NATCHITOCHES — Legendary Northwestern State coach and administrator and longtime Natchitoches resident Tynes Hildebrand, a 2014 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inductee, passed away Sunday afternoon in the Dallas area at the age of 93 following a brief illness.

Services for Hildebrand, a Florien native who became a decades-long cornerstone of the NSU athletic department and the Natchitoches community, are pending. The funeral will be in Natchitoches, according to family members.

A member of Northwestern’s track and field and basketball teams as an undergraduate, Hildebrand became a highly successful coach at Natchitoches High School before moving to the college ranks at his alma mater.

Hildebrand’s 16-season run from 1965-80 as the Demons; head coach resulted in 191 wins, four NAIA national tournament appearances, two straight Gulf South Conference championships, two conference coach of the year honors and NSU’s transition into its NCAA Division I era.

During that time, Hildebrand was invited by legendary Oklahoma State coach Henry Iba to help choose the members of the 1972 U.S. Olympic Team.

Although Hildebrand’s victory total remains third in Demon men’s basketball history, it was the 13 years Hildebrand spent as director of athletics that added an equal impact to the face of NSU athletics.

In addition to serving on the then-Division I-AA football selection panel and additional NCAA committees, Hildebrand served as a mentor for current Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey and former NSU athletic director Greg Burke along with dozens of other future ADs and administrators. As the leader of NSU’s athletic department, Hildebrand was instrumental in guiding Northwestern State into the Southland Conference in 1987.

Hildebrand’s decades of service led him to induction in the N-Club Hall of Fame in 1985, the Southland Conference Hall of Honor in 1999, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as the 2014 Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award recipient and the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches Mr. Louisiana Basketball in 1981.

A 2022 inductee into Northwestern’s Long Purple Line – the highest honor for NSU alumni – Hildebrand was presented the LABC’s 2024 Don Landry Award, becoming only the fourth recipient of an honor that recognizes deeply distinguished service and significant contributions to the LABC and the sport of basketball in Louisiana.

Following his time as AD at Northwestern, Hildebrand remained tied to basketball as a respected NCAA Division I officials evaluator for 17 years, beginning in 1997. In 2006, he was chosen as one of the NCAA’s inaugural four regional officiating supervisors and helped select NCAA Tournament officials through his retirement in 2014.

Hildebrand was active in the Natchitoches community, notably as a member of the local Kiwanis Club and in his church.

He is survived by his wife, Julia, and sons Tynes Jr. and Bruce, their families, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine

One of the biggest sleepers in high school football recruiting for the Class of 2025 in the 318 area code and the state of Louisiana at the safety position is Pineville’s Jacob Miranda.

I recently visited Pineville High School, met the team, saw them work and came away impressed with this kid’s leadership, persona, toughness and his play on the field. He goes full throttle, performs at a high level, and he’s always going to the right spot and getting there early because he knows his responsibilities and reads his keys. You can tell he’s well coached, and takes coaching well.

Jacob has a 3.2 GPA and already has scored a 21 on his ACT test. He’s qualified for college scholarship money. I believe he’s going to cash in on an offer. Somebody will get a steal.

Here’s a breakdown of his five favorite colleges and why he likes each one. Most of these colleges have been in contact with him since the spring.

Northwestern State – “I’ve grown up on that campus and going to those games because my mom is a professor of finance there. Coach (Blaine) McCorkle is really trying to turn that team around and is doing a great job from what I hear so far.”

UL Lafayette – “I love the campus and the area. Laffy is just a smaller Baton Rouge in my eyes.”

LSU – “I think every home-grown Louisiana high school football player grew up wanting to be a Tiger and watching them every Saturday on TV. Death Valley is amazing.”

Tulane – “That’s my Mom’s alma mater. We are originally from New Orleans. I was born there and have my grandparents there and it’s just such a great and very prestigious university.”

Houston – “I really like this school. Coach (Willie) Fritz is really putting something special together there. Houston is also a fun city and that’s definitely a place I would consider if I want to go out of state.”

Miranda is 6-0, 190 with really good speed and instincts. He told me he’s very close with the Rebels’ defensive coordinator, Justin Charles, who is also is defensive backs coach. That kind of bond helps a player develop to his fullest.

Jacob’s favorite hobbies are going to the gym to work out, watching football with the family and going bowling.

I like his combination of athletic talent, toughness, and a really level head on his shoulders. He’s a guy who can fit into a variety of schemes and will pick up new things quickly. He has a lot of upside on the football field and is a student-athlete who will bring added value to the college program that lands him.

I’m going to enjoy keeping tabs on him not only this fall, but as he goes forward into college.

Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com 

Lee Brecheen has been covering high school football and recruiting in Louisiana since the early ‘90s. He is owner of Louisiana Football Magazine and can be followed on Twitter @LeeBrecheen. He hosts a YouTube show, The Sports Scouting Report with Lee Brecheen. Previews of all state high schools are available on lafootballmagazine.com.

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

July 25

Weapons

Dominique McCoy, 38, Alexandria — illegal possession stolen firearm, burglary, contempt 2 counts, $8,500 bail;

Kearrious McCoy, 34, Vicksburg, MS — attempted murder 2nd degree 7 counts, illegal use dangerous weapon 3 counts, car jacking 2 counts, criminal damage 2 counts, cruelty to animals, $4,076,000 bail;

Other

Aaron Hoffman, 24, Pineville — carnal knowledge of juvenile, $2,500 bail;

Robert Moore, 60, Alexandria — theft 2 counts, criminal trespass 3 counts, $3,000 bail.

This date: 22 arrests, 15 including one or more contempt counts. 

July 26

Weapons

Victor Dauphiney, 28, Alexandria — unlawful handling machine gun, firearm possession by convicted felon, contempt, $248,500 bail;

Other

Damon Brooks, 46,  Alexandria — theft of motor vehicle, theft, $3,500 bail;

Dejah Carmouche, 29, Alexandria — aggravated battery, aggravated criminal damage, $3,000 bail;

Taylor Crooks, 33, Deville — criminal damage 2 counts, resisting, criminal trespass, burglary of inhabited dwelling, burglary, contempt, parole violation, $15,500 bail;

Audra Knapp, 36, Pineville — prostitution, resisting, $1,250 bail;

Travis Newman, 29, Alexandria — aggravated domestic abuse, aggravated assault, $5,000 bail;

Robert Roy, 60, Alexandria — possession stolen vehicle 2 counts, probation violation, $10,000 bail. 

This date: 25 arrests, 11 including one or more contempt counts.

July 27

Fredrick Warren, 28, Lecompte  — felony fugitive, contempt 2 counts, $10,000 bail. 

This date: 11 arrests, 6 including one or more contempt counts. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

July 25

Jared Bell, 22, Alexandria — possession with intent, firearm with drugs, firearm with obliterated serial number, $30,000 bail;

Deandre Blue, 36, Lecompte — possession, contempt 3 counts, $4,500 bail;

Dorian Campbell Jr., 27, Bunkie — possession 3 counts, CDS in presence of person under 17, paraphernalia, OWI 1st, OWI child endangerment, improper driving on left, suspension/revocation, $10,200 bail;

Lorenzo Collins, 30, Abbeville — possession with intent 7 counts, no driver’s license, switched plates, improper plate display, contempt, $47,800 bail.

July 26

Crystal Brown, 52, Oakdale — possession 9 counts, firearm with drugs, paraphernalia, $13,100 bail;

Cort Haiko, 36, Glenmora — possession, paraphernalia, no driver’s license, suspension/revocation, $1,200.

July 27

Gregory Batiste II, 33, Alexandria — possession, failure to yield yellow light, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, contempt, $800 bail.

By JIM BUTLER

More rainy day record reading:

The England Authority is proceeding with improvements and security enhancements at the Alexandria International Airport terminal. 

Ford Audio-Visual System’s bid was $299,427. 

The Authority is also amending, repealing and enacting almost 70 sections of its code of ordinances dealing with airport rules and regulations, finance and personnel & procedures. 

Incidentally, the Authority streams its monthly meetings for those who cannot attend. 

The School Board and Alexandria City Council do the same. 

By JIM BUTLER

Rainy day record reading again:

Minutes of a meeting earlier this month reflect Woodworth is proceeding with financing fire station improvements.

Essentially the town council voted to refinance a 2014 $620,000 bond series to fund station expansion. 

The Sales Tax and Refunding Bonds will be secured and payable by revenue from sales taxes approved in 1997 and 2013 for fire protection and related services.

James Walker LLP Bond Counsel of Baton Rouge has been retained to shepherd the issue through the necessary steps, including State Bond Commission approval.

Government Consultants Inc., also of Baton Rouge, has been retained as financial advisor to the town in connection with the issue.

There have been numerous layers to my journalistic education.

I’ve learned some of the richest athletes in the world always want something for free.

I’ve learned that coaches still call each other ‘Coach’ long after they’ve retired.

I’ve learned high school football officiating crews always park near the stadium entrance, backing in their vehicles so they can run off the field at the end of the game and speed away in case of an unruly mob of fans.

Also, I learned you can break a leg and almost fully heal it during the Olympics opening ceremony, like the scheduled 4½-hour spectacular tonight to formally open the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.

I discovered this at the first of three Summer Olympics (1988 Seoul, 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta) as part of the Scripps Howard News Service coverage team when I worked in Memphis for The Commercial Appeal.

Each Olympics host country brings its distinct flavor and culture.

In Seoul, the South Koreans were extremely gracious and ran the Olympics efficiently.

In Barcelona, the Spaniards were excessively laid back and operated the Olympics like they were on LMST (Les Miles Standard Time).

In Atlanta, my fellow Americans had little appreciation of foreign athletes, scoffed at sports they didn’t understand (team handball) and detonated a bomb in a public downtown park.

For many journalists, covering the Olympics is a three-week marathon of 16-hour days. If you are not assigned to cover a specific sport, there are days when you attend and write four different events.

I was a month shy of 32 years old when I flew to Seoul for my first Olympics. I was very apprehensive because I’d never covered something of this magnitude before. I was clueless about the logistics.

The only thing I knew was to power my Radio Shack TRS 80 computer (nickname “Trash 88” in the newspaper business) only on AA batteries. I’d heard horror stories about writers having their computers fried by foreign electricity because they didn’t have an international voltage converter.

In Seoul, my primary beat was covering Team USA baseball. It wasn’t an official Olympic sport yet, but Team USA had LSU pitcher Ben McDonald, Tigers’ coach Skip Bertman as an assistant and the amazing Jim Abbott who was born without a right hand and pitched as a left-handed who flawlessly transferred his glove he stuck on the end of his right arm to his left hand after he released a pitch.

I also learned baseball is played and managed differently around the world.

For example, I watched a skinny chain-smoking Cuban manager stamp out his cigarette, walk to the mound and pull his starting pitcher after the first inning and insert a flame-thrower reliever who finished the game.

Afterward, I asked the manager why he didn’t use a middle reliever and a closer. The manager shrugged his shoulder, inhaled his ciggy and said through an interpreter, “He pitched good. Why pull him?”

And speaking of interpreters, something always got lost in the translation when dealing with the Russians.

Ask a Russian athlete a question and he’d often give a 25 to 30-second answer in his native tongue. Then the Russian interpreter would say something like, `He said `I rebound hard today.’”

Huh?

Long before the NBA tapped heavily into the international talent pool, I learned thanks to the Olympics that there are great players around the world that Americans only hear about until they play in the NBA.

The greatest shooter I’ve ever seen (until Steph Curry blossomed) was Oscar Schmidt, a 6-8 shooting guard from Brazil. He played in five Olympics, is the all-time leading scorer in Olympic history and averaged 42.3 points in Seoul.

The year before in the 1987 Pan Am Games gold medal game vs. the USA, he scored 46 in Brazil’s win.

I asked Oscar about his shot selection. He said, “A good shot can be taken from anywhere at any time.”

When I covered velodrome track cycling, I was interviewed by a Korean TV crew who asked me why the United States was not good at track cycling.

I replied, “Every country has its strength in sports. For instance, if cycling had an event in which a kid on a bicycle could ride by and throw a newspaper on a porch, the U.S. would win gold every time.”

It took about 10 seconds of awkward silence before he realized I was kidding.

I learned Seoul had its French Quarter — Itaewon — that stayed open all day and night.

One day, I walked into a Nike store to browse. Suddenly, I was surrounded by Korean children wanting my autograph.

“Larry Bird, you sign this Larry Bird,” they said. “Sign Larry Bird. Sign.”

I tried to explain just because I was blond, tall and American, it didn’t mean I was Larry Bird.

I ended up signing autographs for 45 minutes.

It was also in Itaewon at a Denny’s at 1 in the morning with my U.S. Baseball Federation friend Bob Bensch that I learned something for the first time.

I surveyed a restaurant packed with partying, inebriated Seoul residents all talking wildly and scarfing down greasy food.

“Bob, here we are halfway around the world at 1 in the morning with a bunch of loud, drunk Koreans eating bad food,” I said.

“No matter where we live or what language we speak, this shows that we really are all the same people.”

Here’s hoping for a smooth, enjoyable and memorable (for all the right reasons) Olympics in Paris.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

July 24

Brittany Aaron, 27, Alexandria — bank fraud, theft, $1,000 bail;

Jeremiah Boults, 41, Alexandria — battery on officer, battery on ER, EMS or other health care professional, $2,000 bail;

Brian Burks, 39, Colfax — stalking 3 counts, resisting, $500 bail;

Corrinth Cannon, 41, Alexandria — domestic abuse battery strangulation, contempt 8 counts, $130,500 bail;

Warren Oconner, 37, Alexandria — home invasion, parole violations, no bail set;

Latonya Young, 40, Pineville — possession stolen vehicle, resisting, contempt 2 counts, $3,500 bail. 

This date: 18 arrests, 6 including one or more contempt counts. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

July 24

Adam Duren, 34, Pineville — possession, probation violation, $2,500 bail;

Maria Graves, 48, Alexandria — possession 3 counts, contempt, $9,000 bail;

Crystal Green, 41, Alexandria — possession with intent, criminal conspiracy, contraband penal facility, $60,000 bail. 

August 12, 1933 – July 18, 2024

Mrs. Berry, age 90, passed away Thursday July 18, 2024 in Houston, TX. She was born August 12, 1933 in a house in Enterprise (now Alexandria), LA. and raised in Pineville, LA. Mrs. Berry was a resident of Houston TX for 69 years. She was one of nine children, born to Clarence Alexander and Julia Ruth Belgard Peart of Pineville. She married Rudolph (Rudy) Hicks Berry and moved to Houston with their two daughters in 1955, when Rudy got a teaching position there.

Wanda was a confident,resourceful woman and had a strong sense of right and wrong. She was fiercely devoted to her family, always putting their needs before her own. She was an excellent cook, seamstress, and homemaker. She was always willing to help any way she could. Her love of family extended to all present here today.

She was very frugal, raising five children on Rudy’s teaching salary. She could stretch a meal and find the bargains. She and Rudy managed to buy a house and later a rental house on his salary, which was quite an accomplishment, back in the fifties and sixties.

She was a hard worker, assisting Rudy in the complete refurbishing of the house they bought… from sheet rock, laying oak floors, ceiling tiles,and painting, to adding on another bathroom/ bedroom and enlarging the kitchen.

Wanda was also an educator, even though she only had a high school diploma, and made sure that all her children could read, write, and do arithmetic before entering first grade. This did not always please the teachers because her children were ahead of everyone else. She pushed them to do their best and would accept nothing less.

She was a godly mother, who taught her children to be respectful to elders and others. She taught the importance of being honest and the value of a good work ethic. She was quick to forgive and never held a grudge. She was always upbeat and didn’t waste her time being depressed. She didn’t worry or get upset about things, especially politics. She’d say God has it all in His hands, so why get upset, just trust. She gave to many charities, her favorite being Samaritan’s Purse. She loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren that came along later. They brought her much joy!

Lastly, she was completely devoted to Rudy. He was fifteen years older than her and suffered with a stroke and Alzheimer’s while she was still young. She cared for him unselfishly, doing what many spouses would have passed off to a nursing home. She kept her covenant vows to the very end. She taught her daughters ,by example,how to be good helpmates.

Wanda was a faithful, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who was the heart and soul of her family. She was a loving sister to her surviving brother, sister, and many nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed, but never forgotten! We know she’s finally home with Jesus and all the family who have gone before her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her siblings: Patsy (who died at age 10), Clarice Pennington, Sonny Peart, Hattie Savoie, Peggy Balentine, Kerney Peart, and Son In-Law Wayne Allen Poston.

She is survived by her brother, Gregg Peart and sister, Beverly Fox (Jerry); her children: Rethea Poston of Boynton Beach, Florida; Donna Kuropata (Frank), Wayne Berry (Thomas Lee), Julia Berry, Robert Berry (Mary) all of Houston, Texas

Grandchildren: Lindsey Poston Diley (Scott) of Jacksonville, Florida; Britney Poston Cooper (Jason) of Lake Worth, Florida; Courtney Poston Anello (Tom) of Boynton Beach, Florida; Ashley Kuropata Trlica (Jarrod) of Houston; Stacy Kuropata Jackson (Chris) of Houston; Sean Berry and Madilyn Berry of Houston.

Great grandchildren Mace and Nora Diley of Jacksonville, Florida; Makayla and Micah Cooper of Lake Worth, Florida; Sonya and Nadia Trlica of Houston; and numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

There will be a viewing at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home in Alexandria on Saturday, July 27, beginning at 11a.m. Services will be held at 1p.m. with Pastor Joshua McElwee officiating. Burial will be at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Cemetery, 85 Duncan Road, Pineville LA 71360 following the service.

May 9, 1987 – July 20, 2024

Funeral services for Mr. Jonathan Wayne McClinton will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, 2024, in the Chapel of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville, with Reverend James White officiating. Interment will follow in Woodson Cemetery, Deville, under the direction of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville.

Mr. McClinton, 37, of Pineville, entered eternal rest on Saturday, July 20, 2024.

Jonathan was always very strong willed and earned the title of Louisiana 3A Powerlifting Champion. He was also an outstanding football linebacker for the Buckeye Panthers. He was often seen wearing a button-down with his sleeves rolled up, and the top button undone, casually revealing his undershirt; that was his personality. Jonathan loved hunting and fishing, but most of all he loved his family. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jon and Roberta McClinton and Truman and Mearle Cole; and two uncles, Calvin Cole and David Cole.

Those left to mourn his loss and cherish his memory include one son, Jonathan Kain McClinton of Deville; his parents, John and Goldie McClinton of Deville; three brothers, Veldon Perry of Alexandria, John “J.J.” Johnson of Alexandria, and Jon “J.W.” McClinton (Tesia) of Deville; three sisters, Carolyn Dorsey of Lake Charles, Daquanda Perry of Pineville, August Rose King (Joseph) of Alexandria, Carol King and Caroline King; four uncles, Daniel Cole (Juanita), Truman Alee Cole, Ronnie McClinton, and Melvin McClinton; four aunts, Dorris Gilbert (Richard), Wanda Rhone, Carolyn Dorsey (Perry), and Shirley Green; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

A time of visitation will be held at Rush Funeral Home, Pineville, on Saturday, July 27, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. until time of service.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are: Jonathan Kain McClinton, Jon “J.W.” McClinton, Daniel Cole, Jesse Standlee, Joseph Ramond King, and Frank Deville. Honorary pallbearers will be John Wesley McClinton (Father) and Joseph King.

By JIM BUTLER

Better than half of Rapides third- and fourth-graders show basic or better skills in LEAP testing this year.

Lower elementary grades are considered the base for student success as she/he moves through the school system.

LEAP measures English-language arts, math, science and social studies though the latter was not done this year as schools are transitioning to a new approach (something called Freedom Framework) in that field.

State Supt. Cade Brumley said overall state results show students are holding steady to gains of the past two years.

In Rapides 72 percent of third-graders scored basic or better in ELA, 61 percent reached that in math and 63 percent in science.

In fourth grade testing 54 percent were at basic or above in ELA, 72 percent in math and 58 percent in science.

Mastery and Advanced results are affirmations the student is ready for the next grade without remediation or additional support, according to the state.

By that measure, Rapides third-graders testing as ready for the fourth numbered 50 percent in ELA, 30 percent in math and 18 percent in science.

Fourth-graders ready for fifth, the scores show, were 25 percent in ELA, 30 percent in math and 18 percent in science.

Individual school results for each testing level are available on the Department of Education website.

By JIM BUTLER

Rainy day records reading:

Local banker Daniel Lonsberry has resigned as member/president of the Central Louisiana Regional Port Board of Commissioners.

That July 15 action is noted in minutes of a special board meeting held last Friday, July 19. No reason is stipulated, no discussion was noted. He was recently promoted to a regional manager’s position at his financial institution.

The board’s regular July meeting was not held July 16. According to a notice posted Friday morning that meeting will be at noon July 31.

Of note at the special meeting the board went into closed session “to discuss a sensitive matter as it pertains to legal representation for CLRP.”

“A sensitive matter” is not enumerated in the state’s public meetings act as a permissible reason for executive session though that could be open to interpretation.

A half-hour later the open meeting resumed with Vice President Terry Spruill reminding commissioners of confidentiality regarding the private chat.

Commissioners then voted to approve Executive Director Ben Russo seeking additional legal representation if needed by contacting the Legal Committee.

At the meeting outset the board approved changes to the executive director job description, changes described as previously discussed.

The only non-port person listed as in attendance at the 7:30 a.m. special meeting was State Sen. Jay Luneau.

Whether his appearance was a routine “update” visit or was related to the agenda is not apparent, nor is whether he was in the executive session.

The senator is not listed as making any comments during the open meeting.

Linkage between the various elements, if any, is not apparent in the record.

It may be random intersection of circumstances.

Commissioners attending were Paul Coreil, Haywood Joiner, Gil McKee, John Scott, Basil Smith and Spruill.

It’s summertime; it’s hot (except this week!) and outdoors activities are best confined to early and late in the day. It’s proper to sit back under the cooling hum of the air conditioner and remember how special the outdoors can be and to be reminded of events of the past that made impressions of me.

I remember once when visiting my hunting club in later summer, I experienced something that was news to me. I was privileged to see two wild turkeys take to the air from the back side of the goat weed patch, climb nearly a hundred feet high to sail over the tops of the pines at the edge of the field. Turkeys are not known as strong fliers and I had no idea they could fly that high with such ease.

The most fascinating thing I saw, though, was right here in my own backyard. It was nowhere near as big as a wild turkey.    

Living in the country working from my home office, I’m often privy to nature doing what nature does. I’ll hear a commotion outside the window and it’ll be two hummingbirds undergoing a kamakazi attack on each other. Something scratches on the side of the house, I’ll go out and a squirrel will scurry away. Looking across the pasture when I walk out for the morning paper, I’ll frequently see a red-coated doe browsing along pasture’s edge.

Recently, I saw something that at first baffled me. My interest was piqued when I noticed a mound of sand pushed up against the concrete slab of the back porch from under the ajuga plants growing there. I assumed it was the mole that has given us fits this summer. I was about to fetch the mole trap when a creature crawled out of a hole in the middle of the sand pile and flew away.

It was the biggest wasp I’d ever seen. It looked like a hornet on steroids. Colored yellow and black somewhat like a yellow jacket or guinea wasp, the creature was a good two inches long. I was baffled and I’ll admit, a bit shaken. What if a colony of super-sized hornets or yellow jackets had chosen this site for their home? I could forget about relaxing on the porch under the ceiling fan. I live too far from the emergency room to enjoy that privilege.

When I spotted a cicada lying in the sand next to the wasp’s entry hole in the sand, a light bulb came on in my head. I had read an article some time ago about cicada killer wasps that inhabit our area.

A trip to cyberspace revealed that the creature which had troubled me was indeed a cicada killer. Photos accompanying the articles I read confirmed it. Here’s what I learned from a University of Kentucky website about these interesting bugs.

“Also known as sand hornets, these wasps attract attention due to their large size, the burrows that they dig in home lawns, and their buzzing flights over the lawn. These insects occur in all states east of the Rocky Mountains and prefer to dig their burrows in sandy, bare, well drained soil exposed to full sunlight. The wasps feed on flower nectar while the immature or larval stage feeds primarily upon cicadas that are brought to the burrow by the adult.

“In spite of their large size, the wasps usually ignore people but they can give a painful sting if bothered. Mating males are aggressive and more easily disturbed.”

According to the article, the females search tree trunks and lower limbs for cicadas. The wasp stings its prey, turns the victim on its back, straddles it, and drags it or glides with it to the burrow. Each cell is furnished with at least one cicada (sometimes two or three) and a single egg before being sealed off. Two to 3 days later the egg hatches. Depending on the number of cicadas in its cell, the larva feeds for 4 to 10 days until only the cicada’s outer shell remains.

And I thought a high-flying wild turkey was going to be the highlight of my week!

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@aol.com

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

July 23

Ira Atkinson, 19, Pineville — battery 2nd degree, battery, $500 bail;

Michael Franks, 53, Pineville — stalking, violation protective order 3 counts, theft, $3,500 bail;

Quentin Green Jr., 24, New Orleans — fugitive, no bail set. 

This date: 15 arrests, 9 including one or more contempt counts.

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

July 23

Faron Ashmore II, 33, Pineville — possession with intent, possession, bike lamps/reflectors required, $3,100 bail;

Dominique Jackson, 33, Alexandria — possession 2 counts, contempt, $10,500 bail;

Sammie Sewell III, 30, Alexandria — possession with intent, contempt, $1,000 bail.

January 24, 1948 – July 5, 2024

Services for John Van Kinder will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, July 27, 2024 in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers, Alexandria with Pastor Brad Webb officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Ball.

The family requests that visitation be observed at the funeral home Friday, July 26, 2024 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. and continued Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until time of service.

Mr. Kinder, 76, of Alexandria passed away Friday, July 5, 2024 at Cornerstone Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas.

John was born January 24, 1948 to M.V. Kinder Jr. and Melvine Pickett Kinder in Alexandria. He was a graduate of Bolton High School and went on to attend Louisiana Polytechnical College in Ruston where he met and married the love of his life and then returned home to Alexandria to reside and raise his family. He did one tour overseas during Vietnam with the Navy and returned home to start his life-long career at the family business, Kinder Paint Company.

During his life, he enjoyed collecting cars, bowling, gardening, and cheering on the kids, grandkids, and great-grand at countless events. He lived to help others and was a hopeless workaholic, it brought him joy to help others.

He was preceded in death by his parents, M.V. and Melvine Pickett Kinder.

Those left to cherish his memory include his beloved wife of 55 years, Gayle Simpson Kinder of Alexandria; sons, Stephen Craig Kinder and wife Rebecca of Alexandria; James Martin Kinder and wife Jennifer of Portland, Oregon; daughter, Kimberly Kinder Tanner and husband Jason of Maumelle, Arkansas; brother, R. Bruce Kinder and wife Carol of Alexandria; sister, Barbara Kinder Bankson and husband Bobby of Friendswood, Texas; eleven grandchildren; one great grandchild, and numerous other family and friends.