By Spencer Drake

This February, the city of Ruston has a chance to come together and spread love to a sometimes forgotten part of the community. While the Night to Shine event is hosted by First Baptist Church in Ruston, it is a community event for all to participate in. 

The Night to Shine event is a chance for kids with special needs to be celebrated by having their own prom, full of many different forms of celebrity treatment. From a red carpet walk to a live DJ, the night presents a great opportunity for the kids to feel loved and not forgotten. There are a lot of moving parts that go towards putting a magical night like this together, however.

There are 28 different teams that all work together to make this night happen, such as paparazzi/red carpet crew, hair/makeup crew, security, decoration, and flower crew, just to name a couple. There also is the role of being a buddy, which is a special role. A buddy follows around an assigned guest and keeps them company throughout the night, helping them with whatever they may need.

Back in 2020, when the event was last held, there were 134 guests that attended with around 360 volunteers to help set up and run the event. This year, 180 guests have signed up so far, but there are only around 60 volunteers registered up to help. 

This event is dependent on the community coming together to support this amazing cause. Tonya Smith, the coordinator for the Night to Shine event, shared why she loves putting together this event for the kids.

“This is a chance for us to change what Valentine’s Day means for these kids, not just what love is but what God’s love is for them,” said Smith. 

The Night the Shine event will be held at the Louisiana Tech Student Center on Feb. 10 from 6-9 p.m. Those who would like to volunteer can visit the event’s Facebook page at First Ruston Night To Shine. There, just click the link in the About section and register to volunteer.

The next meeting for volunteers will be Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Fellowship Hall.

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I was sitting in a hearse the other day.

If you have ever been in a funeral procession, you know there is a waiting period before the procession leaves for the cemetery. Have you ever wondered why you wait in your car to leave for the cemetery? I am about to tell you a trade secret. The funeral procession waits a little while to give the “flower van” a chance to get to the cemetery to put the flowers around the grave. I was waiting in the hearse for flower time to be completed. There is not much to do while sitting in the hearse. I have found that the dearly departed is usually not much of a conversationalist. The radio was off, and I have boundary rules related to someone else’s radio. What to do to kill the time? I did some dashboard gazing.

The nice hearse had a message that read, “Trunk opened.”

You have noticed that a hearse has no trunk. I turned around to make sure the lid on something else had not popped open. The back door of the hearse was not opened. So, I was wondering why the hearse was reading “trunk opened.” When the funeral director got in the hearse and we pulled away from the church, the message vanished. I am wondering what “trunk opened” meant. Why would the hearse need to let the driver know that the trunk was opened when the vehicle had no trunk? It seemed a useless warning sign.

The next day I was at the hospital. On the door leading into the Day Surgery area was a sign that read, “No strong perfumes or colognes inside as they might cause problems for our patients with allergies.” I was thinking that the sign on the door was useless. There would be no way for a person to shower before walking through those doors. Most people add their perfume or cologne at home so the warning sign might have better read, “If you smell strong stay out!”

There is another useless sign we have all seen. That sign that warns you that using your cell phone might cause an explosion while you are filling your car with gas. Those warnings were put out when cell phones first became popular. There is no way you and your cell phone will blow up while pumping gas. But once you have a rule or a sign, you can’t seem to get rid of them.

Back in the day there was a protest song with the lyrics, “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind. Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?”

I enjoy reading signs and wondering what happened that someone decided a sign was now necessary.

Jesus did talk about reading the signs of the times. Most of us who read those signs can tell you that sign reading time is running out. I thought you should know that in case you want to make preparation. You might join us in church as we practice our semiotics.

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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, Jan. 13
4:30 and 6:30 p.m.: Circus on Ice (Ruston Sports Complex)

Saturday, Jan. 14
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
3 p.m.: La Tech men’s basketball v. UAB
7 p.m.: Dixie Center presents Louisiana’s LeRoux

Sunday, Jan. 15
7 p.m.: Tommy Emmanuel performs (Dixie Center)

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Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

After the successful 2022 season and the 2023 season nearing, the Louisiana Tech baseball program will host its annual “First Pitch Dinner” on Friday, February 3, at 6:30 p.m. in the Thomas Assembly Center. 

Tables for eight are available for purchase for a cost of $500. Single tickets are also available for purchase at $50 per ticket. Limited seating is available.

Tech seventh-year head coach Lane Burroughs is scheduled to speak, as he will give Bulldog fans a glimpse of what to expect when Louisiana Tech opens its season. Burroughs has led Tech to 205 wins in his first six years in Ruston.

Last year, the Bulldogs finished with 43 wins, the program’s seventh 40-win season, claiming the West Division C-USA Championship .

Fans will also have an opportunity to interact with Burroughs and the rest of the 2022 coaching staff and players before and after the dinner. 

Current Bulldog players will take the reigns on producing and performing in a Player Awards Show, bringing comedic gold to the evening’s festivities.

Throughout the night a silent auction will also be held with items to bid on scheduled to be announced at a later time.

Fans interested in purchasing tickets to the event should visit latechalumni.org/firstpitch. For any additional information, please contact Dan Takata at dtakata@latech.edu.

The Bulldogs are scheduled to play 32 homes game inside J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park, including marquee match-ups against Northwestern, Air Force, Dallas Baptist, Southern Miss, and UL-Lafayette.

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Louisiana Tech Athletics and The Brandr Group (TBG) have established a group licensing agreement for student-athletes competing across all the university’s varsity teams. This partnership paves a pathway for Louisiana Tech student-athletes to profit off their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) through a variety of opportunities that will be co-branded with the school’s official trademarks and logos.

“We are excited to partner with The Brandr Group as we continue to enhance our Thrive program dedicated to Name, Image and Likeness,” said Dr. Eric A. Wood, Louisiana Tech Director of Athletics & Vice President. “This partnership will allow our student-athletes to further maximize their NIL opportunities by being able to secure group licensing deals with local and national brands. We are fully committed in supporting our Bulldogs and Lady Techsters in the NIL space.”

TBG will support the collective use of student-athletes’ NIL in licensing and marketing programs, facilitating opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes, while not limiting individual NIL rights. All student-athlete participation is voluntary. Potential licensees interested in learning more should contact Jim Neish at TBG.

TBG, a brand management, marketing and licensing agency, will manage and administer the program as well as create licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes. With decades of collective management experience for some of the world’s largest brands, TBG also manages group rights programs for the NFL, NBA and MLB players associations in the college space.

Products that combine team logos and player names and numbers have accounted for a significant portion of licensed sports merchandise sales at the professional level for decades, and this program provides the same opportunities to collegiate student-athletes.

“The emergence of NIL has created profitable opportunities for student-athletes across the collegiate sports landscape, and we’re thrilled to partner with Louisiana Tech Athletics to develop a program that will benefit its student-athletes,” said Rick Perko, Vice President of Program Development at TBG. “This group licensing agreement will give Louisiana Tech student-athletes the ability to profit from their NIL, while also creating co-branded merchandising and sponsorship opportunities that are sure to enhance the fan experience.”

Fans can expect to be able to purchase official Louisiana Tech merchandise, including team jerseys with the name and number of players who have joined the respective group licensing program, once TBG enters into agreements with applicable school trademark licensees.

About The Brandr Group
The Brandr Group (TBG) is a brand management, marketing and licensing agency powered by a team with decades of collective management experience for some of the world’s largest brands. TBG has emerged as the leading agency in group licensing programs, with rights to over 70 college athletic programs and their student athletes in the Name, Image and Likeness category including the biggest brands in college athletics. TBG partners with prominent brands, colleges, sponsors, corporate trademarks, athletes and events to cultivate, diversify and monetize intellectual property through professional brand management and licensing endeavors. For more information, please visit tbgusa.com.

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Visitation for Matthew L. McCarthy will be 4–6pm, Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at Kilpatrick Funeral Homes in Ruston, LA.

Matthew passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at the age of 47.  He was born December 06, 1975, in Corpus Christi, Tx, to Ronald (Mac) and Deborah McCarthy.

He attended Long Beach High School, in Long Beach, MS.  He was a skilled carpenter and mechanic having worked in a cabinet shop and as a natural gas compressor mechanic.  Most recently he enjoyed doing small jobs around the house with his family. 

While Matthew suffered from stage 4 lung cancer, it was his love of motorcycles that aided in his passing by an accident that took his life.

His is survived by his parents, Ronald (Mac) and Deborah, his brother, Timothy, wife Jennifer, his nephews, Cameron, Ethan, Joshua and Tanner and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

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

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John Malcolm Bryan was born on December 27, 1947 in Monroe, LA and passed away on January 10, 2023 in Shreveport, LA at the age of 75. He is survived by his wife, Catherine Jean Bryan; children: Kim Gill, Tammy Bryan, Susan Madden and husband Thomas Madden, John Clark, Crystal and Jason Jefferson, Debbie Bryan, and Terri and husband Rock Breeden; grandchildren: Hope Gill, Mitchell Kerrigan, Stephen Bryan, J.D. and wife Brittany Worley, Beth and husband Eric Miller, Jonah Madden, Hayden Clark, Christina Crook, Kiarrah Whitney, Catherine Whitney, Matthew Breeden, Kaden Breeden, and Ethan Breeden; great-grandchildren: Blake Michell Kerrigan, Addison Worley, Natalie Worley, Grayson Miller, Zahriyah Crook, Zayvian Crook, Zahmarie Norvel, Myreon Nowden Jr, Joseph Nowden, and Jade Nowden; siblings: Sidney and wife Martha Bryan, Becky and husband Wayne Hilliard; his beloved dog Coco; and a host of family and friends. John was preceded in death by his grandparents Elijah and Ammon Bryan; parents Hazel Redden and Sidney Vester Bryan; and sisters Peggy McMillian and Vicky McClendon.

John was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Prior to retiring, he worked as a truck driver for 37 years. He enjoyed driving across the United States and seeing the various scenery and enjoyed playing poker on the computer. John loved to watch football and cheer on his favorite teams LSU and OU.  John’s greatest joy in life was his family, and he made a point to call and video chat with his family daily. Throughout his life, he made many friends and never met a stranger. His sky-blue eyes and smile will never be forgotten.

A gathering of family and friends in honor of John Bryan will be held on January 14, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Victory Life Church of Ruston located at 2535 LA-33 Ruston, LA 71270.

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Sonja Warren 
September 10, 1938 – January 12, 2023 
Graveside Service: Saturday, January 14, 2023, 3:00 PM, Forest Lawn Cemetery, 2500 West California Ave., Ruston 

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By Malcolm Butler

 

Who is your district representative on the Lincoln Parish Police Jury?

If you don’t know, you should. It’s always important to know. And, after some of the actions by certain jurors at Tuesday night’s meeting, it’s now more critical than ever.

I’m not going to re-hash all of the events from the meeting as you can read our previous stories in this week’s LPJ detailing all of the action.

The Lincoln Parish Police Jurors are elected officials. By us. For us. And they have a hard job. We know they won’t always agree with each other. And we know that 100 percent of us won’t agree with 100 percent of their decisions 100 percent of the time.

But at the end of the day, they don’t get to operate in a vacuum. They should ALWAYS listen and act on behalf of their constituents.

Sadly enough, Tuesday night, the majority of them did not. In fact they blatantly disregarded their constituents. Honestly, they flipped their constituents the proverbial middle finger.

The meeting turned into a circus that would have made Barnum and Bailey proud. Seriously. Attendees may have felt like they grabbed their cotton candy and entered the big top. The only thing this circus was missing was a tall guy on stilts dressed in a clown suit walking around in the Lincoln Parish Library Events Center.

Lions. And tigers. And bears, oh my.

And there was definitely a ringmaster in LPPJ President Richard Durrett. Give him credit. Durrett had the entire circus orchestrated, and he executed it to perfection.

It truly was a show. It’s just sad this show is also known as the Lincoln Parish Police Jury.

I would like to tell you Tuesday night’s meeting was an isolated event. A one off. It’s not.

You can just search the Lincoln Parish Journal for plenty of stories over the past 6- to 12-months that will make you think you are watching … well, a circus.

Emotions run high at LPPJ meeting

Parish constituents challenge LPPJ jurors

 

Jurors request proof of accusations against Postel

The bad news is there have been way too many not-so-respectable, not-so-transparent, and highly-divisive situations involving the LPPJ this year. The good news is it has brought about more interest and more action by parish residents at the meetings. The bad news is it has divided the police jury to a point where you wonder what 2023 will bring.

The Lincoln Parish Police Jury should be a highly respected body made up of individuals who are out to better our parish. That’s what it should be. But based on my conversations with other Lincoln Parish residents recently, that’s not what it is in its current make-up.

Bottom line is everyone in Lincoln Parish needs to pay attention to who their police juror is, especially if you reside in a district with one of the representatives who gave the parish the big F-YOU on Tuesday night when eight of the jurors voted to oust Administrator Doug Postel despite strong, overwhelming support for his reappointment. And then stayed as silent as a mouse about why they voted no (we are still waiting for one reason — any reason, legitimate or not — as to why).

The good news is that this fall all 12 seats come up for re-election. Don’t be surprised if you see a Political Action Committee formed in the very near future to help with changing the culture and the make-up of the police jury.

But, you don’t have to wait until this fall to act. Call your juror and voice your opinion, positive or negative. They all need to hear it. They need a reminder of who they are actually working for. Maybe you agree with your district reps actions Tuesday night and over the past 12 months. Maybe you don’t. One way or another, you have an opinion. Share it.

Here is a list of the 12 jurors by district and their contact phone numbers: CLICK HERE

Let your voice be heard.

Although based on Tuesday night, don’t expect some of them to care.

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Four members of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury have released a joint statement regarding the vote to not renew Doug Postel’s contract as administrator for the LPPJ.

The statement reads as follows and is signed by the four members:

“It is hard for us to express accurately the level of disappointment we feel over the irresponsible and wholly unjustified action taken by some members of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury last night. The total lack of transparency and public accountability that is rampant in the Police Jury leadership is a disservice to the people of Lincoln Parish, many of whom clearly and powerfully voiced their concerns before the vote last night,  and is unacceptable from public servants. Lincoln Parish is much better than this.”

TJ Cranford, District 4
Logan Hunt, District 5
Glenn Scriber, District 6
Matt Pullin, District 7

The Lincoln Parish Journal will continue to cover this story as it develops.

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 Ruston Police arrested a Florida man Sunday after he was found in the company of a 14-year-old girl he had taken from her home in Texas.

About 9:30 p.m. Sunday night, Lt. Thomas Bailey found a suspicious vehicle parked in a no parking area on West Kentucky Avenue at Chautauqua Road. Daniel M. Martinez, 21, of Miramar, Florida, and the 14-year-old were found inside.

According to both parties, they coordinated through online apps and by phone for Martinez to drive from Florida to Texas to pick up the girl and her belongings. Martinez apparently did so without speaking to a parent or guardian and removed the girl from the home intending to take her to Florida. They said they stopped in Ruston to sleep.

The two were taken to the Ruston Police Department for further investigation. Martinez was given his cell phone to unlock to obtain information relative to the case but instead, he smashed it with his hands preventing police from obtaining the information.

Martinez was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for simple kidnapping and obstruction of justice. Detention Center records indicate the kidnapping charge has been amended to contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. Bail is set at $15,000 and Martinez remains in custody.

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. 

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 A woman under arrest by the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office called 911 for assistance Tuesday as she was being taken to jail.
 
A deputy was checking the speeds of vehicles on Interstate 20 about 4:30 p.m. when he clocked a black Nissan at 89 miles per hour in a 70 mph zone. After the deputy issued a citation for speeding, the driver, Jontreka L. Westmoreland, 30, of Flowood, Mississippi, refused to sign it. After the deputy explained the signature was a promise to appear in court and not an admission of guilt, Westmoreland continued to refuse to sign.
 
Westmoreland was arrested and placed in the rear seat of the deputy’s patrol car. On the way to be booked, Westmoreland used her Apple watch to call 911 and state she had an emergency and needed help. Westmoreland was in transit to the jail at the time and no emergency existed.
 
Westmoreland was booked for speeding and false communication of an emergency. She was later transferred from Bienville Parish to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for housing.

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. 

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By Brenda Daniel

David Aubrey of Homer, Louisiana (far right in the picture) has landed a new role as a member of the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Aubrey was nominated and appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards and took oath of office at the Board’s first meeting of 2023 Jan. 9, 2023. The Grambling State University graduate, class of ’95, studied Public Administration, and has also served as president of the University’s Student Government Association.

Currently as the Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs at AT&T Louisiana, his background and former professional experience includes, Executive Director at Strategic Action Council of Northwest Louisiana, and Project Manager for Community and Economic Development at Southern University, and Grambling University Foundation Board Member.

Being sworn into office on this date was also highlighted for Aubrey, as he celebrated Founders Day for the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity of which he is an active member since 1994. In a Facebook post regarding the ceremony of his newly appointed assignment, he referenced the core values of the fraternity: brotherhood, scholarship, and service, and how it has had a great influence on his life.

“Today, as I celebrate Founders Day, I did so by accepting the nomination and appointment to serve as a new member of the Louisiana Board of Regents by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, I am honored to serve the citizens of Louisiana on the state’s top policy-making board for higher education. Send up your prayers for me as I make this journey and do my best,” he said.

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A Monroe man was arrested Tuesday for simple battery after he allegedly started a fight at a medical treatment center in Ruston.
 
Officers responded to the facility on U.S. Highway 80 about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday where they were told by staff that Jose Martinez-Hernandez, 39, possibly struck a victim in the face. The victim said Martinez-Hernandez hit him in the face and he in turn attempted to defend himself.
 
After the arrest, Hernandez was medically cleared at Northern Louisiana Medical Center before he was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
 
Bail was set at $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. 

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Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team had one of their best offensive nights in the last 20 years shooting 64 percent from the floor, including 7-12 from three, to capture their tenth win of the season, 81-66, over North Texas. 

“Our biggest thing has been concentrating on the turnover margin to value possessions and increase our chances on offense,” said head coach Brooke Stoehr. “We have been really efficient on offense but we need more shots. We weren’t our best defensively tonight, but when we did get stops it allowed us to get some easy looks in transition and that settles us down. We have to commit on the defensive end to communicate more consistently and we saw what we can do in the third quarter tonight.”

Four Techsters reached double figures including Lotte Sant who had a career-high 17 on five made threes. Keiunna Walker reached 20-plus for the third straight game (23), Robyn Lee tied a season-high with 16, and Salma Bates added 12. 

“We need these games from Lotte and Robyn,” said Stoehr. “When we go to these small lineups it opens the floor up for us so much and with them shooting the ball like we have, it gives us so much more. Our guards did a great job attacking down hill and penetrating to find our shooters.”

Both teams found an offensive rhythm in the first quarter trading baskets for most of the quarter until LA Tech (10-6, 3-3 C-USA) finished on an 11-0 run over the final 2:45 of the stanza to take a 25-17 lead.

A Mackenzie Wurm jumper gave Tech their largest lead of the half before North Texas (4-11, 1-4 C-USA) answered with back-to-back threes. Robyn Lee was able to stretch the lead back to eight, but an 8-2 Mean Green run over the next four minutes would bring North Texas back to within two. Each team would add two baskets over the final 1:39 holding Tech’s lead to two at the half (37-35). 

In the third, Tech was able to string together another 11-0 run followed by a 9-0 over the final 3:26 of the period en route to a 26-9 quarter building a 19-point lead (63-44). 

North Texas would not go away, starting the final quarter on a 13-5 run over the first 2:46 to cut their deficit to 11 (68-57), but a Bates three followed by a pair of free throws and Sant’s fifth three of the night pushed Tech’s lead back to 19 with 4:21 remaining (76-57). 

Tech would empty their bench in the final minutes and coasted to the 14-point victory and marking win No. 599 for the program’s all-time in Ruston. 

Tech finished the night tying a season-high 30 made field goals on 47 shots (.643), while North Texas hit 25-56 (.446) and 7-13 from three (.53.8). Tech is now 8-1 when scoring 70 or more and 9-1 when leading entering the fourth quarter. 

LA Tech’s 35 bench points mark the second-most this season and their 38 points in the paint mark the seventh time this season to reach 30-plus.

The Lady Techsters travel to face UAB Saturday.

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By Spencer Drake

The idea of a skatepark coming to Ruston has been talked about  for some time now, and finally it is coming into fruition. Friends of Ruston Skatepark is a non-profit that has been dedicated to raising enough money to have a skatepark built in Ruston. As of last week, Phase 1 of the plan can begin.

Partnering with the City of Ruston, Friend of Ruston Skatepark’s goal of raising  $250,000 has been exceeded by $10,000, making their total money raised $260,000. The goal of $250,000 was set so that they can find the very best builders to build the park.

The park is set to be an outlet for creativity to thrive in the city of Ruston, for not just skateboarders to enjoy. Joey Slaughter, a professor at Louisiana Tech and member of the Friends of Ruston Skatepark, shared the vision he and his fellow Friend of Ruston Skatepark members saw when planning the park.

“We just want to give back to the community a space for people to be creative, try a new sport, make new friends, and be a part of something. Not everyone plays a team sport, so this gives them something they can be a part of and enjoy,” said Slaughter.

The excess $10,000 will most likely be used to start Phase 2, which is a walkway around the park. This walkway will display public sculptures and murals, as well as give people who are not skating a chance to enjoy another side of the park.

Be on the lookout for updates from the Friends of Ruston Skatepark. Visit the website at skateparkofruston.com for ways to donate and help support the cause.

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Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

DENTON, Texas – History repeated itself as Louisiana Tech and North Texas went down to the wire again.

After the Bulldogs erased an 18-point deficit to tie it up with 18 seconds to go, the Mean Green hit a contested jumper at the end to come away with a 67-65 win on Wednesday night inside the Super Pit.

“I felt like we did an unbelievable job of executing down the stretch,” said Tech head coach Talvin Hester. “The guys did what they did best. They followed the game plan. I do not think we followed the game plan in the first half. I think we tried to do our own thing too much and did not give the effort and energy we needed to in order to guard a really good team. The came out in the second half and did what we asked them to do. They fought till the end. I am so proud of them.”

LA Tech (10-7, 3-3 C-USA) was out of sorts in the first half, in particular the final 10 minutes. After Keaston Willis knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to even things at 14-14, North Texas (14-3, 5-1 C-USA) closed the stanza on a 22-4 run to take a 36-18 advantage into the locker room.

After closing the half just 2-of-13 from the field, the Bulldogs regrouped and recharged at the break.

It was an immediate response too for the visiting team as the ‘Dogs ignited for an 8-0 run that was capped off by Isaiah Crawford’s fifth steal, which led to a fast-break dunk to force a timeout by the Mean Green.

LA Tech chipped away and chipped away and chipped away, getting it to a one-point game at 48-49 after Cobe Williams made a driving layup with 6:45 to go. North Texas countered with a quick 8-0 run to push its lead back out to nine.

The Bulldogs had one more run in them and that was because of Crawford. Down 53-61 with four minutes to go, the forward made 10 of the team’s final 12 points, including a pair of free throws with 18 ticks on the clock, to knot the game up at 65-all.

“Isaiah was really good,” said Hester. “He has been really good against North Texas before. When he is locked in, there are not many players better. We just have to get him to be more consistent. He has been with us a long time, but has not played a whole lot of basketball because of his injuries. I want him to grow from this and try to get repeat performances like this from him all the time.”

In the end though it was UNT’s Kai Huntsberry, who was just 2-of-8 shooting from the field, that made a midrange jumper from the baseline to break the tie. Williams attempted a three-pointer for the win from inside half court, but the ball bounced off the rim.

After scoring just 18 points in the first half, LA Tech exploded for 47 points in the second stanza to give itself a fighting chance against the defending C-USA regular season champions. Crawford finished with a game-high 25 points while Williams had 17 and Willis had 13.

UNT also had three players score in double figures, led by Tylor Perry who had 21.

The Bulldogs host UAB Saturday at 3 p.m.

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RUSTON, La.— Gregory Kallenberg, an award-winning film director and producer, will headline the 16th annual William Ardis Marbury, Jr. and Virginia Lomax Marbury Lecture Series on Tuesday, January 24, at 10 a.m. As part of the lecture, Kallenberg will screen episodes of his latest short film series, Rational Middle: Net Zero. A question-and-answer session will follow that focuses on ethical business leadership related to energy and the attainment of net zero.

Sponsored by the Mr. and Mrs. Lue C. Napper Family and hosted by Louisiana Tech’s College of Business, the lecture is free and open to the public. The event will take place in the Davis Auditorium (101) in the College of Business.

“I’m thrilled to bring Gregory to campus to share his newest docuseries with our students and community,” said Dr. Chris Martin, dean of the College of Business. “Gregory’s talent and desire to promote healthy, solutions-oriented discussion surrounding our greatest challenges have combined to make an impact through Rational Middle. I know our students will benefit greatly from his knowledge, passion, and desire to have rational discussions about the future of our world, particularly as it relates to net zero.”

Led by Kallenberg, Rational Middle is an award-winning collaborative that tackles important and controversial topics to drive thoughtful conversations. Their objective is to bring facts to the public through the mediums of documentary film, the written word, podcasts, and social media.

In addition to his work on Rational Middle, Kallenberg is the founder and executive director of the Film Prize Foundation, which includes the Louisiana Film Prize, Startup Prize, Music Prize, and Food Prize. His endeavors are focused on incentivizing and evolving entrepreneurs, artists, and dreamers, with a goal of transforming Northwest Louisiana into a hotbed of innovative people and companies.

Kallenberg is also the director and producer of Haynesville: A Nation’s Hunt for an Energy Future, and has spoken about the future of energy at events across the globe including TEDx, Bucknell University’s Environmental Symposium on Shale Gas, and Rice University’s Distinguished Speaker Series. His background includes writing and editing for the award-winning production house Bluefield Productions, Esquire Magazine, The New York Times, and the Austin American-Statesman.

“Ethical leadership is the foundation for who we are and what we teach at Louisiana Tech,” said Martin. “The Marbury Ethics Lecture is an invaluable annual event for our students and the community. I’m grateful to the Nappers for their continued support for this lecture series and Gregory for serving as this year’s keynote speaker.”

For more information on the Marbury Lecture Series, contact College of Business Executive Director of Development Mary Susan Britt at marysusan@latechalumni.org. For more information on Rational Middle, visit rationalmiddle.com.

About the Lecture Series
The William Ardis Marbury, Jr. and Virginia Lomax Marbury Lecture Series began in 2006 and is named after William Ardis Marbury, Jr. and his wife Virginia. The pair, both Louisiana Tech graduates, established William A. Marbury & Company, Inc., a managing general insurance agency. This corporation grew to be the largest agency in Louisiana, and one of the largest in the South. The general agency was sold in the 1950s to Commercial Union Insurance Company with the Ruston branch remaining the company’s largest in the country. In 1959, the Marburys and their associates founded Bankers Life of Louisiana, which became the largest credit life insurance writer in the state. Today the Marbury Companies continue to thrive in Ruston, serving the banking, investment, and insurance sectors. The companies founded by the couple continue to have a major impact on the economy and the community.

About the College of Business
Through market-responsive academic programs, impactful scholarship, and a student-focused culture, Louisiana Tech University’s College of Business graduates business and academic leaders who are innovative, entrepreneurially minded, and analytically and technologically skilled for a globally competitive marketplace. Building on a vibrant community of life-long learners, our graduates are prepared to positively impact business and society. Accredited by AACSB International, the College offers eight undergraduate degree programs in addition to the master of business administration, master of accountancy, and doctor of business administration. For more information, visit business.latech.edu.

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 A single-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 west of Louisiana Highway 145 near Choudrant Saturday claimed the life of a 47-year-old man, according to Louisiana State Police.

Preliminary investigation by state troopers revealed Matthew L. McCarthy was traveling west on Interstate 20 on a 2014 Harley-Davidson motorcycle about 4:15 p.m.  For reasons still under investigation, the motorcycle left the roadway and struck the median cable barrier.

McCarthy, who was wearing a DOT-approved helmet, sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital.  Impairment is suspected to be a factor.  Toxicology samples were taken and submitted for analysis.

State Police at Troop F were notified Wednesday that McCarthy had died from his injuries. This crash remains under investigation.

Although the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, State Police remind motorists that inattentive and distracted driving is dangerous and is a leading cause of crashes in our state. It is important for motorists to pay attention to what is going on outside of the vehicle they are driving and to get plenty of rest in order to remain alert.

This is the first fatal crash Troop F troopers have investigated in 2023.

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Two American tourists took a much-needed vacation in England and Scotland.  They visited the usual tourist attractions in London such as Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the British Museum, and the Great Clock of Westminster, which is commonly referred to as Big Ben.  They traveled to several cities in Scotland and visited the usual tourist sites there such as Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, and Holyrood House.  Finally, they decided to get away from the bustling crowds of the cities and went hiking in an area of the sparsely populated Scottish Highlands, about 100 miles north of Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh.  The views were breathtaking.  They hiked on the ancient winding paths at the base of the mountains along the River Dee.

While hiking, they met another man and woman, Dick and Liz, who were walking in the opposite direction toward a favored picnic site.  Dick and Liz rarely saw hikers in this area because it was so remote.  As the hikers neared, Liz said hello and sparked up a conversation.  The hikers were instantly drawn in by Dick and Liz’s accents.  The foursome engaged in small talk.  The hikers told Dick and Liz of their travels throughout Britain and where they would be visiting on the remainder of their vacation. 

As the conversation progressed, one of the gentleman hikers asked Liz where she lived.  She replied, “Well, I live in London, but I have a holiday home just on the other side of the hill.”  “How often have you been coming up here,” the gentleman hiker asked.  “Oh, I’ve been coming up here since I was a little girl, so over eighty years.”  Dick and Liz could see that the gentleman was thinking about her reply.  Then he asked what was one of the most asked questions by a tourist in Britain.  “Well, if you’ve been coming up here for 80 years,” he said, “you must’ve met the Queen.”  Liz replied, “Well I haven’t, but Dick, here, meets her regularly.” 

The hikers turned their full attention to Dick, who had spoken very little up to that point.  “What’s she like,” the hikers asked Dick.  “Well,” Dick replied matter-of-factly “she can be very cantankerous at times, but she has a lovely sense of humor.”  The hikers held onto every word Dick said about his meetings with the Queen.  The hiker was so enamored that he had met someone who had met the Queen that he handed Liz his camera and asked if she would take a picture of him with Dick, to which she obliged. Then, they swapped places and Dick took pictures of the hikers with Liz. 

After a while, the hikers said goodbye to Dick and Liz and continued on their hike.  As Dick and Liz gave a final wave to their new hiker friends, Liz turned to Dick and said, “I’d love to be a fly on the wall when he shows the photographs to his friends in America.”  You see, Richard “Dick” Griffin really had met the Queen regularly because he was her royal protection officer.  The American hikers learned at some later point that the lady who accompanied Dick on the picnic was Queen Elizabeth II.

Source:

https://news.sky.com/video/platinum-jubilee-richard-griffin-on-the-queens-sense-of-humour-12626988

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John Bryan 
December 27, 1947 – January 10, 2023 
Services not planned at this time 

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