Edward Allen Lamkin passed away on August 18, 2023, at the age of 84 in Ruston, LA. He was born on May 4, 1939, to Sam and Jonnie Lamkin in Ansley, Louisiana.
Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Saturday, August 26, 2023, from 1:00-2:00 pm at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Ruston. Funeral services will begin Saturday at 2:00 at Kilpatrick Funeral Home Chapel in Ruston followed by burial at New Prospect Cemetery in Clay, LA.
Ed is survived by his wife of 57 years, Linda Williams Lamkin; daughter Kimberly Moore (David) of Madisonville, LA; son Len Lamkin (Michelle) of Milton, GA; grandchildren Collin and Camille Lamkin; and three brothers: Samuel (Frances), Elmer (Joyce), and Dwight (Cheryl) Lamkin.
After graduating from Quitman High School, Ed attended Northwestern University where he met Linda, the love of his life. Ed was an accountant with Brown and Root and retired after 40 years with the company. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, and gardening. Ed devoted his life to fellowship and service as an active member of the Ruston Masonic Lodge (Past Master), William D. White Masonic Lodge of Gretna, LA (Past Master), Valley of Monroe Scottish Rite, Barak and Jerusalem Shrine Temples, Magi Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star of Ruston, LA, William D. White Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and was a Past Grand Patron of the Order of the Eastern Star, State of Louisiana.
Edward Allen Lamkin May 4, 1939 – August 18, 2023 Visitation: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Saturday, August 26, 2023, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Service: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Saturday, August 26, 2023, 2:00 pm Cemetery: New Prospect, Saturday, August 26, 2023
Janice “Jan” Williamson May 1, 1943 – August 17, 2023 Visitation: Saturday, August 26, 2023, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Funeral Service: Saturday, August 26, 2023, 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Cemetery Committal: Saturday, August 26, 2023, Forest Lawn Cemetery, 2500 West California Ave, Ruston
Charlotte Ann (Williams) King August 5, 1947 – August 10, 2023 Service: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Saturday, September 2, 2023, 10:00 am
Daisy Myles Monday 11/11/1935 — Tuesday 08/15/2023 Family Gathering: Friday 08/25/2023 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Visitation: Friday 08/25/2023 3:00pm to 5:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Wake: Friday 08/25/2023 5:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 08/26/2023 12:00am, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, 446 Bowden Road, Ruston (Clay) Interment: Saturday 08/26/2023, George Washington Carver Memorial Park, Martin Luther King Drive, Ruston
Alfaye Wesley Saturday 04/27/1935 — Saturday 08/19/2023 Family Gathering: Friday 08/25/2023 2:00pm to 3:00pm Funeral Service: Saturday 08/26/2023 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 08/26/2023, Greater Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Dubach
Annie Jo Davis Tuesday 08/24/1954 — Saturday 08/19/2023 Visitation: Friday 09/01/2023 3:00pm to 5:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 09/02/2023 1:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 09/02/2023, St. Peter Baptist Church Cemetery, Longstraw Road, Ruston
In conjunction with the Louisiana Tech University Foundation and premier partner Origin Bank, Louisiana Tech Athletics announced a naming rights agreement for the Center for Student-Athlete Success.
Origin Bank, the official bank of Louisiana Tech Athletics, will be recognized as the naming partner for the state-of-the-art facility after making the largest corporate gift ever to Louisiana Tech University.
“Origin Bank has been a highly valued and integral partner for Louisiana Tech in the past, and they continue to be for our present and our future,” said LA Tech Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Eric A. Wood. “The opportunity to have their name directly tied to our upcoming Center for Student-Athlete Success only strengthens our deep connection with them. They believe in being life changers and this academic center will most certainly change the lives of our Bulldogs and Lady Techsters.”
The Origin Bank Center for Student-Athlete Success, scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2025, will be made possible through both state funding and private donations, including gifts through Louisiana Tech’s Aillet Society. The 17,150 square foot building will be located in the north end zone of Joe Aillet Stadium and will serve as a significant educational resource for all student-athletes with individual tutor rooms, flexible study spaces, computer lab, conference rooms, academic advising, career development, and life-after-sport programming.
“Origin has been deeply committed to our communities for more than a century, and our long-standing partnership with Louisiana Tech is a reflection of that commitment,” said Drake Mills, chairman, president and CEO of Origin Bancorp, Inc. “The Center for Student-Athlete Success will create a venue to strengthen the educational experience for student-athletes and build leaders that will shape our future.”
The space will also be utilized on home football game days, enhancing the experience with field-facing balcony viewing areas.
“While the center will primarily serve our current student-athletes year-round academically, the state-of-the-art facility will also give us an opportunity to provide another premium seating area six days out of the year for home football games,” added Wood.
The Origin Bank Center for Student-Athlete Success is part of a multi-phase project at Joe Aillet Stadium. Phases that have been completed include the addition of a Daktronics 10-millimeter LED ribbon board along the façade of the Davison Athletics Complex and the construction of the Sarah and A.L. Williams Champions Plaza that honors former LA Tech student-athletes who have reached the highest level of hall of fame induction in their respective sport. The plaza, which will officially be unveiled on Friday, Aug. 25 in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, also honors the most highly-decorated teams in the University’s history.
Another phase will be the addition of a new Daktronics video board in the north end zone, replacing the current video board that was installed in 2009. Scheduled to be installed in the spring of 2024, the board will be the largest in the state of Louisiana, measuring 36-feet tall by 90-feet wide which is twice as wide as the current video board. The board will be funded with private gifts through the Louisiana Tech University Foundation.
(This is one of 20 profiles on the recipients selected by an anonymous committee out of an extensive list of nominees for the 2023 Rising Lincoln Leader Award. The Lincoln Parish Journal thanks Mayor Ronny Walker and the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce for their support of this award. Photo by Kevin Hawkins at HawkinsPhoto.com).
How long have you lived in Lincoln Parish: 25 years
Civic-volunteer organizations: Lincoln Rotary member and Past President, T1L1, Vice Chairman United Way of Northeast Louisiana Campaign Cabinet, North Louisiana Medical Center Board of Trustee
Professional Highlights: Recipient of the Origin Bank Community Commitment unique award, which is a community focused employee that goes above and beyond to serve others; Youngest Origin Bank employee to be selected to the Origin Bank Leadership Academy; Recipient of the “Wrldinvsn Vsnary of the Year Award”
Lance Hall, President and CEO of Origin Bank, on Bruce Rushing: “Bruce is a star in the banking industry because he is smart, hungry and humble. His character and work-ethic are clearly seen by his co-workers as well as his clients. Bruce is an avid learner who constantly wants to improve his craft and become an elite trusted advisor. The future is incredibly bright for Bruce. I am fortunate to call him a friend and teammate.”
Q&A with Bruce Rushing
What makes Lincoln Parish special? The people by far, we have a great community with leadership that’s passionate about seeing Lincoln Parish grow. I sit back sometime and think how much this place has grown just in the last five years. We’re blessed to call this place home.
How do you see your role in improving Lincoln Parish? I believe the biggest role any citizen can play in Lincoln Parish is to be an advocate and get involved. My plan is to remain involved within the community through our social organizations and within Origin Bank.
Who has played a pivotal role in your professional development and why? My parents, they sacrificed to provide for my brother and I, and instilled work ethic into us. Next would be Lance Hall. Lance provided an opportunity for me to come to Ruston as a commercial banker after working in West Monroe for 3.5 years. He has been a huge influence on my personal and career growth as a mentor. He truly lives and breathes the Origin Bank culture with a commitment to our community.
It appears the new Ruston Animal Control Facility that has been under construction for the past year is nearing an opening date.
That’s after a social media post made by the City of Ruston on Wednesday that read, “Hold onto your leashes, folks! The grand unveiling of the City of Ruston’s brand new Animal Control Facility is on the horizon, and we’re pumped! Our mission? Creating an environment so pawsitively awesome that our future pet parents and their fluffy companions will be doing happy dances. So, buckle up, because the inside scoop is just a tail wag away!”
But while the post was made earlier in the day, Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker told the Lincoln Pabrish Journal Wednesday evening that no firm date has been set yet.
“Not at this time,” Walker said when asked if a date for the facility’s opening is in place.
The 7,142-square-foot facility, located at 1212 McAllister Street in Ruston, will be equipped with an observation unit containing up to 58 adoption kennels, five observation kennels, a cat adoption condo, and a feline isolation area.
An additional wing will hold up to 41 kennels, with each of those having an indoor area with an outdoor run separated by a sliding doorway.
The south side of both kennel sections will include a play yard for exercise and enrichment. In the center of the shelter building will be an enclosed animal loading and unloading garage complete with a bath station and intake exam room to ensure animal safety.
Current local animal shelters are holding capacity limits of animals, so the need for the new facility is a crucial one.
Earlier this summer the a Lincoln Parish Police Jury committee entered into talks with the city of Ruston to consider potentially teaming on the new facility looking for a long-term solution to stray animal problems throughout the parish, but Lincoln Parish Administrator Courteny Hall said those talks have entered into a sort of holding pattern waiting for the outcome a November election that will decide seven of the LPPJ’s 12 seats.
In addition to the current Ruston Animal Control facility, Lincoln Parish also has a no-kill shelter in 4-Paws Rescue Inc., but both of those are currently filled to capacity or near to it.
A news release from the City of Ruston around the time of the new Animal Control Facility’s groundbreaking in July of 2022 read, “The need is significant as community shelters and kennels are reaching full capacity. Animal shelters play a vital role in uniting animals with new owners, reuniting animals with their owners, advocating animal health with spay and neuter programs, and celebrating our community connection with adoption events.”
Through international travel, students in Louisiana Tech’s College of Business are gaining real-world knowledge of the global business world.
Last month, online and traditional/on-campus Master of Business Administration students came together in Santiago, Chile, to learn about the culture and business environment of the South American country’s rapidly developing and diverse economies.
“Above the obvious benefits of increased awareness of different cultures, practices, and perspectives, students who work and study abroad gain exposure to unique challenges and opportunities, especially in emerging markets, that spark innovation, boost problem-solving skills, and uncover avenues for greater investment and business growth,” said Dr. William McCumber, associate dean of graduate programs and research for the College of Business.
McCumber accompanied the team of 11 graduate students on the trip and taught BUSN 540, a new graduate-level course designed to facilitate the global consulting component of the immersive experience.
The students were paired with three Chilean companies: Simplo, whose mission is to eliminate single-use plastics through a 100% compostable product line that serves as alternatives for stationary goods; Coderhub, a no-code data analytics company that helps municipalities better serve their citizens; and Mappin, a map art company that rescues old works to give them value in present-day and develops educational material with cultural and identity themes.
Charles Anderson, an online MBA student, worked with his classmates to advise Simplo on how to successfully kickstart their launch in the U.S. market. The team conducted a full market analysis, researched critical success factors for a crowdfunding campaign, and advised on marketing, financial, and PR strategies.
“The way Louisiana Tech structures the MBA program truly set me up for success to consult with international businesses,” Anderson said. “Although our deliverables were focused mainly on financial objectives and raising capital, there were considerations throughout the project that overlapped with the classes we take in the MBA program. This includes marketing, management, economics, and accounting. I am confident that having a mastery level understanding of all these fields of business contributed to our success advising in Chile.”
Sharon Jackson, a traditional MBA student, used the global consulting experience as a chance to set her degree apart from others. She was part of the team consulting with Coderhub.
“I learned cultural and language barriers are real aspects of business, but the issues and challenges are the same irrelevant of the country of origin,” Jackson said. “We were able to provide Coderhub with ideas on how to strengthen their company by identifying a RFI, RPQ, or RFP and the information each of these is seeking, sharing some of the challenges of the procurement process, strategic initiatives, and a roadmap for next steps.”
McCumber noted that though the learning outcome for BUSN 540 was singular, it was incredibly complicated.
“Our students had to successfully complete a professional consulting project on behalf of a foreign company in a foreign nation in a foreign language,” McCumber said. “I am pleased to report that not only were the MBA consultants successful, they are being sought as consultants and/or employees of the firms they served.”
This learning outcome was one of the reasons many students — like Gafe Gibson, a traditional MBA student — decided to travel to Chile.
“I initially went on this trip to gain experience in a real-world consulting environment,” Gibson said. “It’s always best to meet with people face-to-face so you can grasp the reality of the situation they’re facing in the business world. Our MBA courses are challenging. Still, they are also informative in practical situations, allowing us to reach beyond the books and seek out real-world environments in our consulting tasks.”
Anderson’s reasons for participating were similar.
“You can gain knowledge and insights in the classroom, but there is no substitute for real-world involvement and problem-solving,” Anderson said. “Louisiana Tech’s College of Business has emphasized the value of critical thinking and providing solutions to prospective clients, and I feel this trip was a unique opportunity to further craft those skills.”
In addition to practicing these skills in a real-world environment, students also enjoyed the bonding experience of traveling as a cohort.
“My favorite part was building a team,” Jackson said. “Dr. McCumber effectively brought together people with common goals and helped us unravel the puzzle to provide a solution. The team structures were developed through interactions with our partner companies, the cohesiveness of the MBA students in developing budding relationships, and our ability to think as a unit.”
The shared cultural experiences of the trip — from seeing the Andes Mountains to learning about Chilean winemaking — allowed the students opportunities to connect with their classmates, some of whom may have never otherwise met in person due to distance learning.
“We had a very diverse group that worked together exceptionally well. Having the opportunity to learn about the backgrounds, careers, personalities, and goals of the rest of the group was tremendous,” Anderson said. “I feel we all came to Chile a little uncertain of one another, which is normal when you first meet people, but left as a group of real friends with a shared experience that can’t really ever be duplicated.”
As international travel continues to enhance the College of Business’ academic offerings, undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to take advantage of future global consulting opportunities as well as the College’s exchange program with IESIG in France.
“We need business leaders with a global perspective in a global economy, especially as international relations and global contracts are increasingly fraught with competing ideologies, politics, and complications,” McCumber said. “How many times in life do we allow ourselves a truly life-changing experience? Watching online and traditional MBAs come together, in person, in Santiago was amazing — a truly Bulldog bonding experience. Seeing friendships made, networks expanded, seeing the joy of discovery… you just can’t put a price on these experiences.”
A Monroe man passed out behind the wheel of his car on a Lincoln Parish road was arrested Friday on numerous traffic charges.
The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to Crocker Road Friday afternoon regarding a 911 call of a man passed out in his vehicle. Deputies found Jeremy Guilliams, 45, passed out in the driver’s seat of a Toyota Camry in the roadway. The engine was running with the transmission in drive, but Guilliams appeared to be asleep.
Once he was awakened, Guilliams displayed behavior that led deputies to conclude he was under the influence of narcotics. He admitted to deputies he had been smoking marijuana and ‘mojo’ during the day.
A small amount of marijuana or synthetic marijuana was found in the car. It was determined that Guilliams’s driver’s license was suspended.
Guilliams was arrested and booked for obstruction of a roadway, reckless operation of a vehicle, driving under suspension, and driving while smoking marijuana.
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.
Cedar Creek’s defense swarmed Lakeside during last Friday’s scrimmage. (Photo by Darrell James)
by Malcolm Butler
One step closer to the regular season.
Cedar Creek plays its final tuneup before the start of the 2023 regular season when the Cougars face Mangham at 8 p.m. tonight at Rebel Stadium in West Monroe in the Bayou Jamb jamboree.
The contest will kickoff following the Jonesboro-Hodge vs. St. Frederick contest which begins at 6 p.m. as gates open at 5 p.m.
Creek’s game was originally slated for Saturday at 3 p.m. but was moved due to the extreme record-setting temperatures that have baked north Louisiana over the last 10 days.
All tickets for Saturday’s scheduled games that were moved to tonight will be honored, including VIP tickets, online tickets, and tickets purchased at the school. Fans can still purchase walk-up tickets all three days at the gate for $15.
The Cougars scrimmaged at Lakeside last Friday night, controlling both side of the football. However, head coach William Parkerson hopes to see some improvement both offensively and defensively against a athletic Mangham squad tonight.
Cedar Creek opens the regular season Friday, Sept. 1 when it hosts Glenbrook at 7 p.m. at the recently resurfaced Cougar Stadium.
Bayou Jamb Schedule and Info
Thursday, August 24th
6:00 pm Jonesboro Hodge (Visitor) vs. St. Frederick (Home)
8:00 pm Cedar Creek (Visitor) vs Mangham (Home)
Friday, August 25th
6:00 pm Evangel (Visitor) vs. Ouachita (Home)
8:00 pm Ruston (Visitor) vs. West Monroe (Home)
Saturday, August 26th
4:00 pm Darbonne Charter (Visitor) vs Red River (Home)
6:00 pm Jena (Visitor) vs OCS (Home)
8:00 pm Many (Visitor) vs Oak Grove (Home)
Gates open at 5 pm on Thursday and Friday and 3 pm Saturday.
All tickets for Saturday’s scheduled games that were moved to Thursday – will be honored on Thursday. This includes VIP tickets, online tickets, and tickets purchased at the school. You can still purchase tickets at participating schools for $12 and walk-up tickets will still be available to purchase all three days at the gate for $15.
Pep Rallies start one hour before each game.
All tailgating spots will be honored Thursday – Saturday. With an extended day, we have additional spots available! Download the Bayou Jamb app for more information.
Lincoln Prep senior running back LaMarion Burton is pictured fighting for yardage during the Panthers’ Tuesday practice session. (Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
Football practice is a tough thing in these blistering hot dog days of summer in Lincoln Parish, especially for younger players.
After struggling through defense-oriented practice on Tuesday, the Lincoln Preparatory School football team responded with a stronger practice on Wednesday as they continued preparations for Friday’s jamboree at Glenbrook High School in Minden.
The Panthers will open with a quarter against the host-school Apaches at 6 p.m. Friday before following that with a quarter against Ringgold High School.
“We looked much better today than yesterday,” Panthers coach Glen Hall said Wednesday. “It was a fast-paced practice for a shorter length of time. We only went for about an hour and a half. But the team looked much better today.”
Hall said such sporadic practices are only to be expected in the midst of a heat wave like the one north Louisiana is currently experiencing.
“At least for the young kids, that’s just the way it works,” Hall said. “They’re still learning to fight through it. And some of the heat we’ve had recently has been unusually hot. But that’s what we needed to see today after they looked so sluggish on Tuesday just dragging through practice.
“They came out stronger and more focused today, and that’s something we needed to see from the entire team and especially the younger guys. That shows they’re learning and growing as football players.”
One Panther who Hall said stood out Wednesday was junior fullback D’Tavian Wright, who had been slowed in recent practices.
“He had been nicked up a little bit, but he’s back to 100% out there today at fullback,” Hall said about the junior that started as a linebacker for the Panthers last year. “I’d been kind of holding back with him trying to let him get healthy, but he went at it full speed today and looked really good today.
“Wright’s going to play a big role for our offense,” Hall said. “If we can get any kind of running game with Jaylin Huntley in there and D’Tavian blocking for him, and then use D’Tavian to mix things up with traps and dives and that kind of inside running back, he’s a big part of what we do on offense. We can also move him back to tailback — he’s our No. 2 tailback — and put Marvin Johnson in at fullback, so we have a good group of backs we can alternate in and out and mix things up offensively.”
Glenbrook and Ringgold are familiar foes for Lincoln Prep — the three schools competed in the same district two seasons ago and the Panthers played their 2023 spring scrimmage game at Ringgold.
But both the Indians and Apaches will enter the jamboree of first-year new head coaches, which Hall said could take away from the familiarity that the Panthers at least had with those two teams.
“The fact both have new head coaches changes things up some,” Hall said. “I hear the new Ringgold coach has changed up a lot of things. We didn’t get any film on them, but with new coaches you kind of have to throw the old film out of the window anyway.”
Hall also has an eye on the health of center Jamion James, who has been nursing a calf strain.
“We’ll see if he’s good to go on Friday,” Hall said. “What we need most is for him to be healthy for the season opener, so we’ll just see how it goes and take it from there.”
Hall said there’s one primary thing he’s looking for in the scrimmage.
“I need to see us go out there and play hard,” Hall said. “I’ll have a big eye on our defense because we’re missing some guys on that side of the ball, but the kids we do have out there are going to have to play. That’s just the bottom line and could go a long way toward our depth on that side of the ball as we move into the season.”
The Panthers will go through a walk-through today before kicking off the jamboree on Friday.
“We’ll see what we’ve got left,” Hall said. “We’ll see if the tank is empty or full as we prepare to move into the first pregame week of the regular season.”
A woman was arrested Friday after she allegedly violated a protective order by repeatedly harassing the victim.
Roston Police responded to a South Jones Street residence about noon Friday regarding a harassment complaint. The victim said Yolanda Torbor, 39, of Ruston, had been repeatedly coming to her door cursing and yelling at her. The victim said she allowed Torbor into her residence to stop her from bothering her. Torpor allegedly told the victim she would beat her up if she contacted the police.
A protective order on behalf of the victim had been served on Torbor two days earlier. She was located staying in a tent in the victim’s backyard. After brief questioning, Torbor was arrested for violating the protective order. When an officer attempted to handcuff her, she pulled away and resisted. Once in custody, she refused to put her legs inside the patrol car so the door could be closed.
Torbor was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for violation of a protective order and resisting an officer.
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 only get physically stronger by picking up heavy things. You only grow in knowledge through investing time in education. You only gain experience by grinding through challenges.If you are going to make progress in any area of your life, you are likely going to have to put forth some level of effort over time.
This concept of growth is not new by any means; however, it is not widely accepted by many in our culture today.
Unfortunately, we have transitioned into an “instant” society that also steers away from hard things. Many have lost the patience to persevere with so much available at the touch of a finger.You don’t have to search for answers on a subject today.You can just type in a question and get an instant answer.Many have also lost the willingness to embrace tough challenges with the focus on comfort.If you aren’t happy with a situation, you can just quit and seek another opportunity.Very few are forced to persevere and struggle through challenging times.Avoiding the long, challenging road of uncertain results appears more popular today than ever.
The comfortable, easy path will not lead to growth. If you want to focus on security, comfort, and the “living your best life” philosophy of life, you can forget about meaningful growth. Growth is the result of working through tough challenges, uncomfortable situations, and embracing some level of risk.Growth may also require perseverance over long periods of time.The challenging element of growth is that we oftentimes don’t see progress in the short-term.With no obvious short-term benefit, many choose comfort over hard.
The comfortable path will be easy to see.It will be flat with few obstacles.This path will be wide and very well lit.It will be very appealing to most people.At the end of this path there will be nothing meaningful.Conversely, the hard path will have steep slopes, many obstacles, and will be dark in areas.This path will be narrow and contain great uncertainty throughout.The hard path will require commitment, perseverance, hard work, and faith.At the end of this path will be potential, fulfillment, and purpose.
Regardless of your stage of life, don’t settle for the easy road.Don’t avoid challenging situations. Embrace the opportunity to grow by engaging with the “hard”. Ask the hard questions. Tackle the hard issues. Choose the hard road.Growth is natural for healthy people.Young people need to embrace challenging work, challenging conversations, and challenging opportunities.Similarly, those of us moving toward retirement years need to continue to embrace challenges to continue to grow as well.With more discretionary time, we need to ensure we seek “hard things” as well to continue to stimulate physical and mental growth.
Ruston High School volleyball’s 2023 campaign will officially begin next week, and fans will be able to come get a preview Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Jamboree at the Ruston Sports Complex.
“We are so excited to be hosting the jamboree this year,” Ruston High interim head coach Mandy Cauley said. “This gives everyone a preview of the talent and skill that should be evident this season. Overall the game is getting faster and more teams are looking to be competitive.”
Ruston will host area schools in Neville, West Monroe, Alexandria Senior High, Natchitoches Central, West Ouachita and Pineville.
Admission is $5 and will give fans access to watch volleyball action all morning beginning at 9 a.m. on three different courts. Students with a valid ID will be able to get in for free.
Nathaniel Gilman was born in New Hampshire before the United States declared independence from Great Britain. His birth year remains a mystery. As a young man, he became interested in shipbuilding. The New York Times reported that young Nathaniel “manifested a singular ability to accumulate money.” By the time the War of 1812 began, Nathaniel had acquired several ships. Through privateering and trading, Nathaniel made a small fortune. Nathaniel was a shrewd businessman. In the 1820s, he established a hide and leather business. The Times described him as being “a queer individual, a daring speculator, a taciturn, secretive trader. Images of the Charles Dickens character Ebenezer Scrooge come to mind. Within a few years, Nathaniel had turned his small fortune into a large fortune. Nathaniel died in 1859. Upon his death, his heirs began a bitter battle over his large estate worth millions of dollars which lasted 30 years.
Shortly after Nathaniel’s death, one of his sons, George Gilman, founded a tea and coffee business he named the Great American Tea Company. George quickly expanded the business with the promise of low prices for quality products. In addition to having multiple stores, George began a mail order business and operated wagon routes to deliver tea and coffee to his customers. In 1869, workers completed the transcontinental railroad. People throughout the country, including George, were fascinated by the linking of the west coast and east coast and all points in between with the new form of safe, reliable, and speedy transportation. George recognized this as a good marketing opportunity and changed the name of the company from the Great American Tea Company to the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company.
In 1880, George’s company began to sell sugar, a needed product for tea and coffee, in its stores and through mail-order. George slowly added other self-branded products including baking powder, condensed milk, spices, and butter. George continued to add grocery products to its inventory and unknowingly and unintentionally created the first grocery store chain. During his lifetime, George’s tea company expanded to 285 stores. One of his unique business practices was the requirement that each of his 285 stores send him a one dollar bill each day. In addition to his $1 per day per store income, his profits from his stores averaged about $8,000 per day at the time of his death. Adjusted for inflation, his profits would be nearly $288,000 per day in today’s money.
George was an eccentric character. He had a “handsome residence,” others described it as a mansion, in Black Rock, New York. At George’s insistence, his home had no mirrors to remind him that he was aging and “no bells or knockers at any of its entrances. There are no clocks in the house, for time was nothing to Mr. Gilman. His aversion to the subject of death was so pronounced that he refused positively to talk or read about it. If he met a funeral on his drives about the country, he would turn about so as not to pass it. He would not ride on a train on which there was a corpse.”
Despite George’s best efforts to elude death, he died on March 3, 1901, of Bright’s Disease. The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company lived on and continued to expand under the direction of his long-time manager George Hartford. At its height, it was twice as large as the second largest retailer, Sears, and four times larger than the second largest grocer, Kroger. However, the company began a slow, gradual decline following the death of John Hartford in 1951. Despite numerous attempts to return the company to its former glory, the last of its stores closed in Hewitt, Texas in 2015.
At its peak, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company was as well known as Amazon, Walmart, and Google are today. Since the name The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company was too wordy to be practical on store signage or in advertisements, the company went by a shortened version. You and I remember the oldest grocery store chain in the country as A&P.
A new season of Inside Bulldog Football Presented by The Lincoln Agency begins tomorrow (Aug. 24) as head coach Sonny Cumbie and the Voice of the Bulldogs Malcolm Butler preview the Bulldogs’ season opener with FIU.
The hour-long radio show has moved to a new day and time as it will take place Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. (see full schedule below as there are a few exceptions). Enjoy lunch at the Dawghouse and lists. to Sonny Cumbie and Malcolm Butler talk in-depth about Bulldog Football.
Fans can listen to the show on KNBB 97.7 FM (Ruston), KDBS 94.7 FM/1410 AM (Alexandria), KQID 93.1 HD (Alexandria), and the Louisiana Tech Athletics app.
Due to the Bulldogs’ schedule, the Sept. 27 edition of the show will take place on Wednesday (See full schedule below).
Funeral services for Mrs. Janice Ruth “Jan” Williamson, age 80 of Kingwood, TX will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, August 26, 2023 at Owens Memorial Chapel in Ruston, LA with Kim Long officiating. Burial will be held in the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Ruston under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston.
Jan was born May 1, 1943 in New Orleans, LA to Cincinnattis Powell and Lelia Ruth Simmons and passed away August 17, 2023 in Spring, TX. She grew up in Delhi, LA and attended Delhi High School where she participated in cheerleading, basketball and the homecoming court. Jan attended Louisiana Tech University and later attended Kingwood College before graduating in 1995 with a BA in Marketing. During her husband’s professional football career, she was a proud Raider and Patriots wife. Jan led the United Methodist Women, including their annual bazaar, at the First United Methodist Church in Bossier City, LA. She was co-leader and “Mrs. W” to Bossier City’s Girl Scout Troop 197. More than anything else, Jan devoted her life to her family. She was a strong, sassy, fun and loving woman who will be missed by many. Janice was preceded in death by her infant daughter Sherrie Robin; husband of 58 years John Robert Williamson; parents; and brother Charles Edward Simmons, Sr.
Jan is survived by her son John Michael “Mike” (Cheryl) Williamson; daughters Angela (Carl) Potter and Melissa (Mitch) Chailland; grandchildren who she was “Mimi” to: Michael (Sabrina) Williamson, Christopher (Honora) Williamson, Robin (Blake) Bourgoyne, Will Potter and Sophie Chailland; great-grandchildren: Brigg, Kanon, Madeline and Ashley; and a host of other family and many friends.
The family would like to express many thanks to The Village at Gleannloch Farms in Spring, TX for their loving care of Janice. As she would say, “Ciao Baby!”
Visitation will be held from 1:00-2:00 PM, Saturday, August 26, 2023 at the funeral home.
Funeral services for Mrs. Patricia Michelle Eley, age 51 of Simsboro, LA will be held at 10:00 AM, Thursday, August 24, 2023 at Owens Memorial Chapel in Ruston, LA with Rev. Gerald Nelson officiating. Burial will follow in the Pecan Cemetery in Hilly, LA under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston.
Michelle was born April 25, 1972 in Shreveport, LA to Patsy Marie and Jerry Lane Wiltcher, Sr. and passed away August 21, 2023 in Calhoun, LA. She was a woman of many talents. Michelle was an expert in baking for her family and friends for all occasions and expressed her love so well in baking. She was a lover of arts and crafts, from yard décor to paintings to other nick-nacks far and wide. Many days, Michelle would spend her time doing things outside such as raising worms for fishing trips, fixing things around the house for herself and for everyone else and using her green thumb to keep her home in full bloom year-round, inside and out. These are just a few of the many things her family and friends will cherish for years to come. All who knew Michelle knew that she was a lover of her two little puppies. They were just a couple parts of what made her whole world, as they were her children. Though Michelle did not have any kids of her own, she adopted her many nieces and nephews into her heart, and not one would ever doubt that they had a Shelly Bell that they could run to for anything at all. Most of all, she was a momma’s girl who served her mom Patsy with so much love, compassion and gratitude day in and day out. Michelle was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Eley; father Jerry Wiltcher, Sr.; maternal grandparents Louie and Elvie Payton; and paternal grandparents WT and Bonnie Wiltcher.
Michelle is survived by her mother Patsy Wiltcher of Simsboro; sister Tammy and husband Greg Cook of Simsboro; brother Jerry Wiltcher, Jr. and wife Tiffany of Simsboro; nephews: Todd Cook, Brandon Wiltcher and Zachary Cook; nieces Kaitlin Wiltcher and Savannah Eley; great-nephews: Trevor Cook, Eli Cook and Wesley Cook; great-niece Sophia Cook; and a host of other family and many friends.
Serving as pallbearers will be Todd Cook, Brandon Wiltcher, Zachary Cook, Eli Cook, Trevor Cook and Jerry Wiltcher.
Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM, Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at the funeral home.
Edward Allen Lamkin May 4, 1939 – August 18, 2023 Visitation: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Saturday, August 26, 2023, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Service: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Saturday, August 26, 2023, 2:00 pm Cemetery: New Prospect, Saturday, August 26, 2023
Huey P. Warner April 18, 1940 – August 16, 2023 Visitation: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Thursday, August 24, 2023, 9:30 am – 10:30 am Service: Greenwood Cemetery, Thursday, August 24, 2023, 11:00 am Cemetery: Greenwood Cemetery, Thursday, August 24, 2023
Janice “Jan” Williamson May 1, 1943 – August 17, 2023 Visitation: Saturday, August 26, 2023, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Funeral Service: Saturday, August 26, 2023, 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Cemetery Committal: Saturday, August 26, 2023, Forest Lawn Cemetery, 2500 West California Ave, Ruston
Charlotte Ann (Williams) King August 5, 1947 – August 10, 2023 Service: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Saturday, September 2, 2023, 10:00 am
Daisy Myles Monday 11/11/1935 — Tuesday 08/15/2023 Family Gathering: Friday 08/25/2023 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Visitation: Friday 08/25/2023 3:00pm to 5:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Wake: Friday 08/25/2023 5:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 08/26/2023 12:00am, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, 446 Bowden Road, Ruston (Clay) Interment: Saturday 08/26/2023, George Washington Carver Memorial Park, Martin Luther King Drive, Ruston
Alfaye Wesley Saturday 04/27/1935 — Saturday 08/19/2023 Family Gathering: Friday 08/25/2023 2:00pm to 3:00pm Funeral Service: Saturday 08/26/2023 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 08/26/2023, Greater Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Dubach
Michelle Eley April 25, 1972 – August 21, 2023 Funeral Service: Thursday, August 24, 2023, 10:00 AM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Cemetery Committal: Thursday, August 24, 2023, Pecan Cemetery, Hwy 822, Hilly
Annie Jo Davis Tuesday 08/24/1954 — Saturday 08/19/2023 Visitation: Friday 09/01/2023 3:00pm to 5:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 09/02/2023 1:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 09/02/2023, St. Peter Baptist Church Cemetery, Longstraw Road, Ruston
(This is one of 20 profiles on the recipients selected by an anonymous committee out of an extensive list of nominees for the 2023 Rising Lincoln Leader Award. The Lincoln Parish Journal thanks Mayor Ronny Walker and the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce for their support of this award. Photo by Kevin Hawkins at HawkinsPhoto.com).
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Name: Adam O. Ewing
Age: 39
Employer: Louisiana Insurance Services
Title: President/Owner
Hometown: Ruston
How long have you lived in Lincoln Parish: All my life
Civic-volunteer organizations: FCA of Northeast LA board of directors
Professional Highlights: Being selected the Safeco young agent of the year; selected as the 2021 Louisiana Tech Young Alumnus of the Year; served on Board for the Louisiana Tech College of Business and Administration; Platinum agent with Progressive; Safeco Premier Partner Agency; H.K. Dent Award winner
Dr. Lamar Johnston on Adam Ewing: “I have known Adam his whole life. He was four years older than my son and he became his mentor on our high school golf team. I have had the opportunity to do business with Adam, and he has exhibited the utmost integrity. I have watched as he has grown into an outstanding husband, devoted father and spiritual leader in our community. It is obvious to me that his leadership skills come to him through a strong relationship with Jesus Christ. I look forward to see what God has planned for Adam as he continues his Journey influencing others.”
Q&A with Adam Ewing:
What makes Lincoln Parish special?
The people. As I have gotten older and had opportunities to visit communities all over the country, it has been revealed to me just how special this place is. We have some incredible success stories from our town and yet most still carry a disposition of humility. That’s rare in today’s world.
How do you see your role in improving Lincoln Parish?
I think supporting local businesses and schools is a great place for everyone to start. Also, involvement/donations to youth programs such as Boys and Girls Club, United Way, etc. so that we can create more opportunities for everyone. Those dollars raised directly impact families in our community. I hope to be a voice of positivity and encouragement for our community leaders and economic developers.
Who has played a pivotal role in your professional development and why?
I would have to say my dad. From a young age he taught me to take pride in my work and the joy you get from a job well done. I wasn’t exactly fond of it as a kid, but the lessons I learned have served me well as an adult. He showed me what it looks like to be a selfless leader and to put the needs of others above your own. Ultimately, he showed me the Freedom we have in Christ knowing this is not our final destination, there is more to life than just work, and the importance of TIME spent with loved ones.
With temperatures soaring above 100 degrees every day this week, there has been plenty of talk among fans and parents alike about the possibility of local high schools moving start times back in the month of September once the regular season starts.
Officials at the Bayou Jamb reconfigured its schedule this week, although with games originally scheduled to be played all day this Saturday in West Monroe, that move made total sense.
With the start of the regular season just one weekend away, Ruston High School principal Dan Gressett said nothing definitive has been decided about the Bearcats home opener against Warren Easton set for the turf at Hoss Garrett Stadium at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1.
“I don’t have a strong opinion one way or the other to be honest,” said Gressett. “I do think we are flexible enough that if we get to next week and we are looking at temperatures like we have seen this week, I think we are flexible enough to have talks about the intelligence of moving kickoff back 30 minutes.
“We did move our freshman-JV jamboree time this Thursday back an hour from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. simply because of heat. That’s the only reason.”
Gressett said Ruston High and supposedly every LHSAA member school utilizes Wet Bulb Globe Temperature in determining practice abilities. A wet bulb uses temperature, humidity, sun angle, wind speed and cloud cover to determine its readings.
A wet bulb reading is taken before any outdoor workout.
“The wet bulb is dictating everything we do right now,” said Gressett. “Whether we are practicing on grass or turf, whether we are going full pads or just helmets and shorts, whether we are not going out at all. It dictates everything, but that only applies to practice. It doesn’t regulate games, which is a little weird to me.
“It has really changed up our practice plans the last few weeks. I don’t think we have gone on the grass in a couple of years, and we actually had to paint the lines on the grass last week and start practicing on the grass just because of the difference in those wet bulb readings on the grass compared to the turf.”
Gressett said that Ruston Junior High School calls the high school every morning to get a wet bulb reading in order to determine their practice schedule ability.
“They know what they are allowed to do,” said Gressett. “The sixth grade and junior high calls over every morning to get the reading to determine what they are going to do that day.”
Lincoln Prep head coach Glen Hall said he is waiting to hear if the LHSAA will make any type of ruling on kick times.
“We are waiting to see if the LHSAA is going to say anything about it,” said Hall. “We think its a possibility. What I really think we may see, instead of the one water break at six minutes of each quarter, they may do more (water breaks) per quarter. I think that would be on the safe part. They are going to have to do something. It’s crazy hot right now.”
However, Gressett said he doesn’t believe the Louisiana High School Athletic Association has ever chosen to have a say so over starting times, or at least doesn’t remember that ever being the case.
“To my knowledge the LHSAA has no direction on start times,” said Gressett. “I believe it’s up to the individual schools and most likely your district bylaws, especially in the case of a district game. It’s my understand that if we came up with an agreement with the opposing team, that we could kickoff at whatever time we wanted.”
Cedar Creek head coach William Parkerson said that there hasn’t been any types of talks about moving back the kick time to his program’s home opener against Glenbrook on Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. At least not yet. The Cougars do play on natural grass.
“No discussion have been had at this time,” said Parkerson. “We will play it day by day and monitor it. Going off the scrimmage last week (at Lakeside), we started at 6:30 and by 6:45 p.m. it wasn’t awful out there. There have been some hot, miserable days, but nothing that has been like ‘We have to get out of here.'”
Parkerson said that wet bulb readings haven’t directly impacted the Cougars practices, but Cedar Creek has been practicing in the evenings and on natural grass.
“Up until this week we have been going so late in the afternoon that it really hasn’t been an issue,” said Parkerson. “We have been going from 6 to 8 (p.m.).”
The extended forecast is calling for next week’s highs to be in the mid-to-upper 90s, which would be a considerable difference from the triple digits that have at times reached 105 this week.
“At the end of the day our No. 1 priority is the safety of our kids,” said Gressett. “But it’s not just the football players. We have to think about band, cheer, and pep squad. Even fans. It’s everybody.”
The Lincoln Parish Registrar of Voters Office will be conducting voter outreach during National Voter Registration Week beginning August 28, 2023 – September 1, 2023.
This is an opportunity for eligible citizens to register to vote, update or make changes to their current voter registration, or enroll in the Senior Absentee Mail Ballot Program. For more information, participants may contact the Lincoln Parish Registrar of Voters Office at 318-251-5110 or lincolnrov@sos.la.gov.
MONDAY
08/28/23
9:00 A.M.- 10:30 A.M.
LINCOLN PARISH HEALTH UNIT
405 E GEORGIA AVE, RUSTON, LA 71270
MONDAY
08/28/23
11:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.
LINCOLN PARISH POLICE JURY COMPLEX
SECOND FLOOR 307 N HOMER ST, RUSTON, LA 71270
TUESDAY
8/29/23
8:00 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.
CHOUDRANT MINI MART
3741 ELM STREET, CHOUDRANT, LA 71227
TUESDAY
08/29/23
10:00 A.M.- 12:00 P.M.
NORTH LOUISIANA MEDICAL CENTER – SENIOR CIRCLE
401 E VAUGHN AVE, RUSTON, LA 71270
WEDNESDAY
08/30/23
9:00 A.M. – 10:15 A.M.
LOUISIANA DELTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
1010 JAMES ST, RUSTON, LA 71270
WEDNESDAY
08/30/23
11:00 A.M.- 1:00 P.M.
GSU CAFETERIA – GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS GRAMBLING,LA 71245.
A Dallas, Texas, man was arrested on the Grambling State University campus Thursday after he allegedly made sexual comments to a group of female students.
Several GSU officers near the McCall Dining Hall were approached by five female students Thursday night. The students said a man made several sexual comments toward them including sexual acts he wanted to perform.
Another man had approached the women and warned them that the suspect had been recording them on his phone.
Officers spotted the suspect, but he fled on foot and was not apprehended at the time.
The suspect, James C. Williams, 31, later entered the GSU Police station where he was arrested. He denied saying anything sexual to the women. He admitted recording a “TikTok” video.
Williams was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for disturbing the peace and criminal mischief.
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.
Bigger question. Are you ready to win $200 in cash and prizes each week?
Starting in September, the Lincoln Parish Journal will hold the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Martin Presence and Heard Construction.
Last year it was NFL games. This year it’s what the deep south lives for …. college football.
Anyone is eligible to participate and each weekly winner will go home with a $200 cash prize. Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 15 selected college football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests).
The Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Martin Presence and Heard Construction will be conducted for 13 regular season weeks of the college season starting with Week 1 games (Sept. 2).
There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to subscribe to the Lincoln Parish Journal. It takes 20-30 seconds to sign up and not much longer than that to make your picks.
All contest decisions by LPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified Monday and will be requested to take a photo that will run in the following week’s LPJ.
Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the Journal, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. daily e-mail. Enjoy it all, for FREE, and enter each week’s contest. You could collect $200 each week!
