Services for Reverend Oliver Franklin Deen will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 6, 2023 in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers, Pineville with Reverend Joey Rudisill, Reverend Morris Goins and Reverend Lloyd Whitman officiating. Burial will be in Liberty Chapel Cemetery, Williana.

Pallbearers honored to serve are Derek Deen, Gavin Deen, Calvin Hebert, Ray Morrow, Connor Morrow, Mike Spears and Chris Brunson. Honorary pallbearers are Melvin Brunson, Glenn Simmons and James Paulk.

The family requests visitation be held Thursday, April 6, 2023 at Hixson Brothers, Pineville from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Rev. Deen, 83, of Pineville passed from this life, Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital.

He has been an ordained minister for 63 years and has pastored many churches across Louisiana and in Texas. He was intentional about sharing Christ wherever he went and loved serving others. He loved to sing, play guitar and his upright bass. Through the years, he has served as chaplain for Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief and for the Cotile Volunteer Fire Department. For the past year and a half, he has resided at The Oaks Care Center in Pineville where he had the opportunity to continue to minister and share the Gospel and was proud to be voted as President of the Residents.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 28 years, Melda Elizabeth Brunson Deen; parents, Robert Lee and Ida Marie Sherwood Deen; brother, Sherwood Deen and sister, Golda Lee Deen.

Those left to cherish his memory include his son, Derek Alan Deen and his wife, April; daughters, Elizabeth Deen Hebert and her husband, Calvin, Jill Deen Morrow and her husband, Ray, Rebecca Deen Spears and her husband, Mike; six grandchildren; a host of other family members and friends.

The family wishes to thank the staff at The Oaks Care Center and CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital. A very special thanks to Dr. Kelly Letsinger for going above and beyond in caring for our loved one until he took his final breath.

Jimmy Blake, Jr. of Lake Charles and Robert Dukes of Hineston were the winners of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling contest held during the 2022-23 hunting season.

Blake, who harvested the contest eligible buck in Vernon Parish, won a $1,000 gift card for submitting his sample. Dukes, a taxidermist in Rapides Parish, was awarded a $500 gift card for submitting the winning sample in the taxidermist category. The prizes in the drawing were made possible by the South Louisiana Branch of the National Deer Association.

Hunters and taxidermists who submitted samples from qualifying bucks were entered into a drawing for the gift cards. All submitted samples were tested for CWD, assisting LDWF with its surveillance monitoring for the disease, which is 100 percent fatal in deer. Sample submission is voluntary and requires hunter consent.

Blake harvested the buck on Clear Creek WMA in Vernon Parish. The memorable part of the hunt included sharing the post-harvest experience with his stepson, as well as seeing all of the other successful hunters at the check station. Like many WMA hunters, Blake was happy to assist LDWF with surveillance of the disease.

Dukes has assisted LDWF with CWD sampling for the past two years. When LDWF approached Dukes for assistance, he volunteered without hesitation. He is not only an award-winning taxidermist but also an avid outdoorsman. His assistance helped LDWF meet its sample quotas in central Louisiana.

“The expertise and attention to detail possessed by all participating taxidermists has resulted in high quality samples that provide viable test results,’’ LDWF Deer Program Manager Johnathan Bordelon said.

“We thank all of the hunters and taxidermists who assisted us,’’ said LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet. “And a special thanks to the South Louisiana Branch of the National Deer Association for the gift cards. They have been a long-time partner in promoting wildlife conservation, research and outreach. Their advocacy made this contest a success.’’

CWD is a fatal neurologic disease. Louisiana became the 29^th state to detect CWD in January of 2022. Since that time, 12 CWD positive deer have been detected, all within Tensas Parish. Statewide surveillance for the disease totaled more than 2,300 samples during the 2022-23 deer season. Continued sampling is vital to LDWF’s surveillance of the disease.

The disease is spread by contact with infected saliva, blood, urine, feces, food, water, and soil. It can be transmitted from live animals or carcasses and creates holes in the brain tissue of infected animals. Infection with CWD can occur in deer of any sex and age but higher infection rates are typically noted in mature bucks.

Symptoms can show 16 months or more after infection. Those symptoms include weight loss, excessive salivation, teeth grinding, head tremors, difficulty swallowing, excessive urination and thirst, incoordination, splay leg stance, lowered head and ears, fixed stare, fainting and lack of awareness.

For more information, contact Johnathan Bordelon at jbordelon@wlf.la.gov. For more information on CWD, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/cwd.

Unwind after school or work and spring into Alex River Fete at Downtown Rocks 2023, featuring Wayne Toups for the third installment of this free Spring concert series on Thursday, April 13 from 5pm to 8pm. For more info call 318.449.5225 or email CommunityServices@cityofalex.com. Rain site for Downtown Rocks will be Convention Hall.

The Rapides Parish School System is pleased to announce that Lindsay Green, Federal Programs Coordinator, received the State Leadership Award from the National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators (NAFEPA) on Monday, March 26.

Mrs. Green received this honor in Washington, DC during NAFEPA’s “Empowering Learning for Life” conference in recognition of her outstanding dedication, leadership and commitment to programs that educate and train school administrators throughout the State of Louisiana. 

“We are incredibly proud of Mrs. Green for receiving this esteemed recognition and for her dedication to the children of Rapides Parish,” Director of Federal Programs Bill Higgins said. “A significant portion of our funding comes from the federal government, which requires that our District comply with rigorous federal guidelines.  Mrs. Green’s work ensures that our district meets those expectations while helping to provide our most disadvantaged students with meaningful and impactful resources to ensure their academic success.”

As a member and recognized by NAFEPA, Green works with the U.S. Department of Education and the Rapides Parish School Board to provide important information for improving teacher quality and the academic performance of students. Green’s work includes continuing the implementation of the “Every Student Succeeds” Act (ESSA) within Rapides Parish School District, which ensures students are taught to high academic standards that will prepare them to succeed in college and careers and advances equity by upholding critical protections for America’s disadvantaged and high-need students.

“We appreciate the work that Mrs. Green does with Federal Programs and helping the Rapides Parish School System continue to comply with national regulatory guidelines,” Superintendent of Rapides Parish Schools Jeff Powell said. “Her ability to understand the vision of our parish and help schools connect with federal funding to the accomplishment of goals is helping lead to unprecedented levels of success.”

NAFEPA is a support organization for educators who work with federally funded programs in their local school districts and in their states. The non-profit organization has been in existence since 1974 and presently has more than 3,000 members from across the nation. 

We at the Rapides Parish Journal are pleased to welcome our newest sister publication, Claiborne Parish Journal. This online publication joins 10 others across Louisiana from Rapides Parish north to the state line.

“We feel the people of Claiborne Parish – Homer, Haynesville and surrounding towns – deserve their own publication,” said publisher Paige Nash. “At Journal Services LLC, we pride ourselves in covering local parishes with high-quality news and advertising to keep our readers up to date on what’s happening in their communities.”

Nash is the publisher of Claiborne and Bienville publications and a reporter for Webster Parish Journal.

All Journals cover local news, features and sports. Subscriptions are – and always will be – free. Please visit www.claiborneparishjournal.com and sign up today.

Click to visit any of our journals:

Bienville Parish Journal
Claiborne Parish Journal
DeSoto Parish Journal
Jackson Parish Journal
Lincoln Parish Journal
Natchitoches Parish Journal,
Sabine Parish Journal
Red River Parish Journal
Webster Parish Journal
Winn Parish Journal
Rapides Parish Journal

By Jim Smilie

Introduction of the 2023-2024 budgets for the City of Alexandria highlighted a 31-minute meeting of the Alexandria City Council Tuesday night in the council chambers at City Hall.

Council members received an ordinance regarding the Operating Budget for the City of Alexandria for the fiscal year 2023-2024, which starts May 1. Also included in the ordinance were the Capital Budget for 2023-2024 as well as a reorganization plan for the Public Works and the Planning Divisions. No details on the budgets or the reorganization plans were provided during the meeting as the item was simply introduced as part of the consent calendar.

The item was assigned to the Finance Committee for review. It was also announced that public hearings on the budgets, at which time details will be presented, will be held in the council chambers at City Hall at 3:30 p.m. on April 11, April 12 and April 13. The budgets are scheduled for the council to consider for final adoption at its next regular meeting on April 18.

Council President Lee Rubin was absent from the meeting and Councilman Reddex Washington presided over the meeting.

Council members unanimously voted to confirm the appointment of Council President Rubin to the Rapides Area Planning Commission Board. They also approved an ordinance authorizing a cooperative endeavor agreement with the CHRISTUS Cabrini Foundation to co-sponsor the 2023 Wal-Mart CMN Golf Tournament scheduled for May 16 at Links on the Bayou to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.

In other action, the council authorized Mayor Jacques Roy to enter into an agreement with LinkedIn for the posting of city job announcements and approved an ordinance to rezone property at 4721 South MacArthur Drive from C-2 General Commercial District to MF-3 Multi-family High Density to allow for the development of an affordable multi-family apartment complex.

Just before the meeting adjourned, District 2 Councilman Gary Johnson noted this year marks 55 years since the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. “I wonder what he would say if he were here today,” Johnson said. Noting that much progress has been made, including the presence of himself as well as Cynthia Perry, an African American female on the council, “something I don’t think you could have seen in 1968,” there is still much to accomplish.

“I encourage all residents to work to make a positive difference and take our city back from crime,” Johnson said.

By JIM BUTLER

The Pineville City Council will hold a public hearing April 11 on a proposal to double weekday usage fees at its Buhlow Lake facilities and levy a separate weekend rate. 

Current rates were apparently set almost a quarter-century ago. 

The proposed change was introduced at the Council’s March meeting. 

According to City Clerk Chris  Workman, the weekday rate would rise from the current $300 to $600. 

The weekend rate would be $1,500, securing facilities from noon Friday through noon Sunday.

A $100 deposit requirement remains the same and the rental fee would still be in addition to any public safety-related costs and/or fees associated with rescue or security services deemed necessary or provided by the city.

According to the city ordinance book, a fee schedule for the city’s facilities was first authorized in the 1970s. 

The most-recent notation regarding facilities at the lake was in December 1999, though whether that invoked a rate change is unclear. 

According to federal data, the equivalent value of  $300 in Year 2000 is now about $530. 

The fee change proposed does not apply to Red River Waterway Commission facilities behind the lake. Those fees are set and collected by the RRWC.

By Jim Smilie

Citing the unique mixture of people who make up Louisiana’s population, Louisiana Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne explained to members of the Rotary Club of Alexandria why Louisiana isn’t Mississippi, or any place else, at noon Tuesday in Alexandria Convention Hall.

“It’s not a put down on Mississippi,” Dardenne said. “We could have done why Louisiana is not like any other state.” Dardenne, who served two terms each as Louisiana Secretary of State and as Lieutenant Governor, has been presenting his program on what makes the state unique for 12 years.

Two years ago, the presentation was made into a four-hour documentary for Louisiana Public Broadcasting titled “Why Louisiana Isn’t Mississippi, or Any Place Else.” The documentary, which is available online to LPB Passport members, is scheduled to air again in June.

“Louisiana has a human gumbo found no place else,” Dardenne explained. “The Mississippi River empties through only one state – ours. That population is a result of America draining into Louisiana.”

Noting that the state has no single ethnic majority, Dardenne discussed the various groups of people who came to Louisiana over the years. Native Americans were the first inhabitants and they were joined by a variety of settlers. Some came under force – specifically slaves. Others, including the Acadians, came to the state as they fled persecution in Canada. Adding to the French influence were immigrants fleeing disease and poverty in places like Haiti. Each group brought their own unique contributions, including voo doo, crop production skills and food preferences.

Mixing in with all of that were white Anglo-Saxon protestants from Europe. “We had a flood of immigrants coming in through New Orleans,” Dardenne said. “New Orleans was the major port at the time. It wasn’t Ellis Island – the Port of New Orleans was the gateway to the new world.”

As people from across the world mixed in the areas around New Orleans, it resulted in a population unique to Louisiana Dardenne said was described at the time as, “new world goods from old world stock.”

Louisiana’s impact on the country was magnified with the Louisiana Purchase, in which the fledgling United States gained land that would ultimately become part of 15 states. “The Louisiana Purchase is really a microcosm of Louisiana politics,” Dardenne said.

He explained that the original plan was simply to purchase New Orleans, and negotiators had $10 million to offer to France’s leader Napoleon Bonaparte. Dardenne explained that at the time, Napoleon had recently conquered Europe and had his sights set on the new world, with an army waiting in South America.

However, illness and other hardships wiped out that army, and Napoleon decided to abandon the project and sell his full interest in the area. So, rather than getting New Orleans for $10 million, the U.S. was able to get the full Louisiana purchase territory for $16 million. “The negotiators didn’t have the authority to spend the extra $6 million, but they did it,” Dardenne said. To get the extra funds, the U.S. government had to borrow $6 million from Great Britain. In an interesting turn of events, Dardenne said, Napoleon used the money he received from selling the Louisiana territory to finance his war efforts against Great Britain.  

That was just one example Dardenne cited as a way, “we have had a disproportionate impact on things that matter.”

Sports, music, food, literature, and politics are all areas Dardenne said Louisiana has had a larger impact than any other state. “We have contributed more great athletes than any other state,” he said. “And so much music, including songs by Louisiana artists as well as songs about Louisiana.”

Looking ahead, Dardenne said the next step for the program is to create an educational component for school students. “We’re working on a seventh through 12^th grade curriculum for teaching Louisiana history.”

Rapides Parish Fire District 2, Shift Engine 22 worked an overturned vehicle on April 3 on North MacArthur Drive Overpass. No further information is available at this time.

The spotlight on women’s basketball is far bigger than ever before. That’s good.

But in that One Shining Moment Sunday afternoon, when ABC and ESPN2 combined for 9.9 million viewers, LSU’s awesome 102-85 national championship victory over Iowa has become almost secondary to the sharp debate on social issues raised by taunting from the superstar players, LSU’s Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.

That’s bad. And it’s good. Not ideal, but necessary.

As for the 9.9 million, college football writer Stewart Mandel of The Athletic provided context that we can understand. He wrote,

“That’s more than last season’s:

• Sugar, Orange and Cotton Bowls
• Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC title games
• Notre Dame-USC
• LSU-Alabama
• Ohio State-Penn State
• Bama-Texas A&M primetime on CBS”

If you want to venture outside college football ratings, there’s this:

“Sunday’s audience exceeded every game of last year’s NBA Playoffs except for the NBA Finals, every game of last year’s Major League Baseball Postseason except for the World Series, every NASCAR race since 2017 (including the Daytona 500), and every NHL game in more than 50 years (including the Stanley Cup Final),” reported Sports Media Watch, which noted it nearly matched the 10.2 million who watched January’s Rose Bowl.

Take that and blend in social media and the 24-hour news cycle, and the inconvenient truth is that the biggest story in the history of women’s college basketball is not anything that happened while the ball was in play.

Why? A lot of it comes back to gender and race, or traditional vs. contemporary culture. Discussing those topics isn’t easy.

Trash talk in sports has been around forever, whether or not it was noticed. Now there are cameras and microphones around not only pro and college sports, but high school and youth competition. If it doesn’t rear up on mainstream media, it’s there on social accounts.

It hasn’t flared up to very noticeable levels in women’s sports although it’s forever been typical fare for male competitors. Many basketball fans know Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan were not only among the game’s all-time greats but they were equally good at talking trash.

Women have always done the same, but with those games getting a fraction of media attention, it wasn’t apparent to anyone other than the closest observers. That has changed, and if you hadn’t noticed, you probably have in the last day or two.

It’s absurd to celebrate Bird, Magic and MJ’s “competitive” behavior while criticizing today’s female stars for doing much the same thing.

Sadly, since Reese is black and Clark is white, there are racial overtones for too many observers. Charles Barkley noted that harsh reality on CBS before the men’s national championship game last night, while he and colleagues bemoaned how Reese taunting Clark overshadowed a tremendous showcase for the women’s game, a watershed moment in the sport’s lifespan, while overshadowing an incredible performance by the Tigers.

The mere fact that the LSU-Iowa game got a block of coverage in Monday’s CBS pregame show reflected the surging interest in the women’s game — and its sudden controversy.

“I don’t fit in the box that you all want me to be in. I’m too hood, I’m too ghetto. You told me that all year. But when other people do it, y’all don’t say nothing,” Reese said Sunday night in the postgame press conference. “So this is for the girls that look like me, that want to speak up on what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you. It was bigger than me tonight.”

Point taken, and well made.

“If you celebrated Clark for doing this but not Angel Reese you gotta take a long, long look in the mirror,” tweeted The Athletic writer Meg Linehan.

Yet, while Reese stood firmly behind her taunts, nobody asked Clark about hers against South Carolina, Louisville and other teams. They did ask for her reaction to what Reese did. Clark said she didn’t notice. By now, she has. 

Lots of the more old-school people decried all of the taunting by Reese, especially when she pointedly sought out Clark in the final seconds and immediate aftermath of the game. Some said her in-game activity was tolerable, but pressing it seconds past 40 minutes was “classless.” I’d say overzealous, and over-emotional. Did not like it one bit. But I think I understand it, and I’m willing to give her a pass.

Clark is, too. There was mutual respect expressed in postgame comments by the 20-year-old Tiger and the 21-year-old Hawkeye. Then Tuesday, Clark directly addressed the incidents, and left no room for doubt.

“I don’t think Angel should be criticized at all. No matter what way it goes, she should never be criticized for what she did. I compete, she competed,” said Clark. “It was a super, super fun game. I think that’s what’s going to bring some more people to our game.”

Starting with the spotlight firmly focused on Clark and Reese, one unassuming off the court, the other incandescent everywhere.

Both stars will be back next season. We will probably enjoy the closest thing college hoops has seen since Bird was at Indiana State and Magic at Michigan State. Big difference? Infinitely more exposure and — there’s NIL now.

Clark gets it. On her Twitter profile, the last line reads, “Business Inquiries: info@caitlinclark22.com” – an e-mail address that has recently expanded from a two-lane Iowa country road to an expressway.

Clark’s NIL valuation has more than tripled, from under $200,000 to $740,000, in the last few days. There’s no denying that her spectacular season and sensational NCAA performances have made her the game’s focal figure, and is drawing fans to the game like nobody else has.

Reese earned the “Bayou Barbie” nickname this year, her first at LSU after transferring from Maryland. Her sense of style extends to the court, blending there with her often-dominating brand of basketball.

They have forced us to contemplate some tough issues, producing some uncomfortable discussion. No question, their NIL values are soaring, and they’ll be better off for it.

Hopefully we will, too.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

Cypress Realty of Louisiana held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on April 4 for the Grand Opening of its office in Woodworth.

A celebration of life honoring the beautiful Legacy of Mrs. Mary Louise Edwards of Alexandria, Louisiana. It will be held on Saturday, April 8, 2023, at noon at Second Evergreen Baptist Church, 2314 Wise Street, Alexandria, LA 71301 with Pastor Wesley Lotts officiating. Interment will be at the Edgefield Cemetery in Cheneyville, Louisiana. A viewing will be held Saturday, April 8, 2023, from 11 am -12 noon at Second Evergreen Baptist Church.

Survivors are a loving husband William Patrick Edwards; One son Donnie Jackson, and three daughters, Lakeshia Jackson Warman (Kyle Warman) Yolanda Howard (deceased) Tineshla Jackson Simmons ( Damien Simmons) and 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; Mary leaves to cherish her precious memories to her sisters, Vera Milton, Vergie Madden, Catherine Hall, Betty Lott ( Pastor Wesley Lotts), Mamie Washington, Lois Hymes, Minster Carolyn Beverly ( Pastor Anthony Beverly), one brother, Donald Ray Jackson, a sister friend, Karen Miller and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles family and friends near and afar. Family and friends are asked to assemble at the church at 11:30 am. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to: Wooddale Baptist Youth Choir Alexandria, Louisiana : Attn: Sis. Horton Choir Director in Memory of Sis. Edwards loved and enjoyed music; during times of her life, she led the youth choir. Music and prayer were her ways of expressing her faith.

Please keep the family in prayer.

Funeral services for Mr. James Ray Clark will be held on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home with Rev. Grady Dodge officiating. Interment will be held in the Vick Baptist Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Marksville.

Mr. Clark, age 57, of Vick, LA., passed away on Sunday, April 2, 2023 in at his residence in Vick, LA. He is preceded in death by his father, Leslie Ray Clark.

Those left to cherish his memory are his Fiance, Cammie Bryan of Vick; mother and step-father, Mary Lou Cavalier Ferrier (Troy);three step sons, Jeremiah Bryan of Effie, Peter Bryan of Effie, Billy Ray Bryan (Abby Gordy) of Pineville; two brothers, Arvin Dale Clark of Tioga, Denny Ray Clark of Hessmer; step-brother, Troy Ferrier, Jr.; one niece, Madyson Clark of Pineville; one great-niece, Kinsley Ann Clark of Pineville; eight grandchildren, Sara Bryan, Hope Bryan, Baylee Bryan, Hannah Prater, Khloe Bryan, Shawn Bryan, Isabella Bryan and Layla Prater

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 6, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home in Marksville.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers will be Jeremiah Bryan, Billy Ray Bryan, Delbert Lofton, David “Goux” Paulk, Riley Gaspard, Denny Ray Clark. Honorary pallbearers will be Dewayne Whilite, Mark Dunlap and Chris Dunlap.

The Medical Staff of Rapides Regional Medical Center has announced its executive committee for 2023.

T. Mack Granger, M.D., will serve as Chief of Staff and Gary Manuel, M.D., will serve as Chief of Staff-Elect. Serving as members-at-large are Michael Miguez, M.D., Samantha Zeringue, M.D., and Vanda Davidson, M.D.

Other members of the executive committee for 2023 are:

Anesthesia: Christopher Franco, D.O.

Cardiology: Ilyas Chaudhry, M.D.

Credentials: Lance Templeton, M.D.

Emergency Medicine: Angela Adams, M.D.

Family Practice: Joan Brunson, M.D.

Hospital Medicine: Benjamin Newsom, M.D.

Medicine: Rajat Gulati, M.D.

OB-GYN: Joel Hall, M.D.

Pathology: Bruce Herrington, M.D.

Pediatrics: Anil Danivas, M.D.

Radiology: Stuart Head, M.D.

Surgery: Christian Wold, M.D.

Performance Improvement Council: Philip Kanemo, MD

Ex-Officio: Vernon Jones, Sherrie Somers, D.O., and Barbara Griffin, MSN, RN, NE-BC.