LPJ Sports Report

Several athletes from Ruston High School were recognized among the state’s top baseball and softball players after being named to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 5A All-State teams.

Senior outfielder Jackson Lee earned first-team All-State honors for Ruston after batting .450 during the 2026 season. Lee was one of three outfielders selected to the first team.

Ruston also had three baseball players receive honorable mention recognition, including junior J.P. Moak, junior Peyton Nations and sophomore Tyler Roach.

On the softball side, sophomore utility player Aubrey Stoehr was named first-team All-State after batting .494 this season.

The all-state teams were selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association following the conclusion of the 2026 high school season.

Baseball

Pos Player School Cl Rec/Avg

P – Bradyn Cupit, West Monroe, Sr., 7-3

P – Kason Johnson, Dutchtown, Sr., 8-1

P – Lawton Littleton, Barbe, Jr., 10-0

P – Connor Smith, Northshore, Sr., 8-2

C- Chase Marcotte, Destrehan, Jr., 341

INF – Myles Ledoux, Barbe, Sr., .436

INF – Connor Micheu, John Curtis, Sr., 451

INF – Dom Pellegrin, Holy Cross, Sr., .489

INF – Andrew Sharp, Captain Shreve., Sr., .464

OF – Jordan Griffin, Barbe, Jr., .485

OF – Jackson Lee, Ruston, Sr., .450

OF – Cole Snell, Benton, Sr., .424

UT – Harrison Kidder, Catholic-BR, Sr., .403

UT – Owen Nugent, Rummel, Jr., 10-0

UT – Greyson Parker, Mandeville, Jr., 7-1

UT – Mills Richardson, Catholic-BR, Sr., 10-1

UT – Koa Romero, Hahnville, Jr., .433

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Koa Romero, Hahnville

COACH OF THE YEAR: Chris Schexnaydre, Dutchtown

Honorable mention

J.D. Alexander, Barbe; Drake Amedee, Brother Martin; Jaden Ard, Walker; Myles Auxt, Catholic-BR; Triston Billiot, Thibodaux; William Brown, H.L. Bourgeois; Hudson Browning, East Ascension; Tanner Conley, Fontainebleau; Spencer Conrad, Thibodaux; Hunter Degeyter, Lafayette; Ryder DeJean, West Monroe; Amin Dip, Riverdale; Charlie Donaldson, Sam Houston; Clayton Doyal, Alexandria; Jackson Dugan, Jesuit; Eli Freeman, Dutchtown; Jackson Gaskin, Captain Shreve; Bryson Gates, Benton; Grant Gautreau, Prairieville; Peyton Gomez, Mandeville; Cole Guidroz, Central; Zant Gurney, Live Oak; Brayson Hartzog, Central; Trent Hennesey, Alexandria; Leo Heng, Airline; Denton Hester, Captain Shreve; Jaxson Hill, Fontainebleau; Daygen Johnson, Natchitoches Central; Seth Jorstad, Haughton; Ty Lamartina, Acadiana; Lucas Lawrence, Catholic-BR; Bronson Leaumont, Brother Martin; Bryson Phoenix, Alexandria; Carson Plant, Haughton; Madden McClure, Zachary; Brady McCluskey, Brother Martin; Creshaun McCollum, Mandeville; Chase Mire, Destrehan; J.P. Moak, Ruston; Braylon Montgomery, Walker; Peyton Nations, Ruston; Jacob Neely, Northshore; Jake Rappold, Walker; Jude Reason, St. Paul’s; Hunter Robinson, Neville; Tyler Roach, Ruston; Logan Rogers, H.L. Bourgeois; Jaxson Ross, Alexandria; Maxwell Sanchez, Prairieville; Braden Sanders, Zachary; Hayes Segar, Catholic-BR; Ty Smith, Sam Houston; Payton Starr, West Monroe; Andrew Stipelovich, Central Lafourche; Noah Sullivan, Zachary; Austyn Taylor, Pineville; Landen Teague, Hahnville; Cooper Templet, St. Amant; Kannon Templet, Southside; Kade Thomas, West Monroe; Brayden Todd, Evangel; Brody Turnipseed, Benton; Carter Wilson, Sulphur.

Softball

Pos Player School Cl Rec/Avg

P – London Lambert, Hahnville, Fr., 22-8

P – Bayleigh Moniz, Benton, So., 16-15

P – Paige Reuther, Mount Carmel, Jr., 16-3

P – Chelsie Simpson, Pineville, Jr., 26-9

C- Layla Landry, Sam Houston, Jr., .580

INF – Briley Byrnes, Pineville, Jr., .642

INF – Gabby Fabacher, John Curtis, Jr., .514

INF – Aubrey Portie, Sam Houston, Sr., .500

INF – Ava West, West Monroe, Jr., .463

OF – Jadin Basco, Pineville, Jr., .444

OF – Molly Latham, Live Oak, Sr., .504

OF – Maggie Massia, Natchitoches Central, Jr., .508

UT – Kelsie Schmidt, Archbishop Chapell, Sr., .440

UT – Aubrey Stoehr, Ruston, So., .494

UT – Cayden Tullier, East Ascension, Sr., .417

UT – Harley Usry, Walker, So., .520

UT – Evie West, West Monroe, So., .505

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Evie West, West Monroe

COACH OF THE YEAR: Allison Frye, Pineville

Honorable mention

Shelbi Alphonso, Mount Carmel; Catherine Andrade, Dominican; Oakley Bailey, Walker; Brianna Benecke, Haughton; Isabella Borne, Central Lafourche; Brianna Breaux, Terrebonne; Kendall Brown, Zachary; Parker Burford, West Monroe; Berkley Byrnes, Pineville; Hannah Creighton, Neville; Brylie Davis, Acadiana; Dani Doctor, Southside; Abby Drago, Ponchatoula; Bailey Ducote, St. Amant; Ella Dupre, Terrebonne; Makayla Escude, John Curtis; Ella Ezekiel, Sulphur; Giselle Flores-Gonzalez, John Ehret; Anna Flowers, Evangel; Lexie Guercio, Central; Ehren Guidroz, Natchitoches Central; Avery Hastings, Zachary; Andie Heard, Thibodaux; Ella Hendrick, Captain Shreve; Skylar Hogan, Haughton; Annaliese Holmes, Pineville; Kylee Hylton, Northshore; Mia Impastato, Archbishop Chapelle; Jeanne Janise, Live Oak; Caroline Johnson, Dutchtown; Aubrianne Kavanaugh, St. Scholastica; Raegan Keller, Central Lafourche; Charlie Kyle, Sulphur; Hayley Landry, Thibodaux; Kyndall Landry, St. Amant; Victoria Launer, Evangel; Olivia Livers, Benton; Jolie Lozano, Destrehan; Addison McCall, Parkway; Kinsley McInnis, Archbishop Chapelle; Taylor Madison, Ouachita; Addison Martinez, Thibodaux; Kenley Massett, St. Joseph’s Academy; Alayjha Matthews, Ouachita; Kailyn Mire, Sam Houston; Ava Moore, Pineville; Sydney Olivier, Barbe; AK Phillips, Live Oak; Alexis Pitre, Walker; Charlee Prothro, Haughton; Lila Robertson, Natchitoches Central; Emri Roussel, Mount Carmel; Ella Sanchez, Northshore; Bayleigh Scott, Barbe; Maddie Shortridge, Airline; Allie Smith, Terrebonne; Taylor Smith, Airline; Caroline Stephens, Fontainebleau; Sara Beth Terrell, Natchitoches Central; Josie Tilton, Barbe; Kynadi Torregano, John Curtis; Malayah Vaughn, Ouachita; Brooke Vicknair, Dutchtown; Rylee Villasenor, Hahnville; Lillian Virga, Ponchatoula; Kameya West-Robinson; Amiyah Wilson, Alexandria; Savannah Windham, Mandeville, Catelyn Yeager, Covington.

By Kyle Roberts

RUSTON, La. — Imagine what Louisiana Tech could do with $9.8 million more per year.

It shouldn’t be an outlandish hope — it would just take work on the state level to fund the university according to its terrific outcomes.

Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson says the university continues to outperform many of its peers academically while remaining one of the lowest-funded public universities in Louisiana on a per-student basis.

In interviews last month, Henderson and State Rep. Chris Turner discussed what they described as flaws in Louisiana’s higher education funding formula and the need for reforms that better reward institutional performance.

“Louisiana Tech ranks first in all three of those performance metrics across the University of Louisiana System,” Henderson said, referring to retention rates, graduation rates and time-to-degree metrics. “Yet, we are the lowest funded institution on a per student basis.”

Henderson said the university’s concerns are not about reducing support for other schools, but about ensuring Louisiana Tech receives equitable funding based on student success and institutional outcomes.

“It’s not to say that anyone is getting more than they need to operate their institutions,” Henderson said. “This is not about other institutions. It’s about funding the institution that’s performing at the highest level at the appropriate level so that we can continue to deliver our mission.”

According to Henderson, Louisiana Tech would receive approximately $9.8 million more annually if funded at the University of Louisiana System average.

“That’s money that could go into faculty salaries, that’s money that could go into reducing deferred maintenance, that’s money that can go into developing lab spaces and other activities that advance the core mission of this institution,” Henderson said.

Turner said lawmakers have increasingly discussed revisiting the state’s funding model for public universities, particularly as schools face different financial realities and workforce demands.

“We have to start treating our universities like businesses,” Turner said. “So we have to give them some autonomy to be able to make some of their own decisions so they can perform and do what they need to do in their market and where they are to attract the students they need to attract.”

Turner said the current formula includes protections designed to avoid dramatic funding shifts between institutions, but he believes the model does not adequately reward outcomes such as graduation rates, retention and workforce impact.

“We’re not really judging universities off of how long does it take them to graduate, what’s the percentage of people graduating, what field are they graduating in,” Turner said. “What’s the return on the state’s investment for your university compared to the next university?”

Turner said Louisiana Tech consistently ranks near the top in several key performance areas while operating with fewer resources than comparable institutions.

“Louisiana Tech is funded on average for the sister colleges that it competes with statewide,” Turner said. “We are $2,000 less per student, and we have some of the most expensive courses between aviation and the engineering part of it.

“I think it’s pretty impressive what Louisiana Tech has done with what they’ve had to work with,” he added.

Henderson said the university continues to grow despite those challenges. Louisiana Tech expects its highest enrollment since 2018 this fall after posting three consecutive large freshman classes. The university is also targeting an 85 percent freshman retention rate for its most recent entering class.

“We expect ultimately to grow this institution to near 15,000 over the next five years,” Henderson said. “We think that’s a number we can get to without losing our identity.”

Part of the university’s message to lawmakers centers on the financial burden students carry because of the current funding structure.

“That equity belongs to them,” Henderson said of students. “They should not be footing a larger percentage of the operations of an institution than any other UL System institution, especially when their institution and they are performing at the highest level.”

Turner said reforming the formula will likely require broader structural changes and cooperation among state leaders and higher education officials.

“The formula is so complicated,” Turner said. “We have to start running these four systems a little bit more economically, because the way we’re doing it with Baton Rouge involved, some stuff is just not working.”

A late-session investment into higher education added an additional $56 million into the state’s flawed formula distribution model. While it is estimated to add an additional $3.1 million to Tech’s state distribution, it will also broaden the funding inequity going into next year.

Henderson said Louisiana Tech plans to continue advocating for long-term funding changes.

“We’re not going to get tired of it,” Henderson said. “We’re going to continue to bring that message forward until the inequity is addressed.”

By T. Scott Boatright

The Lincoln Parish Police Jury made a long-awaited step to make a difference at Lincoln Parish Park as it held its June monthly meeting Tuesday night inside the Lincoln Parish Courthouse.

Backed by the Louisiana Office of Community Development, the Make-A-Difference Park Project is a $1 million initiative for Lincoln Parish Park, planned to upgrade playground equipment, resurface the park’s walking path and add electricity to park picnic sites.

The project is supported by a $1 million Community Development Block Grant, with an additional $50,000 donation from the Legacy Foundation.

“We’re finally at the point where we can award bids on the project,” said Parish Administrator Courtney Hall. “I know it’s been a long time coming and we’ve had ups and downs on securing funding for this. There’s a lot of paperwork that has to be done. Actually, the first time we applied it didn’t work and probably added six months to the project.

“But we’re at a point where we feel we have a good low bidder on the project and so tonight we’d like to award that bid and kick off the project.”

Project manager Paul Riley of Riley Company in Ruston said that the low bid came from McInnis Brothers Construction of Minden at a base cost of $970,000.

“We bid this as a three-alternate project,” Riley said. “The primary, I guess most of the project, is to rebuild all of those playgrounds — both the one that was the special-needs playground and also to build basically the same playground with the same surface right next to it.

“It will turn all of that into a really nice playground area.”

The upgrades will include installing a new rubber surface for the park’s original playground, constructing a new foundation and surface for Legacy Park, and repairing and replacing outdated equipment.

Legacy Park, the special-needs playground, was the original brainchild of area resident Jana Beck, who organized fundraisers, including a big one at Squire Creek, along with a large donation from the Lincoln Health Hub to cover a majority of the cost for that particular playground.

Upgrades will also include adding electricity to picnic sites and resurfacing the park’s walking path that was originally installed around 20 years ago along with potentially adding a parking lot and additional paved biking trails.

“The walking path is in dire need of work in some places, including putting up root barriers in some places that are pretty bad,” Riley said. “We can hopefully fix the spillway problem above the pond just upstream that drains and makes our walking path mossy, so we’re building a structure to catch (runoff water). In really large (weather) events (water) will still go over, but it won’t go over and stay for a week.”

Riley said that the $1 million in OCD funds and the $50,000 in local contributions bring the total bids to a little more than $1,050,000 but that hopes are that with a little more funding construction will include all three alternate plans to be able to do all the potential work desired.

The LPPJ also authorized Change Order No. 1 for its Blueberry Hills Wastewater Collection System Rehabilitation project, cutting $92,000 from the $950,000 project.

“A lot of what we have to do is just guessing because you don’t know until you get reports back,” Consulting Engineer Henry Shuler told the Police Jury. “In order for us to get it within the funding we have and cut things that are probably a stretch and probably won’t have to be done, we’re going to do that change order.”

Shuler also told jurors that $5 million was recently awarded for work on the Mt. Olive Water System.

“We have the award letter and it’s a done deal and the contract is signed,” Shuler said. “I know the next question is going to be, ‘When is it going to start?’ They give you five months, and that timeline runs about to mid-October. A couple of hurdles I see with it is that we’re replacing the vast majority of the district’s infrastructure. They’ll have new meters, a new well, a repainted elevated tank.

“So, I’m not telling you this will literally fix every problem, but the vast majority of them will be fixed by this project. The concern I have is then when you look for source replacement — look for another well — this is an emerging contaminant project. It’s iron and manganese. And looking at the pipes, they’re stained and can stain clean water coming out of the plant. So, we’re trying to fix it holistically, but we have to find another location with cleaner water. That’s not easy to do. You literally have to drill down, test the water and keep moving until you find clean water.”

Also approved was a preliminary plat for Oak Tree Road Subdivision Unit 4 as well as authorization to advertise for bids on a six-month supply of maintenance hot mix, a roof replacement for the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and for Mt. Zion Water System emergency repairs.

Parish Treasurer Michael Sutton also told jurors about the 2026-27 Lincoln Parish Sales and Use Tax Commission budget.

“The only difference in this budget compared to last year is a change of $17,000 in group insurance plans,” Sutton said. “We did have a staffing change for the last 12 months, but everything else is pretty insignificant.”

Also approved were the reappointments of incumbents Ralph McVay and Linda Kimball to five-year terms on Waterworks District No. 3 as well as a resolution providing for canvassing the returns and declaring the results of the recent May 16 millage special election.

A man who called Ruston Police during a dispute with a store clerk was himself arrested after he admitted to officers he was in possession of synthetic marijuana.

Emerion O’Brien Holland, 26, of Ruston, was arrested last Saturday after officers investigated a disturbance in a service station on the North Service Road. The store employee said Holland entered the store and took a king size Reese’s Peanut Butter candy and concealed it in his waistband. However, Holland later paid for the candy. He then wanted a Subway sandwich, but was two dollars short and wanted to return the candy so he could purchase the sandwich. The clerk said he told Holland the candy could not be returned because he had placed it inside his waistband.

Officers saw a suspected marijuana cigarette on Holland’s ear. When asked about the cigarette, Holland said it was his “mojo’ or synthetic marijuana, and it helped him to sleep. As officers attempted to arrest Holland, he tightened up his body and struggled to avoid being handcuffed. During the struggle, an officer was knocked back and fell to the ground. Holland then fell which caused damage to multiple store items.

Once Holland was restrained, about 16 grams of synthetic marijuana was found in his sock.

Holland was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of synthetic marijuana, simple criminal damage to property, and resisting an officer.

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.

Courtesy of LA Tech University Communications

Louisiana Tech University has announced its 2026 Spring Quarter president’s and dean’s honor lists.

Students whose names are followed by an asterisk earned recognition as members of the president’s honor list. That distinction signifies achievement of at least a 3.8 academic grade point average on a minimum of nine semester hours completed (100-level or higher), with no grade lower than a B.

To be eligible for the dean’s honor list, a student is required to earn at least a 3.5 academic grade point average with no grade lower than a C on a minimum of nine semester hours completed (100-level or higher).

Courses yielding satisfactory/failure grades and courses audited do not count toward eligibility for either recognition. Only undergraduates with no incomplete grades are eligible to make either list.

Honor students are listed HERE by the hometown they have entered in their Workday Student profile, with all Louisiana students listed first by parish.

A Ruston man was arrested Sunday after a deputy spotted him leaving the scene of a disturbance.

Vondall Wilson, 21, was arrested on June 6 for possessing a stolen handgun and a bag of marijuana.

The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call about 7:00 p.m. reporting a disturbance on Newman Street. As a deputy was responding, Wilson was seen walking away from the area. He was wearing clothing matching the description of the disturbance suspect who was supposed to be armed with a gun.

Wilson was searched by a deputy who found a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol strapped to Wilson’s left ankle. A small bag of suspected marijuana was also found.

A records check revealed the pistol had been stolen in Ouachita Parish.

Wilson was arrested and booked at the illegal possession of a stolen firearm and simple possession of marijuana.

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.

Special to the LPJ

GRAMBLING — The Ford-Jackson Community Development Foundation, with support from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the City of Grambling, hosted its annual Gospel Scholarship Concert on June 7 at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, honoring four local high school graduates while helping kick off the city’s Juneteenth celebration.

The event brought together community leaders, churches, musicians and residents for an afternoon centered on worship, fellowship and educational support. Organizers said the concert continues to serve as a tradition focused on celebrating faith, academic achievement and community investment in future generations.

Grambling Mayor Alvin Bradley opened the program by welcoming attendees and recognizing the significance of the event and the upcoming Juneteenth celebrations.

Guests were treated to musical performances by Andrea Williams, JaMirakle Calep, Kami Joe, Keith Kelly, Dexter Sapp on saxophone, the Area City Wide Choir, Wonderful Voices of Zion and the St. Peter Missionary Baptist Church Choir. The performances emphasized themes of unity, community support and educational advancement.

A special scholarship offering was collected in honor of Luther Ford and Roy L. Jackson, whose legacy of service and commitment to education continues through scholarship opportunities provided by the foundation.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of scholarships to four 2026 graduates from Ruston High School.

Recipients included London Dade, who graduated with a 2.7 GPA and plans to attend Southern University; Marlon Grant Jr., who graduated with a 3.4 GPA and plans to attend Louisiana Tech University; Kennedy Jones, who graduated with a 3.0 GPA and plans to attend University of Louisiana at Lafayette; and Jayden Winzer, who graduated with a 3.05 GPA and plans to attend University of Louisiana Monroe.

Organizers praised the students for their academic dedication and encouraged them to continue striving for excellence as they begin their college careers.

The concert concluded with announcements about upcoming Juneteenth activities and closing remarks encouraging continued support for local students and community initiatives. Refreshments sponsored by Exodus Farms were served following the program.

Happy Summer, and safe (and grateful) travels … 

My parents had the one thing money can’t buy.

Poverty.

Well, that’s a stretch. We weren’t ever going to be confused with the Vanderbilts, but we weren’t The Beverly Hillbillies pre-oil either. We had all we needed.

I can never remember going without or being hungry or not having clothes to wear. A small-town preacher’s family always would be supplied. Bushels of corn and peas and beans showed up at our side door, fresh cucumbers, tomatoes. We had a garden like everyone else, but we didn’t really need one; we got the surplus from others. Our deep-freeze was always full.

But cash money, we didn’t have a lot of that. I didn’t know that at the time, but I do now.

Ignorance was bliss — but it wasn’t as grateful as it should have been. I didn’t understand how much my parents and their friends did for us kids. None of us knew. 

When summer rolls around every year, I think of our vacations back then and wonder how they did it, how my parents came up with the money. We’d drive from South Carolina to see my grandparents in Louisiana. Not always, but sometimes, we stayed at a hotel . . . almost always ate at a Howard Johnsons, so we could have pancakes. Or “pigs in a blanket.” Spaghetti. No restaurants in my hometown. This was a huge deal, eating out.

And not every summer, but three times, we stopped on the way home at “Six Flags Over Georgia” in Atlanta.

Bigtime. Just saying. Two words: log ride.

It is not easy these days to scrape up money for a few days at the beach or “Six Flags Over Anywhere.” Even “One Flag” can be tough. But it was even harder for my parents, and probably for yours. Somehow, they managed it, and memories of those times are priceless, even though travel with five in a two-door Impala was far from luxury.

Ignorance is thinking the window rolled down and your sister’s elbow in your ribs was bliss. And it was. 

My parents did practical day-to-day things to get us over the hump, plus some more. It is another reason to honor a couple who did things for me I couldn’t do for myself. There is an illustration of selflessness in their actions and purpose that I need always to remember.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right,” Paul writes in Ephesians. “‘Honor your father and mother’”—the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you…”

They did so much to make it “go well” with us. Summer vacation? Probably wasn’t much of a vacation for them, corralling kids and scraping some dollar bills together. Just a small reason, of many, to honor them, more than a half-century of summers later.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

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.

by Hanna Singh

For the past 11 years, I’ve been attending festivals across Louisiana.

From gumbo cook-offs and food festivals to music jams and parades in New Orleans, I’ve experienced a little bit of it all. But there’s just something special about the Peach Festival. Even leading up to the event, I love the excitement and mystery of the Peach Hunt, the delicious peach-inspired dishes at local restaurants and watching peaches pop up all over town in anticipation of festival day. And when the day finally arrives, you know it’s going to be filled with fun from sunup to sundown. After all these years, I can still say that the Peach Festival never ceases to be one of my favorite weekends of the year.

When I first started attending the Peach Festival, I came as an out-of-towner. But in my years of living in Ruston, I’ve discovered that experiencing it as a local is twice the fun. I’ve learned there’s a certain technique to making sure you soak up all the peachy fun, and this year might have been my best year yet. The week before the festival, my kids and I spent each day searching for the peach. Casually, of course, because we know several hundred others are on the hunt as well.

We checked the clue each morning and drove to new locations, peeking under tables and walking down trails. Not once have we even come close! But we always enjoy the adventure. I also love trying all the peachy treats around town. This year, I tried a peach matcha from Common Goods and the Peach Charcuterie Board from The Local. As someone whose favorite fruit is peaches, this is quite literally my dream culinary week.

On Peach Fest day, we hit the town early. My itinerary always starts uptown at the car show. This is mostly for my son, who enjoys picking out which retro vehicle is going to be his “new ride.” After a good look around, we make our way downtown toward the rest of the festival, stopping at every booth and attraction along the way. We passed by the soon-to-be Delta Biscuit Co. and got to try some peach cobbler lemonade and biscuits with peach jam, pretty much the perfect morning snack. We sat in Railroad Park and listened to music while waiting on friends, then headed over to my kids’ favorite part of the festival, Kids Alley.

This is something I especially love about Peach Fest, a whole section dedicated to the kiddos. It’s full of fun, free and creative activities that keep the kiddos entertained all morning. Having something for people of all ages is what really sets the festival apart for me.

After working up an appetite in Kids Alley, we grabbed a snack and headed to my favorite part of the festival. While I love the music, food and activities, the highlight of the day for me is browsing the local artists and creators in the market. I have to resist the urge to spend the rest of the day shopping. This year, I bought a print of the Dixie Theater from Ragan Thorne to hang in my office, along with a basket full of peaches to last me through the week.

Now, here’s my biggest tip for surviving the rest of a hot summer festival day, go home and take a nap. With two kids, I highly recommend splitting Peach Fest into two parts; morning shopping and playing, then afternoon partying. After a good nap and a little air conditioning, we were ready for round two.

We changed into comfy clothes, packed a picnic blanket and headed back downtown for the music. As if we hadn’t eaten enough already, we got some nachos, peach boba and peach ice cream to enjoy while watching the bands play. Then, after the sun went down, we stretched out on our blanket and watched the fireworks while the kids danced and played in the grass.

If there’s a best way to experience the Peach Festival, I think we figured it out. But knowing Peach Fest, there will definitely be something new for us to discover next year.

Hall of Fame’s Round Table Luncheon will provide up-close, memorable moments

The “youngest” event during this month’s Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration is the most exclusive, yet casual, opportunity for the public to enjoy hearing from the Class of 2026 inductees.

It’s the Round Table Luncheon Saturday, June 27, at noon at Riverside Reserve, 104 Mill Street, in Natchitoches. There are still seats available for the eighth annual Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation.

Registration is available for the luncheon can be made by visiting LaSportsHall.com, or by calling 318-238-4255. It is a ticketed event.

Festivities begin Thursday evening, June 25 with the free of charge Welcome Reception from 5-7 open to all, no registration necessary, at the Hall of Fame museum facing the traffic circle at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches.

The BOM Celebrity Bowling Bash is at midday Friday, June 26 at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. Friday evening brings the free Rockin’ River Fest concert on Cane River Lake in downtown Natchitoches, from 6-10:30, with the Class of 2026 introduced at 9:15 right before a sports-themed fireworks show over the water.

Events Saturday, June 27 include the free Saints and Pelicans Junior Training Camp for kids, the Round Table Luncheon, and the Induction Reception and Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center.

The Round Table Luncheon starts with tremendous Louisiana cuisine and quickly kicks into gear with Fox Sports announcer (and 2020 LSHOF inductee) Tim Brando interviewing small groups of inductees on stage in a very informal and fast-moving setting.

A poignant scene at the 2019 luncheon unfolded before the program when Peyton Manning, being inducted later that day, stopped by to greet LSU legend Johnny Robinson, who was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame two months later.

Scenes like that, up-close access and the fun-filled dialog between Brando and the 2026 inductees combine to provide a memorable 90 minutes.

The Class of ‘26 is headlined by a star-studded group:  Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 2025 inductee Sylvia Fowles, NFL stars Joe Horn, Todd McClure and Pat Williams, Major League Baseball All-Star Jonathan Lucroy and legendary basketball coaches John Brady, Mike McConathy and Dewain Strother.

Alexandria native and LSU baseball hero Warren Morris will receive the Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award, earning enshrinement into the LSHOF. His walk-off home run won the 1996 College World Series for LSU and resulted in the Bolton High School product becoming a lifelong spokesman for college baseball, the CWS and LSU.

LSU graduate and New Orleans native Gil LeBreton and multi-faceted Shreveporter John James Marshall are going into the Hall as the 2026 winners of the LSWA’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism. Former Tioga girls basketball coach and nationally-acclaimed high school sports administrator Kathy Holloway is being inducted as the recipient of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award.

The Hall of Fame Round Table Luncheon shapes up as a highly entertaining opportunity for guests to have a up-close-and-personal experience and be entertained and well fed in a casual setting, with a touch of elegance at the Riverside Reserve on the banks of Cane River Lake just a mile from downtown Natchitoches.

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

Loading
crossword puzzle. One moment please.

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. 

Wednesday, June 10
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)
2 p.m.: Author/Musician Rickey Pittman performance (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)

Thursday, June 11
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; Anyone is welcome to come to our meeting,please notify Richartd Hamilton of your attendance. 318-518-2121)
2 p.m.: Tween Time : LSU Ag Center Smoothie Bike (Lincoln Parish Library)
4 p.m.: Teen Time :  LSU Ag Center Smoothie Bike (Lincoln Parish Library)
4:30-5:30 p.m.:Free meal provided by Chick-fil-A and 5 Loaves 2 Fish Ministry to be served at Simsboro Grace Methodist Church, Highway 80 in Simsboro. All are welcome.
6 p.m.: Video-Led Tai Chi class (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers)

Friday, June 12
9:30 a.m.: Ribbon cutting celebrating Ruston Parks Inclusive Play Communication Boards (2800 Kavanaugh Rd., Ruston)
2 p.m.: American Chemical Society at Lincoln Parish Library
3:30-5:30 p.m.: Summer DND Campaign for Teens & Tweens (Lincoln Parish Library) Please call 318-513-5518 for important information about participation.
6 p.m.: Juneteenth Pageant (TH Harris Auditorium, Reed St., Grambling)

Saturday, June 13
8:30-11:30 a.m.: Hazardous Waste Material Collection and Recycling (2609 Farmerville St.)
Noon: Historic Landmark unveiling (City Park Pavilion, 119 Park St., Grambling)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market

Sunday, June 14
2 p.m.: Junior Auxiliary Interest meeting (Lincoln Parish Library, George Byrnside Conference Room)

Monday, June 15
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
4 p.m.: Storytime : Special Guest: LA Center for the Blind (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
5:30 p.m.:Ruston Planning and Zoning meeting (Ruston City Hall)
6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street)
6-9 p.m.: Creative Meetups (Creatives at Work, 301 N. Trenton)

Tuesday, June 16
6:30 a.m.: Veterans free breakfast (VFW Post 3615, 206 Memorial Dr.)
10 a.m.: Storytime : Special Guest: LA Center for the Blind (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
10:30 a.m.: Summer movie series: “Wall-E” (Dixie Theatre)
2 p.m.: Crafternoon : Butterfly Suncatchers (Lincoln Parish Library)
4 p.m.: Teen Time :  Seed Bomb Pollinators (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: Video-Led Exercise class (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
6 p.m.: Louisiana Orphan Trains: The Untold Stories presented by the Louisiana Orphan Train Museum (Lincoln Parish Library)

Wednesday, June 17
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)
2 p.m.: CPR Class for Kids (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)

Thursday, June 18
10 a.m.: LSU Ag Center Play Street at Lincoln Parish Library Events Center
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall; Anyone is welcome to come to our meeting,please notify Richartd Hamilton of your attendance. 318-518-2121))
2 p.m.: Tween Time : Mushroom Lanterns (Lincoln Parish Library)
4 p.m.: Teen Time :  Tiny Tin Library (Lincoln Parish Library)
5 p.m.: Library Board of Control Meeting (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: Video-Led Tai Chi class (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center)
6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers)
6:30 p.m.: Books & Bites Book Club; registration required 318-513-5510 (Lincoln Parish Library at Utility Brewing Co.)

Friday, June 19
Juneteenth
8 a.m.: Juneteenth car show (Downtown Grambling)
5 p.m.: Juneteenth parade (Downtown Grambling)
6 p.m.: Juneteenth fish fry (Grambling)
Dusk: Fireworks (Grambling Park)

Saturday, June 20
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
3-5:30 p.m.: Ruston Juneteenth Celebration (Thomas Assembly Center)
7-11 p.m.: Juneteenth Gala (Black and Gold Room, 403 Main Street, Grambling)

Fresh off a Conference USA regular-season championship, the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters have added four transfers to their 2026-27 roster, head coach Brooke Stoehr announced.

Joining Louisiana Tech are Brittani Wells, Alana Obianozie, Jordyn McNeal and Monica Salort Del Saz. The quartet joins incoming freshmen Pressley Powell and E’Marriha Johnson as the newest additions to the Lady Techsters program.

“These young women are tremendous additions to our program,” Stoehr said. “We are thrilled to welcome each of them to the Lady Techsters family. They have been a part of winning programs and understand what it takes to win. Each of them are great teammates and will bring something special to both our program and the Ruston community.”

Wells, a 5-foot-7 senior point guard from Lakeland, Tennessee, arrives after spending last season at University of Tennessee at Martin. She averaged 3.6 assists per game, ranking fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference, while leading her team in 3-point percentage (.402), steals (56) and minutes played per game (35.8).

Wells also has familiarity with the Lady Techsters program. She was teammates with current Louisiana Tech guards Alexia Weaver and Kaleigh Thompson at Three Rivers College and played under current Lady Techsters assistant coach Caleb Livingston during the 2023-24 season.

“Brittani brings a wealth of experience to our backcourt and a leadership ability and work ethic that will help our group continue to compete for championships,” Stoehr said. “Her ability to create for both herself and her teammates will be a tremendous addition to our offensive attack. She shoots it at a high percentage from 3 and can score off the dribble, giving us a three-level scoring threat.”

Obianozie, a 5-9 junior guard from Madison, Alabama, spent the past two seasons at Shelton State Community College, where she helped lead the Lady Bucs to a 30-4 record and an Alabama Community College Conference championship this past season.

She averaged 12.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.5 assists per game during her junior college career while shooting 49.5 percent from the field. Obianozie earned ACCC All-Tournament Team honors after grabbing a season-high 17 rebounds in the NJCAA South District Championship.

“Alana is a dynamic athlete and competitor who has the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor,” Stoehr said. “She has an ability to attack the rim and shoots the basketball at a high percentage. Her ability to rebound from the perimeter is uncanny and will be a tremendous addition to our backcourt. She has a willingness to defend and do all the little things that will impact winning in multiple ways for our group.”

McNeal, a 5-11 junior forward from Fort Worth, Texas, joins the Lady Techsters from Murray State College after earning Region 2 Player of the Year honors and Third Team All-American recognition.

She averaged a team-best 12.9 points per game last season while also recording 7.0 rebounds per contest. McNeal finished second on her team in rebounding and ranked among the team leaders in assists and blocked shots while helping guide Murray State College to a 15-1 conference record.

“Jordyn is a versatile athlete who can score and rebound the basketball,” Stoehr said. “She has the ability to shoot the 3 and play with her back to the basket. Her versatility and steady demeanor make her a perfect fit for our team. She has led her team in numerous statistical categories and has impacted winning in a big way.”

Salort Del Saz, a 5-10 guard from Spain, brings an accomplished international résumé to Ruston. She has competed in five Spanish Club National Championships and three Spanish National Team Championships and earned selection to the 2022 Spanish National Team.

She also was named MVP of Alcudia Basketball Club after scoring 45 points in the Balearic Junior Basketball Championship and was selected to the Balearic Islands Regional Team for three consecutive years.

“Monica brings diverse international experience to our program,” Stoehr said. “She is a bigger guard with the ability to play downhill out of ball screen action. Her shooting range and consistency will add to our offensive threat. She plays with a passion and excitement for the game that is contagious.”

The four signees will join a Louisiana Tech program that captured the Conference USA regular-season title in 2025-26 and advanced to postseason play under Stoehr.

Grambling State University Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Trayvean D. Scott announced the hiring of Chris Logan as head coach of the GSU women’s soccer program on Tuesday morning.

“We are excited to welcome Chris Logan to Grambling State as the leader of our women’s soccer program,” Scott said. “Chris brings a wealth of experience, a passion for developing student-athletes and a clear vision for building a championship culture. We are confident he will have a tremendous impact on our program and are excited for the future of Grambling State women’s soccer under his leadership.”

Logan comes to GSU after serving as technical director for goalkeeping with the Colorado Rapids, where he oversaw the development of goalkeepers at all levels of the organization.

Prior to his time with the Rapids, he served as head coach of the Minot State women’s soccer program in 2025. During his time at MSU, the Beavers finished with the second-most goals scored in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). His team reached the postseason and produced multiple all-conference selections.

Before his stint at Minot State, Logan spent eight seasons as head women’s soccer coach at the University of North Dakota, where he compiled a 49-68-24 record, the most career victories by a head coach in Fighting Hawks history.

After taking over the program in 2017, Logan was named Big Sky Coach of the Year as North Dakota improved from two wins the previous season to a 6-8-4 record. Following the program’s move to the Summit League, Logan guided the Fighting Hawks to a 9-6-2 mark in 2018 and a 10-8-1 record in 2019. The 10-win campaign ranks as the third-highest single-season victory total in program history.

During his tenure at North Dakota, Logan coached All-American Katie Moller (2017, 2018) and Academic All-American Olivia Swenson (2018).

Prior to taking over the Fighting Hawks program, Logan served as head coach at NCAA Division I Northern Iowa in 2016, leading the Panthers to an 8-8-3 record.

Logan’s collegiate coaching career began at Notre Dame College in Ohio, where he served as goalkeeper coach from 2003-06. He then spent one season as goalkeeper coach at Lake Erie College before serving as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer programs at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania from 2007-11, including a stint as interim head coach of the men’s program.

Logan also spent the 2011 season as the top assistant for the women’s soccer program at the University of Pittsburgh before spending four seasons at North Dakota State, including the final three as associate head coach for the Bison women’s program.

A native of Stoke-on-Trent, England, Logan played at Notre Dame College from 2002-06, earning All-America honors as a goalkeeper. During his career, the Falcons won three conference championships and advanced to the NAIA Elite Eight in 2005.

Logan earned a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from Notre Dame College in 2006 and a master’s degree in English language and literature from Slippery Rock in 2009.

Karen Emerson, of Taylor, Arkansas, passed away Monday, June 8, 2026, following a courageous battle with cancer.   

Karen Kay Bryan Emerson, born January 9, 1953, in Hodge, Louisiana to Dutch and Helen Bryan.  She was a 1971 Graduate of Jonesboro Hodge High School and attend Louisiana Tech University.  She began her career at the Hodge Paper mill where she worked until her retirement in 2010.  After retirement, she and her husband Bobby moved to their farm in Taylor, Arkansas.   She was preceded in death by her parents, Dutch and Helen Bryan; her brothers, JW (Bubba) Bryan, Don Bryan, Rodger Bryan; her sisters, Elaine (Sister) Wheat & Linda Ann Butler. 

Karen is survived by her husband of 23 years, Bobby Emerson, of Taylor, Arkansas; her daughter and son-In-law Kori and Joey Pardue, Bart Emerson (Mindy), and Suzanne (James) Reynolds; grandchildren, Katherine Pardue, Beau Emerson, Alexx Ivey (Phillip Gahr), Mason Maloch (Kaitlyn), Kelsey Passaflume (Nick); great-grandchildren, Mattie and Miles Maloch, Caleb, Connor & Olivia Passaflume.  Her sisters, Rosemary (Charles) Spangler, Krista Bryan; brothers, Ronnie Bryan (Betty), Joey Bryan (Cherise) and Jeffrey Bryan (Cindy).  As well as many special nieces and nephews, and life-long friends.  

Visitation will be at Jonesboro-Hodge Methodist Church, Thursday, June 11 from 5-7 pm and Friday, June 12 from 10-11 am, with service to follow at 11am.  Interment will follow in Siloam Springs Community Church Cemetery in Wyatt, Louisiana under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes in Ruston, LA.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Tharwat Ghattas, of Ghattas Oncology and Charlotte Odom of Ascend Hospice for the exceptional care and compassion they provided Karen during her illness. We are deeply grateful for their kindness and support. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Methodist Children’s Home or American Cancer Society.  

Jerry Perry 
Thursday 07/10/1958 — Wednesday 06/03/2026 
Visitation: Friday 06/12/2026 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home 
Funeral Service: Saturday 06/13/2026, Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, 1028 Pattontown Road, Lisbon 
Interment: Saturday 06/13/2026 Following Service, Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, 1028 Pattontown Road, Lisbon 

Douglas Estel Milliron  
March 29, 1951  –  June 1, 2026  
Visitation: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 2:00PM – 3:00PM, Trinity Methodist Church Burkhalter Chapel, 1000 Woodward Ave., Ruston  
Service: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 3:00PM, Trinity Methodist Church Burkhalter Chapel, 1000 Woodward Ave., Ruston 

by Wesley Harris

In the turbulent years after the Civil War, north Louisiana often seemed only a spark away from open war.

Reconstruction brought federal troops, bitter elections, contested courts, charges of fraud, armed political clubs, racial terror, and deep resentment between white Democrats and Republican officeholders. In some Louisiana parishes, the bloodshed after Appomattox exceeded the violence local people had experienced during the war itself. Lynchings, assassinations, political intimidation, and retaliatory raids filled newspaper columns and left communities divided for generations.

Lincoln Parish was born into that storm.

Created in 1873 from portions of Bienville, Claiborne, Jackson, and Union parishes, Lincoln Parish was still organizing itself when Reconstruction politics reached one of its most volatile moments. The parish seat was Vienna, an older settlement that served as the center of government before Ruston existed. Courthouse politics, federal authority, and local resentment converged there in 1874, producing a tense confrontation that could easily have turned bloody.

Instead, it became one of those rare Reconstruction episodes in which angry men with guns stepped back from the edge.

The trouble grew out of the 1874 election season. Across Louisiana, Republicans, backed by federal power, struggled to hold office while Democrats sought to regain control of local and state government. U.S. troops were stationed throughout the state to support federal marshals and enforce federal law. To Republicans, the soldiers were necessary protection against violence and intimidation. To many white Democrats, they were an occupying army.

In north Louisiana, no federal officer was more despised by Democrats than Major Lewis Merrill of the 7th Cavalry. Merrill had previously been used against Ku Klux Klan violence in South Carolina, and in 1874 he was sent to Louisiana to help suppress political intimidation. Democratic newspapers called him “Dog Merrill,” a nickname that reflected the venom of the times.

Under Merrill’s command, Lieutenant Benjamin Hodgson led cavalrymen in support of Deputy U.S. Marshal Edgar Selye. In October 1874, Selye and the soldiers began making arrests in Claiborne and Lincoln Parishes. They first went to Homer, where they arrested Judge Nelson J. Scott, Parish Recorder John H. Ramsey, and Dr. Sterling R. Richardson, mayor of Homer. The men were accused of interfering with a Republican meeting of mostly former slaves—now American citizens. The arrested officeholders insisted they had tried to prevent a riot.

The party then moved toward Lincoln Parish. Accompanying the cavalry was  Congressman Frank Morey, a Republican from Massachusetts who had gained the northeast Louisiana Congressional seat. A favorite target of Democratic newspapers, Morey stopped at Greensborough, the home of Allen Greene. Greene was Lincoln Parish’s leading Republican figure, and he and his sons had become deeply unpopular with many local Democrats. Their influence was so strong that critics accused them of moving parish government to their plantation. Their lives had been threatened if they didn’t return parish records to Vienna and resign their offices.

At Vienna, Selye hoped to arrest many of the 78 Lincoln Parish men named in warrants. Only three men were found, among them James Grisham Huey, the former Jackson Parish sheriff who lost his seat when his home was taken in by the newly created Lincoln Parish. Also arrested were Ainsley H. Mayfield, a Lincoln Parish deputy sheriff and P. L. Phillips. They were accused of participating in the throng that went to Greensborough and demanded the resignations of the Greenes, U.S. Commissioner David J. M. A. Jewett, and other Republican officeholders.

Huey, Mayfield, and Phillips surrendered without resistance. Yet the manner of the arrests inflamed local opinion. The prisoners were hurried away without time, according to Democratic accounts, to consult their families or even gather a change of clothes. When Huey asked by what authority he was being arrested, Lieutenant Hodgson reportedly drew his revolver and answered, “This is my authority.”

That was precisely the kind of gesture that could have turned Vienna into a battleground.

The prisoners from Claiborne and Lincoln were held overnight in the Vienna jail. Local men armed themselves and gathered in town. The next morning, federal authorities rushed the prisoners toward Monroe. Fearing hostile citizens might alert Monroe by telegraph, Hodgson and Selye ordered the telegraph wires cut.

Meanwhile, Eleventh District Judge James Trimble issued a writ of habeas corpus ordering the prisoners brought before his court and requiring the marshal and soldiers to explain their detention. The writ was served by Claiborne Parish Sheriff W. F. Aycock. Hodgson refused to honor it. Aycock later reported Hodgson surrounded him with troops, faced him with a pistol, and declared that he would not respect parish officers.

More plainly, Lt. Hodgson had said he would use the judge’s order to wipe himself next time he went to the outhouse.

The prisoners were taken to Monroe, where U.S. Commissioner Jewett set bail. But the legal and political battle had only begun. Trimble’s authority had been defied. Telegraph property had been damaged. Local citizens believed federal officers had trampled civil law. Federal officers believed local authorities were interfering with national enforcement.

On November 6, Lincoln Parish Deputy Sheriff Edgar Howard went to Monroe with warrants for Hodgson and Selye. He was accompanied by a posse of twenty or thirty men. Hodgson was arrested at a hotel. Selye fled and was later found hiding in the attic of Chief Justice John T. Ludeling’s home. The posse disarmed him and promised he would not be harmed.

That restraint mattered.

Howard and his men returned Hodgson and Selye to Vienna. Congressman Morey immediately warned Major Merrill the two men had been arrested by the Lincoln Parish sheriff and “two hundred men” and taken to Vienna. Merrill feared mob violence and ordered troops toward the parish seat. More soldiers were placed on alert. Lawyers were dispatched. Telegrams flew between Shreveport, Monroe, Vienna, and New Orleans.

For a moment, the situation looked dangerous enough to bring north Louisiana into open conflict between local citizens and federal troops.

Yet the confrontation did not explode.

Captain George E. Head, commanding infantry at Monroe, wired Merrill that he anticipated “no danger.” Attorney William R. Hardy, representing Hodgson, sent an even more revealing message from Vienna: “Everything quiet here, perfectly, as much so as in Boston.”

That sentence is striking. Vienna was full of anger. Armed men had gathered. Federal troops were nearby. A U.S. cavalry officer and deputy marshal were in the parish jail. Yet the town did not descend into bloodshed.

Judge Trimble sentenced Hodgson and Selye to ten days in jail, a $100 fine, and costs for contempt of court. Governor William P. Kellogg issued pardons. Local citizens asked Trimble to reconsider Hodgson’s sentence, and the judge discharged him. A grand jury then indicted Hodgson for cutting the telegraph wires, but he was taken into military custody and sent to New Orleans. He later faced court-martial and received a reprimand. He died at the Little Big Horn with George Custer in 1876.

Selye’s case took an even stranger turn. After bail was arranged, his own attorney, John Dinkgrave, announced he was acting as a deputy U.S. marshal and held a warrant charging Selye with embezzlement. Many viewed the move as a ruse for removing Selye from local jurisdiction. He was taken to Monroe and then sent by steamer to New Orleans. Neither he nor Jewett returned to Lincoln Parish to face local charges.

The episode later cast the federal side in an even harsher light. In 1876, Selye testified before Congress that the raid’s purpose was to remove prominent Democrats from Claiborne and Lincoln until after the election. He also said Jewett, who issued the warrants, had not been properly commissioned at the time and that Congressman Morey was behind the scheme. If true, the arrests that brought Vienna to the brink rested on invalid authority.

But the most important local lesson may be what did not happen.

Lincoln Parish in 1874 had all the ingredients for Reconstruction violence. It was a new parish with unsettled political institutions. Its parish seat was caught in a fight between federal power and local courts. Its citizens were angry, armed, and suspicious. A federal officer had defied a judge. A deputy marshal had been found hiding in an attic. Telegraph wires had been cut. Troops were moving. Telegrams from military officers spoke of danger and possible mob action.

In another parish, under slightly different leadership or with a few rash shots fired, the Vienna affair might have become a massacre.

Instead, local authority asserted itself through warrants, courts, bonds, and grand juries. Federal commanders, though alarmed, ultimately allowed legal processes to proceed. Citizens who despised Selye and Hodgson did not lynch them. The posse that found Selye promised his safety. Even those most offended by the arrests worked through Judge Trimble’s court rather than through vengeance.

This is not to romanticize Reconstruction in Lincoln Parish. The era was bitter, unjust, and unstable. Black citizens faced intimidation. White Democrats often sought to regain power by suppressing Republican political activity. Republican officials sometimes used federal authority in heavy-handed and corrupt ways. The law itself became a battlefield.

But compared with the worst Reconstruction violence elsewhere in Louisiana, Lincoln Parish’s first years were marked less by bloodshed than by brinkmanship. Vienna saw fury, armed men, federal troops, jailings, and legal defiance. It also saw restraint.

In the end, that restraint kept Lincoln Parish from joining the list of places where Reconstruction politics became wholesale slaughter. The parish was born in chaos, but in Vienna, at least for one dangerous week in 1874, cooler heads prevailed.

LPJ Staff Report

The Lincoln Parish School Board’s current leadership structure will remain unchanged despite the passage of ACT No. 169 (House Bill No. 661), the new Louisiana law addressing the hiring and promotion of relatives of school board members and superintendents, according to Lincoln Parish School Board Superintendent Ricky Durrett.

Durrett said the district has consulted with attorneys regarding the legislation and believes the law is not retroactive, meaning current employees serving in leadership positions are not affected.

“After consulting with our attorneys, everybody we have under contract now is certainly approved to stay in those positions going forward,” Durrett said.

Durrett said the law applies broadly to leadership positions within school systems, including principals, central office supervisors and superintendents, as well as relationships involving both superintendents and school board members but that longterm clarity will be needed.

“There are still a lot of unanswered questions pertaining to this law amongst attorneys and even amongst legislators,” Durrett said.

Durrett said the district’s interpretation is that employees currently serving in leadership roles may continue in those positions under existing contracts.

The issue has drawn attention locally because of questions regarding Cypress Springs Elementary Principal Tiffany Curry Young, who is married to incoming Lincoln Parish Superintendent John Young. Durrett declined to discuss Principal Young specifically, citing personnel privacy concerns, but reiterated that the district believes current contracts and appointments are not impacted by the legislation.

Young was named principal of Cypress Springs Elementary in March of this past year after a very successful tenure at Dubach School. During her tenure as both interim and formal principal, the Dubach School earned a B School Performance Score in 2023. She had her interim tagged officially removed in the December 2023 Lincoln Parish School Board session.

Durrett also noted the law could affect situations involving relatives of school board members seeking leadership positions within a district.

The legislation’s longterm implications remain unclear statewide, particularly regarding future contract renewals or promotions involving relatives of board members or superintendents.

The monthly meeting of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury is set for tonight (Tuesday) with committee meetings starting at 5:20 p.m. and the main meeting at 6 p.m. The public is invited.