The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help after an armed home invasion was reported Friday afternoon in the 1800 block of Henry Avenue, just off North Bolton (LA 1 North).

At approximately 2:20 p.m. on November 21, 2025, patrol deputies responded to what was initially reported as a burglary in progress. When they arrived, deputies spoke with the victim, who said a Black male—dressed in all black, wearing white shoes and a pink face mask—entered the residence armed with a firearm. The suspect allegedly threatened a resident inside the home and stole several items, including another firearm.

According to witnesses, the suspect left the residence and got into a black, newer-model Honda Accord parked along the roadway. The vehicle was last seen heading toward North Bolton Avenue. Witnesses also reported that 2–3 additional individuals may have been inside the vehicle at the time of the incident.

Deputies recovered an image of both the suspect and the suspect vehicle. The vehicle’s license plate appears to end in either “JED” or “JEO.”

Sheriff’s Detectives and the Crime Scene Unit processed the scene and continue to investigate.

Anyone with information about the suspect, additional occupants, or the vehicle involved is urged to contact the RPSO Main Office at 318-473-6700 or Crime Stoppers at 318-443-7867. All tips may remain confidential.

The Rapides Parish School Board, in collaboration with the Governor’s Office and Walmart, provided Thanksgiving meals to 600 local families today at the Rapides Parish Coliseum. The effort brought together state leaders, corporate partners, and community volunteers to ensure families in need could enjoy a full holiday meal.

Multiple Walmart locations across Louisiana contributed resources, while the Alexandria Fire Department supported logistics. JROTC cadets from Alexandria Senior High, Bolton Academy, and Peabody Magnet High School assisted with distribution. Pineville High School’s football team also helped by loading turkeys into a freezer truck ahead of the event.

“This is what happens when government, business, and community work together,” Superintendent Jeff Powell said. “Because of these partnerships, hundreds of families will enjoy a full Thanksgiving meal.”

RPSB thanks the Governor’s Office, Walmart and its Louisiana employees, the Alexandria Fire and Police Departments, RLC Trucking, Petron, Rental Gallery, area JROTC programs, and all volunteers whose efforts made the event possible.

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It’s nothing new – law enforcement and media don’t naturally mix. 

Like combining oil and water an emulsifier is necessary to overcome natural barriers.

Alexandria’s police chief is in a snit over what he labels incorrect and/or misleading information posted by one of a wave of digital media organizations.

The organization in turn stands by its efforts to inform its followers and the accuracy of those reports.

Rules, whatever they are, of police reporting have changed. Incidents and activities are posted as soon as they are detected, with or without details, story (maybe) to come. 

While officers are scrambling to find out what may have happened where, social media sites are broadcasting from the scene, or thereabouts.

Being first (nothing new in the news game) with the post seems to be a tenet of the coverage, with or without much information.

As long as there is no public safety issue the coverage is little more than an irritant to one side and an adrenaline rush for the other.

What happens next is where the immiscible nature of the parties becomes an issue.

“Instant” news sites want information now, ASAP, and view delay as a runaround. Their followers are onboard.

Police want, or need, time to sort out what has happened, what can be or must be told.

Not being privy to how the different agencies handle media or how different media handle the agencies, an old-fashioned suggestion:

Each agency needs a designated go-to officer whose day includes a fixed access time for media inquiry and who has authority to provide or get case/incident information. That officer is also first contact on breaking news; Media sources should read the public record daily, online or at the department involved, culling from it anything it wants to ask about.

A commitment is required from both the oil and the water; each having to devote precious man hours to do what both say they are after — keeping the public informed.

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — The Preamble to the Constitution of the State of Louisiana states, “We, the people of Louisiana,…desiring to protect individual rights to life, liberty, and property;…do ordain and establish this constitution. Article 1, Declaration of Rights, declares the origin and purpose of Government by stating, “All government, of right, originates with the people, is founded on their will alone, and is instituted to protect the rights of the individual and for the good of the whole.  Its only legitimate ends are to secure justice for all, preserve peace, protect the rights, and promote the happiness and general welfare of the people. The rights enumerated in this Article are inalienable by the state and shall be preserved inviolate by the state. “ 

The LA Constitution is the will of the people and therefore the foundation of authority for the Louisiana Government. This constitution both grants power and restricts power. It’s ultimate aim in granting and restricting power is to form a government which the principle purpose, “only legitimate ends” is to protect the rights of men, of these rights, the most basic are Life, Liberty and Property. Any action taken by any branch of our government which violates our Constitution and abridges these rights must be challenged and declared unlawful.

Beginning in 2020, the Louisiana Legislature passed a series of special laws granting special privileges to private companies engaged in the carbon capture and sequestration industry. Through these special laws, the Legislature stripped Louisiana citizens of their Constitutional protections against expropriation of private property by non-utility service providing private companies for private gain. In these special laws, the Legislature granted the power of eminent domain to private companies in violation of Constitutional guarantees and protections, in particular, the right to Property. It is our firm position that these special laws are in violation of the LA Constitution, specifically Article 1, Sections 1, 2, and 4, Article 3, Sec 12 as well as additional sections. 

Today, our organization, Save My Louisiana, a citizen organization dedicated to safeguarding the fundamental rights and public safety of the citizens of Louisiana has exercised our right to petition our government for corrective action of what we believe to be unconstitutional law. We are petitioning the Judicial Branch to review these laws and establish that they are indeed in violation of the Constitution of Louisiana and that they be struck from the law thereby restoring Louisianaian’s fundamental Right to Property. 

Prior to filing this petition today, our organization petitioned members of the Legislature and the Governor to correct this egregious and overt trampling of Constitutional guarantees and protections. As the fact of our standing here today testifies, neither Legislators nor the Governor have taken acceptable corrective action in response to our concerns. 

Legislators have offered excuses for this massive failure stating that they either didn’t read or understand the bills that created this situation yet still they voted for them. It was not until this organization and others like it discovered this treachery of negligence that Legislators began “working” to correct the situation. Although Legislators seek full forgiveness for their negligence, they have only offered anemic half-measures to correct their whole measure offense. Their actions seem more like threading a needle to placate citizens with a false sense of security while protecting the carbon capture and sequestration industry’s “right” to exercise eminent domain. They also continue to deceive citizens that no eminent domain danger exists. The problem with their statements is that RS 19, Sec 2, paragraph 10 and 11 and RS 30:1108, A(1) states “Any storage operator is hereby authorized…to exercise the power of eminent domain and expropriate needed property to acquire surface and subsurface rights and property interests necessary…”. The authorization to utilize the power of eminent domain for the carbon capture and sequestration industry is still in full force. 

The Governor’s response to our petition was to issue an executive order, which, in part cited a “Landowner Bill of Rights for Geological Sequestration Projects” as created by the same laws the Legislature neglectfully passed. The problem with this approach is that Louisiana citizens already have Constitutional guarantees to property which are far more restrictive. New laws can make the taking of property more restrictive but in no case less restrictive than the Constitution.

So here we are today, having been woefully disappointed by both the legislative and executive branches, we are now petitioning our remaining branch of government for redress of our grievance. These special laws created by the Legislature exceeding it’s authorized powers and ignored by the Governor are unconstitutional and this petition before the court will prove that fact to be the case. 

Rapides Parish School Board announced a significant rise in district performance this week, reporting its highest score since the state’s current accountability system was put in place. The district’s overall performance score increased from 83 to 85.1, maintaining its status as a B-rated district.

According to district data, 71 percent of Rapides Parish schools increased their performance scores this year. Eight campuses improved by a full letter grade, while 25 schools were designated as “Top Gains” by the Louisiana Department of Education. Another seven schools earned recognition as “Opportunity Honorees.”

One of the most notable areas of progress was in the number of teachers rated “Highly Effective” under the state’s Value-Added Model. The district reported a jump from 60 to 173 in that category over the past year.

District officials said the gains reflect the ongoing commitment of educators, staff and families across Rapides Parish. Superintendent Jeff Powell noted during the district’s press conference that daily work in classrooms continues to drive student success.

The announcement was made during a luncheon hosted at Tioga Junior High School. The district also expressed appreciation to A+PEL for providing lunch for administrators and district leaders as part of the celebration.

Construction is well underway on the new Olive Garden restaurant in Alexandria, marking a major step toward bringing the popular national chain to the city’s dining lineup.

Crews are working daily on the MacArthur Drive property as progress continues on the restaurant, which is set to open on January 12, 2026. The site has become a busy construction zone as workers prepare the building that will become Olive Garden’s first location in Central Louisiana.

Additional updates are expected as the project moves closer to completion.

Three Rapides Parish high school football teams kick off tonight in the second round of the LHSAA playoffs, with ASH and Tioga hosting lower-seeded opponents from the powerful Catholic League In New Orleans.

The local playoff slate:

SELECT

Division I

No. 12 Brother Martin (7-4) at No. 5 ASH (8-2)

No. 11 Rummel (7-4) at No. 6 Tioga (8-2)

Division III

No. 13 Menard (7-4) at No. 4 Newman (6-2)

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Forgive Jacobian Guillory if he got a head start on LSU’s Senior Night ceremony.

“I started crying a little bit,” Guillory said of his wet eyes in the final seconds of last Saturday’s 23-22 victory over Arkansas.

The former Alexandria Senior High star will certainly unleash a torrent of tears of gratitude in Saturday’s pregame ceremony honoring 28 seniors before LSU’s final home game of the season vs. Western Kentucky at 6:45 p.m.

After six seasons – he’s a Class of 2020 signee who inked an LSU scholarship four days after Joe Burrow became the Tigers’ second Heisman Trophy winner in December 2019 – Guillory runs through the Tiger Stadium goalposts for the final time.

He came to LSU as a somewhat doughy 344-pound nose tackle who plugged high school offenses because he was immovable. He’ll leave the Tigers as a 318-pound defensive tackle athletic enough to leap over Arkansas’ defensive line and stop Hogs’ quarterback Taylen Green for no gain on fourth and goal at the LSU 1.

While at LSU, Guillory has played under two head coaches, two interim coaches, four defensive coordinators, and seven defensive line coaches.

“Whatever life throws at you, you’ve got to be able to stand your ground, be where your feet are and just excel,” Guillory said. “I feel like, regardless of who my position coach is and who my head coach is, at the end of the day, I know why I’m here at LSU.”

He came to the Tigers’ program and stayed loyal, never wanting to transfer, because he never wanted to play for any other school.

“A lot of kids transferred after not playing the first couple of years,” Guillory said. “I just decided to stick it through. From a young age, LSU is where I want to be. And I was always grateful for the opportunity. LSU was the first one to believe in me, to offer me a scholarship.”

Guillory reminds himself of that every home game when he’s the first Tiger on the field in uniform and ready to go before pregame warmups.

“When I walk on the field, that’s just me, like being thankful to put on that purple and gold, like,” Guillory said. “A lot of guys where I’m from don’t get that chance.”

It certainly hasn’t been easy for Guillory, who has played in 51 games with 15 career starts, including all 10 this season. His stats aren’t gaudy with 68 career tackles, including six tackles for losses and two sacks.

He has always understood his role, doing dirty work, the hand-to-hand combat with an offensive lineman or two, so teammates could be free to make tackles.

During his LSU career, the Tigers have signed 17 defensive tackles (8 high school, 8 transfer portal, 1 junior college transfer).

Yet, he never wavered.

“Why go somewhere and stop trying to start somewhere else, or do something somewhere else?” Guillory said. “I feel like there was always a reason I was here at LSU. I just feel like I belong here, and I feel like I’ve proved that. It shows it’s a testament to all the hard work I put in.”

Especially last season, when he could have called it a career after tearing his Achilles in the second game of the year against Nicholls. It came on the heels of his best pre-season camp.

“He was our energy guy,” LSU linebacker West Weeks said of Guillory. “When we lost him, it was a huge blow not just for the D-line but also the whole team.”

But Guillory wasn’t about to pack it in. He’s not built that way.

“I wanted to finish what I started,” he said.

So, he had to relearn how to walk, then jog and finally run. He made it back to the field late in spring practice.

Maybe Guillory’s LSU career hasn’t gone as planned. It’s certainly lasted longer than he anticipated.

And while he hasn’t played on championship teams, he has a laundry list of memories about teammates who will be friends the rest of his life.

He’s also had his moments this season, such as stopping Green last week (“I just knew it was about to happen and I just jumped over the whole line,” Guillory said).

Or the Florida game when Guillory was illegally held by Gators’ offensive guard Knjeah Harris, who was flagged for an offensive holding penalty that nullified an 87-yard TD pass.

As the Gators’ Jadan Baugh was racing to the end zone with the Florida fans going crazy, Guillory saw the penalty flag and began waving for everybody to return to the line of scrimmage.

“I saw a picture of it,” Guillory said. “It’s just the flag and me. I was like, `Man, I really called a touchdown back.’

“I’m just grateful for everything I’ve done in Tiger Stadium.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

The Pineville Police Department welcomed its two newest team members, Officer Fruge and Officer Gorham, who recently graduated from the 97th Session of the Alexandria Regional Police Academy. Law enforcement is a calling that not many are willing to answer these days, and the PPD is proud that these two have chosen to serve and protect the Pineville community. 

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited a subject for alleged fishing violations on Nov. 13 in Rapides Parish.

Agents cited Jerald Tyler, 57, of Clifton, for possessing over the limit of crappie and fishing without a basic fishing license.

Agents received a complaint about a subject taking over the legal limit of crappie from Kincaid Lake. Agents responded to the scene and found Tyler fishing from the bank of Kincaid Lake.

Agents made contact with Tyler and found him in possession of 102 crappie without a basic fishing license. The legal limit for crappie for this lake is 50 crappie per day per licensed fisherman.

Agents seized the crappie and donated them to a local charity.

Taking over the limit of crappie brings up to a $350 fine. Fishing without a basic fishing license brings up to a $50 fine.

Tyler will also be assessed with civil restitution totaling $612 for the illegally taken crappie.

Agents involved in this case are Lt. Chad Watts and Senior Agent Dustin Barton.

Funeral services for Mr. Charles Adrian Coleman will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Big Creek Baptist Church, Pollock, with Reverend David Guillot officiating. Interment will follow in Big Creek Cemetery, Pollock, under the direction of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville.

Mr. Coleman, 84, of Pollock, entered eternal rest on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Northwest LA War Veterans Home, Bossier City, LA.

He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather whose love for his family was evident in all he did. A proud veteran of both the United States Navy and the United States Air Force, he served his country with honor. Over the years he worked as a dedicated truck driver and skilled mechanic. He found joy in playing the guitar and singing, and he loved motorcycles and firearms. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda Ray Coleman; one son, Kelvin Coleman; his parents, Charles and Donnie Coleman; and one sister, Ruby Bynog.

Those left to mourn his loss and cherish his memory include one son, Charlie Coleman (Julie) of Pollock; one daughter, Michelle Nicholson (John) of Elm Grove; five grandsons, Steven Bailey, Austin Wingerd, Brandon Coleman, Dustin Coleman, and Justin Coleman; three granddaughters, Sharley Barrow (Andrew), Shelby Bryan (Stephen), and Ashley Legg (Trevor); and thirteen great grandchildren.

A time of visitation will be held at Big Creek Baptist Church, Pollock, on Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. until time of service.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are: Steven Bailey, Peyton Bailey, Jayden Meadows, Andrew Barrow, Stephen Bryan, and Wesley Coleman. Honorary pallbearers will be Chandler Barrow, Coonie Coleman, Dennis Alston, Tim Montgomery, and Justin Meredith

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Anita Foster for her friendship and kindness.

December 31, 1962 – November 17, 2025

Funeral services celebrating the life of Scott Curry will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday, November 21, 2025 at New Hope Baptist Church, Calcasieu, La., with the Rev. Gordon Horton officiating. Interment will follow in New Hope Cemetery.

Visitation will begin at 11:00 AM until time of services in the church.

Mr. Curry, age 62 of Pineville, entered eternal rest on Monday, November 17, 2025 in his residence.

Scott was a graduate of Pineville High School. He was a retired warehouse manager for Schwanns in Alexandria. In his leisure he loved planting vegetable gardens, doing yard work, playing poker on his computer and fishing.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Linda Curry and two brothers, Steven Curry and Bruce Curry.

Scott is survived by his two daughters, Megan Curry (Katlyn) and Emily Curry (Dakota) both of Harvest, Alabama, his son, Johnathan Curry (Jessica) of Pineville, two brothers, Stuart Curry (Susan) of Pineville and Todd Curry (Teresa) of Deville. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Aiden Curry, Deklin Curry and Ariana Curry and his former wife, Donna Bass of Harvest, Alabama.

Pallbearers honored to serve will be; Johnathan Curry, Megan Curry, Stuart Curry, Bradley Brooks, Cody Frazier, T.J. Curry, Louis Smith and Jason Brooks.

Irish Blessing:

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, And rains fall soft upon your fields, And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

Arrangements have been placed in the care of Fall Creek Funeral Home, Pineville, Robbie Dauzat, Director.

Phonetic: /ˈsesəl,ˈseˌsīl/
Part of Speech: adjective

Definition

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

A social media post praising the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office inmate work program gained attention this week after a local resident publicly commended Sheriff Mark Wood and the individuals participating in roadside cleanup efforts.

The resident expressed strong support for offender work programs that hold individuals accountable while contributing meaningful work to the community. The discussion drew a response from the Sheriff’s Office, which shared updated statistics on the progress of its road crews.

According to the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, the RPSO Road Crew collected 63,670 pounds of trash on parish roadways and 116,010 pounds of trash on state highways during the first six months of 2025. The effort covered more than 1,500 miles across Rapides Parish.

Sheriff’s officials said the inmate crews work hard to combat litter, but the problem remains persistent without cooperation from the public. Residents are urged not to discard garbage from vehicles and to properly secure loads when transporting waste. Deputies throughout the parish issue citations when violations are observed or when discarded items can be traced back to their owners.

“It’s a dirty job but somebody has to do it,” the Sheriff’s Office said in its statement, thanking the community member for recognizing the program’s work and reminding drivers to “think about it and DON’T LITTER.”

The Woodworth and Bodcau shooting ranges will be closed Nov. 27 and Nov. 28 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced. Both ranges will be back open Nov. 29-30 with normal hours.

The Woodworth shooting range is located at 661 Robinson Bridge Road in Woodworth. The Bodcau shooting range is located at 168 Ben Durden Road in Benton.

Information on all LDWF shooting ranges can be found https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/shooting-ranges.

By RICHARD THIBERVILLE JR., LCU Sports Information Director

For the second straight week, Louisiana Christian University football freshman safety Kylon Polk’s four interception, one touchdown performance earned him the NAIA National Defensive Player of the Week honor.
 
Polk, a freshman safety from Loreauville, picked off all three quarterbacks that then-11^th ranked Ottawa used during last Saturday’s 48-13 SAC Championship-clinching win over the Spirit. That included returning the last one 58 yards for a touchdown as Louisiana Christian pulled away late in the third and into the fourth quarters. He also had nine tackles in the win over OUAZ, the second-most for him during his collegiate debut season.
 
That performance was a week removed from another four interception, one touchdown game at home against Arkansas Baptist which set a new SAC record for interceptions in a single game, a record he just matched. That performance also earned him SAC and NAIA National Defensive Player of the Week awards.
 
Polk’s eight-interception outburst the last two weeks has vaulted him to 11 picks on the season, more than any player throughout all of the NAIA, NCAA Division I FBS, Division I FCS, Division II, and Division III.
 
This is the second national weekly award won by a Wildcat in LCU’s new NAIA era.
 
Louisiana Christian wrapped up its season at 8-3 overall, 7-1 in the SAC and one of three teams to win a share of the SAC championship with OUAZ and Texas Wesleyan.

This is the second SAC title since LCU joined the conference for the fall 2021 season, along with the one won in the 2023 season.

The Pineville Police Department joined students and agencies from across the region this week for the annual Students Exploring Career Opportunities (SECO) event at the Alexandria Riverfront Center.

The two-day expo introduces middle and high school students to a broad range of career paths through hands-on demonstrations, displays, and direct interaction with professionals in various fields.

Pineville officers met with students throughout the event, answering questions and offering an inside look at careers in law enforcement. Department representatives shared information about public service, training, and the responsibilities that come with wearing the uniform.

According to the department, participating in SECO allows officers to engage with young people, highlight pathways into law enforcement, and emphasize the values of integrity and respect that guide their work.

The event continues to serve as a key opportunity for students to explore interests, learn about community roles, and consider future career options.