Veteran quarterbacks coach Kyle Manley is taking over as Northwestern State’s new offensive coordinator while the Demons have added two new staff members, offensive line coach Jeff Bowen and linebackers coach Jake Olsen, head football coach Jay Thomas said Tuesday.

The personnel moves are all subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System, which includes NSU.

Manley, who has been on the Demons’ staff since Thomas took over as head coach for the 2013 season, will remain as quarterbacks coach and takes over game-planning and play-calling duties. Ben Norton, who was NSU’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, has resigned to accept another position, and will be replaced as line coach by Bowen, who was an All-Southland Conference lineman under Norton at Texas State and later coached the Demon offensive line with Norton in 2014 and 2015.

Bowen spent 2016 as the offensive line coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, contributing to an offense that averaged 41 points and 529 yards per game, 205 on the ground and 324 passing. Olsen was a defensive graduate assistant during the last two seasons at UL Monroe.

“Kyle has been very involved in the game-planning and play-calling since he’s been with us and has done very good work in every role we’ve handed him. This is a logical and seamless promotion that he’s earned,” said Thomas. “He knows our personnel, he knows our incoming players, and there’s no real transition whatsoever.

“There is very little transition with bringing Jeff back. He helped recruit a good number of our players, and he has coached most of our offensive linemen during the two years he was here with Coach Norton,” said Thomas. “I want to say thanks to Coach Norton. It was a pleasure to work with him. He did a great job here, especially with our offensive line, which is one of the positions we feel really good about going into 2017.”

Olsen’s addition allows new defensive coordinator Brad Laird to handle the safeties, with veteran assistant De’Von Lockett focusing on the cornerbacks and special teams coordinator August Mangin coaching outside linebackers. Olsen handles the two inside slots, and Thomas takes over defensive line responsibilities.

“Jake comes highly recommended by a coaching staff we know well and have a ton of respect for at ULM,” said Thomas. “He also has coached in the Southland Conference at Nicholls, so he knows our territory. He understands what we want to do defensively, he will be an exceptional recruiter and our friends at ULM told us he does a great job teaching the game.”

Manley has been assistant offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, and has been NSU’s recruiting coordinator. He has coached the quarterbacks since 2014 after joining Thomas’ first Demon staff as receivers coach and recruiting coordinator in 2013.

Manley steered 2014 senior Zach Adkins to a record-shattering season that included single-game school marks for touchdown passes (5), points responsible for (36) and consecutive completions (19), along with season records for passing yards (2,821), total offense (3,004), completion percentage (67.2) and touchdown passes (28). In 2013, he helped sophomore cornerback Ed Eagan convert to wide receiver, a move that paved the way for Eagan to become the most prolific pass catcher in school history.

Before coming to NSU, Manley was on Derek Dooley’s 2012 staff at Tennessee when the Volunteers ranked 19th nationally in total offense. He coached quarterbacks at Tennessee-Martin in 2011, as senior Derek Carr set career passing and touchdown records, a year after he helped guide Scott Buisson to similar feats at Arkansas-Monticello. Manley was a quarterback from 2004-07 at Georgia Tech under coach Chan Gailey.

Bowen coached tight ends and was an offensive line assistant in his two seasons (2014-15) at NSU, highlighted by an explosive 2014 season in which the Demons broke two dozen school records including total offense (4,948 yards), first downs (274) and passing yardage (2,864).

Prior to joining the Demons, Bowen was on the UT-San Antonio staff under veteran coach Larry Coker for three seasons (2011-13), including an eight-win 2012 campaign. He was a graduate assistant in 2010 at his alma mater, Texas State, where he was an All-Southland Conference offensive lineman and an honorable mention All-America performer while also earning places on the Southland Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll in 2007 and 2008.

Olsen has four years of college coaching experience since capping his career at Valley City (N.D.) State, where he played defensive end and outside linebacker from 2008-12. He coached the Vikings’ defensive line in 2013, then joined the Nicholls staff and coached linebackers in 2014, helping Davin Bowie earn honorable mention All-Southland honors.

At ULM, Olsen worked on a defensive staff including former NSU head coach Scott Stoker and former Demon assistant Mike Collins in 2016. In that staff’s first season, the Warhawks made significant strides under former McNeese head coach Matt Viator and Olsen helped coach an All-Sun Belt Conference linebacker.

The Demons begin spring practice on March 7.

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According to a Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force official, the Natchitoches Police Crime Suppression Unit contacted NMJDTF agents Feb. 27 in reference to information they received about stolen firearms being located in one of the J.W. Thomas Complex apartments.

The NMJDTF and the Natchitoches Parish Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigation Division were actively investigating several suspects in the complex in reference to active investigations involving stolen firearms. Upon receiving this new information NMJDTF, NPSO CID detectives and NPD Crime Suppression Units went to J.W apartment k-4. Several individuals ran inside the apartment upon seeing police.

Officers got the individuals back outside the apartment and contained the scene. Based on information gained at the scene, NMJDTF agents obtained a search warrant for the apartment. As a result, investigators seized three handguns and approximately 28 grams of suspected marijuana from the residence. Two of the firearms were confirmed stolen.

Investigators gained additional intelligence which led to the recovery of a stolen AR-15 semi-automatic rifle from a property in the Highland Park neighborhood. The rifle had also been reported stolen in the Natchitoches area.

The following suspects were arrested on the following charges and placed in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center awaiting bond:

D’Angelo Brimsey B/M 18:
1 count simple possession of marijuana
1 count possession of a firearm with a controlled dangerous substance
1 count possession of a stolen firearm

Donta Brimsey B/M 19:
Probation and Parole violation

Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a north Natchitoches Parish man on felony drug charges during an early morning traffic stop on US-71 in Campti Tuesday morning, Feb. 28, according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation began Tuesday morning at 2 am, when NPSO Patrol Division deputies responded to reports of a domestic disturbance in the 2500 block of US-71 in Campti.

While enroute to the scene, deputies observed what appeared to be a minor traffic incident on US-71 within a block of the initial call involving a 2017 Chevrolet Impala.

Other deputies responded to the scene learning an alleged intoxicated male subject involved in the disturbance left the scene in a vehicle.

Deputies began to investigate the traffic incident, observing a male identified as Martino D. Telstead asleep under the steering wheel along with the vehicle running, in gear and the headlights on.

Deputies say when they awakened Telstead he appeared confused, unaware of his surroundings and the vehicle began to move.

Deputies reached into the vehicle as it was rolling and placed the vehicle in park before it hit a metal building.

Deputies assisted Telstead from the vehicle and while speaking to him observed suspected narcotics in plain view on his person.

During a search of Telstead’s person, deputies seized a bottle containing suspected promethazine syrup, a two pill bottles containing 6.6 grams of suspected crack cocaine, 30 suspected ecstasy pills, eight alprazolam (Xanax) pills, three pieces of alprazolam pills, one legend pill and $946.

A search of the vehicle led to the seizure of one small bag of suspected marijuana, three packages containing suspected synthetic marijuana, a carbonated drink containing a mixture of promethazine syrup, weighing scales, packaging materials and drug paraphernalia.

Deputies also administered Telstead a field sobriety test in which he performed unsatisfactory.

Deputies arrested:

Martino D. Telstead, 32, of the 2700 block of US 71, Campti, who was transported and booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center charged with 1-count of Possession of CDS Schedule I Ecstasy with Intent to Distribute, 1-count of Possession of CDS I Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, 1-count of Possession of CDS I Synthetic Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, 1-count of Possession of CDS Schedule II Crack Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of CDS IV Alprazolam with Intent to Distribute, Possession of CDS V Promethazine with Intent to Distribute, 1-count of Possession of a Legend Drug, 1-count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, 1-count of Second or Subsequent Offenses and 1-count of DWI.

A drug urine analysis along with the seized narcotics will be submitted to the crime lab for analysis.

The seized currency will be turned over to the Natchitoches District Attorney’s Office for an Asset Forfeiture Hearing.

Deputies believe the seized narcotics valued at approximately $3,500 was intended for distribution in the Campti area.

Telstead remains in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center awaiting bond.

Michael Yankowski, a professor of art in Northwestern State University’s School of Creative and Performing Arts, will be a featured artist in the “Artists of Faith” exhibition at the Carol Robinson Gallery in New Orleans. This annual invitational exhibit highlights gallery artists whose themes involve aspects of their faith. The exhibit coincides with the penitential season of Lent.

Yankowski will present five new sculptures constructed of exotic and local wood. He also incorporates a variety of materials including carved basswood, porcelain, cast silver, brass, pewter, fabricated and painted copper.

Exploring themes of life and death, eternity and the cosmos, Yankowski’s work is influenced by medieval art, illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells and surrealist sculptors such as Joseph Cornell and Rene Magritte. His highly detailed and skillfully crafted sculptures take two to four months to complete and are reminiscent of reliquaries and religious altars. Some open as triptychs to reveal elaborate interiors.

A recipient of a Louisiana Artist Endowment, the NSU Mildred Hart Bailey Award, the Derby Endowed Professorship and several NSU research grants, Yankowski has studied art and sculpture in Tennessee, Alaska, Austria, China and Tibet. He has participated in numerous national juried competitions and has two sculptures in the permanent collection of the Alexandria Museum of Art as well as many private collections.

The Artists of Faith Exhibition runs from March 4-30 at Carol Robinson Gallery, 840 Napoleon Avenue, New Orleans. An opening reception open to the public will be March 4 from 6-8 p.m.

If you’re of a certain age, as I am, we’ve seen an incredible change in the way television is presented and viewed, right?

I hope you’re enjoying the changed world of TV, but as for me, I often feel that I’ve got 200 channels but there’s nothing worth seeing on the tube.

My thoughts go back some decades, when Baton Rouge had three channels and it seemed there were several good shows on every night. We also had what was then called educational TV, but nobody watched it. That, of course, evolved into PBS, one of the few networks that I do really enjoy today.

I remember the TV westerns. Every night featured at least a few examples of the genre on ABC, CBS and NBC. What great stories there were on Gunsmoke, Have Gun, Will Travel; Rawhide, Bonanza, The Rifleman, Maverick and many others.

Then we had the variety shows, on which various forms of live entertainment were presented, ranging from famous singers to jugglers and acrobats. The Ed Sullivan Show was the best of these. Remember how Ed would begin each program saying, “We have a RILLY big SHEW tonight.”

The sitcoms were very popular too with none of the edgy humor that we see so much of today. Such shows as Father Knows Best and the Ozzie and Harriet Show are often criticized today as being bland examples of 1950s conformity but at least you could watch them with Grandma in the room and not be embarrassed.

The police shows were good, too. Dragnet, Highway Patrol, the Naked City — all had good stories with good plots.

Now, what’s on TV today? Quite different stuff.

You may well enjoy the so called reality shows. I think they’re all massive bores. First of all, what’s real about several people being stranded in a jungle and forced to survive on their wits. When’s the last time you were stranded in a jungle?

To me most of today’s sitcoms just don’t strike my funny bone. Their humor is childish for the most part and I wonder where they get some of their writers from. The Big Bang Theory is funny, but not as humorous as it used to be. I think their writers are getting tired.

Today’s crime shows can be interesting. In fact my favorite network show is Bluebloods, the story of a New York police family, their work and their personal problems. But lots of today’s crime shows, led by the CSI series, seem to simply compete to see who can show the most rotten corpses. Believe it or not, they didn’t used to show dead victims up close.

Now people who know me, know I’m not a prude. Violence and sex can have a place in TV dramas if they’re part of the story. The series on The Tudors or the Western drama Hell on Wheels, for example, have plenty of both, but the story lines and the acting were so superb, that the gritty parts on the show just seemed to be a necessary aspect of the tale.

There are some good aspects of today’s television. Netflix is worthwhile because you can choose from hundreds of movies and/or TV series and control what you watch.
It’s also nice to be able to watch on TV almost any sporting event that’s being played. Years ago, you’d never see an LSU baseball game on television, for example.

So, I guess I’ll continue to pay big bucks for my 200 channels and enjoy what I like and ignore the rest. And when there’s nothing on, I’ve always got my books. Happy viewing, friends.

Jessica McGrath and Alan Niette from the Natchitoches Parish Library visited the Natchitoches Rotary Club at its meeting Feb. 28 to share information about library services, 3D printing, and the importance of voting for the Dedicated Library Tax Renewal on March 25. Pictured from left are Richard White, President-elect nominee Rotary Club of Natchitoches and Rotarian with the Program; Alan Niette; Bob Black, Retired Director Natchitoches Parish Library; and Jesssica McGrath.

 

Natchitoches Parish Fire District 9 was dispatched to a structure fire in tbe 1100 block of Hwy. 71 near Keys Grocery March 1 at 1:29 a.m. in the morning. Units arrived in under 5 minutes to find two abandoned structures, one fully involved and spreading to the other.

Units were able to quickly knock the fire down and save the second structure. The exact cause of fire is under investigation.