Each year members of the Northern Louisiana Hospital Auxiliary present a Louisiana Tech nursing student with a $1,500 scholarship in an effort to help them with their education.

This year the recipient of the scholarship was Karmen Neal, a Tech nursing student from Shreveport.

The scholarship is presented annually to a nursing student at Tech who is a junior or senior who has high academic achievement and a desire to help her community by entering the medical field.

Louisiana Tech’s student-led Engineering and Science Association (ESA) hosted over 600 high school students at the University’s College of Engineering and Science (COES) for Engineering and Science Day held Dec. 9.

The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office has announced the dates for the concealed carry classes for 2023. Classes will begin at 8 a.m. each time.

Concealed carry classes will take place Jan. 21, March 11, May 13, June 17, July 22, Sept. 16 and Nov. 11 at the LSO Range at 160 Old KOA Road in Simsboro. 

To participate in the class, please complete this application and email it to Capt. James Colvin at jcolvin@lpsheriff.org.

Seating is limited and classes fill quickly. For more information, contact Colvin at 318-251-6413.

The Louisiana Department of Health has announced upcoming vaccine sites throughout the north Louisiana region. Upcoming sites for COVID, flu and monkeypox vaccinations are listed below.

— Tuesday, December 20, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., DG Foods Vaccine Clinic and Mini Resource Fair, 5872 Airport Rd., Bastrop; COVID-19, Flu and Monkeypox vaccines offered

— Wednesday, December 28, noon to 6 p.m., OPH HIV Awareness and Testing Event, Ray Oliver Wright Health Unit, 1650 Desiard St., Monroe; COVID-19, Flu and Monkeypox vaccines offered

— Wednesday, December 28, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., The Renewal Center, 722 Adams St., Monroe; COVID-19, Flu and Monkeypox vaccines offered

— Thursday, December 29, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Franklin Parish Council on Aging, 714 Adams St., Winnsboro; Pafford offering COVID-19 and Flu vaccines

— Friday, December 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Good Hope Baptist Church, 132 Golson Rd., Delhi; COVID-19, Flu and Monkeypox vaccines offered

For more information, call 318-676-7842. 

Nita Jean Libby 
August 11, 1933 – December 17, 2022 
Memorial Service: Wednesday, December 21, 2022, 10:00 AM, Christ Church Ruston, 1701 Celebrity Drive, Ruston 

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 

Origin Bank today announced that Katie Hodge has joined the company’s Home Lending Team as a Mortgage Loan Officer.

“I’m so pleased to have Katie join us as a Mortgage Loan Officer,” said Regional Production Manager Jonnette Moss. “With her professional experience and knowledge of the local community, Katie will be a great asset to our customers, and we’re thrilled to have her as a part of our Origin Bank team.”

Hodge has over 30 years of banking experience, specializing in home mortgage lending. In her new role, she will provide mortgage loan customers with the service and information they need to successfully navigate the home buying process.  Hodge will also work to build relationships with real estate professionals, updating them on the latest industry trends and guiding them on how to best prepare their clients for the purchase of a home.

As a new member of the Origin Bank family, Hodge most looks forward to participating in the company’s Project Enrich program which grants full-time employees up to 20 hours of paid time per year to volunteer in their local community.  Hodge is originally from Farmerville and has three children and two grandchildren. She is married to Shane Hodge, also from Farmerville.

Hodge maintains an office at Origin’s Farmerville Financial Center located at 200 North Main Street, Farmerville, LA 71241. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (318) 368-3111.

About Origin

Origin Bancorp, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Ruston, Louisiana. Origin’s wholly owned bank subsidiary, Origin Bank, was founded in 1912 in Choudrant, Louisiana. Deeply rooted in Origin’s history is a culture committed to providing personalized relationship banking to businesses, municipalities, and personal clients to enrich the lives of the people in the communities it serves. Origin provides a broad range of financial services and currently operates 59 banking centers located from Dallas/Fort Worth, East Texas and Houston, across North Louisiana and into Mississippi. For more information, visit www.origin.bank. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.

Ruston Police responded to Edgewood Square Apartments on McDonald Avenue last Monday afternoon to find a man suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot.

Willie Winzer, 19, of Ruston, is believed to have been killed during a confrontation with an unknown suspect.

Winzer was pronounced dead at the Northern Louisiana Medical Center.

Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying and apprehending Winzer’s killer.

Winzer recently served a sentence for negligent homicide for the death of his girlfriend, Krystavia Buggs, 18, of Ruston. Buggs died from a gunshot wound to the head in an incident at Peachland Mobile Home Park. 

The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to the shooting at the U.S. 80 mobile home park on the evening of March 12, 2021. Once on the scene, deputies found Buggs with a gunshot wound and unresponsive.  

Winzer life included other tragedies involving gunfire. After Buggs’s death, her mother said Winzer had lost his father to a shooting and had accidentally shot himself in the head, losing an eye.

Anyone with information on Winzer’s death are asked to call the Ruston Police Department at 318-255-4141 or Crime Stoppers at 318-255-1111. Tips may also be submitted online at www.rustonlincolncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “TIP515” to Crimes (274637) to send a text message. Callers can remain anonymous. Cash rewards are offered for information leading to an arrest or grand jury indictment.

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

Jaden Osborne has been a staple under center or in the shotgun formation for Ruston during the past three seasons.

And ultimately, Osborne helped lead the Bearcats back to the promised land – Ceasar’s Superdome – despite the fact Ruston came up just short in a bid for the program’s first title since 1990.

Osborne, the 2022 Lincoln Parish Journal co-Offensive MVP on the all-parish team, will graduate in May and move on to what’s next for the young man.

So as is normal with the position, one of the big questions surrounding the Bearcats in 2023 will be the QB position. It’s a position that is always under a microscope. Understandably.

And according to Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh, the odds-on-favorite to assume the role in 2023 is junior-to-be Josh Brantley.

“I am excited to see how he will mature,” said Baugh. “Now there will be some pressure on him to pick up where Jaden left off and try to add to what it is what we have already done. I’m not trying to put any pressure on him, but it is what it is.

“I think he has some really good leadership qualities. He is one of the leaders in his class. I think trying to step up and be a leader of the team and be the quarterback, that is what he must figure out. And I think he is ready to do that. I really do.”

Brantley, who was the starting QB for the Ruston freshman team in 2021 and the JV team in 2022, is beyond excited about the opportunity in front of him.

“I have been waiting for this moment since I was a little boy,” said Brantley. “I always dreamed of being the starting quarterback for Ruston High. So, I am going to go out and work hard and have fun.”

Having fun is one thing. Taking over the reigns of the Non-Select Division I state runner-up is another thing. And Brantley knows he has some work to do in the off-season.

“We just had a great season and being the starting quarterback (for the Bearcats) is a high standard,” said Brantley. “I have to put in a lot of work this off-season to come back and try to win it all.”

So what does Brantley bring to the table?

“I think he is a really physical player,” said Baugh. “Josh is such a big body. He gets loose and takes over running and secondary guys aren’t really interested in trying to tackle him.

“I think Josh can add some physicality to the QB position that (Jaden Osborne and Eric Outley) haven’t been able to just because of their body type. That ends up giving us two back running game stuff. I think that adds a dimension for us.”

Osborne is excited to watch his successor.

“He has all the tools,” said Osborne. “He is going to be ready from that standpoint. He is really smart. He can pick up on things quickly. He probably picked up on things faster than I picked up on things. And when his athletic ability needs to take over, he lets it take over.”

Brantley said he has learned a lot from watching Osborne the past two years. Osborne passed for 1,579 yards and 17 TDs while rushing for 385 yards and two more scores this year and Brantley had a front row seat to watching the three-year starter perform.

“When Jaden is out there, he plays loose and is calm,” said Brantley. “You don’t hear too much from him. He went out there and made plays.”

For the Bearcats to return to the dome, Brantley must do more than just run the football. Osborne’s ability to make some big-time passes in critical situations in 2022 was one of the main reasons Ruston won 12 games playing a very tough schedule.

Can Brantley do the same thing?

“He has come a long way throwing the football this year,” said Baugh. “He has kind of an odd-looking release. It’s still that way, but he had a really good JV season. Towards the end of the JV season, he came on really strong. I would have been comfortable if something had happened to Jaden putting Josh into the ball game.”

When asked where he needed to make the biggest stride during the off-season, Brantley was quick to respond with a similar answer to his coach.

“Throwing the ball,” said Brantley. “I am going to work at it all summer and during the offseason. I have a lot of work to do.”

Baugh, Brantley and the Bearcats have high expectations for 2023. A lot of key players return to the field for Ruston.

And although QB isn’t one of them, it’s a position that Baugh is excited about.

“(Josh) really brings a lot to the table,” said Baugh. “I think the upside to him is really high. Just look at him. If you drew a picture of a quarterback, he looks the part as to what you would want to see.”

Ruston Police arrested a Denham Springs man Wednesday after he allegedly attempted to steal money from a charity box and then fled when spotted by police.

About 9:00 p.m. Wednesday officers responded to the Tech Drive Subway regarding an attempted theft. Employees said a man took a collection box for donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Subway staff confronted the man as he left the restaurant, and he returned the box.

The man was pointed out as he left the restaurant and an officer attempted to stop him nearby. The suspect refused to stop, threw down a cigarette pack, and fled behind the Super 8 Motel.

Robert Schley, 52, was apprehended and a small bag of suspected methamphetamine was found in his left sock. The cigarette pack recovered contained suspected marijuana.

Schley was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, resisting an officer, and theft of property valued less than $1,000.

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 Kyle Roberts

The Ruston High School Bearcat boys team (13-1) swept through the Remington Butler Classic over the weekend, picking up wins over Carroll (55-34), Franklin Parish (75-52) and Neville (62-35).

“It was a great three days of play for us,” Ruston head coach Ryan Bond said. “I was very pleased. Friday, we came out very focused, and we needed to be against a good Franklin Parish team. It’s always fun to coach against Lonnie Cooper, my old Tech teammate. And I thought we did a much better job finding driving lanes in the second half against Carroll on Thursday.”

Senior Braylan McNeal lead Ruston in scoring all three nights, with a 28-point, 16-rebound performance against Neville Saturday night, a 20-point, 13-rebound night against Franklin Parish on Friday, and finished with 19 points against Carroll on Thursday. Jay Lillard scored 16 against Neville and 11 against Carroll.

The Bearcats return to action against Gibsland-Coleman (13-2) at home tonight, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. The Bearcats will have a break afterward before returning to action Dec. 29 against Wossman.

___________

For the girls, two starters in juniors A’Nyia Moore and Zaccheya Jackson have both suffered season-ending injuries. The Lady Bearcats lost two in a row on the road at the Walker Tournament, first 49-33 against Zachary on Friday, and then 39-38 against Brasly on Saturday.

“Every team is dealt different challenges every year,” Lady Bearcat head coach Meredith Graf said. “As hard it is to lose players to injuries, it provides an opportunity for other people to step up and grow. I thought our first couple games out with our new dealt hand had a lot of positives. We are a family. We will support our injured players as they recover and they will continue to play a very significant role as we continue our season. I know a lot of good will come this. I look forward to watching my team continue to grow.”

Junior Jaliyah McWain scored in double-digits both nights with 11 against Zachary and then 20 against Brasley.

The Lady Bearcats will tip-off against Gibsland-Coleman tonight at 5:30 p.m.

By Spencer Drake

The annual canned food drive is a very anticipated event at Hillcrest Elementary. The drive gives students and their families a chance to give back, with a little added friendly competition as an incentive to donate.

The event timing is perfect, right before Christmas break, for families who are eager to help others during the holidays a chance to do so in a very simple way. This year alone, Hillcrest was able to donate a grand total of 4,056 cans.

Hillcrest Principle Lauren Keen highlighted the friendly competition aspect of the drive, and how it was one of, but not the only reason, the drive was so successful.

“The spirit of giving grew more and more as the final days of donating approached. As the numbers grew, the motivation increased. You could hear the roar of excitement in the classrooms as we would announce the top contributors each afternoon,” said Keen.

This spirit of competition was not the driving factor in the competition, however. Hillcrest teaches its students about how to be successful in more than just the classroom. The drive proved they are doing a great job in that, Keen said.

“The drive is an important event because it gives Hillcrest and its families the chance to give back to our community. We want our students to know that they can succeed in more than one way and we are thankful they have a heart of giving for others in need,” said Keen. 

Courtesy of LA Tech and GSU Athletic Communications Departments

UTEP 62, Lady Techsters 54 (Sunday)

Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team dropped their 2022-23 Conference USA opener to UTEP, 62-54, Sunday afternoon inside the Thomas Assembly Center in a game that featured eight lead changes and six ties.

Despite LA Tech (7-4, 0-1 C-USA) shooting over 50 percent from the floor and from three and holding the Miners to 35 percent shooting, UTEP (8-2, 1-0 C-USA) used a combination of offensive rebounds and forced turnovers to generate 25 more shots than the Techsters (64-39).

In the first quarter, the game was dominated by quick whistles and turnovers that led to a very choppy start for both teams, but three UTEP threes gave the Miners a 13-10 edge after one. 

UTEP continued to hit from deep, building a 22-14 lead with 6:46 left in the half but Gabbie Green hit two threes of her own as part of a LA Tech 8-0 run to tie the game at 22. 

Jazion Jackson responded with back-to-back threes to retake the lead for the Miners at the half, 28-24. Jackson hit 5-8 from deep.

To start the second half, the Lady Techsters came out of the halftime locker room on fire using a 12-2 run capped off by an Anna Larr Roberson three and Amaya Brannon layup to take their largest lead of the game, 36-30, with 6:32 left in the third. 

UTEP responded once again with an 14-3 run of their own over the next four minutes to retake a 44-39 lead at the end of the third. 

Halfway through the final stanza, Lotte Sant’s three tied the game at 48-48, but UTEP used 7-2 to regain a 55-50 lead with 1:28 left and hit five free throws down the stretch to match their largest lead of the game en route to the 62-54 final. 

Keiunna Walker led the Techsters with 12 points, while Anna Larr Roberson and Gabbie Green added nine each. Tech was led on the glass by Amaya Brannon, who had seven rebounds.

_____________________________

UTEP 60, Bulldogs 55 (Saturday)

Turnovers and poor shooting by Louisiana Tech ended up being the difference in the Conference USA opener as the Bulldogs fell, 60-55, to UTEP on Saturday night inside the Don Haskins Center.

LA Tech (6-5, 0-1 C-USA) committed 20 turnovers while shooting just 4-of-25 from beyond the arc, making a season-low 16 field goals.

Despite the free throw discrepancy in the game with UTEP (7-3, 1-0 C-USA) shooting 37 times from the charity stripe to LA Tech’s 24, the visiting team still gave themselves a chance to win it.

Down 56-46 with 3:14 to play, the ‘Dogs held the Miners without a made field goal for the remainder of the game. The Miners had plenty of issues from the free throw line as well to help LA Tech creep back into it, making just 15 total (sank just three of 14 in the final three-plus minutes).

The Bulldog managed to get within one possession, down three with just 21 seconds remaining, but two made FTs by the Miners iced the game.

LA Tech had the lead for only 1:49 of the entire game when it was an early 4-3 advantage. It was at 14-all with nine minutes remaining in the first half is when UTEP was able to gain some separation, going on a 7-0 run.

Keaston Willis’ second of three triples pulled the Bulldogs to within one with 11:55 remaining in the game, but it was another 7-0 run by the Miners to keep the road team at bay.

Cobe Williams registered a game-high 18 points to go along with five rebounds and a career-tying five steals. Isaiah Crawford nearly registered a double-double with 12 points and nine boards plus four steals of his own. Willis was the third Bulldog in double figures with 11.

UTEP was led by Tae Hardy who finished with 15.

___________________

TCU 56, Lady Tigers 45 (Sunday)

The Grambling State University women’s basketball team wrapped up the non-conference portion of its schedule on Sunday afternoon, falling 56-45 to Texas Christian University at Schollmaier Arena.

Colbi Maples paced GSU (1-10) with 18 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field to go along with six rebounds and one steal. Miracle Saxon also posted a double-figure scoring effort, finishing with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal.

TCU (5-5) opened the game strong, crafting a 17-6 lead. Phylicia Allen scored a layup with 1:15 left in the quarter to trimming the Horned Frogs’ lead to single-digits heading into the second.

After TCU ballooned its lead to 24-12 with 4:14 left in the half, Maples stroked a 3-pointer to once again keep the deficit under 10. With 2:55 to go, Miracle Saxon knocked down a mid-range jumper, making the score 26-19. The Horned Frogs carried a 33-21 lead into the break.

Grambling State settled down in the second half, outscoring TCU 24-23. TCU built a 19-point lead to start the fourth quarter, its largest of the game, on a 3-pointer by Tara Manumaleuga.

The Lady Tigers then embarked on a 12-2 run capped by a fast break layup by Leah Morrow, cutting TCU’s advantage to 54-45 with 1:24 to go. The Horned Frog tacked on two free throws in the waning moments of the game to secure the 56-45 win.

____________________

Virginia Tech 74, Tigers 48 (Saturday)

The Grambling State University men’s basketball led by as many as 10 points midway through the first half on Saturday at Virginia Tech, but suffered a cold-shooting spell toward the end of the half as the Tigers fell to the 24th-ranked Hokies, 74-48, at Cassel Coliseum.

Grambling State (6-4) led 21-11 with 10:49 left in the first half, but the Tigers could not hit a bucket from the floor as Virginia Tech (11-1) used an 18-2 run over the next eight-plus minutes as GSU could not recover.

Carte’are Gordon paced the Tigers with 12 points, on 4-of-8 shooting, with four rebounds and a pair of assists. Cameron Christon added 10 points, six boards, two assists and one steal. Shawndarius Cowart pulled down a team-high seven boards, along with five points and two assists.

Sean Pedulla led Virginia Tech with 21 points, including four 3-pointers, along with six assists, five rebounds and two steals. Hunter Cattoor recorded 13 points, four boards and one assist, while Justyn Mutts tallied 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Grambling State used a small 8-3 run, capped by a Cowart 3-pointer, as there Tigers led 11-6 with 15:55 remaining in the opening half.

GSU pushed the advantage to 16-9 after a Cameron Christon free throw with 13:23 left and stretched the margin to 21-11 on a Gordon trey with just under 11 minutes to play.

The Hokies, on the heels of a 18-2 run, took advantage of Grambling State’s cold shooting spell and grabbed a 29-23 advantage after a 3-pointer by Pedulla with just over three minutes left in the half.

A dunk by Malik Lamin snapped an eight-plus minute cold spell for the Tigers and cut the margin to 29-25 with 2:17 remaining.

However, Virginia Tech scored the final five points of the half as the Hokies took a 34-25 lead into the break.

Grambling State got back-to-back buckets by Christon and Virshon Cotton as the Tigers trailed, 38-29, with 16:46 remaining.

Virginia Tech answered with a 12-2 run, capped by a Grant Basile layup to extend the advantage to 50-31 with 12:38 left.

The Hokies stretched the lead to 63-36 with just over eight minutes remaining as Virginia Tech proved to be too much as Grambling State saw its three-game win streak come to an end.

The National Weather Service has completed its survey of the tornado that ripped a nine-mile long swath through Union Parish last Tuesday evening.

The NWS determined the tornado reached peak wind speeds of 140 miles per hour. Fourteen injuries occurred in Union Parish with no known fatalities. The EF-3 tornado tore a path from Lake D’arbonne to a point 9.1 miles northeast of Farmerville in 11 minutes. At points, the width of the destruction was 500 yards.

Governor John Bel Edwards visited Union Parish Wednesday in a tour of tornado destruction in north Louisiana. Edwards met with local officials and complimented first responders who acted swiftly to begin search and rescue efforts shortly after the tornado passed through the area.

Edwards has declared a State of Emergency for Louisiana and asked those who sustained damage to report it to http://damage.la.gov. 

Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates expressed thanks to all parish first responders for their efforts in the aftermath of the storm. “Numerous entities, both public and private, immediately offered assistance to our parish, showing, once again, that Union Parish residents are resilient and always willing to help one another when disaster strikes,” the sheriff said.

Initial reports from the NWS indicate six possible tornadoes struck Caddo, Union, Rapides, Madison, East Carroll and Franklin Parishes.

A man was arrested Wednesday evening following a traffic stop by Grambling Police.

About 6:50 p.m., a Grambling police officer saw a Nissan Sentra swerving across the roadway and crossing the double yellow line on College Avenue. The driver, James L Caesar, Jr., 24, of Grambling, told the officer he had consumed “a couple of shots” earlier in the day.

Suspected marijuana was seen by police in plain view in the car. A search recovered a plastic bag of marijuana, a large jar of marijuana, numerous plastic baggies, and a digital scale.

Caesar was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, and improper lane usage.

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. 

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. 

Monday, Dec. 19
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
5:30 p.m.: Ruston Planning and Zoning meeting (Ruston City Hall)
7 p.m.: “The Man Who Invented Christmas” at the Dixie

Tuesday, Dec. 20
10 a.m.: Story time at Lincoln Parish Library
5-7 p.m.: Winter Wonderland (ice skating rink open) Ruston Sports Complex, 2001 Champions Way
7 p.m.: “The Muppets Christmas Carol” at the Dixie 

Wednesday, Dec. 21
7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee)
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
Noon: Louisiana Tech men’s basketball v. Jarvis Christian
5-7 p.m.: Winter Wonderland (ice skating rink open) Ruston Sports Complex, 2001 Champions Way
7 p.m.: “It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Dixie

Thursday, Dec. 22
5-7 p.m.: Winter Wonderland (ice skating rink open) Ruston Sports Complex, 2001 Champions Way
7 p.m.: “A Christmas Story” at the Dixie

Friday, Dec. 23
6 p.m.: Christmas Eve-Eve service (Trinity United Methodist Church)
7 p.m.: “The Polar Express” at the Dixie 

Saturday, Dec. 24
Christmas Eve
4:30 p.m.: Christmas Eve worship service (Douglas Church) 
5 p.m.: Christmas Eve candlelight service (Trinity United Methodist Church; Temple Baptist Church; The Springs Church)
6 p.m.: Christmas Eve service (John Knox Presbyterian Church) 

Sunday, Dec. 25
Christmas 

     Wanda Sue Duke Mays, age 81, passed away after a brief illness on Tuesday, December 13th, 2022 at Garden Park Nursing Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. Visitation were held on Saturday, December 17th, 2022 from 10 to 11 am at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Ruston, Louisiana. A graveside service was held that same day at 1:00 P.M., officiated by Rev. James Skinner, at Western Cemetery in Walkerville, Arkansas.

     Mrs. Mays was a resident of Ruston, Louisiana, for over 50 years. She was born in Springhill, Louisiana, in 1941 and graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Mathematics. She was a brilliant and dedicated high school math teacher for over 30 years at Cedar Creek High School, Ruston High School, and several other schools in the area. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church for most of her adult life. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, reading, playing bridge, and entertaining family and friends.

     Mrs. Mays was preceded in death by her parents, Jimmy and Leo Duke of Springhill, Louisiana. She is survived by her husband, James Raymond Mays, with whom she had celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in August 2022. Other survivors include son, Dr. John Mays and his wife, Lori, of Shreveport, Louisiana, and son, Andrew Mays and his wife, Julie, of Ruston, Louisiana; five grandchildren, Madeline Mays, Isabelle Mays, Rebecca Mays, Cason Mays, and Samantha Mays; brother, Darrell Duke and his wife, Kathy, of Monroe, Louisiana; and nieces, Laurie Duke, Dana Caldwell and family; and sister in law, Corinne Bland of Springhill, LA.

     Pallbearers will be Cason Mays, William Nettles, George Parkman, Allen Herbert, James Davison, and Jerry Darnell. The family would like to thank the staff at Garden Park for their constant, compassionate care of our mother. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to Louisiana Center for the Blind in Ruston, Louisiana.

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

Nita Jean Libby 
August 11, 1933 – December 17, 2022 
Services pending 

By Malcolm Butler

After a special season that saw Ruston return to the Superdome for the first time since 1998, the Bearcats recorded a clean sweep of the specialty awards on the 2022 all-Lincoln Parish Journal Football Team.

All three of our parish teams earned postseason appearances as Ruston (12-2, state runner-up), Cedar Creek (7-5, second round) and Lincoln Prep (3-8, first round) saw playoff action.

However, it was the Bearcats who made the deepest run, coming up just a win short of the state title.

Head coach Jerrod Baugh was named the parish’s Coach of the Year after leading Ruston to a 12-2 record, the program’s first district title in more than 30 years and its first state title game appearance in more than two decades.

Despite playing one of the – if not the – toughest schedule in the state, the Bearcats won 12 straight games before coming up short in a 17-10 loss to Destrehan in the Non-Select Division I title game.

A pair of Bearcats shared the Offensive Player of the Year award as quarterback Jaden Osborne and wide receiver Aaron Jackson combined to form a dangerous one-two punch through the air for the Bearcats.

Osborne completed 111 of 206 passes for 1,579 yards and 17 TDs while rushing for 385 yards and two more scores. The dual threat signal caller was one of the key components to the Bearcats success as his maturation process in the pocket proved key.

Jackson was Osborne’s favorite target. Despite a potent Bearcat rushing attack, Jackson caught 57 passes for 919 yards and 11 scores after returning to the Ruston roster after one season at Neville. Jackson’s ability to consistently get open deep kept opposing defenses honest and aided in the Cats rushing attack.

Mayfield was the centerpiece on a Ruston defense that was loaded with playmakers in 2022. The junior linebacker recorded 119 tackles, including 75 solo stops and 44 assisted tackles. He registered eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 2 interceptions (1 for TD), 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries.

The 33-man all-Lincoln Parish Journal team included 18 Bearcats, 11 Cedar Creek Cougars and 4 Lincoln Prep Panthers.

2022 All-Lincoln Parish Journal Football Team

SPECIALTY AWARDS

Co-Offensive MVP: Jaden Osborne (Ruston), Aaron Jackson (Ruston)

Defensive MVP: Jadon Mayfield (Ruston)

Coach of the Year: Jerrod Baugh (Ruston)

OFFENSE

QB: Jaden Osborne, Ruston

RB: Dyson Fields, Ruston

RB: Lane Thomas, Cedar Creek

WR: Aaron Jackson, Ruston

WR: Brian Osborne, Cedar Creek

WR: Brandon Heard, Lincoln Prep

OL: Sam Nations, Ruston

OL: Nicholas Thompson, Cedar Creek

OL: Mason Skipper, Ruston

OL: Josh Colvin, Ruston

OL: Jake Smith, Cedar Creek

Flex: Caden Middleton, Cedar Creek

Flex: Jordan Hayes, Ruston

Flex: Bralyn Mayfield, Lincoln Prep

Flex: Ladd Thompson, Cedar Creek

DEFENSE

DL: Christian Davis, Ruston

DL: Geordan Guidry, Ruston

DL: Ahmad Breaux, Ruston

DL: Lathan Elmore, Lincoln Prep

LB: Jadon Mayfield, Ruston

LB: Zheric Hill, Ruston

LB: Quincy Lewis, Cedar Creek

DB: Ray Owens, Ruston

DB: Nate Johnson, Ruston

DB: Austin Webb, Cedar Creek

DB: Chauncey Harper, Lincoln Prep

Flex: Jordan McWain, Ruston

Flex: Carter Hill, Cedar Creek

Flex: Kyran McConnell, Ruston

Flex: Lawson Lillo, Cedar Creek

SPECIALISTS

PK: Davis Long, Cedar Creek

P: RJ Brown, Ruston

Returner: Jordan Hayes, Ruston

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All-LPJ Specialty Awards Year-by-Year

Coach of the Year

2022: Jerrod Baugh (Ruston)

2021: Matt Middleton (Cedar Creek)

Offensive Player of the Year

2022: Jaden Osborne (Ruston), Aaron Jackson (Ruston)

2021: Dyson Fields (Ruston)

Defensive Player of the Year

2022: Jadon Mayfield (Ruston)

2021: Carson Riley (Cedar Creek)

By Kyle Roberts

The All-District team for 2-5A was officially released today, and after an outright district title and a trip to the state championship game, it’s no wonder that numerous Ruston Bearcat players and coaches were listed on both first and second team for offense and defense, as well as coaching staff of the year and Offensive and Defensive MVPs.

“I think it’s representative of what our football team accomplished this year,” Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said. “Obviously, to win that many ballgames and to win the district title, you have to have some good players. I think it shows the other coaches in our district feel like our guys are really good players. The thing that makes me the happiest is that they’re not just good players; they’re good kids. They’re all very deserving.”

Senior quarterback Jaden Osborne took the District 2-5A Offensive MVP after throwing for 1,579 yards and 16 touchdowns for the years, while rushing for 385 yards and a pair of touchdowns with his legs

“It’s a great honor to have this, even if it’s not a specific goal I had for myself at the beginning of the season,” Osborne said. “It’s great to see the hard work during the season is recognized, and I want to give a shoutout to my offensive line and our skill position players; they’re the reason I received this award.”

Junior linebacker Jadon Mayfield was named the District 2-5A Defensive MVP by racking up 119 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Mayfield returned an interception for a touchdown early in the season, as well.

“It’s amazing to accomplish that through the season,” Mayfield said. “I want to give a huge shoutout to my whole defensive team. Without them, I wouldn’t have gotten this. It’s a team award.”

Ruston landed an incredible total of 10 players on the defensive first team, seven players on the offensive first team, and first team punter in junior Will Fendley. For second team, Ruston had five on offense, three on defense, and second team kicker in senior RJ Brown.

The entire coaching staff was honored as District 2-5A staff of the year.

Some of Ruston’s senior players will compete this Sunday in the I-20 Senior Bowl which will be hosted at James Field at “Hoss” Garrett Stadium. Fans can be even more excited that of all the players named to the All-District team, nine will be returning to next year’s roster.

First Team Offense:
Jaden Osborne, QB
Mason Skipper, OL
Sam Nations, OL
Josh Colvin, OL
Dyson Fields, RB
Zhy Scott, TE
Aaron Jackson, WR

Second Team Offense:
Ashton Jerro, OL
Christian Davis, H-Back
Logan Malone, WR
Jordan Hayes, RB
Jadon Mayfield, FB
RJ Brown, K

First Team Defense:
Christian Davis, DT
Peyton Bell, DT
Ahmad Breaux, DE
Geordan Guidry, DE
Jadon Mayfield, LB
Zheric Hill, LB
Jordan McWain, CB
Nate Johnson, S
Ray Owens, S
Jamious Blackmon, Flex
Will Fendley, P

Second Team Defense:
Kendrick Jones, CB
Kyran McConnell, S
Jacoryian Crowe, S

Honorable Mention
Kylon Bradley, OL

By Malcolm Butler

Christmas is still nine days away so the most wonderful time of the year is still pretty far off when it comes to accurate weather predictions.

However, some weather models are saying there is a much higher than normal chance of some winter weather round the same time that Santa comes calling.

By T. Scott Boatright

The Lincoln Parish Library is now officially a “Safe Place” for children.

That’s after the LPL Board of Control approved a motion during Thursday’s monthly meeting to enter into a partnership with the Christopher Youth Center in Monroe.

The  Christopher Youth Center provides emergency housing, food, clothing, counseling, tutoring, transportation to school, and other appropriate referrals to troubled, victimized, runaway and homeless males and females ages 11-17 years old.

Youth can access help at a safe-place site like the Lincoln Parish Library simply by letting the person on duty know that they need help. Christopher Youth Center staff or volunteers will be contacted and someone will meet the youth at the safe place site to assess the situation and determine the best options to help.

Christopher Youth Center Coordinator Michaela Taylor appeared before the LPL Board of Control during Thursday’s meeting to pitch the idea at the request of library director Jeremy Bolom.

“The reason I’m asking for this is because the library staff members are already mandated reporters,” Bolom said. 

Under the oversight and regulations of Louisiana’s Department of Children’s and Family Services, mandated reporters are people who work with children and are required to report the facts and circumstances that led them to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected. They do not have the burden of providing proof that abuse or neglect has occurred. 

“This is a logical step and I think that’s the reason the Christopher Center approaches libraries in general,” Bolom said. “This is a new movement they started and several libraries in the area have already done it. I heard about it at a Trailblazer meeting of libraries. I know the Ouachita Parish Library has done it already.”

Taylor said the program specializes in working with runaways and teens that are homeless or victimized in the home.

“The main thing that we do see in our area are children who are being abused in their homes and Child Protective Services has not gotten involved yet,” Taylor said. “So we’re normally that first stepping stone. We’re the first place for children to retreat to if they aren’t safe or comfortable in the home.

“We can investigate and talk with parents. We try to let the parents play a role in this because our main goal is reunification if there is no abuse. If it’s a kid who’s just had their phone taken away, normally we can resolve that kind of thing. We offer free family counseling. All of our services are completely free. We’re just here to help the kids in our community.”

If a child was to go to the library and ask for help, LPL officials would then call the Christopher Youth Center.

“All the library has to do is call and tell us they have a youth that needs help and we will come over and pick up the youth and bring them to Christopher Youth Center. We do contact their parents unless it’s a situation where they’re being abused or a situation of human trafficking. Then we would investigate that further. We are mandated reporters as well as the library staff.”

After discussion, the LPL Board of Control voted to enter into the partnership with Christopher Youth Center.

“If we get into this and start feeling it’s not what we really want, we can get out of it,” LPL Board member Richard Durrett said.

Safe Place signage will be added to the library to signify the partnership and let youth know the service is available through the LPL.

In other business, the Library Board of Control tabled a request made by Bolom to reinstate an assistant director position to the library, a position phased out at least temporarily during the COVID pandemic. 

Board members voted 5-3 to table the requested motion until later in order to have more time to study the pay scale necessary to bring the position back into the library’s budget.

The Board also approved a motion regarding annual paid leave for its director position, with the director earning 20 days per year before that increases to 21 days per year after five years of service.

But under current guidelines LPL staffers get 21 days of annual paid leave for 16-20 years of service and 24 days for 21-25 years of service. 

Bolom is already more than 20 years into service at the library, hence the move to relook at annual leave guidelines in order to bring the LPL director’s leave into line with other library staff members.

The Board approved a motion to grant Bolom’s leave based on his total years of service and also approved a motion to review and  compare LPL leave guidelines with leave guidelines set by the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, which owns the library property.