By Shawn White

(Under the Radar NWLA)

The Haynesville Golden Tornado (11-1) returned to the semifinals for a fourth consecutive year with a 36-6 win over the Jeanerette Tigers (10-3).  Jeanerette had made their first quarterfinals since 1990.  

Haynesville had over double the yards over the Tigers with 344 to 162 offensive yards.  The Tornado defense held Jeanerette to minus-2 rushing yards sacked the Tigers 4 times and caused four turnovers.  

Alonzo Jackson had 7 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown.  Donnie Critton added two touchdowns.  Isaiah Washington took the quarterback keeper to the end zone.  

Jackson got loose early and bolted downfield on a 65-yard touchdown run.  Haynesville reached the red zone again and Washington crashed into the end zone on a 1-yard run.  The Tornado converted the 2-point conversion and took a 15-0 lead into the second quarter. 

The second quarter saw the Haynesville defense put points on the board when Junior Desmon Sturdivant recovered a fumble in the end zone.  Haynesville had the 22-0 lead at halftime.

Donnie Critton scored on a 7-yard touchdown in the third quarter to widen the lead to 29-0.  

Critton reached the end zone again in the fourth quarter with a 10-yard run and a 36-0 lead.  Jeanerette stopped the shutout late in the fourth quarter when Zyon Collar connected with Steven Lively on a 44-yard touchdown pass.

The win was the final home game of the season for Haynesville.  The Golden Tornado will stay in North Louisiana next week as they will travel to the top-seeded Logansport Tigers (11-1).

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By Shawn C. White

(Under The Radar NWLA)

The Homer Pelicans 2023 emotional season came to an end on Friday night after a 48-20 road loss to No. 2 Kentwood Kangaroos (11-1).  

The Pelicans (9-4) emotional rollercoaster started with the death of Ja’Kerion Calome before the season began in June.  The Homer team came together and took an impressive 7-2 season through Week 9 with wins only to have the culmination of the regular season be a fight for a district title and possibly a first-round bye on the line against their arch-rival Haynesville Golden Tornado.  Haynesville got the edge but the Pels still compiled the 7-3 regular season and grabbed a No. 6 seed.  Homer had nail-biters in the first two rounds.  Homer would have to travel to Kentwood in the quarterfinals, the first time the Pels would travel in the playoffs except the state championships since 2021. 

Pelican’s quarterback Zyan Warren had a hand in all three touchdowns.  Warren was 14-for-22 throwing 136 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.  Ramon Castro crossed the century mark with 100 yards on 10 carries.  Warren tossed touchdown passes to Katrevick Banks and Demetrius Pitts. 

Andrevious Buggs kept the defense rolling with 7 tackles.  Banks, Lamarriantae Bell, and Gregory Williams each had 5 tackles.  Williams also snagged an interception.   

Kentwood got on the board first with a touchdown but failed on the point after.  Homer had a mishap on a snap to the punter and gave the Kangaroos the ball on the 2.  Kentwood scored again to push the lead to 13-0.  Warren took the quarterback keeper to the end zone to close the gap for Homer.  The Kangaroos didn’t allow the Pelicans to celebrate as they returned the kickoff for a touchdown.  Kentwood led 20-6 at the end of the first quarter.  

Homer stifled the Kentwood scoring in the second quarter.  Greg Williams snatched an interception giving Homer the ball.  Warren connected with Pitts for the sole score in the second quarter and closed the gap to 20-12 heading into halftime.  

The third quarter saw the Kangaroos expand their lead with a touchdown pass early in the third quarter.  Two minutes later, Kentwood struck again and the Kangaroos had pushed to a 34-12 lead in the first four minutes.  After a controversial call on an interception by Williams, Kentwood reached the end zone once again and the 41-12 lead.  Homer scores in the closing minute of the third quarter with a touchdown pass from Warren to Banks.  Dunn caught the two-point conversion as Homer ended the quarter down 41-20.

Kentwood added one touchdown in the final quarter to close out the 48-20 win.

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Twenty-nine community leaders from eight states selected for Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy.

Clarksdale, MS – Delta Regional Authority (DRA) has selected 29 community leaders from Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee as fellows of the 2024 Delta Leadership Institute (DLI) Executive Academy, an extensive nine-month leadership development program that brings together public, private, and nonprofit sector leaders from the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions. The 2024 DLI Executive Academy fellows were selected through a competitive application process led by DRA’s eight state governors and DRA’s federal co-chairman.

“The Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy is an essential instrument for nurturing community placemaking and capacity building in the Delta region,” said Federal Co-Chairman Dr. Corey Wiggins. “This program will give this dedicated and diverse group of leaders the tools they need to drive change within and outside their communities and accelerate prosperity across the region.”

Since 2005, the DLI Executive Academy has provided leadership development to more than 700 community leaders from diverse backgrounds, sectors, and industries to improve economic competitiveness and social viability throughout the Delta region. DRA created the program to empower a corps of leaders with the tools, experiences, and networks to address local and regional economic development challenges.

The fellows will participate in six in-person sessions led by local, regional, and national experts and cover policy areas and skills related to public infrastructure, regional transportation systems, workforce development, coalition-building, and other fields necessary to facilitate economic development in the Delta. As a result, DLI Executive Academy fellows graduate with enhanced decision-making skills, policy development know-how, strengthened leadership capacity, and a mutual understanding of regional, state, and local culture and issues.

The 2024 DLI Executive Academy fellows are:

Alabama

Albert Turner, President-CEO, Emerson Company

Terrence Windham, Mayor, City of Aliceville, AL

Warren “Billy” Young, Assistant Attorney General, Alabama Department of Revenue; President, Selma City Council

Arkansas

Tomeka Butler, Mayor, City of Eudora, AR

Jennifer Hobbs, Mayor, City of Wayne, AR

Yancey Kyle, Field Representative, Office of U.S. Representative Bruce Westerman

Dr. Karen Powers-Liebhaber, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Black River Technical College Foundation, Black River Technical College

Jamie R. Wright, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Alliance for Rural Impact

Illinois

Jennifer Huson, County Administrator, Jackson County, IL

Veronica McCurdy, Board Member, Village of Tamms, IL

Lee Messersmith, Mayor, City of Benton, IL

Kentucky

Whitney Walker, Director of Sales and Marketing, Paducah-McCracken County Convention and Expo Center

Mark Welch, President, Fulton-Hickman Counties Economic Development Partnership

Louisiana

Evan Boudreaux, Director of Economic Development, Policy and Public Affairs, St. Mary Parish Government, Office of Economic Development

Roderick Hampton, Mayor, Town of Haynesville, LA

Meaghan McCormack, Chief Executive Officer, St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation

Meghan Risinger, Executive Grant Writer, City of Monroe, LA

Clarence Vappie, Mayor, City of Baldwin, LA

Missouri

Amy Baugus, Project Officer, Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission

Jake Crafton, Mayor, City of Kennett, MO

Nichole Zielke, Senior Community Development Specialist, Meramec Regional Planning Commission

Mississippi

Thomas Gregory, Executive Director, Mississippi Main Street Association

Marvin Jones, Circuit Clerk and County Registrar, Humphreys County, MS, effective January 1, 2024

Danielle Morgan, Executive Director, Mississippi Tourism Association

Nichole Rosebud, Mayor, City of Tutwiler, MS

Tennessee

Shannon Haynes, Chief Prosperity Officer, Ayers Foundation

Cheryl Green, Director, Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship, The Aspen Institute

Janna Hellums, Northwest Tennessee Regional Director, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

Alisha Montgomery Melton, Executive Director of Research, Outreach, and Economic Development, University of Tennessee at Martin

Additional information about DRA’s DLI Executive Academy is available at Delta Leadership Institute – Delta Regional Authority(dra.gov).

About the Delta Regional Authority

The DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint federal-state collaboration to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River and Alabama Black Belt regions. To fulfill this purpose, DRA invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training, and business development. DRA’s region encompasses 252 counties and parishes in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.

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Looking to kick start your Christmas Spirit this weekend?

Downtown Homer will be lit up and ready to celebrate the season at the Homer Christmas Parade and Festival on Saturday December 2, at 11a.m. on the Historic Homer Square. After the parade, come to the Homer City Hall for a fun filled festival with vendors, food trucks, music, games and much more!

Keep the Christmas Spirit going through the weekend by enjoying Christmas Caroling in the park in Downtown Homer at the Alabama Kinnebrew Park on Sunday December 3, starting at 6 p.m. The First Baptist Church of Homer Choir will lead things off and everyone is invited to join in the caroling!

Main Street Homer will host a baked goods sale with hot chocolate and coffee to keep you warm and full during the caroling at the park.

Come on out to Downtown Homer this weekend for an exciting start to your Christmas Season!

The Claiborne Parish Journal would be happy to highlight any other upcoming holiday events in the parish. Please let us know what your town, organization, business, school or church has in the works. You can send details to cpjnewsla@gmail.com

Charles Voyde is considered by some to be a legend in Texas because of his high-profile criminal history.  Charles was a carpet salesman, professional gambler, and a convicted contract killer, a hitman.  Charles was born in 1938 in Lovelady, Texas.  His criminal career began sometime in the late 1950s and escalated from petty crimes to murder.    

Charles had a wife and two children, the oldest of which was Woodrow.  In 1968, when Woodrow was seven years old, Charles was arrested for the murder of Alan Harry Berg, also a carpet salesman.  Woodrow’s father disappeared from his life.  While awaiting trial, Charles and two others were charged with the murder of wealthy grain broker Sam Degelia near McAllen, Texas.  In September 1970, Charles was acquitted of murdering Berg.  After the first trial for Sam Degelia’s murder ended in a deadlocked jury, Charles was convicted in 1973 and sentenced to 15 years in prison.  According to trial testimony, Charles was paid just $2,000 to murder Degelia.  In 1978, after serving five years of his sentence, Charles was released for good behavior.

Like Charles, Jamiel “Jimmy” Chagra was a carpet salesman and a professional gambler.  Jimmy was also a drug trafficker operating out of Las Vegas, Nevada and El Paso, Texas. In February 1979, Jimmy was indicted by a federal grand jury on cocaine and marijuana smuggling charges in Midland, Texas, and the case was assigned to Federal Judge “Maximum” John Wood.  The judge earned the nickname “Maximum” for his tough treatment of drug dealers and smugglers.  Jimmy tried back channels, and, when that failed, threatened Judge Wood, but he refused to step down as the presiding judge in Jimmy’s case.  Jimmy decided to hire a hitman.

According to courtroom testimony, in April 1979, Jimmy Chagra met Charles and Jo Ann, Charles’ third wife, in Las Vegas.  At that meeting, Charles agreed to murder the federal judge for $250,000.  In the following month, Jo Ann, using the false name Fay King, bought a Weatherby rifle in a Dallas gun shop.  A few days later, May 29, 1979, Judge John Wood was standing outside his car at his home in San Antonio, purportedly looking at a flat tire on either his or his wife’s car.  A neighbor heard what he thought was a car backfiring and looked out of his window and saw the judge fall into his car.  He had been shot in the back.  He fell into and died in his wife’s lap.  In the following month, Teresa Starr Jasper, Charles’ stepdaughter, picked up a briefcase which contained $250,000 in Las Vegas from Elizabeth Chagra, Jimmy’s wife.

The murder of the federal judge prompted a massive investigation, and, in August 1979, Jimmy Chagra was convicted in absentia in federal court of continuing criminal activity and sentenced to 30 years without parole.  Five months later, Jimmy was captured in Las Vegas and sent to Leavenworth federal prison.  While in prison, Jimmy bragged to another inmate, Jerry Ray James, that he had Judge John Wood killed and provided some specific details.  Jerry Ray shared the information he learned with investigators.  In September 1980, Charles was arrested in Van Horn, Texas following a 10-hour cocaine-fueled standoff with police.  It was when news broke of the 10-hour standoff that Woodrow learned the whereabouts of his father whom he had not seen in over ten years. 

During interrogation, Charles admitted to killing Judge John Wood.  In all fairness, during the same interrogation he also claimed to have killed several other people including President John F. Kennedy.  In April 1982, a federal grand jury indicted Jimmy, Jimmy’s little brother Joe Chagra, Jimmy’s wife Elizabeth, along with Charles and Jo Ann for conspiracy and other charges in the John Wood murder case.  Joe Chagra made a plea-bargain for a lesser sentence.  Elizabeth Chagra was found guilty of conspiracy for delivering the $250,000 payment to Charles’ stepdaughter.  Jo Ann, who bought the rifle that killed Judge John Wood was sentenced to 25 years in prison for obstruction.  Charles, the hitman who admitted to killing the judge, was sentenced to serve two consecutive life sentences for the murder.  Jimmy was ultimately acquitted of hiring Charles to kill Judge John Wood but was found guilty on numerous drug trafficking charges.                

In the late 1980s, Charles and Woodrow grew closer.  Woodrow visited his father in prison at least once a year.  In 1985, Woodrow became a bartender and began helping his father to get a new trial.  In 1987, when Charles married his fourth wife by proxy, Woodrow stood in for his father during the ceremony.  Charles argued that his legal representation was not adequate in his 1979 trial.  “No matter what you did,” Charles said, “you have a right under that Constitution to a fair and impartial hearing of your peers, and I did not get that.”  In 1998, Woodrow told reporters that it was the “sad truth” that the legal system “seems to work a lot better for those who have enough money.”  Woodrow fought to get his father a new trial until March 21, 2007, when the 69-year-old contract killer died in prison of a heart attack.   

Woodrow once said the fight to get his father a new trial cost a lot of money, but his bartending job paid more than most bartending jobs.  You see, Woodrow, the son of a hit man, was a bartender at the Boston, Massachusetts bar “where everybody knows your name.”  The name of the fictional bar was Cheers.  Charles Voyde Harrelson was the father of actor Woodrow “Woody” Harrelson.

Sources:

1.     El Paso Times, May 30, 1979, p.1.

2.     Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 21, 1984, p.89.

3.     Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 25, 1984, p.69.

4.     Tampa Bay Times, August 7, 1998, p.22.

5.     The Monitor (McAllen, Texas), July 16, 1999, p. 26.

6.     Austin American-Statesman, March 22, 2007, p.21.

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A weeknight meal that could not be easier, more comforting and satisfying! Mix up this filling in no time by using a rotisserie chicken (or hey even leftover Thanksgiving turkey!) and top with premade pie crust. Sheet pan meals make life easier, and I am a fan of that! 

Ingredients:

• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 handful baby carrots, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 5 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• ¼ cup white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 rotisserie chicken, cut up
• Refrigerated pie crust

Directions

Melt butter in Dutch oven and add diced veggies.  Sauté.  Add chicken.  Sprinkle flour evenly over and stir.  Cook a few minutes stirring gently.  Pour in broth, stirring constantly.  Stir in bouillon and wine.  Pour in cream.  Stir.  Cook over low heat for 4 minutes.  The mixture will thicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour into greased jelly roll pan.  Cut pie crust into strips and crisscross over the top.  Bake until crust is golden.

(Ashley Madden Rowton is a wife, mom and published cookbook author who lives in Minden, La.)

As a kid growing up, teachers would ask the question of what do you want to be when you grow up? For boys, this was a trick question because we never grow up! Back in my day, the standard answers were policeman, fireman, teacher or for the super smart students in my class they would say…. a doctor or lawyer. Some had even greater aspirations of becoming an astronaut, mainly due to the fact we had just landed on the moon. But you never heard anyone say, “I want to be a professional bass fisherman.”

Another thing you never heard was that someone was going to sell water for a living. Can you imagine how your classmates would have reacted back in the 1970’s if you had announced you were going to bottle and sell water. You would have been the center of all their jokes from that day forward. But it turns out, you would have gotten the last laugh as you became wealthy selling water.

You probably would have gotten the same reaction if you said you were going to be a professional bass fisherman. Today, this is a real career choice for a select few. I have always compared it to being a professional athlete. The odds are not in your favor and these two are very comparable. Let me expand on this. Only 1 out of every 10,000 baseball players in the country gets drafted and only 1 out of every 5,000 makes it to the Major Leagues.

I tell you this because it just might be the same odds for becoming a professional bass fisherman. There are literally thousands of anglers across the world who want to make it to the United States and become a professional angler. Not only are you trying to be the best in this country, but you’ll be competing with anglers from Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and Australia for what amounts to about 80 slots in either B.A.S.S. or the MLF Pro Tours.

Bass fishing has become an international sport and is very competitive for those who want to try and make a living doing it. Catching fish is only a small part of what it takes to fish for a living. Today, you must be good with social media, understand business, be a great salesman and you better have good communication skills with the ability to talk to people.

Now let’s look at the sacrifices you’ll have to make. First, prepare to eat a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while learning how to sleep in your truck or camp out to save money. Just to enter a B.A.S.S. or MLF event will cost you at least $50,000 up front and you have not even wet a hook yet. Travel expenses today with gas, hotel and food is off the chart. Hence, the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and campgrounds to try and save money.

You’ll pull your boat all over the United States with constant wear and tear on your vehicle. Don’t forget, it takes gas to fill up your boat which is an easy $75 to $120 per fill-up which includes all the practice and competition days. To be conservative, you’re probably looking at $100,000 to fish your first season which means you need to finish in the top 50 in every event to collect a $10,000 check and break even. I’ve only known one angler to ever achieve this accomplishment.

If you’re a family man, this just might be the toughest career choice you can make as you will miss birthdays, anniversaries, and some holidays. You will shed a lot of tears as you drive away from your wife and kids waving goodbye while you live the gypsy life away from home for days and weeks at a time.

I’m not trying to discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams, but understand, it’s one of the toughest and most competitive career choices you can ever make. It takes a special angler/person to make it in today’s world as a professional angler. You will need as many sponsors as you can land and if this is your dream, start saving your money now so that when you get that opportunity, money is not an issue. Anglers who are fishing just to get a check are the anglers who will struggle. Tournament fishing is kind of like gambling, anglers who fish to win can take chances rather than having to worry about just making a check so they can fish the next event.

Finally, if you’re married, make sure you have a wife who understands how tough this lifestyle can be. Today, many of the wives act as business managers for their husbands and help with coordinating appearances and interviews that pro anglers are called to do. This allows the angler to stay focused on catching fish and being competitive.

I hope I’ve shed some light on what it takes to enter the world of being a professional bass fisherman. It’s not an easy life, but one that can have great rewards if done correctly. Till next time, good luck, good fishing, and think long and hard if you decide to pursue a career in the professional bass fishing world.

Steve Graf                                                                                                                                     

Anglers Perspective 

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The U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide whether to accept Jan. 6 case appeals—the most significant case being the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) questionable use of an evidence-tampering law to prosecute Jan. 6 defendants for felony obstruction of Congress.  If accepted it will be the first time a Jan. 6-related case is reviewed by the Supreme Court.

The case could affect hundreds of defendants accused of the most commonly charged Jan. 6 felony, “Corruptly Obstructing an Official Proceeding.”  This charge involves a potential 20-year prison term and has been charged in over 3oo cases.   A number of the Jan. 6 defendants have already been convicted under the law, which had never been used in this manner since it was implemented to target corporate financial fraud in the wake of the Enron scandal.

This law addresses Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proceedings and investigations.  The statute makes it clear that destroying evidence or otherwise hindering an SEC investigation is an obstruction of justice offense.  DOJ has twisted this statute to “fit” January 6 cases, arguing that the Joint Session of Congress on January 6th was an “official proceeding” and that those protestors who arrived at the Capitol “obstructed” it.  However, DOJ has charged this offense against people who never went into the Capitol, and who were not even in Washington.

As the Petition notes, “unsatisfied with the penalties the violation of (lesser Misdemeanor) statutes might impose, and desiring to broadcast a louder and more compelling general deterrent message, the government transformed  18 U.S.C. Section 1512(c)(2) into something well beyond what Congress had in mind when it passed a law intended to punish interference with the integrity of evidentiary proceedings.  This statute not only carries with it a potential 20-year prison sentence—it sends a chilling message to anyone contemplating attendance at a political rally: Stay home. If things go wrong, you could face charges of corruptly obstructing an official proceeding.”

I also note the Due Process requirement of “fair notice” which insures that “a person of ordinary intelligence be placed on notice” of what the law prohibits was not met here regarding these Jan 6 marchers.  

Fortunately, thanks to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Shreveport, LA), Americans have an opportunity to challenge Democrats’ accusation that Trump supporters broke the law when he released 44,000 hours of video tapes, providing us the definitive look at what actually happened that day.   

However, some review of this video has already occurred: “Jan. 6 Video of Capitol Rioter Fist-Bumping Police Raises Questions.” (Newsweek).

You think!?! 

Others have commented: X user Fighting For the Truth wrote, “Capitol police fist bump with J6r inside the Capitol.  They were welcomed guests. Then arrested.  That’s entrapment.”  Podcaster and writer, Jeff Charles, wrote on X, “Capitol Police take supposed J6er aside, remove his handcuffs, then give him a fist bump.  Now, why would they do this?  Hmmmmm.”  

Commentator Benny Johnson posted to X:  “I don’t think Capitol Police would take restraints off of a protester, FIST BUMP him, and then let him go if this were an actual ‘insurrection.'”  John Cremeans asserts “A Fist Bump? WTH! Capitol Police uncuff a January 6th Protestor and give him a fist bump. Something is definitely not right about the J6 Pelosi narrative.”  

Writer Liz Peek of The Hill notes: “In a CNN poll conducted this past summer, only 29 percent of Republicans and right-leaning independents thought Biden’s election was legitimate, while 69 percent did not.  Of the country overall, 38 percent think Biden is an illegitimate president.  Given the concerted effort by the liberal media to squash such doubts and the ongoing vilification of “election-deniers,” that figure—roughly the same as it was on Jan. 6— is troubling.”   (11/24/23).

The Hill article concludes: “In an era when career criminals are often released without bail, large-scale theft is tolerated and progressive district attorneys refuse to prosecute even low-level felonies, the aggressiveness of the FBI in pursuing the Jan. 6 attendees hits a nerve.  Many consider it politically motivated and yet another example of what some call our “two-tiered system of justice.”

Millions of Americans have never believed the Pelosi/Left/Media narrative of what occurred on Jan 6.  The large majority of the marchers that day were simply exercising their 1^st Amendment right to express themselves politically.  We may prayerfully hope that the Supreme Court takes judicial notice of this newly released Jan 6 evidence if it decides to hear these cases, which it should.

(Royal Alexander was a staff member to the late U.S. Representative Clyde C. Holloway of Louisiana’s 8th congressional district, since disbanded, who also served as chairman of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. He was also a member of the Republican State Central Committee of Louisiana from 2008-2012. He is an attorney.)

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And yet again we find ourselves within the gravitational pull of one of the most memorable yet misremembered dates in “the storied athletic history” of Louisiana Tech.

If things go gray upstairs in a second, all is forgiven. It’s been a minute.

But any Tech fan old enough to have seen episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show live will likely have some brain cells reserved for December 4, 1982, the much-anticipated opening day of the Thomas Assembly Center. Nearly every year as we close in on December 4, someone will mention that day to me.

It was that big of a deal.

“The Lady Techsters played USC and Cheryl Miller and the guys played USL (now ULL),” my friend called to say; The Date and The Day had just happened to come up in a basketball-related conversation as the 2023-24 Bulldogs have won five straight and get a test at 5-1 New Mexico, a regular participant in postseason tournaments, Wednesday at 8 CST.

Then — and this is the part that gets confusing because, well, Father Time — he said, “And that was after Delaware had beaten Tech in the 1-AA semifinals that afternoon, I think 17-0, in the rain,” he said. “What a day. All in Ruston.”

And he’s right. That’s what happened. Almost.

Here is what actually happened that December 4 afternoon before the TAC opened with a doubleheader that night. This from Shreveport Bossier Journal writer Ron Higgins, who then was writing sports for The Times in Shreveport:

“RUSTON—By land, or rather by mud, and through the air, Louisiana Tech quarterback Matt Dunigan tippy-toed through the swampland of Aillet Stadium for two touchdowns and threw for two more scores as Tech slipped past South Carolina State 38-3 Saturday afternoon in the NCAA Division I-AA South Regional final.”

It was South Carolina State that Tech played in football that day in the national quarterfinals. Then that night, USC beat the Techsters, 64-58, and the Dunkin’ Dogs lost to USL, 46-45. The crowd was 8,700; the place has 8,000 seats. More than jam packed. And it was: as a rookie graduate assistant in sports information, I was there.

The next Saturday, December 11, was also cold and rainy, and more than the week before. Miserable. That gray afternoon, Tech football lost in the semifinals of the I-AA playoffs to Delaware, 17-0. It was the final Tech game for both Dunigan — he was off to his career as a Hall of Famer in the Canadian Football League — and head coach Billy Brewer, off to a few seasons of success at his alma mater, Ole Miss.

Why so many of us often confuse the two dates might be because there was basketball at the TAC that December 11 Saturday, as there had been the Saturday before. After the football loss to Delaware, the Techsters thumped Cheyney State that night, 60-45, to win the Dial Classic. Yes, the good ol’ Dial Classic.

On December 4, Tech won in football and lost in basketball. The next weekend was the other way around.

Some other notes from those two weekends 41 years ago, as all three Tech programs were poised to make more immediate memories:

The Techsters’ loss to USC meant the end of their 59-game home winning streak. They beat USC on a neutral court in California, 58-56, later during the regular season and then, as two-time defending national champs, lost to USC in the title game, 69-67, in The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia. Big doings;

The Dunkin’ Dogs finished 19-9 and second in the Southland Conference that season but Shreveport’s Wayne Smith, Summerfield’s Karl Malone and a host of talented friends found themselves in the NCAA Tournament the next two seasons;

Many of the 1982 Football Bulldogs thawed out enough over the next two seasons to make it to the I-AA finals against Montana State at The Citadel in 1984; and,

Delaware. The Fightin’ Blue Hens haven’t been back to Ruston for football since that sleety Saturday when a dude named “Delaware Dan” Reeder slogged his way to a ball-controlling 114 yards on 22 carries and two of his less-workmanlike teammates got to score the TDs. But that seems poised to change: an announcement that the Blue Hens will become the 11^th member of Conference USA is expected this week.

No news from the Dial Classic though. All quiet on the Dial Classic front …   

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

Please send all non-profit calendar events to cpjnewsla@gmail.com

December 1 (5 – 8 p.m.)

Claiborne Parish 4-H Sadie Hawkins Dance

December 1 – 2

Mt. Olive School Auction

December 2 (9 – 1 p.m.)

Classic Christmas Car Show – Spearsville Inaugural Holiday Show

2511 La- 3121, Spearsville, La.

December 2 (10 – 4 p.m.)

Christmas Market – Middlefork Farm Venue

5762 Highway 9, Summerfield 

December 2 

Homer Christmas Festival – Downtown Homer

December 3 (6 p.m.)

Christmas Carols in the Park – Alabama Kennebrew Park

December 7 (9 – 1 p.m.)

Council on Aging Social Event – Weldon Baptist Church Fellowship Hall

15059 Highway 2 Alt, Bernice, La.

December 9 (4 p.m.)

Christmas BINGO – Athens Village Hall

December 9 (6 p.m.)

Santa Truck is coming to Athens – Sponsored by GBT, Atens Fire Department and the Village of Athens.

Pictures with Santa, refreshments and free goody bags.

December 9 -10

Inaugural NL Soldiers Christmas Classic hosted by Homer Parks and Recreation

December 16 (7 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Concealed Carry Class hosted by Claiborne Parish Sheriff Sam Dowies

Contact Detective Taylor Folmar at 318-464-0289 to sign up. 

December 23 (6 p.m.)

Town of Haynesville’s Christmas in the Park 

Polar Express Parade – 6 p.m.

Fireworks Show – 6: 30 p.m.

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The following arrests were made by local law enforcement agencies.

11/22/23

Bobby L. Mitchel, 63, of the 600 block of E. 2nd St., Homer, was arrested by the Louisiana State Police on US 79 south of La. 518. He is charged with driving while intoxicated (second offense), speeding (78 in a 55 mph zone) and driving under suspension.

Charles Cherry, Jr. of Athens was arrested by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office for possession of Schedule II, possession of drug paraphernalia, no headlamp and tail lamp, driving under suspension and three counts of possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance.

Ladarence Gilbert of Athens was arrested by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office for unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, public intimidation and resisting an officer.

11/25/23

Bryan Carr of Homer was arrested by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office for careless operation and D.W.I.

11/26/23

Travis Russ of Haynesville was arrested by the Haynesville Police Department for domestic abuse battery and two counts of failure to appear. 

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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Notice of Death – November 28, 2023

Juanette Yelverton

July 15, 1978 – Nov. 19, 2023

Ringgold, La.

Graveside service: 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, Springhill Cemetery, Ringgold.

Doris Ann Johnson

Nov. 09, 1961 – Nov. 18, 2023

Homer, La.

Visitation: 12 – 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 01, 2023, Memorial Funeral Home, Homer.

Funeral service: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 02, 2023, New Life Deliverance Worship Center, El Dorado, Ark.

Interment: 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 02, 2023, Junction City Community Cemetery.

Emma Lee Holman

Jan. 16, 1940 – Nov. 21, 2023

Ringgold, La.

Visitation: 2 – 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 01, 2023, Memorial Funeral Home, Ringgold.

Funeral service: 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 02, 2023, Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church, Ringgold.

Interment: 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 02, 2023, Stafford Cemetery, Ringgold.

Timothy D. Ivory

Sept. 02, 1978 – Nov. 24, 2023

Homer, La.

Wake: 5 – 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 02, 2023, Love Chapel BC, Homer.

Funeral service: 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 03, 2023, Homer City Hall. 

Interment: 4 p.m. at Moreland Cemetery.

Donald Truett Harrison

March 6, 1963 – Nov. 22, 2023

Elm Grove/Springhill

Visitation: 2 until 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill.

Memorial service: 3 p.m. immediately following visitation.

William ‘Bill’ Francis Stanley Jr.

March 20, 1953 – Nov. 23, 2023

Minden, La.

Celebration of life to be announced at a later date.

Charles Lamar Allen

June 16,  1962 – Nov. 25, 2023

Castor, La. 

Private graveside service will be held.

Claiborne Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or cpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are no charge.)

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By Shawn White

(Under the Radar NWLA)

Claiborne Parish continues its rich history of football this coming weekend.  For the fourth consecutive year both Homer and Haynesville will represent Claiborne Parish in the quarterfinals LHSAA in the playoffs.   Not impressed… Claiborne Parish has had a team in the quarterfinals every year since 2012.   Haynesville carried the sole torch from 2012-2018.  The Golden Tornado fell in the second round and looked to have the Claiborne Parish streak broken, but the Pelicans picked up the torch in 2019.  Both teams have shared the honor since 2020.  

The two teams are facing two teams that have totally different histories.

Haynesville (10-1) will be hosting the Jeanerette Tigers (9-2).  The Tigers have the longest drought short of Walker, who has never been in the quarterfinals, of being in the third round.   The last time the Tigers made the quarterfinals the first Gulf War had not started yet.   The senior George Bush was the president.  1990 was the last time that Jeanerette had been in the quarterfinals.   Jeanerette has never been to a state championship and will have to face a Haynesville team that is searching for its 18th state title.   Haynesville knows better than to know that the history of a team is just a trivial matter.   Haynesville ability to have a two prong offense now with not only its ground attack which it is always known with  via Alonzo Jackson, Jr., Donnie Critton, and Byruss Burns.   Quarterback Isaiah Washington is not only dangerous with the new passing offense but also loves the quarterback keeper.     

Homer (9-3) will be traveling down south to a team that has been a thorn in fellow Claiborne Parish Haynesville teams in the past, the dreaded No. 2 Kentwood Kangaroos (9-2).  Haynesville and Kentwood have faced each other eight times in the playoffs since 2005.  The ‘Roos have not lost to Haynesville (or in this instance any Claiborne Parish team since 2015.  One thing for sure is that Homer ain’t Haynesville… Homer is trying for a third consecutive trip to the state championship.   The road just went straight uphill and bumpy for the Pels.   Kentwood has always fielded teams that are strong.   Homer will have to have all the key players play their “A” game including quarterback Zyan Warren, Katrevick Banks, Spencer Dunn, Jermaurian Pickens.

If you are waiting for Claiborne Parish Superbowl 2023 II, you’ll have to wait for a state championship matchup and that will be in New Orleans on the Caesar’s Superdome field.  Good luck to our Pelicans and Golden Tornado. 

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By Paige Nash

The Turkey Bowl held at Homer Parks and Recreation this past Sunday, November 19, brought in droves of area teams and fans to cheer them on.

The North Louisiana Soilders finished first in the 8U Division after a tough fought battle. The Panthers of North Louisiana won the 10U championship and a 12U team that traveled all the way from Arkansas won their division.

Recreation Director Terry Willis is hoping to continue hosting events like this on an annual basis. These events will not only give teams an opportunity to play against others on a local level, but will also allow them to experience playing teams across North Louisiana and even out of state travel teams.

“Travel ball has really hurt our teams locally,” said Willis. “When everyone is playing travel ball is does not leave a lot of kids here to play on a local level. That is why I want to host events like this. If you travel to Homer Parks and Recreation for an event, you’re going to play our local kids, too.”

According to Willis there is a lot of talent in this area who often do not get the recognition they deserve.

“This past year we had four kids nominated for Youth All-American. That says a lot. We are trying to do some positive things here and would love to have more kids get involved. We have a lot of talent right here,” said Willis.

Homer Parks and Recreation hosts many events a year at their facility as well as sponsoring others around town. To get involved please reach out at 318-927-3555.

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On November 13, the Louisiana Department of Education released the 2022-2023 school performance scores for the state’s public K-12 schools and systems. 

The press release stated, “Over the past five years our schools have made remarkable strides in improving their performance scores, reflecting our unwavering commitment to academic excellence and student success. This achievement is a testament to the collaborative efforts of everyone involved in the education journey, from students who have embraced learning to teachers providing quality instruction to parents and the community for fostering a supportive learning environment.” 

All Claiborne Parish schools maintained their letter grade scored in the previous year with a couple minor increases and decreases. The district performance score increased 0.08 from a 70 “C” letter grade to a 70.8. The statewide average was a 78.5 “B” letter grade.  

Listed below are the 2023 letter grades and school performance scores for each school in comparison to last year’s results: 

Haynesville Elementary School (2023) C 68.9 (2022) C 71.1 

Haynesville Jr./Sr. High School (2023) B 82 (2022) B 77.7 

Homer Elementary School (2023) D 58.9 (2022) D 58.2 

Homer High School (2023) B 77.7 (2022) B 80.7 

Homer Junior High School (2023) F 48.8 (2022) F 48.7 

Summerfield High School (2023) B 75.2 (2022) B 78.3 

The Claiborne Parish Journal would like to extend well wishes and gratitude to our readers and advertisers this Thanksgiving holiday.

We began publishing this new journal dedicated to Claiborne Parish back in April of this year. Although, this is still considered a fairly new publication, we have seen a huge uptick in our readership, subscriptions, advertising, interactions and engagements across multiple platforms over the last couple of months.

We appreciate you trusting us with all things news, sports, weather and more. 

The CPJ staff will be taking a break to enjoy time with our family and friends, so there will be no Friday publication. We will be back to our usual Wednesday, Friday schedule next week.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Baton Rouge – As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, countless individuals are eagerly preparing to hit the roads and reunite with loved ones. The American Automobile Association estimates over 49 million people will embark on journeys of 50 miles or more by car during this time. With this in mind, Louisiana State Police will be actively patrolling our state’s highways throughout the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.

Troopers will be on the lookout for aggressive and impaired drivers, as well as motorists who neglect to wear seat belts or secure their children in appropriate restraints. Shockingly, statistics from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission reveal the majority of fatalities on Louisiana roadways involve the 15 percent of vehicle occupants who choose not to wear seat belts (based on observational surveys). While not all crashes are survivable, wearing a seat belt remains the most effective measure individuals can take to minimize the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Louisiana law states that all occupants in the vehicle must utilize a seat belt and children must be properly restrained in the back seat in a safety child safety seat or booster seat appropriate for their age and size. Children who have outgrown a booster seat but are younger than 13 must be buckled up in the back seat, if one is available.  Remember: Click It or Ticket, both day and night.  The Click It or Ticket campaign will begin November 18 and is a statewide enforcement campaign.

For the most up-to-date information on road conditions, including closures and construction, please visit www.511la.org or dial 511 from any phone within Louisiana. Additionally, a 511 Louisiana phone app is available for download, and motorists can sign up for traffic alerts from the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).

We encourage motorists who witness hazardous road conditions and/or reckless drivers to call *LSP (*577) and report the activity to the nearest Louisiana State Police troop location.

The Louisiana State Police extends warm wishes for a safe and joyous Thanksgiving holiday to all.

Contact Information:

Sgt. James Anderson

Louisiana State Police

Public Affairs Section

Office: (337) 491-2932

james.l.anderson@la.gov

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Often when people cook for the Thanksgiving holiday there are likely to be plenty of leftovers. To ensure that leftovers are safe to eat make sure the food is cooked to a safe internal temperature and refrigerate the leftovers promptly within two hours after they are removed from an appliance. Bacteria grows rapidly between the temperatures of 40° F and 140° F. After food is safely cooked, hot food must be kept hot at 140° F or warmer to prevent bacterial growth.

Cooking food at an unsafe temperature and leaving food out for longer than two hours are the two main causes of foodborne illness. Foodborne illness is caused by food or beverages that are contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins. Safe handling of leftovers is particularly important in reducing foodborne illness.

Follow these 7 tips below to ensure your Thanksgiving leftovers are safe to consume.

1. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours of preparation to reduce the possibility of bacteria growing. Any food sitting out at room temperature for longer than two hours should be discarded.

2. When storing meat leftovers cut large items of food into smaller portions to cool. For whole roasts or hams slice or cut them into smaller pieces. Cut turkey into smaller pieces and refrigerate. Slice breast meat, legs and wings may be left whole.

3. It is important to get the temperature of the leftovers down quickly to prevent any type of bacterial growth. To speed up the cooling process, try separating massive quantities of leftovers into smaller containers. Leave hot foods partially uncovered while cooling, and then cover them completely once they reach 40º F or freeze.

4. Hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or be rapidly chilled in an ice or cold- water bath before refrigerating. Leftovers can also be immediately frozen for reheating later. While freezing stops the growth of bacteria, food quality can suffer if stored too long in the freezer.

5. When reheating leftovers, make sure the internal temperature of the food reaches at least 165º F before eating it. If using a microwave, stir the food occasionally to help promote even reheating.

6. Properly handled leftovers can usually be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days, while frozen leftovers can last up to three or four months. If not eaten within that time, they should be discarded.

7. When covering leftovers, wrap them in airtight packaging, or seal them in storage containers. These practices help keep bacteria out, retain moisture, and prevent leftovers from picking up odors from other food in the refrigerator.

If you need help on Thanksgiving Day, the Meat and Poultry Hotline is available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time. You can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888- MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) to talk to a food safety expert or chat live at  ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

The LSU AgCenter and LSU provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

(Shakera Williams, M.P.H. is Assistant Nutrition Extension Agent- FCS for Webster/Claiborne parishes. Contact her at (318) 371-1371.)

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Blessed does not even begin to describe how fortunate I have been during my lifetime. Not everyone gets the opportunities I was given to grow up in an East Texas community like Mt. Pleasant. My journey has been one of love, challenges, and commitment from a couple who, unable to have children of their own, decided to take on the role of being parents to a young boy who had all kinds of issues. I was a child trying to overcome so many learning deficiencies like Dyslexia and an attention span that was beyond the word short. But every successful person has someone who laid the foundation that allowed them to have success. For me that was Laverne and Loyd Graf, Jr. 

I was born on March 7,1961, in Richmond, Texas just south of Houston, to a mother who had just remarried and had a history of not being very responsible. My biological dad (who I never met) had nothing to do with me and never attempted to reach out and make a connection. By the age of five, I was literally running the streets till all hours of the day and night. Everyone knows or has a kid that’s the so-called neighborhood “brat.” I was that annoying kid who had zero accountability as I ran foot loose and fancy free.

After struggling through the first grade and basically failing the first half of the year, my Aunt Laverne and Uncle Jr. entered my life and completely turned my life around. Below is a letter to Heaven I’m writing to acknowledge how thankful I am for their love and support which has led to my success as a person and as an athlete. By the age of ten, they legally became Mom and Dad. Here’s my letter to them….

 Dear Mom & Dad,

I don’t even know where to start other than from the very beginning when you and Dad decided to make a difference by taking on a huge challenge of a young boy who had all kinds of issues. My issues ran deep as a lost young boy, but you felt I was worth saving and took on the huge unselfish and challenging responsibility of turning my life around.

Your guidance and direction were very much needed, but more importantly was the love you gave me. This was a love I had never felt before but knew was something I truly needed. You helped me become a more confident young man and to believe in my abilities in order to have success in life. You saw at an early age that God had blessed me with a special gift athletically and did everything you could to help me develop that talent. 

Mom and Dad, just recently I was inducted into the Mt. Pleasant High School ISD Hall of Fame. As much as I wanted you to be there, a few tears fell that night as I felt your presence. Without both of you, this great honor never would have been possible. You sacrificed your time and money to support me and my dreams. There were. the many hours and days of taking me to a practice and sitting in a parking lot waiting for me to get through or driving all across the state of Texas following and encouraging me and my teammates to be the best we could be. Many times, you humbled me and brought me back down to earth when I got the big head. Mom, you especially had a way of making me realize that I was not any bigger or better than anyone of my teammates. 

You both taught me the value of hard work and good work ethics. If you want to achieve your dreams, you must put in the time. To both of you I say thank you! Thank you for taking on the challenge of adopting and raising a young boy who faced so many obstacles. Any award or honor I have received is an honor and an award for both of you!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you and I look forward to the day we will once again be together chasing our Heavenly dreams. I love both of you and I’m so thankful for the day you drove to Houston in 1968 and picked up a young boy looking for hope and someone who cared.

Love and miss you!                                                                                                   

Steve     

It’s amazing what can be accomplished by anyone who has the blessing of being raised by good parents who love and support their children. If you have parents of this caliber, be thankful as you’re truly blessed. This is such a special time of year with Thanksgiving approaching and is the perfect time to reflect on the blessings that have come your way. I would like to wish and thank each and every one of those who take the time to read my articles each week a happy Thanksgiving!

Steve Graf                                                                                                                      

Angler’s Perspective

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(EDITOR’S NOTE: Wrote this in 2010 to help get you and me and our digestive systems through the holidays safely. The Worldwide Chocolate Shortage predicted back then did not, thank goodness, come to pass. So … pass the chocolate.)

These are the times that try men’s … colons?

Even the most casual eater, wandering aimlessly through The Land of the Leftover, has got to be heads-up in these post-Thanksgiving days. Cheese dip here. Sausage ball there. Week-old giblets, ripe for the taking. 

Food jitters.

For some reason, we are robotically drawn to seasonal foods, even though there are plenty of holiday experiences available that should cause us to lose our appetites. If you can’t relate, then you’ve never been hugged right before a holiday meal by a great aunt. With a goatee. Who’s dipping snuff. 

Welcome to my world.

(I have a friend who once lost 15 pounds during December. She didn’t mean to. But right before one Thanksgiving dinner, her uncle said to her, table-side, “Honey, I wonder why God took all the hair off my head and put it on my back?” She was able to eat solid food again, but not until somewhere around Valentine’s Day.)

Another dietary issue this time of year: stadium food. Close to Football Bowl season. Pressure’s on. So we eat either to relieve the stress of a stretch run or to keep from being bored stiff because our team IS a stiff.  I have yet another friend who shared with me his digestive system misgivings after Saturday’s joyous time in a football stadium occupied by a team that’s more up and down than a prairie dog. “My most painful lesson from the weekend,” he said, “was that pre-prandial and post-prandial reflections on a stadium corn dog are two very different realities.”

Prandial means “of or relating to a meal.” It’s from the rural Latin “prandium,” meaning, “I should not have ate that.” As you have surmised, to use those kinds of high-dollar words, my friend is pretty smart – but not smart enough to call time out in the corn dog line. You do not toy with a mass-produced corn dog in a competitive atmosphere far, far from your home locker room. You don’t do it.

Let this be a lesson to us all: your digestive system doesn’t know you have a high IQ. Faulty plumbing due to pilot error puts us all — the prince and the pauper, the duke (excuse my French) and the serf — right there on the same page.

 

The corn dog on a stick I ate was more than just inviting.

Too bad I didn’t think that later it would do the biting.

Food jits.

If our own lack of self-control and the overpowering temptations of the season weren’t enough, the food world and Mother Nature herself might be conspiring against us. My own personal mother, of all people, alerted me to this tragedy.

The Nature Conservation Research Council, which sounds like an important thing, forecasts a chocolate shortage. Because African farmers are ditching their cocoa farms for other easier-to-grow crops, chocolate might either disappear or increase drastically in price. This means that in 20 years, a Baby Ruth could well be out of my price range. My mother’s grandchildren call her “Sweeter,” so you can imagine how this is affecting my family. Let’s hold hands and …

Chocolate Lamentations

No Twix? No Bliss? No Hershey’s Kiss,

No chocolate dip fondue?

The question we must pray is

“What would Willie Wonka do?”

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Huey Perry Dean of Homer fell asleep in death in the wee hours of the morning Saturday, November 18, 2023 with his loving wife of 25 years by his side. Lily was where she has always been since they married—right there with him helping him deal with whatever he had to do.

Huey was born October 11, 1930 in Claiborne Parish and lived the majority of his life in this place he loved. He was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses on July 22, 1950. Because his religion encouraged Bible reading, he read the Bible often and it became his favorite book to read.

Huey loved to work, talk, and play dominoes. He instilled in his children the value of hard work. He made many friends through his love of playing dominoes. Because he loved to talk, he never met a stranger. If you talked with him long enough, he would share his love of the Bible with you and also share some of his favorite verses with you.

Huey is preceded in death by his parents: Jimmie T. and Irene Dean; 3 brothers: J.T. Jr., Albert, and Joe Dean; and 2 sisters: Dera Edwards and Mary Bryant. Also preceding him in death were his first wife and mother of his children: Lorene Dean, his grandson Jonathan Dean, and granddaughters: Amy and Leah Dean.

Huey is survived by his wife of 25 years: Lily Dean who catered to his every wish. He also leaves behind his son Perry Dean and wife Nelda and his daughter Tricia Kleinman and husband Ronnie. He has 7 surviving grandchildren: Rachel Covey (Larry) and Matthew Dean, both of Shreveport; Samuel Dean of Haynesville; Kelli Sharpe (Shawn) of Martinsburg, West Virginia; Kasey Kleinman (Emily) of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Kody Kleinman (Silvia) of Sacramento, California; Kelcey Kleinman (Chelsea) of Puyallup, Washington. He also leaves 13 great grandchildren: Justin, Hayden, Zachary, Conner, Camren, Aaliyah, Isabella, Jakob, Dylann, Jackson, Pacey, Lorelai, and Noah. He has one surviving brother: Willie Dean (Carenell), 1 sister-in-law: Lynn Dean, and 1 brother-in-law: James Bryant.

He leaves behind many nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind 3 especially close friends: sister-in-law Nancy Partin, Remamae Bays, and Shealamae Dean; numerous friends he made during his lifetime; many family members who served Jehovah alongside him; and a worldwide family of spiritual brothers and sisters.

Huey lived most of his life as a servant of the Most High God Jehovah and eagerly looked forward to witnessing the end of this wicked world. He will be so excited when he wakes up in a Paradise earth and gets to live the fulfillment of his favorite Bible verses at Psalm 37:11, 29: “…the righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.”

In lieu of flowers, Huey would prefer to further the preaching of the “good news of God’s Kingdom” by donations to the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 900 Red Mills Road, Wallkill, NY 12589-5200, an organization that distributes Bibles and scriptural materials at no charge in 239 lands and 1,082 languages worldwide. Donations can also be made at donate.jw.org. More information about this Bible education work can be found at jw.org.

Pallbearers will be Jakob Sharpe, Jackson Sharpe, Noah Kleinman, Hayden Dean, Zachary Patterson, and Justin Warren.

A Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at the Rose-Neath Funeral Home chapel in Homer, LA, at 10:00 A.M. with Kody Kleinman, Kasey Kleinman, and Kelcey Kleinman, officiating. Interment will follow in Arlington Cemetery, Homer, LA. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Tuesday from 5-7 p.m.