Thursday, Dec. 12: 6 p.m. State Championship Pep Rally Ruston High Main Gym
Saturday, Dec. 14: 6 a.m. Dome Bound Send Off!
Bearcat fans traveling to New Orleans are invited to a pregame community tailgate Saturday, Dec. 14, from 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. sponsored by Origin Bank to be held at the Opening Act at Champions Square by the Super Dome. Please see the flyer listed below for more information.
Stay tuned to the Lincoln Parish Journal for more information throughout the week on more important information regarding Ruston High’s upcoming championship matchup with Central on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 3:30 p.m.
Funeral services for Edward “Bay” Ates, 70, of Bernice, LA will be 2:00 PM Friday, December 13, 2024, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home Chapel in Ruston, LA. Officiating the service will be Rev. Michael Bradon. Interment will follow in Choudrant Memorial Cemetery in Choudrant, LA under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes in Ruston, LA.
A visitation will be 4:00 – 7:00 PM Thursday, December 12, 2024, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Ruston, LA.
Edward was born May 1, 1954, in Gilbert, LA and passed away December 10, 2024, at his residence in Bernice, LA. He married his soulmate, Donna “Ann”, of 51½ yrs, since August 4, 1973. Edward worked in construction since he was 15 years old and was an expert heavy equipment operator. He worked many years side by side his kids and nephews who he called his A-Team. He taught his kids how to work hard for what they have.
Edward loved hunting, fishing, and working in his yard. In his younger years he loved being at the drag races. Also, he loved working on cars, eating some fried chicken, and was always, just a phone call away if anyone needed help.
He was known for his quick wit and sense of humor which he passed along to his kids. Daddy loved being a part of Mama’s with Christmas Hearts. He got so much joy out of giving Christmas gifts to less fortunate kids. Daddy was his kid’s friend and hero!!
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles “Bud” Ates and Fannie Ates; brothers, John Oliver, Steven Randal, and James Calvin; sisters, Betty Primm, Carolyn Ates, Linda Dodge, Edith Akin; grandchildren, William Thomas and John Oliver Rodgers.
Edward is survived by his wife Donna “Ann” Ates; children, Edward Ates Jr. and wife Alicia; Donna Ates, Gloria Ates, Chastity Ates, Calvin “C.W.” Ates and wife Alice, Jonathan Ates, Rachel Ates, Heather Rodgers and husband Chad, and Charity “Bessie” Ates; grandchildren, Chelsea Giddings (James), Douglas Ates, Sabrina Ates, Stephanie Groan, Jessica Read (Logan), April Takewell (Terry), Courtney McCurry, Joshua McCurry, Summer McCurry, Alex Ates, James Ates, Destiny Ates, Stormie Moore, Jeramiah Moore, Charity Ates, Chad “C.J.” Rodgers, Jr., Olvia Rodgers, and Candace Rodgers; great grandchildren, Leslie Taylor, Annaleigh Read, Hutson Read, Meadow Groan, Leighlah Takewell, and Brantley McCurry; sisters, Dorothy Mercer (Tommy), Darlene Smith (Mike), Charlene Evans ( Billy Joe); brothers, Charles Ates (Doris), Roy Ates, and Wayne Ates (Lisa); brother-in-law, Charles Ray Odom (Anna), sister-in-law, Jean Foster; and numerous nieces, nephews, and a host of friends.
Pallbearers will be Skid Adams, Jonathan Ates, Rachel Ates, Rusty Garner, Jonathan Guidry, Laderrick Jackson, Chad Rodgers, Josh Smith; Honorary pallbearers, Alan Ates, Steve Barmore, Brandon Cummings, and Roy Jenkins.
Debra Lou Trevillion January 18, 1959 – December 9, 2024 Visitation: Thursday, December 12, 2024, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Dubach Methodist Church, 144 Main St., Dubach Funeral Service: Thursday, December 12, 2024, 10:00 AM, Dubach Methodist Church, 144 Main St., Dubach Cemetery Committal: Thursday, December 12, 2024, St. Rest Cemetery, 13015 LA-146, Dubach
Martha Jean Henry July 17, 1947 – December 8, 2024 Visitation: Friday, December 13, 2024, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Salem Methodist Church, 11793 Hwy. 151, Dubach Funeral Service: Friday, December 13, 2024, 10:00 AM, Salem Methodist Church, 11793 Hwy. 151, Dubach Cemetery Committal: Friday, December 13, 2024, Salem Cemetery, 11793 Hwy. 151, Dubach
Luther Ceasar Steverson Sunday 04/27/1941 — Thursday 11/28/2024 Visitation: Friday 12/13/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Funeral Service: Saturday 12/14/2024 11:00am at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 12/14/2024 Following Service, New Prosperity Cemetery, Clay
Lisa Renee Archie Thursday 07/31/1969 — Sunday 12/01/2024 Visitation: Friday 12/13/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 12/14/2024 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 12/14/2024 Following Service, Hopewell Cemetery, Dubach
A pair of teams from Grambling State University (GSU) earned Top 3 finishes on Nov. 29 as they competed in the BizTech Challenge held annually in conjunction with Bayou Classic Festivities in New Orleans.
The BizTech Challenge was specifically designed to increase innovation and entrepreneurship in STEM-based fields among students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
This comprehensive hands-on learning and mentorship program aims to build innovative ecosystems between university administrators, faculty, and students, and the public and private sector.
The BizTech Challenge 2024, powered by Nexus Louisiana, invited teams from six Louisiana HBCUs — Grambling, Dillard, Southern University, Southern-New Orleans, Southern University Law Center and Xavier University of New Orleans — to present groundbreaking STEM-based business ideas in a high-energy pitch competition.
Grambling’s Team ISHARA earned $15,000 as first-place winners while GSU’s Amber Accessories won third place.
Earlier in November Team ISHARA earned $3,000 as first-place winners at the Golden Pitch Competition held at GSU.
Accounting and computer information systems major Christotes Nartey-Tettah and engineering technology major David Nintang make up GSU’s Team Ishara under the guidance of mentor Brandon Harris, CEO of Bloom Booking.
Team ISHARA presented a “gamified recycling solution” that integrates smart machines in high-traffic areas to encourage sustainability by rewarding individuals for recycling.
The team presented a “gamified recycling solution” that integrates smart machines in high-traffic areas to encourage sustainability by rewarding individuals for recycling.
“This is motivation to us,” Team ISHARA said in a statement. “It means that our idea is feasible, possible, and it solves a problem. This is a good opportunity for us to invest in our business and continue to scale. With this win, we are looking to further develop our product and expand our team.”
Earning third-place honors for GSU was Team Amber Accessories, which created an innovative safety solution that embeds panic buttons into jewelry such as rings, earrings, and necklaces.
GSU students Emmanuel Nnanna, Eniola Irinoye, Tanyaradzwa Mangundhla, Stecy Chirinda, Flyness Namatama developed Amber Accessories under the guidance of mentor Christina Davis, senior business consultant from the Small Business Development Center at the University of Louisiana-Monroe.
“Events like the BizTech Challenge allow our students to share their creativity, to brainstorm, learn and grow, both as student scholars as well as business professionals, so we’re really excited about it,” said Dean of GSU’s College of Business Dr. Derrick Warren.
Money matters dominated Tuesday’s Lincoln Parish Police Jury meeting, from wrapping up yearly budgets to approving slight increases for a few services at Lincoln Parish Park.
The LPPJ passed a motion during the meeting held in the Police Jury Room at the Lincoln Parish Courthouse to increase park entry fees from $3 to $5 with a family cap of $20, rental rates for RV spots with hookups for water, sewage and electricity from $35 to $50 per night and from $40 to $60 per night for premium rental spots.
All other park fees will remain the same.
Parish Treasurer Michael Sutton said the changes were recommended because it will increase revenue knowing that the Ruston-Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau is planning to primary its park funding at specific projects and because even after the increases, the fees are the same if not less than a majority of comparable sites in the region.
Park Director James Ramsaur said it’s been 12-15 years since fees were last adjusted for the park.
The LPPJ also voted to designate remaining ARPA funding to specific areas as it is obligated to do by the end of the year per regulations to receive the funding.
Sutton said there is a little more than $800,000 remaining in the funding provided to Lincoln Parish.
President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the latest federal stimulus bill to aid public health and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 11, 2021. The plan included $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, territorial and tribal governments, known as the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.
The LPPJ designated $350,000 of the remaining ARPA funding to offset a sewer rate increase that would have gone up from $45 to $63 monthly that would have been required due to a state sewer rate study recommendation that was performed as part of previous funding received for parish sewer system improvements.
City of Ruston water users will see a 26.5% increase in rates beginning in February due to a state water rate study recommendation made for the same reason.
The LPPJ also obligated $175,000 of the parish’s remaining ARPA funding to the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office for surveillance equipment, $150,000 for sewer building renovations, $50,000 to upgrade lighting at the Lincoln Parish Exposition Center, $50,000 for furniture for the HELP Agency with its upcoming move to the Health Hub and $25,000 for spay/neutering vouchers to provide to parish pet owners.
Also approved was authorization for Parish Administrator Courtney Hall to accept the lowest bids on gravel materials.
The LPPJ also approved 2024 amended and 2025 proposed budgets for Humanitarian Enterprises of Lincoln Parish and the Police Jury itself and authorized LPPJ President Glenn Scriber to execute 2025 Cooperative Endeavor Agreements with the GIS and Parish IT Offices, and for Scriber to execute an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Coroner’s Office to determine/clarify payment responsibilities.
Adoption of an ordinance for sale of adjudicated property on Bennett Road was also approved as was relocating an election polling site from the Luffey Catholic Life Center to Cypress Springs Elementary School.
The LPPJ also made multiple Board and Commission appointments, with Scott Futrell being reappointed to Waterworks District No. 1, John McCain being reappointed to the Tremont Water District, Walter McElduff being reappointed to the Tremont Water District to replace Brenda Dubose, Stephanie Smith being appointed to an open seat on the Lincoln Parish Library Board of Control, Anthony Garrison and Clark Canterbury being reappointed to the Lincoln Parish Fire Protection District No. 1, and appointing Patrick Patton to replace Jerry Moore on the North Louisiana Exposition Center Commission.
Jurors also learned that they will have to find a Northeast Delta Human Service Authority replacement for Dr. Tony Young.
The LPPJ tabled considering four candidates for three positions on the Mt. Olive Waterworks District.
Three of those candidates, Shalena Johnson, Mertrude Douglas and Charlie Hudson are incumbents, while Charles “Butch” Crain had also expressed a desire to be appointed to one of the positions for a better representation of all residences within the district.
The LPPJ tabled a decision this month in hopes that the Mt. Olive Waterworks District can decide internally on three candidates to be recommended for appointment by the Jury.
Senior Payton Bell (#94) has become one of the defensive leaders and has helped guide the Bearcats back to the Caesar’s Superdome. (photo by Josh McDaniel)
by Malcolm Butler
Kyle Williams remembers the first time he saw Payton Bell on the football field.
The Ruston defensive coordinator knew then that the Bearcats had a difference maker coming up the ranks. He was right.
“I remember seeing him in the eighth grade,” said Williams, who knows a thing about defensive line play from his days at Ruston, LSU and with the Buffalo Bills. “I remember going down and seeing the (Ruston) Junior High kids. I came back and said, ‘There’s an eighth grade kid down there, and he is going to play for us next year. As a freshman he is going to play defensive line (on the varsity).’
“His body function and control at that young of an age and how explosive he was … all of those things. I was like, ‘He is going to play for us next year.'”
Williams eye for young defensive lineman’s talent and ability was spot on. The very next year the Bearcats opened the season against Carencro and Payton Bell saw meaningful snaps.
“I remember saying, ‘I’m not telling you he is going to play 30 plays, but I’m telling you he is going to play,'” said Williams. “I wasn’t a complete liar. I think he ended up playing 28 plays against Carencro as a 14-year-old freshman. And all he did was get after it.
“He played really, really hard. He was explosive getting off the ball, doing everything we asked him to do. He has been quite the player for us.”
Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh remembers those conversations vividly.
“We both talked about it,” said Baugh, who is leading Ruston into its third straight state championship game. “You worry about an incoming freshman. Is he mature enough physically and mentally to be able to get in there? As we got to know Payton and watched him in the weight room … he is abnormally strong for his size. We felt like physically he was fine as we watched him over the summer (prior to his freshman year).”
Carencro was a run-heavy, physical offensive football team. And despite the staff’s opinion of Bell, they were still a little concerned whether he was ready.
“Kyle made the comment that he wasn’t sure if he could get in against Carencro and give us a bunch of snaps … we weren’t sure if he was physically ready to hold up against a team like that,” said Baugh. “Then he ends up playing a bunch of snaps and he help up. I think it said a lot about Payton and his want to.”
Four years later, Bell will make his 55th career varsity start — his third in a state title game — when the Bearcats line up to play Central Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at the Caesar’s Superdome with the Nonselect Division I title on the line.
“Payton has been around the longest,” said defensive line coach David Taylor. “He understands the game. He is a very intelligent kid.”
Bell has all the intangibles according to his coaches. And although he has been an integral part of the Bearcats success during his four years, at times, he has played in the shadows of some of his higher-profile teammates.
“He kind of got lost in shuffle last year as far as people outside of the program go,” said Williams. “You look at (Ahmad Breaux) is going to LSU and (Geordan Guidry) is going to Tulane. But if you talked to every coach that we played, they ask, ‘Who is #94? Who is that?’ He is the straw that stirs the drink and he has been for quite a few years.”
Bell has definitely made a name for himself.
“If you ask coaches in all-district meetings who they are ready to graduate … Payton Bell is the one they say just because of all the things he can do,” said Baugh. “I know he isn’t about to load up and go to LSU or Tulane, but you just ask coaches we play who they need to know where they are at (on the field) and the answer is Payton Bell.”
This season Bell has been a huge reason why Ruston’s defense has made tremendous strides. He has totaled 53 tackles, 6 sacks and 13 tackles for loss while playing a variety of roles on the defensive front.
“He has been so flexible and he is so smart as a player,” said Williams. “We will move him around to find match-ups. He will play inside. He will play outside. He primarily played inside last year for most of the year, and then going into the playoffs we moved Ahmad inside and him outside.
“We have stood him up at linebacker here down the stretch a few times. He is just very flexible.”
According to Bell, the biggest role he has embraced this season has been one of leadership, especially with the graduation of Breaux, Guidry and linebacker Jadon Mayfield.
“One of the biggest things that I had to learn this year was maybe it’s time for me to be a leader,” said Bell. “Those guys are gone and now it’s time for me to step up. I have to start gaining the attention of other teams to help these other guys to make big plays.
“I practiced harder. I let the other guys know its okay to (make mistakes). You aren’t going to be perfect all the time, but overall, you just have to keep competing, competing, competing. And the results will show.”
His teammates have noticed.
“I’ve known Payton since we were little before football,” said junior defensive lineman Ra’Keem Potts. “I’ve always watched him because he has been playing since he was a freshman. He knows a lot of things. If I need help, I ask him. He will help anyone with anything. He has played a really big role on this defense.
“He doesn’t talk much, but when you watch him play on the field … he is a dog.”
Some of Bell’s biggest games have come in some of the Bearcats most impressive defensive performances. It’s not a coincidence.
In Ruston’s 36-0 win over rival West Monroe, Bell recorded four tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. In the first round playoff win over Zachary, he totaled six tackles and one sack. He added a sack in the Bearcats semifinal victory over Destrehan.
“He is hard to handle in there,” said Baugh. “He has a lot of tools to be able to use. He gets off blocks really well. His movement up front is good. He gets off the ball fast. He has all the things you want in a defensive lineman.”
At 5-foot-10, 245-pounds, Bell isn’t the most imposing figure on the field, but his coaches and teammates know he is one of the most genuine … and fiercest.
“He is two totally different people,” said Williams. “I always tease him that he has the big-eyed puppy dog look. He is walking through (the field house) and he kind of shuffles around and he has this wide-eyed looked to him. Real sweet, unassuming kid. Soft spoken.
“And then he gets on the football field, and you are like, ‘Who is that?’ He is truly Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He is the kid you love to sit down and have a conversation with. He is very humble and affectionate and kind. And then he puts his cleats on, and he will ruin your day.
“You couldn’t design anybody better as far as who you would want on your team leading your guys. He is what you want (in a player). He is the epitome of what we want a Ruston Bearcat to be.”
Bell knows he has one high school game left. He said he has been blessed to be a part of a tremendous run in Ruston High football history.
However, he said he has one more thing to accomplish before he hangs up his high school cleats.
“We came here to build a dynasty,” said Bell “That’s what I preached to the other guys. If we don’t practice like we want to play and win state championships, then its not going to work out. That’s why we are here.”
(L to R: Principal and Bass Fishing Sponsor Dan Gressett, Bearcats on Broadway Sponsor Lynette Murphy, Bearcat Robotics Sponsor Sarah Wages, Teacher Jill Benefield, RHS Alumni Association Members Allen Tuten and Mary Rolf Justice)
By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — Four student groups received grants Tuesday morning in a donation made by members of the Ruston High Alumni Association.
Bearcat Robotics, Bearcats on Broadway, RHS Bass Fishing and the class project on the dangers of distracted driving were the designated groups that will split a total donation of $3,040.
Receiving the donations were club sponsors Sarah Wages, Lynette Murphy, Dan Gressett and Jill Benefield. Both Allen Tuten and Mary Rolf Justice from the Alumni Association were on-hand to present the check to the clubs.
“Our robotics team is so thankful to the alumni association for this donation,” Wages said, accepting on behalf of Bearcat Robotics. “Our costs are really high, but our kids benefit so much from the experience of building a robot and traveling to competitions. We’ll definitely put it to great use this season.”
Benefield also expressed her gratitude for the grant to help with her class project on the dangers of drunk driving.
“We’re very thankful for the Alumni Association for giving us this opportunity and allowing us to earn money to support our classrooms,” Benefield said.
For the last 25 years, the Alumni Association has given a scholarship to a senior each year, and this is the first year the association has made donations to individual school organizations as a grant.
“We were real happy that four different organizations within the school were able to receive this grant,” Tuten said in conclusion.
For more information on the Ruston High School Alumni Association, visit their website here.
While Lincoln Parish Park is an enchanting and beautiful destination year-round, it truly shines during the holiday season for Lincoln Lights Up the Pines, the park’s annual drive-through holiday light display.
This dazzling display turns the woods of Lincoln Parish Park into a winter wonderland of twinkling lights. This year’s Lincoln Lights up the Pines takes place on December 5-7 and December12-14 from 5:30-9:30 p.m. each night, offering two weekends to experience the 3-mile long, stunning display. With admission being only $10 per car and $20 per bus, go ahead and plan on driving through the sparkling pines of Lincoln Parish Park both weekends!
Families can pile into their cars, pack a thermos full of hot chocolate, tune the radio to holiday music, and enjoy the magic of the season from the warmth and comfort of their vehicles. They may even catch a glimpse of Santa himself taking in the sights of Lincoln Lights Up the Pines.
A feature that makes this cherished community event truly special is the participation of local businesses that decorate and join in the festivities. Adding to the magic, vintage camper owners set up their holiday themed trailers, which is the true highlight of the event. This blend of local support, holiday lights, and charming retro campers makes Lincoln Lights Up the Pines a one-of-a-kind experience that showcases the warmth and creativity of our community.
A special thank you to JTB Rentals, this year’s Lincoln Lights Up the Piney title sponsor. The event also wouldn’t be possible without support from the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, HiTech, all the participating local businesses, and the Lincoln Lights Up the Pines planning committee.
For more details on Lincoln Lights Up the Piney and other local holiday events, visit www.experienceruston.com.
What you have accomplished over the last few years is truly remarkable, and the groundwork that was laid out by the 2022 team will never be forgotten. People do not realize how hard it is to reach a State Championship game, much less win it. To accomplish the feat of playing for the title three years in a row is what dreams are made of. I hear people talk about the “Glory Days” of the 80’ and 90’s all the time but understand this…YOU are now the standard of Ruston High School football.
Take the time to thank your parents, thank your grandparents, and thank your friends for the support they have shown you. Without them it wouldn’t mean nearly as much to you.
Take a moment when you are walking around the field house or school building over the next few days to thank Coach Baugh, thank your position coach, thank the trainers, managers, and support groups. They do what they do because they love you.
As the great former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden said, “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there”. Those words identify you more than anything else in my eyes. Coach Baugh and staff have taught you so much more than how to be a good football player. They have taught you how to be great young men.
Enjoy the next few days. For you seniors, you may not realize it now, but it’s not the games you are going to miss the most. What you will look back on after it’s over are the times spent with your teammates in the locker room and field house, the bus rides to away games, your senior dinners, etc… This is what being a high school football player is all about.
Thank you for letting myself and others be such a small part of your high school football career. It has been an honor.
Remember your main goal when you started the 2024 season. As I am sure Coach Baugh told you after the game Friday night, “You have one more ballgame to win!”
Police arrested an El Dorado man on December 4 after he was found unconscious behind the wheel of a truck pulling a trailer in the ditch on U.S. 167 in south Ruston.
Officers responded to a report of a crash in the 4200 block of S. Vienna Street (U.S. 167) about 11:00 a.m.. Denzel Thompson, 29, was found unconscious in the driver’s seat. After repeated requests, Thompson opened the door and officers observed Indications of impairment.
A records check showed Thompson did not have a driver’s license. He said he did not remember going off the road but said he apparently fell asleep.
Thompson said he was traveling from Ruston to El Dorado, but he was traveling in the wrong direction.
Thompson refused medical treatment. Field sobriety tests were conducted which showed impairment. Thompson was arrested and taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for a breath test. The test showed a blood alcohol concentration of .015g%, well below Louisiana’s legal limit.
An officer attempted to administer field sobriety tests for drug impairment, but Thompson refused to submit to a blood draw for analysis for the presence of drugs.
Due to a record of a previous DWI, Thompson was booked for a second offense DWI, no license plate, no driver’s license, and careless operation of a vehicle. His bail was set at $2,500.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
Chick Childress led the Bearcats to state titles in 1982, 1986, 1988 and 1990. (Courtesy Photo)
By T. Scott Boatright
Firmly founded in a winning tradition, the Ruston High School Bearcats have hoisted a state football championship trophy nine times in program history.
Those titles came in 1925,1941,1947,1951,1982,1986,1988,1990 and 2023.
The Bearcats have also made four other title game appearances, finishing as runners up in 1944, 1984, 1998 and 2022.
And now 2024 will add another championship game notch for the Bearcats in either the championship or runner up category,
Not much information can be found about that first state that came in 1925, except that Ruston was named state champs by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association, which did not hold formally sanctioned postseason games but instead simply declared state championships.
The Bearcats’ 9-3 Thanksgiving Day win over previously undefeated Minden that season was the deciding factor for the LHSAA in presenting Ruston with its first state championship.
Ruston had two players earn All-State status that season, an end by the last name of Kelly and a fullback with the last name of Zeiderich.
The Bearcats also had a pair of All-State selections on the 1941 1A state championship team — end Warren Wray and halfback “Dub” Jones, who helped lead Ruston to a 14-0 title-game win over LaGrange.
Jones, whose sons Bill, Bert and Tom all later turned in stellar football careers for the Bearcats, went on to play for both LSU (his first college season) and Tulane before becoming a standout for the Cleveland Browns after World War II.
Six years later, the Bearcats faced LaGrange again in the 1947 Class 1A championship game with Ruston coming out on top 26-12.
Quarterback Wyman Lee Collie, end Joe Colvin and guard Herbert Colvin were All-State selections from that RHS squad, which included other solid Bearcats such as Jimmy “Chick” Childress, Jimmy Wrentz, Joe Kavanaugh, Billy McBride, Donald Hoogland, George Berry and Tommy Boatright.
In 1951, the Bearcats roared to a 20-6 home win over Ponchatoula in the 1A championship showdown as the Bearcats completed the season undefeated.
Three Bearcats from that squad earned All-State accolades — guard Henry Delony, back Charlie Barham and running back Lacy Stinson.
Future Louisiana Tech and Canadian Football League standout Tom Hinton also played as a young Bearcat on that 1951 state championship team, which was led by the defense as Ruston outscored its opposition 454-112 that year.
It took 31 years for the Bearcats to earn another state title, which came when head coach Chick Childress returned to RHS and guided the Bearcats, quarterbacked by his son Dan Childress, to an 8-0 win inside the New Orleans Superdome for the 1982 Class 4A title.
Prep Classic records were set in that contest for the fewest combined points (8), first downs (14), total yards (213) and most punts (nine).
The only scores in that game came when defensive linemen Michael Brooks and Lee Porter teamed to tackle Neville running back Anthony Gipson in the end zone for a safety and the Bearcats’ special teams blocked a Neville punt for a touchdown.
Brooks and tackle Bob Hearn were All-State selections that season for the Bearcats, with Brooks and defensive back Tyrone Jones going on to later play in the NFL.
The Bearcats did it again in 1986, this time going to overtime to earn a 31-24 state championship win over Slidell.
Kenny Wright’s four-yard touchdown run in OT, his second scoring scamper of the game, provided the margin of victory for the Bearcats, who also saw Shannon Aultman throw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Gerald Kennedy in the second half before Gary Williams’ 11-yard touchdown run helped Ruston push the game into overtime.
Center Bret Anderson and Aultman each earned All-State honors that season.
Ruston’s even-year playoff success continued in 1988 as the Bearcats bested Shaw 28-14 for the 4A championship inside the Superdome.
The highlight of the game may have been a simple tackle made by Bearcat Michael Parker, who had missed the previous year and a half for bone cancer surgery and treatment.
Arguably one of the best Bearcat football teams of all time — the 1990 squad — blasted Catholic Baton Rouge 52-10 to finish with a record of 15-0.
That win earned them a national high school championship in addition to the state title.
Current Natchitoches Central High School coach Brad Laird was quarterback for the 1990 Bearcats and said that season meant much to the team after Childress had already made it known it would be his final season on the sidelines for RHS.
“With all of the success he had prior to that last season, and then to come out and say that it was going to be his last year, he knew the opportunity that team had and knew that it was a pretty special group of guys,” Laird said.
That 1990 Bearcats team featured standouts like Laird, who went on to star at Northwestern State, Class 4A (the largest classification in Louisiana at that time), Offensive MVP Roymon Malcolm, a running back who went on to play at Auburn and then Northwestern State and who died in a car crash in 2009, Class 4A Defensive MVP Rodney Young, a defensive back who went on to start at LSU and later for the NFL’s New York Giants.
It also included the likes of defensive end Bobby Williams, who went on to play at LSU, defensive back Charles Green, who played collegiately at Nebraska, offensive guard Andrew Jacobs and center Nick Nelams, who all were first-team All-State selections that season.
Ruston blitzkrieg through the 4A playoffs that season, outscoring opponents 200-27. The Bearcats opened postseason play by blasting Barbe 42-0, before defeating Natchitoches-Central 41-0, Baker 38-14, Thibodaux 27-3, and then blowing past a Catholic team that included standouts of its own such as Warrick Dunn 52-10 for the championship.
That’s an average winning playoff score of 40-5 during that playoff run.
Not that the Bearcats have ever needed to be pushed to get fired up for any kind of championship game, but they had more incentive for the 1990 title contest after Coach Childress announced before the season kicked off that it would be his last on the sidelines.
“A lot of that team had been playing together since seventh grade,” Laird said. “With all the titles won before us, we had watched a lot of great Ruston teams and knew there were expectations about what we had to do. Individual honors and moving on to college were all on the backburner, all we cared about at the time was the importance of the team and winning our own championship and a last for Coach Childress.”
The championship magic returned for the Bearcats last year as quarterback Josh Brantley took over in the second half with both his arms and legs to lead Ruston to a 31-17 win over Zachary in the Division I Nonselect School Championship Football Championship.
Brantley, who was named the game’s MVP, totaled 333 yards of offense, throwing for 194 while adding another 134 and scoring scampers of three, seven and a 24-yard naked bootleg to the left that he took untouched to paydirt with 1:05 remaining to set off an early start for Ruston’s state title celebration.
Running back Jordan Hayes, defensive linemen Geordan Guidry, linebacker Jadon Mayfield and defensive back Aidan Anding all captured 2024 All-State accolades for the Bearcats with Mayfield being named the defensive MVP.
That’s a look at the Ruston High Book of Football Championships so far, with another chapter set to be written Saturday afternoon in the Superdome.
Here’s hoping the Lincoln Parish Journal is writing about 10 Bearcats state titles heading into next year’s title game.
Choudrant man charged with attacking woman, possessing firearms
The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a Choudrant man last week after he allegedly beat and strangled his family member. Deputies also discovered the man was a convicted felon in possession of several firearms.
David Wayne Young, 39, was arrested December 5 at a Roach Road residence after a family member reported Young was beating the victim.
When deputies arrived, a juvenile told them the victim was hiding in her bedroom and Young was still at the scene in his bedroom.
Young was found with a mark on his hand with fresh blood. He was secured while a deputy interviewed the victim.
The woman said she was asleep when Young woke her attempting to have sex, and she refused. Young then went through her phone, accusing her and attacked her, she said.
Young allegedly pulled her hair, struck her with a closed fist and strangled her before she escaped and told a family member to call law enforcement.
Deputies found the master bedroom showed signs of a struggle and blood was found on a pillow. Six firearms were found in the bedroom. Young is a convicted felon stemming from a 2021 drug arrest and cannot possess firearms.
Young was booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for domestic abuse battery with strangulation and six counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Young’s bail was set at $60,000.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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A couple of Shreveport orthopedic surgeons who’ve seen their share of breaks deserve one.
Careers of 40-plus years in their rearview mirrors, Dr. Eddie Anglin and Dr. Craig Springmeyer, a one-two punch for Highland Clinic/Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and a pair of heroes for ligaments, tendons, bones, and nerves throughout the area, are hanging up their stethoscopes and scalpels.
Major Stud Alert here, Retirement Division. Job well done.
If our area high schools and colleges gave letters to team physicians, each of these guys would need an extra closet, just for letter jackets.
You’ll hear more about this pair in the days to come, but just know that as players “back in the day,” they were very good. As doctors, they might have been even better.
Lucky enough to know them, I can tell you that whether you wanted to get back on the field or court or if you just wanted to be able to play pain free with your grandchildren, get through a golf ball, cast a fishing rod, or mow your grass, this was a great pair to visit. They’ve helped famous athletes and renowned entertainers (same thing, really), along with the rest of us who just wanted to move around with less pain after we’d pulled this or fractured that.
Athletically, they came by it honest.
Anglin is part of Haynesville High’s rich tradition; he was a running back on back-to-back state champions in 1970 and 1971. Lettered at Tech as a defensive end in 1973-75. Nice work if you can earn it.
Springmeyer starred for an infant Captain Shreve High before earning letters in each of the four years of the Golden Era of Tech Football, 1971-74. Noseguard. He operated in tight spots, something both he and his friend Anglin have managed to do well for four decades as they’ve treated this meniscus and reconstructed that anterior cruciate ligament.
But they were smart, too. And passionate about their calling. It’s a doctoring thing.
Ask any of a thousand bum wrists, sore backs, broken collarbones or screwed-up elbows that Anglin and Springmeyer have ambled onto the football fields across Louisiana, south Arkansas and east Texas on any given autumn Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night since the early 1980s, and they’ll take a moment, gather themselves, maybe wipe a tear or two and say, “Those guys … they’re the best.”
Bona fide.
Plaques can’t express everything in our hearts, but they’re a start, and often they’re the best we can do to express how much someone’s work has meant to us. It’s something to hang on the wall to illustrate a gratitude that can’t be framed.
And so it was, on a recent prep football Friday before an Evangel football game, that these two were honored. If you’ll “direct your attention to midfield,” we’ll first listen to the PA announcer and …
“Orthopedic specialists Dr. Craig Springmeyer and Dr. Eddie Anglin have spent the past four decades patching up athletes, weekend warriors, and the general population in our area with great skill and compassion. The Evangel family wants to personally thank both of these men for taking care of them and the rest of the Ark-La-Tex. We honor them tonight as they retire from their practices.”
And then, The Reading of the Plaques:
“In recognition of a career defined by dedication and compassion, we honor you for the countless lives you have touched with your hand and with your heart. With exceptional expertise and unwavering support, you have been a servant leader for us all. With our deepest gratitude, we thank you for your many years of service on the field. Your legacy as a trusted physician and advocate will continue to inspire and uplift generations for years to come.”
Contact Teddy atteddy@latech.edu
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RUSTON, La. — A stingy Arcadia High Hornet (8-1) defense held the Ruston High Lady Bearcats (2-6) at bay 57-45 Tuesday night in Ruston’s Main Gym despite a valiant offensive effort in the fourth quarter.
After trailing 48-30 at the end of the third, Ruston outscored Arcadia 15-9 in the fourth with a couple of chances to cut the lead into single digits before the Lady Hornets pulled away.
The Lady Bearcats struggled early, with Arcadia taking an early 10-0 lead in the first quarter before Ruston went on an 8-2 run to cut the lead to 12-4 with 2:16 to go in the first quarter after sophomore Gioia Tatum hit her first of four three-pointers of the night.
“Starting off, (Arcadia) made some tough shots that hit us and kind of woke us up,” Ruston High head coach LaShanda Cooper said. “From what I’ve heard, there’s a little rivalry between Ruston and Arcadia, so I think we got a little bit too excited. One we were able to calm down execute our game plan, then we started to see a change.
“(Gioia) really stepped up. We’ve been on her in practice about stepping outside the box and having confidence — that’s the main thing we’re lacking right now, overall, along with chemistry.”
Tatum’s point production (12 points total) matched Ruston High senior Kiersynce McNeal’s 12 points, who made her debut for her final season as a Lady Bearcat after coming off of a knee-injury.
“With Kiersynce coming back, it’s putting us in a situation where we have a veteran,” Cooper said. “She’s going to work. Regardless of her injury, it didn’t stop her. She was still in practice, still out there, and she was the girls’ biggest cheerleaders. Her injury actually gave us the chance to grow up. It allowed others to get more experience for us. And so now with her leadership being on the court instead of just off the court, it’s going to be a big turnaround.”
Sophomore Angelica Green added 11 points, which included two three’s for Ruston.
Ruston High returns to action Tuesday, Dec. 17, at home to take on Airline.
Lady Bearcat Scoring FG(3FG)-FT=TP Kiersynce McNeal #20, Sr. 5- 2-2 FT = 12 Journi Douglas #21, Jr. 1 = 2 Angelica Green, #4, Soph. 4(2) – 1-2 FT = 11 Bailee Harrison, #23, Soph 1 = 2 Jasmine Summerford #22, Sr. 1-2 FT = 1 Samiya Lewis #3, Sr. 1 = 2 Gioia Tatum #5, Soph 4(4) = 12 Adrianna Robinson #24, Fr. 1 – 1-2 FT = 3
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Wednesday, Dec. 11: 5-6 p.m. Parking Lot Paint Party RHS Spirit Building Parking Lot: Come get your car DOME ready with a window paint party!
Thursday, Dec. 12: 6 p.m. State Championship Pep Rally Ruston High Main Gym
Saturday, Dec. 14: 6 a.m. Dome Bound Send Off!
Bearcat fans traveling to New Orleans are invited to a pregame community tailgate Saturday, Dec. 14, from 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. sponsored by Origin Bank to be held at the Opening Act at Champions Square by the Super Dome. Please see the flyer listed below for more information.
Stay tuned to the Lincoln Parish Journal for more information throughout the week on more important information regarding Ruston High’s upcoming championship matchup with Central on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 3:30 p.m.
Nothing is more exciting than the day a bass fisherman buys his first bass boat! For me, that was 1990 when I bought a new Pro Gator from Cary’s, a dealer in Ville Platte, Louisiana. It was an 18-foot boat with a 150 Yamaha and was loaded with the best electronics money could buy, for a boat at that time. But if you own a bass boat, then you know first-hand all the trials and tribulations that come with being a boat owner.
At the time of my purchase, I was working for an apparel company by the name of Holloway Sportswear. They were an outerwear/jacket manufacturer based out of Ohio. They had 6 cutting and sewing factories in Louisiana, one of which was in Ville Platte where I was plant manager at the time of my boat purchase.
I was one happy camper the day I picked up my new Pro Gator bass boat! It had all the bells and whistles that I could want. Being the plant manager at this facility meant I had to spend a couple of nights a week in the apartment located inside the Holloway factory.
But just outside of Ville Platte was Chicot Lake, loaded with good quality bass that anglers crave. So, one day after work and with plenty of daylight left, I decided to take my new boat to Chicot Lake and give it a good test run.
I was so impressed with this boat and how it handled. It was great for bass fishing. After catching a few bass, I decided to head back to the boat ramp about an hour after dark.
Once I returned to the dock at the ramp, I tied off my boat and went to back my truck in the water so I could load my boat. Funny thing about owning a boat… sometimes things happen that defy explanation.
Well after backing my boat trailer down the ramp, I put the truck in park and walked back down the dock to get the boat, only the boat was not there! Looking around I noticed the boat had floated away from the dock about fifty yards. All I could see were the running lights in the pitch-black darkness! Yet there it was floating all alone like a lost puppy waiting for me to save the day and bring it back.
Now, one thing that I remembered as I left the dock to go fishing earlier that afternoon was that there were several alligators sunning on the shore of the bayou that my boat was now floating in. So, after a lot of thought and consideration as to what my options were, I decided the only way to get the boat back was to swim to it.
So, I took off my shirt and shoes and laid my wallet on the dock. I got a good running start and sprinted down the dock and dove into the lake headfirst… (which looking back was probably not a very good idea as I could have landed on a stump and suffered a catastrophic injury; but the good Lord above was watching out for me.)
Those of you old enough might remember the Olympic gold medal swimmer, Mark Spitz. He won a record seven gold medals in the 1972 Olympics. But that night, not even Mark Spitz could have out swum me as I had visions of alligators chasing me! Nor has anyone ever leaped into a boat quicker than I did that night.
So, what’s the lesson I learned that night? Always make sure you tie a good knot anytime you’re leaving your boat by the dock. There’s nothing like owning your first bass boat even when it means you have to risk your life swimming with gators!
Till next time, good luck, good fishing, and make sure to introduce a kid to the great outdoors. Kids that hunt and fish, don’t deal and steal.
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Louisiana Tech’s Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Brian Johnson announced the 2025 indoor and outdoor schedule for the Bulldogs on Tuesday.
The 2025 schedule includes six indoor and 10 outdoor meets, including the Jim Mize Invitational at the Jim Mize Track and Field Complex.
The Bulldogs will open the season with the Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational in Louisville, Kentucky, hosted by the University of Kentucky on January 10-11. Tech will travel to Baton Rouge the following week to participate in the LSU Purple Tiger.
LA Tech will close out January and start February with the Stan Scott Invite & Multi hosted by Texas Tech on January 30 and February 1. The Bulldogs last participated at a Texas Tech-hosted meet in 2023.
The Tyson Invitational will be the last regular season indoor meet on February 9 and 10. The University of Arkansas hosted meet is a repeat of last season’s schedule and an event the Bulldogs attended every season from 2010-2015.
The CUSA Indoor Championship will be back in Lynchburg, Virginia, at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex on February 28 through March 1. The NCAA Indoor Championship will be held March 8 and 9 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Louisiana Tech will open the outdoor portion with a trip to Lake Charles for the McNeese Cowboy Relays “Bob Hayes LA Challenge on March 15. They will then head to the Clyde Hart Invite hosted by Baylor on March 22.
The Bulldogs will head to the Pepsi Florida Relays on April 4 and 5 for the first time since 2015 after the trip in 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19. Tech will also make the first trip to an Arkansas outdoor meet for the first time since 2021 when they head to the Arkansas Spring Invitational on April 12.
The Jim Mize Invitational will take place on April 19, and the following week, the Bulldogs travel to the LSU Alumni Gold meet, their most attended meet outside the Jim Mize.
May will start with the Marron and White Invitational hosted by Mississippi State on May 2. The Bulldogs last participated in the meet in 2016.
Middle Tennessee will host the CUSA Outdoor Championship on May 16-18. This season, the NCAA Regionals will be hosted by North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 28-31, and the NCAA Outdoor Championships are back in Eugene, Oregon, on June 11-14.
Funeral services for Martha Jean Henry, age 77 of Minden, LA, will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, December 13, 2024 at Owens Memorial Chapel in Ruston with Rev. Robbie Robertson officiating. Burial will follow in the Salem Cemetery near Dubach under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston, LA.
Martha Jean Henry was born in Ruston, LA, on July 17, 1947, she passed away on December 8, 2024.
Martha was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She enjoyed spending time in her yard tending to her flowers. She found great joy in watching the hummingbirds that came to her feeders. Martha was constantly cleaning and kept her house in an immaculate condition. She loved to spend time with her family, especially her husband Billy and took great care of him, they were inseparable. She loved cooking and entertaining her friends in her home, she was well known for her dessert dishes. Martha thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her church family and she very much appreciated the regular visits from her nephew Tommy. Martha’s son Will would call her every Sunday and she anticipated his calls with great joy. She will be missed by all who knew her.
She is preceded in death by her father, James Milam; her mother, Ophelia Peterson; one son, James Allen Singleton; and a grandson, Harley Tamayo.
Mrs. Martha is survived by her husband, Billy Henry of Minden; a son, Will Singleton and his wife Leeann of Battleground, WA; a step son Wayne Henry and his wife April of Cypress, TX; two step daughters, Glenda Walding and her husband Winston of Choudrant, and Cheryl Fee and her husband Ray of Hebert Springs, AR; ten grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren; two sisters, Lorrie Faber and her husband Tom of Clay, and Renea Thompson of Ruston; and a favorite nephew, Tommy Faber and his wife Jessica of Vernon, and their two children, Chandler and Addison.
Pallbearers for Martha’s service will be: Cody Ellis, Zachary Ellis, Eddie Colvin, Mike Colvin, Nicky McCullin, and Tommy Faber. Honorary pallbearers are: Donnie Harrell, Michael Fluhr, and Will Singleton.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to Salem Methodist Church 11793 Hwy 151 Dubach, LA 71235.
Visitation will be from 9:00-10:00 AM, Friday, December 13, 2024 at Salem Methodist Church near Dubach, LA.
Funeral Services for Debra Trull Trevillion, age 65 of Ruston, LA, will be held 10:00 AM, Thursday, December 12, 2024 at Dubach Methodist Church in Dubach, LA, with Rev. Bob Deich officiating, Burial will follow at St. Rest Cemetery in Dubach under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston, LA.
Debra Trevillion was born in Rayne, LA on January 18, 1959, she passed away in Ruston on December 9, 2024 after a lengthy illness, with her daughter by her side. Debra was a loving mother, Nanny, and friend and enjoyed spending time with her family. She loved animals and working with them. Debra loved being outside and doing yard work. Christmas was one of her favorite times of year, decorating, making Christmas favorites, and finding the perfect gift. She will be missed by many.
Debra is preceded in death by her parents, Lula Bell and Oscar Lee Trull.
Debra is survived by her daughters, Dixie Garrett and husband Marty of Minden, LA and Amanda Colvin and husband Lance of Dubach, LA; grandchildren: Brent Colvin and wife Cassie of Dubach, LA, Tyler Garrett of Philadelphia, PA and Levi Colvin of Dubach, LA; brothers: Mervin Trull and wife Molly of Dubach, LA, James Trull and wife Martha of Quitman, LA.
Debra is also survived by Luther Trevillion, friend and father of her children; Ruth Powell, “Life Long Best Friend made sister”, her two fur babies Sadie and Chewy, and numerous nieces, nephews and a host of friends.
Serving as pallbearers will be Brent Colvin, Levi Colvin, Tyler Garrett, Gerald Trull, Braxton Trull and Jeffery Trevillian. Honorary pallbearers are: Luther Trevillion, Lance Colvin and Marty Garrett.
In lieu of flowers the family request that memorial donations be made to Dubach Methodist Church, 144 Main St., Dubach, LA 71235.
The family would like to thank the staff of NLMC, especially the ICU nurses that took excellent care of her over these past couple of months and to all that visited and prayed for us during this time.
Visitation will be from 9:00 to 10:00 AM on Thursday, December 12, 2024 at Dubach Methodist Church. To leave an online memorial message for the family, please visit: www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com
Dr. Paul Nolen Hale, Jr. December 5, 1941 – December 7, 2024 Cemetery: Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 2:00 pm
Martha Jean Henry July 17, 1947 – December 8, 2024 Visitation: Friday, December 13, 2024, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Salem Methodist Church, 11793 Hwy. 151, Dubach Funeral Service: Friday, December 13, 2024, 10:00 AM, Salem Methodist Church, 11793 Hwy. 151, Dubach Cemetery Committal: Friday, December 13, 2024, Salem Cemetery, 11793 Hwy. 151, Dubach
Patrick “Pat” Lloyd Cone December 7, 1953 – December 3, 2024 Service: Temple Baptist Church Chapel, Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 1:00 pm
Luther Ceasar Steverson Sunday 04/27/1941 — Thursday 11/28/2024 Visitation: Friday 12/13/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Funeral Service: Saturday 12/14/2024 11:00am at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 12/14/2024 Following Service, New Prosperity Cemetery, Clay
Lisa Renee Archie Thursday 07/31/1969 — Sunday 12/01/2024 Visitation: Friday 12/13/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 12/14/2024 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 12/14/2024 Following Service, Hopewell Cemetery, Dubach
Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker looks over approved plans for Phase 1 of Tarbutton Road with all eyes set on Buc-ee’s coming in the near future.
by Malcolm Butler
Ruston mayor Ronny Walker said that the Louisiana State Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has signed off on the approved plans for Phase 1 of the Tarbutton Road improvements in conjunction with the development of Buc-ee’s and other businesses coming to the parish in the near future.
“We as a city will put these out for bid in the next two weeks,” said Walker. “They will go out and those bids will come back to us in the middle of January. We will turn around in our February (City Council) meeting and approve the contract for whoever gets the bid.”
Walker said he hopes the bid solicits “as many bidders as possible.”
The approved plans do not include the Buc-ee’s development itself, according to Walker.
“These are simply the roads,” said Walker.
Phase 1 includes all of Tarbutton Road, including the exits and entrances to I-20 going East and West as well as the service road. It also includes the addition of lanes on the Tarbutton Road bridge as well as I-20 and service road entrances and exits.
The project will be paid through the $15 million bond issue that was approved through the Tax Incremental District.
“It’s a huge step for us,” said Walker, who first announced the Buc-ee’s development on January 9, 2023. “We are thankful for finally getting to this point. There was a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement that had to be signed by the city and the state and that was the other key piece that had to get done.”
Stantec is the engineering firm based in Baton Rouge that will be in charge of the project.
Walker said the estimated cost of the plans is $8 million but that expenses for water, sewage, and electricity will also come out of the approved $15 million bond.
“I want to thank our staff — John (Freeman), Andrew (Halbrook), and everyone who has worked tirelessly on this for the last (23) months,” said Walker. “I also want to thank the DOTD district office in Monroe. They have been very, very helpful with this. And Stantec has been incredible to work with once again. But most of all the Secretary of Transportation Joe Donahue and Governor Jeff Landry for helping make this happen.”
While the process continues to move forward for the city of Ruston on the road and infrastructure side, Walker said Buc-ee’s officials continue to move forward with their checklist.
“They will continue to get their plans approved,” said Walker. “My hope would be that all of this comes together at the same time in March or April and there is a groundbreaking.”
Walker said once the bid is awarded he expects it to take another month or two before dirt work begins. Once that work begins, its a 300-day timeline for completion of Phase 1.
“They usually take 30 to 60 days to lay down, in other words to get their equipment and supplies in place,” said Walker, who is not completely sure where that footprint will be.
So once construction begins, what does that mean for the traffic flow along Tarbutton Road?
“Our intention and expectation is that traffic will be maintained throughout the project area and the ramps during construction,” said Halbrook. “There may be some activities that may limit it for a day or 48 hours or so. The overall flow and operation of the area should be maintained throughout the construction.”
Once the Tarbutton Road work is complete, three stop lights will be included — one on each side of the bride as well as a third in front of the entrance into Buc-ee’s across from Ruston Junior High.
The timeline for the construction of Buc-ee’s is a 12- to 15-month process.
Selling property for a softball field for Ruston High School, increasing the salaries of Mayor Ronny Walker and the Board of Aldermen, and approving a rate hike for water were primary orders of business Monday night as the Ruston City Council held its December meeting at City Hall.
Public hearings were opened on all three of those matters, before they were all passed 4-0 with Councilwoman Angela Mayfield being absent, but no citizens spoke on any of them.
The motions will raise Walker’s salary to $120,000 annually from its previous amount of $100,000 yearly.
Salaries for each member of Ruston’s City Council were also raised 20% to an annual amount of $14,400.
“I just want to say how difficult it was to get the mayor to agree to this, but he deserves it, and we want (him) to keep going with this thing,” Councilwoman Melanie Lewis said before the vote on the salary increases were made.
The City Council also unanimously moved to authorize Walker and the city to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Lincoln Parish School Board to sell the LPSB for $150,000 a 15-acre tract of land near the Ruston Sports Complex on which it will build a softball field for Ruston High School.
Also approved was a 26.5% increase on water rates that will first show on bills to be sent out in February.
City officials say that the rate hike must be done in accordance with regulations for a federal water sector program from which the city received nearly $4 million.
Water will increase in 2025 and 2026, then remain level for the next four years before increasing again in each of the following three years after that four-yard period of no increases.
“The city entered a cooperative endeavor agreement that brought in $3,698,000 for improving select water and sewer projects,” said Ruston Public Works Director John Freeman. “One of the requirements of that CEA is that the city participate in a water rates study by a firm assigned by the state and to implement any water rate changes indicated to be needed. The water rate changes were identified in the study, and so those changes are included in the amendments asked to be made to (Ruston’s Code of Ordinances).”
The City Council also approved a resolution granting the city permission to enter into a $285,000 with Amethyst Construction to build a 63-space parking overflow lot at the Ruston Sports Complex as well as authorizing the city to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with the Riley Company for $235,000 for engineering consulting services regarded the 2026 Street Overlay Program.
Also approved was authorization for the city to enter into a contract relating to a Water Improvement Project for Stewart, Dark and Jonesboro Streets for $523,448.50 and to enter into a contract for $627,915 for sandblasting and painting for the downtown elevated city water tank just off of Interstate 20.
“That will include repainting the city of Ruston and Louisiana Tech logos on the tank,” Walker said.
The City Council also granted permission to start the condemnation process for dilapidated homes at 205 Cotton St. and 611 Eastland Ave. while also approving a final plat for the Country Club Estates subdivision.
Ruston’s City Council also introduced a resolution authorizing the city to enter into a professional services agreement with Parish Controls, LLC and to sell that company property for an engineering facility.
That resolution will be discussed and potentially voted on during the January 2025 City Council meeting.
