Trinity United Methodist Church of Ruston is finding new ways to reach the community in regard to how the congregation serves and how members spread the word of God. One way this church reaches the community is through different lecture series each year. This year’s offering, which the church is opening to the public, is the Laskey Lecture Series with Dr. Sandra Richter.
Created by Virginia Laskey, the lecture series brings in dynamic speakers with a variety of topics including politics, spirituality, arts, the environment, and much more.
Three FREE sessions will be taught by Dr. Sandra Richter to speak on the bible’s Old Testament on Saturday, Jan. 21 beginning at 10 am until 4 pm. Dr. Richter is a leading expert on Old Testament knowledge. She will convey a complex understanding of culture, archeology, and language to the listeners in a way they can understand. She will address leadership and hope through examining the life of Debra in the Book of Judges.
Attendees will receive complimentary childcare services.
Other offerings to the community include regular Sunday worship and bible studies throughout the week. The congregation also invests in children and youth as they are the future. They also feed the community, which is a big part of the church’s mission because there is such a big need for feeding programs.
More recently, our outreach committee is exploring new and innovative ways we can fight hunger in the Ruston community and beyond
Shreve Memorial Library turns 100 this year, a celebratory occasion but bleak reminder that there could be a steep price to pay for that book you’ve been meaning to take back since 1926.
Part of my feeble life has been marked by library intrigue. The smell of the books. The intent of its visitors, heads down in learning repose at neat and sturdy tables. That unique library quietness — not a still quietness like the cemetery but a very alive and purposeful quietness.
Love the library.
When it came to hero worship, while other first and second graders were locked in on their sports idols and television stars, I wanted nothing more than to meet Captain Kangaroo (another story for another time), Charley Pride, and Dewey Decimal.
Mainly Dewey Decimal.
I was a weird kid.
But something about the library fascinated me, from the card catalog right on through the little packet glued to the inside back book cover that held a card with all the information concerning where that book had been and when. You could look on the little card and see that Lee Ann Rozier had checked this book out before you did, which meant that she had held it in her precious little second grade hands, and all you had to do was read it and you’d have a conversation starter next time you were lucky enough to sit by her in the lunch room.
Who knows when I first heard the term “Dewey Decimal System,” but the alliteration alone must have made my tiny head spin. This meant that one day a guy sat down and figured out how to put All This Stuff in order, that General Works would go in the 000 section, Philosophy and Psychology would go in the 100s, and on like that.
Must have took him a while.
Investigation revealed that “Dewey” had figured out where all these books would go, and that his name wasn’t Dewey Decimal at all, but Melvil Dewey, a New York native born in 1851, lifelong librarian and founding member of the American Library Association (ALA). The Dewster could hit .300 while reading a Victorian novel and straightening up with Biographies section, (which is in the 900s, just for the record).
Turns out Dewey was one of those books you can’t judge by its cover. He actually had to resign in 1905 from the ALA he helped found, due to allegations of sexual harassment and other things people in charge of the card catalog won’t allow.
So, my library idol turned out to be a dud. Rascal could catalog a book though; you’ve got to give him that. You just didn’t want to share a study nook with him. Well, you didn’t even want to be in the same library branch with him.
We haven’t come too far in improving human nature during the past century, but we sure have improved the library. Dewey wouldn’t even recognize the libraries he’d get thrown out of today.
There are tutoring programs. Ways to look up your ancestry; (hope you aren’t kin to Dewey). Ebooks and audio books to check out. CDs. TV shows and music to stream. And some of these things you check-out digitally automatically check themselves back in. Correct: the library material is smarter than we are.
Last month I went to get a new library card. Cost one dollar to replace my old card. I got a pin number so I can do online books now for free, minus my initial one whole dollar investment.
There was one downside. Pam, the gracious librarian, looked at me like the doctor looks at you right before he says he’ll have to amputate your leg.
“You do owe a fine,” she said. “Overdue book.”
Me: “Oh lord. I’m sorry. How mu…?”
Pam: “It’s from 2006.”
Me: (Weak-kneed, calculating what I’ll have to sell to pay the fine on a book 17 years overdue…)
The following arrests were made by local law enforcement agencies.
01/08/23
Ladarrius Murphy of Ringgold, LA, was arrested for domestic abuse battery.
Dillon Owens, 18, of Phoenix, AZ was arrested in Bienville Parish for reckless operation with accident, reckless operation without accident, no driver’s license, aggravated flight from an officer, and flight from an officer.
Betty Evans of Bossier City, LA was arrested in Bienville Parish as a fugitive for failure to appear warrant, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine.
Michael Cottingham of Ringgold, LA, was arrested for prohibited acts (Schedule III), switched plates, possession of a firearm in the presence of controlled dangerous substance, prohibited acts (Schedule IV), and prohibited acts (schedule II).
01/10/23
Jontreka Westmoreland of Flowood, MS was arrested for false communication with intent to cause an emergency response, and exceeding maximum speed limit.
Shormarkuez Fielding of Arcadia, LA was arrested for access device fraud- credit card, automatic teller machine fraud, identity theft, 4 counts of simple burglary, aggravated burglary, possession or distribution of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and possession of marijuana.
01/11/23
Charles Beason of Castor, LA was arrested for failure to appear.
01/12/23
Sean Thomas of Arcadia, LA was arrested as a fugitive.
Jason Warren of Castor, LA was arrested for issuing worthless checks (misd) and issuing worthless checks (felony).
01/14/23
Jose Sanchez of Richland, MS was arrested in Bienville Parish for no driver’s license.
Donte Brown of Monroe, LA was arrested in Bienville Parish as a fugitive, exceeding maximum speed limit, no driver’s license.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Funeral service: 2 p.m., immediately following visitation.
Burial: Roselyn Cemetery, Junction City, Ark., under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home.
Bienville Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or bpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are free of charge.)
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Upon examining the results of the special election held on December 10, 2022, the Bienville Parish Police Jury authorized the tax continuation to levy a special tax of 4.03 mills on all property subject to taxation within the parish for a period of ten years, beginning in 2024 and ending in 2033. An estimated amount of $1,359,100 is expected to be collected from this levy per year.
This millage increased by .07 mills compared to the 3.96 millage rate that was previously passed in 2012.
919 votes were cast in favor of the proposition at the special election in December with 697 votes against.
The funds collected from this millage will be used for purchasing equipment, supplies, maintenance, operation and support of all branches of the public library in the parish.
The meeting also included an election of officers with Jerry Bates being re-elected to serve as President and Darryl Ryder also being re-elected as Vice-President.
The monthly meetings will continue to be held on the second Wednesday of every month at 9 a.m.
Other items approved by the jury include:
Approval of the purchase of two 5’ x 40’ culverts to be installed on Jot Em Down Road.
Approval of the proposed North Louisiana Crime Lab Budget for 2023 and the amendments for the 2022 budget.
Approval of the request from Friendship Water System to commit the originally slated $250,000 for the Water Sector Program to match the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund project with pay increases for 2023 to begin on December 29, 2023.
Appointment of Quincy Plunkett to the Fire Protection District No. 7 board and Anthony Hullaby to the Recreation District No. 2 board.
The BPPJ will hold their next monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 8 at 9 a.m. at the Police Jury Meeting Room located at 100 Courthouse Drive, Suite 2100 in Arcadia, LA. The jury has plans to consider the adoption of a resolution ordering and calling an election to be held within the parish to authorize the renewal of a sales and use tax.
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1128 – Pope Honorius II granted a papal sanction to the military order known as the Knights Templar. He declared it to be an army of God.
1794 – U.S. President Washington approved a measure adding two stars and two stripes to the American flag, following the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the union.
1854 – Anthony Faas of Philadelphia, PA, was granted the first U.S. patent for the accordion. He made improvements to the keyboard and enhanced the sound.
1893 – Britain’s Independent Labor Party, a precursor to the current Labor Party, met for the first time.
1898 – Emile Zola’s “J’accuse” was published in Paris.
1900 – In Austria-Hungary, Emperor Franz Joseph decreed that German would be the language of the imperial army to combat Czech nationalism.
1906 – Hugh Gernsback, of the Electro Importing Company, advertised radio receivers for sale for the price of just $7.50 in “Scientific American” magazine.
1928 – Ernst F. W. Alexanderson gave the first public demonstration of television.
1942 – Henry Ford patented the plastic automobile referred to as the “Soybean Car.” The car was 30% lighter than the average car.
1966 – Elizabeth Montgomery’s character, Samantha, on “Bewitched,” had a baby. The baby’s name was Tabitha.
1966 – Robert C. Weaver became the first black Cabinet member when he was appointed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development by U.S. President Johnson.
1984 – Wayne Gretzky extended his NHL consecutive scoring streak to 45 games.
1986 – The NCAA adopted the controversial “Proposal 48,” which set standards for Division 1 freshman eligibility.
– “The Wall Street Journal” printed a real picture on its front page. The journal had not done this in nearly 10 years. The story was about artist, O. Winston Link and featured one of his works.
1990 – L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia, the nation’s first elected black governor, took the oath of office in Richmond.
1992 – Japan apologized for forcing tens of thousands of Korean women to serve as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II.
1997 – Debbie Reynolds received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1998 – NBC agreed to pay almost $13 million for each episode of the TV show E.R. It was the highest amount ever paid for a TV show.
– ABC and ESPN negotiated to keep “Monday Night Football” for $1.15 billion a season.
– One of the 110 missing episodes of the British TV show “Doctor Who” was found in New Zealand.
1999 – Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls) announced his retirement from the NBA.
2002 – The exhibit “In the Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” opened at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. More than 100 artists supplied the collection of 120 works of art.
– Japan and Singapore signed a free trade pact that would remove tariffs on almost all goods traded between the two countries.
– U.S. President George W. Bush fainted after choking on a pretzel.
2009 – Ethiopian military forces began pulling out of Somalia, where they had tried to maintain order for nearly two years.
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In my college sociology class, many years ago, I learned that you usually raise your kids in the opposite style that you were raised in. For instance, if your parents were extremely strict on you as a child, then you would tend to be more lenient with your children or if your parents were super lenient, you would be more strict.
I feel like there are tons of parenting styles that fall on the outside and in between just strict or lenient. You have the gentle parenting technique, the helicopter moms, the crunchy ones too, the free-range parenting style and unfortunately the neglectful and uninvolved. Although, it seems the strict and lenient parenting may be the two most popular styles.
I felt like the point my sociology teacher was trying to make was accurate for me. My parents were pretty lenient. They let me have a lot of freedom as a kid. I could have friends over and I could go stay places pretty much as I pleased. I did have a curfew, but it was later than most of my friends and 90 percent of the time I did not abide by it. I went to parties in high school and let us just say, had lots of fun times.
On the other end of the spectrum, I had a friend in high school whose parents were the complete opposite of mine and were extremely strict, probably overly strict. She was barely allowed to stay the night places but could have friends over at her house every now and then. She had to be home by 9:00 every night no matter the occasion- Friday night football, Homecoming or whatever else may be going on during the school year.
I really used to pity her sometimes. I specifically remember the night of our Senior Prom, and everyone was going out after the dance, but she had to go straight home. That was simply crazy to me. I know it is only high school and I know kids may not make the best decisions all the time, but some of my favorite memories to look back on were during that time of my life and I cannot help but to feel bad that she may not have those same memories to cherish.
My friend worked hard in high school though and graduated at the top of her class, receiving a scholarship to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. However, she flunked out her freshman year because she spent all her free time drinking and partying. I guess she was making up for lost time.
So, I guess you can say both parenting styles have upsides and downsides. Knowing what I know and what I did during those years under my parents’ roof, there is no way I am going to let my kids have the same freedom I did, at least not to that extent. Plus, the world is a lot different now versus then unfortunately. I am also not going to always keep my children on lockdown and deprive them of making those wonderful high school memories. I guess I am stuck in between somewhere.
I just go by what I see that my children need at that moment. All kids are different and each one may respond better to a different style of parenting. With Emerson, I can play more of the gentle parent role with her. If I speak too loudly at her, 9 times out of 10 she is going to break down in tears. Ashton, on the other hand, I must be more authoritative to get my point across with that one. I am not so sure what is going to work best with Kameron yet, but I am sure I will figure it out as her personality continues to develop.
Some days my kids might get a hug and others they may get a swift (insert famous line of Red Foreman), but both will come with a talk because one thing is for sure, I will never leave my children trying to guess where I am coming from and I will never be above apologizing to them if I lose my cool every now and then (because sometimes that happens, too.)
So, which is best? The more strict or lenient style of parenting? I don’t know. Regardless of how we choose to parent our children they are going to mess up at least once or twice. It may be in high school or later in life. The only thing that matters is how we respond when they do. I’m just a mom trying my best.
(Paige Nash is a wife, a mom, a new licensee for Bienville Parish Journal and digital journalist for Webster Parish Journal.)
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I’ve said this before, and now I’m going to say it once more again. Parents – get your children to take at least one Agriculture (Ag) class in school. It doesn’t matter what they want to do for a living. Get them to take Ag. One simple push from every parent in Louisiana could change the future of our state. And here’s how.
A few observations and facts:
– Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Not just America. The entire world.
– The median family income is about 49 grand a year. That is nearly half of the southern average.
– More than half of Louisiana households are operating either below federal poverty standards or in the realm of “working poor” families.
– More than half of our college grads live in debilitating student loan debt.
– The number of Louisiana households receiving food stamps is at its highest ever.
– There is a dearth of skilled workers. There isn’t a lot of industry anymore in our state, especially up here, but businesses are desperate to hire people. The workers aren’t there because they don’t have the skills needed.
– Back in my previous life, we had many long discussions as a Chamber of Commerce board about what South Webster needed. Jobs. Industry. Economic growth. That’s everywhere, but it takes something to get that – SKILLED WORKERS.
– Lack of skilled workers leads to a lack of industry and jobs. This in turn leads to poverty. This in turn leads to an uptick in drug abuse and crime.
Therein ends the facts and observations. Now a way to help.
Parents – get your kids to take at least one Ag class. All parents. All kids. Just one. Please.
I’ve floated this idea to people before. A lot of times I’m greeted with a blank stare. My wife wasn’t even that kind. “I wouldn’t want to take Ag,” she told me, harkening back to those days of yore when Boy Bands were a thing and Leo was in the movie about that girl who wouldn’t move over on that headboard. There was totally enough room for two on that board, Rose!
My wife’s comment goes for a lot of folk, I imagine. Ag, for whatever reason, has the connotation of being a class for the “boys not going to college.” A lot of kids and parents never would even think to take an Ag class because it’s not part of their plan for after high school. For decades the American idea of success has been predicated on going to a four year school, earning a degree, and taking over the world. Reality is different. College is still the goal. Taking over the world … not so much.
There is an excellent video on this subject from Dr. Kevin J. Fleming. Fleming is President/CEO of Grey Matters International, Inc., a unique neuroleadership and transformational behavior change consulting firm. He is a former neuropsychologist-turned-professional coach who has served as a “thinking advisor” to high profile clientele, including professional athletes, politicians, Fortune 500 CEOs, and those in the entertainment industry around what is next when advice, self-help, and therapy have failed to change behavior. His video highlights how America got to this place where four-year college is preached as an all or nothing proposition. Those who go to college – doesn’t matter what they major in or how little money they make after graduation – are the ones deemed a success. The truth is this mindset has led to over saturation in Americans with degrees in fields that aren’t necessarily needed compared to the drought of skilled workers. The stats don’t lie and the video is eye-opening. Watch it. Please.
So I say again:
Parents – get your kids to take Ag. Exposing young minds to new ideas may open up paths they would have never previously considered. This isn’t an anti-college post. This is just a “take all avenues into consideration” post.
One Ag class may spark a passion that could lead to a life of financial gain and stability rather than one riddled with low salary and a mountain of student debt. We push our kids to have new experiences, try new things, meet new people, and expand their horizons. What’s wrong with doing that for one class in high school?
Ag classes teach a basic understanding of what it means to work with your hands, be exposed to the idea of alternatives to four year colleges that produce workers who will probably struggle in the over saturation in the market and the changed world economy.
If you are not easily replaceable, if you have a specialized skill that others don’t, and if you bring your boss money because of that skill – you will make more money. It’s basic economics. But if you are one of many who has the same skill set and an expensive piece of paper from a four year school then you might not be as irreplaceable as you think.
Take me. I have a bachelors. A masters. I don’t make a lot of money. Breaking news – Teachers don’t make much money. I have a lot of expensive papers that say I’m educated. Great for me, but the market doesn’t place much monetary value on what I do. And while I think I’m good at what I do, if I were to die tomorrow or go be a mango farmer in Tahiti (my money is on that one), there would be another teacher in my room the next day. Would they be a better teacher than me? It doesn’t matter. That’s not the point. What I do is easily replaceable. Now, if a heart surgeon or an electrician or another skilled worker were to be visited by the Grim or launch a mango farming scheme, they wouldn’t be so easily replaceable. This doesn’t bother me. It’s the way of the world. It makes sense.
We need more parents and kids interested in these more lucrative career paths. There is no magic bullet or miracle elixir to solve Louisiana’s problems. Any politician who tells you otherwise is only interested in telling you what you want to hear. We have to have jobs, good paying jobs. But in order to have those jobs you have to have workers who can do what is needed in order to attract business and industry.
Ag isn’t a cure. But what we have been doing sure isn’t working. So try something new.
It starts at home.
So again: Parents – get your kids to take an Ag class. You might just be part of a revolution.
(Josh Beavers is a teacher and a writer. He has been honored five times for excellence in opinion writing by the Louisiana Press Association.)
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I generally dislike handgun caliber debates as they pertain to personal defense, for a couple reasons.One, people tend to invest their egos in their chosen caliber and often cannot be reasoned with.2nd and foremost, I feel there are other topics that deserve more attention and that matter a hell of a lot more than this one.Unfortunately, this will likely be the most read / shared article I’ve written thus far, based solely on the title.But, in all fairness, it was the topic of handgun caliber that ultimately set me on the martial path.So, let’s give it a shot.
Q: 9mm, .40 S&W, or .45 ACP?
A: 9mm.
The question is posed this way because these three calibers are the most commonly debated.I understand that other calibers exist and that carrying any of these calibers is better than carrying no gun at all.That said, for the sake of your attention span – and my sanity – let’s lump the gimmicky .357 Sig and .45 GAP right in there with the .40 S&W.I refer to each of these high-pressure calibers as “recoil for no reason.”I’m sure that some “tacti-cool” social media warrior, is likely to suggest that I’m a recoil sensitive pansy, but I’ll be more than happy to dispel that accusation on the range anytime.
Of the calibers in question, 9mm reigns supreme and .45 ACP comes in a distant second.Those “recoil for no reason” calibers don’t offer a single tactical advantage in private citizen, law enforcement, or military applications – not one!Furthermore, high-pressure caliber guns will ABSOLUTELY wear out faster than 9mm or .45 ACP guns of the same type.9mm pistols hold more ammunition than their .40 and .45 caliber counterparts.Generally, 9mm ammunition is less expensive.9mm generates less recoil than the others, which makes it easier to shoot accurately – especially as it pertains to follow-up shots.No, Boomer, “knock-down power” is not a real thing.It’s only real in the sense that it’s real dumb to say.You might need to shoot someone more than once – even with your FAWTY-FIE!
Let’s talk ballistics.Internal – External – Terminal.Internal refers to the projectile movement inside the gun from chamber to muzzle.External refers to the projectile in flight, from the time it leaves the muzzle until it impacts something.Terminal refers to what occurs when the projectile strikes the intended target – basically, the damage the bullet does to the bad guy.The only one that matters from an everyday or duty carry standpoint is terminal – and the difference in terminal ballistics between 9mm, .45 ACP, and those “recoil for no reason” calibers is negligible.With current ammunition technology, 9mm is more than sufficient to incapacitate an evil doer.
“But gel tests…”Blah blah blah.When’s the last time you saw a block of ballistic gel with real human organs and bones inside?Gel tests have their place, but they have absolutely no bearing in this discussion.Coroner’s reports are far greater evidence of ballistic effectiveness than gel tests.
I’ve never met anyone who has been in a gunfight who carries less ammunition with them than they did prior to their gunfight.I’ve also never met anyone who could shoot a .40 or .45 well that couldn’t shoot a 9mm better.Knowing what we know about terminal ballistics, and considering roughly 85% of people shot with handguns of ANY CALIBER survive their wounds nowadays, why would you choose a caliber that’s harder to control?Why would you intentionally carry a gun with lower round capacity and that has an obscene amount of recoil, comparatively speaking?I mean, if you’re going to tote a .40, why don’t you tote a real man’s .40 and strap up a 10mm?You must be recoil sensitive too.
The .40 S&W was created following a high-profile gunfight in the 1980’s, during which several members of a certain federal law enforcement agency lost their lives.It was determined that the tragedy was the result of insufficient firepower – as opposed to the training methodologies in place at the time.That agency opted to deviate from its standard issue 9mm but quickly decided against the .45 ACP.Why?Because .45 ACP already existed.If a change needed to be made, they certainly weren’t going to switch to a gun they could’ve already been issuing.Lol… feds – am I right?The idea of 10mm was kicked around and ultimately vetoed because it was “too powerful.”See how silly this sounds now?Ultimately, the 10mm cartridge was shortened and the .40 S&W was born in 1990.It was quickly pressed into service with the feds, and because almost every police agency in America takes their cues from the “Alphabet Boys,” .40 S&W quickly became the law enforcement standard across the country.However, for the last 10 -15 years the .40 S&W has been dying a very public death – and for good reason.
Then there’s the revolver crowd.Modern-day wheel gun packers usually fall into one of three categories: people who live in close proximity to bears – antiques who can’t let go of their antiques – and women whose husband, dad, or boyfriend put a revolver in their hand because he isn’t capable of teaching her how to properly operate a semi-automatic handgun.Ladies, if your man gifts you a revolver for everyday carry, take that as a misogynistic micro-aggression.Don’t beat them up too badly though – they probably think .40 caliber pistols are cool.
Look, if a 9mm won’t kill it, you need a rifle anyway.We only use handguns because they’re practical and efficient to carry. Rifles are superior fighting tools, but it’s tough to conceal a rifle in your pants.“Is that an AK-47, or are you just happy to see me?”Lastly, steer clear of tiny calibers like .22, .22 magnum, .25, .32, and .380.They’re anemic little things – and thus, are far less likely to incapacitate a threat should you need to smite a violent attacker.Even .40 caliber is a safer bet than those options.Just stick to 9mm – at least until new technology knocks it off the mountain top.
(Ryan Barnette is not a licensed attorney or a medical provider, and no information provided in “Slicing the Pie,” or any other publication authored by Ryan Barnette should be construed, in any way, as official legal or medical advice.)
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Chicken soup and dumplings – the most comforting comfort food, hands down.
Soup:
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup baby carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey, chopped
Seasoning salt & pepper to taste
Dumplings:
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup milk
Directions
Make soup: turn a large soup pot to medium-high heat and add butter. Add onion, carrot, celery and sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften. Season with salt and pepper. Add thyme and cook one more minute. Sprinkle flour mixture over and stir until flour is absorbed and no dry spots remain. Stir in broth and lower heat to medium. Continue to stir until mixture thickens and becomes smooth. Stir in milk and add seasoning salt and pepper. Simmer until soup is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Fold in chicken.
Make dumplings: In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, green onion, thyme, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and mix with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk until mixture just comes together to a thick batter. I used a large cookie scoop at this point but you can use a spoon: drop large scoops (3 tablespoons approximately) onto the top of the soup. Do not stir. When all batter has been used cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes until dumplings have puffed and cooked through.
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Funeral Service: 3 p.m., immediately following visitation.
Burial: Bear Creek Cemetery, Bryceland, La.
Bienville Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or bpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication.
(Above death notices are free of charge.)
To report an issue or typo with this article– CLICK HERE
On Friday, January 6, the school held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with Representative Patrick Jefferson and several community leaders. Following the ceremony, the Hornets and Lady Hornets played Lakeside on the new court. The gym also contains a state-of-the art weight room.
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There is still a “t” or two to cross, but if Buc-ee’s comes to Ruston and Tarbutton Road as most hope, the next generation of Lincoln Parish children will be more spoiled than the generation who were on the good end of the transition from outhouses and Sears and Roebuck catalogs to indoor plumbing and toilet paper.
I can hear a kid 10 years from now: “Paris? Rome? Waikiki? Man, that don’t impress me much. My momma used to change my diaper in Buc-ee’s. BUC-EE’S, bro! I grew up there. I grew up in there.”
No way can you adequately convey what a Buc-ee’s is and isn’t. But one trip and you will never forget it.
The more I’ve heard about this newest enterprise, the more I’ve imagined the famous monologue by James Earl Jones in W.P. Kinsella’s brilliantly conceived Field of Dreams in 1989, the scene that shows his character convincing Ray, the owner of the baseball and corn fields and Kevin Costner’s character, not to sell his land, even though the bank plans to foreclose the next morning. In the Ruston re-make, the setting is Tarbutton Road’s northwest corner by I-20, Ray is Ruston and Jones is Jones and Mark is the brother-in-law representing the bank, in this case a Buc-ee’s non-believer.
JAMES EARL JONES: “Ray, people will come, Ray. They’ll come to Buc-ee’s in Ruston for reasons they can’t even fathom. They’ll turn up into the store, not knowing for sure why they’re doing it. They’ll arrive to get a selfie made with the giant wooden buck-tooth beaver, innocent as children, longing for the past — and maybe for some Buc-ee’s Barbecue Rub or Steak Seasoning, gluten-free if needed.
“‘Of course, we won’t mind if you look around,’ you’ll say. ‘You just need to buy some gas, or maybe a smoker or a onesie pajama bear suit or a dozen shoe charms or icebox magnets.’ They’ll pass over the money without even thinking about it. For it is money they have, and peace they lack. Peace, and some Buc-ee’s Fruit Sours.”
MARK: “Ray, this is going to hurt the town more than help. We can’t waste this land. It’s obvious that … “
JONES: “And they’ll walk out to the Nut Wall, just gaze as they did when they were children when they cheered their heroes, which were either Planters salted or unsalted, except here they are overwhelmed by Beaver Nugget Sweet Corn Puff and Butter Toffee and Honey Toasted and Pina Colada Pecans and that’s only the tip of the nutberg — and it’ll be as if they’d dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick, they’ll have to brush them away from their faces …”
MARK: “Ray what Ruston needs is another Mexican restaurant. It’s as plain as that cup of Dippin’ Dots you’re holding … “
JONES: “People will come, Ray.”
MARK: “We need money, we have this tremendous asset of location and land, and we’re putting it on a joint that sells tie dye drink glasses and T-shirts that say stuff like ‘I Paused My Game to Be Here’ and ‘I’m Into Fitness. Fit’ness Taco In My Mouth’?”
JONES: “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. Well, that and consumerism. And free enterprise. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a brisket at a tailgate barbecue, rebuilt, and erased again. But it’s jerky that has marked the time — the Bohemian garlic flavor, mesquite, lemon pepper, Teriyaki … it’s salt water taffy in a resealable bag and a pink imitation leather cosmetic case that reads, ‘Just a Girl Who Loves Beavers,’ and mostly it’s that Buc-ee’s sign taller than Wyly Tower or Mount Driscoll and that Giant Magnetic Beaver, whose Siren Song draws tourists to these clean bathrooms like tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches draw Protestant country folk. It’s consumerism that has marked the time, Ray. The hope of this store, this sort of Giant Jerky Wall joint, this heaven of dessert-in-a-plastic-case-to-go, this wellspring of emotion overload, this ‘game’ — it’s part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.
“Ohhhhhhh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.”
Two American tourists took a much-needed vacation in England and Scotland. They had visited the usual tourist attractions in London such as Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the British Museum, and the Great Clock of Westminster, which is commonly referred to as Big Ben. They traveled to several cities in Scotland and visited the usual tourist sites there such as Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, and Holyrood House. Finally, they decided to get away from the bustling crowds of the cities and went hiking in an area of the sparsely populated Scottish Highlands, about 100 miles north of Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh. The views were breathtaking. They hiked on the ancient winding paths at the base of the mountains along the River Dee.
While hiking, they met another man and woman, Dick and Liz, who were walking in the opposite direction toward a favored picnic site. Dick and Liz rarely saw hikers in this area because it was so remote. As the hikers neared, Liz said hello and sparked up a conversation. The hikers were instantly drawn in by Dick and Liz’s accents. The foursome engaged in small talk. The hikers told Dick and Liz of their travels throughout Britain and where they would be visiting on the remainder of their vacation.
As the conversation progressed, one of the gentleman hikers asked Liz where she lived. She replied, “Well, I live in London, but I have a holiday home just the other side of the hill.” “How often have you been coming up here,” the gentleman hiker asked. “Oh, I’ve been coming up here since I was a little girl, so over eighty years.” Dick and Liz could see that the gentleman was thinking about her reply. Then he asked what was one of the most asked questions by a tourist in Britain. “Well, if you’ve been coming up here for 80 years,” he said, “you must’ve met the Queen.” Liz replied, “Well I haven’t, but Dick, here, meets her regularly.”
The hikers turned their full attention to Dick, who had spoken very little up to that point. “What’s she like,” the hikers asked Dick. “Well,” Dick replied matter-of-factly “she can be very cantankerous at times, but she has a lovely sense of humor.” The hikers held onto every word Dick said about his meetings with the Queen. The hiker was so enamored that he had met someone who had met the Queen that he handed Liz his camera and asked if she would take a picture of him with Dick, to which she obliged. Then, they swapped places and Dick took pictures of the hikers with Liz.
After a while, the hikers said goodbye to Dick and Liz and continued on their hike. As Dick and Liz gave a final wave to their new hiker friends, Liz turned to Dick and said, “I’d love to be a fly on the wall when he shows the photographs to his friends in America.” You see, Richard “Dick” Griffin really had met the Queen regularly because he was her royal protection officer. The American hikers learned at some later point that the lady who accompanied Dick on the picnic was… Queen Elizabeth II.
1693 – A powerful earthquake destroys parts of Sicily and Malta.
1759 – The first American life insurance company, the Corporation for Relief of Poor and Distressed Presbyterian Ministers and of the Poor and Distressed Widows and Children of the Presbyterian Ministers (now part of Unum Group), is incorporated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1787 – William Herschel discovers Titania and Oberon, two moons of Uranus.
1805 – The Michigan Territory is created.
1861 – American Civil War: Alabama secedes from the United States.
1863 – American Civil War: Battle of Arkansas Post: General John McClernand and Admiral David Dixon Porter capture the Arkansas River for the Union.
1863 – American Civil War: CSS Alabama encounters and sinks the USS Hatteras off Galveston Lighthouse in Texas.
1908 – Grand Canyon National Monument is created.
1912 – Immigrant textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, go on strike when wages are reduced in response to a mandated shortening of the work week.
1922 – Leonard Thompson becomes the first person to be injected with insulin.
1927 – Louis B. Mayer, head of film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), announces the creation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, at a banquet in Los Angeles, California.
1935 – Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
1943 – Italian-American anarchist Carlo Tresca is assassinated in New York City.
1949 – The first “networked” television broadcasts took place as KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania goes on the air connecting the east coast and mid-west programming.
1961 – Throgs Neck Bridge over the East River, linking New York City’s boroughs of The Bronx and Queens, opens to road traffic.
1964 – Surgeon General of the United States Dr. Luther Terry, M.D., publishes the landmark report Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the United States saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking national and worldwide anti-smoking efforts.
1973 – Major League Baseball owners vote in approval of the American League adopting the designated hitter position.
1996 – The Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on mission STS-72 to retrieve the Japanese Space Flyer Unit.
2003 – Illinois Governor George Ryan commutes the death sentences of 167 prisoners on Illinois’s death row based on the Jon Burge scandal.
2020 – COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei: Municipal health officials in Wuhan announce the first recorded death from COVID-19.
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Trinity United Methodist Church of Ruston is finding new ways to reach the community in regard to how the congregation serves and how members spread the word of God. One way this church reaches the community is through different lecture series each year. This year’s offering, which the church is opening to the public, is the Laskey Lecture Series with Dr. Sandra Richter.
Created by Virginia Laskey, the lecture series brings in dynamic speakers with a variety of topics including politics, spirituality, arts, the environment, and much more.
Three FREE sessions will be taught by Dr. Sandra Richter to speak on the bible’s Old Testament on Saturday, Jan. 21 beginning at 10 am until 4 pm. Dr. Richter is a leading expert on Old Testament knowledge. She will convey a complex understanding of culture, archeology, and language to the listeners in a way they can understand. She will address leadership and hope through examining the life of Debra in the Book of Judges.
Attendees will receive complimentary childcare services.
Other offerings to the community include regular Sunday worship and bible studies throughout the week. The congregation also invests in children and youth as they are the future. They also feed the community, which is a big part of the church’s mission because there is such a big need for feeding programs.
More recently, our outreach committee is exploring new and innovative ways we can fight hunger in the Ruston community and beyond
