BATON ROUGE – Attendees at the Louisiana Folklife Center program “Fiddlin’ with the Finest! A Celebration of Louisiana Folk Fiddling” on June 13 at the LSU Rural Life Museum in Baton Rouge were treated to a performance of fiddle musical artistry.  

Several musicians participated, including two Louisiana State Fiddle Champions — Clancey Stewart (2018) and Joe Suchanek (2017 and 2024) — as well as accomplished fiddler Gina Forsyth. Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the Louisiana Folklife Center and professor of English at Northwestern State University, coordinated the event, which included a discussion of various aspects of the tradition and a Q&A with the audience. Live music throughout the program included examples of fiddle styles as well as a demonstration of triple fiddling. Stewart also displayed her skill at traditional clogging or flat foot dancing and Forsyth played fiddle sticks on Stewart’s fiddle while Stewart played. 

The well-attended program was a prelude to the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship, which will be part of the 46th annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival to be held on the Northwestern State University campus on July 18. The Fiddle Championship will be held at 1 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Fiddlers may compete in the championship or non-championship, as well as in the twin fiddle category. Registration is at noon in the first-floor foyer outside Magale Recital Hall. The Fiddle Championship winner will perform on the main stage in Prather Coliseum at 5 p.m. 

“The music performed at events like this one remind us how vital and vibrant Louisiana’s folk music can be,” said Rasmussen. “The Louisiana State Fiddle Championship provides important opportunities for fiddlers young and old to have fun while at the same time meet with peers, make new friends and showcase their talent. When folklife is alive and well people are happier, because our traditions give meaning to our lives as individuals and as a community.” 

The event was hosted by the LSU Rural Life Museum and sponsored by the Louisiana Folklife Center at Northwestern. Support for the festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the State of Louisiana. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the program did not necessarily represent those of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. 

For information on pre-registering to compete in the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship, call the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332, email folklife@nsula.edu or go to https://www.nsula.edu/folklife/louisiana-state-fiddle-championship/. 

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By JIM BUTLER

Parties have stipulated to a two-week extension of the deadline to submit proof of claims in the Catholic Diocese of Alexandria bankruptcy case.

The Diocese and the Official Committee of Unsecured Debtors in the Chapter 11 proceeding have established June 22 as the new final mark.

A June 8 bar date was established back in January in the case filed October 31.

The limited grace period represents the final opportunity in most instances for filing proofs of claim.

Claims and potential claims about alleged priest-committed sexual abuse as far back as the 1970s prompted the diocese to seek Chapter 11 protection.

In its latest financial filing, for the month of April, the Diocese statement of operations reports gross income of $528,000 and expenses of $512,000.

After depreciation and taxes a net loss of almost $18,000 was posted for the month.

The Diocese’s cash receipts and disbursements summary showed an end-of-month balance of $2.7 million, an increase of about $200,000 over the March 31 statement.

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

It was 30 years ago Monday, at 3:29 p.m., that Warren Morris went from being a very good baseball player to a legendary one.

The Alexandria native and Bolton High alumnus lined a game-winning, bottom-of-the-ninth two-run home run for LSU to defeat Miami 9-8 for the College World Series championship.

It was his final swing of the bat as a Tiger. A few weeks later, Morris helped Team USA, coached by his LSU coach Skip Bertman, to a bronze medal in the Atlanta Olympic Games, then began a pro baseball career.

It was a meteoric rise for a former walk-on, who soaked in the knowledge of Bertman and his coaching staff and blossomed as a sophomore second baseman at LSU, earning All-America honors.

Bertman’s profound impact is reflected in a book written by former Alexandria Town Talk sportswriter Glenn Guilbeau. He collaborated with Bertman on “Everything Matters in Baseball: The Skip Bertman Story.”

Morris wrote the forward for the book. Saturday, from 12-2 p.m., he will join Guilbeau for a book signing event at Spirits in Alexandria (1200 Texas Ave.).

Books will go for $30. Copies pre-signed by Bertman are $60. Morris and Guilbeau will add their inscriptions and greet patrons during the casual event, open to the public.

Morris is heading into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in a little over two weeks, culminating the June 25-27 induction celebration in Natchitoches. A Friday, June 26 BOM Bowling Bash is set for Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. For information on all seven events during the festivities, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.

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Buckeye’s baseball and softball teams reached the state quarterfinals this spring and the Louisiana Sports Writers Association took notice when putting together the Class 3A All-State teams.

Tioga’s baseball and softball squads combined to place four players on the Class 4A honorable mention lists.

Three Buckeye baseball standouts received honorable mention All-State recognition.

Five Lady Panther softball stars got All-State status – led by first-team pick Sadie St. Pe, a junior outfielder who batted .526.

The other Buckeye softball players cited were honorable mention picks:  Olivia Harmson, Kenadee Jeansonne, Makinley Miller and Rosalee Richey.

The Panther baseball honorable mention choices were A.J. Armand, Ty Curtis and Justin Hunt.

Tioga’s softball honorable mention 4A All-State picks were Abby Jones and Baylie Middleton.

The Indians’ baseball team was represented on the 4A HM list by Ryan Crooks and Patton Ferguson.

A 12-member LSWA committee made the selections recently.  The Class 5A teams will be announced online today and in Thursday morning’s Rapides Parish Journal, with softball state champion Pineville expected to be well represented.

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By JIM BUTLER

Ball’s proposed budget for FY 2026-27 projects relatively small growth in General Fund revenue and expense.

A public hearing on the financial plan will be held June 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the town hall.

General Fund revenue is estimated at $3.894 million, about $108,000 more than initially expected in the current year.

That 2.8 percent growth is a tad more than the anticipated expense increase of about 2.2 percent.

Expenses are forecast at $3.85 million, compared to this year’s initial estimate of $3.767 million.

If met, the budget would result in a General Fund operating balance of $44,000.

Budgets are projections providing management guides. Actualities often differ from projections and mid-year adjustments are the norm.

Revenue projections by category are:

• Police, $1 million;

• Public Works, $939,000, plus $25,000 from current; Administrative, $660,000, plus $17,000; Fire, $609,000, plus $21,000 (5-mill property tax plus administrative and operational allocations); Court, $483,000, no change; Ad Valorem tax, $136,000, no change.

Expense estimates:

• Police, $1 million, up $30,000;

• Public works, $899,000, down $10,000;

• Administrative, $764,000, down $12,000;

• Fire, $526,000, up $26,000;

• Court, $482,000, down $1,000;

• Ad valorem, $129,000, up $1,000.

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By DANIEL GREEN, Written for the LSWA

Glenmora junior Brayden Holloway and coach Gary Ashworth, who led the Wildcats to a state baseball championship in Sulphur last month, collected top honors on the Class B All-State team, chosen by a panel of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Holloway, who helped guide second-ranked Glenmora to its first-ever state crown, batted .438 with 26 RBIs. He had a pair of key hits in Glenmora’s 3-2 victory over Pitkin in the Class B final and pitched a three-hit shutout in the semifinals.

Holloway also had a pair of teammates, junior pitcher Wyatt Gillispie and sophomore Cullyn Robbins, earn first-team All-State honors. Another Wildcat, Logan Eaves, received honorable mention status.

Named Class B Coach of the Year, Ashworth led Glenmora to its first baseball state championship in school history, allowing only two runs throughout the playoffs, both of which occurred in the final inning of its 3-2 title win over defending state champion Pitkin. The Wildcats (19-6) never trailed in four playoff games, outscoring opponents 28-2.

Along with the four Glenmora representatives, Oak Hill (junior Rylee Cedus) and Grace Christian (sophomore pitcher Logan Maricle)  each had an All-State pick on the baseball team.

Those schools also placed standouts on the Class B All-State softball team.

Grace Christian senior Bella Acree and Oak Hill junior Braylee Cedus were included on the first-team All-State roster.

CLASS B ALL-STATE SOFTBALL

First Team

Player, School, Class, Pitching/Offensive Stats

Bella Acree, Grace Christian, Sr., .512

Paige Campbell, Stanley, So., 22-6

Braylee Cedus, Oak Hill, Jr., 17 HR

Ava Davis, Anacoco, Sr. .409

Courtlyn Dousay, Hicks, So., .575

Oni Duran, Anacoco, Jr., .414

Taylor Faust, Zwolle, Sr., .355

Saylor Fitch, Florien, Sr., 140 Ks

Maggie Guyotte, Quitman, Sr., .519

Kaydence Hickman, Hicks, 8^th, .377

Jade Jones, Stanley, Sr., .440

Anna Leach, Quitman, Jr., .413

Hallie Kate Pullig, Quitman, So., .436

Aubrie Richard, Bell City, Sr., .391

Kourtney Sepulvado, Zwolle, Sr., .463

Ali-Kate Walker, Family Community, So., .625

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Maggie Guyotte, Quitman

COACH OF YEAR: Angie Davis, Anacoco

HONORABLE MENTION

Emilee D’Amico, Anacoco; M.J. Caldwell, Family Community; Tobi Efferson, Holden; Perri Fredieu, Hicks; Madison Johnson, Pitkin; Kraegan Jordan, Stanley; Erin Keel, Castor; Brenna Lamkin, Quitman; Hallie McLaren, Zwolle; Harper Miller, Lacassine.

CLASS B ALL-STATE BASEBALL

First Team

Player, School, Class, Pitching/Offensive Stats

Cole Blundell, Weston, Sr., .391

Eli Cottingham, Family Community, Jr., .426

Drew Browning, Weston, Sr., .418

Rylee Cedus, Oak Hill, Jr., .353

Wyatt Gillespie, Glenmora, Jr., 7-1

Kane Hagan, Hicks, Sr., .370

Aidan Hutchinson, Holden, Sr., .365

Brayden Holloway, Glenmora, Jr., .438

Gavin Holt, Pitkin, So., .390

Gage James, Pitkin, Sr., .456

Blayne Lord, Family Community, Jr., .438

Logan Maricle, Grace Christian, So., 12-0

Logan Maroney, Stanley, Sr., .325

Cullyn Robbins, Glenmora, So., .405

Lincon Stephens, Pitkin, Sr., .350

Luke Williams, Hicks, Sr., .425

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Brayden Holloway, Glenmora

COACH OF YEAR: Gary Ashworth, Glenmora

HONORABLE MENTION

Layne Baguex, Lacassine; Cash Camp, Choudrant; Logan Eaves, Glenmora; Chris Harrell, Simsboro; Ty Henderson, Weston; Karsyn Manuel, Bell City; Micah Merchant, Hicks; Hudson Pullig, Quitman; Caleb Taylor, Anacoco; Jaxon Vansickle, Converse.

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By JIM BUTLER

The School Board will hear at its next meeting that it needs about $57 million in May-June revenue to meet budget.

Through April 30, the most-recent data available, the system had received $192.5 million of an anticipated $249.7 million in the year ending June 30.

A review of previous fiscal years’ collections indicates those percentages are comparatively the same at this point.

Sales tax collection, $12.5 million through April 30, are the greatest variable remaining in the revenue stream.

Property taxes ($22.8 million), state constitution tax ($5.8 million) and state school fund allocations ($114.2 million) are pretty much done.

On the spending side about $168.1 million had been used of a $252 million budget through April 30.

Payroll and its related costs are the biggest ticket item on that side of the General Fund ledger. Teachers alone receive about $60 million.

The system Food Service Fund through April 30 had taken in $14.2 million and spent $13.3 million.

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After leading Louisiana State University-Alexandria to an NAIA regional championship round, three Generals softball players have earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region honors.

Recognized as NAIA Region I first team selections were pitcher Lainee Bailey and utility player Sophia Romero. Outfielder Kaetlyn Dunbar was a second-team pick in voting by regional head coaches.
 
Bailey logged 144.1 innings and compiled a 19-7 record. Bailey recorded an ERA of 2.18 and a WHIP of 1.34. She struck out 77 hitters over 31 appearances. She was a first team All-Red River Athletic Conference selection and the RRAC Co-Pitcher of the Year.

Romero posted an average of .370 with an on-base percentage of .451. Romero recorded 26 runs batted in and scored 58 times. She stole a team-high 48 stolen bases, placing her ninth in the NAIA. Romero earned an All-RRAC first team selection and was the RRAC Newcomer of the Year.\

Dunbar led the Generals’ offense with an average of .425, ripping eight home runs, and collecting 60 runs batted in. Her RBI total puts her 21^st in the NAIA. Dunbar scored 51 runs. She compiled an on-base percentage of .478 and a slugging percentage of .478. Dunbar was an All-RRAC first team selection and was chosen the RRAC Player of the Year.

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By JIM BUTLER

A special election will be necessary to fill the post of State Senator Mike Reese of Leesville, appointed Tuesday as next president of McNeese State University.

His District 30 includes Southwest Rapides, along with Vernon and precincts in Beauregard and Calcasieu Parishes.

Law requires the Senate president, Cameron Henry,  to call an election within 10 days of receiving notice of resignation for any term with more than six months remaining.

Reese was elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023 to a term ending in December 2027.

Among the decisions he will face in taking the new post is what to do about a campaign finance account of almost $800,000.

State law provides options:

• Return the contributions, though the sheer number of donations from PACs, companies and individuals creates issues with that;
• Parcel it out as charitable donations;
• Give it to other candidates;
• Or keep it for possible future campaigns since it was collected for “future” election, according to his disclosure report.

That report shows he raised $235,000 in 2025 and collected another $23,000 in interest.

He spent $61,000 and, combined with prior year balance, closed 2025 at $780,000.

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The Sugar Bowl and the Louisiana High School Athletic Association are together again.

The organizations have announced a landmark partnership through which the Sugar Bowl will serve as the title sponsor of all 16 LHSAA-sanctioned sports state championships. The six-year agreement was collaboratively secured by the LHSAA and Playfly Sports, the sports industry’s leading revenue maximization company.

Rapides Parish had three state championship teams in 2025-26:  Peabody Warhorses boys basketball, Pineville Lady Rebels softball and Glenmora Wildcats baseball. State tournaments next year will be presented by Allstate under terms of the agreement announced Monday.

Northwood-Lena principal Alex Goodling, a former baseball player and assistant coach at Louisiana Christian University, is one of two Class A representatives on the LHSAA’s executive committee, which oversees the LHSAA staff and manages policy decisions for the organization.

“The Sugar Bowl is honored to have the opportunity to once again partner with the LHSAA to serve as the title sponsor for its championship events,” said Jeff Hundley, the Chief Executive Officer of the Sugar Bowl. “We have worked with the LHSAA for many years and expanding our current agreement allows us to support even more great young athletes throughout the state.”

The Sugar Bowl, which was founded in 1934, and the LHSAA, which was founded in 1920, are two of the most venerable sports organizations in Louisiana. The two organizations have worked together for many years, including the Bowl serving as the title sponsor for the LHSAA championship events from 2014- 2020.

The Sugar Bowl has been the presenting sponsor of the LHSAA football state championships since 2020, meaning it has had the opportunity to recognize 140 high school football state champions from 50 different high schools since 2014.

With this new agreement, the football state championship, which features title games in eight divisions, will now be entitled the “LHSAA Allstate Sugar Bowl Prep Classic.”

“The LHSAA was founded over 100 years ago to serve student-athletes across the entire state of Louisiana, and that remains our constant focus,” said Eddie Bonine, executive director of the LHSAA. “This partnership will drive additional visibility for our efforts and enable us to continue creating first class events for our student athletes.”

He said it will also elevate the visibility and prestige of high school athletics across Louisiana through investment in recognition, access, and opportunity for student-athletes.

The Sugar Bowl will fund annual scholarships for outstanding student-athletes as well as continuing to support the CFP Foundation’s “Extra Yard for Teachers” program. The CFP and the Sugar Bowl have contributed over $5 million to support Louisiana teachers since 2019.

Additionally, students will benefit from elevated championship experiences including branded awards, on-field recognition, and enhanced event production, while expanded digital, broadcast, and promotional platforms increase visibility for schools and athletes statewide.

“This partnership, in bringing together two like-minded non-profit organizations, will have a multiplicative impact in supporting their communities in Louisiana,” said Brent Vander Mey, Group Vice President of High School and Youth at Playfly Sports. “At Playfly, we’re excited that this deal bridges high school and college athletics, providing additional reach that will amplify both of their efforts to unique audiences.”

In addition to high school events, the Allstate Sugar Bowl is involved in numerous sporting events and recognition programs for athletes at all levels. All of these activities serve the organization’s original mission of generating tourism for the region through athletics. To that end, Bowl events last year generated over $360 million in economic impact for the region, and over the last decade have created over $2.6 billion in impact, producing over $190 million in direct tax revenue for New Orleans and Louisiana.

With the new LHSAA arrangement, the Sugar Bowl Committee now sponsors or administers 43 annual events, all of which will play a role in driving economic benefit for the city and state.

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Please join us in welcoming back Breanne George to BOM Bank’s Coliseum branch in Alexandria, LA as a Teller III. Breanne is a graduate of Negreet High School and currently calls Woodworth home. She enjoys spending her free time reading, being with her family, and relaxing at the house. We’re excited to have Breanne back and know her commitment to excellent services will make a great impact on our team and customers!

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Second-seeded Glenmora posted a shutout win Tuesday to earn a shot today at the Class B baseball state championship.

Glenmora and Pitkin, the No. 1 seed, meet at 11 a.m. in Sulphur at McMurry Park on Field 40.

The Wildcats blanked No. 6 Family Community 3-0 Tuesday in a state semifinal contest as Brayden Holloway struck out eight and scattered three hits in a complete game. Glenmora took a 2-0 lead in the third on RBIs by Logan Eaves and Ryan Langston.

Holloway had two hits and scored twice for coach Gary Ashworth’s Wildcats, who have outscored their three playoff opponents 25-0.

Pitkin edged Weston 2-1 in the other state semifinal game Tuesday.

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Louisiana Christian couldn’t slow down fourth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett on its homefield in Lawrenceville, Ga., Tuesday, and will try to fight through the loser’s bracket for a rematch today in the NAIA Baseball Championship Opening Round.

LSU Alexandria’s season ended in the Kingsport, Tenn., regional after the Generals (34-17) posted a midday 7-4 win over William Woods, followed by a shutout loss to regional top-seed Webber International Tuesday night.

The LSUA softball team won for the second straight day in its NAIA regional but faces an uphill road fighting through the loser’s bracket.

LCU: The Wildcats, ranked 24^th nationally, try to stay alive today in a 10 a.m. (CDT) elimination round game against Northwestern Ohio.

Georgia Gwinnett (48-6) outslugged LCU 12-6 Tuesday. The Grizzlies moved ahead 3-1 in the third inning, then scored six more times in the next four innings for a 9-1 advantage.

The Wildcats (36-14) got a bases-loaded walk and a hit-by-pitch to notch a pair of runs in the seventh, but the Grizzlies posted three more runs to lead 12-3 going to the ninth.

A win over Northwestern Ohio will get LCU a rematch at 2 o’clock today with Georgia Gwinnett, who needs one win to advance to the NAIA World Series. LCU must win three straight to make it to Lewiston, Idaho, later this month, including taking two from the Grizzlies today and in the if-necessary game on Thursday.

LSUA BASEBALL: Dalton Wilson’s grand slam and a solid start from pitcher Colin Ardoin led the Generals over William Woods, the first NAIA postseason victory for LSUA since 2015.

But the Generals could generate only two hits Tuesday night as Webber, ranked eighth nationally in the final NAIA Top 25 regular-season poll, rolled to the win.

LSUA SOFTBALL: Winning an elimination game for the second straight day, the Generals rolled 11-3 over Morningside Tuesday on the heels of a 10-1 romp Monday over Friends.

Kilee Moody and Lainee Bailey each drove in two runs in Tuesday’s victory. Bailey was the winning pitcher.

LSUA (36-17) will play Oklahoma Science and Arts on its homefield in Chickisha, Okla., today at 1 p.m., needing two wins today and another Thursday to reach its first-ever World Series.

The second-seeded Generals opened the regional falling 7-4 Monday morning to College of Idaho, which has reached the championship round by winning twice as the region’s third seed.

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The Alexandria Senior High boys golf team finished seventh in the team standings in Division I Tuesday while Tioga’s Mason Renfrow tied for fifth in Division II individual medalist honors at the LHSAA state golf championships.

Playing at The Wetlands in Lafayette, the Trojans carded a two-day total of 40 over par (315-301 – 616), one shot out of fifth. Stirling Wallace was the low Trojan with a 76-73 – 149, with his two-day 5-over score good for 15th individually. Daniel Herrington was next for ASH at 10-over (78-74 – 154), followed by Stamps Crowell with a 12-over 156 (81-75), Henry Crowell at 13-over 157 (80-77) and Jackson Landry’s 21-over (81-84 – 165).

Renfrow’s closing round 76 moved him from ninth to fifth in the Division II competition at Cane Row Golf Club in New Iberia. His 156 total started with an 80 on Monday. The Tioga standout was eight shots behind the individual medalist, Teurlings Catholic’s Spencer Hagan.

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By JIM BUTLER

To many in these parts an Italian-themed dinner without wine is like rice without gravy.

They can rest easy – The Olive Garden has applied for a liquor permit.

Notice of its petition was made Wednesday, exactly two months, according to its website, before the restaurant is now scheduled to open in Alexandria.

The eatery’s decision to locate here apparently fulfills one slot on the bucket lists of many parish and surrounding area gourmands.

Franchisers’ decision back in March to locate on South MacArthur Drive was hailed by many as an end to a long-held gastronomic search.

The building formerly housing Johnny Carina’s was demolished, making way for a new one to house Olive Garden.

Applicants for the liquor permit are Lindsay Koren, manager-president, and Colleen Lyons, manager- secretary-treasurer, Olive Garden Holdings LLC.

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NATCHITOCHES — Behind-the-scenes stories recounting the filming of the 1989 box office hit movie “Steel Magnolias,” shot on location in Natchitoches, will be shared Thursday evening at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum at 800 Front Street in Louisiana’s oldest city.

“Steel Magnolias Memories with Tom Whitehead and Friends” from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Natchitoches museum (800 Front Street) includes a reception and panel discussion about 6:45 with audience participation, sharing memories of the beloved classic film with a star-studded cast.

Whitehead, a now-retired journalism professor at Northwestern State University, was the second local person hired by the production company, assisting in logistics and hosting the stars in the cast throughout their stays in Natchitoches.

He will be joined on the panel by other locals who were involved in the production – Bill Brent, Sandra Dickens, Ed Ward – and Shreveport entertainment writer Maggie Martin. 

Tickets at the door are $20 for the public, $10 for NSU students, and free for FLASH members. Enjoy complimentary refreshments during the event.

The event is a fundraiser for FLASH, Friends of Louisiana Sports and History, the local support group for the museum, which is part of the Louisiana State Museum system.

Written by Natchitoches native Robert Harling Jr. and immediately a smash hit on Broadway, “Steel Magnolias”  was adapted for the screen just two years later and featured the breakout performance by future Academy Award-winning actress Julia Roberts, alongside Oscar winners Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis, superstar entertainer and actress Dolly Parton, and Daryl Hannah, with acclaimed actors Tom Skerritt and Dylan McDermott in key supporting roles.

The comedy/drama continues to resonate four decades later, inspiring thousands of stage adaptations around the world and a 2012 Lifetime Network movie remake, and is treasured for its themes of friendship and reliance and its portrayal of Southern small-town charm.

Harling wrote about the life and 1985 passing of his sister, Susan Harling Robinson, a young mother who died from complications with diabetes. 

After he persuaded TriStar Pictures executives to shoot the movie in Natchitoches, the production was a seminal event for the community, with many locals working behind the scenes and appearing as extras or even with small speaking parts in the film. Its release and reception sparked a stream of visitors to Natchitoches to see the film’s location and soak in the ambiance of the city, a phenomenon that continues today.

For more information or to join FLASH, call the museum at 318-357-2492. It is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with modest admission prices topping out at $6.

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Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

 

Nov. 12

Kentavious Artel Baines, 24, Pineville – attempted second-degree murder, probation violation, $500,000 bail.

 

Nov. 11

Misty Marie Hastings, 34, Ball – theft, $1,000 bail;

Dorian Oashea Lacour, 31, Alexandria – possession of CDS, safety belt violation, possession of CDS, $100 bail;

Bobby Leonard, 47, Alexandria – two counts possession of CDS, safety belt violation, following too close, improper lane usage, $300 bail;

John Fitzgerald Marshall, 54, Alexandria – create distribute possession with intent counterfeit CDS, failure to secure registration, failure to yield emergency vehicle, switched license plate, improper inspection, safety belt violation, obstruction of justice, intentional littering, illegal use of weapons/dangerous instrumentalities, reckless operation of a vehicle, running a stop sign, $21,600 bail;

Charles Elvin Mathis, 46, Boyce – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, disturbing the peace, $2,000 bail;

Jarrod Heath McNeal, 43, Alexandria – two counts possession of CDS, resisting an officer, open container state law, driving under suspension, display of temporary registration license plates, probation violation, $800 bail;

John Oliver Perkins III, 28, Boyce – possession of fentanyl, Louisiana fugitive, three counts contempt of court, $80,000 bail;

Antoine Latrel Raymond, 20, Alexandria – six counts aggravated assault with a firearm, illegal discharge of weapon in subdivision, illegal use of weapons/dangerous instrumentalities, simple battery, $150,500 bail;

Kelvin Releford, 60, Colfax – illegal use of weapons/dangerous instrumentalities, obstruction of justice, intentional littering, possession of CDS, safety belt violation, possession of drug paraphernalia, $2,600 bail.

 

Nov. 10

Donald Ray Ates Jr., 35, Ball – possession of CDS, illegal carry firearm with drugs, possession of marijuana, parole violations, $500 bail;

Denzel Deron Daily, 31, Alexandria – Louisiana fugitive, no bail data;

Damichael Darrel Deal, 18, Pineville – attempted armed robbery, theft, two counts criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse battery strangulation, criminal damage to property, $321,000 bail;

Damichael Damon Drane, 23, Boyce – three counts contempt of court, two counts failure to appear, $27,000 bail;

Robbie Fountain, 33, Winnfield – possession of firearm by convicted felon, misrepresentation during booking, Louisiana fugitive, $100,500 bail;

Odyesr Earl Lasyone Jr., 45, Pollock – attempted first degree murder, resisting an officer, Louisiana fugitive, $1,000,500 bail;

Kyle Hart Lawrence, 37, Pineville – possession of CDS, legend drug possession, paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, parole violations, $12,500 bail;

Quantavious Jamar Richards, 30, Alexandria – second degree murder, criminal conspiracy, taking contraband to and from penal institutions, two counts producing manufacturing distributing marijuana, simple battery, two counts illegal carry firearm with drugs, three counts possession of firearm by convicted felon, three counts Louisiana fugitive, illegal possession of a stolen firearm, resisting an officer, obstruction of justice, illegal use of weapons/dangerous instrumentalities, $2,000 bail.

 

Nov. 9

Moses Maine Jacobs, 46, Arlington, Texas – OWI first offense, $1,000 bail;

Orlando Kendal Jones, 42, Pineville – cruelty to juveniles, parole violations, $10,000 bail;

Robert Taylor, 31, Pineville – aggravated second degree battery, possession of firearm by convicted felon, $150,000 bail.

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For more than six decades, the small island in New York Harbor served as America’s front door. But on November 12, 1954, Ellis Island processed its final immigrant and closed as a federal immigration station, marking the end of an era that had defined the American story.

Since its opening in 1892, more than 12 million immigrants — many from southern and eastern Europe — had passed through its gates. For countless families, Ellis Island represented both hope and hardship, offering a chance at new beginnings in the United States.

By the mid-20th century, immigration laws had changed, and air travel replaced ocean liners as the dominant mode of international arrival. Screening and processing were relocated to U.S. embassies abroad, leaving Ellis Island largely obsolete.

Its final detainee, a Norwegian seaman named Arne Peterssen, departed quietly that November day. The closure signaled a new chapter in U.S. immigration policy, one increasingly focused on regulation rather than mass arrival.

Ellis Island later became a museum and national monument, preserving the stories of millions who entered through its halls. For historians and families tracing their ancestry, the site remains a symbol of the nation’s immigrant roots.

The date — November 12 — continues to stand as a milestone in the evolution of American identity. It reminds the country of its promise to those seeking opportunity, and of the ever-changing definition of what it means to become an American.

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The only game in town Friday night when local high school football teams engage in first round of the playoffs is at Menard.

The history of Menard’s stadium, which has gotten distorted a bit over the years, is worth telling, not only to set the record straight but because it is a testament to what can be done on a minimum budget with wave after wave of bighearted volunteers.

Retired engineer Wilson Cedars, the brainchild for the idea of building the stadium, said Monday it came around 1995, when morale was sinking and enrollment (grades 7-12) was skidding. Some feared the school might close.

A graduate of old Natchitoches High School, Cedars had a daughter who was a junior high cheerleader at Menard at the time. One day he was walking on the old practice field, and he began thinking about the idea that had come up from time to time for 30 years that Menard should build a football stadium. Throughout its football history, Menard had always played its “home” football games at another school’s stadium. At the time, it was playing its home games at Pineville High School at a rental price of $500 a game.

“As an engineer, I visualize things to draw,” said Cedars, “and as I walked, I noticed they have lights here, and a small scoreboard and some wooden bleachers.” Meanwhile, he saw discarded bricks from an abandoned house, tall weeds all over and bushes tangled in the surrounding fence.

“I started to visualize a press box behind the stands. We went to a game at Montgomery High School, and I studied their stadium, which wasn’t fancy, and some of us parents talked and thought we can build something like that.”

The day after the last game of the 1995 season, a Saturday in November, Cedars and volunteer Paul Squyres started plowing the field. A group of volunteers spruced up the field for junior high games that in ’96 began attracting crowds, such that with concession and gate fees, revenue started coming in, along with a soaring spirit of students attending the games.

That was enough to sway Bobby Distefano, a 1964 Menard grad and business manager for Menard at the time. He reminisced in a Town Talk story after his retirement that he was initially against the idea. He said the school had plans to play football in ’96 at the old England Air Force Base. “No, Bobby,” Cedars said, “they want to play here. The guys on the varsity see the junior high games and are asking, ‘Why can’t we play here?’”

Cedars sought and received a grant of $12,000 from the Huie-Dellmon Trust to fund the project. Cleco donated creosote poles for stadium lights, and Menard grad Red Simpson installed the poles at no cost.

“More and more volunteers kept showing up,” said Cedars. “We’d all work on Saturdays and sometimes on weekdays after work. Different people took charge of different projects, whether it be the scoreboard, a sprinkler system, improved drainage, whatever.”

Cedars and Martin Lyons were the co-chairmen of the project, dubbed “Project: Home Field Advantage,” and they kept reminding themselves and anyone else who volunteered to work: “It’s not our property, it’s Menard’s, and it’s not ‘I,’ it’s ‘we.’ It’s not about any individual, it’s all of us working together.”

Bishop Sam Jacobs called Cedars and Lyons to his office to talk about the project.

“He asked, ‘How much is it going to cost me?’” Cedars said. “I did this (holding his finger and thumb to make a 0 sign) and said, ‘Nothing.’ He said, ‘Now, that’s what I like to hear.’

“I told him the idea was to keep it simple: ‘We’re going to build what we can afford, not Tiger Stadium.’”

He drew up a plan for a baseball field and football field and showed it to then head football coach Tim Tharp and Barbara Trotter, then president of the Menard Athletic Association, and they “went nuts” with excitement.

The project moved forward, thanks to a can-do attitude and a relentless work ethic and some good connections. About 40 businesses donated equipment or services to the project. A core group of close to 20 men did the brunt of the volunteer work but hundreds of others showed up to help from time to time.

“And anytime there was a problem,” Cedars said, “somebody always knew somebody who could take care of it.”

When they decided to paint the unvarnished wooden bleachers, a tractor supply business donated 25 1-gallon buckets of green paint (Menard’s color).

“Martin said, ‘We can’t use that, it’s automotive paint!’,” said Cedars. “I said, it’s free and it’s green, we’re going to use it.” And grandparents, parents and children painted the bleachers.

“We’re undertaking a project that should probably take a year and a half,” Cedars said at the November, 1996 groundbreaking ceremony, attended by Bishop Jacobs, “and we’re going to hopefully do it in nine months.”

Cedars, amazingly, was right on target. The field was ready in nine months — August, 1997 — and the first game was played that September, and more than 2,500 people attended.

“The message that went out to the community,” said Distefano, “was Menard was certainly not closing if they’re building their own stadium.”

Over the next three years after it was built, the Eagles’ Nest had record attendance, and enrollment increased to just under 500 students.

Bishop Jacobs was impressed.

“Before he left (the Alexandria diocese),” said Cedars, tearing up with a catch in his throat, “Bishop Sam told me, ‘Wilson, that stadium saved Menard.’

“People have asked me why I’d do something like that, since I wasn’t a graduate and I didn’t have a son on the football team,” said Cedars. “I just tell them, because it was the right thing to do.’”

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Coaches are infinitely more interested in the LHSAA’s power point rankings, but there’s no denying the prestige of being included in a Louisiana Sports Writers Association top 10 prep football poll.

Especially the one at the end of the regular season. From this point forward on the field, the five classifications are split into four divisions for playoff competition and there’s Select and Non-Select brackets for each, determined by the power points.

But the LSWA stops now; its polling ends with the results of Week 10 games, reflecting what went on in district races and non-district contests over the past three months.

Alexandria Senior High, despite a Week 10 loss at Neville, is the only Rapides Parish team to finish in a Top 10 poll for 2025. Tioga dropped out of the 4A rankings after its loss at Franklin Parish, but picked up a few points I the voting.

The LSWA poll is voted on by 11 sports media members from around the state who cover high school football.

The final regular-season rankings:

 

Class 5A

School (1^st place votes), W-L, poll points, previous week’s ranking

1. Karr (11), 10-0,132,1

2. St. Augustine, 8-1,108,T2

3. Ruston, 8-2,105, 6

4. John Curtis, 7-2, 84, T2

5. Catholic-Baton Rouge, 8-2, 81, 7

6. West Monroe, 7-3, 67, 4

7. Alexandria Senior High, 8-2, 65, 5

8. Evangel Christian, 8-2, 56, 9

9. Destrehan, 8-2, 52, 8

10. Neville, 7-3, 39, NR

Others receiving votes: Central 23, Denham Springs 9, Acadiana 7, Ouachita 5, Parkway 4, Zachary 2, Archbishop Rummel 7, Thibodaux 2, Brother Martin 2, Southside 2, Airline 1, Hahnville 1, St. Paul’s 1, Terrebonne 1.

 

Class 4A

1. North DeSoto (9), 10-0, 129, 1

2. Teurlings Catholic (2), 10-0, 122, 2

3. Plaquemine, 9-1, 101, 3

4. Iowa, 10-0, 94, 4

5. St. Thomas More, 7-3, 88, 5

6. Franklin Parish, 8-2, 83, 6

7. St. Charles, 9-1, 73, 7

8. E.D. White, 7-3, 38, NR

9. Loyola Prep, 9-1, 28, NR

10. Belle Chasse, 9-1, 25, NR

Others receiving votes: Franklinton 20, Vandebilt Catholic 20, Lakeshore 12, Archbishop Shaw 8, Tioga 7, Brusly 4, Northwood-Shreveport 3, Cecilia 2, Westgate 2.

 

Class 3A

1. Jewel Sumner (9), 10-0, 127, 1

2. University (2), 8-2, 116, 2

3. St. James, 8-2, 102, 3

4. Madison Prep, 8-2, 100, 4

5. Sterlington, 8-2, 90, 5

6. Jena, 9-1, 75, 6

7. Erath, 10-0, 73, 7

8. Bunkie, 9-1, 60, 8

9. Lake Charles Prep, 8-2, 44, 9

10. Church Point, 8-2, 27, NR

Others receiving votes: Jennings 12, Marksville 12, Amite 8, Northwest 6, L.B. Landry 3, John F. Kennedy 2, De La Salle 2.

 

Class 2A

1. Lafayette Christian Academy (10), 9-1, 131, 1

2. Dunham (1), 9-1,120, 3

3. Calvary Baptist, 9-1, 110, 4

4. Notre Dame, 8-2, 86, 6

5. Oak Grove, 8-2, 83, 9

6. Ouachita Christian, 9-1, 75, 2

7. Kinder, 10-0, 55 , 7

8. Catholic-New Iberia, 8-2,  52,8

9. Lafayette Renaissance Charter, 8-2, 36,10

10. Newman, 6-2, 34, NR

Others receiving votes: South Plaquemines 25, Mangham 23, Loreauville 17, Ferriday 4, Mansfield 2, East Feliciana 1, Union Parish 1, Vinton 1.

 

Class 1A

1. Haynesville (11),10-0, 132, 1

2. Hamilton Christian, 9-0, 114, 2

3. Riverside Academy, 9-1, 113, 3

4. Covenant Christian, 8-2, 94, 4

5. Westminster-Opelousas, 10-0, 86, 5

6. Jeanerette, 9-1, 77, 6

7. Ascension Catholic, 8-2, 55, T8

8. Southern Lab, 6-4, 52, T8

9. Ascension Episcopal, 9-1, 44, 7

10. Catholic-Pointe Coupee, 8-2, 27, NR

Others receiving votes: Logansport 17, Kentwood 17, St. Edmund 16, North Iberville 10, Sacred Heart-Ville Platte 2, Elton 1, Jonesboro-Hodge 1.

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By JIM BUTLER

Three teenagers are among five jailed young Rapides adults charged with attempted murder.

The accusations are apparently in relation to two unrelated gunfire exchanges though no confirmation of that has been made by authorities.

Kamron Anderson, 18; Glendamon White, 18; and Shania Washington, 20 were booked Monday, November 3.

Earlier that afternoon authorities chased a vehicle from Daspit Street (off 3rd Street, south of Hunter Park), where shots had been exchanged between vehicles, to MacArthur Drive & Elliott, where it crashed into another.

Anderson and White are charged with attempted 2nd-degree murder, with $500,000 bail set for each.

Anderson’s booking record indicates a previous felony record though it doesn’t list incident details or jurisdiction. 

Washington is additionally charged with felony flight from an officer with bail at $600,000.

The next night, Tuesday, November 4, police responded to gunfire on Masonic Drive just south of the traffic circle.

Two persons allegedly involved drove themselves to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, authorities said.

Subsequently booked on attempted 2nd-degree murder charges are Quanterious Johnson, 18, and Alanis Martin, 25.  Bail for each is $500,000.

All five of the accused remained in custody Sunday night.

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