The Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) sent an official ruling to Cedar Creek School Monday morning, and it’s good news for the Cougars boys basketball team.
After the team was “suspended indefinitely” by the LHSAA following last Thursday night’s on-court altercation with St. Frederick, Cedar Creek was informed that the program would be eligible to compete in the upcoming Select School Division IV playoffs starting next week.
“We are pleased to announce that the Cedar Creek boys basketball team may resume interscholastic competition,” said AD Gene Vandenlangenberg. “Three players will be suspended for one game. We are thankful that the LHSAA has ruled that our boys basketball team will be able to complete their season.”
Cedar Creek is 12-12 on the season and is currently No. 16 in the geauxpreps.com power ratings.
Vandenlangenberg confirmed that the team would play its previously scheduled game against Castor tonight.
Although the LHSAA ruling stated that three players are suspended for the one game, the Cedar Creek administration didn’t release those names.
Junior Luke Waldron, who was involved in the altercation, would be one of them, while the other two would be players who left the bench during the situation despite not participating in the altercation. LHSAA rules state that any player who leaves the bench during an on-court altercation are suspended for the next game.
After falling behind by two points, Louisiana Tech reeled off four straight singles wins to defeat Houston, 4-2, on a windy Monday afternoon at the Barbara Wallace Winston Tennis Facility.
“Today was a hard-earned win,” said Tech head coach Amy Sargeant. “We faced adversity after dropping the doubles point against a ready-to-go Houston team. The objective today was to step up and compete with a championship mindset. The way we responded in singles is a testament to the team’s hard work and trust in the process.
“Success comes in a variety of ways, and this team is learning to love the battle and compete on their times. I am proud of where we are as a team and look forward to the next opportunity to grow.”
Houston (1-3) claimed the doubles point with victories on courts one and three and then followed that up with a straight-set win at the No. 5 position in singles to take a 2-0 lead.
It was all LA Tech (6-3) from there though. Tiffani Nash got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard first with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Sonya Kovalenko at the No. 4 position.
Then it was steady play of Olga Bienzobas tying things up at 2-2 with her sixth straight win, a 7-5, 6-4 victory against Laura Slisane at the No. 1 spot. Not long after that, her doubles partner Alexia Romero also claimed her sixth straight singles win with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Nina Skoric on court six.
The clincher then came at the No. 2 spot where Ana Rodrigues outdueled Maria Dzemeshkevich. After pulling out the first set in a tiebreak, 7-6 (5), the junior got up 3-0 before Dzemeshkevich fought back with four straight games. Rodrigues countered though with three straight games of her own, taking the second set, 6-4.
The battle on court three was stopped between Valentina Vasquez and Sophie Schouten. Vasquez had just won the second set, 6-3, after dropping the first set in a tiebreaker.
Velma Mary D’Angelo Hammons, 86, of Ruston, LA passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Saturday, February 10, 2024. Mrs. Hammons was born in New Orleans, LA, daughter of the late Joseph and Lena D’Angelo. Her many years spent living and working in the Ruston and Dubach communities made north Louisiana as much of a home for her as her south Louisiana Roots.
Mrs. Hammons graduated from Gretna High School and went on to attend Southwestern Louisiana University – now University of Louisiana, Lafayette. She worked as a secretary for Gulf Oil in New Orleans before relocating to Ruston where she worked as an assistant in the Registrar’s Office of Louisiana Tech University from 1972 to 1980. After leaving Louisiana Tech, Mrs. Hammons spent several years at home before holding various other positions as a medical secretary in both Ruston and Alexandria, LA, a real estate agent in Alexandria, LA, and lastly working alongside her husband as an insurance agent with the Clinton Agency of Ruston.
Mrs. Hammons was devoted to her church and family throughout her life. She loved being outside in the fresh air and spent many hours working in her yard planting and cultivating beautiful beds of flowers. The walls of her home were covered with many lovely pieces of her handwork from cross stitch to embroidery. If you came to visit, you could always find a crocheted afghan to warm up beneath and many surfaces would be covered with intricately pattered doilies.
Mrs. Hammons is survived by a son, David Aaron Hammons and wife Donna of Ruston; a daughter Stephenie Hammons Howard and husband Dennis of Houston, TX; granddaughters Morgan Hammons Sulkowski and husband Andy Sulkowski and Meagan Hammons Leedy, husband Jeremy Leedy and great-grandson Jagger Leedy; brother Joseph D’Angelo, Jr. and wife Rose D’Angelo; and sister Claire D’Angelo Black. She is preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Stephen Heard Hammons; parents Joseph and Lena D’Angelo; a son Stephen Heard Hammons, Jr.; and her sisters Emma D’Angelo Burkhaulter, Shirley D’Angelo Blackwell, and Anna D’Angelo Winborne.
A small family graveside service for Mrs. Hammons will be held Thursday, February 15, 2024 at 11:00am at Fellowship Baptist Church Cemetery in Dubach with Bro. Barry Joyner presiding.
Mary Monette Pike January 22, 1962 – February 9, 2024 Funeral Service: Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 1:00 PM, LifeChurch, 3000 S. Vienna St Cemetery Committal: Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 3:00 PM, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, 1957 Pleasant Road, Ringgold
The Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) has sent an official ruling to Cedar Creek School and it’s good news for the Cougars boys basketball team.
After the team was “suspended indefinitely” by the LHSAA following last Thursday night’s on-court altercation with St. Frederick, Cedar Creek was informed this morning that the program would be eligible to compete in the upcoming Select School Division IV playoffs starting next week.
“We are pleased to announce that the Cedar Creek boys basketball team may resume interscholastic competition,” said AD Gene Vandenlangenberg. “Three players will be suspended for one game. We are thankful that the LHSAA has ruled that our boys basketball team will be able to complete their season.”
Cedar Creek is 12-12 on the season and is currently No. 16 in the geauxpreps.com power ratings.
Vandenlangenberg confirmed that the team would play its previously scheduled game against Castor tomorrow night.
Although the LHSAA ruling stated that three players are suspended for the one game, the Cedar Creek administration didn’t release those names.
Junior Luke Waldron, who was involved in the altercation, would be one of them, while the other two would be players who left the bench during the situation despite not participating in the altercation. LHSAA rules state that any player who leaves the bench during an on-court altercation are suspended for the next game.
By the end of this story, it is my hope to inspire every reader to become an advocate of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and/or to become a donor towards their amazing cause.
On February 1, 2024, I received a phone call from my children’s caretaker; the call was frantic and filled with concern over my one-year-old daughter, Nina.
“Marisol, she has bruises everywhere! This is not normal! You need to get her to a doctor immediately,” cried Stefani Funderburg, our daughter’s caretaker.
It was not too long after that call that our 48-hour long mental-and-physical rollercoaster began.
I immediately followed-through Stefani’s instruction to go to our primary care physician, who immediately checked Nina’s blood levels. Those levels indicated that Nina’s blood platelet level had an alarming level of 3 — when they should normally be within the 200-400 range. At that point, I had no idea what that level meant, but I did know that the tone and body language of all of the staff had changed upon reading the result. This result was serious.
I received instructions to go to St. Francis’ Emergency Room; my doctor also prepared me to be transported out of the area to receive further care for this matter. Several hours later, Nina and I were ultimately transported via ambulance from Monroe to Baton Rouge where Nina would receive treatment at Our Lady of the Lake’s Children’s Hospital.
My husband, Adam, was hot-on-our-heels in a separate car. While we were riding in separate cars, we remained laser-focused on one thought: “What is wrong with our baby girl? Will she be okay?”
We had a few hours to think through every scenario that could possibly happen, and by the time we arrived in Baton Rouge, our chests were tight with anxiety as we awaited an official diagnosis from the doctor.
Around 2 a.m. on Friday morning, we met our first nurse, Chad, who was as cool as cool can be. We could feel his passion for his job, and we immediately felt relief when Chad explained the game plan for the evening. Nina would receive a treatment called Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg); this treatment would attack the virus (rhinovirus — aka the common cold) that was attacking (no, annihilating) Nina’s blood platelets. The disorder being treated was called Immune Thrombocytopenia, or ITP.
The first IVIg treatment ended several hours later, and by 9 a.m. on Friday morning we were meeting our amazing hematologist, Dr. Sakshi Bami. This woman was absolutely phenomenal, and like our first nurse, she too oozed a passion for helping children. Even better, she guided the room with the most quiet confidence.
Dr. Bami was certain that her diagnosis of ITP was correct, and she was confident this incident was acute — or isolated — in nature. Dr. Bami skillfully guided Adam and I through the long-term game plan with tremendous detail, and she even humored us with our traditional game of 20 Questions. Dr. Bami never once showed signs of annoyance during our Q&A time. She knew how scared we were, and her goal was to build trust with us.
After Dr. Bami left our initial meeting, we had numerous hospital employees check-in on all three of us, not just Nina. Ashley in Client Services visited with me on the (literal) floor of our hospital room while I played with Nina one morning. Ashley’s job was make sure we had all accommodations needed for our stay. She gifted us a bag of toiletries, quarters, and toys for Nina.
We also met Toya, who was our literal sunshine during our stay. Toya regularly came into our room to check on “Sugar Foot,” which was her nickname for Nina. Toya clearly loved her job, so much that she spent a better part of her morning hunting down floor mats and toys for Nina to have during her stay.
We also had a visit from Mark, who we later learned is a Louisiana Tech alumnus. Mark shared plenty of early-morning “Dad Jokes” with Adam, all while attempting a third IV (by way of ultrasound) on Nina, whose tiny veins were simply exhausted from being poked-and-prodded hours earlier. In addition to Chad, Ashley, Toya, Mark, and Dr. Bami, there was a handful of other seasoned professionals, who all shared a common bond: a passion to treat and heal children.
Fortunately, our story has a happy ending. Nina’s case was an “easy” one to diagnose, treat, and resolve. Within 48 hours, we were able to be discharged from Our Lady of the Lake. During our final “exit interview” with Dr. Bami, we were anxious (and grateful) to go back home to Ruston. It was at that moment that a question was asked (and answered) that would forever change our relationship with St. Jude.
“I know this isn’t a ‘doctor questions’ per se,” I said. “I was just wondering if we needed to pay before we leave, or if you would send a bill through the mail.”
Of all of our questions asked, Dr. Bami seemed to like this question the most. Her body language changed. She was excited. She responded, “I do not guess you realize this hospital is an affiliate of St. Jude, do you? Well, it is, and we will not be billing you for this stay.”
She continued to elaborate on the mission of the hospital, but it was immediately met by instant emotion from me and my husband. We were absolutely overcome with emotion.
While we would pay anything to ensure the well-being of our children, we would be lying if we were to pretend that the financial element was not a concern, especially during our “clueless” phase. When Dr. Bami told us the news, no other emotion other than gratitude could be expressed, and we expressed our gratitude with tears, tears, and more tears.
How fortunate are we (and so many others) to have access to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital? How amazing is this organization that hires the best of the best to staff their facilities? How wonderful is it that parents with sick children can have so much valuable support during treatments, both emotionally and financially? If ever there were a cause to support, this one has to be top-of-mind.
If you are capable of donating to this cause, I can testify that your donation will be put to incredible use. This organization is beyond worthy of your support, and trust me — every dollar makes a difference.
While our family has often supported individual fundraisers for St. Jude in the past, we have never been a recurring donor. However, that all changed the day we were discharged from the St. Jude-affiliated hospital. Now (and forever), the O’Neals will be regular, monthly donors towards this cause, and we hope our story will inspire others to join us in fundraising and advocating for the wonderful St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Dr. Jim Henderson (Photo courtesy of LA Tech University Communications)
The Lincoln Parish Journal had an opportunity to catch up with new Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson to talk about his first month on the job. Here is Part 2 of that Q&A.
LPJ: So has your son Alex adjusted to his father being the president of the University he attends?
JH: I don’t see him very often. He’s a chemical engineering major. And there’s a reason a lot of people call that the pre-business major. It’s difficult. So he spends a lot of his time in the laboratory, and a lot of his time in the classroom. I can tell when he’s hungry because he’ll show up at the at the front door for his mother’s cooking. He did help us when we were in Washington, DC and in Nashville by taking care of our golden retrievers. I can tell he’s flourishing at Tech.
LPJ: What have you discovered about Louisiana Tech over the past month that maybe has surprised you? Any hidden gems?
JH: I find myself when there’s any moment that I’m not consumed with a thought at hand that I go back to my visit to the Kinesiology Department and walk through the Scotty Robertson Memorial Gymnasium. First the history in that gymnasium, it’s overwhelming. Scotty Robertson was a contemporary of my father. He was at Byrd when dad was at Fair Park (High School) so the name alone gets me. But then you see the work that’s occurring there in kinesiology from sports psychology to the study of motion to human performance, athletic performance. It’s truly nation-leading work that should be known throughout the state of Louisiana. When you think of sports performance, that’s where you go. It’s certainly well known within their field. But it’s one that that we’re going to celebrate a lot because it is amazing work led by some amazing faculty that are just committed to doing excellent things. And that one visit stuck with me at a very, very deep level.
LPJ: Tell me about Cami Geisman, our new Executive Vice President of External Affairs at Louisiana Tech? What was the importance of bringing Cami with you from the University of Louisiana System?
JH: So much of our work at the University today is external focus. It’s communication to an external audience. It’s advocacy at both the state and the federal level. And for the last seven years, Cami worked with me in Baton Rouge, and we developed a real rapport around messaging. She understands the words that I choose are pretty precise. She brings to the table the ability to understand the message that I think we want to send forth. But then she adds her own understanding of the situation. She brings rounding, if you will, to the thought process. And so when you look at the last few years of our successes in the state Capitol, it’s been a two person project to drive these outcomes. She’s got a great work ethic. She is personable and connects with people throughout the organization. Cami has really earned the confidence of the entire legislature. And she is going to be a pivotal person in helping us advance this institution. Plus, her husband (Hunter) was already here working in athletics, coming from LSU where he’s operated at the highest echelon of college athletics. She’s got Tech blood. Both her parents were in school here, and, so she understands the piney woods as well as anybody.
On Saturday, February 10, 2024, shortly before 9:00 a.m., Troopers with Louisiana State Police Troop F began investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash on LA-15 at Sambo Nelson Road. The crash claimed the life of 46-year-old Clint Harper of Downsville.
According to the Oak Grove Baseball Facebook page, Harper was a member of the 1992 Tigers state title team and the head coach of the 2001 Tigers state championship team.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2011 GMC Yukon, driven by 41-year-old Jonathan Vestal, was traveling north on LA-15. At the same time, a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by Harper, was traveling south on LA-15. For reasons still under investigation, the Yukon crossed over the center line and struck the Tahoe.
Harper, who was properly restrained, was pronounced dead at the scene. Vestal, who was properly restrained, received minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
Troopers wish to remind motorists to always make good decisions while in a motor vehicle. Never drive impaired, fatigued, or distracted. Follow all traffic laws and always ensure that every occupant is properly restrained. While not all crashes are survivable, taking simple precautions such as these can often mean the difference between life and death.
In 2024, Troop F has investigated four fatal crashes, resulting in four deaths.
Lincoln Parish residents still have time to register to vote in the 2024 presidential preference and municipal primary election.
The deadline to register to vote in person, by mail or at the OMV Office is Feb. 21. The deadline to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System is March 2.
Voters registered as Democrat can vote in the Democratic Party primary and voters registered as Republican can vote in the Republican Party primary. These primaries are closed to all other registered voters.
Election Quick Facts are available at www.sos.la.gov.
Please call the Lincoln Parish Registrar of Voters Office at 318-251-5110 if you have any questions regarding eligibility to vote in this election. The Lincoln Parish Registrar of Voters’ office is located at 100 W. Texas Ave., Room 10.
Ruston High School’s 2024 regular season schedule has been released and, in no surprise whatsoever for Bearcats fans, will feature stout competition from week one to week ten for the reigning state champions.
And this time, Ruston heads westward to play for three straight weeks in the Lone Star State.
“We are looking forward to the preparation to be ready to play all of the great teams we have lined up on our schedule,” Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said. “It will be one big challenge after the next. We will need our fans to be ready to support our guys at home and on the road again this year.”
The Bearcats will open up at home with Acadiana High out of Lafayette, La., who was the state runner-up in the 2024 Select Division-I title game on Friday, Sept. 6.
Ruston will then host Cabot High out of Arkansas in a continuation of a home-and-home series that will continue for the third straight season on Friday, Sept. 13.
The Bearcats will then begin three consecutive weeks out in Texas Friday, Sept. 20, at Longview, and then at Choctaw Stadium against Midland Legacy on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m.
Ruston will wrap up non-district play against Stephenville High on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. at Lobo Stadium in Longview, Texas.
Ouachita will then host Ruston for the first District 2-5A matchup of the ’24 season on Friday, Oct. 11, and then the Bearcats will return back home to host Neville on Friday, Oct. 18. Following reclassification, the Tigers has rejoined District 2-5A, with the West Ouachita Chiefs dropping back to 4A.
The ‘Cats will then head to Alexandria Senior High for Friday, Oct. 25, and then will be back home for 2024’s Homecoming game with Pineville on Friday, Nov. 1.
Ruston will wrap up the regular season on the road at Rebel Stadium to take on West Monroe.
The Bearcats will also head to Byrd for an August scrimmage game and then Neville for the Aug. 26 Jamboree scheduled to be held at Ouachita.
The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a Chatham man Tuesday night on warrants and drug charges.
Deputies went to a Campbell Road residence about 10 p.m. Tuesday to serve felony arrest warrants on Darren Michael Coughran, 34. Deputies knew Coughran drove a red Ford Ranger truck which was found behind the residence with Coughran inside.
An odor of marijuana was detected coming from the truck. Coughran was asked to step out of the vehicle. He was placed under arrest on warrants charging him with domestic abuse battery and sexual battery.
When deputies attempted to handcuff Coughran, he attempted to push away and pull his arms from deputies. After a brief struggle, Coughran was placed in handcuffs and searched. An eyeglass case containing a glass pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue and two bags of methamphetamine were found in Coughran’s pocket. A cigarette box containing suspected marijuana was also found.
While attempting to escort Coughran to a patrol car, he continued to fight and pull away from deputies. He was given commands to stop resisting throughout the incident but continued to fight. Deputies placed him on the ground and utilized a Taser with positive results.
Coughran was taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center where he was booked for possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer by force, and the two felony warrants.
His bail amount was listed as $34,000.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Ruston High’s cheerleading squad won its preliminary round at the Universal Cheerleaders Association competition in Orlando, Fla., and will compete in the finals today.
Competing for Ruston are:
Front row: Paige Gipson, Kailyn Shipley, Madeline Davis, Berkeley Parr, Ella Love, Jilly Turpin, Drew Cramer, Ziah Jones
Middle row: Marlee Davis, Ava Puckett, Molly Rabb, Sarah Kate Taylor, Anna Colvin, Sophia Roberson, Gabbie Granger, Lilla Falting, Annie James
Governor Jeff Landry has called the Louisiana Legislature to convene for a special session focused on tackling the issue of crime.
Landry is hoping the legislature will create laws to strengthen Louisiana’s criminal justice system and repeal what he considers “soft on crime” policies, including some laws passed in recent years to “overhaul” the system but have been lenient with criminals.
“This special session begins to fulfill the campaign promises we made to the people of Louisiana to make our state safe again,” Landry said. “No one, regardless of their neighborhood or zip code, should feel unsafe.”
Landry said he wants the state to defend law enforcement officers and deliver true justice to crime victims who have been overlooked for far too long.
One of the proposed changes would be to roll back the age for offenders to be routed through the juvenile justice system from 17 to 16. As Attorney General, Landry criticized a law that must the age from 16 to 17, tying the hands of judges dealing with 17-year-olds accused of serious violent crime.
Other items Landry wants the state legislature to address in the session starting February 19 include:
Requiring a unanimous vote by the state’s pardon board to grant parole
Appropriating funding for state police, the juvenile justice system and to deploy the Louisiana National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border to help stem illegal entry, deter terrorists, and curtail the flow of drugs. Other states have already agreed to send guardsmen to the Texas border.
Increasing the penalty for carjacking
Changing the state’s drug court laws
To define the list of crimes for which youth can be held by the Department of Corrections
Giving police officers and this agencies some immunity from liability based upon certain criteria
Revising the state’s third degree rape law
Designating a specific means for administering the death penalty
Changing laws regarding the use of interlock devices for DWI offenders
Authorizing certain people to carry concealed weapons without a permit and limiting their liability
Increasing funding for the Department of Justice Legal Support Fund
Changing the process for notifying the attorney general of constitutional challenges to state law
Amending or repealing a bill passed last year that barred song lyrics from being used as evidence
Making it a criminal offense to market fentanyl to youth in a “predatory” manner
The session will end March 6. The regular 2024 legislative session will start March 11.
NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana State Troopers are getting ready for the final and busiest weekend of Carnival 2024. Governor Jeff Landry has committed 130 Louisiana State Police Troopers from across the state to assist the City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department. Troopers will be on assignment in the French Quarter, Central Business District, surrounding roadways, and parade routes, providing high-visibility vehicle and foot patrols.
Troopers would like to offer everyone a few safety tips to keep you, your family, and your property safe while enjoying the festivities. The public is encouraged to utilize the City of New Orleans NOLA Ready website at www.nola.gov/mardigras, where information about weather, parade delays, and parade route regulations can be found. Paradegoers can also text MARDIGRAS to 77295 to receive essential parade updates. The website also allows you to track parades through https://routewise.nola.gov/, which provides locations of public restrooms, first aid stations, and lost children stations. “Routewise” will also display your current location, which will allow you to copy the URL and text your friends and family your exact location along the parade route. Safety tips, transportation impacts, and extra Mardi Gras information can be found at https://ready.nola.gov/mardi-gras/.
Personal Safety:
Know where your children are, and do not allow them to play in areas where vehicular traffic is possible and also during the parades while floats are moving.
Abide by laws enacted by the New Orleans City Council regarding safety on parade routes:
Do not block intersections with ladders, grills, or other objects. These areas need to be kept open for emergency vehicles.
Ladders should be at least 6 feet from barricades; this prevents a ladder and child from tipping over in front of a moving float or onto the roadway.
Do not cross between floats.
If you are unfamiliar with the area you will be walking in, pick up a local map or get directions from reliable people, such as hotel personnel or law enforcement officers.
AVOID vacant areas and dark alleys. There is safety in numbers, so walk with someone you know or stay with the crowd.
Do not flash large sums of currency that could catch the eye of criminals.
Carry pertinent information (driver’s license, ID, credit cards, and keys) and valuables in your front pocket.
Avoid carrying bulky purses and wearing expensive/flashy jewelry. Ensure your purse is zipped at all times.
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption. Remember, the first thing alcohol affects is your judgment. A highly intoxicated person can be an easy target for a criminal.
Pay attention to your surroundings and limit cell phone use while walking to avoid being distracted.
Safety for Children:
Once you arrive at your spot on the parade route, have your child identify two landmarks that let them know where they are.
Make a plan ahead of time of what your child should do if they get separated from you. If there is a police officer nearby, the child should go to the officer. If there is no police officer around, the child should look for a family with small children to ask for help.
It is helpful to write a cell phone number on a small piece of paper and pin that paper inside of the child’s shirt or jacket in case they get lost. Even when children have a phone number memorized, it can be challenging to remember when the child is scared.
Notice anyone in the crowd who may be paying a great deal of attention to your child.
Take your child’s picture with your cell phone before you head out for the day. In the event of separation, you can show the police exactly what your child looks like and what they are wearing.
If your child gets separated from you, please utilize the https://routewise.nola.gov/,which will display the nearest “Lost Child” station.
Driving Safety:
DRIVE SOBER! Prior to enjoying the festivities, make a plan and stick to it! Get a designated driver, utilize taxis and rideshares, or have a sober family member or friend pick you up and take you home safely. Also, do not get in the vehicle with an impaired driver.
BUCKLE UP! Louisiana law requires EVERYONE in the vehicle to be properly restrained. In the event of a crash, the SAFEST place to be is inside the vehicle.
IF YOU DRINK AND DRIVE YOU WILL GO TO JAIL! Louisiana State Troopers will be aggressively patrolling the roads for impaired drivers.
Parking:
Pay attention to parking signs and use common sense. There will be limited parking available; attempt to carpool or use an alternate form of transportation.
Observe the restricted parking areas in and around the French Quarter and New Orleans Arena. Do not block fire hydrants or driveways. Do not interfere with the flow of traffic on streets or sidewalks to ensure the safe movement of emergency vehicles/personnel responding to calls for service and emergencies.
Following these tips and the parking signs may prevent you from having your vehicle towed or paying a fine.
Remember to remove all valuables from your vehicle or out of public view.
Double-check to ensure your vehicle is locked and the windows are closed. Make sure you have your keys. Also, take a look around you and remember where you parked.
Know pertinent information about your vehicle, such as your license plate number.
If you utilize a smartphone, place a pin on your parking location; this will aid you in finding your vehicle later in the day.
Please remember to utilize the “See Something, Send Something” app to report real-time activity to the appropriate investigators. The app is listed as See Send by My Mobile Witness, Inc. It is a nationwide suspicious activity reporting tool for citizens. Both text and pictures may be submitted directly to public safety personnel.
On Friday, February 09, 2024, shortly after 10:00 p.m., Troopers with Louisiana State Police Troop F began investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash involving a pedestrian on US-80 near Bailey Street. The crash claimed the life of 74-year-old Johnnie Brunson of Tallulah.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2015 Chrysler 200 was traveling west on US-80. At the same time, Brunson, who was wearing dark clothing, was walking in the westbound lane of US 80 near the centerline. For reasons still under investigation, Brunson was struck by the Ford.
Brunson suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. The driver of the Chrysler was properly restrained and uninjured.
Although impairment is not suspected, routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
Pedestrian safety is of paramount importance when walking near and crossing roadways. To reduce the risk of crashes, pedestrians should always walk against the flow of traffic, allowing them to see oncoming vehicles and react appropriately. Additionally, when walking at night, wear brightly colored clothing or reflective gear to enhance visibility for drivers. These simple yet vital precautions can significantly contribute to ensuring the safety of pedestrians and reducing the likelihood of crashes on the road.
In 2024, Troop F has investigated three fatal crashes, resulting in three deaths.
Each Monday and Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of non-for-profit upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list or advertise your for-profit events, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com.
Monday, Feb. 12 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 5:30 p.m.: GSU women’s basketball game 6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street) 7:30 p.m.: GSU men’s basketball game
Tuesday, Feb. 13 Mardi Gras 10 a.m.: Storytime at Lincoln Parish Library 10 a.m.: North Central Louisiana Master Gardeners’ seminar, “Healthy Soils” (Jack Beard Community Room, Lincoln Parish Library) 7 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Police Jury meeting (Parish Courthouse)
Wednesday, Feb. 14
Valentine’s Day Ash Wednesday 7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee) 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 5 p.m.: LA Tech softball game
Thursday, Feb. 15 5:30 p.m.: VFW monthly meeting (Historic Fire station; all combat veterans welcome) 6 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball game
Friday, Feb. 16 6 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
Saturday, Feb. 17 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market Noon: LA Tech baseball game 2 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball game 3 p.m.: LA Tech baseball game
For the second time this season Louisiana Tech and Liberty came down to the closing seconds. This time though, the Flames were able to connect on a game-winner, taking it 65-62 on Saturday night inside a sold-out Liberty Arena.
Sean Newman Jr. was able to tie the game up late on two separate occasions – once at 60-60 after two made free throws and at 62-62 with a driving layup. And just like back in Ruston almost a month ago, the Flames had a chance to win it in regulation and they did as Kade Metheny hit a three-pointer from about 26 feet with just two seconds left.
“I thought our team fought really hard,”said Tech head coach Talvin Hester. “We gave away a few possessions late where we missed a few assignments. To be deadlocked with eight seconds to go you like your chances, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Fatigue played a factor. We played some guys heavy minutes.”
LA Tech (16-8, 6-3 CUSA) would turn the ball over and its attempt to tie it. It was their 19th turnover of the game, a stat that certainly hurt the Bulldogs chances of pulling off their fourth straight road victory.
Despite the turnovers, the Bulldogs were impressive in the first half when they outscored Liberty (16-9, 5-5 CUSA), 29-22. It was the second-fewest points scored in a single half by the Flames this season, shooting just 29.6 percent from the field and making just one of their 10 three-point attempts.
“We were locked in,” said Hester. “The assignments were great. We did that for much of the second half too, but a good team like Liberty at home is going to get hot eventually. Ultimately, they got the look that beat us. We have to keep our heads high.”
Tahlik Chavez, who made his return to the court after missing Wednesday’s game, made a jumper in the lane at the start of the second half to give the Bulldogs their largest lead of the contest at 31-22.
Then Isaiah Crawford started to get hot, scoring 10 of LA Tech’s next 15 points, up 46-37 with 12:52 to play. Liberty started to get hot as well though, especially from beyond the arc. The Flames would make four of five three-point attempts, including one by Metheny to give the home team its first lead of the game at 55-52 with 5:03 to play.
Liberty built as much as a 5-point lead on two separate occasions, but a three-pointer by Crawford, and and-one by Daniel Batcho, and four straight points by Newman Jr. would tie things up before the Flames hit the game winner.
Crawford stuffed the stat sheet again with 19 points, four rebounds, a career-tying six steals, and three blocks. Batcho barely missed on another double-double with 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Chavez and Newman Jr. added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Metheny finished with a game-high 21 points followed by Kyle Rode with 18 and Brody Peebles with 16.
In a back-and-forth game, Louisiana Tech fell to Liberty 58-53 inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Saturday.
The Lady Techsters dropped to 8-16 overall and 2-7 in Conference USA, while Liberty improved to 11-14 and 6-4 in league play.
“Again, we had an opportunity to win a game today and were unable to finish one,” said head coach Brooke Stoehr. “It’s very frustrating. Winning is hard, and there’s a level of toughness you have to have in order to do so. We have to figure out a way to do things that create winning at critical times, and we haven’t been able to do that consistently.
“Finishing defensive possessions off with a loose ball rebound after forcing a contested, late-shot clock shot, converting free throw attempts, and taking quick shots early in possessions instead of forcing them to defend more than one pass are ways to play with toughness. We will continue to teach, make adjustments, and figure out who can help us play winning basketball this second half of conference play.”
It looked like it would be a high-scoring game after both teams connected on two of their first three shots in the first two minutes. But after a three-pointer by Anja Bukvic gave Tech a 7-4 lead at the seven-minute mark, the defenses stepped up, and the teams would go scoreless over the next five minutes. Salma Bates knocked down a three with 30 seconds remaining to give the Lady Techsters a 12-9 lead after the first.
LA Tech and Liberty would continue to battle to the tune of 15 lead changes and 12 ties.
Coming out of the locker room down 29-23, Anna Larr Roberson accounted for five points during a Lady Techster 7-0 to regain the lead. Once again, the defenses would step up and force each team to miss their final five shots of the quarter.
The Lady Techsters hit their first four shots of the fourth to go up 46-42, but the Lady Flames continued to push back. After a three by Jordan Hodges gave Liberty the lead with a minute remaining, the Lady Flames hit six consecutive free throws to close the game out.
Bates led LA Tech with 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting and connected on two three-pointers. Robyn Lee added 10 points and six rebounds.
Emma Hess led all scorers with 29 points on 50 percent shooting, including 6-of-10 from long range. Hodges chipped in 13 points, while Bella Smuda finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
The Simsboro boys basketball team celebrates Saturday after defeating Simsboro in a neutral-site showdown that gave the Tigers the regular season District 2-B title. (Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
CADEVILLE — The intensity was flaming hot Saturday evening as Choudrant and Simsboro faced off for the District 2-B boys basketball regular season title at the West Ouachita High School gym.
And by the time the smoke cleared, Simsboro had held on for 75-63 in a game of see-saw surges that saw both teams get hot and then cool off at various points in the tiebreaking showdown played after both closed out their district schedules at 5-1 after splitting the regular-season games in which they had met.
“It was another amazing basketball game,” said Tigers coach Adam Wodach. “We played three times in less than three weeks and it feels like every game has been an absolute barnburner. I’m speechless. I honestly think that if we played (Choudrant) 10 times, we still might end up in a split.
“I’m just proud of our guys — proud of the way we responded. We were up six (57-51) going into the fourth quarter and they cut it to three. I looked at the team during a timeout and told them we’re either going to figure it out or we’re not. I think we killed about three minutes there at the end of the clock and we had struggled with that this year.”
It was Choudrant which had to find its composure early on. Simsboro opened with a 6-0 run over the opening 2:06 of the contest before the Aggies scored on a Lawson Stevens jump shot in the key.
Lawson added a second short jumper before Braden Soto’s 3-point at the 4:13 mark of the opening stanza put the Aggies on top 7-6.
Choudrant built five-point leads three different times before the first quarter ended, but the Tigers kept fighting back, with Ahamd Smith’s 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds left in the stanza sending the teams into the second period tied at 17-17.
“They were composed,” Wodach said of his team. “We had a couple of moments there where we lost composure but I think we found it quicker than we had (in any other game) this year.”
Wodach said building that composure was a year-long process
“That was a year, including the summer, of work trying to get them to understand how basketball is a game of runs,” the first-year head coach of the Tigers said. “You want to control momentum. You can’t stop a team from scoring, but if you can control momentum you’re probably going to win the game. I thought we did a better job of that tonight.”
In the second quarter, Simsboro built as much as a five-point advantage at 24-19 before the Aggies quickly battled back, taking a 28-26 lead with 2:56 left in the first half on a pair of free throws made by senior center Michael Jones.
Two more Jones free throws tied the game at 34-34 with 3.2 seconds remaining before halftime, but the Tigers responded with Jakaleb Modest taking the inbounds pass, moving just pass the halfcourt line and arcing a shot right through the net to send the teams into the locker rooms at halftime with Simsboro on top 37-34.
And again, Wodach credited composure playing a key role in that ending to the first 16 minutes of play.
“What I’m proud of about that shot was (Modest’s) composure,” Wodach said. “He dribbled it all the way to half court to shoot the ball. He wasn’t rushed. He didn’t go off of one foot. He just stayed cool.
“I knew if he hit that one he was going to stay hot (in the second half).”
Modest said he knew as soon as he shot the ball that it was going to find its mark.
“I knew when it came off my hands, it was like ‘Oh yeah,’ it’s going in,” Modest said.
Simsboro built as much as a seven-point lead in the third quarter to give the Tigers that six-point lead heading into the final stanza.
A Jones putback pulled the Aggies within three points at 57-54 with 6:33 left on the clock, but that’s as close as Choudrant would get as the Tigers milked the clock for the win.
Modest played a big role in helping Choudrant do just that, scoring 11 of his points in the fourth quarter.
“They went out and made plays,” said Aggies coach Ryan. “We hung in there. The big thing was they kept scoring. They consistently were really good at putting the ball in the basket. They kept hitting those mid-range jumpers and pulled down some rebounds on us. That was the message at halftime, that I thought if we cleaned up the boards and got more aggressive at going to the basketball.
“Simsboro did a great job of trying to isolate Mike and were doing some different things in the first half where they had some bodies on him. But I told the team after the game that two weeks from now (once the playoffs begin), we’re going to be fine. We’ve been fortunate to play them three times because what we’re going to see in the first couple of rounds is basically nothing compared to today.”
Jones led Choudrant with 24 points while Stevens added 11 and Tucker Batterton chipped in with nine.
Modest finished with a game-best 25 points while Ahmad Smith added 14 for the Tigers, who also received 11 points each from Justin Prudhomme and Tristan Deloney.
The diminutive Prudhomme did much of his damage taking it to the basket, wading through the Aggie’s much taller interior, even sinking a pair of baskets off of reverse layups running along the baseline.
“I just try to play fearless going to the rim,” Prudhomme said. “I don’t see my height as a disadvantage, I just see it as an advantage to create.”
The Aggies, now 22-13, will play at Beekman-Charter on Wednesday in a tune-up game heading into the announcement of boys playoff brackets next weekend.
Smith said the barnburners his team has played against Simsboro so far this season will help his Aggies once postseason play begins.
“We go for so much of the season where everybody just plays zone (defense),” Smith said. “All we see is 2-3 or 1-2-2. But (the Tigers) come out and are always in your face. They’re aggressive and they pressure you. I think it’s great for us because it helps steer our focus toward that.
“And that’s what teams in the playoffs do. They stay up and man you, so a lot of things (the Tigers) do is just going to prepare us for the future, and I think we’re way better off for getting to play them, that’s for sure.”
Simsboro, now 23-12, will next play at Castor on Monday before playing host to Castor on Friday.
As hard as she tried, Cedar Creek girls basketball coach Katie Hall couldn’t get her team pointed in the right direction Saturday afternoon as the Lady Cougars fell to OCS in a showdown with the District 2-1A regular-season title at stake. (Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
It’s not how you start but how you finish.
That was a hard lesson learned for the Cedar Creek Lady Cougars Saturday afternoon after falling 39-28 to Ouachita Christian in a neutral site contest for the District 2-1A girls regular season championship at West Monroe High School.
After OCS nailed its first basket 18 seconds into the game to open scoring, the Lady Cougars quickly rallied, tying things up on a Leah Sutherland layup before taking a 5-2 lead on a Sutherland 3-pointer at the 5:43 mark of the opening stanza.
The two teams kept things tight the remainder of the first quarter, with OCS taking a 11-8 lead heading into the second quarter of play.
Cedar Creek got within two points at 11-9 on a Sutherland free throw at the 6:29 mark of the second quarter, but then the proverbial wheels seemingly came off for the Lady Cougars as they just couldn’t seem to find the basket the remainder of the first half.
The Lady Cougars didn’t score again until the 3:13 mark of the second quarter when a Caroline James free throw cut the OCS advantage 19-10, and Cedar Creek could only manage two more free throws for the rest of the stanza as the Lady Eagles moved out to a double-digit lead at 23-12 by halftime.
“We missed shots we needed to hit and we got the looks we needed to get and we just weren’t making,” Creek head coach Katie Hall said. “Missing wide-open layups hurts. Defensively, I thought we were pretty good. Offensively, we just could not figure out a way to score. We kept trying to get it inside, but kept turning the ball over, missing easy shots trying to get a foul and not putting the ball in the bucket.”
Cedar Creek maintained pace with OCS in the third quarter, holding the Lady Aggies to a 29-19 lead heading into the final eight minutes of play.
And it was the same story in the final stanza as the Lady Cougars got no closer than eight points back as OCS took the 2-1A title.
While it was nothing new facing a district foe for the third time this season, the OCS press seemed to get to the Lady Cougars after their strong first quarter.
“I don’t know why it bothered us that much because we’ve seen it all year,” Hall said. “We knew it was coming. We prepared for it. Yeah, it’s disappointing.”
Hall admitted that after the first quarter, her team seemed to run out of energy the rest of the way.
“I think they were ready,” Hall said. “I think we ran out of gas at the end. This is four games in six days and that’s a lot. It is what it is.”
Sutherland led Creek with 12 points, while James and Alivia Lee added five points each for the Lady Cougars, who stand at 21-8 on the season and await the girls playoffs brackets to be announced on Monday.
Jaliyah McWain scores in transition during the Lady Bearcats district clinching 39-29 win over West Monroe Friday night. (Photo by Josh McDaniel)
By Malcolm Butler
Forgive Ruston High coach Meredith Graf if she gets a little emotional when talking about this year’s senior class and their impact on the Lady Bearcats program.
It comes from the heart.
Graf watched her senior-laden team overcome a sluggish first half en route to a 39-29 win over West Monroe Friday night at Scotty Robertson Memorial Gym to clinch the District 2-5A title.
The Ruston seniors combined to score 34 of the 39 points in the win as the Lady Bearcats clinched their second district title in the past three seasons.
“This senior class as a whole has done so much for this program,” said Graf. “They are the foundation that have really helped shift us into the next gear as far as this program goes. That’s invaluable.
“To have the high quality of people that they are along with their great work ethic and great hearts … they want to be there for each other. They want to do the right thing on and off the floor. That really does carry over onto your team as far as the basketball aspect goes.”
This year’s Ruston senior class was recognized postgame as Jaliyah McWain, A’Niya Moore, Zaccheya Jackson, Aakeyliah Jones, Jordan Tate and Skylaar Spencer were honored.
Jackson led Ruston with 12 points and McWain added 10 points as the Lady Bearcats improved to 21-7, 5-0 in district action.
However, the win didn’t come easy.
“Tonight was tough,” said Graf. “There were so many distractions. I felt like our team was focused but we just didn’t shoot that well. I thought we got good opportunities. I thought we executed the way we wanted to. We weren’t finishing the way we wanted to and I didn’t feel like we were knocking down some of our shots that really could have separated us from the score.”
West Monroe (16-10, 3-2), who entered the game on a six-game winning streak including a 50-40 victory over Cedar Creek in its last outing Monday, battled from the opening tip. The Rebels led 8-6 after the first quarter and pushed it to 17-14 with 1:20 to play in the second quarter.
However, Ruston got a layup from Spencer and a conventional three-point play by Jackson in the closing minute to enter the lockerroom with a 19-17 advantage.
“Give West Monroe credit,” said Graf. “They have some size and they played really tough. They mixed up their defenses and that kept us off our offensive rhythm a little bit.”
After West Monroe tied the score 19-19 early in the third quarter, the Lady Bearcats began to turn up their defensive pressure. McWain stole a pass and took it coast-to-coast for a 21-19 lead and then Jackson followed with back-to-back-to-back buckets, including the final one after a steal.
Two minutes later McWain recorded another steal and fastbreak bucket and Jones followed with a jumper to complete a 12-2 run and a 31-21 Ruston lead.
“That was our best quarter,” said Graf. “Getting those transition baskets gets our motor running. When we can do that, it works to our strength. I was really pleased with that.”
Leading by eight entering the final quarter, Ruston scored the first six points of the stanza to open up a 37-23 lead with 5 minutes to play as McWain netted four points during the mini-run.
West Monroe would pull to within 37-29 with two minutes to play but the Rebels would get no closer.
“Overall, I think it was a wonderful night,” said Graf. “A win is a win. And to be able to recognize our kids the way we did, it was special.”
Ruston will find out its playoff seeding and pairings on Monday.
The Louisiana Tech track and field teams closed out the Tyson Invitational with a gold, two personal bests, and five season bests at the Randal Tyson Track Center on Saturday.
“I am proud of the way we performed this weekend,” said Tech Director of Track and Field Brian Johnson. “We stepped up to the challenge and responded well. We have two weeks before the conference meet to iron out the little details that can help us perform well at CUSA.”
A month after setting the school record in the same building, A’reil Williams was back looking to set a new mark. She would easily breeze through her first two jumps and be one-of-two remaining at 1.77m. Both would clear the height, but neither could clear 1.79m. Williams would win gold but fall 0.01m short of her record.
Tia Reder set her personal best in the triple jump with her second leap of 11.82m.
The 200m saw four of the six Bulldogs set their season best. Shatalya Dorsett hit a new personal mark of 24.28, while Chanel Honeywell had her fastest time of the season with 24.77 for the women. Marshall Ellis and Devin Walton hit their top mark so far this year. Ellis crossed at 21.91, and Walton wasn’t far behind at 21.97.
Both 4×400 relay teams set their best times of the season for top-15 finishes. Faith Tarver, Jamara Patterson, Osaretin Usenbor, and Jenaia Williams teamed up to run 3:43.38 to finish 10th. Laeden Tucker, Tim Rummelhagen, Phillip Gray Jr., and Cullen Hronek followed with a 3:15.82 to close out the event in 15th.
Louisiana Tech will have two weeks to prepare before the Conference USA Championships on Feb. 23-24, at Liberty in Lynchburg, Va.
