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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. 

Tuesday, June 23
6:30 a.m.: Veterans free breakfast (VFW Post 3615, 206 Memorial Dr.)
10 a.m.: Storytime : Pigs (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
10 a.m.: Summer Movie Series “Zootopia 2” (Dixie Theatre)
2 p.m.: Crafternoon : Toilet Paper Sheep Painting (Lincoln Parish Library)
4 p.m.: Teen Time :  Balloon Animals and more! (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: Video-Led Exercise class (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)

Wednesday, June 24
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
11:30 a.m.: Groundbreaking for Russ Town Crossing (1211 Gaines Ave.)
12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)

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
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
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market

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Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Head coach Lane Burroughs and Louisiana Tech baseball have announced the official signings of outfielder Bryce Adams and catcher/utility Clint Seymore.

Adams stands at 6-foot even batting left-handed and throwing right-handed, coming off his redshirt freshman year at Wabash Valley College. The Woodstock, Georgia native registered the fourth-best average in the country at the NJCAA level, batting .478 with 17 doubles, two triples, 11 homers and 23 stolen bases. Adams was also a recipient of the NJCAA Region 24 Gold Glove.

Prior to beginning his collegiate career at WVC, Adams was a 6A state champion and Player of the Year at Etowah High School with a .433 average and saw his team to a top-five national ranking at No. 4 his senior year.

Seymore, standing at 6-foot 1-inch, is a career .395 hitter in two years-batting .394 as a freshman in 2025 at Columbia State CC before posting a .398 average in 2026 at Wallace State CC-Hanceville. In his JUCO career, the right-handed hitter and thrower has seven homers, 82 RBI, 81 runs, drew 44 walks and has been named an All-Conference Second Teamer in each season.

Born and raised in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, Seymore was a multi-sport athlete at Loretto High School, excelling in baseball, football and basketball. In football, he was named All-State and Wide Receiver of the Year, setting the school’s single-season record with 1,200 receiving yards.

In baseball he was a three-time All-State player and two-time District Player of the Year, leading his team to a 30-6 record and a state championship his senior season. Seymore was a four-year letterman in baseball and three-year in football and basketball, also being named All-District for his performance on the court.

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LPJ Sports Report

HAMMOND, La. — Showtime Track Club continued its impressive inaugural summer season this past weekend, turning in a strong showing at the AAU Region 11 Qualifier at Southeastern Louisiana University and earning multiple berths to the AAU Junior Olympic Games.

Competing against athletes from Louisiana and Mississippi, Showtime athletes recorded four regional championships, eight podium finishes, a meet record and numerous personal-best performances as the club qualified several athletes for the national meet scheduled for Aug. 1-8 at Drake University in Des Moines.

The distance runners once again led the way.

In the 12-year-old boys division, Dallas Smith claimed regional championships in both the 800-meter run and 1,500-meter run. Smith posted a personal-best time of 2:27.23 in the 800 before winning the 1,500 in 5:17.19. He also earned a third-place finish in the 400-meter dash with a personal-best time of 1:01.72.

Noah Millien delivered one of the meet’s most notable performances in the 13-year-old boys division. Millien won the 800-meter run in a personal-best and meet-record time of 2:10.07 before returning to capture the 1,500-meter title in 4:55.56.

Millien’s 800-meter performance eclipsed the previous meet record of 2:10.38 set in 2019 by former Jesuit standout Michael Vocke while competing for New Orleans Metro Stars.

Butter McGehee continued her strong summer campaign with fourth-place finishes in both the 800-meter run and 1,500-meter run. She recorded personal-best times of 3:03.27 and 6:38.79, respectively.

Harper Pilgreen also earned a Junior Olympic qualifying spot with a fourth-place finish in the 1,500-meter run while competing in the 800-meter event as well.

The sprint and hurdle group contributed several standout performances. Maddie Lu McGehee captured a bronze medal in the 100-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 18.49 seconds and later posted another personal best in the 400-meter dash at 1:08.53, finishing sixth. Kate Klepzig recorded personal-best performances in the 100, 200 and 400 meters, while Kindal Atwood posted a personal best in the 200-meter dash. Brant Youngblood added one of his strongest performances of the season with a personal-best 56.88 in the 400 meters.

In the field events, Doris Hearn enjoyed one of the club’s most successful weekends, earning runner-up finishes in three separate events. Hearn placed second in the shot put (17 feet, 5 inches), turbo javelin (25-7) and discus (33-7).

McGehee also added a fifth-place finish in the javelin and advanced in the pole vault competition despite schedule modifications caused by inclement weather.

Showtime Head Coach Morgan Smith praised the athletes’ effort throughout the regional championship meet.

“This was a tremendous weekend for our athletes,” Smith said. “What impressed me most wasn’t just the wins or medals, but the way our athletes competed. We had kids stepping up in big moments, setting personal bests and trusting the work they’ve put in all season.”

Smith singled out Millien’s record-breaking performance as one of the highlights of the weekend.

“Noah’s meet record in the 800 meters was truly special,” Smith said. “To break a record that had stood since 2019 and was held by an athlete of Michael Vocke’s caliber shows just how much Noah has grown as a runner. It was one of the most exciting performances I’ve seen from our club.”

The coaching staff also highlighted Smith’s versatility and consistency.

“Dallas continues to prove that he is one of the top young distance runners in the region,” Smith said. “Winning both the 800 and 1500 while also earning a podium finish in the 400 speaks volumes about his toughness and versatility.”

The club will now turn its attention to the AAU Junior Olympic Games after six Showtime athletes qualified in multiple events.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to represent Showtime Track Club and Lincoln Parish on the national stage,” Smith said. “Qualifying for the Junior Olympics is a major achievement, and we’re looking forward to the challenge that awaits us in Des Moines.”

AAU Junior Olympic Qualifiers

Dallas Smith

• 800m Champion
• 1500m Champion
• 400m (3rd)

Noah Millien

• 800m Champion (Meet Record)
• 1500m Champion

Maddie Lu McGehee

• Pole Vault (2nd)
• 100m Hurdles (3rd)
• Javelin (5th)
• 400m (6th)

Doris Hearn

• Shot Put (2nd)
• Turbo Javelin (2nd)
• Discus (2nd)

Butter McGehee

• 800m (4th)
• 1500m (4th)

Harper Pilgreen

• 1500m (4th)

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Robbie Nanette “Nan” Crawley Colvin 
March 8, 1933  –  June 17, 2026 

Bernard White III 
Saturday 02/06/1954 — Friday 06/12/2026  
Visitation: Tuesday 06/23/2026 3:00pm to 7:00pm at King’s Funeral Home 
Graveside: Wednesday 06/24/2026 1:00pm, Mt. Zion Church Cemetery, 113 California Plant Road, Dubach 

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by Tim Smith

I strongly believe that God provides for the needs of those who love Him.

One of the mysteries of God’s plan is that He chooses to use us, people, to do His work here on earth. An all-powerful God should not need us, but for some reason, He does. As the gem of His creation, we are tasked to be His hands and feet as we serve our fellow man.

God’s plan also creates the unexplainable joy that comes through this service; those who serve are blessed just as those who receive the service. It is the simple gospel story put into practice: love your neighbor. It is profoundly simple, yet incredibly difficult. We are called to serve, to love, and to share our own stories of salvation.

We are also called to tell the stories of faith in action, the stories of people following the tug of the Holy Spirit that compels them to put His love into action and serve those in need.

A few weeks ago, David Boersma posted a brief story on his Facebook page, not something he does a lot. The story, which included a simple photo of beautiful, brightly colored flowers in a window box, was about his own bittersweet emotions. When David pulled into his driveway, he noticed the flowers, and he began to cry.

Flowers were Rachel’s thing. She loved flowers, and this was something she would have done.

Rachel Boersma, David’s wife, passed away on March 1.

The flowers in the window box were a gift from a friend, someone who understood the magnitude of David’s loss and simply wanted to show love and compassion in a tangible way. It inspired David to do something he rarely does: share it with his friends in a very public way. When God blesses us through people who love us, we often cannot keep it to ourselves. It reaches others, inspires others, and pays the blessing forward.

The Boersmas’ lives were turned upside down in October 2025 when Rachel was diagnosed with cancer. The prognosis was not good.

As I sat with David at his kitchen table, he began to lay out a story of love, compassion, and caring that he and Rachel experienced through the worst time in their lives.

It started with the emergency room doctor who discovered the cancer and knew the likely result. He prayed. He put aside his role as a doctor and prayed with Rachel and David.

As the doctor was leaving, a familiar face appeared at the door. The RN was a longtime friend who just happened to be on duty. When their friend heard their story, he got Rachel moved to the telemetry floor at Glenwood Hospital, where she would be under observation, and arranged a visit by oncologist, Dr. Tharwat Ghattas.

Dr. Ghattas was soft-spoken, kind, and understanding. He explained Rachel’s condition and how they could treat it. Rachel asked, “Can we beat this?” and he said, “No, but we can fight.”

David told me, “It was kind of clear from the beginning. No, this is not a fight you’re going to win.”

David said, “You’d have to know her personality. She wouldn’t take that. When we would interact with friends and they would ask what the doctor said, she would tell them, ‘We are going to fight. We got this,’ leaving out the part, ‘We can’t win.’”

Rachel would maintain this fighting spirit even when she was placed on hospice.

From the minute they got back home and Rachel’s condition was known, the community that surrounded them began to act. David began telling me a story that included the names of friends, neighbors, and relatives. Names of so many people I could not keep up writing them down, so I just stopped. I knew then that this story was bigger than a list of names.

Though David would be eager to acknowledge them all, I know there are those he failed to mention.

Rachel, David, and their son Wesley were immediately surrounded by a community that sought to make this unbearable situation bearable. These people didn’t send “get well soon” cards; they showed up. Cooking meals, cleaning the house, watering flowers, visiting and entertaining Wesley, and sitting with Rachel.

All so David could continue working.

The effort was turned into a mission. Meal trains and schedules to stay with Rachel and Wesley were set up online. These were not people who didn’t have lives and jobs of their own, yet they saw a need and did exactly what Jesus commanded us to do: put others first.

This is what communities built on faith can and will do.

Rachel, fighting to the end, lost her battle with cancer on March 1, leaving husband David; sons Aaron and Wesley; and three grandsons.

For David, this meant joining a club to which no one wants to be a member. Losing a spouse is a devastating event that many will experience. Losing them too early is especially heartbreaking. The love and support for him didn’t end with Rachel’s passing. It has continued, and David has found support where he never expected it—from complete strangers.

“A man named Johnny Pilgreen made a post on Facebook. We were not friends in life or on Facebook, but it showed up on my feed. It found me. It was titled ‘The Last Six Feet’ and had a picture of a fresh grave. I read it, and he was like, ‘I took my wife the last six feet.’ I responded to his post that I understand.”

Since then, David and Johnny have become friends.

“We stay in contact. We have a connection,” said David.

“I have purposely sought out other people. The lady who lives next door lost her husband six months ago, and my neighbor across the street lost her husband as well. We all went out to dinner not too long ago. It’s not a club I wanted to join, but we help each other because we understand.”

So, when David came home a few weeks ago to flowers in the window box, all of this came flooding back to him. The sadness of loss, but also the overwhelming feeling of love and connection to people who get it. To those few out there who really understand and who actually put that compassion into action.

David told me a story about when he and Rachel were newlyweds. She was working in New Orleans, and he called her at work. When they were ready to say goodbye, he told her, “I love you.” She only responded, “Uh huh.”

David was devastated that his new bride had not returned his declaration of love. When he spoke with her later, she explained that she had admonished her fellow workers not to use the business phone for personal calls, so she didn’t want them to hear her say, “I love you.”

So, from then on, he began ending his calls with “You love me.” This would become a regular thing with David and Rachel, saying “You love me” instead of “I love you.”

This worked well for them because they knew it was true.

David told me that someone recently asked him if Rachel was his soulmate for life. He told them, “You don’t understand. She WAS my life.”

Before ending our conversation, I asked David if he understood the magnitude of the blessing he has had. I know his story is unique, but I have known many people who have similar stories of loss. The difference here, with his story, is the amazing outpouring of compassion and action. I told him, “This isn’t common. The community of people that came through for you is extraordinary. Most people don’t see this kind of response.”

David understands the enormity of the blessing and is committed to serving others as well.

The love that propels people to respond in this way is absolutely the work of the Spirit of Christ. It is not just the goodness of people, but the goodness of God. People will fail us, but God never will.

I am thankful that in this community, God has called His people to act. So much so that people like you and me, and David, can truly say, “You love me!”

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Following a Wednesday night shooting that wounded a Ruston man, four suspects are in custody with at least one more arrest expected.

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 at the Twin Lakes Apartments off West Alabama Avenue.

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.

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.

Several individuals believed to be involved in the incident were detained and transported to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office for questioning. Following interviews and further investigation, multiple arrests were made.

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.

The other party involved in the shooting, Jaylin Huntley, 18, of Ruston, who sustained a gunshot wound, will be charged with attempted second degree murder upon his release from the hospital.

The Ruston Police Department thanked the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, Grambling Police Department, Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Farmerville Police Department for their assistance throughout the investigation. The cooperation and coordination among these agencies were instrumental in the successful identification and apprehension of those involved.

Twin Lakes is a new apartment complex at 2384 West Alabama Avenue just west of Maple Street. Police have reported a number of young males from Farmerville have been arrested in Ruston incidents in recent weeks.

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 views of this letter to the editor do not necessarily reflect those of the LPJ publishing staff.

Dear Editor,

I am writing to support the Lincoln Parish School Board’s ballot initiative to consolidate five separate one-half cent (0.50%) sales taxes into one two-point five percent (2.50%) sales tax on June 27.

Public education has changed since the first 0.50% sales tax was passed in 1967. The needs of children have certainly changed, and what the public now asks of their schools is much more involved, and expensive. 

In my professional career, I have dealt with school boards across Louisiana, and we are truly blessed with an administration and faculty that is laser-focused on preparing our children for a productive life in society. Being friends with many teachers has shown me just how challenging the education of our children is, and that community support is critical. We cannot thank them enough for their efforts, and we need to make sure that they do not have to worry about whether they are going to be compensated fairly.

In reviewing our School Board’s audited financials, I found that while the School Board collects a healthy amount of sales tax, it still only covers less than 40% of the total need for salaries and benefits. We need to unlock all the sales tax collections to be available to the School Board for salaries and benefits.

We also need to give the school administration, and the School Board, the ability to use all possible resources to operate our school system. For example, if there was a fire at Ruston High, the School Board would be prohibited from using the currently designated sales taxes for repairs. We need to give our administration and School Board members the flexibility to meet temporary needs while holding them accountable for the long-term health of our education system.

Lincoln Parish continues to be a light for our State in both economic growth and education.

My hope is that we will give our School Board, our teachers and our children what they need to succeed. Consolidating the Sales Tax is a great way to show our support.

Sincerely,

Lucius D. McGehee, Jr.

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It’s the multibillion-dollar question these days.

Literally.

How do the powers that be fix the current model of college athletics before it bankrupts itself?

Some people don’t believe the system is broken. I do. I am not against compensation for student-athletes. I am against a system with no guardrails and no consequences.

Let’s be honest. The old system wasn’t perfect either. Universities, conferences and television networks were generating hundreds of millions of dollars while athletes had limited — or zero — opportunities to share in that revenue.

There is no simple answer. Not in a day and age where every time the NCAA makes a rule or ruling, a lawsuit is filed and a state or federal court gets involved. Courts have significantly weakened the NCAA’s authority, and the organization has enough issues of its own without being held hostage by the courts (see the recent ruling by a Lubbock, Texas, judge on Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby as a perfect example).

Welcome to 2026.

It’s perplexing. It’s frustrating. But mostly, it’s concerning.

I love college athletics. I have since I attended my first Louisiana Tech football game in 1978. I have made a career out of working in the industry. And I still believe in the student-athlete experience.

However, it’s the number of those experiences that I worry will start to dwindle if the current system isn’t corrected.

Let me stop here and say that I am not opposed to student-athletes getting compensated beyond their scholarship — to a point.

A decade ago, Skip Holtz and the Louisiana Tech football program began a stretch of seven straight bowl appearances, winning six straight postseason games. It was a lot of fun for Louisiana Tech fans.

Players like Kenneth Dixon, Vernon Butler, Trent Taylor, Carlos Henderson, Jaylon Ferguson, Milton Williams, Amik Robertson and J’Mar Smith — to name a few — became household names for the Bulldog faithful. They were recruited by Tech out of high school and finished their college careers in the old red and blue.

No offense to Skip and the boys, but I don’t believe that seven-year run would have occurred in today’s environment. Why?

Although I can’t speak for each one of them, odds are — based on what we see these days — that some of those guys would have never made it to Ruston. And if they had, the odds of keeping them for four years would have been almost impossible.

We live in a time where student-athletes have the ability to transfer an unlimited number of times. That’s hurdle No. 1. We live in an age where student-athletes are paid to play. That’s hurdle No. 2.

It’s an open market each and every year. Free agency for every single player every single year. Can you imagine if that occurred in the NFL, NBA or MLB? It would be chaos.

Welcome to college athletics in 2026.

Let me slow down here to reiterate that I am not opposed to student-athletes being better compensated than they were a decade ago. I think the recent rule that has put roster limitations on sports but has allowed all sports to be head-count sports (as opposed to equivalency sports) is a good one. The days of trying to field a college baseball roster of 35 athletes using 11.2 scholarships are over.

That’s a good thing.

Now, the catch is that the respective schools have to have the funds to put these student-athletes on full scholarships, which isn’t always the case everywhere. But it definitely opened up the opportunity for programs to better compensate student-athletes more fairly, where before many equivalency sports were handcuffed.

Recently, I saw a video of Nick Saban testifying before a bipartisan group of politicians in Washington, D.C., earlier this month about his fears for the future of college athletics. Whether you like Nick Saban or dislike him, I do believe the man is sincerely concerned about what could happen down the road if guardrails aren’t put in place.

Having spent the past 27 years working in college athletics, I have insight from a mid-major level. I know how difficult it has been to compete with the P4 programs even before it became legal to pay for play. And it’s only getting worse.

But it’s not just mid-majors. The “big boys” are losing kids left and right as well. It’s almost as if it’s become the cool thing to do. According to social media posts, it’s a wide variety of kids. Kids who are happy. Kids who aren’t happy. Kids who played. Kids who didn’t play. Kids from P4 schools. Kids from mid-majors.

I know this: Both Socrates and the good Lord are busy these days. Every social media post has a student-athlete claiming that “after much prayer and thought” he or she has decided to chase what is believed to be greener grass. It’s not always the case.

College athletes transferring is nothing new. It’s happened for decades. But not at this rate and not for these reasons.

Historically, kids transferred for more playing opportunities or because the coach who recruited them was no longer there. Now, they are transferring for those reasons plus many others. Male or female, it doesn’t matter.

Most recently, NCAA Division I softball player of the year Isa Torres entered the transfer portal. Yes, the national player of the year isn’t happy at the same place with the same coaching staff that recruited her while playing for a nationally ranked, national title-contending program like Florida State.

Torres is just one example. The mass exodus every year is a complex issue that the NCAA and courts need to try to simplify.

Rosters are in constant flux from year to year. Free agency every single year.

I don’t believe this is sustainable. I have heard Troy Aikman and Charles Barkley state publicly that they are tired of giving large sums of money to their alma maters in this current climate. How long will donors continue to give?

Fan bases are having more and more trouble becoming invested in their own schools. I have people tell me all the time that they are struggling to feel emotionally invested in the players these days. Why? Because by the time they “know” them, the student-athlete is leaving for another program.

Coaches are having more and more challenges creating a locker-room culture. Between paying players different sums of money and locker rooms housing fewer returners and more newcomers every year, most businesses could not succeed like that — even those with the advantage of greater resources.

Now, having written all of that, it’s hard to place blame on the student-athletes in many cases. They are simply playing the game that has been created through litigation and laws. They are chasing the dollars in many cases. That’s understandable.

But in many cases — I would argue most cases these days — they are chasing something that won’t be there. Many are getting bad advice from agents and other outside sources. The number of players who never find their second home is high.

Personally, I don’t believe today’s landscape is a healthy one for college athletics or student-athletes in the long run. Many universities and colleges have already canceled programs because of the financial strain of trying to keep up with the Joneses. And I think many more will be canceled if things continue on the current path.

I don’t have all the answers or even all of the intricacies to the suggestions I have, but here are just two that could stem the tide.

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CONTRACTS

One of the arguments I hear all the time is that student-athletes should be able to transfer as many times as they want because coaches can leave whenever they want. I understand the thought process. However, what this argument fails to consider is that coaches have contracts and buyouts.

When Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU, there was a buyout provision in his contract. A large sum of money was paid to Ole Miss, providing financial protection for the university.

This is commonplace in coaching contracts, even for assistant coaches.

What if student-athletes had to sign contracts? Four-star quarterback John Doe signs a National Letter of Intent with State College and gets a full scholarship plus $100,000 per year on top of the scholarship. On top of the NLI, John Doe signs a contract stipulating that if he leaves the school after a certain amount of time, he must pay a percentage of that additional compensation back to the school.

John Doe or his next school would be responsible for paying back X percent after Year 1, Y percent after Year 2, and Z percent after Year 3. This is similar to what coaches have in their contracts. It’s a sliding scale based on how many years are remaining when they leave for the next job.

__________________________________

ONE-TIME TRANSFER

This may be the most important suggestion and the easiest to follow.

The NCAA needs to bring back the one-time transfer rule.

John Doe gets a one-time transfer that doesn’t cost him a year of eligibility. He can transfer and play immediately. However, after the first transfer, any additional transfer would force him to sit out a year, costing him that year of eligibility.

It doesn’t prevent him from transferring, but it would certainly make student-athletes pause and think before doing it.

At one time, schools had the ability to block a student-athlete from transferring to certain schools. Usually, a school would prevent an athlete from transferring to an in-state school or another school within its conference. That practice was eliminated, as it should have been.

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There are many more ideas and suggestions floating around the world of college athletics. There are also many different versions of some of the suggestions listed above.

College athletics is big business.

But it is still college athletics.

At its core, it was built on amateurism.

The vast majority of the dollars schools spend every year go toward facilities, student-athlete health care, academic support, travel, operations and much more. Those resources are spent directly and indirectly on the student-athlete experience.

My concern is that if the powers that be — the NCAA and the courts — don’t put stricter parameters around college athletics, the number of opportunities available to student-athletes will continue to dwindle.

When programs start to disappear, it won’t be football and basketball players who are impacted. It will be soccer players, volleyball players, tennis players, golfers, track athletes and countless others whose opportunities may no longer exist.

And if that happens, everyone loses — including the student-athletes this system was designed to help.

By Doug Ireland

U.S. Open heartbreak had a different feel this time for Sam Burns.

The Choudrant resident, who plays out of Squire Creek Country Club, finished runner-up, by one shot – by an inch, you could say — Sunday at the 126^th U.S. Open on Long Island’s Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. And he was choked up speaking to media about it.

A year earlier, it was a sour, bitter ending to a strong week at Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh, when Burns led much of the way including a 36-and 54-hole advantage and a two-shot edge on the back nine Sunday. But it unraveled following a downpour, after a dubious U.S.G.A. ruling forced him to play from what appeared to be standing water in the 15^th fairway, and he went 4-over in the last four holes, settling for a seventh-place tie. He was diplomatic as possible afterward in rueing the ruling.

This time, Burns almost joined Arnold Palmer for the largest final-round comeback in the championship. Palmer trailed by seven strokes in the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver.

Twice, the 29-year-old Shreveport native moved within a shot of Wyndham Clark’s lead, the second time after draining an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-5 16th hole. Then it got even more agonizing: a 10-footer for birdie on the par-3 17^th missed 2-3 inches right, and a birdie try from 17 feet on the final hole slid past on the right edge, fractions from falling in. Burns went to his knees and flipped his putter softly.

Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champ, pulled off a minor miracle with a birdie out of a terrible lie on the par-5 16^th, draining a 24-foot putt to turn what could have been a bogey or worse into a two-shot edge. Clark gave one back with a long three-putt bogey on 17. On the tourney’s final hole, Clark needed to two-putt from 59 feet to hold off Burns, and lagged his birdie try within inches of the cup to clinch the outcome.

After his best finish in a major championship, and a close miss of his first PGA Tour win since 2023, Burns was understandably emotional. His dad, Todd, was with him after the round on the practice tee, watching to see if Clark would crack, with Sam staying loose if he did. When Clark survived, father turned to son and told him how proud he was.

Recounting that moment to the media stopped Sam, and it took a few seconds for him to sniffle and gather himself to answer.

“I think we both knew how special it could have been for Father’s Day,” Burns said.

“I would say last year at Oakmont I felt more I lost the golf tournament,” Burns said. “I certainly don’t feel that way today.

“I started the day seven shots back. That’s very difficult to overcome, especially someone who is playing as well as Wyndham has been playing. That was really the difference today.

“If I would have been a little bit closer and maybe could have got ahead of him at some point, I think there could have been a different outcome possibly, but at the end of the day, he played amazing, and it was his week. You got to tip your cap to him.”

Burns said he would probably see his final birdie try taunting his memories as he went to sleep Sunday night.

“I really thought I made that putt,” he said. “It just didn’t go in.”

Burns was brilliant Sunday, making the only serious run at Clark with a closing 67. He began the round at even par, and birdied three of his first eight holes to move past a pack into solo second place.

“To start the day seven shots back, I knew it was going to take something really special,” Burns said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start.”

Conversely, Clark bogeyed three of his first seven holes made it close. Three-putting at No. 15 put Burns in a difficult spot that he almost escaped to force a playoff.

But Burns made one last charge, and was truly edged out of a shot at the title.

This time around, he was able to say without question, “The guy who played the best won.”

Clark collected a $4.5 winners’ payday. Burns got half that, $2.43 million, for his biggest check of the year.

It was his third straight top 10 at the U.S. Open, after last year’s seventh and a ninth-place tie in 2024.

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Saturday morning, at approximately 11:35 a.m., Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop G responded to a single-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 9 near Louisiana Highway 518. The crash claimed the lives of 22-year-old Katie Barber of Tylertown, MS., and 14-year-old Benson Brady of Kentwood.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2022 Ram pick-up truck was traveling south on Louisiana Highway 9. For reasons still under investigation, the Ram exited the roadway and collided with a tree. Barber, who was a passenger in the Ram and properly restrained at the time of the crash, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Brady, who was a passenger and properly restrained, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Ram and two passengers, who were properly restrained, sustained moderate injuries and were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Impairment on the part of the driver is not suspected; however, standard toxicology samples were taken and submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

While the cause of this crash remains under investigation, Louisiana State Police urges drivers to obey all traffic laws and never drive impaired, fatigued, or distracted. While not all crashes are survivable, taking simple precautions such as these can mean the difference between life and death.

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Special to the LPJ

RUSTON, La. — Ahmad Hudson, the Gatorade Louisiana Boys Basketball Player of the Year, selected Boys & Girls Clubs of North Louisiana as his Community Grant recipient. As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner of their choice. 

“The Gatorade Player of the Year award highlights student-athletes who set an example both on and off the field,” said Cameron Pettigrew, Associate Marketing Manager for Gatorade Player of the Year. “The grants give these athletes a chance to donate to organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs that positively impact the youth in their own communities.”

Ahmad has had a constant presence in Ruston’s Boys & Girls Club since elementary school and still finds time to participate in the teen program and stops in to volunteer and spend time with the Club kids. “BGC means a lot, it’s where I met a lot of my friends growing up,” Hudson said, “My favorite memory is going to Lincoln Parish Park every summer.” 

The funds received will go towards club programming to help ensure future generations of Ruston youth have the same opportunities to play, grow and build community.

“It has been incredible to watch Ahmad grow from a young Club kid into the amazing young man he is today,” said Jeff Miller, Teen Director for Boys & Girls Clubs of North Louisiana. “We are so proud of him and excited to see what’s in store, we just know he’s going to do great things.”

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A Ruston man was arrested after Lincoln Parish deputies responded to a report of a motorcyclist riding through someone’s yard and learned he had an active warrant, according to an affidavit filed by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responding to the scene on Madden Road knew Donald Wayne Jenkins, 42, was wanted on a warrant from Third District Court for violation of a protective order

At the scene, deputies spoke with the complainant and Jenkins before placing Jenkins into custody on the warrant.

The affidavit states deputies searched Jenkins and found suspected marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, and methamphetamine, each in a separate bag.

Jenkins was transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked on the warrant and possession of marijuana, possession of ecstasy, possession of cocaine, and possession of methamphetamine.

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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By JAKE MARTIN

Written for the LSWA

One. Two. Three. Four…

Hang on. 

Five. Six. Seven. Eight…

Counting game balls that were bestowed to Pat Williams throughout his illustrious NFL career might take a minute. More than that, actually.

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen…

A 14-year NFL career that began in Buffalo with Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Smith saw Williams make a name for himself as one part of “The Package” alongside Ted Washington. In the late ‘90s, the Wossman High graduate squared off against Hall of Famers Dan Marino, Brett Favre and Warren Moon on the biggest stage football has to offer.

Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two…

It can be argued the 6-3, 315-pound nose tackle figuratively, and quite literally, left a massive gap in Buffalo’s defense when he pursued a new team in 2004. After Williams led the front line of Buffalo’s rush defense that allowed 100.3 rushing yards per game in 2004, which was sixth best in the NFL, the Bills allowed 137.8 rushing yards per game (31st) the following year when Williams exited for Minnesota.

Twenty-eight. Twenty-nine. Thirty…

Buffalo’s rush defense worsened, while Minnesota’s rose to the best in the league. In fact, Williams’ tenure with the Vikings featured three consecutive seasons where the Vikings had the best rush defense in the NFL. Minnesota allowed just 61.6 rushing yards per game in 2006, 74.1 in 2007 and 76.9 in 2008 before “dipping” to 87.1 in 2009 when the Vikings reached the NFC Championship Game against the Saints. Over five years and 60 games played, Williams helped solidify a defense that allowed just 80.4 rushing yards per game.

Thirty-four. Thirty-five. Thirty-six. Phew.

“You know, actually that’s all that’s in here,” remembered Williams inside his man cave that featured one hall of fame jersey after the next. “My son (Pat Williams II) actually has some at his apartment in Ruston. People don’t understand how hard those are to get.”

You don’t spend 14 years in the NFL and garner three Pro Bowl nods while earning the distinction of All-Pro without commanding respect across the National Football League. Williams earned every bit of that with a career that featured 672 total tackles, 20.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and fumble recoveries and even a game-sealing fourth quarter pick six against the Miami Dolphins that saw the big man rumble into the end zone from 20 yards out.

Scan his man cave and you’ll find gems like Terrell Owens’ signed Pro Bowl cleats, Pro Football Hall of Fame memorabilia and Pro Bowl jerseys from legends like Peyton Manning and Ray Lewis. More than a decade has passed since Williams terrorized running backs like Hall of Fame back LaDainian Tomlinson, and finally at 53 years old, he’s garnered the respect he’s been looking for. 

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame couldn’t elude Williams’ big paws any longer, as one-half of the Williams Wall will cement his legacy June 25-27 in Natchitoches as part of the LSHOF’s Class of 2026. Information on seven events, culminating with the Induction Ceremony, is available at LaSportsHall.com or by calling 318-238-4255.

Count Kevin Williams, who represented the other half of that dominant duo on Minnesota’s defensive front, as one of many happy to see Williams finally get his day under the sun. 

“What made him so good was he could do stuff a normal person couldn’t. It was hard to duplicate,” Kevin Williams said. “He had the experience, where he could read the guy was about to overreach for him and shove him by and go behind him. It was a lot of things like that.

“When I tried to do some of those things, I was like, ‘Pat, how are you doing that?’ He was wrong sometimes, but he was right more than he was wrong. It’s the little things that he brought to the game. I think we bonded because were were both hungry and desperate to succeed.” 

Don’t just take his running mate’s word for it. Longtime defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, who most recently served as the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line coach, had the opportunity to coach “Big Pat” in Minnesota. Dunbar had a come-to-Jesus meeting with the hall of fame talent about shedding some weight and being more than just a hole plugger on Dunbar’s defensive line. After Williams put in the work, shed some pounds and excelled at an All-Pro level, Dunbar was sold on his legacy. 

“He’s probably the best nose tackle I’ve ever coached,” Dunbar said. “You need to have an anchor. That’s the lynchpin. If you can get gap movement, they’re going to run the ball on you all night every night. The first three years there, we led the league in rushing defense because Pat was in there.”

Achieving legendary status in the state wouldn’t even be a conversation starter without stern coaching during his youth. 

Tough love under former Wossman head football coach Lonnie Calahan prepared Williams for life, and that’s something he grew to appreciate later on. After playing under Calahan at Wossman, Williams made his way to Navarro College in 1992. That’s where he became a two-time JUCO All-American before finding himself on the campus at Texas A&M.

After signing with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 1997, Williams asked around in the front office about why he wasn’t drafted.

“They told me they thought I had a bad attitude and that I was uncoachable,” Williams said. “I’m always going to learn.”

Williams had his chance to prove that as a rookie behind legendary defensive players like Smith.

“I was sitting in the same meeting room as Bruce, and I’m just like, ‘Bruce is sitting right there,’” Williams said, recalling his time as a rookie. “I was calling my wife every week because it was different back then. We had 100-something guys before they started making cuts. In the middle of the summer, I was like eighth string, and there were no rookies ahead of me. Ted Washington and I had the same agent, so Ted pulled me to the side and said, ‘I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you got a family. You need to do what you’ve got to do.’ Once we talked, I slowly started picking it up and rising on the depth chart.”

Marveling at Smith’s iconic performances was part of that process too.

“I was asking Bruce questions all the time. It was amazing watching him play,” Williams said. “He would take two snaps at practice, pull his hat off and go, ‘Alright young pups, y’all got it.’ Then I would watch him on Sunday’s and be like, ‘How do you play like this?’”

His production for the Bills picked up every year before becoming a full-time starter in 2001. Recognized by USA Today’s All-Joe Team as the NFL’s most overlooked, ignored and hard-working players and later being voted on by his teammates as the Ed Block Courage Award winner in 2003, Williams built a strong reputation in Buffalo before signing with the Vikings in 2005 and earning a couple more duo nicknames with Kevin Williams as the “Williams Wall” and “Williams Wrecking Crew.” Many great backs had issues getting around that wall too. Tomlinson and many others struggled to penetrate the middle of the best rush defense in the NFL. The Chargers’ “L.T.” was held to 40 rushing yards on 16 carries (2.5 yards per rush) in 2007 against the Vikings.

“When I got to the Vikings and was able to play with Kevin Williams and Jared Allen, we just made it fun,” the former Wildcat said. “We didn’t care about who we were playing. We were competing against each other. But we went against some great running backs. I tell my son that all the time. I loved playing against Curtis Martin, Barry Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Clinton Portis and Edgerrin James. I hated Eddie George because my wife loved Eddie George. I would tell her after the games, “You see how he didn’t get any yards, huh? That’s all because of you.’”

Not only did Williams face his fair share of Hall of Fame running backs, but he also went toe-to-toe with some of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. Some he liked playing more than others.

“We hated Peyton (Manning). We would cuss him out,” Williams said, laughing. “He kept us in our stance all the time. ‘Hike the ball, man.’ Eli was the same way. Hated him too. Tom Brady talked a lot of (expletive). Brett Favre too. He would all the time, and then he came and played with me with the Vikings. My son loved Brett Favre. He used to bother (Favre) all the time in the locker room.”

Pro Bowls and other illustrious honors were nice and all, but there’s still one accolade that evaded him during his playing days that haunts him. The offseason before the New York Giants won the Super Bowl, the team inquired about signing Williams and getting him to play 20 snaps a game. Fourteen years was a long time of playing in the NFL, though, and Williams was ready to hang up his cleats.

“My son still reminds me of that. ‘If you would have signed with them, you would have gotten a ring,’” Williams said. “People don’t understand you have to work out to play. And I was done with that. At the end of the day, I was proud of the longevity of my career because I enjoyed playing. I played out all my contracts. And had an opportunity to sign with the Giants after that, so I’m proud of that.

“I like to think of myself as one of the all-time great (nose tackles). I get mad sometimes because I don’t feel the love in my own state. When we go to Minnesota, they love me there, but I don’t always feel that love (in Louisiana).”

He feels that love at Wossman. How could he not? From donating and upgrading facilities to helping out with the football team, Williams is still an integral part of Wossman High School.

“It’s all about the kids,” Williams said. “That’s how I got to where I am. Through the ups and downs, the teachers and coaches helped me with everything I did in life. If I could do it all over, I’d do it all the same.”

That path has now led him to the recognition Williams so desperately craved.

Oops… Missed one. Make that thirty-seven NFL game balls for Louisiana’s newest hall of fame talent. 

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Click the three bars in the bottom corner and select “With Radar” to see current precipitation and storms in your area.

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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, June 22
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
4 p.m.: Storytime : Pigs (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 23
6:30 a.m.: Veterans free breakfast (VFW Post 3615, 206 Memorial Dr.)
10 a.m.: Storytime : Pigs (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
10 a.m.: Summer Movie Series “Zootopia 2” (Dixie Theatre)
2 p.m.: Crafternoon : Toilet Paper Sheep Painting (Lincoln Parish Library)
4 p.m.: Teen Time :  Balloon Animals and more! (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: Video-Led Exercise class (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)

Wednesday, June 24
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
11:30 a.m.: Groundbreaking for Russ Town Crossing (1211 Gaines Ave.)
12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)

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
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
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market

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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.

Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Head coach Matt Lodge has announced the official signing of Juliette Starck, a midfielder that can contribute both on the attack and the back line out of Toulouse, France. She will join the Bulldogs in 2026 as a true freshman.

“Juliette is an experienced midfielder that will bring a high level of play to Ruston,” Lodge said. “She is always looking for the ball, helping the team build and will chip in with goals with her runs into the box.”

Starck joins the Bulldogs with high-level championship experience, securing a UNSS French national championship in 2025-26 and a School Cup championship during the same season, when she was also named School Cup MVP at Lycée Déodat de Séverac

She spent her club career with Toulouse FC, who is currently a part of Ligue 1, France’s highest division in professional soccer. During her tenure with TFC, Starck contributed to the club’s eventual promotion to the top French division along with competing in the Coupe de France, an annual tournament for French football clubs.

She helped guide her squad to a quarterfinal appearance before falling to Paris Saint-Germain, 3-1.

Born in Paris to Valérie Pailhé and Olivier Starck, Starck also competed in rugby, track & field, volleyball, badminton, basketball and strength training during her high school years.

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We celebrate the life of Patsy Price, a remarkable woman who lived 86 beautiful years and left behind a legacy of love, faith, and authenticity. Born in Texas, she carried her roots with her throughout her life, eventually making her home in Louisiana, where she created a place filled with warmth, laughter, and unwavering devotion to family.

She was a devoted wife, married to the love of her life, Bobby Price, on March 8, 1958, a partnership that stood as a testament to commitment, faith, and enduring love. Together, they built a life grounded in family, faith, and fun.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby Price, and her parents, RW and Martha Patrick. Patsy is survived by her son, Barry (Penny), and her daughter, Kami Lane (Darrell), grandchildren, Megan (Jamee), Tyler, and Josh, and three great-granddaughters (Maggie, Sadie, and Ally), and her brother James Patrick (Sandy) and their daughters, Kathy and Melissa.

More than any title, she was a mother in every sense of the word—steadfast, nurturing, and present. As a grandmother and great-grandmother, she gave generously of her time, wisdom, and unconditional love, shaping generations with her quiet strength and steady guidance.

Above all, she was genuine, what you saw was what you got—honest, real, and full of grace. Her authenticity was a gift to everyone who knew her.  Her legacy will live on in the lives she touched, the family she cherished, and the faith she faithfully lived out each day.

Her life was rooted in her deep love for the Lord, and she was an active and faithful member of Temple Baptist Church, where her presence and spirit touched many lives.

Visitation is at 1:00 PM on Monday, June 22^nd with funeral services at 2:00 PM at Temple Baptist Church Chapel.  Burial to follow at Kilpatrick’s Memorial Gardens under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes in Ruston, LA.

Donations can be made to the Temple Baptist Church Senior Adult Class, Rolling Hills, or DART.

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Patsy Price 
September 25, 1939  –  June 17, 2026 
Visitation: Monday, June 22, 2026, 1:00PM – 2:00PM, Temple Baptist Church Chapel, 1515 South Service Rd West, Ruston 
Funeral Service: Monday, June 22, 2026, 2:00PM, Temple Baptist Church Chapel, 1515 South Service Rd West, Ruston 
Final Resting Place: Kilpatrick’s Memorial Gardens, 1270 Highway 544, Ruston 

Robbie Nanette “Nan” Crawley Colvin 
March 8, 1933  –  June 17, 2026 

Bernard White III 
Saturday 02/06/1954 — Friday 06/12/2026  
Visitation: Tuesday 06/23/2026 3:00pm to 7:00pm at King’s Funeral Home 
Graveside: Wednesday 06/24/2026 1:00pm, Mt. Zion Church Cemetery, 113 California Plant Road, Dubach 

John Henry Gass 
July 16, 1941 – June 15, 2026 
Funeral Mass: Monday, June 22, 2026, 10:00 AM, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 813 Carey Ave, Ruston 
Interment: Monday, June 22, 2026, 1:30 PM, Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, Rayville 

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Following a Wednesday night shooting that wounded a Ruston man, four suspects are in custody with at least one more arrest expected.

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 at the Twin Lakes Apartments off West Alabama Avenue.

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.

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.

Several individuals believed to be involved in the incident were detained and transported to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office for questioning. Following interviews and further investigation, multiple arrests were made.

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.

The other party involved in the shooting, Jaylin Huntley, 18, of Ruston, who sustained a gunshot wound, will be charged with attempted second degree murder upon his release from the hospital.

The Ruston Police Department thanked the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, Grambling Police Department, Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Farmerville Police Department for their assistance throughout the investigation. The cooperation and coordination among these agencies were instrumental in the successful identification and apprehension of those involved.

Twin Lakes is a new apartment complex at 2384 West Alabama Avenue just west of Maple Street. Police have reported a number of young males from Farmerville have been arrested in Ruston incidents in recent weeks.

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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By Kyle Roberts

ATLANTA — For nearly a century, the Hunt family’s connection to Georgia Tech has stretched across generations, sports and careers.

Now, the tradition is continuing once again.

Alexander Trotter Hunt V recently joined the Yellow Jackets football program, becoming the fifth consecutive Alexander Trotter Hunt from Ruston to compete in athletics at Georgia Tech.

That’s right: the fifth consecutive Alexander Trotter Hunt.

The family legacy began with Hunt V’s great-great-grandfather, Alexander Trotter Hunt I, whose older brother Stewart first attended Georgia Tech during the late 1910s before Hunt I followed and played football for the Yellow Jackets during the early years of the program. Since then, five generations of Hunts — all sharing the same name — have competed for Georgia Tech in football or basketball.

“We are very proud,” Alexander Trotter Hunt IV said. “I would say it’s a little surreal.”

The young(est) Alex just finished his playing career for Ruston High School, appearing in four straight state championship games in as many years for the Bearcats.

For Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key, the story carries special meaning because of his own relationship with the family.

“That’s why it was so special to me,” Key said. “When you’re an alumni here like I am, and obviously Alex’s father and I played together here, and knowing his legacy, then to be able to be a part of extending that generational legacy here at Georgia Tech with the Hunt family, that was just really, really a cool thing as an alumni.”

Key and Hunt IV were teammates at Georgia Tech during the 1990s, when Hunt IV earned a scholarship after originally joining the program without one. The Yellow Jackets finished No. 9 nationally during his senior season and defeated Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl.

“It seems like just a couple years ago, but it was many moons ago,” Key said with a laugh.

Hunt IV said the family never pressured younger generations into continuing the tradition.

“I never felt like it was destined or had to be or was mandated, but it is really cool this worked out,” Hunt IV said.

Hunt V said Georgia Tech ultimately became the right fit after visiting campus and spending time with Key and compared Key’s leadership style to Ruston High coach Jerrod Baugh.

“I knew (right after I talked to Coach Key) that this was the spot for me,” Hunt V said. “

Key said his recruiting approach centered on making sure Hunt V chose Georgia Tech for himself and not simply because of family history.

“I wanted him to be here because he wanted to be here,” Key said. “I wanted him to be here because he felt like he could have value here and create value for himself as being part of our program.”

Key said Hunt V had strongly considered another school before visiting Atlanta earlier this year.

“When we sat down here in my office, it was one of those things like, ‘OK, this is my one shot here to get this thing done,’” Key said.

The connection between the Hunts and Georgia Tech goes well beyond football.

Hunt III played basketball for the Yellow Jackets in the 1970s, while generations of the family also earned engineering and business degrees from the university. Beyond athletics, Hunt III said their time in Atlanta helped broaden the family’s perspective while still strengthening ties to Ruston.

“I really think, as far as business-wise, we had some good fortune in business, and I think leaving this relatively small town, Ruston, to go to Atlanta, which was a big city … and learning to maneuver your way through all that, had been very helpful,” Hunt III said.

Even after living elsewhere, the family repeatedly returned home to North Louisiana. Hunt IV lived in Montana and Nashville before eventually moving back to Ruston in 2008.

Now, Hunt V hopes to continue both traditions — in Georgia Tech and in Ruston.

“I definitely think I want to have kids here and have them go to Ruston High because we have such a long family history there,” Hunt V said.

After Hunt V informed Key of his decision to join the program, Hunt IV said his phone rang almost immediately afterward.

“I answered and Brent shouted, ‘And he’ll yell To hell with Georgia like his daddy used to do!’” Hunt IV said, referencing a line from the Georgia Tech fight song.

For Hunt IV, the moment reflected both Key’s passion for Georgia Tech and his excitement about welcoming another Hunt into the program.

“Brent is a passionate, dedicated coach,” Hunt IV said. “He had plenty of opportunities to leave Georgia Tech during this last season.”

The family’s Georgia Tech pipeline could still continue into another generation someday.

Hunt IV recalled telling Key that Hunt V’s younger brother, Holt, had already asked whether he might someday have the same opportunity.

“If I’m here, hell yeah,” Key replied.

And if, perhaps, one day there’s an Alexander Trotter Hunt VI?

Probably a good idea to go ahead and draw up the letter at Georgia Tech’s admissions office.

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