In early June of 2026, the Rapides Parish Sherriff’s Office received a complaint regarding allegations of criminal sexual conduct involving a juvenile.  Detectives with the Criminal Investigation Division immediately began their investigation into the complaint.

During their investigation, Detectives were able to establish sufficient evidence that supported the original allegations and a suspect was identified as Keith Ryan Moss, 29 of Pineville, LA.  

From their investigation, Detectives were able to established probable cause to obtain warrants on Moss for two counts carnal knowledge of a juvenile and one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile.  On June 26, 2026, after a brief foot pursuit, Moss was taken into custody without incident by a Patrol Sgt. assigned to the Resident Deputy Program and booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center on the active warrants.  Moss remains in jail at the time of this release being held on a $250,000.00 bond.

Detectives say their investigation is still ongoing and have reason to believe there may be other victims.  Anyone with any information regarding this investigation are asked to  contact Detective John T. DeVille, Criminal Investigation Division-Kolin Substation at 318-484-7350, Main Office at 318-473-6700 or Crime Stoppers at 318-443-7867.

“ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW OR ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION.”

Arrestee: Keith Ryan Moss, 29

126 Prairieview, Pineville, LA

Charges: two counts carnal knowledge of a juvenile

one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile

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The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating after human remains were discovered Monday afternoon in the Cotile community.

According to the sheriff’s office, dispatchers were notified on June 29 at approximately 4:15 p.m. that a body had been found near a gravel pit off St. Clair Road near Kendall Lane.

Deputies responded to the location and discovered the remains of a deceased white male.

Sheriff’s detectives and members of the Crime Scene Unit responded to process the scene and begin an investigation. Once investigators complete their work, the remains will be turned over to the Rapides Parish Coroner’s Office.

Authorities said the investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-473-6700 or Crime Stoppers at 318-443-7867.

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Alexandria council to receive transit funding request

By JIM BUTLER

The Alexandria City Council at its meeting this evening will introduce an ordinance accepting federal funding assistance for the municipal transit system.

The system provides public transportation along eight routes Monday-Saturday, 6 a.m.-7 p.m., as well as elderly/handicapped van service. Additionally, four routes operate 6 p.m.-10 p.m.

This fiscal year’s total revenue-expense budget is estimated at $3.79 million, including $235,000 in passenger charges. Standard fare is 75 cents, with lower fees for some riders.

Public transit nationwide is a largely subsidized government service.

The ordinance being introduced this evening will authorize accepting $1.2 million in operating assistance dollars from the Federal Transit Administration, through the state Department of Transportation, with a $1.2 million local match.

There is also $188,640 in grant funding for an Automatic Passenger Count system, with $47,160 additional from the city.

According to the paperwork accompanying the ordinance, introduction of the APC technology will assist in gathering improved ridership data and service planning.

Effective route planning and operational efficiency are vital components of transit system management.

According to the current budget, ATRANS has 43 employee slots, including 19 fulltime and 10 part- time operators.

Buses do not operate on Sundays or most declared holidays.

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Late in his life, my father refused to comb his hair after he got out of bed in the morning. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do it, he just didn’t want to, even though it was a mess and ascending the back of his head like a volcano. At that stage of his life, he didn’t care how he looked. He was tired, and it showed.

I share this because my beloved adopted city of Alexandria, where I have lived for nearly 50 years, is looking tired. I wasn’t thinking this until a friend who also loves Alexandria opened my eyes last week to how much evidence there is for this. He even invited me to ride around parts of the city with him.

“We have one chance to make a good first impression on people who are visiting Alexandria or maybe just driving through the city,” he said, “and I think we’re failing, and I don’t like that. I think we can do better.”

We drove some of the well-traveled roads of the city – Jackson Street from Masonic to the Horseshoe Drive roundabout was the first – and – oh, my – the things I have been overlooking or looking at but not seeing.

One sore spot after another.

The Vac Shack sign is torn and has been torn for quite some time.

The tall Emerald Plaza signboard is so faded at the top, it’s hard to make out the “Emerald” atop the sign, and one of the stepladder signs within the signboard is a bit torn and fading.

The canopy above a Cajun chicken place in the same shopping center is fractured and needs repair.

Another business’ roof extension is falling apart. The electronic message boards for both CVS and Walgreens weren’t working. Burger King is closed and its parking lot is now a parking lot for buses.

By the time we got to the roundabout, we counted 19 eyesores. Some were signboards with empty spaces. “There’s nothing happening here, what it is, ain’t exactly clear” could be the theme music by Buffalo Springfield.

Now, not to be entirely negative, the roundabout at the end of Jackson Extension is attractive and efficient, and the neighborhood ride from Horseshoe Drive to Masonic is lovely: it has a great Louisiana feel with big oaks, lawns nicely landscaped, ducks swimming and fountains flowing.

But then take a left on Masonic, and it’s not long before you’ll see the infamous run-down (but improved, believe it or not) Greenbrier Hotel, rusty pole out front; and there’s a carwash that needs a sign on the empty sign pole out front. Juxtaposed in this mostly business area are some houses that appear to be abandoned and have terminal cancer.

As we approach MacArthur Drive, we’ve already counted just over 30 eyesores.

We drove down southward on MacArthur Drive and a lot I could report is rinse and repeat. We flipped around after a while to drive to the other side of MacArthur heading north, crossing Jackson Street. The P in the sign above the Pecans shop looks like a capital T with no left wing.

Then we drove down Coliseum Boulevard to Vandenburg Drive. When we finished, we had close to 60 sore spots.

Yet, to be fair, Coliseum Boulevard to Vandenburg Drive showed itself well, and Vandenburg Drive leads to Alexandria International Airport, a classy, welcoming first-impression for people flying into the city. That whole area, especially at night in December leading up to Christmas, is wonderful.

Another positive is that most areas were clean. Litter was not a problem.

I took an informal poll of some out-of-towners last Friday and asked them to rate Alexandria, 1 to 10, on a general, first-impression basis. I got a 5, another 5 and an 8. OK, you might say, that averages out to a 6. And you might shrug and think, “That’s good enough.”

Come on, really? Do you think Joseph A. Bentley, the lumber and banking mogul who built the iconic Hotel Bentley, was satisfied with “good enough?’ How about Arna Bontemps, the famous poet, novelist and librarian from Alexandria? He wasn’t satisfied with being “good enough.” Juan Pierre, the Alexandria native who went on to base-stealing fame in Major League Baseball, wasn’t satisfied with “good enough,” Newly minted Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Warren Morris of Alexandria, owner of the College World Series’ most-famous winning homer from LSU, has never been satisfied with “good enough.”

The guy who gave Alexandria an 8 had a telling answer: “I give Alexandria an 8 because I love the people. Everyone is so friendly and ready to help. You don’t get that at a lot of cities. It’s the people that matter, regardless of what it looks like.”

Regardless of what it looks like. He said that without my saying anything to him about the city’s appearance.

It can look better. It should look better. We are friendly and ready to help, but we’ve gotten too lazy and too tolerant about this.

We’re going to do something about it. The Central Louisiana Community Foundation, recognizing the need for an improved look around town, is inviting the community to help bring new life to Alexandria through “Signs of New Life: Let’s Refresh Alexandria.”

“Thank to the generosity of a local donor,” CLCF president and CEO Emily McGruder said in a statement, “we’re encouraging residents, businesses, nonprofits, churches and civic groups to refresh faded, damaged, or outdated signs that make our community look tired. Every fresh coat of paint, repaired letter or updated sign helps create a more welcoming and vibrant Alexandria.”

This is a competition, too, with the first prize being $5,000, $2,500 for second and $1,000 for third. A committee will decide the winners at the end of September.

To participate, you do four things:

Refresh, restore or take down an existing “tired” or fading sign in Alexandria;

Take a before photo before you begin. Priority will be given to major entry points into Alexandria to include Jackson Street, MacArthur Drive, Masonic/165 South;

Take an after photo once the project is complete. We encourage a refresh of the exterior with a power wash, fresh paint/striping of parking lots if needed, etc.;

Email both photos to cenlacf@clcf.net with your name, the sign’s location and a brief description of the project.

Don’t procrastinate or delay. You’ve got 90 days.

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Dr. Marcia Hardy, dean of the Ray and Dorothy Young School of Business, has been inducted as the international president of Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars for 2026-27.

The installation, which occurred during the organization’s 40^th anniversary international conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, earlier this month, marked a historic milestone for both Phi Beta Delta and Louisiana Christian University, as Hardy assumed leadership of one of the world’s premier honor societies dedicated to recognizing and promoting international education, global scholarship and cross-cultural understanding.

During the ceremony, Hardy was presented with the presidential gavel, pin, chain of office and medallion, symbolizing her commitment to advancing the society’s international mission.

“It is an extraordinary honor to serve as international president of Phi Beta Delta during this landmark anniversary year,” Hardy said. “I am grateful for the trust placed in me by our international membership and look forward to working alongside our dedicated Board of Directors, chapter leaders, and members to strengthen global partnerships, expand opportunities for international engagement, and advance our mission of promoting international understanding.”

Founded in 1986, Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars has 209 chapters worldwide and serves students, faculty and professionals who demonstrate excellence and achievement in international education and global engagement. The society’s 40th Anniversary Conference celebrated four decades of fostering international collaboration, academic excellence, and cultural exchange among institutions and members worldwide.

Phi Beta Delta was the first honor society dedicated to recognizing scholarly achievement in international education. The society promotes international understanding through academic excellence, global collaboration, and cultural exchange among students, faculty, and professionals worldwide.

As dean of the LCU School of Business, Hardy has demonstrated exceptional leadership in higher education, championing innovative programs, student success, international partnerships and academic excellence. Her election and induction as international president reflect her longstanding commitment to global education and international scholarship.

“Louisiana Christian University congratulates Dr. Hardy on this distinguished achievement and celebrates her continued leadership on the international stage,” said President Dr. Mark Johnson. “Her presidency represents a significant honor for the university and underscores LCU’s commitment to preparing students for leadership in an increasingly interconnected world.”

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Rapides Parish Fire District 18 has earned an improved Class 4 fire protection rating following its recent evaluation by the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana (PIAL).

The district announced the upgraded classification after completing the PIAL review process, which evaluates fire departments across Louisiana based on factors including equipment, staffing, training, communications, water supply and emergency response capabilities.

PIAL assigns fire protection ratings on a scale of 1 to 10, with Class 1 representing the highest level of fire protection and Class 10 the lowest. The ratings are used by insurance companies when determining property insurance premiums for homes and businesses.

Officials with Fire District 18 said the improved Class 4 rating reflects the department’s continued efforts to strengthen fire protection services for the community.

In addition to recognizing operational improvements, the upgraded classification could result in lower property insurance premiums for some residents and businesses served by the district, depending on their insurance provider and individual policy.

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Proud LSU contingent provides half of Hall of Fame’s 2026 induction class

By JASON PUGH, Written for the LSWA

NATCHITOCHES – Like most Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inductions recently, the Class of 2026 had plenty of LSU Tigers – half of the 12 people honored.

The foursome of competitors – basketball coach John Brady, women’s basketball great Sylvia Fowles, football All-American Todd McClure and baseball legend Warren Morris – all relished sharing stories of their days as Tigers. Two others inducted as contributors – Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award winner Kathy Holloway of Rapides Parish and journalist Gil LeBreton of New Orleans – earned degrees from LSU.

Brady had to rebuild a once-proud Tiger basketball program while following legendary coach Dale Brown.

Brady came to Baton Rouge from Samford University, a mid-major program in Birmingham, but the roots of his landing in Baton Rouge began decades earlier in Starkville, Mississippi, where Brady was a graduate assistant at Mississippi State.

“You go through life and you don’t know who you’ll meet and where they’ll show up later,” Brady said. “I went to Mississippi State as a GA and the other graduate assistant was Joe Dean Jr. We became great friends, and I’d go to Joe’s house and spend the weekend with the Dean family. (Future LSU athletic director Joe Dean Sr.) was the guy who helped get guys jobs, made calls for them. I had to be successful for the opportunity for Joe (Sr.) to hire me. The relationship I made with Joe Dean Jr. led me to knowing his father. Twenty years later, I’m the head coach at LSU. It’s funny how life works and the twists and turns along the way.”

Following a Louisiana legend like Brown was not an easy transition, but Brady did it his way, relying on his basketball mantra to mold an LSU team on probation into an SEC championship team.

“John had a saying, ‘Responsibility plus accountability equals success,’” said Brady assistant Kermit Davis, who eventually became a head coach at Middle Tennessee and Ole Miss.

That equation – and the signing of Shreveport prep standout Stromile Swift – ignited a turnaround on the court and helped Brady truly start building a program that dealt with the loss of six scholarships across a three-year period.

Despite the sanctions, the foundation was in place for the building that would crest with a magical 2005-06 season where a group of six players from within a 50-mile radius helped Brady take the Tigers to the Final Four – a joyride that included an upset of top-ranked Duke and came just months after Hurricane Katrina ransacked the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

“That team, the top six players were from within 50 miles of Baton Rouge,” said Brady, who led the Tigers to a pair of SEC championships and three NCAA Tournament berths, plus four more NIT appearances in 10 seasons. “They had grown up playing with each other or against each other, and they had a really special bond. Every one of them was touched by the tragedy of Katrina, and I think that brought them even closer together.”

A similarly close bond between siblings helped deliver a signature moment for the LSU women’s basketball team when it landed Fowles, a 6-foot-6 standout from Miami.

Brought to LSU by coach Sue Gunter, who promised nothing more than the opportunity to complete for playing time, Fowles teamed with fellow Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Seimone Augustus to usher in a tremendous stretch of Tigers women’s basketball – one that included four straight Final Four appearances.

“In my home visit, (Gunter) told me she wasn’t starting me as a freshman, that I had to earn it,” said Fowles via a Zoom call from Chicago where her Portland Fire were preparing for a WNBA game against the Chicago Sky. “That motivated me to be around her. I was signed, sealed and delivered after hearing her say you had to work for everything you want.”

Fowles, who is now an assistant coach with the Fire, averaged a double-double at LSU before a prolific WNBA career with the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx where she averaged 15.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in her career.

Four Olympic gold medals, two WNBA titles and a spot of the WNBA’s 25th Anniversary Team only buttress a resume that came in a sport Fowles once regarded as “dumb,” thanks in part to her three older brothers.

“Growing up with them, I was allowed to play defense only,” she said. “I didn’t learn the rules of the game until eighth grade. I didn’t there were two ends of the court playing simultaneously. It was that moment I realized I was getting cheated. I didn’t think the sport was dumb after that.”

Although her brothers failed to share the full extent of basketball with their younger sister, Fowles never missed an opportunity to help someone else.

“She’s the best center of all time in women’s basketball,” said former Minnesota teammate Lindsey Whalen. “She had a relentless will to rebound and to get to her spot on the block. She had great hands. Then there were times you’d look over and she’s helping put towels away or doing anything she could to help someone else.”

Growing up in Baton Rouge, McClure dreamed of playing for the Tigers – in more than one sport.

A three-sport star at Central High School, McClure went to nearby LSU with designs on playing both football and baseball, where he would have teamed with his brother, Trey, an All-American on the diamond.

Instead, it took his Tiger football coach Gerry DiNardo all of three games to nix any idea of a McClure brothers tandem at venerable Alex Box Stadium.

“I had played mostly tight end and defensive end in high school,” McClure said. “I didn’t know how quickly I could pick it up. My sports background allowed me to pick it up so quickly. It helped to have Alan Faneca, an NFL Hall of Famer, teaching me the ropes. Coach DiNardo told me I had a chance to make the NFL. For a freshman, for him to put those thoughts in my mind, meant a lot.”

After a standout career anchoring the Tiger offensive line and twice earning All-SEC honors along with All-America recognition as a senior, McClure was a seventh-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons.

There, the man fellow Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Kevin Faulk referred to as the second smartest player on that Tiger team and a true leader, McClure overcame a season-ending knee injury as a rookie to become even more than a foundation player for the Falcons.

“Todd was our rock of Gibraltar,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said. “He’s one of the greats in the history of the Atlanta Falcons franchise. He’s an exceptional human being and leader in the NFL.”

A member of the Falcons’ Ring of Honor, McClure spent all 14 of his NFL seasons with the Falcons, a rarity in the current professional sports landscape.

“He dedicated himself not only to the team, but to his family,” said his father, Leo McClure. “He was able to keep them in one city. Sorry, Saints fans, once he was a Falcon, he was always a Falcon.”

McClure cited the meaning behind the Ring of Honor as the culmination of what he hoped for as a player.

“It wasn’t about awards or accolades,” he said. “You want to earn the respect of your teammates and coaches and the people you played against. For your owner to come out and show you that type of respect is why I played the game and why I loved the game.”

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The Pineville Police Department has promoted Danny Paul to the rank of Deputy Chief, recognizing his 27 years of law enforcement service and leadership within the department.

Deputy Chief Paul began his law enforcement career in 1999 with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Department under the late Sheriff William Earl Hilton before joining the Pineville Police Department in 2001.

Over the course of his career, Paul has served in numerous assignments, including patrol officer and Field Training Officer. He was also selected as one of the original members of the Criminal Apprehension Patrol Services (CAPS) Unit, an initiative established by the late Chief Jay Barber to focus on violent offenders and narcotics investigations.

While serving in the CAPS Unit, Paul became a certified SWAT operator and later served as SWAT Commander. He continued to advance through the department, holding the ranks of Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, Patrol Executive Officer, Internal Affairs Investigator and Captain.

Most recently, Paul served as Commander of the Patrol Division after previously leading the Community Affairs Division. He has also represented the department on the Pineville Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board.

Department officials said Paul’s extensive operational experience and leadership throughout the organization have prepared him for his new role as Deputy Chief.

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The City of Pineville will hold an inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, July 1 to officially swear in Mayor Joe Bishop and members of the Pineville City Council as they begin their new terms of office.

The ceremony is scheduled for noon in the Pineville City Council Chambers at City Hall, located at 910 Main Street.

The public is invited to attend as city officials take the oath of office and mark the beginning of a new term of municipal leadership.

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For 20 years Cris had worked as a commercial fisherman and a dockworker.  On this particular cold March afternoon, Cris had some time on his hands.  He had just returned from working on a ship in the Bahamas and was waiting to catch another ship which would take him to yet another port city.  He never caught that ship.  While he waited, Cris walked over the frozen, snow-covered ground to King Street, the port city’s main hub of activity.  Cris carried a pound stick, a tool of his trade.  A pound stick was a large stick used to strike or pound a ship’s deck to summon crew to their stations and for setting the pacing for others while they were loading and unloading a ship’s cargo.  When not on duty, Cris and other sailors used their pound sticks as walking sticks.  

Shopkeepers on King Street recognized that something other than the comings and goings of regular commerce was happening in front of the government building nearby.  Shopkeeper Edward Payne stood in his entry doorway gazing at the large crowd trying to understand the situation.  Edward heard the voices of men and boys yelling at each other in the crowd.  Suddenly, chaos erupted.  The men and boys threw rocks, hard-packed snowballs, and anything else they could get their hands on at the nine guards protecting the government building.  Some of the sailors swung their pound sticks at the guards.  Whether Cris swung his stick has never been confirmed, but he was in the front when the guards opened fire.  The gunfire lasted for only a few seconds.  

Yells of anger turned into a mixture of moans of pain and shrieks of terror.  51-year-old Sam Gray, a rope maker, was shot in the head and died instantly.  17-year-old Sam Maverick, an apprentice, was shot in the stomach and died the following day.  49-year-old James Caldwell, a mate on a ship, was shot twice in the back and died in the street.  30-year-old Patrick Carr, leather worker, was shot in the hip and died nine days later.  Cris was shot twice in the chest and died instantly.

Others were injured but survived.  Shopkeeper Edward Payne’s arm was broken when he was struck by a shot as he stood in his shop’s doorway.  John Green, a tailor, was shot in his thigh.  Robert Patterson, a sailor, was shot through his right arm.  A youth named David Parker was shot in his thigh.  Two 17-year-old boys, Christopher Monk and John Clark, both apprentices on ships, were shot; Monk in the back and Clark in his abdomen.  All but Monk recovered from their wounds.  Monk’s wound was extremely severe, left him disabled, and led to his early death ten years later.  

Most citizens in Great Britain are unaware of this altercation, but the British government officially referred to it as the Incident on King Street.  Colonists initially called it the Bloody Massacre.  The world now refers to the Incident on King Street as the Boston Massacre.  

Sources:

1.     The Boston Gazette, March 12, 1770, p.1-3.

2.     “The bloody massacre perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Regt.,” Library of Congress, accessed June 28, 2027, https://www.loc.gov/item/2008661777/.

3.     “What was the Boston Massacre?” Boston Massacre Historical Society, accessed June 28, 2027, https://www.bostonmassacre.net/index.html.

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Memorial services for Cindy Eubanks Deville will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 from 5-6:30 pm at Pineville Christian Church in Pineville. With Pastor Jason Huffman officiating.

Visitation will be from 5-6:30 pm on June 30 under the direction of Magnolia Funeral Home in Alexandria.

Cindy Eubanks Deville, 63 of Pineville, passed away on June 25, 2026 at her home.

Those left to cherish her memory include : Joshua Deville (son) and his wife Emily Deville, Thomas Deville (son), Nila Zeagler (sister), Annette Paul (sister), Jim Eubanks (brother), Her grandchildren : Brennan Deville, Juicy Lee, Ayden Bryant, Gage Deville, Riley Deville and River Deville. As well as a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Cindy was preceded in death by Lawrence Eubanks (father), Eunice Stringer Eubanks (mother), Richard Eubanks (brother), Mary Eubanks (sister).

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to Pineville Christian Church 2000 Military Highway Pineville, LA 71360.

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In Loving Memory of Curtis Lemott

July 21, 1936 – June 18, 2026

With hearts filled with love and gratitude for a life well lived, we celebrate the life and legacy of Mr. Curtis Lemott, who peacefully departed this life at his home in Alexandria, Louisiana, on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at the age of 89 years, 10 months, and 28 days.

Curtis was born on July 21, 1936, in Pineville, Louisiana, to the late William Lemott, Sr. and Ivy Lee Williams Lemott. Raised with strong values of hard work, generosity, and family, Curtis became a man who earned the admiration and respect of everyone blessed to know him.

A dedicated and dependable worker, Curtis spent many years employed as a Print Operator at CLECO in the utilities industry. He believed in doing every job with excellence and integrity, and his strong work ethic was evident in every aspect of his life.

Curtis was a man who truly enjoyed life. He loved spending time at the casino, cheering on his favorite sports teams, and was a devoted New Orleans Saints fan. His passion for Grambling State University ran deep. Though not a graduate himself, he proudly supported his beloved wife throughout all four years of her college journey, faithfully driving her back and forth to campus. Because of his unwavering dedication and support, he was affectionately regarded as an Honorary Grambling Alumnus.

Football season was one of his favorite times of the year, and you could always find him tailgating, enjoying good food, fellowship, and laughter. He was often dressed in black and gold in support of his Saints, although blue remained his favorite color.

Curtis was also a proud and respected Mason, living a life marked by service, honor, and brotherhood.

Known by family, friends, and neighbors as “everyone’s PawPaw,” Curtis had a servant’s heart. If something needed repairing, he was the first person people called. Whether it was fixing something around the house, lending a helping hand, or simply offering wise advice, he was always there without hesitation. His generosity knew no bounds, and he never expected anything in return.

Nothing brought Curtis greater joy than being surrounded by his family. He especially loved cooking for those he loved, creating meals that brought everyone together around the table. His grandchildren held a special place in his heart, and he treasured every opportunity to spend time with them, share stories, offer guidance, and make lasting memories.

Curtis also possessed a wonderful sense of humor. He was a natural jokester, always ready with a funny story, playful remark, or witty comeback that could brighten anyone’s day. His laughter was contagious, and his ability to make others smile was one of his greatest gifts.

Although his earthly presence will be deeply missed, the legacy of kindness, generosity, faithfulness, laughter, and unconditional love that Curtis leaves behind will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

His memory will forever remind us that a life measured by love, service, and compassion is a life well lived.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Service Information

Family and friends are invited to gather for the services honoring Curtis on Saturday, July 11, 2026.

• Public Viewing & Visitation
  • Time: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
  • Location: The Citadel Church of God in Christ, 2111 Houston Street, Alexandria, LA 71301
• Graveside Service
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Location: Lonestar Benevolent Society Cemetery #6, 125 Havard Rd., Pineville, LA 71360

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Phonetic: /de·​noue·​ment/

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition

the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a novel, play, film, etc.
In the novel’s denouement, the two hostages escape to freedom.

It is an intentionally unsettling denouement, which is in keeping with the tone and purpose of the entire miniseries.
—David Wiegand

the outcome of a complex sequence of events
the competition’s exciting denouement

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Election concludes Pineville turnover

By JIM BUTLER

Saturday’s election of Mark Mertens means on Wednesday Pineville will have its first fully elected city government in about 20 months.

Oath-taking ceremonies are scheduled for 1 p.m. for Mayor Joe Bishop and council members Greg Aaron, District 1; Kevin Dorn, District 2; Hugh Halle, District 3; John Marcase, District 4; and Mertens,  District 5.

The turnover began in October 2024 with Bishop’s interim appointment as mayor and included two resignations with interim appointments and two retirements.

Transition has also occurred this month in the city’s departmental leadership.

James Rachal moved from Parks and Recreation superintendent to the same post in Public Works Administration, succeeding the retiring James Robertson.

In turn, Alfred Rachal moved into the Parks and Recreation top slot.

Rachal, prominent in local and state recreation activities for decades, was also appointed by the Police Jury this month to the Library Board of Control.

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The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is advising motorists of alternating lane closures at four intersections in Rapides Parish beginning Monday, June 29.

The closures will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, weather permitting, with one lane in each direction remaining open at all times.

The affected intersections are:

• Bolton Avenue at Jackson Street
• La. Highway 28 at Barron Chapel Road
• Broadway Avenue at Eddie Williams Avenue
• Third Street at Willow Glen River Road

The lane closures are necessary to allow crews to install new mast arms on signal pole foundations as part of the District 08 Flashing Yellow Arrow Upgrade Project.

Work at the intersections is expected to be completed by July 3, weather permitting.

No detours are associated with the project. Motorists are urged to use caution, expect delays and watch for workers and equipment in the construction zone.

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The Pineville Police Department has equipped its patrol officers with wearable cooling devices designed to help reduce heat stress during Louisiana’s summer temperatures.

Known as “CoolCop” units, the devices attach to a vehicle’s air conditioning vent and connect to an officer’s ballistic vest, directing cool air inside the uniform while officers are on patrol.

Police Chief Roy Fore said the initiative is aimed at improving officer comfort and helping personnel remain focused while working in extreme heat.

Department officials said the cooling devices are intended to reduce heat-related stress for officers who routinely wear body armor, duty belts and full uniforms during long shifts.

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First Baptist Church Pineville marked America’s 250th birthday during a special Sunday service celebrating the nation’s history while recognizing members of the military and honoring two leaders of the church’s Day School.

The service featured patriotic music, special guests, and a tribute recognizing each branch of the United States military. Church members gathered to give thanks for the freedoms enjoyed by Americans and to honor those who have served the nation.

During the service, the church also recognized Day School Director Adrienne Hetherwick for five years of leadership. Congregation members expressed appreciation for her service as she prepares to begin a new chapter.

First Baptist Church also welcomed Grace Hearn as the new Day School Director. Church leaders shared their excitement for Hearn’s future in the role and expressed confidence in her leadership as she begins serving the Day School community.

The celebration concluded with expressions of gratitude for God’s blessings and a patriotic observance of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

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Rapides inductees sparkle in Hall of Fame spotlight

By JASON PUGH, Written for the LSWA

NATCHITOCHES – “When you build a house, you don’t build it from the roof down. You build it from the foundation up.”

With that little bit of “ol’ country boy common sense,” Rapides Parish native Dewain Strother, one of the nation’s leaders in all-time high school girls basketball coaching victories, summed up what he and the rest of Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 espoused throughout Saturday night’s induction ceremonies inside the Natchitoches Events Center.

Strother was one of eight competitive-ballot inductees who were joined by a pair of Distinguished Service Awards in Journalism recipients, the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award honoree and just the third Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Ambassador Award electee in history who added their sterling resumes to the state’s shrine for its top athletes and sports journalists.

Strother’s remark regarding foundations was tied to the beginning of the Florien High School girls basketball team, which began play in the 1983-84 season with little fanfare and a grand total of four wins.

“That was about the time Title IX was hot for women’s sports,” Strother said. “They gave me the opportunity to start it. I knew I took on a big job, but I used some ol’ country boy common sense. There was a group in the eighth grade I was looking at, and I knew they could be a good team. We used some of the high schoolers to mold them. We won only four games that first year, and I thought, ‘I’m gonna get fired.’ The next year we were district champs.”

Strother knew about winning championships. He was a freshman guard on Plainview High School’s 1965 boys state champs.

The step-by-step building process Stother instituted in Sabine Parish reached its zenith with a 48-0 state championship season in 1990-91 – the first of Strother’s six state championships at Florien, a Class B program that he built into a juggernaut. One year after that title, Florien started five players who would eventually play Division I basketball.

The success meant it wasn’t just basketball-obsessed Sabine Parish that took notice.

“I recruited a lot of them,” former Northwestern State women’s basketball coach James Smith said. “The kids were coachable and very fundamental.”

And successful. In addition to building the house that was Florien Lady Black Cats basketball, Strother built something intangible.

“Being there for that long, you have a certain culture,” said St. Thomas More boys basketball coach Danny Broussard, himself a 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inductee. “Kids that come in don’t want to be the team that lets them down and fail. That tradition means a lot.”

Strother built a program that he led to 1,235 victories – the second most nationally among girls high school basketball coaches and by far tops in Louisiana.

Those who followed the Tioga Lady Indians when Kathy Holloway coached noted the team’s tough defense. That wasn’t modeled on how young Kathy Stewart played at now-defunct Poland High School.

Holloway, inducted Saturday night as the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award winner, established a long-standing Class C state tournament record by scoring 86 points across two games while at Poland.

A lifelong love of basketball led Holloway, a math major at LSU, to a career in high school sports, first as a head coach at Tioga then as the first female president of the Louisiana High School Coaches Association, achieved in 1986, and as the president of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 1992.

“Title IX was passed in 1972,” said Julie Wilkerson, one of four high school All-Americans Holloway coached at Tioga. “That energized someone like Mrs. Holloway.”

That energy may have indirectly led Holloway to her trailblazing positions within the coaches associations she eventually chaired.

“In those days, there was All-Star Week and on the Friday before the all-star games on Saturday, there was the final meeting of the coaches association to elect the president,” Holloway said. “One of the guys who was running asked me at the barbecue, ‘Will you vote for me (for president)?’ I said, ‘Yeah, if you’ll vote for me if I ever run.’ He said, ‘There ain’t ever gonna be a woman president of this association.’ That sealed it for me.”

Following her gilded administrative career, the NSCA in 2021 created the Kathy Holloway Women of Inspiration Award that honors a female “that has promoted female athletics by either coaching, serving, supporting or leading high school female athletic programs that focus on changing lives and inspiring women to strive for greatness.”

Holloway remains involved in the sport she loves, working closely with the Upward Basketball program at First Baptist Church in Pineville where her son, Stewart, is the pastor.

“She’s been involved the past 13 or 14 years,” he said. “It’s a fantastic way to use her skills to invest in another generation.

“Mom didn’t win a lot of state championships, but she’s been a champion in a lot of other ways.”

One swing propelled Warren Morris into college baseball immortality but a lifetime after it earned his place in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Morris, an Alexandria native who played at Bolton High School before heading to LSU, delivered perhaps the most iconic moment in College World Series history when he launched a first-pitch curveball from Miami closer Robbie Morrison over the right-field wall at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska, for the first, and still only, CWS-clinching, walk-off home run in history on June 8, 1996.

“Coach (Skip Bertman) used to tell us you can’t be afraid to fail,” Morris said. “Tim Lanier (who had struck out against Morrison the at-bat prior) looked at me and said three words, ‘Pick me up.’ As a team, those are the words you have to hear. No one’s always going to come through in the clutch or always be the guy. Someone else is there to pick you up. All I can do is the best I can do. I’m going to be aggressive. That’s why I hit the first pitch.”

Morris was honored with the Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award, joining national sports broadcaster Tim Brando and legendary Grambling baseball coach Wilbert Ellis as the only winners of that award. It recognizes remarkable impact as a sports representative of the state. Since his major league career ended, Morris has made countless appearances promoting LSU and college baseball and is immortalized with a statue in Omaha.  

“Warren embodies everything you want a citizen to be as far as work ethic, integrity and compassion,” legendary LSU baseball SID Bill Franques said.

Morris’ home run embodied what it meant to meet the moment.

While it ended on the highest of high notes, Morris’ 1996 season was interrupted by a hamate bone injury that limited him to 22 games – all of which resulted in LSU victories.

Morris enjoyed a nine-year professional baseball career following his LSU tenure. He finished third in the 1999 National League Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .288 with 15 home runs and 73 RBIs for Pittsburgh.

The son of a basketball coach, Morris collected baseball cards as a child. In his mind, all of those players hailed from major metropolitan areas. Today, Morris carries a few of his own cards when he speaks to children.

“No one from Alexandria at that time was at that level,” Morris said. “That was for someone else. I have some cards with me whenever I talk to kids know. I turn it around and show them Alexandria, Louisiana. If I can do something like that, there’s no reason they can’t achieve whatever it is their dream is.”

To cap the whirlwind following his home run, Morris – along with LSU coach Skip Bertman – was part of the 1996 U.S. Olympic baseball team, which won a bronze medal in the Atlanta Games.

“Just incredible,” Morris said of the Olympic experience. “It doesn’t get talked about enough. I still get goosebumps thinking about it, walking out on the field in Atlanta with 50,000 people chanting, ‘U-S-A.’ I’m as proud of representing my country as anything I ever did in athletics.”

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