MAY’S DAY: Former Louisiana Tech assistant coach Dusty May holds the national championship trophy Monday night after his Michigan Wolverines won the title in only his second season as their head coach. (Photo courtesy NCAA.com)
By MALCOLM BUTLER, Lincoln Parish Journal
Former Louisiana Tech men’s basketball assistant coach Dusty May reached the pinnacle of his profession Monday night when he guided the Michigan Wolverines to the NCAA Division I national championship.
May was associate head coach of the Bulldogs under Mike White in his final season in Ruston before following White to Florida in 2015. He coached at Tech from 2009-15, making the transition from Kerry Rupp’s Bulldogs staff to working for White.
His Wolverines finished 37-3 after topping Connecticut 69-63 for the national title, capping his second season as head coach at Michigan. May, 49, recently reportedly spurned an offer to become head coach at North Carolina and pledged his loyalty to Michigan, where his current salary is over $5 million per season.
The Terre Haute, Indiana, native was an integral part in the Bulldogs’ impressive 2013-14 season that saw the team post an overall record of 29-8, tying for the most victories ever in a single season in program history. With the 29 wins came a share of the Conference USA regular season title in the school’s first year in the league and a runner-up finish in the C-USA Tournament.
Tech also registered wins over Big 12 second place finisher Oklahoma and SEC second place finisher Georgia and was one win shy of reaching the National Invitation Tournament Final Four.
The prior season was just as historic as the backcourt tandem of Kenneth Smith and Raheem Appleby were selected first team All-WAC as well as having Alex Hamilton named to the All-Newcomer team. The 2012-13 season concluded with a 27-7 overall record and a 16-2 mark in conference that earned the ‘Dogs their first ever WAC regular season championship.
May followed White to the University of Florida where he spent three seasons before taking the head coaching job at Florida Atlantic (2018-24). He led the Owls to an appearance in the 2023 NCAA Final Four as No. 9 seed FAU won 35 games and posted wins over No. 8 Memphis, No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson, No. 4 Tennessee and No. 3 Kansas State, before losing to No. 5 San Diego State in the final seconds.
He took over at Michigan for the 2024-25 season, replacing Juwan Howard, and was named the 2026 Big Ten Conference and U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s National Coach of the Year. He has a career head coaching record of 189-82.
He served as a student manager for legendary Hall of Fame coach Bobby Knight while at Indiana University (1996-2000).
May’s son, Charlie, is a reserve player for the Wolverines, and his youngest son, Eli, is a team manager.
Makayla Rogers scored 24 points per game in her senior season for the Northwood Lady Falcons, and that earned her District 1-4A Most Valuable Player honors recently.
Monday, it got her an even bigger honor.
Rogers, a 5-8 guard, was a second-team All-State selection for Class 4A announced by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. She was the second-leading scorer on the 10-girl All-State team.
Three local standouts were honorable mention on the boys 4A All-State roster: senior Jackson Bates of Booker T. Washington and two juniors, Ron Dillard of Bossier and Woodlawn’s Jayden White. Dillard was the District 1-4A MVP.
All-state picks are made by a 12-person LSWA committee that considered first-team all-district selections chosen by coaches. The all-state voters all cover high school hoops in the state.
You may not have heard his name before this past weekend, but if you’re an LSU baseball fan, you’ll likely never forget it after what he did on Easter Sunday.
Cade Jordan Arrambide (pronounced Air-em-BEE-day), a sophomore catcher from Tomball, Texas, became the first LSU player in the school’s history to hit four home runs in one game to lead LSU to a come-from-behind 16-6 victory at Tennessee in 12 innings.
We heard most of the game on the car radio, driving back to Alexandria from a weekend jaunt to visit my sister-in-law in El Dorado, Ark. As exciting as the contest was, starting in the seventh inning, it rekindled my love for baseball on the radio. It would’ve been a great game to see on TV, no doubt, but there’s something about baseball and radio that were made for each other.
Another compelling thing about this game was it was the “rubber” game to determine the winner of the regular season series between the last two NCAA baseball champions. Tennessee, remember, won it all two season ago before LSU won it last year. For the second time in three years.
LSU trailed 5-0 early and the Tigers were down 5-1 when, in the seventh inning, the Tigers suddenly metamorphosized into the “Gorilla Ball” Tigers of the late 1990s.
It was as if Zeus showed up and started handing out lightning bolts in the LSU dugout in place of the customary bats. They got back-to-back-to-back home runs from sophomore John Pearson, Seth Dardar (of bat-flipping fame after a home run last week vs. Kentucky) and Arrambide to pull within 5-4.
Jake Brown got an RBI single in the ninth – the same inning LSU coach Jay Johnson got ejected after arguing a called third strike – to tie the game and force extra innings. Jake Brown is a footnote now in the game, but what a crucial hit to bring in the run that allowed the history and excitement that happened in the extra innings. Johnson was a spectator for the final innings from the press box at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Both teams scored a run in the 11th (with Arrambide’s third home run in the top of the inning giving the Tigers a brief lead) to go into the 12th inning with a 6-6 score.
In the 12th inning, LSU scored 10 runs. The Tigers took a 7-6 lead and Arrambide belted his school record fourth homer – a grand slam to boot – for an 11-6 lead. That blast didn’t hit the stadium lights in the outfield, causing them to rain down sparks like fireworks, but it did prompt LSU play-by-play broadcaster Chris Blair to observe the Volunteer fans were heading en masse for the exits.
In Louisiana lore, it just might be the shot heard round the college baseball world. It seemingly awakened a sleeping giant. Meanwhile, Gavin Guidry (4-3) of Lake Charles, who was scheduled to start but instead came on in relief, pitched 5 1/3 solid innings, allowing just one run on two hits.
LSU had four errors in the early innings, but the Tigers had 19 hits – including seven homers – to score 16 runs and win the series, two games to one. The victory evened LSU’s SEC record to 6-6 and returned LSU (22-11) to the national rankings at 24th.
Arrambide is a name that has roots in the Basque region of Spain, and Cade (a sturdy 6-3, 208) equaled his total number of homers all last season with the four he notched on Sunday. His Texas hometown of Tomball is a “family-friendly” suburb 37 miles northwest of Houston. He achieved SEC Academic Honor Roll honors last year as a freshman, and as a senior at Tomball High School he led the team to the Class 6A state championship and was ranked as the No. 1 catcher by MLB.com in its 2024 draft rankings.
Lest he get the big head, Arrambide might consider the fate of one Marshall McDougall, who owns the NCAA record for home runs in a game with six for Florida State in May of 1999. He went 7-for-7 in his historic game with NCAA game records for RBI (16) and total bases (25).
His MLB story? He played part of one season (2005) for the Texas Rangers, batting .167 in 18 games.
For now, Arrambide and the Tigers are the talk of college baseball after winning that pivotal marquee SEC series at Tennessee on Easter Sunday. The tomb in which many naysayers were ready to bury them is open.
MAKING HIS POINT: Alan Frey was introduced Monday as the new Northwestern State women’s basketball coach. (Photo by CHRIS REICH, NSU Athletics)
By JONATHON ZENK, Northwestern State Assistant Sports Information Director
NATCHITOCHES — During Alan Frey’s introduction as Northwestern State’s new women’s basketball coach Monday afternoon, he reflected on his journey to achieve this moment, one that he didn’t know would come.
“I am so honored and proud to be here,” Frey said to an audience of NSU fans, media members and university staff. “This is a moment I have been waiting for for a long time, so this is very special to me that I have this opportunity. This opportunity is something you work for your whole life for, and you don’t know if it’s ever going to happen.”
He had to make sure it was a right fit — from the president on down.
“When you feel that support from the administration—and I have had some where it didn’t quite feel like what you have here. The alignment between the president (James Genovese), athletics director, all the way down, and (AD Kevin Bostian) talked about the resources and support for women’s basketball here, all of it is absolutely there. There are no excuses for not getting it done here.”
While this is his first head coaching job, Frey has more than 20 years of experience as an assistant coach and associate head coach, with almost two decades at the Division I level.
This past season, as assistant coach at Loyola in his hometown of New Orleans, he helped lead the Wolf Pack to a 25-5 mark and a trip to the NAIA Tournament.
Frey spent the previous season with Monmouth, where he helped the team win 16 games, including the most home wins for the program (10) since 2011-12.
The bulk of his Division I tenure came at Tulane as the lead assistant for Lisa Stockton’s long-term successful Green Wave program.
“What we were looking for is someone with energy, passion and is well connected in the state of Louisiana,” Bostian said. “I talked to numerous people all over the country. I probably talked to 25 to 30 coaches, I talked to agents, I talked to administrators, and a lot of the time it came back to one person: Alan Frey.”
Frey received some major endorsements from colleagues the coaching profession.
“(Louisiana Tech coach and former NSU coach) Brooke Stoehr is behind Alan Frey,” Bostian said. “Kim Mulkey at LSU is behind him. Vic Schaefer at Texas is behind him. Lisa Stockton … is behind him. It all came back to the grit, the blue-collar, a hands-in the-dirt kind of person, which is what I am and this institution is.”
As a Louisiana native, he wants to build the team through his native roots, recruiting mostly in-state, high school players.
“If you look at the Southland Conference first and second team selections, most of them came through high school,” Frey said. “In this time, the portal and JUCO has to be a part of our make-up here, particularly during coaching changes.
“Texas will be a big part for us, but I really want to hone in on Louisiana. One of the reasons I am here right now is because I have all these roots in Louisiana. Kids from the state will be our foundation as we move forward because I think that is what works.”
Coming from New Orleans, he is aware of his new home and north Louisiana. However, coming to Natchitoches, he gained a whole new appreciation for the town and residents in Louisiana’s oldest city.
“My family and I went to Lasyone’s and we walked across the street and they held the door for us and everybody said hello. We even got a ‘Fork Em’ in the street and I don’t think those people knew who I was. Somebody slammed on their brakes, so I could walk across the crosswalk. That does not happen in New Orleans.
“Everybody would stop and say ‘welcome,’’hi’ or whatever. When driving around the city, there were signs and flags everywhere. There are some schools where they know the school is there, but don’t necessarily hold that school. Here, you drive around a neighborhood, and you know the town embraces this school.”
Frey is extremely thankful for his family’s support throughout this journey to becoming a head coach.
“My wife Karen and I have been married for almost 35 years, and we are so excited to be members of this community. The football coach literally texted me as I was walking in saying ‘I have the tennis connection for her’ since Karen likes to play tennis.
In addition to his wife, he brought to Monday’s introduction his three children, as well as two of his brothers and a sister, and his aunt and uncle among more than a dozen family members.
Throughout his stops that include highly-successful AAU coaching before he joined the college ranks, he has taken bits from each mentor to form the type of coach he is today.
“I got my start at Loyola in New Orleans and Michael Giorlando, who was the men’s basketball coach and athletic director. I learned so much from him and he ran great practices and I learned what it meant to run really competitive practices. I spent one year at Monmouth where I worked for Cait Wetmore. She had the best work ethic of any one I have ever been around. Last year at Loyola of New Orleans, what I took from there is that the culture was incredible. The kids and coaching staff were amazing and we won 25 games.
“In the middle there, we don’t have time to talk about all the things Lisa Stockton did for me when I was there. I learned so much from her. In 30 years, she won 600 games. Beyond winning basketball games, she had a 100 percent graduation rate. Anyone who went to Tulane for four years has a degree, and sometimes we lose sight of that. In some ways, it was tough to get a job because of the culture and I was so fortunate to be there.”
In addition to Stoehr, who led NSU to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, he stated he wants to build on the legacy of women’s basketball at NSU and continue on the path that coaches set before him.
“James Smith, Jordan Dupuy — who is a friend of mine –and then Anna Nimz have built a program here that is well respected in the state.
“Coach Stoehr, I watched her do this job and build it the way she did, and I cannot wait to emulate what she did here. She proved it can be done here in this era, and I don’t think she had the support 12 years ago when she got the job like I do today. It’s a full-circle moment for me to carry the torch that Brooke had.”
In the 1930s, the Kutol Products soap company was dangerously close to going out of business. Cleo McVicker worked hard to get Kutol’s products into stores and ultimately in the hands of consumers. Kutol needed a new product, but what? At the time, many homes in America were heated with coal which left a sooty residue on everything in the home. Unlike regular household dust which could easily be swept or vacuumed up, coal dust was finer and more difficult to remove. Sweeping and vacuuming coal dust normally sent more of it back into the air than was collected. Coal dust also contained sulfur, nitrogen, silica, and heavy metals, which could be hazardous to health.
In 1933, Cleo negotiated a deal with the purchasing agent for the Kroger grocery store chain to add a cleaner to their inventory which would remove coal dust from wallpaper. Coal dust was especially hard to remove from wallpaper because it was small enough to settle into the paper fibers of wallpaper. Cleo promised Kroger a product which did not exist.
Cleo immediately contacted his brother Noah, Kutol’s main product developer, and the two began the rigorous research and development process. After countless failures, they came up with the formula for a compound which easily removed coal dust from wallpaper. Unlike liquid cleaners which required the user to apply the liquid to a cloth and swipe away the coal dust which usually made a bigger mess, Kutol wallpaper cleaner, was non-toxic, non-staining, and made no mess at all. The user simply pressed the compound onto the wall and the coal dust stuck to it. Once the compound became saturated with coal dust, the consumer threw it away and bought another can for five cents. Because it was a replenishable product, the Kutol company was saved one nickel at a time.
For 20 years, Kutol wallpaper cleaner kept the company afloat and successful. Following World War II, many people converted their homes from being heated by coal to natural gas. No longer did homeowners have the hassle of purchasing, handling, and storing a skuttle of dusty coal. Natural gas burned cleanly and was piped directly into the home. Around the same time, manufacturers began making wallpaper out of vinyl rather than paper which made it much easier to clean. By the early 1950s, sales of Kutol wallpaper cleaner began to decline quickly. The company was once again on the brink of failure.
In 1955, Joe McVicker, Cleo’s son, was searching for a way to keep Kutol from going bankrupt when Kay Zufall, his sister-in-law and schoolteacher, convinced him that Kutol wallpaper cleaner could be used for something more fun than cleaning. Joe ran with the idea. In 1956, Kutol established the Rainbow Crafts Company Inc. and repackaged the wallpaper cleaner, but Kutol was so near bankruptcy that they had no advertising budget. That could have been the end, but Joe demonstrated his product to Bob Keeshan, better known to the world as Captain Kangaroo. Bob liked the product so much that he agreed to use it in his television show at least once a week. From 1955 until 1984, Captain Kangaroo was one of the most popular children’s shows on television. Before Captain Kangaroo, Kutol struggled to sell their rebranded product. Because of Captain Kangaroo, Kutol struggled to keep up with demand. Since its introduction on Captain Kangaroo, billions of cans of rebranded Kutol wallpaper cleaner have been sold. It has become one of history’s most iconic toys and it remains popular to this day. We have all played with Kuto wallpaper cleaner, but we know it as Play-Doh.
Sources:
1. The Cincinnati Enquirer, April 19, 1936, p.25.
2. The Akron Beacon Journal, April 18, 1938, p.19.
Mr. Baker will lie in state for visitation on Friday, April 10, 2026, between the hours of 11:00 am – 7:00 p.m., at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The celebration of life will commence on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 3:00 pm, in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church, Vivian, Louisiana.
Funeral services for Jessie Rickey Hughes, 66, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at Walnut Hill Baptist Church, 10899 Walnut Hill Church Rd, Vivian, Louisiana.
A visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, 2026, prior to service at the church. Interment will be at Walnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, following the service. Officiating the service will be Brother Perry Hart.
Jessie was born on July 22, 1959, in Shreveport, Louisiana to Bobby Hughes and Jimmie Sue Barber Hughes. He passed away Friday, April 3, 2026, in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Jessie was a loyal member of the Walnut Hill Baptist Church for many years. He worked as a mechanic but spent the rest of his time being an avid hunter and fisherman. He had a big heart and was always helping others. Jessie was known for being a loving and devoted husband, daddy, grandaddy, and friend. To know him meant you were rich in friendship. He loved all his family, especially his grandbabies and will be greatly missed.
Rickey is preceded in death by his parents, Bobby and Jimmie Sue Hughes; grandparents, Henry and Lucille Olds; and granddaughter, Julianne Dove. He is survived by his devoted wife, Vicki Hughes of Vivian, Louisiana; daughter, Jennifer Blakenship (Johnny) of Vivian, Louisiana; sons, Richard Hughes (Samantha) of Blanchard, Louisiana, and Norman Hughes (Krisha) of Stonewall, Louisiana; daughter, Alicia Hughes; 12 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; and brothers, Bobby D. Hughes of Stonewall, Louisiana, and Kent Hughes of Haughton, Louisiana.
Honoring Jessie as pallbearers will be Johnny Blankenship, Richard Hughes, Norman Hughes, Jennifer Blakenship, Rickey Hughes, and Michael Cullins.
Patricia Ginn July 14, 1950 – April 5, 2026 Service: Thursday, April 9, 2026, 10am at Centuries Memorial Funeral Home, Shreveport.
William “Bill” Earl Savage November 10, 1949 — April 5, 2026 Service: Friday, April 10, 2026, 12:30pm at Rose-Neath Cemetery, Shreveport.
Glenn Paul Sproles July 11, 1947 — April 2, 2026 Service: Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 11am at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Bossier City.
Jerry Don Bagley, Sr. August 2, 1945 — March 31, 2026 Service: Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 11am at St. Pius X Catholic Church, Shreveport.
Jackeith Raydell Baker September 7, 1981 – March 28, 2026 Service: Saturday, April 11, 2026, 3pm at First Baptist Church, Vivian.
Doris Thompson October 6, 1931 – March 26, 2026 Service: Saturday, April 11, 2026, 2pm at Haven’s Park, Shreveport.
Clothilde M. Gonzales October 3, 1938 – March 24, 2026 Service: Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 11am at Centuries Memorial Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Ronnie Hubert Brasher March 9, 1949 — March 23, 2026 Service: Saturday, April 18, 2026, 3:30pm at The Covenant Church, Bossier City.
Alyne Shaw Watson June 2, 1939 — March 22, 2026 Service: Thursday, April 9, 2026, 2pm at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Bossier City.
Carol Ward March 11, 1962 – March 17, 2026 Service: Friday, April 17, 2026, 11am at Aulds Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Delilah Ann Darden November 6, 1952 — March 2, 2026 Service: Saturday, April 11, 2026, 11am 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.)
Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop G responded to a single-vehicle crash on April 6 around 1 am on Sligo Road near Mayflower Road. The crash claimed the life of 43-year-old Preston Workman of Haughton.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2025 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, driven by Workman, was traveling east on Sligo Road. For reasons still under investigation, Workman’s vehicle traveled across the centerline, collided with an uneven section of the roadway shoulder, and overturned.
Workman, who was wearing a DOT-approved helmet at the time of the crash, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. A passenger on the motorcycle, who was wearing a DOT-approved helmet, sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Impairment on the part of Workman is unknown; however, standard toxicology samples were taken and submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
Troopers urge all motorists to make good decisions while operating a motor vehicle. For motorcycle riders, enrolling in an approved safety course can significantly improve both riding skills and awareness on the road. To learn more about available motorcycle safety courses, visit https://lsp.org/services/training/motorcycle-safety/.
A Mississippi man has been found guilty of second-degree murder in connection with a 2024 shooting that left a California truck driver dead in Caddo Parish.
A 12-person jury, consisting of 10 women and two men, deliberated for approximately 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict against Amanvir Singh, 36, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in the courtroom of District Judge Chris Victory.
The conviction stems from the April 23, 2024 shooting death of Gurpreet Judge, also 36. Authorities said Judge was shot and killed on the side of the Greenwood Road on-ramp to Interstate 20 westbound following a dispute related to social media postings. Singh fled the scene after the shooting but was later arrested out of state.
Singh is scheduled to return to court on April 21 for sentencing. Under Louisiana law, a conviction for second-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys William Edwards and Kodie K. Smith. Singh was represented by defense attorneys J. Dhu Thompson and Maddie Crusan. The case was filed under docket number 401728.
A Shreveport man charged with sexual offenses involving children under the age of 13 pleaded guilty this week in Caddo District Court following the start of his jury trial.
Victrick Frazier Johnson, 36, entered guilty pleas to two counts of molestation of a juvenile under the age of 13 involving two minor victims. The offenses occurred over a period spanning from 2014 to 2019.
Jury selection and trial proceedings began Monday, March 30, 2026. On April 2, after testimony from multiple witnesses, including one of the victims and a treating psychiatrist, Johnson pleaded guilty to both counts.
District Judge John D. Mosley Jr. subsequently sentenced Johnson to two 40-year prison terms, to be served concurrently.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ron Christopher Stamps and Britney A. Green of the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit. Prosecutors continued forward with the case despite opposition from some adult family members of the victims.
Johnson was represented by defense attorney Casey Simpson.
Caddo Parish District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr. said the case highlights the importance of protecting children and holding offenders accountable, noting the courage of the victims in coming forward.
The Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office stated it remains committed to prosecuting crimes of sexual violence and safeguarding children in the community.
Gullo’s Fresh Produce and Classic Bake Shop front entrance, 724 East Flournoy Lucas Road, Shreveport, with the menu (below story).
By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Contributor
While I spent some time deciding where to go In Search of Good Food this past week, one name kept appearing on my email requests: Gullo’s Fresh Produce & Classic Bake Shop, 724 East Flournoy Lucas Road, Shreveport.
I have driven by this place many times and honestly never thought about dining here before, so this gave me the perfect opportunity. I looked up Gullo’s and was pleasantly surprised at the range of items that they had. My choice had been made.
I went on Tuesday for lunch because one of Tuesday’s lunch specials is Chicken and Dumplings, a weakness of mine — so I knew what I was getting. I hoped my companions would order differently so I could get a range of items to taste; thankfully that was the case.
The Chicken and Dumplings were all that you could want and more, soft dumplings with plenty of chicken. It is comfort food at its finest, and even though the portion was large, there was no need for a to-go box for me.
They ordered the Chicken wrap and a Country Fried Steak sandwich. The wrap was very fresh, and the chicken was juicy in just the right way. I did get a little slice of it and would not hesitate to order it on a day I am eating healthy.
The Country Fried Steak was cooked just right with the batter being crunchy and the inside tender and hot. The patty was so big it hung over the whole bun, which is how I’d prefer it, at least with a country fried steak sandwich.
I know my next visit will be when Country Fried Steak is on the lunch special. It was that good in the good ole home cooking kind of way. I regretted not ordering the fried green tomatoes appetizer, which looked great when a table close by had ordered it. There is always next time.
We couldn’t go to a restaurant with “classic bake shop” in the name and not try a couple of their freshly-made desserts. We went with turtle cheesecake and Italian crème cake. There is no doubt that these were freshly made, and the display that they have by the front is dangerous for anyone with a sweet tooth.
While sitting in the front dining room, I couldn’t help noticing that Gullo’s prepares meals for people to take home, heat and serve. There were a few display coolers with freshly made items like Chicken and Dumplings, Gumbo, and other soups as well.
They also had full meals, in a 2–3-person size and a full family size. These offerings held a wide range, with choices like Meatloaf, Green Bean Casserole, and a variety of pasta dishes — comfort food at its best, and of course there were the side dishes there to complete the meals.
If these meals are anywhere close to the quality food that we had while there, then it is surely a place to get take-out meals that taste home cooked, without the mess in your kitchen.
The Parish of Caddo has announced that the Huckaby Road bridge in Vivian will close beginning Monday, April 6, for a full replacement project.
According to parish officials, construction is expected to last approximately 120 days.
During the closure, motorists will be required to use a designated detour route, which will follow Centerville Road to LA Highway 2 and then to LA Highway 71.
Drivers are encouraged to plan accordingly and allow for additional travel time while the project is underway.
The Shreveport Police Department recognized five members for their service and dedication during a promotion ceremony held Wednesday morning.
During the ceremony, Chief Wayne Smith announced the promotion of Cpl. Natashia Harmon to the rank of sergeant. Joseph McCray and Jasimaine Taylor were promoted to Jailer III, while Jonah Johnson and Jacoby Cass were promoted to Jailer II.
Department officials said the promotions reflect the individuals’ hard work, commitment and continued dedication to serving the community with professionalism and integrity.
The department also expressed appreciation to those who attended the ceremony in support of the honorees and their achievements.
The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office recently hosted students from Louisiana State University Shreveport at the Caddo Correctional Center for an educational visit.
The group, led by Professor Riley Young, met with the sheriff’s detention leadership team and learned more about operations within the facility and careers in law enforcement.
Officials said the students engaged with thoughtful questions during the visit and expressed optimism about seeing some of them pursue future roles in the field.
SLAMMING INTO SEC HISTORY: LSU catcher Cade Arrambide is greeted by teammates at home plate Sunday after his 12th-inning grand slam, his SEC record-tying fourth homer of the day. (Photo courtesy LSU Athletics)
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Jesus now has Easter Sunday company rising from the dead.
Two of designated hitter Cade Arrambide’s four home runs on the afternoon ignited 11 LSU runs in the last two innings for a 16-6 win over Tennessee in 12 innings as the Tigers captured their second straight SEC series.
For LSU fifth-year head baseball coach Jay Johnson, it may have been greatest extra innings finish he never saw.
The Tigers were trailing Tennessee 5-4 in the top of the ninth inning with one out and one man on base when Arrambide recorded the second out by taking a questionably low third strike pitch.
Johnson was ejected for vehemently confronting plate Eric Goshay while Tennessee reliever Brandon Arvidson laughed about getting the benefit of Goshay’s call.
Maybe Johnson didn’t want to stick around for the final out and a painful SEC series loss for the Tigers. Instead, he missed 3 1/3 innings of an incredible LSU comeback. The Tigers got new life when Jake Brown delivered a two-out, game-tying RBI single following Johnson’s ejection.
“That win is definitely up there in my coaching career,” said Johnson, who was banished to the locker room after being tossed. “What a comeback. There were so many guys who made clutch plays. What a special performance by Cade Arrambide.”
His solo shot in the 11th, his third homer of the game, provided LSU a short-lived 6-5 edge. His grand slam with one out in the 12th gave him the LSU record for most homers in a game and tied him for the SEC single-game record with three other players.
“I knew this morning, I was feeling good (in) my batting practice,” Arrambide said. “I was in a zone.”
Sunday’s victory by the Tigers (22-11 overall, 6-6 SEC) was more evidence of LSU’s emerging “better late than never” personality. In the seventh inning and beyond in league play so far, the Tigers have blitzed their opponents 48-17.
Lindsey Nelson Stadium, Tennessee’s homefield, is known as a hitter-friendly ballpark because of its dimensions (320 feet down the left and right field foul lines, 390 feet to centerfield).
The Vols’ bandbox was very neighborly to the visiting Tigers. LSU had 13 homers in the three-game series (six in Friday’s Game 1, seven in Sunday’s Game 3), accounting for almost half of the Tigers’ 27 hits in their Knoxville stay.
Seven Tigers hit homers, 11 solo and grand slams by center fielder Derek Curial in Game 1 and Arrambide on Sunday.
Consecutive seventh-inning solo homers Sunday by John Pearson, Arrambide and Seth Dardar solo bomb shrank Tennessee’s lead to 5-4.
It eventually became the Vols’ (20-12, 4-8) third extra-innings SEC loss in their last six games.
“This one (game) should be a lot of expensive experience,” Tennessee first-year coach Josh Elander said. “It’s a reminder that the game can turn on a dime. If you don’t finish, teams will get you in this league.”
LSU’s 12th inning hitting clinic – 10 runs on seven hits including two homers and a triple – coupled with reliever Gavin Guidry’s best effort of the season, helped the Tigers take another step forward in the toughest college baseball conference in America.
“We had every opportunity to say, ‘Here we go again, things aren’t going our way, said Guidry, who allowed one run on two hits in the game’s last five innings. “Everybody in the dugout refused to say that.”
Here’s an LSU-UT series recap:
GAME 1: LSU 7, TENNESSEE 5 – The Tigers scored six runs on three homers in eighth and ninth innings to roar back from a 4-1 deficit on Friday night.
Dormant LSU bats erupted in a five-run eighth inning when Curiel’s grand slam homer for the second consecutive game was followed by a Dardar solo shot.
Chris Stanfield added another solo homer in the ninth.
GAME 2: TENNESSEE 4, LSU 1 – Tennessee freshman reliever Cam Appenzeller gave up a single to the first batter he faced and then retired 15 straight Tigers in five shutout innings to secure Saturday night’s win.
LSU starter William Schmidt and relievers Cooper Williams and Marcos Paz combined for a three-hitter, but it went to waste.
A two-run first-inning fielding error by LSU first baseman Zach Yorke and a two-out fourth inning passed ball by Arrambide setting up an RBI double by UT’s Jay Abernathy killed the Tigers’ victory hopes.
GAME 3: LSU 16, TENNESSEE 6 (12 innings) – The Tigers dug a 5-0 deficit on Sunday afternoon, all unearned runs thanks to three fielding errors on elementary baseball plays in the third inning.
Vols’ starting pitcher Evan Blanco was coasting for the most game – he gave Arrambide’s fifth-inning solo – until he was pulled with one out in the seventh after third baseman John Pearson homered.
Then, in a blink, after submarine-style reliever Brady Frederick replaced Blanco, the Tigers were on the doorstep of a comeback.
Frederick lasted just four pitches after Arrambidie rocketed his second solo homer followed by a Dardar solo bomb.
Three straight batters, three LSU homers, and Tennessee’s implosion had started.
MR. MILESTONE: LSUS baseball coach Brad Neffendorf passed the career 300-win mark with the Pilots as his team swept another Red River Athletic Conference series.
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The LSU Shreveport baseball program notched another milestone heading into the Easter weekend while it swept University of the Southwest and held on to a share of first place in the Red River Athletic Conference.
The first victory in the series, an 11-5 decision on Thursday, was the 300th in head coach Brad Neffendorf’s seven seasons steering the Pilots. The sweep upped his career mark with LSUS to 302-56 (.844) and his record in league play during the regular season to 159-17 (.903).
After Friday’s 10-3, 13-3 doubleheader sweep, with 30 new players following last season’s 59-0 NAIA championship run, this year’s Pilots improved to 32-7 overall and 17-4 in conference play, sharing the RRAC lead with A&M-Victoria.
LSU Shreveport returns to action on Tuesday, hosting Texas Wesleyan in a non-conference contest at 1 p.m. at Pilot Field, where the Pilots are 25-1 this season.
A funeral service for Glenn Paul Sproles, 78, will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2201 Airline Dr., Bossier City, Louisiana. Burial will follow at Rose-Neath Cemetery in Bossier City. A visitation will be held on Monday, April 6, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Bossier City. Officiating the service will be Reverend Bill Lott.
Glenn was born on July 11, 1947, to Oscar and Kathleen Sproles in El Paso, Texas, and passed away on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Glenn attended Bossier High School and later became part of the first graduating class of Bossier Parish Community College, earning his associate degree in law enforcement in the spring of 1980. He proudly served in the United States Army, both active duty and reserve, retiring with the rank of First Sergeant. During his military service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Vietnam Combat Medal, Airborne wings, two overseas service bars, and numerous other commendations recognizing his courage and dedication. He was also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, a distinction that reflected his commitment to excellence in his field.
Glenn built a remarkable 33‑year career with the Bossier City Police Department, retiring as Assistant Chief of Police and earning the respect of colleagues and the community he served. His life was grounded in devotion to family as well. On October 7, 1967, in Bowie County, Texas, he married his sweetheart, and together they shared 57 years of love, partnership, and unwavering support. Glenn’s legacy is one of service, strength, and deep commitment to his country, his community, and the people he loved.
Glenn was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Kathleen Sproles; his beloved wife, Linda Whittington Sproles; and his sister, Regina Sproles Barron. Left to cherish his memory are his sons, David Sproles and Scotty Sproles; daughter-in-law, Katrina Sproles; his brother‑in‑law, Larry Whittington; and his grandchildren, Tyler and Kayleigh Sproles, Taylon and Hannah Sproles, True Gray, Gavin Sproles, Raegan Sproles, and Ember Sproles. He is also survived by his great‑grandson, Gunner Paul Sproles; his sister, Cherry Butler and husband, Dave; nieces, Julie Johnson, Shannon Whittington, Lindsey Morvan, and Katie Martinez; nephew, Robb Losey; and special friends, Jimmy Stewart, Jerry Juneau, and the Mickle family.
Honoring Glenn as pallbearers will be Jimmy Stewart, Jerry Juneau, Fred Mickle, Mick Mickle, Tyler Sproles, and Taylon Sproles.
The family suggests memorials may be made to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, http://www.t2t.org, or to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, http://www.stjude.org.
The family of Dr. Dennis John O’Callaghan is sad to announce his passing on March 30, 2026, in Shreveport, Louisiana, after a nearly four-year fight with cancer. Dennis, or “Doc” as he was known to many for both his doctorate and his use of his preferred initials, DO’C, was a scientist, a teacher, and a beloved family man who served the LSU Health Science Center and its community for the last 42 years.
Dennis was born in New Orleans in 1940 to John Jeremiah O’Callaghan and Odeal Fitzpatrick O’Callaghan. He attended St. Rita School and Jesuit High School. Dennis developed his legendary work ethic young, throwing two paper routes during the school year and holding summer jobs unloading box cars and working in a sheet rock factory on the Industrial Canal. To earn money for college, Dennis served as an ordinary seaman on the S.S. Hastings on a European cargo run, setting a ship record for overtime earned in a single voyage.
Dennis attended Loyola University in New Orleans. Despite his heavy course load and continuing to work his paper routes, Dennis found time to join Sigma Alpha Kappa fraternity and enjoy the scene at the famous La Casa de Los Marinos in the French Quarter. Dennis graduated in 1962 with a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. He then enrolled at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (never call it Ole Miss to him) in Jackson for graduate studies in microbiology. While there, Dennis met the love of his life, Helen Frances Briscoe (Frances), who was working as a genetics researcher after obtaining her masters in microbiology. They were married June 24, 1967, forming a union that would last 51 years until Frances’s death in 2018. After Dennis received his Ph.D. in 1967, the couple moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, for Dennis to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta Medical. In Edmonton, Frances continued to work as a research geneticist while Dennis completed his postdoctoral studies.
In 1971, Dennis returned to the University of Mississippi as an Assistant Professor and rose to full Professor in 1977. In 1972, Dennis and Frances welcomed their only child, son Brady Dennis O’Callaghan.
Dennis was recruited as Professor and Head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at LSUHSC in Shreveport in 1984. He was selected as the Willis-Knighton Chair of Molecular Biology in 1995, the first endowed Chair on the Shreveport campus. He was subsequently appointed as the 63rd Boyd Professor of the LSU System, the highest academic honor bestowed to faculty in the state-wide network of nine universities and research centers. Dennis retired as chairman in 2018 and served as Boyd Professor Emeritus in the department until his final retirement in December of 2025. In his research career, Dennis was personally awarded grants totaling nearly 40 million dollars.
Dennis’s greatest joy and purpose for his work was his family. His wife Frances was an accomplished scientist herself, having graduated from Millsaps College at 19. She turned from science to art and became a nationally published watercolorist. Frances was also a tireless volunteer at the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center and other local charities. Dennis was also proud of his only son, who attended Yale University and LSU Law School and served several years as a prosecutor before being elected a District court judge in Caddo Parish in 2013. He adored his daughter-in-law Amy Vogel O’Callaghan, and took great pride in her expertise managing numerous large community events for the Louisiana Prize Foundation in Shreveport and New Mexico. His greatest honor was receiving the title of “PopPop” when his twin grandsons Logan and Marshall were born in 2006. He and Frances, or “GiGi” would keep the boys at every opportunity. PopPop cheerfully pulled them up hills for sledding when it snowed and filled his home and theirs with toys and happiness. He was proud of their many accomplishments and was thrilled that they are presently attending Brown University together.
Dennis and Frances were also close to Dennis’s brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Richard O’Callaghan and Jackie Marziale O’Callaghan. Richard followed Dennis into Microbiology and served as a professor for many years at LSU’s medical school in New Orleans before becoming Chair of the Microbiology department back at the University of Mississippi. For many years, a student could not receive a medical degree from LSU without being taught by an O’Callaghan, a fact that gave Dennis great satisfaction and pride.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, John and Odeal, his wife Frances, and his sister-in-law, Jackie. He is survived by his son, Brady, his beloved daughter-in-law Amy, and his grandsons Logan Brady O’Callaghan and Marshall Dennis O’Callaghan. He is also survived by his brother Richard, his nephew Kevin O’Callaghan and wife Stephanie, his nephew Dr. Patrick O’Callaghan and wife Heather, his grandnieces Caitlin O’Callaghan and Lauren O’Callaghan, and grandnephew Christian O’Callaghan.
“Doc” had too many professional accomplishments to list, but even the highlights are voluminous. Dennis was a founding member of the American Society of Virology and was elected as its President in 2000. He was an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was on the editorial board of numerous scientific journals and chaired or served on numerous scientific review panels for the National Institutes of Health, the United States Department of Agriculture, and others. He developed one of the largest groups of molecular and tumor virologists in the country, which is organized as the Center for Molecular and Tumor Virology. This Center is comprised of 27 faculty members working in all areas of virology and was funded by over 22 million dollars in NIH Center grants.
As a teacher in Mississippi, Dennis was selected as Professor of the Year six times by the medical students and Teacher of the Year once by the dental students. He was grateful for his own mentors, Dr. Joseph Cooney at Loyola, Dr. Charles Randall in Jackson, and Dr. John Colter in Edmonton. Dennis took great pride in building the Department of Microbiology and Immunology faculty at LSUHS Shreveport department to its current nationally recognized status for teaching and research under the continuing leadership of Dr. Matthew Woolard. Dennis taught over 10,000 medical students over his career and over 150 doctoral students. Many of Doc’s former students now serve on the faculties of medical centers and universities or hold leadership positions at biomedical research institutions, biotechnology companies, and national and global scientific agencies. Dennis will be remembered by many as the hardest working man they had the opportunity to know, and he never asked students or colleagues to put in more effort than he was willing to give.
Dennis was grateful to the numerous medical professionals who attended to him during his fight with cancer, with too many outstanding nurses, doctors, and medical support personnel to name. He was particularly appreciative of Dr. Terry Lairmore and Dr. Mindie Kavanaugh.
The family will hold a celebration of Dennis’s life later this summer, as he was adamant that his grandsons not miss class because of his passing. In lieu of flowers, the family notes that Dennis and Frances were long-time supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org), the Tunnels to Towers Foundation (T2T.org), and the LSU Health Sciences Foundation (lsuhsfoundation.org).
Glenn Paul Sproles July 11, 1947 — April 2, 2026 Service: Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 11am at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Bossier City.
Jerry Don Bagley, Sr. August 2, 1945 — March 31, 2026 Service: Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 11am at St. Pius X Catholic Church, Shreveport.
Doris Thompson October 6, 1931 – March 26, 2026 Service: Saturday, April 11, 2026, 2pm at Haven’s Park, Shreveport.
Betty Mosley Bates January 1, 1946 – March 25, 2026 Service: Monday, April 6, 2026, 12pm at Calvary Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Clothilde M. Gonzales October 3, 1938 – March 24, 2026 Service: Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 11am at Centuries Memorial Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Ronnie Hubert Brasher March 9, 1949 — March 23, 2026 Service: Saturday, April 18, 2026, 3:30pm at The Covenant Church, Bossier City.
Alyne Shaw Watson June 2, 1939 — March 22, 2026 Service: Thursday, April 9, 2026, 2pm at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Bossier City.
Carol Ward March 11, 1962 – March 17, 2026 Service: Friday, April 17, 2026, 11am at Aulds 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.)
Caddo Parish Fire District #4 released its monthly run report this week, detailing a steady month of operations for the department. First responders answered a total of 124 calls for assistance throughout March 2026, marking a slight increase over February’s volume.
The report highlights the critical role the district plays in regional healthcare, with EMS and Medical calls making up the lion’s share of the workload. Crews responded to 78 medical emergencies in March alone, accounting for roughly 63% of the month’s total activity and bringing the year-to-date medical call volume to 223.
While medical calls dominated the workload, the district remained active on the fire suppression front. Outside fires continue to be a primary concern for the area, with crews responding to 14 grass or brush fires—matching the high seen in January. Additionally, the department successfully managed two structure fire responses during the month.
Other activity for March included 7 public service calls, 5 false alarms, and 4 hazardous condition reports. The district also noted a consistent trend in “Non-Emergency” responses, which have remained at exactly 13 calls per month since the start of the year.
With the close of March, Fire District #4 has completed its first quarter of the year with a cumulative total of 375 calls. The department has maintained a steady pace of service, starting with 136 calls in January and 115 in February before the slight uptick this past month.
“We responded to a total of 124 calls for assistance in the month of March 2026,” the department stated in a recent update, continuing their commitment to keeping the Keithville and South Caddo communities informed of their daily operations.
Residents are reminded to remain vigilant with outdoor burning, as “Outside Fires” remain the most frequent fire-related call type for the district so far this year.
Officials from the Multistate Environmental Response Trust delivered a significant update to residents Tuesday night following a community meeting at Red River Missionary Baptist Church — revealing that redevelopment planning for the long-contaminated former Kerr-McGee Wood Treating Facility on Hamilton Road is now formally underway.
Claire Morgan, the Trust’s director of community partnerships and redevelopment, told attendees that the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has approved additional soil sampling on a portion of the 32-acre property that the Trust believes has reuse potential due to lower contamination levels. The sampling will help determine which sections of the site may be suitable for community reuse once remediation is complete.
The 32-acre site at 520 Hamilton Road consists of a 26-acre main property on the eastern side of the road — where railroad tie processing operations took place from 1930 to 1987 and contamination is heaviest — and a 6-acre parcel to the west. Morgan indicated that portions of the site not associated with the former processing area are being actively evaluated for possible future community reuse.
The Trust, which assumed ownership and cleanup responsibility following a 2011 bankruptcy settlement, confirmed that five phases of off-site contaminated soil cleanup have been completed. A market study is now underway alongside the newly approved soil sampling to support long-term redevelopment planning for the site. A local contracting opportunity for clearing and fence replacement work at the property was also presented at Tuesday’s meeting.
The former facility operated for nearly six decades, discharging creosote-laden wastewater into open ditches that ran through the surrounding residential neighborhood. The cleanup and redevelopment planning process is being conducted in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
Community members with questions may contact community liaison Tracey Smith at (318) 762-2588 or Trust representative Claire Morgan at cm@g-etg.com.
