Eric Branch, 22, Pineville — theft 3 counts, burglary 8 counts, criminal trespass, firearm possession by convicted felon, $101,500 bail;
Hardy Dunn Jr., 45, Boyce — aggravated assault with firearm 3 counts, domestic abuse battery 2 counts, cruelty to infirm, theft 2 counts, criminal trespassing, criminal damage, $261,000 bail;
Jay Hill, 32, Boyce — indecent behavior with juvenile 8 counts, rape 1st degree 2 counts, sexual battery 2nd degree 2 counts, contributing to delinquency, no bail set;
Sasha Antwine, 33, Alexandria — possession 2 counts, drugs in presence of person under 17, paraphernalia, no child restraint seat, no license plate light, $2,700 bail;
Ryan Gable, 40, Alexandria — possession 2 counts, driving under suspension/revocation, stop/turn signals required, $2,105 bail;
Joseph Lotts, 53, Pineville — possession, possession firearm by convicted felon, illegal carrying weapon, bicycle lamps/reflectors required, $20,600 bail;
The high school open enrollment application period continues through February 29.
Students in Rapides are zoned by residence to a specific high school but may apply to attend out of zone.
Application can be made through the school system web site A number of conditions apply for a student to be eligible for out-of-zone attendance.
Parents, guardians or the student are responsible for transportation to and from school if a student is accepted.
Five general requirements:
A student can have no more than one suspension; He or she can have no expulsions; Must be passing all courses;
Can have no more than 10 unexcused absences; No fifth-year high school student is eligible.
Students seek attendance out of zone for a number of reasons – including academics, family tradition, extracurricular activities, and athletics.
Specific rules apply to those playing or hoping to play sports, for obvious competitive reasons.
Essentially, sophomores, juniors and seniors are ineligible to participate for one year after out-of-zone enrollment.
Freshmen are limited to sub-varsity roles.
Out of zone is primarily an urban Alexandria issue.
In November, the School Board’s Education Committee previewed four alternatives for attendance zones for Alexandria Senior High, Bolton and Peabody – an aspect of optimizing use of facilities.
Discussion and consideration was delayed pending enrollment numbers in the upcoming year in the wake of Bolton’s magnet conversion.
In November ASH had 1,460 students, with 1,500 maximum allowable; 413 were out of zone. Bolton had 501, with 1,400 capability and 46 out of zone.
Peabody had 717, with 1,450 capability and 161 out of zone.
Raymond “Ray” Hyde August 26, 1951 – January 31, 2024 Service: Monday, February 5, 2024, 11am at Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria.
PFC Austin Thomas Lilley November 10, 2000 – January 27, 2024 Service: Monday, February 5, 2024, 11am at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Pineville
Jason Dale Smith October 30, 1995 – February 2, 2024 Service: Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 10am at Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville.
Ronald L. Lynd April 20, 1932 – February 2, 2024 Service: Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 1pm at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Pineville.
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 (“APD”) responded to multiple shots fired on Jan. 31, ultimately developing into four (4) crime scenes being worked involving gun violence, with preliminary indications of linkage and/or retaliation (if linked, what we will call a “dynamic crime scene”). It is too early to make substantive comments without jeopardizing the integrity of investigations. All preliminary leads are subject to change or even withdrawal of any considered linkage.
APD will run every lead—hard.
Initial After-Incident Information:
APD responded immediately to calls in Alexandria.
The incidents possibly are narcotics-related with retaliation.
APD resourced these investigations at the highest level and no life-threatening injuries exist at this time.
After initial investigation, APD can report 5 victims from incidents. We are withholding location information at this time for investigative value. We will report this information at the appropriate time.
The determinations made in real time revealed the incident likely was dynamic, one or more related incidents moving around the city; the public risk was mitigated; and therefore the approach was limiting investigative leads and disclosure of special tactics until an after-incident report. This release is the first such report.
Communication Internal Assessment: The City must continue to weigh when, in similar events, an earlier release of information may be permitted when active shooting or the risk of mass casualty has subsided. In weighing this, however, APD shall consider an early release can change the dynamics by giving information to the suspect(s). The City will consider a quicker disclosure of the linkage of two or more related events. Such a disclosure must weigh when public risk truly is determined to have ended. Again, the City must balance investigative information that could be used in dynamic events against the risk suspects will gain from it more than the public benefits from the release.
Glossary:
By “spontaneous” we mean without warning or the chance to mitigate by law enforcement or citizens; by “active” we mean at the time shots were fired, shots were multiple in nature and likely could/would continue regarding citizens or law enforcement; and by “dynamic” we mean the crime scene and activities surrounding it were actively moving from one place to another, with continued risk of active weapons capable of deadly force.
By “risk of continued active shooting or mass casualty” we mean those circumstances in which law enforcement has information multiple injuries or deaths are due to, or likely could result from, the use of a deadly weapon. Law enforcement may further consider when such a weapon has been or could be used to harm multiple people, especially when those harms can be inflicted quickly based on firepower or multiple suspects.
During information releases when a crime scene or scenes are “dynamic,” we consider how to do the least harm. Our first test is to balance information the public needs to protect itself from a continuing threat against that same information being used to increase threats to citizens or law enforcement. Today, modern social media can provide suspects with real-time information that could be used against law enforcement. Our releases will follow an assessment of those risks made in the context of what we know at the time: the likelihood and gravity of any danger to the public weighed against its mitigation and doing no harm to the public.
Media Policy:
In general, the City of Alexandria’s “do no harm” rule means the City will consider these two concerns, first:
What information is crucial to convey in initial messages in order to prompt appropriate public responses after a crisis situation?
What are the messages to be delivered prior to, during, and after an incident?
As the playoffs loom, the parish’s teams continue to jockey for playoff position as district titles, playoff berths, home playoff games and first round byes remain in the balance entering the final weeks of the regular season.
Once again, we delve into the top storylines from this past week with the Rapides Parish Hoops Report.
Pineville boys power past ASH in first round of Red River Rivalry
As Alexandria Senior High hoped to take a hold on the District 2-5A standings, Pineville would be tough to fend off in its house.
The Rebels earned their first district win with a 66-54 victory over the Trojans on Jan. 26, who were missing junior guard Jordyn Johnson.
Senior center Javonte Thomas set the tone with 20 first half points as he finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds and a block as ASH did not have an answer for him inside.
The victory is a big one for Pineville as it currently sits at No. 4 in Division I select, which would guarantee it a home game in the quarterfinals.
Oak Hill girls even the score on Hicks
Battle tested all January, Oak Hill opened the second half of District 4-B play with a 61-59 win over Hicks on Jan. 26 to place itself back in the district race.
Exploding for 27 points and 13 rebounds, senior forward Krystina Greene led all scores as Oak Hill now sits one-and-a-half back of Anacoco and Hicks after the Lady Pirates took a game Thursday from Anacoco on Thursday.
Oak Hill can still get a share of the district title as it looks to keep the No. 1 seed in Division V select.
Best Wins of the Week
Oak Hill’s girls and Pineville’s boys earned the two biggest wins of the week, but there were plenty of big wins to go around.
The Tioga Lady Indians won 61-17 over Rapides on senior night, but it was even more special with it being longtime coach Debbie Johnson’s final regular season home game.
Former players and coaches came out to support Johnson as she earned a commemorative trophy and a tribute video from LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey after the win. I will have a bigger story on Johnson’s final season prior to the playoffs beginning.
For the boys, Buckeye is now 25-0 after going to Bunkie and eking out a 32-28 win. With four games to go and three of those at home, the magical season continues for the Panthers as they look to hoist a district title.
10 Games for the Next 10 Days
Here is this week’s look at the 10 most anticipated games for this weekend and next week involving Rapides Parish schools.
Girls
Rosepine at Menard (tonight): Forget Groundhog Day, this is Eagle Day for the two convocations of Lady Eagles. Menard welcomes the defending Division III non-select champions to its nest.
Tioga at Neville (Feb. 6): Tuesday’s loss at Franklin Parish means the Lady Indians are once again tied with Neville for the District 2-4A lead. Can Tioga give longtime coach Debbie Johnson her first district title in her swan song?
LaSalle at Northwood (Feb. 6): This game has lost some of its luster after LaSalle’s loss to Logansport, but the District 3-1A title still hangs in the balance for the surging Lady Gators.
Glenmora at Menard (Feb. 9): The Lady Cats came away with the upset on Jan. 23 with a 44-42 home win, thanks to a double-double by senior Alexsia Branch. Menard will look to extract revenge against its in-parish rival as both teams look to solidify their footing in Division III select.
Oak Hill at Anacoco (Feb. 9): It remains to be seen if Oak Hill can clinch a share of the District 4-B title, but this is still an important game for both teams’ playoff pushes. Both teams are currently ranked No. 1 in Division V non-select (Anacoco) and select (Oak Hill), in case you were wondering.
Boys
Marksville at Buckeye (tonight): The Panthers are on an incredible 25-0 start and won for the first time in 17 years at Marksville on Jan. 12. A rare season sweep and a step closer towards a district title can be had with a home win here.
ASH at Ruston (tonight): In the middle of a four-way tie for the district lead, this is another key District 2-5A game for the Trojans as they look to slow down Ruston sensational freshman Ahmad Hudson.
Peabody at Neville (tonight): Peabody survived the Tigers’ best effort by coming away with a 59-55 win on Jan. 12. Now it must travel to Monroe as it marches towards its third straight district title.
Peabody at Wossman (Saturday): The Warhorses remain in northeast Louisiana to face Division II non-select’s top team as both teams sharpen their games before Marsh Madness.
Avoyelles Charter at Pineville (Feb. 7): Mother Nature postponed this game twice in January, but the third time is always the charm. The Rebels host the defending Division V select champions in their push for hosting a home quarterfinal game.
A former sports reporter for The Town Talk in Alexandria and the Natchitoches Times in Natchitoches, LaMar Gafford has covered the sports scene in Central Louisiana for the last 10 years. Along with contributing a weekly basketball column for the Rapides Parish Journal, the 2023 recipient of the LHSAA’s Prep Journalism award and eight-time LSWA award winner writes about Cenla sports for his website CenlaPreps.com. You can contact LaMar by e-mail at lamargafford@gmail.com or on Twitter/X @lamargafford.
The spotlight will be on Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania early Friday morning, when handlers of a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil will announce whether he saw his own shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter or an early spring.
Thousands are expected to attend the annual event that exploded in popularity after the 1993 Bill Murray movie, “Groundhog Day.”
It’s part of a tradition rooted in European agricultural life, marking the midpoint between the shortest day of the year on the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It’s also a time of year that figures in the Celtic calendar and the Christian holiday of Candlemas.
According to the National Weather Service, if Minden had its on Punxsutawney Phil, there is a fair chance he would see his shadow, as the forecast calls for partly sunny.
Historians have found a reference in an 1841 diary to groundhog weather forecasts in early February among families of German descent in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, according to the late Don Yoder, a University of Pennsylvania professor whose 2003 book about Groundhog Day explored the Celtic connection.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently urged the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to let Phil retire, saying “Punxsutawney Phil is not a meteorologist and did not ask for this job! They (groundhogs) don’t want to live in Plexiglass containers in libraries where they can’t do anything that’s natural and important to them, and they don’t want to be used to predict the weather. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club needs to relocate Phil and Phyllis—the other groundhog they confine in the library—to a reputable sanctuary where they could enjoy a natural life.”
LSU third baseman Tommy White earned a place in Tigers’ baseball lore with a two-run walk-off homer in the 11th inning in a College World Series victory last June over No. 1 seed Wake Forest, advancing LSU to the championship series. (Photo by JACOB REEDER, LSU Athletics)
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE — North Carolina State transfer third baseman Tommy White’s first LSU-at bat in last year’s opener vs. Western Michigan was a first-inning RBI single driving in Dylan Crews.
A minute later as he dove back to first base on a pickoff attempt, White’s right shoulder popped out of its socket.
White’s last at-bat of the Tigers’ season was a ninth-inning double scoring Crews in Omaha in the Tigers’ College World Series national championship-clinching rout of Florida.
Then, when LSU reliever Gavin Guidry recorded the game-winning strikeout to start the celebratory dogpile on the mound, somewhere in that pyramid of human happiness White’s shoulder popped out again.
“It popped out probably 20 times throughout the year,” White said recently just before the start of 2024 preseason practice. “It was definitely a struggle throughout the year and it’s something I played through.”
Played through? That sounds like pain management.
White was more about pain infliction on opposing pitching, earning consensus first-team All-American honors after hitting .374 (102-for-273) with 24 doubles, 24 homers and 64 runs scored. He finished No. 1 in the nation in RBIs (105), No. 3 in total bases (198), and No. 4 in RBIs per game (1.59).
Even with a bum shoulder, the 6-foot, 236-pound Tampa, Fla. native nicknamed “Tommy Tanks” did such things as launching a game-winning grand slam vs. Ole Miss, providing game-winning RBIs for all three LSU wins in one week in April, and hitting .363 vs. Kentucky in the Super Regional and .351 in the College World Series when he was named to the all-tournament team.
“He’s a special dude,” LSU third-year head coach Jay Johnson said of White. “His competitive nature is second to none. When he steps in the batter’s box, it’s something else. It wasn’t just all the RBIs. It was always when we needed it.”
None bigger than White’s first pitch two-run 11th inning walk-off homer off Wake Forest reliever Camden Minacci for a 2-0 College World Series win that advanced the Tigers to the championship series.
“I played with him and against him growing up my whole life,” White said of fellow Tampa native Minacci. “I watched video of him in our first (CWS) game, and he threw nothing but fastballs.
“I think he’s going to throw heat, but he throws a slider. I was going to swing at the first pitch no matter what. I swung as hard as I could and got it. From there, I just blacked out. I didn’t feel anything.
“Omaha was the toughest thing I’ve ever been a part of on the baseball field. It was the most fun I’ve ever had.”
Long before he slammed the second biggest walk-off homer in LSU’s history – only topped by Warren Morris’ two-out, bottom-of-the-ninth two-run homer vs. Miami to win the 1996 national title – White had laid the groundwork for being one of the Tigers’ all-time cult heroes.
The waterfall of gold chains cascading around his neck, his free-flowing mullet and beard, his huge left forearm tattoo, his eye black applied like war paint, his angry scowls as he stepped into the batters’ box and the intensity of his swings made him a favorite of all ages.
So much so that a popular Halloween costume in Baton Rouge last October was kids dressing as White in an LSU uniform, complete with chains, eye black, and a tattoo.
“It’s awesome,” said White, who has donated $30,000 of his NIL money in the last two years to Empower 225, a Baton Rouge organization helping at-risk youths through educational support, life skills training, career preparedness, housing, and mentorship. “I definitely have a unique look on the field and for kids to embrace that. It warms my heart.”
White certainly needed his spirits lifted around trick-or-treat time. After he underwent shoulder surgery just after the CWS to repair his torn labrum, he didn’t participate in fall practice.
“I’ve never been in that situation of having to watch baseball,” White said. “It was the hardest thing because I’d always been out there playing.
“I always loved baseball, but I discovered (while sitting out) I love baseball more than I thought I did. I found a new love for the game. Now, I know I really, really love it. It’s something I want to do the rest of my life.”
He’ll likely get that chance. With a .368 batting average, 51 homers, 36 doubles, and 179 RBIs in 121 college games so far, White is listed by MLB.com as the seventh-best pro prospect in this season’s draft class.
It may be difficult for White to reach last season’s RBI total this year.
Crews, who was second nationally in on-base percentage in 2023 and who ended his career with a reached base streak of 75 games, batted a spot ahead of White in the lineup. The table was always set for White, who believes last year’s offense was more than just he and Crews.
“(Cade) Beloso, (Gavin) Dugas, all the guys got on base, and everybody cashed in,” White said. “Every single guy that’s going to be out there (this season) can do exactly what was done last year.
“The big thing is every out, every pitch matters. That’s what I learned in Omaha. Every pitch we were just so locked in, so focused. If we can be like that (this season) all year because we have that experience, it’ll be pretty dangerous.”
Despite White’s off-season surgery, Johnson expects White to come out swinging when the Tigers open the 2024 season vs. VMI on Feb. 16 in Alex Box Stadium.
“He missed the entire fall, but he kept his body in a great spot and took an exceptional step in leadership during that time,” Johnson said of White. “I’m super proud of Tommy for that.
“He has rehabbed in a way where he’s ready to go. The way he looks right now, you wouldn’t know he didn’t take an at-bat for six months. He’s just so complete.”
White, who said he’s concentrating on being a more selective hitter by swinging only at pitches he can drive, is excited to finally play healthy.
“I was battling adversity all last year,” he said. “Now that I’m healed and fixed up, it should be fun.”
Twenty-five high school seniors competed in Saturday’s Annual Smith Scholarship Competition at Louisiana Christian University.
Jeri Vigé, from DeQuincy High School, was named the 2024 Smith Scholar. She plans to study biology.
Vigé will receive a four-year full tuition, room and board scholarship.
“We are pleased with the significant response received this year, demonstrated by a major increase in the number of Smith Scholarship participants,” said LCU President Dr. Rick Brewer. “Parents and students region-wide recognize the value of a Christ-centered education that is relevant, relational and rigorous. We look forward to watching these students flourish at Louisiana Christian University in the years ahead.”
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Cheryl Clark said that even being selected to be part of this competition deserves high accolades.
“To participate, each student must have earned 28 or higher on the ACT and submit a portfolio that contains past awards, recognitions, and accomplishments; two letters of recommendation; and an essay explaining the major features of a Christian Liberal Arts education,” she said.
Portfolios are submitted to a panel of faculty judges who serve on the C.S. Lewis Honors Program Council. During the competition, the panel of judges interviews each participant before making their final selection.
All participants are eligible for a variety of academic scholarships based on merit and need.
The Smith Scholarship was founded in the early 1970s by an endowment donation from Tom and Beverly Durham to honor Beverly Durham’s mother, Elizabeth Smith.
Rapides Regional Medical Center was named best in the state for Cancer Care, Coronary Bypass Surgery and Vascular Surgery in the 2024 Quality Awards from CareChex by Quantros.
In addition to the top designations in Louisiana in Medical Excellence, Rapides Regional Medical Center achieved Top 100 and Top 10 percent in the nation ranking in Cancer Care, Major Cardiac Surgery, Coronary Bypass Surgery and Gall Bladder Removal. Overall Surgical Care also was honored by placing in the Top 10 percent in the nation.
Overall Surgical Care, Cancer Care, Major Cardiac Surgery, Coronary Bypass Surgery and Gall Bladder Removal were among the Top 10 percent in the region, which is based on the four U.S. Census Regions. Rapides Regional Medical Center ranked in the top 10 percent in the state in 10 clinical categories – Overall Hospital Care, Overall Surgical Care, Cancer Care, Cardiac Care, Major Cardiac Surgery, Coronary Bypass Surgery, Gall Bladder Removal, Interventional Coronary Care, Orthopedic Care and Vascular Surgery.
In Patient Safety, Rapides Regional Medical Center ranked in the Top 10 percent nationally in Gall Bladder Removal, Heart Failure Treatment, Pulmonary Care and Stroke Care. It ranked in the top 10 percent in the state in Cardiac Care, Gall Bladder Removal, Heart Failure Treatment, Hip Fracture Care, Major Neuro-Surgery, Pulmonary Care and Stroke Care, while ranking in the Top 10 percent in the region in Gall Bladder Removal, Pulmonary Care and Stroke Care.
“These rankings show the quality of care our amazing colleagues provide on a daily basis to our community,” said Rapides Regional Medical Center CEO Vernon Jones, II. “Our mission is to provide the highest quality care, but also in the safest manner. This recognition is confirmation of our commitment to high quality and compassionate health care.”
CareChex provides a continuum of quality awards for up to 39 clinical categories. It also uses clinical data from the Hospital Quality Alliance and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The rankings do not include any self-reported data.
Henrietta V. Ovella December 22, 1937 – January 31, 2024 Service: Friday, February 2, 2024, 11am at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church, Alexandria.
Ysabella Grace Gilbert February 17, 2005 – January 27, 2024 Service: Friday, February 2, 2024, 9am at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Pineville.
Finley Leo Ponthie September 16, 1928 – January 25, 2024 Service: Friday, February 2, 2024, 10am at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, Alexandria.
Arlin Sloan Todd October 5, 1952 – January 28, 2024 Service: Saturday, February 3, 2024, 11am at Hixson Brothers, Alexandria.
William “Bill” Thomas III July 7, 1942 – January 28, 2024 Service: Saturday, February 3, 2024, 11:30am at St. Timothy Episcopal Church, 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)
Investigators with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Forestry Enforcement Division and the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested James E. Doyle, of Elizabeth, on Jan. 26 for trespassing and setting wildfires on company land in Rapides Parish.
In early January 2024, LDAF investigators were called to investigate two separate fires on company timber land in Rapides Parish. Investigators determined that Doyle had trespassed on the land and set fires that resulted in a wildfire covering approximately 10 acres. Due to the quick and efficient response from LDAF and local volunteer fire departments, the fires were contained and kept to a minimum size.
Upon arrest, Doyle was booked for one count of arson and two counts of criminal trespass. Bond was set at $15,000.
All persons accused of crimes are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The public is urged to report any and all forestry-related crimes to LDAF’s 24-hour hotline at 1-855-452-5323.
A few days of drying out from January’s record rainfall most likely ends Saturday, regardless what the groundhog (more likely a nutria in these parts) encounters Friday morning.
Another weather system moving across Texas on Friday is expected to edge into Louisiana sometime Saturday, bringing a high probability of turbulent conditions.
Temperatures about 10 degrees cooler will still seem moderate in the wake of January’s deep freeze.
Tucked away on Foisy Street in downtown Alexandria, Word of Mouth Café offers a “culinary adventure” with a personalized touch.
By LEIGH FLYNN DOTY
A quaint restaurant in downtown Alexandria might typically be overlooked by travelers to and through town, but that is not the case for one local eatery.
Word of Mouth Café is not only a popular lunch spot for central Louisiana residents who anticipate a great meal during their lunch hour. The restaurant also attracts visitors from out of town, who find (and leave) reviews on Google and Yelp.
Among the reviews are descriptions such as “culinary adventure,” and “a delightful exploration of flavors.” One Google reviewer described his experience as follows: “Word of Mouth Café, with its culinary prowess, certainly knows how to leave a lasting impression on its patrons. The seared Ahi Tuna salad and the blackberry bread pudding were not just dishes; they were culinary experiences that elevated my visit to a memorable and delicious adventure.”
The restaurant, nestled among the crepe myrtles on Foisy Street between the Rapides Parish Courthouse and Jackson Street, offers daily doses of fresh food in a down home atmosphere, with a generous helping of personal service.
Owner/Chef John Foster Gunter, who opened the restaurant 13 years ago, says the café was the realization of a lifelong dream. After renovating an event center and handling the catering for the facility, Gunter knew he wanted his work to have a “smaller, more hometown feeling.”
His family had several properties downtown, and when the perfect spot became available, Gunter jumped at the chance to bring a small café business to the area.
Gunter can be found early every day buying fresh foods, which he then uses to prepare the daily meals from scratch. The fresh food and friendly atmosphere are among the highlights of the Yelp reviews, and they are two aspects of the business that bring pride to Gunter and his wife, Tamera.
“We want the story of WOM to include a warm, friendly, family-like atmosphere where everyone feels welcome,” Gunter said.
“People who come in for the first time are always surprised that we give individual attention to everyone,” Gunter said, “not to mention the talking and laughing while waiting in line because of the funny quips from the chef behind the counter.”
“We hope that, in years to come, people will remember the great food, memories, funny stories, and the nostalgic, downtown feeling we gave them,” Gunter said.
The cafe’s website (www.nomwom.com) describes the cuisine as “comfort, gourmet”. Among customers’ favorite dishes are the shrimp, corn, and potato bisque, the blackened chicken pasta, and the muffulettas. Their homemade dressings are also popular, as well as the famous almond bread pudding.
The restaurant serves a daily special, and “Pot Roast Thursday” is typically one of the most popular days. WOM also offers sandwiches, wraps, salads, and soups on a daily basis.
Word of Mouth serves lunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. They are located at 918 Foisy Street in Alexandria.
Saloons, bars and lounges in unincorporated areas of the parish now have permanent permission for special operating hours on Super Bowl Sunday.
Until January’s change by the Police Jury that Sunday was like every other – the establishments close at 2 a.m. and must remain dark through midnight.
But the day of the annual NFL extravaganza, regardless of who is playing, is a bountiful one for the hospitality industry as fans flock to favorite haunts well before late-afternoon kickoff and often remain until past the last snap.
As amended, any establishment which realizes at least 40 percent of its gross revenue from alcohol sales can now open at noon that one Sunday annually (they must still close at 2 a.m. Sunday) and must be closed and empty by midnight.
So this year, whether you’re a San Francisco or a Kansas City fan, or just like Usher (halftime entertainment), you can get your table beginning at noon.
The jury vote was unanimous, as was the count for re-electing Joe Bishop president and Sean McGlothlin vice president.
It’s time for the City of Pineville’s Night of Lights Mardi Gras Parade on Friday, Feb. 2 at 7 pm! Join us along Main Street in Pineville from the near the River up Main Street to the entrance to LCU and Wayback’s area. It follows the same route as the Christmas Parade. Then, join us at Trotter Center for the Night of Lights After Party hosted by Pop’s Place on Military Highway. There will be Food, LIVE Music and FUN until 11 pm. Come early and get the best spot to see the ONLY nighttime Parade in the area!
The Louisiana Christian University football program, fresh off its first conference championship in school history last fall, will be put to the test early and often over the first two weeks of its 2024 season as the Wildcats will play road contests against an NAIA top 15 opponent as well as an NCAA Division I (FCS) squad.
LCU, the reigning Sooner Athletic Conference crownholder, announced its upcoming schedule on Wednesday. The Wildcats reached the NAIA playoffs last year and finished with a 9-2 record.
Head coach Drew Maddox and the Gridiron Cats open the year by traveling all the way to the bottom of the Sunshine State for a date with the St. Thomas (Florida) Bobcats in Miami Gardens on Sept. 7. This should be a compelling top-25 matchup and potential national game of the week candidate as STU entered the NAIA Football Championship Series ranked No. 15, then won a playoff game before being ousted by the eventual national champions (Keiser). Meanwhile, LCU went on the road and gave Baker (Kansas) a 60-minute fight before its first-round exit.
The Orange and Blue will make a shorter drive over to H-Town on Sept. 14 to play Houston Christian University, who went 6-5 out of the Southland Conference in 2023. Nearby Northwestern State is a Southland member. HCU has a graduating senior, outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt, who is a first-round NFL Draft prospect in April and will play in this weekend’s Senior Bowl, so the talent level will be a challenge for Louisiana Christian.
LCU gets its home opener versus the Langston Lions on Sept. 21, facing an opponent the Cats have yet to lose to in three previous meetings.
The Wildcats then return to the road for the third time in the four weeks of September and it will be its longest distance in miles for a Sooner Athletic Conference contest at Wayland Baptist in Plainview, located in the stovepipe of Texas.
Then it’s back home to host Oklahoma Panhandle State for the first time since 2021 to kick off October.
Mid-October will send Louisiana Christian to battle its Lone Star State rivals in consecutive weekends, bussing to Stafford, Texas to take on North American Oct. 12 and hosting the Steers from Texas College a week later.
Powerful Ottawa (Arizona) finally makes the long trip to Pineville for an Oct. 26 SAC showdown after two years dueling in the desert. Maddox’s men will try to knock off the Spirit for the first time and avenge their lone regular season defeat from 2023.
After that, the destinations will be Waxahachie, Texas at Southwestern Assemblies of God (Nov. 2) and Little Rock at Arkansas Baptist (Nov. 9) to close out the matchups away from campus.
The season finale is attractive and at home. The 2023 defacto SAC Championship Game could have similar stakes this fall with the location in Pineville when Texas Wesleyan arrives for the regular season finale on Nov. 16. The two teams figure to duke it out atop the league standings and are both eyeing another berth in the NAIA Football Championship Series.
