The Rapides Parish School Board announced on March 20 that Choice Registration for the 2023-2024 school year has begun. Choice Registration is for students who are currently zoned to attend a D or F school and would like to attend an A, B, or C performance school. Parents who have already filed for Choice Registration, do NOT need to file again. Choice Registration is only available to students who will be in K-8 next school year.
For more information on Choice Registration visit www.rpsb.us.
Milburn Peter Gaspard
December 1937 – March 18, 2023
Service: Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 11 am in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers
Verna Elaine Spence Clancy
November 13, 1942 – March 18, 2023
Visitation: Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 12 noon
Service: Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 2 pm
Interment: Following the service at Greenwood Memorial Cemetery in Pineville
Willis Edward Smith, Jr.
September 3, 1958 – March 20, 2023
Service: Friday, March 24, 2023 at Fellowship Chapel in Ball.
The Rapides Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or RPJNewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to RPJNewsla@gmail.com)
By Adam Lord
Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Beard, Ph.D., as its new Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
In her new role, Beard will provide leadership and direction for all academic programs and services at LSUA. She will work closely with faculty, staff, and students to ensure that the university’s academic offerings continue to meet the needs of students and the community. Beard brings a wealth of experience in higher education, having served at LSUA for nearly 20 years, most recently as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
“As someone deeply invested in this community and our university, I am so very proud of LSUA and the work we are doing,” said Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Elizabeth Beard. “I believe in our university and the excellent, holistic education we provide, and I am honored and excited to lead the academic team that will continue to drive us forward.”
The Office of Academic Affairs plays a critical role in supporting LSUA’s mission to provide a high-quality education to all students and oversees academic programs, curriculum development, faculty development, and student support services.
“We are extremely pleased that Dr. Beard has agreed to provide dedicated leadership as LSUA’s Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost,” said LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil. “I have no doubt that Dr. Beard will provide strong support for faculty and dedicated leadership for all on-campus and online academic programs.”
LSUA’s administration, staff, and faculty expressed excitement towards the appointment of Beard to the new role, demonstrating confidence in her experience and leadership to sustain and promote the university’s growth and success. The LSUA community eagerly anticipates the opportunity to collaborate with her to expand on current achievements and cultivate innovative prospects for students and the community.
Photo – Nathan Parish | LSUA Strategic Communications
I’ve got a case of March Madness. I’ll treat it with a load of boiled crawfish and total immersion in the NCAA Tournament. That’s worked every year (except when I rode Mike McConathy’s Northwestern State bus into the Big Dance in 2001, 2006 and 2013, along with the time four years ago when my gall bladder entered the transfer portal.
That Friday night, I was on Oxycodone hours after surgery and so it had to be a hallucination when Maryland-Baltimore County blasted No. 1 Virginia 74-54. Just like later in the evening when my bed was vertical and I could see Paul McCartney’s guitar and jacket below my feet, laid out neatly on the floor.
Four years to the day, I found myself grumbling for Grambling.
Wednesday night as I watched Texas Southern getting cracked in the First Four, I was sick for the Grambling Tigers, who would have been a much more accomplished Southwestern Athletic Conference representative.
Our Tigers were not only a SWAC regular-season co-champion, with a 24-9 record that included wins over a bad Colorado team and a Vanderbilt squad that finished tied for fourth in the SEC, but they were good enough to not be relegated to Dayton. Plus, their brand would have added luster to the NCAA Tournament field – a bracket that has never included Grambling.
For that matter, the Tigers would have added luster to the NCAA-run NIT and they should have been included there. That was discretionary and that was a bad blunder by that selection committee.
Grambling had every chance to be in the Big Dance. But the Tigers stumbled at the worst time, in the SWAC Tournament finals, losing for the first time in 12 games, 61-58 to Texas Southern. Coach Donte’ Jackson’s G-Men hit a painful 25 percent of their first-half shots, falling behind 22-5 in the first 10 minutes. Although they rallied back to a 43-all tie, they just couldn’t get control over a TSU squad they had beaten by 19 in Grambling on Feb. 11 and by 13 in Houston on Jan. 4.
Texas Southern entered the SWAC Tournament on a three-game skid. The Texas Tigers stunned regular-season co-champ Alcorn State to start a three-game winning streak – equalling two others during the SWAC slate as their best this season under coach Johnny Jones (yes, the former LSU point guard and head coach).
By getting hot at the right time, TSU gave Jones his sixth NCAA Tournament berth as a coach, and his third straight in five seasons in the SWAC. That should make the DeRidder native upwardly mobile in the job market in the coming days, if he wants a big raise and a step up on the mid-major pecking order.
Grambling was beaten fair and square. But it didn’t help that the SWAC’s postseason tournament format, with the eight qualifiers paired in four quarterfinal games, doesn’t reward the top teams over nine weeks of conference play.
For a one-bid league, the Southland Conference is superior with its bracket, which protects the top two teams until the semifinals. The four lowest seeds meet in an opening round, then the survivors meet the Nos. 3-4 seeds in the quarterfinals, with the winners moving on to the semis.
Two more one-bid leagues of local interest, Conference USA and the Sun Belt, along with the SEC and the Big XII, also use tournament formats that place a premium on regular-season conference performance. Why doesn’t the SWAC?
Instead, an eighth-place team got equal SWAC Tournament status with the co-champions, beat both, and surged into March Madness – where it got drubbed 84-61.
Meanwhile, the SWAC’s best representative watched and winced Wednesday night in Lincoln Parish. I hope they had some crawfish.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com
By JASON PUGH, Special to the Journal
METAIRIE – Almost five months to the day they played their final college football game together, a quartet of Northwestern State football players were together again Thursday morning, continuing their pursuit of a dream.
Kicker Eddie Godina, tight end L.C. Greenwood, cornerback William Hooper and wide receiver Jamel Thomas all took part in a statewide Pro Day workout put together by the New Orleans Saints at their facility.
“It was cool to see my teammates one last time,” Greenwood said. “We’ve been blessed to play the sport we love.”
The group of Demons were joined by other familiar faces from some of the state’s fellow Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools, which led to the NSU representatives cranking up their competitive juices.
“I’m a guy who likes to compete,” Hooper said. “Some of those teams got the best of us this season, and we couldn’t let that happen again, so it raised the competition level a lot.”
Hooper and Godina tested well enough in the morning stages to work their way into the next round of position drills in front of professional scouts.
Godina made field goals of 50, 55 and 60 yards on the first attempt at each distance and was about a yard short on a 63-yarder.
“It was a really good day,” Godina said. “After hitting the 55, I knew I had the leg to hit some 60s. I toed my 63. If I had hit it right, I would have definitely made it.”
Godina, who has been training in Dallas and in Arizona since the end of the fall semester, said seeing some familiar faces helped relax him and drove his performance upward.
“It definitely helped me get in my comfort zone, especially having Hooper there,” Godina said. “We definitely performed our best. It helped having some NSU guys there. It wasn’t just them. (Director of football operations) Sonja (Pezant) was there to support us, too.”
Hooper, a second-team All-Southland Conference selection this past fall, tested well, especially in the 40-yard dash.
“They had me run it a third time, one more than anyone else,” Hooper said.
Hooper echoed Godina’s thoughts on the importance of having familiar faces around while scouts watched their on-field moves.
“They helped me feel more comfortable because there were people there I was familiar with,” he said. “It felt good to be around people you know and have played ball with before.”
Much like Hooper, Godina’s performance did what he hoped for when he headed to Metairie.
“I knew coming in I didn’t have a lot of eyes on me,” he said. “They didn’t know who I was. After I made the 60-yarder, a bunch of scouts were asking about. I definitely turned some heads today.”
While Godina started quickly and Hooper ran fast, the pre-draft process pace slows considerably following Thursday’s event.
“All I can do now is wait,” Hooper said.
While none are NFL Draft prospects, each hopes to get a free agent opportunity or extended tryout with an NFL club. Several had representatives at the workout.
Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu
There’s still time to get tickets to attend Flavor of Louisiana, Northwestern State University’s spring seafood festival and spring fund raiser. The event is presented in partnership with the Louisiana Seafood Board and the Northwestern State University Foundation to raise money for student scholarships. Door will open at 6 p.m. Friday, March 17 in Prather Coliseum.
Guests will be able to visit dozens of vendors to taste samplings of Louisiana seafood dishes prepared by chefs and restaurants around the state. There will also be barbecue and meat dishes for non-seafood eaters, craft beers, specialty cocktails, coffee and desserts, along with music, dancing, prizes and more.
Proceeds from Flavor of Louisiana help deserving students with financial needs and assist with faculty development and academic enhancements.
For more information or to purchase tickets call at (318) 357-4292.
Mr. Harold Lloyd Griffith, age 80 of Ball, Louisiana entered eternal rest on Monday, March 13, 2023 at Rapides Regional Hospital.
A memorial service will be held for Harold at Gallagher Funeral Home on Friday, March 24, 2023 at 3:00 pm.
Harold is preceded in death by the mother of his children. Cintra Griffith; parents, Bennett and Betty Griffith; son, Keith Edward Griffith; and a sister, Viola Griffith.
Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Glenda Griffith; daughters, Nadine Joan Waycaster and Tamara Lynn Winter; grandchildren, Samantha Ramer (Jacob), Lacey, Madison and Ryann Waycaster, and Karyssa Griffith; great grandchild, Owen Ramer; sister, Jane Walters; and brother, Ed Griffth.
In his younger days, Harold loved to go fishing and hunting. He enjoyed reading and doing some gardening. He was a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army and a nurse anesthetist for 30 years. He learned to fly airplanes and received his license for it. He did many things in his lifetime he was proud of, these only name a few. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, son and friend and will be missed by all that knew and loved him.
Visitation for Donna Lynn LeBlanc will be held Monday, March 20, 2023 at Hixson Brothers, Pineville from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted at a later date with burial in Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, under the direction of Stuhr Funeral Home, Mount Pleasant.
Ms. LeBlanc, 77, of Pineville passed from this life, Friday, March 17, 2023 at her residence.
She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Library Science from Northwestern State University. During her 32-year working career with the Rapides Parish Library, Donna was the Branch Manager for the Martin Branch in Pineville for the last 20.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Emory Donald and Lorraine Marie Dapogny Pounder.
Those left to cherish her memory include her sister, Mary Bebensee; brothers, Donald B. Pounder and Douglas E. Pounder; her significant other, Ronald Rachal; and numerous other family and friends.
Are we about to have the wool pulled over our eyes? Have we been bamboozled by Mother Nature? Are these dogwood and wisteria blossoms figments of my imagination?
I mean it’s mid-March and already we’re seeing things we should be seeing a month from now. Even so, I’ll take what I can get and enjoy it while I can even if it all gets blistered by a cold snap a few days or weeks down the road.
Spring is the time of year I have always loved. Even as a lad, when green started showing up in the yard and flowers started showing, it was time to do something my mama frowned on. I’d slip off my shoes and socks and let the tender green grass tickle my yet tender toes.
Later in the year, I could walk down the gravel road in front of the house barefoot and never feel the rocks beneath my feet. I’ve even done the macho thing of striking a match on the bottom of my leather-tough barefoot in July but it’s the first shedding of shoes in spring I remember most.
Growing up in north Natchitoches Parish, spring meant watching daddy plow up the garden spot behind the house. I can now close my eyes and smell the aroma of freshly turned earth where later peas, corn and potatoes would grow. If you grew up in the country like I did, I’ll bet you remember what that smelled like. The plow exposed the dark damp soil beneath the surface that gave up an aroma that’s hard to describe.
Spring also meant it was time to go out to the cowbarn with a shovel and tin can. You didn’t have to dig deep. It was a simple task to flip over the dried cow patties there to expose the hiding place of earthworms and it didn’t take long to uncover enough to handle the task that lay ahead.
Half a mile through the woods behind our home lay twin ribbons of steel where the old L&A steam locomotive pulling a string of box cars as it struggled and chugged up Oskosh Hill. Crossing the tracks and stepping down through a thicket to an enchanted place where beeches and oaks shaded Molido, a clear winding stream invited me, my brother and cousins to dangle hooks skewered with red wigglers to entice the interest of what lurked beneath these cool dark waters.
We didn’t catch bluegills or chinquapins or crappie in Molido’s dark holes. We caught goggle eyes, red perch, jackfish and an occasional mud cat. Bluegills and chinquapins lived in the lake but Molido was reserved for the “creek” fish we caught.
Once the weather warmed enough for us, but not for our mamas, we’d sneak off, strip down to bare skin and go swimming in one particular deep hole in the little creek. After a swim, it was necessary before we made the walk back home where we would feign innocence so our mamas wouldn’t know we had broken their rules about swimming too early, we made sure our hair had time to dry out. Otherwise, we knew we had been caught and a stern lecture, sometimes accompanied by a thin limber switch from the hedge outside the door, would be waiting.
That was yesterday. No more cow patties to overturn, cane fishing poles and earthworms and the aroma of freshly turned garden earth. Sneaking off to go barefoot on fresh green grass or swimming in the creek are obviously no longer part of my life but I would take absolutely nothing for the memories of these special things I experienced while growing up out on the rural route decades ago.
Well darn — it looks like Mother Nature is sneaking another cold spell in on us. Thirties next week? C’mon now! We don’t need that.
Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com
During the early Fall I felt the need to add a couple of pieces of clothing to my very tired wardrobe. Having to wear clothes to work everyday, as most humans do, truly gets tricky after a while. You feel like you wear the same thing every day. Sometimes I will find a favorite piece of clothing and wear it so much that it fades, loses its original color or even goes out of style. Sometimes I feel like my clothes have no personality or life left in them so I have to pep it up.
On a particular trip to the store I found a pair of hot pink pants. I immediately felt a soul connection with these pants. They were bright, soft, affordable and came in my size. It was a win on all fronts. As I approached the cash register I silently wondered if the pants were in season. I could tell that they were new to the shelves, they were well stocked, it was early fall…so surely this pants were in season and meant to be purchased.
Just as I was checking out I noticed the tag on the pants read “Season-Less”. The clothing tag read my mind, it knew that I had trepidations. Then I considered the color. What would I wear with it? I quickly scanned my closet mentally and found a black turtle neck, long sleeve navy t-shirt and possibly a denim jacket…if I didn’t sell it or donate it. Dress it up with some bobbles and I would be in business.
Even though I had made all of this peace with my purchase, as soon as I walked in the house my youngest daughter scolded me.
“Who wears hot pink pants in the winter?” Why would you think you can wear summer pants when winter season is coming?”
I immediately began defending my decision by showing her the tag that clearly stated that they were season-less pants. I sarcastically explained what that meant but she wasn’t picking up what I was putting down. Soon after the drama over my pants faded away I began to wear them. Everywhere I went I received compliments over my pink pants. As soon as I would receive a compliment I felt compelled to share the fact that… “they were season less pants”…..
Many people have moved past the age old fashion standards of only wearing certain colors at certain times of the year. Season less or not, they were strict rules about color choices.
I used to say that fall and winter were my favorites seasons but the older I get I realize that I truly love every change of season that comes our way. As the winter barren branches begin to take on their light shade of green and the flower buds start to form, it is a reminder that a new season is coming.
Our lives are full of seasons. These seasons have nothing to do with the weather outside or the clothes on our backs. It encompasses all that God has done for us over time. He allows us to be parents and those children quickly grow up, move away and start lives of their own. He blesses us with friends who may outgrow you in one season of life so God moves them aside and sends different people your way . God blesses us with a season where we have both parents alive and healthy, sometimes those seasons are not long enough. God blesses us with a village or community that can change at the drop of a hat. We have seasons of life where we are very comfortable and content, then another season may be full of movement and constant changes.
Just as seasons change, so do our lives. If we stay close to our Savior we will always be prepared for the next stages of life. There is unfailing peace that surpasses all understanding to be found when we are grateful, and keep Christ as our center in every season, and every circumstance, we never know where the next season will find us.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens….” Ecclesiastes 3:1
Wanda Lincecum
July 31, 1931 – March 14, 2023
Services: Saturday, March 18, 2023; 10 am at Bentley Pentecostal Church
Judy Breithaupt
April 23, 1960 – March 10, 2023
Visitation: Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Hixson Brothers
Services: Sunday, March 19, 2023 at Hisxon Brothers
Angelica T. DeWilde
January 2, 1953 – March 16th, 2023
Services: Monday, March 20, 2023 at 11 am at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Ball
Helen Guillory Filasek
March 5, 1933 – March 15, 2023
Services: Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 11 am at Gallagher Funeral Home Chapel
The Rapides Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or RPJNewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to RPJNewsla@gmail.com)
The Alexandria Police Department made an arrest for a shooting that occurred last week on Sunset Drive.
On March 8th, the Alexandria Police Department was dispatched to a location on England Drive in reference to a shooting that occurred minutes before on Sunset Drive, Alexandria, LA. Upon Officer’s arrival, they interviewed a 21-year-old female from Alexandria, LA, who stated her vehicle was struck by gunfire while she was at the apartments located on Sunset Drive. She suffered a minor, non-life-threatening injury, from some type of flying debris, and was treated at the scene by a local ambulance.
Upon further investigation, Alexandria Detectives identified one of the suspects and secured a warrant for his arrest for 1-Count of Illegal Use of a Weapon. Today, Alexandria Detectives served a search warrant on Sunset Drive, and arrested 21-year-old male Richard Nelson, from Alexandria, LA, for 1 count of Illegal Use of a Weapon. He was also arrested for 1 count of Possession of a Firearm with CDS, 1 count of Possession of CDS-IV, and 1 count of Possession of Marijuana.
This is currently an ongoing investigation.
If anyone has any information about this incident or any other type crime in the Alexandria area, please contact the Alexandria Police Detective Division at phone number (318) 441-6416, or APD Dispatch (318) 441-6559.
For a cash reward, call Crime Stoppers of Cenla at (318) 443-7867. The Crime Stoppers P3 Tipster App can also be downloaded to leave tips and get a claim number for a cash reward at http://www.p3tips.com/community/mobile/
Crime Stoppers is a private non-profit organization. Crime Stoppers is not a law enforcement agency.
By Billy West, Jr.
LSU President, Dr. William F. Tate, IV, has been traveling across Central and Northwest Louisiana for the past two days to promote the LSU Scholarship First Agenda and discuss the economic impact of LSU on the State’s economy. The promotional tour by Dr. Tate emphasizes that Louisiana is at the center of many of our nation’s core challenges. Louisiana is filled with an abundance of natural resources and LSU is at the forefront of research regarding agriculture, biomedical issues, coastal preservation and energy production. LSU has become a leader in the field of cybersecurity.
The Scholarship First Agenda emphasizes the rich history of LSU as well as the $6.1 billion dollar total economic impact on the State of Louisiana for 2021-2022.
President Tate is on a mission to explain the economic impact of LSU and to remind citizens that for every dollar invested by the Louisiana Legislature that LSU returns approximately $14.
Specifically, LSU Health Shreveport provides direct economic impact of $600 million in the Shreveport region and a combined economic impact of $2.3 billion of its practicing alumni. LSUHS has a total economic impact of over $3 billion in North Louisiana.
LSU is an economic engine that will help catapult the State of Louisiana and improve the lives of all Louisiana residents. LSU’s commitment to the agriculture industry, biomedical research, coastal preservation, cybersecurity and national defense as well as energy-related research is a great investment for the future of the State of Louisiana.
LSU and Dr. Tate should be applauded for the Scholarship First Agenda and for educating the residents of Louisiana in general and the State Legislature, in particular, on the true treasure and value that is Louisiana State University.
For more information on the Scholarship First Agenda, visit https://www.lsu.edu/scholarship-first/index.php
Northwood High School has made Boyce into Title Town in Louisiana high school basketball.
A week after the Lady Gators won the LHSAA’s Division IV Select championship, the Gators ran away with the boys state title Saturday afternoon in Lake Charles, overwhelming Lincoln Prep 73-56.
It capped a 29-7 season for the Northwood boys, who were the top seed in the playoff bracket and lived up to billing. The Gators won their semifinal game by 15, following much the same script – taking control after halftime.
Saturday, second-seeded Lincoln Prep trailed by just 27-23 at the half. Northwood controlled the third quarter, outscoring the Panthers 17-8, capped by a massive 3-pointer from Jeigh Lee just before the buzzer.
The 44-31 advantage was never threatened afterward. The spread grew as big as 20, 62-42, on a basket by Lee, who had 12 points. His fellow senior Randarius Morris scored 15 and grabbed 12 rebounds.
The spotlight was on the third senior star for the Gators, Omarion “Diddy” Layssard, who earned the game’s Most Outstanding Player award with 34 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals. He sank 11 of 18 shots from the floor and drained 10 of 12 at the free throw line.
Northwood had dominated the fourth quarter to break open a tight semifinal contest Wednesday afternoon with St. Martin’s of Metairie in a 62-47 triumph. Saturday they outscored Lincoln Prep 46-33 after halftime.
With Northwood’s dream of a state title double complete, Gators coach Samuel Tinsley said he was confident before tipoff.
“The minute we walked out on the court and I saw their desire, and I saw the promise that was within them, (I knew),” he said.
But despite outside impressions, the pathway to the state title was no cakewalk, said Tinsley.
“This ain’t been an easy road. It seems like, ‘y’all’ve won by whatever points, and y’all did this and that,’ but no – it’s been a very difficult road. We’ve had several people on our team who’ve had to learn some hard, hard lessons this year, and we’ve had to teach those lessons. I’ve had to make some decisions that you have to make as a grown man, as a coach, that sometimes hurt peoples’ feelings. You say, ‘we might not have a chance at it, because of this right here,’ but you do it because it’s right for that young man.
“What’s so special is, I’ve got some young men even when they were down, they stayed with it, and we stayed with them, and now we have a championship together. You can’t beat that in a million years.
“Boyce is not a very big community. It’s very, very meaningful. We have 165 people in our high school. Our girls have done an incredible job going back-to-back,” said Tinsley. “These boys are very close to those young ladies and we wanted this very much.”
“All the work we put in, it wasn’t for nothing,” said Layssard. “And that feels good.”
There’s still time to get tickets to attend Flavor of Louisiana, Northwestern State University’s spring seafood festival, and spring fundraiser. The event is presented in partnership with the Louisiana Seafood Board and the Northwestern State University Foundation to raise money for student scholarships. The door will open at 6 p.m. Friday, March 17 in Prather Coliseum.
Guests will be able to visit dozens of vendors to taste samplings of Louisiana seafood dishes prepared by chefs and restaurants around the state. There will also be barbecue and meat dishes for non-seafood eaters, craft beers, specialty cocktails, coffee, and desserts, along with music, dancing, prizes, and more.
Proceeds from Flavor of Louisiana help deserving students with financial needs and assist with faculty development and academic enhancements.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nsula.edu/fol or call at (318) 357-4292.
Funeral services for Mr. James Eston Franks will be held on Friday, March 17, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers with Pastor Kevin West officiating. Interment will be at Oak Grove Cemetery in Effie, LA. Arrangements are under the direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Marksville.
Mr. Franks, age 53, of Marksville, LA., passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at Rapides Regional Medical Center. He is preceded in death by his mother, Mary Franks.
Those left to cherish his memory are his son, Zachary Franks (Sadie) of Ville Platte; daughters, Courtney Prudhomme (Lathan) of Bayou Chicot and Brittany Lafleur (Matthew) of Bayou Chicot; father, Perry Franks of Brouillette; brother, William Franks (Montez) of Hessmer; sister, Patricia Ann Franks of Brouillette; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Friday, March 17, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. until time of services in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers.
Services for Mrs. Judy Breithaupt will be held on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 2 p.m. at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home in Jena with Reverend Joe Bruce officiating. Burial will follow in the Georgetown Cemetery in Georgetown under the direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Jena.
The family requests that visitation be observed on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at the funeral home at 5 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Mrs. Judy Breithaupt, age 62, of Summerville, was born on April 23, 1960 in Urania, and passed from this life on Friday, March 10, 2023 at her home. She worked for LaSalle Parish School Board for over 26 years. She loved her children, but she loved her grandchildren even more. She will be missed by all who knew her.
She was proceeded in death by her husband, Walter Breithaupt; father, Bob Bruce; and brother, Tony Bruce.
Those left to cherish in her memory include her lifelong partner, John Roller; mother, Jane Bruce; daughters, Jessica Breithaupt, and Kayla Corley; son, Jeffrey Corley and his wife, Amie; brothers, Robby Bruce and his wife, Tracey, and Lorne Bruce and his wife, Tracey; sisters, Brenda Navarre and her husband, Lawrence, and Shelia Kirl; grandchildren, Nathan Corley (Esther), Zachrey Corley, Tristin Chevallier, Jasmine McMillin, Harmony Thompson, and Tripp Traylor; and great grandchild, Nataley Corley.
Wanda Lincecum
July 31, 1931 – March 14, 2023
Visitation: Saturday, March 17, 2023; 5 pm at Bentley Pentecostal Church
Services: Saturday, March 18, 2023; 10 am at Bentley Pentecostal Church
Judy Breithaupt
April 23, 1960 – March 10, 2023
Visitation: Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Hixson Brothers
Services: Sunday, March 19, 2023 at Hisxon Brothers
James Eston Franks
October 15, 1969 – March 11, 2023
Services: Friday, March 17, 2023 in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers
Interment: Oak Grove Cemetery in Effie, LA.
Charlotte Marie Duhon
April 22, 1955 – March 11, 2023
Visitation: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 9:00 am in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers
Service: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 1:00 pm in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers
The Rapides Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or RPJNewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to RPJNewsla@gmail.com)
By Jim Smilie
Alexandria’s future depends on the ability of residents and leaders to focus on doing things smarter, faster, better and safer.
That was the primary message from Alexandria Mayor Jacques M. Roy during a presentation at noon Tuesday to the Rotary Club of Alexandria in Convention Hall.
“We have to do things at a scalable level, we have to do things with speed and we have to do things with clear endpoints,” Roy said. “We’re way behind.”
Roy, who previously served three terms as Mayor from 2006-2018, took the oath of office for the fourth time on December 5, 2022. At that time he began work on his plan for the first 100 days in office, which will be completed on March 15.
Improving public safety was the first issue Roy addressed. Alexandria, like many cities across the state and nation, has experienced an increase in violent crimes, especially shooting incidents. “We have to have public safety, or nothing else matters,” Roy said. “There is no family in this city – Black or White – who doesn’t want that.”
Roy shared his vision is to create, “the best police department, period. No qualifiers. Not the best department for a city our size. The best police department, period.”
As part of that effort, Roy said it is crucial to reevaluate the department’s personnel and resources. Rather than focusing solely on recruiting sworn police officers, Roy said it is important to look at non-POST certified roles as well, such as mental health professionals and information technology specialists. Additionally, Roy wants to see the current Regional Police Training Academy, which he called “the best in the state” go from being a statewide academy to a national training academy.
Roy, who recently attended a national meeting of mayors, said the law enforcement landscape has changed significantly since he left office in 2018 and he was surprised to find how similar the recruitment challenges are for cities large and small. “We used to think our competition for officers was local,” Roy said, referring to other cities in Louisiana. “It’s national now. I’m seeing a completely different landscape.”
Education was the next point he stressed, noting, “crime is caused by a lack of education.” Roy said he plans to divert significant funding from existing budget areas to go toward support of education. One example he cited is his desire to budget $3 million to support Louisiana State University of Alexandria’s plans to expand the Allied Health facility in downtown Alexandria.
“We have to do it (invest in education) to achieve scale and speed,” Roy said, noting Louisiana still ranks last nationally in education. “We’re last – we can’t be last,” he said. “We need to get married to education.”
Referring to the LSUA health initiative, Roy noted the increased demand for medical professionals. “We had an advantage in health care. We’ve lost that and need to get it back.”
Roy also cited efforts by Central Louisiana Technical & Community College (CLTCC) to better develop the local workforce. He said he supports programs that will help train local residents to fill in-demand jobs ranging from retail and restaurant positions to skilled trades workers to administrative professionals.
Roy said he will be releasing a full report on the implementation of the first 100-day plan early next week prior to day 100 on March 15. “Right now I’m looking at day 101 and beyond. We have to think about change. We have to do it in every part of our life,” Roy said. “We can’t creep forward anymore.”