By JIM SMILIE

Alexandria City Council members voted 4-2 to support District 4 Councilwoman Lizzie Felter’s request to replace current Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority (GAEDA) Board Chair Tracye Snow with John Callis. Snow is the third GAEDA commissioner replaced in the past year by the City Council.

GAEDA (www.gaeda.org) is a political subdivision created in 2003 by the City of Alexandria to promote economic development and foster tourism. The GAEDA Board is composed of seven members, each appointed by an Alexandria City Council member.

Snow was appointed as the District 4 representative in 2022 by then District 4 Councilwoman Catherine Davidson. At the time of the appointment, commissioners to the GAEDA board were to serve a four-year term. The only way to replace them was if they resigned or committed some sort of malfeasance.

A year ago, in February of 2023, the City Council voted 6-1 to change the policy to allow council members to replace their district representatives at any time. District 5 Councilman Chuck Fowler was the lone vote against the change.

Since then, District 1 Councilman Reddex Washington and District 2 Councilman Gary Johnson each changed their representatives on the GAEDA Board. Snow’s removal was supported by City Council members Felter, Fowler, Lee Rubin and Jim Villard. Council members Johnson and Cynthia Perry opposed the move and Washington abstained. When it was time to approve Callis’ appointment, the motion passed with the same votes.

Several members of the community spoke out in defense of Snow and in opposition to the change, including former District 3 Councilman Jules Green. Lorenzo Davis, a self-described “community activist” and former candidate for Alexandria Mayor, asked why Felter believed Snow wasn’t qualified to serve on the GAEDA Board and why Callis was qualified. In response, Felter said she thanked Snow for her service and didn’t say she wasn’t qualified but that she was “taking my opportunity to appoint someone I think will do a fantastic job. This is a change I want to make.”

Felter said Callis is a Texas native who has lived in Alexandria since 2004. His professional background includes working in the legal industry as well as with computer software. She said he has also worked to restore a number of old buildings in the Alexandria area, including current renovation work on the former Owl Grocery location.

A fourth GAEDA Board appointee could be replaced soon as Rubin asked to add a resolution to the agenda to remove current commissioner Candace Cheney, who serves as the Secretary/Treasurer. Adding a resolution to the agenda requires a unanimous vote and the issue was defeated when Perry voted against adding the item. Other members of the GAEDA Board include Vice Chair Dr. Curtis Lewis, Paula Katz, John Caroll, Chris Patel and Ronald Morgan.

In other action, council members unanimously approved an ordinance to “simplify, reduce and eliminate certain building permit fees, inspection fees and trade licensing fees.”

In a committee meeting prior to the main council meeting, Mayor Jacques Roy said the new rates are among the lowest in the state and are below those charged by the Rapides Area Planning Commission, the City of Monroe and the City of Lafayette. He said the administration’s analysis showed the impact to the budget from loss of fees would be minimal and could be offset by increased tax collections from more projects being built in the city as the result of the lower costs to build.

Roy noted the current formulas for calculating fees can be confusing. The revised ordinance has a clear fee schedule starting at $50 for construction projects less than $25,000 up to $1,500 for a $1 million construction project. The administration provided examples showing that under the current fee schedule, a $100,000 project would have $460 in permit fees. That drops to $100 with the new fee schedule. A $250,000 project dropped from $910 in fees to $500 and a $500,000 project dropped from $1,660 in fees to $750.

“We have nothing to lose,” Roy told the council members. “Try it for a year. See if it attracts more people.” Councilman Fowler agreed, saying the new fee structure, “won’t hamper and it may help.” Rubin also agreed, adding, “anything we can do to spur development and encourage people to build homes and businesses is good.”

As the meeting concluded, Roy introduced Dr. Skip Fox as the city’s new Recreation Director. Fox, a psychologist, is well known in the area for his involvement with the Dixie Girls Softball program. He has served as the State Director and was the driving force behind Alexandria hosting numerous national Dixie Girls Softball World Series championship tournaments.

During his introduction of Dr. Fox, Roy noted Fox recently successfully secured seven of the state’s nine Dixie Girls state tournaments to play in Alexandria, which is expected to have an economic impact of $1.25 million.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

February 19

James Willingham II, 26, Alexandria — illegally carrying weapon, violation protective order, running red light, $20,100.

By JIM BUTLER

Jamarcus Blake, jailed Monday under $101,500 bail, is charged with 1st offense violating a protective order, the sixth time he has been accused of that since 2020.

Blake, 31, of Pineville is also accused of domestic abuse battery 2nd degree, assault and false imprisonment.

He was on probation for an undetermined previous charge when arrested in July 2020 and charged with violating a protective order, non-violent, 1st offense.

In May 2021 he was accused of battery on a dating partner and criminal trespass.

A month later, he was booked on a felony charge of aggravated assault domestic abuse battery and DAB with child present, posting $20,500 bond two days later.

Blake was back in custody on August 21, 2021 charged again with DAB child present, resisting and unauthorized entry of inhabited dwelling. He posted $75,500 bond on September 15.

The following July 4 he was charged with obstruction of highway, misrepresentation during booking and contempt.

On July 30, 2022 he was charged with violating protective order 1st, remaining after forbidden and resisting. He posted $101,000 bond on September 2.

A year later, August 2023, he was booked for alleged home invasion aggravated assault, misrepresentation and violation of protective order 1st. He made bail on September 1.

And was arrested again on September 17, after alleged criminal trespass, criminal mischief and violation of protective order 1st, and released on bond the same day.

In November he was again charged with violating protective order 1st and unauthorized entry of inhabited dwelling, posting $20,000 bond two days later.

According to La R.S. 14, first-offense violation of a protective order is a misdemeanor. Second is a felony.

By JIM BUTLER

Lizzie Felter prefers John Callis to Trayce Snow as her City Council district appointment to the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority. End of story, whether all the story or not.

Exercising her privilege Tuesday to select a GAEDA member, she nominated Callis and the City Council agreed, 4-2 (Cynthia Perry, Gary Johnson) with Reddex Washington abstaining.

Felter’s desire for a change, and Lee Rubin’s respective to his at-large appointment, surfaced Monday.

Rubin’s intent to nominate a successor to Candice Cheney was pulled from the council agenda. At meeting’s end he opted to return it.

That required unanimous accord by the panel. Perry’s “no” on roll call ended the matter until such time it is back on a posted notice.

Snow, GAEDA chair, told the council she was not aware of any reason or justification for being replaced after two years of a four-year term, noting she is the third of the authority’s seven members to be removed since the council amended the process last February.

That amending essentially left the duration of an appointment (by definition four years) at the will of respective council members, requiring no cause of action for replacement.

Felter took the opportunity to have a person of her own choosing, and thanked Snow for her service.

Callis, perhaps most familiar to many for his continuing venture to restore the Owl Grocery building on Chester Street and operate a restaurant there, has a varied business background here and elsewhere.

Most-recent minutes published on GAEDA’s website don’t reflect acrimony, though an executive session in January causes some pause.

Near the end of the January 17 meeting, vice chair Dr. Curtis Lewis moved to go into executive session, with a second by Ronald Morgan.

The stipulated reason: “to discuss character, professional competence, or physical or mental health of a person.”

Minutes do not reflect whether the unnamed person was advised of intentions to have such a discussion or whether the person was afforded the option of attending and/or of a public discussion.

After the closed portion, the board also agreed to hold an Executive Committee meeting, “as stated in the Succession Plan,” on January 19.

Those minutes were not immediately searchable. Public agencies with active web sites are required by state law to cache minutes on them.

Tuesday evening’s Red River Rivalry basketball doubleheader between LSUA and Louisiana Christian flipped the script from the first meetings of the teams last month but ultimately, the outcomes were the same.

LSUA’s teams won both games, although the women’s matchup was much closer than expected. The Lady Generals crossed the 20-win milepost with an 82-75 victory over LCU, a far cry from the 24-point blowout in the Jan. 22 game.

After a hotly-contested seven-point men’s game the first time around, LSUA posted a commanding 95-70 win in the rematch.

One thing that didn’t change from last month: the game site. LSUA played on its homecourt north of Lecompte, because LCU’s H.O. West Fieldhouse was unable to stage the games. One of the baskets there was broken in the Wildcats’ most recent homecourt appearance on a forceful dunk by a Xavier player.

In Tuesday’s women’s game, LSUA improved to 20-5 overall and 17-3 in the Red River Athletic Conference as Dannah Martin-Hadwick scored 21, Jewel Jones drained 5 of 10 3-pointers in a 17-point performance, and Amani Gray added 13 points while Raegen Ojoro contributed 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Along with the surprising competitiveness of the game, the big story was LCU’s Princis Goff. Named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s state women’s college basketball Player of the Week earlier Tuesday, she led an inspired Lady Wildcats’ effort with 15 points and added six rebounds. The losers dipped to 10-14 overall, 7-13 in the RRAC.

Goff, a sophomore from nearby Atlanta in Winn Parish, averaged 15 points and 4.5 steals in two games last week. Her LSWA honor was the first for the Lady Wildcats in three years.

LSUA rolled in the men’s game, despite LCU (5-20, 3-16) getting a hot-shooting (7-10 field goals, 4-5 on 3-pointers) from Jon’Quarius McGhee. The Generals had more depth and 29-point scorer JD Allen, who drained 6 of 11 from behind the 3-point arc. Kashie Natt went for 16 points and 10 rebounds. Jason Perry II scored 15 and Jordain Dishmel had 10 as the Generals improved to 19-6 overall, 17-3 in the RRAC.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

February 19

Jamarcus Blake, 31, Pineville — domestic abuse battery 2nd degree, violation protective order first offense, assault, false imprisonment, $101,500 bail;

Arthur Fleming Jr., 31, Alexandria — aggravated battery, resisting, criminal trespass, contempt, $18,000 bail.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

February 19

Kristan Blackwood, 53, Ball — possession 2 counts, paraphernalia, contempt, $9,500 bail;

Javare Donaldson, 40, Alexandria — possession, criminal trespass, contempt, $15,500;

Anthony Lewis, 31, Alexandria — possession, illegal possession stolen things, $10,500 bail.

Louisiana Christian University will offer high school students information about what opportunities await them at its annual Spring Preview Day on Saturday, March 9.

All high school students in public, private and home school are encouraged to preregister to attend the event on campus from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Students and their parents will meet with faculty and current students and learn about academic programs, athletics and extracurricular activities. Attendees will also hear from current students about their experiences in major fields of study and what it’s really like to be a Wildcat.

Interested students should sign up at the Preview Day registration form.

Students who attend Preview Day will receive free lunch and LCU merchandise. All students who pre-register for Preview Day will have the $25 application fee waived.

In view of Governor Landry and state Legislature addressing crime, a daily gun tally.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

February 18

Dalton Bell, 26, Alexandria — firearm with drugs 2 counts, possession, $3,000 bail;

Larry Frazier, 63, Ball — firearm possession by convicted felon, contempt 3 counts, $6,500 bail;

Derrick Long, 23, Alexandria — firearm possession by convicted felon, possession, $10,500 bail.

By JIM BUTLER

Joemarko James, accused last year of illegally possessing a stolen firearm and being a convicted felon possessing a firearm, has posted bond in another arrest.

James was under bond from the August 2023 charge when booked February 13 on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and obstructing justice by tampering with evidence.

He posted $150,000 bond on the current charge Saturday.

James was accused of 2nd degree murder in an October 2016 shooting on Levin Street. He also had charges of attempted murder in the same incident.

Veteran Peabody boys basketball coach Charles Smith has received a myriad of awards over his career, but now he has taken it to another superior level. He’s on the doorstep of summa cum laude type stuff. Rare air.

I’m talking about his being named this past weekend as a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. This is the highest Hall of Fame that exists for the sport of basketball. Its honorees include such legends as Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Pete Maravich, Shaquille O’Neal, Larry Bird, Kim Mulkey, Cheryl Miller, Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone.

“That’s top of the mountain type stuff, right there,” said Smith, 74, the only high school coach being considered for the 2024 class that will be announced in April and inducted in August. He is the fifth winningest coach in American high school history, with 1,204 victories and 214 losses. His portfolio includes eight state championships.

Nobody in the Alexandria area has ever received such an honor, and only eight Louisiana natives – Leon Barmore, Joe Dumars, Elvin Hayes, Malone, Mulkey, Robert Parish, Bob Pettit and Willis Reed – have been voted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

“That’s some high cotton,” said Smith, who is already a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. “You can’t go any higher than the Naismith Hall.”

Funny thing, though, as a youngster, Smith never envisioned achieving such an honor; instead, he dreamed of baseball glory. Although he played basketball at Wettermark High School in Boyce, his early athletic heroes at the time were Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente. He said he first got attracted to baseball listening to St. Louis Cardinals games on the radio.

“I could name you every player on every team in the major leagues back then,” he said.

Yet, he chose teaching math as a profession in 1971, and after stints at Slocum and Pineville High School, he moved in 1975 to Peabody, where he accepted Ernest Bowman’s invitation to be his assistant basketball coach.

Agreeing to be a “student” to a good mentor can sometimes yield fruit a hundred fold. In the classical music world, that was the case for one Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in agreeing to be a pupil of Antonio Salieri.

“Coach Bowman showed me the ins and outs,” said Smith, “and after he retired in 1985, I took over, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

Smith, in his first year of consideration, is one of six North American basketball finalists selected from 37 nominees. The others are NBA greats Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups, Michael Cooper and Walter Davis along with longtime Wisconsin Badgers college coach Bo Ryan.

To be elected, Smith and the other finalists – including in the women’s division, former LSU and WNBA sensation and three-time USA gold medalist Seimone Augustus – must gain endorsement from at least 18 of the 24 basketball experts from the Naismith Hall’s Honors Committee.

The Class of 2024 will be announced and introduced April 6 during the NCAA’s Final Four festivities in Phoenix. The induction extravaganza will be Aug. 16-17 in Springfield.

Monday’s second-round scores

Select

Division I

(8) St. Thomas More 44, (9) Tioga 33

Division III

(3) Menard 80, (14) Calvary 39

(7) Glenmora 72, (10) Houma Christian 29

Division IV

(2) Northwood-Lena 62, (18) St. Edmund 39

Division V

(9) Rapides at (8) St. Joseph’s-Plaucheville

QUARTERFINALS

SELECT

Division III

No. 11 Glen Oaks (16-20) at No. 3 Menard (21-11)

No. 7 Glenmora (18-14) at No. 2 Parkview Baptist (21-10)

Division IV

No. 7 Highland Baptist (16-10) at No. 2 Northwood-Lena (17-12)

Division V

No. 1 Oak Hill vs. St. Joseph’s-Plaucheville / Rapides winner, Thursday, 6 p.m.

No. 5 Plainview (15-18) at No. 4 Claiborne Christian (29-1), Thursday 6 p.m.

Holy Savior Menard’s girls track and field team rolled to the LHSAA Division II indoor track and field state title Saturday in Baton Rouge at LSU’s Carl Maddox Field House.

A’Shryria Burns was a sensational performer for the Lady Eagles. She won three events and was third in another, accounting for 36 points. Teammate Cami Harrison was the state champion in the pole vault with a 10-2 clearance, adding 10 more points to Menard’s total.

The Lady Eagles outpointed St. Louis (46) and Parkview Baptist (32) for the state championship.

Burns took the long jump with an 18-8 mark and doubled up in the triple jump with a winning 37-2 leap.

She won the 60 meter hurdles in a 9.19 time, and ran third in the 60 meter dash in 7.79.

In boys competition, Menard’s Malachi Tolbert was the third-place finisher in the pole vault with a 12-7 ½ height.

Parish boys basketball teams learned their playoff opponents Monday when the LHSAA released the brackets for the upcoming postseason leading to Marsh Madness in Lake Charles next month.

All parish schools compete in the Select category.

Division I

No. 4 Pineville (22-4), Bye

No. 8 Alexandria (20-10), bye

No. 21 Tioga (19-15) at No. 12 St. Augustine (20-10)

Division II

No. 2 Peabody (28-5), bye

No. 24 Teurlings Catholic (14-18) at No. 9 Buckeye (27-4)

Division III

No. 22 Glenmora (14-10) at No. 11 Capitol (18-11)

Division IV

No. 23 Northwood-Lena (14-16) at No. 10 Westminster Christian (13-13)

Division V

No. 12 Christ Episcopal (9-15) at No. 5 Plainview (18-12)

No. 11 Oak Hill (6-24) at No. 6 Claiborne Christian (17-14)

No. 13 Family Community (5-22) at No. 4 Rapides (21-11)

The Louisiana Christian University women’s and men’s basketball programs will not be able to host the Red River Rivalry in their home gym this season.

Tonight’s doubleheader with Red River Athletic Conference rival LSU Alexandria will now take place on the LSUA campus at 5:30 (women’s game) and 7:30 p.m. in the Generals’ home gym, The Fort.

Louisiana Christian will be the designated home team, so the Generals will honor all LCU season ticket holders and students with free admission.

Although the announcement did not specify a reason for the shift, a dunk shot by a Xavier player in LCU’s last home game brought down a backboard and the riggings for the goal, halting that game.

Drew Maddox, who brought unpredented success to the Louisiana Christian University football program as its head coach over the past four seasons, resigned Monday to accept an NCAA Division I (FCS) coaching opportunity.

The Louisiana College alum is moving to Cape Girardeau, Missouri where he has accepted the position of defensive line coach for the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks out of the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference.

LCU did not immediately announce plans for a search to replace Maddox, leading to speculation that highly-successful, longtime Louisiana high school coach and current Wildcats’ offensive coordinator David Feaster may be promoted. Feaster joined the Wildcats before the 2023 season and his offenses ranked among national statistical leaders all season.

But Monday’s spotlight was squarely and justifiably on Maddox, whose leadership sparked LCU’s rise from an also-ran to a championship program.

“I lift my voice joining scores of others who are grateful for the outstanding coaching job Drew provided at Louisiana Christian University. Since the day I met coach Maddox in 2015 I knew he would one day serve as our head football coach,” said university President Dr. Rick Brewer. “I’m grateful for the Christian leadership he modeled for the young men and coaches under his tutelage. Indeed, Coach Drew Maddox is a steward leader…..he left our football program much better than he found it.”

During the four seasons leading his alma mater, Maddox led the Wildcats to back-to-back winning seasons (2022 & 2023) while guiding the LCU to its first ever conference championship (Sooner Athletic Conference) and NAIA Football Championship Series appearance this past year.

He leaves the program with the third-highest winning percentage (57.9) and fifth-most wins (22).

Maddox was not quoted in the university’s press release, but offered a simple statement on his @drewmaddox8 X (formerly Twitter) social media account:

“Don’t go backwards LCU. Continue to grind and be great!! Thankful for the time we had together. We did some things!”

Under his watch, the Orange and Blue at one point owned the state’s longest collegiate winning streak of 13 games from October 1, 2022 through October 14, 2023 His Cats were a dominant force at home, sporting a 15-4 (78.9 percent) record in Pineville including a current streak of 13 consecutive victories at Wildcat Field heading into 2024.

The five-year U.S. Army veteran will go down as one of the most decorated coaches of all-time at LCU, being named Victory Sports Network Coach of the Year, AFCA NAIA Region 5 Coach of the Year, and a two-time Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after leading Louisiana Christian to a program-best 81.8 winning percentage and nine wins in his final campaign on “The Hill.”

His wife, Caitlyn Maddox, has been the LCU cheerleading coach.