The Junior League of Monroe is proud to present its 28th Annual Spring Market, returning to the Monroe Civic Center March 19–21, 2026. What began nearly three decades ago as a fundraising event has grown into one of North Louisiana’s most anticipated shopping traditions. More than just a market, Spring Market is a vibrant celebration of community, philanthropy, and the power of shopping with purpose.

As the League’s largest annual fundraiser, Spring Market plays a vital role in supporting the organization’s mission of advancing the well-being of women and children throughout Ouachita Parish and the surrounding areas. Every ticket purchased and every item bought helps fund impactful community programs, volunteer initiatives, and partnerships that strengthen the region. When guests attend Spring Market, they are not only enjoying a weekend of fun and fashion, they are directly contributing to meaningful local change.

This three-day shopping extravaganza brings together hundreds of carefully curated vendors from across the mid-South and beyond. Shoppers can explore an exciting mix of boutique clothing, jewelry, home décor, gourmet food items, children’s apparel and gifts, handmade goods, original art, plants, and specialty products you won’t find in big-box stores. Whether refreshing your wardrobe for spring, redecorating your home, shopping for Easter baskets, or searching for the perfect graduation or wedding gift, Spring Market truly offers something for everyone.

The festivities kick off on Thursday, March 19, with the elegant Preview Party from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. This year’s theme, a Bridgerton-inspired Garden Party, sets the tone for a charming and elevated evening. Guests will enjoy early access to vendors in a beautifully styled atmosphere complete with live entertainment, a catered meal, door prizes, and a string quartet performing modern favorites. Preview Party tickets are $40 and include three drink tickets. For those seeking an enhanced experience, a limited number of VIP tables for eight are available for $500. VIP guests will enjoy champagne, a charcuterie board, and additional drink tickets! Perfect for hosting friends, coworkers, or clients for a memorable night out.

On Friday, March 20, General Admission shopping begins at 10:00 a.m. and continues until 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $15. It’s the ideal opportunity to spend the day browsing, discovering unique finds, and supporting small businesses from both local and national vendors.

Friday evening brings the always-popular Market-Rita Madness from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. This lively event blends shopping with entertainment for a high-energy girls’ night out. For $35, guests will enjoy three drink tickets, delicious food from Iron Cactus, live entertainment by DJ Worm, and plenty of chances to win exciting door prizes throughout the evening. Market-Rita Madness has become a fan favorite for its festive atmosphere, upbeat music, and margarita-inspired fun.

The market concludes on Saturday, March 21, with General Admission shopping from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Included in the General Admission ticket, Spring Fling kicks off at 10:00. Bring the kids for a fun filled family day including the Easter Bunny, other kid friendly activities, and of course shopping! It’s the final chance to browse vendors, snag those must-have items, and soak in the energy of this beloved community tradition. At 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, the winner of the Kandi Cruiser Golf Cart raffle will be announced. Raffle tickets are available for just $10, offering attendees the opportunity to win a fun and functional prize while further supporting the League’s mission.

What truly sets Spring Market apart is its purpose. Funds raised from the event directly sustain and expand the Junior League of Monroe’s community projects and programs. Through volunteer service, strategic partnerships, and dedicated fundraising efforts like Spring Market, the League continues to address critical needs and create lasting impact throughout the region.

For nearly 28 years, Spring Market has brought together friends, families, and neighbors for a weekend filled with style, celebration, and service. It is a time when the community gathers not only to shop, but to support something larger than themselves. The Junior League of Monroe invites everyone to save the date, purchase tickets, and join in this meaningful tradition.

Tickets can be purchased in advance on our website (https://monroe.jl.org/) or at our office located at 2811 Cameron Street, Monroe, LA. Tickets may also be purchased at the door. For additional information or questions, please contact springmarket@jlmonroe.org. The Junior League of Monroe looks forward to welcoming the community to the 29th Annual Spring Market and continuing to make a difference together.

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The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a local man early Tuesday morning after it was learned he was wanted as a participant in an attempted murder case in Jackson Parish.

After deputies learned William Andrew Richard, 23, of Ruston, was wanted in Jackson Parish for three counts of attempted first degree murder, false swearing, and obstruction of justice they went to his Cedar Drive residence off Burgessville Road to make contact.

Richard was taken into custody and he told deputies there were weapons in the house. Deputies also detected a strong odor of marijuana in the house.

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A search warrant was obtained from Third District Court and a search of the home located a firearm, numerous magazines for various firearms, drug paraphernalia, and marijuana.

Richard was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and the Jackson Parish warrants.

The warrants relate to a February 15 incident of shots fired from one vehicle at another on U.S. 167 between Quitman and North Hodge, according to the Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The Hodge Police Department and the JPSO conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle at about 7:00 p.m. that evening. JPSO deputies determined the victim vehicle, occupied by two adults and a toddler, had been struck multiple times by gunfire. No injuries were reported.

Two adult males were detained from the suspect vehicle at that time. Jacorey Jenkins was arrested and booked into the Jackson Parish Jail on three counts of attempted first degree murder.

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.

Drift is the slow, sometimes unnoticed movement away from a set course, purpose, or standard.

Each individual movement is so slow that the subtle change doesn’t elicit concern. However, the accumulation over time can be devastating!

Every individual compromise is a step toward waking up one day and not recognizing that person in the mirror! Every seemingly insignificant comment, failure to prioritize, choice to ignore, or abrasive response is a step toward damaging a relationship.

We never intended it to go that route, but we made one compromise after another.

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Hebrews 2:1 “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it”.

Direction not intention determines destination.   Our intentions don’t matter.  Our intentions are just excuses unless we act on them. 

I worked in manufacturing facilities for over thirty years.  Many of the work-related injuries we encountered were due to drift.  An individual would make one small compromise away from the standard repeatedly until one day, they were injured.  They didn’t come to work that day, wanting to get hurt.  It was the series of compromises over time that led to the incident.

I have never met an addict that chose that lifestyle in a day.  It was a series of individual seemingly insignificant choices that resulted in addiction. 

Relationships don’t fall apart in a day.  Unhealthy habits don’t form overnight.  Work performance doesn’t decline immediately. 

All those examples are a result of drift; one small compromise at a time away from the standard.

We compromise: 

• to avoid hard things – Lean into challenges.

• when we are tired – Rest and regroup but don’t retreat.

• when we forget “why” – Focus on purpose daily.

• when we are overwhelmed – Simplify and prioritize.

• when we compare – Standards should steady our focus.

•  when emotions take over our thoughts – Renew your mind daily.

•  when we lose hope – Never stop looking for it.

The challenge with drift is that we don’t see it, we don’t recognize it, and we don’t properly value it.  We justify our actions and blow off the “minor” consequences each time.  

 We tell ourselves:

• One time won’t hurt anything.

• One more won’t affect me.

• I’ll take the short-cut this one time.

• I can’t see the benefit; therefore, I’ll choose the easy path.

The list of comments can be endless.

Drift is around us all the time, and yet we fail to see the impact.  We may see it in others, but we are often blind to our own drift.  We justify rather than listen, and we make excuses rather than address the issue.

We are blind to drift until we get hit hard and finally wake up.  Our life is a mess, the relationship is gone, the job is on the ropes, or we are in such a deep hole that we can’t see any way out – and we have no idea how we got there! 

Drift – one compromise at a time.  That’s how we got there!

Doug equips leaders to make organizations better.  He has two leadership books available on all online platforms.  Whether you are looking for a speaker for your next event or a leadership coach to develop people and build an authentic team, contact 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.

Part of the reason I love Louisiana so much is because no matter what season it is, there is always something to enjoy.

In the summer there’s festivals galore, fall brings out those Friday night lights and in the winter there’s extra magical Christmas’s followed by Mardi Gras celebrations. But there is something so perfect about Springtime in Louisiana. When I stepped foot outside that first warm day after the cold front, I knew my season was here.

Crawfish and kayaking, live music on patios, and fishing on the lake before the heat gets too sweltering. Spring is the perfect time to enjoy all the best parts of Louisiana, before the summer brings around a kind of heat that makes you melt like a popsicle.

March in Louisiana is the best time for a walk in the park, where my kids race past me on the trails on the Rock Island Greenway to read the signs about frogs and bugs. It gives us an excuse to walk from shop to shop in Downtown Ruston, because the weather is just right for not having to load back into the car. I love spending Saturday mornings at the farmer’s market and the evenings watching college baseball. The air outside smells like fresh flowers and each breath I take makes my worries float away.

As much fun as I have at Mardi Gras, I can hardly wait until everything turns green again. I start to see more deer in my yard and slowly the hummingbirds and butterflies return to my mother’s garden. It’s the season of blooms and beautiful sunsets that puts everyone in a better mood. Maybe it’s just that I have a little bit of seasonal affective disorder, but I really feel like I become myself again in the Spring. It’s very fitting that I have a March birthday.

The kind of day I envision is the one where I wake up with a fresh cup of coffee and sit on my back porch, watching my crepe myrtle bloom with bright pink flowers. For lunch I like to dine on the patio of a local restaurant and enjoy the feeling of the sun on my skin.

My family spends the evenings watching my son play baseball at the sports complex and we celebrate with crawfish nights. When the moon comes out in the Spring, my husband and I like to sit on the back porch, watching the fireflies come out and listening to the sound of the cicadas.

It won’t be long before the warmth of spring melts into a humid and sticky summer. So, I’ll relish every day that I get in the Springtime. I’ll say yes to every picnic and crawfish boil while they last. Then I’ll say goodbye to my paradise until next year. But I know, living here, that there will always be something special going on to enjoy.

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A call regarding a juvenile led to the arrest of a Ruston man on domestic abuse charges.

Miguel Gates, 42, was arrested Sunday morning for domestic abuse battery and domestic abuse aggravated assault, both with child endangerment enhancements after an alleged incident with a 15-year-old youth.

The youth told responding Ruston officers, “They are abusing me in there” and “He pointed a gun at me.” The juvenile also said he wanted to leave the residence, but the adults inside would not give him his phone.

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When the adults were interviewed, officers were told the incident was recorded on the home’s Ring camera. Officers viewed the video which showed the front door open and Gates grabbing the juvenile. After the physical altercation ended, the video shows the juvenile walking to the other end of the yard where he appeared to lean against a tree. A short time later, the video showed Gates exiting the residence brandishing a firearm. Gates was yelling at the juvenile while approaching him with the gun. Gates then entered the residence and the video ended, an officer’s report said.

Based on the juvenile statements and the video evidence, Gates was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center with bail to be set after a domestic violence hearing.

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.

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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, March 19
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall)
2 p.m.: Ribbon cutting celebrating Peach Cobbler Factory (101 N. Service Rd., Unit 2)
4 p.m.: Tween Time (Lincoln Parish Library)
4:30-5:30 p.m.: Free meal courtesy of Halff Associates and 5 Loaves 2 Fish Ministry to be served at St. Benedict Church on Main Street in Grambling. All are welcome.
5 p.m.: Library Board of Control Meeting (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: Teen Time (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers)
6:30 p.m.: Books and Bites Book Club (Lincoln Parish Library; registration required by calling 318-513-5510)

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Friday, March 20
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Friends of the Library Children’s Books and Puzzle Sale (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: GSU baseball

Saturday, March 21
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
8 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Missions Market 2026; Concord/Union Baptist Association Women on Mission craft and bake sale (Temple Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 1515 S. Service Rd. W., Ruston)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Friends of the Library Children’s Books and Puzzle Sale (Lincoln Parish Library)
2-3 p.m.: Tween and Teen Writer Workshop (Lincoln Parish Library)
3 p.m.: GSU baseball

Sunday, March 22
1 p.m.: GSU baseball

Monday, March 23
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
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, March 24
10 a.m.: Storytime (Lincoln Parish Library)
4 p.m.: Crafternoon (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: Video-led exercise class (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: GSU baseball

Wednesday, March 25
7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee)
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)

Thursday, March 26
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall)
4 p.m.: Tween Time (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: Teen Time (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers)

Friday, March 27
1 p.m.: Grambling State softball
4 p.m.: Family Fun Friday: Women’s History Month Bingo (Lincoln Parish Library)
6 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
6 p.m.: LA Tech softball

Saturday, March 28
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Board Game Meet Up (Lincoln Parish Library)
10 a.m.: Master Gardeners present “The Cutting Garden: A Bounty of Blooms” (Jack Beard Room, Lincoln Parish Library)
Noon: Grambling State softball
2 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
2 p.m.: LA Tech softball
2 p.m.: Grambling State softball

Sunday, March 29
11 a.m.: LA Tech softball
1 p.m.: LA Tech baseball

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

With the recent promotion of Nathan Young to offensive coordinator, head football coach Sonny Cumbie announced that Vincent Johnson III will serve as the new offensive line coach for the 2026 season.

Johnson III brings familiarity with LA Tech’s offensive line after serving as the assistant offensive line coach alongside Young during the 2025 campaign.

In 2025, LA Tech’s offensive line paved the way for four 300-yard rushing games, including a season-high 426 yards against Sam Houston, the most by a Bulldog team in a single game since 1991. Tech registered three games with five or more rushing scores with six against Sam Houston and five scores on the ground versus Liberty and Missouri State.

The Bulldogs had the second-best rushing attack in Conference USA at 195.4 yards per game, which ranked 24th nationally. LA Tech recorded seven individual 100-yard rushing performances, including four by quarterbacks, something that had been accomplished just once in program history prior to the 2025 season.

Johnson III joined the Bulldog staff after a one-year stint at Wingate as the offensive line coach in 2024.

The former Cal start spent one season at Kansas State in 2023 as an offensive graduate assistant, working with the offensive line.

During his time in Manhattan, Johnson helped the Wildcat offensive front to semifinalist status for the Joe Moore Award, an honor that goes to the top offensive line unit in the country. K-State’s line helped the Wildcats rank in the top 30 nationally in 11 offensive categories, including scoring (10th – 37.1 points per game), rushing (11th – 204.1 yards per game), third down conversions (11th – 47.9%), rushing touchdowns (12th – 32) and first downs (12th – 310). The Wildcats ranked 30th nationally in red zone offense (89.23%), but ranked second in the country by scoring touchdowns on 78.46% of their red zone attempts.

Prior to joining the staff at KSU, Johnson III was an offensive graduate assistant at Boise State during the 2022 season, helping the Broncos earn a 10-4 record and a victory in the Frisco Bowl.

Prior to his time in Boise, he spent three seasons at Sacramento State as an offensive quality control coach and graduate assistant (2019-2021). Johnson III moved to Sacramento State in 2019 as an offensive quality control and graduate assistant coach. He added offensive line to his duties in 2020 and helped the Hornets reach the FCS Playoffs in 2019 and in fall 2021.

Johnson III served as a video coordinator and defensive analyst at Murray State in 2017-18.

Johnson III played collegiately at California, seeing action in 31 games (2013-16). He earned his bachelor’s degree in legal studies from the University of California-Berkeley in May 2017.

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Louisiana Tech will open play in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament tonight, traveling to Tudor Fieldhouse to face Rice in a first-round match-up.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and the game can be seen on ESPN+.

Louisiana Tech (26-6) enters the postseason after a 17-1 run through Conference USA play, claiming the regular-season title and winning 19 consecutive games during the year — its longest streak in more than two decades. The Lady Techsters earned an automatic berth into the WBIT despite a 43-38 loss to Missouri State in the conference tournament championship.

Paris Bradley and Joy Madison-Key were named to the Conference USA All-Tournament Team. Bradley averaged 17.7 points on 54.1 percent shooting during the tournament, including 59.1 percent from 3-point range, while also recording 14 rebounds and five steals. Madison-Key led the tournament with 16 assists, including nine in a semifinal win over Delaware.

Louisiana Tech is making its first appearance in the WBIT and its 38th postseason appearance overall, including 27 NCAA Tournament berths.

The Lady Techsters lead Conference USA in scoring (73.2 points per game), scoring defense (58.3), scoring margin (14.8), field goal percentage (44.3) and assists (16.1). During the conference tournament, Louisiana Tech held opponents to 44.6 points per game — nearly 14 points below its season average allowed.

Rice (28-5) enters under similar circumstances after finishing 17-1 in American Athletic Conference play and reaching its conference tournament championship game. The Owls fell to UTSA 54-40 in the title game, shooting 27.1 percent from the field and 21.7 percent from beyond the arc.

The Owls rank among the top teams in the AAC on both ends of the floor, finishing fourth in scoring offense (70.0) and second in scoring defense (59.5).

Rice leads the nation in free throw shooting at 81.6 percent, with six players converting better than 80 percent from the line.

Flores was named AAC Player of the Year after averaging 14.1 points per game and leading the conference with an 89.1 percent mark at the free throw line. She was joined on the All-Conference first team by Dominque Ennis.

Shelby Hayes earned Most Improved Player honors, while Louann Battiston was named Sixth Player of the Year. Adams was selected to the All-Defensive Team, and head coach Lindsey Edmonds was named Coach of the Year.

Louisiana Tech holds a 17-16 edge in the all-time series. Rice won the most recent meeting, defeating the Lady Techsters 60-57 in Houston during the 2022-23 season.

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Paula Jean Ireland, age 80 of Ruston, passed away Saturday, March 14, 2026 in Ruston, LA.   She was born December 5, 1945 in Dallas, TX to Norma Louise Cundiff and Louis Eugene Grubbs. 

Paula found happiness in life’s simple pleasures. Whether casting a line in still water at her favorite fishing spot or watching butterflies in her yard, she enjoyed the outdoors. Paula liked to crochet and you could see that talent in the Afghan’s, the Christmas ornaments, and other trinkets that she made. She worked many places as an accountant, including Southwestern Bell.

Paula had a heart for Chihuahuas who gave her companionship and joy. Among them, her favorite, Sissy, held a particularly special place in her heart. Above all, she had a love for her grandchildren.

Paula was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Lisa Diane Stout; and great-grandson, Donald Lee Bouwell, III. She is survived by her children, Howard Bill Ireland, Melody and husband Joshua Wages, and William Ashbrook and his wife Sonja; siblings, Robby Brooks and wife Jenie, Ricky Brooks and wife Susan, and Rusty Brooks; grandchildren: Donald Bouwell, Jr., Kimbra Bouwell, Courtney Harwell Mayes, Brittany Ashbrook, and Amanda Ashbrook; 16 great-grandchildren; and a host of other family and friends.

The family will have a private memorial service at a later date. Anyone wishing to make a donation should contact the funeral home at 318-255-4739.

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Jayden Dyson Revels 
April 11, 2006  –  March 14, 2026 
Visitation: Thursday, March 19, 2026, 5:00PM – 7:00PM, Kilpatrick Funeral Homes 
Service: Friday, March 20, 2026, 2:00PM, Kilpatrick Funeral Homes 
Final Resting Place: Rock Corner Cemetery, 824 Rock Corner Road, Dubach 

Matthew Leland Skipper 
September 28, 2000 – March 16, 2026 
Visitation: Sunday, March 22, 2026, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel 
Memorial Service: Sunday, March 22, 2026, 3:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel 

Anita Worsham Brown  
January 30, 1933  –  March 14, 2026  
Service: Thursday, March 19, 2026, 1:00PM, Kilpatrick Funeral Homes  
Final Resting Place: Fellowship Cemetery in Dubberly, LA 531, Dubberly  

Jewelritt Sims   
Sunday 03/27/1955 — Thursday 03/12/2026    
Visitation: Friday 03/20/2026 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home   
Celebration of Life: Saturday 03/21/2026 1:00pm, Zion Traveler Baptist Church, 1201 Martin Luther King Drive, Ruston   
Interment: Saturday 03/21/2026 Following Service, George Washington Carver Memorial Park, Martin Luther King Drive, Ruston   

Ella L. Jones    
Tuesday 08/20/1940 — Tuesday 03/10/2026     
Visitation: Friday 03/20/2026 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home    
Funeral Service: Saturday 03/21/2026 11:00am, Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ, 1405 South Farmerville Street, Ruston    
Interment: Saturday 03/21/2026 Following Service, Grambling Memorial Garden, US Highway 80 West, Grambling    

Jerome Dimmer    
Friday 06/07/1957 — Wednesday 03/11/2026     
Family Gathering: Friday 03/20/2026 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home    
Visitation: Friday 03/20/2026 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home    
Funeral Service: Saturday 03/21/2026 11:00am at King’s Funeral Home    
Interment: Saturday 03/21/2026 Following Service, Ebenezer Cemetery, Parish Road 214, Ruston    

Jackie Lou Holladay    
April 19, 1935 – March 12, 2026    
Graveside: Friday, March 20, 2026, 10:00 AM, Keesee Cemetery, Monarch, AR    

Gerald Van Lyles    
June 21, 1947 – March 12, 2026    
Memorial Visitation: Monday, March 23, 2026, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home 

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An early morning crash on Interstate 20 in Ruston snarled traffic as motorists attempted to get to work and school Wednesday morning.

Reported at 4:32 a.m., a semi rig pulling a double trailer overturned on Interstate 20 between exit 83 (Tarbutton Road) and exit 84 (Tech Drive) blocking both eastbound lanes. Much of the trailers’ boxed cargo was spilled out onto the roadway.

Ruston Police and Fire responded to the scene. No injuries have been reported.

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RPD detectives and command staff were assisting patrol officers in directing traffic around the crash. The Grambling Police Department, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police assisted in rerouting the traffic off eastbound I-20 onto the South Service Road at exit 83 and then back onto the Interstate at Tech Drive/Cooktown Road causing delays for students trying to reach Ruston High School, Ruston Junior High, and Louisiana Tech.

As of 7:30 a.m., several large tow trucks had reached the scene and were preparing to try to upright the rig, but police said the process may take hours.

Information on the cause of the crash, injuries, or other involved vehicles were not immediately available as police remain on the scene. An update will follow when more information is available.

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

By Kyle Roberts

RUSTON, La. — The Cypress Springs Wildcats will have a familiar face from the parish as their new principal.

Tiffany Young (formerly Curry) of Dubach School was formally named the new principal of Cypress Springs Elementary on Tuesday after the staffs of both schools were notified in the afternoon.

“It’s a full-circle moment for me,” Young said. “I was a classroom teacher at Cypress Springs when we changed the school’s configuration at the end of the 2012 school year. I’m excited about the opportunity. I do know that it will be different and challenging, and we’ll have a lot of growth to accomplish in our first year together. But that’s part of being a leader— growing people, and growing as a leader, and so I’m looking forward to that challenge.

”I’ll miss my Dubach family. They will always have a special place in my heart, because they gave me my first shot (as principal). We’ve accomplished a lot of things together, and we’ve grown this school and built a family. We’ve provided a lot of stability for people. The families are great out here — it’s Dubach’s best kept secret. We say out here that “We mind our Dubach Business,” but I do need then to know that I will still be in their business because the school will always be near and dear to my heart. But I’m happy to be a Wildcat again — we’re going to do great work.” 

During Young’s tenure as principal of Dubach School as both interim and formal principal, the school earned a B School Performance Score in 2023. She had her interim tagged officially removed in the December 2023 Lincoln Parish School Board session.

“Tiffany’s done a great job at Dubach, and I know they hated to lose her,” Lincoln Parish School Board Superintendent Ricky Durrett said. “But she’s a perfect fit for Cypress Springs with the knowledge and experience she brings. Cypress Springs is our largest elementary school in the city and having her expertise will be valuable for Cypress Springs and for that community.”

Young will officially take over as CSE principal on June 1. Current interim principal Marissa Boyd will return to being a coordinating teacher.

Durrett confirmed that the search for Dubach’s next principal has begun.

The Ruston Rotary Club will host the Fourth Annual Jambalaya Fundraiser in the Super 1 Parking lot, March 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A meal of Jambalaya, dessert and crackers for just $10 will be served and will help the Ruston Rotary Club raise funds for its community service projects.

Karl Malone Toyota recently donated tickets to members of the local Lincoln Parish first responder agencies as a thank you to their dedication and hard work. 

The jambalaya fundraiser is a way for the community to come together and invest in service as every dollar raised helps Ruston Rotary support meaningful projects that strengthen area schools and care for those in need. Some of these projects include Coats for Kids, dictionaries for third-graders, student scholarships, Christmas gift bags for nursing home residents, and food backpacks for food insecure students.

The Ruston Rotary Coats for Kids program donated 298 coats in October 2025 for elementary students in Lincoln Parish in coordination with The Children’s Shoppe. In May, the Ruston Rotary club will give out four $2,000 scholarships for high school students attending college and new this year is a $2,000 for a student attending the Ruston campus of Louisiana Delta Community College.

Rotarians pick up food backpacks every Thursday during the school year at Super 1 and drop them off at Hillcrest Elementary for needy students to take home on Friday for meals over the weekend. During the fall, Rotarians give Lincoln Parish third grade students their very own dictionary to keep in the classroom or at home.

Rotarians are also involved in the Med-Camp Fall Halloween Bash held at Camp Alabama every year the Saturday before Halloween with the Rotarians dressed up as Wizard of Oz characters.

Each meal will feature jambalaya, dessert and crackers. Jambalaya meals or pans maybe ordered for pick up for business or organization between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday.

You may buy a plate for $10 or a quart container of jambalaya for $15, a half pan for $100 for 10 servings or a full pan for $200 for 20 servings. You may also walk up on March 19 at the Super 1 parking lot from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to purchase a meal or a quarter of Jambalaya.

Individuals may order ahead by calling Rusty Wilfong at 318-265-0985, Kris Barney at 813-541-3927 or Jerry Pye at 318-282-5278 or any Ruston Rotary member.

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Courtesy of Union Parish Sheriff Office

The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest following an investigation into reported fraudulent activity.

In January 2026, investigators received information alleging Meghann Marie Brown, 42, of Marion, represented herself as an attorney and accepted money for providing legal services. Investigators from the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) launched an investigation. The investigation revealed Brown accepted payments totaling over $1,000 while claiming she would resolve outstanding legal matters and assist with additional legal proceedings on the victim’s behalf.

Further investigation revealed that Brown was not licensed to practice law in the State of Louisiana or any other jurisdiction. CID investigators confirmed that the promised legal payments were never made, and the victim did not receive the services that were represented. Investigators prepared an arrest warrant, and it was signed by a Third Judicial District Court judge.

On March 16, 2026, officers from the Marion Police Department located Brown in Marion, and she was taken into custody without incident. Brown was booked into the Union Parish Detention Center for Felony Theft and False Personation. Her bond was set at $15,000.

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By Kyle Roberts

RUSTON, La. — Ruston High released its 2026 football schedule this past week that includes two state champions on the slate and five regular season home games.

“With the level of competition that we have scheduled, we better plan to be intentional about how we are preparing during the offseason, spring practice, and summer workouts,” Ruston High Head Coach Jerrod Baugh said. “We will find out weekly where we are and what things we need to continue to improve on.

After talking on Evangel in the 2026 Bayou Jamb, the Bearcats will kickoff the regular season on Friday, Sept. 4, with the 101st meeting with Neville at James Field at Hoss Garrett Stadium — a rivalry that has been played at least once a season since before World War II.

Ruston will then host Longview on Friday, Sept. 11, in an out-of-state matchup for the third year in a row. The ‘Cats will then hit the road to New Orleans to take on Edna Karr, a perennial power house that just won another Select, Division I state championship. The venue is still to be determined, though the Super Dome is still a possibility.

Rounding out non-district play, the Bearcats will then host Catholic on Friday, Sept. 25, before having a rare regular season bye on Friday, Oct. 2.

“The bye week should be at a good point in the season so that we can really evaluate any changes or modifications that need to be made,” Baugh said.

The Bearcats will then open District 2-5A play on Friday, Oct. 9, at Ouachita, the 2025 Non-Select, Division I champion, before hosting District 2-5A newcomer Peabody on Friday, Oct. 16, who replaced Neville in the district.

It will then be back-to-back matchups with Central Louisiana teams when Ruston goes to Alexandria on Friday, Oct. 23, and then back home for Pineville on Friday, Oct. 30.

The ‘Cats will conclude the 2026 regular season with a road trip to West Monroe on Friday, Nov. 6.

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(Editor’s note: This week and the next two, a visit from three people with three very different and distinct views of Easter… Today, Simon, a Cyrenian, who stood on the Via Dolorosa on the day the Lamb passed by.)

“Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac . . . Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, . . .. ‘. . . but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’  Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb . . ..’” — Genesis 22:6-8 (NIV) 

“And they compelled one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear His cross.” — Mark 15:21 (KJV)

Jesus always does the hard part.  It might not seem that way in our human moments of trial or suffering, but it is a reality crystal clear when we view our lives through His.

Simon could not have known when he woke up that day that his life would, in mid-morning, change forever.  After all, he was just passing through.  By divine circumstance, his path crossed the path of the beaten and bleeding Savior.

A scared and timid step forward, a shove, and Simon was in an unwanted spotlight, “compelled” by a soldier’s whip and an order into a moment that would capture his life in God’s Word for eternity.

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But it would also capture his heart.

Few people run toward the cross.  Most of us must be compelled by the soldier of misfortune, suffering, disease, and any of a thousand pains and problems.  Even then, we pick it up kicking and screaming.

But I hope we can be like Simon.  Surely . . . after looking into Jesus eyes that day, after seeing up close Christ’s shredded back, His crown of thorns, surely . . . Simon knew that, in comparison, the yoke was easy.  Jesus always does the hard part.

How could Simon look at that and not be changed forever?

In the days and weeks after, as news of the Resurrection spread, I imagine Simon’s horror of that day turned into an overwhelming feeling of honor.  I imagine him on his knees and, through tears, gazing toward Heaven, arms extended, awed, overcome.  I imagine his arms around his sons, his grateful whisper in their ears: “I walked with that Man . . ..”

Have I stood on the Via Dolorosa on a day when the Lamb was passing by?  Have I heard bloodthirsty calls from the crowd and seen a virgin’s son, an innocent man, bearing a cross toward the most important, galvanizing, meaningful moment in history?  Have my eyes met His on that Way of Grief?  Does my back yet feel the wood?  Do I cherish the Old Rugged Cross?

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

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A local man Ruston Police arrested for DWI and traffic charges last week was found to have marijuana on him when booked.

Devarius Spivey, 33, of Ruston, was stopped March 14 after an officer saw his vehicle cross the double yellow line into the opposing lane on South Farmerville Street.

During the stop, the officer detected the odor of alcoholic beverages on Spivey, who said he had been drinking earlier in the evening.

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Spivey performed poorly on a series of field sobriety tests and was arrested. He was taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center where marijuana was found on him.

A breath test indicated Spivey’s blood alcohol concentration was .207g%, more than twice the Louisiana legal limit.

Spivey was booked for DWI first offense, introduction of contraband into a penal facility, expired license plate, improper lane usage, and no driver’s license.

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.

On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, shortly after 6:00 a.m., Troopers with Louisiana State Police Troop F began investigating a three-vehicle fatal crash on Louisiana Highway 3051, just east of McCowin Road. The crash claimed the life of 28-year-old Seth Bynog of Bastrop.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2025 Kia K4, driven by Bynog, was traveling east on Louisiana Highway 3051. At the same time, a 2019 Buick Enclave and a 2011 Ford Flex were traveling west on Louisiana Highway 3051. For reasons still under investigation, the Kia crossed over the centerline, entered the westbound lane, and struck the left side of the Buick. After the initial impact, the Kia continued east in the westbound lane before striking the front of the Ford.

Bynog, who was properly restrained, died at the scene. The drivers of the Ford and the Buick, who were properly restrained, received moderate injuries and were transported to an area hospital for treatment. Although impairment is not suspected, routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

Troopers urge drivers to always make safe decisions behind the wheel: never drive impaired, always wear a seat belt, and avoid distractions. Taking a few extra seconds to buckle up or slow down can be the difference between life and death. 

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By T. Scott Boatright

 

In a game between mirror-like teams, it is often the little things that end up being the difference between a win and a loss.

And that is the way things played out on Tuesday night between Simsboro and Choudrant as the Lady Aggies escaped with a 9-4 win in a hard-fought game for both teams on the SHS softball field.

Choudrant’s consistency played a crucial role in the Lady Aggies win, as they played errorless ball while scoring at least one run in each of the first five innings.

“We’re a lot like them and they’re a lot like us,” said Lady Tigers coach Payton Bond. “We are neck-and-neck with them. We are a young team and have experienced some growing pains this year. And a lot of growing opportunities. Losing (pitcher Carlie Wheeler, now playing for LSU-Eunice, and catcher Jacoya Lewis) last year was big, so we knew going into the year we were going to have to learn how to play without them. 

“But we have played several close ballgames this year. I think we have played two one-run games that were close, and two two-run games that were close. We have been in several games later. Even in that game we just played against Choudrant, it did not feel like we were ever out of it. We had runners in scoring position a couple of innings that we could not push across. Overall, we played well defensively except for a couple of errors that came at tough times.”

Choudrant pitcher Addison Worley was a key force in the Lady Aggies’ win, striking out 14 Lady Tigers in the complete seven-inning win while giving up 10 hits.

Worley recorded three strikeouts during Simsboro’s final chances at bat, with Lady Aggies coach Stacy Tassin saying she never considered pulling Worley after she gave up two runs off three hits in the bottom of the sixth inning as temperatures began getting brisk.

“That’s not a worry for her,” Tassin said. “Neither the situation — whether it was time for her to retire the side for the win or the fact it was getting colder. She can handle those kinds of things. If she couldn’t she would tell you.”

Choudrant scored one run off in each of the first three innings before Simsboro cut the Lady Aggies’ lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third on an RBI-single by Kailee Hamilton that scored left fielder Brooklyn Boyd.

The Lady Aggies added two more runs in the top of the fourth before Simsboro added another run in the bottom half of that stanza to cut Choudrant’s advantage to 5-2.

But then Choudrant took control in the top of the fifth inning, scoring four runs off three hits with a pair of Simsboro errors proving costly for the Lady Tigers.

“I think we played decent,” Tassin said. “We played pretty good. We could have hit the ball more than we did. We manufacture runs. We did a little bunting, a little stealing and that helped us get the win.”

The win pushed the Lady Aggies to 5-13 on the year.

“We’ve struggled this season,” Tassin said. “We are young. We are just getting better game by game as we gain experience.”

As he looks for ways to overcome the loss of a standout like Wheeler, Bond said he is proud of the fact his Lady Tigers, who now stand at 4-11, have three pitchers they can use.

“We played all three tonight,” Bond said. “They all did a good job and threw outs. If we only got a couple of things that did not go our way at the play to happen, then it would have been a lot closer game than it ended up being. But we are young and growing and we have a lot to look forward to this year. There is still a lot of season left to get better in. It feels like we are starting to get a feel for things. I am getting better about knowing when to make changes on the rubber.”

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