Words are dangerous.

We have become a visual culture. Moving pictures transport truth. The written word is falling behind. Publishers, both print and digital worry that your attention span doesn’t last much past the headlines.

Headlines, especially on the Internet, have become clickbait. Headlines that promise secrets or salacious details turn out to be ads for Amway or some other dubious product. Then who cares about what the Kardashians are doing? Who died and left those yahoos as important people? Come on culture! You can do better. Get some new role models to use your words on.

But I want you to ponder the printed word. These precious articles that many of us slave over for your entertainment and enlightenment. They are dangerous because words can be misunderstood and misinterpreted.

Consider the word “run.”

I have given up running, but I ran for office. My refrigerator runs even though I don’t. I enjoy running to the refrigerator for the running water it supplies. The other day I ran to the sporting goods store to look for running shoes that provide comfort as I walk. I have only tipped the top of the ski run when it comes to the word run. The only run I know little about is the run in my hose. Actually, my hose is a garden hose, my wife wears the kind of hose that has runs. I know I’m just running on at the mouth!

As I write or speak the word, I encode the message. Through hearing or reading, you receive the message then you decode it. What if your decoding is different from the message I encoded? There is a whole lot of space to foul up. What happens to the written or spoken word when we add in double speak. Let me run this by you.

In 1950 Claude Pepper ran against George A. Smathers. Smathers was known for his twisted oratory, especially in front of crowds he considered bumkins. I was reminded of this campaign, last night in a Board meeting at the Methodist Church. We have very serious and studious meetings. 

Campaigning against Pepper, Smathers said:

”Are you aware that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert? Not only that, but this man is reliably reported to practice nepotism with his sister-in-law and he has a sister who was once a thespian in wicked New York. Worst of all, it is an established fact that Mr. Pepper, before his marriage, habitually practiced celibacy.”

We twist words for our own advantage.

We need fixing!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

With a word God created, with the Word he saved us.

It just takes a word…

This is an advertorial.

The following is a Q&A with Geaux Macros founders Jana Beck and Emery Wilkerson.

1) How did GeauxMacros get started?

After months of helping friends and family with tips and guidance on counting macros, we officially launched Geaux Macros in January of 2019. Everyone is eating macros whether they realize it or not. We teach our clients how to ensure a proper balance of each macronutrient to reach their goals, whether that is to lose weight, maintain, or gain muscle mass.

2) What makes this type of lifestyle change so successful for weight loss?

Who wouldn’t want to eat food that you like and lose/maintain weight?! With macros, nothing is off limits. No food group, no specific food. If you want to eat something, it’s entirely possible to enjoy it & still reach your goals. Being able to enjoy food that you actually like allows you to stay on track and step off of the roller coaster that is typical of a diet. Counting macros is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle. It’s simply making sure that you are eating the correct balance of protein, fat and carbs.

3) Why did you and Jana start this? What did you do before GM?

Geaux Macros began with a huge desire to share the world of counting macros with other people! It’s such a great way to eat and a sustainable lifestyle, we wonder why everyone doesn’t do it! While people are looking for a magic pill, we feel like we have the magic answer to weight loss and maintenance!

Over the years, Jana has been involved in coaching fitness classes and personal training. She found that her clients were also looking for nutrition guidance to go along with their fitness goals.

Emery discovered counting macros and had great success. She found herself being asked repeatedly how she lost weight and was often sharing about macros and how it worked. In the fall of 2018, we began discussing ideas and by January 2019, we were taking clients.

We are both certified nutrition coaches and Jana is also a Certified Personal Trainer and Doctor of Chiropractic.  

4) How can people join?

Please visit our website http://www.geauxmacros.com for information and to sign up for macro coaching. We would love to have you!

Visit Geaux Macros here to begin your journey to better eating and a more healthy lifestyle.

A motorist who jumped into the back seat when stopped by a Lincoln Parish deputy Tuesday is in custody on multiple charges.

About 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, a patrol deputy saw a vehicle cross the center line into the opposing lane multiple times on La. Highway 821. When the vehicle was stopped by the deputy, the driver quickly jumped into the back seat and a passenger moved to the driver’s seat.

The initial driver identified himself as Christopher Standifer. The deputy determined the name and social security number provided were fake. The driver eventually provided his true name and admitted he was wanted on warrants.

Christopher R. Carodine, 50, of Grambling was arrested and booked on seven warrants for failure to appear in court, improper lane usage, and resisting an officer by providing false information.

Bail was set at $68,500.

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 Kyle (and Alice) Roberts

Last year, we sent our oldest daughter Alice to a three-day 4-H cooking camp.

Naturally, as parents, we were hoping she’d come home with some pretty mean skills and teach us a thing or two.

And boy, did she. Like her father, and his father before him, Alice has the cooking gene.

In today’s Hot Grill Summer, Alice has shared a fun, easy recipe for a cheesy appetizer with the perfect amount of seasoning and flavor. Two ingredients, and you’ll have a bubbling cheese round with crispy edges. It’s an easy app if you’re in a pinch.

Cooking with your child is a true joy. And her favorite part of cooking?

“I enjoy getting to taste it afterward,” Alice says. “It’s rewarding after the effort you put into it.”

Amen, young one.

Parmesan rounds

Ingredients:
Shredded Parmesan
Italian seasoning

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. On greased parchment paper, arrange shredded parmesan in a circular pattern.
3. Top with Italian season (and red chili flakes, if you like a little pop).
4. Cook in oven for 3-4 minutes and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
5. Serve alone or with your favorite marinara.
6. Enjoy!

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, July 28
2-4 p.m.: NCLAC Summer art workshops for students going into 2nd and 3rd grades

Saturday, July 29
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
7 p.m.: Russ-Town Jazz Band Benefit for the Dixie (Dixie Theatre)

By JASON PUGH, Special to the Journal

NATCHITOCHES – Thursday afternoon was about “R and R” for 11 members of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

This “R and R” session, however, was not about rest and relaxation. Instead, the focus of the annual induction press conference inside the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum was on the inductees’ reactions to their moment in the sun and the relationships that drove them to or were created along the way in their Hall of Fame careers.

Some of those kinships even had a direct tie to Hall of Fame weekend itself, such as the case with 2023 inductee Paul Mainieri and his college coach, New Orleans’ Ron Maestri, a Class of 1994 inductee.

“I thought about that when (Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation President) Ronnie (Rantz) and (Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Chairman Doug Ireland) called me,” said Mainieri, who led LSU to the 2009 College World Series championship and five CWS appearances in his 15 years atop the Tiger program. “I had flown down from South Bend, Indiana, because Mase was being inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, and I wanted to be here to honor him. I learned so much from Mase in my two years of playing for him – about handling players, promoting your team in the community, about what it took effort wise. At that point in my life, and to this day, he is probably the second-most important male figure in my life as far as guiding me through my baseball career and coaching career.”

Mainieri is one of five members of the Class of 2023 with ties to LSU, joining fellow Tiger baseball players Paul Byrd and M.L. Woodruff, standout football receiver Wendell Davis and Olympic jumper Walter Davis.

Although Mainieri’s relationship with Maestri began roughly an hour east of Baton Rouge, his tie to Woodruff was formed in the LSU baseball locker room long before the Tigers were among the nation’s elite.

Woodruff and Mainieri came into LSU as freshmen together before making their mark as baseball coaches.

Mainieri has the 2009 national title to his name, but it was Woodruff who made winning championships an art form, skippering Parkview Baptist to a remarkable 11 state championships in a 23-year span from 1986-2009.

“After the announcement, Paul was so gracious,” Woodruff said. “He came up to me after the pairing party for the golf tournament and said, ‘M.L., we’re in the locker room at Alex Box Stadium, and someone says, ‘Two of you guys are going into the Hall of Fame.’ He says, ‘Do you think they would have picked us?’ Absolutely not.”

Although not related, Walter and Wendell Davis played into sharing a last name.

“First of all, give it up for my brother, Walter” Wendell Davis said after following Walter’s speech before reflecting on his record-setting career that came in a time that long predated the current pass-happy era of college football.

A Shreveport-Fair Park High School product, Davis was recruited primarily by north Louisiana colleges – Northwestern State, then-Northeast Louisiana and Grambling State – before LSU came in “at the last minute.”

The marriage produced two All-American seasons for Davis, the 1987 SEC Player of the Year as a senior, a career built off a pairing of unsuspecting stars – Davis and his quarterback Tommy Hodson. Davis then produced a six-season NFL career with the Chicago Bears that was cut short because of an injury in Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium that still resonates.

“I look pretty unassuming – you wouldn’t think I played football if you met me on the streets – but Tommy was worse than that,” Wendell said. “Tommy was a skinny kid, great basketball player. You see him on the street, you wouldn’t think he was a player. He was highly recruited, and I thought, ‘I need to get to know him.’ As a redshirt freshman, Tommy and I would work out all the time. We’d lift weights, and we’d go to the field. We’d go up and down the field – I’m running routes and he’s throwing the ball. The hope was this chemistry would carry over into a game. Fortunately, it did. He gained confidence in me, and he knew where I would be on the field. He was very instrumental in me doing what I did.”

While Wendell Davis found success in a team sport, stepping away from basketball led the 6-foot-2 Walter Davis to a track and field career that took the native of Leonville to Barton County Community College in Kansas, back home to LSU and around the world with berths on the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Teams.

A prep basketball standout, Walter said the individual nature of track and field played a role – as did a coach who mentioned the plethora of 6-2 basketball players and the dearth of 6-2 basketball players who had his track and field ability – into pushing him onto his Hall of Fame path.

“One reason I left basketball was if someone missed an assignment or missed a layup, it was a hack on the team,” he said. “If I went to a track meet and I lost, I have to look in the mirror. That’s on you. That’s why I really stuck with track and field. I don’t have to depend on anyone but myself.”

Right-handed pitcher Paul Byrd, a 14-year major-league veteran, rounded out the LSU-tied contingent. Byrd’s relationship with the Hall of Fame goes right to the top as he was Tiger teammates with Rantz, who noted Byrd was his first former teammate he was able to honor as an inductee.

A school-record 17-game winner at LSU in 1990, Byrd grinded his way through more than a decade in the major leagues that included a 1999 All-Star selection that led him to mingling with National Baseball Hall of Famers at Fenway Park and a 2007 American League Division Series-clinching win against the New York Yankees.

Byrd remained humble throughout his time at the microphone, nearly speaking about fellow inductee Ron Washington as much as himself. Byrd, now a television analyst calling Atlanta Braves games, and Washington, Atlanta’s third base coach and gilded infield instructor, have developed a friendship that was clear from Byrd’s speech – although it started around the time Mainieri first visited Natchitoches.

“Ron Washington, where are you, buddy?” Byrd asked. “When I got called up to the big leagues in 1995, you don’t remember this. I was playing for the New York Mets. I’m not that good. I’m just trying to bob and weave and last as long as a I can. I’m always told I’m too short, and I don’t throw hard enough. I get called in the office and get told I’m going to the big leagues. All my teammates are hugging me and giving me five. Wash’s energy is unbelievable. He makes working hard fun.

“You don’t remember this, but you told me, ‘The big leagues can change you. Don’t let it happen to you. Stay humble and keep working hard.’ Ron Washington can handle success. All that he has accomplished has not changed him. Thank you for that.”

While Washington has remained the same since leaving New Orleans’ John McDonogh High School in 1970 to start a 10-year playing career, he has been a change agent and self-described “ambassador” for baseball. The Crescent City native said he always played above his age group while growing up, and it didn’t take long for him to have the Texas Rangers punching above their typical weight class in his first Major League Baseball managerial job.

Under Washington, the Rangers won at least 90 games in five seasons and reached the franchise’s first two World Series, capturing American League pennants in 2010 and 2011. Washington finally summitted the mountain in 2021, capturing a World Series title with Atlanta in his 51^st season in professional baseball.

It was the relationships Washington built – and the vision he had – from Day One that built a budding dynasty in North Texas.

“When I arrived in Texas, my first meetings were with scouts, and out of the blue, I talked about winning a World Series,” Washington said. “They thought I was crazy. They did. I had the ring sizers, and I was sizing them up. I believe belief is powerful. When you believe and you can put action to that belief, you can get things done.”

Belief was a two-way street that led Matt Forte to the door of the NFL – one he kicked in and enjoyed a decade of top-tier performance with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.

Forte, a Slidell native, was set on playing football in the SEC, but when the offers did not materialize, he followed his father Gene’s footsteps and signed with Tulane. Flashes of his potential were evident in his first three seasons, but a knee injury late in his junior year – and a coaching change – provided the impetus for a school-record 2,127 rushing-yard season as a senior that led him to become a second-round pick of the Bears.

Forte’s two-a-day workouts put him on a path to the Hall of Fame and to a fast friendship with the Davises, who were the targets of a good-natured shot from the former Green Wave standout.

“It means a lot, especially as a Tulane alumnus around all these LSU people,” Forte said. “Let y’all know, Tulane, we’re up here, too, especially y’all (Davis) brothers over there. When I got the call, I was honestly not expecting it. I was underrated my whole career. I didn’t consider myself underrated. I just think maybe overlooked, but it was God’s plan. Getting this honor at the end of a career was really sweet, because I feel my entire career, some people get their flowers while they’re playing or they come in with a lot of hype.

“I never bought into the hype. I’m glad I didn’t have a lot of hype around myself, because if you don’t turn out to be good the hype doesn’t mean anything. I’d rather be consistent. This was the cherry on top as far as the career I had.”

Consistency was a synonym for Alana Beard’s basketball career.

Four state championships at Shreveport’s Southwood High School led to an All-American career at Duke where she also won the Wade Trophy before playing professionally in the WNBA and overseas.

That career, which began with Beard playing against her older brothers as the only girl, led her to play in 27 countries. It was her relationship with her prep coach, Steve McDowell, she credited with being the linchpin for her globe-spanning career.

“Those Southwood years simply defined who I became,” Beard said. “I decided to play organized basketball in the seventh grade – I was too shy to do so in the sixth grade. That became my journey. That became my love especially when I understood that I had the opportunity to take a burden off my parents’ shoulders. Basketball could be the vehicle to take me where I eventually wanted to go. It wouldn’t have happened without my parents and the foundation they instilled in me, but also with Steve McDowell, the legendary coach at Southwood. I knew I wanted to play for him because he had a championship culture already there, and I had a desire to be a champion.

“I knew choosing Southwood would be hard. I knew the players there were better than me, but that motivated me to want to be one of the best. Any time I think about my success, Steve McDowell is synonymous with that because he taught me the fundamentals of the game. He taught me respect. He taught me discipline. I’ve carried that with me throughout my life.”

While the other eight competitive-ballot inductees carried competitive scars from outcomes that didn’t go their way, world champion weightlifter Walter Imahara’s career was forged in a different setting.

A Japanese-American, Imahara and his family spent three-and-a-half years in a World War II internment camp in California. Instead of a jaded worldview, Imahara took his pleasant disposition – and dogged dedication – to then-Southwestern Louisiana Institute and helped the Bulldogs win an NCAA national championship.

More importantly, Imahara, now 86 years old, found a longtime home among a group of people who treated him like one of their own.

“I was born in California, but I’ve lived in Louisiana for more than 80 years – Louisiana is my home,” said Imahara, who graduated from Baton Rouge’s Istrouma High School in 1955. “When I went to Southwestern, you have to remember, I was like the only Japanese-American on campus. People there were not prejudiced. They were of a Cajun background. How could they be prejudiced?”

Those relationships simultaneously define Acadiana and its 2023 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism honoree Bruce Brown.

A longtime fixture at the Daily Advertiser, Brown was a staple at Lafayette-area sporting events – community-wide or ones with a national focus. In addition to being a talented on-deadline writer, Brown said he enjoyed focusing on sports that didn’t always draw the eye of the greater public.

And while he made Lafayette his home, he had a perfectly pithy response to his honor.

“I think the full quote was ‘Get out of town,’’ Brown said of learning of his DSA selection. “It was unexpected. You don’t live for such a moment, but you take them when they come that’s for sure. I don’t write for the acclaim. I write for the athlete, for the kid. That’s the way I always approached it.”

While Brown wrote about barrier breakers, his fellow DSA honoree broke them herself.

Lori Lyons climbed the ladder at the New Orleans Times-Picayune, starting as a clerk in 1986 before becoming a two-time Louisiana Sports Writers Association Prep Writer of the Year and the second female LSWA President.

During her time as the Times-Picayune’s prep sports reporter in the River Parishes, Lyons chronicled numerous Louisiana Sports Hall of Famers, including 2017 inductee Ed Reed. Now her name – and biography – stands alongside Reed and the other statewide legends in Natchitoches. 

“I have been coming to this event for 30 years,” Lyons said. “I have sat in the audience and cried while people like you stood on that stage and tried to explain what it means or how it feels and what an honor it is. Now it’s my turn, and as good as I am with words, I don’t have the words to do it.

“It is humbling. It is surreal. When I punched my name in that computer database and saw my name and my picture … I saw Walter Davis and said, ‘Come here. You have to do this.’ Then I saw his face. Then I saw Wendell Davis and said, ‘Come here. You have to do this.’ That is the most amazing experience so far of this whole thing.”

The 12^th inductee, football great Eli Manning of New Orleans, is arriving Friday to join the festivities.

By Emma Stone

After reaching the goal of raising $250,000 in February, the City of Ruston has agreed to break ground for Phase 1 of the Ruston Skatepark.

The Friends of Ruston Skatepark held an input meeting Thursday night at the Historic Fire Station to get feedback from the community for design options.

Kanten Russell, director of design for New Line Skateparks, drew up three possible designs.

“Skateparks have come a long way,” said Russell. “It’s not just about riding in the park; it’s about how you get to the park, how to use it, how to hang out there and how to stand or wait your turn.”

Each design was displayed on a board for anyone to put a colored sticker on parts that they liked about the designs to act as a “heat map”.

In addition everyone was encouraged to fill out a paper describing what they liked or disliked about each concept.

“The flow relies heavily on economic viability, technical feasibility and environmental capability,” said Russell.

The first design is named “Split Lanes”, the second is “50/50” and last is “Original Hunger Design”.

Joey Slaughter, executive director for Friends of Ruston Skatepark, expressed his gratitude for the turnout.

“I’m so grateful for everyone that showed tonight,” said Slaughter. “This is the first half of getting everyone on board for this project.”

The skatepark had started as an idea in 2016 with a small group of local skaters that never touched ground.

Now that proper funding has been acquired and blueprints mapped, the focus from the community were about proper lighting at night, shade from the heat and restrooms.

Camryn Tucker, an attendee, felt that the designs needed to include an aspect for each level of proficiency.

“I think the skatepark needs to be able to include every person, not just advanced skaters,” said Tucker. “Incorporating murals or artwork could give it the culture that Downtown Ruston has.”

Russell hopes to include pieces of art or skate-able sculptures and a large variety of railing and elevation.

An online survey is available to those that could not attend by following this link: https://tinyurl.com/Ruston-Meeting-1

The survey closes on August 11 and everyone is encouraged to support by giving their feedback.

You can access the Friends of Ruston Skatepark website by going to https://skateparkofruston.com.

Courtesy of GSU Athletic Communications

The Grambling State University Department of Athletics announced game times, theme and colors for all four home football contest to be played at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium during the 2023 season. 

This season, all four GSU home games will kickoff at 2 p.m. 

GSU’s Sept. 16 home opener versus Florida Memorial is designated “High School Day” and fans are encouraged wear gold.

One week later, on Sept. 23, the G-Men host Texas Southern for the first “Black Out” game of the season.

Black is once against the game day color when Grambling State returns to Robinson Stadium on Oct. 14 for Homecoming versus Alabama A&M. 

The Tigers wrap up its home slate on Oct. 28 when Bethune-Cookman comes to town for Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day. Fans are encouraged to wear pink for Breast Cancer Awareness. 

See the schedule below for all game day fan colors, including away and neutral site games.

2023 Grambling State Univeristy Fan Game Day Colors and Themes

Jane Elizabeth “Libby” Follette, age 75, passed away peacefully July 23^rd, 2023 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. She is proceeded in death by her parents, Silas Adam and Matilda Jane Stephenson, as well as her two brothers, Sonny Stephenson and John Chris Stephenson.

Libby was born December 13, 1947 in Ruston, Louisiana. She graduated from Ruston High School in 1965. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Louisiana Tech University, in 1971. After graduating,
Libby worked as an artist and designer in her early life living in New Orleans; Wichita, Kansas; and Chicago. She moved back to Ruston in the early 80s to join the family business, Stephenson’s Lumber.
From 1989 through 1994, Libby operated Southern Interiors until she joined her husband Kent at Follette Pottery.

Anyone who knew Libby knew she was the better half of a dynamic duo made up of her and Kent Follette, her husband of 54 years. Kent and Libby met at Louisiana Tech and quickly married in 1969. From the first day they met, the two were inseparable companions, partners in crime, and undeniably, actively, in love with each other.

Libby was a loving mother to her two children, her daughter Laura Follette Bourgeois, and son Andy Follette, mother-in-law to Robby Bourgeois, and to her great joy, the grandmother to Turner Bourgeois.

The family is holding a small, private memorial in Prairieville. In lieu of flowers, Libby ask that friends make a donation to the Michael J. Fox Parkinson foundation to help raise awareness and find a cure to the disease that she fought with grace and tenacity to the very end. 

Beth Backus 
January 22, 1930 – July 24, 2023 
Celebration of Life Saturday, August 5, 2023, 10:00 AM, Cook Baptist Church 

Jeffrey Edge 
May 2, 1951 – July 23, 2023 
Services pending 

Kimberly Dawn Trapp
Passed July 25, 2023

By T. Scott Boatright

Lincoln Parish native Nick Harrison has always seemed to take a “full-speed ahead, pedal-to-the-metal” approach to life.

The 42-year-old former teacher and Sports Talk 97.7 personality became well known and much beloved throughout north Louisiana for his quick wit and humorous musical lead-in segments for the Ruston-based radio station.

A graduate of Grambling State University’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts who went on to the master’s program in Speech/Theatre at Louisiana Tech also became an internet sensation for his comical TikTok videos.

But Harrison, who now lives in Hammond and is personality/account executive for ESPN 100.3 radio in New Orleans, has now gone nationwide by racing to victory on a recent episode of NBC’s “Hot Wheels Challenge,” a show on which two contestants transform ordinary vehicles into extraordinary Hot Wheels showstoppers, with their designs inspired by personal stories and pop culture touchstones.

Harrison’s design was based on the Chevrolet Monte Carlo his father drove when Harrison was a child.

“That car holds a special place in my heart and is truly a family affair,” Harrison said. “My parents were divorced and my father would come up from his home in Houston and we’d spend time in that car. Sometimes we’d take it back to Houston when I’d spend some time with him down there. And we spent a lot of time in it driving around north Louisiana.

“So that Monte Carlo has a sense of family for me, and ‘Hot Wheels Challenge’ allowed me to take that sense of family even further by carrying it over to the family I’ve created where I’m the father,” Harrison said. “And it’s that family I have now that led to the inspiration I used to create the car design.”

The end result was a tricked-out 1984 Monte Carlo with a Mardi Gras theme he named “Mardi Gras Mania.”

“I wanted a bold, vibrant, and loud car, like one you’d see in a Mardi Gras parade,” Harrison said. “Being from Louisiana, I wanted that to be part of the theme, and what’s more Louisiana than Mardi Gras?”

Harrison, who recently married into a combined family including his son and his wife’s children, said that fact also played a role in his car’s theme.

“Despite being from Louisiana, I grew up in Lincoln Parish,” Harrison said. “I had never been to a real Mardi Gras parade until early spring when my wife and I took our family to parades like Bacchaus in New Orleans. It was one of the first things we did together as a family. And it was amazing. Better than I probably expected, and definitely unforgettable. 

“So that was the inspiration behind wanting a Mardi Gras-theme for the car. At first we were going to go with purple, green and gold for the colors. But we ended up just sticking with gold for the car with purple and green lighting from underneath.”

While he was aided by “Hot Wheels” experts, Harrison’s also went “hands on” in helping create his car.

“That was something new to me, but I jumped right in there and it was fun,” Harrison said. “I grabbed tools and jumped right in. But the most fun in that part of it for me was probably gluing the Mardi Gras beads onto the steering wheel, because that just felt like it was helping create that theme — that mystique — behind the car I was looking for.”

Harrison said his Hot Wheels journey began early in 2023 when he heard about the competition and applied online. Then came virtual interviews before learning he had been accepted as a contestant.

“It was unreal when I learned I was going to be on the show — unbelievable,” Harrison said. “I’ve always been outgoing and love performing and that kind of thing. But this is on a whole new level. Just unbelievable.”

Those feelings only intensified when Harrison, a big fan of professional wrestling who has also been featured on Fox television’s  “WWE Friday Night Smackdown,” learned that pro wrestler Big E was going to be a guest judge on the show.

“That’s when it got super-surreal,” Harrison said. “Being a Michigan guy, he loves cars and I guess he seemed like a natural fit for the show. I had no idea that was going to happen — that he would be part of the show. Getting to meet him and know him a little was special and just another incredible aspect of this amazing journey.”

Harrison’s win not only garnered him $25,000, but also the potential opportunity to become one of three finalists that will be chosen for the show’s final two episodes, which will air on Aug. 1 and Aug. 8.

“No matter what happens, it’s already been an incredible journey and a dream come true,” Harrison said. “I’m just a fortunate guy from north Louisiana who’s been blessed in life. I’m just living the dream and enjoying the ride.”

A Ruston man accused of shoplifting was arrested on five outstanding warrants Sunday evening.

Ruston police responded to the Walmart Super center on the North I-20 Service Road about 5:45 p.m. Sunday. An asset protection officer from Walmart reported Hazan D. Retana, 24, allegedly shoplifted items valued $177.

Retana reportedly had been banned previously from the store. A records check showed Retana was wanted on five warrants for failure to appear in Third District Court.

Retana was taken into custody and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for theft by shoplifting, trespassing by entering premises after being forbidden, and the five arrest warrants. Bail on the theft and trespassing charges was set at $2,000.

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 Emma Stone

For two nights only, the Ruston Sports Complex will be showing “The Sandlot” — on July 28 and Aug. 5.

Amanda Lonadier, recreation supervisor and office manager for Ruston Parks and Recreation, spoke about planning the event, which will take place in the indoor multipurpose room at the sports complex.

“When I took over, I wanted to do more service projects,” said Lonadier. “I wanted to do a dinner and movie to give back to the community.”

The idea came from the Dixie World Series, and Lonadier wanted to incorporate them in Ruston’s community.

“We will have people from Florida and Tennessee,” said Lonadier. “So, we wanted to do a community project to invite them.” 

The Dixie World Series is a worldwide little league baseball series that different Southern states compete in.

“By doing a baseball movie, we not only do it for them, but do it free for our community,” said Lonadier.

The movie and popcorn will be free for all at the indoor multipurpose room. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the movie will start at 8 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring a blanket or sleeping bag to sit on.  Food will, also, be available to purchase at the concession stand. 

For more information or questions, call 318-255-5800.

It is with great enthusiasm and excitement that I, Sharyon L. Mayfield, announce my intention to run for re-election as Police Juror for District 11. 

It has been the greatest and humbling experience to serve the citizens of District 11 over the years. I’m seeking to continue my role as Police Juror for the next 4 years to come. During my time on the Police Jury, I have served on various committees:

• Adjudicated Property
• Employee Recognition
• Finance
• Health and Welfare
• Personnel

And currently I’m serving on the Lincoln Parish Detention Center Commission.

District 11 includes parts of Grambling, LA, southwest Ruston, Hwy 818, and the Wesley Chapel community. I have lived here my entire life.  My family and friends are deeply rooted within Lincoln Parish. One can say that I am Truly a product of Lincoln Parish. With your support in this upcoming election, I look forward to continuing service for the residents of District 11 and the citizens of Lincoln Parish.

Sharyon Mayfield

District 11 LPPJ

by Malcolm Butler

The start of fall practice is always exciting for college football fans.

Every one is undefeated.

And numerical rosters are a must with plenty of fresh faces.

However, in this day and age of the transfer portal, “plenty of fresh faces” has taken a steroid approach as gone are the days of just 25 new scholarship guys.

Louisiana Tech is the perfect example of this phenomenon as more than 50 percent of Tech’s 85 scholarship student-athletes will be wearing the blue and red for the very first time.

Head coach Sonny Cumbie and the Bulldogs open official fall workouts this morning with all eyes set on the August 26 opener against FIU in what is now referred to across the country as Week Zero.

Cumbie and Co. have 30 days to get 45 new scholarship guys and 40 returners playing as one.

“We have had a huge roster turnover,” said Cumbie during Tuesday’s Conference USA Media Days Event in DFW. “We have brought in a lot of new players.  We have 45 new scholarship guys when you add in high school, junior college and (DI) transfers. I told our football team (earlier this week) that the 40 players that were with us in January and February are going to be the rock and the foundation of our team.

“As we add in the new players, you have guys like Smoke (Harris) and DeShon (Hall) that are able to bring those guys into our lockeroom and really into the environment that we tried to create this last year. I think its important when you bring new guys into your program that you quickly get them acclimated and around guys that do it the right way.”

The Bulldogs are one of five CUSA teams that are opening camp this week. Most DI teams won’t begin practice until next week but those playing in Week Zero are provided an earlier start day in order to get all 20 practices in before the season opens.

“Every team needs leaders,” said Harris, who is entering his sixth and final season in a Tech uniform. “We have guys coming in — transfers and guys like that — so they need guys to help them get through tough times. … That plays a big toll on Saturdays. You know you can trust this guy to be where he is supposed to be and to do the right thing.”

Plenty of eyes will be on Boise State transfer quarterback Hank Bachmeier, who is the odds on favorite to start under center for the Bulldogs in 2023.

However, maybe the biggest two questions for Tech are the ability of the Bulldogs O-line to protect Bachmeier and to open up holes for the running game, as well as the state of the defensive unit. Tech was decimated with injuries on the defensive side in 2022 and over the final half of the season struggled to get stops.

This is a paid advertorial

Skaters and interested community members are encouraged to attend a special public input meeting hosted by Newline Skateparks tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Historic Fire Station at 200 East Mississippi.

This meeting will mark an important step in finalizing the design of the Ruston Skatepark.

During the meeting, representatives from Newline Skateparks, the City of Ruston, and Friends of Ruston Skatepark will be present to share updates and gather valuable feedback from all attendees.

Whether you’re a skater or someone excited about the new opportunities at the skatepark, your input is invaluable. We want to hear from everyone to make this project a true success.

Additionally, after the meeting, we invite you to use the QR code provided on the graphic below to give us further feedback and suggestions. Your thoughts will play a vital role in shaping the future of Ruston Skatepark.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to have your say in creating a remarkable space for skaters and the community alike.

We look forward to seeing you there and making this skatepark a source of pride for the entire community!

Grambling Police arrested a 30-year-old Ruston man on numerous charges after investigating a disturbance Monday morning.

Desedrick L. Kelly was charged with stalking the victim and violating a protective order.

Police responded to a Edith Rose Lane apartment Saturday when the victim called to report Kelly was at the premises, but he had left before officers arrived. Kelly allegedly sent the victim a text message Saturday, saying “Ain’t nobody safe not her, not her family or his own son ain’t even safe everybody gone to fall.” Kell reportedly made death threats in the past.

Kelly reportedly called the victim about 12 times early Monday morning and then went to her residence and beat on her door. She told police she ran into her bedroom and called 911.

Responding officers found Kelly walking away from the apartment door and could see the outline of a pistol in the pocket of his hoodie. He was taken into custody and a 9mm pistol was recovered.

Kelly had apparently damaged the apartment door hinges while attempting entry into the victim’s apartment.

A records check showed an active protective order against Kelly and six outstanding warrants—one from Grambling for trespassing and five for failure to appear in Ruston City Court on various traffic violations.

Kelly was booked for stalking, violation of a protective order, illegal carrying of a weapon, disturbing the peace, criminal damage to property, and the six warrants. Bail on the warrants totaled $19,500 but bail on the charges from the Monday incident were not available at press time.

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. 

You’re invited, free of charge, this evening from 5-7 to a star-studded casual party — the La Capitol Welcome Reception kicking off the 2023 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration.

It’s in downtown Natchitoches, at the Hall of Fame museum at 800 Front Street (at the traffic circle) in Natchitoches. No need to dress fancy, just enjoy food and refreshments and music and a world-class museum, mingling with some of our state’s greatest sports stars and their families.

The Class of 2023 includes a two-time Super Bowl MVP (Eli Manning, who arrives Friday), a women’s basketball superstar from Shreveport with Natchitoches roots (Alana Beard), a College World Series-winning LSU coach (Paul Mainieri) and three more TIgers sports heroes (big league pitcher Paul Byrd, NFL receiver Wendell Davis from Shreveport and two-time USA track and field Olympian Walter Davis).

There’s another Pro Bowl NFL star, former Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte, a Tulane star from Slidell. He did things that only two other NFL backs ever have done, and now runs a charitable foundation and works in a ministry in Chicago.

For fans of the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers, Ron Washington will entertain you – he managed the Rangers to the World Series in 2010 and 2011, and as the current third base coach for the Braves, he was also in that role when Atlanta won the 2021 Fall Classic. He was also third base coach in Oakland during the “Moneyball” years (he’s a featured character in the movie headlined by Brad Pitt). 

Braves fans, this is a double bonus for you. Along with “Wash,” Byrd – whose LSU pitching accomplishments are on a short list with Paul Skenes and Ben McDonald – has been a color analyst on Braves TV game coverage who has won regional sports Emmy Awards.  Here’s your chance, this evening, to get the inside angle on the club.

Meet the amazing 86-year-old Walter Imahara, a Japanese-American who became a world-class weightlifter for decades – while running a Baton Rouge floral business, and serving in the United States military in the early 1960s. Another Baton Rouge hero is M.L. Woodruff, who won 11 state championships coaching baseball for Parkview Baptist, and now is also involved in a ministry.

Sports journalists Bruce Brown (Lafayette) and Lori Lyons (New Orleans/Houma) have covered many amazing games and highly-accomplished athletes, including plenty of LSHOF members, in their careers and will be inducted next weekend as well.

The Welcome Reception provides the best possible opportunity to stroll around the 27,500-square foot museum, which has just celebrated its 10^th anniversary. Lots of display items have been rotated into exhibits, and there’s a new Kim Mulkey exhibit showcasing the LSU women’s basketball coach.

Just ahead — the free Friday evening Rockin’ River Fest concert on the downtown riverbank stage. Music starts at 6, with Manning joining his 2023 classmates on stage at 9:15, followed by a 10-minute fireworks show set to sports-themed music. There will be a free kids zone presented by Louisiana Propane Dealers with games under the Front Street bridge.

You’re invited to all the fun. Visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255 to get more information and the schedule for the three-day celebration, and for participation opportunities for three ticketed events.

I can recall during my later years of high school and throughout my college years continually searching for God’s will for my life.  I think what I was really searching for was a career choice that would bring me fulfillment, peace, and meet my financial needs.  I am not sure how much I was really seeking God’s desires versus my personal comfort.  Furthermore, I can assure you that I was seeking to avoid a mistake and a bad situation.  

As I have experienced more of life, been exposed to more things, and just gained some wisdom over the years, my perspective on education, careers, the job market, and life in general have changed quite a lot.  I currently provide personal coaching services to clients as part of my current business offering, and one thing I have realized is that people of all stages of life still wrestle with the question of knowing what to do with their life.  Young people are dealing with this question as they seek further education and their first step into the working world.  Mid-life workers struggle with knowing whether to make a job change or not.  Retirees are seeking how to be fulfilled in those post-career years.

Here are a few thoughts that I hope will help guide you in this area whether you are dealing with such an issue or just helping someone else.

• Don’t rush and make a hasty decision that you can’t adjust.  I declared a major in accounting at college orientation and pushed through in four years. I went to work, passed the CPA exam, and then was hit by the hard reality of asking myself “what have I done”.   I am becoming a fan of a “gap” year either after high school or toward the end college (if college was an initial choice) before deciding on a job.  The “gap” year is not a year of doing nothing, but rather a year to serve, work, explore, and ask questions to help make future decisions.  The same holds true for those already in the workforce.  Talk to others, get wise counsel, and ask questions to better understand options.
• Focus first on purpose, identity, and lifestyle and not a career/job.  When we start by asking questions related to purpose and who we want to become, we are better equipped to make educational decisions and job choices for the long-term.  This progression holds true for those seeking to enter the workforce, those seeking a change within the workforce, or those exiting the workforce and seeking their next purpose in life.
• Ask questions related to talents, passions, and opportunities.  Oftentimes, where these three key areas intersect will direct us to specific areas to explore and consider.  Regardless of stage in life, you may need to try a few things to fully understand your talents and passions.  I don’t know if we can really find our passion without trying a variety of things.  Passion oftentimes will find us at different stages of life.  I have also become more a fan of the interdisciplinary studies degree for many college students.  This degree provides a broad spectrum of experiences and educational opportunities across several educational disciplines.  
• Worry less about where you start and focus more on how you will develop and grow.  We should never stop asking questions, learning, and growing in life.  This statement holds true for any job we take.  We need to understand the growth and development opportunities within an organization and at various stages of a career.  When you stop growing, you stop living.  
• Later in life, you will need to ask yourself what you are really seeking.  Are you seeking success or significance?  Are you seeking to make more money or make a bigger difference?  You need to ask some hard questions as you move toward those later years and into “retirement”.  What’s your plan?  I’m not a fan of shutting down and serving self.  I am a fan of redirecting to focus on impact!  

The key is to ask the right questions.  In fact, the right question is oftentimes more important than finding an answer.  Whether you are contemplating what to do at this next step in your life or providing guidance to someone wrestling with that issue, let’s slow down and ask some questions before making big decisions.  Asking the right question might just be the one thing that changes your life for the better!

The City of Ruston regrets any inconvenience this necessary work may cause residents and motorists. We appreciate your patience, and any questions can be received by the Public Works Department at (318) 242-7703.

In 1923, Garrett Morgan was driving along the busy streets of Cleveland, Ohio.  By the age of 43, he had achieved the American dream which was characterized in the 1920s as the pursuit of material success, social status, and personal freedom.  Garrett was the owner and editor of the Cleveland Call newspaper, but he came from humble beginnings.  Garrett was born in rural Kentucky in 1877.  His parents were former slaves who survived on the crops they grew.  By the time Garrett turned 14, he realized he wanted more than to eke out an existence on the farm. 

In 1891, the 14-year-old left Kentucky and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to look for work.  His sights were not set too high.  Garrett initially worked as a handyman.  He had a mechanical mind and could build and repair any machine, even ones he had never seen before.  Within a few years, Garrett left Cincinnati and moved to Cleveland.  His ability to quickly repair machines enabled him to secure a position as a sewing machine repairman.  By 1907, Garrett had saved enough money and opened his own sewing machine repair shop.  Garrett’s reputation grew quickly based on the quality of his work and the speed at which he completed repairs.  His business thrived.  Two years later, Garrett added a garment shop to his business.  In 1920, Garrett started the newspaper, the Cleveland Call, from scratch.  Like his sewing machine repair shop and garment shop, the Cleveland Call was a huge success.

In 1923, when a lot of people in Cleveland still traveled by horse-drawn vehicles, bicycles, and streetcars, Garrett’s successes enabled him to purchase an automobile.  One day in 1923, Garrett shared the busy road with all manner of vehicles including many other automobiles.  At each major intersection, a policeman manually moved levers which raised and lowered metal signs.  Painted on the signs were the words “GO,” or “STOP.”  This type of traffic signal had been in use for decades and had saved countless lives. 

As Garrett neared one of these major intersections, the policeman moved the levers and the signs changed.  Specific details of the accident that followed vary depending on the source.  Some sources assert that the collision was between a horse-drawn wagon and a car, and other sources claim that two cars were involved.  What we know for sure is that there was a horrible collision which resulted in at least one person’s death, and Garrett witnessed the whole thing.  Gruesome images of the collision replayed over and over in his mind.  At night, he had nightmares of the collision.  After a few days, Garrett began to take a different view of the collision.  He began to analyze what he had witnessed to try to determine what had caused the collision.  The traffic signals had worked as designed.  The policeman moved the levers and one lane of traffic’s signal changed from “Go” to “STOP,” and, at the same moment, the signal from the crossing traffic changed from “STOP” to “GO.”  Garrett found what he thought would solve the issue and, on November 20,1923, he received a patent for it.  He eventually sold the rights to his invention to General Electric for $40,000.00, an enormous sum at the time.

Garrett’s invention evolved into something that we all still see and use today.  Rather than slowing traffic down, Garrett’s invention makes most drivers want to increase their speed.  Garrett’s invention added a “WARNING” sign to the two-sign traffic signal to warn drivers that the stop signal would soon change from “GO” to “STOP.”  Garrett’s invention evolved into the yellow caution signal on traffic lights.

Source: History.com, “Garrett Morgan Patents Three-Position Traffic Signal.” HISTORY, 13 Dec. 2018, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/garrett-morgan-patents-three-position-traffic-signal.

Ruston Community Theatre will hold auditions for its fall production, “Anne of Green Gables,” the first week of August.

Auditions will take place at 10 a.m. Aug. 5 and at 6 p.m. Aug. 7 at the Dixie Center for the Arts.

“Anne of Green Gables” is a contemporary telling of the classic story. Stern Marilla and her warm-hearted brother Matthew hoped to adopt a boy to work on their farm. But the orphanage sends young, be-freckled Anne by mistake, and their lives will never be the same. Her warmth and wit affect everyone around her – even, eventually, the cold Marilla. The audience follows Anne through her rebellious years, her transformation into a young woman, and her romantic pairing with Gilbert. 

The cast includes the following:

Anne Shirley – orphan girl
Marilla Cuthberttt – stern middle-aged spinster
Mathew Cuthbert – her bachelor brother
Rachel Lynde – a neighbor
Station Master – at Bright River
Mr. Spencer – from a nearby village
Mrs. Blewitt – his neighbor
Diana Barry – Anne’s friend
Mrs. Barry – Diana’s mother
Mr. Phillips – Avonlea teacher
Miss Stacy – new teacher
Ruby Gillis – schoolmate
Josie Pye – schoolmate
Moody McPherson- schoolmate
Charlie Sloane – schoolmate
Gilbert Blythe – schoolmate

The play will be directed by Mary Watkins and will run Oct. 12-15.