The Louisiana Tech Men’s Basketball team will be one of four programs taking part in the “Icons of the Game” event on Nov. 13 with the Bulldogs facing the UMass Minutemen.
The neutral site contest will take place at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York with LA Tech and UMass being the first contest of a doubleheader, tipping off at 5 p.m. CT followed by Seton Hall versus Hofstra.
This will be the first ever meeting between the Bulldogs and Minutemen on the hardwood. Both programs are coming off 20+ win seasons.
The event features teams led by minority head coaches with an emphasis on celebrating the participating coaches and recognizing the impact of legends such as John McLendon, Clarence “Big House” Gaines, John Thompson II, John Chaney, Vivian Stringer, Marian Washington, and others.
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A Ruston High School student was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly shared an explicit video of a juvenile on a social media platform.
Zyhiem J. McCallister, 17, of Ruston, was arrested September 18 after an investigation by the the LPSO school resource officer assigned at RHS.
The SRO was contacted by a parent in late August reporting the video had been sent to a friend of the victim through Instagram. The victim said the video had been sent without her knowledge or consent.
McCallister was questioned about the video and said he had sent it on social media by accident. His phone was seized and a search warrant was obtained to search for the video on his phone.
After the video was retrieved, McCallister was arrested on a charge of nonconsensual disclosure of a private image. He was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
Trey Holly, the former Union High School all-stater and a current member of the LSU Tigers, is likely out for the year since his next court appearance related to a Farmerville shooting won’t happen until after the regular season ends.
Holly’s next hearing is scheduled for December 18 at the Union Parish Courthouse. Attorneys with the Office of the Louisiana Attorney General are prosecuting the case.
Holly was originally arrested for attempted second degree murder in connection with a February 9 shooting that left a man and a woman wounded.
The grand jury opted to indict him only on felony charges of illegal use of a weapon and aggravated criminal damage to property.
Following his arrest, Holly was suspended from the LSU football team. Coach Brian Kelly has been reluctant to return Holly to the team until felony charges are resolved. With Holly’s next court appearance weeks after LSU’s last regular season game, the only remaining opportunity to play would be in the NCAA playoffs which start December 20.
One of the victims from that February night, Keishia Cornett, attended Holly’s September 18 court hearing. Cornett told several members of the media that Holly shot her.
“I got shot twice in my back, I got grazed on the side of my chest, and it hit my lungs,” Cornett said. “I want [Holly] to get punished because I don’t deserve this. I’m an innocent person. Thank God that I’m here and I’m still living.”
Dirt farmers in the early 1900s led tough lives. While city dwellers usually had access to water systems and electric power, most farmers in rural Lincoln Parish didn’t live much different than their ancestors in the mid-1800s.
The Skinner family of the Hilly community west of Vienna had farmed the rocky hills for decades. Sixty-year-old John Wesley Skinner and his wife of over three decades were raising the last of their nine children in 1916. Their water came from a deep well and the closest electricity was miles away in Ruston. They raised their own food and grew cotton to sell for cash.
On a hot July day, Skinner took to his fields to plow, possibly to plant a late season crop to sustain his family.
It was a day that changed his life.
The thin sandy topsoil and the stubborn red clay beneath was tough on a plow, especially with the “iron rocks” that littered the earth. No matter how many were dug up and removed, every season the plow found more of them. Skinner may have seen the occasional arrowhead in the plow-turned soil; farmers were still finding them in the 1940s when cotton and forage crops prevailed over the landscape around Hilly, Vienna, and much of Lincoln Parish.
Skinner occasionally came upon a large rock that could not be moved. Angling the plow mule around it, he would continue on. Each year he came upon what appeared to be a large solid piece of iron stuck solidly in the ground. On Wednesday, July 26, 1916, Skinner maneuvered too late to avoid the iron.
The steel plow blade sank deep into the object.
Skinner looked closely and discovered what he had thought was a large piece of iron was actually an iron box. The plow had ripped it open exposing thousands of silver coins. Someone’s long lost treasure had been discovered.
The Ruston Leader described the treasure. “Most of the coin is of Mexican mintage, but much of it is English, German, Spanish and American money. One piece was coined in 1777—139 years ago—of Spanish mintage. Very little of it is United States money.”
The story was big enough that the Shreveport Journal had a correspondent write a page one article for its July 28 edition. “A numismatist would probably find the coins priceless, as all of it is of ancient mintage,” the paper reported. “There is no clue to the original ownership of the coins.”
With the coins being of such vintage, who could have buried them? The Spanish, French, and Americans explored north Louisiana and south Arkansas in the 1700s. There is no record of any Spanish settlements in the area and explorers like DeSoto came through the region in the 1540s long before the coins were minted.
Perhaps the coins were booty acquired by robbers who did not wish to be caught with the loot and intended to return later. The various countries of origin might indicate the hoard came from far away—a sea port or maybe Mexico. Speculation is all we can do at this point.
The Ruston Leader article went out to newspapers across America who reprinted the story of Skinner’s discovery—usually on page one. Discoveries of treasure were always big news. Skinner took his newfound wealth to the Lincoln Parish Bank on Trenton Street in Ruston, hoping to learn its value.
The $1,000 quoted in the news articles was likely based on the value of the silver alone. $1,000 in 1916 is equivalent to about $28,880 today. However, coins from the 1700s might be worth significantly more. If the treasure still existed today, it could very well be worth millions.
We do not know what happened to the coins, but the Skinner family history provides some hints. Shortly after the discovery, Skinner and his wife left the farm and moved to Ruston where they ran a small store. It’s likely they cashed in the coins to make the move, living out their final years in more comfortable surroundings with lights and running water.
If you would like to speculate on the origin of Skinner’s treasure, comment here or on our Facebook page.
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A treasured community organization celebrated its 40th anniversary Sunday at Cook Baptist Church.
Founded in 1984, Friendship International is a group of Christian women dedicated to welcoming internationals into the community by offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and fostering meaningful connections through friendship.
The idea for Friendship International took root in the early 1980s, when several Christian women in the community became increasingly aware of the number of international residents in Ruston. With a desire to offer a welcoming space away from home, the ladies approached the local Baptist Women’s Missionary Union, who voted to support their mission of helping internationals feel welcome. Since then, Friendship International has offered connection, support, and assistance in learning English for the last four decades.
Former Director Debbie Corley explained how herself and the other women felt a calling to serve in this way.
“We just felt prompted by God to offer some friendship to them and especially help them with the English language. We had heard of other churches in other cities who had done that, and we thought it was a wonderful way to reach out to these internationals,” Corley said. “We kind of put our heads together and came up with a plan with help from the National Southern Baptist Convention. They had some training and stuff we could use, so we came up with a plan and we presented it to our local Baptist Women’s Missionary Union.In 1984 they voted to sponsor us, and we’ve been here ever since, just offering free English classes and friendship.”
In recognition of the countless individuals who had helped the organization over the years, the ladies of Friendship International extended their invitation to anyone who had ever played a role in volunteering or supporting their cause. Current and former students and volunteers gathered to enjoy refreshments and view a display of photos, capturing memories from past events and milestones.
One of the organization’s former students from China, Christine Farley, described her early experience with Friendship International, which not only helped her improve her English skills but also gave her a sense of belonging.
“I was here in the class of 2003 after moving here in the fall of 2002. I didn’t have many friends here as my mother was in San Antonio and I was here to marry my husband. This class not only taught English, but I made friends there, especially international friends,” Farley said.“It really helped me in the spirit. I love this town, this church, and the teachers. They are so warm and kind, they have such a big heart, and they gave their time, kindness, and love for free. It’s really touching.”
During the reception, Friendship International Director Janet Brown thanked all of the volunteers and people who had given their time over the last 40 years. Then a short video was shown, and attendees were invited to mingle and share their own stories.
“We’re just thankful that we’ve been able to continue reaching out to our internationals who come here” Brown said. “Some are here because their spouses are at Louisiana Tech, some are here from Mexico or Guatemala, places like that. So, we have a whole mixture of internationals and we’re just so happy it’s still going on after 40 years. We’re here today to celebrate that.”
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Pictured from left to right are Lincoln Parish Board of Control members Sandra Dupree, Deborah Gilmore, Bill Jones, Jan Canterbury and Richard Pyles during Thursday’s meeting. (Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
Repairs, legislative tours, policies and procedures were all matters of discussion as the Lincoln Parish Library Board of Control held its September meeting on Thursday in the George Byrnside Room of the library.
The first order of business was creating a committee of board members to discuss improvements and repairs at the library.
That committee will be comprised of Board President Jan Canterbury along with Richard Pyles, Bill Jones and Sandra Dupree.
LPL Director Jeremy Bolom explained why he wanted the Board to be involved in the decision-making process.
“There are big ones and there are small ones, so that’s why it would be good for (the Board) to be part of this to help me prioritize,” Bolom said. “You need to be involved because some of these things might have to go out for bid anyway.
“We have bad carpet issues. We have air conditioning repairs that are already in the pipeline because we got a grant for that. So, the chiller is ordered and that is coming, but we will have to put extra money in that because of course, the bid came in higher than the grant funding.
Bolom said lighting and Events Center improvements are other things that need to be considered.
“It would be good to get a list together that you all can look at and help prioritize,” Bolom said.
The Board also agreed to accept board member Bill Jones’ suggestion to schedule tours for legislators representing Lincoln Parish to see firsthand what the library has to offer.
“It’s apparent after the latest legislative session that our elected representatives are not familiar enough with the library,” Jones said. “I have talked to all of them, and what we need to do is get them to commit to come over here for one hour. I will coordinate with Jeremy, and we can circulate it around so that anybody who can, it would be great to have whatever board members come to join us. The whole board does not have to come but the more that come, the better.
“I want to give them a tour. I want them to understand how many people use this library and the things that we do, and that we are a public body that serves the public for people from 100 or older to people one or even younger if their parents come to get books to read to them. They need to know how many people walk through our doors every month. They are going to be flabbergasted, they honestly are.”
Jones said the primary purpose is to get legislators to understand the library and what it offers.
“I want them to understand what we do,” Jones said. “I want them to understand who works here because when the subject of libraries comes up, I want them to think of faces. I will set it up. It is a personal mission.”
As far as policies and procedures are concerned, the Board decided, again at Jones’ suggestion, that it should find an employment lawyer to review the manual used by the library.
“Our employment handbook and our policy manual should be reviewed by a lawyer who specializes in this kind of thing and listens to their advice and critique. I will volunteer to find one. Unfortunately, most of the ones I know are like me and retired, but I can find someone. Among all of us, we can do a great bulk of the work, but we really do need to have an employment lawyer look at all of it and give us their recommendations.”
Jones had Bolom explain why they felt the matter was important.
“The way it’s set up now, the policy manual and the handbook are intertwined, and they should be two separate documents,” Bolom said. “A handbook should be a summary that gives an employee a vision — a picture — of what their job is and what to expect from the job and our expectations of them. It may refer to policies, but they are not included in the handbook.
“That way we can have a separate policy manual that can refer to. So, if I need to update the policy manual, all I have to do is update that by itself and not have to go through the handbook and make sure it all works hand in hand. So (the policy manual and employee handbook) need to be divorced instead of intertwined. Right now, we are trying to kill a lot of birds with one big rock, and that is not the way we should do it.”
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Grambling State University (GSU) received a $700,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to broaden research ethics education.
Dr. Carolyn Jackson, GSU Associate Professor of Education and Interim Director of the Office of Graduate Studies, is the project’s principal investigator (PI) for the project while Provost and Vice President Academic Affairs Dr. Connie Walton is the co-PI.
Jackson said Grambling State is one of only two institutions in Louisiana awarded NSF’s Ethics and Responsible Research (ER2) grant this cycle, with Tulane being the other institution. GSU is also the only HBCU to be awarded this cycle.
Titled “Fostering a Culture of Research Ethics and Integrity: An Institutional Transformational Project,” the project’s overarching goals are to promote a culture of research integrity and build robust research capabilities through more substantial training.
GSU will add to the current requirement for faculty and graduate students to complete specific responsible conduct of research (RCR) training modules via new, comprehensive, university-wide Department of Research Ethics and Integrity (DREI), that will be dedicated to advancing responsible and ethical research practices.
“The grant proposal was submitted to NSF’s Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) program, which has an aim to support fundamental research about what constitutes or promotes responsible and ethical conduct of research (RECR) — particularly research with human subjects as participants,” Jackson said. “In that, grant programs through NSF are generally very competitive, I wanted there to be little doubt about what we were aiming to do. So, the title explicitly indicated what our project is about. “
As Grambling State is endeavoring to enhance its research profile, the goal is to strengthen the university’s research infrastructure through this comprehensive effort that will result in a new department — The Department of Research Ethics and Integrity (DREI).
“The project aims to foster an atmosphere, whereby all persons understand the importance of conducting research ethically and responsibly by providing essential training,” Jackson said. “The implementation of more substantial training will aid in the continued building of robust research capabilities at our university.”
Jackson said that currently, only select members of the university community have to complete limited research ethics training (i.e., one or two online courses; required of faculty who submit grant proposals to particular federal agencies and students conducting dissertation or thesis research).
“With the new program, we will add to the lone requirement for faculty and graduate students to complete specific CITI RCR training modules by creating a comprehensive program where all students, faculty, and staff will participate in trainings and have additional services and supports available through the new department,” Jackson said. “Providing this resource will prove to be an invaluable addition and will have far-reaching results.”
This project will have a broader impact beyond GSU, by producing data related to research culture at HBCUs and the evidence-based nature of the curriculum design allows for the project to serve as an example of institutional transformation by promoting an enhanced culture of research ethics and integrity.
Jackson said the new Department of Research Ethics and Integrity (DREI) will provide valuable instruction on what constitutes RCR as well as other research support and training activities that are responsive to the needs of a broad range of researchers.
“The DREI will provide training via invited lectures, workshops, a new Research Ethics 101 course, and other activities,” Jackson said. “DREI activities also include experiential learning opportunities for faculty and their students and educational resources for the research community at large. Recent research still indicates that increasing public trust in research remains a challenge, particularly in minority communities. Jackson added that this project will provide training and additional exposure to GSU faculty and students.”
“This is absolutely amazing and a historic, first-of-its-kind type of research program at Grambling,” Jackson said. “With grant funding, the new Department will serve as the de facto hub for the Human Research Protections Program and will provide training and support to ensure that all stakeholders (students, faculty, staff, and by extension, the community at large) have the tools necessary to be ethical and responsible researchers.”
The project will begin on October 1st of this year and continue through September of 2029.
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The Lincoln Parish Journal is providing our local schools with an opportunity to submit nuggets from what’s going on at their respective schools in order to get more information out on their students, faculty and staff. The information below comes directly from those schools. Any school wishing to provide content each week can email to flynnhl@warhawks.ulm.edu
High Schools
Ruston High School
The Ruston High Bearcats took on the Longview Lobos September 17.
Friday and Saturday, our Varsity Bearcat Volleyball has Bearcat Brawl at the Ruston Sports Complex!
The 18th, the Ruston High Swim team met at the Lambright. Saturday and the cross-country team competed in the RHS Invitational.
Tuesday, our freshman, JV, and varsity volleyball teams will play West Monroe on West Monroe campus.
Thursday, the JV and Varsity volleyball girls will play Ouachita at home; JV will play at 4:00, and Varsity at 5:00. Come support our Bearcat athletes!
The Teacher of the Week this week is Mrs. Bell! Mrs. Bell is in her 15th year of teaching, with 8 of those at RHS. She teaches Honors English IV, as well as AP English Literature! We appreciate you Mrs. Bell!
Ruston Jr. High School
This week Ruston Junior High School celebrated their Homecoming week with dress up days and the first pep rally of the year! At the pep rally, we had amazing performances from our Bearkit Band, Danceline, and Cheer Squad to pump the students up for the game.
On Tuesday, the Bearkit football team played the Homecoming football game against Neville, with both the 7th grade (26-0) and 8th grade (22-14) teams being victorious over the Tigers! The students and the faculty love this week because it allows them to show their school spirit while also having fun each day.
Elementary Schools
Choudrant
Last week was a busy week at Choudrant Elementary. We hosted our annual Scholastic Book Fair, Open House and Grandparent’s Day. We were so glad to see all the parents and grandparents that came to Open House and Grandparents Day.
Preschool – 2nd grade students welcomed their grandparents to their classroom for an activity and a quick shopping trip at the book fair. Thank you to all the parents and grandparents that joined us. We hope you enjoy reading those newly bought books with your children or grandchildren. Happy Reading!
Mrs. Tatum would like to say special thank you to our parent volunteers who helped set up and assist customers. Our book fair was a Huge Success!
A.E. Phillips
Student Council
Last week we held Middle School Student Council Office Elections. The members who ran for office did a phenomenal job on their posters that were hung along the sidewalks to bolster their campaigns. Each candidate shared fantastic speeches with the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, sharing why they would be the best person for the job. The student body voted after the speeches and they selected the following students as their officers: Nolan Hogan, 8th grade, President; Preston Whitman, 8th grade, Vice President; John Henry Nugent, 7th grade, Secretary. We are proud of every Student Council member who bravely stood before their peers to recite their speeches!
Other members of the Student Council include Caleb Barber (8th), Emerson Caraway (8th), Cate Davison (7th), Savannah Foster (7th), Jude Falting (7th), Ava Good (8th), Ella Morse (7th), Cooper Lee (8th), Hannah Walker (7th), and Makalyn Walker (8th).
On Monday, September 16th, our Student Council were given the opportunity to visit with the Dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences, Dr. Pichon. She gave our students a tour of Woodard Hall and spoke to them about how she rose to leadership, who she looks to for guidance, and “What makes a good leader?”.
Basketball Teams
Basketball tryouts were held last week and the new teams have been announced:
Boys Roster:
6th Grade: Landry Gibbons, Brayden Mitchell, Cooper Stoehr, Camden White
7th Grade: Gavin Mollette, Hayden Horvath, John Henry Nugent, Willie Williams III
8th Grade: Nyah Metoyer, McKenna Brown, Anna Kate Poe, Mariyam Wasi, Millie Marie McGehee
Coaches: Kristen Poe and Quintina Broadnax
They will kick off the season on October 24th with a home game against Cedar Creek.
Cross Country:
Our Elementary Cross-Country runners participated in the Chieftain Invitational at Calhoun Middle School on September 14th. We are so proud of their hard work and successes:
K-2 Boys 1st place
3-4 Boys 1st place
5-6 Girls 1st place
Top 10 finishers
K-2 boys:
Smith Gillum 4th place
Kade Johnson 5th place
Liam Newsom 6th place
James Cotton 8th place
3-4 boys:
Sam Stone 8th place
Jack McGehee 9th place
5-6 girls:
Collins Reigelman 7th place
Audrey Stone 8th place
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Lincoln Prep’s Verlanski Glosson scored touchdowns on both offense and defense during the Panthers’ 45-8 win at Beekman Charter Thursday night.(Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
BASTROP — What was a tight game in the first half ended up being a runaway for the Lincoln Preparatory School football team in the final 24 minutes as the Panthers went on the road and roared past Beekman Charter 45-8 Thursday night at Tiger Stadium.
It took the Lincoln Prep offense a while to get going as the Panthers led only 8-0 at halftime thanks to a Verlanski Glosson pick six returned 50 yards to paydirt, marking his fourth interception over the past two games.
“We really should have scored more in the first half,” Hall said. “We blew a lot of opportunities in those first two quarters. But we came back in the second half and made up for it. And more importantly, this team finished it when they had the chance.”
That came after Lincoln Prep, which had used a lot of center snap sets in the first half with senior Jordan Brown at quarterback, went pretty much entirely to the Wildcat offensive set for the third and fourth quarters.
“We ran predominately Wildcat in the second half and our three-headed monster (Glosson, D’Tavion Wright and Jaylin Huntley) took over on the ground and ran away with it,” Hall said. “Beekman got to the point that they didn’t know who we were going to go to or who to key on and they started getting tired and it all just snowballed on them.
“It was like we just kind of flipped the switch and everybody started playing hard. I am proud of the way this team played tonight.”
Nursing a sore ankle injured earlier this week in practice, Huntley managed a 60-yard scoring scamper while Wright ran for three scores during his snaps as the Wildcat quarterback.
And Glosson scored on both offense and defense as he ran for a score as another of the Panthers’ Wildcat quarterbacks.
“We played three different quarterbacks,” Hall said. “We played Jordan Brown at quarterback and then moved to splitting time between Wright and Glosson as the Wildcat quarterback.”
Beekman’s lone touchdown came in the fourth quarter to cut Lincoln Prep’s lead to 24-8.
“Beekman has a good offense, but our defense shut them down the whole first half,” Hall said. “They couldn’t do anything with that little veer they run.
“We stacked the line on them and tackled well. Tyler Wimberly did a great job for us at the middle linebacker position. He held it down and did a great job.”
After the Tigers’ lone touchdown, the Panthers roared away.
“Our offense just went on a rampage,” Hall said. “Beekman ended up asking for a running clock a little later just wanting to get the game over with.”
Next up for the Panthers, now 2-1, will be a game next Thursday at Jonesboro-Hodge, which stands at 0-2 heading into a game Friday night at Delhi.
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
First Ruston is located at 200 South Trenton Street. For more information on First Ruston, go to http://www.fbcruston.org.
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What We Believe
We are a church that seeks to love God and love people. Jesus says the two most important things are to love God fully and to love others as ourselves. We believe we actively demonstrate our love for God by loving people the way Jesus does.
Our Purpose
Our purpose here at First Ruston is “We exist to Love, Win, and Grow Ruston and the world for Christ.” We strive to do this in our church family, local community and throughout the world with our missions works and community events. We desire to see that happen in the heart and life of every individual.
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Sunday Service Times
8:30 am Traditional Service – Worship Center / Contemporary Service – Depot / Kids Worship / Connection Groups
9:45 am Contemporary Service – Worship Center / Kids Worship / Connection Groups
11:00 am Contemporary Service – Worship Center / Kids Worship / Connection Groups
A 14-year-old Simsboro High School student was taken into custody Thursday after allegedly “making threats to shoot up” the school.
Lt. Matt Henderson of the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office said a LPSO school resource officer and school officials have been investigating the alleged threats.
“The child’s guardians were contacted and notified of the incident and brought the child in for questioning,” Henderson said. “The student and other students from Simsboro High were interviewed. No firearms were located at the school nor is it believed any firearms were ever at the school.”
Henderson said the student is facing a charge of terrorizing and is being held at the Green Oaks Juvenile Detention Center in Ouachita Parish.
Following a 2-0 start to the season — with both wins coming at home — Ruston begins its long road-swing tonight, taking on the Longview Lobos (2-1) in Texas for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
The Bearcats will actually be playing three straight weeks in the Lone Star State and will not be back at The Hoss until Friday, Oct. 18, to take on the Neville Tigers, after opening district play at Ouachita on Friday, Oct. 11.
“Regardless of who the competition is, you this many games in a row on the road, it can be a tough situation to be in,” Ruston High head coach Jerrod Baugh said. “It’s a very big challenge to have four road games in a row. And two of those games are on Saturday, so it’s going to be long weekends. And then you play really tough competition on top of that.
“It’s going to be an indication for me about how well our kids stay focused on what they need to do and if they can handle distractions. It’s a really good test for the kids. I feel like if we handle these road games decently or even well, I think it will be an indication of where this team is at.”
Ruston’s toughness showed last week against the Cabot Panthers out of Arkansas, with superstar quarterback Josh Brantley sitting out due to a foot and ankle injury. In his stead was sophomore Sam Hartwell, who came in to complete 13-of-22 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 50 yards and a score on the ground.
Baugh said he had full confidence in Hartwell last week and did not have to adjust the flow of the offensive attack in the 49-10 blowout win.
“Sam played really well, and that’s always good to see,” Baugh said. “You don’t ever know what opportunities you’re going to have to be able to get the backup quarterback in — that’s always a nervous thing as a coach. It’s hard to make preparations and give the backup quarterback the snaps they need to be prepared.
“So to get that situation this early in the season where Sam was able to get some valuable snaps is good. The best thing is that you don’t have to really have to have an alternative gameplan with him — he can operate all of those things. (Sam and Josh) are different quarterbacks, but they can do a lot of the same things.”
When asked about the starter for tonight, Baugh did say that Brantley will be QB1 after a week where he’s simultaneously rehabbing and take snaps with the first string.
“He did not look very good on Tuesday,” Baugh said. “We practiced the quarterback sneak, and he tweaked his toe and ankle. (Athletic trainer Chris) Brister tried a couple of different tape jobs, and that seemed to help him on Wednesday. I think he’s going to be fine for tonight.”
By Baugh’s best account, this should be the 12th time Ruston and Longview have lined up on the gridiron. In his time at the helm for the Bearcats, Baugh has only seen the Lobos once: in 2018, when Longview won 56-28 in Hoss Garrett Stadium, thanks in large part to then-quarterback Haynes King picking apart Ruston’s defense. King is now the starter for Georgia Tech.
No stranger to Longview High School, Baugh was actually an assistant coach for the Lobos from 2000 to 2009, when he came over with North Louisiana legendary coach Pat Collins. Longview’s current head coach, John King, was on staff with Baugh at the time.
“There’s actually some guys there on staff with Coach King that I coached when I was there,” Baugh said. “So it’s pretty neat for me and will be good to see those guys. But they’re football team is really no different than what it’s been in the past; really talented on both sides of the ball, and really well coached. We’ll have to play well — Lobo Stadium is a very hard place to go and get out of there with a win. It will be their homecoming, so I know it’ll be a packed stadium and be a great environment for a high school football game.”
Longview won its first two games of the season before dropping a close one last week to South Oak Cliff 45-44 in Lobo Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on Q94.1 FM and BearcatNationNetwork.com.
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Payton Harris and the Cougars defense looks to record its second straight solid defensive effort when Creek hosts Loyola Prep tonight. (Photo by Darrell James)
by Malcolm Butler
Cedar Creek head coach William Parkerson saw some major improvements from his defense during last week’s 16-14 loss to Delhi Charter.
This week he hopes to see the same from the offensive side.
The Cougars (0-2) host Loyola Prep (1-0) at 7 p.m. tonight at Cougar Field at Origin Bank Stadium. The contest can be heard on 99.3 FM with Ray Creasy and Ben Haddox providing the call of the game.
Creek’s defense was stellar last week, allowing less than 100 total yards of offense and only five first downs. That unit also scored both touchdowns in the game.
However, one long TD run early and a kickoff return for a TD, plus the game-deciding safety, proved to be the difference in the loss.
“I saw the effort improve,” said Parkerson. “I saw the physicality improve. Outside of the one big run, I thought the gap integrity was really good all night. We made a lot of strides.”
The Cougars offense is still searching for its fist touchdown of any kind in 2024. Through two preseason “games” and two regular season contests, Cedar Creek hasn’t been able to cross the goal line with its offense.
However, Parkerson continues to remain positive with the young group.
“I know we didn’t put it in the endzone, but it was by far our best offensive effort,” said Parkerson. “We got inside the 10 four times. Scored once but it was called back for a penalty. It was just lack of execution inside the 10 yard line that got us.
“We got a couple of penalties that backed us up. Certain times we blocked it right, but the running backs ran it wrong. And other times the running backs ran it right, and we blocked it wrong. We have to do a better job coaching so the kids know exactly what we need to do and we can execute at a higher rate.”
Parkerson had hoped running back Wyatt Gremillion may return to the field last week since suffering a soft tissue injury early in fall camp. However, Gremillion wasn’t able to and Parkerson said they would see how he feels pregame.
Loyola Prep is coming off its season-opening 28-6 win over Logansport last Friday at home. And according to Parkerson, the Flyers are a well-coached, well-balanced squad.
“They are a good football team,” said Parkerson. “Offensively, they will be spread. They mix the run and the pass. They are a little more run than pass, but they do a good job of mixing things up. They are a really good screen team. We are going to have to play with our best effort.
“Defensively, everything starts with the 3-4 which we haven’t faced this year. They are super sound, and they are really good at what they do.”
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Bigger question. Are you ready to win $200 in cash … with the potential to make it $400 if you are perfect on the week (including predicting the No. 1 tiebreaker exactly right).
The Lincoln Parish Journal is proud to host the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Northern Louisiana Medical Center and Johnson Physical Therapy.
If you live in the deep south, you know College Football is King!
Readers are eligible to participate and each week one lucky winner will go home with a $200 cash prize (maybe $400). Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of the predetermined 15 college football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests).
Only one entry per participant will be accepted each week.
The Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Northern Louisiana Medical Center and Johnson Physical Therapy will be conducted for 14 regular season weeks of the college season starting with this week’s games.
There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to SUBSCRIBE to the Lincoln Parish Journal where it will come to your inbox every weekday morning at 6:55 a.m. It takes 20-30 seconds to sign up and not much longer than that to make your picks.
All contest decisions by LPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified Monday and will be requested to take a photo that will run in the following week’s LPJ.
Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the Journal, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. daily e-mail. Enjoy it all, for FREE, and enter each week’s contest. You could collect $200 each week!
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The Day Surgery waiting room of any hospital is a slice of our culture. If you want to know what is happening in the world pay attention to folks waiting to be called back for their surgery. Watch and listen as family and friends deal with the anxiety this environment and situation produces.
That poor besmirched fellow was sitting in the waiting room, awaiting his turn to go back, and be prepped for his surgery. I will tell you that any surgery is an anxiety producing event. This guy, and the whole waiting room was listening to his wife, whom I have designed “Helga the Horrible.” From listening to her and believe me no one on the second floor missed a word she said; she was having a tough time with her husband’s surgery.
“Helga” had dropped her husband off by the front door of the hospital and then parked the car. While she was parking the car, she “lost” her husband. When she found him on the second floor at Day Surgery, he was moments away from being called back for the big operation. There in front of God and all of us, Helga let her husband have it. She blasted him for not waiting for her by the front door. His defense was that the orderly came and moved him to the second floor. She blasted him for the stupidity of the orderly who moved him without telling Helga that he had been moved. Her husband reported that he was not in charge of personnel at the hospital and that in fact the orderly had been very kind to him. She reloaded and blasted him for not having a newspaper for her to read while she waiting, as she had left her device in the car and didn’t want to go back to the car to retrieve it. The nice man got up and found Helga a newspaper. She was not happy that it was a day old.
Then Helga got upset because her husband was not more upset about his surgery. She catalogued every ache he might face. She described every pain her friend had after the same surgery. She went into brutal detail about every danger he could face during surgery and after surgery. Her Scandinavian ire was up that he was calm before this procedure and how dare he leave her to worry about all that could happen to him. Then she stood and said to a man who hadn’t eaten since midnight and was about to have surgery, “I’m hungry and I’m going to get breakfast.”
When “Helga” walked off, the poor fellow breathed an audible sigh of relief. I’m thinking that if his wife is like that all the time, major surgery likely gave him some relief. He was probably happy that he was going to get some sleep.
When you get up to leave….are people glad you came or glad you’re going?
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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. Friday, Sept. 20 6-8 p.m.: Tech Pep Rally (Downtown Ruston) 7 p.m.: Cedar Creek football Saturday, Sept. 21 USSSA Softball (Ruston Sports Complex) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 2-4 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Library Fall into a Book Festival (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center) 3-5:30 p.m.: Open Tech tailgate (Argent Pavilion) 6 p.m.: LA Tech football 6 p.m.: GSU football Sunday, Sept. 22 USSSA Softball (Ruston Sports Complex)
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The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs open conference play tonight at home against WKU at Robert Mack Caruthers Field with first touch set for 7 p.m.
The contest can be seen on ESPN+.
LA Tech (2-3-3) comes into conference play on a two-game losing streak following losses to Texas A&M and Alabama. Tech is coming off a 4-0 loss to No. 24 Alabama in Tuscaloosa on September 13th. Louisiana Tech is now 0-12 all-time against SEC opponents. The Bulldogs allowed 40 shots against the Crimson Tide which was the third most allowed all-time. The Crimson Tide put up 24 shots in the second half.
WKU (2-5) starts conference play with a four-game losing streak dating back to September 1st when the Hilltoppers lost 8-0 to No. 6 Arkansas. Since September 1st, WKU has lost to Dayton, Arkansas State, and Ohio while being outscored 15-2 in the last four games.
The Hilltoppers and Bulldogs faced off twice last season in the regular season and the CUSA Conference Tournament. Tech lost 1-0 to WKU in Bowling Green but Tech knocked WKU out of the quarterfinals of the CUSA Conference Tournament in Ruston following a 1-0 victory. Louisiana Tech leads the series 4-3 over Western Kentucky.
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Louisiana Tech Basketball will be showcased on Monday, Oct. 14 as part of the 2024 Conference USA Basketball Tipoff.
Men’s basketball head coach Talvin Hester and forward Daniel Batcho will represent the Bulldogs while women’s basketball head coach Brooke Stoehr and guard Jianna Morris will represent the Lady Techsters.
Hester enters his third season at the helm, having recently led the Bulldogs to a 22-win season. Batcho returns as the reigning CUSA Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-CUSA selection.
Stoehr is entering her ninth year as head coach of the Lady Techsters. Morris returns after being a CUSA All-Freshman Team honoree in 2023-24.
The show will be hosted by ESPN’s Noah Frary and Matt Warner, while Kelly Deyo and Paul Nazigian will serve as the show’s analysts as CUSA Commissioner Judy MacLeod, as well as head coaches and student-athletes from each program, will preview the upcoming 2024-25 men’s and women’s basketball seasons.
The CUSA Basketball Tipoff will air at Noon CT on ESPN+.
The 2024-25 CUSA basketball campaign tips off Monday, Nov. 4, and the 2025 CUSA Basketball Championships will return to Huntsville, Alabama on March 11-15.
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Elizabeth Ann Riser Sumlin, of Monroe, Louisiana, passed away on September 17, 2024 after a brief illness.
Ann was born on July 24, 1941, in Ruston, Louisiana to Ben Dalton Riser and Gwendolyn Williamson Riser. She was a member of RHS Class of 1959. She received her BS from Louisiana Tech and her MA from Northeast Louisiana University (ULM). Ann taught school in the Ouachita Parish School System for 30+ years. Since her retirement, she enjoyed working in her beautiful garden and volunteering at St. Francis Hospital.
Ann was predeceased by her parents. She is survived by two sisters, Ellen Riser LaCroix of Ruston, LA. and Kathy Riser Ellington (Jay) of Petersburg, VA. She is also survived by her nephews and nieces, Greg Hilburn (Tania) of Monroe; Kevin Hilburn (Julie) of Ruston; Anne Marie Hilburn (Jeremiah Gnagey) of Ruston; Chris Ellington of Petersburg, VA; Lindy Burns (Roy) of Rileyville, VA; and Parker Ellington (Terry) of Williamsburg, VA. Also surviving Ann are her great nieces and nephews, Seth Hilburn, Ruston; Shyla and Shyenne Hilburn, Monroe; Landry and Jackson Burns, Rileyville; Beaux and Grayson Ellington, Williamsburg. She leaves behind her beloved dog, Sandy as well as numerous cousins.
Per her wishes, a private celebration of her life will be held by the family at a future date. Donations in Ann’s memory may be made to St. Jude’s Research Hospital or the SPCA, two causes close to her heart.
Carol McIntosh Monday 12/24/1951 — Friday 09/06/2024 Family Gathering: Friday 09/20/2024 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Visitation: Friday 09/20/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 09/21/2024 11:00am at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 09/21/2024 Following Service, Grambling Memorial Gardens, Highway 80 West, Grambling
Louisiana Tech University announces the expansion of the Ole Red & Blue Vintage Collection, a curated showcase of throwback logos, marks, stories, and imagery pulled from over 130 years of celebrated history and brought into the modern era.
Ole Red & Blue—the name coming from the first line of the Louisiana Tech Fight Song—includes officially licensed apparel, gear, and other merchandise available to Bulldog fans, alumni, students, and those looking to represent the timeless spirit of the institution. Items from the collection are inspired by decades of Bulldog culture rooted in Ruston 20, 50, even 100 years ago.
“Louisiana Tech’s nationally recognized brand is one built through excellence in the classroom and in competition,” Cami Geisman, executive VP for external affairs, said. “The vintage line highlights our storied history, which has wide appeal not only to those who identify with the mark from their time at Tech but also to individuals who appreciate the throwback look.”
The Barnes & Noble Bookstore on campus and their online store will have Ole Red & Blue merchandise available starting on launch day: Tuesday, September 17. Verified local, regional, and digital retailers will also carry licensed products; a regularly updated list of places to purchase collection items can be found at LATech.edu/vintage
The release of the collection comes the week of Louisiana Tech Football’s annual Red Out game on September 21, where the 1974 national championship team will be honored, and ahead of Tech’s Homecoming in November. Vintage merchandise will be available at the Barnes & Noble fan shops in Joe Aillet Stadium on game day.
“There is a national demand for vintage merchandise,” said Tom Soto, director of brand strategy. “University Communications has worked hard over the last several months to identify marks and the stories behind them. Making those marks accessible has been key, and we are doing that through expanding our vintage program and its licensees.”
During the 2024-25 school year, University Communications plans to enhance the collection with more imagery and unique marks from the archives, allowing retailers to keep things fresh by creating new merchandise throughout the year.
The Ole Red & Blue Vintage Collection was partially made possible by collaboration with CLC, the University’s licensing partner.
View stories, logos, shop links, information on becoming a licensee, and more at LATech.edu/vintage
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When Ruston native Martie Cordaro and his wife, Sara, first came to Omaha in March 2006, they had no idea what the city was all about.
Raised in the south, they knew one thing – they weren’t crazy about cold weather. Of course, as they flew into Omaha, they were greeted by 12 inches of snow on the ground.
But, once they got past the snow, they were impressed by what they saw.
“The airport was the cleanest airport we had ever seen,” Cordaro said. “We ate our first meal at M’s Pub and stayed at the Omaha Hilton. It was great.”
The Cordaros were at a crossroads in their lives. They had to make an important career decision – should Martie become assistant general manager of the minor league baseball team in Omaha or the one in Lexington, Kentucky? They chose the Big O.
Now, 18 years later, Cordaro has become an iconic figure in the Omaha sports scene, serving not only as president of the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, but also as president of Union Omaha, a soccer franchise in the USL League One.
Tonight, the Omaha Press Club will honor Cordaro for his tireless efforts in bringing family sports entertainment to Omaha by honoring him as the 179th Face on the Barroom Floor.
A native of Ruston, Louisiana, Cordaro’s love for baseball was spawned by his time as a “light-hitting second baseman” at Ruston High School. Cordaro stayed in his hometown to earn his bachelor’s degree in marketing in 1998 from Louisiana Tech University. He served three seasons as director of marketing for his alma mater’s baseball program, while also being color analyst for the team’s radio broadcasts.
Cordaro’s path to Omaha included stops in Jackson, Tennessee (1999-2002), Birmingham, Alabama (2003-2004), and Battle Creek, Michigan (2005-2006). In Battle Creek, he landed his first executive position, serving as general manager of the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays, the Single-A affiliate for Tampa Bay.
“No one wanted to go to Battle Creek,” Cordaro said. “The field didn’t drain.” More than that, his office was located in the master bedroom of a double-wide trailer.
In coming to Omaha, Cordaro worked for Alan Stein, former president of the Omaha Storm Chasers, who was honored by the Omaha Press Club in 2011 as the 129th Face on the Barroom Floor. Now retired and living in Lexington, Kentucky, Stein will return to Omaha to be one of Cordaro’s roasters.
At the conclusion of the 2007 season, Cordaro was named general manager. He was intimately involved in the research, negotiation and project management to build a new ballpark for the franchise in Sarpy County. He also led the process of the successful rebranding and renaming of the Omaha franchise and orchestrated the naming rights partnership with Sarpy County-based Werner Enterprises for Werner Park.
Since 2011, Cordaro has served as president of the Storm Chasers. In 2021, Cordaro branched into soccer as Union Omaha was formed. He has realized success in both sports, being named the 2013 Baseball America Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year and the 2021 USL League One President of the Year.
Under Cordaro, Werner Park hosted the 2015 First National Bank Triple-A All-Star Game and won back-to-back Triple-A national championships in 2013 and 2014. Since Werner Park opened in 2011, more than five million fans have enjoyed games and events at the venue.
In 2009, Cordaro was among the honorees for the Midlands Business Journal’s “40 under 40 Award.” In 2012, he was honored by Ruston High School as its Young Alumnus of the Year.
With community at the forefront of Cordaro’s daily efforts, the team was named 2016 Ballpark Digest’s Charity Team of the Year. In 2013 and 2017, the team was the Pacific Coast League’s nominee for Minor League Baseball’s John Henry Moss Community Service Award, given to a club “that demonstrates an outstanding, ongoing commitment to charitable service, support and leadership within their local community and baseball industry.”
In 2009 and 2015, the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce honored the Storm Chasers as the “Business of the Year.” In three consecutive years (2008-2010), ESPN the Magazine recognized the Omaha baseball franchise for its promotional work with the prestigious “Veeckie Award,” named in honor of the legendary baseball promoter, Bill Veeck.
In 2009, the Kansas City Royals honored Cordaro with the Matt Minker Award as the organization’s outstanding minor league affiliate employee. In 2020, Cordaro earned the George Brett Award for Commitment to ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
In addition to being an active member in area chamber and business associations, Cordaro serves on the Regional Advisory Council of the ALS Association Mid-American chapter; is a trustee and a past president of Omaha West Rotary Club; serves on the Boys Town Boosters; is a member of the CHI Health Midlands Hospital Charitable Council; and is on the Omaha Sports Commission board of directors. He also serves on industry committees within Minor League Baseball and the United Soccer League.
A huge fanatic of all-things Star Wars, Cordaro is also a music afficionado. In the 1990s, he played drums professionally with Stonybridge and now plays in the local band, Strange Pleasures.
The Cordaros have three sons, Gavin (28), Collin (20) and Cass (16).
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