Grambling State University football fans will have the opportunity to watch the G-Men compete nearly every weekend, as the Tigers will have 10 games broadcast or steamed live this season.
The Tigers’ 2023 slate features six games on the ESPN linear and digital platforms, two games on HBCUGo, and a pair of games on NBC and NFL Network.
A Celebration of Life for Beth Scott Backus of Ruston, LA will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, August 5, 2023 at Cook Baptist Church in Ruston with Bro. James Hester officiating.
Beth was born January 22, 1930 in Star City, AR as the third of four children belonging to Charles Mansfield Scott and Henry Elizabeth O’Neel Scott. She attended Star City High School, Arkansas State Teachers’ College and was a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas Class of 1950. Beth married Joe Carroll Backus of Springdale, AR January 7, 1951, a union that lasted for more than 61 years until his passing in 2012.
Beth was a very special woman of God who had a wonderful way of making everyone feel so special and loved, frequently singing the song, “You’re Something Special” to those she loved. She set an example worthy to follow, demonstrated by her beautiful life and witness. Some of her greatest joys were serving with Joe on mission trips and church camps, serving as a high school choral director for more than 27 years, leading the singles class at Cook Baptist in Ruston and being “Bootsiemom” to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Together with her husband Joe, they were the founding directors of Acadian Baptist Center in Eunice, LA, a thriving Christian camp that continues to share the Gospel and make disciples to this day.
Wherever she went, Beth lived the lyrics, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” Her love for her Lord, her husband, family, countless friends and strangers shone brightly through her stalwart character and vivacious spirit. Truly, she was a Proverbs 31 woman, the quintessential pastor’s wife and a good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ. Beth could light up the darkest room just by walking in. She had a larger-than-life personality and presence, yet one that was tempered by humility and a servant’s heart. Praise and worship were not only things Beth did, they were the life she lived. God granted her a double-portion of the gift of encouragement, something she freely shared with everyone around her.
Beth was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband Joe; two brothers: Arlen Mansfield Scott and Noel Dane Scott; and one sister Carolea Scott Hassard.
Beth is survived by her two children: Melaney Elizabeth Backus DeOliviera and husband Rhea of Ruston, LA and Joe Carroll “Jody” Backus, II and wife Sherri of Benton, LA; five grandsons: Charley DeOliviera and wife Charlotte of Dubach, LA, Bryan DeOliviera and wife Nikki of Alberta, Canada, Ben Backus and wife Lindsay of Nashville, TN, Stephen Backus and wife Hannah of Choudrant, LA and Caleb Backus and wife Cassidy of Bossier City, LA; two granddaughters: Tori Johnson and husband Mark of Benton, LA and Courtney Hester and husband James of Benton, LA; and eight great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Acadian Baptist Center, 1202 Academy Drive, Eunice, LA 70535. The web address for the camp is https://abccamp.com.
The Ruston Sports Complex is on deck waiting for the opening pitch for 56 youth baseball teams from across the Southern U.S. that will converge on Lincoln Parish for Dixie World Series play over the next two weeks.
It all begins on Thursday morning with teams from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. A host team from Louisiana is slated to compete in the AAA bracket.
“We are hosting the DYB Division II AAA, “O” Zone, and Majors, which are 10s and 12s,” said Matt Cotton, director of Business Development for the Ruston Sports Complex. “This week of World Series tournaments will have 28 teams.”
This week’s World Series action is seen as a special gift by Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker.
“The first tournament we hosted (in 2019) was a Dixie World Series,” Walker said. “Now it was a bigger one because it had all age groups and this won’t have as many of those groups. But what makes this one special is the fact that we didn’t bid on it. They ran into an issue and called us and asked if we could host it.
“So the fact we’re known for this, the fact that they’re calling us to help in that kind of circumstance – that’s what we want. That’s exciting for us.”
That excitement will be of much benefit for both Ruston and Lincoln Parish as a whole.
“There’s a lot of teams coming in and lots of them are staying in hotels here. They’re going to eat a lot of food here. They’re going to bring in a lot of sales tax dollars because of those tournaments.”
Cotton said the Ruston Sports Complex found out it would be hosting this weekend’s action in late January and early February.
“Representatives from DYB originally reached out at the end of January about the possibility of moving the World Series to Ruston and the decision to bring it to Ruston was made the first week of February,” Cotton said. “I think it says a lot about both the Ruston Sports Complex and the Ruston community.
“So the early part of the year was when the DYB realized that they needed to move their World Series from their original location, so they reached out wanting to bring it back to Ruston.”
Cotton said the first games and opening ceremonies for this weekend’s World Series play will come on Thursday.
“Games start Thursday the 27th at 10 a.m. and the opening ceremonies start that evening at 7:30 p.m. at JC Love Field,” Cotton said. “The opening ceremonies will have a flyover, a keynote speaker and fireworks.
“Championship games will be played on Monday the 31st. There are not any closing ceremonies.”
The Ruston Sports Complex will get even busier next week.
“We are hosting the DYB Division AAA, Ozone, and Majors World Series starting Friday Aug. 4 and that will be ending Wednesday Aug. 9,” Cotton said. “Those tournaments will have 34 teams.”
Johnathan Brantley is pictured flanked by sons Josh (left) and John in this picture taken in 2022. (Courtesy photo)
By T. Scott Boatright
Johnathan Brantley is no stranger to north Louisiana football, both as a player and later as a coach.
Brantley got his start as a standout football player at Grambling Laboratory High School, now known as Lincoln Preparatory School, and then as a defensive back for Grambling State University.
He later served as defensive backs coach for GSU from 2005-07 under Melvin Spears and Rod Broadway, as well as serving head coach for the football programs at Madison Parish and Ringgold high schools in north Louisiana and Capitol High School in Baton Rouge.
But now Brantley is a Shreveport Gentlemen – as in co-Defensive Coordinator, Special Teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for the newly revived Centenary College Gents football program.
“I reached out to their coach, Byron Dawson, in January or February, and the more we talked the more we realized we could work well together,” Brantley said. “I’m excited to get another chance to coach on the college level, and doing it for a new program that’s being built from the ground up makes it even more exciting.
“This first season will be an exhibition season before we start as a full Division III team in 2024. The team is made up of all freshmen, but that will only hopefully help as far as them being open to learning a new system, because they’ve never played for any system on this level. I’m co-Defensive Coordinator along with Coach Dawson, who got his start as a defensive coach and coordinator before becoming head coach at Evangel High School. We seem to work well together and think alike as far as football goes, so I’m excited.”
One of the freshmen defensive backs Brantley will be coaching is Brandon Heard from Lincoln Preparatory School.
“I was head coach at Capitol High School last year, but with my sons playing for Ruston, I still kept up with football up here and knew all about him,” Brantley said. “So I’m excited to be able to coach him along with all the other guys. We have some character kids on this team.”
Brantley said that although this will be Centenary’s first gridiron program in more than 80 years, he realizes the Shreveport-based college was once known for its nationally prominent football program.
Between 1920 and 1941, Centenary College’s football program had undefeated seasons, conference championships, beat some of the biggest programs in college football history, including LSU, set NCAA records, took down a nationally ranked team in Shreveport, and produced All-American players.
Centenary even suited up a future Pro Football Hall of Fame player in Cal Hubbard, who played for the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers (then Pirates). He’s a member of a ton of “All Time” teams named by the NFL, and was once voted the “Greatest Tackle of All Time” by NFL players.
But all of that ended in the 1941s when the school cut off football, when the Centenary football program was discontinued for the duration of World War II due to budget deficits, and declining fan interest. Two attempts to reinstate the football program – one in 1947 and another in the 1960s – failed to return the Gents to the field.
As Centenary’s Special Teams Coordinator, Brantley knows he has some hard history to even and try to match.
Centenary still owns 13 NCAA records, with most being set during a 1939 game against Texas Tech in Shreveport. Playing in a torrential downpour, those two teams resorted to punting the ball to one another on nearly every play, hoping for a sloppy catch, or fumble, that would allow the other team to score on special teams.
Brantley said he’ll be commuting from Ruston to Centenary, which will allow him to watch son Josh Brantley, the starting quarterback for Ruston this season, every Friday night.
“That’s part of what makes all of this even better,” Brantley said. “Being a new program in its first year, there won’t be overnight trips. All the games are fairly close by. That’s something Coach Dawson pointed out to me when we were talking about me coming here. I had a few other opportunities I thought about, but at this point right now, I wanted to be back in north Louisiana and that makes Centenary the perfect place for me.
“It’s an exciting thing to be part of something like this – making history by being part of bringing back history. I’m just thankful to Coach Dawson and Centenary College for making this happen and giving me this opportunity. I’ve been working with the team for about three weeks now and it’s been a great experience. I’m just looking forward to the season kicking off and already looking toward the future and getting this program going for real next year.”
Louisiana Tech’s Dr. Craig Van Slyke, an expert in the field of information systems, recently published an article in Communications of the Association for Information Systems. Titled “Generative Artificial Intelligence in Information Systems Education: Challenges, Consequences, and Responses,” Van Slyke’s analysis provides a thorough examination of the challenges posed by AI integration in information systems education, highlights the resulting transformations, and offers insightful responses to navigate this changing landscape.
What if you were told that AI — ChatGPT, to be specific— wrote the above paragraph? Well, it did. This article’s writer gave it a simple, one-sentence prompt, and it produced that introduction. The tool is becoming one of the most rapidly adopted technologies in history, and Van Slyke’s research aims to develop a better understanding of the range of impacts within information systems education and how educators might respond.
Written alongside Richard D. Johnson of Washington State University and Jalal Sarabadani of San Jose State University, the article provides specific recommendations that will allow educators to effectively respond to the rise of AI tools: do nothing; prohibit the use of AI tools; allow limited use of AI tools; or, embrace AI tools as legitimate learning aids.
“My personal view is that it is a losing game to try to prevent AI use. We need to teach students and workers how to use generative AI ethically, effectively, and safely,” said Van Slyke, who serves as Tech’s Mike McCallister Eminent Scholar Chair in Information Systems. “A large part of this will be related to helping people understand the risks and benefits of AI.”
Tech’s College of Business is taking steps to do just that. This Fall, faculty will begin embedding AI content in both CIS 125: IT Solutions for Business and CIS 310: Principles of Information Systems.
“One likely activity will be designed to help students learn to refine results through a chain of prompts,” Van Slyke said. “It’s pretty rare to get the instructions to ChatGPT right the first time. It’s kind of like talking with a colleague to help you refine ideas. It’s a process of back and forth through which the ideas become more concrete and better defined.”
Students will also learn to use ChatGPT for specific learning-related tasks, such as brainstorming ideas and acting as a study partner or a tutor.
“We want to provide students with guidelines for ethical AI use for learning activities,” Van Slyke said. “Our goal is to help students understand how to use generative AI ethically AND effectively.”
Van Slyke and colleagues France Belanger of Virginia Tech and Rob Crossler of Washington State are currently working on the 5th edition of the textbook used in Tech’s CIS 310 course, Information Systems for Business: An Experiential Approach, which will continue to provide students with the tools and basic knowledge needed to continually figure out how new technologies fit into their lives.
“Through our curriculum, students learn to leverage technology in business to its fullest,” College of Business Dean Dr. Chris Martin said. “We have to recall that calculators, computers, and the internet were initially cast aside. Not having these today is unimageable. As generative AI continues to become more mainstream, businesses will likely embrace these tools to become more efficient and effective. We want our students to be prepared — just as they are with current technology.”
Faculty across the business disciplines have started incorporating generative AI concepts into their coursework. Tech’s Dr. Patrick Scott, Associate Professor of Economics and Patricia Garland Endowed Professor, uses AI in his upper-division economics courses to help students with coding — something Scott anticipates will allow him to increase the number of analytical exercises offered by at least 30 percent this next fall.
“ChatGPT queries of coding topics usually include minimal working examples as well as explanations for why someone would typically want to approach a problem in a given way,” said Scott. “This significantly shortens the learning curve for students by reducing the opportunity cost of trying new techniques. Students will be exposed to more material and expected to know more. This will close the gap between what students know in an undergraduate program and what they will need in a graduate program or job.”
The College of Business prides itself on preparing students for a global workforce and aligning curriculum with industry needs. Integrating emerging concepts into the classroom is one way faculty increase students’ exposure to both innovation and technology, two of the College’s core academic themes.
In Scott’s lower-division classes, he asks students to review and correct AI-generated content that is wrong.
“AI frequently gives irrelevant, incorrect, or improper output,” he said. “This exercise forces students to identify what is not right. It sharpens student’s critical thinking and discernment skills.”
As faculty and students alike begin to explore the challenges and possibilities of generative AI in the classroom, Van Slyke’s research will continue to provide relevant guidance on what could become, in his words, “as disruptive as e-commerce was in the late 1990s/early 2000s.”
“In our paper, we argue that Information Systems faculty should embrace AI tools as legitimate learning aids and that the Association for Information Systems should take a leadership role in determining our collective response to the threats and challenges from ChatGPT and other AI tools,” Van Slyke said. “Although nobody knows the extent of the impact of generative AI systems like ChatGPT, it is clear that the impacts will be significant. We need to prepare students to live in a world that’s heavily influenced by generative AI systems.”
Skaters and interested community members are encouraged to attend a special public input meeting hosted by Newline Skateparks Thursday 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!
A Grambling man was arrested by Ruston Police Sunday morning after all officers responded to a harassment complaint at a local hotel.
Officers went to Sleep Inn about 9 a.m. Sunday where the victim reported Delano Owens, 28, was tampering with the tires on her car. Owen said he was replacing his wife’s tires.
The victim said she did not tell Owens her whereabouts and was not supposed to be doing anything to her vehicle.
Owens was placed under arrest, and he immediately attempted to run away but he was apprehended quickly. While officers were speaking to Owens, he ran off and a foot pursuit ensued for several blocks. The foot chase ended when Owens was struck by a Taser and taken into custody.
Owens was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for criminal mischief, simple escape, and resisting an officer. Bail was set at $6,250.
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.
Ruston Police arrested a man early Sunday morning after investigating a report of domestic abuse.
Officers responded to an Adams Street residence shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday. The alleged victim said she had been struck with a cane multiple times by Carlos Stringfellow, 45, of Ruston. Officers saw a swollen area with a small laceration that was bleeding on the victim’s calf. She also had dried blood covering the front of her shirt.
The victim alleged that the previous day, Stringfellow struck her in the back of the head with the cane. Officers found a laceration on her scalp along with dried blood matted in her hair. She also said Stringfellow abuses her when he is drunk.
Stringfellow told police the victim was his girlfriend and had approached him in a threatening manner and he used his cane to push her away. He denied striking her with the cane. He alleged the victim received the head injury elsewhere.
Stringfellow was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for domestic abuse battery.
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.
The longtime Ruston native recently hired Custom Curbing to add a concrete landscape border along her flower beds in both her front and back yards.
And Grigsby is happy she did.
“I saw it from one of my neighbor’s house, and I loved it,” said Grigsby. “It has defined my yard. I can’t tell you how many people have come by and said ‘Your yard looks so good.’ It has really defined my yard. I also got him to do my backyard. It has really made all the difference.”
Custom Curbing is owned by Aaron Cash and is based out of West Monroe. The company has been around for almost three decades and is making a splash in Lincoln Parish recently.
“Basically, we put really nice borders around flower beds,” said Cash. “The business was established in 1996 so we have been serving northeast Louisiana for almost 30 years. It’s like adding a beautiful frame around your landscape. Our longtime slogan is ‘Frame Your Landscaping.'”
Cash said much of the business comes from neighbors seeing the finished product at other neighbors’ houses. And based on Grigsby’s satisfaction, it’s understandable.
“I am so pleased,” said Grigsby. “When I go outside, I look at it and just smile. They did such a super job. So many people have said, ‘Oh, Jan. Your yard looks so much better.’ And Aaron and his guys were so pleasant to work with during the process.”
Cash said that at the end of the day, it’s all about the client being happy with the finished product.
“We typically stick with earth tones; tans, and browns, and greys and charcoals,” said Cash. “We want to use colors that will be in style for years to come. Typically, that is earth tones. I see what their needs are and give them my advice on what would look better and how to alleviate some problems such as beds washing out or the grass encroaching in the beds.
“We also remove lots of dangerous metal edging that has become rusty and jagged and replace it with our concrete border system. We figure out the best designs and go from there.”
According to Cash, a “typical” job costs between $1,200 and $1,500, but the price can vary depending on style/color of curb, amount of ground prep, drainage work, root work, travel distance, number of areas, etc.
A average job can be completed within a day.
For more information, individuals can call 318-598-YARD or click on the CONTACT link on the website.
I learned life the hard way, I took all my knocks and lumps But when I look back down the road at where I’ve been, I can see that all the things I’ve done in this ol’ life have been more fun ’Cause I shared them with someone who was a friend.
— “A Friend,” written and recorded by Jerry Reed (and featured in the movie W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings, which you should watch ASAP)
Few people if any enjoyed being themselves as much as Jack Brittain loved being Jack Brittain, or “Britt” as his friends called him, and he had more of those than you can find grains of sand and beer bottle tops at the Redneck Riviera.
This is the biggest weekend of the year for locals in my line of work; it’s the annual Louisiana Sports Writers Convention and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Natchitoches, where Britt has served as unofficial mayor for decades. You can find out more about the weekend and how you can enjoy it at LASportsHall.com. You can find out more about Britt by asking anyone in Natchitoches or in the LSWA.
A piece of work and then some, this guy.
So, it was a profound and unwelcome sadness when Britt, our LSWA brother, died two weeks ago at age 67 after a short and surprising illness.
He was the red on the candy cane, the helium in the balloon, the sunshine through any cloud.
His attachment to the LSWA was solid and eternal, even though Britt was a lawyer and financial planner. He didn’t write any stories. He was the story.
He was so good at St. Mary’s that he’s in the high school’s Hall of Fame, then he lettered four years in football at Northwestern State before law school, but shoot, lots of people could do that. What set him apart was a heart and smile big as centerfield, his uncanny ability to see the best in people and the brightest side of things virtually all the time. He went around lettering every day in life, a seed-sower of joy and laughter and earthy charisma.
One of those ‘girls want to ride in his boat, boys want to be his best buddy’ kind of dudes.
It’s hard to describe the impact he had on the LSWA and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame because we don’t have anything to compare him to. He was just always there, a part of, a calm in a sometimes-stormy sea of egos and chaos, a smile to calm the tide.
In 2017, Britt was the recipient of the LSWA’s most prized honor, the Mac Russo Award, given to an individual who “contributes to the progress and ideals of the LSWA.” It was my lucky and treasured honor to present it to him. If memory serves, I said something clever like, “Here Britt; sorry it took us so long. We’d give you a half-dozen of these if we could — and you’d deserve every one.”
“Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, And say my glory was I had such friends.” — W. B. Yeats
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Links to contact the Soil Lab or to get a test kit can be found by clicking HERE.
Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend the second annual Women’s Football Clinic held by Louisiana Tech Football.
The event started at the Davison Athletics Center, where attendees were welcomed by players and coaches.
Setting the tone for the night, each player and coaching staff present took the time to introduce themselves and share a little about their life with attendees over a meal of tacos and drinks.
Never having the chance to meet many players and coaches in my time at Louisiana Tech, I enjoyed this opportunity to learn a little more about the faces on the field.
After introductions, Community Advocates from the Domestic Abuse Resistance Team (D.A.R.T.) spoke a little about their organization and their mission in the community, which is where all proceeds made during the clinic were donated.
Before the event, I had very little knowledge on the D.A.R.T. organization or the impact they have on North Central Louisiana areas. The organization provides help to domestic and dating violence victims and their children in the parishes of Jackson, Lincoln, Union, Winn, Claiborne, Bienville and Grant.
I was also unaware of their statistics and shocked to discover some just in Lincoln Parish alone.
“D.A.R.T. served 282 women in the year of 2022,” Kris Barney, community advocate, said. “We also served 29 men.”
The organization also served 329 children in the parish and had 130 arrests for domestic violence.
With more statistics stated by Barney throughout the talk and gaining a better understanding of the organization, I am so glad for the opportunity to have attended the clinic.
Organizations like D.A.R.T. play such influential roles in our own backyard and community members’ lives, yet we sometimes never even realize. I am thankful to now know more about D.A.R.T. and be able to share this resource when the time comes.
Later, a tour of the Davison Athletics Center was given, which I ironically still got lost in trying to leave after, and areas used for film and training were shown.
During one pit stop of the tour, attendees got to talk with coaches’ spouses and hear about their perspective during football season. Many opened up about the challenges that comes with having a partner in the sport and sacrifices of family time during season; however, finding ways to effectively navigate these challenges and appreciate the time together more.
I was surprised to uncover this side of football for coaches and their families and very appreciative to hear these women’s first-hand experience on the topic.
The tour ended in Joe Aillet Stadium with dozens of attendees lining up to take on drills and practice led by coaches and players. After watching many attempts at tackling a large wheel, I can confidently say I will not be getting any playing time with the team this fall.
However, I can say that next year’s Women’s Clinic is already in my calendar and looked forward to by many.
BATON ROUGE, La. – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) are pleased to release KLB’s 2023 Overview and Outcomes Report. The publication summarizes the organization’s recent efforts to end litter in Louisiana through grant opportunities, educational offerings, community-centric programs and events, and statewide awareness campaigns.
The following accomplishments and more are highlighted in the publication:
During the 2nd annual Love the Boot Week in April, nearly 13,000 people at 547 events in all 64 parishes removed 313 tons of litter.
The KLB network grew to 43 Community Affiliatesand10 University Affiliates, welcoming Keep Algiers Beautiful, Keep Baker Beautiful, Keep the Quarter Clean, Keep Loyola Beautiful, Keep Northwestern State Beautiful, and Keep University of Louisiana Monroe Beautiful.
KLB launched the Get Down and Clean Up program and now 100+ public libraries have cleanup supplies, including grabbers, safety vests, and trash bags for the public to use to pick up litter.
The Clean Biz Partnership was developed in collaboration with the Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Executives (LACCE) to engage Louisiana businesses in cleaning up and preventing litter. The Partnership now includes 28 chambers of commerce and 220+ businesses that understand the link between cleanliness and economic prosperity.
KLB awarded more than $959,000 in funding this fiscal year through grant opportunities. This includes two new grants, which distributed 879 trash receptacles to 98 organizations in 40 parishes and funded 39 beautification projects in 24 parishes.
In partnership with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and Red Six Media, KLB launched the Let Louisiana Shine campaign, achieving 120 million impressions with messaging about picking up and preventing litter.
KLB facilitated the state’s first four-part litter study on the cost of litter abatement, roadside litter, the public perception of litter, and best practices for roadway litter removal. KLB’s findings will inform how the state moves forward with tackling its litter problem. The comprehensive report will be released this fall.
“With support from my office and Louisiana legislators, Keep Louisiana Beautiful has expanded its programs, grant opportunities, and overall reach,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “We have made progress, but we have a long journey ahead of us. We need everyone working together to put the paradise back in our Sportsman’s Paradise. It’s time to Let Louisiana Shine.”
“I am pleased to have experienced such incredible progress in such a short time, but this is just the beginning. We must change our mindsets and adopt behaviors that prevent litter from occurring in the first place. I challenge everyone to do your part to make Louisiana cleaner and greener,” said KLB Executive Director Susan Russell.
Sundiata Anderson (9) was named the SWAC preseason Defensive Player of the Year. (photo courtesy of GSU Athletics)
Courtesy of GSU Athletics
Sundiata Anderson led the Grambling State University football team in preseason honors as he was named the 2023 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday morning.
Four more G-Men were selected to the SWAC preseason teams as well.
Sundiata Anderson, Lewis Matthews and Jimmy Iles garnered first team honors, while Lyndon Rash and Kevin Thomas garnered second team recognition.
Anderson played in 10 games for the Tigers and was third on the team in tackles with 50, including 23 solo stops. He added 12.5 tackles for a loss of 64, while leading the Tigers in sacks, with seven. In addition, recorded two quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and blocked one kick.
Matthews ranked 14th in the nation and tops in the conference in solo tackles, while also second in the SWAC in total tackles and 27th in the FCS. He led Grambling State defensively with 102 total tackles, including 61 solo stops. The junior linebacker had 12 tackles for a loss of 28 yards and a pair of sacks.
Iles was one of the the best punters in the SWAC last season, boasting a punting average of 41.2 yards, the third most in the SWAC. He also booted the longest punt in the conference, booming a 69 yard punt. Iles downed 17 punts inside the 20 yard line and registered 10 punts of 50 yards or more. He earned national recognition on October 10, being named FedEx Ground FCS Player of the Week Honorable Mention.
Rash is one of the leaders of the Grambling State football team and proves it through his play. Rash led GSU’s receiving corp in 2022 with 32 catches for 517 yards and five touchdowns. He had a long reception of 83 yards which was a touchdown versus Northwestern State on Sept. 10.
Thomas was a key component to GSU’s defensive backfield. The Lake Charles, La. native played in 11 games, racking up 52 total tackles. He also registered one interception with two forced fumbles. Thomas had his breakout game in GSU’s 47-21 rout of Northwestern State, racking up seven tackled with one interception.
GSU was also tabbed to come in fourth in the SWAC West Division.
The World Parkinson Congress, hosted by the World Parkinson Coalition, held over 2,600 people from 73 different countries consisting of scientific sessions, poster sessions and networking events on Parkinson’s Disease.
Louisiana Tech professor and qualitative researcher, Donna Hood, traveled to Barcelona, Spain, this year to give two presentations on the work being done at Tech.
The first presentation was “Academic Community Partnership” that showcased three different projects on Tech’s campus that aids students in learning about Parkinson’s.
“What we found by our first study is that there are just not that many movement disorder specialists here in North Louisiana,” said Hood.
While the Rock Steady Boxing Program previously existed on Tech’s campus, they created the Parkinson’s Resource Center that hosts classes every Wednesday, free for those with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.
Denise Pyles, Louisiana Tech assistant professor of nursing, works with students to help guide the classes.
“It’s like an exercise class,” said Pyles. “A lot of stretching, a lot of fine motor movements for the patients and a lot of repetitive movements.”
The students that help with patients will conduct webinars, readings and offer brochures or booklets to help educate others on the disease.
“Parkinson’s is unlike any other disease process,” said Pyles. “Every three months we will do a brunch/lunch and learn where we try to bring in informational meetings, so that they’re not forgotten.”
The second presentation was “Providing Authentic Learning Experiences about Parkinson’s Disease: Bringing Humanity into the Classroom” in which qualitative researchers from four different universities studied individuals living with Parkinson’s.
“We studied their journaling, then analyzed it to see how effective our efforts were at helping,” said Hood. “We can all learn something from each other, and we all have different resources we can showcase.”
Other universities that assisted were Towson University, University of Pennsylvania and Virginia Commonwealth University.
For more information about the Parkinson’s Resource Center, feel free to reach out to Hood with 318-257-4287.
Sadie Huenefeld (left) and Adam Wiedemeier (right) will compete in the NCSA Swimming Championships in Indianapolis this week. They are pictured with BAC coach Rocky Smith.
By Malcolm Butler
Sadie Huenefeld and Adam Wiedemeier will be competing in the NCSA Swimming Championship Meet this week in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Both Huenefeld and Wiedemeier are members of the Bulldog Aquatic Club.
The event will take place Wednesday through Saturday and will feature the best swimmers from all over the country.
“The this competition features some of the best swimmers in the country,” said BAC coach Rocky Smith. “There will be several athletes from this meet that will be competing in the Olympic Trials next year.”
The competition will include one session on Wednesday (July 26) as well as prelims and finals for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
“Just qualifying for this event puts you in very rare air,” said Smith. “You are an elite swimmer just to make this meet. Both of these athletes are competing at a very high level and the team is so proud of them.”
At the meet, the top eight from the preliminaries in each event to the finals and ninth through 16th place advance to the consolation final.
L to R: Joseph Amiano, coach Rocky Smith, JJ Hoover and Camdyn Napper will represent the BAC and Team Louisiana at the Southern Zone Meet in North Carolina.
By Malcolm Butler
A trio of local swimmers are competing in North Carolina this week as Joseph “G” Amiano, John “JJ” Hoover and Camdyn Napper participate at the Southern Zone Championships.
The trio are all members of the Bulldog Aquatic Club (BAC).
The competition starts Wednesday and runs through Saturday in Cary, North Carolina, and includes the top swimmers from Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
The fastest 12 competitors in each event from each state advanced to the regional event. The Southern Zone is one of four zones across the country (Western, Central, Eastern) and include the following age groups: 11-12 girls, 11-12 boys, 13-14 girls, and 13-14 boys.
“These are some of the fastest 11 to 14 swimmers in the country,” said BAC coach Rocky Smith, who was selected as the head coach for Team Louisiana. “It is an honor for me to lead Team Louisiana as the head coach this week.”
Amiano will compete in the 11-12 boys age group while Hoover and Napper will compete in the 13-14 boys age group.
The competition will include one session on Wednesday (July 26) as well as prelims and finals for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
The athletes competing are as follows individual events as well as relays for Team Louisiana. At the meet, the top eight from the preliminaries in each event to the finals while 9th through 16th advance to the consolation final.
The Ruston 9U Dixie All-Star baseball team knew they were underdogs heading into the Dixie youth Baseball World Series in Center, Texas.
But that took nothing away from the effort the players gave and the fun they had.
After struggling through a 1-3 record in pool play, the Ruston All-Stars dominated in their first elimination game before falling in semifinals action to Ellisville, Mississippi for a third-place finish.
The team was led by head coach Chris Shelton and assistants Riley Rushing and Matt Pullin. Ruston’s 9U All-Stars were Chance Butler, Jessie Ford, Matthew Hyde, Brody Jemerson, Apollo Odom, Cooper Powell, Sam Pullin, Riley Rushing, Chris Shelton, Raiden Underwood, Kingston Venzant and Ezekiel Wilson.
This year’s Ruston Dixie Youth All-Star team was drawn from the four 9U teams in the league.
“Then they were just kind of thrown together, but that’s the way it works,” Matt Pullin said. “Some of them were on last year’s Nashville Dixie World Series 8U team. We picked up a couple of new guys this year but I guess the whole group really didn’t play together until the St. Jude’s Warm-Up Tournament.
“And then we played district and finished second. That got us to Shreveport (for the state regionals). Shreveport beat us in the finals, and then we went to state.”
At state, the Ruston 9U All-Stars dominated South Sabine 14-4 to reach the Dixie World Series.
“That exceeded my expectations right there – the fact that earned the World Series berth,” Pullin said. “So then I thought, OK, we’ll do OK. But these kids are athletes. They’re resilient. And they gave it all every step of the way. They turned into good young baseball players.”
The team got off to a slow start in the World Series before rallying for some late excitement.
“We ended up going 1-3 in pool play, so we were the third-seed, so we drew the second seed out of the other pool, which was Prattville, Alabama,” Pullin said. “I had watched those kids play before. They play together year round. I think about 75% play travel ball together, so I knew we had a big challenge ahead.
“But we ended up playing really well and beat Prattville by one run and advanced to Sunday’s semifinal against Ellisville. The boys played great, but a few errors here and there compounded on us and they beat us 14-4 with the 10-run rule in the fourth inning. They probably would have won anyway, but without those errors I think it would have been something like 7-5 instead of 10-4.”
The Ruston All-Stars also faced another opponent in Mother Nature.
“It was really hot … above 100 degrees on three out of the four days we played,” Pullin said. “The Opening Ceremonies were held on turf – the fields were natural grass, which helped. But that turf was just so hot during the Opening Ceremonies.
“And we played a lot of really good teams. I’m talking about teams with a lot more experience playing with each. So I’m proud of the way we played and reaching the semifinals and finishing third is something we are all proud about.”
Considering it was a second-straight Dixie World Series for a number of this year’s Ruston 9U All-Stars, Pullin said he hopes a foundation is only getting stronger.
“It was a great experience for the players going out of state to play,” Pullin said. “And they played against teams from four other states.
“And it’s one more time they’ve gone to nationals. That’s a great experience hopefully building future team experience. It was a great time for all of the players, and that’s all that really matters.”
Dianne Richards will be running for the District 11 seat in the Lincoln Parish Police Jury.
Diane Richards has announced her bid for election on the Lincoln Parish Police Jury to represent District 11 in the October 14, 2023, election.
“I love living in Lincoln Parish. In my opinion it is the best parish in this state to live and be a part of. I want to help our parish continue to grow in positive ways and will work to do so. I will always represent not only District 11, but Lincoln Parish as a whole with respect and dignity. A few of my goals include addressing problems with our roads, litter in the parish and issues at the detention center. I believe in hard work and I’m ready to work hard for District 11. I will use my leadership skills to help move Lincoln Parish forward.”
Mrs. Richards has been married to career U.S. Army Veteran, devoted, and loving husband, Kenneth Richards for 43 years. We are the proud parents of 2 children and 2 grandchildren. Mrs. Diane Richards is a native of Lincoln Parish, graduated from Ruston High School, attended LA. Tech University, and majored in education and business. She retired from Harvest Foods grocery, and H&R Block as a tax professional and works as a commissioner during election times. Mrs. Richards owns and operates a tax professional business certified though the I.R.S. Dianne worked as a parish bus driver for eight years and is an active member of New Living Word Church where she works with the Nursing Home, and Prison Outreach ministries.
“I humbly ask the citizens of District 11 for your vote to serve you in the October 14th election.”
LOUISIANA GREATS: Members of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 gathered with previously-inducted members on stage. This Legends Lineup concludes each year’s induction ceremony and is a photo favorite for guests.
There are football legends, a women’s basketball great, four baseball icons, a two-time USA Olympian, a world-renowned weightlifting champion with an amazing life story, and five LSU Tigers.
They – and a fun-filled slate of events — are among the reasons to be in Natchitoches Thursday, Friday evening and Saturday, to enjoy the 2023 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration.
Festivities include three free events, and four others which require admission charges. Only the grand finale, the Saturday evening Induction Reception and Ceremony presented by State Farm Agents of Louisiana, is a dress up affair.
Two – the Friday lunchtime Bowling Bash presented by BOM, in Alexandria at Four Seasons Bowling Center, and the free Saturday morning New Orleans Saints and Pelicans Junior Training Camp on the Northwestern State campus – are activity-filled.
Another – the free Friday night Rockin’ River Fest Concert featuring Rockin’ Dopsie and The Zydeco Twisters, and rising country artist Jason Ashley, along with a 10-minute fireworks show over Cane River – is activity-optional, dancing encouraged.
The concert also features a free kids zone presented by Louisiana Propane Dealers with football, basketball, golf and science fun on the Natchitoches riverbank.
Tickets for the Bowling Bash, the Friday night VIP Taste of Tailgating party at the concert, and the big finale, the Induction Reception and Ceremony, are available at LaSportsHall.com or by calling 318-238-4255. The Saturday noon Round Table Luncheon is already sold out.
Advance registration at LaSportsHall.com for kids 7-17 is required for the free Junior Training Camp, which will feature many of the 2023 inductees participating as coaches in football and basketball.
Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning (from New Orleans) joins four-time WNBA All-Star Alana Beard (a Shreveport native with Natchitoches roots) and College World Series champion LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri in a star-studded 12-member induction class.
The Class of 2023 also includes New Orleans native and resident Ron Washington, who managed the Texas Rangers to a pair of World Series appearances and in 2021 helped the Atlanta Braves win the world’s championship (and is still the Braves’ third base coach); two-time LSU track and field USA Olympian and world champion Walter Davis from Arnaudville; and Slidell native, Tulane great and Chicago Bears two-time Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte.
Also set for induction are All-American LSU pitcher Paul Byrd, a 14-year Major League Baseball veteran who made the 1999 All-Star Game; Shreveport native Wendell Davis, who shattered LSU football receiving records before heading to the NFL; multiple national champion and world class weightlifter Walter Imahara, a Baton Rouge florist and UL-Lafayette legend who as a child spent 2 ½ years in a Japanese American internment camp in California; and retired Baton Rouge-Parkview Baptist baseball coach M.L. Woodruff, whose teams claimed 11 state championships.
Two south Louisiana sports journalists, Bruce Brown of Lafayette and longtime New Orleans Times-Picayune high school reporter Lori Lyons, will also be honored.
The Class of 2023 will be enshrined Saturday night at the Natchitoches Events Center to culminate the 64th Induction Celebration.
The Thursday reception at the museum, the Friday evening River Fest and the Junior Training Camp are free. As noted above, camp participants need to register online in advance.
The 2023 Induction Celebration will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors.
For information on sponsorship opportunities and other participation, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040 or RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com, or Greg Burke, Director of Business Development and Public Relations, at 318-663-5459 or GregBurke@LaSportsHall.com .
