A Ruston man was arrested last Monday after he allegedly fired a shot at another man following an argument on Chesboro Street.
Maurice Bonner, 47, was arrested March 30 for aggravated assault with a firearm after another Ruston man reported the assault.
The man told Lincoln Parish deputies that he and Bonner had engaged in a verbal argument. The incident was not the first time they had engaged in a confrontation.
The man said Bonner had been driving up and down Chesboro Street in an attempt to intimidate him. Bonner allegedly fired a shot with a Hi-Point pistol at the man.
Bonner was seen in a vehicle nearby and was stopped by deputies. When asked about the incident, he denied having fired a gun at the man. Bonner said he thought he saw the man pointing a gun at him.
The deputies report noted that Bonner may have mistaken a black wrist brace on the man as a firearm.
Bonner was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
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.
Former Louisiana Tech men’s basketball assistant coach Dusty May, the current head coach at Michigan, will lead the Wolverines into tonight’s NCAA Division I national title game tonight against Connecticut.
Tip-off is set for 7:50 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
May was a part of both Kerry Rupp and Mike White’s coaching staff at Louisiana Tech from 2009 through 2015.
The Terre Haute, Indiana, native was an integral part in the Bulldogs impressive 2013-14 season that saw the team post an overall record of 29-8, tying for the most victories ever in a single season in program history. With the 29 wins came a share of the Conference USA regular season title in the school’s first year in the league and a runner-up finish in the C-USA Tournament.
LA Tech also registered wins over Big 12 second place finisher Oklahoma and SEC second place finisher Georgia and was one win shy of reaching the National Invitation Tournament Final Four.
The prior season was just as historic as the backcourt tandem of Kenneth Smith and Raheem Appleby were selected first team All-WAC as well as having Alex Hamilton named to the All-Newcomer team. The 2012-13 season concluded with a 27-7 overall record and a 16-2 mark in conference that earned the ‘Dogs their first ever WAC regular season championship.
May followed White to the University of Florida where he spent three seasons before taking the head coaching job at Florida Atlantic (2018-24). He led the Owls to an appearance in the 2023 NCAA Final Four as No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic won 35 games and posted wins over No. 8 Memphis, No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson, No. 4 Tennessee and No. 3 Kansas State, before losing to No. 5 San Diego State in the final seconds.
The 49-year old was hired at Michigan in 2025, replacing Juwan Howard, and has led the Wolverines to a 36-3 record. He was named the 2026 USBWA National Coach of the Year. He has a career head coaching record of 189-82.
He served as a student manager for legendary Hall of Fame coach Bobby Knight while at Indiana University (1996-2000).
May’s son, Charlie, currently plays for the Wolverines, and his youngest son, Eli, is a team manager.
The City of Ruston announces, weather permitting, that the Sexton Parking Lot at the corner of N. Vienna Street and E. Park Avenue will be closed today, beginning at 7 a.m., and shall remain closed for the week.
This closure is necessary to allow the City’s contractor, Regional Construction to conduct paving operations.
The City of Ruston regrets any inconvenience this necessary work may cause residents and motorists. We appreciate your patience, and any questions can be received by the Public Works Department at (318) 242-7703.
The City of Ruston announces, weather permitting, that N. Bonner St., between E. Georgia Ave. and E. Alabama Ave. will be closed to through traffic, beginning today at 7 a.m. (Monday, April 6th) and shall remain closed until further notice.
This closure is necessary to allow the City’s contractor, Amethyst Construction to conduct construction activities associated with the Downtown Revitalization Project – Phase 9.
The City of Ruston regrets any inconvenience this necessary work may cause residents and motorists. We appreciate your patience, and any questions can be received by the Public Works Department at (318) 242-7703.
A Shreveport woman was arrested in Lincoln Parish last week after suspected ecstasy was found in her wallet on a traffic stop.
Shamaya Lashaya Tillman, 19, was arrested for possession of MDMA, also known as “ecstasy,” on March 31 after a car was stopped for an equipment violation by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Tillman was traveling as a passenger in a vehicle on U. S. 80 in Ruston at about 12:30 a.m. A deputy speaking with the driver smelled an odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, the deputy found a single tablet of suspected MDMA inside a wallet.
Tillman stated the wallet was hers. She was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
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.
Tuesday morning will hopefully mark the end of one of the worst times in my life.
It should also mark the beginning of a better future for me—one I wouldn’t have if I didn’t act.
That action is deciding to have spinal lumbar fusion surgery. It’s scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Tuesday in Shreveport. Back surgery is tricky and carries some risk, given the fairly grueling procedure I’m facing.
But it can’t come soon enough.
Pain levels over the past few weeks have been off the charts. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’ve been at 12 or higher for at least a couple of weeks. And it’s been years since I’ve been without significant pain.
But ending the pain isn’t the only reason I’m ready for surgery. I’ve become a significant fall risk in recent months. Sometimes my legs simply don’t work right, and I nearly trip and fall. Other times, they try to give out completely, leaving me fighting to regain my balance and avoid hitting the ground.
Crashing to the ground isn’t new for me. On Nov. 22, during Grambling’s off week before the Bayou Classic, my family and I went to the Liberty at Louisiana Tech football game at Joe Aillet Stadium.
After parking, we were walking across Alabama Street (Old Grambling Road) toward the stadium when I realized my right foot wasn’t lifting off the ground—I was dragging it, nearly catching it a few times on the concrete. I knew something had changed. And as I quickly learned, it was only getting worse.
As I tried to step onto the sidewalk leading into the stadium, I lost my balance. In an effort to recover, I flailed my arms and attempted to air-surf, hoping to avoid the inevitable.
I did not. I fell face-first, chin-planting on the concrete near the Davison Athletic Complex in the south end zone. My wife said I fell right in front of emergency medical personnel and law enforcement. I couldn’t see, but apparently, I was the patient they worked on in an ambulance before transporting me.
The next thing I remember is waking more than three hours later in the emergency room, a brace around my neck.
For a split second, I didn’t realize what had happened—until it all came back to me, at least the part about struggling to stay upright. Then nothing. It was like a wide-open uppercut from Mike Tyson—immediate lights out.
Fortunately, I escaped significant injury aside from bruising and road rash on my face. But it marked the beginning of my back problems worsening day by day.
My back issues date to 1996, when I received my first set of three spinal injections for a bulging disc in my L5 vertebrae.
In November 2023, I felt a twinge in my back while moving furniture. The next morning, I could hardly walk.
In January 2024, I had another round of three spinal injections, which got me off a cane for about a year.
I was scheduled for another round of three injections in January 2025, but after two, insurance declined to pay for the remainder because they weren’t helping enough. Surgery became my next and only option.
Fearing back surgery, I put it off as long as I could. But the fall and my spine’s downward spiral prompted a meeting with a surgeon in Shreveport. After two MRIs and a CT scan, and a couple of hours for the surgeon to review the results, he entered the exam room.
“Lord have mercy,” he said. “You’ve got a lot going on.”
He was referring to the damage and the impending surgery.
On Tuesday, that surgery will happen. The surgeon will make a 3- to 4-inch incision below my belly button and approach the bad discs from the front, using state-of-the-art X-ray guidance. He will remove the discs in my L5 and L4 vertebrae. The disc in L3 will be evaluated once he sees it directly.
He’ll replace the removed discs with small wire cages—think of them like box springs.
Then he’ll sew me up, turn me over, and make two smaller incisions on my back, where he’ll apply hardware and screws to fuse L3 or L4 down to S1, my tailbone.
It’s that area along my tailbone that causes the worst pain, with sciatica stabbing my right buttock and sending lightning-like shocks all the way to my toes. It feels like being stabbed.
I’ll be up and walking within hours of the surgery, though a long rehab period lies ahead. I’m ready to move forward and hopefully remember what it feels like to be free from severe pain.
The surgeon warned my back will never be fully “good” because of arthritis—osteo-, rheumatoid-, and psoriatic—that I’ll have for life. I’ll manage it, just like I’ve done with arthritis in my hands.
If you can, please offer a prayer for “Old Boat” as I begin this next step in life—pun intended, because my goal is to walk confidently again. I’m not as old as my gait might suggest.
My body and my checkbook are about to endure a lot, but I’m ready—and confident. Let’s do this!
Roach tosses no-hitter as Ruston sweeps Pineville series
RUSTON — Sophomore Tyler Roach delivered a historic performance on Thursday, tossing a no-hitter to lead Ruston High (17-9) to an 8-0 win over Pineville, highlighting a dominant two-game sweep for the Bearcats.
Roach was in control from the start, not allowing a hit while striking out the side to record the final out. The right-hander anchored a week in which Ruston posted three shutouts, continuing a strong response after an earlier district setback.
“Big series win for us, man, to win the week, to go 3-1 on the week and have three shutouts,” head coach Bryan Beck said. “We had a little bad taste in our mouth after the OCS loss, but our kids responded.”
Ruston set the tone early in the opener when Jackson Lee blasted a solo home run in the first inning. The Bearcats extended the lead to 2-0 in the third on an RBI single by JP Moak before breaking the game open with a five-run fifth inning.
Lander Smith delivered a sacrifice fly that plated two runs, Nolan Parnell added an RBI single, Dalen Powell tripled home a run, and another run scored on a wild pitch to push the lead to 7-0.
Hartwell, Moak and Powell each collected two hits, while Lee and Hartwell also wreaked havoc on the bases as Ruston finished with six stolen bases.
Beck pointed to his team’s leadership and preparation as key factors in the performance.
“Our senior leadership showed up Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. in the weight room, probably our best lift of the year,” Beck said. “That just rolled straight into domination, starting with Tyler Roach’s no-hitter. Jackson Lee setting the tone with that leadoff home run, and we never looked back.”
Ruston carried that momentum into Friday’s matchup, securing a 10-0 victory behind a six-run fourth inning.
Lee sparked the surge with a two-run triple, Moak and Sam Hartwell followed with RBI singles, and Parnell capped the inning with an inside-the-park home run — the first of his career.
“Probably the biggest barrel of the day was Nolan Parnell getting his first career home run,” Beck said. “He’s a veteran leader who works really hard, and our kids and coaches were really happy for him.”
Peyton Nations was dominant on the mound in the second game, allowing just two hits over five shutout innings while striking out five.
At the plate, Hartwell continued his torrid stretch, going 3-for-3 to lead Ruston’s 13-hit effort. Moak and Lee each added multiple hits as the Bearcats remained aggressive on the basepaths.
“Sam Hartwell is just on fire right now,” Beck said. “He’s an incredible competitor and gives us a great spark at the top of the lineup.”
With the sweep, Ruston builds momentum heading into the final week of the regular season, which includes a matchup with Simsboro and a key three-game series against West Monroe.
“That series will really simulate the first round of the playoffs,” Beck said of the upcoming district series with the Rebels. “It should be great crowds, a great atmosphere, and we’re excited for the challenge.”
Simsboro rides big inning to win over Beekman Charter
SIMSBORO — Simsboro used a big early inning and a strong all-around performance to roll past Beekman Charter 11-4 on Thursday.
The Tigers broke things open in the second inning, taking advantage of timely hitting and Beekman miscues. Bryson Yarborough drove in a run on a groundout, an error brought home two more, and Chris Harrell capped the frame with a two-run double to give Simsboro a 5-0 lead.
Simsboro added to its advantage in the third inning when another Beekman error and an RBI single by Maximus Lee pushed the lead to 7-0.
Harrell earned the win on the mound, going the distance while allowing seven hits and four runs — just two earned — over seven innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
At the plate, Harrell also led the way with three RBIs. Trevor Cook paced the offense with a perfect 3-for-3 day, while Noah Thomas added two hits.
The Tigers showed patience and aggression throughout, drawing 10 walks and swiping four bases. Harrell and Braylon Gipson each worked two walks, while Harrell accounted for all four stolen bases.
Simsboro also turned a double play defensively.
The Tigers will have an intra-parish matchup with Ruston tonight at 6 p.m.
Cedar Creek drops pair of tight games to Glenbrook in Thursday doubleheader
RUSTON — Cedar Creek came up just short in a pair of tightly contested games Thursday, falling twice to Glenbrook in a doubleheader that featured strong pitching and missed opportunities.
The opener proved to be a pitcher’s duel that went into extra innings before Glenbrook walked it off for a 3-2 win.
Cedar Creek broke through in the sixth inning when Brett Bell and Noah Smith delivered back-to-back RBI hits to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Glenbrook responded in the seventh, tying the game on a single and a bases-loaded walk to force extras.
In the eighth, Ryan Reagan ended it with a walk-off RBI single.
Despite the loss, Kade Luker turned in a dominant outing on the mound, striking out 15 batters over 6⅓ innings while allowing just two runs. The Cougars’ pitching staff combined for 17 strikeouts in the game.
Luker also led Cedar Creek offensively with two hits, while Bell and Smith each drove in a run. The Cougars showed patience at the plate, drawing seven walks, and played error-free defense behind a busy night from Bell, who handled 17 chances.
In the second game, Cedar Creek again found itself in position but couldn’t hold off a late Glenbrook surge in a 6-3 loss.
The Cougars grabbed an early 2-1 lead in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Eli Slocum and an RBI single from Drew Wade. Glenbrook tied the game in the fourth before taking control in the sixth, capitalizing on walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a wild pitch to score four runs.
Cedar Creek out-hit Glenbrook 8-3 in the game, with eight different players recording a hit, but struggled to convert those opportunities into runs.
Slocum, Luker, and Wade each drove in a run, while the Cougars turned a double play defensively.
Across the two games, Cedar Creek showed flashes of strong pitching and consistent contact at the plate but was undone by timely hitting from Glenbrook and a handful of late-inning swings.
The Cougars will look to bounce back Tuesday when they travel to face St. Mary.
**Choudrant will return to action tomorrow on the road at Weston.
Reagan Marchant hit a 2-out, 2-run home run in the 7th Thursday to help the Bulldogs to a 6-4 win over MT. (Photo by Stephen Featherston)
Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications and GSU Athletic Communications
FIU 7, LA Tech Baseball 4 (Thursday)
LA Tech 6, FIU 2 (Friday)
LA Tech 4, FIU 3 – 10 innings (Saturday)
Louisiana Tech (17-16, 6-6 CUSA) returned home with a series win after taking two out of three against the FIU Panthers (10-22, 2-10 CUSA) at FIU Baseball Stadium.
Tech overcame an early setback Thursday, bounced back Friday, and secured the series with a dramatic 10-inning victory Saturday afternoon.
FIU took the opening game, 7-4, snapping Tech’s early lead and extending the Bulldogs’ losing streak to eight games — their longest since 2014. The Panthers jumped out front in the first on a leadoff home run, but Tech tied it in the third with an RBI infield hit from Colton Coates. The Bulldogs briefly led 4-2 after two runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by an RBI single from Eli Berch and an RBI double from Sebastian Mexico. FIU answered with three straight hits in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead for good, adding an insurance run in the eighth.
“It was a tough night,” said head coach Lane Burroughs. “I thought Declan Dahl was outstanding. He settled in-the leadoff hitter ambushed him on a fastball up and he got it out of the yard, but after that I thought he was really good. He pitched well enough to win the ball game, and we didn’t get it done.”
Tech evened the series in the second game with a 6-2 victory. Freshman Thomas Allen delivered a standout performance out of the bullpen, tossing 4 2/3 innings with no runs allowed and a career-high seven strikeouts. Trey Hawsey led the offensive attack with three hits and three RBIs, driving in early runs to put Tech ahead. Hudson Rowan started strong with four scoreless innings, striking out seven for a career high. The Bulldogs pushed their lead to 5-0 before Allen sealed the win in relief, allowing only one run while keeping FIU off the scoreboard in the final frames.
“It felt good to have the handshake line again,” said Burroughs. “Doug Strickel had a great message to the team—just keep getting up. It’s tough and it sucks, nobody likes losing, but you have to keep getting up and keep moving forward. They’re learning something out of this—we all are, learning something about ourselves. I couldn’t be prouder of these guys.”
Saturday’s series finale was a nail-biter, with Tech emerging 4-3 in 10 innings for its first extra-inning CUSA win since 2022. FIU led early, but the Bulldogs tied the game in the third and took a brief lead in the seventh on a clutch RBI single from Berch. The Panthers tied it again in the eighth, but a combination of patience and heads-up baserunning gave Tech the go-ahead run in the 10th. McCann Libby scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, and a final groundout to Hawsey at first secured the win. Luke Nichols had a dominant start, retiring the first 12 batters he faced and finishing with 5 1/3 innings and five strikeouts. Coates and Berch each recorded multi-hit games to anchor the Bulldogs’ offense.
“It was gritty, gutsy-a lot of adjectives for this one,” said Burroughs. “It wasn’t pretty, it was gritty and we’ll take gritty over pretty any day. We’re in a place where we need all the wins we can get, and to go on the road and win a conference series-it’s hard. To win any game is hard, but to go on the road is even harder, especially in a place like this. I’m proud of these guys.”
The series win evened Tech’s C-USA record at 6-6 and marked the first time the Bulldogs had won in Miami over FIU since 2017.
The Bulldogs are back in action in their home state on Tuesday, April 7.
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LA Tech Softball 6, Middle Tennessee 4 (Thursday)
LA Tech 13, MT 3 (Friday)
MT 11, LA Tech 9 (Saturday)
Louisiana Tech softball rallied in dramatic fashion Thursday and and rolled Friday but fell short in the series finale, winning a three-game series with Middle Tennessee at Blue Raider Softball Field. The Bulldogs won the first two games before dropping the finale, moving to 21-18 overall and 7-8 in Conference USA play.
Down 4-3 with two outs and two strikes in the top of the seventh Thursday, Reagan Marchant hit a two-run homer, followed by a solo shot from Aleah Brooks, giving the Bulldogs a 6-4 comeback victory in the series opener. LA Tech outhit the Blue Raiders 10-7, with Gracie Flores and Allie Furr leading the way with three hits each. Bryannah Campos (5-3) earned the win in relief after pitching the final two innings.
“Proud of our fight tonight,” said head coach Josh Taylor. “I thought [Laney] Johnson gave us a quality start and [Bryannah] Campos was fantastic. We have been looking for a spark offensively and we got it in the 7th tonight. Big at bats by [Reese] Torres, [Reagan] Marchant and [Aleah] Brooks. We will look to tomorrow and use tonight’s momentum for added confidence.”
Friday, the Bulldogs recorded 15 hits — their most in a game in six years — to roll past Middle Tennessee 13-3. Every starter in the lineup recorded at least one hit, with Bradi Gallaway leading the team with three. Reese Torres added a two-run homer and three RBIs, while Gallaway contributed a two-run homer. Allie Floyd (9-10) pitched a complete game, allowing three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts to earn the win. LA Tech scored eight combined runs over the final two innings to break the game open.
“Very pleased with every aspect of our game today,” said Taylor. “Two out hitting and hitting with runners in scoring position was fantastic. We were able to keep pressure applied for the entire game and Allie Floyd was gritty. That was a performance our offense needed. It was very nice to give Allie that run support and let her go out there and do what she does.”
The series concluded Saturday in a high-scoring affair, with Middle Tennessee edging LA Tech 11-9 despite the Bulldogs out-hitting the Blue Raiders 12-11. Gallaway hit a grand slam and drove in four runs, while Dufresne added a two-run homer and Marchant a solo shot. Allie Floyd (9-11) took the loss in relief. The Bulldogs overcame an 8-1 deficit with an eight-run fifth inning to take a 9-8 lead, but the Blue Raiders responded with three runs in the sixth to secure the win.
“I was very pleased with our offense all weekend,” said Taylor. “We started to settle into quality at bats and saw some great things. The bottom-line today was we did not pitch well at all. There were a lot of good things that are positive moving forward. I am excited about this final stretch of the season and look forward to seeing how we continue to compete.”
Tech travels to ULM Wednesday.
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GSU Baseball 12, Jackson State 9 (Friday)
GSU 5, JSU 2 (Saturday – Game 1)
JSU 20, GSU 10 (Saturday – Game 2)
Grambling State opened Friday’s doubleheader with a 5-2 victory over Jackson State at Wilbert Ellis Field, using strong late-inning offense and reliable bullpen work to secure the win before falling in the nightcap.
GSU imporved to 11-19 overall and 8-4 in the SWAC, while JSU fell to 14-18, 5-7 in conference play.
In Game 1, Grambling State broke a scoreless game with two runs in the sixth inning, added another in the seventh and tacked on two more in the eighth to pull away. Starting pitcher Keyon Guillory kept the Tigers competitive early, working 5 1/3 innings while allowing one earned run and striking out six.
After trailing 1-0 in the third, Grambling State struck in the sixth when Chris Marcellus singled and later scored on an error and wild pitch. Dillon Braxton followed with a bunt single and advanced around the bases on another errant throw and a wild pitch, giving GSU a 2-1 lead.
Jackson State tied the game at 2-2 in the seventh, but Grambling State answered quickly. Aidan Lopez reached on an error, and Braxton delivered a two-out RBI single to put the Tigers back on top. In the eighth, Trey Bridges drew a leadoff walk, and Charles Ashe III followed with a two-run home run to left, extending the lead to 5-2.
Trevor Esparza earned the win with 2 2/3 innings of relief, and Rafael Capistran recorded the save with a perfect ninth inning. Braxton finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Marcellus, Cameron Hill and Ashe also contributed key offensive moments.
In Game 2, Grambling State could not match Jackson State’s offensive pace in a 20-10 loss. The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the first on Hill’s RBI single and a defensive miscue, but Jackson State responded with a six-run second inning and continued to add on.
Grambling State mounted a major rally in the sixth, scoring seven runs to cut the deficit from 11-3 to 11-10. Nicholas Jackson Jr. walked to start the inning, Braxton was hit by a pitch and Hasani Johnson drew a walk to load the bases. Martavius Thomas singled home two runs, Hill added a sacrifice fly, and Shannon Martin and Lopez each drove in runs. Braxton later worked a bases-loaded walk to cap the rally.
Jackson State answered with five runs in the seventh and added insurance in the eighth and ninth innings. Hill finished the nightcap with two RBI, Thomas drove in two off the bench and Lopez added a pair of runs batted in.
Across the doubleheader, Grambling State totaled 15 runs and received consistent production from Braxton, Hill, Ashe and Marcellus.
GSU hosts McNeese Tuesday.
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GSU Softball 8, Alcorn State 7 (Wednesday – Game 1)
ASU 9, GSU 2 (Wednesday – Game 2)
GSU 10, ASU 10 (Game Incomplete – Thursday)
Grambling State split a Southwestern Athletic Conference softball doubleheader against Alcorn State on Wednesday, rallying late for an 8-7 win in the opener before dropping the nightcap 9-2.
In game one, the Tigers used a four-run seventh inning to erase a three-run deficit and secure the comeback victory.
Grambling State took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Logan-Ray Gaspar tripled home Z’Natria Evans. Alcorn State answered in the bottom half of the inning to even the score.
The Tigers responded with three runs in the third. Cadashia Collins drove in a run before Evans delivered a two-run triple to push Grambling State ahead 4-1.
Alcorn State rallied to tie the game in the fourth inning and then took a 7-4 lead with a three-run sixth.
Grambling State answered in its final at-bat. Evans doubled in two runs to trim the deficit to 7-6, and Ziya Donaldson followed with an RBI single to tie the game. Gaspar then laid down a bunt single that brought home the go-ahead run for the 8-7 final.
Evans led the Tigers at the plate, going 3 for 4 with four RBIs. Gaspar added two hits and two RBIs.
Erin Gibbs earned the win in relief, allowing one earned run over three innings.
In game two, Alcorn State pulled away after a tied third inning to earn a split of the doubleheader.
Alcorn State scored twice in the second before Grambling State answered in the third. Ashunte Specks and Evans each delivered RBI singles to tie the game at 2-2.
The Braves quickly responded with three runs in the bottom of the third and added four more in the fifth to put the game away.
Grambling State finished with five hits in the loss. Specks and Evans each drove in a run, while Kamryn Broussard and Kamille Carter also recorded hits.
Gibbs took the loss in relief after allowing five runs.
Louisiana Tech set a program record with 233 student-athletes named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and had 66 earn the league’s Academic Medal, the conference office announced Thursday and Friday.
The Bulldogs and Lady Techsters reached the 200-honoree mark for the fifth consecutive year on the Honor Roll, which recognizes student-athletes with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher during the 2025-26 academic year based on fall quarter grades.
The 233 honorees establish a new school record and push Louisiana Tech’s all-time total past 2,400 since joining Conference USA in 2013.
A day later, the league announced that 66 Louisiana Tech student-athletes earned the Commissioner’s Academic Medal, awarded to those with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher. It marks the fifth straight year that at least 60 Bulldogs and Lady Techsters have received the distinction.
The 66 Academic Medal recipients tie for the second-highest total in program history and bring Louisiana Tech’s all-time number of medalists to 696 since entering Conference USA.
Three programs — football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball — set new program highs for Honor Roll selections. Four sports — bowling, football, men’s basketball and volleyball — either tied or set program records for Academic Medal recipients.
Louisiana Tech’s softball program led the way among Academic Medal winners with nine selections, while football paced the Honor Roll with 56 honorees.
The academic recognition highlights continued success in the classroom across Louisiana Tech’s athletic department, with more than a quarter of the school’s Conference USA honorees also earning the higher Academic Medal distinction.
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The following is a complete list of the LA Tech award winners for the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, listed by sport:
BASEBALL Thomas Allen, Cole Blackwell, Colton Coates, Luke Cooley, Declan Dahl, Drew Ferguson, Riley Fisher, Nick Greaney, Adam Guillet, Hayden Gustavson, Hudson Hartgrove, Blake Hooks, Matt Houston, Nathan Houston, Jackson Jones, Ethan Judice, McCann Libby, Casey McCoy, Parker McCoy, Brecken Menuet, Connor Nation, Luke Nichols, Kade Parker, Hudson Rowan, Zeb Ruddell, Easton Sanders, Wesley Scott, Caleb Short, Logan Simmons, Cooper Smith
MEN’S BASKETBALL AJ Bates, DJ Dudley, Jaylen Fenner, Sir Issac Herron, Will Jeffress, Keegan Rowell, Lachlan Thompson, A’Meir Williams, Scooter Williams
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Averi Aaron, Isla Airey, Paris Bradley, Hillary Dawson, Kennedy Evans, Joy Madison-Key, Jordan Marshall, Jianna Morris, Kaleigh Thompson, Alexia Weaver, Mackenzie Wurm
TENNIS Alice Brook, Zoie Epps, Mio Kozaki, Nina Skoric, Maria Tsironi, June Vigneron, Isabella Walker
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Arie Linton, Jake Pyles, Dillon Sanchez, Grayson Smith, Jacob Tabor, Brayden Vining, Cameren Williams
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD John Brown, Zachary Drake, William Estes, Nazario Gumbs, Cullen Hronek, Cobe Johnson, Porter Neal, Karo Oghomi, Abdulraof Oriade Rashid, Noree Robinson, Devin Walton, Rickey Williams III
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.
Monday, April 6 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 5:30 p.m.: Ruston City Council meeting 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, April 7 10 a.m.: Storytime (Lincoln Parish Library) 1-2:15 p.m.: Meet and greet with Congresswoman Julia Letlow (Ruston Historic Fire Station) 4 p.m.: Crafternoon (Lincoln Parish Library) 5 p.m.: MFA Thesis Exhibition Artists’ Talks Opening Reception (F.J. Taylor Visual Arts Center, Room 103, Louisiana Tech) 6:30 a.m.: Veterans free breakfast (VFW Post 3615, 206 Memorial Dr.) 6 p.m.: GSU baseball 6 p.m.: Video-led exercise class (Lincoln Parish Library)
Wednesday, April 8 7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee) 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station) 6 p.m.: Presentation by Christy Green with League of Women’s Voters and Q&A session about Louisiana’s new primary voting system and amendments on May 16 ballot (First 50 people who come at 5:30 p.m. will get a free meal from Hot Rods)
Thursday, April 9 9:30 a.m.: Piney Hills Quilt Guild meeting (Grace Methodist Church) 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) Noon: Lincoln Parish School Board meeting (Cypress Springs Elementary School) 4:30-5:30 p.m.: Free meal hosted by 5 Loaves 2 Fish Ministry (Ruston Housing Authority Maryland Plaza location, 615 N. Farmerville Street. All are welcome.) 6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers) 6 p.m.: Tween Time (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: Teen Time (Lincoln Parish Library)
Friday, April 10 1 p.m.: GSU softball 6 p.m.: LA Tech baseball 6 p.m.: LA Tech softball 6 p.m.: GSU baseball
Saturday, April 11 8:30-11:30 a.m.: Hazardous Waste Material Collection and Recycling (2609 Farmerville St.) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market Noon: GSU softball 2 p.m.: GSU softball 2 p.m.: LA Tech baseball 2 p.m.: LA Tech softball 3 p.m.: GSU baseball
Sunday, April 12 11 a.m. LA Tech softball 1 p.m.: LA Tech baseball 1 p.m.: GSU baseball
Monday, April 13 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 5:30 p.m.: Ruston City Council meeting (Ruston City Hall) 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, April 14 10 a.m.: Storytime (Lincoln Parish Library) 4 p.m.: Crafternoon (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: Video-led exercise class (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: LA Tech baseball 6:30 a.m.: Veterans free breakfast (VFW Post 3615, 206 Memorial Dr.) 7 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Police Jury meeting (Lincoln Parish Courthouse)
Wednesday, April 15 7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee) 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)
Thursday, April 16 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) 4 p.m.: Tween Time (Lincoln Parish Library) 5 p.m.: Library Board of Control meeting (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: Climbing Everest with guest speaker John Kyte (Lincoln Parish Library) 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 and Bites Book Club (Lincoln Parish Library; registration required by calling 318-513-5510)
Friday, April 17 1 p.m.: GSU softball 1 p.m.: Ribbon cutting celebrating Adala Health (902 S. Vienna St., Ruston) 4 p.m.: Family Fun Friday (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: LA Tech softball 6 p.m.: GSU baseball
Saturday, April 18 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market Noon: GSU softball 2 p.m.: GSU softball 2 p.m.: LA Tech softball 3 p.m.: GSU baseball 6-8 p.m.: India Night (For tickets, call 682-321-9914 or 318-957-9298) (Louisiana Tech)
Sunday, April 19 11 a.m.: LA Tech softball Noon: GSU baseball
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Louisiana Tech’s postseason run came to an end Saturday as the Bulldogs fell twice to Wichita State in the NCAA Regional Championship in Arlington, one day after opening the tournament with a pair of victories to reach the title match.
The Bulldogs went 2-0 on Friday to advance to Saturday’s championship round, defeating Bryant and Newman to move within one win of next week’s Final Four.
Louisiana Tech opened regional play with a 2-1 Mega Match victory over Bryant. After dropping the traditional match 960-925, the Bulldogs answered with a dominant 1,053-868 win in the five-game Baker set before securing the tiebreaker 4-2.
Kylee Trexler paced Tech in the opener with a 203 in traditional play, while Jenna Stretch added a 194 and Juliana Kerrigan rolled a 188.
The Bulldogs followed with a 2-0 victory over Newman later Friday. Louisiana Tech claimed the traditional match 987-918 behind strong performances from Stretch (218), Kerrigan (210) and Trexler (201), then completed the sweep with a 1,006-946 win in the five-game Baker format.
Saturday, however, belonged to Wichita State.
The Shockers took the opening Mega Match 2-1 to hand the Bulldogs their first loss of the regional. Wichita State won the traditional match 1,057-1,020 before Louisiana Tech responded with a 1,087-954 victory in the five-game Baker to even the score.
In the best-of-seven tiebreaker, Wichita State built a 2-0 lead. The Bulldogs twice cut the deficit to one point, but the Shockers held on for a 4-2 win to claim the Mega Match.
Thirty minutes later, the teams met again in a winner-take-all best-of-seven Baker match with a Final Four berth on the line.
Wichita State controlled the rematch from the start, sweeping Louisiana Tech 4-0 to advance.
The loss ended Louisiana Tech’s NCAA Tournament run one match short of the Final Four.
________________________________
TENNIS
Louisiana Tech capped an undefeated home season in dramatic fashion Friday, rallying for a 4-2 victory over Tarleton State on Senior Day at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
The Bulldogs (14-3) dropped the doubles point but responded by winning four singles matches, with senior Mio Kozaki delivering the clinching victory to secure the comeback win.
Louisiana Tech coach Amy Sargeant praised the team’s response after the slow start.
“I could not be prouder of how this team responded after a flat doubles point,” Sargeant said. “We regrouped and leaned into the challenge, and we showed exactly who we are.”
Tarleton State (14-6) grabbed the early lead after claiming the doubles point. The 77th-ranked Louisiana Tech duo of Zoie Epps and Isabella Walker opened with a 6-4 win on court one, but the Texans answered with victories on courts two and three to take a 1-0 advantage.
Louisiana Tech quickly regrouped in singles play against a Tarleton State team that entered on a six-match winning streak.
Epps set the tone for the Bulldogs, extending her singles winning streak to 11 matches with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Maria Castano on court one to even the match at 1-1.
The Texans briefly moved back in front at 2-1 after Aya Ishii won in straight sets on court two, but freshman Isabella Walker answered with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dariia Medviedieva on court six to tie the score once again.
Maria Tsironi then gave Louisiana Tech its first lead of the afternoon, battling past Ximena Morales 6-3, 7-5 on court four for a 3-2 edge.
With the match hanging in the balance, the spotlight shifted to the Bulldogs’ seniors.
While Diana Starodubtseva fought through a second-set tiebreak on court three, Kozaki took control on court five. After winning the opening set 6-3, Kozaki erased a 3-0 deficit in the second by winning five consecutive games before finishing off Marissa Minetti 6-3, 6-4 to clinch the match.
The win allowed Louisiana Tech to finish the home portion of its schedule unbeaten and provided a fitting Senior Day sendoff for Kozaki and Starodubtseva.
________________________________
TRACK AND FIELD
The Bulldog women made history in the 400m relays at the Pepsi Florida Relays hosted by the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Osaretin Usenbor, Jamara Patterson, Tyhra Charles and Nia Wiley dominate the women’s 4x400m, securing first place by over three seconds.
Usenbor, Patterson, Charles and Wiley ran a 3:30.13 in the 4x400m relay, a time that bested second place by 3.33 seconds. It marks the second fastest time in outdoor program history as well as the sixth fastest time in DI this outdoor season.
Patterson also found success in her solo 400m run, clocking in at 51.74, good for third place. It marks the second fastest time in outdoor program history, giving Patterson four of the five fastest finishes in the women’s 400 (1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th). Patterson currently has the 10th and 13th fastest times in all of DI.
Robert Ray Lolley, Sr., age 74, of Dubach, passed away March 30, 2026. Robert was born November 29, 1951, to Harold and Bobbie Lolley. He tried to teach his children the value and fulfillment that comes from a hard day’s labor, as he encouraged them to work with him in the garden and learn other practical skills for life.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Bobbie Lolley; his beloved son, Robert Lolley, Jr.; and his brothers, Joe Lolley and Johnny Lolley.
Robert is survived by his daughter, Tammy Jones; grandchildren, Ross Jones, Katelyn Lolley, Megan Lolley and Kelsey Lolley; six great-grandchildren; sister, Kathy Lolley; brother, Ben Lolley and wife Debbie; numerous nieces and nephews; and a host of other family and friends who will miss him dearly.
A man who enjoyed the simple things in life, Robert found joy in restoring old cars and spending long hours working with his hands. He was employed by Mid-South Fire Solutions for many years; there he installed fire protection sprinkler and suppression systems across the South and Southwest. He enjoyed gardening and being outdoors, where he found peace and satisfaction in fulfilling, honest work. Those who knew him remember how he enjoyed when his garden yielded its first blooms.
A memorial service will be held at a later date and will be announced by the family. Friends and relatives are invited to share memories and condolences as they honor Robert’s life.
A Celebration of Life for Mary K. Morse will be 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Sundown Tavern Patio in downtown Ruston, LA for her family of friends.
On March 25, 2026, our beautiful dear Mary K. passed away peacefully in the company of dedicated lifelong friends.
Mary K. was born on August 19, 1941, to James Morse and Mary Regina Lawless in Mare Island, California at the naval hospital.
A talented artist and teacher, she earned her Bachelors of Art with a major in Art History at Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan in 1963 and studied at the Detroit School of Arts and Crafts after college. In 1967, she earned her Masters of Fine Arts in painting at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
Mary K. moved to Louisiana in 1968 and taught in the School of Art and Architecture at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana from 1968-1999. She also served as the Director of the University’s Art Gallery from 1980 – 1997.
During those years in Louisiana there were frequent gatherings at her home where she shared her cool pool on hot days and treated her company with culinary delights and always made everyone feel welcome and happy with lots of love and laughter.
Mary K. lived life fully and with open arms and mind, traveling to China, India and Europe and closer to home with an annual trip to Dauphin Island, AL. with a close group of friends.
When Mary K. retired from teaching, she moved to Austin, Texas to concentrate on creating bronze sculptures of human figures.
In 2021, Mary K. moved back to Ruston, LA. to be closer to longtime friends. She was a wonderfully kind and loving friend, a skilled and creative artist and a patient and talented teacher. Mary K. will be missed by many!
A celebration of life for Keith Hammons of Choudrant, LA will be held at 10:00 AM, Monday, April 6, 2026 at First Baptist Church of Choudrant with Bro. Gil Arthur officiating. Burial will follow in the Choudrant Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston. Visitation will be held at 9:00 AM at the church.
Keith went home to be with his Heavenly Father on April 1, 2026 at the age of 89. Keith was born February 5, 1937 in Choudrant, Louisiana to Oren and Lela Mae Hammons and then moved to West Monroe as a child. He married Opal Sanderson, the love of his life, on August 18, 1957, and they had two sons: Tim and Mark. Keith and Opal lived in West Monroe for 12 years before moving to Choudrant. Keith graduated from West Monroe High School in 1955, and he retired from the paper mill in West Monroe after 44 years of service. He was an active member of First Baptist Church of Choudrant, Louisiana; and his most important life decision was accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of 18. He made his decision known when he walked the aisle at Highland Baptist Church while the congregation sang “Only Believe” and was baptized by Rev. Fowler Seal.
Keith enjoyed hunting and fishing, and he made many memories with friends and family in the woods and on the lake. He tended a garden for many years, and he kept a small chicken pen in his backyard. Gathering eggs from Keith’s chicken pen was a favorite pastime for kids who came to visit the Hammons’ home. Keith enjoyed working with his hands. Some of the treasured hand-made gifts Keith crafted for his friends and family include wooden swings, hammocks, boat paddles, and paper weights. Keith loved his family as well as his “other kids” Mandy, Terry, and Anna, children of Wayne and Sharon Brooks. Keith’s friendship with the Brooks’ family spanned many years and is best described by Proverbs 18:24, “…. there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Keith was preceded in death by his parents Oren and Lela Mae Hammons; his twin brother Rufus Kenneth Hammons; and his father- and mother-in-law Jack and Maudie Mae Sanderson.
Keith is survived by his wife of 68 years, Opal Hammons of Choudrant, LA, as well as sons Tim Hammons and friend Debra of Choudrant, LA; and Mark Hammons and wife Carla of Ruston, LA; granddaughter Abbie Malone and husband Reggie of Marion, LA; and great-granddaughter Hailyn Phillips and great-grandson Oak Malone. He is also survived by sister Jane Boyd and
husband Harry of Shreveport, LA; nephew Kris Boyd and wife Ann of Tulsa, OK; great-nephews Mason Boyd and Collier Boyd, and a host of friends.
Pallbearers are Randy Aaron, Brandon Chandler, Landon Chandler, Bobby Joe Milner, Kris Boyd, and Gary Parnell. Honorary pallbearers are Jake Jacobson, Wayne Brooks, Don Calhoun, Allen Parnell, Harry Boyd, and Lamar Spillers.
The family extends their gratitude to the Elara Caring Hospice team for their care and support during this difficult time. A special thank you to Katie, Tamla, David, and Jayme for the care and comfort provided to Keith during his last days.
Anestha Marsha Young Tuesday 01/08/1946 — Sunday 03/29/2026 Memorial Service: Saturday 04/11/2026 11:00am, China Grove Baptist Church, 406 Vernon Street, Ruston Private Burial
Helen Mitchell Tuesday 06/17/1947 — Thursday 04/02/2026 Memorial Service: Tuesday 04/07/2026 11:00am at King’s Funeral Home
Linda Faye Armstrong Thursday 03/05/1964 — Friday 04/03/2026 Visitation: Thursday 04/09/2026 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Friday 04/10/2026 1:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Friday 04/10/2026, Hopewell Cemetery, Dubach
Keith Hammons February 5, 1937 – April 1, 2026 Visitation: Monday, April 6, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Choudrant First Baptist, 117 Oak St, Choudrant Funeral Service: Monday, April 6, 2026, 10:00 AM, Choudrant First Baptist, 117 Oak St, Choudrant Cemetery Committal: Monday, April 6, 2026, 11:00 AM, Choudrant Cemetery, Jones St, Choudrant
Robert Ray Lolley, Sr. November 29, 1951 – March 30, 2026 Service held at later date
RUSTON — Ruston High School has named Teri Howe as its next principal, Lincoln Parish Superintendent Ricky Durrett announced Thursday.
Howe, a Shreveport native with 28 years of experience in education, will replace longtime principal Dan Gressett. Durrett said the hire followed a weeklong interview process.
“We’re really excited to be able to hire someone with the background that she has and the knowledge she’ll bring to Ruston High School,” Durrett said. “Just the experience she’s been through will help Ruston High, which is already in a great place, continue to grow and get even better.”
Howe currently serves as human resources director for Bossier Parish Schools. She previously spent a decade at Benton High School, including seven years as principal from 2017 to 2023, where she oversaw construction of a new $52-million campus. Her educational and leadership background includes various roles in both Caddo and Bossier parishes.
“I bring lots of experience, lots of energy,” Howe said. “I’m excited to be in Ruston and be a Bearcat.”
Her ties to Ruston run deeper than her new role. Her husband, Richard “Chauncey” Howe, is a 1994 graduate of Ruston High, and their son will enroll as a freshman this fall.
“We are so excited to get back to Ruston,” Howe said. “(Our son) was born a Bearcat, according to his daddy, and we’re excited to get him to be one officially.”
The faculty and staff at Ruston High were informed on Thursday afternoon.
Howe is expected to begin her new role May 4, according to Durrett.
A nurse, mother, and friend, Sara Cagle has grown from a young student into a successful healthcare professional.
Balancing motherhood, studies, and full-time jobs, the Ruston native put herself through nursing school to pursue a career where she can provide for her family while also helping others like she always dreamed.
From a young age, Sara knew that she wanted to be a nurse in order to help others get through the hard times and to provide care; a profession that takes a special kind of dedication.
“I was around 12 years old when I started spending my summers at Tech with my grandmother, who was an administrative assistant in the Division of Nursing at the time,” Sara said. “I was in awe of it all, the teachers, the classrooms, all the cool nurse things. It didn’t take me long to realize I wanted to be a nurse, and I wanted to go to Tech to do it.”
In 2015, Sara started her freshman year at Louisiana Tech, pursuing a nursing degree like she had always wanted. But life happens, like it does for anyone. With a one-year-old son and a new baby girl on the way, Sara knew that her role as a mother needed to take priority over school for the time. She withdrew from Tech in early 2017, making a commitment to providing for her babies in another way.
Sara felt that the odds were stacked against her as a teen mother in school and decided that she was alright with stepping away from the challenge. Yet, she still felt that deep down she wanted to be a nurse. She knew she had a calling for helping others.
In 2021, Sara was navigating a new season of life. With three children post-divorce, she had moved to Ruston to balance a life with a full-time job, co-parenting and a busy after-school sports schedule. Sara recognized that the time had come that if she wanted to give herself and her children the life they deserved, she had to make a change.
So, she worked even harder, saved money and in February of 2023 she re-applied to Louisiana Tech. She got accepted and with the help of the director of the nursing program, Sara put together a game plan. The challenge was steep, with Sara facing the requirement of earning straight A’s on all of her remaining prerequisites to be eligible for the nursing program. But she buckled up and hung on for the ride.
Sara took on a full course load, aced her classes and applied for the nursing program in 2024. From that point forward, she put in every ounce of effort to succeed in nursing school while still being present with her children.
“In those next seven quarters, I spent a lot of my time at kid’s softball tournaments, basketball games, cheer camps with my notes pulled up on my phone squeezing in all the moments of studying I could while still being a present mom,” Sara said. “I spent many hours in the carline with my iPad open to lecture notes, listening to nursing podcasts while at the gym. Typically, I would get my kids to bed and stay up until around midnight to look over notes and set my alarms for 4 a.m. the next morning so that I could review one last time before getting myself and my kids ready.
“There were a lot of DoorDash dinners involved for sure. It wasn’t unusual to have to drive an hour or more to clinical sites, so many times my dad (aka Papaw’s Taxi Service) would come get kids ready for school, handle drop off and pick up, and have everybody fed by the time I got home. My neighbors, the Bennetts, were always so helpful and also helped get kids from school and hang out with them until I got out of clinicals, and always making sure I was okay and encouraging me when I was exhausted.”
With the help of her village, Sara climbed the ladder step-by-step, getting closer every day to her dream. Her father, Jim Liner, commended his daughter’s commitments and shared his feelings on her growth.
“Sara is on the right track, she’s worked so hard and is doing great things,” Liner said. “I really am just so proud of her.”
A little over half-way through nursing school, Sara began working at St. Francis in Monroe as a nurse tech. After being quickly assigned to the ICU, she was terrified at the prospect of working in critical care in her first week. Though it didn’t take her long to fall in love with the position. Following graduation, Sara has passed the NCLEX and become a licensed registered nurse. Sara is officially beginning her career as a full-time ICU nurse at St. Francis, where she continues to push herself toward even more goals for the future.
“I have a dream of pursuing flight nursing at some point in the future,” Sara said. “Something I value so much is getting to know a patient and their family and really connect with them. I feel like in these settings you really do see people on what might be the worst day of their life, and I always want to be a person that they can count on and trust to help them through it. Whether that includes my skills and knowledge as a nurse or just listening and sitting with them.”
With two years in the nursing program behind her, Sara looks back and feels like it happened in the blink of an eye. While meeting life-long friends in the program, they built a family of girls who supported each other through thick and thin. From bible studies and prayer to late-night studies and group work, Sara’s colleagues became more like sisters. One of her closest friends from school, Brittney Whitlock, shared how Sara touched her life during their time together.
“Sara was one of my first friends in nursing school and I truly believe the Lord knew I needed her,” Whitlock said. “She’s become one of my truest and dearest friends. She is an incredible example of strength and dedication. While academics may seem to come easy for her, she somehow made balancing motherhood and nursing school look easy.
“But I know firsthand how hard she’s worked as a single mom to get here. The Lord truly blessed her with both intelligence and a compassionate heart. She’s one of the most competent and compassionate nurses I know, and her patients will be exceptionally well cared for. I’m so excited for her future and for her sweet kids.”
Sara also credited the nursing school staff and teachers for supporting her through her educational journey. She specifically recalled a time after taking the NCLEX that she reached out to Director of the Nursing Program, Dr. McVay, with anxiety about her results. Her worries faded away as her instructor covered her with instant prayer and assurance.
“I owe so much to my teachers throughout this program,” Sara said. “They are so genuine in the way they care about you and want you to succeed, and also the most knowledgeable people I know. You’re more than a name on a class roster to them. They always made it a point to ask how I was, how my kids were doing, you name it.”
Now Sara continues to treat each patient with the kind of understanding and patience she would with her own children. After years of hard work, commitment, and faith, she is doing what she loves and what she was meant to do. Her neighbor, and grandmother figure to her children, Debbie Bennett, highlighted what makes Sara so caring.
“She is a beautiful person inside and out,” Bennett said. “She is such a wonderful mother to her children, and she always puts them first. She’s such a sweet and caring person, becoming an RN is her calling. She’s such a loving and nurturing mother and cares deeply about others as well. She deserves the very best life has to offer and I’m so very proud of her.”
Above all her accomplishments, Sara said most importantly she has done this for her kids. She wanted to show them that anything was possible, and how sometimes the only thing holding you back from your dreams is yourself. She also believes that it is an important lesson in self-sufficiency for her daughters to see that it is realistic to be a successful single woman.
“I think that one stuck, because my 8-year-old now sings the “Reba” theme song anytime I walk in her room,” Sara said. “Now, my kids are about to be 10, 9, and 6 – all thriving in school, and so glad they don’t have to do homework at the table with mom and her “gross nursing notes” anymore”
Now she is able to look back on those hard times, those challenges, and any hesitations, knowing that she had it in her all along. She did it for her kids, for her patients and for herself.
Sara Cagle with her three children: Kinley, Dallas Kate, and Beaux.
Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson and Air Force Lt. Gen. Jennifer Hammerstedt
Courtesy of LA Tech University Communications
Louisiana Tech University and the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) formalized a new partnership during a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing event held March 23 at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The partnership is designed to create a pipeline of highly skilled graduates prepared to contribute to the Air Force Civilian Service in aircraft and warfighter sustainment and logistics readiness.
The Louisiana Tech delegation included University leadership and faculty from the College of Engineering and Science (COES) who participated in briefings, facility tours, and strategic discussions with AFSC leadership throughout the two-day visit. Dr. Henry Cardenas, professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Erica Murray, research associate professor in the Institute for Micromanufacturing, accompanied Col. (ret.) Warren Ward, executive director of the Louisiana Tech Research Institute and Louisiana Tech University President Dr. Jim Henderson.
“Louisiana Tech has been a long-time partner of our warfighters in every branch of the military, but none more than the United States Air Force,” President Henderson said. “The opportunities awaiting our faculty and students through the AFSC are immense. The missions and expertise of AFSC and Louisiana Tech could not be in better alignment.”
The MOU outlines a shared commitment to strengthening pathways for students into Air Force civilian careers, particularly in areas critical to business management, finance, human resources, procurement, propulsion, STEM, supply chain management, and workforce development.
“Partnering with Louisiana Tech is an exciting opportunity that will help shape the future of Air Force readiness,” said Lt. Gen. Jennifer Hammerstedt, commander of Air Force Sustainment Center. “The University is well versed in defense initiatives, and we are looking forward to collaborating with their students and faculty to not only enrich their academic experience but also advance our mission to fly, fix, and fight.”
“By aligning our research capabilities with Air Force priorities, we are creating new pathways to support mission readiness while expanding applied research and workforce opportunities for our students,” said Ward.
Murray emphasized the impact on faculty and students. “New doors for faculty and students will be opened to engage directly with real-world challenges in advanced manufacturing and sustainment,” she said. “It also creates opportunities to translate research into practical applications while preparing students for impactful careers in national defense and related industries.”
(Cedar Creek senior Paxton Mounts, center, signs with Georgia Military college as dad, Bobby, left and mom Kristy, right, watch)
By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — What started with a BB gun in his driveway has now turned into a dream to one day attend West Point for senior Cougar Paxton Mounts.
And Wednesday, that vision took a significant step forward in the Cedar Creek Library after he signed to compete for the Bulldog rifle team at Georgia Military College, a move designed to prepare him for his ultimate goal of attending the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Mounts was joined by his mother Kristy and father Bobby at the signing table and dozens of students and faculty in attendance among other family members and friends.
“I’m very excited,” Mounts said. “That’s a great prep program for where I want to be because in about a year from now, I’m hoping to be at West Point. I’ve heard it’s a great place to get me prepared, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Mounts’ opportunity came through a civil preparatory offer connected to West Point, giving him a pathway to strengthen his academics while continuing to develop as a marksman.
“My grades and academics weren’t quite where they needed to be to get to West Point right away,” Mounts said. “So this is the best place for me to go for my first year.”
Georgia Military College serves as one of the official preparatory schools for West Point, providing students with a structured military environment and academic curriculum designed to position candidates for future appointments. Its rifle program competes at the collegiate level and emphasizes precision disciplines such as air rifle and smallbore, aligning closely with NCAA-style competition.
Mounts’ journey in the sport began early. He was introduced to shooting at age six, learning the fundamentals alongside his father, Bobby Mounts.
“We had a lesson on safety and marksmanship right there in our driveway,” Bobby Mounts said, placing his hand on a display rifle. “Lesson one: this is a tool, not a toy. I still remember it like it was yesterday.”
By age 10, Mounts had joined 4-H shooting sports, where his natural ability quickly became evident. Over time, he transitioned into precision rifle competition and began accumulating awards and championships.
“It was something I loved right away and something I was good at,” Mounts said.
His development continued through middle and high school, eventually earning opportunities to train at a higher level and compete among top junior athletes. Along the way, Mounts made difficult decisions to fully commit to his long-term goals.
“He gave up other sports for this,” Bobby Mounts said. “Not returning to football was probably the hardest decision for him. But it was the right one. It’s never easy to give up something you love to pursue a dream.”
That dream extends beyond athletics. Mounts plans to study political science and pursue a career as a pilot, using his time at the service academy to grow both personally and professionally.
“The main thing I want is to become the best version of myself possible while making a positive influence on other people,” Mounts said.
Family support has been a constant throughout his journey.
“They’ve always been very supportive,” Mounts said. “That’s meant a lot.”
Despite opportunities to pursue rifle at larger NCAA Division I programs such as the University Kentucky and the University of West Virginia, Mounts chose a different route — one centered on long-term purpose rather than immediate recognition.
“He could have gone to some of the top rifle programs in the country,” Bobby Mounts said. “But he’s not chasing clout. He’s chasing a dream — to attend West Point and serve his country.”
According to Bobby Mounts, only a small percentage of applicants ultimately receive appointments to West Point, making the preparatory route both demanding and requiring determination.
“You chose a hard path,” Bobby said to his son. “One that demands incredible sacrifice. But it takes courage, and West Point sees great promise in you.”
And for Paxton, the next step is clear: continue developing both in the classroom and on the range, keeping his long-term goal firmly in his sights.
“Keep your eyes on the target,” his father said to him, “and use the tools you’ve been given.”
If all goes according to plan, Wednesday’s signing will be just the beginning for Paxton.
The 18th Annual Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office Senior Expo is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Ruston Sports Complex (Indoor Complex) located at 2103 Champions Way.
This event will feature speakers, information relevant to seniors, entertainment, delicious food, and prizes (participants must be 55 years or older and present to win a door prize).
“This event is a way to honor our senior citizens for their vital contributions to our community and parish life,” stated Sgt. Iris Winston from the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office Community Services Division. “Our main goal is to share valuable information that can positively affect our seniors’ daily lives.”
Winston noted that previous expos have featured speakers addressing topics such as frauds and scams, Medicare and Medicaid, wellness and balance, funeral planning, and more. This year’s lineup includes Cardiologist Dr. Michael Langiulli from Willis-Knighton Cardiology Ruston speaking on heart health as well as local lawyer Ryan Madden talking about power of attorney and estate planning.
“This entire event focuses on our seniors. We want to express our gratitude for their contributions to the community,” explained Winston. “Everything is tailored for senior citizens, showcasing what Lincoln Parish offers and the various services available. We have been hosting this event for 18 years, and many seniors eagerly anticipate it each year.
“We are aiming to make this year’s event even bigger and better. We encourage all seniors in our community to come out and enjoy.”
The LPSO expresses gratitude to major sponsors for the event: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes, City of Ruston, Rolling Hills Ministries, Willis-Knighten Cardiology of Ruston, Morris & Dewitt Personal Injury Attorney, Entergy, Origin Bank, FYZICAL, and Trenton Dental.
For more information, to make a donation, or if your organization wishes to reserve a booth, please reach out to Sgt. Iris Winston at 318-251-6440 or via email at iwinston@lpsheriff.org.
