Man turns himself in after taking reels from Toledo Town & Tackle

Update:

Sabine Parish Sheriff Aaron Mitchell reports Noel Richard Casper turned himself in to Sabine Parish Sheriff Detectives on May 22. Casper returned the two Lew’s reels to detectives that he took from the store. Casper’s bond was preset at $1094.50 and he bonded that afternoon.

Original Post:

Sabine Parish Sheriff Detectives are requesting your help in reference to a theft at a local business.
Shortly before 10 am on Sunday, March 20 this man took two Lew’s baitcast fishing reels from Toledo Town & Tackle on LA Highway 6 west of Many.
 
The man used what appears to be pliers or cutters to remove the reels from the rods. He put the rods back on the shelf and put the two fishing reels in his waistband. The value of the two fishing combos is over $450.
 
The man exited the store without paying for the items and drove away in a small maroon four door car.
The car looks to be a Honda Civic with Texas license plates. If anyone can identify this man, please contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 318-590-9475 or submit a tip through our Sabine Parish Sheriff App.

Man caught stealing fishing equipment

 
Sabine Parish Sheriff Aaron Mitchell reports Joseph Harrison Mott II (age-52) of Sulphur, Louisiana was arrested on May 21.
 
Sometime after midnight, Saturday, May 21 Sabine Parish Sheriff Patrol Deputies caught Mott attempting to take items from a boat at Bridge Bay Resort near the Pendleton Bridge on Toledo Bend Lake.
 
Deputies discovered various rods and reels, tackle, and other fishing equipment in Mott’s vehicle.
 
Shortly before daylight this morning, another fisherman on Pine Ridge Road, which is near the end of LA Highway 1215 on Toledo Bend Lake, reported fishing equipment stolen. The items taken matched the items Deputies found in Mott’s vehicle earlier that night.
 
Since approximately 1987, Mott has a history of burglary and theft in south Louisiana according to his criminal history record.
 
Mott is the prime suspect in other rod and reel and fishing equipment thefts over the last few months on Toledo Bend lake and additional criminal charges are pending.
 
Mott was booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for 2-counts of Simple burglary, Theft $5,000-$25,000, Criminal trespass, Simple criminal damage to property.
 
No bond has been set at this time by the 11th Judicial District Court.

Journal offering $3,000 scholarships at NSU for undecided 2022-23 students

Students who aren’t sure where they’ll go to college this fall are encouraged to apply for the Journal Services NSU Scholarships, which will award three new Northwestern State University students up to $3,000 in the next school year.

Applications are being accepted beginning today through midnight June 8. A link to a simple online application form is available at the bottom of this story.

The scholarships are designed to assist Class of 2022 high school students who haven’t settled on a college choice, as well as students currently enrolled at other higher-education institutions who are considering transferring to NSU in Natchitoches.

They are being provided by Journal Services, LLC, the business that serves local and area residents by providing the framework for the Sabine Parish Journal. Journal Services, LLC, is based in Natchitoches and supports 12 journals covering north central and northwest Louisiana.

“We know there are students who haven’t decided yet where they’ll go to college this fall. We know that in many cases, money is a key factor in making college accessible,” said Bill Vance, general manager of Journal Services, LLC. “We are providing three game-changing scholarships bringing eager students to NSU to take advantage of the excellent academic programs here, and to live in a community where there are plenty of opportunities to find part-time jobs and to have a great student experience.”

A successful applicant from Sabine Parish will join 469 other local students who attend Northwestern. Among the university’s 81,000 alumni, 1,626 currently live in Sabine Parish.

Applicants are asked to provide their high school GPA (and college GPA if applicable), and also, report their ACT score along with listing honors, extracurricular activities and other relevant information on the form. That information will provide a basis for selecting the three winners.

The scholarship awards are for $1,500 cash per semester in the 2022-23 academic year. To renew the scholarship for the Spring 2023 semester, winners must post at least a 2.7 Fall semester GPA at NSU.

Scholarship winners must live in Natchitoches Parish during the upcoming school year. They are also required to have in-person, face-to-face instruction for 75 percent of their classes in 2022-23.

Students who have already accepted financial aid awards from Northwestern are not eligible to apply.

APPLICATION:  To Apply – Click Here


Sheriff’s office seeks public assistance identifying suspect

Sabine Parish Sheriff Detectives are requesting your helping identifying this person. This suspect was caught on camera at Big Bass Marina on Toledo Bend Lake shortly after midnight on Wednesday, May 11.
 
The person fished for a short amount of time, then took several items from different boats at the dock.
Detectives believe the suspect may have been driving an SUV.
 
There have been numerous rod and reel, tackle, and fishing equipment thefts from boats, docks, and camps on different areas of Toledo Bend Lake in recent months.
 
If you have any information, please contact Detective Flores, Sabine CID, at 318-590-9475 or submit a tip through our Sabine Parish Sheriff App.

Sabine Speedway Results: May 13

FWD
 
1. #F5 Ben McDuff – Keithville, LA
2. #C23 Collin Jones – Provencal, LA
3. #11M Michelle Tedder – Many, LA

 

 
BOM BANK FACTORY STOCKS
 
1. #XXX Shawn Graham – Shreveport, LA
2. #88M Joshua Martin – Colfax, LA
3. #15X Dakoda Wyatt – Provencal, LA
4. #7C Chris Burrows – Minden, LA
5. #37 Mickey Steele – Pollock, LA
6. #J27 Scotty Case – Marshall, TX
7. #100+ Ross Cook, Florien, LA
8. #3 Rodney Howell – Pineville, LA
9. #22 Dustin Henigan – Marshall, TX
10. #7L Dewayne Rains – Anacoco, LA
11. #51 Brandon Edwards – Provencal, LA
12. #1 Stoney Dubois – Robeline, LA
13. #51E Ricky Edwards – Provencal, LA
14. #5M Michael Harlow – Lake Charles, LA
15. #D27 Devon Kruithof – Haughton, LA
16. #55M Cody Myers – Bossier City, LA
17. #55 Dalton Dubois – Robeline, LA
18. #535 Paul Graves – Montgomery, LA
19. #444 Travis Hudnall – Liberty, TX
20. #40 Jeff Lewis – Haughton, LA
21. #8 Todd Fredieu – Many, LA
22. #15 Kyle Bassett – New Llano, LA
 
 
CRUSA STREET STOCKS
 
1. #37 Mickey Steele – Pollock, LA
2. #24C Bobby Chandler – Dry Prong, LA
3. #88J Joe Rachal – Elmer, LA
4. #15 Derrick Ganson – Ville Platte, LA
5. #101 Robert Barber – Florien, LA
6. #71S Stuart Sandoz – Port Arthur, TX
7. #23 Glenn Townsend – Ville Platte, LA
8. #25 Parker Cloud – Elizabeth, LA
9. #04 Scottie Benjamin – Leesville, LA
 
ACS LIMITED MODIFIEDS
 
1. #22 Ralo Pilkington – Marshall, TX
2. #B99 Ben Leedy – Jonesboro, LA
3. #3D David Edwards – Natchitoches, LA
4. #78H R C Hagan – Glenmora, LA
5. #42 Zane Goff – Onalaska, TX
6. 11S Neil Standifer – Simpson, LA
7. #99H Danny Hebert – Lafayette, LA
8. #29 Dustin Turnage – Otis, LA
9. #3GT Bob Kellogg – Natchitoches, LA
10. #3R Justin Robinson – Hineston, LA
11. #5C Logan Crayon – DeRidder, LA

12. #76 Tyler Fogleman – Hessmer, LA
13. #78 Braylon Dusang – Alexandria, LA
14. #71 Matt Burney – Forest Hill, LA
15. #2 C J Howell – Boyce, LA
15. #9R Barron Prince – Haughton, LA
 
 
FOY MOTOR’S CRATE LATE MODELS
 
1. #1 Kevin Sitton – Baytown, TX
2. #18 Caleb Dillard – Robeline, LA
3. #9R Barron Prince – Haughton, LA
4. #69 Stacy Veuleman – Florien, LA
5. #100 Bryan Cook – Florien, LA
6. #38 Kris Shaw – Ragley, LA
7. #9 Mark Powell – Anacoco, LA
8. #71 Corey Neil, Jr – Bridge City, TX
9. #76B Jerry Basco – Flatwood, LA
10. #68B Corey Basco – Flatwoods, LA
11. #21X Ryan French – Natchitoches, LA
12. #12P Trent Parker – Florien, LA

East Bound and Up

Louisiana Tech’s baseball team, proud of its “rally trains” that often opportunistically chug across the tracks beyond J.C. Love Field’s outfield fence, found itself last weekend in need of a rally bus.

Or two.

Or more.

The 12-hour one-way trip to play Charlotte in North Carolina in the final three-game series of the regular season began mid-morning Tuesday aboard a pair of busses. This happens at a school Tech’s size many times each season. Few charter flights at mid-majors.

Most people don’t appreciate the grind of sports travel. You just think it’s hard getting to the family reunion and not losing your mind or getting in a fistfight once you’re there. That’s a ride for a quarter on a drugstore pony compared to moving an entire team from Point Home to Point Lord-Help-Us-All.

Flying commercial with a baseball team is stressful for lots of reasons — cost, long layovers or delayed flights, and mainly airport check-in folk who, God love them, are not usually prepared for the amount of equipment a team needs to transport.

You can get through a line faster at the world’s worst DMV. But say what you will about the DMV, they don’t make you take your shoes off to walk inside.

The friendly skies my ass.

But a bus, you can control. Until you can’t.

And that’s what happened.

I was tagging along with the team and, having driven to Carolina and back many times, knew my butt would be numb. Didn’t know my mind would be too.

Tech’s first leg was to Hoover, Alabama. Six hours, practice, sleep, Wednesday ride the next six hours, practice, sleep, play Thursday and Friday, play Saturday morning and ride all night the 12 hours back to Ruston.

It worked out that way and wasn’t bad, most things considered — unless you consider what should have been a Silver Streak-like, stop-at-Cracker-Barrel-for-lunch, Straight Shot to Hoover.

Unfortunately, you do have to consider it, and it was stupefying.

Our drivers stopped in Tallulah for an emergency kidney transplant. (Check that: for a soda pop.) Then we stopped an hour after lunch and only 80 minutes from Hoover because one of the busses needed to rest for 15 minutes or it might “explode.” Something about calibration or restoration but more likely a fabrication, which in this case was driver talk for “I need a heater and another soda pop.”

We were eastbound, but down. Uneasy riders.

Because there were too many hitches in too many git-a-longs, we finally worked out a compromise with the drivers. It was something like, “Can we borrow the keys?” They drove and there were no more unscheduled stops. Probably just a misunderstanding.

Probably.

The Bulldogs lost to Charlotte’s 49ers, the hottest team in the league at 11-1 against Conference USA opponents in their most recent four series, in Game 1, 11-3. Most things considered, semi-embarrassing. But as they’ve done all season, the ’Dogs rebounded to win the next two, 8-3 and 14-5, making the ride home much less painful.

The busses might have stopped, but they didn’t slow Tech down. Pretty resilient, these Bulldogs.

Funny thing about a baseball team. On the road, they stumble into a restaurant or truck stop and fan out in their street shorts and tees and the people inside don’t know if the carnival is in town, if the roadies for Motley Crue are hungry, or if the church men’s group is stopping for gas and a Peanut Pattie on the way to help clean up after a hurricane. All shapes and sizes, these baseball guys.

But on the field, if you’ve watched them play, who they’ve become is easy to recognize. Tech bussed to Hattiesburg, Miss., Tuesday — you get the feeling they’d have walked if necessary, so eager are they to play — to begin the Conference USA tournament today. They’re 38-18 overall, 20-10, and second place in the league. A tournament title is on the line, maybe a berth in next week’s regionals.

Their coach says his guys are just ready to get the show back on the road.

“This time of year, you need to be playing loose, having fun, and we seem to be doing that,” Lane Burroughs said. “I don’t know how we’ll do this week. But I can assure you of this: these guys aren’t ready for the season to end.”

They don’t want to stop anymore.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu


South Sabine Fire Department trains with Air Evacuation team

The Air Evac team joined members of the South Sabine Fire Department Wards 1&2 on May 21 for training at the South Sabine Toro Training grounds. Responders learned basic helicopter safety, communication with the aircraft, and got to ask the Pilot/Personnel questions and tour the chopper.
 
The department works with the Air Evac team frequently on calls throughout the South Sabine area and it’s important for firefighters to know how to communicate and properly set up a landing zone.

Sabine Parish student receives LA Sheriff’s Scholarship

Sabine Parish Sheriff Aaron Mitchell announces Londyn Reese Sparks of Sabine Parish has been named the recipient of an academic scholarship from the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Scholarship Program for the 2021-2022 school year. She resides in Florien and plans to attend Northwestern State University and pursue Health Care/Dental Hygiene as a field of study. Her parents are Aaron Sparks and Ashley Craig Ross of Florien.
 
The Sheriff’s Scholarship is made possible by the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Honorary Membership Program (LSHMP). Louisiana Sheriffs provide scholarships to graduating high school students from each parish where the Sheriff is an affiliate of the Program.
 
Qualities such as academic achievement, leadership, and character are considered in making selections of Sheriffs’ scholarship recipients. The only limitations are that applicants be permanent residents of Louisiana; scholarships be utilized in higher education within the State; and students be enrolled as full-time, undergraduate students. Scholarships will be awarded in sixty-four parishes throughout the state.
 
Sheriff Mitchell said, “Academic awards by the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Scholarship Program to Louisiana students demonstrate what the LSHMP is all about. This is one of our finest accomplishments. It invests in Louisiana’s future and gives something back to our community. This would not be possible without the kind and generous support of Sabine Parish’s Honorary Members.”

Sabine Parish youth among LPB Young Heroes honorees

Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) brings the inspiring and courageous stories of seven Louisiana high school students to viewers in a new half-hour special, LOUISIANA YOUNG HEROES 2022. The program debuts Friday, May 27 at 8 PM on LPB’s statewide network and will encore on LPB Sunday, May 29 at 1 PM. New Orleans-based WLAE-TV will air it Monday, June 6 at 8 PM. Viewers can also stream the program on demand after the Friday broadcast premiere at www.lpb.org/heroes and on the LPB YouTube channel.

Since 1995, LPB’s Louisiana Young Heroes initiative has honored students from across the state in recognition of their service to communities, for their academic achievements, and for serving as an inspiration to those around them. The seven students being recognized in 2022 are:

  • Reagan Angers of Baton Rouge (Senior at St. Joseph’s Academy) is a cancer survivor diagnosed with osteosarcoma at age nine. She spent a great amount of time at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital recovering from major limb-sparing surgery which removed the cancerous tumor and much of her femur. She returned to school after a year of chemotherapy and physical therapy and learned to walk again with an internal prosthetic.
  • Allison Callender of Pleasant Hill (Junior at Natchitoches Central High School) is a cancer survivor who at four years old survived stage IV neuroblastoma. After 18 months of cancer treatment, Allison had no sign of disease, however, she lost part of her hearing and her ability to easily process some information from the radiation therapies. Allison has overcome these obstacles and is active in her school and community.
  • Corynn Gray of Lafayette (Senior at Thrive Academy) is a remarkable young lady who persevered through a difficult upbringing with the added responsibility of raising her siblings. She will be the first in her family to attend college and collaborated with the Young Entrepreneurs Academy to turn one of her passions into purpose creating her own natural skin care line to help others.
  • Gabe Hoosier of Deville (Senior at Buckeye High School) overcame a severe football injury his freshman year and plans to become a physical therapist. He enjoys working with special needs adults, being involved in competitive sports and weightlifting. He founded Cinderella’s Closet to provide formal dresses for students wanting to attend homecoming or prom. Gabe has worked with the Central Louisiana Homeless Coalition and volunteers with the ARC Center.
  • Mason McCart of Natchitoches (Junior at St. Mary’s Catholic School) created Cooking for a Cause and raised thousands of dollars for local charities by baking and selling cookies. He is fast approaching his goal of raising $10,000. Recognizing that teens often struggle with emotional, psychological, and social well-being, Mason also started a blog to uplift his peers through words of encouragement and to help raise awareness for mental health.
  • Olivia Stringham of Vivian (Senior at North Caddo Magnet High School) is a survivor who endured the death of her mother at an early age. Olivia became the matriarch of her family and continues to be involved daily in the lives of her younger siblings. Her experience has led her to advocate for mental health awareness, as well as champion social justice issues in her community and school.
  • Victoria Williams of Baton Rouge (Senior at Baton Rouge Magnet High School) possesses academic curiosity, community spirit, and strong ethics. Even with years of instability in her life, she works toward a future of increased equity and remains committed to effecting positive change. Victoria co-founded the Black History Quiz Bowl at her school. She is enthusiastic about science and her community and plans to study Chemical Engineering with a goal of applying it to environmental relief.

Go to www.lpb.org/heroes for more information about the program.

The 2022 Louisiana Young Heroes Program is being presented with the generous support of AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, the U.S. Army, Baton Rouge Recruiting Battalion, Community Coffee, and East Baton Rouge Parish Library with additional support from Hotel Indigo and DEMCO. Special thanks to the Louisiana Young Heroes Advisory Committee.


2022 Zwolle Loggers & Forestry Festival Trail Ride

The 2022 Zwolle Loggers & Forestry Festival Trail Ride took place on May 14.
 
1st Place Side By Side-Logan Malmay
2nd Place Side By Side-Michael Sepulvado
3rd Place Side By Side-Darius Loyd
Prettiest Stud-Gage Malmay
Prettiest Gelding-Hodge Remedies
Best Stepping Horse-Lex Rivers
Best Coordinating-Michael Turner
Best Single Foot-Todd Malone
Most Dedicated Cowgirl-Christell Bruce
Most Dedicated Cowboy-Robert Earl Jones Jr
Best Dressed Cowboy-Joey Garcie
Horse Feed Raffle Winner-Angela Sepulvado

New hub for Louisiana social studies education to train over 400 teachers in state history

New Orleans— The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) is establishing a statewide educational hub providing reliable, accessible Louisiana social studies resources to students and their teachers.

In its first three years the Institute for Louisiana Culture and History, made possible by a $900,000 grant from the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation, will train 400 teachers in Louisiana history and the use of LEH’s online encyclopedia, 64parishes.org, in the classroom. In addition, the institute will produce 300 new encyclopedia entries and add as many as 900 new photos and media to the site.

“Our students need to learn about Louisiana’s culture and history, and there is no better organization than the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities to prepare materials for teaching students about Louisiana history,” said Dr. James Callier, vice president and executive director of the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation. “They are in the best position to promote Louisiana culture and history by working to provide resources for teachers to use in their classrooms and for students to access, both in class and online.”

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), one of LEH’s partners on the encyclopedia expansion, has introduced new social studies standards going into full effect in the 2023–24 school year. The new course frameworks will expand the study of Louisiana history and culture in the state’s public schools from third and eighth grade to nearly every grade. Together, LEH and LDOE will map these new social studies standards to the content on 64parishes.org and create grade-level appropriate adaptations of key resources.

More than 50,000 eighth-graders each year already have access to this online resource as part of their Louisiana history classes. The institute will both expand the existing content on the site and develop a new search function that allows students and teachers to search the encyclopedia for grade-level aligned content for Louisiana social studies classrooms.

In addition to these online resources, the institute will host four regional educator workshops, which will provide in-depth social studies content training to as many as 400 Louisiana educators, in both the 2023–24 and 2024–25 school years. The workshops will bring together recognized historians, scholars and curricula authors to engage educators about key Louisiana history and culture topics found in the 64parishes.org encyclopedia.

“Supporting Louisiana’s educators has been an important part of LEH’s work for more than 30 years” said Miranda Restovic, president and executive director of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. “This new initiative builds on programs such as Prime Time, which support educators in implementing the Socratic method and effective parent engagement strategies, or our work in delivering Teaching American History Institutes. It’s all a part of our mission to ensure educators and students in every parish and every school district have the tools and resources they need to engage and to learn.”

The institute will provide additional training through summer intensive courses, which will offer approximately 30 educators annually the opportunity to learn from and interact with nationally known historians and scholars, take field trips promoting experiential learning and participate in social studies working sessions at The Helis Foundation John Scott Center, opening later this year at the LEH’s headquarters in New Orleans. The institute will provide a stipend for teachers for all trainings.

LEH Vice President of Public Programs and 64parishes.org Editor-in-Chief Dr. Erin Greenwald, a historian of Louisiana history, also served on the state’s social studies standards review committee.

“Studying history helps us understand complex questions about who we are and how the past has shaped, and continues to shape, society at the local, regional and national levels,” Greenwald said. “However, too many young people in Louisiana lack productive avenues for historical and civic engagement. Expanding our catalog of high-quality history and culture resources and bringing trainings directly to the educators impacting the next generation of Louisiana leaders will be the lasting legacy of the institute.”


Sabine students among LSMSA’s 38th graduating class

Ninety-four seniors from the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) graduated during the school’s 38th Commencement Ceremony on May 21 in Prather Coliseum on the campus of Northwestern State University. Sabine Parish students are Andrew Gatti, Kaylee Herr, and Ross Voorheis.

“The Louisiana School is a continuum with a strong past and a hopeful future, said Executive Director Dr. Steve Horton. “As you celebrate this significant milestone in your life, I encourage you to keep in mind the support and encouragement you received during this journey.” He expressed appreciation to everyone who makes the Louisiana School possible, including citizens throughout the state, legislators, elected officials, alumni, families, faculty, staff and students.

LSMSA’s commencement began in Prather in 1985 with 172 members of the first graduating class. Horton began the 38th commencement by recognizing some of the senior administration who have helped make the school’s success possible, including Chief of Staff and Director of Administration Dr. John Allen (’98); Director of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Kristi Pope Key; Director of Enrollment Management and Institutional Research Emily Shumate; and Director of Support Services Ro Slutsky.

Ha-Ya Davis of Hammond spoke to looking forward as she delivered the senior address. 

“We have endured many challenges,” she said. “These challenges were not setbacks, disappointments, or disadvantages. To paraphrase Michelle Obama, ‘They were experiences in facing and overcoming adversity…’ We have developed the durability and maturity that we need to pick ourselves up and keep moving forward. We must keep looking forward.”

Dr. Claire Norris, Vice President for Advancement at the University of Louisiana System, was the keynote speaker.

Speaking to the graduating class she said, “This accomplishment could not be achieved without you trying, even when you were afraid; without you persisting, even when you felt insecure; without you achieving, even after you failed.”

She gave students some revolutionary, timeless advice that’s priceless:

  • Doing the right thing is not easy, but it’s worth it to you and the larger public good
  • Be intentional in life’s journey and understanding your place in it, for you only have a minute
  • Have a team, but make sure that team is diverse
  • Don’t fake it, ask for help, you have a village

Of those students moving on to the next stage of their lives, 67 percent will attend 13 colleges and universities in Louisiana while 33 percent are headed to 25 different universities throughout the U.S. and abroad. Collectively, the LSMSA Class of 2022 has been awarded over $20 million in merit-based scholarships. This is in addition to more than 1,650 hours of college credit through articulation agreements and dual enrollment credits, which over 60 percent of students took advantage of.

“With LSMSA as your alma mater, know that we hope we have given you what you need to thrive in your next steps in life,” he said. “You will continue to bring esteem and distinction to your alma mater as all of our graduates have done for nearly four decades as you serve your communities, country, and humanity in various and diverse careers and professions. It’s your responsibility.”

LSMSA educates highly motivated, high-achieving incoming sophomores, juniors, and seniors from throughout the state. Interested students and parents are invited to visit http://www.lsmsa.edu to learn more or to submit an online application with transcripts, ACT or SAT scores, and current teacher recommendations.


Job Opening: Correctional Officers

The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office is looking for motivated individuals for full and part time Correctional Officer positions at the Sabine Parish Detention Center.
 
Qualified applicants must be 18 years of age, have a high school diploma or equivalent, have no felony convictions, and must meet other criteria.
 
Competitive starting salary and health benefits are available.
 
Applications and additional details can be obtained at the Sabine Parish D.C. 384 Detention Center Road Many, LA 71449.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Assistant Warden Remedies at 318-256-0006.
 
(The Sheriff’s Office is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin)

NRMC’s New Retail Pharmacy Features an Easy-to-Use Mobile App

NRMC’s new retail pharmacy makes filling prescriptions easy. The hospital has teamed up with PioneerRx, a pharmacy software company, to offer NRMC Pharmacy customers access to a convenient mobile app, RxLocal.

After filling your first prescription at NRMC’s new Pharmacy, you can register for RxLocal. Simply visit the App store or Google Play and download RxLocal. You’ll be asked to verify your information, validate your account, and create a username and password. It is that easy and takes just a few minutes to complete. From there, ordering refills is fast and super easy to do.

RxLocal Mobile allows you to:

· Message directly to an NRMC pharmacist on the HIPAA Compliant

2-way Messenger which keeps your messages confidential.

· Request refills in just minutes.

· Manage all of your family’s prescriptions straight from your Smart phone.

· Get mobile medication reminders about upcoming refills.

· Keep your prescription information accessible and well organized.

· And more.

NRMC retail Pharmacy is open from 8:30am to 8:30pm, 7 days a week. Conveniently located in the Multispecialty Clinic on the corner of Keyser Avenue and Isadore Drive, community members are encouraged to take advantage of this new NRMC service. The experienced pharmacy team ensures excellent customer service and focuses on exceeding customer expectations while providing the highest standards of care.

For more information about NRMC’s retail Pharmacy and its mobile app, RxLocal, please call 318.214.5777.


A Flight of Fancy

By Brad Dison

Mary and her husband, George, attended a dinner party at Anna’s home. Anna’s husband was away on business so she convinced her brother, Hall, to be her escort at the formal affair. It was a big to-do. All of the men wore dress suits or tuxedos. The women wore “dinner dresses,” which differed from evening party gowns and reception gowns in the kind of fabrics used. Anna wore a white satin dress with matching gloves. The dinner party guests made small talk in the hall until the butler announced, “Dinner is served.”

The men escorted the ladies into the dining room and to their designated seats. The guest list was long, but Anna made sure that Mary sat at her table. Mary and Anna were strong-minded women, and became fast friends when they met the previous year.

As etiquette necessitated, the meal was doled out in multiple courses. No one refused a course regardless of whether or not they intended to eat it. If a course did not suit their fancy, they used their utensils and pretended to eat it while making small talk. Each course lasted a certain number of minutes. The plates or bowls for each course were promptly removed at predetermined times whether or not the guests were finished eating. Everything was done with military precision.

During the multi-course dinner, Anna realized that Mary was becoming impatient with the formalities. Mary, somewhat of a tomboy, always preferred trousers to dresses. Mary enjoyed the freedom of movement trousers provided although she recognized that all of the other females wore dresses. She may have recognized it, but it certainly did not alter her decision to wear trousers. On this occasion, however, Mary wore a fine dinner dress with a mink coat (which she probably borrowed) because she would never have turned down Anna’s dinner invitation.

Mary had had enough. She was enjoying her conversation with George, Anna, and Hall, but the steady stream of servants and all of the rules of etiquette were just too much. The dinner seemed to last forever. Finally, Mary hatched a plan. She suggested to Anna that they sneak out of the party and take a short evening pleasure flight. To Anna, it seemed like the perfect adventure.

To the surprise of the wait staff, Anna, Hall, George, and Mary excused themselves from the dinner party with the simple explanation that they would return shortly. The other guests continued with their dinner as if nothing had happened. The foursome drove to the airport and boarded an Eastern Air Transport’s twin-engine biplane. The pilot and co-pilot taxied the plane onto the runway and took off.

Free from the stuffy dinner party, Mary and Anna were truly enjoying themselves. As the plane leveled out, Mary suggested that they, Mary and Anna, take their adventure to the next level and fly the plane. Anna, not one to back down from a challenge, eagerly agreed. This was her chance to fly. Anna had applied for pilot’s license but her husband persuaded her not to take flying lessons because he dreamed that she had crashed an airplane.

Mary and Anna told the pilot and co-pilot that they were going to fly the airplane for a few minutes. No record exists of George or Hall’s reaction to their decision to commandeer the airplane. Neither Mary nor Anna would take no for an answer, so Mary traded places with the pilot and Anna with the co-pilot. For a few brief minutes, the two ladies, still in dinner gowns and mink coats, flew in the skies between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland, before returning to the airport. Elated, the foursome returned to Anna’s dinner party just as the dessert course was being served. The other patrons of the dinner party welcomed them back and continued with their own conversations.

Mary and Anna were thrilled with their flight of fancy. No one would expect the First Lady of the United States, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, to leave a dinner party at the White House and take a flight with Mary. Five years later, Mary and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared somewhere over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to circumnavigate the globe in an airplane. On January 5, 1939, Amelia Mary Earhart was declared dead in absentia.

Sources:
1. “Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt Flying from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore,” Pioneers of Flight, accessed May 17, 2022, pioneersofflight.si.edu/content/amelia-earhart-and-eleanor-roosevelt-flying-washington-dc-baltimore#:~:text=Amelia%20Earhart%20and%20Eleanor%20Roosevelt%20flying%20from%20Washington%2C%20DC%2C%20to,women’s%20and%20world%20peace%20movements.

2. “Pilots in Evening Gowns: When Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt Took to the Skies,” A Mighty Girl, accessed May 17, 2022, amightygirl.com/blog?p=25357.


Black Heritage Festival: June 18

The Black Heritage Festival will be held Saturday, June 18 at the community center located at 850 Highland Ave in Many.

The festival begins at 11 a.m. with a welcome address by Mayor Robert Hable, followed by the presentation of awards to honorees for their years of community service. The guest speaker will be Georgia Craven, Executive Director of Sabine Parish Tourist Commission.

 Fun activities are planned throughout the day. There will be music, water slides and games for the kids, bingo, door prizes, vendors, and food available all day. 

The Black Heritage Festival is held during the celebration of Juneteenth, a pride-filled day for the entire community. It is free to the public and all are invited to join in the celebration.

For more information, visit www.toledobendlakecountry or call Mary Perry at (318) 508-2911.


Notice of Death – May 24, 2022

NATCHITOCHES:
Janice Farmer Andrus
March 4, 1937 – May 20, 2022
Service: Saturday, May 28 at 11 am at the Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home

Coralene Riggs
Arrangements TBA

Cedric Wayne Willis
May 5, 1964 – May 22, 2022
Arrangements TBA


NSU Slated to Receive $52 million in Capital Outlay funding

Among a group of bills given final legislative approval by the Louisiana House, House Bill No. 2 presents a comprehensive Capital Outlay budget. This bill has yet to be signed by Governor John Bel Edwards. Once the governor signs the legislation into law, the Section sends agencies letters notifying them of capital outlay appropriations and of the procedures required to initiate funded projects.

Health Performance Center, Planning and Construction – Payable from State General Fund (Direct) Non-Recurring Revenues

$5,000,000

Renovation of Roy Hall, Planning and Construction – from General Obligation Bonds (Priority 5)

$9,765,000

Replacement of John S. Kyser Hall, Planning and Construction – Payable from General Obligation Bonds

Priority 1 – $3,907,680
Priority 5 – $33,195,000
Total – $37,102,680


Two suspects arrested for illegal drug sales

Sabine Parish Sheriff Aaron Mitchell announces the arrest of Malik Quendell Newton (age-24) and Kianna Ezernack (age-23), both of Many, on May 9.
 
The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Tactical Narcotics Team had been investigating Newton’s illegal drug sales at Apollo Plaza Apartments in Many for several months. Newton lived with his girlfriend, Ezernack, and her small child in C-Building at the complex.
 
T.N.T. Agents were able to obtain a search warrant for the apartment where Newton and Ezernack were living. Agents located 3 – firearms, numerous pills, and drug paraphernalia inside the apartment.
Newton was booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for Possession of schedule II (Amphetamines), Possession of schedule V (Promethazine), Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of a CDS in the presence of a juvenile, Possession of firearm while in possession of CDS, a warrant for 2-counts of Distribution of schedule II (Meth), a warrant for Illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities.
 
The warrant for Illegal use of weapons stems from an incident on the night of March 30, 2022, where Newton was observed on Apollo Plaza Apartment video shooting a rifle multiple times in the field at the border of the property.
 
Ezernack was booked into the Sabine Parish Women’s Jail for Possession of schedule II (Amphetamines), Possession of schedule V (Promethazine), Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of a CDS in the presence of a juvenile, Possession of firearm while in possession of CDS.
 
Newton’s total bonds were set at $70,300 and Ezernack’s bond was set at $20,500 by the 11th Judicial District Court.
 
Both subjects are still currently incarcerated.

Sheriff’s Office warns residents of jewelry scam

Sabine Parish Sheriff Aaron Mitchell reports shortly after 9 AM on Wednesday, May 11, a man sold some fake gold jewelry to a victim in the City of Many.
 
Detectives just received a report of the man and woman trying to sell jewelry in the City of Zwolle on Tuesday evening, May 10.
 
The man is of Middle-Eastern descent, 5’6″ tall, medium build, black hair, short black beard, dressed really nice. The man was driving a white Jeep Grand Cherokee and had a female passenger.
 
The SPSO received information that others have bought gold jewelry from this man during the last few weeks and it turned out to be fake.
 
Sabine Parish Sheriff Detectives are attempting to obtain video from a local bank and ATM as well.
Sheriff Mitchell asks everyone to be aware and if you have any information or can identify this man, please contact Sabine CID at 318-590-9475 or submit a tip through this App.

Cash reward increased for information on burglary at VFW Hall

The VFW HALL is offering a $2500 cash reward for information that leads to the arrest of anyone involved in the burglary at the VFW Hall. Cash and other items were taken. Any information contact (318)315-0078. This incident happened May 4 on Dahlia Vines St in Zwolle. Crime Stoppers are also offering $500 cash reward for information that leads to the arrest of anyone involved in the burglary at the VFW Hall. Crime Stoppers can be contacted at 318-256-4511.


Deputies receive Level 1 certifications

Sabine Parish Sheriff Aaron Mitchell and Chief Deputy Brad Walker announce Deputy Harold Pardee and Deputy Noah Sepulvado received their Level 1 Louisiana Basic P.O.S.T. Certifications.
 
Graduation exercises for the 51st basic training class of the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy took place on May 10. Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator was the guest speaker.
 
Eleven agencies were represented when graduates took the oath of office, receive their badges, and participate in a special ceremony where family and friends assist them with pinning on their badges for the first time.
 
Class participants received 535 hours or more of peace officer training in areas including law, patrol activities, traffic services, report writing, investigations, firearms, first aid, and criminal justice.
Deputy John Ebarb, Deputy Earl Pearce, Deputy David Gentry, Lt Jason Heard, and Deputy Keith Gentry joined Sheriff Mitchell and Chief Deputy Walker in congratulating Deputies Pardee and Sepulvado on their hard work and accomplishments.
 
Deputy Pardee works in the Sabine Parish Sheriff Civil Office and serves civil processes. Deputy Noah Sepulvado works as a Patrol Deputy under Lt Heard.

Kohlman McGee promoted to Sergeant at ZPD

Chief Thomas and The Zwolle Police Department would like to congratulate new Sergeant Kohlman Mcgee. Kohlman is going to be a great asset to the department and the community. Keep him in your prayers as he steps into his new position. Congratulations!!!!