(This week’s column is a chapter from the new book, “Fathers, Sons and Old Guns” by Glynn Harris. The book is now available from Amazon.com online)

It’s been a long time since I last visited the home place where I grew up. I remember what it was like soon after my mom passed away; it was like the cord that had bound our family together had snapped after she was no longer there.

My sister, Linda, lived next door to our house and I remember one Christmas when I visited Linda soon after Mother had died, I was not prepared for the feeling of loneliness that swept over me when I looked across her yard to the simple frame house where we grew up. On other Christmases, this would have been the scene of laughter, of sweet and tangy aromas wafting from Mother’s kitchen. This day however, it seemed cold and dark.

The years have soothed the pain of that first Christmas without my mother but my memories of the old home place linger like the spicy aroma of her applesauce cake. The old house is gone now, somebody bought it and moved it and there was nothing there but the cedar tree in the front yard, the crepe myrtles that formed a ring around the yard and the pecan tree growing just out of the yard.

Until the house was purchased and moved, a young family rented it for a while and I remember feeling sad and resentful that somebody else was living in what had been our family’s home where we all grew up.

As I paused to reflect on the spot where our house had been, I remembered things like drawing water from the well in the back yard. The water bucket, a slender cylinder that went “gulp…gulp” when it filled and when you pulled the bucket from the well, hand over fist by the rope to which it was attached, you pulled a trigger at the top to release water into the water bucket.

I remembered things like calling our old milk cow from the pasture late in the afternoon, dumping cans of Acorn cow feed into the trough and pulling up the stool to sit and milk the cow, hoping she hadn’t gotten into bitter weeds that day.

I remembered things like watching dogs with names like Boots, Rusty and Tippy waiting outside the back door for scraps from the kitchen.

I remembered how the cool green grass felt to tender feet the first time shoes were shucked in spring.

I remembered hoping it was my turn to lick the bowl after Mother made a cake, and sitting on the front porch on a summer afternoon making the churn dasher slap up and down in the sour milk as it separated from the globs of butter and watching Mother work the golden mound until all the buttermilk was gone and pure, sweet butter remained.

I remembered things like listening to my uncle Sam cuss his mule over on the hill across the way as he plowed his field.

I remembered making sling shots out of slices of inner tubes and old shoe tongues attached to just the right fork of a branch you had cut for the handle.

I remembered things like digging earthworms from beneath the cow patties at the cow barn and my brother Tom and me heading for Molido Creek with bamboo poles, hook, line and sinker to fish for goggle-eyes and sun perch. 

I remembered fingering the etched wooden stock on my old double barrel shotgun as I sat with my back against a beech down on Molido, listening for the scritch-scratch of a squirrel’s claws on oak bark, getting out of a warm bed early fall mornings, grabbing my shotgun and heading for the Sand Flats along Saline Creek hoping for a shot at a squealer duck that flew from their roost to wing their way up the creek to feed.

Somebody else now owned our house and I knew I could never go back home again. That’s how it should be, I suppose, and that’s okay. I have my memories and I can take them down from time to time, dust them off and for a moment, become the little barefoot boy again.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@aol.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

Feb. 12

William Patrick Bynog Jr., 40, Boyce – four counts criminal trespass (third/subsequent offense), paraphernalia, $2,500 bail;

Heath Morris Cintron, 50, Alexandria – three counts violation of protective orders (non-violent), two counts contempt of court

Clifton Dean Cotton, 53, Pineville – improper bicycle operation, resisting an officer, lamps/reflectors required, probation violation, $5,700 bail;

Sametre Renea Hampton, 33, Alexandria – producing manufacturing distributing marijuana, producing manufacturing distributing schedule one drug, paraphernalia, two counts criminal conspiracy, probation violation, $300,500 bail;

Robert Anthony Means, 40, Pineville – two counts contempt of court, $7,500 bail;

Rachel Vercher, 61, Pineville – OWI, careless operation of vehicle, $900 bail.

Feb. 11

Renea Alice Burns, 27, Deville – felony possession of controlled dangerous substance, evidence tampering, $2,000 bail;

Ronnie Joseph Clovis, 23, Alexandria – attempted second degree murder, criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, parole violations, $800,000 bail;

Jamane County, 35, Alexandria – simple burglary, resisting an officer, contempt of court, failure to appear/pay fine, $13,000 bail;

Mya Michelle Hayes, 24, Pineville – Louisiana fugitive, accessory after the fact, $10,000 bail;

Caleb MacKenzie Hill, 39, Boyce – two counts possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal possession of stolen things, Louisiana fugitive, no bail data;

Vance Paul Manuel Jr, 50, Ball – theft, simple burglary, criminal conspiracy, theft of motro vehicle, possession of stolen vehicle, resisting an officer, flight from an officer, five counts failure to appear/pay fine, parole violations, $41,000 bail;

Aaron Vaughn Paysinger, 36, Ball – possession of controlled dangerous substance schedule 1 schedule 2 schedule 3, contempt of court, $9,000 bail;

Henry Lee Rachal, 17, Alexandria – aggravated battery, $50,000 bail;

Terry Reeves Jr., 46, Ragley – producing manufacturing, distributing marijuana, criminal conspiracy, taking contraband to and from penal institutions, $30,000 bail;

Virginia Elaine Saucier, 49, Pineville – criminal neglect of family, two counts contempt of court, $6,500 bail;

Scott Weisler, 54, Alexandria – bank fraud, criminal mischief (false report of crime), $1,500 bail.

Feb. 10

Joshua Paul Ulhman, 36, Pine Prairie – Louisiana fugitive, no bail data;

Harold Beckley, 45, Ragley – no head light, driving under revocation, possession of marijuana, open container, $970 bail;

Miracle Roshell Bush, 30, Alexandria – simple arson, six counts contempt of court, $17,000 bail;

James Darrell Dearborne Jr., 32, Alexandria – theft, four counts contempt of court, $3,750 bail;

Kenneth Mead Moran III, 37, Ball – possession of controlled dangerous substance, drug paraphernalia, battery second degree, $11,500 bail;

Luke Alexandra Reed, 23, Pitkin – armed robbery, criminal conspiracy, $85,000 bail;

Alana Renee Wiggins, 39, Alexandria – monetary instrument abuse – use/possession of counterfeit or forged monetary instruments, contempt of court, $1,500 bail

Feb. 9

Alvin Ray Brown Jr., 34, Alexandria – criminal damage to property, three counts contempt of court, $6,650 bail;

Kelvin Greg Franklin, 54, Alexandria – simple strangulation domestic abuse battery, domestic abuse with child present, $26,000 bail;

Qunisha Hazel, 33, Alexandria – simple battery, contempt of court, $2,000 bail;

Bruce O. Price, 34, Alexandria – theft, resisting an officer, criminal trespass, three counts contempt of court, $12,500 bail.

The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Alumnae Chapter, in partnership with the Rapides Regional Medical Center, will be hosting a free CPR training event on Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Westside Regional Library from 9am to 1pm.

February is Heart Health Month, and the sorority is looking to get the community involved to learn how to take care of their hearts and promote awareness of heart health.

“So it is a full CPR class so they will be doing manual compressions on mannequins,” said Theresa Hood, Director of Education at Rapides Regional. “Giving breaths. Breathing into the mannequins on the adult, the child and the infant mannequins. They will also learn choking for the adult, child and infant.”

The training is intended to be hands-on so that participants can learn life-saving techniques. 

“We want to make sure you know how to do the compressions, you’re comfortable doing the compressions,” explained Tamera Tullos, Community Education Nurse. “So you will be on the floor working on mannequins. Dress comfortable, dress appropriately and be ready to get down on the floor.”

This class is free to attended, but there is a cap for the first 50 people to register. Click here to register.

Pineville High School presents “Beetlejuice Jr.” from today, Feb. 13, through Sunday, Feb. 16. The show begins every night at 7pm except for Sunday, which begins at 2pm. 

The ghost-with-the-most comes to the stage in “Beetlejuice Jr.,” the frightfully funny musical based on the beloved motion picture turned Broadway phenomenon. Lydia Deetz is a strange and unusual teenager, still grieving the loss of her mother and obsessed with the whole “being dead thing.” Lucky for Lydia, she and her father move to a new house haunted by a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a delightful demon with a real zest for life. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter shows his true stripes, unleashing a (Nether)world of pandemonium.

With music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Eddie Perfect and a book by Tony Award-nominated pair Anthony King and Scott Brown, Beetlejuice was nominated for eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best New Musical. A viral “sucks-yes” on social media, this musical struck a chord with young theatre lovers who adored its unabashed humor and emotional honesty. 

Created for the generation that made it a hit, “Beetlejuice Jr.” is a wacky theatrical party for all. Tickets can be purchased through pinevillehigh.tix.com -or- pinevillehightheatre.com.

By JIM BUTLER

Glenmora officials have taken steps to honor commitments made when issuing $1.9 million in utility revenue bonds in 2021.

Auditors have twice noted the town had failed to adjust utility rates to meet covenants included in the bond issue.

“Adjust” in such cases almost always mean increase to a level necessary to meet pledges made when selling such bonds.

Auditors noted in their 2023 report the system was not producing income to recover costs of operating and servicing the debt.

In a December 18 response to 2024 audit findings of the same situation the town said it had received results of a rate study and was working with engineers to determine proper charges.

Subsequently, council minutes reflect, an ordinance encompassing the adjustments was introduced at a special meeting on December 27. The introduction had been tabled in November.

Specifics of the changes are not included in the minutes, which normally do not go into such detail.

Minutes of January-October contain no reference to utility rates discussion. Executive sessions were held in March and September.

Though the reason for such was not stated in minutes (it may have been specified in the posted agenda for each meeting) rate discussion is not among those allowable.

The latest audit report shows utility revenue of $677,000 and system expense of $751,000, including transfers to the General Fund and177,000 for consultants.

General Fund revenue was $1.14 million and expenses totaled $1.18 million; $110,000 received in transfers brought the margin to about $72,000.

That raised the fiscal year-end balance to $317,000.

She calls it an “amazing program that keeps students in school while their parents can stay at work,” even though the child may not be feeling well.

Jessica Barton is talking about the Rapides Community Health Center’s School-Based program that offers health centers in 35 schools across Rapides Parish, available to both students and teachers. In a seamless interface between education and healthcare, the centers provide down-the-hall service for sick visits, wellness visits and sports physicals.

Barton, who serves as Family Nurse Practitioner for this School-Based program, observes that children often deflect wellness questions from parents as they hurry to get to school in the morning, only to tell teachers of an earache or other illnesses. This could have meant a phone call to the parent who would have lost work time to pick up the child for a doctor’s visit.

But with Trinity’s trained staff in-house, professional diagnosis is available as well as dispensing of over-the-counter medication if needed (with prior parental approval) and even prescription of medications which the parents would pick up. “If they feel ill, it’s a quick trip to the clinic then back to the classroom and the parent doesn’t need to miss work. And yes, if a teacher needs help, we can provide that reducing the need for substitutes when there is already a shortage.”

Providing these services are nearly 100 employees, including 18 nurse practitioners, 35 nurses, 35 front desk associates as well as counselors and behavioral health specialists.

“We provide a safe and welcoming environment for students and staff. When we have children in our clinic, we get to know them. We share a unique relationship through their feedback.” Barton explains that the clinics provide medical education on two fronts. When prescriptions are written, the professionals verify and explain that medication with the parent before they pick it up. With students, they work to establish “health literacy” to improve the child’s understanding of the common medications to help put them in charge of their own health care at an early age.

This caring nurse practitioner hails from central Kansas and has been in Louisiana since 2006, making her home in Alexandria. She received her Master of Science degree in Nursing from ULL in 2016 and worked with a long term acute care hospital in Alexandria for 15 years. But her focus shifted from the elderly to the young when she and husband Bruce, an internal medical physician, began their family.

The elder, Carson (now 5), arrived just three weeks before COVID hit. Their second, Teddy, is 3.

Louisiana Christian University has been named the safest college campus and the best value in the state of Louisiana by Niche.com.

Niche.com released its 2025 list of Best Colleges last week. Niche.com is a rating and review website for facets of the college experience.

In the last several years, LCU has committed to providing an increasingly safe campus for students, faculty, staff and visitors. Three Homeland Security grants awarded to LCU have allowed for additional campus lighting and surveillance.

“Over the last five years, LCU has invested over $450,000 in safety and security upgrades thanks to grants from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness through our FEMA partners,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Henry O. Robertson. “Additional funding through the Union Pacific Railroad Foundation has provided key components for enhancing our abilities to deter, detect and defend the campus community. We are honored that the investments, training and care LCU has placed as a strategic priority are recognized by a national organization. Our students are always number one with all our safety and security enhancements.”

LCU also has a K9 officer certified in the detection of illegal narcotics and tracking.

According to Chief of Safety and Security John Dauzat, the purpose of adding a K9 officer to the security team was all about being proactive to keep the campus safer and drug-free.

“Not only have the students become more aware about the deterrent of narcotics, but also the increased safety presence,” Dauzat said.

“Providing the safest campus possible is our primary focus,” Dauzat said. “We have made great strides in the last several years to prevent some of the issues that other campuses have faced, and we will continue to be proactive.”

According to niche.com, its safety rating is based on campus crime rate, local crime rate, as well as student surveys regarding health and safety services on campus.

The Best Values College ranking is based on net price, alumni earnings, graduation rates, and student debt using data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and alumni.

The nationally-ranked teams prevailed Tuesday night at The Fort in a high-level Red River Athletic Conference basketball doubleheader that was highlighted by the LSUA men locking down their second straight regular-season conference championship.

The No. 2-ranked Generals overpowered Xavier with a massive 34-5 run sandwiched around halftime. The 18^th-ranked Xavier women scored 12 straight points in the fourth quarter to push away from the LSUA women in the opening contest.

LSUA is back in action on Thursday at home as Our Lady of the Lake visits for a 5:30 women’s game, followed by the men at 7:30, in The Fort.

LSUA MEN 81, XAVIER 62: The Generals (23-1, 20-1 RRAC) are the first team in the NAIA to earn an automatic bid to the postseason. The victory is LSUA’s 17^th consecutive win.

“To do what we’ve done the last two years, I give credit to God, to coach Dwayne (Harmason), to coach Alyssa (Harmason), everyone that’s been a part of this program,” LSUA coach Dimario Jackson said. “It’s work. One of the hardest things to do is win the regular season because it’s such a long season. So many things change, a lot happens. Kudos to our guys for answering the challenge.”

Kashie Natt posted a career-high 32 points and added 10 rebounds for his 12^th double-double of the season.  Jordan Decuir tallied 14 points, while EJ McQuillan recorded 13.

The first half was tightly contested as neither team could wrest control. Xavier (17-7, 16-6 RRAC) built a 25-17 lead before LSUA closed the half on a 23-5 run to go up 40-30.

The Generals took over by scoring the first 11 points after the break as Natt scored six and McQuillan had the other five. Another burst of 11 unanswered points built a 34-point spread with under five minutes remaining.

XAVIER WOMEN 61, LSUA 50: The Generals lost for the first time in nine games as the offense went cold, making just 2 of 11 shots in the fourth quarter, and the visitors took control in the closing minutes.

“When you play a good team like that you have to play four quarters,” LSUA coach Billy Perkins said. “We played about three quarters and four minutes. We’ll hopefully rebound be better the next game.”

Dannah Martin-Hartwick topped the Generals (19-6, 16-5 RRAC) with 12 points but LSUA faltered in the fourth quarter against the Gold Nuggets (24-1, 21-1 RRAC) after a back-and-forth battle. The Generals had an early nine-point lead and the visitors’ final margin was their largest as there were four lead changes and a narrow margin most of the game.

LSUA led 47-45 early in the final period before a 12-0 run for the Gold Nuggets vaulted XULA to a 10-point lead, 57-47, with just three minutes left in regulation.

Progress on construction of the new wing being added to Caroline Dormon Junior High continues. Both the Town of Woodworth and the school itself shared several pictures of the construction as it proceeds, expressing excitement at the addition to the campus. 

The Alexandria Police Department is actively investigating two related incidents that occurred in the early morning hours of Feb. 11.

At approximately 4:47am, officers responded to reports of a vehicle burglary in the 3900 block of Ellis Street. Shortly thereafter, a second call was received regarding an armed robbery of an individual in the same area. The victim of the armed robbery sustained moderate injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Detectives are currently investigating both incidents and working to determine the circumstances surrounding these crimes. The Alexandria Police Department urges anyone with information that may assist the investigation to come forward.

This is currently an ongoing investigation. 

If anyone has any information about this incident or any other type of crime in the Alexandria area, please contact the Alexandria Police Detective Division at the phone number (318) 441-6416, or APD Dispatch (318) 441-6559. Information can be emailed to detectives at APDDetectives@cityofalex.com.

For a cash reward, call Crime Stoppers of CenLa at (318) 443-7867. The Crime Stoppers P3 Tipster App can also be downloaded to leave tips and get a claim number for a cash reward at www.p3tips.com/community/mobile.

On February 12, the United States commemorates the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States (1861-1865). Born in 1809, Lincoln is widely regarded as one of the nation’s greatest leaders, known for his role in preserving the Union during the Civil War and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.

Lincoln’s Leadership and Legacy

Lincoln’s presidency was marked by difficult decisions and national division, but his steadfast leadership helped guide the country through its most challenging era. His Gettysburg Address, delivered in 1863, remains one of the most famous speeches in American history, emphasizing democracy and equality.

Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth cut his presidency short, but his impact endured. His commitment to ending slavery led to the passage of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States.

Honoring Lincoln Today

Lincoln’s legacy is honored across the nation through statues, memorials, and schools bearing his name. His contributions to democracy, equality, and leadership continue to inspire Americans, making February 12 an important day for reflection.

By JIM BUTLER

Continuing fallout from last year’s City Hall upheaval will be on the card for Pineville’s monthly City Council meeting tonight though other matters are on the agenda.

More citizen comment can be anticipated as the council proposes to move forward with settling with, for $180,000, the admitted temporary object of former Mayor Richard Dupree’s affections, as well as those of his chief of staff Doug Gann.

Asked but not yet answered are such as can the city pursue recouping the money from one or both? Do bonds required of some public officials and employees cover such?

Also not yet answered — questions regarding city audit issues noted at last month’s meeting. The audit report as of Monday afternoon was not yet a public record posted by the Legislative Auditor’s Office.

The council will also introduce, for discussion and action at its March meeting, resolutions to amend city ordinances to give the mayor sole discretion to set water and sewerage rates, with any increases/decreases not to exceed the rise/fall of the annual Consumer Price Index.

Under current code rates are set by the mayor and council.

Council members are also expected to award a contract for the long-awaited Huffman Creek pump station and outfall project.

Lamentations and exultations, we’ve got a few, as we approach Valentine’s Day.

It grates when guys talk on their cell phone in public. A young man did this recently while in the hot tub at the athletic club. I’d been anticipating getting in the hot tub after my swim, but I chose not to, given the circumstances, and went to a nearby shower. Upon getting out of the shower, I could still hear that guy talking but he was no longer in the hot tub. He was continuing his conversation while in the shower nearest the hot tub!

Q. Who brings a phone in the shower?

A. A wet phony.

At the same club a few days later, a guy came in the locker room, a looked my way and said, “OK, you want to interview me?” Before I could answer or even snicker at the apparent sarcasm, he was off and running, talking into the air (or the I-Cloud or the You-cloud) while wearing earphones, about how he was a conservative comedian who liked to insert politics into his comedy. “So who are you with anyway?” he asked after saying far too much without knowing. I think he said he majored in “mass communications,” which he evidently was trying to practice before a handful of us by our lockers.

Thankfully, he at least kept the other person off speaker phone.

There have been other broadcast business calls, like one about a plumbing problem or some such, even though we did not want to hear all about it. My point is, too many people have lost their sense of public etiquette or common courtesy, or they don’t understand the world doesn’t revolve around them and their business or idiosyncrasies or problems or anxieties.

Perhaps it’s their subconscious way of reaching out because of a need to be heard or recognized, but there are better, more proven ways to do that kind of thing.  

Countering that negative with a positive, I have been tickled to see outdoor activity in the neighborhood – fathers playing pitch-and-catch with sons or brothers going against brothers in a touch football game or basketball game. It’s the most I’ve seen since the pandemic forced folks to rediscover the outdoors. There were more people, especially children, than we’ve ever seen Sunday afternoon at Compton Park. Young and old. It didn’t seem to be a birthday celebration or some other event for a large group.

It was a gorgeous, unseasonably warm February day – the kind of day that triggers spring fever – but we’ve had other gorgeous days over the years that didn’t draw such a crowd.

Maybe it was something contagious about the good vibes emanating all week from a few hours south of here in New Orleans, which did a fantastic job as the host city – for a record-tying 11^th time – of Super Bowl LIX. “The city (downtown, especially) is literally sparkling,” my brother, Peter, a lifelong resident of the Crescent City, said Sunday.

From the safety and security made possible by a strong presence of police and National Guard troops to the nightly creative light displays on the front of St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans took its job of being a Super Bowl host to a superior level. The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, led by Jay Cicero, oversaw local operations leading up to the game, and that group deserves a world of credit, putting on dazzling shows, one after another. Kudos must go to the pregame show that saluted the city’s music and culture, highlighted by Trombone Shorty and Lauren Daigle’s rendition of “America the Beautiful,” and the poignant memorial, led by Saints star Cam Jordan, to the victims and first responders of the Bourbon Street terrorist attacks.

Oh, and then there was the game – a stunning 40-22 victory by the Philadelphia Eagles over the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs that was more lopsided than the score indicated. And a record number of Super Bowl media credentials (6,414) were handed out.

“It was like nothing ever seen before at a Super Bowl,” could be an accurate statement, considering, too, another never-seen-before notable: President Trump being the first Commander-in-Chief to attend a Super Bowl.

It’s clear that New Orleans, which knows how to throw a party better than any other place in the world, needs to host the biggest party in America on a more regular basis.