Notes after a busy Easter weekend:

If you happened to hear or read about a rookie getting a home run in his first major league at-bat on Opening Day last week, it was almost right.

Braden Shewmake, who was an All-American baseball player for Texas A&M, began his rookie season with the Chicago White Sox by making his first big league hit a home run. He did this against Detroit starter Kenta Maeda on Opening Day last Thursday at Detroit’s Comerica Park. On the first pitch.

But it wasn’t his first at-bat in the majors. In a “cup-of-coffee” stint in the major leagues last year with the Atlanta Braves, Shewmake, who was selected by the Braves with the 21^st pick in the MLB draft in 2019, went 0-for-4.

Making this more interesting for Rapides Parish Journal readers, Shewmake, 26, is the son-in-law of Ashley Polk Hart, a native of Alexandria.  Her sister, Kristi Polk Kaspar, related the local connections to me. A lifelong resident of Alexandria until 1991, Kristi and her husband, former Louisiana College basketball player Rod Kasper, moved in ’91 to Texas.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Shewmake, who made several fine fielding plays at shortstop on Opening Day, was born and raised in Wylie, Texas. Braden married Ashley’s daughter, Emily Bates. Braden and Emily met at A&M, where he was the stud player for the baseball team and she was a legendary player for the women’s soccer team.

Kristi, incidentally, is also the aunt of former LSU pitcher Alden Cartwright, who finished a three-year stint as a Tiger after a season-ending injury that required Tommy John surgery in 2016. …

Fast growing Lakeland, possible path for Alexandria?

We returned last week from a visit to Lakeland, Florida, which is in Polk County. Census data shows Polk County led the nation for new residents in 2023. A veteran realtor there says property taxes are generally more affordable there, and it’s an attractive, well-run, clean area with job opportunities and two colleges and many top-notch parks and beautiful lakes.

It’s also the home of spring training for the Detroit Tigers, and housing is more affordable than nearby Tampa or Orlando, where more job opportunities are.

True, the blessing of such attractiveness has also been a curse in that traffic, for example, can be horribly congested at times. 

But it got me to wondering that possibilities for growth might exist in Alexandria that haven’t been fully explored. There was an area in Lakeland that languished and was forgotten by most Lakeland folks for nearly 40 years. A group of community developers and investors, led by the heiress to the Publix Grocery founder George Jenkins, got together to repurpose the historic site of the old railyards. The nearly century old railyard, once the largest in Florida, closed in the 1980s.

Carol Jenkins Barnett and her husband and others purchased the railyard and acquired more than a dozen adjoining properties. The group, with help from master planners and the word-renowned architectural and park planning group Sasaki, repurposed the 168 acres into beautiful Bonnet Spring Park, which opened in October of 2022.

It’s not a city park but a private investment for the public. In addition to that, the city’s parks and recreation and cultural arts department boasts more than 70 venues for activities ranging from pickleball to spray pads to zip lines. The City of Alexandria may be smaller than Lakeland, but it has room for growth. For example, it has only two venues for pickleball, with city tennis courts that could be designed to accommodate – and promote – perhaps the fastest-growing sport in America. …

Big league ’54 attraction, big day for a Cubbie from Boyce

Seventy years ago on this day in 1954, the Baltimore Orioles played the Chicago Cubs before almost 3,000 fans in a 2:30 p.m. exhibition game at Alexandria’s Bringhurst Field. The day before, the Orioles beat the Cubs, 6-1, in Shreveport. Ernie Banks, “Mister Cub,” was at shortstop for Chicago, and teammate Ralph Kiner belted a home run over the center field fence, but “the greatest applause of the day,” according to the Town Talk, went to Cubs pitcher Jim Willis, a Boyce native and former pitcher for the Alexandria Aces, when he went to the mound in relief in the sixth inning.

Please email resume and cover letter to Board of Directors President, Buddy Wood at buddywood276@outlook.com. Applications must be received by midnight on April 30th to be considered for the job position.

Mission: The Women’s Resource Center of Natchitoches exists to educate and empower individuals to make life affirming choices.

General Description:

The Executive Director is responsible for implementing the strategic goals and objectives of the WRC, assisting the Board in fulfilling its governance function and to give direction and leadership toward the achievement of WRC philosophy, mission, vision, strategies, and its annual goals and objectives.

Position Described:

1. The Executive Director is a full-time employee of the Women’s Resource Center.
2. Maintain and support open commitment to Jesus Christ, promote sanctity of human life, be an active member of a local church, and agree with the WRC principles and statement of faith.

Qualifications:

1. Graduation from an accredited college or university is preferred.
2. Two(2) years of accounting experience.
3. Excellent verbal skills, writing skills, ability to communicate well with Center personnel, Board of Directors, funding resources, public media, agencies of local government, and have expertise in public speaking. Some travel is required.
4. Personnel management experience and demonstrated ability to maintain strong working relationships with employees, volunteers, public agencies, and organizations serving the community,
5. Practice excellent time management, and balance multiple functions.

Duties and Functions: The Director Will:

1. Always reflect the positive side of her own personal relationship with Jesus Christ and inspire the staff to do likewise, and demonstrate consistent servant leadership.
2. Provide confidential client advocacy with Center clients giving empathetic support to make life affirming decisions.
3. Be prepared to present or supervise presentations to public school students regarding risks and consequences of teen pregnancy and health related issues regarding sexually transmitted diseases.
4. Maintain current compliance – legal and operational directives, fund and grant requirements, standard operations procedures, and training of all Center personnel in allotted positions.

 Principal Activities:

1. Client Files – Overseeing all data input by Program Manager and Receptionist. Diligently reviewing all documents to ensure that client care is being documented as required by WRC policies and procedures as well as for all grant purposes.
2. Client Needs- Ensuring that all client’s needs are met by all staff and volunteers. This means directly taking client meetings/visits, reviewing all information submitted in the folder, overseeing the clients experience and determining what upgrades, if any are necessary to continue caring for clients appropriately and lovingly.
3. Center Needs – The Executive Director is tasked with any and all center needs, including managing all building care, lawn care, purchasing needs, etc.
4. Events -The Executive Director is responsible for the overseeing of all events held by the Women’s Resource Center. This includes event management, budget management, planning and attending all events.
5. Program development and client services – Oversees planning, marketing, promotion, client service delivery, and continuous quality improvement of programs and client services. Maintain “best practices” that are current for a pregnancy help medical clinic.
6. Financial, Non-Profit status, Risk and Facilities Management: Recommends yearly budget for Board approval and efficiently oversees all WRC resources within budgetary guidelines according to current policies and procedures, and legal rules and regulations
7. Human Resource Management: Oversees the management of personnel resources of WRC according to Board approved personnel policies that fully conform to current labor laws and regulations. Able to recruit, train, and manage volunteer staff.
8. Community and Public Relations: Assures that WRC, its mission, programs and client services are consistently presented in a strong, positive image to current and potential stakeholders.
9. Fundraising: Oversees fundraising planning and implementation, including identifying resource requirements, researching funding sources, establishing strategies to approach potential donors and funders, and submitting proposals for grants. Administrating fundraising records, and able to maintain appropriate documentation and accountability for smaller and on-going major grants.

Compensation:

This is a full-time position; salary depends on qualifications and in line with salary guidelines established by the Board of Directors.

Acknowledgements:

Available on a regular basis nights and weekends for speaking engagements & presentations. Available to attend training seminars and conferences, some travel required. The above statements are intended to the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Management retains the right to add or to change duties, education/experience/skills requirement of the position at any time.

Women’s Resource Center
107 North St
Natchitoches, LA 71457
Phone: (318) 357-8888

This job description may change without notice. EOE.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 31

Reginald Pullins, 22, Alexandria — murder 2nd degree, $1,000,000 bail.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

March 31

Mallory McGoogan, 21, Alexandria — possession 4 counts, burglary, $19,500 bail;

Jamarcus Swafford, 31, Pineville — possession with intent, resisting, criminal trespass, burglary, failure to appear, $2,000 bail. 

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

March 28

Donald Bryant, 45, Alexandria — firearm with drugs, possession 2 counts, $7,600 bail;

Reginald Hamilton Jr., 28, Alexandria — illegal use of weapons, aggravated assault domestic assault, $40,000 bail;

William Maddox, 20, Pineville — firearm possession by convicted felon, firearm with drugs, fugitive, $22,500 bail;

Jathan Matthews, 24, Pineville — firearm possession by convicted felon, firearm with drugs, possession, $22,500.  

March 30

Larry Tolbert, 48, Plainview — possessing/carrying firearm by person convicted of domestic abuse battery, criminal trespass, $500 bail.

By JIM BUTLER

Marcus Connella is not following his late father’s footsteps but he is back in an environment familiar to both.

The son has returned to the City of Alexandria as interim director of Alexandria Utility System and director nominee following the resignation of Michael Marcotte.

Connella, a Louisiana Tech-educated civil engineer (BS and Master’s), was with the city from 2001-2008, serving as assistant city engineer, water superintendent and acting director of utilities along the way. He’s been with DOTD 15 years.

Preceding him with the city was his father Clarence, most often referred to and recalled as “Bo”.

The father retired from the city as superintendent of the D.G. Hunter Power Station, then worked at Cajun Electric and as a consultant to Louisiana Electric & Power Authority, which serves about 20 communities, including Alexandria.

Last year en route to winning LSU’s first NCAA women’s basketball national championship, the Tigers flew mostly under the radar.

That is, until they destroyed Iowa, 102-85, in the national championship game.

LSU, because of outspoken coach Kim Mulkey and unapologetic superstar Angel Reese, became the most hated team in college basketball.

No matter how many autographs LSU players signed after road games this season or the limitless pictures they took with fans, they were painted as villains. Social media took tidbits of video or quotes from players and created sensational, misleading mostly untrue posts.

Mainstream media bought in big.

And the 2024 Tigers, under fire daily, have had to have the thickest skin to win 31 games and advance to Monday’s Albany Regional 2 finals vs. Iowa.

Washington Post writer Kent Babb worked for two years on a feature story on Mulkey. She said last week she believed the story was a “hit piece” and threatened to sue.

When the Post published the story two hours before the tipoff of LSU’s Sweet 16 game vs. UCLA, the story was an empty shell of old news.

The genesis was that Mulkey isn’t warm and fuzzy with every one of her former players. Also regurgitated is the fact Mulkey and her father are estranged because she’s never forgiven him for being unfaithful to her mother and getting a divorce.

Also on Saturday, a commentary by Los Angeles Times writer Ben Bolch advancing the LSU-UCLA was so obnoxious and degrading it’s a wonder how it got past Bolch’s alleged editors.

He wrote:

“Do you prefer America’s sweethearts or its dirty debutantes? Milk and cookies or Louisiana hot sauce?

“The team that wants to grow women’s basketball or the one seemingly hellbent on dividing it?

“The coach who embraces reporters or the one who attacks them?

“The tender star player or the one who taunts?

“Some might see this as good versus evil. Right vs. wrong. Inclusive versus divisive. There’s little debate as to which side of the ledger Tiger coach Kim Mulkey falls on.”

UCLA head coach Cori Close reposted the article before Saturday’s game on social media. She then apologized late Saturday to Mulkey and the LSU team, saying she only read the column’s headline and not the contents before posting.

The column headline said, “UCLA-LSU is America’s sweethearts vs. its basketball villains.”

And by reading just that, Close still thought it was acceptable to repost such trash on social media?

Mulkey burned Bolch to the ground in her postgame presser. She said googled the phrase “dirty debutantes.” The search revealed the phrase is a category for videos on porn websites.

“I’m not going to let you attack young people, and there were some things in this commentary, guys, that you should be offended by as women,” Mulkey said. “It was so sexist, and they don’t even know it.

“It was good versus evil in that game today. Evil? Called us dirty debutants? Take your phone out right now and Google dirty debutants and tell me what it says. Dirty debutants? Are you kidding me?

“I’m not going to let you talk about 18- to 21-year-old kids in that tone.”

By late Saturday night, the Los Angeles Times had removed most of Bolch’s demeaning phrases. The story included a disclaimer that the commentary had been edited because it didn’t meet the newspaper’s editorial standards.

You mean that journalism ethic in which you can’t refer to women’s college basketball players as porn stars?

LSU guard Hailey Van Lith, a white woman, said Sunday the hate toward her and her teammates hasn’t just been sexism, but it’s also been heavy on racism.

“We do have a lot of Black women on this team, and unfortunately, that bias does exist still today, and a lot of the people that are making those comments are being racist towards my teammates,” said Van Lith. “I have a duty to my teammates to have their back. Some of the words that were used in that article were very sad and upsetting.

“Calling us the dirty debutantes, that has nothing to do with sports. That’s not motivating. But in my opinion, I know for a fact that people see us differently because we do have a lot of Black women on our team who have an attitude and like to talk trash and people feel a way about it. At the end of the day, I’m rocking with them because they don’t let that change who they are. They stay true to themselves, and so I’ll have their back.”

Anyone questioning the character of Van Lith and her teammates should know that they read the hurtful article before Saturday’s game.

“I wish we hadn’t read it because that can crush your soul a little bit that someone would ever say that about us that doesn’t know us,” Van Lith said.

And then LSU went out and put together a 14-2 closing run in the final 2:45 to beat UCLA 78-69.

THAT is character.

Win or lose against Iowa when the entire country (except for Louisiana) is pulling for Iowa’s ponytail princess Caitlin Clark and her teammates to give the Tigers their comeuppance, Mulkey’s 2024 team will always be remembered for standing their ground and not bowing to the poison pens.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

ALBANY, N.Y. – It’s Round 2 of last year’s NCAA women’s basketball national championship game that elevated the sport to unparalleled heights of popularity.

Defending national champ LSU and Iowa meet again in Monday night’s Albany Regional II championship at 6 p.m. in MVP Arena, almost a year after the Tigers’ 17-point title game win over the Hawkeyes drew 9.9 million TV viewers.

“Didn’t that national championship game have the highest ratings ever in women’s basketball?” said LSU’s Kim Mulkey, hoping to get to the Final Four for the sixth time in her 24 seasons as head coach. “You’re probably going to anticipate this one will, too, but it needs to be at the Final Four.”

The winner advances to a Final Four date next Friday in Cleveland against Monday night’s Portland Regional 3 winner between Connecticut and USC.

No. 3 seed LSU (31-5) returns just three players who accounted for just 30,3 percent of the Tigers’ scoring in last April’s 102-85 win over the Hawkeyes. No. 1 seed Iowa (32-4) returns seven players who scored 70.1 percent of the Hawkeyes’ points in the loss.

The two stars that created last year’s post-title game buzz that hasn’t yet died – LSU junior forward Angel Reese and Iowa senior guard Caitlin Clark – are front and center for the rematch.

It’s been that way since the closing moments of last year’s game when Reese pantomimed the same “You can’t see me gesture” at Clark that Clark did to South Carolina in the semifinal upset of the Gamecocks. Reese also gestured with her ring finger to signify LSU had just won a national championship ring.

Reese was publicly criticized for her alleged lack of sportsmanship, but Clark came to Reese’s defense citing it was just an exchange between two highly competitive players.

“If I see you walking down the street, it’s like, `Hey, girl, what’s up, let’s hang out,” said SEC Player of the Year Reese of her relationship with Clark. “People just take it like we hate each other. Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. I want everybody to understand that. It’s just a super competitive game.

“I have plenty of friends on the court that I talk to outside of the game, but like when I get between those lines, we’re not friends. We’re not buddies. I’m going to talk trash to you. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game, but after the game we can kick it.”

Clark, the national Player of the Year and the media darling after becoming the all-time leading scorer in Division 1 women’s basketball, agrees with Reese.

“The main similarity is how bad and how competitive we are,” Clark said of her and Reese. “We both grew up loving this game, and we’re going to do anything we can to help our teams win. There’s definitely that competitive fire.”

Last year, Clark scored 30 points vs. LSU on 9 of 22 field goal shooting including 8 of 19 3-pointers. She was mostly guarded by now-graduated Alexis Morris and returnee Last-Tear Poa.

“Caitlin Clark is a generational player,” Mulkey said. She’s not all about threes. She can pass the ball. She can take you off the dribble.

“You’re not going to stop her. You just hope that you can contain her a little bit and make sure that you do your job on the other four players. They play their roles extremely well. They have such a connection with Clark.”

LSU defenders know Clark is in shooting range when she crosses halfcourt.

“Last year I got to switch on her early in the game,” LSU sophomore guard Flau’jae Johnson said of Clark. “I was like, `She’s not going to pull that (take a shot) for real,’ and then she pulled it for real from half court, and she made it. I was like `Whoa.’

“There’s no stopping her, but containing her, I’m going to take on that challenge.”

Johnson is also going to provide Iowa with plenty of problems.

In her last six games dating back to the last game of the regular season, Johnson is averaging 19.7 points and 5.8 rebounds and is shooting 56.2 percent (41 of 73) from the field, 61.1 percent (11 of 18) in 3-pointers and 86.2 (25 of 29) from the free throw line.

“It seems like she has really elevated her game throughout this tournament,” Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said of Johnson. “She’s really hard to guard. As a sophomore, she seems to have great leadership skills and great emotion. It seems like the team kind of goes with her emotion. She’s an unbelievable player.”

No. 3 seed LSU (31-5) vs. No. 1 seed Iowa (32-4), Albany Regional II finals

WHEN, WHERE: Monday 6 p.m. CT, MVP Arena, Albany, N.Y.

TV-RADIO: ESPN, LSU radio network which is streamed on LSUsports.com

SERIES: LSU is 1-0 vs. Iowa, blasting the Hawkeyes 102-85 in last season’s NCAA championship game.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: LSU beat Rice 70-60 in 1st round, Middle Tennessee 63-56 in 2nd round, UCLA 79-69 in the Sweet 16. Iowa beat Holy Cross 91-65 in 1st round, West Virginia 64-54 in 2nd round, Colorado 89-68 in the Sweet 16.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS

LSU

G – Hailey Van Lith, Gr. 5-7, 11.7 ppg, 3.7 apg
G – Mikaylah Williams, Fr., 6-0, 14.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg
G – Flau’jae Johnson, So., 5-10, 14.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg
F – Angel Reese, Jr., 6-3, 18.7 ppg, 13.2 rpg
F-G – Aneesah Morrow, Jr., 6-1, 16.5 ppg, 9.9 RPG

IOWA

G – Caitlin Clark, Sr., 6-0, 31.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg
G – Kate Martin, grad student, 6-0, 12.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg
G – Gabbie Marshall, 5th yr sr., 6.2 ppg, 1 rpg
G – Sydney Affolter, Jr., 5-11, 8.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg
F – Hannah Stuelke, So., 6-2, 14 ppg, 6.8 RPG

TALE OF THE TAPE

(National ranking in parenthesis)

LSU/IOWA

Scoring offense

85.9 (3) 92.9 (1)

Scoring defense

62.5 (128) 71.1 (304)

Scoring margin

23.4 (3) 20.8 (5)

Rebounds PG

46.03 (4) 41.92 (17)

Rebound margin

12.6 (2) 7.6 (19)

FG pct.

46.52 (17) 50.02 (2)

FG pct. Defense

36.6 (21) 39.6 (137)

3-pt. pct.

32.69 (97) 37.7 (9)

FT pct.

74.72 (74) 78.07 (14)

Turnover margin

+4.44 (24) -.56 (162)

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports

Menard sophomore pitcher Kaylee Methvin surpassed a major milestone last week.

The Lady Eagles’ standout picked up her 400th career strikeout in Tuesday’s 15-0 victory over Pickering. Menard also celebrated senior shortstop Emily DeSelle, the team’s only senior, prior to the game during an “Emily Night” celebration.

DeSelle, last season’s All-Parish Outstanding Player, is batting .554 on the season with five home runs and 36 RBIs and is wrapping up one of the greatest careers in Menard softball history.

The Lady Eagles picked up two district victories last week over Pickering and Avoyelles (15-2) as they ran their winning streak to 10 games and improved to 14-10 on the season. They have moved up to No. 5 in the Division III Select power rankings during their winning streak.

Menard also improved to 6-0 in District 4-2A with a huge week ahead this week. The Lady Eagles host Rosepine on Tuesday before traveling to Oakdale on Thursday. Rosepine and Oakdale have one loss in district play, both coming against Menard.

Methvin improved to 13-5 on the season and has 120 strikeouts in 107 innings pitched.

TIOGA’S HANLEY HAS CAREER NIGHT: Tioga sophomore center fielder Conlei Hanley turned in a performance to remember in last week’s 14-0 victory over Catholic-New Iberia.

Hanley went 3-for-3 with three home runs and eight RBIs. She gave the Lady Indians a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the second inning, her two-run bomb in the next inning gave Tioga a 9-0 lead, and she followed that with a grand slam in the third inning for a 13-0 advantage.

On the season, Hanley has a .418 batting average, is tied for the team lead with six homers and is second on the team with 27 RBIs.

Senior Christina Lambert improved her record to 9-2 in the circle with the shutout and lowered her ERA to 2.60. Lambert also pitched a complete game in Tioga’s 6-2 victory over Franklin Parish to wrap up District 2-4A play.

The Lady Indians, who have won five games in a row, are 18-5 on the season and ranked No. 4 in the Division I Select softball power ratings heading into Monday’s showdown at Buckeye. They close with five tough contests over the final 10 days of the regular season.

ASH SWEEPS RED RIVER RIVALRY: Alexandria Senior High’s softball and baseball teams made it a perfect 4-0 against District 2-5A and parish rival Pineville with three victories last week.

The Lady Trojans (14-13), who defeated Pineville 11-9 at Johnny Downs Sports Complex on March 12, went on the road last Thursday and completed the season sweep with a 10-3 victory over the Lady Rebels (14-12).

ASH jumped on top with five runs in the first inning, powered by a grand slam by freshman Caitlyn Land, who went 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Senior first baseman Makayla Dangerfield had two hits and two runs scored, while sophomore right fielder Anniston Fairbanks had an RBI single and a two-run double.

Despite the sweep, Pineville remains ahead of ASH in the Division I Select softball power ratings. The Lady Rebels are ranked seventh, while the Lady Trojans are eighth.

ASH swept the Thursday-Friday baseball series, winning 7-5 at Pineville and then 7-1 at home, to improve to 14-7 on the season and 6-0 in District 2-5A.

The Trojans, No. 9 in the Division I Select baseball power ratings, took control of the first game thanks to a five-run second inning that featured two bases-loaded walks and another hit by pitch that scored a run. Sophomore Caden Extine also drove home two runs on a single.

They didn’t need much offense in the second game as freshman Jack Lee gave up just four hits and one run with eight strikeouts in a complete-game performance.

The Trojans scored three in the first inning thanks to a bases-loaded hit by pitch and a two-run single by senior Chase Palmer, and they plated three more in the fifth when six straight batters reached on walks and hit by pitches.

Junior outfielder Miguel Magallon and junior catcher Brayden Rachal were the Trojans’ standout performers at the plate during the series. Rachal went 3-for-5 with three doubles and an RBI, while Magallon finished 4-for-7 with a double and four RBIs.

The Trojans travel to fellow 2-5A unbeaten West Monroe, ranked fourth in Division I Non-Select, on Thursday and then host West Monroe on Friday at Menard.

MENARD BASEBALL FINDING GROOVE: Coming off a 29-7 season and runner-up finish in Division III Select with 14 seniors returning, expectations were extremely high for the Menard baseball team in 2024.

So it was a mild surprise when the Eagles started the season 0-5 and lost seven of their first 10 games, even if six of those losses came against powerhouses St. Louis, Barbe, Natchitoches Central and Lutcher – teams all ranked in the top two of the power ratings in their respective divisions.

Over the last three weeks, though, the Eagles have flipped the switch. After sweeping Rosepine last week with 2-1 and 4-1 wins, Menard has won seven in a row and 10 of its last 11 games to improve to 13-8 on the season. The Eagles are currently ranked No. 5 in the Division III Select power ratings.

Senior Cooper Scott hit a walk-off home run on Tuesday to finish off Coen Laroux’s complete-game four-hitter, and then Scott threw a complete-game three-hitter two days later. Senior first baseman Drake Aldredge hit two RBI doubles in that victory.

The Eagles are 6-0 in District 4-2A with four district games remaining, including Tuesday and Thursday against second-place Oakdale.

By JIM BUTLER

Pineville’s City Council has created a new position within its existing hierarchy.

Approved at the March meeting, the change takes one of the current assistant chief slots and converts it to chief of administration.

It is a competitive post, filled by the chief, subject to council approval.

Such positions are relatively new in Louisiana fire service, authorized by state statute early this century.

The CA removes from the chief mantle any number of housekeeping and paperwork tasks.

Any candidate for the post must have 10 years fire service.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Valid Teaching Certificate
• Master’s Degree in Education (preferred)
• Minimum of five years of teaching with evidence of successfully impacting student achievement, particularly those who have the greatest needs.
• Exemplary evaluation scores on the NIET Teaching and Learning Standards Rubric. (COMPASS-highly effective)
• Demonstrated expertise in content, curriculum development, student learning, test analysis, mentoring and professional development, as demonstrated by an advanced degree, advanced training and/or career expertise
• Excellent communication skills and understanding of how to facilitate growth in adults

JOB SUMMARY:

To provide teachers using school site level professional development and support during the school day and to conduct observations and teacher conferences. While the master teacher is modeling/teaching the requirements of the teacher job description must be utilized.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Job-Embedded Instructional Coaching
• Facilitate school-level Communities (TAP Cluster Meetings)
• Support teachers with development of standards-aligned proficiency exams
• Collect, organize, and disaggregate academic data
• Oversee school-level Response to Intervention (RTI) program, WIN (Whatever I Need)
• Redeliver and support implementation of district and state professional Development
• To assess teacher evaluation results and maintain inter-rater reliability
• To participate in all TAP trainings and become a certified TAP evaluator.
• To monitor goal setting, activities, classroom follow-up and goal attainment for cluster groups and for teacher growth plans.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Resume`
• Evidence of successful teaching experience (for example: VAM, Student Performance Data, COMPASS, CLASS, etc.)
• Original transcripts from institution(s) awarding degree
• Three professional letters of recommendation, one of which is from your immediate supervisor
• Submit a ten to fifteen-minute video clip of a model lesson involving students or professional development session involving teachers where the applicant is leading the event (share link via Google Drive to demetris@npsb.la

SALARY: Position will be 9-month, salary based on teacher pay scale with applicant’s years of experience, and the addition of a substantial TAP Master Teacher stipend.

DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 10, 2024 by 4:00 p.m.

WHERE TO APPLY:

Linda G. Page, Director of Personnel
Natchitoches Parish School Board
P.O. Box 16
Natchitoches, LA 71457
Phone: (318) 352-2358
Fax: (318) 352-8138
Website: www.npsb.la

EOE

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 28

Megan Sant, 34, Downsville — possession, $2,500 bail.

March 29

Jamieson Dixon, 39, Pineville — possession, paraphernalia, $1,500 bail;

Vong Douangboupha, 36, Alexandria — possession 2 counts, contempt 3 counts, $19,500 bail;

Courtney Harrell, 34, Pineville — possession, improper lane usage, $1,600 bail;

Sonny Racine, 24, Pineville — possession, lamps/reflectors required, $2,600 bail;

Martavious Stafford, 31, Alexandria — possession with intent, possession, theft 3 counts, contempt 3 counts, $9,000 bail.

March 30

Christopher Barbat, 34, Forest Hill — possession, unauthorized use of moveable, $3,000 bail;

Barbara Edwards, 63, Alexandria — possession, paraphernalia, $1,500 bail;

Rhonda Griffin, 59, Ball — possession with intent, possession, $500 bail.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

March 28

Curtis Delaney, 52, Boyce — theft of motor vehicle 2 counts, illegal possession stolen things, no bail set;

Warren Woods, 42, Melrose — felony fugitive 2 counts, no bail set. 

This date: 15 total arrests of which 4 involve at least one contempt count.

March 29

Reginald Lacour, 42, Pineville — domestic abuse battery strangulation, violation protective order, disturbing the peace, parole violations, $25,500 bail;

Travis Spears, 31, Pineville — battery 2nd degree, $10,000 bail.

This date: 18 total arrests of which 11 involve at least one contempt count.

March 30

Alicia Sweazie , 46, Alexandria — aggravated battery, theft, contempt 4 counts, $75,500 bail. 

This date: 9 total arrests of which 4 involve at least one contempt count.           

By Kevin Shannahan

This Easter season, like most before it, will feature egg hunts, new clothes, candy and family. While not entirely frivolous, Easter is more chocolate bunny than a serious observance in modern society. This piece is about an Easter service in a world far removed and almost inconceivable to citizens in a free society, that of a Nazi concentration camp.

Dachau was the first concentration camp built by Nazi Germany as well as the one in operation for the longest time. It was opened by Heinrich Himmler in March of 1933. At its liberation by the United States’ Army on the 29th of April,1945, it had been in operation for almost the entire span of Nazi Germany’s wretched existence. It was not the largest concentration camp, nor was it as deadly as places like Auschwitz or Treblinka. It was the first camp to open. Dachau served as a template for the other camps. Rudolph Hoss, the commandant of Auschwitz, served at Dachau first. Guards for the whole camp system were trained there. Dachau was started as a camp for German political prisoners, after Kristallnacht in 1938, over 10,000 Jews were interned in the camp. During its existence, prisoners arrived from all of the lands the Nazi’s conquered. Prisoners lived in constant fear of deadly and sadistic punishments.

Seventy four years ago soldiers from the US Army’s 42nd Division and 45th Divisions liberated Dachau. They encountered a scene of suffering that staggers the imagination. The camp was severely overcrowded. As the Nazis were forced further and further back by Allied armies, prisoners were transferred to camps in the German interior. Dachau, near Munich, was one such camp. Overcrowding, cold and lack of sanitation combined with starvation, bred disease. Typhus ran rampant. Many of the newly liberated prisoners were to die before help could be brought to them due to the sheer numbers of people at the camp.

This was the background for one of the most unique Easter services ever held. Dachau held a large population of priests and clergy. The Orthodox calendar is different from that used in the West. The concentration camp was liberated just before Orthodox Easter. In the Orthodox calendar, Easter fell on what would be the 6th of May of 1945. There was a group of Serbian and Greek Orthodox priests and deacons who wanted to celebrate Mass on Easter. Half starved, ridden with lice, owning nothing but their filthy camp uniforms, having survived the Hell of Nazi tyranny, they gathered together to celebrate the risen Christ. They wore vestments fashioned from bedsheets taken from the SS guards’ barracks. The crosses on them were taken from the SS medical orderlies’ armbands. There were no missals. They sang the Orthodox service from memory. In the words of Gleb Alexandrovitch Rahr, one of the prisoners who attended the service:

“…In the entire history of the Orthodox Church there has probably never been an Easter service like the one at Dachau in 1945. Greek and Serbian priests together with a Serbian deacon adorned the make-shift “vestments” over their blue and gray-striped prisoners uniforms. Then they began to chant, changing from Greek to Slavonic, and then back again to Greek. The Easter Canon, the Easter Sticheras – everything was recited from memory. The Gospel – “In the beginning was the Word” – also from memory.

And finally, the Homily of Saint John Chrysostom – also from memory. A young Greek monk from the Holy Mountain stood up in front of us and recited it with such infectious enthusiasm that we shall never forget him as long as we live. Saint John Chrysostomos himself seemed to speak through him to us and to the rest of the world as well! Eighteen Orthodox priests and one deacon – most of whom were Serbs, participated in this unforgettable service. Like the sick man who had been lowered through the roof of a house and placed in front of the feet of Christ the Saviour, the Greek Archimandrite Meletios was carried on a stretcher into the chapel, where he remained prostrate for the duration of the service…”

On May 6th, 1945, Adolf Hitler lay dead. Berlin and the rest of Nazi Germany lay in ruins. Germany would unconditionally surrender the next day. In a prison barracks in Dachau a group of men celebrated the risen Lord. It was an Easter to remember.

By JIM BUTLER

The City Council has forwarded to the Zoning Commission a two-part development package on Hwy. 28 East in Pineville. 

Meeting in special session this week, the council forwarded petitions to annex almost five acres to be zoned residential and two acres to be zoned commercial. 

The Journal reported in January that Louisiana Housing Corp planned to release about $2.1 million for construction of 50 affordable housing units on the larger tract. 

Hughes Spellings of Louisville, MS plans two residential buildings housing the units, a clubhouse, picnic area and parking lot.

The development is at 4205 Hwy. 28. Both sites are owned by GKW Investments, domiciled in Alexandria. 

Mayor Rich Dupree told the council the smaller tract will allow commercial enterprise development. 

He noted that persons unfamiliar with street addresses in the vicinity can use a sight reference – the water tower along the highway – for a site reference.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 27

Tavarious Thomas, 18, Alexandria — attempted murder 2nd degree, $100,000 bail

By LEIGH FLYNN DOTY

While many of the classrooms at Bolton High School may still feature the original chalkboards, it was the chalk dust outside on Thursday that demonstrated a lesson.

A tradition since 2005, Chalkfest has allowed hundreds of students to transform the drab, gray concrete walkway leading to the school’s main entrance into a beautiful mosaic of art.

Students chose different artwork to sketch out and draw on the walkways, with the intricate patterns carefully drawn to scale. The day-long event, which is typically held the day before Spring Break, allows artistically talented students to showcase their skills in a fun, public way…

Bolton’s Tracie Campbell has organized the effort since its inception. Art alumni, including some of her “OG” participants, joined in the fun this year to commemorate the final Bolton High School Chalkfest. One even flew in from Oklahoma just to participate in the event.

Talking with some of the former and current students, the reasons for their participation in today’s event were similar. “Back then, we wanted to get out of class all day and do something fun!” said one of the original participants. Today’s students would agree.

But it is more than fun. It is a tradition that these students, both past and present, can say they were a part of during their time at Bolton High School. While their drawings will be on display on the front walkway until Mother Nature decides to erase them, the memories of days such as this one will forever be etched into these students’ memories.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

ALBANY, N.Y. – UCLA head women’s basketball coach Cory Close coached against LSU head coach Kim Mulkey three times when Mulkey coached Baylor.

“There’s a lot of familiarity,” said Close, who’s 1-2 vs. Mulkey.

UCLA starters Lauren Betts and Charisma Osborne were teammates of LSU’s Angel Reese on the USA silver-medal-winning AmeriCup team last July.

“I’m really excited to play against her,” Betts said of Reese. “We went at each other (in practice). It was always very intense. We’re both great posts.”

And Close left nothing to chance in preparing for Saturday’s Albany Regional II Sweet 16 semifinal at 12 noon between No. 2 seed UCLA (27-6) and the No. 3 seed LSU (30-5) in MVP Arena.

“I told our guys scout team this week to talk as much trash as you want in practice,” said Close, wanting to simulate the lippy Tigers. “We want to play in our personality, and if they (LSU) want to play in theirs, so be it.

“Our job is to get ready to play our best, and that may look different than LSU. But we’re not letting anything they do take us out of the mental focus of playing our best the way we like to do it.”

The defending national champs have been aware since game 1 this season that every opponent wants the victory notch on its gun belt.

“When you win the national championship or you get to a Final Four, there are expectations, fair or not, that you’re supposed to do it again,” Mulkey said. “I don’t know if it can be done again. Certainly, that’s a goal of ours, and we do have the talent to do it. But it takes a lot of things to go right to do it.

“You have to be playing your best basketball. You’ve got to stay away from injuries. You’ve got to have just a tiny bit of luck on the way, some play that goes your way.

“I know we’ll play hard. I know whatever happens we’re going to go down fighting. That’s just how we are. We just fight for every loose ball. We fight for every rebound. We fight for just the tip-off. We fight for the jump ball.

“If you do that, you can live with whatever happens.”

LSU and UCLA had to rally from deficits last weekend to score second-round wins over Middle Tennessee and Creighton, respectively.

The Tigers trailed by 9 points one minute into the second half before a hailstorm of LSU points off turnovers and fastbreaks resulted in an 83-56 win in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Four of five LSU starters scored in double figures, led by guard Flau’jae Johnson’s 21 points and double-doubles from forward Angel Reese (20 points, 10 rebounds) and guard/forward Aneesah Morrow (19 points, 13 rebounds).

There’s no doubt the Tigers play with such fire and emotion at times, it appears there’s team in-fighting. Reese said that’s just she and her teammates keeping it real.

“Being able to hold each other accountable is something I love about this team,” said Reese, the SEC’s Player of the Year. “Nobody takes it personally. Just being able to get on each other and correct each other. Even if it’s tough player coaching, we will come on the sideline and say, `That was my bad for saying it like that. But you know what I mean?’”

UCLA trailed at home to Creighton by 10 points in the first two minutes of the second half before battling back for a 67-63 win.

Sophomore guard Kiki Rice scored 17 of her game-high 24 points in the final two quarters. Betts, a 6-7 sophomore who missed the Bruins’ NCAA tourney first-round game with an ankle injury, added 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Rice said she and her teammates are excited for the chance to take down the defending national champions.

“I don’t think there’s any intimidation,” Rice said. “It’s an opportunity to show the talent and ability we have that we’ve put together throughout this season.

“It’s going to come down to a few possessions. Every possession matters.”

LSU must have all hands on deck in the rebounding department, and not place most of the load on Reese and Morrow. Saturday’s game matches the No. 1 (UCLA at 14.2) and No. 2 LSU (at 13.1) teams nationally in rebound margin.

For 13-year UCLA head coach Close, it’s her sixth trip to the Sweet 16, advancing just once to the Elite Eight in 2018. Last season, the 27-10 Bruins lost 59-43 to No. 1 South Carolina in the Sweet 16.

“We’ll be ready to play,” Close said. “Playing in the Pac 12, which has four teams in the Sweet 16, has been an incredible confidence-building experience. It’s not just how good the league is. It’s a varied style of play. It prepares you for so many different levels.”

Mulkey is in the Sweet 16 for the 17th time in her 24 years (21 at Baylor, 3 as a head coach) and has advanced to the Final Four five times (four national titles) and as far as the Elite Eight on five occasions.

“There’s so many times people take getting to a Sweet 16 for granted,” Mulkey said. “Do you know how many coaches have probably never done that in their careers? I’ve always, always acknowledged that it’s hard to do.”

No. 3 seed LSU (30-5) vs. No. 2 seed UCLA (27-6), Albany Regional II semifinal

WHEN, WHERE: Saturday 12 p.m. CT, MVP Arena, Albany, N.Y.

TV-RADIO: ABC, LSU radio network which is streamed on LSUsports.com

SERIES: LSU has won 4 of 6 games against UCLA, including twice when the Bruins were ranked (73-72 vs. No. 14 UCLA in 1979-80, 55-53 over No. 9 UCLA in 55-53). The Tigers have never played UCLA in the NCAA tourney. LSU is 9-6 in Sweet 16 game, winning the last 8 of 10.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS

LSU

G – Hailey Van Lith, Gr. 5-7, 11.8 ppg, 2.5 apg

G – Mikaylah Williams, Fr., 6-0, 14.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg

G – Flau’jae Johnson, So., 5-10, 14.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg

F – Angel Reese, Jr., 6-3, 18.7 ppg, 13.2 rpg

F-G – Aneesah Morrow, Jr., 6-1, 16.5 ppg, 10 RPG

UCLA

G – Kiki Rice, So., 5-11, 13.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg

G – Charisma Osborne, Gr., 5-9, 14.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg

G – Londynn Jones, So., 5-4, 11.8 ppg, 2 apg

F – Angela Dugalic, Sr., 6-4, 8.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg

C – Lauren Betts, So., 6-7, 14.9 ppg, 9 RPG

TALE OF THE TAPE

(National ranking in parenthesis)

LSU/UCLA

Scoring offense

86.1 (3) 77.6 (22)

Scoring defense

62.3 (121) 60.6 (85)

Scoring margin

23.8 (3) 16.9 (12)

Rebounds PG

46.24 (4) 43.58 (8)

Rebound margin

13.1 (2) 14.2 (1)

FG pct.

46.54 (10) 44.87 (36)

FG pct. Defense

36.6 (22) 32.4 (250)

3-pt. pct.

32.61 (99) 32.49 (104)

FT pct.

74.63 (75) 74.78 (77)

Turnover margin

+4.40 (26) -0.06 (191)

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com