Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

April 22

Karl Frazier, 31, Carencro — firearm possession by convicted felon 2 counts, tint violation , $10,100 bail;

Robert Smith Jr., 25, Pineville — firearm possession by convicted felon 2 counts, illegal possession stolen firearm 2 counts, discharging firearm, $20,000 bail. 

By JIM BUTLER

C. Ray Lewis Ed.D could have a sense of deja vu after filing his second ethics complaint regarding affairs of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority.

Dr. Lewis is GAEDA vice chairman and contends appointment this Spring of newly elected chairman Greg Upton creates a conflict of interest, as does the City Council majority’s approving the appointment.

Basis for the complaints is Upton’s affiliation with the Gold Weems law firm, which serves as the city’s general counsel.

The Board of Ethics has 11 members, seven of them gubernatorial appointments. One of those seven – Sarah S. Couvillion of the Gold Weems firm, serving a five-year term that began in January 2000.

There is no reason to think she will not recuse from the complaints’ consideration though one can almost hear another Lewis sound bite.

Upton was GAEDA’s attorney at one point. Whether the Gold connection had anything to do with his being let go in favor of Tiffany Sanders was never publicly stated.

Board minutes reflect accepting letters for legal and accounting services the past three years though they reflect no details.

Cost of those services have increased from $57,000 in 2020, according to audits, to $87,000 in 2023.

Those are not broken out from one another and are not necessarily apples to apples. For instance, volume of one service or the other could have increased, rates per hour, like everything else, could have increased, etc.

The most-recent minutes of GAEDA board meetings posted to its web site is a January meeting, coincidentally or not when the entity entered the public stream of thought.

Cursory search of its legal journal’s archive found no minutes publications dating to November 2021, though that could be searcher error.

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Beginning his playing days in junior high during World War II, riding for an hour in the back of a pickup truck to start college at Northwestern State, and finishing eight decades in organized basketball helping choose officials for the NCAA’s Division I Final Four, Tynes Hildebrand has lived an unparalleled career.

Player, coach, athletics director, officials observer. From the 1940s until a decade ago, the 93-year-old Hildebrand has been immersed in his favorite game, the only sport he could play growing up in rural Sabine Parish and attending tiny Florien High School.

He has counted among his friends and colleagues legends such as longtime USA Olympic coach Henry Iba of Oklahoma State, national-championship coaches John Wooden (UCLA), Indiana’s Bob Knight, UTEP’s Don Haskins, and Louisiana icons including Dale Brown, Fred Hobdy, Billy Allgood, Lenny Fant and Benny Hollis. Hildebrand, Knight and Haskins helped Iba pick the country’s 1972 Olympic team.

As head coach at Northwestern State, Hildebrand helped found the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches half a century ago. As the LABC celebrates that anniversary with its 50^th Annual Awards Banquet Saturday, May 4 in Baton Rouge, it’s fitting that Hildebrand will become only the fourth recipient of the organization’s Don Landry Award since that elite recognition for long-term impact and service to the game in Louisiana was created in 1998.

It’s named for the founding father of the LABC. Hildebrand, now living with his wife of 72 years, Julia, near family in Flower Mound, Texas, is touched to receive it.

“Don Landry’s the one who has done so much for Louisiana basketball. He involved so many people and did so very much, and got schools around the state invested in the LABC and building our game around the state,” said Hildebrand. “We had such good times with great fellowship that people wanted to be included. So to receive an award with his name on it is a distinct honor.”

Another iconic figure in state basketball history, LABC Hall of Famer and 2023 Mr. Louisiana Basketball recipient Mike McConathy, has a far-reaching understanding of Hildebrand’s impact. McConathy’s father Johnny, the No. 5 pick in the 1951 NBA Draft, was a senior at Northwestern State when Hildebrand joined H. Lee Prather’s Demons. The younger McConathy was a prep All-American at Bossier City’s Airline High, recruited nationally but ultimately choosing Louisiana Tech over his father’s alma mater. Later, he was tabbed to be the Demons’ head coach in 1999 and in 23 seasons became the state’s all-time winningest coach.

“His connections to every aspect of the game in our state, and beyond, from a player to a coach to international play, to referees, he has run the whole gamut. That’s rare, anywhere, and he’s one of a kind in Louisiana,” said McConathy.

Hildebrand spent 16 seasons (1965-80) as head coach at his alma mater, Northwestern State, where he posted 191 wins. He retired, and was named the LABC’s Mr. Basketball a year later, but returned in 1983 as the Demons’ athletics director for 13 years, working at half-salary in a financially-strapped department that under his guidance developed into one of the more successful in the Southland Conference on, and off, the field of competition.

As a coach and administrator, Hildebrand was an outstanding mentor. Among his prize pupils: Demons’ guard and future longtime Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey along with athletic department interns Greg Burke, his successor as AD who held that post for the next 26 years, and Greg Sankey, now in his 10^th year as the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference.

Hildebrand was enshrined in the LABC’s Hall of Fame in 1992 for his coaching career. A year following his retirement as AD, Hildebrand became one of the NCAA’s Division I officials evaluators in 1997, a role he fulfilled for 17 seasons. In 2006, he became one of the inaugural four NCAA regional officiating supervisors.

Generations of coaches, players and fans – and certainly, officials – have felt the influence. He says it’s been more than an equal trade.

“Louisiana basketball has been my life,” he said. “The Hildebrand family has lived a Louisiana basketball life. And it’s been good to us.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

April 22

Brandon Dauzat, 25, Effie — battery on officer, resisting, tint violation, $1,100 bail;

Curtis Delaney, 52, Boyce — theft motor vehicle, theft, burglary, $50,500 bail;

Stephen Reed, 31, Pineville — theft motor vehicle, $20,000 bail.

This date: 12 arrests, 6 of which included at least one contempt count.

Gonna take a sentimental journey.

To renew old memories.

All provoked by Bret McCormick’s piece last week about Hunter and Carter Rivet, brothers in athletic pursuit, competitors in accomplishment.

Hunter, a senior at ASH, is seeking a state title in the discus starting with this Wednesday’s regional meet at NSU.

Were paternal grandfather Ross still with us surely there would be walk-up music as Hunter steps into the ring, for Ross and his older brother Joe were accomplished musicians as well as outstanding athletes.

Seven, that’s the time we’re leaving.

With that their music to dine by would begin – at Herbie K’s or Effie’s, depending on the night, their trumpets taking patrons through the evening.

At other engagements, the range of songs was much wider, entertaining dancers at such as the KC Hall, Amerita Club, American Legion Post and Hotel Bentley.

And both were long-time members of the area jazz band.

Their day careers began in music – Ross as director of the Buckeye High Band, Joe directing Pineville High’s.

Ross wrote the Buckeye alma mater; Joe became PHS assistant principal.

Ross left education for sales, Joe went on to be principal at Oak Hill, then the first principal at Rapides High, associate parish superintendent, and held posts with the state Department of Education.

The brothers were a regular sight on area golf courses and always in the field at various tournaments, familiar names in championship flights with such as Weems, Johnson, Yates, Brame, Lavesepere and others.

Their athleticism went beyond golf – in fact,  Joe was a three-sport letterman at Louisiana College (now Louisiana Christian University) and is a member of its Sports Hall of Fame.

So there you have it,

Sentimental journey home.

There was a time when I never would’ve thought some things would happen.

….While driving through Central Texas in recent years, we’ve seen a sprouting of lighted fields for cricket. Few people played cricket in Central Texas or Central Louisiana back in the day. But the landscape is changing. Immigrants from countries where cricket is popular, such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and South Africa, have fueled the rise of the team sport that uses a bat and a hard ball. 

The number of cricketers in America is on the rise. Two years ago, there were up to 14,000 members in USA Cricket, the national governing body. Its increased popularity has led to conversation about cricket being a part of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

There are several leagues in the Central Texas area. The two biggest are the Central Texas Cricket League and the Austin Premier Cricket League that house a combined 30 teams.

The next thing you know, cricket may be rivaling pickleball as the “next big thing” in Alexandria….

….I never used to need help making a hand soap dispenser work. You just pressed on the pump and the soap came out, but recently I had to look up instructions on the internet for how to make it work. There’s a matter of unlocking the bloody thing that isn’t apparent to a knucklehead like me….

….Another nuisance of the times — the need to prove on the internet that you are not a robot. You do this by clicking on squares within a block of square pictures that contain, for example, bikes or stoplights. My question: who –- or WHAT — is grading me to see that I am not a robot? ….

…. Never could I have imagined, say 30 years ago, that minimum wage ($15/hr.) workers at hamburger franchises are making more than what many college graduates used to make in the workplace. I remember an old joke that ends with the punch line “50 dollars is 50 dollars.” But today, a nickel ain’t worth two bits anymore….

….Age has a way of tampering enthusiasm for some things. Last fall I did something my younger self would never have done. I turned down an invitation for Janet and me to join some of her relatives for skybox suite viewing of an LSU football game. Money ain’t worth what it used to be, and “fun and excitement”  ain’t always worth the hassle….

….My younger self couldn’t have imagined today’s reality of some college athletes making millions of dollars through NIL (name-image-likeness) contracts, forever changing the fabric of big-time college sports. In a similar vein, the transfer portal has changed college sports into a haven for spoiled brats who show no loyalty to school or team. Thus, they can emulate the spoiled coaches who show no loyalty to school or team to follow the money. I know it works that way in the business world, but this was supposed to be different….

….Never would I have thought 30 years ago, when the Texas-Louisiana League fielded a team at Alexandria’s Bringhurst Field that the historic ballpark would wither and decay for lack of attention. The entrance façade is left, but nothing about it now seems right….

….Who could’ve foretold that washers and dryers would have the ability to send a notification to your email that your laundry is ready?….

….Yet another thing I’ve lived long enough to do is come out of retirement last summer to contribute a weekly column to a free online publication called the Rapides Parish Journal that subsists on advertising. It’s filling an underserved need for something else I didn’t foresee three or four decades ago – the shrinking and disappearing newspapers across America like The Town Talk. These kind of online publications are filling a vacuum and likely will only grow to fill further vacuums.

And no robots are involved.

By JIM BUTLER

The Police Jury has filled two posts that controversial absent juror Jay Scott last month nominated himself for but failed to get a second.

That March session ended with President Joe Bishop encouraging civil behavior by and between members, none named.

Subsequently he filed a district court petition seeking a permanent injunction against Scott, alleging he made threats against jury employees and/or jurors as well as making untoward references.

Scott responded through his attorney that what’s good for the goose should be good for the gander.

He pointed to alleged uncivil, abusive behavior in Bishop’s past though not related to his police jury duties.

The statement was not a court filing.

In Scott’s absence this month jurors without dissent appointed Danny Bordelon to a four-year term on the Rapides Area Planning Commission and Ollie Overton to four years on the Transportation Policy Committee.

As far as is known, Scott’s absence at this month’s meeting was not a result of any court action.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Welcome to today’s grammar lesson and an LSU baseball update all rolled into a pithy presentation.

Complimentary means giving approval. Complementary means completing or enhancing the qualities of somebody or something.

During Tigers’ head coach Jay Johnson’s 30-minute Monday press conference wrapping his team’s first SEC series win of the season at Missouri this past weekend, he finally had the opportunity to be complimentary about his team’s complementary play.

LSU (25-16, 5-13) sandwiched Game 1 (12-1, run-rule ended game in the 7th) and Game 3 (6-2) wins around a Game 2 (8-7 loss).

“It’s just a complementary baseball when your pitchers are out there giving them zeroes and then you’re scoring runs,” said Johnson, whose team hosts Nicholls tonight before opening a home SEC series Friday vs. Auburn. “Everybody can settle into the game a little bit better.”

LSU got its best pitching and hitting performances this season in league play.  Seven Tigers’ pitchers (3 starters, 5 relievers) was the fewest amount of LSU hurlers used in an SEC series so far. They combined for a 3.75 ERA, striking out 31 and walking just 7 vs. Missouri after issuing an average of 14.4 walks in series losses to Mississippi State, Florida, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Tennessee.

Sophomore transfer Gage Jump, who has struggled as a Tigers’ starter this season after transferring from UCLA where he missed all of last season rehabbing from a Tommy John arm surgery, got LSU off to a fast start against Mizzou.

He threw a 7-inning complete game in the series opener. He held Missouri to 1 run on 3 hits with 1 walk and a career-high 14 strikeouts.

Jump, named SEC Pitcher of the Week on Monday, retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced, including 10 by strikeout.

“We saw early in the season that he’s really good,” Johnson said of Jump. “We faced a lot of good SEC teams (four ranked in the top 6) and a lot of good hitters in some small ballparks.

“I’ve felt he wasn’t that far away (from winning). He pitched okay in Tennessee, but I could sense he started to move in a good direction a couple of weeks ago. He’s poised to continue to pitch well. He’s mixed his pitches more and thrown all four of his pitches with a little more frequency. He just suffocated the strike zone (vs.) Missouri.”

Johnson had unsuccessfully tried several pitchers as a Game 3 SEC series starter, but the Tigers finally got a Game 3 win last Sunday when starter Nate Ackenhausen and reliever Griffin Herring combined for 13 strikeouts and 2 walks in holding Missouri to two runs.

For Herring, it’s a continuation of his last season’s success in the NCAA Tournament. This year in his six SEC game appearances over 20.2 innings, he’s 2-0 with a pair of saves and a 0.87 ERA while striking out 32 and walking just 5.

“There’s no argument, he (Griffin) has been our best pitcher,” Johnson said. “The thing that I would want all the other players to emulate is there hasn’t been one time where he’s even worried about where we have him or him set up. He’s been a very team guy.”

Ackenhausen got a much-needed confidence boost vs. Missouri. He allowed 2 runs and had 5 strikeouts and 1 walk in his new role for a second straight weekend as the Tigers’ Game 3 starter.

As a junior college transfer last year, he was one of LSU’s best pitchers in its post-season playoff run to win the national championship.

He started this season as LSU’s best and most experienced reliever. But he’s had some terrible bad luck, such as allowing Florida a game-tying single in the ninth inning of Game 2 after being two strikes away from clinching the series. Florida won the game in extra innings.

“It didn’t work out but one of the reasons I kept him in the (bull)pen was I thought it would be important for the confidence of our team to win close games,” Johnson said of Ackenhausen. “We weren’t able to do that. I feel like the starting thing is good for him.

“He’s had a tough go to this point,” Johnson said, “but he’s responded really well the last two weeks. And I think he’s really given our team a lift. Everybody really believes in him. I trust him.”

LSU’s improved pitching was backed by timely hitting, mostly A.W.O.L. the past weeks. In their first 15 SEC games, LSU hit .229 (35 for 153) with two outs, .217 (50 for 230) with runners on base and .194 (24 for 124) with runners in scoring position.

Against Mizzou, the LSU hit .423 (11 of 26) with two outs, .370 (17 for 46) with runners on base and .250 (7 of 28) with runners in scoring position. LSU hammered 8 homers, 1 triple, 10 doubles among its 31 hits in the series.

Sophomore first baseman Jared Jones had 2 doubles, 2 homers and 3 RBI vs. Missouri. Sophomore centerfielder Paxton Kling ripped 3 doubles, driving in 3 runs. Graduate designated hitter Hayden Travinski, the Shreveport native and Airline Viking alumnus, had 2 homers and 6 RBI.

Freshman outfielder Ashton Larson was LSU’s leading hitter in the series. He batted .500 (5-for-10) with two doubles, one homer, two RBI, four runs, three walks, one HBP and a .643 on-base percentage.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

April 21

Anthony Conday, 17, Alexandria — aggravated assault firearm, aggravated assault domestic abuse, illegal carrying dangerous weapon, $50,000 bail. 

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

April 21

Kenneth Neal Jr., 26, Alexandria — stalking, unlawful communication telephone/telecommunication, criminal damage, $21,000 bail. 

This date: 13 arrests, 6 of which include at least one contempt count count. 

By JEANNI RITCHIE

The Second Chance Job and Resource Fair was held last week at the Alexandria Mall. Jointly sponsored by the United Way of Central Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Corrections, this collaborative effort was aimed to assist citizens with reentry into the community by providing them with access to vital resources and employment.

Everyone deserves a second chance. Anthony Thomas, Community Coordinator for the Louisiana Prisoner Reentry Initiative, and Jason Parker, Reentry Program Manager for the Alexandria region, coordinated more than 40 vendors who offered employment and client service opportunities. Having spent a decade in rehab and street ministries, I know how it important hope is in new beginnings.

“Events like this are pivotal in bringing the community closer, fostering cooperation among service providers, and amplifying opportunities for our justice-involved citizens,” Thomas states.

The United Way of Central Louisiana extends its heartfelt thanks to all who supported this fair and praises the efforts of Central Louisiana in its commitment to inclusivity and support for all its members.

For more information on this program, contact www.uwcl.org.

Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist who features programs in Central Louisiana that promote community, education, mental health, and inclusivity. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

April 18

Donovan Leonard,37, Marksville — firearm possession by convicted felon, suspension/revocation, fugitive, contempt, $19,600 bail;

Iterick Spurs, 22, Ball — illegal carrying weapon, obstruction: evidence tampering, resisting, contempt, $7,000 bail. 

April 19

Eric Bell,18, Alexandria — firearm with drugs, resisting, illegal possession stolen things,$390,000 bail;

Dexter King, 43, Alexandria — illegal possession stolen firearm, firearm with drugs 2 counts, firearm possession by convicted felon, contempt, possession with intent, possession, $232,500;

Ryan Reynolds Jr., 17, Pineville — firearm on school property, aggravated assault with firearm, $100,000 bail. 

April 20

Cartavis Austin, 23, Alexandria — attempted murder 2nd degree, illegal use of weapon, criminal conspiracy, $360,000 bail;

Bernard Ellis III, 18, Alexandria — attempted murder 2nd degree, firearm with drugs, possession l, obstruction/evidence tampering, $302,500. 

(Note: Alexandria police on Sunday reported responding to a Saturday night non-life threatening shooting on Douglas Street. Nothing else was disclosed.)

By JIM BUTLER

What the School Board does next with Head Start will be discussed in committee Tuesday.

At its March meeting the board was asked by Superintendent Jeff Powell for direction in what it wishes to do — plug the dollar drain or bow out. 

Board members appeared about equally divided and sent the matter to the Education Committee That panel, chaired by Linda Burgess, meets at 5 p.m.  Tuesday. On its agenda are receiving a report from Powell on a corrective plan for Head Start and discussing possible action regarding continuation of the system’s role with Head Start.

At the March board meeting Powell said about $500,000 was needed to keep the program operating.

As pandemic-related one-time funding draws to a close the financial burden switches to the General Fund, itself facing an essentially flat Minimum Foundation Program allocation in the next fiscal year.

The committee will also discuss possibly realigning the Curriculum & Instruction Department “to better support student learning,” according to the agenda.

Also Tuesday afternoon:

Steve Berry’s Finance committee will hear from Powell on corrective action planning for school audits.

In its recent state audit report the board learned spot checks of some schools’ accounting practices, to be kind, left something to be desired.

Two other matters on the Finance list — board member Wilton Barrios seeks to direct Powell to study and report on the possibility of a pay raise for school secretaries and Sandra Franklin wants to direct the superintendent to ask the board attorney legal applications of what can and cannot be done to combine district maintenance funds.

She raised that issue at the February board meeting.

After Finance, Franklin’s District 62 Committee meets for an update on construction progress.

Also on the agenda is how to divvy up a premium received from the late March sale of the final $25 million in bonds of the district’s $100 million issue.

The premium, realized through the relatively low interest rate secured for the bonds, amounts to a bit north of $2 million.

The Personnel Committee session, chaired by Barrios, concludes the day’s meetings.

By JIM BUTLER

A new taxing district is in place in the Glenmora area.

The police jury created the district encompassing Road District 5A (unincorporated Glenmora area).

Jurors approved creation of the entity at its April meeting.

They also served notice of intent at their May meeting to call a special election to seek approval to levy a sales tax.

Details of that proposition as well as the election date will be formulated for the May resolution.

The district, in the election district (H) of Parrish Giles, currently has no dedicated tax for roads maintenance, repair or construction.

In May 2022 the jury called an election to seek approval to levy a 40-mill property tax for 10 years.

Estimates were it would provide about $500,000 for 5A roads in the first year of collection.

The proposal never got to the ballot. The jury rescinded the election resolution action in September 2022.

David Johnson was the sponsoring police juror at the time.

The 27th annual Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival will be held in historic downtown Natchitoches on the riverbank of Cane River Lake, the festival will kick off Friday evening, May 10 with “Tribute to Legends Night.”

Appearing first at 7 p.m. will be “Lone Star Skynrd”, the award nominated Lynyrd Skynrd tribute act from Texas which faithfully recreates the atmosphere and energy of Lynyrd Skynrd concerts. Closing out Friday at 9 p.m. will be “Rumours-ATL”, the award-winning Fleetwood Mac tribute band out of Atlanta, Georgia which is widely recognized as the ultimate Fleetwood Mac tribute with its note for note recreation of the Mac’s hit songs.

Craig Morgan and Chapel Hart are set to headline the Main Stage on Saturday, May 11.

Craig Morgan has been a country hit maker for over a quarter century and during his award-winning career has had seventeen charting country hits including the number ones “That’s What I Love About Sunday” and “Redneck Yacht Club”. Morgan is known for his high energy performances and is also a huge supporter of the military and veterans causes. He currently serves in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Opening for Morgan is the super-hot Nashville group “Chapel Hart” who were finalists on the hit television show “America’s Got Talent” a few years ago and then emerged again on the show’s special “Fantasy League” series which aired just a few weeks ago.

Millions have seen them on TV, they are selling out venues nationwide performing their number one hit “You Can Have him, Jolene” and many others.

Preceding “Chapel Hart” will be regional favorites “Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs” who have been hailed as “Louisiana’s top show band” and are the only band to have appeared in all twenty-six previous festivals. They are making this a stop on their 30th anniversary “Over the Moon Tour” and promise some “special surprises” during their performance. The Moondogs performance is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. As always, they’ll deliver a high quality and high energy mix of rock and roll and R&B horn-driven favorites.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to http://www.natchjazzfest.com.

There will be 20 bands in all performing on three stages, which will feature a wide variety of music, including country, rock ‘n’ roll, funk, soul, Gospel, Latin, Celtic, and yes, plenty of jazz and R&B. This is a family event, and as always, there will be plenty of great food and fun activities for the kids.