By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports 

Five Rapides Parish football teams could step on the field for the final time tonight. 

Of course, they are all hoping for another win, another week of practice and one more time to don their school colors on Friday nights. 

The LHSAA playoffs kick off with Tioga, Pineville, Peabody, Buckeye and Menard all scheduled for first-round action tonight. 

Tioga (8-2) earned the highest seed of any team in the parish, slotting in at the No. 10 spot in the Division I Select bracket. Joining the Indians with home games tonight are Peabody (6-4) and Menard (7-3). 

Tioga will welcome No. 23 seed L.W. Higgins (3-7) into The Reservation tonight. The Warhorses are the No. 14 seed in Division II Select and will host No. 19 Booker T. Washington of New Orleans (4-6), while the Eagles are the No. 15 in Division III Select and will host No. 18 Houma Christian (7-3). 

Pineville (2-8), the 24th and final seed in Division I Select, will play at No. 9 Carencro (8-2). Buckeye (5-5), the No. 18 seed in Division II Select, will play at No. 15 De La Salle (4-6). 

Tioga will play without star athlete Ja’Corian Norris, who has been the Indians’ best defensive player as well as an explosive weapon on offense and special teams, after he suffered an injury against Peabody in Week 9. 

Still, their defense features plenty of stars, led by linebackers Kaleb Andrus and Elliott Fruge as well as a secondary averaging more than an interception per game. 

Higgins snapped a five-game losing streak with a 24-12 victory over Abramson last week. The Hurricanes had given up at least 30 points the previous four games and are allowing opponents to score an average of 28 points per game on the season.

Peabody, which was 0-10 two seasons ago before Harry Coleman took over as coach, said BTW will look very similar to Peabody with a spread offense and man-to-man defense.

Led by seniors Dartavin Depass and Nate Francis in the backfield along with junior quarterback Larry Roberts and junior receiver TJ Hullaby, the Warhorses are “so far ahead of schedule” in Year 2, Coleman said.

“It’s really amazing that the kids have took the attitude of the coaches, put their head down and worked,” Coleman said. “Coming to work since the summer, the guys are showing major improvement and it’s paying off. We get rewarded with a home playoff game. I hope the fans come out and support the guys like they have all season.”

Menard, meanwhile, will face a group of Warriors who are very similar to the squad first-year coach David Perkins will put on the field as the Eagles rely on a heavy run-first offense and a physical defense led by senior linebacker Cooper Scott and senior defensive end Drake Aldredge. 

“We put most of our best guys on defense,” Perkins said. “We want to play physical. That’s the kind of style I want to coach. I’m an old-school coach.”

The Rebels face the toughest task of any Rapides Parish team as they play a Carencro team that started 8-0 and features one of the top sophomores in the country at quarterback in Chantz Babineaux.

Pineville will try to grind out first downs behind sophomore tailbacks Ayden Tate and Hy’keem Mix to keep Babineaux and the explosive Bears offense off the field as much as possible. 

Buckeye also faces a tough task as the Panthers travel to face a De La Salle team that finished as state runner-up in 2020 and 2021. The Cavaliers don’t have the best record, but their schedule was one of the toughest among all Division II teams. 

De La Salle started the season with a road win over Central before losing to Holy Cross, St. Paul’s, St. Charles Catholic and East Ascension. The Cavaliers lost the district championship to Isidore Newman by four points and later dropped a non-district matchup against St. Augustine.

This game features two of Louisiana Christian’s greatest quarterbacks matching wits as Buckeye is led by head coach Ben McLaughlin and De La Salle features offensive coordinator Easton Melancon. McLaughlin is the school’s all-time leading passer, while Melancon is second. McLaughlin was Melancon’s offensive coordinator during his senior season. 

By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports

The ASH Trojans have dreams of playing in the Superdome in New Orleans next month.

To get there they’ll first have to go win a game in New Orleans next week – and then possibly the two weeks after that as well. They started that mission Thursday night by sending their first-round playoff foe back home to, where else, New Orleans.

Alexandria Senior High (7-4) made light work of No. 20 Bonnabel, scoring on all six of its offensive possessions and adding two special-teams touchdowns and a defensive safety on the way to a 58-9 victory in the opening round of the LHSAA Division I Select playoffs. 

“I’m glad to get this one in the books,” ASH coach Thomas Bachman said. “Obviously, there will be things to coach, things we’ll look at, but glad to get this one in the books to be honest with you.”

The Trojans led 14-0 before taking an offensive snap as they forced a three-and-out to set up a 75-yard punt return by Darius Washington. Jaylin Johnson blocked a punt at the Bruin 37 on the next Bonnabel possession, scooped up the ball and ran into the end zone for a two-score Trojan lead. 

Johnson said he knew immediately as he came off the edge that he had a chance to block the punt.

“Coach told me that they were gonna try to take their time trying to punt it,” Johnson said. “I think I’m the fastest player in the state so I’m gonna go and get it when he tells me I can go get it. The scoop and score was second nature. You know, I play football so I just did what I had to do.” 

“He don’t really play offense no more, so I’m real happy he got his touchdown,” senior receiver EJ Scott said of Johnson, whom he calls his “twin” despite an eight- or nine-inch height difference. 

Ty Feaster threw three touchdown passes in two and a half quarters, including a 26-yard touchdown to Washington to give the Trojans a 21-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

Feaster finished the night 8-of-10 passing for 125 yards. Washington had a team-high 64 receiving yards on two catches, while Scott caught five passes for 51 yards. 

JT Lindsey, who rushed for 112 yards on just 10 carries in the first half, put the Trojans ahead 28-3 with a 7-yard touchdown run, and ASH went ahead 30-3 with a defensive safety following a bad snap over the head of the Bonnabel quarterback. 

Feaster added touchdown passes of 10 yards to Scott and 2 yards to Kirkland Bates as the Trojans took a 44-3 lead into halftime. 

The starters, minus Lindsey, played the first drive of the second half, which ended with a 14-yard touchdown run by junior Vaughn Dabon to go ahead 51-3 and invoke the running clock. Dabon had 65 rushing yards on four carries on the drive. 

After a lone touchdown by the Bruins (4-7) in the fourth quarter, ASH made it a perfect 6-for-6 on scoring drives as senior Tylon Johnson scored on a 14-yard run. Johnson finished with 52 rushing yards as the Trojans ran for 241 yards in the game.

Next up is a trip to No. 4 Brother Martin, last year’s runner-up in Division I Select and a semifinalist the three years prior. Potential roadblocks after that include No. 5 Edna Karr in a quarterfinal matchup and No. 1 Holy Cross in the semifinals, which also would mean trips to New Orleans for the Trojans. 

“I’m proud for the kids,” Bachman said. “It looks like this will be our last one at home this year barring some major upsets. We just want to handle our business, and we’ll play wherever it is we have to go from here on out and we’re looking forward to it.”

Thursday’s statewide playoff scores 

Select Division I  

Alexandria Senior High 58, Bonnabel 9 
John Ehret 41, Riverdale 7 

Select Division III 

Episcopal 50, M.L. King Charter 6 

Non-Select Division II 
DeRidder 28, Lakeshore 21 

Non-Select Division III 
Bogalusa 42, Westlake 7 

Non-Select Division IV 
Oakdale 53, East Beauregard 21 
Mangham 54, Lakeview 14 
Centerville 40, Oberlin 26 

Tonight’s playoff games involving Rapides Parish teams

Select Division I 
24-Pineville (2-8) at 9-Carencro (8-2) 
23-Higgins (3-7) at 10-Tioga (8-2) 

Select Division II 
19-BTW-NO (4-6) at 14-Peabody (6-4) 
18-Buckeye (5-5) at 15-De La Salle (4-6) 

Select Division III 
18-Houma Christian (7-3) at 15-Menard (7-3) 

Rapides OWI/DWI bookings are accusations, not convictions. 

November 2
Christopher Johnson, 54, Forest Hill — OWI 1st, negligent injury 1st degree vehicular, 1:55 p.m., $26,000 bail. 

November 3
Rickey Price, 57, Pineville — OWI 2nd, safety belt violation, driving left of center, 11:05 p.m., $1,800 bail.  

November 6
Quwayne Baisden, 22, New Iberia — OWI 1st, speeding, reckless operation, 12:03 a.m.,$2,100 bail.

Rapides felony bookings are accusations, not convictions. 

November 8
Ray’shaun Finley, 30, Alexandria — fugitive, firearm possession by convicted felon, resisting, felony flight, $500,000 bail;
Kimberly Gray, 35, Pineville — aggravated battery, contempt, $5,000 bail;
Jeremy Stafford, 23, Alexandria — robbery 1st degree, aggravated kidnapping, theft, contempt two counts, $600,500 bail;
David Wells, 58, Pineville – aggravated assault/domestic abuse, domestic abuse battery, $10,000 bail. 

Rapides felony drug bookings are accusations, not convictions.

November 8

Demarcus Davis, 32, Alexandria — possession two counts, parole violation, possession firearm by convicted felon, $29,000 bail;

Albert Gertly Jr., 34, Cheneyville — possession two counts, possession paraphernalia, fugitive, aggravated resisting officer with force or violence, aggravated assault on officer, trespassing, criminal trespass, $84,000 bail;

Carl Lambert Jr., 39, Boyce — possession fenatyl/carfentanyl, non-support contempt two counts, $1,500 bail.

Funeral services for Viona Cole will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, November 11, 2023 in the chapel of Hixson Brothers, Pineville with Reverend Lloyd Bye officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Effie.

Pallbearers will be Alton Garlington, Dale Taylor, Daniel Cole, Ricky Morgan, Michael Garlington, and Ryan Garlington.

The family requests visitation be observed at the funeral home Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until time of service.

Mrs. Cole, 99, of Effie, passed from this life on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at her home.

Mrs. Cole and her husband O.D. helped build Lakeside Baptist Church with their time, talents, energy and finances. She was one of the last Charter Members serving in WMU and enjoyed her Sunday School class. Viona loved cooking for her family, canning and quilting. She especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends around the holidays.

She was preceded in death by her husband, O.D. Cole; son, Nolan Cole; parents, Jefferson T. and Annie Laprarie Garlington; grandson, Terry Cole; brothers, Shelby Garlington, Melba “Big Boy” Garlington, Wilton Garlington, and Cedric Garlington.

Those left to cherish her memory include her, sons, Dolan Cole, and Gary Cole; sister-in-law, Diane Cole; brother, Jody “J.T.” Garlington; grandchildren, Timothy Cole and wife, Stephanie, and Daniel Cole and wife, Amy, great grandchildren, Kaitlin Cole, Valerie Creed, Isabella Cole, and Joseph Cole, and numerous other family and friends.

By JIM BUTLER

A man accused of trying to kill seven persons, including three deputies, since 2017 is back in jail, a month after being released when posting $850,000 bond on several charges, including attempted murder.

Travis Thomas, 30, of Alexandria was booked Tuesday afternoon on a variety of charges. His bail in the current case is $126,800.

The charges include parole violation, felony flight from officer, three firearms possession charges and traffic offenses.

In March 2016 Thomas allegedly tried to run over three Rapides deputies and was charged with three counts of attempted 1st degree murder of law enforcement officer, as well as resisting, four drug possession counts and probation violation.

He had been charged in early 2015 with aggravated arson, allegedly setting fire to a house occupied by an adult and two children. The charge was dropped in September 2016.

In January 2017 police booked Thomas on three counts of attempted 1st degree murder after he allegedly shot into a house, injuring one of its three occupants.

He appears next in booking records on October 29, 2021. He was arrested allegedly fleeing a shooting on Twin Bridges Road.

He allegedly shot into an occupied vehicle parked on a lot.

Charges included attempted 2nd degree murder, firearms violations, assault by drive-by and drug possession. Bail was set at $810,000.

In 2022, Thomas was charged on three different occasions with contraband in a penal facility.

Then in May 2023 he was rebooked on the 2021-2022 charges, with total bail of $850,000.

On October 5 he apparently posted bond and was released.

He was arrested on current charges 31 days later.

• Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal sports writer

BATON ROUGE – Kim Mulkey has played or coached almost 1,500 games in her 48-year Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame career.

She has won seven women’s national championship rings – two as a player for Louisiana Tech in 1981 and 1982, one as Tech assistant in 1988, three as Baylor’s head coach in 2005, 2012 and 2019, and last season as LSU’s head coach.

The 61-year-old Mulkey has been challenged with just about every imaginable situation. So, when she offers an answer to a question or an opinion or advice, it’s not a guess. It’s an extremely well-seasoned “been there, done that” viewpoint.

During preseason practice throughout October, Mulkey told her defending national champions Lady Tigers they would have a target on their back all season.

“If you’re the favorite, you’re going to get everybody’s best shot,” Mulkey said.

Then last week leading to Monday night’s season-opener vs. Colorado in the Hall of Fame Series game in Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena, Mulkey repeatedly emphasized to her preseason No. 1 Tigers that the more experienced 20th ranked Buffs would not be an easy out.

“They’re poised and they’ve played a lot of games together,” Mulkey said. “Experience matters. They’ve got everything you need – quickness at point guard, they’re big inside and they’ve got 3-point shooting.”

And what happened? Colorado 92, LSU 78, the first time in almost 30 years that the defending national champ lost its season opener.

Sometimes you just have to have it happen to you to maybe make you listen to your coach,” said Mulkey on Wednesday heading into Thursday’s 7 p.m. home opener vs. Queens University of Charlotte. “It’s like raising a child and telling them `Don’t touch the stove, it’s going to burn you,’ and they touch it anyway.

“And then they have a little scar from the burn. Sometimes, you have to go through it.”

New transfers Hailey Van Lith (Louisville), Aneesah Morrow (DePaul), and true freshman Mikaylah Williams of Parkway Bossier joined returning starters Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson in the opening game starting lineup.

Reese, a first-team All-American last season, and Johnson, the 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, were two of five returnees who had double-digit playing time. All returnees but sophomore reserve Sa’Myah Smith, who scored 16 points in almost 26 minutes, were due for a tongue-lashing from Mulkey at Wednesday’s pre-practice film review session of the Colorado loss.

“I hope that new film room has some good paint on the walls,” Mulkey said. “Make sure you take your cameras and leave because you might hear me all the way down the hall.”

Mulkey didn’t name names, but she pointed the finger at the upperclassmen.

The two largest NIL money earners in college sports – Reese (who has a $1.7 million NIL evaluation) and Johnson (who has a $1.1 million NIL evaluation) – played from the opening tip as if they were physically and mentally exhausted.

Reese finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds but lacked fire and played without her usual passion. Johnson scored just 3 points on a 3-pointer and had 4 fouls and 2 turnovers in an extremely uninspiring performance. 

“Losing hurts but what I witnessed on that floor. . .(the lack of) effort, energy, heart, fight,” Mulkey said. “The film will be about defense. What are you doing? The film will be about grit and guts. (Those players) on the floor the other day, they need to tell me why.

“We didn’t guard (Colorado shot 53.2 percent from the field, including 10 of 23 3-pointers) and we rebounded very poorly (a taller LSU team barely won the rebounding battle (39-37). That’s just not our identity, that’s not my identity as a coach and it’s my job to get us in that mindset again. We’ll get there but I don’t know when. It’s almost like last year’s team piecing it together.”

Besides Smith, Williams was the only player who showed up ready to play vs. Colorado. She scored a team-high 17 points on 8 of 16 field goal accuracy in her college debut.

“She’ll tell you there are some things she’s got to work on defensively, but the moment was not too big for her,” Mulkey said of Williams. “She wasn’t afraid to take that mid-range jumper. I wasn’t surprised how she played. She’s very talented.”

Before tonight’s tipoff, the LSU team, coaching staff, support staff and the Lady Tigers’ all-male practice team will receive their 2023 national championship rings. Also, the national championship banner will be unfurled in the rafters.

Doors to the PMAC will open at 5:30 p.m. with the ceremony set to begin at 6:20.

The SECN+ broadcast with Garrett Walvoord and former Pineville resident Lyn Rollins starts at 7 with a ceremony recap before the game tips. The radio broadcast can be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network via the LSU sports website.

Queens, LSU’s opponent, is a Division 1 school that lost its Monday season opener 91-44 at Ole Miss.

“I’ve got a scouting report on Queens, but quite honestly by the time I’m done with them (Mulkey’s team) in the film room, I’m not even sure I’m going to go over this,” Mulkey said. “What we need to do is take care of us.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports

Thomas Bachman raised the standard for what Alexandria Senior High football could achieve when he led the Trojans within one play of the 2020 Class 5A state championship. 

Now the eighth-year head coach is hoping to guide the Trojans on another magical postseason run.

Since falling to Acadiana 35-34 in the 2020 5A title game, ASH has just one playoff win. The Trojans were upset by Parkway in the first round in 2021 and lost to Byrd in the second round last season. 

But the 13th-seeded Trojans feel they have what it takes to put together another Cinderella story in 2023.

Many of this year’s 20 seniors were freshmen during that state runner-up finish. Some, however, such as quarterback Ty Feaster, receiver EJ Scott and cornerback Amyrion “MyMy” Mingo, joined the team later. 

“Our senior class now were all freshmen, and they got to experience that,” said Mingo, an all-district receiver at Marksville as a freshman before transferring to ASH in 2021. “That’s an experience they all want to get back to again, and that’s an experience I want to experience for the first time. That’s always a goal when you play high-school football is to play in the championship.”

ASH (6-4) opens the postseason at 7 tonight against No. 20 Bonnabel (4-6), and while Bachman has cautioned his team against taking any opponent lightly, the Trojans have dreamed about what could possibly await them in the weeks to come. 

The winner of tonight’s game will travel to face No. 4 Brother Martin, last year’s Division I Select runner-up. A win there could mean a possible home quarterfinal against No. 5 Edna Karr and an eventual semifinal showdown with No. 1 Holy Cross or No. 8 Acadiana. 

“Of course we want to handle this first because we can’t go nowhere if we don’t handle Week 1,” Mingo said. “But after this, Brother Martin, that’s a good team. That’s a matchup we want to play – a matchup where it’s going to be intense, where there’s gonna be a whole lot of plays made, an exciting game. That’s one of them games that you’re ready for as a competitor. 

“Karr, they’re nationally ranked, but they’re a team just like we’re a team. We’re gonna go out there and compete until the final whistle blows, and hopefully we’re gonna come out on top.”

ASH didn’t get off to the start it wanted with lopsided road losses to Carencro and St. Thomas More, but those tough early opponents sharpened the Trojans, who nearly knocked off Ruston, the No. 1 seed in Division I Non-Select, and West Monroe in District 2-5A action. 

Feaster, who transferred from Class 1A Glenbrook Academy when his father David became the offensive coordinator at Louisiana Christian, has shown continued growth as he adjusted to playing on a bigger stage.

The senior has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,783 yards and 24 touchdowns, even though the team’s top two returning targets (Mingo and fellow senior Jaylin Johnson) are now starting at cornerback for the Trojans’ defense. 

In their place Scott has emerged as Feaster’s most reliable target. Scott has caught 42 passes, 16 more than any other receiver, and leads the team with 613 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.

Scott began his career at Menard before transferring to ASH as a sophomore, sitting out a year and catching just five passes in an injury-riddled junior year. 

After an intense offseason, he has proven to be a three-way threat in the passing game as a deep weapon, in the screen game and with an ability to move the chains. Scott has proven to be so adept at running stop routes at the sticks that he’s earned the nickname EJ “Stop Route” Scott. 

Scott said the chemistry he’s developed with Feaster has come through hundreds and hundreds of reps before, during and after practice. 

“When he first got here … we really had some doubts,” Scott said of Feaster. “We didn’t know if he was gonna be the guy. We didn’t know how he was gonna come in being from a (smaller) school.”

Those doubts are long gone as Feaster has improved week in and week out as he’s gotten more comfortable running the Trojans’ offense.

“I think there’s a confidence, and it’s grown with each and every week,” Bachman said. 

As explosive and dangerous as ASH has been offensively, it took losing two top weapons to help shore up the team’s biggest weakness in the defensive secondary. 

“I think it’s made us a better football team with them over there at corner,” Bachman said. 

“The team needs me to play defense so I had to step up and go play defense,” Mingo said. “I’m just here to do whatever the team needs me to do for us to win.”

The Trojans’ offense could sacrifice their top two returning receivers because of the bevy of weapons at their disposal such as junior receiver Darius Washington (26-392, 2 TDs) and junior tight end Tanner Townsend (9-152, 6 TDs).

Still, with the arrival of “do-or-die time,” as Bachman put it, expect to see Mingo and Johnson getting more snaps on offense. 

“I will be on the field,” Mingo said.

The Trojans have learned a lot from the adversity they faced this season – starting 0-2, falling just short in a comeback attempt at Ruston and letting a victory against West Monroe slip out of their grasp. 

Mingo said the Trojans would love to have earned a higher seed and a first-round bye this week, but their losses helped them discover their identity and made them hungry for this playoff run.

“Nobody wants to lose as a competitor,” Mingo said. “You’re angry for a while. You’re disappointed. But then you realize, you see what we did wrong and you gotta fix it so you don’t do it wrong going further. There’s no more next week. This is it.” 

By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine/YouTube TV

Today we will talk not only about Class of 2024 Buckeye players who might sign college scholarships but also consider a comment from Panthers’ coach Ben McLaughlin about his entire senior class.

What the man said: “We have 13 seniors in this class. This group of kids means a lot to me, as it’s the first group of seniors, since the 2017 seniors, to lead this program back to the playoffs.

“This being my second year as head coach, the progress we have made from last year to now  happened because of the hard work and leadership of this class.”

There are two Buckeye players who have a chance to sign or earn the opportunity to play college ball from the Panthers’ Class 2024 — OT/DE Gage Vercher (6-3, 270), a four-year starter, and OG/DT/NG Jathen Lachney (6-1, 285), who has started the last two seasons.

Their coach is very bullish on Vercher as a capable Buckeye team starts what could be a playoff run.

“Gabe plays every snap on offense, and still plays crucial situations while on defense.”

He has received a scholarship offer from local Louisiana Christian College in Pineville. Vercher has 19 tackles on the season and five tackles for loss in nine games – but it’s tough for a player in his position to stack up big stats. He plugs it up and directs traffic to the linebackers.

As for Lachney, McLaughlin is also a big fan.

“He is extremely athletic for his size, Jathen , like Gage, plays every snap on offense, and plays in crucial defensive snaps,” his coach said.

Lachney has 17 tackles, 5 of them solo and 5 tackles for loss in nine games. Lachney is in talks with Louisiana Christian, East Texas Baptist, and others about his football future.

There are other Buckeye seniors who have upward mobility.

This group of possible college players include  RB/CB Jesse Standlee, RB/LB Christian Morace, TE/LB Jacob Young — a tough kid I like – plus center Ian Ricketts (a good leader), OG/DT Kade Morace, OT/DT Dalton Paul, DT Colton Grimm, CB Ethan Glaze, K Harrison Nugent, along with  two more Class of 2024 guys who had their senior years cut short because of injuries:  Sean Beck and Lucien Fiasconaro.

The Buckeye program is trending forward. Playoff success is possible and there are other younger Panthers who could bear long looks from college recruiters in 2024 and beyond. THey will be well-coached – of that, there’s no doubt.

Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com

Buckeye senior pitcher Olivia Henry signed a softball scholarship with Southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday.

Henry, who has pitched the Lady Panthers to two consecutive state championships, was an all-parish selection as a junior after going 18-7 with a 1.93 ERA.

A two-time all-state selection and Most Outstanding Player at the state softball tournament, Henry has compiled more than 500 strikeouts during her career.

On Thanksgiving Day years ago, I was driving my truck home through Bienville Parish after a holiday visit with my folks when a big buck appeared out of nowhere and I hit it. I drove home with one headlight and a smashed grill.

Fast forward a dozen or so years. I had my second encounter with a deer when a spike dashed into the path of my car in Natchitoches Parish. That’s two collisions with a deer during my lifetime. If I was driving in West Virginia, the leading state for deer-vehicle collisions, my chances of hitting a deer would be one in 38.

I suppose I’ve been fortunate to have collided with only two deer, but others have not been so fortunate. 

Why are such encounters becoming an increasing problem? For one, there are more drivers on the road. For another, the deer population is growing across the country, and when you see deer habitat giving way to urban sprawl, it’s inevitable that such encounters will increase. Need proof? All you have to do is drive a few miles along the interstate or on roads leading into town and count the deer carcasses you see. 

Most deer-vehicle collisions occur in states to the north, many of which have restrictive hunting regulations and short deer seasons. The top ten states where most collisions occur, in order of frequency, are: West Virginia, Montana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Mississippi, South Dakota, Virginia and Missouri. 

Authorities estimate that over the past two years, 1.8 million deer-vehicle collisions have occurred across the country. 

State Farm Insurance Company has provided some tips and words of caution to help prevent deer/vehicle collisions.

• Be alert to deer crossing signs; they’re there for a purpose.
• Don’t swerve. If a car crash is inevitable, maintain control of your vehicle and don’t veer off the road. 
• Brake as necessary. If you can avoid hitting the animal, reduce your speed, honk your horn and tap your brakes to warn other drivers. If there are no other drivers behind you, brake hard.
• Remember peak season. Animal collisions happen most during October through December, which is hunting and mating season.
• Remember meal time. Watch for animals in the road between dusk and dawn.
• Watch for herds. If you see one deer, there are probably more nearby. 
• Don’t use a whistle. No scientific evidence supports that car-mounted deer whistles work.

One of those deer-vehicle collisions a few years ago affected me in a personal way. I had cataract surgery that summer on both my eyes, resulting in clear vision I had not had since I was a teenager. I was elated with the results, and I owe the removal of my clouded lens and replacement with new clear ones to an individual I came to practically hold in reverence, Dr. William Steen, founder of the Steen-Hall Eye Institute in Shreveport, who performed my surgery.

A few weeks after my last surgery, Dr. Steen was riding to work on a beautiful fall day on his motorcycle just outside the Shreveport city limits when a buck dashed into the cycle, throwing Dr. Steen to the pavement, resulting in injuries that took his life. I am devastated by the loss of such a gifted surgeon and urge caution when you get behind the wheel or crawl on your bike. 

A deer is a beautiful, graceful animal when seen from your deer stand, but not when one is making a bee-line for your vehicle.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com 

Rapides felony charges are accusations, not convictions.

November 7
Sommers Coker, 39, Elizabeth — theft, theft of identity 63 counts, $500 bail;

Tavis Thomas, 30, Alexandria — parole violation, firearm possession by convicted felon, firearm in presence of drugs, felony flight from officer, no driver’s license, speeding two counts, criminal trespass, firearm possess/sell with obliterated serial number, possession paraphernalia, reckless operation, $126,800 bail.

Rapides felony drug arrests are accusations, not convictions.

November 7
Deanna Collins, 50, Pineville — possession two counts, criminal trespass, $3,500 bail;

Melanie Michiels, 44, Boyce — possession, paraphernalia, $3,000 bail

Quick Fried Chicken is a recipe I consider an Ultimate Win.  And as a busy working mom I need as many of those as I can get!  I have tried many chicken recipes, and this will forever be in my top 5.  This is what I remember eating at both of my grandmothers’ houses growing up.  I hope you enjoy this!

Ingredients:

• Chicken tenderloins
• Salt & pepper to taste
• ½ cup flour
• 2 eggs, whisked
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• ¾ cup Parmesan
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 4 – 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

Pound chicken with meat tenderizer.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Set up coating trays – one with flour, one with eggs, and one with Panko and Parmesan.  Dredge chicken in that order.  Heat butter and oil in cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry chicken in batches.  Do not overlap chicken pieces.  Fry 3-4 minutes each side and set on plate with paper towel to absorb excess grease.

Ashley Madden Rowton is a wife, mom and published cookbook author who lives in Minden, La.

By JIM BUTLER

Trial of a man accused of striking and killing an Alexandria bicyclist is now docketed for February 5, almost three years after the Horseshoe Drive accident.

Authorities assert David Westmoreland was legally drunk when his truck struck Donnie Cayer’s bicycle from behind on May 1, 2021, hurtling Cayer, 48, into the grass not far from where he and a son regularly fed ducks and geese in Bayou Robert. The son was riding along side, off road, at the time.

Westmoreland, 60 when arrested, is also charged with vehicular homicide, hit and run and violation of limitations on passing bicycles.

The case has drawn extraordinary attention because Westmoreland is a retired state trooper who at the time was a parish probation officer, an employee of district court.

That last circumstance is perhaps the greatest contributor to what some think is a snail’s pace toward resolution.

The seven 9th District judges immediately recused themselves in the matter. The state Supreme Court then appointed retired Third Circuit Judge Jimmie Peters to preside.

Meanwhile a pandemic was causing interruptions in the legal system just as it was in every other aspect of life.

The DA’s Office finally got the case file in December 2021 and an indictment was returned in May 2022.

Pre-trial conference in April 2023 was scotched when Peters was unable to be present.

And a June 2023 trial date was continued on the agreement of both sides in order to allow further preparation.

Meanwhile a civil action filed in May 2021 by Cayer’s estranged wife on behalf of her two sons is on hold because deposition of Westmoreland cannot be taken while the criminal case continues.

As with the criminal case, the judges also recused from the civil action. Retired Judge Don C. Burns of Columbia has been appointed to hear the matter.

Whether the election of a new judge in March-April to succeed John Davidson, who retired in September, will have a bearing on the proceedings is anybody’s guess.

According to the record, Westmoreland returned to the scene a short while after the collision. Witnesses weren’t sure of the time lapse.

His blood alcohol was measured at .137.

Westmoreland’s attorney called the officer at the scene and questioning of him stopped at that point.

Both Westmoreland and Cayer were eastbound (toward Masonic Drive) at the time.

Kelvin Sanders is prosecuting the case. Mike Small is defending.