Your Guide to Peach Festival Weekend

The 75th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival will take place on June 7, 2025, but the peach celebrations will be going all week long in Ruston, LA!  If you’re planning to spend a full weekend soaking in the sweet peachy charm of Ruston, let this guide help you make the most out of your adventure.

Friday, June 6

Eat:

From June 2-7, enjoy Peach Culinary Crawl, a weeklong tasting tour featuring over 20 local restaurants. Each participating location will offer special peach-inspired items. From peach BBQ and burgers to peach toast, cocktails, and desserts. There’s something to satisfy every craving. The full Culinary Crawl menu is available in late May on the Peach Fest website. 

See:

In celebration of the festival’s 75th anniversary, The Louisiana Peach Festival is collaborating with the Lincoln Parish Museum to present Peach Fest Through the Decades. This special exhibit will showcase memorabilia from the very first Peach Festival all the way through present day.

• Peach fest hack: After visiting the exhibit, explore downtown Ruston to scope out the festival grounds and snap a picture at one of the colorful murals!

Experience: There’s plenty to experience Friday before the festival. 

• Take a stroll through Downtown Ruston and browse the Peach Sidewalk Sale. Participating downtown shops will be offering peachy deals and special promotions from June 2-6. 

• • Peach Fest Hack: Grab a Peach Fest fit at the sidewalk sale to wear at the festival!

• The Peach Parade is a long loved and cherished tradition by festival attendees. The parade will take place in Downtown Ruston on Friday, June 6, at 6PM.
• After the parade, you can head over to the 36th Annual Peach Festival Rodeo for family entertainment, trick riders, and more. The rodeo starts at 8PM.

Saturday, June 7 – Festival Day

Festival activities start at 9:00AM and there’s plenty to eat, see, and experience—all located on the festival grounds.

Eat:
This year, enjoy bites from a variety of food vendors, offering everything from burgers, sandwiches, and pizza, to classic festival treats, refreshing drinks, and tasty snacks. You’ll also want to pay a visit to the Historic Fire Station for a scoop of frosty peach ice cream from the ladies of Beta Sigma Phi. 

• Peach Fest Hack: Ask vendors what their special peach item is! All food vendors create and offer a peachy item just for the Peach Festival.

The festival is also conveniently located in the heart of Downtown Ruston, so there’s plenty of local restaurants you can walk to. 

See:

• Festival Art Displays: Discover art boards and interactive displays by local artists that will be showcased throughout festival grounds.

• Ruston Antique Classic Car Show: Head over to Cadence Bank from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM for the Car Show. Whether you’re a car enthusiast or just love vintage charm, this show is sure to impress with its lineup of beautifully restored classic vehicles.
• Drone Show: Stick around till the headliner performance for the Peach Festival’s first ever drone show at 8:45 PM! This transforming sky display will take place before the headlining act to kick off the grand finale to the festival.

Experience: 

• Live Music: Enjoy more than 12 hours of live performances at the Railroad Park stage. With an exciting lineup of artists, the festival’s musical energy will keep you dancing all day long. Don’t miss the headliner, The Band of Heathens, taking the stage after the drone show.
• Kids Alley: A family-friendly zone packed with interactive activities and entertainment to keep the little ones smiling.
• Curated market: The festival will have over 70 vendors, all selling their handmade arts, jewelry, clothing, mugs, decorations, candles, and lots more. Additionally, you can stop by the Peach Fest Sticker Wall in the market—perfect for a fun and unique photo op. 

• • Peach Fest Hack: arrive early to the Curated Market before your favorite vendor sells out. Visit www.lapeachfest.com/vendors to get a sneak peek at what vendors are offering. 

Sunday, June 8

After a Saturday full of adventures, take it slow on Sunday. Sleep in, relax, and savor your last day in town before heading home.

Eat: 

Start your day with a delicious Sunday brunch at Trio’s. Whether you choose a cozy table indoors or enjoy the sunshine on their patio, you’re in for a wonderful dining experience. Looking for a spot closer to downtown? Try Board & Bottle’s Sunday brunch and specialty brunch cocktails.

See: 

While you’re at the festival Saturday, you will likely spot a few of Ruston’s unique bulldog statues scattered throughout downtown. In total, there are 22 bulldogs placed around the city—each with its own charm. Stretch your visit a little longer and turn your Sunday into a scavenger hunt to track down the ones you missed.

Experience: 

Wind down with a peaceful visit to Lincoln Parish Park. This park offers mountain biking and walking trails, kayaking, fishing, and a playground for the kids. It’s the perfect way to soak in the natural beauty of Ruston and cap off your Peach Festival weekend.

From peachy treats to live tunes and everything in between, the Louisiana Peach Festival is the perfect way to kick off your summer. Soak up the fun, explore Ruston, and celebrate 75 years of sweet traditions and unforgettable memories! 

To learn the insider tips and tricks all seasoned festival goers know, read up on our How to Peach Fest blog.

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The May School Board Meeting featured recognition of several standout student groups, including the Tioga Tones, who represented Rapides Parish on a national stage. The talented choir recently performed at the iconic Carnegie Hall in New York City as part of the prestigious Octavo Series Chorus through Manhattan Concert Productions.

The performance was the culmination of a year of dedication, intense rehearsals, and tireless fundraising. Their accomplishment highlights not only musical talent but also perseverance and community support. Congratulations to the Tioga Tones on this extraordinary experience!

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Rapides Parish Journal
Avoyelles Parish Journal
Grant Parish Journal
LaSalle Parish Journal
Vernon Parish Journal

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On May 21, 1881, Clara Barton established the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C., laying the foundation for one of the nation’s most vital humanitarian organizations. Inspired by her experiences during the Civil War and the International Red Cross movement, Barton aimed to provide emergency assistance and disaster relief.

The organization has since played a crucial role in responding to natural disasters, wars, and health crises, embodying Barton’s legacy of compassion and service.

Other significant events on this date include:

1927: Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight, landing in Paris after departing New York.

1932: Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Northern Ireland.

1955: Chuck Berry recorded his debut single “Maybellene,” influencing the future of rock and roll.

1979: The “White Night Riots” erupted in San Francisco following the lenient sentencing of Dan White for the killings of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.

1991: Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber during an election campaign.

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Community leaders, fitness enthusiasts, and local residents recently gathered at England Airpark for the grand opening of the AEX Loop, a nearly 9-mile recreational trail designed to promote health, wellness, and community connection. The event, hosted in partnership with the Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce, featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, guest speakers, and opportunities for attendees to walk, jog, or cycle portions of the new path.

The celebration took place at the England Airpark Community Center, located at 1718 Kegleman Blvd., where participants were treated to refreshments and a first-hand look at the loop’s scenic layout. The AEX Loop is fully accessible and open to the public year-round, offering a safe and scenic route for runners, walkers, and cyclists of all skill levels.

“This is an exciting addition to the community,” said Ralph Hennessy, C.M., Executive Director of England Airpark. “The AEX Loop reflects our ongoing commitment to creating spaces that support healthy lifestyles and bring people together.”

Stretching approximately nine miles, the trail weaves through the natural beauty of the Airpark, providing a peaceful and well-maintained route that enhances recreational offerings in Central Louisiana. Organizers expressed gratitude to the many community members who came out in support of the new project.

“We’re thrilled to see such strong community enthusiasm for the AEX Loop,” said a Chamber representative. “This trail is a wonderful resource for promoting active living and exploring the beauty of England Airpark.”

As Alexandria continues to invest in outdoor infrastructure, the AEX Loop stands out as a significant milestone in connecting people to nature and to one another.

For more information about the AEX Loop and upcoming community events at England Airpark, visit www.englandairpark.org.

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The buzz at the recent Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival in Alexandria was about the display room of 38 photographs by Jim E. Johnson, a wildlife biologist and wildlife photographer.

Johnson, a 73-year-old Army brat who was born in the Panama Canal Zone, is a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and he and Susan, his wife of 43 years, make their home in Lecompte near LSUA. Susan, a retired home economics teacher from Rapides High, is a bit of a preservationist. You see, she preserves some pictures that he deems endangered.

Honored that Jonathan Peyton, the treasurer of the arts festival, asked him if he’d be interested in having a display of his work, Johnson had to decide which of his voluminous set of photographs to choose for the display.

“Some of the ones I culled, she saved,” Jim said of his wife. “Like the photo of the blackbird under the title ‘You Did What?’”

If you didn’t see it, the male Brewer’s blackbird, captured in Johnson’s photo head-on, while in Colorado, has an expression with those characteristic bug eyes that befits the title in a way that tickles the old funny bone. He captured that whimsical photo with a Canon 500 f4L lens.

Another popular photo in the display – which is redundant, I guess, because they all were popular – was of a “Peek-a-boo Fox.”

“A den of them were playing in the field in my pasture,” Jim said. “I happened to see that one hiding and got lucky with that one.”

Johnson owns two lenses on his Canon camera – a super telephoto lens with a focal length of 500 millimeters, and a lighter weight lens with 100-400 mm zoom length. Both are digital, as expected, but he remembers buying his first film camera, a Minolta, after he retired from extended military service.

Johnson joined the Navy after his 1969 graduation from Glenmora High, and he quickly found himself riding patrol boats in Vietnam, which he did for a year. He also did some time aboard an aircraft carrier and a destroyer escort before leaving the Navy. After doing odd jobs for two years, he joined the Army infantry and spent 16 years of active duty at the Louisiana National Guard Recruiting Office and Armory on Coliseum Boulevard in Alexandria. He retired in 1996 as a master sergeant.

Jim’s father was an Army staff sergeant, and he lived with his folks in Fort Polk and Germany and at Fort Knox in Kentucky before settling in his parents’ native town of Glenmora. While in the Guard, he was a night student at Northwestern State, where he graduated in General Studies in 1985. He later took classes in biological sciences at LSUA and Oregon State.

Along the way, a clarinet player he met in New Orleans taught him the basics of photography. Combining that skill with his lifelong interest in nature, Jim developed a passion for both, in particular avian photography. His work has been published in several calendars, magazines and books.

His photos at the arts festival always draw you into those favorite photographic haunts of his such as the Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge or the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge or the Louisiana coastlands. But there’s no limit to where he might find a potential photograph – and his camera is always with him when he travels. And he and Susan drive everywhere. “You miss too much when you fly,” he says.

He’s proud of a photograph of a Harlequin duck – a small North American sea duck normally found on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts – during a 2017 trip to Yellowstone. Adding to the rarity factor of the photo, the Harlequin duck is declining in population and considered endangered.

As to his knack for seemingly being at the right place at the right time for the perfect photo, Johnson says, “Sometimes it’s opportunistic.”

It helps that he has a camera that, he says, can take 30-40 frames in a second.

“Sometimes,” continues Johnson, a survivor of sextuple bypass surgery in 2003, “I may spend three or four days in duck blinds to get that one (excellent) photo.

“The key thing is I know the subject,” he went on. “I know where to go to look for something to know where it should be. It’s exciting, and sometimes it’s frustrating.”

His favorite photo of all? He showed me a photo of a bird that is considered the smallest and most beautiful falcon in North America. It is sitting on the tip of a leafless, three-pronged branch. There is a soft white background reflecting a gray, overcast day on Meeker Road in Lecompte last winter. It’s called “American Kestrel.”

“It’s a bird I’ve always been interested in,” he says. “They’re always on light wires and they’re very flighty.”

Winter, he says, is a time when a photographer can catch shots of raptors or falcons. Opportunities for bird shots get sluggish in the summer “like everything else,” he says, but in late summer he looks forward to shooting hummingbirds.

He has twice (2019, ’23) won “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” bird photography competitions put on by an art gallery in Lake Charles.

Yet, he wants to keep photography as a hobby rather than a profession. Why?

“When your hobby becomes a job, it’s not fun anymore,” he says. “This is still fun.”

A treasure of Johnson’s photos can be seen on the Jim E. Johnson Nature Photography web site: jimejohnsonphoto.com.

Bob Tompkins enjoyed a 43-year newspaper career as an award-winning writer and editor, serving the last 39 years at the Town Talk in Alexandria finishing in 2015. He is a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as a winner of the LSWA’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism. An Alexandria resident, Tompkins is a contributing columnist sharing his talents weekly with Rapides Parish Journal readers.

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The Rapides Parish Police Jury has announced the installation of five new trash receptacles at Cotile Recreation Park, located at 75 Cotile Lake Road in Boyce. This initiative is part of the 2023 Keep Louisiana Beautiful Trash Receptacle Grant Program, aimed at reducing litter and enhancing the cleanliness of public spaces.

The grant, made possible through funding from the State of Louisiana and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, provided high-quality trash receptacles to various communities across the state. Rapides Parish was among the 98 recipients selected to receive these receptacles, which are expected to contribute significantly to maintaining the beauty and cleanliness of Cotile Recreation Park.

By strategically placing these receptacles in high-traffic areas of the park, the Police Jury aims to encourage proper waste disposal among visitors, thereby reducing litter and promoting environmental stewardship within the community.

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On a busy Saturday filled with teamwork and purpose, members of the Junior League of Alexandria gathered at L.S. Rugg Elementary School to build shelving and set up a brand-new Care Closet. This important initiative was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Central Louisiana Community Foundation.

The Care Closet will serve as a vital resource for the school community, providing students in need with access to clothing, hygiene products, school supplies, and other essential items. By meeting basic needs, the Care Closet helps ensure that children can focus on learning and feel supported both inside and outside the classroom.

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During May’s School Board meeting, the board celebrated students who have gone above and beyond in academics, athletics, and leadership. Among the honorees was the ASH Marine Corps JROTC program, whose drill teams dominated the 2025 Louisiana All-Services JROTC Drill Competition.

The Unarmed Phoenix Drill Team clinched their fourth consecutive All-Service State Championship and secured first place in the Unarmed Marine Division. In total, ASH’s drill teams brought home six state championships from the competition, a testament to their discipline, precision, and teamwork.

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At the May School Board meeting, the board proudly recognized several outstanding students and teams for their exceptional achievements. Among those honored were Glenmora High School’s Justin B. and Chance B., who made waves—literally—by winning the 2025 LHSAA state championship in bass fishing.

Competing earlier this year at the state tournament on Toledo Bend, the duo hauled in a remarkable combined fish weight of 21 pounds, 6 ounces to take the top spot. Their impressive victory earned them a place at the national championship in Oklahoma this summer. Congratulations to Justin, Chance, and the Glenmora High community for this well-earned title!

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At its recent May meeting, the Rapides Parish School Board took time to honor the Plainview High School boys basketball team for capturing the LHSAA Class C championship. The team’s hard work and determination throughout the season led to this outstanding achievement.

In addition to the team’s state championship win, Coach Dustin Howard received special recognition for being named Louisiana Coach of the Year. Congratulations to the Plainview High School community on this incredible dual honor!

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The Rapides Parish Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Branch is set to host “Math to Build On,” a free, eight-session early math literacy program designed for children ages birth to five and their caregivers. The program, developed by The Orchard Foundation as part of The Rapides Foundation’s Education Initiative, aims to prepare young learners for school success by introducing foundational math concepts through interactive activities and reading.

Led by Early Childhood Program Coordinator Jamila Farris, the sessions will begin on Thursday, June 5, at the library located at 1115 Broadway Avenue in Alexandria. Each session will incorporate music, dancing, crafts, and refreshments, providing a fun and engaging learning environment for families. Participants will receive five new books per session to build their home libraries, with the opportunity to collect up to 40 books by attending all eight sessions.

Space is limited to 15 families per cohort, and registration is required. Interested families can sign up online at https://forms.office.com/r/XPXwLcmZZp. For more information, contact The Orchard Foundation at 318-767-3018.

“Math to Build On” is part of a broader effort to enhance early childhood education and ensure children in Central Louisiana enter kindergarten ready to learn.

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The May School Board Meeting shined a spotlight on several remarkable students, including Drew T., Matthew C., and Jack I., who were appointed to U.S. military academies. Drew will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, Matthew was accepted to West Point, and Jack received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.

These prestigious appointments reflect not only academic excellence but also leadership, discipline, and a deep commitment to service. The school board and entire parish community are proud of these young men and their future military careers.

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In early May 2025, the Rapides Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) Unit received two independent and anonymous complaints that a subject may be selling narcotics from a local motel room. Agents began their investigation and quickly identified the suspect as William Cameron Leblanc, 20 of Church Point.

Through multiple surveillance techniques, RADE Agents were able to confirm these complaints, even observing Leblanc conduct several “hand to hand” narcotics transactions on the premises of the motel.

Agents developed sufficient probable cause to obtain search warrants on May 15 for two rooms paid for and occupied by Leblanc. Later that same day, RADE Agents executed the search warrants, Leblanc was taken into custody without incident and found in possession of a small bag that contained marijuana, a digital scale, and large sum of currency. A thorough search of each room revealed three softball sized plastic bags containing suspected Fentanyl, a small caliber handgun and narcotics packaging materials. The bags containing the suspected Fentanyl were later determined to weigh 1 pound, nine ounces and the assorted U.S. currency totaled $3,294.

Leblanc was arrested and transported to the Rapides Parish Detention Center where he was booked for Possession of CDS II (Fentanyl) with Intent to Distribute, Possession of CDS I (Marijuana), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Illegal Carrying of Firearms with Drugs, and Transactions Involving Proceeds from Drug Offenses. Leblanc was also issued Civil Asset Forfeiture paperwork and the cash was seized. After further investigation, RADE Agents developed probable cause to apply for an arrest warrant for Leblanc for Distribution of CDS II (Fentanyl). The warrant was signed and approved and Leblanc was rebooked (still in custody) for the new distribution charge.

Leblanc remains in jail at the time of this release being held on a $271,000 bond. Agents say their investigation is still ongoing.

The Rapides Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) Unit is a multi-jurisdictional team comprised of the Alexandria Police Department, Ball Police Department, Boyce Police Department, Cheneyville Police Department, Forest Hill Police Department, Glenmora Police Department, Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office Lecompte Police Department, McNary Police Department, Pineville Police Department, Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, Woodworth Police Department, Grant Parish District Attorney’s Office, Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office and Louisiana Department of Probation and Parole.

The RADE Unit continues to target individuals suspected of trafficking narcotics in the Central Louisiana area. If you have information or would like to report any narcotics activity, you may do so by sending direct messages to the Rapides Area Drug Enforcement Facebook page.

“ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW OR ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION.”

Arrestee: William Cameron Leblanc, 20
1628 LA Hwy 35, Church Point, LA

Charges: Possession of CDS II (Fentanyl) with Intent to Distribute
Possession of CDS I (Marijuana)
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Illegal Carrying of Firearms with Drugs
Transactions Involving Proceeds from Drug Offenses
Distribution of CDS II (Fentanyl)

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Flying commercially in 1970 was a much more relaxed experience than it is today. The period from the 1950s to the 1970s is fondly considered “the golden age of travel.” Flying was more glamorous and luxurious. Many people dressed up to fly. Men often wore suits and women wore dresses. Their children were also dressed to impress. Smoking tobacco during flights was perfectly acceptable. Cocktails and other alcoholic beverages were often complimentary to passengers during flight. The food was comparable to that served in fine restaurants, often with multiple courses. The distance between the seats, the legroom, was normally between 36 to 40 inches. Today, legroom averages about 28 inches. There were no electronic devices, so airlines provided all sorts of entertainment to help passengers pass the time. At one point, American Airlines held in-flight fashion shows down the aisles. Airport security at the time was almost non-existent when compared to what it is today. There were no metal detectors, no scanners, and no drug-sniffing or bomb-sniffing dogs.

On Monday, September 21, 1970, William James drove to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on what was his 20th birthday. He bought a ticket to fly to Denver, Colorado, and waited to board his plane. He passed the time by chatting with another passenger. William was jovial because he had left his teenage years behind and had entered his twenties. While William was waiting to board the airplane, he jokingly told another traveler that he had two bombs in his luggage. Even in the relaxed atmosphere of commercial flying in 1970, claiming to have a bomb on an airplane was nothing to joke about. The other passenger passed the information to the ticket agent who immediately called a nearby United States marshal.

Shortly thereafter, a marshal pulled William aside for questioning. William tried to explain that he was just joking, but the marshal found no humor in his claim. About that time, Chicago vice detectives stepped in though the airline had not called for outside police assistance. The detectives had been waiting to arrest William based on a different tip they had received about his luggage. The marshal and Chicago detectives carefully searched William’s luggage. The marshal was relieved that they found no bombs, but the detectives were delighted because they found what they were looking for. Inside William’s luggage, they found five bricks of marijuana which weighed two pounds each and had a street value of about $20,000. Adjusted for inflation, that would be just over $163,000 in today’s money. The detectives arrested William and transported him to jail.

On the following day, the judge in Chicago’s narcotics court saw no humor in William’s bomb claim but was lenient in his sentencing. Rather than jail time, William was sentenced to probation. In this incident, many people surely told William that he was not funny and to take life seriously. Luckily for us, William did not listen because he is known around the world for his humor. The man who was arrested for carrying 10 pounds of marijuana in his luggage after he jokingly claimed that he had two bombs on an airplane appeared in many films including “Caddyshack,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Groundhog Day.” The world knows William James Murray as Bill Murray.

Sources:

1. Jacopo Prisco, “What the ‘golden age’ of flying was really like,” CNN, August 5, 2022, accessed May 18, 2025, cnn.com/travel/article/golden-age-flying-really-like.

2. Chicago Tribune, September 22, 1970, p.3.

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On May 20, 1873, a fashion revolution began when Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received a U.S. patent for blue jeans reinforced with copper rivets. This innovation transformed durable workwear into an enduring global fashion staple.

Originally designed for miners and laborers, these sturdy trousers became synonymous with American culture, symbolizing rugged individualism and practicality. Over the decades, blue jeans evolved from utilitarian garments to fashion statements embraced worldwide.

This date also marks other notable events:

1498: Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reached Calicut, India, establishing a sea route from Europe to Asia.

1609: William Shakespeare’s sonnets were first published in London, enriching English literature.

1862: President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, promoting westward expansion by granting land to settlers.

1896: A chandelier fell in Paris’s Palais Garnier Opera House, inspiring Gaston Leroux’s novel “The Phantom of the Opera.”

2015: The U.S. Air Force launched the Boeing X-37B spaceplane on a classified mission, highlighting advancements in reusable spacecraft technology.

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Downton Alexandria was the place to be for colorful family fun as the Cenla Indian Association held its annual Holi Fest, Saturday, May 17 in conjunction with the Children’s Advocacy Network. The festival, a fun multicultural area tradition since 2013, is a fundraiser for the Children’s Advocacy Network that drew several hundred people to enjoy an afternoon of music, food, dancing, and lots of color.

The event featured a 5k walk, jog or run with a fun twist. The runners ran through clouds of brightly colored smoke as they started the run. Volunteers also threw bright powdered paint at the runners. A firetruck from the Alexandria Fire Department put a mist over the finish line to keep everyone cool in the heat and to provide a fun play area for children.

The Royal Indian Bistro served up hundreds of plates of tasty Indian fare. Volunteers threw powdered paint on participants and kept the event running smoothly. There was an arts and crafts area for children. Onstage entertainment consisted of dance schools, Zumba classes, and tap dancers.

The Holi Fest is held as a fundraiser for the Children’s Advocacy Network to assist in their mission of serving area children who find themselves in difficult circumstances. The event is terrific family fun and a superb example of people of differing races and cultures coming together for a common purpose – Making our community a better place for children.

The festival is a wonderful example of our community at its best!

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By JIM BUTLER

Supt. Jeff Powell wants to discuss a system media policy at Tuesday’s special meeting of the School Board. 

Restricting who can speak to the media about system matters, and when, is an issue within government in general, heightened in importance due to consideration of minors. 

The posted agenda item reads: Motion to consider a Media Policy to establish clear guidelines for media engagement, student privacy, and responsible communication within the system. 

The proposed policy raises the obvious issue of free speech as well as the corollary — responsible official speech. 

Powell’s item doesn’t indicate what, if any, particular matter prompts the discussion. 

Policy covering news stories, statements, PSA, photographs and other information items is commonplace among public agencies. 

Most go out of their way to make it clear that employees have a right to personal opinion and expressing it as long as it’s made clear their views are personal not official.  

Critics of official-speak contend the public gets only what the system wants it to read, hear or see as a result. 

The more daunting aspect of the speech issue is that of social media. 

There’s little grey in the private sector — it’s employer’s way or the highway in employment at-will environments. 

Public employees in some jurisdictions have more latitude than others.

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