November 2022

“Happily Ever After” refers to a period of time imagined never to end, in which people typically live untroubled, happy lives together. If you attended the Jonesboro-Hodge High School 2022 Homecoming festivities on Oct. 28, you witnessed a unique moment when teachers, students, parents, citizens, alumni, and townspeople, were all enjoying the “Happily Ever After.” Behind strong school spirit, most likely, there’s a good principal. “My heart overflowed with joy as I observed the record number of people in attendance at this homecoming event,” said JHHS Principal Chevonda Williams Leonard. “ Not only was I thrilled to see my classmates of the JHHS Class of 1986, I was also able to meet and greet so many alumni from various other classes.” It was an extraordinary fairytale as 14 beautiful young ladies and their handsome escorts were presented on Friday morning at the homecoming assembly and coronation. Zoie Anderson was crowned the coveted 2022 Homecoming Queen. “I could not believe my name was called,” she said. “All I could do was look for my mama in the audience because I knew we were both in complete shock.”

Timber- industry leader Martin Sustainable Resources LLC in Alexandria has committed $2 million as the leadership gift toward the construction of Louisiana Tech University’s new Forest Products Innovation Center. The State of Louisiana will soon select the architect to design the building, which will be located on South Campus and provide space for a transdisciplinary approach to solving the challenges associated with the timber industry. “ Louisiana Tech is uniquely positioned to serve our vast industry across the southern United States,” said Scott Poole, President and Chief Operating Officer for RoyOMartin, a subsidiary of Martin Sustainable Resources. “The Forest Products Innovation Center will become a hub for discovering new methods to capture, produce, and utilize our renewable and sustainable forests for generations to come. We are proud of Louisiana Tech and the spirit of growth and community engagement the University embodies.”