You’ll notice a temporary decrease in content and the depth of reporting for local high school sports in this edition of the Jackson Parish Journal.
Owner/publisher Ben Ledbetter had to rush out of town Saturday evening after his wife Becky was involved in an automobile accident in Arkansas. Ben appreciates your concern and prayers for them and their families.
Other Journal Services staff hurriedly pulled together this edition, which lacks some of the Sunday staples which are normally in the JPJ.
The Weston Wolves are the second seed in the LHSAA’s Class B baseball playoff bracket and have earned the right to host two playoff games, provided they win the first one.
That will take place Thursday evening at 6 at the Jackson Parish Sports Complex. The Wolves will meet 15th seeded Avoyelles Public Charter, which won a first-round game Friday 7-5 over visiting Converse.
If Weston prevails in the regional round game, it will host a quarterfinal contest against either No. 7 Elizabeth or 10th-seeded Lacassine.
The semifinals and finals are held in Sulphur May 13-14.
Look for more Weston baseball coverage in the Wednesday edition.
The powerhouse Quitman Lady Wolverines are headed back to Sulphur for the LHSAA state Class B Tournament next weekend.
Quitman, seeded No. 1 in the playoff bracket, hammered visiting Holden 17-5 on Friday.
The Lady Wolverines will next meet the defending state champion, fourth-seeded Grace Christian, in a semifinal game next Friday, May 2. It will be played at the North Frasch Softball Complex in Sulphur on Field 17 at noon.
The other state semifinal will match second-seeded Stanley and No. 6 Zwolle. The semifinal winners will play Saturday at noon for the state championship on Field 16.
Stanley steamrolled 10th-seeded Family Christian 11-0 in the quarterfinals. Zwolle pulled a 16-7 upset at No. 3 Anacoco.
Look for more coverage of the Lady Wolverines’ state tournament march in Wednesday’s edition of the JPJ.
It’s a short drive down from Choudrant to Quitman, and it’s one that the Wolverines baseball team hopes to make unpleasant for their visitors Tuesday.
Quitman and Choudrant tangle Tuesday at 5 at QHS in a Class B regional round playoff game. Quitman is seeded fifth in the state playoff bracket while Choudrant is No. 12.
The winner will advance to the state quarterfinals against either No. 4 Hicks or 13th-seeded Stanley. If Quitman and Hicks both win their regional games, the Wolverines will travel to Vernon Parish. If Stanley stuns Hicks and the Wolverines send Choudrant home unhappy, Quitman will host Stanley.
The state semifinals and finals are in Sulphur May 13-14.
Coverage of the Quitman-Choudrant game will be in Wednesday’s Jackson Parish Journal.
Jackson Parish 4-H continues to demonstrate its “Heart for Service” through recent community efforts.
During Achievement Day, members collected 48 jars of peanut butter and jelly, along with a few additional items, for the His Hands Ministry Food Pantry. Donations were delivered on April 24.
Additionally, Jackson Parish Junior Leader Bailee Turner recently volunteered at the Special Olympics in Ruston, serving as a helper and teammate for participating students.
Jackson Parish 4-H remains committed to “Making the Best Better” through service and leadership.
Ajugas are a great choice for groundcovers in areas that receive a lot of shade. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter
By Olivia McClure, LSUAgCenter
If you have a lot of shade in your garden, you might feel a bit left out as a gardener. While others have a wide array of vibrantly hued, sun-loving plants to choose from, you’re left with a much shorter list of options that can feel limiting.
That doesn’t mean you can’t still have an attractive garden. There’s a number of interesting plants that flourish without the need for full sun. And, yes, there are even ways to incorporate color into shady areas.
Large plants with bold leaves
“One of the approaches I like to take is to focus on leaf texture and leaf color,” said LSU AgCenter horticulturist Jason Stagg.
Tractor seat plant is among the best choices for Louisiana shade gardens, he said. Its large, glossy, green foliage is reminiscent of old-fashioned tractor seats. Leaves usually are 3 to 4 inches across, and plants form clumps reaching 2 to 3 feet high. In late fall and winter, it produces bright yellow, daisy-like flowers on long stems.
Some cultivars feature yellowish spots, which is why some people call this plant leopard plant. You also might see tractor seat plant referred to by its Latin name, Farfugium japonicum. If that sounds unfamiliar, perhaps Ligularia — the genus it used to be classified in — rings a bell.
Tractor seat plant will typically tolerate our winters, even in north Louisiana. If it does incur freeze damage, it will grow back from its roots in the spring.
Another of Stagg’s favorite plants for interesting foliage in shady gardens is gold dust plant (Aucuba japonica), also known as Japanese laurel. It’s an evergreen shrub whose dark green leaves sport yellow speckles — seemingly sprinkled with gold dust — even in deep shade. This plant has been used in Louisiana for decades, so you’ve probably seen it around.
Groundcovers that pop
What about smaller shade-tolerant plants that can be used as groundcovers?
“Ajuga is one of the best plants you can use for that,” Stagg said. “This plant has been around for many, many years, but it’s often overlooked as a great shade groundcover.”
Ajuga is a genus of perennial plants that are related to — and somewhat resemble — mints. They send up bloom spikes in mid- to late spring. Most blooms are blue, although some cultivars can have white and pink flowers.
“Usually, ajuga has a lot of dark colors in the foliage,” Stagg said. “But in recent years, more chartreuse and lime greens have been bred into the plant, and I think they show up even better in the shaded landscape, especially when you pair them with these nice blue blooms.”
Ajugas tend to have small leaves, but larger-leaved cultivars such as Catlin’s Giant are available.
Ajugas, sometimes called bugleweed, can handle almost any conditions you throw at them. They’re vigorous growers that will fill in empty spaces and suppress weed growth.
If you’d prefer a groundcover that produces more prominent flowers, a great, low-maintenance option is torenia, also called wishbone flower, Stagg said. The Kauai torenia series, which has an upright growth habit, is a Louisiana Super Plant selection offering compact, mounding plants with flowers in various shades of purple, pink, yellow and white.
For a torenia with more of a trailing habit, Stagg suggests the Catalina series.
Seasonal bedding color
To liven up beds located in the shade in the warm season, Stagg likes using caladiums and the Beacon series of impatiens, both of which are available in many colors.
Caladiums’ uniquely patterned, heart-shaped leaves lend a tropical feel to the garden while impatiens offer those coveted, brightly colored blooms that don’t mind the shade.
The other day, I found myself at Lowe’s in Bossier City—a trip born out of necessity. I needed a widget for my thingamabob. The parking lot was packed, and I squeezed my truck into a tight spot. As I made my way toward the entrance, something caught my eye: a man on a Harley rolled up and parked his bike between rows of ferns and porch-hanging potted plants. It was an unusual sight, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Lowe’s, on a weekday, is primarily a sea of trucks—around 85% of the vehicles, I’d say. The remaining 15%? Cars parked near the garden center, their drivers on missions to buy potted plants for their porches. But a Harley? That was new. Sure, it’s a valid mode of transportation, but Lowe’s is a place for buying, not just browsing, and most of what you buy there needs a truck to haul away. I couldn’t help but wonder: How does one transport 2x4s on the back of a motorcycle? Fold sheetrock to fit into saddle bags? Maybe he was on a simpler errand—collecting paint swatches or flooring samples to tuck into his leather jacket.
Harley riders surely shop at Lowe’s, but in all my years, I’d never seen one parked out front. He was the real deal, too. We entered together, and his look screamed “biker dude”—head-to-toe leather, long hair, a beard, and a bandana under his helmet. I couldn’t resist speculating about his purpose: Was he signing a contract for a remodeling project? Parting with some hard-earned cash? I should’ve stuck around to see what he bought. This unexpected encounter sparked the idea for an article—something light, maybe even nonsensical.
Speaking of nonsensical, Sunday is shaping up to be that kind of day for ministers in the pulpit. Last week, we pulled out all the stops for Easter—Cantatas, extra services on Friday, sunrise sermons, and packed pews. Easter is a big deal, attracting what we fondly call the “C and E crowd”—those who show up for Christmas and Easter. I’m grateful for their presence twice a year! Lately, there’s talk of a third letter—“M”—for Mother’s Day, which seems to bring some of them back.
But this Sunday? It’s what we call “Low Sunday.” Attendance on the Sundays following Easter and Christmas tends to dip dramatically. The Easter crowd resumes their usual schedule, and many regulars take the day off. It’s a puzzling phenomenon I’ve observed over the years. If we’re doing our jobs—proclaiming the good news that “He is risen”—shouldn’t that message inspire people to return the next Sunday to hear how the story unfolds?
Perhaps our preaching needs to better translate the miracle of the empty tomb into hearts filled with Jesus. This Sunday, I’ll look out and see lots of empty spaces, I’ll be wondering: Where did all the Easter people go?
Maybe, just maybe, they rode their Harleys to Lowe’s.
Bobby Wayne Huckaby, age 78 of Jonesboro, ascended from his Earthly home to his Heavenly home on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.
Bobby was born July 5, 1946, to Cortez and Alta Conn Huckaby. Bobby is a 1964 graduate of Jonesboro-Hodge High School. He enlisted in the United States Marines in January 1966 and is a veteran of the Vietnam War. He retired from Gray’s paper mill in Springdale, Arkansas. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed gardening in his spare time. He loved his family dearly and loved spending time with them, especially his grandchildren. He loved watching his grandchildren play ball.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Tommy Jean Rushing Gatlin Huckaby; children, Lance Huckaby and Devie, Craig Huckaby and Alayna. His two grandchildren, Holden Huckaby and Karley Huckaby all of Quitman. Two stepchildren, Sonya Gatlin Freeman and Scott of Ruston, Steve Gatlin and Emily of Choudrant; three step grandchildren, Amberly and Alli Freeman and Hadley Gatlin and three step great-grandchildren, Roslyn, Madelynn and Whitlynn.
Bobby was preceded in death by his former wife, Susan Lowe Huckaby, and his parents, Cortez and Alta Conn Huckaby.
Friends may visit with the family at Jonesboro Assembly of God Church on Sunday, April 27, 2025 from 2:00 P.M. until time of service. A Memorial service will begin at 3:00 P.M. with Bro. Bubba Walsworth and Bro. Lance Huckaby officiating.
The family has requested donations be given in Bobby’s memory to St. Jude’s or to the church.
