Technology is awesome today as cell phones, smart TV’s and computers are just a few of the things advanced into mind-blowing devices. We have instant access to an information highway that mankind has never seen before. We can play video games on our cell phones and compete against individuals around the globe. No longer do we have to wait until the 6 o’clock news to get the weather forecast or to hear the latest trades our favorite sports teams have made. Information today is instantaneous!

Today we’ll look at the latest technology that has affected the fishing world and what some anglers are calling a controversial topic: forward facing sonar. What is forward facing sonar? It’s a sonar unit that allows you to see fish swimming up to 100 feet away in real time. These sonars reveal extreme details as you watch fish swim up and actually eat the bait you’re throwing. Basically, it’s a real time fishing video game!

So many anglers were against it but a lot were excited to have it. Opinions varied even among the top-level professional anglers when it first came on the scene. It was not well received by many tournament anglers as they felt it made fishing too easy and any angler could now start winning tournaments. Skills and instincts were no longer required to win an event. If you could read and understand what your screen was showing, you had a distinct advantage over other anglers.

The younger generation of anglers today have adapted very quickly to this new technology. Today’s youth have grown up with cell phones, an iPad or laptop or desktop computers and are not intimidated by technology like so many older anglers who learned to fish by instinct or by using what they’ve learned over many years of fishing.

But here’s the problem with technology. These new sonar units by Garmin, Lowrance and Humminbird are great but like all technology, they can go on the blink occasionally. The older generation anglers have an advantage when this happens as the younger anglers of today don’t have the instincts or the experience to fall back on.

Watching some of today’s top professional anglers, not all are fans of the forward-facing sonar. Anglers like Elite Series Pro John Cox (a shallow-water angler) don’t even own one of these types of units because they’re not very effective in shallow water condition of five feet or less. The general consensus of tournament anglers across the country is that if you don’t have forward-facing sonar, you can’t compete or win a tournament. This is not true as some of the best fishing pros today don’t use them, and many anglers are having tremendous success without it.

So don’t feel like you must go out and spend $5,000 for one of these high-tech sonar units. While they’re great if you know how to use and read one, it’s not the end-all, be-all answer for winning tournaments or catching fish. Time of year is also a factor in when these forward-facing sonar units are more effective. Some anglers that I compete against are still winning and do not have one of these expensive sonar units. They are like any other tool in your fishing arsenal. It’s just a tool that’s only as good as the person using it.

Until next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to wear sunscreen and good protective outerwear when spending the day on a lake.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

The construction of the 2023-24 Northwestern State men’s basketball roster is under way.

Head coach Rick Cabrera announced the addition of three transfers Wednesday, all of whom have ties to Florida.

Guard Chase Forte, forward Jimel Lane and center JC Riley signed to play for Northwestern State, becoming the first roster additions for Cabrera, who was hired in March as Northwestern State’s 11^th head men’s basketball coach.

“I’m excited to announce the signing of these young men as new members of the Demon family,” Cabrera said. “They exemplify every trait that I look for in a student athlete. They are high character young men added with a wealth of talent and toughness.”

Forte, a 6-foot-4 product of Raleigh, North Carolina, tied for the Region 8 scoring lead at 20.1 points per game while leading the region with 2.8 steals per game. His 5.8 assists per game ranked second in the region, making him the only player in the region to rank in the top five in three separate categories. His efforts earned Forte a spot on the All-NJCAA Region 8 team and on the All-Florida College System Activities Association Team.

Forte began his career at UNC Asheville before playing two seasons at Gulf Coast State. In his two seasons with the Commodores, Forte averaged 16.7 points per game across 53 games while chipping in 308 career assists and 129 career steals.

At Word of God Christian Academy, Forte averaged 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds per game as a senior, earning a spot on the John Wall Invitational All-Tournament team and the team’s Luke Sasser Award for the top GPA on the team. A versatile athlete, Forte also played football and ran track at Word of God.

“Signing a young man of Chase Forte’s talent was a top priority for me the moment I was offered the job,” Cabrera said. “He was one arguably the best two-way player in the toughest juco league in the country. He displayed a great ability to score the basketball in many ways as well as always defended the opponent’s team’s best player. I’m looking forward to Chase translating his talents to the Southland Conference.”

Lane enjoyed a high-scoring freshman season at Division II Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida.

A Miami native who played at Palmetto High School, Lane averaged 17.9 points per game, highlighted by three games of at least 30 points. He dropped 30 on Johnson University in his collegiate debut and matched that at Florida Southern. He set a career high with 24 points on 14-for-21 shooting, including a 4-for-8 performance from 3-point range, against Saint Leo on Jan. 7.

Lane, a 6-foot-7, 190-pound forward, ranked second on the team in scoring and in rebounding (6.6 per game) while blocking 1.1 shots per game and adding 0.9 steals per contest.

“Jimel was very high on our recruiting list out of high school when we were at Tallahassee Community College,” Cabrera said. “He checks all the boxes that I look for in a wing with his length, size and most importantly, talent. His versatility has all-conference potential in the Southland Conference. I’m excited to see to his growth for the next three years.”

Riley, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound center from Atlanta, played for Cabrera at Tallahassee Community College. Because of an injury, Riley appeared in just two games with the Eagles, who reached the NJCAA Final Four.

In his brief Tallahassee career, Riley averaged 3.5 points and five rebounds per game while playing an average of 11 minutes per game.

Prior to Tallahassee, Riley averaged nearly a double-double at Lowndes High School, scoring 11.3 points per game and grabbing nine rebounds per contest. He tallied nine double-doubles as a senior and blocked 1.7 shots per game while adding a steal per game.

“JC Riley’s path to NSU has been unique,” Cabrera said. “From the time he stepped foot on the TCC campus in June, I knew this kid was a special talent. He’s by far the most skilled player with his back to the basket that I’ve coached in a long time. Unfortunately, he had an injury that limited him to two games which resulted in him redshirting. During our preseason games and practices, JC displayed to me that he was a Division I talent. I’m excited for to be able to coach him and watch him grow as a player.”

Frances Nell Yates Garcie, 88, of Noble, Louisiana passed away on Friday, April 14, 2023 at Toledo Retirement Home in Zwolle, Louisiana. Funeral services will be held to celebrate and remember her life on Friday, April 21, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 9891 Texas Highway, Many, LA 71449 with her visitation beginning at 12:30 p.m. and continuing until service time. Bro. Dean Hillman will officiate her service with interment to follow at St. Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery in Zwolle, Louisiana. Frances was born on March 1, 1935, in Montgomery, Louisiana to Fines Benard Yates and Nellie Augusta (Marcum) Yates.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Fines and Nellie (Marcum) Yates; her husband, Clayton Garcie, Sr.; her seven sisters; and six brothers. Left behind to cherish her memory are her sons, Joe Clayton Garcie, Jr. of Zwolle, LA, Thomas B. Garcie and wife, Jeanette of Zwolle, LA; her daughter, Toinette G. Sepulvado and husband, David Wayne Sepulvado of Zwolle, LA; her brother, Bobby Yates and wife, Twinkle of Conroe, TX; seven grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren, and two great, great grandchildren; along with a host of nieces, nephews, friends, and other family members.

Honoring Frances as pallbearers will be Christopher Sepulvado, Anthony Garcie, Lance Garcie, Jason DeLatin, Allen Funderburk, and Glen Garcie. While her great-grandchildren will serve as her honorary pallbearers.

Condolences can be made to the family at www.rose-neath.com

Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home Many Chapel
Many, Louisiana

Members of Central Sabine Fire recently completed a refresher class for CPR/AED and EMR. These certifications must be renewed every two years and are vital to the department. Most of the calls for assistance are medical related.

BOM SPONSORS ZWOLLELOGGERS AND FORESTRY FESTIVAL 

BOM is a gold sponsor of the Zwolle Loggers & Forestry Festival. This is the 27th annual festival and it will be held on April 22nd. Pictured left to right: BOM’s Ashley Parrie and Lela Malmay.

Sindera White
September 19, 1954 – April 20, 2023
Arrangements TBA

Thelma Allen
April 18, 2023
Service: Sunday, April 23 at 2 pm in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Steven “Cal” Nelson
December 13, 1980 – April 17, 2023
Service: Saturday April 29 at 1 pm in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Luttie Richardson
April 16, 2023
Service: Saturday, April 22 at 2 pm in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Rosa M. Hamilton
February 9, 1944 – April 13, 2023
Service: Saturday, April 22 at 11 a.m. at the RAM (Restoration Apostolic Ministries), located at 175 Fairgrounds Road in Natchitoches

Joshua L. Chism
August 23, 2001 – April 12, 2023
Service: Friday, April 21 at 1 pm in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Unlike in basketball, few Sabine Parish teams qualified for the softball and baseball LHSAA playoffs.

Thursday, the Many Tigers baseball team, seeded 15^th in Non-Select Division III, begins a three-game series against No. 18 Jewel Sumner. This year, teams in Divisions I, II and III play three-game series in the first three rounds, while schools in Divisions IV and V continue to follow the traditional single-elimination format. Many’s series opener is Thursday at 5 and the second, and if needed, third games will be held Saturday at MHS, set to begin at 1 and 4.

Converse is seeded No. 2 in the softball Non-Select Division V bracket and got a first-round bye. The winner of 15^th-seeded Kilbourne and No. 18 Reeves will travel to Converse for a second-round game to be arranged.

The Many Lady Tigers were not able to defend their state championship from last spring. Many drew a No. 8 seeding and blasted Avoyelles 20-10 in five innings last Fridasy, but Tuesday were topped 4-2 by No. 9 Pine Prairie.

South Sabine Fire District is currently under construction of two new stations. Pictured is the foundation for Station 11 located off WhiteCity Rd. Station 12 will be located off Sandel Rd. Both of these stations will house a pumper and a service truck and construction should be completed by June.

Ebarb High School: May 4 at 6 pm

Converse High School: May 5 at 6 pm

Many High School: May 5 at 6 pm

Negreet High School: May 5 at 6 pm

Pleasant Hill High School: May 6 at 5 pm

Florien High School: May 8 at 7 pm

Zwolle High School: May 9 at 6 pm

By JIM BUTLER

Mike McConathy is a rookie trying to make the team; Alan Seabaugh a veteran hoping to change leagues. Both want the same position – senator from District 31 – in the Fall election.

Incumbent Louie Bernard of Natchitoches, elected in 2019, is not running for re-election.

The district beginning with this election now includes parts or all of 10 parishes, including a portion of west and south Rapides, and stretching to Toledo Bend in one direction and a minute part of Caddo/Bossier to the north.

McConathy’s campaign radiates from Natchitoches, where he was for years head basketball coach at NSU.

Seabaugh’s base is Caddo Parish, a mere sliver of which is in the district.

A Shreveport attorney, Seabaugh is a term-limited state representative who happens to fall just inside the reapportioned District 31 boundary.

Both candidates are Republicans.

Neither reported any contributions from Rapides Parish in 2022.

As of Dec. 31, both candidates listed a number of maximum allowable contributions from individuals and businesses near and far.

At year’s end, McConathy had $68,000 on hand of $120,000 raised beginning in September.

Seabaugh had $380,000 on hand. That includes carryover funds from previous years.

Contributions totaled $211,000.

Seabaugh reported loaning his campaign fund $50,000, which he also did in 2020 and 2021. The loans were outstanding at year’s end.

As might be expected for a 12-year legislator, Seabaugh had a host of PAC contributions, totaling $36,700.

He has an established voting record indicating how he is likely to vote on any number of issues, a barometer for special interests with specific interests and objectives.

McConathy, on the other hand, must persuade PACs, if he chooses to, that he will at the least listen to their lobbying cases.

He had received no PAC money as of Dec. 31.

Full reports can be viewed at the La. Ethics Administration website. 

EDITOR’S NOTE:  When this story was initially published Tuesday morning, it mistakenly stated legislative candidates would file campaign finance reports quarterly, but that is only required of statewide candidates and PACs making contributions. Legislative campaign finance reports are not due until 30 days before the October 14 primary.

Many Police Chief Cheryl Wooley is pleased to announce that Officer Keith Jones and Officer Elijah Lee graduated on April 18 from LaFourche POST!

The McConathy family’s relationship with college basketball in Louisiana is a decorated one that stretches back nearly a century.

Appropriately, the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches announced Tuesday it has added to the family’s lineage, naming longtime Northwestern State and Bossier Parish Community College coach Mike McConathy the recipient of its 2023 Mr. Basketball Award.

McConathy and the rest of the annual award winners will be presented their honors on May 6 in Baton Rouge at a 6 p.m. banquet that is held in conjunction with the LABC’s annual convention.

Known as a program builder with a Midas touch, McConathy started the BPCC program from scratch and turned it into a National Junior College Athletic Association national tournament participant. He became Louisiana’s leader in coaching victories during his 23-year tenure from 1999-2022 at Northwestern State where he added 330 of his state-record 682 wins.

“It is an honor to be able to build things and place confidence in young men at institutions where people believed in you,” McConathy said. “Sometimes it meant a sacrifice on a young man’s part, because he may not have played as much as he would have at other places. The end result is (Northwestern State) did things that had never been done before – we went to the NCAA Tournament and won games there.”

McConathy took the Demons to three NCAA Tournaments (2001, 2006, 2013), making history by defeating Winthrop, 71-67, in the 2001 play-in game – the first of its kind. Five years later, he and his Demons authored one of March Madness’ signature buzzer-beaters as Jermaine Wallace’s corner 3-pointer capped a 64-63 upset of No. 3 seed Iowa in which NSU trailed by 17 with less than 10 minutes remaining.

McConathy’s family legacy and his ties to the LABC made this year’s recognition special for the longtime coach, whose honor comes a year after retired Northwestern State sports information director Doug Ireland was named the LABC’s Mr. Basketball. In addition to being a longstanding member of the organization, McConathy was the group’s president for the 2003-04 organizational year.

McConathy’s father, John, and two of his uncles played at Northwestern State before Mike McConathy and his brothers, Pat and Bill, played at Louisiana Tech with Mike becoming the Bulldogs’ second-leading scorer at the end of his career (2,203 points) and an honorable mention AP All-American. Mike McConathy’s sons, Michael and Logan, played for their father at Northwestern State. Factor in Mike McConathy’s time at BPCC and his longstanding ties to numerous LABC founding fathers and the ties grow deeper.

“I think of this as more of a celebration of our family,” McConathy said. “It dates to the 1940s when the first McConathy in our immediate family came to Northwestern. I’ve been fortunate to be involved in the (LABC) and in the same company as Don Landry, Benny Hollis, Emmett Hendricks, Dale Brown, Larry Little, Riley Wallace, Fred Hobdy, Ben Jobe and Tynes Hildebrand. The great part about the LABC is it ties in all the schools. You take the Billy Allgoods, the Gene Rushings, the Roman Bankses, Tommy Smith, David Francis. The tie-ins with all those coaches is really an amazing thing.”

McConathy’s victory total and championship banners are just two of the tangible products of his three-plus decade career as a collegiate head coach.

The rest can be seen in the careers his former players entered following the end of their playing days – an accomplishment McConathy draws more appreciation for than his on-court accomplishments.

“I have looked back and thought about the fact we were able to accomplish a lot on the floor, but it was more important to put them in position to earn their degree,” McConathy said. “We had a graduation rate of around 90 percent. I go back and look back at my JUCO guys who played and how well they have done in society whether it is in coaching or just holding down a job. Their formative years in junior college were so important to them.”

Added to the line-up for the 26th Annual Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival

Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs – THE CANE RIVER WATERWAY COMMISSION STAGE – 3:45 – 5:00 pm.

Mark Newman – ROQUE HOUSE STAGE – 6:00 – 7:00 pm.

Gin Mobsters – FLEUR DE LIS STAGE – 4:45 – 5:45 pm.

Josh Hyde & The Lost Parish – FLEUR DE LIS STAGE – 6:00 – 7:00 pm.

This year we kick off the festival with a Friday night show featuring Elton LIVE! The Elton John Experience and The Purple Madness, a Tribute to Prince. Shows will be going on from 7:00 PM until 11:00 PM on 5/12 AND 11 AM – 11 PM on 5/13 on the Natchitoches Riverbank!

Don’t forget about our headliners, a Double Shot of Country with stars Mark Chestnutt and Tracy Byrd, and a whole lotta line dancing with the legendary Cupid, all on Saturday.

We still have The Steel Magnolias Getaway Giveaway to be announced so get your tickets and be entered into the drawing!

Click the link below for more information and to purchase tickets
https://www.natchjazzfest.com

ALEXANDRIA- The Rapides Foundation has awarded $1.8 million in grants to six organizations under a new program that addresses the high number of Central Louisiana young adults ages 16 to 24 who are neither in school nor working. The Reconnecting Cenla Program Grant seeks to reconnect these young people to meaningful education and employment opportunities in the region.

Grants were awarded to Ben D. Johnson Educational Center, Central Louisiana Technical Community College, Eckerd Youth Alternatives, LaSalle Community Action Association, LaSalle Economic Development District and Rapides Parish Police Jury.

These six entities will serve as anchor organizations that will lead community-based systems of partner organizations to identify, recruit and navigate disconnected youth to education and employment opportunities. Disconnected youth are often called “opportunity youth” because of their potential to succeed and contribute to their communities.

“Research has shown that young adults who experience disconnection have significantly lower incomes, are less likely to gain meaningful employment in the future and have poorer health outcomes than their peers,” said Joe Rosier, President and CEO of The Rapides Foundation. “These community collaborations are designed to create strategies that address barriers these young adults face when reengaging with education and employment services.”

Reconnecting Cenla complements the Foundation’s Beyond Graduation Project, a retention strategy launched in 2021 to ensure students stay within the education pipeline by assigning coaches to counsel students who enter postsecondary institutions after high school. Both programs are funded under the Workforce Skills and Talent Development component of the Foundation’s Economic Development Initiative.

Each Reconnecting Cenla Program grantee was awarded $300,000 over a three-year period that began April 1. The grant also will fund technical assistance from national experts in the field of opportunity youth who will work closely with the organizations as they develop their projects.

The following Reconnecting Cenla Program Grants were awarded:

Ben D. Johnson Educational Center plans to expand its Legacy Workforce Development Program, which provides training and certification courses covering foundational job skills, digital and financial literacy, effective communication strategies and industry-based certifications to underserved populations in Natchitoches. The center will work to grow its network of referral, resource and employer partners to help participants obtain social services, job training and employment.

Central Louisiana Technical Community College will create the Cenla Outreach, Engage and Reconnect Project to establish a range of key stakeholders to grow capacity and effectiveness with engaging opportunity youth throughout Central Louisiana. The project will utilize a Carl Perkins-funded website, Career Waves 6, to highlight resources within the community and create a communication network. The project will grow partnerships with grassroots organizations by training local ambassadors on the features of the website and navigate youth to services.

Eckerd Connects will work with existing and new community partners to build a system of care for opportunity youth in Rapides and Vernon parishes. The Eckerd Connects Opportunity Youth Program will engage, empower and energize opportunity youth to address the barriers to successful education and employment. The project also will focus on building an infrastructure to connect referral sources to community partners who provide educational services and employment opportunities. Eckerd will provide direct services and strengthen local connections in communities to connect more youth to opportunities so that they can live in a sustainable manner.

LaSalle Community Action Association and its partners will create the Catahoula Youth and Young Adult Enrichment Program in Catahoula Parish. The program will identify, recruit, assess, educate and train at least 150 young adults to become economically stable through the creation of a local and regional system of service providers. The system will provide outreach and a portal for disconnected youth to enter, be assessed and connected to services, including training, that will improve the likelihood of a successful transition to sustained employment.

The LaSalle Economic Development District will serve as anchor organization for Reconnect LaSalle: Youth Embracing a Greater Future. The mission is to connect these young adults with local and regional entities that can assist them to embrace a greater future by entering the workforce or obtaining higher education. The project will develop strategies to increase awareness of available local resources and information. Other components include facilitating round table discussions with area agencies, organizations and local youth.

The Rapides Parish Police Jury’s Youth Empowerment Services Project will expand its existing outreach and services for young adults. The project will include hiring service navigators to recruit disconnected youth from Rapides Parish and connect them with resources within the American Job Center and from external partners.

Henry O’Con
November 10, 1953 — April 13, 2023
Service: Thursday, April 20 at 11 am at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Natchitoches

Thelma Allen
April 18, 2023
Arrangements TBA

Steven “Cal” Nelson
December 13, 1980 – April 17, 2023
Arrangements TBA

Luttie Richardson
April 16, 2023
Arrangements TBA

Rosa M. Hamilton
February 9, 1944 – April 13, 2023
Service: Saturday, April 22 at 11 a.m. at the RAM (Restoration Apostolic Ministries), located at 175 Fairgrounds Road in Natchitoches

Joshua L. Chism
August 23, 2001 – April 12, 2023
Service: Friday, April 21 at 1 pm in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Sabine Parish officials attended the opening ceremonies for the St. Croix Bassmaster Open Tournament. on April 13 on Toledo Bend. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser welcomed participants to Louisiana before the fishing began.

The competition continues April 14-15. Takeoff is at 6:45 AM CT each day and weigh-ins start at 2:45 PM CT.

According to Nungesser, Louisiana has had 46 major Bassmaster tournaments over the past 50 years, and 18 of them have been held in Toledo Bend! He wished all the competitors the best of luck this weekend!

Miss Battle of Pleasant Hill 2023, Emma Rose McElwee, sang the national anthem.

A field of 225 boats, pros, and accompanying co-anglers will compete on 185,000 acres of water on storied Toledo Bend Reservoir along the Louisiana-Texas border. At stake is a total payout of over $250,000, an invitation for the pro-division tournament winner to the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota, as well as EQ points that could result in an invitation to fish the coveted 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series. 

Zwolle was the place to be on April 13 as the Sabine Parish Special Olympics packed the Zwolle Festival grounds with lots of fun.

The event provides an opportunity for those with intellectual disabilities to compete in various track and field competitions.

The motto of the Special Olympics, which inspires thousands of communities to support the organization, is “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Support and make a donation to the Special Olympics in your area.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, (DOTD), advises the public that, weather permitting, on Monday, April 17 construction will begin on LA 120 in Natchitoches Parish. This work will begin at the Sabine Parish line and proceed southeast along LA 120 to its intersection with LA 6 in Robeline.

The intent of this project is to replace existing drainage structures, cut an in-place cement treated subgrade and base course, apply lime treatment to the subgrade, and then place 6 inches of superpave asphaltic concrete, followed by permanent striping on the roadway and other related work.

The contractor will be required to maintain thru traffic at all times, but periodic lane closures and delays can be expected. The public is advised to remain alert to construction signs and changing roadway conditions.

The project was awarded to the low bidder, Madden Contracting Co., LLC, in the amount of $10,781,403.79. The work associated with this project should take approximately 190 working days to complete.

Permit/Detour Section
Thru traffic will be maintained at all times with oversize and emergency vehicles allowed passage. There will be no detour routes for this project.

Safety Reminder
DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

Additional Information
Motorists can access the latest updates on real time traffic and road conditions using the 511 Traveler Information System and saying the route or region on which they are seeking information. Out of state travelers can also access this information by visiting the 511 Traveler Information Website at http://www.511la.org/. Additionally, you can follow the Traffic Management Center on Twitter: (@Alex Traffic). Motorists may also monitor the La DOTD website @ http://www.dotd.la.gov/ and the DOTD Facebook page.