Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation held its “Girl You Got It” basketball and empowerment camp on June 12 with guest instructor Shantel Hardison, former WNBA player for the Indiana Fever.
This unique camp helped girls ages 6-14 refine their fundamental basketball skills, while encouraging them to achieve their life goals. In addition to the basketball skills/drills component, all campers were required to attend a series of age-appropriate workshop presentations.
Topics included:
– Self-esteem / Empowerment / Mental Health
– Substance Abuse and Opioids
– Nutrition Tips / Wellness
– Bullying / Cyberbullying
– Relationships & Dating Violence
– Social Media Platforms “Do’s and Don’ts”
– College Recruiting / Eligibility Process
For a complete listing of summer programs, activities, and parks, visit caddoparks.org.
Audrey Virginia Woollen December 9, 1931 — June 10, 2024 Service: Thursday, June 13, 2024, 11am at Trinity Heights Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Jacklyn Claire Shelton Songy November 21, 1944 — June 9, 2024 Service: Thursday, June 13, 2024, Rose Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Mary Laverne Ford Baker September 22, 1942 — June 9, 2024 Service: Friday, June 14, 2024, 5pm at Rose Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Leo N. Plette May 27, 1930 — June 9, 2024 Service: Friday, June 14, 2024, Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Bossier City.
Robert Wayne Wilcox July 1, 1955 — March 23, 2024 Service: Saturday, June 22, 2024, 2pm at Rose Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
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)
Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington recently administered the Oath of Affirmation in a swearing-in ceremony for two new deputies and welcomed three new corrections officers that have joined the Bossier Sheriff’s Office team.
The swearing-in ceremony for newly hired Deputies Makayla Curry and Brandon Ernst was held in the Sheriff’s Conference Room in the Bossier Parish Courthouse on Monday morning. Sheriff Whittington told the new deputies, “I commend you for joining a great team and welcome you to the Bossier Sheriff’s Office.”
Sheriff Whittington also welcomed new corrections officers Joe Busby, Justin Epps, and Clyde Herrera to the Bossier Sheriff’s Office.
All new deputies and corrections officers will begin their careers at one of the BSO correctional facilities.
If you are seeking a career that offers excitement in the workplace and allows you to make a difference in your community, then the Bossier Sheriff’s Office is the place for you. To apply to be a deputy, applicants must be 21 years of age. However, the Bossier Sheriff’s Office does offer a corrections officer position that requires the applicant to be 18 years of age.
To start the process of becoming a member of the Bossier Sheriff’s Office, call the Human Resources Department to schedule a test today. You can reach them by calling (318)965-3459.
Surrounded by legislators, economic development leaders and business stakeholders from around the state, Governor Jeff Landry signed legislation that fulfills his commitment to overhaul the state’s approach to economic development and revitalize business investment and job creation throughout the state.
SB 494, known as the “Positioning Louisiana to Win” bill, modernizes the organizational structure of Louisiana Economic Development so it can better attract new business and more effectively support the businesses already invested in our state.
The bill signing coincided with LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois’ announcement of her senior leadership team, which adds extensive private sector, economic development and change management experience at a pivotal moment in the agency’s history.
“Today we are taking the first big step toward restoring Louisiana’s position as the economic powerhouse of the South,” Governor Landry said. “We have always had the most skilled and dedicated workers, the richest natural resources and the best location for national and international commerce in the country. Now, with the signing of this bill and the leadership of Secretary Bourgeois, we can finally take full advantage of all the things that make Louisiana so special and give our workers and their families the future they deserve.”
The legislation establishes a private sector-led board – the Louisiana Economic Development Partnership (LEDP) – charged with developing an economic development strategic plan and advising on policies, programs and initiatives that promote economic growth in the state. It also provides the agency with critical flexibility to operate at the speed of business by exempting it from state procurement and technology services bottlenecks.
“Louisiana has a historic opportunity for investment, jobs, growth, innovation and global impact,” Secretary Bourgeois said. “But we can’t seize that opportunity unless we dramatically change our approach. The passage of SB 494 clears a path for that transformation to occur. I want to thank the bill’s author, Sen. Beth Mizell, and House Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Daryl Deshotel; the House and Senate leadership; and the entire State Legislature for their unwavering support. With the governor, legislators, stakeholders and business leaders pulling in the same direction, and a talented and energized LED leadership team in place, realizing our state’s extraordinary economic potential is now within reach.”
By eliminating the statutory requirement that the governor appoint an Assistant Secretary and Undersecretary, SB 494 gives the LED secretary flexibility to create a leadership structure that best serves the agency’s current needs. Bourgeois was joined at the bill signing by her newly appointed executive team:
“The ‘Positioning Louisiana to Win’ bill is a perfect illustration of the great things that can be accomplished when we all work together to create a better Louisiana,” said the bill’s author, Sen. Mizell. “It has already had a positive effect, giving Sec. Bourgeois the flexibility to assemble a talented leadership team that has a wealth of private sector experience. LED now has the tools it needs to move at the speed of business and help our local, regional and business partners put Louisiana back on top.”
The new legislation brings LED’s organizational framework in line with the best practices of other state economic development agencies such as Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia as highlighted in a recent Louisiana Legislative Auditor report. It also follows the recommendations of a study commissioned by the Committee of 100, a private nonprofit organization whose members include CEOs of leading private and public companies and Louisiana university presidents.
“Other states have had capabilities and structure we lacked at LED,” said Adam Knapp, CEO of the Committee of 100. “It’s important that this bill was based on independent, national research of best practices in other states. Today’s bill signing marks a new day in Louisiana’s aggressive pursuit of economic development.”
About LED Louisiana Economic Development is responsible for strengthening the state’s business environment and creating a more vibrant economy. Explore how LED cultivates jobs and economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana and employers of all sizes at OpportunityLouisiana.com.
A total of 225 Centenary students have been named to the Dean’s List for Spring 2024. The honor list names all students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in 12 or more semester hours taken for a letter grade during the semester. Those students who have opted out of publicly sharing their private information are not listed. Students on the Centenary Spring 2024 Dean’s List are listed by their home countries/states and cities.
The biggest, most star-studded and fun-filled party of every summer for miles around is coming your way next weekend.
Three days of festivities are right around the corner, Thursday June 20 through Saturday June 22, with the 2024 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Natchitoches.
The LSHOF’s Class of 2024 will be enshrined next Saturday night at the Natchitoches Events Center to culminate the 65th Induction Celebration.
The Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, June 20, with the Welcome Reception from 5-7 p.m., free to the public at the Hall of Fame museum.
The Friday, June 21 schedule begins with the Celebrity Bowling Bash presented by BOM at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. The 2024 Rockin’ River Fest, a free concert presented by Rapides Regional Medical Center on the downtown riverbank stage, begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 10:30. In conjunction with the Rockin’ River Fest is the VIP Taste of Tailgating party.
The slate on Saturday, June 22 kicks off with the free LSHOF Junior Training Camp led by community relations personnel from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, on the NSU campus at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center and Turpin Stadium. This event has been filled to capacity since last month.
At noon Saturday, the Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation is set for Riverside Reserve on Mill Street.
Festivities culminate Saturday evening with the Induction Reception at the LSHOF museum beginning at 5, followed at 7 by the Induction Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center. Northwestern State University and State Farm Agents of Louisiana are presenting sponsors Saturday evening.
The VIP Taste of Tailgating, the Bowling Bash, the Round Table Luncheon and the Induction Reception and Ceremony are ticketed events requiring purchase in advance through LaSportsHall.com or by calling 318-238-4255. Those events are nearing sellouts.
The Thursday reception, the Friday evening River Fest and the Junior Training Camp are free.
The Class of 2024 is headlined by a star-studded group of eight inductees from the LSHOF “competitors ballot,” led by national sports celebrities Seimone Augustus, Drew Brees and Daniel Cormier.
Along with Brees, the New Orleans Saints’ NFL record-setting passer, is Augustus, a Baton Rouge native who is one of women’s basketball’s all-time best, and Cormier, the Lafayette born-and-raised Olympic wrestler who became and remains one of the most prominent figures in MMA.
This year’s class also includes 1992 Olympic wrestling gold medalist Kevin Jackson from LSU along with former basketball coach Tulane Perry Clark and McNeese football great Kerry Joseph, who had a 19-year pro career.
More inductees are high school football coach Frank Monica, who won state titles at three different south Louisiana schools, and Ray Sibille, a Breeders’ Cup-winning thoroughbred jockey from Sunset who ranks among the nation’s elite riders.
Grambling’s Wilbert Ellis becomes the second-ever recipient of the Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award. During his 43-year baseball coaching career and since, Ellis has made local, statewide and national impact not only in the competitive arena but also in community service and leadership.
Winners of the LSWA’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism are widely-respected south Louisiana sportswriters Bobby Ardoin and Ron Higgins. Longtime Southland Conference commissioner Tom Burnett, a Louisiana Tech graduate, will receive the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award.
The 2024 Induction Celebration will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors.
For information on sponsorship opportunities and other participation, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040 or RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com, or Greg Burke, Director of Business Development and Public Relations, at 318-663-5459 or GregBurke@LaSportsHall.com via email.
We catch a lot of heat in Louisiana for being backward and a few baseballs shy of a sack. Last in this and next-to-last in that.
Sometimes I think the rest of America just makes stuff up about us so they can feel better about themselves.
True, we bring some of it on ourselves.
But one thing we’ve about got figured out, and that’s ball. Any sport of any kind — we’ll take a knee and give you the winter sports — we’ll call you and raise you.
Louisiana knows ball. Louisiana knows all about competition. And winning.
Case in point: the annual Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies are a week from Saturday, June 22, in Natchitoches, home of the state’s Hall. (To be a part of the celebration, visit LASportsHall.com and join in the three-day festivities, beginning Thursday afternoon, June 20. Good times!)
Among the “only” inductees we could come up with this year are NFL record-setting passer and Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees of your New Orleans Saints, eight-time WNBA All-Star Seimone Augustus of Capitol High in Baton Rouge, 1992 Olympic wrestling gold medalist and LSU All-American Kevin Jackson, and Breeders’ Cup-winning thoroughbred jockey Ray Sibille from Sunset, who in retirement was selected by his peers as the winner of the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, given annually “for career achievements and personal character that reflect positively on the sport of thoroughbred racing”; his mounts won nearly $69 million over a 35-year career.
And that’s not even HALF the class.
Most other states are scraping around to find three or maybe four inductees into their Sports Halls each year. Our 40-person Louisiana Sports Writers Association selection committee dukes it out all year until a Sunday in August when we gather and fistfight and pray and laugh and argue until we can settle on eight — and that’s not counting a couple of other awards that honor top-shelf media and worldwide leaders from Louisiana.
This year the panel considered 149 nominees from 28 different sports categories. The ballot was 35 pages.
It’s not easy, even if you know what you’re doing. We have Olympians and All-Pros and All-Americans on the ballot in-waiting. Their only flaw? — their deep ties to a state where you can’t swing a cat without hitting some athletic superstar.
Star-studded, every year.
Perry Clark will be enshrined next week. His masterful job of guiding Tulane basketball in the 1990s might never be duplicated.
McNeese football’s Kerry Joseph was a pro who could play for anyone and most any skill position.
Frank Monica won state titles coaching at three different south Louisiana schools.
Daniel Cormier of Lafayette’s Northside High is a name as familiar to mixed martial arts fans as Babe Ruth’s is to baseball fans. An all-state football player and All-American wrestler, he transitioned to mixed martial arts, where the King of the Cage became a UFC Hall of Famer and is now a staple as a commentator on ESPN’s UFC events.
This year, the second-ever recipient of the Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award will be presented to Wilbert Ellis, and if there’s been a more humble or honorable inductee, most of us are scratching our heads to figure out who that could be. The retired Grambling baseball coach is being recognized with this non-annual award, first presented in 2020 to network broadcaster Tim Brando of Fair Park, for his “long-term exemplary contributions to the perception of Louisiana.” Coach Ellis represents the best we have.
Since its founding in 1958, the Hall will have enshrined 492 men and women by next Saturday. If you’ve been to any of these ceremonies, you’ve witnessed taped video introductions that defy even the most sports minded. You’ve shared in gracious acceptance speeches, most including laughs, many including tears. It’s the best night of the year for Louisiana sports because the Hall of Famers and Louisiana’s fans, the best in the business, make it so.
Shriners Children’s Hospital in Shreveport congratulates Amanda Carfagno, RN, MSN, on being selected as its Nurse of the Year for 2024. Amanda’s selection is the result of nominations from fellow nurses as well as employees throughout the facility.
Amanda earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2011 from the University of Central Florida. She began her nursing career at Willis-Knighton Pierremont in Shreveport, where she served as a floor nurse in both the step down and intensive care units. She later transitioned to the system’s pediatric neurology clinics.
In 2015, Amanda joined the staff of Shriners Children’s Shreveport as a nurse in the clinic. Shortly after joining the facility, she began working towards becoming a nurse practitioner. She earned her Masters of Science in Nursing degree from Northwestern State University in 2018, and was promptly made a member of the medical staff. Since joining the facility, Amanda has demonstrated outstanding commitment to providing compassionate, expert care to patients and families.
Her nursing peers state:
“Families love her so much”
“She makes everyone feel so welcomed and cared for”
“She is kind, cheerful, and always greets everyone with her beautiful smile”
Amanda is married to husband Mario, with whom she shares three children: Brentley, Mayleigh, and Abigail. The family can often be found at area bike tracks or at the horse barn.
Shreveport Police officers responded to a call regarding a theft on June 9 around 4 pm in the 3000 block of North Market Street. The initial report indicated that a male was stealing items from a local drugstore. Upon arrival, officers observed the suspect across the street at a gas station.
As officers attempted to make contact, the suspect, identified as 36-year-old Travis Sullivan, began pouring gasoline on himself and the ground. He then set the gasoline on the ground on fire and threw gasoline at the officers, attempting to ignite them.
Despite the extreme danger, Shreveport Police Department patrol officers were able to take Sullivan into custody without using deadly force. Sullivan has been charged with:
– Two counts of battery on an officer
– Three counts of aggravated assault on a police officer
– Arson
– Theft
Fortunately, no one was seriously injured during this highly perilous incident.
Shreveport Police Chief Smith commends the exemplary actions of the responding officers for their bravery and professionalism in handling the situation and preventing a potential catastrophe.
STRIDING TOWARD ‘25: LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson is proud of how his Tigers finished this season, but is adjusting his roster management philosophy for next spring. (Photo by SIERRA BEAULIEU, LSU Athletics)
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – Jay Johnson’s 43-minute Tuesday afternoon press conference – probably the longest since his introductory presser when he was hired as LSU’s head baseball coach in June 2021 – became an unofficial State of his Tigers address.
He made it clear he’s not interested in the Texas head coaching vacancy despite rumors he’s at the top of the Longhorns’ wish list.
“I have not been contacted,” said Johnson, who has more wins (137) than any LSU head baseball coach in history in their first three seasons after the defending national champion Tigers rallied for a 43-23 finish, almost advancing to a Super Regional they would have hosted. “Contractually if I was to be contacted, (LSU athletic director) Scott Woodward would be the first person that knows because that’s what it says in my contract.
“And I’m very, very thankful to be here . . . I think I’m built for this job incredibly well because you’re just going to face a lot of bullets coming at you. There was nobody better positioned to help us get through what we did (winning the last 21 of 28 games despite a 3-12 start in SEC play) than me, and that’s exactly what happened. I’m not saying it’s because of me, but I feel like I’m very well positioned to help LSU and players that commit and stay at LSU to be really successful.”
Johnson also said he’s changing his recruiting philosophy because of mass roster defections caused by the NCAA’s transfer portal and LSU’s proclivity for producing many major league draft choices.
After LSU had 13 players drafted last season (players are first eligible to be drafted as high school seniors and then as third-year college players), Johnson figures anywhere from five to 11 Tigers could be taken in the upcoming draft in July. So far, nine LSU players on the 2024 roster including a junior, three freshmen, two freshmen redshirts, and three sophomores have entered the transfer portal.
“I want the guy that (five-time national championship LSU head coach) Skip Bertman was able to redshirt and then get in there in some type of role and then elevate that role,” Johnson said. “And then become, a player that everybody around here remembers.
“My specialty is developing a program, that’s like my wheelhouse. But we’re in a different landscape now. I don’t think it’s about building a program anymore. It’s now about building your team one year at a time. We have to adapt and adjust to overcome that.
“I have a blueprint in my head (of the 2025 roster/playing rotation) of probably 12 or 13 position players that are really going to contribute, 9 to 11 pitchers and the rest of the roster needs to be able to do something really well and be completely bought into what we’re doing at LSU.”
Since arriving back in Baton Rouge last Tuesday after a heartbreaking 4-3 10-inning season-ending loss to host North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Regional championship game, Johnson dived headfirst into roster management.
His exit interviews with his players started to determine which underclassmen wanted to return to LSU or enter the transfer portal. He told players eligible for the major league draft that they were welcome to return to LSU if they weren’t drafted or were unhappy with their draft position after being selected.
Reliever Griffin Herring and first baseman Jared Jones are draft-eligible Tigers with remaining eligibility at the top of Johnson’s wish list to return.
“I know their value to LSU baseball and value they could create (by returning to LSU) for themselves next year is really high and they have a platform here to do that,” Johnson said. “If they were to return for a third year, they could leave here as one of the best pitchers and one of the best hitters ever to play here.”
Johnson sees the four Tigers who combined for 130 starts as true freshmen this past season – second baseman Stephen Milam (60 starts), outfielders Ashton Larson (40) and Jake Brown (21) and pitcher Cade Anderson (9) – as the 2025 squad’s building block as well as redshirt pitchers Chase Shores (sophomore) and Jason Noot (freshman) returning from Tommy John arm surgery.
Johnson can’t predict how many signees in his No. 2 nationally freshman signing class he’ll lose to MLB after the draft.
But he has signed five junior college players, led by junior college Division 1 national champion Blinn (Texas) College infielder Tanner Reaves. He hit .563 with 13 RBI and 14 runs scored in the NJCAA Division 1 College World Series.
Johnson understands day-to-day roster management is a fluid situation.
“You’ve got to be uncomfortable with uncertainty,” Johnson said. “Three days last week, a player would look me in the eye, say they were returning, and then call me and said they’re not returning.
GRAMBLING’S GUIDE: Wilbert Ellis has impacted generations of people not only around Grambling but around the country with his youth camps and other endeavors. (Photo courtesy Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame)
By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Written for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association
Some great athletes are born to be that way based on God-given talent that can be improved on with a solid work ethic, sheer determination and love of the game.
But it can sometimes work the opposite way for great coaches, who don’t always have great careers as athletes but become great coaches based on the same kind of God-given talent combined with a solid work ethic, sheer determination and love of the game.
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inductee Wilbert Ellis was one of those types of coaches. Ellis spent 30 seasons as Grambling’s head baseball coach after serving the previous 13 as an assistant under Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones.
Ellis retired in 2003 after posting a 743-463-1 record with three Southwestern Athletic Conference titles, five SWAC Western Division crowns and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
He was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame in 2011 and American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007. Now, he joins the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Ellis is part of the 12-member Class of 2024 to be honored June 20-22 in Natchitoches. For participation opportunities, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.
Those coaching credentials warranted strong consideration for LSHOF induction, but what sealed the deal, and made Ellis even more worthy was what he’s done out of a baseball uniform.
Ellis is the second recipient of the Hall’s Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award, established in 2020 when Shreveport-based national broadcaster Tim Brando was the winner.
The award is presented only occasionally and honors long-term exemplary contributions to the perception of Louisiana by an individual who has ties to the state’s sports landscape.
“Throughout his life, as a coach and in many ways since then, Wilbert Ellis has been a tremendous representative of our state and his beloved Grambling State University,” said LSHOF chairman Doug Ireland. “Our selection committee believes he is the ideal person to be the second winner of the Ambassador Award as a man who has been nationally prominent in his field while constantly benefiting Louisiana through words and deeds. Coach Ellis has bolstered our state’s identity and its well-being.”
Ellis is nationally regarded as one of the country’s finest representatives of college baseball, beloved by Grambling alumni for his expansive yet now unofficial, longstanding role at the university.
He has been a trusted advisor for generations of presidents, athletic directors and coaches at Grambling, and to others in Lincoln Parish and statewide in community and governmental affairs.
Ellis was instrumental in the establishment of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum in Grambling, and the school’s Grambling Legends sports hall of fame. He still conducts baseball clinics for kids in Lincoln Parish and elsewhere, and serves as an NCAA Regional site supervisor.
In 2015, the Ruston-Lincoln (Parish) Chamber of Commerce presented Ellis with the 2015 Robert E. Russ Award, which is the highest award that is given for community impact in Ruston or Lincoln Parish, and in 2021 Ellis received that year’s Bill Best Humanitarian Award from the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.
That award was established in 1997 by the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce to recognize a local citizen for their outstanding contributions to humanitarian interests, unselfish giving, and service to others.
Ellis oversaw construction of Grambling’s baseball facility that houses Wilbert Ellis Field at Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones Park and serves as president of the Friends of the Eddie Robinson Museum organization.
And in 2022 Ellis was inducted into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame in Baton Rouge for his proactive approach in working with youth conducting clinics teaching hardball skills at the same time as offering instruction on the importance of life skills such as staying in school and completing their educations, staying away from drugs and alcohol and becoming productive citizens upon entering adulthood.
Those clinics include nearly 15 years worth of free Wilbert Ellis Youth Baseball Clinics in Ruston and more than 20 years guiding similar youth camps in conjunction with the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
“My whole life has been about guiding people and especially children and young people,” Ellis said. “For me, it was never about the wins and losses – instead, I wanted to see what I could teach them about the game of life through the game of baseball. Every year I’d attend the national coaches convention to learn different ways to make an impact in the kids’ lives, and those lessons have helped me make a difference here in Louisiana. We now have youth camps in Grambling, Ruston, and Lincoln Parish where 200-300 kids come out for the sessions.
“All I’ve wanted to do since I was young was lead coach others in all phases of life and with his grace the Good Lord has granted me with that honor, just as the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame is granting me this upcoming honor. Being honored and joining all the great athletes, baseball coaches and players from Louisiana, the state I’ve always lived in, is incredibly thrilling and rewarding. It’s been a good life for this kid who coached on the east end of Ruston.”
TOPS IN BOSSIER: Benton running back Greg Manning finished his career as the all-time leading rusher in Bossier Parish with 4,041 yards. (Journal photo by JOHN JAMES MARSHALL)
By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports
Benton running back Greg Manning finished his illustrious high school career last season as the third-leading rusher in Caddo-Bossier history.
Manning finished his senior season with a career-best 1,490 yards to give him 4,041 total yards and made him the fourth back in the area with over 4,000 career yards. It was his second consecutive season with more than 1,400 yards (1,452) and third straight 1,000-yard season. He finished 12 yards ahead of Bossier’s Johnny Hogan for the most in Bossier Parish history.
Only Jeremy Jefferson (BTW) with 6,452 yards and Kordavion Washington of Calvary with 5,160 yards is ahead of Manning. Six of the top 10 career leaders are from Bossier and Benton has half of those.
Jefferson had a pair of 2,600-yard seasons, the top two single seasons in local history, with Jonathan Simo of Loyola third with 2,157. Washington is the only other back over 2k at 2,030.
DOUBLE DUTY:LSUS basketball coach Kyle Blankenship (at right) directs Trey Johnson during a game this season. The Pilots’ coach also was the LSUS interim women’s coach in 2023-24. (Photo courtesy LSUS)
JOURNAL SPORTS
LSUS basketball coach Kyle Blankenship is one of four finalists for the Allstate Sugar Bowl state Collegiate Coach of the Year, which is selected by the New Orleans Sports Awards Committee.
Blankenship, the long-time men’s coach, assumed control of the women’s team just two weeks before the regular season started.
He coached both teams to the NAIA Tournament with a combined 54-12 record, including a pair of NAIA Tournament wins on the same day.
Blankenship was voted the Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association following a 30-3 season with the Lady Pilots and the program’s first-ever NAIA Tournament win. LSUS also won the Red River Athletics Conference regular season and conference tournament titles with an unblemished league record.
“What we were able to accomplish this season coaching two teams is something that has never been done before in college basketball history,” Blankenship said. “I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to lead both our men’s and women’s teams this past season.
“It was definitely the highlight of my 12-year career and one that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
Blankenship joins LSU gymnastics coach Jay Clark, McNeese men’s basketball coach Will Wade, and LSU Eunice baseball coach Jeff Willis as finalists.
Both Clark and Willis won national championships in their respective sports, the first-ever for LSU gymnastics.
Willis continued to add to LSU Eunice’s junior college dominance with his eighth national championship in the past 19 seasons.
Wade was named the LSWA Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year after helping the Cowboys improve their record by 19 games (30-4 record) in his first season at the helm, which tied the NCAA Division I record for single-season improvement.
“What an incredible honor to be considered for such a prestigious award in our state,” Blankenship said. “I have such great pride being from Louisiana and coaching at my hometown’s university.
“To be mentioned in the same category with two national championship coaches and one who led the biggest turnaround in college basketball this season is pretty cool.”
The winner will be announced June 28 by the committee, but fans will also have their say.
Voting is open for the coaching award along with the top male and female college athlete honors, dubbed the James J. Corbett Awards.
The fan favorites will be announced alongside the committee’s choices.
By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director
(SECOND OF A TWO-PART SERIES)
Centenary followed its accomplishment-filled fall and winter sports seasons highlighted in the SBJ last Wednesday with plenty of achievements in spring sports, making the 2023-24 athletic year one that will be tough to top.
BASEBALL: The Diamond Gents won the 2024 SCAC Championship last month in Cleburne, Texas by defeating Texas Lutheran 9-5 and made their third appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history.
Centenary completed a memorable run through the loser’s bracket by winning three-straight elimination games over three days to win a second SCAC tournament title in three years after claiming the title in 2022.
Coach Mike Diaz moved into third-place all-time in conference history with 144 SCAC regular-season wins with a win on April 20 against Texas Lutheran, passing Jim Mallon of Southwestern.
Diaz, who just completed his 14th season at the helm, became the all-time winningest coach in program history last season with his 292nd win and is now 318-229-1, having passed former HC Ed McCann (1999-2010) for the all-time wins mark in school history. He won his 300th game on Feb. 13 against Rhodes College.
Nine Centenary players were named All-SCAC, seven made the All-Tournament Team, and two were named All-Region. Freshman first baseman Alex Miller was named the Freshman of the Year. Miller is the third consecutive Centenary player, and fifth all-time, to earn SCAC Freshman of the Year honors.
SOFTBALL: Senior right fielder Mackenzie Cox was named to the Division III All-Region team by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association last month. Cox, named to the first team, was one of 376 student-athletes from 167 schools to make an all-region team nationally.
Cox posted another stellar season in which she was named first-team All-SCAC, earned a spot on the 2024 SCAC Championship All-Tournament Team, and was named SCAC Hitter of the Week once during the season. She is the first Centenary player to be named All-Region since Anna Dunn was named to the West Region first team in 2018.
MEN’S GOLF: Senior Andrew Bennett participated in the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships last month in Boulder City, Nev. after he claimed the individual title at the SCAC Championships in Whitney, Texas. He was one of six individuals selected to participate in the championships and was the first Centenary men’s golfer to qualify for the NCAA’s in the DIII era (2013-present). Bennett posted under par scores (71, 71 and 70) in each of his three rounds, becoming just the third player in conference championship history to do so, and his three-day total of 212 is tied for the third-lowest finishing score in conference history.
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD: Senior Xavier Venious was named All-SCAC following his runner-up finish in the 400-meter hurdles at the SCAC Championships in April. Venious’ time of 55.64 was second to only Trinity’s Justin Johnson (53.51). He also placed sixth in the 400-meter dash as he ran a time of 49.80 and put an exclamation point on a superb senior season which saw him record multiple top-five finishes.
GYMNASTICS: Freshman Olivia Williams was named a first-team All-American following her appearance in the finals at the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships in April. The sensational rookie finished 13th on floor with a 9.66 score. Williams put a cap on her outstanding rookie season after recording a career-high 9.75 on floor on April 12 to qualify for the event finals the next day.
CHEER: The Centenary Competitive Cheer team capped off an impressive season by being named Star Spirit Nationals Virtual Finale Champions for the College Game Day Division. Centenary competed in the Star Spirit Productions Nationals on May 13. The bid was awarded to the team’s game time routine that was performed in February in Baton Rouge.
Centenary earned three national runner-up finishes at the United Spirit Association Collegiate Championships in February in Anaheim, Calif. The Maroon and White, which earned two runner ups and an additional third-place finish on day one of the USA Collegiate Championships, competed in the college game day division where they were crowned national runner-up in the fight song and band chant division and brought home third place in the situational sideline division. The team posted season and program-high scores in each routine earning a 94.9/100 in fight song, 96.4/100 in situational sideline, and 96.8/100 in band chant.
What the heck is going on in the bass tournament world? Drama, drama and more drama, tournament after tournament!
It’s worse than watching daytime soap operas and it’s on every level across the country. It includes grown men who have become overly sensitive about people fishing too close, to those who think forward-facing sonar is ruining the sport, to people who think cheating is OK.
What’s that old saying? ”If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.” Enough is enough with all the chit-chat, griping and complaining about every little thing!
Anglers are taking to social media like bees going to honey, eagerly giving their side of an incident that took place at their last event. They’re attempting to explain their thought process and why they did what they did. Every little thing, every incident and situation are now public knowledge. Cameras are rolling in every boat so that these incidents can be posted on social media. Nothing is private anymore!
So why has bass fishing all the sudden become an episode of the Jerry Springer Show? Is it intentional, and a way to get more social media likes and followers, or is it just a sign of the times where we as a society are looking for just any little thing we can share with the entire world?
Part of the problem is the amount of money anglers are fishing for today. Whether it’s a big bass tournament or a team fishing circuit, the money anglers are fishing for in a lot of bass tournaments is insane.
The next issue: today’s lakes and waterways are more crowded than a Rolling Stones concert. We aren’t just talking about bass fishermen either. There are a ton of pleasure boaters and jet skiers who have the same rights to the lakes and waterways as anglers do. Now most anglers won’t agree with my last statement, but it’s the truth.
So, with so much money at stake and more people on the water now, conflicts are bound to arise from time to time. But excluding the recreational boaters, why are so many bass anglers having conflicts on the water? One reason is the lack of what is called “on the water etiquette.” These are the unwritten rules that today’s younger generation of anglers (high school and college) have not been taught.
Just like Little League, many dads or coaches are volunteers, and some have never played the game so they are not familiar with how the game should be taught. Don’t get me wrong, I love that there are people who will step up and take over a team that needs a coach. Volunteers are critical to the success of any sports league, but sometimes they need coaching themselves. This same rule applies for today’s high school boat captains; they need some coaching.
Here’s where the problem comes in. Some dads/coaches/boat captains have a disease known as an “ego” and will let this get in the way of allowing them to be taught on how to be a better coach/boat captain. Trust me when I tell you that tournament bass anglers suffer from the same disease. They hate being told (me included) that we did something wrong, especially on the water. But once in a while, we all need reminded how to act on the water.
But my generation was taught, and we listened to the older guys when we started our fishing careers. We had the utmost respect for the older guys and would frequently seek out their knowledge. We were always looking to them for advice because we all wanted to be better anglers.
I have yet to have a young angler, or a boat captain, come up and ask me anything about the unwritten rules of the water or ask for any advice. If there’s one area high school bass fishing is failing, it is dads or boat captains not knowing the unwritten rules of fishing etiquette – and they aren’t asking for advice from the older guys.
I will admit that I have gotten a little testy with some high school anglers and boat captains. I have lost my cool with these guys more than once, and occasionally still do, especially when I see an experienced boat captain who fishes tournaments himself making dumb decisions on the water and setting a bad example for the young anglers in their boat.
My message to ALL anglers is this; if you’re doing something that you think might not be right, trust your instincts and don’t do it! If you’re not sure about a certain situation, ask an older angler for advice. It all boils down to one thing — respect. Respect is not only for other anglers, but for the sport as well.
Coming soon, I will go over the unwritten rules of tournament bass fishing, and I hope my readers will share this very important information that all anglers need to hear.
‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and when in doubt … set the hook!
I was always fascinated with Betsy Ross. I imagined her in the parlor sewing that first United States flag as a symbol of patriotism with pride and honor. Preferring to retain the childhood memories that permeate my heart, I hardly listen when historians claim this as a myth.
Besides, the importance of the flag remains unchanged. On Flag Day (June 14) and during National Flag Week, we take pride in the promise and purpose represented by our nation’s flag, first created in 1777.
From the Betsy Ross Flag of 13 stars to the current one of 50 commissioned by President Eisenhower in 1959, Americans fly this symbol of national pride over battlefields, cemeteries, schools, buildings, courthouses, and homes.
An annual presidential proclamation has been in place since 1966, directing the appropriate officials to display the flag on all Federal Government buildings during this week and urging all Americans to observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by displaying the flag and honoring all of our brave service members and revering those who gave their last full measure of devotion defending our freedoms.
“Americans are encouraged to observe with pride and all due ceremony those days from Flag Day through Independence Day by proudly displaying our nation’s flag.”
Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana who wants her former history teachers to know that she’s finally doing all that homework she skipped out on in the 80’s. She can be reached at Jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.
Audrey Virginia Woollen December 9, 1931 — June 10, 2024 Service: Thursday, June 13, 2024, 11am at Trinity Heights Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Jacklyn Claire Shelton Songy November 21, 1944 — June 9, 2024 Service: Thursday, June 13, 2024, Rose Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Mary Laverne Ford Baker September 22, 1942 — June 9, 2024 Service: Friday, June 14, 2024, 5pm at Rose Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Leo N. Plette May 27, 1930 — June 9, 2024 Service: Friday, June 14, 2024, Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Bossier City.
Robert Wayne Wilcox July 1, 1955 — March 23, 2024 Service: Saturday, June 22, 2024, 2pm at Rose Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
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)
Shreveport’s Caddo Common Outdoor Pavilion was the place to be Saturday, June 8 for silky smooth Jazz as the Shreveport Regional Jazz Ensemble presented a superbly done free concert at the park. The ensemble, a fixture of the local music scene since 1980, is comprised of retired band directors and music teachers. They are led by founder and CEO Louis C. Wells, Sr. who, at 96 years young, still conducts the group and plays a trumpet solo.
The family-friendly event also featured play and hands-on art areas for children. There was also a “Live Art” area for painters. Food trucks filled the air with savory aromas. The concert was funded by a grant from the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and is one of a continuing series of events held in the area. From concerts, presentations, artwalks and other public events to the creative reuse of the old Central Fire Station and beautiful Caddo Common Park, the SRAC is doing much to bring new life into what was once a blighted area.
A NIP HERE, A TUCK THERE: Dr. Kenneth Sanders has helped thousands of people — mostly women — look their best. (Submitted photo)
Everyone has a story.
Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s Tony Taglavore takes to lunch a local person – someone well-known, successful, and/or influential, and asks, “What’s Your Story?”
By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services
The parents brought their child to the doctor. Not that kind of doctor. The six-year-old wasn’t sick, but she wasn’t well, either.
“She was very introverted,” the doctor remembered. “Withdrawn is a perfect word. She wouldn’t put her hair in a ponytail. She wanted to be a little cheerleader, but they had to wear ponytails, so she didn’t want to do cheerleading because of that.”
What could possibly cause this precious soul to have such low self-esteem at such a young age?
“She was a little girl with ears just poking way out…It was the first thing you saw — big ears.”
The doctor was a plastic surgeon, and a parent. He knew what was in the child’s future.
“Kids can be brutal on each other.”
The surgeon worked his magic. Snipping, pulling, folding, tucking. Upon seeing the child afterwards, he almost didn’t recognize her. It had nothing to do with her ears.
“She was alive. She was bubbly. She was smiling.”
So, whatever happened to the six-year-old with “big ears”?
“She’s now a social media influencer modeling clothes.”
Doctor Kenneth Sanders, one of our area’s best-known and most-respected facial plastic surgeons, told me that success story, and his story, during lunch at Bodacious Bar and Q in Shreveport. The restaurant is close to Dr. Sanders’ office, which allowed us to visit between patients. Dr. Sanders, who is health conscious and physically fit from working out several times a week, had a three-meat plate (brisket, sausage, pulled pork), and a club soda. I enjoyed a Cobb Salad with brisket, and water.
“Stuff like that gets to me sometimes,” Dr. Sanders said of the young girl’s operation. “Especially kids. Especially kids.”
Maybe that’s because Dr. Sanders thinks back to when he was a kid. One of two children, Dr. Sanders had a “different” childhood, growing up in Dallas-Ft. Worth after being born in Virginia. He didn’t want to be too specific about why things were so tough. Let’s just say his now-deceased father had extreme religious beliefs.
No television. No Christmas. No holiday celebrations.
Life was also a struggle financially, which Dr. Sanders used as motivation.
“I laid in bed saying, ‘I will never be here again.’”
The Sanders family eventually found their way to Louisiana – south Louisiana. Dr. Sanders was a good high school student in the subjects which lent themselves to the medical field. “Math and Science came really easy for me, so I didn’t have to work hard at that at all. I liked it, and just about everything I liked, I could learn quickly.”
With grants and scholarships, Dr. Sanders enrolled at LSU-Alexandria, before finishing at Louisiana College in Pineville. Knowing the price tag, that’s when Dr. Sanders put his medical school plans on hold.
“I looked at it, and I could go directly into nursing school right then and be done in a year—18 months. Back then, $50,000 a year (as a nurse) was a fortune to me. You can even work two days a week and support yourself in med school. That was my plan.”
So, Dr. Sanders earned a two-year nursing degree, while working as a bartender and convenience store clerk. He also worked as a nurse’s aide in a hospital emergency room, where he met his future wife, Lynn, who was already a nurse.
“She loves to say I started out as her student.”
Lynn convinced her beau to go back to school and take the classes needed to get into med school.
“You don’t want to get older and wish you would have done it,” Lynn told him.
Louisiana State University School of Medicine at Shreveport is where, while dissecting dead bodies, Dr. Sanders found an affinity for facial surgery.
“When I got to the head, face, and neck area, I just loved it. I really fell in love with it.”
After his residency and fellowship, Dr. Sanders planned to go into practice with an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor. Those plans changed when the ENT doctor was arrested.
“I don’t know how he found me, but Jim Elrod (then the Willis-Knighton Health CEO), called me. He said something like, ‘Don’t worry. I know you’re stressed out right now taking your board exams, and with what just happened. If you need us, you have a job with us.’ That was amazing to me. That was huge. I had never heard of him. I didn’t know who he was.”
Dr. Sanders accepted Elrod’s offer to practice ENT and plastic surgery.
“They didn’t tell me this, but I know (Willis-Knighton people) met later and said we will let him try, but he’s probably going to fail at the plastics, and we will have another ENT doctor. That obviously didn’t happen. We were profitable in just over a year . . . . I was shocked. They were shocked.”
After 12 years, Dr. Sanders left Willis-Knighton and opened his own practice. Dr. Sanders estimates he’s performed more than 5,200 surgeries.
“I think I was at the very tale end of (when plastic surgery was for) the rich and famous only. When I finished school was about when Botox was FDA-approved. That was a big deal. Fillers started coming on the market. The whole rejuvenation industry changed . . . . I was in on the infancy of rejuvenation for everyone.”
Dr. Sanders has done very well professionally, which means he has done very well financially. The good doctor doesn’t apologize for his lifestyle, which includes building his “dream home – a big house”, and driving a “fast” car, as well as driving race cars at tracks around the country.
“I had a low bar for success when I was a kid. For me, success was if you have a flat tire, it’s not an emergency. It’s not the end of the week. That’s how we lived when I was a kid. Putting in cents of gas. People dropping off food at my house. Success to me was I can feed my family. If the refrigerator breaks, it’s not an emergency. That’s all I really need, honestly.”
Assuming a lady – Dr. Sanders says 85 percent of his patients are women – was back at his office waiting on him to re-shape her nose or lift her brows, I asked Dr. Sanders my final question. As always, what is it about your story that might be inspirational to others?
Dr. Sanders gave a two-part answer.
*Hard work pays off. I’m a firm believer of that, in every aspect. Childrearing, your job, your marriage. Everything.
*You can’t change the past. Your past has made you what you are. I think we would be different people with a different past . . . . I guess if you’re at the bottom of the barrel, you can’t think that way. I don’t know. I’m not there. I’m very happy with every aspect (of my life).
Thanks to Dr. Sanders, that once six-year-old girl may very well say the same.
During a recent news conference sponsored by AT&T, Bossier Parish Police jurors Philip Rodger (President) and Glenn Benton were in attendance for AT&T’s to announce a substantial investment of over $150 million in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.
In a statement, an AT&T representative said our mission is to bring connectivity to everyone, no matter where they live or where they come from. We’re working to boost network reliability and capacity and expand broadband nationwide to help bridge the digital divide.
Police Jury President Philip Rodgers said the jury has been working diligently to expand access to fiber in the parish. “We maintain constant communication with AT&T to enhance service for the residents, and this partnership has been crucial in achieving our objective,” Rodgers stated.
State officials believe this is a critical step towards closing the digital divide in Louisiana that will help stimulate significant economic and educational advancements for our citizens.
The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated a fatal crash that took place on June 10 around 5:22 pm on Hwy. 1 Northbound, between Scarpengo Road and Roy Road Extension.
Deputies were called to the scene of a multi-vehicle crash on Hwy. 1. A silver Chevy truck traveling south crossed into the opposite lane, colliding head-on with a Ford Edge and side-swiped a Toyota Camry.
The driver of the Ford was deceased at the scene. The driver of the Chevy sustained internal injuries and was transported to Ochsner Medical Center by Life Air. The driver of the Camry sustained minor injuries and was taken to Willis-Knighton Bossier by Fire District One.
Both northbound lanes are currently closed. Deputies advise travelers to avoid this section of the highway.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development advises motorists that beginning on Wednesday, June 12 the northbound outside (right) lane of LA 3 (Benton Road) in Bossier City will be closed from Montgomery Lane to Ashland Avenue.
This lane closure is scheduled to be in place for approximately three weeks. It is necessary to allow the contractor to work on the northbound driveways on Benton Road related to the Walter O. Bigby Carriageway project that is currently under construction.
The carriageway project is being managed by the City of Bossier City.
This work will be performed WEATHER PERMITTING.
Safety reminder:
DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.
Area residents should exercise caution when driving, walking, or biking near an active construction zone.
