She’s a pediatrician who had 30 years of experience in the field even before moving back closer to home to join Lincoln Community Health Center in 2019, working with health problems and complications that arise in patients ages birth through 21.

Her name is Dr. Angela Odom-Austin, a Shreveport native who received her undergraduate degree in general biology at Dillard University in New Orleans before heading to medical school at Duke in North Carolina. In that process, she had done summer research at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport in deep tissue burns then took on intense studies of the immune system at Dillard.

“I really wanted to go to medical school,” she told the Journal, with reference to her studies of immunology. Her training was honed during those years by working in the medical field through a series of pandemics. “I was at Duke in the middle of the AIDS pandemic. Early on, people in the medical community were panicked about how you deal with handling those affected folks. But we learned.”

She said the same fear “in the early going” of COVID was witnessed. By that time, Dr. Odom had worked through AIDS, Avian flu, SARS, Ebola then COVID. “The rule is ‘First, do no harm.’ But then you must accept that we’re here to help our community. So we help others.”

The young doctor did her pediatric residency at Eastern Virginia Graduate School of Medicine (Old Dominion) and stayed in Virginia where she had family for the next 30 years with her medical practice and raising her own family. She came to Ruston at Lincoln Community Health Center in 2019. “My mom was still living in Shreveport but getting on in age and needed me near. I wanted to get back to Louisiana.” She put out the word and Trinity Community Health Centers of Louisiana responded. “It was not quite Shreveport but close enough. Since I also have family in Grambling and as a child, I went to Girl Scouts camp there, this brings good memories. As a Federally Qualified Health Center, Trinity serves an underserved community. I’m quite happy to be here.”

Faith and church are important parts in Dr. Odom’s life. A member of New Rocky Valley Baptist Church in Grambling, she notes that during the COVID pandemic, many learned to worship online so she is able to do that occasionally with several of her churches back in Virginia.

“So what do I do outside of work?” she asks. “I enjoy looking in on the Ruston Community Men’s Shed, a place for woodworking and fellowship. Men and women get together, repair and build projects for those who need help. And they build friendships.”

Pineville PD is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a vehicle and driver in a hit-and- run incident from Dec. 14. The vehicle in question is a two tone F150 King Ranch pick-up which will have damage to the front passenger side as a result of the accident. The accident occurred in the Susek Drive area.

Anyone who is able to identify the vehicle and/or driver should contact the Pineville Police Department at 318-442-6603 or message them on Facebook. All tips will remain anonymous.

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

December 16

Weapons

James Collins, 48, Alexandria — aggravated assault firearm, failure to appear, $50,000 bail;

Kesean Gilliam, 17, Alexandria — murder 2nd degree, probation violation, $1,000,000 bail;

Other

Jacqueline Clark, 24, Alexandria — theft, paraphernalia, resisting, contempt, $7,000 bail. 

This date: 16 arrests, 11 including one or more contempt counts and 12 with at least one prior. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

December 15

Cortavis Hall, 29, Pineville — possession, $1,000 bail.

December 16

Kursti Mundy, 32, Cottonport — possession 2 counts, no insurance, $2,100 bail.

Mallory is my daughter-in-law. She was here this last weekend. There was a shopping adventure on Saturday and that evening she was wrapped the presents. Mallory is one of “those” gift wrappers. I stood and watched her wrap gifts. With engineering precision, she made one cut of the wrapping paper. The ends of the gifts wrapped were perfect. She used a minimum amount of tape. She did it with the skill of a neurosurgeon and the speed of a NASCAR pit crew member. I gave up attempts at gift wrapping decades ago. A gift bag is a blessing for people like me. 

Mallory was so peaceful as she was wrapping at the speed of light.

This time of year, requires speed. Everyone promises it to us. The Postal Service, UPS, and FedEx promise they are the speediest. I’m waiting for one of them to promise overnight delivery on Christmas Eve. Although I think St. Nick and the Elf union would fight that infringement on their gig. Amazon has amazing speed, but you pay for it. Their free delivery takes from 3-5 business days, or you can opt for their expensive express delivery which will arrive in 4-6 business days. In many cases the free shipping is quicker than the express shipping you pay for. Go figure.

Here’s the thing, I’m wondering if we should be working on our “slowing skills.”

I lived in Natchitoches for ten years. I loved the Christmas lights! At the residential end of the Church Street bridge there is a sign that says Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The challenge is that the traffic lights are directly in front of the sign. So, if you are a visitor to that city and you don’t know that secret, you often are challenged to see and follow the traffic lights.

I remember one evening trying to hurry home across the Church Street bridge.

In front of me was a van from the state of Hittite. (Don’t want to tell you the state lest I offend.) This van was driving 2 miles an hour over the bridge at 5:30 p.m. These out-of-state guests were looking at the wonderful light display on the other side of the river. This nice van driver speeding at two miles an hour looking at the lights was not looking at the road. Twice the van hit the curb on the Church Street Bridge. That is no small curb. They didn’t seem too bothered by their dual collisions with the curb. At the end of the road, they stopped at the green light. They met the big sign hiding the traffic lights. I waited patiently for as long as I could stand it, then I sent them an audible automotive suggestion that they complete their right turn.

Paul wrote, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” I wonder how long it took for time to fully come? Christmas day is getting ever closer. 

Maybe we would be more faithful witnesses to our faith if we learned some slowing skills. Be patient with people in the parking lot, the check-out line, over worked wait staff in the diner, and those you love who are also caught in the Christmas speed trap. Be patient with those who are having their first Christmas without loved ones or without their children being home. Practice patience with those who are not moving at the same Christmas speed.

Learn “slowing skills” and wait, Christmas always arrives on time.

BOM’s Kristina Bagwell and Kessler Barnes participated in the Louisiana Bankers “BOLT” Banking on the Leaders of Tomorrow program. The program included sessions on learning how the Federal Reserve works, what’s on the payments horizon, the Federal Open Market Committee and monetary policy as well as about successful leadership skills. Pictured left to right: BOM’s Kristina Bagwell and LBA’s Ginger Laurent.

Each year on December 18, Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day encourages fans of the hit movie Elf to embrace their inner Buddy with his signature greeting: “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?” This playful tradition brings laughter and festive cheer to the holiday season.

Modern holiday films like Elf have sparked quirky traditions that add a sense of joy to December. From dressing up as Buddy to organizing themed watch parties, these activities remind us to embrace the magic and silliness of the season.

So, pick up the phone, channel Buddy, and let the holiday spirit ring through your words—it’s a simple way to spread joy.

Yesterday, the Louisiana Supreme Court reversed its previous decision on the multi-murder conviction of Darrell James Robinson and has now reinstated the death sentence in his case.

In 1996, Robinson shot and killed a family of four living in the Poland Community. The victims were Billy Lambert; his sister, Carol Hooper; Hooper’s daughter, Maureen Kelly; and Kelly’s 10-month-old son, Nicholas. 

A lower court found him guilty of all of those crimes. However, the Louisiana Supreme Court had overturned the convictions and the death sentence this year in Jan. because his right to due process had been violated. Following the clearing of the convictions, Rapides Parish District Attorney Phillip Terrell’s office filed for a rehearing which was granted. 

Following the rehearing, the court reversed its decision, reinstating the conviction and the death penalty. CLICK HERE to see the full opinion.

We volunteered this past Saturday morning to help lay Christmas wreaths at the headstones of veterans who lie in rest at the Alexandria National Cemetery in Pineville.

It goes without saying that’s it’s an occasion to show appreciation for our deceased veterans in a way that brings Christmas spirit to all present, including the spirits that hover above that hallowed ground, but it wasn’t without some difficulty.

Janet and I each drew two names, and each name had a letter and number to help designate their whereabouts on the premises. The name I drew, Jerome L. Verzwyvelt, was number B3155. We were pointed to a section “that has some B’s” and ventured in that direction, walking row by row by row, but we couldn’t find our guy. We found names in the 3500s, 3400s, 3300s and eventually the 3100s, but soon the numbers changed drastically.

We had some kind souls trying to help, without avail, until, finally, a Boy Scout pointed far in the distance, where his mom had found the headstone, maybe the length of a football field away.

I did as I was told and called out Jerome’s name as I lay the wreath by his headstone, and then texted a picture from my cell phone to the number given me. I wrote a message that the wreath had just been placed by the grave and a message of thanks for his service. When I didn’t get a response for 48 hours, I tried to call the number: “no longer in service.”

When you try to thank someone for his service and the number is no longer in service, it feels a bit like you’re not of much service.

Nonetheless, we regained an appreciation for The Wreaths Across America annual tradition that involves the Pineville Fire Department, the City of Pineville and the Pineville Police Department. Local law enforcement and first responders escorted the Wreaths Across America to the national cemetery to symbolize the community’s gratitude and respect for those who are buried there.

We also gained a new appreciation for the national cemetery itself, which the federal government established on 8.24 acres (seized from a private citizen) in 1867. That was two years after the end of the Civil War, during which time Alexandria served briefly as the headquarters of the Confederate Department of the Trans-Mississippi. The headquarters moved north to Shreveport in 1863.

According to the memorial marker at the cemetery, it also is home for the remains of members of the all-Black 25^th U.S. Infantry from Brownsville, Texas. In 1909, a contractor using local labor exhumed more than 3,000 dead from the Brownsville National Cemetery and transported the remains to Alexandria in five freight-train cars.

Most of the bodies, according to a document from “National Cemeteries, Brownsville, Cemeteries of TX,” were of soldiers who died in the 1885-86 yellow fever epidemic, and they could not, under rigid regulations of that period, be shipped to any other place. Some of them, the local historical marker notes, were also accused in 1906 of killing a barber and wounding a police officer. They denied any involvement, but some 167 enlisted men were discharged “without honor.”

Notable because of my grave site hunt there Saturday, those remains were interred “along the northwest wall and the area designated Section B.”

Here in our midst, history seeps through the rows of white stones and red-ribboned wreaths. Timeless yet treasured are a bugler’s rendition of “Taps,” salutes and moments of silence.

Merry Christmas, veterans. 

By JIM BUTLER

Oath of office ceremonies for Alexandria City Council members re-elected or newly elected this Fall takes place at 9 a.m. today at City Hall.

Two of the four are already on the panel and the other two are returning.

District 5’s Chuck Fowler, the longest-tenured member, had no opposition; District 3’s Cynthia Perry defeated her opponent in the November primary.

Jules Green and Malcolm Larvadain are returning to the council, Green in one of the two at-large posts and Larvadain in District 1.

Each is an anomaly of sorts — defeating incumbents who had more campaign funds to spend.

According to the most-recent reports filed with the state, Green’s campaign was $450 in the red on December 4, three days before he defeated Lee Rubin.

A week before the runoff Larvadain’s campaign reported $650 on hand. He had loaned the campaign $2,500 on November 25.

His opponent, incumbent Reddex Washington, reported three $1,000 contributions on November 29 and three more (different contributors) on December 6.

Details of these and other campaign finance reports can be accessed at ethics.la.gov online.

The LSUA Athletes of the Week, presented by Raising Cane’s, for December 9 to December 15 are Emilee Totino (women’s basketball) and Kheiri Haynes (men’s basketball).

Totino, a freshman guard from Deweyville, Tx., came off the bench against Huston-Tillotson on Thursday and nailed her first basket as a General. The guard’s first bucket for LSUA came on a trey and garnered her first points while playing in The Fort.

Haynes, a freshman guard from Zachary, achieved his first home points last week against North American. Haynes has so far appeared in eight games and is shooting 50 percent from the floor in his first college campaign.

Get To The Pointe Ballet Academy is excited to present “Olaf’s Frozen Christmas Adventure!” on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 7pm at the Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center.

Join Olaf, Elsa, Anna and the rest of the frozen cast as they discover the spirit of Christmas! This contemporary ballet features the original choreography of Sarah Ochs Ranson and is preformed by the immensely talented ballerinas of Get To The Pointe Ballet Academy. Christmas wear encouraged.

Tickets are on sale now at https://gettothepointeballetacademy.com/olafs-frozen-christmas

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

December 13

Tiarra Richardson, 28, Hensley, AR — OWI 1st, open container, running red light, 2:20 am, $1,200 bail.

December 14

Catherine Augustine, 64, Pineville — unlawful refusal to submit chemical test, arrest for DWI, criminal trespass, careless operation, driver’s license not in possession, 6:25 pm, $1,700 bail;

Juan Nanez, 22, Natchitoches — OWI 1st, hit & run no death/serious injury, tint violation, improper plate display, 7:53 pm, $1,800 bail;

Lindsay Ryland, 49, Pineville — OWI 1st, improper lane, 11:55 pm, $2,100 bail;

Justin Yost, 46, Alexandria — OWI, improper lane, open container, paraphernalia, misdemeanor possession, 11:57 pm, $2,200 bail. 

December 15

Jordan Harris, 26, Glenmora — OWI 1st, open container, improper lane, 1:13 am, $1,200 bail;

Brandy Nalley, 35, Deville — OWI 1st, open container, improper lane, texting while driving, driver’s license not in possession, 12:53 am, $1,400 bail. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

December 15

Weapons 

Demetrius Collins, 41, Alexandria — attempted murder 2nd degree, felon with firearm, $300,000 bail;

Joseph Ferrier, 28, Pineville — attempted murder 2nd degree 2 counts, contempt 6 counts, $1,018,000 bail;

Other

Stephen Adams, 44, Alexandria — paraphernalia, child desertion, contempt, $6,250 bail;

Jaylen Dennis, 25, Pineville — obstruction court orders all other offenses, parole violations, no bail set;

Cinquanta Tison, 35, Alexandria — aggravated assault, $1,500 bail;

Karl Vanantwerpen Jr., 27, Lecompte — theft, remaining on premises, contempt 4 counts, $20,750 bail. 

This date: 23 arrests, 11 including one or more contempt counts and 14 with at least one prior. 

Most fathers would do just about anything to protect their daughters from harm, criticism, and unhappiness.  Margaret’s father was no different.  In December 1950, Margaret, a soprano singer, performed at the famous Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee to crowds who were enthusiastic about her “winning manner, discriminating selection of music, and naturalness.”  She had had many successes in concert and solo roles with several orchestras.  On this particular night, Margaret was accompanied by Herman Allison on piano.  When the curtain rose, Margaret greeted the large, cheering crowd wearing a concert dress of sari material, billowy material woven of gold and silver threads, which had been a gift from the wife of the Prime Minister of Pakistan.”  One critic reported that she won over the audience “before she sang a note.”  During her performance, she sang such difficult selections as “The Nightingale” by Schubert, “The Nut Tree,” by Schumann, and an aria from “Le Nozze de Figaro.”  So enthused was the audience that night that Margaret performed two encores.

While many other critics wrote positive reviews, 34-year-old Paul Hume, music editor for The Washington Post, was less than impressed.  Hume wrote that Margaret “cannot sing very well” and “is flat a good deal of the time.”  “There are a few moments during her recital,” he wrote, “when one can relax and feel confident that she will maker her goal, which is the end of the song…  It is an extremely unpleasant duty to record such unhappy facts about so honestly appealing a personality.  But as long as [Margaret] sings as she has for three years, and does today, we seem to have no recourse unless it is to omit comment on her programs altogether.”  It was a biting review.      

In response, Margaret said that she had not had time to read the review but he, Paul Hume, “has a perfect right to say whatever he thinks.”  She had received other negative reviews from critics in the past, but concert hall, radio, and television audiences adored her.  Despite the critics, people flocked to see her perform.  Margaret brushed off the negative review.  Margaret’s father, however, was enraged by Hume’s review.  He wrote a scathing letter to Hume in which he said, “I have just read your lousy review buried in the back pages.  You sound like a frustrated old man who never made a success, an eight-ulcer man on a four-ulcer job, and all four ulcers working.”  Margaret’s father’s anger grew as he continued to write.  “I never met you but if I do, you’ll need a new nose and plenty of beefsteak and perhaps a supporter below.”  In the letter, Margaret’s father threatened to “beat [him] up, from top to bottom.”  On the following day, newspapers reprinted parts of Margaret’s father’s letter.  At first, Margaret was surprised and did not believe her father wrote the scathing letter.  When she learned that her father had written the letter, she told the press that she had “no comment to make.”  Margaret’s father explained that he had written the letter out of love for his daughter.

On March 27, 2002, more than five decades later, Margaret’s father’s letter to Paul Hume was auctioned by the world-famous Christie’s Auction House.  The letter sold for $193,000.  You see, Margaret’s father wrote the letter on White House stationery. Margaret’s father was President Harry Truman.

Sources:

1.      “Truman, Harry. Autograph letter signed (H.S.T.” to Paul Hume, Music Critic of the Washington Post, D.C., 6 December 1950,” Christies.com, https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-3886900.

2.     The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee), December 9, 1950, p.1.

3.     St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 24, 1950, p.13.