MidSouth Bank in Sabine Parish honored 71 high school students from across the parish for their academic achievements.

The students there expressed their intention to attend different colleges across Louisiana and some plan on joining different branches of the military.

Graduating Summa Cum Laude from Converse: Bailey Wray, Hayley Framer, Joshua Whitlow and Skyler Laroux. From Florien: Ryleigh Rutherford and Edie Martone. From Many: Siarah Hall, Zachary Lites, Wade Johnson, Robyn Husband, Bradley Harries and Jaleah Lee. From Pleasant Hill: Riley Carter and Ethan Johnson. From Zwolle: McKenzie Steele, Bailey Leone and Kaylea Sepulvado.

Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Converse: Gary Barmore, Trenton Malmay and Allison Campbell. From Ebarb: Samantha Kelly and Zachary Faircloth. From Florien: Sydney Anthony, Faith Hopkins, Morgan Manuel, Colby Matthews and Gabrielle Bryant. From Many: Timothy Early and Shelbie Martinez. From Negreet: Colton Canik and Brayden McMillian. From Pleasant Hill: Heaven French and Ethan Dean. From Zwolle: Mallory Laroux, Jeremy Robel, Addison Remedies, Raychell Pearce and Dallas Britt.

Graduating Cum Laude from Converse: Leann Sessum, Destiny Malmay, Mary-Catherine Sepulvado Wilson, Reid Cobbs and Dylan Shoalmire. From Ebarb: Autumn Wyatt and RaeghanLewing. From Florien: Kaitlin Bavis, Hayden Tidwell, MallerieTownson, Aja Law and Victoria Sparks. From Many: Brock Booker, Hannah Sattler, Robyn Brown, Jaclyn Presseau, Savanah Hall, Victoria Fluitt, Chas Pilcher, Aubrey Sepulvado, Ivone Farfan and Sarah Cross. From Negreet: Kelsey Thaxton, Aaliyah Meshell, Rebekah Mitchell, Benjamin Ozsoy, GarbrielGross and Hunter Walker. From Pleasant Hill: Tyra Taylor. From Zwolle: Landen Funderburk, Ladariuis Williams, Christopher Robertson and Michan Lacey.

 

Father Jim Sichko will lead a three-night Mission on May 13-15 from 6:30-7:30PM at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Zwolle. Sichko is a full time preacher, evangelist and motivational speaker based in the Diocese of Lexington, KY. In February 2016, Pope Francis commissioned him as one of his Papal Missionaries of Mercy, of which there are only 1,000 in the world and 100 in the United States. Sichko uses real life experiences and ties them into the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Known for his presentations entitled “60 minutes for Jesus,” each talk is geared for ages. Everyone is invited! You will not be dissapointed!!! For more information call (318) 645-6155.

 

 

The Brother’s Keepers Motorcycle Club: Chapter 4 from Florien set up a caricature booth at Mayfest in Leesville. Brother’s Keepers is an all Firefighter (career, volunteer, active or retired) Motorcycle Club. The Club’s purpose is to support local and national charities, promote safety, increase awareness of motorcycles, and improve the image of “bikers.”

 

The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office will be hosting a church concealed carry training class on May 26. This class will be free to all participants. The class will begin at 8 a.m. with lecture in the courtroom followed by firearms training at the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office shooting range. This will be an 8 hour course and all participants that complete the training successfully will receive a certificate of completion. The morning lecture will be provided by members of the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and the D.A.’s Office. The afternoon firearms training will be conducted by the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office Firearms Instructor.

What you will need:

* a current concealed carry permit

* a letter from your pastor (with your churches letterhead)
stating you have permission to carry in the church

* pen and notebook

* eye and ear protection

* clothes suitable for shooting range

* gun, holster, spare magazines/speed loader

* 60 rounds of ammo minimum (you can bring additional
rounds if you want to shoot the course again)

This class is on a first come, first serve basis and is limited to 50. If you are unable to make the first class we will have another later in the year.

Please call dispatch at (318) 256-9241 and give your name and phone number for the sign up list.

 

 

 

Westside Baptist Church’s Operation Christmas Child kickoff week ended with a rummage sale to make money for the shipping of the shoeboxes, buying shoeboxes, and purchasing more shoeboxes. Each shoebox is packed with a “wow” item, hygiene items, school supplies, clothes/shoes/accessories and toys. It’s asked that $9 be included for each shoebox. This money will be used for shipping, purchasing “The Greatest Gift” and “The Greatest Journey,” and training teachers to teach “The Greatest Journey.”

Curtis, Elizabeth and Owen Penrod were excited to receive their GO (Gospel Opportunity) shoeboxes at Westside Baptist Church kickoff for Operation Christmas Church with Samaritan’s Purse. The video “From Shoebox to Bible” was shared with church to teach the far reaching impact of one shoebox. New 2018 resources were given out and interesting facts were shared about the 25th anniversary of Operation Christmas Child.

Pictured are Carol Morgan, Casey Stewart, Nancy Moore, Elaine Faust, Deanna Pearce, Sharlene Settle, Rosanna Stewart, Michelle Williams and Suzanne Bolton.

To get involved with Operation Christmas Child contact Beth Martin at (318) 508-1024.

 

Jeremy Gray, a student at the Central Louisiana Technical Community College Sabine Valley Campus and SGA President for the 2018-2019 term, attended the La Council of Student Body Presidents (COSBP) meeting May 4. It’s comprised of students from the LSU, UL, Southern and LCTCS systems. COSBP was formed to further educational and social interests and to support the advancement of higher education. Governor John Bel Edwards encouraged the elected leaders to continue being advocates for the over 200,000 students that they serve statewide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 4, 2018 – The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) approved the 2018-19 and 2019-20 resident game hunting seasons, 2018-19 general and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) hunting seasons, rules and regulations, 2019 general and WMA turkey hunting season, rules and regulations and 2018-19 migratory bird hunting season, rules and regulations at its May meeting Thursday in Baton Rouge.

The notices of intent presented in January by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) for the upcoming hunting seasons were approved with amendments made subsequently in February.

Approved amendments to the NOI included alteration of the season structure for deer hunting areas 5 and 7. The new dates for Deer Area 5 will occur earlier within the normal season framework, beginning with primitive firearms season, which will start Nov. 10, 2018.

The beginning and closing of archery season is all that will be affected in Deer Area 7. It will open Sept. 15, 2018, and close Jan. 15, 2019. The adjustment will allow Deer Area 7 to run concurrent with deer areas 3, 8 and 10.

An amendment to allow gill and trammel nets for commercial fishing on Spring Bayou Wildlife Management Area (WMA) passed as did an amendment to close Bussey Brake WMA to all activities until further notice.

Changes from previous hunting seasons in the approved NOIs include but are not limited to:

* Deer Area 9 change in either-sex primitive and modern firearms days. Dates will occur earlier within the normal season framework to facilitate antlerless harvest earlier in the season with the intent to improve sex ratios in advance of breeding. There is no reduction or addition of available hunting days.

* Move West Feliciana Parish from Deer Area 4 to Area 6.

* Prohibition on the use of drones on WMAs.

* Addition of Small Game Emphasis Area to Tunica Hills WMA.

* Addition of PCHP wheelchair bound waterfowl blinds on Bayou Pierre and Russell Sage WMAs.

* Addition of vessel language for allowable means of camping on WMAs.

* Addition of language to clarify where camping can occur on WMAs.

* Reduction of available either-sex modern firearm days from three to two and reduction of primitive firearms bucks only days from seven to two for deer on Attakapas WMA.

* Allowance for use of yo-yo’s and trot lines for fishing in Big and Chain lakes on Big Lake WMA.

* Establishment of Limited Access Areas (LAAs) for the Topan Unit and the Old Waterfowl Refuge on Boeuf WMA, prohibiting the use of motorized vessels.

* Reduction of deer youth lottery and PCHP Wheelchair bound opportunity on Buckhorn WMA.

* Adjustment of dates for primitive weapon deer season on Clear Creek WMA.

* Grassy Lake WMA reduction of deer either-sex primitive weapon days from seven to two days.

* Elimination of antlerless deer harvest on Pass-A-Loutre WMA.

* Reduction of deer either-sex primitive weapon days from seven to two days on Richard K Yancey WMA.

* Changing the Joyce WMA deer season structure to run concurrent with Maurepas Swamp WMA deer season.

* Establishment of LAAs for all waterfowl impoundments EXCEPT Wham Brake on Russell Sage WMA, prohibiting the use of motorized vessels.

* Adjustment of Sabine WMA deer season(s) to make them later in the season.

* Increase in the number of deer either-sex days for modern firearms from five to14 days on Thistlethwaite WMA.

* Adjustment of dates for primitive weapons deer season on West Bay WMA.

* Addition of a part of St. Martin Parish into Area A for turkey hunting.

To view the full notice of intent and all hunting season dates and regulations changes for the upcoming hunting seasons, please visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items .

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at http://www.wlf.la.gov. To receive recreational or commercial fishing email and text alerts, signup at http://www.wlf.la.gov/signup.

 

By Reba

When I was a Senior in High School several students in our class were invited to participate in a “Close Up” week-long study program in Washington D.C. Kids from across the U.S. learned about their Government and its inter-workings. As you can imagine this was not a free trip. You can also imagine my parents weren’t overjoyed at the thought of spending $1,200 on one child.

These were 1992 dollars at that.

This amazing opportunity came with a price tag that was far beyond my parents budget but that didn’t deter me from presenting my sales pitch with all of the reasons why I should be allowed to participate. Just short of asking them to sell a kidney I really didn’t have a plan and they didn’t really buy into my “I may be President some day” speech.

Out of the blue one day my mother came home and told me she found a way to send me. I was over the moon excited. My mother was one of the top salesmen at her place of employment, The Natchitoches Times. I assumed Eva Gail was going to put her skills to good use and choose to raise the tuition for the trip. It was one of the options included in the package.

She asked me to write a letter detailing what experience a student would gain from the program and how I planned to use that knowledge for my future endeavors. She didn’t have to ask me twice. I poured my heart and soul into a grammatically correct letter that would wow the socks off of any potential donors.

She picked me up from school one day so I could ride with her as she met with people to ask for donations using my thoughtful letter and her winning smile. Or so I thought. The very first office we visited was a business called Waskom & Brown. We parked the car and I wished Eva Gail luck. She looked at me with a very unpleasant face and told me I was confused.

I wasn’t confused. I was supporting her as she did her thing.

My mother told me she wasn’t the one wanting to travel to D.C. She wasn’t the one who didn’t have a job to pay for this endeavor. She wasn’t the one who would do my work for me and I needed to show more effort and less dependency on her for this labor intensive project. She led the horse to the trough but she certainly wasn’t making it drink for me.

Once I recovered from the shock of having to actually take care of my own business I exited the car, entered the building and boldly asked to speak to a Mr. Nettles Brown. I presented him with my letter and gave him a brief rundown of the program. He was extremely gracious and agreed to be a donor of my trip if my group would agree to speak at Kiwanis once we returned. At the time I wasn’t fully aware of the impact that Kiwanis had on young children and how the whole organization is based on “One child at a time.”

One thing Mr. Brown nor myself knew at the time was that one day I would become the President of the organization I visited in high school….I literally was that “One child”….. He chose to invest in the future of a child he did’t know, while not knowing what the return on his investment would be.

Fast forward 26 years later.

While volunteering to work at the Jazz Fest I met the most amazing young girl Amia and her little brother Devon. We became fast friends. They’re very polite and just as outgoing as I am. However, they were on a mission to raise money for Amia to attend a study program in Washington DC. The very next weekend while volunteering at the Louisiana Forest Festival in Winnfield I ran into the same family again.

Amia was there with her mother, Amy Metoyer, Corey Roberson and her little brother. It was a divine meeting. I have no doubt. Amia was there selling cupcakes and pound cakes that she and her grandmother baked. Actually, she was giving them away for donations. She put her trust in the hands of strangers.

She had an ace in the hole though. She had sales skills that had me ready to recruit her to sell insurance in my office. Her whole family and extended family have been working for months to raise money for Amia to travel to Washington D.C. Bake sales, car washes, BBQ’s, lemonade stands… you name it they family has done it. They’ve made it a family affair.

There’s no doubt that in both cases, my mother and Amia’s mother, could have easily chosen to work on our behalf. They could have taken the reigns and earned the money fairly quickly and taken the easy road. But, had that happened, I wouldn’t have met Mr. Brown (whom I consider a friend and business colleague). Amia wouldn’t have made those priceless memories with her grandmother baking and working at festivals with her family by her side. Most of all we wouldn’t have learned that God puts people in our path daily who will influence us for the good of his Kingdom and to further his plan.

I’m excited to say that I’m investing in the future of Amia Brown with the hopes that she will come speak at Kiwanis when she gets back from D.C.!

Bring up a child by teaching him the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn away from it. Proverbs 22:6

To donate to Amia’s trip to Washington D.C. this summer, go online to:  WEBSITE

 

The Sabine Council on Aging will offer a Young at Art: Paint Pouring Class Monday, May 9 at 12:45 pm at the Legacy Building, located at 200 Legacy Drive in Many. Bring your own canvas. The class will be instructed by Shanna Dees Gaspard.

 

 

 

Sign up to reserve your spot for the following crafting classes in May at the following Sabine Council on Aging locations.

May 10 at 9:30 am at 206 Franklin Street in Converse. Call 318-567-9631

May 14 at 12:30 pm at 200 Legacy Drive in Many. Call 318-256-4140

May 15 at 9 am at 22975 Hwy. 191 in Toledo. Call 318-256-0059

May 15 at 12:30 pm at 514 W. Port Arthur in Florien. Call 318-586-5030

 

 

 

 

Toledo Bend Lake Association members Ned and Gaynell Goodeaux represented TBLA at the Sabine 4-H awards banquet where TBLA was recognized for being a Friend of 4-H. TBLA has provided 4-H with scholarships and has supported projects around the lake and community, investing in young people. Thanks to 4-H for growing leaders of tomorrow.

 

 

 

BOM was a table and auction sponsor of the 16th Annual Toledo Bend Lake Association Bass Unlimited Banquet. TBLA is dedicated to maintaining and/or improving he quality of Toledo Bend Lake and the amenities surrounding it. Pictured from left are Debra Funderburk, Ted Dove (TBLA -Sponsor Committee Chairman), Linda Guay, and Daniel Bennett.

BOM sponsored the Converse High School Academic Awards Brunch.
Pictured from left are Linda Guay, CHS Principal Cindy Mary, and Ashley Parrie.

 

 

By Patrick Bonin

Article and photo republished courtesy of LouisianaSportsman.com

Derek Mong and his dad Dave have been fishing bass tournaments together since he was just a 4-year-old kid.

Now 38, Derek is a noted big-bass specialist at Toledo Bend, with six hawgs officially placed in the reservoir’s Lunker Bass Program, which awards a free mount to anglers who catch 10-pound-plus fish and return them to the lake.

He and his dad may have fished competitively for more than 30 years now, but they never enjoyed a day quite like they did on Sunday, April 22 — when they teamed up for an impressive five-fish stringer that tipped the scales at 33.13 pounds during a monthly tournament put on by Keith’s Toledo Bend Tackle.

“I had actually found these fish about two weeks beforehand,” said Derek, who noted they were fishing on the south end of the lake in the Housen and 6 Mile area. “There was another big tournament the weekend before that I tried to go back and fish these same fish, but the wind was blowing way too much from a bad direction, and I wasn’t able to stay out in the main lake area where I was fishing — so I didn’t get on them.

“So I guess I was expecting to catch them this time because the wind direction was blowing a lot better for that area, and I figured they’d be there — and they were.”

Most of the damage came from two spots — one in 14 to 18 feet of water, and one 20 to 24 feet deep — that Mong called “jump areas.”

“It’s where the fish stop at when they’re coming in for prespawn, then they stop back there on the postspawn,” he explained. “Most of the time, I don’t fish the spawn up shallow. I try to stay in these areas, especially this time of year when there are quite a bit more postspawners coming out.”

Mong, who lives in Many next door to his dad, said all the fish were caught with two baits from V&M: a brown-purple ¾-ounce Pacemaker Flatline football jig with a J-Proz Series J-Bug trailer, and a Carolina rig featuring a blue shadow J-Bug.

“We ended up catching a limit within about the first 45 minutes, and we just steadily culled all day long,” he said. “It actually started off pretty quick. I think we had our first fish in the boat within about 10 minutes. It wasn’t one of the real big ones we caught, but it kind of got the day rolling and gave us some confidence they were still there.”

The stringer’s final five fish came in at about 7 ½, 6, 5 ¾, 5 ½ — and an 8-pound hammer that sealed the deal on literally Derek’s last cast of the day.

“We had 30 pounds in the boat that I calculated, and it was still relatively early, but with that kind of weight I was pretty confident that we were going to win the tournament, and I didn’t want to run into any kind of problems getting back — so I wanted to leave a little earlier,” Mong said with a chuckle. “But my dad was wanting to stay and keep fishing because it was such a good day. I told him last cast, and he went ahead and threw another cast out, and I was like, ‘Man, we need to go.’ He was like, ‘One more cast,’ so I threw my jig back out there and it hit the bottom and I drug it about a foot and I felt this thump.

“I set the hook and it came out and jumped about 40 yards from the boat. I was like, ‘Oh my goodness.’ I thought it was actually bigger than an 8-pounder when I first saw it. When I got it in the boat, we ended up culling our smallest fish at that point, which was a 5.05 before I threw it back.

“Dad was like, ‘Aren’t you glad I made one more cast?’”

Team Mong nearly lapped the field, with second place coming in at about 17 pounds. Father and son picked up around $1,000 for the win, but the memories they made on the water were priceless.

“It was great. Me and Dad have been fishing together for years. He pretty much taught me how to fish when I was young,” Derek said. “That was our best five-fish stringer we’ve had in a tournament .…

“It was certainly the trip of a lifetime, for sure.”

 

An Induction Ceremony was held April 26 at LSU-Alexandria honoring all CLTCC students who are members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. CLTCC Sabine Campus’ very own Gerri Anderson was one of the participants present. PTK is an honor society designed to recognize students who excel academically. CLTCC is incredibly proud of its PTK members and their accomplishments. Congrats!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a list of the Employers attending the 2018 Sabine Parish Job Fair on Thursday, May 3 from 11 am – 6 pm at the CDC Conference Center in Many. Each business attending will be available to help you with any questions you may have. The Job Fair is open to people of all ages. We are looking forward to seeing everyone there!

BOISE CASCADE
COORDINATING & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
CENTRAL LOUISIANA TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PATRICK-MILLER TRACTOR COMPANY
SABINE MEDICAL CENTER
SABINE RETIREMENT AND REHABILITATION
SABINE STATE BANK
SONIC DRIVE-IN
TOWN OF MANY

 

 

Ready to “shop ‘til you drop”? The El Camino Real Sale on the Trail takes place the first Friday & Saturday in May along 144 miles of the historic El Camino Real de los Tejas. 2018 dates are Friday & Saturday, May 4-5. Make plans to drive the trail for yard sale bargains! Hop in your car and go along Hwy 6 in LA starting at Natchitoches and then west across Toledo Bend Lake to Texas Hwy 21 into Milam, TX, and keep going for a great adventure and great finds!

Along the trail, shoppers will find new and used items sold by local businesses and private individuals. If you are a shopping warrior, collector, or just looking for fun, a weekend shopping the trail is a wonderful way to take advantage of the beautiful spring scenery and historical markers along the El Camino Real de los Tejas. Designated as a National Historic Trail in 2004, El Camino Real de los Tejas has existed for more than 300 years. The Spaniards and the French who marked the trail were followed by early missionaries of multiple faiths and later by such men as Stephen F. Austin, Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett and Sam Houston. Keep up with the latest news on Facebook.

If you want to participate by having a garage sale or being a vendor, please call the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission at 1-800-358-7802.

 

Thank you to the city police officers throughout Sabine Parish, deputies and officers of Sabine Parish Sheriff’s department, state troopers and first responders. In your honor, we’d like to invite you to be our special guests at the movie True Grit at the Many Community Center on May 5. Concessions to you and your family are FREE as our way of saying THANK YOU for your service. True Grit, with John Wayne playing Sheriff Rooster Cogburn, is also FREE and it starts at 7 pm.

Sponsored by Many Mayor Ken Freeman, the Many City Council, and Many Cultural District Advisory Committee. PLEASE SHARE