Sharon Dewey 
June 9, 1943 – May 9, 2024 
Memorial: Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Monday, May 13, 2024, 11:00 am 

Dolores F. Dozier 
November 15, 1932 – May 7, 2024 

Courtesy of Ruston Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau

The 74th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival presented by b1BANK will take place on Saturday, June 1, 2024 in Downtown Ruston. This event will span from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. and feature 12+ hours of live music, more than 100 food and arts vendors, interactive kids’ activities and performances, fresh peaches, peachy treats, a parade and more.

This year’s festival theme is “Everyone’s Invited to the Louisiana Peach Festival”. This theme coordinates with the festival being an entirely free event this year.

“We are thrilled to be extending free admission to the entire day and hope this will enhance the festival experience for our attendees,” said Amanda Carrier, President & CEO of the Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau.

In 2023, the festival drew 24,000+ attendees from all over the region and provided more than 2 million dollars of economic impact to the area. This impact is felt by local businesses, restaurants, and hotels, as well as area makers and artists that set up vendor booths at the event.

“In addition to being a fantastic celebration of local art and culture, the Peach Festival is also a huge economic driver for our downtown merchants and restaurants, and businesses across the parish,” said Amy Stegall, Ruston Main Street Director.  

See below for the schedule of events for the 74th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival on June 1.

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Peach Arts Market – Discover art, handmade items, and homemade goods from local artists, artisans, and makers. Located in Sexton Lot across from Railroad Park and E Park Avenue.

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Kids Alley: An Art Experience – Kids of all ages can enjoy hands-on art activities and crafts on W Mississippi Ave., along with interactive performances and demonstrations on the Kids Alley stage.

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.: Live Performances on the Railroad Park Stage including Russ-Town Band, Clara Rae, Beaux Atkins, Jhaiya Davis, Josh Love, Hali Brown, Hidden Tracks, Tipsey, LVVRS, and the 2024 headliner – The Band of Heathens.

Other offsite peach events will also be taking place during the week leading up to the festival. These events include Peach Hunt, Peach Culinary Crawl, Peach Art Exhibit, Peachy Sidewalk Sales, Peach Cookery Contest, Peach Parade, Run for the Peaches 5k, Peach Pickleball Tournament, Peach Beard Contest, Ruston Antique Classic Car Show, Ruston Farmers Market, Peach Baby Photo Contest, Queen Dixie Gem Peach and Princess Peach Pageant, and the Peach Rodeo. For a full list of events, please visit www.lapeachfest.com/schedule.

Official 2024 Peach Festival merchandise will be available for purchase at the Ruston Visitors Center two weeks before the festival. This year’s merchandise offerings include t-shirts (12M– 4XL), posters, bucket hats, and stickers. All festival merchandise will also be available at the festival on June 1. 

The Peach Festival is still seeking volunteers. Those interested in volunteering can view the volunteer slots that are still open and sign up at www.lapeachfest.com/volunteers.

For more information on the Louisiana Peach Festival, visit www.lapeachfest.com or contact 318-255-2031.

___________________________________________

About the Louisiana Peach Festival
The Louisiana Peach Festival is the longest-running agricultural festival in the state of Louisiana, dating back to 1951. The festival was created by area peach farmers as a way to promote their industry throughout the south. Over the years, the Peach Festival has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to Lincoln Parish and pumped millions back into the local economy. The festival is produced in partnership by the City of Ruston, Downtown Ruston, and Experience Ruston.

Courtesy of GSU Communications

By T. Scott Boatright

Nearly a year after last seeing or talking to him, the family of Ruston native Jon’al White is making a big push to find out what happened to him.

White’s mother last heard from him in June 2023, shortly after he took a bus ride from Ruston to Houston to relocate and search for a job.

He was last seen at the Greyhound Bus Station in Houston, and shortly later talked to his mother. 

Since then, White’s family has continued their “PUSH” — “Pray Until Something Happens” — to find him.

A former star defensive lineman for the Ruston High School Bearcats, White, who was 32 last summer when he went missing, stands at around 6-foot-1-inches tall and weighs approximately 300 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair.

White’s family made a trip to Houston late last month to attend an annual event held by The Texas Center for the Missing, which is held to raise awareness about thousands of people who have been reported missing in southeast Texas.

“It’s been like a nightmare,” White’s sister Reginea Modest said during a report on that event on KHOU, Houston’s CBS television station. “That’s how you sum it all up. This is not like him at all and that’s what worries us most — not knowing because that’s not him at all to not call his family especially our mom.”

White’s family, including his mother Regina White, wore white PUSH T-shirts during their appearance on KHOU news.

“I get up each day and like the shirts say — PUSH,” Regina White said. “I’m pushing my way through.”

“Sometimes at my desk, I may break down. It’s hard. I just want to sling everything off the desk.”

Anyone in the Lincoln Parish region who has any potential information on Jon’al White’s whereabouts are asked to contact the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-251-5111 and refer to case No. 2400625. 

And those living in southeast Texas who might have potential information on Jon’al White’s disappearance are asked to contact the Houston Police Department at 832-394-0000 and refer to police report No. 489281-24.

 Jon’al White lettered in football and track at Ruston High for three years, earning all-state and all-district honors and totaling 102 tackles and seven sacks his senior season on the gridiron.

He then played for two seasons in 2009 and 2010 Mississippi’s at Jones County Junior College before becoming a Louisiana Tech Bulldog the next two seasons, leaving Tech after chalking up 88 total tackles (41 solo, 47 assisted) on the year with seven tackles for a loss of 42 yards including nine sacks for losses of 61 yards with one forced fumble, one recovered fumble and five quarterback hurries.

Jon’al White later served as defensive line at Lusher Charter School (now known as Willow School, in New Orleans.

“We want him to come home,” Modest told KHOU. “He doesn’t even have to come home. Just call us because we miss you.”

Courtesy of LA Tech University Communications

The annual Greek Week series of events at Louisiana Tech University resulted in over $30,000 raised by students to go towards various charitable causes, accomplished as a direct result of the spirited competition the week’s games are known for.

The Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council raised around $12,500 and $14,000 respectively from the “money wars” alone, a gamified version of fundraising that encourages Greek Life students to rally behind their letters with donations to see who can collect the most. Song Fest, a Greek Week staple, brought together fraternities, sororities, and their friends in the Thomas Assembly Center and added another $5,000 to the amount through ticket sales, $3,800 of which were sold in advance.

Raising such a significant amount of money was rightfully celebrated by the Greek Life students involved, but they know it is only half of the process and that giving back to the community is the ultimate goal.

The Panhellenic Council’s main beneficiary from the money wars funds is the Pine Hills Advocacy Center, a Ruston nonprofit that serves victims of child abuse. In addition, their Greek Week efforts will benefit the community-focused United Way of Northeast Louisiana and the Emerge Center in Baton Rouge, an organization supporting children with autism.

“It was incredible to facilitate such an impactful week with the team,” said Panhellenic Council President Hailee Rivers. “I can’t explain how proud I am of our Greek community for the love and service they’ve shown over the course of the week.”

MedCamps of Louisiana, an organization with a strong partnership with the University, was chosen by the Interfraternity Council as the main recipient of their fundraising dollars.

“Supporting our local area is one of our focuses every year,” said Interfraternity Council President Holden Mittendorf. “We outraised our dollar amount from 2023 by $2,000, and it’s amazing to see the impact that can be made by all of our organizations working together.”

In addition to the usual Greek Week activities like volleyball tournaments and fiery tug-of-war competitions, Greek Life students joined with other student organizations from all areas of campus on April 20 for the Big Event. The annual day of community service gathered more than 1,800 students. While spending a damp and cloudy Saturday doing things like raking yards and cleaning litter from Ruston’s roads may not be for the faint of heart, it did not discourage the crowd of students that converged early at Joe Aillet Stadium to prepare to lend helping hands.

Though there are trophies to be raised and high fives to be doled out with pride among the students, the focus on uplifting the community and supporting important causes was never lost throughout the week.

“Our students utilized the platforms that they have for the betterment of others, a characteristic of true leaders,” said Wes Cavin, director of student activities. “I’m proud of them for using their influence to motivate their peers in acts of service that benefit our community in great ways.”

With the benchmarks and milestones of Greek Week 2024, the fraternities and sororities on Louisiana Tech’s campus are already planning to make the 2025 event a successful one, with their dedication to giving back at the forefront of all they do.

State police arrested a Ruston man last Thursday after he allegedly crashed his vehicle which caught fire.

A Louisiana State Police trooper responded to the vehicle fire on Sharp Davis Road in Bienville Parish. Deputies on the scene told the trooper the driver had walked to a nearby residence in Lincoln Parish.

The trooper located James Ewey, 61, of Ruston, and saw he had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his person. When the trooper asked the man’s name, he was told to leave the property.

Ewey was arrested for DWI and several traffic charges and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and then transferred to the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office.

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.

Drugs were found in a car after the driver was stopped for a traffic violation.

A Lincoln Parish deputy stopped Bobby C. Hill, Jr., 43, of Jonesboro for a traffic violation on Beacon Light Road about 1:30 p.m. last Thursday. Hill appeared extremely nervous to the deputy and a check of Hill’s driver’s license showed it to be suspended.

A subsequent search of the vehicle located a baggie in the trunk of the vehicle containing two bags of suspected marijuana and an unmarked bottle containing suspected MDMA (ecstasy) pills, a baggie containing crushed MDMA, and empty plastic baggies.

According to the deputy’s report, the empty plastic baggies in conjunction with the individually packaged baggies of marijuana and the quantity of ecstasy indicate an intent to sell the controlled substances.

Hill was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of MDMA with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension, and improper turn.

The amount of Hill’s bail was not immediately available.

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.

Dubach School’s pre-K will “graduate” eight this year in a ceremony on May 21st at 1 p.m.

Principal of Dubach School is Tiffany Curry.

Pictured above are this year’s “graduating” class from the pre-K.

Top Row (left to right): Tom Awitten, Opie Brazzel, Shevie Conklin, Tyler Ellis

Bottom Row (left to right): Evan Mack, Scarlett McCullin, Ella Reynolds, Landon Womack

A document appeared mysteriously on my desk in the middle of another crazy week. I thought I would share the contents of this document:

“My instructor in Sabbath-keeping was not a professor or a spiritual director, but a foreman at the East Chicago Inland Steel plant named Mike Paddock. His wife was treasurer of the tiny congregation I served as a student pastor, and she wrote my salary check twice a month. Mike would deliver it along with two dozen eggs and a shopping bag full of tomatoes, cucumbers and honey dew melons.

Mike’s seminar on Sabbath-keeping occurred on a summer Saturday morning when he saw my car at the church. “What the hell are you doing here on a Saturday morning?” he asked me. “Well,” I stammered, “I’m here being available to the congregation. I’m pretty much gone all week, at school, so Saturday, I’m here in case anyone needs me.”

“Let me tell you something, Mike said. “Nobody needs you today. If they do, they’ll call you. Nobody wants to see you today. They’re busy. They’ll see you plenty tomorrow. So go home. Cut your grass, wash your car, sit in your yard, and play with your kids. Get outta here.” I did what he said and have tried to abide by it ever since.”

In Practicing Our Faith, Dorothy Bass writes, “Americans need rest, and they need to be reminded that they do not cause the grain to grow and that their greatest fulfillment does not come through the acquisition of material things. Moreover, the planet needs a rest from human plucking and burning and buying and selling.”

In Genesis, God is busy creating for six days and then takes a day off. This is a different kind of God, a God who rests, a God who says, “I’m not going into the office tomorrow. I’ve put in long hours every day all week and tomorrow I’m putting up my feet and enjoying what I’ve accomplished. This is a life changing way of thinking: work is not finished until it is enjoyed in rest. There is a lesson in grace here—the world does not depend of our activity; we do not have sole responsibility for the grain growing, or any responsibility for the sun rising or setting.

Poet Wendell Berry takes a walk every Sunday morning and then goes home and writes a Sabbath poem. In one poem he describes how we ache and sweat in our daily labors:

“and yet no leaf or grain is filled

by work of ours; the field is tilled

and left to grace, that we may reap.

 Great work is done while we’re asleep.”

God rested. Do you?

By Kyle Roberts

Ruston High finished its second week of spring football, giving head coach Jerrod Baugh a chance to see a few players work their way back in the rotation after sitting out last week, specifically junior quarterback Josh Brantley and some other key starters who ran in the state outdoor track and field championship last week.

“We worked (junior cornerback) Aidan Anding back into some drills,” Baugh said after Thursday’s practice. “He dressed out in full gear to kind of get acclimated to having pads on in the heat. He’ll be full to go next week.

“We kind of worked Brantley back in after his high ankle sprain. He really wanted to get a little bit more, and he probably got more than what we had anticipated to start with. But once things got competitive in the four-minute and two-minute situations, that’s when he wants to get in — which is a good thing.”

Overall, Baugh said he is pleased after the team wrapped up its second week, although the heat played a big part in practice.

“I thought it was a productive week,” Baugh said. “We got some things done –we got a little tired during practice, and that’s what I wanted before we got into the four-minute and two-minute situations. It was a good learning experience. It’s great learning stuff on video that they’ll be able to go back and look to see what we need to do differently under those stressful circumstances.

“I thought the whole week was good after coming out sluggish on Tuesday, but we got it going after some prodding. But for six days in, we’re making a lot of improvements.”

Ruston High will host Captain Shreve next Thursday at 6 p.m. at Hoss Garrett Stadium. Admission will be $5.

“We’ll have some controlled portions with a certain number of plays for the first, second and third groups,” Baugh said. “Then our freshmen will go against each other. We’ll do that a couple of times, and the we’ll have two 15-minute live quarters. We’ll try to show up as much as we can.”

By Wesley Harris

A good man and dedicated public servant was laid to rest last week.

On April 27, Officer Russell Croxton was tragically killed when he was struck by another vehicle while engaged on a traffic stop.

Russell was a recent addition to the Dubach Police Department. He had served some years ago as Dubach’s chief of police, and more recently, as a police officer with the Louisiana Tech University Police Department. He had returned to Dubach to serve his hometown and be closer to his family.

Russell was 6 years old in 1978 when his father, Ruston Police Sergeant Raymond Croxton died in a patrol car crash. Investigators believed Sgt. Croxton was attempting to catch up to a violator when he struck some debris and lost control of his patrol car.

Russell had told me and other law officers that the death of his father served as impetus to pursue his own career as a law enforcement officer.

This is National Police Week. Every year, law enforcement personnel, public officials, and private citizens, along with the survivors of lost officers, assemble in Washington, DC to pay tribute to those fallen heroes who served and sacrificed.

Monday will be dedicated to the 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the National Mall. The vigil will honor the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. Their names will be read, with reverence, by high-ranking government and law enforcement officials. Later this year, those names will be engraved into the nearby National Law Enforcement Memorial.

Russell was the fifth law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty in Lincoln Parish.

In 1896, Ruston hired John Tom Sisemore as police chief to deal with the town’s crime and disorder problems. No previous chief had been able to resolve the nightly gunfire and unrest. Sisemore performed the duties in addition to his responsibilities as a deputy U.S. marshal for northwest Louisiana.

On the evening of November 17, 1898, Sisemore ate supper with his family and played with his youngest son by the fire. Observing his evening routine, Sisemore then left his home on South Trenton Street to make his final rounds through the town.

As he neared the hard-packed street to walk downtown, Sisemore heard a noise in the pine thicket where Walgreen’s on California Avenue is now located. Drawing his revolver, he approached the trees slowly. A shotgun blast knocked Sisemore to the ground. A second shot missed. Sisemore died soon after neighbors carried him to his bed. His killer was never brought to justice.

Over 40 years would pass before the next line-of-duty death of a local officer.

Officer Andrew Harrison “Hal” Posey was a respected officer who had narrowly missed being elected sheriff after working a number of years at a local store.

On the evening of November 24, 1940, Posey and Officer Ed Neal were called to a downtown Ruston cafe where two intoxicated men were causing a disturbance. The officers found John Breedlove—Posey’s brother-in-law—and another man drinking in the café. Posey stayed back and let Neal handle the disorderly men. The officer sent them home.

With no police dispatchers on duty in those days, officers on patrol were alerted to calls from the telephone operator by lights hanging in strategic locations about town. Around midnight, the officers spotted the call light and checked in. A call had been received about numerous gunshots at a home on Alabama Avenue where Breedlove boarded with a sister.

When Neal and Posey pulled up at the house, Breedlove shot out a light and walked out onto the darkened front porch. Neal tried to talk to the inebriated man who ignored him and walked toward the back yard as the officers followed. Breedlove turned and fired. His first shot missed, but two more struck Posey. Posey returned fire, hitting Breedlove three times. Breedlove then turned his revolver on Neal and pulled the trigger, but the gun was empty. Posey died and Breedlove was hospitalized with minor injuries.

Breedlove was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in the state prison.

Ruston Police Sergeant Croxton’s crash occurred on May 23, 1978. Well liked by his coworkers, he served as a patrol team supervisor. I took the call that night from a private citizen reporting the tragedy by phone. I remember the lowering of the flag at City Hall and standing vigil at his casket prior to his funeral. It was a time none of us who served at that time will ever forget.

On February 5, 1983, Louisiana State Police Trooper Mike Kees was killed in a crash during a vehicle pursuit in Lincoln Parish. Kees had made a traffic stop in Ouachita Parish, and as he approached the vehicle it sped away. He pursued the vehicle for approximately 20 miles before he lost control near Choudrant.

Police officers are trained to realize the dangers of the street include more than bad guys with guns. While felonious murders of American police officers have declined—largely because of changes in tactics, improved equipment, and enhanced emergency

medical services—automobile crashes account for a significant number of officer fatalities each year. The number of officers struck by vehicles while directing traffic, investigating accidents, and making roadside arrests, as well as crashes responding to calls, rival gunfire as leading causes of officer deaths.

Police officers enter every situation aware unpredictable threats may arise without warning. The dangers are emotional as well as physical. The strains placed on officers and their families take their toll. While Russell’s death will increase the vigilance of all area law officers, it also heightens the anxiety of their families when they strap on duty belts and pin on badges and go out to protect the rest of us.

Experienced law officers like Sisemore, Posey, Kees, and Ray and Russell Croxton are well aware of the threats that come with the job. That doesn’t make the loss any easier when one is taken from us.

One of Russell’s fellow officers expressed his sorrow on the Officer Down Memorial Page (odmp.org): “Russ was my friend, co-worker, and kindred spirit. He always had a kind word and a smile ready to make everyone smile. This one hits hard. He took the job with Dubach Police Department to have more time to spend with his family. I pray for them and mourn with them for the loss of a great man. RIP brother. We’ll take it from here.”

For more information on National Police Week and the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, go to facebook.com/NLEOMF or nleomf.org.

Each Monday and Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of non-for-profit upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list or advertise your for-profit events, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com. 

Friday, May 10
10 a.m.: GSU Graduation
Noon: Out to lunch concert series (Heard Freighthouse Food Truck Park)
6 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
6 p.m.: GSU baseball

Saturday, May 11
8:30-11:30 a.m.: Hazardous waste material and recycling collection (2609 Farmerville St.)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
2 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
3 p.m.: GSU baseball

Sunday, May 12
Mother’s Day
1 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
1 p.m.: GSU baseball

Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

The Louisiana Tech Softball team was defeated by WKU 10-6 in a back-and-forth contest during day two of the CUSA Championship at the New Mexico State Softball complex on Thursday afternoon.

“We were not very good in any phase of the game today,” said head coach Josh Taylor. “We did not capitalize on our opportunities offensively. Softball is a game of momentum and whenever we put runs on the scoreboard in the top half of an inning we could not keep them off of it in the bottom half. We are looking forward to bouncing back tomorrow.”

Tech took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning before WKU went ahead 4-2 in the bottom of the third. The Bulldogs would respond with three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead that would be short-lived as WKU answered with six in the home half to put the game out of reach.

A four-run third inning and a six-run fifth inning from WKU were the difference makers in the loss for LA Tech. The Hilltoppers’ Sophie Weber hit two home runs and drove in five runs while Cheyanne Sales hit a three-run home run.

Offensively, the Bulldogs did not fully capitalize on their opportunities by leaving eight on base during the contest. For the second straight game the first four hitters recorded a base hit. Kylie Neel and Alannah Rogers both drove in a pair of runs, courtesy of a two-run double and a two-run single.

Allie Floyd (4 IP, 4 R, 6 H, 3 BB, 2 K) pitched effectively during her 19th start of the year. Mattison Buster took the loss for LA Tech to fall to 2-5.

Rylan Smith (3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K) earned the victory for the Hilltoppers (32-19-1) to improve to 12-6 on the season.

With the loss, Louisiana Tech (32-21) will play No. 1 seed Liberty in an elimination game on Friday at 3:30 p.m. (CT).

Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Louisiana Tech looks to wrap the last home series of the 2024 season against Western Kentucky in a pivotal CUSA match-up starting tonight and running through Sunday at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

Tonight’s first pitch is 6 p.m. while Saturday is 2 p.m. and Sunday is 1 p.m. with all three games on ESPN+.

WKU (32-16, 13-5) is in first place in CUSA, one full game ahead of both Louisiana Tech (35-15, 12-6) and Dallas Baptist who sit in a two-way tie for second place.

Tech dropped the series against New Mexico State in Las Cruces this weekend. With a chance at the number one spot in the conference, LA Tech will look to bounce back against WKU at home. Tech put up 17 home runs in the series against New Mexico while also breaking the single-game home run record with eight on Saturday. Tech as a team is batting .300 with 331 RBI on 532 hits this season.

WKU picked up a win on Tuesday against Bellarmine. The Hilltoppers defeated Bellarmine 14-2 in seven innings on Tuesday after dropping Sunday’s game against UNC Asheville. WKU dropped the series against UNC Asheville over the weekend.

Louisiana Tech is 29-19 all-time against WKU since the first meeting in 1992. Tech won the series in Bowling Green in 2023 after taking Friday’s and Saturday’s games.

Senior Day ceremonies will be prior to first pitch on Sunday’s finale.

Gary B. Harrison 
Visitation: Friday 05/10/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home 
Celebration of Life: Saturday 05/11/2024 9:00am at King’s Funeral Home 
Interment: Saturday 05/11/2024 Following Service, Liberty Hill Cemetery, 619 Liberty Hill Rd., Simsboro 

Pamela Bunn   
August 7, 1956 – May 4, 2024   
Visitation: Temple Baptist Church Chapel, Friday, May 10, 2024, 10:00 am – 11:00 am   
Service: Temple Baptist Church Chapel, Friday, May 10, 2024, 11:00 am   

Peggy “Bonnie” Mae Lewis   
July 16, 1941 – May 5, 2024   
Visitation: Saturday, May 11, 2024, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home   
Graveside Service: Saturday, May 11, 2024, 11:00 AM, Mineral Springs Cemetery, Highway 822, Dubach   

Lee Ann McMillon   
December 26, 1943 – May 3, 2024   
Visitation: Friday, May 10, 2024, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Gardens of Memories, Metairie   
Cemetery Committal: Friday, May 10, 2024, 12:00 PM, Gardens of Memories, Metairie   

Melba Faye Crawford    
Sunday 04/15/1962 — Saturday 04/27/2024     
Family Gathering: Friday 05/10/2024 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home    
Visitation: Friday 05/10/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home    
Celebration of Life: Saturday 05/11/2024 1:00pm at King’s Funeral Home   

Emmett Johnsons, Sr.  
Thursday 06/09/1932 — Wednesday 05/01/2024   
Memorial Service: Saturday 05/11/2024 11:00am at King’s Funeral Home 

By Kyle Roberts

Tears of joy filled the Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Louisiana Wednesday as worker and Americorps volunteer AunDra Lacey was surprised with a full scholarship to Grambling State University to study to become an educator, given by GSU’s chapter of the “Call Me Mister” program.

“This means so much,” Lacey said, noting his desire to teach started with his work at the Boy & Girls Club. “I did not see this coming. It meant so much walking in and seeing all the kids in our midst; they have my back like I have theirs.

“I’ve wanted to teach and be a mentor for kids, and I just appreciate this so much.”

The gymnasium at the Boys & Girls building was full of family, friends, and kids in the program as they cheered Lacey on as he signed his official scholarship and ceremoniously put on a Grambling State University in a fashion of an athletics signing.

“Most black males when they sign up for scholarships, it’s for athletics,” said Jaderic Talbert, president of “Call Me Mister” at GSU, who is also a senior education major. “This is for academics, so we’re changing the narrative. (Call Me Mister) works hand in hand with the regular teaching education programs, and it gives additional support.”

That support includes funding such as tuition assistance and scholarships, along with mentoring and coaching.

Dr. George Noflin is the director and oversees the “Call Me Mister” chapter at Grambling State and spoke to the process that Lacey followed to secure his scholarship.

“There is an application process,” Noflin said. “There are several essays that (Lacey) had to complete. Then he went through two interviews. After his second interview, he was overwhelmingly selected.” 

“Call Me Mister” starting in 2000 at Clemson University to address the lack of black male educators in the United States. Currently, only 1.3 percent of teachers in America are black males.

And for Lacey, it’s the perfect way to be sent off to college to fulfill his dream with the opportunity to go to school on a full scholarship ride.

“It hasn’t truly hit me yet,” Lacey said. “I’m just lost for words.”

Courtesy of LA Tech University Communications

Want to learn how to predict a traded player’s impact on his new Major League team or learn about the composition of nearby stars? The Louisiana Tech University College of Engineering and Science (COES) is hosting the 2024 Design and Research Conference on May 9 and 10, and it is free and open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the public.

The two-day conference is held annually in the Integrated Engineering and Science Building (IESB). The first day of this event showcases our students’ innovative work from their first year through graduation and serves as a crucial culmination of the “Living with the Lab,” “Living with Cyber” and “First-Year Physics Lab” programs for first-year engineering, computer science, and physics students.

The First-Year Projects Showcase will kick off the event on Thursday night. Beginning at 6 p.m., the public will have the chance to talk to teams of first-year engineering and computer science students about the prototypes they’ve developed this year and learn how these projects address the needs of the marketplace and the process of building them. Attendees can experience the culmination of the First-Year Physics Lab as two groups present computer simulations: one offers a microscopic view into what’s happening inside a magnet and one will present the first step in creating CGI characters and their rotations in space.

On May 10, starting at 1 p.m., seniors from all engineering and science majors will present their final-year prototypes and research and discuss how their projects could advance research and operational processes within their fields or offer improvements to existing products on the market.

“This event highlights the hard work and creativity of our students and emphasizes the impact their research and development efforts have on both a local and global scale,” said Dr. Collin Wick, dean of the COES. “Our students start addressing the challenges of the workforce from their first year. I’m grateful to our faculty and industry sponsors who work closely with these students to ensure they get the best possible educational experience. Without their commitment, our students would not have these kinds of practical opportunities.”

Dr. Heath Tims, associate dean of undergraduate studies for the COES, added, “From groundbreaking first-year projects to sophisticated senior research, our students demonstrate remarkable ingenuity. This conference is a fantastic opportunity for the public to witness the future of engineering and science right here. Faculty and staff across the College help make that happen.”

Following the conference on May 10, the College will host the Order of the Engineer ceremony, where new graduates will be inducted.

For more details about the 2024 Design and Research Conference and to learn about some of the featured projects, please visit our website at https://coes.latech.edu/2024-design-and-research-conference/.

By T. Scott Boatright

There are now rules and regulations in place for short-term housing rentals in the city of Grambling.

That comes after Grambling’s City Council passed a resolution to regulate short-term rentals in a move to both govern and increase tax revenue after a vote held during Thursday’s monthly meeting at City Hall.

The new ordinance defines a short-term rental as a residence at least part of which is rented for overnight lodging for fewer than 30 straight days.

And the short-term rentals resolution mandates that a permit must be renewed annually and needs to have a designated local representative who is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and resides no more than 60 minutes away.

The ordinance limits short-term rental’s locations to 10 adults that can stay overnight in a short-term rental. Neighbors living within a 500-foot radius of a short-term rental must be notified of the business’s existence. 

Weddings, corporate events, commercial events, parties, or other functions that would negatively impact areas where the short-term rentals are located will not be allowed.

The council began moving toward a short-term rental ordinance in late 2023 and the proposal had previously been discussed twice,  but both times, the latest being last month, Grambling’s City Council  tabled any action to gather information on the matter.

A woman who got in an argument with her aunt, then allegedly fought and injured her mother was arrested for domestic abuse battery with child endangerment Tuesday evening.

Lincoln Parish sheriff’s deputies said Skylar Renee Hughes, 25, of Dubach, was arrested after the incident on California Plant Road was witnessed by a juvenile.

According to a deputy’s report, Hughes, her mother, and a juvenile were found at the residence on their arrival. Hughes said she had an argument with her aunt over Hughes’s relationship with a boyfriend and remained angry when she was dropped off at her mother’s house. Hughes said she could not control her anger and got into an argument with her mother. Hughes said she hit her mother which prompted a fight.

Hughes’s mother said Skylar struck her as soon as she arrived home. They went to the ground and Hughes kicked her in the face and possibly tried to gouge out her eyes. Deputies saw bleeding injuries to the mother’s left eye.

Hughes taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked. Her bail amount was not available at publication time.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Cedar Creek will conduct Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 18 at 7 p.m. at Howard Auditorium on the Louisiana Tech Campus. 

The Class of 2024, comprised of 56 members, will also be recognized with awards and scholarships during the graduation ceremony.

Hayes Bridges is this year’s valedictorian while Bailey Anne Adams is the salutatorian.

The Class of 2024 includes:

Bailey Anne Adams

Landon Amidon

Ella Grace Barham

Kate Barron

Ashlyn Bourn

Hayes Bridges

Max Brister

Parker Bush

Corbin Cooper

Elli Dickerson

Noah Durrett

John Abram Earle

Lauren Enterkin

Lucy Fisher

Trent Franklin

Jayden Gouedy

Mia Graham

Isaac Gremillion

Drew Gulledge

Ava Hartwell

Cara Beth Hill

Ava James

Alli Claire Johnson

Brett Johnson

Connor Johnson

Jude Keen

Adrian Lamkin

Lawson Lillo

Baylee Mabou

Anderson Maxwell

Ethan McCarthy

Parks McConnell

Jackson Mock

Emma Moore

Cole Morganthall

Harper Nguyen

Lily Nichols

Lesley Osafo

Lindsey Osafo

Emmie Parks

Emma Pearce

Taylor Ramsey

Mary Lu Ricks

Ainsley Riley

Adrianna Robbins

Conner Rolen

Allie Rugg

Olivia Salter

Nick Shelton

Leah Sutherland

Katelyn Taylor

Ladd Thompson

Emily Trammell

Olivia Underwood

Blake Wade

Gray Worthey

A Dubach man was arrested early last Tuesday morning after the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a man attempting to break into a home.

Jon Dumas, 24, was arrested for unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling and criminal mischief after deputies spotted him on the property where the alleged break in occurred at about 2 a.m.

Deputies responded to the 9000 block of U.S. Highway 80 and found Dumas on the property. He was taken into custody and deputies investigated several reports of illegal entry.

LPSO had previously investigated a woman’s complaint on Houston Drive that a man was sitting on her front porch and checking her doors. The woman provided video of the man on her porch.

While searching for the man, deputies found a mobile home in the 9000 block of U.S. 80 with the door kicked in. Once Dumas was in custody, he was taken to the trailer to see if his shoe matched the foot imprint on the door. The shoe did not match but Dumas stated he did go inside the home to sit down. The video from Houston Drive revealed Dumas was the suspect there as well.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

By Kyle Roberts

Nearly a dozen people attended an informational presentation by Jenny Morse, Learning Pod Director for Ruston’s branch of the Louisiana Key Academy, a free-tuition charter school solely for students that have been diagnosed with dyslexia.

“Today was about getting information to people about the school,” Morse said. “There’s nothing like it in our area. There are three other campuses in the state, but there’s nothing up here in Ruston.”

Louisiana Key Academy is already operating in Covington, Baton Rouge, and the Shreveport area.

The school is planning to start with second, third, and fourth grades and has a maximum capacity for 51 students currently. The goal will be to continue to expand grades over the coming years.

“The Louisiana Key Academy in Baton Rouge is the flagship, and it’s gone into high school,” Morse said. “It had kindergarten through ninth grade this year. The other campuses are limited, but they’re only one and two years old so far.”

Morse said she has seen interest in the area already and wants to bring awareness for how dyslexia affects learning in children.

“It a different way of reading in your brain,” Morse said. “It’s not as efficient, so you struggle. You need more time. We know what to do to help it, and that’s what the school is about — trying to get that problem exactly narrowed down so that students with dyslexia can be remediated.”

The target launch is set for August 15, 2024. Morse said that a building has been secured tentatively, but chose not disclose where until everything has been finalized.

Morse added in her presentation that the curriculum for LKA will be similar to public school curriculum since it is a charter school. Three staff members are being interviewed currently, and will be trained as dyslexia specialists.

Potential students will need to complete of thorough review of documents and testing to determine a dyslexia diagnosis.

Parents interested can email Morse at jenny.morse@lakeyacademy.com for more information.