Larry Clark may not have the official title of LSUS Chancellor after his retirement on June 30, but the LSU Board of Supervisors made sure he’ll be forever connected to the university he’s piloted for the last nine years.

Clark was named Chancellor Emeritus in a resolution issued by the board.

He supercharged LSUS’s efforts to become a national leader in online graduate education, which allowed the university to generate much needed revenue to overcome budget woes in 2014.

The school’s enrollment more than doubled to 8,700 students during his nine years, which included numerous on-campus renovations that positions the university for continued growth.

The LSU board honor is the latest in a string of recognitions, which includes from the Louisiana Senate and the City of Shreveport.

The full text of the LSU Board of Supervisors resolution is below:

 

WHEREAS, Chancellor Larry Clark served as Dean of LSU-Shreveport’s School of Business from 1985-1994; and

WHEREAS, he was one of only four to serve on LSUS’s first formal faculty leadership body; and

Whereas, in 2014, he returned to serve as Chancellor and upon return, used his business acumen and experience gained from leading business schools at Sonoma State University and the University of North Carolina Wilmington to deploy an aggressive, state-of-the-art online recruiting and enrollment strategy; and

WHEREAS, the strategic move to focus on online degrees doubled enrollment and changed the financial fate of the university, now celebrating a budget almost triple that of 2014; and

Whereas, Dr. Clark has never allowed silos to stand in the way of bettering the university, and with a vision for the future, cut across campus to create many important and distinguishing units, including but not limited to IdeaSpace, the Cyber Collaboratory, the Pilot Education Center, the Human Performance Lab and the LSUS Veterans Resource Center.

WHEREAS, he worked diligently and across campus boundaries to develop an MOU guaranteeing LSUS students guaranteed interviews at LSU Health Shreveport; and

WHEREAS, through tireless efforts and deep partnerships across the LSU family, Dr. Clark secured the purchase of Pilots Pointe Apartments and the acquisition of the Spring Street Historical Museum; and

WHEREAS, in 2023, he was awarded the 2023 Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year award; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Clark treasured his role within the community, serving on the boards of esteemed local organizations such as Step Forward, the Noel Foundation, the Strategic Action Council, the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Committee of 100, Rotary Club, and the Military Affairs Council, among others;

WHEREAS, Chancellor Clark has worked tirelessly to embed LSUS within the fabric of not just the Shreveport-Bossier region but within the LSU family as a whole; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the LSU Board of Supervisors recognizes the singular work of Dr. Larry Clark with the title of LSU Shreveport Chancellor Emeritus.

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Beginning Monday, June 19 the bridge located on Keatchie-Marshall Road near Highway 169 in South Caddo Parish is closed to allow the Caddo Parish Department of Public Works to replace the structure.

The Public Works Department is replacing the bridge and conducting associated road improvements to expand commercial use of the bridge. These improvements will ensure decades of durability, safety and access for motorists that utilize these bridges.

Citizens are asked to use Highway 169 to Springridge-Texas Line Rd to Johns Gin Rd as a detour route.

Construction is expected to be completed in September.

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The Shreveport Regional Jazz Ensemble (SRJE) and Caddo Parish Poet Laureate Poetic X are delighted to announce a captivating event taking place Thursday at 6 p.m. in Caddo Common Park.

This dynamic jazz extravaganza, featuring the remarkable talents of the SRJE and the profound spoken word artistry of Poetic X, promises an unforgettable evening of soulful melodies, infectious rhythms, and thought-provoking poetry.

In addition to the mesmerizing big band jazz performance by the SRJE, the evening will feature a Poetry and Spoken Word Art event with Caddo Parish Poet Laureate “Poetic X.” Attendees can expect live performances, live painting, poetry on the spot, an art auction, and more. The event is part of the new Thirsty Thursdays series in Caddo Common Park, bringing live entertainment elements from 6-9 p.m.

Bring your blankets and chairs, and join us at Caddo Common Park on Thursday for an enchanting evening filled with the captivating sounds of big band jazz and the profound artistry of spoken word performances. Don’t miss this unique fusion of music and poetry that celebrates the cultural richness of our community.

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Everbridge is the FREE parishwide mass notification system used by the Parish of Caddo, City of Shreveport Government, Office of Homeland Security, Caddo-Bossier Port, and other agencies.

When you sign up for Everbridge, you can customize what alerts you receive and how you receive them (text, phone call, email). Everbridge helps our public agencies stay in contact with you in times of emergencies, such as natural disasters and severe weather.

Sign up for Everbridge here: https://member.everbridge.net/371776664109115/login

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The Gingerbread House recently celebrated its 25th birthday with an open house event.

The team at the Gingerbread House Child Advocacy Center dedicates its efforts to reducing the trauma experienced by child victims of sexual and severe physical abuse, including child sex trafficking. Children and youth ages 2-16 receive professional forensic interviews conducted in a child-friendly manner at a non-threatening facility. By promoting a caring environment, children feel more at ease to disclose the horrific details of their abuse.

The interviews are recorded to reduce the number of times a child has to tell his or her story.

Imagine having to talk to strangers about perhaps the most difficult event you have ever had to experience. Now imagine having to do that 8-10 times. Stop for just a moment and think of how difficult that would be as an adult and how much more difficult that would be if you were a young child.

Prior to 1998, that was the reality of a child abuse victim in northwest Louisiana.

Children often “talked to” 8-11 different adults before any actions were taken. As a result, less than 5 percent of cases were successfully prosecuted. Since the inception of the Gingerbread House in 1998, the team has been able to reduce the number of interviews in most cases to just one. Prosecution rates have increased (over 97% successful prosecution of cases accepted by the District Attorney’s office) and the trauma experienced by victims has decreased, a win-win for all.

Children feel safe and welcomed at the Center. The Center’s Child Life Program helps lower stress levels in children as they are going through the forensic interview process. These efforts in the prevention and risk-reduction arena are geared toward reaching children before they become victims, as well as educating adults on strategies to recognize and prevent child sexual abuse.

The Center is an Accredited Member of the National Children’s Alliance, the highest recognition possible for a child advocacy center in the United States, and a member of the Louisiana Alliance of Children’s Advocacy Centers, the state’s organization. It also partners with local and state initiatives to help promote its message in order to keep children safe from abuse.

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April 19, 1965 — May 26, 2023

A Celebration of Life visitation for Jesse Paul Wheeler, 58, will be held Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at East Ridge Country Club, 1000 Stewart Dr., Shreveport, Louisiana from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Jesse entered into eternal rest on May 26, 2023. He was born on April 19, 1965 in Durant, Oklahoma to Delton Lawrence and Nelda Joy Wheeler.

Jesse’s first calling in life was becoming a Funeral Director and Embalmer for close to 40 years. After many years in the funeral industry, he felt a second calling to join the medical industry and become a Licensed Practical Nurse. In his free time, Jesse enjoyed walking and spending time with his beloved dogs, Rusty and Tanner. Jesse was a devout Catholic and was very committed to his faith.

Jesse was preceded in death by his parents, Delton Lawrence Wheeler and Nelda Joy Wheeler; brothers, Boyd Layne Wheeler and Gary Dewayne Wheeler; niece, Christina Michelle Wheeler; paternal grandparents, John Phlegm Wheeler and Beulah Barrow Wheeler; and maternal grandparents, Floyd Gilbert Nicholson and Jessie Viola Larson. Left to cherish his memory are his brothers, Clinton Allen Wheeler, Daniel Lawrence Wheeler and wife, Shannon; sister, Chenena Kaye Martin and husband, Ben and several nieces and nephews.

The family suggests memorials be made to an animal rescue of your choice.

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March 19, 1940 — June 8, 2023

A graveside service to celebrate the life of William “Bill” Robert McCullough, 83, will be held at 12:00 p.m. Friday, June 23, 2023, at Northwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, 7970 Mike Clark Road Keithville, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Pastor Sigfried Kunz.

Bill was born the youngest of nine children on March 19, 1940, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Francis McCullough and Elmira Baker McCullough. He passed away on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Bill was in the United States Army from 1961 until 1963. After his time in the Army, he became a hardware sales rep. He was married to the love of his life for 57 years, Nancy Cardwell McCullough. He was a history buff and loved to hear anything about it, especially if it was about military history. He had many military mementos. He enjoyed going on road trips, and he always knew where everything was from driving everywhere. Bill always wanted to go to Normandy one day, but sadly never made it. His family is going to go in his honor. He was a very outgoing person and never met a stranger. He could talk and talk for hours with just about anyone and loved to tell stories. He could not sit still, and he had to always be doing something. He always had a memo pad and pen with him at all times so he could write everything down. Bill enjoyed listing to 50’s music, especially Buddy Holly, and his favorite song from the ’40s is “In The Mood” by Glen Miller. He was a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Phillies. Bill was an upbeat always positive quirky little man. Bill loved his family and was very proud of his grandsons, and will be greatly missed.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents; and his eight siblings. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Cardwell McCullough; daughter, Caryn Owens and husband, James; son, Rob McCullough, Jr.; grandsons, Dr. Matthew Cravens and wife, Dr. Lesya Cravens, and Alexander Cravens; great-granddaughter, Brooklyn Miciotto; and numerous nieces and nephews.

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With the hot days hitting Shreveport, the Shreveport Police Department informed the public of the following cooling stations:

• The Highland Center, 520 Olive St., 24 hours (Citizens can use this facility as an overnight shelter. Those that require oxygen can use the Highland Center to exchange oxygen tanks that are running low and/or plug in their oxygen concentrators. Citizens are asked to bring their identification and medications. Shelter is first come, first served.)

• Morning Star Baptist Church Life Center, 5340 Jewella Ave., 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Galilee Family Life Center, 1500 Pierre Ave., 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Summer Grove Elementary School, 2955 W. Bert Kouns Ind. Loop, Shreveport, LA, 10 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

• Summerfield Elementary Auditorium, 3131 Ardis Taylor Drive, Shreveport, LA, 10 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

• A.B. Palmer Park Community Center, 547 E. 79th Street

• Valencia Park Community Center, 1800 Viking Drive

• Southern Hills Park Community Center, 1002 Bert Kouns Loop

• Bill Cockrell Park Community Center, 4109 Pines Road

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Overnight storms knocked out power to approximately a quarter-million SWEPCO customers across north and central Louisiana and east Texas, so many impacted residents need to prepare for a long wait to regain electricity, a company spokesman said this morning.

Approximately 154,000 Louisiana customers, all but 13,000 north of Stonewall in DeSoto Parish, were without power as of 10:30 a.m., said Michael Corbin, external affairs manager for SWEPCO.

“This will be a multi-day restoration event.  As soon as assessments are completed, Estimated Times of Restoration (ETR) will be provided as they are available,” Corbin said in a statement.

The first advisory should come in the 3-4 p.m. range today, said Corbin.

SWEPCO personnel and crews from other utility entities are urgently working to assess the scope of the damage, as happens with hurricanes, ice storms and other major weather events, he said.

“The thing that’s different about this storm and will make it a multi-day event is that the fact that so much transmission was also damaged or destroyed, not just distribution that would go to homes and businesses,” he said.

“I think what we’re going to see is places that simply needed refusing or something like that, they’ll see power restored very quickly, and we’ve seen numbers come down already. But then, we’re going to hit that wall where we’ve got to rebuild. The people who don’t come on pretty quick are going to have a few tough days.”

The statement he issued said “high winds that passed through Northwest Louisiana early this morning caused major damage to the electrical grid.  The storm originated in the panhandle of Oklahoma as a Super Cell Storm and held together through our area.  Winds of 80 MPH or higher are being reported across east Texas and NW Louisiana.

“Crews are currently out accessing damage and creating repair orders.  Forestry crews have been mobilized to begin the task of clearing away downed trees to assist with assessment and the rebuilding effort.  Additional resources will be utilized to assist with the restoration effort.  The damage includes both transmission and distribution lines across the area.  Additionally, damage to other utility systems will likely impact feeds to our substations in some areas.

“Restoration priorities will include public safety, hospitals, and critical municipal infrastructure first.  If your municipality has critical infrastructure outages, please contact your SWEPCO Account Representative.

“SWEPCO stresses that people should stay away from downed wires and assume any wire is energized and dangerous.  Be especially careful if removing downed trees or limbs as they could have wires tangled in them.”

Corbin urged the public to stay safe, and advised customers with outages to keep their refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.

UPDATE: June 16, 2023 at 12:40pm

Emergency assessment and response is well underway by SWEPCO crews across the service area after powerful storms brought down trees in east Texas and into northwest Louisiana. As of 11 a.m., Friday, more than 237,000 customers were without power. Many roads were also blocked by some of the same downed trees that took down power lines.

Crews are working now to support four regional hospitals impacted by the extreme weather in Shreveport, Louisiana and Marshall and Longview, Texas to help make those facilities safe.

Described by some as a storm with hurricane-level impacts, SWEPCO has activated an all-in response. Already, we have requested mutual aid assistance with a call for an additional 185-line worker crews and forestry resources with an estimated 2,000 additional utility professionals to join in the recovery work.

Reports show the early morning storms delivered howling winds that included peak wind gusts that snapped trees and downed lines. As a result of the wide-spread damage, the restoration and recovery effort will take time and officials report that could span many days. Crews continue to assess damage to identify the extent of the severe weather impacts, equipment repairs and time needed to safely restore power.

Estimated restoration times may be shared by late Friday evening, once the full assessments are completed.

In addition to our crews, law enforcement and city officials have joined in support to help clear roads.

For your safety and for the efficiency of our crew efforts, please refrain from approaching our crews while they are on scene. Contact our customer service personnel with any questions.

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June 16, 2023 at 11am

Overnight storms knocked out power to approximately a quarter-million SWEPCO customers across north and central Louisiana and east Texas, so many impacted residents need to prepare for a long wait to regain electricity, a company spokesman said this morning.

Approximately 154,000 Louisiana customers, all but 13,000 north of Stonewall in DeSoto Parish, were without power as of 10:30 a.m., said Michael Corbin, external affairs manager for SWEPCO.

“This will be a multi-day restoration event.  As soon as assessments are completed, Estimated Times of Restoration (ETR) will be provided as they are available,” Corbin said in a statement.

The first advisory should come in the 3-4 p.m. range today, said Corbin.

SWEPCO personnel and crews from other utility entities are urgently working to assess the scope of the damage, as happens with hurricanes, ice storms and other major weather events, he said.

“The thing that’s different about this storm and will make it a multi-day event is that the fact that so much transmission was also damaged or destroyed, not just distribution that would go to homes and businesses,” he said.

“I think what we’re going to see is places that simply needed refusing or something like that, they’ll see power restored very quickly, and we’ve seen numbers come down already. But then, we’re going to hit that wall where we’ve got to rebuild. The people who don’t come on pretty quick are going to have a few tough days.”

The statement he issued said “high winds that passed through Northwest Louisiana early this morning caused major damage to the electrical grid.  The storm originated in the panhandle of Oklahoma as a Super Cell Storm and held together through our area.  Winds of 80 MPH or higher are being reported across east Texas and NW Louisiana.

“Crews are currently out accessing damage and creating repair orders.  Forestry crews have been mobilized to begin the task of clearing away downed trees to assist with assessment and the rebuilding effort.  Additional resources will be utilized to assist with the restoration effort.  The damage includes both transmission and distribution lines across the area.  Additionally, damage to other utility systems will likely impact feeds to our substations in some areas.

“Restoration priorities will include public safety, hospitals, and critical municipal infrastructure first.  If your municipality has critical infrastructure outages, please contact your SWEPCO Account Representative.

“SWEPCO stresses that people should stay away from downed wires and assume any wire is energized and dangerous.  Be especially careful if removing downed trees or limbs as they could have wires tangled in them.”

Corbin urged the public to stay safe, and advised customers wi

December 15, 1989 — June 10, 2023

Carol Ann Knowles, passed away on June 10,2023 at the age of 33. Carol Ann was born on Dec 15, 1989 in Far Rockaway, NY. She was born with the most beautiful hazel eyes.

Carol Ann will be deeply missed, especially by her son Christian and her mother Bonnie Weber.

Carol Ann had such a unique and special personality that touched so many hearts and brought such joy to many. She was loved more than she realized.

Carol Ann is preceded in death by her Nanny, Carol “Bonnie” Knowles, her grandpa Donald Knowles Sr, her father, Philip Gagliardi, her Uncle Eugene Knowles, her Aunt Clare Wayne, and her Aunt Kerry Klein.

Left to cherish her memories are her mother, Bonnie Weber-step dad David Weber, her son Christian Cole, Aunt, Mary Marino (Mike), Uncles, Michael Knowles (Kim), Smitty Knowles (Patricia), Aunt Rachael Ecock (Scott), grandmother Rosemarie Gagliardi, and Uncle Daniel Gagliardi. She will be missed by her many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. And by her best friends Danielle Sabatino and Eve Smith.

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Leaving his earthly home to join his beloved wife and heavenly father, William Dean Tuggle, Sr., 82, of
Waskom, Texas, entered into peaceful rest at the Garden Park Nursing Home on June 6, 2023, after a
courageous battle with numerous health issues.

Born in Smackover, Arkansas, to the late Sue and Tommy Tuggle of Bossier City, Dean was the son of a
career Air Force Veteran, and called various bases home, from Arizona to Bossier City. However, he was
most happy spending summers in Southern Arkansas at his grandparent’s farm. Dean was a proud
Bossier Bearcat, graduating high school in 1959. Shortly after high school, Dean met the love of his life,
Elizabeth Havard, on a blind date, and the two married in Castor, Louisiana, in 1961.

Dean began work at the Sears Department Store Warehouse in 1960. In 1964, he became a member of
the Teamsters Union and worked for over 30 years for various trucking companies in the Shreveport
area, including Red Ball Motor Freight and Jones Truck Line. Dean was a proud union member and
always treasured the friendships he made through the Teamsters. After retirement in 1994, Dean
continued to work in the transportation business, working for many years alongside Elizabeth with her
businesses, Associated Air Freight and River City Air Cargo.

Dean’s greatest passion was always his family. Whether he was driving a ski boat all day on Lake
Bistineau, cooking a delicious meal over a Coleman Stove while camping, or making his famous flapjacks
for his grandkids on Saturday morning, Dean always put family before self. Dean loved everything LSU
and his family remembers fondly that a radio was always close by on Saturday night to listen to a game.
Dean never missed a band performance, ball game, dance recital, or graduation for his children and
grandkids. In 2005, Dean and his family received devastating news when he was diagnosed with Multiple
Myeloma. The prognosis was not encouraging. However, after receiving a full bone marrow transplant
at the Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, Dean made a remarkable recovery. Through the Grace of God, his
own sheer will to survive, and the efforts of the dedicated staff at Baylor, Dean recovered to become the
longest survivor of the transplant program, for which he was eternally grateful.

Dean’s loving wife of 59 years, Elizabeth Tuggle, preceded him in death along with his parents, older
brother Jim Tuggle, and his youngest son, Greg Tuggle. His son, William Dean Tuggle Jr. and wife Lesli of
Shreveport, and his daughter-in-law Heather Tuggle of Atlanta, Texas, survive him, along with sisters,
Fran Duncan of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Becky Durrance of Melbourne, Florida, and Mary Schwartz of Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, and eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and a host of cousins, nieces, and
nephews.

The family wishes to thank the dedicated staff at Garden Park Nursing Home for all their care and
compassion during this difficult time.

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The American Rose Society announces two national honors bestowed at its recent National Convention in Shreveport, La.

Dr. Mark Windham of Knoxville, Tenn. has been awarded the Joseph and Marion Klima Medal for Excellence in Rose Education. This award is given in fulfillment of the wishes of the late Joseph and Marion Klima of Kentfield, Calif. This award was established in the field of horticultural education concerning “The Rose.”

Windham, emeritus professor of plant pathology at the University of Tennessee, is known for his rose education presentations across the nation, speaking at field days, grower meetings, rosarian workshops, master gardener events, extension agent trainings, and consulting Rosarian schools. He spent the last 10-15 years giving education presentations to rose societies across the country. He has been instrumental in helping understand blackspot, cercospora leafspot, downy mildew, and more importantly in the last 10 years, the rose rosette disease. Windham is considered the country’s leading authority on rose rosette disease.

Windham, along with Dr. Alan Windham also from the University of Tennessee and Dr. Alan Henn from Mississippi State University, authored the 2018 e-book, A Guide to Rose Diseases and their Management (www.rose.org/publications). Windham continues to take part in research on roses, as he has secured funding with Dr. David Byrne of Texas A&M University and others for USDA Specialty Crop Competitiveness Grants pertaining to rose rosette research. Windham is involved in the research on many of the project objectives but goes the extra mile to then educate rose lovers through educational programs.

Mark Mason Taylor of Sandy, Utah, has been awarded the Rising Star Award. This award was established to honor new stars in the rose world in hopes of recognizing and honoring the work of the next generation of rosarians. It is created to recognize those 45 and younger for outstanding achievement by an individual in promoting the culture and appreciation of the rose — the National Floral Emblem.

Taylor serves as the strategic development chair for the Utah Rose Society. The Utah Rose Society (URS) was founded in 1935, a fact that Taylor researched and confirmed. Taylor has presented rose-related talks in his community, authored several articles, and helped his local rose society to build a new website. He helped build a discount program for URS members which resulted in a 121% increase in membership. On the state and national level, Taylor has built a relationship with the Utah State University Extension Division to update their public information about landscaping with roses. Taylor is also an evaluator for the American Rose Trials for Sustainability program at the Conservation Garden Park in West Jordan, Utah.

Taylor is the founder of Perfume Punk, a worker’s co-op which was responsible for saving eight million gallons of water in 2022 through waterwise rose gardens.

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