(LPJ Co-Publishers: Dr. Judith Roberts, Kyle Roberts, and Malcolm Butler)
To our dear staff, readers and advertisers:
As we near the end of another calendar year, our co-publishing team would like to send a special Thanksgiving message to our entire community for another amazing year of local reporting and news-breaking.
Because without you, there would be no Lincoln Parish Journal.
In September of 2021, our small team answered the clarion call to bring another vehicle of local news by combining our years of journalistic experience to take over publishing duties for the LPJ. In that time, our staff has multiplied and we have published well over 10,000 stories — all with the local angle that we know our readers crave. It’s been a labor of love and one we do not take lightly.
And you, the community, have reponsded by advertising with us, signing up for emails and joining our Facebook page. Because of that, we just celebrated October 2025 as our highest month in readership since we started.
Meaning our readers are engaged, our staff is encouraged, and our advertisers are getting the return on investment they deserve.
Lincoln Parish is a thriving place for local journalism. And it’s our commitment to keeping things as localized as we can that will carry us all into the future.
So we thank you for sharing your stories with us. We thank you for trusting us. We thank you for supporting us.
Here’s to a bright future. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Sometimes it takes a bit of struggle to truly appreciate the things that we have.
After one of the hardest and also one of the most rewarding years of my life, I reminisce about the things and the people I am most thankful for. Along with the things that I’m thankful have passed. Overall, I learned a tough lesson this year, that I truly don’t know what tomorrow will bring, so I must make the most of the moments I have now.
I’ve gone most of my life, only worried about the small things that I could expect to come. Not that I would say I took my blessings for granted, but I simply didn’t consider how fragile life could be. My son had gone his whole life with no major health issues, as had I.
So, it didn’t seem like reality the night that we rushed our 10-month-old daughter to the hospital seizing and crying. So many questions spiraled through my mind. What did I do wrong? What could she have eaten? What didn’t she eat that I should have been giving her? What miniscule mistake did we make somewhere along the line to cause our baby to be lying unconscious in a hospital bed, hooked up to a dialysis machine and clinging to life.
Looking back, I realize that even if there had been an answer, it wouldn’t have solved our problem. But never having an explanation gave me a sense of anxiety that still creeps in. Whenever she sleeps a little too long or doesn’t have much of an appetite, I fight the urge to rush her back to the doctor for more tests (an urge that I have fell victim to a couple of times).
I look at her now, 16 months old and running like a track star, and I wonder what ever could have happened last summer. It puts into perspective for me that even if I try my hardest to do everything right for my children, there are some things that I just can’t control. Instead of worrying about what may come, I try now to be grateful for the time I have with them.
Remembering the nights I cried and asked God not to take my girl yet gives me a sense of relief in the day to day. Knowing that no matter how messy, how loud, or how crazy a 5 and 1 year old can be, I’m blessed to have them here with me in these moments.
It’s been a whirlwind of a year to say the least. Not only did our little family experience a medical scare, but we were also met with a string of other unfortunate events upon our arrival home from the hospital. Yet, in the midst of insanity, we also accomplished big things. Our son started kindergarten, and our daughter turned one. I embarked on a new career that has more than returned on the investment I put in, and I picked back up the paintbrush this fall. And of course, my husband finally returned home from a 10-month deployment, safe and sound.
I can already expect that next year will bring more chaos. Another deployment on the horizon and the start of more career ventures. It’s easy to get caught up in the whirling tornado that life becomes when you’re being whisked from doctor appointments to business meetings. But right now, sitting here in my cozy home with the love of my life and our two healthy babies, I feel nothing but gratitude.
You want something green on your Thanksgiving dinner menu but you’re so tired of green bean casserole? Try collard greens.
We cook collards on occasion, but this will be the first year they have graced our Thanksgiving table. It will be a welcome change from those green beans.
Collard greens, part of the cabbage family, have long been a Southern family meal staple, No longer reserved for country folk, they have been revived as a great addition to contemporary meals. The variations in recipes are numerous, but a few hard and fast rules apply.
Wash the collard greens thoroughly at least twice. Then hand wash each leaf. Otherwise, you’ll have gritty collards.
A form of smoked meat must be cooked with the greens to enhance their flavor.
Provide bowls for any cooked green so diners can dip up the “pot liquor,” also spelled “pot likker,” the savory juice that holds much of the dish’s flavor and nutrients.
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Here’s a basic collard green recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs. collard greens
1 ½ lbs. of smoked turkey wings or legs or a smoked ham hock
Carton of chicken broth
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
Add the smoked meat to a large pot, add chicken broth, then top off with water until the meat is just covered. Simmer until the meat is falling off the bone.
While the meat is simmering,. Then rip out the tough middle stem. Roll leaves up into a bundle and cut into small pieces.
Once the meat is cooked, add the other ingredients to the meat. Simmer for about an hour until greens are super tender.
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more to your taste.
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Fried Collards
For a different taste, try fried collards. Dorothy Bonner, a longtime Grambling High School teacher and counselor, shared her fried collard green recipe with the community in 1975:
1/3 lb. sliced dry salt pork
3 bunches of collards
Salt to taste
½ cup water
Chop thoroughly washed collards & remove stems.
Fry sliced pork in skillet until crisp. Add collards and salt, no more than ½ cup water.
Stir frequently, lower heat, cook covered until tender, 20-30 minutes.
Serve with hot water cornbread, sweet potatoes, & broiled steaks cooked with the cornbread.
RUSTON, La. — For eight straight seasons, the Ruston High Bearcats will have played in the quarterfinals of the playoffs, which (outside of the 2020 COVID season) has been the Friday right after Thanksgiving.
It wasn’t always the norm — in fact, Ruston High Head Coach Jerrod Baugh saw early in his tenure that for the Bearcat football program to take the next step, playing over Thanksgiving break would have to become an expectation, not just a pleasant surprise.
“Whenever we first started going to the third round, it was a struggle,” Baugh said. “ We had a lot of kids that planned on going to the Bayou Classic, or they were going out of town for Thanksgiving. And so I struggled with trying to be thoughtful of people’s plans, even though I really wanted everybody to always make plans that we were we were going to be playing on Thanksgiving. And now, I think that everybody understands that we’ve been doing that so long now that I think people just know that they need to plan on our son not being able to be with us wherever it is or we’re going to host Thanksgiving at our place or whatever all of the circumstances are.
“And that’s a good thing. So I think our kids have grown accustomed to what it looks like. They know what the routines are — that we’ll have morning practices on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and evening practice, and a pep rally on Thursday, and come in about midday on Friday.”
Ruston High advanced to the quarters yet again after defeating No. 16 Westgate this past Friday 52-13 in a rematch from a much closer game in 2023. Now, it’s a rematch from last season as No. 8 Southside comes to town following Ruston’s victory in last year’s quarters by a final score of 49-7. The Bearcats combined great clock management with a stingy defense and power running game to put the Tigers away early and get the win.
“I would probably say that it would have been a complete ball game by executing in all three phases, on offense defense and special teams,” Buagh said. “Obviously, that was a really good time to do that because Westgate is a really good football team. I thought the kids did a really good job.”
Looking to this week, Baugh is expecting a much more mature Shark team to come to Hoss Garrett Stadium for this matchup compared to last year.
“They’re definitely more experienced,” Baugh said. “Their quarterback comes back and now he’s got another year under his belt. And then that offense that they run — he’s got to check things at the line of scrimmage. He does a good job reading the option stuff that they ask him to read. He’s good with the football in his hands. A lot of people think if you see these flex bone option teams, then it’s three yards in a cloud of dust, but they’re averaging 50-plus points a game. And that’s because the quarterback is doing a really good job of getting them in the right place and getting the ball to who it’s supposed to go to. And the guys that he’s getting it to, or it’s him, are making some big time plays.
“They kind of do some unorthodox things defensively at times. So we’re going to have to make sure offensive line wise in the running game that we’re communicating what it is that we see. But (Head Coach Jess) Curtis does a really good job with what he does — obviously, all the state championships he won at Many, this isn’t new to him. And so I think he’s some of what he’s been able to do in his career, he’s passing that along to some of the kids and they’re not going to come here and be overwhelmed. They’ll have a chip on their shoulder from how the game went last year. Our kids need to be ready, ready for that.”
Healthwise, the Bearcats are expecting star defensive tackle Ra’Keem Potts to be available after suffering an ankle injury last Friday night.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on Q94.1 FM and streamed live on BearcatNationNetwork.com.
I’m not sure we can ever have enough laughter in our lives.
Especially in this day and age.
It’s funny — not haha funny; just more funny .. you know — that when Thanksgiving rolls around each year, one of the things that makes me laugh is thinking of my maternal grandfather Roland Abegg watching one of his favorite shows.
WKRP in Cincinnati.
It was an old sitcom that premiered in 1978 and ran until 1982. Ninety episodes of pure stupid comedy.
It was your typical, harmless, sometimes hilarious, 30-minute show about the misadventures of a staff at a struggling radio station in — you guessed it — Cincinnati, Ohio. The creator Hugh Wilson once told the Cincinnati Enquirer that he selected the WKRP as the call sign to stand for C-R-A-P.
You can see he had a sense of humor.
The series received 10 Emmy Award nominations during its four-year TV lifespan, including three for Outstanding Comedy Series. It was pretty comical. Kind of stupid funny, but funny nonetheless.
I will always remember sitting in my grandparents living room watching the show with my grandfather. He sure thought it was funny; much more than I did at the time. But I was only 9 years old when it launched so a lot of the humor was lost on me at the time.
However, one episode was not.
The entire premise of the episode was about a Thanksgiving promotion that WKRP was doing for the station. A promotion that went south, quickly.
As live turkeys were literally dropped from the helicopter by station manager manager Arthur Carlson and his sidekick Herb Tarlek (you don’t see this in the actual show), WKRP reporter Les Nessman is on the scene at a shopping mall, giving a live play-by-play of the “turkey drop” over the air.
Poor Les had no clue of the actual promotion he would be covering that day, until the first turkey made landfall … with a thud.
“The turkeys are hitting the ground like sacks of wet cement,” screams a distraught Les.”The crowd is running for their lives … I can’t stand here and watch this any longer.”
It’s really one of the all-time great scenes in any sitcom.
Once Carlson, Tarlek and Les return to the station — their clothes tattered and hair a mess looking like they just went 10 rounds with an angry mob of turkeys — Carlson utters a line to the rest of the WKRP station staff that goes down in the lore of great sitcom writing.
“As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”
Between Les’ first-hand, on-the-scene account of the well-intended promotion turned bird fiasco and Carlson’s scene-ending one-liner back at the station, my grandfather was rolling in his chair. Tears were flowing. It was one of those laughs we all need sometimes.
I think at age nine I was laughing more at his reaction than the actual show.
Over the decades, the episode has become an almost cultural phenomenon, even for those who may not have seen it originally aired way back on October 30, 1978. In all honesty, a Thanksgiving doesn’t go by without me going to YouTube and watching the four minutes of turkey chaos.
It makes me laugh now the way my grandfather did back then. That I’m always thankful for.
But even more importantly, it makes me smile thinking about my grandfather’s pure joy watching Les panic-stricken voice yelling out … “Oh the humanity!”
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As I write this, I just might be most thankful of all to still have my teeth.
You see, if any of y’all saw the old geezer being worked on before being loaded into an ambulance last weekend before the start of the Liberty at Louisiana Tech football game, I can report he is fine and well, all things considered.
I know that because he is me.
My pride was damaged probably more than anything else, with embarrassment being the most painful part of the experience.
But all things considered, I’m feeling pretty good today, and that’s something I am very much thankful for.
It all started last Saturday, where, on a rare day that I didn’t have to work a football game, I joined my wife and daughter on a venture to Joe Aillet Stadium to watch the Liberty at LA Tech showdown.
But nobody warned me the journey could be dangerous for an aging geezer like me.
For those wondering what I am talking about, after parking and beginning our walk to the stadium, I lost my balance stepping up from the street to the sidewalk leading to the Davison Athletic Center and the center, and faceplanted. Knocked myself out cold.
Apparently a while later, I woke up in the emergency room wondering what the heck happened. I thought for a brief moment that maybe I had been hit by a car. But I then focused and remembered losing my balance and stumbling forward training to regain it, “air surfing” with flailing arms trying to keep myself upright.
Obviously I failed at that.
But after being observed in ER for a few hours, it was deemed that I ended up being pretty fortunate considering my fall, and was released to go home — with all my teeth intact.
That’s not to say I wasn’t worse for wear. If looks were the judge, the sidewalk was the winner of this fight by far. But as badly bruised, scraped and cut up as I was, I still came out of it in pretty good shape overall. I had no broken bones. My wrists are a little sore from apparently using them in a failed attempt to break my fall, but the damage was mostly cosmetic and will heal.
And the big beard I’ve had for a number of years now probably ended up being a blessing in disguise. I can tell by the pain factor that I must have hit the sidewalk first with my jaw just to the left of my chin. Full force — that was the knockout blow. But instead of splitting my jawline/chin wide open, I’ve got enough of a beard that it must have provided enough cushion to prevent that from happening.
I can feel a small cut/scrape where I landed, and I’m sure I am majorly bruised along my jaw, but it’s hidden underneath my gray beard.
The cuts and bruises on my cheeks above the beard and on my forehead, as well as around my left eye, where I have a pretty decent shiner, are a different story. They’re standing out in plain sight like a sign over my head saying, “Here’s the klutz.”
But still, all things considered, it would have been significantly worse and I have much to be thankful for.
Waking up in an emergency room after being out cold is a surreal experience.
As I started regaining my senses, I realized I had been put in a C-spine neck brace. So, one of the first things I did was lift my arms and hands and then wiggled my fingers to make sure everything still worked.
And seeing they did was truly a relieving experience. I then tried lifting my legs and moving then, and again I realized that all things considered, I had come out quite fortunate.
Laying on the gurney in the ER, alone with my thoughts as I guess I was being observed and test results being awaited while my family waited in the waiting room, my thoughts went to Grambling State quarterback C’zavian Teasett, who remains hospitalized in Las Vegas after being injured in a game there more than a month ago, during an Oct. 25 win over Jackson State.
After being tackled on the play on which he was injured, Teasett never moved again. It wasn’t immediately apparent that the tackle on that play could have caused the kind of injury it apparently did. Playing closer attention after the fact, Teasett did fall forehead first onto the turf on that play.
It all just goes to show that you never know.
What I do know this Thanksgiving Day is that I am a very fortunate man, bruised and battered face and all.
And prayers for C’zavian Teasett, in hopes that his fortunes take a turn for the better this holiday season.
What does Thanksgiving mean to you? I asked several Lincoln Parish kids and youth this question, and their answers delighted me – and I hope they will for you, as well.
“Getting to spend time with most of our family.” — Ava, age 11
“Thanksgiving means giving thanks for your parents, God and your neighbors!” — Nathan, age 6
“Thanksgiving means getting to hang out with friends and family and get ready for Christmas.” — Evelyn, age 9
“To be thankful for the life God gave us.” — Reese, age 10
“Celebrating and giving thanks to the Lord for all that he’s done for us.” — Mia, age 12
“To be thankful for others and God. To be thankful for everything we have.” — Cohen, age 8
“When you’re thankful for your friends and family, you have a good feast with your friends and family, and everyone has fun.” — Penny, age 9
“To be thankful and see family.” — Alice, age 12
“I like Thanksgiving because I am around people I love. I like Thanksgiving because I get to eat really good food — and I like Thanksgiving because I get to be nosey with the adults.” — Paityn, age 13
“Thanksgiving means a day to acknowledge what you are most thankful for. It’s a day where you sit down, eat with your family and friends and bond over blessings God has given them. And it’s a day to get fat off amazing food.” — Jayden, age 16
“The two Fs – food and football.” — Archer, age 11
“Family time together.” — Weezy, age 8
“For me, Thanksgiving is thankfulness and knowing that God gave me a lot of blessings. Getting to be with my family and eating lots of good turkey are my favorite parts.” — Clark, age 9
“It’s a time of family, good food, laughter, and rest while celebrating what we treasure most. For me, thankfulness, gratitude, and Jesus shape the whole holiday.” — Collins, age 11
“It means where you thank everybody and what you like about them.” — Sarah Margaret, age 8
“Thanksgiving is all about saying what you’re thankful for, spending time with family and having good food.” — Tripp, age 10
“You give thanks to God and you get to eat Thanksgiving day food with family and friends.” — Vivienne, age 9
“Thanksgiving makes me think of my cousins. It reminds me to be thankful. It reminds me of the pilgrims. It reminds me of going to Grandma’s in Florida.” — Frankie, age 9
“Thanksgiving makes me think of doing things with my family. I like to do arts and crafts and make ornaments for the Christmas tree.” — Dirk, age 5
“We get to eat turkey and broccoli and mashed potatoes and pumpkin rolls, and I made a turkey head band at school.” — Scottie, age 4
“It’s not just one day to give thanks, it is every day. It is a time to meditate on the things God gave you.” — Kingston, age 9
“A time of celebration acknowledging all that God has done and having a thankful heart every day.” — McKenzie, age 10
“It means being thankful for everything…family, coloring, basketball, toys!” — Kaleb, age 3
“To me, Thanksgiving is a time of thankfulness for all the things God has given us.” — Jayson, age 9
“Thanksgiving means to me when you have a lifetime with your family and spend time with them and have a great day with them.” — Justice, age 8
“Thanksgiving is a time that you can be grateful for all your family and friends, plus be blessed with the food and your life.” — Justin, age 12
“Sharing love.” — Caleb, age 7
“Thanksgiving means to me, when it’s a good time to spend time with your family and friends and gather around a table with delicious food. You hang out and enjoy fun, when some people don’t have that, so you’re very fortunate. I like giving thanks to the people that love me and the people that care for me. It’s another reminder that you are very loved.” — Colton, age 9
What does Thanksgiving mean to you?
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While Thanksgiving is designed to be a day that we set aside to pause, reflect, and express our gratitude, it can be a stressful time as well. Travel issues, family concerns, and the ever-present potential of family conflict can reduce our thankfulness to a rushed prayer before we indulge in too much food.
Rather than use this article to encourage you to slow down, express thanks, and enjoy this day, let’s take a deeper look into the benefits to thankfulness.
I am a firm believer in the assertion that thankfulness and anxiety cannot co-exist. I’m so convinced of this fact that I start every day expressing thankfulness. I do it in my prayer walk prior to my early morning workout. The setting is totally up to you. The key is to start early and focus on expressing thankfulness.
The mere expression of gratitude and naming those items, people, or blessings will refocus thinking and reset your perspective. As you reset and focus on gratitude, your circumstances don’t change, but your perspective and thinking change.
The anxiety, stress, and worry that so many of us struggle with in life are often associated with things outside of our control. We needlessly waste valuable hours of our lives dwelling on possible outcomes that we don’t control.
Intentionally expressing gratitude, taking thankful walks, and setting aside time every day to pause and reflect on life’s blessings, provide a framework to renew our minds and not allow anxious thoughts to take root. We essentially fill our minds with thankfulness so that there is no room for anxiety and worry to dwell.
While doing a lot of one-to-one coaching over the years, I have learned the primary enemies of thankfulness are:
Comparing: We see what others have, experience, or achieve and totally lose sight of what’s in front of us while we are looking at them. There is never a win in comparison. Comparing has robbed many of us of joy, contentment, and peace. We oftentimes forget about thankfulness when we are wrapped in comparison.
Expectations: When we look at outcomes, responses, and results that are outside our control, we set ourselves up for disappointment and almost always rob ourselves of joy. We oftentimes forget about thankfulness when we are consumed with expectations.
Margin: As we get busier and continue to fill our lives with more commitments, more aspirations, and sometimes more distractions, we make mental compromises. Those compromises are neglecting to recognize daily blessings, subtle moments of importance, and the small things in life that can easily be taken for granted (until they are lost). We oftentimes forget about thankfulness in the busyness of doing “good” things.
So, I challenge us to live a life of thanksgiving rather than be thankful one day a year.
Don’t get caught in the comparison trap but rather start each day with a thankful walk.
Don’t allow expectations to dominate your day but rather look to express gratitude regularly to renew your thinking.
Don’t get so wrapped up in creating a great life that you miss the life in front of you today.
I Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all things…”.
Thanksgiving week is a great week to start those thankful walks!
Doug provides professional speaking and coaching services to organizations and individuals. Whether you are looking for a speaker for your next event or a leadership coach to develop people and build a team culture, feel free to reach out to Doug at doug.strickel@gmail.com and learn more about PLUS.
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
Lincoln Parish Journal readers have an opportunity each week to win FREE money in the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em presented by Johnson Physical Therapy, FanBase of Ruston, and Martin Presence.
And the best part is it’s FREE … just like your subscription to the LPJ.
Bigger question. Are you ready to win $150 in cash … with the potential to make it $300 if you are perfect on the week (including predicting the No. 1 tiebreaker exactly right).
The Lincoln Parish Journal is holding the 4th Annual Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy.
If you live in the deep south, you know College Football is King!
Anyone is eligible to participate and each week one lucky winner will go home with a $150 cash prize (maybe $300). Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 15 selected college football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests).
The Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy will be conducted for 14 regular season weeks of the college season starting with Week 1 games (August 30).
There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to SUBSCRIBE to the Lincoln Parish Journal where it will come to your inbox every weekday morning at 6:55 a.m. It takes 20-30 seconds to sign up and not much longer than that to make your picks.
All contest decisions by LPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified Monday and will be requested to take a photo that will run in the following week’s LPJ.
Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the Journal, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. daily e-mail. Enjoy it all, for FREE, and enter each week’s contest. You could collect $150 each week!
Follow the Lincoln Parish Journal each morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. It’s FREE! Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
Each Monday through Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of non-for-profit upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list or advertise your for-profit events, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com.
Thursday, Nov. 27 Thanksgiving
Friday, Nov. 28 7 p.m.: Ruston High football playoff game
Saturday, Nov. 29 Noon: LA Tech men’s basketball 1 p.m.: Grambling State v. Southern
Monday, Dec. 1 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 4-7 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way) 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, Dec. 2 4-7 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way) 6 p.m.: Lincoln Parish School Board meeting (410 S. Farmerville St., Ruston)
Wednesday, Dec. 3 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) 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Men’s Wild Game Banquet hosted by First Ruston Men’s Ministry (Ruston Civic Center)
Thursday, Dec. 4 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) 4-7 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way) 5:30-9 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Light Up the Pines (Lincoln Parish Park) 6 p.m.: Ruston Christmas Parade 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.: LA Tech women’s basketball 7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (Dixie Theatre)
Friday, Dec. 5 5:30-9 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Light Up the Pines (Lincoln Parish Park) 7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (Dixie Theatre)
Saturday, Dec. 6 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 10 a.m. to noon: Pictures with Santa (Historic Fire Station) 3-8 p.m.: Christmas in the Village (Choudrant) 5:30-9 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Light Up the Pines (Lincoln Parish Park) 7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (Dixie Theatre)
Sunday, Dec. 7 2 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball 2 p.m. Ruston Community Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (Dixie Theatre)
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.
DJ Dudley scored 17 points, including the game-winner with 1.4 seconds to play, to send the Bulldogs to a 75-73 win. (Photo by Josh McDaniel)
Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
DJ Dudley capped a wild finish with a game-winning jumper with 1.4 seconds left as Louisiana Tech knocked off Indiana State, 75-73, on Wednesday night inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.
One week ago in Terre Haute, Indiana, LA Tech (3-2) and Indiana State (4-3) could barely score the basketball. Tonight was much different as the Bulldogs and Sycamores traded offensive blows, especially in the second half.
“I’ll give this win to our attitudes,” said head coach Talvin Hester. “When you look at this game, we had two guys that did not really play the last time we faced them. Usually, guys in those situations sulk or are down, but [DJ Dudley and Sir Issac Herron] had an unbelievable week of practice.
“They really fought for what they wanted, and that changed us today. They were a huge reason we won tonight. I was very proud of them. And just being locked in and confident.”
ISU made 10 of its last 11 field goals, the last one being a corner three-pointer by Camp Wagner to tie the contest up for the fifth time at 73-73. With 23 ticks remaining, LA Tech held for the last shot. Dudley got the switch on the Sycamore’s center and went one-on-one, driving the rock to the basket where he stopped in the paint and sank a 4-foot floater.
“I have always known DJ can score the basketball,” said head coach Talvin Hester. “I had to help him get confidence. Late in the game when it came time for the last shot, I knew I was going to get him the ball and live with whatever shot he was going to take.”
Following a stoppage in play to check the clock, the ‘Dogs were able to intercept the long pass by the Sycamores, not allowing a shot to get revenge from last week’s loss.
The offensive struggles continued for LA Tech to start the game, trailing 25-18 with 6:33 remaining in the first half. However, things began to click on both ends of the floor for the Bulldogs, which resulted in a 19-1 run to close out the half and give the home team a 37-26 advantage.
Four different Bulldogs scored during the run, including AJ Bates who tallied six of his 16 points within the stretch including an off-balance floater to beat the buzzer and end the stanza.
The lead was erased within the first five minutes of the second half as Indiana State opened the frame on a 14-3 run to tie things up at 40-40.
The Sycamores never regained the lead though as the Bulldogs stretched its advantage out to double figures again at 61-51 following a driving layup by Bates. A quick 6-0 run though by the Sycamores later on got the deficit back down to one possession at 65-63 with 2:51 still to go.
“I figured Indiana State would get back into the game with the way they score it,” said Hester. “I found a lineup that I really liked. Kaden Cooper was playing well tonight, rebounding and doing some good things defensively. I just needed to roll with those guys and simplify the game plan for them.”
It was counter punch after counter punch from then on out.
Dudley sank a deep jumper to put the ‘Dogs back up four. Then the Sycamores scored. Then Sir Issac Herron connected on a made layup through contact. Then the Sycamores scored again. Then an offensive rebound by Kaden Cooper led to a made layup by Scooter Williams.
Indiana State responded again with a made layup off a turnover. Next was Dudley calmly sinking two free throws to give LA Tech a 73-70 edge. And then calmly called game after the Sycamores tied it with a three.
After neither team shot over 35 percent from the field seven days ago, LA Tech shot 51.6 percent and Indiana State shot 52.7 percent. The Bulldog bench was big, scoring 55 of the team’s 75 points. Dudley scored a season-high 17 after playing in just four minutes last game.
Herron netted 10 points after not playing in the first matchup against the Sycamores. Bates (16), Scooter Williams (12), and Cooper (10) also reached double-digit points. Cooper added a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double, helping LA Tech generate a +10-rebounding margin.
WACO, Texas – Louisiana Tech battled, but could not overcome two slow starts, falling 75–46 to #15 Baylor at Foster Pavilion.
“It was a tough day offensively for us,” Techster Head Coach Brooke Stoehr said. “Give Baylor credit. They are a very solid team and are highly ranked for a reason. We allowed their switching, length, and physicality to bother us at times. We had too many possessions early in the game where we did not cut with a purpose or get to the second or third action and make them defend. You cannot attack them one-on-one and expect to score over their length. I thought we were passive at times and did not attack to create advantage enough. We had their lead down to 10 late in the second quarter and had some turnovers that allowed them to get it back to 15 at the half. We have to be much more tough in those situations on the road to give ourselves a chance to execute and force them to guard.
“We had some good moments defensively, but we have to compete offensively from an execution and toughness standpoint to find a way to move the ball and draw two defenders and create an advantage to get easier shots. We have to be physically and mentally tough enough to find a way to finish around the rim, deliver scoring passes to open shooters and make free throws. We will use this game to learn and grow as we continue to prepare for conference play.”
Both offenses started slow with a 2-2 tie after two minutes, but Baylor erupted for a 14-0 run to set the Bears up with a 16-2 lead with four to play in the frame. The lead ballooned up to 18, but a Hillary Dawson layup late ended the quarter 24-8 Baylor. All eight of Louisiana Tech’s points came from the paint, led by Dawson’s four points on 2-2 shooting.
The second quarter was a low-scoring fight. Paris Bradley claimed the first basket of the quarter with a three-ball, the first for the Lady Techsters in the game. Taliah Scott would answer with a 3-pointer of her own, but Jianna Morris would silence the crowd with the second deep shot of the quarter for LA Tech. Both teams would trade baskets for the remainder of the quarter, going into halftime 36-21 Baylor. Louisiana Tech would outscore the Bears 13-12 in the frame with five different players recording a basket.
Despite losing the second quarter, Baylor returned to form in the third. The Bears shot 53.3 percent in the quarter and extended their lead to 60-32 heading into the fourth. Louisiana Tech was 0-6 from deep and were outscored in the paint 8-6. Paris Bradley led LA Tech with 5 points in the frame and dishing an assist.
The final quarter echoed the second, with both teams fighting close for control. Both teams traded baskets throughout the quarter, but the Bears lead was never in danger, winning 75-46. All Lady Techsters points in the fourth came from the free throw line and the paint, marking the third quarter of the game no three pointer was made.
Paris Bradley was the lone Lady Techster to score in double figures, extending her streak to 8 games dating back to last year. Hillary Dawson led in rebounding for the first time this season with six, while Joy Madison-Key paced the team with five assists.
Ida Mae Watts Hester Sunday 07/01/1928 — Wednesday 11/19/2025 Visitation: Friday 11/28/2025 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 11/29/2025 11:00am at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 11/29/2025 Following Service, Mt Mariah Cemetery, Chatham
Kay Doss May 22, 1952 – November 23, 2025 Visitation: Monday, December 01, 2025, 9:00 AM – 10:45 AM, New Prospect Baptist Church, 3438 Hwy 167, Dubach Graveside service: Monday, December 01, 2025, 11:00 AM, Hamilton Cemetery, 126 Hamilton Cemetery Road, Dubach
John J. Aubespin Saturday 07/12/1941 — Friday 11/21/2025 Celebration of Life: Friday 11/28/2025 11:00am, St. Benedict Catholic Church, 471 Main Street, Grambling Interment: Friday 11/28/2025 Following Service, Grambling Memorial Garden, Highway 80 West, Grambling
Century Next Bank is proud to announce its annual December Art Show and Open House, set for Tuesday, December 2, from 5–7 p.m., at the bank’s Main Office located at 505 N. Vienna Street in Ruston.
This year’s exhibition, In Tribute: Celebrating the Art of Kit, Annie, and Doug, honors the enduring legacy and luminous spirit of Kit Gilbert, Annie Weinstein Richardson, and M. Douglas Walton — three beloved artists whose creativity and passion deeply enriched the art community in Lincoln Parish and beyond. Through this special show, Century Next Bank invites the community to remember their impact and celebrate the lasting connections they inspired through art.
Each artist brought a unique voice to their practice: Annie’s layered mixed-media collages evoked intimate journeys through texture and tone; Doug’s expansive, expressive paintings captured the unseen energy and spirit of life; and Kit’s innovative abstract language bridged memories, nature, and modern existence through bold forms and materials.
Together, their work celebrates the power of art to inspire and connect. This exhibition honors not only their remarkable art but also the incredible people they were.
The public reception on December 2 will offer guests the opportunity to view the exhibition, reflect on the artists’ enduring contributions, and enjoy refreshments in the spirit of community. The exhibition will remain on display through January 5 during regular business hours.
Since 2000, the Century Next Bank Main Office has proudly hosted its annual December Art Show and Open House, featuring talented artists from across the region. The tradition reflects the bank’s ongoing commitment to supporting and celebrating the arts in North Louisiana.
EVENT DETAILS
Location: Century Next Bank Main Office, 505 N. Vienna Street, Ruston, LA
Date: Tuesday, December 2, 5–7 p.m.
Add’l Information: Exhibition on display through January 5 during regular business hours
Tucked away behind the Lincoln Parish Public Safety Complex is a small stucco-coated building reminiscent of the Alamo in Texas. But this is no historic tourist attraction although it does have its own history and it does pique the interest of those who catch a glimpse of it.
The public safety complex was built in 2014 on the former site of the “road camp,” the headquarters of the road department of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury for decades. Thus the name of the street out front—Road Camp Road.
But “road camp” was an euphemism for “parish prison.” Convicted prisoners who were serving their time locally stayed at the road camp and performed public work like repairing roads.
A temporary building constructed in the 1920s saw use to house the inmates sentenced to public work but it lacked sufficient security to deter escapes. Pre-trial prisoners were kept in the parish jail next to the courthouse.
A building sometimes called “The Alamo” because of its architecture was built in 1938 to replace the temporary structure. Its silhouette looks much like that symbol of Texas Independence in San Antonio. While in operation it was referred to as the “road camp” or “P Farm.”
In 1949, the parish courthouse in Ruston and the jail next door were demolished to build a new courthouse with the jail on the upper floor. Both the road camp prison and the courthouse jail, along with the Ruston city jail, were closed in 1983 when the Lincoln Parish Detention Center opened. The parish highway department is now located on California Plant Road.
The Alamo has sat empty ever since.
When the new public safety complex was constructed on the old road camp site, then-Sheriff Mike Stone ensured the 87-year-old prison building was preserved. The complex and the detention center across the street provide a massive contrast to the antiquated structure.
The interior of the Alamo is mostly concrete and steel. The dormitory-style housing contains fold-down metal bunks with thin mattresses for padding. By triple bunking, the dorm could hold 30 inmates. It was hot in the summer and cold in the winter with a single bulb to illuminate the room.
None of the facilities found in the modern-day detention center were present at the road camp. No law library, no medical unit, no recreation yard. Of course, after a day with a pick or shovel, most inmates lacked interest in recreation.
A civilian cook prepared breakfast, usually bacon and eggs. Beef stew, ham and vegetables, or chicken were common one-dish meals for supper. The inmates took sack lunches out into the field. There were never any leftovers.
In the early days of the Alamo, guards used a prison wagon to carry sentenced inmates from the camp out into the parish to work on roads. The prison wagon is on display nearby. It was probably last used for that purpose in the 1930s or earlier.
Inside the public safety complex, to the right of the lobby, is a large meeting room with a fantastic mural of early Lincoln Parish scenes, another effort by Stone to preserve some of the parish’s history.
The Alamo sits empty, dusty and rusty, a reminder of another time.
ABBEVILLE, La. — The Ruston High Speech and Debate Team competed at the Abbeville High School Speech Tournament this weekend against schools from around the state.
“This was a great tournament,” Ruston High Speech and Debate Coach Sydney Phillips said. “Almost every member made it to finals or placed for their respective events. It was a wonderful way to start off Thanksgiving Break. We couldn’t do it without the awesome team parents who gave up their weekend to help judge. We will be back in action in January. We plan to use December to really practice and hone our scripts for next semester’s competitions.”
The results are as follows:
Declamation Finalists- Kylin Harris and Nyah Metoyer; Novice Impromptu Speaking Finalist- Cecilia Sheptoski; 4th Place in Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking- Jonah Hoenke; 3rd Place in Novice Impromptu Speaking- Nyah Metoyer; 2nd Place in Original Oratory- Ruqaya Ali; 2nd Place in Novice Dramatic Interpretation- Cecilia Sheptoski; 2nd Place in Varsity Dramatic Interpretation- Kate Kyzar; 1st Place in Novice Humorous Interpretation- Ben Smith; 1st Place in Varsity Dramatic Interpretation- Oli Deal.
Ruston High School also got 3rd Place Overall Sweepstakes, meaning the school had the third most points overall out of all the competing schools.
A Ruston woman was arrested last week after she allegedly photographed a customer’s credit card and then use the number to make personal purchases.
Peyton Garr, 21, was arrested November 20 by Ruston Police after viewing video showing her photographing the credit card at a Cooktown Road restaurant.
The fast food restaurant manager provided officers a video from the previous night that showed Garr photographing the customer’s card. The manager said Garr made a purchase with the customer’s card for $150.
Garr initially denied the incident, but later admitted to police she used the card number to buy clothing.
An officer’s report said Garr did it because she knew someone who had done it and thought she could also.
Police booked Garr at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for theft.
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.
Lincoln Parish Journal readers have an opportunity each week to win FREE money in the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em presented by Johnson Physical Therapy, FanBase of Ruston, and Martin Presence.
And the best part is it’s FREE … just like your subscription to the LPJ.
Al Flowers was this week’s winner of the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy, and she walked away with $150.
Congratulations, Al!!
Now, are you ready for some football?!?
Bigger question. Are you ready to win $150 in cash … with the potential to make it $300 if you are perfect on the week (including predicting the No. 1 tiebreaker exactly right).
The Lincoln Parish Journal is holding the 4th Annual Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy.
If you live in the deep south, you know College Football is King!
Anyone is eligible to participate and each week one lucky winner will go home with a $150 cash prize (maybe $300). Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 15 selected college football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests).
The Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy will be conducted for 14 regular season weeks of the college season starting with Week 1 games (August 30).
There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to SUBSCRIBE to the Lincoln Parish Journal where it will come to your inbox every weekday morning at 6:55 a.m. It takes 20-30 seconds to sign up and not much longer than that to make your picks.
All contest decisions by LPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified Monday and will be requested to take a photo that will run in the following week’s LPJ.
Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the Journal, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. daily e-mail. Enjoy it all, for FREE, and enter each week’s contest. You could collect $150 each week!
Week 1: Faith Moss
Week 2: Don Sutton
Week 3: Kim Shackelford
Week 4: Lisa Wright
Week 5: Russ Thompson
Week 6: Steve Grafton
Week 7: Mechelle Brown
Week 8: Steve Pate
Week 9: Jacqueline Sampson
Week 10: Johnny Maxwell
Week 11: Doug Strickel
Week 12: Donna Colvin
Week 13: Al Flowers
Follow the Lincoln Parish Journal each morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. It’s FREE! Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
