By JIM BUTLER

The Police Jury Finance Committee receives updated population numbers Wednesday that are used to disburse proceeds of a parishwide sales tax.

According to the count provided by the Federal/State Cooperative Population Study, the Jury will receive 64 percent of the after-expenses payments to it and 10 municipalities under terms of the tax approved in a parishwide election in April 2011.

According to the report, there are 126,223 persons living outside any of the corporate limits. That is 64 percent of the total population of 197,170.

The municipal shares and populations based on the report, percentages rounded:

Alexandria, 23%, 46,005;

Pineville, 7%, 14,384;

Ball, 2%, 4,002;

Boyce, 1/2%, 1,001;

Cheneyville, 1/5%, 468;

Forest Hill, 1/2%, 905;

Glenmora, 1/2%, 1,101;

Lecompte, 1/2%, 916;

McNary, 1/10th%, 207;

Woodworth, 1%, 1,938.

On another tax-related subject, the Jury has set a September 15 hearing on the completed assessment roll received from Assessor Rick Ducote, a necessary step toward closing the year’s property tax roll.

Jurors sit as a board of review. Parties appealing 2025 assessments must file a written appeal form by September 8.

The forms for the 11 a.m. meeting are available at both the Assessor’s Office and the Police Jury Office.

All property taxes levied by parish and municipal entities, including the School Board, are paid on the basis of assessed values. They are due in December.

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One of the talking points after LSU’s season-opening victory over No. 4 Clemson Saturday night was the LSU touchdown that was taken away.

The game was tied 10-10 in the third quarter, and LSU receiver Barrion Brown made a one-handed catch, secured the ball and crossed the plane of the end zone for what should’ve been a touchdown. His catch of the pass from quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was initially ruled first-and-goal at the one-yard line, but it went under review to see if Brown had gone in for a touchdown. 

Rather than declaring the play a touchdown, the pass was surprisingly called incomplete since Brown lost possession of the football at the end of the catch. Yet, once the ball, while secure, crosses the goal line, it should be a touchdown.

The ABC-TV commentators, even the off-site review expert, unanimously agreed – after watching the replay several times – that it was a touchdown. Yet, the game officials (from the Southeastern Conference) shockingly overturned Brown’s TD catch. 

The next morning a friend said that had to be “the worst (football) officiating call ever” in his lifetime. On the day after, some things appear larger than they really are. It was bad, but not as bad as some in the past, especially because it didn’t affect the outcome. LSU overcame that adversity to score again and deny Clemson from scoring to earn its first season-opening victory since 2019, the Tigers’ last NCAA championship season.

Another Louisiana school, Tulane, was victimized by one of the all-time bad officiating mistakes. Miami, playing at home, was given a fifth down on its game-winning drive against the Green Wave. It happened in 1972.

With Tulane leading 21-17 late in the contest, the Hurricanes drove into the Tulane red zone. They got an 11-yard completion on third down, but the play was nullified by a five-yard penalty for illegal procedure. On the third-down do-over, Tulane sacked the quarterback for an 11-yard loss. On fourth-and-24 from the Tulane 32, the quarterback overthrew his receiver, seemingly clinching a victory for the Green Wave.

No such luck. The officials, apparently confused and having lost track of the downs following the penalty for illegal procedure, awarded Miami another down. No game officials or chain gang members – nor even Tulane coach Bennie Ellender — seemed to initially realize the mistake. On its fifth down, Miami scored on a 32-yard touchdown pass with just 1:05 remaining.

Miami’s coach, Fran Curci, thenceforth was nicknamed “Fifth Down Fran.”

Another Louisiana team, albeit in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints, were dealt an excruciating gut punch with an infamous no-call in the 2019 NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams. It’s widely regarded as the worst officiating mistake in NFL history.

Neither side judge Gary Cavaletto nor down judge Patrick Turner blew his whistle after Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman collided with Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis a second before Drew Brees’ third-down pass arrived in the right flat. This was in the final minutes of the game.

If that wasn’t pass interference, bees don’t make honey. Former NFL referee Mike Pereira on the Fox broadcast said the collision could have warranted a personal foul call on Robey-Coleman for helmet-to-helmet contact on Lewis.

The Rams went on to win in overtime, denying NFL fans of a quarterback matchup between Brees and Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. Instead, Brady and the New England Patriots beat the Rams, 13-3, in the lowest scoring game in Super Bowl history.

As for another bit of perspective about LSU’s win over Clemson, it might’ve been the most exciting season-opener, but it wasn’t the only time the Tigers did well against a top 10 team in an opener. In 1959, the Tigers defeated No. 9 Rice, 14-6, and did so as the top-ranked defending national champions.

In 1976, following back-to-back 5-win seasons, unranked LSU opened the ’76 season at home against No. 1 Nebraska, a 13-point favorite. The Tigers, who absorbed a valiant 10-7 defeat to the Cornhuskers in 1975 in Lincoln, shocked the nation by tying Nebraska, 6-6. Mike Conway kicked field goals of 35 and 18 yards, and he had a chance to win the game late but missed a 46-yard attempt that was wide right – “by about the length of a cornstalk,” according to Alexandria Town Talk sports editor Bil Carter.

LSU finished 7-3-1 in 1976. Nebraska finished 9-3 and ranked No. 9 in the AP poll that year.     

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After a state finals appearance last season, but graduation departures of some of the team’s top players, the Alexandria Senior High Trojans still have statewide respect reflected in the preseason top 10 Class 5A poll conducted by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

ASH is ranked No. 9 in Class 5A, the only Rapides Parish team to receive votes in any of the five classifications from 11 LSWA members representing all regions of the state.

Area teams Bunkie, Jena and Leesville did receive votes in their classifications.

ASH opens the season at home Friday night against West Feliciana.

LSWA top 10 polls announced Monday:

 

Class 5A

School (1^st place votes received), points

1. Karr (11), 132

2. Catholic-Baton Rouge, 114

3. Neville, 102

4. Ruston, 91

5. Central, Destrehan (tie), 75

7.  Acadiana, 50

8. St. Augustine, 43

9. Alexandria Senior High, 40

10. John Curtis, 36

Others receiving votes: Zachary 25, West Monroe 17, Evangel Christian 11, Airline 9, Southside 6, Carencro 5, Terrebonne 5, Ouachita 4, Brother Martin 6, Archbishop Rummel 5, Jesuit 2, St. Paul’s 1.

 

Class 4A

1. St. Thomas More (4), Franklin Parish (3), (tie), 108

3. E.D. White, 97

4. Archbishop Shaw (1), 93

5. Franklinton (1), 87

6. North DeSoto (2), 81

7. Plaquemine, 65

8. Cecilia, 54

9. Lakeshore, 45

10. Lutcher, 34

Others receiving votes: Teurlings Catholic 31, Westgate 26, Leesville 17, St. Charles 10, Iowa 5.

 

Class 3A

1. St. James (6), 126

2. Sterlington (3), 121

3. University (1), 109

4. Amite, 86

5. Church Point, 73

6. Madison Prep (1), 65

7. Lake Charles College Prep, 49

8. Jewel Sumner, 42

9. John F. Kennedy, 39

10. Jennings, 37

Others receiving votes: Bunkie 34, Iota 29, Jena 26, Erath 11, Northwest 6, L.B. Landry 1, Parkview Baptist 1.

 

Class 2A

1. Lafayette Christian Academy (5), Dunham (4), (tie) 122

3. Ouachita Christian (1), 106

4. Catholic-New Iberia (1), 97

5. Union Parish, 79

6. Calvary Baptist, 76

7. Newman, 47

8. Notre Dame, 39

9. Episcopal-Baton Rouge, 37

10. South Plaquemines, 35

Others receiving votes: Oak Grove 32, Kinder 22, Mangham 13, Lafayette Renaissance Charter 7, Ferriday 6, Loreauville 4, Northlake Christian 4.

 

Class 1A

1. Haynesville (5), 121

2. Vermilion Catholic (4), 119

3. Kentwood (1), 104

4. Covenant Christian, 89

5. Opelousas Catholic, 86

6. Southern Lab (1), 82

7. Logansport, 53

8. Ascension Catholic, 48

9. Riverside, 44

10. Hamilton Christian, 37

Others receiving votes: St. Frederick 21, Westminster-Lafayette 19, General Trass 7, West St. John 6, North Iberville 5.

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It’s nothing new for Bud Clark to intercept a pass for the TCU Horned Frogs football team. The one he snagged Monday night got lots of attention.

Clark, a former Alexandria Senior High standout, had a 25-yard pick-six interception return touchdown that was the springboard for TCU’s 48-14 romp over North Carolina in a season-opening, nationally-televised college football game.

Clark’s play came with just under four minutes remaining in the first half with TCU clinging to a 10-7 edge. After Clark’s TD, the Horned Frogs tacked on a field goal on the final play of the half and took control afterwards.

Lots of attention was focused on the game because it was the college debut for North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick, who led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl victories before stepping down two years ago, and surprisingly got back into coaching early this year at UNC.

Sports superstars Michael Jordan and Lawrence Taylor were among the North Carolina faithful on hand for the game.

But Clark and his teammates stole the spotlight Monday night.

It was the 12^th career college interception by Clark, a 6-2, 190-pound safety who has been a team captain at TCU in each of the past two seasons. He is regarded as a possible Day 1 NFL Draft selection next spring.

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Arrests are accusations not convictions.

Sept. 1

Latisha Rochelle Johnson, 48, Alexandria – disturbing the peace, $250 bail;

 

Aug. 31

Mark Linn Boudreaux, 69, Lake Charles – two counts stalking, three violation of protective order, two counts resisting an officer, $2,500 bail;

Crystal Renee Cage, 35, Pineville – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, resisting an officer, open container, probation violation, contempt of court, $1,700 bail;

Randy Carter Jr., 23, Deville – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, $100 bail;

Santos Gonzalez, 49, Alexandria – OWI first offense, reckless operation of a vehicle, speeding, $1,600 bail;

Lucas Wayne Hanks, 46, Lecompte – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, improper driving on left, no bail data;

Donald Ray Hayward Jr, 44, Alexandria – OWI fourth offense, improper lane usage, $100 bail;

Lakeitha Tonshea Johnson, 44, Ferriday – two counts aggravated assault with a firearm, aggravated assault domestic abuse, domestic abuse battery, simple battery, five counts contempt of court, $8,700 bail;

Kayla Sheree Lachney Rachal, 39, Alexandria – possession of CDS, drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension, brake lamp required, failure to secure registration, two counts contempt of court, $13,300 bail;

Mekayla Shanice, Russell, 32, Alexandria – battery on a police officer, resisting a police officer with force or violence, remaining on premises, disturbing the peace, $2,000 bail;

Tristen Reed Shackleford, 23, Boyce – OWI first offense, running a stop sign, $1,100 bail.

Rachel Nicole Tate, 43, Alexandria – hit and run driving, disturbing the peace, criminal damage to property, $1,000 bail.

 

Aug. 30

Savannah Cobb, 23, Pineville – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, $1,100 bail;

Jacob Lee Coldiron, 34, Pineville – OWI third offense, improper lane usage, improper display license plate, driving under suspension, $50,300 bail;

Mitchell Louis Duhon, 24, Pineville – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, expired MVI sticker, $1,200 bail;

Malcolm Rashod Fay, 26, Alexandria – possession of drug paraphernalia, remaining on premises, 12 counts contempt of court, $23,750 bail;

Carl Russell George Jr, 64, Pineville – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, paraphernalia, three counts failure to appear/pay fine, $6,500 bail;

Alexander Meadows, 21, Boyce – OWI first offense, open container, $1,100 bail;

Denise Maire Sanders, 39, Alexandria – criminal conspiracy, theft, contempt of court, $28,000 bail;

Tavis Shante Sanders, 31, Forest Hill – OWI fourth offense, operating a vehicle while under suspension for certain prior offenses, no head light, $600 bail;

Dustin Sims, 47, N/A – contempt of court, $50,000 bail;

Ashton Webb, 27, Pineville – OWI first offense, reckless operation of a vehicle, $800 bail;

Cuwandta Makenzie Williams, 24, Simmesport – DWI first offense, $670 bail;

Courtney Allison Wright, 25, Alexandria – battery of a dating partner first offense, $1,500 bail.

Aug. 29

Jason Michael Bordelon, 44, Alexandria – aggravated assault, criminal trespass, five counts contempt of court, $19,000 bail;

Devondray Demond Brown, 30, Alexandria – Louisiana fugitive, speeding, resisting an officer, driver’s license required, $700 bail;

Tammy Lynn Brown 45, Alexandria – possession of CDS, bicycle reflectors required, $2,600 bail;

Karen Sue Cage, 45, Alexandria – aggravated arson, simple assault, resisting an officer, $6,000 bail;

Layla Jane Cooke, 18, Pineville – OWI underage, restricted driver license violation, improper lane usage, turn signals required, $1,100 bail;

Walter Austin Crooks, 28, Alexandria – four counts violation of protective order, two counts stalking, unlawful communication, interfering with emergency communication, contempt of court, $54,750 bail;

Kentral Doral Howard, 33, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing fentanyl with intent, $25,000 bail;

Trenton Laine Perry, 22, Boyce – domestic abuse battery with child present, $1,500 bail;

Daniel Leory Rhoden, 38, Pineville – possession of heroin, paraphernalia, criminal trespass, Louisiana fugitive, probation violation, seven counts contempt of court, $11,000 bail;

Quashonderricka Deajanee’ Ross, 27, Alexandria – OWI first offense, disturbing the peace, hit and run driving, $2,000 bail;

Kaely Nachelle Toney, 26, Alexandria – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, two counts contempt of court, $11,000 bail;

Sean Tyler White, 30, Pineville – two counts possession of CDS, aggravated assault domestic abuse, $23,000 bail.

 

Aug. 28

Brian Todd Batson, 44, Alexandria – theft, contempt of court, two counts failure to comply with supervised release, $75,000 bail;

Jonathon Michael Barron, 34, Pineville – simple burglary, $2,500 bail;

William Patrick Bynog, 40, Boyce – criminal trespass (third/subsequent offense), obscenity, $1,500 bail;

Joshua D. Daniels, 25, Alexandria – theft, resisting officer, failure to appear, parole violations, $2,000 bail;

Larry Dale Hadley, 68, Deville – possession of CDS, possession of drug paraphernalia, $3,000 bail;

Jamarco Hopkins, 21, Alexandria – second-degree battery, $500 bail;

Mallory Kade McGoogan, 22, Alexandria – possession of CDS, parole violations, no bail data;

David James Normand, 62, Pineville – possession of CDS, two counts paraphernalia, solicitation on an interstate highway, $4,000 bail;

Adrian Jerrod Smith, 50, Alexandria – illegal possession of stolen things, flight from an officer, no driver’s license, $7,600 bail;

Dianna Demetria Smith, 45, Alexandria – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, theft, two counts contempt of court, $4,500 bail;

Jerry M. Stewart, 42, Pineville – producing manufacturing, distributing CDS, theft, resisting an officer, $4,000 bail;

Donald Daquone Watson, 27, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery, home invasion, $6,500 bail.

 

Aug. 27

Quinton James Berard Sr., 42, Lafayette – contempt of court, $20,000 bail;

James Reggie Boykins, 43, Alexandria – possession of CDS, two counts producing manufacturing distributing CDS with intent, possession of firearm by convicted felon, illegal possession of stolen firearms, $101,500 bail;

Trimia Trovette Brevelle, 27, Pineville – theft of a motor vehicle, two counts contempt of court, $10,000 bail;

Ernest John Cheatham Jr, 65, New Orleans – Louisiana fugitive, no bail data;

Myron Alin Houston, 28, Plainview – five counts theft, two counts theft of a motor vehicle, simple burglary, two counts criminal conspiract, three counts criminal trespass, $37,500 bail;

Ashley Diane Howell, 41, Alexandria – possession of CDS, parole violations, $2,500 bail;

Roosevelt Jauqvours London Jr, 23, Alexandria – aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse battery with a child present, false imprisonment (armed with dangerous weapon), violation of protective orders, $101,000 bail;

Christopher Logan Poole, 31, Pineville – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, possession of firearm by convicted felon, illegal carry firearm with drugs, $18,000 bail.

 

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The backstory helps explain why so many in the Louisiana-Mississippi corridor were caught off guard by Katrina 20 years ago today.

A year earlier thousands had evacuated ahead of Ivan, being termed the strongest hurricane to ever approach the corridor, and aiming right at it.

Routes inland from Gulfport-Biloxi, where I was the Sun-Herald’s night editor, were jammed the afternoon before expected landfall.

Nearly forgotten memories of Camille and its devastation moved masses. The 70-mile drive to Hattiesburg took 4 1/2 hours.

The Coast was pretty much abandoned as thousands huddled afar and waited.

But Ivan changed course, instead ripping into Alabama and West Florida with unmerciful fury.

Many of those returning to Mississippi and Louisiana homes said no more and when Katrina rebounded toward them on August 27, 2005 they dug in, resolved to not again cower before a now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t demon.

By the time they could stare right in Katrina’s face it was too late to pack and go. The Coast went to bed on August 28 absolutely certain a blow was coming. The only question was how bad it would be.

We all know now.

Ivan’s storm surges in Mississippi of 4-7 feet a year earlier were surpassed by Katrina’s of up to 28 feet. From Bay St. Louis to Pascagoula a wall of water nearly three stories high roared several miles inland.

Its force in tandem with the screaming wind left destruction such as was hard to believe, toppling buildings and bridges, ripping up train tracks and trees, reducing housing and highways to rubble.

For the Coast, as in New Orleans, recovery came first, before rebuilding could begin.

Before either, of course, came the added insult less than a month later from Rita’s pounding.

Some of the rebuilding has yet to be done, and may never be.

(Two entries from Jim’s Katrina Notebook, published by the Biloxi Sun-Herald)

September 1, 2005: To the watering hole

They begin to gather at sundown, coming in ones, twos or larger groups on Day Two of life after Katrina.

Much like Serengeti animals drawn to the watering hole, residents of the subdivision are attracted to a fire hydrant and the pipe wrench discretely hidden nearby.

A shower, or what passes for one in this community circle, is the primary purpose after another day of no power and no water in the stifling heat.

Another objective is collecting in buckets enough water to facilitate toilet use.

And always there is an alertness for the prowling lion — in this instance represented by the patrolling law enforcement unit.

The surreptitious bathers aren’t sure their actions are legal, but there is an unspoken sense that they probably not acceptable in normal times, but these are not normal times.

September 7, 2005:  Drip-drop-drip

GULFPORT — There is perhaps nothing more irritating than the sound of a leaking faucet, except when that drip-drop-drip signifies water is back in the line.

Not much pressure, not potable, but water nonetheless.

It allows toilets to function, and boiled on the Coleman stove, opens the door to lost luxury — instant coffee, instant grits, instant soup, macaroni and cheese — a gourmet’s delight.

Some are talking about showers, others aren’t sure about getting under what may be a contaminated stream.

Odds are the latter are just not dirty enough yet nine days after landfall.

(Editor’s note: Jim Butler, a Bolton High School alumnus, was an acclaimed writer and editor at the Alexandria Town Talk for 36 years, the last 23 (1977-2003) as editor-in-chief. He led Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of Hurricane Katrina for the Gulfport (Miss.) Sun-Herald in 2005. Butler returned home to Cenla a few years ago, and shares his talents and insight with Rapides Parish Journal readers.)

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As America enjoys a long weekend thanks to the Labor Day holiday, the Rapides Parish Journal staff will be commemorating the occasion, too.

We join in a nationwide salute to the workers who make the U.S. economy the best in the world, and whose skill and effort continues to be the backbone of our American way of life. We hope you and yours have the opportunity to relax and rejoice this Labor Day weekend.

There will be no Monday edition of the RPJ. We’ll be back publishing on weekdays as normal Tuesday morning, popping into emails at 6:55 and online and on our Facebook page even earlier in the morning, providing you with free local content.

Thanks for reading your Journal.

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By JIM BUTLER

GAEDA had no quorum for its August meeting, the second such shortfall in four months.

Three of the Authority’s seven commissioner seats are essentially vacant, leaving no margin for absence among the quorum number of four.

Absences happen – health, business, family affairs, all can create conflicts. A different commissioner missed the May and August meetings.

According to posted agenda notices and recordings the business scheduled for what turned out to be unofficial meetings was mostly in-house matters with no grant applications stalled by lack of quorum.

To this point GAEDA’s primary economic stimulus effort has been providing financial support to a host of gatherings in the city though it has entered a cooperative endeavor agreement with the city regarding the Weiss & Goldring building.

GAEDA funds are supplied through a hotel-motel occupancy tax that last year yielded $924,000.

Executive Director Angela Varnado in mid-July urged the City Council to force the membership issue under a particular legal doctrine. That dog didn’t hunt.

City Code allows each of 7 council members, who have met twice since Varnado’s request, to nominate a member and has no provision for a continuing vacancy.

The three council members – Jim Villard, Lizzie Felter and Chuck Fowler – whose GAEDA nominations are pending may be having difficulty finding takers, considering the agency issues over the past 18 months, or may just be in no hurry.

If either wants to look outside the city per se there’s a residency question – must a GAEDA nominee or member live within city?  The most-recent ordinance makes no mention.

The serve-at-will change in the member process was adopted under that ordinance in February 2023, with Fowler, according to minutes, being the only no vote.

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Retired Menard track and field and cross country coach Wally Smith was informed Tuesday afternoon that he had been elected to the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Smith, who coached for 33 years at Menard, was surprised when acclaimed track and field and cross country coach Joe Moreau of Alexandria, Menard principal Cris Gatlin, several of Smith’s friends, a former runner, parents of some former runners and a former rival coach showed up at his home for the announcement of the honor.

Moreau, an early mentor for Smith, is a member of the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame and its Hall of Fame selection committee. He read the letter from the Louisiana High School Coaches Association informing Smith that he had been elected to the Hall of Fame. His induction ceremony will be April 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge.

During Smith’s tenure at Menard, the Eagles won 13 state titles in cross country with the Lady Eagles winning 11 and the Eagle boys claiming two. He also guided his girls track and field team to a state title in 2013.

“This is a runners’ award,” said Smith, “because they are all a part of this. Whenever you do God’s will, everything works.”

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A few minutes before United States Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley called Sam Burns’ name Wednesday morning as the sixth and final captain’s choice pick for the USA roster in the Sept. 26-28 international competition, Cameron Young did.

That inadvertent slip from the fourth player announced by Bradley strongly hinted Burns was on the team.

“Cameron Young just gave away Sam Burns being a pick,” posted Hugh Kellenberger of The Athletic on that publication’s live chat as Bradley methodically went through his selections live on Golf Channel. Responding to a question, Young said, “… and teammates like Sam …” and the cat was climbing out of the bag.

Despite getting a call, presumably Monday (posted Wednesday on the Ryder Cup USA Facebook page), from Bradley – who said Wednesday morning his team was set 48 hours earlier – the emotion was apparent. Burns’ voice wavered as he began to respond to the opening query from the program moderator.

“Being on these teams is one of the highest honors you can achieve in this sport. I’m so privileged and honored to be part of this team,” said the 29-year-old Shreveport native and Calvary Baptist Academy graduate from his home in Choudrant, where he plays out of Squire Creek Country Club.

Burns was 16^th on the USA’s Ryder Cup points rankings and was among roughly 10 players thought to be in the mix for the six captain’s choices – including Bradley, who stood 11^th on the points list but decided not to be a playing captain – a decision that may have left open the slot Burns filled.

Moments after announcing the former two-time LSU All-American and 2016 major college player of the year’s spot on the roster, Bradley referenced the intensity that Burns carries — and flashed in his initial comment Wednesday.

“Sam is an incredibly passionate golfer. He is the best putter on the planet. He has won the Match Play championship. He has an extreme competitive fire in his belly. I have a lot of respect for Sam and the way that he came on at the end of the season to make this team. His back was against the wall and he played well every week. That’s some of the hardest times to play good golf, trying to make these Ryder Cup teams, and Sam did that.

“We really wanted to see how these guys handled the pressure of making this team, and they all shined brightly at the end of the season … playing high level golf on the biggest stage, with the Ryder Cup on the line. Ultimately that was the decision-maker on who made the team,” said Bradley.

The USA aims to defend home turf at Bethpage Black on Long Island, N.Y., and take the Ryder Cup away from the Europeans, who won convincingly two years ago in Rome.

As Bradley explained what he and his vice captains were looking for in the six picks to go with the six automatic qualifiers on the USA’s Ryder Cup points system, it was clear Burns was an ideal fit – considering the three-week FedEx Cup playoff run Burns staged (tied for fourth two weeks ago at the BMW Championship, tied for 7^th last weekend at the Tour Championship, while posting 68 or lower in each of his last 10 rounds in the playoffs) coupled with his two days of leading the U.S. Open and an eighth-place there, one of his six top 10s this season.

Burns tops the PGA Tour with a .924 strokes gained putting rate, is fourth in putts per round (28.0) and 19^th in birdie conversion rate (34.2 percent). He stands second on tour with 377 birdies in 24 starts this season and averages a solid 307.4 yards off the tee.

“We wanted guys who we knew could handle the moment,” said Bradley. “There’s Ryder Cups, and there’s Ryder Cups at Bethpage. We needed guys who were winners, who were up there in majors, that have won majors, and ultimately guys that we felt fit the golf course – very long, very difficult. Most of these guys are incredible putters.

“We’d love to have Sam on our side with that putter at Bethpage. I can’t wait to see him out there with those fans. (He) plays with his heart on his sleeve, and people at Bethpage are going to love that.”

Making his second Ryder Cup appearance and fourth consecutive USA roster for international competition (wins in the 2022 and 2024 Presidents Cup), Burns is relishing playing in front of boisterous New Yorkers.

“It’s going to be an incredible week. I know we’re going to have tons of support at Bethpage. These fans are special, and they love getting behind their teams, behind their country, and I know having their support will spur us on and hopefully we can rally behind that energy and use it to our advantage,” he said.

The other players chosen by Bradley and announced Wednesday were Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Patrick Cantlay and Young. The automatic selections confirmed two Sundays ago were world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Bryson DeChambeau, and Harris English.

Burns went 1-2 in the 2023 Ryder Cup and was 3-0-1 last year in Canada at the Presidents Cup.

Bradley said Burns and the other USA players (except for DeChambeau, who is ineligible because he plays on the LIV Golf circuit) will be in the PGA Tour’s first fall event, the Procore Championship Sept. 11-14 in Napa, California, to avoid a monthlong competitive break before the Ryder Cup.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

Aug. 27

Steven Darcell Darbon, 46, Alexandria – two counts contempt of court, $100,000 bail;

Robert Scott Fowler, 54, Deville – money laundering, producing manufacturing distributing CDS with intent, possession of drug paraphernalia, $500 bail;

Tydarious D. Hill, 24, Pineville – illegal possession of stolen firearms, no license plate light, driver’s license required, no insurance, $300 bail;

Todd Anthony Shelby, 57, Echo – illegal possession of stolen firearms, no bail data;

Jacobe Christiam Smading, 31, Ball – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, paraphernalia, running a red light, driver’s license not in possession, $3,700 bail;

Romell Marie Stamps, 58, Pineville – OWI, speeding, $1,300 bail;

 

Aug. 26

Camillie Alternett Alexander, 28, Alexandria – simple assault, criminal trespass, public intimidation and retaliation, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer, disturbing the peace, two counts contempt of court, $6,500 bail;

Kevin Lamont Batiste Sr, 52, Alexandria – vehicular homicide DWI, driving under suspension, reckless operation of a vehicle, $251,000 bail;

Jameontae D. Carter, 22, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing CDS, two counts contempt of court, $55,000 bail;

Christian Rashad Cunningham, 21, Alexandria – unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, no bail data;

Adriel Preston Hester, 53, Boyce – possession of CDS, improper lane usage, $2,600 bail;

James Carrol Knapp, 48, Alexandria – aggravated resisting police with force or violence, probation violation, possession of drug paraphernalia, $30,000 bail;

Joseph Albert Mathews, 42, Alexandria – three counts simple burglary, contempt of court, $35,000 bail;

Jarred Thomas Rachal, 46, Pineville – possession of firearm by convicted felon, $10,000 bail;

McKinley Wilton Jr., 45, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing with intent fentanyl, four counts contempt of court, $20,000 bail;

Arabia Woodard, 25, Pineville – failure to appear/pay fine, eight counts contempt of court, $26,000 bail;

 

Aug. 25

Brittany Michelle Evans, 28, Pineville – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, probation violation, failure to appear, $3,000 bail;

Ronnie Dale McClinton, 54, Pineville – aggravated battery, no bail data;

Brady Sanders, 24, Pineville – criminal damage to property, violation of protective orders, two counts contempt of court, $8,500 bail;

Donald Frank Willis, 60, Bunkie – remaining on premises, eight counts contempt of court, $16,250 bail.

 

Aug. 24

Melissa Ann Butler, 49, Alexandria – theft, resisting police with force or violence, $1,000 bail;

Ricky Joseph Jenkins Sr, 37, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery strangulation, $1,000 bail;

Kristopher Michael Marks, 26, Alexandria – possession of CDS, simple assault, resisting an officer, criminal trespass, obstructing public passages, $4,500 bail;

Matthew Tate Mobley, 50, Alexandria – two counts theft (second/subsequent conviction), simple escape, contempt of court, $16,000 bail;

Jamieon Tylee Osteen, 30, Alexandria – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, two counts resisting an officer, bicycle riding violation, improper bicycle operation, contempt of court, probation violation, $2,200 bail.

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By JIM BUTLER

Unintended consequences sometimes accompany best intentions.

Case in point: Act 194 of this year’s legislative session. It adds comparatively small fees to a range of driving offenses with proceeds going to the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Fund.

From speeding to street racing to reckless operation a fee is added to each fine collected, one of many such surcharges added to misdemeanor levies.

But there’s a problem on the upper end – adding $25 to first-offense DUI fines and $50 to second-violation fines (driving possible fines beyond $1,000) makes them what are labeled Duncan Misdemeanors, so-named for a landmark Louisiana case that affirmed the right to jury trial in misdemeanor cases in district courts.

That’s the last thing district courts need, considering the volume of cases they handle. And the last thing municipal courts want, considering the fines revenue involved.

The change has been an issue since early June. The Pineville City Council has an ordinance pending to add language to its City Code that it believes will allow cases to stay in its court.

Other jurisdictions are similarly studying what they can do while waiting to seek legislative correction next year.

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I remember riding alone into New Orleans in my white pickup truck back then, on the first day the public was officially allowed to drive into the city after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

I am remembering that as we approach the 20^th anniversary Friday of the cursed, 175-mph storm’s making landfall in the city where I was born and raised. As I drove past the dreadful sites of white dust, brown grass and blue tarps, downed power lines and uprooted trees and damaged homes and businesses, the song on the Josh Groban CD that started playing was “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring.”

“Word of God, our flesh that fashioned

With the fire of life impassioned

Striving still to truth unknown

Soaring, dying round Thy throne”

Hearing those words, while trying to wrap my head around what I was seeing, I started crying. I was not alone. There were lots of tears related to Katrina.

John Brady, LSU’s head basketball coach at the time, who was about to embark on an NCAA Final Four 2005-06 season, was the featured speaker at the United Way Campaign Kickoff in Alexandria. After his speech, he told me how Glenn Davis was affected. Nicknamed “Big Baby,” the 6-foot-9 power forward and center who that season was a consensus All-American and SEC Player of the Year, was one of a handful of LSU players who stayed at the Maravich Assembly Center for several hours one day when it was transformed into a triage unit.

Davis stood beside a doctor who was opening a breathing hole in the throat of a patient who died, and he “got so overwhelmed by what he saw, he went back to his room and broke down,” said Brady.

My parents arrived from an extended summer trip to New Hampshire that day I arrived, in early October, not expecting what they saw in their home. They had received a message from someone who had passed by that it appeared to be OK. Looks can be deceiving. The front of the house looked OK, but it didn’t show the roof toward the back of the two-story house, much of which was torn off. That opened the way for massive rain damage  and, of course, the loss of electricity.

My parents were both in their 80s at the time. Dad was outwardly stoic but fuming inside, and Mom was shouting and crying and angrily threw a package of rotten, molded lunch meat across the kitchen before breaking down. They were fortunate to be able to move into an apartment, vacated by my nephew, a few blocks away. Their house, built in the early 1900s, had good bones and was able to be reconstructed. They were able to move back into the house in October of ’06.

Yet, the storm and its aftermath was a sad turning point in their lives as they never were the same afterwards.

When the hurricane was approaching, my friend Bucky, a pathologist in New Orleans, elected to stay rather than evacuate for a variety of reasons, some naïve but all honorable.  Like everyone who stayed, he got a false sense of security after the storm passed Monday without much damage. But on Tuesday the waters from the broken levee started rising and rising —  rising four inches an hour by nightfall.

Tom, a friend of his from Ferriday, almost miraculously got through to him on his landline and asked if he was still in New Orleans, and if so, was he OK. When Bucky told him what was going on, he offered to come get him. He knew he couldn’t drive in to New Orleans but offered to come by his boat on the Mississippi River and find him.

Bucky convinced Tom not to take such a risk, and then he lucked out when he heard some newscasters on his little TV say, “If you are uptown, you need to get out of town, and here’s how you do it.” Bucky, wearing hip boots, turned to his family and said, “Let’s go. Grab what you can and let’s get out of here.”

In darkness and flooding waters, they drove through, around and over all sorts of obstacles, got out of town and eventually made it to Tom’s house in Ferriday around 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Yes, it was a nightmare. The Superdome, with its shattered roof, became the world’s largest human toilet, and there were shootings and pillaging and worse. But you know what, it wasn’t the end of civilization in the Crescent City.

After all the rooftop wailing and gnashing of teeth, it was as if New Orleans, a place with rich faith, collectively shouldered its heavy cross in working to revive and even improve the city.

And looking at the place 20 years later, it did a darn good job. The city’s NFL team, the Saints, went to the NFL Championship game in 2006 and won the Super Bowl in 2009. Since Katrina, New Orleans has hosted two NCAA Men’s Final Fours, one NCAA Women’s Final Four and two Super Bowls, with the most recent, earlier this year, being acclaimed as the crown jewel of all Super Bowls.

JazzFest, since Katrina, hasn’t skipped a beat, unless you count a couple of years when it couldn’t beat Covid. And this year the New York-based media brand Time Out named New Orleans as the best food city in the world.

I’d say the doomsayers who predicted New Orleans’ demise were wrong, as they usually are. It’s not fun on this 20^th anniversary to recall the horrors of that storm, but it’s satisfying to see how resilient and even energizing that city has since become.

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By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Sports Information Director

NATCHITOCHES – As one of the world’s foremost experts on concussions, Natchitoches native and former Northwestern State football player Dr. Julian Bailes is a gifted man.

Ahead of the 2025 Northwestern football season, Bailes has taken those gifts and returned them in kind to the Demons, helping provide an innovative Q-Collar for every player on the roster.

The Q-Collar, designed by Bailes, is worn around the neck and applies light pressure to the neck, which causes a partial occlusion to the jugular veins and a slight increase of blood volume inside the head, which helps reduce the brain’s movement upon impact thereby greatly reducing the risk of concussion.

“(Natchitoches lawyer) Billy West, who is obviously really, really good friends with Dr. Bailes, made the introduction,” second-year head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “Dr. Bailes came in town (last year), and he had a meeting with our staff just to educate us on concussions. Just the knowledge was unbelievable, and that led from one thing to another, including the discussions about the Q-Collar. When he came back this spring, there were more discussions and it kind of grew into an opportunity for him to provide our whole team with Q-Collars.”

The Demons already are reaping measurable benefits thanks to Bailes, formerly the Pittsburgh Steelers’ team neurosurgeon and a longtime advisor to the NFL, NCAA, and Pop Warner football. He and Natchitoches residents David and Dr. Jennifer Thornton helped provide the Q-Collars to Northwestern, making the Demons among the first NCAA programs to utilize them.

McCorkle said concussion incidents through fall camp were among the lowest he could remember throughout his three decades of college coaching.

The Q-Collars and the custom-fit Schutt helmets the Demons ordered played roles in that number shrinking while the Q-Collars themselves have loosened up some of the Demons as an unexpected plus.

“Before I was wearing the Q-Collar, I’d take a big hit and feel a little rung up and it would take a little bit to get back to the huddle, but the Q-Collar allows you to play with confidence,” sophomore offensive tackle Garrett Morphis said. “It allows you to play free. You can take big hits or you can lay big hits and your head doesn’t hurt after the play. I think it does its job, so I can do my job at a high level.”

As training camp progressed, the Demons who used their newest piece of equipment quickly adjusted to it.

“I’ve gotten really comfortable wearing it,” sophomore safety Kaden Mackey said. “When I hit, I don’t even feel anything, so it’s amazing.”

With Bailes’ involvement in the development of the Q-Collar, a partnership with his hometown university made sentimental sense. The execution of it re-emphasized a message McCorkle has shared with his team throughout his 21-month tenure as the head Demon.

“We talk about ‘The Link’ we wear all the time and, it seems like he’s (Bailes) a teammate as well,” Mackey said. “Him donating it shows a lot of love. He wants us to play free because he loves the game.”

While the meeting between McCorkle and Bailes helped lead to the addition of the Q-Collars, it also gave McCorkle insight into what has helped Bailes relay his expertise to any and everyone.

“Dr. Bailes, obviously, he’s brilliant, and he has a lot of information and a lot of things that we’ve never heard, thought of or even knew existed, but he has a unique way of making it make sense,” McCorkle said. “He kind of boils that cabbage down so the lay person – the simple football coach like myself – can really understand it. That’s a gift – to be able to communicate that way. Every time he shows up or we have a chance to visit or listen to him present, you take something different away.”

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

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By JIM BUTLER

At some point the fiddler has to be paid or the music stops.

That’s where the City of Alexandria seems to find itself with utility rates, last changed 10 years ago.

Consultants have recommended pricing that would boost the base cost of electrical, gas, water and sewerage service by about $50 monthly. City Council members are likely already hearing squawking.

No one wants to pay more though the alternative is rarely mentioned – that being how long the system can keep subsidizing the General Fund.

This fiscal year about $11 million is budgeted for transfer to the General Fund. Without it, something would have to be cut, or an alternative dollar stream developed. (Over the past eight audit years the transfer total is about $77 million.) Electricity is the system workhouse and gets most attention when hot or cold weather drive consumption up or a rising natural gas fuel adjustment bumps bills.

The study pending consideration in City Hall is a tough sell to customers engaged in ongoing battles with rising costs of living. Those same rising costs are eating away at the Utility System’s razor-thin margins. (The study recommends including an annual rate adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index.) Since the city first generated its own power more than a century ago the system has provided a General Fund transfusion.

That one of the three elected city fathers under its long-time commission form of government was Commissioner of Finance and Utilities was no afterthought.

(The other two were Mayor-Commissioner of Public Safety and Commissioner of Streets and Parks. The commission form was junked in the 1970s under the current home rule charter. The first mayor elected under the mayor-council form was a former Commissioner of Finance and Utilities).

What does the recommended alternate of five propose? A snapshot that includes doing away with a host of rate categories in favor of flat rates for similar accounts:

• Electrical – A 1,000 kwh residential customer would pay an average of $15.89 more monthly. An actual bill of this past April was $114.24. It would have been $127.83 under the recommended change;
• Gas – increase base monthly rate of $4.50 for in-city to $12, outside from $6 to $16; change monthly volume charge per thousand cubic feet to flat $5.50 and $6.25 per mcf;
• Water – increase minimum monthly from $5.79 to $15.25; Sewerage – 5,000 gallons monthly, increase monthly rate of $6.62 in-city to $26.61, outside from $21.74 to $33.11.

 

These numbers are Alternate C of five outlined in the report. A and B are on the lower side, D and E the higher.

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Former LSU golf All-American Sam Burns did enough for his second straight top 10 finish in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs, closing with a 4-under 66 Sunday to tie for seventh at the season’s final event, the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

All four rounds this week – and his last 10 rounds in the three playoff tournaments – have been 68 or lower. He went 67-66-68-66 this weekend at the iconic 7,440-yard, par-70 East Lake Country Club layout.

Coupled with a fourth-place tie at the BMW Championship a week earlier, adding Sunday’s $1.121,667 check to the $910,000 he netted in Baltimore, the last two paydays combining for $2 million have boosted his 2025 official PGA Tour winnings to $6.6 million – the fourth straight season the Choudrant resident and Shreveport native has topped the $6 million mark.

But was it enough for Burns’ top goal this season – a spot on the 12-man USA team for next month’s Ryder Cup?

He’s hoping to hear good news in the next day or two privately from captain Keegan Bradley, who will make six at-large picks to go with the six automatic qualifiers already established after the BMW. Burns is speculated to be one of eight contenders – including Bradley, who finished tied with Burns and Justin Thomas Sunday, and would be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

The final six will be announced on Golf Channel in a 9 o’clock CDT show Wednesday morning from PGA headquarters in Plano, Texas.

“Yeah, it’s huge. I think definitely my No. 1 goal coming into this year,” said Burns after finishing his Sunday round with an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole. “Unfortunately, I didn’t put myself in a position to be an automatic qualifier. I think it takes a lot of stress off certainly this week and last week to be in that position. But you know what, I tried to focus on coming into the playoffs and trying to play some solid golf, and hopefully it’s enough.”

He was eager to get home to Lincoln Parish, where he plays out of Squire Creek Country Club.

“It’s going to be a long 24 hours or 48 hours, whatever it is. But it’ll be nice to go home. I’m definitely looking forward to being home and spending some time with (wife) Caroline and (15-month-old son) Bear and just relaxing and resting. It’s been a long three weeks, and I’m really looking forward to that.”

Burns has a trusting, matter-of-fact attitude about his hopes to make a fourth straight USA international roster, and a second straight Ryder Cup team (playing in the 2022 and 2024 Presidents Cup competitions, and the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy).

“(I have) 100 percent trust in Keegan. I know whatever decision he makes is going to be one that he thinks is best for the team,” he said. “Ultimately I’m Team USA. If I’m on the team, awesome. I would love nothing more. If I’m not, I’ll be rooting for them.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

 

Aug. 24

Richard Brown, 45, Alexandria – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, obstruction of justice, bicycle reflectors, resisting an officer, $3,600 bail;

Asia M Cowden, 24, Alexandria – OWI first offense, $1,000 bail;

Katrina Valencia Dominguez, 48, Pineville – domestic abuse battery, simple battery, $500 bail;

Darrell Lynn Gray, 58, Colfax – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, bicycle reflectors, parole violations, resisting an officer, $1,100 bail;

Desiree Heather Hudspeth, 31, Boyce – domestic abuse battery, criminal damage to property, $500 bail;

Nicolas Joell Mcquarn, 25, Boyce – sexual battery, home invasion, no bail data;

Matthew Joseph Parrie, 26, Pineville – OWI first offense, speeding, driving under suspension, open container, $1,300 bail;

Keith A. Reynolds, 38, Alexandria – possession of CDS, violation of protective orders, criminal damage to property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, theft, $3,500 bail;

Jaila Nashai Washington, 23, Alexandria – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, open container, $1,200 bail.

 

Aug. 23

Justin Corley, 25, Pineville – simple battery, domestic abuse battery, $500 bail;

Chase Alan Daniels, 24, Woodworth – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, $1,100 bail;

Kyren Kentrell Dixon, 29, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing with intent fentanyl, possession of marijuana, $100,500 bail;

Tyler Lee Dixon Sr, 20, Pineville – illegal possession of stolen things, contempt of court, $3,000 bail;

Jermaine Dorsey, 47, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing with intent fentanyl, possession of marijuana, no license plate light, improper window tint, $700 bail;

Joshua Ray Goff, 37, Pineville – producing manufacturing distributing with intent fentanyl, two counts producing manufacturing distributing CDS, driving under suspension, parole violations, $100 bail;

Austin Henderson, 24, Alexandria – five counts contempt of court, $18,000 bail;

Mikail Devon Jack, 32, Kinder – OWI second offense, driving under suspension, reckless operation of a vehicle, $2,700 bail;

Darrell Davarres Jefferson Jr, 24, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing counterfeit substances, legend drug possession, contempt of court, $2,500 bail;

Ronald Deson Montgomery Jr, 38, Pineville – possession of CDS, possession of synthetic CDS, paraphernalia, driving under suspension, no head light, $3,700 bail;

Bobby Robert Roberts, 71, Alexandria – OWI, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, open container, possession of marijuana, failure to secure registration, $3,800 bail;

Kentrell Wayne Silas, 31, Alexandria – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, criminal trespass, $3,500 bail.

 

Aug. 22

Akeem Dontay Allen, 34, Alexandria – theft, three counts contempt of court, $23,000 bail;

Brandon Keith Breakfield, 29, Pineville – OWI first offense, improper backing, $1,100 bail;

Ruby Rajean Cobb, 31, Alexandria – simple burglary, $1,000 bail;

Louis Maurice Courville, 25, Pineville – aggravated battery, $50,000 bail;

Jasmine S. Davis, 34, Alexandria – four counts contempt of court, $20,000 bail;

Kente Onez Guidry, 25, Alexandria – attempted second degree murder, possession of firearm by convicted felon, battery on an officer, three counts resisting an officer, two counts aggravated assault with a firearm, theft, domestic abuse battery, two counts possession of marijuana, parole violations, $393,000 bail;

Janice Maria Johnson, 50, Alexandria – OWI first offense, $1,000 bail;

Dolmoine Joseph, 23, Alexandria – possession of marijuana, resisting an officer, probation violation, contempt of court, $6,500 bail;

Janice Maria Johnson, 50, Alexandria – OWI first offense, $1,000 bail;

Lionell Dewayne Johnson, 26, Alexandria – two counts possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, illegal carry firearm with drugs, possession of firearm by convicted felon, driving under suspension, tail lamps, probation violation, $23,700 bail;

Kevin Windale Jones, 47, Alexandria – possession of CDS, contempt of court, $4,500 bail;

Sergio Jones, 32, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery strangulation, no bail data;

Ambrose Kirk, 66, N/A – second degree rape, criminal damage to property, aggravated battery, $300,500 bail;

Michael Martin, 47, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery strangulation, parole violations, $25,000 bail;

Jerry Mitchell Miles Jr, 40, Alexandria – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, paraphernalia, illegal carry firearm with drugs, contempt of court, $5,000 bail;

Jerry Mitchell Moses Jr, 40, Alexandria – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, paraphernalia, illegal carry firearm with drugs, contempt of court, $5,000 bail;

Jesus Alejandro Ortiz Jr, 18, Deville – OWI, driver’s license required, reckless operation/speeding, possession of marijuana, unlawful purchase of tobacco, $2,800 bail;

Juliann Lacey Rashall, 29, Boyce – producing manufacturing distributing CDS with intent, parole violations, contempt of court, $2,500 bail;

Keith A Reynolds, 38, Alexandria – possession of marijuana, violation protective order, $1,250 bail;

Kedar Andrey Smith, 28, Alexandria – five counts contempt of court, $153,000 bail;

Summer V. Stricklen, 28, Hineston – two counts possession of CDS, paraphernalia, safety belt violation, canceled plate violation, driving under suspension, $2,300 bail;

April Kelly Strong, 32, Alexandria – theft, two counts simple escape, three counts probation violation, four counts contempt of court, $85,000 bail;

Terris Strong Jr., 19, Alexandria – second degree murder, producing manufacturing distributing marijuana, illegal use of weapons/instrumentalities, paraphernalia, $1.1 million bail;

Clinton Joseph Tassin III, 31, Ball – domestic abuse battery, contempt of court, $3,000 bail;

Christopher Morley Tiner, 29, Jena – criminal conspiracy, two counts taking contraband to and from penal institutions, producing manufacturing distributing CDS, possession of fentanyl, $110,000 bail;

Michael Loyd Toney, 40, Leesville – Louisiana fugitive, no bail data;

Coby Aaron Whatley, 24, Pineville – criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy, four counts aggravated obstruction of highway, aggravated second degree battery, two counts resisting an officer, flight from an officer, speeding, no license plate light, reckless operation of a vehicle, driving under suspension, switch MVI, contributing to delinquency of juveniles, child desertion, $152,400 bail;

Thawri Sameer Zeidan, 22, Alexandria – possession of CDS, paraphernalia, possession of firearm by convicted felon, illegal carry firearm with drugs, probation violation, $55,500 bail.

 

Aug. 21

John Earl Batiste, 45, Alexandria – possession of CDS, no bail data;

Frederick Beverly, 45, Alexandria – producing manufacturing, distributing CDS, driving under suspension, seatbelt violation, three counts contempt of court, $103,200 bail;

Tyrin Drakel Boyd, 33, Alexandria – possession of marijuana, Louisiana fugitive, use of CDS in presence of minor, expired MVI sticker, no child restraint system, safety belt violation, $6,300 bail;

David Anthony Bush, 27, Lafayette – producing manufacturing distributing CDS, paraphernalia, no signals, signal lamps, $25,700 bail;

Anthony Wayne Chew, 53, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery strangulation, $5,000 bail;

Alvin Ray Giddings, 56, Deville – two counts first degree rape, resisting an officer, Louisiana fugitive, $1.1 million bail;

Kim Michelle Gray, 37, Pineville – contempt of court, $50,000 bail;

Larry Dale Hadley, 68, Alexandria – possession of CDS, drug paraphernalia, contempt of court, $28,000 bail;

Chad David Hagan, 53, Deville – two counts contempt of court, $20,000 bail;

Benjamin Kenifer Hayes, 34, Alexandria – two counts possession of CDS, paraphernalia, criminal trespass, resisting an officer, $5,500 bail;

Reginald Demon Jackson, 40, Alexandria – resisting an officer, three counts contempt of court, $60,500 bail;

Wayne Kerry, 32, Alexandria – theft of a motor vehicle, $25,000 bail;

Adrion Lamar Logan, 43, Woodworth – possession of drug paraphernalia, remaining after being forbidden, five counts contempt of court, $76,500 bail;

Rkeizmond Miles, 21, Alexandria – aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse battery with child present, stalking, home invasion, contempt of court, $108,500 bail;

Leah Deann Noland, 29, Pollock – second degree battery, $1,500 bail;

Matthew C. Pomes II, 27, Ball – three counts contempt of court, $75,000 bail;

Kayla Tajae Proshee, 26, Baton Rouge – simple burglary, simple battery, trespassing, $11,000 bail;

Justin William Riggs, 42, Ball – domestic abuse battery, $5,000 bail;

Lester Herman Trussell, 67, Alexandria – possession of CDS, five counts contempt of court, probation violation, $22,500 bail;

Scott Anthony Vanlangedonck, 54, Alexandria – theft, contempt of court, $6,000 bail;

Alvin Dreshon Vaughn, 39, Alexandria – three counts contempt of court, $52,500 bail.

 

Aug. 20

Elizabeth Louise Denser, 55, Pineville – windshield required, driving under suspension, canceled plate violation, switch MVI, no insurance, switched license plate, five counts contempt of court, $9,600 bail;

Erin Finley, 25, N/A – simple burglary, criminal damage to property, criminal trespass, distributing the peace, theft, $12,000 bail;

Brandon R. Jacobs, 38, Marksville – theft of a motor vehicle, $5,000 bail;

Nicklette Reshawn Peace, 31, Alexandria – 14 counts of theft, $7,000 bail;

Cody Shane Truax, 37, Alexandria – burglary of an inhabited dwelling, $25,000 bail.

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Can anybody beat Scottie Scheffler at this weekend’s Tour Championship, with a $40 million purse, a $10 million winner’s check and six spots on the USA Ryder Cup team on the line?

The oddsmakers say it’s unlikely, but they list former LSU All-American Sam Burns as one of the prime possibilities to pull it off.

He starts today at lunch time, 11:27 CDT, paired with Brian Harman. Burns, a Shreveport native who was the 2016 college player of the year for the TIgers, enters the weekend 17^th in this season’s FedEx Cup standings and 16^th in the USA Ryder Cup rankings.

Scheffler – winner of two major championships this season, and lately, last week’s BMW Championship — goes off this afternoon at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta at an absurd +170 on the betting board. The world No. 1 is regarded as the best player since Tiger Woods and has done everything to prove it, taking The Masters and the British Open crowns to highlight another dominant run on the PGA Tour.

Burns, who now lives in Choudrant east of Ruston and plays out of Squire Creek Country Club, has the seventh-lowest odds in the 30-man field teeing off today, posted at +2500.

Writes golf analyst Denis Esser of The Athletic: “(Burns) gained strokes across the board here in 2023, and he gained over four strokes on approach last year. Burns has gained strokes on approach in four straight tournaments and is on an absolute heater with the putter, gaining over 12 strokes combined putting in his last two tournaments” (over the past two weeks, the FedEx St. Jude Championship and last week’s BMW Championship, where he finished fifth).

Golfweek analyst Cameron DaSilva lists Burns alongside two recent Tour Championship winners, Rory McIlroy (2022) and Viktor Hovland (2023), as the top threats to a Scheffler victory. Brian Kirschner of Inside Sports Network picks Burns as the outright winner.

Burns was 12^th last year in this tournament and ninth in 2023. This is his fifth straight year the 29-year-old has qualified for the Tour Championship, accessible to the 30 players who accumulate the most points in the FedEx Cup standings throughout the season.

A high finish this week could be much more than a very big paycheck. It may be the final push needed to impress Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who next week will make his six captain’s picks to fill out the USA’s 12-man roster for the bi-annual showdown against the European team in late September at Bethpage Black on Long Island, N.Y.

Burns is among 10 top American pros believed to be in the mix for one of Bradley’s selections, to pair with Scheffler and five other automatic qualifiers who ranked in the top six on the Ryder Cup points standings. Burns, 29, played in his first Ryder Cup in Italy two years ago and has been part of the USA team in the last two Presidents Cups (2022, 2024).

His late season surge returned him to the No. 1 ranking among all PGA Tour players in average strokes gained putting (.921).

TV coverage of the play on the 7,346-yard, par-71 East Lake layout is on Golf Channel today from noon-5, and on ESPN+ beginning with the first grouping at 10 a.m.

NBC will have network coverage of the last two rounds Saturday and Sunday.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

 

Aug. 20

Jacolby Bradford, 21, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing CDS, criminal conspiracy, obstruction of justice, flight from an officer, speeding, intentional littering, improper window tint, modified exhaust, possession of drug paraphernalia, $1,300 bail;

Daquirius Jakel Hargrove, 23, Pineville – OWI, no driver’s license, headlamps, possession of marijuana, paraphernalia, $1,700 bail;

Jarvis Tate Howard, 21, Alexandria – simple burglary, flight from an officer, resisting an officer, $25,500 bail;

Tardarius Lemon Lott, 30, Alexandria – possession of CDS, criminal trespass, $500 bail;

Evan McCall, 21, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing CDS, criminal conspiracy, obstruction of justice, intentional littering, paraphernalia, $1,000 bail.

 

Aug. 19

Ryan Dylan Dasko Jr, 25, Alexandria – possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, no insurance, driving under suspension, obstructing public passages, probation violation, contempt of court, $3,800 bail;

Reggie Alan Fee, 27, Ville Platte – five counts criminal conspiracy, five counts theft, five counts criminal trespass, $30,000 bail;

Oreaya’l Gold, 22, Pineville – second degree battery, $10,000 bail;

Beverly Collins Hagan, 72, Deville – possession of CDS, $1,000 bail;

Jessica Lane Hubbard, 35, West Monroe – two counts Louisiana fugitive, no bail data;

Mark Anthony Joseph, 57, Pineville – theft of a motor vehicle, two counts contempt of court, $4,000 bail;

Ryan Aaron McVaugh, 39, Pineville – three counts simple burglary, possession of marijuana, possession of CDS, paraphernalia, two counts resisting an officer, four counts contempt of court, $266,000 bail;

Sarah Pickering, 46, Otis – OWI first offense, $1,000 bail;

Joseph Sanders Jr, 47, Alexandria – OWI third offense, driving under suspension, careless operation of a vehicle, $200 bail;

Paul D. Soderlund, 59, Alexandria – possession of CDS, expired plate registration, driving under suspension, $2,700 bail;

Micah Erwin Washington Jr, 49, Alexandria – three counts possession of CDS, possession of marijuana, probation violation, $5,500 bail;

Krista Michelle Wilkinson, 33, N/A – simple burglary, contempt of court, $10,000 bail.

 

Aug. 18

Tessie Chambers Butler, 43, Boyce – theft, aggravated assault, simple battery, $1,000 bail;

Landon James Fulcher, 26, Alexandria – possession of marijuana, bicycle reflectors, resisting an officer, improper bicycle operation, contempt of court, $3,200 bail;

Corey Lyn Esther Means, 38, Alexandria – aggravated assault with a firearm, resisting an officer, $500 bail;

Kerry Nicholas, 25, Lafayette – simple battery, simple assault, $750 bail;

Clint Shannon Ryland, 54, Pineville – DWI first offense, reckless operation, driving under suspension, two counts contempt of court, $5,910 bail;

Daniela Ardila Salcedo, 25, North Bay Village, Fla. – possession of CDS, $1,500 bail;

Joshua Cole Warren, 36, Alexandria – three counts contempt of court, $29,000 bail;

Troy Douglas Williams, 51, Alexandria – driving under suspension, improper display of license plate, no insurance, two counts contempt of court, $20,330 bail.

 

Aug. 17

Jamarcus Deshane Blake, 32, Pineville – disturbing the peace in a violent tumultuous manner, armed robbery, obstructing public passages, probation violation, $1,000 bail;

Crystal Mae Gordon, 36, Boyce – simple battery, three counts contempt of court,  $30,500 bail;

Darrious Dewayne Humphrey, 26, Pineville – domestic abuse battery strangulation, contempt of court, $55,000 bail;

Travis Glenn Rush, 33, Alexandria – theft, criminal trespass, three counts contempt of court, $10,750 bail.

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Ethan Frey, the LSU baseball star from the Vernon Parish town of Rosepine, recently signed with the Houston Astros as a third-round draft pick and he is making a good first impression with the Astros’ Class A farm team in Fayetteville, N.C.

In the Astros’ top 100 prospects list, Ethan Taylor Frey ranks ninth overall. On the baseball grading scale of 20-80, he gets above-average 55 grades for power and running and average 50 scores for hitting, arm and fielding.

Nevertheless, that combination of skills he has shown for a player just arriving is “very promising,” said Fayetteville hitting coach Kyle Brennan, 30, who has been with the Astros organization in some capacity for four seasons.

The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Frey helped LSU win two NCAA baseball championships in the last three years, but he didn’t bloom as a starter until this season. That’s partly because he missed summer ball last year as he was recovering from a torn labrum.

But by the time the Tigers got to the NCAA Regionals, he arguably swatted the most important hit of the season. With LSU seemingly lifeless and trailing by four runs, he uncorked a two-out, three-run double into the gap in right center in the fourth inning against Little Rock. That transformed the kittens into roaring Tigers who rallied for the win, advanced to the Super Regional and didn’t close the season until they won the College World Series in Omaha.

He signed with the Astros for $997,500, according to the Astros Scouting Report, and in his first 12 games with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, he is batting .308 with 3 doubles, 9 RBI, 4 stolen bases and 12 walks. No home runs yet but remember he didn’t get his first collegiate home run until this past season, when he launched a three-run blast on Feb. 18 against Southern. He finished with 13 dingers for the season. That’s the same number of homers he had during his senior season at Rosepine, where he helped lead the Eagles to back-to-back state championships.  A dual-threat quarterback during football season, he finished his prep baseball career ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 1 catcher and No. 2 overall player in the state of Louisiana. 

Looking at his stats with the Woodpeckers, he has been walked a dozen times already (none intentionally). Brennan said that is reflective of his discipline at the plate, not going after pitches out of the zone, and getting the bat on pitches that are in the zone. He has struck out just eight times in 39 at-bats.

Brennan said Chris Martin, a friend and former strength and conditioning coordinator for the Astros who now handles that job for LSU baseball, is impressed with Frey. “He spoke highly of him and how he was excellent to work with,” said Brennan, who agrees.

“He’s been very positive, very intense; he comes from a winning culture and expects to compete at the highest level. He’s intense in his work but he’s got a playful banter among teammates and staff, which reflects his innate leadership qualities.”

That gift of leadership comes naturally, you might say. Ethan’s father, Ross Frey, a military government contractor, is a veteran who served in the Marines and the Army, earning the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Meritorious Service medals. Ross Frey was honored during LSU’s season at one of the “Soldier Salutes” ceremonies the Tigers conduct each home weekend at Alex Box. 

Last week Fayetteville broadcaster Andrew Chapman did a podcast with Frey. A  native of Mt. Vernon, Ill., Frey said on the podcast that, as a child, he used to play hockey with his dad in the kitchen. He said he can’t thank his father enough for showing him a work ethic. His mother, who is a military family assistant, and father visited him recently to catch a home series in Fayetteville.

Ethan said he saw them at batting practice before a game.

“It felt good to hug ’em again,” he said. “That never gets old.”

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Former LSU All-American Sam Burns made a run at winning the BMW Championship in the PGA Tour playoffs Sunday, and raised his stock in the swirl of speculation over who USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley will soon pick for the six open slots on his roster.

Burns was briefly one shot out of the lead, and tied for second at 12-under during Sunday’s final round before two closing bogies dropped the 29-year-old into a fourth-place tie at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland. He posted a 10-under total (68-67-67-68) and collected a $910,000 payday to raise his season’s official money winnings to $5.6 million heading into the $40 million Tour Championship starting Thursday in Atlanta.

A Shreveport native who was the 2016 college player of the year at LSU, Burns birdied three times on the front nine Sunday, and got to 4-under for the day with a birdie on the 11^th hole. He bogied 14, bounced back with a bird on the par-5 16^th, but was errant off the tee on the final two holes, the par-3 17^th and par-4 18^th, two of Sunday’s five toughest pars per tournament statistics.

Sunday’s final round closed the Ryder Cup selection of the six automatic slots, based soley on the Tour’s points system. That half-dozen is headed by Scottie Scheffler, who rallied from four shots down to capture the BMW title Sunday, finishing at 15-under. Bradley’s other six picks will consider Ryder Cup points standings, but will be a subjective decision.

Burns, now a Lincoln Parish resident who plays out of Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant, recorded his fifth top 10 of the season and made the cut for the 20^th time in 23 starts, including the last 14 dating back to playing 72 holes at The Masters in April.

He stands 17^th in the field of 30 golfers who advanced to East Lake CC for the Tour Championship, making the season-ending event for the fifth straight year. He is 16^th in USA Ryder Cup points but among those 10 not automatically qualified Sunday, only Maverick McNeely (third at 11-under) was better this week, and next closest was Cameron Young (t19, 5-under).

Bradley will announce his six captain’s picks for the Ryder Cup team on Wednesday, Aug. 27. Burns was a captain’s choice in 2023 and on the 2024 Presidents Cup team, and was an automatic selection for his first international competition as a Tour member, the 2022 Presidents Cup.

His current string of making three straight USA teams as a pro equals the best stretch by Hal Sutton (1998-2000). David Toms played for the USA in six consecutive Presidents Cup/Ryder Cup competitions from 2002-07.

Burns’ PGA Tour official career earnings rose Sunday to $33.5 million since 2019 after he posted his 19^th career top 5 finish. The back nine bogies were costly: second place paid Robert MacIntyre (13-under) $2.1 million while third netted McNeely $1.3 million.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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