Gov. Landry’s version of Musk’s Mauraders will find ample starting points according to the latest audit of Louisiana government.

Landry, drafting on President Trump’s lead, has created a Government Efficiency Task Force and charged it with finding ways to make state government more efficient and fiscally responsible.

Where to start could be the first question, based on the Legislative Auditor’s Office latest comprehensive annual report, posted February 14.

The $28 billion in federal funds spent by the state could be the place. Examples:

The La. Workforce Commission over the past four fiscal years has identified about 110,000 paid claims totaling $866 million with various unresolved issues indicating potential overpayment. The same shortcoming in oversight has been noted five consecutive years;

The Department of Hospitals, with more audit findings than Carter has pills, failed last year to screen about one of every four providers in the Children’s Health Insurance Program managed care and dental program, resulting in $42.3 million in questionable costs;

Department of Children & Family Services, for the 12th consecutive year, failed to assure funds, $16 million in this audit, for Temporary Assistance for Needy Children used only for eligible children and their families.

From federal funds accounting the committee can go any direction in the web that is state government. 

Agency size or location is no restriction on questionable issues, according to the report.

Louisiana, like the District of Columbia, has plenty of swamp. 

This forum will feature Dr. Julian Bailes, Dr. Neilank Jha and Monty Chicola as NSU stakes out a leading position for providing training and education for students to take  advantage of and understand the burgeoning industry that is Artificial Intelligence

28 people interested in trapping took part in a free Trapper Education Workshop at the LDWF Pineville office on Saturday, Feb. 15, to get expert tips from members of the Louisiana Trappers and Alligator Hunters Association on trapping basics to increase the odds of catching animals.

Trappers provided hands-on demonstrations of techniques to catch a variety of animals and in different environments, from woods and roadsides to creeks and other waterbodies.

Want to learn more about hunter and trapper education? Visit the website: https://buff.ly/3Kbhzd8

There are still a few spots left for the Big Branch Trapper Workshop on March 1. Register here: https://buff.ly/4gjfycb

BOM is a sponsor of the LA Bombers travel softball team. Pictured left to right: BOM’s Mandy Futrell, Jessica Anders, and BOM’s Maranda Evan’s.

The Red River Rivalry softball matchup Tuesday was a romp by No. 21-ranked LSU Alexandria as the Generals swept a drizzly Red River Athletic Conference doubleheader in Pineville at Louisiana Christian University 10-2 and 11-2.

Posting five-inning run-rule victories, LSUA improved to 9-1 overall and LCU dipped to 6-4 as both teams came off long breaks and began their RRAC schedules.

“Awesome day,” LSUA coach Trent Partridge said.  “We came out and swung the bats well. We didn’t get to have quality practices last week, so I was a little worried about the offense, but I’m extremely proud of them. Our big thing is we want to try and score in every inning and we did that in the second game. Both of them (pitchers Haley Primrose and Alyssa Soileau) filled up the zone.”

In the opener, the Generals put together a pair of innings with crooked numbers on the scoreboard for the victory.

Primrose (5-1) tossed a complete game. She allowed five hits while striking out nine hitters. She also drove in a pair at the plate.

Madi Baker, Kaetlyn Dunbar and Jillian Howell also each drove in two runs. Baker recorded a pair of hits. LSUA finished with eight and drew six walks.

Primrose opened the scoring in the top of the first, lacing a two-run single down the right field line. A two-RBI double from Howell doubled the lead.

The Wildcats replied immediately on a two-run homer by Jordan Dauthier to cut the margin in half.

A bases-loaded walk and a trio of RBI singles from Baker, Kwakernaak, and Dunbar pushed six runs across in the fourth inning for the Generals.

In the second game, LSUA’s offense remained hot while LCU committed five errors, helping the visitors score five unearned runs.
Soileau (3-0) earned the win, pitching four innings and scattering five hits. She struck out a pair and did not issue a free pass.

Kilee Moody went 3-for-4, drove in two runs, and scored three. Baker collected a pair of hits, two RBI, and scored twice.

The Generals scored in every inning. Kwakernaak struck first in the opening frame, driving in Moody with an RBI single.

A single from Howell, an error and an RBI groundout plated three runs in the second. The Wildcats got two runs back in their half of the frame on a Karlie Stine sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Mariel Medrano to make it 4-2.

Over the next three innings, the Generals scored on an RBI single from Baker, RBI doubles by Haley Fontenot and Moody, as well as a pair of errors from the Wildcats.

LCU returns to RRAC play at home Friday in a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Texas A&M-Texarkana. LSUA hosts Jarvis Christian in a league twinbill Saturday at 1.

The Alexandria Museum of Art will host an opening reception for George Rodrique’s “The River Is the Road” exhibit on Friday, March 7, at 6pm. 

Culminating its traveling schedule in Alexandria, this exhibit is the first of its kind and traces 45 years of the river in George Rodrigue’s paintings, exploring the unique ways Rodrigue used the river as a reference to his Cajun heritage, and ultimately as a metaphor for the journey of life. The exhibition, organized by the Life & Legacy Foundation, includes 45 original artworks, including paintings, pastels, and sculptures from the private collection of Wendy Rodrigue, the George Godfrey Rodrigue, Jr. Family Trust, and selected works borrowed from collectors – including AMoA’s Steamboat. This exhibit is funded in part by Telich Custom Homes and Morgan Stanley.

On February 19, 1945, one of the most significant battles of World War II began as U.S. Marines launched an assault on the heavily fortified island of Iwo Jima. The battle, which lasted for 36 days, saw more than 70,000 Marines fight against 21,000 Japanese soldiers, resulting in one of the most intense conflicts of the Pacific Theater.

The famous photograph of Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi, taken by Joe Rosenthal, became an enduring symbol of American resilience and sacrifice. The battle was a turning point in the war, providing the U.S. with a crucial strategic position closer to the Japanese mainland.

Today, veterans and historians continue to reflect on the bravery of those who fought, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten.

The LSUA Foundation is honored to announce the establishment of the Renaud L. Holcombe Endowed Scholarship, a generous gift from Dr. David Holcombe and his wife, Nicole Holcombe, in memory of their late son, Renaud L. Holcombe. The Holcombes have pledged $25,000, inclusive of corporate matching funds, over three years to fund the endowment, which will benefit students in the College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics at LSUA.

This scholarship reflects the Holcombe family’s commitment to supporting higher education and fostering opportunities for students pursuing degrees in Computer Science or Cybersecurity. Designed to assist full-time students who demonstrate financial need and academic excellence, the scholarship will help ensure that deserving students can achieve their educational goals.

Born in Brussels, Belgium, Renaud L. Holcombe moved to Alexandria, Louisiana, with his family. He attended Bolton High School and graduated from the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts. A gifted student, Renaud went on to earn a degree in Computer Science from Loyola University New Orleans. An amateur cyclist and glass-blower, and an avid reader, Renaud was a talented data architect who had a passion for life and learning. This scholarship honors his legacy by empowering others to follow in his footsteps.

Recipients of the Renaud L. Holcombe Scholarship must be full-time LSUA students majoring in Computer Science or Cybersecurity, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5, and demonstrate financial need. The scholarship is renewable annually, provided recipients continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

The LSUA Foundation expresses profound gratitude to the Holcombe family for their meaningful gift, which will leave a lasting impact on the university and its students.

Through the vision and leadership of President James Genovese, Northwestern State University is attracting industry experts to further its position as a leader in artificial intelligence and innovation and has slated a groundbreaking public forum next month.

NSU will host Leadership in the Age of AI, featuring world-renowned experts Dr. Julian Bailes, Dr. Neilank Jha and Monty Chicola. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall on campus and is open to the public.

This distinguished panel will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, leadership and technological advancements, drawing from their vast experiences in medicine, economics and computing. Their involvement underscores NSU’s growing reputation as a regional leader in innovation and interdisciplinary studies, and its emergence on the forefront of AI instruction.

“The participation of these accomplished leaders brings Northwestern closer to its goal of being the premier regional institution not just in Louisiana but in the South,” said President Genovese. “Their expertise and engagement with our students and faculty are invaluable as we continue to build a future-focused academic environment.”

Bailes, a Natchitoches native, and Chicola are members of the university’s Long Purple Line, its alumni hall of distinction. The honor, the highest Northwestern bestows, has been issued to only 158 accomplished graduates over the last four decades. 

Genovese announced that Dr. Jha, M.D., FRCS(C), MSc, MBA, has been named Distinguished Professor in Leadership and Neuroeconomics on the university faculty. Dr. Jha, an accomplished neurosurgeon and behavioral economist, will be teaching a special topics course at NSU this fall, bringing his unique multidisciplinary approach to leadership education.

“This appointment would not be possible without my mentor, Dr. Julian Bailes, who has been an integral part of my journey over the past 15 years. Together, we have tackled challenges in traumatic brain injury, sports-related health, and now, the fight against brain cancer. I am honored to carry forward his legacy at NSU,” said Dr. Jha.

Dr. Jha’s career has been marked by a dedication to both Eastern and Western philosophies, blending them to develop leadership principles based on unity, service and resilience. His background includes an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto, a medical degree and neurosurgery residency at McMaster University, a fellowship in complex spinal surgery at the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Ivey School of Business. He also holds a master’s degree in Behavioral Economics and Cognitive Psychology from the London School of Economics.

Dr.  Bailes has been named one of Chicago Magazine’s “Top Brain Surgeons in Chicago” for 10 consecutive years. As a global leader in understanding the impact of brain injuries, particularly in sports-related trauma, Dr. Bailes has worked closely with professional sports leagues, the NCAA, Pop Warner youth football and other entities to advance the study of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

“It is with great pride that I welcome Dr. Jha to serve at NSU, where his expertise will have a profound impact on the students,” said Dr. Bailes.

A pioneer in his field, Dr. Bailes’ research has helped shape policies and medical protocols for athletes at all levels. His mentorship of Dr. Jha is a testament to his commitment to advancing the field of neuroscience and leadership.

Chicola, from Alexandria, is a trailblazer in the tech industry and the founder of Real Vision Software, an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) and IBM Business Partner specializing in AI-powered IBM i solutions. Chicola has been instrumental in establishing a partnership with NSU to develop a curriculum that prepares students for high-demand careers in technology.

Chicola, who serves on the IBM ISV board and the NSU Alumni board, has worked with IBM to create a Partnership for IBM AI Education at Northwestern. This curriculum is not only for NSU students but is reaching students all over the world, some as far as South Africa. 

Students can achieve a badge from IBM proving the achievement from the education provided through NSU.  The inaugural class will prepare participants to handle the current value of AI and the future enhancements to come in a business environment. The class began this spring. Chicola is teaching an IBM i programming course, focusing on modern enterprise computing and AI integration. His work exemplifies the university’s commitment to equipping students with cutting-edge skills in a rapidly evolving industry.

The announcement of this forum comes at a pivotal moment as NSU unveils the establishment of the Lola Walker Dunahoe Endowed Chair. This endowed chair will attract top talent in interdisciplinary studies, reinforcing NSU’s dedication to academic excellence and leadership in AI, neuroscience and technology.

Dr. Greg Handel, NSU’s executive vice president and provost, said the gift from the Dunahoe family will be valuable in bringing experts from diverging specialties to discuss current issues and trends that could have profound implications for society.  

“Drs. Bailes, Jha and Professor Chicola will discuss the impacts of artificial intelligence on our daily lives, give varying perspectives about the practical applications of AI in our daily activities and discuss common trends that will guide us as we navigate the new pathways brought together by AI,” Handel said.

“This forum continues and supports Northwestern as we navigate new ways to deliver instruction, to find the ethical paths in the use of AI in our classrooms and to assist faculty, staff and students as we continue to integrate AI into many of the things we do. As a responsive institution, Northwestern is thrilled to have these distinguished guests together on stage, and we are grateful to the Dunahoe family for supporting this forum which encourages curiosity—a trait that was central to Lola Dunahoe’s life and leadership.”

The late Lola Walker Dunahoe was a revered Natchitoches resident whose contributions to education statewide and her service to the local community left a lasting impact. This endowment, made possible by her family, will honor her legacy by ensuring that Northwestern continues to draw outstanding scholars and innovators to inspire future generations.

Genovese emphasized the university extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Dunahoe family for the generosity in establishing this endowed chair. The commitment will help shape the university’s future and strengthen its role as a leader in innovation and interdisciplinary education.

For more information on Leadership in the Age of AI, visit www.nsu.la/leadershipAI. 

During Love the Boot Week, April 5-13, Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) has partnered with Coca-Cola in spearheading the recycling of plastic bottles and aluminum cans for litter cleanup events happening in 27 parishes. This effort, facilitated by the Osprey Initiative, will lead to thousands of bottles and cans being diverted from the landfill. Love the Boot Week is Louisiana’s largest litter removal and beautification effort held during Earth Month, with events organized by businesses, non-profits, schools, governments, and families in all 64 parishes. Events in eligible parishes can sign up for recycling when registering for Love the Boot Week at LoveTheBoot.org.

“Thank you to Coca-Cola for continuing to fund recycling during Love the Boot Week,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “It takes all of us working together to keep our communities clean. If you are having a Love the Boot cleanup in one of the 27 parishes where recycling is available, I encourage you to participate in this important effort to divert cans and bottles from the landfill.”

“At Coca-Cola, our bottles and cans can live many lives, and efforts like this to collect and recycle are fundamental to that process,” said Scott Ryan, Vice President of Franchise Operations for The Coca-Cola Company. “We’re proud to sponsor and participate in Love the Boot Week again this year and commend Keep Louisiana Beautiful for their leadership in litter reduction in the state.”

With support from Coca-Cola, Osprey Initiative will facilitate recycling from litter cleanup events in the following parishes: Acadia, Ascension, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Jefferson, Lafayette, Livingston, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Rapides, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Vermilion.

The recycling program will include a combination of pick-up and drop-off services, and 21 regional offices of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will serve as recycling drop-off locations for Love the Boot events.

This is a significant expansion from the 2024 recycling effort, which was successful in collecting 13,891 aluminum cans and plastic bottles at 62 sites in 15 parishes. Last year during Love the Boot Week, 19,441 individuals volunteered a total of 100,712 hours at 760 events in all 64 parishes, leading to the removal of 347 tons of litter. In addition to litter removal, volunteers focused on community beautification, planting 921 trees and 4,408 plants, and refurbishing 366 gardens.

Recycling bags will be shipped from Osprey to those who sign up for recycling. Osprey will pick these bags up, sort the material, and deliver the recyclables to a recycling facility.

“When items are properly recycled, they don’t end up littering our environment or entering our landfills,” said Susan Russell, KLB Executive Director. “Not only does recycling reduce waste, but it also requires less energy to use recovered materials when making products in comparison to virgin materials. We are grateful to Coca-Cola for funding recycling at Love the Boot Week events, so the bottles and cans collected can be repurposed rather than ending up in a landfill.”

Everyone in every parish is invited to register for a cleanup or beautification event and/or sign up to volunteer for Love the Boot Week at LoveTheBoot.org.

On the heels of Presidents’ Day, which is often promoted with a picture of Mount Rushmore, I am proposing a Mt. Rushmore for Louisiana sports legends.

But here’s the problem. There are four presidents on Mt. Rushmore, and so I want to keep my selection to four people, rather than add a fifth. Or plead the fifth.

I want to limit the choices to people who are no longer active in their sport so their legacy has had time to settle, to ferment, to stand the test of time.

I’ve got three locked in, with their profiles ready to be sculpted, but I wavered on No. 4 before finally deciding.

My top three are: Eddie Robinson, Skip Bertman and Shaquille O’Neal.

Robinson coached football at Grambling from 1941-97, except for a two-year hiatus during World War II, and when he retired, he was the winningest coach in the history of college football with 408 wins. He died at age 88 in 2007. He still ranks third overall behind only John Gagliardi, who spent most of his coaching career a St. John’s in Minnesota, with 489 victories, and Penn State’s Joe Paterno (490).

What’s more, Robinson was one of the best ambassadors for not only Grambling but college football in general with his smile and wit and charm. He had a knack for making anyone he met feel like they were best friends. He may have been the most patriotic sports legend our state has ever had. He didn’t just teach football, he taught the values of hard work, courage and unselfishness he learned as a sharecropper’s son.   

Bertman’s legacy as LSU’s baseball coach is unmatched, resurrecting a baseball program that was an afterthought (with a few exceptions) on campus  until he got there. He guided the Tigers to five national championships, seven Southeastern Conference titles and 11 College World Series appearances in 18 years. Like Robinson in football, Bertman was an outstanding ambassador for college baseball. Skip was the key figure in making the SEC a baseball powerhouse conference, not to mention triggering the game’s surge of popularity in recent decades.

The charismatic O’Neal may be among the top 5-10 most recognizable people in the world after his brilliant basketball career that blossomed at LSU and climbed to an elite level in 19 years in the NBA. Standing 7-foot-1, 325 pounds, Shaq was a fierce competitor on the floor, playing for three NBA championship teams and 15 All-Star games, and with youngsters he is a gentle giant off the court. He is a member of both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and he National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and was voted among the NBA’s 75 Greatest Players.

Number 4? I thought about Archie Manning, Pete Maravich or Grambling/New York Knicks icon Willis Reed, or making an exception to my rule about no active participants and including Hammond hoops legend, former La. Tech women’s basketball star and current LSU coaching phenom and fashion queen Kim Mulkey.

My top three have what I called the “beloved” factor in addition to being superior achievers. That’s why I like Manning and Reed, for example. Young people, I’m sure, don’t appreciate what each of them meant to their team and their professional team’s city. Maravich, simply for his unbelievable, unprecedented and uncanny basketball skills in a life that tragically ended at age 40, must be considered.

But I’m siding with Archie Manning. He was nicknamed “Super-Manning” during his thrilling, heroic years at Ole Miss, and had he played for a top-notch NFL team, he’d have ranked among the all-time great QBs and made it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. As it was, he was the NFC Most Valuable Player in 1978, despite playing for a Saints team that finished 7-9.

After his playing career, he and his wife, Olivia, chose to make New Orleans his residence, and for 50 years they have been valuable citizens of the city. He owns a sports bar and grill, and just last week, the Children’s Hospital there was renamed the Manning Family Children’s Hospital, including sons Cooper, Peyton and Eli. Archie has also influenced and inspired many quarterbacks through relationships built over nearly three decades at the Manning Passing Academy each summer in Hammond.

Archie Manning is to New Orleans what the late Cardinals baseball great Stan Musial was to St. Louis. That’s why he gets my vote to be in this elite foursome. And my vote and a buck 25 will buy you a 5-ounce box of Whoppers.

The No. 21-ranked LSU Alexandria softball team plays today at Louisiana Christian in a Red River Athletic Conference doubleheader beginning at 3 o’clock at Wildcat Field in Pineville, in the league opener for the Red River rivals.

The Generals (7-1) took last week off after opening the season in a pair of tournaments. They have won four straight games.
The Wildcats are 6-2. Their last outing was a 5-0 loss to No. 14 William Carey in the final game of the Generals Showdown on Feb. 8. William Carey topped LSUA 7-4 in that tournament.

The Generals are 6-12 all-time against the Wildcats. They are 2-7 when playing on the road. LSUA has won the last two meetings.

Emma Hunt leads the Wildcats’ offense with an average of .455. She has scored seven runs and stolen eight bases in nine attempts. Hunt has drawn six walks and has an OBP of .571. Mariel Medrano leads LCU in runs batted in with 10. She is hitting .280 with an on-base percentage of .355. The Wildcats are hitting .285 as a team and have hit five homers. They have scored 49 runs and stolen 13 bases.

In the circle, Addison Greak and Morgan Louviere have both posted 2-0 records to start the season. Greak has tossed two complete games, one a shutout. She has an ERA of 0.50 and a WHIP of 0.86. Louviere has an ERA of 1.62 and a WHIP of 0.77 and has thrown one complete game shutout.

LSUA has a team batting average of .404 with 13 home runs and 62 RBI, with 30 steals in 33 tries. The Generals already have had two players, catcher Madi Baker and infielder Julia Kwakernaak, win RRAC Player of the Week honors.

Kwakernaak, a native of the Netherlands, bats .417 with a team-best 4 home runs and 9 RBI and a team-high 1.042 slugging percentage.

Baker, an Australian, is hitting .429 and has driven in a team-best 11 runs in six games, including a walk-off grand slam against Oklahoma Panhandle.

Alyssa Soileau and Haley Primrose are two-way weapons for LSUA, as pitchers and position players. Soileau tops the Generals with a .615 batting average and is 3-3 in the circle with a 1.78 ERA. Primrose is hitting .444 and is the staff ace with a 4-1 record, a 1.63 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP as opponents hit only .217 against her.

More top offensive weapons for today’s visitors include Haley Fontenot, who has  a .500 batting average, team-best 16 runs scored, team-high 11 steals (in 11 attempts), with a homer and 5 RBI; Kaetlyn Dunbar (.458, 1 HR, 8 RBI) and Kilee Moody (.458, 8 RBI).

A former Pineville police officer was arrested on Saturday, Feb. 15, nearly three and a half months since her last arrest.

Lacy Ann Walker – formerly known as Lacy Fields – was arrested around 4:45am on Saturday after allegedly driving at dangerously high speeds. 

Jail records indicate that Walker was subsequently charged with Reckless Operation of a Vehicle – First Offense and Impersonating a Peace Officer. Her bond was set at a total of $1,000. 

Jail records show Walker was charged with reckless operation of a vehicle – first offense, and impersonating a peace officer. Bond was set at a combined $1,000.

Walker was arrested back in October 2024 for domestic abuse battery and aggravated assault with a firearm while serving as a Pineville police officer.