The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) adopted a resolution setting the Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp, or the Louisiana Duck Stamp, at $15 during its August meeting Thursday (Aug. 7) in Baton Rouge.

The stamp, a collector’s item which is not required by waterfowl hunters, raises revenue to support waterfowl conservation and habitat.

The Louisiana Legislature passed Act 71, authored by Rep. Chance Henry, to allow LWFC to set the price of the stamp.

Customers can purchase the stamp online, at a local license vendor, at Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Baton Rouge headquarters office or through the mail.

The physical duck stamps are only for collectors or those looking to support waterfowl conservation in Louisiana. These stamps do not serve as licenses to hunt waterfowl.

The Louisiana Legislature authorized the Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp program in 1988. The program was created to generate revenue for conservation and enhancement of waterfowl populations and habitats in Louisiana. During the last 36 years, more than $17 million has been generated for wetland conservation with approximately $6 million spent on land acquisition.

In addition, revenue has supported wetland development projects on Wildlife Management Areas and the Louisiana Waterfowl Project, a cooperative endeavor between LDWF, Ducks Unlimited, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide habitat for waterfowl and other wetland birds on private lands. 

To learn more about the duck stamp program and contest, visit: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/louisiana-duck-stamp.

By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Sports Information Director

NATCHITOCHES – As one of the world’s foremost experts on concussions, Natchitoches native and former Northwestern State football player Dr. Julian Bailes is a gifted man.

Ahead of the 2025 Northwestern football season, Bailes has taken those gifts and returned them in kind to the Demons, helping provide an innovative Q-Collar for every player on the roster.

The Q-Collar, designed by Bailes, is worn around the neck and applies light pressure to the neck, which causes a partial occlusion to the jugular veins and a slight increase of blood volume inside the head, which helps reduce the brain’s movement upon impact thereby greatly reducing the risk of concussion.

“(Natchitoches lawyer) Billy West, who is obviously really, really good friends with Dr. Bailes, made the introduction,” second-year head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “Dr. Bailes came in town (last year), and he had a meeting with our staff just to educate us on concussions. Just the knowledge was unbelievable, and that led from one thing to another, including the discussions about the Q-Collar. When he came back this spring, there were more discussions and it kind of grew into an opportunity for him to provide our whole team with Q-Collars.”

The Demons already are reaping measurable benefits thanks to Bailes, formerly the Pittsburgh Steelers’ team neurosurgeon and a longtime advisor to the NFL, NCAA, and Pop Warner football. He and Natchitoches residents David and Dr. Jennifer Thornton helped provide the Q-Collars to Northwestern, making the Demons among the first NCAA programs to utilize them.

McCorkle said concussion incidents through fall camp were among the lowest he could remember throughout his three decades of college coaching.

The Q-Collars and the custom-fit Schutt helmets the Demons ordered played roles in that number shrinking while the Q-Collars themselves have loosened up some of the Demons as an unexpected plus.

“Before I was wearing the Q-Collar, I’d take a big hit and feel a little rung up and it would take a little bit to get back to the huddle, but the Q-Collar allows you to play with confidence,” sophomore offensive tackle Garrett Morphis said. “It allows you to play free. You can take big hits or you can lay big hits and your head doesn’t hurt after the play. I think it does its job, so I can do my job at a high level.”

As training camp progressed, the Demons who used their newest piece of equipment quickly adjusted to it.

“I’ve gotten really comfortable wearing it,” sophomore safety Kaden Mackey said. “When I hit, I don’t even feel anything, so it’s amazing.”

With Bailes’ involvement in the development of the Q-Collar, a partnership with his hometown university made sentimental sense. The execution of it re-emphasized a message McCorkle has shared with his team throughout his 21-month tenure as the head Demon.

“We talk about ‘The Link’ we wear all the time and, it seems like he’s (Bailes) a teammate as well,” Mackey said. “Him donating it shows a lot of love. He wants us to play free because he loves the game.”

While the meeting between McCorkle and Bailes helped lead to the addition of the Q-Collars, it also gave McCorkle insight into what has helped Bailes relay his expertise to any and everyone.

“Dr. Bailes, obviously, he’s brilliant, and he has a lot of information and a lot of things that we’ve never heard, thought of or even knew existed, but he has a unique way of making it make sense,” McCorkle said. “He kind of boils that cabbage down so the lay person – the simple football coach like myself – can really understand it. That’s a gift – to be able to communicate that way. Every time he shows up or we have a chance to visit or listen to him present, you take something different away.”

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

In 2006, 28-year-old Army Specialist Todd Shriver was just one of many soldiers fighting in Iraq against Saddam Hussein’s regime.  Todd and other soldiers in his unit were tasked with clearing buildings of enemy insurgents in the city of Ramadi, but the work was slow.  The soldiers listened for any movement in the room to be cleared.  If they heard nothing, the soldiers took a quick peak into a room, with a mirror if one was available, to check for any signs of obvious danger such as enemy soldiers or explosives.  They could be hiding anywhere.  Then, the soldiers cautiously and slowly walked or crawled through the doorway with their weapons at the ready.  Once a room was cleared, they repeated the process on a slow, seemingly endless cycle.  If they failed to notice a tripwire, just one…BOOM!           

Enemy soldiers had set booby traps in many of the buildings.  The explosives were triggered by nearly invisible trip wires.  The various branches of the military had spent an untold amount of money searching for a practical solution for finding these tripwires, but none of their ideas became standard-issue equipment.  Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, explained that soldiers often have to improvise on the battlefield and that commanders are given money to purchase nonstandard supplies.  During the war in Iraq, soldiers bolted scrap metal to vehicles in what they called “Hillbilly Armor.”  Troops removed old bulletproof windshields from damaged vehicles and attached them to working military vehicles to provide extra protection to gunners.  Medics used tampons to plug bullet holes until the wounded soldiers could be transported from the battlefield to medical facilities. Soldiers used condoms over the muzzles of their rifles to keep sand out.  

With no clear solution to easily locating tripwires, Todd and his fellow soldiers continued the slow process of clearing buildings.  One day in October 2006, Todd was assisting some Marines in clearing a building.  It was pretty much the same process of listen and look.  Then, the Marine did something Todd was not expecting.  He pulled out an aerosol can and sprayed its contents through the doorway. Todd was curious about the Marine’s action, but the soldiers knew to keep quiet.  After clearing a few rooms in the same manner, the Marine took out the aerosol can and sprayed it as he had through the other doorways.  This time, something different happened.  The contents that spewed from the can clung to a nearly invisible thread which spanned the doorway.  With a quick push of the can’s nozzle, the soldiers located a practically invisible tripwire that could have been deadly.  

Todd requested cans of the product, but none could be found in Iraq.  The product was plentiful in the United States, so Todd turned to his mother, Marcelle Shriver.  On a telephone call, Todd told her what the product was and how they could use it if they had it.  Todd’s mother sprung into action.  She sent her son a few cans of the spray, but they needed more.  With the help of her church, Todd’s mother sent him a few more dozen cans.  Word spread quickly about the need and manufacturers joined in the cause.  Within a year, Todd’s mother had sent more than 80,000 cans of the spray to soldiers in Iraq.  Todd’s mother was collecting the spray cans, not from hardware stores, but from party supply stores.  You see, the product in the aerosol cans that has saved countless lives by making the invisible tripwires visible was a silly solution called Silly String.   

Sources:

1.     “A Serious Use For Silly String,” December 6, 2005, CBS News, accessed August 17, 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-serious-use-for-silly-string/.

2.     Mel Evans, “Silly String care packages sent to troops in Iraq,” October 15, 2007, NBC News, accessed August 17, 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna21309380.              

ALEXANDRIA, La. – At approximately 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, local authorities received an unverified report of an active shooter on the campus of LSUA, made through a call received by the Alexandria Police Department. Campus officials and law enforcement immediately initiated safety protocols to protect students and staff present for back-to-school events.

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded swiftly to the scene, including LSUA Police, Alexandria PD, Woodworth PD, Lecompte PD, the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Department, and Louisiana State Police (LSP). Coordinated by LSP, officers conducted a comprehensive, room-by-room search of every building on campus, while students were escorted to a single safe location under the supervision of campus officials and law enforcement. After a thorough review, authorities confirmed there was no credible evidence of any type of incident involving a weapon.

“Every potential threat is treated with the utmost seriousness,” LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil stated. “We thank God everyone is safe. We are deeply grateful to our law enforcement partners for their immediate and overwhelming response, to our staff for maintaining calm during a stressful time, and to our students for their patience as we ensured the safety of our community.”

By JIM BUTLER

At some point the fiddler has to be paid or the music stops.

That’s where the City of Alexandria seems to find itself with utility rates, last changed 10 years ago.

Consultants have recommended pricing that would boost the base cost of electrical, gas, water and sewerage service by about $50 monthly. City Council members are likely already hearing squawking.

No one wants to pay more though the alternative is rarely mentioned – that being how long the system can keep subsidizing the General Fund.

This fiscal year about $11 million is budgeted for transfer to the General Fund. Without it, something would have to be cut, or an alternative dollar stream developed. (Over the past eight audit years the transfer total is about $77 million.) Electricity is the system workhouse and gets most attention when hot or cold weather drive consumption up or a rising natural gas fuel adjustment bumps bills.

The study pending consideration in City Hall is a tough sell to customers engaged in ongoing battles with rising costs of living. Those same rising costs are eating away at the Utility System’s razor-thin margins. (The study recommends including an annual rate adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index.) Since the city first generated its own power more than a century ago the system has provided a General Fund transfusion.

That one of the three elected city fathers under its long-time commission form of government was Commissioner of Finance and Utilities was no afterthought.

(The other two were Mayor-Commissioner of Public Safety and Commissioner of Streets and Parks. The commission form was junked in the 1970s under the current home rule charter. The first mayor elected under the mayor-council form was a former Commissioner of Finance and Utilities).

What does the recommended alternate of five propose? A snapshot that includes doing away with a host of rate categories in favor of flat rates for similar accounts:

• Electrical – A 1,000 kwh residential customer would pay an average of $15.89 more monthly. An actual bill of this past April was $114.24. It would have been $127.83 under the recommended change;
• Gas – increase base monthly rate of $4.50 for in-city to $12, outside from $6 to $16; change monthly volume charge per thousand cubic feet to flat $5.50 and $6.25 per mcf;
• Water – increase minimum monthly from $5.79 to $15.25; Sewerage – 5,000 gallons monthly, increase monthly rate of $6.62 in-city to $26.61, outside from $21.74 to $33.11.

These numbers are Alternate C of five outlined in the report. A and B are on the lower side, D and E the higher.

This is for Upper Elementary carline only (grades 3-6). Beginning today, Aug. 25, the following traffic flow will be implemented. 

Drivers will enter the Pineville Church of Christ front parking lot from Hwy 28 E.

Two lanes of traffic will form in the church parking lot.

These two lanes will merge into one lane before turning right onto Trinity Church Rd.

From Trinity Church Rd. traffic will enter JI Barron’s campus in a single line.

Students will be dropped off at Mrs. Gaskins’ Upper Car Rider Line.

After drop-off, vehicles will exit campus in the normal fashion.

All vehicles must turn right when exiting campus (towards the light near BJ’s Pizza).

Do not turn left from off campus.

Pineville Police Department expressed thanks to the Pineville Church of Christ and all of the Rapides Parish agencies who helped with the establishment of this plan for alleviating some of the traffic congestion associated with the beginning of the school year. 

The Gravity Drainage District No. 1 of Rapides Parish is seeking quotes for the removal and disposal of silt and debris at bridges and road intersections along the Horseshoe Canal. 

Quotes are due on Tuesday, Sept. 9, by close of business.

For a detailed scope of work and other requirements, contact Meyer, Meyer, LaCroix, & Hixson at 318-448-0888.

PINEVILLE — Giles Hyundai will donate $100,000 over four years to Pineville High School to support athletics and educational programs, the school announced today.

The donation includes $8,000 annually from 2025-28 for football program sponsorship and $10,000 in 2025 for a digital scoreboard in the main gymnasium. Remaining funds will support other school needs as determined by Giles Hyundai and school administrators.

“This partnership represents exactly the kind of community investment that makes a real difference for our students,” said [school official name and title]. “From enhanced athletic facilities to flexible support for emerging needs, this commitment will benefit Pineville High students for years to come.”

The four-year commitment allows school officials to plan long-term facility improvements while addressing immediate needs.

The partnership begins in 2025 and runs through 2028.

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Former LSU golf All-American Sam Burns did enough for his second straight top 10 finish in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs, closing with a 4-under 66 Sunday to tie for seventh at the season’s final event, the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

All four rounds this week – and his last 10 rounds in the three playoff tournaments – have been 68 or lower. He went 67-66-68-66 this weekend at the iconic 7,440-yard, par-70 East Lake Country Club layout.

Coupled with a fourth-place tie at the BMW Championship a week earlier, adding Sunday’s $1.121,667 check to the $910,000 he netted in Baltimore, the last two paydays combining for $2 million have boosted his 2025 official PGA Tour winnings to $6.6 million – the fourth straight season the Choudrant resident and Shreveport native has topped the $6 million mark.

But was it enough for Burns’ top goal this season – a spot on the 12-man USA team for next month’s Ryder Cup?

He’s hoping to hear good news in the next day or two privately from captain Keegan Bradley, who will make six at-large picks to go with the six automatic qualifiers already established after the BMW. Burns is speculated to be one of eight contenders – including Bradley, who finished tied with Burns and Justin Thomas Sunday, and would be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

The final six will be announced on Golf Channel in a 9 o’clock CDT show Wednesday morning from PGA headquarters in Plano, Texas.

“Yeah, it’s huge. I think definitely my No. 1 goal coming into this year,” said Burns after finishing his Sunday round with an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole. “Unfortunately, I didn’t put myself in a position to be an automatic qualifier. I think it takes a lot of stress off certainly this week and last week to be in that position. But you know what, I tried to focus on coming into the playoffs and trying to play some solid golf, and hopefully it’s enough.”

He was eager to get home to Lincoln Parish, where he plays out of Squire Creek Country Club.

“It’s going to be a long 24 hours or 48 hours, whatever it is. But it’ll be nice to go home. I’m definitely looking forward to being home and spending some time with (wife) Caroline and (15-month-old son) Bear and just relaxing and resting. It’s been a long three weeks, and I’m really looking forward to that.”

Burns has a trusting, matter-of-fact attitude about his hopes to make a fourth straight USA international roster, and a second straight Ryder Cup team (playing in the 2022 and 2024 Presidents Cup competitions, and the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy).

“(I have) 100 percent trust in Keegan. I know whatever decision he makes is going to be one that he thinks is best for the team,” he said. “Ultimately I’m Team USA. If I’m on the team, awesome. I would love nothing more. If I’m not, I’ll be rooting for them.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

Aug. 24

Richard Brown, 45, Alexandria – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, obstruction of justice, bicycle reflectors, resisting an officer, $3,600 bail;

Asia M Cowden, 24, Alexandria – OWI first offense, $1,000 bail;

Katrina Valencia Dominguez, 48, Pineville – domestic abuse battery, simple battery, $500 bail;

Darrell Lynn Gray, 58, Colfax – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, bicycle reflectors, parole violations, resisting an officer, $1,100 bail;

Desiree Heather Hudspeth, 31, Boyce – domestic abuse battery, criminal damage to property, $500 bail;

Nicolas Joell Mcquarn, 25, Boyce – sexual battery, home invasion, no bail data;

Matthew Joseph Parrie, 26, Pineville – OWI first offense, speeding, driving under suspension, open container, $1,300 bail;

Keith A. Reynolds, 38, Alexandria – possession of CDS, violation of protective orders, criminal damage to property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, theft, $3,500 bail;

Jaila Nashai Washington, 23, Alexandria – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, open container, $1,200 bail.

Aug. 23

Justin Corley, 25, Pineville – simple battery, domestic abuse battery, $500 bail;

Chase Alan Daniels, 24, Woodworth – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, $1,100 bail;

Kyren Kentrell Dixon, 29, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing with intent fentanyl, possession of marijuana, $100,500 bail;

Tyler Lee Dixon Sr, 20, Pineville – illegal possession of stolen things, contempt of court, $3,000 bail;

Jermaine Dorsey, 47, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing with intent fentanyl, possession of marijuana, no license plate light, improper window tint, $700 bail;

Joshua Ray Goff, 37, Pineville – producing manufacturing distributing with intent fentanyl, two counts producing manufacturing distributing CDS, driving under suspension, parole violations, $100 bail;

Austin Henderson, 24, Alexandria – five counts contempt of court, $18,000 bail;

Mikail Devon Jack, 32, Kinder – OWI second offense, driving under suspension, reckless operation of a vehicle, $2,700 bail;

Darrell Davarres Jefferson Jr, 24, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing counterfeit substances, legend drug possession, contempt of court, $2,500 bail;

Ronald Deson Montgomery Jr, 38, Pineville – possession of CDS, possession of synthetic CDS, paraphernalia, driving under suspension, no head light, $3,700 bail;

Bobby Robert Roberts, 71, Alexandria – OWI, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, open container, possession of marijuana, failure to secure registration, $3,800 bail;

Kentrell Wayne Silas, 31, Alexandria – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, criminal trespass, $3,500 bail.

Aug. 22

Akeem Dontay Allen, 34, Alexandria – theft, three counts contempt of court, $23,000 bail;

Brandon Keith Breakfield, 29, Pineville – OWI first offense, improper backing, $1,100 bail;

Ruby Rajean Cobb, 31, Alexandria – simple burglary, $1,000 bail;

Louis Maurice Courville, 25, Pineville – aggravated battery, $50,000 bail;

Jasmine S. Davis, 34, Alexandria – four counts contempt of court, $20,000 bail;

Kente Onez Guidry, 25, Alexandria – attempted second degree murder, possession of firearm by convicted felon, battery on an officer, three counts resisting an officer, two counts aggravated assault with a firearm, theft, domestic abuse battery, two counts possession of marijuana, parole violations, $393,000 bail;

Janice Maria Johnson, 50, Alexandria – OWI first offense, $1,000 bail;

Dolmoine Joseph, 23, Alexandria – possession of marijuana, resisting an officer, probation violation, contempt of court, $6,500 bail;

Janice Maria Johnson, 50, Alexandria – OWI first offense, $1,000 bail;

Lionell Dewayne Johnson, 26, Alexandria – two counts possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, illegal carry firearm with drugs, possession of firearm by convicted felon, driving under suspension, tail lamps, probation violation, $23,700 bail;

Kevin Windale Jones, 47, Alexandria – possession of CDS, contempt of court, $4,500 bail;

Sergio Jones, 32, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery strangulation, no bail data;

Ambrose Kirk, 66, N/A – second degree rape, criminal damage to property, aggravated battery, $300,500 bail;

Michael Martin, 47, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery strangulation, parole violations, $25,000 bail;

Jerry Mitchell Miles Jr, 40, Alexandria – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, paraphernalia, illegal carry firearm with drugs, contempt of court, $5,000 bail;

Jerry Mitchell Moses Jr, 40, Alexandria – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, paraphernalia, illegal carry firearm with drugs, contempt of court, $5,000 bail;

Jesus Alejandro Ortiz Jr, 18, Deville – OWI, driver’s license required, reckless operation/speeding, possession of marijuana, unlawful purchase of tobacco, $2,800 bail;

Juliann Lacey Rashall, 29, Boyce – producing manufacturing distributing CDS with intent, parole violations, contempt of court, $2,500 bail;

Keith A Reynolds, 38, Alexandria – possession of marijuana, violation protective order, $1,250 bail;

Kedar Andrey Smith, 28, Alexandria – five counts contempt of court, $153,000 bail;

Summer V. Stricklen, 28, Hineston – two counts possession of CDS, paraphernalia, safety belt violation, canceled plate violation, driving under suspension, $2,300 bail;

April Kelly Strong, 32, Alexandria – theft, two counts simple escape, three counts probation violation, four counts contempt of court, $85,000 bail;

Terris Strong Jr., 19, Alexandria – second degree murder, producing manufacturing distributing marijuana, illegal use of weapons/instrumentalities, paraphernalia, $1.1 million bail;

Clinton Joseph Tassin III, 31, Ball – domestic abuse battery, contempt of court, $3,000 bail;

Christopher Morley Tiner, 29, Jena – criminal conspiracy, two counts taking contraband to and from penal institutions, producing manufacturing distributing CDS, possession of fentanyl, $110,000 bail;

Michael Loyd Toney, 40, Leesville – Louisiana fugitive, no bail data;

Coby Aaron Whatley, 24, Pineville – criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy, four counts aggravated obstruction of highway, aggravated second degree battery, two counts resisting an officer, flight from an officer, speeding, no license plate light, reckless operation of a vehicle, driving under suspension, switch MVI, contributing to delinquency of juveniles, child desertion, $152,400 bail;

Thawri Sameer Zeidan, 22, Alexandria – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, possession of firearm by convicted felon, illegal carry firearm with drugs, probation violation, $55,500 bail.

Aug. 21

John Earl Batiste, 45, Alexandria – possession of CDS, no bail data;

Frederick Beverly, 45, Alexandria – producing manufacturing, distributing CDS, driving under suspension, seatbelt violation, three counts contempt of court, $103,200 bail;

Tyrin Drakel Boyd, 33, Alexandria – possession of marijuana, Louisiana fugitive, use of CDS in presence of minor, expired MVI sticker, no child restraint system, safety belt violation, $6,300 bail;

David Anthony Bush, 27, Lafayette – producing manufacturing distributing CDS, paraphernalia, no signals, signal lamps, $25,700 bail;

Anthony Wayne Chew, 53, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery strangulation, $5,000 bail;

Alvin Ray Giddings, 56, Deville – two counts first degree rape, resisting an officer, Louisiana fugitive, $1.1 million bail;

Kim Michelle Gray, 37, Pineville – contempt of court, $50,000 bail;

Larry Dale Hadley, 68, Alexandria – possession of CDS, drug paraphernalia, contempt of court, $28,000 bail;

Chad David Hagan, 53, Deville – two counts contempt of court, $20,000 bail;

Benjamin Kenifer Hayes, 34, Alexandria – two counts possession of CDS, paraphernalia, criminal trespass, resisting an officer, $5,500 bail;

Reginald Demon Jackson, 40, Alexandria – resisting an officer, three counts contempt of court, $60,500 bail;

Wayne Kerry, 32, Alexandria – theft of a motor vehicle, $25,000 bail;

Adrion Lamar Logan, 43, Woodworth – possession of drug paraphernalia, remaining after being forbidden, five counts contempt of court, $76,500 bail;

Rkeizmond Miles, 21, Alexandria – aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse battery with child present, stalking, home invasion, contempt of court, $108,500 bail;

Leah Deann Noland, 29, Pollock – second degree battery, $1,500 bail;

Matthew C. Pomes II, 27, Ball – three counts contempt of court, $75,000 bail;

Kayla Tajae Proshee, 26, Baton Rouge – simple burglary, simple battery, trespassing, $11,000 bail;

Justin William Riggs, 42, Ball – domestic abuse battery, $5,000 bail;

Lester Herman Trussell, 67, Alexandria – possession of CDS, five counts contempt of court, probation violation, $22,500 bail;

Scott Anthony Vanlangedonck, 54, Alexandria – theft, contempt of court, $6,000 bail;

Alvin Dreshon Vaughn, 39, Alexandria – three counts contempt of court, $52,500 bail.

Aug. 20

Elizabeth Louise Denser, 55, Pineville – windshield required, driving under suspension, canceled plate violation, switch MVI, no insurance, switched license plate, five counts contempt of court, $9,600 bail;

Erin Finley, 25, N/A – simple burglary, criminal damage to property, criminal trespass, distributing the peace, theft, $12,000 bail;

Brandon R. Jacobs, 38, Marksville – theft of a motor vehicle, $5,000 bail;

Nicklette Reshawn Peace, 31, Alexandria – 14 counts of theft, $7,000 bail;

Cody Shane Truax, 37, Alexandria – burglary of an inhabited dwelling, $25,000 bail.

The Robertson Branch of Rapides Parish Libraries will host a fall photo shoot for pets on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Come take fall photos at the Library! Well-behaved pets (and humans) are welcome. Participants will receive an emailed link to a personal DropBox containing all their photos. 

Contact 318-640-3098 for more information.

The Rapides Parish School Board invites families to come connect with local organizations geared to offer support and guidance for families with exception students on Saturday, Aug. 30, 10am to 1pm, at the Alexandria Convention Center. 

Bring questions and discover programs attendees might not know exist right in the community. 

For more information, contact 318-442-5731 or heather.dauzat@rpsb.us.