The Shreveport Police Department in collaboration with our law enforcement partners at the Bossier City Police Department and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office are excited to announce the launch ofa new voluntary disability decal program called “Friends of the Community.” This initiative promotes better communication and understanding between law enforcement and individuals with special needs.

The “Friends of the Community” program provides residents with a decal that helps first responders identify individuals who may have difficulty communicating or understanding directions during an emergency. The decals should be placed near the front window of a home or on the rear driver’s side. window of a vehicle, making them easily visible to first responders.

By clearly identifying special needs, these decals aim to improve safety and ensure that interactions with law enforcement are conducted with greater sensitivity and awareness.

“Effective communication is essential for ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals,” said Sgt. Matt Hannah of the Bossier City Police Department. “This program is a significant step towards bridging gaps and fostering a more inclusive environment where everyone’s needs are recognized and respected.*

How to Participate: Individuals interested in participating in the “Friends of the Community”
program can obtain their decals at no cost from any of the three participating agencies. The information provided for decal registration will remain confidential and will only be utilized by first responders during emergencies.

Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office:
Pick up locations: Any Caddo Sheriff’s sub-stations, Safety Town, or the Community Relations and Crime Prevention office located at 1501 Corporate Dr. in Shreveport

Decal Pickup Locations:

Bossier City Police Department:
Point of Contact: Sgt. Mathew Hannah
Email: hannahm@bossiercity.org
Phone: 318-549-4596
Pick up location: 620 Benton Rd. in Bossier City

Shreveport Police Department:

Point of Contact: Lt. Amy Bowman – Community Policing Bureau
Email: amy.bowman@shreveportla.gov
Phone: 318-673-6950
Pick up location: 1234 Texas St. in Shreveport

This program is a collaborative effort to enhance public safety and provide a more accommodating environment for individuals with special needs, All residents are encouraged to participate to help ensure that every individual receives the care and understanding they deserve.

For more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to the participating agencies directly.

During an Aug. 27 special meeting, the Caddo Parish School Board narrowed the field for its nationwide superintendent search to one finalist: Keith Burton. Burton is the district’s current chief academic officer. 

Out of an initial pool of 29 applicants, the McPhearson & Jacobson LLC (recruitment firm) narrowed the search to six semi-finalists.

After public input, the board entered two executive sessions to deliberate. Burton, Thomas Rogers, and Cheryl Proctor were chosen as the board’s top three candidates.

Board member Christine Tharpe’s motion to interview the top candidate was seconded by Board member Katie McLain and approved. Burton’s interview is scheduled for Sept. 11. The board aims to have a new superintendent in place by Oct. 1.

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services

Thinking out loud while wondering if 50 Cent would mind paying to resurface not the roads that lead to Shreveport, but the roads in Shreveport? . . . .

I love my radio friends, but every time that toe-fungus commercial comes on, I’m out . . . .

Anyone else bothered by when you check-in for an appointment, the receptionist is eating her breakfast or lunch? Right in front of you? . . . .

How hard is it to park a car between the yellow lines, so you don’t take up two spaces? Apparently, very hard . . . .

Speaking of parking, we gripe a lot about the street potholes. But parking lot potholes are just as bad. Shouldn’t the property owner be responsible? . . . .

I recently met a man who said one doctor advised him to have surgery. In search of a second opinion, the man was told by another doctor if he had surgery, he would die. How can there be that much of a disconnect between two well-trained physicians? . . . .

My friend and Journal colleague John James Marshall, and his brother Ben, sometimes ask on their radio show what’s something for which you would pay, no matter the cost. For me, it’s air conditioning number one, followed by movers. I’m about to move, and apparently, movers know their worth.  Yikes! . . . .

I hope Shreveport’s new indoor football team is successful. But I am not a fan of the team’s nickname. I’ve lived in Shreveport-Bossier a long time and had never heard of a “Rouxgaroux.” There should have been a “Name the Team” contest, to give us locals some input . . . .

I don’t have a long bucket list, but on it is seeing Dolly Parton perform live. Sadly, she doesn’t tour . . . .

I recently took my father to one of our hospital’s emergency rooms. Everyone we encountered was very professional and showed a great deal of compassion. That is so appreciated during a stressful time . . . .

My fiancee’ and I took her twin six-year-old grandkids to an area bowling alley. It was my first visit in years. Wow, what a beautiful, clean place! My only complaint was that the alley’s website, and a sign inside, said the cost to bowl was $22/hour until 5pm. After five, the cost was $30/hour. We checked in between 4:50-4:55 and were charged the “after 5pm price”. When I asked why, I was told because we wouldn’t be finished bowling by five. That was contradictory to the alley’s displayed pricing —  and it wasn’t fair.

What’s something you do, that you don’t like when it’s done to you? For me, it’s trying to get on an elevator before the people walk off . . . .

My friend Bill sent me a sign which read “Why is no one ever the right amount of whelmed?” That’s a good point. Someone is either overwhelmed or underwhelmed. Never just whelmed . . . .

I went down a rabbit hole of Elvis tribute artists. There are some good ones, but I wonder if they ever get out of character? When they make a dinner reservation, do they use the name “Elvis?”

My thanks to Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers for sponsoring the next year of the weekly “What’s Your Story?” series in the Shreveport-Bossier Journal. I love hearing people’s stories, then sharing them with you . . . . .

Here’s hoping Shreveport Regional Airport gets approved to allow non-fliers past the security checkpoint. That would allow anyone to eat at the airport’s new restaurants, and we would be able to walk our family and friends to their gate and meet them when they return home. Ah, just like the good ‘ol days . . . .

The best $200 I’ve ever spent was for one of those things you hook up to your dead car battery to charge. I’ve used mine twice and was back on the road in minutes . . . .

It blows my mind how our life can change in an instant. A family of four was on a hike overseas. The mountain ledge gave way, and the 40-year-old husband was about to fall into an alligator-infested river. The wife grabbed her husband’s hand as he dangled in the air. The husband had to make a split-second decision: pull his wife down with him or let go. He chose to save his wife. The man was eaten alive within 30 seconds of hitting the water. A 40-year-old’s life ended way too soon, and two children lost their father . . . .

How many slices of pizza is too many for one person to eat? Asking for a friend . . . .

If you’re an LSU football fan, here’s a shameless plug for my radio show, “Talkin’ Tiger Football”. Now in it’s 17^th year, you can listen each Thursday during the season (starting August 29^th) on 1130 “The Tiger”, and on the station’s app and website.

I miss Rodney Dangerfield on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson . . . .

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com.

The Shreveport Police Department remains committed to addressing firearm-related offenses in our community. On Aug. 26, just after midnight, Shreveport Police officers responded to a report of an armed individual in the 2800 block of Quinton Street.

Upon arrival, officers encountered 59-year-old Lamar Coleman, who had been reported firing a gun into the air and waving it around, causing alarm among residents. The situation was quickly brought under control, and Coleman was taken into custody without incident.

Coleman has been charged with resisting an officer and discharging a firearm. The handgun was seized, ensuring that it would no longer pose a threat to our community.

“We are grateful for the professionalism and restraint shown by our officers in handling this potentially dangerous situation,” said Chief Smith. “Incidents like this can have drastically different outcomes, and we are thankful that our officers were able to resolve it safely.”

The Shreveport Police Department will continue to work tirelessly to reduce gun violence and keep our neighborhoods safe.

Bossier Sheriff’s deputies Christopher Shavers, Colton Hunter, Jake Brown, and Traneil Barnett have successfully completed their certification as D.A.R.E. instructors for Bossier Parish Schools. On August 23rd, 2024, these four School Resource Officers graduated from the prestigious Louisiana D.A.R.E. Officers Training course held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They proudly join the ranks of the 47th graduating class, having undergone a comprehensive two-week program designed to equip them with the necessary knowledge and insight to effectively teach D.A.R.E. lessons to their students. Also, this training challenges them to become mentors, guiding students towards making safe and healthy decisions throughout their lives. The four BSO deputies won several awards during the event. Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington was the guest speaker for the ceremony. 

D.A.R.E., an acronym for “Drug Abuse Resistance Education,” focuses on empowering fifth-graders with the tools to resist the dangers of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, violence, and other societal evils that children face today. Additionally, the program addresses the critical issue of bullying. The SROs, supported by Sheriff Julian Whittington and the Bossier Parish School Board, take on the responsibility of teaching this vital anti-drug and violence course. 

With their newfound expertise, Deputies Shavers, Hunter, Brown, and Barnett are poised to make a significant impact on the lives of the students they serve. Their commitment to creating a safe environment, coupled with their role as mentors, will undoubtedly shape the future of these young individuals. Sheriff Whittington commended their unwavering dedication and wish them every success in their mission to educate and protect the youth of Bossier Parish. 

Deputy Shavers was presented his D.A.R.E. pin by his father, retired Baton Rouge City Constables Office Sgt. Scott Shavers, who graduated from the same program in 2001. 

“The DARE program is a critical part of helping students avoid making bad choices when it comes to drugs and violence, our deputies understand the importance of this program and the impact it can make on the lives of students”, said Sheriff Whittington. 

By Doug De Graffenried

I learned what Rene Descartes said, “I think, therefore I am.” I’m still not sure what Rene was getting at, but it sounds good. If you say it in Latin, “Cogito ergo sum” you can sound very intellectual, while not wholly understanding the concept.

I’m a more pedestrian thinker. My version of it is, “I drive, therefore I am.” I should have kept up with all the miles I have put on vehicles. I live twenty-three minutes from the church. I spend nearly an hour in the car each day going to and from the office. I love my commute on I-20. I have prayer time in the morning and again in the afternoon. There are times that I’m praying for the driver in front of me, that they would quit being “doubleminded” and put their foot on the accelerator. I have also called upon the name of the Lord when the driver in the left lane suddenly cuts across my lane to exit the interstate quickly. I’ll wager they are thinking, “I signaled, didn’t I?”

For the past weeks from roughly the Bienville Parish line to the city limits of Ruston a little work has been going on. The trees on the side of the interstate are being removed. There is heavy equipment involved in the clearing of the shoulder. The contractor is cutting the trees down and then a machine comes and turns the tree into mulch. For miles, this crew is transforming the shoulder of the interstate. They are also removing the trees from the median of the interstate.

My first thought, when I saw the equipment, was I needed one of those.

My view has changed as the trees have disappeared. 

The trees were allowed to grow too close to the road. I don’t know that factually, but it is an educated guess. This trimming allows for a margin of grass to separate drivers from trees that might fall in some kind of storm. It is visually appealing and calming.

Who would have thought that margin was important on the Interstate? Margin is the edge or border of something. The page you are reading has some kind of margin. If it did not, your brain would revolt at the visual effrontery. We need a margin around the page to read. I’m learning that margin around the road is important too.

How about margin in your life? How are you getting it all done? Are you taking time to reflect? To rest? To pray?

I’m going to translate what Jesus said, in your Bibles it is transliterated.

Jesus said, “Rest (The Sabbath) was created for humanity, not humanity for the rest. (Sabbath.) Sabbath, rest, downtime, relaxing, or if you will margin, is a gift from God that allows you to renew yourself and to discover God’s grace in the simple things of life.

Take time off, it will change your view of the journey.

Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston.

You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com

WHEN: Saturday, August 31, 2024
TIME:  9 AM
WHERE: 100 Starkway Rd, Coushatta, Louisiana

Partial Listing: (8) Power Generation 30KW Generators, Cummings Engine ~ Approx 50 Solar Solutions Panels ~ Job Boxes ~ Bottle Racks ~ Testing Equipment ~ Valves & Fittings ~ Fuel Tanks ~ Power Units ~ Truck Beds ~ Metal Tables ~ Pipe Racks ~ Lots of Rolls of Electrical Wire ~ Approx 2000 Joints of 2 3/8 inch pipe (lots unused) ~ 500 Joints 2 inch Pipe ~ Log Mats ~ Approx 200 Joints of 3 & 4 inch pipe ~ Approx 300 Joints of 6 inch pipe ~ 50 Joints 10 inch Pipe ~ GN Flatbed Trailers ~ Haul Mark Bumper Enclosed Trailer ~ Cat D5G Dozer, cab/air ~ Ford 575 Loader Backhoe ~ (5) Ford Service Trucks ~ Several other trucks ~ (2) Diamond T GN Dump Trailers ~ Several Bumper Trailers ~ Approx 15 Big Standup Metal Vessels ~ (7) 10,000 Gallon Water Tanks on Skid ~ Irrigation 6 inch Pipe Reels ~ 40ft & 20ft Metal Storage Containers

For more information, call Rex at 318-648-8509 or 318-471-0962 or visit us online at:
www.proxibid.com/lasyone

There’s something for everyone!! We hope to see you there!!
Rex Lasyone, LA lic#:1549, TX lic#: 16267

(Liquidation of Coushatta equipment yard location only)

Directions to Auction Site ~ From Coushatta:

Hwy 71N, go 1 mile, Take Y in the road to the right on Hwy 371 North, go 4 miles, take right on Hwy 786, sale site will be 2 miles on the left. Follow the SWN Entergy signs.

Starting this Friday, Aug. 30, fans rooting on their favorite Bossier Parish teams will be able to do so with additional peace of mind knowing security is being stepped up at all middle and high school home games. 

After months of planning and training, Bossier Schools will begin full implementation of the OpenGate Weapons Detection System at the Bossier City Lions Club Jamboree on Aug. 30 at Airline High Stadium. A successful trial run has already been conducted at a recent Airline scrimmage game and another one will take place Tuesday, Aug. 27 at Tiger Pride Night at Benton High Stadium. We do ask patrons to allow ample time for screening as this is a new process for us all.  

OpenGate is a non-invasive metal detector that utilizes two walk-through towers and advanced sensors and software to screen high volumes of people without slowing normal foot traffic. It is the same system used at many professional sporting events to detect weapons, including firearms, knives and explosives, and its portability makes it ideal for use at school functions. 

“Safety is paramount in everything we do at Bossier Schools and OpenGate will further enhance the safe environment our district strives to maintain,” said Jason Rowland, Superintendent of Bossier Schools. “No one can ignore the events we see play out in the news around the state and nation, and while we cannot control some evil doers’ intentions, we are taking additional measures to keep them out of events in Bossier.”  

A few tips before entering the gates at future events at Bossier Schools: 

• No weapons are allowed, including pocket knives. 
• Schools are firearm-free zones and concealed handgun permits do not apply on any part of our campuses. 
• No backpacks are allowed
• Purses and diaper bags are subject to being searched.  
• Umbrellas, chair backs and other items will need to be carried and passed to staff as visitors walk through the weapons detection system. 

We thank our community for its cooperation in helping keep everyone safe while attending events at Bossier Schools so we can focus on why we are all there; to cheer on our students and be their biggest fans.

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 56-year-old pathologist did important work.

“The doctors would do surgeries, cut something out, and he would look to determine if it was cancerous.”

But years of hanging his head while eyeballing slides, and bending his body while performing autopsies, had taken their toll.

“He did his neck like this (chin into chest), so his posture was like this (bent at the waist). He was really weak and thin.”

But the pathologist began working with a personal trainer. Month, after month, after month.

“He got stronger. He got in good shape. He was just a different person. The way he walked. Everything.”

Thirty-two years later, “I still train him today. He’s 88.”

Recently, the now upright gentleman had kidney stones. He was in the hospital for a week and lost 10 pounds of muscle. The home health physical therapist went to the retired man’s house. The therapist wasn’t there long.

“We can’t help you,” the therapist said.

“That made me feel so good. That guy was strong, and he had a reserve of strength. He didn’t need PT.”

Ron Dunigan, the 59-year-old, soft-spoken owner of Ron Dunigan’s Professional Fitness Center in Shreveport, told me that story, and his story, during a break from working out men and women of all ages. Ron’s been doing this fitness thing  42 years – one year more than he’s been married. And he still finds the pleasure.

“It makes me feel like I’m not working when I’m helping people with their exercises. They come in here with a problem and I can put it at bay – cover the ache, or make the pain go away. They get excited and they’re happy.”

Ron stumbled his way into fitness as a pre-teen. Raised by his mom (Ron’s parents were divorced) in Haughton, she would sometimes, on her way to work, drop him off to swim at the old Western Hills Motel.

“I noticed these people were coming out of this door. I went over and looked and there was a whirlpool, so I got in the whirlpool. There was another door that went to a little exercise area. I just got in there and started exercising. I didn’t have anything else to do.”

Ron was hooked. A few years later when he had his own car, Ron became a member of that little club.

“I was 15 years old and had two payment books – one for my car and one for my fitness membership. It was $10 a month.”

The best $10 a month Ron ever spent.

“I just took to it real naturally. Some of the things I learned about exercise when I was 15, I still use today training people.”

Ready to grow his bank account as well as his forearms, Ron went to work for another fitness center, where exercising wasn’t the priority.

“They were very sales oriented. That’s how they kept the doors open. There were three or four of us trainers there, and if you took somebody on a tour and they left without signing up, (the trainer) would get fired. I knew really quick if I was going to keep this job, I had to sell memberships. The only way I could sell them is to sell (customers) that I could help them. I knew I was dedicating myself to helping these people.”

That dedication continued when Ron, who says he has never taken steroids, went to work for Jim Harral, then the area’s King of fitness. But after seven years, Ron knew it was time to go out on his own. HCA Highland Hospital was new, and its administrators wanted a fitness center.

“It was nerve-wracking because I didn’t know how it was going to go. There was such a big overhead, with utilities, water, and the upkeep. I had to borrow the money for all the equipment.”

But thanks to a strong marketing push – “The hospital administrator said, ‘Look, we’re not going to let you fail.’ – Ron’s fears soon faded.

“I was very successful really quick.”

The hospital was eventually sold. The new owners wanted Ron to stay. But as is often the case after a sale, things changed. So, Ron had to make another big decision. Remain, or open a new, free-standing building.

“At 46 years old, to come out and spend money for a piece of property – an acre – on Youree Drive, and build a 9,200 square foot building, was very expensive.”

But that expense has paid off. Not only does Ron have a healthy number of members, but there’s also a waiting list of people wanting to be personally trained by either Ron, or Tad, one of Ron’s three sons. In fact, Ron is pretty sure he was Shreveport’s first personal trainer, back in 1984.

“We didn’t open until 10am, so I would come in at six and start training people. They were doing it a lot in Los Angeles and New York for people who were in the movie industry. They would have personal trainers get them ready for movies. I took the idea, thinking these people (here) need extra help. All I was doing was writing a workout – giving them two or three workouts and writing them on a card. That’s all they had.”

Many fitness centers – Ron guesses 14-16, some big and some small – have come and gone since he first got in the business. Yet, Ron is still standing. Still thriving.

“I was just going to tough it out and believe the Lord would take care of me. Each time these big monsters came in, the Lord took care of me.”

Knowing Ron, with his bulging biceps and chiseled chest, was looking at me thinking, ‘Man, this guy really needs to get in better shape,’ I asked my final question. As always, what is it about his story that could influence someone else?

“Real simple. Real simple. Get close to the Lord. Get in the Word, and God promises to make you successful in whatever you put your hands to. Seek righteousness first. Seek HIS heart. Once you seek that, he says ‘I will give you everything else your heart desires.’ When I got to that point, I realized it’s all about me keeping his covenants. Me keeping his commandments. Me giving him my heart every day.”

And a healthy heart at that.

Do you know someone with a story? Email SBJTonyT@gmail.com.