory has gained cliental with numerous celebrities wanting to purchase equipment. 

“We ship to the rapper, 50 Cent, we have some machines on the production schedule for Kendra Scott and we also sell to Sketchers, believe it or not,” Lee said. “Customers see our big drink machines in places like Sketchers and are drawn into the business.”

With the production schedule growing fiercely at the factory, more employees and space has had to be added.

“Recently, the factory has been undergoing renovation by expanding building and production space, adding new offices for employees and other interior and exterior restorations,” Heath Williams, president and owner of Frosty Factory, said. 

Heath Williams said there has also been a new showroom added to present future and potential cliental the products Frosty Factory offers. After the renovations are finalized during the coming summer months, Frosty Factory will be scheduling a grand reopening for the surrounding community.

“This will be the perfect opportunity for Ruston residents to see what Frosty Factory truly is,” Lee said. “People in Ruston don’t know we are here, don’t know what we do and don’t know what Frosty Factory means.”

More often than expected, the company is mistaken for producing things other than frozen drink machines by local citizens. 

“People ask all the time if we make the ice cream for Wendy’s Frosty,” Lee said. “No, that is not what we do, Frosty Factory builds frozen drink machines.”

To stop this misunderstanding, Lee changed the marketing for the company when joining the Frosty Factory team, updated the website and took steps to getting Frosty Factory’s name spread in the Ruston community. 

“I wanted to let everybody know how big and how wonderful Frosty Factory actually is,” Lee said. 

The company is still getting bigger by the day and growing its name worldwide. The mama who needed a “big machine” in that old country liquor store did not realize the success her son would one day create.  

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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, May 27
5:30-7:30 p.m.: Closing reception for artist Felicia Burse (Creative Exchange, 112 W. Alabama Ave.)

Saturday, May 28
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Music at Railroad Park

Monday, May 30
Memorial Day
11 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Trinity Methodist Church, 1000 Woodward Ave., Ruston) — free sack lunches for needy individuals while supplies last each week

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Susan “Susie” Lynn Turner 
February 22, 1968 – May 22, 2022 
Service: 2:00PM, Friday, May 27, 2022 at Rock Corner Baptist Church in Dubach 
Burial: Friday, May 27, 2022 at Mineral Springs Cemetery in Dubach  

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All festival activities are free from 9:00am – 5:00pm.
Admission from 5:00pm – 11:00pm:
$10 for adults (12+)
$5 for kids (4 and under are free all day)

9:00am – 5:00pm
Peach Art Market
Discover art, handmade items, and homemade goods from local artists, artisans, and makers.
Location: Sexton Lot across from Railroad Park

9:00am – 5:00pm
Kids Alley: An Art Experience
Kids of all ages can enjoy hands-on art activities and crafts on East Park Ave., along with interactive performances and demonstrations on the Kids Alley Stage in Esma’s Alley.

Kids Alley activities provided by 4-H, Cub Scouts – Pack 45, Junior Auxiliary of Ruston, Lincoln Parish French Immersion FLAIR, Lincoln Parish Library, Louisiana Tech STEM, Magical Memories, North Central Louisiana Arts Council, Ruston Artisans, and Ruston Community Theatre.

Kids Alley Stage Schedule
10:00am: Science Guys (science demo)
11:00am: J&W Music (instrument show & tell)
12:00pm: 4-H (demonstration)
1:00pm: Lady Chops (interactive percussion performance
2:00pm: Missy Crain Dance (dance performance)
3:00pm: Dat Does the Trick (magic show)
4:00pm: Ruston Community Theatre (scenes from upcoming shows)

Live Performances on the Railroad Park Stage
9:00am: Fifth Sunday
10:00am: Hali Brown
11:00am: Jarrett Bailey
12:00pm: Katelyn Fajardo
1:00pm: Cal Presley Band
2:00pm: Derrick McLendon
3:00pm: The Joanitones
4:30pm: Dead Reckoning String Band
5:30pm: Cold Canyons
7:00pm: Johnny Earthquake & The Moon Dogs
9:30pm: J.A.M. Brass Band

Other Festival Events
May 30 – June 3
Peach Hunt
Find a mystery card hidden in Ruston and you’ll have the key to win $500! Clues will be released every day at 10:00 a.m. on the Louisiana Peach Festival Facebook and Ruston radio stations. Winner must take a selfie at the location of the Peach Prize to prove authenticity. Happy peach hunting!

May 30 – June 4
Peach Restaurant Roundup
Get your appetite ready for all things peachy during the Peach Restaurant Roundup! You can expect peach-inspired drinks, eats, and treats at participating Ruston restaurants.

June 1 – June 23
Peach Art Exhibit
The North Central Louisiana Arts Council will again host its popular Peach Art Exhibit during the festival. The exhibit features drawings, paintings, photography, 3-D art, and mixed media from artists of all ages. Lincoln Parish Library, 910 N Trenton St.

June 2 – June 4
Peachy Sidewalk Sale
Enjoy three days of specials and discounts at participating downtown shops during the Peachy Sidewalk Sale! Downtown Ruston.

June 3-4 | 8:00 p.m.
Annual Peach Rodeo
Patrons will enjoy all standard rodeo events including bull riding, bronc riding, barrel racing, and roping. Calf scramble for local children, dog demonstrations by Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, and family entertainment for all. Andy Richardson will perform at 7:30 pm both nights. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. North Louisiana Expo Center, 165 Fairgrounds Rd.

June 4 | 9:00 a.m.
Peach Parade brought to you by Quota of Ruston
Peachy floats will roll through Downtown Ruston. Grab a spot on the route and catch candy and goodies from floats that will be decorated in a “Throwback to Our Roots” theme. If you’re interested in entering a float, you can view the guidelines & application here. Starting on W. Alabama at Tech Drive, turning right on Trenton St, and ending at California Ave.

June 4 | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Ruston Farmers Market
Shop, eat and support local producers and creators at the Ruston Farmers Market. Seasonal fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, honey, jams, salsa, and other locally produced goods are available on site. 220 E. Mississippi Ave.

June 4
Queen Dixie Gem Peach and Princess Peach Pageant
Queen Dixie Gem Peach will be open to any girl living in and attending school in Lincoln Parish who has completed 9th, 10th or 11th grade. They will compete in interview, outfit of choice, and evening gown. Location: Cedar Creek

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By T. Scott Boatright

After the Ruston softball team went 2-22 in 2022 with no district wins, RHS Athletics Director Jerrod Baugh wanted to bring in a hungry young coach from a proven program to turn things around for the Lady Bearcats.

And he found his coach in Carthage, Texas, where Lauren Garvie was serving as an assistant coach.

“I’m very excited. This is what I’ve been working toward for years now since I entered coaching,” Garvie said. “When I was a player, I decided that I wanted to be a head coach one day. I wanted to run my own softball program.”

Baugh said that while he wasn’t necessarily looking toward Texas to find a softball coach, he’s more than pleased about the way things turned out.

“She and her husband are moving to the area and she was looking at schools — I think West Monroe tried to hire her,” Baugh said about Garvie. “When I was coaching in Gladewater, Texas, I coached in the same district as Carthage and knew it was a strong program. They had won a lot of softball games.

“I’d love to say I went there looking for a coach, but Lauren really just kind of fell into our laps. I think she’s a good young coach, and I know she’s hungry. I think she’s going to be really good for our kids, and that’s the most important thing.”

A native of Sugarland, Texas, who went on to play at East Texas Baptist University, Garvie is a five-year coaching veteran that spent the last four seasons as an assistant at Carthage High School.

“I went to East Texas to play softball but suffered a pretty bad injury. I broke my back and dislocated my hip,” Garvie said. “So my career was cut short. I decided to be bi-vocational in ministry and worked in a youth ministry in the area.”

Moving on to coaching after graduating from East Texas Baptist, Garvie played a key role this past season in helping lead Carthage to a 21-12-1 record, helping guide the Bulldogs to a two-game series sweep in the opening round of the playoffs before falling to eventual Texas Class IV state champion Lake Belton in the second round.

“I have a lot of ideas and a lot of goals for the Ruston softball program,” Garvie said. “I was very lucky in Carthage where my head coach let me take on a lot of responsibilities, more than most head coaches usually give their assistants. And I got to see some girls, seniors this past season who were my freshmen my first year in Carthage buy into my plan. One day when my shortstop made a great play and spun around and looked at me in the dugout and pointed at me, I knew that I had made an impact.

“Over the years I saw a lot of grit in my girls and a lot of excitement about being on the field. I kept telling our defense they were going to practice with purpose and play with passion, that every day they stepped on the field it was an honor.”

That’s something she plans on bringing to the Lady Bearcats.

“I want the Ruston girls to know the honor it is to be on the team, because it’s way more than just a game,” Garvie said. “It’s something that can teach them how to be young ladies. I want to see a little bit of that and a little bit of grit and heart that the girls at Carthage showed.

“When you put on a Carthage uniform there’s an expectation to be great. And that kind of expectation has absolutely just overflowed in me. I already had that expectation when I came to Carthage, but coaching there made it that much stronger and that’s what I’m going to bring to my team in Ruston.”

Garvie said her coaching style starts with the basics with a little psychology thrown in.

“I am huge about fundamentals,” she said. “I want things done in a very specific way, but at the same time you have to know your players. A mentor told me early on that a coach has to have a pulse on every player. Different players may have to be handled differently, and that’s OK. You might need to get up in the face of one player to reach her while you may have to pull another player off to the side and say, ‘Let me show you step by step about what I need from you.’ 

“That’s my plan. Yes, I’ll tailor things to the players I have, but I have a goal and a mindset on things like how we’re going to play our shifts and our cuts. How we’re going to swing, even.”

Garvie said she won’t set any kind of timetable for success without her team being part of it.

“I haven’t gotten to be on the field with the girls yet,” Garvie said. “I have a mindset of where I’d like to be by my first year and my second year. But when I get to know my girls, we’ll have a team meeting and set a team goal. We’ll tell the upperclassmen, this is where you were, where do you want to take us. Let’s set a team goal right now.

“And then hang that up in the locker room and let the girls touch it every day and feel that, ‘We’re going to get this.’ I want them to buy into where they want to go and who they want to be.”

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This is Part One of a two-part series. Check back tomorrow for Part Two.

By Kelsey Horath

Frosty Factory has been manufacturing frozen drink machines in Ruston since 1983, but these machines reach far beyond the walls of this town. However, to fully understand the success of this company, one must first know where it all began.

“When asked where it all started, I go back to the days of Wilmart,” said Dolph Williams, founder and CEO of Frosty Factory. 

Williams and his parents opened Wilmart in 1977, where they sold different liquors and alcoholic beverages. One of the most popular was a frozen drink created by his mother.

“My mother bought hundreds of these small bottles of products on sale for just a little of nothing and when they came in, they did not sell that well,” said Williams. “After they wouldn’t sell, she came up with this idea to make frozen drinks out of the little bottles, so she got a blender, bucket of ice and some cups.”

Not long after, the hundreds of small bottles had disappeared and the frozen drinks were a hit. His mother created a recipe that allowed her to go on to make the frozen drinks as it continued to gain popularity amongst the surrounding community. 

“People kept hearing about these drinks that you could buy at this liquor store out in the country, and it continued to get bigger and bigger,” said Williams. “But my mother’s blenders kept burning up from all the drinks she had to make, and she would make me go buy new ones throughout the week.”

After one too many runs to Walmart for a new blender, Williams bought multiple small drink machines that use to hold the kids’ beverage known as “Tootie Fruity Drinks” found in old convenience stores. However, the multiple machines purchased by Williams were no match for the growing demand of the drink. 

“My mom looked at me one day and said, ‘We got to have a big machine to do this,’ and that is what got me to thinking that I could design this machine,” said Williams. “I took a brown paper bag I had from Piggle Wiggly’s, cut it open and started writing down my ideas.”

Just a few short weeks later, Williams began building the machine and had his first 20 sold before he even finished the constructing and designing process. After realizing the need for these frozen drink machines in other establishments outside of Wilmart and the success they could have, Williams produced the first Frosty Factory on Farmerville Highway, where they are still producing today.  

“The more machines we built; the better business got. Now we are worldwide,” said Williams.

But the story is just beginning for Frosty Factory that started because of an old liquor store in the country and a mama who needed a “big machine.”

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A Calhoun man was arrested Monday night after he allegedly crashed into the Ruston Chevron & Subway on the North Service Road.

Ruston Police responded to a single vehicle crash about 11:30 p.m. to find a damaged Ford pickup in the parking lot and damage to the wall and window of the store. The driver, Jimmy Joe Kinman, 40, said his foot slipped and when his truck bumped the curb, it scared him, causing him to hit the gas pedal and strike the building.

Kinman admitted smoking marijuana earlier. In a search of the vehicle, officers found several pills identified as an over-the-counter medication, a marijuana cigarette, and cigarette rolling papers. A drink can in the truck had a false screw top that was removed to reveal a small vial containing pills of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine.

Kinman was arrested and booked for reckless operation of a vehicle, possession of marijuana, possession of Schedule II controlled substances (amphetamine & dextroamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving with a suspended license.

Bail was set at $7,500.

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Louisiana Tech University’s School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry (SAFS) awarded $34,000 in scholarships and a number of other awards at its annual Agriculture Scholarship Banquet.

“These students have worked incredibly hard to position themselves to continue their successful career path in agriculture,” said Dr. Christopher Keyes, SAFS Director. “They’ve demonstrated the Tenets of our university including excellence, commitment, knowledge, and leadership and deserve to be celebrated.”

Featured students:

• Agriculture Business – Hunter Knowles of Bossier City and Chase Lemoine of Pioneer
• Agriculture Education – Cadie Coleman of Ruston
• Animal Science – Molly Dickens of Benton, Kelcy Dixon of Farmerville, and Kathryn Eschete of St. Francisville

Scholarship recipients:

• Riser and Melton Tech Farm Scholarship – Erica Thomas of Ida and Nicolas Vaccaro of Covington
• David Lee Hays Scholarship – Jordan Porter of  Cypress, Texas
• Dr. Glenn E. Clark Scholarship – Hanna Johnson of Start
• Track Kavanaugh Service Award – Truett Bankston of Baton Rouge
• Tommie & Susie Murphey Memorial Scholarship – Kylie Maldonado of Benton
• Bulldog BBQ Rub Scholarship – Katelyn Lacy of Walker
• E.C. “Conry” McCann Scholarship – Jacob Thibodeaux of Shreveport and Elizabeth Walker of Taylor
• Joel W. Petrus Scholarship – Ella Thomas of Ruston
• Landon Hays Memorial Scholarship – Nico Norris of Ruston, Jordan Brothers of Haughton, Kathryn Eschete of St. Francisville, Clayton Guyotte of Ruston
• Todd McAfee Memorial Scholarship – Logan McGrath of Haughton
• T.W. Ray Johnson Scholarship – Caitlin Lawrence of Benton and Alyssa Mayfield of Monroe
• John S. and Emmie Louise Green Scholarship – Theadora Dawson of Delhi
• Hal B. Barker Scholarship – Andrea Wheat of West Monroe
• Fred & Daphne Jewell Scholarship – Josie Camp of Winnfield
• John A. Wright Scholarship – Kyleigh Bass of Choudrant
• James Furman & Lavara B. Love Scholarship – Kyleigh Bass of Choudrant
• Dr. Jeff Hillard Memorial Scholarship – Kerington Bass of Choudrant,  Baileigh Snow of Murfreesborough, Tennessee, and Grant Davis of Monroe
• Ruston Garden Club – Baileigh Snow of Murfreesborough, Tennessee
• Hayne Folk Endowment Scholarship – George Stalling of Oak Grove
• Forbes Leadership Award – Alyson Fontenot of Pineville
• The Agricultural Endowment Scholarship – Abigail Wheat of Natchitoches, Brooke Legendre of Slidell, Alana Lovette of Boyce
• The Agricultural Sciences Scholarship – Laila Chenevert of Cottonport, Kaylee Craddock of Patterson, Kendall LaVigne of Shreveport
• Debra Martin Memorial Scholarship – Tara Lamb of Wheatland, California, Gabrielle Harris of Shreveport, Makenzi Williamson of Haughton
• William Green Endowed Scholarship – Alyssa Woodard of Coushatta and Kathlyn Redman of West Monroe

Students awarded a stethoscope for being admitted to veterinary school:

• Rhiannon Ballard-Davis – West Monroe
• Katie Black – Bossier City
• Rachel Buckels – Alexandria
• Mary Cloutier – Baton Rouge
• Molly Dickens – Bossier City
• Katherine Franklin – Delhi
• Marianna Gallaspy – Bogalusa
• Kelly Gerald – Shreveport
• Zharia Gray – Monroe
• Kelsey Hightower – Blanchard
• Jay Miller – Dry Creek
• Ethan Neal – Pineville
• Brent Riley Nugent – Kolin
• Zachary Roberts – Fountain Hill, Arkansas
• Katheryn Steffins – West Monroe
• Sonni Tarver – Alexandria
• Courtney Wingate – Shreveport

Students recognized for active participation in the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Zeta, the honor society of highest distinction for service, leadership, and scholarship for agriculture and natural resources:

• Kerington Bass – Choudrant
• Kyleigh Bass – Choudrant
• Arabella (Bella) Bailey – San Marcos, Texas
• Katie Black – Bossier City
• Jordan Brothers – Haughton
• Rachel Buckels – Alexandria
• Allison Clark – Shreveport
• Molly Dickens – Benton
• Kathryn Eschete – St. Francisville
• Zharia Gray – Monroe
• Clayton Guyotte – Ruston
• Kyla Jones – Shreveport
• Elizabeth “Corinne” McFerren – Bossier City
• Kathlyn Redman – West Monroe
• Christan Robicheaux – Lafayette
• Emonie Roussell – New Orleans
• Alyssa Woodard – Coushatta
• Makenzi Williamson – Haughton

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By T. Scott Boatright

The Good Lord often works in mysterious ways.

That’s something new Ruston High School boys soccer coach Erich Hankamer believes.

Hankamer is coming to Ruston after coaching the past three seasons at Pennsylvania’s Mifflinburg High School, where his girls’ team won a title and he was named Heartland Athletic Conference Division I Coach of the Year last December.

A 2010 graduate of Fontbonne University in his hometown of St. Louis, Hankamer earned his master’s degree in Sport and Fitness Administration/Management in 2012 from Missouri Baptist University, coaching both girls and boys soccer along the way.

His wife Jillian, a native of Nacogdoches, Texas,  has been serving as pastor of First Baptist Church in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and recently was assigned to take over a church in Monroe, with the Lord’s work leading them to Louisiana.

“The Ruston job came to me from a church contact we made even before we knew it was official that my wife would be taking over the church in Monroe,” Hankamer said. “So I emailed the athletic director and told him that we might be moving to the area and that I was interested in the job, and that I had attached my resume to the email. 

“Within 48 hours it turned into my wife and I were moving to Monroe, and I was hired as the new Ruston boys soccer coach.”

While he didn’t play college soccer, Hankamer said a natural, lifelong love for the game led him to coaching soccer.

“Being from St. Louis, it was kind of the sport to play when I was growing up,” Hankamer said. “I just kind of fell in love with it. I’ve had good mentors over the years who taught me the game, and it’s something I love to do to give back. It’s what I’m meant to do.”

Playing as a child for a select team whose coach was from overseas, and also  earning the Youth Referee Award in the state of Missouri in 2002, Hankamer said his coaching philosophy is based on a variety of styles.

“Being up here in Pennsylvania the past four years, the game is totally different everywhere you go,” Hankamer said. “So I had to learn to adapt to the style up here. Soccer in St. Louis used more of that possession-style, keeping the ball and knocking it around a little bit kind of play.

“When I moved to Pennsylvania, it was all dump and chase. You get the ball to your fast players and let them do all the work. Coaching at Mifflinburg, I kind of brought that St. Louis philosophy style up here. It took until my third year to really build what we were looking for. But it paid off. This past season at Mifflinburg we had a great season.”

Being patient and seeing his team buy into what he was teaching and see it pay off the way it did 

“It was amazing,” Hankamer said. “Going into my first year, I looked at the class I would have as seniors during my third year there. I wanted them to have a successful senior year. I had eight starting seniors last fall, and they were all starters all three years. So seeing them building that knowledge and learning what I was trying to preach was special. I told them that if they listened and trusted me, it would pay off. They bought into the system, and it showed for their final year.”

Hankamer said he’ll build the system he’ll use with the Bearcats around the players he has to work with.

“I think it shows I’m someone who knows and can see and use different philosophies and find ways to adapt and use what works best for the situation the team is in,” Hankamer said. “You build your system for the players you have, and knowing different philosophies helps you do that. I’ve learned over the years that every team you’re going to have will be different. It’s better when you have an opportunity to work with a team for three years like I did at Mifflinburg. I knew what each player was able to do and built a system around them.”

Hankamer and his wife won’t move to Louisiana until July, but he’s already hit it off with new RHS girls soccer coach Jacquelyn Bean, who will handle summer conditioning workouts for both her Lady Bearcats and Hankamer’s Bearcats.

“That’s a great asset to have,” Hankamer said. “I’m coming down in a couple of weeks to meet the team and get some stuff settled and finalized, but I’ve talked to Coach Bean and we have the same kind of philosophy, and that can only help the programs on both sides grow.”

Hankamer said returning to the South is an added bonus for both him and his wife.

“Her family will be only two hours away, and it will be closer for my family in St. Louis, too.   It wasn’t the big factor behind us making the move, but it certainly didn’t hurt and is a good thing.  

“For me, it’s going to be about adapting again. But that’s what I do. I’ll have to see what I have to work with player-wise. It’s really not starting over as a coach, but seeing how quickly we can adapt to each other as a unit. The one thing I’ll start preaching immediately when I get down there is that we’re going to have to work together. It’ll take time for us to get used to each other, but we’ll grow as a unit together.”

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By Nate Goldstein

On June 14-16, the LSU AgCenter will host its annual Kids in the Kitchen workshop. The three-day event starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. each day. The workshop will be for all entering fourth through sixth graders in Lincoln Parish and cost $60 for each participant. 

The deadline to register for the workshop is June 1.

The LSU AgCenter area nutrition agent, Cathy Judd, said, “ The workshop is a good way to get the kids to try something new. They also get to learn basic kitchen skills for back home to support their families.” 

The workshop kicks off with Eric Brazzel, who teaches the kids proper safety in the kitchen. Brazzel works for the Ruston Fire Department and has participated in the workshop for a few years now. 

Safety in the kitchen is one of the most important things to follow while cooking. The workshop helps students practice the different types of safety they will need in the kitchen to keep them safe cooking. 

“For the workshop, we try to switch it up a little on what we cook. We do make bread, but we also make things like zucchini boats and zucchini chips. It gives the kids a chance to try something new,” Judd said. 

The workshop also emphasizes teaching the students about nutrition. Cooking this like zucchini chips or boats are much healthier options than most junk foods we have today for a snack.

Students will also receive an apron with their names on it and a cookbook binder upon finishing the workshop. 

The LSU AgCenter is still looking for volunteers to help at the workshop. For those interested, please contact the AgCenter at 318-251-5134.

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Cade Gibson delivered the first pitch of the game at 12:30 p.m.

Almost eight hours later, Wade Elliott retired the final batter of the game on a ground out as Louisiana Tech overcame a more than five-hour weather delay in blanking Charlotte 4-0 in the opening day of the 2022 Conference USA Championships at Pete Taylor Park.

The Bulldogs (39-18) capitalized on two first inning 49ers errors and a two-run blast by Adarius Myers to score four runs in the first inning and three Tech pitchers combined for the shutout, the first time in 56 games that Charlotte has been shut out this year.

Gibson (6-4) worked the first three innings before the skies opened up and the lightning sent both teams and fans to shelter. More than five hours later, the Bulldogs returned to the field and so did Gibson, who tossed two more shutout frames.

“He is a fifth-year senior and he has earned the right to go back out there,” said Tech head coach Lane Burroughs. “Trust me, we talked about it for the entire time we were (in the delay) how ever many hours it was. What a gutsy effort by Cade. That’s a long time off after 40 pitches. That’s a gutsy effort to get us through five. I am very proud of him.”

Following the rain delay, Charlotte turned to its ace Spencer Giestling who recorded 11 strikeouts over the final five innings, holding the Bulldogs off the scoreboard.

“Giestling is good,” said Burroughs. “he is as good as we have seen all year. He did that to us last Thursday. It’s a really good breaking ball and there is not much you can do with it. We left some runs out there. We had multiple times with a runner on third and less than two outs, and we couldn’t get it done. But our guys hung with it and we pitched really well.”

But Jonathan Fincher followed Gibson on the mound for Tech, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits.

“Jonathan was as good as he has been all year,” said Burroughs. “He was phenomenal.”

Kyle Crigger came on in the ninth and allowed two base runners before a punch out and a ground ball to Elliott ended the ball game.

“You hand the ball to Crigger and it is lights out,” said Burroughs.

Tech will face Old Dominion at 4 p.m. Thursday. The Monarchs defeated Middle Tennessee 18-7 in Wednesday’s first game.

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