By T. Scott Boatright

The Interstate-20 corridor on the western end of Ruston has received much attention in recent weeks with the announcement of a Buc-ee’s Travel Center to be built off the Tarbutton Road overpass.

And that attention has generated an increasingly-asked question from motorists who have to drive in that area – when will the Tech Drive/Cooktown Road overpass be repaired or even replaced with a new one as has been in the planning stages for more than a decade now?

The answer to that could come in November, city officials are hoping. That overpass is maintained by the Louisiana Department of Transportation (DOTD). A project to build a new overpass was at one point slated to go to bid in May before being pushed back to November.

Plans for that project includes multiple roundabouts to improve congestion, traffic flow and safety, and a new widened bridge on LA 544 over I-20 at an approximate cost of $17 million.

“I came here (into office) eight years ago,” said Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker.  “I still have a big piece of concrete that fell out of the overpass then. It’s like baked clay … like a ceramic in that it’s very light. I asked the engineers in Baton Rouge a year or year-and-a-half ago if they could please put a one-inch skim of asphalt on that bridge.”

But that bridge over I-20 is the original one built in the late 1950s at a point in time where not nearly as much traffic traveled across it daily as opposed to now. And what might seem like a simple fix to some apparently isn’t structurally feasible.

“Their exact words were, ‘We don’t believe the bridge could hold that much weight,’” Walker said about the DOTD’s response to his request to asphalt the bridge. “They’re not saying that trucks weigh that much more, but that (asphalt) weight plus the trucks or cars would be too much.”

City of Ruston Construction Projects Supervisor John Freeman said that the problem lies in the fact that over decades, traffic and usage has outgrown what the original structure was designed to provide.

“Adding even a light layer of asphalt adds weight and from what I’ve gleaned from the DOTD over the years, they don’t believe the original structure can take that additional weight,” Freeman said. “It probably wasn’t designed to last as long as it has and to handle the increased traffic it’s seen over the years.”

Walker said he’s pushed for the upgrade of the overpass since he took office.

“Eight years ago they told me it would take eight years of planning, and it’s taken that,” Walker said. “They told me roundabouts would have to go on each (side of the) bridge, so they had to study roundabouts to be able to show that’s the best in case that’s questioned by the public. 

“They said that would take two years. So I asked, what else do you have to study? Their answer was for one, whether it would be a two-, three- or four-lane overpass. Looking at it, I think it’s obvious it will have to be four lanes at least. They said that’s true, but they still had to do a study – another two-year study. And they have to complete one study before doing another. It’s already taken eight years.”

Walker said that another factor to keep in mind is that the Cooktown Road overpass and the US 167 overpass in Ruston are the two oldest Interstate 20 overpass bridges from the East Coast to Fort Worth, Texas, where it (I-20) ends.

Walker said the reason those two overpasses are some of the oldest along I-20 is because Ruston-based T.J.James Co. built most of that interstate.

“T.J. started working on the I-20 project in 1958, and they started here because this is where they’re based,” Walker said. “And when we ask the federal government for help with those two overpasses, safety doesn’t come into it. Safety has nothing to do with it for them.”

While the most-recent Tarbutton Overpass was built section-by-section over I-20, Walker said plans for a new Cooktown Road overpass are different.

“They’re hoping to do a roll-on bridge like they did in Calhoun and Simsboro, where they built the bridge offsite and rolled it into place,” Walker said. “They’re going to move the new overpass 100-feet west of the old one. And they’re going to have two roundabouts on the north side, one to service the exit and one to service the Service Road (Woodard Avenue) and shopping center and all of that. 

“On the south side, which is worse because of Temple (Baptist Church), they have one that will service the entrance and exits to the interstate. They will not address that Service Road at all, because of cost.”

City of Ruston Public Works Manager Andrew Halbrook said that if the DOTD sends out the project for bid in November, then construction on a new overpass could potentially begin by the summer of 2024.

“I think plans for the project are set for around 1,200 calendar days from start to finish,” Halbrook said. “But that’s a ballpark figure because in honesty I don’t remember the exact number. 

“There’s a lot of staging elements that have to be in place before anything substantial can be started and would become visible to nearby drivers. So we just have to be patient while remaining hopeful it will be started and completed as fast as possible.”

By Kyle Roberts

On Saturday, March 25, Ruston High School will host its annual outdoor track and field meet: The Hoss Garrett Relays.

However, this one is more than just a line on a school schedule: now set for its thirtieth anniversary, the Hoss Garrett Relays has become synonymous with honoring the deep history of Ruston High School’s athletics, as well as celebrating the Garrett family, who for generations have represented the Red & White on the track, the gridiron, and the classroom.

Dave Anderson, legendary track head coach that led Ruston to multiple state championships in his tenure at the helm of the program, including a complete turnaround of the program in his first full season to win the 1992 state championship, understood that legacy early when he came to the hallowed halls of the “Firmly Founded.”

“I was at Neville before I came to coach Ruston, and being district rivals, I knew of the rich history at Ruston,” Anderson said. “When I was approached to come accept the job at Ruston, I paid special attention to the fact that, like Neville, it was a school steeped in tradition and history.

“It was not until I got here to Ruston in the fall of ’91 that I realized how much influence and the whole history that the Garrett family played in all the success of the high school and its athletic programs.”

So, in honor of that legacy, Anderson led a rebrand effort of what used to be known as the “Ruston Invitational” and turned it into the Hoss Garrett Relays which was first run at what is now Dave Anderson Track at James Field.

For Loyce Miller, daughter of Hoss and longtime educator at Ruston High, the history 

Originally scheduled for today, inclement and severe weather possibilities have moved the events to tomorrow, March 25, with field events beginning at 1:00 p.m., a running of the 4×800 relay for both boys and girls at 1:30 p.m., and the remaining track events scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

“I think it’s fantastic that we have such a rich and storied track and field tradition here at Ruston High School,” Trey Smith, current Ruston track and field head coach said. “It’s very important to me to reflect and honor those who have came before me and built the love and admiration for track and field in our community. The Hoss Garrett relays is great tribute to the Garrett family and their contributions to Ruston through the years, and I’m happy to have the ability to see that tradition live on.”

Ruston High principal Dan Gressett echoed earlier sentiments about the importance of the meet and the need to continue honoring the Garrett family.

“We are always excited this time of the year to host the Hoss Garrett Relays,” Gressett said. “For 30 years, it’s been considered one of the best track meets in the state and we once again have a great lineup of teams competing. Ruston High School wants to continue to make the Garrett family proud of how we honor Coach Garrett. Our coaches do a great job of putting on a first class meet. The weather didn’t cooperate for us to have it on Friday like usual, but Saturday will be a fun day. We are all looking forward to it.”

Scheduled to compete Saturday are Airline, Bentonville West, Cedar Creek, D’Arbonne Woodes, Highland Baptist, Neville, Ouachita, Parkway, Quitman, Ruston, Simsboro, St. Frederick’s, Union, West Monroe and West Ouachita.

And all the way in Florence, Ore., now an assistant coach at Siuslaw High School, Coach Anderson holds a special place in his heart for the legacy and school where he, too, coached multiple state championship teams and runners.

“Even through all the changes, sometimes tradition goes away because the new staff may come in and they want to do things their ways,” Anderson said. “Luckily for us, that legacy has continued through coaching changes and with athletes moving on.

“You know, Ruston being Ruston; they’ve held onto that tradition.”

Courtesy of the National Weather Service

Below is what the NWS is saying about the forecast for today in our area.

• Lincoln Parish is now included in the MODERATE RISK category.
• Elevated risk for TORNADOES, possibly EF2 or stronger, 111-135 mph or greater.
• Other risk factors include HAIL and HIGH DAMAGING WINDS, 74 mph or greater.
• Worst case scenario, Lincoln in threat area around 6 pm chance for serious threat of  DISCRETE SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS.
• Main timing potential for Lincoln is from 3 pm to 10 pm.
• Monitor weather resources for this incident.

__________________________________________

Code RED allows residents to sign up for emergency notifications, general notifications and severe weather warnings. Residents can choose up to sign up for one or all three. 

To sign up, visit ruston.org and scroll down to the Code Red box. From there, the process takes about three minutes to complete.

Courtesy of Grambling State University Communications

Grambling State University President Rick Gallot will journey south later this month to meet and interact with potential GSU students as part of the 2023 Bernetta Ambres Ambassador Tour.

The event was started by the late Grambling State alumna Bernetta Ambres and will connect GSU with high school students from St. John the Baptist, Jefferson, and Orleans parishes. 

President Gallot and GSU’s Bernetta Ambres Ambassador Tour team will depart for New Orleans on March 28. On March 29, the tour will officially begin with L.B. Landry High School at 8:30 a.m. before moving to Inspire NOLA Charter school at 10:00 a.m., Warren Easton Charter High School at noon, and St. Augustine High School at 1:30 p.m.

On Thursday, March 30, the day begins at 9:00 a.m. with Kipp New Orleans Charter Schools before moving to River Parishes High Schools at 11:15 a.m., and East St. John High School at 1:00 p.m. That afternoon, a luncheon will be held at Petra Restaurant and lounge followed by a fundraiser at 7:00 pm. at the Junior League of New Orleans headquarters.

On Friday, March 31, the day will begin with St. Katharine Drexel Preparatory School at 8:15 a.m. before ending the tour with Jefferson Parish Public Schools System at 10:00 a.m. 

Black Rifle Coffee Company will hold its official grand opening tomorrow (Saturday, March 25) from 5:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at its newest Ruston location on 1913 East Kentucky Avenue adjacent to 5.11 by Karl Malone.

The first 50 people in Black Rifle Coffee Company once doors open that morning will receive a FREE Yeti tumbler and free batch brew coffee (in tumbler) for a year.

There will be drawings for prizes every hour on the half hour from 6:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., including a drawing for a Kayo 60 pit bike with a 60 cc motor (MSRP $999). Other prizes provided by Legends, 5.11 by Karl Malone, Fan Base, Lauren Roebuck and Kay Baby’s. Winner have to be present at drawing to claim prizes.

The opening ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., including the raising of the flag, national anthem and ribbon cutting.

Follow Black Rifle Coffee Company in Ruston on Facebook at BRCC Ruston.

The coffee cafe is open Sunday thru Thursday from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Read our February story on BRCC by clicking HERE.

This is a paid advertorial.

This advertorial has been paid for by the Louisiana Economic Growth Committee. The views below do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishing staff of the Lincoln Parish Journal.

As Ruston approaches voting this Saturday on the referendum to approve expanded alcohol sales, the bottom-line facts are quite simple:

• Propositions 1,2 and 5 on the ballot are already allowed and were decided by Ruston voters 20 years ago.
• That decision led to significant local economic growth, with no adverse effects or unintended consequences.
• On March 25, residents have another opportunity to drive further economic growth by allowing stores 15,000 square feet or larger, who also sell other products, to sell higher quality wine, beer and spirits. That means Super 1, both Walmart’s, Ruston Groceries, Super Saver, and possibly one more grocery store that is considering coming to Ruston. That’s it.
• Without the ability to sell higher quality wine, beer and spirits, Ruston’s ability to attract additional new grocery stores will be significantly limited, which affects overall economic growth in the long-term.
• A small handful of suddenly vocal people are now claiming that if Ruston also votes to allow a few bars to potentially open in Ruston’s downtown entertainment district, that will surely tarnish Ruston’s image. But the City Council has already passed the toughest limitations in the state on where and how close bars could be located in downtown Ruston, if any are even proposed, and they would also have to be approved by the Planning and Zoning Office.
• And the “bar facts” are clear. We already have several bars downtown that also serve food, proving that the restaurant business model works if the establishment is well run. But the only true bar Ruston had closed decades ago, and even though low-alcohol-content bars have been legal in Ruston since 2002, not one has opened. The notion of Ruston being suddenly overrun with bars ignores the strict limitations in place, and is just a scare tactic being used in the absence of logic and facts.
• On the economics side, Ruston is losing out on the benefit of local sales revenues and the taxes generated by those revenues to the tune of $1.5 million a year, and probably more, for no good reason. People are still buying alcoholic beverages, they’re just buying them somewhere else.

It’s 2023, and Ruston has an opportunity to again adopt minor changes that could provide big economic and convenience benefits for the community, and the risks, if any, are small and easily managed.

More than 3,000 Ruston residents chose to call this election, and their voices should not be silenced, and the economic opportunities should not be lost, because a small, last-minute, suddenly vocal minority is trotting out the same vague opposition arguments that were made 20 years ago and have clearly been proven false.

Ruston’s growth during the past two decades has been steady, smart, planned and well-managed. There is no reason, or evidence, to suggest that two minor changes to local laws are going to change the character of the city in a negative way. History here in Ruston, and in many other communities across Louisiana that have adopted similar changes, has proven such claims false.

Please support economic growth, shopping convenience, and keeping local dollars local. Vote to adopt all five Propositions on the ballot and help keep Ruston moving forward.

This advertorial has been paid for by the Louisiana Economic Growth Committee. Go to http://www.LouisianaEGC.org for more information.

By Emma Stone

To area resident Alan Brown, turning 70 seemed like the perfect opportunity to embark on a grueling challenge: hiking the Appalachian Trail.

Brown was born in Florida and grew up in Texas and Oklahoma. After high school, Brown joined the Navy during the Vietnam War and was assigned to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

He, then, lived in Virginia for 38 years where he heard stories of people hiking the Appalachian Trail.

“After I retired in 2009, I bought a travel trailer and I started travelling the country doing volunteer work,” said Brown.

One of his volunteer projects was spent working at the O.W.L Center in Dubach. During his time, he attended a local church where he met his future mother-in-law. Brown married his wife, Pam, and they have spent the next 10 years living south of Ruston, but he had an idea to finish hiking the entirety of the Appalachian Trail. 

“I have hiked pieces of the Appalachian Trail, because my son is an Eagle Scout,” said Brown. “I’ve done a fair amount of hiking, just smaller hikes here and there. I’ve, also, canoed a lot up in the boundary lakes in Minnesota.”

For Brown, exploring has always been a passion, so he began training for the challenge, but the next hurdle was where to start.

The Appalachian Trail runs 2,220 miles from Georgia to Maine. For most hikers, it takes six to nine months to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.

Brown decided to hike the trail in sections in accordance with the advice from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

“They told me they had so many people starting off in the Georgia area, so I altered my start point to the halfway point of the trail, which is roughly Harpers Ferry, West Virginia,” said Brown.

Because of Brown’s background, he is more familiar with the Virginia area, so this would be a good start for him, but his next challenge would be where to train.

Louisiana’s highest elevation point reaches 535 feet, so Brown struggled with finding the right terrain to prepare himself.

“I’ve been going out to Lincoln Parish Park and hiking their trails with or without a pack,” said Brown. “The highest elevation is like 500 feet there, so it’s not like I’m climbing mountains.”

Due to his age, Brown is determined to finish the trail in the next couple of years, but advice he has heard from people does make him wary.

“2,000 people a year start hiking the trail, but something like 80% dropout within the first 100 miles or so,” said Brown. “People say to go ahead and pack what you need, then sit down, and take out half of it.”

Brown began his hike yesterday at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, and will end in the Southern region of Virginia in four days.

“I just love adventure; I love to travel, and I like to go places where I’ve never been and do things I’ve never done, so this fits right in,” said Brown.

Two men were arrested Wednesday on separate traffic stops after police officers detected the smell of marijuana coming from their cars.

In both instances, other illegal drugs or firearms were found.

Ruston Police arrested a West Monroe man early Wednesday morning after stopping a vehicle far and equipment violation.

About midnight, a Toyota Forerunner was stopped on La. Highway 33 for an equipment violation. The experienced officer detected the odor of raw marijuana coming from the car.

The driver said she had no knowledge of any marijuana in the car, but the passengers might have some. A back seat passenger, Deon Tribble, 22, was questioned and he handed over a plastic baggie containing raw marijuana. The man identified himself at the time as Dee Miles.

As the patrol officer walked back to his vehicle, Tribble fled from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a Saint .223 short barreled rifle with a round in the chamber where Tribble had been sitting. The magazine was found under the seat.

A short time later, a caller reported a man matching Tribble’s description had requested a ride and was dropped off at the Cooktown Road Waffle House. The man was taken into custody.

The suspect was later identified as Tribble, who said he fled because he was a convicted felon and knew the firearm was in the back seat.

Tribble was convicted of felony manufacture and distribution of a Schedule I controlled substance earlier this year. He was booked for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, resisting an officer by giving a false name and by flight, and possession of marijuana. Bail was set at $22,000.

A New Orleans man was arrested in Grambling later Wednesday after officers smelled marijuana holder of marijuana coming from his vehicle on a traffic stop.

Willie F. Holmes, IV, 19, was stopped for a moving violation Wednesday night by Grambling Police.

When officers approached the car and the driver lowered the window, a very strong odor of marijuana was detected by officers. Holmes was asked if he had anything illegal in the vehicle and he replied no. A search located a bag containing suspected marijuana, promethazine cough syrup in a prescription bottle with the name removed, and digital scales.

Holmes admitted the bag was his. He was arrested and booked for possession of marijuana, possession of a Schedule V controlled substance (promethazine), and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail on the drug charges was set at $5500.

Holmes is also being held on two bench warrants for failure to appear in court. Additional information on those charges was unavailable at the time of this report.

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. 

A state police trooper arrested a Monroe woman Tuesday afternoon after spotting her speeding at 100 miles per hour on Interstate 20.

Aieshia Q. Ball, 42, was stopped for speeding on I-20 east of Ruston. After several requests, Ball stepped out of her Nissan Altima but immediately began arguing when asked for her driver’s license.

After being asked multiple times for a driver’s license and for her name and birth date during her confrontational behavior, she was arrested.

A driver’s license was found in Ball’s purse, but a records check revealed it was under suspension.

Ball was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for speeding 100 in a 70 mph zone, driving under suspension, and resisting an officer by failure to identify herself. Bail was set at $2,000.

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. 

It takes less space to grow up these days than in the olden days.

Back in the day, teenagers had their stereo in their bedroom. It was usually a monster. There was a turntable, an amplifier, and speakers. The two speakers were the size of a medium end table. The speakers could put out some sound. Then the collection of materials played up space too. If you were of the album era, those albums while thin had a large diameter. The album had the album jacket that slid into the album cover. Some artists would release double albums. There were transition times with the music. Albums would try to give way to eight-track, which never caught on. The eight tracks gave way to cassettes. Some of the stereo systems would handle two or three types of music media. Plus there were storage requirements for eight tracks and for cassettes.

If a kid was lucky they had a phone in their room. The phone would be attached by chord to the wall and the receiver was attached by chord to the base. Really lucky kids had phone with long chords so they could walk around their room to change albums while they were on the phone.

There was some kind of alarm clock or clock radio in the room. That was necessary so the kid could get that great sleep between the time the alarm goes off and the parent came into the room and made one get out of bed. We get that same great sleep today by hitting the snooze button.

Some studious kids had a desk in their room with a typewriter on the desk. The term papers looked better typed and if you had a Pica typewriter those pages added up quicker, or so it seemed. There was rarely a television in this ancient bedroom. The television was in the den. It was a 25 inch RCA color and the family would gather in the room to watch a show. Since there was no remote, channel changing was done manually by the youngest member of the family.

So today kids don’t need as much space as those of us of another era. Their music, alarm, computer, TV, telephone, and speakers are held in their hands. Pull your phone out and look at everything it does. There is a tool that allows us all to do things we never dreamed could be done by one tool. We know that tool.

iPhone

There are times you don’t know what to do or where to go. What can you do when you have lost something in your life and you are grieving? If you are ill and the doctors seem stymied, what do you do then? If you have a parent or a child who does not listen and they are doing hurtful thing what do you do? If you have done something wrong, hurting yourself or someone else, where do you go for healing and forgiveness? As you look at life, the decision you need to make the direction you need to discover, who will help you with that? There is one way to deal with these kinds of challenges.

Jesus

By T. Scott Boatright

The Choudrant softball team rolled its District 2-B record to 2-0 Thursday night as the Lady Aggies took control early and held on for a 7-4 home win over Forest.

It was the bottom of the second when Choudrant’s first three batters reached base on errors, with all three batters – Addison Worley, Emma and Mattie Johnson – scoring runs to push the Lady Aggies to a 3-0 advantage.

Forest pushed across three runs in the top of the third, but Choudrant added a pair of runs in the bottom half of the stanza to go on top 5-3.

After Forest added another run in the top of the inning, Holly Bennett led off the bottom of the fifth for the Aggies with a single before Worley’s two-run blast pushed Choudrant out to a 7-3 advantage.

Choudrant now stands at 18-3 on the season and stands in fifth place in GeauxPrep.com’s Division V Nonselect School softball power rankings.

“We started the week off rough but winning the next two to open the district season hopefully helps us build momentum as we head down the stretch,” said Choudrant coach Wayne Antley. “The girls are working hard and playing pretty good softball right now. We just have to keep it going.”

Choudrant 16, Simsboro 5

The Lady Aggies opened District 2-B play with a win as Choudrant grabbed an early lead on Tuesday  and held off a late Simsboro rally try.

Mattie Johnson’s opening-stanza double provided the power in the Lady Aggies’ three-run first inning before the first two Choudrant batters struck out to open the second before adding four more runs before the stanza ended with another strikeout.

“Getting that big lead was important in that one,” Antley said. “But we knew Simsboro could always try to battle back, which they did late. But opening district play with a win is always a good thing, so that was good to see.”

Choudrant added a run in the third stanza on a Bailey single Another two-run double by Johnson in the fourth started off a four-run inning for the Lady Aggies, pushing Choudrant’s lead to 12-0 at that point.

Simsboro plated its first run in the bottom of the fourth inning and tried to rally in the bottom of the fifth, pushing across five runs on three hits and a pair of Choudrant errors.

Claiborne Christian 6, Choudrant 4

The week didn’t start well for the Lady Aggies as a costly error in the fourth gave the winning run to Claiborne Christian, which added an insurance run in the sixth to seal the win for the Lady Crusaders.

Choudrant jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second before Choudrant tied things up in the top of the third on a two-run homer from Zoey Smith, but Claiborne Christian plated a run in the bottom half of the stanza for a 3-2 advantage heading into the fourth inning.

The Lady Crusaders pushed their lead 5-2 in the fifth off a pair of triples and a fielding error allowed Claiborne Christian to score a couple more runs.

Addison Worley’s two-run double in the top of the fifth inning accounted for Choudrant’s other two runs.

Holly Bennett picked up the loss for Choudrant despite giving up only two earned runs in the contest.

By T. Scott Boatright

Choudrant’s baseball team continued its dominance Thursday night as the Aggies saved their best for last in a 11-3 home win over Claiborne Christian.

The Aggies have now won eight straight games and 10 of their last 11 and stand at 15-4 on the season.

Those numbers put Choudrant on top the Division V Nonselect School power rankings. The Aggies are also the No. 1 in this week’s  Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association Class B baseball poll.

“We just have to keep working hard and taking things one game at a time,” said Choudrant coach Joel Antley. “And this team knows how to do that. It’s about trying to get better every game and that’s what we’re going to stay focused on and let the rest happen.”

Landon Hennen led off the bottom of the first for the Aggies with a single and put them on top 1-0 at the end of the opening stanza and being knocked in on a Kaden Bradshaw single.

The Aggies added another run in the second as Eli Callender singled to reach base before scoring on a single hit by Hennen.

But Claiborne Christian wasn’t about to make it easy early on, plating three runs in the top of the fourth to go on top 3-2 before Choudrant countered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning after Colton Smith and Callender reached base on walks before scoring on one-run singles hit by Bryce McGuire and Kaden Bradshaw.

Choudrant then added three runs in the bottom of the fifth to move out to a 7-3 advantage before adding three more runs in the bottom of the sixth.

McGuire earned the win for the Aggies, giving up only two hits while striking out seven Crusaders.

The Aggies will return to action on Monday at Union Parish High School.

Choudrant 4, Grant 2

On Tuesday, the Aggies spread out five hits over six innings on Tuesday, taking a 2-0 lead in the second inning before Grant plated two runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning to tie things up heading into the third.

Choudrant added one run in both the bottom of the third and fourth innings to hold on for the win.

Senior Landon Hennen went the distance on the mound for the Aggies to earn the win, holding Grant to four hits while striking out five batters.

Hennen also led the Aggies at the plate with two hits – a single and a double – while Colton Smith added a pair of singles. Bryce McGuire also turned in a single for Choudrant.

Choudrant 13, Quitman 2

The Aggies road game at Quitman was tight early on before the Aggies cranked up their bats midway through and never looked back on Monday.

Choudrant pushed across a pair of runs off of three hits to open the contest before plating six more in a six-hit third inning to push their lead to 8-1.

Quitman, which scored its first run in the bottom of the opening stanza, added another run in the third, but was dominated by Aggies pitcher Eli Callender, who allowed only two hits and no earned runs while striking out six Wolverines.

Offensively, Callender also recorded an RBI double for Choudrant.

Kaden Bradshaw led the Aggies with a three-for-three batting performance while Gavin Murphy went three-of-four with two doubles and a single.

Landon Hennen batted two-for-three for CHS with a double and a single while Bryce McGuire added a triple for the Aggies.

Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Bowling

The Louisiana Tech women’s bowling team is set to compete in the Southland Conference Bowling Championships today through Sunday in Rowlett, Texas.

The Lady Techsters are the No. 6 seed in the eight-team event: Arkansas State (3), Louisiana Tech (6), Sam Houston State (5), Stephen F. Austin (3), Tulane (7), Valparaiso (8), Vanderbilt (1), Youngstown St. (4).

Teams will bowl one standard five-person game for total pinfall, then five baker games for total pinfall. If one team wins both the traditional game and baker games, they advance. If both teams split the standard and baker games, they will move on to a best-of-seven series of baker games. Teams will change lane pairs after each game.

Louisiana Tech heads into conference play finishing in the top-10 in all 10 of their regular-season events during the 2022-23 schedule. Tech finished in the top five in nine of those events including two runner-up finishes and three tournament championships.

LA Tech enters the tournament after finishing 4th at the Vanderbilt-hosted Music City Classic. Before the Music City Classic, Tech competed in the USBC Sectionals where they finished third and earned a bid to the ITC Nationals in Las Vegas next month.

The Lady Techsters will begin round one facing off against SFA on Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. 

Softball

The Louisiana Tech Softball team resumes Conference USA play with a three-game series against Middle Tennessee at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field this weekend starting with tonight’s 6 p.m. first pitch weather-permitting.

Saturday’s second game is slated for 2 p.m. while Sunday’s finale is set for 1 p.m.

Stay tuned to @LATechSB on Twitter for any updates to possible game-time changes due to possible weather.

All three games can be seen with a subscription to CUSA.tv.

Louisiana Tech (18-10, 3-3) is coming off a 6-3 loss at No. 21 Texas A&M on Wednesday. All six pitchers saw action in the contest, which was a season-high for pitchers used by Tech. KB Briley continued her tear at the plate with a solo home run in the third inning.

Sierra Sacco is on a nine-game hitting streak, leading off the game at Texas A&M with a leadoff single through the left side. Sacco batted .545 during the Lady Techsters’ four games last week, collecting six hits and two RBI while scoring six runs. As a result of her efforts, she was named to the NFCA top performers list. Sacco has 18 stolen bases this season which ranks 15th nationally.

Pitching has been the story this season for the Lady Techsters, as they hold a team ERA of 1.86 in 188.2 innings pitched.

Mary Martinez leads the Techsters in the circle with a 6-1 record while holding a 1.56 ERA in 36 innings pitched. Martinez picked up her sixth win of the season by going five innings in a 10-2 win over FIU in the series finale. Brook Melnychuk leads Tech with a 1.41 ERA which leads ranks 15th nationally.

Middle Tennessee (21-7, 2-1) is coming off a 2-1 series win over UAB last weekend. The Blue Raiders were supposed to play Central Arkansas on Wednesday, but the game was called off due to inclement weather.

Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee have met 18 times, with Tech leading the all-time series, 10-8. The Lady Techsters have won the last four match-ups against the Blue Raiders, including a three-game series sweep in 2022.

Baseball

The Louisiana Tech baseball team heads to Bowling Green, Kentucky this weekend to face WKU for its first road conference series of the season.

Tonight’s first pitch at Nick Denes Field is slated for 6 p.m. followed by Saturday (6 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.). All three games can be heard on 97.7 FM and through the LA Tech Athletics app.

The Bulldogs (10-11, 1-2) look to snap a three-game losing streak, having suffered back-to-back defeats to Charlotte fol­lowed by a midweek 10-6 loss at ULM. LA Tech is now 1-5 on the road this season.

Jonathan Hogart recorded his first multi-hit game as a Bulldog this past Tuesday against the Warhawks. He has recorded at least one hit in seven of his last eight games.

The Bulldogs rank second in C-USA home runs with 27 this season. They have hit at least one home run in 15 of their 21 games this season (have hit at least one in six of their last seven games).

WKU (15-7, 1-2) opened the season with seven straight victories, but the Hilltoppers have lost three of their last four.  Two of those came in their C-USA series opener at Middle Tennessee while the other was a 15-8 midweek loss at No. 6 Louisville this past Tuesday.

The Hilltoppers success so far this season can be attributed to their offense.  Their .317 team batting average seconds second in C-USA while their 57 doubles this season is the second most in the country.  Eight WKU players are battling over .300, led by Aidan Gilroy and Ty Crittenberger who are batting .381 and .380, respectively.

LA Tech leads the all-time series against WKU, 27-18.  The Bulldogs have won six straight over the Hilltoppers, including a home sweep last season in Ruston. 

Track and Field

The Louisiana Tech men’s and women’s Outdoor Track teams will travel for their first road outdoor meet of the 2023 season when they visit Waco, Texas, for the Clyde Hart Classic hosted by Baylor today and tomorrow at the Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium.

The Clyde Hart will welcome 12 competing programs across the Big 12, Big 10, WAC, Sun Belt, SWAC, and Southland. LA Tech will be the only Conference USA program represented. The field includes Baylor, Grambling, Louisiana Tech, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Tarleton State, SFA, TCU, Texas A&M CC, ULM, and UT Arlington.

The two-day meet will cover 36 events (16 field, 20 running) and will take place at the Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium in Waco, Texas. Friday’s field events will begin at noon, followed by the running events at 6 p.m., and Saturday’s events will begin in the field at 11:30 a.m., with the running events starting at 2:30 p.m. LA Tech will feature 36 athletes in competition (18 female, 18 male) across 17 different events.

LA Tech earned 14 event wins in their opening meet of the outdoor season and registered 14 PRs.

Henry Terral (javelin), Nemoy Cockett (hammer), Mateo Smith (long jump), DaLoria Boone (long jump), Johnie Jean-Jacques (shot put), Kayla Watson (110H), Faith Tarver (200m, 400m), Laeden Tucker (400m), and Victoria Datta (800m) are all slated to compete coming off event wins at last week’s home Jim Mize Invitational. 
 

Kansas State. Connecticut. Florida Atlantic. Gonzaga.

They all punched their ticket to the regional finals last night with wins. Four more teams will do the same today. Saturday and Sunday will see four regional finals that will determine this year’s Final Four.

A few Cinderella’s are still alive. A number of blue bloods have been ousted.

It is what makes this time of the year so much fun.

One lucky participant in the Karl Malone Toyota Bracket Contest presented by Martin Presence will take home $1,000 in cash come early April.

It will be one shining moment in more ways than one.

It’s free. It’s fun. It’s March basketball.

To see the update standings, go HERE

Notice: Just one winner of the $1,000.00. The Rules can change without notice. The contest can be canceled without notice to participants. Not responsible for any technical failures. All decisions by Management are final. If you have any questions or feedback, please send an email to: LPJNewsLa@gmail.com

Each Monday and 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, March 24
6 p.m.: LA Tech softball v. Middle Tennessee
7 p.m.: RCT Presents: The Play that Goes Wrong (Dixie Theatre)

Saturday, March 25
9 a.m.: Deep South Little Britches Rodeo (North Louisiana Exhibition Center)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
Noon to 4 p.m.: Edible Art interactive art experience (Ruston Art Encounter)
2 p.m.: LA Tech softball v. Middle Tennessee
7 p.m.: RCT Presents: The Play that Goes Wrong (Dixie Theatre)

Sunday, March 26
9 a.m.: Deep South Little Britches Rodeo (North Louisiana Exhibition Center)
1 p.m.: LA Tech softball v. Middle Tennessee
2 p.m.: RCT Presents: The Play that Goes Wrong (Dixie Theatre)

DELHI, La. – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, Louisiana State Parks, and elected officials recently officially opened the Conference Center at Black Bear Golf Club in Richland Parish. The new facility is expected to attract diverse groups for a wide array of events from trade shows and corporate events to family reunions and weddings, each enhancing revenue for the park and surrounding community.

Overlooking the 18th hole of Black Bear Golf Course, the new conference center has seating capacity for 160 dinner guests, a presenter’s nook with audio/visual equipment, lectern and flat screen television, a full commercial kitchen with serving line and two large covered patios. The rear patio features a 38-foot-high tower with an integrated public address system designed for golf tournaments, special events, and general safety announcements.

“This is an exciting day for north Louisiana. This new conference center has been years in the making and will prove to be one of this area’s premier venues. We have already started promoting the facility to small conventions and conferences with the plan to help increase the number of visitors to north Louisiana. I want to especially thank Representative Francis Thompson and Senator Katrina Jackson for their support in the construction of this great facility,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.

The new facility is conveniently located within Poverty Point State Park next to the Black Bear Golf Course Pro Shop. State park amenities include a marina and boat launch, fishing piers, beach, picnic area, water playground and nature trails. Overnight visitors can choose from two bedroom waterfront cabins, lodges that sleep up to ten people, or RV camping.

Additionally, Lt. Governor Nungesser announced plans for a 60-acre tract of land recently acquired by Louisiana State Parks with a goal to develop a new state of the art visitor center, built to UNESCO World Heritage Site standards adjacent to Poverty Point World Heritage Site in Pioneer, LA.

For more information about the Conference Center at Black Bear Golf Club and Louisiana State Parks, go to LaStateParks.com or follow Louisiana State Parks on Facebook or Twitter.

Graveside services for Mr. Orville Earl Schroeder, age 84 of Choudrant, LA will be held at 2:30 PM, Friday, March 24, 2023 at New Hope Cemetery in Choudrant with Rev. Dwayne Monk officiating. Burial will be held under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston, LA.

Orville was born June 13, 1938 in Manitowoc, WI to Edna and Anthony Schroeder and passed away March 18, 2023 in Ruston. He served his country as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force and served in Korea. Orville retired from being a radar technician with FAA and then became an instructor with FAA Academy. He and his wife Doris spent time together working summers at Yellowstone National Park. Orville enjoyed travelling, meeting new people and taking in the nature around him. He thoroughly enjoyed talking and catching up with his old friends. Orville loved to watch old westerns on the TV with his beautiful wife. He especially loved watching hockey with his daughter Gina. Though his heart was weak, it was full of love for his wife and family.

Orville is survived by his wife of 46 years Doris Mae Schroder; daughter Gina Schroeder-Cook and husband Dan Cook; son Kenny Schroeder and wife Patty Schroeder; brother-in-law Larry J. Wallace and wife Sandra Wallace; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a host of many friends and other family.

Visitation will be held from 11:00-1:00 PM, Friday, March 24, 2023 at Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Ruston. To leave an online memorial message for the family, please visit www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com.

Horace Norman Williams  
Wednesday 04/09/1930 — Sunday 03/19/2023   
Family Gathering: Friday 03/24/2023 2:00pm to 3:00pm at King’s Funeral Home  
Visitation: Friday 03/24/2023 3:00pm to 5:00pm at King’s Funeral Home  
Celebration of Life: Saturday 03/25/2023 11:00am, Asberry Missionary Baptist Church, 604 Paine Rd., Chatham  
Interment: Saturday 03/25/2023 Following Service, Asberry Cemetery, Chatham  

Sally Guffie  
July 22, 1946 – March 21, 2023  
Services pending  

Orville Schroeder   
June 13, 1938 – March 18, 2023   
Visitation: Friday, March 24, 2023, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home   
Graveside Service: Friday, March 24, 2023, 2:30 PM. New Hope Cemetery. 292 New Hope Road, Choudrant   

Reverend Henry Island   
Died: Sunday 03/12/2023   
Visitation: Saturday 03/25/2023 11:00am to 1:00pm at King’s Funeral Home   
Celebration of Life: Saturday 03/25/2023 1:00pm, New Rocky Valley Baptist Church, 2155 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Grambling   
Interment: Saturday 03/25/2023 Following Service, Grambling Memorial Garden, Highway 80 West, Grambling   

Thuyen Do    
December 10, 1968 – March 16, 2023    
Visitation; Thursday, March 23, 2023, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home 
Memorial Service: Friday, March 24, 2023, 12:00 PM, St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 810 Carey Ave, Ruston 

ARCH335, Louisiana Tech’s award-winning Design Build class, and its longtime client MedCamps of Louisiana, recently enjoyed a groundbreaking ceremony for the teammates’ newest project, the 2023 Design Build Imago Amphitheater, an outdoor amphitheater that will be introduced in another ceremony upon its completion in May.

The continued growth and evolution of Camp Alabama and its programs, coupled with its participatory growth, made the amphitheater the next logical project for the property in Choudrant-Sibley where youngsters with chronic illnesses and disabilities are served through unique recreational and educational experiences.

“The amphitheater was chosen to plant the seed that will be the new heart of Camp Alabama across the pond, away from the busy Highway 145, and give our 2021 entry project its anticipated destination,” said Tech School of Design’s Brad Deal who, along with fellow associate professor Robert Brooks, act as instructors, mentors, colleagues, and coworkers throughout the duration of ARCH 335’s annual creation.

In 2021, ARCH 335 developed a new entry for the Camp at a quieter location off Highway 821; that was the beginning of the implementation of the 2020 Master Plan. Long term, Camp Alabama hopes to build a new main operations building for which this spring’s amphitheater will be a companion.

The amphitheater will be used for opening and closing camp ceremonies, camper talent shows and general gatherings of all kinds.

“This is the exciting part for me,” Brooks said. “On a daily basis it will serve as a landmark in the landscape, and a place of performance: everything from talent shows to performances. But what I like the most about it is that Imago will serve as a place of ‘memory making’ — the place where opening and closing ceremonies will happen and where camp and cabin group photos will be taken.”

The name Imago comes from the idea of transformation. It is the stage of development in which a butterfly emerges from its cocoon.

“This speaks to the transformation experienced by the campers when they share their talents and fully participate in camp — it changes them,” Deal said. “This idea inspired the students to create a sculptural roof form that appears to be in the process of growth and transformation.”

“A long time ago, Goethe said that ‘architecture is frozen music,’” Brooks said. “Rather than music, this new amphitheater is frozen transformation.”

The project’s foundation will be made from traditional concrete and framing lumber, but the roof will be created from generously donated steel rods and pipes from Nadel & Gussman, a regular donor to Camp Alabama and ARCH 335 projects.

Those materials, along with Brooks, Deal, one graduate student, 16 undergrads, and “blood, sweat and tears,” Brooks said, will combine to create what will likely be another award-winning structure. But while ARCH 335 teams have won multiple professional design awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Gulf States Region AIA over the past decade, that has never been the goal of Camp Alabama creations.

“Rather,” Brooks said, “our steadfast mission as leaders of Design/Build is two-fold: to provide real-world tangible educational experiences for our students, and to use our talents as architects and professors to increase the potential for joy for our clients — children with chronic illnesses and disabilities.”

Brooks thinks the “expressive, transformative shape and shapes” of the Imago will be what sets it apart from the architecture of other amphitheaters, at least formally.

“Conceptually,” he said, “the students have worked really hard to ‘freeze’ the physical act of transformation into that of architecture. Straddling both land and water, it’s location and proximity is ‘of the earth, of the sky, and of the water.’”

A practical reality might also make the Imago something extra special.

“This project is unique in its form and design of course,” Deal said, “but what makes it most special is its role in establishing an expansion of camp facilities around Lake Alabama and beginning the development for what will hopefully become MedCamps and Camp Alabama’s primary operations in the future.”

UPDATED (Today at 8 a.m.): The NWS has updated its severe weather forecast and the main risk for the Lincoln Parish area is now Friday. Our area has now been upgraded to the moderate risk for this weather with widespread storms likely.

Friday will start with cloudy skies but strong thunderstorms are expected in the afternoon. Damaging winds, large hail, and possibly a tornado could part of the severe weather. Chance of rain is 100 percent Friday.

Code RED allows residents to sign up for emergency notifications, general notifications and severe weather warnings. Residents can choose up to sign up for one or all three. 

To sign up, visit ruston.org and scroll down to the Code Red box. From there, the process takes about three minutes to complete.

__________________

Lincoln Parish and the surrounding area could very likely see some severe weather today and into tonight.

Lincoln Parish is in the ENHANCED RISK category for severe weather late Thursday/early Friday with a chance for strong winds, hail and tornadoes.

By Malcolm Butler

I’ve known Katie Hall for more than 25 years.

If my memory serves me correctly, I first met her working Leon Barmore’s basketball camps in the late 1990s. I got to know her much better when I joined the LA Tech Athletics Department staff in 1999 and she returned a year later to join Barmore’s coaching staff.

We spent a lot of times on buses and in airports and of course in basketball gyms together. And one thing I know is that Katie Hall – Katie Cochran when she was wearing the Columbia blue at Tech – is as good as gold.

And that’s what Cedar Creek hit with the hiring of her to replace the highly-successful, newly-retired Gene Vandenlangenberg as the head girls varsity basketball coach. That news broke yesterday.

It’s a huge hire for the school, on a number of levels.

Although she has never been a head coach on the high school level, Katie possess all the other credentials needed for Cedar Creek to feel confident in their decision.

She was a star on the C.E. Byrd teams in the early 1990s, including two state champions and one team that finished the year ranked No. 1 in the country in USA Today. She knows what it is like to be an every day starter.

She was a reserve during her four years for Barmore and the Lady Techsters. Although she was a co-captain her senior year, she was a role player. She knows what that feels like and how important that role is as well … at least on winning teams.

Katie cares. She will teach and coach and love every one of the young ladies who comes through that program and they will know it. In this day and age, that’s as important as X’s and O’s.

But the biggest reason it’s a solid hire for Cedar Creek is the school needs stability within its athletic programs. There has been a tremendous amount of turnover over the last few years, with coaches, administration and faculty. Some really loyal, loving teachers, coaches and administrators have retired.

So this hire goes beyond wins and losses on the court. Sure, that’s what many judge all head coaches on every level on day in and day out. Understandable. But Katie — although not a Creek alum — has plenty of love and loyalty already running through her veins.

She is what Cedar Creek needs.

Replacing institutional knowledge is challenging. It’s even harder to replace people who truly care and who serve as the so-called glue that hold a place together. No administration wants to have to replace a position every year or every other year. Continuity is a key to success.

And within the last three years, Creek has had to replace head coaches in boys basketball, girls basketball, baseball and football.

Cedar Creek needs Katie Hall as much or more than Katie Hall needs Cedar Creek. They need to find the next Ben Haddox and Gene Vandenlangenberg and Donnie Barmore and Gloria and Julie Risers of the world for their athletic programs — all people who were committed, embedded and invested in the school and its young people.

Katie, I believe, fits that to a T … or in this case, the interlocked C’s.

The school has a wonderful history of success in the classroom and on the fields and courts. Softball and baseball and cross country and weightlifting have all won state titles in the last decade. Girls’ basketball played for one two years ago.

Like many schools across the state, Cedar Creek faces some challenges when it comes to retaining staff whether coaches or teachers. But the first step is always hiring the right people that fit the culture and who want to be a part of the green and gold.

I believe that in this case Cedar Creek did that and Katie will be an integral piece of the Creek puzzle for a long, long time.