Arrests are accusations, not convictions.
May 22
Raymond Dunn, 36, Boyce — possession 2 counts, paraphernalia, contempt 4 counts, $13,500 bail;
Sumer George, 34, Boyce — possession 2 counts, paraphernalia, contempt, $10,000 bail.
How long have you waited to hear the great news that “The veggies are ready!” Farmer Jason Anderson has opened Anderson’s Produce for the 2024 season with an abundance of fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables. So “Come and get ‘em!”
Anderson’s Produce has an abundance of fresh squash, onions, snap beans, and potatoes grown in the rich fertile soil of south Red River Parish. And there are more coming in every day.
And Farmer Anderson said, “This year we have an abundant crop of ripe, juicy peaches. There have been a few slim years, but this year’s crop is the best I’ve seen in years.” You know you want them, so come and get peaches picked today at the peak of freshness.
Now open for the 2024 season, Anderson’s Produce on Highway 174, just off I-49 and La 1. Click on https://andersonsproduceandplantfarm.com or phone 318-932-1432 or come by the farm. The freshest fruits and vegetables are ready for you at Anderson’s Produce.
By JIM BUTLER
Almost 11,000 cases were filed in Ninth Judicial District Court in 2023, about 600 more than the year before.
The Louisiana Supreme Court annual report breaks the filings down as:
Juvenile, 736;
Civil, 3,184;
Criminal, 2,721;
Traffic, 4,335.
Of the cases, 23 went to trial by one of the district’s seven judges (one judgeship was vacant the last four months of the year). Five trials were civil cases, 18 criminal.
Statewide there were 131 civil trials and 558 criminal at the district court level.
The report does not indicate how many of the district cases filed were resolved by year’s end.
It does do so for Alexandria (Judge Richard Starling Jr.) and Pineville (Judge Gary K. Hayes) city courts.
Alexandria had 13,467 cases filed and resolved 11,379. Filings:
Civil: 2,411, 1,431 terminated;
Criminal: 6,489, 5,277 terminated;
Traffic: 4,567, 4,671 terminated (includes some cases carried over from prior year).
Pineville City Court had 6,206 filings, with 3,970 terminated. Filings:
Civil: 600, 613 terminated (includes prior year cases);
Criminal: 2,899, 936 terminated;
Traffic: 2,707, 3,970 terminated.
City courts are limited to civil suits including involving $50,000 or less in claims. Criminal jurisdiction is limited to alleged transgressions of city ordinances and state law misdemeanors.
By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports
Cooper Scott didn’t get off to the start he was hoping for during the 2024 baseball season – on the mound or at the plate.
Menard’s star senior and LSU-Eunice signee got the ball for the Eagles’ season opener against North DeSoto. Scott gave up just three hits and one unearned run in four innings, but he left with the score tied at 1 and the Eagles lost 2-1.
Scott was back on the mound four days later in Game 2 of a three-game series at St. Louis in Lake Charles. He gave up three hits and a run in the first inning before settling down and leaving with a 4-1 lead after six innings, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead, giving up four runs in the seventh in a 5-4 loss.
The Eagles were 0-2 in his first two starts as they began the season 0-5, but that was their last loss when Scott took the hill. He made eight more starts, winning all eight of them, and picked up another victory and a save in two relief appearances.
Scott finished the year with a 9-0 record with one save and a 1.02 ERA. He gave up just 13 runs, including only nine earned, and struck out 59 batters in 62 innings. He tossed four complete games and two shutouts.
Although he had been a varsity pitcher since his freshman season, Scott entered this year with a greater reputation as a hitter than a pitcher.
“At first, I didn’t expect myself to come in and throw as well as I did this year,” Scott said, adding he was just hoping to pick up some of the slack after the graduation of last year’s All-Parish Most Outstanding Player, Andrew Prejean.
While Scott found his groove early on the mound, it took a bit longer for him to get comfortable at the plate. Coming off a junior season in which he was an all-parish and all-state selection, he had just one multi-hit game and was batting only .209 through the first month of the season.
“He was trying to do too much early,” Menard coach Jordan Marks said.
“Baseball is such a mind game that it definitely made me doubt,” Scott admitted.
Starting March 19, Scott began a 12-game hitting streak and batted .367 the rest of the season, including .400 from April until the end of the year, getting a hit in 13 of the team’s final 15 games. Despite his early-season slump, Scott finished with a .292 batting average, eight doubles, five triples, three home runs, 20 RBIs and team-highs of 24 walks, 33 runs and 23 stolen bases.
Because of his production on the mound and at the plate in helping lead the Eagles to the Division III Select semifinals, Scott has been selected as the Most Outstanding Player on the Rapides Parish Journal’s 2024 All-Parish Baseball Team, adding another individual honor to his Defensive Player of the Year award on the RPJ’s All-Parish Football Team.
In the midst of Scott’s slump, Marks moved him from the 3-hole to the leadoff spot because of Scott’s ability to draw walks and steal bases. Scott said he felt like he could help the team better there.
“Toward the beginning of district, I started feeling a little better,” Scott said. “I started to get into the click of things.”
Marks described Scott as a coach’s dream. He took care of his grades in the classroom, nearly being named valedictorian of Menard’s senior class. He was the leader of the Eagles’ football and baseball programs, and he never shied away from the pressure or responsibility that title brought.
“He’s our guy,” Marks said. “He’s a once in a 10-year player to coach – his ability on the field and his attributes off the field. I knew everything was gonna line up. I had a feeling it would. I hoped it would come to fruition and eventually it did. We all believed in him, and I think that’s what helped him get through it.”
Joining Scott in earning one of the top individual honors is Marks, who earns the Journal’s Coach of the Year honor after guiding the Eagles back to Sulphur for the second consecutive season after they had not advanced that far in the playoffs since 2007.
Marks took a squad that returned 14 seniors off last year’s state runner-up finish and was laden with heavy expectations, shook off an 0-5 start and seven losses in its first 10 games, and ripped off 16 victories in its final 17 regular-season games to earn the No. 4 seed in the playoffs.
Marks told his team before the season began that they realistically could start 0-8, but he set the schedule up to see quality pitching early because he knew it would benefit the Eagles in the long run.
“They believed and trusted in what me and (assistant coach) Brad Turney preached,” Marks said. “It got a little squirrely there at 0-5, but it didn’t show on the outside. It all came together for us.”
The Eagles swept Fisher and Dunham in the playoffs, giving up just two runs over the four games, to earn a trip back to Sulphur and a rematch with St. Charles Catholic, which defeated the Eagles in last year’s state title game.
Despite giving up just two hits, the Eagles lost 1-0 as they left runners stranded at second and third in the seventh inning, closing the greatest two-year run since the Eagles made the semifinals in 2006 and won the title in 2007.
Coming tomorrow, the full RPJ 2024 All-Parish Baseball Team.
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
HOOVER, Ala. – Legendary retired LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman’s favorite saying, especially in tight games and critical situations, was “Hold the rope.”
Which is exactly what LSU starting pitcher Luke Holman and reliever Gavin Guidry did against No. 2 ranked Kentucky in the opening game of Wednesday morning’s SEC tournament double-elimination round.
Holman and Guidry combined for a 1-hitter and a trio of Tigers’ hitters finally broke up a 2-0 tug-of-war with a home run barrage that accelerated LSU to a stunning 11-0 eight-inning run-rule victory.
First baseman Jared Jones and designated hitter Hayden Travinski launched a grand slam and a solo homer respectively in the Tigers’ five-run seventh and third baseman Tommy White cleared the bases with a grand slam in the eighth.
The win removed any remaining doubt that the defending national champion Tigers (38-20), winners of 16 of their last 21 games, have earned an NCAA tournament at-large bid that a week ago was in doubt coming off a league series loss at Alabama.
Since then, LSU has ripped off five straight SEC victories by sweeping Ole Miss last weekend in the final regular season league series before outscoring 11th-ranked Georgia and SEC regular-season co-champion Kentucky 20 to 1 in the first two days of the conference tournament.
“I felt good about where we stood coming into this thing, and now there’s no question about where we’re at and what we’re capable of, the quality of the team, the eye test, the performance. . .it’s all there,” said LSU head coach Jay Johnson, whose team advanced to Thursday’s 3:30 p.m. winners bracket matchup vs. South Carolina. “Our guys were ready to play.”
The Tigers weren’t fazed by a 9:30 a.m. start for the second straight day.
In Tuesday’s 9-1 win, LSU sent Georgia starter Jarvis Evans to the showers after 24 pitches. The Tigers led 3-0 after 1½ innings and 5-0 after 4½ innings as LSU starter Gage Jump authored a seven-inning masterpiece allowing a run and five hits.
UK starter Travis Smith lasted 31 pitches for the Wildcats (39-13) before being pulled for reliever Robert Hogan after LSU second-inning leadoff hitter Ashton Larson rocketed a double down the right-field line.
Larson eventually scored for a 2-0 on an RBI ground ball by Tigers’ shortstop Michael Braswell III, LSU’s 10th hitter of the contest. Braswell opened the game by hammering Smith’s third pitch for a solo homer.
Hogan and Johnny Hummel, the second of UK’s five eventual relievers, held the Tigers to one hit and no runs in the next four innings.
Yet Holman, selected to the All-SEC second team on Monday, didn’t blink facing 22 Wildcats’ batters. He finished with 7 strikeouts and 2 walks and allowed no hits with just one UK hitter reaching third base.
“I mixed (pitches) really well today,” said Holman, who improved to 9-3. “Fastball was a little iffy sometimes. But I’d say I was able, even behind on hitters, I still stayed in the zone and was able to mix from behind and in front.”
Holman was not needed to return for the bottom of the seventh after throwing 100 pitches (63 for strikes). Jones and Travinski picked a perfect time to bust their hitting slumps in the top of the seventh.
Since Jones was in a 2-for-23 hitting funk including 13 strikeouts, UK head coach Nick Mingione decided after Wildcats’ reliever Cameron O’Brien threw two pitches to White to issue the red-hot Tigers’ slugger an intentional walk to load the bases with one out.
Considering Jones was hitless in the SEC tourney (0 for 8), Mingione figured the percentages were in his favor.
“We had the game that we wanted,” Mingione said. “We had pieced it together exactly right. And then it got away from us.”
Because Jones whacked O’Brien’s 3-2 pitch for a grand slam homer over the left field wall for a 6-0 lead.
“Coach Johnson pulled me aside after my second at-bat when I struck out and just said “Get back to seeing the ball and being in character in the box’,” said Jones, who has 23 homers this season.
“That’s something I had kind of lost focus of over the last couple of games. Just going out there with a clear mind and just trying to get a pitch up in the zone and put a good swing on it.”
An out and two batters later, former Bossier City Airline slugger Travinski put his 5 for 39 (with 10 strikeouts) hitting nosedive aside. His solo homer extended the Tigers’ margin to 7-0.
LSU, happy to just finally have breathing room, wasn’t thinking about a run-rule win.
But White made that a possibility with one out in the top of the eighth when he hit the fifth grand slam and the 14th first-pitch homer of his two-year 123-game LSU career. The Tigers became the first team in SEC history to hit two grand slams in a league tourney game.
Guidry closed out the Wildcats three up and three down in the bottom of the eighth to send the Tigers to their next matchup against South Carolina, a 6-5 Wednesday afternoon upset winner over 5th-ranked Arkansas.
It will be the third game in three days against an SEC foe that wasn’t on LSU’s regular season schedule. And it presents a problem the Tigers have rarely solved all season in winning just 2 of 10 Game 3’s in SEC play: having enough rested quality pitching arms available.
Since LSU in its first two SEC tourney wins has used just four pitchers – a starter and a reliever in each game – Johnson has a few more options than usual.
“This year has been a little bit of a blip at the beginning of SEC play,” said Johnson of his team losing its first five league series (including four top 6 nationally ranked opponents). “But they dominated the non-conference schedule, they played great on the back of the SEC schedule, and they’re off to a great start in the postseason.”
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com
Whether or not they continue it later in life, kids – virtually all kids – want to have the opportunity to catch a fish. They may lose interest soon after the initial experience but the desire to watch a bobber go under and to feel the tug on the line is something inborn in youngsters.
Daughter Melissa is now a grown-up, married with three daughters of her own. However, she still mentions the fun she had when as a little tyke, her grandparents helped her bait a hook and fish for bream at their lakeside home on D’Arbonne. Today if given the opportunity, Melissa still likes to feel the pulsating fight of a fish on her line.
In years past, I have had the opportunity of fishing with my grandchildren. It has been enjoyable to me to watch Kayla’s four struggling with a bream or bass on the line. Watching their eyes as they fought a fish, there was no doubt that they were having a genuine good time.
I remember once taking Cathy’s two girls on a fishing trip to Lincoln Parish Park Lake. It is debatable as to who had the most fun; the girls or me.
It all started when plans were made for the girls, their brother, Billy, and parents to drive up for a visit with us. Cathy had already told me what the girls wanted to do once they got here. Tops on the list was for “papaw to take them fishing.”
The second day of their visit, son-in-law Bill and I drove into the Lincoln Parish Park with the kids. Billy’s interest was more in swimming so while Bill watched over Billy at the swimming hole in the lake, I took then- seven-year-old Callie and five-year-old Catelyn with me where we set up shop on one of the piers. Glancing into the water next to the pier, there was no doubt that I’d soon be busy baiting hooks and taking off fish; the shallows teemed with small bluegills looking for a hand-out.
They caught fish. In fact, they caught them so fast I scarcely had time to skewer a worm on a hook for one granddaughter before the other yelled, “Papaw; I got another one!” After an hour of furious activity, the girls were ready to join Billy at the swimming hole. I let them each keep six to take home and show their mom. Then they insisted I clean the fish to add to the fish fry I had planned for the family that evening.
There was something especially gratifying as I watched them watching me clean their catch.
There were questions…
”Papaw, what is that yucky stuff?”
Fish guts.
“Papaw, they sure have a lot of bones. Will they hurt me?”
No, I’ll pick ‘em out for you.
“Papaw, what do little fish taste like?”
Just like big fish, only better.
I fried up their catch first and after they’d cooled, I offered both girls the first bite traditionally taken on a fried bream; the tail. They were reluctant at first until I demonstrated how to nip the tail with one bite. “Like eating a potato chip,” I told them. They tried it, and liked it, wanting more.
Next, I showed the girls how to “unzip” a bream by taking out the fins and pulling the two halves apart. Then I separated the tiny lump of meat from the bones, watched them dip the bites in ketchup and take a bite.
“M-m-m-m…that’s good, Papaw.” The fact that they were eating fish they’d caught themselves seemed to bring the experience full circle for the two girls.
The experience left me fulfilled and content that I had helped my two granddaughters engage in a wholesome activity, and I did it in such a way that they wanted more.
They had fun both at the fishing hole, but as we drove away, I knew that the next time they come for a visit, one of the first things they’re going to say to me is, “Papaw, can we go fishing?”
Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com
Arrest are accusations, not convictions.
May 21
Dakota Brister, 29, Colfax — monetary abuse/possession counterfeit or forged monetary instruments 3 counts, theft, failure to appear, $1,500 bail;
Michael Jarrell, 39, Alexandria — sex offender failure to renew registration, aggravated battery on police officer, aggravated resisting force or violence, aggravated battery 2nd degree, disturbing peace, $30,500;
John Lachney, 60, Hineston — violation protective order non-violent first offense 4 counts, $4,000 bail;
Marlon Washington, 53, Pineville — unauthorized entry inhabited dwelling, $1,000 bail;
Deandre Yarbrough, 34, Alexandria — aggravated battery 2nd degree, $50,000 bail.
This date: 14 arrests, 1 including one or more contempt counts.
Arrests are accusations, not convictions.
May 21
Jerald Tyler, 55, Boyce — possession, $1,000 bail.
By Jeanni Ritchie
There are 154 episodes of Bluey. I’ve seen them all. At least twice. Bluey is this generation’s Barney. Or Big Bird, depending on how old you are.
And he’s coming to Central Louisiana!
Light of Mine Playhouse Cafe is hosting a Start of Summer Bash with a Bluey meet and greet on Saturday, May 25th from 10 AM- 4 PM. With open play, popsicle treats, crafts, and a special Keepy Uppy with Bluey program, it’s the perfect start to a summer of fun.
Parents can join in on the fun, plug into the cafe’s WiFi and work, or sit back and relax. A cafe is onsite, along with a private room for nursing. A special baby area for children under 2 is available as well.
Owners Cristelle Carley and Eden Etienne wanted to create something for the community and they’ve thought of everything, including all the stuff you might forget while packing a bag for a day outing.
Light of Mine Playhouse Cafe is located at 6501 Coliseum Blvd, Suite 300. For more information, call 318-704-1110 or email hello@lightofmineplayhousecafe
By JIM BUTLER
A three-month-old cannot tell you why it’s crying, or won’t eat, or keeps soiling its diaper. Sometimes they suffer for it.
That is a likely scenario in the death of a Pineville infant.
Its mother is charged with cruelty, her boyfriend with murder.
Jyrionne Crosby, 23, and Adrian Augustine, 20, were arrested following investigation of a report from Children and Family Services that the baby had injuries associated with being repeatedly shaken.
They were booked for alleged second-degree cruelty.
Subsequently the child died. Augustine was charged with murder 2nd degree.
Both were in custody Tuesday night. Her bail is set at $5,000, his at $1,050,000.
By JIM BUTLER
Directors will consider initiating liquidation of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority at a special meeting Thursday.
The proposed timeline would close GAEDA’s door by September’s end and includes repeal of the hotel-motel occupancy tax which funds it. The proposal would cancel any further scheduled board meetings.
The authority, created under a 2003 legislative act, has been adrift in controversy since early February.
An old guard of three members is butting heads with a coalition of two members appointed in February and two previously appointed.
The factions have gone to the mat on two issues – hiring, then rescinding the action, of an executive director, and dismissal of the board’s attorney.
Waiting in the wings from the majority group are their questions about budget, grants accountability and positive results from such awards.
Based on the agenda for Thursday some among the four think the alleged breaks beyond repair.
According to the agenda, the liquidation resolution proposes to pay special counsel retained for that purpose $250 hourly, the same rate allocated for the recently dismissed attorney.
The expense would be covered by the existing legal fees appropriation and a $30,000 budget amendment.
By ordinance the authority operates independently of the City Council. Each council member has an appointment to the board. Members serve at will of the appointing authority.
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
HOOVER, Ala. – Last Thursday after LSU starting pitcher Gage Jump breezed through six innings on 83 pitches in a Game 1 win to light the fuse on an SEC series sweep over Ole Miss, he was asked if he could be available on four days rest to start in the Tigers’ league tournament opener.
“Yeah, I’ll be ready,” he said.
Well, yes, he was.
Emphatically. Undeniably. Completely.
The sophomore redshirt lefty threw a season-best 71.4 percent of his pitches for strikes, holding Georgia’s potent bats to five hits and a run in seven innings in a dominating 9-1 first-round victory Tuesday morning in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Knowing every win for the Tigers (37-20), especially a 14th win against a conference opponent in the toughest league in college baseball, Gage was equal to the task in the tourney’s opening game which was LSU’s earliest starting time of the season.
“Just having the opportunity to pitch this game in a must-win situation, it’s kind of what you dream of and what you love to do,” said Jump, who had 7 strikeouts, issued 1 walk and threw 75 of 105 pitches for strikes.
“I was super excited even though it was a 9:30 game. Once we (LSU) got two (runs) in the first (inning), I was like `Okay, just preserve this lead as long as I can.’ I felt I got better as the game went on.”
And why not?
His teammates peppered five Georgia pitchers for 14 hits, including 12 singles. The Tigers committed no errors, backing Jump with several spectacular plays and helping reliever Griffin Herring escape eighth and ninth-inning jams with a pair of inning-ending double plays.
The victory, LSU’s fifth straight tying its second-longest win streak of the season, provided more evidence that the defending national champs deserve a spot in the NCAA tourney after losing their first five SEC series.
“That’s our 19th win against the top 45 RPI teams in the country,” said LSU head coach Jay Johnson, who advanced to Wednesday’s 9:30 a.m. double-elimination round matchup vs. No. 2 and SEC regular-season co-champion Kentucky. “Less than five teams have (done) that.
“I really believe we’re one of the best teams in the country, we’re just playing all the other ones. Of our 10 league series, eight of those teams are going to be in the NCAA Tournament along with us. Nobody else does that.”
Georgia (39-15), ranked No. 8 nationally and No. 5 in RPI, entered Tuesday’s game ranked second in the SEC in hitting (.307) and in home runs (140). Georgia third baseman Charlie Condon led the nation in hitting (.451) and in home runs (35).
Condon, second in the Bulldogs’ batting order, went 0 for 4. Georgia’s first four hitters (three of which hit .345 or better) in its lineup were a combined 2 for 15 with 4 strikeouts.
While Gage dazzled most of the 26 batters he faced – “He (Gage) was really good at filling up the zone,” Bulldogs’ catcher Fernando Gonzales said – LSU’s batters wore the patience of Georgia’s pitchers down to the nub.
The Tigers drew 7 walks and blew Georgia’s pitch count to 192 (just 53.4 percent for strikes) including 51 in the first two innings.
“We walked too many guys,” said first-year Georgia head coach Wes Johnson, who served as LSU’s pitching coach last season. “There’s no manual to overcome a starter going a third of an inning. You’ve just got to try to minimize damage.”
Seven Tigers had hits with three batters – left fielder Josh Pearson (3 RBI), second baseman Steven Milam and catcher Alex Milazzo (2 RBI each – knocking in multiple runs.
“We were putting it together today, putting in good swings and not chasing outside of the zone and just swinging at pitches that we can crush,” said Pearson, who was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI including a first-inning single that plated a pair of runs. “We were getting the leadoff guy on, getting him over and getting him in, things we do every day at practice.”
LSU’s challenge grows bigger today against Kentucky (39-12, 22-8), which shared the SEC regular season championship with Tennessee.
The Tigers didn’t play UK this year in the regular season schedule but were 4-1 (all games in Baton Rouge) against the 2023 Wildcats. It included a Super Regional sweep with wins of 14-0 and 8-3 advancing LSU to the College World Series.
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com
Not many people reach legendary status.
But there’s one man who lives just across the Louisiana/Texas line that falls into the category of a legend.
He’s a guy who for years has conducted the greatest bass tournaments in the world. He’s become so big that National Geographic came to East Texas and did a one-hour special on his amateur bass tournament trail. His name: Bob Sealy! He is the owner and creator of the Bob Sealy Big Bass Splash Series.
Back in the 1980’s, Bob had this great idea to conduct a big bass tournament on Lake Sam Rayburn as part of an initiative to bring tourism to the lake area. Little did he know that 40 years later it would explode nationwide, and now globally, as anglers all over the country and the world come and compete in one of his many big bass tournaments held all across the South.
Bob was also the guy who sat down with Ray Scott, the founder of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), and convinced him to bring a professional bass tournament to Sam Rayburn. This brought national exposure to the area as Sam Rayburn became one of the legendary lakes in America with its reputation for producing huge bass and 30-pound tournament winning stringers.
Why so much success over a bass tournament? What has been the reason so many people have come and continue to make their way to all Bob Sealy events? It’s all due to a simple formula Bob figured out a long time ago. He realized most anglers will never have the opportunity to make the kind of money professional bass fishing offers. That’s when he came up with the slogan, “Where amateurs win like the pros!” As they say, the rest is history!
Another reason for the Sealy success is the fact that Bob does what he says he will do. Early on when he started these big bass tournaments, he took a few financial losses mainly due to the promises he had made. There were times when he did not have enough entries to cover the amount he was giving away. Bob still wrote checks and borrowed money from the bank in order to make sure everyone got paid.
Another example of why Bob has had so much success is his willingness to give. There’s one aspect of all Sealy tournaments where he offers $5,000 each day for any angler that weighs an exact 3.00, 4.00, or 5.00-pound bass. Even if no one weighs in an exact size bass, he will put all the entries from the tournament into a hopper and will draw a random name to give away three $5,000 checks. Most tournaments would just pocket this money and move on. Not Bob Sealy. He wants anglers to walk away with money in their pocket!
These are just a few reasons why Bob Sealy has so many participants follow his tournament trail. Bob does what he says he will do, no matter what the cost. This is the key to any successful bass fishing circuit. Anglers only want two things: enforce the rules and make sure the payout is exactly what each event says it will be.
We salute Bob Sealy on his commitment and dedication to making this tournament trail so successful. Sealy events are for all weekend warriors who love to fish. It’s also about family by offering something for all ages with plenty of food, entertainment and kids fishing division. As a member of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame and the Outdoors Hall of Fame, Bob continues to set the bar for all bass tournaments.
This article would not be complete without recognizing and thanking the entire Sealy Outdoors staff and volunteers who coordinate and make all Sealy events possible. Without these folks, the Bob Sealy Big Bass Splash would not be possible.
To learn more about the Sealy Big Bass Splash Series of tournaments go to sealyoutdoors.com.
‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and when in doubt — set the hook.
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com
Arrests are accusations, not convictions.
May 20
Weapons
Andre Jenkins, 32, Alexandria — attempted murder 2nd degree, $500,000 bail;
Other
Harvey George, 53, Boyce — burglary 2 counts, criminal damage 2 counts, theft, contempt, $2,000 bail;
Savanah Mestas, 29, Pineville — domestic abuse battery serious injury, $1,500 bail;
Daria Payne, 28, home invasion , aggravated assault, criminal damage, $5,000 bail.
This date: 20 arrests, 13 that include at least one contempt count.
Arrests are accusations, not convictions.
May 20
Yokoshimada Barber, 41, Pineville — possession 2 counts, contempt, $3,500 bail;
Dwayne Hanner, 44, possession, contempt, $3,500 bail;
Shonna Murray, 40, Deville — possession, possession in school zone, theft, contempt, $53,000.
By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services
“Well, I’ve been known to write a few songs
Lovin’ and leavin’ and getting’ too stoned
Bottle and a pistol by my side
The devil’s always along for the ride”
Last Saturday, he opened for country music star Jason Aldean.
June 20th, he will take the stage ahead of Morgan Wallen – the first of a few dates with one of country music’s biggest names.
Not bad for a guy from Logansport, who twice attempted to kill himself.
“I try not to even stop and think about (my success),” Bryan Martin told the Shreveport-Bossier Journal, a few hours before performing in Oklahoma on Aldean’s Highway Desperado tour. “I’m afraid I’m going to wake up and go, ‘Oh, shi_. I just stumped my toe trying to get in the camper one night and this has all been a dream.’ It’s been amazing. It’s been crazy.”
Martin, who was born in Shreveport and grew up in DeSoto Parish, has Billboard Country’s 16th ranked song with We Ride, from his album Poets and Old Souls. Other charts have the hit song ranked even higher.”
“It just blows me away to be sitting in the Top 10 on country radio and thinking about where all I’ve been and what all I’ve been through. Never in a million years would I have thought I would even be sitting here talking to you about it. It’s just crazy.”
The fact that the 36-year-old, who bounced between schools in Logansport and Stanley before dropping out, is “even sitting here” is something of a miracle. Martin went to work on an oil rig for almost a year before enlisting in the Army. Confusion about whether he should have been accepted led to an uncharacterized discharge, which led to Martin trying to kill himself. He wrote We Ride based off a suicide written when he was 19 years old.
“I felt like a failure. I’ve never quit a job – never been sent home from a job. When I came back home, that’s when I took (30) Percocet’s, and I misfired a .357 Magnum . . . . I remember waking up the next morning and not feeling the effects of the drugs or the alcohol. That blew my mind . . . . I put that bullet back in the gun and took out all the other bullets. I pretty much cussed God and asked, ‘Why are you saving me now? It’s too late to save me.’”
But as many a preacher will tell you it wasn’t too late. Martin was saved. He went into the ministry and was sober for six years. But later, Martin went through a divorce. Then came Covid, which kept him from working.
“Same thing like the military. I just felt like a failure sitting at the house. I couldn’t draw a check. I was going crazy. I couldn’t make the music make sense. I couldn’t make money. I was pulled apart. I went back to drinking again.”
That led to another suicide attempt just three years ago – two days before his divorce was became final. Martin drove off an embankment.
“I went through a really bad brain injury and lost most of my memory. I couldn’t remember any of my songs (he had written close to 800) . . . . I had to pretty much re-teach myself how to play my own songs.”
In the process, Martin proved his doctors wrong.
“They told me I wasn’t ever going to be able to write again because of that brain injury. When I went to writing again (Martin credits medicine for ADHD), I couldn’t stop. The last three years, I’ve done what they told me I couldn’t do in the next 15 (years). The last six months, I’ve done what they said I couldn’t do in the next 10 (years).”
Martin was discovered while performing with some of his Tic Tok friends, who put together a music and comedy tour. But Martin’s current success came fast.
“A year and a half ago, I was on a barstool playing for $400 a night.”
Needing to be close to Nashville, Tennessee, Martin now lives in a town south of the country music capital. His schedule doesn’t allow him to return to Logansport often, where his mother (Donna) and father (David) still live. Martin has been back home four or five times in the last two-and-a-half years.
“When you catch a little breeze, you’ve got to ride with it. It’s a dream come true. Right now, it’s been able to afford me to retire my dad. I’m a long way from retiring, but to retire my dad is something I’ve always dreamed of doing.”
During his younger days, Martin was a frequent visitor to Bossier City.
“I would always spend my money at the arcade at the (Louisiana) Boardwalk. I went to the movies, and anywhere else I could get into. I got into the Rockin’ Rodeo (nightclub) one night. I sang Tracy Lawrence’s Sticks and Stones. That was my first time singing in front of people, at karaoke at the Rockin’ Rodeo.”
Right now, Martin is living the dream, a long way from singing karaoke. But if Martin ends up being a one-hit-wonder, that will be just fine with him. Martin has his songwriting talents to fall back on.
“If people are living life and going through struggles, somebody out there will relate to what I’m going to write next, or what I have coming out next. As long as real life is happening, I think I’ve got a pretty good chance at (staying successful), now that I’ve broke through and gained a few ears.”
But Martin’s professional life isn’t the only thing that’s better than ever.
“I’ve been dating my ex-wife (Bobbie Jo) for three years. It’s been going good. It’s the best it’s ever going to be. We get along good. If we don’t, it’s like, well, we’ll get over it. This time, you ain’t taking everything when you leave.”
Hmmm . . . . Sounds like the makings of a good Bryan Martin-written song.
Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com.