Courtesy of GSU Communications

Grambling State University (GSU) Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Haeyon Yang has been awarded a $253,000 National Science Foundation grant for major research instrumentation.

The goal of Yang’s project, titled “MRI: Track 1 — Acquisition of multiscale imaging capability and education,” is to enhance the research and educational infrastructure for physics and biology at GSU through the acquisition and successful operation of nanoscale imaging capability provided by Atomic Force Microscopy.

This technology will significantly enhance research in physics and other STEM areas by increasing capability to image surfaces of organic and/or in-organic materials in nanometer scale. This added capability will also continue to broaden research competitiveness in this area, as well as recruiting other research-active physics faculty members.

MRI provides support to acquire critical research instrumentation without which advances in fundamental science and engineering research may not otherwise occur. MRI also provides support to obtain next-generation research instruments by developing instruments with new capabilities that open new opportunities to advance the frontiers in science and engineering research. Additionally, an MRI award is expected to enhance research training of students who will become the next generation of instrument users, designers, and builders.

Yang said the grant acquisition will enhance ongoing research in biological sciences, materials science, and plasma physics at GSU.

“Researchers will be able to study the mechanical properties of tissues and cells in pathological states such as liver fibrosis, endothelial dysfunction, and cancer,” Yang said. “Data collected by the new capability will enhance understanding of layered magnetic nanoparticles for stronger magnets, as well as the distribution of grain and composition in nanocomposites for hypersonic applications.

“GSU researchers will be able to investigate the physics of confined plasma, including the interaction of laser pulses with plasma, to understand how the change of the laser plasma affects the transformation of the ablated materials into novel nanoparticles and Quantum Dots during the Laser Ablation in Liquid process. The grant helps advance GSU’s research capability to a world-class level.”

Yang said the nanoscale imaging capability the grant will provide is based on a scanning probe microscope (SPM) coupled with a confocal microscope (CM).

“The Grambling SPM uses a sharp probe attached to the end of a cantilever that scans the surface of a sample,” Yang said. “The probe is so small that it can touch individual atoms and detect the tiny forces between the probe and the sample, allowing us to map the morphology of the surface in nanometer scale. The CM uses laser light to scan the sample in “slices” or optical sections while blocking out-of-focus light.

“Stacking multiple optical sections together allows us to create a three-dimensional image of the sample. So, the combination of SPM and CM gives us both topographical and optical information, in other words, we can see details of the surface and internal structures.”

Yang said the grant will not only help recruit more research-active physics faculty members but that he expects it to also help bolster the number of physics students at GSU.

“We already see strong interest in the Physics program based on student inquiries,” Yang said. “The current Physics research program at Grambling has resulted in an invitation to present at the annual (Fall 2024) meeting of Materials Research Society, which is a top-notch, international conference.

“One of our physics undergraduate students is scheduled to give a presentation at this conference. The acquisition of nanoscale imaging capability will broaden research participation and deepen our understanding of the physics of materials, which will attract more students to the physics program.”

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Courtesy of Lincoln Parish Schools

The Lincoln Parish School District is thrilled to announce that Mrs. Susan Richardson from Hillcrest Elementary and Mrs. Laynie Pyle from Ruston Elementary have been honored with the Extra Yard Award. In recognition of their dedication to their students, each teacher will receive a $500 certificate to enhance their classrooms.

This award is part of the College Football Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers initiative, which celebrates the invaluable contributions of educators. Each September, during Extra Yard for Teachers Week, schools around the country take the opportunity to honor dedicated teachers, culminating in the Big Day for Teachers—a special moment to uplift educators nationwide.

We are especially grateful for the support of Louisiana Tech University and Conference USA, whose commitment to education positively impacts our schools. As part of the celebration, Mrs. Richardson, Mrs. Pyle, and their students were surprised with a visit from a group of Louisiana Tech’s cheerleaders, dance team, football team, and Champ the Bulldog’s mascot.

“Big Day is one of my favorite days of the year where we get to take a moment and recognize just how impactful teachers are in our communities,” said Kyle Kavanaugh, Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs & Chief Brand Officer at Louisiana Tech. “As a former teacher, I know all too well the hours, effort, and energy it takes to be a professional educator, and anytime you get a chance to stop and say thank you, it’s time well spent.

“I’d like to thank the College Football Playoff Foundation, Extra Yard for Teachers, Conference USA, and Lincoln Parish Schools for allowing Louisiana Tech Athletics to create such a powerful moment. Congratulations to Mrs. Richardson and Mrs. Pyle.”

“We are thankful to Louisiana Tech, Conference USA, and the College Football Playoff Foundation for recognizing our dedicated educators,” said Ricky Durrett, Lincoln Parish School District Superintendent. “Mrs. Richardson and Mrs. Pyle exemplify the passion and commitment that inspire our students. We are excited to support their classrooms with these certificates, giving them the ability to create even more excitement for learning.”

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.

A video of the teachers receiving their awards can be found here  https://www.facebook.com/share/v/MWduWxAY3ca7Jjpi/

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Courtesy of Ruston High School

Ruston High School’s Gavin McCown has been named a commended scholar as he joins four other Bearcats who were recognized by Nation Merit last week.

“We are proud of Gavin for being recognized by National Merit,” Ruston High principal Dan Gressett said. “It’s an honor anytime National Merit recognizes a student. Gavin is a great student and we couldn’t be more proud of him.”

Of the 1.3 million students who took the PSAT/NMSQT, commended students placed in the Top 50,000 and about 34,000 are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.

Ruston Police arrested a 19-year-old woman last Saturday after a number of callers reported a disturbance at a West California Avenue apartment complex.

Angelina Thompson, of Ruston, was arrested about 2:45 a.m. September 14 after officers investigated the complaint of a roommate that Thompson attacked her.

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The alleged victim said she and Thompson got into an argument. When she tried to leave the bedroom to avoid the argument, Thompson allegedly became aggressive and forcefully pushed the victim into the closet, according to an officer’s report.

The victim said she attempted to leave the bedroom several times but each time, Thompson pushed her down. Thompson allegedly pushed her through the bedroom door, knocking it off its hinges.

Police found the door on the apartment floor. Thompson told officers she did not batter the victim but was only trying to keep her from leaving the apartment so late at night.

Several neighbors called to report the disturbance, saying they could hear a woman being beaten and screaming for help.

Thompson was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for battery of a dating partner and disturbing the peace. Her bail was not available at publication time.

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

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The Lincoln Parish Journal wants to thank Karl Malone Toyota, Northern Louisiana Medical Center and Johnson Physical Therapy for their title and presenting sponsorships of this year’s College Football Pick’em contest.

We also want to thank Dubach Air and Heat, Ginn’s Autobody, Hart Designs, Dawghouse Sports Grill, Pattons Western Wear, Tanyard Creek, Stows Moving Co., Ruston Athletic Supply, Hot Rod’s BBQ, and Charlie’s Carpet Cleaning for their Pick’em Partnerships within the contest.

We encourage all of our readers to utilize the services and products provided by our advertisers!

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Are you ready for some football?!?

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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By Kyle Roberts

Ruston High won its second match in as many nights on Tuesday — this time down at Alexandria Senior High for the district opening contest of the season.

The Lady Bearcats won by scores of 25-18, 25-9 and 25-11.

“We played steady (Tuesday) night,” Lady Bearcat head coach Mandy Cauley said. “We did not start strong like we did Monday night, but we found our footing and ran with it. There were a few delays in the first set that were not due to anything we did on our side of the court and that caused our momentum to fluctuate, but we were rolling shortly after the holdup around point 12. I was able to utilize all members of the team so I was pleased that they all got game time experience.”

Ruston has also finalized its schedule for the 2024 Bearcat Brawl, which will be played in the Ruston Sports Complex. On Friday, Ruston will play Dunham at 5 p.m. and then follow with Sulphur at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Ruston will face off with Notre Dame at 9 a.m. and then Barbe at 10 a.m. The Lady Bearcats will round out the Bearcat Brawl at noon that day against Westlake.

“This weekend will be tough but it’s what we train and prepare for,” Cauley said. “I believe we are ready to be challenged.”

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I have forced myself to wait over a week before commenting further on the most recent presidential debate.  I have watched many debates over the years and have used footage of the first televised debate (1960 Nixon / Kennedy debate) as a communication’s teaching tool in a leadership seminar.

I really don’t care much for politics, but I do care about leadership, and I care about people.  Everyone deserves good leadership whether they seek it or not.

Here’s an unbiased view of the debate:

Harris: Well prepared and executed her plan at a high level. She didn’t answer any direct questions. She skirted most issues and appeared more intent on getting Trump angry than providing details of her plans. It was clear her plan was to attack Trump regardless of the questions posed to her. 

Trump: He looked angry the entire night. He let his pride get the best of him again, spent too much time defending against personal attacks, and failed to convey specific actions he would take.  He missed a big opportunity to clarify his stance on key issues and to differentiate himself from Harris.

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Moderators: Initial questioning was ok, but they didn’t keep either candidate on topic, failed to get answers, and follow-up questioning was poor. They wasted time playing fact checker rather than getting candidates to clarify positions.  Their demeanor and overall control of the evening was one of the worst examples of moderating a debate I have ever seen.  ABC looked very biased based on their comments and overall behavior.

Summary: The loser was the American people. I wish I had that time back because it was a waste.  I don’t think we learned anything that night.  Harris told us very little.  Trump acted like Trump.  The moderators should refund us all for the value of our time lost.

The American people deserve the best possible leadership.

• Leadership that will provide not only a clear vision of a better future, but a clear path to reaching that vision.
• Leadership that clearly communicates not just what they will do but why.
• Leadership that is competent to handle national security, the economy, and other major areas of focus.
• Leadership that is seeking to serve, not be the center of attention.
• Leadership that will make the hard call even if it’s not popular.
• Leadership that seeks the long-term best interest of the people even if they may not get re-elected because of it.
• Leadership that unites, not divides.

Maybe I am asking for too much.

Oh, I couldn’t find a winner!

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By T. Scott Boatright

 

The Lincoln Preparatory School football team will be fighting to keep a perfect 1.000 historical record intact as the Panthers hit the road to play at Beekman Charter starting at 7 p.m. tonight in Bastrop.

There is a catch to that record — the Panthers have only faced Beekman Charter on the gridiron once, when Lincoln Prep defeated the Tigers 44-6 in Bastrop in 2021.

Beekman School opened in 1914 and taught students in grades 1-8. High School grades were added in 2013, and the current high school building was built in 2015 and expanded in 2016 with Tiger Stadium being added in 2017.

After going 0-9 in 2021, the Tigers have gone 14-7 since and are off to a 2-0 start this season with wins at Delhi (26-18) and at home last week over Tensas (34-0).

Lincoln Prep stands at 1-1 after falling 36-6 in its season opener at D’Arbonne Woods in the season opener before bouncing back with a 48-0 home win over Magnolia School of Excellence last week.

Panthers coach Glen Hall knows his team will face a bigger challenge this week against the Tigers, who enter the contest riding a four-game home win streak.

“I know they’ve got a good offense with a big running back and a talented quarterback,” Hall said. “They know how to move the ball and how to score points. So that’s going to be our first goal — slowing down those two guys and trying to force them to throw.

“That coach they have (Joseph Purvis) is a good one and has those guys playing good football. We are going to need to be ready and to be focused. This is a good team we are going up against.”

The Tigers also feature a strong defense, led by lineman Kade Aaron who had two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, along with a punt block in Beekman Charter’s win at Delhi.

“They are solid on both sides of the ball. A big part of this game is going to be the trenches. This kind of game is one that can be either won or lost up front,” Hall said. “We’re going to have to be smart and protect the football and not give these guys any extra possessions, because they’ll take advantage of that if we do.”

In a game pitting his Panthers against Beekman Charter’s Tigers, Hall said he expects to use a lot of Wildcat offense for his team.

“One of our senior running backs, Jaylin Huntley, has a bad ankle and I don’t know if he’ll be able to play,” Hall said. “And even if he does, I do not expect him to be able to play a lot.

“So, we will probably use a mix of D’Tavion (Wright) and Verlanski (Glosson) quarterbacking in the Wildcat and serving as our key ball carriers. Verlanski showed last week he is a pretty good Wildcat quarterback and using him there means we don’t have to rely only on D’Tavion, and that can hopefully help keep him healthy and not get worn down.”

That does not mean the Panthers will not use senior quarterback Jordan Brown behind center.

“Jordan is our quarterback, and we will use him because he gives the defense another kind of look, they don’t see in our Wildcat,” Hall said. “We want to mix things up and keep (the Beekman Charter defense) off balance, so we’ll also put Jordan out there in a more traditional set and try to let him use the play-action pass and try to find some of our receivers in open space.”

Hall hopes last week’s big win over Magnolia is one his Panthers can build on against Beekman Charter.

“I think that got our guys fired up, and I know it helped build their confidence because I’ve seen it,” Hall said. “I have seen it in practice this week. Our guys have come out and practiced hard. 

“They have gotten to practice early and have stayed late working on some individual drills. They are fired up right now. They just must keep it going. They are hungry. Hopefully they’re hungry for a win.”

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.

 

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Formal charges have been filed against a Ruston man for domestic abuse after he allegedly punched a woman in the face four times during an argument in July.

The office of the Third Judicial District Attorney filed a bill of information last week accusing Dedrick Latulas, 19, with one count of domestic abuse battery with child endangerment in connection with a July 25 incident involving the mother of Latulas’s child.

According to a Ruston Police report, Latulas was visited by the alleged victim who brought their child with her from Lake Charles.

Latulas told police he and the woman had been arguing for two days following a two-year relationship. He had asked her to leave his residence several times, but she refused.

Latulas said he left twice but was called back by the alleged victim who was threatening to damage his home. Latulas told officers the woman said she would “make him hit her so that he’d lose everything,” according to the report.

Latulas said he spoke to the woman who was seated in her car, and he eventually reached inside, unlocked the vehicle and got inside, and struck her four times in the face bloodying her nose. He said he then took the child and went inside.

The woman told officers Latulas had also struck her the previous day. There were no witnesses to either battery. Ruston Police arrested Latulas at the residence for domestic abuse battery.

A Gwen’s Law hearing was held in Third District Court on July 30, standard procedure in Louisiana domestic violence cases. Bail was set at $2,500 and Latulas was permitted to bond out of the Lincoln Parish Detention Center with special conditions. He was ordered by the court to have no abusive contact with the victim, not purchase or possess firearms, and undergo anger management training.

No court date has been set for Latulas.

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Elias toiled away in his machine shop trying to solve the problem that would make his contraption practical.  He thought solving the problem would be quick and easy.  Other inventors had tried but failed in the task that Elias struggled with.  He worked day and night on the problem and was nearing the point of poverty.  Even as he slept, the problem taunted him.  Finally, his life depended on the success of his invention. 

The king was a ruthless man who was feared by all.  When people saw him, they averted their gaze so as not to attract his attention.  If the king took notice of someone, it normally ended badly.  Somehow, the king heard about Elias’s work on his invention.  The king realized that Elias’s invention would put his country in the forefront in the Industrial Revolution, and it would also be a fun game.  To Elias, it was no game.  It was cruel.  The king sent word to Elias that he had just 24 hours to make his invention work.  If he failed to get it to work in that short length of time, the king would have Elias executed. 

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Elias worked at a feverish pace.  At times, minutes felt like hours ,while at other times, hours felt like seconds.  Elias was running out of time.  With a knock on the door, Elias knew his time had run out. His mind frantically worked for a way to make his contraption work.  The king’s lead soldier knocked with such force the second time that the door almost came off its hinges.  Elias had no choice but to answer the door.  The lead soldier glared at Elias.  Several other soldiers waited in formation outside.  The lead soldier asked Elias if he had finished with his invention.  Elias knew better than to lie because the soldier would test the device and the outcome would be the same.  Elias hung his head and explained that he had failed to make it work.  He needed more time, time the king was unwilling to give.  The soldiers shackled Elias’s hands and led him away to be executed.  As they walked, none of the soldiers would speak to or even make eye contact with Elias.  Elias’s pleas for more time were answered with silence.  Elias looked at each soldier, then looked at each soldier’s weapon.  In the front were soldiers carrying pikes, long wooden shafts with leaf-shaped steel spears attached to the ends.  Elias noticed that the spear points had a small hole drilled near the tip.  It was a eureka moment for Elias.  In that instant, he knew how to make his contraption work.  The one part of his contraption that he failed to make work just needed a hole similar to those in the soldiers’ pikes.  He tried to explain this to the soldiers, but they kept marching Elias to the place of his execution.  Elias kept trying to persuade the soldiers all the way to the scaffolding.  As the soldiers held Elias’s head on the chopping block, Elias begged for them to reconsider.  The executioner drew back his ax.  As the blade of the ax fell, Elias jerked himself awake.  It had all been a dream.

It was about 4 o’clock in the morning when Elias awoke in his bed in Massachusetts.  There was no brutal king, no soldiers, and no execution.  Then, Elias remembered the pierced tips of the pikes the soldiers carried.  He ran to his shop and began working by candlelight.  By nine o’clock that same morning, Elias had solved the problem that had stumped other inventors for decades.  He tested his working model repeatedly with the expectation that it would soon fail, but it worked beautifully.  On September 10, 1846, the United States Patent Office awarded Elias patent number 4,750, from which he became wealthy.  Because of that dream, Elias knew where to position the eye in the needle.  One newspaper reported that his machine makes “beautiful and strong seams in cloth as rapid as nine tailors!”  That dream helped Elias Howe invent the first practical sewing machine.

Sources:

1.      London Daily News, March 15, 1847, p.2.

2.     The Boston Globe, March 25, 2018, p.K6.

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PIONEER, La. – Celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 28 at 10 a.m. with a ranger-led hike at Poverty Point World Heritage Site.

National Public Lands Day is traditionally the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort. It celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages use of open space for education, recreation, and health benefits.

“We invite people to get out to their state parks and historic sites to pitch in and volunteer to help with cleanup efforts for a few hours, then enjoy these Louisiana treasures for the rest of their day,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “Volunteers are greatly appreciated, and their service is invaluable to Louisiana State Parks.”

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At Poverty Point World Heritage Site, a ranger will showcase the mounds, earthworks, and nature at the ancient site. Visitors are encouraged to bring gloves to help in picking up any litter along the trail. The hike begins at the museum and takes around 2 hours to complete depending on the pace of the group. This event is weather permitting.

Poverty Point World Heritage Site offers visitors the unique opportunity to experience and learn about the earthworks and those individuals who raised them from the ground between the years of 1700 and 1100 BCE. The $4 admission fee provides access to the museum, theatre, hiking trail, driving tour, seasonal tram tour, and interpretive events. Children three and under and senior citizens 62 and over are admitted free of charge.

Poverty Point is located at 6859 Louisiana Hwy. 577, Pioneer, LA. The park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, go to LaStateParks.com or follow the Poverty Point World Heritage Site Facebook page.

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Courtesy of Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

Former Louisiana Tech women’s basketball star Vickie Johnson is among a star-studded cast that comprise the 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class, announced Wednesday.

Johnson joins West Monroe, LSU and NFL standout Andrew Whitworth, pro basketball All-Star Danny Granger, the state’s winningest all-time college baseball coach Joe Scheuermann and Danny Broussard, one of the nation’s most successful high school basketball coaches.

The class also includes LSU gymnastics great and NCAA champion April Burkholder, transformational Catholic-Baton Rouge high school football coach Dale Weiner and George “Bobby” Soileau, an NCAA boxing champion at LSU who won a state crown as a football coach at his alma mater, Sacred Heart High School in Ville Platte.

The new class will be enshrined next summer at the Hall of Fame’s home in Natchitoches to culminate the 66^th Induction Celebration. Dates for the three-day celebration will be announced soon.

A 40-member Louisiana Sports Writers Association committee selected the 2025 inductees to complete   a three-week process. The panel considered 150 nominees from 27 different sport categories on a 34-page competitors ballot.

Also spotlighted next summer will be three other Hall of Fame inductees from the contributors categories: a winner of the 2025 Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award and two recipients of the 2025 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism presented by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, the parent organization of the Hall of Fame. Those inductees will be selected and announced later this year.

Johnson, from Coushatta, ranks among the greatest players in Louisiana Tech Lady Techster program history under coach Leon Barmore.

A two-year WNBA All-Star (1999, 2001) and 13-year WNBA standout out of Louisiana Tech’s powerhouse program, Johnson started 408 of her 410 pro contests. For the Lady Techsters’, the Coushatta native was chosen to the 1994 NCAA All-Final Four Team and went on to earn Kodak and Street & Smith All-America honors in 1995 and ’96.

She was Sun Belt Conference MVP in 1995 and ’96 and 1996 Louisiana Player of the Year, scoring 1,891 points and collecting 831 rebounds in her college career.  Her WNBA playing career began with the league’s inaugural season in 1997 and ended in 2009 after nine seasons with the New York Liberty and her final four with the San Antonio Silver Stars. 

She was added to the Liberty’s Ring of Honor in 2011. Johnson won the WNBA’s Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award in 2008, her last pro season and went into coaching and was the Dallas Stars head coach in 2022. Born 4/15/72 in Coushatta.

Whitworth won three state titles and two national high school crowns playing for the late Don Shows at West Monroe, then helped LSU win its first national football championship in 45 years under coach Nick Saban in 2003. “Big Whit” capped a 16-year NFL career, mostly in Cincinnati, by starting at offensive tackle as the Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl LVI, just a couple of days after he received the 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award for his community activism. He made four Pro Bowls.

Granger, a New Orleans native and Grace King High School graduate, averaged 17 points per game in a 10-year NBA career that included a 2009 All-Star Game appearance and a gold medal win with Team USA at the 2010 World Championships.

Scheuermann will join his father Rags, a 1990 inductee, to form the fourth father-son combination in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. The others: football greats Dub and son Bert Jones, USA Olympic track stars Glenn “Slats” Hardin and son Billy, and the football family of sons Eli and Peyton Manning, and their father, Archie.

Scheuermann succeeded his dad as baseball coach at New Orleans’ Delgado Community College and last spring eclipsed the late Tony Robichaux of UL Lafayette as Louisiana’s winningest college baseball coach with 1,179 victories in 34 seasons.

Broussard, who will begin his 42^nd season coaching basketball at St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette, has averaged 27.5 wins per year while collecting 1,130 victories to rank seventh nationally and second in the state behind 2019 LSHOF and pending 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Charles Smith of Alexandria’s Peabody Magnet. Broussard’s Cougars have won six state titles and been runner-up four more times.

Burkholder was a 14-time All-American gymnast and as a senior won the 2006 NCAA beam title to cap an LSU career that featured a school-record 108 victories, helping to dramatically elevate interest in the Tigers’ program locally as it emerged as a national power. She was twice Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Year.

Weiner retired in 2016 after posting 317 wins, now seventh in state history, in 35 seasons as a high school football head coach. The last 30 were at Catholic, where he built a mediocre program into one of Louisiana’s best as he won 282 games, 9.1 per year, including a 2016 state title. He also coached 18 state championship weightlifting teams with the Bears.

Soileau won four high school boxing state crowns, beginning with his eighth-grade year, and captured the 125-pound NCAA title in 1956 in the heyday of the sport at the state and collegiate levels. He won 159 games in 30 seasons as football coach at Sacred Heart, including a 1967 state championship, and is a 1988 Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame inductee and an inaugural Louisiana High School Boxing Hall of fame inductee.

The 2025 Induction Class will be showcased in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum. The facility is operated by the Louisiana State Museum system in a partnership with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

The new competitive ballot inductees will raise the total of Hall of Fame members to 394 athletes and coaches honored since the first induction class — Baseball Hall of Famer Mel Ott, world champion boxer Tony Canzoneri and LSU football great Gaynell Tinsley — was enshrined in 1959 after their election a year earlier.

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.

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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 

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Former Louisiana Tech women’s basketball star Vickie Johnson is among a star-studded cast that comprise the 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class, announced Wednesday.

Johnson joins West Monroe, LSU and NFL standout Andrew Whitworth, pro basketball All-Star Danny Granger, the state’s winningest all-time college baseball coach Joe Scheuermann and Danny Broussard, one of the nation’s most successful high school basketball coaches.

The class also includes LSU gymnastics great and NCAA champion April Burkholder, transformational Catholic-Baton Rouge high school football coach Dale Weiner and George “Bobby” Soileau, an NCAA boxing champion at LSU who won a state crown as a football coach at his alma mater, Sacred Heart High School in Ville Platte.

The new class will be enshrined next summer at the Hall of Fame’s home in Natchitoches to culminate the 66^th Induction Celebration. Dates for the three-day celebration will be announced soon.

A 40-member Louisiana Sports Writers Association committee selected the 2025 inductees to complete   a three-week process. The panel considered 150 nominees from 27 different sport categories on a 34-page competitors ballot.

Also spotlighted next summer will be three other Hall of Fame inductees from the contributors categories: a winner of the 2025 Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award and two recipients of the 2025 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism presented by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, the parent organization of the Hall of Fame. Those inductees will be selected and announced later this year.

Johnson, from Coushatta, ranks among the greatest players in Louisiana Tech Lady Techster program history under coach Leon Barmore.

A two-year WNBA All-Star (1999, 2001) and 13-year WNBA standout out of Louisiana Tech’s powerhouse program, Johnson started 408 of her 410 pro contests. For the Lady Techsters’, the Coushatta native was chosen to the 1994 NCAA All-Final Four Team and went on to earn Kodak and Street & Smith All-America honors in 1995 and ’96.

She was Sun Belt Conference MVP in 1995 and ’96 and 1996 Louisiana Player of the Year, scoring 1,891 points and collecting 831 rebounds in her college career.  Her WNBA playing career began with the league’s inaugural season in 1997 and ended in 2009 after nine seasons with the New York Liberty and her final four with the San Antonio Silver Stars. 

She was added to the Liberty’s Ring of Honor in 2011. Johnson won the WNBA’s Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award in 2008, her last pro season and went into coaching and was the Dallas Stars head coach in 2022. Born 4/15/72 in Coushatta.

Whitworth won three state titles and two national high school crowns playing for the late Don Shows at West Monroe, then helped LSU win its first national football championship in 45 years under coach Nick Saban in 2003. “Big Whit” capped a 16-year NFL career, mostly in Cincinnati, by starting at offensive tackle as the Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl LVI, just a couple of days after he received the 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award for his community activism. He made four Pro Bowls.

Granger, a New Orleans native and Grace King High School graduate, averaged 17 points per game in a 10-year NBA career that included a 2009 All-Star Game appearance and a gold medal win with Team USA at the 2010 World Championships.

Scheuermann will join his father Rags, a 1990 inductee, to form the fourth father-son combination in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. The others: football greats Dub and son Bert Jones, USA Olympic track stars Glenn “Slats” Hardin and son Billy, and the football family of sons Eli and Peyton Manning, and their father, Archie.

Scheuermann succeeded his dad as baseball coach at New Orleans’ Delgado Community College and last spring eclipsed the late Tony Robichaux of UL Lafayette as Louisiana’s winningest college baseball coach with 1,179 victories in 34 seasons.

Broussard, who will begin his 42^nd season coaching basketball at St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette, has averaged 27.5 wins per year while collecting 1,130 victories to rank seventh nationally and second in the state behind 2019 LSHOF and pending 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Charles Smith of Alexandria’s Peabody Magnet. Broussard’s Cougars have won six state titles and been runner-up four more times.

Burkholder was a 14-time All-American gymnast and as a senior won the 2006 NCAA beam title to cap an LSU career that featured a school-record 108 victories, helping to dramatically elevate interest in the Tigers’ program locally as it emerged as a national power. She was twice Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Year.

Weiner retired in 2016 after posting 317 wins, now seventh in state history, in 35 seasons as a high school football head coach. The last 30 were at Catholic, where he built a mediocre program into one of Louisiana’s best as he won 282 games, 9.1 per year, including a 2016 state title. He also coached 18 state championship weightlifting teams with the Bears.

Soileau won four high school boxing state crowns, beginning with his eighth-grade year, and captured the 125-pound NCAA title in 1956 in the heyday of the sport at the state and collegiate levels. He won 159 games in 30 seasons as football coach at Sacred Heart, including a 1967 state championship, and is a 1988 Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame inductee and an inaugural Louisiana High School Boxing Hall of fame inductee.

The 2025 Induction Class will be showcased in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum. The facility is operated by the Louisiana State Museum system in a partnership with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

The new competitive ballot inductees will raise the total of Hall of Fame members to 394 athletes and coaches honored since the first induction class — Baseball Hall of Famer Mel Ott, world champion boxer Tony Canzoneri and LSU football great Gaynell Tinsley — was enshrined in 1959 after their election a year earlier.

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By Kyle Roberts and Malcolm Butler

With Tuesday’s announcement that Allegiance Management Health will be purchasing Green Clinic and joining forces with Northern Louisiana Medical Center, the overriding question that arises is what does this mean for the future of healthcare in Lincoln Parish.

It’s no secret that Lincoln Parish is one of the fastest growing communities in the state of Louisiana, both residentially and economically.

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker said back in July that there is almost $200 million of economic development on the books in the city of Ruston alone, an illustration of the external purview of the community.

“For a town our size to have that much outside development is unreal,” said Mayor Ronny Walker back in an interview with the LPJ in July. “People see Ruston as the place to be. If you want to invest money in a good solid place in North Louisiana, it’s Ruston.”

Tens of millions of dollars have been spent on infrastructure within our parish and city. Lincoln Parish boasts two Division I institutes in Louisiana Tech University and Grambling State University. And then add amenities such as parks, lakes, bike trails and the Ruston Sports Complex.

Life for Lincoln Parish residents is abundant.

So how does Tuesday’s announcement help with the healthcare component of this quality of life equation?

“Ten years ago when I became mayor, I realized if we were going to grow and active and progressive and vibrant city, we needed to have good healthcare,” said Walker. “That’s always been a focus and concern of mine. I know health care the last few years has been very difficult for all communities.

“I hope this acquisition helps us. We are excited about the potential of what could happen with the Green Clinic and Northern Louisiana Medical Center coming together.”

Lincoln Parish Police Jury President Glenn Scriber echoed Walker’s sentiments.

“Quality healthcare is paramount for any community,” said Scriber. “With the growth of Lincoln Parish, it is crucial that we are open minded of the healthcare needs in our community and that we take the necessary steps to make sure our residents are provided for in the future.”

As news of the acquisition spread throughout the employees at both NLMC and Green Clinic and then became public as first announced by the Lincoln Parish Journal, the question as to what this means for the future of healthcare was prominent.

“We will have a solid healthcare community that we have not had before where we are all working together,” said Northern Louisiana Medical Center CEO Kathy Hall. “Lincoln Parish is a gold mine, and if we can all work together, we can have a true healthcare hub. Good things are going to happen – it’s exciting and I think we’re going to have great outcomes, and it will be great for this community.”

Hall said that when Green Clinic went on the market in the summer of 2023, there was immediate interest by Allegiance Health Management of acquiring it.

“The best thing that can happen for our community is for our healthcare to come together,” said Hall. “We have recruited a lot of doctors into (our system recently). The state of reality of when Allegiance came to Ruston, the goal has always been to have a great relationship with Green Clinic. We have been working with Green Clinic since 2019 to help with the recruiting process and things of that nature.”

Northern Louisiana Medical Center’s current structure was built in 1962. And although the facility has had renovations over the decades, there is no doubt that a new facility is needed in Ruston.

Allegiance Health Management purchased a 35.5 acre tract of land in 2022 from James Davison at the corner of East Commerce and Celebrity Drive with plans of building a new full service hospital. 

Hall said that although the plans were put on hold, now that the acquisition of Green Clinic is almost complete, they will return their focus to building a new hospital that includes larger rooms for patients and ICU units as well as state-of-the-art operating and treatment rooms.

“The reality of what has been going on the last year, we were waiting to see what happened,” said Hall. “Rock (Bordelon) would not have wanted to invest that much money if another entity came into the community. We bought Bobby Ensminger’s practice in October of 2023 from St. Francis. At that time, we started working on developing an expansion, and Green Clinic went on the market.

“We had to halt to make sure we were the entity that ended up with Green Clinic. The plan is to bring Green Clinic and the hospital to work together. It’s no secret that in the past the two have not worked well together, but being able to do that now will allow us to move forward. Rock has full intentions to build the hospital here.”

Green Clinic physician Shane Phillips said he believes its important for Ruston to have a quality, full service hospital.

“Northern Louisiana Medical Center is our hospital of Ruston, and it is the only hospital that is full service in our community,” said Phillips. “I don’t believe it does Ruston any good to have other hospital systems putting clinics in Ruston and then shipping patients outside of our area.

“It would be different if another system wanted to build a full service hospital in Ruston, but the bottom line is we need a hospital that is fully supported by our community. We need them to be invested fully in our community. So I hope this (acquisition) leads to us getting a brand new full service hospital in our community.”

Lori Keen, CEO/CFO of Green Clinic, said the Green Clinic brand would remain the same moving forward.

“Green Clinic will remain Green Clinic,” said Keen. “It’s an asset purchase, and Green Clinic will still be existing. It will be a seamless transition for the patients We don’t have to worry about filling out records or billing any differently. It will be billed as Green Clinic.”

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.

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by Hanna Singh

With a passion for her hometown, one Ruston resident returned home after pursuing big dreams and became a more integral part of the Lincoln Parish community.

Now serving as the Marketing and Events Manager for the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Publisher of Lola Magazine and a devoted mother of two, Bevin Sutton Hicks is a woman who wears many hats. Her commitment to uplifting her community and sharing other’s stories is a testament to her love for the place she calls home.

Born and raised in Ruston, Hicks grew up loving the unique mix of small-town charm and big-town culture in the community. In 2005, she graduated from Louisiana Tech University, with a degree in marketing and an undeniable passion for storytelling.

Eager to pursue her career, she moved to Shreveport where she spent a decade working in print media advertising. During that time, Hicks gained media experience, which eventually led her to take a bold step toward starting her own publication. Shortly after the birth of her second child, Hicks realized she wanted to devote more time to her kids, prompting her to refocus her career in a way that allowed her to still pursue her passion for publishing.

“I guess Sutton was about six months old when I decided I wanted to spend more time with my kids. I just thought that I wanted to create a publication that told real stories about real women and not paid stories,” Hicks said. “So, I decided to start a women’s publication for all of North Louisiana. I didn’t know how it was going to go, but that was eight years ago, and it’s done great. It has been the biggest honor of my life.”

Based in Shreveport, Lola Magazine has become a beloved North Louisiana publication for lady’s lifestyle. With sections on fashion and beauty, home and entertaining, family and children, and inspiring interviews with Louisiana women, Hicks created Lola to celebrate the vibrant lives of ladies in the state.

At the heart of the magazine’s success, Hicks credits her biggest source of support, her Advertising Director. Hicks believes that the successful journey of Lola Magazine would not have been possible without the other half of the publication’s heartbeat, her longtime friend, Carie Hart. With their team, they’ve created a way to uplift and connect women across the region.

While publishing her own lifestyle magazine, Hicks finds joy in connecting with many incredible women from all walks of life and learning about their trials and successes. Hicks realized that giving a voice to these remarkable women was part of her passion and purpose. Lola Magazine writer, Terri Netterville, described Hicks as a role model, noting her unique talent to make her corner of the world a better place.

“She is a visionary whose ultimate desire is to use her voice, her platform and especially Lola Magazine as a means to inspire and empower others who are yearning to leave a positive and lasting impact in their own corner of the world,” Netterville said. “Bevin Hicks is such a Louisiana treasure whose spirit draws out comfort in her beloved hometown of Ruston, Louisiana, but whose soul soars mightily with all of us luckily enough to have landed along her life path.”

After some time working on Lola, Hicks realized that spending more time with her children wasn’t all that Hicks wanted to do for them. She began to feel that being closer to family was just as important. In 2018, Hicks and her family made the decision to return to Ruston, her beloved hometown.

Reflecting on her own childhood, she knew Ruston would provide the kind of environment where she’d want her children to grow up. Having been gone for over 15 years, Hicks was somewhat hesitant about her return. However, she eventually recognized that it was the best decision she had ever made.

It didn’t take long for Hicks’ talent for media and communication to be recognized in her hometown. Will Dearmon, President and CEO of the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, saw her potential and reached out to discuss job with the Chamber. Despite already balancing motherhood and her work with Lola, Hicks took on the position as Marketing and Events Manager. In this role, she found herself working on events and promoting local initiatives. Since stepping into this position, Hicks feels she has become more involved in the Ruston community and has been given the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

“Although I have so enjoyed being in all of North Louisiana, my family and my kids are here. I’m so invested in Ruston and how much it has grown in the 15 years that I was gone,” Hicks said. “I’m so proud of this town. It’s not only such a good place to raise kids, but also such a good place to do life. I feel that my heart is pulling me to stay in this area and to do what I can to make Ruston even better.”

As the Marketing and Events Manager for the Chamber, Hicks interacts with Ruston residents in all walks of life. Meeting with businesses and entrepreneurs, she builds connections in all different parts of the community. Her work has not gone unnoticed by the community and by her peers She has earned the admiration of many, including President of the Chamber Will Dearmon, who recognized the positive impact she has made.

“Bevin is so much more than just the title, she is so much more than just a chamber employee or a business peer. She’s a great friend and a tremendous community partner,” Dearmon said. “In terms of the professionalism she brings to events and our marketing efforts, obviously, she’s got a background in bringing stories to life with her background in Lola Magazine. So, bringing her on a few years ago was a great decision, one that I take pride in as well. She’s just really what we needed.”

In her role at the Chamber, Hicks oversees the promotions for events, including legislative luncheons, ribbons cuttings, groundbreakings and more. Currently, Hicks is helping with the Leadership Lincoln, a 10-month class where participants will deepen their knowledge of the community and critical industries across Lincoln Parish.

Meanwhile, for Lola, Hicks is currently working on the holiday edition of the magazine. As far as her work between Lola and the Chamber, Hicks isn’t sure where the next few years will take her. However, one thing is clear—she remains committed to doing her part for the success of her community. With Ruston in a period of growth, Hicks knows that there is work to be done to keep people coming to see what is here.

“It is so exciting because daily we get calls and submissions for new memberships because there are so many new businesses coming to Ruston,” Hicks said. “There’s a lot to look forward to here and the future is bright. Our leadership is so good right now. Shoutout to Mayor Walker.”

As the town continues to grow, Hicks and her team at the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce will keep supporting local businesses and sharing the unique qualities that make Ruston such a special place to live and thrive.

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.

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Courtesy of GSU Communications

Grambling State University graduate Henry Whitehorn, Caddo Parish’s first Black sheriff, talked about the power and responsibilities of “We the People” as he served as keynote speaker for GSU’s Constitution Day Observance in the auditorium of the Betty E. Smith Nursing Building Thursday morning.

While Constitution Day is historically observed on Sept. 17, the day in 1787 that delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia, GSU’s program was held Thursday to coincide with the university’s convocation schedule.

“Today we celebrate the U.S. Constitution, a document that has shaped our nation for more than two centuries,” Whitehorn said. “The Constitution is more than just a historical document. It is a testament to the ideas of democracy, a guiding light that shapes our nation, and the protector of our freedoms and rights.

“It begins with three powerful words — ‘We the People.’ And these words are not just an introduction, they are a profound declaration of the principles that bind us as a nation. ‘We the People’ signifies the power of governance that lies in the hands of a few but is in the collective will of many.”

Whitehorn said the Constitution is a reminder that our democracy is built on a foundation of inclusivity, equality, and justice for all, but that while it is honored and revered, its historical shortcomings must also be acknowledged.

“When the Constitution was written and ratified, it did not provide for protections for African Americans and women, and this omission is a stark reminder of the struggles and the injustices that has marred our history,” Whitehorn said.

“As we reflect on these truths, it is essential to recognize the progress that we have made and what still lies ahead. The journey toward equality and justice is ongoing, and it requires an unwavering commitment from all of us.”

Whitehorn said his journey from being a Grambling State student to becoming the first Black sheriff in the history of the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office in 186 years has been one of dedication, perseverance, and a steadfast commitment to public service.

He then moved on to the concept of Constitutional police, which he called essential to his role as sheriff.

“Constitutional police is about ensuring that law enforcement actions are consistent with the Constitution and the rights that it guarantees to all individuals,” Whitehorn said. “It is about building trust between law enforcement and the communities we serve. It is about transparency, it’s about accountability, and respect for human dignity.

“I have witnessed firsthand the importance of Constitutional policing and community engagement. Upholding the Constitution means ensuring that every individual, regardless of race, gender, or background, is afforded equal rights and protections. It means fostering trust between law enforcement and the communities we serve. And it means standing up for justice and standing up against injustice wherever it may arise.”

“Early in my career I had an encounter — a situation that profoundly shaped my approach to policing,” Whitehorn said. “I was called to a neighborhood dispute that had escalated to a tense standoff.”

Whitehorn said when he and his partner exited their patrol car, they saw fear and distrust in the eyes of onlookers.

“It was a situation where at least one had already been shot,” Whitehorn said. “As I approached, I saw people running out of a store with weapons in their hands. Instead of immediately responding with force, I took the time to listen. I took the time to understand and to mediate the situation peacefully.

“That day I witnessed the power of empathy and building trust in resolving conflict. It reinforced my belief that Constitutional policing is not just a policy. It is a commitment to treating every individual with dignity and respect.”

Whitehorn it’s important to understand that the Constitution is not just a historical document but instead a living promise that must be attempted to live up to every day.

“It is a promise of equality, it is a promise of justice and liberty for all,” Whitehorn said. “It is a promise that requires our active participation and dedication, whether it’s promoting community service or simply staying informed, each of us has a role to play in shaping the future of our nation.

“Our history is marked by the tireless efforts of those who have fought for civil rights and equality. From the civil rights movement to the present day, we have seen the power of ‘We the People.’ We have seen this power in action, and it is a testament of the strength of the resilience of our community and a call to action for each of us to continue this vital work.”

Whitehorn closed by reminding those in attendance that the power to create positive change is within everyone.

“That change lies within each of us and we strive to live up to the promise of ‘We the People.’ Thank you and God Bless Grambling State University,” Whitehorn said.

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.

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A man initially booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center as “John Doe” is facing charges of assaulting another man and other charges.

“John Doe” was arrested last Friday after Ruston Police investigated two incidents involving the man. At about 8:00 p.m. on September 13, he allegedly punched a customer at the Cajun Bar & Grill on La. Highway 33 for no apparent reason.

The victim and restaurant manager said the man appeared to be intoxicated or on drugs. Police viewed video of the incident but could not find the suspect.

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Several hours later, the Raceway convenience store nearby called to report a man causing a disturbance. Officers determined he appeared to be the same man from the video of the earlier incident. When officers asked his name, he began singing instead of identifying himself. The store manager said the man had been drinking in the parking lot and banging on the windows.

The man was arrested and booked for simple battery, resisting an officer by refusing to provide identification, and disturbing the peace by intoxication in public.

Over the weekend “Doe” was identified as Joshua Butcher, 40, of Springfield, La. His bail was set at $2,000.

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. 

Follow the Lincoln Parish Journal each morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. It’s FREE! Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

Courtesy of Experience Ruston

Ruston Cultural District (RCD) invites the community to attend the Bulldog Project Auction on Thursday, September 19 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the Dixie Center for the Arts located at 212 N. Vienna St. in downtown Ruston.

The event is free and open to the public and will feature music, a wine and cheese social, and a live auction of 11 Bulldog statues. 

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with a wine and cheese social, where the community is invited to come view all 11 statues up-close at that time. Those wishing to bid on a Bulldog must check out a bidding paddle between 6:30-7:00 p.m. The live auction will begin at 7:00 p.m. Starting bids for these bulldogs are $2,500. Check payment is highly preferred, although cards will be accepted. 

Condition of sale: By bidding on a Bulldog Project statue in the live auction, you understand that the bulldog MUST remain in public access for a minimum of 3 years to maintain its purpose as a public art installation. Delivery and installation of your statue is included in your total cost of purchase. However, concrete bases are not included in the installation. 

Ten of the Bulldogs have been painted by local artists and one Bulldog statue is blank, allowing the winning bidder to commission their own custom piece of art. The Ruston Cultural District would like to recognize all the contributing artists of this installation of The Bulldog Project: Camellia Bailey, Hannah Bustamante, Whitney Caskey, Whitney Trisler Causey, Melanie Douthit, Bailee Golden, Fairan Hayes, Anna Grace Lee, LeannaPatterson, and Emily Vaccaro.

“We are so excited to invite the community to come see all of the new Bulldog statues in one place,” said Amy Stegall, President of the Ruston Cultural District. “The Bulldog Project has been a great display of public artfor the last six years and we are excited to expand the project with these incredible pieces of art. While this will be our last installment of Bulldogs in the community, it gives us great pride that they will remain in public view.” 

RCD would like to thank Courtesy Automotive Team for clear coating allthe statues to ensure they remain weather protected. This public art installation serves as a fundraiser to support the Ruston Cultural District, a 501©(3) nonprofit, for future projects and cultural events within the district.

For more information on the Ruston Cultural District and the BulldogProject, please contact Ruston Cultural District President Amy Stegall at 318-251-8647 or culturaldistrict@ruston.org, or visit www.facebook.com/RustonCulturalDistrict.  

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About the Ruston Cultural District

Ruston Cultural District seeks to celebrate, embrace, and promote local arts within the district’s footprint. The organization focuses on visual, performing, literary, and culinary arts, as well as folk life. Through special events, promotions, and projects, the Cultural District hopes to bring more cultural experiences and opportunities to the Ruston community.

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.

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Last week was only the second Sunday of this 2024 NFL season, a mountain of games and weeks and months away from Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans February 9, 2025, what is to be a record-tying 11^th Super Bowl in New Orleans (Miami also has 11) and the eighth in the Superdome.

But when the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys play, it’s an early Super Sunday in these parts.

And so it was Sunday, and so it was not that surprising when the preacher let loose with some football talk to a congregation secretly intent on making it home by midway through the first quarter, what with kickoff being at noon and all.

(Saints and Cowboys fans always pray for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff but … not all prayers are answered with a ‘yes.’ This sets us up for another column on patience, faith, and hope. But for now, the lesson is ‘acceptance.’ Anyways… )

The sermon was the first in what is to be a series on the book of Philippians, one of several epistles, or letters, that the apostle Paul wrote 2,000-plus years ago, give or take, to young churches, the football equivalent of expansion teams in the early days of Christianity.

The letter was addressed to the young church at Philippi on the Aegean Sea and began, the preacher said, with a word of grace “to all the Saints in Philippi…”

“Notice,” our pastor said, “Paul didn’t write ‘to all the Cowboys in Philippi…’”

Boom. And all the Saints fans said, “Amen.”

And all the Cowboys fans thought, “Boooooo!” This proved to be good practice, because the guys with the star on their helmets got smoked by the Saints Sunday in Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, 44-19.

Old news if you’re a Cowboys fan, still music to the ears of Saints lovers.

And the new joke is that the star on a Dallas helmet isn’t a logo: it’s a one-star rating.

Mercy.

Whether that was preaching or prophecy or a little of both, the preacher’s prelude to Sunday’s game was something to smile about before a game that, although it’s only mid-September, presented in its conclusion a two-headed question:

Did the Saints go marching in? Or did the Cowboys go marching out?

Way too early to tell. But this much we know.

After two games, the Saints are No. 1 in scoring (45.5 points per game), No. 4 in total offense (405.5 yards per game), No. 4 in scoring defense (14.5 ppg) and No. 8 in total defense (273 ypg).

Glory!

Meanwhile the Cowboys were favored by a touchdown and lost by … 25 points? 26? Something like that.

Speaking of 26, ESPN picked the Saints to finish 26 in the 32-team league. The Cowboys are picked 6^th.

All that said, it’s a long, long way to the NFC Championship Game. The NFL season is a brutal slugfest, a tedious journey at best. The Cowboys got smoked at San Francisco 42-10 in early October last season, and still won seven of their next eight to finish 12-5, a tie for best in the NFC.

Green Bay then cleaned their clock in the playoffs, 48-32. It is tough being a Cowboys fan these past few (25-plus) years, one would imagine.

Meanwhile a Saints fan can hang his or her helmet of hope on the 44 points scored Sunday and what looked like a defense that could make the playoffs, something New Orleans hasn’t done since 2020.

And as summer turns to autumn, fans of either team could always fall back on Philippians. It’s only four short chapters — but not short on the subject of joy, no matter the circumstances.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

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The Lincoln Parish Journal wants to thank Karl Malone Toyota, Northern Louisiana Medical Center and Johnson Physical Therapy for their title and presenting sponsorships of this year’s College Football Pick’em contest.

We also want to thank Dubach Air and Heat, Ginn’s Autobody, Hart Designs, Dawghouse Sports Grill, Pattons Western Wear, Tanyard Creek, Stows Moving Co., Ruston Athletic Supply, Hot Rod’s BBQ, and Charlie’s Carpet Cleaning for their Pick’em Partnerships within the contest.

We encourage all of our readers to utilize the services and products provided by our advertisers!

CLICK HERE TO PLAY

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Three weeks. Three winners.

Barbara Bradshaw was this week’s winner of the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Northern Louisiana Medical Center and Johnson Physical Therapy.

She walked away with $200!

Would you like 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!

Week 1: Alethea Gipson

Week 2: NaTyra Bolds

Week 3: Barbara Bradshaw

Follow the Lincoln Parish Journal each morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. It’s FREE! Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

Special to the LPJ from 4 Paws

Meet Billy!

Billy was owner surrendered a little over a year ago. His previous owner had another dog with health issues and couldn’t afford both dogs. Billy came in at 6 months old, and we thought he would find a home quick!

Unfortunately, he did not and is now a year and 8 months old. Billy is very easy going and loves all other dogs! He is up-to-date on vacs, neutered, & heart worm negative/on prevention. Billy has a beautiful tan coat and loves attention from the volunteers.

Even if you are not in a place to adopt, we are always looking for people to take dogs on doggie dates and sleepovers!

Open Tuesday-Saturday 11a-3p!

Please email 4pawsruston@gmail.com if interested in adopting.

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.

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