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American Press
10-07-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Jim Gazzolo column: SLC needs its media darlings
(Rodrick Anderson / American Press) In just 11 days, the Southland Conference will host its annual Football Media Day in San Antonio. The league will once again welcome a newcomer, a trend that has been happening frequently in the Southland recently. The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley will kick off its football program this fall, bringing the league to 10 teams in the sport. It is the most football teams the league has had since five left in the summer of 2021. It's not that long ago since the league was on the verge of extension, meaning this is a good time to celebrate and look ahead. All 10 head coaches will be on hand, accompanied by a player from both sides of the football, on July 21. The one-day event will be broadcast live on the SLC YouTube channel starting at 9 a.m. Matt Viator, back as the Cowboys head coach after a nine-year absence, will be joined by junior defensive end Masey Lewis and senior offensive lineman William Bressi in representing McNeese State. What makes this group so interesting is that only one quarterback, Sam Vidlak from Stephen F. Austin, will be on hand. It is hard to think of many other conferences that will have just one of their 20 representatives be a quarterback. Vidlak is considered the best returning quarterback in the league, but there is also only one running back, Houston Christian's Champ Dozier. Most of the players attending play on the lines. That is a significant issue when trying to market a conference. It also shows the change in college football. Skill positions are often the quickest to hit the NCAA transfer portal. At least at the start of this season, the Southland appears to be void of returning big-name stars. That makes things interesting this fall. It also makes things hard to predict. Southland football might be in a better place than it was a couple of years ago, but where it is exactly compared to the rest of the Football Championship Subdivision is a more important question. Last year the league managed to get one team into the 24-team playoffs, a huge disappointment. Since 2013, when the playoffs expanded from 20 to 24 teams, the years the league could count on two, sometimes three of its teams into postseason. Not last year. This season the league must find out if that is a trend or a one-time thing. That is what makes this fall so crucial for the league, which used to be one of the best in the nation on the FCS level. So maybe the SLC hasn't fully recovered from the losses of four years ago. That helps put into focus what this league needs most. The Southland needs to make a statement in big games. The only team to have done that consistently of late is Incarnate Word, which was also the lone program to make the playoffs last year. McNeese had perhaps the biggest nonconference win for the Southland when it beat Weber State on the road. Weber State was ranked No. 25 in the nation at the time. However, the Cowboys finished the season 6-6. With two games against mid-major Football Bowl Subdivision programs (Louisiana-Lafayette and Utah State) along with a home game against Weber, McNeese has a chance to make a statement or two in not only its own favor but that of the league as well. Southland Commissioner Chris Grant has said it's one thing to schedule these games, but it's winning them that will send the message the league is back. For now, we will start with Media Day and just getting some fresh names out there for the SLC. a Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@
American Press
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- American Press
PHOTO GALLERY: New aerospace themed playground opens at Mary Belle Williams Park
1/12 Swipe or click to see more Area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new aerospace themed playgroud at the Mary Belle Williams Park on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 2/12 Swipe or click to see more Area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new aerospace themed playgroud at the Mary Belle Williams Park on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 3/12 Swipe or click to see more Area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new aerospace themed playgroud at the Mary Belle Williams Park on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 4/12 Swipe or click to see more Area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new aerospace themed playgroud at the Mary Belle Williams Park on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 5/12 Swipe or click to see more Area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new aerospace themed playgroud at the Mary Belle Williams Park on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 6/12 Swipe or click to see more 7/12 Swipe or click to see more 8/12 Swipe or click to see more 9/12 Swipe or click to see more A ribbon cutting was held on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at the remoddeled Mary Belle Williams Park. A new aerospaced themed playground was built to reflect the area's history with Chennault International Airport and Northrup Grumman. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 10/12 Swipe or click to see more Mayor Marshall Simien Jr. shows impresses local children with the disappearing thumb trick at Mary Belle Williams Park on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 11/12 Swipe or click to see more Phillips 66 employee demonstrates volcano chemical reaction summer campers on Thursday, at Mary Belle Williams Park. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 12/12 Swipe or click to see more Summer campers are wowed by a elephant tooth paste demonstration by Phillips 66 employees Tyler Pullen, Zach Lofaso, Dhara Brassieur and Chandra Piert at Mary Belle Williams Park on Thursday, July 10, 2025, as part of the park ground opening of its new aerospace themed playground. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) The City of Lake Charles held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, July 10, 2025, to open the new aerospace-themed playground at Mary Belle Williams Park. The design was chosen due to the area's history with Chennault International Airport and Northrop Grumman. Summer campers with the city's Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to try out the new playground and participate in STEM activities with the help of Phillips 66 employees.
American Press
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- American Press
PHOTO GALLERY: New College Oaks Community Center playground opens
1/13 Swipe or click to see more 2/13 Swipe or click to see more Several area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new cowboy themed playgroud at the College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 3/13 Swipe or click to see more Several area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new cowboy themed playgroud at the College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 4/13 Swipe or click to see more Several area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new cowboy themed playgroud at the College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 5/13 Swipe or click to see more Several area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new cowboy themed playgroud at the College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 6/13 Swipe or click to see more Several area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new cowboy themed playgroud at the College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 7/13 Swipe or click to see more Several area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new cowboy themed playgroud at the College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 8/13 Swipe or click to see more Several area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new cowboy themed playgroud at the College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 9/13 Swipe or click to see more Several area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new cowboy themed playgroud at the College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 10/13 Swipe or click to see more Several area children in the City of Lake Charles Epic Adventure Summer Camp got to enjoy the new cowboy themed playgroud at the College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 11/13 Swipe or click to see more Michael Castille, director of community services and Mayor Marshall Simien Jr. check out the playground at College Oaks Community Center on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 12/13 Swipe or click to see more Herman Stevens III helped cut the ribbon on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, to open the new playground at the College Oaks Community Center. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 13/13 Swipe or click to see more
American Press
02-07-2025
- General
- American Press
PHOTO GALLERY: Local World War II veteran laid to rest
1/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines from Truck Company, 23D Marine Regiment in Baton Rouge remove the casket holding the remains of PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during World War II in the Battle of Siapan. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 2/10 Swipe or click to see more Family, friends and community members watch as U.S. Marines from Truck Comany, 23D Marine Regiment carry the casket of PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during the Battle of Saipan during World War II. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 3/10 Swipe or click to see more Family, friends and community members watch as U.S. Marines from Truck Comany, 23D Marine Regiment carry the casket of PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during the Battle of Saipan during World War II. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 4/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines from Truck Company, 23D Marine Regiment in Baton Rouge carry the casket holding the remains of PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during World War II in the Battle of Siapan, during funeral services on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary in Jennings. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 5/10 Swipe or click to see more Hundreds gathered at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary in Jennings on Wednesday, July 2025, to honor PFC Harry LeBert, who was killed in action during the Battle of Saipan in World War II. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 6/10 Swipe or click to see more Marines from Truck Company 23D Marine Regiment in Baton Rouge perform a 21-gun salute at the funeral of PFC Harry LeBert at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary in Jennings on Wednesday. LeBert was killed in the Battle of Saipan during World War II 80 years ago, but his remains were not identified until earlier this year. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 7/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines Capt. Chase Steffens (left) and 1st Sgt. Rakim Means prepare to fold the American flag that covered PFC Harry LeBert's casket during funeral services on Wednesday at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 8/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines Capt. Chase Steffens (left) and 1st Sgt. Rakim Means fold the American flag that covered PFC Harry LeBert's casket during funeral services on Wednesday at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 9/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marines Capt. Chase Steffens (left) and 1st Sgt. Rakim Means fold the American flag that covered PFC Harry LeBert's casket during funeral services on Wednesday at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetary. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 10/10 Swipe or click to see more U.S. Marine Capt. Chase Steffens gives Ronald LeBert, grandson of PFC Harry LeBert, an American Flag during funeral services for PFC LeBert on Wednesday at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Jennings. LeBert was killed during the Battle of Saipan in World War II. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) U.S. Marine Harry LeBert, who was killed in World War II during the Battle of Saipan, was buried Wednesday in the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Jennings. (Photos By Rodrick Anderson)
American Press
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- American Press
PHOTO GALLERY: Downtown at Sundown
1/11 Swipe or click to see more 2/11 Swipe or click to see more 3/11 Swipe or click to see more 4/11 Swipe or click to see more 5/11 Swipe or click to see more 6/11 Swipe or click to see more 7/11 Swipe or click to see more 8/11 Swipe or click to see more 9/11 Swipe or click to see more 10/11 Swipe or click to see more 11/11 Swipe or click to see more The Dead Matadors take the stage Friday evening for the Downtown at Sundown series on Ryan Street in front of Historic City Hall amid tabletop art galleries, activities for children and food booths for area restaurants. (Photos by Rodrick Anderson)
