Our staff will be stepping away from work today and tonight to spend time with their families celebrating the arrival of Santa Claus and moreso, the anniversary of the joyous news of the birth of the Christ child.
There will be no Christmas Day edition of the Shreveport-Bossier Journal, but we will be back in your e-mail box at 6:55 Thursday morning and online providing you with local news, information and sports – free of charge to everyone, with no annoying popups or log-ins required.
We wish you and yours peace on Earth, goodwill to all, and a very, very Merry Christmas!
POLITICAL SUCCESS: Cedric Glover spent years working for his constituents, after years working for his Cooper Road community. (Submitted photo)
Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s Tony Taglavore takes to lunch a local person – someone who is well-known, successful, and/or influential, and asks, “What’s Your Story?”
By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services
There was the high school sophomore, weighing some 250 pounds and wearing a size 15 shoe, standing on the steps of the United States Capitol. As part of the Close Up program, he and other Shreveport students were in Washington, D.C., as the Close Up website reads, to “find their unique voice and help them develop the skills and awareness they need to be engaged citizens for life.”
His group was getting “close up” with then Louisiana first-year Congressman Buddy Roemer.
“You are on record as opposing the designation of Dr. (Martin Luther) King’s birthday as a national holiday,” the young man boldly reminded the congressman. “Why is that, and are you open to changing your mind?”
Congressman Roemer’s answer wasn’t particularly satisfying for the student who grew up in the often-times neglected area known as the Cooper Road. Respectfully, the two went back and forth.
“Dr. Bratton (a teacher at Caddo Magnet High School) walks up and says, ‘You just gave a Harvard-educated congressman a pretty good run for his money with those questions. What do you intend to do with yourself?”
“I’m going to college, I’m going to play for the Dallas Cowboys, I’m going to win a fist-full of Super Bowl rings, and I’m going to come back and become a U.S. Senator.”
Then, Dr. Bratton said something that would change the course of the young man’s life.
“Well, the kid you’re going to have to beat for that position is in my classroom at Caddo Magnet. You need to come see what he’s up to.”
Hmmm . . . .
“That planted a seed.”
A seed that began to grow after the high schooler transferred from Green Oaks. Caddo Magnet didn’t have football, but it did have a newly formed debate team.
“While I missed football, I was really challenged by the environment at Caddo Magnet. It became probably one of the single best things that happened to me. I probably learned as much in those two years than I did in all the years prior, and for that matter, all the years after.”
Cedric Glover, former Shreveport City Councilman, Louisiana State Representative, Shreveport Mayor, and recently named Executive Director of Shreveport’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA), told me that story, and his story, during lunch at a place he chose, Fertitta’s Delicatessen. Cedric had the Miami Muffaletta which came with double meat and cheese, a bag of Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles, and a Coke Zero. I had a Meatball Muffaletta, Jalapeno chips, and bottled water.
Still suffering from a bilateral quadricep tendon rupture he suffered in 2012, Cedric’s stride looked painful. He brought his own chair with arms, which helps him sit down and get up.
“I’ve run 10 times, and I’ve won 9,” Cedric said matter-of-factly about his success in politics. “What led to my political service was my willingness to see the needs and challenges of my community and offer whatever talents and gifts and abilities I possessed, in an effort to try and address those issues and challenges.”
That willingness was likely born from learning about the efforts of his parents. Despite Cedric’s father having been in the Air Force and qualifying for a VA loan, he was restricted by law and custom to buying a home in the Cooper Road part of town. It was an area which lacked infrastructure and what we would now consider necessities.
“My parents and their friends were part of a community of individuals who were seeking to advance and elevate the neighborhood and community. There weren’t paved streets. There wasn’t access to a sewer system. There wasn’t access to a water system. There wasn’t fire protection. In order to be able to achieve those sorts of things, it was incumbent upon them to organize and facilitate those things.”
In late 1987, after studying at LSU, Southern University at Shreveport, LSUS, and Grambling – but not graduating – Cedric decided “it was time to step out into the real world.” That meant moving to Dallas – “what I thought would be my future.” But Cedric’s mom needed a third back surgery. With Cedric’s four siblings either married with families or entrenched in their profession, he was called back to the Cooper Road.
“It became my duty, which I embraced, to come home and see my mother through her convalescence, .”
But what Cedric remembered as an “Idyllic” area growing up, was being infiltrated by California gangs and crack cocaine.
“I’m seeing what had once been a rather safe environment now greatly disrupted by these two forces. I did not like it. I was not happy with it. In keeping with the tradition of those people who had raised me, my parents and the surrounding community, I became active and engaged and involved.
That meant working for the Boy Scouts of America, providing constructive programs for young men in an academic environment. That meant becoming president of the Martin Luther King Community Center and Neighborhood Association. That meant becoming program director for The Lighthouse, an after school and summer enrichment program for at-risk youth. And there were other roles, some of which worked hand-in-hand with law enforcement. Changes took place. Cedric’s efforts were working.
“In early 1990, people within the neighborhood began to suggest that if I had been able to achieve these sort of successes and make this kind of stance and you’re not elected, then you could probably end up achieving and impacting more if you were to run (for office).”
Cedric did, and served two-terms as city councilman (first elected at age 24). He was in the third year of his third term as state representative when voted into office as Shreveport’s first African American mayor, and became one of just three two-term mayors under the city’s current charter which went into effect in 1978.
“It was meaningful from the perspective of wanting to ensure that I left (Shreveport) better than I found it. I also wanted to make it possible for those who came behind me to be able to achieve the same objective, and not be burdened by the same things I was in terms of people doubting whether or not someone who looks like me or comes from where I’m from, not only having the ability to do the job, but do it well.”
At 59-years-old, Cedric says his new position leading the DDA, “boils down to another opportunity to serve Shreveport.”
“We are a decade from Shreveport’s bicentennial (2035) . . . . We’ve got a decade to answer ‘What is it we’re going to say to the future that these 200 years of Shreveport represents?’ . . . . I want to be able to say something that is positive, forward moving, and builds upon the time we’ve been here, and give those who will come behind us more to do and have going into the future.”
Cedric had already spent more than an hour-and-a-half with me, so I thought it best to ask my final question. As always, what is it about his story that might have an impact on someone?
“Believe in the possible. Whatever your situation and circumstances are, wherever you believe yourself to be, wherever you perceive yourself to have been born, whatever you believe your challenges to have been, those things that you aspire to, those things that you hope for, those things you dream of, those things you believe in, they are possible. But they don’t just come with wishing. They don’t just come with hoping. They come with time. They come with effort. They come with commitment. They come with determination. They come with the resolve that when you get knocked down, the important thing is to gather yourself, get back up, keep trying, and never give up.”
As the world prepares for the joy of Christmas, December 24 — Christmas Eve — shines as a magical evening filled with cherished traditions. From festive feasts to moments of reflection, families worldwide celebrate in unique and meaningful ways.
In many cultures, Christmas Eve is a time for gathering around the table. In Italy, the Feast of the Seven Fishes brings loved ones together to share a seafood-centered meal. In Scandinavian countries, dishes like roasted pork and mulled wine warm the heart and soul. Midnight Mass holds profound spiritual significance for many, with churches filled with carols and candlelight, marking the sacredness of the holiday.
For children, Christmas Eve brings the excitement of Santa Claus’s impending visit. Stockings are hung, cookies are left out, and families share stories by the fire. Whether through caroling or cozy movie nights, Christmas Eve traditions capture the magic of anticipation and togetherness.
FAMILY TIES: Justin Thomas and his father Hosie have learned all about life’s blessings. (Journal photo by JOHN JAMES MARSHALL)
(NOTE TO READERS – As 2025 approaches, the SBJ is featuring some of our favorite content from this year. This story about the remarkable Northwood football player Justin Thomas originally ran in the Journal on Sept. 25. More favorites will follow before New Year’s Day. Enjoy!)
By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports
It doesn’t take long after meeting Justin Thomas that you realize this isn’t your typical high school junior. Once you hear his story, you understand just how true that is.
He’s smart, with a daily schedule of nothing but advanced level classes. He’s athletic, starring in two sports at Northwood. He works just as hard at home as he does in the classroom and on the athletic field. And he’s as polite as he is modest.
Justin Thomas is living his best life.
Or so it seems.
Life for Thomas has been anything but typical.
Nine years ago, he lost his right hand in a machinery accident.
Last year, he could have lost his life due to a mysterious case of myocarditis that put him in hospital care for weeks.
And yet there he is every Friday night, chasing down opposing players as one of the leading tacklers on the Falcons’ defense.
So it’s only normal to wonder how Thomas has dealt with two life-altering circumstances.
“Actually, there’s three,” Thomas says. “When I was five years old, my house caught fire. I was the only one inside.”
***
He introduces himself as Justin Thomas, but everybody knows him as “Champ,” a nickname his father gave him when he was young that has become increasingly appropriate as time goes along.
Thomas is so highly regarded that he is one of the team captains for the Falcons as a junior. That’s usually a role reserved for seniors.
“To be honest, if he had been able to play last year,” says Northwood coach Austin Brown, “he probably would have been a captain as a sophomore.”
Make no mistake — he is Northwood, through and through. Thomas was a ball boy for the Falcons when he was a kid. His father Hosie is the school’s director of security.
Justin is among the leading tacklers for the Falcons, who are 3-0 this season and headed into a huge opening game in District 1-4A Friday when they take on defending champion North DeSoto.
Thomas has been clocked this season at running 21.7 miles per hour on the football field. To put that in perspective, only three players in college football have been clocked at a faster speed so far in the 2024 season.
“He’s just a great human being,” Brown says, “and we enjoy having him.”
And to think how close – and how many times – they almost didn’t.
***
He is the seventh of eight children in the Thomas family and they have always lived in the country. One night when Justin was five years old, Hosie and his other son left the house to go chase down some hogs who had broken out of the pen.
In the meantime, his wife had gone to go pick up one of their daughters whose car had broken down.
That’s when a fire broke out in the home.
“I never knew anybody left the house because I was asleep,” Thomas says. “Nothing really woke me up; I just did. There was smoke everywhere. I saw the fire and just ran out of the door, ran up the street and knocked on the neighbor’s door.”
The house in Blanchard was completely destroyed.
“Every time I think about that night, I realize there was no other reason that woke me up,” Thomas says, “other than God.”
***
Ten years ago, Hosie Taylor had a butcher shop on Greenwood Road and seven-year-old Champ was quite excited to get his first chance to process a deer. He’d seen it done before and knew what to do. He especially knew how important it was to wear cutting gloves.
“I had just taken a picture of him about to process his first one,” Hosie says. “He was so happy.”
“It was Halloween and it was the first time I was going to be able to go trick-or-treating,” Justin says. “We were finishing a deer and he told me I couldn’t go until we finished. I was so excited.”
But during the process, his right glove got caught in the throat of the meat grinder. Justin didn’t actually notice it at first, but when he pulled his hand back, it severed.
Hosie, who had served overseas, immediately “went back to my medic training,” he says. “The ambulance was taking too long, so I put him in my truck because I knew time was of the essence and rushed him to the hospital.”
He was going to have to learn to live with one hand, but Champ was determined to begin the process of getting back to normal as soon as possible. However, there were some obstacles to overcome.
“Being young, there weren’t too many things I did where it made a difference, other than writing and picking things up,” he says. “It was a quick process. I just had to learn how to write with my left hand. It wasn’t that hard.”
One of the things he has often been asked about is “phantom hand,” a rather typical experience for people who have lost a limb and gives the feeling that the missing limb is still there. There can be sensations such as tingling or pain where the limb was, or sometimes there is the feeling that the limb is moving.
“A lot of people ask me if I’ve had that experience,” he says. “But I never have.”
But there was yet another experience awaiting Champ Thomas that would take on even more dramatic consequences.
If that even seems possible.
***
The Thomas family was at Living Word Christian Fellowship for Sunday worship in 2023 when Champ had just finished his prayers as the service was about to begin. When Hosie looked up, he saw his son walking out and he knew something was wrong.
“He just kept saying his chest hurt,” Hosie says.
Champ’s parents took him to the hospital for testing but he wasn’t getting any better. “The doctor told me they couldn’t do anything for him there, so they sent him to Ochsner,” Hosie says. “Once we got there, they put him in the pediatric ward and started giving him all sorts of fluids.”
Finally they got a diagnosis, but not exactly once the family wanted.
Myocarditis.
That’s an inflammation of the heart muscle, which can reduce the heart’s ability to pump blood and is often caused by a viral infection.
But not in this instance.
In the case of Justin Thomas, it was caused by a simple tick bite. No one knew when the bite actually happened, but for a teenage boy who spends a lot of time outdoors, there’s no shortage of opportunities.
Champ stayed in the hospital for a week, but he wasn’t getting better and started having hot flashes. “They kept trying to get him regulated but just couldn’t do it,” Hosie says.
A decision was made to medevac Justin to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, where he stayed for two weeks. Almost immediately, Thomas began to show improvement. “From the moment I got there, things began to feel better,” Champ says. “The doctor there was amazing and made sure I was taken care of.”
“It was so grueling for him to go through that,” Hosie says. “Before we went to New Orleans, the doctor did come in and tell us that if it did work out, it was pretty much over for him to do anything (with sports).”
“The only time I could get any relief was when I was asleep, but I kept asking if I could go to practice,” Justin says.
But no one was going to allow that to happen as his sophomore year approached. A simple hit to his chest could have literally caused his heart to explode.
“It broke my heart to have to miss even one practice,” Champ says. “I just wanted to be out there playing. I was just out there trying to do the things I knew how to do. I just wanted to be a motivation and an inspiration. Somebody who could help them persevere through the hard times.”
***
On May 4, the Northwood Falcons 4×100 relay team won the state championship with a time of 42.29. Running in the second leg of the relay team was Justin Thomas, who had been cleared to participate in activities only a few months earlier.
Champ was indeed a champion.
Since then, he has picked up where he left off with his football career. He says he really didn’t take a moment to let it all sink in.
“This whole year has been a blessing,” he says. “Just being in the game is my ‘moment.’ I’m here and I get to make a difference in this program.”
As for playing football with only one hand, that’s just part of the life he’s had for almost 10 years. And it does lend itself to some interesting moments. “When the captains went out before one game, we went to shake hands and I put my nub out there,” Thomas says. “The other guy kind of jumped back and didn’t know what to do.”
His teammates do.
“Guys joke with me all the time,” he says “If I drop a ball in practice, they’ll say ‘Use two hands!’ and things like that. I joke about it too.”
Jokes or not, there’s been a support system that has always been a big part of the formation of Justin Thomas.
“It’s just the community I grew up in,” he says. “Ever since I lost my hand, the people around me have always been so helpful and understanding. People have always made sure I’m OK. Having all of these things happen to me, I realize how blessed I really am with the family I have and this community and support I get compared to other people.”
Indeed, Justin “Champ” Thomas has lived a life that is unlike almost any other. There’s no doubt his experiences have made an impact. Nor is there any doubt that he understands their significance in ways far beyond athletics.
“The one that’s affected me the most is my hand, but the one that’s made me realize how blessed I am is my heart,” he says. “When I realize how close I am with my teammates and coaches and how it could have all been gone just like that. A lot of people get in those situations and don’t come back. God truly has blessed me.”
WINNING: Minden product and former Kansas City Chiefs’ star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and his mother Jane Sneed (in purple) helped distribute groceries provided by the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank at Mt. Calm Senior Hamlet in Minden in February. The football star was honored in his hometown of Minden days later. (Photo by BONNIE CULVERHOUSE, Webster Parish Journal)
By BONNIE CULVERHOUSE, Webster Parish Journal
(NOTE TO READERS – As 2025 approaches, the SBJ is featuring some of our favorite content from this year. This story about NFL star L’Jarius Sneed and his mother originally ran in the Journal on Feb. 28. More favorites will follow before New Year’s Day. Enjoy!)
The first time Jane Sneed changed her son’s diaper, did she know he would be a Super Bowl-winning cornerback with Kansas City Chiefs?
“No, I did not,” Jane said. “That was a formula that was not even generated yet.”
Not only did L’Jarius Sneed play for a Super Bowl-winning team once, he now has won two Super Bowl rings with the same team.
And his mother, a Minden resident, is becoming almost as popular. Now Jane is known in KC as “Mama Sneed.”
“With the popularity on his behalf, we don’t put ourselves out there because we know there are individuals that are not happy for you,” Jane said. “Security is everywhere we go, now. As becoming known as ‘Mama Sneed,’ the popularity is just overwhelming. I never thought that title would hit as popular as it is. I’m just his mom, but the people up there say, ‘no, you’re Mama Sneed.’”
It feels like a celebrity name to her, but even with security, Jane Sneed is still the same person … only better.
“I still have that outspokenness … the firmness,” she said. “I’m more of a people-person now than I have ever been. I get out and make myself comfortable around others.”
It’s not about being the mother of a celebrity. “I’m still an individual – I’m still me.”
When L’Jarius Sneed was a youngster, he played basketball. Between 8 and 10 years old, he played Little League football. But Jane says when he was in ninth grade, her other sons – T.Q. Sneed and the late T.Q. Harris – convinced him to play football at Minden High School, and he loved it.
“That’s when people said ‘he’s good; he’s going pro,’” she said. “And yet, we could not see it. To us, it was just playing football.”
About the same time, L’Jarius said he began to realize he had a future in the pros.
“About my junior year in high school,” he said. “I was playing both sides of the ball, and I started getting offers. That was a special year, so I took the chance.”
It paid off, first with a scholarship to play close to home at Louisiana Tech. L’Jarius did not finish his time at Tech, because the allure of professional football was calling his name.
“It’s not because anyone was coming after him,” Jane explained. “He was going in as a walk-on. The day of the (NFL) Combine, someone called and invited him. At the Combine, he worked himself out and he made it, and that’s where we are today.”
L’Jarius has been credited with more than a play or two that may have sent Kansas City to this year’s Super Bowl. Some of those plays include hitting the opposition really hard. Does Mama Sneed ever fuss at her son for how hard he hits? It was a question that made her laugh almost as hard as L’Jarius hits.
“Actually, we have talked about it after every game,” she said. “What he tells us is it’s his thrive and his drive. It’s his motivation, and whatever is happening in his life, he takes it to the field and lets it out.”
She said her son is aggressive on the field because of his work ethic.
“He goes out there knowing who he is and what he can accomplish, and that’s what makes him be that aggressive player,” she said. “He likes to get into the mind of the opponent. He lets them know he is not one they can talk noise to and get away with it.”
But, she added, “when his words catch up with his actions, that’s where you have trouble.”
L’Jarius joined his mother to hand out groceries at Mt. Calm Senior Hamlet on Lee Street in Minden Tuesday morning. The groceries were provided by Northwest Louisiana Food Bank, but Sneed missed a plane and donated his time to help Mama Sneed and be available for the community he still calls home. However, he said he loves Kansas City, too.
“I try to help the children as much as I can,” he added. “I try to do a lot with the Boys and Girls Club.”
He said it meant a lot to him to come back home and help his mother with the food project.
“We have a responsibility to these people who don’t have as much as we do,” he said.
These days, Jane attends all of L’Jarius’ home games in Kansas City. As for going on the road ….
“Well, it depends on where the games are,” she said. “I’m not into the cold weather.”
She has, however, learned to love flying because “it goes quicker.”
Jane was in Kansas City the day of the mass shooting at the Super Bowl rally on the Wednesday following the game.
“It was very scary because at the time it started, the players were on the stage, and we saw the police running and then we heard boom, boom, boom – shots,” she said. “Everybody ducked and went to the ground. I did not see my son L’Jarius and at that time, I was in panic mode. I’m a ‘whining mama’ then. They got us out of Union Station and onto the buses that were protected from bullets so we were safe. I saw L’Jarius walking out and he got on after I did. That was the scariest time of my life.”
Since that day, two adults have been arrested and charged with two counts of felony murder and two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.
Last year, Minden held its own celebration for L’Jarius, including a parade and a time for autographs and awards, all held downtown.
Plans are underway right now for another salute this Saturday, but it will be a little different from last year.
Security was upgraded last year and will be again this year.
“The mayor gave JJ a proclamation day on (Monday) March 4, but we are actually doing the celebration Saturday at 11 o’clock. There’s a parade downtown,” she said. “Afterward, we will resume with an event at the recreation center on Industrial Drive where there will be photo shootings and signings, things for the kids – a concert for everyone that’s going to be a surprise. We know who’s coming, but we’re not saying who it is yet.”
She said because of security, she likes the idea of moving everything inside a closed area.
“It makes me feel 100 percent better,” Jane said. “There will still be security for the parade, but being indoors for the rest of it … that will be easier for security to keep everyone safe.”
The public is encouraged to attend Saturday’s events. Mama Sneed will be easy to spot. She’ll be the one with the biggest smile.
(NOTE TO READERS – As 2025 approaches, the SBJ is featuring some of our favorite content from this year. This Doug Ireland column, recalling Joe Ferguson’s reaction to O.J. Simpson’s 1994 murder arrest, originally ran in the Journal on April 18. More favorites will follow before New Year’s Day. Enjoy!)
O.J. Simpson died last week. He was already dead to a large portion of Americans since his arrest for the brutal June 12, 1994 slayings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, waiter Ron Goldman.
He was taken into custody at his home in Brentwood, Cal., at the end of his infamous freeway ride that captivated the nation’s TV viewers as thousands of Los Angeles residents gathered roadside and on overpasses to watch the spectacle. The driver of the white Ford Bronco, his USC football teammate Al Cowlings, told police during the low-speed pursuit that Simpson, huddled in the back seat, had a gun and was at times holding it to his head.
During the ride, Simpson’s lawyer Robert Kardashian (the first Kardashian you ever heard of) held a press conference to read a letter from his client that said, “Don’t feel sorry for me … I’ve had a great life, great friends. Please think of the real O.J. and not this lost person.”
You know this already. You know the football great was acquitted of murder charges in the longest trial in California history, January-October 1995. You know the verdict disgusted much of America, and provided vindication to others, chiefly Blacks who believed the justice system was unfair and prejudiced. You know the L.A. police department had a long-standing record of corruption and misconduct, and that undermined Simpson’s prosecution.
But here’s what only about 500 people know: the poignant words of his Buffalo Bills’ quarterback, Shreveport-Woodlawn football hero Joe Ferguson, at the end of his acceptance speech at the 1994 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Natchitoches.
The induction was just a couple of weeks after Simpson’s arrest. Ferguson had fielded plenty of calls from media asking for his reaction. Most notably, he was a guest on TV’s hottest news interview show, Larry King Live on CNN, and as anyone who knew Ferguson at all would expect, Joe was cautious, concerned for his former teammate, sickened by the crime and agonized by what seemed undeniable. It still does.
Nobody asked Joe about O.J. at the Hall of Fame press conference. Wasn’t the time or place. The weekend was about celebrating Ferguson’s incredible career, from the mind-boggling days at Woodlawn to a stellar college performance with the Arkansas Razorbacks, then 12 NFL seasons, seven in Buffalo, the first five with Simpson, including Joe’s rookie year of 1973 when the Juice got loose to set the NFL single-season rushing record with 2,003 yards in 14 games.
Ferguson’s LSHOF induction class was star-studded: Grambling football and pro wrestling legend Ernie “Big Cat” Ladd, Lady Techster and Wade Trophy winner Pam Kelly, Grambling basketball coaching great Fred Hobdy, and Denver Broncos’ sack master Rich Jackson of New Orleans joined him as headliners.
The biggest part of the audience that night came from Shreveport-Bossier to cheer on Joe. His graceful speech celebrated those precious times at Woodlawn, what he understandably called the most fun he ever had playing football.
He was the last speaker. The mutual admiration in the room, with the partisan crowd, was palpable. Then he wrapped up his remarks the way he rolled – never sidestepping anything, and on this night, not the elephant in the room.
“Before I go,” Ferguson said, “I need to say something. I know you’ve all seen the news over the last couple of weeks about the horrible situation in Los Angeles. I’ve been asked about it a lot, and it’s very confusing, and very sad. I truly don’t know what to say, except this.
“I’d like to ask you a favor tonight – please pray for my friend, O.J.”
What an exit line. Thirty years later, it epitomizes Ferguson’s class, loyalty, and grace.
The Bishop of Myra was born into a wealthy family of Greek Christians sometime around 270 A.D. in Patara, Turkey. When he was young, both of his parents died in an epidemic. The orphan inherited his parents’ vast wealth and could have lived out the remainder of his life in veritable comfort. Rather than keeping the money for himself, he chose to use his inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the poor. The orphan’s uncle, who was the bishop of Myra at the time, recognized his nephew’s religious devotion and pious ways and ordained him as a priest.
The priest heard about a devout Christian man who had once been wealthy but was now poor. The devout man had three daughters who were nearing marrying age, but without proper dowries were at risk of being forced into prostitution. The priest learned of the plight of the devout man and his daughters. He wanted to help the struggling family, but the devout man refused to accept charity. Late one night, the priest threw a small purse filled with gold coins into the open window of the devout man’s home. Without knowing who the coins came from, the devout man could not return them. Believing them to be a gift from God, the devout man paid for his daughter’s dowry and for her wedding. The devout man still fretted over his two other unmarried daughters. Late one night soon after the wedding, the priest threw another purse filled with gold coins into the devout man’s window. Again, the man was unable to determine who had left the coins. After his second daughter’s marriage, the devout man was determined to learn the identity of person responsible. He stayed at the window for two days and nights. On the second night, he heard the sound of another purse filled with gold coins as it plopped on the floor of the room. The devout man jumped out of the window and caught the priest as he tried to escape. The devout man fell to his knees and thanked the priest. The priest quickly pulled him back to his feet, looked around to make sure no one had seen, and asked him not to tell anyone that it was he, the priest, who had given the purses of gold coins.
Several miracles were attributed to priest, one of which occurred while on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. During the trip across the Mediterranean Sea, a violent storm battered the ship. Everyone but the priest feared the worst. The priest began praying. At that moment, the high waves were instantly calmed, and the ship continued its journey without further incident. News of the miracle preceded the priest. While in Palestine, the priest stayed in a crypt near Bethlehem. A church named after the priest still stands above this crypt.
When the priest returned to Myra, he learned that the bishop who had replaced his uncle had recently died. The other priests selected him as the new Bishop of Myra, a post he retained until he died of old age. The bishop was buried in a crypt within the church. By 520, the church had deteriorated to nothing more than a pile of rubble. In that year, the emperor of Rome had another church built on the site and named it in honor of the orphan who became a priest, who became a bishop, who became a saint. The church, which still stands, is called St. Nicholas Church. St. Nicholas, the miracle-worker and gift-giver, was the origin of Santa Claus.
Jane Bonds Lindsey October 12, 1934 – December 19, 2024 Service: Friday, January 3, 2025, 11am in Frost Chapel at First Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Sandra Lee “Sandy” Park October 11, 1949 – December 19, 2024 Service: Saturday, January 11, 2025, 11am at The Pioneer Building, Greenwood.
Mark Allen Sinclair January 1, 1965 – December 19, 2024 Service: Friday, December 27, 2024, 12pm at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Ted C. Jordan April 18, 1938 – November 23, 2024 Service: Saturday, January 18, 2025, 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)
The Navy has relieved Lt. Cmdr. Adam Sandifer of his duties as commanding officer of the Navy Reserve Center (NRC) Shreveport, citing a “loss of confidence in his ability to command.” Rear Adm. Michael Steffen, commander of Navy Reserve Forces Command, made the decision, according to a Navy statement released Friday.
Sandifer, who took command of NRC Shreveport in March 2024, has been temporarily reassigned to Navy Personnel Command. Leadership of the Shreveport center has been transferred to Lt. Cmdr. John Perez on an interim basis.
The Navy did not provide additional details regarding Sandifer’s dismissal. The term “loss of confidence” is commonly used by the service to describe reasons for relieving commanding officers.
Sandifer’s removal marks the second dismissal of a commanding officer from a Navy reserve center this month. On Dec. 3, the Navy relieved Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Bourque as the commanding officer of NRC Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The Navy has emphasized its commitment to maintaining high standards for commanding officers and holding them accountable when those standards are not met.
Frequently, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.
By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services
In Shreveport-Bossier, it seems there’s a Mexican restaurant on every corner.
Now look, I like Mexican food as much as anyone. But there are still a lot of Mexican restaurants I haven’t tried. Yes, I know most of their food tastes the same, but you never know when you will find a place which stands out.
With that in mind, on a recent Tuesday, I invited a friend to join me for lunch at El Potrillo Mexican Restaurant Grill & Cantina (2400 E. 70th Street, Shreveport). It would be a first visit for both of us.
We arrived at noon, and my initial thought was, “Are they open?” The parking lot was empty, save for a handful of cars which could have belonged to the employees. If you go to a restaurant at noon, you expect it to be somewhat busy, unless the food isn’t good.
El Potrillo was, in fact, open. We walked in and saw no more than 10 other customers. That meant my friend and I had plenty of choices when it came to seating. There was a large dining area to the right, and a smaller area to the left. In between was a bar area, with seating at the bar, as well as tables close by.
We chose to eat in the smaller room. Right away, I noticed it was light and colorful. The outside wall had several windows, allowing sunlight to brighten the area, and let diners see the outside world. Something else I noticed early on. The building, tables, and just about everything else appeared old. If you’re looking for a really nice, modern atmosphere, there are other Mexican restaurants which you will find more appealing. But in a way, El Potrillo’s worn look enhanced its feel as a comfortable, very relaxed place to eat.
You can often (but not in this case) tell a Mexican restaurant by its chips and salsa. El Potrillo’s chips were baked just right – not too crispy, and not too soggy. Also, I didn’t see a hint of grease. The salsa was a tad better than bland but could have had more kick. We ordered a small bowl of guacamole ($8), which was thick, and did have a little something to it.
El Potrillo’s menu is extensive, with the usual suspects, such as enchiladas, tacos, and fajitas. But there are also House Specials and Chef Specials, as well as Seafood and Chicken Dishes. But since my friend and I were there for lunch, we focused our attention on the Lunch Specials section. From 11am-3pm every day, you can choose from 25 – that’s right, 25 – entrees, with many of them priced between $10-$14.
I ordered the Pechugas a la Plancha ($12), and yes, I pointed to the menu item instead of embarrassing myself by trying to pronounce it. Thank goodness there was a description – a grilled chicken breast served with rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sliced avocados, and my choice of corn or flour tortillas (I chose flour).
My friend chose Lunch Special #7 ($10) – he enunciated his selection– which came with his choice of a beef or chicken burrito (he chose beef), a crispy taco, rice, and beans.
This would be a good place to mention our server, Kayla. She was great. Our water glasses never became more than half-empty. We never went more than a few minutes without being asked if we needed anything. Kayla was also very patient. My friend and I had not seen each other in a while, so we took our time before ordering, while eating, and visiting afterwards. Kayla ensured we never felt rushed.
The presentation of both entrees was impressive. My plate was full of a nice-sized chicken breast, and adequate portions of rice and beans. The chicken breast, while not tough, wasn’t the most tender. It didn’t have much taste, but the chicken breast was juicy, which is always better than dry. The beans were close to ice cold, while the rice was only a tad warmer.
My friend said his eyes “got really excited” when he saw his plate. He thought it had a lot of food for $10. But quantity doesn’t always equal quality. After one bite of the burrito, he was disappointed, saying it didn’t have much flavor. However, at his request, Kayla brought my friend some type of hot sauce. He put that on the burrito and said it “made a big difference.” As for the taco, my friend said, too, needed “a little more flavor.”
If after eating you’re still hungry, El Potrillo offers four different desserts. However, we passed, having filled up mostly on chips and salsa.
The cost of our meal, before tax and tip, was $30, which included a 3% surcharge for using a credit card. Now, the food wasn’t the best, but these days, $30 for lunch for two people is pretty good.
I’m giving El Potrillo Three Forks. There was nothing wrong with our visit. The atmosphere and food were satisfactory (the service was more than satisfactory), but our experience wasn’t anything special. We both decided we would return but, not go out of our way. And on our next visit, we would order something different.
For me, there are only a couple of Mexican eateries in Shreveport-Bossier which stand out. El Potrillo isn’t one of them.
1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt 2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying 3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it 4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit for lunch?
Each year during Christmas Bossier City Mayor Chandler invites ALL city employees to come and have coffee “on” and “with” him. It is becoming a highlight of the holiday.
Mayor Chandler is always looking for opportunities and ways to let Bossier City employees know how much he appreciates them. Employees are encouraged to order the coffee or latte of their choice.
“Hug in a Mug” is Mayor Chandler’s way of saying “Thank You” and… MERRY CHRISTMAS. Coffee is provided by PJ’s Coffee.
December 23 marks Festivus, the “holiday for the rest of us,” popularized by the sitcom Seinfeld. What began as a quirky fictional celebration has become a lighthearted cultural phenomenon.
Festivus traditions include the Airing of Grievances, where participants humorously share their complaints, and Feats of Strength, testing physical abilities in good fun. A bare aluminum pole replaces the traditional Christmas tree as a symbol of simplicity.
Despite its humor, Festivus resonates with people for its emphasis on togetherness and parodying the commercialization of the holidays. It’s a time to laugh, bond, and enjoy the unconventional spirit of the season.
POWERING THROUGH: Parkway’s C.J. Dudley tries to break free from an East defender Sunday at the I-20 Bowl in Ruston. (Journal photo by RAYNALDO ALEXANDER, Sniper Sports Photography)
JOURNAL SPORTS
RUSTON — Captain Shreve’s Brodie Savage threw two touchdown passes and his Gators teammate D.J. Waldon caught one of them in Sunday’s LHSCA/LFCA I-20 Bowl all-star game at L.J. “Hoss” Garrett Stadium as 26 Shreveport-Bossier Class of 2025 seniors and seven local coaches wrapped up the 2024 high school football season.
They were on the West team, which fell short by a pair of field goals in a largely inconsequential 27-21 final score on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. It was the sixth straight East win and the seventh in the eight-year history of the contest.
For some of the 66 players taking part, it was their last organized football game. For others, it might provide a boost to their hopes of playing college ball. And for a few more, it was a neat way to finish their high school days before heading off to join college teams.
Savage went 17 of 25 with an interception, throwing for a game-high 182 yards including a 17-yard touchdown to Haynesville star Keizavion Woods and a 4-yarder to Waldon. Even Lirette of Loyola kicked all three extra points for the West.
Evangel running back Josh Isaac was the West’s leading rusher with 47 yards on five carries.
Two-way Woodlawn superstar Brandon Henderson had a team-high 64 receiving yards on three catches, and added a seven-yard run after he picked up a fumble.
Oak Grove quarterback Jackson Bradley, a Louisiana Tech signee, was named the game’s MVP after throwing three TD passes.
Airline QB Ben Taylor did not play due to illness.
The West roster also included Byrd standouts Sam Greer, Darell Cottonham Jr. and Ethan Sipes; Evangel’s T.J. Grider; Loyola’s Ben Brewer; Kam’ron Davis, Keithan Gabriel, Kevion Henry and Jacolvey Cooper of Huntington; Parkway’s Chaze Brown and Jax Gallier; Montrevian Chatman and Jaylen O’Neal from BTW; Woodlawn’s Quinton Wilson and Marcus Palmer; Cole Miller and Ethan Sands from Calvary; Courtaveous Dorsey of Green Oaks; Haughton’s Rimarria Davis and Harley Ingram.
Woodlawn’s Thedrick Harris was the West head coach. His offensive coordinator was Northwood’s Jared Little, with Desmond Andrus of Huntington as defensive coordinator. Other local West assistant coaches were Gary Cooper of BTW, James Bradford from Green Oaks, Jalen Bowlers of Byrd and Fabian Carter from Evangel.
Byrd vice principal Jerry Byrd Jr. is the I-20 Bowl director.
2024 I-20 Bowl all-star game
EAST 27, WEST 21
East 10 7 7 3 – 27
West 7 7 7 0 – 21
East – Aiden Parker 20 FG
East – Jay Freeman 55 pass from Jackson Bradley (Parker kick)
West – Keizavion Woods 17 pass from Brodie Savage (Evan Lirette kick)
East – Luke Jones 6 pass from Bradley (Parker kick)
West – D.J. Waldon 4 pass from Savage (Lirette kick)
East – J.T. Layton 4 pass from Bradley (Parker kick)
West – Cole Cory 8 run (Lirette kick)
East – Parker 32 FG
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: East — Jaylon Nichols 15-60, Bradley 8-35, Freeman 1-20, Andre Williams 10-41, Dylan Downs 5-2. West – Josh Isaac 5-47, C.J. Dudley 7-32, Kam’ron Davis 4-17, Cory 3-9 1 TD, Quintin Wilson 3-4, Brandon Henderson 0-7, Savage 3-minus-11.
PASSING: East – Bradley 9-13-0-150, 3 TDs, Downs 3-8-0-24, CJ Spurs 0-1-0. West – Savage 17-25-1-182, 2 TDs, Dudley 1-1-0-10.
RECEIVING: East – Cam Volion 4-61, Layton 2-8 1 TD, Freeman 2-63 1 TD, Luke jones 3-39 1 TD, Spurs 1-10. West – Cory 6-51, Waldon 6-40, 1 TD; Woods 1-17 1 TD, Henderson 3-64, Ben Brewer 1-10, Savage 1-10.
7 FOR SIX: Kolby Thomas, catching a touchdown pass against Neville, is among five Calvary standouts on the LSWA Class 2A All-State team with four more Cavaliers getting honorable mention. (Journal photo by GAVEN HAMMOND, landgphoto.com)
JOURNAL SPORTS
Nine Calvary players, including repeat first-team selections Ethan Sands, James Simon and Abram Wardell, were spotlighted on the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 2A All-State Football Team announced Saturday with 12 local standouts cited.
Along with defensive end Sands, running back Simon, and quarterback Wardell, offensive lineman Devin Harper and receiver Kolby Thomas were first-team picks by a 12-member LSWA panel from around the state.
There were seven local honorable mention selections, four from Calvary: Braylun Huglon, Cole Miller, Julius Moss and David Weeks. Also on the HM list were Courtaveus Dorsey and Keshawn Williams of Green Oaks along with North Caddo’s Marlon Jackson.
Three teams that finished their seasons at the LHSAA Prep Classic claimed top honors.
Elijah Haven of Dunham was selected as the Outstanding Offensive Player, while Outstanding Defensive Player honors went to J.D. Hidalgo of Select Division III champion Catholic High-New Iberia. South Plaquemines coach Lyle Fitte, a former Louisiana Tech player, garnered Coach of the Year honors after leading his team to the Non-Select Division IV title.
Jacob Beychock, Dunham, Jackson Bradley, Oak Grove, Sam Brocato, Menard, Jaiden Briggs, Vinton, Jackson Casanova, Notre Dame, Reid Chauvin, Episcopal, Chase Cresson, Episcopal, Courtaveus Dorsey, Green Oaks, Caleb Ellis, Ferriday, Dashun Ford, Franklin, Jamey Fisher, D’Arbonne Woods, Jay Freeman, Oak Grove, Eli Friend, Newman, Andrew Hoff, Pope John Paul II, Braylun Huglon, Calvary, Jaylen Ina, Franklin, Eli Jolie, Welsh, Mason Jackson, North Caddo, Luke Landry, Catholic-New Iberia, Wyatt Lavergne, DeQuincy, Jayden Lavespere, Slaughter Charter, Joseph LeBlanc, Catholic-New Iberia, Damascus Lewis, Winnfield, Collin McCann, D’Arbonne Woods, Deanel McGee, South Plaquemines, Chase Meeking, Union Parish, Jaiden Mitchell, Catholic-New Iberia, Angel Moreaux, Oakdale, Cole Miller, Calvary, Julius Moss, Calvary, Landon Mouton, Notre Dame, Jalen Noel, Lafayette Christian, Preston Polhammus, Delhi Charter, Gavin Polk, Ouachita Christian, Blaze Rodriguez, Pope John Paul II, Noah Romero, Kinder, Eli Self, Kinder, Brodie Stuart, Oak Grove, Jacob Sumbler, Oakdale, Isaiah Thomas, Kinder, Keidron Thomas, Delhi Charter, Zaelyn Thomas, Winnfield, Eliot Trahan, Dunham, Luke Vidrine, Ouachita Christian, Jarvis Washington, Dunham, David Weeks, Calvary, Keshawn Williams, Green Oaks, Jordan Willis, Northlake Christian.
STARTING OVER: Josh Jones started almost from scratch to bring back the BTW baseball program. (Journal photo by JOHN JAMES MARSHALL)
(NOTE FROM THE SBJ STAFF – As 2025 approaches, the SBJ is featuring some of our favorite content from this year. This story originally ran April 11. More good ones will follow before New Year’s Day. Enjoy!)
By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports
The season is coming to a close for the baseball team that will finish in last place in District 1-4A. If you look strictly at results, you might think it has not been a success.
Not only have wins been hard to come by – there have been none – but so has scoring runs.
This is a team that basically started from scratch. There were very few games last year, some of which were forfeited for lack of players, and even those that were played would generously be described as disorganized.
But success isn’t always measured on a scoreboard. And when you look at it from that perspective, there have may not have been a bigger success story in local high school baseball this year than the Booker T. Washington Lions.
* * *
A backstop.
That’s it. That’s what BTW has for baseball facilities. Down the hill behind the school and next to the football stadium, the most action the baseball field gets is for parking places at the annual Soul Bowl football game.
When the baseball season started, they didn’t even have bases. There still is no pitcher’s mound.
But the school did have one thing going for it – opportunity.
BTW Principal Crystal Barnes called assistant football coach Josh Jones into her office one day and asked if he would be interested in reviving the baseball program. Not because she thought he was the second coming of former LSU coach Skip Bertman, but because of the way the students gravitated to him.
“Just trying to expose the kids to the game of baseball,” Jones says.
Barnes believed that Jones was perfect choice to get students interested. It didn’t take long to find out that Barnes was right.
On the first day, about 50 students – mostly freshmen and sophomores – came out to practice. That’s the good news. The bad news came when Jones found out he would have to trim the roster.
“We just couldn’t handle all of them with the budget for the program,” Jones says. “But for a person like me, it’s hard to do something like that because these are kids who want to do something.”
Jones got the numbers down to about 30. More bad news – that meant they needed gloves for 30 players and enough bats that could be shared.
And catcher’s equipment. Plus helmets.
And, quite significantly, uniforms.
But it didn’t take long for those problems to be solved. Equipment donations came flowing in and, most importantly, the uniforms were ordered.
Two sets.
“That was a big thing for me this year, so that they could feel like they were a part of something,” Jones says. “Just small things like that matter to a kid. The old ones were mildewed. You would have thought I brought in top of the line, major league uniforms. They want to wear them at school.”
Little by little, things began to fall into place. “We’ve got bases now, but we really don’t have a mound,” Jones says. “One thing I love about these kids is that they don’t use that as an excuse or a crutch.”
Baseball is a tough game to learn and Jones knew the Lions weren’t going to compete for the District 1-4A title. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome were players who were literally afraid of being hit by the ball.
“I just show them and help them learn the game,” Jones says. “Their development has been the best part to me.”
Earlier this year, BTW traveled to Northwood for a district game. The Falcons are one of the top-ranked teams in the state, so the results that night were predictable. But the scene that played out after the game has been common whenever BTW plays against a strong opponent.
“We stayed probably 10 or 15 minutes after the game with their starting pitcher and working on some things,” Northwood coach Austin Alexander says. “We were going over different things like the windup and stretch and pickoff moves. It was impressive because the kid was like a sponge. He just wanted to learn everything.”
“The coaches in the district have been great in helping us,” says Jones, who came to BTW from Northwood. “Everybody is happy for us to get this going. We don’t have everything like the other schools have. Like a batting cage. Or a pitcher’s mound. But I commend the kids; on the days we can’t practice, they are sad because they want to be out there.”
Earlier this year, a scheduling conflict canceled a game for the Lions. “When they got on the bus, they asked me, can we at least have a scrimmage?” Jones says. “That’s when I knew they were starting to love it. They are just happy for the opportunity to play another sport and learn the game. They don’t necessarily care about the score. They are just excited to be playing. It’s been a good experience for all of us.”
* * *
When you look at BTW’s schedule this year, one thing become very obvious very quickly – there are no home games. Some might think that would be a problem. But never getting the opportunity to bat last is a non-factor when you consider the other side of that equation.
When Jones brings the 20-25 players to a game on the road, it is often to a place – even inside the boundaries of Shreveport-Bossier – that many of his kids have never seen. They get to see facilities such as the ones at Northwood and North DeSoto and Minden and Evangel and they realize what else is out there.
“Just taking them to other parks and seeing their reaction has been amazing,” Jones says. “Some of them have never gone anywhere other than home and school.”
To them, they might as well be at Yankee Stadium.
It’s hard to ask a coach about the highlight of his season when the team hasn’t won a game. But Jones knew that was likely going in. He says there has been definite progress and he’s looking forward to seeing how the team can build on this foundation next season.
On Feb. 28, the second game of the season, the Lions were (of course) on the road at Southwood when that defining moment of the season came. It wasn’t a tape-measure home run or turning a triple play. It wasn’t throwing out the winning run at the plate or striking out the side.
On that night, the Lions were down 16-0 and came to bat for the final time. One thing led to another and before you knew it, the Booker T. Washington Lions scored a run.
“They weren’t even mad about the loss,” Jones says. “Just to see them celebrate and cheer on each other and hearing the fans clapping, that was great.”
That’s when Jones knew it was all worth it.
“Our players feel so great with all the love they have received with people understanding that they are out there trying for the first time,” he says. “The support has been great all around. It’s taken off and I can’t even believe it. It’s been amazing.”
SOARING TO GLORY: Shreveport’s Hollis Conway celebrates after clearing 7-8 ¾ in the 1988 Olympic Games, which allowed him to capture a silver medal in Seoul. (Photo courtesy Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame)
(NOTE FROM THE SBJ STAFF – As 2025 approaches, the SBJ is featuring some of our favorite content from this year. This story originally ran July 29. More will follow before New Year’s Day. Enjoy!)
By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Shreveport-Bossier’s most accomplished Olympian didn’t watch Friday night’s Opening Ceremonies of the Paris Games.
But not by choice. “I was stuck in an airport all evening trying to get to Miami,” said Hollis Conway, who won a silver medal in the high jump in the 1988 Seoul Games and took bronze in Barcelona in 1992.
Heading to a family event, Conway did mark the occasion with a series of entertaining social media posts recorded earlier in his Lafayette home.
He donned some of his Team USA gear, and playfully flashed the medals, which he uses in public speaking appearances all around the country.
The Fair Park High School graduate was the top-ranked American high jumper for seven straight years (1988-94) and was No. 1 in the world in 1990-91. He joins Dwight Stones (1972, 1976) and John Thomas (1960, 1964) as the only Americans to win two Olympic high jump medals. Conway and Thomas are the only silver medalists among that royal trio – Stones has two bronze medals.
While he didn’t see the extravagant ceremonies from France, Conway couldn’t avoid the controversy over what many saw as a parody of the iconic “Last Supper” artwork by Leonardo Da Vinci. Conway’s Christian beliefs and athletic achievements have led him to extensive involvement in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for all of his adult life.
“I followed a lot of the comments that came out of that. I really hated that because it shouldn’t be about controversy, it should be about unity,” he said. “I didn’t see it, so I can’t speak intelligently on it, but I hated the confusion that came out of it.”
There is no confusion about how he regards his Olympic experiences, particularly the 1988 Games.
“The first time, I really didn’t have an understanding of what the Olympics meant, how hard it was to get there. It happened early in my competitive career. For me, my first Olympics in Seoul, I was like a little kid in a candy store. The pageantry, I did everything,” said Conway, 57.
“Throw out the mature, conservative approach of ‘I’ve got to be rested and ready for my competition.’ I did everything. I went everywhere, experienced every part of it, and it was soooo much fun.
“Being there with people from different countries, different uniforms, trading (national) pins, going to the different venues, exploring Seoul, things I’d never seen before. I took in the entire experience like a little kid – and I ended up getting second, so that was like a bonus for me. The whole experience, I had no idea what to expect, and I just enjoyed myself.”
Coming in as the gold medal favorite, and arriving in Barcelona a day after the first of his first child, 1992 was completely different.
“I found I didn’t enjoy it as much. It was more business-like. I finished third, which really frustrated me. The ’88 Games were a much better experience for me. The further I get away from it, I understand how blessed I was to go to two Olympic Games, to win two Olympic medals, to represent our country.”
He reflected on what the USA team and the thousands of other Olympians were feeling Friday night, despite being soaked in a rainstorm while boating down the River Seine in Paris.
“The great thing about the ceremonies is you have thousands of stories, from all around the world, what they had to overcome, their families’ sacrifice, what they’re representing, it’s incredible. That’s the great thing about the Olympics,” Conway said. “When I walked through that stadium (in the opening ceremony) and I had that red, white and blue on, people were chanting U-S-A and calling my name. It didn’t matter what color I was, didn’t matter what political party I favored, what was my religious affiliation – none of those things. I represented the United States. There’s not many times you get to experience that.”
The days that followed, particularly in the ’88 Games, were thrilling, he said.
“To meet people from other sports and disciplines, representing our country and others around the world, was fascinating. I learned about Olympic ping pong – which was incredible — taekwondo, synchronized swimming. People who would not ordinarily come together, and you recognize their skill, talent and ability. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors, just smiling, and you see that. It’s there for the world to celebrate and it’s an amazing experience.”
After a 7-3 triumph at George’s Pond in Hirsch Coliseum Friday night, it seemed the fourth-place Shreveport Mudbugs would finally get over their Oklahoma stumbling block, but the last-place Warriors pulled off a 4-2 win Saturday night to scuttle the Bugs’ bid to sweep.
Oklahoma came in with a 3-2 record against Shreveport although the Warriors had just nine wins overall. Friday night, the Mudbugs (now 16-12, and fourth in the NAHL South Division with 32 points) gradually pushed away from the visitors (10-16, 25 points, still in ninth place).
Shreveport lit the lamp at 4:03 of the opening period as Carter McKay had some space and rattled home his third tally of the year from the near side to give the Bugs an early 1-0 edge. Seth Murch earned the only helper. The Bugs extended their lead quickly at 4:36 as Brent Litchard whacked in his ninth goal of the season in front, assisted by Murch. After Oklahoma scored to make it 2-1, the Bugs grabbed their two-goal lead again at Lucas Deeb toe dragged himself into the slot and snapped home his 11th goal of the year.
Shreveport extended the lead at 7:54 of the second as Mason Wright deflected home his first goal as a Bug to give his team a 4-1 edge. Murch picked up his third assist of the contest. After Oklahoma answered, the Bugs regained their three-goal edge as Aidan Puley took a brilliant pass from Bode Wise and snapped home his eighth goal of the season to make it 5-2. The Warriors tallied two seconds before the end of the period to make it a 5-3 contest.
Litchard rifled home a rebound from the far side for his second goal of the game for a 6-3 lead. In the final minute, newcomer Salvatore Viviano smacked in his first goal as a Bug.
Nikola Goich picked up the win in net making 22 stops.
Saturday night, the Mudbugs faltered.
The Warriors netted a pair of goals from Travis Bryson and Sebastian Speck at 3:47 and 18:23 respectively to give the visiting team an early 2-0 lead.
Shreveport got on the board at 18:56 of the second on a fluke play where the Bugs crashed the net and Ryan Baert knocked the puck in midair and into the net for his second goal of the season.
Oklahoma got the game-winner as Louie Kamienski tipped home his 14th goal of the year to make it a 3-1 contest. The Warriors cashed an empty netter from Trent Burlison to make it a 4-1 ballgame. The Bugs posted a late goal from Salvatore Viviano which was his second goal in as many games.
Shreveport will hit the road after Christmas for a three-game series with the South Division-leading Corpus Christi IceRays beginning Friday night on the Texas Gulf coast.
Bossier City announced changes to the trash collection schedule for Christmas and New Year’s weeks.
Wednesday’s routes will be pushed to Thursday- Thursday will be pushed to Friday – Friday will be pushed to Saturday.
The Bossier drop-off station and the Bossier recycling center will be closed Dec. 24 and 25 and will reopen on Dec. 26 for regular hours. For New Year’s they will both be closed Jan. 1 and will reopen on Jan. 2 for regular hours.
It was 2017 when the idea of Operation Christmas Wish first took shape in Bossier Parish. This idea was born from a simple but powerful desire: to make sure that every child in Bossier Parish had a Merry Christmas, regardless of their financial circumstances. Operation Christmas Wish would soon grow into a tradition that would put smiles on hundreds of children’s faces through the years.
The holiday season can be a joyful time of year, but for some families, it can be a reminder of hardship. Many parents, with the best of intentions, face the painful reality of having to choose between paying bills or providing gifts for their little ones. That’s where Operation Christmas Wish comes in-filling the gap and restoring hope to families across the parish. This year, Operation Christmas Wish will provide toys to 118 families and 269 children.
Led by the Bossier Sheriff’s Office, Operation Christmas Wish began with a team of dedicated officers who believed that no child should go without a gift at Christmas. What began as a modest program quickly expanded into something much larger-a community-wide initiative that saw the involvement of local businesses, organizations, and residents coming together to spread holiday cheer.
Sheriff Whittington expresses his deepest gratitude to the volunteers, the individuals, and community organizations for their generous contributions. He also acknowledges the selfless dedication to those who sacrifice their time and resources to make this holiday season brighter for so many families in need.
Each year, as the Christmas season approaches, the Sheriff’s Office launches an outreach effort to gather new toys for children. Through the generosity of the Bossier Parish community, Operation Christmas Wish has thrived. With every passing year, the story of Operation Christmas Wish grows and changes the lives of children in Bossier Parish. One Christmas at a time.
The Shreveport Opera Xpress (SOX) invites the public to celebrate 25 years with them with Dinner and a Concert on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, at 6:30pm.
See and hear some of the former SOX artists as they present an evening of arias, ensembles, and beautiful music.
This is a limited seating event. The last day to RSVP is Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Dinner and drinks are included in the price of tickets. Individual tickets are $150; tables for 8 are $1,500. To purchase tickets, follow the link: https://shreveportopera.org/event/sox-25th-anniversary-gala/
Jane Bonds Lindsey October 12, 1934 – December 19, 2024 Service: Friday, January 3, 2025, 11am in Frost Chapel at First Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Sandra Lee “Sandy” Park October 11, 1949 – December 19, 2024 Service: Saturday, January 11, 2025, 11am at The Pioneer Building, Greenwood.
Mark Allen Sinclair January 1, 1965 – December 19, 2024 Service: Friday, December 27, 2024, 12pm at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
David Daniel Davenport August 12, 1938 – December 14, 2024 Service: Monday, December 23, 2024, 12pm at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Ted C. Jordan April 18, 1938 – November 23, 2024 Service: Saturday, January 18, 2025, 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)
