Music, food, family fun at free Hall of Fame Rockin’ River Fest Friday, June 26

Friday night is just right for some midsummer magic under the moonlight, free for all, during next weekend’s Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Natchitoches.

Specifically, it’s going to happen next Friday evening into night, June 26, on the Rue Beauport stage bordering Cane River Lake smack dab in the middle of the City of Lights’ historic and beautiful downtown district. It’s the free Rockin’ Riverfest party presented by Rapides Regional Medical Center and Louisiana Propane Dealers.

The showcase act is Blue Crab Redemption, a Louisiana bred and fed alt blues/rock band whose major influences include Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Stevie Wonder and The Eagles.  Their sound is a raw, classic vibe from ghosts of legends past blended with the soulful influences of the modern rock era.

The opener is Connor Martin, a country artist passionate about creating music that inspires and connects. Recently, Martin has opened for Easton Corbin, Tyler Farr, Parker McCollum, and Keith Urban.

Good times will abound during the riverfront concert, which runs from 6 p.m. to 10:30. One of the highlights: at 9:15, the Hall’s impressive Class of 2026 will be introduced on stage, and celebrated with a 10-minute fireworks show set to sports-themed music over Cane River Lake. Then the music cranks up again for another hour of festivities.

And yes, you read correctly. It’s free to attend.

There will be food and beverage vendors – Girlines Home Cooking, Soulful Wings, Summer Snow To Go and for the grown-ups, Maggio’s, on the riverfront, and of course, Front Street’s always fun watering holes/restaurants are just a few steps away.

MOVE Sport and Spine will set up their sharp-looking apparel line for sale, and Hall of Fame gear will also be available.

It’s family friendly. A free interactive kids zone presented by the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans will include basketball, football, baseball games and inflatables for all ages to enjoy. NSU athletes will be on hand to help the kids have all the fun, and give away some basketballs.

If you want to beat the summer heat and enjoy a tasty collection of Louisiana foods and specialty refreshments, hurry and visit LaSportsHall.com to snap up some of the fast-disappearing $100 tickets to the VIP Taste of Tailgating presented by Hancock Whitney.

That party runs from 7-10 p.m. in the air-conditioned comfort of Mama’s Oyster House and Blues Room that will provide exclusive access to the 12-member 2026 Induction Class.

Join the fun and celebrate some of Louisiana’s sports greats, for free, on Friday evening, June 26, in downtown Natchitoches.

Rockin’ River Fest is one of three free events during the Induction Celebration, starting with the free Welcome Reception Thursday evening, June 25, from 5-7 in the Hall of Fame museum. It’s not a dress-up event, just a come eat and meet the inductees and check out the world-class museum at no charge. The other free event is the Saturday morning June 27 Saints & Pelicans LSHOF Junior Training Camp for kids. Advance registration is necessary at LaSportsHall.com.

For information on all seven events during the June 25-27 Class of 2026 Induction Celebration, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.

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In a nutshell, yes.  To be fair to restaurants, though, it seems like the price of just about everything has gotten ridiculous.  In my research for this article, I found the website latestcost.com, which has a blog post on the average cost of a burger. The site has tons of pop-up ads that are a deterrent for spending much time delving into their blogs but I was intrigued with their vast list of average costs they discussed in their blog posts. According to their data, the average cost for just a hamburger with no sides or a drink is $3.50 – $12.00.  I don’t know about where you live, but in my neck of the woods, $3.50 is going to get you a burger that you would normally find in a kid’s meal with little to no nutritional value.  According to the website datassential.com, burger prices have risen by 14% since 2023 while beef production costs surged 32%. The average net profit margin a restaurant makes on each hamburger sold is 10 – 15% for a regular burger and 12 – 18% for a gourmet burger. 

There are ways to save when dining out. The easiest way to reduce your costs is to order water instead of a drink. According to moneydigest.com, the markup for a fountain drink at a restaurant ranges between 650% to 1,100%! Consider sharing a meal with your spouse, date, or friend. By sharing your meal, you’ll not only leave your wallet a little fatter, you’ll keep from growing your girth. You can also save on your meals by using coupons or discounts that may be available through your credit card or bank card. You may also find discounted gift cards at your local membership club or through gift card exchange websites. You can explore recommendations for gift card exchange websites at pcmag.com, which suggests you read a website’s FAQ section to determine if they offer a money-back guarantee before making any purchase.

Got a question about work, money, family—or just figuring life out? Ask Ida is where real people get real answers, served with humor and plain talk. Send in your question, and let’s make sense of life’s bumps together. ASK IDA

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Cleco is launching its Watt Matters energy-saving campaign to help customers reduce their energy usage and lower their monthly bills during the hot summer months. 

“Each summer, Cleco shares programs, resources and practical tips to help customers reduce their energy usage,” said Tracy Daigrepont, director of customer experience at Cleco. “While customers can’t control the weather, they can control how they use energy, and during the summer months, every watt matters.”

The campaign focuses on three key areas. 

Manage It

Cleco’s Budget Billing program allows residential customers to pay approximately the same amount each month, making it easier to manage household budgets year-round.

Save It

Small changes, such as using a ceiling fan, turning off and unplugging unused appliances and switching to LED lights can help customers use energy more efficiently.

Know It

Cleco’s MyAccount platform and free mobile app allow customers to track current and projected energy use, helping them make informed decisions and manage usage. Customers can sign up for daily email and text alerts through their MyAccount profile. “Cleco also offers its Power Wise energy efficiency program,” said Daigrepont.

“The program provides energy-saving solutions to residential and business customers, including an on-site residential weatherization assessment at no out-of-pocket cost, appliance and device rebates, and an online store, Clecomarketplace.com, where residential customers receive instant rebates and manufacturer discounts on items like smart thermostats, advanced power strips, showerheads and more.” 

For more information on these programs, visit https://www.cleco.com/wattmatters

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Hall of Fame’s Round Table Luncheon will provide up-close, memorable moments

The “youngest” event during this month’s Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration is the most exclusive, yet casual, opportunity for the public to enjoy hearing from the Class of 2026 inductees.

It’s the Round Table Luncheon Saturday, June 27, at noon at Riverside Reserve, 104 Mill Street, in Natchitoches. There are still seats available for the eighth annual Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation.

Registration is available for the luncheon can be made by visiting LaSportsHall.com, or by calling 318-238-4255. It is a ticketed event.

Festivities begin Thursday evening, June 25 with the free of charge Welcome Reception from 5-7 open to all, no registration necessary, at the Hall of Fame museum facing the traffic circle at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches.

The BOM Celebrity Bowling Bash is at midday Friday, June 26 at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. Friday evening brings the free Rockin’ River Fest concert on Cane River Lake in downtown Natchitoches, from 6-10:30, with the Class of 2026 introduced at 9:15 right before a sports-themed fireworks show over the water.

Events Saturday, June 27 include the free Saints and Pelicans Junior Training Camp for kids, the Round Table Luncheon, and the Induction Reception and Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center.

The Round Table Luncheon starts with tremendous Louisiana cuisine and quickly kicks into gear with Fox Sports announcer (and 2020 LSHOF inductee) Tim Brando interviewing small groups of inductees on stage in a very informal and fast-moving setting.

A poignant scene at the 2019 luncheon unfolded before the program when Peyton Manning, being inducted later that day, stopped by to greet LSU legend Johnny Robinson, who was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame two months later.

Scenes like that, up-close access and the fun-filled dialog between Brando and the 2026 inductees combine to provide a memorable 90 minutes.

The Class of ‘26 is headlined by a star-studded group:  Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 2025 inductee Sylvia Fowles, NFL stars Joe Horn, Todd McClure and Pat Williams, Major League Baseball All-Star Jonathan Lucroy and legendary basketball coaches John Brady, Mike McConathy and Dewain Strother.

Alexandria native and LSU baseball hero Warren Morris will receive the Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award, earning enshrinement into the LSHOF. His walk-off home run won the 1996 College World Series for LSU and resulted in the Bolton High School product becoming a lifelong spokesman for college baseball, the CWS and LSU.

LSU graduate and New Orleans native Gil LeBreton and multi-faceted Shreveporter John James Marshall are going into the Hall as the 2026 winners of the LSWA’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism. Former Tioga girls basketball coach and nationally-acclaimed high school sports administrator Kathy Holloway is being inducted as the recipient of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award.

The Hall of Fame Round Table Luncheon shapes up as a highly entertaining opportunity for guests to have a up-close-and-personal experience and be entertained and well fed in a casual setting, with a touch of elegance at the Riverside Reserve on the banks of Cane River Lake just a mile from downtown Natchitoches.

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Whether you combine finances or keep things separate, one thing matters most—having honest, regular conversations about money before it becomes a problem.

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By Richard Searles

Education, infrastructure and economic development among top priorities

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Legislature adjourned its 2026 Regular Session after approving a balanced $47 billion state budget focused on education, economic development, infrastructure improvements and debt reduction.

The budget includes approximately $4 billion in State General Fund support for K-12 education and $1.3 billion for higher education. Funding also includes $420 million for early childhood education and $30 million for tutoring programs.

Lawmakers approved more than $360 million in economic development initiatives, including incentives for higher-paying jobs, business site development and workforce recruitment efforts.

The Legislature also allocated more than $500 million for additional road and infrastructure projects, $33 million for Medicaid home and community-based services and $144 million to reduce state retirement debt.

Before adjourning, lawmakers approved a new congressional district map, eliminated vehicle inspection sticker requirements in most parishes, added $50 million to the fortified roof grant program and approved additional protections for minors online.

During the session, legislators considered more than 2,500 measures and sent more than 900 bills to Gov. Jeff Landry for consideration.

The 2026 Regular Session concluded with lawmakers approving major investments in education, infrastructure and economic development while advancing a wide range of policy measures affecting Louisiana residents.

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Celebrate the Louisiana Peach Festival’s 76th year with free admission, a wide range of entertainment and activities, and plenty of peachy events to enjoy leading up to the festival. Browse our guide below and start planning your trip to Downtown Ruston for the weekend of Saturday, June 6.

EAT:
From June 1-6, enjoy Peach Culinary Crawl, a weeklong tasting tour featuring over 20 local restaurants. Each participating location will offer special peach-inspired items. From peach BBQ and burgers to peach cocktails and desserts, there’s something to satisfy every craving. The full Culinary Crawl menu is available on the Peach Fest website.

SEE:
Get a preview of all the arts of the festival with the 39th Annual NCLAC Peach Art Exhibit. Check out the display of local artist of all ages in the Lincoln Parish Library Events Center happening all through July.

– Peach fest hack: After visiting the exhibit, take the quick drive to explore downtown Ruston, scope out the festival grounds, and snap a picture at one of the colorful murals!

EXPERIENCE: There’s plenty to enjoy Friday before the festival:

• Take a stroll through Downtown Ruston and browse the Peach Sidewalk Sale. Participating downtown shops will be offering peachy deals and special promotions from June 3-6.
  – Peach Fest Hack: Find your perfect festival outfit during the sidewalk sale!
• The Peach Parade is a long loved and cherished tradition by festival attendees. The parade will roll down W. Alabama Ave. and N. Monroe St. on Friday, June 5 at 6:00 PM.
• After the parade, you can head over to the North Louisiana Expo Center for the 37th Annual Peach Festival Rodeo for family fun entertainment, trick riders, and more.

Saturday June 6: Festival Day!

Festival activities start at 9:00 AM and there’s plenty to eat, see, and experience—all located on the festival grounds.

EAT:

Festival Eats

• This year, enjoy bites from 15 food vendors, offering everything from burgers, sandwiches, and pizza, to classic festival treats, refreshing drinks, and tasty snacks.
• You’ll also want to pay a visit to the Historic Fire Station for a scoop of frosty peach ice cream from the ladies of Beta Sigma Phi
  – Peach Fest Hack: Ask vendors what their special peach item is! All food vendors create and offer a peachy item just for the Peach Festival

Local Eats
Feeling like a sit-down meal? Check out these local restaurants that are walkable from the festival:

• The Local: morning pick-me-up coffee, pastries, and breakfast bites.
• Uptown Downtown or Heard Freighthouse Food Park: perfect for lunch and plenty of options! For sandwiches, wraps, and a sweet treat, go to Uptown Downtown. For BBQ, Burgers, Chinese, or Mexican cuisine, head over to the Food Park.
• Sundown Tavern or Ponchatoulas: both are beloved Ruston staples with that classic dive bar charm. Be sure to try the fried green beans at Sundown or the stuffed catfish at Ponchatoulas.
• Roma or Utility Brewing: For classic Italian-style pizza, pasta, and fresh salads, take a stroll to Roma’s Italian Bistro. Want to try something different? Utility Brewing serves up creative wood fire-baked pizzas paired with craft beer in a cozy setting.

SEE:

• Festival Art Displays: Discover Plein Air artists painting the scenes and capturing the action of the festival in real time. At Kids Alley, there will be interactive displays and activities for the kiddos to participate in the arts themselves!
• Ruston Antique Classic Car Show: Head over to Cadence Bank from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM for the Car Show. Whether you’re a car enthusiast or just love vintage charm, this show is sure to impress with its lineup of beautifully restored classic vehicles.
• Fireworks Show: Stick around till the headliner performance for the Peach Festival’s Firework show at 8:45 PM! This dazzling sky display will take place before the headlining act to kick off the grand finale to the festival.
• Go to www.lapeachfest.com/schedule to see all festival events!

EXPERIENCE:

• Live Music: Enjoy more than 12 consecutive hours of live performances at the Railroad Park stage. With an exciting lineup of artists, the festival’s musical energy will keep you dancing all day long. Don’t miss the headliner, The Chee-Weez, taking the stage at 9:00 PM.
  – Peach Fest Hack: Bring a lawn chair or blanket in case seating runs out!
• Kids Alley: Make fun memories in this family-friendly zone packed with interactive activities and entertainment to keep the little ones smiling.
• Curated Market: Browse the booths of more than 90 vendors, all selling their handmade arts, jewelry, clothing, mugs, decorations, candles, and lots more. Additionally, you can stop by the Peach Fest Sticker Wall in the market—perfect for a fun and unique photo op.
  – Peach Fest Hack: arrive early to the Curated Market before your favorite vendor sells out. Visit www.lapeachfest.com/vendors to get a sneak peek at what vendors are offering.

SUNDAY:

After a busy Saturday, sleep in, take Sunday slow and enjoy Ruston’s cozy charm:

EAT:

• Trios: Enjoy their signature brunch menu in a trendy atmosphere.
• The Local: Order specialty brunch cocktails and bites in the heart of Downtown.
• Beau Vines Steakhouse: Not a brunch fan? Dive into a hearty lunch and bottomless mimosas.

SEE:
While you’re at the festival Saturday, you will likely spot a few of Ruston’s unique bulldog statues scattered throughout downtown. In total, there are 22 bulldogs placed around the city—each with its own charm. Stretch your visit a little longer and turn your Sunday into a scavenger hunt to track down the ones you missed.

EXPERIENCE:
Wind down with a peaceful visit to Lincoln Parish Park. This park offers mountain biking and walking trails, kayaking, fishing, and a playground for the kids. It’s the perfect way to soak in the natural beauty of Ruston and cap off your Peach Festival weekend.

From peachy treats and live music to charming shops and peaceful parks, the 76th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival is the perfect way to kick off your summer. Soak up the fun, explore Ruston, and celebrate 76 years of sweet traditions and unforgettable memories!

To learn the insider tips and tricks all seasoned festival goers know, read up on our How to Peach Fest blog.

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Hundreds of kids who dream of playing in the pros – or, kids who just love to play – can get signed up for the free New Orleans Saints & Pelicans/Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Junior Training Camp on Saturday morning, June 27 on the Northwestern State campus in Natchitoches.

The JTC annually provides two hours of full throttle fun alongside Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame members and NSU coaches, and staff from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans community relations department.

The clinic registration can be done quickly on the LaSportsHall.com website under the “events’ button. Or parents can call the LSHOF Foundation office at 318-238-4255 for registration help. The camp fills to its 300-kid capacity almost every summer.

The LaSportsHall.com website has the full schedule for the Induction Celebration June 25-27. The JTC is one of three free events, beginning with the Thursday evening Welcome Reception from 5-7 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches. The biggest free ticket is Friday night, June 26 Rockin’ Riverfest concert from 6-10:30 on the downtown riverbank, featuring a fireworks show after the Class of 2026 is introduced at 9:15.

The Junior Training Camp runs from 9-11 a.m., starting with registration between 8-9 a.m. at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center (WRAC) gymnasium on the NSU campus. It’s important for parents to get their campers checked in well before the fun starts at 9 a.m. Then, campers get introduced to the sports stars who will be coaching them for the next two hours, inside focusing on basketball skills, and outside at Turpin Stadium, with football and general sports skills instruction.

Every camper will bring home two free T-shirts, other items, and a coupon for a meal at Raisin’ Canes. Photos from the camp will be posted on the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Facebook page, and so will a highlight video.

The goals of the JTC are simple – a fun, and thrilling, experience for the kids, free of charge; skills instruction from some of the best to ever play, or coach, the games; and promotion of health lifestyles and positive life choices.

The campers are separated into two groups. One stays inside for the first hour for basketball instruction, while the other is next door at Turpin Stadium, having football fun. The groups switch locations in the second half of the camp.

Parents can follow their favorite campers and watch all the fun from the stands in the gym and on the east side of Turpin Stadium – where it will be sunny, and hot, watching some really cool memories being made.

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What a relief. There’s a big Congressional hearing Wednesday on the “Protect College Sports Act of 2026.”

“Supporting Student-Athletes, Restoring Fair Competition and Saving the Games Fans Love” is the stated mission of Senator Ted Cruz and colleagues.

“We cannot allow college athletics to morph int o a mini-NFL or NBA,” said Cruz in an official statement announcing the hearing.

Senator, you’re late. By decades.

Some of it is fine by me. Absolutely if coaches are raking in mega-million dollar salaries, as they have been on the top shelf of the NCAA for this century, then the players ought to be cut in on the pie.

These seven-figure NIL deals we hear recruits and transfers are getting are no more excessive than the eight-figure contracts that are going to head coaches. Neither should exist, but …

We’re never going back to college sports as we thought they were. That will happen right alongside peace in the Middle East and admitting a messy CIA-Mafia conspiracy took out JFK.

You’ll get a lot more clarity June 12 when Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” hits movie screens and we find out Bigfoot uses UFOs to get away from prying eyes.

Ridiculous? So is the idea that Congress can solve this mess. We know the high level university presidents and conference commissioners can’t. Their first priorities are their own bottom lines. And it’s their second and third priorities, too.

The presidents punted on this long ago. It’s great that the former Ohio State president testifying Wednesday, Gordon Gee, is the same bold leader who offered these gems discussing an NCAA scandal staining the Buckeyes’ football program:

• “Let me just be very clear: I just hope the coach doesn’t fire me.”

• “They run the athletic department and I run the university., and I should have stayed out of there.”

He will no doubt show up at the hearing in his trademark bow tie. Looks academic. Here’s the clown Congress will hear from Wednesday: he ran up thousand-dollar luxury hotel bills on university expense accounts, got Ohio State to pay for $500 shower curtains for his university-provided house, and his marketing aces spent over $64,000 on bow ties, bow tie cookies and bow tie lapel pins for Gee and others to distribute over four years, according to reporting by the Dayton Daily News.

Surely he knows what’s good for the future of college sports.

Nick Saban will testify. He DOES know what’s good for the future of college sports.

He’s been telling anybody who will listen since the day he called it a coaching career, in part because their NIL package was the first and primary topic raised by practically every one of the first 20 or so players who he met with to discuss their futures with the following season’s Crimson Tide.

Listening to sages like Saban, and doing something about what you’ve heard, is where the disconnect exists with the presidents who make up the NCAA hierarchy and lead the Power 4 conference schools.

They are hoping Congress will impose its will where they would not. The Hatfields and McCoys have been sniping at each other across conference lines for decades instead of collaborating for the common good.

Now a group of presidents, board members and donors calling itself “Saving College Sports” – there’s even a snazzy letterhead – has presented Cruz and pals with a letter of support signed by dozens. New LSU president Wade Rousse’s name is on the letter. He told Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports he didn’t authorize his name to be included. Now that’s a reform-minded group, randomly claiming converts to its cause.

Know what’s missing from Wednesday’s festivities? Anyone not at the top tier. There are more than 360 NCAA Division I athletic programs. The issues discussed under the Capitol Dome tomorrow are so far out of scale for almost 300 of them that the eventual outcome for the non-Gucci schools is painfully predictable.

We saw it last month when the NCAA basketball postseasons, men and women, were padded to 76 teams – strictly a money grab for the biggies to get more teams in March Madness.

It doesn’t matter what’s good for the masses. It just comes down to what’s best for the masters of the college sports universe.

And they’re counting on a blow-hard heavy Congress, dripping in money from PACs and lobbyists that dwarf their actual salaries, to make it better?

Odds on that rank right up there with Jimmy Kimmel playing a round of golf with President Trump.

The ultimate solution to this mess will be when it crashes, drained of cash from disillusioned donors. Then we can hope that with nearly divine intervention, or desperation,  university leadership from across the far-reaching landscape gets real and sorts it out into authentic tiers of economically-sound competition with real oversight and rules that get enforced.

As likely as Fox News and CNN merging.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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It may not feel romantic, but having honest conversations about money, family, and the future before marriage can make all the difference once real life begins.

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