Ruston Police arrested a Choudrant woman Thursday after marijuana and a rifle were found in her vehicle.
Naomi Joyner, 45, was stopped Thursday evening driving a vehicle with an illegible license plate. When approached by an officer, Joyner appeared extremely nervous. When asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle, Joyner admitted to a small amount of marijuana inside.
A search of the vehicle located a small amount of marijuana and a .22 rifle hidden under some blankets on the back seat. Joyner admitted she was not allowed to carry a firearm as a convicted felon stemming from a previous narcotics conviction. She also admitted her driver’s license was suspended.
Joyner was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana, possession of a firearm by convicted felon, driving under suspension, and improper license plate display.
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 second consecutive year, Louisiana Tech University has been named to Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges list, one of only two public universities recognized in the state.
Throughout this week, Louisiana Tech has been recognized as a top university in the state, one that “checks all the boxes” with impressive graduation rates, high graduate salaries, and great outcomes for low-income students. Among all universities listed, Tech is 73rd nationally for lowest average debt for graduates.
“This accolade is a testament to our commitment to providing high-quality education and fostering the success of our students,” said University President Les Guice. “Being able to not only compete but shine on a national level is a crucial element of the University’s mission and a driving force of our efforts at all times.”
Forbes chose “doctoral research universities, master’s universities and colleges, and baccalaureate colleges, as well as colleges that offered specialized programs in engineering, business, and art.” The methodology used to qualify for the list is based on information focused on retention rate, academic success, graduate debt, alumni salaries, graduation rates, return on investment, and leadership and entrepreneurial success of graduates. Data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), College Scorecard, and PayScale were used.
The 2023 Forbes rankings come at a time when Tech has been recognized as a Top Tier National University by U.S. News and World Report and as the Top Public University and Best Value College by Niche. The University announced earlier this week its largest first-time freshmen class in school history.
L to R: Blake Wade, Cara Beth Hill, Gray Worthey, Noah Durrett, Ainsley Riley, Ladd Thompson, Ava James, Conner Rolen, Olivia Underwood, Landon Amidon, Brett Johnson, Ava Hartwell, Lawson Lillo (photo by Tim Garlington)
Cedar Creek School
2023 Homecoming Court and Senior Football Players
Homecoming Court
Maid Ava Marie Hartwell, daughter of Brad and Elizabeth Hartwell
Maid Cara Elizabeth Hill, daughter of Scott and Ashlea Hill
Maid Ainsley Elizabeth Riley, daughter of Paul and Jennifer Riley
Maid Olivia Lee Underwood, daughter of Oliver and Jessica Underwood
Princess Finley Frances Elawadi, daughter of Joey and Abby Elawadi
Queen Ava Elizabeth James, daughter of Max and Holly James
Football Escorts
Landon Wyatt Amidon, son of Wyatt and Alison Amidon
Noah Benjamin Durrett, son of BJay and Melissa Durrett
Brett Barron Johnson, son of John and April Johnson
Lawson Tyler Lillo, son of Jason and Lea Ann Lillo
Joseph Conner Rolen, son of Tina Peddington
Ladd Parker Thompson, son of Julie Thompson
Blake Matthew Wade, son of Colin and Tonya Wade
Grayson Kelly Worthey, son of Jim and Kelly Worthey
“I have owned a business in Lincoln Parish for over 40 years. I know how important a properly functioning Police Jury is and that’s why I am encouraging my friends in District 6 to vote for Glenn Scriber.” — NFL MVP Quarterback Bert Jones
“I ask all my neighbors and friends to vote for Glenn for District 6 police juror. I give Glenn my endorsement.” — Hall of Fame Coach Leon Barmore
“I support and encourage all my friends in District 6 to vote for Glenn as police juror.” — Lincoln Parish Resident Bill Cox
Don’t forget to vote on Saturday, October 14
This advertorial is paid for by the Glenn Scriber campaign
A Choudrant woman was arrested at Ruston High School last week for operating a vehicle under the influence after striking a parked car amid buses discharging arriving students.
About 7:10 a.m. on Sept. 18, Ruston Police responded to an area of the high school called “the boulevard” where buses pick up and unload students. Officers found Becky M. Norred, 56, appeared to be impaired.
Norred was directed to perform some field sobriety tests. Based on the results, she was placed under arrest and taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. A breath test was administered that did not show the presence of alcohol. A drug influence evaluation was conducted by an officer certified as a drug recognition expert.
Norred admitted taking at least three medications around midnight. She also admitted to smoking methamphetamine the previous day. Based on the evaluation and Norred’s statements, she was booked.
Bail was set at $1,500.
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.
For more information on Andy Halbrook at Edward Jones, CLICK HERE.
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If you have grandchildren, you probably enjoy spending time with them and watching them grow. And to help them achieve a bright future, you might like to make some financial gifts — but which ones?
You have several options. Let’s look at three of them:
529 plans – When you invest in a 529 education savings plan, any earnings growth is distributed federally tax free, as long as withdrawals are used for qualified education expenses. (Withdrawals used for expenses other than qualified education expenses may be subject to federal and state taxes, plus a 10% penalty.) And in-state residents who invest in their home state’s 529 plan may also receive state tax incentives. A 529 plan can be used for college, approved trade school programs, qualified student loan repayments and even some K-12 costs. And if the grandchild you’ve named as a beneficiary of a 529 plan decides to forego further education, you can generally switch beneficiaries to another immediate family member. You can contribute up to $17,000 in 2023, per grandchild, to a 529 plan without incurring gift taxes. Furthermore, as of the 2024–25 school year, grandparent-owned 529 plans won’t affect financial aid eligibility. However, tax issues for 529 plans can be complex, so consult with your tax advisor about your situation.
Roth IRA – Any earnings growth in a Roth IRA is distributed tax free, provided the owner is at least 59½ and has had the account at least five years. If your grandchildren earn money from babysitting or a part-time job, they can open a Roth IRA with the help of a parent or other adult. You could “match” your grandchildren’s contributions, possibly on a dollar-for-dollar basis, to provide them with an incentive for saving. In fact, you could fully fund the Roth IRA, up to the annual contribution limit, which is $6,500 or the amount of your grandchild’s taxable compensation, whichever is less. (The annual limit is $7,500 for those 50 or older.) And your grandchildren can withdraw the contributions — not the earnings — at any time to pay for college or anything else.
Custodial account – You can open a custodial account, also known as an UGMA or UTMA account, for a grandchild, and fund it with most types of investments: stocks, mutual funds, bonds and so on. For that reason, it can be a good way to teach grandchildren about the nature of investing — risks, returns and the value of holding investments for the long term. Plus, there’s an initial tax benefit to custodial accounts: The first $1,250 of your grandchild’s investment income (dividends, interest, capital gains) is tax free, and the next $1,250 is taxed at the child’s rate. Anything above that amount is taxed at the parents’ marginal tax rate. However, once your grandchildren reach the age of termination — usually 18 or 21, depending on where they live — they take control of the account and can do whatever they choose with the money. So, while a custodial account could be considered as a funding source for college, it might alternatively serve as a gift that could eventually enable your grandchild to fulfill another desire or goal — take an overseas trip, pay for a car or maybe even start on a path to entrepreneurship.
Making financial gifts to your grandchildren can be rewarding — for them and for you. So, consider the possibilities carefully and put your generosity to work.
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This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
Edward Jones, Member SIPC
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Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.
Friday and Saturday of this past week saw the ninth Bearcat Brawl and showcased the growth and difficulty of the tournament as the Ruston High Lady Bearcats finished 2-3 over the weekend and will now prepare to head to Natchitoches Central for a critical district showdown on Tuesday night.
“The tournament was a huge success,” Ruston High head coach Mandy Cauley said. “We had sixteen teams from across the state with some tough competition. I am very pleased with how we played overall. There were moments that we need to tighten up, but playing at a high level consistently is a learned behavior and we just need to keep playing tough matches as often as possible. We played Dutchtown very well in set one so I was pleased there and taking a set off the other opponents that beat us is still a good step in the right direction.
The Lady Bearcats fell in both Friday matchups to Dutchtown and Ponchatoula before coming out Saturday morning and beating Isadore Newman 25-0 and 25-20 and then Sulphur 25-21 and 25-21.
Ruston dropped a touch match to Notre Dame after winning set one 25-21 before dropping the final two sets.
“The girls were frustrated with the losses Friday evening but came out and played with resilience on Saturday morning,” Cauley said. “There was a special energy in the Newman match. The girls were on fire.”
Senior middle Jade Smith finished the weekend with 40 kills total, including 14 kills against Notre Dame and 11 against Sulphur. Junior Harper Cauley totaled 25 kills, while senior Hannah Rollins finished with 23.
Freshman Baylor Cauley totaled 85 assists, while Rollins totaled 13 blocks for the weekend. Senior Allie Richardson tallied 44 digs for the Lady Bearcats.
Ruston will now head to the road for a Natchitoches Central that will pit two of the top teams to the north of Central Louisiana. Last season, the match came down to the fifth set before the Lady Chiefs pulled away at the end in Ruston’s main gym.
“I believe we are ready,” Cauley said. “We need fans; they will have a loud student section. We are practicing with noise today to simulate the environment. I anticipate an emotionally charged match on both sides on the net.”
Former Bulldog offensive lineman Jerry Byrd (far left) is the sideline reporter for the LA Tech Sports Network radio team.
By Jerry Byrd
It’s been 28 years since I have traveled with the Louisiana Tech football team. In November of 1995, I went to Nashville, Tennessee with the Bulldogs as their right tackle. We had a forgettable date, 29-6, with the Vanderbilt Commodores.
It was the penultimate game and fifth straight loss for a team which began the season with much promise. A 4-1 start for the 1995 Bulldogs with the only loss coming to South Carolina, 68-21.
Not sure if it was that year or the year before the support staff, meaning to trade the special team video, sent the Gamecocks the film of our Sunday practice. If the Gamecocks played like they knew what we were running, it’s because they did.
I loved playing in Columbia, South Carolina. Little boys would be lined up flipping off the Tech team bus as we arrived two hours before the game. Their fathers would be nearby patting them on the head if they were standing close enough or smiling with approval if they weren’t. Atta boy. Go Cocks!
Last weekend, as the sideline reporter for the LA Tech Football Radio Network, I traveled with the team to Lincoln as the Bulldogs faced Nebraska on Saturday.
In some ways it seems like a hundred years ago since I’ve traveled with the team. In other ways it seems like it was yesterday.
From 1991 through the 1995 season, home games in Joe Aillet Stadium were great–especially NLU and NSU. But I saw the stadium almost every day… and late one night on my 21st birthday when I thought it would be a good idea to jump the fence and ring the bell.
It wasn’t.
Bright side. I did get to have a pleasant conversation with Dr. Jack Thigpen, Dean of Students, who eloquently explained the error of my ways by reminding me that nothing good happens after midnight and I would be well served to be in my dorm room at that late hour.
He also told me what a great man and sportswriter my father was and gave me a look that seemed to suggest there may have been a mix up at the old Highland Hospital on the day I was born.
But, I digress.
Something about packing in the old Tech charter bus with my brothers and heading east on I-20 to the airport in Monroe. Going to battle!
The bus would pull up on the tarmac–about 40 yards from the plane– and “the race” would be on.
The race was between the taller offensive linemen who coveted those seats on the wing with the extra leg room. The defensive linemen were not in play. They didn’t have a chance. They were on Bus No. 2.
To get those seats, you had to have your bag with you when you got off the bus–not under the bus, like most. The undercarriage of the charter bus was for those skill players, who didn’t have to worry about leg room and could walk to the plane like a normal person.
By my senior year, I had it down to science. It’s a good thing, too, as playing in the Big West Conference we often made trips out West. It’s a long flight to Stockton, California – where we played Pacific – to have your knees lodged into the seat in front of you.
I remember getting settled in and basking in the glow of my extra leg room while watching my defensive line teammates get on the plane and walk by me with a look of disgust on their face as they wondered why the offense always got Bus No.1.
Back then, the last people to get on the plane would be the administrators, coaches and wives, and supporters.
The late Dr. Guthrie Jarrell was always with us on those trips. Always. He sat in first class where – being a tall man himself – I’m sure appreciated the extra leg room too.
“It must be nice.” If I didn’t say it back then, I thought it. It must be nice to be able to take in a college football game and root, root, root, for ole red and blue. It must be nice to not have to worry about your blocking assignments and taking the proper first step before trying to knock the block off a guy who is a 6-3, 245-pound, five-star SEC defensive end who runs like a deer.
Don’t get me wrong.
There is nothing like the rush of trotting out on the field in some of the sport’s biggest and best venues in front of thousands of people and playing the greatest game God ever created. Williams Bryce. Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Been there. In the trenches. Hand-to-shoulder pad combat. Hat on a hat. At the bottom of the pile. There is nothing like it.
Even back then, I said I always wanted to take a trip with the team and experience it … without the pressure. Thanks to LA Tech Sports Properties and the Tech administration, I was able to do that last Friday.
The trips are a little different now. There were no security checks back then. Now, you get your snacks before getting on the plane. Assigned seats. A little thank you note from LA Tech Head Coach Sonny Cumbie.
It was nice…even with knees jammed into the back of an airplane seat and praying to God a sixth grader sitting in front of me doesn’t want to see how far his seat back can go.
Before we take off, the father and son sitting in front of me take a selfie. And suddenly I wish cell phones had been around in 1980 when my father took me to Haynesville to watch the Golden Tornado take on the Homer Pelicans in North Louisiana’s longest rivalry. He was writing a story about the rivalry for Louisiana Life.
Legendary Haynesville Coach “Red” Franklin calls me into the coaching office. He had not said a word to me all afternoon. I thought he was going to tell me I broke something or spilled something and needed to clean it up. Instead, he gave me the game ball.
That moment was the moment I fell in love with football.
And it was special to share it with my father, and I know the father and son sitting in front of me are going to enjoy this trip–and many more like it.
Father and sons sharing their love for football. That hasn’t changed.
Another thing that hasn’t changed is the sights, sounds, smells, and pageantry of college football.
The University of Nebraska is known for their storied tradition, 100-year old Memorial Stadium, the fumblerooski, and their loyal fan base…among other things. 391 consecutive sellouts! Are you kidding me, Cornhuskers? Wow.
When the Louisiana Tech entourage arrived in Lincoln, everyone went straight to the stadium and walked out on Tom Osborne Field. Red “There is no place like Nebraska” signs were lit up all over the stadium.
Back in the day, we would get in our shorts and T-shirts and have a walk-through practice. The walk-through for the LA Tech team on this trip happened in the parking lot of the Marriott in Omaha, Nebraska early Saturday morning.
Out on the field, I took some pictures and videos and also spoke to Mrs. Shannon Boyer, who I sat by on the plane. Mrs. Boyer and her husband, Chuck, are Tech supporters who travel with the football team one time every season.
Beautiful people who, by the end of the trip, invited me to join them for a Louisiana Tech basketball game.
Just a few yards away on the field, Sonny Cumbie is asked if he ever played in Lincoln. He goes on to tell them that he played Nebraska in Lubbock and was the starting quarterback when the Red Raiders rolled the Cornhuskers giving them their worst loss in program history. 70-10.
Cumbie then goes on to tell them he came to Lincoln the following year as part of the radio team. “Right, coach!,” and nodded over to where I was standing.
I haven’t coached in anything in 10 years, but coaches always call former coaches coach and I love it. Even LA Tech AD Dr. Eric Wood, who much prefers the sideline and cheering on the Bulldogs on the sideline than sitting in the Visitor’s AD Suite, calls me coach.
You gotta love it!
Impressive was the adjective for Friday when Memorial Stadium was empty. Incredible would be the word for Saturday at 2:30pm when Big Red took the field against my Bulldogs with 85,000 Cornhusker fans in the stands.
When the announcer says “and that will bring up TTTTHHHHHIIIIIRRRRRDDD DDOOOOWWWNNNNN!!!.” Most in the sea of red stand on their feet and scream their heads off. On third down, I’ve never heard a louder stadium … ever!
The score was 7-7 at halftime and I could not have been more proud of how the Bulldogs competed.
Things got away from LA Tech as the first half started. The big offensive line from Nebraska with the smallest lineman being 6-3, 315-pounds leaned on the Tech defense, pulling the left guard and running off tack to the right side all the way down the field.
Penalties. Personal fouls. And one flag – a pass interference call – which was thrown and then picked up, hurt the Bulldogs. 28-14 was the final.
Unless you are a player who is talking to your parents or girlfriend after the game, the worst part of a road trip is the wait to leave the stadium after a game and head to the airport.
On the flight home, the captain comes over the intercom to let the passengers know about the overhead light. But even as he says it, he admits that it will not be used by many. And he is correct. The front half of the plane where the players are seated is total darkness.
Then lights sporadically pop up throughout the middle portion of the plane. The source of the lights are the IPads the coaches are using to watch game film. Co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Jake Brown sits across the aisle from my seat and watches game film on his device, which is propped up on the seat-back in front of him.
Brown watches the wide copy of the play and then the endzone shot. He watches the release of his receivers and how they make the slightest adjustments to the defenders covering them or how his receivers try to find the soft spots in zone coverages.
For each play, he will jot notes in a notebook which sits on his tray table.
For me, it’s another personal reminder in an 18-year coaching career, but as a high school coach, I never flew to a game. I also never had the film that fast after a game. We always had to wait to get back to the school to make DVDs of the game for the coaching staff.
While technology has been a killer to the journalism industry, it has been a God-send for coaches, who squeeze every second out of every day–including a two hour flight from Lincoln, Nebraska to Monroe.
Brown doesn’t stop watching film until the wheels are down at Monroe Regional Airport.
It makes perfect sense. The clock is ticking until the next kickoff and time is of the essence. The coaching staff has one fewer day than normal to prepare the Bulldogs for a tough Conference USA road game against the University of Texas El Paso on Friday night.
There is no down time for the Division I college football coach. Even after a hard-fought game against a power five opponent like Nebraska, you cannot take your foot off the gas…not even for a late-night flight home.
It’s a grind. They know what they signed up for. Some don’t have the guts for it and leave the profession.
I’m impressed by this coaching staff. It’s not just that they are breaking down film in the middle of the night on the flight home. I’m impressed with the job they did to get the Bulldogs ready to play Nebraska in a hostile environment after a heart-breaking loss to the University of North Texas the week before.
My truck is in the shop. I’m at the mercy of my color analyst Teddy Allen. Mercy!
Allen coached me up on my bags before we left.
“Don’t put them under the bus.”
He didn’t want to have to wait around in Monroe.
While I’m waiting on Allen to get off the plane, Dr. Wood comes by and gives me a fist bump.
“Thanks, coach!”
Imagine that, a Division-I Athletic Director fist bumping and thanking a sideline reporter on the tarmac at Monroe Regional Airport at 11:30 p.m. I would run through a brick wall for Dr. Wood, but at 50 years old, I’d ask him if I could get on my tractor first.
Teddy turns down my fourth offer to drive. He is too nice.
He is also too nice to decide where to stop on the way home. He wants to take me to “Mrs. Jan’s”. Said the restrooms were awesome. But I told him I’m a Waffle House guy. He concedes.
I got a large coffee. I told him I’d pick up the tab on his small coffee. I also reminded him to use the little boy’s room. He was discombobulated since he wasn’t at Mrs. Jan’s.
As the waitress is handing me the coffee, I see the Tech buses drive past the Waffle House on Tech Drive.
On the ride home, we talked about Lewis Grizzard, our favorite sportswriters. Dan Jenkins for him. I offer up Rick Telander. Hunting. And country music.
He tells me about the time Don Williams was in line behind him at a hotel in Beaumont, Texas and asked the cashier for change for cigarettes. I told him about the time I had seats on the second row at Horseshoe to see Merle Haggard…sitting right behind the owner of the Horseshoe, Jack Binyon.
The conversation turned to Clint Black, and the song “Nothing’s News” starts playing in my head. “Talking about the good ole times. Bragging ‘bout the way things used to be. But I’ve worn out the same old lines. Now it seems nothing’s news to me.”
I didn’t start singing it. I had already given my best stuff earlier that day in the Memorial Stadium press box when we were in a weather delay. I put on the headphones before heading back down to the field and heard Brooks and Dunn’s “Brand New Man” playing on KXKZ 107.5 back in Ruston.
While the outcome was not what Louisiana Tech wanted, it was a memorable time–at least for one old Dawg, as he was able to take the trip of a lifetime with the Louisiana Tech Football team.
A Bastrop woman was arrested last Wednesday in Ruston for DWI while children rode unrestrained in the back seat.
Elizabeth Nelson, 33, was stopped after a Ruston Police officer observed her erratic driving, including running off the road and striking a culvert, flattening both passenger side tires.
Upon talking to Nelson, the officer detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage. A records check showed Nelson’s driver’s license was suspended. When requested to perform some field sobriety tests, Nelson refused.
Two small children were located in the back seat of the vehicle without any form of child restraint. Nelson was placed under arrest and a search of the vehicle located an open pint of whiskey.
Nelson refused to submit to a breath test at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. She was booked for first offense DWI, careless operation of a vehicle, driving under suspension, no child restraint, and open alcohol container.
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.
Karl Malone Toyota GM James Necaise (far right) presents the winning check to Ryan Kimball for the Week 4 Football Pick’em contest presented by Heard Construction and Martin Presence.
He is our Week 4 winner of the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Heard Construction and Martin Presence, and he walked away $200 richer.
That could be you this week. Each week one lucky winner will claim $200 … with the potential to make it $400 if they are perfect on the week (including predicting the No. 1 tiebreaker exactly right).
This week YOU could be our lucky winner. It just takes a few minutes to click on the link above and fill out a form for FREE. It could mean $200 in your pocket if you choose wisely.
Anyone is eligible to participate for FREE and each week’s winner will go home with a $200 cash prize. Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 13 selected college football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two other games).
The Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Martin Presence and Heard Construction will be conducted over the 13 regular season weeks of the college season starting with Week 1 games (Sept. 2) and running through the end of November.
There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to subscribe to the Lincoln Parish Journal.
All contest decisions by LPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified Monday and will be requested to take a photo that will run that week in the LPJ.
Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the Journal, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. daily e-mail. Enjoy it all, for FREE, and enter each week’s contest. You could collect $200 each week (or $400 if you can have a perfect week with the correct tiebreaker).
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration recently approved Louisiana’s Initial Proposal Vol. 1 for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.
ConnectLA published Vol. 1 for public comment, and it was formally submitted to NTIA over the summer. The document details how Louisiana will refine its broadband availability map before deploying BEAD funds.
The federal government has approved how Louisiana will determine which locations are served and which are not. To ensure total broadband coverage, NTIA requires Vol. 1 to define the “where” of new deployment while Vol. 2 defines the “how.”
Vol. 2 is published, and will then be submitted to NTIA for approval shortly.
ConnectLA will begin its challenge process to refine its broadband map so it can deploy BEAD funds once Vol. 2 is submitted.
By Hunter Corneliusen (LA Tech Athletics Communications)
While most collegiate softball players are returning to on-field batting practice and taking ground balls to prepare themselves for upcoming exhibition games this fall, Louisiana Tech junior shortstop Nicole Hammoude is set to compete on softball’s international stage.
Hammoude will be playing for the Philippines in the softball portion of the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China, from Sept. 26 to Oct. 3 at the Shaqoxing Baseball and Softball Complex.
“Asian games are like the Olympics for only Asian countries,” Hammoude said. “It is a week-long tournament, where we have a chance to compete for a medal. There are opening ceremonies and a big Olympic-like village where everyone stays. It will be a very unique and cool experience.”
“It is an incredible opportunity for Nicole,” LA Tech head coach Josh Taylor said. “Being able to play on an international stage for the Philippines National Team is an incredible honor for her and she has definitely earned it. She is a great representation for Louisiana Tech and the Philippines.”
Hammoude arrived in Ruston in August after transferring from California, where she spent the first three seasons of her collegiate career. While at Cal, she was approached by her assistant coach, Amber Freeman, with the possibility of playing for the Philippines and representing the country on the global stage.
“I started playing for the national team last year,” Hammoude said. “I got into it because one of my assistant coaches at Cal used to play for the Philippines team, and she told me if I wanted to do it, she could get me connected with the contacts. So, I was like, oh yeah, that would be a good way to get some summer games in, and it was also cool to represent the country.”
A native of Oakland, Calif., Hammoude’s mom was born in America but her grandparents hail from the Philippines, making her eligible to play for the national team.
This past summer, she competed for the Philippines in the Women’s Softball World Cup hosted by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) at Campo Comunale da Softball in Castions di Strada, Italy.
“The WBSC tournament in Italy was a very cool experience,” Hammoude stated. “The majority of the national team for the tournament was local girls from the Philippines, just me and one other girl were the only Pilipino-Americans on the roster.”
Hammoude was a standout in the tournament, leading the Philippines to a pair of wins while batting .467 with a home run, four RBI and a team-best 13 total bases while posting an on-base percentage of .600.
What makes Hammoude’s numbers even more impressive in Italy is that she did it on limited knowledge of the opposition.
“Playing in international tournaments kind of simplifies the game,” she said. “We do not get all the analytics and, scouting reports and practice we get in the college game. We mostly go out to just play the game and compete as best as we can.”
Regardless of the setting or the opponent, wearing the Philippines across the chest will give Hammoude great pride when she steps on the field next week in China.
“It is a great experience to play for the Philippines. It is cool to represent my mom’s side of the family,” Hammoude reflected. “My grandma is so excited about it and very proud. There is a different sense of pride to represent a country. It is competitive, and everybody is playing hard for their country, so it is a cool atmosphere.”
Memorial services for Mr. James D. “Donnie” Brown, age 78 of Dubach, LA will be held at 3:00 PM, Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at Owens Memorial Chapel in Ruston, LA with Ms. Patsy Delony as the speaker. Visitation will be held from 1:30-3:00 PM, Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at the funeral home.
Donnie was born August 5, 1945 in Waco, TX and passed away September 18, 2023 in Shreveport, LA. He came to Ruston with his mother Audrey Cook Brown, and he lived with his grandmother Lois Cook. Donnie attended Ruston Elementary in the fourth grade, the first year the school opened. He was drafted into the U.S. Army but joined the U.S. Navy and did construction with the Seabees. Donnie served his country from August 31, 1965 to July 25, 1969 and served during the Vietnam Conflict. After military service, he returned home and worked for the Ruston Fire Department. Donnie then worked for the Lincoln Parish School Board as the maintenance supervisor over all the parish schools. As he was getting ready for retirement, he opened Tool City Sales and provided many craftsmen with the tools they needed. Donnie believed that he was born to work and lived up to that motto his whole life. He loved spending time with his loving wife at their farm in Arkansas. Donnie was a 32nd degree Mason at the Ruston Lodge #106 F&AM. He was preceded in death by his mother Audrey Cook; step-father Doc Abrams; grandparents Mac and Lois Cook; and sister Beulah Laster and her husband Howard.
Donnie is survived by his wife of 50 years Nancy Brown of Hilly, LA; one brother William “Bill” Brown of Opelika, AL; one sister-in-law Judy and husband Billy Moon of Ruston, LA; one brother-in-law Chip Liner of Waimea, HI; seven nephews; three nieces; several great-nieces and great-nephews; and a host of other family and many friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Samaritan’s Purse or to the charity of your choice.
Bobby Colvin April 3, 1933 – September 23, 2023 Services pending
Carol Wiley June 22, 1972 – September 21, 2023 Services pending
Donnie Brown August 5, 1945 – September 18, 2023 Visitation, Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home Memorial Service: Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 3:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home
The new intersection connecting East Kentucky Avenue with Cedar Creek Road will open for traffic on Tuesday.
By Malcolm Butler
City of Ruston Public Works Utility Manager Andrew Halbrook said that the newly constructed intersection at East Kentucky Ave and Cedar Creek Road will open for traffic starting Tuesday morning.
The contractor, Regional Construction out of Natchitoches, has been working on the new intersection for months and spent the weekend preparing for traffic to be swapped over. The new intersection is approximately 300 feet to the east of the existing one.
“We are going to go to sleep Monday using the current intersection and we are going to wake up Tuesday using the new one,” said Halbrook.
The existing intersection will then be closed to traffic said Halbrook as the contractor has some demolition work to complete.
“We are going to keep the bridge in its place (on the existing one),” said Halbrook. “We haven’t fully developed a plan of what our future use of it is. It will be a connection to our pedestrian and active transportation infrastructure along East Kentucky Avenue. But for the most part the (existing) road will be removed, and it will be turned into a green space.”
Once traffic is swapped to the new intersection Regional Construction will continue to make progress bringing the roadway to its final orientation, with Cedar Creek Road transitioning from the original road location to the new intersection near the entrance Foxx Creek Drive.
The $1.7 million project will be completed by November of this year.
Patrons were evacuated from the Ruston Wal-Mart Sunday evening when a fire broke out. (Photo by Emma Stone)
by Malcolm Butler
Local Wal-Mart patrons got a little excitement Sunday night when they were forced to evacuate the store due to what was at first believed to be a fire.
At approximately 7:35 p.m., shoppers were notified to evacuate by Walmart staff who were stating there had been “a small fire.”
However, Ruston Fire Department personnel arrived on the scene minutes later and determined that the smoke was caused by a wire that had short circuited in the grocery section.
The event still caused some excitement said Camryn Tucker, who was in the store with her friend Emma Stone.
“We arrived at Walmart at 7:30 p.m.,” said Tucker. “I was on the aisle alone and could hear someone calmly evacuating customers. At first, I thought it was someone playing a joke since I didn’t see them wearing a Walmart vest.”
Both Tucker and Stone were among the Sunday night shoppers that left the store at the direction of the employees.
“The employee approached me and stated to leave my groceries where they were,” said Stone. “She told me the fire department was on the way.”
Just minutes later two Ruston Fire Department trucks arrived on the scene, according to both ladies.
Ruston Fire Department District Chief Tom Leith confirmed that no actual fire had started, but that the smoke was from a faulty wire in a freezer.
“We had to get the electricity to that door cut and secured,” said Leith. “That was really about it. We got everything back on. We were afraid we were going to have to shut off all the power to the back part of the store because we had trouble finding it because they have probably 15,000 breakers.”
Stone said that many of the shoppers hung around for 20 to 30 minutes but then began to depart as grocery carts were placed in front of the doors to the store to prevent customers from entering.
Two Texas Southern band members were injured after a Grambling State student lost control of a golf cart following Saturday’s football game between the two schools.
GSU were notified of the accident near Eddie Robinson Stadium at about 7:00 p.m. Saturday night. Police arrived to find the golf card had flipped, striking a Texas Southern band member and landing on another band member.
One victim sustained a contusion on the left arm and pain on the left side, while the other suffered injuries to the mouth, nose, and head. Both band members were taken to the Northern Louisiana Medical Center for treatment and released the same night. The driver of the golf cart refused treatment.
The accident occurred after GSU’s 35-23 victory over Texas Southern.
Ruston Community Theatre will hold auditions this weekend for the upcoming show, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” directed by Tami Alexander and sponsored by Century Next Bank.
This beloved Christmas show has become a staple for many communities, and RCT hopes to welcome a new wave of children into this holiday tradition.
The play is written by Barbara Robinson based on her best-selling young adult book. This show will be presented along with a Christmas concert of carol medleys and holidays favorites lead by Dee Alexander.
The show will take place Nov. 30 through Dec. 3.
In this comedic Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids–probably the most inventively awful kids in history. Mayhem – and fun – ensue when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on.
There are plenty of roles for adults and children alike:
Week #5 of the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Heard Construction and Martin Presence is underway.
One lucky winner will claim $200 … with the potential to make it $400 if they are perfect on the week (including predicting the No. 1 tiebreaker exactly right).
The Week #4 winner will be announced in Wednesday’s Lincoln Parish Journal.
This week YOU could be our lucky winner. It just takes a few minutes to click on the link above and fill out a form for FREE. It could mean $200 in your pocket if you choose wisely.
Anyone is eligible to participate for FREE and each week’s winner will go home with a $200 cash prize. Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 13 selected college football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two other games).
The Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Martin Presence and Heard Construction will be conducted over the 13 regular season weeks of the college season starting with Week 1 games (Sept. 2) and running through the end of November.
There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to subscribe to the Lincoln Parish Journal.
All contest decisions by LPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified Monday and will be requested to take a photo that will run that week in the LPJ.
Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the Journal, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. daily e-mail. Enjoy it all, for FREE, and enter each week’s contest. You could collect $200 each week (or $400 if you can have a perfect week with the correct tiebreaker).
Grambling Police arrested a Homer man Wednesday afternoon after a high-speed chase that reached speeds over 90 miles per hour.
Jermund C. Curry, 30, was clocked on radar at 79 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone on Clark Street in Grambling. The officer proceeded after Curry who refused to stop, reaching speeds of 85 to 90 mph. Curry allegedly passed numerous vehicles causing them to run off the roadway. He reportedly abandoned his vehicle in Mansfield Estates and fled on foot.
After a brief search, Curry was found in a backyard and apprehended. He was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for speeding, aggravated flight from an officer, driving under suspension, and resisting an officer.
Curry’s bail amount was not available at press time.
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.
File Photograph by Emerald McIntyre/Louisiana Tech University
The newest 2024 college rankings from Niche, a platform designed to provide current and prospective college students nationwide with university data, has placed Louisiana Tech University as the number one public university in the state of Louisiana. Additionally, Niche has Louisiana Tech ranked first in the state in Best Value Colleges and Best Colleges for Business.
Niche utilizes a number of sources to compile data for their rankings, including the Department of Education and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), as well as millions of reviews from students of the colleges for which they assemble profiles.
Louisiana Tech’s Top Public University ranking in the state has the institution ahead of Louisiana State University (#2) and University of Louisiana Lafayette (#3) in the podium positions. Tech also ranked second overall out of all colleges in the state, which includes private universities.
“These recognitions could not be achieved without the hard work of our dedicated faculty,” said University President Les Guice. “They are responsible for creating the learning environment and unparalleled educational experience that leads to these successes, and their impact is evident on our campus every day.”
The University’s Best Value College ranking was calculated with factors like net price, alumni earnings, graduation rates, and student debt, allowing Tech’s strong showings in these areas to contribute to the number one spot in the state.
Also ranking at the top is the Best Colleges for Business distinction, another first overall standing in a field that includes both public and private universities in the state. Niche’s methodology for this ranking is based on academic, admissions, financial, and student life data analysis.
“We are honored to be considered the top business school in Louisiana,” said Dr. Chris Martin, dean of the College of Business. “The Niche rankings are particularly important because of the high emphasis placed on student satisfaction in their methodology. Our mission centers on a student-focused culture that prepares graduates who are innovative, entrepreneurially minded, and analytically and technologically skilled for a globally competitive marketplace. Each day, our faculty and staff ensure our students are taught and mentored to become our state’s next generation of business leaders.”
Niche placed Tech highly in several national rankings, including in the top 12% of all colleges in the country and the top 12% of Colleges with the Best Academics in the country.
