By Judith Roberts

I don’t remember any of my first days of school. 

Maybe that’s strange, not to have vivid memories of any of my first days, especially considering how much I photographically document my own children’s first days of school. And I certainly remember my kids’ first days.  

I remember my older daughter, Alice, having to miss the first day of preschool because she woke up with her first crick in her neck – it was very memorable for all of us, because she didn’t understand why her neck hurt so much, and it was very scary for her little 4-year-old self. I remember her first day of kindergarten, when we walked with her into the classroom and saw her desk and her classmates, and she looked so grown at age 6.  

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I remember the last days, too – the last days at preschool, the last days of elementary school, when you realize you’ll never be back at that school again. Those days were the hardest for our little girl, Penny. I think with Alice, it was easier because she knew, even if she was leaving her school, baby sister would still be there, so it wasn’t really goodbye. 

It was really goodbye for Penny, though. 

However, Penny has had easier first of school days – because even though she “graduated” from her old school, we knew she was going to another great school. We knew the teachers, principal, and expectations. I always thought she had it a little bit easier because we knew what to expect for her. 

Every year, especially for Penny, she’s worried about her new teachers because she always loved her previous teachers so much. And now, thank goodness, I’m able to say, “Well, but remember last year, you were nervous, too, and then you loved your teacher this past year, didn’t you?” She and Alice have had some amazing teachers, and that does make the academic year transition easier. 

So as we trade in our swimsuits for school uniforms, our flip flops for sneakers, and our sleeping late for an alarm clock, I’ll make sure to get out the First Day of School chalkboard out (in fact, I just ordered the markers because we ran out last year!), make space in my camera storage, and recall every second of rushing them out the door to school. And I will wait in eager anticipation to hear all about their first day. 

They may not remember their first days – or even their last days. But I will. 

Only a handful of limited edition Ruston Bearcat posters remain for sale. Anyone wishing to order one of these gold gilded editions should follow the directions below. Commemorative posters also remain for sale.

The Lincoln Parish Journal thanks those who have purchased their Limited and Commemorative edition posters highlighting the Bearcats state title last December.

With the start of the 2024 season just around the corner, fans who may have missed out on the chance to purchase either a Limited Edition or Commemorative Edition poster still have a chance.

The Lincoln Parish Journal will be on site August 9 for Bearcat Madness from 5 – 8 p.m. at the RHS Main Gym and will be selling both posters (unframed) while supplies last.

And the best news … both editions are on sale. While supplies last, both the Limited Edition and Commemorative Edition posters are 20 percent off and will be sold on a first come, first serve basis.

Head coach Jerrod Baugh and the Ruston Bearcats captured the school’s ninth state title, its first since 1990 and they did so in a first-class fashion.

In recognition of the state title run, the Lincoln Parish Journal commissioned local graphic designer Courtney Pugh of Donnie Bell Design back in December of 2023 to create a commemorative edition and limited poster featuring photos from official GeauxPrep’s state title game photographer Josh McDaniel (FourSix3).

There are two unique versions of the 18 x 24 inch poster, each printed on 100-pound glossy:

a) a LIMITED edition ($60) with ONLY 75 printed that features a gold gilded tint and a numbering system to differentiate each poster

b) a COMMEMORATIVE edition ($20)

To order either poster, email lpjmerchandise@gmail.com and include your name, email address, cell phone number, version of the poster (LIMITED or COMMEMORATIVE), and total number wanting to purchase.

The LPJ will take payment via credit card (an email invoice will be sent which can be processed by the buyer with a credit card) or cash. No checks will be accepted.

Don’t miss your chance to purchase this beautiful keepsake depicting the Bearcats title run in 2023. Email lpjmerchandise@gmail.com and include your name, email address, cell phone number, version of the poster (LIMITED or COMMEMORATIVE), and total number wanting to purchase.

Special thanks to Origin Bank and Forth Insurance for their support of this project.

By T. Scott Boatright

 The dog days of summer made it a tough opening day of practice for the Panthers Monday afternoon as the Lincoln Preparatory School football team began preseason workouts.

That was not a major surprise for Lincoln Prep Coach Glen Hall.

“They’re still young and not that used to the heat we had today, and that got to them some,” Hall said. “We had to give them some time off before we started back up for preseason practice. Some of them had still been showing up for conditioning workouts on their own and some of them didn’t show for those.

“And for the ones who didn’t come when they didn’t have to, I think that showed today.”

Hall had 26 players on the turf at Panthers’ Field on Monday.

“We were missing some of our linemen today because they hadn’t taken physicals yet so I wouldn’t let them practice,” Hall said. “With it being that hot out there, I wanted it to be safe.”

Hall said he has an idea to try to keep his team fresher while working out in the suffocating heat and humidity that has taken over the region.

“I’m going to go out and try to get in a good hour and a half, mainly from just running plays and do our conditioning with running plays and special teams and not so much running 40 yards, 30 yards and that type of thing,” Hall said. “If we can get them to go hard — run hard — during drills I’m hoping we won’t have to do all that other kind of running, and I think that can help keep us fresher even in this kind of heat.”

“That way they don’t realize they’re still doing conditioning other than just straight running.”

Hall said one thing he needs this preseason is for quarterback Jordan Brown to focus on all phases of the game, including the mental aspect.

“He’s got a year up under his belt and we really need him to become more consistent and become more of a leader,” Hall said about his senior signal caller. “He’s still the type of guy who sometimes wants to play back there in the back of the crowd.

“As a starting quarterback, you’ve got to be more of a leader. He’s got to understand that while he might not be a quarterback that’s going to blow everybody away, if he plays within this system, he has the ability to be very successful. And part of that is him stepping up into the kind of leadership role we need from him.”

Hall hopes Lincoln Prep’s running back corps, including D’Tavion Wright, Jaydon Huntley, Tyler Wimberly and Verlanski Glosson, can help take some pressure off Brown.

“If our running backs are playing well, we don’t have to depend completely on our quarterback, and we have some good running backs,” Hall said. “And if they get going, that opens play action passing for our quarterback.

 “I’ve got a few guys — D’Tavion Wright is the real deal,” Hall said. “And when Huntley is on, he is on in a big way. He’s quick. Wright is more of the power back and Huntley provides the quickness. So, If I can them to (combine) for 150-200 yards per game, we are in good shape.”

Hall said he feels good about his defense doing their part to help the Panthers’ offense.

“We have a pair of good linebackers in D’Tavion Wright and Tyler Wimberly,” Hall said. Verlanski Glosson is returning at strong safety. Jaydon Hunley is returning at safety. Trey

Spann and Cenario Wilson return in our backfield, so we have some guys who can run and make plays on defense.

“That is pretty much our strongpoint — being able to run and make plays. We also have my big guy, (lineman) Ryan Randolph that we are going to get a chance to get some blows, and even a little rest will help him because we had to use him a lot last year. A lot.”

Hall said his Panthers will play a scrimmage the week before traveling to Delhi for a preseason jamboree.

“I don’t want to have to drive a long way for a scrimmage when we’ll have to turn around and go all the way to Delhi for the jamboree,” Hall said.

Lincoln Prep begins regular season play on Sept. 6 at D’Arbonne Woods. Following is Lincoln Prep’s 2024 regular season schedule:

 

• Friday, Sept. 6 Away at D’Arbonne Woods
• Thursday, Sept. 12 Home vs. Magnolia Charter
• Thursday, Sept. 19 Away at Beekman Charter
• Thursday, Sept. 26 Away at Jonesboro-Hodge
• Friday, Oct. 4 Away at Haynesville
• Thursday, Oct. 10 Home vs. Ringgold
• Thursday, Oct. 17 Home vs. Glenbrook
• Thursday, Oct. 24 Home vs. Cedar Creek
• Friday, Nov. 1 Away at Plain Dealing
• Friday, Nov. 8 Home vs. Arcadia

 

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Ruston Police arrested a local man last Friday after he allegedly returned to a residence after being barred and damaged a vehicle.

Everett Pesnell, 45, of Ruston, was arrested August 2 after officers responded to a Robinette Drive residence regarding a damage to property call.

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Officers were told Pesnell was at the residence after he was told not to return on July 19. He had allegedly damaged a vehicle at the residence. Pesnell told officers his brother had given him permission to stay for an hour. He said he knew nothing about the damage to the vehicle.

The owner of the residence said he did not give Pesnell permission to return. He said he did not see Pesnell vandalize the vehicle, but the damage was new and officers saw the car was covered in dust except for the damaged area, which had fresh scratch marks and fresh handprints.

Pesnell was arrested and as he was being taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center, he threatened retaliation against the victim. He was booked for criminal trespass and simple criminal damage to property.

Bail was set at $1,000.

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. 

I confess: I have been watching the Olympics.

That doesn’t mean that, as a Christian, I condone everything that’s been going on with the event. But I don’t think the athletes who have worked so hard to get there and who demonstrate such astounding skills should pay the price for the organizers’ short-sightedness and bad judgment.

So, yes, I’ve been cheering on Simone and Suni and Jade and Jordan from the U.S. gymnastics team.

I’ve been amazed at Katie Ledecky, who continues to dominate her areas of women’s swimming like no other.

I’ve even stayed up till after 3 a.m. sometimes to catch some of the events that I missed.

But do I support the presentation of the Paris Parody? No, I do not. Not the least little bit.

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I belong to the camp that thinks the artistic director who created the controversial tableau that many viewers felt resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” knew what he was doing from the beginning, even though he said the scene was inspired by the Greek god Dionysus. I had suspected the da Vinci tie-in from the get-go, and things that have transpired since then have only cemented that view.

Despite the initial denial, the resemblance to the Last Supper was later acknowledged indirectly through subsequent discussions and apologies by Olympic spokespersons. If a celebration of community tolerance and diversity was what was wanted, surely a better method could have been employed.

One of the best writings I’ve seen on this controversy came from my friend Gordon Dasher, whose musings are provided in a post on alandlisarobertson.com/blog, “Parody in Paris: A Believer’s Response.” Rather than recounting just snippets of Gordon’s reasoning here, I heartily recommend that you do a web search and find the post. It’s in-depth, it’s Biblical and it totally makes sense. I don’t want to lessen the impact here by providing mere tidbits. (Thank you, Gordon,)

So … back to personal take-aways from my Olympic viewings so far this year.

–  From Simone Biles and Suni Lee: There’s something more important than winning. Even so, never give up.

In 2020, despite criticism from some, Simone knew she had to take care of her own mental health and – God love and bless her – she did. After withdrawing from four events in Tokyo, she came back this year, triumphant almost beyond measure.

Suni has faced health problems as well. In 2023, she was diagnosed with two forms of incurable kidney disease, which forced a pause in her gymnastics career. Despite these challenges, though, she has earned multiple medals at the Paris Olympics, along with the return of good health at this time.

– From Jade Carey: Believe in yourself and what you have to do. At the Tokyo Olympics, Jade experienced a significant misstep during the vault final, tripping on her run and finishing in 8th place. However, this year she, too, made a remarkable comeback, overcoming a fall during the qualifiers to earn a bronze medal in the vault final.

– From Katie Ledecky: Do what you love – and keep on going. At age 27, she has now won the most gold medals of any female swimmer at the Olympics (nine) and is the most decorated American female overall (a total of 14 Olympic medals).

– From the country of Saint Lucia: Be prepared for success – even for greatness – although the world may predict otherwise. This Caribbean country won its first gold medal ever when Julien Alfred toppled reigning world champion Sha’Carri Richardson to win the 100 meters.

– From Snoop Dogg: Be yourself, show love and respect to others, and spread positivity. And sometimes, even people who previously scoffed (ahem, hand raised here), may start to really appreciate you. As a special correspondent for NBC, Snoop has become “America’s Cool Uncle,” always ready with a laugh and some laid-back wisdom.

– From the Paris Parody: Learn to truly exhibit love for your fellowman even though he doesn’t believe as you do, and don’t utter anything that sounds remotely hateful about him. Because remember, “hateful” means “full of hate,” and somehow this doesn’t sound like anything that Jesus would be preaching to his disciples.

Also remember, the women’s U.S. gymnastics team self-named Redemption Tour isn’t the grandest redemption tour that will ever happen. There’s one being offered by the Greatest Coach That’s Ever Existed, and there’s plenty of room on the team for all of us. If you haven’t already, why don’t you sign up?

Courtesy of GSU Communications

GRAMBLING, La. | Grambling State’s Myles Crawley added another preseason accolade this week as he was named to the Urban Edge Network HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Year watch list.

Crawley, who was picked as the preseason SWAC Offensive Player of the Year and is on the Walter Payton Award preseason watch list, had a remarkable 2023 season at GSU. The Redshirt-Senior from Lithonia, Ga. threw from 2,303 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 60.1% of his passes (197-of-328). He was the first Grambling State quarterback to throw for at least 2,000 yards in a season since Devante Kincaid in 2017 and the first GSU QB to throw at least 16 touchdowns since Geremy Hickbottom in 2018.

The inaugural Urban Edge Network LLC HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Year Award will extend the recognition in the 2024 season. The award will honor the nation’s best HBCU player – regardless of position – from 21 programs spread across the FCS, including in the Southwestern and Mid-Eastern athletic conferences.

A national panel of voters will select the winner after the regular season. The recipient will be announced on Dec. 9 and invited to the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas.

FOLLOW GRAMBLING STATE ATHLETICS
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /GramblingStateTigers1901 (Facebook), @gramblingathletics (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

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Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Louisiana Tech Football fans can now purchase single game tickets for the six Bulldog home games during the upcoming 2024 season.

Single game pricing for the matchups against Nicholls (Aug. 31), Tulsa (Sept. 21), Middle Tennessee (Oct. 10), UTEP (Oct. 22), and Kennesaw State (Nov. 30) start at $20 adults and $15 kids for general admission.

West side reserved seats are $36 adults and $20 kids while east side reserved seats are $25 adults and $20 kids.

Single game pricing for homecoming versus Jacksonville State on Nov. 9 will be west side reserved ($40 adults and $25 kids), east side reserved ($30 adults and $25 kids), and general admission ($25 adults and $20 kids).

Kid prices are for those between the ages of 4-17. Ages three and under get in free.

To purchase your Bulldog football tickets go to LATechSports.com/Tickets or call the LA Tech Ticket Office at (318) 257-3631.

The home promo schedule for the 2024 season has also been set.

AUG. 31 VS. NICHOLLS
Game Sponsor: Origin Bank
Promos: Hometown Heroes, High School Band Day
College of the Day: Applied & Natural Sciences

SEPT. 21 VS. TULSA
Game Sponsor: Super1Foods
Promos: Red Out, Military Appreciation, Legend’s Day, Family Day
College of the Day: Engineering

OCT. 10 VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Game Sponsor: CenturyNext Bank
Promos: Education Night, Kid’s Night, Breast Cancer Awareness
College of the Day: Education & Human Sciences

OCT. 22 VS. UTEP
Game Sponsor: Pepsi
Promos: Student Organization Night, Mental Health Awareness
College of the Day: Liberal Arts

NOV. 9 VS. JACKSONVILLE STATE
Game Sponsor: Northern Louisiana Medical Center
Promos: Homecoming

NOV. 30 VS. KENNESAW STATE
Promos: Sportsman’s Paradise
College of the Day: Business

SUPPORT LA TECH ATHLETICS
Championships require championship resources. Fans can make a direct impact on the success of LA Tech Athletics through LTAC, Aillet Society, T-Club, and Young Alumni program as well as the Bulldog Community Outreach which is the NIL collective that supports Bulldog and Lady Techster student-athletes. Visit BuildTheLegacy.com today.

BARK LOUDER
Our mission is to engage, develop, and advance the Louisiana Tech Athletics brand. You can do that by spending time consuming our content and by investing your talents. By barking louder with your time and talent, you can affect progress and brand advancement in a meaningful way. Visit LATechSports.com/BarkLouder today. You bark. We bark. Louder together.

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Funeral services for Connie McGrew, age 68 of Choudrant, LA, will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, August 3, 2024 at Owens Memorial Chapel in Ruston, LA with Rev. Brad Jones officiating.  Burial will follow in the Choudrant Memorial Cemetery under direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston. 

Connie loved going camping with her husband and family.  She also loved nature, her friends, going to Branson, MO, mowing her yard, cooking, helping other people, especially her kids, but most of all she loved her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.  Connie is preceded in death by her parents, Troy and Shirley Watt; sister, Sheila Blackwell; in-laws: John Wesley and Gwen McGrew; son-in-law, Gary Cooper; brother-in-law, Lee Fancher and niece, Renee Spears.

Connie is survived by the love of her life of 51 years, Ricky McGrew; daughter, Brandy Cooper; son, Jeff McGrew and wife Candace; sister, Debbie Gunter and husband Charlie; brother, David Watt and wife Pam; brother-in-law, Gary McGrew; sisters-in-law: Donna Fancher and Carolyn Lowery; granddaughter, Sydney McGrew; grandson, Blake McGrew; great-grandchildren; Haelyn McGrew, Chloe Morales, Sebastian Morales, Cody Morrow and Andrew Morrow; a host of nieces and nephews and very special friends, Bonnie and Jack Scott and Earl Neel.

Serving as pallbearers will be Steve Dobbins, Earl Neel, Matt Murphy, Austin Sanders, Chino Morales and Glen Speake.

Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM, Friday, August 2, 2024 at Owens Memorial Chapel.  To leave an online memorial message for the family, please visit www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com. 

 

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Betty Marie “Kit” Gilbert 
January 22, 1943 – July 30, 2024 
Service: Gilbert Art Center, Saturday, August 10, 2024, 10:30 am 

June Kilpatrick 
April 14, 1958 – July 31, 2024 
Memorial Service: Saturday, August 10, 2024, 10:00 AM, Bienville Methodist Church, 511 Spruce St, Bienville 

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By Kyle Roberts

A Hilton hotel coming to Ruston? Is it too good to be Tru?

Announced by City of Ruston online and confirmed by Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker, the hotel chain is expected to be opened and ready for travelers by the end of 2025, though no firm timeline has been announced formally for ground-breaking and construction.

“With the growth of our city, and especially the RPAR Sports Complex, the universities, the Exhibition Center, and the new mountain bike trail at the parish park, we’ve had lots of demand for hotel rooms,” Walker said. “These will really help us keep people in Ruston instead of losing them to Monroe and West Monroe. It’s really good for us.”

While it will be in a single structure, it will actually be two hotels: Home2 Suites by Hilton and Tru by Hilton. Home2 Suites is geared for longer stays, while Tru by Hilton has features for travelers looking to stay short-term.

A estimated total of 150 new hotel rooms will be available once construction is complete.

The sign is up on the east side of Tractor Supply on North Service Road East, which has the company name “Wealth Hospitality” of the main investor. The area code “601” is for central Mississippi.

A call to the number listed for more information went unanswered over the weekend as the office was closed.

For Walker, this is yet another sign that Ruston is growing economically.

“Hypothetically, if Buc-ee’s were to break ground in the next 60 days, we would be looking at $210 million in construction,” Walker said. “The boom is here.”

The Hilton brand began in Cisco, Texas, when Conrad Hilton changed his plans from buy a bank and decided to purchase a local hotel, The Mobley, instead.

The first formal Hilton hotel opened in Dallas in 1925, and the company now operates in 76 countries across the world..

Some historical information for this article was taken from http://www.hilton.com.

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By T. Scott Boatright

 Working with everyone from youth to the elderly, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Iris Winston’s work for the LPSO’s Community Services Division has made her known to many.

“It’s a very fulfilling job when you’re able to help people like I’m able to do through my job,” Winston said. “I get a lot of support from a lot of people, and nothing beats the feeling that will give you.”

Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Winston moved with her family to Monroe when she was in the sixth grade.

“My dad’s job moved us here for him to work at the plant (Graphic Packaging International) in West Monroe,” Winston said. “So, I went to school at Ouachita Junior High and then I went to Carroll High School, where I graduated.”

Winston was a star track athlete at Carroll, leading to a scholarship to run for Coach Bertram Lovell and the Grambling State University track and field program.

“I went to state every year,” Winston said. “I was a triple jumper, and I ran sprints my senior year (in high school). And then I was a jumper at Grambling.”

Winston majored in criminal justice at GSU and did her internship with the LPSO.

“I guess they liked me, because they called me in and offered me a job,” Winston said. “That was 2001. I was there part-time and then in 2004 I left there to start working at Chase (Bank). I worked at Chase for about a year. I worked at both jobs for about six months before Chase hired me full-time.

“Then about six months later the Sheriff’s Office called me and asked me to come back, and I did. I’ve been there ever since.”

Winston said the move to the LPSO’s Community Services Division is one of the best things to ever happen to her.

“I think I was on probation for about 19 years,” Winston joked. “And right before (Sheriff Stephen Williams) took office, he asked if I could go over to the TRIAD department. It was different, especially because most everybody who was working in TRIAD left when COVID hit.

“And that was the time I went into the Community Service division. I started doing the Higher Youth Program and started doing elderly protection calls, which I still do, and the more I did the more I wanted to get involved with the community and build the bridge between the community and the sheriff’s office and police.”

Winston said Williams was very supportive of her work.

“That was something he was big on and really wanted to do — kind of bridge the gap and try to bring the community together,” Winston said. “I wasn’t sure when I first started because I had no clue what all that division entailed. But it kind of just took on a life of its own and we just started doing more community programs. So, it all turned fun.

“I like putting on different events and doing things like planning the office Christmas party and retirement parties and stuff. I just like doing it.”

Williams said it is her dedication to the LPSO and the Lincoln Parish community that makes Winston special.

“Iris is such a loyal and dedicated employee,” Williams said. “She has a deep desire to serve the public and truly wants to help. She always has a smile on her face and is willing to put in the work.

Winston said working with youth is one of the best parts of her duties.

“This was our third year doing the Cadet Youth Academy,” Winston said. “That’s so much fun. You see when the kids first come in that they’re all kind of at least a little shy and don’t know what to expect and by the third day, they’re all playing with each other. They meet new friends and learn new things.

“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from that program. I’m happy about that and I’m looking forward to trying to expand on that in the coming years, so I’m really looking forward to that.”

LPSO Chief Deputy Landon Hunt said Winston’s work with senior citizens has been just as successful as her work with youth.

“It is such a pleasure to work with Sgt. Winston and we are so blessed to have her running our community services division,” Hunt said. “No matter what project she is working on Sgt. Winston goes above and beyond.

“She is extremely gifted in coordinating events, large or small, paying great attention to every detail. Our annual senior expo is a testimony of her amazing dedication. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside her.”

Winston recently returned from a trip to Mexico and said that travel is one of her favorite pastimes.

“I love traveling,” Winston said. “I try to go out of the country at least three times a year. Last year I went to Morocco, Africa, and Milan, Italy. And I went to Cozumel and Cancun last year. I went to Africa and Milan on the same trip. And I’ve been to Paris twice.”

Winston said that right now, she cannot envision working any other job.

“I can see myself staying because I love what I do,” Winston said. “The sheriff’s office gets a lot of support from the community, and that feels good. We’ve got some new community programs under our sleeves that we’re going to try to make happen.

“And hopefully they’ll get the same kind of support our existing programs are receiving.”

 

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A Monroe man was arrested by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office July 26 after drugs were found in his vehicle.

Alfonso Fuller, 36, was stopped on La. Highway 33 at about 11 p.m. after a deputy observed his Honda Accord had extremely dark window tint. When the deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, it traveled an extended distance, passing several safe places to stop. The deputy knew through training and experience that this is a tactic used to give occupants time to conceal contraband.

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When the vehicle finally stopped, and the deputy approached, and an overwhelming odor of air freshener was detected, a tactic used to mask the odor of narcotics. Fuller was found to have a recent narcotics history.

A K-9 was deployed to conduct an open-air sniff of the vehicle, and he alerted to the odor of narcotics.

A search was conducted and an aspirin bottle containing numerous pills was found between the passenger seat and the center console. Pills included tramadol hydrochloride, a Schedule IV controlled substance, and gabapentin, a legend drug.

Fuller was asked to name any prescriptions he was taking, and he did not list either drug that was recovered. Fuller allegedly said he knew nothing about the tramadol but had obtained the gabapentin from a family member.

A warning was given for the excessive window tint which allowed only 7% light transmission.

Fuller was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of a Schedule IV substance, possession of a legend drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $5,000.

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. 

By Kyle Roberts

“Life is a mosaic of small details.” — Socrates, probably

Vehicles have never really been my thing.

I see them as only a means of getting from Point A to Point B, which is why I’ve only ever driven bland makes and models: a Ford Taurus, a Mitsubishi Galant, a Mercury Milan — you get the idea.

Since my fifteenth birthday, I have always only ever owned used cars. A total of six sedans over the years and nothing to write about.

Well, okay — I’ll write about the sixth one.

For starters, Judith and I have an informal policy with our vehicles: unless something mechanical fails, we drive our cars/SUVs to 200,000 miles. No exceptions.

So far, it’s served us well. When we replace one, we look for a “new-to-us” car that has less than 50,000 miles and the cycle repeats.

In the summer of 2018, it was time for the black Milan to go to pasture. Heated seating, nice interior, moon roof, navigation system — it had some sweet bells and whistles. But we hit the vaunted 200,000-mile mark and I was due for this particular upgrade.

Talking with some former co-workers over lunch, one of them had told me about buying a car online.

“It’s magical,” he said. “You buy the car for the lowest possible price, and they’ll deliver to you for a nominal fee.”

I’m always one for an adventure, so I figured why not. Now defunct, I used a subsite for Vroom.com and found a car for a terrific price (too terrific, as we’ll get to soon) and started the process.

It took seven days from start to finish for a big-rig to pull my 2015 silver Ford Fiesta into the Temple Baptist Church parking lot. I had promised my then-five-year-old that she could be the first one to ride with me, and she was ecstatic.

After the driver asked me to look around the exterior to make sure everything was up to snuff, I opened the driver’s door, wide-eyed with excitement.

Everything looked great inside. I immediately started looking for how to connect my phone’s Bluetooth to the media play. It may not have the heated seats and moonroof from my previous car, but it was exactly what I wanted.

“Crank ‘er up,” the truck driver told me. “Make sure everything runs good.”

I inserted the key to crank the engine. Click. Nothing. I try again. Click. The radio is on, so it’s clearly not a battery issue.

Maybe it’s not in park, I think to myself. I check the shifter.

Huh, that looks different. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and R.

I look down. There’s a third pedal to the left of the brake.

My heart falls through the floor. It’s a manual stick shift. Apparently, I’m sitting in the only Ford Fiesta in history that’s a standard.

I roll the window down, and Judith sees my pale face.

“It’s a stick shift,” I managed to get out in squeaks. “Keep Alice in your car — I’ve got to figure out what to do from here.”

I talk to the truck driver again.

“This may not be the right car,” I tell him, wishing into the great void that this was a clerical error.

Incredibly kind, he checks the paperwork. “Nope, this is it. If this is not what you want, it will be $500 for me to take it back.”

I call the company next. Staying as calm as possible, I plead my case.

“Could you please make sure this is the correct car?”

Turns out, it was. When I found the car on the website, it was in plain English: “Standard Package.” Standard to me meant cloth seats, no butt warmers, and limited digital connectivity.

Not a standard.

Luckily for me, I was trained as a youngster on my dad’s Ford F-150, and my time riding 4-wheelers helped me figure out how to shift with a clutch. So in stubbornness, I spent an entire weekend re-teaching myself to drive a stick shift in order to keep the car. Stalling out plenty of times in the process, it finally all clicked together a few weeks later, even as my kindergartener asked me in the drop off line if I was sure I knew “how to drive this car.”

I still have the car today. It’s symbolic to me of learning a very valuable lesson moving forward: always check the details. Standard to one is stick-shift to another. And when you spend thousands of dollars on something, you want it to be as close to what you had in mind when it arrives or when you drive it off the lot.

Sometimes, I still rush things. Sometimes, I still make quick decisions. I’m not perfect — but if the Fiesta experience has taught me one thing — it’s to make sure to try to gather as much information as possible before making a decision. Overall, I think it’s proven effective.

But you can bet I’ll be going to Karl Malone Toyota in-person the next time I need a car.

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What better fundraiser for folks living in Sportsman’s Paradise than selling tickets for a chance to win a Ranger Side-by-Side.

That’s what the Ruston Rotary Club is doing.

With all proceeds from ticket sales going to fund community-related projects, the Ruston Rotary Club is raffling off tickets for $10 with a chance to win a Polaris Ranger 1000 with a Load-and-Go 12-foot trailer valued at over $23,000. The Ranger 1000 accessories include Front Half Door, Lock & Ride Pro-Fit Rear Glass, Fixed Windshield, and Sports Poly Roof.

“The Rotary Club of Ruston has been doing good in Ruston and beyond for over 80 years,” said Kevin Smith, President of the Ruston Rotary Club.  “This is the major fundraiser that supports many of our projects including scholarships for high school seniors, dictionaries for 3rd graders, coats for children, backpacks of food for students, and many other projects.”

Tickets will go on sale this week and the fundraiser is a coordinated project of Karl Malone Power Sports and Team Karl Malone Auto Group and the Ruston Rotary Club.

“We are pleased to be part of this effort to raise funds and give back to the community,” said Ruston Rotarian and Service manager at Karl Malone Toyota Rusty Wilfong.

Individuals can purchase tickets from any Ruston Rotary Club member and the Ranger 1000 side-by-side will be displayed at different locations over the next 12 weeks. Tickets may also be purchased at service department of Karl Malone Toyota, or by calling Rusty Wilfong at 318-224-3543.

The drawing will be held October 30 at the noon meeting of the Ruston Rotary Club.

Fundraiser benefits the community

Ruston Rotary undertakes numerous local service projects each year. Funds generated from the $10 ticket donation will be used for many school and community projects

One of these is the Backpack food program Ruston Rotary started under the direction of Allen Tuten in Ruston about 15 years ago. Bags of easy access food are placed into a child’s back pack to be consumed over the weekend.  Students needing this nutritional help are selected by their teachers.

“We started at one school helping about sixty students each week,” said Tuten. “After a couple of years other organizations partnered with the effort in leading and support roles. Now hundreds of food insecure students are helped each week.”

The program is now under the direction of the United Way in coordination with Super 1 Foods.

Other community related projects include Coats for Kids, dictionaries, student scholarship, Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) and more. Last fall, the Ruston Rotary Club gave away 225 Coats for Kids to schools in Lincoln and Jackson Parishes in coordination with the Children’s Shoppe and Jonesboro State Bank. Each year the Ruston Rotary Club donates dictionaries to Lincoln Parish third grade students across the parish and will again kick off this project this year.

Each month during the school year, Chris Barr leads the Ruston Rotary Club in hosting high school seniors from Ruston, Choudrant, Lincoln Prep, Simsboro and Cedar Creek highlighting their high school careers and future college plans. 

“These meetings are generally our highest attended monthly meeting and every member and guest listens intently to the student’s speech,” said Ruston Rotarian Jerry Pye.

These students speak of their accomplishments and future plans.  Every year during the month of May, the Ruston Rotary Club donates four $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors for college.

Ruston Rotary provided for three Lincoln Parish students (one from Cedar Creek, Ruston High and Choudrant High) to attend RYLA held every year at Outdoor Wilderness Learning Center in Dubach (OWL Center).

 

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by Malcolm Butler

In-game communication just got a little easier in college football.

The NCAA’s football oversight committee approved the use of coach-to-player helmet communication starting this year. The technology is similar to what the NFL utilizes.

And according to Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie, he thinks it will have a direct impact, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

“I think you have a chance to play a little faster in terms of the communication with the quarterback,” said Cumbie.”I think you have to have a lot of awareness when you are talking to the quarterbacks and the linebackers. How much information is too much information, and what information helps you … You don’t want to cloud their minds on the field.”

Only one player for each team will be permitted to be in communication with coaches while on the field. A green dot on the back of the helmet will be used to identify that player.

Now it’s a matter of coaches and players across the country getting comfortable with it.

“We are going to use it every day in drills when we are calling plays even if its just the script in order to get comfortable with it,” said Cumbie. “We will use it in walk-throughs and in team portion of practice just so everybody can get comfortable with it every single day.

“Myself. The quarterbacks. Coach (Jeremiah Johnson). The linebackers. Just to make sure it’s not something we are thinking about on gameday. But it’s more of a reaction. When are you communicating with the quarterback and when you aren’t. There are little nuances with this that you have to get used to.”

Tech quarterback Jack Turner said he believes the system is beneficial but agrees with Cumbie on making sure it’s not a matter of information overload.

“One thing that we have talked about is just how much we will communicate,” said Turner, who is currently the odds-on-favorite to be the Bulldogs starting signal caller this year. “We got to test it a little bit in the spring, but it’s a little different going into a game.

“You have prepped for a team. What is the information that coach wants to relay to me because you can do too much with it where it clouds your brain and you are thinking about too much. What’s the right amount of communication giving me the play and maybe a little more information and going from there.”

The communication from the coach to the player will be turned off with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock or when the ball is snapped, whichever comes first. It is cut back on as soon the play is over.

As a former quarterback himself, Cumbie believes he would have liked the new system as a player.

“I think just from an operations standpoint as a quarterback you aren’t looking over to the sideline,” said Cumbie. “I think you are always looking forward. I’m not having to look find the defense. I am looking at the safeties now. I’m looking at the linebackers now. I’m looking at the defense now as I hear the (call). So I think just from an operations standpoint players will like it a lot more.”

The rules committee had been moving toward coach-to-player communication in recent years, but it was slow to be implement due to financial concerns, mainly whether every school could afford to do it in an equitable way.

The new rule still allows teams to choose to signal in plays.

Asked if he felt the new system benefited one side of the ball over the year, Cumbie said he still isn’t sure.

“I’m going to have to go through it more to be able to answer that,” said Cumbie. “On offense I think it’s great for us. You don’t have to worry as much about your signals getting stolen. That’s the biggest thing I’m excited about. You spend a lot of your bandwidth trying to figure out how many signal guys …what’s the signal.

“But you still have to have that backup plan in case the system goes out and you have to go back to signaling.”

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By Kyle Roberts

As we near our three-year anniversary, I’m proud to say that the Lincoln Parish Journal has published over 13,000 stories since its 2021 launch.

Let me say that again: 13,000 stories.

These are columns, news, sports, features, your own stories — you name it! And in this age of modern technology, you have a few options for how you can read the Lincoln Parish Journal completely free of charge and start you day with the most up-to-date news.

Here’s how!

Our website: We have an awesome landing page at www.Lincolnparishjournal.com that easily lets you see the stories that are available to you on a particular day. Starting with the very top news of the day, you can work your way to the bottom of any given day, which is always our “Notice of Death.” Simply click on the stories that matter the most to you and read away.

Facebook: We thankfully are able to cross-post our stories from our website to Facebook. So if you’re an early riser, these will appear in your social media feed. A quick note: sometimes Facebook’s algorithms will get prickly — so not every story will appear on Facebook. Even so, we are proud to have surpassed the 10,000 followers mark in the month of July!

And, our personal favorite — the daily email: What better way to enjoy your 6:55 a.m. cup of coffee than by having the news digitally delivered right to your inbox. Simply click here if you have not signed up already and input your name and email. We will never do anything with your email address outside of send you the news every weekday morning and any breaking news that you’ll need to know about.

Once again, we are incredibly thankful and honored to be able to bring the news to you, completely for free. We look forward to many more years of offering this service to our amazing community.

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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, August 5
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
5:30 p.m.: Ruston City Council meeting (Ruston City Hall)
6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street)
6:30 p.m.: Classical Christian School interest meeting (Calvary Baptist Church)

Tuesday, August 6
2 p.m.: Ribbon cutting for Path-Maker (870 Pea Ridge Rd., Dubach)
6 p.m.: Lincoln Parish School Board meeting (410 S. Farmerville St.)

 

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Wednesday, August 7
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

Thursday, August 8
9:30 a.m.: Piney Hills Quilt Guild (Grace Methodist Church)
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall)
2 p.m.: Ribbon cutting for Dragonfly Harbor (2111 N. Trenton St.)

Saturday, August 10
8:30-11:30 a.m.: Hazardous Waste Material Collection and Recycling (2609 Farmerville St.)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market

BATON ROUGE, La. — There are new looks on the web for the State Library of Louisiana and the Louisiana Book Festival.

“Our State Library is one of the best in the country, and so is the Louisiana Book Festival. These new websites highlight all the programs and services they offer,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “I think people will be surprised at just how much there is.”

“The new State Library site, which can be found at library.la.gov, was built with the library’s different users in mind,” said State Librarian Meg Placke. “We have services for libraries and librarians, state agencies and employees, and even the public. The goal of the new site is to guide people to the resources they need or may not even be aware of.”

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Two highlights of the new State Library site are pages for The Talking Books and Braille Library (TBBL), which provides reading material for people who are visually impaired or have physical disabilities, and The Louisiana Collection, which houses the State Library’s archives and a vast genealogy collection.

“TBBL and The Louisiana Collection are essentially libraries within the State Library, and they offer so much to the public, so it made sense to basically build two websites for them within our new website,” Placke said.

The TBBL pages make it easier for patrons to sign up for services they might need. The Louisiana Collection pages offer myriad resources for anyone looking to learn more about the history of Louisiana or to conduct genealogical research.

The State Library has also launched YouTube and Instagram accounts.

“Our YouTube channel is a great way to educate the public about our services. People are often surprised to learn about everything we provide,” Placke said. “And our archives have more than 80,000 historic photos, historic documents, and other artifacts that we’d love to show off more. This is a great way to do that.”

Meanwhile, the revamped Louisiana Book Festival website, which can be found at LouisianaBookFestival.org, puts a greater emphasis on promoting featured books and authors, said Jim Davis, executive director of the festival.

“We’re always proud of our lineup, and this is a great way to spotlight them,” Davis said. “We’re also able to better highlight recordings of some programs for those who may have missed the festival or want to experience it again at a later time.”

Both websites will feature a tool called ReciteMe, which can assist patrons with disabilities who may have trouble viewing or reading the sites. It can also translate pages into different languages.

Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Louisiana Tech head coach Josh Taylor signed his third transfer portal student-athlete of the summer as infielder Reagan Marchant will be enrolling in classes this fall and joining the Bulldog softball program.

Marchant spent the past two seasons playing in the SEC for South Carolina where she red-shirted in 2023 and saw action in 16 games this past year.

“I would like to welcome Reagan to our Louisiana Tech softball family,” said Taylor. “She brings with her a strong power bat and an offensive presence that we are looking for. We feel very strongly that Reagan is a great fit for our program on and off the field. We are excited to welcome Reagan to Ruston and look forward to our journey together.”

With three years of eligibility remaining on the college level, Marchant comes to Ruston with an opportunity to make an impact for the Bulldogs over the rest of her career.

During her recruiting process coming out of Hilton Head (SC) High School, Marchant chose the Gamecocks over Clemson, Charlotte, and Florida Atlantic according to her bio on the school’s website.

“It was an easy decision for me to choose LA Tech,” said Marchant. “The coaching staff is amazing, and the facilities are first class. LA Tech is going to be a great place for me to grow as an athlete and person. I’m excited to be part of a loving and friendly community. I can’t wait to be a Bulldog.”

During her prep career, she batted .636 with 31 home runs and 113 RBI while scoring 126 runs. She holds the school career records for batting average, home runs, RBI, runs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

Marchant was named first team all-state and all-region in 2019, 2021 and 2022 and was also named her team’s MVP all three seasons. She played travel ball for the Florida PGF Nationals.

She joins Reese Torres (George Washington) and Addison Snyder (Cal-State Fullerton) as summer signees for the Bulldogs.

Taylor said the signing of Marchant complete the Bulldogs roster for 2024-25.

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Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Louisiana Tech fans will have the opportunity to spend time with the 2024 Bulldog football, soccer, and volleyball teams on Friday, Aug. 9 at Joe Aillet Stadium as part of Fall Fan Fest.

The free event is from 6:30-8 p.m. and will be immediately followed by movie night with the showing of “Remember the Titans” on the new video board.

Along with getting autographs and pictures from players and coaches from all three programs, youngsters can enjoy a variety of entertainment on the field including football, soccer, and volleyball stations, bounce house, and tailgating games.

Fans can also enjoy a tour of the Davison Athletics Complex, walking through the weight room, locker room, coaches offices, and film rooms while also having other interactive stations such as combine drills and photobooths.

While enjoying the music, games, and player engagement, fans can also get their LA Tech swag through the Barnes and Nobles bookstore and indulge in a variety of food/refreshment options including Johnny’s Pizza, Kona Ice, Tom’s Coffee, and Aramark concessions.

Season tickets will be on sale at the event as well as the opportunity to purchase Champ’s Kids Club memberships, which includes admission to every home regular season sporting event for the 2024-25 athletic season for kids in eighth grade or younger.

The Bulldog soccer team kicks off the new athletic season on Aug. 15 at Nicholls. Their first home game takes place on Aug. 22 versus South Alabama at Robert Mack Caruthers Field.

The Bulldog volleyball team opens action next, taking part in the Cal State Fullerton Invitational on Aug. 30-31. Their first home match follows on Sept. 3 versus Alcorn State inside the Thomas Assembly Center.

The Bulldog football team opens the 2024 season on Aug. 31 against Nicholls at Joe Aillet Stadium.

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Funeral services for Juanita Ann Blackmon Murphy, age 84 of Dubach, will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, August 5, 2024 at Owens Memorial Chapel in Ruston with Elder William “Dub” Hatten officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Ruston under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston.

Juanita “Nita”, to her husband and friends, was born May 2, 1940 in Logansport, Louisiana to the union of Georgia Elizabeth Renfro Blackmon and Sampson Blackmon and departed this world August 2, 2024. She married her one true love, James Ray Murphy on July 11, 1958. Juanita spent several years working in a shirt factory sewing collars in uniforms when she was in her twenties. She and James Ray later moved to Ruston and she began working at Lincoln General Hospital as a Physical Therapist’s Assistant. Juanita loved being in the public and never met a stranger. After 7 years of working at the hospital, she decided to stay home and enjoy her favorite hobbies which were gardening and planting her daylilies among other beautiful flowers and cooking for her family and friends. There was always a hot meal on the table.

Her heart was full of love when it came to helping others whether it be feeding or clothing them. She loved to laugh and made every occasion fun and full of laughter. Juanita was a member of West Monroe Primitive Baptist Church. She loved her church family and loved cooking for Sunday lunches. She will be truly missed by all on those Sunday mornings with her her bright eyes and beautiful smile that lit up any room. Juanita was blessed to have her best friend, Mary Wilkinson in her life as they loved to visit on the phone or at each other’s house whether it be talking about flower planting or fishing stories. 

Juanita and James Ray were blessed with two daughters, two granddaughters, two grandsons, and three great grandchildren whom she adored. 

Juanita is survived by her sister, Billie June Gregory; her daughters, Carla (Mark) Hammons, and Bridgette Murphy; four grandchildren, Colby Gean, Jessie Gean, Lacy (husband Matt) McCullin, Christopher (wife Kelley) Richardson; three great grandchildren, Ruby McCullin, Nate McCullin, Ella Richardson and a host of many other family, friends, and three beloved pets that will miss her dearly.

Juanita is preceded in death by her parents Georgia and Elder Sampson Blackmon; sisters LaRayne Bounds, Christine Dunlap; brothers, David Blackmon and Harlon Blackmon.  Visitation will be held from 1:00 PM, Monday until time of service. 

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Clifton “Sonny” Randolph Cupp, 81, of Pea Ridge, LA passed away surrounded by family on July 31, 2024 after a brief illness. Graveside services for Sonny will be held at 3:00 PM, Sunday, August 4, 2024 at Mineral Springs Cemetery in Dubach, LA with Rev. Brad Jones officiating.  Visitation will be held from 12:30-2:00 PM, Sunday at Owens Memorial Chapel. Services are under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston, LA.

Sonny was born July 24, 1943 in Monroe, LA, the son of Floyd and Leona (Jordan) Cupp. When Sonny was 9 years old, the family moved to Colorado City, Texas. Sonny set the Texas state record in track for the 220-yard dash while attending Colorado City High School, where he graduated in 1962.  

Sonny joined the Navy in 1962 and served on the USS Boyd during the Vietnam Conflict.  He was honorably discharged in 1966.  

Through the influence of a cousin who was employed in x-ray technology, and a love for the trees in North Louisiana, Sonny decided to settle in the area and enroll in radiology courses taught through E.A. Conway Hospital in Monroe, LA where he received his certification as a radiology technician. In 1969, Sonny began working at Lincoln General Hospital in Ruston, LA as a staff technician and eventually becoming Head of Radiology. He worked at Lincoln General until his retirement in 2005.

Sonny married Paula Stewart on March 21, 1986. They built a life together of loving banter and laughter for 38 years. He was a devoted father to his son, Cody, and a doting Papaw to his grandchildren, Eliza and Copeland. Sonny especially loved watching football and enjoying a Coors Light on his front porch.  He is preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Leona Cupp. 

Sonny is survived by his wife of 38 years, Paula; son, Cody (Emily) Cupp; grandchildren, Eliza and Copeland Cupp; brother, Bobby Cupp; sister, Barbara Nixon; brother-in-law and sister-in-law: Ricky and Laura Barmore and a host of nieces and nephews.

Serving as pallbearers will be Ray Stewart, Bryan Stewart, Wes Barmore, Jerad Barmore, Dave Griffin and Cody Cupp.  

 

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