UPDATE:
Nichols’ vehicle was located and she was last seen at Walmart in Many on Friday evening, September 18th.

ORIGINAL:
Taylor Nichole Nichols, 27 years old, blonde hair, green eyes, 5’6″ tall, 130 lbs, tattoos on her right leg, left arm and chest. Last known address is Nichols Lane off Big N Ranch Road, Robeline, LA. Was driving a beige 2004 Ford Expedition with black wheels, Louisiana license # 731EFO. No one has heard from her since September 15th. 

SOURCE: SPSO

E.A. Perry was born on January 19, 1809. Later that same year, Perry’s father abandoned the family. In November, 1811, Perry’s 24-year-old mother contracted tuberculosis and died on December 8, 1811. Perry’s 27-year-old father, still estranged from the family, died from an unknown cause just three days after Perry’s mother. Perry, his brother, and sister, were split up. Perry’s brother lived with his paternal grandparents in Baltimore, Maryland. His sister lived with family friends in Richmond, Virginia. Mrs. Frances Allan convinced her reluctant husband, John, a wealthy merchant in Richmond, to foster Perry.

Living in the Allan household afforded Perry a good education. Frances, unable to have children of her own, adored and protected young Perry. Frances introduced Perry to the genteel life which came with being a member of the Allan family. Despite the high standing of the Allan family, however, Perry could not escape his status as a foster child. To John, Perry was a drain on his finances. As Perry grew older and more independent, he and his foster father clashed. John was strict with Perry and was stingy with his money. Perry longed to be on his own and to become a member of genteel society.

In February, 1826, Perry enrolled at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. John begrudgingly paid Perry’s tuition, but failed to provide him enough money to live on. Perry excelled in his studies but struggled with his newfound freedom. He drank and gambled away what little money he had to cover his expenses. By the end of his first year at the university, Perry had accumulated debts nearing $2,500.00, which adjusted for inflation, would be just over $40,500 in today’s money. John refused to help Perry cover the debts and their relationship worsened. Unable to repay his debts, Perry abruptly left the university.

On May 26, 1827, using an alias to escape his creditors, Perry enlisted in the United States Army at Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to lying about his name, Perry also lied about his age. He gave his age as 22 years old, when in reality he was 18. Whether he gave a false age as another way to keep his creditors from tracking him down or for some other advantage can only be speculated upon. His enlistment paperwork showed that Perry agreed to serve for a period of five years “unless sooner discharged by proper authority.” Perry listed clerk as his occupation.

Perry prospered in the army. In just nineteen months, Perry rose from the rank of private to Regimental Sergeant Major, a meteoric rise which was uncharacteristic, especially in peacetime. Perry became the company’s clerk, which brought him into constant contact with the company’s officers and relieved him of participation in more rigorous duties. By December of 1828, however, Perry decided he wanted out of the army because he was unable to secure commission without having been educated at West Point. He still owed the army three and a half years. Perry spoke with Lieutenant Howard, who said he would agree to his discharge upon reconciliation with his foster father and if he provided an acceptable replacement to serve in his stead at no cost to the army. Perry wrote to his foster father but John refused to answer his letters. Only after Perry told John of his plans to enter West Point did John agree to aid in Perry’s resignation from the army.

On February 28, 1829, Frances Allan died. For a short time, Perry’s and John’s relationship improved. John provide Perry with money along with a new suit of clothes and all of the necessary accessories for a young man of status. In addition, John provided the required permission for Perry to resign from the army along with funds for Perry to hire a substitute soldier. Perry left the army with several recommendations from his commanding officers in support of his application to West Point.

In May of 1829, Perry hand-delivered his application to Washington and delivered it to the Secretary of War. He returned to his residence in Baltimore and anxiously awaited news of his appointment. When, in July, 1829, he had received no word, he walked the forty miles from Baltimore to Washington to check on the status of his appointment. Perry’s impatience did him no good. Perry had no choice but to walk the forty miles back to Baltimore. Finally, in March of 1830, Perry received his appointment at West Point.

The other cadets looked up to Perry because he was slightly older and because of his previous university and military training. In his spare time, Perry wrote poetry. His fellow cadets enjoyed his writings and many of them agreed to share the cost of publishing a book of his poems. The treasurer of the academy withheld $1.25 from each participating cadet’s $28.00 monthly check until the amount reached $170.00.

Perry’s reputation grew and he confidently boasted that, with his previous educational background and military experience, he would complete the four-year program at West Point in only six months. However, Perry was stunned to learn that his previous experiences and his rank as Sergeant Major would not enable him complete the program at West Point in a shorter timeframe.

Perry learned other disappointing news as well. While Perry was at West Point, John had remarried and had fathered twins. Perry would no longer inherit any of John’s wealth. Perry was distraught and was determined to resign from West Point. If he abandoned West Point without John’s permission, he would not receive his backpay. Perry wrote to John and requested his permission but John refused to reply. In his own notes, John commented “I do not think the boy has one good quality.” In January, 1831, Perry abandoned his duties at West Point. During the court martial, Perry was charged with “gross neglect of duty,” and “disobedience of orders.” On March 6, 1831, the court found Perry guilty of both charges and dismissed him from West Point. The academy withheld Perry’s last paycheck but forwarded a check to him for $170.00, the money the cadets had raised for Perry’s book of poems. In May, 1831, a publisher delivered 136 copies of Perry’s book, one for each cadet who had raised money for its publication. Perry dedicated the book “to the U.S. Corps of Cadets.”

Perry continued to write poetry and short stories. His works were published in various journals and periodicals in the United States. He also continued with his old habits of drinking and gambling, a combination which usually led to disaster. On October 7, 1849, Perry died destitute at the young age of forty from an unknown cause which has been debated ever since. He failed to achieve the status of a gentleman, which he had witnessed while a part of the Allan family, and was not accepted into polite society. Since his death, however, Perry has been praised for his works such as “The Black Cat,” “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and a host of other tales of horror and suspense. E.A. Perry was the alias of Edgar Allan Poe.

Sources:
1. Russell, J. Thomas. Edgar Allan Poe: The Army Years. West Point, New York: United States Military Academy, 1972.
2. National Archives Catalog. “Enlistment Papers for Edgar A. Perry [Poe].” Accessed September 9, 2020. catalog.archives.gov/id/300391.
3. National Archives Catalog. “Trial of Cadet E. A. Poe.” Accessed September 9, 2020. catalog.archives.gov/id/301660.

By Royal Alexander/Opinion

Two points worth considering about the filling of the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court as a result of the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: One, what does the Constitution say about nominating and confirming a Supreme Court Justice; And two, whether a nominee’s religious affiliation should disqualify them from consideration.

Firstly, Article 2, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution states, in pertinent part, as follows: “A President nominates and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint … judges of the Supreme Court.” A simple majority of the Senate is required to confirm or reject a nominee. The sound and fury we are hearing concerning the nomination and appointment of a justice during an election year is based upon the prerogative of a given president and the traditions of the U.S. Senate, but they are not constitutional requirements. A president may appoint, and the U.S. Senate may confirm or reject a nominee, any time there is a vacancy. The Senate’s constitutional duty has no exception for election years.

The rest of this is simply posturing and gamesmanship. Which means it’s politics. Both parties have been on both sides of this issue depending upon who was in power and who held the majority. I have no doubt that if the shoe were on the other foot and the Democrats held the White House and Senate they would also immediately push through their own nominee.

Justice Ginsburg was aware of the fragile nature of her health and could have decided to retire. In fact, she was asked to do so during the Obama years, providing President Obama the opportunity to appoint a younger, like-minded justice. She did not, perhaps thinking Hillary Clinton would win and the first female president would then appoint her replacement. Hillary lost. Faced with that, she simply held on attempting to outlast, she hoped, a one-term President Trump. She miscalculated.

Further, regarding an election year replacement of a justice, Justice Ginsburg, herself, said, in a 2016 interview regarding the nomination of Merrick Garland to the High Court: “Nothing in the Constitution prevents a president from nominating to fill a court seat. That’s their job. There’s nothing in the Constitution that says the president stops being president in his last year.”

Secondly, Article 6 of the Constitution makes clear that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” This includes as a “disqualification” to any office! This means we do not impose religious litmus tests upon individuals in order for them to be eligible to serve in public office.

That’s why it’s so highly offensive for Judge Amy Coney Barrett to be attacked, in an attempt to disqualify her, because she is a Catholic. That’s also why it was highly inappropriate and bigoted for U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein to say to Judge Barrett “the dogma lives loudly within you” during her confirmation hearing to the federal appeals court in 2017. This comment by Feinstein was made to imply that Judge Barrett could not be both a faithful Catholic Christian and also a fair and impartial judge. This is wrong, unconstitutional and remains an historic smear of a nominee.

Judge Barrett is a highly qualified, accomplished jurist (a Louisianan!) who is also the mother of 7, one, a special needs child, and two of whom were adopted from Haiti. The great farce here is that the Left, which reflexively demands that we “celebrate women,” refuses to do so regarding Judge Barrett.

Why? Because Judge Barrett would faithfully apply the Constitution and law as written—rather than usurping the role of the elected branches and imposing her own policy choices. She won’t serve as an activist, Leftist judge and that means not only should she not be praised but that she must be destroyed in the same ugly, vicious manner the Left inflicted on Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The hypocrisy here drips like the morning dew.

The dictates of the Constitution in this matter are clear. Hopefully, they will be followed.

The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Sabine Parish Journal. If you have an article or story of interest for publishing consideration by the SPJ, please send it to SPJManyLa@gmail.com.

The 2020 census will end Oct. 5, despite a federal judge’s ruling last week that the head count of every U.S. resident should continue through the end of October, according to a tweet posted on the Census Bureau’s website on Sept. 28.

The tweet said the ability for people to self-respond to the census questionnaire and the door-knocking phase when census takers go to homes that haven’t yet responded is ending Oct. 5.

The announcement came as a follow-up to U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh’s preliminary injunction, which suspended the Census Bureau’s deadline for ending the head count on Sept. 30, allowing for the ending of field operations on Oct. 31.

Koh said the shortened schedule ordered by President Donald Trump’s administration likely would produce inaccurate results that would last a decade. She sided with civil rights groups and local governments that had sued the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Commerce, which oversees the statistical agency, arguing that minorities and others in hard-to-count communities would be missed if the counting ends this month.

Attorneys for the federal government said they were appealing the decision. During hearings, federal government attorneys argued that the head count needed to end Sept. 30 in order to meet a Dec. 31 deadline for handing in figures used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets in a process known as apportionment.

SOURCE: Associated Press – Florida

BOM is honored to be the official partner of the Northwestern State University IGNiTE & LeADS Programs. NSU is offering a two-semester program for early and mid-career faculty and staff interested in broadening their understanding of their institution’s vision, mission, and goals and in developing their academic, professional, or administrative leadership skills to support those principles. In the photo from left to right: Dr. Kimberly McAlister, (Associate Professor, Curriculum & Instruction; Dean, Education and Human Development), Van Erikson (Director of Recruiting), Carrie Hough, and Micah Murchison.

SABINE:
Betty Ann James Winslow
November 2, 1949 – September 20, 2020
Service: Sunday, October 4 at 11 am at the home of Robbin Mitchell, located at 8048 Hwy 120 in Robeline

Edna Ozell Craig
February 16, 1933 – September 20, 2020
Service: Thursday, October 1 at 2 pm at Union Baptist Church

NATCHITOCHES:
Naive Michael Elhage
June 11, 1949 – September 27, 2020
Service: Wednesday, September 30 at 2 pm at Old Pisgah Baptist Church

Sherwood Lyles
June 24, 1941 – September 28, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Natalie Wilson
September 25, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Jessie Sawyer
September 24, 2020
Service: Saturday, October 3 at 11 am in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Vanilla Hardy
May 11, 1970 – September 23, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Laraja Brianne Nicholas
July 10, 1997 – September 23, 2020
Service: Wednesday, September 30 at 11 am at the Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church, located at 2654 Highway 1226 in Clarence

Willie Baldwin
September 23, 2020
Arrangements TBA

WINN:
Jerry Joseph Thomisee
February 15, 1942 – September 26, 2020
Service: Wednesday, September 30 at 2 pm in the chapel of Southern Funeral Home of Winnfield

Roy Ross Maggio, Sr.
June 15, 1946 – September 26, 2020
Service: Thursday, October 1 at 10 am at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church

Mamie Lucille Herring
June 16, 1928 – September 27, 2020
Service: Wednesday, September 30 at 11 am at First Baptist Church

RETIRED JUSTICE EDWARD JOSEPH BLEICH TO SERVE AS JUDGE PRO TEMPORE

New Orleans, LA – Today, the Louisiana Supreme Court announced that it has appointed retired Justice Edward Joseph Bleich as judge pro tempore of the Court of Appeal, Second Circuit, to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Second Circuit Court of Appeal Chief Judge Felicia Toney Williams, effective October 1, 2020. Retired Justice Bleich, who was unanimously approved by the Supreme Court, will serve October 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021 or until the vacancy is filled, whichever occurs sooner.

Chief Judge Felicia Toney Williams was the first African American to serve as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal, Second Circuit. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Southern University of Baton Rouge in 1977 and her juris doctor from Southern University School of Law in Baton Rouge, LA in 1980. Following graduation, she served as an attorney with the United States Department of Justice, after which she worked as an attorney at Central Louisiana Legal Services and a central staff law clerk at the Louisiana Supreme Court. She later worked as Madison Parish Assistant District Attorney, and as a Partner at Williams and Williams, APLC. She was elected as 6th Judicial District Court Judge, Division B in 1991 where she served until her election to the Court of Appeal, Second Circuit bench in 1993. In 1994 she served as Louisiana Supreme Court Associate Justice pro tempore.

“Chief Judge Williams exemplifies commitment to justice evidenced by her impeccable 30 year career in the judiciary,” said Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, “her service on the bench has provided a beacon for her successors and she will certainly be missed.” Associate Justice Scott J. Crichton commented, “It has been my experience to witness her dedication to the rule of law. She is to be commended for her years of service. We additionally express our thanks to retired Justice Bleich for his willingness to serve.”

Retired Justice Edward Joseph Bleich was elected to the 3rd Judicial District Court, Division B in 1985 and reelected without opposition in 1991. Pursuant to order of the Louisiana Supreme Court, retired Justice Bleich has previously served on the Second Circuit Court of Appeal in a pro tempore capacity on three previous occasions.

For more information contact Louisiana Supreme Court Public Information Specialist/Coordinator Trina S. Vincent at (504) 310-2590.

 

A federal grand jury returned indictments yesterday charging two former United States Postal Service employees, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced.

Shinice Jordan, 32, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been charged with one count of theft of mail matter and one count of delay or destruction of mail. According to the indictment, on July 23, 2019, Jordan, who worked as a Letter Carrier with the U.S. Postal Service, stole a Walmart gift card from a letter which had been entrusted to her to deliver. It is further alleged that on that same date, Jordan delayed the opening of the letter which was intended to be delivered by her as an employee of the U.S. Postal Service.

Sedarius Howard, 33, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been charged with one count of delay or destruction of mail. The indictment alleges that on March 16, 2020, while working as a Letter Carrier with the U.S. Postal Service, Howard destroyed or delayed delivery of mail that was his duty as an employee to deliver.

If convicted, both Jordan and Howard face up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

The United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moody is prosecuting the cases.

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

By Reba Phelps

Dreams have always had a way of reaching my soul and sometimes even confusing my soul. I know it must seem laughable, but I love the very notion of dreaming. The randomness and non-sense that accompanies each of them can leave me baffled, entertained or even concerned.

Shortly after my mother died I was flooded with so many emotions and I was not ready to let myself feel any of them. It was such an intense, deep pain and loneliness that I tried to keep tucked far away in the dusty corners of my mind. I would eventually let the grief run its course the way it is supposed to, but for a very long time I was a champion of pretending it wasn’t happening.

I could control my thoughts about her during the day but nighttime was a completely different scenario. I was actually afraid to dream about my own mother. It was unexplainable and I know it must sound strange but I actually prayed not to dream about her. The thought of her appearing alive in a dream scared me and I wanted no part of it.

Every night for almost three months I would go to bed a little anxious that this would be the night that I dreamed about her. As much as part of me longed to finally get past it I was leaving it in God’s hands to handle the when and how.

Nine years after my precious mother left this earth I can still recall the vivid details of when it finally happened.

The dream started with me asleep and the phone ringing loudly in the middle of the night jarring me to wake. When I clumsily answered the phone it was my mother. She sounded so cheerful and she asked how the kids were and wanted all the details of what she had missed so far. It was as if she was just away for a brief time and was catching up.

She inquired about how my siblings were doing and even asked about my work. Soon after the catching up was over she went on to tell me that she needed a favor from me. I was all ears and sitting on the edge of the bed wondering what kind of earthly favor I could perform for a heavenly body.

My mother asked me to purchase some streamers for her and some friends in heaven. I was so confused so I asked her why she needed streamers…was she hosting a party? She went on to explain that she needed them to hang from trees as decoration because they were having a huge celebration and there was going to be big crowd.

That, I totally understood. She was always such an amazing hostess so I knew she wanted the celebration to be perfect. I asked her if she was picky about the colors and she replied, “It doesn’t matter, just buy a lot.”

Just as she was hanging up the phone I stopped her and said, “Do I call you back once I have them or can you even receive phone calls there…and how do I get these to you?” There were so many questions to which she simply replied, “Just buy the streamers, you are asking too many questions”.

Soon after I purchased the streamers I woke up. The dream was so peaceful and so comforting. My dream showed me that she was happy where she was and I felt as though she was comforting me. The dream was also funny. The Lord knows I love humor and he really delivered in this dream.

I have dreamed about her numerous times since that night and there is one common theme to each and every dream.

She is very happy, healthy and seemed to have a new body. She is no longer wheelchair bound.

Sometimes my dreams can easily be chalked up to a variety of different conversations at work or with my children. But this dream was after many conversations with God. He heard my petitions which were mostly me begging…”please do not let me dream about my mother until I am ready and please don’t let it be weird.”

This dream also served as a reminder of what our days will be like when that time comes. There will be constant celebrating with our brothers and sisters in Christ and we will have new bodies.

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” – Philippians 3:20-21

NATCHITOCHES:
Jessie Sawyer
September 24, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Vanilla Hardy
May 11, 1970 – September 23, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Laraja Brianne Nicholas
July 10, 1997 – September 23, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Willie Baldwin
September 23, 2020
Arrangements TBA

SABINE:
Patricia Ardison
September 13, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 26 at 11 am in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Mavis Hopkins Braud
August 3, 1924 – September 21, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 26 at 11 am at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many

Luther Knippers Jr.
July 12, 1932 – September 23, 2020
Service: Friday, September 25 at 10 am at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel

Gladys Robinson Austin
July 04, 1930 – September 23, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 26 at 11 am at the Zion Hill Baptist Church

**Inmate In Custody**
Sheriff Aaron Mitchell reports that earlier this morning Brandon James Corley was taken into custody without incident in the Florien area by Sabine Parish Deputies. Corley escaped from the Detention Center on Friday, September 4th. Corley was arrested and booked on a warrant for Simple Escape and Simple Criminal Damage to Property. Margie M. Fitch was also arrested for Accessory after the Fact.

NSU– After months of uncertainty, the Northwestern State football team found some clarity in the form of a unique schedule.

The Demons will play six games against Southland Conference foes in the spring of 2021 as announced by the league Tuesday. Northwestern State will play three games at home and three on the road in the first spring schedule in program history.

“It’s different, as we all know, to be talking about our schedule at this time of the year,” said head coach Brad Laird, whose third season at the helm of his alma mater will kick off in February. “(Southland Conference) Commissioner Tom Burnett and our Athletic Director Greg Burke did a great job putting together a schedule. You have seven teams who are eager to compete for the Southland Conference championship.”

NSU’s one-of-a-kind schedule kicks off Feb. 20 at Lamar and runs through an April 10 matchup at Incarnate Word. In between, the Demons play three of four games at home, beginning with a March 6 matchup against Nicholls.

In addition to that game, Northwestern State hosts McNeese (March 20) and Sam Houston State (April 1).

“Right off the bat, we have an away game at Lamar against a team with a new head football coach,” Laird said. “Then you end it with another away game, at Incarnate Word, which was a playoff team a couple of years ago. Sandwiched in the middle are three home games at Turpin Stadium, and we talk about how there’s nothing like Turpin Stadium on a Saturday night.”

In addition to the unconventional timing of the season, the six-game Southland slate will be played in a nine-week window.

Two of the Demons’ three open weeks come ahead of home games and the third is set for the week before the NCAA FCS playoffs begin.

“One open date comes before Nicholls, one comes before Sam Houston and the other comes before the start of the playoffs,” Laird said. “They fall at pretty good times. It’s a crapshoot once you put the schedule compared to the fall, but there are opportunities during those open weeks to get refreshed and get guys back healthy because we play some great football teams coming off those open weeks.”

The uniqueness of playing in the spring does not stop there as the Southland’s football calendar has been inverted.

NSU will have 15 fall practices, spread out across a 34-day period, similar to what it has in a typical spring workout period.

“As we look at those six games, our goal is to be 1-0 every week,” Laird said. “This fall, as legislation has passed that will allow us to have 15 fall-ball practices, gives us a chance to be able to go out and put the pads on and continue to get better.”

For NSU fans who purchased season tickets for the 2020 season, those tickets remain valid. Those season-ticket holders also will be rewarded with VIP parking for the three spring home games.

New ticket packages for the three-game spring season are on sale now, and it is expected that COVID-19 guidelines with regards to seating capacity and social distancing will still be in place in the spring.

For ticket information, contact the NSU Athletics Ticket Office at 318-357-4268 or log onto www.NSUTickets.com.

2021 Northwestern State Spring Football Schedule

Feb. 20 – Lamar Beaumont, Texas
March 6 – Nicholls Turpin Stadium
March 13 – Southeastern Louisiana Hammond
March 20 – McNeese Turpin Stadium
April 1 – Sam Houston State Turpin Stadium
April 10 – Incarnate Word San Antonio, Texas

Photo Credit: Brad Laird (center) and Northwestern State open the spring football season Feb. 20 at Lamar. Credit: Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services

By Brad Dison

From the moment he came into the world, people were drawn to Skippy. The youngster was put up for adoption immediately after he was born. Whether Skippy was the name his biological parents had given him or just a nickname remains a mystery. Information on his parentage was either sealed or lost. One day, Henry East met two-week-old Skippy by chance. He and his wife, Gale, were not looking to adopt but there was something special about Skippy. The other youngsters of similar age paid no attention to Henry, but all of Skippy’s attention was on Henry. Within a short time, all of the paperwork was arranged. Henry and his wife adopted Skippy.

Luck was on Skippy’s side. The Easts had Hollywood connections. Henry East worked in the special effects department of MGM, and Gale East was a veteran actress. With proper training, Skippy was sure to eventually work in the film industry. Skippy got his first film role in the 1932 film entitled “The Half-Naked Truth.” Reviews for the young actor were positive, which led to a steady stream of small film roles.

His breakthrough role came in the 1934 film “The Thin Man,” a comedy whodunit featuring personable alcoholic crime-solvers Nick and Nora Charles, played by William Powell and Myrna Loy. Skippy almost lost his big break “by a hair.” Henry had submitted a photo of Skippy to his boss at MGM for a small part in the upcoming film. As a personal favor, his boss agreed to give Skippy a screen test. On the day Henry got the call from MGM, Skippy’s barber was just finishing cutting his hair at the East’s home. The Easts had planned to leave their home as soon as the barber finished. Henry learned later that had they missed the call, MGM would have offered the small role to another young actor.

Skippy’s screen test went better than anyone, especially the director, had expected. Skippy got the part and filming soon began. Skippy was athletic, a natural comedian with boundless energy, and his rough and wiry hair stood out on the silver screen. Even during scenes in which he was just supposed to be a fixture in the background, he was so charismatic and charming on screen that the audience’s attention was drawn away from the lead characters and onto him. Skippy quickly earned a reputation as a scene stealer. Actors and actresses usually saw scene stealers as a threat, but not William Powell or Myrna Loy. Powell was so captivated by the young actor that he tried to adopt Skippy from Henry and Gale East. Stranger things have happened in Hollywood.

Although Skippy was not a veteran actor, he took his cues like a true professional and did most of his scenes in a single take. It was usually the other actors and actresses who flubbed their lines or missed their cues that required multiple takes. Most directors cringed at the thought of working with children or pets, but no one complained about working with Skippy. Even though he was not cast in the starring roles, he got his own dressing room and earned a large salary.

In 1937, Skippy reprised his role in “Another Thin Man,” to much success. Newspaper columnist Harriet Parsons of the San Francisco Examiner opined that Skippy “darn near stole the picture from Loy and Powell.” Skippy’s part, which studio executives originally feared they had miscast, “won the hearts of millions of fans.” When fans saw Skippy in public, they no longer referred to him by his real name but by his most popular onscreen name. Skippy soon became typecast, which most actors and actresses desperately try to avoid. But not Skippy. Like Bela Lugosi following his portrayal of Count Dracula in the 1931 classic “Dracula” (Lugosi so loved the character that he was buried dressed as Dracula), Skippy relished his connection to the character.

Skippy worked with some of the top-billed actors of the 1930s and 1940s, and charmed them all. He appeared in a total of 22 films before he retired from acting. During that time, he shared the screen with such notables as Mary Astor, Bette Davis, Spencer Tracy, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Stewart, Olivia de Havilland, Ian Hunter, Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Edward G. Robinson, Barbara O’Neil, and a host of others.

Following the successful 1944 film entitled “The Thin Man Goes Home,” Skippy retired from acting. Little is known about his life after 1944. Even his death remains a mystery. When he died, there were no accolades in newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. No obituary appeared in newspapers and no death certificate exists for the actor whose film career began when he was just one year old. There was no conspiracy to hide the details of his death. You see, Skippy was not human. Skippy was a dog, more particularly a Wire Fox Terrier. His most famous roles were as Asta in the Thin Man film series.

Sources:
1. The San Francisco Examiner, January 3, 1937, p.22.
2. Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), March 9, 2019, p.E10.
3. American Kennel Club. “Wire Fox Terrier.” Accessed September 17, 2020. akc.org/dog-breeds/wire-fox-terrier/.
4. Internet Movie DataBase. “Asta.” Accessed September 17, 2020. imdb.com/name/nm1208817/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t15.

BOM is proud to be the Official Bank of NSU! We presented NSU with our 2020-2021 Scoreboard Sponsorship check.

Pictured from left are Mike Jacklich, NSU Assistant AD for Ticket Operations and Special Events, Haley Taitano Ed.D., NSU Deputy Athletic Director & Senior Woman Administrator, Blaise LaCour, BOM Marketing Assistant, and Micah Murchison, BOM Marketing Assistant.

By Royal Alexander/Opinion

The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it. – George Orwell

We are living in a strange time when our country’s elite seek to create, rather than discern, the truth they want.

We are viewing the equivalent of a distorting mirror in a carnival or fair. We’re not allowed to say what we are truly seeing because it doesn’t fit the national media political narrative that our form of government is oppressive and that we are a nation of irredeemable racists.

We’re not supposed to remember that people are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt or that fear of a mob shouldn’t determine who is prosecuted and who isn’t, or who is thrown out of college or fired from their job. It’s grotesque to have hundreds of people outside of a courtroom demanding that someone be found guilty. What if they’re not? (This is why courts require evidence of a crime, not perceptions, opinions, or grievances).

We aren’t allowed to point out that the crime, violence, vandalism, and destruction we see occurring nightly in American cities is illegal and should be punished, and that these are not “peaceful protests.” We aren’t allowed to say that all black lives matter—not just the fraction of black lives taken by white police officers—but also the hundreds of thousands of black babies aborted every year as well as the thousands of black lives tragically lost as a result of black-on-black crime in American inner cities every year.

We aren’t supposed to notice that the months-long rioting, looting and destruction has only occurred in states and cities headed by Leftist governors and mayors. We also aren’t allowed to point out that the virus mandates are arbitrary at best; or, that we find it transparently stupid and indefensible that people are allowed to march in massive protest rallies but not to attend church or the funeral of a loved one.

Or, to remember that the original goal was to “flatten the curve” not commandeer our lives and wreck the economy. Or, that the damage we have done to our national economy during the shutdown is likely worse than the virus itself. If we suggest anything like this we are attacked as being anti-science and wanting people to die.

We’re not supposed to say that the most critical problem destroying many American inner cities is crime—armed robbery, murder, gang violence, drug dealing and drive-by shootings—because the national media political narrative is that the police are the problem and somehow if we defund them everything will be better. Or, that what is really needed in crime-filled inner cities is not less law enforcement but more.

Or that our form of American free-market capitalism is the greatest economic system ever created and has lifted millions out of poverty, inspiring millions more worldwide who urgently seek to come here for the great freedoms, hope and promise of a better life. And that maybe we shouldn’t create in America the very socialism these people are desperately fleeing!

Don’t state that Communism, and Socialism, its precursor, is a cold, dark, atheistic ideology that denies people basic human rights and views the individual as nothing more than a cog in the wheel of an all-powerful government; or that historians estimate roughly 100 million were killed under communist rule in the 20th century; or that the anarchy and chaos of Antifa and the Marxist tactics and public embrace of Marxist ideology of Black Lives Matter (“if this country doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system”) is not the way to advance freedom and justice or make democratic change because they guarantee the opposite will occur.

We are not allowed to agree that while America is, indeed, an ethnic and cultural melting pot, the large majority of those who immigrated to America did so legally, and we shouldn’t be forced to subsidize the healthcare, welfare, education and Covid-relief of those in the country illegally.

Particularly now, we have an obligation to speak the truth about what we are seeing, and we must do so in order to preserve the America we love.

The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Sabine Parish Journal. If you have an article or story of interest for publishing consideration by the SPJ, please send it to SPJManyLa@gmail.com.

NATCHITOCHES:
Patricia Ardison
September 13, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 26 at 11 am in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

SABINE:
Magda Lea McCormick
February 20, 1929 – September 20, 2020
Service: Thursday, September 24 at 10 am at the First Baptist Church of Many

Herman Sepulvado
February 14, 1931 – September 20, 2020
Service: Wednesday, September 23 at 2:30 pm at Ramah Cemetery in Ashland

WINN:
Franklin DeLeon Howell
December 27, 1974 – September 16, 2020
Service: Wednesday, September 23 at 10 am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Winnfield

RED RIVER:
Nora Elizabeth McEachern
December 01, 1955 – September 20, 2020
Service: Wednesday, September 23 at 10 am at Minden City Cemetery

Lonnie “Nubby” Eli Giddings, Jr.
December 28, 1958 – September 21, 2020
Service: Wednesday, September 23 at 10 am at Zion Baptist Church

STEPHEN WESTON WHITE
1983-2020

Stephen Weston White, a son of Sabine Parish who was a loyal mentor, leader, competitor, and humble servant of God and humanity, left this world on Sept. 14, in Natchitoches, LA.

Born on Dec. 29, 1983 in Shreveport, LA, Weston was the son of Billy and Sandra White of Many. He was baptized at the First Pentecostal Church in Many. Even as a child, he was fearless and full of life. He attended church camp in Tioga annually, fished the Sabine River, and mastered the use of every tool or gadget he acquired. His earliest confidantes were his brothers, Willie and Waylon, who shared his love for adventure, whether it be building, sports, bicycle riding, or innocent mischief. He was even considered a sandwich connoisseur by his wide circle of friends.

Weston attended Many Elementary, Many Junior High, and Many Senior High. He graduated in 2002 as a decorated athlete, earning varsity football honors as defense captain, honorable mention all-state defense player, and two-year first team all-district linebacker. He earned the bachelor of science degree in business administration from Northwestern State University in 2007, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, serving the chapter as vice president and then president in 2006. While in high school and college he held several part-time jobs that taught him the value of earning his education.

Following graduation, Weston joined his brother, Willie, in the oilfield industry, starting with lower-level jobs and advancing to a consultant for EP Energy Corporation where he was responsible for entire drilling operations. During his career he set and held numerous records in the Eagleford and Permian Basin.

Weston, affectionately known as his mother’s “Precious,” leaves behind his parents; his brothers William, and his wife, Melissa; and Waylon, and his wife, April, both of Natchitoches; and his niece, Presley, and nephews Caleb, Caden, and Steele. His aunts and uncles, Charlotte Coburn, Jimmy White, Jimmy and Yvonne Marr and Cousin’s DJ & Rebecca Baker, Tina Leone, Caitlin Pine, Brandon Leone also survive him.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Billy and Betty White, his maternal grandparents, F.W. and Mildred Marr, his uncle, the Rev. Brooks Coburn; his aunt, Nelwyn Remedies; and his cousin, Jonathan Coburn.

A celebration of Weston’s life will be held on Friday, September 18, at 2 p.m., at New Life Evangelism Center in Natchitoches. His family will receive visitors from 11 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Interment will follow at Fort Jesup Cemetery, under the direction of Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home of Natchitoches.

Pallbearers will be Jared Dunahoe, Dustin Hayes, Adam Chamberlin, Adam Founds, Derek Motley, Blake Byles, Blake Isgitt, Brad Goodman and Max Tannehill. Honorary Pallbearers will be Jared Hewitt, Michael St. Germain, Daniel Courville, Clayton Thompson, Waylon Malmay and the Theta-Mu Chapter of Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

“Many men have worn the Star and Crescent, but the loss of even one diminishes us all. We, however, are better men for Weston’s example. He was a Brother in heart among us. We are grateful for Weston’s strength, his compassion, and his inspiration.”
—Taken from the Memorial Ceremony of Passing, Kappa Sigma Fraternity

By Royal Alexander/Opinion

Tuesday, September 11, 2001. When friends and family have asked me over the years to recount for them that day and week (I was stranded in our nation’s capital because no commercial airlines were allowed to fly after 9-11) I spent in DC, I still struggle to fully describe what I saw and felt that day. It was unlike any other day of my life and I’m certain I’ll always feel that way.

On 9/11, I was in Washington, D.C. with the late Clyde C. Holloway, former U.S. Congressman and Louisiana Public Service Commissioner. We were there to try to build support from members of Congress we knew, and raise funds, for our campaign for Congress. The day began uneventfully. We spent the night at a hotel in Crystal City, Virginia which was only a few hundred yards from the Pentagon. That day we woke, had coffee and Mr. Holloway left for the first meeting of the day while I stayed behind.

Sometime in the next 10-15 minutes or so, I heard a roar. The sound startled me. I walked out to the parking lot of the hotel and looked across the way and saw black smoke billowing from a corner of the Pentagon. Shortly thereafter, there was an exodus of terrified-looking people from the Pentagon into Crystal City. After this panic, D.C. was locked down. (D.C. was so eerily still, so dead, that I have imagined we would have to go back to our nation’s founders and their horse-drawn carriages to find a time the City was so silent and unmoving). All I saw was black military helicopters circling in different places over the City and fighter planes circling high above. There were black suburbans with black-clad men holding serious looking weaponry out of the windows.

I was numb; unnerved and disconcerted. I struggled to comprehend what had happened so near me and across America that day. I had also been stressed and nerve-wracked to know that my older brother, Tom, who worked for U.S. Senator Jon Kyl at the time, worked in the Senate Hart Office Building and, had the Capitol sustained a direct hit as I think was the plan, he would have been in danger.

As the day wore on and the sun began to set I was able to walk some distance closer to the Pentagon. The gaping hole in the building burned brightly and would for days. When night came, and as the emotion of the day weighed heavily on me–and the stench and the smell of the foul night air bombarded my senses and burned my eyes–I was reminded of images from Dante’s Inferno.

9/11 is indelibly imprinted in my memory both because of the evil that is reflected in such an act–and the over 3000 American lives tragically lost–and because of the powerful sense of patriotism and unity that can exist in our great country when we stand together. On this day, and on Veterans Day and Memorial Day, I say a simple prayer in gratitude for those who have suffered and died on our behalf–and remind myself to strive to be worthy of their sacrifice. I include in my prayer the hope that we may find a way—without a tragedy—to be as united as we were then.

The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Sabine Parish Journal. If you have an article or story of interest for publishing consideration by the SPJ, please send it to SPJManyLa@gmail.com.

BATON ROUGE- State Fire Marshal H. “Butch” Browning and Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain have lifted the cease and desist order for all private burning, pursuant to authority under R.S. 40:1602, for the following parishes: Allen, Beauregard, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, Jackson, Jeff Davis, LaSalle, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, Union, Vernon and Winn.

The cease and desist order remains in place for Calcasieu and Cameron parishes. Private burning shall only be allowed by permission of the local fire department or local government. This revised order is effective as of 8 a.m., September 15, 2020 and shall remain in effect until rescinded.

This ban shall not apply to prescribed burns by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, by those trained and certified by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, or by those who conduct prescribed burning as a “generally accepted agriculture practice” as defined by the Louisiana Right to Farm Law

(R.S. 3:3601 et seq.).

Violation of this Fire Marshal order could result in criminal and/or civil penalties.

Jess Jobe sprinted around Turpin Stadium on a warm afternoon in early March, encouraging student-athletes who were in the infancy of spring camp.

Wife and co-head coach Anna Jobe gave birth to the couple’s first child, Sterling, the day before.

The coaching duo planned extensively how to build on a young team that rallied to tie NSU’s program record with 13 wins while raising a newborn.

Within a week, the coronavirus pandemic shut down sports across the nation.

Soccer camp paused. Recruiting trips halted. Classes moved online as students scattered back to their hometowns.

And the Jobes were able to experience each of Sterling’s milestones together instead of in shifts.

“Obviously things didn’t go as planned with the pandemic,” said Jess Jobe, who is entering his third season in Natchitoches with Anna. “We wanted to get Sterling on a schedule that would free up Anna for practices, and we would lean on some individuals in the community for help.

“We have a section of our press box that could be made into a makeshift nursery. But the really special part of this experience for us has been being able to spend a lot more time with him because of the pandemic. It took a lot of things way out of order and disrupted our daily lives and the focus we had with our team, but we got to really see him grow and develop. We got to know him and got our feet underneath us as parents. We were allowed to get into a rhythm. It’s been a really special time for us as a family.”

“Flexible.” It’s the word the Jobes use most often when describing how one navigates entering parenthood for the first time during a pandemic with tremendous uncertainty around athletics.

“It’s been a whirlwind, planning for the unexpected and not knowing what’s going to happen,” said Anna Jobe, who corralled a squirming Sterling as he reached for her lapel microphone and her hair. “But we’ve tried to be flexible and roll with the punches – we’ve been committed to doing that and the players have been great with it.

“Initially, we wanted to get Sterling on a routine and get settled in as new parents. Both sets of our family were committed to come and help, and the Natchitoches community as well as our First Baptist Natchitoches family has been awesome. To be able to see Sterling develop so rapidly together has been really special for us, and we’ve tried to soak up every moment.”

NSU teammates have soaked up moments with the family’s new addition in gatherings at the couple’s house on the banks of Cane River Lake.

Socially distanced and wearing masks, players have watched Sterling but haven’t been able to hold him yet.

“This team has been so excited and supportive since we told them we were pregnant,” Anna Jobe said. “They’ve seen us go through every step, and now that he’s here, they’re anxious to hold him and be sisters of sorts.

“Their enthusiasm has been brought more enthusiasm to Jess and I. Having a child hasn’t changed us as coaches, but it’s reiterated the things we feel are important in our program. It’s brought hands and feet and a face to the things we do because it’s made the things we try to instill in our players way more personal. We get to start from the ground up in molding a human soul, and these girls have prepared me to be a parent.”

Watching a child’s development is similar to watching a team’s growth, explained Jess Jobe.

The 2019 Lady Demons went from barely crawling to sprinting toward a Southland Conference title in a matter of weeks.

Packed with 23 freshmen and sophomores, NSU exploded after an 0-5 start to finish 13-8-1 and second in league play (8-2-1).

The Lady Demons knocked off eventual champion Lamar and roared through the league tournament to the championship game before falling to the Cardinals, 3-1.

“We had a rough start, but we never stopped believing,” said Jess Jobe, who was named Louisiana co-head coaches of the year with Anna by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association after they guided the second-youngest team in the nation to the league title game. “It’s a tribute to the coaching staff that kept pushing to find solutions and combinations and a tribute to the players who kept believing that can we play meaningful games at the end of our season despite the 0-5 start.

“We grinded out the first win at Jackson State, and it wasn’t pretty or great. But we grabbed every little bit of momentum and kept running with it.”

The Lady Demons flashed their defensive capability, holding conference opponents to eight goals in 11 regular season games before pitching a pair of shutouts in the SLC Tournament to reach the title game.

The defense featured SLC Defensive Player of the Year Nicole Henry, Nicole’s twin sister and SLC first teamer Natalie Henry and third-teamer Hallie Field among others.

The Henrys are just juniors entering this season with Field as a sophomore, all in front of goalkeeper Acelya Aydogmus who will start her second season at NSU after transferring from Troy.

“Defense is the foundation of everything we do,” said Anna Jobe, who helped lead NSU to its fifth SLC Tournament title game but first since 2005. “Our offense comes from that structure, and the girls continue to buy into that.

“Our leaders on the team talk about that and developing an even stronger defense has been a point of focus this fall. It’s exciting to see these girls take an incredible experience from last year and continue to lead this team while educating the new ones coming in.”

Soccer will look different with a scheduled spring regular season.

But the coaching staff has stressed a regular-season intensity in fall practices, which will crank back up after Labor Day.

“The table is set for our 2020 season, which has been moved to 2021,” Jess Jobe said. “In some regard, we had an excuse last year of being young with not much postseason experience, but coming into this year, we’ve drawn from our experience.

“We talk to our players about assessing their role and working to increase that role within the team through hard work. But what was special about last year’s team is that everybody bought in to the point that, when it came time to perform their role in that moment, they did what was asked of them. We’re excited about what’s to come.”

And as the Lady Demons pursue a conference title, a young Sterling will be in the stands or on the sidelines, rolling around and grabbing for the nearest object he can find.

Jess Jobe sprinted around Turpin Stadium on a warm afternoon in early March, encouraging student-athletes who were in the infancy of spring camp.

Wife and co-head coach Anna Jobe gave birth to the couple’s first child, Sterling, the day before.

The coaching duo planned extensively how to build on a young team that rallied to tie NSU’s program record with 13 wins while raising a newborn.

Within a week, the coronavirus pandemic shut down sports across the nation.

Soccer camp paused. Recruiting trips halted. Classes moved online as students scattered back to their hometowns.

And the Jobes were able to experience each of Sterling’s milestones together instead of in shifts.

“Obviously things didn’t go as planned with the pandemic,” said Jess Jobe, who is entering his third season in Natchitoches with Anna. “We wanted to get Sterling on a schedule that would free up Anna for practices, and we would lean on some individuals in the community for help.

“We have a section of our press box that could be made into a makeshift nursery. But the really special part of this experience for us has been being able to spend a lot more time with him because of the pandemic. It took a lot of things way out of order and disrupted our daily lives and the focus we had with our team, but we got to really see him grow and develop. We got to know him and got our feet underneath us as parents. We were allowed to get into a rhythm. It’s been a really special time for us as a family.”

“Flexible.” It’s the word the Jobes use most often when describing how one navigates entering parenthood for the first time during a pandemic with tremendous uncertainty around athletics.

“It’s been a whirlwind, planning for the unexpected and not knowing what’s going to happen,” said Anna Jobe, who corralled a squirming Sterling as he reached for her lapel microphone and her hair. “But we’ve tried to be flexible and roll with the punches – we’ve been committed to doing that and the players have been great with it.

“Initially, we wanted to get Sterling on a routine and get settled in as new parents. Both sets of our family were committed to come and help, and the Natchitoches community as well as our First Baptist Natchitoches family has been awesome. To be able to see Sterling develop so rapidly together has been really special for us, and we’ve tried to soak up every moment.”

NSU teammates have soaked up moments with the family’s new addition in gatherings at the couple’s house on the banks of Cane River Lake.

Socially distanced and wearing masks, players have watched Sterling but haven’t been able to hold him yet.

“This team has been so excited and supportive since we told them we were pregnant,” Anna Jobe said. “They’ve seen us go through every step, and now that he’s here, they’re anxious to hold him and be sisters of sorts.

“Their enthusiasm has been brought more enthusiasm to Jess and I. Having a child hasn’t changed us as coaches, but it’s reiterated the things we feel are important in our program. It’s brought hands and feet and a face to the things we do because it’s made the things we try to instill in our players way more personal. We get to start from the ground up in molding a human soul, and these girls have prepared me to be a parent.”

Watching a child’s development is similar to watching a team’s growth, explained Jess Jobe.

The 2019 Lady Demons went from barely crawling to sprinting toward a Southland Conference title in a matter of weeks.

Packed with 23 freshmen and sophomores, NSU exploded after an 0-5 start to finish 13-8-1 and second in league play (8-2-1).

The Lady Demons knocked off eventual champion Lamar and roared through the league tournament to the championship game before falling to the Cardinals, 3-1.

“We had a rough start, but we never stopped believing,” said Jess Jobe, who was named Louisiana co-head coaches of the year with Anna by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association after they guided the second-youngest team in the nation to the league title game. “It’s a tribute to the coaching staff that kept pushing to find solutions and combinations and a tribute to the players who kept believing that can we play meaningful games at the end of our season despite the 0-5 start.

“We grinded out the first win at Jackson State, and it wasn’t pretty or great. But we grabbed every little bit of momentum and kept running with it.”

The Lady Demons flashed their defensive capability, holding conference opponents to eight goals in 11 regular season games before pitching a pair of shutouts in the SLC Tournament to reach the title game.

The defense featured SLC Defensive Player of the Year Nicole Henry, Nicole’s twin sister and SLC first teamer Natalie Henry and third-teamer Hallie Field among others.

The Henrys are just juniors entering this season with Field as a sophomore, all in front of goalkeeper Acelya Aydogmus who will start her second season at NSU after transferring from Troy.

“Defense is the foundation of everything we do,” said Anna Jobe, who helped lead NSU to its fifth SLC Tournament title game but first since 2005. “Our offense comes from that structure, and the girls continue to buy into that.

“Our leaders on the team talk about that and developing an even stronger defense has been a point of focus this fall. It’s exciting to see these girls take an incredible experience from last year and continue to lead this team while educating the new ones coming in.”

Soccer will look different with a scheduled spring regular season.

But the coaching staff has stressed a regular-season intensity in fall practices, which will crank back up after Labor Day.

“The table is set for our 2020 season, which has been moved to 2021,” Jess Jobe said. “In some regard, we had an excuse last year of being young with not much postseason experience, but coming into this year, we’ve drawn from our experience.

“We talk to our players about assessing their role and working to increase that role within the team through hard work. But what was special about last year’s team is that everybody bought in to the point that, when it came time to perform their role in that moment, they did what was asked of them. We’re excited about what’s to come.”

And as the Lady Demons pursue a conference title, a young Sterling will be in the stands or on the sidelines, rolling around and grabbing for the nearest object he can find.