Gloria Joy Moore
March 25, 1930 — June 14, 2025
Graveside services will be Monday, June 16, 2025 at 10:30am at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Hall Summit.

Nancy Winslett Nichols
November 3, 1947 — June 13, 2025
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 1pm at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Coushatta.

Due to the storms moving through the area, a large tree has fallen and is blocking traffic between Hwy 515 and Crossroads.

One pickup truck was hit by the falling tree, causing damage but no injuries to occupants.

Red River Parish Sheriff’s Deputies have arrived on scene.

Power lines were damaged and are down on the highway.

Avoid this area if at all possible. 

Updates will be shared as they become available. 

Due to the possibility of inclement weather, Red River High School shared on social media Wednesday that the graduation ceremony would be in the school’s gymnasium with live streaming and additional seating in the auditorium. 

Doors will open at 6pm and close at 6:30pm to allow graduates to march through the auditorium and gym to begin the ceremony. Once they are seated, doors will be reopened. 

Any person attending, regardless of age, must have a ticket to enter.

In an effort to conserve space and allow as many guests as possible, no gifts, balloons or baskets are allowed inside. 

If you are unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be live streamed on the Red River Parish School Board YouTube channel. Watch here.

Natchitoches- Northwestern State University announced the names of 539 students named to the President’s List for the Spring 2025 semester. Students on the President’s List must be enrolled full-time at Northwestern and have a grade point average of 4.0.

Campti – Kaytlynn Walsworth

Castor – Tessa Dalme, Maegan Gilcrease, Miracle Tomerlin

Coushatta – Madison Chamberlin, Trinity Hayes, Aiden Jones, Logan Smith, TaMya Tarry

Ringgold – Latarus Scott

Seven hundred fifty-six students were named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2025 semester. Students on the Dean’s List must be enrolled full time and earn a grade point average of between 3.5 and 3.99.

Campti – Emma Clemons, Alonna Henderson, Jordan Happock, Faith Matthews, Hunter Thomas

Castor – Madison Grigsby

Coushatta – Alexia Adams, Ethan Cole-Morgan, Johnny Cox, Adrian Davis, Tammra Eason, Zackrey Givens, Kyle Hargrove, Hayden Hillman, Sharelle Moore, Schelby Nailes, Jalen Wilson

Ringgold – Allie Hunt

Six hundred twenty-seven Northwestern State University students were named to the Honor List for the Spring 2025 semester. Students on the Honor List must be enrolled full-time at Northwestern and have a grade point average of between 3.0 and 3.49.

Campti – Kylie Donald, Cami Faircloth, Luke Greer, Jordan Kirts, Taron Lofton

Castor – Makenzie Hall, Kaylyn Long, Krista Young

Coushatta – Tyler Allen, Meagan Corley, Brett Danzy, Alexus Drakes, Emily Hodge, Abby Williams, Hayley Wood

Ringgold – Kaylee Cook, Rhonda Edmonds

For questions regarding the Honor Roll, contact the NSU Registrar’s Office at (318) 357- 6171 or email registrar@nsula.edu.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is notifying residents and motorists that traffic count devices are being temporarily installed on various local roads across the state. Data collection is currently underway in several parishes, including Caddo, Sabine, St. John, St. Martin and Red River.

These devices are used to collect valuable information on traffic volumes, vehicle types and roadway usage patterns. The data supports future decisions related to transportation planning, infrastructure improvements and maintenance priorities. While DOTD has conducted traffic monitoring for decades, some of the current locations have not been surveyed in more than 20 years.

The equipment is non-invasive and does not pose a risk to the public or vehicles. Typically, traffic counters appear as small electronic devices placed near street signs or along the right-of-way. DOTD asks the public not to tamper with or remove the devices to ensure accurate data collection.

This effort is part of DOTD’s annual traffic monitoring program, which feeds into the Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS). The collected data is used to calculate vehicle miles traveled, determine highway classifications, establish project design standards and evaluate levels of service across Louisiana’s road network.

DOTD thanks the public for its cooperation as the department continues working to enhance the safety, efficiency and reliability of the state’s transportation system.

First Methodist Church Coushatta will take kids on a “True North” adventure from June 23-26, from 5:30-8:00 p.m., for ages 4 years through 5th grade. Join FMC on the ultimate Alaskan adventure where northern lights glow over majestic mountains, racing rivers, and glistening glaciers. True North VBS shows kids that Jesus is a faithful friend we can always trust. He’s our True North! Dinner is provided each night.  Register online or in person.  

All area churches may share their VBS dates/info with RRPJ at the following email redriverparishjournal@gmail.com

On June 14, 1775, the U.S. Army was formed to provide for the common defense of 13 colonies at war for independence from English rule.

Known as the Continental Army, the individual colony militia, minutemen, and townsmen fighting for independence joined forces to create a fighting force that would eventually defeat the British under the command of Gen. George Washington. In 1784, the Continental Army evolved into the U.S. Army through congressional action. The U.S. Army has been defending the citizens of the United States since its first day.

Famous Facts about the Army:
The regular Army’s oldest unit is Headquarters & Headquarters Battery, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, organized January 6, 1776, and commanded by then-Capt. Alexander Hamilton.

In 1950, the “Beetle Bailey” comic strip introduced America to the life of an Army recruit. Over 200 million daily readers learned the iconography and vocabulary of the military via the exploits of Bailey for 68 years.
The Army Signal Corps established the first weather service in 1861. It later pioneered the use of radar systems for meteorological applications.

During the Civil War, Jonathan Letterman, medical director of the Army of the Potomac, developed the first ambulance evacuation system and the first triage system. Army doctors confirmed that mosquitoes transmitted diseases such as yellow fever.  The Army Medical Corps developed procedures to use helicopters for evacuating wounded soldiers.

Inventions:
The Jeep
Ray-Ban sunglasses
Bug Spray
EpiPens
Electric Razors
Pringles

“True courage is being afraid, and going ahead and doing your job anyhow.” Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.

LifeShare Blood Center is urging the community to make blood donation part of their summer plans, as demand for blood products historically increases heading into the July 4th holiday.

According to a Pew Research Center analysis, July 4th and 5th are the two busiest days of the year for U.S.
hospital emergency rooms, with nearly 10,000 more patients than an average two-day span. Much of this spike is due to fireworks-related injuries, which frequently require significant blood support. Research from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that about one-third of fireworks-related injuries are burns.

“Burn patients use lots of blood products over long periods of time, especially red blood cells and plasma, due to the loss of red cells and clotting factors with these types of wounds,” said Dr. Tim Peterson, Medical Director for LifeShare. “Plasma and red blood cells are needed to maintain an adequate oxygen supply by the patient as they recover.”

Blood donations are especially critical during the summer months, when donor turnout typically drops.
Compounding this issue is the short shelf life of blood products—red blood cells expire after 42 days and
platelets expire after only 5 to 7 days.

“We rely on each donation, each day, to meet the needs of our local patients and hospitals,” said Mandi
Johnson, Director of Community Engagement. “Unlike most medical treatments, blood cannot be manufactured or stockpiled.”

To meet this need, LifeShare is hosting its Summer Lifesaver campaign, June 25–28. All donors during the
event will receive a limited-edition t-shirt and an exclusive Summer Lifesaver insulated tumbler, along with other gifts and prizes. LifeShare is also offering free activities for children so families can donate with ease.

Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are always welcome. Donors can schedule an appointment at
http://www.lifeshare.org/give or call 800-256-5433 for more information. Complete promotional details can be found at http://www.lifeshare.org/summer.

They say age is just a number and that’s probably true. When we were young in our 20s and 30s, we grew up thinking that people in their 50s, 60s and 70s were old. Then the closer I got to each of these demographic age groups, they didn’t seem so old anymore. But when anglers you’re competing against start addressing you with the word “sir” included, that’s when it’s time to recognize the date of birth on your driver’s license. 

In the tournament bass fishing world, anyone over 50 is considered old. For years I never even thought about my age, but for some unforeseen reason turning 64 this year has hit me a little harder than other birthdays. This year for the first time, I’ve noticed I need stronger reading glasses, my balance is a little off and it requires a lot more effort to get up from my boat seat.

Younger anglers are now asking me if I need help launching my boat. When this first started taking place towards the end of last season, I was caught off guard and kind of offended. I mean, does it look like I need help? I thought maybe I need someone to video me launching my boat so I can see firsthand if I look old and unsure of myself. 

I have noticed this year that it does take more effort for me to climb onto the back of my truck, step down onto my boat trailer, unhook the boat strap, climb over into the boat and back the boat off the trailer. I used to hop around with ease like a jungle monkey going from tree to tree. But not anymore, as the muscles in my body don’t respond with the strength and quickness I once possessed. 

Even getting around in the boat is more of a challenge! I used to jump from the front deck to the back deck in single bond like Superman leaping over tall buildings. Today, it’s basically a Texas two-step with one more step added to get from the front deck to the back deck, with a high possibility that we might hang a toe and fall flat on our face. 

Another area that’s becoming a difficult challenge is running the trolling motor especially in rough water. At one time in my younger days, I had the balance of a cat walking on the top bar of a chain-link fence. But today, I need the pedestal butt seat in position up front so I can have something to lean on in order to stabilize myself. 

Currently, I feel like I’m only a couple of years away from needing a walker to navigate around my boat! While I haven’t fallen into the lake in years, I know that day is coming again really soon, and it will all be due to my inability to control the trolling motor, especially when it’s on high. This is why I always keep a complete change of clothes in the boat, just in case I decide to take an unexpected swim. 

Just like any other sport, there comes a time when you start to wonder if your time as a tournament angler is up. Is it time to load the boat for the last time and drive away? Tournament bass fishing has and will always be a young man’s sport. The energy, time and commitment required to compete at a high level is designed for younger anglers. 

But I still have that burning desire to compete! While I don’t practice 8 to 10 hours a day for an event like I used to, technology like forward-facing sonar has allowed me to be more efficient when scouting, saving a lot of wasted time searching for bass. 

While I know my days of possibly winning an event are slim, now I’m trying to be reasonable with my expectations and hoping for top 10 finishes. This younger generation anglers coming up are really good, especially when it comes to using their electronics. 

I guess that now I’m the old guy on the tournament trail, maybe I’ve earned the right to allow these younger anglers to help an old man in need! I might accept a little assistance when I’m trying to load or unload my boat. But I hope they don’t take my need for help as a weakness as a competitor … because I’ll still kick their butts every chance I get! 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

The 2025 Regular Legislative Session adjourned today after adopting a balanced budget prioritizing significant infrastructure projects statewide ($709M), teacher pay increases ($199M), high-dose tutoring for students ($30M), deferred maintenance for higher education ($25M) and economic development initiatives ($275M) to bring additional jobs and revenue to the state.

Focusing heavily on reforming the insurance industry in the state with a particular emphasis on excessive automobile rates, lawmakers were also able to pass a package of insurance reform bills including but not limited to:

·         Allowing the Insurance Commissioner to declare auto insurance rates excessive (Act 11)

·         Banning drivers who are more than 51% at fault from collecting damages (Act 15)

·         Limiting recovery of damages for uninsured drivers (Act 16)

·         Preventing undocumented citizens from collecting damages after an accident (Act 17)

·         Requiring proof from those who sue that injuries occurred during the accident (Act 18)

·         Providing a 5% discount on insurance for commercial vehicles with dash cams (Act 19) 

Additionally, House and Senate members adopted a number of bills authorizing tax exemptions/credits for fortified roofs, amending state ethics and campaign finance laws, and reorganizing several state agencies to improve efficiency and accountability (Dept. of Transportation, Department of Natural Resources, Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, Dept. of Children and Family Services, Workforce Commission and Louisiana Economic Development).

In an effort to bolster energy production for the state and the nation, legislators reduced the severance tax on oil from 12.5% to 6.5% and seriously addressed decades of unanswered questions around legacy lawsuits making it more predictable for industry to do business in Louisiana. 

“This is a culmination of a lot of hard work by our chairs and our members,” said Speaker of the House Phillip DeVillier.  “Many of them have been working throughout the year to identify issues and priorities that can improve our state’s quality of life.  They did their homework.  They passed important legislation that will produce change in the years to come.  This has been time well spent,” said DeVillier. 

“The work of the Senate and the legislature as a whole this session has been to stack together a budget and laws that advance the state’s priorities,” said Senate President Cameron Henry. “Tackling complex issues like insurance reform, economic development advancement and workforce development takes commitment.  Lawmakers passed some important bills and I look forward to seeing those priorities take off and flourish.” 

For additional information on legislation passed during the 2025 Regular Session, the public can log onto www.legis.la.gov to search for bills and watch live streams of committee room and floor debate.  Additionally the legislative mobile phone app, LALEGE, can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play.  

National Flag Day honors Old Glory and commemorates the adoption of the United States flag on June 14, 1777. The holiday is a day that Americans show respect for the U.S. Flag and what it represents.

Representing independence and unity, the Star-Spangled Banner has become a powerful symbol of Americanism and the flag is flown proudly.

While Betsy Ross has been given credit for stitching together the first American flag, there isn’t any sound evidence supporting the story. At the same time, there isn’t any to disprove it, either. Part of the conflict is there were several designs in consideration at the same time. There were many flag makers and more than one claim to the first. During Ross’s Revolutionary time, several standards were carried bearing red and white stripes and varying symbols where the blue field and stars now reside.

Another who laid claim to the first design was Francis Hopkinson. His request for compensation for his design was denied because others contributed to the design final design.

Since 1777, the design of the flag has been officially modified 26 times.

For 47 years, the 48-star flag was in effect. In 1959, the 49-star version became official on July 4. President Eisenhower ordered the 50-star flag on August 21, 1959.

Seventeen-year-old Robert G. Heft of Ohio designed the 50-star American flag. His was one of the more than 1,500 designs that were submitted to President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation deeming June 14 as Flag Day.

President Wilson stated, “It is the anniversary of the day upon which the flag of the United States was adopted by the Congress as the emblem of the Union.”

He also wrote, “On that day rededicate ourselves to the nation, ‘one and inseparable’ from which every thought that is not worthy of our fathers’ first vows in independence, liberty, and right shall be excluded and in which we shall stand with united hearts.”

Many people have died protecting our country. On National Flag Day, raise the flag and fly it proudly.

Source: nationaldaycalendar.com

On the afternoon of June 4, 1987, 22-year-old Marquisa Kellogg was working at the Grand Slam Restaurant, a once-popular eatery in the Madisonville neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. She had served cheese coneys to two men in their early 20s whom she considered friends. She said she knew them “from the neighborhood.” Marquisa and the two customers exchanged pleasantries. There was no reason for Marquisa to suspect that this day would be any different than any other workday at the restaurant, but according to newspaper accounts from 1987, it all went wrong when the two men walked up to the cash register. The men had a brazen plan to rob Marquisa’s cash register. When they approached Marquisa, one of the men pulled a weapon. Marquisa took one look at the robber’s weapon and fled from her post at the open cash register. When she regained her composure and returned to the cash register, she found that it was short by $25 and called the police.

Police arrived at the restaurant, spoke with Marquisa, and began interviewing other customers. Police struggled to find witnesses to the crime. Upon hearing Marquisa scream, customers turned toward the cash register and saw her run away, but no one actually saw either of the men take money from the cash register. Was this part of the plan? Did the robbers intentionally steer the other customers’ attention onto the fleeing cashier and away from the cash register to enable them to quickly snatch some money? Was this their grand slam?

Marquisa later said the police failed to take the robbery seriously. You see, rather than using a weapon that most people would normally expect a robber to use, such as a gun or knife, this robber used a much smaller weapon which was only about an inch-and-a-half long. The weapon that the robber used to frighten Marquisa away from her cash register long enough to take money from it was a harmless six-legged winged insect called a Cicada.

In an interview in 2021, Marquisa said the robbery at the Grand Slam Restaurant which received national news coverage had been blown out of proportion. She said it had all been a prank gone wrong, but her register was still short $25. Police made no arrests in this case.

Sources:

1. Wilmington News-Journal, June 5, 1987, p.1.

2. News Journal, June 6, 1987, p.12.

3. The Cincinnati Enquirer, June 19, 2021, p.A5.

Bethel Baptist Church is hosting a Bake Sale Fundraiser for Centrifuge Saturday, June 14 from 9-until at Rivertown Market. All proceeds will go toward helping the youth group attend Centrifuge camp. 

Women of Courage Red River has raffle tickets for a chance to win a beautiful door wreath, a cute bag or other smaller prizes. Ticket donations are $10. 

Fans of College Game Day mark your calendars, Lee Corso’s final show will be in Columbus–back where his headgear tradition began in 1996. His final show will take place on Saturday, August 30 when Texas takes on Ohio State.

Castor High FBLA is holding a Bake Sale Fundraiser Saturday, June 14 from 8:30am until sold out at the General Store in Castor. All proceeds benefit students attending FBLA Nationals in Anaheim, California.

The Louisiana Folklife Center at Northwestern State University will present the program “Fiddlin’ with the Finest! A Celebration of Louisiana Folk Fiddling” Saturday June 14 at 11 a.m. at the Many Depot Museum at 750 Highway 171 Bypass in Many. The event is free and open to the public. Three past Louisiana State Fiddle Champions, Clancey Stewart, Joe Suchanek, and Ron Yule, will discuss the importance of the folk fiddling tradition with Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the Louisiana Folklife Center and professor of English at NSU. Live music performed throughout the program will include various regional fiddle styles accompanied by demonstrations of fiddle stick playing and twin fiddling. A Q&A session on participating in fiddle competitions will follow. Fiddlers of all skill levels are invited to bring their instruments for a jam session with the invited musicians. For more information, call the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332, email folklife@nsula.edu, or go to nsula.edu/folklife. 

Red River Junior High will host the 8th Grade Awards Ceremony June 18 at 8am in the school’s gym. Join in the celebration and recognition of the outstanding achievement of the 8th grade students. Attendees are asked to park in front of the gym.

Jimmy Sloan Williams Sr.
May 31, 1941 – June 11, 2025
Funeral services will be held  Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 2pm at Creston Baptist Church in Creston.

Larry L. Kennedy
June 2, 1942 – June 11, 2025
Funeral services will be held Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 3pm at Springhill Baptist Church in Ringgold.

Sharon Robertson
December 3, 1962 — June 12, 2025
Funeral services will be held Monday, June 16, 2025 at 11am – 12:00 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches.

Hall Summit residents reported a loud explosion sound, and now the roar of a gas well rig around 8:30 Thursday night.  There has been confirmation that residents on Swint Road, Stewart Road, and Courtney Road are being evacuated.  These residents are being given overnight accommodations.  The company has made no official statement as to the source of the explosion.  

This is a developing story, stay with Red River Parish Journal as we gather more information.

Red River Head Start will host its 2nd Annual Art Gallery Thursday, June 12 from 6-7pm in the Red River Elementary School gym.

The gallery will include student artwork and sculpture showcase.

Family and friends are invited to attend.

Refreshments will be served.

Matt Vines

Summertime activities are in full swing in Red River Parish, and that means summer leagues and summer fun.

Riverdale Academy hosted a successful baseball alumni game in which program alumni faced off against the current team.

Photographer Troy Bell captured the action, which can be viewed on the Riverdale Academy Club Facebook page.

Summer games have started among the high school teams as Red River softball started its summer league. The Lady Bulldogs topped Dodson in three games so far (9-1, 12-0 and 9-4) and tied Saline, 2-2.
Red River was scheduled to face Natchitoches Central on Tuesday evening.

The Riverdale cheerleading squad is participating in a cheerleading camp at Northwestern State this week. Nine cheerleaders and a mascot are soaking up the new cheers and stunts.

The Red River football team participated in 7v7 tournament at Centenary College. The Bulldogs posted a 3-2 record with wins against Benton A (42-17), Arcadia (27-10) and Lincoln Prep (25-11) and losses to Benton B (26-25 and 27-26).

Youth football players are invited to register for the Red River High Youth Football Camp on June 21 (10 am-noon). Students ages 6-13 can learn techniques and participate in competition drills with the Bulldogs’ staff and players. The cost is $30 per person, and campers will receive a T-shirt and lunch.

The Riverdale girls basketball team is competing in LSU’s state-of-the-art indoor practice facility as part of team summer camps this week.

The Bayou Pierre Water System is seeking assistance for engineering services related to the Water System’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Emerging Contaminants grant funding for water system improvements. The Bayou Pierre Water System is soliciting qualifications statements for engineering services to assist in preparing the application package for the Emerging Contaminants funding, which includes planning, design, plans and specifications, cost estimate, and related work. Also needed in the scope of work is preparation of bid documents and conducting the preconstruction conference. Finally, the on-site supervision of construction and preparation of inspection reports is needed. These services may include preparing narratives, project descriptions, maps, cost estimates, and all necessary documents. The intent of water system is to award a cost reimbursement contract with pricing for billable hours on a task completion basis All responses will be evaluated in accordance with the selection criteria identified in the Request for Qualifications Packet. Bayou Pierre Water System will
begin contract negotiations immediately following selection of successful respondent.

Interested parties are invited to secure a Request for Qualifications Packet from Bayou Pierre Water System., Attn: Ms. Alissa Carpenter, 6217 Hwy 1, Coushatta, Louisiana, 71019, during the hours: Monday through Friday 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. Packets may be obtained upon request beginning June 12, 2025.

Responses to this Request must be hand delivered or mailed to Bayou Pierre Water System at the above-named address in such a manner that it is received no later than 3:00 P.M., on Monday, July 14, 2025 by the contact person, Alissa Carpenter.

The Bayou Pierre Water System is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage all small and minority-owned firms and women’s business enterprises to apply.

Paid Content

The Red River Parish School Board, in accordance with State guidelines, will destroy all special education records of former students born prior to January 1, 2000. These records are no longer needed for educational purposes.

You have an opportunity to obtain these records prior to August 1, 2025. The records can be claimed at Red River Parish School Board Office, 100 Bulldog Dr., Coushatta, LA. 71019 between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm, Monday through Wednesday and 8:00-12:30 pm Thursday.

Once your request is made, your records will be available for pick up the following business day.

All unclaimed records will be destroyed on Monday, August 4, 2025.

If you have any questions, please call Red River Parish Special Education Department at (318) 271-3138.

The biggest, most star-studded and fun-filled party of every summer for miles around is coming your way at the end of the month.

Three days of festivities are approaching beginning Thursday June 26 through Saturday June 28 for the 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Natchitoches.

The LSHOF’s Class of 2025 will be enshrined Saturday night June 28 at the Natchitoches Events Center to culminate the 66^th Induction Celebration. The final event is already full with a waiting list and standing room only tickets available.

The Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, June 26, with the Welcome Reception from 5-7 p.m., free to the public at the Hall of Fame museum at 800 Front Street.

The Friday, June 27 schedule begins with the Celebrity Bowling Bash presented by BOM at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. The 2025 Rockin’ River Fest, a free concert on the downtown riverbank stage, begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 10:30. In conjunction with the Rockin’ River Fest is the VIP Taste of Tailgating party, a ticketed indoor-outdoor event that is approaching capacity.

The slate on Saturday, June 28 kicks off with the free LSHOF Junior Training Camp led by community relations personnel from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, along with Northwestern State coaches and this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, on the NSU campus at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center and Turpin Stadium. This event is presented by Natchitoches Regional Medical Center and is nearing capacity. Free registration for kids ages 7-16 is required and can be easily accomplished at LaSportsHall.com.

At noon Saturday, the Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation is set for Riverside Reserve on Mill Street. Fox Sports broadcaster Tim Brando emcees an entertaining program.

Festivities culminate Saturday evening with the Induction Reception at the LSHOF museum beginning at 5, followed at 7 by the Induction Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center. Northwestern State University and State Farm Agents of Louisiana are presenting sponsors Saturday evening.

The VIP Taste of Tailgating, the Bowling Bash, the Round Table Luncheon and the Induction Reception and Ceremony are ticketed events requiring purchase in advance through LaSportsHall.com or by calling 318-238-4255.

The Thursday reception, the Friday evening River Fest and the Junior Training Camp are free.

The Class of 2025 is headlined by two men pivotal in LSU’s 2003 football national championship – coach Nick Saban and Andrew Whitworth, a champion at West Monroe High School, LSU and in the NFL during a 16-year pro career. More sparkle is provided by pro basketball All-Stars Danny Granger and Vickie Johnson, the state’s winningest all-time college baseball coach Joe Scheuermann and Danny Broussard, one of the nation’s most successful high school basketball coaches, in this year’s induction class.

It also includes LSU gymnastics great and NCAA individual champion April Burkholder, transformational Catholic-Baton Rouge high school football coach Dale Weiner and George “Bobby” Soileau, a four-time high school and 1956 NCAA boxing champion at LSU who also won a state crown as a football coach at his alma mater, Sacred Heart High School in Ville Platte.

LSU graduate Herb Vincent, now a longstanding associate commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, is receiving the Hall’s Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award with his enshrinement.

Also being honored: Ed Daniels, a generational television sports broadcaster in New Orleans, and Glenn Guilbeau, one of the nation’s more decorated sportswriters in a career that has seen him cover LSU, state college, high school and pro sports along with stories across the South and around the SEC. They are being inducted as recipients of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism.

The 2025 Induction Celebration will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors. 

For information on sponsorship opportunities and other participation, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040 or RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com, or Greg Burke, Director of Business Development and Public Relations, at 318-663-5459 or GregBurke@LaSportsHall.com via email.  

The Harrington Law Firm in Natchitoches, while providing their clients with a small-town family feel, at the same time provides top notch legal representation as recognized by the nation’s leader in attorneys’ ratings.

“Some might call our business model a little ‘hokey’ or old-fashioned, but it is something that we truly believe in,” said partner Eddie Harrington when referring to the family approach to their business.

“My Dad (Rodney) and I are obviously family and the members of our staff have each been with us many years, and some cases, decades.” He continued, “We consider them to be part of our family as well and when someone becomes our client, we tell them that they have become a part of the Harrington Law Firm family.”

Harrington said that the attorneys and staff at the firm endeavor to treat every client the same as if they were an actual blood relative.

“Every client who comes to see us is involved in one type of stressful situation or another,” Harrington concluded. “They’ve either been in an automobile accident, are having financial problems, have been denied Social Security Disability, or are dealing with some other serious issue. We find that they are comforted by the fact that not only are we going to take care of their business, but we truly treat them like our own family members.”

When it comes to taking care of their clients’ business, one highly respected attorneys’ rating service says that the Harrington Law Firm does that as well as any firm in the country.

Martindale-Hubbell, the leading world-wide legal information service, which has been providing background information on lawyers and law firms in the United States and other countries for over 150 years, has given the Harrington Law Firm and partners C. Rodney Harrington and “AV Preeminent Rating,” the company’s highest rating. According to Martindale-Hubbell, the “AV Preeminent Rating,” which is established by the company obtaining peer reviews from other attorneys in the same geographical area, recognizes law firms and attorneys for their strong legal ability and high ethical standards.

An elite group of approximately 10% of all firms and attorneys in America hold an “AV Preeminent Rating,” a designation recognized as the “Gold Standard” of legal ratings. If that wasn’t enough, the firm has also been awarded the “Special Edition Judicial Award” which is especially noteworthy because it is based upon the confidential opinions and recommendations of members of the Judiciary familiar with the attorneys in the Harrington Law Firm. The “Judicial Edition Award” indicates perfect ratings from the Judiciary on the Harrington’s legal ability and ethical standards. 


Harrington Law Firm clients have the comfort and confidence knowing that not only are they going to be treated like family but that they represented by a firm that is recognized as the “Gold Standard” for legal firms across the country. The Harrington Law Firm is composed of partners C. Rodney Harrington and C. Edward “Eddie” Harrington and is located at 459 Jefferson Street, Natchitoches, LA. Their areas of practice are Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Bankruptcy, Social Security Disability and Wills & Successions.

Their website is www.theharringtonlawfirm.com.

For more information about Martindale-Hubbell and their rating system, go to http://www.lawyers.com .