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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Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

Aug. 17

Crystal Renee Barfield, 20, Pineville – resisting a police officer with force or violence, disturbing the peace, $1,000 bail;

Roy Lee Reed, 33, Lecompte – two counts second degree rape, second degree robbery, $200,000 bail;

Clint Shelton, 54, Longview, Texas – OWI first offense, open container, wrong way on one-way street, $1,200 bail;

 

Aug. 16

Edwin Ray Barron, 31, Pollock – OWI first offense, improper lane usage, driving under suspension, expired MVI sticker, open container, contempt of court, $2,400 bail;

James Allen Bynog, 25, Boyce – aggravated assault domestic abuse, no bail data;

Trendon Lynn Goynes, 24, Pollock – OWI first offense, careless operation of a vehicle, $1,100 bail;

Tylor Anthony Hare, 28, Boyce – possession of marijuana, possession of CDS, criminal trespass, possession of paraphernalia, resisting an officer, five counts contempt of court, $50,500 bail;

Zachary Howard, 33, Alexandria – OWI first offense, possession of CDS, paraphernalia, improper lane usage, speeding, $4,200 bail;

Michael Dewayne Nelson, 51, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery, three counts of contempt of court, $9,000 bail;

Alexander Ray King, 50, Pineville – domestic abuse battery, aggravated assault domestic abuse, $25,000 bail;

Briant Lewis, 40, Silsbee – OWI first offense, improper headlight equipment, $1,100 bail;

Austin Auzlle Maxwell, 26, Dry Prong – stalking, criminal trespass, violation of protective orders (violent), open container, home invasion, $600 bail;

Barry Paul Walker Jr, 34, Alexandria – burglary of an inhabited dwelling, simple burglary, Louisiana fugitive, $50,000 bail.

 

Aug. 15

Laken Nicole Afeman, 39, Hineston – domestic abuse battery with child present, domestic abuse battery, $10,000 bail;

Ruben Alvarado, 56, Alexandria – cruelty to juveniles, $1,000 bail;

Dewayne Byrd, 36, Cheneyville – parole violations, two counts contempt of court, $52,500 bail;

Dequayvieon Carter, 21, Alexandria – illegal possession of a stolen firearm, open container, $100 bail;

Derrick James Colson, 49, Alexandria – possession of synthetic CDS, paraphernalia, eight counts contempt of court, $20,000 bail;

Dennis Terry Fontenot, 57, Montgomery – possession of CDS, bicycle helmet required, $2,600 bail;

Jesse Lynn Halford, 42, Boyce – four counts contempt of court, $152,000 bail;

Brittany Nicole Lapraire, 36, Mansura – possession of CDS, driving under suspension, speeding, resisting an officer, $3,200 bail;

Felecia Renee Lee, 41, Alexandria – possession of fentanyl, theft, obstruction of justice, eight counts contempt of court, $14,500 bail;

Cody Scott Morris, 29, Glenmora – five counts criminal conspiracy, five counts theft, five counts criminal trespass, $5,000 bail;

Cortez Jamal Sewell, 25, Alexandria – possession of marijuana, speeding, contempt of court, $3,115 bail.

 

Aug. 14

Isaiah Deshawn Baylor, 22, Alexandria – cruelty to juveniles, domestic abuse battery strangulation, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, domestic abuse battery, aggravated assault with a firearm, $175,000 bail;

Casey Alan Berlin, 42, Ball – three counts contempt of court, $150,000 bail;

Kwaderrica Felton, 24, Pineville – domestic abuse battery with child present, $1,500 bail;

Dan Henry Gray Jr, 50, N/A – burglary of an inhabited dwelling, $3,500 bail;

Ean Ray Hunter Hudson, 18, Deville – two counts carnal knowledge of a juvenile, two counts indecent behavior with juveniles, $40,000 bail;

Justice E. Hunter, 40, Hot Springs, Ark. – interfering with a law enforcement investigation, two counts contempt of court, $5,000 bail;

Marchita Desha Mangum, 50, Pineville – two counts possession of CDS, simple burglary, two counts contempt of court, $28,500 bail;

Herbert Joseph Poisso, 19, Colfax – third degree rape, $100,000 bail;

Terrance Latarl Polk, 37, Alexandria – simple burglary, probation violation, $10,000 bail;

Sharmaine S. Sampson, 29, Alexandria – second degree murder, $50,000 bail;

Shawn Frederick Varnado, 44, Boyce – criminal trespass, possession of drug paraphernalia, legend drug possession, possession of CDS, Louisiana fugitive, $3,000 bail;

Askia Waheed Jr, 40, Alexandria – armed robbery, unauthorized entry into inhabited dwelling, contempt of court, resisting an officer, $257,000 bail;

Jerry Tyrone White, 53, Alexandria – 10 counts of contempt of court, $17,000 bail;

Mario Marlleas Williams, 49, Leesville – domestic abuse strangulation, $25,000 bail.

 

Aug. 13

Desmond Dewayne Austin, 39, Alexandria – domestic abuse battery strangulation, three counts contempt of court, $11,000 bail;

James Richard Barlow, 35, Ball – criminal trespass, impersonating a peace officer, $2,000 bail;

Maurice Devon Davis Jr, 42, Alexandria – contempt of court, $25,000 bail;

Karado Royce Johnson, 51, Alexandria – possession of CDS, nine counts contempt of court, $27,500 bail;

Eugene Lee, 37, N/A – contempt of court, $50,000 bail.

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A benefit of being old and jobless is plenty of reading time. Herewith some generally useless notes reflecting the range of junk these eyes sort through:

 

$6.16

Average benefit SNAP participant receives per day

 

110,000

Lightning strikes detected in Louisiana on July 30

400,000

Persons removed from Louisiana Medicaid rolls, for various reasons, past two years

 

61,721

Alexandria MSA employment June 30

4.6%

Rapides unemployment rate June 2025

30

LSU football bowl wins

24

Bowl losses

$423,949,195

Gross revenue “A Minecraft Movie” April 4-July 31

2122.86

Miles of state highways in Rapides

1

MLB team not to have played in World Series (Seattle)

4

NFL teams never in Super Bowl (Cleveland, Detroit, Houston Texans, Jacksonville)

44

Most Number 1 songs by a country artist (George Strait)

$645,000,000

Cost of Bill Gates hydrogen-powered super yacht

 

4,560,000,000

Estimated years of age of meteorite that recently hit a Georgia house

 

4,540,000,000

Estimated years of Earth’s age

720

Feet of depth one part of lower Congo River, world’s deepest

0

Mosquitos in Iceland

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In a victory for Black voters and democracy in Louisiana, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed in full the district court’s ruling that the state’s legislative maps violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The court agreed that the maps dilute the voting power of Black Louisianians by unfairly dividing communities into state districts with the goal of reducing a group’s voting power, otherwise known as packing and cracking, denying them an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.

The ruling affirms the outcome of a seven-day trial in late 2023, where expert witnesses, data analysis, and firsthand accounts from Black voters across Louisiana exposed the discriminatory effect of the current maps and their impact in places like Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and Natchitoches.

“Today’s victory is a testament to the strength and resilience of Black communities across Louisiana who have fought for years to be fairly recognized, represented, and heard,” said Sara Rohani, assistant counsel at the Legal Defense Fund. “Fair representation is not optional in Louisiana. Today’s decision reaffirms that the State must pass fair and non-discriminatory maps to comply with the Voting Rights Act. We look forward to rectifying another example of Louisiana’s long history of racial voter suppression.”

“This is a historic affirmation of the rights of Black voters in Louisiana,” said Megan Keenan, ACLU Voting Rights Project staff attorney. “Today’s decision sends a powerful message: the Voting Rights Act is still a vital safeguard against racial discrimination in our democracy. The court recognized the reality that many Black voters in Louisiana have been denied full and fair representation. This ruling brings us one step closer to the inclusive political process our clients and communities across the state deserve.”

“The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has affirmed what we’ve always known: Black voters in Louisiana deserve equal representation,” said Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana. “This is a vital step toward correcting generations of injustice, and we will not stop until every Black Louisianan has the full and fair representation guaranteed to all Americans.”

“This decision is a victory for voting rights for all Louisianians who have long awaited fair maps in the state,” said Alora Thomas-Lundborg, senior counsel at Harvard Election Clinic.

“I am beyond elated for this powerful win of Nairne v. Landry that touches all of Louisiana,” said Dr. Dorothy Nairne, named plaintiff, “including rural areas like Assumption Parish, where transformation has been nonexistent for far too long. Our people are ready to roar through our votes using legislative maps that truly represent us all. This victory ignites our desire to be involved, to uplift ourselves, and to shape the future our ancestors dreamed of.”

“We have organized and mobilized for years, motivated by the promise of fair maps and an equal voice in our political process,” said Michael McClanahan, President of the NAACP Louisiana State Conference. “Today, we celebrate another milestone in our fight for justice, and we won’t stop now.”

“Today’s decision is great victory for fairness and accountability,” said plaintiff Pastor Steven Harris. “We have proven that united voices cannot be ignored, and together, we will keep pressing forward until justice prevails everywhere.”

“This decision is a welcomed victory that encourages us to continue the fight against those in power who are determined to silence the voices of Black and Marginalized communities,” said Black Voters Matter Fund founders Cliff Albright, Latosha Brown, and April England-Albright. “This powerful ruling ensures that the votes of minority and rural voters in Louisiana are not diluted and showcases our belief that the citizens of this nation, not elected officials, determine who represents them. We move forward with the hope that this decision will influence SCOTUS’ review of another Section 2 Voting Rights Case from Louisiana this fall, by serving as a reminder that Section 2 of the VRA is a powerful and needed tool that guarantees the 14th amendment is alive, not in just words and theory, but also in practice.”

“A unanimous win is incredible as the Court clearly held Louisiana must have maps where Black voters have a fair opportunity to elect candidates of choice,” said plaintiff Dr. Alice Washington. “We are advancing our state to a more perfect place and hopefully will inspire all to want to live here.”

The plaintiffs in the case include Dr. Dorothy Nairne, Rev. Clee Earnest Lowe, Dr. Alice Washington, Pastor Steven Harris, the Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, and the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP. They are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Louisiana, Legal Defense Fund, Harvard Law School Election Law Clinic, Cozen O’Connor, and Louisiana attorneys Ron Wilson and John Adcock.

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By JIM BUTLER

Parish Sewerage District No. 1 plans to issue up to about $2.3 million in revenue bonds to finance needed improvements.

The bonds, to be sold at private sale through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, would be secured by and payable from income from system operations, but not a charge on other system income and revenues.

The fund, fueled by federal EPA funds, creates environmental mental infrastructure financing sources in all 50 states, which match the federal dollars at 20 percent.

District No. 1, like many parish and county systems formed decades ago to serve customers not served by municipalities, faces issues with aging equipment and facilities and rising costs.

It will hold a hearing September 2 at 3 pm to hear any objections to its proposal. Notice of the plan does not specify whether a rate change will be required.

The district’s past two audit reports indicate the extent of the issues.

In 2022, the district had about $807,000 in revenue and $883,000 in expenses.

In 2023, revenue rose to $899,000 and expenses fell to $873,000.

The audit report for 2024 should be released this month by the Legislative Auditor’s Office.

This year began with some of the district’s 1,600 or so customers disgruntled with a rate increase.

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JOURNAL SPORTS

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Sam Burns got the start he wanted Thursday in the second leg of the PGA Tour playoffs thanks to a very fine finish.

The former two-time LSU All-American fired a 182-yard strike to six feet on the tough par-4 18^th at Caves Valley Golf Club and the tour’s No. 2-ranked putter polished off a closing birdie, posting a 2-under 68 that was good for a seventh-place tie in the field of 50 at the BMW Championship.

The 474-yard 18^th was the fifth-toughest hole Thursday.

Burns notched two front-side birdies, at the par-5 fourth and the par-3 sixth, sinking a 9-footer on the second-toughest hole of the day to get to 2-under. The 29-year-old briefly moved into a tie for the lead at 3-under with a 25-foot, 6-inch birdie putt on the par-4 11^th, but bogeyed two of the next three before his uplifting finish.

Scotsman Robert MacIntyre, who played a year collegiately at McNeese, shot a back-nine 29, carding birdies on seven of the last eight holes including the last six, to build a three-shot lead at 8-under 62.

Burns, a Shreveport native, rolled in 122 feet of putts in Round 1, fifth in the field. His 3.44 strokes gained putting was second. The Choudrant resident hit nine of 14 fairways, ranking in a tie for 18^th I the field, and reached 12 of the 18 greens in regulation, ranking 13^th.

Burns and Sungjae Im (+1, tied 24^th) are the sixth pairing out this morning, going off at 9:16 CDT.

Television coverage today runs from 1-5 p.m. CDT on Golf Channel. Exclusive online coverage via PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ begins early this morning.

NBC will pick up primary weekend coverage.

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By JIM BUTLER

Proposals are being solicited for creating seniors housing on a portion of the former Central Louisiana State Hospital grounds.

The Pineville Downtown Development District is offering for sale and development three centrally located parcels totaling about 25 1/2 acres for senior housing or related residential or light commercial use.

Light commercial incorporates enterprises such as retail sales outlets, offices, restaurants, small medical or other professional facilities.

Central, which housed about 3,000 persons in need of mental health care in its heyday, had fewer than 150 when it moved to a new facility off Esler Field Road last year.

A 2023 consultant report counted 202 abandoned acres of the U.S. 71-165-167-fronting grounds suitable for development and about 179 in waterbodies, heavily vegetated open areas and greenway.

Commercial developments already operating on the former grounds include an auto dealership and a convenience store.

The solicitation is under auspices of Pan American Engineers, which will accept proposals through September 5. Grant Cooper is project engineer.

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James R. “Jimmy” Sawtelle III, chancellor of Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) in Alexandria, on Wednesday announced his intention to retire next spring, concluding a 30+ year career in higher education and workforce development.

Dr. Monty Sullivan, president, said the Board of Supervisors will begin an immediate search for a new chancellor.

Sawtelle has led CLTCC since 2014 and previously served as chancellor from 2011 to 2012.

His career also includes leadership roles across the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), including senior vice president for workforce solutions, vice president for career and technical education, and regional director for multiple colleges.

During his tenure, CLTCC has become a statewide model for rural college innovation. Last year, the college earned accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and has since expanded healthcare and manufacturing programs and launched new offerings in forestry, fiber optics, commercial truck driving, and linework.

Under Sawtelle’s leadership, CLTCC relocated its main campus to downtown Alexandria with the construction of a $22 million facility, expanded university transfer pathways, and secured more than $10 million in philanthropic, grant, and industry funding to strengthen workforce training and support student success.

“It has been the honor of my professional life to serve as chancellor of Central Louisiana Technical Community College,” said Sawtelle. “Over the past decade, our students, faculty, and staff have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to transforming lives and elevating our communities, and I will forever be proud of what we have accomplished together—with the continued support of our incredible Central Louisiana partners.”

Sullivan commended Sawtelle for his decades of service and lasting contributions to CLTCC and Central Louisiana, noting the impact of his leadership on the college and the broader region.

“Jimmy’s career has been defined by a steadfast dedication to the students, faculty, and communities he has served. His commitment to our mission and steady guidance have inspired those around him and strengthened the fabric of our system. We are grateful for the legacy he leaves and wish him and his family much joy in this next chapter.”

CLTCC is positioned to build on its recent double-digit enrollment growth. In the past 14 months, the college has awarded degrees and credentials to more than 400 allied health professionals, meeting critical workforce needs in the region.

New capital projects, including the Rod Brady Campus in Jena and the Ward H. Nash Avoyelles Campus in Cottonport, both authorized during the 2025 legislative session, along with ongoing community and industry partnerships, will continue to expand educational opportunities and strengthen the regional economy.

“The future is bright for CLTCC,” Sawtelle said. “I’m deeply grateful to Dr. Sullivan, the LCTCS Board of Supervisors, and many colleagues for the opportunity to lead such a special institution, and I look forward to cheering it on in the years to come.”

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