The TOWN OF MANY, SABINE PARISH  announces that an application for the FY 2021/2022 Louisiana Community Development Block Grant (LCDBG) funds will be submitted for the following:

Activity:    LCBDG funds will be used to: 

1. rehabilitate two (2) sets of restrooms at Fairgrounds Park in Many, LA. 
2. Construct a new park with playground, picnic pavilion, restrooms, walking track, and parking lot that includes marked Handicapped spaces.

Objective: To provide adequate outdoor services for low-moderate income residents of the Town of Many, Sabine Parish.

Locations: 1) The target area consists of 2 SETS of restrooms near ball fields at Fairgrounds Park, 115 Fairgrounds Road, Many, Sabine Parish, LA 

2)The target area consists of a new park with playground, picnic pavilion, 

restrooms, equipment shed, walking track, and parking lot that includes marked Handicapped spaces at 240 Highland Drive, Many, Sabine Parish, LA.

AMOUNTS: 

1) Reconstruct 2 sets of restrooms at $ 37,500 each for   $ 75,000 subtotal.

2) Build a new park 

Playground equipment $30,000

Picnic Pavilion (Covered) 40,000

Restrooms/Equipment Shed 50,000

Walking track, parking lot (asphalt)     30,000     $150,000 subtotal

TOTAL COST OF 2 PROJECTS        $ 225,000

All citizens, particularly persons of low and moderate income and residents of blighted areas, are encouraged to submit their views and proposals by January 1, 2022, to the Mayor of Many, Robert H. Hable, Jr., 965 San Antonio Avenue, Many, LA 71449; 318-256-4019. 

The application is to be submitted to the Division of Administration, Office of Community Development on or about January 7, 2022. A copy of the application will be available for review at the Town of Many City Hall, 965 San Antonio Ave., Many, LA. Between the hours of 8 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Thursday, December 27-30, 2021 and January 3-6, 2022.

MANY, La – Jordan Spears was arrested after being wanted for domestic abuse and other charges in the Zwolle area. He was located at a local convenience store in Many with a machete and approximately 5.7 grams of suspected methamphetamine. 

Check out this week’s basketball scores and power rankings!

Monday December 20

GIRLS

Stanley 36 (10-6)
Ebarb 28 (7-12)

Converse 69 (6-12)
Lakeside 18 (1-8)

Negreet 47 (11-9)
Rosepine 43 (12-5)

St. Mary’s 51 (2-6)
Many 33 (6-5)

BOYS

Stanley 60 (7-12)
Ebarb 57 (5-14)

Converse 53 (8-7)
Lakeside 45 (0-10)

Rosepine 80 (6-6)
Negreet 54 (6-13)

Many 67 (4-1)
St. Mary’s 53 (3-4)

Pleasant Hill 68 (16-6)
Haynesville 33 (0-8)

Tuesday December 21

GIRLS

Florien 49 (22-2)
Ebarb 28 (7-13)

BOYS

Florien 59 (11-11)
Ebarb 54 (5-15)

Tuesday December 28

GIRLS

Pleasant Hill 56 (7-11)
North Webster 16 (2-6)

Pickering 61 (6-9)
Converse 54 (6-13)

Anacoco 41 (12-7)
Many 26 (6-6)

BOYS

Pleasant Hill 52 (17-6)
North Webster 49 (4-9)

The COVID-19 drive thru testing at the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center’s Walk in Clinic is completely FREE to the public and a much faster avenue to getting tested than the hospital’s Emergency Room. Please help hospital staff keep the ER for true emergencies.

COVID Drive Thru Testing | Mondays & Thursdays | NRMC Walk in Clinic | 1:00pm-5:00pm | 740 Keyser Avenue | No Appointment Necessary!

Louisiana has very limited number of pills available at independent pharmacies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Pfizer’s Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets) – the first oral treatment for COVID-19.

The pill can be used to treat mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease in adults and pediatric patients who are 12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms (about 88 pounds) who test positive for COVID and are at high risk of hospitalization or death.

Paxlovid is available by prescription only and should be initiated as soon as possible after testing positive for COVID and within 5 days of symptom onset.

Prescribers should be aware of the potential for significant drug interactions and contraindications for use with certain drugs. In addition, Paxlovid is not recommended in patients with severe kidney or severe liver impairment. In patients with moderate renal impairment, a reduced Paxlovid dose is needed.

Louisiana has received a very limited number of Paxlovid regimens. These pills have been allocated to a small number of independent pharmacies across the state. If you feel you may be a good candidate for the treatment, contact your provider or medical professional.

Proportion of Omicron cases is 88.5%

December 29, 2021

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) estimates the proportion of Omicron cases in our state is 88.5% for the week ending December 25.*

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates the proportion of Omicron in HHS Region 6 (which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas) is 86.7%. Furthermore, 95% of parishes are at the 2 highest levels of community transmission.

*NOTE: LDH’s estimate for the Omicron proportion is preliminary and subject to change as more sequencing data are reported.

LDH Guidance:
COVID-19 cases, emergency department visits and hospitalizations are sharply increasing throughout Louisiana. These alarming increases are attributable to the Omicron variant, which spreads faster than other variants and is now the dominant strain in our state.

Individuals not fully vaccinated account for 64% of new cases from December 16 through December 22. Furthermore, those not fully vaccinated account for 79% of COVID-19 hospitalizations on December 28.

LDH recommends getting vaccinated and boosted, masking indoors as well as outside when distancing is not possible, and limiting your exposure to those not in your household.

To learn about vaccination sites near you, call Louisiana’s vaccine hotline at 855-453-0774.

PHOTO: CDC

By Doug Ireland, Journal Services

Boom! Bam! Doink! Woosh!

No other way to start a piece about John Madden.

Once a Super Bowl champion football coach, Madden became a cultural icon after leaving the sidelines in 1978 and moving upstairs to the TV announcing booth. His everyman personality, candor and unabashed joy doing anything he did captivated us. Above all else, he was authentic, a man of the people, unpretentious.

His football commentary entertained and educated unlike any announcer in any sport ever had. It quickly made him a hot commodity for advertisers. His series of commercials for Miller Lite and Ace Hardware, among others, expanded his audience outside the sports world. If he liked something, we wanted it. Heck, he introduced turducken to the rest of the country after a Thanksgiving Day game in New Orleans.

That likeability brought him into the living rooms and mindsets of America. As his profile grew, a third dimension of his public life exploded: Madden NFL, the football video game launched in 1988 that provides gamers 8 to 85 with a realistic portrayal of pro football action offering actual playbooks, stunningly accurate player depictions, and commentary in the style of an NFL TV announcing crew. The founder of EA Sports came up with the idea in 1984 and pitched it to Madden, who wouldn’t lend his name to the project until it was strikingly accurate enough.

If you haven’t played Madden, your neighbor has. It’s one of the top 10 selling video games ever. Sales of well over $4 billion. More than half the guys playing in the NFL not only grew up playing Madden, but they continue to.

So much so that when a Philadelphia player walked into a hotel suite where Coach Madden was holding court in the runup to a game at San Francisco, he asked, “Where’s Madden?” Somebody said, “right over there.” The player responded, “no, the video game.”

When he passed away unexpectedly Tuesday at 85, a scant three days after an epic Fox Sports 90-minute special on him that aired Christmas Day, reaction rippled around the country far outside NFL territory.

The cascade of admiration for Madden is not about what he had done as much as who he was. That childlike wonderment, shared with all, about what he was seeing and doing. That ceaseless appreciation of the opportunities he encountered. Most of all, his eagerness to engage people from every walk of life, from the woman serving him Skyline Chili over the counter in Cincinnati (he’d walk out with a couple stains on his shirt), to the drivers at the truck stop in the middle of the night somewhere in Arizona, to the kids flipping Frisbees at the rest stop along I-20 in Mississippi, and everyone, anyone associated with the game he loved: football.

That’s why we’re hearing and reading tributes from the biggest names in and around the NFL, the Peyton Mannings and Sean Paytons and such, as well as those production assistants, those assistant coaches, those free agent signees, and everyone in between. And you, and me.

Two-time Super Bowl champion linebacker Gary Reasons, a Northwestern State graduate, was one of Madden’s favorites while playing for the powerhouse New York Giants. Wednesday, his wife Terri recalled the time in the late ‘80s when Madden invited their son Nic onto his “Madden Cruiser” tour bus, which he used to travel the country to avoid claustrophobia on airplanes. John and preschooler Nic shared a Coke on the bus, in the parking lot at Giants Stadium.

Nobody could tell who was having more fun.

In my lifetime, I can’t remember there being such division among the American people. Whether it’s a moral or political point of view, we just can’t seem to come to common ground. Likewise, three years ago there was a split in the professional bass fishing ranks. Bass Anglers Sportsman’s Society known as B.A.S.S. and its members (professional anglers) had a parting of ways due to differences of opinion on several topics. The powers that be at B.A.S.S. have done things a certain way since the beginning of time and were not willing to compromise on many of these topics. I’ll now give you my perspective as to what happened and what gave birth to an organization now known as MLF or Major League Fishing.

Pretty much all sports have people that think they know a better way to do things. Professional athletes just might have the biggest egos on the planet. Professional bass fishermen are no different, as egos abound, and many think they are the next greatest angler to ever grace the front deck of a boat. Not all professional anglers have one of these super egos, but there are many that do and some of these guys have their own idea as to how an organization should be run. Basically, what happened three years ago is that tour anglers got together (semi-unionized) and decided to approach B.A.S.S. with their ideas on what changes they would like to see made to accommodate the pro’s better.

Over the years, B.A.S.S. has set the schedule and determined when and where the anglers would fish. They set the rules and regulations for all B.A.S.S. events. Professional anglers wanted a bigger say, especially when it came to the scheduled dates. B.A.S.S. over the years has never taken into consideration special dates like Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, or any other holidays. They said when and where the events were set and expected all anglers to be there no matter what. It was not negotiable! Anglers also wanted more input in some of the rules and how they were applied… like the “no information” rule which is where anglers can’t seek, barter, or retrieve information about a body of water during the dead water period. This has been a controversial topic for years with all professional bass fishing circuits.

So, after the anglers met with B.A.S.S. officials, it was determined that the officials were not willing to give the anglers a say on scheduling events, nor were they receptive to any other suggestions the anglers had. Therefore, 80 anglers decided to venture out and start their own tournament organization where they had a say as to how things were done. They would determine the schedule, set the dates, and make the rules for what they thought would work better. This is what we know today as MLF or Major League Fishing. This idea had actually been in the works for two or three years prior to 80 anglers leaving B.A.S.S. to be a part of the MLF Pro Tour. Now this was a blow for B.A.S.S., but in truth has not really phased B.A.S.S. at all. They are, and have been, the leader in tournament bass fishing since its inception back in the late 1960’s. B.A.S.S. is also home to the greatest tournament in the world….The Bassmaster Classic! This is the biggest tournament in the world and it is all anglers dream to win this event. Professional football players have the Super Bowl, baseball has the World Series and bass fishing has the Bassmaster Classic.

So, for the last three years MLF has waged their own war in the bass fishing world and appears to be fairly strong at this time, but there have been a few signs that things may not be as kosher as MLF wants us to think. Each of the last three years, highly popular anglers have left MLF only to return to B.A.S.S. These have included top name pros like Brandon Palaniuk, Gerald Swindle, Jacob Powroznik, Mike Iaconelli, Jason Christie, John Cox, Justin Adkins and Louisiana’s Greg Hackney…guys who have made a name for themselves and are considered some of the best anglers in the world. If this exodus continues, MLF may not survive. They can’t continue to lose top name anglers to B.A.S.S.

In actuality, professional bass fishing needs this organization to be successful. There too many anglers trying to make a living professionally and having only one organization to accommodate them is just not enough. Major League Fishing is also something new and different when it comes to their format of catching as many bass as you can in a day, rather than just your best 5, which has been the standard for all tournament trails since the 1990’s. MLF requires a little different mindset versus going out and catching 5 big ones. Furthermore, it makes for great TV coverage when every fish counts. This is what MLF promised the anglers who left B.A.S.S., more TV exposure not only for themselves, but their sponsors as well.

The jury is still out on MLF, but hopefully they will continue to enhance and attract more anglers who are looking to fish this style of event. While B.A.S.S continues to be the standard that all anglers hope to reach, MLF for now will have to try and keep as many top name pros as they can if they want to survive. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!

Steve Graf  

Today, Dec. 29, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued the following statement on Pres. Joseph R. Biden’s appointment of Louisiana State Rep. Ted James as Regional Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator for Region 6, which includes Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Gov. Edwards said:

“Congratulations to my friend Ted James, who has been a fierce advocate for the people of Louisiana during his years of service as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He has been a leader on many issues, especially criminal justice reform. He has been a strong partner, and he has challenged me at times. Ted is never afraid to speak up for what is right and work hard for those he represents, and that is why he is an excellent choice for this position. I will miss having him as a confidant in the State Capitol, but President Biden picked an experienced and accomplished Louisiana leader when he selected Ted for this job.”

SABINE:
Forrest O’Neil Rothwell
August 20, 1976 – December 29, 2021
Service: Friday, December 31 at 1 pm at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel

James E. Neugent
August 9, 1949 – December 30, 2021
Service: Sunday, January 2 at 11 am at Lambert Town Cemetery

NATCHITOCHES:
Lester H. Lee, Sr.
October 11, 1943 – December 28, 2021
Service: Monday, January 3 at 2 pm at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

WINN:
Harvey Phillip Cheek, Sr.
April 1, 1933 – December 28, 2021
Service: Thursday, December 30 at 12 pm at Welcome Home Cemetery

Jessie Nell Grigg
October 16, 1930 – December 3, 2021
Service: Saturday, January 8 at 2 pm at the First Baptist Church of Winnfield

RED RIVER:
Holly Norred Opperman
June 25, 1971 – December 28, 2021
Service: Friday, December 31 at 10 am at Mt. Zion Cemetery

A great football game is played by the team, but a great football game experience to remember is created by the bands, spirit groups, and fans that make the stadium loud and proud on a Friday night. The Many High School Band puts in the work daily to make every game, home and away, a truly amazing experience for the fans while hyping up the team to help them achieve their win.

This season was one for the books for Many High School as they plowed through win after win to get to the dome. Each game was accompanied by the heart and soul of the Many High School Tigers, the boys and girls of the Many Tiger Band.

The Sabine Parish Journal is honored to have the chance to shine a spotlight on another aspect of the Friday Night Lights we all know and love. We had the chance to interview each and every member of the band to show the soul behind the season.

Every interview has been sponsored by the parents, families, friends, and fans of the Many Tiger Band along with the generous local businesses in Sabine Parish!

We are proud to introduce you to the 2021 Tiger Band (Round 3!)

Trent Springer – Saxophone

“Try it. Take the opportunity and seize it”

-T. Springer

Trent is a five year veteran of the Tiger Band currently in his junior year of high school. He loves that band has given him the opportunity to play music with other people and create lifelong friendships. Trent believes that band has taught him to work well with others while giving him the memories he will carry with him long after high school. His favorite memory with the band was their trip to dallas! 

1. What do you love about band?

“That I have the opportunity to play music with other people”

2. What does being in the band mean to you?

“To have fun with others”

3. Do you think your time in the band has helped you develop teamwork skills? How?

“Yes it has taught me to work well with others”

4. What is your favorite band memory?

“When we went to Dallas”

5. What do you love about the other members of the band as a whole? What do you love about the band director?

“I love that I became friends with the other members of the band and that our director is someone I can talk to”

6. What is the biggest thing being in band has taught you?

“That people do better as a team”

7. What is your advice to any younger kids who are scared to try being in the band?

“Try it. Take the opportunity and seize it”

8. What is your favorite quote about music or inspirational quote?

“This will be your finest hour” -Churchhill

Kadyn Dees – Tuba

“The band has taught me how to be a leader and how to take control”

-K. Dees

Kadyn is a Junior at Many High School currently in his sixth year on the Tiger Band. As a veteran Tuba player Kadyn has learned the importance of practice, persistence, and patience in all areas learning his instrument. As a junior, Kadyn often has the opportunity to help the underclassmen learn their new skills and he. believes this has helped him in turn by showing him how to be patient when teaching new learners. Kadyn loves the memories he has created with his friends on the band and says that his favorite memories came from his two best friends getting to be in band with him! 

1. What do you love about band?

“All of the major events like football games, concerts, marching contests, etc.”

2. What does being in the band mean to you?

“Having everyone means we’re a little family. Band means coming together and making music or getting better all together”

3. Do you think your time in the band has helped you develop teamwork skills? How?

“Band has definitely helped my teamwork skills. Helping each other and especially with the younger ones. You help and learn patience with trying to help the new learners”

4. What is your favorite band memory?

“Me and two other friends were all in band, and everyday was a memory with those two. Everyday was a smile and laughter”

5. What do you love about the other members of the band as a whole? What do you love about the band director?

“The other members are just great to be around, but know when to be serious and it’s great. And the band director is so patient and is more of someone you can talk to rather than just a teacher”

6. What is the biggest thing being in band has taught you?

“Being a leader and taking control”

7. What is your advice to any younger kids who are scared to try being in the band?

“Give everyone and everything time and you’ll love it”

8. What is your favorite quote about music or inspirational quote?

“I’ll show you how great I am”

Glenn Rainey

“I love that the band members always work together. Mr. Debose has helped us learn so much and keeps pushing us to always be better.”

-G. Rainey

Glenn is an eighth grader at Many Junior High and is currently in his second year of band. Though he is still relatively new to the Tiger Band, he is no stranger to the hard work and commitment that it takes to be a full time Tiger! He loves that the band is like a family and that he can make memories throughout his junior high and high school career. Glenn looks up to the other members of the band, but most of all he looks to their incredible director for guidance as he pushes them to constantly strive for the excellence they are capable of. 

1. What do you love about band?

“Traveling”

2. What does being in the band mean to you?

“The feeling of family”

3. Do you think your time in band has helped you develop teamwork skills? How?

“Yes, we have to work together to be able to make the music good.”

4. What is your favorite band memory?

“Going to the state championship game last year.”

5. What do you love about the other members of the band as a whole? What do you love about the band director?

“The band members working together. Mr. Debose has helped us learn so much and keeps pushing us to always be better.”

6. What is the biggest thing being in band has taught you?

“Focus is important”

7. What is your advice to any younger kids who are scared to try being in the band?

“That it is a fun experience and you will gain a lot of good memories.”

8. What is your favorite quote about music or inspirational quote?

“Music changes the world”

Connor Lewing – Percussion

“I love that the members of the band are nice and Mr. DeBose is a good teacher”

-C. Lewing

Connor is dedicated fifth year member of the Tiger Band currently in his sophomore year of high school. He has worked hard to perfect his craft, and has appreciated the help both from his director, as well as from his fellow band members along the way. Connor says that being in the band has helped him to improve his social interactions and has taught him how to work with others well. He loves all the memories he’s made, but going to the dome twice definitely stands out in his mind! 

1. What do you love about band?

“The people”

2. What does being in the band mean to you?

“Playing Music”

3. Do you think your time in the band has helped you develop teamwork skills? How?

“Yes, I get along with people better now because of the teamwork I’ve learned in band”

4. What is your favorite band memory?

“My favorite memory is when we went to the dome”

5. What do you love about the other members of the band as a whole? What do you love about the band director?

“The members of the band are nice and Mr. DeBose is a good teacher”

6. What is the biggest thing being in band has taught you?

“Being in band taught me how to play music and how to do it well”

7. What is your advice to any younger kids who are scared to try being in the band?

“Do not be scared! It’s a lot of fun”

8. What is your favorite quote about music or inspirational quote?

“The show must go on!”

Emily Hammontree – Color Guard

“Being in the band gives me the opportunity to be apart of something great. To have lasting friendships and make memories.”

-E. Hammontree

Emily is a first year member of the Tiger Band serving as part of the color guard line. As a seventh grader at Many Junior High, Emily has learned at a young age the importance of hard work, determination, and responsibility. She believes these skills will help her in every area of her life, not just the band. Emily’s favorite part of being in the band is the incredibly rewarding feeling she gets when she is able to learn new music and perfect a new piece. 

MANY, La – Early Tuesday morning, Officer J. Rainer, of the Many Police Department, was able to return 2 missing bicycles to a father and son. Mrs. Milligan found the bicycles chained together in her yard on Dillion St. Officer Rainer retrieved the bicycles and brought them back to their rightful owners. Chief Wooley stated, “We would like to give a big shout out to [Officer Rainer] for being so vigilant and making someone’s day today.”

Rene LeBreton

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has received a large volume of calls regarding the future of their lifetime licenses in the wake of the legislative session.

Act 356-HB 691, recently signed by Gov. John Bel Edwards, does not eliminate all lifetime licenses from the agency. Rather, it consolidates lifetime licenses into three types:

Resident (including youth 17 and under) – $500
Resident Lifetime Senior (65 and older) – $100
Non-Resident Lifetime – $4,000

The new lifetime licenses will streamline and consolidate the old lifetime license structure and will include recreational hunting, fishing, and gear privileges.

These new licenses will go on sale June 1, 2022.

The current individual lifetime licenses (e.g. Resident Lifetime Fishing Only [$300] and Resident Lifetime Hunting Only [$300]) that are available through the current license structure will no longer be offered after May 31, 2022.

All current lifetime license holders will keep their existing privileges and they will not be converted into one of the new licenses.

To help explain the new license structures for hunters, anglers and our commercial fishermen, LDWF has created a webpage with several handouts and facts at:
https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/understanding-our-license-fee-changes.

(318) 352-2358

As we wrap 2021, which will go down in history as no one’s favorite year ever, especially if you who won the lottery but couldn’t collect it because you didn’t wear a mask to the presentation of the Big Fake Check and therefore were executed on site, probably by being beaten to death with the Big Fake Check, we must stress this:

Everything is going to be OK. Eventually. (I think? I’m pretty sure. Maybe … )

But — and the “but” is important here because the longer you live, the more you realize there is always a “but” (literally) or a “butt” (figuratively) that can mess things up. For everybody.

And by “mess things up,” I mean turn the world upside down. When grownups get involved — especially grownups with egos the size of any hemisphere you wish to choose — it is never a good thing.

Never never ever.

The hair-pulling-out frustration of the past two years has been that the people who have titles and are supposed to be “in charge” of such things and advising us — WE are paying them, for goodness’ sake — keep contradicting themselves with their scientific instructions, then them blaming US for not following orders.

I don’t mind “following the science” if they can tell me what the actual science is. I just don’t want to follow THEM. If science could speak for itself, then we’d be getting somewhere.

But it can’t, so we are stuck with the usual suspects, regular people in high places — remember, they are regular, make-mistakes people — who keep changing their minds. I realize we live in the most fluid situation ever; it would just be nice if once in a while, these Important People who act they Know Everything would be less dramatic in their relaying of information and would, now and then, say something like, “Uh, I was wrong.” We’d even settle for, “I could possibly be wrong.”

Or if they would laugh once in a while … either at themselves or at this sometimes-happy, sometimes-heartbreaking situation. At least then we could tell whether or not they’re robots.

Wouldn’t that be refreshing?

All that to say I am glad Dr. Seuss passed away in 1991 at the rich old age of 87 and is not around to see this. He was a man of few words because he wrote for children. The Cat in the Hat, which I have read at least 2,457 times, and I still have my original, colored-in copy to prove it; GREAT book — is 1,626 words long. (That’s roughly two Teddy columns.) It uses just 236 different words, and the two longest words are only two syllables.

Like me, it is almost 65 years old, having been published in March of 1957. (I am only three or four syllables/years behind.) Unlike me, it is still a source of rich joy. 

But Dr. Seuss could not have explained the past two years with just 236 words. Though he was a working man’s genius, he’d have needed to invent a whole other alphabet to sum up 2021, which, to quote an old Christmastime favorite, Is Beginning to Look a Lot Like 2020.

His final book was published by Random House in 1990. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! repeats his constant theme of encouragement to young people (and their parents?), a message to inspire and find the success that lies within. Dr. Seuss was always trying.

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself

Any direction you choose.

You’re on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

Except not so much in these pandemic times, which are now endemic times, which the higher-ups are having trouble admitting. Sigh … Been a tough time for everyone. But as we’ve nervous-laughed our way through it, together, though brow-beaten most every day, here we are on the brink of a New Year.

So far, so good. Pretty shaky!, but so far, so good.

And no matter what the smarty pants people too proud to check their egos at the door say, Dr. Seuss was right:

You’re off to great places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So … get on your way!

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

By Wesley Harris

As we face many unknowns regarding the current situation with coronavirus, or COVID-19, our current medical technologies have advanced far beyond what our ancestors had available in mid-19th century Louisiana.

The angst experienced in Louisiana during Reconstruction after the Civil War was not limited to physical violence and political turmoil. Outlaws and assassins rampaged across the state, and the carpetbag government was under constant assault by local citizens, north Louisiana was also imperiled by several deadly epidemics.

America is fortunate to avoid most of the deadly epidemics that still afflict much of the world. Modern medical techniques, including vaccinations, have all but eliminated the most frightening diseases that once terrorized the country. But 150 years ago, the spread of fatal illnesses instilled panic in a community like nothing else. Three contagious diseases struck the north Louisiana in 1873, the same year hundreds were slaughtered in the infamous Colfax Massacre. While smallpox, cholera, and yellow fever rarely worry Americans today, they frequently ravaged communities in the 19th century.

SMALLPOX

Smallpox struck northwest Louisiana early in 1873. The epidemic occurred in pockets throughout Louisiana as it was spread by infected carriers traveling between communities. One household a few miles from Arcadia experienced seven cases with two resulting in death. A nearby family suffered five cases with one death. In the Brushy Valley community southwest of Arcadia, five others were afflicted with two victims dying.

In Mansfield, an official named John Wiggins died of smallpox. Wiggins had returned from New Orleans where he apparently contracted smallpox while caring for his brother who died from the disease. When Wiggins became ill, he and his family were taken to a house about a half mile outside Mansfield where he died.

Despite Wiggins’s standing in the community, no one was willing to touch his body to bury it properly. Such was the terror created by smallpox that his friends deserted him in his death. His family left the death scene and he lay unmolested for three days. A large sum was offered to entice someone to bury him, and after much difficulty, two men agreed to take the job. He was buried near the house where he died, and the building burned down.

Eventually the outbreak subsided, as all epidemics do, only to be followed by another dreaded disease.

CHOLERA

In May and June, an epidemic of cholera replaced smallpox as the scourge of the summer. While the bacteria that causes cholera was discovered in 1854, most people would not learn for decades that it spread through contaminated water and food. While it is no longer a significant problem in the U.S., underdeveloped countries with poor water sanitation still battle the disease.

At first, 1873’s outbreak was mild and sporadic, although it ranged from New Orleans to Monroe to the northwest Louisiana hills. As summer progressed, however, the number of cases and their severity increased. Over the course of ten days, about ten persons, young and old, died on a single plantation in Concordia Parish from the dreadful disease.

By mid-July, Monroe had experienced 85 cholera deaths. A Monroe newspaper lamented that the summer had been “the sickliest known for ten years” but seemed relieved that cases were reported throughout the state and “there is no special local cause to which the sickness can be attributed.” From May 1 to July 15, 25 adult males and 20 adult females died in Monroe, but the disease hit children the worst with 40 deaths. Black victims outnumbered white ones 65 to 20. The number affected statewide is unknown.

YELLOW FEVER

A virus carried by mosquitoes, yellow fever still kills 30,000 worldwide each year, mostly in Africa. Many yellow fever epidemics struck America from the 17th to 19th Centuries, including the 1873 scourge that killed one-quarter of Shreveport’s population.

The first indication of an illness began on Aug. 20, 1873, when the Shreveport Times reported three men had died three days earlier, one dropping dead in the street. A host of incorrect causes were blamed as people speculated, including congestive fever, bilious fever, diarrhea, malaria, and other diseases. No one even suspected the mosquito as the mode of transmission for the deadly virus.

Since yellow fever had struck Shreveport twice before 1873, the population knew its dangers. As much as a third of the populace may have fled before quarantines were enforced. In her book, “The American Plague,” author Molly Caldwell Crosby describes yellow fever as “the most dreaded disease in North America for two hundred years. It did not kill in numbers like cholera or smallpox, and it was not contagious; yet it created a panic and fear few other diseases, ancient or contemporary, can elicit.”

The outbreak, killing as many as 33 people a day at its peak, caused a quarantine of the city and an almost total cessation of business and social life in the region. Federal troops attempting to enforce Reconstruction pulled out. People rushed to leave Shreveport by any means possible. Those who fled early toward Dallas by train were lucky because word spread as rapidly as the disease. Texas cities soon established quarantines against Shreveport. A train was stopped at the Dallas city limits by armed citizens who told the engineer he would be shot if he continued. Cities on the Red River south of Shreveport refused to permit boats to dock.

Although yellow fever was known to be extremely virulent and fast spreading, doctors and nurses and others from towns as far away as New Orleans courageously volunteered to help Shreveport fight the epidemic. Many died.

Lieutenant Eugene Woodruff of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was working on the Red River supervising clearance of a logjam when yellow fever struck Shreveport. The dense logjam formed a formidable obstruction to river navigation. Woodruff left his workboats and crew on the Red River to visit Shreveport to recruit a survey party. When he arrived, Woodruff learned of the yellow fever epidemic. Fearing that he might carry the disease back to his men if he returned to camp, Woodruff elected to remain in Shreveport and tend to the sick.

Volunteering his services to a Louisiana disaster relief charity, Woodruff traveled house to house in his carriage, delivering food, medicine, and good cheer to the sick and dying. He contracted yellow fever himself and died in Shreveport on September 30.

Woodruff’s commanding officer wrote, “He died because he was too brave to abandon his post even in the face of fearful pestilence, and too humane to let his fellow beings perish without give all the aid in his power to save them.”

Five Catholic priests died nursing the sick, including one from Monroe and one from Natchitoches. Two nuns from St. Vincents Academy who volunteered to minister to the sick also died. These servants have been memorialized in wall portraits and stained glass windows of the Holy Trinity Church at the corner of Fannin and Marshall Streets in downtown Shreveport.

A quarter of Shreveport’s population that remained died of the disease. The cases numbered close to 3,000 with about 1,000 deaths. Many families were wiped out completely. Most of the dead were relatively young and healthy. The epidemic led to the establishment of a board of health in Shreveport and completion of a charity hospital. Nearly 800 of the victims are buried in “Yellow Fever Mound” in Shreveport’s Oakland Cemetery.

While America’s health issues still exist, they present themselves in different forms, sometimes related to lifestyle and bad habits. Substantial strides in medicine and sanitation have largely defeated the insidious communicable diseases that once claimed unsuspecting victims. While no one in 1873 knew yellow fever was carried by mosquitoes, today we know enough about the coronavirus to take life-saving precautions.

45-year-old A.R. “Pat” Patterson was a successful businessman from Fairfax, Virginia. In his spare time, he and Findall Marbury, a naval architect and friend, designed a small motorboat. As the design process neared completion, they hatched a plan. They wanted to build the boat and take it on a 1,000-mile trip from Washington D.C. to Jacksonville, Florida. For two weeks, they shaped ¼ inch boards and glued them to a light wooden frame. They used a special glue to seal the boards together to prevent leaks. They installed a lightweight awning to protect them from the sun’s rays. When the boat was finished, it was 15 feet in length, and weighed 150 pounds. Pat, alone, weighed 160 pounds. They mounted a used 10-horsepower outboard motor to the boat and made arrangements for the 1,000-mile maiden voyage. Pat’s total investment in the boat was about $35. Just before they were to begin their trip, Marbury was transferred away from the Washington D.C. area. Pat’s 10-year-old son, Tommy, begged to take Marbury’s place, but Pat decided to make the trip alone.

On Wednesday, June 22, 1960, Pat loaded the boat with a pump, some extra glue and cotton wadding, a folding chair, and began his journey. He set off near the Francis Scott Key Bridge on the Potomac River in Washington D.C. at full speed. Pat’s route would take him down the Potomac River, through Chesapeake Bay, and through various inland waterways which allowed him to stay in sight of land most of the way. He expected the trip to take about three weeks.

On Thursday, June 30, eight days after he began his trip, Pat reached Hampton, Virginia. The trip was taking longer than he had expected. On several occasions, Pat’s boat struck objects in the water and sprung leaks. “I started out full speed and with not too much caution,” Pat said, “but when I hit a stake in the Chesapeake Bay—well, I was careful from then on. The hull split like an innertube.” Pat patched the leaks with glue and wadding, sometimes without ever taking the boat to shore, and continued on his journey. He usually spent about 12 hours on the water before making port. At one port, a reporter asked him how he dealt with the loneliness. Pat responded that he was too busy to become lonely.

Pat’s closest call on his journey did not come from leaks or fear of sinking, but from something he had not anticipated. Pat reached Fernandina Beach, Florida, just a few miles from his journey’s end at Jacksonville, and pulled his boat out of the water. He left his 10-horsepower “kicker” on the boat. Just a few feet away was another boat in the water. Some convicts had escaped and made their way to Fernandina Beach in search of a boat to steal. They looked at Pat’s beached boat and motor and looked at the one in the water. They quickly decided to take the one in the water to save time. They paddled away and left Pat’s boat on the beach.

On Thursday, August 11, 1960, Pat finally made it to Jacksonville, Florida. The trip he thought would take him three weeks took him 50 days. Part of the time was spent fixing leaks. Much of his time on shore dealt with newspaper reporters and curiosity seekers. When Pat beached the boat in Jacksonville, a reporter asked him if he was planning to return in the boat. Pat replied that he planned to return home after a few rrest, but not by boat. He made it clear that he had no plans for another boat trip anytime soon.

Pat became somewhat of a celebrity because of his journey. On February 15, 1961, Pat was a guest on I’ve Got a Secret. In this show’s format, guests shared a secret with the show’s host Gary Moore. A four-person panel had a limited time to ask the guests questions to try to uncover their secret. What was Pat’s secret? The ¼ inch boards used in the construction of his boat were waterproof …cardboard. Pat made the trip in his cardboard boat as part of a promotion for his company to prove that the cardboard boxes his company produced were truly waterproof.

Sources:
1. The Times and Democrat (Orangeburg, South Carolina) June 23, 1960, p.10.
2. The Times Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia), June 23, 1960, p.8.
3. The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia), June 23, 1960, p.8.
4. Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia) July 1, 1960, p.3.
5. The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Florida), August 12, 1960, p.3.
6. The Pensacola News (Pensacola, Florida) August 12, 1960, p.2.
7. “I’ve Got a Secret,” Airdate February 15, 1961.

Vaccines and boosters remain critical to staying safe against Omicron.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shortened the recommended isolation and quarantine periods for the general public.

The CDC says individuals with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 can leave home after isolating for five days if they have no symptoms or their symptoms are resolving. They should also wear a well-fitting mask for an additional five days to minimize the risk of infecting others. Individuals who have a fever should stay home until the fever resolves.

Individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 and who have been boosted, completed the primary series of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines within the last six months, or completed the primary series of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last two months should: wear a well-fitted mask around others for 10 days and take a COVID-19 test on day 5 or immediately if symptoms develop.

Individuals who are unvaccinated, completed the primary series of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines more than six months ago, or completed the primary series of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine over two months ago should quarantine by staying home for 5 days; take a COVID-19 test on day 5 or immediately if symptoms develop; and wear a well-fitting mask for an additional 5 days after quarantine.

LDH is currently reviewing newly released guidance to determine how it will apply across various settings. Quarantine and isolation are critical in staying safe and protecting others against Omicron.

COVID-19 cases, emergency department visits and hospitalizations are sharply increasing throughout Louisiana. These alarming increases are attributable to the Omicron variant, which spreads faster than other variants and is now the dominant strain in our state. LDH recommends getting vaccinated and boosted, masking indoors as well as outside when distancing is not possible, and limiting your exposure to those not in your household.

To learn about vaccination sites near you, call Louisiana’s vaccine hotline at 855-453-0774.

SABINE:
Margaret N. Adams
August 7, 1930 – December 27, 2021
Service: Wednesday, December 29 at 11 am at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church

NATCHITOCHES:
Cynthia Gail Bynog
February 13, 1955 – December 27, 2021
Service: Wednesday, December 29 at 10 am at Pine Grove Cemetery near Hagewood

WINN:
Mary Ruth Jones WIlliams
May 28, 1946 – December 27, 2021
Service: Thursday, December 30 at 2 pm in the Southern Funeral Home Chapel

Terry Allen Chandler
September 20, 1949 – December 26, 2021
Service: Wednesday, December 29 at 11 am at Hurricane Creek Baptist Church

RED RIVER:
Brenda Louise Bonnette
December 30, 1956 – December 24, 2021
Service: Thursday December 30 at Bethany Cemetery

A great football game is played by the team, but a great football game experience to remember is created by the bands, spirit groups, and fans that make the stadium loud and proud on a Friday night. The Many High School Band puts in the work daily to make every game, home and away, a truly amazing experience for the fans while hyping up the team to help them achieve their win. 

This season was one for the books for Many High School as they plowed through win after win to get to the dome. Each game was accompanied by the heart and soul of the Many High School Tigers, the boys and girls of the Many Tiger Band. 

The Sabine Parish Journal is honored to have the chance to shine a spotlight on another aspect of the Friday Night Lights we all know and love. We had the chance to interview each and every member of the band to show the soul behind the season. 

Every interview has been sponsored by the parents, families, friends, and fans of the Many Tiger Band along with the generous local businesses in Sabine Parish! 

We are proud to introduce you to the 2021 Tiger Band (Round 2!)

Allison Simmons – Trumpet

“I love the thrill I get playing at games and the friendships”

-A. Simmons

Allison is a sophomore on the Tiger Band with a love for all things music. As a trumpet player dedicated to her craft, she recognizes the importance of the hard work that goes into each performance. Allison believes that her time in band has taught her how to create a balance in the perfect musical performance.   

1. What do you love about band? 

“I love the thrill I get playing at games and the friendships”

2. What does being in the band mean to you?

“Being in the band means means hard work to get the thrill of a great performance”

3. Do you think your time in the band has helped you develop teamwork skills? How?

“Yes because you have to work together to have the balance to have a great performance”

4. What is your favorite band memory?

“My first time performing halftime at a game my freshman year”

5. What do you love about the other members of the band as a whole? What do you love about the band director?

“I love the determination of the other members and Mr. Debose to make band a great experience”

6. What is the biggest thing being in band has taught you?

“Hard work and determination will always pay off”

7. What is your advice to any younger kids who are scared to try being in the band?

“Be prepared for the hardwork”

8. What is your favorite quote about music or inspirational quote?

“When words fail, music speaks”

Nolan Johnson – Saxophone

“You never know until you try”

-N. Johnson

Nolan is a sophomore member of the Many Tiger Band with a passion for music and a love for trying new things. He is grateful for the opportunity to learn to the instrument he loves and believes that the band has taught him invaluable skills in leadership as well as the ability to read music. For those younger than him with a fear of trying, Nolan wants to encourage them to just give it a shot! He says, “You never know until you try!”

1. What do you love about band? 

“Being able to learn how to read music”

2. What does being in the band mean to you?

“It means I can learn music if I wanted to”

3. Do you think your time in the band has helped you develop teamwork skills? How?

“Yes, working together in sections has helped me develop leadership skills”

4. What is your favorite band memory?

“My favorite band memory is going to Dallas with the band”

5. What do you love about the other members of the band as a whole? What do you love about the band director?

“The other band members are determined and hard working. I love that Mr. Debose made the fiddler show good”

6. What is the biggest thing being in band has taught you?

“How to read music”

7. What is your advice to any younger kids who are scared to try being in the band?

“You never know until you try”

8. What is your favorite quote about music or inspirational quote?

“Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?”

Maddox Lapp – Trumpet

“Being in band means I’ll always have a solid foundation”

-M. Lapp

Maddox has dedicated five years to the Tiger Band and is currently a sophomore trumpeter. He sees the band as a foundation to the skills he will need later in life. He loves when the pieces of a performance come together from the hard work of all the members of the band. Maddox has loved his time in the band getting to play the instrument he loves! 

1. What do you love about band? 

“I like getting to play an instrument I enjoy”

2. What does being in the band mean to you?

“It means I’ll always have a solid foundation”

3. Do you think your time in the band has helped you develop teamwork skills? How?

“Yes. In order for a performance to work, all members have to do their part and work together”

4. What is your favorite band memory?

“When we played at the state championship at NSU”

5. What do you love about the other members of the band as a whole? What do you love about the band director?

“I like how hard working everyone is and the shows Mr. Debose writes for us”

6. What is the biggest thing being in band has taught you?

“How to march and play trumpet”

7. What is your advice to any younger kids who are scared to try being in the band?

“Just do it, see if you like it”

8. What is your favorite quote about music or inspirational quote?

“We all make choices, but in the end…our choices make us”

Michelle Remedies – Drum Captain

“I love that everyone in band gets the opportunity to learn an instrument and that we get another family”

-M. Remedies

Michelle is a senior four year veteran of the Many Tiger Band. She has worked hard and earned her way to Drum Captain. Michelle has fond memories with the band from games and tournaments, and she sees her fellow band members as a second family. She looks to her band director for inspiration when needed and appreciates that he encourages all questions no matter how menial they may see to the person asking. Michelle has loved being part of something bigger than herself and sees the band as having taught her invaluable skills, especially as a section leader.  

1. What do you love about band? 

“I love that everyone in band gets the opportunity to learn an instrument and that we get another family”

2. What does being in the band mean to you?

“It means getting to play something that means everything to me”

3. Do you think your time in the band has helped you develop teamwork skills? How?

“Yes, I have learned incredible leadership skills by being a section leader”

4. What is your favorite band memory?

“My favorite memory is when I became drum captain and heard my name announced for the first time”

5. What do you love about the other members of the band as a whole? What do you love about the band director?

“I love that even when we argue or disagree, we’re still a family”

6. What is the biggest thing being in band has taught you?

“Being in band taught me that even if you have no experience with music, that can change immediately”

7. What is your advice to any younger kids who are scared to try being in the band?

“Do not be scared! It is one of the best things you can do for yourself.”

8. What is your favorite quote about music or inspirational quote?

“There is no such thing as a dumb question!” -J. DeBose”

Carly Ebarb – Color Guard

“Focus on where you want to go, not your fear”

-C. Ebarb

Carly is currently in her first year as part of the Many Tiger Band. She is a seventh grader and is looking forward to all the years of band to come. She believes that being part of the band gives her the opportunity to practice persistence and patience to achieve the goals she has set for herself. Carly loves that being part of the color guard has taught her to communicate better as it is such an integral part of each performance. She has created lasting friendships in the band and wouldn’t trade it for anything!  

1. What do you love about band? 

“Friday night football games and/or any performance”

2. What does being in the band mean to you?

“Being in band means that I have an opportunity to practice persistence and patience”

3. Do you think your time in the band has helped you develop teamwork skills? How?

“Yes, it has helped me develop teamwork skills, especially being in color guard. We use communication and offer each other support”

4. What is your favorite band memory?

“When Kadyn wore a skirt during an after school practice.”

5. What do you love about the other members of the band as a whole? What do you love about the band director?

“I love how everyone is like a family and how Mr. Debose has consistent communication and sets aside enough time in after school practices to work on tone quality”

6. What is the biggest thing being in band has taught you?

“Practice makes perfect”

7. What is your advice to any younger kids who are scared to try being in the band?

“Focus on where you want to go, not your fear”

8. What is your favorite quote about music or inspirational quote?

“Music is life itself – Louis Armstrong”

BOM renewed their sign sponsorship of the Many High School softball team. BOM’s Tiffany Miller is shown presenting the sponsorship check to the softball team. Good luck this season Lady Tigers! 

BOM was a sponsor of the Town of Zwolle Christmas Festival. Pictured left to right: BOM’s Tonya Hall, Ashley Garcie (Town Clerk), and BOM’s Ashley Parrie.