Participation is very simple. Just click on this link below. No entry fee. It’s FREE to play. One entry per contestant.

CLICK HERE: WEEK 16

Paul Frith is the Week 15 winner of the Karl Malone Toyota NFL Pickem Contest presented by 511 and Black Rifle Coffee Company.

He won $150 in cash and prizes. How would you like to join the winners circle?

It’s easy. Each week pick the 10 NFL games that we list and have a chance to win cash and gift cards.

One lucky (or smart) pick’em guru will walk away with $150 worth of cash and prizes. The weekly deadline is Saturday at 10 a.m. (prior to Sunday’s NFL games). 

Anyone is eligible to participate (only one entry per contestant). Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 10 selected NFL games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests).

There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to subscribe to the Lincoln Parish Journal. 

It takes 20-30 seconds to sign up and not much longer than that to make your picks.

All contest decisions by LPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified Monday and are will be requested to take a photo that will run in the following week’s LPJ.

Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the Journal, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. daily e-mail.

Weekly Winners

Week 1: Barry Morales

Week 2: Zoe Collum

Week 3: Joe Peel

Week 4: Linda Fowler

Week 5: John Wakeman

Week 6: Lee Garrett

Week 7: Shawn Payton

Week 8: Don Griffin

Week 9: Charlton Garrett

Week 10: Kevin Watson

Week 11: Doc Hoefler

Week 12: John Price

Week 13: Ronnie Cardwell

Week 14: Christine Hanna

Week 15: Paul Frith

In order for our staff to spend time with friends and family on Christmas, we will not publish Dec. 26. We hope you enjoy your holiday weekend as you are able with your loved ones as well.  

The Lincoln Parish Journal will proudly resume publishing on Tuesday morning at 6:55 a.m. 

Make sure to get your news at 6:55 a.m. Monday through Friday by subscribing for FREE by clicking HERE. All LPJ articles are free and always will be free! 

Funeral Services for Mr. John Audrey Bradshaw, age 90 of Ruston, will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday, December 22, 2022, at Life Church in Ruston with Pastor Dallas Witt and Pastor Chris Witt officiating.  Visitation will be held from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM, December 22, 2022 at the church.  Burial will follow in Douglas Cemetery near Ruston under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston.

Mr. John Bradshaw was born September 12, 1932, in Star City, AR to John Jefferson Bradshaw and Fannie Rebecca Gage with 5 siblings.  John died December 20, 2022, at St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe, LA.  Mr. John and his wife Ruth Bradshaw established and operated Bradshaw’s Body Shop, Inc.  They opened on October 13, 1968.  John also enjoyed hunting with his sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  He loved and trusted God.  John truly loved, and admired his wife of 58 years, Ruth Bradshaw.

Mr. Bradshaw is survived by his five children: Terri and husband Terry Cupid, Jeff Bradshaw and wife Dana, Scott Bradshaw and wife Dawn, Donna and husband Allen Cooper, and Tracey and husband Jesse Witt, all of Ruston, LA. He is also survived by 47 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild as well as many nieces and nephews, one sister Bettie Phillips of Granbury, TX and his Honorary children: Paul McGuire, Elizabeth Johnson, Pam Andrews.  He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, two brothers: Harold Bradshaw and Kenneth Bradshaw and two sisters: Bobbie Oliger and Sissy Turner.

Serving as pallbearers will be Greg Bradshaw, Caleb Witt, Carson Witt, Jamey Bradshaw, Joshua Abraham, and Curtis Andrews.  Honorary pallbearers will be Ronnie Sayers and Donald Willet.

John A Bradshaw 
September 12, 1932 – December 20, 2022 
Services pending 

Eddie Ruth Harris 
Sunday 09/05/1937 — Saturday 12/17/2022   
Visitation: Monday 12/26/2022 3:00pm to 5:00pm at King’s Funeral Home 
Funeral Service: Tuesday 12/27/2022 11:00am, Asberry Baptist Church, Chatham 
Interment: Tuesday 12/27/2022, Asberry Cemetery, Chatham 

By T. Scott Boatright

Christmas is all about being home for the holidays in the place you belong.

Former Ruston Bearcats and Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs will be spending the holidays with the Detroit Lions, where he’s found a home and has made a big impact in recent weeks.

Buggs and the Lions have put themselves in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt at 7-7 and will play the road again at noon on Christmas Eve against the Carolina Panthers.

A sixth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2019 draft, Buggs played in 29 games in three years with the Steelers, recording 31 tackles before being released in January.

He was quickly picked up by Las Vegas and signed to the Raiders practice squad. But shortly before NFL training camps for 2022 began, Buggs was signed by the Lions on July 22.

It didn’t take Buggs long to find his place under the guidance of a pair of former New Orleans Saints assistant coaches — Lions head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

“It’s been great since I’ve joined the Lions — it really is like we’re a family,” Buggs said during a Wednesday afternoon phone interview. “I fit in with them and their system, and the personalities of the coaches and the other players fit in with me.

“The coaches there played the game, so they can relate to players. Just being on this team with these coaches and these players is something special, and I feel very fortunate.”

Buggs, who was maybe better known as “Pooh Bear” or simply “Pooh” during his high school days, has made his home in Alabama now but says he’d still like to get back to Ruston to catch a basketball game on the floor he played on as a two-time All-State basketball player.”

“I get down there every now and then and maybe I’ll try to catch a basketball game,” Buggs said. “I like coming back for those.”

He followed Ruston High School’s recent run all the way to the recent Division I Nonselect School state championship game at the Superdome in New Orleans.

‘“I kept up with them this season and they did a magnificent job,” Buggs said. “(RHS head football coach Jerrod) Baugh, and ‘Coach Chub’ (offensive coordinator Earl Griffin) and Coach (Kai) Burrell and all those guys over there keep in contact with me and I keep in contact with them.

“They did a great job over there this year and made history even though they didn’t win the state championship. But they still won by accomplishing stuff that hadn’t been accomplished in years, so I give a big shout out to Ruston High School and the Ruston Bearcats.”

But for now, Buggs is strictly focused on his role on the defensive line of the Lions, who have won three straight and find themselves in the thick of the NFC Wild Card race with three games remaining.

“We can go far but we just focus on one game at a time one day at a time,” Buggs said. “We don’t focus too far ahead. We just focus on right now.”

Buggs has appeared in all 14 games this season for the  Lions, with 30-plus snaps in each game.  He has 32 tackles along with nine quarterback hurries and one forced fumble so far this season, with a sack made two weeks ago in an upset of the Minnesota Vikings being the first of his career.

The Vikings had a first-and-goal situation at the Lions’ three-yard line when Minnesota tried a little trickeration by having running back Dalvin Cook attempt a jump pass — something Cook is known to do — to a tight end.

But the instincts Buggs first developed at L.J. “Hoss” Garrett Stadium kicked in, and the former Bearcat blasted Cook, forcing a fumble recovered by the Lions’ Kirby Jones.

“We smelled a rat,” Buggs was reported to have said by multiple sources during a postgame interview. “I kinda smelled it at the beginning. They (were) doing a lot of talking and I kinda smelled it out. I had to alert the line, let them know what was going on and then just went and made a play.”

Buggs said that ability at the NFL level was always in him just waiting for the right opportunity and moment to be released.

“I always had that in me,” Buggs said. “But just getting around another group of guys that you relate to, and with a great coaching staff, has helped bring it out. Detroit is a great area and has put together a great team, and that’s what it’s all about.”’

Buggs’  efforts haven’t gone unnoticed by Campbell, as the head coach rewarded him Buggs a game ball during the locker room celebration after the win over the Vikings, referring to the Ruston native along with aa couple of other Lions’ players as  “glue guys” to describe the willing to do the dirty work that often goes unnoticed. 

“If you don’t have enough of those guys, you won’t win in this league and you need a certain amount you certainly need the guys that can give you some juice over the top and all those things as well,” Campbell said. “But man, if you don’t have the guys that are just 100% unselfish, do exactly what they’re asked to do. Do all the dirty work, it’s hard to get places. But we do, we’ve got a lot of those guys and we trust a lot of those guys and we value them.

“They play a huge part for us and that — and I think that’s another thing about this team I think is unique. These guys understand, they have a role. They have a role on this team. They have a role when they go into the game and they’ve embraced that. And if each guy does that, usually good things happen. It’s where we’re at.”

Like Campbell, Glenn knows the Lions have found a diamond in the rough in Buggs.

“Well, I’ll tell you what, that guy’s a guy that we’ve been talking about for a while,” Glenn told reporters after the win over the Vikings. “He doesn’t probably get all the praise that he should, but for him to be able to make that play on that stage, at that time in the red zone, was outstanding for him. So, we know how valuable that player is for us. 

“He’s found a home. We’re happy with him, and I know for a fact that he’s happy being here. So, we just want to continue to get better with that player and continue to understand exactly what we’re doing. And there’s just a lot more improvement that can happen with that player. So, I’m really excited about that player.”

And Buggs is excited about finding a home for the holidays with a chance at the playoffs at hand.

“I love this team,” Buggs said. “This team is coming together tremendously. We are finding ways to win. And everybody is just buying in, collectively — the coaches, the players, everybody. We’re a family here. And as long as we keep doing that, we’ll continue to win.”

Santa better bundle up.

Although temperatures will reach into the 50s by mid-afternoon today, they will drop hard tonight and stay below freezing for at least 36 hours if not into Christmas day.

The forecast is calling for temperatures to drop to as low as 10 degrees tonight with the high on Friday reaching just 27 and the low Friday night dipping to 17 degrees.

Saturday could see temperatures rise to the mid-30s although some forecasts are saying they won’t move above freezing.

Christmas day is calling for a high of 40 degrees.

Lows will deep below freezing for five straight nights according to the most up-to-date forecast.

Next week we will see a reprieve as forecasts are calling for highs in the 60s starting Wednesday and running for at least five days.

_______________________________

Cold Temperature Safety Tips

• Dress in warm layers & limit time spent out in the cold.
• Check on elderly family & neighbors.
• Take care of pets & plants.
• Make sure vehicles are winterized, keep jumper cables, emergency kits in vehicle, especially with holiday travel.
• Protect water pipes, let faucets drip to keep lines from freezing.
• Be cautious of using portable heaters and fireplaces.

Ruston Police arrested two men Friday in separate incidents after amounts of marijuana typically associated with trafficking were found in their vehicles.

Ke’Taurean Fields, 23, of Ruston, was stopped Friday afternoon for excessive tint on his windows. Sergeant D. Castaneda smelled a strong odor of suspected marijuana coming from inside the car. Both Fields and a passenger claimed only a smoked “joint” was in the car.

During a search, Castaneda found a bag containing over 116 grams of suspected marijuana.

Fields claimed ownership of the marijuana and was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. He was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and bail was set at $20,000.

Gregory Prince, 21, of Ruston, was stopped for excessive window tint Friday afternoon.

A plume of smoke smelling of burning marijuana was seen when Prince rolled down his windows as officers approached.

Upon questioning, Prince said he had a handgun in the vehicle but no other drugs. As Prince was looking for paperwork, officers saw two bags of suspected marijuana in the center console.

A search of the vehicle recovered a box of plastic bags, a tray used for weighing marijuana and digital scales. A Glock 43 9mm pistol was also recovered.

Prince was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, illegal possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bail was set at $46,500.

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 Malcolm Butler

Cedar Creek’s varsity girls powerlifting team picked up where it left off from last year when the Lady Cougars captured the Division V title.

Last Saturday head coach Jacob Angevine’s ladies defeated a host of teams, including Ruston, West Monroe, Natchitoches Central, Leesville, North DeSoto, Pineville, Tioga, Buckeye, Southside, Grant and Jena at a meet hosted by defending Division 2defending Division 2 state champion Tioga in their opening meet of the season.

“It was a great first showing from the girls,” said Angevine. “We brought 14 girls and 10 of them finished on the podium. They’ve been eager to get back in a meet since they walked off as state champs back in March. It was the first meet ever for four of our girls, and they did really well. We have 16 total in the program; it’s a really special group of girls.”

Ainsley Riley won the 148-pound class with a total of 825 pounds while Lauren Enterkin won the 165-pound class with a total of 820 pounds. Ashlyn Bourn won the 181-pound class with a total of 875 pounds.

Alli Claire Johnson (97-pound class), Emma Moore (123-pound class), Peyton Muse (132-pound class) and Olivia Salter (165-pound class) all finished as runner-ups in their respective classes.

A complete list of results for the Lady Cougars is below.

Alli Claire Johnson 97 lb class 2nd place 505 lb total

Paisly Hamby 114 lb class 3rd place 595 lb total

Madelyn Carroll 123 lb class 1st place 765 lb total

Emma Moore 123 lb class 2nd place 720 lb total

Peyton Muse 132 lb class 2nd place 730 lb total

Ainsley Riley 148 lb class 1st place 825 lb total

Elli Dickerson 148 lb class 4th place 720 lb total

Catherine Calvert 148 lb class 520 lb total

Lauren Enterkin 165 lb class 1st place 820 lb total

Olivia Salter 165 lb class 2nd place 795 lb total

Ashlyn Bourn 181 lb class 1st place 875 lb total

Kate Harris 181 lb class 640 lb total

Avery Bourn 220+ class 3rd place 840 lb total

Sara Satcher 220+ class 580 lb total

Ruston firefighters battling a blaze at 315 Vernon Street Monday night found the body of a man inside the home.

The Ruston Fire Department responded to the house fire at the intersection of East Arizona Avenue and Vernon Street about 10 p.m. Monday night after a neighbor reported the fire by 911.

Firefighters spent over two hours suppressing the flames.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office described the victim as a disabled man in his 40s. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the man has not been released by authorities.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Ruston Fire Department and the Louisiana State Marshal’s Office.

The Fire Marshal announced Tuesday that three deaths had occurred in Louisiana fires Sunday and Monday.

“It’s cold outside and we know cold temperatures go hand-in-hand with fire tragedies,” said Louisiana State Fire Marshal Dan Wallis, “But we haven’t even seen the harshest temperatures yet. That’s why I’m very concerned and urging families to be aware of the fire hazards in their homes and in the homes of those they love.”

The Fire Marshal said 75 people have died in Louisiana house fires in 2022. In all but a handful of the fires, no working smoke alarms were found. If you need assistance obtaining smoke alarms for your home, Operation Save-A-Life can help. To learn more about Operation Save-A-Life, visit the State Fire Marshal’s website at lasfm.org.

A Ruston man was arrested Saturday morning after he was involved in a traffic crash.

Officers responded to the accident at 805 West Tennessee Avenue about 6 a.m. Saturday morning. The driver, William Pipes, 26, suffered injuries and was taken to North Louisiana Medical Center by ambulance.

Pipes performed poorly on sobriety tests administered by investigating officers at the hospital. Officers observed Pipes had red watery eyes and smelled of alcoholic beverages.

Pipes was arrested for DWI-second offense and taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for a breath test. Pipes refused the breath test and was also booked for driving under suspension.

Bail was set at $4,000.

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. 

Simsboro School hosted a Christmas program for students in grades pre-k through fifth grade on Friday, Dec. 16.

Families were invited to attend. Students sang Christmas songs and recited various Christmas poems, in the auditorium to a packed house.

Following the musical program, families were invited to enjoy a Deck the Halls Art walk with their children. Each child had a piece of Christmas themed art on display. Also in the art walk, each grade had a Christmas tree with various Christmas book themes, decorated with ornaments designed by each student. Several examples of these trees included the Kindergarten Grinch tree that was oh so grinchy and the second grade gingerbread tree that was sweet and magical.

The whole event was special, as the school have not had an event if its kind on several years.

Melane Slocum, librarian, planned and led the musical. Leigh Nugent, art teacher, planned and led the art walk. Countless teachers, administrators and maintenance staff joined in to help make the day a success. 

Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Former Simsboro High School star Jordan Crawford scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to record his first career collegiate double double to lead Louisiana Tech to a 108-52 win over Jarvis Christian Wednesday afternoon at the Thomas Assembly Center.

LA Tech (7-5) took out its frustration of losing three straight on JCU (3-7), exploding for 59 first-half points and then cruising in the second half to a triple-digit total that was the most scored by the program since 2017.

“I thought we played together today,” said Tech head coach Talvin Hester. ” We had 23 assists, rebounded half of our misses.  We got better the second half defensively.  Really excited about the way we played.  Great way to go into Christmas break.”

“We really moved the basketball, which I thought was a direct correlation to us making shots.  Instead of trying to make baskets on our own, we shared the basketball, got to the paint and sprayed it out.  The other day at UTEP, we tried too much of trying to score on our own.  We have to play better together.”

The separation started to happen four minutes into the game as Jordan Crawford made a driving layup to go up 11-7, becoming the last of the five starters to already sink a field goal. 

It ended up being an 11-0 run, making it a 20-7 lead.  That 13-point advantage was still there with 5:55 to play in the first half.  But then Dravon Mangum got hot, connecting on three three-pointers over the next two minutes to help extend the lead for the home Bulldogs. 

LA Tech ended the half on a 24-5 run to give it a 59-27 edge at the midway point.  The point different continued to grow in the second half as the home team clamped down even more so defensively, holding Jarvis Christian to just 26 percent shooting over the final 20 minutes.

All nine Bulldogs suited up got in on the scoring action with five of them reaching double-digit points.  Mangum led the way with a career-high 22 points (19 coming in the first half) followed by Isaiah Crawford with 20, Terran Williams with 15, Keaston Willis with 10..

Tory Cargo and Jamari Robertson anchored the visiting Bulldogs with 11 and 10 points, respectively.  

In 1897, a little girl wrote a letter to the editor of the New York Sun:

DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.

Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’

Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon.

115 West Ninety-Fifth Street.

The response has been published thousands of times since the Sun responded to little Virginia. This version ran in a local newspaper on December 20, 1922:

IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?

It is the same eternal question. And how often will be asked? Just as long and as often as Christmas comes. You will be asked and thousands more, and little children will be answered and reassured and made happy just as was the little girl who put her question to the great editor, Charles A. Dana. She sought high authority when someone abused her faith in childhood’s patron saint to fail, and this is what the famous editor wrote her. It is the answer that we know:–

“Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible to their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clans. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. There would be no childlike faith, no poetry, no romance, to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus.

“The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn! Of course not; but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders here are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the babe’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. It is real! Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

“No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”

Here are the latest Power Ratings from Geaux Preps for high school boys and girls basketball. These are used to determine playoff seeding at the end of the regular season, including where Ruston (Non-Select Division I), Cedar Creek (Select Division IV), Lincoln Preparatory (Select Division IV), Choudrant (Non-Select Division V) and Simsboro (Non-Select Division V) are ranked.

Boys: CLICK HERE

Girls: CLICK HERE

________________________________________

ABOUT THE POWER RATINGS

The changes the LHSAA made to the Power Ratings formula a few years back will have coaches and fans alike wondering why your calculations do not match GeauxPreps.

The top reason for mismatches is calculating Opponents’ Win points. Win Points are no longer just a straight up number of Wins by teams you have played. Points are now based on the number of wins vs number of games played. This was done to make up for playing opponents who did not play a full 10-game schedule.  

See the summary below on how PR is calculated:

• Result of Game: If you win, you get 10 Power Points. If you lose, you get none.
• Classification: If your opponent is in a higher class, you get 2 points for each class higher
• Opponents Wins: To calculate opponents wins: divide the number of wins by total games played, and multiple by 10.
• Add these three components, and this is the PR for that specific game played.
• Do this for all games played, add them all up, and then divide that total by the number of games you played.
• You can compare your calculations with ours by looking at the Team Schedules Pages, there you will see how many points we calculated for each matchup.

Another major factor that causes mismatches, is Out of State opponents.  We strive to make sure that we have to most accurate Win/Loss record for each out of state opponent. Since schools enter the W/L records for their OOS opponents, and because we don’t know how the schools get their record, we often are off on several matchups.

In addition, a team’s strength factor shall be determined by adding the sum of the opponent’s class to the sum of the opponent’s wins and dividing the result by the total number of games played. The strength factor is used when a tie exists between two or more teams and a head-to-head matchup does not exist.

GeauxPreps.com auto-generates its Power Ratings every two hours for football. If you think that you have seen an error or have any other questions, please contact hbower@geauxpreps.com.

Louisiana Tech Athletic Communications

Signing Class: CLICK HERE

Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie announced the addition of 17 new Bulldogs to the 2023 signing class during the early signing period today.

LA Tech added nine new signees on the offensive side of the ball, including five offensive linemen, a quarterback, a wide receiver, a tight end and a running back.

Defensively Tech added eight prospects, including four defensive backs, two linebackers and two defensive linemen.

Relationships played a significant role in the Bulldogs’ coaching staff putting together an impressive class during their first full year in Ruston.

“One of the things we really set out to do was to know each of our players more than just what they did on film. Players have a certain skill level and we felt like they are very talented but they are also competitive kids that know how to win,” said Cumbie.

Of the 17 signees, 10 were in-state products, while the remaining seven were from Texas.

“We were really able to hit Louisiana, east Texas and some towns around the Dallas and Fort Worth area,” Cumbie said. “We are really excited about this group. It is fun to get them all officially signed. We have been able to be around these players and their families a lot and there is a lot of inspiring stories in this signing class. We look forward to getting them here in June and immersing them in our culture at Louisiana Tech.”

Tech got started early this morning with the addition of offensive lineman Roy Brackins III from Woodlawn High School out of Baton Rouge, followed by a local product in safety Cam Hill from Union Parish High School in Farmerville, La.

Brackins III, a 6-3 305-pound offensive lineman, averaged over three pancakes a game while putting up impressive numbers in the weight room, recording a bench press of 350 pounds while squatting 510 pounds.

Hill was a standout at Union Parish High School, where he led the Farmers to a 12-2 mark and a state title appearance as a senior. The Farmerville product recorded 169 tackles, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and eight pass breakups in his prep career. Hill also was a part of state runner-up teams in 2020 and 2021.

The Bulldogs added a pair of three-star recruits from New Orleans in safety Michael Richard and offensive lineman Troy Smith.

Richard prepped at state power Edna Karr High School and chose LA Tech over Arkansas, Mississippi State and UTSA, among others. As a senior, he was an all-state and all-district selection. Richard tallied 100 tackles, 12 pass breakups, eight interceptions, three sacks and two blocked punts in his high school career. He was a member of the Cougars’ state championship team in 2019.

Smith starred at St. Augustine High School, where he collected all-district honors as a senior and junior. The New Orleans product has an impressive frame standing at 6-4 and weighing 285 pounds.

Tight end Eli Finley was the first out-of-state signee when he made things official at 7:20 a.m. Finley is a three-star recruit from Heath, Texas. He helped lead Rockwall-Heath High School to a 7-5 record as a senior while tallying 23 receptions for 230 yards and four touchdowns. Finley was a first-team all-district selection and chose LA Tech over Oregon, Air Force, Army, Navy, North Texas and ULM.

Linebacker Colton Deckard was next on the Bulldogs’ haul of prospects from the Lone Star State. Deckard has an athletic frame (6-3, 190) and played fullback and linebacker while at Muenster High School in Muenster, Texas. Deckard garnered all-state honors and was named region newcomer of the year in 2019. He was a four-sport athlete, lettering in football, baseball, basketball and track.

Physical running back Keith Willis Jr. and Linebacker DeMardrick Blunt were the next additions to Cumbie’s program.

Willis starred at CE King High School in Houston, Texas, rushing for 1,515 yards during the Panthers’ 9-5 season in 2022.

Blunt played both ways at Carroll High School in Monroe, La. The local product tallied 1,200 all-purpose yards and earned all-district and all-parish honors. Blunt also participated in basketball and track for the Bulldogs.

Evan Bullock was the lone quarterback signee on early signing day. The Anna, Texas native led all Texas high school quarterbacks with 56 touchdown passes while throwing for a staggering 4,179 yards with a 66 percent completion percentage. He was a semifinalist for the 2022 Mr. Texas Football Award and was voted district MVP. Bullock led Anna High School to a 13-1 record and a state quarterfinals appearance which was the best mark in school history.

Hahnville wide receiver Dakota Williams was next on the Bulldogs signing slate. The three-star prospect tallied 37 receptions for 637 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. LA Tech won the recruiting battle for Williams over Tulane.

LA Tech continued its impressive signing day swipe of offensive linemen with the edition of east Texas offensive tackle Keystone Allison, who is coming off a 16-0 state championship season at Carthage High School. The 6-4 266-pound athletic tackle chose Tech over 16 other offers, including Indiana, Colorado State, SMU, Tulane, UNLV and UTSA.

Cumbie and company added to the defensive pass rush with the addition of defensive lineman Obinna Okeke out of Houston, Texas. The three-star recruit had an impressive senior campaign at Cypress Falls High School, recording 63 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and a forced fumble on his way to being a unanimous first-team all-district selection.

“Offensive line and defensive line are the most important positions in football,” Cumbie said. “You can’t ever turn down a good offensive or defensive lineman, regardless of what your numbers say.”

Ball-hawking safety Jacob Fields was the next to join the signing class of 2023. Fields is a three-star prospect from Melissa High School in Texas. Fields was an all-state selection as a defensive back and a returner. He tallied 156 tackles, 26 pass breakups, eight interceptions and three forced fumbles in his prep career.

Tech added another defensive back, David Webb III from New Orleans. Webb was a lockdown corner during his senior season at King Charter High School where he tallied four interceptions and did not allow a completion while targeted this season. He was a first-team all-district selection and also lettered in basketball.

LA Tech then got a signature from defensive lineman Delvin Whitaker in St. Francisville, La. The three-star recruit chose LA Tech over the likes of Florida State, Penn State, Purdue, ULM, Northwestern State, Prairie View A&M and Southern. Whitaker garnered all-metro, all-district and all-state honors after leading West Feliciana High School to a 13-1 record which included a district championship.

Next up, was the largest offensive lineman in the class, 6-7 305-pound Hayden Christman from Tioga, La. Christman was an all-district and all-state selection as a senior, helping Tioga to a 7-4 mark. Christman lettered all four years of his prep career while also lettering in basketball and track.

Rounding out the class was Offensive lineman Ja’Marion Kennedy from Northwood High School in Shreveport, La. The physical lineman paved the way for 1,998 rushing yards his senior season helping lead the Falcons to a 9-3 record.

The 2023 recruiting class will be expanded during the second national signing day, which will take place in February.

 Gibsland Bank & Trust in Ruston was one of 10 Restoration Grant recipients in the state. 

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development’s Division of Historic Preservation announced more than $93,000 in grant funding awarded through the Louisiana Main Street program to ten Main Street communities to revitalize historic commercial buildings. The Louisiana Main Street program is an economic development program with its foundation in historic preservation. The program offers two types of competitive state-funded, dollar-for-dollar matching Restoration Grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. Grants are awarded annually for either interior or exterior rehabilitation for a historic commercial building. 

Gibsland Bank & Trust is located at 207 West Alabama Ave. And received $4,242. 

“The Louisiana Main Street Restoration Grants are intended to serve as a catalyst for change in these communities that otherwise may not have been possible,” said Nungesser. “Historic downtowns are the heart of any community and the people who live near these areas will reap the benefits from seeing commercial buildings put back into productive reuse. Visitors and tourists visit a town to learn about its history, experience its culture, and to see its historic landmarks.” 

To qualify for the statewide grant funding, required criteria include that a building must be located within a Main Street district, be used for commercial purposes, and be at least 50 years old. In addition, the local Historic District Commission and the Louisiana Main Street office must approve proposed work, while also conforming to the guidelines set forth by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. 

In 1910, Pietro and Lucia and their six children emigrated from a small town in Italy to Canonsburg, Pennsylvania where Pietro earned meager wages as a millhand.  Two years after their arrival, they added their seventh child, Ronald, to their ever-growing family which eventually totaled thirteen children.  Ronald was the seventh son of a seventh son and the first of the children to be born in America.  Ronald’s family spoke Italian at home and Ronald only began to learn English when he entered elementary school, although he had picked up a few words here and there. 

Funeral services for John Truett Jordan, age 42, will be held at 2:00 P.M., Thursday, December 22, 2022, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home Chapel, in Ruston, LA., with Rev. Jeff Hoffman officiating.  Visitation will begin at 12:00 noon, prior to the funeral service at 2:00 P.M. Interment will follow at the Simsboro City Cemetery, Simsboro, LA., under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes.

John was born December 20, 1980, in Bossier City, LA. He passed away on Monday, December 20, 2022, in Ruston, LA. John was preceded in death by his grandmother, Marie Sasser, and grandfathers, Bobby Daugherty and Milton Odom.

Survivors are his mother, Terrie Ann Jordan; father, Ricky Jordan; brother, Danny Jordan; two children, Katie Nicole Jordan, and Alex Jordan; grandmother, Faye Odom; uncles, Russell Daugherty (Sharon) of Livingston, Texas, and Joel Jordan (Lisa) of San Marcus, Texas; and a host of family and friends.

John attended Mt. Olive School.  After school, John pursued a career in the oil field.  His favorite time was when he worked, as a well site geologist, for a large consulting firm.  Although John experienced some dark times, as so many young people do these days, he managed to bounce back.  His pride and greatest joy, in his life, was his daughter, Katie.

Pallbearers are Timmy Elliott, Tim Nutt, “Chip” Pickett, “Sac” Singleton, Reggie Smith, and Steven Smith.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, Arcadia, LA.

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

John A Bradshaw 
September 12, 1932 – December 20, 2022 
Services pending 

Eddie Ruth Harris 
Sunday 09/05/1937 — Saturday 12/17/2022   
Visitation: Monday 12/26/2022 3:00pm to 5:00pm at King’s Funeral Home 
Funeral Service: Tuesday 12/27/2022 11:00am, Asberry Baptist Church, Chatham 
Interment: Tuesday 12/27/2022, Asberry Cemetery, Chatham 

Robert Dale Slack  
February 16, 1944 – December 18, 2022  
Visitation: Mineral Springs Baptist Church, 4599 Hwy 822, Dubach, Thursday 12/22, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 

The Dixie Center for the Arts has been chosen as one of the 2022-2023 Jazz & Heritage Presenting Recipients as a part of the Community Partnership Grant from The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. 

Since 1979, the Jazz & Heritage Foundation has invested proceeds from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell directly into the community with grants to fund projects that support the foundation’s mission. Over the last 10 years, over $12 million has been awarded in Community Partnership Grants. Grant categories include arts education programs (in-school and after-school), music and arts presenting organizations, cultural equity arts, and individual artists with media or documentation projects related to the Foundation’s mission. Over 500 applicants in the Community Partnership Grant program are receiving a total of $1.4 million in funding.

This grant will be used as the Title sponsorship to bring Louisiana music legends Louisiana’s LeRoux to Ruston to perform a live concert on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, at 7 p.m. Tickets for this concert may be purchased by visiting www.dixiecenter.org.

“We are honored to continue our annual tradition of distributing Community Partnership Grants in support of music, arts, and cultural heritage in Louisiana,” said Don Marshall, Executive Director of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. “These are your Jazz Fest dollars at work.”