The Greater Grambling Chamber of Commerce and Co-Host, DSLD Homes are excited to announce a FREE Home Buyers Seminar on Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM at Grambling State University Digital Library located at 532 RWE Jones Drive in Grambling.
The event will provide great information from prequalifying to closing on a new or a preexisting home. There will be door prizes valued up to $500.00. Refreshments will be served.
If you have ever dreamed of owning a home but did not know how to turn this dream into a reality of becoming a home owner then this seminar is for you. Representatives from DSLD Homes Mortgage, Century Next Bank, Destined 4 Greatness Financial Group, Centric Federal Credit Union, State Farm Insurance, and Realtor Attorney will be providing fundamental keys for owning your very own home.
Immediately following the seminar, DSLD Homes will host a Grand Tour of the newly developed DSLD Homes -Traditions Community in Grambling, where homes are up, ready to purchase and move in. Seminar participants will be welcomed with delicious free food from the Food Truck and souvenir swag bags.
To register for this FREE event: (1) Scan QR code on event flyer -or- (2) Text “HBS” plus your name to 318-243-1858 -or- (3) Visit GGCC website at: www.greatergramblingcc.org -or- (4) register at Eventbrite.
Deadline to register is April 18th. Registering for this event helps us to cater for attendees, to ensure we have capacity and to cover relevant topics.
For more information contact Barbara McIntyre 318-243-1858 or Nikki Murphy 318-401-5773.
Congratulations to Dr. Shane Phillips at Allegiance Medical Clinic Northside Family Medicine on receiving The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) Preceptor of the Year Award.
This award recognizes preceptors who demonstrate a commitment to excellence in the clinical education of students. Medical students are good judges of character and are able to evaluate preceptors ased on their impact on their training.
A Ruston woman was arrested last week after she allegedly entered a residence armed with a knife and created a disturbance over a family matter.
Teresa Pemberton, 43, was arrested for aggravated burglary on March 12 at a La. Highway 146 residence.
Pemberton told responding Lincoln Parish deputies that she was at the residence to retrieve her vehicle from a relative. Pemberton said she knocked on the door and entered the residence without consent from the homeowner and went into her niece’s purse to retrieve the keys to the vehicle.
The residence of the home said they heard Pemberton yelling for her niece about the car keys and they saw Pemberton armed with a kitchen knife. They said Pemberton eventually put the knife down.
Pemberton was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. Bail on the burglary charge was set at $20,000. Pemberton is also being held for the Probation & Parole unit of the Louisiana Department of Corrections.
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.
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.
Ruston Police arrested a man on numerous charges last week after he resisted a frisk during an investigation.
Alfred Brooks, 42, of Ruston, was arrested March 13 as police were dealing with an incident at a South Farmerville Street convenience store.
At about 6:30 p.m. officers responded to the store to clear the parking lot of loiterers. As an officer was checking on the clerk inside, Brooks allegedly approached and asked the officer where he could “buy some weed.” Brooks, who had been directed to exit the store, asked the question again. He was told he could not legally purchase marijuana in Ruston. Brooks appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and refused to identify himself.
When an officer attempted to pat down Brooks for weapons, he struck another officer in the head with his hand, breaking the officer’s sunglasses. A struggle ensued to take Brooks in the custody, including the use of a Taser.
Brooks was treated and released by Ruston Ambulance Service and was booked at the Lincoln Detention Center for disturbing the peace by appearing intoxicated in public, resisting in officer, battery of an officer, and simple criminal damage the property. Bail was set at $5,500.
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.
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.
Most of us have heard the phrase “tough love.” In most cases, someone uses that comment in reference to require someone to take responsibility for their actions. That someone is normally a child, an addict, or someone close to us that we care about but want to teach a lesson. The approach is normally one of placing restrictions, choosing not to intervene, or allowing consequences to impact the individual.
I have heard many well-known writers and speakers reference practicing tough love in lieu of enabling. I fully understand the principle. If you really care about someone, you want them to do better, be better, and get better! Sometimes moving toward better requires a process and can be painful. In the long term though, it’s for their own good.
I heard Dave Ramsey, a well known financial advisor, speak on tough love many times in reference to teaching and learning financial principles. Others have used the tough love phrase and approach with legal matters, addiction issues, employment challenges, and any number of other challenges in life.
I don’t have an issue with the tough love concept, but I prefer a different approach. Consider reversing those words to the focus of love tough. The simple difference is that we start with love.
We love; therefore, we are willing to:
Have tough conversations
Make tough decisions
Allow tough outcomes
Support tough times
Wait through tough periods
I heard Andy Stanley, pastor and leadership speaker, make the following comment:
“Rules without Relationship leads to Rebellion”
The relationship must precede the rule. Love must come before our actions or lack of action. Our concern for the individual needs to be clear. We can’t just stand by “what” we are going to do but also need to clarify the “why” upfront. If the “why” is not driving the “what”, then we are purely transactional when we need to be transformational.
In the New Testament, Jesus tells the story of one of two sons that goes to his father and asks for his inheritance. He wants his money and wants a different life. In other words, he tells his father that he wishes that his father was dead so he could get his money to live his own life. The father willingly gives his son the full inheritance and allows him to leave and squander the money. The son suffers due to his reckless living and eventually goes home in shame. The father has been waiting for his son to return and welcomes him home.
While the story teaches of God’s love for people, it also provides a great example of loving tough. Some may say that the relationship was restored, but the father never gave up on the relationship. The father loved the son before, during, and after the encounter.
You may be contemplating tough love or practicing it now, but I encourage you to consider flipping it to love tough. Make sure your “why” precedes that “what”.
You want a transformed life not a transactional punishment to “show them”. That transformed life may require some pain through the process, but love is at the beginning, center, and end of the process.
Remember, transformation is the goal!
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.
Connor Yates pitched six scoreless innings to lead the Cougars to a 6-4 win over Evangel Christian Tuesday night. (photo by Darrell James)
by Malcolm Butler
Cedar Creek picked up two more wins on the baseball diamond this week, defeating Evangel Christian 6-4 Tuesday and Arcadia 20-0 on Wednesday.
With the victories, the Cougars have won five straight games and sit at 10-11 overall on the season.
Creek 6, Evangel 4
The Cougars overcame a shaky start in defeating Evangel Christian behind a strong effort by junior Connor Yates in relief.
Evangel Christian took the early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first against Creek starter Eli Slocum as three walks, two errors and only one hit led to the early deficit.
Cedar Creek answered with a single run in the bottom of the first on an RBI ground out by Brett Bell, scoring Kade Luker who led the frame off with a walk.
Evangel regained its three-run lead in the top of the second with another run, chasing Slocum from the game. Yates entered with no outs and two runners on base and registered back-to-back strikeouts to help end the frame.
“Connor came in and gave us a chance by pitching six innings of one-hit, shutout baseball,” said head coach Chad Yates. “It allowed us to crawl back into the game and eventually take the lead in the 4th.”
The Cougars scored two runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings to take a 5-4 lead. Brett Bell scored on bunt by Kaleb Negrotto with one out in the third. After a Ryan Coleman double, Micah Taylor scored on a double steal to make the score 4-3.
Luker led the bottom of the fourth off with a walk and scored on Yates triple to right field, tying the game at 4-4. Bell then doubled to right field, plating Yates with the go-ahead run.
“We had to battle back from a three-run Evangel first inning,” said Yates. “Eli Slocum started on the mound and struggled with command. So we made a pitching change in the 2nd down 4-1. I was proud of the way our guys fought their way back into it and didn’t give in.”
Yates continued to keep ECA at bay offensively, allowing just one hit and three walks while striking out seven over the final 6.0 innings of action.
The Cougars added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI double by Taylor, scoring Aiden Crosby with two outs.
“Evangel pitched a sidearm guy at us that kept us off balance,” said Yates. “We were able to get their pen and was able to get some big hits from Yates, Bell, Coleman and Taylor.”
Yates (2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI), Bell (2-4, run, 2 RBI) and Taylor (1-2, run, RBI) led the Cougars offensively.
_____________________________
Cougars 20, Arcadia 0
It took only three innings for the Cougars to pick up a District 1-1A victory Wednesday night against Arcadia.
Cedar Creek scored four in the first and then blew the game open with a 13-spot in the second as it coasted to its fifth straight win.
The offensive onslaught was highlighted by home runs from Brett Bell and Noah Smith (grand slam) and doubles by Yates, Wade and Negrotto as Cedar Creek recorded nine hits and capitalized on four Hornet errors.
Bell led the parade with two hits and three RBI while Smith added the grand slam home run. Yates (1-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Cason Floyd (1-1, 2 runs, RBI), Negrotto (1-1, run, 2 RBI) were also instrumental in the win.
JB Robinson pitched one scoreless inning while striking out three while Jax Doiron struck out six batters in his 2.0 innings of action.
“We were happy to get the win and push our win streak to five games,” said Yates. “We now have a few days before we host Ouachita Christian next Tuesday. We are going to take a couple of days off and reflect and reset. We were able to get everyone in the game which was good to see.”
In September 1912, 21-year-old Dorothy Gardner married 30-year-old Leslie Lynch King. Dorothy was a “strikingly attractive brunette,” and King was “a tall, handsome, sandy-haired wool merchant.” Dorothy’s mother said she had never seen Dorothy as happy as when she and her new husband boarded the train for their honeymoon on the West Coast. Three weeks into their trip, the honeymoon bliss ended in the lobby of the elegant Multnomah Hotel in Portland, Oregon. King became enraged with Dorothy, called her vile names, slapped her in the face, and punched her in the head. They reconciled briefly and continued their honeymoon. While en route to California on a train, King flew into a rage and beat and kicked Dorothy. She lived in fear because she never knew when the next beating would come.
Dorothy was shocked by King’s actions. During their courtship, King had always treated her kindly and gently. He was from a prominent and wealthy family. King assured Dorothy that he would provide for her every need, lovingly and financially. When they returned from their extended honeymoon, Dorothy learned that King was deep in debt and had been stealing money from his father. Dorothy decided to leave King and was making preparations when she learned she was pregnant. King’s parents pleaded with her not to leave and reasoned that having a child would surely change their son’s troubled ways. Dorothy reluctantly agreed to stay.
In July 1913, Dorothy had a son in King’s parent’s mansion. At King’s insistence, they named the child Leslie Lynch King Jr. On the day after the child was born, King burst into the sickroom and berated Dorothy to the extent that her doctor intervened. He told King that Dorothy was quite ill and warned him to stop abusing her. The doctor was so concerned about King’s unpredictable nature toward his wife that he brought in a nurse to protect Dorothy and young Leslie. A few days later, King stormed into the sickroom armed with a butcher knife and threatened to kill Dorothy and young Leslie. The nurse called the police, who disarmed King and arrested him. Dorothy knew she had to leave King, but she knew to be discreet. Dorothy wrapped 16-day-old Leslie in a blanket and fled from the King mansion. After a fifteen-month volatile marriage, Dorothy divorced King.
Dorothy and young Leslie began a new life in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Two years later while Dorothy was at a church social, she met a man who asked if he could call on her. Dorothy was in no hurry to jump into another relationship. For a year, she learned all she could about the man. He was a paint salesman who quit school at 14 to provide for his widowed mother and sisters. He was scrupulously honest, a regular at church, and was kind to everyone who knew him. Most importantly, he was all that Leslie King Sr. was not. Finally, she agreed to let him call on her. In February 1916, he and Dorothy married in the church where they met. To ease the painful reminders of her first marriage, Dorothy changed her son’s name to that of her new husband. Dorothy’s son was 30 years old when he learned that his birth name was Leslie Lynch King Jr. To him, the name was meaningless. His name, the one Dorothy bestowed upon him in honor of the man she married, was Gerald R. Ford. Dorothy’s son eventually became the 38th President of the United States.
Sources:
1. The Omaha Evening Bee, August 21, 1912, p.8.
2. The Macon News, September 15, 1974, p.86.
3. James Cannon, Gerald Ford: An Honorable Life (University of Michigan Press, 2013), 40-42.
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.
The Louisiana Tech bowling team fell 2-1 to No. 20 Tulane in the opening round of the Conference USA Championship at Colonial Lanes on Wednesday.
The 11th-ranked Bulldogs (83-44) struggled to pick up spares, missing 20 makeable marks throughout the match that would ultimately cost Tech the win.
The traditional game started with five opens through the first two frames, putting the ‘Dogs in a big hole. Louisiana Tech battled back, but it would be too late. Kylee Trexler led the way with a 247, followed by Jenna Stretch at 202 and Paulina with a 200.
It looked like the Green Wave would take the match in a sweep after the Bulldogs opened three times in the first five frames to fall behind by 48 pins. LA Tech started to make a comeback and shrunk the deficit by nine after the second game.
The third game put the set into Tech’s favor, with the Bulldogs rolling a 235 for a 28-pin advantage. The strikes kept coming to a tune of 240 in the fourth, which ballooned the lead to 64. Opens became a problem again during the final games, but LA Tech was able to strike out in the 10th to secure the win and force a best-of-seven Baker set.
The Bulldogs fell behind 3-0 in the best-of-seven but didn’t give up. After pulling within one, LA Tech was poised to tie it up midway through game six. However, a couple of opens late allowed Tulane to take the game and the set.
Louisiana Tech will take on the loser of No. 3 Vanderbilt and No. 9 Stephen F. Austin at 2 p.m. on Thursday in a win or go home match.
Peggy Ellerman, of Choudrant, passed from this life into heavenly glory on March 18, 2025, in Shreveport, LA. Peggy was born on May 11, 1935, in Ruston, to Howard and Genie Holstead. She graduated from Choudrant High School, where she co-wrote the words to the Alma Mater with classmate Jimmy Ball. Peggy received a vocal music education degree at Louisiana Tech.
Her first job was in Winnsboro, where she met her husband Floyd “Sonny” Ellerman. They enjoyed raising their family in Choudrant for 54 happy years. Peggy was a hard-working housewife, putting up lots of peas and helping haul hay, always with a song on her lips. She was a life-long member at Douglas Church, where she loved her Sunday School class and singing in the choir.
Peggy is preceded in death by her parents, husband Floyd, son Dwayne, brother Charles Holstead, and sister Bobbie Jean Holtzclaw. She is survived by her daughter Jeanne Teague (Gary), granddaughters Aubri Nesmith (Chad), Kori Hannibal (Zach) and new great grandson Cyan Hannibal; sister Beth Brewster; and her beloved nieces and nephews.
A private graveside service will be held for her family Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Douglas Cemetery under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes in Ruston, LA. Following, there will be a Celebration of Life service at Douglas Church, at 11:00 A.M. Rev. Jeremy Jones will officiate both services.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Douglas Church.
Robert Neal Causey March 17, 2025 Visitation: Thursday, March 20, 2025, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral: Thursday, March 20, 2025, 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel
The poster for the 75th annual Louisiana Peach Festival.
by Hanna Singh
A talented local artist has designed the poster for the 75th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival. Incorporating different aspects of the beloved festival and the culture of Ruston, Erik Martinez Rodriguez created a design that perfectly represents the Peach Festival’s Diamond Jubilee.
Rodriguez, who studied graphic design at Louisiana Tech University, developed a passion for creating visual art that captures the essence of his hometown. This is the second time his artwork has been chosen for the festival’s official poster. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he decided to stay in Ruston to pursue a master’s in business administration. He now works at Rapid Signs in Ruston, where he puts his graphic design skills to use, though he enjoys working on personal projects outside of his job.
Rodriguez described why he decided to enter the poster contest in the first place.
“I’ve always kind of liked contests like these because they give me full creative control in a way’s Rodrigues said. “It’s a nice break from where at work everything is given to me, to fulfill graphic needs for others. It gives me a chance to express myself in my own artistic style.”
Rodriguez’s poster was selected to represent the festival by a selection committee that judged each poster and carefully chose a winner. The artists’ names were taken off of the submissions and the designs were judged based on creativity, originality, and theme reflection.
For this year’s poster, Rodriguez wanted to incorporate elements of both Ruston and the Peach Festival while emphasizing the “Diamond Jubilee” theme. To give it a regal look, he designed it to resemble a combination of an old-fashioned whiskey bottle label and a vintage postcard. He included peaches and peach blossoms without making the poster overly orange and added a sparkling shine as a nod to the Diamond Jubilee. The design was created using a combination of Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop.
Ruston Convention and Visitor Bureau Director of Marketing and Communication, Tori Davis, described what made the poster a great representation of the Peach festival.
“It was a perfect blend of tradition and history with the old stamp style, the font choices, and the peach and peach blossoms worked into the design. But it also showcased this year’s theme of “diamond jubilee” with the cool holographic effect he added over the design,” Davis said. “Personally, I love that this design is different from posters of the past. Peach Fest posters are usually really colorful and I think this one’s more monochromatic look really sets it apart for the 75th anniversary poster.”
The Louisiana Peach Festival, a time-honored tradition in Ruston and Lincoln Parish, features live music, food vendors, arts and crafts booths, a car show, a peach hunt, and more. Each year, members of the community have the opportunity to design the festival’s official poster and showcase their creativity.
Rodriguez reflected on what the festival and Ruston mean to him.
“Having lived here in Ruston for so long, it has always been the place I called home. Seeing something that brings so much joy to people and brings people together is so great,” Rodriguez said. “I have volunteered a couple of times at the festival and seeing how much work goes into it really makes me appreciate it. Ruston needs the peach festival, because it gives us so much to celebrate and enjoy.”
The 75th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival will be on Saturday, June 7. More information can be found at rustonlincoln.com
Louisiana Tech University researchers Dr. Shengnian Wang and Dr. Lingxiao Wang were recently awarded a combined $275,000 through the Future Use of Energy in Louisiana’s (FUEL) University Innovation and Research Development funding.
Dr. Lingxiao Wang’s project, awarded $124,799, focuses on creating a smarter, more cost-effective way to monitor CO2 levels. Instead of relying on expensive, dense sensor networks, this new technology combines mobile robots with stationary sensors to detect CO2 leaks more accurately and at a lower cost.
“What inspired us is the idea that combining the robots and sensors could create a more efficient way to monitor CO2,” L. Wang said. “This system provides accurate lead detection while using fewer sensors, making it more cost effective and reliable.”
In collaboration with Grambling State University and Parish Controls LLC, this technology could also prevent hazardous gas leaks and assist in tracking wildfires and air pollution.
Dr. Shengnian Wang’s research, awarded $149,918, offers a new way to convert hydrogen sulfide, a toxic byproduct of oil production, into clean hydrogen and sulfur at room temperature. This method offers a more energy-efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional high-temperature decomposition processes.
“Our process reduces pollution while producing clean hydrogen energy at the same time,” S. Wang said. “The other product, sulfur, can be used in everyday products such as fertilizers, detergents, and batteries.”
By working with Grambling State University and PolyKala Technologies LLC, the project will assess how this method can be scaled up for real-world applications.
These projects have the potential of benefiting industries ranging from oil and gas to manufacturing to renewable energy. By advancing sustainable technologies, Louisiana Tech researchers are helping pave the way for a cleaner, more energy-efficient future.
Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives are currently looking for Jakiron McGuire.
He is wanted for one count of First Degree Murder, five counts of Attempted First Degree Murder, twenty-eight counts of Pornography Involving a Juvenile (Production/Manufacturing), and one count of Illegal Use of Weapons.
McGuire is 18 years old, stands 5-foot-5-inches tall, and weighs approximately 125 lbs. He should be considered armed and dangerous.
If you have information about his whereabouts, please contact the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office or Ruston Lincoln CrimeStoppers.
A Lincoln Parish man was arrested last week after he and a roommate engaged in a fight over the victim’s flatulence.
Clarence Mitchell, 72, was arrested March 12 for simple battery after Lincoln Parish deputies were called to a Garr Road regarding a fight.
Deputies found the victim bleeding from the mouth. He said he and Mitchell were roommates. Mitchell took offense over the victims flatulence and a physical confrontation ensued. Mitchell gave a similar statement and was arrested.
Mitchell’s bail was set at $3,500.
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.
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.
But for those of us who were fortunate to be around in the 1980s and very early 1990s, man do we have some great memories of March Madness … LA Tech Bulldog-style.
I was in junior high, high school and my very early college days at Louisiana Tech when the Bulldogs made March Madness an almost annual experience. And it was fun.
Five trips to the Big Dance in an eight-year span for the Bulldogs (with three more trips to the NIT during that stretch). Postseason basketball was an annual pilgrimage for the red and blue.
I was a huge Tech fan even back then. Bulldogs. Lady Techsters (who had a stretch of 27 straight NCAA Tournaments, 32 if you include the AIAW days, at one point in their history).
I became a March Madness nut back then, and in large part because of the Dunkin’ Dogs.
It all started during the 1984 NCAA Tournament when Tech knocked off Southland Conference power Lamar in Beaumont in the championship game of the SLC Tournament to snap the Cardinals 80-game home court win streak, earning the automatic bid to the Big Dance.
Tech faced Fresno State in a first round game of the Midwest Regional in Memphis. I remember watching the game at home as the Bulldogs defeated the “other” Bulldogs 66-56. The best memory, besides the win itself, was a highlight reel alley-oop that Karl “The Mailman” Malone threw down with one hand. It wasn’t just any alley-oop. The pass appeared to be too high and behind him, but The Mailman delivered with authority and the Dogs would advance to the second round.
Tech would fall to Akeem Olajuwon and the Phi Slama Jama boys of the Houston Cougars 77-69 in the second round, Houston squad that would advance to the national championship game that season.
The very next season, the Bulldogs would have arguably the greatest season in Bulldog basketball history … at least on the Division I level. Led by head coach Andy Russo, the Bulldogs went 27-2 in the regular and conference tournament seasons and were ranked as high as No. 6 in the country.
Tech’s first round match-up against Pittsburgh in Tulsa tipped off around 2 p.m. that Thursday. I remember watching the first half of the game in Mr. Alex Laney’s eighth grade class at A.E. Phillips Laboratory School. We were all glued to the TV as the Bulldogs began their dismantling of the Panthers, making easy work in the opening round.
That Saturday Tech faced Ohio State. I wasn’t able to watch the first half because of some scheduling conflict … I don’t remember exactly what … but I do remember I wasn’t happy. I rushed home to my grandparents house where I watch the final 20 minutes of another easy win.
Sweet 16 was next. In a game that diehard Tech fans still want to forget — at least the ending — I sat in my grandparents living room and watched with my grandfather, Roland Abegg. It was a back and forth game against an Oklahoma Sooners team led by Wayman Tisdale, an Oklahoma squad that had handed Tech one of its only two losses in the regular season.
Reunion Arena in Dallas was the site of one of the most heartbreaking losses in Tech history. Overtime. Tisdale hit a turn around jumper that bounced on the rim for what seemed to be an eternity before finally falling through the basketball. One last gasp by the Bulldogs on an inbounds play from halfcourt came up empty and the Cinderella season came to a close.
In 1987, the Bulldogs were sent to the Midwest Regional in Rosemont, Illinois. I sat in the living room of my friend Beth Glascock’s house watching Tech face a very talented DePaul team. I don’t remember much of the actual game that night, probably because it wasn’t too close … a 76-62 Bulldog first round loss.
I was so hooked on the men’s tournament by then that I became the unofficial “bookie” at Ruston High, running a chump change (dollar a team) tournament pool where one lucky person would win $64. I think the statute of limitations has passed on that side hustle.
By the time Tech made the 1989 NCAA Tournament, I was at the point of checking out of high school on that Thursday and Friday, in order to watch all the games. The Bulldogs matched up against LaSalle and Lionel “L-Train” Simmons in the Southeast Regional in Nashville. Simmons was the three-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year and averaged almost 30 points per game.
I remember a bunch of us “checked out of school” — skipped my have been a better term — and went to my friend Heather Jewell’s house to watch the Bulldogs, who were slight underdogs. But not so fast my friend.
Randy White, Byron Newton, PJ Brown, Anthony Dade and a host of Dogs pulled the upset, derailing the L-Train and his Explorer teammates 83-74 in Nashville. It was a great game to watch.
Up next was Mookie Blalock and the No. 1 seeded Oklahoma Sooners coached by Billy Tubbs. Tommy Joe Eagles was quoted the day between games saying something to the affect of “Dare we dream the dream that only dreamer’s dream?”
I sure did. But my dream became a nightmare.
That Saturday second round contest got ugly fast as the Sooners were simply too much, defeating Tech 124-81 in a game that was over by halftime. I didn’t even make it to the end of the game as I grabbed my basketball and headed to the end of Pinewood Lane to shoot some hoops and lick my Bulldog wounds.
In 1991, my sophomore year at Tech, the Bulldogs earned yet another berth in the Big Dance and were sent to Atlanta to face Rodney Rogers and the Wake Forest Demon Decans. It was a classic match-up of two heavy weights inside as Rogers battled Anthony “Bear” Dade that night.
Once again, I watched from my grandparents house as Tech fell short by a score of 71-65. Although I was disappointed in the loss, I had become spoiled and was convinced the Bulldogs would be back soon.
That was 34 years ago.
I feel lucky I was able to live through that magical eight-year ride with Tech hoops. It hooked me on March Madness, an event that I still believe is the best we have in the United States. It also solidified me on my passion for Tech teams.
Although my Bulldogs aren’t in the Field of 68 this year, I will once again be glued to the TV (or my phone) and will watch game after game over the next few weeks until a National Champion is crowned and One Shining Moment is played.
A Ruston woman employed at a local grocery store was arrested on March 9 after she used a “skip scanning” strategy to avoid charging a customer for all the items taken.
LaDaijah Thomas, 20, was charged with theft less than $1,000 and an outstanding warrant after police were called to the Shoppers Value grocery store.
A manager told police Thomas used a skip scanning method and did not scan all of the items presented by the customer. Thomas allegedly turned items so the barcode did not face the scanner or covered the barcode with her hands.
The manager said the customer presented $218.49 in merchandise, but Thomas only scanned $26.16 worth. Thomas told police she had not used skip scanning but on the way to the detention center said the customer had items in the shopping cart she did not scan.
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.
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.
GRAMBLING — The Glen Hall Era of Lincoln Prep Panthers football is over.
Now the big question is who do the Panthers turn to next?
Hall’s successor(s) could be on the school’s football staff already.
On Tuesday, Lincoln Preparatory School Chief Academic Officer Crystal Washington, who took over as head of the school in January after former executive director Gordan Ford, one of the founders of the school, left the school for another occupational role in Washington D.C., issued a statement on her reasoning for relieving Hall after he had served as the Panthers head coach since the school opened in 2016.
Washington told Hall he had been relieved of those duties Monday morning.
“As always, our priority remains providing a high-quality education for our students while making difficult financial decisions to ensure long-term stability,” Washington’s statement read. “We are indebted to Coach Hall’s impact as the Chief Operations Officer/Dean of Students/Athletic Director/Head Football Coach and are incredibly proud of the young men who have matriculated through his football program over the years.
“However, in response to budget constraints, we have carefully evaluated our resources to protect core educational programs and student services. While these adjustments have led to changes in staffing, we are working to minimize the direct impact on teachers and instructional programs. Transparency has been central to this process, and we are committed to keeping the community informed about the financial realities we face and the reasoning behind these decisions.”
Washington’s statement indicated she could be willing to listen to concerns as well as suggestions about the Lincoln Prep football team and the school’s overall athletics department, because Hall also served as the school’s athletics director.
“We understand that these changes affect many individuals,” Washington’s statement continued. “We welcome input as we navigate these challenges together and remain dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for our students and staff. We will release the names of the Interim Head Coach and Athletic Director after meeting with the team this week.”
The Lincoln Parish Journal suggests two solid candidates could already be on the school’s campus.
Panthers basketball coach Antonio Hudson has coached basketball at the school since it opened. The former Grambling Laboratory High School and LSU hoops product has led the Lincoln Prep boys basketball to the state’s Final Four Marsh Basketball Tournament four straight times.
That feat alone, let alone the fact that accomplishing it takes much planning and coordinating not only on the court but also off, not to mention he is already the school’s current assistant athletics director, seemingly makes him a more than solid choice to make the step up to become not only the school’s interim, but even permanent, A.D.
The Panthers football team had a new coach join them last season as Johnathan Brantley came from Centenary College, where served as Secondary/Special Teams Coordinator for the Gents during its first season of modern-day play after reviving the long-dormant program in 2023.
Brantley’s coaching career began in 2004 at Grambling State, where he served as a standout defensive back before having his playing career cut short due to injury.
In 2005, Brantley coached safeties at Grambling State, helping lead the G-Men to Southwestern Athletic Conference and Black College National championships.
He also served at McMurry University in Texas in 2017.
But Brantley also has four years of experience as a high school head football coach, serving in that role at Capitol High School in Baton Rouge in 2022, Madison Parish School for two years and Ringgold High for one.
Brantley also served as an assistant coach at Bastrop High for four years and for three years on a consulting basis as a special teams analyst for Louisiana Tech.
So, as a new era begins for Lincoln Prep athletics, maybe already having key pieces in place could lead to a smooth transition for the school and maybe more importantly, its current students.
The Journal feels there’s a strong possibility that could be the best move for all right now.
Memories of childhood live in my heart and in my nose.
As you are — as we all are — I am a slave to smells of the past.
The smells are of soaked-in dirt and broken-in leather from the pocket of a baseball glove. The smells are the cloth cover of The Baptist Hymnal, the inside of an Impala, the early summer morning by a tobacco barn.
They keep on coming … smells of an elementary classroom, of a collie dog, of a Friday night ballgame, of a Wednesday night prayer meeting.
My nose is connected to my mind’s eye, and now and then a sniff of something will flip a page to one of the hundreds of pictures I carry in the scrapbook of my memory.
The strongest and sweetest smells from all those yesterdays still come from the kitchen. Our kitchen had the floor space of a throw rug and the cabinet space of a shoe box, but from that room my mother consistently turned out all sorts of wonderful culinary surprises. That beautiful young woman did things with groceries I wish I could do with words. The food she cooked smelled good, tasted better, and most of all it made you feel special, as if she’d done it all, made the extra effort, just for you.
Which she had.
My momma didn’t waste a lot of time on accessories like dessert or homemade breads or salads, although those things had their place. What momma did was concentrate on the basics, The Main Course, the heart and soul of the meal. She didn’t fool around. Had she’d been a pitcher, she would have thrown only fastballs.
Here it is: hit it. And good luck.
We’re talking pork roast, fried steak, (s)mashed potatoes, green beans, creamed corn, dead fried chicken, cornbread, hamburger steak, bacon, grits, sausage, spaghetti … She’d make the greatest sweet tea, and I’d drink glass after glass from a Bama Jelly jar.
And the gravy. You could always depend on the gravy.
Good luck getting good gravy on the streets these days …
I can smell the gravy now. She made it so it tasted the same every time, and I’d pour it over my plate and let it have its way with whatever food it fell on, and then I’d visually appreciate that for a second or two before shifting into high gear, elbows flying, silverware flashing,jaws chomping.
All was right with the world.
Like most kitchens 50 years ago, that wonderful Carolina kitchen would be condemned by ’90s standards. Too much fat. Too many calories. Too much gluten, if there was such a thing back then. Many nutritionists argue that while pork tastes good, it’s seldom you see a skinny pig.
I hate logic.
So, fat grams or not, for years I have ordered the same meals I grew up on and have eaten them whenever I’ve gone to momma’s, which is often but not nearly as often as I’d like. She has left the window of culinary opportunity wide open. Which is why it shocked me when, on an ordinary eating day, my own personal mom did something strange.
She didn’t ask me what I wanted for dinner when I’m to visit in a couple of weeks. Instead, she said she was cooking, (I’m going to have trouble even writing this), she said she was cooking … shrimp and rice, and making, (mercy), spinach salad.
She said that.
Of all people, my momma has gone fat-free.
Worried and a little hungry, I ask you: Will the children of this generation have the same taste and smell for childhood I had?
For their sakes, I hope so.
Because sometimes, you’ve gotta stop and smell the gravy.
Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
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.
STERLINGTON, La. — The wins keep coming for the Diamond ‘Cats of Ruston High.
Now winning their eighth game in a row, the Bearcats (14-6, 2-0 District 2-5A) most recently knocked off Sterlington 5-3 Tuesday night, the top team in Non-Select, Division III, on the road.
For Ruston High head coach Bryan Beck, his team’s success is driven in large part by the pride the players and coaches are feeling for the program.
“This was a big time win for our ball club and our school,” Beck said. “We’re really proud to be Ruston Bearcats, and we don’t take that for granted when we wear it across our chest. Every time we take the field, we try to represent our school and our community in the best way we can. You’re starting to see a bunch of kids believe in that same thing. And there’s just some tough dudes on our team. We got a bunch of guys who can play the game the right way.
“We went with a different lineup tonight, and the nine guys we put on the board are the nine everybody in that dugout believes in day in, day out. We’re just playing with a lot of confidence right now. “
The Bearcats opened with a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after junior Lander Smith hit a single to left field to score junior Jackson Lee, which was followed by sophomore John Parker Moak grounding out to second and scoring senior Peyton Martin.
After Sterlington got on the board in the bottom of the second to cut the lead to 2-1, neither team would plate any runs until the top of the sixth. Ruston would get a pair of runs to take a 4-1 lead — first after senior Jake Simmons grounded out to shortstop to score Moak from third base. Junior Hudson Wood would single in the next at-bat to score sophomore Dillion Williams.
Sterlington answered with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the Bearcat lead to 4-3. Ruston, however, would add an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning after Martin singled to center field and scored Lee for the 5-3 win.
Sophomore Tyler Roach got the start on the mound for Ruston, throwing five innings, striking out two batters and giving up two earned runs.
“Tyler had a big time start again for us,” Beck said. “He started a week ago against North DeSoto, and he knocked off that really good team, and then he went on the road tonight. We’ve had a tough time with (Sterlington) over the last few years. They’re a really good baseball team over there. (Sterlington head coach Mark) Sims does an incredible job with those guys. We saw an LSU-commit on the mound in Devyn Downs, and we were just locked in and attacked him.”
Bearcat senior Samuel Specht came in to relieve Roach after five innings and got Ruston out of a bases load jam and finished the game off.
Beck also highlighted Simmons, who gave quality at-bats despite not registering an official hit while making great plays in the outfield.
“Jake had a lot of quality at-bats,” Beck said. “He had a big-time RBI for us on a fielder’s choice, and he made a game-changing (defensive) play to lay out down the right field line on a line drive in the bottom of the seventh and catch a ball to prevent Sterlington from getting some momentum.”
Both Lee and senior Carter Love finished with multiple hits on the night for the Bearcats.
Ruston will try to extend its streak and resume district play Thursday, March 20, against Neville for Bearcat Buddy Night at home.
“We’re confident, and we’re relaxed,” Beck said. “The kids love the game and we’re tough, man. And we’re Ruston Bearcats and we’re proud of it.”
RUSTON, La. — A pair of big innings near the end of the night propelled the Neville Tigers (5-10, 1-2 District 2-5A) over the Ruston High Lady Bearcats (8-9, 0-3 District 2-5A) in a home district matchup at the Ruston High Sports Complex softball field.
After the Tigers got out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, the Lady Bearcats answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning after senior Rilee Atwood hit a triple into right field to score freshman Aubrey Stoehr who had doubled in her at-bat. Atwood would then score after senior Abby Holton hit a sacrifice fly to right field to cut the lead to 3-2.
Ruston would tie the game in the bottom of the second inning after Stoehr hit a fly ball to right field and reached on a fielding error. Sophomore Jayla Spears would score on the play.
The Lady Bearcats, however, would not score anymore runs on the night. The Tigers would use big innings in the fourth and fifth innings to score five and six runs apiece, respectively, to get the run-rule 14-3 win.
Ruston will return to action Thursday, March 20, at Ouachita Parish High School to continue district play.
So many things impact our lives as individuals, but nothing more than hard work. Growing up as a kid on a ranch, I learned many of life’s lessons through the chores that had to be done. It wasn’t always something I enjoyed, but these were things that were necessary in order for our ranch to operate properly.
First, let’s look at the ranch I grew up on, located about 10 miles east of Talco, Texas. My dad and his brother were partners of this property, known as Graf Brothers Ranch. My dad’s brother (Uncle Bill) lived in Ft. Worth and was the owner of a major trucking company, while my dad worked full time in the Talco oil field as the superintendent for Vick Well Service.
Uncle Bill’s involvement with the ranch was mainly financial as Dad did 90 percet of the work that took place. On the ranch, we raised several breeds of cattle including Herford, Angus and Brahmas, and at one point we even ran a few Charolais. The ranch was known for producing high quality crossbred calves, all due to one awesome Angus bull by the name of “Doc.”
Doc was a pure black Angus bull that became famous for the calves he produced, which landed him on the cover of Texas Farm Magazine. My dad truly loved this bull and had a special relationship with Doc, who was his favorite bull that we ever owned.
A ranch requires a lot of work and there were many chores that had to be done, some I dreaded and others I looked forward to. But nothing was worse than what my dad called “picking up chunks.”
This was a job that took place anytime Dad decided to clear some of the timber on our property in order to create more pastureland. We owned a D8 Caterpillar dozer that was used exclusively for clearing property and building stock ponds.
Once the timber was cut and piled up ready to burn, there were a lot of “chunks” of wood that had to be picked up by hand and placed in small piles, also to be burned. I do remember mutterig a few choice words every time I heard the call, “Pick up chunks.” It really was the worst job in the world!
One thing about working on a ranch — there was never a shortage of things to do. Whether it was building or mending fence, bailing hay, bush hogging, barn repairs, or doctoring cattle, there was plenty of work.
The greatest lesson I learned from growing up on the ranch was the importance of a strong work ethic. Our ranch was our family business and required plenty of attention. Being a teenager, a lot was expected of me by my dad when it came to getting things done, as he worked full-time in the oil field six days a week. Therefore, Sundays were always dedicated to any and all jobs needing to be done on the ranch.
But this place was also my playground for hunting and fishing. It’s where my passion grew for both hunting and fishing as I spent hours upon hours fishing our stock ponds or hunting ducks and squirrels.
Looking back at my time on the ranch rekindles some great memories. It helped shape me into the person I am today and motivated me to continue my education as Dad reminded me often that if I did not go to college, I would be working seven days a week on the ranch. That was something I DID NOT WANT!
‘Til next time, enjoy every opportunity you get to wet a hook or enjoy the great outdoors and remember, it is always a great day when you get to go fishing, whether or not you catch fish.
Contact Steve atsgraf26@yahoo.com
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The Diamond ‘Dogs (12-9) head into conference play on a high note after taking Tuesday’s contest against the ULM Warhawks (9-11), 6-2, at the Love Shack. The Bulldogs extend their winning streak to four-straight games over the Warhawks.
“A big win for us, great crowd,” said head coach Lane Burroughs. “Every time we play Monroe, you know it’s going to be a great crowd. It was a beautiful night. [I’m] just extremely proud of our team. I thought some early clutch hitting-obviously, the first inning.”
ULM was kept off the board through the first four innings of the game thanks to the work put in on the mound by Kade Parker, who was making his second start of the year and fifth appearance on the mound. The junior from West Monroe earned his second win of the year after going 4 1/3 innings allowing two runs on four hits, one walk and a pair of strikeouts.
LA Tech jumped ahead to an early 3-0 lead in the first. Cade Patterson led the game off by reaching on an error by the ULM third baseman. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt, Colton Coates drove him in with a slap to right field. The next at-bat, Sebastian Mexico cranked a two-run blast over the right-center wall for his first one as a Bulldog and to cap off the opening inning.
“I’ll give Sebastian Mexico a lot of credit,” said Burroughs. “He came in saw me yesterday and basically explained to me [that] he can hit lefties. He wanted that opportunity, and he got it tonight. I said, ‘I’ll put you in there tomorrow’, because we hadn’t been playing him against lefties much. He goes two-run homer then he gets a big two-run single for us, so credit to him.”
A stagnant second frame kept it at 3-0 before the Bulldogs tacked on two more in the third thanks to the bat of Mexico again. After Michael Ballard and Coates singled and doubled to give the Bulldog designated hitter two runners in scoring position, Mexico delivered with a ball hit to the left-center gap to give his team a 5-0 advantage.
Brody Drost posted the ‘Dogs sixth run of the day with a ball sliced to the ULM left fielder. With the wind playing a factor, the outfielder ran from the left-center gap to near the third base foul line attempting to make a play on the ball, but his outstretched glove was just short of catching it. The ball spun towards the outfield wall and the left fielder attempted a casual pick up, but the ball kept rolling under his glove. This mishap allowed Drost to extend his standup triple to scoring a run on the batted ball.
ULM’s only two runs in the game came across in the fifth inning after the first two batters were hit by a pitch and advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt. The next batter drove in the Warhawks’ first run with a single through the left side of the infield before the second run came across on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, but all ULM could get the rest of the game was one hit.
Logan Forsythe was lights out coming out of the bullpen, tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts allowing no hits, no runs and no walks. Connor Nation dealt well to close out the final two frames, allowing just one hit with no runs, no walks and four strikeouts.
Coates extended his hitting streak to a team-high 12 games, the longest streak any Bulldog has had this season. Drost has also been on a tear since being inserted in the starting lineup, posting a current five-game hitting streak. Mexico extended his reached-base streak to four games as well as picking up his first four-RBI game as a Bulldog.
