Louisiana Tech Soccer team captain and defender Mary Helen Burford has been named Conference USA’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women’s soccer, per the league office’s release Thursday afternoon.
Per CUSA, “The awards, voted on by the conference’s 12 FARs, are presented to the top student-athletes in each conference-sponsored sport based on academic achievement (GPA), athletic achievement and service.”
Burford was one of three Bulldogs to start in all 19 matches in 2025 and one of two to register over 1,640 minutes. She was named Defensive Player of the Week on October 14 for her phenomenal job on the back line, and was eventually named to the All-CUSA Third Team following the conclusion of the regular season.
The Shreveport native has also been a lead example in the classroom, boasting a perfect 4.0 GPA as a double major in biology and psychology with a minor in chemistry, eventually leading to her being named to the CUSA All-Academic Team. She is also a two-time recipient of the CUSA Academic Medal and named twice to the CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
During her academic career at Louisiana Tech, Burford has also been named to the Dean’s List and President’s List four separate times.
She has also made an impact on the Ruston community, devoting countless hours to several organizations and events including Campus Outreach, the Alpine Nursing Home, Four Paws, the Pediatric Cancer Fundraiser, Special Olympics, primary school teaching, Angel Tree, club soccer coaching, and assisting in the Christmas Drive and Canned Food Drive.
Bruce Spivey, Sr. Monday 03/20/1961 — Sunday 06/21/2026 Visitation: Friday 06/26/2026 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 06/27/2026 11:00am, Zion Traveler Baptist Church, 1201 Martin Luther King Drive, Ruston Interment: Saturday 06/27/2026 Following Service, Grambling Memorial Garden, Highway 80 West, Grambling
Thomas Wayne “Tom” Loe May 23, 1949 – June 23, 2026 Visitation: Saturday, June 27, 2026, 10:00AM – 11:00AM, Trinity Methodist Church, 1000 Woodward Avenue Service: Saturday, June 27, 2026, 11:00AM, Trinity Methodist Church, 1000 Woodward Avenue Final Resting Place: Bear Creek Cemetery, Bear Creek Road, Bryceland
Ruston Alderman Bruce Siegmund announced today that he is seeking reelection this fall for Ward 5 in Ruston. Ward 5 mostly comprises the area south of I-20, west of Tech Drive, north of Hwy 80 (California) and east of South Barnett Springs. Official qualifying is in early August.
“It has been an honor to serve the people of Ruston and the people of Ward 5. When I was first elected 12 years ago, I promised to do three things: To make Ruston more business friendly; to improve the city’s working relationship with Louisiana Tech; and to bring more unity to Ruston among its residents.”
“Under the leadership of Mayor Ronny Walker, we’ve accomplished these three goals and even more,” said Siegmund. “The economic growth of Ruston is now the envy of the state. The partnership between Tech and Ruston has resulted in both the city and the University experiencing phenomenal growth. In a time of national political deep divisions, Ruston continues to move towards a unified Board of Aldermen making Ruston a better place to live, work, and raise a family. I want to continue to build on the success and make this a great city for our children and our grandchildren.”
“Looking back over my 12 years of service, there are many things we have accomplished under Mayor Walker’s leadership that are particularly satisfying. Some of the highlights include:
The Tech/Ruston connection
The tornado recovery in our ward
Street overlay with new water and sewer lines
The Chase Document Center
Miles and miles of new sidewalks and biking trails
Recycling
Willis Knighton Health Care Center
Radiance Technology facility
New service roads on Ruston’s east and west sides
Tarbutton exchange completed on I-20
Ruston Sports Complex (indoor and outdoor)
Many new restaurants and businesses that have chosen to open
New apartment complexes and subdivisions that have been developed
Renaming of Huckleberry Trails Park to Marie Riggs Park
And more!
“I would love to continue to serve with Mayor Walker for the next four years to finish what we have started and to build an even better future for Ruston.”
Siegmund moved to Ruston to attend Louisiana Tech and has lived in Ruston by choice for nearly all of his adult life. This is his 12th year serving on the Board of Aldermen. He spent 19 years teaching Marketing at Grambling State University, over 20 years working in the local real estate market, and has enjoyed the last four years as faculty in Business and Marketing at Louisiana Tech University’s College of Business, his alma mater.
Siegmund and his wife, Pamela, are the parents of eight children raised in Ruston. They are also the grandparents of eight. For questions or more information, go to Facebook page; Bruce Siegmund, Ruston City Council, Ward 5, or contact Bruce at 318-614-4352 or BruceSiegmund@gmail.com.
The Lincoln Parish Journal does not endorse candidates for any election unless specified by one of our bylines. This is a candidate announcement.
DOTHAN, Ala. — Lincoln Parish golf phenom Grey Ramsey turned a year-old promise into reality this week, capturing the prestigious Future Masters Golf Tournament championship in the boys 13-14 age division.
Ramsey finished the 54-hole event at 9-under par after rounds of 68, 68 and 65, pulling away from the field with a strong closing stretch to claim one of junior golf’s most respected titles.
“It definitely feels good because that’s definitely the biggest tournament I’ve ever won,” Ramsey said.
The victory came one year after Ramsey left the tournament convinced he could return and contend for the championship. After finishing just outside the top 10 in his Future Masters debut in 2025, Ramsey told his parents during the drive home that he believed he could win the event the following year.
“He said, ‘I can win this tournament next year,’” said his father, Patrick Ramsey. “It stuck with us. He walked away disappointed because he felt like he had missed some opportunities, but he was encouraged. That’s what you want for your child. He believed he could do it, and then he went to work.”
That work paid off in a major way.
Ramsey credited his success to a combination of strong driving and patience throughout the week.
“I was hitting the driver really good, so that gave me a lot of opportunities,” Ramsey said. “And I felt really comfortable on these greens.”
The course conditions also suited his game.
“The course was in great shape,” Ramsey said. “I think I just played really patient. I think I only made four bogeys in 54 holes. I played steady.”
Ramsey opened the tournament with a 4-under 68 despite battling through a day interrupted by multiple rain delays. According to Patrick Ramsey, Grey struck the ball exceptionally well but failed to capitalize on several birdie opportunities inside 10 feet.
He followed with another 68 in the second round before putting together his best golf of the tournament on the final day.
After making the turn at even par through eight holes of his final round, Ramsey birdied No. 9 to pull even with the leaders at 5-under. He then seized control on the back nine, holing out from a greenside bunker for eagle on No. 10 before adding another birdie on No. 13 to take a two-shot lead.
Despite an unlucky bogey on No. 16, Ramsey finished strong with birdies on both Nos. 17 and 18 to close with a tournament-best 65 and secure the championship.
“Yesterday, from No. 9 on, he just put it all together,” Patrick Ramsey said. “He was very strong down the finish. He was very composed and handled himself like you hoped he would. We’re proud of how humble and gracious he was.”
The Future Masters has long been considered one of the premier junior golf tournaments in the country and boasts an impressive list of former participants and champions, including current world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler.
Knowing he has now won a tournament associated with many of the game’s future stars is not lost on Ramsey.
“Obviously, where he’s at is the goal,” Ramsey said of Scheffler. “So it’s hopefully just the start.”
For Ramsey, the title represents both the culmination of years of hard work and another step toward even bigger goals ahead. As his father reflected on the journey, the significance extended beyond the trophy itself.
“Yesterday connected what we hoped he could do and what he’s worked so hard to do,” Patrick Ramsey said. “That’s what made it special.”
The opinions in this letter do not necessarily reflect those of the publishing staff of the Lincoln Parish Journal.
To The Editor:
Lincoln Parish residents are being asked by the School Board to allow the consolidation of five small taxes into one 2.5% tax. The proposal is grounded in common sense, a simpler accounting structure and greater public transparency. But, like almost any issue involving taxes, some public concerns are being raised and deserve answers.
Let’s start with what the sales tax consolidation proposal is NOT:
• It is NOT a tax increase, but instead a simple consolidation of five small taxes into one.
• It will NOT reduce the amount of sales tax revenue available for teacher and full time staff salaries and benefits – in fact, it will actually increase slightly the amount of sales tax revenue available for teachers and staff from 2.33% to 2.5%.
• It is NOT an attempt to use so-called “dedicated” sales tax revenue for non-dedicated purposes – even with the full 2.5% available, sales tax revenues only provide approximately 38% of teacher and staff compensation. So, even with all of the sales tax revenue going to teacher and staff compensation, it is not enough – the School Board actually pays out considerably more thanis raised by the sales taxes, each and every year.
• And the availability of 13th and 14th paychecks, so vitally important to the Parish’s ability to attract and retain great teachers, are NOT “secured” or “guaranteed” by the amount of sales tax revenue raised, but rather by the School Board, who must draw on all the resources available to fund those checks.
So, the School Board is making this sales tax consolidation proposal:
• Because it will make slightly more sales tax revenue available for teacher and staff salaries and benefits.
• Because it will modernize and streamline the School Board’s accounting structure, providing greater clarity, accountability and transparency for the public, and greater efficiency and flexibility for the School Board, now and in the future.
• Because it is being recommended by all of the School Board’s independent accounting professionals.
• Because it will likely improve the School Board’s bond rating, which would make inevitable future borrowing less expensive.
• Because the proposed consolidation will further improve Lincoln Parish’s ability to attract and retain quality educators by enhancing the ability of the School Board to offer highly competitive and attractive salary packages, including the potential for 13th and 14th paychecks.
As the newly elected Lincoln Parish Superintendent of Schools, I will be the one who recommends the compensation package for teachers and full-time staff to the School Board each year. Recently, I promised our teachers and full time staff – whom I believe to be the best in the State of Louisiana – that I will make their compensation the absolute top priority in my recommendation to the School Board every year, including the 13th and 14th paychecks.
I cannot say today what those numbers will be every year, because that depends on revenues raised from a variety of sources, sales taxes being just one of them, but I have promised our teachers and staff that my first priority every year will be to recommend as generous a salary and benefits package for teachers and full-time staff as possible.
I’ve given the teachers and staff my word, and I am asking the residents of Lincoln Parish to approve our consolidation request on June 27 and help me honor that promise.
An additional arrest for attempted murder was made by Ruston Police Monday in connection with a shooting last Wednesday night at Twin Lakes Apartments off West Alabama Avenue.
Jaylin Huntley, 18, of Ruston, who sustained a gunshot wound in the incident, was booked on a warrant for attempted second degree murder upon his release from the hospital Monday.
Ruston Police spokesperson Lt. Kayla Loyd said Friday morning that Breydon Shelbon, 17; Jaden Shelbon, 17; Issac Loyd, 17; and a 16-year-old juvenile whose name is being withheld—all of Farmerville—were arrested Thursday following the investigation of the shooting.
Loyd said on June 17, at about 8:40 p.m., officers with the Ruston Police Department responded to reports of gunshots in the area of the 2300 block of West Alabama Avenue.
As officers arrived on scene, they were told a man with a gunshot wound had arrived at Northern Louisiana Medical Center seeking treatment for injuries received during the incident. RPD investigators responded and assumed responsibility for the investigation.
That wounded man was Huntley.
Investigators obtained surveillance footage from the area and were able to see the shooting as it occurred. The video revealed two individuals exchanged gunfire while standing among a group of people. Investigators were also able to obtain descriptions of vehicles involved in the incident.
Through further investigation, detectives positively identified one of the vehicles involved and obtained its license plate information. At approximately midnight, investigators, assisted by Ruston Patrol Officers, the Grambling Police Department, and the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, responded to a residence associated with the vehicle.
Officers determined that several occupants of the vehicle resided at the location; however, the alleged shooter was not present. Investigators were able to confirm no additional individuals were injured during the incident.
As the investigation continued, detectives identified one of the shooters as a 16-year-old juvenile from Farmerville.
On June 18, 2026, with assistance from the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Farmerville Police Department, detectives executed search warrants at two residences in Farmerville. Evidence was recovered from both locations; however, neither suspect was located.
Later that afternoon, investigators developed information indicating both identified suspects might be at another residence in Farmerville. After confirming their location, officers took the 16-year-old shooting suspect and another occupant of the involved vehicle into custody. A search warrant was subsequently obtained and executed at the residence. During the search, officers recovered a stolen rifle and various types of ammunition.
Others charged in the case include:
Breyden Shelbon, Jaden Shelbon, and Issac Loyd were charged in Union Parish with contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, illegal possession of a handgun under age 18, and illegal possession of a stolen firearm
One of the alleged shooters, the 16-year-old, is charged with attempted second degree murder, illegal possession of a firearm under age 18, and illegal possession of a stolen firearm.
Loyd said the investigation remains active and ongoing. Investigators are continuing to identify additional individuals who may have been involved in or witnessed the incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Ruston Police Department at (318) 255-4141.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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The last three defendants in a fourteen-defendant methamphetamine trafficking organization were sentenced to federal prison recently. After pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, the defendants received sentences of varying lengths, with the highest reaching 27 years.
According to court documents, in February 2024, federal authorities began investigating Shedrick “Shed” Green III, 41, and Cornelius “C-Rock” Boston, 45, both of Ruston, for distributing methamphetamine in and around Ruston. As part of the investigation, agents made controlled drug purchases, obtained Title III wiretaps, subpoenaed financial records, conducted traffic stops, and carried out multiple search warrants.
The investigation revealed that the men obtained their supply of methamphetamine from two sources: Ferrano Barnes, 55, of Lodi, California, and Felipe Penaloza Gomez, 40, of Mexico. The methamphetamine was then stored and distributed from five locations in Ruston. Search warrants and CashApp records revealed coordinated payments among conspirators used to obtain, transport, and distribute the drugs. Searches ultimately led to the seizure of more than 22 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately $55,000 in cash from locations in Ruston and Sulphur.
“This case shows the power of coordinated effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement, who worked together here to dismantle a large and complex drug trafficking conspiracy devoted to poisoning our rural North Louisiana community with methamphetamine,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our office is tirelessly working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle these networks throughout the District as part of the nationwide Operation Take Back America initiative.”
For their roles in the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, the defendants were sentenced to the following terms of imprisonment:
Cornelius Boston, 45, of Ruston, LA 180 months
Shedrick Green, 41, of Ruston, LA 146.5 months
Landon Askins, 44, of Ruston, LA 300 months
Ferrano Barnes, 55, of Lodi, CA 168 months
Jakevdrick Carter, 35, of Ruston, LA 162 months
Reyna Chavez-Rios, 43, of Mexico 18 months
Broderick Graham, 32, of Ruston, LA 120 months
Marcus Gray, 42, of Salinas, KS 210 months
Ladavid Hunter, 38, of Jonesboro, LA 262 months
Kimoni McMurray, 47, of Ruston, LA 324 months
Jason Potts, 47, of Ruston, LA 120 months
Tangua Raybon, 57, of Winnfield, LA 40 months
Roy Lee Williams, 41, of Ruston, LA 120 months
Felipe Penaloza Gomez, 40, of Mexico Fugitive
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, Ruston Police Department, U.S. Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Louisiana State Police, Sulphur Police Department, Louisiana National Guard Counterdrug Unit, Louisiana Air National Guard, and U.S. Marshals Service
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:45 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
Camp Champs camper Rowland enjoys his ride down the zipline at Camp Alabama (photos by Josh McDaniel)
by Caleb Seney, Executive Director
For many children, summer camp is a place filled with swimming, laughter, new friendships, and the chance to experience independence away from home.
For children with intellectual disabilities, including many living with Down syndrome, finding a camp experience designed specifically for their needs can be difficult. That is where Camp Champ steps in.
A program of MedCamps of Louisiana, Camp Champ provides children, ages 11 to 16, with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to enjoy a traditional overnight summer camp experience in a safe, supportive environment where they can build confidence, develop independence, and create lifelong memories. The camp is held at Camp Alabama in Choudrant, Louisiana, where MedCamps hosts specialized sessions throughout the summer for children with a variety of disabilities and chronic medical conditions.
Giving every child the opportunity to experience life to the fullest is the philosophy that has guided MedCamps since its founding. The organization’s mission is to improve the health and wellness of people living with chronic illnesses and disabilities through unique recreational and educational camping experiences.
During Camp Champ, campers participate in many of the same activities enjoyed at traditional summer camps, including swimming, canoeing, arts and crafts, nature activities, games, music, and evening camp programs. Each activity is adapted to ensure campers can participate safely while being challenged to try new things and discover what they can accomplish.
For many campers, the week provides opportunities that extend far beyond recreation.
The friendships made at Camp Champ help children realize they are part of a community of peers who share similar experiences. The independence gained from spending time away from home, trying new activities, and making decisions throughout the week can have a lasting impact long after campers return home.
Camp Alabama provides an ideal setting for those experiences. The nearly 80-acre wooded property features accessible facilities, a lake with canoes and paddleboats, a wheelchair-accessible swimming pool, a zipline, and areas designed specifically to allow campers with disabilities to participate in traditional outdoor activities.
Since its beginning in 1987, MedCamps of Louisiana has grown from a single camp serving children with asthma and allergies into an organization offering multiple specialized camping programs for children with a wide range of disabilities and chronic illnesses. Today, MedCamps continues its commitment to providing these experiences at no cost to campers and their families.
The organization’s ability to provide Camp Champ and other sessions depends on the support of donors, volunteers, medical professionals, counselors, and community partners who believe every child deserves the opportunity to experience camp.
At Camp Champ, the goal is simple: allow children to be seen for their abilities rather than their limitations.
Each summer, campers trade routines and restrictions for laughter, adventure, friendship, and the feeling of belonging that comes from being part of a camp community.
For more information about MedCamps of Louisiana, Camp Champ, volunteer opportunities, or ways to support the organization, visit MedCamps.org.
It was June 1991, and I had been at the CPA firm of Ernst & Young in Baton Rouge for exactly four years. I went in to meet with the managing partner of the firm on that Friday afternoon to give my notice. I was leaving to take a controller job with International Paper.
As I informed him of my intentions, he paused for a moment and looked directly at me. He said, “I am not surprised you want to leave. I am disappointed that you are leaving in a log truck though. If you would wait a little longer, you could be leaving in a limo.”
At the time, I didn’t know what to make of the comment. What did this “old guy” (my age now) know about paper mills or what I would be doing. He had helped me develop as an accountant, a speaker, and a business professional. However, he was not a mentor, a coach, or someone that regularly had personal conversations with me. What was he doing giving me advice now?
It was roughly five years later that I could look back at the conversation and understand what he was trying to tell me. International Paper, at that time, was a heavy manufacturing-based organization that highly valued engineering expertise. As such, accounting personnel were mostly considered for supporting roles and not those that would “run” key aspects of the company.
He was trying to tell me to wait for a better opportunity more suited for my background and skillset.
Proverbs 15:22 says “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.”
To be honest, up to that point in my life, I had few people speaking into my life. My parents divorced when I was young. There was no male figure in my life. My mom was great at providing, but we never engaged in tough conversations. She had enough on her plate!
I wasn’t seeking wise counsel or advice. I never had access to it, so why start now?
Similarly, the managing partner of the firm had never sought to invest or show any level of care regarding me personally. As mentioned earlier, he provided great technical opportunities, but that’s where our relationship stopped. He had not invested previously to have an open door to speak.
We all need wise counsel at times. We need to seek it out at times, provide it to others at times, and to be humble and sensitive enough to recognize the moments that matter.
Here are some thoughts to consider with respect to both seeking and providing wise counsel:
Humility serves us better than pride. Remove the weight and burden of trying to do it all on your own. We were created for community. Surround yourself with people you trust and allow them to speak into your life.
Be quick but don’t rush. Be quick to listen, ask, and learn. However, don’t rush into a big decision. Take as much time as you can to pray, seek, and process.
Ask before providing. Sometimes people just want you to listen. Sometimes they want your advice. Ask them how you can best serve them in the moment. It’s not about you!
Dependence over experience: When providing counsel, I always pray for guidance beyond my experiences, intellect, and ability. I seek wisdom beyond my ability when serving others.
I have struggled with all four of those items at some point. I have dealt with pride, rushing, and providing my two kids with numerous three-point plans for success that were not helpful in the moment!
Whether you are waiting on a log truck or a limo, be humble enough to seek out wise counsel and available enough to support others when they approach you seeking guidance.
Doug equips leaders to make organizations better. He has two leadership books available on all online platforms. Whether you are looking for a speaker for your next event or a leadership coach to develop people and build an authentic team, contact Doug at doug.strickel@gmail.com and learn more about PLUS.
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Last August, the former Major League Baseball All-Star got the phone call from the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, letting him know that he would be honored with the state’s highest athletic accolade this summer.
That happens June 27 in Natchitoches, culminating three days of festivities with Lucroy and the Class of 2026. For participation information, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.
Less than two months ago, he was back at UL’s M. L. “Tigue” Moore Field, where the ex-Ragin’ Cajun standout catcher received that program’s greatest honor with the retiring of his No. 21 jersey, putting him in elite company from his days as a collegian.
During that same time frame, he was selected as the catcher on yet another Milwaukee Brewers All-time Team, honoring the top player at each position for the nearly 60-year-old franchise. Legendary Brewers announcer and former major league catcher Bob Uecker had christened him with that honor long ago.
And this past spring, the hugely young high school baseball team he coaches at Grapevine Faith Christian School near Dallas had a surprisingly successful .500 season.
“Only two returning varsity players,” Lucroy said. “We will be good next year.”
That isn’t a surprise to anyone who knows the Eustis, Fla., native, since his passion for baseball is rivaled only by his drive to succeed at whatever level the game takes him.
All in all, an excellent few months. But still not as good as his summer of 2014, when he was the best catcher in baseball. That claim isn’t hyperbole … the numbers back it up in a big way.
That season, his fourth in the major leagues, Lucroy finished fourth in the voting for National League Most Valuable Player, the first catcher in Brewers history to finish in the MVP top 10 voting. A guy named Clayton Kershaw won the NL MVP that year, and no other catcher finished in the top five in the voting in either league. He led the NL in doubles that year with 53, becoming the first catcher in MLB history to lead his league in that category and breaking the mark of 47 set by Texas’ Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez in 1996 – and no catcher has come within 15 of Lucroy’s tally since that 2014 season.
He was the Brewers’ MVP that year along with earning the club’s “Good Guy Award” for the second straight season, and was runner-up for the Gold Glove Award. He started the All-Star Game behind the plate for the NL – the first of two times he’d earn that distinction – and proceeded to go 2-for-2 with (naturally) two RBI doubles off Jon Lester and Chris Sale.
That year he helped lead a Stars and Stripes Honor Flight with World War II, Korean War and terminally ill veterans flying to Washington, D.C., to visit the city’s memorials. He also was a personal guest of Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson at President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.
Now that was a good year.
“I had the great privilege of managing Jonathan for five years at Milwaukee,” said Ron Roenicke, who took over as Brewers manager in Lucroy’s first full year with the club in 2011. “He’s a great man of character, a hard worker and was a great teammate. And he could really hit … he could hit the other way, he could pull the ball and he could hit with power. That record, 53 doubles for a catcher, that speaks for itself.”
“To play on a high level in college, and then to do what he did in pro ball, it takes the physical talent,” said Anthony Babineaux, UL’s assistant coach under Hall of Famer Tony Robichaux during Lucroy’s collegiate career. “But it’s more than just the talent. It’s a lot of intangibles, it’s the type of leader that he was and the type of teammate that he was, and it’s the extra things he did off the field and on the field.”
It wasn’t a perfect path to college stardom or to a third-round MLB Draft selection. In fact, Lucroy didn’t have many scholarship offers out of Umatilla High School, and only happened to catch the eye of a Cajun assistant coach who was recruiting a pitching teammate. And in his freshman season, Lucroy played only part-time at catcher behind senior veterans Justin Morgan and Adam Massiatte. He only caught six games, with most of his first season spent as designated hitter.
“There were a lot of upperclassmen on that 2005 team and it was a very good team with older guys that were the voice of the team,” Babineaux said. “Luc respected all those guys, but he also earned their respect in a hurry with what he was able to do on the field and how he handled his business.”
Lucroy wound up hitting .373 with five homers and 48 RBI that year in earning Freshman All-America honors as DH, and went on to set UL records for RBI (184), doubles (54) and total bases (414) in a career while hitting 35 homers, batting .356 and slugging at a .612 clip. He was a two-time All-Sun Belt pick in a league that had several talented catchers, and helped lead the Cajuns to two league titles and the 2007 NCAA Regional finals.
“He always had the hitting,” said two-year Cajun teammate and long-time friend Blaine LaFleur. “He quickly made us all realize how good a hitter he was. I don’t think any of us could compete with him hitting. But what made him special was that he was just relentless to the cause, you couldn’t stop him.”
Hitting almost came naturally. The intricacies of catching every day, and being his UL team’s defensive leader, took a lot more work.
“His catching skills were good, but honestly they weren’t where they needed to be as an everyday catcher for us,” Babineaux said. “Those obviously very much improved as he went on, and that’s because he absolutely worked on it every day. Nobody worked harder than he did to make himself a great defensive player — his receiving, blocking, throwing out base runners, stealing pitches – and that continued in his three years in the minors and after he got to the Brewers.”
Lucroy moved from Low-A to the majors in just two seasons, in large part because of his defensive improvement. One metric ranked him as the major league’s best in “stealing pitches” – receiving and framing pitches in a way that influenced plate umpires’ called strikes – for two seasons.
“Jonathan took a lot of pride in his defense,” Roenicke said. “Even though he was a great hitter, that was really important to him. I think catcher is the hardest position there is to play in baseball, and Luc worked really hard to make sure he was a good defensive catcher. I know the pitchers appreciated what he did.”
Another key to his later success was learning to call pitches during his college career, a talent that is rapidly vanishing with the advent of coach-to-player communication technology.
“Coach Robe did a lot of the pitch calls,” Babineaux said. “But I know during Jonathan’s career he sort of turned that over to him. Robe really liked his catchers calling pitches, and he knew they had to learn to do that if they were fortunate enough to advance in the pro ranks. He was able to retain that knowledge that Coach Robe gave him on how to set up hitters, and it was a show of respect that our pitchers knew the fingers that Luc put down was the right pitch to throw at the right time.”
Lucroy was the face of the Brewers franchise in his final two years there before spending two years with the Texas Rangers, helping that team win the AL West in 2016. Injuries and the COVID-shortened pandemic season in 2020 hampered the latter part of his career, but he was still valuable enough to clubs seeking veteran catching presence and needing help with pitching staffs to spend time with seven other MLB teams before he retired in 2021 after 12 big-league seasons.
His final stop was in Atlanta during that 2021 season when the Braves won the World Series. Although he did not see action during that postseason run, Lucroy was respected enough to be invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for Game 2 of the 2021 National League Divisional Series when the Braves played his longtime Brewers club.
Even with all those collegiate and professional honors, Lucroy said his proudest and most memorable moments in baseball came from his two appearances for Team USA in the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classics. He still proudly displays the gold medal he helped Team USA capture in 2017.
“There’s something about wearing that USA jersey,” he said. “Coach Robe always told us that the name on the front of the jersey meant more than the name on the back, and I thought about that every time I looked down and saw ‘USA’ on my jersey during the World Baseball Classics.”
While defense was the key to his longevity, it was the bat that remained the most memorable part of his game. His .356 batting and .612 slugging marks in college, a .325 mark in summer collegiate baseball and a career .274 batting and .416 slugging mark along with 1,134 major league hits are a testament to that.
“Even in his freshman year, you knew he could hit,” Babineaux said. “There’s a lot of guys that hit home runs, and then there’s some that get so much lift on their ball when they swing the bat. Jonathan was one of those guys. His fly balls were just some of the highest I’ve ever seen, the ball would just lift when it left his bat. You know the power was there, and you had a good idea that the catching would advance to a high level, and once those two matched up it was just a matter of time before he made it to the big leagues.”
Roenicke well remembers one of his 108 career home runs.
“We were facing Cincinnati and Aroldis Chapman had just come up as their closer,” he said. “We were in a tie game and Chapman came in, he was throwing 100 plus miles an hour before everyone started throwing 100, he was the hardest thrower we’d seen. Luc saw 11 pitches between 100 and 102 and he kept fouling off balls until he got to a 3-2 count and Chapman tried to throw him a slider on the 12th pitch and Luc hit a homer to win the game for us. That’s the kind of hitter Luc was.”
Former LSU men’s basketball coach John Brady wanted to be a coach back when he was at McComb High in the early 1970s.
But little did he know that the contacts he would make by chance would lead to the promised land of the 2006 Final Four, induction into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame last fall, the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame last May and now, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches.
Brady is part of a 12-member Class of 2026 going into the LSHOF to culminate three days of festivities Thursday, June 25-Saturday, June 27, with seven events (six in Natchitoches, bowling in Alexandria). For participation information, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.
For example, how would he have known that the Hattiesburg High guard who defended him in high school games and in junior high – Tim Floyd – would become a college head coach and one day hire him?
Or how he happened to catch on with Mississippi State basketball coach Kermit Davis as a graduate assistant and become friends with Kermit Davis Jr., who would later become his top assistant coach at LSU and a lifelong friend.
Or that one of his best friends in his early 20s would happen to be the son of Joe “String Music” Dean of SEC basketball television fame, a Converse shoes marketing executive who would one day become LSU’s athletic director — and would hire Brady as the Tigers’ basketball coach.
“I’m telling you, the dominoes were falling, and I didn’t even know what was going on,” Brady said. “I had no idea. It’s crazy now.”
There were also coaching mentors he would learn from, such as his McComb High coach, Bobby Nelson, and his college coach at Belhaven in Jackson – Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame coach Charlie Rugg.
And the head coaches he would learn more from as an assistant – like Kermit Davis as a grad assistant at Mississippi State (1976-77) and as an assistant under Bob Boyd at Mississippi State (1982-86), Richard Williams at Mississippi State (1986-90) and Floyd at UNO (1990-91).
From each, he learned similar old school fundamentals.
“Bobby Nelson is a great guy and had a big influence on me,” Brady said. “Charlie Rugg was at Belhaven and had a huge influence on me. I always thought about coaching when I was playing, because it was the only thing I really felt comfortable as far as what I was going to do.”
But he had to get the jobs first.
So, after graduating from Belhaven with a business degree in 1976, Brady enrolled at Mississippi State for a master’s degree in education to coach. He sent a resume and letter to coach Kermit Davis, who hired him. There he met Joe Dean Jr., who had just finished playing at State and was a graduate assistant.
“Joe Dean Jr. and I became best friends,” Brady said. “I used to go home with Joe on weekends to Baton Rouge and hang out at his house with his dad. It’s amazing how that all worked.”
Soon, Joe Dean Sr. was the star of Brady’s resume.
“It changed my life,” Brady said. “Joe Dean was the Converse shoe man. He knew everybody. My connection with Kermit and his dad changed my life, too. That all played a huge part in me coming to LSU.”
But first, Dean helped Brady land the coaching job at Crowley High in 1977. Brady won at Crowley and was named the Louisiana Sports Writers’ Association Class AAA coach of the year in 1981.
“He embraced a collegiate blueprint as though we were in college,” said James Moore, who played on Crowley’s 1980-81 team. “He put Crowley on the map. He promoted his teams all over Crowley at grocery stores, churches, businesses.”
Brady also attended many LSU basketball games as coach Dale Brown took the Tigers to an SEC title in 1979, the Elite Eight in 1980 and the Final Four in 1981.
Brown recruited Crowley, and so did that Hattiesburg guy, Tim Floyd, a Don Haskins assistant at Texas-El Paso who recruited Crowley forwards Jerome Batiste and Greg Lazard.
“I went over there for players and ended up finding one of the greatest hires I ever made,” Floyd said. “I suggested to coach Haskins we hire him.”
But Brady instead returned to Mississippi State to coach under Boyd, who was USC’s coach from 1967-79 and a nemesis of UCLA legend John Wooden. The two players came with Brady to State. Neither stayed, but Brady did and learned with fellow assistants Richard Williams and Larry Eustachy, who would become head coaches.
“Bob Boyd taught me how to communicate the game to players,” Brady said. “Bob was the best communicator I’ve ever been around in terms of details in his teaching. And he held players accountable.”
When Boyd retired in 1986, Williams replaced him and kept Brady. Brady later moved to UNO to coach under Floyd in 1990-91.
“Tim reiterated what I always believed in — defending without fouling, rebounding, taking care of the ball, getting a quality shot,” Brady said.
After one season with Floyd, Brady got the head coaching job at Samford in Birmingham, Alabama, over bigger names like Mark Gottfried and Matt Doherty. Why? Dean.
“Joe Dean helped me get every job I ever had,” Brady said.
Brady quickly turned around Samford, which was coming off six straight single-digit-win seasons. Brady went 17-10 in his first season and won back-to-back Trans America West titles in 1996 and ‘97.
“That place was asleep,” then-Birmingham News columnist Kevin Scarbinsky said. “I remember John counted the number of people at his first game. It was in the low hundreds. He vowed that he was going to fill the building, and eventually he did.”
Brady never took Samford to the NCAA Tournament, but he did become Cinderella on Dec. 2, 1996. Boyd was an assistant on LSU’s staff at the time and had warned Brown.
“You better be ready,” Boyd said. “That SOB could come in here and cut us up.”
And Samford won, 53-50.
Brown had announced before the season that the 1996-97 season – his 25th – would be his last. And Brady struck while the victory was still hot. He called Dean the next day.
“I want to be the next basketball coach at LSU,” he said.
“John, I love you like a son,” Dean said. “But I can’t hire you at LSU from Samford.”
Brady said to keep him in mind anyway.
At this time, the NCAA was investigating LSU over its recruitment of star Baton Rouge forward Lester Earl. And one-by-one, the top candidates removed themselves. It came down to Ole Miss coach Rob Evans or Brady.
“If Rob doesn’t take it, I’m sending the plane to pick you up,” Dean told Brady.
“I was pumped. I didn’t care if they were going on 10-year probation,” Brady said. “And I got the call.”
But Brady took over a program coming off four straight losing seasons, too.
“I talked to him the night before he went down there,” Scarbinsky said. “And he told me he could get LSU to the Final Four. He had such confidence.”
But not many players. He inherited seven, but three quit during his first team meeting.
“Any ideas?” Brady asked assistant coach and old friend Kermit Davis Jr.
“Yeah,” Davis said. “Let’s not have any more team meetings.”
Brady had losing seasons in 1997-98 and 1998-99. Then the NCAA sanctions hit and LSU lost six scholarships through 2002. Still Brady and assistants Butch Pierre and Davis signed one of the top players in the country in Shreveport forward Stromile Swift. As a sophomore in 1999-2000, he led LSU to the Sweet 16 with a 28-6 finish and first SEC title since 1991 at 12-4.
“I appreciate you coach,” Swift told Brady at a 25-year reunion of that team in Baton Rouge as both choked up. “I needed a coach like you. He was a tough coach, and he made us better.”
Once the sanctions stopped, LSU returned to NCAA Tournaments in 2003 and ’05 before a magical 2005-06 when the Tigers won another SEC title at 14-2 and reached the school’s first Final Four since 1986 and finished 27-9.
“I didn’t like John Brady at first,” Brown said just recently. “But I grew to admire and respect him as a coach and a man. He did a wonderful job with his Final Four team and really should’ve got to coach longer. I’m proud of him.”
Floyd felt the same way.
“I always respected his journey. He didn’t take any shortcuts,” he said. “His greatest strength was holding great players to a standard and making them accountable.”
He got that from Boyd.
“He was not afraid to be direct with his players. He coached with his gut. And accountability was everything to him,” Floyd said.
The magic quickly ended, though, as Brady fell to 17-15 and 5-11 in the SEC in 2006-07. He was fired midway through 2007-08 at 8-13 and 1-6 in the SEC. Never mind that his best player – forward Tasmin Mitchell – was lost for virtually all of the season with a leg injury. Center Chris Johnson also missed seven games with a broken hand.
“And 18 months before he was at the Final Four? You’ve got to be kidding me,” Floyd said, still angry 18 years later. “His best player was out. I didn’t agree with the firing at all.”
Brady quickly got another job at Arkansas State for the next season and won two Sun Belt Conference West titles before retiring in 2016.
He received a third SEC championship ring from LSU a year after he left in 2009. Trent Johnson, the coach who replaced him at LSU, thought it only fair as Johnson won the SEC in his first season with Mitchell, Johnson and other top players left by Brady, such as guard Marcus Thornton and Temple, playing major roles.
“Tasmin and Garrett might have asked him to do that, but he did it,” Brady said. “And I really appreciated it.”
Brady would get one more SEC title ring when coach Will Wade won the league in 2019 with Brady as the LSU Radio Network game analyst, where he remains as Wade returns.
“So, I got four and only won two,” he laughed. “I didn’t leave LSU all mad. And coming back to do radio helped my legacy by people seeing me in a different light. It’s helped me go to this nice place with LSU people now, which I’m blown away by. I’m just so humbled by it and these Halls of Fame. I’m a lucky guy.”
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.
Thursday, June 25 10 a.m.: Ribbon cutting celebrating Power Water District Power Building apartments (300 E. Mississippi Ave.) 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall; Anyone is welcome to come to our meeting,please notify Richartd Hamilton of your attendance. 318-518-2121) 2 p.m.: Tween Time : Bristle Bots (Lincoln Parish Library) 4 p.m.: Teen Time : Retro Video Games (Lincoln Parish Library) 4:30-5:30 p.m.: Free meal provided by 5 Loaves 2 Fish Ministry to be served at St . Benedict Church, Main Street in Grambling. All are welcome 6 p.m.: Video-Led Tai Chi class (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center) 6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers) 7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “Willy Wonka, Jr.” (Dixie Theatre)
Friday, June 26 10 a.m.: Open house for Fox Nesbit (500 Dan Reneau Dr.) 2 p.m.: Briarhill Farms at Lincoln Parish Library Events Center 3:30-5:30 p.m.: Summer DND Campaign for Teens & Tweens (Lincoln Parish Library) Please call 318-513-5518 for important information about participation. 7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “Willy Wonka, Jr.” (Dixie Theatre)
Saturday, June 27 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 2 p.m.: Russ-Town Band concert (Howard Auditorium, Louisiana Tech) 7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “Willy Wonka, Jr.” (Dixie Theatre)
Sunday, June 28 2 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “Willy Wonka, Jr.” (Dixie Theatre)
Monday, June 29 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 4 p.m.: Storytime : Patriotic Stories (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center) 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)
Tuesday, June 30 6:30 a.m.: Veterans free breakfast (VFW Post 3615, 206 Memorial Dr.) 10 a.m.: Storytime : Patriotic Stories (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center) 10 a.m.: Summer movie series “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (Dixie Theatre) 2 p.m.: Crafternoon : Patriotic Geese (Lincoln Parish Library) 4 p.m.: Teen Time : Japanese Paper Doll Bookmark (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: Video-Led Exercise class (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center) 6 p.m.: Adult Craft Night: Firecracker Flowers; registration required 318-513-5510 (Lincoln Parish Library)
Wednesday, July 1 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, July 2 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall; Anyone is welcome to come to our meeting,please notify Richartd Hamilton of your attendance. 318-518-2121) 6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers)
Friday, July 3 7:30 p.m.: LoveLincoln Freedom Fest (Temple Baptist, 1515 S. Service Rd. W; fireworks to follow)
Saturday, July 4 Independence Day 7:30 a.m. to noon: Patriotic Field Day (Dubach Ballpark) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
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It’s time to celebrate: Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame festivities begin Thursday
Three days of festivities unfold beginning Thursday through Saturday for the 2026 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Natchitoches.
The LSHOF’s Class of 2026 will be enshrined Saturday night at the Natchitoches Events Center to culminate the 67th Induction Celebration.
The Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday with the Welcome Reception from 5-7 p.m., free to the public at the Hall of Fame museum at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches. No need to dress up, just come enjoy appetizers, entertainment and the first look at the new items the 2026 inductees have provided for display.
The Friday schedule begins with the Celebrity Bowling Bash presented by BOM at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. Lunch is served at 11:30 with a festive warmup session for the bowlers before celebrity introductions and the competition begins about 12:45. Tickets are available at LaSportsHall.com.
The 2026 Rockin’ River Fest, a free concert on the downtown riverbank stage, begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 10:30. In conjunction with the Rockin’ River Fest is the VIP Taste of Tailgating party, a ticketed indoor-outdoor event, with an array of Louisiana dishes and specialty drinks at Mama’s Oyster House and Blues Room overlooking the Rue Beauport riverbank venue.
The slate on Saturday kicks off with the free LSHOF Junior Training Camp led by community relations personnel from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, along with Northwestern State coaches and this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, on the NSU campus at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center and Turpin Stadium. This event is presented by Natchitoches Regional Medical Center and is nearing capacity. Free registration for kids ages 7-16 is required and can be easily accomplished at LaSportsHall.com.
At noon Saturday, the Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation is set for Riverside Reserve on Mill Street. Fox Sports broadcaster Tim Brando emcees an entertaining program.
Festivities culminate Saturday evening with the Induction Reception at the LSHOF museum beginning at 5, followed at 7 by the Induction Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center. Northwestern State University and State Farm Agents of Louisiana are presenting sponsors Saturday evening. A few seats are still available.
The VIP Taste of Tailgating, the Bowling Bash, the Round Table Luncheon and the Induction Reception and Ceremony are ticketed events requiring purchase in advance through LaSportsHall.com or by calling 318-238-4255.
The Thursday reception, the Friday evening River Fest and the Junior Training Camp are free.
The Class of ‘26 is headlined by a star-studded group: Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 2025 inductee Sylvia Fowles, NFL stars Joe Horn, Todd McClure and Pat Williams, Major League Baseball All-Star Jonathan Lucroy and legendary basketball coaches John Brady, Mike McConathy and Dewain Strother.
Alexandria native and LSU baseball hero Warren Morris will receive the Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award, earning enshrinement into the LSHOF. His walk-off home run won the 1996 College World Series for LSU and resulted in the Bolton High School product becoming a lifelong spokesman for college baseball, the CWS and LSU.
LSU graduate and New Orleans native Gil LeBreton and multi-faceted Shreveporter John James Marshall are going into the Hall as the 2026 winners of the LSWA’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism. Former Tioga girls basketball coach and nationally-acclaimed high school sports administrator Kathy Holloway is being inducted as the recipient of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award.
The Induction Celebration will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors.
For information on sponsorship opportunities and other participation, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040 or RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com, or Greg Burke, Director of Business Development and Public Relations, at 318-663-5459 or GregBurke@LaSportsHall.com via email.
For nearly four decades, John Hays published a newspaper that people in Ruston and surrounding parishes could not ignore.
It was called The Morning Paper, though it was a weekly—small, independent, rough-edged and often fearless. It was the kind of paper people opened carefully, especially if they thought their name might be inside.
If John Hays wrote about you, it usually was not good news.
That was part of the paper’s power and part of its controversy. To supporters, Hays was a tenacious bulldog willing to dig into public business, political influence, and potential corruption. To critics, he could be unfair, profane, crude, and needlessly harsh. Some people loved his work. Some hated him. Some probably did both.
But they read him.
Hays began The Morning Paper in 1976 and kept it alive until 2013. In an era before Facebook posts, podcasts, and online rumor mills, his publication gave Lincoln Parish a different kind of public square—one where the tone could be combative, the language sharp, and the targets uncomfortable.
The paper was not large, but it had reach. At its peak, it could be found at the end of the driveway of over 50,000 homes every Thursday morning and stacked in numerous convenience stores. All for free. It could irritate public officials, expose questionable dealings, and keep stories alive after others had moved on. Hays had a habit of following money, pressing politicians, asking unpleasant questions, and refusing to let go. That persistence brought him national attention.
One early example was the Pine Tree Caper, a North Louisiana Ponzi scheme that embarrassed locals who had bought into the fraud and lost heavily. The story had everything that drew Hays’s attention: promises too good to be true, local money, familiar names, official embarrassment, and victims who learned too late that charm and confidence are not the same as honesty.
In a small town, scams often travel through relationships, and Hays knew how to follow those relationships where others might not.
Hays’s work on the Pine Tree Caper showed what The Morning Paper could do when it turned its attention to a story others might have preferred to discuss quietly. It was local, embarrassing, and messy. That made it exactly the sort of story Hays would not ignore.
It was not the only one. He also reported famously on the Towers Financial Corporation, then described as one of the largest Ponzi schemes of its time. His reporting on Towers earned him a special Gerald Loeb Award in 1994, one of journalism’s top honors for business and financial reporting.
The Towers case was no minor local quarrel. Steven Hoffenberg and associates falsely portrayed Towers Financial as profitable while investor money was diverted to cover losses and fund Hoffenberg’s lavish lifestyle. The scheme collapsed in 1993 after the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Towers with securities fraud, based largely on The Morning Paper’s stories. In 1995, Hoffenberg pleaded guilty to bilking investors out of about $463 million. Hays’s work showed a weekly newspaper in North Louisiana could push a story with national consequences.
After taking down Hoffenberg, the New York Times called Hays “a hard-drinking, chain-smoking, cowboy-booted newspaper publisher . . . a self-taught muckraker . . .”
The Towers case was Hays at his best: stubborn, relentless, and unimpressed by titles, money, or distance. If something smelled wrong, he dug. And when he dug, he did not use a spoon. He used a shovel.
But for many readers, The Morning Paper was best known for its garage sale map, which turned bargain hunting into a Saturday morning pastime for families who planned their routes, piled into the car, and searched for deals across town.
The same traits that made him effective also made him difficult. He could be blunt to the point of brutality. He did not seem especially interested in whether the people he wrote about felt bruised by the result. In a small community, that mattered. Some subjects of his stories were not distant figures. They were people seen at restaurants, offices, courthouse hallways, ballgames, and grocery stores.
Local journalism is personal. A big city reporter may write about a mayor and never see him outside a press conference. A small-town publisher may write about a city official in the morning and pass him on the street that afternoon. Hays worked in that close space, where every story had echoes and every criticism had a face.
Some remember a rawness in his character. One often-recalled example involved a tragic crash in which a little girl was struck and killed. On the front page, Hays ran a black-and-white photograph from the scene. In one of the rare uses of color in his publication, red ink was printed over the large puddle of blood in the roadway. Some police officers who had worked the scene criticized him to his face. According to those recollections, he laughed.
That story, painful as it is, belongs in any honest assessment of John Hays. It shows the other side of the fearless editor: a man whose appetite for impact could cross into cruelty. He understood shock. He used it and rarely softened the blow.
That is why Hays is hard to reduce to a simple tribute.
He was not merely a heroic newspaperman nor a crank with a typewriter. He was a complicated figure whose work reflected both the highest and lowest possibilities of independent journalism. He could expose what others ignored. He could be right in ways that mattered. His abrasive manner could cause people to dismiss him even when he had the goods.
But undeniably, Lincoln Parish was different because The Morning Paper existed.
A community needs somebody willing to sit through meetings, read documents, follow paper trails, and challenge official explanations. It needs someone who is not too comfortable with the people in power. Hays filled that role in his own unruly way.
The Morning Paper feels like a relic from another age, not because every part of it should be imitated, but because its independence and dogged persistence are increasingly rare.
The paper’s final issue in 2013 carried the headline “-30-,” the old newsroom mark for the end of a story. It was a fitting close for a publication that spent 37 years making noise in a place where many people preferred quiet.
John Hays made powerful people nervous. He made ordinary readers curious. He collected enemies. He won admirers. He embarrassed public officials, angered critics, irritated regulators, and earned national recognition for work that began in a small home office.
His legacy is not neat. His little paper was sharp. Sometimes too sharp. But it cut through things others would not touch.
And for better or worse, Lincoln Parish remembers.
Ruston Police arrested a man last week after officers responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex on South Farmerville Street.
Darrell Lakey Turner, 48, of Ruston, was arrested June 19 for disturbing the peace by public intoxication.
According to a report, police were dispatched to a convenience store at 310 South Farmerville Street regarding a disturbance. Upon arrival, an employee directed officers toward Turner, who was walking around the property.
As officers approached, Turner began yelling and cursing and continued to do so after being told to stop, the report states. An employee told police Turner had been consuming alcoholic beverages and had been causing problems at the complex.
Police noticed Turner had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and slurred speech. Turner was arrested and transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
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.
Experienced Attorney, Advocate for the Vulnerable, and Voice for Working Families Seeks to Serve Lincoln Parish.
RUSTON, La. — Attorney Gina Jones today announced her candidacy for Ruston City Court Judge, bringing more than two decades of legal experience, a lifelong commitment to public service, and a vision for a court system that is both accountable and compassionate, for ALL.
A daughter of a blue-collar family and a former Army brat who proudly calls Lincoln Parish home, Jones understands the challenges facing working families because she has lived them.
“I wasn’t born into privilege or old money,” Jones said. “My family worked hard for every opportunity we had. My sister and I became the first college graduates in our family because we were taught that success comes from hard work, perseverance, and service to others. Those values have guided my life and my legal career, and they will guide me as judge.”
Jones has built her career fighting for families, children, and individuals who often have no one else to advocate for them. As the mother of Jillian, her profoundly disabled, nonverbal daughter, she has firsthand experience navigating complex systems while advocating for vulnerable individuals.
“Being Jillian’s mother has taught me lessons no classroom or courtroom ever could,” Jones said. “It has given me a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and their families. It has strengthened my belief that justice must be accessible to everyone, especially those who are often overlooked or exploited.”
If elected, Jones plans to pursue innovative court programs that have demonstrated success in reducing crime, strengthening families, and improving outcomes for everyone in the community.
Her priorities include:
• Expanding opportunities for first-time, nonviolent offenders to participate in diversion programs that require accountability while helping individuals avoid lifelong consequences from a single mistake.
• Establishing a Recovery Court model to help individuals struggling with substance abuse receive treatment, supervision, and support while protecting public safety.
• Developing a Mental Health Court focused on connecting participants with counseling, medication management, transportation assistance, and other resources necessary for long-term stability and recovery.
• Increasing protections for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are frequently targeted and manipulated by repeat offenders.
• Promoting transparency, fairness, and public confidence throughout the court system.
Jones believes that public safety is strongest when courts address the root causes of crime while holding offenders accountable.
“We cannot arrest our way out of every problem,” Jones said. “When addiction, untreated mental illness, trauma, or disability contribute to someone’s involvement in the justice system, we should be committed to solutions that reduce repeat offenses and make our community safer. Accountability and rehabilitation are not competing values—they work together.”
Throughout her legal career, Jones has been known for her tireless work ethic and dedication to her clients. “No one will outwork me,” Jones said. “I have spent my career showing up for families, children, and our community. I will bring that same commitment, energy, and preparation to the bench every single day.”
Jones also plans to continue her advocacy for children with disabilities and educational access, causes that have remained central to her professional and personal life.
“Ruston and Lincoln Parish deserve a court system that is fair, efficient, and focused on making our community stronger,” Jones said. “I am running because I believe we can reduce crime, improve lives, and ensure that justice works for everyone.”
For more information about Gina Jones and her campaign, please visit the campaign website on Facebook at Gina Jones for Ruston City Court Judge. About Gina Jones Gina Jones is a longtime attorney, advocate, and resident of Lincoln Parish. She has dedicated her legal career to serving families, children, and vulnerable populations.
A mother of two daughters, Jones has spent her life advocating for those whose voices are too often unheard. She is seeking election as Ruston City Court Judge to bring fairness, accountability, and innovative solutions for ALL.
The views of this Letter to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the view of the LPJ publishing staff.
NATCHITOCHES, La. — Former Ruston High School pitcher Peyton Beck will continue his baseball career at the Division I level after committing to play for Northwestern State University.
Beck, who spent the past two seasons at Hinds Community College, said several factors made Northwestern State the right choice as he looked for his next opportunity.
“I love their coaching staff first and foremost,” Beck said. “They care a lot about player development, even at the Division I level, which is something that I care a lot about.”
The former Bearcat also cited family ties to the university and confidence in the program’s future.
“Both my grandparents also went to Northwestern State,” Beck said. “After talking to my family, I just felt like it was the right fit. I think they have a good ball program and I’m ready to make an impact.”
Beck plans to study business while attending Northwestern State.
His commitment comes after a strong junior college career that showcased the potential that first made him a standout at Ruston High School. Beck’s former head coach Dan Rives (Hinds Community College) believes Beck has the tools to succeed at the Division I-level, particularly in a bullpen role.
“Peyton, I think, could be a dynamite reliever at the Division I level or four-year level,” Rives said. “The breaking ball is, in terms of metrics and all the stuff in today’s world, it’s up there really, really high.”
Rives said Beck’s combination of velocity and off-speed pitches should translate well against higher-level competition.
“He got up to 92 this year, so he’s definitely got the velocity and the type of off-speed stuff that could play at that level,” Rives said.
Beck joins a Northwestern State program that competes in the Southland Conference and will look to make an immediate impact on the Demons’ pitching staff as he begins the next chapter of his baseball career.
He or she is “purpose driven.” They are “fulfilling their purpose.”
I’m sharing this ON purpose to ask if, like me, you sometimes wonder if we make things more complicated than they should be. On purpose.
Micah was a big “purpose” guy. You remember Micah. Old Testament and old school. Once wrote this:
“And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
The simplicity of Micah’s wisdom is easily evaded. Because in the chic area of ‘purpose finding,’ it is more convenient for human beings to make things complicated. It’s more comfortable too. At least for a while. Because it keeps us from the hard and dirty business of real change.
We declare we have no clue what our purpose is. The questions is sincere: “What does God really want me to do?” But that question is an excuse to dog-paddle as our lives slip away.
According to Micah, God wants us – requires us – to act justly. To love mercy. To walk humbly with Him. From that, our purpose will find us.
Is it easier to read a ‘spiritual’ book and join a Bible study than it is to do those things? I think so. Relationships involve time and deep commitment. It’s easier to read a book on marriage, to study marriage, to “get ready” to marry, than to live out a marriage. It’s easier to read a book about fence building than it is to build a fence.
To live as God requires, He has to be the heartbeat. And as He becomes the heartbeat, our purpose becomes clear. For that day. “Give us Lord our ‘daily’ bread…” And the days, and our purpose, plays out by His hand.
We have been told what is required: act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with Him. There’s our purpose, or at least the path to a more specific purpose.
Jesus didn’t carry a Daytimer, but he knew his purpose: He set his face toward Jerusalem.
He walked with intention. He walked with purpose. ON purpose.
And so, his purpose unfolded — though few would have guessed at the time that his purpose could be what it was. But with each just and compassionate act, with each humble step, he showed us what it looks like to fulfill God’s purpose.
A Ruston woman was arrested Sunday after police investigated the disappearance of a bag containing a large amount of cash from a local hotel.
Taylor Waldon, 28, was arrested June 21 and booked for felony theft following the investigation.
According to a Ruston Police report, officers responded to a local hotel after a customer reported inadvertently leaving a bag containing a large sum of money on top of an ice machine outside a room. When he returned to retrieve it, the bag was gone.
Officers learned the staff had reviewed security footage and identified two people as suspects. One person cooperated with investigators, while the second person, identified as Waldon, left the hotel before management could speak with her, according to the report.
Police contacted Waldon and took her to the Ruston Police Department for questioning. The report states Waldon initially denied knowing anything about the missing money.
After being questioned about discrepancies in her statement, Waldon admitted taking the money and said she had concealed it and taken it to her vehicle. Waldon then led officers to her residence on Terrill Drive where approximately $3,650 was recovered and later returned to the victim.
Waldon was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
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.
