By JIM BUTLER

Iconic intersections conjure iconic images:

42nd Street & 7th Avenue – Times Square; 34th & Vine – Love Portion No. 9; Market & Powell – Little cable cars; State & Madison – Cubs, White Sox, the Loop; Hollywood & Vine – Silver screens; And, of course, 3rd & Murray – Guaranty Bank Building.

Alexandria’s “skyscraper” has anchored that spot more than 100 years, on the opposite side of the city government square from the other bookend – Hotel Bentley.

While that institution has made what seems a successful comeback from its deathbed, again, the other centenarian is ailing.

Mayor Jacques Roy noted last week the Guaranty-Hibernia-Capital One-whatever building is a growing concern.

Sold to a Hammond investor in 2017 for about $1.5 million, the 10-story edifice, once a thriving center of commercial activity at a meeting-place corner, is empty and dark, struggling through the effects of a Louisiana summer on non-climatized structures.

Roy said he didn’t know what might need to be done but clearly there’s an issue.

Guaranty Bank was purchased by Hibernia of New Orleans in the mid-1980s on the same day it purchased banks in several other cities following the Legislature’s repeal of the prohibition against multi-parish banking.

Capital One bought Hibernia in 2005, for $5 billion.

By JIM BUTLER

The School Board extended Supt. Jeff Powell’s contract four years Tuesday afternoon. The action came following an executive session in which members reviewed and discussed Powell’s annual evaluation, which provides the superintendent with the same personnel confidentiality as any other employee.

Evidently the overall review was pleasing as seven of nine members voted in the subsequent return to open session for the extension.

Voting no were Sandra Franklin and Linda Burgess. They preferred two years but Franklin’s substitute motion to that effect failed 2-7.

Franklin and Burgess also voted against a two-year extension in  2021, as did Willard McCall, who voted yes this time. That extension took effect in June 2022 and would have expired this Dec. 31.

Powell was hired in July 2019.

The board also in executive session heard an update on parish-wide security measures.

Removed from the agenda was an executive session motion to discuss the board’s arrangements with the firm overseeing the District 62 bond issue projects.

The subject will instead be on the agenda for a special meeting on August 20.

Removed from Tuesday’s agenda was executive session consideration of Powell’s contract.

By JIM BUTLER

This week no shots fired, no chase, no standoff.

The last time officers attempted to pull Thawari Zeiden over he allegedly fired three shots from a 9mm and fled in a Mustang.

Monday afternoon he was allegedly driving an off-road vehicle on a public road and didn’t flee, nor fire the machine gun he allegedly had with him.

That 2022 chase that started blocks away on Daas Street ended when Zeiden, now 21, hit a curb on Dartmouth Street and fled on foot, carrying a backpack but leaving behind the pistol, a cell phone and his wallet, police said.

A standoff ensued at the nearby Bush Avenue residence of Zeiden, who surrendered with no further violence a few hours later to a SWAT force.

Officers found the backpack with its illegal contents as well as an automatic rifle in the residence, they said.

This week Zeiden is accused of two counts of possession with intent to sell or distribute and two of having a firearm with drugs, in addition to the machine gun and traffic counts.

His bail is set at $235,100. It was $100,500 in the 2022 case. He posted bond then 11 hours after 3 a.m. booking.

Zeiden was also jailed on possession and traffic charges following a stop on March 2, 2021.

By Doug De Graffenried

My morning habit involves watching the local TV news. I want to see what happened while I slept. This station offers a color the weather segment. The children draw weather events and send their artwork to the station. The station during a weather segment will show the artwork. These children are budding artists for sure.

Along with the meteorological depictions there are the usual childlike renditions of houses, cars, children playing and other things you used to draw as a child. I started noticing a commonality in the drawings. In most drawings there is a pig. The pig is usually pink.

I never sent artwork to a television station. I do remember drawing stuff in that ancient time of my childhood. I don’t remember drawing lots of animals. I think most of what I drew were houses and cars. And being a child of the 1960’s there were lots of rockets and space capsules. I know for sure; I drew no pig.

What is this sudden childhood fascination with pigs?

I asked Google.

I was introduced to Peppa Pig, which is a British preschool animated television series. The series began in 2004 and is still in production. So that would explain the sudden appearance of a pig in the children’s artwork. 

I was thinking about it because this morning’s artwork showed a tornado with trees and the pig flying off into the sky. The pig is sometimes on the ground, sometime airborne depending on the weather being illustrated. Of course, you know that the phrase “when pigs fly” is an adynaton, a figure of speech so hyperbolic that it describes an impossibility. 

Peppa Pig must be a thing with the children today. I long for the good ole days of the Coyote trying to do in the Road Runner, which is another article though.

American kids are binge-watching so much of Peppa Pig that they are developing English accents and even using words like “telly” and “ready, steady, go.” The children have learned to imitate Peppa Pig.

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then as Jesus followers who are we imitating? The Apostle Paul was so brash he told the Corinthians to “imitate me.” What would someone learn about Jesus by imitating you?

Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston.  You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Spring football practices have no sense of urgency.

There’s usually a load of returning players sitting out recovering from off-season surgeries. Head coaches experiment with position changes. New coordinator hires are installing their offensive and defensive schemes while patiently expecting growing pains.

With the start of the regular season 4½ months away, you’ll rarely see any coaching staff member so exasperated they start yelling.

“Spring is more about technical work,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly.

And now after the first four LSU preseason practices with the Tigers’ Sept. 1 season-opener vs. USC in Las Vegas looming?

The LSU practice field, especially from its new defensive coaching staff charged with executing a miracle makeover responsibility of one of college football’s worst units a year ago, is filled with volcanic expletive-filled eruptions.

Maybe it’s because a heat index edging towards 110 degrees – a virtual furnace – greets the coaches and players each morning after they exit the cool-climate-controlled indoor facility.

Or maybe it’s because there’s a smoldering anger among returnees on defense not to be ranked 103rd or worse nationally in six stat categories as they were last season.

“Being able to adapt to our coaches and learn how they want things and how they yell and stuff like that is good, especially early in fall camp.,” LSU senior linebacker Greg Penn III said. “They are bringing the intensity. We (the players) have to match that intensity.”

It’s up to veterans like starting fifth-year senior defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory to explain to incoming freshmen not to take it personally if an assistant verbally unloads on them.

“I listen to the message and apply it to my game or whatever I did wrong,” Guillory said. “It’s not that they’re yelling at you. They’re yelling at the problem. It’s not an F-you or F-that.”

New defensive coordinator Blake Baker and new assistants Bo Davis (D-line), Kevin Peoples (edge rushers), Corey Raymond (secondary) and Jake Olsen are priming the pump daily in their daily individual position pre-practice meetings.

LSU junior All-SEC first-team offensive tackle Will Campbell, a projected 2025 NFL top 10 first-round draft choice, said there’s a noticeable attitude change in the 2024 defense.

“It’s night and day the difference between this year and last year with the juice that they come out to practice with,” Campbell said of the defense. “They come out ready to fly around, they’re ready to hit. They’re violent, ready to fight, ready to go. And that’s what we need at the end of the day.”

That’s a credit to Baker, LSU’s linebackers coach in 2021 who was Missouri’s defensive coordinator the last two seasons where his pressure defenses were known for creating turnovers and huge yardage losses.

“Pressures can come from a lot of different looks, but playing fast is really the essence of what has made Blake’s pressures so difficult,” Kelly said. “The teachability of Blake’s system allows our guys to play really fast without paralysis by analysis.”

Penn, who was a true freshman during Baker’s previous one-season stint with the Tigers, loves Baker’s defensive philosophy.

“He (Baker) wants to attack all the time,” Penn said. “He wants to be aggressive, be physical. If we’re watching film and he sees us playing timid, he’ll say `We don’t want no poodles.’”

Guillory said Baker wants the LSU defense to be “juiced up” every day.

“Even when our defensive backs make a play downfield, I want to run downfield, high-five him and pick him up,” Guillory said. “It’s about being a group and not individuals.”

On the defense’s back end in the Tigers’ secondary which ranked 115th nationally last season in passing yards allowed (255.6 yards per game), LSU senior wide receiver Kyren Lacy said he already sees improvement.

“Coach Corey got those guys right,” Lacy said. “They’ve changed everything. They come up with something new every day.”

CAMP NOTEBOOK

LSU sophomore tight end Mac Markway, a former 4-star recruit who played in 12 games last season, told Kelly Monday night he’s leaving the program. “He made a decision he’s not going to play,” Kelly said. Markway announced through social media he intends to transfer. Kelly is quite pleased sophomore Ka’Morreun Plimpton (6-6, 242) and true freshman Trey’ Dez Green (6-7, 237), the Tigers’ backup tight ends behind starter Mason Taylor. “KP’s run-blocking consistency and catching assignments have been really good,” Kelly said. “Trey’ Dez has assimilated as well as we could have expected for a true freshman. They’re both going to play.”. . .Returning defensive lineman Bradyn Swinson and Jalen Lee haven’t practiced with the team because they are finishing a morning Spanish class to graduate. “That class ends Monday,” Kelly said. “We’ve been bringing both of them here in the afternoons with an assistant coach, a strength coach and a trainer so they can stay on track.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By Jeanni Ritchie

Did you feel it in your toes when Girls Just Want to Have Fun’s Janey declared she loved to dance? Well, get those toes wiggling at Cindy Seaton Dance Academy’s inaugural Back 2 Dance Bash this Saturday, Aug. 10 from 10 AM- 1 PM. 

Free and open to the public, seasoned dancers and those who just love to dance are welcome to attend. Tour the dance studio or try out a dance class. Ol Mel’s Petting Zoo will be there, along with Paradise Lemonade and Hot Diggity Dog food trucks. Raffle drawings with incredible prizes will be held; winners must be present. 

Join the ultimate dance experience to kick off a new school year. 

The CSDA Pineville Studio is located at 1608 Military Highway, Pineville. For more information, email cindy@csda.biz. 

Jeanni Ritchie has seen the 1985 Sarah Jessica Parker film over 100 times and encourages all to check out the dance flick at least once! She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

August 5

Weapons

Robin Wallace, 40, Alexandria — aggravated assault with firearm, disturbing peace/violence, $25,500 bail.

Other

Jessica Dunn, 41, Pineville — fugitive, no bail set;

Deante Horton, 32, Alexandria — violation protective order 1st offense 4 counts, $4,000 bail;

Kenya Nash, 42, Alexandria — fugitive, contempt 3 counts, $3,000 bail;

Jeremy Shafer, 45, Pineville — resisting with force or violence, obstruction public passage, $1,000 bail.

This date: 20 arrests, 10 including at least one contempt count.

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

August 5

Weapons

Thawri Zeiden, 21, Alexandria — machine gun possession, firearm with drugs, possession with intent 2 counts, off-road vehicle on public highway, $235,100 bail. 

Other

Antoine Eddie, 35, Boyce — possession, paraphernalia, contempt 3 counts, $11,100 bail;

Heather Lewis, 43, Ball — possession with intent, contempt, $15,000 bail;

John Paul Jr., 40, Deville — possession, resisting, domestic abuse battery, $4,000 bail;

Burt Ryder, 46, Alexandria — possession 2 counts, paraphernalia, $3,500 bail;

Karl Vanantwerpen, 26, Lecompte — possession with intent, resisting 2 counts, contempt 3 counts, $14,000 bail. 

Working moms (and dads) know what’s involved when they get a call from the school about a sick child.  Certainly there’s concern over the child’s health but there’s also the issue of lost work time as they pick up the child, try to find a doctor and likely stay home the rest of the day with the little one.

Trinity Community Health Centers in both Winn and Rapides parishes have incorporated a system of care within their network that can resolve the lost-work problem while providing professional health care for children.  It’s called a School-Based Health Clinic.  This past school year they saw over 4,500* students through this service.

Candace Hubbard, a family nurse practitioner at Winn’s School-Based Clinic, explains.  “The focus of our clinic is keeping kids healthy and in-school.  We handle cases of acute illness so that the parent doesn’t have to leave work to get a doctor’s appointment.  But we’re more.  We also offer wellness visits in an effort to keep the children healthy and to head off later problems.”

The nurse practitioner assures that Trinity performs follow-up calls and works closely with parents in all cases.  Through contact with the Trinity professionals, Hubbard says, “the children see us.  They know who we are.  This helps eliminate the ‘fear factor’ of going to the doctor.  Because of this, kids take on a bigger role of taking care of themselves with little things like brushing their teeth and wearing seatbelts.”

As they say, “And there’s more…”  Trinity’s School-Based Clinics offer not only basic health care for the children but also offer a dental clinic, behavioral health services as well as vision and hearing screenings.

In its operation, the Trinity staff works closely with the schools and school nurses to provide this service.  “I love being able to work in the same area where my children go to school,” says Hubbard.  “I love the family-centered environment, bringing health care to people who might not afford it otherwise.  We fill the gaps in areas like transportation.  I truly believe we are meeting those needs.”

Candace Hubbard and husband Shane have two children, Alison and Gabriel Wren, who are students at Winnfield Senior High School.  She joined the Trinity Community Health Center family in 2013, assisting in the launch of the school-based clinic when it was a pilot program.  That clinic was initially located in the old Winnfield Intermediate School building but shifted to the old Adult Learning Center around the corner following Hurricane Laura.

The Lakeview High School graduate received her BS degree in nursing from NSU in 2005 and her MS degree in nursing, also at NSU, in 2013.  In the interim, she worked as an RN in the Natchitoches Hospital’s labor & delivery department.

*School-based student services numbers for the 2023-24 school year were 655 for dental cleaning, 904 behavioral health, 2,503 medical (sickness & wellness visits), 338 sports physicals and 189 flu shots.

“Our mission at Trinity Community Health Centers has always been to provide quality healthcare services to students and their families, regardless their ability to pay,” says CEO Deano Thornton.

Paid Content

By Jeannie Petrus

Overall, the look was effortless chic with a twist of color.

A white Twin Sister dress that fit Gabby Godfrey like a glove.  It was the first photo shoot created by the then 17-year-old aspiring model from Natchitoches that would be the foundation of a portfolio for a hopeful future career in modeling and fashion design.

Halfway into the photo shoot, the photographer, Jess Roberts, suggested wearing a colorful headband that Gabby had packed in her bag that day.  It was the headband her grandmother, Ginny Carbo of Alexandria, had purchased for her as a Christmas gift in a local boutique.

Oh, that headband.

It was that headband that catapulted Gabby onto an exciting and…totally unexpected…path to fulfilling her dream of becoming a model.

“After receiving the photo gallery from Jess, I immediately chose my favorites and posted them on Instagram; tagging all of the designers of each piece I wore,” said Gabby.  “I received hundreds of likes and comments, many of which asked about the headband.  They loved the photos, but LOVED the headband and wanted to know where I got it.”  

Gabby could have just told everyone it was purchased at a small boutique in Alexandria, but she wanted to know more.  She began researching the company that made it and was blown away by what she discovered.

Alivia, a company started by Jovana Mullins in 2018, turns artwork, created by individuals with disabilities, into inspiring fashion apparel. 

It was this headband piece that began with artwork created by an individual with a disability participating in art therapy.  Alivia pays each artist for the use of his/her artwork, and then 10 percent of every purchase is donated to their associated nonprofit art therapy program.  Also, each garment includes a scannable tag which credits the artist responsible for the design.  Jovana then uses her own expertise and inspiration to create the fashion apparel.

Gabby was touched to learn the origin of the headband she wore, and it was not long before she was honored to receive a response from Jovana.

“We would love to work with you,” read the response.

At the time, Gabby was a senior at St. Mary’s Catholic School, leading a busy life with classes, extracurricular activities and leadership roles at school and in the community.  It was hard for her to break away from her studies and school activities.

But as soon as Gabby graduated from high school in May of 2024, she was invited by Jovanna to come to New York for a photo shoot to model the Alivia brand and to meet some of the talented creators behind the designs.  

During planning, it was discovered that Gabby and Jovana had a mutual family friend, Peyton Tillman, founder of and designer for the New York clothing company, Taylor Tillman.  Jovana and Peyton worked together to coordinate a combined photo shoot for Alivia and Taylor Tillman in Greenwich Village in New York City.  

“Having the opportunity to work with Jovana and Peyton was an experience I will never forget. Their overall mission and passion to give back through fashion was very inspirational, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity and guidance that they have given me.  

“I also had the privilege to meet Charlotte and Victoria,” said Gabby; “two absolutely beautiful girls who inspired the prints for the dresses I modeled that day.  Victoria was fun, very kind, and focused; Charlotte was outgoing and full of personality.  I instantly fell in love with both of them.”

Since the recent photo shoot in New York, Gabby continues to work with Jovana, helping to bring awareness to the mission of Alivia.  Jovana, who was impressed that Gabby researched the Alivia brand, shares a passion for not just doing what she loves, but doing it with a purpose.

“I love the story behind Alivia and how it showcases the talents of artists with disabilities,” she said.  “If I am going to have modeling opportunities, I would love to continue in the direction of doing so for a cause, or for brands that give back to the community.  

For now, Gabby is holding on to the lucky Alivia headband she wore in that first photo shoot.  She has brought it along on every photo shoot in the last two years.  

Some of her modeling and work experience includes attending the Coco Rocha Model Camp in New York, and the Mad Hatter’s Luncheon and Style Show in Lafayette, which benefitted Acadiana Symphony Orchestra music education programs.  She also modeled for Ames Layne and Zepp Air at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the Natchitoches Regional Airport, which along with Lynn Sanders Art and Alivia, were featured in the Fall 2023 edition of LOLA Magazine.  

In December of 2023, she modeled for the Church Street Inn in Natchitoches, and Jovana sent Gabby several items from Alivia to incorporate in a holiday photo shoot that took place at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans.  

In the fall, Gabby plans to attend Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and pursue a degree in Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising.  Gabby also continues to work with Simone Foreman of Images Model & Talent Agency in Lafayette.  She is hoping that her schedule will allow her to intern for Alivia in New York next summer, and to attend the European Model Showcase in Paris.  In the future, she aspires to create and design her own fashion apparel and accessories, similar to Alivia.

“It is surreal to think about how all of this came together from wearing a unique headband in my first portfolio photo shoot,” she said.

That Alivia headband.

By JIM BUTLER

Routine and not-so-routine matters are on the agenda as the School Board meets this afternoon, two days before classes resume.

A month ago there was some question about that opening because of construction/safety concerns at some plants.

But Superintendent Jeff Powell’s declared August 2 make-or-break deadline passed with no delay deemed necessary.

The construction is for the most part related to District 62’s ginormous bond issue. And on the agenda today is a big piece of that – a $12 million-plus contract award for classroom addition at ASH.

Another agenda headliner is discussion and presentation of the annual evaluation of Powell’s job performance.

That will be in executive session, assuming Powell does not exercise his right to an open review.

Also on the agenda, from Dr. Stephen Chapman, is an executive session motion “to discuss and take possible action” on a contract extension for Powell.

The public meetings law says executive session permissibility does not apply to discussions of appointment of a person to a public body.

How that affects the possible extension discussion is unclear since Powell already is an employee.

Also unclear, from Willard McCall, is a proposed closed portion to “discuss with upper administration and legal advisory counsel the District 62 management agreement between the board and CSRS.”

State law allows closed discussion of prospective litigation after formal demand has been put in play but doesn’t stipulate talk of possibility of litigation or of contracts, proposed or in force.

A fourth executive session item is to discuss a report on safety and security measures in place, obviously a clearly allowed exception to open discussion.

Northwestern State University’s new president, James “Jimmy” Genovese, dove into his first day on the job Monday by engaging with several different constituent groups in Central Louisiana business and education communities.

“It really has been a bundle of mixed emotions. It’s such a wonderful and exciting and energetic feeling to come back to Northwestern, to my roots, to Natchitoches. Spending the night last night, a lot of things were going through my mind,” said Genovese, a 1971 NSU graduate and longtime judge who gave up his seat on the Louisiana Supreme Court to accept the presidency. “I’m so excited to come back.”

Genovese began Monday at 7:30 a.m. as a guest on “Open Line,” a Natchitoches call-in radio program, where he pledged to promote the university and its programs to prospective students and their parents.

“I’m going to meet with every strategic person there is, so we can get the word out and let them know what a jewel Northwestern is,” he said. “We’ve got a great institution, a beautiful campus, relatively inexpensive tuition, scholarships.  We have so much to offer.”

His enthusiasm continued down Interstate 49 at a welcome assembly for all Rapides Parish School Board employees before joining a luncheon at Louisiana Christian University in Pineville hosted by the North Rapides Business and Industry Alliance.

Genovese was a featured speaker, along with Louisiana Surgeon General and former U.S. Congressman Dr. Ralph Abraham and Rapides Parish Superintendent of Schools Jeff Powell. To an audience of policymakers and leaders in business, education and healthcare, he continued to sing the praises of his alma mater.

“There’s not a person in this room that has not been touched by Northwestern State University. We want to let them know what a good product we have. It’s one of the finest institutions where you can get a good, solid education with a good student to teacher ratio, where everyone knows everyone, and we’re a family.  And it’s relatively inexpensive,” he said.

Monday evening, he met with the Demon football team and new head coach Blaine McCorkle.   

“We’ve got a lot of things working together, we’ve got a lot of cutting and pasting to do.  People have just been wonderful,” he said. “I’ve been reaching out to every person that is key to the success at Northwestern. Look what it did for me.  I owe Northwestern.  It’s my foundation. I’m so grateful to come back at this stage in my life and do my best to bring Northwestern to a state of deserved prominence.  That’s what I want to do.”

NSU students and faculty will be returning to the campus over the next two weeks in advance of the schools’ 140th academic term.  Fall classes will begin Aug. 19. Registration will remain open through Aug. 27.  More information is available at www.nsula.edu. 

When Stanley Gene Cliburn was just 20 years old, long before he enjoyed a five-year run as manager of the Alexandria Aces of the Texas-Louisiana League, he set a lofty goal that he achieved 47 years later on a recent night at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Maryland.

In 1977, Cliburn was a catcher for the Salinas Angels, a Class A farm team for the California Angels. They played for the California League championship against the Lodi Dodgers managed by legendary Stan Wasiak, a Chicago native and World War II Army vet. Wasiak’s Dodgers swept the Angels in three games to win the championship, and Cliburn remembers the public address announcer, in the post-game celebration, congratulating the Lodi team and the manager and mentioning that Wasiak was on the brink of his 2,000^th career victory as a minor league manager.

“I went up to him afterwards to congratulate him,” recalled Cliburn in a phone call last week, “and he told me, ‘Stan, you’re a good catcher.’ He’d been a catcher during his playing days. ‘I think you’re going to go places.’ I said, ‘If I ever get a chance to manage a professional baseball team, I’m going to set a goal at 2,000 wins.’”

Forty-seven years after setting the goal and 36 years after he began managing in the minor leagues, this baseball lifer from Jackson, Mississippi – 51 years total, 15 as a player, including one in the major leagues with the California Angels — realized his goal. On the night of July 27, before an overflow home crowd that included Maryland governor Wes Morris and several other dignitaries, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs defeated the High Point Rockers, 13-3, to give Cliburn victory No. 2,000. According to the Baseball-Reference Bullpen, Cliburn is just the 17^th manager in professional baseball to reach that mark.

“It felt like Roger Maris going for 61,” said the 67-year-old Cliburn, who was too young to remember much about, but knows well the history of, Maris’ taxing pursuit of Babe Ruth’s major league season home run record of 60 in 1961. “I felt the pressure, the anxiety,” he said, noting his general manager told him 19 games earlier he hoped Stan would get the record on July 27 “because it’s going to be the biggest night of the year for us in Waldorf. The governor’s going to be here, plus about 20 politicians and dignitaries.”

Stan came through, and he was greeted in the post-game locker room with a celebration worthy of a league championship. One of just four active minor league managers to reach 2,000 wins, Cliburn said the post-game tribute was “touching,” and when it was time for him to speak, he thought of Wasiak, whose life work ended with 2,570 victories from 1950-86.

“I looked up to the heavens and said, ‘Look out, here I come!’”

Cliburn has no intention of retiring any time soon. He figures it could take at least 8-9 years to reach Wasiak’s victory total. “We’ll take it one year at a time,” he said.

Yet, don’t be surprised if he gets there. He is passionate about goal-setting.

“I tell my guys all the time,” he said, “goals are meant to be made. You have to set goals and set ’em high.”

And some of his “guys” that he tutored over the years include Baseball Hall of Famers David “Big Papi” Ortiz and Minnesota Twins legendary catcher Joe Mauer. The Minnesota Twins’ Class AA team he managed in 2001, which included Big Papi, “might’ve been the best team ever assembled in minor league baseball,” Cliburn said.

Thinking about his time in 2003 with Cliburn, Mauer, who was inducted July 21 into the Baseball Hall of Fame, said, “Stan opened my eyes to all the duties of being a catcher – pitch-calling, game-calling, controlling the staff. He had a great feel of keeping things light and fun and for getting the most out of his players. That 2,000^th win he got is a great milestone, and I’m real happy for him.”

Stan’s younger twin brother by two minutes, Stu, was his pitching coach for five seasons with the New Britain Rock Cats. The twin brothers were a big part of a resurgence of the Minnesota Twins during that first decade of this century.

Managing success came early for Cliburn. In just his second year as a minor league manager, he led the Augusta (Ga.) Pirates to the South Atlantic League championship in 1989, and he added titles in 1997 and ’98 here in Alexandria with the Aces, writing a daily lineup that included John O’Brien, Marvin Cole, Malvin Matos and Kyle Shade.

His career hasn’t been all rainbows and balloons. A disappointing season managing at Sioux City, Iowa in 2013, including a DUI citation that September, was a “wakeup call,” he said, and he responded by going to out-patient rehab for six months.

“I did something to correct it,” he said. “I went to a facility that handled it. I got a certificate afterwards that I keep and cherish as much as any championship rings or trophies I’ve received.”

He said he hasn’t had a drink since. Another goal, as Stan would say, “meant to be made.” 

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

July 29

Issiac Baylor, 21, Alexandria — OWI 1st, no driver’s license, improper lane usage, contempt, 3:03 pm, $1,300 bail.

August 2

Ronnie Lang, 64, Alexandria — DWI 2nd, tail lamps must be red, improper display license plate, suspension/revocation, no registration in vehicle, no insurance, 1 am, $1,655 bail.

August 3

Cindy Brooks, 45, Alexandria — OWI 1st, improper driving on left, improper lane, 3:37 pm, $1,200 bail;

Amos Lachney, 26, Dry Prong — OWI 1st, flight, misdemeanor possession, paraphernalia, reckless operation, 9:17 pm, $2,600 bail;

Gwendolyn Maltie, 62, Alexandria — OWI 1st, running stop sign, improper lane usage, 5:27 pm, $1,200;

Germaine Williams, 43, Colfax — OWI 1st, improper lane, driver’s license not in possession, muffler required/excessive noise prohibited, fenders and mudguards improper width, 2:51 am, $1,400 bail.

August 4

Joshua Harper, 43, Boyce — DWI 1st, improper lane use, 1:47 am, $1,100 bail;

Bryan Hathcock, 44, Perkinston, MS — OWI 1st, no headlight, open container, 12:46 am, $1,200 bail;

Miranda Tyler, 24, Pineville — OWI 1st, suspension/revocation, improper parking, 3:49 am, $1,200 bail. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

August 4

Kenneth Ford Jr., 36, Boyce. — aggravated assault, assault 4 counts, stalking, $52,000 bail. 

This date: 12 arrests, 4 including one or more contempt counts. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

August 4

William Cook, 58, Alexandria — possession, illegal possession stolen things, no driver’s license on person, no insurance, $5,200 bail;

Christopher Williams, 47, Pineville — possession, contempt 2 counts, $10,000 bail.

By Brad Dison