Home Care In Choudrant, LA

CHOUDRANT, La. (KTVE/KARD) — The signing season continues with one student-athlete from the Choudrant high school boys’ basketball team puts the pen to the paper about where they will take their athletic talents to the collegiate level.

Aggie’s basketball senior Parker Batterton makes his basketball dreams come true and will lace his sneakers up on the hardwood of Louisiana Christian University.

Parker missed half of the 2022-23 season and returned back to the Aggies line up scoring 20 points in the district-winning victory and ending Simsboro’s 61 districts winning streak.

Parker was named athlete of the week by the Ruston Daily Leader and finished first-team all-district and all-state honorable mention.

“Ever since I was a little kid and coach Dennis and coach Smith, I trained a lot with them and they got me to where I am right now, says Batterton.”

Parker looks forward to the next chapter of his basketball career, his parents were overjoyed with emotions during the signing.

“I’m overwhelmed and how it just all happened all of a sudden, it’s actually a God thing the way it happened. We had enough people in our community and they put a lot of work and a lot of their efforts to help us get to him to this point. Obviously Parker’s hard work as well we’re just like excited and happy for the opportunity, says Batterton’s Father.”

Parker Batteron will lace up his sneaker and tip off his college basketball career later this fall 2023-24 season.

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Choudrant, La. (KTVE/KARD)– On April 7, 2023, 24-year-old Brady Mock of Choudrant was arrested and charged with Aggravated Cruelty to Animals. Officials of the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office discovered a large amount of fresh blood in a dumpster on Pleasant Grove Road.

According to reports, detectives were forced to transport the dumpster to another location where each item could be closely examined and preserved. According to deputies, several pieces of women’s clothing, handbags, books, and various furniture were discovered in the dumpster.

All of which had quite a bit of blood on them. Deputies were able to identify the vehicle responsible for throwing the items in the dumpster after reviewing surveillance footage. Deputies then went to Annie Road, where they encountered Mock in his back yard. According to deputies, Mock had dug a large hole and was preparing to bury a yellow dog.

Mock stated that he went to the dumpster and allegedly threw away several items belonging to his girlfriend. According to reports, the two had an argument the night before and he no longer wanted the items at their home.

Mock was questioned about the dog, and he allegedly admitted to shooting the dog and transported the dog in a trailer with his girlfriend’s belongings. He planned to dispose the dog in the dumpster but later decided to bury it.

CHOUDRANT, La. (LBM) – Dwayne Monk, a former vice president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, died suddenly June 23 while cutting grass. He was 60.

Monk had served as pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, Choudrant, since 1999, but he also was a well-known leader at all levels of Louisiana Baptist life.

According to the office of Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn, Monk was LBC second vice-president (2013), and an Executive Board member (2003-2008 and 2013-2019), serving as president (2007-2008), nominating committee member (2014-2017), administrative committee chairman (2018-2019), and search committee member for Executive Director David Hankins and Steve Horn. Moreover, Monk served on the LBC committee on committees (2009-2010), committee on the order of business (2020-2023) and President’s Study Group (2014-2021).

During his tenure at New Hope Baptist, which averages 91 worshipers for its Sunday morning service, 139 new converts have been baptized since 1999. Before serving at New Hope Baptist, Monk pastored Fairdale Baptist Church, Hot Springs, Arkansas, for seven years.

“Louisiana Baptists lost an incredible friend and supporter of our cooperative work in the passing of Rev. Dwayne Monk,” Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn told the Baptist Message. “When introducing himself, Brother Dwayne would routinely say, ‘I pastor the greatest church, in the best association, in the best state convention.’

“Brother Dwayne represents the best of who Southern Baptist and Louisiana Baptist pastors are,” he continued. “He faithfully served his Lord and the church without the need for notoriety. I will miss him.”

Concord Union Baptist Association Director of Missions Barry Joyner remembered Monk as a faithful servant in his church and association.

“He’s been a DOM’s best encourager,” Joyner said. “He was that friend to me who sticks closer than a brother. My heart aches in a selfish way for my loss. He has seen all the promises that he has preached for years become his reality.

“He served the LBC well at several levels and was a team player who was unafraid to speak his convictions,” he continued. “He stood firm on the unchanging truth of the Bible. I will miss him much and I will see him again better than he has ever been.”

Monk leaves behind his wife, Beth, daughters, Sarah and Hannah, and granddaughter, Isabella. Funeral arrangements are pending.

SULPHUR — Choudrant clinched its second straight LHSAA baseball Class B state title with a 12-6 win over Converse on Thursday, wrapping up coach Tony Antley's coaching tenure.

It's the sixth state title in program history. Converse was seeking its first baseball state title since 1986. The 2022 title marked the first time in school history that the Aggies pulled off back-to-back championships. The players knew how important one more title was for coach.

"Unbelievable," Antley said." This is my last one, I'm done."

Antley has coached the Aggies for 32 years. He decided earlier this season that it was time to retire. His team sent him off on a high note.

"I always said when I couldn't give 100% anymore I was going to have to lay it down, and I'm feeling those pains every morning," Antley said.

The No. 2 Aggies (30-7) scored four runs in the second inning to take a 4-2 lead and then kept the No. 4 Wildcats (21-8) silent for three innings before they tied the game in the top of the fifth at six.

But the Aggies responded with six more runs to take the title.

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Gavin Murphy had three hits, including a home run, and had two RBIs to lead Choudrant. He was named the game's most outstanding player.

"I feel good," Murphy said." It's crazy."

Behind him, Landon Hannon hit two singles and drove in two runs. He also threw a complete game with eight strikeouts and didn't allow a walk.

"The guys have given me everything they've got all year long, and I know today was not going to be any less," Antley said. "Converse jumped out and scores some runs in a hurry and we did, we swung the bats well."

Judge Boudreaux led Converse with two doubles and four RBIs. Behind him was Candyn Craig with two doubles.

Now that the 2022 title belongs to Choudrant, Antley said he's going to enjoy retirement. He doesn't know what he'll do without baseball, but he has faith in the trajectory of the program that he's built.

"It's not me, it's not one coach or one player," Antley said. "It's all the guys that just keep coming out everyday."

Emely Hernandez covers University of Louisiana-Monroe athletics and high school sports. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @emhernandeznews.

Can you name the largest bank headquartered in Louisiana? Not likely.

Origin Bank, headquartered in the village of Choudrant, will become the state's largest bank with $5.5 billion in assets when IberiaBank's merger with First Horizon is complete and its headquarters is moved from Lafayette to Memphis under the First Horizon name.

"Most people are going to be shocked," Origin Bank's Chief Executive Officer Drake Mills said, laughing.

Though the bank headquarters is located in Choudrant, with a population of fewer than 1,000 and one blinking traffic light, the corporate company headquarters is in the city of Ruston, home to a vibrant economy and Louisiana Tech University.

Mills said he promised his mentor and former CEO John Emory he wouldn't move the bank headquarters address, paying homage to the company's roots that got its start as the Bank of Choudrant more than a century ago in 1912.

Mills took the company public in the spring of 2018 and it now trades under the symbol OBNK.

"We've experienced pretty phenomenal growth — most of it organic," Mills said.

"It's a testament to the talent of our team and our culture," said Mills, citing bank President Lance Hall and others.

Origin Bank employs about 800 company wide with operations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. More than 200 of those, including the company's executive team, are located at the corporate headquarters in Ruston.

"When I recruit other companies to Ruston I use Origin Bank as an example both as a point of pride and to show our city can provide an environment to support such a large company," Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker said.

"Drake's vision and his ability to execute it has been incredible, and we're excited the company has chosen to remain here and grow," Walker said.

Louisiana energy magnate James Davison is among the bank's largest stockholders.

"It's a big deal, and its success is one of the driving forces in my decision to develop Squire Creek in Choudrant," said Davison, whose Squire Creek golf club and surrounding residential area has become a signature development in the region.

The bank changed its name from the Bank of Choudrant to Community Trust Bank in 1986 and to Origin Bank in 2015 to elevate its brand as the company continued to expand beyond its founding borders with an eye toward going public.

Mills joined the bank in 1983 and rose to become its top executive in 2003.

"Becoming Louisiana's largest bank will make other companies and banks recognize us as a player as we continue to seek ways for smart, profitable growth," Mills said.

And having the headquarters of a public company located in Ruston maximizes the company's economic impact on the city and all of northern Louisiana, said North Louisiana Economic Partnership President Scott Martinez.

"Origin Bank is a leading economic driver along the I-20 corridor," Martinez said. "To have a company with such a broad reach centered in Ruston isn't just a feather in our cap, but it grows our economy.

"All of the decision makers are here," Martinez said. "That means anybody who wants to do business with the company has to come to Ruston and all of the profits from other states return to Louisiana to grow this economy."

Mills said future growth could come from acquisitions.

"We believe we have a model that will allow us to remain independent and grow to benefit our team, our customers, our shareholders and our community," he said.

More:Louisiana's Origin Bank rings bell on Nasdaq

More:Origin Bank names Lance Hall president

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1