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By Kyle Roberts

RUSTON, La. — Ruston High (7-6, 0-2 District 2-5A) was run-ruled in a 13-1 loss Thursday night in a home district softball matchup against Pineville (13-1, 2-0 District 2-5A) by a final score of 13-1.

The Rebels put together four runs in the top of the first, two in the top of the second and then six in the top of the fourth. Pineville added another run in the top of the fifth for the 13 runs total.

For Ruston, the sole run came from a double by senior Morgan Foster, who scored freshman Aubrey Stoehr from second base in the bottom of the first inning.

Ruston finished with four hits on the night along with four errors.

Foster was the lone Lady Bearcats to record an RBI on her first inning double. Freshman Annaliese Doss also finished with double on the night.

Junior Sage Tolar got the start on the mound, pitching 3.1 innings and striking out one batter.

Ruston returns to action on Tuesday, March 18, at home against Neville in another district match-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. 

Friday, March 14
2 p.m.: Ribbon cutting celebrating The Loft Barbershop (203 W. Alabama Ave.)
4 p.m.: Holi celebration (Hideaway Park)
6-9 p.m.: Downtown Ruston beer crawl

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Saturday, March 15
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
10-11:30 a.m.: Master Gardener Seminar (Lincoln Parish Library Jack Beard Community Room)

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.

Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications 

Louisiana Tech’s freshman forward Averi Aaron had a career-high 18 points, eight rebounds, and five steals to lead the Lady Techsters to a 60-55 win over fourth-seed New Mexico State on Thursday afternoon at the Propst Arena.

“I’m very proud of the team’s defensive effort and attention to detail today,” said head coach Brooke Stoehr. “Our group forced (Conference USA Player of the Year Molly) Kaiser into tough shots early and really rebounded the ball well. It’s postseason and we just have to find a way to survive and advance.

“I thought their defensive effort today was a complete 180 from last Thursday in las cruces. Our bench came in and gave us major contributions, and that’s what you need to advance in meaningful games in March. It takes a total team effort and that’s what we got from this group today. I’m so proud of them and just grateful we get to compete together for 40 more minutes tomorrow.”

Aaron came off the bench about three minutes into the game and made an immediate impact for Louisiana Tech (16-14). Aaron went into the game with the Techsters down 6-2 and missed her first shot. However, that would not deter her as she would connect on her next to put Tech up 11-8. Robyn Lee added six points to help LA Tech to a 19-10 lead after one.

New Mexico State (17-15) had no answer for Aaron in the second quarter. After starting the second with a layup, Aaron corralled a rebound and gave it to Jianna Morris to push it upcourt. Morris rewarded the freshman with a pass to at the top of the key, where Aaron hit a triple to push the lead to 14.

The Aggies responded with a 14-5 run to cut it to five before Aaron went to work down low to start a 6-2 run to end the half. The Lady Techsters entered the locker room with a 36-26 advantage.

The third quarter was a defensive battle, with both teams forcing the other into six turnovers. NMSU had a 12-9 advantage in the stanza, but the Lady Techsters held to a 45-38 lead heading into the fourth.

The Aggies cut it to four on the opening possession with a three. After NM State got the ball back, Aaron took the ball from the Aggies, and once again, Morris rewarded her with her second triple of the game to push the lead back to seven. After that, the teams would remain even for the remainder of the game, with the Lady Techsters hitting their free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Both teams had 56 shot attempts in the game, with LA Tech making one more.

Louisiana Tech finished 39.3 percent from the field (22-56), 21.1 percent from behind the arc (4-19), and 80.0 from the line (12-15). Jordan Marshall had her 10th double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Lee was the only other Lady Techster in double figures with 13.

New Mexico State finished 37.5 percent for the game (21-56), 25 from deep (3-12), and 90.9 from the charity stripe (10-11). A week after scoring 35 points against Tech in Las Cruces, Molly Kaiser was held to just 14. Fanta Gassama had 13 boards to lead the Aggies.

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ATLANTA, Ga. | Grambling State’s season came to an end Thursday evening with a 57-47 loss to Jackson State University in the quarterfinals of the SWAC Tournament at The Gateway Center Arena. 

The Tigers, the No. 5 seed in the tournament, battled No. 4 Jackson State but fell short in the final quarter.

With the loss, Grambling State concludes the season with a 15-15 overall record and a 12-6 mark in SWAC play, securing back-to-back winning seasons despite the early tournament exit. Jackson State improves to 16-14 overall and advances to the SWAC semifinals.

Kahia Warmsley led Grambling State with a game-high 22 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Douthshine Prien added seven points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Lydia Freeman contributed five points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. Alyssa Phillip was a force on the boards, tying for a game-high 12 rebounds.

Grambling State opened the game with a competitive first quarter, trailing just 17-13 after 10 minutes. However, a low shooting second quarter saw them score only seven points as Jackson State took a 31-20 lead into halftime. 

The Tigers responded with an impressive third-quarter push, outscoring Jackson State 16-8 and cutting the deficit to three heading into the final period. Jackson State, took control in the fourth quarter, outscoring Grambling State 18-11 to seal the victory.

Defensively, Grambling State forced 18 turnovers and recorded 11 steals but struggled offensively, shooting just 27.9 percent from the field. 

Jackson State narrowly won the rebounding battle and capitalized on second-chance opportunities.

Jackson State was led by Leianya Massenat, who finished with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including four three-pointers. Taleah Dilworth added 12 points and four steals.

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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Memorial Services for Mr. Gerald “Jerry” E. Wall Sr., age 84 of Dubach, LA, are scheduled for 1:00 PM, Friday, March 14, 2025 at Owens Memorial Chapel with Bro. Scott Jennings officiating.

Jerry was born to A.C. Wall and Bernadete O’Rourke on February 19, 1941 in Natchitoches, MS and passed away on March 9, 2025 surrounded by his family and loved ones. He grew up in Ruston, LA then joined the Army. After serving his country he settled down in Dubach, LA with his loving wife, Karen. Jerry was a man that knew many trades, he worked as a boilermaker, welder, and a truck driver.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; son, Gerald E. Wall Jr.; daughter, Denise Dee Wall, grandsons, Morgan L Wall, and Dylan Wall; and brother, James Jimmy Wall. Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Karen Wall; sons, Rickey L. Wall, David wall and wife Shannon, and Albert Wall and wife Moriah; Daughters, Leigh Ann Griffith and husband Shawn, and Misty Wall; slew of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and a host of other family and friends.

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It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, Imelda “Fritz” Bordelon, who peacefully departed this life on March 8, 2025, at the age of 94.

Born Imelda Frasier on October 5, 1930 in Dubach, LA to Benjamin Andrew Lorenzo Frasier and Della Lee Goolsby Frasier, Fritz was the youngest of eight children. She was preceded in death by her seven older siblings, Florence Frasier, Rena Banks, Aubrey Frasier, Annie Elliott, Leona Pylant, Thelma Williamson and Harold Frasier.

Fritz was also preceded in death by her devoted husband, Curley James Bordelon Sr., with whom she shared 58 years of love and companionship. Together, they built a family rooted in love, respect, and kindness.

She leaves behind a legacy of love in her four children: Karen Buchanan (husband Russell Buchanan), Curley Bordelon Jr. (wife Bobbie Bordelon), Robert Bordelon (wife Sheila Bordelon), and David Bordelon (husband Stacey Bordelon).

Her memory will continue to be honored by her eight grandchildren, Yale Johnson and family, Evan Johnson, Amy Bordelon, Michael Bordelon, Joe Bordelon and family, David Andrew Bordelon II, Curley “C.J.” Bordelon III and family, and Melissa Bordelon Shields and family, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews. Fritz was also a proud great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother to many and a source of light to all who were fortunate enough to be part of her life.

Throughout her 94 years, Fritz was known for her nurturing, welcoming, and loving spirit. She lived a full life as a military spouse, living and raising children in Germany, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. She spent the last part of her life living with her husband on the same land that she was born and raised on in Dubach, LA. Fritz was known as “Grandma” to most people, including friends outside of the family. She welcomed everyone into her home without reservation and was always ready to feed them with an amazing meal. She was an easy conversationalist and always there to chat, offer words of wisdom, gossip, and laugh together. She was a two-time cancer survivor, giving her a unique perspective on the important things in life. We are forever grateful to have had her as our mother and grandmother and hope to carry out her legacy by exhibiting her loving, joyful, and fun qualities in our own lives.

Close family and friends will come together for a small gathering to honor Fritz on March 29, 2025 at 11:00am at her home in Dubach, LA to celebrate her life and the remarkable person she was.

May she rest in peace, knowing her love will continue to live on in the hearts of her family for generations to come.

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Gerald E. Wall  
February 19, 1941 – March 9, 2025  
Memorial service: 1:00 PM, Friday, March 14, 2025 at Owens Memorial Chapel   

Martha Bailey Smith   
November 29, 1944 – March 6, 2025   
Service: Ebenezer Baptist Church, Friday, March 14, 2025, 10:00 am 

Jessica Ann Colvin 
June 11, 1982 – March 10, 2025 
Visitation: Friday, March 14, 2025, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Owens Memorial Chapel 
Funeral Service: Friday, March 14, 2025, 11:00 AM, Owens Memorial Chapel 

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Courtesy of LA Tech University Communications

Louisiana Tech University welcomed middle and high school students from across the region for the second annual SeaPerch Challenge at the Lambright Sports and Wellness Center on Friday, March 7. The competition, which challenges students to design, build, and maneuver underwater remote-operated vehicles through an obstacle course, saw participation from 42 teams and nearly 150 individuals involved.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, this year’s competition featured challenges that required students to apply problem-solving skills, teamwork, and critical thinking under time constraints.

“One of the biggest changes this year is that we know more and can do more,” Cathi Cox-Boniol, director of SCILS Region 8 LASTEM Center, said. “This event is more than just a competition; it’s a gateway to Louisiana Tech, showing students what’s possible for their future.”

The event was a collaborative effort between Louisiana Tech, the SCILS Region 8 LASTEM Center, the Science and Technology Education Center (SciTEC), the Department of Defense, RoboNation, Louisiana State University, Louisiana Delta Community College, and Cedar Creek School.

“The SeaPerch Challenge is one of the many opportunities we provide to introduce students to a new world of STEM competition while helping them develop real-world skills like collaboration, communication, and determination,” Cox-Boniol added. “Seeing these young people grow into the leaders of tomorrow gives us so much hope for the future.”

Students demonstrated their engineering and programming skills in the Lambright pool, guiding their remote-operated vehicles through tasks designed to simulate real-world underwater exploration challenges. The competition emphasized not only technical ability but also creativity, teamwork, and adaptability.

“It’s all about the kids, the things they’re learning, their perseverance, and teamwork,” said Missy Wooley, STEM outreach coordinator for SciTEC. “What they’re discovering is truly impressive, and it fills my heart with joy to see them so engaged and excited about what they’re doing.”

With another successful year in the books, faculty and students are already looking ahead to next year’s Challenge, aiming to expand participation and further engage students in STEM exploration.

For more information about the SeaPerch Challenge, visit the link here.

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Courtesy of Lincoln Parish Tax Accessor Office

Lincoln Parish Assessor Billy McBride would like to inform First Responders about a new law that took effect in 2025 and provides them with an additional homestead exemption.

The First Responder Exemption, if qualified, allows for a tax exemption of $25,000 off the market value of properties owned and occupied by First Responders in Lincoln Parish. This is in addition to the Homestead Exemption, which exempts the first $75,000, resulting in a total tax exemption of $100,000.

First responders can be volunteer firefighters and/or full-time public employees whose duties include responding rapidly to an emergency, such as peace officers, sheriffs, police officers, fire protection personnel, certified emergency medical services personnel, and emergency response operators and dispatchers who provide communication support in emergencies.

Volunteer Firefighters must meet the following criteria:

• has completed (within the tax year) no fewer than 24 hours of firefighter continuing education AND
• an active member of the Louisiana State Fireman’s Association OR
• on the departmental personnel roster of the Volunteer Firefighter Insurance Program.
• Does not have to be full-time.
• Does not have to reside in the Parish. (Example: Volunteer Firefighter for Union Parish but resides and claims homestead in Lincoln Parish)

All other First Responders must meet the following criteria:

• Currently employed by a PUBLIC entity/employer as a government employee, AND
• Must be full-time, AND
• Duties include responding rapidly to an emergency, AND
• Must reside in the Parish of employer.

By law, first responders must reapply each year to continue receiving this benefit. Applications are available at our office or on the Forms page at http://www.lpassessor.com. Completed applications and supporting documents must be received by the Assessor’s office no later than July 1, 2025. They can be dropped off at our office, 307 N. Homer Street Suite 100 in Ruston, LA 71270, mailed to our office at P.O. Box 1218 Ruston, LA 71270, or emailed to our office at assessor@lpassessor.org.

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by Malcolm Butler

Veterans have a special place in the heart of Louisiana Tech’s chapter of Alpha Chi Omega President Anna Grace Scott. 

After all, she comes from a long line of family members who fought for and served our country.

Scott and her Alpha Chi Omega sisters will team up with other members of Louisiana Tech’s Greek system to hold a cookout fundraiser March 23 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to Argent Pavilion by the Thomas Assembly Center. The event is being sponsored by the Tech Interfraternity Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council.

All proceeds will go towards Woody’s Home for Veterans, a facility established in 2003 and located in Shreveport that provides a safe haven where veterans can interact with their fellow servicemen while receiving the psychiatric and supportive care. According to its website, there are an estimated 350 homeless veterans in the state of Louisiana.

“Because my father served in the army, my grandfather served in the air force, and my grandmother worked for the Department of Defense, this event is near and dear to my heart,” said Scott, a senior from Pineville. “I have witnessed the mental toll that serving our country can take on someone, and I believe Woody’s Home for Veterans is an amazing nonprofit doing things to better the lives of the people who fought for us to be here today.

“Although our Greek life on campus raises money for their own philanthropies, seeing everyone come together to raise money for Woody’s Home for Veterans has been very inspiring and reassuring of my choice to attend Louisiana Tech and be apart of Greek life. I know this event will not only raise money, but also awareness of the mental and physical state some veterans are left in. Veterans should not be left homeless and on the street after all they did for our country, so I am happy to use my voice and resources to advocate for our veterans.”

Jared “Pudge” Callender, IFC President and a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, said that although he and his Greek brothers and sisters are happy to help raise money for such a worthy cause, it’s about much more than just that. 

“Of course we want to raise money for the men and women at Woody’s Home for Veterans, but much more than that we are doing this to show our support and appreciation for the veterans of this country,” said Callender. “As a member of a fraternity and IFC, you are given the opportunity to do something great for others and that’s what we are aiming to do this weekend. This event is a chance to show our gratitude and respect towards our veterans and it’s something I’m truly grateful to be a part of.”

The menu for Saturday’s event includes different items prepared by the individual fraternities and sororities, including seafood pasta, hamburgers and hotdogs, pastalaya, chili, pulled pork, jambayla, and a variety of desserts. 

The menu and the ability to pre-purchase tickets online are available HERE. 

Craig Moss, Student Activity Coordinator at Louisiana Tech University, bragged about the coordination throughout the Tech Greek System in this endeavor. 

“I am incredibly proud of our amazing Greek organizations here at Louisiana Tech, who have united and have come together to host a Greek wide fundraiser for our veterans,” said Moss. “This collaboration showcases the strength and spirit of our Greek community on our campus as we unite for a common purpose: honoring those who have bravely served our country.

“This cookout will benefit and provide vital support to our veterans. It’s an honor to serve our veterans and it is humbling to see our young men and women in our Greek organizations want to give back to those who dedicated their lives to serve our nation. We have an amazing Greek Community! Together we can make a difference.”

 

 

 

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Courtesy of GSU Communications

At 1:46 p.m. Wednesday, Grambling State University Police received a GSAFE app alert regarding an isolated firearm-related incident near Bethune Hall. Officers responded immediately, and as a precaution, a lockdown was implemented in the affected area until 4:04 p.m.

“The safety of our students, faculty, and staff is always our top priority,” said Grambling State University President Martin Lemelle, Jr. “I want to commend the Grambling State University Police Department for their swift and professional response, as well as express my sincere appreciation to the law enforcement agencies that provided their support.

“Their coordination and commitment to ensuring the well-being of our campus community are truly commendable. We remain vigilant in our efforts to foster a safe environment and encourage everyone to stay engaged with our safety resources.”

No injuries were reported, and the suspects have been identified. The investigation is ongoing in coordination with law enforcement. There is no ongoing threat to campus safety.

 

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By T. Scott Boatright 

CHOUDRANT — Earning a college athletic scholarship to continue playing the sport you love is considered a dream come true.

Signing that scholarship to join the team you’ve dreamed of being part of for years is a dream doubly-realized.

That’s the case for Choudrant high school senior catcher Zoey Smith after she signed on Wednesday to continue her softball career at LSU-Eunice.

“I’ve been playing softball since I was 6 years old and I always dreamed of playing at the collegiate level,” Smith said. “LSU-E was one of my top three colleges (I wanted) to go to and since I started being recruited I wanted to go to LSU-E to experience the life that they have down there, so I couldn’t be more happy about that.”

In Smith, LSU-E will be getting a player who has already been named All-State four times, since she was in eighth grade.

Last season, Smith earned her fourth All-State team honor after batting .531 with 11 home runs, 11 doubles and 54 runs batted in as a junior.

In heading to LSU-E, Smith follows in the direct footsteps of former Lady Aggies Olivia Hennen, another multi-time All-State selection from Choudrant who went on to become the first LSU-E catcher to receive first-team All-American honors.

“I never did get to go watch her play at LSU-E but I have talked to her about what her experiences were there and I always heard her talk so positively about it, and other people talking about her experience there, too, and what a good environment for her to be in and that she learned so much playing there,” Smith said of following Hennen’s path to Eunice.

“She was definitely one of my impacts in making the decision.”

And because she grew up watching Hennen play catcher at Choudrant, Smith said LSU-E has always been on her radar since she began playing high school softball as an eighth-grader.

“I knew about LSU-E my whole childhood career,” Smith said. “And then at the beginning of my junior year (LSU-E coach Meghan) Collins had me come visit the campus and all of that kind of stuff, and I fell in love with the campus and what it looked like and the environment and how welcoming it was for me. 

“It made me really excited to be able to go there.”

“I’ve had the opportunity of coaching Zoey for three years,” said current Choudrant softball coach Stacy Tassin. “She is a phenomenal athlete, she’s a wonderful teammate and works very, very hard. She always picks her teammates up. She is kind of like my mini-coach. If I don’t see something, Zoey points it out and asks, ‘Hey, did you see this? We need to do this.’ She’s also very encouraging and has been a pleasure to coach these past three years.

“I’m excited to see her go to LSU-E. I get to go back now because I used to go watch Olivia, my niece, play and I’m so proud of Zoey and thrilled to see her get this opportunity.”

Smith said she begins to study kinesiology as she moves on to her college years.

“I want to come back home after college and go to PT (physical therapy) school,” Smith said. 

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A Ruston woman was arrested last week after she was stopped for a traffic violation and allegedly lied about her name to conceal that she was wanted.

Kendra S. Ford, 34, was arrested by by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office on March 4 on several warrants and traffic charges.

A deputy stopped Ford when he saw that her vehicle was not displaying a license plate. When he approached the vehicle, he observed a temporary plate in the back window, although it did not appear to be registered to that vehicle.

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Ford initially identified herself as Deijah Williams. An attempt to locate a driver’s license under that name was unsuccessful.

The deputy smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the car and a search was conducted. The deputy located a Louisiana identification card for Kendra Ford who finally admitted her true name, saying she lied because there were outstanding warrants for her arrest.

A check of Ford‘s name showed no driver’s license had been issued to and warrants were held by Ruston City Court and Third Judicial District Court for her.

Ford was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for improper display of license plate, failure to register vehicle, resisting an officer by providing false identification, no driver’s license, and warrants from Third District Court for failure to appear on a theft charge and warrants from Ruston City Court charging her with failure to appear on two theft charges.

Ford’s bail was sent at $21,000.

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

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

A man who allegedly caused a disturbance at a Ruston convenience store was arrested on several charges after he returned to the store while officers were investigating.

Ontario D. Spivey, 35, of Ruston, was arrested March 4 after officers talked to the manager of the Maple Mart about the incident.

The store manager said a man came into the store harassing one of the employees by yelling and cursing. The man was told to leave, but he instead became aggressive and started throwing items in the store.

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Officers saw items thrown about the store, including a number of items that were damaged and could no longer be sold.

Spivey returned to the store while officers were present and appeared to be intoxicated. He said he had been in the store previously, but denied causing a disturbance. During a search at the time of his arrest, a bottle of whiskey was found in Spivey‘s clothing.

Spivey was arrested for disturbing the peace, simple criminal damage to property, and criminal mischief and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. His bail was set in $2,000.

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

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 Kyle Roberts

As we recently celebrated our three-year anniversary, I’m proud to say that the Lincoln Parish Journal has published over 14,000 stories since its 2021 launch.

Let me say that again: 14,000 stories.

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

Here’s how!

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

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

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

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

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By Doug Strickel

I frequently work with organizations to take their next step in improving in various ways.  One of those key areas is their workplace culture.  I can’t tell you how often I have asked senior leaders to describe their desired culture, and they refer to their organization’s mission statement.  This statement is frequently displayed in a very nice frame on the boardroom wall and oftentimes presented on their website.

However, I have seen it far too often that it stops there.  The mission statement that was intended to be a guiding light to the organization and drive direction and culture, is often too wordy, too general, and too theoretical.  When I ask employees about the mission, they have no clue.  That crafty statement doesn’t leave the boardroom wall and has nothing to do with direction and culture.

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To understand the true mission or culture of an organization, one only needs to observe.  Simply observe employee interaction, meeting agendas, supervisory intervention or lack thereof, and how the organization responds when plans fall apart.  Culture is what happens, not what we talk about.  It’s no wonder that many organizations suffer from an identity crisis, and they don’t even know it.

The same holds true for individuals.  Many of us talk about the direction we want to seek.  We talk about the person we want to be.  We may even talk about the mission we want to pursue.  We may spend hours thinking about it, but we don’t take any action.  If someone were to observe our life, they would have no idea that we desire those things. 

Our actions tell the real story.  Whether we are talking about an organization or an individual, what one does reflects true beliefs, values, convictions, and identity.  Actions tell the real story!  Our actions reflect our true character. 

There is a story in the book of Matthew where Jesus tells of a father asking both his sons to work in the family vineyard.  One son readily agrees but ultimately does not go to work.  The other son initially refuses but has a change of heart and goes to work.  The point of the story is to emphasize that our actions matter more than just shallow responses/words. 

Do your actions reveal the person you desire to be?  Consider your conversations, what you read, what you watch, how you invest your time, how you spend your money, and how you connect with others.  You can also look at how you approach work, deal with challenges, and take care of yourself. 

If you direct an organization, you can do the same with the entity.  Just take some time and observe.

Do you see what you desire?  It’s one thing to talk about our mission, our purpose, or our desired identity or culture, but it’s quite something else to live it out!

Do you have a mission or are you on mission? 

It’s a question worth answering!

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 Kyle Roberts

RUSTON, La. — Following head coach LaShanda Cooper’s first season at the helm of the Lady Bearcat Basketball program, four Bearcats were named to the All-District 2-5A team.

Senior forward Kiersynce McNeal was named to the first-team, while sophomore Gioia Tatum earned second-team honors.

Both sophomore Angelica Green and seniors Jasmine Summerford also garnered honorable mention honors.

“Each of these remarkable young ladies faced their own set of challenges but showed incredible resilience and growth throughout the season,” Cooper said. “As a team, they truly stepped up in district play, displaying an unwavering determination and heart. Despite the adversity we encountered, including injuries, and falling short of a district title, these players never wavered. They remained coachable, demonstrated exceptional leadership, and gave their absolute best effort. Their dedication, passion, and commitment to the game were evident in every moment, and they should be proud of the incredible progress they made together.”

2024- 2025 District 2-5A All-District Teams

Coach of the Year: Lorrie Guimbellot, Neville

District 2-5A MVP

Joy Fisher (Jr.) MVP

1st Team All-District

Thamerin Balthazar (Sr.) ASH

McKenna Cooley (Fr.) OPHS

Erynn Felton (Jr.) NHS

Joy Fisher (Jr.) NHS

Kiersynce McNeal (Sr.) Ruston

2nd Team All-District

#20	Ella Ashcraft (Jr.)	WM
#20	Malaysha Scott (So.)	OPHS
#5	Gioia Tatum (So.)	RHS
#25	Jayla Taylor (So.)	NHS
#12	Destiny Vories (So.)	ASH
#2	Markayla Williams (Jr.)|	WM

Honorable Mention All-District

#4	Jurnee Carter	OPHS
	#11 Jamari Collins	ASH
#15	Sydney Davis	NHS
#1	Angelica Green	RHS
#11	Malyric Jones	WMI
#3	Jaleiha Loyd	WM
#12	Taylor Madison	OPHS
#32	McKenzie Puckett|	NHS
#3	Kenya Russell	ASH
#2	Jasmine Summerford	RHS

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By Brad Dison

There is an old cliché that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  That was certainly true with Alex’s paintings.  Alex dabbled in watercolor painting, but despite his numerous attempts his paintings were considered unspectacular.  Newspapers described Alex in much the same way, “patient, persevering, methodical, and unspectacular.”  Alex had no delusions that he would someday become an artist whose works were put on display for others to see, yet it happened. 

Art was only a hobby for Alex.  He was a scientist.  Artists use a variety of media in their approach to artistic expression.  Sometimes that medium is as unconventional as dryer lint, used bubblegum, or grains of rice.  Alex began experimenting with his own medium and painted ballerinas, houses, soldiers, mothers feeding children, portraits, stick figures fighting, and many other scenes by using bacterial microbes.  The difficult process began with Alex growing bacterial microbes in a petri dish which produced different natural pigments.  He filled another petri dish with agar, a gelatinous substance created from algae.  He dipped his lab tool into the microbes and carefully placed them into the agar.  Painting with microbes was difficult because the varieties of microbes matured at different times.  Alex painted with one variety of microbes, waited the predetermined length of time, then added the next batch of microbes which produced a different color, and the process continued.  Once he was satisfied, he placed his raw petri dish into an incubator to allow them to grow into his unusual works of art.    

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Alex was pleased with his creations, but he was limited to just a few colors.  Most of his microbial artworks consisted of red, black, brown, and yellow pigments.  Alex wanted to see if he could create more colors if he left his mixture out of the incubator.  When he checked on the petri dish a few days later, he noticed mold growing on it.  Most scientists would have thrown the sample away, but not Alex.  He said, “I might have been in a bad temper and missed it.”  He studied the sample and noticed that each of the colonies of bacteria on his petri dish had grown into a small shape which resembled a star in the night sky.  Then he realized that the dark sky surrounding his star was dying bacteria.  He initially called the substance “mold juice.”  In his search for more colors for his microbial art, Alex…Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin.       

Sources:

1.     The Meriden Journal, March 11, 1955, p.1.

2.     The Age (Melbourne, Australia), July 4, 1959, p.18.

3.     Rob Dunn, “Painting with Penicillin: Alexander Fleming’s Germ Art, Smithsonian Magazine, July 11, 2010, accessed March 9, 2025, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/painting-with-penicillin-alexander-flemings-germ-art-1761496/.

4.     “National Treasure: The Mold Behind the Miracle of Penicillin,” National Museum of American History, November 22, 2024, accessed March 9, 2025, https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/national-treasure-mold-behind-miracle-penicillin.

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Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications 

Both the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters will open up the 2025 Conference USA Basketball Championships today.

Head coach Brooke Stoehr’s Lady Techsters will square off against No. 4 seed New Mexico State with tipoff set for 11:30 p.m. at VBC Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama. 

Talvin Hester and Co. will face No. 3 seed Middle Tennessee at 8 p.m. at the same venue. 

Both games can be heard on the LA Tech Radio Network with the women airing on 97.7 FM and the men on 107.5 FM. 

The Lady Techsters (15-14, 8-10) and Aggies (17-14, 10-8) split their regular season series with each team winning on its home court. 

Tech defeated NMSU 67-58 on January 4 in Ruston while the Aggies returned the favor two weeks ago with an 87-80 victory in Las Cruces. The Lady Techsters are led by Conference USA Freshman of the Year Paris Bradley, averaging 14.5 points per game, including 17.3 ppg in league games. Bradley was the first Lady Techsters since Erica Smith in 2002 to win the league FOY award.

NMSU is led by CUSA Player of the Year Molly Kaiser, who ranks 15th in the nation at 20.7 points per game. 

The Bulldogs (20-11, 9-9) will look to try to beat Middle Tennessee for the third time this season after defeating the Blue Raiders 75-69 in Ruston and 85-74 in Murfreesboro.

Tech is led by CUSA Defensive Player of the Year Daniel Batcho, who became the first Bulldog to earn first team all-CUSA honors twice.  The power forward leads LA Tech in scoring at 16.9 points per game, and currently ranks second in the country in field goal percentage (68.7), a mark that would set a program record and be third best in CUSA history.

Middle Tennessee (21-10, 11-7) is one of the hotter teams heading into the tournament, having won four of their last five games with their lone blemish being an 86-81 home loss to Liberty. 

The main reason for MTSU’s success in confer­ence was its offense. The Blue Raiders ranked No. 1 in scoring offense during league play, averaging 73.7 points per contest. They have scored 70+ points in eight straight games en­tering the tournament. They also rank No. 2 in field goal percentage at 44.7 percent.

Today will be a rematch of last season’s quarterfinal between LA Tech and Middle Tennessee, won by the Blue Raiders, 70-67. It is the exact same scenario in which the Bulldogs swept the season series and then faced off against MTSU in an 8 p.m. quarterfinal showdown at VBC Propst Arena.

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Funeral services for Jessica Ann Colvin, age 42 of Choudrant, LA, are scheduled for 11:00 AM, Friday, March 14, 2025 at Owens Memorial Chapel with Bro. Brad Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Choudrant, LA under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston, LA.

Jessica was born to Julie Brown and Larry Wininger on June 11, 1982 in Monroe, LA and passed away Monday, March 10, 2025 in Choudrant, LA. Jessica loved spending time with her family and loving on her sons, nieces, and nephews. She cherished all the time spent with her family and friends which will all miss her dearly. Jessica loved watching her son play baseball.   

Jessica was preceded in death by her papaw, Hosey Lee; grandparents, Lavalle and Orene Wininger; and nephew, Emerson Kyle Wininger. Those left behind to cherish her memories are her two sons, Taylor Boyd of McComb, MS and Cayden Colvin of Choudrant, LA; mother, Julie Brown and stepfather Jason of Choudrant, LA; father, Larry Wininger of West Monroe, LA; sister, Jayme Bell and husband Jamie of Choudrant, LA; brother, Justin Wininger and wife Heather  of Choudrant, LA; sister, Kaylee Brown and fiancé Eric Wilhite of Choudrant, LA; sister, Shannon Downs of Monroe, LA; her nieces and nephews: Karson and Mayson Bell, Ellie Koonce, Jaxston Wininger, Colton Davis, and Raylee and Canaan Wilhite; and a host of other family and friends.

Serving as pallbearers will be Taylor Boyd, Cayden Colvin, Pat Colvin, Eric Boyd, Austin Barmore, and Karson Bell.

Visitation will be held from 9:30 AM until time of service, Friday, at Owens Memorial Chapel. To leave an online memorial message for the family, please visit http://www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com

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William W. “Bill” Sheridan, Jr. 
April 15, 1970 – March 10, 2025 
Visitation: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 
Service: Temple Baptist Church Chapel, Thursday, March 13, 2025, 10:00 am 
Cemetery: Greenwood Cemetery, Thursday, March 13, 2025 

Sheria “Lynn” Spurlock  
June 24, 1947 – March 10, 2025  
Funeral Service: Thursday, March 13, 2025, 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel  

Gerald E. Wall  
February 19, 1941 – March 9, 2025  
Memorial service: 1:00 PM, Friday, March 14, 2025 at Owens Memorial Chapel   

Martha Bailey Smith   
November 29, 1944 – March 6, 2025   
Visitation: Temple Baptist Church Chapel, Thursday, March 13, 2025, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm   
Service: Ebenezer Baptist Church, Friday, March 14, 2025, 10:00 am 

Jessica Ann Colvin 
June 11, 1982 – March 10, 2025 
Visitation: Friday, March 14, 2025, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Owens Memorial Chapel 
Funeral Service: Friday, March 14, 2025, 11:00 AM, Owens Memorial Chapel 

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By T. Scott Boatright

 

Taking action on five bids and the reappointment of members to different boards were primary orders of business as the Lincoln Parish Police Jury held its March meeting Tuesday evening at the Lincoln Parish Courthouse.

The LPPJ also approved an $18,000 agreement to a partnership with the city of Ruston and the Ruston-Lincoln Visitors and Convention Bureau concerning retail strategies for the parish. It authorized Parish Administrator Courtney Hall to get an appraisal and property inspection for 203 South Vienna Street in Ruston related to potential purchase of that property.

The LPPJ approved a number of purchases, including a Shoulder Paver Attachment for $79,200 from Covington Sales & Services, Inc., a new Boom Truck for $198,500 from Scott Truck LLC, a Pavement Lay Down Machine for $231,055.66 from Covington Sales & Services, Inc. They also approved the purchase of a minimum of 5,000 gallons of asphalt materials from Ashphalt Product Unlimited.

They rejected all four bids received for purchase of a Regular Cab Tandem Dump Truck.

“None of those bids meets the specs so we’re just going to reject all bids, reword it and advertise again,” said Parish Purchasing Officer Jerri Lynn Webb.

The Jury agreed to authorize Webb to do so.

The two reappointments made by the LPPJ during the meeting were Phillip Todd Heard to Waterworks District No. 1 and Kip Franklin to the Fire Training Board.

Also approved was permission for Hall to start making arrangements for some Jury members to travel to Washington D.C. with other representatives from the cities of Ruston and Grambling to lobby for federal funding for the I-20 West Service Road project (all the way to Grambling) planned to link Tarbutton Road exit where Buc-ees has recently started being constructed.

“We’re trying to put that trip together,” Hall said. “We haven’t got the dates set yet but we’re trying to get out in front of it and get permission from the Jury so that all expenses would be reimbursable in line with the Jury’s travel policies.”

The LPPJ also approved moving forward with a proposed amendment authorizing the parish to provide an additional property tax exemption of up to $2,500 for qualified first responders, specifically those owning and occupying property that also receives the homestead exemption. 

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