By JIM BUTLER

Kenneth Fields Jr., accused years ago of shooting and trying to rob a drug customer, is back in the clink.

Fields, 34, of Pineville was booked Monday morning on charges stemming from last October.

Those include possession with intent to distribute with a child under 12 present, felony flight, obstruction, child desertion, cruelty to a juvenile and probation violation. He posted bond ($18,600) a few hours later.

Back in 2015 Fields was charged with attempting to murder a drug customer in a setup on La. 1 near Echo.

The patron showed up for the deal and Fields allegedly produced a gun instead of drugs. In the ensuing scuffle one bullet hit the customer’s leg, he wrested control of Fields’ car and fled.

Fields told a different story to officers responding to reports of gunfire, saying he had been waylaid and his vehicle boosted. The ensuing investigation resulted in the charges against Fields.

Record of the judicial outcome is not readily available, but Fields next appears in online arrest records as an alleged probation violator in September 2019.

He was arrested in February 2021, charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, having a firearm with drugs, possession and traffic offenses.

A month later he was booked with alleged possession with intent to distribute and traffic charges.

In March 2022 he was again charged with alleged firearm possession and a speeding offense.

By JIM SMILIE

Louisiana House of Representatives Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson said he is tired of Louisiana being ranked among the worst states.

“There’s no reason to sugar coat it,” Johnson told members of the Rotary Club of Alexandria Tuesday during their lunch meeting at Alexandria Convention Hall. “In my 65 years of living, we’ve been 50th in so many things,” he said, citing education, highways, economic development and other categories. “We have a unique opportunity to change our state. It’s time we’re not an outlier.”

Johnson, the State Representative for District 27 since 2019, said the state Legislature, which met for the past six months with two special sessions as well as the regular session, took a number of steps he believes will put the state on a path to improvement. “I think we accomplished a lot, but we just scratched the surface,” he said.

One of the main things Johnson focused on was the creation of the Central Louisiana Delegation Caucus, which brings together representatives of Central Louisiana in the House and the Senate to work together for the benefit of the region.

Johnson said the caucus has 13 members and that many are now in key leadership positions. He specifically mentioned members in leadership roles in committees for insurance, health and welfare, finance, judiciary, labor and appropriations. “Having members in leadership positions in finance and appropriations is critical,” Johnson said. “We do a lot of lawmaking, but it comes down to if you can get the funding.”

Many of the bills the Legislature passed involved making changes to bring Louisiana more in line with what other states are doing. That was especially true in the case of insurance matters. “We passed 38 bills addressing insurance,” Johnson said. “We looked at the things that were different and looked at what other states do that have lower insurance and we tried to get more like them.’

Crime was another area that was addressed and was the sole focus of a special session held ahead of the regular session. Johnson said New Orleans, which has been listed as one of the most dangerous cities not just in the United States, but in the world, was specifically addressed with Governor Jeff Landry planning a police troop specific to the Cresent City.

Johnson said many of the crime-related bills were designed to ensure that criminals get appropriate jail time and that they do their sentence. “For too long, the rights of the criminals have been put ahead of the right of citizens,” Johnson said.

Legislation was also approved to treat 17-year-old offenders as adults, a move Johnson said he supports. “17-year-olds aren’t like they were when I was young,” he said. “Now, if you do an adult crime, you will get an adult punishment.”

Johnson said the parole system was also addressed. “If you are on parole you will need to keep your nose clean. We don’t want repeat offenders doing repeat crimes,” he said.

Other areas Johnson highlighted included education and economic development. A bill signed this week by Gov. Landry reorganizes the Louisiana Office of Economic Development (LED) and creates an advisory committee of public citizens and business people to offer their input. In education, Johnson noted the creation of Education Savings Accounts (ESA). “I believe that if you pay tax dollars you should have a say in where your kids go to school,” he said.

Johnson quickly listed a number of areas that received funding in the hopes of making needed improvements, including $1.3 billion to the Department of Transportation and Development for roads and bridges, $1.2 million to help cover the cost of incarcerating teen offenders, $17.5 million to attract teachers to fill hard-to-fill positions, $94.3 million for deferred maintenance on state higher education facilities, $41.7 million for faculty incentives and improvements and $4 million for a summer feeding program.

“It sounds like we’re spending money like a drunken sailor, but we’re not,” Johnson said. “We’re making cuts too. And we’ll need to cut more next year as we expect a revenue shortfall.”

Citing the anticipated revenue decline, Johnson said that’s one reason the state needs to hold a Constitutional Convention. The House approved a convention proposal, but ultimately no convention has been set as of now. Johnson noted that under the current state constitution, budget cuts are limited to narrow areas, primary education and healthcare.

Johnson said he is optimistic positive changes are coming based on his interactions with Gov. Landry. “I work with the Governor on a daily basis,” Johnson said. “He is one of the most high-energy, passionate, driven people I’ve met,” he said, adding it’s not uncommon for the Governor to call as early as 5:30 a.m. and as late as 11 p.m.

“We’ve begun the task of making a new Louisiana,” Johnson said. “One that’s not 50th and one that our kids won’t want to move away. I have no inclination at my age to be last anymore. We can’t continue to accept mediocrity.”

The biggest, most star-studded and fun-filled party of every summer for miles around is coming your way next weekend.

 Three days of festivities are right around the corner, Thursday June 20 through Saturday June 22, with the 2024 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Natchitoches.

 The LSHOF’s Class of 2024 will be enshrined next Saturday night at the Natchitoches Events Center to culminate the 65^th Induction Celebration.

 The Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, June 20, with the Welcome Reception from 5-7 p.m., free to the public at the Hall of Fame museum.

 The Friday, June 21 schedule begins with the Celebrity Bowling Bash presented by BOM at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. The 2024 Rockin’ River Fest, a free concert presented by Rapides Regional Medical Center on the downtown riverbank stage, begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 10:30. In conjunction with the Rockin’ River Fest is the VIP Taste of Tailgating party.

The slate on Saturday, June 22 kicks off with the free LSHOF Junior Training Camp led by community relations personnel from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, on the NSU campus at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center and Turpin Stadium. This event has been filled to capacity since last month.

 At noon Saturday, the Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation is set for Riverside Reserve on Mill Street.

 Festivities culminate Saturday evening with the Induction Reception at the LSHOF museum beginning at 5, followed at 7 by the Induction Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center. Northwestern State University and State Farm Agents of Louisiana are presenting sponsors Saturday evening.

 The VIP Taste of Tailgating, the Bowling Bash, the Round Table Luncheon and the Induction Reception and Ceremony are ticketed events requiring purchase in advance through LaSportsHall.com or by calling 318-238-4255. Those events are nearing sellouts.

 The Thursday reception, the Friday evening River Fest and the Junior Training Camp are free.

 The Class of 2024 is headlined by a star-studded group of eight inductees from the LSHOF “competitors ballot,” led by national sports celebrities Seimone Augustus, Drew Brees and Daniel Cormier.

 Along with Brees, the New Orleans Saints’ NFL record-setting passer, is Augustus, a Baton Rouge native who is one of women’s basketball’s all-time best, and Cormier, the Lafayette born-and-raised Olympic wrestler who became and remains one of the most prominent figures in MMA.

 This year’s class also includes 1992 Olympic wrestling gold medalist Kevin Jackson from LSU along with former basketball coach Tulane Perry Clark and McNeese football great Kerry Joseph, who had a 19-year pro career.

 More inductees are high school football coach Frank Monica, who won state titles at three different south Louisiana schools, and Ray Sibille, a Breeders’ Cup-winning thoroughbred jockey from Sunset who ranks among the nation’s elite riders.

 Grambling’s Wilbert Ellis becomes the second-ever recipient of the Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award. During his 43-year baseball coaching career and since, Ellis has made local, statewide and national impact not only in the competitive arena but also in community service and leadership.

 Winners of the LSWA’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism are widely-respected south Louisiana sportswriters Bobby Ardoin and Ron Higgins. Longtime Southland Conference commissioner Tom Burnett, a Louisiana Tech graduate, will receive the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award.

 The 2024 Induction Celebration will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors. 

 For information on sponsorship opportunities and other participation, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040 or RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com, or Greg Burke, Director of Business Development and Public Relations, at 318-663-5459 or GregBurke@LaSportsHall.com via email.  

By JIM BUTLER

The School Board seems willing to go all in to pay for track and field improvements at ASH. The problem is after all is said and done, another $52,836 is needed.

The project is the last athletics-related ASH project under the District 62 bond issue, overlooked in initial planning but later added.

Completed are upgrades to the football, baseball and softball fields and the field house.

The track project and a classroom addition are all that remain of the ASH portion of the bond spending plan.

Bids are scheduled to be received June 18 on the classroom wing. About $2.3 million is earmarked for that 15,000 square feet add-on.

The board discussed the issue at length at its June session, eventually voting to wait for those bids before addressing the track resolution.

Members expressed reservations about jeopardizing the classroom financing in order to award the track contract, at the same time wanting to honor the covenant with voters on the bond project listing.

Of the $100 million raised, ASH got $14 million for construction after all fees., etc. were deducted.

Contingency accounts established with each category have been exhausted by specification revisions, pricing changes, etc.

If the classroom bid leaves enough for the track award, problem solved.

If not there is another possible option, though it wasn’t mentioned.

A committee of the superintendent and three District 62 members (Dr. Stephen Chapman, Wally Fall and Sandra Franklin) is to report in July its recommendation for how to revise the district maintenance fund spending plan as well as how to allocate the $2.3 million bond premium banked in late April.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Jay Johnson’s 43-minute Tuesday afternoon press conference – probably the longest since his introductory presser when he was hired as LSU’s head baseball coach in June 2021 – became an unofficial State of his Tigers address.

He made it clear he’s not interested in the Texas head coaching vacancy despite rumors he’s at the top of the Longhorns’ wish list.

“I have not been contacted,” said Johnson, who has more wins (137) than any LSU head baseball coach in history in their first three seasons after the defending national champion Tigers rallied for a 43-23 finish, almost advancing to a Super Regional they would have hosted. “Contractually if I was to be contacted, (LSU athletic director) Scott Woodward would be the first person that knows because that’s what it says in my contract.

“And I’m very, very thankful to be here . . . I think I’m built for this job incredibly well because you’re just going to face a lot of bullets coming at you. There was nobody better positioned to help us get through what we did (winning the last 21 of 28 games despite a 3-12 start in SEC play) than me, and that’s exactly what happened. I’m not saying it’s because of me, but I feel like I’m very well positioned to help LSU and players that commit and stay at LSU to be really successful.”

Johnson also said he’s changing his recruiting philosophy because of mass roster defections caused by the NCAA’s transfer portal and LSU’s proclivity for producing many major league draft choices.

After LSU had 13 players drafted last season (players are first eligible to be drafted as high school seniors and then as third-year college players), Johnson figures anywhere from five to 11 Tigers could be taken in the upcoming draft in July. So far, nine LSU players on the 2024 roster including a junior, three freshmen, two freshmen redshirts, and three sophomores have entered the transfer portal.

“I want the guy that (five-time national championship LSU head coach) Skip Bertman was able to redshirt and then get in there in some type of role and then elevate that role,” Johnson said. “And then become, a player that everybody around here remembers.

“My specialty is developing a program, that’s like my wheelhouse. But we’re in a different landscape now. I don’t think it’s about building a program anymore. It’s now about building your team one year at a time. We have to adapt and adjust to overcome that.

“I have a blueprint in my head (of the 2025 roster/playing rotation) of probably 12 or 13 position players that are really going to contribute, 9 to 11 pitchers and the rest of the roster needs to be able to do something really well and be completely bought into what we’re doing at LSU.”

Since arriving back in Baton Rouge last Tuesday after a heartbreaking 4-3 10-inning season-ending loss to host North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Regional championship game, Johnson dived headfirst into roster management.

His exit interviews with his players started to determine which underclassmen wanted to return to LSU or enter the transfer portal. He told players eligible for the major league draft that they were welcome to return to LSU if they weren’t drafted or were unhappy with their draft position after being selected.

Reliever Griffin Herring and first baseman Jared Jones are draft-eligible Tigers with remaining eligibility at the top of Johnson’s wish list to return.

“I know their value to LSU baseball and value they could create (by returning to LSU) for themselves next year is really high and they have a platform here to do that,” Johnson said. “If they were to return for a third year, they could leave here as one of the best pitchers and one of the best hitters ever to play here.”

Johnson sees the four Tigers who combined for 130 starts as true freshmen this past season – second baseman Stephen Milam (60 starts), outfielders Ashton Larson (40) and Jake Brown (21) and pitcher Cade Anderson (9) – as the 2025 squad’s building block as well as redshirt pitchers Chase Shores (sophomore) and Jason Noot (freshman) returning from Tommy John arm surgery.

Johnson can’t predict how many signees in his No. 2 nationally freshman signing class he’ll lose to MLB after the draft.

But he has signed five junior college players, led by junior college Division 1 national champion Blinn (Texas) College infielder Tanner Reaves. He hit .563 with 13 RBI and 14 runs scored in the NJCAA Division 1 College World Series.

Johnson understands day-to-day roster management is a fluid situation.

“You’ve got to be uncomfortable with uncertainty,” Johnson said. “Three days last week, a player would look me in the eye, say they were returning, and then call me and said they’re not returning.

“I’ve got to be OK with that.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

June 10

Weapons

Gerald Helaire Jr., 25, Alexandria — aggravated assault with firearm, handling machine gun unlawful, $10,000 bail;

Other

Dereon Gordon, 17, Alexandria — felony flight, resisting, theft of motor vehicle, $15,500 bail;

Karl Johnson, 29, Alexandria — unauthorized entry inhabited dwelling, resisting, $500 bail;

Gerald Luke, 28, Alexandria — unauthorized entry inhabited dwelling, resisting, probation violation, $2,000 bail. 

This date: 15 arrests, 4 including one or more contempt counts. 

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

June 10

David Drerup, 65, Boyce — possession, resisting, suspension/revocation, no license plate light, $2,200 bail;

Kenneth Fields Jr., 34, Pineville — possession with intent, possession with intent child present under 12, felony flight, obstruction, intentional littering, child desertion, cruelty to juvenile, no child resisted, probation violation, $18,600;

Austin Hedges, 31, Oakdale — possession 2 counts, brake lamp required, $4,100 bail. 

By Jeanni Ritchie

I was always fascinated with Betsy Ross. I imagined her in the parlor sewing that first United States flag as a symbol of patriotism with pride and honor. Preferring to retain the childhood memories that permeate my heart, I hardly listen when historians claim this as a myth.

Besides, the importance of the flag remains unchanged. On Flag Day (June 14) and during National Flag Week, we take pride in the promise and purpose represented by our nation’s flag, first created in 1777.

From the Betsy Ross Flag of 13 stars to the current one of 50 commissioned by President Eisenhower in 1959, Americans fly this symbol of national pride over battlefields, cemeteries, schools, buildings, courthouses, and homes.

An annual presidential proclamation has been in place since 1966, directing the appropriate officials to display the flag on all Federal Government buildings during this week and urging all Americans to observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by displaying the flag and honoring all of our brave service members and revering those who gave their last full measure of devotion defending our freedoms.

“Americans are encouraged to observe with pride and all due ceremony those days from Flag Day through Independence Day by proudly displaying our nation’s flag.”

Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana who wants her former history teachers to know that she’s finally doing all that homework she skipped out on in the 80’s. She can be reached at Jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.

By JIM BUTLER

The Pineville City Council will be asked at its meeting this evening to adopt a resolution of intent to spend up to $10 million on the city waterworks and sewer systems.

Financing will be with bonds issued through the Local Government Environmental Facilities and Community Development Authority of the State Bond Commission.

The funds will be used for constructing and acquiring improvements, extensions and replacements to the systems.

The Authority was created by legislative act in 1991 to facilitate entities’ need to raise significant capital. More than $20 billion has been realized since then.

In other matters the council intends to call a public hearing and special meeting for noon June 28 for adoption of the 2024-25 budget.

A song keeps replaying in my mind – New Orleans Ladies – since hearing that bassist, producer and songwriter Leon Medica Jr. of Alexandria died. He’s the guy who co-wrote that hit song of 1978 while with the band “Louisiana LeRoux.” The song continues to be popular today.

“All the way,

From Bourbon Street to Esplanade

They sashay by

They sashay by.”

The song, which exudes the laid-back feel of the “Big Easy,” hit No. 59 on the Billboard charts that summer and was later voted Louisiana’s Song of the Century by Gambit Magazine. Medica wasn’t the lead singer – that was Jeff Pollard, who started the band that eventually became Louisiana LeRoux, but Medica is remembered around here for New Orleans Ladies the way Jefferson is remembered around America for the Declaration of Independence.

“He once told me he never felt like he worked a day in his life because he so enjoyed his work,” said Medica’s first cousin, Bobby Distefano. As children, they lived across the street from each other, played ball together, went to the same schools. “He was easy to get along with,” continued Distefano. “He loved people and he loved his music. That was his life.”

In a five-decade career, Medica landed his name on more than 90 albums and the credits for 10 movies, but one of the best moments of his career, he once said, was receiving an American Music Award for helping as a producer with the Doobie Brothers’ Tom Johnston on a particular project. Leon had done a USO tour with the Doobie Brothers in the early 1970s, and he got a call one day from Johnston saying he was doing an album for a movie and needed some songs to finish the record.

The record was the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, released in 1987.

It sold more than 65 million copies.

Medica produced the music and played the bass for the movie’s song Where are You Tonight?

“He was probably one of the best Louisiana bass players ever,” said close friend Dan Diefenderfer, who performed with Medica, a member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, at different events with the band “Bayou Degradable.” Dief said he sang to him last month during a visit to the nursing home in Alexandria where Medica closed his life battling Alzheimer’s. “I think by my singing to him, I was able to draw him out of that temporarily because he talked with me freely.”

To his last days, Medica retained his easy-going, life-is-good personality, said Diefenderfer.

Attorney Ellis Saybe, who handled much of Medica’s legal work late in his life, remembers being an altar boy with Medica many moons ago, when they both were assigned the 6 a.m. weekday Mass at St. Frances Cabrini Church.

“We rode our bikes several blocks to the church,” said Saybe, “and on this particular day – it must’ve been January, because it was pitch black and freezing cold – and we got to the church, which had a good heater. The priest, as was customary of the (pre-Vatican II) time, was facing the altar, so he had his back to us for a while, reciting a lengthy Latin prayer as we knelt on the altar. I looked over at Leon and he was sound asleep while kneeling! He was just kind of slumped over. I had never before seen, nor I have seen anyone since, who has been able to fall asleep while kneeling like that.

“His nickname then was ‘Noonie,’” continued Saybe, “and I’m whispering ‘Noonie! Noonie!’ trying to wake him so he doesn’t get in trouble when the priest turns around. Fortunately, he woke up.”

Medica had a son (Justin) and daughter (Caroline) during two marriages that ended in divorce, but his first wife, the former Mary Masterson, “was helpful,” Diefenderfer said, during the last decade while Medica endured Alzheimer’s back home in Alexandria. Medica lived in Nashville for several years before returning to Alexandria.

John Medica, Leon’s cousin and most recent caregiver, recalled a story songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Jerry Honigman told from a 1990 visit to see Leon and Mary, then living in Baton Rouge.

“Leon was showing off a lot of his career memorabilia – his platinum record for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack album, his songwriting accolades for New Orleans Ladies, his pictures from USO tours with other notable music stars. And Mary turned to me and summed it up beautifully.

“You know, Jerry” she said, “Leon is just like a big ole dog walking around the neighborhood, and bones just fall out of the trees.” 

Funeral services were pending at deadline Monday, but Kramer Funeral Home expects to have that information available this morning. You can check the web site (kramerfunerals.com) or call at (318) 445-6311. 

I was taking the shortcut through Walmart the other day. I was on my way to the doggie treat section. If you want a growing stock, I suggest the doggie treat industry because I am single-handedly causing a growth in the industry. Our dogs like certain treats and it seems Walmart is always “out of them.” I have noticed that the doggie treats are growing more expensive with each trip to restock.

The short cut took me through the toy section. I have not been in the toy section in years. I found myself amid the place that children still drag their parents. At least I hope kids still drag their parents to the toy section. I know the video game section is also a big draw for the kids.

This nice boy and his mom were standing in the toy section. She had pulled a toy off the shelf that she was going to buy for the little boy. She handed the toy to the little boy, and he said to his mom, “I don’t want that one.”

The nice little boy was very polite and nice about it. I’m guessing that mom picked out the wrong superhero or something. I didn’t stay long enough to see if the toy selection came to a successful conclusion or not. I hope the little boy received the toy he wanted. He was certainly polite and nice in helping his mom pick the correct toy.

Here’s the thing though. He was receiving a gift, yet he wanted to decide which gift he wanted to receive.

I wonder how many times God has tried to send us His love and grace and we, by word or deed, have said to God, “I don’t want that one.”

Doug de Graffenried is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach Doug at his email:  DougDeGraffenried

By JIM BUTLER

GAEDA is not on today’s Alexandria City Council meeting agenda, but that’s not to say it isn’t on minds.

Since those proposing liquidation of the economic development authority blinked in face of the administration’s vow to take action against what Mayor Jacques Roy labeled a move “too nuclear in nature,” negotiations, if any, have been back channel.

At his latest briefing 10 days back the mayor said he thinks all parties are trying to resolve issues and offered to broker the process anyway he can.

He said that as of then he had not talked to any Authority commissioners about the matter, but would if asked.

The latest public development was Monday’s rescheduling of a hearing on new commissioner John Callis’ suit challenging events of the Spring.

Scheduled for hearing by District Judge Monique Rauls yesterday, it was pushed to June 17.

The GAEDA board has scheduled a special meeting Wednesday afternoon at which it will discuss the suit behind closed doors.

The board’s next regular meeting is supposed to be June 18.

At his briefing Roy addressed several points related to the matter:

He said he has not instructed any on his staff to weigh in on GAEDA personnel matters, nor has he done it personally; He has never pushed for his economic development adviser and former councilman Rick Ranson to be at GAEDA nor acted regarding any controls over the Authority grant process; He did not raise the question of using GAEDA funds outside the city limits (the U-Core project at England Air Park), it came to him. The idea the city is against the project is silly, he said.

The mayor offered any resource the administration could provide to break the logjam.

“It’s got to change. GAEDA has to be able to function. All the ugly has already been said, let’s move on. I stand ready to help,” he said.

By Brad Dison

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

June 9

Weapons

Justin Meyers, 37, Alexandria — firearm with drugs, possession, paraphernalia, failure to stop for flashing red light, $4,100;

Other

Demetrius Armstrong, 36, Pineville — false imprisonment, domestic abuse battery, $2,500 bail;

Albert Morris, 34, Alexandria — unauthorized entry inhabited dwelling, $5,000 bail. 

This date: 15 arrests, 5 of which included at least one contempt count. 

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

June 9

Joshua Iles, 29, Ruby — CDS use in presence of person under 17, paraphernalia, $1,000 bail;

Nicole Pillette, 41, Jennings — possession, paraphernalia, suspension/revocation, improper lane usage, operating without insurance, $3,300 bail.