Students at Zwolle Elementary School recently graduated from D.A.R.E.
This highly acclaimed program gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence.
D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 and has proven so successful that it has been implemented in thousands of schools throughout the United States and many other countries.
D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.
When Halloween has made its appearance and gone, I mentally begin preparing my Christmas decorating schedule. I check the calendar and pinpoint dates to hang the Christmas lights and make the trip to the storage shed to retrieve all of my Christmas decor. This is always entertaining, it never fails that I find Christmas items that I purchased the year before that I totally forgot about.
I get to feel the joy of shopping all over again.
One of the most protected boxes that is carefully planned and unpacked is my box of ornaments. It is treated like a family treasure that is securely tucked away to prevent any type of peril that could cause it harm.
Every single beautiful ornament in that well protected storage box holds a special memory that is very dear to my heart. Some of them tell a story of year’s gone by. Some were given to me by precious friends who are no longer with me. One of my favorite ornaments is a Mercury glass gingerbread house that is so large it comes in its very own box. It was given to me by a neighbor in Winnfield who passed away the next year. Every time I untie the red silk ribbon I think of her beautiful smile and joyful personality.
Some of the ornaments signify life’s milestones. The Lennox “Baby’s First Christmas Ornament” has faded quite a bit since 1998, yet I still hang it with pride. It has earned a permanent spot on the front of the Christmas Tree. The “Baby’s First Christmas Ornament” from 2006 lived a very short life as the child born that same year was way more rambunctious than her older sister.
I have often thought about shopping on Ebay for a 2006 replacement. Mainly so it doesn’t look like I play favorites with daughters.
Even though I do not have her official baby ornament, I have a profuse amount of glitter bombed, paper plate and popsicle stick ornaments made by her precious little daycare hands. It will always amaze me how the craftsmanship of these prized paper ornaments have survived the packing and unpacking for over a decade. I even believe they get stronger as every year passes by. I am ashamed to publicly admit it, these have a permanent spot on the back of my tree.
No one ever said I was a perfect parent. This mom loves an aesthetically pleasing tree too!
I also cherish a small wooden box of tiny Mercury glass Nutcracker ornaments. This treasure never leaves the house, it has a permanent place located indoors where it is temperature controlled. These were given to me by my mother who is no longer with us. She loved Christmas and believed in gifting you with precious things that would last a lifetime. If I am being totally honest, most years I do not hang them on the tree.
I just do not trust my small dog, outside cat and especially the inside Kat…with her stray volleyballs.
Along with these amazing memories that I love to relive, I also have those that bring me a certain amount of grief. There is the “Our First Year Together” ornament date stamped 1995 that may have slipped out of my hands, or thrown into the fireplace one Christmas. My memory is a little rusty. There are countless vacation ornaments purchased from various National Parks and destinations from family vacations. Some of these still hang on the tree because my daughters love them. I try not to make a huge deal out of it. I made a promise to myself to not spend much time pondering over the things that have changed. Sometimes life does not work out the way you plan. In fact, most of the time it does not.
Some of those ornaments truly feel like a Ghost from Christmas Past. It was so easy to get lost in wondering how things might have turned out.
Over the past few years the Lord has been reconditioning my heart to not dwell on the past. This is also when God began his mighty works in our lives. When I dwell on the things that are no longer in my life I begin to feel like Lot’s wife who was warned not to look back. Nothing good comes from living in the past in a sorrowful way. I am now looking forward to the good things the Lord has planned for us. He has not disappointed us yet and I know he will never forsake us.
I sincerely want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, especially my friends who are experiencing life changes of their own. You are loved by a Savior whose birthday is celebrated this very month.
“For behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19
Community Bank of Louisiana participated in collecting items for the Sabine Council on Aging, Inc. food bank. Pictured are Jessica Ebarb with SCOA, JJ Blake, Jasmine Graves, Angela Neel and Kayla Hataway also with SCOA.
Just like everything else on the market today, from gas to groceries and anything else you can think of, the cost of trying to go bass fishing is getting ridiculous. What happened to the days of $1.50 spinnerbaits, $5 crankbaits, and buying soft plastic worms in bulk at 5 cents each?
Today’s angler better have deep pockets or a very good job if he wants to be able to go bass fishing and possibly compete in a tournament. Last week we assessed the big picture – the cost of boats and their accessories. This week, here’s a look at what anglers are facing today to simply put together tackle boxes and how we’re having to manage our checkbooks on the truly essential tools.
Let’s start with terminal tackle like hooks and worm weights. Only a few years ago, you could buy good quality top name brand of hooks (pack of 10) for about $2.50. Now an angler will be paying anywhere from $4.99 to $7.20. Of course, this all depends on the brand you purchase. But in tournament fishing, hooks are a very important component to catching bass, and you don’t want to cut corners with this purchase.
Next, worm weights are another component that has really changed in the last 15 years. For years, anglers had no choice other than lead weights because there wasn’t anything else. Then around 1999, the game changed when the late Mark Pack (Lake Fork Guide) decided to try using the hard metal weight (tungsten) for a technique we call drop shotting. This is what ignited the tungsten craze and as they say, the rest is history.
Almost 95 percent of all anglers today will purchase tungsten weights over lead. Why? Tungsten has proven to be a better choice over lead weights for a couple of reasons, one being the fact that any size tungsten weight will be smaller and more compact in size than the same size weight in a lead version. Another way tungsten weights shine is the fact they are much harder in texture than lead and make a louder clicking sound when they hit a hard surface, which can attract bass to your lure.
But there is a heavy price to pay for these two bonus features. A pack of 4 tungsten weights in 1/8 up to 3/8 ounces will set you back at least $8, while ½ and 1-ounce weights will cost you $9 or more just for one weight. This is a hefty price to pay for a weight when you can get the same size lead weight in a pack of 10 or more for $3.50.
Now let’s look at fishing line, as this might be the greatest area of advancement in the last 20 years with the introduction of both braid and fluorocarbon fishing line. Every company on the market today has introduced their own version of both of these. Each have their own unique benefits. Of course there’s a price to pay for technological advancements.
Fluorocarbon line has some great advantages versus the old standard monofilament line anglers have used since the 1950s. For one, both fluorocarbon and braided lines have less stretch and much greater sensitivity when combined with a really good fishing rod. It can make a big difference in the number of bites you feel that you never felt before, resulting in more fish being caught.
Price difference: you pay only $4.99 for a 200-yard spool of monofilament line today versus $26.99 for 200 yards of fluorocarbon. Braid falls into the same high price category, costing anywhere from $24 to $34 for a 165-yard spool of line.
It’s pretty obvious that the cost of going fishing has skyrocketed compared to what it was only a few years ago. Again, most of the increase is based on the advancements in certain areas of fishing technology. Tournament anglers today are very conscious of every penny they’re spending, especially with the cost of gas, lodging and food going up nationwide.
‘Til next time, Merry Christmas, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget your sunscreen.
It’s been 20 years since Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs released their critically acclaimed Christmas album, entitled appropriately Reflections on the Cane: A Very Special Louisiana Christmas. They will perform songs from it this Saturday, December 17th in a concert on the downtown Natchitoches Riverbank stage as part of the city’s Christmas Festival Celebration.
The band recorded and released the album in 2002 with all proceeds from the sale of it going to benefit Louisiana Special Olympics. The album itself is an ode to the band’s beloved hometown, Natchitoches and its famous Christmas celebration.
“The album is a mixture of covers of some of our favorite Christmas tunes along with some originals that we wrote,” said bandleader, Rodney Harrington. “The title song itself is a tribute to our beautiful town at Christmas time and references the reflection of the hundreds of thousands lights in our scenic Cane River.”
Harrington said that the first printing of the album sold out very quickly and more had to be ordered and the second and third printing sold out as well.
“We are very proud to be able to help out Louisiana Special Olympics by donating proceeds from the sale of the record,” continued Harrington. “In fact, we were honored that Louisiana Special Olympics presented us with an award and the band as their Outstanding Corporate Benefactor.”
The album features guest appearances by several music luminaries; including Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Burton; Danny Milliner, bassist for Brooks and Dunn; legendary Louisiana singers John Fred, Luther Kent, and G. G. Shinn along with Wayne Toups and several Natchitoches area musicians.
“We’ll be playing several songs from the album this Saturday even though the band is very different than it was 20 years ago,” said Harrington. “Of course, we’ll play some of our other Christmas favorites as well as lots of songs from our regular set list. It’ll definitely be The Stuff That Screams are Made of!”
Harrington said he’s proud of the album, the funds that were raised for Special Olympics, and feels the name, music, and theme of the record has helped spread the word about Natchitoches and its special Christmas season around the world.
“We’ve received reviews and feedback from the album from all over the country and as far away as Europe,” Harrington continued. “A church in Pennsylvania even used some of the music from the album in their Christmas cantata. Reflections on the Cane went everywhere. We were so proud to share our love for Natchitoches with the world. We still spread that love for our town wherever we play.”
Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs is an award-winning, regionally popular band that performs across the south.
Their performance on the riverbank this Saturday will begin at 6:00 p.m. and they will play until the fireworks display at 7:00 p.m., and the band will continue performing after the fireworks.
For more information on this weekend’s activities as well as information on the remainder of the Christmas season in Natchitoches, go to http://www.natchitocheschristmas.com
Many Police Department officers stopped a vehicle on Dec. 13, resulting in the seizure of marijuana, pills, meth ,cocaine along with scales and paraphernalia. The investigation is ongoing.
Today is the unofficial First Day of Christmas since it’s 12 days until The Big Day, which means it’s fixing to be Christmas.
That we say “fixing to” instead of “about to” is one of the joys of being a Southerner. Who said it first, I don’t know, but bless his heart, and merry First Day of Christmas to you.
Some traditions hold that the First Day of Christmas is December 25, and the 12 days run into the New Year. Who wants to wait that long? Not me. We’re fixing to start celebrating now.
Speaking of things southern, we’ve been working on some carols, Southern-themed:
“I’m dreaming of a white cornbread, In every skillet that’s in sight. May the sides be crispy, to bite, And may all your cornbreads be just right.”
Or, how about . . .
“Pork skins roasting on an open fire. Chittlins’ nipping at your nose. Waylon and Willy being sung by the fire, While dad spends Christmas Eve at Lowe’s.”
Give me some time to work on it …
Thankfully, the most important songs were written at the dawn of time and wait as gifts for us to receive and to sing with sincerity, even as the angels sang, that long-ago Judean night, as Luke recorded:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”
Peace and goodwill came to earth, to men, in the flesh and as a baby. Only God could have thought of something like that.
William Billings, regarded as America’s first choral composer, captured — at least as well as a human mind can — the mystery of the incarnation in his Shepherd’s Carol, composed in New England in the mid-1700s.
“Seek not in courts or palaces, nor royal curtains draw. But search the stable, see your God extended on the straw.”
God, extended on the straw.
Extended, as a baby, a stretching newborn. Extended, from a heavenly throne to an earthly manger. Extended, to mankind and to man, to each of us, individually.
God extends his hand. Even to me. Even to you.
Christmas is always the opportunity to receive the best gift of all, a new birth in our old selves. And a new song the Psalmist told us about.
“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God . . ..”
Now some 2,000 years after Christ’s birth, the message is the same. A 19th century minister named Phillips Brooks reminds us, each year at this time, that the Good News is everlasting. If we choose to be quiet, we might even hear the song, the new song, born in a manger.
“How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven. No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.”
If no one’s wished you Merry Christmas yet, I’m “fixing to.” Let me be the first. Here’s hoping we can get in tune with the baby and ourselves and each other, and make this our best song yet.
BOM was proud to sponsor the Many High Tiger Football Team as they traveled to New Orleans to compete in the LHSAA State Championship – Division III. BOM gave the players goodie bag items and sponsored one of their buses. Pictured left to right: MHS football player #19 JC Hendrickson and BOM’s Tiffany Miller. Congratulations to the Many Tigers on defeating Union Parish 35 – 13 to win the State Championship!
The Sabine Community Choir will present The Wonders of Christmas Concert on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 7 pm at the First United Methodist Church of Many, located at 1000 Main St. This work captures the broad range of emotions of the Christmas season and reflects the countless ways we respond to the glorious truth of our savior’s birth. Admission is free. Narration by Donna Smith Ammons. Soloists are Zelma Broussard, Mike Morris, and Rebecca Penfield. Patsy McCormick will accompany the choir. Join us in worship with joy and expectation. Come, let us adore him.
This year the Bethard & Bethard Law Firm is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The law firm was founded by Henry W Bethard, Jr. (pictured above) who graduated from Loyola Law School and upon his graduation, he was the youngest person to ever graduate from Loyola Law School. He went back to his hometown of Harrisonburg in Catahoula Parish where he became the editor of the local newspaper and the mayor of that town. At the time, he was the youngest editor of a newspaper and the youngest mayor in the nation.
He was aware of the oil boom in Red River Parish due to the discovery of the Red River Bull Bayou Oil Field and in 1922, he moved to Coushatta and began practicing law. In 1948 his son Henry W Bethard, III joined the law firm. Today the partners in the law firm are Jim and Robert Bethard, grandsons of the founder, and great grandsons Henry (V) and Ben Bethard. Great granddaughter Kambrie Bethard plans to join the firm upon her graduation from Loyola Law School in 2023. Associates in the firm are Matt Kelley, Jordan Young and Adam Massery.
Bethard & Bethard has locations in Coushatta and Shreveport. The official celebration will be held at Myrtle Hill Plantation in DeSoto Parish on December 16 and will be attended by present and past lawyers and employees associated with the firm.
In the mid-1960s, the space race, the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, Cold War rivals, was at its peak. At first, the Soviet Union was ahead. They sent up the first artificial satellite (Sputnik 1), sent the first human into space (Yuri Gagarin), and had the first human make a “spacewalk” (Alexei Leonov). America had to play catch up, but had several firsts as well. This is the true story about one of the American firsts in space.
Launching people into space has always been dangerous, and so it was with the Gemini 6 mission. Gemini 6, crewed by command pilot Walter Schirra and pilot Thomas Stafford, was scheduled for launch on October 25, 1965. One of their main objectives included four dockings with an unmanned space vehicle, the Agena Target Vehicle. On the morning of October 25, Schirra and Stafford boarded the Gemini 6 spacecraft and prepared for launch. During their preparations, NASA launched the unmanned target vehicle on a separate rocket. Six minutes into the unmanned craft’s flight, a catastrophic failure caused it to explode. As the target vehicle was needed for the mission, NASA cancelled the Gemini 6 launch.
NASA rescheduled the spaceflight for December 12, 1965, with an altered mission objective referred to as Gemini 6A, to rendezvous but not dock with Gemini 7, a spacecraft crewed by command pilot Frank Borman and piloted by James “Jim” Lovell. As they had done on the previous launch attempt, Schirra and Stafford boarded the spacecraft and prepared for launch. At 9:54 a.m., the main engines ignited and, after just a second and a half, shut down abruptly. Engineers determined the cause of the problem was a plastic dust cover mistakenly left inside the booster when it was assembled months earlier. Engineers removed the cover and, after reinspecting the spacecraft, deemed it safe to fly.
Three days later, on the morning of December 15, astronauts Schirra and Stafford boarded the rocket for another attempt. At 8:37, the spacecraft lifted off and rocketed into space in what engineers called a textbook launch. After four orbits, Gemini 6A propelled towards Gemini 7 for the planned rendezvous. The two spacecrafts carefully positioned themselves, and at one point, came within one foot of each other, and the astronauts conversed over their radios. This was the first rendezvous of two spacecrafts in space. After nearly four hours of remaining together in close proximity, Gemini 6A positioned itself 19 miles from Gemini 7 to ensure that there would be no accidental collisions while the astronauts slept.
On the following morning, December 16, 1965, as the crew of Gemini 6A prepared for reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere, they radioed a distressing message to the Houston space center:
“…this is Gemini VI. We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, up in a polar orbit. He’s in a very low trajectory traveling from north to south and has a very high climbing ratio. It looks like it might even be a … Very low. Looks like he might be going to reenter soon. Stand by one … You might just let me try to pick up that thing.”
Then, over the radio, Gemini 7 and the Houston space center heard a metallic jingling sound along with some musical notes. They were relieved when they realized that Schirra was playing a harmonica and Stafford was shaking some bells, instruments that the stowage people at Cape Kennedy would have had to approve for the flight. This was another first in the space race as it was the first song ever played in space. The name of the song astronauts Schirra and Stafford played in space was “Jingle Bells.”
Sources: 1. The Buffalo News, December 16, 1965, p.1. 2. The Raleigh Register, December 16, 1965, p.15. 3. The Buffalo News, December 16, 1965, p.1. 4. “First Song Played in Space,” Guinness World Records, accessed December 8, 2022, guinnessworldrecords.com.
Many Elementary 1st graders visited Santa at City Hall on Dec. 12 and adorned the Christmas tree with their beautiful ornaments, then went to the Many Community Center for a Christmas movie.
Santa then visited the MES Kindergartners at the Many Community Center before they also watched a Christmas movie.
The Many Tigers hoist the Division III Non-Select trophy, the program’s second in three years and third since 2014, after defeating Union Parish 35-13 in the Caesars Superdome. Photo by Peter G. Forest/Forest Photography
BY MATT VINES, Journal Sports
NEW ORLEANS – Taking advantage of an opponent’s miscue often determines the outcome of state championship games.
Union Parish couldn’t cash in on Many’s first-half mistake, and the Tigers secured their victory by scoring a touchdown off a Farmers’ second-half turnover as the No. 1 seed Tigers pulled away to a 35-13 win against No. 3 seed Union Parish (12-2).
Many (13-0) won its second state championship in three seasons and third since 2014, although the first two were in Class 2A with Saturday’s victory awarding the Tigers the first Division III Non-Select trophy.
Many’s seniors know what it’s like to perform on the biggest of stages as the Tigers played in their fourth straight state championship game.
But after winning the 2020 state title in Natchitoches, those 12 seniors got to celebrate in the Big Easy for the first time on Louisiana’s most iconic of football platforms. Many’s previous two state title losses (2019 and 2021) came in the Superdome, but the Class of 2022 wrote a much happier ending to their Caesars Superdome experience.
“We wanted to get it done in New Orleans, and we worked all year to get another shot,” said Many coach Jess Curtis, who has led the program to all three of their state titles in its history. “I’m so proud of these guys – four years – four championship games and two titles. I can’t say enough about what they mean to me.”
The early turning point came when quarterback Tackett Curtis fumbled on Many’s 13-yard line, creating an early opportunity for Union Parish after both teams stalled on long drives.
But the Many defense stood tall, forcing a missed 22-yard field goal attempt.
Curtis, a Southern Cal commit, made amends quickly, scampering 80 yards two plays later to put Many ahead 7-0.
“That’s this team – they answer every time we get punched in the mouth,” said Many coach Jess Curtis. “This defense is one of the best to come through our school.”
The Farmers boasted their own highly touted recruit in running back Trey Holly, and the LSU commit responded with a 63-yard touchdown run to pull the Farmers to 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Union Parish had a chance to take another lead when Holly converted a fake punt near midfield, but the Many defense turned away the Farmers again.
The Tigers offense punched the gas on the ensuing drive, resulting in a Trent Williams 13-yard touchdown run to snatch a 13-7 halftime lead.
And then Many had its turn to take advantage of Union Parish’s biggest mistake.
Many defensive back Tylen Singleton forced and recovered a fumble at the Farmers’ 32-yard line early in the third quarter.
Many finished the drive with a Jeremiah James 2-yard touchdown run, which included a James’ fourth-down conversion earlier in the possession. The Tigers led 21-7 after a James two-point conversion run.
Union Parish didn’t go quietly into the New Orleans night as running back Jy’Marion Island plunged in from four yards to slice Many’s lead back to one score at 21-13.
But the Tigers were too much as the offense added two more touchdowns while the defense forced several failed fourth-down conversion attempts.
Curtis scored his second touchdown of the night on a 3-yard run before James visited the end zone of for the second time as well on a 51-yard gallop.
Many gained the punishing rushing yards against a game Union Parish defense, softening it up for explosive runs to break the contest open.
“We felt like we could have a good night on offense, and our backs got the dirty yards and broke the big runs when they were there,” Jess Curtis said. “We basically had three rushers with 100 yards.”
James led the way with 140 yards on 17 carries with a pair of scores while Williams battered the Union interior with 102 yards on 16 attempts.
Player of the Game Tackett Curtis contributed 99 yards and two scores on just seven attempts, adding nine passing yards on 1-2.
Counterpart Holly did most of his damage in the first half, finishing with 115 yards and a score on 11 attempts. Holly is the state’s all-time leading rusher with well over 10,000 career yards.
“The defense played their tail off, and we knew we had to stop one of the best running backs in the country,” Jess Curtis said. “The adjustments made were on point.”
Island chipped in 53 rushing yards while Many made it difficult to go through the air as Union Parish quarterback Jorden Hill threw for 68 yards on 5-13.
The Farmers lost their third straight state title game, the first two on the Class 3A level.
The 22-point win is Many’s largest of the playoffs, having topped Class 3A members Richwood (21-0 in the second round) and St. James (32-13 in the semifinals). Many headed to Class 2A Rosepine and pulled out a 14-7 win in which the Tigers scored both touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
This was the type of game the Northwestern State men’s basketball team had searched for.
By finding it, the Demons did something 70 years in the making.
Behind Ja’Monta Black’s 3-point shooting barrage and a bushel of second-chance points, the Demons ran away from longtime rival ULM, 91-73, to win their seventh straight game and match the program’s best 10-game start – one that came in the 1952-53 season.
Black poured in a career-high 31 points, equaling a career best with seven 3-pointers, as the Demons improved to 8-2 and posted their largest margin of victory this season.
“Ja’Monta is one of the best shooters in the country,” first-year head coach Corey Gipson said. “I’ve said that for a few years now. I said it when he was in high school. He is a sniper. He’s a professional sniper. When you have a guy who shoots the 3 ball like him, that’s an art. That’s a skill set. He’s going to have a bright future ahead of him.”
It was Black’s hot start that lifted the Demons from an early hole. Playing for the first time since their last-second win against Southern Miss on Dec. 4, NSU fell behind 19-11 less than 8 minutes into the game.
That’s when Black took aim at the Warhawks (3-7).
The senior transfer from Missouri State buried 3s on consecutive possessions to cut the lead to two and made it three straight long-range buckets on NSU’s first possession following the media timeout.
“I’ve got to credit that all to my teammates,” said Black, whose seven 3-pointers tied his career high set three times at Missouri State and in the Demons’ Nov. 14 win at then-No. 15 TCU.
“They know once I catch fire it’s like throwing a penny in the ocean. They kept feeding me the ball and trusting me to have this type of game.”
Black’s third straight 3 came at the 10:32 mark of the first half and was part of a 14-0 run fashioned by himself and Isaac Haney, who scored the final five points of the spurt.
Black and Haney (13 points) were two of the Demons’ four double-figure scorers. DeMarcus Sharp (11) and Jalen Hampton (10) joined them as NSU played a season-high 14 players – 10 of whom scored.
Natchitoches native Thomas Howell led four ULM players in double figures with 16 points.
The Demons connected on 11 3-pointers for the second time in three games, dating to their Dec. 1 win at Stephen F. Austin. The flood of 3-pointers helped the Demons pull away from a game ULM squad that effectively was turned away by another Black surge.
After Tyreke Locure’s bucket pulled ULM within six at the 14:55 mark of the second half, Black rattled off the Demons’ next eight points, including another set of 3s on back-to-back possessions the give NSU a 12-point lead with 12:32 to play.
While Black has been a permanent part of the Demon lineup in its first 10 games, the Demons picked up a key reinforcement Saturday when 6-foot-8 San Jose State transfer Majok Kuath made his NSU debut.
The newly eligible Kuath snagged a team-high 10 rebounds as the Demons were plus-5 on the boards (43-38).
Kuath was one of three Demons with at least five offensive rebounds, grabbing seven as NSU turned its 25 offensive rebounds into 26 second-chance points.
“I was excited,” said Kuath, a junior from Salt Lake City. “I know I’m kind of rusty offensively, but I’m ready to do whatever to help the team if it’s rebound, play defense, get on the floor. That’s just who I am. I’m here to play hard.”
Kuath threw down a monster two-handed dunk off one of his offensive rebounds, which awakened the crowd of 1,627 and set the stage for another memorable moment Saturday.
That came with 1:05 to play when Hansel Enmanuel rose through the lane and delivered a tomahawk dunk for the last of his five points.
Enmanuel had scored his first collegiate basket at the 2:28 mark of the second half on a layup. He followed his own missed free throw with the powerful dunk that reverberated throughout the building.
“I had to keep going after the layup – that was my first bucket,” Enmanuel said. “I know my family was proud. I had to keep working. You can’t give up.
“That was a great game for us. Everyone was hitting shots. The bench was great. The energy was great. We play hard. That’s our team – the Demons.”
The Demons return to action in one week, traveling to Houston to face Rice on Dec. 17. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. inside Tudor Fieldhouse.
Photo Credit: Chris Reich/NSU Photographic Services
When things click for Northwestern State, the results are fun to watch.
In one of the most complete performances of the season, the Lady Demons (4-4) shot better than 50 percent from the field and from beyond the 3-point line, spread the ball to the tune of 16 assists and won the rebounding war. Each element led to the convincing 79-52 win over in-state rival ULM on Saturday afternoon.
“We have a lot of fire power, we just haven’t seen it all going at the same time or all that much,” head coach Anna Nimz said. “Today you saw what kind of fire power we have. We had people step up and make great plays. One through five, one through 16 everybody did their job today and it was a tremendous job at that.”
NSU got off to its best start of the season, setting the tone for the first half and the game as a whole.
Points on seven of their first 10 possessions of the game allowed the Lady Demons to jump out to a quick double-digit lead, 16-6, through the first five minutes of the game. NSU shot 67 percent (8-for-12) in the first quarter to take the commanding 23-12 lead into the second.
An 8-0 run early in the second extended the lead even further and also served as the primary story of the game for the Lady Demons.
Sharna Ayres dopped in a 3-pointer on a dish from Alecia Whyte to start the run. Whyte then fought for the rebound after a missed free throw on the next trip and finished with an easy layup on a feed from Shelby Rayner.
Whyte added another bucket after another offensive rebound on the next trip as part of her 15-point, 15-rebound, both NSU best totals, double-double in the game. She finished the half with 13 points and eight rebounds as one of the main pieces behind NSU’s blazing start to the game.
“Our first practice back from the off day was tremendous,” Whyte said. “We had all the energy just playing together. We started to click in practice throughout the whole week and that led right into the game, especially the first five minutes.”
NSU shot a season-best 61 percent from the field in the first half with a season-high 45 points to take the 45-25 lead into the break.
“The shooters believed in themselves,” Nimz said. “They shot it, shot with confidence, played through each other and made me look good because they made plays by just playing basketball within the context of the offense. They made reads, cuts, passes to each other and really made the day easy for me.”
The Lady Demons showed no signs of slowing down in the second half, with a 50 percent effort from the field in the third quarter as they continued to score the basketball.
Whyte secured her second career double-double with five rebounds in the third quarter, adding three assists in the period as well. She finished two helpers shy of a triple-double, picking up two more in the fourth on a pair of 3-pointers from Ayres and Candice Parramore.
“I just love my teammates,” Whyte said. “If they knock the shots down it’s a lot of fun. I love sharing the ball. I’m not the person that is always the one to go and score I like to look for them and share the ball the best I can.”
It is the second straight game where an NSU player has come within four assists or fewer of the first triple-double since Joskeen Garner did it in the 1995-96 season.
Ayres finished the game with a career-high 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and a 5-for-7 showing beyond the arc. Joelle Johnson had her second straight double-digit game with 12 points in her first NSU start.
“I was happy to see them smile,” Nimz said. “Happy to see them enjoying themselves and celebrating each other. I wish I could have gotten a few more chest bumps, that’s not my job, but that’s how I felt on the inside.”
Photo Credit: Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
Sabine Parish Sheriff Aaron Mitchell announces Latha Joe Pegues (age-40) of Many was indicted in United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana on Nov. 29.
Pegues was indicted for 3-counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The Sabine Parish Sheriff Tactical Narcotics Team had been investigating Pegues’s illegal narcotic activity for the last year.
Pegues is currently incarcerated at the Sabine Parish Detention Center.
Since being elected your Sheriff, it has been my goal to be completely transparent with the public regarding my administration.
Immediately upon learning of the actions taken by Reserve Deputy Dustin Cartinez at “The Border” lounge, his status as a Reserve Deputy was suspended and his commission was later revoked. He is no longer affiliated with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Part of the prior media release was meant to detail Cartinez’s past affiliation with the Sheriff’s Office and was not intended to commend his service.
“The Border” Lounge is located within the city limits of Zwolle; therefore, Zwolle Police Department is the lead investigating agency. The case is still under investigation by Zwolle PD.
Dustin Cartinez, Kobe Cartinez and Payton Lindsey were all charged with Second Degree Battery (Felony) and booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center. All arrests were made by Zwolle PD with full support of the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office.
It is the goal of all law enforcement involved that justice be served.
My thoughts and prayers continue to be with Mr Parrie and his family.
** The Border Lounge Fight Update**
Monday, December 5, 2022, 11:00AM
Zwolle Police Officers have arrested Kobe Cartinez in an investigation of a fight which occurred at “The Border” lounge Friday night.
Cartinez is currently being booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for Second Degree Battery.
Bond is pending at this time by the 11th Judicial District Court.
** The Border Lounge Fight Update**
Monday, December 5, 2022, 8:45AM
Sheriff Aaron Mitchell reports an update in the investigation of the fight at “The Border” lounge in Zwolle Friday night.
Zwolle Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Kobe Alynn Cartinez (age-22) of Many for Second Degree Battery.
Kobe is the son of Dustin Cartinez, who was arrested shortly after the fight that night, along with Payton Lindsey.
Sabine Parish Sheriff Deputies are attempting to locate Kobe Cartinez at this time.
If anyone has information of Kobe’s whereabouts, please contact Zwolle PD at 318-645-6141 or call Crime Stoppers at 318-256-4511, or submit a tip through our Sabine Parish Sheriff App.
(All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law)
** Original SPSO Press Release**
Sheriff Aaron Mitchell reports an altercation that occurred at “The Border” lounge in the City of Zwolle early Saturday morning, Dec. 3.
At approximately 1AM Saturday morning, a fight occurred between several subjects inside the bar, then it moved outside.
Zwolle Police Officers and Sabine Parish Sheriff Deputies responded.
Officers determined Bobby Parrie Jr, Dustin Cartinez, and Payton Lindsey were involved in the fight.
Parrie Jr was seriously injured in this altercation, and he was later taken to a Shreveport hospital, where he remains at this time.
The Zwolle Police Department is the investigating agency in this case. More arrests and charges are pending at this time.
Cartinez is a commissioned, volunteer Reserve Deputy with the Sheriff’s Office, who was not on duty at the time of the incident.
This commission allowed Cartinez to assist with several drownings on Toledo Bend Lake using his marine vessel. Cartinez was also a full-time correctional officer under a former Sheriff’s administration.
Dustin Dewitt Cartinez (age-39) of Many was arrested and booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for Second Degree Battery.
Payton E Lindsey (age-24) of Zwolle was arrested and booked into the Sabine Parish Women’s Jail for Second Degree Battery.
Cartinez and Lindsey’s bonds were set at $8000 each by the 11th Judicial District Court and they both bonded.
Sheriff Mitchell said Cartinez’s status as a commissioned Reserve Deputy with the Sheriff’s Office has been suspended.
Sheriff Mitchell asked everyone to pray for Mr Parrie Jr’s speedy recovery.
