His arrest Monday for alleged attempted 2nd degree murder is Jacob Allen Bennett’s third booking this year.
Bennett, 27, of Boyce was still in Rapides custody Tuesday evening pending posting $300,000 bail.
He is also charged with firearm possession by a convicted felon, illegal use of a weapon/dangerous instrumentality and obstruction of justice evidence tampering.
His arrests earlier this year don’t measure up to the current one or those of previous years in degree of serious.
In June he was booked on two traffic and two contempt of court counts.
In April Bennett was booked on five contempt counts.
At that point it had been a year since he and the law officially crossed paths.
On May 29, 2022, according to records, Bennett was booked for alleged aggravated assault with firearm, aggravated battery, criminal conspiracy, burglary aggravated/aggravated assault, possession of CDS II < 2 grams, contraband to/from penal facility and contempt of court.
In December 2021 authorities charged him with aggravated burglary, two counts of aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy.
Other arrests according to readily available records:
May 2020 – assault aggravated with firearm, battery;
August 2019 – possession CDS II 2-28 grams or more, aggravated assault, illegal use of weapon, criminal damage;
April 2019 – possession CDS I 2nd, possession CDS II, illegal carrying firearm with drugs, no vehicle insurance, switched license plate;
February 2019 – battery on officer 3 counts, resisting officer 2 counts, battery 2nd degree, aggravated assault with firearm.
September 2016 – Aggravated assault, criminal trespass, contributing to delinquency of juvenile.
The Alexandria City Council voted unanimously to accept a donation from Martin Sustainable Resources, LLC, to make significant improvements to Compton Park during its regular meeting Tuesday night.
Darren Green, the city’s urban forester, said the Martin family approached the city about three years ago about making improvements to Compton Park as a way to honor the late Johnny Martin, who was a regular at the park and worked to help maintain the grounds.
“The Martin family is honoring Jonathan E. Martin for his Christian life and great contributions to the timber industry, Cenla, and all of Louisiana,” said Roy O. Martin III. “Johnny, who was very close to his grandchildren, always loved to pick up trash around Compton Park, and we can’t think of a better way to honor his life than to donate a grove of trees and playground equipment for children in Compton Park. We also thank the Compton family for providing this space for Alexandria for decades. Today, September 20th, mark’s the fourth anniversary of his (Johnny’s) death.”
City officials suggested replacing the playground equipment at the park. The Martins agreed to do that and more Green said. “They will be replacing the current playground equipment with a state-of-the-art Tree Top Playground. They will also be making improvements to the walking trail and they will create a new gathering area with shade trees between the playground area and the hill,” Green said.
Green said the playground equipment has been ordered and is expected to arrive in November and a contractor has been selected to do the construction work. He said the park will have to be closed during installation of the new playground equipment and the other improvements. “We will do our best to keep the walking trail available,” Green said.
Noting the entire cost of the project is being covered by Martin Sustainable Resources, Council President Lee Rubin said, “I think all citizens of Alexandria owe them a big thank you. This is a significant contribution and will be a great addition to the city.” Green added that Compton Park was on the city’s list for improvements and playground replacement. “Thanks to this donation, that frees up $50,000-$100,000 that can be used for other projects,” he said.
As was previously reported by The Rapides Parish Journal (https://rapidesparishjournal.com/2023/09/19/council-to-hear-proposal-to-allow-more-ambulance-service-providers/), an ordinance was introduced to consider allowing more than one ambulance service provider for the city. The city council voted to allow multiple providers last year but then-Mayor Jeff Hall vetoed the ordinance noting it conflicted with a single-provider agreement in place for Rapides Parish and could result in confusion and slower or no response. At the time, Hall said he didn’t oppose competition, but felt it would make more sense to look at the issue when the existing contract with Acadian Ambulance expires.
In other business, council members approved the appointment of Public Works Director David Gill as Accountable Executive for Compliance with the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan Requirement. The city’s ATRANS bus system is under the Public Works Division and the Public Works Director typically fills this position.
The city also approved a resolution to create a permanent marker to recognize Alexandria as the first city in Louisiana to adopt a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance. Former city councilman Roosevelt Johnson spoke in favor of the resolution. He noted the ordinance took effect on January 4, 2012, and he hopes the marker can be in place in time for the anniversary of the ordinance’s implementation next January.
Finally, the council approved co-sponsoring the Alexandria Museum of Art’s Dylan Tran performance on October 5. Museum Director Catherine Pears said Tran is an Alexandria native who has become a prominent performer in New Orleans. She said Tran’s performance plans are too large for the museum, and that the event will be held at the Alexandria Riverfront Amphitheater.
The Bolton High windows decision boils down to when the Rapides Parish School Board wants to spend its money and what might be gained, or lost.
The District 62 Committee heard the options Tuesday evening.
Described at one point as a “firestorm”, reaction from preservationists, alumni and others caused the board and its consulting group to pause late last month and give further thought to the project.
Options going forward:
Repaint the 97-year-old windows, and accept doing it again every five years. Current cost – $150,000, with no energy efficiency savings and no improved life safety;
Repair and refurbish, making more of the windows operable and installing removable interior storm windows. Increased occupant life safety. Still have to paint every 5-7 years. Current cost – $500,000, with energy savings about $25,000 annually;
Replace, no future maintenance costs, but forfeit historic registry status and tax credit likely under other two options. Increased life safety. Current cost – $1,000,000, with energy savings about $50,000.
Supt. Jeff Powell, who earlier in the meeting reiterated a need to maintain historic aspects, said after the consulting review that he favors the second option.
Board President Stephen Chapman said the board and its consultants should keep in mind the historic significance of the whole building, not just its windows.
The committee, comprised of Wards 1 and 8 members, forwarded the options to the Executive Committee without recommendation.
The board hopes to get work under way on the windows, whatever it might be, and other “essentials” by November.
If not for an invitation from an Alexandria Little League Baseball coach, one of the most iconic moments in LSU baseball history as well as NCAA baseball history might never have happened.
“My dad was a basketball coach at Bolton High School. If you asked me back then what I wanted to be, I would have told you an NBA player. I didn’t play baseball until I was about 9,” Warren Morris told members of the Alexandria Rotary Club Tuesday afternoon.
Morris said a local coach invited him to join the team. “On the way to the first practice, dad had to stop at the store to buy me a glove. You never know the power of an invitation – it could change your life forever,” he said.
Morris gained fame as a member of the 1996 LSU baseball team when he hit the game-winning walk-off home run in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, to defeat the Miami Hurricanes and give Skip Bertman and LSU its third National Championship in baseball.
It has been 27 years since that momentous hit, and Morris still gets fan letters and requests for autographs. ESPN did a special called “The Walkoff” to commemorate the 25th anniversary. “People ask me ‘does it ever get old,’ talking about that game. I tell them no, because it ends well,” Morris said. “For me, to be remembered for something good – especially in Louisiana – is really special.”
Many of the comments come from LSU fans who remember how they reacted to the game-winning home run. “At least half of them tell me they got so excited they jumped up and hit their head or their hand on a ceiling fan. It’s amazing what people remember and how they reacted.”
Tuesday, Morris, a bank executive with Red River Bank in Alexandria, took time to talk about how his life has been since that swing.
His first stop after college ball was playing with the U.S. Olympic baseball team at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. “We didn’t understand at that time what it meant to represent our country,” he said. “I was proud to wear the purple and gold at LSU, but to have that USA across your chest and to get to play in Atlanta, so we got to represent the U.S. in our own country, there’s nothing more special than that,” Morris said.
Bertman also coached the Olympic team, which made the transition easier for Morris. There were eight teams competing for the gold medal that year, with an opening round and then winners advancing to the medal round. Morris recalled that as the time to play approached, many of the players appeared to get nervous. “You could tell that we were getting a little tight and not as loose as we needed to be,” Morris recalled. “So Skip brought out this big book on the Olympics. He showed us the “Dream Team” U.S. men’s basketball team had six pages. The gymnastics team had seven pages. The track team had eight pages. Then he showed us the baseball team only got one paragraph, so we could just relax and have fun, nobody knew we were there.”
Ultimately the USA team went 6-1 and earned a Bronze medal, which Morris proudly held up for the audience to see. “I think it’s so special. The only people on the planet who have this are the 20 guys on that baseball team,” he said. “I figured it up. At the time there were roughly 332 million people in the United States. To be one of 20 in a country of 332 million is very humbling.”
After the Olympics, Morris was drafted in the fifth round by the Texas Rangers to play professional baseball. While in the minor leagues he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Morris recalled he was in Tulsa and his future wife was flying in when he learned that he was traded and that he was to report to Raleigh, North Carolina, as soon as possible to join his new team. He recalled she helped him pack his things and then they drove from Tulsa to Raleigh.
He got married in October of 1998, and on opening day of the 1999 season he was the starting second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates. “I remember walking out on that field and thinking I’ve played against these guys before, but that was on Nintendo. This is the real thing,” Morris said.
Morris said he grew up a fan of the Chicago Cubs, regularly watching their games on WGN TV. So it was extra special when his first major league home run came against the Cubs in Pittsburgh. The ball landed on an awning in the outfield and rolled back onto the field. “My teammates wanted to get the ball for me since it was my first home run, so they were yelling at Sammy Sosa to toss them the ball,” Morris recalled. Unfortunately, Sosa didn’t understand and tossed the ball toward the stands. “Fortunately, his aim wasn’t good and it hit the awning and rolled down into the bullpen, so I got the ball,” he said.
Morris played nine seasons as a professional, playing for the Pirates, the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers as well as a host of minor league teams. In 2005 he decided to retire from baseball to spend more time with his wife and daughters.
He returned to Alexandria where he went to work for Red River Bank.
Morris said many of the lessons he learned from baseball, and especially coach Bertman, have helped him succeed in business and in raising his children.
“There are two things that stand out that Skip harped on, and they are both acronyms,” Morris said. The first is HWA, which stands for How to Win Awareness. The second is TOB, which stands for Transfer of Blame.
“HWA is a good thing. It’s about knowing what to do without being told,” he said. In baseball, an example Morris cited is when a runner sees an outfielder bobble a ball knowing to run on to the next base right away. “If you do that when you see it you will be safe about 100 percent of the time. But if you wait and look for the coach to tell you, he’ll hold you up because it’s too late,” he said.
Morris uses the same expectation with his daughters. “For example, if you see a piece of paper on the ground, pick it up. Don’t wait to be told. Do the right thing,” he said.
Morris said TOB – transfer of blame, can be found everywhere. “People learn that at a young age, like when you say the dog ate your homework. Or when the coach asks why you missed a fly ball and you say the sun got in your eyes,” he said.
His daughters have also been guilty of TOB. “My wife will tell them they need to clean their room and give them a deadline and I’ll see it’s almost time they should be done and I’ll ask why it isn’t done yet and they’ll tell me about all the other things that came up,” he said.
Morris notes he has been blessed throughout his life. “On my last LSU swing, we won a national championship. My last game as a professional baseball player we won the AAA minor league championship. And in my last Olympic game we won a Bronze medal. I hope my story brings some joy to others. I had hard working parents and coaches. Dreams really do come true.”
Even the baseball cards Morris is asked to sign carry special meaning. “I used to collect cards as a kid,” he said. “I always thought you had to be from a big city to get a baseball card. One of my favorite things on a baseball card is the hometown. And on mine it shows hometown Alexandria, Louisiana. I tell people, if I can do that, there’s no reason you can’t reach your dreams.”
Jason Dewitt had $37,000 on hand as his campaign for District 26 state representative entered its final month.
Dewitt is opposed by Trish Leleux in the race to succeed term-limited Lance Harris. All three are Republicans.
Dewitt lists $18,200 from Political Action Committees among his $162,000 in contributions since Jan. 1.
The campaign spent $186,000 and repaid Dewitt $50,000 he had loaned it as seed money last fall. The campaign fund had $111,000 on hand as the year began.
About $130,000 of the spending went to media and direct mail expense.
Contributors of $2,500 included:
ABC Pelican PAC, Louisiana Committee for A Conservstive Majority, LASFAR PAC, LA Homebuilders Association PAC – Baton Rouge;
BOK Rnterprises, Sharon Chicola , Shane Hilton, Melinda Mahfouz, Kay Michaels, Pan American Engineers, Jeffrey Richardson, J.M. Small, Spurgeon Law Firm, Tri’s AC/Heating – Alexandria;
Kendall Brumley, Hayes Manufacturing, MRL LLC – Pineville;
Jack Dewitt, Boyce; Brian Carmouche, Deville; Crescent City Surgical Center Operating, Metairie; Progressive Metchants, Iowa, LA.
BREAKUP: Greg Brooks Jr., shown breaking up a pass against Florida State, is sidelined with a ‘medical emergency.’ (LSU Athletics)
(Editor’s note – early this morning, Greg Brooks Jr.’s family posted a statement on social media acknowledging he had surgery to address a large brain tumor. This story was written following Tuesday evening player interviews when LSU was unable to release that specific information due to federal HIPA regulations related to medical privacy rights.)
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
Ask any LSU player who has stood shoulder to shoulder in a defensive huddle with Greg Brooks Jr. or had to try to block him in practice, and the answers echo each other.
“Everybody knows he plays with his heart and he plays hard,” LSU starting center Charles Turner said.
Brooks’ self-assessment from a couple of years ago explains perfectly why he brings his best to every game, practice and off-season workout.
“I never get comfortable where I’m at because anything can be taken at any time, so I really just compete every day,” Brooks, the Tigers’ graduate student starting safety, said in August.
It’s why it was unusual last Thursday when Brooks, a team captain, wasn’t at practice preparing for the Tigers’ Southeastern Conference opener at Mississippi State.
“It was very tough especially not seeing that he was present at practice and having to find out what happened to him,” LSU starting defensive end Sa’vion Jones said.
What exactly has happened to Brooks remains unknown. But when Tigers’ head coach Brian Kelly revealed after last Saturday’s 41-14 win at MSU that Brooks was sidelined indefinitely with “a medical emergency” and the game ball would be presented to Brooks, it seemed drastically more serious than the vertigo he suffered in preseason practice.
“It was tough on the guys and tough on all of us,” Kelly said of explaining to the team about Brooks’ absence.”
The fact Brooks will miss Saturday’s game in Tiger Stadium vs. Arkansas, a team he started 31 times for in three seasons before transferring to LSU last season, resonated from Baton Rouge to Fayetteville.
“I want to start out talking about Greg Brooks,” Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said as he opened his Monday press conference.
“I’m not positive what is going on with him, but they talked about a medical emergency. Greg was a wonderful kid when he was here and did a great job for us.
“Whatever it may be, I want him and his family and LSU to know that we’re concerned, we’re praying for him, and we hope that he has a speedy recovery. I wish I knew more about it, but I don’t. I do know a medical emergency means there’s something wrong, and our thoughts and prayers are with him and the LSU football team and community.”
Brooks posted the following message on Instagram last Thursday:
“Ppl who overcome darkness in their life typically have a fire inside them that is almost impossible to extinguish. . .the story ain’t over it’s already written God makes no mistakes watch how I break the knob.”
When Brooks met with Baton Rouge-area media after transferring from Arkansas along with another former New Orleans area high school star, Joe Foucha, he spoke about the pride and responsibility of playing for his home state.
Despite Brooks’ West Jefferson High coach Cyril Crutchfield describing Brooks as “never having a player that was that much of a student of the game,” LSU never offered Brooks a scholarship in its signing class of 2019.
He originally committed to Mississippi State before signing with Arkansas, where he had 112 tackles, 5½ tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups and 4 interceptions in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Then, just like his father Greg Sr., who played a year at Michigan before transferring to Southern Miss for his final three seasons, the junior Brooks decided to put his name in the transfer portal in January 2022 knowing then-new LSU coach Kelly was seeking defensive backs.
Last season, Brooks started 13 of 14 games he appeared in and ranked fifth on the team in tackles with 66. In a 21-17 win over Auburn, he returned an interception 30 yards in the fourth quarter to seal the Tigers’ victory.
Through the first two games this season, he already had 8 tackles, 2 pass breakups and a QB hurry. “He had a dream as a kid just to play here his whole life,” Turner said of Brooks, So him coming back and playing for LSU was a big deal.
“He’s a guy that kind of went under the (recruiting) radar and then came back home and tried to do everything the right way. He’s worked his tail off every day he’s been here. He’s a tough, tough kid.”
Jones recalled a running workout this past summer that had a group of Tigers ready to call it a day early.
“Everybody was hunched over, hands on hips and ready to give up,” Jones said. “He (Brooks) walked to the front of us and said `We need to pick this up.’”
And now, he’s inspiring teammates as he battles his “medical emergency.”
“Him going through that makes you realize every day could be your last day,” Turner said. “So, you just have to go out there and attack every day. That’s the motivation he gives us.”
The Central Louisiana Orchid Society will hold an Orchid Show and Sale on Friday, Sept. 22 from 2-5 pm and Saturday, Sept. 23 from 8 am-4 pm at Kees Park Community Center, located at 2450 Highway 28 E in Pineville. This event is FREE and open to the public. There will be amazing displays and galleries of orchids and orchid growers will be present to give tips on growing and repotting. Vendors will have beautiful orchids available for purchase. Bring your kids to participate in an orchid treasure hunt with ribbons awarded to the winners.
The Natchitoches Soil and Water Conservation District has an opening for a District Secretary/Program Assistant.
Duties include:
general bookkeeping, managing/balancing an annual budget, customer reception, composing correspondence, preparing multiple reports each month, attending monthly board meetings and preparing minutes, and assisting office personnel in USDA NRCS Programs offered to the public. Must be proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook as well as Adobe products. Should be a fast learner, and able to self-motivate with excellent organizational skills.
Benefits:
Annual leave and sick leave are accrued on pay periods worked. Benefits will include state group health insurance and Louisiana deferred compensation benefits program.
The Alexandria Senior High School Band of 1972 established a scholarship at Northwestern State University to honor the memory of a beloved and influential band director who touched the lives of many students over several decades.
The Dr. Jerry Payne Endowed Scholarship is a four-year scholarship that will be awarded to a student from freshman year through graduation as long as all requirements are met. Eligible recipients are students majoring in instrumental music education who aspire to become band directors or work in the field of instrumental performance. Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better.
Payne was born in Dodson in 1935. After graduating from Bolton High School, he earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at NSU and became a music educator and performer. As an undergraduate, Payne paid for his college expenses by playing saxophone in NSU’s big band ensemble, The Demonnaires.
Payne began his career at Alexandria Junior High and then Alexandria Senior High before returning to his alma mater to serve as director of bands at Northwestern. During this time, he also served his country in the U.S. Army National Guard and was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis of 1961.
After over 20 years molding and mentoring young musicians in Louisiana, Payne accepted the band director position in Marshall, Texas, in 1977. He and his family of seven – including wife Marilyn, sons Mal and Ronnie and daughters Donnis, Melissa and Jeannie – moved to Marshall as he took over a band program that was low in numbers and historically struggling. Under Payne’s direction and with a growing, dedicated staff of music educators joining the team, the Marshall “Big Red Pride” Band began to grow and improve throughout the late 1970s and 1980s.
The Big Red Pride quickly became a staple of Marshall, performing crowd-pleasing music and routines at football games and contests all over the state. The band won multiple Sweepstakes honors and became one of the most respected and consistently high-performing bands in Texas. Payne led the Big Red Pride for over 25 years before announcing his retirement in May 2002. That gave him over 45 years of service as a music educator and band director in both Texas and Louisiana, a career that saw him build lasting relationships with a countless number of students shared a bond with “Doc” that was forged through his inspirational teaching, mentorship and shared experiences.
Upon his retirement, Payne’s family, friends and former students pulled off a weekend-long, secret retirement party known covertly as just SRP – “Surprise Retirement Party. The event was held at Marshall High School and included hundreds Payne’s students from Louisiana and Texas. As a retirement gift, he and Marilyn were treated to a return trip to Europe to relive memories they had experienced during his time teaching in Alexandria, when he led his band on a tour of Europe and participated in the first International Band Festival in Vienna, Austria.
Although he was retired as a full-time educator, Payne continued his passion for music with private lessons and performances with his legendary saxophone. He and other local musicians formed a jazz ensemble, “The Vintage Four,” and played gigs all over east Texas. He also performed at various events as a solo artist, billing himself simply as “Dr. J and the CDs.”
Payne was a member of the Louisiana Music Educators Hall of Fame and the Texas Music Educators Hall of Fame and was inducted as a distinguished alumnus in the field of music to the Northwestern State University Creative and Performing Arts Hall of Fame.
Payne devoted his later year to caring for his wife, Marilyn, as she battled the effects of Parkinson’s disease. She passed away in 2014 and Payne moved to Hallsville to be closer to his daughters and grandchildren. He continued to play and listen to his music and spend time and holidays with his children, grandchildren and friends. He lived with his son Mal and daughter-in-law Regina, who were his principal caregivers, from Sept. 22 until he passed away July 17, 2023.
Louisiana Christian University held a campus-wide scavenger hunt Monday to celebrate Constitution Day. Clues were hidden around campus for participants to learn more about the importance of the historic document.
In 2004, Congress established Constitution Day, Sept. 17, as a day for the nation to remember and celebrate the document that established the U.S. system of government. When Constitution Day falls on the weekend, it is traditionally celebrated on the Friday before or the Monday after.
The Constitution of the United States of America opens with the words “We the People.” When this document was written in 1787, it was fairly radical to believe that political power should be placed in the hands of the people – instead of in the hands of a king – but this principle has been the guiding light for our nation for the past 236 years.
“I think it is especially important for students to realize that they are part of the story of the Constitution – that they are a vital and active part of the phrase ‘We the People,’ “ said Dean of Humanities and Socal Sciences Dr. Christine Reese. “In that spirit, Dr. Alecusan created a scavenger hunt around campus that students could participate in to learn about the importance of the Constitution for our nation.”
Dr. George Alecusan, assistant professor of political science, said he thought a scavenger hunt was a great experiential learning activity for students to find out more about the Constitution.
“I firmly believe that the Constitution should be studied while students are in the classroom, but giving the students a chance to exercise their legs, not just their minds, can help build a positive culture on campus,” he said.
Students who completed the scavenger hunt were entered into a drawing with the winner receiving a gift card to the LCU bookstore.
Senior social work major Stella Shaw, of Porter, Texas, was the winner of the scavenger hunt competition, and she said it was a fun and interactive way to recognize and learn about the Constitution.
“I require students to read a short excerpt from Thomas Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address,” Alecusan said. “After a very contentious win over rival John Adams, President Thomas Jefferson remarks, ‘[A]ll will, of course, arrange themselves under the will of the law, and unite in common efforts for the common good.’ As Christians, especially, we should be looking for those opportunities to promote the ‘common good’ and the good that belongs to God. We should take that liberty that is enshrined in the Constitution and put it to the best, and highest, use possible.
“When we think about the current landscape of American politics, we think almost exclusively about the polarization and partisanship that is gripping our society. The Constitution of the United States reminds us that there should still be places of commonality and common ground.”
The Division of Strategic Communications at LSUA is proud to be recognized with a Lantern Award of Excellence from the Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF). This recognition, presented at the fall conference in Huntsville, Alabama, underscores LSUA’s dedication to outstanding public relations.
SPRF, a network of over 1,400 public relations professionals from Alabama, north Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi, serves as the premier organization for PR practitioners in the Gulf South. LSUA’s StratComms team is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana’s Central chapter.
LSUA’s StratComms team secured a Lantern Award for their long-term marketing campaign, “Within Reach. Without Limits,” designed to enhance LSUA’s reputation and online presence through a strategic blend of online and traditional advertising. The campaign, encompassing video, digital, and print ads across nine academic concentrations, spotlighted LSUA’s affordability and unique degree programs and emphasized its vibrant campus culture.
Chase Dyess, Marketing Coordinator at LSUA, said, “We developed a comprehensive suite of creative content tailored to specific program interests. To capture the audience’s attention, we produced high-quality videos, graphic design, and messaging that highlighted unique programs, affordable tuition, and campus culture.”
“LSUA is blessed with an extremely talented and dedicated Strategic Communications team that always goes above and beyond in everything they do to advance LSUA’s mission,” said LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil. “There is no university communications team statewide more deserving of this prestigious Lantern Award from SPRF. All of us at LSUA extend our heartfelt congratulations to Adam Lord, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications, and the entire team. Their outstanding work clearly helped us achieve our goal of enrolling over 5,000 students two full years ahead of our 2025 strategic plan!”
The Lantern Awards, granted annually by SPRF, celebrates exceptional work in various PR categories. Professional entries are meticulously evaluated in thirty distinct categories, encompassing long-term strategic programs, short-term strategic programs, and tactical materials. The judging process is conducted by PR practitioners outside SPRF’s four-state region and is based on the individual merit of each submission.
Written by Adam Lord | LSUA Strategic Communications
Northwestern State University’s School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is pleased to announce STEM Day, designed for prospective students to dive into promising career opportunities within STEM fields. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with accomplished faculty and like-minded peers, gaining valuable insights into our diverse range of degree programs. The STEM School encompasses the Department of Biology and Microbiology, the Department of Engineering Technology, the Division of Mathematics, the Department of Physical Science, and the Department of Veterinary Technology.
For high school students in grades 9-12, Northwestern State University’s School of STEM is offering an exceptional opportunity to dive deep into their fields of interest. Through engaging and interactive hands-on demonstrations, students can gain valuable insights into the exciting worlds of STEM. Participants will have the chance to choose from several specialized tracks, in biomedical/microbiology, natural science/ecology, veterinary science, chemistry and physics or mathematics/engineering.
Rapides Parish felony arrests. An arrest is an accusation, not a conviction.
September 18 Jacob Bennett, 27, Boyce — Attempted murder 2nd degree, firearm possession by convicted felon, illegal use weapon/dangerous instrumentality, obstruction of justice evidence tampering.
The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office will hold a Firewood Sale on Thursday, Sept. 21 from 7am-1pm as part of its Firewood Project.
Firewood is $60 per ric, which is a 4×8-foot stack. There’s a two-ric limit. Money orders only. Receipts for money orders will be given at the guard shack on John Allison Drive. Pick up will be on Vandenberg Drive. For more information call 318-709-8489.
Margaret Alice Funderburk November 12, 1946 – September 1, 2023 Service: Saturday, September 23, 2023, 3 pm at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Pineville.
Myra Paulina Brown July 22, 1945 – September 17, 2023 Service: Wednesday, September 20, 2023, 4 pm at Kramer Funeral Home, Alexandria.
The Rapides Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $95. 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 initiated an investigation into a person being shot on Essie Street on Sept. 14 around 10:27 pm. The victim was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries.
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 the phone number (318) 441-6416, or APD Dispatch (318) 441-6559. You may also email information to detectives at:
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 www.p3tips.com/community/mobile/
Multiple options are being considered regarding Bolton High School’s windows, according to an update planned for today’s School Board Dist. 62 meeting.
The meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. at the system office on Beauregard Street. Also meeting this afternoon are the Education, Finance and Personnel committees.
Supt. Jeff Powell will give Dist. 62 members an update on bond issue projects that include Bolton and other schools.
Materials posted with the committee agenda indicate bids are expected in late October for Bolton Phase 1 — roofs, windows, bathrooms, etc – with construction under way by Thanksgiving. Completion is anticipated by next August.
According to the materials, “multiple options regarding repair, replacement, minimal cosmetic upgrades of all windows” are being considered.
“All work will be consistent and approved via historical preservation and will not jeopardize historic status,” the update stipulates.
Retaining the school’s iconic century-old facade has been the objective of a whirlwind campaign since it was learned a few weeks ago the windows might be in jeopardy.
The windows issue comes as the school, opened on Vance Avenue in 1926, prepares for transition to a pre K-12 campus.
Its renovation is only a portion of a substantive bond issue approved by the district’s voters.
A proposed ordinance to allow multiple ambulance service providers will be introduced at today’s 5 p.m. Alexandria City Council meeting.
Reddex Washington Jr. is sponsoring the proposal to again try to open the city to providers other than Acadian Ambulance.
The multiple provider issue dates back several decades in the city and Rapides Parish, eventually resolved in 1995.
Most recently, in the summer of 2022 the council voted to open the city to multiple emergency and non-emergency providers.
Mayor Jeff Hall vetoed the ordinance, saying it conflicted with a parish one limiting service to one provider, adding he felt more than one unnecessary.
Current Mayor Jacque Roy has not yet publicly commented on Washington’s proposal.
Leah Darrow, a former model for “America’s Next Hot Model (ANHM),” says she received – in a flash — a 5-word message from God during an international photo shoot when she was 25 years old.
Darrow was part of the ANHM show hosted by Tyra Banks in 2004. After she was eliminated from the competition, she decided to pursue a career in modeling in New York City.
“I was having a career that everyone said I should go for,” she says, “yet I realized how incredibly unhappy I was.” She wasn’t free. She felt she was chained to a non-stop schedule, following orders all the time to do this, do that, go here, go there. She’d mask her pain with obligatory smiles.
“As I’m blinking after a flash of a Polaroid camera, I saw a shadowy profile of a man’s face,” she says, noting the man took her hands in his and spoke five words to her: “I made you for more.”
She says she heard the message “I made you for more” again and again and again – five times in all – concluding, “God speaks simple truths.”
With that, she decided to quit and walk away, saying she didn’t want this lifestyle anymore. Convinced God came to her in the photo shoot with a message she couldn’t deny, she walked – a long walk — back to her apartment. Crying, and alone, and desperate, she decided to call her father.
“I called him, and he answered the phone,” she said, “and I told him, ‘Dad, if you don’t come get me, I’m going to lose my soul.’ There was a long pause, and he said, ‘OK, baby, I’m coming to get you.’ He then drove 2,000 miles to pick me up.”
What makes that willingness of her father to sacrifice his time and gas money to agree to her request is that Leah, at the time, was the wayward child among her siblings, the one who they feared might die young from who knows what. She had strayed from her faith. She was like a lost sheep.
While her father was hastily packing for the trip, her mother gave him some words to say to Leah when they met: “You say you want to go home? Well, Jesus is home. If you want to go anywhere else, you can call Southwest Airlines. If she says no, kiss her on the forehead and come home alone.”
Darrow, a Catholic speaker, wife and mother of six children, lives with her family on an 80-acre farm in the small town of Fordland, Missouri. She told this story as the featured speaker at the Cenla Pregnancy Center’s 5th annual Gift of Life Banquet last week before about 900 guests at the Ned Randolph Riverfront Centre.
“I had somebody to call, to hear me and nudge me in the right direction,” she says. “Having someone to call can be an absolute game changer. What you have here at this pregnancy center – and at pregnancy centers across the country – is a person on the other end of that call. What a blessing it is to pick up the phone!”
That’s because it’s a phone call that can be a matter of life or death. It’s a daily battle between good and evil, between life and death that is won, not with coercion but with love. And sometimes tough love, like a dad was prepared to show his daughter back in New York City if she didn’t agree to come “home.”
Editor’s note — The main branch of the Cenla Pregnancy Center is in Alexandria, near the corner of MacArthur Drive and Jackson Street Extension, with two satellite centers in Marksville — 115 Ferdinand Street — and Vidalia — 4951 Hwy 84 West. It provides a variety of services for anyone with an unplanned pregnancy
WHIT CAN HIT: LSU true freshman linebacker Whit Weeks (40) had a team-high eight tackles in his first college start last Saturday in the Tigers’ 41-14 win at Mississippi State. (Photo courtesy LSU Athletics)
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – The mantra for head coaches in all sports on any level should be “You never know until you know.”
Translated: Unexpected things occur, such as changing plans or tweaking personnel which results in positive discoveries.
“I haven’t had many teams that just add water and just go,” said LSU’s Brian Kelly after three games of his 33rd season as a college head football coach. “They all require a little bit of changing the formula as the season goes along to get the right mix. We were able to do that (last season). I think we’re finding the formula for this team.”
For instance, the 12th-ranked Tigers (2-1 overall, 1-0 SEC West), who host Arkansas (2-1, 0-0 SEC West) at 6 p.m. Saturday, have discovered a few things in victories the past two weekends over Grambling and Mississippi State after losing the season-opener to Florida State.
The first adjustment was obvious. Kill the Harold Perkins Jr. inside linebacker experiment and move him back outside into open spaces where he can give offensive coordinators nightmares.
Perkins was in full whirling dervish mode in last Saturday’s 41-14 victory at Mississippi State. The final stats showed he had 4 tackles (2 solo) with two tackles for loss, a quarterback sack and a pass breakup.
On consecutive plays in the second quarter, he broke up a first-down Will Rogers pass in the corner of the end zone and then sacked him for a 3-yard loss on second down.
“Early on (vs. FSU), he was playing inside, he was thinking a lot, he was slowing down,” Kelly said.
“He’s got to play with energy. He’s got to play with emotion. That’s how he plays the game the best. He brought that competitive edge. That’s going to put him in a position to get to the quarterback and set the edge and run people down.”
There was also the one-game NCAA suspension meted out to LSU starting defensive tackle Maason Smith for the FSU opener. It forced Kelly to start sophomore Jacobian Guillory with Virginia senior tackle Jordan Jefferson as the backup. Both performed admirably.
So, when the Tigers were missing three injured starters against Mississippi State – inside linebacker Omar Speights, outside “jack” linebacker Ovie Oghoufo and safety Greg Brooks – Kelly didn’t hesitate to start three players in their first year in LSU’s program.
True freshman Whit Weeks, who replaced Speights, had a team-high 8 tackles and a QB hurry. Junior Oregon transfer Bradyn Swinson, filling in for Oghoufo, had 3 tackles, a pass breakup and a QB hurry. In Brooks’ absence, Marshall University graduate student safety Andre Sam had 4 tackles and a pass breakup. True freshman safety Ryan Yaites came off the bench and had 2 tackles.
“What it shows more than anything else,” Kelly said, “and Coach (defensive coordinator Matt) House and I were talking about it, is that we have more than 11 and we need to play them.
“You’ll see now that we can play a lot more at the linebacker position and at the safety position.”
Last game for the Razorbacks: Lost 38-31 to BYU last Saturday in Fayetteville. Arkansas outgained the Cougars 424-281, had 21 first downs to BYU’s 17 and possessed the ball for 10 more minutes than BYU, but the Cougars were a perfect 4 for 4 in red zone scoring and scored 38 points on 57 plays. BYU’s front recorded four sacks, four QB hits, and two forced fumbles. The killer for the Hogs was being whistled for 14 penalties for 125 yards.
Last meeting: In a battle of defenses, LSU won 13-10 last November in Fayetteville. LSU freshman linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. finished with two forced fumbles, four sacks and eight tackles. Arkansas, playing without injured starting QB KJ Jefferson, gained just 249 yards.
Arkansas head coach: Sam Pittman is 21-18 overall and in four seasons at Arkansas.
THIS AND THAT:
Early betting line: LSU by 17
Number of Louisiana natives on Arkansas roster: 1
Number of Arkansas natives on LSU roster: 0
Number of transfers on Arkansas roster from 4-year schools: 26 players from 22 schools including 14 players from 9 Power 5 Conference schools
ARKANSAS PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB K.J. Jefferson 55 of 71 for 629 passing yards, 6 touchdowns, 1 interception, 80 rushing yards and 1 TDs on 31 carries, RB AJ Green 190 rushing yards and 2 TDs on 28 carries, WR Andrew Armstrong (18 catches for 197 yards, 3 TDs), LB Jaheim Thomas 29 tackles, 3½ TFL, 1½ sacks, DB Jayden Johnson 15 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, PK Cam Little 1 of 2 FG, 16 of 16 extra points, P Max Fletcher 14 for 44.1 ypp, 7 FC, 4 inside the 20, 5 +50 yards, KO Cam Little 16 for 63.9 ypk, 12 touchbacks, PR Isaiah Sategna 6 for 154 yards, 1 TD, KR Isaiah Sategna 6 for 112 yards.
PIG POP QUIZ
What Arkansas star finished second twice in the Heisman Trophy voting?
A. “Touchdown” Tom Murphy B. “Rapid” Robert Holt C. “Walloping” Wally Hall D. Darren McFadden
Arkansas’ 2002 last-second win over LSU in Little Rock is known as:
A. Houston’s Nutty Buddy Classic B. The Miracle on Markham C. Little Rock Luck D. Oinker Go Deep
What record does the LSU-Arkansas 1947 Cotton Bowl hold?
A. Most snow ever in Cotton Bowl Stadium B. Most fumbles in a Cotton Bowl game C. Most coffee sold during a Cotton Bowl game D. The only scoreless tie in the history of all bowls
