A blue, turquoise and gold beaded bracelet will be the jewelry that students will create at the Happy Hours Jewelry Design class on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 28, from1 to 4 p.m. at the Many Historic Depot Museum.

Talented jewelry designer Cheryl Pearsall, whose original jewelry is displayed at the Depot Art Guild, will instruct the class. Pearsall learned to make jewelry almost 20 years ago when she lived in Florida and worked at an upscale art gallery. She said she admired a beaded box, and the artist agreed to teach her how to make original items like the beaded boxd and jewelry from beads and wire.

Her designs, which are all original, are coveted and sell for high dollars. You can view them at the Depot Art Gallery. She has many faithful followers who check frequently to see if she has any new creations for sale at the gallery which is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Those interested in taking the class on Oct. 28 must call to reserve a spot since spaces are limited. The telephone number to call is 727-534-1057 to hold your place in the class. Fee to take the three-hour jewelry making class is $25 which pays for materials and supplies.

The jewelry design/making classes are sponsored by the Depot Art Guild, the Town of Many, Many Mayor Ken Freeman and the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee.

The popular duo Buster and Sarah, along with James Wagley and the Turn-Ups will be the featured bands at the Music in Many show on Friday, Oct. 27, at the Many Community Center.

Admission to the two-hour show which begins at 7 p.m. will be $10 for adults, $5 for children. Veterans will be admitted free.

Buster Jordan and Sarah Strickland Erwin are popular entertainers throughout Sabine Parish and the entire region. Strickland sings a wide variety of popular music including country/western, blues, and pop music. Jordan, a talented guitar player, also sings.

They will be joined by James Wagley and the Turn-Ups, who have performed many music concerts at the Community Center during the past year. Wagley was also producer of the Lake Country Music Shows.

It promises to be a fun, musical evening for everyone who attends.

The Music in Many Shows are sponsored by Many Mayor Ken Freeman, the Town of Many, and the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee.

Freeman said Music in Many is part of an overall plan to bring music and entertainment, art, movies and cultural events to Many so that citizens don’t have to go out of town to see movies, hear good music, enjoy the arts.

BOM is proud to sponsor the Hoot and Holler Archery Club. The club decided to request donations per arrow at a recent competition to be given to the recent hurricane victims! Pictured from left are Colton Anderson, Bradford Morrison, William Morrison, Tayler Anderson of Natchitoches Parish with BOM’s Keith Miller. Not pictured are Navy Britt and Blaine Dillard of Sabine Parish

By Brooke Shirley

Get your feeders full and your guns loaded because it’s time to go hunting! Usually, the rut is considered the best time to take a nice buck, but early season can be quite productive as well. Hunters who know how to identify early season deer hunting patterns and where to hang stands are typically quite successful during the first few days of season.

Deer are slaves to their stomach and will generally be on their feet to feed every six to eight hours. Early fall is a very critical time of year for whitetails as they are packing on weight to make it through the rut and upcoming winter.

The first thing that I think of each year is, “Oh, I’ve got to put some corn out on my trails to bait them in close to my stand!” When actually, there is an abundance of natural food sources during the early part of the deer season that hinders the effectiveness of food plots. In most cases deer will feed on other food sources before hitting food plots. Hunters can save their money, corn, and rice bran for later in the season when most of the plants have died and the deer are actively “hunting” for food themselves.

In many areas, live and pin oaks are popular among deer, as they generally start hitting the ground around late September. Soybeans, of course, are also quite popular with deer. If they are ripe, muscadines and persimmons are a sweet treat that deer really seem to enjoy. If you happen to know where to locate these food sources, I recommend setting up a stand nearby.

Finding sources of water are a good way to pattern deer for the early season. Since temperatures are generally warmer earlier in the season, hydration is an important factor in a healthy whitetail. A deer can extract up to 90 percent of the water needed to survive from the vegetation in their diet, but finding an isolated water sources in drier conditions can prove to be successful.

Be sure to check creeks, small ponds, lake edges and even standing water puddles for deer sign. If it looks like the sources is being utilized, place a stand nearby and get ready.

By Brooke Shirley

Monarch Butterflies are best known for their color pattern of black, orange, and white are one of the most beloved species of North American butterflies. The play a huge roll in pollinating flowers and are known for their annual migration across the United States. In the late summer months and early autumn, the eastern North American monarch population migrates to Mexico. Those from the northern and central United States east of the Rocky Mountains are the ones we spot in Louisiana. During the fall migration, monarchs cover thousands of miles to Mexico before returning to the north.

Most people wonder what the cause of the migration is and Zach Lemann, curator of animal collections at the Audubon Butterfly Garden Insectarium, was able to give a little insight saying, “We know that the ancestors of monarchs were tropical, so even though time has enabled this species to expand it’s range northward, the physical ability of monarchs to remain in cold places did not follow along.” They migrate as an evolutionary strategy triggered by changes in day length and temperature.

Their route is directly tied to dietary requirements for their young because much like human children, monarch babies are really picky eaters. Milkweeds, in particular, are their favorite meal and provide a good place for the adults to lay their eggs. Although there are many places that have milkweeds growing about, the environmental conditions must provide a safe place for winter survival hence the migration to the mountains in Mexico.

If you find yourself outside this fall, pay attention to the majestic butterflies soaring through the air because if you spot a monarch, you’ve then witnessed one of the most mysterious and astounding acts of nature in the insect world.

Hundreds of monarch butterflies at Stone Harbor Point, N.J., Wednesday morning, Oct. 5, 2011. Volunteers from the Cape May Bird Observatory released tagged monarch butterflies at Cape May Point State Park, as part of the butterfly migration monitoring program. (AP Photo/The Press of Atlantic City, Danny Drake)

The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Department is creating a data base of active video surveillance cameras that are facing public roadways and public places. This data base will be used for Law Enforcement purposes only. If you have a video surveillance camera at your residence and/or business and you would be willing to be put into this data base please contact us. These resources will only be used in the event of a crime in the location of the camera and of course they will request the consent of the homeowner to view their camera or to receive any digital data.

If you have several cameras at your business/residence and you can re-position one camera to face a public roadway this would be greatly appreciated. They are seeking the help and cooperation from the residents of Sabine Parish in order to make our Parish as safe as possible. If you are willing to participate you can provide your name, phone number and address to the list by emailing them at sabinecameras@yahoo.com or you can provide the information through a private message to their Facebook page. Additionally, written forms can be obtained at the Sabine Parish Sheriff’ Office Dispatch or C.I.D. Office.

Any questions regarding this program can be directed to Detectives at the Criminal Investigations Division at 318-590-9475.

By: Brooke Shirley

Sabine Parish Sheriff Ronny Richardson and Dr. Sara Ebarb, the Superintendent of Sabine Parish Schools, announced the implementation of a School Resource Officer Program in Sabine Parish Schools for the 2017-18 school year.

Statistics indicate that more than 90 percent of resource officers avert between 1-25 violent acts in the average school year. Studies have found that 24 percent of officers in schools across the nation reported taking a loaded firearm from a student or another person on campus, and 87 percent confiscated knives or other weapons with blades. Sixty-seven percent reported preventing a school faculty or staff member from being assaulted, either by a student or someone else on campus.

Kenneth S. Trump stated, “The description of preventive tasks performed and the number of violent incidents prevented by officers says to me that SRO programs must be viewed as prevention programs, not as punitive or reactionary strategies. The data also clearly indicates that students are comfortable in reporting threats and concerns to SROs.” Kenneth is the president of National School Safety and Security Services.

The Sabine Parish School Resource Officers, Lamar Thomas, Steven Myers and Jimmy Campbell, are fully trained and certified. The three of them will not only ensure safety at the schools but will also function as Substance Abuse Prevention Education (DARE) instructors for students in 5th and 7th grade under the DARE program. Their salaries will be funded by a DARE grant.

The goal is to foster a safe learning environment and help to resolve any potential problems that affect our youth so that they have a better opportunity to reach their full potential. Sheriff Richardson is hopeful that the officers will become a positive presence in students’ lives and form the trust needed to develop a better relationship between the students and the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Department.

The newest “Ghost Busters” movie is coming to haunt the Town of Many on Oct. 21.

It’s part of a giant Halloween party that Many Mayor Ken Freeman, the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee, and the Many City Council are hosting at the Many Community Center for the children of Many and Sabine Parish.

Ghosts and goblins, witches, black cats, popcorn and soft drinks, special treats are part of the huge costume party on Saturday, Oct. 21. The party starts at 6:30 with free admission to the movie “Ghostsbusters: Answer the Call” which will be the feature movie. It is the third and latest movie in the Ghostbusters series of films.

Children and their families are all urged to wear their favorite costumes to the Community Center. Pictures of children in costume will be made in the lobby.

Ghostbusters III (also known as Ghostbusters: Answer the Call ) is a 2016 supernatural comedy film. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Andy Garcia and Chris Hemsworth. It is the third Ghostbusters feature film. The story focuses on four women who begin a ghost-catching business in New York City and their misadventures as they attempt to catch ghosts.

Mayor Ken Freeman says there are lots of surprises for children and their families who attend the annual Halloween party, and he promises that everyone will have a great time.

“I want to encourage children, parents, grandparents — everyone — to come to our annual Halloween Party, and to be sure and wear costumes,” Freeman said. “The costumes make it more fun for everyone.”

Freeman continued, “My staff and volunteers from the Cultural District Advisory Committee have worked really hard to make this year’s party very special. So please come and enjoy yourselves at the Many Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 21.”

The giant Halloween party is just one of many events that take place in the Many Cultural District. All events are part of an overall plan to provide Movies in Many, Arts and Crafts in Many, Music in Many, a Christmas Festival, and many other special events for the citizens of Many so they can stay home and enjoy their hometown activities and events.

Happy Hours classes are now offered in the Many Historic Depot Museum on the second, third and fourth Saturdays of each month.

“We call them Happy Hours classes because everyone has such a good time, making something beautiful, visiting with old friends and making new friends,” said Shanna Dees Gaspard, a member of the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee and president of the Depot Art Guild.

The painting for the month of October is “Farmhouse Forsythias.” A rustic farmhouse wooden wall is the background for a vase of yellow forsythias. It is a unique painting that will go well in any home—whether farmhouse or suburban home.

Kimberley Remedies, talented artist and member of the Art Guild, will teach this Happy Hours Painting Class on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Many Depot Art Gallery. It’s important to call 337-424-6526 to reserve a spot in the class because space is limited. There is a $20 fee to pay for supplies and materials (canvas, paints and brushes).

Other Happy Hours classes are scheduled for October. Crafts class will be on Oct. 21 and new Jewelry Design and Jewelry Making is scheduled for Oct. 28.

A photography class will be the newest class taught, beginning in January 2018. That class will be taught on the first Saturday of every month.

“We’re pleased that we were finally able to reach an agreement with a very talented commercial photographer named Teresa Hunt, and she will begin teaching these classes after the first of 2018,” Mary Brocato, chairperson of the Many Cultural District, said. “We will have Happy Hours every Saturday of the month in 2018. That has been our goal– to offer classes that have something for everyone. If you love painting, we have a painting class. If you’ve always wanted to make jewelry, we now have a jewelry class. If photography is your interest, we will have a photography class.”

The Happy Hours classes are sponsored by the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee, the Many Depot Art Guild, the Town of Many, and Many Mayor Ken Freeman.

By Brooke Shirley

The Sabine Chamber of Commerce congratulated and welcomed Country Florist yesterday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The full-service floral shop opened it’s doors at their new location at 350 South Capitol Street in Many across from Warren Meadows Funeral Home.

Owners Ken and Sheila Leach will offer this area the finest in floral arrangements for all occasions. A full line of gifts are available including candles, kitchen and home wares, jellies, old-fashion sodas, jewelry and much more. A large selection of silk arrangements is also available and ready to go.

Country Florist is now offering the new Perpetual Floral Cemetery Program which will prevent you from worrying about flowers for your loved one. The owners feel there are many ways to show honor and respect to your beloved ones when they become a memory. They offer a variety of affordable packages that can help you continuously show that honor and respect.

This program is excellent for family members who don’t have the opportunity to visit the gravesite regularly. Let them deliver flowers to the cemetery for your loved one. They’ll set up a schedule tailored to you and you can pay a fee for the entire year or at each flower delivery. A photograph of the headstone will be e-mailed or texted to you each time new flowers are delivered.

For more info on this great service and for all your floral needs call Country Florist at 318-256-2288.

The 2017 Zwolle Tamale Fiesta Mud Bog will be held Saturday, Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. The Bog is going to have a total payout of $6,300. Class I places are as follows: 1st) $500, 2nd) $300, 3rd) $200. Class II Prizes are the same as Class I. Class III, IV (Cut DOT), Class V (DOT Trail Truck) and Class VI (Tractor Truck) are as follows: 1st) $600, 2nd) $300, 3rd) $200. The cost to enter the competition is $10 and you have to be registered by 1:00 p.m. to compete. All trucks must have a pull hitch and all participates must wear helmets. No glass bottles or barbecue pits are permitted and you can pay $20 to bring in an ice chest that holds 48 quarts or less.

For more information, contact James “Coffee” Meshell at (318) 471-0756.

By: Brooke Shirley

Get your gloves ready because it’s time to plant those flowers and vegetables for the fall season! The new Louisiana Super Plant for fall is the Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunia. It is one of the most talked-about petunias over the past few years and it has been proven that this bright pink beauty is one of Louisiana’s most durable petunia varieties.

Cool-season bedding plants such as pansies, dianthus, snapdragons, stock and calendulas, usually do best in the cold to mild temperatures of October through early May and generally tolerate typical winter freezes without extensive protection. Color always seems to be the dominate factor when selecting these plants, and providing color to the landscape really is the plants’ primary function. Many of these plants are also fragrant and it is such a delight to walk out and catch the fragrance of sweet alyssum drifting in the breeze.

Vegetables to plant in October and November include beets, broccoli (transplants), Brussels sprouts (transplants), cabbage, carrots, cauliflower (transplants), celery, collards, green peas, garlic, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onions (seed or sets), rutabaga, shallots (sets), parsley, radishes, spinach, turnips and kale.

Additionally, herbs that should be planted during this time include cilantro, dill, fennel, parsley, chives, mints, oregano, rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme, lavender and chamomile.

Here are a few helpful tips: 

October weather can be dry, so water plantings as needed. Pay special attention to any newly planted areas.
This is the beginning of the prime planting season for hardy trees, shrubs, vines and ground covers.

Finish planting most spring-flowering bulbs in November. Buy tulips and hyacinths by the middle of the month and refrigerate them for at least six weeks before planting them in late December or early January.

As leaves fall from trees, collect them, put them in your compost pile or use them as mulch.

Water in newly planted cool-season bedding plants with a half-strength fertilizer solution to get them off to a good start.

If you’re involved in a wreck with a tractor-trailer rig, the chances are that you won’t walk away without injury or lots of damage to your vehicle.

“I’ve been handling all types of accident claims for nearly 40 years,” said Rodney Harrington, with the Harrington Law Firm. “Including clients who have had collisions with big rigs. Although you may not see us standing on top of an 18-wheeler touting our experience, we do have extensive experience in this area handling accident cases and we’ve successfully collected millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients over the years*.”

It’s no wonder that a crash between a tractor-trailer and a family vehicle too often results in death, injury or significant property damage: A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh 20 times more and be almost five times longer than the average car. These huge vehicles, also popularly referred to as “18-wheelers” and “big rigs,” can be challenging to control when speeding down a highway, even with an experienced and well-training driver at the wheel.

Statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration demonstrate the extent of the problem. In 2012, the most recent year for which complete statistics are available, 3,921 people were killed and 104,000 were injured in U.S. crashes involving trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds. That same year, 333,000 large trucks were involved in traffic crashes.

Almost three out of every four people killed or injured in crashes involving large trucks were riding in vehicles other than the truck. In 2012, large trucks made up for 4 percent of all registered vehicles, but accounted for 8 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes. In addition, large trucks are more likely to be involved in fatal, multiple-vehicle crashes that involve a fatality.

So, what can the average drivers do to protect themselves from a wreck with a big rig? First, it’s important to know that most of the commercial big rig drivers you see on the road probably completed considerable training and testing before being allowed behind the wheel.

State and federal laws and regulations require big rigs to meet certain safety standards and carry considerable liability insurance policies. Rules also limit the time drivers of large commercial trucks can be on duty before taking a rest or sleep break.

What can drivers do?

Following basic safety driving rules that apply to all motorists goes a long way toward avoiding collisions with big rigs. These good driving habits include not texting and driving, drinking and driving, obeying speed limits, not tailgating, passing on the left side only, avoiding distractions, slowing down when roads are wet and always wearing seat belts.

Since crashes with big rigs frequently involve deaths, injuries and extensive property damage, it is important that victims of such accidents obtain proper medical treatment and seek assistance from an attorney with experience in such cases.

The Harrington Law Firm has offices in Natchitoches, Many and Leesville. They can be reached at 318-352-5900 or at www.theharringtonlawfirm.com

*Results may vary

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“La La Land,” the popular 2016 musical drama, will be the feature free movie at the Many Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 7.

As always the movie is free. It begins at 7 p.m. Box office will open at 6:15.  “La La Land” is sponsored by Many Mayor Ken Freeman, the Town of Many, and the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee.

Musicals are usually  romantic. They teach  us that some emotion is so powerful that it can’t be put into mere words—it must be sung. Some love is so overwhelming that you just have to move your feet. Characters in musicals not only understand love differently than those in traditional films but they turn that understanding into art—dancing, singing and transcending mere dialogue to become something greater, something purer, something closer to true romance.

One of many remarkable things about “La La Land” is how much energy and time it devotes to movement and music, not just lyrics. Most modern movie musicals, so often based on Broadway shows, have focused heavily on songs that further plot. In ” La La Land,” choreography matters and a simple piano refrain can have more power than a lyric. This is a beautiful film about love and dreams, and how the two impact each other. Los Angeles is filled with dreamers, and sometimes it takes a partner to make a dream come true.

There have been  some musical films since the era of Rogers & Astaire, but few that have tried to recapture that sense of fluid, magical thinking in which characters communicate with their bodies as much, maybe even more, than they do with their voices. One of many remarkable things about“La La Land” is how much energy and time it devotes to movement and music, not just lyrics. The modern movie musicals, so often based on Broadway shows, have focused heavily on songs that further plot. In “La La Land”, choreography matters and a simple piano refrain can have more power than a lyric. This is a beautiful film about love and dreams, and how the two impact each other. Los Angeles is filled with dreamers, and sometimes it takes a partner to make your dream come true.

“La La Land” opens with a bit of a fake-out in that it’s a large ensemble number of a variety that viewers don’t  see again in the movie. Cars are stuck in the notoriously awful L.A. traffic when the drivers decide to break into song called “Another Day of Sun”—a bit about how each day brings new hope for these young wannabe artists—jumping out of the cars and dancing on the freeway. And after the chorus-like introduction to a city of dreamers, we meet two such sun-gazers: pianist  (Ryan Gosling) and actress Mia(Emma Stone). Like any good musical, the two have a few false starts and playfully mock each other’s flaws in their first scenes. But we know where this is headed and Gosling & Stone have the chemistry to make us long for them to get together.

It’s easy to let the world get you down sometimes, especially in a year like 2017. It’s easy to think that dreams don’t come true, and that love only exists in movies. “La La Land” serves to remind us that movies can still be magical, and they can still provide the channel for us to see magic in the world around us. It’s not so much another day in the sun, as the characters sing in that opening number, but the dreams of the night before, the ones we wake up and try to fulfill, that keep us dancing.

“La La Land”  is classified as a romantic comedy, drama and musical. It is rated PG-13 for some mild language. There is no nudity, sex  scenes, or violence. The movie is 126 minutes long.

Mayor Freeman and the members of the Cultural District Advisory Committee are hopeful that the residents of Many and the surrounding areas will attend this free movie and bring the entire family.  It’s lighthearted, but it has a message:  “Dreams can come true if you work hard enough.”

Freeman wants everyone to know that the movie is completely free and concessions are only $1 each. “We do this for the families in our area, so no one can complain there’s nothing to do around Many. There are things to do every weekend in Many, and we want our citizens to do their part by attending and participating,”   the mayor said.