The high school held a golf tournament last Saturday at the Coushatta Country Club.  The event was a fundraiser for school athletic programs.

About 1:00 pm, after most of the golfers had returned to the clubhouse, there were drawings for prizes furnished by tournament sponsors and a hamburger plate dinner.  In addition, over 200 hamburger plates were ordered in advance by people in the area.

Here are the results of Red River High’s first golf tournament:

Flight 1

            1st:      Reagan Huddleston and Brad Merry

            2nd:    Johnny Ammons and David Levy

            3rd:     Johnny Cox and Scooter Perot

Flight 2          

            1st:      David and Karen Breedlove

            2nd:    Ginger Craig and Dwayne Pickett

            3rd:     Dan Honett and John Williford

Flight 3

            1st:      George Youngblood and Matt Youngblood

            2nd:    Michael Rushing and Ellie Drew

            3rd:     Tristen and Ty Jones

Hole Sponsors:

Reeves, Inc. of Louisiana                                          Rivertown Market

Zan Mullings                                                              Quality Ford                          

Hunter Mullings                                                        Country Market & Deli

The York Chop                                                           Tyler Insurance & Agency

Ricky Cannon                                                             C&K Bar-B-Que         

Randy’s Hardware & Lawn Mower Parts                Hudd’s Catering

Armadillo Mexican Grill.                                           Marketplace

Bumper To Bumper                                                  Christus Coushatta Health Care

Pickett Inflatables LLC.                                             Epic Touch

G & B Works                                                              Danzy’s Farm

CBS Home Express                                                    D&D Fun Jump

Tan Junkies                                                                Kash Korner

D&Z Quality Supplements                                        Bank of Coushatta

J & R Lawn Service                                                    Red River Parish Journal

Dairy Queen                                                               Sabine State Bank

Mabile’s Corner Pharmacy                                       Dr Greg and Kathy Bell

Susan Taylor                                                              All In Seafood

Red River Vet Clinic                                                  Bearing Service & Supply

Coushatta Oil & Tire                                                  Tobacco One Stop    

American Bank                                                          Almond Brothers Lumber Co

Red River Storage                                                     Tray Murray State Farm

CF Mims LLC                                                              Bethard & Bethard L.L.P      

Strong ARM Trucking                                               JKM Glass & Mirror LLC

Blanchard Haulin’ LLC         

Banner Sponsors

AA Donuts

TK’s Deer Processing

Rivertown

Nolen Paint & Body Works

Nolen’s Towing & Recovery

---

The 46^th annual Melrose Plantation Arts & Crafts Festival has been postponed until next weekend. The festival will now be held on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18.  

The festival was originally scheduled to be held this weekend but the predicted path of Hurricane Delta has forced organizers to change plans. “The safety of our vendors, workers, and visitors is of the utmost concern for us,” says Heather Tichenor, director of Melrose Plantation. “The potential for property damage is high, especially when the storm is forecast to hit our region during our scheduled set up and the first day of an outdoor event.”

Festival hours and ticket prices remain unchanged. On Saturday, Oct. 17, the festival will run from 9 am – 5 pm. On Sunday, Oct. 18, festival hours are 10 am – 4 pm. Admission is $5 for everyone ages 12 & up; $2 for kids ages 6-11; and free for kids 5 and under.  For more information and event updates, visit melroseplantation.org.

 

---

The 2020 Americanism, Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy competitions have been distributed to schools in this area by Coushatta VFW Post 7287.  Entries are due at the end of this month.  All students from Kindergarten through 12^th grade are eligible.

Last year a Coushatta student, Isak Schmidley won second in the state in the Patriot’s Pen competition.  His award was presented at the Louisiana VFW state convention in Alexandria.  That’s Isak at the top of this story.

Kindergarten students are asked to color a pre-printed American flag. 

First and second graders get to draw and color an American flag.

Students in third and fourth grades will submit a drawing of a historical event.

Fifth grade students will write an essay up to 300 words on the topic “How I Honor Veterans.”

Middle school students, grades six through eight, write an essay on “What Is Patriotism to Me?”

High school students will write and deliver a Patriotic Audio Essay.  This year the subject is “Is This the Country the Founders Envisioned?”

All entries must be returned to the local VFW post by October 31^st.  They will be judged at the local level and cash prizes will be awarded to the winning entries from each school.

The competition is open to home school students as well as those in public and private schools.  Anyone wishing to receive application information should contact the VFW by email.  Send your inquiry along with the grade of the students and your mailing address to VFW7287@att.net.

---

Many locations in the US are already into early voting.  In Louisiana, our time to cast a ballot begins next Friday.

This year, there is a new location for early voting in Louisiana.  Early voting will be held at the old fire station at the corner of Lisso St. and E. Carroll St.  That is across from the courthouse and next to the railroad.

The early voting period is Friday, October 16^th through Tuesday, October 27^th.  There will be no voting on Sundays.  Daily hours are 8:00 am until 7:00 pm.

Bring an ID with you when you come to cast your ballot early.

---

October 5^th, English 2 teachers Mrs. Bennett and Mrs. Sullivan-Henry took to Zoom to host their class. They had about 60 students on interacting with one another reading and preparing their essays. If you are a virtual student don’t miss out on the next live lesson.

Currently we have several subjects going live a few times a week. Make sure you are checking your Google Classroom and email daily.

---

Op-Ed by Sarah Harbison writing in The Center Square Louisiana

Did Louisiana’s government infringe on the rights of its citizens with its COVID-19 mandates, and if so, what can we do to better protect life and liberty in the future?

Last month, I dove deep into Louisiana’s current law and recent court decisions on emergency powers to get a better understanding of the inner workings of our state’s emergency declarations process. I also wanted to compare our approach to those of other states around the country.

Upon conducting this research and compiling a report on the findings, I discovered Louisiana’s emergency powers lack the important checks and balances that exist throughout all other levels of government. Checks and balances are the bedrock of our American system, and they exist to ensure that no one branch of government wields too much power over its citizens.

In Louisiana, our current law places all the authority in emergency situations with the Office of the Governor. This means the governor, no matter which party is in office, is the lone decider of when and how long our state’s citizens must abide by emergency mandates. Do we really want one person deciding how long we have to keep our businesses closed, our kids out of the classroom, and our worship halls closed?

Even if your answer to this question is yes, this practice goes against a key protector of Louisianans’ rights and liberties – our system of checks and balances. It also runs contrary to what many other states do to ensure their executives’ powers are checked and citizens’ freedoms are safeguarded. States, such as Utah, Kansas, Alaska, Georgia and Connecticut, have established procedures that give lawmakers a say in the extension of emergency declarations.

Existing law only provides legislators with a nuclear option to end the emergency declaration. These proposed changes would bring the legislature to the table to discuss how a disaster declaration can be narrowly tailored. And contrary to popular belief, Louisiana can craft an emergency declaration that protects its most vulnerable citizens without shutting down businesses. Bill Lee, Tennessee’s governor, did just that.

Louisiana should follow these other states’ examples and allow legislative input on extending disaster declarations beyond the initial 30-day mandates. Thankfully, there is legislation on the table this session to do this, and if passed, we can add an important check to the process and avoid the one-size-fits-all approaches that have led us to where we are currently. House Bill 4 by Rep. Mark Wright has passed the full House and Senate Judiciary B Committee, and it is now on its way to the Senate floor.

If we put this practice in place, we can be more responsive to the needs of individual citizens in our local communities. Consider the fact that legislators hear from their constituents every day about the challenges they’re facing. This frequent engagement gives lawmakers a more accurate picture of the current needs on the ground in their districts. Legislators also have more pressure on them to be accountable to local residents. This is precisely why they deserve the right to weigh in on decisions that will directly impact these citizens’ lives, liberties, and livelihoods.

To those crying politics and accusing checks and balances advocates of trying to strip away power from our current governor, it’s important to remember that this is by no means a temporary fix. This is a much-needed, common-sense structural solution that will continue well past Governor Edwards’ time in office.

It’s past time for Louisiana to live up to the values enshrined in our nation’s founding. We must remember that our guaranteed constitutional rights don’t simply disappear when we’re in a crisis, and it’s up to all of us to ensure our freedoms and liberties are upheld. Adding checks and balances to our emergency declarations process is a critical step toward better protecting Louisianans’ rights.

Sarah Harbison is the general counsel of the Pelican Institute for Public Policy in New Orleans, Louisiana’s free-market public policy think tank.

---

Josh Manuel came to speak to the business math class at Riverdale Academy.  He is a CPA and currently works at City Bank in Natchitoches.  He has also spent time working in governmental finance.  

Manuel spoke to the class about the history of taxes and career opportunities. They had a lot of fun, and some of them even earned 2 dollar bills and hats by participating in the discussions.

---

We will be hosting basketball tryouts for all Junior High girls that are interested in playing basketball for the 2020-2021 season. Tryouts will be on Monday, October 12, 2020 from 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm. Please be on time.

Temperature scans will be done before tryouts. Students MUST have a face mask upon entering the gym, NO EXCEPTIONS.

Students are required to wear proper athletic shoes, gym shorts (no short shorts, and t-shirts to participate. Students should arrive fully dressed with the exception of basketball shoes which can be worn once entering the gym. Students must bring their own water/sports drink bottle and towel.

All paperwork and physicals MUST be turned in before you can try out.

If you have any questions, please contact Coach Shanita Grayson @ 318-932-5265.

---

Red River 4-H Junior Leaders and their families had a great time celebrating National 4-H week.  Our Junior Leader club is for any 4-H member in grades 7-12.  If you’d like to be a part of junior leaders, call the office 932-4342 to get more information.

Red River 4-hers love to serve!! Last month junior leaders and Riverdale 4-hers decorates pumpkins for nursing home residents. LaFrances Jones, a junior leader who works as a CNA, says that they really loved the pumpkins.

This month we made Geaux bags for local foster children. These are supplies for them to have the first night they are placed.

---

The “Fighting For the Fields” 5K run is Saturday in Bossier City.  The race is being staged to benefit the family of David and Ramel Fields.  David Fields is a member of the Louisiana National Guard and served Coushatta as Readiness NCO at the local armory.  He was injured when his bicycle was struck by a vehicle.  Fields is recovering from his injuries.  The 5K is being staged at Christ Fit Gym, 1040 Chinaberry Dr in Bossier City.  It begins at 8:00 am Saturday.

A beginning ceramics class, “Playing in the Mud,” will be offered through Northwestern State University’s Office of Electronic and Continuing Education starting Thursday, Oct. 15. The class will be offered on Thursday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. through Nov. 5 In Room 113 of the Fine Arts Annex.  The fee is $99 plus a $20 material fee paid directly to the instructor on the first night of class. Enrollment to the class is limited.

The Modern in Motion VIII dance concert has been rescheduled for Oct. 16-17 due to Hurricane Delta. Performance times are Friday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Oct.17 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on the Fleur de Lis Stage on the Downtown Riverbank in Natchitoches.  Modern in Motion VIII is presented by Northwestern State University Theatre and Dance and the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission.

---

The weather outlook for Friday predicts heavy rainfall as the result of Tropical Storm Delta, which may be a hurricane by the time it hits Louisiana.  In advance of the storm, both local high schools have moved their football games up one day.

Red River High will host the Many Tigers on Thursday night in Strother Stadium.  Kickoff is 7:00 pm.  Red River comes in 1-0 on the season after defeating Mansfield last Friday.

Riverdale Academy travels to Tallulah.  Their game will also be at 7:00 pm.  The Rebels record is 4-3 going into that game.

Journal Sports will provide live video streaming of both games Thursday night.  Both games will be live beginning about 6:45 Thursday.  Go to the Red River Parish Journal’s Facebook page and look for videos to view the games.

---

Gov. John Bel Edwards on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in advance of Hurricane Delta, which is forecast to make landfall in South Louisiana on Friday or Saturday.

“Hurricane Delta is an incredibly dangerous storm that will bring heavy winds, rain and life threatening flooding and storm surge to coastal Louisiana. Everyone in South Louisiana should pay close attention to the weather in the coming days and heed the advice and directions of their local officials. Now is the time to make preparations for Delta’s impacts,” Gov. Edwards said. “All of Louisiana’s coast is in the tracking cone, and we are well aware that impacts can be felt outside of the track.”

Gov. Edwards and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) are urging everyone to prepare for Tropical Storm Delta. The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) has remained activated since March due to the ongoing COVID-19 fight and multiple tropical threats, including the ongoing recovery for Hurricane Laura. Conference calls with local emergency management leaders have started to determine what potential state resources could be needed for response. Unified Command Group (UCG) meetings are being scheduled along with those local updates. 

---

Gov. John Bel Edwards announced last Friday his appointments to several Louisiana boards and commissions. Among them a local resident was named to the Red River Parish Port Commission.

The Red River Parish Port Commission was established to regulate the commerce and traffic within the port area, consisting of the entire parish of Red River.  Robbie D. Moseley of Coushatta has been appointed to the Red River Parish Port Commission. Moseley is retired and will serve in an at large position.

---

By Hayley Loe with pictures by Gracie Price

In the season opener this past Friday night, The Red River High School Bulldogs came away with a 35-14 victory over the Mansfield Wolverines. At the beginning of the game fans may have not been sure how it would turn out, but by the end the Bulldogs were playing with a strong defense and offense.

Touchdowns in Friday night’s game were scored by Stanley Maxie #4, Cameron Keith #3, and Zintayvious Smith #9; Ryder Hogan #36  kicked all extra points throughout the game. Along with these kicks  Ryder Hogan #36 made an amazing save of a snapped punt that went over his head. He somehow saved the ball and still managed to kick the punt down the field.

Next Friday, the RRHS Bulldogs will take on the Many Tigers at home at 7:00 pm. Fans who are unable to secure tickets should plan to  watch the games on the Red River Parish Journal Facebook page. Bulldog fans will not want to miss a play of this rivalry game.

Ticket Information:

Today is the last day to get tickets for the Bulldogs vs Many Thursday, October 8th, at Pat Strother Memorial Stadium at 7:00 pm.  Limited tickets (300) went on sale Tuesday.  The remainder will be on sale today from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm under the bus awning behind the Main Building.   Tickets will not be sold any other days or times.  $10 per ticket and must have exact amount.   We are only accepting cash or money order.   LHSAA cards can pick up their tickets at this time to guarantee admission.  Must have LHSAA card and valid picture id.  THERE WILL BE NO TICKET SALES AT THE GAME ON THURSDAY.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

---

By Molly Seales with photos by Ryan Prosperie

On Friday, October 2, the Tensas Chiefs came to town and beat the Riverdale Rebels 34-20.  The Rebels played hard and matched them hit for hit, but ultimately Tensas came out with the win.  The defense put up some solid stats, but unfortunately the Chiefs offense was on top of its game.  Jake Messenger was in beast mode with 9 solo tackles, 9 assists, (1 TFL,) 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 PBU’s.  Paul Messenger was right in there with him with 2 solo tackles, 10 assists (2 TFL,) and 1 PBU.  Parker Almond had 2 solo tackles, 4 assists, and a big interception.  Ty “Bones” Jones had 8 assists, (2 TFL.)  Ben Almond had 3 solo tackles, 2 assists, and 1 PBU.  Ryder Huddleston had a tackle and 4 assists.  Kaden Cason had 1 assist.  Denver Williams rounded out the defense with 2 solo tackles and 6 assists (2 TFL.)

Quarterback Witt Almond was 8/16 on the night in passing for 173 yards and 3 touchdowns.  He also had 2 carries for 9 yards.  Parker Almond had 4 receptions for 122 yards and 1 touchdown.  Jake Messenger had 4 receptions for 51 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Jake also had 7 carries for 31 yards. The Tensas coaching staff had obviously gotten the word that if Paul Messenger got the ball, he was going to carry it for some good yardage and they had him wrapped up all night.  Paul still had 14 carries for 23 yards.

The Rebels are back on the field preparing for this Thursday night’s game. They are watching film and regrouping to be ready to face their next opponent. The Rebels will travel to Tallulah Academy to take on the Trojans and take them down at their homecoming game. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. If you can’t go and cheer the Rebels on, you can watch or listen from home on Journal Sports.

The live video stream will be Facebook.com/RedRiverParishJournal/videos.  The stream will be up about 15 minutes before kickoff.  You may go to the same page to view prior games.

---

• 

• 

• 

• 

By Brad Dison

At about 4:30 p.m. on June 19, 1999, 51-year-old Edwin was enjoying his daily stroll along the highway near his home in Lovell, Maine.  It was a gorgeous walk under the shade of a variety of Oak and evergreen trees.  Although there was no sidewalk, Edwin felt safe as he walked along the gravel shoulder of the road.  Old stone fences stood just off of the west side of state highway 5.  An occasional break in the fences and trees offered Edwin gorgeous views of Maine’s countryside.         

41-year-old disabled former construction worker Bryan Smith and Bullet, his Rottweiler, were camping on nearby Kezar Lake.  In preparation for their camping trip, Bryan had filled his ice chest with steaks and cold drinks.  Twenty years earlier, Bryan had an accident at work which severely injured his back.  His chronic back pain was so intense that his mobility was limited, and he was only able to walk with a cane.  Much to his pleasure, his work-related injury did not hinder his driving ability.  While at the campsite, Bryan got a craving for something sweet.  When he realized he had not brought any snacks, he decided to go to the nearest store to get some Mars candy bars.  He loaded Bullet into his 1985 Dodge Caravan and headed to the store.  As they drove, Bryan heard a commotion coming from behind him.  He turned and saw Bullet trying to get to the steaks in the cooler.

Edwin was walking up a short hill against traffic when he saw Bryan’s Dodge veer toward him.  There was no time for Edwin or Bryan to react.  Bryan’s van struck Edwin on his right side.  The force of the impact threw Edwin about twelve feet into the air and into the ditch near a pile of rocks.  Bryan slammed on the brakes. 

Stunned and injured from the impact, Edwin looked up and saw the back of Bryan’s van.  He noticed the back of the van was dusty and dirty.  He carefully wiped blood out of his eyes.  He glanced around and saw Bryan sitting on a nearby rock with a cane across his lap.  When Bryan noticed that Edwin was conscious, he calmly, yet somewhat cheerily, reassured him that help was on the way.  Bryan then commiserated, “Ain’t the two of us just had the [expletive] of luck?”  Edwin gave no reply.  He looked at his body and noticed that it was “wrenched half a turn to the right.”  Bryan told him that his right leg was broken in “maybe six places.”  Edwin drifted in and out of consciousness while Bryan calmly waited for emergency services to arrive. 

Edwin regained consciousness when Emergency Medical Technicians cut the jeans from his lower body.  One of the bones in Edwin’s right leg was crushed into something resembling “many marbles in a sock.”  He suffered a fractured hip and pelvis, four broken ribs, a scalp laceration, and his spine was chipped in eight places.  EMTs strapped him onto a gurney and loaded him into an ambulance.  The EMT treating Edwin told the driver “You want to really hammer it.”  The ambulance sped off and traveled at speeds nearing 100 miles per hour toward the nearest hospital.  Once at the hospital, doctors quickly made the decision to fly Edwin to a larger hospital which was better equipped to render the aid that Edwin’s injuries required.  One of the EMTs asked Edwin if he had ever flown in a helicopter before.  Edwin tried to respond but suddenly struggled to breathe.  He was only able to whisper, “Feel like I’m drowning.”  Edwin’s lung had collapsed.  EMTs inserted a breathing tube and Edwin was able to breathe again.  Edwin remembered looking out at the bright summer sky and thinking “I am actually lying in death’s doorway.”

The EMTs’ quick response saved Edwin’s life.  Doctors performed several “marathon surgical procedures” and repaired his broken body.  Ten days after the accident, Edwin was finally able to get out of the hospital bed.  He was only able to sit up for short times before the pain to his hip and pelvis was too much to endure.  Edwin’s recovery was slow and painful.  Sometime during Edwin’s recovery, his wife bought Bryan’s van for $1,600 to keep Bryan from selling pieces of the van as souvenirs.

Police learned that Bryan had several driving offenses to his discredit.  He was convicted of two speeding violations in 1988, operating under the influence in 1989, failing to produce proof insurance in 1991, two more speeding violations in 1994, and driving to endanger and failing to stop for a police officer in connection with an incident in 1998.  On September 30, 1999, a grand jury charged Bryan with aggravated assault and driving to endanger.  If convicted, Bryan would face more than 10 years in prison.

Bryan was remorseful but claimed that he was being treated unfairly.  “To be honest with you,” he told reporters, “I am very deeply sorry.”  He argued that “I’m being used as a guinea pig.  I know I hit him.  I didn’t mean to.  Somebody can’t accept that.  Why can’t they accept that it was an accident?”  Edwin was angry that Bryan was able to keep his driving privileges for three months following the collision and argued for jail time for Bryan to keep him from driving as long as possible.  Bryan eventually pled guilty to driving to endanger and received a six-month suspended sentence.  As a condition of his plea agreement, he was banned from driving for a year.  Edwin, shocked by the lite sentence, referred to the plea agreement as “irresponsible public business.”  Edwin angrily criticized Bryan to reporters, “This guy…has the IQ of a tomato-soup can.  An empty tomato-soup can.”

In September of 2000, Bryan’s mother became concerned because none of the family had heard from Bryan in three days.  She went to Bryan’s trailer but was unable to get him to answer the door.  Bryan’s brother asked that a deputy from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Department check on Bryan.  A deputy peered through the windows and saw Bryan lying in his bed with the covers pulled up to his chest.  The deputy knocked on the window and shouted but Bryan would not respond.  The only sound from the trailer came from Bryan’s two Rottweilers, Bullet and Pistol, who barked at the deputy.  The deputy forced his way into Bryan’s trailer and an animal control officer took charge of Bullet and Pistol.  The deputy checked but found no pulse.  43-year-old Bryan was dead.  The deputy found seven different medications that Bryan had been taking for pain and depression.  There was no evidence to suspect foul play and they found no suicide note.  Three months later, the medical examiner revealed that, based on Bryan’s toxicology report, he had died of an accidental overdose of the strong painkiller Fentanyl.                           

According to his headstone, Bryan died on September 21, 2000, which was Edwin’s 53^rd birthday.  In addition, Bryan and Edwin shared the same middle name.  Edwin, the man whom Bryan hit with his van, was the middle name of horror fiction writer Stephen King.

Sources:

1. The Bangor Daily News, January 5, 2000, p.11.
2. The Province (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada), June 18, 2000, p.38.
3. The Observer (London, England), September 17, 2000, P.224.
4. The Bangor Daily News, September 25, 2000, p.1.
5. The Bangor Daily News, September 27, 2000, p.14.
6. The Bangor Daily News, October 30, 2000, p.3.
7. The Bangor Daily News, December 6, 2000, p.15.

8.  Find A Grave. “Bryan Edwin Smith.” Accessed September 27, 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5083094/bryan-edwin-smith.

---

The Class of 2020 for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame has a slightly different look as the run-up begins for the annual Induction Celebration Tuesday, Dec. 15 through Thursday, Dec. 17.

The 2020 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class will be celebrated with the usual three-day slate of events, with participation and sponsorship opportunities available through secure online transactions on the LaSportsHall.com website. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Ronnie Rantz (email RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com), the LSHOF Foundation CEO/President, at 225-802-6040 or his executive assistant Gracen McDonald (email GracenMcDonald@LaSportsHall.com) at 318-554-9020.

After recently being elected for the LSHOF Class of 2021, two championship coaches, former LSU track and field coach Pat Henry and retired Monroe-Richwood High School football coach Mackie Freeze, will be inducted in December as part of the 2020 class.

Eight-time world bodybuilding champion Ronnie Coleman, a Bastrop native and Grambling graduate, was elected for induction in 2020, but will go into the Hall next June 24-26 with the Class of 2021. This year’s traditional June induction was postponed to December due to the coronavirus pandemic, while at the same time, Coleman’s biggest annual event, the Mr. Olympia competition, shifted from its planned September timetable to conflict with the Hall’s dates in December.

Freeze and Henry step into a star-studded Class of 2020. It includes outdoorsman Phil Robertson, recognized internationally as the Duck Commander, and former LSU football coach Nick Saban, who won 75 percent of his games and the 2003 national championship in five seasons with the Tigers, along with Sweet Lou Dunbar of the Harlem Globetrotters and Pro Bowl football standout Chicago Bears cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman, a star at UL Lafayette.

The Class of 2020 also showcases two extraordinary basketball players: New Orleans native Kerry Kittles, a two-time All-America guard at Villanova who averaged 14 points in an eight-year NBA career, and Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball legend Angela Turner, a Bienville Parish native who helped the Techsters to four straight national championship game appearances including wins in 1981 and 1982.

Inducted as winners of the Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism will be LSU sports publicist Kent Lowe and Baton Rouge Advocate prep sportswriter Robin Fambrough.

Opelousas native Joan Cronan, one of college sports’ most influential administrators in her career as athletics director at the University of Tennessee, will be inducted as the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award winner.

Enshrined as the first recipient of the Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award will be Shreveport-based broadcaster Tim Brando, whose pride in his home state has been evident throughout his four decades among the best in his business around the country.

They will be honored in a series of events culminating with the annual Induction Dinner and Ceremonies presented by State Farm Agents of Louisiana on Thursday evening, Dec. 17, at the Natchitoches Events Center.

The 2020 Induction Celebration begins Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 15, with a nationally-televised (Cox Sports Television) afternoon press conference.

The press conference and a free public reception from 5-7 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum, located at 800 Front Street, are presented by La Capitol Federal Credit Union.

The Wednesday, Dec. 16 schedule begins around lunchtime with the LSHOF’s Celebrity Bowling Bash, presented by BOM Bank, pairing 2020 inductees and more sports celebrities, including past inductees, with patrons at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria.

Wednesday evening, the third annual Rockin’ River Fest presented by Rapides Regional Medical Center will feature bands and fireworks over Cane River Lake in historic downtown Natchitoches in a free concert. The 2020 induction class will be introduced just before the fireworks show. The Taste of Tailgating Party, presented by Hancock Whitney Bank, will be held in Mama’s Oyster House and Blues Room on Front Street, overlooking the riverbank stage.

Thursday morning, Dec. 17, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Junior Training Camp, presented by the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, will be held on the Northwestern State campus with 300 youth participating at no charge. Hall of Fame inductees will be the featured instructors for drills in football and basketball while healthy living initiatives and other positive lifestyle messaging will be presented to boys and girls.

Social distancing and other preventive measures will be practiced throughout the celebration per local and state government policies.

---

By Royal Alexander

In our Constitutional scheme it is fundamentally not the role of unelected, life-tenured federal judges to legislate from the bench.  Rather, it is the role of the judge to precisely interpret and enforce the law as it is written.  To do anything else is an illegitimate exercise of the judicial power.

Making policy as a “Super Legislature” is a perversion of a judge’s duty to be an unbiased arbiter of the law and it violates our constitutional system of checks and balances and the critically important Separation of Powers.  Policymaking and lawmaking are exclusively the province of the elected branches.  The Legislative Branch is specifically charged with making law.  That’s its purpose in our constitutional scheme and our democratic process requires that any change to our law come from either an amendment to the Constitution or a revision of a statute, but not from the whim of a court.  

Judge Amy Coney Barret’s judicial philosophy and methodology of judging stem directly from the school of legal analysis advanced by the late Justice Antonin Scalia.  Like Justice Scalia, Judge Barrett is a strict constructionist, a textualist, and an originalist.  Together, these terms mean that she will interpret the law in the strictest, most straightforward manner possible based upon the text itself—the plain, precise, literal meaning of the words (textualism), and the original meaning of the words (originalism) at the time the Framers drafted the document.  Textualism is most often applied to the interpretation of statutes and Originalism is most often applied to interpretation of the Constitution. 

From a standpoint of constitutional interpretation, this view of judging is grounded in the belief that the plain meaning of the words in our Constitution represent timeless principles and transcend every generation.  What Judge Barrett firmly rejects is the view that the Constitution is a “living organism” that is “dynamic,” evolving, adapting and subject to change without being formally amended.  That’s the very definition of “judicial activism” and it poses a danger to our form of government. 

(Judicial activism is the reason for the 1973 Roe v. Wade abortion decision, which has no constitutional foundation in the 14^th Amendment or anywhere else and amounts to one of the most egregious examples of judicial activism and judicial policymaking in American history).

There is no question that competent judging requires a sharp legal mind.  However, I think it also requires something equally crucial, and rare: genuine humility.  The judge must never lose sight of the fact that he or she occupies the role of an umpire or referee and only serves a legitimate judicial function by striving to accurately interpret the law as it is written, never conjuring it up or concocting it; never substituting the judge’s personal experiences, policy preferences or cultural inclinations for those of elected lawmakers.  This intellectual discipline is grounded in humility.

I sense that humility in Judge Barrett.  Everything I have read, summaries of her past judicial opinions, including her dissents, as well as speeches she has made, all lead me to conclude that she not only possesses the correct judicial temperament, and a keen understanding of the proper judicial function, but, more importantly, a sincere humility in her role as a judge.

When our branches of government are not required to remain in their respective constitutional orbits, our form of government cannot work.  This need for restraint certainly includes the judicial branch and the federal courts.  Judge Barrett is sensitive to the need for, and reflective of, a modest, humble role for judges and the need for judicial restraint. 

Closely adhering to the dictates of our Constitution and the Separation of Powers is the only way “we the people” will remain in control of our government and the laws we live under, so that our government can truly be said to derive its “just powers” from the “consent of the governed.”

---

The 46th Annual Melrose Arts and Crafts Festival will open its gates on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-11. Exhibitors will display their wares beneath the gorgeous live oak trees of Melrose Plantation. Artists and crafters will showcase their original paintings, drawings, stained glass, gourmet foods, jewelry, clothing, photography, plants toys, woodworking, pottery and so much more.

The festival is sponsored by the Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches (APHN) and all proceeds go directly to the preservation and conservation of Melrose Plantation, a National Historic Landmark.

Masks will be required to be worn at all times on site.

This year, the event has been modified to ensure a safe experience for visitors, vendors, and workers. Hand sanitizing stations will be erected. All vendor booths will be spaced out and the number of people on site will be carefully monitored to ensure social-distancing guidelines are met.

Tours of the plantation home, the “Big House,” will be available, with guides. Tickets for tours of the Big House are $5 and will be available for purchase on the day. Self-guided tours of the grounds and viewing of all the historic buildings are free.

Festival Hours: Saturday, October 10th: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday, October 11th: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

To purchase tickets go online to http://www.melroseplantation.org/shop. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children ages 6-12, and children 5 and under are free!

• 

• 

---

First Baptist Church youth group hosted the 5^th Quarter after the football games played Friday night.  Players and cheer squad members from both Red River and Riverdale attended.  The event began with a great meal of fried fish, chicken, French fries, cake and all the trimmings.

The guest speaker was Mike McConathy, Men’s Basketball Coach at NSU.  He spoke to the young people about his forty years as a coach and some of the things he has observed that they could use in their lives.  McConathy said, “I enjoy what I do because of people like you.”

“What we do has consequences,” said McConathy.  An example he offered happened last year when he suspended three players for two games.  They had been in trouble off campus.  McConathy said, “They could not understand why I was doing it to them.  I told them it was not me, but it was because of the choices they had made.”

“We all have the choice of doing right or wrong.  It is sin that separates us from God,” he said.  Coach McConathy added, “When we make a mistake, we can be forgiven but we have to ask for forgiveness.”

Then McConathy suggested that young people can get in the habit of having a relationship with God.  He said, “You can get in the habit of spending some quiet time with Jesus.  You need that relationship to understand what He wants you to do.”  Speaking of that relationship, McConathy concluded his remarks, “God is still on the throne and he can take a bad situation and make it turn out good.  Develop your relationship with Jesus and be a servant.  Help others instead of holding your hand out.”

• 

• 

• 

---

By Molly Seales

On Thursday evening, October 1, the JV Claiborne Academy Rebels came to town to play the JV Riverdale Rebels.  It was a great game with helmets clashing almost the entire game.  The Riverdale Rebels came out with the 16-8 win.  Early in the first half, Kyle Guillory took the handoff from quarterback Ryder Huddleston and made a long run for the first touchdown of the game.  Right after the touchdown, Ryder was able to score on the 2- point conversion.  In the first half, Huddleston and Guillory were joined by Ashton Almond, who was wearing his Paw T’s  #81 in honor of his late grandfather and long-time Riverdale supporter Tremmell Almond,  for some valuable offensive yards.  Guillory also had a big interception that saved an almost certain touchdown by Claiborne.  Defense the first half was strong and was led by huge tackles from Hayden Hillman, Logan Gryder, Tanner Carlisle, Almond, and Huddleston.  Despite this defensive effort, Claiborne managed to score a touchdown and 2-point conversion to tie the game 8-8 at the half.

The RA Rebs came out looking strong in the second half as well.  On the offensive side, Ryder Huddleston scored a touchdown and followed it up with another 2-point conversion, making it 16-8 in favor of Riverdale.  Almond and Guillory again put up some important offensive yards for the Rebels.  The defense was outstanding in the second half as well.  Claiborne threated to score several times, but almost every time Claiborne had the football, the Riverdale defense took them down.  Ryder Huddleston had an interception, and Jaxon Gates, Gryder, Huddleston, Hillman, Almond, Guillory, and Carlisle had some hard tackles.  Ben Moseley, Caleb Dabbs, and Remington Dabbs also gave the Rebels some valuable minutes as well.

The Riverdale JV Rebels were able to hold on and win their first game of the season 16-8.  The JV Rebels will travel to Claiborne on October 12 for a re-match.  Go Rebs!

• 

• 

---

By Molly Seales

On Saturday, October 3, Riverdale Academy’s Pee Wee football team, which consists of 2^nd-6^th graders, travelled to Glenbrook School to take on the Franklin Academy Cougars.  It was a great spectator’s game, and after a hard fight, the Pee Wee Rebels brought home the 14-7 win.  The Cougars scored first, making the score 7-0, but the Rebels didn’t back down. Riverdale’s first touchdown came in the second quarter when quarterback Cannon Breedlove took the snap from Morgan Moseley and made a perfect handoff to Kaden McNeeley.  Kaden ran the ball in for a 13-yard touchdown.  After the touchdown the RA offense set back up and the line put up some great blocks so that Jackson Hillman could run the ball in for the extra point.  The game went into halftime with the score tied at 7-7.

In the 2^nd half a Franklin Cougar shook the defense and was off on a long run for what appeared to be a sure touchdown, but like a flash of lightning Kane Milner-Dortlon came out of nowhere to take him down to save the almost certain touchdown.  Shortly after that, McNeely broke up a long pass to help shut down the Cougars. With only minutes remaining in the 4^th quarter, the Rebels had the ball and set up on offense.  The offensive line came through again as Cannon Breedlove ran in a 21- yard touchdown on an outstanding quarterback keeper, making the score 13-7 in Riverdale’s favor, Jax Hearold was able to scramble in for the extra point, and the Cougars had one more possession.  Midway down the field, Franklin fumbled the ball and #7 Jackson Hillman jumped on it to recover the fumble, which was his second fumble recovery of the day, giving the Rebels the ball with around 1:30 left in the game.  The Rebels were able to take a knee and run out the clock, giving them the 14-7 victory. 

Assistant Coach Silas Guidry, who helps with the offense, told me that brothers Preston and Porter Eaves held the defense together and did what was needed to stop the Cougars.  Lane Mancil, Easton Cason, and Jase Johnson stepped up big and helped when they were needed.  I asked Coach Silas what he thought about the game and he said, “The strength of our team is each and every member.  The strength of every member is the team.  The boys played like champions and brought home the W.  Go Rebels!” 

Head Coach of the Pee Wee Rebels, Brandon “Jumbo” Hillman and Assistant Coach Cody Hillman were ecstatic for the team,  Coach Jumbo said, “We are proud of how hard the boys have been working, and it paid off for them Saturday.  This is the first time for most of the boys to play football, and they are learning quickly.  We want them to have fun and learn what it means to be part of a team.” The Pee Wee Rebels travel to Prairie View Academy in Bastrop next Saturday, October 10, to take on Claiborne Academy at 1:00 p.m.  They will be playing at home on Saturday, October 24, when they take on Riverfield at noon.  Come out and support our Pee Wee’s if you can, and stay to enjoy our 5^th annual Rebel Fest that evening.

• 

• 

---

---