The Finance Department, Personnel Division, Internal Affairs, and Media Relations of the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office came together to spread Christmas joy to Woody’s Home for Veterans on Dec. 19. Woody’s mission is to provide a stable home environment for homeless veterans who need ongoing psychiatric care.

The Classification, Transportation, SIU, and Booking divisions collaborated with It’s Seaux Southern Catering & Events to donate newborn essentials and necessities to Heart of Hope Ministry residents. Heart of Hope Ministry is a home away from home for young ladies between 11 and 23 years of age who are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Their mission is to provide a safe haven where residents can center all their efforts on the decisions that are before them; being a single-parent or choosing adoption.

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Army won 11 games and the American Athletic Conference championship. Louisiana Tech is 5-7 and was a late add to the 48^th Annual Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl along I-20 on Dec. 28.

The Bulldogs are the biggest underdog in any bowl game this year. But 11^th-year Black Knights coach Jeff Monken said Thursday he’s wary of the matchup – and expects his team will be playing a road game because Tech will have an abundance of crowd support.

He’s impressed with the Bulldogs’ defense, ranked 11^th nationally in average yards allowed. He and his staff are playing a “guessing game” assessing the Tech offense, which struggled all fall. Coach Sonny Cumbie gave up play-calling duties in October, and hired highly-regarded Tony Franklin as offensive coordinator a couple of weeks ago.

What does Monken know?

“As described by an opposing coach is, they are ‘salty on defense.’ They lost some really close games,” he said about a squad that lost three in overtime. “I’m really impressed with their personnel.

“I think Sonny’s a really good football coach, and they’re playing at home, near their campus.

“They’re very athletic, but there is some uncertainty there as to what they’re going to do on offense – if coach Cumbie’s going to call the plays, if coach Franklin, the new offensive coordinator, is going to call the plays. We don’t know.

“Two different systems, two different game plans to prepare for, and that makes it challenging, especially with the short amount of time we have to get ready,” he said. “We certainly could keep practicing through Christmas.”

Instead, Monken broke camp after Thursday’s workout and gave the Black Knights time to visit their families before they reconvene in Shreveport on Christmas Eve.

It’s an Army squad stinging from a 31-13 loss in the annual Army-Navy game last Saturday, the first time in three years, and only the third time in the last nine, the Midshipmen have prevailed. Five days afterward, Monken’s agony hasn’t faded at all.

“I did a poor job of coaching, poor job preparing our team, obviously. I’m mad at myself, disappointed, embarrassed at the job I did. Our guys tried, and played hard. There’s a lot of factors you can throw out there, but in my mind they’re just excuses.

“We gotta be ready, and we weren’t. They outcoached and outplayed us, and unfortunately we lost the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy because of it, and that’s the most important, tangible goal to us,” he said. “We’re sorely disappointed. Their team played a really good game, and our team didn’t.”

Monken sees the Independence Bowl as an opportunity for his 11-2 team to gain some level of redemption.

“Anytime you get your butt whipped, you want to get back out there and prove that’s not who we are. That’s who we were on Saturday, but we’ve got one more opportunity to play, for our seniors to play and finish out a season, and it’s been a good season. We’ve won a lot of games. But it’s not a great season. Beating those guys last Saturday would have made it a great season.

“This would certainly be a great win for us, if we can get it, against a very athletic team, a very good team, well coached, and playing at home, so there are challenges for us,” he said.

Make no mistake about how Army views the contest. Monken discounts the commonly-held approach that bowl preparation affords coaching staffs time to groom and evaluate returning players for next season.

“This is only to win the game. That’s the only purpose of playing a game, in my opinion, is to try to win. We’re not on an exploratory mission to find out what we’ve got (for 2025),” he said. “We want to play our very best game of the season on Dec. 28.”

It’s the Black Knights’ third visit to Louisiana in two years. They were blasted 62-0 last Oct. 21 at No. 19 LSU, and opened the 2023 season with a 17-13 loss at ULM.

“The last trip wasn’t good,” Monkey said. “The last couple trips in fact haven’t been very good.”

His team is looking forward to this one. Army has a chunk of its roster relatively close to Shreveport, players from Texas (27), Louisiana (8), Arkansas (1) and Mississippi (1).

That should put a dent into Tech’s “home” crowd. Might there be some additional support for the Black Knights, Monken was asked, from the personnel across Red River at Barksdale AFB?

“Ha!,” he chuckled. “I think Louisiana Tech will have a better chance getting those guys to cheer for them, than we would have getting them to cheer for us.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

(EDITOR’S NOTE – As 2025 approaches, the SBJ is featuring some of our favorite content from this year. This is the first JJ Marshall column on the list; more will follow before New Year’s Day. Enjoy!)

After many years of campaigning, I’m hopeful that my efforts are about to pay off in my never-ending endeavor to become Czar of Sports. (I liked “King” better, but the powers that be went with the Russian alternative to sound more authoritarian.)

Once appointed, I’ve got a list of things to deal with (read: banish). And it’s not going to be pretty.

There’s a clear No. 1, but before we go there, let’s get a few others on the chopping block out of the way.

Once my appointment becomes final, there will be no more booing of the visiting baseball team whenever they try to pick a home team player off first base. If they throw over 13 times, I’d get it. But MLB has changed the rules, so there are only going to be two attempts before the third one either has to work or it’s a free base for the runner.

What’s so annoying about a pickoff attempt that fans feel the need to boo? Because it wastes all of 21 seconds?

Next – and this one is rapidly moving up the charts – is the elimination of the word “room” to describe a position group on a team. Pro, college and, sadly, even high school.

Don’t know how this started but it must be removed from the lexicon as soon as I take office. Note to Joe Fan: You are not an insider because you say “wide receiver room” or “linebacker room.” In fact, it qualifies you as a First Degree Doofus for trying to sound like a coach.

What are these “rooms?” Are they carpeted? Window treatments? Is the deep snapper room the same size as the offensive linemen room? That doesn’t seem fair.

While we’re at it, let’s stop classifying it as a “shocking upset” when a No. 5 seed loses to a No. 12 seed in the NCAA’s March Madness tournament. It’s so common these days that it’s actually shocking when it doesn’t happen.

But there’s a clear winner of the Banishment List and it has only been exacerbated now that football season is upon us. To be honest, it’s shocking how out of control it has become – at all levels.

This business of signaling first down every time a ball carrier gets past the chains has become Grade A annoying. There are about, what, 50 first downs a game? And you see it on about 45 of them.

Boy, nothing gets me pumped up more than a running back picking up three yards on 3^rd-and-2 and letting everyone know that it’s about to be a new set of downs.

You’d almost swear that every NFL wide receiver has a bonus clause that pays him every time he signals first down.

First of all, we know it’s a first down! That yellow line tells all the television viewers that it’s a first down. Just about everybody paying attention in the stadium knows it’s a first down. The teammates know. The opposition knows.

Thanks for letting us in on the big secret.

As Czar, this may be my first proclamation: Anybody who signals first down when it’s actually not a first down gets a 15-yard penalty and has to go sit down by the teammates who have been busted for targeting.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not anti-celebration. Thrilling touchdowns, record-setting field goals; long punt returns – y’all have at it.

But I didn’t accept the position as Czar of Sports to just sit back and watch these stupid gestures go unnoticed or unpunished.

There’s plenty more to discuss, but I’ll save those for another day, but if you are someone who thinks it’s cool to untuck your jersey after the game is over, I wouldn’t get too comfortable if I were you.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

This season’s quarterback corps in Shreveport-Bossier was filled with tremendous talent, and there weren’t enough headlines to go around.

Among those putting up impressive stats but overshadowed by even more prolific passers was Captain Shreve senior Brodie Savage.

He’s the kind of player that the LHSCA/LFCA I-20 Bowl is made for.

The all-star game showcasing Class of 2025 seniors from north Louisiana schools is back at Ruston’s fabled L.J. “Hoss” Garrett Stadium Sunday afternoon at 2. Admission is $10 as dozens of seniors still seeking their college destinations will be joined by some stars already signed, like Airline QB Ben Taylor (a three-star recruit headed to Northwestern State).

Savage and Taylor will share quarterback duties for the West team after they were opponents in one of the most explosive games in local history.

Oct. 4, the passers and their offenses put on a show at Lee Hedges Stadium.

Savage led the Gators offense to a school-record 68 points, but it was two less than they needed. An incredible 69-68 Vikings win saw Taylor throw for 580 yards with seven touchdown passes, matching his career high. Savage tossed four TD passes and was 16 of 23 for 285 yards while Gators junior running back Jamarcea Plater ran for a school-record 322. Overall Savage threw 30 TDs this fall while completing 64 percent of his passes (192-301) for 2,848 yards in his comeback season after knee surgery halted his junior year.

Savage and Taylor will have plenty of targets to use in Sunday’s game, including Woodlawn’s Brandon Henderson, North DeSoto’s Cole Cory, Loyola’s Ben Brewer, Shreve’s D.J. Walden, and Haynesville’s Keizavion Woods.

More options will be in the backfield with Savage and Taylor, a stable of running backs which includes Parkway’s C.J Dudley, Evangel’s Josh Isaac, Woodlawn’s Quinton Wilson, and Huntington’s Kam’ron Davis.

Those RBs will rely on the West’s offensive line which includes Parkway’s Jax Gallier and Chaze Brown, Haughton’s Rimarria Davis, Minden’s Garret Dooly and Jonathan Bradford, Huntington’s Kevion Henry, and Woodlawn’s Marcus Palmer.

Woodlawn head coach Thedrick Harris leads the West team.

In the last high school football of the year, an added attraction will be a halftime performance by the Carroll High School “Marching Sound Machine” which will be recognized as the 2024 North Louisiana High School Band of the Year.

By KANE MCGUIRE, Louisiana Tech Athletic Communications Director

RUSTON — At the end of his first season as basketball coach at Louisiana Tech, Talvin Hester was certain what he needed for Year 2.

After his Bulldogs sustained a punched-in-the-mouth 74-46 beating by North Texas in the Conference USA Tournament at the Dallas Cowboys practice facility in Frisco, Texas, Hester knew, really knew, that he needed a quarterback of his own … aka a point guard.

“There are very few Super Bowl champions that won with a bad quarterback,” said Hester. “It is a position that you must start with when you build a team. In basketball, it’s the point guard position.”

Instead of taking his usual front seat on the charter bus back to Ruston, he and assistant coach Darshawn McClelland drove to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Their destination … Lemoore, California. Their reason … Sean Newman Jr.

“We flew all night and went to see him play the next morning in the California Community College Final Four,” recalled Hester. “We wanted to see him before his season ended to show him how much we wanted him.”

Newman Jr., a slender 6-foot-1, 160-pound point guard with a pencil mustache and business-like demeanor, was in the process of leading Fullerton College to a CCCAA state championship.

Playing hoops as a kid in LA, he was coached by his dad who he did NOT get his height from.

“My dad is 6-5, my mom is 5-7. Pretty sure I took the height from my mom’s side because her brothers and dad are all short. I was probably like 5-9, 130 pounds playing in high school at Culver City,” said Newman.

“I have been a late bloomer my whole life. Looking back there was no way I was ready to come straight out of high school and play Division I.”

Instead, Newman took the 45-minute trek to Fullerton College (or an hour and a half depending on traffic because well, it’s LA).

“My head coach at Fullerton (Perry Webster), he reached out to me and laid out a perfect plan. It made the most sense. I knew I did not want to go to prep school across the country. I was not ready at that time in my life. Really it was all God, working everything out for me.”

After a shortened freshman season with the Hornets due to injury, Newman lost only once as a sophomore – averaging 13.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, and enjoying 32 wins. Sixteen of those were in league play, resulting in the Orange Empire Conference regular season title. The last victory was that over San Francisco in the CCCAA title game.

“My pulse in Texas is really good because I am from there, but I spent time as an assistant at San Jose State,” said Hester. “California has been a part of the country where I have been able to find some recruits over the years. When you go to major cities like Los Angeles, a lot of players get lost.

“When I saw Sean, he made all the right plays. His team functioned at a high rate. He was what made the team go.”

Was coach worried about Newman’s small stature? Nope. Was he concerned about the lack of interest from other schools? Not at all. Was he hesitant about Newman being able to make the jump from juco to DI? Negative.

The exact moment Hester knew he really wanted Newman as his point guard was when he went to see him play Orange Coast.

“They were up like 30 in the second half and there was a loose ball. There was every reason that 99 percent of players in America would have just let the loose ball go out of bounds. Sean dives on the floor, gets the loose ball, and starts a fast break for his team. That was a winning play, even though they would win by like 50. Those are guys you want. He valued a possession that did not matter. I knew at that point that he knew what it took to win.”

“Coach Hester was a great recruiter,” said Newman, who had never heard of Louisiana Tech before getting a call out of the blue with a scholarship offer. “He laid out a perfect plan and everything made sense. He came out to California twice to see me and that is not an easy trip to make. That meant a lot to me.”

What the California kid discovered in Ruston was a small town with few distractions where he could work on his game and be around people that believed in him.

And less traffic of course. I-20 ain’t exactly the 405.

Undersized, overlooked. All Sean did in Year 1 with the Bulldogs was help lead the team to a 22-win season as he topped Conference USA in assists, earning him honorable mention All-CUSA honors.

This year he has taken things to another level — as in leading not just the team and CUSA in assists, but the entire country with 108 dimes through 12 games.

Fastest Bulldog ever to 100 assists in a single season. Already has five games of 10+ assists, tied for the third most in program history. Has a team-leading three double-doubles.

His full skill set was showcased Monday, when Newman scored a career-high 25 points as well as nine assists in a 74-66 win over WAC preseason favorite Grand Canyon. The Bulldogs, who Newman said “have not even come close to being the team we want to be or can be” is off to a 10-2 start, their best since 2015.

“Being away from home the first year, that is shocking for any kid and he in particular from across the country,” said Hester on the growth from last season to this season. “Now he is settled in. His whole life, he did not get recruited, was undervalued. You finally get to a place where people see his talent and see that he is that guy, I think his confidence has grown because of it.”

Passed over by many in middle school, high school, and juco, Newman has most certainly made a name for himself in the other LA.
“I could have easily given up many times,” admitted Newman. “A lot of the credit goes to my dad because he instilled a work ethic in me at a very early age. I just always kept working, kept grinding because you never know how things will turn out.”

Following the victory over GCU, Hester was posed with a question about Sean being underrated nationally.
Hester’s quick reply:  “He isn’t underrated anymore.”

Contact Kane at kmcguire@latech.edu

On Go Caroling Day, December 20, voices fill neighborhoods and hearts with the sounds of classic holiday tunes. Caroling, which dates back to medieval Europe, was originally a pagan tradition of singing and dancing to mark the solstice. Over time, it evolved into a cherished part of Christmas festivities.

Caroling brings communities together, fostering connection and spreading cheer through song. From timeless hymns like “Silent Night” to playful tunes like “Jingle Bells,” the tradition transcends age and culture.

Whether you join a caroling group or sing along from your doorstep, the day is about sharing joy through music and the warmth of the holiday spirit.

Mallory is my daughter-in-law. She was here this last weekend. There was a shopping adventure on Saturday and that evening she was wrapped the presents. Mallory is one of “those” gift wrappers. I stood and watched her wrap gifts. With engineering precision, she made one cut of the wrapping paper. The ends of the gifts wrapped were perfect. She used a minimum amount of tape. She did it with the skill of a neurosurgeon and the speed of a NASCAR pit crew member. I gave up attempts at gift wrapping decades ago. A gift bag is a blessing for people like me. 

Mallory was so peaceful as she was wrapping at the speed of light.

This time of year, requires speed. Everyone promises it to us. The Postal Service, UPS, and FedEx promise they are the speediest. I’m waiting for one of them to promise overnight delivery on Christmas Eve. Although I think St. Nick and the Elf union would fight that infringement on their gig. Amazon has amazing speed, but you pay for it. Their free delivery takes from 3-5 business days, or you can opt for their expensive express delivery which will arrive in 4-6 business days. In many cases the free shipping is quicker than the express shipping you pay for. Go figure.

Here’s the thing, I’m wondering if we should be working on our “slowing skills.”

I lived in Natchitoches for ten years. I loved the Christmas lights! At the residential end of the Church Street bridge there is a sign that says Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The challenge is that the traffic lights are directly in front of the sign. So, if you are a visitor to that city and you don’t know that secret, you often are challenged to see and follow the traffic lights.

I remember one evening trying to hurry home across the Church Street bridge.

In front of me was a van from the state of Hittite. (Don’t want to tell you the state lest I offend.) This van was driving 2 miles an hour over the bridge at 5:30 p.m. These out-of-state guests were looking at the wonderful light display on the other side of the river. This nice van driver speeding at two miles an hour looking at the lights was not looking at the road. Twice the van hit the curb on the Church Street Bridge. That is no small curb. They didn’t seem too bothered by their dual collisions with the curb. At the end of the road, they stopped at the green light. They met the big sign hiding the traffic lights. I waited patiently for as long as I could stand it, then I sent them an audible automotive suggestion that they complete their right turn.

Paul wrote, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” I wonder how long it took for time to fully come? Christmas day is getting ever closer. 

Maybe we would be more faithful witnesses to our faith if we learned some slowing skills. Be patient with people in the parking lot, the check-out line, over worked wait staff in the diner, and those you love who are also caught in the Christmas speed trap. Be patient with those who are having their first Christmas without loved ones or without their children being home. Practice patience with those who are not moving at the same Christmas speed.

Learn “slowing skills” and wait, Christmas always arrives on time.

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

RUSTON — At happy hour Friday evening, hardly anybody knew Louisiana Tech might wind up in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.

Thanks to Marshall bailing on its days-old invitation, a retreat finalized last Friday that became public Saturday morning, the Bulldogs are now teed up for the Dec. 28 contest against Army.

And there’s a 50-50 Chance a Captain Shreve product will launch the game’s first play – depending on the coin toss.

Freshman John Chance is the new kickoff specialist for Tech, which has lost its veteran kicker Buck Buchanan to the transfer portal. In his first media session since the unlikely bowl invitation was announced Saturday afternoon, Bulldogs coach Sonny Cumbie said Wednesday his team is excited — and he is, too, about Chance taking over the kicking tee.

“He’s from Captain Shreve, so he’s kicked off a lot in Independence Stadium,” said Cumbie. “I’m excited about him getting practice reps and game reps. He has an extremely strong leg. Consistency is what he’s working toward. I think he’ll do a great job for us.”

Along with winning a pair of Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week honors this season, Buchanan gave Tech a field position advantage because 90 percent of his kickoffs were touchbacks. Chance was a walk-on in waiting, not hitting the field in Tech’s 12 games.

“It’s a big deal, having that kind of weapon,” said Cumbie. “I anticipate John having that same type of success.”

Redshirt freshman Drew Henderson is Tech’s new field goal and kickoff specialist. Buchanan is the Bulldogs’ leading scorer with 68 points, including 13 of 20 aim on field goals.

Cumbie’s early Christmas surprise – which will include a $25,000 bowl appearance bonus as per his contract, despite the team’s 5-7 record that left it ineligible in the initial pool of six-win FBS teams – is a gift he immediately embraced. It’s the third I-Bowl for the Bulldogs this century and the sixth overall since Shreveport’s bowl began in 1976.

“I know the importance of this game for Louisiana Tech, the history that it’s had in this bowl game, the history it provides for us as a program, and the opportunity to represent north Louisiana,” he said. “Just extremely grateful.”

Cumbie said the remaining Tech players – over a dozen are in the transfer portal – are equally pleased, and the team’s seniors were the most surprised of all. Most headed home after the Nov. 30 season finale, a 33-0 homefield romp over Kennesaw State, and were not enrolled in winter quarter classes that began this month.

When coaches began contacting players Saturday to tell them there was a bowl game to play, the seniors got the first calls.

“They thought it was a prank call,” admitted Cumbie. “They thought we were jacking with them, and they were in disbelief at first. But everyone’s excited, and we had a great (first) practice (Tuesday) night.”

Most of the players’ classes this quarter are in afternoons, so Cumbie had to choose either an early morning or evening practice window. The decision was easy.

“I didn’t think our players would think a 6 a.m. practice for a bowl would be very rewarding,” he said.

The Christmas break begins Friday evening on campus, but the team will work out that night and Saturday, then have a full week of practice next week.

Cumbie, like every coach not in the College Football Playoffs, relishes getting extra bowl practices as a head start for the 2025 season. Despite the fact that Tech is the biggest underdog among all bowl teams, he has another chewy toy to dangle in front of the Bulldogs.

“The biggest takeaway is it’s two more weeks to be together. It gives us two more weeks to practice, to develop guys who are coming back,” he said, “and it gives us the opportunity to win three of our last four games. It will be a tall challenge; Army is a phenomenal team.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports

When Byrd and Captain Shreve collide in any sport, there is ramped-up intensity. When both programs rank among the best statewide, it’s got extra sizzle.

The girls soccer matchup between the rivals this week paired programs that battled for the 2024 district championship and then for survival in the ensuing state playoffs. Last season Shreve beat Byrd 5-2 to win the Division I District I title. Byrd got the more memorable victory, however, prevailing 2-0 in the quarterfinals, taking a big step on the Lady Jackets’ path to the state finals.

That made Shreve’s visit to Byrd Monday night one of the most anticipated games of this girls soccer season, and it lived up to expectations with the caliber of play and the excitement level. This rematch ended the same as the playoff battle – going to Byrd, 2-0, as both teams head toward a holiday pause.

It was the first of three intriguing girls soccer contests this week between six of the best teams locally.

The weather on Line Avenue was perfect for soccer, peaking at 60 degrees with a slight breeze, and a nearly full moon above. The stands overflowed, typical for this matchup no matter what the credentials.

The Lady Jackets took early control, pressing the ball towards Shreve’s goal, taking a few early shots, mainly going wide. A couple forced Lady Gators keeper Avery Watson into action, adding to her save total.

Shreve’s early chances were strictly via the counter. On one occasion a ball was sent over the top and Lady Gators forward Alex Knight took off behind the defense. Byrd’s center defender Georgia Gulette ran her down and was able to dispose of Knight’s threat and clear the ball. This scenario played out several times, quite a feat considering Knight is heading to play Division I soccer at Southeastern Louisiana, and Gulette has come back from a torn ACL.

Midway through the first half, Khaela Roraback hit a rocket that Watson wasn’t able to get, giving the Lady Jackets a lead and ultimately a 1-0 halftime edge.

The second half turned predictably chippy in the rivalry and the intensity of the matchup, with a ton of “advice” coming from both fan bases to the referee, suggesting what was or was not a foul — all of which was ignored.

Byrd was unable to increase its lead, nor was Shreve able to get on the board. Gulette and fellow defender Lauren Fleming thwarted Knight every time she got the ball. Byrd coach Lisa Levermann understandably called Fleming her most consistent defender.

As the clock became the Lady Gators’ enemy, they began moving more players forward in an all out effort to draw even. This led to more controlled attacks, but no real threats at goal. With less than two minutes to go, a Byrd defender cleared the ball, and Lady Jackets standout MyJoi Anderson, a Division I Texas A&M-Corpus Christie signee, chased it down. Anderson was able to beat Watson 1-on-1 and the goal sealed the deal for the Lady Jackets.

On Tuesday night there were two games involving four other teams ranked in the Shreveport-Bossier Journal Coaches Poll.

Sixth-ranked Calvary scored twice in the final three minutes to turn a closely-fought game into a comfortable 4-1 win over fifth-ranked North DeSoto. At Messmer Stadium, fourth-ranked Loyola blanked No. 7 Airline 5-0.

Could we see a shakeup in the next coaches poll? We will have to wait until after Christmas gifts are opened to find out, as there will not be any voting until the final week of the month.

Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net

JOURNAL SPORTS

On the landscape of NIL payments to LSU athletes, it’s not a big deal, but national and state media Wednesday took note of a novel strategy by Louisiana attorney general Liz Murrill.

She is pioneering a campaign that will compensate athletes at LSU and five other state colleges for taking part in advertising attacking teenage vaping.

About $300,000 has been committed to the first state-funded NIL deal in Louisiana.  The money comes from a $10 million settlement from Juul Labs, which manufactures electronic cigarettes. While attorney general, Gov Jeff Landry successfully sued, with the payment  required to try to reduce vaping among youth 21 and under.

Detailing the initiative first reported by Louisiana Illuminator, public records show the state has committed $281,000 on Name, Image and Likeness agreements, with most ($225,000) directed to LSU athletes over the next three years. The balance will go to athletes at Grambling, Northwestern, McNeese, Southeastern and ULM, the public records showed. No specific information was provided by officials as to amounts or how the athletes will be chosen at LSU, but those involved elsewhere will get $1-3,000, the report said.

NIL packages for many LSU athletes are in six figures. NIL amounts are almost uniformly fractional at the five other state colleges involved in Murrill’s plan, and not widely distributed.

The deal also provides for another $125,000 to a private company that directs corporate partnerships for LSU Athletics, providing for advertising at LSU home sports events and on LSU-produced content.

The weather is starting to turn cold, skies are gray and we’re finding ourselves looking for a warm fire and a good meal. There’s nothing like settling down in front of the fireplace in a favorite recliner with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate to take the edge off the weather.

While you’re sitting in that recliner by the fire, take a peek outside towards your back yard. Chances are, you’ll see a kaleidoscope of flitting color as songbirds scratch and hurry about looking for something to sustain them during this cold weather. Birds are adaptable little creatures. They can usually scratch out enough bugs and seeds to keep their little heaters going. However, when there is snow or ice on the ground, or when it’s extremely cold, grubbing out a meal can be quite a task.

If you do not regularly feed birds in winter, this would be a good time for you to consider starting it. All I have to do to know that this is a welcomed practice is to glance outside my office window to the feeders I keep filled. The colder it gets, the more birds flock to it and demonstrate just how thankful they are to be fed.

This time of year, I can count several species of birds that I can identify that help themselves to the black oil sunflower seed and bird seed mix I put out for them. The most obvious ones are those with the most color. Male Cardinals, in brilliant red plumage, for instance, are easiest to spot. Some years, the cardinals stay in the woods until late winter because of an abundance of wild food but in other years, they can be all over my feeders.

I asked someone once what species of birds they had visiting their feeders and the answer was not unexpected….”Lots of brown ones,” was the reply.

Most of the birds that visit my feeder are “brown” ones, but they are of several species. For example, I see several species of sparrows with the chipping sparrow being the most predominant. There are white-throated sparrows, and when the weather gets real cold, sometimes fox sparrows visit. Among the “brown” birds on my feeders now are birds that won’t be brown once springtime arrives. Goldfinches are rather drab in appearance this time of year but once they get ready to head for northern breeding grounds, their brilliant yellow color will catch your eye.

Another small dark colored bird around the feeder is one I knew as “snow bird” when I was a youngster. I know them today as juncos with black backs and bibs and white underparts.

I see chickadees, titmice, mourning doves and an occasional nuthatch. Red bellied woodpeckers and downy woodpeckers visit along with the ever-present and loud-mouthed blue jays.

One species of bird I’ll be looking for if we get snow is the rufous-sided towhee, a bird I’ve seen a lot of in winter but not in my yard. While sitting on deer stands near dense thickets, these shy black, white and chestnut-colored birds often flit in and out of the foliage.

Setting up feeding stations is an easy task. The most obvious method is to use commercial bird feeders. However, most types are not protected from the invasion of squirrels. I purchased a “squirrel proof” feeder that features a slender rod that goes in the ground but the kicker is a length of limber metal pipe sort of like a stove pipe. Squirrels can climb the rod but can’t handle the stove pipe to reach the bird seed.

I also have a feeder with a video camera that both birds and I love because they can feed in peace not knowing or caring that I have their close-up images to enjoy.

In return for taking care of the birds that visit your yard, you’ll be rewarded with flitting dashes of color and activity. To add an extra measure of enjoyment to feeding birds, purchase a bird book and keep a listing of how many species of birds visit your yard. You might be pleasantly surprised at the popularity of your yard.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com

Hard candies, like peppermints, butterscotch, and fruit drops, are more than just sweet treats—they’re a piece of culinary history. December 19, National Hard Candy Day, celebrates these confections, which have been enjoyed for centuries.

Originating in the 17th century when sugar became more accessible, hard candies were crafted to last longer and provide a sweet burst of flavor. During the holidays, they take center stage in candy canes, an iconic treat said to represent the shepherd’s crook in Nativity scenes.

Today, hard candies are a staple of holiday traditions, from filling stockings to decorating gingerbread houses, connecting generations with their timeless appeal.