June 21, 1927 – July 25, 2023

Joseph Marshall Haas passed away in Austin, TX on July 25, 2023 at the age of 96. A proud Louisiana native, and later Texan, Joe was born in Alexandria, Louisiana on June 21, 1927 to Samuel and Lulu Haupt Haas. He graduated from Bolton High School in Alexandria and graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. In 1945, even though he had lost his brother in the war, Joe joined the United States Naval Reserve, enlisting in Naval Flight School at 17. Joe was weeks away from combat missions over Japan when the war ended. This sparked his lifelong passion for aviation.

Joe began his career in 1949 working for General American Oil Company of Texas in Dallas. He spent much of his early career in the field during the wild days of the East Texas Oil Fields and he loved to tell stories about this time. He spent his entire career at General American, rising to Vice President of Engineering and later serving on their Board of Directors after his retirement in 1978. During this time, he also managed the Avoyelles Wholesale Grocery, a family business in Alexandria. In 1978 Joe founded his own petroleum consulting business, Haas Engineering in Dallas, Texas, moving the business to Austin, Texas in 1993. He served as an owner of Tiger Bend LTD. from 2004 until the time of his passing.

Joe was a member of numerous organizations including Sigma Chi; Tau Beta Pi (The Engineering Honor Society), Pi Tau Sigma (International Honor Society for Mechanical Engineers), the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers; The Dallas Petroleum Club, and Masons (32 degree, Shriner). Joe has also been listed as a noteworthy petroleum consultant by Marquis Who’s Who.

Joe’s love of sports and passion for University of Texas football was renowned. He was an honorary Longhorn and held both football and baseball season tickets for decades.

Joe was preceded in death by his first wife Mary Louise Nance, his parents Samuel and Lulu Haupt Haas, his brother Samuel Douglas Haas, his son Thomas Barker Haas and daughter-in-law Kay Haas. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Marion Barker Haas, and his children Samuel Douglas Haas and wife Katie Longfield, Joseph Marshall Haas, Jr and wife Jill, Suzanne Haas McCann and husband Patrick, Katherine Lou Haas, grandchildren William Haas and wife Inessa, Jeffrey Haas, Sarah Haas, Joseph Haas III, Travis McCann, Patrick McCann Jr, Jess Quinlan, great grandchild Gavin Haas, and step grandsons Michael Quinlan and John Patrick Quinlan.

Joe’s family would like to thank, for Joe, the caregivers who attend to his beloved wife Marion. Their care and kindness to her meant the world to Joe and greatly contributed to the quality of their final years together.

Joe was beloved by many, having lived a long, successful, and gracious life. Joe was a good man, among the last still living from the Greatest Generation. Those who knew him will always remember him. He will be greatly missed.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm Saturday, August 5 2023 at the Chapel of Hixson Brothers in Pineville LA. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Park in Pineville.

Pallbearers will be William Haas, Jeffrey Haas, Joseph Haas III, Travis McCann, Patrick McCann, Jr and Michael Quinlan.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, PO Box 515, Northampton, MA 01061.

December 13, 1951 – July 27, 2023

Marie Jones Woodley departed this life on July 27, 2023, at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas surrounded by her family. She was born December 13, 1951 to Wille and Ida(Metoyer) Jones in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Marie was a strong woman with a beautiful, sweet spirit. She graduated from St. James Catholic School in 1969. After graduating she moved out of state to start the work world while enjoying time with her brothers and sisters.

Marie was a member of St. James Catholic Church and was employed by South Central Bell Telephone Company. Later she spent 25 years at Sears Department Store where she retired to Enjoy Life to it’s fullest. Marie loved quiet time at home, shopping, visiting her daughters, grandsons, and son-n-law in Cypress, Texas. She was not only a mother and grandmother, but a loving wife for 50 years. Marie loved her exercise/dance class where she developed many friendships that always put a smile on her face. She often talked about the dances from the class and often showcased her dancing skills.

Marie is preceded in death by her father Willie Jones, her mother Ida Jones, brothers Wille Jones Jr., Howard Jones; her paternal grandparents Wille and Rosalie Jones and Luke and Florence Metoyer her maternal grandparents.

Those left to cherish her memories: her Husband James Woodley, two daughters Carlissa Morrison and Cherrelle McKinnies, Son-n-Law Michael Morrison, two grandsons Gabriel and Tristan Morrison; three brothers, James Jones, Walter Jones and Michael Jones(Twin brother); two sisters, Mable Rosenthal and Ida Mason; along with a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and Friends.

Please keep the family in prayer.

By JIM BUTLER

Those involved seem divided on what Daniel Burns, 39, liked the least about his 48 hours on the lam.

The heat?
The thirst?
The hunger?
The mosquitoes and other creatures, real or imagined?
The dark, magnifying all of the above?
Relentless hounds baying on his trail?

Whichever, the combination’s effect was evident as a harried and dehydrated Burns was apprehended and returned to jail.

He left a work release project in Tioga last Tuesday afternoon, evaded authorities until about midnight, and fled a residence in Melder, bolting into Kisatchie National Forest, when they came looking for him, evading capture until Thursday afternoon.

Once it was clear Burns had flown the coop, apparently with help from the outside, detectives had a good lead on where to look.

He had been arrested in May and a woman linked in that case was also arrested, and out of jail on bond. 

So the search began at April Page’s residence on Kent Avenue. She wasn’t there, but Heather Page, 29, and Kevick Garrison, 32, were.

Both were questioned and eventually arrested.

From there Burns’ trail led to the Melder mobile home. As the law arrived, Burns departed.

April Page, 24, was there and arrested.

And the search began.

Burns, in jail for parole violation and other alleged offenses, was charged this time with criminal conspiracy, simple escape, possession etc. of CDS III and possession or introduction of contraband into a penal facility.

The other pending charges are from May – theft of identity, stolen firearm possession, firearm possession/sell with obliterated serial number and possession firearm by convicted felon. Total bond is set at $270,000.

Burns’ Rapides arrest record dates to 2018.

April Page’s May arrest on two counts of forgery and possession of CDS III was evidently linked to Burns’ charges then.

After the escape, April Page was charged with accessory after the fact, criminal conspiracy, possession etc. of CDS III and contraband possession/introduction. Bond was set at $25,000.

Her arrest record dates to 2018.

Heather Page, after her arrest on Kent Avenue, was booked with accessory after the fact, criminal conspiracy, possession etc. of CDS III, two counts, possession CDS I 2nd, possession paraphernalia, carrying firearm with drugs and contempt of court.

Her arrest record to 2018 includes 11 contempt of court charges. She posted $46,000 bond on July 27.

Garrison was charged with probation violation, possession etc. of CDS III, possession CDS I 1st 14, possession paraphernalia, possession firearm with drugs and two counts of contempt. Bond was set at $21,000.

His record shows 10 contempt of court charges since 2019.

By JIM BUTLER

An apparently routine traffic stop occupied Brock White, 42, while officers on a special drug enforcement team executed a warrant to search his Leon Drive home.

Authorities said they had received complaints about alleged drug trafficking at the residence.

White was ticketed for obstructed view excessive tint but what was allegedly discovered at the house is the revelation, and gives an insight as to why an unoccupied search was requested in the warrant application.

The search, according to authorities, yielded two 12-gauge shotguns, two AR-15 style rifles, an AR pistol, a handgun, a Mini Drako AK-47 style, several magazines and a large assortment of ammunition and body armor as well as drugs.

White, no stranger to the Rapides lockup, was booked on several counts of seven alleged felonies. Bail was set at $550,000.

Charges include unlawful use/possession of body armor, probation violation, illegal possession of stolen firearm, illegal carrying firearms with drugs six counts and six counts of firearm possession by convicted felon.

White is also accused of possession, manufacture, distribution, dispense, possession with intent CDS II < 28 grams or analogues thereof to counts, CDS IV and 2.5 pounds marijuana or more.

White was most recently booked last August on a contempt charge and posted $10,000 bond the next day.

Prior to that he was jailed on March 23, 2022 and charged with a traffic violation – improper lane usage.

Other charges from that stop included possession CDS I < 2 grams, possession weapons by convicted felon, illegal carrying firearm and two counts of contempt of court. He posted $25,000 bond the next day.

Three years earlier, October 2019, he was charged with alleged possession, manufacture, distribution, dispense, possession with intent of CDS I, II and III, as well as three firearms violations. He posted $55,000 bond the next day.

According to records, White was stopped in July 2018 for alleged improper license display, and possession CDS I 3rd. He posted $1,600 bond two hours after booking.

The Alexandria Police Department patrol division was dispatched to 111 MacArthur Drive (Roses Express) in reference to a burglary in progress on July 30.  A vigilant citizen, who witnessed the break-in, called Alexandria Police Department dispatch.  When officers arrived on the scene, the suspect fled on foot.  Officers chased and subsequently apprehended the suspect underneath a residence on Levin Street.  The suspect was identified as 55-year-old Willie Moore of Alexandria.  Moore was charged with one count of Simple Burglary and booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center.

This is currently an ongoing investigation.

The Alexandria Police Department encourages citizens to report suspicious activity that they witness. If anyone has any information about this incident or any other type of crime in the Alexandria area, please contact the Alexandria Police Detective Division at (318) 441-6416, or APD Dispatch at (318) 441-6559.

The Alexandria Police Department was called to 2050 North Mall Drive in reference to a robbery on July 28. Officers made contact with the victim who reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two individuals. Within a few hours, Alexandria Police Department detectives’ investigation resulted in the arrested of a 17-year-old male juvenile after a brief vehicle pursuit in Alexandria. The juvenile was charged with one count of Armed Robbery, one count of Aggravated Flight, and one count of Illegal Possession of a handgun by a juvenile. A second juvenile, a 16-year-old, was charged with one count of Armed Robbery and one count of Illegal Possession of a handgun by a juvenile. The weapon used to commit the crime was recovered as well as some of the property taken during the robbery.

This is currently an ongoing investigation.

If anyone has any information about this incident or any other type of crime in the Alexandria area, please contact the Alexandria Police Detective Division at (318) 441-6416, or APD Dispatch at (318) 441-6559.

Leftover notes and quotes from this past weekend’s Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame ceremony in Natchitoches:

Eli Manning told a funny story about following his father, Archie, and his older brothers, Cooper and Payton, as Archie walked from the Superdome parking lot to the press box during his years as a color commentator for the Saints’ broadcasts.

At the time, Eli was about 5, 6 or 7.

“We’d go to the Superdome with him and every so often someone would ask Dad for his autograph, and he’d sign his name for them,” he said. “So when I went to the house of one of my friends, I’d immediately ask their dad for his autograph. I just thought that was what you did with other people’s dads.” …

Incidentally, when (or if) you watch the taped show on the induction ceremony to be aired on Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. on the LPB network, you won’t see a camera view of any of Eli’s famous family. Why not? A regrettable mix-up about the date of the ceremony on the family calendar, and, by the time it was realized, other travel, etc. plans couldn’t be changed. Nevertheless, Eli adjusted his schedule – missing only Thursday’s events and Friday bowling — and had a blast from Friday afternoon through Saturday night. …

As is traditional at these events, there was a period of silence during Saturday’s night’s ceremony to remember members of the LSHOF and special members affiliated with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association who had died within the past year, as photos of each are shown on the screen. This year’s deceased: Vida Blue, Jack “Britt” Brittain (LSHOF volunteer), Ted Castillo, Lee Hedges, Paul Hoolahan, Lucious “Luke” Jackson, Fred Miller, Charles “Cotton” Nash, Jerry Pierce, Willis Reed and Jerry Simmons. Veteran master of ceremonies Teddy Allen gave a brief tribute, highlighted by a quote from William Butler Yeats: “Think where man’s glory most begins and ends/ And say my glory was I had such friends.” …

Weightlifting legend Walter Imahara said after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, his Japanese American parents who were on the West Coast, “lost their 60-acre farm and they lost their dignity,” being forced with other Japanese Americans from that area to move inland with the rest of their families to work camps for 3 ½ years. “It was not terribly bad,” Imahara, who was 4 at the time, said. “We got over it.” …

Ron Washington, the former major league player and Texas Rangers manager and current third base coach for the Atlanta Braves, flashed the huge World Series championship ring he earned with the Braves in 2021. “This represents 52 years of grinding, 52 years of never giving up, 52 years of dedication … and, more than anything else, 52 years of belief.” Friday and Saturday nights were the first times in more than five decades he had missed a game in which he was scheduled to play or manage or coach. …  

Wendell Davis, the receiver from LSU, and Matt Forte, the running back from Tulane, each had NFL stints with the Chicago Bears, and both said they met their future wives in Chicago. …

Speaking of wives, Kym Byrd, the wife of LSU and major league pitcher and now Braves broadcaster Paul Byrd, made it to the ceremony despite a recent septic scare. Paul, a native of Louisville, talked how he and Kym established the Byrdhouse Ministries as a place where youths and adults who are having a tough time can spend time and reconnect to the world through equine therapy. “Studies show,” he said, “when you get within five feet of a horse, your heart rate lowers.”

Alexandria’s Four Season’s Bowling Center was the place to be for family fun and friendly competition as the facility hosted the 2023 BOM Celebrity Bowling Bash Saturday, July 29.

The event, a fun part of the three-day celebration of the induction of the 2023 class of Louisiana sports legends into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, was a delightful afternoon of bowling and fellowship.

The bowlers and their guests enjoyed a delicious lunch sponsored by Alexandria’s Walk-Ons.

A DJ kept spirits high throughout the event with a high energy selection of music.

After the meal, members of the 2023 class of LSHOF inductees captained teams of bowlers who competed in a ten-frame set.

After the last team was finished, the inductees were introduced to the crowd.

The winning team was announced as well as the best-and worst-celebrity bowler.

The 2023 BOM Celebrity Bowling Bash was a fun opportunity for the LSHOF inductees to get to know each other and for the LSHOF supporters attending to get to know some of Louisiana’s sports legends.

By JASON PUGH, Written for the LSWA

NATCHITOCHES – Twelve people does not a village make, but plenty of villages made the 12 inductees in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

Family members. Teammates. Friends.

They all proved to be driving forces behind 10 athletes, coaches and two journalists who enjoyed their moment in the state’s sporting limelight during Saturday night’s induction ceremony inside the Natchitoches Events Center.

“I don’t believe anyone is self-made,” said Shreveport born-and-raised Alana Beard, a four-time state champion at Southwood High School who went on to a Wade Trophy-winning college career at Duke and became a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. “Ron (Washington) spoke about it earlier. Wendell (Davis) spoke about it earlier. It’s about the people who made a difference for you along the way.”

As much as Saturday’s ceremony was a conclusion to a three-day period where the inductees were honored for their accomplishments, it was a chance for them to offer “thank yous” to those who helped them reach this point.

Take Beard, whose family helped foster a love for basketball in the left-hander who helped build Southwood’s state championship machine under coach Steve McDowell.

“We’d find a park on the weekends as a family and go play one-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three,” Beard said. “I quickly realized when I was beating my brothers, his friends, my uncles, that I was pretty good. They can admit that now.”

Like many in Saturday’s induction class, Beard found great success both inside and outside of Louisiana.

Beard’s talent left an impression on Duke where her three-time ACC Player of the Year career helped lead the Blue Devils to a pair of Final Fours and their most successful era of women’s basketball.

“Alana’s legacy is one of excellence,” said Gail Goestenkors, who coached Beard at Duke. “It’s one of the lifting up of Duke women’s basketball and the excellence on the court, in the classroom, in the community and the giving back. It’s a legacy of joy, of passion. It’s a love of the game, a love of people and the determination to be great.”

Eli Manning made history as the third member of the first family of Louisiana football to reach the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

A two-time Super Bowl MVP who holds or shares 45 school records at Ole Miss, Manning joined his father, Archie (inducted in 1988), and his older brother, Peyton (inducted in 2019), in the state’s sports shrine.

Eli never missed a game at any level because of injury – a fact for which his two older brothers may be due some credit.

“Both of them take full credit for that because of the mental and physical torture they put me through,” said Eli, flashing the Manning family charm. “Coop picked on Peyton, and he felt he should pass that down to me. He’d pin me down and put his knees on my arms and start hitting my chest, telling me to name the 28 NFL teams. I basically got smart and learned all the teams by conference and by division, so then he’d start with the SEC, the Big Ten, the Pac 10.

“He’d always say, ‘If you tell mom or dad what I did, I’ll make it worse next time.’ That was always my thought with the trainers. If I told them what happened, the defense would make it worse the next time. I wasn’t allowed to be hurt.”

Instead, Eli took that out on opposing defenses, leading the Giants to a pair of Super Bowl titles while forming his own identity in the shadow of his father, a Saints legend, and older brother, who rewrote the NFL passing record book.

“After the Super Bowl, Eli’s on the podium, and in a lot of ways, you think of how much pressure that took of this young man,” said Manning’s former teammate Michael Strahan. “He had a name that is synonymous with this league. After that, he was no longer Archie’s son. He was no longer Peyton’s younger brother. He was his own man. He was Eli Manning.”

Davis, eloquent and charming, but modest, typically let his numbers do the talking – and they speak loudly especially through the prism of time.

Long before spread offenses and the Air Raid made college football a pass-happy game, Davis was establishing pass-catching numbers that would fall right in line with today’s stars.

“He’s really the forefather of receivers in this conference,” said Davis’ LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson, himself a Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer. “He was the first guy to put up those numbers. His routes were so good. He created separation and was easy to throw to because he was always open. I’m happy the kids and people in the state get to relive his career. It’s well deserved.”

Davis was named the 1987 SEC Player of the Year and worked daily with Hodson to create the chemistry that led to that award, but it was in Shreveport where his athletic talents were groomed even before he was turning heads at Fair Park High School.

“I’m a neighborhood kid,” Davis said. “We played football, baseball. We shared equipment. We found equipment. We shared that. Team was very important to us. That’s how I learned to play sports.”

After barely missing a pair of World Series championships as manager of the Texas Rangers in 2010 and 2011, the ever-positive Washington finally broke through and won that elusive World Series title as Atlanta’s third base coach in 2021. As he looked at the elaborate championship ring during his interview, he said it is secondary to what really matters.

“I realized I made a difference in a lot of people’s lives and there have been a lot of people along the way who made a difference in Ron Washington’s life,” he said. “I’m blessed and just happy to be alive.”

The “Black Jar” Honey Content, which will be held on Monday, Aug. 7 from 7-9 pm at the Rosepine Research Station (176 Research Rd. in Rosepine) invites beekeepers to bring their honey for a blind taste test. Attendees will taste each sample of honey and decide which honey tastes best. The winner will have bragging rights for 2023.

Another reason to attend this meeting is to learn more about having bees by asking experienced beekeepers for advice. For more information, please contact Keith Hawkins, County Agent, 337-284-5332. Also, you may also obtain regular “beemail” updates about beekeeping by sending your request by email tokhawkins@agcenter.lsu.edu.

February 1, 2022 – July 28, 2023

The Celebration of Life for Olive Christine Robertson will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 5th, 2023 at Twin Bridges Baptist Church, Alexandria with Reverend Brent Dix officiating.

The family requests that visitation be observed at the church Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until time of service.

Olive, 1, of Alexandria was born February 1st 2022 and passed from this life on Friday, July 28th, 2023.

Olive was only with us for a short time but she knew nothing but love from the second we first held her. Olive was truly the embodiment of love and of life, she loved her siblings and they all absolutely adored her. You couldn’t say her name without saying live and she made the most of every precious moment. She touched the hearts of so many with her smile and laughter and her memory will be cherished forever.

Those left to cherish her memory include her parents, John and Ryan Robertson; brothers, Jayse Franklin, Jeremiah Robertson, Brooks Robertson, Nicolas Robertson, and Justin Robertson; sisters, Brystle Robertson, Gabriella Robertson, and Savannah Robertson; one nephew, Thaddeus Robertson; three nieces, Raven Robertson, Florence Moss, and Sophia Lowe; Grandparents, Robert and Christine Tranchon, and Marilyn Robertson; Great Grand Parents, John and Mary Cisneros and Brenda Tranchon, as well as numerous other family members and friends.

The Pineville Airport was the scene of family fun, aviation and raising money for an eminently worthy cause as The Experimental Aircraft Association’s Chapter 614 hosted a charity fly-in Saturday, July 29. 

The event was held to raise money for Duffel of Dreams, an organization dedicated to providing children placed into foster care with a loving start in their journey. 

Forty pilots flew into the Pineville airport from all over Louisiana and surrounding states. The pilots generously gave airplane rides at no cost to over 100 children. 

In addition to the free airplane rides, there were superheroes and Disney characters on hand as well as inflatable playhouses, food, and craft booths. 

The fun family event has a serious purpose. 

All too often in our community, children have to be removed from their homes and placed into foster care, many times in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on their backs. 

That is where Duffel of Dreams steps in to help.

The organization, a 501c-3 non-profit, gives children placed in to foster care in the CENLA parishes a suitcase filled with personal care items, clothes, and items such as a stuffed animal and blanket that give the children a reminder that there are people who care about them. 

In the words of Duffel of Dreams founder and CEO, Danielle Poteet, a 2016 Pineville High School alumna, “The suitcases are a dove sending hope to God’s children in foster care.”

Saturday’s Fly-In for Duffel of Dreams was the first of what will hopefully be an annual event. Thanks to a generous pledge from the Modern Woodmen to match any funds raised, over $10,000.00 will be going towards assisting children facing difficult circumstances. 

Duffel of Dreams delivered their first duffels to the Children’s Advocacy Network (CASA) in June and will be delivering 150 more shortly.