July 15, 1977 — August 1, 2023

Nathan Powell Gowen, 46, of Many, Louisiana passed away on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. He was born on July 15, 1977, in Alexandria, Louisiana to Daniel Lee Gowen and Beverly Sue (Ketchum) Gowen.

He was an oilfield consultant who has been married to his wife, Sabrina Ruth (Bradley) Gowen for 24 years and together they have one son, Thomas Blade Gowen. Nathan enjoyed life and spending time with his family.

Preceding him in death are his grandparents, Clifford and Mary Gowen and Powell Eugene and Betty Jean Bowling. He is survived by his wife, Sabrina Gowen of Many, LA; his son, Thomas Gowen of Many, LA; his parents, Daniel Lee and Beverly Sue Gowen of Many, LA; his sister, Julie & husband, Wilson Lemoine of Marksville, LA; his brothers, Scott Gowen & wife, Edie of Many, LA, and Rusty Gowen of St. Cloud, FL; along with a host of nieces, nephews, friends, and other family members.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to St. Jude’s. A celebration of life memorial service will be held in the future and will be announced once arrangements are finalized.

April 27, 1927 — August 3, 2023

Opal Christine (Anderson) Marr, 96, of Many, Louisiana went to her Heavenly home on Thursday, August 3, 2023. She was born on April 27, 1927 in Many, Louisiana to W.C. Anderson and Linder Bell (Sanders) Anderson.

A visitation will be held for her at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 9891 Texas Highway, Many, Louisiana, on Monday, August 7, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Her funeral service will be held on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Oak Hill Baptist Church, 154 Pastors Drive, Many, Louisiana with Dr. Carroll Marr of Fort Worth, Texas officiating. A burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Preceding her in death are her parents, W. C. and Linder Bell (Sanders) Anderson; her spouse of 52 years, Glenn L. Marr; her sisters, Arlene Pilcher, Katherine Carter, and Bertha Gandy; and her brother, Oscar Anderson. She is survived by her son, Larry Marr & wife, Pennye of Many, LA; her brothers, R. H. Anderson & wife, Brenda of Many, LA, and Kenneth Anderson & wife, Sharon of Many, LA; her two grandchildren, Patrick Marr & wife, Sarah of Shreveport, LA, and Alyson Ford & husband, Roger of Bigelow, AR; her 6 grandchildren; along with a host of nieces, nephews, friends and other family members.

Honoring her as pallbearers will be Patrick Marr, Roger Ford, R. H. Anderson, Kenneth Anderson, Kenny Carter, and Jimmy Floyce Marr. While Jim Anderson, George Anderson, and Billy Guay will be her honorary pallbearers.

Some of Opal’s hobbies included working in her vegetable garden, playing the piano, and spending time with her family and friends while joking around, laughing and having fun with them. In addition, she enjoyed working puzzles, and she was a faithful servant to her religion.

Chief Head Football Coach Jess Curtis joins Billy West Live to preview the 2023 Football team. Coach Curtis invites all Chief fans to attend the Meet the Chiefs Event this Saturday, Aug 12th at 6:00 PM.

A live and Silent Auction with great sports memorabilia are just part of a great evening of supporting Natchitoches Central Football.

It’s ain’t easy being me these days. My little plastic phone has been ringing off the hook lately with interview requests because of the Barbie movie.

Being a Big Star takes its toll, even when you have plastic hair. Well … plastic EVERY thing.

Most of you know my story. Kenneth Sean “Ken” Carson, better known as The Ken Doll. “Created” in 1961 and still look like I could get a date to the prom, no prob. Sidekick of the inspirational, wonderful, and fetching Barbie. And yes, since you’re wondering and since I’m asked 847 times a day, in real life she’s exactly as she is in real fake life.

She’s a peach. A pink peach.

Lately, you can’t swing a cat or go by a water cooler without hearing talk of Barbie. Yes, I co-starred. Yes, they paid me a bunch of money. Yes, I wear a “I Am Ken(ough)” T-shirt sometimes — and I wear it well. Told I’m a scene-stealer — DUH! — but of course it’s Barbie, the blue-eyed stunner, who everyone is talking about. She’s the REAL Blonde Bomber. (Take a seat, Terry Bradshaw.)

The movie’s good — so I hear. Haven’t seen it. Don’t like looking at myself on screen. Don’t like people coming in late and talking on their cell phones like they’re in their den. Don’t like paying 35 bucks for popcorn.

Whatever happened to a good ol’ night at the movies?, now upended by the one or two oddballs who act as if they’re sitting on their couch in their underwear, entitled to be as loud and unsettling as they please with no regard to the other people around them who’ve dropped a 20 to enjoy a show in peace and cinematic quiet.

Looo-sers! Ken(ough) has had enough.

BUT, as someone who is actually in the movie, I can report that Barbie is a meaningful and unique piece of art that spends plenty of time poking fun at itself. Barbie and her friends offer up plenty of situations to spark meaningful conversations among modern moviegoers, both Barbies and Kens, and that the “feel” you get is that, while pink is her signature color, Barbie is not above learning that there’s enough pink to go around for everybody.

If you go to enjoy a stylistically modern movie that takes a worldly view of female empowerment and offers a pink convertible-full of nostalgia, you’ll enjoy it. If you go expecting The Ten Commandments or a fiery stance on toxic masculinity, you’ll likely be disappointed.

I’m a Ken wise enough to know already that women retired The Strongest Sex trophy decades ago. Don’t need a movie to tell me that. But who’s asking me, right?

So please, for fun, go see it. (I get a cut of ticket sales, after all.) Enjoy it for you and enjoy it for me. In the unique situation of being All-Kenned-Out, I’ll wait here, and next week I’ll tell you why in The True-Blue Confessions of a Redneck Ken Doll.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

Northwestern State University President Dr. Marcus Jones addressed the upcoming academic year’s highlights and challenges during the university’s Faculty Institute and faculty/staff lunch Monday.  The annual event provides an opportunity for the president to deliver a state of the university address directly to faculty and staff. While Jones’ remarks outlined positive developments at the university, he also acknowledged challenges the university is facing and how they will be addressed.  

“To remain competitive in the landscape of higher education, we continue to place a high value on career readiness, learner goals and the individual pursuits of our students,” Jones said. “Providing an education of enduring value and creating gainful employment opportunities for our students in Louisiana and beyond is of utmost importance.” 

Jones said NSU’s three priorities regarding students are to stay career-focused on academics, provide critical skills that address workforce needs and provide an enriching student experience. He shared results from a recent economic impact study, which reported that the university contributes $520 million to the regional economy and supports the creation of 7,200 jobs in the region, or one out of every 53 jobs in northwestern and central Louisiana.  

“Outside of the classroom, NSU is proud to be a driving force for economic growth, job creation and development in our region. These benefits are real and measurable,” Jones said.  

Earlier this year, the Louisiana legislature approved a 2 percent pay raise for faculty at public universities in the state, sourced from the governor’s budget.  NSU is also slated to receive $65.1 million in capital outlay funding for several infrastructure projects.  Funding for the faculty raises and capital outlay projects are not part of the university’s operating budget.  

Over the past year, the NSU Foundation secured $6.6 million in contributions, a 15 percent increase in giving to the university, and secured $5 million in increased private grant funding, including contributions from industry partners. The Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development received a combined $11 million in grants to support initiatives that include the child welfare training academy, the child and family network, and career exploration in the high demand fields of psychology, addiction studies, social work, nursing and allied health.      

However, due to declining enrollment, the university is facing revenue shortfalls, prompting strategic preparations to address this issue.      

“Educational institutions throughout Louisiana and the nation have been expecting a decrease in the number of high school graduates and traditional college-age students,” Jones said. “This trend has been aggravated by the lasting effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Current job market demands have created attractive short-term opportunities for college-age individuals to enter the workforce instead of pursuing higher education.” 

“It’s crucial to acknowledge the trials that lie ahead,” Jones said. “Some key aspects of our near-term operations, such as fiscal year budgeting and Fall 2023 enrollment data, are yet to be finalized. However, it is evident that we will be confronting a significant operating deficit.” 

To address the shortfall, Jones said the university will reevaluate personnel and operating budgets, place a pause on new hires for vacant positions and eliminate positions through attrition (retirements) while nurturing the existing talent pool.  

The university will utilize 50 percent of its reserve funds to soften the financial blow, but future personnel reductions may be necessary, he added. Addressing the revenue shortfall and budget gap will follow six guiding principles.  

“As a campus community, we will remain committed to our fundamental mission as a public regional university in northwest Louisiana, while dedicating our efforts to achieving financial stability and organizational resilience; prioritize the needs of our students and their educational experience; develop and invest in strategies that manage costs and result in savings and revenue growth; utilize data-driven strategies and continuously monitor their efficacy, leverage the creative thinking and recommendations of NSU stakeholders across campus, community, and alumni base; and prioritize a decision-making approach that is inclusive, equitable and transparent to the campus community.” 

Jones said that while robust recruiting efforts and improved marketing initiatives are expected to impact future enrollment, positive interaction and the daily efforts of faculty and staff to serve students and provide assistance is crucial to student retention.  

“I take great pride in the work we have accomplished and have full confidence in our ability to sustain our progress despite the obstacles we encounter,” Jones said. “I thank you in advance for joining hands with us in this vital endeavor. Together, we can make a significant impact and steer our institution towards an even brighter future.” 

Fall classes at Northwestern State will begin Aug. 14.  Registration via NSUConnect is available through Aug. 13. Late registration will continue through Aug. 22.  Data on enrollment should be available by Aug. 29.  Registration information is available at www.nsula.edu/registrar.   

BRB – Be Right Back

BTW – By the Way

DYK – Do You Know or Did You Know

HBD – Happy Birthday

IDC – I Don’t Care

IDK – I Don’t Know

IMO – In My Opinion

JK – Just Kidding

LTB – Looking to Buy

LOL – Laugh Out Loud

OMG – Oh My God! or Oh My Gosh!

Using only acronyms, one person wrote the following:

“GAS 2U!

DQMOT, BSF IDK WCA 2TXT W/LOA. IYO, ITS EZ &PDQ… IDTS. IMHO, ARE =ADIH. TBH, FUBAR &2M2H. GIAR, PLZ! KISS.

.02

RX

If you received this message, would you be able to determine its meaning?  Here is a translation:

Greetings and Salutations to you!

Don’t quote me on this, but seriously folks I don’t know who cares anyway to text with lists of acronyms.  In your opinion, it’s easy and pretty darn quick… I don’t think so. In my humble opinion, an acronym-rich environment is another day in hell. To be honest. It’s *fouled* up beyond all recognition and too much to handle. Give it a rest, please! Keep it simple, stupid.

Just my two cents.

Regards,

Many acronyms were created for use with social media and texting in mind.  One of the most popular acronyms is OMG.  So popular is this acronym that it has entered the English and foreign languages as its own independent word.  It has entered our popular culture.  Television programs and films occasionally show youngish kids in the coolest clothes of the era saying something shocking followed by OMG!  When more emphasis is needed, they say Ooooooo Mmmmmmm Ggggggg!

Here is another letter that includes just one acronym:

“My Dear Friend,

I am here for a few days longer before rejoining my “Wise men” at Victory House— “The World Forgetting, By the World Forgot!” but some Headlines in the newspapers have utterly upset me!  Terrible!!  The German Fleet assisted the Land operations in the Baltic.  Landing the German Army South of Reval.  We are five times stronger at Sea than our enemies and here is a small Fleet that we could gobble up in a few minutes playing the great vital Sea part of landing an Army in the enemies’ rear and probably capturing the Russian Capital by Sea!  This is “Holding the Ring” with a vengeance!  Are we really incapable of a big Enterprise?  I heard that a new order of Knighthood is on the tapis—O.M.G. (Oh! My God!)—Shower it on the Admiralty!!

Yours,

Fisher

9/9/17.”

 The writer felt that the reader would probably not understand the acronym, so he defined it in parentheses.  It was in this letter, dated September 9, 1917, that the first known usage of the acronym OMG appeared, well before what we know as the technological age, several decades before the invention of the internet, social media, and text messages.  The first person to receive an OMG was future British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Source: “OMG! The First Time Someone Used the Phrase “OMG”!” HuffPost, 6 Aug. 2012,
huffpost.com/entry/first-known-use-of-omg-winston-churchill_n_1748042. Accessed 6 Aug. 2023.

As an angler, there’s one question that I’ve always wondered about when it comes to catching bass: “Is it the bait, or the angler” to understand why people catch bass.

Ever since I started bass fishing back in the late 1960s on our farm ponds in east Texas, having the right bait has been important — or so I thought. Just like other sports, some people are just more gifted than others. They have natural abilities that only the good Lord above can give. They might be faster, stronger, or just mentally tougher than their competition. Some people just have a higher level of determination and refuse to lose. So, “Is it the bait or the angler” is similar to the age-old question — which came first, the chicken or the egg? 

The man who is considered the greatest bass angler of all time is Kevin Van Dam, a man who has amassed over $7 million in winnings since arriving on the professional bass fishing circuit in the mid-1990s. I had the chance to talk with Kevin’s brother, Randy, and we discussed what makes him so great. Randy stated that ever since Kevin could pick up a rod, he possessed skills and instincts other anglers don’t seem to have. He said it was commonplace for them to be on the lake fishing when Kevin — for no apparent reason — would switch to a different bait and start catching fish immediately while everyone else in the boat could not even get a bite. That’s called instinct and it’s something you can’t teach; that’s God-given.

During a recent interview I had with KVD, I asked him what was the No. 1 bait in his tackle box. I’m anticipating something earth-shattering, but without hesitation, he responded with an answer I was not expecting. His number one bait in his tackle box is — confidence! I was looking to hear something like a homemade spinnerbait, a secret crankbait or maybe a special-colored jig. But to my surprise, it was not a specific bait or color at all.

After this interview, I began to wonder once again: when catching bass, “Is it the bait or is it the angler?” If confidence is the most important tool in an angler’s tackle box, then the bait nor color must be as important.

Over my years of fishing the BFL’s, Toyota Series and ABA events, I’ve heard that the many different colors that bait companies offer are designed to catch anglers instead of bass. It’s amazing how there are hundreds of different colors, especially when it comes to the soft plastics side of fishing. I’ve seen colors like bubblegum (pink) that catch fish and I’ve always questioned, “What does a bass think that is?” It looks nothing like anything natural in the bait fish world. But I have caught a lot of fish with that particular color. So it’s not the color, but how you fish it!

Many pros that I’ve interviewed over the years have all said that color doesn’t matter as much as the ability to fish the bait properly. This is where KVD says the confidence part comes into play. If you believe and have confidence in a bait and the color you’re using, you’ll fish it differently than you would a bait and color you don’t believe in. From this angler’s perspective, I do have one color trick worm that I have a ton of confidence in. If I’m struggling in an event and having trouble putting fish in the live well, I will and have always turned to my confidence bait. It is a black emerald trick worm with a 3/16^th-ounce tungsten weight with a Gamakatsu 2/0 Skip Gap hook. This combination has saved the day for me several times and helped me earn a check in many events when I was struggling. 

When I get the opportunity to speak to a group of young up-and-coming anglers today, the one thing I tell them is how they need to figure out early in their career what their “confidence” bait is when the fishing is tough. What can you tie on that gives you the most confidence to catch fish?  For some it might be a certain colored jig or spinnerbait or maybe it’s a specific crankbait. But whatever it is, make sure you believe in it!

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook. Also make sure to wear your sunscreen and good UV protective clothing. 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

Carolyn Gallien
August 7, 1963 – August 3, 2023
Service: Saturday, August 12 at 11 am with burial following in the St. Matthew Baptist Church Cemetery in Melrose

Virginia Calhoun
August 5, 2023
Arrangements TBA

Shirley Marie Haskins
June 5, 1956 — August 2, 2023
Service: Sunday, August 13 at 2 pm in the chapel of Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

Cotina C. Morris
June 24, 1973 – August 2, 2023
Service: Saturday, August 12 at 11 am Abundant Life Church on Ben Drive

On August 1, 2023, at approximately 12:20 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a one-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 6 near Recknor Road. The crash claimed the life of 46-year-old Nathan Gowen.

The initial investigation revealed that a 2018 Ford F-150, driven by Gowen, was traveling east on Louisiana Highway 6. For reasons still under investigation, Gowen’s vehicle left the roadway, traveled down the ditch embankment and struck several trees.

Gowen, who was restrained, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Routine toxicology samples were obtained and submitted for analysis.

While the cause of this crash remains under investigation, distracted and inattentive driving continues to be a leading cause of crashes in our state. Louisiana State Police urges all motorists to stay alert while driving. A lapse in one’s awareness can have deadly consequences.

In 2023, Troop E has investigated 33 fatal crashes, resulting in 38 deaths.

By JASON PUGH, Written for the LSWA

NATCHITOCHES – Twelve people does not a village make, but plenty of villages made the 12 inductees in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

Family members. Teammates. Friends.

They all proved to be driving forces behind 10 athletes, coaches and two journalists who enjoyed their moment in the state’s sporting limelight during Saturday night’s induction ceremony inside the Natchitoches Events Center.

“I don’t believe anyone is self-made,” said Shreveport born-and-raised Alana Beard, a four-time state champion at Southwood High School who went on to a Wade Trophy-winning college career at Duke and became a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. “Ron (Washington) spoke about it earlier. Wendell (Davis) spoke about it earlier. It’s about the people who made a difference for you along the way.”

As much as Saturday’s ceremony was a conclusion to a three-day period where the inductees were honored for their accomplishments, it was a chance for them to offer “thank yous” to those who helped them reach this point.

Take Beard, whose family (including parents from Natchitoches Parish) helped foster a love for basketball in the left-hander who helped build Southwood’s state championship machine under coach Steve McDowell.

“We’d find a park on the weekends as a family and go play one-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three,” Beard said. “I quickly realized when I was beating my brothers, his friends, my uncles, that I was pretty good. They can admit that now.”

Like many in Saturday’s induction class, Beard found great success both inside and outside of Louisiana.

Beard’s talent left an impression on Duke where her three-time ACC Player of the Year career helped lead the Blue Devils to a pair of Final Fours and their most successful era of women’s basketball.

“Alana’s legacy is one of excellence,” said Gail Goestenkors, who coached Beard at Duke. “It’s one of the lifting up of Duke women’s basketball and the excellence on the court, in the classroom, in the community and the giving back. It’s a legacy of joy, of passion. It’s a love of the game, a love of people and the determination to be great.”

Eli Manning made history as the third member of the first family of Louisiana football to reach the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

A two-time Super Bowl MVP who holds or shares 45 school records at Ole Miss, Manning joined his father, Archie (inducted in 1988), and his older brother, Peyton (inducted in 2019), in the state’s sports shrine.

Eli never missed a game at any level because of injury – a fact for which his two older brothers may be due some credit.

“Both of them take full credit for that because of the mental and physical torture they put me through,” said Eli, flashing the Manning family charm. “Coop picked on Peyton, and he felt he should pass that down to me. He’d pin me down and put his knees on my arms and start hitting my chest, telling me to name the 28 NFL teams. I basically got smart and learned all the teams by conference and by division, so then he’d start with the SEC, the Big Ten, the Pac 10.

“He’d always say, ‘If you tell mom or dad what I did, I’ll make it worse next time.’ That was always my thought with the trainers. If I told them what happened, the defense would make it worse the next time. I wasn’t allowed to be hurt.”

Instead, Eli took that out on opposing defenses, leading the Giants to a pair of Super Bowl titles while forming his own identity in the shadow of his father, a Saints legend, and older brother, who rewrote the NFL passing record book.

“After the Super Bowl, Eli’s on the podium, and in a lot of ways, you think of how much pressure that took of this young man,” said Manning’s former teammate Michael Strahan. “He had a name that is synonymous with this league. After that, he was no longer Archie’s son. He was no longer Peyton’s younger brother. He was his own man. He was Eli Manning.”

Davis, eloquent and charming, but modest, typically let his numbers do the talking – and they speak loudly especially through the prism of time.

Long before spread offenses and the Air Raid made college football a pass-happy game, Davis was establishing pass-catching numbers that would fall right in line with today’s stars.

“He’s really the forefather of receivers in this conference,” said Davis’ LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson, himself a Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer. “He was the first guy to put up those numbers. His routes were so good. He created separation and was easy to throw to because he was always open. I’m happy the kids and people in the state get to relive his career. It’s well deserved.”

Davis was named the 1987 SEC Player of the Year and worked daily with Hodson to create the chemistry that led to that award, but it was in Shreveport where his athletic talents were groomed even before he was turning heads at Fair Park High School.

“I’m a neighborhood kid,” Davis said. “We played football, baseball. We shared equipment. We found equipment. We shared that. Team was very important to us. That’s how I learned to play sports.”

After barely missing a pair of World Series championships as manager of the Texas Rangers in 2010 and 2011, the ever-positive Washington finally broke through and won that elusive World Series title as Atlanta’s third base coach in 2021. For much of the weekend, Washington’s exquisite World Series ring was as ubiquitous as his ever-present smile – and for good reason.

“This represents 52 years of grinding,” Washington said. “Fifty-two years of not ever giving up. Fifty-two years of dedication, commitment, attitude, passion and more than anything else, belief.”

Oh, and people that never left his side.

“I realized I made a difference in a lot of people’s lives and there have been a lot of people along the way who made a difference in Ron Washington’s life,” he said. “I’m blessed and just happy to be alive.”

Whatever any of us might be today or might become, we owe to family and friends, a whole raft of people. Nobody picks themselves up by their bootstraps (whatever that means), no man is an island and all that, and no turtle ever got to the top of a fence post alone.

 Saturday night in the Natchitoches Events Center at the Induction Celebration to conclude the annual Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame weekend, the impressive Class of 2023 tried to thank as many friends as they could for helping them realize the fascinating reality of being inducted into the Hall. All-Americans and MVPs and national champions and multi-time state champs and on an on it went, but not a one was a solo act.

 Each of them had a lot of help.

 And each of them had several opportunities to express themselves during the weekend, and they did, gracefully. But at the actual Induction Ceremony, each had only a six-minute interview to be entertaining and informative and grateful, which is a lot to ask in such a tight window of time.

 Just in case they forgot to mention someone, here’s where I can speak for them and help, at least a little. 

 Two things.

 One, never shortchange the value of friendship. I read Charlotte’s Web as a boy and again as an adult. If you missed it, it’s never too late. My favorite line is when Charlotte, the spider, says to the pig Wilbur, “You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing.”

 Amen.

 And two, you can always count on Mr. Fred Rogers — more commonly known as Mr. Rogers” — to sum up how best to recognize and remember such lights to our paths.

In his Acceptance Speech when he was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24^th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Ceremony in the spring of 1997 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, he said, in part, this:

 So many people have helped me to come to this night. Some of you are here. Some are far away. Some are even in heaven.

 All of us have special ones who have loved us into being.

 Would you just take along with me 10 seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are — those who have cared about you and wanted what was best for you in life?

 Ten seconds of silence.

 I’ll watch the time.

 He looked down at his watch for 10 seconds, looked up, and continued.

Whomever you’ve been thinking about — how pleased they must be to know the difference you feel they’ve made.

Since it was a live event, Mr. Rogers had to offer the audience just 10 seconds.

 There is no time limit for you and me.

 Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

A day full of meetings. Checking in. Receiving gear.

In many ways, Tuesday represented a typical report day for the Northwestern State football team. However, there was a bit of a different vibe surrounding the Demons as they returned to campus.

The return came after a much shorter-than-normal break as most of the team remained on campus throughout June and July.

“It fells different – and that’s a good thing,” sixth-year head coach Brad Laird said. “The investment by the athletic department, starting with (Director of Athletics) Kevin (Bostian), to be able for them to be here this summer with (director of strength and conditioning) coach (Jason) Smelser was huge. Yes, they had a few days off – and it’s good to get back in the swing of things with practice – but you add eight or nine newcomers who weren’t here to the mix. It’s not the report day you’ve felt in the past because of what they’ve done in the summer.”

Northwestern State’s players and staff took part in the report day traditions of hearing from members of the athletic administration, sitting through additional meetings and a meal provided by former NSU quarterback Kaleb Fletcher.

Those meetings only served to whet the appetite for the season.

“I feel like it starts today, but I’m extremely excited,” said junior safety Ronnie Caldwell, entering his second season as a Demon. “I don’t know how it feels to anybody else, but to me it’s crazy that we’re about to start a season.”

While the majority of the Northwestern State roster was on campus since the conclusion of the spring semester, things will ramp up Wednesday at 4 p.m. when the Demons hold their first practice of fall camp.

Like Caldwell, that fact has Laird excited about the start of camp as the Demons prepare for their Sept. 2 season opener at UL Lafayette.

“I’m looking forward to getting these guys on the field, especially after seeing what we accomplished on the field in the summer,” Laird said. “We’re very limited in what we can do in terms of Xs and Os in the summer. Now we get to do it on the field with pads on. That can really jump this football team in a different direction when you talk about team chemistry.”

With zero fishing going on due to the hot weather we have been experiencing, today we’ll look at my working career.

After walking away from my athletic career in the late 1980s, it was time to get a real job. It was time to put my college degree (industrial engineering technology) to good use. One reason I chose this as my major was due to the number of IET graduates the oil and gas companies were hiring out of Northwestern State in the mid ‘80s. This was my original plan, but the oil and gas industry tanked, and they no longer were seeking graduates with this degree.

One thing I’ve learned over the years from the many different jobs I’ve held was that each job helped prepare me in some way for other positions I’ve held. These included car salesman, supervisory role at CONAGRA Poultry, and high school and college coaching.

Nothing gave me more satisfaction than coaching did. Working with kids at the high school and collegiate level was truly rewarding and enjoyable. But the hours you put in on the college level are insane and was not a good fit for me personally or my family. I was not willing to make those family sacrifices that college coaches make.

In 1990, I decided to apply for an engineering job at a textile company, Holloway Sportswear, based out of Ohio but with factories in Louisiana. Best job I ever had! It was a company that made athletic outerwear and high school letterjackets. Holloway was the Mercedes of the athletic apparel world; they made the best. If you ever earned a letterjacket in high school, there’s a good chance it was made by Holloway, who was the original letterjacket company.

After two years with the company, I was promoted to Louisiana Director of Manufacturing, overseeing six factories across the state. The job was demanding, but the people were incredible.

Around 1998, President Bill Clinton signed what was called the NAFTA agreement with Mexico. This was the beginning of the end for Holloway and all textile companies in Louisiana and across the country.

It was at this point that my boss and I made several trips to Mexico to set up sewing factories. Then one by one we slowly pulled styles out of Louisiana and sent them to Mexico for production. This was the hardest thing I ever went though as an employee. It was my job at this point to tell all Louisiana employees they no longer had a job.

Many a day after making these announcements, I shed a few tears on the drive home knowing that I had just made life a lot tougher for so many women, many of whom were single moms. Many had no other skills than sewing. Some women were making as much as $14 an hour due to their ability to sew. This was good money back in the ‘90s and there were no other jobs offered in these small communities that paid those kinds of wages.

All the employees were offered the opportunity to go back to school and learn a new trade. But many were in the age bracket of 40 and above and had no desire to go back to school. Many of these ladies had never done anything else their entire life but work in textiles.

It was sad to see the impact this had on the people I cared so much about — people with a strong work ethic and dedication to go to work every day. People who took great pride in making Holloway Sportswear the best company it could be were now being sent home, for good. Some locations that had been in operation since the mid-1970s were being shut down.

The old saying “nothing lasts forever” comes to mind when I think about my Holloway days. Again, this was the best job I ever had, but it came to an end in 2004. Even during those stressful days when I questioned of it was worth it, the people were the reason I stayed. One thing about Louisiana people, they take great pride in doing a good job and are very loyal and dedicated to whatever job they’re doing.

After walking away in 2004, Holloway was sold and is now under the umbrella of Augusta Sportswear in Georgia. The Holloway standard is still alive and well today as they have retained their name and reputation as the best.

Next week we’ll get back to more fishing topics as we are now in the hottest month of the year — August.

Until next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to wear your sunscreen and protective clothing.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

November 14, 1941 — July 29, 2023

A Mass of Christian burial to celebrate the life of Billy Ray Martinez, 81, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 307 Hammond Street, Zwolle, Louisiana with Fr. Tim Hurd officiating. Burial to follow the service in the church cemetery. A visitation will be held for Billy Ray on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a rosary beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 9891 Texas Highway, Many, Louisiana. Visitation will continue on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at the funeral home from 8:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. 

Billy Ray was born on November 14, 1941, in Zwolle, Louisiana to Wesley Martinez, Sr. and Sarah (Ezernack) Martinez. He passed away on July 29, 2023 at his residence in Zwolle, Louisiana. He was a servant of God through his work at St. Joseph Catholic Church. He was always willing to lend a helping hand with mass or any work that needed to be done around the grounds. He was employed for General Motors for 14 years where he delivered and hauled vehicles all over the country. He loved his family and friends and would help anyone when called upon. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, Wesley and Sarah Martinez; his brother, James Martinez; his sister, Laverne Longoria; and his nephew, Scott Martinez. Left behind to cherish his memory are his daughter, Andrea Webb of Zwolle, LA; his brother, Wesley Martinez, Jr. and his wife, Linda of Coushatta, LA; his nieces and nephews include, Gayle Morgan and husband, Randy of Keithville, LA, Allen Martinez and wife, Susan of Zwolle, LA, Darlene Coker and husband, Kerry of Bossier City, LA, Suzette Anderson and husband, Clint of Many, LA, Eileen McLain and husband, Pat of Stonewall, LA, Brad Martinez of Zwolle, LA, LouNita Rivers and husband, Ben of Bossier City, LA, Anthony Longoria of Benton, LA, James “Jimbo” Martinez of Magnolia, TX, Jackie Martinez of Long Island, NY, Jennifer Martinez of Long Island, NY, and Joe Martinez and wife, Loretta of Stokesdale, NC; his grandchildren, HarLee Possoit, Tras Webb, Eli Rivers, Alec Williams, Kamdyn Remedies, Lilly Rivers, and Chloe Ebarb; along with a host of friends, and other family members. 

Honoring him as pallbearers will be Gary Lee, Steven Lee, Clint Anderson, Roger McCall, Mike Sepulvado (Spur-Cat), and Brad Martinez. Kamdyn Remedies and Sam A. Rivers, Jr. will serve as his honorary pallbearers. 

July 2, 1950 — July 30, 2023

Jerry Kenneth Johnson, 73, of Many, Louisiana went to his Heavenly home on Sunday, July 30, 2023 at his residence. He was delivered into this world on July 2, 1950 in Pleasant Hill, Louisiana to Eula Mae (Mitchell) Johnson.

A visitation will be held for him at Oak Hill Baptist Church on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. until his funeral service beginning at 10:00 a.m. with Bro. Ronnie Sandifer officiating. A burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Preceding him in death are his mother, Eula Mae (Mitchell) Murrell; his sisters, Sandra Ford, Janice Lawrence, Johnnie Chism; and his brothers, Calvin Dean Smith and Butch Johnson. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Patsy (Richardson) Johnson of Many, LA, his son, Jerry Allen Johnson & wife, Cynthia of Zwolle, LA; his daughter, Kelly Johnson Sparks & husband, Philip of Many, LA; his sisters, Pat Merrill of Shreveport, LA, and his twin sister, Suzanne Ford of Many, LA; his 5 grandchildren, Conner Sparks, Cade Johnson, Sarah Sparks, Megan Martin and husband, Taylor, and Morgan McCreary; and his great grandchildren, Kylei Coleman and Carley Martin; along with a host of nieces, nephews, friends and other family members.

Honoring him as pallbearers will be Craig Ammons, Joey Drew, Ray Meshell, Haze Hickman, Jason Richardson, and Cade Johnson. While Everett Guidry, Gary Carroll, Larry Broadway, Ronnie Broadway, Philip Sparks, Conner Sparks, and Kenneth Anderson will be his honorary pallbearers.

By Brad Dison

For hundreds of years, people have created drinkable elixirs and tonics which they claimed had medicinal purposes.  Salesmen, many of whom could be better described as con men, arrived in towns and communities and hawked their tonics.  They would tell tales of the miraculous cures that their product was responsible for, sell their drinks to the locals at a low price, and quickly head to the next town while no one was looking.

In the latter half of the 19^th century, salesmen of these concoctions began advertising their goods in newspapers.  In 1882, “Hop Bitters” was advertised as an appetizing drink which was a “blood purifier, clears the brain, gives tone to the stomach, and cures all diseases of the liver, blood, stomach and bowels, nerves, kidneys, and purifies and cleanses the entire system.”  “Beal’s Cure Alls” advertisements claimed that the tonic cured “cough, asthma, bronchitis, spitting of blood, shortness of breath, rheumatism, gout, lumbago, sciatica, sprains, bruises, sore throat, and chilblains.”  Some of the names of these concoctions which are no longer in existence are “Brown’s Iron Bitters,” “Electric Bitters,” “Hartshorne’s Cure-All,” “Taraxacum and Podophyllin,” “Samaritan Nervine,” “Pond’s Extract,” “Egyptian Mystery – the Drink of the Ages,” “Charleston Pop,” “Bruce’s Juices,” “Red Head Flapper,” and “Brad’s Drink.” 

Most of the tonics had no real medicinal value and were created to make money.  However, some of the creators were professionally trained and believed that their drinks were medicinal.  Caleb Bradham graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, then attended the University of Maryland School of Medicine.  Caleb was on the path to becoming a doctor until his father’s business went bankrupt in 1890.  Caleb dropped out of medical school and returned home to North Carolina.  He taught public school for a short time, but his interests were still devoted to medicine.  In about 1891 or 1892, Caleb opened the “Bradham Drug Company” in New Bern.

With a host of ingredients at his disposal, Caleb began experimenting with different tonics.  He wanted to create a new drinkable tonic which had some medicinal value.  Many of his experimental concoctions tasted too horrible to ingest more than once and were discarded.  In 1893, he mixed several ingredients in a beaker and handed it to his assistant, James Henry King.  Perhaps Caleb had tried too many bad mixtures on that day.  The hesitant assistant downed the drink.  To his surprise, the drink tasted good, and it seemed to sooth his stomach.  Caleb had done it.

Caleb knew he was on the right track.  He needed a name for his tonic.  As to include his reputation in his tonic, Caleb titled the drink after a shortened version of his last name, Bradham.  He called it “Brad’s Drink.”  He began selling his tonic in his own drug store and eventually sold franchises to other local pharmacies. 

After August 28, 1898, however, “Brad’s Drink” was no more.  Well, the name, “Brad’s Drink” was no more.  On that date, Caleb changed the name of his concoction.  The most likely reason for the name change was for marketing purposes.  Caleb used kola nut extract in his recipe and decided to use the term “cola” in the new name.  The new first name of the mixture could almost be called false advertising.  Caleb named the drink after an enzyme which aided in digestion similar to the way in which Caleb believed his drink aided in digestion, but his recipe did not include the enzyme.  “Brad’s Drink,” under its more common name, has become the second most valuable soft drink brand in the world, second only to Coca-Cola.  The name of that enzyme was Pepsin.  Caleb changed the name of “Brad’s Drink” to “Pepsi-Cola.” 

Sources:

1.      The Daily Telegraph, September 7, 1882, p.4.
2.     Essex County Chronicle, August 21, 1885, p.2.
3.     The News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina), July 28, 1895, p.5.
4.     “The History of Pepsi.” Leader Distribution Systems, pepsibrattleboro.com/the-history-of-pepsi/.

Tommie Floyd
July 22, 1951 — July 30, 2023
Service: Wednesday August 2 at 11 am at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home 

Bethel Ann Roberts
May 26, 1975 — July 30, 2023
Service: Friday, August 4 at 11 am at The Life Church in Many