The Bossier Parish Police Jury holds its public hearing Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 9 a.m. at the Bossier Parish Courthouse in Benton on Ordinance No. 5127 — a proposal that would criminalize the use of parish-owned restrooms, locker rooms, and changing facilities that do not correspond with a person’s biological sex assigned at birth. Opposition is growing ahead of the hearing. The ACLU of Louisiana has challenged the introduction process, contending the Police Jury violated the state’s Open Meetings Law. A letter signed by 22 organizations and 277 individuals from across Louisiana urges the jury to reject the measure. Louisiana Trans Advocates and a transgender couple who say they were assaulted at Cypress Black Bayou Park in Bossier City in May — and subsequently arrested — are also expected to be present. The ordinance was requested by the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, which said it would give deputies an enforcement tool under a 2024 state law. Penalties range from a $250 fine for a first offense to up to six months in jail for repeated violations.
Two Bossier City Men Sentenced to Federal Prison After Neighbor Called in Complaint
Two Bossier City men received federal prison sentences in a case that began when a neighbor called police to complain about loud music, drug use, and disorderly conduct. Melvin Lee Johnson, 23, and Jarrod De’Angelo Stith, 23, were sentenced Aug. 20 in connection with a May 2025 arrest. When Bossier City Police responded to the complaint, officers observed several people near a black Nissan SUV. Their investigation led to federal drug trafficking and illegal firearms charges. Both men were sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.
Shreveport Political Analyst Arrested on Felony Domestic Abuse Charges
A Shreveport-based political analyst has been arrested on felony domestic abuse charges following a Shreveport Police Department investigation. Additional details on the identity of the suspect and specific charges are expected from the Shreveport Police Department as the case moves through the courts.
Bossier Parish Powerball Player Wins $150,000 at Barksdale Stop N Go
A Bossier City Powerball player is $150,000 richer after purchasing or claiming a winning ticket at the Barksdale Stop N Go at 5412 Barksdale Blvd. The Louisiana Lottery confirmed the winning ticket from the Saturday Powerball drawing. The winner has not been publicly identified.
ALEXANDRIA — The courtroom is filling up as more parties join the Diocese of Alexandria bankruptcy proceedings.
Bankruptcy Judge John Hodge on Monday signed five orders, including one requested by the Diocese of Shreveport and one by the newly appointed interim U.S. Trustee.
Kevin Epstein is interim trustee for the Louisiana-Mississippi district, appointed by the U.S. Attorney General to add that to his trustee duties in the Western-Southern Texas district.
He successfully asked the court to delay until September 15 the deadline to object to the Diocese motion for an order appointing legal representation for the interests of any future claims holders in the case and for retention of a Future Claims Representative.
Hodge also ordered hearing that date of other new parties’ motions to compel production of allocation protocol, objecting to the future claims deadline, and allowing the Shreveport entity to object to the disclosure statement of the proposed reorganization plan.
The Diocese filed Chapter 11 last October 31 in the face of pending claims alleging clergy sexual abuse.
Shreveport’s filing notes that ideally a settlement is achieved that includes it and former Alexandria parishes.
In seeking a plan modification, the motion says it should clarify the insurance rights of both those interests.
From late 1976 through mid-1986 and Alexandria and their church parishes were one diocese.
Claims in the Alexandria case date as far back as the 1970s.
Two SPD Lieutenants on Administrative Leave Over Private Security Conflict of Interest Two Shreveport Police Department lieutenants have been placed on paid administrative leave while the department investigates whether their outside employment with a private security firm violates department policy. Lt. Mike Jones and Lt. Allison Azlin are listed as managers of Tactical Personal Security Solutions LLC, a company registered with the state in November 2025. SPD spokesperson Cpl. Chris Bordelon said the internal investigation will determine whether the private business poses a conflict of interest with their duties as police officers. There is no indication the two used city resources for their private security work. SPD said the lieutenants’ rank — unlike regular patrol officers — makes administrative leave necessary to ensure a fair and thorough investigation.
No Bomb Found at Captain Shreve; Female Suspect Being Sought Shreveport police and the FBI have cleared Captain Shreve High School after a bomb threat was posted on Instagram Tuesday morning. No explosive device was found. The tip was initially reported to an FBI hotline, which then notified SPD around 11 a.m. School was not placed on lockdown. Investigators have determined the threat was made by a female and are working to identify and locate the suspect. The investigation remains ongoing.
Shreveport Police Seeking Man Wanted for Molestation of 14-Year-Old Shreveport Police Sex Crimes detectives are asking for the public’s help locating Roy Scott, 51, who is wanted on a warrant for one count of molestation of a juvenile. Detectives were contacted Aug. 21 regarding allegations that a teenager had been sexually assaulted. An emergency forensic interview supported the allegations. Scott refused to cooperate with investigators and told detectives he was out of town. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Shreveport Police or Shreveport-Caddo Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373.
One Arrested, One Hospitalized After Bossier City Shooting on Wild Iris Drive Bossier City Police responded to a shooting on Wild Iris Drive on the evening of Aug. 25, resulting in one arrest and one person hospitalized. Additional details on charges and the victim’s condition are expected from the Bossier City Police Department as the investigation continues.
AMONG THE VERY BEST: Ranked fourth on the PGA Tour in putting, Sam Burns tees off at 12:24 CT today among the favorites at the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
By DOUG IRELAND Journal Sports
ATLANTA – Sam Burns’ superior summer-long performance has him standing eighth in the field of 30 finalists teeing off today in the $40 million Tour Championship, the final event of the 2026 PGA Tour season.
The 30-year-old Shreveport native, a three-time state champion at Calvary Baptist as a teenager, drives off the first tee at 12:24 paired with Collin Morikawa. Golf Channel will have live coverage of their round.
His last three outings in this event, at East Lake Golf Club, are more reason golf analysts are elevating him into the contenders’ group for the $10 million winner’s purse. SportsLine’s computer program, featured by CBS Sports, ranks him as the player to beat and he is teeing off with +1500 odds.
Burns tied for seventh last year, was 12th in 2024 and ninth in 2023. This will be his sixth straight Tour Championship, reserved for the top 30 finishers in the season-long FedEx Cup points race.
But after a terrific eight-event run, the most recent outing last week was mediocre, especially by his standards. Burns finished 28th in the 50-player BMW Championship, but was already assured of reaching this week’s ultimate event due to his exceptional play since early May and his career-best overall season.
The two-time LSU All-American, now a resident of Choudrant, had an eight-event run with six top 20 finishes, including four top fives in a six-tournament span from June 7 (fourth at The Memorial) to Aug. 16 (third at the FedEx St. Jude Championship). He was second at the U.S. Open and third at the British Open after a seventh-place finish at The Masters in April.
All 30 players this week have earned a two-year PGA Tour exemption and entry into next season’s signature events, including all four major championships.
Friday’s coverage starts at 10 a.m. on ESPN, through noon, then shifts to Golf Channel. Weekend TV begins at noon on Golf Channel with CBS picking up tournament action at 2 Saturday and Sunday.
Every local high school football team is lining up in a jamboree this weekend, beginning tonight with two local matchups.
Shreveport’s biggest rivalry is revived in truncated form when the Byrd Yellow Jackets meet the Captain Shreve Gators at 6 o’clock in Lee Hedges Stadium, for two quarters of competition. It’s a preview of in the 49th annual “Backyard Brawl” that will complete the 10-game regular season in the same location on Nov. 10.
The other jamboree contest tonight, also at 6, pits Huntington against Northwood at Independence Stadium.
The Shreve-Byrd rivalry is more familiar than usual in football. The Gators and Yellow Jackets also collided in a preseason jamboree last year.
Players from both teams fielded media questions early this month at the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl High School Media Day.
Chris Hill, Captain Shreve, WR
What’s your expectation for the Gators this fall?
“Definitely go further than the last five years, at least. I think we’re so underrated. I know we have weapons all around, not just at one position. I know we have multiple guys that can do the job. We’re all special players and we know what to do when the ball gets in our hands.”
What makes it a good season individually?
“Just doing my job to the best of my ability, showcasing things I didn’t get to last year. I’ll get more opportunities and I want to show everybody what I’ve got.”
What is that? Describe yourself as a player.
“I’m a dog who’s going to do his job. Always a team player who’s going to uplift his teammates and be a leader on the field. I’m an all-around type of receiver, a real talented guy who can go up top and catch the ball, get yards after the catch, anything you need.
“I’m a great teammate. I always cheer for my guys. I’m looking out for them, trying to show them what it’s like to be a leader.”
How are you as a student?
“I’m a good student in the classroom, a 4.0 GPA.”
Christian Maxie, Byrd, RB
What will fans see when you’re on the field?
“When they’re watching me, they’ll see explosiveness, speed, strength, vision … I’m just an all-around player. I can do anything, anywhere. Put me on defense, too. I’m an all-around ball player.
“My best attribute is being able to make a move in open space using my vision. I feel like I have the best vision in the state.”
As a senior, how do you fulfill leadership responsibilities?
“I’m a great leader. I always help the younger players. They’re always asking for advice, and it’s to take their time, don’t rush the game. The game comes to you.”
Academically, what’s your approach?
“I’m locked in during classes. I’m trying to go to college and play football and my academics have to be lined up to get that done.”
Conrad Hilliard, Byrd, DE
Any advice to defensive players on how to defend Maxie (who ran for 1,574 yards and 21 touchdowns last year, scoring a school-record six in one game)?
“You can’t. There’s no advice I can give you. I’m glad he’s on my team.”
You see him every day in practice. How do you try to stop him?
“He lines up on the other side. He doesn’t want to go against me!”
DO-OVER?: Christian Williams had an interception in Northwestern’s 2025 season-opening win over Alcorn State, and hopes to duplicate that tonight. (NSU photo by CHRIS REICH)
By BRAD WELBORN, Northwestern State Athletic Communications
NATCHITOCHES — There will be plenty to see when Northwestern State and Louisiana Christian kick off the 2026 football season tonight.
There will be the lights illuminating Turpin Stadium. The annual Inferno Run. The Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band will be in full voice. Thousands of fans will be encouraged to wear purple as the Demons celebrate Purple Reign Night.
And, if the weather cooperates with relatively clear skies, about 9:30 there will be a lunar eclipse unfolding above it all.
Most importantly though, there will be football.
The Demons open the 2026 season by welcoming LCU’s Wildcats to Turpin Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff, beginning NSU’s third season under head coach Blaine McCorkle.
The game will air live on ESPN+ with Patrick Netherton returning for another season of play-by-play action. He will be joined by analyst Tyler Moody and sideline reporter Jason Pugh. It will also air locally in Natchitoches on 100.7 FM KZBL with Chris Salim and Jay Thomas.
“It should be a good crowd and a good atmosphere. And it definitely is not going to rain and there won’t be any lightning delays,” McCorkle joked. “Fully expect LC to bring a good crowd up here being so close and it should be a good night for football. Excited to get out there, hear the band, see the lights on. There’s nothing like college football at night. It’s special.”
The matchup itself is a special one for its rarity.
Northwestern and Louisiana Christian will meet for the first time since 1968, ending a nearly six-decade gap between two programs that once met on a near-annual basis from 1922 through 1968.
The Wildcats bring plenty of credentials into tonight’s matchup. LCU has won its NAIA conference championship in two of the past three seasons and presents the Demons an experienced opponent to open the year.
For Northwestern, the goal is to make its own bit of history.
The Demons are looking to open a season with a victory for the second consecutive year, something they have not accomplished since the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Last year, NSU snapped a long season-opening drought with a 20-10 victory against Alcorn State, giving the Demons their first season-opening win since Zach Adkins led NSU past Missouri State in 2013.
Abram Johnston played a major role in that victory, making just his third career start at the time.
Now, Johnston enters as the established starter, becoming the first Northwestern quarterback since 2021 to open consecutive seasons as the team’s No. 1 signal caller. He will make his 14th career start against the Wildcats.
“I definitely feel more at ease and more prepared going into this year,” Johnston said. “But knowing that, even after we won that first game, the results of the season I feel the pressure of us wanting to play better and perform. I know it’s a long season but that’s why this game in front of us is super important to get us off on the right foot. So there’s an ease but also knowing where we need to improve to do what needs to get done this year.”
Johnston and the Demons enter the season looking to build on the progress they made during McCorkle’s second season.
In FCS games the Demons increased its production from year one to year two in points, first downs, rushing yards, total yards and time of possession. The next step is turning that statistical progression into more results on the scoreboard.
“The maturation of this team has been fun to watch throughout the spring and fall,” McCorkle said. “I think we’re all excited to see that really start to show some results on the field and the scoreboard.”
That process begins with playing a clean game.
“You want to play good, clean football early on,” McCorkle said. “They always say you see the biggest improvement in the team between game one and game two. It’s an old coaching adage but it’s very true. You don’t want a sloppy game one. You want to play hard. Play tough. Play fast and free. But you want to be disciplined at the same time. If we can do that and what we’re coached to do to the best of our ability, we’ll be in good shape.”
One of the biggest areas of intrigue for the Demons will be the defensive secondary.
Northwestern has an influx of new faces in the back end of its defense, and those players will be tested immediately by an explosive Louisiana Christian offense that likes to push the tempo and features an experienced group of skill players.
Among the veterans helping lead that new-look secondary is captain and graduate safety Christian Williams, who knows firsthand what a season-opening splash can do.
Williams recorded the first interception of his career in last season’s victory against Alcorn State. He wouldn’t mind repeating the feat this year.
“I would love to get another one in this game,” Williams said with a laugh. “I’m hoping that everybody in the secondary can get their hands on the ball.”
Before that can happen, however, the Demons will have to keep pace with the Wildcats.
“Handling their tempo is our biggest focus,” Williams said. “They move really fast and they have athletes on the perimeter just like we do. It’ll be a challenge in the secondary but we’re ready for everything. Our coaches do a great job of preparing us every day, so we’ll be ready.”
Williams has embraced an expanded leadership role as he prepares to anchor a group that will be asked to grow up quickly.
“I’m trying to be more vocal as one of the leaders on the team and in the secondary,” Williams said. “Speak up more when I need to speak up. If guys are slipping up off the field, stepping up and letting them know that I’m there for them. And especially with the freshman. Just setting a good example for guys to look up to.”
The matchup provides the Demons with an opportunity to take another step in their progression and to do it in front of a home crowd, under the lights and, for at least part of the night, beneath an eclipsed moon.
SETTLED IN: Ben McLaughlin begins his third year as head coach at his alma mater tonight leading the NAIA Louisiana Christian Wildcats into Turpin Stadium to play the Division I FCS Northwestern Demons. (Photo courtesy LCU Athletics)
By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
PINEVILLE — Northwestern State football coach Blaine McCorkle told the Demon Quarterback Club lunch crowd Wednesday that he’s seen some predictions picking NAIA power Louisiana Christian to beat his team in tonight’s 7 p.m. season opener at Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches.
The Wildcats have won their Sooner Athletic Conference championship twice in three years, and return 18 of 22 starters from last year’s 8-3 team under third-year coach Ben McLaughlin.
The Demons are still recovering from having their 2023 season halted with four games to go, and a complete rebuild since McCorkle stepped into the rubble that December. Northwestern was winless in his first season, and 1-11 last year, breaking an overall 17-game skid in its opener but missing three last-minute chances to do any better last fall.
Maybe this isn’t a typical NCAA Division I (FCS) against NAIA matchup, but McLaughlin isn’t buying that rationale.
“If anybody’s picking us to win they’re trying to fire up Coach McCorkle and his guys,” he said, laughing. “Now I have supreme confidence that our guys are going to play to win the game. If they were going to play the Dallas Cowboys, I’d expect our guys to feel that way.
“You can’t get on that bus to beat a Division I team. To win any game, especially a big game like this, you’ve gotta win a half, and to do that, you’ve gotta win a quarter, and to win a quarter, you’ve gotta win a few drives, and to do that, you’ve gotta win some plays.
“We’re telling our guys go up and have fun. Enjoy the atmosphere, the ESPN cameras, and every snap, try to whip the guy in front of you. If you can beat him more than he beats you, you can win some plays and you can win a game. Just go play football.”
Against a lot of Demons who they’ve seen before, in high school. Both teams have rosters filled with Louisiana products.
“A lot of these guys have been high school teammates or opponents of their players. We’re saying, ‘you probably beat him some in high school, so know that you’re just as good as a lot of their players are individually,” said McLaughlin.
“We all know the Division I offensive linemen are a different size, and there’s a lot (of NSU advantages) that’s common sense, but our players are really good too. They believe they’re going to win a lot of reps, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
In the grand scheme, both coaches want to see their teams play well. A loss would obviously be a disaster for the Demons, but not necessarily for the Wildcats, who have been pounded in their last two season openers by NSU’s Southland Conference cousins Houston Christian (70-7 in 2024) and McNeese (54-9 last fall, in a game that was 17-9 midway through the second quarter).
“If we win this game, and it’s the biggest win in school history, and we lose the rest of them, this season is a failure. If they beat us by 50 and we win the rest of our games, it will be the best season in school history,” said McLaughlin. “Keep this in perspective. I want our kids to play to the standard we want to play, and if we’ve played our tails off, I can sleep well.”
The Wildcats have an extra edge. New defensive backs coach T.J. Hersey has been alongside McCorkle for the past six years, as a player at Division III Belhaven and for the past two years as a graduate assistant coach with the Demons.
“Blaine recommended him and any time a coach vouches for a player he’s been around four seasons as a player and then as a graduate assistant coach, you know it’s a home run. It will be a cool experience for him to be a full-time coach across the field from the man who coached him and gave him his first job,” said McLaughlin, who did not back away from acknowledging Hersey’s insight has been extremely beneficial in game preparation this week.
“Yes sir, that’s exactly right, yes sir,” he said.
The Demons have developed a young but pretty experienced roster, with 56 returning letterwinners, most second and third-year players. But only seven have started at least a full season.
The Wildcats, however, return 10 offensive starters from a unit that averaged 36.5 points and have eight defensive starters and their punter/kicker back, along with a dozen other veterans.
Among other players: Centenary transfer running back Obadiah Butler, who averaged 110 rushing yards in conference games last fall, and 2024 Shreveport-Bossier Journal high school Player of the Year Brandon Henderson, a receiver from Woodlawn High.
“We’re an anomaly right now. We’ve got a lot of old guys, which is rare in college football these days,” said McLaughlin. “We’re one of the few old teams around, so that’s nice. On paper, this could be a team that can take another step in the right direction. Everybody celebrated last season, and they earned it, but we’re not talking about that any more.”
Along with reviving a series dormant since 1968, tonight’s game is a financial windfall for LCU with the guarantee check it gets for visiting the Demons, just like the ones each of the last two years from HCU and McNeese.
“I thank Coach McCorkle so much, because this allows us to function financially in a way that makes our kids feel they’re a real college football program. We take this (revenue) and pour it right back into them to make their football experience at Louisiana Christian University. That is the Number 1 reason we’re doing this,” said McLaughlin.
Caddo Jury Acquits Man in 2022 Head-On Collision Near LSUS A Caddo Parish jury found a Shreveport man not guilty of negligent homicide in connection with a 2022 head-on collision near LSU Shreveport. The verdict was returned Tuesday following trial proceedings in Caddo District Court. Additional details on the defendant and the specific circumstances of the crash are expected from the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office.
Seven Shreveport-Bossier Restaurants Cited for Critical Health Violations Seven restaurants in the Shreveport-Bossier area received three or more critical health violations during Louisiana Department of Health inspections conducted Aug. 10 through Aug. 16. The state’s retail food health inspections dashboard lists each establishment’s full inspection history and is available to the public at eatsafe.la.gov — filtering by Caddo and Bossier parishes for inspections dated Aug. 10-16, 2026.
Bossier Parish Restroom Ordinance Public Hearing Set for Tuesday The Bossier Parish Police Jury holds its public hearing Tuesday, Sept. 2 at the Bossier Parish Courthouse in Benton on a proposed ordinance that would prohibit transgender individuals from using parish-owned public restrooms corresponding with their gender identity. The hearing begins at 9 a.m. Residents who wish to comment may attend in person. No final vote is expected at the hearing. The ordinance, which passed the Police Jury unanimously on July 15, covers parish libraries, parks, courthouses, and other public facilities.
NSU College of Business Hosts Cybersecurity Lunch and Learn in Bossier City Northwestern State University’s College of Business and Technology will host a free community lunch and learn session on cybersecurity essentials for small businesses on Nov. 16 at the Bossier Central Library, 7204 Hutchison Drive in Bossier City. The session runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be presented by NSU Professor Jason Powell. The event is part of NSU’s fall “Means Business: Beyond the Brick Way” series. Admission is complimentary; registration is required at nsu.la/businesslunchlearn.
I’ve always felt that I grew up in the perfect era. It was the early ‘70s and the Vietnam War was coming to an end. My generation never had to worry about being drafted by the armed forces. If you wanted to join the military, it was strictly voluntary.
While a few of my classmates chose to go in that direction, my attention was trying to get an athletic scholarship to play either football or baseball on the Division 1 level.
Let’s go back to my early years of growing up in the small East Texas town of Mt. Pleasant. As a child during this time frame, we had a lot of freedom. If you had a bike, it was this form of transportation that was basically unlimited. If you could ride your bike on it, there was no limit to where you could go.
We woke up at daylight and were on our bikes by 8 o’clock every summer morning and only came home for lunch, or right at dark. My kids still have a hard time understanding that the only rule we had — be home when the streetlights came on.
Parents didn’t always check on their kids. They pretty much knew where they supposed to be. My mother always knew where I was and who I was with most of the time. There was also a certain amount of trust between parents and their kids, until that trust was broken and we got into trouble.
We lived about three miles out of town and several days out of the week, I would ride my bike for miles. I was either playing ball somewhere at a local ballpark or somebody’s back yard. We rode our bikes looking for coke bottles on the side of the road that we could trade for candy at the local country store.
We played in creeks and ditches, especially after a big rain. As friends we were always together every day and spent a lot of time playing baseball or going to the local pool.
Occasionally, you could find me fishing at one of the stock ponds, or tanks as they call them in Texas. If I wasn’t at one of the ponds on our ranch, our neighbor Mr. Rayford Jones, who lived across the road from our house, owned a cattle farm and allowed my brother and me along with his grandson to fish his two ponds (tanks) that were full of bass and catfish.
Growing up in the country meant you probably had a garden to tend to. Every other day, I had to spend a couple of hours raking grass out of the garden, which was absolute torture for me. But the produce that came out of the garden was incredible, especially after dad had a load of chicken manure brought in!
We also had about two acres around our house that had to be mowed once every two weeks. Not with a riding mower, but with a push mower! That’s right, a 14-inch cut push mower, which required at least two days to complete the job.
I had a brother, seven years younger, who was supposed to take over the lawn cutting duties after I left home for college. Guess what showed up two days before I left home: that’s right, a Sears riding mower!
To say I voiced my displeasure to my parents about this purchase would be an understatement. For five years I push-mowed two acres and now my little brother would get to use a riding mower!
That being said, there were several chores demanded of me that my brother never took on. So, I guess you could say being the youngest had its privileges.
Looking back, I had an awesome childhood with more freedom than kids have today. They say it’s a different world than what my generation grew up in. I’m not sure that’s totally right.
There’s just so much more media exposure with up to the minute news and social media sites that are always shedding light on topics most really don’t want to hear about.
There’s always been bad people in the world who are looking to prey upon the weak. Today’s kids are growing up in a bubble of overprotection. Parents are less likely today to allow their kids to roam free like we did.
I think kids and young teenagers today are not near as mature as earlier generations. This is due to parents being overprotective, afraid to let their kids make mistakes they can learn from. With my generation, we all had summer and part-time jobs that helped us to mature and understand responsibility at an early age.
Our parents did a great job of preparing us for the real world. That gave us something I think is lacking with so many of today’s youth –maturity and accepting responsibility. We can only hope and pray that the generation of today will find its own path to success sooner rather than later.
Our country is at a crossroads in so many ways today. Far left extremists continues to gain ground in small areas of the country. But I don’t think when it comes down to a national election, they will have enough support to win.
I think common sense once again will prevail with the American people,like it did back in the good ole days. If it wasn’t for today’s social media, these small pockets of far-left activists would never even be heard. In God we trust! Stay strong America!
Human beings are amazing creatures. We can build skyscrapers, transplant hearts, send people into space, and teach a telephone to recognize our face. But ask us to do something difficult—even something we have dreamed about doing—and suddenly we become extraordinarily creative theologians.
“I would, Lord, but…”
That sentence may be humanity’s oldest hymn.
Moses certainly knew the tune. In Exodus 3, God appears to him in a burning bush and essentially says, “Moses, remember that thing you have cared about most of your life? Remember your people suffering in Egypt? Remember how you once tried to do something about it? Well, I’m sending you.”
You would expect Moses to shout, “Finally!”
Instead, Moses begins producing excuses like a Louisiana mosquito produces relatives.
“Who am I?”
“What if they don’t believe me?”
“What if I don’t know what to say?”
“I’m not a good speaker.”
And finally, when the theological arguments run out: “Lord, please send somebody else.”
That last one is refreshingly honest.
We do exactly the same thing.
“I’ve always wanted to write a book.”
Wonderful. Start writing.
“Well, I really need the right desk.”
So we buy the desk.
“Now I need the right chair.”
We buy the chair.
“Of course, proper lighting is important.”
Six months later we have a magnificent home office, three notebooks, seventeen pens, a new computer—and not one sentence.
Or maybe we have always wanted to get in shape. Monday morning arrives with all the promise of a new creation. Unfortunately, Monday is inconvenient. Tuesday looks better, except there may be rain. Wednesday is Bible study. Thursday feels too close to Friday, and everybody knows you should never begin anything major that close to a weekend.
Next Monday it is.
Church people are particularly gifted at sanctifying excuses.
“Someone ought to visit that person.”
Someone ought to.
“We really need somebody to work with the children.”
Absolutely.
“Somebody should invite that new family to lunch.”
Amen!
Apparently, “Somebody” is the busiest member of every congregation in America.
The funny thing is that we sometimes make excuses about doing the very things we have asked God to let us do.
We pray for an opportunity, and when God provides one, we say, “Not quite what I had in mind.”
We pray, “Lord, use me.”
God says, “All right.”
And suddenly we begin renegotiating the contract.
“Lord, when I said ‘use me,’ I was thinking perhaps in an advisory capacity.”
Moses discovered something important at the burning bush. God never really answered Moses’ question, “Who am I?”
Instead, God answered the question that mattered: “I will be with you.”
That is the hope for all of us excuse makers.
God does not wait for us to become fearless, eloquent, organized, perfectly prepared, ten pounds lighter, completely confident, or free next Tuesday.
God simply calls.
And when our excuses begin piling up, God keeps saying what he said to Moses:
I will be with you.
So perhaps the next time God opens the door we have spent years asking him to open, instead of developing another excellent reason why we cannot walk through it, we might take one trembling step.
We excuse makers may discover that God has already gone ahead of us.
And apparently, he is not nearly as impressed with our excuses as we are.
A bomb discovered at a Nevada casino on Aug. 26, 1980, was supposed to be carefully dismantled by the FBI. Instead, the attempt to disarm it triggered an explosion that caused millions of dollars in damage.
The bomb had been planted at Harvey’s Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada, by extortionist John Birges. He demanded $3 million from the casino and built the device inside a large metal box.
When authorities discovered the bomb, FBI bomb technicians were brought in to dismantle it. During the operation, however, a mistake caused the device to detonate. The explosion tore through part of the hotel and caused an estimated $18 million in damage.
Despite the enormous blast, no one was killed.
The bizarre incident became one of the more unusual chapters in the history of casino crime and bomb disposal. Birges was eventually arrested and convicted for the bombing.
What if one concert could bring together people who love classic hymns, contemporary Christian music, love country music by artists like Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, Brooks & Dunn & Jelly Roll, those who love Southern Gospel and traditional Black Gospel, along with those who grew up listening to the Eagles, the Beatles, James Taylor, STYX and classic rock?
There’s one that can.
It’s an Amazing! Rhythm Disciples (ARD) concert.
The Disciples’ mantra is “Familiar Music. Timeless Message.” They like to describe their concerts as seven very accomplished musicians with very diverse backgrounds coming together to make “A VERY Joyful Noise!”
ARD was born in Natchitoches, Louisiana, in the fall of 2024, when seven musicians who also happened to be friends came together to play music, have fun and praise God—and ended up forming a unique music ministry.
“It all came together very quickly and very organically,” said bassist Keith “Don’t call Me Shirley” Shirley. “We were just jamming around and having fun. We would play a Southern Gospel song, then a contemporary Christian song, then a country song, then a classic rock song. Sometimes we would almost accidentally mash them together, look at each other and say, ‘Hey, that works!’”
Shirley gives credit where he believes it belongs.
“We knew the good Lord had His hand in this from the get-go,” he said. “The blending of the various musical styles—or ‘mashups,’ as we call them—came together so naturally and so quickly that we knew God was doing something.”
Don’t let all the joking fool you. There is an extraordinary amount of musical experience on an ARD stage.
Among the Disciples are four members of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, current and former church music directors and ministers, and musicians holding at least five music degrees, including a doctorate. Violinist Andrei Kurti studied at the Moscow Conservatory and has performed at Carnegie Hall and in concert halls throughout Europe.
Altogether, the group stopped counting after passing 300 years of combined musical performance experience.
But ARD is difficult to put into a musical box.
“I don’t think you can pigeonhole us as a Gospel group or even simply a Christian music group,” said vocalist Julia Brown. “What we see happening over and over at our concerts is that folks who don’t normally listen to Christian music hear us play a classic rock song or even a current country song reinterpreted through the lens of faith, and they think, ‘Hey, I know that song!’ Before they know it, they’re hearing a contemporary Christian song or a Southern Gospel song and finding that they like it, in spite of themselves.”
“Familiar music is the bridge, and Jesus is where the bridge leads.”
The Amazing! Rhythm Disciples have performed at churches of various denominations, non-denominational churches, festivals and other events. Along the way, they have watched people of different generations, races, backgrounds and faith traditions come together to laugh, cry , praise and sing along while hearing a message centered unmistakably on Jesus Christ.
“We take music people know, along with humor and fun, and use it to open the door,” said one of the Disciples. “Then we walk through that door with them. And no one receives a bigger blessing than us.”
That connection is at the heart of an ARD concert.
“We’re constantly striving to connect with someone in the audience and convey the message that no matter what problems you’re having in your life, you don’t have to face them alone. There’s strength and hope in Jesus. If we reach one person, it’s all been worth it.”
After a recent Disciples concert at a church, an elderly lady approached the group with just one word to describe what she had experienced:
“Joyous.”
The band couldn’t have asked for a better description.
ARD believes sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ doesn’t have to be somber. There can be laughter. There can be great music. There can be familiar songs, unexpected arrangements, stories, memories and plenty of fun.
And there can be joy.
That’s why the Amazing! Rhythm Disciples plan to keep doing exactly what they set out to do:
Making a VERY Joyful Noise!
THE AMAZING! RHYTHM DISCIPLES Familiar Music. Timeless Message. Making a VERY Joyful Noise!
Barksdale Airman Rescued Near Plain Dealing Lake; Suspect Found Dead in Domestic Incident
A female airman stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base was rescued Sunday near Plain Dealing Lake after a domestic dispute that crossed multiple parishes left the male suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Deputies responded to reports of two individuals inside a vehicle near Lake Road in the Plain Dealing area. The suspect was found deceased inside the vehicle. The airman was found alive with injuries and transported to a local hospital.
The incident originated as a domestic dispute in a vehicle in northern Bossier Parish. The female victim was unable to provide her exact location to dispatchers. Investigators confirmed her identity through Barksdale Air Force Base and used Flock license plate recognition cameras to track the vehicle across multiple locations — including a stop in Hosston in Caddo Parish — before locating it near Plain Dealing Lake. The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police are leading the investigation.
Amazon Holds Open House Today at Shreveport Convention Center
Amazon Web Services is hosting a public open house today at the Shreveport Convention Center, giving residents of Caddo and Bossier parishes an opportunity to learn more about the company’s planned $18 billion data center investment in the region. Representatives from Amazon and project partners are expected to be on hand to answer questions about the proposed facilities, their environmental impact, water usage, and economic development implications. The event comes amid ongoing public debate over the project’s effects on water resources near Blanchard and the Caddo Parish Commission’s pending data center oversight resolutions.
Shreveport Moving Forward with Citywide Gunshot Detection Network
Shreveport officials are moving forward in 2026 with the implementation of a citywide gunshot detection system. The technology, which uses acoustic sensors to automatically identify and locate the sound of gunfire, is intended to give police faster response times to shooting incidents across the city. Details on the vendor, timeline, and deployment areas are expected from the Shreveport Police Department as the project advances.
Caddo Commissioner’s Lawsuit Against Mayor Fails on Appeal
A lawsuit filed by a Caddo Parish Commissioner against Mayor Tom Arceneaux and the City of Shreveport over the enforcement of a trespassing law has failed on appeal. The Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal ruled against the commissioner, upholding the lower court’s decision. Additional details on the ruling are expected as the court record becomes available.
With high school jamborees and Week Zero college games, including a noteworthy Thursday night reunion in Natchitoches, football finally is here.
Too soon to tee it up, with temps in triple digits?
Nope. Do right and hydrate. That advice is free and important for everyone not pulling on a helmet at the games.
Those band members and cheerleader and pom-ponners, the dance line girls (and boys), and their coaches and coordinators, and everybody in the stands, won’t have hard-working trainers walking up with water bottles and sports drinks to guzzle.
Zig Ziglar said this long ago: “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” Since he was Alabama born and spent all his days south (Mississippi, South Carolina) and southwest (Dallas), except those traveling to spread his motivational messages, Zig should have added, “… to keep wetting the whistle while watching and cheering.”
Maybe they didn’t write that part of it down. Or nobody was taking notes at the tailgating party.
Stay thirsty, my friends. For victory, and for cold drinks. Do not let a concession stand line discourage you. Whoever is running it needs your money to support their good cause, and you need what they have to pour.
We all need the football. People who don’t begin to understand the game enjoy the spectacle of it, the social aspects of tailgating, and take on the responsibility of pulling on the school colors from head to toe even if they can’t name two players in their team’s uniforms or they think that NIL means nonexistent.
As in, “chances for survival were slim, almost nil.”
Which applies to college football as we’ve known it. The rules of the game haven’t changed much, but the rules of the sport have.
NIL has made it worthwhile for NFL rookies to retreat to better paying gigs at Big College U. LSU’s Lane Kiffin is not the only college coach scouting pro preseason rosters to identify first-year fellows who aren’t going to make an NFL roster but would happily collect six figures to play a dozen or more games back where they were stars.
Hate the idea, but admit it, in the depths of your fandom, would you rather have some of those guys playing for your team, or against it?
The Southeastern Conference fired out a statement Monday decrying this latest development, because SEC presidents and administrators know they’re staring at another court case that’s going to drag on with more lead changes than your average District 1-5A score war.
Give me high school ball, along with colleges within a couple hours drive from your front door. NIL is in play for the teams in those stadiums, too, but on a much smaller scale. Tolerable to consider.
It’s great that the first jamboree game kicking off Thursday is Shreveport’s most intense rivalry: Byrd and Captain Shreve. They’ll play two quarters that don’t count in the record books but will be remembered until they meet again, in the final Friday night of the regular season, Nov. 10, in the same place, Lee Hedges Stadium, which both call home.
Much the same late Friday night across the Red River just inside the I-220 loop, when Airline hosts Parkway, just like will happen on Nov. 6, same place, different stakes. But this jamboree collision will have its South Bossier sizzle – and bet on postgame handshakes.
Along those lines, there’s a small school matchup Friday night in Natchitoches that won’t matter in the grand scheme, but will be a farewell fight. The Tigers from LaSalle and the Tigers of St. Mary’s have squared off for decades as district foes, but realignment has halted that series, except in the second annual Battle on the Bricks Jamboree.
A night earlier, Turpin Stadium will usher in north Louisiana college competition when Louisiana Christian rides 58 miles up I-49 to play Northwestern State for the first time in 58 years.
Was a rivalry when TVs were black and white. Will be simply a neat reunion Thursday night, one that’s clear of court injunctions with the only fireworks going off when the Demons take the turf.
It’s been too long … since LC and NSU met, and since last football season.
RISING ABOVE: Parkway senior receiver Gary Burney and the Panthers tee it up against their South Bossier rivals, the Airline Vikings, in Friday night jamboree competition. (Journal photo by RAYNALDO ALEXANDER, Sniper Sports Photography)
JOURNAL SPORTS
After controlled scrimmages, often in practice gear, last weekend, high school football teams will play in game-like situations during jamboree competition Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The results won’t count on the season records, but scoreboards will be in use. Some matchups will take just a quarter, others will run for two periods. Tickets will be sold and concession stands will be operating.
Here’s the jamboree schedule involving Caddo and Bossier parish teams:
THURSDAY
Byrd vs. Captain Shreve (Lee Hedges Stadium), 6:00
Huntington vs. Northwood (Independence Stadium), 6:00
FRIDAY
Benton vs. Haughton (at Airline), 5:45
Parkway at Airline, 8:45
Magnolia School of Excellence at Booker T. Washington (Independence Stadium), 6:00
Green Oaks vs. Woodlawn (Independence Stadium), 7:00
Loyola, Montgomery and Glenbrook (at Glenbrook), 6:00
North Caddo vs. Southwood (Independence Stadium), 6:30
Bossier vs. Plain Dealing (at Airline), 7:15
Calvary at Red River, 7:30
SATURDAY
Evangel vs. Ruston (at Monroe, Malone Stadium), 7:00
