To lessen the threat of an accidental nuclear war, the United States and the Soviet Union agree to establish a “hot line” communication system between the two nations. The agreement was a small step in reducing tensions between the United States and the USSR following the October 1962 Missile Crisis in Cuba, which had brought the two nations to the brink of nuclear war.
The need for nearly instantaneous and full-time communication between the U.S. and Soviet governments became apparent during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. The United States had discovered that the Soviets were building missile sites in Cuba capable of firing missiles with nuclear warheads.
Eventually, the administration of President John F. Kennedy instituted a naval “quarantine” around Cuba to block the delivery of such missiles. Possible nuclear conflict was avoided only when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed that his country would not install nuclear weapons in Cuba. In exchange, the United States vowed not to threaten the sovereignty of Cuba. Prior to the settlement, the world sat through several very tense days of waiting to see whether World War III would begin.
In an attempt to reduce the tensions brought about by the October 1962 crisis, and hopefully avert any future misunderstandings that might trigger a nuclear conflict, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed in June 1963 to establish a “hot line.” It would be a 24-hour-a-day communications link between Washington, D.C., and Moscow. President Kennedy declared, “This age of fast-moving events requires quick, dependable communication in time of emergency.” The agreement was a “first step to help reduce the risk of war occurring by accident or miscalculation.”
The system was put into place a few months after the agreement was signed. Beyond serving as a dramatic prop in movies such as Fail Safe (or a comedic prop in the film Dr. Strangelove), the communication line has—thankfully—never had to be used to avert a nuclear war.
To see more on this day in history, go to History.com.
Jerome “Jerry” Silberman was born in 1933. When Jerry was eight years old, his mother had a heart attack. When she was well enough to return from the hospital, her doctor escorted her and Jerry’s father back to their home. This was in the era when doctors made house calls. The doctor made sure Jerry’s mother was comfortable in bed and gave Jerry’s father a few instructions. Then, the doctor spoke to Jerry in another room. The doctor took Jerry by the arm, leaned over him, sternly looked him in the eye, and slowly said, “Don’t ever argue with your mother because you might kill her.” Eight-year-old Jerry stood there in silence as he tried to process what he had just been told. Then, the doctor continued, “try to make her laugh.” Those instructions changed Jerry’s life.
Jerry followed the doctor’s advice and his mother slowly recovered. When Jerry was eleven, he saw his sister, Corinne, perform in a dramatic recital in front of about 200 people. Before the show began, the people in the audience jabbered away loudly. Then, the lights went down, and a single spotlight shone on his sister. For twenty minutes, the crowd was absolutely silent. Jerry was entranced by his sister’s ability to make the crowd want to hear her every word. Jerry remembered thinking that that was, “about as close to being God as you could get as a human being.” After the recital, Jerry asked his sister’s acting coach to teach him. The teacher asked Jerry his age. When Jerry answered, “11,” the teacher responded, “If you still want to when your 13, come see me.” The day after he turned 13, Jerry began studying acting.
In high school and college, Jerry studied drama and theater and performed in several Shakespearean plays. His acting earned him a spot in the prestigious Actor’s Studio, a membership organization for professional actors in New York City. His plan was to become a serious actor, but life has a way of changing plans. Throughout his long career in the film industry, Jerry often remembered the words his mother’s doctor told him when he was eight years old; “Don’t ever argue with your mother because you might kill her. Try to make her laugh.” For more than forty years, he tried and succeeded in making us laugh.
As I said earlier, Jerry initially aspired to become a Shakespearean actor. Jerry said, “I didn’t think Jerry Silberman in MacBeth had the right ring to it.” Jerry decided he needed a stage name but was unable to find just the right one. One evening, Jerry went to his sister and brother-in-law’s apartment for dinner. Also joining them was a screenwriter named David Zelag Goodman. During dinner, Jerry explained his stage name dilemma. David saw this dilemma as a fun challenge. Over dinner, David went through the alphabet, beginning with A, and came up with a last name for each letter. David was nearing the end of the alphabet, but nothing seemed right. Then, he came to the letter W. When David said a name that began with W, Jerry said, “the bell went off. I wanted to be Wilder.” Thus, Jerry Silberman became Gene Wilder.
Louisiana Tech women’s basketball head coach Brooke Stoehr announced the signing of forward Adna Halilbasic.
The 6-foot-2 forward comes to Ruston from Recklinghausen, Germany, where she saw a successful career on the international circuit.
Halilbasic becomes the first German to play for the Lady Techsters and is the 11th international player. She joins Melissa Mwanza (Zimbabwe) and Isla Airey (Australia) to give Tech multiple international players for the sixth consecutive season, dating back to the 2019-2020 season.
“We are excited to add Adna to the Lady Techsters family,” Stoehr said. “Adna is post who can score in the paint and will bring added size, international experience, and depth to our interior group. She has good instincts and feel for the game. We look forward to welcoming Adna to Louisiana Tech.”
On the international stage, Halilbasic started with the U14 team, which finished second in the German Championship in 2019. She followed that up by winning the German Championship in 2022 as part of the U16 team.
As part of the Jugendbundesliga U18 in the WNBL, she won the conference championship in three consecutive seasons (2022, 2023, 2024) and finished third in the German Championship in 2024. Her 2024 team finished in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
Halilbasic was also a member of the U16 and U18 Bosnia national teams, which competed in the European Championships in 2022, 2023, and 2024. With the U18 organization, she finished fourth in 2023.
Funeral services for Carolyn Louise Ferguson, 85, of Leesville, LA, formerly of Ruston, LA, will be 10:00 A. M. Saturday, June 22, 2024, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home Chapel in Ruston, LA. Officiating the service will be Rev. Larry Emory assisted by Rev. Paul Watts. Interment will follow in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Vernon, LA under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home of Ruston.
A visitation will be prior to the service from 9:00 A.M. until service time in the Chapel of Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Ruston.
Carolyn was born on October 25, 1938, in Jackson Parish, LA to James Fred and Jearlene Whitman of Choudrant, LA and died June 18, 2024, in Leesville, LA. She graduated with the Class of ’57 of Choudrant High School. Carolyn is preceded in death by her husband Billy Ray Ferguson; son, Marshall Alan Ferguson; parents, Fred and Jearlene Whitman; brothers, James Roy Whitman, Grady Earl Whitman, and sister, Linda Akins.
She is survived by her children: Billy Ferguson (Lisa) and their children, De’An Gates ( Jamie), Melissa Atkins (Justin), Kari Ferguson; Jimmy Ferguson ( Jamie) and their son Dusty Ferguson; Timothy Ferguson (Melany) and son Corey Ferguson (Kelsey); daughter-in-law, Rhonda Ferguson and children Tiffany Robertson (Shay), Chris Ferguson (Rebekah), and Braedyn Webb; sister, Beverly Kelly- Cook (Glen); brother, Troy Wesley “T-Roy” Whitman (Dot); and a host of nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Corey Ferguson, Dustin Ferguson, Christopher Ferguson, Shay Robertson, Justin Atkins, and Jamie Gates.
Many thanks to her wonderful friend and caregiver Vada “Francis” Williams; and Woodlands Nursing Home and Staff in Leesville, LA.
Robert “Bud” Frasier September 19, 1938 – June 14, 2024 Cemetery: Mineral Springs Cemetery, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, 10:00 am
Gloria Rabon Monday 04/08/1940 — Wednesday 06/12/2024 Memorial Service: Friday 06/21/2024 1:00pm, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 2586 Hwy 150, Grambling
John Robert Jackson Sunday 09/10/1967 — Sunday 06/16/2024 Family Gathering: Thursday 06/20/2024 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Visitation: Thursday 06/20/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Friday 06/21/2024, New Hope Baptist Church, 204 W Vaughn Ave., Ruston Interment: Friday 06/21/2024, Bonner Cemetery, Ruston
Dorothy Gray Wednesday 02/01/1956 — Saturday 06/15/2024 Visitation: Friday 06/21/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 06/22/2024, Grambling Memorial Garden, Highway 80 West, Grambling
Drucilla Sherrard October 14, 1932 – June 14, 2024 Visitation: Thursday, June 20, 2024, 1:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Graveside Service: Thursday, June 20, 2024, 2:00 PM, Forest Lawn Cemetery, 2500 West California Ave, Ruston
(Pictured left to right: Louisiana National Bank President/CEO Brian Woodard, Ruston’s Josh Brantley, Zheric Hill, Aidan Anding, Sam Nations, Jerrod Baugh and LNB CFO Brandon Norris)
By Kyle Roberts
Members of Ruston High’s football program were presented with a nice gift from Louisiana National Bank Tuesday — a big check for nearly $25,000 to help cover the cost of the state championship rings that have already been given to players and staff in a spring ceremony.
The donation covered 50 percent of the total cost for the rings.
“Louisiana National Bank has always been supportive of us — not just the football program, but they do yearly start-up money for every sport including cheerleading,” Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said. “A lot of places are not fortunate enough to have that. Louisiana National Bank and (president/CEO) Brian Woodard have been very good to our athletic programs, state championship or not.
“And then you add this to it, and they didn’t blink an eye. They contacted me and said they were open to doing whatever we needed. We’re very fortunate to have somebody i the community here that knows what it takes to be able to provide for the kids.”
Baugh added that other businesses and people also gave private donations to help with the ring costs.
For Woodard, a Ruston High alum from the class of ’84, it was a no-brainer to offer support.
“(The championship) was a big event for our community and for the kids,” Woodard said. “Anything we can give back to our schools is great for education. It was worthwhile to do that.
“Football was a big deal when I was in high school and the years after, and Jerrod has brought it back. I’m very proud of what he’s done and we’re very supportive of him and the coaching staff. They’ve got a great group.”
The Bearcats will begin their title defense with a home opener against Acadiana on Friday, Sept. 6.
Wilbert Ellis (second from left) will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame later this month.
By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT
Written for the LSWA
Some great athletes are born to be that way based on God-given talent that can be improved on with a solid work ethic, sheer determination and love of the game.
But it can sometimes work the opposite way for great coaches, who don’t always have great careers as athletes but become great coaches based on the same kind of God-given talent combined with a solid work ethic, sheer determination and love of the game.
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inductee Wilbert Ellis was one of those types of coaches. Ellis spent 30 seasons as Grambling’s head baseball coach after serving the previous 13 as an assistant under Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones.
Ellis retired in 2003 after posting a 743-463-1 record with three Southwestern Athletic Conference titles, five SWAC Western Division crowns and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
He was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame in 2011 and American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007. Now, he joins the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Ellis is part of the 12-member Class of 2024 to be honored June 20-22 in Natchitoches. For participation opportunities, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.
Those coaching credentials warranted strong consideration for LSHOF induction, but what sealed the deal, and made Ellis even more worthy was what he’s done out of a baseball uniform.
Ellis is the second recipient of the Hall’s Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award, established in 2020 when Shreveport-based national broadcaster Tim Brando was the winner.
The award is presented only occasionally and honors long-term exemplary contributions to the perception of Louisiana by an individual who has ties to the state’s sports landscape.
“Throughout his life, as a coach and in many ways since then, Wilbert Ellis has been a tremendous representative of our state and his beloved Grambling State University,” said LSHOF chairman Doug Ireland. “Our selection committee believes he is the ideal person to be the second winner of the Ambassador Award as a man who has been nationally prominent in his field while constantly benefiting Louisiana through words and deeds. Coach Ellis has bolstered our state’s identity and its well-being.”
Ellis is nationally regarded as one of the country’s finest representatives of college baseball, beloved by Grambling alumni for his expansive yet now unofficial, longstanding role at the university.
He has been a trusted advisor for generations of presidents, athletic directors and coaches at Grambling, and to others in Lincoln Parish and statewide in community and governmental affairs.
Ellis was instrumental in the establishment of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum in Grambling, and the school’s Grambling Legends sports hall of fame. He still conducts baseball clinics for kids in Lincoln Parish and elsewhere, and serves as an NCAA Regional site supervisor.
In 2015, the Ruston-Lincoln (Parish) Chamber of Commerce presented Ellis with the 2015 Robert E. Russ Award, which is the highest award that is given for community impact in Ruston or Lincoln Parish, and in 2021 Ellis received that year’s Bill Best Humanitarian Award from the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.
That award was established in 1997 by the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce to recognize a local citizen for their outstanding contributions to humanitarian interests, unselfish giving, and service to others.
Ellis oversaw construction of Grambling’s baseball facility that houses Wilbert Ellis Field at Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones Park and serves as president of the Friends of the Eddie Robinson Museum organization.
And in 2022 Ellis was inducted into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame in Baton Rouge for his proactive approach in working with youth conducting clinics teaching hardball skills at the same time as offering instruction on the importance of life skills such as staying in school and completing their educations, staying away from drugs and alcohol and becoming productive citizens upon entering adulthood.
Those clinics include nearly 15 years worth of free Wilbert Ellis Youth Baseball Clinics in Ruston and more than 20 years guiding similar youth camps in conjunction with the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
“My whole life has been about guiding people and especially children and young people,” Ellis said. “For me, it was never about the wins and losses – instead, I wanted to see what I could teach them about the game of life through the game of baseball. Every year I’d attend the national coaches convention to learn different ways to make an impact in the kids’ lives, and those lessons have helped me make a difference here in Louisiana. We now have youth camps in Grambling, Ruston, and Lincoln Parish where 200-300 kids come out for the sessions.
“All I’ve wanted to do since I was young was lead coach others in all phases of life and with his grace the Good Lord has granted me with that honor, just as the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame is granting me this upcoming honor. Being honored and joining all the great athletes, baseball coaches and players from Louisiana, the state I’ve always lived in, is incredibly thrilling and rewarding. It’s been a good life for this kid who coached on the east end of Ruston.”
_______________________________
Scott Boatright, a Louisiana Tech graduate, works in university communications at Grambling State and also writes for LincolnParishJournal.com.
Bernice Police and the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting Friday night to find one man critically wounded.
Multiple arrests have been made and an additional suspect is being sought, according to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The shooting occurred on 6th Street at the Willow Village Apartments shortly after 9 p.m. Friday night.
The victim, a 21-year-old man, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was airlifted to a regional hospital.
Authorities are searching for Lamar Hamilton, 17, of Junction City on a charge of attempted second degree murder.
UPSO said Hamilton is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.
Already in custody are a 15-year-old male, a 16-year-old male, and Jamartez Simmons, 17. The two juveniles were placed in a Jackson Parish juvenile facility while Simmons was booked into the Union Parish Detention Center for attempted second degree murder.
Numerous agencies responded to assist UPSO and Bernice officers with the initial call, the subsequent investigation, and the execution of search warrants, including Louisiana State Police, Spearsville Police Department, Junction City Police Department, Bernice Fire, and Pafford EMS.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
It’s been an amazing three years with many more to come.
And with that, the Lincoln Parish Journal publishing staff would like the invite the public to come join for its official ribbon cutting to be held Thursday, June 20, at 2:00 p.m. at the Experience Ruston – Events Center located at 2111 N. Trenton St in Ruston.
“Serving as co-publisher for the Lincoln Parish Journal has been one of the best professional endeavors I could ever have taken,” co-publisher Kyle Roberts said. “We have been overwhelmed by the reception we have received from Ruston and Lincoln Parish since our group launched in 2021, and we hope to see many of our community partners and subscribers join us Thursday. Without them, this would not be possible.”
On hand will be staff members from the publishing team to writers to photographers to sales people.
“We are a little late in our ribbon cutting, but we are looking forward to the event,” said co-publisher Malcolm Butler. “We don’t have an office per se. Our office is Lincoln Parish and its businesses and our homes. We have formed a great team of writers, sales reps, photographers and more. And we want to use this to celebrate our great team that makes up the Lincoln Parish Journal.”
Light refreshments and goody-bags will be provided to those in attendance.
The Lincoln Parish Journal is 100 percent free of charge to subscribe. Every weekday morning at 6:55 a.m., the journal is delivered digitally via email. Those wishing to subscribe can do so by clicking here.
Ruston student artists showcased their work at the annual Senior Talented Art Show presented by the Ruston High School Talented Art Department the Creative Exchange Studio. The gallery featured work from 11 student artists in a wide variety of mediums including oil, acrylic, graphite, watercolor and mixed media.
Each student was able to choose up to five pieces to display in the show. Featured artists included Xavier Barker, Chad Hamlin, Olivia Moran, Laina Parkman, Jayden Revels, Allie Richardson, Claire Roane, Amelia Roger, Preslea St. Andre, Bailey Timm and Lyla Turner. They displayed artistic pieces such as paintings, drawings, pottery, photography, mixed media pieces and more.
“I am so thankful that this program is offered in Lincoln Parish,” Ruston High talented art teacher Deana Revels said. “The part I enjoy most about this show is the support and feedback the students get from the community. We always have such a great turnout, and the positive feedback is so great for their confidence.”
Revels acknowledged the importance of instilling skills and confidence in young artists as they embark on their artistic journeys.
“So many times, artists are so hard on themselves when it comes to their artwork. I feel like this show really helps boost their artistic confidence to help them to continue to create,” Revels said. “They have to work together to plan the event and I feel like this is such a great experience for them.
This year’s show was the second time being hosted at the Creatives at Work Gallery. In preparation for the event, students took a field trip to the Creative Exchange where owner Dylan Sanders discussed with students the process of preparing their artwork to be displayed and the pricing of original art and prints.
Senior artist Preslea St. Andre created abstract stroke artwork and watercolor pieces and noted that she specializes in hand lettering and writing in her art. The young artist explained why the Talented Art Show is so important to her now and inspiring toward her future plans.
“I love people to begin with and having the people I love come and support me as well as my fellow artists is so special,” St. Andre said. “It was very encouraging as well as I am going to continue to pursue a degree in graphic design at Louisiana Tech.”
Senior artist Olivia Moran echoed St. Andre’s appreciation for the program and described why she enjoyed being a part of the Talented Art Show.
“What I really enjoy about the Talented Art Program is the opportunity it has given me to explore different mediums and to push my artistic abilities,” Moran said. “The show gave me an opportunity to share my artwork with others and talking about something that I am truly passionate about.”
The Talented Art program in Lincoln Parish is one in which students must be evaluated and accepted by state approved specialists in the arts. Many of the students in the art show have been involved in the program since as early as sixth grade. The Senior Talented Art Show gives students the opportunity to showcase their artistic works while learning more about the business of art.
This week a new College World Series champ will be crowned, and that champ will be from the South, and that is unlikely to change any time soon.
For the foreseeable future, unless they redo geography, Omaha in June is likely to look a lot like this year’s All SEC-ACC showdown.
Before LSU won its first NCAA baseball title in 1991 and began a string of southern teams showing up in the CWS as often as biscuits show up with butter, the Bible Belt Baseball Boys were generally out of the running by the end of May. In college hardball, the South just couldn’t hang. Didn’t care, really.
You can take this train of thought back to the inaugural Series in 1947, when California, led by future American League MVP Jackie Jensen, beat Yale two games to none.
(USELESS INFORMATION ALERT HERE: Yale was the first team to have the popular mascot of Bulldogs. Louisiana Tech was the second. Also, Yale finished 19-10-1 that season, 9-3-1 in the always competitive Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League. The other teams in the league finished either 7-5 or 6-6, which means they were the equivalent of any division in today’s NFL.)
Consider for a moment that Yale played 13 regular-season conference games back then. It was like a college football season today, with every game counting. Also of note (or could possibly be considered as More Useless Information), the Eli Nine were helped to the Series in ’47 by infielder George H.W. “Hot Corner” Bush, the future president, who is rumored to have kept his old Yale glove in his Oval Office desk drawer; never hurts to have your leather handy.
So, the game has changed — the Golden Bears finished the season 31-10 and got to play more games than the weather-addled Yale team — but what’s the same is that Yale and California weren’t from the South then and still aren’t. What the Golden Bears did was start a trend, one aided by the South’s love for football and the West Coast’s love for the more laid-back game of baseball. Pacific and Mountain Time teams would continue to dominate the Series for years, even decades, until LSU came along.
Check the record books pre-1990 and you will see a CWS dominated by Southern California, Arizona State and Arizona. Every now and then, a Texas or Miami would show up. During those formative years, teams from the north had all the impact of a snowball in a five-alarm fire, and that impact is the same today. To put it in perspective, Ohio State won a national title in 1966, the year Bush was first elected to the House of Representatives. A lot has happened since then, but one thing hasn’t: a Northern Team hasn’t sniffed the CWS.
Southern teams have won 11 of the past 14 College World Series — and finished second the three times Southern teams didn’t win it all.
For years and years, the West Coast had it made, baseball-wise. They had it made for sure — right up until the time the South started caring. And we won’t quit caring any time soon.
Wink is almost 4 months old and is the sweetest girl.
Wink was found abandoned in terrible shape along with her 3 siblings. She is actually missing an eye possibly from infection, since the pups were in such bad shape when they arrived.
Wink has seen the vet, is up to date on age-appropriate vacs, will be spayed in the near future, and is thriving at 4 Paws.
Please email 4pawsruston@gmail.com to schedule a meet and greet.
Ruston Police arrested a Bastrop woman Thursday after an altercation with another woman.
Kylie Bruner, 31, was arrested for aggravated battery at an Arcadia Drive residence following the investigation of a disturbance.
Responding officers found the victim with bleeding wounds to the face outside the residence. She said Bruner was on the back porch. Burner was detained while the victim was interviewed.
The victim said she called Bruner a profane name which caused the woman to lash out. She said Bruner walked up to her and struck her with a glass picture frame, causing lacerations to her face.
Bruner said she and the victim were arguing, and when the victim walked aggressively toward her, she was afraid of what was going to happen and grabbed the picture frame and struck her over the head. When asked if the victim was trying to hit her, Bruner said she did not know, but thought she was.
Bruner was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. Bail was set at $3,500.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Hundreds of kids who dream of playing in the pros – or, kids who just love to play – are registered for the already filled-to-capacity free New Orleans Saints & Pelicans/Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Junior Training Camp on Saturday morning on the Northwestern State campus in Natchitoches.
The JTC annually provides two hours of full throttle fun alongside Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame members and NSU coaches, and staff from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans community relations department. It is presented by Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.
Everyone who registered should have received an email Monday with a link to an easy-to-complete JTC waiver form that needs to be submitted online by Friday at 5. Those who don’t return that form online will have to complete it Saturday morning before being able to join the fun. JTC organizers are using the online form to hopefully avoid a bottleneck of kids whose participation could be delayed by having to fill out the form on Saturday.
If there are questions about the waiver form, or if it wasn’t received, call the LSHOF Foundation office at 318-238-4255. The camp filled to capacity last month.
The LaSportsHall.com website has the full schedule for the Induction Celebration this weekend. The JTC is one of three free events, beginning with the Thursday evening Welcome Reception from 5-7 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches. The biggest free ticket is Friday night’s Rockin’ Riverfest concert from 6-10:30 on the downtown riverbank, featuring a fireworks show after the Class of 2024 is introduced at 9:15.
The Junior Training Camp runs from 9-11 a.m., starting with registration between 8-9 a.m. at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center (WRAC) gymnasium. Due to the full capacity of 350 campers signed up, it’s important for parents to get their campers checked in well before the fun starts at 9 a.m. Then, campers get introduced to the sports stars who will be coaching them for the next two hours, inside focusing on basketball skills, and outside at Turpin Stadium, with football and general sports skills instruction.
Every camper will bring home two free T-shirts, other items, and a coupon for a meal at Raisin’ Canes. Photos from the camp will be posted on the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Facebook page, and so will a highlight video.
The goals of the JTC are simple – a fun, and thrilling, experience for the kids, free of charge; skills instruction from some of the best to ever play, or coach, the games; and promotion of health lifestyles and positive life choices.
The campers are separated into two groups. One stays inside for the first hour for basketball instruction, while the other is next door at Turpin Stadium, having football fun. The groups switch locations in the second half of the camp.
Parents can follow their favorite campers and watch all the fun from the stands in the gym and on the east side of Turpin Stadium – where it will be sunny, and hot, watching some really cool memories being made.
Last week we covered some of the issues going on with anglers on our lakes and waterways. We talked about the confrontations taking place daily as guys compete for water space. Every angler of course, wants an area of the lake to themselves. Twenty-five to thirty years ago, this might have been possible but not in 2024! Since the Covid pandemic, it is crazy how many people have taken to the outdoors, and specifically the water, for either fishing or just pleasure boating.
So, with so many people on our lakes and rivers, competition for water space is at an all-time high. Today, I’m going to grab my whistle and put on my coach’s cap and teach anyone willing to listen (boat captains and high school anglers) on the unwritten rules of tournament bass fishing. Actually, these rules should apply to all anglers!
Rule #1: Don’t back your boat down the ramp if you’re not ready to launch. This is a major sore spot with anglers as so many times some anglers will block the ramp by loading all their gear, putting on the running light, loading their rods, removing the trailer bar and unhooking all the trailer straps. Do all this before you get to the ramp! Same goes for pleasure boaters; do all your prepping away from the ramp. Now when you get to the ramp, you’re ready to drop the boat in the water and get out of the way.
Next, brush piles….Rule #2: You don’t own a sunken brush pile. This might be the most controversial topic among tournament anglers and can be a major source of tension. But you must understand, that even though YOU spent hours sinking brush piles all over the lake, in reality, you do not own them. Once anything is sunk on a public waterway, it is no longer YOUR personal fishing spot, it’s public. YOU DO NOT OWN THAT OR ANY OTHER BRUSH PILE! Anyone and everyone have just as much right to fish that brush pile as the person that put it there.
Now, with all this being said, if I know that an angler in the tournament put out a particular brush top, I’ll honor him by not fishing it. Also, if I see a good friend fishing a particular brush pile, I’ll check it off my list of places to fish out of respect for him.
Here’s the thing about brush piles; most lakes have hundreds of brush piles all over the lake. All you have to do is use your electronics and go find them. Which leads us to Rule #4: Go find your own fish! Don’t rely on another angler to find fish for you! Find them on your own! You’ll get a greater satisfaction from fishing when you do it on your own.
Rule #4: Don’t cut another angler off! This is the most controversial unwritten rule there is and the one that has created the most verbal wars on the water. Nothing sets a bass fisherman off quicker than another angler cutting them off. If you see a boat going down a stretch of boat docks, grass line or tree line, don’t run in on him and start fishing a few hundred feet in front of him. THIS IS A MAJOR NO NO! Give the angler his space and go at least 300 yards or more before dropping your trolling motor. Or start behind the angler and go away from him which is what he would prefer anyway.
Rule #5: Don’t run up on another boat and shut down on top of them. This is more of a problem on lakes that have a defined boat lane with little to no wiggle room. If another angler is fishing close to the boat lane, shut down at least 40 yards from them and idle by him a few yards before getting back on pad.
In some cases, anglers will motion you with a hand signal waving you on to stay on pad and run by them. I personally would rather have someone just run by me on pad rather than shutting down and throwing a 2-foot wake on me. A running boat produces a smaller wake than one with a fast idle. But it’s always good to be courteous and let the other angler tell you what they want you to do.
Rule #6: Never drop waypoints with your GPS of another angler’s fishing spot. This one is a major issue with all tournament bass anglers. Just because you see one of the local favorites on a particular body of water fishing a specific spot, does not mean you should idle by him and drop a waypoint. I’ve seen anglers go out of their way to mark another angler’s location only to return and fish the same spot. If you can’t find your own fish, don’t enter the tournament!
Rule #7: At no point should an angler have a pair of binoculars in their boat! This really makes an angler using them look pitiful. It shows you’re spending time sitting and watching other anglers catch fish while you’re waiting for them to leave so you can fish that spot. Don’t do this! Binoculars have no place in a bass boat!
The next two rules (#8 and #9) apply mainly to anglers fishing a pro/am tournament. Rule #8: Don’t throw past the front of the boat. This is actually a written rule, but also the most overlooked or ignored rule by co-anglers. Some co-anglers think they can cast anywhere they want, but that’s not the case. The co-angler should fish the water from the imaginary line from the middle of the boat to the back of the boat. My advice to co-anglers…if you want to fish in front of the boat, then sign up as a boater/pro.
Rule #9: Make sure to help the boater/pro with gas on tournament day. Most guys will never ask for the money, so it’s up to you (co-angler) to offer. It’s pretty much understood that unless gas prices are high, $40 is a good offer. Some boater/pros may not take it, but it’s a courteous gesture on your part to offer, especially if you covered a lot of water that day.
Finally, Rule #10: Your bass boat is not a rocket ship! You’re not impressing anyone on the lake by going fast. So SLOW DOWN and be courteous and respectful of all boaters. In the words of former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jimmy Johnson…speed kills! Now obviously he was talking about football, but the same rule applies for going too fast in a bass boat.
Whether we think it or not, we (anglers) do not own any portion of the lake. Everyone is entitled to all areas of any public lake or river. So be respectful of all boaters using the lake. As hard as it can be, exercise patience and try to be nice.
The rules listed above have been passed down to me by previous generations of anglers during my many years of tournament experience. These are things that all bass fishermen need to be reminded of from time to time.
We all get frustrated, but today our lakes and waterways are overrun with boaters and it’s up to us to educate each other as to what is considered acceptable behavior on the water. If you know of anyone, like a boat captain, high school angler or someone new to tournament bass fishing, please share this information with them. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and when in doubt…set the hook!
The Lincoln Parish Journal will send out the LPJ Digital Deals email each Thursday that will include coupons from local businesses, giving out loyal readers opportunities to take advantage of special savings from local businesses.
In order for a business or individual to participate, their coupons must contain (a) a savings and (b) an expiration date that falls within one month if the date of run.
Any business who wishes to take advantage of this new piece of inventory may contact the LPJ at LPJNewsLA@gmail.com.
The cost of the weekly coupon to run within the special Thursday afternoon email and then again on Friday morning as an all-inclusive LPJ Digital Deals is $125 per week (or a discounted rate of $350 for a 4-week run).
This is just one more way that the Lincoln Parish Journal can bring its advertising partners together with our loyal readers.
Louisiana Tech’s Michael Ballard was named an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Finalist, the ABCA announced on Tuesday. Ballard would be the second Louisiana Tech player to win the award, following the footsteps of Tech’s former second basemen, Taylor Young, who won it in 2021.
Ballard finished the 2024 season batting .312 at the plate with 77 hits and 38 RBI. The Florida native had four homers and 12 doubles while having a 21-game on-base reach streak, and his longest hitting streak was 15 games.
In his 64 starts at second base, Ballard had just one error with 121 putouts and was involved in 37 double plays in 2024. Ballard, in his first year with the Bulldogs, had a fielding percentage of .997.
The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007 and are presented annually to the top defensive players from each division of collegiate and high school baseball.
The winners of the 2024 ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award will be announced on Wednesday, June 19.
Dorothy Dean Vining Clark was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister who died peacefully at the age of 90 at home in Ruston, Louisiana with family around her after a lengthy illness. She was born in West Carroll Parish in the village of Forest to Mike Lee Vining and Stella Oldham Vining on July 23, 1933. Her parents preceded her in death.
The Vining family was a large and happy one. Her siblings who preceded her in death included Dixie Vining Harrison, Long Allen Vining, Robert Vining, Michael “Mitch” Vining, and Harry Vining. Those surviving include Joy Vining Ferrell, Mary Vining Morgan, and Mike Vining (Sammie).
Dorothy graduated from Forest High School and immediately enrolled at Louisiana Tech. There she met the love of her life, Glenn E. Clark, who passed in December 2019. They were married on July 1, 1954 at First Baptist Church and proceeded to live in Ruston the rest of their lives with short stints in Baton Rouge, College Station, Texas, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee for educational purposes. Between the two of them, they achieved three advanced degrees after their marriage. They built their first home together on Dogwood Street in 1963 and remained there until death while raising their four daughters: Glenna Clark Fallin (Russell) of Baton Rouge; Connie Clark Schavrien (Steve) of Frisco, Texas, Karen Clark Canterbury (James) of Richardson, Texas, and Cynthia Clark of Ruston.
Dorothy and Glenn, both educators, were proud of their grandchildren who all received college degrees and some with advanced degrees: Laura Schavrien Rummel (Hayden) of Frisco, Texas; Christopher Fallin of Baton Rouge; Lisa Schavrien of Baton Rouge, Rebecca Fallin Allen (Mark) of Fort Worth, Texas, Sarah Canterbury Kyne (Eoghan) of Seattle, Washington; and Jason Canterbury (Heather) of Austin, Texas. Left to cherish her memory are five great-grandchildren: Eloise Allen, Madeline Allen, Eamonn Kyne, Seamus Kyne and Caroline Canterbury.
Many will remember Mrs. Clark as the Algebra I or English III teacher at Ruston High School which was a highpoint of her life, whether it be in the classroom, sponsoring students at the Louisiana High School State Rally, preparation for ACT exams or at Ruston High School football games.
Mrs. Clark was active as a volunteer in Girl Scouts, church youth groups, Lincoln Parish Retired Teachers’ Association, and served as treasurer for the Pierian Club.
Services for Mrs. Clark will be held at First Baptist Church of Ruston where Mrs. Clark was a member for 70 years on Friday, June 21, 2024 led by Dr. Chris Craig and Rev. Clayton Owen. Visitation time is 1:00 pm followed by the service at 2:00 pm.
Graveside services for Drucilla Sherrard, age 91, of Chattanooga, TN will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday, June 20, 2024 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Ruston, LA. Services will be under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Mrs. Drucilla was born, October 14, 1932 in Monroe County, AL to the union of George and Lillie Belle McClammy. She died, June 14, 2024 in Chattanooga, TN.
Drucilla’s lifelong passion was gardening and she took great pride in all of her flower beds. Her family will dearly miss her.
Mrs. Drucilla is preceded in death by her parents: Fred and Lillie Belle McClammy; husband, E.B. “Buddy” Sherrard; son Mike Sherrard; and her brothers: David McClammy and James McClammy.
She is survived by her son, Rick Sherrard and his wife Elizabeth; grandchildren: Ashley Price and her husband Joseph, Annie Ewing and her husband Brenson, and Austin Sherrard and his wife Autumn.
Visitation will be held at Owens Memorial Chapel in Ruston, LA on Thursday, June 20, 2024 from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM. To leave an online memorial message for the family, please visit http://www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com
Gloria Rabon Monday 04/08/1940 — Wednesday 06/12/2024 Memorial Service: Friday 06/21/2024 1:00pm, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 2586 Hwy 150, Grambling
John Robert Jackson Sunday 09/10/1967 — Sunday 06/16/2024 Family Gathering: Thursday 06/20/2024 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Visitation: Thursday 06/20/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Friday 06/21/2024, New Hope Baptist Church, 204 W Vaughn Ave., Ruston Interment: Friday 06/21/2024, Bonner Cemetery, Ruston
Dorothy Gray Wednesday 02/01/1956 — Saturday 06/15/2024 Visitation: Friday 06/21/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 06/15/2024 11:00am Interment: Saturday 06/22/2024, Grambling Memorial Garden, Highway 80 West, Grambling
Drucilla Sherrard October 14, 1932 – June 14, 2024 Visitation: Thursday, June 20, 2024, 1:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Graveside Service: Thursday, June 20, 2024, 2:00 PM, Forest Lawn Cemetery, 2500 West California Ave, Ruston
Rixie Thompson (center wearing pink dress) cuts the ribbon during Saturday’s ceremony celebrating the opening of Jonetta’s Locs of Love. (Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
Freedom can come in many forms and ways.
So, it is only fitting that in the midst of the city of Grambling’s biggest day of observance of Juneteenth, with much of the city congregating on Main Street for a parade and other festivities, a smaller ceremony celebrating a different kind of freedom was held nearby inside Heavenly Hair Beauty Salon.
Juneteenth commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth (short for “June 19th”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed.
Saturday afternoon, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held inside the Heavenly Hair Salon for its latest addition that will offer a different form of freedom — a little peace of mind in troubled times — as the grand opening of Jonetta’s Locs of Love Wig Parlor located inside the beauty salon was celebrated.
It is a specialized shop established in large part by the More Than Conquerors Breast Cancer Support Group to provide wigs free of charge for breast cancer survivors as well as those patients currently undergoing chemotherapy.
“Unless you’ve experienced it, been a woman to lose every hair on their body to chemotherapy, you don’t know what it feels like and what it can do to you during an already hard and emotional time,” said Rixie Thompson of More Than Conquerors. “And getting to wear a wig and feel you look like you should that can be very important to some of those who are battling or have battled breast cancer. So, this is a freeing kind of thing, letting breast cancer patients be who they want to be, and that is very important.”
Jonetta’s Locs of Love Wig Parlor is named in honor of the late Jonetta Collinsworth of Lincoln Parish, who passed away in 2009 while battling breast cancer.
More than 200 wigs donated by Collinsworth’s daughter, Tamishia Moats, a Louisiana Tech graduate and wife of former Louisiana Tech and NFL running back Ryan Moats, has provided a good start for Jonetta’s Locs of Love.
Moats said it is all about honoring her late mother and her legacy.
“I was always committed to do something for her legacy and I’m so grateful to Ms. Rixie, who went through the same fight with my mom, and all of the others because I’m running around all over the country so much,” Moats said. “They’ve kept my mother’s and the legacies of many others that were a part of the group alive. And that’s very important.”
Moats said the wigs from Jonetta’s Locs of Love are either human hair or premium, high-quality synthetic hair and that some type of fundraising event will be held annually to maintain the supply of wigs for Jonetta’s Locs of Love.
She also said the caring approach the shop will take toward its clientele is an important part of what Jonetta’s Locs of Love has to offer.
“When my mom first lost her hair, she had not worn a wig,” Moats said. “She had never worn weaves or anything. She didn’t like them and said they were too hot. But I remember going to stores to look with her at wigs and the workers weren’t very friendly. And when people are going through chemo, they’re dealing with a lot at that time. So, when we opened our store in Frisco (Texas), we made sure to make everybody feel welcome.
“I didn’t know what my purpose was in all this when it all started. My background is in sports administration. So, I asked myself, why am I here? And when the clients started coming in, I realized that this was my testimony. So, every day I’m listening to people. It starts with breast cancer. But a lot of times it grows into other things and problems, people who just are just looking are looking for a friendly face willing to listen.”
Counseling, educational seminars and financial support from More Than Conqueror are among other resources that will be available through Jonetta’s Locs of Love.
And while the shop is Grambling based, it is willing to provide help to breast cancer patients and survivors across the nation.
“This isn’t only for Grambling, this is for the entire United States,” Thompson said. “We ship wigs anywhere in the country as long as it’s going to someone undergoing chemo or a survivor who lost their hair during their fight against the disease.
“All they have to do is get in touch with the More Than Conquerors Breast Cancer Support group and we will be there for them.”
Say the name “Womack” to any bull ’round these parts and watch him shudder — they don’t take too kindly to that name.
That’s because for decades Ruston Fire Chief Chris Womack had also been one of the most well known bull fighters in the professional rodeo circles, and now, his son Tanner will be taking the family business by the horns — literally — after rustling up a partial scholarship to bull fight for the Panola College Ponies in Carthage, Texas, where he hopes to study how to work on HVAC units.
“Tanner’s a great kid,” Panola rodeo head coach Jeffrey Collins said. “He knows that he’s going to be underpaid for the job he does. But guys that fight bulls — they’re wired differently. They’ll go in there and take a hit for a rider. Sometimes it’s multiple hits, and they can just get up again and again. I’m very proud to have that.”
After playing football for most of his high school life, Tanner decided it was time to try the rodeo for the past year and found that he truly had a niche gift for taking some licks.
“I tried bull riding first, but I got hurt a lot and quit doing that,” Tanner said. “I found out I was pretty good at fighting bulls and getting its attention. So if somebody’s going to get hit by a bull, it’s going to be me.”
The primary role for a bull fighter in modern rodeo is to distract the bull after it’s bucked its rider. Two to three bull fighters at a time will then do their best to distract the bull while the rider is tended to on the ground and moved to safety.
It’s a challenge that the recent Ruston High grad is certainly up for and has the endorsement of his dear old dad to boot.
“He’s doing a great job,” Chris said of his son. “And if this will help him get an education and ease the burden on “mom and dad,” then it’s a win for everybody.”
Take an even higher view and you’ll not only see the father-son connection between bull fighting, you’ll see that the main purpose is to put yourself on the line in service of others — something Chris does for a living as the city’s Fire Chief and now Tanner gets to do as a bull fighter.
“It gives you goosebumps when you think about it that way,” Collins said in conclusion. “It’s pretty cool stuff, because that’s going to be Tanner’s role here.”
During Collins tenure the head coach at Panola College, the Ponies won the 2019 national championship, competing against larger schools such as Sam Houston State and McNeese State.
