Eight Tesla supercharging stations should be operational in Ruston by end of the year.
Tesla owners in Lincoln Parish will soon have a place to charge their vehicles.
Lincoln Parish Economic Development Director Phillip Smart confirmed that eight Tesla Superchargers (alternate fuel corridors) are being installed on 1315 Eagle Drive, adjacent to the multi-tenant shopping center by Wal Mart.
Smart said a company called MRP Ruston, LLC., is installing them.
According to Tesla’s website, there are over 35,000 Tesla Superchargers globally although these will be the first of their kind in Lincoln Parish.
Ruston resident George Butler bought his Tesla back in 2020. According to Butler, the chargers will be more for those folks driving through Ruston as opposed to those people in the parish who own a Tesla.
“My guess is the people in Lincoln Parish who own Tesla’s have their own chargers at home like I do,” said Butler. “It will be people coming through Ruston who will use them. I was up in Texarkana the other day, and I used the ones they have. It was 150 kilowatts. But these they are installing are 250 kilowatts. This will be a plus to Ruston because people will stop here to use them.”
Butler said that the most common Tesla charger is the 150 kilowatt so Ruston will have the most recent — and faster — version.
According to the Tesla website, superchargers can add up to 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes. Since charging above 80 percent is rarely necessary, stops are typically short and convenient. Tesla Superchargers can fully charge a Tesla within 30 to 45 minutes.
Smart said that the latest timeline has the eight Tesla Superchargers being operational by the end of this year.
He also said that the City of Ruston is looking for a location where it can install Volkswagon brand charging stations. Smart was not able to give a timeline on this project, saying a lot was dependent upon determining a location.
Frosty Factory of America, located at 2301 S. Farmerville St. in Ruston, is planning a ribbon cutting and open house for next week.
Frosty Factory is a frozen drink machine manufacturer who has been in business in Lincoln Parish for nearly 40 years and has expanded and updated the factory.
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.”
With the production schedule growing at the factory, more employees and space has had to be added.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, July 29 at Frosty Factory.
For more information, visit these two previously published stories:
Ask a group of deer hunters around the campfire what the best deer rifle is, and you will hear things like this:
“My ole trusty 30-30 has been knockin’em down since I was a little kid”
“You just can’t beat the tried and true, old faithful .270”
“My grandad’s old 7 Mag he passed down… drops ‘em in their tracks almost every time”
“I tell ya what, my son’s .243 is a real killer. I like that it uses all it’s energy inside the deer”
So, which one of those is the best deer hunting rifle? Well, that’s a difficult one to answer and every hunter seems to have a different opinion. If your shot placement is true, any legal rifle will ethically take down a whitetail deer.
If you’d asked me 1.5 years ago, I would’ve told you the best rifle for a kid was a 7mm-08 with reduced recoil rounds. Why? It has more knockdown power than a .243 and is similar in recoil. I’ve personally seen 15+ deer shot with it and only a few made it out of sight. Plus, the rifle can move up with your kid as they age. The only downside I’ve seen is that the deer that do run, leave a very sparse blood trail (similar to a .243 Winchester).
However, I think I have discovered the best deer rifle… at least for those who dislike recoil and noise but still like knockdown power (kids, women, or just guys like me). It’s the 350 Legend… a straight wall cartridge that is similar to .223 in length and diameter but with basically a .357 round of lead at the tip.
Why the 350 Legend? Well, my good buddy Matt Pullin bought one the first year it came out and he ranted and raved about it. I did a minimum amount of research and made my own uneducated opinion that it was a gimmick load from Winchester to make money. But as season got closer, I knew my son Ridge was embarking on his first deer season. He is very timid to recoil, noises, and anything that could possibly harm him. He is quite the smart boy.
I decided to give the 350 Legend another look, as I knew he would hate the recoil from my 7mm-08 or .243 and I certainly didn’t want to ruin his first experience and make him gun shy. I purchased one at a local outdoors store on a whim. Let’s be honest though, I’ve already made it clear, and we have all agreed that you can’t have too many guns.
Now let’s look at a few of the features of the 350 Legend:
First of all, this rifle is basically a 200-yard max gun. It is a rather large chunk of lead (170 grains) from a small cartridge. For youth (or myself) this is a non-issue because I don’t like shooting past 200 yards personally and don’t let my kids shoot past 150 yards.
Recoil: 7 lbs. of recoil, approximately 30% less than a .243
Penetration: 11.7 inches at 200 yards; about 25% more penetration than a .243
Noise: I have no concrete data but can say it sounds similar to a .22 magnum. Even without ear protection, it is very mild and won’t ring your ears.
Ballistics: On the Hornady loads we shoot, if you’re sighted in at +4 inches at 100, you will be dead on at 200. After that, it falls off pretty quickly. I’ve got mine sighted in around 2 inches high at 100 yards to be dead on at 150 yards (my kids’ max range).
Cost of ammunition: Just over $1 per cartridge, which is pretty dang cheap these days.
Extended hunting season: If you get a single shot (aka crack barrel) it qualifies as a weapon legal to shoot in our primitive gun season.
After one year with the 350 Legend, I’m sold. So much so, that I’ve begun taking it on the rare chance I get to go alone. Also, after one shot with my oldest son, he ditched his trusty 7mm–08 due to all the reasons listed above. Collectively, we killed 8 deer last year with “Ridge’s rifle.” All were near perfect shots (behind the shoulder).Only 2 deer ran, and we had great blood trails (50 yards or less) to follow.
Is this the greatest rifle of all time? I’m not certain, but it definitely has more pros than cons. As far as a rifle for a kid, I can confidently say it’s the best I have seen.
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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, Ridge, and Mae. If you have a story idea or question about the great outdoors, you can reach Dusty at dusty.mcgehee@westrock.com.
It’s hard to believe that summer is more than halfway over.
Of course, I almost welcome it, considering the sweltering heat in Lincoln Parish over the last month. But I digress.
You know what’s harder to believe? We’re seven weeks into this thing, and today is the first day we ACTUALLY USE A GRILL.
This week is especially fun since this is a recipe from my own dad. We both turn 40 and 70 this year, and in recent years we decided to just cook huge meals for each other instead of getting gifts (no joke, last year was prime rib and lobster rolls; we go all out on our birthdays now).
He’s a fantastic cook. I can’t tell you how many times I call him and say, “What are you thawing out for tomorrow?” Honestly, it really doesn’t matter, since we’re going over to eat with him anyway. If he’s cooking, we’re there.
At the risk of getting mushy on you this morning, I’ll sum it all up by saying that I’m thankful that cooking is something we share together. I don’t take for granted that not everyone who is turning 40 soon still has a father on this earth to share experiences. Here’s to many more years cooking together, Pops.
This baby-back rib recipe is fantastic, and not time consuming at all. We cooked on my wood-pellet grill at a precise temperature for just a couple of hours and then finished off with a glaze.
As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
1 Slab of ribs
Your favorite rub (or any McCormick’s Grill Mates will do)
½ cup of honey
¼ cup of brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
Aluminum foil
Directions
Preheat grill to 250 degrees.
Prepare your ribs by liberally sprinkling the rub over the top side and bottom side.
Cook on grill for 2 hours (bone side down).
When the two hours is almost up, melt butter in a small pan over medium low heat.
Add honey and brown sugar over melted butter.
Constantly stir until thoroughly mixed.
Take ribs off grill and put in a sheet of aluminum foil.
Pour glaze over the meat side of ribs and fully wrap in aluminum foil.
Longtime NFL veteran Andrew Whitworth spoke to the Bearcats this summer.
By T. Scott Boatright
The start of fall football camps for high school is about to begin, even in the blazing temperatures that Lincoln Parish has been sizzling in recently.
Ruston High School’s football team has been hard at it with strength and conditioning workouts and 7-on-7 sessions, and RHS head coach Jerrod Baugh said his Bearcats have handled the high temperatures so far.
“It’s been hot, but the players have handled it really well,” Baugh said. “And I like for that to happen. I like for them to get ready for it in the summer so they’ll be used to it by the start of the season and it hopefully won’t affect them as much.
“It’ll still be hot when the season starts, so it’s better to experience now. You’ll still have players cramp up sometimes once the season begins, but hopefully with them being more used to it, hopefully not as much.”
Baugh said he felt the 7-on-7 workouts were good for the Bearcats.
“We did that every Tuesday in June,” Baugh said of 7-on-7 competition. “I thought it went well. We had some good competition. We had Ouachita, Northwood, Southwood and Oak Grove come one time.
“I thought it was very productive. Of course it’s always good for the kids to be able to do something against another school.”
Baugh said senior Jaden Osborne and sophomore Joshua Brantley handled quarterbacking duties for the Bearcats during those competitions.
“They both got reps at quarterback for us,” Baugh said. “It was just a good opportunity for everybody to get some reps against some good competition.”
Baugh had hoped to potentially use the 6-4, 210-pound Brantley some at wide receiver because of his athletic ability and the offensive potential having him and Osborne on the field at the same time.
“That originally had been the plan but we hadn’t had that opportunity to make that happen yet,” Baugh said. “I’m hoping that as we move into fall camp we have the opportunity to play him some at receiver or if not, some other position, possibly.
“It’s just that a back-up quarterback is so valuable. We were able to do that last year with Dawson, so I’m hoping at some point to be able to do something with Josh. He’s very athletic and a smart kid who can pick up on whatever we’re trying to do, so I’m hoping that the situation allows itself for that to be able to happen.”
One thing that has helped Ruston’s signal callers has been the unexpected return of last year’s quarterbacks coach Steven Ensminger, who’s back with the Bearcats after a brief stint across time.
“We hated to lose him when he left and we’re more than happy to have him back,” Baugh said of Ensminger. “It helps with continuity and carryover from last year, including the structure of the way practice was.”
“After he left I had taken over the quarterbacks, so that took me away from some other things that I normally had been able to do and help with in practice. So having Steven back gives us somebody the kids are already used to and the quarterbacks are familiar with his individual position drills. They didn’t miss a beat when he came back in.”
Longtime NFL offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, who played at LSU with Bearcats defensive coordinator Kyle Williams and earned a Super Bowl ring in February as a starter for the Los Angeles Rams before deciding to retire, attended an RHS workout and talked to the team earlier this month.
“Of course he and Kyle are really good friends, so he was in town and came and talked to the kids,” Baugh said of Whitworth. “Anytime you have a player with that kind of experience, from winning three state championships to the Super Bowl in February, it’s good for those kids to hear and think about what he talks about. That’s something we try to do anytime the opportunity comes up.”
But now Baugh and the Bearcats have turned their attention toward the start of preseason workouts.
“It’s just about time,” Baugh said of the start of preseason practice. “And I’m ready. All the coaches are ready. The players are ready. It’s close enough now so that we’re ready for the wait to be over.”
Do you remember the childhood story of Chicken Little? Chicken Little ran around town telling everyone that “the sky is falling.” Chicken Little was exposed as a slightly neurotic and very anxious chicken, who arrived at an erroneous conclusion based on inaccurate information and it cost her heavily!
I think Chicken Little has taken over. We live in a world that is afraid the “sky is falling.” I want to ask you, “Has the sky fallen?” I am looking out my window right now and the sky is firmly in place. Gravity is working. Automobiles and pedestrians are moving along without conflict. Economic transactions are taking place. Best of all, the internet is working today.
Jesus lamented once that we are like sheep without a shepherd. I think we are like sheep, but the new accepted shepherd is leading us astray. We have fallen in to following science as our “shepherds.” We have elevated scientists to god-like levels of respect and awe. If a scientist says it, it must be true. Everyone knows that there has never been a flawed scientific study or conclusion. Anyone remember the ozone layer scare?
I love science. I am not one of those that think the world was created in October 4004 B.C. I think God made the dinosaurs as a beta test for birds and lizards. I think God gave us petrochemicals as a gift and He wonders why we are trying to fuel our machines with our food! I don’t believe that science and God are in conflict. But I don’t worship science. As some of you like to question God, I like to question scientific conclusions. True science would never claim that something was “settled science.” Science never settles down, there is always another observation, hypothesis, experiment, conclusion, and so forth.
I want to suggest that scientists are the “chicken little’s” of our time. Have you heard this phrase, “scientists fear that…?” Scientists are afraid of many things. They are afraid of global warming. They are afraid of viruses. They are afraid of obesity. They are afraid that the cure for one disease may give you another disease. They fear secondhand smoke, lead based paint, asbestos in floor tiles, incandescent light bulbs, not enough forests and too many trees. Scientist fear the sun will have storms or not glow as bright. They fear an asteroid will hit us that we don’t see or that the world’s electromagnetic poles will shift. They are afraid we drink too much coffee and get too little exercise. They fear the carbon footprint. Lest you forget every time you breathe out, you are contributing to the carbon footprint! Our breathing scares them! These same scientists are worried about bovine flatulence. (If cow gas is a problem, I’m going to do my part and eat more steak!) Scientists sound like “chicken little.” Of course, I want to say of their research, “Follow the money.”
Funny, none of the things scientists “fear” have happened. So, the next time you hear a dire prediction about our world, listen for the phrase, “scientists fear that…”
Then I want you to remember Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled and don’t let them be afraid.”
The Grambling State University football team placed four members on the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Preseason teams, which was announced by the league office on Thursday morning during Media Day at the Sheridan-Birmingham hotel. In addition, the Tigers were predicted to finish fourth in the SWAC West Division.
Grambling State defensive lineman Sundiata Anderson was named to the All-SWAC Preseason First Team, while linebacker Blake Thomas, defensive back Quincy Mitchell and kicker/punter Garrett Urban earned Second Team honors.
Anderson, who received the Bluebloods Podcast All-American Preseason honors and was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 list, finished with 31 total tackles, including 21 solo stops as he was an All-SWAC First Team selection last season. The College Park, Ga., native registered a team-high five sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss of 42 yards. In addition, the defensive lineman forced a team-high three fumbles, had two quarterback hurries and one pass breakup.
Thomas played in 11 games last season for the Tigers and finished tied for first on the team in total tackles with 48, including 33 solo stops. He had 3.0 sacks for a loss of 12 yards and 5.5 tackles for a loss of 17 yards. In addition, he recorded one quarterback hurry.
Mitchell finished fifth on the team in total tackles in nine games played. He registered 39 total tackles, with 29 solo stops. Mitchell added 3.0 tackles for a loss of 11 yards. In addition, he recorded three pass breakups and led the team in interceptions, with two, including a 75-yard pick six touchdown against Texas Southern.
Urban, who was named to the All-SWAC Second Team last season, was the Grambling State Most Valuable Player of the 48th Bayou Classic after booting five field goals, including the game-winner against rival Southern.
As a field goal kicker, Urban missed just two kicks all season (at Southern Miss and vs. Alabama A&M) as he went 15-of-17 (88.2 percent), including 8-8 inside 30 yards. In addition, the Houston, Texas native led Grambling State in points with 63 and was 18-of-19 in extra point attempts.
As a punter, Urban registered 79 kicks for 2,844 yards, including 20 inside the 20 and four of over 50-plus yards. His career bests included 12 punts at Houston and 11 against Southern Miss. He averaged 36.0 yards per punt. Urban kicked off 46 times for Grambling State this season, averaging 53.5 yards a kickoff.
Grambling State garnered 77 points, along with one first-place vote, to claim the fourth spot in the SWAC West predicted order of finish. Southern, with 111 points and 11 first-place votes, was chosen to win the division. Alcorn State, with 110 points and five first-place votes, was predicted second followed by Prairie View A&M (82 points and five first-place votes). Arkansas-Pine Bluff (42 points) and Texas Southern (40 points) rounded out the West Division predicted order of finish.
Jackson State, the defending SWAC Champions, was chosen to win the SWAC East Division with 116 points and 12 first-place votes. Florida A&M (108 points and seven first-place votes) claimed the second spot, followed by Alabama A&M (87 points and two first-place votes), Alabama State (60 points and one first-place votes), Bethune-Cookman (56 points) and Mississippi Valley State (35 points).
Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders was selected the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Florida A&M’s Isaiah Land was chosen the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Grambling State opens the 2022 season on Saturday, September 3 in Jonesboro, Ark., against Arkansas State. The Red Wolves won the only other time these two teams met, a 10-7 victory in 1985. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. from Centennial Bank Stadium and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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.
Saturday, July 23 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Altar server training (St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church) 5 p.m.: Talentless Talent Show (Antioch UMC, Simsboro)
Sunday, July 24 6-8:15 p.m.: Vacation Bible School (Douglas Church, 1642 Hwy. 821, Choudrant)
George Cleare has been named the Associate Head Coach for LA Tech Track and Field.
Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech Director of Track and Field Brian Johnson announced Monday the addition of George Cleare as associate head coach specializing in jumps and sprints.
Cleare brings to Ruston a wealth of national and international coaching experience during his time at Texas Southern University and the University of Georgia as well as World Championships and Olympics head coach for his native country, the Bahamas.
“I am very excited to add someone of George’s caliber and championship DNA to our coaching staff,” said Johnson. “George is someone who truly embraces athlete development, a team-first mentality, and a history of creating winning habits. I welcome George, his wife Krishanda, and his son, George II, to the LA Tech Family.”
Most recently, Cleare spent the last five years as an assistant coach for the men’s track and field program at Texas Southern, helping guide the Tigers to runner-up finishes at the SWAC Outdoor and Indoor Championships in 2022. He coached three individual SWAC champions at TSU, Roman Turner (60m), Chadwick Williams (javelin), and Hezekiah Freeman (outdoor shot put).
Prior to TSU, Cleare spent 2010-2015 at Georgia where he coached two SEC Champions in Chanice Porter (indoor long jump) and Saniel Atkinson-Grier (outdoor high jump), six first-team All-American selections, and the NCAA 400m indoor champion, Shaunae Miller, while also breaking two school records in the women’s indoor and outdoor 400m.
Cleare was instrumental in the Lady Bulldogs signing the fourth highest ranked recruiting class following the 2012-13 season, the best ranking in program history.
On the international level, Cleare served as the Bahamas’ head coach during the 2013 World Championships in Moscow and the 2016 Olympics in Rio. In 2013, the Bahamas recorded 11 World Champion qualifiers earning five medals.
Cleare has also developed 10 Olympians, including six competing at the 2016 Rio games, highlighted by Steven Gardiner winning a Silver Medal in the men’s 4x400m relay.
“Joining the Louisiana Tech staff is an incredible and very exciting opportunity. I want to thank Coach Johnson and the administration for welcoming me to their team. I can’t wait to build on the Tech’s rich history and contribute to the team’s continued success.”
Cleare also worked with postgraduate Chris Carter on his way to the 2018 USA indoor national championship in the triple jump (17.20m) and a fifth-place finish at the 2018 International Association of Athletics Federations World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala. (17.15m).
Clear also served as the Bahamas 2009 World Championships Relay Coordinator where his 4x100m relay team won a silver medal.
In addition to coaching, Cleare has been an IAAF Level 1 Lecturer for coach education since 2009.
Cleare graduated with a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Galilee College in Nassau, the Bahamas in 2009 and earned a master of science degree in health and kinesiology from Texas Southern in 2018.
Cleare is currently pursuing his Ed.D. in education administration and supervision from Texas Southern.
Lately, social media has captured the harsh reality of society. Tragedies have caught the attention of numerous audiences across the nation. People constantly post about their everyday lives, the good side and the bad side, often in the form of viral videos.
Most of the time, the bad side is more notable than the good. For example, this past spring, a young man, Tyre Sampson, fell from his seat onto the ground from the Orlando Free Fall in Florida. The viral video reached over a million views on Facebook. Not just Florida, tragedies like this happen almost every day across the nation.
Carolyne Tarver, a sophomore psychology major at Louisiana Tech, said that it can be good to spread information on social media, but not in most cases. Any graphic event that unfolds has its perks with multiple videos posted online about it, but what has perks also has its disadvantages.
“In some cases, it can be good to have videos up so people can see what happened properly, but in this case, it’s not helpful right now, ” Tarver said.
Madison Beam, a junior communication major at Tech, explained that social media is not always a reliable way to spread awareness of tragedies to others.
“It depends on who is talking, ” Beam said.
Many social media outlets have users who post information daily without having the credentials to back up their information.
“If it’s a news outlet, I would be more likely to trust them on social media compared to other people that just call themselves ‘news’ media, ” Beam said.
The more credibility a source has, the more people trust and believe in the source.
People constantly providing a source of harsh realities on the internet can be emotionally tiring for others. Kristi Stake, instructor of communication studies at Tech, said that being on social media can be good, but there are limits to what individuals can say or do.
“Most of my students in my communication classes argue that they have freedom of speech in America so they think they can post whatever they want,” Stake said.
However, she said that is not always the case.
“There are rules on what you can or can’t say on the internet. The problem is that we don’t enforce these rules and people don’t even know they exist,” Stake said. “The only way we fix this situation is to educate ourselves. Show people how social media works and show them why these ‘unknown’ rules are in place.”
The Healthy Foods Card benefit provides an allowance to purchase approved healthy foods and may help you eat healthier.
If you are eligible, Humana plans may be able to help you pay for healthy food to put on the table with the Healthy Foods Card benefit.
It’s included with the Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE H1951-041 (HMO D-SNP).
Healthier grocery purchases … Here’s how it works.
Each month, the Healthy Foods Card is automatically loaded with $75 (unspent money does not roll over to the next month)
Shop at participating stores for approved grocery items
Swipe the Healthy Foods Card at the checkout to pay for purchases
Individuals interested in learning more or signing up can call Cindy Chelette at 318-372-4648 (TTY: 711) Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. or email cchelette@humana.com.
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Humana is a Coordinated Care plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the Louisiana Medicaid program. Enrollment in this Humana plan depends on contract renewal. Applicable to Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE H1951-041 (HMO D-SNP). At Humana, it is important you are treated fairly. Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries comply with applicable Federal Civil Rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ancestry, marital status or religion. English: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). Espanol (Spanish): ATENCION: Si habla espanol, tiene a su disposicion servicios gratuitos de asistencia linguistica. Llame al 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711).
Freda Morris August 25, 1959 – July 20, 2022 Services pending
Clyde “Buster” Sullivan May 16, 1942 – July 18, 2022 Visitation: 9:30-11 a.m., Friday, July 22 at First Baptist Church – Jonesboro Funeral service: 11 a.m., Friday, July 22 at First Baptist Church – Jonesboro
Russell Boyd October 8, 1955 – July 18, 2022 Visitation: 10-11 a.m., Friday, July 22 at Alabama Presbyterian Church in Choudrant Funeral service: 11 a.m., Friday, July 22 at Alabama Presbyterian Church in Choudrant Cemetery committal: Friday, July 22 at Sibley Cemetery in Choudrant
James W. Davis III June 26, 1968 – July 12, 2022 Graveside Service: Saturday, July 23, 2022, 10:00 AM, Greenwood Cemetery, 515 Everett St, Ruston
The Lincoln Parish Library Board of Control met Wednesday night and appointed Jan Canterbury a new board vice president.
By T. Scott Boatright
The Lincoln Parish Library (LPL) Board of Control was introduced to its two new members during Wednesday’s monthly meeting while also appointing Jan Canterbury as new board vice president.
Earlier this month, the Lincoln Parish Police Jury (LLPJ) appointed the two new Library Board of Control members based on the geographical void left by recent board vacancies, with Deborah Gilliam being appointed to represent the Grambling area and Eric McCulloch to represent the Choudrant area.
“This gives me an opportunity to serve in a place of learning, which is an idea I love,” said Gilliam, who teaches in the computer lab at Lincoln Preparatory School.
McCulloch, a financial adviser for Edward Jones in Ruston, also serves on the board for the Ruston Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and brings fiscal skills that will be put to use by the Library Board of Control and could be seen following Wednesday’s meeting talking and crunching numbers with LPL Director Jeremy Bolom.
“I met with (Lincoln Parish Administrator) Doug Postel and (LPPJ member) Logan Hunt. I’ve worked with both of them on the Chamber for years, and they thought I’d be able to help (the LPL Board of Control) because of my financial background,” McCulloch said. “They said they had never really had anyone on the LPL Board of Control with that primary background.
“The Chamber has used the (LPL) Events Center, and we like the facilities and library and believe it’s a great asset for our community. Of course I couldn’t say no. I did realize I would be a good fit to help them out with budget and that kind of (work).”
Canterbury wasn’t in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting but was the lone nominee for vice president (nominated by Bill Jones) and was quickly and unanimously voted in by the LPL Board.
“I did speak with Jan at one point and she said that she would be willing to do it, but if someone else wanted to do it that would be fine, too,” said LPL Board President Amy Jones. “I don’t want to hold anyone back, but she said she was willing to do it if that was agreeable to everyone else.”
In other business, the LPL approved a request from Bolom to extend the library’s (reduced) summer hours (9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Mondays-Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. on Sundays) through Sept. 6 for the purpose of cross training the library’s staff.
“The reason I’m requesting this is so I can begin the cross training. I want to start de-compartmentalizing the library to build more cooperation between departments,” Bolom said. “Basically it’s dissolving research and reader services and circulation into one group of people so that we don’t have different departments needing to find coverage if someone is sick or what have you.
“So the reason I’m asking for this extra month (of extended hours) is so we have enough overlap of staff to be able to shadow each other and learn the various tasks. So that’s where that’s coming from.”
Smith immediately expressed her support of the idea.
“I think it’s for a very specific purpose. If it gets the departments into whatever shape he wants to run them in, I think that serves a good purpose to keep the (operation) hours reduced until Labor Day,” Smith said.
The LPL Board also agreed to Board member Sandra Dupree’s request to make sure thank you letters for donations to the library are made in a more timely fashion than they have been in the past.
Bolom told the Board that upon investigating he had found that the thank yous had not been made in a timely fashion and that he had found a stack of donation letters that still hadn’t been acknowledged, adding that we would take over those duties.
“If I get a bunch all of a sudden, I’ll reach out to the Board to help but right now (the donations) are very occasional and if I take care of it when I deposit the (donation) check, it will be fine,” Bolom said. “I think keeping it straight-lined like that is better.”
Qualifying is underway for November elections, including mayoral races and all 12 seats on the Lincoln Parish School Board.
By Malcolm Butler
With the Nov. 8 primary elections just over three months away, qualifying began Wednesday and will end Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.
Numerous parish seats will be on the November ballot, including all 12 Lincoln Parish School Board district spots as well as mayoral races for Ruston, Grambling, Simsboro, Choudrant and Dubach.
Although current Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker hasn’t yet registered for the race, he confirmed Wednesday afternoon to the LPJ that he plans to run for this third term. Three candidates have already qualified for the Grambling mayoral race, including Alvin Bradley, Leshaun “Yummy” Johnson and incumbent Edward R. Jones.
The Choudrant mayoral race already has two candidates registered, including incumbent Bill Sanderson and Brandon Milner.
A number of current Lincoln Parish School Board members have already qualified for the November election, including David Ferguson (District 2), Donna Doss (District 4), Danny Hancock (District 5), Joe Mitcham (District 6), Hunter Smith (District 7), Lynda Henderson (District 9), Otha Anderson (District 10), George Mack, Jr., (District 11) and Debbie Abrahm (District 12).
As of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Susan Wiley (District 1), Clark Canterbury (District 3) and Lisa Best (District 8) had not yet registered for the race. Wiley announced a few LPSB meetings back that she did not plan to run. Willie “Jim” Washington, Jr. and Danielle Williams have already qualified for District 1, making it currently the only race with multiple candidates. Gloria Miller (District 3) and Gregg Phillips (District 8) have registered as newcomers for those two districts.
Chief of Police races are scheduled for Dubach, Choudrant, Downsville (part of Downsville falls in Lincoln Parish), and Simsboro.
Alderman races for Ruston (Wards 1-5), Choudrant, Downsville and Simsboro are on the November ballot while council member seats will be voted on for Dubach (Districts A-E), Grambling and Vienna.
Individuals interested in running for a seat but register at the Lincoln Parish Courthouse have until tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. to do so.
As of 4 p.m. on Thursday, below are the names of those who have already qualified for the upcoming races based on Secretary of State website.
Phillip Smart came to Lincoln Parish in November and has made an instant impact on the community. We caught up with him to talk about his background and discuss some new businesses coming to town.
Lincoln Parish deputies responded to a residence on McCullin Road Tuesday evening regarding a man entering a house without permission.
At about 6 p.m. deputies talked with the property owner who told deputies Jason Flowers was in the backyard of the residence. Flowers was detained while deputies investigated. The homeowner said he came home and found a truck in his backyard and saw Flowers walk out the front door. Flowers attempted to leave but the homeowner locked Flowers’s keys in the house so he could not leave. No altercation occurred between the two, according to the owner, who said he and his wife live at the house, although he occasionally stays elsewhere.
Flowers told deputies he believed he had permission to be at the house because he and the wife had been in a relationship and that she had been texting him. Flowers showed texts he had received from the wife which included one stating he did not have permission to be at or inside the residence she shares with her husband.
Flowers, 48, of Dubach, was arrested for unauthorized entry into an inhabited dwelling and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. His bail amount was not immediately available.
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.
A Mississippi man was arrested Thursday night after he fled an attempt to arrest him on the Louisiana Tech campus.
At about 7:00 p.m. Thursday, Louisiana Tech Police Officer Jason Fertal stopped a truck without a license plate on campus at the intersection of Homer Street and Texas Ave.
The driver identified himself as Christopher A Griste, 26, of Batesville, Miss. A record check revealed Griste was wanted by authorities in Panola County, Mississippi.
Once the warrant was verified, Officer Fertal had Griste step out of the truck, and he complied. The officer saw a handgun in the pocket of the driver’s door and secured it, then informed Griste of the warrant.
Griste fled on foot east on Texas Avenue and jumped a construction fence where he was apprehended. He was taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center where he was booked on the fugitive warrant and for resisting an officer. The nature of the Panola County charge was not immediately available. A Batesville-area newspaper indicated Griste has appeared in court there on numerous charges.
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.
Bulldog basketball will travel to Puerto Rico for a summer tour in August.
Courtesy of LA Tech Athletics Communications
The Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team will get in some extra work this summer in preparation for the 2022-23 season as the Bulldogs are set to play in Puerto Rico.
LA Tech will get 10 days of practice leading up to the trip on Aug. 9-15 where they will participate in three games. The NCAA allows basketball programs to take a summer tour every four years. ldog basekball
“We are very thankful to our administration and to our donors for making this trip possible,” said head coach Talvin Hester. “Not only will this be extremely beneficial for our team to have additional practices and game action in Puerto Rico, it will also be a huge bonding and educational experience where they will grow closer together and create memories that will last a lifetime.”
While staying in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, the Bulldogs will also get a chance to experience the local culture and learn about the city’s rich history.
LA Tech enters year one under new head coach Talvin Hester. Ten players return off last season’s roster that won 24 games and reached the Conference USA Tournament championship. Among them are returning starters Cobe Williams and Keaston Willis as well as Isaiah Crawford who is working his way back from a season-ending knee injury.
Other key contributors back for another season are Kenny Hunter, Kaleb Stewart, Terran Williams, LaDamien Bradford, David Green and Will Allen (returning from season-ending shoulder injury).
The Bulldogs will blend in four newcomers – Quandre Bullock, Jordan Crawford, Pierre Geneste, Jr. and Dravon Mangum.
A Ruston woman was arrested Sunday evening after she reportedly gave a false name to avoid arrest on outstanding warrants.
A Ruston Police officer stopped a vehicle with no license plate on Maple Street about 11 p.m. Sunday night. The driver said she did not have a driver’s license and identified herself as Deija Williams. A records check showed no results for that name.
The driver stated the owner of the car was her sister. The sister came to the scene to confirm the identity of the driver. When the driver was arrested, she stated her real name was Chastity Ford, 33, and provided the correct Social Security number. A records check revealed three warrants from Ruston City Court for failure to appear on charges of no driver’s license, switched license plate, an open container. A name check also confirmed she did not have a driver’s license.
Ford was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for resisting an officer by providing false information, no driver’s license, and the three failure to appear warrants.
Bail was set at $27,000.
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.
Dr. Donald Kaczvinsky, the George E. Pankey Eminent Scholar in English and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, delivered a paper at the 28th James Joyce Symposium that took place June 12-18.
The Symposium celebrated the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ulysses, referred to as one of the most important works in modernist literature, and was held in the novel’s city setting of Dublin, Ireland at Trinity College and University College.
Kaczvinsky’s presentation, entitled “One Hundred Years of Servitude: Joyce’s Portrait and Swift’s Mothering Sunday,” was part of a panel entitled “Rewriting Joyce Today.”
Lieutenant Frank Wead was one of the best-known “fliers” in the early years of the United States naval aviation service. In 1912, Frank, then sixteen years old, entered the U.S. Naval Academy. Two years later, much of the world was engaged in “the war to end all wars,” World War I. United States President Woodrow Wilson’s policy was for strict and impartial neutrality, and most of the country supported his policy. The American military made preparations for war just in case.
In 1916, Frank graduated from the naval academy as America continued to build up its military strength. In early 1917, Germany began unrestricted submarine warfare on all ships including American ships, and on April 6, 1917, the United States was forced into World War I. Frank spent the remainder of the war as an ensign aboard the USS Shawmut from which he aided in the laying of mines in the North Sea. On November 11, 1918, Germany surrendered, and the war was over.
Following the war, Frank requested and was accepted into naval aviation flight training at the Naval Aeronautic Station Pensacola in Florida. After flight school, Frank promoted naval aviation through air racing competitions. On September 28, 1923, Frank commanded a team of American Navy pilots who competed in and won the Schneider cup seaplane race near Cowes, England. In June 1924, Frank and copilot John C. Price set an endurance record when they piloted a giant Curtiss CS-2 seaplane for 13 hours 23 minutes 15 seconds and travelled 963.12 miles. In the following month, Frank and his copilot beat their world record in the same plane when they stayed aloft over the Potomac River for 15 hours 19 minutes and covered a distance of 1050 miles. The distance would have been greater had a heavy fog not forced Wead to land the plane with five hours of fuel remaining. In June 1924, Frank and Prince broke four world records in the same day. Newspapers reported on his daring feats in airplanes and Frank became something of a national hero.
On Tuesday night, April 13, 1926, Frank had an accident which broke his neck. Surgeons at the Balboa Park naval hospital in San Diego, California, feared his injury would prove fatal. On Friday, April 16, surgeons operated on Frank in what they called “one of the most delicate ever performed at the medical institution.” For several days, Frank remained in critical condition. His chances of survival, according to his doctors, rose to about fifty percent.
Frank had a habit of beating the odds. Three months after his accident, despite his poor condition, Frank was promoted to lieutenant commander. His health gradually improved over the course of two years, but he remained paralyzed from the waist down. Frank eventually learned how to sit up and stand with the aid of steel braces.
Frank needed a new career. At the suggestion of a friend, Frank tried his hand at writing. Initially, Frank wrote non-fiction books pertaining to aviation. In between books, he wrote short historic fiction articles for magazines, which garnered the attention of Hollywood movie producers. He began creating aviation-themed scripts for movies, three dozen of which were turned into films. In 1938, Frank was nominated for two Academy Awards for Test Pilot starring Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, and Spencer Tracy, and The Citadel starring Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell. Frank wrote about what he loved but could no longer do, which was flying.
Frank’s accident was not the result of an ill-fated flight in an aircraft, but a flight of a different sort. Frank Wead, the famous aviator who broke numerous world records before he broke his neck, ended his flying career when he tripped down a flight of stairs in his own home.
Sources:
Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, April 16, 1926, p.11.
The Austin American, April 16, 1926, p.1.
The Fresno Morning Republican, April 18, 1926, p.15.
The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), September 7, 1923, p.14.
Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii), June 23, 1924, p.15.
The Modesto Bee (Modesto, California), July 12, 1924, p.2.
The Dixie Center for the Arts will present Sweet Cecilia in a live performance at the historic Dixie Theater in downtown Ruston at 7 p.m. Saturday, August 6.
The all female, Grammy Nominated band, Sweet Cecilia, is a family trio from Cecilia, La.Their music is deeply rooted in country, rock, folk and Cajun influences.
These three women are not only accomplished vocalists, but musicians and songwriters.
Sweet Cecilia was formally created in 2012. However, sisters Laura Huval and Maegan Berard, along with their first cousin, Callie Guidry, have been singing and making music together since childhood. They keep the music fresh and modern, while holding on to their musical roots and traditions.
So, which one of those is the best deer hunting rifle? Well, that’s a difficult one to answer and every hunter seems to have a different opinion. If your shot placement is true, any legal rifle will ethically take down a whitetail deer.
