Nearly two-thirds of James Field at Hoss Garrett Stadium now has the brand new turf installed, starting with the south portion of the field and extending past the 50-yard line.
Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said he is pleased with how progress is moving on the installation, even as rain has threatened momentum in construction.
“We were afraid that when we got rain for those few days that it was going to set them back,” Baugh said. “But it happened at a time when they could get some things done around that. This group has done a really good job. They’re here at eight (in the morning) and don’t leave until after five and they’re steadily getting after it.”
As the turf laying progresses, there will still be the Bearcat head logo, yardage and hash marks and the end zones to be laid down. Rather than painting those in, they, too, will be installed as turf.
“After they get everything out there in the base layer, they’ll come put the rest of the pieces to the puzzle together,” Baugh said. “They’re working really quickly.”
Ideally, Ruston will be able to return to its field for practice in July, though Baugh was understandably hesitant to offer a formal timeline.
Hellas out of Austin, Texas, is installing the turf. The company also installed the first turf at the stadium.
Capital improvements funds that are set aside by the Lincoln Parish School Board for upkeep projects such as this one will be used to pay for the turf and installation.
My elder daughter was standing in front of me, and I leaned around her to peer out the window. “Oh, wow!” I exclaimed. “Look! Both hummingbirds are eating from the feeder! And they’re not fighting!”
She turned, looked, and nodded, appreciating the beauty of nature – but only for a fleeting moment. “Headphones?” she repeated.
I have officially reached the age where birding is a social activity for me.
It started in COVID. I had a first grader and a preschooler, and we did our best to stay active, entertained and educated during quarantine. One of those activities was birding – my kids learned how to identify birds (science), draw the birds (art), and count how many of each bird came to eat at our feeder (math). Birding was a huge part of our COVID quarantine experience. In fact, even though my introduction may indicate differently, my daughters both enjoy watching the birds in our yard. They recognize our regulars and know the sound a cardinal (the bird that wakes us up at 5:45 a.m. daily) makes and the different colors between a male and female cardinal. They have been on morning trips to see birds and enjoy spotting ones they don’t see in their own backyard. They appreciate these little creatures, and I do believe part of their love for birds came from our COVID bird adventures.
However, while they are not as intense as I am, I thoroughly enjoy watching the birds and seeing all of them.
Over time, through other friends becoming bird watchers and getting me even more involved in birding. In fact, I have a friend I texted last week during our vacation to Mexico about all the different birds I saw. Grackles were very common – they’re a blue and black bird that most resembles a crow, though I don’t think they’re actually a crow (at least according to Google). And then on our way for our excursion, I spotted two white ibis birds eating on the ground during the morning. A white ibis is, obviously, white, except for bright red legs and a bright red face and long, narrow bill. I spotted a couple of Yucatan jays at Tulum and nearly lost my tour group because I was struggling to take pictures of those bright blue and black birds. I saw two hooded orioles flying from tree branch to tree branch in the Mayan ruins.
In other words – it was incredible.
And I am not an expert by any means. I need to specify that. We know birding experts, and I am not one of them. I am 100 percent amateur, but the great thing is – that doesn’t really matter. Not only can I just appreciate the fauna of the area I’m visiting or my own backyard. Plus, I have a couple of helpful tools that can assist in identifying and appreciating birds.
First is Merlin ID. This is my best friend in identifying birds. You have three different ways of finding the bird you want to identify: either by describing it, taking a picture of it, or even recording it chirping. It’s a free app, but it does take off a lot of space in your phone. But it’s so worth it – I have never found a bird I haven’t been able to identify through Merlin ID.
The next app is a new one for me, recommended by a friend, Big Year Birding, where you can add the birds you’ve seen over the year. It’s basically Pokemon for adults (or just for birding enthusiasts because I know a lot of adults who love Pokemon, but I digress). Instead of collecting Pokemon, collect bird sightings.
After a tremendous inaugural group was named in 2023, the Lincoln Parish Journal is now seeking nominations for this year’s “Rising Lincoln Leaders.”
Our parish is full of young, rising professionals and leaders, and we want to recognize the next group of leaders through this summer series.
Nominee criteria includes:
39 years of age or younger
works in Lincoln Parish
resides in Lincoln Parish
Deadline to submit nominations is by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 5th. All nominations should be emailed to LPJNewsLA@gmail.com with the subject line of Rising Lincoln Leaders.
Please include the following information within the nomination:
Nominee’s name
Age
Employer
Contact info, including phone
750 words or less about why the individual is being nominated for this award; including accomplishments, awards, etc.
Contact name and info (including phone) of the person submitting the nomination
The Lincoln Parish Journal will run a series profiling each of the “Rising Lincoln Leaders” during the summer.
A Ruston man was charged with domestic abuse after police investigated an incident early Tuesday morning.
Carlos D. Stringfellow, 46, was arrested for domestic abuse battery—second offense and violation of a protective order after Ruston Police responded to an Adams Street residence at about 4 a.m. Tuesday.
The victim was found crying and visibly upset. Her left eye was swollen and bruised. She said Stringfellow punched her with his fist multiple times and that she had an active protective order against him for earlier domestic abuse.
Police verified Stringfellow was on probation for domestic abuse against the victim and confirmed he was the subject of a protective order.
Stringfellow told officers he did not injure the victim’s eye. A laceration was seen on his right hand, but Stringfellow did not explain how he cut himself.
Stringfellow was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. Later in the day, additional charges of probation violation were added with no bail set.
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.
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, June 24 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 4 p.m.: Family storytime at Lincoln Parish Library 6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street) 6-9 p.m.: Creative Meetups (112 W. Alabama Ave.) 6:30 p.m.: Tim Sherman, aviation artist and former Marine Corp pilot, speaks at the Lincoln Parish Museum Chautauqua Speaker series (Lincoln Parish Museum)
Tuesday, June 25 10 a.m.: Storytime at Lincoln Parish Library 2 p.m.: Crafternoon at Lincoln Parish Library 4-5 p.m.: Ribbon Cutting for Splash Pads (Mayfield Park, Duncan Park, Cooktown Park) 4 p.m.: WIldlife and Fisheries Visit (Community Room, Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: Fiber art meet up (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
Wednesday, June 26 7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee) 10 a.m.: Lady Chops (Lincoln Parish Library, Dubach Room) 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
Thursday, June 27 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) 2 p.m.: Tween STEAM (Lincoln Parish Library) 5-8 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market Night Market
Friday, June 28 10 a.m.: PAWS of NELA storytime (Lincoln Parish Library Community Room) 2 p.m.: Ribbon cutting for Choudrant Primary Care (3845 Elm Street, Suite 3 in Choudrant)
Saturday, June 29 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 2 p.m.: Russ-Town Band Patriotic Concert (Ruston High School Auditorium)
Grambling State’s Kyle Walker has been invited to the 2024 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Camp on June 25-29.
His invitation to the collegiate national team camp punctuates a successful season and busy summer for the redshirt-sophomore from New Orleans, La.
Walker who helped lead the Tigers to their first SWAC title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 14 years, batted .381 with 11 home runs, 10 doubles, one triple and 41 RBI to go along with 14 steals. Walker’s stellar season also earned him invites to the 2024 MLB Draft Combine and the 2024 HBCU Swingman Classic.
The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp will feature 56 of the premier non-draft-eligible college players for a two-game Stars vs. Stripes intrasquad series in North Carolina on June 26 and 27. USA Baseball will name the final Collegiate National Team for the International Friendship Series roster and a Summer League Tour roster, following Training Camp on June 29.
Both Training Camp games will be held at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., on June 26 and 27. The International Friendship Series roster will then take on Chinese Taipei in a five-game series, while the Summer League Tour roster will take on select teams from the Appalachian League and the Coastal Plain League in a four-game slate.
The schedule will culminate with a Fourth of July matchup between the two U.S. Collegiate National Team rosters on July 4 in Fayetteville, N.C.
Funeral services for Dr. Kenneth “Ed” Griswold, Jr., age 80 of Ruston, LA will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, June 24, 2024 at Owens Memorial Chapel with Rev. Paul Watts officiating. Burial will follow in the Scotland Cemetery in Junction City, AR under direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston, LA. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM, Sunday, June 23, 2024 at Owens Memorial Chapel.
Ed was born in Ruston, LA and spent most of his life in northern Louisiana. He left this world with his family beside him on June 20, 2024.
Ed was a graduate of Louisiana Tech with a B.S. and M.S. in Zoology. He obtained his PhD from the University of South Carolina. After graduating with his PhD, he returned to Louisiana where he taught at LSU School of Medicine and served as Program Director of the VA School of Medical Technology in Shreveport LA. In 1983, he took a leap of faith and returned to his roots in Ruston and began a successful career at Louisiana Tech University as a professor and administrator. Ed was a true educator and passionate about teaching future medical laboratory scientists. He was very well published in scientific journals and served on many professional and community boards. He retired from Louisiana Tech University in 2007.
As an avid outdoorsman, Ed enjoyed dove and deer hunting. He spent countless hours in the woods, scouting, and building deer stands. During deer season, he cooked many meals at the camp for his fellow hunters.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth E. Griswold, Sr. and Juanita “Jo” Griswold and mother-in-law Linda Rowland.
Surviving to cherish his memory are, his wife of 37 years Dr. Paula Griswold; son, Wade Griswold (Elizabeth) of Hockessin, DE; daughter Natalie Griswold Grubb of Benton, LA; grandchildren, Will Griswold (Olivia), Rebecca Griswold Koppel (Blake), Shelby Griswold, and Lucas Grubb (Gabby); and great-grandchildren Lucia and Jonathon. He is also survived by his sister Jan Griswold of Ruston and brothers Dr. Rick Griswold of Tupelo, MS, Barry Griswold of Ruston, and Brian Griswold (Dixie) of Ruston, father-in-law Paul Rowland and sister-in-law Tina Burroughs (Jay) of Junction City, AR, and numerous nieces, nephews, and other loved ones.
Serving as pallbearers will be; Chris Eckhoff, Cameron Cupp, Cade Griswold, Matt Henderson, Jay Burroughs, and Ricky Rowland.
Private Graveside services for Willie B. Hughes, Sr., age 94 of Ruston, LA were held for the immediate family at 2:00 PM, Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at Wesley Chapel Methodist Church in Ruston, LA with Rev. Steve Cripps officiating. Burial followed under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Willie B. was born July 28, 1929, in Simsboro, LA from the union of Benjamin Franklin Hughes and Beulah Adeline Ernest Hughes. He died, May 26, 2024 at Princeton Place in Ruston, LA. Willie B. loved his work with the water system. He also enjoyed hunting. Willie B. was preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin Franklin and Beulah Adeline Ernest Hughes; sisters Dorothy Morris, Agnes Dugdale, Jessie Aaron, Maudie McDaniel; brothers Velmer J. Hughes and Bennie J. Hughes; children Willie B. Jr. and Susie; step-daughter Deborah Cruse; wives Roxie Brooks Hughes and Jean Creech Hughes; and great granddaughter Natalie McMillian.
Willie B. is survived by his grandchildren, Jamie Hughes and wife Melissa, Christopher Hughes, Amanda Hughes McMillian and husband Johnathan, along with numerous great-grandchildren, step-daughter Sheila Burnett, step-sons Shannon Creech and Kevin Creech.
Robert “Bud” Frasier, 85, of Ruston passed away Friday, June 14, 2024. Graveside services will be held July 2, 2024, at 10:00 am, at Mineral Springs Cemetery in Dubach, LA. Bud retired as District Chief of the Ruston Fire Department.
Jackson “Jack” Eugene Ball, Sr. November 18, 1932 – June 22, 2024 Services to be arranged
Robert “Bud” Frasier September 19, 1938 – June 14, 2024 Cemetery: Mineral Springs Cemetery, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, 10:00 am
Richard E. Roberson, Jr. December 25, 1935 – June 21, 2024 Visitation: Saturday, June 29, 2024, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Fellowship Baptist Church, Hwy 151, Dubach Memorial Service: Saturday, June 29, 2024, 11:00 AM, Fellowship Baptist Church, Hwy 151, Dubach
Ed Griswold October 22, 1943 – June 20, 2024 Visitation: Sunday, June 23, 2024, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Funeral Service: Monday, June 24, 2024, 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Cemetery Committal: Monday, June 24, 2024, 4:00 PM, Scotland Cemetery, 2046 Wesson Rd, Junction City, Arkansas
Donald Ray Lazarus January 26, 1942 – June 19, 2024 Visitation: Tuesday, June 25, 2024, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Funeral Service: Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 10:00 AM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Cemetery Committal: Wednesday, June 26, 2024, Forest Lawn Cemetery, 2500 West California Ave, Ruston
Participants in the LPSO’s Youth Cadet Academy participated in a mock trial Wednesday at the courthouse. (Courtesy Photo)
By Malcolm Butler
Seventeen local junior high-aged students participated in this week first session of the Youth Cadet Academy hosted by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office.
LPSO Chief Deputy Landon Hunt said that this is the third year that the academy has been offered, an event that has grown in popularity since the first year.
“We have received nothing but positive feedback from the campers and the parents,” said Hunt about previous youth academies. “We were only planning on doing one session the first year, but we had so many parents reach out to us that we decided to do two every year. I think we have a waiting list.”
Hunt said that this week’s camp was the largest ever and that the second session of the camp has already been filled up. He said the idea behind the camp is to foster relationships with area kids.
“The idea was to engage our youth to build relationships with them,” said Hunt. “To give them the opportunity to know us and trust us, and to give us the opportunity to get to meet them. I think our guys get just as much from this youth academy as the kids do.”
The camp is three days and according to Hunt, each day builds upon what the campers learned and experienced the previous day.
The first day (Tuesday) included the campers learning about the affects of alcohol on driving.
“We instructed them on our how officers do the field sobriety test,” said Hunt. “We have some goggles that they can put on that simulates what its like to be under the influence of alcohol. We do the walk and turn test with them so they can see how they don’t have any motor function, no balance.
Hunt said they then utilize Polaris Rangers as the mode of transportation that the cadet campers can see what its like to drive while wearing the goggles.
“We let them drive through the cones without the goggles on and then we put the goggles on them and let them drive through the cones,” said Hunt. “I think its a real eye opener. We had several cone demolished.”
Colton Beard, a seventh grader at Choudrant, was one of the participants of the camp and said the opportunity to experience “driving intoxicated” was educational.
“We learned that you don’t need to drive drunk,” said Beard. “It’s harder than just driving normal. It’s dangerous to drive drunk and you shouldn’t do it.”
Tuesday afternoon the participants learned how to lift fingerprints, learned about traffic stops and heard from the narcotics officers on how they conduct investigations.
“We explained to them this is what marijuana looks like. This is what cocaine looks like,” said Hunt. “The first day was showing them how we do everything.”
Hunt said the second day included working a mock crime scene, in this case a stolen laptop.
“They went to the mock crime scene with the deputies,” said Hunt. “They take a report. Some of the kids will be the victims. Some will be the witnesses. Some of them are the officers. Some of them are the detectives. They actually get to work the scene.
“Then they simulate the traffic stop. The person who stole the laptop will be in a car and we will conduct the traffic stop. They find the laptop in the car and they arrest the suspect.”
Hunt said they then go to the jail and learned about the booking process.
“We gave the cadets a tour of the inside of the jail,” said Hunt. “It’s eye-opening.”
Following the tour of the jail, the campers went to the courthouse where they all participated in a mock trail with Judge Bruce Hampton presiding.
“Judge Hampton told them he usually wants a unanimous decision but in this case he wanted at least six (of the eight) jurors to rule the same way,” said Hunt. “They came back 5 and 3 so it was a hung jury.
“These kids that formed the jury were really involved. We tried to explain to them how important that service is to society. These kids really took to it. I went into the jury room and they were back and forth. It was neat to see them all so engaged in the process.”
Beard’s role was serving as the patrol deputy No. 2.
“I was the one who arrested the suspect,” said Beard, whose mother works for the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office. “I learned a few things about how to do it. We learned how to do the traffic stop. I thought it was normal, but there is a lot more to it. It was fun but I learned how to do it.”
Thursday morning saw the campers head out to the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office Gun Range in Simsboro where they all participated in an obstacle course.
Following lunch, the campers had a shooting competition using 22 rifles and shotguns in a skeet competition.
“We also did a K-9 demonstration and an SRT demonstration,” said Hunt. “We will take them to Simsboro School and let them work on a simulated barricaded suspect situation.”
Beard said he was glad his mother signed him up for the youth academy.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” said Beard. “I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been tough. It takes some toughness to do it, but it’s pretty fun.
“I was planning to be a truck driver one day or a farmer, but I do like this and I appreciate law enforcement and all of the (first responders) and what they do for us.”
Pierian Club President Beverly Johnson addresses the crowd during Thursday’s rose plant dedication. (photo by Hanna Singh)
By Hanna Singh
The Railroad Park gardens received a beautiful enhancement Thursday morning from Ruston’s local Pierian Club.
In celebration of their 125th anniversary, the Pierian ladies dedicated 26 new rose plants to the city, planted in the West side garden beds at Railroad Park.
On the East side of the park, pink “Belinda’s Dream” roses have been a longstanding feature. However, the roses on the West side were a mixture of older, struggling plants that weren’t in good health or blooming well.
To celebrate their 125th anniversary, the Pierian Club decided to purchase and plant new “Belinda’s Dream” roses to match the rest of the park. This project was completed with the approval of Mayor Ronny Walker and the assistance of Julie Post, Civic Chairman of the club, along with Twin Oaks Nursery and O’Neal’s Nursery.
“For generations, the Pierian Club has significantly impacted our community in various ways, from promoting education and scholarship to enhancing the beauty of our entire city with trees and flowering plants,” said Ruston Mainstreet Director Amy Stegall. “They played a crucial role in preserving Railroad Park for our city.
“Today, in celebration of the Ruston Chapter’s 125th year, we officially dedicated their gift of 26 new roses to Railroad Park. This gift highlights the remarkable individuals and this organization that consistently support our city, and we are grateful for all they do.
Beverly Johnson, President of the Pierian Club, welcomed everyone to the dedication celebration with a brief statement about the club’s goals and expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the project.
“The object of the Pierian club is the promotion of social interaction, intellectual development and civic improvement,” Johnson said. “We would like to sincerely thank all involved in getting these roses planted.”
The Pierian Club was originally founded in 1899 by sixteen Ruston women as a social, civic and study club. They have performed a number of duties and community service projects in Ruston over the years. Some of these include sponsoring trees to be planted, donating fabric to be sent to military service children and raising funds for handicapped children.
Pierian Club Historian Teri Fulton addressed the crowd at the dedication, giving a short history of the club’s involvement in the town of Ruston.
“Their first civic duty was to beautify the Chautauqua grounds by hauling buckets of water from the local spring to water the flowers on the auditorium stage each day, it was a challenging job,” Fulton said. “Pierian club women have been active throughout Ruston ever since.”
The 26 new rose plants are located in the garden bed to the right of the auditorium stage in the West gardens of Railroad Park. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of dedicated organizations like the Pierian Club, the city of Ruston continues to be beautified year after year.
June’s :Lincoln Parish Library Board of Control meeting felt more like a celebration Thursday with the announcement of a $25,000 donation being made to the LPL in honor of the late Barry and Ruth Johnson.
“I met with Bobby Conville of Conville, (Smith) and Associates and he told me that Barry and Ruth Johnson, who were longtime library patrons, left us a legacy of $25,000,” said Bolom. “The only stipulation on the money was to use the money so that children can use the library.”
Bolom then made a request on how the funds can be used.
“I know it doesn’t sound very exciting for children, but I have a plan on how to use what I would like to see the money go toward that can still tie in to children,” Bolom said. “Everybody knows we’re not going to get any more walls any time soon” but that the funds can be used to purchase moving, sound-dampening walls.
“You can also use tacks on them, so if kids have any art displays, instead of in the children’s room we would have them in the lobby where people could actually see it easier without having to go into the children’s room,” said Bolom.
“The other thing that brought this to mind is that I’ve been approached by a professor at Louisiana Tech who wants to try to get a group together to do tutoring with Louisiana Tech students and professors in their spare time in the library. We don’t easily have spaces for meetings like that, but if we had things like this, we could have little cubbies for people to meet in.”
Bolom said the family of the Johnsons requested a letter of explanation stating what the funds would be used for and that he doesn’t expect them to have any issues with his plan.
Ruth Johnson passed away in May of 2023 while Barry Johnson died last August. A plaque honoring the Johnsons will also be included on one of the movable walls.
The Board of Control passed a motion to use the Johnson’s donation to purchase the movable walls as well as a plaque to honor the Johnsons.
Also approved were tweaks to the fax policies put into place during last month’s meeting because those policies had been written to accommodate an “old fashioned” fax machine.
“This fax service is not a traditional one like the other one was,” Bolom said. “And that’s what I wrote the policy (adopted last month) based on, as if it would be a fax machine sitting there.
“It now goes through the internet and is a completely different monster. After the system director went through the policy and we were doing faxing again, they got some weird messages, they got some weird failures (messages) two days later.”
So the policy was again tweaked to accommodate use of the new faxing system.
“The software monitors what’s going on and will try to successfully send a fax at least nine times,” Bolom said. “And if it doesn’t go through after that it gives an error message that staff will monitor, even though the policy says it’s up to the person using the library to send that fax that’s responsible for that.
“If it does fail and (the patron) wants their money back, we can easily give them the money back. That’s really the main changes — the sending part.”
Bloom said that since bringing back the option of using the library, the response has been strong.
“It’s used all the time,” Bolom said. “It definitely gets used.”
Bolom said programing numbers were way up in June because of the kickoff of the LPL’s summer reading program which had 375 people in attendance.
The LPL Board of Control also spent 45 minutes mid-meeting to discuss undisclosed personnel matters.
Some artists find their calling at a young age. Others uncover their talents unexpectedly later in life.
A native of St. Louis, Miss., Ayah Tamimi’s family moved to Jordan during her early teenage years. It was here she studied Architecture at the age of 19 and discovered that she could not only draw but do so very well. It was a discovery that Tamimi calls, “life changing,” and rightly so. She says she was always interested in art, but never really found the courage to create until then.
Tamimi says that of all her educators during that stage, it was her French professor who had the greatest impact. He pushed her beyond her own expectations of herself and challenged her to create designs that were more expressive. It was with his assistance that she was able to tap into her own mind and feelings throughout the design process and apply that to her work. Tamimi says that he would tell her, “I should be able to understand what you have to say without you having to utter a word by only looking at your work.”
Tamimi says that she is naturally introverted so discovering her own affinity to art allowed her to find another way to convey her own voice. She says that her love for urban planning led to her favoring the architectural scenes depicted in her works today. She seeks to not only create a replica, but to add her own emotions.
Tamimi found her way to Ruston when she married her husband who studied at Louisiana Tech himself. She has lived here for six years and says that she has only recently found consistency in her own creation in the last four.
When she first started drawing, she began with graphite, black ink, and alcohol markers. Now she has moved on to learn pastels and charcoal as well as taking classes in acrylic and oil painting. She says that pastel and charcoal are some of her favorite mediums to work with because she loves to get her hands dirty. The mess is a part of the process, and she appreciates that part of the creation.
Through her studies in architecture, Tamimi was able to better understand proportions. This is something she says she excelled at over her peers in class. She found this natural skill intriguing and sought to further develop that aspect of her work. She says she became driven by the challenge because she wanted to unlock her abilities as fully as possible.
Growing up she never would have dreamed of becoming an artist, but she also remembers being fascinated when perusing the unlimited supplies down the art aisles of local stores. At 33, Tamimi says that her relationship with art has become more mature. It provides an escape and an outlet. Among the artists who inspire Tamimi are Zaha Hadid, Antoni Gaudi, Le Corbusier, Mies Van De Rohe, and Wassily Kandinsky.
Tamimi says she is fond of Hadid’s strength and style and that she relates more personally to Kandinsky because of the blending of spiritual desire and necessity in his works.
Tamimi says that she wants to create visual communication through her art with the community around her.
She says that self-expression is what motivates her to create. She’s passionate about art because it feels like it is a part of her.
“You should want to nurture and feed the beauty that is within you. Why deprive other people of a beautiful part of yourself?” says Tamimi.
You can find Tamimi’s works on Facebook and Instagram at ayah_tamimi.
A Ruston woman was arrested after police investigated a domestic incident on Winona Drive Friday night.
Rodeana Sherill, 52, was charged with four counts of domestic abuse battery with child endangerment after she allegedly struck her children and later the grandparents who responded to a call from the children.
Ruston Police responded about 8:30 p.m. to the Winona Drive residence where Sherill was found on the ground with a man standing over her holding her down and asking for help.
Sherill said she was getting her two children to bed earlier but got into a verbal argument with them, prompting them to call their grandparents. Sherill said when the grandparents arrived, she and the grandfather got into a verbal altercation that turned physical when he hit her in the head with his fist.
The grandfather said they came to the house after a call from the children. The granddaughter told them Sherill had hit her in the head.
The grandfather said that led to an argument where Sherill began to swing at him. He said he did not swing back but only blocked her swings and held her back. Sherrill lost her balance and hit her head on a vehicle in the driveway.
The accounts of the grandparents and the children were consistent in describing the details of the incident.
A bleeding welt on Sherill’s head prompted officers to call for EMS. Sherill was treated and released from North Louisiana Medical Center and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
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.
When we joined the Ruston Chamber of Commerce, my good friend Will Dearmon — President of the Chamber — informed me that one of the benefits was a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Lincoln Parish Journal.
Ehhh.
Don’t get me wrong. It is one of the many great benefits to being a member of the Chamber. But personally, I’m not a big ceremony guy.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been a part of so many of them over the years during my time at Louisiana Tech. I am probably supersaturated in the ceremony column.
Fortunately, my partners Kyle and Judith Roberts wanted to do it. I’m a team player.
After yesterday, I’m glad we did.
Thursday afternoon at the Ruston Chamber of Commerce Office, a wonderful crowd of so many folks that I know and even some that I didn’t know made the effort to come celebrate with us. It was fun.
Nice things were said by both Will and by Ruston Mainstreet Director Amy Stegall on behalf of Mayor Ronny Walker, who couldn’t be there. It’s always nice to hear nice things.
But the best part of the event was just seeing so many people who made the effort to be there for us. Some were close friends. Some were advertising partners. Some were simply members of the Lincoln Parish community.
Kyle and I were both able to say a few words about how much we appreciated everyone in that room who helped make the Lincoln Parish Journal what it is today. We truly are grateful.
We ate some cupcakes. We drank some coffee (or water). And we shook a lot of hands and personally thanked a lot of people.
The room was a melting pot of Ruston and our our footprint in the community.
Earlier Thursday morning, we received an email from Pamela Allen, the executive director for the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
The email read: “I wanted to express my gratitude to the LPJ team for your outstanding work and for the excellent resource you are to our community! Thank you for the passion and purpose you bring to the publication! It is truly a blessing to have information and news available in an accessible format for all!
“Unfortunately, I cannot attend the ribbon cutting today but wanted to wish you continued success and express my appreciation!”
I emailed Pamela back and asked her if I could use this in my column. I think she did a great job of articulating what our daily mission is.
It is a passion for Kyle, Judith and me and all of our writers, sales reps and photographers. We are passionate about Lincoln Parish and we are passionate about telling its stories — hopefully more good than bad.
So once again, thank you to everyone who is a part of making the LPJ a success during the first three-plus years of our existence. We are excited about our future.
The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council announced the nominees for the 2024 Northeast Louisiana Arts Awards, which include three outstanding individuals from Lincoln Parish.
These nominations celebrate the remarkable contributions of artists, businesses, volunteers and educators within the arts community.
Representing Ruston High School, art teacher Deana Revels has been nominated for the Region 8 Arts Educator of the Year Award. Introduced in 2022, the award recognizes an arts educator who is making a difference in the NELA region through their dedication to Arts Education. Revels’ nomination comes from Dylan Sanders.
“I am honored to have been nominated for Arts Educator of the Year,” Revels said. “It brings me such joy to see my students grow as artists and as people. Whether they decide to go into an art field or not, I encourage them to use their creative talents to enhance their life. I let my students know that I am here for them, even after they leave my classroom.”
Anna Alexander of Hillcrest and Glenview Elementary Schools has also been nominated for the Region 8 Arts Educator of the Year Award. Nominated by Marcie Nelson, Alexander acknowledged the profound and rewarding impact that being an arts educator has had on her life.
“I feel honored being nominated for this award. I know there are a lot of educators who are deserving of this award because of the experience they have and the amount of time they have invested into this field,” Alexander said. “You don’t become an educator to be recognized, but to make an impact on your students’ lives.”
Ruston artist Taryn Davidson has been nominated by the Ross Lynn Charitable Foundation for the Dot Bassett Emerging Artist Award. As a Louisiana Tech student and Ruston resident, Davidson proudly represents Lincoln Parish, showcasing her talents as a dedicated cultivator and creator of art.
“I’m so thankful that I live in a community that has been so supportive of me as an artist,” Davidson said. “I owe a great debt of gratitude to each artist, curator and enthusiast who has encouraged me and my art.”
The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council will honor nominees and winners across several categories, including Performing Artist of the Year, Visual Artist of the Year, BART Award, Volunteer of the Year, Emerging Artist and Region 8 Arts Educator of the Year.
Imagine it’s the last two minutes of the fourth quarter, and your team needs a touchdown to win. It’s hot, you’re exhausted and you don’t know how much is left in the tank, both mentally and physically.
While that feeling can be nearly impossible to simulate, Ruston High head football coach Jerrod Baugh is looking at these first few summer weeks as ways to hone the mental piece of football with the days getting hotter during conditioning and strength training.
“We’ve been focused on consistently lifting weights and running and all the things that you have to do to get yourself physically and mentally prepared to play,” Baugh said. “It’s that third week, which most coaches will tell you that’s when it really turns into work. It’s still kind of brand new for the first couple of weeks, and then everything’s settled in — kids get into a routine, and then it gets old pretty quickly. It’s been a struggle, to be honest, pushing the kids through it, but it’s a necessary evil of what it is you have to do.
“This is the part that nobody really gets the opportunity to see. Our coaches are pushing and pushing the kids, trying to get them to make sure they’re doing correct things, whenever they’re tired. So it’s been a bit of a struggle this week as its gotten warmer.”
This past week, the Bearcats completed their regular workouts, while also competing in Louisiana Tech’s 7-on-7 tournament, which was partially cut short due to weather. Other teams in competition included Calvary Baptist out of Shreveport, Minden High School and Oak Grove High School.
“It was a good opportunity for the kids to compete against somebody other than themselves,” Baugh said of the 7-on-7 competition. “Most of the summer is just lining up against the same faces and have the same coaches pushing you and yelling at you — you get to where you want to compete against somebody different. I think the kids like to take advantage of that.
“And then, when we roll into July, we’ll cut out the 7-on-7 and really start focusing on things and do more football with the entire team. Overall, it was productive, and we got the chance to see some teams that can throw the ball around.”
Ruston High will open its 2024 season at home on Friday, Sept. 6, against Acadiana High at Hoss Garrett Stadium.
This will give you an opportunity to think about things. The application will be personal and thoughtful.
This is the story of a mountain climber, who wanted to climb the highest mountain in the land. He began his journey after decades of preparation. But since he wanted glory for himself, he decided to climb the mountain alone.
His climb started in the bright sunlight and proceeded until night. The night felt heavy in the heights of the mountain and the man could not see anything. All was black. Zero visibility since the moon and the stars were covered by the clouds.
As he was climbing, only mere feet from the top of the mountain, he slipped and fell into the air, falling at great speed. The climber could only see black spots as he went down, and the terrible sensation of being sucked down by gravity. He kept falling. . .and in those moments of great fear, it came to his mind all the good and bad experiences of his life.
He was thinking now about how close death was getting, when all of a sudden, he felt the rope tied to his waist pull him very hard.
His body was still hanging in the air…Only the rope was holding him, and in that moment of stillness he had no other choice by to scream:
HELP ME GOD!
All of a sudden, a deep voice coming from the heavens answered:
What do you want me to do?
Save me God!
Do you really think I can save you?
Of course, I believe you can.
THEN CUT THE ROPE TIED TO YOUR WAIST. . .
There was a moment of silence: the man decided to hold on to the rope with all of his strength.
The rescue team says that the next day a climber was found dead and frozen. . .his body hanging from a rope. His hands holding tightly to it. . .
Louisiana Music Hall of Fame free entertainment. Some of the greatest sports stars Louisiana has ever produced. Beautiful fireworks, with a sports music bed.
It’s free, this evening, on the Natchitoches riverbank stage, in a cornerstone event of the 2024 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration.
The Rockin’ River Fest Concert, presented by Rapides Regional Medical Center, runs from 6 p.m. to 10:30. You are invited to join the party. At no charge!
At 9:15, members of the LSHOF Class of 2024 will be introduced on stage, and celebrated with 10-minute fireworks show set to sports-themed music over Cane River Lake. Then music resumes for another hour.
There will be food and beverage vendors on the riverfront. Front Street’s always fun watering holes/restaurants are just a few steps away.
It’s family friendly. A free interactive kid’s zone presented by Louisiana Propane Dealers under the Church Street Bridge will include basketball, football, golf, and science games for all ages to enjoy.
Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs have been a staple of the concert since it began in 2018, but now as Louisiana Music Hall of Fame members, the popular group gets to headline the musical card. The Moondogs have entertained across the south and are set for another July 3-4 gig on Orange Beach during the Independence Day festivities at the Gulf Coast’s unofficial capital.
Cranking up the party this evening at 6 will be Coteau Grove, an energetic and entertaining south Louisiana band with a wide range of sounds and its own Louisiana Music Hall of Fame recognition.
For a preview, visit the bands’ websites – TheMoondogs.com and CoteauGrove.com – and see and hear what’s going to be on the riverbank stage free of charge this evening in Natchitoches.
If you want to beat the summer heat and enjoy a tasty collection of Louisiana foods and specialty refreshments, there are just a few $100 tickets remaining to join the VIP Taste of Tailgating presented by Hancock Whitney. That party is headquartered inside Mama’s Oyster House, The Blues Room and Papa’s Bar and Grill at 608 Front Street. To get set up, call LSHOF operations manager Ronnette Pellegrin at 318-332-8539 – none will be on sale this evening.
That party runs from 7-10 p.m. in the air-conditioned comfort of Mama’s Oyster House and Blues Room that will provide exclusive access to the 2024 Induction Class.
Saturday’s Round Table Lunch at Riverside Reserve also still has a handful of seats available – call Mrs. Pellegrin at 318-332-8539.
Saturday evening’s 2024 Induction Reception and Ceremony are already sold out. A crowd of nearly 800 patrons will attend the ceremony.
You can watch live coverage free beginning at 6 Saturday evening on the LPB.org website.
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, June 21 7 p.m.: RCT Presents “Annie” (Dixie Theatre)
Saturday, June 22 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 3 p.m.: Puzzle swap (Jack Beard Community Room, Lincoln Parish Library) 7 p.m.: RCT Presents “Annie” (Dixie Theatre)
Sunday, June 23 2 p.m.: RCT Presents “Annie” (Dixie Theatre)
