The Natchitoches Event’s Center was abuzz Saturday night, May 18, as the 32nd Annual Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Foundation hosted their gala. The theme for this years festivities was a “Rockin’ Luau.” Attendees donned their best beach attire while they sipped on Mai Tais and enjoyed an Elvis impersonator and Live 80 Band.

The delectable Polynesian style buffet was a huge hit with the supporters of the gala and it had the guests coming back for more.

NRMC CEO Kirk Soileau was on hand to greet the crowd and thank them for their unwavering support of the hospital. Tom Matuschka, Vice President of Business Development and Executive Director of the NRMC Foundation, addressed the supporters and outlined the massive support and work that make this event the success that it continues to be year after year.

The gala is held every May and has become a staple of the social landscape of Natchitoches. The Natchitoches Regional Medical Center is a community-oriented company and it was evident with the Gala being so heavily supported throughout Natchitoches and the surrounding areas.

The Gala’s fund raising efforts support the Foundation’s philanthropic work and key initiatives including community wellness and nursing and allied health scholarships.

By ROBIN FAMBROUGH
Written for the LSWA

Danielle Scott grew up to become an indoor volleyball legend who played in an unprecedented five Olympic Games.

There are many ways to describe this Baton Rouge native. She is a two-time Olympic silver medalist and an intense competitor. Scott also is a woman of strong faith, a survivor, proud daughter and a doting mother, all characteristics that define her today.

Those attributes and her accomplishments made her initial appearance on the ballot short-lived for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame selection committee picking the Class of 2019. She and 10 others will be enshrined Saturday, June 8, at the Natchitoches Events Center in a sold-out ceremony carried live on Cox Sports Television. For information on the Induction Celebration activities June 6-8, visit LaSportsHall.com.

“Anytime you are recognized, it is quite a feat. There are so many deserving people out there and for me to be selected is humbling,” Scott said of her Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction with a bright smile. “It is really cool to be back home again and then to be recognized. The class I am with is phenomenal. It’s nice to be recognized for the time I put in. It is even better for me to share this with my daughter, along with the entire family.”

Scott’s total body of work led to her undeniable induction into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2016.

A series of different challenges off the court began as Scott’s professional career wound down. She returned to Louisiana and helped care for her mother, who died of cancer in 2014. Scott’s home and car were damaged by Baton Rouge’s historic flooding in 2016.

Last November, Scott’s sister Stefanie died as the result of a domestic attack by her estranged husband. Scott herself was hospitalized for stab wounds suffered while defending her sister.

USA Volleyball created a Courage Award and presented it to Scott at its Hall of Fame induction held May 22 in Columbus, Ohio. After months of physical therapy, Scott returned to the court as a player-coach in the USA Volleyball Open Division championship.

“There are no words to describe how brave Danielle was on that fateful night last November,” USA Volleyball CEO Jamie Davis said in a press release. “She exemplifies everything good about humanity, and we couldn’t be prouder to have created a new USA Volleyball Courage Award to recognize her heroic actions. She should be a role model for us all.”

Scott insists age is just a number, and she still loves to compete in competitions like the USA Open. Or even on sand volleyball courts in and around Baton Rouge.

With Scott, there is always more going on. She works in the investments field, does speaking engagements, hosts volleyball camps, enjoys age-group coaching for USA Volleyball, and she promotes the sport of volleyball wherever possible, including an April trip to Shreveport, where an Olympic Qualification volleyball is scheduled August 2-4.

Actively helping to coach her nine-year-old daughter Julianne’ in a variety of sports is something Scott also relishes.

“By nature, I am a positive person and I do rely on my faith,” Scott said. “For me, age is just a number. My time with daughter and my family is so precious to me. I am excited about whatever the future holds.”

Regardless of what the future holds, Scott’s volleyball legacy is set. Haneef-Park puts Scott among the top five USA Volleyball women’s players ever, ranking her among 1980s heroes like Debbie Green-Vargas and the late Flo Hyman.

Things have been busy at Briarwood Nature Preserve after it was hit by an EF-1 tornado on April 8, causing substantial damage to the preserve and some of the buildings, most notably the log house. Workers managed to get trees off the log house and clean a substantial amount of the debris from around it. It’s covered with blue tarps in hopes of keeping the upcoming rain out of it.

Curator Richard Johnson thanks the Cane River National Heritage Area for helping to remove all the precious artifacts that were at risk of moisture damage from the log house, and getting them to where they could be dried out. Thanks to Susan and her friend along with the people from the NPDC and all the local folks who came out to help get the ball rolling toward restoration.

“This is a Herculean task and will require many people working together to get it accomplished,” he said.

The entry road into Briarwood is quite rough and Johnson highly recommends entering the property via the exit road and follow the exit road to the visitor center. The area around the Education building is pretty much unscathed.

Though insurance will cover some of the building rebuilding costs the roads into and out of Briarwood will have to be rebuilt as well as trails have to be cleared of fallen trees.

“We are in full cleanup mode right now with volunteers coming in almost daily to help in any way they can,” said Johnson. “If you would like to volunteer please contact me via at emailbriarwoodnp@gmail.com so we can coordinate your assistance.”

Melissa Abdo, with the Old Growth Forest Network, established a Go-Fund-Me page so people can donate directly to the cause.

By Kevin Shannahan

2019 NCHS Senior Tyler Nichols was selected as a finalist in this year’s National Merit Scholarship Program. Tyler is the only student from the Natchitoches Parish School system to have advanced to Finalist status in this year’s National Merit Scholarship Program. He is also the first student from the Natchitoches Parish School system to be named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist in quite a few years. The National Merit Scholarship Program is a nationally recognized standard of excellence. Being named a Finalist is a notable achievement.

Tyler, one of this year’s salutatorians, will be attending Texas A&M University where he plans on majoring in Chemical Engineering. He was a member of the NCHS swim team and Future Farmers of America for 4 years. He was also a member of the Beta Club and National Honor Society. While at NCHS, he earned dual enrollment college credit from NSU for 2 English classes, Western Civilization and Fine Arts, a superb record of achievement in addition to the National Merit Scholarship Finalist designation.

Tyler wanted to thank Anne Stultz, Aaron Beaubouef and Lesa Thompson of the NCHS faculty as well as Coach Cindy Davis of the NCHS Swim Team for all of the help and guidance they gave him throughout his tenure at NCHS.

Last year, over 1.6 million students entered the National Merit Scholarship competition by taking the PSAT/NMSQT as high school juniors. Of those, 39,134 received commendations for their high scores and 16,505 went on to become semi-finalists in the competition. There were 15,322 finalists throughout the nation last year, about 200 of them from Louisiana. Not one was from a Natchitoches Parish School. Thanks to Tyler Nichols, that is not the case in 2019.

The Natchitoches Parish Journal wishes to commend Tyler Nichols for a job well done and wishes him all the best in his future endeavors.

NATCHITOCHES PARISH:

Michael David Beaudoin
May 29, 1960 – May 16, 2019
Service: Monday, May 20 at 2 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Interment: Fern Park Cemetery

RAPIDES PARISH:

Donald Patrick Feduccia
September 30, 1943 – May 17, 2019
Visitation: Monday, May 20 from 4-8 pm and Tuesday, May 21 from 8-9:30 am at the John Kramer & Son Funeral Home
Service: Tuesday, May 21 at 10 am at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church
Interment: Alexandria Memorial Gardens

Ken Bordelon
November 7, 1985 – May 16, 2019
Visitation: Tuesday, May 21 from 10 am – 2 pm at the Kramer of Fifth Ward Funeral Home
Service: Tuesday, May 21 at 2 pm in the chapel of Kramer of Fifth Ward

Geraldine Gordon Murry
November 11, 1933 – May 18, 2019
Visitation:Wednesday, May 22 from 9:30 am – 12 pm at Pine Ridge Baptist Church
Service: Wednesday, May 22 at 12 pm at Pine Ridge Baptist Church
Interment: Alexandria Memorial Gardens

SABINE PARISH:

Robert Wesley Manasco
February 19, 1976 – May 16, 2019
Visitation: Monday, May 20 at 10:30 am at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel
Service: Monday, May 20 at 1 pm at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel
Interment: Morris Hill Cemetery Verda at 4 pm

At approximately 3:50 p.m. on May 16, 2019 the Natchitoches Police Department received a call from Ecco Ride reporting a disturbance on a school bus near the intersection of highway 3110 and highway 3175. An officer arrived on scene and was speaking with the driver when a female passenger, later identified as Shirley Hughes, began yelling and cursing. The officer asked her to discontinue her actions, but she continued resulting in her being arrested. Upon being taken into custody Hughes began to resist and committed a battery on the officer. Additional officers arrived and transported Hughes to NPD.

Shirley Hughes, 18, of Powhatan, was charged with interference, resisting an officer, second degree battery, and battery on an officer. She was placed in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.

NPD Press Release

The City of Natchitoches would like to advise the public Woodyard Drive between Quida Street and Abbie Drive remains closed to all traffic due to repair to a sewer line in the area.

This section of Woodyard Drive will be closed until these repairs are complete. The City of Natchitoches would like to encourage motorists and pedestrians to exercise caution around the construction site.

For questions relative to this closure, please call the Mayor’s office at (318) 352-2772.

By LAMAR GAFFORD
Written for the LSWA

Early in his career, Charles Smith was not sure if he would get to 100 wins.

Now with over 1,000 wins and seven Louisiana High School Athletic Association basketball titles to his name, the longtime Peabody coach is set to receive the latest honor in his illustrious career: induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Saturday, June 8 in Natchitoches in a sold-out ceremony carried live on Cox Sports Television.

Smith and 10 others in the Class of 2019 will be spotlighted during the June 6-8 Induction Celebration, which includes the 80’s Bowling Bash in his hometown of Alexandria on Friday, June 7. For details and participation opportunities, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.

“I was totally surprised,” Smith said of the day he received his induction call. “I had talked to (central Louisiana sports media titans) Lyn Rollins and Bob Tompkins, who worked closely with me over the (past) year putting my documentary together. Lyn had said, ‘Coach, you know what? With your records and all the stuff that you’ve done, it’s a good possibility that you get in.’

Born just north of Alexandria on May 15, 1949 as the oldest of seven children, Smith credits his upbringing in making him the man that he is today. Two of Smith’s biggest influences were his parents –his father being an Army veteran and his mother, a church-house school teacher.

“Growing up in Central Louisiana was a big plus for me,” Smith said. “I had a lot of people to encourage me. My mother played a great, great role in my life for me getting an education and being a leader as the oldest of seven children. That gave me the responsibility early of how to be a leader and what it means to take on responsibilities.”

“My dad helped me quite a bit in showing me work ethic. Although he worked in common labor at a saw mill, he never missed a day. That gave me the insight that if and when you get a job, you need to be there every day. God also gave me the ability to work with people and children and gave me good health through my coaching career.”

While he would eventually become one of the best high school basketball coaches in Louisiana, or anywhere else, Smith’s first love was baseball.

Introduced to the game in the sixth grade after watching a local Negro League team play every Sunday after church, Smith earned a baseball scholarship to Paul Quinn College and became the first member of his family to attend and graduate from college.

Even though his professional baseball career did not materialize, it became the start of something special. He moved back to Central Louisiana to become a teacher and a basketball coach.

In the first four years of his career, he taught two years each at Slocum and Pineville High School, and was an assistant coach at Slocum before it closed due to integration. One of his first players was Clarence Fields, who would later become the mayor of Pineville for five terms.

His coaching career took off when he accepted a teaching job at Peabody in 1975, a move that allowed him to coach, an opportunity that didn’t exist for him at Pineville.

He became Bowman’s successor in 1985, finally given the opportunity to become a head coach after turning down an assistant principal position at Bolton High School. These years provided him with important lessons in how to be a great head coach.

At 1,039 wins, he is 32 away from surpassing former Southern Lab and Lake Providence coach Joel Hawkins, who has the Louisiana record for wins with 1,071. Having won 30 or more games every year since 2000, it’s almost certain Smith can reach that mark late in the 2019-20 season or early in 2020-21.

“Without my wife, Rosa, I never would have been able to accomplish this,” Smith said. “She’s been with me every step of the way. When I struggled in my early years, she was there for me. She’s been very supportive of me and the basketball program.

“My daughter, Dr. Camacia Ross, was a cheerleader here during her four years at Peabody. We’ve been connected in some form or fashion to Peabody over the last 40 years.”

While stacking up wins, Smith is a father figure to his players and students. He wants the best from them on, and off, the court. The real victories come after their Peabody days.

“My shining moment,” he said, “is helping these at-risk, underprivileged young men use the game of basketball to obtain countless degrees and become productive members of society.”

HEM Productions is excited to bring you the 1st annual Summer on the Cane Pageant Saturday, June 15 in Natchitoches.

The Summer on the Cane pageant will benefit Natchitoches Parish schools. Each contestant is required to bring one school supply. The supplies must be new. All supplies will be donated to local schools. These supplies will benefit Natchitoches students in the upcoming 2019/2020 school year. The contestant who brings the most supplies will be crowned the Ambassador Queen.

Early Registration will be held Friday, June 14 from 6:30-7:30 pm. Registration will continue Saturday, June 15 from 12:30-1:30 pm. The competition begins at 2 pm. The entry fee is $60 for the first contestant and $30 for each additional sibling. For more information email summeronthecane@gmail.com.

Age Groups:
0–12 months – Infant Miss
13–23 months – Baby Miss
2-3 years – Toddler Miss
4-5 years – Tiny Miss
6-7 years – Little Miss
8-10 years – Petite Miss
11-13 years – Deb Miss
14-16 years – Teen Miss
17-23 years – Miss
21+ years (married/divorced/mother) – Ms.

*We will only accept 10 entries per age group. Spots will not be held until paid in full.*

Mail Entry fee:

**All forms MUST be turned in at the door on pageant day, or at early registration on Friday, June 14**

Summer on the Cane Pageant
110 Lakefront Drive
Natchitoches, LA 71457

Mail-in entry fees MUST be postmarked by June 1, 2019. NO door entries allowed.
Paypal entries will be accepted until midnight June 3, 2019. NO door entries allowed.

Payments: Payments can be made in the form of cash, money order, or PayPal.

Please make money orders payable to
Michelle Armstrong.

PayPal address: summeronthecane@gmail.com

Attire:

Every contestant will receive the official pageant t-shirt. This shirt will be worn for the competition. It may be paired with any bottom and shoes. Anything goes.
*Age appropriate hair and makeup*

Optional Photogenic Competition:
Each division will have a photogenic winner. Photos can be black and white or color. Pictures must be no larger than 8×10. No picture frames. Photos must be labeled on the back with name and age. Please bring photos on the day of the pageant. Do Not mail photos. They are to be turned in at registration. Professional pictures are not required.

Overalls Competition:
At the door you may enter an overall division for $10 each or $30 for all 4. Judges will choose an overall for the following: overall most beautiful, overall best fashion, and overall photogenic. There will also be a grand supreme winner (contestant with the highest score.) The overall winners will receive a cash prize and silk banner. There will be 2 overall division break-downs for 0 months – 5 years and 6 years – up.

Awards:
Queens: Each queen will receive a custom crown and banner.
Alternates: 1st and 2nd alternates will receive a crown and silk banner.
All other contestants: Each contestant will receive a goody bag.
Photogenic: Each photogenic winner will receive a custom charger.
People’s choice: The pageant will have 1 people’s choice winner. The winner will receive an XL crown and custom banner. Votes are $1.
Side Awards: most beautiful, best fashion, prettiest smile, prettiest hair

*These will be given in each division.* Each side award winner will receive a custom certificate.

Ambassador: crown and banner

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Northwestern State baseball team left the drama of making the Southland Conference Tournament at the front door of Don Sanders Stadium on Friday afternoon.

The Demons jumped on Sam Houston State starter Dominic Robinson and watched senior left-hander Ridge Heisler work 7 1-3 strong innings as Northwestern State clinched a berth in next week’s conference tournament with a 9-4 win in game one of Friday’s split doubleheader.

“We did a really good job of coming out and setting the tone offensively,” third-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. “We’ve been really good offensively the last couple of weeks, and we need to keep that going into the postseason.”

Unlike Thursday night when Northwestern State (30-22, 15-14) had a chance to put up multiple runs in the first inning and could not, the Demons capitalized on those chances in the opener of the doubleheader.

Caleb Ricca’s one-out double set in motion a four-run first inning and a four-hit day for the junior shortstop. Ricca scored on a Jeffrey Elkins single before Tyler Smith drilled a mammoth two-run home run to right field to extend the lead to 3-0.

“(Sam Taylor) got us going last night, so I tried to pick us up today,” said Ricca, whose 37 career doubles are 10th in school history. “He gave me a big pep talk last night, and we got it going. We came to party. That’s our job at the top of the lineup to get the guys going.”

That four-run first inning made things more comfortable for Heisler (4-5), who slowed a high-powered Bearkats offense that exploded for 11 runs and 17 hits in Thursday night’s series opener.

Heisler scattered 10 hits in 7 1-3 innings, allowing four runs, before Jerry Maddox came in and struck out the final two hitters of the eighth inning to preserve Northwestern State’s five-run lead.

Sam Houston State (30-23, 19-10) touched up Heisler for a run in the first and two in the fourth, cutting a 6-1 lead to three before Heisler regrouped and shut out the Bearkats across the next three innings.

Those zeroes loomed larger and larger as Sam Houston State left-hander Dominic Robinson (3-1) settled in after allowing six runs in the first two innings. Robinson retired 12 straight batters from the third through sixth innings.

“In the bullpen, there wasn’t anything too hot,” Heisler said. “Once we got the four spot in the first, I had to give it all I got. There was no way (Barbier) was taking me out of the game short of seven innings. It didn’t matter what I threw, the whole defense was making plays.”

Quiet for the middle part of the game, the Demons offense responded by extending the lead on Ricca’s two-out RBI triple in the seventh and added two more in the eighth on Kunert’s RBI groundout and a Marshall Skinner sacrifice fly.

That proved to be enough as Maddox came in and sealed the win, allowing one hit and one walk in 1 2-3 scoreless innings of relief.

“Ridge was really good against a tremendous lineup, and then Jerry there at the end,” Barbier said. “It was good to extend the lead and take the pressure off. It was a really good win for the Demons.”

Northwestern State 9, Sam Houston State 4

NSU 420 000 120 – 9 12 1

SHSU 100 200 010 – 4 11 2

W – Ridge Heisler (4-5). L – Dominic Robinson (3-1). 2B – NSU, Caleb Ricca 2. SHSU, Clayton Harp; Jack Rogers. 3B – NSU, Ricca. SHSU, Riley McKnight. HR – NSU, Tyler Smith (10). Highlights: NSU, Ricca 4-5, 2 2Bs, 3B, RBI; Smith 2-5, HR, 2 RBIs. SHSU, Harp 2-5, 2B; Rogers 3-4, 2B, RBI.

Records: Northwestern State 30-22, 15-14; Sam Houston State 30-23, 19-10.

Photo Credit: Brian Blalock/Sam Houston State Athletics

Northwestern State University’s Elementary Lab School held an opening and butterfly release for the school’s new aquaponic garden, a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) collaboration in which students and faculty from the university assisted the youngsters in engineering and construction of aquaponic system.

The project incorporated elements of natural science, environmental science, ecology, bioengineering, math, botany, language arts, art and music centered around the school’s garden. Some students were part of the engineering team that produced the aquaponic system while others on an art team painted a colorful mural describing the aquaponic system and another group wrote and performed two original songs that explained how the system works.

Hayden Sellers, a fifth grader, described to a visitor in detail how the pillars of an aquaponic system – water, plants and fish – work together to grow lettuce in a soil-less environment and how tubes engineered throughout work to keep the process going. Water from a tank in which fingerling catfish donated by the Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery live is filtered through the plants and eventually returns to the fish to mimic a natural ecosystem.

Aquaponics gardening uses 90 percent less water than traditional gardens, is chemical free and produces its own fertilizer. Aquaponic gardening has been practiced since about 1000 AD, requires minimal labor and can be grown year-round, producing 10 times more crops than traditional gardening.

To cap off the day that included an unveiling of the aquaponic system, tours and explanations of how fish and plans work together to produce food and clean water, students released butterflies into the school garden and fifth graders performed the two songs they wrote, one in collaboration with university students from the School of Creative and Performing Arts.

“Many goals were achieved through this project,” said Lisa Wiggins, who spearheaded the project. “Our students learned various ways to acquire information. They learned and sharpened research skills with aquaponics as the topic. They also had a vision and created a plan to see it through. Aquaponics was of high interest because of the benefits this type of gardening provides. Seeing it come together as they were learning on so many levels was quite rewarding.

Wiggins wrote grants to fund the project and will continue to see out resources to make enhancements in the future.

“Joining forces with NSU’s Department of Engineering Technology and Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery was essential for this project to work because of the many challenges faced,” Wiggins said. “We customized a 125 gallon tank with a pumping system to fit into a 8 x 6 greenhouse with two grow beds. The Engineering students assisted with the mechanical elements while [Hatchery Manager] Grant Webber provided assistance and resources with the fish component.”

In addition to Webber and the Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery, Wiggins also thanked NSU Elementary Lab Principal Carol Coleman, Dr. Jafar Al-Sharab, head of NSU’s Department of Engineering Technology, Cane River Glass, Natchitoches Wood Preserve, Van Wiggins and Gray Walk Farms.

Pictured above: Fifth grade students at NSU Elementary Lab School offered tours and information about the aquaponic garden they built during the garden’s unveiling May 16. The project incorporated elements of science, technology engineering, art and math. From left are project coordinator Lisa Wiggins with students Lexi Shaw, Hayden Sellers, Hailey Jarnigan, Ehern Guidroz, and Jade Barfield.

Northwestern State University’s Department of English, Foreign Languages and Cultural Studies will host a Summer Writing Camp for children ages 10-18 June 17-21 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. each day. The cost is $100, which includes supplies and snacks.

The camp will include a reading and visit to the home of NSU President Dr. Chris Maggio.

For more information or to register, contact Dr. Rebecca Macijeski at macijeskir@nsula.edu.

NATCHITOCHES PARISH:

Michael David Beaudoin
May 29, 1960 – May 16, 2019
Visitation: Sunday, May 19 from 5-9 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Service: Monday, May 20 at 2 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Interment: Fern Park Cemetery

Luke River Outlaw
May 16, 2019 – May 16, 2019
Service: Saturday, May 18 at 2 pm at Weaver Cemetery in Flora

Master Willie Sarpy, III
January 13, 2017 – May 14, 2019
Arrangements TBA

Debra Kay Pardee
January 03, 1957 – May 15, 2019
Service: Saturday, May 18 at 11 am at Creston Baptist Church in Creston

Beatrice Odoms
November 16, 1942 – May 10, 2019
Service: Saturday, May 18 at 11 am at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel

RED RIVER PARISH:

Alma S. Johnson
June 21, 1952 – May 13, 2019
Service: Saturday, May 18 at 2 pm at Mackey Masonic Lodge in Ringgold
Friday, March 22 at 6 pm at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel

Barbara Fay Fletcher
October 11, 1946 – May 15, 2019
Visitation: Saturday, May 20 from 6-9 pm at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home
Service: Sunday, May 19 at 1 pm at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel

By JOHN MARCASE
Written for the LSWA

There is a fine line between being stubborn and being dedicated.

Philip Timothy blended the two perfectly.

That may explain why Timothy is being presented with the highest honor in Louisiana sports journalism – the 2019 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

That means Timothy is being inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame along with the rest of the Class of 2019 Saturday, June 8, in Natchitoches. For information on the June 6-8 Induction Celebration call 318-238-4255.

In November 1999, Timothy, then serving as assistant sports editor at the Alexandria Town Talk, helped put the paper to bed one Friday night during the high school football playoffs. That meant he left the office after midnight. Timothy drove to his camp in the Saline-Larto Complex to go duck hunting the next morning.

After the hunt, he drove home to clean up before heading into the office to help work on Sunday’s paper. About 200 yards from his house, he fell asleep at the wheel of his truck. He awoke the next morning at Rapides Regional Medical Center with both feet and ankles shattered, external fixators protruding from both legs.

By the time he moved to a rehab hospital, Timothy was back writing stories. As long as he could type and use a phone, he decided, he also could work.

Stubborn or dedicated? Or both?

“I never thought P.T. was stubborn for stubborn’s sake,” said Raymond A. Partsch III, who worked with Timothy at The Town Talk in Alexandria. “To some, he may have come off as stubborn, but what appears to be stubbornness is just a reflection of his immense passion for sports journalism – whether that is for page design, headline writing or writing a story. Philip truly believed in what he was doing and would defend that with every ounce of his being. That is something you always had to admire and respect.”

“I wanted to be a school teacher and teach history,” said Timothy, whose parents, Philip Sr. and Janette, were both longtime public school teachers in Rapides Parish. “My dad talked me out of it. He told me he would not help me with college if I went into education.”

Timothy was part of the first sophomore class at Alexandria Senior High, but due to a parish-wide court order, was forced to finish high school at Tioga High School. It proved to be a turning point in his life.

“As a senior, I met Donna Howell, who was an English teacher,” said Timothy. “She said I had a gift for writing and I should try to be a writer.”

Timothy already knew he was going to college at Northwestern State, where both of his parents went.

“I majored in journalism and minored in English,” he said. “I thought I was going to be on TV. I was majoring in broadcast journalism. My advisor, Ezra Adams, questioned why I got into journalism. He said I didn’t have a propensity for words. That made me bow my neck and get to work and prove him wrong … when someone tells me I can’t do something, it’s engrained in me that I’m gonna do that.”

Stubbornness. Dedication.

Timothy worked for the school paper, Current Sauce, as well as in the sports information department, and he called Demon baseball games on the radio. Finally, Dan McDonald, a 2017 DSA recipient, asked Timothy to be the Current Sauce’s sports editor. A career took off.

“That was the beginning of it,” said Timothy.

Timothy has never stepped foot inside the Hall of Fame since it opened in 2013 on Front Street in Natchitoches. The first time he will do so will be in June during the induction weekend.

Despite the numerous awards he has won – more than 80 national, regional and state awards at last count – Timothy remains grounded in what is important: his faith and his family. He serves as managing editor of the Louisiana Baptist Message and teaches Sunday School at his church in Deville; he’s also a proud grandfather of two and has another grandbaby on the way.

And he is thankful for the legacy he has left around the state as a writer and editor who focused on high school athletes.

“I covered them when they were nobodies,” he said. “I was there as they developed into the athletes they became.

“After I went to The Town Talk, I got a card from a guy asking if I was the Philip Timothy from the Red River Journal. He wrote, ‘I have everything you ever wrote about me in a book.’ That meant the world to me. It showed me I made an impact. I wanted to make an impact as a teacher, but this was the next best thing.”

On May 14, the Natchitoches Police Department received a call reporting that two juveniles were involved in an ATV accident. NPD officers report that the juveniles, ages 9 and 2, were riding an ATV when for unknown reasons lost control and collided with a parked vehicle. The 2 year old tragically lost his life and the 9 year old is listed in stable condition. The Natchitoches Police Department’s thoughts and prayers go out to this family.

Northwestern State University will hold seven sessions of its freshman orientation program, Freshman Connection, beginning May 23.

Four sessions will be on the Natchitoches campus on May 24-25, May 30-31, June 19-20 and July 9. The program will be held on the Alexandria campus June 4, the Leesville/Fort Polk campus June 6 and on the Shreveport campus June 13.

The fee is $100 for the sessions on the Natchitoches campus and $60 for the sessions on the Alexandria, Shreveport and Leesville/Fort Polk campuses. Those attending the sessions on the Alexandria, Shreveport and Leesville/Fort Polk campuses should be planning to take all classes on that campus. The two-day sessions on the Natchitoches campus include a one-night stay in campus residence halls.

Participants in Freshman Connection will be placed in a small group with a Connector, who will guide individuals through the orientation program. Connectors are current Northwestern State students who share information about what can be expected at NSU and will offer support and guidance about the high school to college transition.

Those who attend Freshman Connection can expect small group sessions with connectors, opportunities to connect with future classmates, an introduction to NSU student services and involvement opportunities, a chance to become familiar with the campus and an opportunity to meet with an academic advisor who will help participants understand their major and schedule of classes and register for the fall semester.

A program for parents, Parents Connection, and for siblings of incoming students, Kid Konnection, will also be held.

Current Northwestern State students serving as Connectors are Zack Breaux of Cut Off, Paul Bryant of Ruston, Luke Conway of Pineville, Jess Easley of Minden, Margaret Gates, Nick Hawkins, Matt Salinas and Tori Spraggins of Bossier City, Dyllan Hawkins and Kristen Prejean of Lafayette, Maddy Hensley of Anacoco and Emmy Hinds of Many.

Also serving as connectors are Katie Kennedy of Baton Rouge, Kierra Linden of Crowley, Mallory Martinez of Jennings, Jessica Mullican of DeRidder, Matt Nelson and David Thibodaux of Natchitoches, Lilly Roach of Bryant, Arkansas, Erin Sandwell of North Sioux City, South Dakota, Sarah Sargent of Lake Charles and Char Wilson of Shreveport.

Student coordinators are Daniel Crews of Shreveport and Meredith Phelps of Natchitoches.

Natchitoches Genealogical & Historical Association (NGHA) President Billie Gibson invites you to the annual “Show & Tell/Potluck Dinner” on Tuesday, May 28 at 6 p.m. The event will be held at the Natchitoches Genealogy Library located at 600 Second Street.

Anyone may bring any historical or genealogical item(s) such as art, artifacts, tools, books, etc., they would like to display and discuss.

NGHA members and volunteers will bring food and refreshments to share. For more information you may call the Genealogy Library at 318-357-2235.

Senior male and female athletes from Lakeview, Natchitoches Central and St. Mary’s High Schools, will be recognized and honored for their outstanding athletic contributions thru their respective Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) sanctioned sports.

Labeled the “Best of the Best,” the third annual awards ceremony is slated for Saturday, May 18 at 10 am at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in downtown Natchitoches. Eight awards that are named in honor of former noted Natchitoches athletes, will be given during the celebrated event. They include: The Pat Listach Baseball Award, Becca Allen Softball Award, Charlie Tolar, J D. Garrett and Petey Perot Football Awards, the Stephanie Sowell Track and Field Award and the Joe Dumars and Shantel Hardison Basketball Awards. An all-academic, leadership and male and female athletes-of-the-year awards will also be given. “This celebration is a great experience for our students and for the Natchitoches community at-large,” said Ralph Wilson, one of the ceremony organizers.

Doug Ireland, assistant director of athletics for media relations and director of sports information at Northwestern State University, will be the featured speaker at the event. A native of Jonesboro and 1986 journalism graduate of Northwestern, Ireland has been promoting NSU sports for more than 30 years (combined) as a former student and media professional. He has received numerous awards and recognition for his writing contributions including “Best in the Nation” FCS Division Media Football Guide in 1992 from College Sports Information Directors in America. The director of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, Ireland recently announced his retirement from NSU at the conclusion of the 2019 spring semester.

Hosted by Natchitoches Leadership Through Athletics Committee (NLTAC), the awards ceremony is open to the public without a cost.

Save the date and enjoy a special presentation at Lunch with the League of Women Voters on Monday, May 20 at Trail Boss Steak House (in the back room).

Hear how neighborhood heroes stopped a big Northern company from polluting bayous and Red River. State fines of over $800,000 caught their attention, slowed them way down, and the company had to stop releasing poisoned water.

The school counselor who led the Colfax grassroots group to success will explain “Three Ways State Agencies Can Help Your Town.” All interested people are invited. For more information call 318-576-8975.

In order for the Northwestern State women’s basketball team to add some size, head coach Jordan Dupuy dipped into a long-term relationship.

Dupuy announced Thursday the addition of Fordham University transfer Halei Gillis, a 6-foot-4 forward/center originally from Asheville, North Carolina. Dupuy previously had recruited Gillis out of Carolina Day School before he arrived at Northwestern State prior to the 2016-17 season.

“I am very excited about adding Halei to our Lady Demon family,” said Dupuy, who will start his fourth season in November. “I started recruiting her late in her sophomore year when I was at Southern Miss and her, her mother, Marcie, and I developed a bond that has lasted over the years. She will bring size, strength and character to our program and the ability to score it inside and out. She will also be a great representative of our program and our university in both the classroom and in the community.”

Under NCAA transfer rules, Gillis will sit out the 2019-20 season and have two years of eligibility remaining. Gillis chose the Lady Demons from more than 20 schools that contacted her after her entry into the NCAA transfer portal.

In two seasons at Fordham, Gillis appeared in 26 games and helped the Rams reach the national postseason each year. During Gillis’ time with the Rams, Fordham won the 2019 Atlantic 10 Tournament championship and faced Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament.

During Gillis’ freshman season, the Rams advanced to the WNIT, defeating Harvard and Drexel before falling to Virginia Tech.

In 18 games that season, Gillis averaged 1.2 points per game while grabbing 2.7 rebounds per game. Seventeen of her 48 rebounds came on the offensive end in 12.4 minutes per game.

Prior to her two seasons at Fordham, Gillis was a standout multi-sport athlete at Carolina Day School.

A five-year letter winner at Carolina Day School, Gillis played a pivotal role in five state titles. Across her final two seasons, Gillis averaged a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds while adding an average of three blocks per game. She earned NCISAA All-State honors in each of her final two seasons on the court.

In addition to her basketball prowess, Gillis was a two-time state champion in the discus while also competing at the state level in the shot put, helping the Wildcats to three straight state championships. As a senior, Gillis earned Girls 2-A Track and Field Athlete of the Year honor in her senior year.

“Halei has always been a winner in both basketball and track, and we are looking forward to her continuing her winning ways here in Demonland,” Dupuy said.

Alongside basketball, academics played a key role in Gillis’ decision to transfer to Northwestern State.

“I chose Northwestern State to fulfill my academic and athletic ambitions,” Gillis said. “Northwestern State’s nurse practitioner program is ranked fifth in the United States. When meeting with professors and staff, I felt like I would get the individual student and athletic support that matches my needs and felt at home on their campus.

“I really enjoyed my visit and the time I spent with the coaches and the players and feel like this is going to be a great fit. I am excited for this opportunity to be a part of the Lady Demons and what my future holds at Northwestern State.”

Photo: Fordham’s Halei Gillis (right) has transferred to Northwestern State where she will be eligible to play in 2020-21. Credit: Fordham athletics