Rolling Stone Magazine had this to say about Selwyn, “A remarkable contemporary bluesman…a powerhouse young guitarist and soulful vocalist. A major player…highly recommended.” The International Blues Challenge winner and his band will be performing at the Historic Dixie Theater in Downtown, and this promises to be a show of the highest caliber.

Although award-winning Florida musician Selwyn Birchwood is firmly rooted in the tradition, the young guitarist, lap steel player, songwriter and vocalist sets a course for the future of the blues with his visionary, original music. Birchwood, whose band features the pulsating interplay of his blistering guitar with Regi Oliver’s driving baritone sax, deploys a singular sound and style all his own. He calls it “Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues,” an intoxicating mix of deep blues, blistering, psychedelic-tinged rock, booty-shaking funk and sweet Southern soul, played and sung with the fire-and-brimstone fervor of a revival tent preacher with a hellhound on his trail.

Live, Birchwood is a force of nature. His ability to win over an audience–any audience–is proven night after night on the bandstand. With his warm, magnetic personality, Birchwood is as down-to-earth as his music is thought-provoking and electrifying. With his band feeding off his energy, the 6’3″ musician roams the stage barefoot, ripping out memorable guitar licks with ease, his soulful, rocks-and-gravel vocals firing up his fans. When he sits down to play his lap steel, he takes the crowd to a whole other level, with the music exorcising any bad times and troubles.

Birchwood, his father from Tobago, his mother from the UK, was born in 1985 in Orlando, Florida. He first grabbed a guitar at age 13 and soon became proficient at mimicking what he heard on the radio. But the popular grunge rock, hip-hop and metal of the 1990s didn’t move him. And then he discovered Jimi Hendrix. “He was larger than life. What he did was mind-blowing.” As luck would have it, just as Birchwood was learning Hendrix’s guitar playing was steeped in blues, legendary bluesman Buddy Guy–a major influence on Hendrix–was scheduled to perform in Orlando. Birchwood was there, front and center. “I was floored,” he recalls. “I completely connected with the blues. I knew this was my path, and I had to make this music.” He dove deep, listening to icons including Albert King, Freddie King, Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins and of course, Buddy Guy. “The flood gates opened,” says Birchwood, “and at that point I started trying to absorb as much as I could.”

Come see this outstanding performer on the stage at the Dixie Center. The Dixie Center for the Arts strives to bring the finest entertainment available to our region. We encourage you to come out and see for yourself why the Dixie Center is North Louisiana’s Premier Entertainment Destination. For information about the Dixie and to purchase tickets for any Dixie Events please visit  www.dixiecenter.org. The Dixie Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and restored historic theater in Ruston, La. Our mission is “To be the home and heart of the arts in North Central Louisiana. For more information about the Dixie Center please visit our website at http://www.dixiecenter.org

This is an advertorial

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Ruston Police arrested a local man Monday after he allegedly attacked a man with an ice pick.

Zachary D. Elkharash, 27, was arrested about 5:00 p.m. September 30 after an incident at a Robinette Drive residence.

According to an officer’s report, the victim said Elkharash was sitting in a vehicle at the house when he and his brother and sister got home. Elkharash was not supposed to come to the residence after being told by a family member to stay away.

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The victim said when he told Elkharash to return items he stole, Elkharash punched him twice in the face, produced an ice pick, and attempted to stab the victim. The victim was struck in the hand and in the face, incurring two cuts near his eye. The victim said he was obtain the ice pick during the fight and tried to stab Elkharash in an effort to get the man off him.

Elkharash left before police arrived, but he was located on Works Road by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Elkharash reportedly told RPD the fight began as he was returning the victim’s cell phone, and that the victim pulled a gun on him. Elkharash claimed he hit the man in the head with the ice pick in self-defense.

According to the report, Elkharash displayed indications of intoxication and changed his account of the incident several times.

Elkharash was arrested and booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for aggravated battery, criminal trespass, and theft valued under $1,000. His bail was set at $43,500.

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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Middle school students at Lincoln parish’s A.E. Phillips Laboratory School boasted high performance scores on this year’s Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) test. 

Under the direction of Dr. Jenny Blalock, some of the highlights of the results of the LEAP test were: 

-100% of AEP Algebra students (8th grade given for high school credit) scored Mastery or Advanced  

-100% of AEP 6th, 7th and 8th grade students scored Mastery or Advanced in Math 

-100% of AEP 7th grade students scored Mastery or Advanced in Science 

-100% of AEP 8th grade students scored Mastery or Advanced in ELA 

“We are experiencing this success because of the hard work of our faculty, staff and students,” Blalock said. “Teachers and administration are constantly reflecting and working together to improve our practice. We are also remembering the practices that we believe in, that are research-based, and ensuring they continue in our classrooms; regardless of what changes may come in education. We strive for academic excellence, but we prioritize the safety, well-being, and happiness of our students, faculty and staff.”

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Another type of data measured is called a Proficiency Score for those students who achieve Mastery or Advanced on the LEAP.  The AEP Bullpups placed Top 10 in the state in the following grades and subjects: 

-6th grade ELA (Top 10) 

-6th grade Math (#1 statewide) 

-6th grade Science (#2 statewide) 

-7th grade ELA (Top 5) 

-7th grade Math (#1 statewide) 

-7th grade Science (#1 statewide) 

-8th grade ELA (tied for 1st statewide) 

-8th grade Math (tied for 1st statewide)  

-8th grade Science (Top 5) 

Blalock noted that most schools placing higher are for advanced studies or are magnet schools.  

Lauren Pipes, who teaches 6th and 7th grade math said, “Our students work very hard every day to become the best mathematicians they can be.  We believe that continuing to review every single day is the key to complete understanding.  Be the end of the year, they could all be teaching the class…which is a testament to their understanding.” 

Current 8th grade student and Student Council President Nolan Hogan agreed with Pipes’s assessment. 

“With the wonderful staff and teachers, it is no wonder we have achieved this amount of greatness,” Hogan said. 

Blalock said she would also like to praise and extend her thanks to the Assistant Director for Middle School Lori Kelly.   

“(She) would not want any credit or recognition but this is a testament to her leadership,” Blalock said.  

The LEAP test mirrors the curriculum taught each year and gives a “grade” to each student to assess their readiness for the next level of study. It also gives educators information on where a student may need extra help.  After the tests are scored and released in July, a student is given an Advanced, Mastery, Basic, Approaching Basic or Unsatisfactory mark within each section given. In grades below high school, students normally take four sections—English Language Arts (ELA), math, science and social studies—but this year only took three sections as the social studies was a field test and no data was released. 

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.

By Malcolm Butler

Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie announced Thursday night during his weekly radio show that he will relinquish the offensive play calling duties moving forward.

The third-year Bulldog Boss said that co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Nathan Young would be moving up to the box and would assume the offensive play calling responsibilities starting with next Thursday’s home game against Middle Tennessee.

Cumbie said he took a hard look at the struggles on offense through four games, with the Bulldogs averaging just 18.8 points per game. Tech’s season high in points came in the opener in a 25-17 win over Nicholls State.

“For us as coaches, we have to own what we are doing,” said Cumbie during the show. “We have to own how we set up the gameplan. We have to own our performance, and quite frankly we haven’t played very well.

“I have been the offensive play caller for the last two and a half years, and I have to own that we haven’t played very well on offense. We haven’t been very productive, and we have not scored very many points.”

Cumbie said he met with the team earlier this week to communicate his decision.

“I told our players that I love being the starter when it comes to calling plays,” said Cumbie. “But right now I’m not producing. Right now I’ve not been very good in that role. So this week I am going to take a step back and moving forward I’m going to let Nathan Young take over the offensive play calling duties. It will allow me to be a better head coach.

“I can better serve our players and better serve this team if I do that. When we get to Thursday, Friday and Saturday, there are just so many decisions to make and my brain is so full of so many different scenarios … it causes me not to be as aggressive. It causes me not to be as creative.”

Louisiana Tech Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey said he felt confident in Cumbie’s ability to make the decision that he felt was best for the program.

“I’m really proud of Sonny and his ability to look inward and make what I feel is the right decision for the football team,” said Ivey. “There aren’t many times where leaders have the courage to do such. I believe great things are still ahead for our football program.”

Young, who came to Ruston in 2022 along with Cumbie, has experience as an offensive play caller at both the collegiate and high school levels during his time at Abilene Christian and at San Antonio’s Madison High School.

“Nathan is super smart,” said Cumbie. “He’s called plays before. He has been highly successful when he has done that and he is highly creative.”

Tech hosts Middle Tennessee Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m.

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 T. Scott Boatright

 

Proverbs 27:17 says that iron sharpens iron.

For a good football team striving to get better game by game, which means facing any and every challenge ahead. The bigger the challenge, the better a team can become.

The Lincoln Preparatory School football team, which stands at 3-1 overall and 1-0 in District 1-1A, faces such a challenge tonight as it hits the road to take on No. 3 Hayneville, which stands at 4-0 overall and 1-0 in league play.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Red Franklin Field.

Lincoln Prep coach Glen Hall said he has been preaching to his Panthers that it will take focused and smart football to beat the Golden Tornado.

“It’s no secret we’re going up against a team that’s been one of the most dominant in the state for years and years,” “Hall said. “They are the strongest team in our district. They say iron sharpens iron. We are going to need to play like we are iron tonight, because that is what we’re going to be going up against.

“We have to be ready to go in there and compete. If we can avoid the mental mistakes, stay focused, and stay competitive with them until late in the game, then we have a chance. But we cannot have mistakes that keep us from staying competitive. We have to stay focused with our execution. Only one or two mistakes can be the difference against a team this good.”

That will not be easy against a Haynesville squad that is averaging 42.75 points per game and has outscored its opponents 171-43 four games into the season.

Lincoln Prep has been putting points on the board, too. Since falling at D’Arbonne Woods 36-6 in the season opener, the Panthers have averaged 46.3 points per in consecutive wins over Magnolia School of Excellence, Beekman Charter Jonesboro-Hodge.

The Panthers operate an offense that mixes a standout pro-set along with a Wildcat formation with what Hall calls his “three-headed monster” in seniors Jordan Brown, the pro-set quarterback, along with D’Tavion Wright and Verlanski Glosson, who split time as the Wildcat QB.

“We’ve done well especially when operating out of the Wildcat, but I know that Haynesville knows that,” Hall said. “And that means they are probably going to try to stack the box and take away the run.

“So, we are probably going to need to keep them off balance by throwing some play-action passes. That is going to be the thing for us — we need to be able to execute and move the ball from both formations. If we let them limit us to just one thing, they can focus on stopping, we are going to have problems. We cannot beat ourselves. We have to be able to pass some to help the run just like our run game should help open up our pass game.”

Defensively, Hall said the key for his Panthers will be stopping Haynesville’s powerful run game. But that does not mean the Golden Tornado will not throw. Quarterback Isiah Washington completed four-of-five passes with three going for scores in a 51-0 over Plain Dealing last week.

“They don’t throw the ball all that much but they’re like us in that they’re not afraid to go to the air if they need to,” Hall said. “Their quarterback (Isiah Washington) is a good rusher, and they have a couple of good running backs (Donnie Critton and Yasin Meador.

“So, we have to have good line play on both sides of the ball. We have talent. We knew this team had talent. But they are starting to figure it out for themselves now. We have built a little momentum, and people are starting to take notice. But we have to come and show it again at Haynesville, which is a tough place to play. We must show we belong up there with them and are capable of beating them.”

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 Malcolm Butler

Cedar Creek scored a season-high in points but it wasn’t enough as the Cougars fell 38-20 at Delta Charter Thursday night in Ferriday.

It was a game that saw Creek (0-5) have an opportunity in the opening quarter to build a significant lead as the Cougars had three offensive possessions within the 30-yard line of the Storm and ran 24 of the first 25 offensive plays of the night.

The Cougars recovered their own kickoffs on both the opening kickoff and the kickoff following their first score as Creek dominated time of possession in the first quarter.

However, Creek was only able to put a 1-yard Wyatt Gremillion touchdown on the board and led just 6-0 through the opening 12 minutes of the ball game.

“We came out and played really well to start the game,” said Creek head coach William Parkerson. “We had a good drive and got stopped. Then we got an interception and punched it in to take the early lead. We had another opportunity to score again, but a fourth and two on their five-yard line got stopped. It would have been nice to extend the lead and play with a two-score lead.

“But we continued to fight for 48 minutes like we have all year. If we keep that up we are going to break through and get some wins before long.”

Delta Charter (3-1) responded, posting a pair of touchdowns, including a 22-yard TD run and a 36-yard TD pass. The Storm added successful two-point conversions following both scores to take a 16-6 lead into the halftime locker room.

The Storm pushed its advantage to 24-6 with 8:55 to play in the third quarter on a 2-yard TD run and another successful two-point conversion.

Creek answered with a 18-yard TD pass from Cason Floyd to Blake Robinson with 4:30 remaining in the third quarter to trim the deficit to 24-12. Floyd was 2-for-4 passing for 30 yards and the one score and one interception.

An 81-yard TD run and a 74-yard fumble return for a score by Delta Charter increased the Storm’s lead to 38-12 with just over nine minutes to play in the game.

Senior James Myers added the final TD of the night on a 67-yard run with Mason Wooden’s two-point conversion run making the score 38-20.  Myers led the Cougars with 98 yards rushing on just seven carries as the Cougars totaled 182 yards on the ground in the game.

“We talked at the half about how they were playing us and what we thought may work for us in the second half,” said Parkerson. “We came out and executed running our belly G play. I wish we had gotten to it earlier, but we didn’t think going into the game based on what we saw that it would be very successful. But the way they were lining up … I wish we had gone to it earlier.”

Trigger Woodard added 52 yards rushing on 14 carries while Gremillion totaled 45 yards on 16 carries.

Blake Robinson led the Cougars with five tackles, including two tackles for loss, while Payton Harris totaled four tackles. Nolan Martin added a fumble recovery and Hayden Durrett an interception for the Creek defense.

Creek will travel to Plain Dealing next Friday.

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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Back “in the day” I was a small boy attending Vacation Bible School. I remember one of the thrills was learning how to say the name of the book, “Deuteronomy.” When you can say, “Deuteronomy” you are a big boy! I also remember making crafts for my mother. If you take four small boxes of matches, put them in a square pattern, glue two old fashion school bathroom tiles to them, you have a matchbook holder, and your mom will be pleased. We made that on Monday and then on Tuesday, we actually made “ash trays” for our parents. Remember this was Vacation Bible School, 1960’s style.

Fortunately, we don’t make ashtrays in Vacation Bible School anymore. Come to think of it, we don’t even sell ashtrays in stores anymore. That was one whole “section” of the W.T. Grant stores. Ashtrays and cigarette lighters have vanished from cars too. Things have changed for the better I suppose. I do have memories of filling my dad’s cigarette lighter with fluid and then testing the lighter. Do you know what happens to flannel pajamas soaked in lighter fluid? I do!

I wanted to make the point that it isn’t a long journey from ubiquitous to extinct. (I wrote that sentence just to prove I actually attended graduate school.) Think of all the things we used to have around all the time that are gone. Rotary dial phones, cars without shoulder belts, typewriters, mimeograph machines, chalkboards, hymnals (they are vanishing), pure heroes and heroines, and Sunday mornings with nothing happening but church.

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Even the mysterious thing called a relationship has changed as “perfumed loved letters” have given way to “text messaging.” Keeping up in a changing world has become ever more challenging, especially in church life. One of the great mantras of church life is, “we have never done it that way before.” I think we should say over some of the things we do, “we should never do it that way AGAIN.”

So, what do you miss that is gone? Do you really miss outhouses or restaurants where there were smoking and non-smoking sections? Do you really miss a humid non air conditioned living room and sitting by the old Victrola. I didn’t think so.

Change is the only constant in life. You are either changing (metabolism) or you are dead. My hope for you is that you are always changing in God’s direction!

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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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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CLICK HERE TO PLAY

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!

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

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.

Saturday, Oct. 5
USSSA Softball (Ruston Sports Complex)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
6-8:30 p.m.: Pumpkins in the Park (Downtown Ruston)

Sunday, Oct. 6
USSSA Softball (Ruston Sports Complex)

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Courtesy of Louisiana Tech Athletic Communications

Louisiana Tech Men’s Basketball head coach Talvin Hester announced Thursday the complete 2024-25 schedule, a slate that features 15 home games inside the Thomas Assembly Center.

LA Tech will have 13 non-conference games, starting with the season opener on Nov. 4 in the TAC versus LSU-Alexandria. That will be followed up with the ‘Dogs first road test at UT Arlington on Nov. 9 and a neutral site contest against UMass in Long Island, New York on Nov. 13 as part of the “Icons of the Game” event.

After a Nov. 18 home game versus Mississippi College, the Bulldogs will travel to Estero, Florida to take part in the Gulf Coast Showcase on Nov. 25-27. LA Tech returns to the event in which it was the inaugural champion back in 2013.

The Bulldogs wrap up the month of November by hosting Southern on the 30th. LA Tech has back-to-back road contests at Memphis (Dec. 4) and UL-Lafayette (Dec. 7) before hosting three consecutive games versus Georgia Southern (Dec. 13), Grand Canyon (Dec. 16), and Rust College (Dec. 21).

The 18-game Conference USA slate will pit the Bulldogs against every league team twice, both home and away, starting on Jan. 2 when LA Tech travels to El Paso, Texas to battle UTEP.

The squad will close out the regular season at home versus the Miners on March 8 followed by the CUSA Basketball Championship on March 11-15 in Huntsville, Alabama at Propst Arena.

SEASON TICKETS
Fans can purchase season tickets for the 2024-25 Bulldog Basketball season by visiting LATechSports.com/Tickets or by calling the LA Tech Ticket Office at 318-257-3631.

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

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 LA Tech Athletic Communications

Louisiana Tech football will travel to Austin to take on the University of Texas on Sept. 2, 2028, both athletic departments announced Thursday afternoon.

This will be the second all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and the Longhorns, with the first contest coming in the 2019 season.

Texas leads the series 1-0 after defeating LA Tech 38-14 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

In addition to the Texas matchup, the 2028 season will see the Bulldogs travel to North Texas, and San Diego State, while Kansas visits Ruston.

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

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

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 Athletic Communications

The Grambling State University men’s basketball program announced its 2024-25 schedule on Thursday morning. This season’s slate features 14 home games, along with multiple challenging away and neutral site match-ups.

The Tigers, led by head coach Donte’ Jackson, are coming off an impressive 2023-24 season that saw them capture their first-ever SWAC Tournament championship and trip to the Division I NCAA Tournament.

Grambling State opens the season at home on Nov. 4 against Southern University at New Orleans, followed by a tough road contest at the University of Mississippi on Nov. 8.

The Tigers then travel to Gainesville, Fla., for a match-up against the University of Florida on Nov. 11 before heading to Albuquerque, N.M., to face the University of New Mexico on Nov. 21. GSU wraps up November with two more away games, including a contest against the University of Southern California and Cal Poly.

December brings a mix of home and away games, starting with a home game against Arkansas Baptist College on Dec. 3. The Tigers will then head to Malibu, Calif., to take on Pepperdine University on Dec. 7, followed by a home game against Southeastern Louisiana on Dec. 16. The month also features two neutral site games in Uncasville, Con.., against Norfolk State and Delaware State.

As the new year begins, Grambling State returns home on Dec. 30 for a matchup against the College of Biblical Studies before diving into SWAC play.

The home SWAC schedule includes key matchups against Bethune-Cookman (Jan. 11), Florida A&M (Jan. 13), Jackson State (Feb. 1), and Texas Southern (Feb. 17), among others.

The road SWAC slate starts with Prairie View A&M (Jan. 4) and continues with challenging matchups against Alabama State (Feb. 8) and Alabama A&M (Mar. 10).

The 2025 SWAC Basketball Tournament is scheduled for Mar. 12 at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, Ga.

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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Jimmy Lee Wall went to be with his Lord and Savior on 10/2/2024. Jimmy was born on 10/19/1936, to Burley and Lola Wall in Mira, LA. Jimmy was a jack-of-all-trades and worked in many different fields throughout his lifetime. Jimmy was a member of First Baptist Church in Witney, TX for many years before moving to Palestine, TX to live with his daughter.

There will be no funeral service, but a memorial service for family and friends will be schedule for a later date.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents, Burley and Lola; a son, Dewayne Wall and his wife Joann; three sisters, Lessie Davis, Bessie Davis, and Maxine Odom; three brothers, Bobby Wall, Tony Wall, and Bud Wall.

Jimmy is survived by his sons, Ronald Wall and his wife Rose, Odis Evans and his wife Cathie, Kenneth Evans; his daughters, Nancy Wall, and Debbie Roden and her husband Wayne; his sisters, Lanora Dohman, and Avon Poole. He is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and a host of other family and friends.

Jimmy loved his children, family and loved ones the best way that he knew how. He enjoyed working on many things, fishing, and watching old westerns and gameshows. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

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Ronald “Mac” Charles McCarthy was born in Massena, NY on June 20, 1948, and grew up in Winthrop, NY. He had a large family with many siblings, stepsiblings and half siblings. Looking for adventure, he enlisted in the Navy in 1965 at the age of 17. He served on several ships and land assignments during the Vietnam War. His experience during the Vietnam War haunted him during the remainder his life.

While stationed on Midway Island in October 1970, he met Deborah Porter. They were married on June 18, 1971, in Honolulu, HI. Men make many decisions in their lives- some good and some bad- but the decision to marry Deborah was the best one he ever made. During their marriage, they raised two sons. Timothy Scott, born in 1973, and Matthew Louis, born in 1975. He was stationed all over the world on ships, shore duty and deployed with the Seabees. Prior to his retirement in 1993, he was stationed in the middle east during the Gulf War. Mac retired after serving 28 years in the Navy rising to the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8). He was awarded many metals and ribbons including the Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (4^th award), Navy Unit Commendation and the Vietnam service metal (with 3 bronze stars).  

After retirement, they moved from Gulfport, MS to be close to family (grandkids) in Ruston, Louisiana. Mac is survived by his wife Deborah, son Timothy (Jennifer), grandsons Cameron, Ethan, Joshua and Tanner, bother Gary (Cheryl) McCarthy, sisters Nancy McCarthy and Janet (Gary) Grill and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son Matthew, his parents and many siblings.

The vow “until death us do part” last 53 years and for “in sickness and in health” Deborah stayed by his bedside until the end telling him she loved him; he had provided for her and it was time to let go. He passed from this life into eternity on October 1, 2024.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, October 6, 2024, from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. at Kilpatrick Funeral Home Chapel in Ruston, LA.

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Rufus Washington Jr.    
Sept. 9, 1955 – Sept. 25, 2024    
Visitation: 12-2 p.m., Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, at King’s Funeral Home    
Memorial service: 2 p.m., Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, at King’s Funeral Home    
Cemetery: Grambling Memorial Garden   

Ronald “Mac” Charles McCarthy 
June 20, 1948 – October 1, 2024 
Visitation: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Sunday, October 6, 2024, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm 

Effie Lofton   
Friday 04/02/1943 — Wednesday 09/25/2024   
Visitation: Friday 10/04/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home   
Funeral Service: Saturday 10/05/2024 1:00pm at King’s Funeral Home   

Connie Mitchell   
Sunday 08/03/1975 — Thursday 09/26/2024    
Visitation: Friday 10/04/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home   
Funeral Service: Saturday 10/05/2024 11:00am, Springhill Baptist Church, 727 Dicks Store Road, Simsboro   
Interment: Saturday 10/05/2024 Following Service, Shady Grove, Simsboro  

Jerry Lane Spencer  
Thursday 09/06/1951 — Monday 09/30/2024   
Visitation: Friday 10/04/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home  
Funeral Service: Saturday 10/05/2024 11:00am, Zion Hill Baptist Church, 505 Lee Street, Ruston  
Interment: Saturday 10/05/2024 Following Service, Grambling Memorial Garden, Highway 80 West, Grambling  

Vivian Ann Lassiter  
September 8, 1935 – September 30, 2024  
Funeral Service: Friday, October 4, 2024, 10:00 AM, First Baptist Church Ruston, 200 S Trenton St  
Cemetery Committal: Friday, October 4, 2024, Forest Lawn Cemetery, 2500 West California Ave, Ruston 

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By Wesley Harris

(Third in a series on Lincoln Parish cemeteries)

 

Over time, cemeteries can fade into the landscape, overtaken by nature as the elements slowly erode and topple gravestones. Neglect, urban development, and shifting populations can lead to the abandonment or disappearance of cemeteries.

These resting places hold historical and cultural significance, offering insights into past generations, their stories, and the communities they shaped. Preserving cemeteries is essential to honoring the dead, maintaining a connection to history, and safeguarding the legacies embedded within these sacred grounds, lest they be lost forever.

Dozens of cemeteries have been created in Lincoln Parish. Some are meticulously maintained while others have been forgotten. I recall storing recovered tombstones at our evidence room at the Ruston Police Department back in the 1980s. They had been dumped in a pile in Ruston, presumably the victim of commercial development.

Slave cemeteries lie around communities predating the Civil War but since graves were not usually marked, they are difficult to locate unless their use continued after emancipation.

The oldest marked grave in Lincoln Parish is in the Old Colvin Cemetery northeast of Vienna. Sometimes called the Katy Graveyard, it is named for Daniel Colvin’s second wife Katy, who survived so long after his death that the home and cemetery became known as Katy’s place and Katy Graveyard.

Daniel Colvin was one of the first white settlers to establish a homestead in what is now Lincoln Parish. And ever since there’s been an argument over who reached the area first – the Colvins, the Stows, the Pipes, or some other settler

When the cemetery was first documented in writing in 1949, researchers were told some of the markers had disappeared, and others were broken and scattered. Several were still standing in good condition.

The marked graves include Daniel Colvin and his wife Susan and also some of their children and grandchildren. The oldest grave is that of Sarah Colvin Johnson who died September 20, 1826. She was 24 years old.

The youngest with a marked grave is Sarah Ann Colvin, who died on her birthday on May 27, 1838, at the age of two.

The marker for David Colvin, buried in 1859, bears the epithet,

“Green be the turf above thee

Son of our early days

None knew thee but to love thee

None named thee but to praise.”

Over the decades, the Katy Graveyard has been lost to the underbrush and thick woods, only to be rescued and cleaned up, then lost to nature once again. In the late 1960s, a Girl Scout troop placed locally obtained rocks around the perimeter of the graveyard as a small effort in preserving history.

Sometime in that era, a woods fire swept over the area and left all the grave markers black. Family members spent many hours removing the soot.  A low chain link fence was added at some point.

I last visited the Katy Graveyard in the mid-1980s. It was easy to access then, even to the point my 80-year-old grandmother accompanied me. Today, neighbors tell me the graveyard is nearly impossible to find and likely has suffered damage from logging operations.

A description of the Trussell Cemetery on La. Highway 544 was reported in “Lincoln Parish History,” a book prepared in 1976 for the American Bicentennial, to be “completely overgrown with brush and trees, abandoned and wild.” In more recent years, the cemetery was cleaned up and encircled by a picket fence. But time has ravaged the stones, with the lettering worn away on some. Markers are missing or toppled. The bronze marker for a husband and wife is said to have been removed and recycled for a World War II scrap drive. The couple’s graves were later replaced with flat, military-style granite stones to denote the husband’s Civil War service.

The “Lincoln Parish History” book lists several cemeteries as abandoned, including the Gullatt, Waldron, Thomas R. Colvin, May, Kelly, Terryville, and Ephesus Cemeteries, among others. The current status of these graveyards is unknown.

I visited Redwine Cemetery off Old State Road about 20 years ago. Moderately difficult to find, it included the graves of the Redwine family. In a later trip, I could not ascertain where to enter the woods to find Redwine but I’m sure it’s somewhere out there.

The first of the family in the area, Pierce Lovett Redwine, built a road from Redwine, or Woodville as it now appears on maps, to Calhoun to facilitate trade. His son William Eli Redwine served in the state legislature, as a judge, and as Lincoln Parish’s first school superintendent from 1876 to 1904. Eli himself is buried at the Wesley Chapel Cemetery along with other family members. Riser Cemetery and Wesley Chapel, both active cemeteries, became the preferred resting place for most of the Redwines.

The Lincoln Parish Library possesses several resources for researchers inquiring about local cemeteries. “Cemeteries of Lincoln Parish and a Few in Parishes near Lincoln,” “Cemetery Inscriptions of Lincoln Parish,” and “Cemtery Survey of Lincoln Parish through 1980” are available for use within the library.

The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation has built a database of roughly 8,500 historic cemeteries across the state and invites people to submit information about gravesites yet to be documented. One of the purposes of the database is to record history and protect cemeteries by documenting their importance. To submit information to the database, go to https://historic-cemeteries.lthp.org/.

Always check with the property owner before searching for a lost cemetery. Even family members of the departed with check in. And remember hunters are in the woods during certain times of the year.

Next week: Vienna Cemetery

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Courtesy of Lincoln Parish Schools

The Lincoln Parish School District is proud to announce that it has been ranked as the No. 2 best school district in Louisiana by Niche.com, a platform known for providing insights and rankings on schools and districts across the nation, and the market leader in connecting schools with students and families. 

In addition to this ranking, Lincoln Parish School District has been recognized as the best place to teach in Louisiana, the most diverse school district in the state, and home to the best teachers in Louisiana. 

Three of our elementary schools also received recognition: Hillcrest Elementary and Glen View Elementary were ranked in the top 10 public elementary schools in the state, while A.E. Phillips was ranked in the top 10 in both elementary and middle school education.

Niche.com’s rankings are based on a comprehensive analysis of multiple data points, including:

• Academics
• Diversity
• Teacher Quality
• College Preparation
• Clubs and activities
• Administration
• Sports
• Food and nutrition
• Resources and facilities
• School’s Community

Mr. Ricky Durrett, Lincoln Parish School District Superintendent, expressed his excitement about the Niche.com results, “We are pleased to receive these rankings. Lincoln Parish School District is constantly striving to provide a quality education for our students. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teachers, students, and the entire community.

As we celebrate these accomplishments, Lincoln Parish School District looks forward to continuing its mission of providing a quality education for a quality life. 

To view all of our scores and see how LPSD compared to other schools in the state, please visit https://www.niche.com/k12/d/lincoln-parish-public-schools-la/

For more information about Lincoln Parish School District and its programs, please visit lincolnschools.org or contact Brandon Sutherland at brandon.sutherland@lincolnschools.org.

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 Webster Parish Journal Staff

 

A seventh grade student from Glenbrook School in Minden was released from the hospital Wednesday morning following minor injuries that occurred during a junior high football game at Cedar Creek in Ruston Tuesday night.

With 6:40 to play in the fourth quarter and Creek leading 6-0, Kenyunitae “Tae” Morris was tackled near the sidelines and driven out of bounds. According to Glenbrook Athletic Director James Thurman impact with Cedar Creek players caused them to roll and Morris struck a concrete apron with his back and head.

“For a tense period, he was unresponsive and there were concerns about his ability to feel or move from the chest down,” Thurmon said in a statement. “In response, the decision was made to airlift him to Shreveport for treatment at the LSU Heath trauma unit.”

A City of Ruston ambulance reportedly arrived on the scene around six to eight minutes after the play and the ballgame remained unfinished.

After boarding the helicopter, the injured player reportedly showed encouraging signs by moving his feet and responding verbally and by the time the helicopter lifted off, he was able to talk and Thurman said he placed a call to his father who was out of town for work.

“This was a huge relief to everyone involved,” Thurman said.

The Glenbrook community, along with other schools in the area, united in prayer for Morris. Thurman said he received an outpouring of support from local schools, including Cedar Creek, sending their well wishes for the student.

“We are excited and relieved that Tae is doing better and expected to fully heal,” said Cedar Creek junior high head football coach Jacob Angevine. “God isn’t done with that young man yet and he is going to do great things in his life. His story is going to be a testament to the power of prayer. The Cedar Creek family continues to pray for his recovery, his family, teammates, and coaches.”

In a Facebook post shared Tuesday night, Thurman expressed his gratitude and shared the positive news that Tae’s CT scans were clear, and he escaped without serious injury.

“Whenever you hear of a child being flown somewhere after an injury, it really puts things into perspective,” he said. “This is not just an athlete who suffered an injury in a football game, it’s somebody’s child… it’s our child. And you just pray that he’s going to be ok.”

Tae’s recovery has been a huge relief to all who know him, and the Glenbrook and Cedar Creek communities continue to offer prayers and support for his full healing.

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North Village Food Park will be opening its pavilion and food trucks for business this Friday, according to project manager and Lola’s Teriyaki owner Joey Lopez.

Located at 2102 Timberline Court along East Kentucky Avenue adjacent to North Village Apartments, the food park will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting this Friday.

Lopez said the food park currently includes Lola’s Teriyaki, Big Boy’s Smokehouse, Jay’s Wings and Things, and SaborMex Taqueria, and that they are soliciting interested vendors for four additional spots within the footprint of the development.

“The North Village Apartments and this area has definitely grown a lot over the last four or five years,” said Lopez. “We believe the North Village Food Park will be another staple of this development and a great reason to bring families to this side of town.

“We will provide a family friendly environment and we hope people will enjoy all the amenities of this area, including Black Rifle Coffee, 5.11 by Karl Malone, Eskimo’s Frozen Custard & More, North Village Events Venue, and Legends 32 Cigar Lounge.”

Lopez said that any food vendors interested in becoming a part of North Village Food Park should contact him at 318-918-9417.

In addition to the pavilion and the food vendors, North Village Food Park includes an existing playground built a few years ago. However, it was recently renovated and upgraded to better serve the foot traffic.

On the front side of the food truck park closest to East Kentucky Avenue will be an area for games and other forms of entertainment, including cornhole, horseshoes, picnic tables, and movie nights and game nights.

This is an advertorial

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On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, shortly before 10:00 p.m., Troopers with Louisiana State Police Troop F began investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash involving a pedestrian on LA-139 near Curve Drive. The crash claimed the life of 31-year-old James Zeren of Monroe.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2013 Ford Edge was traveling north on LA-139. At the same time, Zeren, who was wearing dark clothing, was walking north in the northbound lane of LA-139. For reasons still under investigation, the Ford struck Zeren. Zeren suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. The driver of the Ford was properly restrained and uninjured. 

Although impairment is not suspected, routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

Pedestrian safety is of paramount importance when walking near and crossing roadways. To reduce the risk of crashes, pedestrians should always walk against the flow of traffic, allowing them to see oncoming vehicles and react appropriately. Additionally, when walking at night, wear brightly colored clothing or reflective gear to enhance visibility for drivers. These simple yet vital precautions can significantly contribute to ensuring the safety of pedestrians and reducing the likelihood of crashes on the road.

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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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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CLICK HERE TO PLAY

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!

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

Many of us would associate contentment with happiness.  There are even some dictionary definitions that mention happiness with contentment.  I think the true meaning goes deeper than just an emotional response in the moment.  When I think of contentment, I think about peace, acceptance, and joy. 

Contentment is more about perspective than possessions.  It’s about an honest internal assessment rather than an unhealthy external comparison.  Contentment is about finding peace in the seemingly mundane aspects of life rather than constantly seeking the mountaintop experiences. 

Why do so many of us struggle with finding contentment? 

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I don’t know if I can answer the question, but I can share some thoughts on how to move more toward a life of contentment.  One can experience peace and joy while still seeking to grow, develop, and pursue new things.  I firmly believe that one can be content and still have goals.  I hold fast to one being content and still seeking to advance and reach their potential.

Here are a few concepts to consider as you seek contentment:

• Identity matters.  You determine your identity.  It shouldn’t be determined by someone else’s thoughts or comments.  Who you are becoming is not the same thing as what you are achieving.  You must know who you are before you can begin to understand and experience contentment.

• Lifestyle matters.  You need to live your life, not someone else’s life.  Once you know who you are and have a clear understanding of your identity, you can seek a lifestyle that both supports that identity and is supported by the resources available to you.  Your life plan doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s plan.  The key is to have a plan that works for you.  Remember, your present circumstances don’t determine where you go, they merely determine where you start.

• Habits matter.  What changes do you need to make in your life to move you toward the person you want to become?  What does that type of person do?  What is hindering you from becoming that person?  What do you need to walk away from?  You likely need to make some changes.  Are you willing to move forward whether it’s toward something or away from something else?  To crave the result, but not love the process (inputs of your life) is to guarantee disappointment.

• Consistency matters.  Any time we make a bold move in our life, we approach it with great intensity.  Sometimes that works, but many times it fades, and the result is short-lived.  I would encourage consistency over intensity.   Take small steps and build momentum.  Set short-term goals and experience some quick wins.  Don’t put too much pressure on yourself for immediate success. 

Some would say those are the same steps toward personal growth, life change, or team development.  I would agree wholeheartedly.  I speak on these steps, write about these steps, and encourage others to consider these steps for all those reasons.  I also consider these steps to be keys to contentment. 

The mystery behind all those items starts with a clear understanding of who we want to become (identity), identifying a process to live by that we find joy in (lifestyle), recognizing the key inputs in our life that will lead us down the right path for us (habits), and finally committing to the compounding power of moving in the same direction (consistency).

Struggling with contentment?  It’s not a mystery that you can’t solve.  Start internally and build from there!

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.