Funeral services honoring the life of Ila Faye Shivor Hood of Ruston, LA will be
held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, September 3, 2022 at Cook Baptist Church in Ruston
with Rev. Todd Free and Dr. Joseph Fowler officiating. Burial will follow at
Kilpatrick’s Memorial Gardens under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel
Funeral Home of Ruston.

Ila was born November 14, 1932 in Wisner, LA to Jessie and Cecil Shivor, and she
passed away peacefully at her home in Ruston on August 31, 2022. She was
married to the love of her life, Cecil Hood, of Corinth, LA for 58 years until his
passing in 2011. They had one son, James “Mike” Hood. lla loved to cook,
especially for her family and friends, who perhaps loved to eat her cooking even
more. She also enjoyed reading and collecting cookbooks, swapping recipes,
entertaining, playing cards (specifically Canasta and Skip-Bo) and attending
events, such as the Chevron Retirees’ socials and the annual Hood Squirrel Day
and Shivor Christmas family reunions. Visiting with others was another of Ila’s
treasured pastimes, her favorite topics of discussion being family and her grandson
Brendan, who was her pride and joy. Ila is preceded in death by her parents; her
husband, Cecil; sister-in-law, Elise Shivor; and brother-in-law, Fred Marshall.
Ila is survived by her son, Mike Hood and wife, Charlie, and grandson, Brendan,
all of Dubach, LA; sister, Pearl and husband Bob Horton of Lake Village, AR;
brother, Cecil Shivor of Marksville, LA; Robert Shivor and wife Elaine of
Calhoun, LA; Roy Shivor and wife Sarah of West Monroe, LA; and numerous
nieces, nephews and other family members.

The family is very grateful to the staff at Best Home Health and the special
caregivers who loved Ila and cared so well for her over the last couple of years.
Heartfelt thanks to Sandra Braggs, Shanitra Hendricks, Ramona Jackson, Tammy
Washington, Dorothye Thomas, Kathleen Banks, Felicia Armstrong, Lamisha
Wilson, Ruthie Bell, Marie Peterson and Mary Watts.

Serving as pallbearers will be Randy Bain, Jackson Bain, John Carmichael,
Brendan Hood, Jason Jones and Tom Morris. Honorary pallbearers will be Bob
Horton and Allen Sandifer.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 AM, Saturday, until the time of service at the
church. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or
Operation Christmas Child. To leave an online message for the family, please visit
http://www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com.

Today’s forecast can be found here.

Legislators at the lake

I know better than to write about politics, as this is a subject where my readers could be split 50/50.  But I will make an exception for this, as this is something I believe all of you will enjoy.  Thursday, I was part of the 2nd annual Legislators ProAm fishing tournament on beautiful Lake D’arbonne.  Our State Representative Chris Turner is the man who leads this effort, so we discussed how this event came about and why he is so passionate about it.

Chris Turner was born and raised in Oak Grove and moved to Ruston in 1990 to go to LA Tech.  Chris worked at Super 1 for 24 years and after he left his job at Super 1, he was bombarded by phone calls asking him to run for office.  Why did so many people want him to run for office??  Turner thinks it’s because of his heart for his community. He was known to volunteer about 400 hours a year in our area so people knew where his heart was.  Running a successful campaign, Chris won and is now our State Rep for District 12; he represents all of Union Parish and about half of Lincoln Parish.

How did this start and why?

When you think of politics in La, you think of Interstate 10 North and South.  Everyone says all the money always go south of I-10.  What a better way for people to see Louisiana Tech, Grambling, ULM, basically the whole I-20 corridor.  I wanted to bring everyone up here to show them two of the best places in the country, Squire Creek Country Club and Lake D’Arbonne.  This showcases our area and helps me to get funding up here where needed.

The whole event is to get legislators up here and show them where the resources from Baton Rouge will go and what it will look like.  Once they are able to see that in person, it’s a whole lot easier to sell it.

How many are coming?

This year we have 33 participants out of 105 in the House of Representatives.  This is double what we had last year.  We are growing!

What has the feedback been from the legislators that have attended this in the past?

When I returned to Baton Rouge after this event last year, there were people mad they weren’t invited.  It’s been overwhelming the amount of people that want to come up here and participate.

Is this a common thing for legislators to have a get-together like this event?

I will tell you what’s uncommon….. This one of the only events like this that is not a fundraiser.  I’m strictly doing this to showcase the lake and our area.  In fact, some people from Farmerville wanted to do a fundraiser for me, but I just want to showcase Lincoln and Union parish.  I don’t want any pressure for the legislators, boat captains, or for the guests who come to this event.

What is the latest news on the Mega Ramp proposed for Lake D’arbonne?

Right now, we are looking at where the best location would be, but what’s being proposed is 100 boat trailer area, a docking area that will hold 30-40 boats, and 2-3 pavilions for tournament weigh-ins and other events.  We have national tournaments, local tournaments, and there is no feasible location for all of you to weigh in.  This will greatly help not only the tournament anglers but the weekend warrior who enjoys fishing out here.  I sure hope we can make this happen; I’ve only gotten about 10% of the money but I’m going to fight for the other 90%.

Now talk about the tournament on Thursday… at daylight, 27 legislators were paired up with captains.  I was paired up with District 71 State Rep. Buddy Mincey from the Denham Springs area.  This is the second year we have fished together.  Last year was really tough fishing, and we grinded it out and caught a few… but I guess I showed enough potential for him to request me this year.  The format for this year’s tournament was biggest 5 fish stringer.

The pressure was on!  First thing, I needed this man to get 5 fish in the boat.  Luckily, my first spot panned out and we had five fish in the boat in 45 minutes.  The fishing started off so good Buddy asked the obvious question “Dang Dusty, why didn’t you bring me to this spot last year?!”  We put 15+ fish in the boat in the first three hours.  We actually did so well that we “left fish to find fish” which is a big no-no but I wanted Buddy to see more of the lake.

We finished 9th, but neither of us cared.  Buddy caught lots of fish, and that was the most important part!  The last thing he told me today was “I can’t wait to come back next year!”

It is an honor to be involved with an event like this.  Just like Turner, I want to show what we have north of I-10.  People from all across our state are taking notice of this piece of paradise we are fortunate enough to live in.  Just like Buddy said, I can’t wait to come back next year!

__________________________________

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.

By April Clark Honaker

Fall is approaching, and many are ready to welcome cooler days, changing leaves, and all things pumpkin.

Starting Friday, Sept.  9, Loyal Blue Weekends will kick off with Louisiana Tech’s first home game against Stephen F. Austin. A pep rally in railroad park on Friday will get everyone pumped for Saturday’s game. 

“Every year, we invite the community to come down and participate in a pep rally with cheerleaders and spirit groups,” said Ruston Main Street Director Amy Stegall.

Last year, the home-game pep rallies began featuring Tech’s Band of Pride, which made a huge difference in the energy, Stegall added.

“It’s really awesome to be in Railroad Park when the entire Band of Pride is playing,” Stegall said. “It gets everyone ready for Bulldog football.”

Another bonus of the Loyal Blue Weekends is that a free trolley runs back and forth between downtown and the stadium, so ticket holders can enjoy dinner in town and not have to worry about parking.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, Friends of Ruston Main Street and its community partners will host the second in a series of Ruston Art Encounters downtown. These events will take place the last Saturday of every other month throughout the year, and each will have a different focus.

“It’s about learning about different artists and art styles,” said Stegall.

The mural event will give event goers an opportunity to explore downtown while experiencing samples of mural art from a variety of artists. 

According to Stegall, the organizing committee hopes to have a mural demonstration at Heard Freighthouse Food Park for those interested in learning more about how to create a mural. 

On Thursday, Sept. 29, Ruston Cultural District’s Bulldog Project Auction will take place at Davison Athletic Complex from 6:30-8 p.m. Attendees will have an opportunity to bid on statues from the Bulldog Project. These statues were designed and painted by local artists, and the original ones continue to be displayed throughout town. The auction will include 20 small, “puppy” statues and seven of the original, 3-feet-tall statues. Starting bids are $50 for the small statues in a silent auction and $2,500 for the large statues in a live auction. Tickets for the event are $50 and include heavy hors d’oeuvres, a free drink ticket for the bar, live music, and access to the live and silent auctions. 

On Saturday, Oct. 1, Ruston Main Street will host Pumpkins on Park, an event for the whole family with activities for children, photo opportunities, food, and a movie in Railroad Park. There will be kettle corn and “Monsters, Inc.” will be shown at dark.

“It will be a fun night to kick off the fall season,” Stegall said, “and it’s free.”

To wrap up October, Ruston Main Street’s annual Wine Walk on Friday, Oct. 28, will give those 21 and older a chance to sip, snack, shop and save while exploring downtown. The event will feature live music and special deals with participating merchants.

“It’s a great night to get out with friends or maybe have a girls night,” Stegall said, “so we just encourage everyone to get out and enjoy it.”    

According to Stegall, other events hosted by Ruston Main Street’s partners, such as the Dixie Center for the Arts, NCLAC and Ruston Community Theater, are also happening throughout downtown this fall. Those interested in learning more are encouraged to follow Downtown Ruston and Ruston Cultural District as well as their community partners on social media.

“One of the great things about our community is that we love to be together, and fall is the perfect time to do that,” Stegall said. “I look forward to cheering on the Bulldogs and seeing everyone together in downtown. I hope you’ll join me.” 

Green Clinic Health System is pleased to announce the recent addition of two physicians to the Green Clinic team. Dr. Hannah Rugg, Pediatrician, and Dr. Lauren Sharett, Neurologist, began practicing at the Main Clinic in August 2022.

“We are thrilled to welcome both Dr. Rugg and Dr. Sharett to the Green Clinic team,” said Chris Stegall, Green Clinic CEO. “Throughout the recruitment process, these two physicians were truly standout candidates. We are proud to have Drs. Sharett and Rugg join our clinic and are confident they will be impactful physicians for our patients and the community.”

Dr. Hannah Rugg is a native of Monroe, Louisiana. She attended medical school at LSU New Orleans and completed her pediatric residency at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Rugg provides both preventative and acute care services from birth to college age. She has a particular interest in mental health, nutrition, and adolescent medicine. Dr. Rugg is also fluent in Spanish and enjoys arts and crafts and cooking with her husband in her free time. She is currently accepting new patients.  

“I’m so excited to be home and give back to my community,” said Dr. Hannah Rugg. “I believe in family-centered care, shared decision making with patients and their families, and the importance of building strong foundations to ensure lifelong health.”

Dr. Lauren Sharett earned her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her medical degree from Tulane School of Medicine in New Orleans. She completed her neurology residency at Tulane Medical Center and Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Sharett specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of neurological conditions. She has a particular interest and expertise in migraine/headache management and in recognizing neurological manifestations of rheumatological conditions. Dr. Sharett loves spending time with her family, especially her daughter Violet. She is currently accepting new patients.

“I am thrilled to be providing neurological care to the residents of North Louisiana and surrounding areas,” said Dr. Lauren Sharett. “My family and I are very excited to join the Ruston community and to explore this beautiful region.”

To make an appointment with Dr. Rugg or Dr. Sharett, please call (318) 255-3690.

About Green Clinic Health System
Green Clinic is a multi-specialty clinic, providing both primary and specialty care to patients of all ages. For more than 70 years, Green Clinic has been the primary medical facility serving Ruston and Lincoln Parish. Green Clinic is committed to providing only the highest quality healthcare to its patients and the community. For more information, visit www.green-clinic.com. 

Ruston Cultural District (RCD) invites the community to attend the Bulldog Project Auction on Thursday, September 29^th from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the Davison Athletics Complex. The event is $50 per ticket and will feature music, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a live auction of seven of the original Bulldog Project statues, and a silent auction of “Puppy Project” bulldogs.

The Puppy Project silent auction will feature 20 miniature bulldog statues that have been painted by local artists. Attendees can participate in the silent auction from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.  Starting bids for “puppy” bulldogs are $50. Cash, check and card are all accepted. 40% of proceeds from the Puppy Project silent auction will go back to the artist.

The live auction will begin at 7:00 p.m. Any attendee bidding on a Bulldog Project statue must sign out a paddle before the live auction begins. These 7 bulldogs are 3-feet-tall and can currently be seen around Ruston as part of the original Bulldog Project public art installation. Starting bids for these bulldogs are $2,500. Cash, check and card all accepted. Condition of sale: By bidding on a Bulldog Project statue in the live auction, you understand that the bulldog must remain in public access for a minimum of 2 years to maintain its purpose as a public art installation. Delivery of your statue on a concrete base is included in your total cost of purchase.

“We are so excited to invite the community to come see and bid on these amazing bulldog statues,” said Amy Stegall, President of the Ruston Cultural District. “The Bulldog Project has been a great display of public art. We are happy that the statues will remain in public view and look forward to new and exciting public art opportunities that this fundraiser will inspire in our community.”

This fundraiser will support the Ruston Cultural District, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit,  in future projects and cultural events within the district.

For more information on the Ruston Cultural District and the Puppy Project, please contact Ruston Cultural District President Amy Stegall at 318-251-8647 or culturaldistrict@ruston.org, or visit www.facebook.com/RustonCulturalDistrict. 

Kyle Roberts joins Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh to discuss the Jamboree win over West Monroe and the upcoming season opener against Warren Easton.

Two men were arrested Wednesday on numerous traffic and drug charges after a Lincoln Parish deputy stopped their truck.

At about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Cody L. Joyner, 26, was stopped while driving a vehicle without a license plate. Joyner told Deputy J. Marshall he was aware that he lacked a license plate on the truck and also stated his driver’s license was suspended.

The deputy determined the truck had no inspection sticker, was not insured, and was not registered. A record check showed Joyner was driving under suspension and the passenger, Robert D. Audirsch, 48, was wanted for two warrants for child support.

Audirsch was arrested on the warrants and handcuffed. When he was searched, a syringe was found in his front pants pocket. A small container of marijuana and a metal smoking pipe were found in the vehicle.

When Joyner was searched, a syringe containing suspected methamphetamine was found in his sock.

Both men were taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked. Joyner was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, no insurance, no inspection sticker, failure to register a vehicle, no license plate, and driving under suspension. Bail was set at $12,500.

Audirsch was booked for two warrants for failure to pay child support, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $6,000.

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. 

By T. Scott Boatright

MINDEN — Many football fans are familiar with the phrase “three yards and a cloud of dust.”

But Thursday’s season opening showdown pitting Cedar Creek against Glenbrook was more like “three yards and a spray of mud.”

And in a defensive slugfest played at boggy Apaches Stadium, turnovers were much of the difference as Glenbrook held on for a 12-6 win over the Cougars.

The tempo, and kind  of game it would be, was determined early. Cedar Creek took the opening and marched down to the Glenbrook 1-yard line before turning the ball over on downs. 

Then Cedar Creek  stopped the Apaches again, and thanks to a shanked punt, took over on the Glenbrook side of the field and drove all the way down to the Apaches’ 14 before coming up two inches short on a fourth-and-one situation.

Five plays later the Cougars’ Ladd Thomspon intercepted a Glenbrook pass to set Cedar Creek up with first down at the Apaches’ 10-yard line with 25 seconds left in the opening stanza.

The Cougars got down to the Glenbrook 1 before a double penalty — holding followed by a personal foul – backed them up the Apaches’ 30. Two plays later Cedar Creek turned the ball over on downs.

And that’s the way the game that looked like a heavyweight slugfest fought on a Slip-and-Slide instead of a boxing ring mat would go — as in “go the distance.”

But in the end, the decision would go to Glenbrook.

“It’s a mudpie out here,” Middleton said at game’s end. “It was one of those things where we expected to be able to throw a lot more, and then that didn’t happen. So here we are.”

Glenbrook took over at its own 31 after that Cedar Creek turnover on downs and marched 69 yards on eight plays, with quarterback Ty Feaster taking it in on a 1-yard quarterback sneak for the score.

Cedar Creek blocked the extra point kick attempt, leaving the Apaches up 6-0 with 6:50 remaining in the first half.

The Cougars drove as far as the Glenbrook 36-yard line with a little under two minutes left in the opening half before again turning the ball over on downs as the Apaches went into the locker room leading 6-0 at the half.

“We couldn’t run between the tackles, so our deal was trying to get around the edge,” Middleton said. “We couldn’t throw. It’s wet. Hat’s off to them. They’re a good football team and are going to win a lot of games.

“It’s not taking anything away from them, but we got stopped on the 1-yard line twice. Fourth and goal after getting to their 1 twice. We had a touchdown called back. It is what it is. I don’t know what else I can say.”

Cedar Creek did make one throw that counted as quarterback Caden Middleton threw a 51-yard scoring strike to Jed Stephens with 9:47 remaining that left the game tied at 6-6 after the point after touchdown kick attempt drifted wide right.

A good kick return set Glenbrook up in solid field position, and the Apaches drove all the way to the Cedar Creek 11 before Thompson hauled in his second interception of the game to keep the Cougars alive.

Glenbrook’s Maddox Mandino put the Apaches back on top on a two-yard touchdown run up the middle that gave the home team a 12-6 lead after the PAT pass attempt fell incomplete.

But on the next play from scrimmage following Glenbrook’s kickoff, Mandino sealed the deal for the Apaches with an interception with 5:43 remaining.

Glenbrook then made four straight first downs before going into the victory formation in the final 1:20 to escape with the season-opening win.

“The bottom line — you get stopped on the 1 twice, you don’t deserve to win,” Middleton said. “So here we are in this situation. we’ve got to regroup in a hurry. They got the turnovers. We had our chances. We’ve got to get our offense fixed —  quick.”

“But we’ll bounce back … it is what it is.”

Legislators at the lake

I know better than to write about politics, as this is a subject where my readers could be split 50/50.  But I will make an exception for this, as this is something I believe all of you will enjoy.  Thursday, I was part of the 2nd annual Legislators ProAm fishing tournament on beautiful Lake D’arbonne.  Our State Representative Chris Turner is the man who leads this effort, so we discussed how this event came about and why he is so passionate about it.

Chris Turner was born and raised in Oak Grove and moved to Ruston in 1990 to go to LA Tech.  Chris worked at Super 1 for 24 years and after he left his job at Super 1, he was bombarded by phone calls asking him to run for office.  Why did so many people want him to run for office??  Turner thinks it’s because of his heart for his community. He was known to volunteer about 400 hours a year in our area so people knew where his heart was.  Running a successful campaign, Chris won and is now our State Rep for District 12; he represents all of Union Parish and about half of Lincoln Parish.

How did this start and why?

When you think of politics in La, you think of Interstate 10 North and South.  Everyone says all the money always go south of I-10.  What a better way for people to see Louisiana Tech, Grambling, ULM, basically the whole I-20 corridor.  I wanted to bring everyone up here to show them two of the best places in the country, Squire Creek Country Club and Lake D’Arbonne.  This showcases our area and helps me to get funding up here where needed.

The whole event is to get legislators up here and show them where the resources from Baton Rouge will go and what it will look like.  Once they are able to see that in person, it’s a whole lot easier to sell it.

How many are coming?

This year we have 33 participants out of 105 in the House of Representatives.  This is double what we had last year.  We are growing!

What has the feedback been from the legislators that have attended this in the past?

When I returned to Baton Rouge after this event last year, there were people mad they weren’t invited.  It’s been overwhelming the amount of people that want to come up here and participate.

Is this a common thing for legislators to have a get-together like this event?

I will tell you what’s uncommon….. This one of the only events like this that is not a fundraiser.  I’m strictly doing this to showcase the lake and our area.  In fact, some people from Farmerville wanted to do a fundraiser for me, but I just want to showcase Lincoln and Union parish.  I don’t want any pressure for the legislators, boat captains, or for the guests who come to this event.

What is the latest news on the Mega Ramp proposed for Lake D’arbonne?

Right now, we are looking at where the best location would be, but what’s being proposed is 100 boat trailer area, a docking area that will hold 30-40 boats, and 2-3 pavilions for tournament weigh-ins and other events.  We have national tournaments, local tournaments, and there is no feasible location for all of you to weigh in.  This will greatly help not only the tournament anglers but the weekend warrior who enjoys fishing out here.  I sure hope we can make this happen; I’ve only gotten about 10% of the money but I’m going to fight for the other 90%.

Now talk about the tournament on Thursday… at daylight, 27 legislators were paired up with captains.  I was paired up with District 71 State Rep. Buddy Mincey from the Denham Springs area.  This is the second year we have fished together.  Last year was really tough fishing, and we grinded it out and caught a few… but I guess I showed enough potential for him to request me this year.  The format for this year’s tournament was biggest 5 fish stringer.

The pressure was on!  First thing, I needed this man to get 5 fish in the boat.  Luckily, my first spot panned out and we had five fish in the boat in 45 minutes.  The fishing started off so good Buddy asked the obvious question “Dang Dusty, why didn’t you bring me to this spot last year?!”  We put 15+ fish in the boat in the first three hours.  We actually did so well that we “left fish to find fish” which is a big no-no but I wanted Buddy to see more of the lake.

We finished 9th, but neither of us cared.  Buddy caught lots of fish, and that was the most important part!  The last thing he told me today was “I can’t wait to come back next year!”

It is an honor to be involved with an event like this.  Just like Turner, I want to show what we have north of I-10.  People from all across our state are taking notice of this piece of paradise we are fortunate enough to live in.  Just like Buddy said, I can’t wait to come back next year!

__________________________________

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.

At the Lincoln Parish Journal, we are incredibly grateful for all our advertisers for joining our mission to bring the best news, sports and features right here to your computer nearly every day of the week. 

We work to partner with companies and businesses in Lincoln Parish and surrounding areas to keep you up to speed on all of the great commerce opportunities right here at home. 

That’s why we’ve recently started offering our advertisers the ability to have clickable advertisements with the LPJ that take you directly to their website of choice. It’s another way we offer added value to our partners as they, too, look to run successful businesses for the residents of Lincoln Parish. 

You, too, can offer your support to local businesses by simply clicking on ads that say “Click Here.” Every click is a visit to a company’s business and the chance to stay up to speed on so many excellent products and services. 

If you are interested in advertising with the Lincoln Parish Journal, simply email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com to explore our incredibly affordable rates. 

By Kyle Roberts

COLUMBIA, Mo. — A lopsided rushing effort for the Mizzou Tigers proved to be too much for Louisiana Tech Thursday night, as the Bulldogs were downed 52-24, in Tech coach Sonny Cumbie’s inaugural game at the helm of the program.

“It’s disappointing with this outcome,” Cumbie said after the game. “The thing I take from it being on the field, I’m discouraged by the outcome, but I’m not discouraged about our kids playing. We allowed momentum to build against by turning the ball over in the first half. We have to put (ourselves) in better position coaching-wise and try to not turn the football over.”

The Tigers out-rushed the Bulldogs 327 yards to 13, with five separate rushers scoring a touchdown for Missouri.

“The running (game) has to get better,” Cumbie said. “I have to be patient with the run. We have three running backs that are capable of being more productive than we allowed them to be tonight.”

Tech struck first against the Tigers with a 33-yard field goal by Jacob Barnes to take a 3-0 lead in the first quarter.

Mizzou finally responded with a 41-yard drive capped off by a five-yard touchdown run by senior Cody Schrader on the first play of the second quarter. Roughly 30 seconds later, the Tigers added to the lead after a pick six by junior Joseph Charleston with 14:25 left in the first half. A third straight second quarter Tiger touchdown came thanks to a five-yard reception by five-star freshman Luther Burden with 7:05 to go before halftime. 

Senior tight end Griffin Hebert quickly answered with a 75-yard touchdown reception over the middle of the field with a skinny post route and a great throw from junior quarterback Matthew Downing to cut the lead to 21-10 with 6:53 on the clock in the second. The Tigers led 24-10 at the half. 

After Missouri extended the lead to 38-10 in the fourth quarter, freshman Cyrus Allen hauled in a 65-yard touchdown catch from senior quarterback Parker McNeil to cut the deficit to 38-17 with 13:49 left to play. Allen finished the ballgame with five catches, 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 37-yard TD reception with less than a minute to play.

“That was something we’ve seen in practice,” Cumbie said of the Allen’s performance. “We were excited to see that in a real game. You’re looking at those things as a coach for the positives. We have a lot of games left in the season, and we were pleased with the way Allen played.”

McNeil finished with 142 yards on 7-of-11 passing with two touchdowns. Downing finished 19-of-34 for 184 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Tech returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 10, against Stephen F. Austin in the home opener for the Bulldogs at Joe Aillet Stadium to celebrate Military Appreciation Day. Kickoff is set for at 6 p.m. 

One Sunday in the ancient past I was the associate pastor of the church. I was on the platform with the senior minister. It was song time, and I was blasting away at the song. In the Methodist church we follow the admonition of John Wesley when it comes to congregational singing. His words might be helpful for all of you.

John Wesley said:

“Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor ashamed of its being heard, than when you sang the songs of Satan.” This means no muttering or mumbling when you are singing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”

This one should be posted on the choir loft and read every Sunday by the tenors and sopranos, especially those who have started warbling:

“Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.”

“Above all sing spiritually.” Wesley said.

I was on that platform singing lustily, modestly and spiritually. In the real world can you use lustily and modestly in the same paragraph? That is the fun of being a Methodist; we can straddle the Grand Canyon. We believe A but we also strongly believe B. One writer has noted that John Wesley was “spiritually promiscuous.” He believed anything that worked. We are still following in Father Wesley’s footsteps.

I was blaring away on the hymn and the senior minister leaned over to me and said, “Would you please stop singing you are throwing me off key.” I didn’t know the senior minister was a vocal hitchhiker, but it appeared he was caught between my modulations and the actual music coming from the church organ. I was also messing him up because I am the designated “syncopator.” If you want a good rhythm fouled up, just call me in. I can throw off a marching band!

I remind all the musical elite that the Bible tells me to “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.”

I try to follow the Bible whenever it suits me. That was a theological snide remark in case you missed it.

I can’t sing. I sing in the shower and the dogs sit outside the shower howling! We make beautiful bathroom music. I admire those of you who have the gift of song. I admire musicians because you have rhythm and the wonderful internal clock that allows you to keep the beat. Your gifts have lifted me into the heights of heaven. I love church because of the singing. If we could sing, then take the offering and finish the church service off reading the Bible with more singing I would call that a great Sunday. Please notice the purposeful omission of the sermon!

I keep plugging away, with my singing. I have been elected “first chair” of the monotone section. That section is located near the back door.

The Bible implies very strongly that Jesus sang. I wonder if he was a tenor or a baritone.

We are not judged by what we “can’t do.” We are held accountable for what we can do and will do for the cause of Christ. What can you and will you do to change your world?

Each Monday and Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of non-for-profit upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list or advertise your for-profit events, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com. 

Friday, September 2
7 p.m.: Ruston High School v Warren Easton

Saturday, Sept. 3
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market

Monday, Sept. 5
Labor Day
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Dog Haul (Louisiana Tech)
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — free sack lunches while supplies last each week
5:30 p.m.: Ruston City Council meeting

Louisiana Tech University has announced the names of students on its Summer Quarter President’s and Dean’s honor lists. 

Students whose names are followed by an asterisk earned recognition as members of the president’s honor list. That distinction signifies achievement of at least a 3.8 academic grade point average on a minimum of nine semester hours completed (100-level or higher), with no grade lower than a B. 

To be eligible for the dean’s honor lists, a student is required to earn at least a 3.5 academic grade point average with no grade lower than a C on a minimum of nine semester hours completed (100-level or higher). 

Courses yielding satisfactory/failure grades and courses audited do not count toward eligibility for either recognition. Only undergraduates with no incomplete grades are eligible to make either list. 

Honor students are listed below by their hometowns, with all Louisiana students listed first by parish. 

Lincoln 

• Choudrant: John Colten Green* 
• Dubach: Kaneysha G. Ashley, Sara E. Gast 
• Ruston: Ricardo Jose Auerbach, Gabriela Pintilie*, Elizabeth Grace McBride, Katelyn L. Wyatt, Ethan Daniel Smith, Michael W. Crump, Ashley Nicole Peters, James G. Colvin, Justin Tyler Wrubel, Anna Elizabeth Pody*, Jalia Marie Payne, Conley Andrew Floyd, Halie Skye Ray, Destiny Lynn O’Connor, Jaylen Keyshawn Johnson*, Ivy Lynn Gagnard*, Dylan Cade Foster*, Clayton Davis Guyotte*, Lauren Elizabeth Shirley*, Mackenzie Leigh Scallan, Alec Henry Gatewood, Craig Evan Ellis* 

Courtesy of GSU Athletic Communications

Former Grambling State University women’s basketball student-athlete Justice Coleman continued to add to head coach Freddie Murray‘s extensive resume as she recently signed to play professional basketball.

Coleman, who is the fifth all-time leading scorer in school history with 1,436 points, signed to play for the Liffey Celtics Basketball Club in Dublin, Ireland. She will depart and leave the United States between September 5-9 as she reports to camp.

“I worked out for a couple of teams over the past few months, but I ran into a couple of problems,” Coleman said. “You can’t sign a contract without a passport, so I had to wait on my passport to come. Once the passport arrived, the team, Liffey Celtics, really liked me. I decided to sign with them.”

Murray said he is excited Coleman has this opportunity.

“Justice has had an amazing career at Grambling,” Murray said. “We’re very proud of what she’s accomplished and we want to wish her the best of luck as she embarks on a new chapter.”

Coleman isn’t the first to make the trip overseas to play professionally. In fact, Murray is slowly building a solid core of players who are playing professional basketball.

Just a few years ago, former Grambling State women’s basketball player Shakyla Hill signed a deal with ZKK Kraljevo in Serbia, where all she did was win championships. Hill guided the team to the Milan Ciga Vasojevic Cup championship in 2020 and the Bashkimi women’s basketball team to a 2022 Super League Championship Cup in February.

Coleman said it feels great to have the opportunity to play professional basketball.

“I didn’t really see myself actually pursuing the next level,” she said. “I really didn’t know the opportunity would fall into my lap the way that it did. I put in a lot of work. I feel great about going into this situation and job because I worked hard the entire summer and I’m ready.”

Coleman had a stellar postseason tournament for Grambling State as the Lady Tigers fell in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women’s Basketball Tournament Semifinals. She finished with a team-high 19 points and seven rebounds in a 62-54 win over Alabama A&M. The Baton Rouge, La., native added 12 points and four boards in a loss to Alabama State in the semifinals.

Ruston High volleyball took another match 3-0 this week by beating Ouachita Thursday night in three sets by final scores of 25-16, 25-3, and 25-10.

The Lady Bearcats have now started 2-0 to open the 2022 season.

“We are just two matches into the regular season currently, but I like some of the dynamics we have going on,” Ruston head coach Lucie Hunt said. “We have been working on our blocking and executing our offense in practice, so it’s starting to show in matches. I’m excited to see how we do this weekend.”

Ruston returns to action Saturday at Ascension Episcopal in Lafayette, La. Teams listed playing this weekend will be Beau Chene, Terrebonne, Catholic High New Iberia, and Ascension Episcopal

Quick stats

Allie Richardson: 8 aces
Maggie Ambrose: 4 aces, 10 assists
Hannah Rollins: 4 kills, 2 blocks
Hannah Johnson: 5 kills
Harper Cauley: 5 aces, 4 kills, and 1 block.

Courtesy of GSU Athletics Communications

Grambling State University sophomore outside hitter Jayden James was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced on Thursday. 

James, playing in her first two matches for Grambling State last weekend at the Saluki Bash, recorded 24 total kills as the Lady Tigers went 1-1. The Chandler, Ariz. native logged also logged eight digs, four service aces and one block. In a four-set victory over Southern Illinois, James finished with 15 kills in 29 total attacks, with just three errors.

Alabama State’s Temperance Chatman was selected the defensive player of the week, while Damassy Thompson, of Jackson State, and Kylee Owens, of Prairie View A&M, garnered setter and newcomer of the week accolades.

Grambling State continues its road swing with three matches at the University of North Alabama (UNA) Volleyball Classic in Florence, Ala., this weekend. The Lady Tigers will play host North Alabama at noon on Friday, a match streamed live on ESPN+, followed by a 3 p.m. contest against New Orleans. GSU concludes tournament play at 11 a.m. on Saturday against Lamar.

Today’s forecast can be found here.

Graveside services for Bobby Glen Till, 85, of Dubach, will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 3, 2022, at Hamilton Cemetery, in Dubach, LA. under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes of Ruston.  Visitation will be held from 9:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. at the cemetery.   

Bobby was born June 08, 1937, in Monroe, Louisiana to James Clifford “Buddy” Till and Nedra Ferguson Till.  He passed away on August 31, 2022 in Dubach, Louisiana.  He retired as a welder from Kerr McGee Oil Company.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Dubach, where he was a member of The Fishers of Men Sunday School Class. Bobby loved his family and his church family.  He was known for always having candy to pass out at church on Sundays.  Bobby was loving, kind-hearted, giving, as well as a wonderful son, husband, daddy, grand-dad, and friend.  He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Henrietta Hunt Till; son, Mark Randall Till; brothers, Billy Till and Jerry Till; and sister-in-law, Martha Till.

Bobby is survived by his daughters; Donna Hipp and husband David; Shea Boyt and husband Tommy; six grandchildren; Callie Hipp, Katie Rome and husband Nick, Emily Boyt, Jacob Boyt, John Boyt and Andrew Boyt; three great-grandchildren; Gabriella Rome, Anthony Rome and A.J. Boyt; and sister-in-law; Gretchen Till; nephews; Jeff Till, Todd Till and wife Lisa, and close friend Mike Brown, as well as many close family and friends in the community. 

Planned memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Dubach, P.O. Box 340, Dubach, LA 71235 

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com.