Another week, another profit on the links for Lang’s Locks. And, dang, we barely missed another massive haul. We won nearly two units and had win bets on the runners-up on the PGA Tour (Sungjae Im) and Korn Ferry Tour (Taylor Montgomery). What could have been!
However, we will never complain about a profit. We’re up more than 31 units on the year. That’s remarkable. We’ll do our best to give some back this week with three different Tours (including LIV).
Not feeling much on the PGA Tour this week, but we hit the European Tour pretty hard and have a foursome of win tickets in play at LIV’s third event.
The PGA Tour field isn’t terrific and things will get very interesting after the FedExCup is complete. Who will stay and who will bolt? Until then, let’s see if we can grind out another profitable week! Good luck!
Notes
All bets are measured in units. For instance, if your normal bet on a game is $100, that is one unit. If the bet is listed as .2 units, it’s a $20 bet.
Best line (as of Tuesday) is listed in parenthesis. Find the best price, one key to being a successful sports bettor! Shop around!
New Northwestern State basketball coach Corey Gipson has created a unique buzz around his first recruiting class.
There’s a blend of transfers from four-year schools and junior colleges, eight in all. One, Missouri transfer Jordan Wilmore, is 7-foot-3.
There are two prep school signees, a year removed from high school.
And there’s the most famous recruit in NSU athletic history.
The one-armed kid.
Seriously.
Hansel Enmanuel is not a name that resonates, but his story is incredibly compelling, and it’s not exaggeration to say that people around the WORLD have taken notice.
His left arm was amputated just below the shoulder when a cinder block wall fell on him at age 6 in his native Dominican Republic. It did not deter his joy of playing sports, although it ultimately redirected his focus from baseball to hoops. That may have happened anyway; his dad was a pro basketball player on the island.
He was an ESPY Award finalist for “Best Play.” He is the subject of a Gatorade commercial. He has four million followers on Twitter and Instagram, not counting the reach of that Gatorade advertisement that debuted on ABC during the NBA Finals and continues in rotation across networks and on the company’s social media a month later.
Monday, ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby show hosts told the audience they were bringing their show to NSU at some point this season to track the story.
Toss in the fact that 247Sports.com ranks him as a three-star recruit. Enmanuel posted averages of 25.9 points, 11 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 3.4 blocks as a senior at Life Christian Academy in Kissimmee, Fla.
But is he the product of high-caliber editing, a phenom who has a mind-blowing highlight reel, but due to obvious limitations, has shortcomings that cast doubt on his potential to play at the NCAA Division I level?
Perhaps.
His stats say otherwise. And clearly, the Demons believe otherwise. So did the coaching staff at Bethune-Cookman, a SWAC program based in Daytona Beach., a 78-mile drive from Kissimmee. So did coaches at Tennessee State, and if you can accept it, coaches at Memphis, a national program said to be among his final four choices.
But those stats were compiled against lower-level Florida high school competition, along with a few intersectional games for the Lions of Life Christian.
He has amazed and impressed observers for two summers while on the summer ball circuit. He was invited to play in the pro-am Drew League in Los Angeles last weekend, which is where he announced his college decision, although it turns out he had signed his letter of intent with the Demons a month earlier.
Smart move to make the announcement on a big stage. It immediately splattered across the internet and social media on outlets like Sports Illustrated and Apple News, gaining millions of impressions.
Whether engineered by Enmanuel’s camp or Gipson, breaking the news then and there got the desired result.
This guard, whose size has been reported from 6-4 to 6-6, is a media sensation.
Will he be solid enough to play at Northwestern, in the Southland Conference? There apparently were not offers from nearby programs like Central Florida, South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida A&M, North Florida, Stetson — all within easy driving distance of Kissimmee — let alone Florida, Miami or Florida State.
Who was right? It will be interesting to see as his days with the Demons unfold.
The mere fact that he’s gotten this far, and earned such widespread attention and respect, is mind-blowing. Enmanuel undeniably is worthy of all the praise he gets.
For Gipson and the Demons, there’s minimal risk, and already, great rewards. People will be keeping an eye on Northwestern State basketball this winter, and maybe if things go well, more Gatorade commercials will follow, along with wins.
Voters in South Bossier Fire District #2 will be asked to go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 8 to approve a 3.5-mill tax increase to update their department’s aging equipment, and continue to provide essential emergency services for roughly 7,000 residents.
District #2 encompasses approximately 155 square miles from Sligo Rd. south to the Bossier Parish-Red River Parish line.
Fire Chief Ryan Foster said he hopes voters in the district will understand the needs his department is facing in times when his budget has not increased to meet the rising costs of updated equipment.
“We have some of our front-line equipment that’s almost 30 years old, and we’ve watched prices for pumpers and commercial tankers go up while our income hasn’t increased,” Foster said. “In fact, we’ve seen about a 20 percent budget reduction over the last few years, and that leaves very little to save for future expenditures. The budget reduction has caused us to reduce staffing levels through attrition in order to support increased cost of daily operations.”
Increased prices for new equipment isn’t the only problem Foster and his department is facing. Keeping older equipment operational for emergency calls is often difficult.
“With our current aging fleet, it’s becoming harder to maintain and keep apparatus in service,” he said. “It’s becoming more and more difficult to find parts for equipment nearing 30 years of service. Last year we waited six months for engine parts on one truck and three months for pump parts on another.”
For the past 15 years, South Bossier Fire District #2 has operated off one millage (14.59 mills) when a bonded indebtedness was retired early. In 2007, Foster said the district did not ask voters to renew the department’s second millage, a 2.5 mill revenue stream that was approved in 1990. This 2.5 mill bond was initially used to purchase fire apparatus and build fire stations.
“We were able, at that time, to operate under the one millage and to maintain a balanced budget,” he said. “We are proud to have been able to do that. We added personnel, rebuilt an existing fire station to house a staffed crew, while being able to maintain and replace our equipment. Even now we live within our means, but we have needs that we must meet.”
Foster predicts the proposed 3.5 mills will raise a little over $375,000 annually. With that additional income, he will implement a plan to purchase needed equipment over a number of years.
“The district will be able to begin saving yearly at a rate to pursue capital purchases needed to maintain current levels of operations,” he said. “By saving and spreading our purchases out over years, we will be able to continually rotate newer apparatus into our busier stations.”
With the additional funds generated by the 3.5 mills, Foster said his equipment list includes two engines, two pumper tankers, one heavy rescue unit, four all purpose vehicles and an assortment of station upgrades and firefighter/EMS equipment.
“Since 2007 we have been debt free and proud of it. We were able to let our second tax go back to the voters. However, to maintain the level of service our residents should expect to receive, we have to meet their needs with modern equipment,” he said. “This is a great area of the parish we protect, and I believe the people will understand why we’re asking for their help.”
Last week I spent seven days in the Florida Panhandle on “vacation.” I used the word “vacation” because that is the easy, go-to, and common nomenclature one uses when describing time off from work. The problem with using that term is that I never really take time off from work. I’m not complaining, I like it that way. I love what I do. I don’t fish, hunt, play golf, or gamble. I love restaurants, food, and the restaurant business. If I have any hobbies I would have to state— other than the restaurant business, which is also my hobby— that movies, music, and football are what I enjoy in my pastime. But I am a spectator in all those activities. I am an active player in the restaurant business.
My vacations are a little different than most. I don’t vacation well. I take the family to the beach once a year. My son and daughter each bring a few friends and they all spend most days on the beach. My wife typically reads a book and does the things that one needs to do to take care of a lot of people crammed into a vacation home.
I never go to the Florida Panhandle without thinking about the two times I lived down there in my youth. The first time was in the spring of 1983, and I worked at a pizza/barbecue restaurant for several months. Those were during my wilder days, and I had yet to stop partying and settle down. My second stint in Destin was in 1987. I was four years sober and on the verge of opening my first restaurant. I was very serious about the restaurant business though life had a different pace.
My kids are sick of hearing all the stories about my early days in the Panhandle. As soon as I start to spout out a remembrance it’s quickly interrupted, “We know, dad. You lived at Sandpiper Cove. You got up every day went to the beach. You went to work. You went out at night. We know. We know. We’ve heard it all before.” This time I didn’t bore them with war stories from my glory days in the restaurant business in Destin. But I did do a lot of thinking about those days and how formative they were in my current situation.
In those days I could sleep late. These days if I’m still awake at 7:00 a.m. something’s wrong. I typically wake up at 5:00 a.m. But back then I could sleep until 10:00 a.m. or 11 even. I would wake up in my apartment— which was a two-bedroom, two-bath, fully furnished spot on the beach for $500.00 a month— walk down to the beach, head to my favorite little breakfast joint, June’s Dunes (even in those days I never missed breakfast). Then I would lie on the beach until mid-afternoon, shower, dress, go to work as a server at Harbor Docks, make good money, go home, shower, go back out to hear music or visit with friends, then sleep, rinse, wash, repeat. In those days I had the stress level of a piece of driftwood.
Last week I thought about my beach schedule in 1987 versus my vacation schedule of 2022. These days I get up between 5 and 6 a.m., shower, dress, find a breakfast joint that is open at 7 a.m., eat breakfast, attend a 12-step recovery meeting at 8 a.m., followed by a 9 a.m. breakfast if I couldn’t find a 7 a.m. place open. Then I head back to the house where my wife is typically awake (but everyone else is asleep), visit with her as she makes breakfast for the kids (who end up waking up around 11 a.m.). Once they have gone to the beach, I either hop on a bike or back in my truck to drive around and check out other restaurants.
Again, restaurants are my hobby. After a few hours of R&D I pick my wife up and we go to lunch at a restaurant I have scouted out, preferably with a beach view as neither of us are into lying in the hot sand. After lunch we’ll shop or I will take her back to read a book or nap. I will drive around and check out even more restaurants. I know it sounds monotonous but it’s relaxing to me. R&D is my R&R.
If we go to the beach, it’s typically after 6 p.m. We are the vampire family. Everyone else is coming in off the beach, sunburned and inebriated, and we are stone-cold sober and fish-belly white heading down to sit in a chair to watch the sun set. We have plenty of food to eat in the vacation house we rent because my wife always overbuys groceries for the trip, and we typically go out to dinner (because — once again — I’m in the restaurant business and I love restaurants). We get home around 10 p.m. and the kids typically go back out. I’m in bed and asleep by 11 p.m., only to get up rinse, wash, repeat, and do it all over again the next day.
That may not sound relaxing to most people. But it’s the only way I can do it. I’m extremely hyperactive and don’t do well sitting in one place. I just don’t do well lounging in someone else’s home while there are undiscovered restaurants in the area.
While on vacation, we usually bring a lot of groceries from home. Actually, we bring way too many groceries from home. Our intentions are good. We plan to have dinners and lunches in the rental home, but we rarely follow through on that plan. We go out to restaurants because that is what we do, though we still find ourselves at the grocery store a few times during the week to buy more food. We always come home with more groceries than we brought down. It’s baffling. But it’s also the nature of our family dynamic. We are a restaurant family. Always have been. Always will be.
Onward.
Cilantro Spiked Corn, Crab, and Avocado Dip
Corn, crab, and avocado work well when paired together in a cold offering. The cilantro adds an additional coolness which makes this the perfect summer dip.
3 Tbl lime juice, freshly squeezed 2 Tbl Tequila 1 /4 cup olive oil 1 tsp salt 3 avocados 1 1 /2 cup fresh cooked corn, cut from the cob (use frozen kernels if fresh is not available) 2 Tbl red bell pepper, finely diced 1 tsp garlic, minced 1 /4 cup onion, finely chopped 1 cup fresh lump crab meat, picked of all shell 1 /8 tsp cayenne pepper 1 Tbl hot sauce 1 Tbl fresh chopped cilantro
Combine tequila, lime juice, olive oil, salt, hot sauce and cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl.
Peel and small dice the avocado, quickly placing the avocado in the lime juice mixture and tossing well so avocado is well coated.
Fold in remaining ingredients.
Robert St. John is a chef, restaurateur and cookbook author
• Investigate quality defects and perform RCA • Lead and/or contribute to structured problem-solving for corrective and preventive actions • Analyze no-conformance trends and evaluate the effectiveness of CAPA • Identify improvement opportunities and drive actions for improvement by analyzing manufacturing processes and conducting process capability analysis • Lead initiatives to improve non-conformance PPM and cost of quality • Perform new product and process qualifications • Direct quality support team members engaged in measuring and testing products and tabulating data concerning product or process quality
REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:
• BS degree in engineering or engineering technology with exposure to quality and lean manufacturing, plus two years of related experience • Strong interpersonal skills with hourly, engineering and management • Strong computer skills required
We offer medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more. We also provide you flexible time-off plans, including parental leave, vacation, and holiday leave.
Equal Opportunity Employer Emerson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.
At the end of qualifying for the fall elections, United States Representative Mike Johnson had no opposition qualify. Therefore, he is elected to a fourth term in the United States House of Representatives:
Johnson said, “I am truly grateful for the honor of serving the wonderful people of the Fourth Congressional District, and humbled to now be given a fourth term to do so. We have so much important work still to do, and I know in my heart that America’s best days are ahead of us, and not behind us.
“Kelly and I want to thank everyone for your confidence, encouragement and prayers.”
Congressman Johnson is the Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference, a member of the House Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, and a former constitutional law litigator.
Evaluate and improve existing equipment and tooling and fixture designs in a high-volume manufacturing environment
Develop creative solutions to manufacturing process design-related issues
Solve complex design/tooling issues
Collaborate with diverse groups of people, to include hourly employees, and upper management
Relay difficult concepts to multiple business groups
REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:
BS degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred) or equivalent experience and previous design experience for Assembly processes
Proficient in AutoCAD and Inventor
Familiar with other CAD software packages, to include Solid Works, NX, and Pro-E
Strong problem-solving experience
If qualified and interested, please apply online at www.emerson.com
BENEFITS:
We offer medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more. We also provide you flexible time-off plans, including parental leave, vacation, and holiday leave.
Equal Opportunity Employer Emerson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.
BOM continued our sponsorship of the 8th Annual Chains for Vets disc golf tournament in Shreveport. This fundraiser will benefit Women Veteran Healthcare, Woody’s Home for Vets and Warrior House. Pictured left to right: Dieter Neumann with Woody’s Home for Vets and BOM’s Henry Burns.
Mary Harris February 2, 1924 – July 22, 2022 Visitation: Friday August 12, 2022 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Heavenly Gates, 1339 Jewell St. Shreveport Services: Saturday August 13, 2022 11:00 AM Lincoln Memorial Cemetery 6915 W 70TH ST SHREVEPORT
Terry Bolden June 25, 1950 – July 23, 2022 Visitation: Friday August 5, 2022 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Heavenly Gates 1339 Jewell st Shreveport Services: Saturday August 6, 2022 11:00 PM Sunrise Baptist Church 3220 Lakeshore Drive Shreveport
Roberta Fly August 15, 1944 – July 23, 2022 Visitation: Thursday August 4, 2022 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Heavenly Gates, 1339 Jewell St. Shreveport Services: Thursday August 4, 2022 7:00 PM Abundance of Life Church
Carl Robinson February 8, 1952 – July 21, 2022 Visitation: Friday August 5, 2022 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Elizabeth Baptist Church 301 Old Bellevue Rd Benton Services: Saturday August 6, 2022 11:00 AM Elizabeth Baptist Church 301 Old Bellevue Rd Benton
Fannie Hutchinson January 14, 1927 – July 26, 2022 Visitation: Friday July 29, 2022 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Heavenly Gates 1339 Jewell st Shreveport Services: Saturday July 30, 2022 11:00 AM Greenwood Acres Full Gospel Cathedral – North Campus 2800 Hearne Avenue Shreveport
Shannon Frazier August 8, 1972 – July 22, 2022 Visitation: Friday July 29, 2022 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM Heavenly Gates Services: Saturday July 30, 2022 11:00 AM Heavenly Gates
Charlie Brown, Jr. July 6, 1946 – July 21, 2022 Visitation: Friday July 29, 2022 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM Heavenly Gates, 1339 Jewell St. Shreveport Services: Saturday July 30, 2022 11:00 AM Bossier Baptist Church 809 Hamilton Road Bossier City
Betty Johnson March 15, 1935 – July 18, 2022 Visitation: Friday July 29, 2022 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Heavenly Gates, 1339 Jewell St. Shreveport Services :Saturday July 30, 2022 11:00 AM Mt. Pleasant B.C, Round Grove Cemetery
Valeria Hill February 21, 1949 – July 9, 2022 Visitation: Friday July 29, 2022 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Heavenly Gates 1339 Jewell st Shreveport Services: Saturday July 30, 2022 11:00 AM Living Hope of New Zion Baptist Church 5804 Southern Avenue Shreveport
Deacon J B Brown August 16, 1930 – July 20, 2022 Visitation: Thursday July 28, 2022 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM Heavenly Gates, 1339 Jewell St. Shreveport Services: Friday July 29, 2022 10:00 AM Northwest La Veteran Cemetery 79701 MIKE CLARK RD KEITHVILLE
Jason Randall Hamlet November 25, 1994 — July 16, 2022 Services: 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 30, 2022, at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2500 Southside Dr., Shreveport
Arthur “Artie” Wayne Howse December 4, 1945 — July 18, 2022 Visitation: 5:00 p.m. until service time Services: Thursday, August 4, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Marshall Street, 1815 Marshall Street, Shreveport
Sammie Landreth September 28, 1943 – July 18, 2022 Visitation: Friday July 29, 2022 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Winnfield Funeral Home – Shreveport 3701 Hollywood Avenue Services: Saturday July 30, 2022 11:00 AM Pilgrims Travelers M.B.C. 604 Harrison St. Shreveport
Sharon Ann Spoor April 19, 1949 — July 3, 2022 Visitation: prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Services: 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall Street, Shreveport
The Shreveport-Bossier Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $90. Contact your funeral provider or SBJNewsLa@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to SBJNewsLa@gmail.com)
One of the great pleasures in Will Marston’s life these days is sitting along the back row in the stands at Haughton football games. His son, Michael, is a coach on the Bucs’ staff. His grandson, Maddox, is about to be a sophomore at Haughton.
Not only is there pride in what he sees with his family on the Bucs’ sideline, there is also the pride in having former players routinely stop by during the game, if only for a moment.
“We sit up in the stands and talk about old times,” Marston says. “It feels great to still be included and involved.”
Yep, there’s a lot of pride in the Haughton community and Will Marston, 76, is a big part of that. It’s been 53 years since he first arrived and his fingerprints are all over the school’s athletic programs.
When Marston began, Haughton was a Class A school with a football program nobody really noticed and a baseball program that didn’t exist.
Today, it is a Class 5A school that routinely produces championship teams in multiple sports. Marston’s had more than a little bit to do with that.
A Coushatta native, he graduated from Northwestern State and came to Haughton in 1969 and began coaching football (and just about anything else) under Bobby Ray McHalffey.
Marston was defensive coordinator when the Bucs won the Class AAA state championship in 1977 and reached the state finals the next year. He became head football coach during mid-season in 1984 when McHalffey stepped down to become assistant principal.
Marston coached the Bucs through 1999, won 101 games (including four district championships) and reached the state semifinals and quarterfinals in back-to-back years (1989-90).
“It was a lot of fun, but there was a lot of wear and tear, too,” Marston says. “We had some good years and had a lot of the same coaches. We had a lot of good players.”
But before that, he started the Bucs’ baseball program from scratch in 1973 and reached the state championship game in 1981 before losing 10-5 to Minden. Ever the coach, Marston remembers how close the Bucs came.
“We were supposed to play the (championship) game on a Saturday, but it got rained out,” he says. “We couldn’t play on Sunday and so we had to play it on Monday, and that gave Minden’s ace a couple of more days of rest and he did the job on us.”
When you look at what the Haughton baseball program and facility are today, you quickly realize how far it has come.
“We had a backstop and six red benches and that was it,” Marston says of the first season in 1973. “If you look at it now, you can see how it progressed. But we had players who had been in the summer leagues and we had some pretty good athletes in that group.”
Asked if he considered himself a football coach or a baseball coach, Marston says “I just consider myself a coach. I’ve done just about all of them. When I started, I did football, basketball and track. And that was before we even started baseball.”
Here’s how much of a “coach” Marston was: When he stepped away from being a head coach in 1999, he still coached two more years as an assistant to his replacement, Rodney Guin.
“It was still fun, but it got to where someone younger needed to take it,” Marston says of the decision to move away from being a head coach. “With all the changes and sports being added, I figured it was time to step down.”
There is no shortage of legendary figures in the Haughton athletic program. It is the only school in Caddo-Bossier with three football coaches who have won 100 games or more.
Will Marston is one of them.
In 50 years of Haughton baseball, there have only been three coaches.
Will Marston is one of them.
“I got to coach a lot of great players and then coach their sons,” he says. “We have had a lot of quality athletes that went on to become coaches or are still in the community. They just don’t leave, and that helps keep that continuity. Once you are in Haughton, you never leave.”
Possibly — probably — because I don’t have children. But still . . .
I’ve never understood why, all summer long, so many parents choose to spend their weekends — and usually at least one weeknight — at the ballpark. They wilt in the sweat-inducing heat, watching kids play a game that at times moves slower than Albert Pujols “running” down the first base line.
And I’m not talking just teenage baseball. Coach-pitch and T-Ball fields in our area have become summer campgrounds, filled with families wearing holes in lawn chairs.
But as I’ve always said, there is one thing of which you could be certain. You would never see me sweating my Saturday and Sunday away, watching kids chase ground balls all the way to the outfield fence.
I like my air conditioning too much.
So, of course, I spent last weekend — eight games over three days that were hotter than hell’s kitchen — watching some of the best young players in the south.
I’ve learned a lot in almost 59 years. When your fiancé says “We’re going” to watch her grandson play for the 6-and-under T-Ball Championship, you go.
The Dixie Youth Baseball World Series was in Monroe. “The Big Show” for 58 teams: 696 players 11 years old and younger, playing live pitch, coach pitch, and T-Ball.
“These kids earned their trip here,” Johnny Drake told me. He’s the District Five Director for Louisiana. “They had to play through their sub-districts, districts, and now they’re here at the World Series.”
And it was a World Series atmosphere. Outside the East Ouachita Sports Complex — a beautiful facility renovated four years ago for $12 million — you would have thought the SEC Tournament had moved to northeast Louisiana. Parents and families from as far away as Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama wore their state school’s colors.
The orange block “T.”
The black “G.”
The script “A.”
RV’s — not travel trailers, but big-time motor homes — lined the back side of the rock-surfaced parking lot. Trucks and SUV’s — not many cars to be seen here — were forced to be parked on neighborhood streets, where there were threats to call tow trucks.
Why so few cars? They simply don’t have enough room to carry the necessities. We’re talking tents, chairs, battery-operated fans, battery chargers, coolers and food. All loaded onto a wagon that you pull, wearing you out before ever getting to the entrance.
Were these people going to watch a game, or compete on Survivor?
One question before we leave the parking lot. How do drivers see out of their back and side windows? Most every vehicle had something painted on the glass.
“World Series Bound!”
“State Champs!”
“Honk for Henry #1!”
So, for someone who has no experience with any of this, my question to parents was obvious.
“Why?”
“Because my kid loves the game,” Starla Conroy told me. She and her family made the five-hour drive from Bipp County, Ala., southeast of Tuscaloosa. “Every day he’s practicing, hitting the ball . . . You do what you gotta do for your kids.”
But surely high gas prices, rising food costs ($28 for two salads, chips, and a kid’s meal at Subway), and not-so-inexpensive hotel rooms, gave parents a reason to balk.
“Not at all. Not at all,” Katelyn Schroeder told me after driving eight hours from Greenbriar, Tennessee.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for (son) Maddox, and for all of us as a family.”
Arkansas fans called the Hogs. “Roll Tide” echoed across the concourse. Folks from Joaquin, Texas, wore blue T-shirts covered with a BIG state logo because, well, Texas, you know.
As for the team I went to see, it was heartbreak hotel. Undefeated and advancing to the championship round, they needed to win just one of two games to bring home the banner.
They lost both.
Tears flowed, and not just from the kids’ eyes. Adults felt the pain — the pain of watching the little one they love play his heart out on a turf field, in heat that had no mercy.
Maybe even this old, childless man leaked a little water out of the corner of one eye.
So now I understand.
Does anyone know when next year’s schedule comes out?
Woodlawn’s Peter Jones is expected to be the heartbeat and leader of his Woodlawn High School football team.
I watched film in 2021 and 2020 and saw an agile, strong, determined player on the defensive line. He also starts at offensive tackle and long snapper.
After scouting 30 years in Louisiana, I think he can be an FCS defensive end, fullback or Mike linebacker. If Jones slims down some, like into the 215 range, I think he can play linebacker because he would pick up speed and still be strong at a lighter weight. Or he can stay the same size and be a fullback or walk on as a defensive end and play his way up the depth chart at an FCS school.
He’s really strong and committed to the game and a really good football player that could bulk up to 250 to 260 and still move well. Currently, Jones is 5-11, 240 with 4.8 to 4.9 speed and looks faster on a football field. He looks like he has 4.7 speed because he reads well and has a strong build to finish tackles.
Head coach Thedrick Harris praises Jones for his hard work and looks for him to be more of a leader on the field.
“PJ is a solid defensive lineman that has a lot to prove this season,” said Harris. “He’s worked hard in the strength and conditioning phase. His future beyond high school will be directly related to his performance this season on and off the field. We want him to become a more vocal leader for our team.”
Defensive line coach Ronnard Toney sees a big year for Jones.
“Peter Jones has put in three years of hard work to get to this point,” said Toney. “He’s worked hard in the weight room and it shows on the field. He has excellent hands and feet and he should make a push for all-district this year.”
Jones is eager for the challenge, and loves his sport and school.
“What I like most about football is that you build a good bond with players and coaches, but also get a chance to wear that school logo on your helmet with pride and go out every Friday and fight for your school,” said Jones. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but Woodlawn High School.”
Notes on Peter Jones: “I would like to major in finance, marketing, business or accounting, any of those right now,” he said.
His hobbies are football, basketball, and playing video games. “I always love football, but basketball has a place in my heart too. I remember playing basketball in middle school and it stuck with me ever since, and I love playing video games because it calms me but you can also play video games with your friends and have fun.”
Jones had three sacks and two forced fumbles among several tackles in 2021.
He carries a 3.5 GPA in the classroom.
“My favorite college is Boise State because the first time I saw them play, like three or four years ago, I just got a feeling that I can’t describe, and they stuck with me ever since,” he said. “My second favorite college is LSU, because it’s in Louisiana and a great college. The third would be Alabama and fourth Georgia because both of these have great academics but also their football programs can bring out the best in you; I see from a distance that they expect you to be at the top of your game.”
He’s the next in a line of competitors in the family. “My dad played football for Byrd High School, and my uncle played basketball for Huntington High School,” Jones said.
Calvary’s football schedule for 2022 will be a bit different with the recent reclassification of the LHSAA that moved the Cavaliers back up to Class 2A after playing the past three years in 1A. The District 1-2A opponents Calvary had in 2017 and 2018 will be the same along with the addition of Green Oaks.
Last year’s Class A finalist Logansport will again begin the season for Calvary, this year at home in Jerry Barker Stadium. Calvary has won two of the three meetings in the series.
Calvary will play its next two games at Lee Hedges Stadium on Thursday nights against District 1-5A opponents. First up will be a first-ever matchup with Captain Shreve.
Byrd will host the Cavaliers in week three. The effects of the coronavirus on schedules last season broke an eight-year run of the Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets meeting in the regular season. Byrd has won six of the eight the schools have played.
The Cavs then hit the road to Monroe to face Wossman for the first time in school history.
Mansfield will come to Jerry Barker Stadium in a mid-season non-district game. The Wolverines are competing in District 3-2A after three years in 1-3A. The four previous meetings, three won by Calvary, were played as District 1-2A opponents.
A trip to Vivian for a date with North Caddo begins the Cavaliers’ return to 1-2A play. Calvary has won all 12 previous meetings that last occurred in 2018.
Calvary returns home to welcome Green Oaks for a week seven matchup before traveling to Farmerville to face a much-improved D’Arbonne Woods program. A week nine home game with Lakeside will precede playing at Loyola’s Messmer Stadium in the regular-season finale.
Ten days ago, jockey Emanuel Nieves was feeling good.
He had earned more than $1 million this year and was the third-leading rider at Louisiana Downs.
Then came 2:43 p.m. and the third race, on a scorching hot July Saturday. Eight fillies and mares were getting ready to run about seven and one-half furlongs on the turf.
The starting gate opened, and Nieves soon settled his mount, Sneek Peek, into third place. That’s where they ran for much of the race, staying within striking distance of the two pacesetters.
As the field turned for home, Nieves swung his No. 7 horse to the outside, and moved into second. By mid-stretch, the 6-1 betting choice was in full stride, and gaining on the tiring favorite, Empty Net.
“Everything was perfect,” Nieves remembered.
Until it wasn’t.
“She just broke the leg, and you don’t have time for anything at that point.”
Horse and jockey crumbled in the path of six other horses, and immediately in front of veteran jockey Calvin Borel and his mount, The Missing Piece.
“I got lucky,” Nieves said. “She went over the top of me, and I did not get run over by nobody. Thank God.”
Nieves spent the next two nights in the hospital. After a battery of tests, his most severe injury was a broken right arm.
As bad as this accident was, Nieves says it wasn’t as bad as when he went down three years ago. That was early in the 2019 meet, when Nieves was sitting tall in the saddle.
The Puerto Rico-born jockey was coming off his first riding title, to go along with a career-high $1.8 million dollars in earnings.
But just one week into the meet, he suffered a career-worst injury.
“When we broke from the gate, someone came down on me and dropped me,” Nieves said. “I broke my shoulder, and also hurt my hand and knee. I was home for six months. I had been riding for 10 years and thank God, I had never had to have surgery. But that’s what happened that day.”
Just like that, Nieves was outside the rail. All he could do was look. And even that was difficult.
“I didn’t want to watch the races, because I wanted to be there,” he said. “I saw a lot of horses that I had ridden that were winning races. I just had to wait.”
Nieves’ patience was rewarded. Last year, after a sub-par 2020, he had his second-best year financially, earning more than $1.6 million.
“I work hard,” the 29-year-old said. “Everybody knows I work hard every day. It doesn’t matter if I win one race or 20 races, I’m (at the track) every day. My agent always tells me to be good with everybody and be out there every day. “
Nieves’ work-ethic was born when he was young. He’s learned the craft which has provided a comfortable living for him, his wife, their two-year-old son, and a soon-to-be-born daughter.
“My daddy and me, we always had horses. They raced in Puerto Rico. I always loved horses. Him and my mom always told me to go to the jockey school. I knew the leading rider over there for many years, and he’s the one that brought me to the school.”
After two years of learning, Nieves was on his own. He began riding in the United States in 2012, at Finger Lakes in Farmington, New York. But it wasn’t long until he got the call to come south. Nieves has been riding at Louisiana tracks ever since.
“I’ve been to every track in Louisiana, and I always do good. My first time in New Orleans (Fair Grounds) was last winter. I won 30 races, so I enjoyed that.”
One of the trainers Nieves rides for is Joey Foster, who knows a thing or two about success. Six times since 2013, Foster has been ranked among the Top 100 trainers in the country.
“He puts himself in the right places, not the wrong places,” Foster said of Nieves’ riding style. “When the gates open, it’s dangerous out there. He puts his horse and himself in a good position and doesn’t get in a lot of trouble. It’s just a couple of minutes long, and a lot of (things) can go sideways real fast. He’s a smart rider because he takes care of your horse and puts himself in a good position where he can get all the run that’s possible out of the horse.”
Foster believes another reason for Nieves’ success is that Nieves continues to learn from his agent, Ronald Ardoin, who retired with 5,226 wins and is among a group of elite jockeys in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
“When Emanuel messes up, Ronald will damn sure scold him. And so will I,” Foster said. “But we’re all human. We all make mistakes sometimes. But there aren’t many with Emanuel. There aren’t a lot of excuses when he comes back (from a race). He’s honest. He will not lie to you. He is a hard worker.”
Nieves makes his home in Opelousas, where he is recovering from his most recent spill. Nieves expects to miss the rest of the Downs’ meet, but looks forward to getting back on the track.
“I love competition,” Nieves said. “I always want to be the leading rider. Some people say they don’t want to be this, they don’t want to be that. But when you are the leading rider one time, you always want to be there. That’s the best thing that can happen in your life is to be the leading rider.”
Until that 2019 accident, and his latest spill, Nieves may have taken his sport, and his career, for granted. Not anymore. He now appreciates each bugle call, each mount, and each turn into the stretch.
“Every race I pass the wire (finish line), I say ‘Thank God’ for letting me pass the wire. Thank God we are safe, because racing is pretty dangerous.”
Louisiana Downs races Saturday-Tuesday. Weekend post time is 1:45. Weekday post time is 3:05.
Mr. Menu is an advertising company that produces in-house and take-home menus for locally owned restaurants statewide. The menus are full color, printed on heavy stock paper and provided to the restaurants at no charge. The menus cycle every three to four months and they allow advertisers to speak to the customers of popular locally owned restaurants.
Mike Whitler became the owner/operator of Mr. Menu in 2006, and has since grown the business to include dozens of menus and hundreds of advertisers across the state of Louisiana.
Supper idea via Delish. I LOVED it. The boys thought eh?, but that’s because they don’t like sundried tomatoes. Little do they know, sundried tomatoes are one of life’s greatest pleasures! I love them in anything and everything. I couldn’t convince them otherwise so they ate just the chicken and no delicious saucy goodness. Their loss. Totally leave them out if you’re like my crew.
You know we are huge fans of cast iron skillet meals.This one always stays at the top of that list.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil and butter. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Sear, skin side down, until golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate covered with a paper towel.
Add garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, heavy cream, tomatoes, and Parmesan. Season with more salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then return chicken to skillet, skin side up.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake until chicken is cooked through, 20 minutes.
Garnish with basil and serve.
*Recipe from Delish.
(Ashley Madden Rowton is a wife, mom and cookbook author.)
Each year, Shreve Memorial Library’s One Book One Parish campaign unites Caddo Parish by promoting one book title throughout the month of October. Now through Friday, August 5, Shreve Memorial Library is asking the public to help select one of three novels to be the 2022 One Book One Parish selection. The three titles up for consideration are West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge, The Seven Husbands of EvelynHugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and There There by Tommy Orange.
Voting for the One Book One Parish title takes place Monday, July 25 through Friday, August 5. Shreve Memorial Library patrons and the public can cast their vote in branches or online at https://bit.ly/SMLOBOP22. The winning title for One Book One Parish will be announced shortly after voting closes.
One Book One Parish encourages adults to read and join a parish-wide conversation about one particular book. Throughout the month of October, special programs, including book discussions, author talks, craft events, interactive displays, and additional themed-programs related to the selected book title, are held at Shreve Memorial Library branches throughout Caddo Parish and online.
One Book One Parish Title Selections
West with Giraffes: A Novel by Lynda Rutledge
An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America.
“Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes . . .” Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave.
It’s 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world’s first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.
Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it’s too late.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
In this entrancing novel “that speaks to the Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor in us all” (KirkusReviews), a legendary film actress reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.
Aging and reclusive, Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendships, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
“Heartbreaking, yet beautiful” (Jamie Blynn, Us Weekly), The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is “Tinseltown drama at its finest” (Redbook): a mesmerizing journey through the splendor of old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means – and what it costs – to face the truth.
There There by Tommy Orange
Tommy Orange’s “groundbreaking, extraordinary” (The New York Times) There There is the “brilliant, propulsive” (People Magazine) story of twelve unforgettable characters, Urban Indians living in Oakland, California, who converge and collide on one fateful day. It’s the “year’s most galvanizing debut novel” (Entertainment Weekly).
As we learn the reasons why each person is attending the Big Oakland Powwow – some generous, some fearful, some joyful, some violent – momentum builds toward a shocking yet inevitable conclusion that changes everything. Jacquie Red Feather is newly sober and trying to make it back to the family she left behind in shame. Dene Oxendene is pulling his life back together after his uncle’s death and has come to work at the powwow to honor his uncle’s memory. Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield has come to watch her nephew Orvil, who has taught himself traditional Indian dance through YouTube videos and will perform in public for the very first time. There will be glorious communion, and a spectacle of sacred tradition and pageantry. And there will be sacrifice, and heroism, and loss.
There There is a wondrous and shattering portrait of an American few of us have ever seen. It’s “masterful . . . white-hot . . . devastating” (The Washington Post) at the same time as it is fierce, funny, suspenseful, thoroughly modern, and impossible to put down. Here is a voice we have never heard – a voice full of poetry and rage, exploding onto the page with urgency and force. Tommy Orange has written a stunning novel that grapples with a complex and painful history, with an inheritance of beauty and profound spirituality, and with a plague of addiction, abuse, and suicide. This is the book that everyone is talking about right now, and it’s destined to be a classic.
Bonnie Parnell Hubbard July 27, 1929 — July 20, 2022 Services: 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at Hill Crest Memorial Park Cemetery, 601 US-80, Haughton
Arthur “Artie” Wayne Howse December 4, 1945 — July 18, 2022 Visitation: 5:00 p.m. until service time Services: Thursday, August 4, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Marshall Street, 1815 Marshall Street, Shreveport
Sammie Landreth September 28, 1943 – July 18, 2022 Visitation: Friday July 29, 2022 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Winnfield Funeral Home – Shreveport 3701 Hollywood Avenue Services: Saturday July 30, 2022 11:00 AM Pilgrims Travelers M.B.C. 604 Harrison St. Shreveport
Sharon Ann Spoor April 19, 1949 — July 3, 2022 Visitation: prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Services: 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall Street, Shreveport
Marshall “Kerry” Gray November 2, 1973 — July 12, 2022 Visitation: 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Monday, July 25, 2022, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home Services: 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2201 Airline Drive, Bossier City
The Shreveport-Bossier Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $90. Contact your funeral provider or SBJNewsLa@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to SBJNewsLa@gmail.com)
TOTTENHAM, Ontario — Wilson Furr is only 24, but he already owns a strong golf resume. The former University of Alabama star played in last year’s U.S. Open, was a member of the 2016 United States’ Junior Ryder Cup team and is currently playing on PGA Tour Canada.
However, the oldest of Bill and Denise Furr’s three children may have already lost the title of the most-famous Furr.
In fact, he’s fast-becoming known as “Prentiss’ brother.”
Wilson’s brother, Prentiss, is just 15 years old, but is a musical prodigy who has already been endorsed by superstars like Justin Bieber, Skrillex and Meghan Trainor.
While Wilson aims to play in this week’s Ontario Open, Prentiss will deliver a Saturday night set at one of the biggest music festivals in the world, Lollapalooza, in Chicago. Later this summer, he’s playing in the Rose Bowl.
“It’s pretty wild,” said Wilson, who also has a sister, 21-year-old Hartwell.
On any given day, Wilson will learn his brother is working on a collab with a mega-star or the family home in Jackson, Miss., is being visited by Rolling Stone magazine.
“Watching Wilson’s golf career was so different,” Denise Furr said. “It was a slow learn but I had mothers like Beth Burns (Sam’s mom) to show me the ropes. Music is completely different — everything is out of right field. It’s so opinionated; there is not a score. It was like, ‘People really like Prentiss’ music and the New York Times is flying in.’”
Next week, it’s L.A. to meet with Interscope records and to film a music video.
“It’s become a little too normal,” Wilson Furr said. “It’s become a running joke — it’s always crazier than the last week.”
Then 13-year-old Prentiss’ big break came after the release of October. He’s since delivered a multitude of hits he crafted in his home.
“I was about to go to a date party in college,” Wilson said. “It was 9 p.m., I was about to leave and I looked at Twitter and saw a headline on a Barstool tweet that said, ‘13-year-old can rap.’ I was thinking, ‘I don’t think I’ve had too much to drink, that’s (Prentiss).’
“He had no idea. I FaceTimed him and he was doing math homework.”
Said Denise Furr: “Wilson told us, ‘He’s about to blow up.’ I almost didn’t believe it. Then we had our lawyer call and ask, ‘Why is Justin Bieber promoting Prentiss?’ We said, ‘We have no idea.’
“The creative minds know other talent and they are so supportive — no matter your age or color or wherever you’re from.”
Like many upstart musicians, there have been doubters in the family.
Wilson describes his grandparents as “old South.” Getting behind a young teenager trying to become a music star seemed far-fetched, even “trouble.”
However, the grandparents never miss an Ole Miss game. At the 2020 Egg Bowl (the Rebels’ annual clash with rival Mississippi State), October suddenly blared inside Vaught–Hemingway Stadium.
“It dawned on them at that moment,” Wilson said. “Prentiss is famous.”
Although Prentiss could be the next Bieber, he still looks up to his big brother.
“We are more alike than you’d think,” Prentiss told The Journal. “I still look at him as just an older version of me.
“Golf and music require a ton of mental strength and time. I grew up watching him spend every day on the golf course, most of what he was thinking about was golf and he gave his whole life to it. I took that mentally going into music because I knew it was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I have to give my time and energy to it and never let one fall or one bad thing stop me from the bigger picture.”
As two careers rise, Prentiss had a great idea of how to celebrate in the future. He recently took up golf and has his eyes on the biggest PGA Tour event that combines a professional with one amateur partner and is played at iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links.
“Prentiss came to me and says, ‘Let’s team up in the AT&T National Pro-Am,’” Wilson recalled. “I said, ‘Yeah, dude, that would be sick.’ But then he said, ‘But, yeah, you have to get your (stuff) together.’
“The more I thought about it, he’s right. He’s probably closer to getting invited as a celebrity than I am qualifying as a pro.”
While the Biden Administration has continued to strangle U.S. energy production—creating painfully high gas and diesel prices at the pump—incredibly, the Administration is also now selling America’s emergency oil reserves to the Chinese.
At a time of skyrocketing inflation and record gas prices the Biden Administration won’t allow broad energy production in the U.S., which is punishing Americans at the pump, but in addition to that defect we are now selling our emergency crude oil reserves to our archenemy, China, and other nations.
It has been reported that nearly 1 million barrels of oil released from our nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve—for the stated purpose of reducing Americans’ pain at the pump, according to our addled president—has actually been sold to a Chinese state-owned energy conglomerate, Sinopec.
In a plot twist worthy of a Hollywood thriller, this conglomerate has ties to the President’s son, Hunter Biden, through an investment firm the disgraced younger Biden co-founded. The firm held a $1.7 billion stake in Sinopec Marketing which, of course, raises questions about why oil from our national emergency reserve is being shipped out of the U.S. and sent to China.
But it also raises the question: Who besides China is benefiting from these sales?
“Follow the money” instructed Deep Throat of Watergate fame. (I’ll address the Hunter Biden connection on another day).
On first review, it seems confusing and ambiguous.
But then, when the contents of the Hunter Biden ‘laptop from Hell’ are considered—and that the Biden Crime Family, including ‘the Big Guy,’ benefitted to the tune of millions of dollars from the Chinese government—the picture becomes clear and logical. (Miranda Devine; NY Post).
Talk about indefensible.
Let’s really understand what is happening here.
On the one hand, due to the green energy delusions of the climate change religionists, the Biden Administration has largely shut down American energy production, beginning on the first day of this Administration. This has resulted in our domestic production and refining capacity being reduced by more than a million barrels of oil per day. On the other hand, we are also now selling our emergency capacity to other nations including China.
This all means we have gone from being a net exporter of energy under President Trump to a country reduced to begging our enemy, Venezuela, and the nation Biden called a pariah state, Saudi Arabia—to drill more and sell us their excess production. Also, the disastrous pending nuclear deal with Iran is sought in part in order to bring millions of barrels of Iranian oil into the international market.
Obviously, the point of having a national energy reserve is to support our country if an energy shortfall arises. That’s why we must protect our national stockpile and not sell our strategic crude reserves to the Chinese Communist Party, especially when our government tells us that our emergency oil reserves are being depleted for the benefit of Americans. Otherwise, the reserve will be depleted when America is faced with an energy emergency.
As U.S. Senator John Kennedy has stated “America’s strategic petroleum reserve protects our country during national emergencies. Selling off American oil to countries that hate us undermines the security that the oil reserve is supposed to deliver …”
The very best solution to all of this—and one that would cause the U.S. economy to explode with growth—would be for the Biden Administration to quickly take steps to turn on American energy production.
This would include enacting the American Energy Independence Act which would reverse the war on U.S. domestic energy production by permitting widespread drilling on federal lands and waters while also approving the Keystone XL pipeline, freeing up U.S. LNG (liquefied natural gas) exports and generally fast-tracking energy and mineral development.
In short, the fastest and easiest way to provide hope to millions of struggling Americans and drive the domestic energy market up is for President Biden to announce tomorrow that we are going to reopen and re-invigorate the U.S. oil and gas industry. This includes repealing all so-called “green” regulations prohibiting the production and development of, and investment in, American energy.
This must happen soon. In what sane world does a nation kill its own energy industry while at the same time sell its emergency reserves to our enemies? It’s clear that Pres. Biden is mentally and morally unfit to hold the most powerful office in the world.
This week we will cover the defensive line position for Shreveport-Bossier City, and although it’s not a deep group, it’s a talented group.
Southwood’s Jaydan Stevenson is a sleeper for many FCS programs and some FBS programs if you need a hard-working, strong and smart defensive tackle who can play the noseguard spot, which is a hard spot to find for college coaches. Not everybody can play there in college in the middle of the defensive line and take on one, two, or three blockers most plays.
Stevenson is perfect for that role in college.
After talking to his head coach Jesse Esters, I am impressed that Stevenson has lost over 50 pounds in the offseason to improve his quickness and upside for his upcoming senior year. You don’t hear of many athletes doing this because it’s hard for a big guy to lose weight like that unless you’re completely dialed in — and he is. Stevenson is a legit 6-0, 280 with good feet.
He is “college strong” with a squat max of 650 pounds (one of the best in the state) and a bench press max of close to 300.
“My favorite football team is LSU. My grandmother graduated from LSU and I grew up watching their football team every Saturday,” said Stevenson. “Seeing people in the city wear LSU attire and rally at local restaurants, or even in my grandma’s house, is what led me to loving football.
“LSU recruits some of the top players and it’s exciting to see them enter the NFL and make a career for themselves. Watching an LSU player as a freshman transition to the NFL is motivation for me, especially when local players from my city go to LSU and then enter the pros.”
Stevenson goes on to say how football has really helped him.
“I love football because it helps me escape from my normal life,” said Stevenson. “At an early age I was bullied, and I struggled with schoolwork. Football provided me with the opportunity to interact with people who have the same passion as I have; it’s also helped me build encouragement, self-confidence and structure.”
His defensive line coach, Gene Strogen, says Stevenson’s offseason work in the weight room has made a big difference for his senior year.
“Jaydan Stevenson is a very intelligent kid,” said Strogen. “He works hard on the field and in the classroom, and he’s changed his body in the weight room for this year. We expect him to be a dominant force in the interior line for us in 2022.”
Notes about Jaydan Stevenson: His family ties to sports include his uncle Elijah Robinson, who played high school football at North DeSoto before playing for Louisiana Tech.
His hobbies: “I like to go to the gym. I hang out with my family and watch football shows to keep up with the latest on college football and the NFL.”
Stevenson’s future plans: “My goal is to get a football scholarship and major in physical education. I hope to coach football at a high school in the future.”
He is also on the powerlifting team at Southwood. “This aids in my football skills. It also helps me be consistent with my health.”
Woodlawn starts its 2022 football season with a pair of road trips to District 1-5A opponents Natchitoches Central and Southwood before its home opener with 3-2A’s Red River. The home opener is the first of four straight home dates and six overall for the Knights.
The Knights, under second-year head coach Thedrick Harris, travel to Natchitoches for their season opener with the Chiefs. The two schools started last season against each other after not playing since 1998. The Knights won the first 11 games of the 18 played in the series. Their last win came in 1992.
Woodlawn then faces old rival Southwood. The schools resumed the series last year after not playing each other since 2000 and the Knights’ win last year was their first in the series since 1993. Although Woodlawn has won only 11 of the 32 previous meetings, there have been some pretty epic battles over the years.
Red River will make the drive from Coushatta to play Woodlawn in the third week of the season and be the first of four straight home games. It will be the first time the two schools have played each other.
Longtime District 1-4A rival Booker T. Washington starts the district slate. It will be the 47th game in the series between the schools and the ninth consecutive season they have met.
Evangel and North DeSoto are the next two home games before Woodlawn is a visitor to Huntington. Bossier crosses the river to play the Knights in week eight, followed by a trip to Blanchard to face Northwood in the ninth week. Minden travels to Shreveport to end the regular season against Woodlawn.
UNIQUE PROSPECT: A one-armed high school basketball standout, Hansel Enmanuel, announced Saturday he is committed to play at Northwestern State.
JOURNAL STAFF
New Northwestern State basketball coach Corey Gipson hinted weeks ago that he had a solution to Demon fans’ desire for media exposure, but said they’d have to wait and see.
The curtain opened Saturday when Hansel Enmanuel announced his commitment to the Demons, resulting in waves of social media attention reporting the news.
Enmanuel’s story is featured in a Gatorade commercial that began airing during the NBA Finals and is pinned on the @Gatorade Twitter account. He has been profiled on SportsCenter and featured by other national media.
The news of his commitment was quickly picked up by Sports Illustrated and Apple News, among an array of national and even international social media and online outlets.
Enmanuel is a one-armed prep standout who has played at Life Christian Academy in Kissimmee, Fla., where he was averaging 25.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 3.4 blocks through Feb. 15, according to SI.com reporter Wilton Jackson.
He narrowed his choices to Memphis, Tennessee State and Bethune-Cookman in June before announcing his commitment Saturday at the Drew League prospect showcase Saturday.
Enmanuel had his left arm amputated at age 6 after a wall collapsed on it in his native Dominican Republic. He emerged as a college prospect in the past couple of years. A 6-4 guard, Enmanuel is ranked as the No. 195 overall prospect in the class of 2022, according to the On3 Consensus, which is self-described as “a complete and equally weighted industry generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.”
On3 reported the Demon commit owns a $1.4 million “NIL valuation” that is the 11th highest among 2022 prospects. On3 reporter Joe Tipson said Enmanuel has over 4 million followers across his social media platforms.
The On3 NIL Valuation is an index that “looks to set the standard market value for both high school and college-level athletes (that) … signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.”
Enmanuel has an NIL deal with Gatorade, and appeared in a trailer for rapper J. Cole, reported Tipton.
His native language is Spanish, and he is beginning to learn English after enrolling at the Florida high school for his senior year.
His father played professionally in their native country.
NSU is unable to announce the addition until scholarship documents are received, although both president Marcus Jones and athletics director Kevin Bostian shared the news on their social media accounts. Enmanuel’s decision was widely rumored to be imminent among Demon staff and supporters.
Use technical knowledge of manufacturing processes, as applies to such supervision
Utilize computer skills to facilitate processes and software used
Pursue objectives with organizational skills to meet goals
Work with personnel at all levels of the organization
REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:
Two (2) year Associates Degree, plus one year of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience
Excellent communication skills; both oral and written
Great computer skills (Excel and Word)
BENEFITS:
We offer medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more. We also provide flexible time-off plans, including parental leave, vacation, and holiday leave.
Shift is 11:00 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. Overtime requirements are based on customer needs to meet business objectives.
If qualified and interested, please apply online at www.emerson.com
Equal Opportunity Employer Emerson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.
Identify opportunities to introduce flow and visual management into processes and work alongside area leadership to implement
Utilize process mapping, value stream mapping, and root cause analysis
Capture manufacturing cycle time data in the production department, develop improvement plans, and execute action plans
Create, review, and update standard work
Maintain plant and workstation layouts to reflect the current state and to provide potential future state options to project leaders and management
Lead improvement activity by facilitating kaizen events or acting as a project resource
Develop area leadership through lean daily management process
Train new employees on continuous improvement concepts in Orientation and in other settings
REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:
BS degree in engineering, manufacturing, or equivalent degree and a minimum of two years’ experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience in manufacturing identifying opportunities for the efficiency of manufacturing processes and operations
Experienced in lean manufacturing principles
Project management experience
Working knowledge of AutoCAD 2D for managing plant layouts
Analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent communication skills
If qualified and interested, please apply online at www.emerson.com
BENEFITS:
We offer medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more. We also provide you flexible time-off plans, including parental leave, vacation, and holiday leave.
Equal Opportunity Employer Emerson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.
