Dr. Jim Henderson, president of Louisiana Tech, has announced his intention to retire at the end of the calendar year.
In an email sent out to faculty and staff this morning, Henderson announced his plan to focus on his health in upcoming months.
“Over the past several months, I have made passing reference to many of you about a decline in my health,” he wrote. “That deterioration has continued, and while there is not an immediate threat to my mortality, there is a noticeable progression.
“It is with utmost sadness that I share my intention to retire at the end of the calendar year. Serving as Louisiana Tech’s president the past three years has been the joy of my career. Returning to a college campus and engaging with faculty, staff, and students was exactly as I predicted–energizing and indescribably rewarding. What I could never have predicted was the warmth Tonia and I received not only from each of you but from the Ruston community at large and the broader Tech Family.”
Henderson’s short tenure at Tech has already been marked with accomplishments, including three consecutive years of revenue-generating enrollment growth including record-breaking freshman classes and the highest retention rate in the UL System. Under his leadership, Tech also announced the Radiance Technologies Microchip facility to be built in Ruston by Bulldog Microchips, a subsidiary of the Louisiana Tech Foundation. The project will result in 150 new jobs to Ruston by 2032. Additionally, $38 million in federal appropriations with defense partners was secured to advance research in areas including biomedical engineering, micromanufacturing, cyber engineering, and forest products.
Henderson also worked closely with the City of Ruston and state on a utilities infrastructure project to be completed in 2028 that will replace antiquated steam generation and modernize failing infrastructure throughout campus while realizing $1.6 million saving annually.
RUSTON, La. — Boys & Girls Clubs of North Louisiana hosted hundreds of volunteers for a community meal packing event on Wednesday, September 16. Supported by a grant from the 9/11 Day Foundation in partnership with AmeriCorps, local organizations, community members, Club kids and their families packed hundreds of boxes full of apple cinnamon oatmeal packs in just a few hours. More than 24,000 meals will be donated to community organizations to help support families facing hunger.
“We are so amazed by the incredible effort and energy our volunteers brought to our event,” said Lexi Wooten, Volunteer Coordinator for Boys & Girls Clubs of North Louisiana. “The turnout proves how deeply our community cares about showing up for our neighbors.”
This local event was part of 9/11 Day’s nationwide “UNITE For Good” campaign, an unprecedented effort to transform the anniversary of 9/11 into America’s largest day of service. Through its $3 million grant program, 9/11 Day empowers local organizations to address critical community needs, with a primary focus on combating hunger.
“We’re so thankful to 9/11 Day and AmeriCorps for making this possible, but the real magic was watching our local volunteers work together to make this happen,” said Eldontá Osborne, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of North Louisiana. “It’s one thing to tell the Club kids about the importance of giving back, but showing them firsthand what it looks like when a community steps up to help their neighbors, that’s a lesson that sticks with them.”
Dubach Mayor Mona Wilson has announced she is running for re-election to a second term. In a statement, she summarized some of the progress in Dubach under her leadership:
As current Mayor of Dubach and seeking re-election in November, I would like to let the residents of Dubach know what it means to serve you. As a lifelong resident of Dubach I attended school in Dubach, and raised my children in Dubach. I want you to know how much I love Dubach and its people.
Over the past five years as your mayor, many things have been improved upon and provided for our residents. I designed the entrance signs to Dubach to give a “Welcome to Dubach” inviting hometown atmosphere. These signs were built to last another lifetime for our residents. I designed a renovation of the James Lake Park and applied for a grant for its improvement. The added walk around the lake has made it a safe place for residents to come and “get their steps in.” Yes, the council must approve all things and they offered some input into them.
We were also able to make some headway with the run down apartments on Wynne Street. The owner was asked to tear down one of the dilapidated buildings and improve the looks of the others. There is still much to do, but it looks so much better than it did five years ago. The Town’s maintenance crew took over the clearing and upkeep of the Nature Trail on James Lake, making this a great place for bird watchers to visit our town and enjoy over 300 species of birds.
In regard to James Lake, I have worked with Wildlife and Fisheries to keep the algae out of the pond. This is an ongoing battle every year. I was successful in getting the park contractors to add a boat launch in their estimate when renovating the park. Many boaters have truly enjoyed being able to launch a boat in James Lake.
As Mayor, I have encouraged and worked with Dubach Legends in all their town projects over the past two years. As Mayor, I have made every effort to bring and assist new business coming to Dubach. I assisted Eric Hanna with bringing the GEM Theater back to our small town. Eric did the work but anything he needed from me or the Town, I was more than willing to help out.
For the past two years I have reached out to an investor about putting a fuel stop in Dubach. The property has been negotiated and hopefully in 2027, this may become a reality. A lot of work and planning goes into getting things of this nature, but I have been diligent about it and have never given up.
Three years in a row I was able to secure grants to install new garbage receptacles around the town and at the ball park. Anywhere you visit our downtown, you are able to see the new garbage receptacles. This helps our town to stay free of litter.
I was instrumental in obtaining enough voter signatures (going door to door) to add the sale of alcohol to the voter’s ballot and the voters were pleased to pass it. Although no alcohol is being sold at this time, it gives new businesses the opportunity to do so. It will also generate more revenue to our town. More revenue will keep our town moving forward in the years to come.
I have been working with local property owners and investors to bring new business to Dubach. A grocery store, a truck stop, a cafe, etc. This all takes time but as your Mayor I am consistently working and encouraging new business in our Town. I have raised donation funds and continue to everyday to bring a sense of community back to our town through town-wide events . These events are solely funded thru donations, large or small.
When I took office the donation fund was less that $1,000 and the Town of Dubach was only able to provide for the Santa Run at Christmas. Since then, I have begun many events such as Egg Drop for the kids, Trunk or Treat on Main Street, Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day lunches, Town wide clean-up day in conjunction with Love the Boot campaign, Pink Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness, continue with the Santa Run deliveries.
I have been instrumental in putting together the Celebrate Dubach event around July 4 for the past three years. It has become one of the largest fireworks shows in our parish. So many things go on “behind the scenes” at Town Hall that make these things become a reality. It takes making a lot of phone calls, letters and visits to people to ask for their support. As a Realtor for 35 years, I have made a lot of contacts and have no problem asking for their help. As the saying goes “it takes a village to run a town.” I could not do it without all of you.
Starting the food pantry filled a need in our community. It solely operates on donations of food and monetary donations. A lot of love and labor goes into it. However, with the rising cost of everything and the bulk of our community being on a fixed income, this has been the biggest blessing of all. The struggle is real people and helping in any way is a blessing.
Our water system has had thousands of dollars of improvements in the past five years. We still have things to do, but we are getting closer to getting a better grade on our water infrastructure. Our water operator of 20 years left and we were able to find not just one competent operator, but two in the last year. They have been able to repair and complete the items that had been overlooked for several years. We have had a rate study done on the water account and a rate increase was necessary to sustain the day-to-day operations of our water/sewer systems. Rates had not been changed in many years with an annual loss of $28,000 before I took office.
Unpaid property taxes were not being collected. I implemented a system to get these collected and in 2026 we collected 96% of the property taxes owed by our residents.
Police traffic tickets were not being collected. I fixed that and have collected thousands of dollars due our town in past due traffic tickets.
So many things have happened in the five years I have been in office. But there is so much more to do and accomplish. I would love to continue over the next four years to help Dubach move forward. I cannot do it alone! I need the support of your Town Council and of course the support of the residents. Make your voice heard and vote to re-elect me in November and I promise to continue fighting for you and our Town. There is still more I want to do! Why? Because I was born here and will die here in Good Ole Dubach, La.
Mayor Mona Wilson
The above information has been provided by a political campaign.Unless otherwise noted, the Lincoln Parish Journal publishing staff does not endorse specific candidates or ballot measures.
Third Judicial District Attorney John Belton is among six semifinalists being considered to become the next president of the Southern University System.
The Southern University System Presidential Search Committee announced the six semifinalists Thursday following a national search that attracted interest from more than 60 potential candidates.
Belton, who serves as district attorney for Lincoln and Union parishes, is one of three Louisiana candidates to advance in the search. He has served as district attorney since 2014.
Belton also has extensive ties to Southern University.
Belton served on the Southern University Board of Supervisors from 1999 to 2005 and was elected chairman in 2001 and again in 2002.
Joining Belton as semifinalists are Brian Bridges, a senior adviser with Whiteboard Advisors and former New Jersey secretary of higher education; Jaffus Hardrick, former president of Florida Memorial University; Roscoe Jones, former dean of Drake University Law School; Larissa Littleton-Steib, chancellor of Delgado Community College; and Willie Smith, chancellor of Baton Rouge Community College.
Littleton-Steib and Smith join Belton as the three Louisiana-based candidates in the group.
The six semifinalists are scheduled to interview with the Presidential Search Committee on Oct. 7. Following those interviews, the committee is expected to recommend one or more candidates as finalists. Those selected will participate in another round of interviews with students, faculty and other Southern University stakeholders before the Southern University Board of Supervisors ultimately selects the new president.
Southern has been without a permanent system president since Dennis Shields left the position late last year. Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center Chancellor Orlando McMeans has served as interim president.
The search originally was expected to be completed earlier this year, but the timeline was extended.
The Southern University System is the nation’s only historically Black university system. The system includes campuses in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport, along with the Southern University Law Center and Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center.
The Presidential Search Committee is expected to complete its work in the coming weeks before forwarding its finalists to the Board of Supervisors for consideration.
A Monroe man ticketed for driving with a suspended license early Tuesday called 911 four times over the next hour to curse at dispatchers, then was arrested when an officer sent to check on him saw him driving again, according to an arrest affidavit.
Shannon Valdis Williams, 50, was arrested by the Ruston Police Department at 3:28 a.m. Sept. 22.
Ruston police stopped a white SUV driven by Williams at about 2:21 a.m. and cited him for driving under suspension and having no insurance. Officers then left the scene.
Over the next hour, Williams called 911 four times. Each time he was belligerent and yelled profanity at dispatchers because officers had taken his license plate.
After the fourth call, an officer was sent to the Exxon on West Alabama Avenue. The officer did not see Williams’ vehicle when he pulled into the lot, but while turning around he saw the SUV traveling west on West Alabama Avenue and turning into the Exxon parking lot.
The officer detained Williams and read him his rights. After being told of the charges, Williams said he did not mean to curse out the dispatchers.
Williams was booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center on charges of improper telecommunications, driving under suspension and no insurance. The driving under suspension and no insurance charges stem from his driving again after being cited earlier in the shift. He was released on his own recognizance on those two counts.
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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After losing our first gator in our first year of gator hunting due to a torn line, we’ve been hard at it, continuing to fight stumps during the drawdown of Lake Bistineau. The whole process feels like a race. The lake drops 6 or 7 inches each day, and each time we launch the boat from one of the few ramps still open, the process gets harder. Eventually we’ll have to try another ramp or stop launching altogether. Fortunately, we’ve had some success and have only one tag left, so we’re not ready to give up yet.
As the lake has continued to drop, we’ve gradually learned the lay of the water. We’ve found a few clear paths through the stumps, figured out where we can troll and run the motor safely and slowly, and most importantly, we’ve figured out what works when it comes to setting our lines.
After losing our first gator, we received some advice from a more experienced alligator hunter. He suggested that our problem probably wasn’t the strength of the line we were using but its length. We took his advice and shortened our bait lines. It made a difference.
On our next two trips to Lake Bistineau, we caught and harvested two alligators, one just shy of 8 feet and another just over 8 feet. For first-time alligator hunters, harvesting two gators that size was a pretty satisfying turnaround.
The actual process of catching and harvesting both gators went smoothly, and we’ve gained a much better understanding of what to expect. There’s still plenty we don’t know, but each trip has taught us something new. Brad even learned how to process the gators himself by watching YouTube videos, and he intends to try tanning the hides as well.
Since those first two successful hunts, we’ve had to balance our remaining alligator-hunting opportunities with everything else that comes with this time of year. We’ve been preparing for deer season, planning an anniversary bowfishing trip and keeping up with the kids’ extracurricular activities.
We’ve still baited and checked our remaining line a few more times, but the results have been less exciting. On some checks, the bait was gone. On others, it was untouched.
Technically, we could bait two lines for every unused tag, but we don’t want to catch more than one additional alligator since we have only one tag remaining. Louisiana regulations require an alligator caught in excess of the number of tags available to be released as humanely as possible. The regulations don’t provide additional detail about what that situation would look like in practice, and personally, I’d rather not find out.
So for now, we’re being conservative about how much bait we put out and enjoying the fact that we’ve already had a successful season.
One of the unexpected highlights of hunting Lake Bistineau has been the people. For the most part, others we’ve encountered on the lake, including other alligator hunters, have been friendly and willing to talk. We’ve learned a lot about where to find specific species of fish and where to go when we return with plans for rod-and-reel fishing or bowfishing.
We’ve also found that the boat ramp can be a particularly fun place when you have an alligator in the boat. Kids especially seem to get excited to see the catch up close, and people sometimes ask to take pictures, which we try to oblige.
At the same time, not every interaction we’ve had on the lake has been quite as positive. On the day we harvested our first gator, Brad had an interesting encounter with a group of other alligator hunters at the boat ramp. Our bowfishing boat tends to attract attention, so we’re used to fielding questions. This particular conversation started out casually enough. They talked about bowfishing and alligator hunting, and one of the men expressed an interest in bowfishing.
Brad told him that we’re planning to begin offering guided bowfishing trips next year and gave him information about how to find us on social media. Then, about 10 minutes after leaving the ramp, Brad received a call from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Someone had reported that he was “shooting gators with a bow.”
Brad explained that we weren’t shooting any alligators with a bow. We have a bowfishing boat, and we carry our bows because we’re often looking for opportunities to shoot fish. He even offered to let the game warden inspect the alligator, but the warden declined.
Interestingly, the warden explained that shooting an alligator with a bow is actually legal under Louisiana regulations and referred us to the appropriate section in the regulations handbook. We found that you can take an alligator with a bow, provided the arrow is barbed and has at least 300-pound-test line attached.
We won’t be taking that route. We’ll stick with the more traditional method, which we feel is safer and more humane.
Still, the experience was disappointing. We have no way of knowing whether the report resulted from a genuine misunderstanding or whether someone simply made an assumption and decided to involve wildlife enforcement before bothering to clarify what they had seen.
Brad had mentioned that he enjoys pursuing large alligator gar while bowfishing, so it’s possible the conversation was misunderstood. Whatever the reason, it was a reminder that not everyone you meet outdoors will necessarily give you the benefit of the doubt.
That can make you a little more cautious about sharing your experiences and successes, particularly when you’re participating in a relatively small outdoor community where people tend to cross paths repeatedly.
But we’re not going to let one questionable interaction overshadow the much more positive experiences we’ve had on Lake Bistineau. We’ve learned a lot, harvested two nice-sized alligators, met some genuinely friendly people, and gained a new appreciation for just how different alligator hunting is from the other outdoor pursuits we’re accustomed to.
With one tag left, we may eventually fill it. Or we may decide that two successful gators are enough for our first season. Either way, we’ll keep following the regulations, learning as we go, and as with most outdoor activities, we’ll try to focus on the good parts: the knowledge gained and the experiences that make getting out on the water worthwhile.
Lincoln Parish Journal readers have an opportunity each week to win FREE money in the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em presented by Johnson Physical Therapy, Ruston Athletic Supply, and The Rental Association.
And the best part is it’s FREE … just like your subscription to the LPJ.
Bigger question. Are you ready to win $150 in cash … with the potential to make it $300 if you are perfect on the week (including predicting the No. 1 tiebreaker exactly right).
The Lincoln Parish Journal is holding the 5th Annual Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by The Rental Association, Ruston Athletic Supply, and Johnson Physical Therapy.
If you live in the deep south, you know College Football is King!
Anyone is eligible to participate and each week one lucky winner will go home with a $150 cash prize. Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 15 selected college football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests).
The Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Ruston Athletic Supply, Johnson Physical Therapy, and The Rental Association will be conducted for 14 regular season weeks of the college season starting with Week 1 games.
There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to SUBSCRIBE to the Lincoln Parish Journal where it will come to your inbox every weekday morning. It takes 20-30 seconds to sign up and not much longer than that to make your picks.
All contest decisions by LPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified Monday and will be requested to take a photo that will run in the following week’s LPJ.
Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the Journal, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. daily e-mail. Enjoy it all, for FREE, and enter each week’s contest. You could collect $150 each week!
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A Ruston man has been sentenced to over 17 years in prison after he appeared in federal court last week.
On September 18, United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced Charles Lamar Williams, 31, of Ruston, to 208 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, followed by five years of supervised release, after his guilty plea on March 16.
According to police and court documents, Williams was arrested on August 16, 2025, inside a Ford Fiesta parked at an apartment complex in Ruston. Agents recovered pure methamphetamine and cocaine, cocaine base, hydrocodone, approximately 984 grams of marijuana, 148 grams of synthetic marijuana, 34 fluid units of promethazine, alprazolam, and other drugs and related paraphernalia.
At the time, Ruston Police called Williams’s apprehension “a significant drug arrest.”
At about 4:43 p.m. that day, Ruston Police officers were conducting routine patrols in the parking lot of a local apartment complex when they saw Williams seated inside a parked vehicle. Officers recognized Williams and were aware that he had active warrants for his arrest.
As officers awaited backup, Williams entered an apartment within the complex. Officers were able to locate the apartment, make contact with the residents, and safely take Williams into custody without incident.
Officers saw, in plain view through the vehicle’s rolled-up windows, a bag of suspected methamphetamines, multiple pill bottles with the labels removed, and mail bearing Williams’ name. The Lincoln Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team was contacted, and a search warrant for the vehicle was obtained.
The search recovered a substantial quantity of illegal narcotics and related contraband, including $6,033 in U.S. currency.
In a prepared statement after the arrest,, RPD said, “This arrest and seizure represent a significant disruption to illegal drug activity in the Ruston community. The Ruston Police Department remains committed to working alongside local and regional partners to combat narcotics trafficking and to ensure the safety of our citizens.”
The Louisiana Chicken Festival will return to downtown Dubach Sept. 25–26, bringing two days of food, music, contests, a parade, an antique car show, and other activities to the north Lincoln Parish community.
This year marks the 37th annual festival, which celebrates Dubach’s ties to Louisiana’s poultry industry and carries the theme “Rooted in Tradition.”
Activities begin Friday as food vendors start setting up at noon. Bingo will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Hamilton Warehouse, while Kingdom Sounds will provide live music from 6 to 10 p.m.
The festival gets an early start Saturday with arts and crafts vendors opening at 8 a.m. and setup beginning for the antique car show.
Opening ceremonies will be held at 9 a.m. at the First Guaranty Bank lot, followed by the invocation and national anthem. The antique car show also begins at 9 a.m. on Hico Street.
One of the festival’s traditional highlights, the parade, will line up at the Dubach School lot at 9:30 a.m. and begin at 10 a.m.
Several activities will run throughout the late morning and early afternoon. A LifeShare blood bus will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and visitors can take a “Dogtrot Tour” during the same hours.
The festival’s contests begin at 11 a.m. with a cakewalk at First Guaranty Bank. DRABO, the host organization, will have chicken plates available beginning at 11 a.m. at the DRABO office on Main Street and continuing while supplies last.
A drumstick eating contest will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the bank lot, followed by “Strut, Cackle & Crow” at noon. The Newlywed Game begins at 12:30 p.m., and a hula hoop contest follows at 1 p.m.
A DJ will provide entertainment from 1 to 4 p.m. Winners of the antique car show are scheduled to be announced at 2 p.m., and the cooler raffle drawing will be held at 3:30 p.m.
In addition to the scheduled activities, the festival will feature food, music, games, vendors, and other attractions throughout the weekend.
The Louisiana Chicken Festival has become a longstanding fall tradition in Dubach, drawing residents and visitors to the community for a weekend centered on local food, entertainment, and small-town traditions.
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A Grambling man gave officers a false name after the car he was riding in crashed into a Ruston Police Department patrol unit. He was arrested on three outstanding warrants and later accused of bringing suspected crack cocaine into the parish jail, according to an arrest affidavit.
Chase Maryland, 20, was arrested by Ruston police at 4:33 a.m. Sept. 19.
Officers were called to Apple Street at South Farmerville Street about a fight. When they arrived, they found five people sitting in a vehicle that had crashed into a marked Ruston police unit.
Maryland was sitting behind the front passenger seat and told an officer his name was Marcus Howard. The officer tried to find a photo of Howard but could not confirm who he was. Maryland was detained and placed in the back of a patrol unit.
After some time, the officer asked again for his real name, and Maryland gave it. Dispatch said he had several outstanding warrants.
Maryland was taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked on the warrants and a charge of resisting an officer. During booking, deputies found a small white baggie holding a white powdery substance that looked like crack cocaine. He was also charged with introduction of contraband into a penal facility.
The warrants include a Ruston City Court bench warrant with a $2,000 bond, a Ruston Police Department warrant with a $1,000 bond and a 3rd Judicial District Court warrant with a $150,000 bond. Bond on the resisting charge was set at $1,000.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
RUSTON — Six days after a 21-14 loss to Edna Karr at the Caesars Superdome, Ruston returns home to face Catholic of Baton Rouge at 7 p.m. Friday at James Field at Hoss Garrett Stadium.
The No. 2 Bearcats (2-1) rallied from a 14-0 deficit Saturday to tie No. 1 Eda Karr before the Cougars scored the winning touchdown with 9:31 to play. Catholic comes to Ruston at 1-2.
Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said the Saturday trip to New Orleans served its purpose, and while he would have loved to snap the Cougars’ long winning streak, there was still plenty of learned opportunities in the loss.
“Just like it is any other time that we play a really good football team — and we’ve played three of them and we’re fixing to play four — I think doing that this early in the year, it was really productive,” Baugh said. “I thought it was a good trip. I think the kids handled it well. We were there on time, good on the bus, handled getting into the Superdome. So there shouldn’t have been anything that caught us off guard about that trip.”
The game itself was another matter.
“Obviously, playing a really good football team, you have to be at the top of your game, and we weren’t,” Baugh said. “We can’t spot a team like that 14 (in the first quarter), and then we rally back and get it tied up.”
The moment that stayed with Baugh came on Ruston’s first possession of the second half — a drive the Bearcats kept alive with a fake punt.
“I think the missed opportunity that probably sticks out the most to me, that I thought would have changed the outlook of the ball game, was when we had a good drive going the first series of the second half and it kind of fizzled out,” Baugh said. “We faked the punt to extend it, and we have first-and-10 on their 25-yard line, and we don’t get any points out of it.”
A lead there, Baugh said, could have put Karr in unfamiliar territory.
“Karr’s won a lot of ball games in a row. Won a lot of ball games, period,” Baugh said. “I don’t know that those kids that are playing have ever been behind in a ball game. How do they respond to that? And if they have been behind, it hasn’t been much. So I think if we’re able to get some points, and for sure a touchdown, and then they get the football and they’re trying to figure out what to do, it just changes the way the ball game is going to be played.”
Baugh pointed to the high snap on a Karr punt in the final seconds, which Ruston recovered at the Karr 16, as evidence of what that pressure can do.
“I think that’s something that’s probably really uncharacteristic of those guys, to make that mistake,” Baugh said. “But when you’re under the pressure of that, that’s when errors are made.”
Ruston also let a goal-line stand go to waste with the game still tied. The Bearcats went three plays and out, one of them a penalty on Ruston, and Karr took over at the Ruston 33 after the punt.
“I think our defense gave our offense an opportunity, making the stop on the 1-yard line,” Baugh said. “Have that big stop, have an opportunity to push the ball out of there and at least be able to punt it to the other end, and we can’t get a first down. The defense has got to go right back out there with a short field to defend. You just can’t do that against really good football teams.”
Three games in, Baugh said his team has not yet put together four full quarters on any given night. The defense has come closest, he said, and outside of Karr’s opening series was solid Saturday. The offense has been the area where he wants to see improvement.
“You can’t score the ball every series; I’m not crazy enough to think that,” Baugh said. “But I feel like you can be productive in drives and not score the football. The three-and-outs, the no-first-down series, are just really unacceptable with the guys that we have out there. We’ve just got to develop more consistency with what we’re doing.”
And when you play the type of schedule that Baugh’s teams are used to, the opponents have had something to do with that, as well. Still, his expectations for his team are to minimize errors and capitalize on opportunities.
“Once you go back and look at the mistakes, a ton of those are self-inflicted,” Baugh said. “You have one that’s self-inflicted, with a penalty or a blown assignment, and then the next one, they make a big play. Well, you’re not going to move in football. So we’ve got to get all of that stuff ironed out and make sure that we’re making improvements on those things, and that’s what we talk to the kids about.”
Catholic, Baugh said, looks much like the team Ruston played in 2020. He said the Bears’ playoff loss to Karr last season was the Cougars’ closest game of the year.
Baugh said the challenge starts with sorting out what Catholic is showing before the snap.
“They’re very multiple on offense. They use a lot of different personnel groupings, and then they shuffle them formationally a lot of different ways,” Baugh said. “You have to be on top of your game as far as recognizing jersey numbers, because they’ll jump a tight end around. It’ll look like he may be in an offensive line position. They’ll flip a bunch of receivers over to a side, some eligible, some not.”
That puts the burden on the Ruston defense to get the front, the coverage and the eligible receivers right on every snap.
“And then you throw all those good players out there that they’ve got, and that makes it really difficult,” Baugh said. “I’ve been really impressed with their running back. He’s really, really good with the ball in his hands. The quarterback operates everything and gets the ball to the right people, and their receivers can catch it, run with it and score at any point.”
Baugh said the Bears are just as sound on the other side of the ball.
“They do a good job of picking and choosing when they’re going to bring some pressure on you,” Baugh said. “You can tell they’re really well coached and know what they’re doing.”
Ruston will likely be without junior running back Dalen Powell, who ran for 119 yards and both Ruston touchdowns against Karr.
“It’s been a day-to-day deal. It’s progressively gotten better, but I don’t think he’s going to be well enough to see any action on Friday,” Baugh said. “It’s just too fast out of the gate. I think he’d love to play. He’s tried to work his way into that. But I just don’t think it’s been enough time.”
The Saturday game in New Orleans cost the Bearcats their normal weekend routine. Ruston brought its players back Sunday afternoon to handle what it usually does on Saturday and get back on schedule for the week.
The squeeze comes again next week, when Ruston plays on Thursday and loses a practice day. Tuesday is usually the Bearcats’ longest and most physical practice, and Wednesday runs back through the same work at a faster pace with fewer reps.
“We’ll lose a day of practice going into the game on Thursday, which means you really have to be on top of your game whenever you do your install on Monday,” Baugh said. “Usually we try to keep things as simple as we can, game-plan wise, going into a short week like that, because you don’t have another day.”
Losing Wednesday, Baugh said, means losing the chance to clean up Tuesday’s mistakes.
“It’s a big day for making sure that we’re ironed out on everything we messed up on Tuesday, and you just lose that opportunity to get that straight,” Baugh said. “That’s why we’ll stay pretty basic as to the things we’ve already been doing, and hopefully the kids have retained a bunch of that going into the short week.”
Lincoln Prep players celebate a touchdown that tied Thursday night’s game at 20-20 late in the third quarter. (Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
Momentum can be a fickle thing.
And in a back-and-forth game Thursday night at Jonesboro-Hodge’s Caldwell Peacock Stadium, momentum danced back and forth between the sidelines until late in the game, when things simply snowballed downhill for Lincoln Preparatory as the Panthers fell 42-20 to the Tigers.
The game was tied at 20-20 with a little more than two minutes remaining in the third quarter when a bad punt snap set Jonesboro-Hodge up in prime field position at the Lincoln Prep 36-yard line.
Five plays later, Tigers quarterback King Campbell connected with Channing Gray on a 27-yard scoring strike before hitting Gray again on a two-point conversion pass that put Jonesboro-Hodge up 28-20 with 11 minutes remaining in the contest.
Lincoln Prep was held to a three-and-out series on the ensuing possession before the Tigers blasted Lincoln Prep punter Karmelo Goins and blocked the attempt, setting Jonesboro-Hodge up at the Panthers’ 8-yard line.
But the Panthers recovered a fumble on the next play and pushed the ball out to their own 41-yard line, where on fourth-and-two, quarterback Jabari Levingston lost the ball to give JHHS possession at the Lincoln Prep 41.
Five plays later, Campbell hit Tysen Burks on a 24-yard touchdown pass that pushed the JHHS advantage to 34-20 with 2:51 remaining.
On Lincoln Prep’s next play from scrimmage, Levingston was sacked in the end zone for a safety that stretched the Tigers’ advantage to 36-20 with 2:35 left on the clock.
The dagger came on the next play from scrimmage as Jonesboro-Hodge running back Lontre’vious Burns broke loose on a 47-yard scoring scamper with 2:18 remaining in the contest.
Panthers coach Chaunce Davison said it is a sign that his team needs to focus and learn to put in a full week of focused practice before staying focused for all four quarters of a game, from start to finish.
“We just need to learn how to play football and learn to play through adversity,” Davison said. “I see now we’re going to have adversity pretty much all year. We’ve got to play through that, regardless of whatever it might be.”
Before losing focus in the final stanza, Lincoln Prep put up a fight, trading blows with the Tigers for the first three quarters of the contest.
Jonesboro-Hodge struck first, taking advantage of a blown coverage with Campbell hitting a wide-open Jamarlon Johnson to go on top 6-0 at the 8:57 mark of the first quarter.
Lincoln Prep countered with a 50-yard scoring drive, with Levingston firing a screen pass that Aiden Ferguson hauled in and took 32 yards to paydirt to tie things up at 6-6 with 6:21 left on the opening-quarter clock.
A little more than three minutes later, the Tigers punched back, scoring on a short touchdown run and adding a two-point conversion that pushed Jonesboro-Hodge’s lead to 14-6.
But Lincoln Prep again quickly countered with Levingston hitting Josiah Spann on a 58-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14-14 with 50 seconds left in the first quarter.
The score remained knotted at 14-14 at halftime before the Panthers battled back with a slow and solid 50-yard drive culminating with Levingston’s 1-yard touchdown run that put Lincoln Prep on top 20-14.
This time it was Jonesboro-Hodge’s turn to counter, with the Tigers mounting a 56-yard drive ending with a 4-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 20-20 with 4:36 left in the third quarter.
Penalties became problematic for the Panthers at various points of the game, something Davison wants to see his team improve on.
“We were just trying to keep (Jonesboro-Hodge) off of us,” Davison said. “I thought we were doing a pretty good job of it but it got away from us. We’ve got to practice a full week. We can’t let anything distract us. We’ve got to come out here and play a full game. We didn’t play a full game. We didn’t coach a full game. We’ve got to put together a full week and full game.”
Case Phillips is part of the Cedar Creek potent rushing attack. (Photo by Darrell James)
By Malcolm Butler
For the first time in a while, there is some outside noise surrounding the Cedar Creek football program.
The Cougars are undefeated, and they are coming off three convincing wins.
As a result of those wins, Cedar Creek found itself ranked No. 10 in the state this week.
Creek coach Jacob Angevine appreciates what the recognition means for a program that has come a long way over the past two years. He also wants his players to forget about it.
“We don’t really want to pay attention to any of the outside noise,” Angevine said. “We just want to keep focused on what we’re doing. We talked as a unit right when we started fall camp that we know the talent that we have in the room, and we really don’t need anybody else to tell us what we already know.
“We just have to go prove it week in and week out.”
The Cougars (3-0) will get their next opportunity Friday night when they host Rayville (1-2) at 7 p.m. at Origin Bank Stadium.
Cedar Creek has opened the season with wins over Delhi Charter, St. Frederick and Beekman Charter, including last week’s 42-12 homecoming victory over Beekman.
But Angevine said the message hasn’t changed with the wins — or with the Cougars’ newfound spot in the state rankings.
“It kind of goes into the mindset that we have — just being 0-0 every single week,” Angevine said. “Whatever we did last week, it doesn’t really matter. It’s moving forward and focusing on the task at hand.
“We’ve had a really good practice this week. I hope it translates into Friday. I’m confident that it will. That’s just been kind of the mindset, and I’ve really liked how the kids have taken it, especially those seniors. They’ve really bought into it.”
Cedar Creek’s identity through the first three weeks hasn’t been difficult to identify: run the football.
The Cougars rushed for nearly 400 yards in last week’s win, using a physical offensive front and a stable of runners to wear down Beekman.
That was never more evident than on the opening possession of the second half. Leading 14-6, Cedar Creek took the kickoff at its own 19-yard line and marched 81 yards on 13 plays, 11 of them runs, for a touchdown.
Sophomore Payton Harris is one of the state’s leaders in rushing, totaling 677 yards and 10 scores through just three games.
Angevine doesn’t expect that philosophy to change. But he believes Creek’s success on the ground should eventually create more opportunities for the Cougars’ passing game.
“That’s obviously still the identity of our football team,” Angevine said. “I think everybody knows that. But the more that we can run the football, the more it’ll pack those guys into the box, and we’re really confident in the guys that we have on the outside as well.
“Once we’re able to use them a little bit more, I think it’s going to make us a little bit more dangerous to defend.”
The Cougars will also get healthier this week.
Angevine said Ed Henry is expected to return, along with Aiden Haddox, who was taking first-team snaps before suffering an injury during a preseason scrimmage.
“We’ve got some guys that are coming back healthy this week,” Angevine said. “Things are really looking up for us on both sides of the ball. But again, it’s just continuing to get better at what we do and believing in our system.”
Defensively, the Cougars have been equally impressive during their unbeaten start.
Rayville enters Friday night with a win over General Trass and losses to Bastrop and Caldwell Parish.
The 1-2 record isn’t fooling Angevine.
He believes Ravyille will present Cedar Creek with its biggest physical and athletic challenge of the young season.
“They’re fast,” Angevine said. “This is probably the most athletic team that we’ve played so far. I think it might be the biggest roster that we’ve seen thus far as well.
“They’re huge up front. It’s another big line that we’re going to have to keep our pad level low on. We’re going to have to rise up once again.”
That’s exactly the type of challenge Angevine wanted when Cedar Creek put together its schedule.
“I wanted some of these bigger schools,” he said. “It’s really going to test us and push us to our limits.”
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.
Friday, Sept. 25 Dubach Chicken Festival 6:30 p.m.: LA Tech volleyball (TAC) 7 p.m.: RHS football 7 p.m.: Cedar Creek football
Saturday, Sept. 26 Dubach Chicken Festival 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Park Fest 2026 (Lincoln Parish Park) 11 a.m.: Dubach Legends Fundraiser/Elvis Impersonator (Scott Hamilton Warehouse, East Hico Street; doors open at 10 a.m., hamburger lunch at 11 a.m., show at 11:30 a.m.) 6:30 p.m.: LA Tech volleyball (TAC)
Monday,, Sept. 28 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 1 p.m.: Ruston Duplicate Bridge Club meeting (Presbyterian Church, 212 N. Bonner St.) 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)
Wednesday, Sept. 30 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, Oct. 1 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 Richard Hamilton of your attendance. 318-518-2121) 1 p.m.: Ruston Duplicate Bridge Club meeting (Presbyterian Church, 212 N. Bonner St.) 6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers)
Friday, Oct. 2 6-8:30 p.m.: Pumpkins in the Park (Railroad Park) 7 p.m.: Lincoln Prep football
Saturday, Oct. 3 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Board Game Day (Depot) 2 p.m.: GSU football
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Louisiana Tech spent the first month of the season preparing for this weekend.
Now, according to Bulldogs coach Scott Mattera, it is “go time.”
Tech opens its first season of Sun Belt Conference play when the Bulldogs host Southern Miss for a two-match series at the Thomas Assembly Center. The teams meet Friday at 6 p.m. and again Saturday at 1 p.m., with both matches available on ESPN+.
The Bulldogs enter conference play 7-7 after wrapping up their nonconference schedule last weekend at the Wildcat Classic.
Tech closed nonconference play with one of its best offensive performances in years, hitting .424 in a 3-0 sweep of Prairie View A&M. The Bulldogs recorded 41 kills with only five errors on 85 attacks, producing their highest team hitting percentage in 14 years.
Freshman middle blocker Tyra McKinnie finished with a career-high 12 kills on 17 attacks with only one error in the win. She totaled 35 kills while hitting .544 during the tournament and enters Sun Belt play ranked ninth among qualified league hitters with a .346 hitting percentage.
Libero Riley Steubing leads the Sun Belt with 4.96 digs per set, tied for sixth nationally, while setter Sydnee Carter has recorded double-digit assists in every match this season.
Tech will be tested immediately by a Southern Miss team that comes to Ruston with a 9-2 record, the best nonconference winning percentage in the Sun Belt.
“They’re good,” Mattera said. “I think a lot of people think they’re kind of a sleeper in the conference.”
Mattera is familiar with several of the Golden Eagles from his time coaching at Alamo Volleyball Club in San Antonio, including Tarah Yunes and Lillie Johnson. He also knew Southern Miss standout Sadie McAda from clinics in the area.
McAda averages 4.03 kills per set, second in the Sun Belt, and enters the weekend with 990 career kills.
Southern Miss setter Allie Hazelwood leads the league with 10.54 assists per set and ranks 19th nationally, while Johnson gives the Golden Eagles another weapon in the middle.
“She’s super crafty,” Mattera said of Johnson. “She’s a really intelligent volleyball player.”
Southern Miss leads the Sun Belt in service aces per set at 2.03 and digs per set at 15.77. Tech ranks fourth in the league and 38th nationally with 1.91 aces per set.
Mattera said Tech’s ability to serve effectively and keep Southern Miss from operating comfortably in system will be important.
“We’ve got to serve well,” Mattera said. “We’ve got to spread our offense and attack the areas they give us.”
The weekend also introduces Tech to the Sun Belt’s Friday-Saturday conference format as the Bulldogs begin navigating their new league.
And it begins against one of the league’s hottest teams.
“I think it’s going to be a heck of a match,” Mattera said. “It’s going to be an exciting weekend.”
Choudrant resident Sam Burns gestures to the crowd moments after sinking a pivotal birdie putt on the 13th hole Thursday on the opening day of the Presidents Cup competition.
By Doug Ireland, Journal Sports
MEDINAH, Ill. – Scottie Scheffler sealed the victory, then said his partner Sam Burns saved the day.
Just after the International duo of Australia’s Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im of South Korea had broken through to take a 1-up lead with Im’s birdie on the 13th hole, Burns pulled his 8-iron and turned things back America’s way in the opening four-ball match of the Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club.
His 173-yard shot stopped two feet, five inches away on the par-3 hole, and the kick-in putt squared the match and erased their only deficit of the day. Scheffler sank a 4-foot par putt on the 17th hole to lift the Americans into a lead, then saved par with a near-perfect pitch out of the sand on the last hole, ending six inches from the cup as the Internationals faced a 40-foot par putt in a desperate try to halve the match.
It didn’t fall and the Internationals did. The USA closed the afternoon with a 3-2 edge heading into today’s foursomes competition.
American captain Brandt Snedeker has paired the longtime friends together again, this time against Corey Conners and Cup rookie Nick Taylor. Tee time is 12:05 in the first of five alternate shot matches, with Golf Channel carrying the competition. NBC picks up the weekend coverage.
In an on-course interview moments after Thursday’s match, Scheffler gave Burns his due.
“Both teams got off to pretty hot starts today and we pulled off a little bit after that, but Sam, I felt like he had probably the shot of the match there on 14,” said the World No. 1 Dallas native. “We lost 13 to go one down, and then he went in there to a couple feet, and we were able to square up the match. That was really a big moment for us as a team.”
Burns, a Shreveport native who now lives in Choudrant, was the USA’s best statistical performer Thursday, the only one of the 10 Americans to post positive numbers in each of the “Shots Gained” categories.
The 30-year-old former LSU All-American sank a 17-foot birdie putt at the 9th to keep the match even. Lee and Im then missed three straight birdie looks that would have given them their first lead of the day before finally converting on the 13th to nab a short-lived advantage.
“We knew it was gonna be tough,” said Burns. “These matches always seem to be close. It’s a couple shots here and there. It’s always a good feeling when you’ve got this guy by your side. You know, he’s gonna be in every hole, and he’s gonna compete as hard as he can.”
It was the first win in five tries for Burns and Scheffler pairing at either the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup, and the first time they’ve played together in international competition since 2023.
Ervin Livingston, Jr Saturday 10/26/1946 – Wednesday 09/23/2026 Family Gathering: Tuesday 09/29/2026 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Visitation: Tuesday 09/29/2026 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Wednesday 09/30/2026 10:00am at King’s Funeral Home Burial: Wednesday 09/30/2026, Mt. Harmony Baptist Church, 210 Mt. Harmony Church Road, Ruston
Vontella D. White Friday 04/30/1982 — Saturday 09/12/2026 Visitation: Friday 09/25/2026 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Funeral Service: Saturday 09/26/2026 11:00am, Zion Traveler Baptist Church, 1201 Martin Luther King Drive, Ruston Interment: Saturday 09/26/2026 Following Service, Mt. Calm Cemetery, 566 Par Road, Simsboro
The young town had grown into Lincoln Parish’s commercial center, with hotels, grocery stores, restaurants, shops, offices, and other businesses crowding its downtown streets. But Ruston had grown faster than the infrastructure needed to protect it.
That became painfully apparent in 1905.
Fire struck again and again that year. A February blaze wiped out half of a principal business block. In May, the town’s printing office burned. In November, two hotels were destroyed, another fire damaged the Louisiana Industrial Institute, and yet another destroyed thousands of dollars’ worth of lumber.
For Ruston, 1905 was the year of fire.
The town had a fire department, but barely by modern standards. Ruston’s earliest equipment was a two-wheeled tank with a hand pump, stored outside the mayor’s office and pushed to fires by whatever manpower was available.
The Ruston Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1897, coinciding with the arrival of running water. The town purchased a horse-drawn hose and ladder wagon and constructed a small station—really nothing more than a stable for the wagon and its two horses. Ruston would not obtain a motorized fire truck until 1915, and even that truck could not pump water.
That was the fire protection system facing the flames in 1905.
Half a block gone
The year’s first major disaster came before dawn on February 2.
At about 6:30 a.m., fire was discovered in the store of Freyer & Goldberg on Trenton Street. A strong north wind quickly carried the flames through the block.
Newspapers across Louisiana reported the destruction of “one-half of one of the principal business blocks” in Ruston. Among the businesses lost were J. Gordon’s dry goods store, Freyer & Goldberg, H.F. Fort’s grocery, the Lincoln Hotel, and the Ruston Grocery Company. George A. McElroy’s fire insurance office was also destroyed, along with businesses operated by B.H. Miller, J.H. Braswell, W.H. Hearn, T.G. Hardin, J.S. O’Neal, and the Reed Music Company.
Estimates placed the damage between $35,000 and $40,000, with much of the property insured.
The Farmerville Gazette noted the February blaze followed another large Ruston fire just two months earlier, in December.
“This big fire coming so soon after the one which visited Ruston in December makes it pretty hard on the town,” the newspaper observed.
It would get worse.
The Howe Press burns
On Sunday morning, May 7, another alarm sounded. This time it was the Howe Press, Ruston’s printing firm.
The fire gutted the building. A new printing press was badly damaged, two platen presses were left in poor condition, and a large quantity of book and job work already set in type and ready for the press was lost.
The Gazette reported the fire department had extinguished a small blaze at the printing office Saturday night. Firemen believed the danger had passed and left, but early the next morning, the fire returned.
The newspaper reported flames were raging when the fire was discovered and had already gained enough headway that the fire company could not save the building. The loss was placed at about $8,000, with $3,500 insurance.
Investigators believed the first fire had been caused accidentally when a firecracker was thrown onto an electrical wire entering the building. The wire apparently shorted and burned, with smoldering material possibly remaining inside the structure after firefighters departed.
It was an unforgiving era for firefighters. Buildings contained abundant wood, paper, cloth, and other combustible materials. Fighting a fire depended on prompt discovery, getting horses and equipment to the scene, finding a usable water supply, and applying enough water before the flames spread.
Ruston’s firefighters were volunteers working with equipment that would appear primitive only a generation later.
November brings more flames
If Ruston hoped the worst had passed by autumn, November proved otherwise. On November 7, fire broke out at the Atkinson House about 1 p.m., apparently originating in the hotel’s kitchen.
The Atkinson House, occupied by J.A. Atkinson and his family, was destroyed. So was the neighboring Borden Hotel, owned by Mrs. Webb of Monroe and occupied by Mrs. H.G. Chapman. Most of the furniture and belongings were saved, although much of it was badly damaged.
This time, the newspaper specifically credited the firefighters.
“Good work by the firemen saved the adjoining houses,” the Times-Picayune reported.
Three days later, fire struck again.
On November 10, fire destroyed one of J.R. Randolph’s dry kilns and approximately 6,000 feet of lumber. The loss was estimated at $2,000, with no insurance.
A second fire that day consumed a residence belonging to the Industrial Institute. Only about $600 worth of timber and water pipe stored nearby was saved.
That wasn’t all. Another November report noted fire had done slight damage to the main building of the Louisiana Industrial Institute, today’s Louisiana Tech University.
By then, fire was becoming almost routine news in Ruston.
A town ahead of its fire protection
Ruston had not ignored fire protection. Running water arrived and the volunteer department was organized in 1897. But the town was growing faster than its firefighting technology and municipal infrastructure.
A hose wagon was useful only if firefighters could reach an adequate water source with sufficient pressure. Even much larger Louisiana cities struggled with that problem during this period.
Its horse-drawn hose and ladder wagon depended upon the town’s developing water system. The department had no motorized apparatus and no fire engine capable of carrying its own modern pumping system. Those improvements were still years away.
The vulnerability partly explains an architectural decision made at Ruston’s beginning. Along what was known as Brick Row—now Park Avenue—mandatory masonry construction offered considerably better protection than the wooden commercial buildings common in young Southern railroad towns. Ruston’s earliest firefighting capability was rudimentary, making a fire in a frame building particularly dangerous.
The February 1905 fire showed what happened when flames, wooden buildings, and wind came together: a blaze beginning in one store raced through much of a business block.
Yet the November hotel fire demonstrated the other side of the story. Ruston’s volunteer firefighters managed to keep flames that destroyed two hotels from consuming adjoining buildings.
They were learning, and so was the town.
Ruston’s fire protection would gradually improve. The department became motorized in 1915. In 1924, the city purchased an American-LaFrance pumper, finally giving firefighters a motorized apparatus capable of pumping water. Two years later, Ruston built the Central Fire Station and established its first full-time fire department.
Today, the contrast could hardly be greater. Ruston’s Fire Department operates from three stations with more than 60 full-time personnel, and the department holds a Class 1 fire-protection rating, the highest classification recognized by the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana.
That modern system grew from much humbler beginnings — horses, hose wagons, volunteers, and a young municipal water system.
And few years demonstrated the need for something better quite like 1905.
In February, half a downtown business block burned.
In May, the printing office burned.
In November, two hotels burned. A dry kiln burned. An Industrial Institute residence burned. The Institute itself suffered fire damage.
Ruston was growing quickly.
In 1905, its fire protection was still trying to catch up.
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If you asked me to describe how I approach most decisions in one word, that would be it.
Balance.
I am an entrepreneur at heart. I started my first unofficial business when I was 13 years old, and for much of my younger life, my mindset was simple:
Grow. Grow. Grow.
Build something bigger. Accomplish more. Keep pushing forward.
Over the years, though, I learned an important lesson: bigger isn’t always better.
When something becomes bigger simply for the sake of being bigger, eventually something else has to be sacrificed to support that growth.
I don’t think I fully understood that until I had a family.
I got married. We had our first daughter, then our second. School, ballgames, activities, work, businesses, responsibilities, and everything else that comes with raising a family began filling the calendar.
My perspective started to change.
Success wasn’t simply about building the biggest business or accomplishing the most.
It was about building a life that allowed me to be present for the things that mattered most.
And being present requires something every one of us has in limited supply:
Time.
Time may be one of the most valuable things we have. Some of us realize that early. Others realize it later than we wish we had.
Those who know me personally know that I rarely sit still.
I have what some might call an addiction to pickleball, I enjoy spending time on the golf course, and most recently I’ve developed an obsession with learning to pilot my way through the skies.
But those things are only a small part of a pretty full life.
First and foremost, I’m dedicated to my family and the seemingly endless array of school activities, sporting events, commitments, and everything else that comes with raising a family.
I also have businesses that require my full attention to thrive, businesses responsible for supporting our employees, serving our clients, and providing for our family.
Somehow, I usually still manage to find room in the day.
There’s nothing magical or mystical about that.
I’ve simply learned to be organized. To be punctual. To respect other people’s time as much as my own. To prioritize what matters. To make decisions and move forward.
And, most importantly, I’ve learned how to create balance.
Balance between business and family.
Balance between responsibility and enjoyment.
Balance between working toward tomorrow and actually being present today.
I don’t always get it perfect. Nobody does. But I’ve learned that when something important needs my attention, the answer usually isn’t:
“I don’t have time.”
The better question is:
“How do I make time for what matters?”
And that brings me to Choudrant.
You might be wondering what entrepreneurship, family, pickleball, golf, flying airplanes, and managing a very full calendar have to do with my decision to run for Alderman for the Village of Choudrant.
For me, the answer is simple.
Everything.
Because the same principle I’ve learned to apply to my family, my businesses, and my life is the principle I believe should guide many of the decisions we make about the future of Choudrant:
Balance.
More than a decade ago, my family chose Choudrant as the place we wanted to call home.
My oldest daughter started at Choudrant Elementary and recently graduated from Choudrant High School. My youngest daughter is still making her way through Choudrant schools today.
Over those years, we haven’t simply lived here.
We’ve built homes here. We’ve built businesses and business relationships here. We’ve built friendships here.
Most importantly, we’ve built our life here.
And we chose Choudrant for a very simple reason:
Because Choudrant is Choudrant.
We didn’t move here hoping it would eventually become somewhere else.
We chose it because of what it already was, a small town where you can know your neighbors, build relationships, be part of a community, and be proud to raise your family.
That’s worth protecting.
But protecting what makes Choudrant special doesn’t mean refusing to change.
Some people believe Choudrant needs more growth and new opportunities.
They aren’t necessarily wrong.
Others would rather keep Choudrant exactly the way it is.
They aren’t necessarily wrong either.
I’ve learned that most important decisions have more than one side. The challenge is rarely choosing between someone who is completely right and someone who is completely wrong.
The challenge is finding balance.
Times change. Technology changes. Families change. Businesses change. Communities change.
And whether we like it or not, Choudrant will change too.
If we refuse to adapt at all, we risk falling behind and eventually losing some of the very things we’re trying so hard to protect.
But if we chase growth simply for the sake of growth, we risk losing the character that made people choose Choudrant in the first place.
Neither extreme is the answer.
I certainly don’t want Choudrant chasing whatever the next town is doing simply because they’re doing it.
I want Choudrant to become an even better Choudrant.
That’s the balance I want to bring to the Board of Aldermen.
I believe Choudrant should:
GROW BETTER. NOT JUST BIGGER.
Growing better means being intentional.
It means taking care of what we already have while planning responsibly for what we’ll need tomorrow.
It means making thoughtful decisions about infrastructure, development, businesses, services, recreation, and opportunities without sacrificing the small-town character that makes Choudrant special.
It means understanding that sometimes the right answer will be yes.
Sometimes the right answer will be no.
And sometimes the answer might be, “That’s a good idea, but let’s find a better way to do it.”
As an Alderman, one question I believe should consistently be part of those decisions is:
Does this make Choudrant a better place to live, raise a family, build a business, and call home?
If the answer is yes, let’s find a responsible way forward.
If the answer is no, then bigger alone isn’t a good enough reason to do it.
My vision isn’t for Choudrant to become another city.
Actually, it’s almost the opposite.
I want Choudrant to become the kind of small town that other communities look at and say:
“That’s what a small town can be.”
A community that holds onto its identity while continuing to improve.
A place where our children can grow up with the same sense of community we value today, and hopefully one day decide they want to raise their own families here.
A place people want to visit.
A place where the right businesses can invest and succeed.
A place families want to call home.
And a place where those who have lived here for decades can still look around and recognize the Choudrant they’ve always loved.
We don’t have to choose between progress and preservation.
We can have both.
We just have to find the right balance.
Preserve what makes us Choudrant.
Improve what can make us better.
Grow when growth makes sense.
That’s balance.
That’s why I’m running for Alderman.
And that’s the kind of leadership I hope to bring to the Village of Choudrant.
Corey Martin Candidate for Choudrant Alderman
GROW BETTER. NOT JUST BIGGER. BALANCED LEADERSHIP FOR CHOUDRANT.
The above information has been provided by a political campaign.Unless otherwise noted, the Lincoln Parish Journal publishing staff does not endorse specific candidates or ballot measures.
