Jim Davison will be one of a number of Tech graduates honored during homecoming as Distinguished Alums. (photo courtesy of LA Tech Communications)
Courtesy of LA Tech University Communications
A luncheon celebrating Louisiana Tech University’s 2025 Distinguished Alumni kicks off weekend events for the University’s 100th Homecoming.
The University’s 2025 Distinguished Alumni are:
Alumnus of the Year: Jim Davison
A 1989 Louisiana Tech graduate, Jim Davison is a dedicated alumnus and respected energy executive currently serving on the Board of Directors for Genesis Energy, L.P. In addition to his leadership in the energy sector, Davison has made a lasting impact on Louisiana Tech through both philanthropy and personal involvement. Along with his wife, Margaret, Davison’s commitment to Louisiana Tech reflects a legacy of generosity, service, and leadership that continues to shape the student experience.
Young Alumnus of the Year: KaDavien Baylor
KaDavien Baylor is a proud 2016 Louisiana Tech alumnus and Shreveport-based public artist. His work transforms communities through bold visual storytelling and civic engagement. In addition to his large-scale art projects, he is deeply committed to youth education through SCORE, mentoring over 1,000 students in school-based mural collaborations. A published author, community leader, and recipient of the Greater Shreveport Chamber’s 40 Under 40 honor, Baylor’s work has been featured in national outlets including USA Today and The New York Times.
College of Applied and Natural Sciences: Dr. Julie Ray Roberts
Since graduating with a master’s degree in speech-language pathology in 2005, Dr. Julie Ray Roberts has become a renowned expert in deaf education, apraxia, and autism spectrum disorders. As founder/CEO of AAC Studio, Inc., Roberts has established herself as a leading authority in her field. She has worked extensively in schools, private practices, and non-profit organizations, having developed innovative approaches to supporting individuals with complex needs.
College of Business: Doreen Griffith
A 1989 summa cum laude graduate in accounting, Griffith serves as a tax principal in the Dallas market for Grant Thornton, using her extensive business acumen to drive the firm’s strategic objectives and growth initiatives with teams, clients, and community. A dedicated civic leader and philanthropist, Griffith serves on the American Heart Association Dallas Board and the Louisiana Tech College of Business Advisory Board. With her husband Eric (’87), Griffith has made significant philanthropic contributions to Louisiana Tech, including two endowed professorships and a legacy gift to support future students.
College of Education and Human Sciences: Dr. Sandi Bennett Cooper
A native of Jonesboro, LA, Dr. Sandi Bennett Cooper earned her B.S. in 1985 and M.S. in 1988 from Louisiana Tech and is a nationally recognized leader in mathematics education. Dr. Cooper currently serves as professor and associate dean of undergraduate education at Baylor University. She has dedicated her career to advancing math education through research, teaching, and service. As the recipient of numerous state and national awards, Cooper is widely respected in higher education across Texas for her impactful work and leadership in the field.
College of Engineering and Science: Tim Cutt
A 1983 graduate in petroleum engineering, Tim Cutt is a seasoned energy executive with over four decades of experience, having served in top roles at ExxonMobil, BHP Billiton, Cobalt International, and QEP Resources. He now serves as non-executive chairman of Gulfport Energy, continuing to bring distinction to Louisiana Tech’s engineering legacy. Cutt currently serves as president of the Louisiana Tech Foundation Board, and along with his wife, Carolyn, made a transformational gift in 2019 to honor a beloved professor and support rebuilding the Bulldog soccer complex.
College of Liberal Arts: Perry Watson Perry Watson earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture in 1979 and currently serves as president of Yeager Watson & Associates (YWA). Watson is a licensed architect with over 40 years of experience designing complex educational, institutional, and community-focused facilities. As managing member of YWA, he leads early-stage design, programming, and coordination efforts. A devoted supporter of Louisiana Tech, he exemplifies the impact of alumni leadership.
The Alumni Awards luncheon will be Thursday, Oct, 30 at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are available here. Events continue throughout the weekend including the annual Homecoming parade Thursday at 6 p.m., followed by a pep rally on the TAC Steps and Tech-R-Treat and Tech Madness.
Homecoming Friday features the Golden Society Brunch, college receptions, the Alumni Association/LTAC Tailgate, and the Bulldogs vs. Sam Houston at 7 p.m. at Joe Aillet Stadium.
The Ruston Fire Department made history this week.
And in a good way
The Property Insurance Association of Louisiana (PIAL), a state run agency, completed its review and for the first time in the city’s history, the Ruston Fire Department earned a Class I rating.
“This is just incredible for the city of Ruston,” said Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker. “We have never had a Class I rating. Chief Womack and his entire staff worked tirelessly on this together. We have always said ‘Excellence Made Here.’ We always want to be excellent in everything we do in Ruston. This is just another example of what great people we have working for our citizens of Ruston.”
Ruston Fire Chief Chris Womack said that every fire department in the state is reviewed every five years as the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana thoroughly monitors them.
According to Chief Womack, the reviews are “very in-depth” and include areas such as telecommunications (dispatch), equipment such as fire engines and ladders (tools), manpower, personnel training, a city’s water (number and locations of hydrants), fire prevention, and public fire safety education.
“It includes a number of categories,” said Chief Womack. “We spend a lot of time each year focusing to make sure we meet these requirements. In the past, Ruston has been a Class II rating for at least the last two cycles, if not the last three. Prior to that we were a Class III.”
The rating system is Class I through Class X with Class X meaning a city doesn’t have a fire department.
Chief Womack said the Ruston Fire Department received a letter in January, communicating it was time for their review.
“We have to turn in a lot of records on-line, a lot of (digital) paperwork,” said Chief Womack. “Then they schedule an actual on-site visit where they check your trucks. They don’t just take your word for it. They go through the trucks, check training records. They will give you a random list and tell you they want to see those 10 (workers) training records. They want to double check everything you provided them.”
Chief Womack said the PIAL personnel visited Ruston in May for their on-site review.
“Our biggest (improvements) were we added some staffing, and we created a fire prevention bureau,” said Chief Womack. “And our staff has really stepped up to the plate and worked hard to cover every basis and making sure we don’t leave anything on the table.
“If we are doing something we want to make sure we are getting credit for it.”
Womack said that the improvement in fire ratings could lead to better fire insurance rates for Ruston residents.
“I don’t want to say that it guarantees lower fire insurance rates, but it should,” said Chief Womack. “Every insurance company does them differently. Some companies give different rates based on each individual (fire class rating) and then some do it by groups of (fire class ratings such as I, II and III get a rate and then IV, V, and VI get a different rate).
“It should give residents the best possible fire rates. And it’s just one more thing to help recruit families and businesses to Ruston. I know a lot of businesses look at fire ratings when looking to relocate because it helps them on their insurance.”
Special note: The Long Red Line will be hosting a reunion for past and present cross country runners this Saturday beginning at Ruston’s Invitational Meet at the Gospel to watch the Bearcats run beginning with the girls at 7:30 a.m. and then the boys at 8 a.m. The group will then meet at noon in the Main Gym at Ruston High to tour the Hall of Champions and then from 12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. at the Origin Bank Pavilion.
By Kyle Roberts
’81 PAUL THIELS – ’81 LORMAN SMITH – ’83, 84 JAMES TERRELL – ’91 JERAMIE HINOJOSA – ’92 RYAN ELMORE ** STATE CHAMPION – ’92 HIRAM DUNAWAY – ’93 NIKIMBA WILSON
Paul Thiels had no idea what he and Lorman Smith began back in 1981.
And how could he have? Back in the early ’80s, it was unheard of for a school in North Louisiana to become a powerhouse program in Louisiana cross country, and Thiels was much more interested in being on the diamond than running cross country.
“I was still trying to play baseball,” Thiels said. “And in the summer between our junior and senior seasons, Jesse Wisterman (the team’s top runner at the time) told me to come out and run with the team. I had no idea when I started, but I had a natural aptitude for it. And then by the time we got into cross country in the fall, I had gotten into shape and became the number one guy on the team. I owe a lot to Jesse for just asking me to come run.”
Thiels admitted being surprised at his all-state finish for Ruston High School, which cemented himself along with Smith as the beginning point of a tradition that has now stretched into its fifth decade — and with no end in sight. Thiels and Smith were both the inaugural members of what has now become “The Long Red Line,” Ruston High’s tribe of runners who have donned on the classic red uniform and taken part in an elite group.
When Thiels originally ran, he was coached by another member of a legendary family in Lincoln Parish: Coach David Crowe. Thiels would go on to run for Louisiana Tech University’s track team, and after graduating from Tech, life took Thiels all the way to Arkansas, Washington state and California. But Thiels still kept tabs on what was going on back at his Ruston home. And he immediately took notice of what a coach by the name of Dave Anderson began to do for the Bearcats after his hire in 1991.
“I was already gone from Ruston, but I watched the success he started having immediately,” Thiels said. “He was a terrific coach and a great developer of talent. And I really appreciate his ability not only to do the physical training to get a lot out of kids, but really the way he develops them, too, as young people. He can make kids believe in themselves.”
That initial success, belief and coaching has lasted for well over three decades at Ruston High School, helping lead in large part to where the program is today – a perrenial powerhouse in boys and girls cross country in a state where “The Long Red Line” truly means something special.
When Anderson took the reins in ’91, South Louisiana held the power and prestige in cross country for two decades since the sport became sanctioned for high schools in the state (1970 for girls, 1972 for boys).
“It was the private Catholic schools that had dominated the sport for years and years,” Anderson said. “In North Louisiana, there was not a program that could challenge the “powers that be” — Catholic, Rummel, Jesuit, Brother Martin, St. Joseph’s — schools like that.”
Ruston alum Jeramie Hinojosa was Anderson’s first Bearcat all-state runner in 1991 and reflected on how fortunate he was to be coached by him that first season — the beginning of Ruston’s climb to true respect in the cross country world.
“There’s still a sense of pride that comes with being part of that program and what we accomplished,” Hinojosa said. “Not that my life wouldn’t be complete without it, but those experiences I had being one of his athletes helped to shape the person that I am. It’s really hard to find a legacy that’s more impressive than his and one that’s been distinctively left on the program.”
Prior to coming to Ruston, Anderson had begun to make noise down the road at rival Neville High School as head cross country coach – even leading the Tigers to a state championship in 1990 before finding his home 30 miles west in Ruston a year later.
’91 RHS Cross Country team
And just one year after getting hired, Anderson’s 1992 Bearcat team hoisted the first boys’ trophy in program history, including the first individual Bearcat state champion, Ryan Elmore. In the span of five years, Anderson had made two different schools into powerhouse programs.
“We kind of broke the mold on that,” Anderson said. “We just started producing kids that made the composite all-state list. And now, when you talk to kids in this current generation about what it means to be a member “The Long Red Line,” they talk about wanting to be like the championship teams that came before them.”
Raising a championship caliber program doesn’t come easy. The cliches of hard work and dedication both apply, and to this day, nearly every runner interviewed recalled the same intense training required to run at an elite level — and what it meant to be part of something bigger than yourself.
Bearcat Jon Macaskill remembers that all too well as a runner from 1992-96 for Anderson.
“I have a love-hate relationship with that man,” Macaskill said before he laughed. “I still call him ‘Coach’ to this day. He was relentless. He put us through some of the most grueling physical workouts I’ve ever been through — and I saw that as a retired Navy Seal. But at the same time, those workouts made us the men and women we ended up being.”
Suzanne Dyson Tyler was Ruston’s first girls’ state champion back in 1996 and recalls the groundwork that was being laid by runners ahead of her, like Stacy Baragona and Molly Jones.
“I really started enjoying being part of something that was bigger than just one individual,” Tyler said. “You were never just running for yourself. Coach Anderson always did a really good job of making you realize that you represented a program and the Ruston name and all of those who laid the foundation before you. You always knew you were part of a team, and you can obviously do more as a team than you can individually.”
Hunter Carswell holds a very distinct honor in the state of Louisiana — to this day, he is the only Louisiana boys runner to earn all-state honors in each of his four years as a runner (’01, ’02, ’03 and ’04). He credits Anderson for unlocking something in him he never believed he’d have been able to find on his own.
“It was tough — extremely tough, but that’s what I needed,” Carswell said. “He knew the right buttons he could push to get me going. He saw something in me that I didn’t, and so I just appreciate everything he has done.”
But that legacy of training and team has led to the following program cross country feats at Ruston High:
Time marched forward, and longtime fans of any team and any sport can attest that there will be a period of time where the results aren’t what you’ve been used to — and Ruston High cross country was no different. Anderson would depart Ruston for good in 2011 after nearly 20 years at the helm (excluding a brief stint at West Monroe from 2005-06), and from 2013 – 2017, no Bearcat, boy or girl, made the all-state team – the longest drought since the gap from ’85-’90.
Enter Dustin Cochran, a graduate from Simsboro School and a budding distance coach in North Louisiana who helped the Tigers win a few state titles, who took over as head coach 2018 for Ruston High School.
Cochran was no stranger to Anderson, having shadowed him at practice during his own running days on the Tiger cross country team.
“(Simsboro Coach Chris Campbell) at the time would bring us to Ruston’s practices, here and there, and he would always tell us to watch the runners and pay attention,” Cochran said. “And I remember a specific day when Ladarrion Outley and Dustin Jenkins were doing a workout, and Coach Campbell said to me “This is what real distance runners look like.” And it was etched in my mind that I needed to be around the Ruston High program to be good at this. I knew at the time I wanted to be a coach, and Dave let me come hang out with him for a while.
“The best part about working with Dave is that he never gave me answers to my questions, but he would tell me where to go find the answers. He gave me the opportunity and the ability to do something for myself. That was a big thing that year, and it led me to getting here.”
Anderson’s former runners can see his imprint in the way Cochran coaches the team today.
“Watching Dustin coach has been awesome,” Carswell said. “After (Coach Anderson) left for good, you didn’t know where the program was going to go. But he’s done a great job with that program as far as keeping the tradition and culture of opponents fearing Ruston on the track. What I’ve seen from him, he’s done a great job, and I can’t praise him enough.”
Anderson knew it was a good hire and the jolt the program needed to get back to the high level of competitiveness in Louisiana Cross Country running.
“When Dustin was a student at Louisiana Tech, his younger brother Colton was at Simsboro and knew some guys on our team — he asked if he could come train with us,” Anderson said. “It was pretty common — we would have kids from Weston, Winnfield, a Cedar Creek kid or two to come train with us. Dustin started bringing Colt and got to see how our program was organized, the workout plans , etc. After I retired and moved to Arkansas, there was a patch of a few years where the program struggled, and when he was handed the opportunity to take over as distance coach, he did and has done a fantastic job reinstalling the “Ruston Way.” I’m very proud of him and his efforts to put the ‘Cats back in the conversation.”
Under his coaching, Cochran has produced his own share of runners to all-state accolades, including Lily Garrett, who finished as a state champion in 2022 and was recruited to run for the Tennessee Lady Vols (she has since returned to Ruston).
“Running for Ruston set me up for a lot of great opportunities,” Garrett said. “It was always just a positive environment, and I made a lot of lifelong friends. Ruston High made me fall in love with running, and I love that I got to be a part of “The Long Red Line.”
Parker Nations recently graduated from Ruston after earning two all-state honors.
“It was always a goal of mine to have my name on “The Long Red Line” shirt,” Nations said. “Being able to talk about being a Bearcat and being part of this traidition= — it just means a lot. Being on “The Long Red Line” has made an impact on me and feels very special.”
Some former Ruston runners now have children that are part of this elite club under Cochran’s tutelage.
“I get to watch my daughter Hallie line up on the same start line I once did,” Bearcat alum and former cross country runner Linzie Hebert said. “She’s carrying on the tradition, the pride, and the grind that define Ruston High cross country. I may not have earned that all-state “Long Red Line” T-shirt, but she did. She is the first Gen 2.0 legacy to earn all-state honors for Ruston High. This program is built generation by generation; each runner standing on the shoulders of those who came before. It’s never been about one individual, but about who we are together: One legacy, shaped over time, connecting us all across years and across states.”
Carrying that tradition forward is “Mission Critical” for Cochran as the program continues to run into the future. Even this past weekend as Ruston had an impressive showing at the St. Joseph Academy race, Cochran was reflecting on how the history of the program is front and center to its success.
“I’m reminding our runners that they’re getting to add to this legacy,” Cochran said. “I want them to appreciate the history that’s here and focus on bettering it. The alumni and former runners here want these kids to be better than they were. Jay Hilton (head coach at Ruston Junior High) has told me he wants these kids to break his records. I think it says a lot when you have a big group of people that wants this generation to perform even better than they did. “The Long Red Line” is something we’re all part of and we’re all adding to it and making it better.
Now, “The Long Red Line” has fittingly morphed into something bigger than just a t-shirt. Former teammates and family members are now collaborating not just with just the all-state winners but with each other to further the program so near and dear to their hearts — who have become Marines, hospital administrators, principals, teachers, doctors — you name it. All grateful for a program that prepared them for the trials of life.
“When you’re doing distance running, you don’t realize that you’re going to apply that to life, because life is hard,” Tyler said. “I just think it’s important to learn how to adapt, learn how to be a teammate and make things work — you have to do that for the rest of your life, so there’s valuable lessons in being part of this group. Running for Ruston taught me all of those things.”
In order to help carry that legacy forward, the Long Red Line will now be a 501(c)3 non-profit group looking to raise funds for the cross country team into the future.
“This is being done as an alumni group now — not myself but the athletes; they’re getting together and they’ve got all this support because they realize through their expereinces the value that it has in their adult lives, and they want to put something back into the program,” Anderson said. “So that opportunity is availble as tax deductible contributions. This is going to be a legacy thing.”
And this weekend, many members will gather in town to honor the program and the legacy that has helped shape who they are as the adults they’ve become — and the legacy they’ve all laid. It will be a celebration of the past and present with a collective look into the future.
“It’s special to celebrate that all of this got started with us and us all reconnected and talking about it,” Hinojosa said about the reunion. “It just brought back a lot of really strong emotions, especially the runners early on in the program. And just you can tell that, everyone had this sense of pride that they shared about what we accomplished. I think it’s great way to honor the legacy, the program and the community and continue it in the future years.”
“The Long Red Line” — a tradition of excellence with no end in sight.
Ruston High will host its invitational meet Saturday, Oct. 4, at The Gospel in Choudrant, La. The varsity girls will start at 7:30 a.m. with the boys scheduled for 8 a.m.
For many of us, we prefer to avoid obstacles and would rather not face opposition. We see obstacles as problems and opposition as the enemy.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way.
In 1st Corinthians 16, Paul talks about a wide door of opportunity with so many adversaries. Paul could have easily just moved on to the next town. No one would have blamed him. However, he saw opposition as an opportunity.
Over the years, I have developed a similar view. In my leadership coaching sessions, I discuss using obstacles and opposition as opportunities for influence and impact. In fact, it’s in these moments that we have the greatest opportunity for impact.
If we are going to do something truly noteworthy, it will likely be in the midst of a major challenge. Here are ten ideas for you to consider that might just alter your view of obstacles and opposition:
1. Pay attention to the tension. Lean into hard discussions. Things seldom get better ignoring them.
2. Your opportunity for greatest impact will be found facing your biggest obstacles!
3. Opposing views don’t always equate to the enemy. Ask questions, listen, and get an understanding of the other party’s viewpoint.
4. Connect before you correct. Be sure you build a bridge before offering a different path.
5. Winning the debate does not always equate to a favorable outcome.
6. Stay true to your convictions, but if your purpose is influence, then you must work to be listened to.
7. Clarify your identity rather than choose a side.
8. Don’t miss the opportunity in overcoming the obstacle – an opportunity for influence.
9. Opposing views should strengthen your resolve, not weaken you.
10. Safe people run from adversity. Difference makers run to it!
If you want to start taking advantage of these opportunities, you must first recognize them as such. We can get so focused on solving the problem or overcoming the opposition that we miss the opportunity.
Secondly, we must remember that influence and impact go beyond solving the immediate problem or overcoming the opposition in front of us. It’s not about shouting louder or winning the debate. It’s about taking advantage of having people’s attention (moment of high influence) and conducting ourselves in a manner that people listen to us.
We don’t need to be the loudest in the room, but we do need to be listened to when we speak. Our words should be consistent with our convictions while we connect with others. We seek to be humble in asking questions and genuine as we listen to others. Furthermore, we want our motives to be sincere and focused on others.
We will all face obstacles. That’s part of life. We will also encounter opposition if we engage to any degree.
What will you do with these opportunities?
Doug provides professional speaking and coaching services to organizations and individuals. Whether you are looking for a speaker for your next event or a leadership coach to develop people and build a team culture, feel free to reach out to Doug at doug.strickel@gmail.com and learn more about PLUS.
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.
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, FanBase of Ruston, and Martin Presence.
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 4th Annual Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, 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 (maybe $300). 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 FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy will be conducted for 14 regular season weeks of the college season starting with Week 1 games (August 30).
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 at 6:55 a.m. 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 Choudrant man was arrested by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office after deputies responded to a call to check on a man acting erratically on Mitcham Orchard Road.
Dylan Miers, 26, was arrested on several charges after he was found shirtless and appeared under the influence at a trash dumpster site.
According to the deputy’s report, Miers had slurred speech, jerky movements, and was behaving erratically. He had trouble keeping his balance. Miers said he had been digging through the dumpsters to find something to carry his belongings. Meyer also admitted smoking marijuana.
A container of suspected synthetic marijuana was found in Miers’s pocket. Miers admitted to having some marijuana and that it was somewhere around the dumpsters. Deputies located a suspected marijuana “joint” on the ground where Miers had been standing. He was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana, possession of synthetic marijuana, disturbing the peace by appearing intoxicated in public, and scavenging in a dumpster.
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 Police arrested a local man last week after he was stopped for a traffic violation and was found to be in possession of drugs, wanted on a warrant, and driving under the influence.
Brian Samuel was arrested Sept. 25 for DWI, possession of several drugs, a warrant for failing to appear in court, and several traffic charges.
Samuel was stopped on South Farmerville Street in Ruston after he passed an unmarked police vehicle in a no passing zone. The officer detected the odor of alcoholic beverages on Samuel who performed poorly on field sobriety tests.
When the officer had the front seat passenger exit the vehicle, he saw Samuel reach from the driver’s seat and place something in the pocket on the back of the passenger seat.
A search revealed the item was a pill bottle containing tramadol, a Schedule IV narcotic, and two tablets of suspected ecstasy (MDMA), a Schedule I drug.
According to the officer’s report, Samuel admitted the pills were his. He also admitted to consuming alcohol prior to driving. A records check showed that Samuel had no driver’s license and Third District Court held a warrant for failure to appear in court on a domestic abuse battery charge.
Samuel submitted to a breath test that showed a blood alcohol concentration of .141g%, well above the Louisiana legal limit.
He was booked for first offense DWI, possession of ecstasy, possession of tramadol, possession of a controlled substance within a drug free zone, improper passing, no driver’s license, and the failure to appear warrant.
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.
Each Monday through Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of non-for-profit upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list or advertise your for-profit events, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com.
Thursday, Oct. 2 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) 4 p.m.: Ribbon cutting celebrating Courtesy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Ruston (1371 N. Service Rd., Ruston) 5-6 p.m.: All welcome to free meal hosted by 5 Loaves 2 Fish Ministry (Ruston Housing Authority, Maryland Plaza Community Room, 615 N. Farmerville St.) 6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers) 6 p.m.GSU volleyball 7 p.m.: LA Tech soccer
Friday, Oct. 3 6:30 p.m.: LA Tech volleyball 7 p.m.: Lincoln Prep football 7 p.m.: Cedar Creek football
Saturday, Oct. 4 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 1 p.m.: LA Tech volleyball
Monday, Oct. 6 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 5:30 p.m.: Ruston City Council meeting (Ruston City Hall) 5:30 p.m.: North Central Louisiana Master Gardeners present seminar on Monarch Butterflies (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street) 6 p.m.: GSU volleyball 6-9 p.m.: Creative Meetups (Creatives at Work, 301 N. Trenton)
Tuesday, Oct. 7 6 p.m.: Lincoln Parish School Board meeting (410 S. Farmerville St., Ruston)
Wednesday, Oct. 8 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. 9 9:30 a.m.: Piney Hills Quilt Guild meeting (Grace Methodist Church) 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) 6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers)
Friday, Oct. 10 2 p.m.: GSU Homecoming pep rally (Main Street, Grambling) 6:30 p.m.: LA Tech volleyball 7 p.m.: Ruston High football (Homecoming) 7 p.m.: Cedar Creek football
Saturday, Oct. 11 8:30-11:30 a.m.: Hazardous Waste Material Collection and Recycling (2609 Farmerville St.) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 1 p.m.: LA Tech volleyball 6 p.m.: Grambling State v. Texas Southern (Homecoming) 6-8:30 p.m.: Pumpkins in the Park (Railroad Park)
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.
Louisiana Tech (2-9-1, 1-1-0 CUSA) returns to the home pitch at The Mack to host the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (4-4-2, 1-0-1 CUSA) tonight at 7 p.m.
The contest can be seen on ESPN+ with Kyle Roberts and Wally Crittenden providing a call of the action.
The matchup marks the ninth time the two sides face off in program history and the sixth time playing on LA Tech’s home pitch. The Bulldogs currently lead the series with a record of 4-3-1 and are unbeaten when playing the Hilltoppers at home with four wins and a scoreless draw.
The Bulldogs fell to Sam Houston on the road, 1-0, their last time out, falling to a .500 record in CUSA play. Tech was seeking a scoreless outcome to earn a road point before a heartbreaker was scored by the Bearkats in the final minutes of the match.
LA Tech has earned a clean sheet the last three times playing WKU in Ruston, including a 1-0 victory in the 2023 CUSA Quarterfinals when the Bulldogs hosted the tournament at The Mack. The two sides ended in a 0-0 draw last season, combining for 27 total shots on the night.
Western Kentucky enters Thursday’s contest with a 4-4-2 record and are 1-0-1 at the start of CUSA play. The Hilltoppers are coming off a three-match homestand where they saw a 0-0 draw against Austin Peay before defeating Kennesaw State, 2-1, and tying Middle Tennessee, 1-1, to open the conference slate.
WKU is led by head coach Jason Neidell, who is in his 25th year at the helm of the program and is the only head coach in WKU women’s soccer history. Neidell has led the Hilltoppers to three conference titles, including a regular season championship in the Sun Belt in 2007 and 2013 and claiming the 2020 CUSA East Division title.
Neidell has seen 15 seasons with double-digit wins and 19 of his 24 previous teams ended the year with a winning record. The most wins in a season for the program was set during 2008 when WKU went 15-2-4 and fell to Denver in the Sun Belt Tournament championship game.
Georgia Liapis is the leading goal scorer for WKU, sitting in a tie for the fourth-most in the conference. Liapis also leads the team with 11 points, 24 shots with 11 on target. Makenna Egan and Camryn Davis trail with three goals each while Danielle Lewin rounds out the multi-goal scorers for the Hilltoppers with two.
Torrie Grant-Clavijo’s three assists leads the Hilltoppers and is tied for the fifth-most in CUSA. Egan also has a pair of dishes while six other players for WKU have recorded an assist.
Louisiana Tech has signed a two-game, home-and-home scheduling agreement with Tulsa, both athletic departments announced on Wednesday.
The two sides are set to meet on Sept. 25, 2027, at Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston and again on Sept. 20, 2031, at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, Okla.
In addition, the two schools have also agreed to terms on a third game that was originally supposed to be played this season, which will now take place on Sept. 22, 2029, in Tulsa.
The programs have met a total of 11 times with LA Tech leading the all-time series 7-4.
Dr. Benjamin Jack Collinsworth (Dr. Jack), age 94, died on September 30, 2025.
Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM, Saturday, October 4, 2025, at First Baptist Church of Ruston. Interment will follow at Campground Cemetery in Bienville, LA, under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 12:00 PM till 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church of Ruston.
Dr. Jack Collinsworth was preceded in death by his parents Stephen B. Collinsworth and Alma Hines Collinsworth; wife, Eva Shehee (Muffet) Collinsworth; son, Steve Collinsworth; brothers, Clark Collinsworth and Bill Collinsworth; and sister, Margaret Collinsworth Ussery.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife Roxie Barfield Collinsworth; daughters, Rebecca Kim Collinsworth Diebold and husband Steve, Leslie Sundy Collinsworth Ramsey; sons Keith Collinsworth and wife Pam, Fen Collinsworth and Sherri; stepson Jeff McIntosh and wife Annette; stepdaughter Jennifer Evangelista and husband Louis. Dr Jack also had 14 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren
Dr. Jack graduated from Bryceland High School in 1947. He played basketball, ran track, and was on the boxing team. As a member of the 4-H Club he showed his beef animals at state fairs in Shreveport and Baton Rouge and was also an Eagle Scout. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and loved spending time in the woods and on the water. His swimming ability enabled him to rescue a boy during a scout jamboree as a youth; he also rescued three men from the waters of Lake D’Arbonne as an adult.
Dr Jack graduated from Louisiana Polytech institute (La Tech University) in 1950. At Tech he played on the freshman basketball team. Afterward, Coach Jimmy Mize asked him to join the track team and run the two-mile race. He was initiated in the Tech Letterman club in 1949 and was a member of the Pau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity.
After graduating from LA Tech in 1950, Dr. Jack taught at Ringgold High School for one year. He then enlisted in the Marine Corps School in Quantico Virginia and served in operations under Colonel Nagree until the end of the Korean Conflict. After his Marine services, he became basketball and track coach and taught math until he became Principal of Bienville High School.
Dr Jack received a call from his master’s degree advisor at the University of Arkansas offering him a fellowship to complete his Doctorate. After the completion of his graduate studies, he taught for two years at Sam Houston State University. He then received a call from Dr. F.J. Taylor, the newly named President at LA Tech University. Dr. Jack served twenty years at La Tech as teacher, director of graduate studies in education, and seven years as Dean of the College of Education. He served seventeen years on the Athletic Counsel Committee.
When Dr. Jack retired in 1982, he was honored with the “Dean and Professor EMERTUS”. Until he retired, he was a member of the Rotary Club and served as President in 1966 -1967. After his retirement, he tended to his cattle, hay fields, and tree farms in Bienville and Lincoln Parish. As a hobby, he was a Beekeeper. He often said that anyone who studied bee’s behavior should conclude that their creator was “Out of This World”. Dr. Jack and his wife Roxie opened the Twisted Brach Antique shop in 1992. He enjoyed refurbishing American, English, and French furniture. One of his passions was collecting Roseville Pottery. He enjoyed every job he ever had, but he said teaching math was his favorite.
Dr. Jack loved the Lord and the First Baptist Church of Ruston where he served as Decon for many years. He loved Ruston and all its rolling hills, but as he always said, “My Pride and joy is my wonderful family”.
The family would like to express our thanks for the wonderful care received from St. Francis and LA Hospice and Palliative Care.
Memorial donations can be made to First Baptist Church of Ruston.
With deep love and sadness our family shares that the memorial services for Wanda Dell Madden, age 75 of Ruston, LA will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, October 3, 2025 at Owens Memorial Chapel with Rev. Paul Watts officiating. There will be a private family burial in Simsboro City Cemetery under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston, LA.
Wanda was born May 10, 1950 in Mansfield, LA and passed away on September, 28, 2025 in Ruston, LA. Wanda lived a life full of love, laughter, and devotion for her family. She touched the lives of everyone that knew her with her kind heart, sense of humor, love of nature, and dedication to work and family. Wanda never met a stranger, loved to cook for people, and would get so excited fishing she would hit us in the face with the fish. She would treat her family and friends by taking them on trips, showing her love and devotion, and leaving us with fond memories that we will carry with us always.
Wanda was preceded in death by her husband, John William Madden, Sr.; youngest son, James Mathew Madden; and her brother, Bill Loftin. She will be remembered by her two sons, John William Madden, Jr. and partner Jennifer Thomas Campbell and Mark Wayne Madden and fiancé Andriane Garcia Gonzalez; grandchildren, Vivian Rae Madden and Bryar Jackson Madden; Andriane’s children, Nissy Nova and Emma Nova; and a host of other family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly ask that donations be made to Owens Memorial Chapel to help offset funeral expenses.
Although we will miss Wanda beyond words, we take comfort in knowing her love will remain with us always. Visitation will be from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM, Friday, at Owens Memorial Chapel.
Wanda Dell Madden May 10, 1950 – September 28, 2025 Visitation: Friday, October 03, 2025, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Memorial Service: Friday, October 03, 2025, 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel
Breck Owens is surrounded by Cedar Creek spirit group members Friday night.
by Hanna Singh
You may have wondered why all across Ruston, yellow ribbons have appeared on storefronts throughout the month of September.
In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, many local businesses in Lincoln Parish have shown their support for the cause by hanging up the official yellow ribbon in solidarity with families and children facing childhood cancer.
What may look like a simple decoration has become a symbol of support for families in Ruston whose children have faced these challenges, and for the community that has rallied together for them.
According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization website, each year in the U.S. there are an estimated 15,780 children between the ages of birth and 19 years of age who are diagnosed with cancer. Approximately 1 in 285 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday.
Sheila Branch, owner of Chessy’s Boutique in downtown Ruston, shared how the ribbons hold a personal meaning for her.
“My cousin’s little boy had brain cancer. He has gone to St. Jude all his life, he is a survivor,” Branch said. “It is a very important cause to my family. We also know one of the little boys in Ruston who has gone through cancer treatments recently. We participated with the ribbons to show support for this cause that means something personal to us.”
Two of the children at the heart of this cause are Breck Owens, a student at Cedar Creek School, and Reed Pipes, a student at A.E. Phillips. Both boys have shown incredible courage in their battles with leukemia. Both have also witnessed the strength of the community pouring into their families.
Breck’s mother, Valerie Owens, shared how deeply the support from the town has impacted their family.
“Our son, Breck, was diagnosed with Leukemia in January for the second time, and he’s currently in the middle of treatment,” Owens said. “As you can imagine, this journey has been tough, but one of the things that has carried us is the incredible support we’ve felt from Cedar Creek and from the Ruston community as a whole.”
Cedar Creek held a Friday night event in Breck’s honor, filling the stadium with love and encouragement. Many members of the school community showed up in support of their classmate and friend.
The Pipes family has also been impacted by the overflow of support from the community. Reed’s mother, Lauren Pipes, spoke about the moment they first learned of his diagnosis.
“We immediately went to St. Jude the day after we found out he had leukemia. Ruston truly rallied around us while we were there for so long,” Pipes said. “Our daughter was eight at the time and we had to figure out challenges with taking care of her, getting her to school and back. A lot of people in town stepped up for us, sent us food, sent us cards, and took care of our house. We have felt so much support from the community.”
Reed’s school, A.E. Phillips, even held a “Go Gold Day” in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness, wearing gold in his honor. Last year, Reed also received encouragement from the Louisiana Tech “Lady Techsters”, the women’s basketball team.
Together, these stories show how Ruston embodies what it means to be not just a town, but a family. From store owners to schools and neighbors to sports teams, people in the community have chosen to stand in support with children and families affected by cancer.
After September, the yellow ribbons may come down, but the love and support are here to stay. The Lincoln Parish Community has proven that it will not let any family stand against these battles on their own.
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, FanBase of Ruston, and Martin Presence.
And the best part is it’s FREE … just like your subscription to the LPJ.
Russ Thompson was this week’s winner of the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy, and she walked away with $150.
Congratulations, Russ!!
Now, are you ready for some football?!?
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 4th Annual Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, 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 (maybe $300). 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 FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy will be conducted for 14 regular season weeks of the college season starting with Week 1 games (August 30).
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 at 6:55 a.m. 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!
Week 1: Faith Moss
Week 2: Don Sutton
Week 3: Kim Shackelford
Week 4: Lisa Wright
Week 5: Russ Thompson
Follow the Lincoln Parish Journal each morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. It’s FREE! Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
A man who was allegedly choking his 9-year-old daughter was stopped by a private citizen Saturday before police arrived and arrested him.
Japhus Briggs, 58, of Ruston was arrested Sept. 27, after Ruston Police officers responded to 911 calls of a man on top of a young girl with a bystander attempting to restrain him.
At about 6:15 p.m., police arrived in the 300 block of East Georgia Avenue in Ruston and attempted to take Briggs into custody. According to an officer’s report, Briggs actively resisted by concealing his hands beneath his body and refusing repeated commands. During the struggle, Briggs attempted to bite an officer.
After continued resistance, officers were able to safely secure Briggs in handcuffs with the assistance of additional personnel and a TASER. Ruston Fire Department personnel evaluated him on scene before transporting him for further medical clearance.
Witnesses reported Briggs had placed his daughter in a chokehold prior to police arrival. A bystander intervened when the children asked him for help. The man freed the child and held Briggs until officers arrived.
Three juvenile victims were identified and assessed at the scene. All three were later taken to Northern Louisiana Medical Center for further evaluation. The investigation confirmed that Briggs, the father, battered all three of his children during the incident.
Following medical clearance, Briggs was transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked for three counts of cruelty to juveniles, two counts of resisting an officer, and battery on a police officer.
In a press release, the Ruston Police Department commended the courageous actions of the bystander who intervened, likely preventing further harm to the child before officers arrived.
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.
A tragic hit-and-run crash in Monroe early Monday morning resulted with the death of a pedestrian with police searching for the driver responsible.
At approximately 5:45 a.m., Monroe Police Department officers responded to a crash at the intersection of Marie Place and Milton Street just off Forsythe Avenue. Officers discovered a 62-year-old man had been struck by a vehicle while walking in the roadway. The victim died at the scene from his injuries.
The driver of the vehicle fled before authorities arrived and has not yet been identified or located.
Monroe Police have identified the victim as David Tucker of Monroe.
Monroe Police are urging anyone with information about the crash or the suspect to come forward. Tips can be submitted by calling the Monroe Police Department at (318) 329-2600 or Crime Stoppers of North Delta at (318) 388-2274 (CASH). Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward.
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.
In honor of Robert Redford, who passed away September 16 at age 89 at his home in Sundance, Utah, today we resurrect a competition 20 years old in which he played a major part, as he did in all his movies.
In a month of March way back when, before our Journal Paperswere born and before some of you reading this were born, we created the Purty Man Tournament to decided who was the prettiest man ever. (We had sone time on our hands.)
The official name was and still is the Best Looking Man Ever Of All-Time Tournament.
We used the same format as March Madness: 64 teams (individual men) divided into four regions and seeded, 1 through 16.
Readers called in or wrote in with their picks during the competition. We thanked them then and thank them now.
This is the finished and Official Final Sheet, complete with explanations and comments for each in the Field of 64. And, of course, results. If you see another sheet on the streets or in the highways and byways that says “Official Sheet” but it’s not this one, it’s not the Official Sheet. And that’s official.
NOTE: This is intensive so we have two of the four brackets here, with the winners of each bracket. That gets us halfway to the Final 4. The next two brackets and the Finals will be next week, unless I am fired first. Which would be a shame. Or maybe not.
HISTORY REGIONAL: 1. Sampson: Can all those statues be wrong? This is the Sampson that knocked down the walls, not the Sampson after the chains and the eyes gouged out and all that. 2. Sir Lancelot: Snagged Guinevere from King Arthur. 3. Henry the 8th: He had to be a hottie because after a while the women knew what they were getting into and they STILL hung out with him. 4. Maximus Aurelius: Think The Gladiatormovie. That’s who this guy is. If you don’t think he belongs on the list, you tell him. 5. King David: Hey, he’s King David. The guys seeded above him should thank their lucky stars they don’t get him in the first round. 6. JFK: I don’t really get him, but he married Jackie O. I ‘get’ Jackie O. 7. Alexander the Great: The called him “The Great,” and it wasn’t because he conquered the world. 8. Tonto: So good looking he didn’t NEED a mask. 9. Trigger: Better looking than Roy. Or, for that matter, Dale. 10. Moses: He’s on here because Charlton Heston didn’t make the Actors Regional and because he started out in a reed basket. 11. Einstein: Everything’s relative, even good looks. 12. George Washington Carver: The graying on the temples, classic. And don’t EVEN think he was just about peanuts. He had game. Would have been a higher seed but he was rebuilding several acres of plowed fields this year; STILL made the tournament. 13. Romeo: Where art thou, Romeo? “I’m right here! Right here at No. 13!” 14. Abraham: Fathered a nation. Ahem… 15. Jefferson (either Thomas or George): Together, and without the white wigs, these two would have made one good looking, really well-dry-cleaned man. 16. Adam: Once upon a time, the best looking man on the face of the Earth. Dare you to question me. ** All the top seeds win in the first round except those who faced the vaunted Old Testament contingent: Moses gets past Alexander the Mediocre and Abraham lays the wood to Hank the 8th. After a Sampson victory over Tonto, the second round is dominated by upsets. No. 5 David whips No. 4 Max: (“It’s good to be king…”); Abraham beats JFK and Moses beats Lancelot by a staff, settling up an Old Testament-flavored Regional. With the lineage so thick you could cut it with an ancient dagger, Sampson beats David, Moses beats Abraham, then Moses — again, a No. 10 seed —slays No. 1 Sampson in a scrap for the ages. No. 10-seed Moses advances from the History Regional. ACTORS REGIONAL: 1. Paul Newman: (This is back when I was still trying to get in good with Joanne Woodward.) 2. Robert Redford: Even as a youngster, had ‘champion’ written all over him. 3. Matthew McConaughey: He doesn’t wear deodorant, but this isn’t scratch-and-sniff. 4. Sean Connery: “Connery. Sean Connery.” 5. Patrick Dempsey: Dr. McFive-Seed 6. George Clooney: In an episode of Sex in the City, the girls compared him to a Chanel Suit; he never goes out of style. 7. Sidney Portier: Clooneyish back in his day. 8. Cary Grant: See 8 seed. 9. Cary Grant: I wanted to make sure he won a game, so I made him an 8 and a 9 for a first-round matchup. He deserves it. Cool customer, sleek and smooth. 10. Tom Selleck: My mother did not miss Magnum, P.I.She did not miss it, I’m telling you. 11. Taye Diggs: Got game and the young ladies love him. 12. Steve McQueen: Little guy who played big. 13. Benjamin Bratt: Young Cary Grant in style. 14. Denzell Washington: Cary Grant without the polish. (Remind me to tell you about the time I almost ran over him in Shreveport. Still scares me. Near disaster. True story.) 15. Marlon Brando: He was a contender. 16. Robert Conrad: In the wild, wild West; so good he got his own battery commercial. ** The only first-round upset: Bratt surprises Connery, Sean Connery, then rides the wave of momentum to an upset of Dr. McFive-Seed in the second round and — goodness — No. 1-seed Paul Newman in the Regional Semis. (I did the seeding as the lone member of the Tournament Committee and now, 20 years later, I’m STILL surprised Newman got beat.) McConaughey beats Clooney but then loses to Redford in the Regional semis, if for no other reason than I’m tired of having to look to see how to spell his name.
Bratt’s impressive run ended against Redford in the Regional Finals; it’s a familiar feeling when you’re going up against The Sundance Kid
No. 2-seed Robert Redford advances from the Actor’s Regional.
So Moses and Redford are in the Final Four.
One man from the ATHLETES REGIONAL and another from the POTPOURRI REGIONAL (think Usher, Lord Byron, Bugs Bunny, e.g.) will advance to face them. That’s next week. With this AND college football AND October baseball, that’s a lot of drama, I know. Ain’t it great?!
There’s a special place in the afterlife for whoever decided that plastic wrap should be the default packaging for every item that’s already hard to open. You know the ones—DVDs (back when those existed), cucumbers, remote controls, and the dreaded double-layered plastic fortress around batteries. It’s like the manufacturers said, “This item is mildly inconvenient to open. Let’s make it a spiritual trial.”
You tug, you peel, you slice, you pray. And just when you think you’ve made progress, the wrap retaliates—clinging to your fingers like a needy toddler, refusing to be discarded. It’s not just packaging. It’s a test of character.
But what, exactly, are they protecting?
Is the cucumber going to escape? Is the remote control plotting a rebellion? Are the batteries going to unionize and demand better working conditions? No. The plastic wrap is there to protect the item from… us. From our grubby, impulsive, human hands. It’s a barrier. A shield. A clingy, transparent “Do Not Enter” sign for consumer goods.
And here’s where it gets theological.
In Ephesians 6, Paul talks about the “armor of God”—truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word. It’s divine packaging, really. A spiritual cling wrap designed to protect us from the world’s sharp edges. Because let’s be honest: life is full of metaphorical box cutters. Gossip, temptation, passive-aggressive emails, and people who say “Let’s circle back.”
Just like that shrink-wrapped pack of AA batteries, we too need layers. Not to keep others out entirely, but to slow down the unwrapping. To make people pause and consider: “Is this worth the effort?” Because vulnerability is sacred. You don’t just hand it out like free samples at Costco.
Jesus himself had boundaries. He withdrew from crowds. He napped during storms. He didn’t answer every question. He didn’t heal every person. He wrapped himself in solitude, prayer, and intentionality. Not because he was hiding, but because he was protecting the mission.
So maybe the plastic wrap isn’t just annoying. Maybe it’s a parable.
Maybe it’s saying: “Hey, not everything should be instantly accessible. Some things are worth the struggle. Some things need protection. Some things—like your peace, your purpose, your spiritual batteries—should be wrapped up tight until the right moment.”
Of course, this doesn’t mean we should start shrink-wrapping our emotions or encasing our personalities in bubble wrap. But it does mean we get to choose who gets access. Who gets to peel back the layers. Who gets to see the real you underneath the cling.
And if someone’s not willing to wrestle with a little plastic wrap, maybe they’re not ready for the contents.
So next time you’re battling a stubborn package, take a breath. Channel your inner apostle. Remember that even the holiest things come wrapped. And maybe—just maybe—that frustrating layer is a divine reminder:
You are worth protecting.
Even if it takes scissors, a minor meltdown, and a YouTube tutorial to get there.
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.
