Month: January 2024

Parkway hosts Haughton girls in basketball battle of 1-5A leaders

/ Megan Lowe
(Journal photo by GAVEN HAMMOND, landgphoto.com)

By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports  

Parkway’s girls basketball team puts its 38-game District 1-5A win streak on the line tonight when Haughton comes calling.   

The Lady Panthers have been the undefeated district champions the last two seasons posting 14-0 marks each season and with this year’s 7-0 record have won 42 of the last 43 league games. Overall, this season’s Lady Panthers sport a 19-6 record and are 14-4 in games played against Louisiana teams. 

Haughton has won 20-or more games for the second straight season with its 23-3 record, only the second time in school history the Lady Bucs have had consecutive 20-win seasons since 1983-84.  

Parkway survived with a 64-62 win at Natchitoches Central Friday, getting the game-winning shot from All-Stater Chloe Larry, while Haughton had no problem disposing of Byrd 54-5 and Benton defeated Airline 54-37 in the only games played all week on Friday.  

Monday’s games are rescheduled from last Tuesday’s schedule that was wiped out by the winter weather in the area. Other games have Airline (14-10, 2-5) at Southwood (18-6, 2-4), Benton (15-11, 4-3) at Natchitoches Central (15-9, 4-3) and Byrd (2-21, 0-7) at Captain Shreve (8-10, 1-5).   

There is one 1-4A girls game at Booker T. Washington with the Lady Lions (8-12) hosting Bossier (9-13) and in 1-1A Plain Dealing (6-15, 1-0) entertains district leader Arcadia (2-0, 21-2). 

Boys action over the weekend had Captain Shreve and Evangel coming away with the only wins by local schools in the Extravaganza Classic held at Calvary Saturday.  

Evangel started off the classic by defeating Ouachita 60-45 as Tyronn Grider had a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds. Braylen Clark added 14 points, eight assists and CJ Shiflett 10 points.  

Captain Shreve disposed of Franklin Parish 57-44 in the third game. Marcus Lofton and Mar’Keidron King both scored 11 points and JD McDonald and Aaron Guinn 10 to lead the Gators.   

Other classic results had Huntington falling to Rayville 43-36, Peabody over Southwood 63-57, St. Augustine smothered Bossier 59-34 and Calvary fell in overtime to Wossman 69-65.  

Friday’s boys games in 1-5A had Airline defeating Benton 69-60, Byrd winning at Haughton 62-55 and Natchitoches Central outlasting visiting Parkway 66-58. The battle between league leaders Southwood and Captain Shreve at Shreve was postponed from last Tuesday and rescheduled for Jan. 31.  

Today’s games have Airline (13-10, 3-2) at Southwood (15-6, 4-0), Captain Shreve (18-3, 4-0) hosting Byrd (4-14, 1-4), Benton (10-12, 2-3) on the road at Natchitoches Central (18-3, 4-1) and Haughton (9-15, 0-5) at Parkway (12-9, 1-4).  

Bossier (15-9) opens 1-4A play at Booker T. Washington (12-7) and Arcadia (9-9, 2-0) is at Plain Dealing (3-13, 1-0) in a 1-1A contest.  

Contact Lee at lee.hiller51@gmail.com

Bad finish stops Burns’ bid for sixth PGA Tour win

/ Megan Lowe
LATE STRUGGLE:  Sam Burns was tied for the lead with two holes left Sunday in the PGA Tour’s The American Express, but a pair of double bogeys after tee shots in the water derailed his bid to win.

 JOURNAL SPORTS 

It was a very good week for Shreveport native Sam Burns on the PGA Tour, until the last two holes of Sunday’s The American Express tournament in LaQuinta, Calif.

Burns had a sensational week, including a professional career-low round of 61, and was tied for the lead at 29-under par with Alabama amateur Nick Dunlap on the 17th tee.

But Burns’ next two tee shots, on the par-3 17th and the par-4 18th, both found the water. He double-bogeyed each hole while Dunlap finished with a pair of pars and became only the seventh amateur since World War II (1945) and the first since Phil Mickelson in 1991 to win a PGA Tour event.

For Burns, a Calvary Baptist alumnus who was an All-American and the college Player of the Year at LSU, the disastrous 43-minute span was the difference in the $1.5 million first prize and a $311,000 payout for his tie for sixth place after a closing 71, one under par.

It was the 28th top 10 finish for Burns in his PGA Tour career, in his second start in 2024. He was 33rd at 18 under in The Sentry in early January.

His 61 came on the Nicklaus Tournament Course at the PGA West in Friday’s second round. The tournament uses three courses until a 54-hole cut after Saturday’s play, then those remaining all play the Pete Dye Stadium Course, where Burns shot a third-round 65 Saturday – parring both 17 and 18.

Burns, Dunlap and Justin Thomas played in the final group Sunday. Thomas dipped from contention but made a late move to card a 27-under. The threesome was obviously friendly – before the tournament began, Thomas used his social media to share a photo of Burns with a “R-T-R” carving into the side of his scalp, paying off a bet on last fall’s LSU-Alabama football game.

While Thomas and Dunlap were long-established pals, Burns was welcoming in Sunday’s round, as Dunlap shared in his comments to The Golf Channel moments after his win – after Burns was first to congratulate him.

“(The emotions) were nothing like I have ever felt. It is so cool,” said Dunlap. “I told Sam numerous times (during the round), it is so cool to be out here and experience this as an amateur.”

Burns, who now lives in Choudrant at Squire Creek Country Club, was bidding for his sixth PGA Tour win, and the first in 10 months.

Meanwhile, five hours across the Pacific Ocean, Shreveporter David Toms had a strong week on the PGA Champions Tour, finishing fourth in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai in Kona, Hawaii.

Toms closed with a 65, a seven-under round for a three-round 17-under total. Steven Alker won at 25-under.

It was another impressive outing for Toms, who had the clinching putt in December as the United States team rallied for a win over the International Team (221-219 points) with Europe finishing third in the first World Champions Cup competition. His two-putt on the 18th clinched the outcome for the USA on Dec. 10.

Burned in the memory bank, for better and worse

/ Megan Lowe
  

Things that made an impression, along with an always-delightful visit to Riverport Barbecue in Jefferson, in the last few days ….

… The first person to hug Nick Dunlap after the 20-year-old Alabama Crimson Tide golfer became the first amateur winner on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991? The most disappointed man there, Shreveport native Sam Burns. In the aftershock of hitting tee shots in the water on the final two holes Sunday, falling from the lead to a sixth-place finish, Burns shook off two gut punches with gallantry.

… Burns started the week the same way, although in a much more light-hearted manner. He paid off a bet with another Alabama golfer, fellow USA Ryder Cup teammate Justin Thomas, on last fall’s LSU-‘Bama football game. Burns had U-S-A carved into his blonde locks for the Ryder Cup. Before the start at The American Express, Burns grudgingly shaved “R-T-R” into his scalp. Roll, Tide, Roll, as if you didn’t know.

…  This text message: “Good morning, you too have decided to transfer from Alabama.”

… The fact that the Detroit Lions have more NFC Championship appearances this century than the Dallas Cowboys.

… Jason Kelce’s bare-chested Buffalo celebration when brother Travis caught one of his two TD passes Sunday night for Kansas City. As soon as big brother showed up in a visitors’ suite at Highmark Stadium, the fuse was lit. For the first time this season, Taylor Swift was overshadowed off the field at a Chiefs’ game.

… A Tweet (an X?) from @ArtButMakeItSports contrasting a photo of shirtless Kelce with the 1654 masterpiece The Feast of Baucchus, by Phillips de Konick. Look it up. History does repeat itself.

… Another Tweet of an excerpt of a recent story by Justin Williams in The Athletic about the Kelce brothers in college at Cincinnati – coached for a while by Brian Kelly, by the way – in which a former teammate said, “Those two are really good at drinking beer.”  Ya think?

… Tip your cap to the kid from Tyler. Patrick Mahomes, born there, raised in nearby Whitehouse, has played in the AFC Championship Game every year he’s been the Chiefs’ starting quarterback — six and counting, as of this morning. Not bad for a guy rated as the 12th best dual threat quarterback in his high school recruiting class 10 years ago, who played in one bowl game, losing to LSU in the 2015 Texas Bowl,  in three seasons at Texas Tech.

… The collapse of Sports Illustrated. My parents bought me a subscription for my eighth birthday. Getting the mail every Thursday was a dream-inducing experience, because we didn’t have dozens of sports TV channels, talk radio, podcasts, social media, and because the writing and photography was at the very least, extraordinary. How cruelly ironic that the apparent death blow to SI came on a Thursday when the publisher, Arena Group, defaulted on a $4 million quarterly license fee. Fourth quarter, by the way.

… The 80th birthday Saturday of Sam Goodwin, who is so much more than simply the winningest football coach in Northwestern State history. It was great to see a photo of him visiting in the Don Kelly Athletic Fieldhouse earlier last week with new Demons’ coach Blaine McCorkle and offensive coordinator Norman Joseph, who was Goodwin’s receivers coach and passing game coordinator in 1988 when Northwestern won its first Southland Conference championship.

… Parkway’s Chloe Larry hitting a game-winning shot on the road Friday night to send the Lady Panthers to a 64-62 victory over Natchitoches Central, extending their unbeaten streak in District 1-5A to 38 games dating back almost exactly three years, to Jan. 15, 2021.

… Grambling’s Tigers with an epic 34-point turnaround at home in the Fred Hobdy Assembly Center Saturday afternoon against arch-rival Southern. The G-Men trailed by 17, won by 17. 

… Northwestern State’s men have won their last three games, no small feat when they had won only two of their first 15. In each of those recent W’s in Southland Conference games, the Demons have had at least a 20-point lead in the second half. Saturday, they were up by 28 in the first half at UNO.

… When 400 fans show up to shovel snow away from the stands before their NFL team’s playoff game, for a second straight week, they deserve something better than the two harshest words in Buffalo sports history: “wide right!”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

New York principal thriving in new role with LSUS education in hand

/ NPJ
Alexis Bradley juggled the final semester of the master’s of educational leadership program at LSUS while serving in her first principal’s role at Academy Charter Middle School in Hempstead, N.Y. Bradley excelled at both. Bradley attended LSUS graduation in person this December with mother Brenda and sister Aja. Dr. Nelson Coulter is pictured with them.

When Alexis Bradley enrolled in the master’s of educational leadership program at LSU Shreveport, her goal was to become a principal after graduation. Bradley got that call early, assuming the lead position at Academy Charter Middle School where she currently worked, before she even walked across the graduation stage this December. So Bradley juggled her first year of being a principal in August with the final semester of graduate school, roles in which she excelled simultaneously.

“My success in the classroom was great, but I wanted to have a bigger impact,” said Bradley, who assumed leadership over the middle school this August. “I knew I wanted to be a trailblazer in leading staff and scholars to excellence. I have a great cabinet team that works with me to make sure our directives and vision are carried out daily.”

A balancing act ensued as the “super-organized early riser” Bradley often worked from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in her principal role while making time for coursework before and after school. But doing both at the same time also allowed her to implement learning strategies as she was studying in the program.

“Two of the strategies I learned – be seen by both teachers and students throughout the day, and have an open-door policy,” Bradley said. “At every transition, the scholars see me in the hallway saying hello or giving redirection. I learned about creating a professional learning community, and an open-door policy shows that I’m willing to listen and engage about different teaching techniques and new programs that will enhance our pedagogy. (Teachers) know I’m there to support them in their efforts to bring academic success to their scholars.”

Bradley holds professional development sessions every Wednesday as well as weekly common planning meetings, allowing teachers to engage with each other. “Teachers tried new strategies with their teammates, and they watched each other teach as a team,” said Bradley, who credited the LSUS program with deepening her understanding on key topics. “You can pique their curiosity with strategies they’ll want to try in their respective classrooms. I wanted to move into educational leadership because I believe in helping other teachers be successful in the subject they teach and to help make a difference in their scholars’ lives. It’s important to make an impact on these teachers as well.”

Classroom success is something in which Bradley has a track record. In her first year as a teacher at Academy Charter, the passing rate doubled on the eighth-grade science state test. Bradley developed the school’s first honors biology class, which boasted a 100 percent passing rate every year in which she taught it. That success continued when she assumed an assistant principal role in charge of English and language arts, writing, the humanities and science – serving as an academic coach in those subjects.

LSUS faculty member Dr. Nelson Coulter said he’s not surprised Academy Charter plucked Bradley early to lead the way. “Alexis was a premier student in our program, and she was engaged (and engaging), committed (and diligent), trustworthy (and trusting),” said Coulter, the program director of the Master of Education programs. “As a former school superintendent and high school principal, I can tell you Alexis possesses all the qualities needed not only to survive but be successful as a school principal.”

Bradley had plenty of support from staff and the leadership in the Academy Charter system. Founder Bishop Barrington Goldson told Bradley that she “not only exudes excellence,” but that she’s “a role model for the students that (she) serves.” Staff have told Bradley that watching her complete her master’s degree and the knowledge she’s shared from that experience has motivated them to further their own education.

Bradley engages parents with a weekly newsletter, but it’d be ideal to increase parent involvement by attending workshops to better understand the curriculum. Family involvement was a strength in Bradley’s own life, and when Bradley made the trip to Shreveport to personally walk across the graduation stage, her mother Brenda and her sister Aja traveled from Sacramento and Atlanta, respectively, to celebrate with her.

“I’m a first-generation graduate in my family who obtained a master’s degree,” Bradley said. “It was important for my family to honor me by showing support for my academic achievements. It meant so much to me to have them there. My mother is so very special to me – she made sacrifices in life to make sure that I received a world-class education. My sister has always been a cheerleader for me … and she reminds me that ‘this is what I’m meant to do.’”

Ponderings by Doug

/ NPJ
 

We live in a “throwaway” culture.

We throw away just about everything.

Not that we haven’t noticed. We’ve been using this expression since LIFE magazine published an article in 1955 about a new phenomenon that emerged in the prosperity of the 1950s. “Throwaway Living” the article was called.

Instead of blowing our noses using washable handkerchiefs (as did our eco-friendly grandmothers), we use tissues and throw them away.

We diaper babies’ bottoms, and then throw them away — the diapers, not the bottoms.

We buy a pair of shoes and throw them away.

We buy water packaged in plastic bottles, drink the water — and throw the bottles away.

Almost everything we purchase comes in what many call excessive packaging which … is thrown away. If in fact, you can get into these excessively protective plastic packages. Last week it took two pairs of scissors and my wire cutters to open the “plastic package” in which the new scissors were located. Who oversees this crazy world?

We buy small and large appliances and when they break down, we buy new ones and throw away the old ones.

We buy TVs and throw them away.

In an era long past, small shops existed to repair items that consumers were then loath to throw away. Used to be that a small repair shop could provide a modest income. You could get your TVs, toasters, radios, and irons repaired for a small charge and they were good to go.

The archetype for such small businesses is Emmett’s Fix-It Shop in the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, as depicted on the 1960s television series “The Andy Griffith Show.” Emmett Clark fixed clocks, lamps, radios and more. These shops, for the most part, have disappeared.

We don’t fix things; we toss them out. Our throwaway culture involves more than antiquated electronics.

We also throw away friendships, values, traditions, manners, decency, and common sense. Some might say that we too often throw away our souls in pursuit of some elusive dream we hold dear. We cast aside the spiritual component of our lives thinking, perhaps, that we will focus on spirituality later. 

Then, one morning, we wake up wondering who we are and where we’ve been and where our life has taken us. “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans,” according to Beatles legend John Lennon.

Whatever you want to call it, we sense deep down that something is wrong. Something is broken. Something is in desperate need of fixing.

Good thing, God is in the repair business!

Shreveport man arrested for contributing to juvenile delinquency

/ NPJ
 

Caddo Sheriff’s detectives, led by Detective BreAnna Gerbine, apprehended 23-year-old Courtland Coleman-Savannah for engaging in inappropriate communication with juveniles, as announced by Sheriff Steve Prator. The arrest, made on January 19, followed a forensic investigation that revealed Coleman-Savannah’s involvement in exchanging pornographic material and inappropriate text messages with three juveniles. Det. Gerbine has charged Savannah with three counts of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, leading to his booking into the Caddo Correctional Center.

Sheriff Whittington welcomes nine new members to Bossier Sheriff’s Office

/ NPJ
Bossier Sheriff’s Office welcomes new hires!

Sheriff Julian Whittington recently swore in eight deputies and one corrections officer in a ceremony at the Bossier Parish Courthouse. The recruits, including Kevin Brown, Brigit Johnston, Porsha Williams, Neysa Washington, Austin Deshautelle, Keldric Moody, Zakkary Nelson, Thomas Rhame, and Corrections Officer Nathan Busby, are set to start their careers at Bossier Sheriff’s Office facilities.

Sheriff Whittington commended the new hires, expressing his welcome to the team. The ceremony emphasized the commitment of these individuals to community service. Prospective applicants were encouraged to contact the Human Resources Department at (318) 965-3459 to begin the process of joining the Bossier Sheriff’s Office.

Warrants issued for man in violent domestic incident

/ NPJ
 

Shreveport, LA – In a recent development, the Shreveport Police Department has issued warrants for the arrest of Christopher Moran (born on 3-13-1990) following a violent domestic incident on January 7.

Responding to reports of domestic violence at an address on Bienville Avenue just after 8:00 a.m., Shreveport Police encountered a victim who reported a verbal argument with her ex-boyfriend, Christopher Moran. The altercation took a disturbing turn when Moran allegedly punched the victim in the face, resulting in serious injury.

The case has been assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit, and investigators have procured warrants charging Moran with one count each of Domestic Abuse Battery with Serious Bodily Injury and one Count of Domestic Abuse Battery 2nd Offense. No bond has been set in connection with these charges.

Despite diligent efforts by detectives, Moran’s whereabouts remain unknown. His last known address has been vacated, prompting the police to seek assistance from the public. Individuals with information regarding Christopher Moran’s location are urged to contact the Shreveport Police Department at 318-673-7300 #3. For those preferring anonymity, Caddo-Shreveport Crime Stoppers can be reached at 318-673-7373 or through their app P3Tips. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the apprehension of individuals responsible for committing crimes.

The Shreveport Police Department is actively seeking the community’s support in ensuring the swift resolution of this case and bringing the alleged perpetrator to justice.

Sheriff Prator to swear in 11 deputies

/ NPJ
Sheriff Prator officiates the swearing-in ceremony of 11 dedicated deputies at the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Steve Prator administered the oath of office to 11 newly appointed deputies at the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, January 18.

The newly sworn-in deputies include Iriannah Barnhill, Tywon Bennett, Doris Cole, Julian Gaines, Landon Irby, Ladevion Hill, Lekesia Hinton, Cori Normand, Tashira Price, Martin Schaefer, and Lisa Sisk.

Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office is actively engaged in recruiting fresh talent to bolster its ranks. The agency encourages individuals aged 18 and above to apply for various positions, including security deputies, licensed practical nurses, accountants, fleet maintenance personnel, telecommunications officers, and laundry clerks.

Prospective candidates can find detailed information about qualifications, benefits, and application procedures by visiting caddosheriff.org. Join the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and be part of a dynamic team dedicated to serving the community.

Boil advisory lifted for entire city

/ NPJ
 

The Department of Water and Sewerage is lifting the citywide boil advisory.

Samples collected and analyzed from across the city’s three pressure zones were shown to be
absent of any coliform bacteriological contamination. After receiving the analytical results, an
official of the Louisiana Department of Health approved the rescission of the voluntary boil
advisory. Customers may now resume the normal use of their water supplied by the City of
Shreveport.

“I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to every employee and contractor for their hard
work and unwavering commitment throughout this recent arctic blast,” said Mayor Tom
Arceneaux. “I also want to express my sincere gratitude to the residents and businesses of
Shreveport for their understanding and support during this advisory.”
The Department of Water and Sewerage remains committed to providing safe and reliable
water services to our community. We will continue to monitor and maintain the highest
standards to ensure the well-being of all residents.

As a reminder, in the event of busted water lines or any other emergency water-related issues,
customers are encouraged to contact the Department of Water and Sewerage’s emergency line
at 318-673-7600. Our dedicated team will respond promptly to address and resolve any urgent
matters.

Notice of Death – January 21, 2024

/ NPJ

Robert Alfred Rich
May 12, 1951 — January 19, 2024
Service: Monday, January 22, 2024, 10am at Rose Neath Funeral Home, Arcadia.

Larry Attaway
April 15, 1951 — January 17, 2024
Service: Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 5pm at Rose Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.

Mrs. Lola Linnear
November 28, 1938 ~ January 13, 2024
Service: Wednesday, January 24, 2024, 11am at Round Grove Cemetery, Shreveport.

Benny Joe Caldwell
September 24, 1935 — January 15, 2024
Service: Wednesday, January 24, 2024, 10am at Grawood Baptist Church, Keithville.

Mrs. Shirley Ford
September 7, 1946 ~ January 16, 2024
Service: Saturday, January 27, 2024, 10am at Mt. Canaan Baptist Church

The Shreveport-Bossier Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $95. 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)

Updated: Winter weather updates and closings

/ NPJ
 

Last updated at 5:30 AM on 1/19/24

Closings
Closed Schools:

Bienville Parish Schools – Closed Friday
Caddo Parish Schools  – Closed Friday
Claiborne Parish Schools – Closed Friday
Loyola College Prep – Closed Friday
Lakeview Junior/Senior High School – Closed Friday
Plain Dealing High School – Closed Friday
St. John Berchmans Catholic School  – Closed  Friday
St. Joseph Catholic School  – Closed  Friday
SUSLA  – Closed  Friday
Webster Parish Schools  – Closed  Friday

Closed Roads:

US Highway 79 North at Buncombe Road  – Closed  Northbound 
US Highway 79 southbound at US 80 in Greenwood  – Closed  at US 80 in Greenwood
LA Highway 169 – Closed north of Blanchard-Latex Road, going towards Mooringsport

Other Closings:

Caddo Community Action Agency  – Closed  until further notice
Caddo Head Start  – Closed  until further notice
Haughton High School Mid-Term Graduation  – rescheduled; 1/21, 6 PM 

Louisiana Tech’s AD search should follow a smart, simple path

/ Megan Lowe
 

Far be it from me to tell my alma mater what it should do, but I’m about to do it anyway.

Louisiana Tech is in need of an athletic director. I’m sure we will hear and read the usual “national search.” The school will probably hire some company and pay many thousands of dollars to come up with a list of names that has been carefully culled and would be perfectly suited. (An athletic version of match.com, if you will).

But I can do all of that for Tech and do it a greatly reduced price.

Tom Burnett. 

There you have it.  And, being the loyal alum I am, this one’s on me.

To whoever is making this call, if you haven’t hired Burnett to be the next AD by the time you get to the end of this column, you’ve already made your first mistake. (Spoiler alert – this column is not that long, so hurry up and get your cell phone out.)

I’ve known Burnett since the days we spent all night traveling back from Tech road games in Starkville in the late 1980s, but he is best known as the recently retired commissioner of the Southland Conference. He did that for 19 years and do you know whose place he took when he became Southland Commissioner? Greg Sankey, now the head dude of a little outfit they like to call the Southeastern Conference.

Burnett was also with the Sun Belt Conference for 11 years not long after he graduated from Tech, so he knows how college athletics need to be run. There are a lot of other details to his resume (councils, committees, task forces, yada yada) but here’s all you need to know – he was the head cheese of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

He’s the guy who went on national television and had to explain to CBS why Oklahoma and Texas A&M didn’t get in. He’s the guy who was standing up there with Jim Nantz and handing the trophy to Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks in the Superdome.

You’re telling me that guy isn’t qualified to be athletic director at Louisiana Tech?

Let me let you in on a little secret. It wasn’t that long ago that Tech had an athletic director who called them “dugins” instead of dugouts at a baseball field.

That’s the definition of a low bar.

But there is a far bigger issue at play here for Tech athletics and it is the biggest reason why Burnett is the right/only call.

When Tech made the major college football move in the late 1980s, it had a plan. Some laughed at the idea, but the Bulldogs put their collective heads down and went for it. It was rough seas for a while, but it proved to be successful. Maybe not across the board, but it was far more positive than negative. The athletic program began to grow.

No, it wasn’t Texas or Ohio State, but it wasn’t what it once was either.

But when the conference re-alignment started taking place at the Group of Five level, it was as if Tech had no plan whatsoever and seemed totally unprepared. Where once they were leaders, now they were followers … and didn’t seem to know who to follow.

The Bulldogs are in Conference USA, where the closest school is 260 miles away. The second closest is 462 miles away. Nice natural rivalries there, huh? Half of Tech’s conference opponents are more than 850 miles away.

Road trip!

Yes, it should have never happened this way, but it did. Now it’s time to get that fixed. Someone who can navigate through it all.

Someone who has a plan in place when the next shoe drops.

Someone who is plugged in to college athletics across the country.

Someone who is not looking for their next job.

What has happened in Ruston is that the athletic director position has become somewhat transitory. Hire a guy no one’s ever heard of, followed by lots of handshaking and rope-learning, hiring a head coach or two, saying all the right things when asked and then take off after a few years for a junior AD job at a bigger school.

Not counting Jim Oakes (who was AD for 14 years), do you care to guess the average length of stay by the other 11 Tech athletic directors since 1978? That would be 2.7 years.

Here’s the irony. Burnett probably wouldn’t even need to stay 2.7 years at his alma mater. Nor would he probably even want to. He could get done what needs to get done and then hand it off to someone who could pick it up and run with it. Kind of like Greg Sankey did with Burnett two decades ago.

Hey Tech, have you made that phone call yet? 

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

LSUS teams come through in clutch, grasp first place in RRAC race

/ Megan Lowe
TO THE RACK: Tyler Washington (18 points) drives to the basket for LSUS, helping the Pilots top Xavier Thursday night. (Journal photo by JOHN JAMES MARSHALL)

By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

You might not think that winning two games would be a big deal to LSUS basketball coach Kyle Blankenship. After all, he’s won a few hundred during his career with the Pilots.

But these weren’t just any two games.

There wasn’t just one showdown on the line for first place in the Red River Athletic Conference Thursday night at The Dock between LSUS and Xavier, there were two as the women’s and men’s teams battled it out.

“If you’d have told me before that we’d go 2-0 tonight,” Blankenship said, “I would have been as excited as I could be.”

He’s pretty excited; the Pilots went 2-0 as he coached both ends of the sweep.

The games were all they were supposed to be — tight throughout, emotional, physical and when it came down to the final minutes, it was time for one team to make the plays to win it.

In both cases, that was LSUS.

The women’s team took advantage of an “almost” time out to rally in the final minutes to win 61-59 and remain unbeaten in the conference with a 9-0 record (13-2 overall).

The men’s game was tied at 68-all with 3:25 to play when the Pilots went on a 13-4 run to end it 81-72.

“We needed that for the men,” Blankenship said. “We don’t lose a lot at home but last game we got embarrassed (a 92-73 loss to Texas College) last Saturday. We challenged our guys to protect The Dock and do what we needed to do if we wanted to stay in the conference race.”

The win kept the Pilots in a first-place tie with LSU Alexandria with a 7-2 conference record (12-3 overall). Staying at the top of the standings is nice, but Blankenship was particularly pleased with how his team played.

“Collectively, we just wanted to win,” he said. “We didn’t complain about coming out of the game, we weren’t worried about our minutes. We’ve talked about this the last weeks. (Before), it was always ‘I want to win, but …’ and tonight we didn’t have that.”

What they did have were some key shots and clutch free throws down the stretch, particularly from 6-foot-9 senior Tyler Washington and senior guard Paul King.

“We moved Tyler Washington back into the starting lineup to try to give the team a boost,” Blankenship said. “He’s been playing well lately and he made some big plays tonight. He had a really good stat line (18 points, 11 rebounds), but he made some really good hustle plays too.”

King had 16 points, including a 3-pointer with less than three minutes to play that stretch the lead and make things more comfortable for the Pilots.

The Pilots made all seven free throw attempts in the final two minutes.

The LSUS women were down 59-55 without the ball with 47 seconds to go when things turned around in a rather strange way. Xavier got a rebound on a missed 3-pointer and had two players signaling for a time out. But the officials didn’t seem to notice. Mansfield native Taylor Dewitt, who was dribbling, then tried to call for time, but she was called for travelling first.

Pilot ball.

LSUS ran a quick inbounds play for Derrica Gilbert, who immediately drained a 3-pointer to make it 59-58. The Pilots fouled with 25 seconds to play, hoping to just get the ball back with a chance to tie.

But when Xavier’s Jaleah LaFargue missed both free throws, they got more than that. LSUS point guard Alexis Brown went coast to coast for a twisting layup to put LSUS ahead for the first time in the entire fourth quarter.

Two missed layups by Xavier and a failed inbounds pass later and the Pilots had come away with an important win.

“We picked up the tempo and started playing a little faster,” said Blankenship. “(Xavier) did a good job of taking away what we like to do. We finally got back to doing what got us here and that’s getting stops and forcing turnovers on the defensive end and getting out and running in transition.”

Gilbert led with 16 points and Destanee Roblow added 15.

LSUS will be back in action at The Dock Saturday for a doubleheader against North American, beginning at 2 p.m.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

Miss college football yet? Not me

/ Megan Lowe
  

BATON ROUGE — A day or two after Michigan recently beat overmatched Washington for the national championship, posts in various forms of social media lamented the end of the college football season.

Most of them contained the basic message: “I miss college football.”

Me? I don’t miss college football.

Yes, that’s a stunning revelation for someone who just completed his 45th college season as an academically trained sportswriter with a journalism degree, not a fanboy putz website armed with bloggers who don’t know the difference between there, their and they’re.

I don’t miss college football because it never goes away, never takes a day off.

It has evolved into a daily news cycle with enough blah, blah, blah to make you go all Elvis by grabbing a pistol and shooting out all the TV screens in your house.

Once upon a time, I missed college football because it gave me room to breathe.

It allowed me to put it aside while you got a chance to fully enjoy college basketball and March Madness and also baseball and the road to Omaha.

In the summer, I discovered there were enjoyable social activities like vacations for family bonding (“So I have three kids and not two. . .really?), for exhaling and not trying to predict a team’s record for the upcoming season (“That looks like a trap game”) and for reading books which involves a committed attention span rather than tweets that read like Morse code (“U R da troof”).

College football began spinning off its axis in 1984. It’s when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the NCAA’s control of football television rights violated federal antitrust law, thus opening doors for all networks to televise as many games as possible.

New TV revenue poured into college football. It quickly became a big business of unbridled greed and cheating. The sport demanded more interest, especially in the area of recruiting as Rivals started the first website devoted to recruiting in 1998.

As the money increased, so did the pressure to win, as did the recruiting violations and academic improprieties to keep athletes academically ineligible.

In the last 10 to 15 years, the NCAA realized it didn’t have enough investigators to handle the constant rules breakers. It changed some of the pettier rules, such as college football programs being allowed to publicize recruiting visits.

Schools went all in on marketing, producing photo shoots with recruits wearing jerseys with their numbers or posing with national championship victories. Unhip head coaches, wanting to protect their multi-million contracts by recruiting the best possible talent, turned into pimps as they danced with recruits for videos blasted out on social media.

The four-team College Football Playoff started in 2014 with ESPN paying $470 million through 2026 to televise the CFP. The NCAA earned more than $1 billion annually for the men’s basketball tourney.

Groups of athletes, wanting to be paid, lawyered up and filed lawsuits. The NCAA finally caved to avoid losing a lawsuit and approved in July 2021 that athletes can be paid for their name, likeness and image.

No one yet has stepped up to regulate NIL. It’s legalized cheating, as Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin said. When the quirky Kiffin is a voice of reason, you know things are screwed up.

The NCAA also began allowing athletes to transfer once without sitting out a year. However, enough loopholes were created for the rule to be ignored.

So, what we now have in college football (and college basketball on a smaller scale) is lawless year-round chaos. Scholarships are now 1-year free-agent contracts for players short on loyalty but long on making bank.

Now, college football’s annual breaking news is way more than just head coaches and assistants being fired and hired at the end of seasons.

There are constantly reported recruiting visits by a recruit to school A (“It felt like home,” said the recruit to a website devoted to recruiting junkies sweating the whims of 16 and 17-year-old prospects), to school B (“It felt like family,” said the recruit) and to school C (“I have a great relationship with coaches,” said the recruit on his Twitter feed) before signing with school D because they offered the most money.

College coaches no longer make home recruiting visits to extol the virtues of the quality college education a prospect will receive. The coach’s visit purpose is to obtain the dollar figure amount required to sign the prospect.

It’s also getting as many as possible commitments from recruits attending summer camps hosted by colleges, only to have recruits de-commit several months later through their “respect my decision” social media posts because their commitment can be bought off with a more lucrative NIL offer.

Then amid December’s early signing period, current players opt out of bowl games and head coaches have to re-recruit their own players seeking more NIL money to prevent players from transferring.

It’s friggin’ exhausting.

And it’s why the happiest man in America is seven-time national championship coach Nick Saban, who once thought he wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he couldn’t coach football.

Last week, Saban, after 52 years as a coach including 28 as a college head coach with the last 17 at Alabama, finally realized his business was no longer about coaching.

Suddenly, as a 72-year-old retiree, he realized mornings of peace and quiet while lounging around the pool at his new $17.5 million beach house in Jupiter Island, Florida and maybe spending afternoons hammering 80-year-olds in pickleball is a great way to live.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Some hoops resume tonight, but big Shreve-Southwood battle put on hold  

/ Megan Lowe
(Journal photo by GAVEN HAMMOND, landgphoto.com)

By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports 

Tonight’s highly anticipated matchup of two of the top local boys basketball teams, District 1-5A stalwarts Southwood and Captain Shreve,  will have to wait with the cancellation of classes for schools in Caddo Parish due to the Shreveport boil advisory.  

Both teams are undefeated through four league games with Captain Shreve sporting a 17-3 overall record and No. 3 ranking in the Select statewide power rankings. Southwood is 15-5 and ranked No. 8.  

Games that will be played in 1-5A will be girls and boys matchups of Benton at Airline, Byrd at Haughton and Natchitoches Central hosts Parkway.  

District 1-4A was going to have its first full slate of league games but with all the games involving games at Caddo schools all were cancelled.   

In District 1-2A Calvary’s game at Lakeside have been rescheduled for Jan. 29. D’Arbonne Woods’ games at Loyola will be played tonight only if water is restored at the school.  

Local 1-1A teams Magnolia Charter and Plain Dealing are both on the road in district play. The Mariners travel to Arcadia and the Lions are at Ringgold.  

Calvary will host its annual Extravaganza Classic matching top teams from across the state against some of the top local squads with six games on Saturday.  

Starting things at noon is Evangel vs. Ouachita, then Huntington plays Rayville at 1:30 and Captain Shreve faces Franklin Parish at 3 p.m. 

Southwood meets Peabody of Alexandria at 4:30. St. Augustine travels from New Orleans to play Bossier at 6 p.m. and the host Cavaliers will play Wossman at 7:30.   

Friday’s games  

GIRLS 

District 1-5A  

Benton at Airline  

Byrd at Haughton  

Southwood at Captain Shreve, ppd.  

Parkway at Natchitoches Central  

District 1-4A  

Bossier at BTW, ppd.  

Evangel at Northwood, ppd.  

North DeSoto at Huntington, ppd.  

Woodlawn at Minden, ppd.  

District 1-2A  

Calvary at Lakeside, ppd. to Jan. 29  

Green Oaks at North Caddo, ppd.  

D’Arbonne Woods at Loyola, TBD  

District 1-1A  

Magnolia Charter at Arcadia  

Plain Dealing at Ringgold  

BOYS  

District 1-5A  

Benton at Airline  

Byrd at Haughton  

Southwood at Captain Shreve, ppd.  

Parkway at Natchitoches Central 

District 1-4A  

Bossier at BTW, ppd.  

Evangel at Northwood, ppd.  

North DeSoto at Huntington, ppd.  

Woodlawn at Minden, ppd.  

District 1-2A  

Calvary at Lakeside, ppd. to Jan. 29  

Green Oaks at North Caddo, ppd.  

D’Arbonne Woods at Loyola, TBD  

District 1-1A  

Magnolia Charter at Arcadia  

Plain Dealing at Ringgold  

Saturday’s games  

BOYS  

Calvary Hoopfest  

Evangel vs. Ouachita, noon  

Huntington vs. Rayville, 1:30 p.m.  

Captain Shreve vs. Franklin Parish, 3 p.m.  

Southwood vs. Peabody, 4:30 p.m.  

Bossier vs. St. Augustine, 6 p.m.  

Calvary vs. Wossman, 7:30 p.m. 

Area college hoops:  Grambling hosts Southern in Saturday twinbill

/ Megan Lowe
MEETING EXPECTATIONS:  Texas Tech transfer Daniel Batcho led Louisiana Tech to a pair of Conference USA wins last week and won league Player of the Week honors. (Photo by DARRELL JAMES, Louisiana Tech Athletics)

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Grambling vs. Southern in any sport gets intense immediately after schedules are posted.

Saturday’s Tigers-Jaguars basketball doubleheader at the Fred Hobdy Assembly Center in Grambling will have plenty of spice.

Former Centenary head coach and Northwestern State assistant Kevin Johnson is now the bench boss at Southern, where Captain Shreve and NSU great Roman Banks is the veteran AD (and former head coach). The Jags are 9-8 overall and like the Tigers, 3-1 in the SWAC.

The women’s contest, tipping at noon, also matches a pair of teams with 3-1 conference records.

Winners will remain among the SWAC leaders.

Four miles east at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters line up Saturday at 2 for the first time against new Conference USA member Jacksonville State (6-9, 1-2). The winner will rise to .500 in the league standings.

Quick glances at our local NCAA Division I college hoop squads:

MEN 

Louisiana Tech:  12-6 overall, 2-1 in Conference USA 

Daniel Batcho was expected to be a key addition for the Bulldogs and it showed last week. The 6-8 transfer from Texas Tech, where he started 17 games a year ago, was the CUSA Player of the Week after averaging 18.5 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks in wins at Middle Tennessee and at home over Liberty. A native of Paris (France, not Texas) leads CUSA and is top 20 nationally in rebounds (10.2 pg) and blocks (2.25), and also is best in the league in shooting aim (56.6 percent).

NEXT – Saturday, at Jacksonville State, 4:00; next Thursday, home vs. UTEP, 6:00 

Grambling:  6-11 overall, 3-1 in Southwestern Athletic Conference

The Tigers thoroughly enjoyed last weekend’s Florida swing, missing the worst of our winter blast as they notched victories at Bethune-Cookman (79-69) in Daytona Beach last Saturday and in Tallahassee at Florida A&M (65-62) Monday night. Junior guard Kintavious Dozier led with two-game averages of 24 points and 61.5 percent (16-26) shooting aim and earned the SWAC Impact Player of the Week award. Earlier this season, he won the SWAC Player of the Week honor. Dozier, a 6-1 Gasden State (Ala.) CC transfer, tops Grambling with his 14.9 scoring average and hits 49 percent of his shots.

NEXT – Saturday, home vs. Southern, 2:30; won’t play again until next Saturday at home vs. Miss. Valley

Northwestern State:  4-13 overall, 2-2 in Southland Conference 

The Demons played league-unbeaten McNeese tough, then stacked up a couple of homecourt wins over two SLC foes trying to fight upward from the cellar, blasting UIW 97-71 with a 59-point second half, and building a big lead before having to hold off Houston Christian 69-64 Monday afternoon in Prather Coliseum. With their first hefty dose of confidence under first-year coach Rick Cabrera, they’re on the road against two of the better teams early in league play this weekend.

NEXT – Saturday, at UNO, 4:00; Monday, at Southeastern La., 6:00 

WOMEN 

Louisiana Tech: 7-11 overall, 1-2 in CUSA 

The Lady Techsters dropped both league games last week, a 64-61 overtime loss at Middle Tennessee (13-4 overall, 3-0 in CUSA) and a 66-59 homecourt defeat by Liberty, which is just 6-13 overall, 1-3 in conference. Six of the nine CUSA teams already have two league losses while Middle, Florida International and Western Kentucky are a combined 10-1 early in the race.

NEXT – Saturday, home vs. Jacksonville State, 2:00; next Thursday, at UTEP, 8:00. 

Grambling:  9-6 overall, 3-1 in SWAC 

It was a hard-earned Sunshine State sweep for the Lady Tigers, 63-62 at Bethune-Cookman and 88-85 at FAMU, last weekend. Neither team scored in the final 1:25 in the nailbiter at Daytona Beach, and the FAMU contest went triple overtime. Two Lady Rattler free throws with three seconds to go in the first OT extended the contest. Grambling scored the last seven points in the third extra period to win.

NEXT – Saturday, home vs. Southern, noon; won’t play again until next Saturday, home vs. Miss. Valley 

Northwestern State:  6-13 overall, 2-3 in SLC 

The Lady Demons dipped to 1-8 on the road Thursday night when they were outscored 12-5 in the last five minutes at preseason conference favorite Southeastern Louisiana and fell 55-48. They’re on the road for their next two, then face league leader Texas A&M-Commerce at home next Saturday.

NEXT – Saturday, at UNO, 2:00; next Thursday, at McNeese, 7:00

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

Column: Money Matters

/ NPJ
 

We’ve been in this financial planning series for several weeks now, so let’s take a moment and recap our journey in creating a sound financial plan.

  1. Start with an Emergency Fund: Begin with an emergency fund equal to 3-6 months’ worth of expenses.
  2. Insure Your Most Valuable Asset: Ensure your ability to make money by insuring against disability and loss of life. Care for your loved ones with cost-effective term insurance.
  3. Start Saving for Retirement: Take advantage of your company match and start early to enjoy the benefits of compound growth.
  4. Get Rid of Bad Debt: Stop habits that allow debt to grow and create a plan to pay it down, starting with the highest interest rate cards/loans or the smallest ones.
  5. Set Up a Budget: Plan for other goals by having a good budget in place. This is a good article to start with.
  6. Methods to Creating a Financial Plan: This article lays the groundwork for the complex planning discussed going forward.
  7. Detailed Look at Retirement Planning: Discussing rules of thumb to determine if you are on track.

Now, let’s be honest here. If you’ve completed all the steps mentioned above and still have room in your budget to fund additional goals, you’re doing exceptionally well. With over 20 years of experience as a financial planner, I want to assure you that feeling overwhelmed at this point is not uncommon.

Courtney Montgomery delved into New Year’s resolutions and health in a recent article, Empowering Wellness, for the journal. She emphasized the importance of celebrating small wins and not giving up. The same principle applies to financial planning. If your focus right now is on building your emergency fund, that’s a significant accomplishment—celebrate that win. If you’re in the process of creating a budget as a crucial step toward achieving your goals, that’s commendable too. Celebrate each step in the right direction and gradually build on your progress one step at a time.

Assuming you have the basics in place, what about other goals like a house, marriage, college, vacations, or season LSU Tickets with a motor home to go with it (that is one of mine)? The approach remains the same—start with the end in mind, calculate the cost, and start saving. However, for short-term goals, your investment strategy will differ. If you’ll need the money within a year, consider short-term options like money market, US Treasury securities, or CDs. For longer-term goals, adjust your investment strategy accordingly.

For example, consider college savings with 529 plans. These plans offer tax benefits, and in Louisiana, there’s an added state income tax deduction with the START Saving plan. Prioritize your goals, look at your budget, and start saving for the highest priority item, then move down the list.

Celebrate small wins and keep working towards your goals!

Next week, we’ll delve into estate planning, covering basics initially and getting more complex later. In future articles, we’ll explore the investment side of wealth management, providing education on diversification, asset allocation, expenses, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, and more. We’ll take it one week at a time.

Matt Bankston, CFP®, Co-Publisher of the Shreveport Bossier Journal, also serves as a Managing Director at Choreo Advisors, an independent firm focused on redefining the RIA’s role in the wealth advisory industry. Choreo, LLC is registered as an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training of the adviser or its representatives.

Over The Moon!  Johnny Earthquake and The Moondogs Turn 30!

/ NPJ
 

To say the Natchitoches band, Johnny Earthquake and The Moondogs, have accomplished a lot and come a long way in their nearly thirty years of existence would be quite the understatement.  They are perhaps the most popular and in-demand party show band in the region.

Members of the group profess to be “Over the Moon” about celebrating the Moondogs’ thirty years in 2024; the band is embarking on its appropriately named “Over the Moon Tour” in honor of the anniversary.  The Moondogs have dates booked all over Louisiana, into Texas, Mississippi, and as far away as Pensacola, Florida.

Rodney Harrington, the band’s leader, and whose “day job” as he calls it, is being a Natchitoches Attorney, attributes the band’s longevity to its fun-loving spirit and ability to change with the times.  “Although I’m the only original member, the band has been in quite a long period of stability,” said Harrington.  “Most of the band members now have been with us multiple years, some as many as 15 or 20 years.  That adds a lot of stability and helps keep the band tight.  We know each other so well that we know what each other are going to do almost before they do it. Also, we’re constantly adding new and different songs to our repertoire to keep it fresh for us and the crowd.”

Adam Guillory, a teacher from Pineville and the youngest member of the band, who has been with the group for more than 10 years, says that The Moondogs formula for success is kind of a recipe of factors:  “You mix good music, songs you know and can sing along to played in a competent manner, high energy, and crowd interaction, stir it all up, and you’re going to wind up with a gumbo called Johnny Earthquake and The Moondogs.”

“In fact,” Guillory continued “we refer to our show and the music that we perform as ‘The Stuff That Screams Are Made Of!’  That says it all.”

The Moondogs have performed all over the South and as far north as West Virginia and have released several CD’s, to wide-spread critical acclaim.  One respected music journalist referred to The Moondogs as “Quite simply, Louisiana’s best show band.”  (City Lights magazine)

Another one gushed: “No other Louisiana band can touch them.” (Portfolio magazine)

Over the years, the band and its members have won many awards such as winning “Best Overall Band” and “Crowd Favorite” at a regional band competition in Shreveport, being named “Best Band in Cenla,” winning a state-wide award from Louisiana Special Olympics, and being named “Best of the Best” wedding bands by The Knot, which is the nation’s leading wedding planning website.

In fact, the band has been placed in The Knot’s Hall of Fame of wedding bands which signifies their being named as the “Best of the Best” wedding bands nationwide for at least eight years running.

“What’s funny about that,” said Chuck Lacroix from Alexandria, the bands’ trumpeter, who also lists his “day job” as Attorney,” is we don’t consider ourselves a ‘Wedding Band,’ per se.”

“Oh sure, we play a lot of weddings and love doing them and apparently some people think we’re among the best at it, but to us we’re just a high-energy show band that plays great music and brings the party wherever we go.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a wedding, festival, Mardi Gras Ball or party, private event, or a Concert on the Beach in Pensacola before thousands of people (which the band has played annually for over 10 years), we’re just playing fun, high energy shows and having a great time doing it.  I think the fact that we love what we do and are having a great time translates to the crowd.”

“We also feel that is what contributes to our longevity.” Lacroix continued, “It’s pretty humbling and satisfying that after all these years we are still in such high demand.”

The Moondogs are particularly popular with Mardi Gras Krewes, annually playing balls and parties across the South.

In addition to the band’s Hall of Fame induction, Harrington has been inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Hall of Master Folk Artists.

Johnny Earthquake and The Moondogs’ travels and notoriety have given them the opportunity to perform with some of the luminaries in the music business, people like:  Rock and Roll Hall of Famers James Burton and D. J. Fontana along with Estelle Brown, all members of Elvis Presley’s band, Rick Derringer, Grammy winner Wayne Toups, Grammy winner Jo-El Sonnier, Joe Stampley, Sam the Sham, Mitch Ryder, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Trombone Shorty and many, many more.

Johnny Earthquake has performed as a guest artist with The Beach Boys, The Doobie Brothers, Percy Sledge, Badfinger, and many others.

The band even has its own radio show!  Harrington is the host of the syndicated and popular “Jammin’ with Johnny — The Johnny Earthquake Show” which is the only radio show in north Louisiana to regularly feature live and recorded local and area music, and at 25 years on the air, is one of Louisiana’s longest running local radio programs. It’s doubtful whether any other regional band in America has its own syndicated radio program.

One of the band’s proudest accomplishments is their charity work, using their talents to raise money and awareness for various worthy causes.  Harrington figures there is no band in Louisiana that has played more charity gigs and raised more money for charitable causes than The Moondogs.

When he was asked how much longer he thought that The Moondogs would keep playing “‘The Stuff That Screams Are Made Of,”  Harrington laughed and said: “I’ll give you the same answer that we give when people ask us at a concert or event what time we will stop playing.  We always tell them that we will continue to play till the police make us quit.”

When Harrington was then asked whether the authorities had ever had to intervene to stop a Moondog performance, Harrington simply smiled again, winked, shrugged his shoulders and said: “I’ll never tell, you’ll just have to come out to a show to find out for yourself.”  You can check out Johnny Earthquake and The Moondogs at their website:  www.themoondogs.com

Police search for runaway Ka’Leatha Pennywell – found safe

/ NPJ
Ka’Leatha Pennywell

The Shreveport Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 16-year-old Ka’Leatha Pennywell, reported missing Thursday. Last seen in the 2200 block of Morningside Drive, Pennywell was wearing a gray sweater and black pants.

Described as 5’8″ tall and weighing 215 pounds, she is the subject of an active search. Authorities urge anyone with information about Pennywell’s whereabouts to contact Shreveport Police at 318-673-7300 #3 or 318-673-6955.

In a reminder to the community, harboring a runaway is considered illegal, and individuals choosing to do so may face arrest. The police are committed to ensuring Pennywell’s safe return and appreciate the cooperation of the public in providing any relevant information.

Police search for runaway

/ NPJ
Emerald Hicks

The Shreveport Police Department has issued a plea to the public for assistance in locating a 16-year-old runaway, Emerald Hicks. According to the police report released on January 18, Hicks was reported missing on January 17, and was last seen in the 500 Block of Melrose Street at approximately 2:00 a.m. that morning.

Emerald Hicks is described as approximately 5’7” tall, weighing around 140 pounds. Unfortunately, there is no available information regarding her clothing description at this time.

Authorities urge anyone with information regarding Hicks’ whereabouts to contact the Shreveport Police at 318-673-7300 #3 or 318-673-6955. It is important to note that harboring a runaway is illegal, and individuals found to be doing so may face arrest.

The community is encouraged to come forward with any information that might aid in locating Emerald Hicks and ensuring her safe return home. The Shreveport Police Department is actively investigating this case and appreciates the collaboration and support of the community in their efforts to reunite Hicks with her family.

Teen arrested in Via Street shooting – charges upgraded to manslaughter

/ NPJ
 

In a tragic incident Wednesday, a young man lost his life in the Mooretown neighborhood of Shreveport. The Shreveport Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit swiftly made an arrest, leading to the detention of a 16-year-old who is now facing serious charges.

Responding to reports of a shooting in the 4100 block of Via Street just before 6:00 p.m., Shreveport Police patrol officers discovered an 18-year-old victim with a fatal gunshot wound to the upper body. Despite efforts by the Shreveport Fire Department, the victim was pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed that four individuals were inside a car in the block, and a 16-year-old in the backseat possessed what witnesses described as an AR pistol. Tragically, the weapon discharged while the juvenile was handling it, striking the front seat passenger in the back of the torso.

The Caddo Parish Coroner took custody of the decedent, and their identity will be released by the Coroner’s Office at a later time. The 16-year-old suspect was promptly photographed, fingerprinted, and booked into the Caddo Parish Juvenile Detention Center on one count of Illegal Use of a Weapon. As the investigation continues, there is a possibility that charges may be upgraded.

The Shreveport Police Department emphasizes the importance of responsible firearm handling, discouraging individuals from dealing with weapons they are not familiar with. This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for proper weapon storage and adherence to safety protocols when handling firearms.