Red River High Principal Norman Picou announced the newest member of RRHS, Dance Coach Kayla Smith.

“Ms. Smith has a strong background in dance, which will benefit not only our Blue Diamond dancers but also our students who want to take a dance class at RRJH and RRHS,” stated Mr. Picou.

While earning her degree from NSU, she was a member of the NSU Dance Company and the NSU Demon Dazzler Dance line. Prior to NSU, she was a Louisiana Rebel All-Star.

Smith also teaches Jazz, Modern Dance, Ballet, and Tap at Legacy Dance Studio and danced professionally as a semi-pro dancer for the Shreveport Mavs. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Smith previously taught English at Ridgewood Middle School in Shreveport.

In an effort to bolster the local healthcare industry, LSU Shreveport and Centenary announced a memorandum of understanding to build pathways for Centenary undergraduate students to enroll in LSUS’s Master of Public Health program.

The MPH program is a joint effort between LSUS and LSU Health Shreveport’s School of Allied Health Professions. Students take classes from both sets of faculty.

“I am very pleased that LSUS and Centenary will be partnering with the establishment of this pathway agreement,” said LSUS Chancellor Dr. Robert Smith. “This will facilitate Centenary students moving directly into a graduate degree program without the need to leave Shreveport.

“My hope is that this will also result in these students deciding to stay in Northwest Louisiana once they have graduated.”

The announced partnership formalizes a foundational relationship between the two institutions that included LSUS personnel frequently visiting Centenary’s classrooms to discuss the MPH program.
“Higher education needs partnerships to be at its most effective,” said Centenary President Dr. Christopher Holoman. “In an area that doesn’t have a lot of private schools, we’ve been working hard to build our dance partners in public institutions.

“We’re grateful to enter into this partnership, and we think it can be fruitful territory.”

The MPH program at LSUS prepares graduates for diverse roles in the public health field through immersive instruction and experiential learning tailored to a student’s interests.

The program includes a 150-hour practicum experience with entities such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center, the LSU AG Center, and many other community-based agencies.

“A lot of our graduates will work in nonprofit settings around healthcare, and others are in hospitals in areas like infection prevention,” said Dr. Matthew Kelley, the MPH program director at LSUS. “They design public health programs around certain issues or get into epidemiology where they track diseases and collect information that can inform public health decisions.

“Both institutions want to keep students in the area, and that will benefit preventative healthcare in our community as they become public health practitioners.”

Public health specifically focuses on preventative healthcare to contribute to overall positive health outcomes for the community.

“(The Master of Public Health) is a great dual degree to have, whether you’re a physician or another healthcare provider, to not only understand your clinical role but also the incredible need in our community for public health,” said Dr. Sharon Dunn, dean of the school of allied health professions at LSU Health Shreveport. “There are a lot of underserved residents in our community, and I think there’s a big impact the public health program can make to improve overall health in our community.”

Centenary has built a reputation of producing high-quality students in the sciences and the arts, which would translate well into the rigorous and competitive MPH program.

The memorandum of understanding can assist in identifying qualified Centenary undergraduate students who might be interested in LSUS’s MPH program and create a more direct path to be advised, to apply and to be enrolled upon completion of their undergraduate degree.

Course selection for Centenary students is one facet of the agreement that can help prepare students for entry into the MPH program.

Qualified Centenary undergraduates will receive priority admission into the LSUS MPH program.
“All statistics point to the healthcare profession having the greatest need over the next decade,” said Dr. Scott Chirhart, dean of the school of health sciences at Centenary. “Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the emphasis on public health communities is at an all-time high.

“Since public health touches every facet of life, we’re hoping this provides a pathway to impact not only today’s generation but future generations of Shreveport-Bossier.”

To learn more about the LSUS MPH program, visit the program’s website.

To learn more about Centenary’s academic offerings, visit the college’s website.

June is Men’s Health Month and CHRISTUS Health is encouraging men to prioritize their health by taking advantage of routine screenings and checkups.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13.2% of men 18 and older are in fair or poor health. Top health concerns among men include heat disease, stroke, diabetes, prostate cancer, depression, lung cancer, skin cancer, colon cancer and high blood pressure.

Dr. Edward Johnson, family medicine physician with CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic, said men should have regular health checkups at least once a year, regardless of age.

“So often we tend to think, ‘I’m healthy and feel fine.’ But proper preventive screenings can catch abnormal things early. This is why yearly screenings are very beneficial,” Johnson said. “It gives you a chance to talk to your physician about anything that may be going on, even if it seems small.”

The leading cause of death among men is heart disease, Johnson said.

“This can be due to smoking, unknown diabetes, unknown high cholesterol, high-risk family history and high blood pressure,” he said.

Heart disease symptoms can include:

• Chest discomfort (pain, tightness, pressure)
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or lightheadedness

“Heart disease can be preventable,” Johnson said. “This is why it is so important to see your doctor at least once a year.”

When it comes to health screenings, Johnson said the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines are widely used.

“Currently, men 18 to 39 should quit tobacco use, use UV protection against the sun’s harmful rays and have yearly lab work, which includes cholesterol, diabetes and blood counts,” he said.

Men 40 and over have the same recommendations as men 18 to 39, but with a twist, Johnson added.

“At 45, it is the dreaded colorectal cancer screening,” he said. “We have several options when it comes to having colorectal cancer screening, such as different stool studies and of course, colonoscopy.”

Johnson said low testosterone is another health concern. Symptoms can include tiredness, fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness and decreased libido.

“What I have found out is that in men between 30-65, obstructive sleep apnea is a major cause of these symptoms, rather than low testosterone,” he said. “Talk to your doctor about these symptoms and get a home sleep study.”

NATCHITOCHES – The 12 members of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024 brought worldwide acclaim to their home state – adopted or natural.

Fittingly, two of the newest Hall of Famers brought the world to Natchitoches.

Although New Orleans Saints Super Bowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees and former UFC champion Daniel Cormier joined the proceedings via video from Japan and Saudi Arabia, respectively, the stories of the 12 inductees started much closer to home – specifically within their homes.

“I had the greatest parents,” Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism honoree Bobby Ardoin said tears, “because they didn’t have to adopt me, and they did. They let me do just about anything I wanted. I wasn’t always a summer’s breeze, but they’re the reason I’m here today.”

That reasoning resonated throughout the eight competitive-ballot inductees and the four award winners who officially joined the state’s athletic shrine during the three-plus-hour ceremony at the Natchtioches Events Center.

The inductees’ praise did not stop at biological family members.

“I had some of the greatest parents in the world, and I have some of the greatest people in the world here tonight,” longtime Grambling baseball coach and the second Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award honoree Wilbert Ellis said. “I always wanted to give back. I always wanted to make a difference. That was my prayer. God gave me that prayer, and I’ve been all over the country doing it.”

The prayers of long-suffering New Orleans Saints fans officially were answered in January 2010 when Brees led the franchise to its lone Super Bowl title, but the seeds were laid four years earlier when he signed with the franchise.

“The Saints thought they had a quarterback,” said Brees’ teammate Steve Gleason. “They didn’t realize they hired Clark Kent.”

Brees and the city bonded over their respective recoveries – Brees from a shoulder injury and New Orleans from the effects of Hurricane Katrina – to build a relationship that became like family.

The record-setting quarterback from Texas who played collegiately at Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana, and his home city became inextricably linked – a bond that continues today.

“It’s funny how life works out,” Brees said in a video that was played during the ceremony. “I never had any exposure with New Orleans. I didn’t know much about it. To think of the sequence of events to where I could play for the Saints, I could not imagine a better place to play football or a better fan base to play in front of. There was a college atmosphere of the fans being so invested in the team. They’re a part of the fabric of the community, and you feel it quickly. The connection between our team and the Who Dat Nation is the example for professional teams across the world as for how a team can be that integrated in the community.”

Roughly an hour west on Interstate 10, the Baton Rouge community saw one of its most notable, successful products honored Saturday night.

LSU All-American Seimone Augustus spent her high school career at Capitol being feted as the nation’s No. 1 player. In an era where Tennessee and UConn “had a chokehold on the recruiting game,” according to Augustus, she made the decision to stay home and build something.

That something included the start of five straight Final Four runs for her hometown university and a sweep of the 2006 National Player of the Year honors.

“I was never a trend follower,” Augustus said. “I was a trendsetter. A lot of players as soon as they got a letter from Connecticut or Tennessee, they committed. I was like, ‘Don’t you want to take a visit?’ ‘Don’t you want to meet your teammates?’ I begged to differ. When I didn’t go to Tennessee or Connecticut, a lot of people thought I was crazy. Coach (Sue) Gunter, coach (Pokey) Chatman, coach (Bob) Starkey, they were sending me handwritten letters from when I was eight or nine years old.

“I went through every recruiting letter. Some were authentic. Some you could change my name for someone else’s, and it read the same. LSU’s authenticity and the fact it was in my backyard and the chance to build something that had not been build before (were factors). I could go somewhere else and be one of the greats, or I could be THE great. That was my thought process.”

Staying at home to build the program she grew up watching appealed to Augustus, whose initial impression on Starkey came in an athletic setting but not at an athletic event. It gave him insight into where the woman who now has a statue outside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center’s priorities laid.

“The very first time I saw her in person was Thanksgiving at the Riverside Centroplex (now the Raisin’ Cane’s River Center) and she was serving food to the less fortunate,” Starkey said. “Here’s the No. 1 high school player in the country, and she’s spending her Thanksgiving making others feel better.”

Those lessons began at home, forming both Augustus’ altruistic side and a work ethic that forced the LSU staff to adjust its practices.

“No one was going to outwork me,” Augustus said. “I learned that from watching my parents. Within my household, I was driven because I watched two people sacrifice so I could have. I wanted to work hard to give them something to be proud of.”

If anyone in the Class of 2024 could commiserate with Augustus regarding building a program, it is former Tulane men’s basketball coach Perry Clark.

When Clark arrived in Uptown in July 1988, the Green Wave program was in its infant stages of being resurrected following a self-imposed, four-year shutdown following a point-shaving scandal.

Within two seasons, Clark took Tulane from a resurrection point to the first – and still only – conference championship in program history.

“He had to restart a Division I men’s basketball program, and there was no blueprint for him to follow,” former Tulane sports information director Lenny Vangilder said. “From no program to two years later winning a conference title, it was truly remarkable and may never be done again in the history of college athletics.”

Clark did just that in his own way – focusing on what Tulane could have instead of what it didn’t.

“I knew we weren’t going to get the best offensive players,” he said. “We were able to build defensively. We had the best defensive player in the conference at each position. That first year, we upset Memphis State, who was ranked No. 4 because we were able to stop Elliott Perry. We had a top-20 win every year because we could lock in defensively and believe in what we were doing.”

Armed with a bench group nicknamed “The Posse” after Clark’s favorite NFL team – the then-Washington Redskins – and their dynamic receiving corps, the Green Wave had all three of its NCAA Tournament appearances in Clark’s 11 years at the place he called Camelot.

While Clark left his mark on Tulane, winning 185 games in those 11 seasons, it left just as much of an imprint on him.

“I’m very privileged to be in the state of Louisiana,” Clark said. “The people here have inspired me in my growth as a person, my growth as a coach. This is the most wonderful group of people in the country. You love with your heart. You give with dedication and care. We had to live up to your energy, your desires and the things you hold very, very special – loyalty and caring. If I ever get accused of being too loyal, I hope they find enough evidence to find me guilty.

“I kept asking how do I get in this Hall of Fame. I kept hearing, ‘It’s too hard. It’s too hard.’ I kept asking, ‘What do I have to do?’ This is extremely special to be called a Cajun. I’m happy to be here and happy to be recognized as a Cajun.”

There is no doubt Daniel Cormier is 100 percent Cajun.

The former wrestling standout who went 101-9 in his career at Lafayette’s Northside High School has carried the banner of his hometown and home state worldwide.

Unable to attend the ceremony because of a UFC broadcast assignment that took him to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Cormier extolled the virtues of Acadiana via video Saturday night.

“When you look at certain schools, you know what they have,” he said. “Northside did a great job of forming me – not just athletically. They helped me with my academics, which I struggled with initially. They taught me to be a better person. I had great coaches who made the biggest impacts on my life. Northside is the perfect high school for me. I can proudly say I was a Viking even now.”

Cormier, the first UFC fighter to simultaneously hold titles in two different weight classes, has become a mainstay on UFC broadcasts, something that did not shock those who knew him before his junior college career and his standout years at Oklahoma State.

“A lot of high school kids are on the shy side and don’t want to do interviews or answer questions,” said Acadiana Advocate writer Kevin Foote, a Lafayette sports journalism cornerstone. “Daniel Cormier was not like that.”

Instead, he showed early the type of attitude that carried him throughout a wrestling career that took him to the Olympics and into an MMA career that placed him smack in the middle of the rise of the sport’s popularity in the 2010s.

“It’s an honor to call him my friend,” said UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer. “He always comes in with a smile on his face and leaves with a positive attitude. He is a role model personified.”

Cormier’s absence was about the only thing that kept induction weekend from being a perfect moment for Olympic gold medalist Kevin Jackson, who spent the first three years of his college career at LSU before the school dropped the sport.

Undeterred, Jackson made his final season count, captaining Iowa State’s national championship team while producing an individual national runner-up season.

“We were really fortunate at Iowa State to have him transfer in after being an All-American at LSU,” Cyclones coach Jim Gibbons said. “We had an interesting group of younger wrestlers and a group of older wrestlers who had underachieved to that point. Kevin bridged the gap between those two groups, and they both had success.”

While Jackson did not collect an individual national championship, he made up for it in 1992, capturing Olympic gold in Barcelona. His medal winning performance came just hours before the closing ceremonies, which is where Jackson said he had his Olympic moment.

“The closing ceremonies are very different than the opening ceremonies,” Jackson said. “During the closing ceremonies, there are still events going on and some after. The opening ceremonies, you’re walking in the stadium in a suite and tie. At the closing ceremonies, you’re sitting in the stands with the other Olympians and athletes watching them still competing. What I noticed was a jumper leaping over a high bar and a javelin going through the air, and I thought, ‘This is it. This is the Olympic games of Jesse Owens, Jim Thorpe, Muhammad Ali and Mary Lou Retton, and I’m now a part of history,’ There was an overwhelming sense of achievement, and I’m having that same feeling right now.

Now an assistant coach at Michigan, Jackson had hoped to spend the weekend alongside Cormier, whom he coached during the latter’s Olympic appearances in 2004 and 2008.

“I love Daniel, and you could feel his energy and passion through the video,” Jackson said. “We are bonded in several ways. Part of this being special was going into it with Daniel. Unfortunately, he had to go overseas. Seeing him on screen and meeting everyone, it’s been a special weekend.”

Both Cormier and Jackson had remarkable winning percentages in individual sports, not different from jockey Ray Sibille, who grew up just north of Lafayette in Sunset.

When the sun finally faded on Sibille’s remarkable career that officially began on south Louisiana’s bush tracks – unofficially on the family farm – he had saddled more than 4,000 winners across the country, including a win in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup, adding to the legacy of Acadiana-bred jockeys.

“I remember them telling us, ‘You better come to school. You ain’t getting nowhere riding a horse,’” Ray’s brother Larry Sibille said. “He was going to be a jockey. Nothing was going to stop him.”

And little did – even when during a race between the Sibille brothers in their younger days ended with Ray’s horse running into a cow, leading to a restart of the race.

What started as a family affair led to Saturday night’s induction for Sibille as he followed his good friend, Eddie Delahoussaye, into the state’s shrine.

“We always had horses in the pasture,” Ray Sibille said. “My brothers, we’d catch them and race them. It was part of life that we did. We all loved it. I had two brothers that rode, Ronnie and Jimmy, who got killed. They both could be right here with me if it worked out for them like it did for me.”

Sibille found more kinship during his time in Natchitoches.

“The people I’ve met here – the athletes and the coaches – they were unbelievable,” he said. “On the way to Alexandria, I sat with coach Ellis and Frank Monica and Kerry Joseph, and we were sitting next to each other. Boy, we shared some war stories.”

Riding home winners and turning boys into young men marked Monica’s five-decade career in coaching.

The decorated Monica led a trio of south Louisiana schools – Riverside, Lutcher and St. Charles Catholic – to state football championships after a college baseball career at Nicholls where Monica was part of a national runner-up Colonels’ team.

Flip-flopping between high school and college coaching jobs, Monica stayed true to one constant – Louisiana.

“I had an opportunity to leave the state,” he said. “I decided to stay in the state. I made the right decision. I believe in Louisiana athletes and Louisiana football, especially in the River Parishes. If you don’t play football there, you don’t eat. It’s a good brand of football. They gamble on every ball game, so you better win.”

And win Monica did – not just on the field. His teachings left a lasting impression on his players, his staff and even opposing coaches.

Upon hearing coaches from Lutcher and East St. John praise Monica, host Victor Howell remarked on how impressive it was for Monica to draw praise from coaches of rival programs.

Monica quickly retorted, “That’s exactly how I wrote it.”

Said Wayne Stein, the coach who followed Monica at St. Charles Catholic: “The greatest influence on my career is Uncle Frankie. It wasn’t always easy. He’s an intense guy, but it’s something when you look back, you appreciate going through the struggles. All he ever wanted was for you to be your best.”

Kerry Joseph understands that.

The four-year starting quarterback at McNeese had his own version of Monica at home – two to be exact.

Following a recruiting visit to McNeese, Joseph had a visit scheduled for Northwestern State the next week. Joseph spoke with his father, who told him to go back in and accept the scholarship offer from head coach Bobby Keasler, a New Iberia native like Joseph.

“I listened to my dad, which is what happens when you get a lot of whippings,” Joseph said to a roomful of laughter. “It happens when your mom’s an educator and whips you also. It was the best decision I made.”

After a redshirt season in which Joseph contemplated leaving McNeese, he came in relief against Nicholls in Week 3 of his redshirt freshman season and led the Cowboys to a comeback victory. From Week 4 of that season until he left campus, Joseph never left the starting lineup.

The arm talent that wowed those who saw it – and frustrated at least one group of 12-year-old all-star baseball players – never left and helped McNeese reach the FCS semifinals and ascend to a No. 1 ranking during Joseph’s career.

As for those 12-year-olds, former Distinguished Service Award winner in Sports Journalism Glenn Quebedeaux had a front-row seat for it.

“I took that team to Iberia Parish to face them in a tournament,” he said. “When somebody strikes out 15 of your batters, you don’t forget it.”

While Joseph reminisced wistfully on his baseball career on stage, he took with him plenty of wisdom that had little to do with pumping mid-80s heaters past his overmatched peers.

“It’s amazing I had to come behind coach Ellis,” Joseph said. “It was a divine meeting to go in the class with these great athletes. We had a 50-minute ride to Alexandria and a 50-minute ride back, and you get to talk and soak in the wisdom with coach Frank Monica, Ray and coach Ellis. (Ellis) told me one thing, ‘Make sure you don’t forget the people who came to support you.’”

Virtually the entire town of Grambling seemed to be in the Natchitoches Events Center to honor Ellis, whose 43-year career at Grambling serves as a bridge between the Tigers’ present and its gilded past. While his current iteration has him traveling across the country as an NCAA Regional and Super Regional supervisor, his impact continues to be felt throughout Lincoln Parish.

“When you talk about impact, it’s bigger than baseball,” current GSU head coach Davin Pierre said. “He’s a man of honor and integrity. He’s iconic. You cherish those moments when you can be around him. With someone like him, you just sit down and listen to what he says and soak up all that knowledge. He’s been a great asset to me.”

Ellis is a spiritual man who often acknowledges God, and he did so Saturday night, reiterating a prayer request for him to stay involved in the game he loves once he stepped away from coaching.

“I asked God to keep me in the game of baseball, and He did,” Ellis said. “I met (longtime College World Series director) Dennis Poppe at an NCAA convention. We sat down and had breakfast. When we were done, he said, ‘You’re a member of my team.’ I thought, ‘I’m fixing to go across the country, promoting baseball.’”

While Ellis joined the machine that is the CWS in Omaha, Tom Burnett helped the Southland Conference forge a new path, a key reason the Louisiana Tech graduate was named the Dave Dixon Sports Leadership Award winner.

An “aimless” student at Louisiana Tech, Burnett had an aha moment when he met longtime Tech sports information director Keith Prince.

“It was a lightbulb moment, but instead of popping on, it exploded,” Burnett said. “Within 10 minutes, I knew this was what I wanted to do. Thirty minutes later, I just wanted to be Keith Prince when I grew up.”

Prince’s inability to financially keep Burnett in Ruston was a net positive for a trio of conferences.

Starting with the American South Conference, which later merged with the Sun Belt Conference, Burnett worked his way up to becoming the Southland Conference commissioner in 2003 at age 38. Pushing the envelope, Burnett helped the Southland build its brand through television exposure while balancing that with the needs of student-athletes.

“His genuine concern was for the student-athlete first and foremost,” former Northwestern State President Dr. Chris Maggio said. “Student-athlete welfare was the most important thing for Tom. The most vivid thing to me about Tom was watching his leadership during COVID. Tom was always cognizant of the health and well-being of our student-athletes and how we would test and still be able to have events.”

That personal touch came from Prince, who along with Craig Thompson and Wright Waters made up three of Burnett’s mentors – those who helped him become the first commissioner of a Football Championship Subdivision conference to chair the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee, which Burnett did in 2022, capping an eventful five-year run on the committee.

“Keith, more than anything, taught me how to treat people, to act around people, to be nice, cordial, work through problems,” Burnett said.

Ardoin, whose versatility and utility earned him the title of “renaissance journalist” from former DSA winner Lyn Rollins, had that in the form of his adoptive parents.

Whether it was covering a game or a city council meeting or teaching in and around his hometown of Opelousas, Ardoin brought a smile to those with whom he interacted.

“You laugh tat him because he’s a grumpy old man or you laugh with him because he has some off-the-wall story about some character he’s covered,” Foote said. “It’s a kick covering games with Bobby.”

The writer-turned-educator-turned-writer again also was able to flip the switch when it came to his students.

“My skills with a computer weren’t very good to start off with,” Ardoin said. “I had a lot of help with my students. They taught me how to use the computer, and to be honest, I stayed around the school system long enough for them to show me just about everything I needed to know about modern journalism. I started off on a typewriter. Some of you may not know what that is.”

What people know about Ardoin, according to Quebedeaux, is if you need the news in St. Landry Parish, you can count on and trust Ardoin.

Within the past decade, Ardoin found his biological parents and family, who also have a bit of journalism in their blood, scoring a victory for nature vs. nurture.

“That’s probably been the most surprising revelation in the past 10 years of my personal life,” Ardoin said. “I spent 73 years wondering who my biological family was and where this writing gene originated. Turns out, it was pretty strong.”

That gene was certainly strong in Ardoin’s fellow DSA winner Ron Higgins.

The son of LSU sports information director Ace Higgins, young Higgins began writing stories at 8 years old while tagging along to the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate in the summers with his father.

Ace Higgins died while Ron was 12 years old – less than two years before young Higgins had his first full byline in the Advocate. That family business spawned a career that included enshrinement in the Tennessee Sportswriters Hall of Fame and a cadre of awards – statewide and nationally.

Higgins’ aura extends well past the words he types in his hunt-and-peck style.

“He is one of the best-dressed writers in the Southeast,” said Teresa M. Walker of the Associated Press in Nashville. “His ability to take and look out for colleagues and other people in the media, bar none he’s at the very top.”

Following in his father’s footsteps was in Higgins’ blood – and in his memories.

“I dove headfirst into it,” he said. “In retrospect, I should have stepped back, but I really wanted to prove myself. I knew since I was 8 that I wanted to be a writer. I loved it. I remember him telling me, be fair with the way you write, be balanced with the way you right. If you write with an opinion, believe in that opinion. Be ethical in dealing with people. I’ve always tried to do that.”

Known for his writing and his second-act career as an extra in movies and television shows, Higgins also is known across the region for his “Mad Dog” nickname – one he bestowed upon himself as a teenager – and for serving as a mentor and sounding board for the next generation of sports journalists.

“Ace Higgins was so symbolic in Louisiana journalism that the LSWA still has an award named for him,” said former DSA winner Dan McDonald. “Ron has stepped forward an awful lot and done some amazing things in his career.”

Fighting back tears, Higgins thanked his wife and children for dealing with the schedule he kept, echoing sentiments heard throughout the night as the inductees handed out plaudits for those at home who did the same.

In the end from half a world away, Cormier summed up what his fellow inductees had to be feeling whether they were born in the Bayou State or simply honed their craft within its borders.

“Boy, it’s good to be a kid from Louisiana,” he said.

Week of June 23-29

First Methodist Church of Coushatta, is hosting Outback Rock VBS, June 24-26 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.  Meals provided each night.  Register here

Fairview Baptist Church VBS is scheduled for June 24 – 28 from 6:00-8:30pm. Ages 3 years through 6th grade. Register here

East Point Mt Zion Baptist Church will host Vacation Bible School from June 25th until 28th from 6-8pm. June 29 will be fun day from 11am-4pm. Open to all age groups from 1st grade to adults. To register online, click the link: https://pdf.ac/3iTN80 If you have any questions please contact Nicole Marston Eason. 

Week of July 7-13

VBS at Open Door Fellowship is scheduled Sunday, July 7 through Thursday, July 11. Hours are 5:30 to 8:00 pm daily. This year’s theme is The Great Jungle Journey. 

Week of July 28-August 3

First Baptist Church of Coushatta will host VBS July 28 – August 2. Supper begins at 5:20pm. Pick up is at 8pm. Students who have finished preschool (PK4) through 6th grade may attend. For more information or to register click here

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty

MILLER, TAMMY
48 B F 6/14/2024 6/17/2024
FAILURE TO APPEAR – PRETRIAL $1,000.00 (CONCURRENT)
FAILURE TO APPEAR – TRAFFIC TRIAL $1,000.00 (CONCURRENT)
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

HOWARD, AMBREA
28 B F 6/15/2024 6/17/2024
POSSESSION OF SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE $2,500.00 (CONCURRENT)
POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

FRAZIER, RANDY
32 B M 6/16/2024 6/18/2024
RESISTING AN OFFICER BY GIVING FALSE INFORMATION REGARDING IDENTITY $1,000.00 (CONCURRENT)
MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT $1,000.00 (CONCURRENT)
DRIVING UNDER SUSPENSION $1,000.00 (CONCURRENT)
SWITCHED LICENSE PLATE $1,000.00 (CONCURRENT)
THEFT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE $2,500.00 (CONCURRENT)
OUT OF PARISH FUGITIVE WARRANT – NATCHITOCHES PARISH (4 COUNTS)
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

STEWART, TASHA
40 W F 6/16/2024 6/17/2024
FAILURE TO APPEAR – CRIMINAL ARRAIGNMENT O.R. BOND
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

BAKER, ASHLEY
39 W F 6/19/2024 6/20/2024
FAILURE TO HONOR WRITTEN PROMISE TO APPEAR – TRAFFIC ARRAIGNMENT $673.00 OR 60 DAYS IN JAIL
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

VALENTINE, CHRISTOPHER
39 B M 6/20/2024 6/20/2024
FAILURE TO APPEAR – TRUANCY ARRAIGNMENT O.R. BOND
ARRESTING AGENCY: RED RIVER PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Pastors Lillie and Huey Roberson, of New Mary Magdalene Baptist Church, recently graduated from Elbert Marbury Sr. College of Biblical Theology in Houston with their doctoral degrees. New Mary Magdalene is located at 1133 Hwy 17. Drs. Roberson invite everyone to attend with them on Sundays at 7:50am for Sunday School and Service at 8:50am.

ACE is turning 100 and CBS Home Express is having an ACE Biggest Block Party Saturday, June 29 from 11am-2pm to celebrate! There will be grilling demos and lots of deals. Save the date now!

Man Church is now at a new location, Grand Bayou Resort Event Center. Join in on July 11 at 6pm to hear FBC Castor Youth Pastor “Skippy” David Mitchell. Burgers and chips will be served.

Fun Friday with 4-H STEM Challenge Camp from 8:30am-2pm for grades 3-7 on June 28. Must sign up by Tuesday to attend. 

Ervie G Bates
May 18, 1937 – June 19, 2024
Service: Monday, June 24, 2024 at 10am at Ringgold United Pentecostal Church – Ringgold

Apples Taylor Smith
January 7, 1967 – June 19, 2024
Homecoming Celebration Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 11am at Deliverance Temple Church – Coushatta
Repast at Red River Community Center – Coushatta

The Springville Cemetery in partnership with the Coushatta Chute Chapter of the Louisiana Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution is sponsoring the National Wreaths Across America Day program. On Saturday, December 14, 2024, Springville Cemetery will join more than two million volunteers and supporters who will gather to Remember, Honor and Teach at more than 4,225 participating locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad. Individuals and groups will have the opportunity to sponsor wreaths to be placed on veteran gravesites in the cemetery honoring Veterans who have served our country in helping to preserve our priceless gift of freedom. 

In 2007, Wreaths Across America was formed with the simple mission to Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom. Just one year later, over 300 locations held wreath-laying ceremonies in every state, Puerto Rico and 24 overseas cemeteries. Over 100,000 wreaths were placed on veterans’ graves. Over 60,000 volunteers participated. And that year, December 13, 2008 was unanimously voted by the United States Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day.”

The Veteran’s wreath is a balsam bouquet that symbolizes 10 special qualities Veteran’s embody. They include belief, love, strength, honesty, humility, ambition, optimism, concern, pride, hopes and dreams. The evergreen symbolizes longevity and endurance while the forest scent represents purity and simplicity. The wreath is shaped in a circular motion signifies eternity. Each is completed with a red bow to represent great sacrifice.

More information will be shared in upcoming editions on how to sponsor a wreath for your loved one or for a deserving Veteran buried in Springville Cemetery. To learn more about Wreaths Across America, go to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

Matt Vines

EAST POINT – To hear whistles blowing on the football field in the last few weeks of the school year is a rite of passage for most football programs.

Riverdale Academy joined that tradition this year with its first spring football practice sessions.
And for coach Nathan Edie and the Rebels staff, the first spring football practices couldn’t have come at a better time.

“It went well because we had a lot of younger kids at practice, and we got to teach them what we do offensively and give them an idea of the plays we run,” Edie said. “We took a three-week break after the spring sessions and just kicked off our summer workouts this week.

“The spring practices were critical because we got to reinforce what we do so we can really focus on conditioning in the summer.”

Conditioning will play an even larger role at Riverdale than with most teams as the Rebels currently have 11 varsity players to field an 8-man football team.

Edie added that certain veterans, like usual tight end Ashton Almond, will be playing new positions. Almond is expected to be the starting quarterback this coming season.

“You hope for some kids to step up in positions they thought they might never play,” Edie said. “We could also add some transfers this summer to help our numbers.

“Ashton was our best receiver last year, but we lost a great quarterback in Ryder Huddleston that’s going to be hard to fill. We lost some key guys, but we’re returning a solid offensive line and have two running backs that can really go.”

Huddleston and district MVP Kyle Guillory were two of the eight seniors that led Riverdale to a 9-2 record and a playoff appearance one season after advancing to the MAIS Championship Game as juniors in 2022.

While most teams in 8-man football spread the field, which will likely be what Riverdale does with its speed, developing a power running game behind that offensive line could be an important supplement.
“The team that beat us in the championship game two years ago, they lined up with two tight ends and ran it between the tackles,” Edie said. “We’ll spread the field to start with because of our speed, but if our offensive line continues to progress and we can show some form of a power running game, that’d be amazing.

“With just 11 players in practice, you can’t really run a scout team. So we really won’t get a good sense of what we have until we line up against somebody else.”

That line will be led by Logan Dryer and Ben Mosely with Almond and Tanner Carlisle as other returning veterans.

Seeing other opponents isn’t too far off as the MAIS starts earlier than the LHSAA.

Riverdale will play its jamboree on Aug. 10 before lining up for Week 0 on Aug. 16.

The countdown to competition is just seven weeks away.

June is Men’s Health Month. This annual observance encourages men and boys to be proactive in their health by implementing healthy living decisions.

This year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is focusing on improving health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) men through its theme Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections. This theme calls on each of us to better understand how the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances (known as social determinants of health, or “SDOH”) of racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN men impact their overall health.

On average, men in the United States die nearly 6 years earlier than women and are at higher risk for many serious diseases, including heart disease, lung cancer, and HIV. In addition, men experience unique health problems that don’t affect women, like prostate cancer. Negative impacts of SDOH factors, like economic stability and educational access and quality, can increase their risk for poor health outcomes.

OMH is committed to working with public health and community-based partners to Be the Source for Better Health by providing racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN men and boys quality, equitable, and respectful care and services that are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices, preferred languages, economic and environmental circumstances, and health literacy levels. When patients are provided with culturally and linguistically appropriate information, they are better able to create healthier outcomes for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Jerome “Jerry” Silberman was born in 1933. When Jerry was eight years old, his mother had a heart attack. When she was well enough to return from the hospital, her doctor escorted her and Jerry’s father back to their home. This was in the era when doctors made house calls. The doctor made sure Jerry’s mother was comfortable in bed and gave Jerry’s father a few instructions. Then, the doctor spoke to Jerry in another room. The doctor took Jerry by the arm, leaned over him, sternly looked him in the eye, and slowly said, “Don’t ever argue with your mother because you might kill her.” Eight-year-old Jerry stood there in silence as he tried to process what he had just been told. Then, the doctor continued, “try to make her laugh.” Those instructions changed Jerry’s life.

Jerry followed the doctor’s advice and his mother slowly recovered. When Jerry was eleven, he saw his sister, Corinne, perform in a dramatic recital in front of about 200 people. Before the show began, the people in the audience jabbered away loudly. Then, the lights went down, and a single spotlight shone on his sister. For twenty minutes, the crowd was absolutely silent. Jerry was entranced by his sister’s ability to make the crowd want to hear her every word. Jerry remembered thinking that that was, “about as close to being God as you could get as a human being.” After the recital, Jerry asked his sister’s acting coach to teach him. The teacher asked Jerry his age. When Jerry answered, “eleven,” the teacher responded, “If you still want to when your 13, come see me.” The day after he turned thirteen, Jerry began studying acting.

In high school and college, Jerry studied drama and theater and performed in several Shakespearean plays. His acting earned him a spot in the prestigious Actor’s Studio, a membership organization for professional actors in New York City. His plan was to become a serious actor, but life has a way of changing plans. Throughout his long career in the film industry, Jerry often remembered the words his mother’s doctor told him when he was eight years old; “Don’t ever argue with your mother because you might kill her. Try to make her laugh.” For more than forty years, he tried and succeeded in making us laugh.

As I said earlier, Jerry initially aspired to become a Shakespearean actor. Jerry said, “I didn’t think Jerry Silberman in MacBeth had the right ring to it.” Jerry decided he needed a stage name but was unable to find just the right one. One evening, Jerry went to his sister and brother-in-law’s apartment for dinner. Also joining them was a screenwriter named David Zelag Goodman. During dinner, Jerry explained his stage name dilemma. David saw this dilemma as a fun challenge. Over dinner, David went through the alphabet, beginning with A, and came up with a last name for each letter. David was nearing the end of the alphabet, but nothing seemed right. Then, he came to the letter W. When David said a name that began with W, Jerry said, “the bell went off. I wanted to be Wilder.” Thus, Jerry Silberman became Gene Wilder.

Sources:

1.      “Gene Wilder Interview (HARDtalk Extra 2005) – BBC News,” YouTube, September 6, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYGxF-VLL08&t=4s.

2.     “Gene Wilder: In His Own Words | a Docu-Mini Narrated by Gene Wilder,” Hats Off Entertainment, February 21, 2021,  YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoJMkIshGHY&t=170s.

Thursday afternoon’s introductory press conference for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024, presented by La Capitol Federal Credit Union, felt like a love letter to the state and its people.

The nine inductees on hand inside the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum recounted the relationships and people that ushered their careers and the pride they feel to represent the place where they left their marks on the athletic world.

“It’s stunning,” a sentiment shared by every inductee and voiced by Distinguished Service in Sports Journalism Award winner Ron Higgins. “It was an emotional day when I got the call from (Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Chairman) Doug Ireland. It was the anniversary of the day my dad died. He was the reason that I got into the business. I was helping him since I was seven years old. Looking over the shoulder of sport’s writers and how they wrote stories.”

The son of longtime sports information director Ace Higgins, the bug for writing and the “fun part of the unpredictability” of covering sports was cultivated at a young age. Similarly, it was the character traits instilled into New Iberia native and McNeese football great Kerry Joseph at a young age that propelled him to the Hall of Fame.

“My mom was an educator and taught me patience,” Joseph said. “My dad pushed me and my brothers to be competitive. We were never going to be outworked. He pushed us everyday to be the best and refuse to let the next man take our jobs.”

That patience and drive paid off for Jospeh after engineering a comeback win for the Cowboys early in his redshirt freshman season. He never looked back from earning the starting job, parlaying his success in Lake Charles into an equally as successful playing career in the NFL and the CFL and to his current role on the Chicago Bears’ coaching staff.

“My dad helped me build character and perseverance,” Joseph said. “I just kept working to be the best that I could be. Every time I was told I couldn’t do something, I wanted to prove them wrong. I’ve held on to the saying, ‘never say yes to can’t’. It’s propelled me to the man I am today.”

A multiple time WNBA champion and Olympic Gold winner, Seimone Augustus continued her Hall of Fame year of 2024 on Thursday. She enters the Louisiana Sports Hall following her Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction in April and prior to her October induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

“This is the best one,” she said. “Being honored by the people that I know and that I love and have watched me since I was knee high. This one means the most because it’s home.”

Augustus, much like Jospeh, got her drive, determination and refined her skill set thanks to her father. Helping her with the fundamentals, creating imaginary courts to hone her skills and teaching her how to deal with losses, something she did little of in her career.

He was part of the “village” of Baton Rouge that helped raise her and motivate her, either through cheers or boos, to build the mental fortitude that led to a statue outside LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

“The first time I saw my dad cry was when I made the 2008 Olympic Team in Beijing,” Augustus said. “That was the first goal I had as a basketball player — to be on the U.S. National Team. When I was a kid I told him I was going to be on that team one day. So when I got a chance to put the medal around his neck that was the moment we did what we said we were going to do.”

The fundamentals that helped define Augustus’ career are also what lay at the basis of coach Frank Monica’s philosophy and style for more than five decades years.

“I never got into coaching worried about awards,” Monica said. “I got into it to teach fundamentals and techniques. The game of football has changed a lot in my time but the values haven’t. Discipline is discipline and it all comes back to blocking and tackling. I try and teach these kids the importance of the little things. Make the little things matter and the big things will take care of themselves.”

That philosophy and work ethic has helped Monica to the most wins (284) by a head coach in River Parishes history and three state titles at three different schools. Monica also spent 12 years spent as an assistant at Tulane, where he credited the talent in the state and the emphasis put on recruiting local talent, that helped change the program.

That talent across the state that continues to produce some of the most elite athletes in the nation, were some of the same ones that left an impact on a Washington D.C. transplant in coach Perry Clark.

Clark helped resurrect a Green Wave program and took it to three NCAA Tournaments in four seasons and seven trips to the postseason in 11 seasons.

“This state has the most unique people,” Clark said. “If you love people in Louisiana, they will love you back. They will give you their heart and soul and that’s what makes them and this so special. Ron (Higgins) befriended me and helped me understand how important basketball was in this state.

“And I wouldn’t be here today if it were not for (1999 LA Sports Hall of Fame Inductee) Dale Brown. He helped raise the quality of the game in the state. Because of the culture and because of the people here, it made you raise your game to that next level.”

While Clark offered due credit to a coaching legend, the latest acclaimed coach to enter the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame had his own illustrious list of mentors and staples of the athletic community that impacted his career.

The recipient of this year’s Ambassador Award, coach Wilbert Ellis spent 30 years as the head coach of Grambling baseball and is recognized as one of the finest representatives of college baseball.

A trusted advisor for countless coaches and administrators, Ellis reflected on those that he learned from and now join in the state’s most elite sports group.

“Eddie Robinson would say don’t cry,” Ellis joked. “It’s pretty hard not to but I think I’m alright. I’ve been honored to go into a few of these but when you think about it being your own state its something to be proud of.

“I knew I wanted to be a coach from the time I was nine. I just wanted to form a group and see what we could do to win some games. My dad said you might win ball games, but can you win lives. And thankfully through the grace of God we’ve been able to do that.”

Ellis offered credit to Fredrick Hobdy and Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones, two more pillars of Grambling for being mentors and guides through his career and life.

Tom Burnett, the Dave Dixon Sport’s Leadership Award winner, equally reflected on the people in his life going back to his time at Louisiana Tech that led him to his role as commissioner of the Southland Conference and on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament committee.

“Louisiana is home to me,” Burnett said. “The Hall itself is special and even more so because of people like Jerry Pierce (2000 Distinguished Service Award Inductee). You think of people like Teddy Allen, Ro Brown and of course Dave Dixon, it’s truly an honor to be here. To be mentioned in the same breath as him, it’s overwhelming.”

It was Hall of Fame Louisiana Tech sports information director Keith Price that helped the “meandering student” into his path to commissioner, igniting a light bulb that exploded into a successful career. Craig Thompson introduced him to the sports world of New Orleans and Wright Waters, longtime Sun Belt commissioner, polished Burnett into a 20-year stint leading the Southland Conference.

Burnett’s connection to Pierce was one also felt by the other recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in Bobby Ardoin.

“I had a few choices for journalism school but when I visited Northwestern State and met Jerry Pierce, that’s where I wanted to go,” Ardoin said. “I met Rick Woodson about a year later or so and I knew that sport’s writing was what I wanted to do.”

Ardoin, a baseball player growing up, covered the gamut of sports while working at the Opelousas Daily World, including fellow 2024 inductee jockey Ray Sibille at nearby Evangeline Downs, all while teaching full time.

“I never started out wanting to be a teacher,” Ardoin said. “I was working on my masters and wanted to get married, so it was kind of a survival tactic. But it was great to be with the kids everyday.”

One of the many athletes Ardoin has written about in his illustrious career, Sibille and his more than 4,000 career wins and $68 million won across the country in 35 years of racing on horseback, enter the Hall of Fame at the exact right time, without need of a photo finish.

“The call came at the right time for me,” Sibille said. “I thought there might be a chance I would get in a few years ago but then my grandkids wouldn’t have been able to come, some of them wouldn’t have even been born yet either. So to have them here with me now and get to experience all this with me is special.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 17, 2024

SHREVEPORT – As an elementary teacher for eight years who completed her undergraduate teaching degree in face-to-face classes, Kendle Davis knows the power of communicating in person.

So the Baton Rouge-area resident had legitimate hesitations when considering pursuing a masters degree online at LSU Shreveport.

But come graduation this September, Davis will walk across the stage for the second time after earning her second master’s degree in 30 months from LSUS.

Davis finished her master’s in educational leadership this spring and is on pace to add a master’s in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in special education leadership by the end of July.

“The quality of education I received at LSUS was no different than in a face-to-face setting,” Davis said. “If I had questions about something or needed clarity on a topic, the professors were very good about talking through Zoom or making time outside of normal sessions.

“The expectations are still as high as classes held in a classroom. I was hesitant about going 100 percent online because I like to talk to people, but the professors made it feel like they were right there with you and not hundreds of miles away. They are really personable, and they really care.”

Davis, who worked as an educational compliance coordinator (Section 504 coordinator) for charter schools after leaving the classroom, just started a new job as a Montessori specialist in the East Baton Rouge Parish school system.

She said LSUS’s program structure in which students aren’t often required to be in front of a computer at a specific time allowed her to work her full-time job and raise her family while pursuing her master’s degrees.

“We would turn in assignments on Thursdays and Sundays, so I’d find time after work hours to dedicate to school,” Davis said. “That flexibility was very beneficial to me.”

Davis also benefitted from LSUS’s online accelerated format, which consists of seven-week terms instead of traditional semesters.

Juggling responsibilities is nothing new for Davis, who pursued an undergraduate degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge after having three children.

“As a young mom who had three children by age 21, I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time in their classes – I was like a volunteer classroom mom,” recalls Davis, whose children are now 20, 18, and 16. “Seeing how different teachers were making a difference for my kids and others is what led me to the education field.

“I had a really supportive husband, so I didn’t have to work while going to college (for my undergraduate degree). Without his support, none of this would be possible.”

When Davis started her master’s journey in 2022, she began working toward her special education degree before deciding to transition to educational leadership.

“I felt like I could cover more ground and had more opportunities with the educational leadership degree,” Davis said. “But once I finished that, I was close enough to the special education degree that I decided to just finish it.

“I think having both degrees will be essential because to be a good leader, you need to ensure equity and compliance for your special education population and support teachers in that way.”

Special education isn’t confined to certain teachers in certain classrooms – Davis said those principles are being used by every general education teacher as well.

“There are so many kids who are not identified as special education that need to be, but they go under the radar,” Davis said. “They are barely making the grades.

“So many kids need that support and that advocate. I want to support teachers to ensure that all learning styles are being considered, and that we have inclusion everywhere. When you support teachers, you support students.”

Completing the special education leadership master’s degree cemented Davis’s belief in a special education career path.

Ultimately, she wants to be a special education director of a district or a special education consultant who offers professional development.

BATON ROUGE—As the temperatures rise, so does the activity of our slithery neighbors. Between April and October, venomous snakes are notably more active, increasing the risk of snake bites, especially for our curious pets. Always supervise your pets during outdoor activities and keep them away from tall grasses or underbrush where snakes may hide.

What Should You Do If Your Pet is Bitten by a Snake?

• Act Fast: Seek veterinary care as soon as possible. Prompt treatment may prevent the most serious effects of a snake bite and help quicker healing.
• Avoid cutting the wound, sucking on it, or tying off the affected limb.
• If it’s safe, snap a picture of the snake for accurate identification, which can be crucial in treating your pet effectively. Do NOT attempt to capture the snake to bring it to the veterinarian.
• Keep your pet calm and quiet.
• Even if you believe the bite is from a non-venomous snake, you should still contact your veterinarian to see if your pet needs basic wound care and to confirm that the snake is non-venomous.

Signs Your Pet May Have Been Bitten

• Sudden yelp of pain, especially if your dog is playing in a potentially infested area.
• Rapid swelling on the legs or face
• Apparent, intense pain
• Fang/puncture marks
• Swelling and redness
• Oozing blood at puncture
• Drooling
• Rapid breathing
• Dilated pupils
• Pale gums
• Weakness
• Collapse
• Paralysis

Understanding Anti-Venom

Anti-venom plays a critical role by blocking the effects of certain snake venom. Administered in a timely manner, it can prevent further health deterioration, though it may not reverse damage already caused by the venom. However, not all snake bites require anti-venom; a veterinarian will carefully evaluate the situation to determine if it is indicated for your pet.

Remember, quick and efficient medical intervention is the best way to ensure your pet’s safety in case of a snake bite. Stay safe and keep a vigilant eye on your furry friends!

In case of after-hours emergency medical care for your pet, LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital on Skip Bertman Drive is available 24/7, 365 days a year. If you have pets or small exotics, call 225-578-9600; for horses and livestock, call 225-578-9500. For more information about the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, visit lsu.edu/vetmed.

Shared by LSU School of Veterinary Medicine

Nine Natchitoches high school students are learning to document buildings with drones, make 3D tours and collect and edit video histories this month while participating in 3D Digital Field School, presented by the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) and Northwestern State University’s Advance Remote and Geospatial Operations (ARGO)/Remote Systems Science and Technology (RSST) initiative.

Jason Church, chief of technical services for NCPTT, and JD Cox, NSU instructor, are teaching a two-week summer field school in the Jackson Square area of Natchitoches, where participants are gathering data on historic buildings like Asbury Methodist Church, the Morgan Hotel and other important structures. The area was once a populous Black neighborhood with churches, businesses, cafes, boxing clubs and juke joints.

“We are training local high school kids on how to digitally document historic buildings,” Church said. “We put out a call for students and selected students based on the answers to the essay questions that were in the registration form. They are getting on the job training. JD and I are teaching them the digital skill sets that they need as we go.” They are also earning $250 per week.

The group will present findings this Friday, June 21 during Lunchtime Lagniappe at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum. Visitors are invited to bring their lunch to eat during the presentation, which will take place from 12:15-12:45 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

The first week began with student learning to operate small drones. To get the students closer to the streetscape, Church and Cox had them walk the neighborhood as they collected data.

“There are a lot of historic structures in this neighborhood,” Church said. “We are trying to bring awareness to the history of this neighborhood had and how important it is.”

The Morgan Hotel at the corner of 6th Street and Rue Lafayette is one building of focus. Church said the building is well over 100 years old and was the only hotel in the city available to Black travelers, reportedly housing boxer Joe Louis and Black GIs traveling through Natchitoches in the World War II era.

Learning about the area has been eye-opening for the teens, a few of whom live in the area.

“I’m a history freak,” said Tanner Holden. “We went to Asbury and the Morgan Hotel and learned about the history of how things began and developed over time. It’s crazy that we’ve lived in Natchitoches our whole lives and never knew that the Morgan Hotel was there. I like the fact that we get to document and save pictures and get 3D images so we can see things from the past instead of it getting demolished and thrown out and not have any record of anything.”

“I want to more about the historic side of Natchitoches,” said Gabrielle Essex. “I know it’s the oldest city, but we don’t know the historic monuments here. We pass the Morgan Hotel, the train tracks every day and we don’t know the back story, so it’s interesting to get into those things and know Natchitoches as a whole.”

In addition to history, they are also interested in the technology that enables modeling of the historic structures.

During the second week of the school, the students are processing data in the AGRO/RSST lab in Kyser Hall at NSU. Church said they will build full 3D models with drone footage and interior/exterior buildings photos to create a virtual map of the neighborhood. Next year’s camp will expand on this year’s coverage to eventually encompass the entire neighborhood, which is bounded by Texas Street on the north, University Parkway on the south, the railroad tracks and the Hwy. 1 Bypass. Up next will be the Winnfield Funeral Home, a building where a sewing factory was housed and First Baptist Church-North Street.

The students will also collect oral histories from property owners and individuals who grew up in the neighborhood who remember it’s days from the mid-20th century onward.

NSU has offered a certificate program in Remote Systems Science and Technology (RSST) since 2021, incorporating drone skills into several disciplines, from earth science to new media and communication arts. The program provides students with a foundation in aerial, terrestrial and underwater remote systems applications, operations and regulations, with electives to support each student’s major field. Information on the program is available by contacting Cox at coxjd@nsula.edu.

The Digital Field School is supported by the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce, Optimum, Engage Credit Union, Natchitoches Parish School Board and Cane River National Heritage Area.

Louisiana Music Hall of Fame free entertainment. Some of the greatest sports stars Louisiana has ever produced. Beautiful fireworks, with a sports music bed.

It’s free, this evening, on the Natchitoches riverbank stage, in a cornerstone event of the 2024 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration.

The Rockin’ River Fest Concert, presented by Rapides Regional Medical Center, runs from 6 p.m. to 10:30. You are invited to join the party. At no charge!

At 9:15, members of the LSHOF Class of 2024 will be introduced on stage, and celebrated with 10-minute fireworks show set to sports-themed music over Cane River Lake. Then music resumes for another hour.

There will be food and beverage vendors on the riverfront. Front Street’s always fun watering holes/restaurants are just a few steps away.

It’s family friendly. A free interactive kid’s zone presented by Louisiana Propane Dealers under the Church Street Bridge will include basketball, football, golf, and science games for all ages to enjoy.

Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs have been a staple of the concert since it began in 2018, but now as Louisiana Music Hall of Fame members, the popular group gets to headline the musical card. The Moondogs have entertained across the south and are set for another July 3-4 gig on Orange Beach during the Independence Day festivities at the Gulf Coast’s unofficial capital.

Cranking up the party this evening at 6 will be Coteau Grove, an energetic and entertaining south Louisiana band with a wide range of sounds and its own Louisiana Music Hall of Fame recognition.

For a preview, visit the bands’ websites – TheMoondogs.com and CoteauGrove.com – and see and hear what’s going to be on the riverbank stage free of charge this evening in Natchitoches.

If you want to beat the summer heat and enjoy a tasty collection of Louisiana foods and specialty refreshments, there are just a few $100 tickets remaining to join the VIP Taste of Tailgating presented by Hancock Whitney. That party is headquartered inside Mama’s Oyster House, The Blues Room and Papa’s Bar and Grill at 608 Front Street.  To get set up, call LSHOF operations manager Ronnette Pellegrin at 318-332-8539 – none will be on sale this evening.

That party runs from 7-10 p.m. in the air-conditioned comfort of Mama’s Oyster House and Blues Room that will provide exclusive access to the 2024 Induction Class.

Saturday’s Round Table Lunch at Riverside Reserve also still has a handful of seats available – call Mrs. Pellegrin at 318-332-8539.

Saturday evening’s 2024 Induction Reception and Ceremony are already sold out. A crowd of nearly 800 patrons will attend the ceremony.

You can watch live coverage free beginning at 6 Saturday evening on the LPB.org website.

Last week, we covered some of the issues with anglers in our lakes and waterways. We talked about daily confrontations as guys compete for water space. Every angler, of course, wants an area of the lake for themselves. Twenty-five to thirty years ago, this might have been possible, but not in 2024! Since the Covid pandemic, it has been crazy how many people have taken to the outdoors, specifically the water, for fishing or just pleasure boating.

So, with so many people on our lakes and rivers, competition for water space is at an all-time high. Today, I will grab my whistle, put on my coach’s cap, and teach anyone willing to listen (boat captains and high school anglers) the unwritten rules of tournament bass fishing. Actually, these rules should apply to all anglers!

Rule #1: Don’t back your boat down the ramp if you’re not ready to launch. This is a major sore spot with anglers as so many times, some will block the ramp by loading all their gear, putting on the running light, loading their rods, removing the trailer bar, and unhooking all the trailer straps. Do all this before you get to the ramp! The same goes for pleasure boaters; do all your prepping away from the ramp. When you reach the ramp, you’re ready to drop the boat in the water and get out of the way.

Next, brush pile’ Rule #2: You don’t own a sunken brush pile. This might be the most controversial topic among tournament anglers and can be a major source of tension. But you must understand that even though YOU spent hours sinking brush piles all over the lake, you do not own them. Once anything is sunk on a public waterway, it is no longer YOUR personal fishing spot; it’s public. YOU DO NOT OWN THAT OR ANY OTHER BRUSH PILE! Anyone and everyone has just as much right to fish that brush pile as the person who put it there.

With all this being said, if I know that an angler in the tournament put out a particular brush top, I’ll honor him by not fishing it. Also, if I see a good friend fishing a particular brush pile, I’ll check it off my list of places to fish out of respect for him.

Here’s the thing about brush piles: most lakes have hundreds of brush piles all over the lake. All you have to do is use your electronics and go find them. This leads us to Rule #4: Go find your own fish! Don’t rely on another angler to find fish for you! Find them on your own! You’ll get greater satisfaction from fishing when you do it on your own.

Rule #4: Don’t cut another angler off! This is the most controversial unwritten rule there is and the one that has created the most verbal wars on the water. Nothing sets a bass fisherman off quicker than another angler cutting them off. If you see a boat going down a stretch of boat docks, grass lin,e or tree line, don’t run in on him and start fishing a few hundred feet in front of him. THIS IS A MAJOR NO NO! Give the angler his space and go at least 300 yards or more before dropping your trolling motor. Or start behind the angler and go away from him which is what he would prefer anyway.

Rule #5: Don’t run up on another boat and shut down on top of them. This is more of a problem on lakes that have a defined boat lane with little to no wiggle room. If another angler is fishing close to the boat lane, shut down at least 40 yards from them and idle by him a few yards before getting back on pad.

In some cases, anglers will motion you with a hand signal, waving you on to stay on pad and run by them. I personally would rather have someone just run by me on pad rather than shutting down and throwing a 2-foot wake on me. A running boat produces a smaller wake than one with a fast idle. But it’s always good to be courteous and let the other angler tell you what they want you to do.

Rule #6: Never drop waypoints with your GPS of another angler’s fishing spot. This one is a major issue with all tournament bass anglers. Just because you see one of the local favorites on a particular body of water fishing in a specific spot does not mean you should idle by him and drop a waypoint. I’ve seen anglers go out of their way to mark another angler’s location only to return and fish in the same spot. If you can’t find your own fish, don’t enter the tournament!

Rule #7: At no point should an angler have a pair of binoculars in their boat! This really makes an angler using them look pitiful. It shows you’re spending time sitting and watching other anglers catch fish while you’re waiting for them to leave so you can fish that spot. Don’t do this! Binoculars have no place in a bass boat!

The next two rules (#8 and #9) apply mainly to anglers fishing in a pro/am tournament. Rule #8: Don’t throw past the front of the boat. This is actually a written rule but also the most overlooked or ignored rule by co-anglers. Some co-anglers think they can cast anywhere they want, but that’s not the case. The co-angler should fish the water from the imaginary line from the middle of the boat to the back of the boat. My advice to co-angler. If you want to fish in front of the boat, then sign up as a boater/pro.

Rule #9: Make sure to help the boater/pro with gas on tournament day. Most guys will never ask for the money, so it’s up to you (co-angler) to offer. It’s pretty much understood that unless gas prices are high, $40 is a good offer. Some boaters/pros may not take it, but it’s a courteous gesture on your part to offer, especially if you covered a lot of water that day.

Finally, Rule #10: Your bass boat is not a rocket ship! You’re not impressing anyone on the lake by going fast. So SLOW DOWN and be courteous and respectful of all boaters. In the words of former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jimmy Johnson, speed kills! Now obviously, he was talking about football, but the same rule applies to going too fast in a bass boat.

Whether we think it or not, we (anglers) do not own any portion of the lake. Everyone is entitled to all areas of any public lake or river. So be respectful of all boaters using the lake. As hard as it can be, exercise patience and try to be nice.

The rules listed above have been passed down to me by previous generations of anglers during my many years of tournament experience. These are things that all bass fishermen need to be reminded of from time to time.

We all get frustrated, but today, lakes and waterways are overrun with boaters and it’s up to us to educate each other as to what is considered acceptable behavior on the water. If you know of anyone, like a boat captain, high school angler, or someone new to tournament bass fishing, please share this information with them. Till next time, good luck, good fishing, and when in doubt, set the hook!

Steve Graf

Hall Summit Hometown Festival & BBQ Cook-off is slated for June 29 beginning at 9am. The fun-filled day will include numerous vendors selling unique items and mouth watering BBQ to enjoy. The Casey Martin Band will entertain the crowd at 1pm.

Anderson’s Produce and Plant Farm will celebrate their 25th anniversary on Saturday, July 6. They will have a food truck, water slide and live music featuring The Willie Stewart Family and Friends Band. The stand will open at 8am with festivities starting at 10am. Take a chair and an appetite and enjoy the fun. 

A driver education course will be offered through Northwestern State University’s Office of Electronic and Continuing Education in July 8-11. The deadline to register is June 21. A mandatory parent meeting will be on June 25 at 6pm in South Hall on the NSU campus. This course will consist of 30 hours of classroom instruction and at least 8 hours of practice driving (behind-the-wheel instruction). Participants will receive a certificate verifying successful completion of the course. Proof of age must be supplied for those
taking the course. They must be 15 years old on or before April 2 to be eligible to enroll in this class. For more information or to register for NSU non-credit programs, go to checkout.nsula.edu or call (800) 376-2422 or (318) 357-6355. 

Carolyn Elizabeth Barnette Warren
December 4, 1938 – June 13, 2024
Service: Wake is Sunday June 23 from 2-4pm at Abundant Life Worship Center in Coushatta with Graveside service following at New Ebenezer Cemetery in Castor

On Friday, June 14, several members of Coushatta Chute Chapter DAR, VFW Post 7287, and other patriotic people gathered around the large American Flag on Hwy 71/84 to celebrate National Flag Day.

A framed certificate was presented to VFW commander Barry McCoy for the “Proper Use, Correct Display and Patriotic Presentation of the Flag of the United States of America.

Regent of Coushatta Chute Chapter DAR, Norma Lester’s grandchildren and grandson of Ret. Lt. Gen. Tom and Debbie Jones held the large flag off the ground as VFW members adjusted the recently added POW/MIA Flag below the American Flag. A short ceremony followed that included some flag protocol, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and the singing of “God Bless America.”

BATON ROUGE – The first phase of SUN Bucks benefits will be issued this week to approximately 300,000 children, ages 5-18, who received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the 2023-2024 school year. A one-time payment of $120 per eligible child will be loaded onto their household’s SNAP EBT card by Friday. (The CAFE portal may not display SUN Bucks benefit category until early next week.) SUN Bucks must be used within 122 days of the issuance date, or the benefits will expire and cannot be added back to the card.

“It takes time to stand up a new program like SUN Bucks, and I’m incredibly proud of our team for meeting the challenge. To issue the first round of benefits in just 45 days after sending our notice of intent to participate in this program is an extraordinary feat,” said DCFS Secretary David Matlock. “The eligibility requirements, the expungement window, even the benefit funding process – all of that is different from the Pandemic EBT program, and all of it required system changes for us and for our EBT vendor. It also required the hard work and collaboration of our federal and state partners, and we want to thank them for supporting us through this process.”

SUN Bucks is a USDA-funded program that provides grocery-buying benefits to low-income families for the summer months when children are not receiving breakfast and lunch at school.

Phase 2 to begin in late July for school-aged children on Medicaid, TANF, or approved for School Lunch Program. Phase 2 of Louisiana’s SUN Bucks program will include:

• School-aged children (ages 5-18) who received Medicaid (income-eligible), Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) or Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP) benefits during the 2023-2024 school year.
• Children who received free or reduced-price school meals in 2023-2024 because their family’s income met the requirements of the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program (NSLP/SBP). (Children who attended a Community Eligibility Provision school, where all students received free lunch regardless of household income, are not automatically eligible for SUN Bucks but may apply during Phase 3 if their household income is below 185% of the federal poverty level.)

Phase 2 children are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks benefits and will not need to apply. DCFS is working with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) as well as the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and the state’s NSLP-participating schools to gather eligibility information. DCFS will then issue new EBT cards, preloaded with SUN Bucks benefits, to these children beginning in late July. The Phase 2 cards will go out in waves by eligibility group (Medicaid, FITAP, KCSP, NSLP) over the course of a few weeks.

The Phase 3 application period for children not automatically certified as eligible in Phases 1 and 2 will open after Phase 2 cards have been issued.

Because SUN Bucks is a new program with different requirements, not all children who were eligible for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) will be eligible for SUN Bucks, and SUN Bucks benefits will not be issued on existing P-EBT cards.

Phase 1 recipients will receive SUN Bucks on their household’s existing SNAP EBT card. Lost SNAP EBT cards can be replaced by calling 1-888-997-1117, visiting www.LifeInCheckEBT.com, using the LifeInCheck EBT app, or utilizing CAFE. Households with recently closed cases must call 1-888-997-1117.

Phases 2 and 3 will receive SUN Bucks on a new EBT card that will be mailed to the address on file for the child with their Medicaid, FITAP or KCSP case, or with the child’s school. Families should make sure their child’s mailing address is up-to-date with their caseworker and school in order to avoid delays in receiving their cards.

SUN Bucks must be used within 122 days of the issuance date, or the benefits will expire and cannot be added back to the card.

Recipients may use SUN Bucks benefits to purchase SNAP-eligible food items at stores that accept EBT cards.

For more information about Louisiana SUN Bucks, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions, visit sunbucks.la.gov.

For information about other summer feeding programs, visit the USDA SUN Programs page at www.fns.usda.gov/summer. A map of summer feeding sites can be found at www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder. 

Source: Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Facebook page