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Month: December 2025
Local events
Each Monday through 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.
Monday, Dec. 29
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
4-7 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way)
6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street)
6-9 p.m.: Creative Meetups (Creatives at Work, 301 N. Trenton)
6;30 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball
Tuesday, Dec. 30
4-7 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way)
Wednesday, Dec. 31
New Year’s Eve
7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee)
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)
Noon: GSU men’s basketball
Thursday, Jan. 1
Happy New Year!
6:30 p.m.: GSU women’s basketball
Friday, Jan. 2
2 p.m.: GSU women’s basketball
6:30 p.m.: LA Tech women’s basketball
Saturday, Jan. 3
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
4 p.m.: GSU men’s basketball
Monday, Jan. 5
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
5:30 p.m.: Ruston City Council meeting (Ruston City Hall)
6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street)
6-9 p.m.: Creative Meetups (Creatives at Work, 301 N. Trenton)
6:30 p.m.: GSU men’s basketball
Tuesday, Jan. 6
6 p.m.: Lincoln Parish School Board meeting (410 S. Farmerville St.)
Wednesday, Jan. 7
7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee)
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)
Thursday, Jan. 8
9:30 a.m.: Piney Hills Quilt Guild meeting (Grace Methodist Church)
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall)
6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers)
6 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball
Saturday, Jan. 10
8:30-11:30 a.m.: Hazardous Waste Material Collection and Recycling (2609 Farmerville St.)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
2 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball
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.
Dunkin’ Dogs open CUSA play
Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech tips off its 13th season in Conference USA on Monday when the Bulldogs host the UTEP Miners tonight inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.
Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game can be seen on ESPN+ with Malcolm Butler (PxP), Dickie Crawford (Analyst), and Madison Kaufman (sideline) providing a call of the action.
LA Tech leads the all-time series versus UTEP, 21-15. The Bulldogs own a 14-7 advantage since the two became CUSA foes, having won four of the last five including the last meeting which resulted in a 76-58 win for LA Tech in the final game of the regular season last year. The Bulldogs are 13-2 all-time versus the Miners in Ruston (8-1 in CUSA contests).
The Bulldogs (7-4, 0-0) closed out non-conference play dominating Dallas Christian 90-37. The No. 1-ranked scoring defense in the country showed its grit again as LA Tech held Dallas Christian to 37 points on 23.6 percent shooting from the field and 16.7 percent shooting from three. The Bulldogs are allowing just 55.5 points per game, having held eight of their 11 opponents to less than 62 points.
The team also ranks No. 1 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (34.9) and No. 2 in three-point percentage defense (24.3). They have held eight foes to under 40 percent shooting and every team to under 31 percent shooting from deep.
Kaden Cooper registered his third double-double of the season and the sixth of his Bulldog career, scoring a season-high 24 points to go along with 13 boards against Dallas Christian. He also recorded a career-high four assists. Since being reinserted into the starting lineup over the last four games, the junior guard is averaging 15.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game while shooting 55.8 percent from the field. He currently paces the team in total rebounds, steals, and blocks.
UTEP (4-7, 0-0) put an end to its five-game losing streak with a 76-66 home victory over North Dakota State in its annual Sun Bowl Invitational. The Miners were quite the travelers in non-conference, playing road games in Utah, Washington, and Hawaii as well a multi-team event in Florida. They are still looking for their first win away from El Paso, currently owning an 0-5 record.
UTEP will be playing in its final season in Conference USA as the Miners are set to join the Mountain West Conference following the 2025-26 season. They have been members of CUSA since 2005, the longest of any current institution.
One thing that has been consistent under head coach Joe Golding, now in his fifth year at UTEP, has been a suffocating defense. The Miners rank second in CUSA and top 40 in the country in both steals per game (9.4) and turnovers forced per game (15.55).
Remembering Dorothy Moore Richardson
Dorothy Moore Richardson, age 61, passed away peacefully on December 21, 2025, at Glenwood Hospital in West Monroe, Louisiana.
Dorothy was born on October 21, 1964. She worked for many years as a medical technologist in the laboratory at E.A. Conway Hospital before retiring.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Richardson, who passed away in May of this year.
Dorothy is survived by her sisters, Marlene Williams (Donnie) and Kathy Felter (Ellis); her nieces, Amanda Cantrell and Hannah Williams; her nephews, Alex Felter and Kade Felter (Ashlyn); her cherished great-niece, Winter Dent; and her fur baby, Mia. She will be deeply missed by her family.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to her best friend, Susan Booth, for her friendship and devotion to Dorothy throughout the years.
The family also wishes to express heartfelt gratitude to the staff of 3 North and 3 East ICU at Glenwood Hospital for the care and compassion shown during the last weeks of her life. Their kindness will never be forgotten.
A private gathering of the family and friends will be held after the New Year.
Notice of death — Dec. 28, 2025
Florence Ann Peterson
September 21, 1951 – December 24, 2025
Visitation: Saturday, December 27, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Farrar Funeral Home Chapel, 312 Smith Street, Farmerville
Memorial Service: Saturday, December 27, 2025, 2:00 PM, Farrar Funeral Home Chapel, 312 Smith Street, Farmerville
Ed Earl Hall
July 23, 1935 – December 26, 2025
Funeral Service: Tuesday, December 30, 2025, 2:00 PM, Dean Baptist Church, 2309 Highway 827, Marion
Cemetery Committal: Tuesday, December 30, 2025, Reppond Cemetery, Crow Farm Rd., Marion
Win for Bearcats bigger than Capitol City Classic championship
By Kyle Roberts
SALEM, Oregon — Winning tournaments is always nice.
That’s just with the Bearcats (5-1) did this week by taking home the crown of the 2025 Capitol City Classic after winning four-straight game out of the state of Louisiana — and two time zones away — within the span of five days.
But when you deepen your team’s bond and get some invaluable experience off the court, well — that’s a good Christmas gift if you’re Ruston High Head Coach Marcus Jackson.
“It was good to see everyone supporting each other,” Jackson said. “They had a great chance to learn more about each other off the court and build a better camaraderie and rapport with each other. That was one of the biggest goals. These kids haven’t had the chance to be around each other much, and we wanted them to mesh together and also play good basketball. I know the situation was adverse because we hadn’t practiced much — maybe once or twice up here — but we figured some things out.
“When things got tight (in these last two games), the kids bonded together and we pulled through. I’m very proud of them, but we have got a lot of work to do when we get back to tidy up something things.”
Outside of shining on the court, the Bearcats were able to both see the Nike headquarters and participate in some various events like dunk contests and half-court shot competitions.
After Ruston picked up two wins in the first two days of the tournament, the squad had a rest day on Sunday of this past week to get ready for some more stiff competition on Monday and Tuesday. It proved to be no problem for Ruston as the Bearcats won the semifinal game over Tualatin 76-68 on Monday and then the championship game over St. Mary’s 64-61 in a nail-biter Tuesday on the campus of Willamette University.
Sophomore guard Darren Ford led Ruston in scoring in both games with 22 points against Tualatin and then 23 in the championship game. Junior KeShun Malcolm put up 21 and 10 points, respectively in the two games, while junior Ahmad Hudson finished with 21 and 20.
For their efforts, Malcolm was named MVP of the opening day against Central, while Hudson was named MVP in the games against Wilsonville and Tualatin. Ford earned MVP honors in the championship game against St. Mary’s.
“The teams we played in the final two days had a lot of chemistry over the years,” Jackson said. “I learned some things about our guys in those two games — they continued to fight, and I’m proud of them. The last two games could have gone either way, but we made plays at the end of got some stops.”
The Bearcats will now prepare for the Bossier Invitational tournament. Ruston will have a first-round bye and play on Friday, Jan. 2.
”We have some things we need to make better,” Jackson said in conclusion. “But overall, this was a good trip for the kids, and as a team, we made it happen.”
Choudrant HS choir makes joyful noise
by Hanna Singh
Thirty-two students performed at the annual Choudrant High School Christmas Program choir performance as the program hosted its 3rd annual performance last Thursday and Friday.
This marked the largest student participation in the choir in school history.
Sponsored and directed by Lauren Seal and Tyler Price, the Choudrant High School Choir was founded in the fall of 2022. After years of potential ideas, Principal Christopher Jones brought the concept to Price, knowing he was active in his church choir. Preceding its inaugural performance, the choir had already gained 25-30 members. Director Seal expressed her appreciation for the students’ efforts.
“Our students worked incredibly hard to prepare for the concert,” Seal said. “We are very proud of their hard work.”
Now in the fall of 2025, the CHS choir boasts an impressive 42 members, most of which took part in the annual Christmas program. Two programs were hosted, including a Thursday morning performance for the student body and a Friday evening program open to family, friends and the community. Entry was free to the public, but donations were accepted to help raise money for future choir equipment and endeavors.
Principal Chris Jones expanded on the effort made by student members to bring the yearly choir performances to fruition.
“We started our choir three years ago and they do an amazing job. They have to practice before school because we don’t have time built into the schedule for a class, so the kids have to be very dedicated to participate,” Jones said. “ They are a source of pride for our school and having a choir also gives students another way to showcase their talents.”
During the program, the students performed a number of classic Christmas songs including “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”, “One King”, “Light of the World” and more. The songs were selected with help from Senior choir student, Audrey Kate Martin. Martin highlighted what made being a part of the program so special this year.
“The CHS choir has overcome many challenges to get where it is,” Martin said. “With little time to practice and little support, it is our sponsors’ passion and our members’ determination that make this program a reality. I love it and can’t wait to see how far it goes in the years to come.”
Students in the choir devoted countless extra hours into practicing and perfecting their performance in time for the program. Despite most choir members also being athletes, the students and parents made sacrifices to devote time to practice. Most practices took place early mornings before school started, along with some late afternoons after school let out. Although the program is new, Price believes that the students have made significant progress. He shared what he tells the students each year to motivate them to take something away from the experience.
“Everyone may not be that stellar athlete or a scholar student,” Price said. “But we can all sing. Some may sound better than others, but we can all make a joyful noise.”
After the heartfelt performance at the Christmas Program, students and staff gained even more confidence in the success of the organization. According to Price, close to a dozen more students expressed interest in joining the choir the following year. With more years of dedication and passion like this one, the CHS choir will surely become a significant part of Choudrant High School’s legacy.
Christmas 365
by Wesley Harris
“When are we going to ‘do Christmas’?” a family member asked. We know what she meant. When will the family gather to exchange gifts, experience some fun and fellowship, eat some good food, and maybe watch some football?
We’ve almost always “done Christmas” on Christmas morning. It’s been a tradition in my family as long as I’ve lived. This year, because so many in the family work critical jobs on fixed schedules in the medical profession, we are gathering on Christmas Eve morning.
But does it really matter when we “do Christmas”? Perhaps the more important question is shouldn’t we celebrate Christmas every day of the year rather than just on December 25? The birth of Jesus, sent by God the Father to redeem the world, is worthy of celebration every single day. We don’t have to wait for the holiday season.
What if Christmas wasn’t just a day, but a way of life? What if we celebrated, not just with gifts, but with grace?
Luke 2:8 tells us shepherds went to see Jesus in his manger after learning of his birth from an angel. While December 25 is widely celebrated as that moment, shepherds tending flocks in the fields points to a warmer season as winter around Bethlehem is too cold and rainy for nighttime grazing. Jesus was likely born when the shepherds took advantage of the rich spring and summer grass.
Sure, there’s plenty to look forward to as Christmas approaches. Thanksgiving is an early prelude, prompting us to go to God in prayer for all our blessings and to petition Him for friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and the sick and dispirited. While Christmas decorations go up in retail stores even before Thanksgiving, the day after that call to prayer kicks off the official Christmas season. It is a time of excitement and joy and wonder with Nativity scenes and special church services and get togethers.
But it doesn’t have to stop on December 26 as we clean up wrapping paper, dismantle the Christmas tree, and return the sweater that’s two sizes too small. As we step into a new year, don’t pack away Christmas with the decorations. Live it every day with grace, gratitude, and love. Approach this new year with the realization Jesus is there for us every day and what he did and continues to do for us is worthy of endless celebration.
Merry Christmas and may God bless you in 2026.
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.
COLUMN: What I love about Christmas in the South
My mother was always one of those parents who embodied the full spirit of Christmas, providing a truly magical experience for us every year. The day after Thanksgiving she morphed into a Christmas elf, decorating every inch of our home with something sparkling and throwing the trees up with ease. The parts of the holidays I always loved the most were the traditions, ones which I have grown to appreciate more with age.
Our first Christmas in Louisiana, I began to notice the subtle differences in holidays in the south. Unsurprisingly the food is different. We grew up with the drier “stuffing” at the Christmas dinner table, and were quickly introduced at a family friend’s party to the miracle of Southern “dressing”. I’ve learned that at many holiday parties you will find candied pecans, sweet potato pie and even Christmas King Cakes. And I always love when people cook big pots of gumbo during the season.
Something I love about Christmas in Louisiana is how tidbits of Cajun culture are woven into the celebrations each year. I remember laughing the first time I saw a light display with Santa being carried away by flying alligators, but I quickly learned about Papa Noel and the Cajun Night Before Christmas.
Growing up in Utah, I had never heard of the Catholic tradition of Midnight Mass or Réveillon dinners. I was also struck by how present the nativity and the cross were in Christmas celebrations everywhere we went. We always had a nativity in our home growing up, and in the South, it felt like nearly every family did as well. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I felt like I had made it home, to the place I was meant to live the rest of my life.
It’s funny trying to explain to people out West how we catch beads at Christmas parades or spend Christmas out on the lake because there just isn’t much snow to go around. Sometimes I miss my white Christmases, but I wouldn’t trade them for warmer winters. Or for the bonus holiday season that begins right after New Year’s when Mardi Gras starts.
Despite spending most of their lives above the Mason Dixie line, my parents have embraced many Southern traditions over the past decade or so. It’s special to see a blend of our traditions from my childhood alongside the bits of Louisiana influence we’ve picked up along the way.
I try to give my kids the same sense of magic my mom gave me, like the heart-racing excitement of waking up to check our stockings and the joy of decorating the family tree together. Looking back, I realize that I sure was blessed to be raised the way that I was. I love repeating the traditions I learned from her, and adding new ones to my family each year (maybe even some Cajun inspired ones.)
COLUMN: More than one way to drop the ball
At unquestionably the biggest nighttime church service of the year, with proud moms and great aunts and uncles tucked in tight to see cute children take part in the symbolic Christmas ceremony, a granddad fumbled the mistletoe ball.
Literally in front of God and everybody.
“The fan mail continues to come in,” he said in mid-week after that traumatic Sunday night. “It’s nice to be noticed again. I’m surprised it wasn’t ‘Play of the Day’ on ESPN.”
He’s accepted the electronic waves of mail and the face-to-face snickers with the guarded good cheer of a man who stepped over the edge — and lived to be ridiculed about it.
“This is the gift that will keep on giving,” he said, “right on through the new year.”
It happened during the Hanging of the Greens, a traditional service in which every branch and bough hung has seasonal meaning. Cedar represents royalty, fir and pine represent everlasting life, holly for resurrection, mistletoe for … sin? I’m not sure. But this is what happened.
The children go all over the church putting up wreaths and boughs at predetermined times. The organist plays. The congregation or choir or soloist sings. At some point, a fashioned orb of mistletoe the size of two basketballs and with a hook attached is lifted by a human holding a hooked stick and placed on a high hook in the sanctuary.
When you’re dealing with that many hooks and a human and a stick and a somber audience, you’re dealing with liturgical dynamite.
Dressed in his holiday finest, my guy (to use his name would be indiscreet; we’ll just call him Pat) had practiced before the gig. Hung it right up. But as he sat in the congregation preparing for The Hanging, the hook appeared smaller. And higher. And the stick looked to weigh roughly the same as your average load of pulpwood.
But the show must go on.
And it was time.
He secured the mistletoe ball on the stick. Heaved it skyward. Arms began trembling. He zeroed in on the hook. It bobbed and weaved. He glanced over his shoulder toward his precious wife of 50 years, who seemed to say with her eyes, “Please! While we’re young!”
He got it! The hooks hooked! But only a bit. And as he brought the stick down, well, the mistletoe ball … she fell. To Pat (not his real name, probably), it happened in slow motion. The ball seemed to fall in sections. Took a calendar day for the thing to hit the ground, which it did with a soft splat. Of course to Pat, it sounded a clothes washing machine, while running, had just been dropped out a fifth-story window.
It was all about pride at this point. Again he went in, with the stick, and hooked the ball. (What I’ve imagined is a guy trying to land a marlin, only in reverse.) He pointed the stick and the unruly mistletoe ball skyward, took aim, and after a few more agonizing eternities, she hooked. She hooked! Lord have mercy, securely, she hooked.
The children, lined in back and paying more attention in church than at any time previous in their entire lives, paused, eyes on the ball, just to make sure. And when she’d held for five seconds and then 10, and the end of the torment was assured, they actually burst into cheer. They cheered in church!
Pat sat. He did what he always does in times of distress: he looked upward. The center held. It was finished.
But not without a price. “The only other greens I’ll ever hang again,” he said, “will be turnips.”
Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu
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COLUMN: When Christmas carols tell their backstories
It’s amazing sometimes how one’s mind can wander while singing a song.
And I’m not talking about singing along with the car radio or lulling your grandbaby to sleep. I’m talking about singing while rehearsing with your chorus or choir or (I must ask for forgiveness here) even sometimes in worship services.
Your lips are still forming the words. Your vocal cords are still producing the correct sound. But your mind has taken a small side trip.
That’s what happened to me recently as my chorus was singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Our director had told us we were going to sing only the first verse because the latter verses got into a whole ‘nuther story – basically one of musical extortion.
In case you’ve forgotten the last two verses, they go like this:
So bring us some figgy pudding,
So bring us some figgy pudding,
So bring us some figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer! …
We won’t go until we get some,
We won’t go until we get some,
We won’t go until we get some, so bring it right here!
Pretty bold, don’t you think? That’s what made my mind go on holiday.
So I did a tad of research about those lyrics, and here’s what I found.
The song comes from 16th-century England, likely the West Country, and unlike many carols, it was not written for church use at all. It grew out of a tradition called wassailing, in which poorer villagers went door-to-door singing to wealthier neighbors in exchange for food and drink.
That famous line “Oh, bring us some figgy pudding … and bring it right here” isn’t a suggestion. It’s a demand. And the follow-up – “We won’t go until we get some” makes that perfectly clear.
In other words, this beloved, jolly sing-along is essentially a musical shakedown – good-natured, yes, but rooted in real social imbalance.
So I guess our director’s idea to use the short-cut lyrics was spot-on.
Of course, this got me to thinking about the origins of other Christmas carols that Southern A’Chord sang this year. A little more digging turned up a few odd – and sometimes humorous – facts.
– “Jingle Bells” – Written in the 1850s and originally called “One-Horse Open Sleigh,” the song was initially connected with Thanksgiving rather than Christmas. Winter imagery – not theology – eventually pushed it toward the latter celebration.
Another fun tidbit: “Jingle Bells” was the first tune broadcast from space. Astronauts Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford on Gemini 6A in 1965 performed it using a harmonica and jingle bells they smuggled aboard for a prank on Mission Control.
– “White Christmas” – It’s easy to assume this song originated with the 1954 movie of the same name – I once did myself – until you learn it first appeared in the 1942 film “Holiday Inn,” sung by Bing Crosby. The first public performance, however, came even earlier, when Crosby sang it on NBC’s The Kraft Music Hall on Christmas Day 1941, just weeks after Pearl Harbor.
It went on to become the best-selling single of all time, according to the “Guinness Book of World Records” – quite an achievement for composer Irving Berlin, a Jewish immigrant who didn’t celebrate Christmas.
– “Sing We Noel” – This lively tune sounds ancient – and partly is – but not entirely. The melody comes from a French carol, “Noel Nouvelet,” dating back at least to the 15th or 16th century. The English lyrics, however, are much more modern, adapted over time for choral use. It’s one of many “traditional carols” that are really musical hybrids – ancient melodies wearing newer words.
That’s all I have room for now. We’ll have to wait for another installment on additional songs that surely must have interesting backgrounds – “Christmas Chopsticks” and “Diddly Squat,” for instance. I mean, with titles like those, how could they not come with stories attached?
———————————————————
Sallie Rose Hollis lives in Ruston and retired from Louisiana Tech as an associate professor of journalism and the assistant director of the News Bureau. She can be contacted at sallierose@mail.com.
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.
How to Improve Your Land for Wildlife!
Quail Forever, the LDWF (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and fisheries), the USDA-NRCS and many more partners in the AR-LA WGCP CDN are offering an exciting opportunity for private landowners with the Open Pine Program for Quail, Turkey and other wildlife!
We can help you transform dense forests into healthy, open woodlands, savannas, and native prairies that support quail, turkey, deer, and songbirds.
Through the AR-LA Open Pine Landscape Restoration RCPP, landowners in 20 parishes across northern and central Louisiana can help improve and restore habitat for wildlife like turkey and quail!
Funding is available to help with:
- oForest Stand Improvement: Thinning dense woods to create open habitat.
- oPrescribed Fire: A key tool for maintaining healthy ecosystems.
- oBird Monitoring: See the results of your hard work.
FAQ’s:
1. How do I start? NRCS and associated conservation partners will deliver this program collaboratively. You can begin by going to openpine.org to let a partner biologist know you are interested!
2. What does it cost me and what cost share is available? Funding is available for reimbursement through this program to reduce forest density and allow sunlight to reach the ground at differing rates based on management activities.
READY TO GET STARTED? CLICK BELOW!
BEST OF 2025: Wagner receives keys to inaugural Habitat for Humanity home in Ruston
(Over the course of the next few weeks, the Lincoln Parish Journal is republishing some of its most memorable stories from the past year … some of our readers favorites).
by Hanna Singh
One deserving individual was handed the keys to a brighter future as Cabrino Wagner became the first homeowner in a new Habitat for Humanity subdivision in Ruston.
Wagner, a manager at the Ruston Walmart, received the keys to her new home during the “Giving of the Keys” and ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday. Her home is the first of 18 planned for the new subdivision.
Wagner had applied to receive a Habitat for Humanity home for 3 years in a row. When she was selected to become their newest recipient, she took her new role as a homeowner very seriously. As part of the organization’s requirements, new homeowners participate in classes on financial literacy and homeownership to prepare for the responsibilities of maintaining a home. Wagner expressed deep appreciation for the chance to start anew in a safe and comfortable place.
“One thing my mom always used to say was, always give those grace who go above and beyond for you,” Wagner said. “I’m so grateful for all the sponsors, donations and most of all, to North Louisiana Habitat for Humanity.”
The home was brought together over the last year through the efforts and donations of many sponsors and volunteers. Construction began in February 2024. The project received $122,775 in monetary donations and $33,478 in in-kind donations, for a total value of $156,253. A total of 237 volunteers contributed 1,066 hours to build the home.
CEO Habitat for Humanity of North Louisiana, Kathy Gardner expressed her appreciation for all of the sponsors and volunteers.
“We are extremely grateful to all our sponsors, our volunteers, our board and our staff for all the hard work they put in. It takes everyone to make this happen. The funding was incredible and the caring that went into this home and the homeowner was amazing,” Gardner said. “That’s what it’s all about – the homeowner – and putting them in a good situation. They were in a bad place and now they are able to thrive.”
Gardner shared that her family will be moving in as soon as possible and are so grateful for the entire community coming together to support them. Although Wagner’s mother could not attend the ceremony, Gardner noted how excited she was to see her daughter reach this milestone. In honor of her, the home was dedicated to Wagner’s mother. The home is the first addition of 17 more that will be built on lots donated by Temple Baptist church.
Habitat for Humanity of North Louisiana works to ensure that everyone has a decent place to live. They are a Christian organization with a mission to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. That mission was woven into every part of the homebuilding process. During construction, volunteers held a “stud signing” event, where the wooden studs were inscribed with Bible verses and blessings for the new owners. A Bible was also placed beneath the foundation and laid under concrete, symbolizing that the home was built on the strong foundation of God’s word.
Alongside Habitat for Humanity, this project was made possible through the generosity and efforts of many community partners, including: Frank Codaro Family, Temple Baptist Church, Hunt Family, Hunt Gilliout & Associates, Weyerhauser, First Presbyterian Church of Ruston, Corburn’s, Freeman Lumber, Pearce Lumber, Hancock Construction, Dan Lord Plumbing, City of Ruston, First Horizon Bank, CED, Adult & Teen Challenge, Tolar Trackhoe & Trucking, Origin Bank, Chase Bank, Dr. J Engineering, North Louisiana Electrical, Pintail Roofing, 318 Construction, 318 Heat & Air, Tempco Insulation, Industrial Cable Solutions, Home Improvement Outlet, Rogers Manufacturing, Tom Sanders, Greystone Rentals, Shermin Williams, Cross Keys Bank, Entergy, CRV Custom Painting, JTL Construction, Lowes, Douglas Cabinets, Golden Roofing, Lamar, Rapid Signs, JR’s Professional Concrete Finishing, PAK Construction & Roofing, Trey’s Landscaping Services, and Generations Concrete.
BEST OF 2025: Harris on History: Lady of the Mist a quiet emblem of welcome and farewell
(Over the course of the next few weeks, the Lincoln Parish Journal is republishing some of its most memorable stories from the past year … some of our readers favorites).
by Wesley Harris
There is a place on Louisiana Tech University’s campus where footsteps slow, where memories collect and tradition holds steady. In the center of the Quad is the Lady of the Mist, a statue and fountain that doesn’t shout but speaks volumes about welcome, departure, hope, and belonging.
Crafted in durable granite, the Lady is placed in a fountain at the heart of the Quad. She faces north toward what were once the north entrance columns of the campus. That orientation was deliberate—through those old columns, arriving students and visitors would see her arms open, welcoming.
The Lady of the Mist is more than a statue. She is symbolic, welcoming new students and bidding farewell to graduates. A representation of hope, of graduates fulfilling their ambitions and highest callings. A focal point in Tech traditions, especially during commencement and during freshman convocation or welcome ceremonies.
The lady joined the campus landscape in 1938. A fountain was erected in a circular pool in the middle of the mostly barren quadrangle. The center point of the campus, the fountain was encircled by the most recent construction–Keeney Hall, Bogard Hall, Howard Auditorium, and the library.
The statue was sculpted by Duncan Ferguson, an art professor at Louisiana State University, and Jules Struppeck, a sculptor at Tulane. Elizabeth Bethea, head of the Tech art department, and Mary Moffett, also an art professor, led the women’s committee that worked to establish the fountain and the statue. The Women’s Panhellenic Association, headed by Mary Olive Green of Ruston as president, raised funds through several projects. Tech sorority members participated in the fundraising.
Tech President E. S. Richardson was horrified by the sculpture.
“He thought it was one of the awfullest things he had seen,” recalled Kenneth Hewins in the 1977 interview.
Hewins had served as Tech’s director of publications and head of the news bureau.
But the Lady remained and for several years, the statue and fountain complex had no name. It was simply called the fountain.
Possibly the first use of the name “Lady of the Mist” in print appeared in a newspaper article disseminated by the Associated Press in 1941.
The article reported part of the Easter Sunday offering to be given to the Louisiana Methodist Orphanage in Ruston were coins retrieved from the fountain.
The campus gardener, Sam Linder, cleaned out the pool in April 1941, collecting four pounds of coins, consisting of 510 pennies and a quarter.
The coins had been thrown in the pool in response to an editorial by Tech Talk editor Dennis Shell.
In his editorial, Shell had written: “Up in Annapolis, Maryland, the midshipmen are accustomed to tossing loose pennies at a bronze Indian statue for good luck during athletic events and for help with individual problems . . . Here, with the Lady of the Mist fountain, we are able to build a tradition as sacred as that made by the Annapolis midshipmen, and the causes to which the money could be donated are plentiful. Within the city limits of Ruston, there is an orphanage, for example, which undoubtedly could find numerous uses for such offerings . . . So if you have bought your postage stamps and still have loose pennies confusing your large change when I throw them away? Toss them in the fish pond.”
Shell had moved on to a newspaper job in Arcadia, but students followed his suggestion. The current editor of the Tech Talk, E.. W. Carswell of Ringgold took the coins to Trinity Methodist Church to be added to the annual Easter Sunday offering to the orphanage. Carswell included a clipping of Shell’s editorial and a letter from Hewins as publications director explaining how the students “pooled” their pennies.
Hewins was largely responsible for the statue’s name. Hewins had visited Niagara Falls and had been enthralled by the boat tours that had taken tourists to the base of the falls since 1859.
The “Maid of the Mist” tours recalled the maid, an Indian princess, of an ancient legend. Hewins told a group of students that the fountain reminded him of his visit to Niagara Falls, remembering the name of the boats as “Lady of the Mist,” because of the water spray that came up around them as they near the falls.
The students embraced the name, and the kneeling woman in the pool has been called the Lady of the Mist ever since.
The Lady witnessed hundreds of servicemen—Marines and U.S. Navy sailors—passing by during World War II as they headed to class and to chapel. These young men were attending college as part of a War Department effort to mold them into educated officers and gentlemen. After Tech, they went off to war. Some never came home.
The curbing around the pool became prime dating territory. Most students had little money for elaborate dates, much less a vehicle to go off campus. In the 40s and 50s, the Lagniappe, Tech’s yearbook, included many photos of couples sitting closely around the Lady. The 1942 Lagniappe features a cartoon showing a couple huddled before the fountain with the Lady blindfolded to provide a little privacy.
Over time, wear, neglect, and vandalism took a toll. In 1962, the Student Senate presented plans to sandblast and renovate the Lady and the fountain. A rose garden was planted between the fountain and Howard Auditorium.
Disaster struck in 1981 when vandals beheaded the Lady. A student-led effort saw to the statue’s restoration.
But a dilemma had to be resolved. A contemporary sculpture by a Tech art professor had replaced the Lady in the Quad. A committee of Tech leadership decided on a new spot for the Lady in Dudley Circle where another fountain had been installed. But a groundswell of support by students and alumni insisted the Lady be returned to her original home. Tech President F. Jay Taylor agreed, and the Lady of the Mist returned to her fountain in 1985.
Pranks like filling the fountain with soap occurred over and over through the 80s and 90s. The most innocent mischief gave way to malicious damage in May 1992.
The Lady’s head was not only removed, along with the 4-inch steel rod added to reinforce it after the last decapitation, but completely taken away. Louisiana Tech Police recovered the head in a trash dumpster behind a nearby fraternity house. Two young men were charged with felony criminal damage to property.
So the Lady was removed from the Quad yet again. A new head was molded and reattached with an superstrength epoxy. This time, an 11-inch steel rod was inserted to hold the head in place.
Tech officials were hesitant to return the statue to the Quad and considered placing a bronze replica in the fountain and displaying the original in a safe, indoor location. Tradition won out and the Lady of the Mist was returned to her rightful place.
One of the strongest practices tied to the Lady is the medallion ritual implemented in 2007. Freshmen receive medallions bearing the 12 Tenets of Tech during a convocation during the first week of the fall quarter. At the end of the convocation in Howard Auditorium, the new students walk a candlelit path lined with alumni, faculty, and older students and deposit the medallions into the fountain beneath the Lady of the Mist as a symbol of their commitment to Tech.
When those students graduate, the medallion is returned. It carries with it the symbolism of the journey—from being welcomed, to achieving, and leaving an imprint.
Because of its visibility and significance, the Lady of the Mist is more than decoration—it’s a gathering place, a memory anchor. It frames the historic face of campus and links past to present. Today she remains one of the defining, beloved spots on campus. Perhaps photographed more than any other campus landmark, it’s the perfect backdrop for senior portraits as students graduate.
With every class, every homecoming, every commencement, the Lady of the Mist remains a persistent presence. She is timeless but relevant.
For alumni, she’s an anchor—something familiar and unchanged, no matter how much the campus has shifted since the last visit.
For Louisiana Tech itself, the Lady embodies in stone what the institution strives for—a welcoming spirit, a sense of home, ideals that endure.
For over 90 years, the Lady of the Mist has prevailed despite her wounds. And in doing so, she weaves together generations of Louisiana Tech students, faculty, and alumni—making the campus not just a place of learning, but a place of belonging.
COLUMN: Powerful in the unlikely
The book of Luke tells a very powerful Christmas message that often is just shared as a complementary piece in a bigger story.
If you recall, there were shepherds working the night shift out in the fields watching over the flock of sheep. A messenger from God appears to them proclaiming the long-awaited Messiah’s birth.
Immediately after that proclamation, a multitude of angels appear singing a proclamation song. The shepherds leave the flock to go and see for themselves. They find the baby Messiah just as the Angel told them. They took it all in and returned to their work telling everyone what they experienced.
An unlikely choice:
Not only did God choose an unknown girl named Mary and a small-town carpenter named Joseph to be Jesus’s earthly parents, but He chose one group to share the news with that night. That group was a lowly bunch of shepherds working the graveyard shift out in the fields. An unlikely group to say the least.
An unlikely message:
The Messiah wouldn’t enter the world in a warm, comfortable hotel room, but rather be laid in a feeding trough. The message of joy was wrapped in humility. The long-awaited King would begin with a servant’s focus. What an unlikely message.
An unlikely concert:
The multitude of angels gave a magnificent performance like the world has never seen, but it was given to just a few shepherds, not a sold-out arena. The setting was a dark hillside with no publicity announcing the performance. What an unlikely choice.
An unlikely response:
Upon finding the baby Messiah just as the Angel proclaimed, they rejoiced, returned to work, and told everyone what they had experienced. They didn’t feel the need to quit their jobs, take a few days off, or try to better understand what was going on by talking to more educated scholars. They simply went back to their normal lives, sharing a very abnormal message! What an unlikely response!
It was an unlikely night for sure in many respects.
If we were honest, we would have unlikely stories too. Some of us recognize these unlikely occurrences, while others of us are too self-absorbed to even notice.
What if the shepherds were too busy to listen to the angel that night? What if they had stayed with the sheep rather than leaving them to go and see? What if they had agreed to just keep that night’s experience to themselves – after all, who would believe them?
Let’s face it; we fail to recognize the unlikely moments because we are either too busy, too consumed, too comfortable, or too careful.
This Christmas, make a commitment to watch for the unlikely. It’s in the “unlikely” that great things happen, great stories unfold, and live are impacted in unlikely ways!
Doug provides professional speaking and coaching services to organizations and individuals. Whether you are looking for a speaker for your next event or a leadership coach to develop people and build a team culture, feel free to reach out to Doug at doug.strickel@gmail.com and learn more about PLUS.
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BEST OF 2025: Logan and Landon Hunt: Leading with servant’s hearts
(Over the course of the next few weeks, the Lincoln Parish Journal is republishing some of its most memorable stories from the past year … some of our readers favorites).
by Malcolm Butler
When Logan and Landon Hunt were growing up, like most parents Bill and Renee Hunt had the best seat in the house as the identical twins formed a life-long best friend relationship.
That brotherly bond is now stronger than ever as both 41-year-olds juggle jobs, civic responsibilities, and their respective families.
“It was fun to have a front row seat to watch,” said Renee. “They did have that twin language that you hear about identical twins having. They could understand each other where Bill and I couldn’t understand them. It was really interesting.”
Growing up on Northwood Place behind Hillcrest Elementary, the dark-haired dynamic duo did everything together.
“Anything outside from what I remember,” said Landon, who is Chief Deputy at the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office. “We always stayed outside whether it was in the woods behind the house, fishing in the pond back there … we would hop on bikes and ride.”
“We ran the roads,” said Logan, who is in his second term as the District 5 representative on the Lincoln Parish Police Jury. “We fished in ponds and creeks and road bikes and 4 wheelers and tried to stay out of trouble. Frog gigging and fishing. Baseball.”
Mom knows better than anyone the connection Logan and Landon have always had.
“They are the best of friends, and they always have been,” said Renee.
According to Landon and Logan, growing up as an identical twin was special.
“It was like always having your best friend with you at the house at all times,” said Landon. “You remember how much fun it was to have your best friend over as a kid? Well, we had it all the time.”
“Back then and now, the best part is having a best friend that is always there,” said Logan. “You always had your best friend right there, even today. A built-in best friend. We were inseparable.”
Neither remembers a time when they got into a fight with each other as boys, but both stressed they have always had each other’s back.
“I can think of some times when someone else was at it with one of us and we came together, but I can’t think of a time where we tied up,” said Landon. “You mess with one of us, you got both of us.”
Renee remembers such a time when they were at A.E. Phillips Laboratory School, a day when she and Bill got a call from the principal.
“They had to stay home for a few days,” said Renee. “A kid picked on one of them one too many times. The principal called me and said, ‘You are going to have to come get the boys and they are going to have to stay home a couple of days, but this needed to happen.’
“They definitely had each other’s backs, and they always have.”
At an early age, Landon and Logan were introduced to civic duty as both Bill and Renee served as volunteers at the Lincoln Parish Fire District. Both boys got involved at an early age as volunteers as well.
“We were volunteer fire fighting together with mom and dad in the late 1990s,” said Logan, who remembers he and Landon participating in a cadet program with the Choudrant Fire Department when they were 16-years old. “When dad started doing that then Landon and I started doing it. I think that’s where some of the public service mindset started … right there with the Lincoln Parish Fire District.
“But once we got a taste of it …”
Although Renee believes that seeing their parents volunteer in different ways helped set an example, she said both boys were naturals when it came to giving back.
“They grew up with a servant’s heart,” said Renee. “They both have a real volunteering spirit.”
After both graduated Ruston High in 2001, they went their separate ways really for the first time ever with Logan attending Louisiana Tech and Landon heading to LSU-Eunice.
Logan, who is the oldest of the two by 16 minutes, joined the Shreveport Fire Department after earning his forestry degree from Tech. He worked for the SFD for “six or seven years” before returning to Ruston to serve as a youth minister at Trinity Methodist Church for a few years.
Currently he works for Roseau Companies, a company focused on alternative investments with the majority of his time right now dedicated to an industrial recycling/waste to energy project in Kansas.
He and his wife Megan have six children, including Ethan (19), Cooper (18), Carlisle (10), Elizabeth (9), Catterson (7), and Sincere (2). Ethan and Cooper were adopted, and Sincere is being fostered by the couple.
In 2019, Logan decided to run as a representative for District 5 on the Lincoln Parish Police Jury.
“I was interested in government,” said Logan. “I went to a few meetings when I was part of the Lincoln Leadership Group. I got interested in what I saw and heard.
“I thought it was time for some new ideas and some fresh ideas and some business-minded forward thinking.”
Logan is beginning his second year of his second term on the police jury and has developed a strong reputation among his police jury peers.
“Logan has the heart of a public servant,” said Lincoln Parish Policy Jury President Glenn Scriber. “He is not in it for himself or for notoriety. He has that friendly attitude that makes him very easy to work with and he knows how to get things done.”
He serves as the chair of the Long Range Planning and Economic Development Committee as well as the Subdivision Code of Ordinance Committee for the police jury. He also sits on the Health and Welfare Services Committee, the Personnel/Benefits Committee, the Public Property & Buildings Committee, and the Solid Waste & Recycling Committee.
“He’s a tremendous asset for Lincoln Parish, and I count it as an honor to work beside him on the Police Jury,” said Scriber. “We as a parish are lucky to have him.”
Landon began working for the Grambling State Police Department in 2004 and then moved to the Choudrant Police Department in 2005 where he stayed until joining the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office in 2009.
He began as a patrol deputy at the LPSO and has steadily worked his way up the ranks, most recently being promoted to Chief Deputy in the past year.
He is a member of Rotary Club and a team leader for the DART Men Standing Strong organization.
Landon and his wife Anna are parents to 13-year-old daughter, Reese, and 11-year-old son, Gray.
“I truly enjoy going to work everyday and having the opportunity to help others in a time of need,” said Landon. “I enjoy contributing to our community and doing my best to make it a better place to live work and raise a family.”
Lincoln Parish Sheriff Stephen Williams said that Landon has all the characteristics that make a good leader in his profession.
“The No. 1 thing in our business that makes him so good is he is a great communicator and an even better listener,” said Williams. “In our business just being able to listen to somebody can solve about 90 percent of the problem.
“He is wise beyond his years. He is about 15 years younger than me, and I go to him for advice or to run something by him regularly. He has a really good head on his shoulders.”
Williams said it’s easy to see the similarities in the two brothers.
“Just like Logan, they are one in the same, they treat everybody the same with dignity and respect,” said Williams. “Sometimes that’s hard to find in today’s world. Doesn’t matter if they are a saint or a sinner, they treat them all the same.”
When asked to describe their brother with a few words, both Logan and Landon used the word compassionate in talking about their counterpart – a true trait of a community leader.
However, Renee may have described her sons’ mindset and passion for civic duty the best.
“They thrive on it,” said Renee. “They are happiest when they are helping. They really are. They have that quiet servant’s heart.”
Man charged with trespassing at shooting range
A Ruston man was arrested Sunday after he was found at the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office shooting range during a time when the facility was closed.
Qudar Amir Jackson, 24, was found at the range on December 21 at about 2:00 p.m. A deputy told Jackson the range was closed on Sundays and that he needed to leave the property. Jackson had gone to the range without contacting LPSO and began firing a handgun.
The deputy explained to Jackson multiple times that the public range was closed and instructed him to leave. Eventually Jackson went to his vehicle only to return and continue to argue why he was not allowed to shoot. The deputy wrote in his report that he informed Jackson at least 20 times that he needed to leave the property. Jackson continued to argue, but eventually got in his vehicle and drove toward the range exit.
The deputy found Jackson had not left the property, however, finding him stopped inside the gate of the range. When another deputy arrived, Jackson was taken into custody. During a search of his vehicle, a 9 mm pistol and ammunition and an open container of alcohol were found.
Jackson was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for remaining on premises after being forbidden (criminal trespass), resisting an officer, and open container.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Local events
Each Monday through 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.
Wednesday, Dec. 24
Christmas Eve
7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee)
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)
Thursday, Dec. 25
Christmas
Saturday, Dec. 27
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
Monday, Dec. 29
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
4-7 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way)
6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street)
6-9 p.m.: Creative Meetups (Creatives at Work, 301 N. Trenton)
6:30 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball
Tuesday, Dec. 30
4-7 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way)
Wednesday, Dec. 31
New Year’s Eve
7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee)
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)
Thursday, Jan. 1
Happy New Year!
Friday, Jan. 2
6:30 p.m.: LA Tech women’s basketball
Saturday, Jan. 3
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
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Remembering Morris Ray Plunkett
Morris Ray Plunkett, 92, of Bossier City, Louisiana passed away peacefully on December 20, 2025, following a long battle with illness and was welcomed to the loving arms of his Savior Jesus Christ.
Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Saturday, December 27, 2025, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home Chapel in Ruston, LA. Officiating the service will be Rev. Harrel Shelton. Interment will follow in Kilpatrick’s Memorial Gardens in Ruston under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes in Ruston, LA.
A visitation for family and friends will be prior to the service beginning at 1:00PM until service time.
Morris was born on December 9, 1933, in Epps, Louisiana. He was the son of the late Johnnie Prothro and Eunie Maud Plunkett. Morris was known for his steady presence, devotion to family, and quiet strength.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 65 years, Betty Joyce Goodman Plunkett, who he married on August 4, 1956. Their marriage was a testament to endearing love and commitment. He was also preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, John, Benny, Dobbin, and Homer Plunkett; and his sister-in-law Maureen Plunkett.
Left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Sharon Purvis (Alan) and Amy Dickerson; his grandchildren, Amy Skinner (Chris), Drew Dickerson, and Stephanie Boyle (Paul); and his great-granddaughters, Ellie, Sadie, Rae, Hallie, Ryan, Addie, and Claire, who brought him immense pride and joy. He is also survived by his cherished sister, Joan Smitherman (Roger), sisters-in-law, Voncille Plunkett, Becky Plunkett, Laura Plunkett, Audrey McKinley (Sonny), and Polly Goodman, along with dozens of nieces and nephews who will forever remember his guidance, humor, and love.
Morris will be deeply missed by all who knew him, but his legacy lives on through the many generations of family who carry his values, stories, and spirit forward.