BATON ROUGE — A proposal to eliminate private companies’ ability to use eminent domain for carbon capture projects in Louisiana failed Tuesday in a House committee, while two related measures that would give local governments authority over such projects remain pending.

House Bill 7, known as the Louisiana Landowners Protection Act and authored by House Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson (R-Pineville), was defeated on a 12–7 vote in the House Committee on Natural Resources and Energy following an extended and heavily attended hearing.

The measure sought to repeal provisions in Louisiana law that allow certain carbon capture and pipeline projects to be treated as serving a public purpose, which can permit the use of eminent domain to acquire pipeline easements.

Testimony on the bill drew strong positions from both supporters and opponents. Representatives of state economic and regulatory agencies expressed concerns that removing eminent domain authority could hinder development of carbon capture infrastructure, which is often linked to industrial investment and emissions reduction strategies. Supporters of the bill, including landowners, argued the current framework allows private companies to take property for projects they contend primarily benefit private industry.

Two related bills remain under consideration.

• House Bill 6 would allow the governing authority of Rapides Parish to determine whether carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects and associated CO₂ pipelines may operate within the parish.
• House Bill 5 would extend similar local decision-making authority to all parishes statewide.

Neither measure had been scheduled for a committee hearing as of Tuesday.

Louisiana has emerged as a focal point for carbon capture development due to its industrial corridor and geologic capacity for underground carbon storage. The debate reflects a broader statewide conflict between economic development priorities and private property rights.

The 2026 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature is scheduled to continue through June 1.

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Federal authorities say a major drug seizure in Alexandria is part of a broader Homeland Security Task Force effort targeting trafficking networks across Louisiana, including connections to cases impacting Rapides Parish.

Officials said the following five cases build upon HSTF’s cases in the Vernon Parish and Natchitoches areas that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has prosecuted recently.

The Rapides Parish-related case, United States v. Elijah Jones, No. 26-cr-00074, involves the trafficking of approximately 6.2 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 1 kilogram of oxycodone pills, along with approximately $34,000 in cash, all concealed in a storage unit in Alexandria. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Rapides Area Drug Enforcement group at the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities say the seizure highlights how traffickers use storage facilities within communities like Rapides Parish to conceal large quantities of narcotics and cash as part of broader distribution operations.

Other cases across Louisiana include:

• United States v. Willie Baker et al., No. 25-cr-00296, involving fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking tied to one death and multiple defendants facing life sentences
• United States v. Ranulfo Garcia Rodriguez and Christian Antonio Sanchez Ramirez, No. 26-cr-00070, involving 147 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in ice cream freezers
• United States v. Lance Fields and Ronald Adams, Jr., No. 26-cr-00102, involving 100 kilograms of cocaine concealed in an 18-wheeler
• United States v. Juan Francisco Gonzalez de Leon et al., No. 26-cr-00106, involving 15 kilograms of cocaine tied to a transnational cartel

Officials say these investigations reflect continued federal focus on dismantling drug trafficking operations impacting Rapides Parish and surrounding communities.

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The Cotile Lake Study Committee of the Rapides Parish Police Jury will hold a meeting on Monday, April 6, 2026, at 2 p.m. in the Police Jury Conference Room.

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For the past two years, Winn residents have watched the rise of the impressive three-story complex on West Court Street that will house the array of services of Winn Community Health Center as well as the seven-parish organizational support of Trinity Community Health Centers of Louisiana.

Now the time has arrived. On Monday, April 13, the public is invited to the Grand Opening of the center beginning at 11 a.m., announced CEO Deano Thornton. There will be a tent, music with a DJ, refreshments of Dana’s Pulled Pork Sandwiches and giveaways.

“Who would have thought that it would come to this when we first started talking about this kind of medical care for our community in 2005?” he said. “We were funded in 2009, opened our doors July 1 that same year, outgrew that office and moved to our current location in 2011 and are now poised to move into this wonderful structure.”

Over those years, WCHC also expanded beyond its Winn Parish borders to seven parishes with 11 clinics and 60 school-based centers under the inclusive name of Trinity Community Health Centers of Louisiana.

“So how have we come so far? I’ve always said that when you surround yourself with good people, good things happen,” Thornton continued. “Our organization is made up of people who care about the well being of the folks in their community and it shows. We’re in the business of taking care of people. This is an amazing, state of the art facility which we’ve been proud to add to the heart of Winnfield.”

The center’s staff held an early preview of this new structure on March 31. The Grand Opening for the general public is Monday, April 13. The following morning, Tuesday, April 14, medical services at the new center will commence.

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A warm and breezy pattern will continue through midweek before unsettled weather returns with increasing chances of showers and thunderstorms heading into the weekend.

Wednesday will be mostly sunny with a chance of afternoon showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs will reach the mid-80s with south winds increasing to 10 to 15 mph and a 30% chance of rain.

Wednesday night brings partly cloudy skies early, becoming mostly cloudy overnight. Lows will settle in the upper 60s with south winds around 5 to 10 mph and occasional gusts up to 20 mph.

Thursday will be more active, with mostly cloudy skies and a chance of thunderstorms throughout the day. Showers are likely by the afternoon, with highs in the lower 80s and a 60% chance of rain under south winds of 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday night remains mostly cloudy with lows in the upper 60s and light southeast winds.

Friday starts mostly cloudy with a chance of morning showers, then becomes partly sunny with showers likely and a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs will reach the mid-80s, with a 60% chance of rain.

Friday night stays mostly cloudy with lows in the upper 60s.

The weekend will be increasingly unsettled. Saturday brings mostly cloudy skies with a chance of thunderstorms. Showers are possible in the morning, with higher chances in the afternoon. Highs will be in the mid-80s with a 70% chance of rain.

Saturday night will be cloudy with showers likely, mainly in the evening, as cooler air moves in. Lows will drop into the mid-50s with continued rain chances.

Sunday remains cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, with much cooler highs in the upper 60s and a 40% chance of rain.

Sunday night into Monday will stay mostly cloudy and cool, with lows in the upper 40s and highs in the upper 60s.

The forecast begins to improve early next week, with partly cloudy skies Monday night and lows in the mid-40s, followed by sunny skies and highs in the mid-70s on Tuesday.

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Pulling up to the gas pump has started to feel less like a routine stop and more like a scene straight out of a horror movie. You swipe your card, start fueling up, and suddenly—there it is—the total climbing faster than you can look away. At $100 and still rising, it’s the kind of moment that makes you question every decision that led you to that pump. The real twist? No jump scare soundtrack needed—just the quiet panic of watching the numbers roll. And honestly, the caption says it best: “Based on a true story.”

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Each year on April 1, pranksters around the world embrace a day dedicated to practical jokes, hoaxes and harmless mischief. While the exact origins of April Fools’ Day remain debated, historians trace its roots back several centuries.

One popular theory links the tradition to 16th-century France. When the country shifted from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1582 under Pope Gregory XIII, New Year’s Day moved from late March to January 1. Those who continued celebrating the old New Year in early spring were reportedly mocked as “April fools.”

Over time, the tradition of playful deception spread across Europe and eventually to North America. Newspapers, radio stations and television networks have long joined the fun, publishing elaborate hoaxes on April 1.

In 1957, the BBC famously aired a segment about Swiss farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees — a prank that reportedly fooled thousands of viewers. Tech companies have also embraced the tradition, occasionally announcing outlandish fake products to entertain audiences.

While April Fools’ Day is generally lighthearted, experts advise keeping pranks safe and harmless. The best April 1 jokes are those that leave everyone laughing — not confused or hurt.

Today, social media amplifies the reach of April Fools’ jokes, allowing pranks to travel worldwide in seconds. From fake celebrity announcements to imaginary product launches, April 1 continues to blur the line between fact and fiction.

So as the calendar turns, readers may want to double-check headlines, confirm surprising announcements and approach the day with a healthy dose of skepticism.

After all, on April 1, not everything is quite what it seems.

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Junior guard E.J. McQuillan of the LSU Alexandria men’s basketball team has been named to the 2025-26 NAIA All-American team.

A second-team selection, McQuillan averaged 20.4 points per game this season, helping guide the Generals to a NAIA Tournament appearance. He shot 39.5 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from 3-point range. McQuillan added a team-high 78 assists, 36 steals, and four blocks.

Twice this season, McQuillan recorded at least 40 points. He tied the LSUA single-game points record with 41 on October 31 against Texas Wesleyan and put up 40 points against Texas A&M-Texarkana on December 13.

McQuillan, a Port Allen product, was named first-team All-Red River Athletic Conference as LSUA went 23-9, including 18-4 for second in the league.

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By all accounts, LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson is the baseball version of Nick Saban. With two College World Series championships in the past three years, he has the Tigers positioned as the sport’s gold standard.

Despite LSU’s stumbles and wobbles over the past month, does anyone really doubt Johnson’s 2026 club will make at least a deep postseason run? Have Tiger fans cancelled their hotel rooms in Omaha? Has Rocco’s lowered its Jell-O order?

Johnson has displayed a Midas touch that has college baseball’s modern-era goat, Skip Bertman, beaming with pride as he watches the program he built doing the things he made possible.

Except Sunday’s cloud-parting bat flip by home run hero Seth Dardar.

The moment was electric. The bat flip itself, predictable. From the big leagues to biddy league, bat flips have become as frequent as President Trump’s posts on Truth Social.

There was, as there has been since before Ty Cobb pulled up stirrups and sharpened his spikes, plenty of bench banter between the clubs. Sunday’s game decided the series. Kentucky wanted a statement win. LSU needed, for at least its own self-respect, to defend Skip Bertman Field, Alex Box Stadium.

Dardar’s tape-measure, three-run sixth-inning bomb put LSU ahead to stay. He justifiably bounded around the bases, feeding off the crowd energy and the joy of his teammates.  Goosebump stuff.

But that bat flip. To call it exuberant doesn’t do it justice. I’ll say excessive, at least. Of all the bats ever flipped, this may have been the most majestic/mortifying, depending on your perspective.

“Put it in the Bat Flip Hall of Fame,” said my pal Matt Moscona, the tone-setting Baton Rouge sports talk show host. “And if there isn’t a Bat Flip Hall of Fame, create one for this.”

Nobody in the LSU math faculty or department of science has calculated just how high the bat went. I expect more from the school that had a seismograph reading within hours after Eddie Fuller’s game-winning touchdown in the 1988 “Earthquake Game” win over Auburn at Tiger Stadium.

The stick could be seen tumbling, downward, to the level of the top of the outfield bleachers, as ESPN’s home plate camera panned to track the homer sailing toward the huge Intimidator sign listing the program’s eight CWS crowns, above and behind the right field stands.

Like most other NCAA regulations, the recent (2023) rule on bat flips has been unevenly, and recently, rarely enforced. It’s designed to avoid bench-clearing incidents. But the same rule, 5-17 Unsportsmanlike Conduct, also claims a standard preventing “negative comments directed at an opponent, umpire or spectator” and we all know that’s as valid as a Congressional investigation.

There is, however, common sense. Dardar was beyond excited. It was a spectacular moment, at an intense time. Few players could resist a bat flip. Fewer still could flip their sticks to threaten birds flying overhead. He tossed it FarFar.

The SEC umpiring crew briefly conferred and inexplicably didn’t eject him, presumably because the bat didn’t land near a Kentucky player. The Wildcats dugout was on the third base side. Nobody’s safety was threatened, partly because of Dardar’s accidental accuracy. Kentucky raged, and the Wildcats’ pitching coach apparently challenged Johnson to a scrap in a briefly heated dugout-to-dugout exchange, as the crowd cheered on.

If a player pulled a comparable act in a football or basketball game, at the very least there would be flags or technical fouls. In baseball, there at least should have been warnings issued.

Postgame, an understandably elated Tiger coach said, smiling, “I told him to flip it a little lower next time.” Johnson didn’t want to be the buzz kill.

Backstage, based on who he’s been and what he’s stood for, have to believe Johnson probably found a moment Monday to share with his players that Dardar’s heave – which appeared to be delivered with the same thrust used by an Olympic hammer thrower – was more than a bit much.

Hope so. I’ll give Dardar his due, but not to the height that bat flew.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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Life has so many variables out of our control that makes navigating our daily situations difficult. But in some instances, there are a few things we can control and it’s up to each of us to make it happen. 

One thing we have zero control over is who our parents are. We as individuals have zero say on the DNA we are blessed with, nor the people it came from. Even though we are who we are, we do have the ability to become the person we truly want to be. In most cases, we can pave our own path to success or failure with the skills we have been blessed with. 

Even with bad DNA flowing through our bodies, we still have the task of shaping our lives into whatever we want to be. But only if we as individuals take control and ownership of who we are will our direction in life be confirmed. 

I learned at a very early age that the good Lord above had blessed me with good athletic abilities. I figured out before the age of 10 that it would be through sports, with hard work and determination, that I could possibly have some success. Sports gave me a purpose!

That’s what we’re all looking for … a purpose! Even if it goes against the beliefs of the people who raised us, we have to take control of our own destiny at some point.

Even when the odds are against us, there are also times when we have to accept the consequences of our actions. We have to make decisions that not only affect ourselves, but those around us.

Sometimes this means hurting the ones we love the most because the direction they want us to go may not be the same as the destination we had in mind. 

By the time we reach 17 or 18 years old, most people know who they are and possibly what direction or path they might want to take. They start to see things in a different light than, say, their parents. But as parents, we must recognize that even though we think we know what’s best for our children, that may not always be the case. We must allow them to spread their wings and continue to grow even if they make a few mistakes along the way. It’s called growing up! 

I’ve always heard the excuse that he or she was a product of the environment in which they were raised. Sometimes this can be true, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. 

For example, my stepdad was a wife beater and treated women like they were worthless. Even though I witnessed many of these incidents first-hand at a young age, I always knew in my heart that this was wrong, and I made a conscious decision to never be that kind of person.

I always felt that God instills in each of us the ability to know right from wrong when we are born.  He gave all of us a brain and the ability to reason when we see things that are not right. 

Just because you grow up in a house with little to no guidance doesn’t give you the excuse to ignore what is right. Subconsciously we still know right from wrong and it’s up to each of us to make good decisions and do the right thing. 

We all need direction in our lives, which was lacking early in my childhood.  Hopefully, we have those we can turn to for advice like a parent or maybe a grandparent, aunt, uncle, preacher, teacher or maybe a coach. No matter who it is, it should be someone we trust. A person who has our best interest at heart. 

Bottom line is this — at some point in our lives we must take control over our destiny no matter what our background is. But when we make a decision, we must accept the consequences for our actions. This is what we call accountability!   

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The creative ministries of First United Methodist Church of Alexandria continue to build momentum, with a season of art gatherings and community events over recent months setting the stage for a full spring across April and May.

Since October 2025, the church’s Urban Sketching group—led by Artist-in-Residence Rev. Jean Sanders—has met regularly throughout the Alexandria–Pineville area. Gathering at locations such as Tamp & Grind Coffee, the Alexandria Farmer’s Market, and other community spaces, the group has emphasized presence, observation, and shared experience over artistic skill. These meet-ups, along with hands-on offerings like the March “Painting on Denim” pop-up session, have created accessible opportunities for creative expression, encouraging participants to slow down and engage their surroundings through direct observation.

That rhythm continues into the spring with the next Urban Sketching gathering scheduled for Saturday, April 11 at 10AM at the Alexandria Museum of Art. The morning will begin with a guided presentation by Gar Pickering inside the museum’s 13th-century Spanish chapel reproduction from the 2003 Heart of Spain exhibition, exploring biblical themes and the role of sacred imagery in Christian teaching and Western art. From there, participants may sketch within the chapel or move outdoors to capture downtown Alexandria and the Red River. As with previous gatherings, the event is free and open to the public, with museum admission also free during Second Saturday programming.

A central highlight of the season is the Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival, now in its 58th year, taking place April 17–26, 2026. The festival opens with a reception at 6PM on April 17, launching ten days of visual art exhibits and community programming. Exhibits will be open daily from 10AM to 4PM, as well as during scheduled special events, all offered free and open to the public. A full festival schedule is expected soon, with additional details to follow.

As one of the longest-running arts events in the region, the festival reflects the church’s longstanding commitment to fostering creativity and making the arts accessible to the wider community. It also stands as a natural extension of the same vision seen in the Urban Sketching gatherings—creating space for people to engage, reflect, and connect through shared creative experience.

Alongside the visual arts, the church has also introduced the “Be Kind Concert Series,” a new outdoor gathering designed to bring neighbors together through live music in a relaxed, family-friendly setting. The series began in late March and will continue with upcoming dates on April 23 and May 28. Held in the church courtyard, the concerts invite guests to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and enjoy an evening centered on connection and community. Admission remains free, with opportunities to support participating musicians.

Supported by Operation Kindness, the concert series and broader arts programming share a common goal: to cultivate spaces where belonging is nurtured, connections are formed, and community is strengthened.

With ongoing sketching meet-ups, a major arts festival, and a growing calendar of gatherings, First United Methodist Church of Alexandria continues to offer open invitations to participate in creative life together—where art, hospitality, and faith in Christ meet in simple but meaningful ways. Visit fumca.org to keep up with what is going on.

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“How do I set boundaries with my in-laws without becoming the family villain”

 See what Ida says 

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Memorial services for Mr. Greg Havard will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in the Chapel of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville, with Chaplain William Tisdale officiating. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. Inurnment will follow in Alexandria Memorial Gardens, Woodworth, under the direction of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville.

Mr. Havard, 62, of Alexandria, entered eternal rest on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in his residence surrounded by his loving family.

Greg was raised in the Baptist faith, which remained a guiding foundation throughout his life. He found great joy in the outdoors, especially deep-sea fishing and dove hunting, where he embraced both the adventure and the peace of nature. He also loved traveling, always eager to experience new places and create lasting memories. Greg was known for his generous spirit, he gave back to others in times of need, volunteering during hurricane relief efforts and offering support to those affected. His life was marked by faith, compassion, and a genuine love for both people and the world around him. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Ruby Havard; and one brother, David Havard.

Those left to mourn his loss and cherish his memory include his loving wife of forty years, Bridget Havard of Alexandria; one daughter, Taylor Havard of Alexandria; and two sisters, Cheryl and Marilyn.

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Memorial services for Mr. Charles Raymond Erwin will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Main Street Mission, Pineville, with Reverends Sam West, Rod Lenoix, and Josh Bester officiating. Visitation will begin at 8:00 a.m., under the direction of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville.

Mr. Erwin, 83, of Pineville, entered eternal rest on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in his residence surrounded by his loving family.

Charles was a devoted member of his church, Main Street Mission, where his faith guided his life and relationships. He found great joy in woodworking, creating pieces that reflected both his skill and patience. He also loved riding his Harley, embracing the freedom and adventure it brought him. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by one son, Shawn Beeson; one daughter, Sherry Moreau; two grandsons, Willie Dryden and Josh Hall; his parents, Jack and Wilma Erwin; one brother, Paul Erwin; his mother-in-law, Noma B. Walters; and brother-in-law, Steve Walters.

Those left to mourn his loss and cherish his memory include his loving wife of forty years, Bettye Erwin of Pineville; two sons, James Erwin of Pineville, and Ronnie Erwin (Pam) of Ball; two daughters, Charlie Slaughter (Dennis) of Pollock, and Shelby Beeson of Pineville; one sister, Joyce Carter of Baton Rouge; five grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; and eight great-great grandchildren.

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Journal Staff

A Pineville lawmaker is pushing legislation that would give Rapides Parish voters and governing authorities the power to decide whether carbon capture and sequestration projects and carbon dioxide pipelines can operate within the parish — part of a broader package of bills that would extend that same local authority to every parish in Louisiana.

House Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson (R-Pineville) prefiled three bills on Jan. 12, the first day of the 2026 legislative prefiling period, targeting carbon capture and sequestration, a technology that captures carbon dioxide emissions from industrial facilities and stores them underground. The bills are now before the Louisiana Legislature in its active 2026 session.

The lead measure, House Bill 7 — dubbed the Louisiana Landowners Protection Act — would repeal existing statutes that grant private companies the power of eminent domain for carbon capture projects and CO2 pipelines. Under current Louisiana law, companies pursuing CCS infrastructure can seek to force landowners into court to acquire easements over their property. HB 7 would end that authority entirely, requiring companies to negotiate voluntary agreements with landowners.

House Bill 6 targets Rapides Parish directly, allowing the parish governing authority to determine whether CCS projects and CO2 pipelines may be permitted within its boundaries. House Bill 5 takes the same approach statewide, giving parish governing authorities and citizens across Louisiana the authority to vote on whether Class VI injection wells, carbon sequestration and CO2 pipelines may be permitted in their communities.

Johnson said the bills are a response to constituent concerns in Rapides Parish and are not intended to damage the carbon capture industry. “You won’t find a word in any of these bills I’ve sponsored that says kill the industry or discourage the industry,” Johnson said. “My basis is not a motivation to hurt industry.”

“I filed these bills because I listened to the people I represent, and I take their concerns seriously,” Johnson said in a statement. “Protecting private property and respecting local decision-making are core Louisiana values.”

Johnson’s bills are directly relevant to Rapides Parish because of the proposed SunGas Renewables plant in Pineville, which would rely on carbon capture and CO2 pipeline infrastructure. Johnson acknowledged that a vote against CCS in Rapides Parish could affect that project. “If my bill passes and Rapides Parish has a right to vote or to have some input on local governance as to whether or not CCS permits will be granted, then yeah, I’m afraid if they vote against it, that may affect SunGas and any other company that uses that entity,” he said. “But by the same token, it protects them if the people vote for it.”

Industry groups have pushed back against the proposals. Tommy Faucheux, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, argued that parish-level fragmentation would undermine Louisiana’s ability to build a viable statewide CCS program. “I firmly believe that for us to have a thriving CCS program, you really do need that statewide program,” Faucheux said. “It’s hard to have that and to build out that infrastructure and network for success if you have communities opting out of it.”

Faucheux also cited a specific economic consequence already attributed to legislative uncertainty over CCS, noting that a state economic development official told lawmakers that a $2 billion project in Beauregard Parish fell through after a bioenergy company cited a “lack of confidence” that CO2 storage development would proceed in the parish.

Johnson’s bills carry co-sponsors including Reps. Gabe Firment, Jason DeWitt, Rhonda Butler, Rodney Schamerhorn and Charles “Chuck” Owen, all Republicans. Owen, who represents Vernon Parish, was the original author of similar legislation in prior sessions.

The 2026 legislative session is active and the bills remain pending before the Legislature.

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The popular film “Cabrini” was released in 2024 by Angel Studios, but you can read “the rest of the story” about the profound connection between Mother St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and the most famous bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Alexandria.

Father Chad Partain, the pastor of Cabrini Church in Alexandria, and a noted historian, tells the story that Mother Cabrini founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1880, and she sent the sisters to New Orleans to minister to a large Italian community that had immigrated to New Orleans at the turn of the 20^th century.

The sisters established a school and orphanage in the French Quarter, and one of the youngsters at the school was Charles Greco.

“Word came that Mother Cabrini was going to visit the sisters and inspect the school and the orphanage,” said Father Chad, as he is affectionately called. “She attended a school Mass, and the altar boy was Greco. When the Mass was over, Mother and some of the sisters came in the sacristy and thanked the priest for offering Mass. The priest introduced the altar server to Cabrini.”

Mother Cabrini asked Greco what he wanted to be when he grew up, and young Charles said, “Mother, I want to become a priest.”

“She placed her hand on the boy’s head and didn’t speak for a few moments, gazing in the distance above his head,” Partain said. “Then she said to the sisters in Italian, ‘This boy will become a priest, and he will go far in the priesthood.’ The sisters never told him what she said, and he did go on and become a priest in 1918.

“Years later,” Father continued, “when Greco was named the 6^th bishop of Alexandria in 1946, some of the sisters who were there in the sacristy that day told him what Mother Cabrini had said. One of his first trips abroad as bishop was to attend the canonization of Mother Cabrini to sainthood (in July of ’46).”

When Greco returned to Alexandria, plans were already in the works from his predecessor, Bishop Daniel Desmond, for a new parish to be built in Alexandria.

“He said, ‘We won’t build one, we’ll build two,’” Father said, “and one he dedicated under the patronage of St. Frances Cabrini.” (The other was Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church.) Cabrini Parish was to have a church and school.

Bishop Daniel Desmond, meanwhile, had done the groundwork for a new hospital and bought the land from the Prescott family, Partain said, and the hospital was to be named St. Mary’s. Bishop Greco was instrumental in getting the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, who were administering and staffing the school, to serve the new hospital. But when it was built, Greco dedicated it as St. Frances Cabrini Hospital.

Greco, who served as Bishop of Alexandria from 1946 to 1973, never forgot that encounter he’d had with a saint, however brief it might have been at the time, Partain said. Thus came the overflowing evidence in Alexandria of places named for the Mother Superior of her order. And like the feisty Cabrini, Greco would not be stopped in any pursuit of a goal for the diocese.

And now, Father Chad says he has had a lifelong devotion to Mother Cabrini, who, he says, had an ardent spiritual life that wasn’t clearly demonstrated in the movie.

“Being baptized in this parish and attending this (elementary) school, my first writing assignment was a short biography of Mother Cabrini for the school newspaper,” Partain said, noting even as a boy he loved the portrait of Mother Cabrini that still hangs in a school hallway. Cabrini Church also has a relic of the saint that Bishop Greco brought back to Alexandria from her canonization ceremony. There is also a near life-size statue of her in the small chapel behind the main Cabrini Church altar. There’s a whole other story as to how that statue made its way to the church from its original digs at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Natchitoches.

“Getting older and being able to read more about her life,” Father Chad continued, “I am amazed at her courage, perseverance and fortitude” despite her small size, sickly nature and disrespect she often received as an Italian immigrant. “She is a real role model of courage and generosity in the service of souls.”

(Editor’s note: This is a column that Bob Tompkins wrote in 2024, slightly updated in observance of Easter week.)

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By Andrew Nober, Legislative Assistant

Deep down in Louisiana — about three hours from New Orleans —Rapides Parish is a sportsman’s paradise that also boasts impressive cultural amenities. 

“We have a really nice theater downtown,” said Matt Johns, long-time Rapides Parish resident. “The Coughlin Saunders Performing Arts Center. And you can get into some stuff there that is as good as what you would see in other larger cities.”

Johns isn’t just proud of his home parish — he’s working every day to plan for its future and make it an even better place to live and work. Johns leads the Rapides Area Planning Commission (RAPC), the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) that coordinates transportation planning and development for a major portion of Rapides Parish.

Johns serves both as the organization’s CEO and as a commissioner on its board appointed by the Rapides Parish Police Jury. RAPC also plans for economic development, which Johns says goes hand in hand with the transportation work that RAPC does.

However, Johns notes that there is often difficulty managing economic development priorities with other transportation needs. 

“We have to spend money on necessities before we can do amenities,” Johns cautioned. 

That can create tradeoffs for the parish transportation network and stretch RAPC’s capacity. Even when they know projects will spur economic development, RAPC must put upkeep at the top of their priority list. 

“We can’t let the existing network crumble to spend some money on potential economic development,” he said.

That means projects like extending Sugarhouse Road in Rapides Parish, which Johns says has been on RAPC’s planning radar for more than two decades, must wait. 

“If we had the funding to do it, we could have programmed it, paid for it and been done with it, rather than chasing this unicorn that keeps getting more and more expensive the longer we wait,” he said. 

This feedback loop of expensive projects leading to delays, which in turn drives prices up even further, is a constant issue facing local leaders. Johns also noted that this situation is exacerbated by significant cost increases in the transportation space. 

“In the 1980s, you could build a good amount of roadway for $3.5 million,” he said. “Now $3.5 million might get us one mile of overlay and a couple of intersections, maybe a piece of the sidewalk.” 

In facing these challenges, Rapides Parish is far from alone. Local and regional transportation planners map out projects years in advance, but without adequate funding, they often must sit on the shelf. Nationwide, counties own 44% of public road miles and 38% of bridges, but, under current transportation funding programs, local governments receive a much smaller share of federal formula funding – just 14%. 

New legislation in Washington could change that and give counties nationwide more access to federal formula funding. In February, Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.) and Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.) introduced the Bridges And Safety Infrastructure for Community Success (BASICS) Act (H.R. 7437). 

This bipartisan legislation would grow the share of overall formula transportation funding that is “sub-allocated,” or made available for organizations like RAPC to use for locally selected projects. This would include new access to formula funding for bridges and safety infrastructure.

This increase in capital funding would help move county-led projects forward in places across the country. The BASICS Act also includes process reforms to ensure that local governments — in conjunction with transportation planning organizations like MPOs — can better handle and implement federal dollars. 

Johns says that his board of directors likes to call this process “[beating] the snakes out of the weeds,” ensuring that projects have gone through all the necessary steps to proceed quickly with construction.

The BASICS Act has a clear, albeit steep, path forward: Being included in the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. Every five years, Congress passes a bill to reauthorize surface transportation programs through the Department of Transportation. 

This bill not only sets topline spending levels for roads, bridges and more, but it also dictates how that money gets spent and by whom. The current surface transportation law, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, is set to expire at the end of September, meaning Congress is actively working to draft and pass the next bill.

NACo and many of its peer organizations have made the BASICS Act their top priority for that bill. In February, more than 70 organizations representing local governments in all 50 states sent a letter to committee leaders in the House and Senate asking them to include the BASICS Act in their respective reauthorization proposals.

As Congress moves forward with developing the next surface transportation reauthorization bill, NACo is encouraging counties to weigh in with their representatives.

“Members of Congress want to know that the bills they support in Washington will benefit their communities back home, said Ben Gilsdorf, NACo Associate Legislative Director for Transportation. “County leaders should tell their representatives that supporting the BASICS Act is how to ensure that the next bill works for their district and their residents.”

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BATON ROUGE – There was a drum corps.

A welcome video on the Pete Maravich Assembly big screen scoreboard.

A fog machine.

And shooting flames.

The only thing lacking was the P.A. system blaring the theme from Welcome Back, Kotter.

It may have been the best introductory press conference setting ever for a guy who was previously run out of the same town on a rail.

Four seasons after LSU fired Will Wade as its head basketball coach for being an exceptionally clumsy cheater piling up more NCAA violations than he did technical fouls, he strolled back into the PMAC on Monday as if he’d been on a sabbatical.

Having paid his penance by sitting out a season, then coaching two seasons for McNeese State and this past year for North Carolina State, he officially became the first SEC men’s head basketball coach in history to be fired and re-hired by the same school.

“We’re coming back to try to hang a banner, win a national championship, or I’m going to be the first coach fired from the same school twice,” said Wade, who was 105-51 with an SEC regular season championship and three NCAA Tournament appearances in his first LSU stint from 2017 to 2022. “One way or another, we’re going to make history.”

There was immediate laughter and applause from the estimated crowd of 500, something in short supply along with wins and hope under Wade’s second LSU predecessor Matt McMahon.

McMahon was a nice guy with the personality of a dripping faucet.

Wade gushes enthusiasm and one-liners. He has a fast-break tongue that doesn’t hold back. He doesn’t mind being a living, breathing lightning rod conductor of controversy.  

“I know people have been talking about us a little bit,” Wade said. “I understand, I’m not for everybody, and we understand also that LSU isn’t for everybody. But one thing we both understand is I’m for LSU, and LSU is for me.”

There’s no way Frank Williams Wade “LSU Part Deux” happens without former McNeese president Wade Rousse getting hired as LSU’s president last October. And then last Thursday, just hours before Wade announced on social media he was coming back to Baton Rouge, LSU hired McNeese athletic director Heath Schroyer (who hired Wade as McNeese’s head coach in March 2023). His new unofficial title is senior deputy athletic director in charge of Wade.

“We had incredible alignment (at McNeese),” Wade said. “We can take that formula that made McNeese a regional power and won a first-round NCAA tournament game, move that to LSU, and make us a national force. The same formula with more resources and more support, just because of the financial aspect of it all.”

In Rousse’s introduction of Wade at Monday’s whoop-t-doo, he made it clear he doesn’t mind the $200 million LSU has invested in Wade and a coaching staff, and new head football coach Lane Kiffin and a coaching staff, while paying what is owed to fired head coaches McMahon and Brian Kelly and their fired assistants.

“Our athletic department drives the brand recognition that illuminates the remarkable research and educational opportunities present throughout the entire LSU system,” Rousse said. “The ignition point for the entire process is athletics. It drives the brand.

“At LSU, we do not gather to celebrate mediocrity. We aim to be elite. We want to win in this league. We want to win national championships.”

Rousse also knows he eventually has to fill seats in LSU’s new 12,500 to 15,000-seat multi-purpose arena to be built on the site of the well-worn campus golf course from Alex Box Stadium. Groundbreaking hasn’t started, but it should come soon after the goat ranch. . .uh, golf course is closed permanently in the summer.

It’s been proven time and again that LSU coaching hires who approach their jobs with unabashed passion equal to the Tigers’ fan base usually succeed.

Any coach taking the standoffish “it’s strictly a business approach” and doesn’t truly understand the fans here live and die, laugh and weep, love and mourn their Tigers, ultimately fails.

See former fired LSU football coach Kelly as an example of taking an NFL-type approach, insulating himself from the fan base.

Then see new head coach Kiffin totally embracing the Louisiana culture. He was the co-Grand Marshal for the Krewe of Endymion parade in mid-February.

Tigers’ head women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey was born and raised just down the road in the sleepy Hammond suburb of Tickfaw, Her Louisiana vibe stayed with her 21 seasons at Baylor before coming to coach the Tigers five years ago.

And if you’re an outsider and coach at LSU long enough, like the national championship-winning head coaching Jay duo of Jay Johnson (baseball) and Jay Clark, you realize few places on earth embrace life like Louisiana.

Wade, a Nashville native, began learning this when, at age 35, he was originally hired by LSU in 2017. But it wasn’t until he was given his first head coaching chance at redemption, hired in March 2023 by McNeese State, a Lake Charles-based university still recovering from back-to-back hurricanes in August 2020 and October 2020, that he gained full respect and love for Louisianians.

“Make no mistake, this is home,” said Wade, now older and wiser at age 43. “I wasn’t born in Louisiana, but Louisiana is home for my family and me. We’ve got the best people in the world.

“Unless you’re from down here or unless you’ve been down here, it’s hard for other people to understand. It’s hard for other people to grasp the culture and the folks down here.

“You won’t find anybody that’s more proud to wear that LSU and state of Louisiana than this guy right here, and we’re going to find 15 players that are willing to lay it on the line for us every night.

“Our team is going to represent Louisiana the way it should be represented, with toughness, grit, and a lot of swagger, because that’s what we have down here. We don’t do anything halfway in this state.”

When Wade referred to his decision to return to a place that fired him as “extremely personal,” it meant he wanted to change the narrative of how his first LSU go-around crashed and burned.

He was fired in March 2022, a day after LSU was eliminated from the SEC tournament. He was accused of five NCAA Level I and two Level II recruiting violations.

“I’ve never connected with a fan base and with people as I have with LSU and Louisiana,” he said. “I feel like we left the book open a little bit. We left some chapters unfinished.

“To have the opportunity to come back and finish that off and to bring pride and joy to people that I care about and people that mean a lot to me, yeah, I feel a heavy burden towards that.

“There’s nothing like the meaning of winning with your friends. I feel like we have a greater purpose with this program than anywhere I’ve ever been. At the end of the day, that’s why I came back.”

In whipping together his staff, Wade is set to hire former LSU head coach and player Johnny Jones. The 65-year-old Jones resigned as Texas Southern’s coach on Monday.

Having the guy (Wade) re-hired by the school that fired him then hiring the head coach (Jones) who preceded him the first time in Baton Rouge before being fired, might be the most LSU thing ever.

At most places, it’s referred to as thinking outside the box.

Down here in the toe of The Boot, it’s called all the crazy you can handle.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

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The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development advises the public that a section of I-49 in Alexandria, Rapides Parish will soon have new roadway striping (pavement markings).

Work is set to begin on Monday, April 6, 2026, and will require alternating lane closures on the I-49 northbound and southbound on and off-ramps from Exit 80 (US 71/US 167 McArthur Dr.) to Exit 86 (US 165/LA 28 McArthur Dr.).

These lane closures are scheduled to take place from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.

All work is anticipated to be complete by May 2026, with progress dependent on weather conditions and other factors that can impact construction timelines.

Pavement markings are used to convey messages to road users. They indicate which part of the roadway to use, provide information about changing conditions, and indicate where passing is allowed, among other important driving-related tasks.

Permit/Detour section
No detours are associated with this project.

Safety Reminder
All construction activity is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. DOTD appreciates the motoring public’s patience and reminds drivers to please exercise caution when traveling through work zone areas and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

Additional Information
Motorists can access the latest updates on real-time traffic and road conditions using the 511 Traveler Information System by dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region on which they are seeking information. Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Travelers can also access this information by visiting the 511 Traveler Information Web site at http://www.511la.org. Additionally, you can follow the Traffic Management Center on Twitter: (@Alex Traffic). Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website @ http://www.dotd.la.gov and the DOTD Facebook page.

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The Pineville Police Department is pushing back against what it describes as false and misleading information circulating on social media over the weekend.

POST: Saturday after finally getting away and getting back home I went to natchotiches er, where they were told by Pineville PD not to do a rape kit or anything because they would not be sending a detective to collect any evidence they may gather. They said I’d have to go back to Pineville and when I told them I wouldn’t have a way they basically said its that or nothing gets done. How is this
ok?

In a public advisory, the department said a widely shared post included “inaccurate and egregious allegations” regarding how officers handled a reported incident. Officials confirmed they were contacted about the situation but denied claims that anyone from the department discouraged a forensic exam or refused to send a detective.

According to the department, once notified of the situation, command staff was alerted and steps were taken to prepare for an investigation. A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) was placed on standby, and an investigator was prepared to respond to a local medical facility where the individual was expected to undergo a forensic exam.

Authorities say the individual ultimately never arrived at the facility.

While specific details of the case were not released, officials emphasized the importance of proper procedures in cases involving potential sexual assault, noting that preserving evidence is critical to ensuring a thorough investigation and successful prosecution.

The department also stated that investigators have previously traveled out of state, including to Colorado and Virginia, to assist in preserving evidence in similar cases, disputing claims that distance would prevent a response.

Officials acknowledged that while no agency is perfect, their focus remains on seeking justice for victims and maintaining the integrity of each case.

The Pineville Police Department said it remains committed to serving the community with professionalism, integrity, and transparency.

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People have dreamed about coasting back to Earth from great heights from at least the 1470s when Italian Francesco di Giorgio Martini designed a cone-shaped canopy parachute.  It is the oldest known design for a parachute.  In 1485, Leonardo da Vinci designed a pyramid-shaped parachute.  For the following 300 years, several inventors, including Frenchman Louis-Sebastien Lenormand in 1783, jumped from trees to test their own parachutes, but none of their designs really worked as expected.       

In 1797, André-Jacques Garnerin attached a parachute he designed to a hydrogen balloon in a test in Paris, France.  When the balloon reached an altitude of about 3,200 feet, Garnerin parachuted safely back to the ground and became the first person to design and test a parachute capable of slowing a person’s fall from a high altitude.  Two years later, his wife became the first female parachutist.  In 1802, Garnerin made a safe parachute jump in a demonstration in England from an altitude of 8,000 feet.  101 years later, in December 1903, the Wright Brothers made history with the first powered, controlled, and sustained flight in a heavier-than-air machine at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  In the following years, human flight became popular.  Pilots were seen as heroes and daredevils.  Pilots understood that if their airplanes failed during flight, the chances of survival were slim.  They recognized the need for a way to escape from a doomed aircraft and saw the life-saving potential of parachutes.  On March 1, 1912, during an exhibition in St. Louis, Missouri, parachutist Albert Berry jumped from an airplane flown by another pilot at an altitude of 1,500 feet.  He made a safe landing and became the first person to successfully parachute from a moving airplane.          

Parachutes eventually became standard equipment for airplane pilots after World War I.  They worked well for pilots of propeller driven aircraft and jet aircraft up to a point.  On October 14, 1947, Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager flew an experimental Bell X-1 jet around 785 miles per hour and became the first human to break the sound barrier.  Eight years later, in February 1955, test pilot George Smith was flying an experimental jet over the Pacific Ocean when the jet malfunctioned.  Unable to regain control, George had to bail out.  The only problem was that he was flying faster than the speed of sound and no one had ever ejected from an aircraft traveling at that speed.  George knew that staying in the jet meant certain death, so he made the split-second decision and ejected.  The force of the wind hitting him knocked him unconscious, but his parachute automatically opened.  He landed in the water near a fishing boat crewed by a former U.S. Navy rescue expert.  George remained unconscious for five days.  When he awoke, he was blind in both eyes.  George’s recovery required numerous surgeries and a seven-month hospital stay.       

The U.S. Air Force immediately began working to solve the problem of parachuting from a supersonic jet.  After seven years of testing, Air Force scientists created an escape capsule for a supersonic jet.  On March 21, 1962, a flyer with the call sign “Yogi” ejected from a jet flying at about 870 miles per hour, 1.3 times the speed of sound.  The parachute on the capsule opened as expected.  Yogi landed successfully and became the first flyer to safely parachute from a jet traveling at supersonic speed.  But Yogi was no ordinary human.  He was not human.  The flyer with the call sign “Yogi” was a two-year-old black bear.      

Sources:

1.     “First parachute jump is made over Paris,” March 4, 2010, History.com, accessed March 22, 2026, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-22/the-first-parachutist.

2.     “March 1, 1912, This Day in Aviation, accessed March 22, 2026, https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/albert-berry/.

3.     “February 26, 1955,” This Day in Aviation, accessed March 22, 2026, https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/george-franklin-smith/.

4.     “March 21, 1962,”  This Day in Aviation, accessed March 22, 2026,  https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/21-march-1962/.

5.     David Cenciotti, “A bear named ‘Yogi’ was ejected from a USAF B-58 to test the Hustler’s escape capsule on this day in 1962,” March 21, 2016, The Aviationist, accessed March 22, 2026, https://theaviationist.com/2016/03/21/b-58-ejects-yogi-bear/.

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