By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine/YouTube TV

I love this time of year in high school football. We have playoffs coming up in three weeks, and college recruiters will be coming to playoff games and high schools in November to look at kids again, hoping to see improvement or to find late risers for their programs.

Pineville High School has a few kids who could sign, or walk on, with colleges. Most of these kids just need some college to give them that chance to play football at the next level – be it FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA or junior college. It’s all about finding the right fit where opportunity exists to get better and get on the field sooner than later.

Since the transfer portal came into play, many really good high school football players have been passed by for Division I opportunities. Scholarships are given to older players who are in the portal and don’t have to adjust to college football at the D-1 level.

Hopefully more high school kids will get offers in 2023. I think gradually things will shift back that way.

As I considered some sleepers from Pineville High School, I had the advantage of seeing some of these kids play last season. I talked with Rebels coach Bryant Bell to get his opinion, especially on some of the newer kids on this 2023 squad.

All players discussed below are Class of 2024 seniors for Pineville High School.

Quarterback Jaylan Witty (6-2, 185) has a strong arm, and has a great football IQ. Coach Bell loves how he’s a great teammate. Like coach, I believe he can play D2 football all day long or if he wants, Division III. If he is given just a NAIA shot then I think Witty would be a great player to do well there and have a chance, if he wants, to move up in a year or so to a D2 or FCS program.

I love how he competes and has a great frame to fill out even more in college to maybe 210 pounds.

The Rebels have an interesting WR/slotback in Jaylen Fortson (5-7, 160). I saw him play as a sophomore. Coach Bell and I agree he has good agility, great hands, and most of all coach loves how elusive he is with the ball in his hands. I’d project him at the D3 or NAIA level because he’s not too big.

Sebastian Molette (5-11, 200) is versatile and plays TE/HB/DE for Pineville. I see him as a sleeper H-back/FB in college because he’s strong. Coach Bell likes his improved top-end speed. Molette is a late bloomer who projects at the D3 or NAIA level, but is somebody who could walk on to an FCS program and develop.

Next, WR Erick Frazier (6-2, 195), who I am intrigued by because I did not see this kid play yet. Coach Bell said he’s got upside. Frazier is obviously a tall and rangy player who has top-end speed. He runs a legit 4.6 forty. He is a young senior who with a redshirt year could develop. He’s another late bloomer, possibly a good fit at D3 or NAIA. He could be a quality FCS walk-on if he develops.

Up front, Pineville has OL/DL Keenan Taylor at 6-0, 285. Again, I haven’t seen this kid play because he’s a late bloomer. Coach loves his quick feet, and says he’s very strong. He is a leader and coach says he loves playing on the line. Taylor’s a prospect at the D3/NAIA level, or junior college.

Another big man to watch is OL Aden Gaines (6-4, 330). He is new to football in 2023. He’s raw but has tremendous upside with that size and opportunity to develop.

He’s a fit for D3 programs but could be a steal for an FCS program as a walk-on, somebody who might develop and become a starter in time. You can coach a lot of experienced players but when there’s no longstanding flaws to fix, and a kid has that kind of frame, if he’s got some OL toughness and drive, he’s one to watch.

One last thing to consider: college football has a lot of levels. It’s not all about playing in games on TV. It’s about finding the right fit on a campus and with a program. These Rebels and players from other local schools can extend their careers if they look around and keep options open.

Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE — The phrase “huge leap of improvement” has yet to be associated with LSU’s defense this season.

And there’s a good chance with five remaining games for the No. 19 Tigers, it probably won’t be. At this point, there’s no undiscovered talent on LSU head coach Brian Kelly’s roster.

Therefore, the measuring stick of progress is continuing to correct fundamental flaws such as reducing missed tackles, defensive backs finally turning their heads to locate balls in the air, the defensive line improving techniques to shed blocks and be disruptive, and adjusting the defensive structure to maximize the talent at each position.

After allowing an average of 47 points and 616.5 yards the previous two SEC road weekends at Ole Miss in a 55-49 loss followed by a 49-39 victory at Missouri, the LSU defense took baby steps forward last weekend in a 48-18 home victory over vastly overmatched Auburn.

The most telling sign of improvement was that Auburn punted six times, more than LSU forced in its previous three games combined.

“We were searching for the right defensive structure,” said Kelly, whose 5-2 team hosts run-oriented Army (2-4) in a homecoming game Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Tiger Stadium. “We were moving (linebacker) Harold Perkins all around. We were in three down (a three-man front). We ran some four down (a four-man front).

“We’ve committed to four down with Harold at the SAM (strongside) backer position. So, everybody now is comfortable in knowing what their assignments are. When you can get your cleats in the ground and play defense, run, hit, get excited – I know those sound like cliches – but that really helps with the confidence of the group. Then, I think we’re playing the ball better in the air on the back end.”

Perkins, who emerged in the last half of last season as a true freshman and won All-SEC first-team honors, started this year at middle linebacker. As the coaching staff began moving Perkins to different alignments in the defense from game to game, he became mentally paralyzed.

Against Auburn, Perkins had his best game as the SAM linebacker in LSU’s 4-3 defensive scheme. Playing mentally unencumbered, he flew around freely and had 5 tackles including 2 for loss and a sack.

“Credit my coaches,” Perkins said. “They put me in the right position to be successful.”

LSU’s cornerbacks, who have given up numerous completions (especially for touchdowns) because they never turned their heads to find the ball in the air, corrected that against Auburn.

“Our corners, particularly Zy Alexander, were tested early on,” Kelly said. “We challenged him to really play the ball in the air. He did a great job.”

Alexander, who had a pair of pass breakups, credited Kelly for advising him to act like a receiver when the ball was in the air coming his way.

“We also took a lot of extra reps after practice,” Alexander said. “Sometimes, we don’t get that many opportunities in practice (to defend passes).”

Sloppy tackling – Kelly counted 34 missed tackles in the Ole Miss loss – had all but disappeared last Saturday vs. Auburn.

“We’ve taken a lot of air out of the (opposing) offense in terms of gap integrity,” Kelly said. “We’re flattening out the gaps much more so there’s not a lot of space.

“The front seven is doing a much better job. So now when safeties and corners are filling, they don’t have huge areas to tackle and we’re creating better opportunities for them to get into tackling space.

“Also, we’re tackling 20 minutes a day now (in practice). We are fundamentally working on tackling every single day until we are in a position where we feel like we’re going to tackle the football the right way.”

Two days after the Ole Miss debacle, Kelly hired former LSU defensive coordinator/D-line coach Pete Jenkins as a consultant. The 82-year-old Jenkins, considered one of the best D-line technicians in football history, has nit-picked and corrected individual flaws across the defensive front.

“Pete’s great,” said Tigers’ backup junior defensive end Paris Shand, a University of Arizona transfer who against Auburn had 6 tackles (including 1½ for losses) and batted down an AU pass. “Every question you have about line play, he knows the answer.

“He really helped us with the timing of how to see when the quarterback is going to throw the ball. He’s helped us overall with everything. You can see that we’re playing better.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

NATCHITOCHES – After the tragedy it suffered last week, the Northwestern State football team will be in a “safe haven” when it returns to action.

NSU will host Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m. tonight at Turpin Stadium in Northwestern’s first game since an Oct. 12 early-morning shooting at an off-campus apartment complex claimed the life of NSU junior defensive back Ronnie Caldwell.

Natchitoches authorities are still investigating, but within a day of the slaying arrested a 27-year-old non-NSU student — who was in the same four-plex apartment as Caldwell — on a charge of possessing a gun and drugs. Caldwell and the man reportedly did not know each other prior to being assigned to share accomodations at the Quad Apartment Complex several weeks ago.

NSU cancelled last Saturday’s game at Nicholls in the wake of the slaying. Monday, NSU and SLU agreed to move their game, scheduled for Saturday, up to tonight.

“Having the opportunity after this to play at home will be special,” sixth-year head coach Brad Laird said. “Ronnie had so many opportunities on the practice field, during scrimmages, on the headset. He’s done a little bit of it all. To be able to play it at home, yes, Thursday instead of Saturday, will be special as we honor Ronnie.”

Northwestern (0-5, 0-1) returns to action for the first time since falling to Lamar 27-13 on Oct. 7 in Beaumont, Texas. Southeastern (0-7, 0-3) lost last Saturday 30-24 at home to Lamar.

The Demons are playing at home for the first time since Sept. 30 – marking NSU’s longest stretch between home games this season.

Playing at home this week holds even more importance for the Northwestern players.

“That’s kind of everybody’s safe haven where they can take their mind of outside noises,” said center Brayden Staggs, who has started all five games at the pivot. “It felt good to get back out there (for practice) and get back on that routine schedule. At the same time, everyone’s still kind of empty with everything that’s gone on.”

Southeastern is playing its final game ahead of the Lions’ open week.

The defending Southland Conference champions and preseason favorites have dropped three straight one-score decisions, including last weekend to Lamar after a second-half rally fell short.

“The last thing we’re going to do is look at records,” Laird said. “(Southeastern head coach Frank Scelfo) is probably saying the same thing. You turn on the film and you don’t see (an 0-7 team). It’s a very talented team. Things haven’t fallen their way in games. We know how that goes.

“They were picked to win the conference in the preseason. When you look at what they’ve done since Frank has been there, you know there is a good football team coming in here in Thursday night.”

The decision to move the game up two days came after Caldwell’s wake and funeral services were set for Friday and Saturday of this week in the Austin, Texas, area.

It will produce a unique situation for many of the Demon players who were not around for the program’s most recent Thursday night game, in 2021 against Sam Houston.

“The last time I played on a Thursday was in high school as a sophomore,” Staggs said. “It was a situation where there were too many schools playing on one weekend. It’s crazy to think I’m getting ready for a Thursday night game in college.”

Laird credited the administrations of both schools for allowing the date change to happen on short notice.

He added his appreciation for the response from coaches and administrators, and others across the conference and region who have sent well wishes to the NSU community.

“The people who reach out and supports know the investment we have in student-athletes, and they know the relationships – player to player, player to coach – we have,” he said. “They know we spend so much time with those guys. I appreciate the calls and texts and what they have meant in this grieving process.

“To our administration, starting with (NSU President) Dr. (Marcus) Jones and (Director of Athletics) Kevin Bostian, we appreciate how supportive they’ve been. They’re hurting, too. As we all get through this, we find out a lot about each other’s character through adverse situations. There are a lot of great people at Northwestern State and throughout our conference.”

Players, coaches and other NSU team personnel will travel to Austin for Caldwell’s services.

The second happiest moment for me as a hunter occurred when I went to the photo shop and picked up pictures of my buck of a lifetime. My happiest moment, obviously, was when I walked up and found that huge 8-point lying at my feet; the photos were just icing on the cake.

During the years since that fortunate occurrence, memories of the actual event have become faded and frayed. The photos, though, are still there, sharp as ever. My grandkids are somewhat interested when I tell about that buck. Their eyes light up, though, when I whip out the photos.

This is why it is ever so important that good quality photographs are taken so such memories can be preserved in living color.

I have the good fortune of getting to write stories of big bucks taken in Louisiana each season for Louisiana Sportsman magazine and website. I frequently receive photos of someone’s trophy, hunters who are obviously proud of their accomplishment but sadly, they didn’t take enough time to shoot quality photos. I’m unable to use some of the most poorly composed shots because they’re…well…just plain awful. The rack and body of the deer may be impressive but other elements of the photo don’t measure up.

With this in mind, I contacted Tes Randle Jolly, a friend and expert wildlife photographer from Tuskegee, Ala., whose photos frequently find their way to magazine covers and full-page spreads in some of the country’s most popular outdoor magazines. I asked Jolly for some tips to help the average hunter get the most memorable photos of their trophy.

“First, try and take a photo as soon as possible after harvest so you can capture the hunter’s excitement. You may have to move the deer to a more favorable spot to get the best possible photograph,” Jolly said.

“If there is a little rise in the land, put the deer and hunter on the rise so the photographer can be a little lower. This way you may be able to capture some blue sky behind them.

“Before doing that,” she added, “be respectful of the animal and clean it up. I keep paper towels in my pack to wipe the deer’s face, removing blood and debris. If blood has dried, I carry a spray bottle of window cleaner to soften dried blood and making it easier to wipe away.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to stop blood from oozing from the nostrils so I tear off a piece of paper towel to plug each nostril. Tuck the tongue back into the mouth.

“If the deer’s side is bloody, I also clean it, sometimes in a pinch using dried leaves. The main thing,” she added, “is to show respect for the animal you have just taken.”

I’ve seen photos of big trophy bucks hanging from the meat pole and sometimes over a gut bucket. I’ve seen photos of bucks in the back of a pick-up with beverage cans, sacks of corn or other assorted stuff cluttering the photo. Jolly says it is important to set up the photo for the most pleasing presentation.

“Prop the deer up on its chest and tuck the front legs under at the elbows. Have the hunter kneel or sit behind the animal holding the antlers but be sure you check the background before composing the shot, complying with your state’s hunter orange regulations with the hunter wearing his vest,” Jolly added.

While Jolly goes afield with thousands of dollars worth of photo equipment, she says that there are many point and shoot cameras available costing under $200 and good quality cell phones that work quite well.

Follow these recommendations from a professional nature/wildlife photographer to enable your photos to not only pop but to lend dignity to the animal you photograph.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com

My goodness, when your table is calling for something rich, hearty and CHEESY, make this! I halved this recipe and it was plenty for my family of 5. This is also a great make-ahead recipe to pop in the oven later. You can make this as spicy or mild as you like. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Sprinkles of:  garlic powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes
1 can Rotel, undrained
Red bell pepper
Green bell pepper
Yellow onion
4 tablespoons butter
32 oz. Velveeta, cubed
Rotini, cooked
32 ounces heavy cream
Cajun seasoning
Shredded Mexican cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a 9×13 greased baking dish place chicken thighs. Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Mix spices into the chicken by hand. Bake for 45 minutes. Dice peppers and onion. Saute in the butter. After veggies are soft add cubed Velveeta and heavy cream. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Add Rotel.  Remove chicken from oven and dice. Add to cheese mixture and combine all. Pour cooked pasta into 9×13 dish. Pour chicken mixture over. Top with shredded cheese. Sprinkle with more smoked paprika. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Ashley Madden Rowton is a wife, mom and published cookbook author who lives in Minden, La.

By Jim Smilie

Local residents and representatives of various community action groups filled the seats at the Alexandria City Council meeting Tuesday night hoping to discuss the city’s utility disconnect policies, but were cut off by Council President Lee Rubin and City Attorney Jonathan Goins.

Cornelius L. White, a local resident and regular attendee and commenter at council meetings, got things started when he stepped to the podium to offer comments when Rubin asked for public comment regarding the standard opening motion to approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

Rather than commenting on the previous meeting’s minutes, White told council members his utilities were recently disconnected, even though he is participating in the city’s Project RESTOR program launched earlier this year to help citizens with outstanding utility balances, and he needs help.

When Rubin told White his comments were not germane to the item being discussed, White cried out, “It is germane. I need you to listen! I need help,” his voice cracking with emotion. While White continued to try to tell council members about his utility issues, which are tied to charges for water and sewer totaling more than $1,200, which White said are the result of broken pipes, Rubin continued to cut him off noting, “we get your point. Please don’t make me throw you out.”

Once White took his seat, Rubin reminded audience members that any public comments offered during the meeting must be germane to the item being considered and people must sign up before the meeting regarding the agenda item they wish to speak about. That prompted one audience member to ask for a definition of “germane,” to which Rubin replied, germane comments should be “relevant” to the motion or matter being discussed.

A number of audience members began to speak up, asking questions about the policy, at which point Goins said audience members “cannot cross examine the Council,” and asked Rubin to move forward with the meeting.

Rubin was able to get through the consent agenda items and the first 15 of the 16 items on the agenda with minimal interruption. The most notable item covered was an ordinance authorizing Mayor Jacques Roy to “execute a master service agreement with Lexipol, LLC, to update the Police Department’s Law Enforcement Policy Manual and provide ongoing updates.” At the Oct. 3 meeting, when the ordinance was introduced, Roy spoke about the proposal indicating it would be a significant help to APD. Neither Roy nor Police Chief Chad Gremillion were in the Council Chambers room during the meeting. A request made to the administration following the meeting requesting comment on the Lexipol agreement was declined.

The final item on the agenda was to “consider final adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the low bid submitted for wire and cable for Electric Distribution Department.”

A number of people signed up to comment on that item, and most chose to talk about utility cutoffs rather than the proposed ordinance, which was as Rubin put it, “just about buying plain old wire for the electric department.”

One speaker, claiming there are currently more than 5,000 Alexandria residents who have had their utilities cutoff, asked where the funding for the wire was coming from and could that money be used to help residents with utility payments. Rubin acknowledged the question about the source of funding was germane, and answered that the funds would come from the utility budget.

Local resident Shicola Jones, standing by her chair in the back, asked what company would be supplying the wire. When she didn’t get a reply, she asked again, questioning if the materials would be coming from a company associated with Utility Director Michael Marcotte.

Rubin, noting Jones had not signed up to speak on the item, refused to answer her question and indicated she could be removed if she continued to shout out. Jones chose to walk out on her own, again telling Rubin “your days are numbered,” as she did when he had her removed from the Oct. 3 meeting. Jones has filed petitions seeking to recall Rubin, At-Large City Councilman Jim Villard and Mayor Roy.

As Jones left, another audience member got up and told the crowd he was walking out. As he left, he criticized Goins for supporting the council and not letting citizens have their say and told the crowd nothing would ever change in Alexandria.

As the crowd got increasingly vocal, Rubin hastily called for a vote on the motion, which passed, and then adjourned the meeting at 5:16 p.m. and left the room. When reached after the meeting, Rubin declined to comment further on the proceedings.

Following the meeting, a number of audience members stayed behind in the council chambers. They arranged their chairs in a circle at the back of the room and discussed what happened at the meeting and brainstormed ways to try to approach council members to express their concerns.

The next scheduled council meeting is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31.

BATON ROUGE – It had been 20 years since John Ed Bradley, co-captain of LSU head football coach Charles McClendon’s 18th and final team, visited the man who impacted his life in numerous ways.

But in early December 2001, two days before McClendon died at his Baton Rouge home at age 78, Bradley paid his last respects as did many of McClendon’s former players who loved him dearly.

“It was the most sentimental I’d ever heard him,” said Bradley, a novelist who has lived in Mandeville for the last 15 years. “He used to call everybody `Buddy.’ He said, `Buddy, I’m always going to be with you. I’m going to be with all my boys.’

“Almost every day, I still think about what he said. He knew that his legacy lived in us. He may have anticipated the day would come when he would be revered, when he understood what he had given.”

Tuesday marked the 100th birthday for McClendon, who remains the winningest head coach in LSU history with 137 wins in 18 seasons from 1962 to 1979. The native of Arkansas, who played collegiately as a University of Kentucky lineman for legendary coach Bear Bryant, became an LSU assistant in 1953 three years after closing his college playing career.

While McClendon never won a national title as a head coach (he won one in 1958 as an assistant on Paul Dietzel’s staff), he established LSU’s standard as a consistent winner.

Before McClendon replaced Dietzel after Dietzel left to coach Army, no LSU head coach had ever had more than four straight winning seasons.

McClendon not only had 12 consecutive winning seasons at one point but also finished with 7 bowl wins and 13 bowl appearances (still the most in both categories by an LSU head coach). Prior to his becoming head coach, LSU was 3-5 in bowls.

Though McClendon’s 1970 team won the SEC and finished 10-3 (the three losses by a combined 10 points), his best team was in 1969 when LSU went 9-1 and was shut out of playing in a major bowl when Notre Dame decided to end its self-imposed bowl ban.

“We took a team vote not to accept a bid from a lesser bowl,” said George Bevan, an All-American linebacker on LSU’s ’69 defense that gave up fewer points (91) in the entire 10-game season than LSU’s current defense recently did in back-to-back games vs. Ole Miss and Missouri. “We knew the coaching staff would get bonuses if we went to a bowl. But Coach Mac never told us how to vote. He let the team run the team.”

But beyond the wins and losses, McClendon remains beloved as someone who subtly taught lessons to his players applicable to their future lives.

“He was a straight shooter,” said former LSU All-America running back Charles Alexander, who remains the ninth leading rusher in SEC history with 4,035 yards in 44 games from 1975 to 1978. “If he told you something, he meant it. Everybody respected him. He never raised his voice. He hardly ever cursed.”

Alexander’s greatest memory of McClendon happened in August 1986 when his NFL career ended as he was cut by the Cincinnati Bengals after playing seven seasons with them.

“I didn’t find out until years later that after I was cut, Coach Mac made several calls to different NFL teams to try and get them to take a look at me,” said Alexander, who returned to live in his hometown of Galveston, Texas. “Not too many guys would do that. It meant a lot to me.”

Bevan remembered when he became the father of twins 31 years ago. He was living at the Country Club of Louisiana when McClendon stopped by for a visit on a Saturday afternoon.

“He wanted me to come out to the front gate and bring the twins,” Bevan said. “I drive out to the front. In Coach Mac’s pickup truck, he’s got a giant teddy bear and a giant rabbit to give to my kids. Who else would have done that?”

McClendon’s loyalty to his assistants, many of them who had been with him almost from the beginning, was legendary. When he refused to fire any of them after the Tigers fell into a lull of 4-loss seasons, he was told during the 1978 season he would be forced out as head coach at the end of the 1979 season and given an administrative assistant job to director of athletics Dietzel.

“I’m amazed how loyal Coach Mac was to the people who worked for him,” Bradley said. “There wasn’t a traitorous bone in his body. He surrounded himself with great men on his staff and the women who worked behind the scenes.

“His brilliance was his nobility in how he dealt with crises all around him. In his last season, he carried on the best way he could. He had a lot of detractors, but there was no quit in him. He kept fighting every day. He always kept his chin up.

“He wasn’t an articulate guy. He just communicated through action. He showed so much to us about humanity without him knowing he was doing it. It was natural for him.”

After his final college game Bradley helped give McClendon a victory ride to midfield when he closed his LSU career with a win over Wake Forest in the 1979 Tangerine Bowl. McClendon was just 56 years old.

He had much more to give college football but in a different manner. He bypassed the LSU administrative job and became the executive director of the Tangerine Bowl for two years where he delivered the bowl’s first two sellouts.

“Then he became executive director of the American Football Coaches Association (from 1982 to 1993) and worked hard to get a pension plan for former head and assistant coaches,” Bevan said.

It wasn’t a surprise that McClendon, long after his head coaching days, kept battling for everyone around him. This is why he’s eternally loved by the people he touched.

“I read a poem in college and I remember the very end of it,” Bradley said. “It goes `Sometimes I wonder how we survive when so much is given for no reason, and for no reason it’s taken away.’

“I think of that and apply it to Coach Mac. He gave us so much and they took him away from us.

“As the years pass, he’s bigger than ever to us. We revere him.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Friday’s games

ASH at Pineville
Grant at Peabody
Tioga at Neville
Bolton at Marksville
Buckeye at Caldwell Parish
Northwood-Lena at Rayville
Menard at Rosepine

Here are the updated LHSAA Select Top 25 statewide power rankings through seven weeks of the prep football regular season.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation is delighted to announce the distinguished recipients of The Angel Award® for 2023, a prestigious accolade recognizing exceptional individuals dedicated to enhancing the lives of Louisiana’s children. In its 29th year, The Angel Award celebrates remarkable individuals who have made tangible and enduring contributions to improving outcomes for young people. These honorees exhibit unwavering commitment, even in the face of formidable challenges, to uplift children in the state.

Michael Tipton, President of the Blue Cross Foundation, expressed his admiration for the 10 outstanding individuals selected for the 2023 Angel Award. He stated, “The 2023 Angel Award recipients come from diverse backgrounds and engage in a wide range of community-driven initiatives, spanning healthcare, education, social services, civic education, and more. We are privileged to recognize this exceptional group of champions for children.”

Penny Smith and Melva Terrell Villard, both residents of Alexandria, have earned this honor through their relentless advocacy on behalf of children with developmental and intellectual disabilities, including their own college-aged daughters. Their dedicated efforts and fundraising endeavors played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Special Program for the Enhancement of Resources and Opportunities for Students with Developmental Disabilities (SPERO) at Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA). SPERO provides a unique higher education experience for young individuals who would otherwise be ineligible for college admission due to their disabilities.

Join the Alexandria Police Department this Halloween for its annual Trick or Treat event. Stop by the Public Safety Complex parking lot, located at 1000 Bolton Ave., on Tuesday, Oct. 31 from 5:30pm – 8pm, pick up some treats and visit with officers! It’s sure to be a fun night!

Rapides Parish felony drug arrests are accusations, not convictions.

October 16
Samuel Morris Jr., 25, Alexandria — possession CDS I < 2 grams, probation and parole violations, $2,500 bail.

A Flu Vaccination event will be held on Friday, Oct. 20 from 8 am – 3 pm at the Rapides Parish Health Unit, located at 5604 B Coliseum Blvd. in Alexandria. This event is open to the public. Walk ups are welcome. Bring your private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare card if you have one. Wear short sleeves or loose-fitting sleeves.

COVID and MPOX vaccines are also available at most locations. No-cost COVID vaccinations for under-insured and uninsured. There are no out-of-pocket costs, however, your insurance will be billed.