By Kevin Shannahan/Opinion

G_d damn them! Iran and their lickspittle lackeys Hamas sent their Einsatz kommandos, I use that evil word purposely, for that is exactly what they were, as hatefully murderous as their SS predecessors, into Israel. In scenes not seen since the days of the Nazis, Jewish families were murdered in their homes and a peaceful concert turned into a slaughterhouse. October 7, 2023 marks a grim milestone, the largest number of Jews murdered on a single day since the Holocaust. Seventy-eight years after the fall of Nazi Germany, gunmen once again hunt Jews in the streets, killing and taking hostages back to their lairs in the Gaza strip.

Not content with wanton murder, these Hamas thugs delight in filming their vile depravity. Indeed, they consider it part of their strategy. Photos and videos abound of kidnapping and murder. A woman with her hands bound is manhandled into a jeep as they yank her around by her hair. A vehicle parades through the streets of Gaza to obscene cheers from the surrounding crowd. It contains the corpse of a German woman murdered by Hamas. Stripped naked, her broken and defiled corpse was paraded around like an obscene trophy by these sadistic perverts.

Hamas is tough indeed when facing 85 year old grandmothers, women and children. Their time is coming. The world will soon see how they fare against men. Their murderous rampage tried to instill fear and hopelessness. They failed and brought forth a cold determination instead.

There is evil in the world, and it needs to be faced with clear eyed determination. There is no moral equivalency between Hamas and Israel, none! Hamas by its own actions has made that abundantly clear.

Eighty-three years ago, evil was on the march. On a day in June of 1940 with Nazi Germany ascendant in Europe, Winston Churchill stood up in the House of Commons and saved the world.

“…we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender…”

May G_d preserve Israel.

For well over two weeks now I had been planning to write a devotional article titled “A Different Kind of Happy”.

This was going to be a beautiful and heartfelt, sentimental piece about the unimaginable joy that has coursed through veins my since my oldest daughter has made her way home for a few weeks. I was going to put an elaborately pleasant spin on our car ride adventure driving through Colorado while bickering non-stop.

I was then going to quote one of my neighbors who said, “I know your heart is full having both of your daughters under one roof for a while”.

We both agreed that it was a different kind of happy when you have all of your children at home at the same time. There is just a special kind of peace knowing that everyone is under one roof, safe and happy at home. I was going to close out the article with one of my favorite scriptures that says…”The joy of the Lord is our strength” or even one of my other favorites that says, “A joyful heart is good medicine”.

God had other plans. It is almost like I could him hear him telling me “read the room”.

I sat down at my computer several times over the past few days to begin my writing process and my mind just keeps trailing back to my sister who is praying non-stop for her one and only daughter who is currently in Israel. She chose to move there months ago with so much excitement in her heart about teaching English as a second language to Israeli children. It was a huge move for her and it was taking a lot of adjusting for her parents but it was all coming together. My niece was settling in and my sister was settling down.

A few weeks into her move, the world changed. Israel suddenly became a very dangerous place to reside. At this point, my sister was experiencing a different kind of prayer life. A different kind of worry. Not many parents know the kind of angst that worries if your child is safe, if they are out of harm’s way, if they are content or even lonely being so far from home during tumultuous times. a

Sometimes things happen in our lives that are so unexplainable and so much bigger than us. It takes all we can do just to trust and know that God has plans. His plans are bigger than anyone can fathom. My niece had the option to come home but chose to stay to help where she could. She put others before herself and her family could not be more proud of her. Our selfish sides want her to return home as soon as possible but God is using her. He is teaching us to trust in him. He is showing all of us a different kind of happy.

Please continue to pray for Israel.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

The success of Northwestern State University is vital to Northwest Louisiana.

My wife, Mrs. Laura, is a 1991 Graduate of NSU and nearly 50 of our close family members are graduates of NSU including three of our four parents. Our great grandparents, grandparents, parents, numerous aunts, uncles cousins and siblings were students, athletes, professors, cheerleaders and graduates of NSU.

The beautiful N that lights the night on top of Turpin Stadium was placed in honor of Mrs. Laura’s grandfather E.H. Gilson. He was the Quarterback for the 1939 undefeated Football Team, her Uncle played in the 1960s and her brother played in the 2000s. Her grandmother was the first band majorette for NSU.

Laura worked for several years in the Admissions office, both as a student and in her first post graduate job. She traveled the state recruiting students to attend NSU. She was also on the original founding team of “Freshman Connectors” for incoming NSU students and helped develop the program.

Our families are from Natchitoches for several generations back. I proposed to Mrs. Laura on Front Street.

Our family has bled purple since it was the Normal School, and before the color orange was added.

In this campaign, our opponent’s supporters are spreading ugly rumors that we are somehow anti-NSU. Nothing could be further from the truth!

We are not naive or blind to the current situation at NSU. Changes must be made if we are going to return NSU to the status it deserves as a top regional university. We are committed to making those changes. Most importantly, we have the experience, insight and team ready to make it happen!

It is time for change. I am asking for your vote on Saturday!

WE ARE NORTHWESTERN! 🤘🏻💜🧡

Alan Seabaugh

By Doug De Graffenried

My mother was correct!

She told me if I kept listening to that loud music, I would go deaf. It only took another fifty years for my mom’s prediction to come true. Lacking ego about wearing such things and with modern technology, I can hear fine now. Albeit my hearing is digitally aided. I enjoy watching the staff look at me, when I answer a phone call that only I can hear. Or when I’m holding my phone appearing to have a one-sided conversation. The digital technology allows the phone calls to go directly to my hearing aids. I also enjoy all the settings I have. I can turn on white noise in my head. I have settings for restaurants which allows me to hear what is in front of me. I even have a setting called wife. It allows me to hear instructions without asking for a repeat. There for a while I thought I had memory problems, just turns out that I couldn’t hear anything, especially anything said in the female vocal range.

Growing older is not for cowards!

Last week we went out to eat twice. That is a rarity in the life plan. I was looking forward to a quiet meal. In both places, on Thursday and Friday, the restaurant decided to feature live music. My suspicion is they were targeting a younger audience. I will never tell you where I was dining! I will tell you that in both places the musician sucked! I wondered if they paid the house to play there. What were they singing? What was their genre? Was I moved by the music? In both places I was surrounded by large screen televisions showing sports. No other entertainment was necessary. I had table companions for conversation. What the heck restaurant people? Were your receipts up for the evening? If you’re going to do this, listen to the musician before saying, “Yes.”

I’m a grouch and I know it. I will say that in both dining establishments the musician took a long break. It was nice to hear quiet conversations again.

I know the musicians were glad to play in front of an appreciative crowd. I appreciated their break! I know the younger crowd probably loved the music and enjoyed their evening out. I hope it was great for business and I’m sure the owners made a strategic decision to have music in their establishments to enhance the atmosphere. I get it! I still hated it! Moving forward I will return to both places, but this time I’ll ask about the presence of live music and ask to be seated far-far away from the source of the noise, I meant the music.

In the last book of the Bible, the Revelation, we read, “The Lamb opened the seventh seal and there was silence in Heaven for half an hour.” I guess the seraphim went on break. That was a veiled reference to Isaiah 6, in case you are wondering.

How is the noise level in your life? Do you have to keep some form of noise going around you? Have you learned the spiritual discipline of stillness and silence? Does the thought of silence creep you out?

The Psalmist wrote, “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation.”

The Psalmist was also correct!

Oh, how I remember the days where people sat on a front porch and watched the world go by. The latest generation has little or no idea of what it means to sit and talk about issues facing our country with grandparents or a neighbor.

The front porch used to be an educational platform where you learned the opinions of others (usually the elderly) and how they would do things if they were running for mayor, judge or even president. You were exposed to practical thinking and common sense that has been totally lost in today’s society. You were exposed to the facts of life and how you should act. 

I had the pleasure and fortune to have Mr. Jones as a neighbor who lived across the street from our house just north of my hometown. We lived out in the country and the Jones family lived across the street. Mr. Jones was a kind old soul who had a huge garden and a few cows to keep him busy. He allowed me and my younger brother to fish his two stock ponds as often as we wanted. We spent many a day fishing those ponds and roaming his pasture while sharing some good times with one of his grandsons who lived just down the road. 

Everything Mr. Jones said, sitting on his front porch, was so profound and accurate. He gave great life advice while pushing his viewpoints on all sorts of topics.

Our conversations were always enlightening as Mr. Jones would rehash the day’s news and give his perspective on what our world was coming to. He was a staunch Republican who loved his country and did not like where it was headed. We talked about the Vietnam War, and he shared his feelings on how it was a war we would never win. We talked about cattle prices and how great his garden was doing. He talked about local politics and his dissatisfaction on how they were running things. He was also a big Texas Rangers fan and loved to talk baseball with me. 

But the one thing he truly cared about was his local high school — the Mt. Pleasant Tigers and their sports teams. He was so excited and loved to rehash our Tiger football games and discuss the good and the bad from the previous game along with my quarterback play. He was a stats geek and could tell you how many yards I threw and ran for each week. He knew my punting average and had a firm grasp on the number of injuries our team was dealing with. He was always so positive and believed in me as an athlete and had a profound influence on enhancing my confidence.

Then the day came that I would no longer get to sit down with him and hear his stories or his opinions. Mr. Jones passed away a few years after I left for college, and I really missed my times with him as he was a huge fan of mine and always had good words of encouragement no matter how bad or how good I played. He was my one constant reminder of how to keep things in perspective.

Nothing was ever as good or as bad as it seemed at the time it occurred. But the one thing I always remembered were these words as I walked off his front porch: ”Remember Steve, you’re only as good as your last play.” He was the first person I ever heard that quote from. 

Mr. Jones was a man who had a wealth of knowledge and was willing to share it with anyone who set foot on his front porch. There, he taught me how to use and catch fish with Catawba worms. I even made some good pocket change on his front porch as he would pay me a penny for every fly I destroyed with one of his flyswatters or rolled-up newspapers.

Front porch lectures, like rolled-up newspapers, have disappeared from the American landscape, and I hate that for future generations. Because the things I learned on that front porch are things you can’t learn from a book.

‘Til next time good luck, good fishing and find a front porch and spend some quality time with an elderly person like a grandparent or a neighbor and pay attention, as you just might learn something!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

I am no philosopher, scientist, or preacher.

I am, in fact, hardly a man.

But I do eat food, and even I know that if God had depended on the McRib as a starter-kit for the first female, women would have never been created.

Had he winged it and made Eve from a McRib, we’d be staring down the barrel of McWomen, hardly a suitable substitute for God’s greatest creation — dogs being a solid second, bacon cheeseburgers on soft fresh buns a-huggin’ third.

Heaven help.

Instead, God gave us the real thing.

No so on the McDonald’s front. No offense to millions of Americans’ favorite fast food burger joint. But don’t even think about calling something a Rib when it is McNot.

Our dogged reporter and longtime friend Donnie Golfgame has been on this story since 2020 when the McRib, not a menu staple, made a brief holiday-season return to the menu. And here we go again.

Early last week Donnie was reading “America’s newspaper, USAToday,” and ran across this headline:

“McRib is back at McDonald’s this November.”

“I almost spewed yogurt out of my nose,” Donnie told me. “This was published and delivered on doorsteps all over the country as a legitimate news story under a reporter’s byline. I spent 30 years in the newspaper business – all three decades with the parent company of USAToday, Gannett News Corp. I can only imagine the reporter’s reaction when the editor called him or her over and said, ‘I have an important assignment for you.’”

The aroused reporter whips out a notepad, pulls a ballpoint from behind their eager ear, only to hear his editor say, “Just in time for the holiday season, McDonald’s is making a menu change of epic proportions.”

And before the reporter can say, “You mean McDonald’s is going full-fledged Kato?!” the editor says, “The McRib: It’s BACK, babeeeee!”

Sigh … THAT’S the Big Story.

As Donnie is quick to point out, “a McRib is really nothing more than a perpetuated big fat McFib — ground pork shoulder shaped to look like a miniature rack of ribs, which it is not. ‘Meat restructuring’ is how the military classified it when it became an MRE for the U.S. Army,” he said. “It didn’t show up on the menu at McDonald’s until 1981, when I was a sophomore at Louisiana Tech University. It was the same year I ordered my first and only ever McRib.

“The fact I haven’t ordered another McRib since 1981 is all the firsthand food review from me you’d ever want, but I have taken note over the years that the McRib has become like your favorite rock band that goes into retirement only to come back for a ‘Last Hoorah Tour,’ then back again for a ‘Farewell Tour,’ followed by a ‘No, Seriously, We Mean It This Time Tour.’”

Since it’s a fake rib, can we pay for it with fake money? Maybe McMoney?

“I think McDonald’s saw the Rolling Stones released a new album and thought, “Why not?” my guy Donnie suggested. Which sounds entirely plausible.

I have friends who own McDonald’s franchises. Tip of the hat. They get along, let’s just say, really well. And McDonald’s breakfast has always been top shelf. But how they stay in the burger business is a mystery to me.

As is America’s fascination with the McRib, to which this bureau says, “McNeg.”

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

By Brad Dison

It was Labor Day, Monday, September 5, 1921.  Roscoe Conkling was taking a much-needed break from his hectic work schedule.  He and two friends, Lowell Sherman and Fred Fishback, who also worked in the silent film industry, had driven from Los Angeles to San Francisco to blow off some steam.  They rented three rooms at the St. Francis Hotel.  Two rooms were for sleeping and the third room was designated for partying. 

On that Monday afternoon, the three friends invited several women up to the party room.  One of those in attendance was Virginia Rappe, an actress who had been in at least thirteen silent films.  In the film industry, Virginia was known for the “richness of her taste in clothing.”  She was often called “the best dressed woman in the movies.”   

The partygoers consumed large quantities of illegal alcohol.  In 1921, prohibition in the United States was in its second year.  During the party, Virginia was suddenly “stricken seriously ill.”  One of the women at the party called the front desk and asked for help.  She said one of the women, Virginia, had “become hysterical and was tearing off her clothing.”  Before a physician could be called, Virginia collapsed.

When the general manager arrived, he was shocked to see the state of the party room.  It was in total disarray.  Pieces of broken furniture, alcohol bottles containing various amounts of liquor, and other debris were scattered throughout the room.  The bed seemed to be the only piece of furniture in the room which was not overturned or outright destroyed.  There on the bed, he found Virigina unconscious and, depending on who investigators asked, partially or completely nude.  The manager called for a doctor who determined that Virginia had an “acute attack of alcoholism.”  Her condition had not improved by the following morning and the doctor transported her to a nearby sanitarium.  Based on the condition of the party room, the illegal liquor, and the state of Virginia’s health, the hotel manager asked Roscoe and his friends to leave the hotel.  They returned to Los Angeles.

 Despite the best efforts of several doctors, her condition did not improve.  At about 1:30 p.m. on Friday, September 9, 1921, 30-year-old Virginia Rappe died.  An autopsy found that she had died from a ruptured bladder.  Upon her death, police began to investigate the affair.  When investigators began questioning eyewitnesses, they got different stories as to what had occurred.  The partygoer’s memories were blurred by alcohol.  Some of them claimed Roscoe attacked, beat, and possibly raped or attempted to rape Virginia while others, including Roscoe himself, said he had nothing to do with her condition whatsoever.  Within days of Virginia’s death, Roscoe was arrested and charged with murder.  News spread quickly about Roscoe’s arrest for murder.  Theaters all over the country refused to show Roscoe’s films. 

Roscoe’s trial began on November 14, 1921.  At about 10:30 p.m. on Sunday night, December 4, after deliberating for 30 hours, the jury was unable to reach a verdict.  The vote was 11-1 for acquittal.  The case against Roscoe would have to be tried again.  The second trial began on January 11, 1922.  On February 3, after 40 hours of deliberation, the jury was deadlocked.  The vote this time was 10-2 for conviction.  After a second mistrial, a third trial began on March 13, 1922.  By this time, Roscoe was forced to sell his home and his collection of cars to pay his legal fees.  On April 12, jury deliberations began.  Everyone expected jury deliberations to last for days as they had in the previous two trials, but the jury returned in only six minutes with a unanimous verdict… not guilty.  After reading the not guilty verdict, the jury foreman read a prepared statement:

“We feel that a great injustice has been done him. We feel also that it was only our plain duty to give him this exoneration, under the evidence, for there was not the slightest proof adduced to connect him in any way with the commission of a crime. He was manly throughout the case and told a straightforward story on the witness stand, which we all believed. The happening at the hotel was an unfortunate affair for which [Roscoe], so the evidence shows, was in no way responsible. We wish him success and hope that the American people will take the judgment of fourteen men and woman who have sat listening for thirty-one days to evidence, that Roscoe is entirely innocent and free from all blame.”

Despite his best efforts, Roscoe’s film career never recovered.  His reputation was damaged beyond repair.  Friends said Roscoe found solace in a bottle.  On June 19, 1933, a dozen years after Virginia’s death, there was hope for restoring Roscoe’s film career.  He signed a contract with Warner Bros. to star in a feature-length film.  That night, Roscoe, his third wife, and friends celebrated Roscoe’s first wedding anniversary and the new film contract.  He told friends, “This is the best day of my life.”  As he slept that night, Roscoe died from a heart attack.  He was just 46 years old.  Despite being wildly successful in the silent film industry, you may have never seen his films because of his tarnished reputation and the banning of his films, but you certainly have heard his name.  In Hollywood, Roscoe had a nickname which he hated… “Fatty.”  The man who was ultimately acquitted after three harrowing trials was Roscoe Conkling “Fatty” Arbuckle.

Sources:

1.     The San Francisco Examiner, September 10, 1921, p.1.

2.     The Sacramento Bee, September 10, 1921, p.1.

3.     The Marysville Appeal, September 11, 1921, p.1.

4.     The San Francisco Examiner, September 11, 1921, p.2.

5.     The San Francisco Examiner, September 12, 1921, p.3.

6.     Woodland Daily Democrat, September 15, 1921, p.1.

7.     The San Francisco Examiner, December 4, 1921, p.1.

8.     The San Francisco Examiner, February 4, 1922, p.1.

9.     The San Francisco Examiner, April 13, 1922, p.1.

10.  The Fresno Bee, June 29, 1933, p.1.

With Early voting continuing Friday and Saturday October 6th and 7th from 8:30 am till 6:00 pm at the Natchitoches Registrar of Voters office in Natchitoches Parish Courthouse and Election Day the next week, Saturday October 14 from 7:00 am till 8:00 pm at your regular polling place, now is a great time to become familiar with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s voter app GEAUXVOTE.com.

The app includes information on your profile, polling place location and you can even follow local and statewide results in real time.

BEST PART: You can SEE your Sample Ballot before you reach the polls!

You can get the app for your mobile phone or your laptop by clicking on the voter portal logon, then input your information and look for the links to your sample ballot, voting location, election calendar, election results and more.

State Rep. Alan Seabaugh’s campaign for the Senate District 31 seat benefited in the last days of fundraising from his 12-year tenure in the House.

The Republican Legislative Delegation Campaign Committee contributed $10,000 and three New Iberia businesses – Lady Brandi LLC, Lady Eve LLC and Mr. Ridge LLC –  with links to House Majority Leader Blake Miguez contributed $2,500 each.

The campaign raised $57,200 in the Sept. 5-24 period and spent $172,000. It also repaid a $50,000 loan from Seabaugh. It started the period with $433,009 on hand, ending with $268,300 in the till.

Other $2,500 contributors (some may have been previously listed due to overlapping reporting requirements) included:

Barry Milligan Campaign, Brenda Kennon, Margaret Shehee, all Shreveport;

Committee to Elect Raymond Crews, Bossier City, Bryce Transport, Sibley, John D. & Eric G. Johnson Law Firm, Minden;

Martin Sustainable Resources and Petron, both Alexandria, Daniel B. Heard, Baton Rouge;

Stine PAC, Lake Charles, Cres PAC, Metairie, Continuing America’s Strength & Security and EnpacLAA, both Baton Rouge.

Christopher M. Sylvia is excited and pleased to announce the addition of George L. Celles IV, as “of counsel” to the law firm Christopher M. Sylvia A Professional Law Corporation. Chris stated that “for the past several years, I have received an overwhelming response for legal services from the businesses and people of Sabine and Natchitoches Parishes and the surrounding region. With the addition of George, I believe we will be able to provide a greater variety of services to more clients in a more efficient manner.”

George is a native of Natchitoches and has been in both private and public practice for 38 years. He graduated from NSU in 1982 with a degree in business administration and graduated from LSU Law School in 1985. George’s private practice has been comprised of commercial law, real estate transactions, successions and family law. For the past six years, he has served as the Judicial Hearing Officer for the Eleventh Judicial District Court in Sabine Parish. George’s other public service positions have included serving as an assistant district attorney in Natchitoches Parish and as an elected member of the Natchitoches Parish Police Jury and serving on the board of directors of Kisatchie Legal Services Corporation, Natchitoches Parish Housing Authority, Natchitoches Chamber of Commerce and the Natchitoches Parish Hospital Service District, where he served as chairman during a period of significant medical economic growth in the region.

Chris and George collectively have 61 years of legal experience in multiple areas of law to assist businesses and individuals alike in Sabine, Natchitoches and other parishes in northwest Louisiana. Please contact us at 318-431-5009 to schedule a free consultation.

Ronald Joseph Musser, 68, of Zwolle, Louisiana passed away on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at his residence. He was born on November 19, 1954, in Boulder, Colorado to John Joseph Musser and Nancy Jane (Courson) Musser. 

Preceded in death by his mother, Nancy Musser. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Mary Musser; his father, John Musser; his brother Gene Musser and wife, Rhonda; his children of the heart: Stacie Benoit, Rhonda Benoit, Jeannie Benoit, Mary Benoit, Angela Esposito Thomas, Michael Esposito, and Allie Cat; his grandchildren: Jack Esposito, Payton Esposito, Jacob Thomas, Dallas Esposito, and Matthew Thomas; along with a host of nieces, nephews, friends, and other relatives. In addition, he leaves behind numerous family members on Mary’s side of the family.  

Arrangements are pending at this time and will be announced as soon as they are available.

A memorial service will be held for Mr. Jerry Robert Snider “Pops”, 69 of Many, Louisiana on Saturday, September 30, 2023, beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Zwolle United Pentecostal Church, 823 Birch Street, Zwolle, Louisiana 71486, with Bro. Gilbert Raynes officiating. He was born on October 2, 1953, in Zwolle, Louisiana to William Robert Snider and Audrey Vae (Self) Snider and he passed away on September 28, 2023, in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Preceding him in death are his parents, William Robert Snider and Audrey Vae (Self) Snider. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Marita Snider of Many, LA; his daughter, Amberley Haskins & husband, Chris of Many, LA; his son Joel Snider & wife Martha of Many, LA; his son Jeremy Snider and fiancé, Jordan of Walker, LA; his brother, Kenneth Snider & wife, Jackie of Robeline, LA, his grandchildren, David and Audrey Haskins of Many, LA; special friend, Greg Stringer of Many, LA; along with a host of nieces, nephews, friends and other family members. 

He was a log truck driver who enjoyed spending his time in the woods. In addition, he enjoyed gardening and spending time with his friends and loved ones. 

Mary Laverne “Lucille” Moore O’Con
September 6, 1932 — September 27, 2023
Service held Oct. 4

Michael Westmoreland
June 7, 1978 – September 30, 2023
Service: Saturday, October 7 at 11 am at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with burial following in the Breda Town Cemetery.

David Byone
November 14, 1951 — September 24, 2023
Service: Saturday, October 7 at 10 am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cloutierville

Mr. Malik Lynch
September 23, 2023
Service: Saturday, October 7 at 10 am in the Winnfield Funeral Home, Winnfield.

Representative Rodney Schamerhorn is more than just a representative and advocate for shared conservative values, he is a man with a mission. Earning a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 24 four years prior, Rep. Schamerhorn has decided to run for re- election, pledging to continue the fight for the people of Louisiana and the values they hold dear.

A dedicated family man, Rep. Schamerhorn is not only the proud father of two successful business owners but also a loving grandfather. His personal life is as vibrant and engaging as his political career, with his children and granddaughter embodying his values of hard work, perseverance, and integrity. His dedication to his family is mirrored in his commitment to serving the people of Louisiana, ensuring he remains actively engaged with the local community.

As a representative, Schamerhorn has emerged as a stalwart protector of our constitutionally protected, God-given rights and conservative values, striving for financial responsibility, quality education, robust infrastructure, and limited government intervention in our daily lives.

Rep. Schamerhorn is a staunch advocate for parental rights, standing firm against any attempts to infringe upon them. He believes parents should make decisions regarding their children’s medical treatment and their education, opposing the infiltration of radical WOKE ideologies in classrooms.

His fight also extends to election integrity, endeavoring to ensure all legal votes are counted and secured ahead of the 2024 Presidential election.

As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, Rep. Schamerhorn is determined to uphold citizens’ right to bear arms, viewing Constitutional Carry as a non-negotiable right. He is a critic of the government’s overreach, overregulation, and high taxes, which he believes suffocates small businesses and families, and prevents economic prosperity here in Louisiana.

Recognizing the significant role of the oil and gas industry in Louisiana’s economy, Schamerhorn has committed to protecting it from political attacks and overregulation.

However, Rep. Schamerhorn is aware that there is more work to be done. He expresses his disappointment over the unsuccessful override of 24 bills vetoed by Governor Edwards and sees this as a rallying cry for more conservatives to join the fight in Baton Rouge.

Schamerhorn’s dedication and commitment have not gone unnoticed. He recently received the endorsement of the Louisiana Freedom Caucus PAC and was recognized by the Republican Party of Louisiana at Victory 2023 for being one of only 19 House members who stood firm against busting the spending cap.

As his re-election campaign gains momentum, Representative Rodney Schamerhorn continues to prove that he is a resilient voice for the people of Louisiana. With his tireless dedication to serving and the backing of his constituents, Schamerhorn stands ready to champion the causes that matter most to the people of District 24.

Northwestern State University unveiled signage designating the school’s athletic fieldhouse and surrounding facilities as the Donald G. Kelly Athletic Complex during the Sept. 30 football game.  Kelly and family were recognized, along with his contributions to NSU while serving in state government for more than two decades.  

A prominent alumnus and student-athlete, Kelly served as a delegate to the Louisiana Constitutional Convention in 1973 and was elected to five consecutive terms in the Senate from 1976-1996 representing Natchitoches, Winn, Sabine and Red River parishes. He was a floor leader for Governors Edwin Edwards and Buddy Roemer and served on powerful Budget and Finance committees.  

Kelly was the driving force behind obtaining funding for construction of NSU Athletic Fieldhouse and the major expansion of Turpin Stadium, which gave NSU one of the most advanced athletic facilities for a university of its size at the time. NSU recently replaced and upgraded chairback seating and completed other Turpin Stadium improvements.  

A former football player, Kelly is a member of the university’s N Club Hall of Fame and has been inducted into the Long Purple Line, the alumni hall of distinction, the highest honor of an alumnus of NSU. He is also a member of the Political Hall of Fame in Winnfield.  

Pictured: Former state senator Don Kelly was joined by family when honored at NSU Sept. 30.  From left are Brandon Kelly, Callie Kelly holding Blaze Kelly, NSU Athletic Director Kevin Bostian, NSU President Dr. Marcus Jones, Keenan Kelly, Jennifer Kelly, Pat Kelly, Don Kelly, Anderson Kelly, Shelby Bedgood, Kaitlynn Bedgood, Melanie Bedgood, Hunter Bedgood holding Wyatt Bedgood and Ariel Rachal. On the back row are Mike Adkins holding Rhett Bedgood and Hunter Adkins. 

By Doug De Graffenried

The Gibsland metroplex is a mixed bag for dog lovers. We have all sorts of canine inhabitants. There are bands of dogs that roam the streets looking for an opportunity to dumpster dive. They are not quite feral dogs. They are street wise, and people shy. There are other dogs that roam the streets. These dogs are pets. They have a family and a house, but their owners allow them to run free. I know most of the car-chasing dogs on the drive to and from work each day. I know where to show down and which porch will release a tire chasing bandit.

I know the dogs; other drivers are not aware of some of the canine characters that live near our streets.

Such was the case the other morning. I suspect this designer dog was officially known as a chiweenie. He was a cute white dog and roamed free. He would not necessarily chase cars or tires, but he didn’t look both ways before crossing the road. One day this cute puppy was called to cross the Rainbow bridge.

When she saw the puppy, my bride was devastated. She saw the dog roaming the streets earlier in the day and thought about catching it and taking it home. Since it had a collar, she suspected the dog was one of our unsupervised street roaming pets. I have this thing for stray dogs. The two dogs I spoil both have dumped dog pedigree. They are great dogs. She felt bad that she didn’t bring this free roaming puppy home and thus saved it. She asked me to bury the puppy.

I took care of picking the dog up and moving it to the place of burial. There is a field across the street from my house and that is where I have located a couple of dogs. I do my dog burial before sunrise. I must be quite a sight in the dark, with a headlamp digging a hole. There I was at 4:30 on a Saturday morning taking care of the puppy.

We have a doggy burial tradition where each dog is buried with a toy. I know it is goofy, but it is tradition. I was bugged that I didn’t have a toy for this dog. All the dog toys in our house are in use by our two mutts. They take inventory each night.

I walked back over to the grave with the puppy and said a few words. We ministers say words over dogs we are burying. When I finished saying the words, I gently lowered the dog into the grave. As I was reaching for the shovel, not three feet from the hole I dug, I saw a tennis ball. There is not a tennis court in Gilsland, what was a ball doing in the field?

I know the tennis ball was there the whole time, but why hadn’t I noticed it previously? I thanked God for providing a toy for the puppy and placed the tennis ball in the doggy grave.

Jesus said that God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground. God knows what we need before we do. My question is this, if God can provide a tennis ball for a puppy, why shouldn’t I believe that He provides for all my needs.

Do you worship a God who is big enough to help you with your stuff?

As a concession to age, about five days out of seven for the past 10 years I’ve eaten, for breakfast, cottage cheese and yogurt mixed up together.

It’s starting to get on my nerves. Not happening for me.

It is not cottage cheese’s fault and it is not yogurt’s fault, though they are each be easy targets. Cottage cheese is good for you but it couldn’t run out of sight in a day and a half. So much for it being “healthy.”

Cottage cheese is supposed to be just about the most perfect man-made (no offense to cows) food there is. A fistful of it is packed full of protein. It is low in fat and has carbs, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron ore and tin, and a four-ounce serving contains more than 12 percent the daily recommended helping of cottage.

When I am eating it I try not to think of the word “curd.” Curd does not sound good but, well, there is no getting around that those are the little things half floating around in the other stuff, which is, I suppose, curd runoff.

It is not an especially ugly food – it is lumpy and white, like good homemade mashed potatoes – but it will win no beauty contest for you either.

Never until I started eating cottage cheese and yogurt together had I eaten cottage cheese alone. It doesn’t taste like anything really, but if you had to say it DID taste like something, you would think of something bad.

That is just my opinion.

But mix cottage cheese and yogurt together – say a vanilla or strawberry yogurt, whatever you prefer – and bingo!, you have a healthy combo that does not taste bad at all. Drop some blueberries or bananas and/or granola in there and you’ve got a most decent leadoff hitter.

Good, and good for you.

There are only two drawbacks.

One, after a while, curds and yogurt lose that sensual BAM!, you know, the one they never really had in the first place. After a decade, you have an excuse for waking each morning and crying over spoiled (spoilt?) milk.

The second drawback: cottage cheese and yogurt is no bacon and eggs. And bacon and eggs is the flagship of the breakfast armada.

You’ve got your French toast. Your waffle. Even your morning pork chop or sausage, patty or link. Outstanding all.

But if the go-to breakfast foods were lined up and we’re choosing team captains, bacon and eggs would be my first selection. Cottage cheese is the kid who does not get picked.

The multi-talented egg needs no introduction, and just smelling a home where bacon fries makes you feel like you can make it one more day, no matter how tough the sledding.

Bacon is to meats what brown sugar is to sweets: it just makes everything better.

Bacon makes people smile. Bacon beats cottage cheese in a footrace 10 times out of 10. I wish my name were Sir Teddy Bacon.

My second draft pick: biscuit. The chef is key, but even a buttered canned biscuit will at least look at you in the eye.

Third draft pick: grits. But only if someone who knows how to make them are in charge. Bad grits might as well be cottage cheese.

Now you can come in with all your fillers, your pastries, Stuff With Syrup On It, fruit and hash browns. (I love hash browns.)

Chocolate milk. Orange juice. Coffee. Eat all that and your day is made and you haven’t even left the house yet.

(Originally ran February 2013. I’m still eating yogurt and cottage cheese, and it’s still good for you. AND it’s still not bacon.)

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

By Brad Dison

Judith Love Cohen was a most remarkable woman.  The women in her family worked at her Great Uncle Harry’s dress factory in Brooklyn.  Judith was expected to follow the same path once she grew old enough.  As a child, Judith was taught to sew lace doilies at home as part of her occupational preparation.  Her father used ashtrays to teach her lines, angles, and equations of basic geometry.  The women in the family thought these skills would come in handy and improve her sewing skills. 

Judith quickly learned all her father knew about geometry, and then some.  By the time Judith was in the fifth grade, she earned her own money by charging some of the kids at school a fee for doing their math homework.  When she reached junior high school, she was the only female taking intermediate algebra.  In high school, she won a state scholarship to study math at Brooklyn College.  Judith considered becoming a math teacher.  Judith believed she could accomplish anything.   

In the 1940s, however, there was a definite dividing line between the occupations of men and women.  Rarely were these lines crossed.  As Judith began making plans for college her high school guidance counselor explained the gender specific occupations and told her that “Girls don’t go into math or science.”  “You know, Judy,” said the guidance counselor, “I think you ought to go to a nice finishing school and learn to be a lady.”      

Apparently, Brooklyn College was unaware of these gender specific lines.  For two years, she studied math at Brooklyn College.  Her boyfriend at the time encouraged her to change her major from math to engineering.  Judith recalled that she “had never even heard of engineering as a field.”  After two years at Brooklyn College, she and her first husband moved to California.  She continued her education in the engineering program at the University of Southern California and worked as a junior engineer for North American Aviation.  Judith was one of only eight women in her graduating class of 800 to earn a degree in engineering.  In 1957, Judith began working at Space Technology Laboratories which eventually became TRW. 

In the late 1990s and 2000s, Judith wrote a series of books entitled, “You Can Be a Woman ______.”  The list of normally male-dominated occupations in the book series included, not surprisingly, engineer, architect, paleontologist, chemist, marine biologist, botanist, astronomer, meteorologist, oceanographer, entomologist, animator, zoologist, Egyptologist, and many, many more.  To inspire young girls, Judith explained that “being a chemical engineer is not very different from cooking.  Making gasoline is not very different from making Jello.  Engineering involves using cleverness and using your brain to make things work better or do things in a different way.”        

While at Space Technology Laboratories, Judith worked on the guidance computer for the LGM-30 Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile, the Abort-Guidance System in the Apollo Lunar Module, the Hubble Space Telescope, and NASA’s Lunar Excursion Module.  On the afternoon of April 11, 1970, astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise blasted off from Earth in an Apollo rocket.  Their mission was to be the third crew to land on the moon.  Three days into the mission, Jack Swigert activated switches to “stir the oxygen tanks.”  95 seconds later, they hear a loud bang.  The explosion vented a large portion of the astronaut’s oxygen supply into space.  Apollo 13 had to abort its mission to the moon.  NASA’s new mission was to bring the crew home alive.  The spacecraft’s Abort Guidance System, which Judith helped design and build, plotted a course which slingshot the spacecraft around the moon and back to the Earth.  Finally, on April 17, 1970, Apollo 13 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.   Judith considered her work on the Apollo space program to be the highlight of her career.  A few days after returning safely to the Earth, the three astronauts visited the TRW facility to personally thank them for their work on the Abort Guidance System which saved their lives.  Judith was among those the astronauts thanked. 

Just nine months before the launch of Apollo 13, August 28, 1969, Judith, then nine months pregnant, was in her office at TWR troubleshooting a problem with the Abort Guidance System.  She began having labor pains but continued to try to work on the problem.  Her determination to resolve the issue intensified along with her labor pains.  Through the pain, Judith had the concentration to solve the problem.  Only then did she go to the hospital where she delivered a healthy baby boy. 

Judith Love Cohen’s contributions to science have largely been overlooked.  Because of her determination to work in a field traditionally dominated by men, and because of her determination to solve an engineering problem while in labor, which saved the lives of three astronauts, and because she authored books designed to encourage young girls to consider different career fields normally filled by men, Judith Love Cohen should be held in high esteem.  What a woman! 

Oh yeah, the baby she was in labor with while she was solving the engineering problem… If you have seen the films King Kong, the Jumanji sequels, School of Rock, and Nacho Libre, you know him too.   He is the actor, comedian, and musician Thomas Jacob “Jack” Black.

Sources:  

1.     The Los Angeles Times, June 1, 1995, p.188.

2.     The Signal, December 9, 1996, p.8.

3.     The Los Angeles Times, September 6, 1999, p.137.

Tournament bass anglers have all kinds of quirks and superstitions that they believe in. But one thing bass fishermen are not is … honest.

They would rather lie than tell the truth — especially when it comes to how they are catching their fish. Tournament anglers are constantly looking for an advantage over their competition. There are many ways they will try and deceive their fellow competitors.

It’s very much like a disease that has no cure.  Let me give my perspective on why this is true. And I’m being honest!

The biggest thing affecting tournament anglers today is called greed. It’s all about the money and the hundreds and thousands of dollars tournament trails are offering. Ever since mankind started using currency, he has looked for ways to get more than the next guy. Over time we have learned, money makes people do strange things and is the root of all evil. Some tournament bass anglers look for ways to put the odds in their favor by deceiving other competitors.

Let’s start with rods and reels. This is very similar to shoes for women — you need one pair for every outfit and every occasion. But, on most occasions, when an angler has 10-12 rods on the deck of his boat, that usually means he is struggling and has no definite game plan yet. The angler you have to be afraid of, is the angler who only has three or four rods out on his deck, especially the day before the tournament. This guy has a game plan that he feels very confident about. But if you see an angler with several rods laying on the deck of his boat, don’t be misled. 

To the untrained eye, it’s just a bunch of rods with baits tied on. But to a tournament angler, it reveals the many possible techniques that a particular angler is using to catch his fish. One thing anglers are known to do — walk up to a fellow competitor’s boat and hawkeye the front deck in order to see what that angler might be using to catch his fish. They’re looking for what baits they’re throwing and possibly what colors they are using.

But when you approach another boat, you need to be a little wary. In some cases, it’s a smoke screen and an attempt to lead you astray. That’s right, some rod and reels on the front deck are there as decoys to make you think that’s how the angler might be catching his fish. It’s kind of like a magic show, there could be some deception going on. Certain rods stay in the rod locker until time to come in for the weigh-in. These are the decoy rods. The rods that he is probably using to catch his fish are put away in the rod locker before heading for the weigh-in. He’ll do whatever is necessary to protect his true game plan.

But, there is one aspect of secrecy that a tournament angler/pro can’t control — a loudmouth co-angler who he has fished with all day. I can’t tell you how many times a co-angler has ruined a pro’s day by revealing to his buddies or other competitors what, how and where that angler was catching his fish.

In one recent tournament, I actually had a co-angler storing waypoints on his phone so he could come back and fish my spots later.  This is a major tournament violation. It states in the rules that a co-angler is not to share any information or locations of the angler he fished with that day. But most just can’t help themselves.  They must tell someone or they will explode from a disease called “information concealment.”

On multi-day events, some tournament anglers/pros will go as far to pay off the co-angler they had that day to keep his mouth shut. Some will even offer the co-angler a package of their secret baits just to keep the co-angler quiet. They might even buy them dinner if necessary!

As you can see, tournament anglers are just like a great illusionist. They want you to think and see one thing, but they are really doing something else. So, the next time you hawk eye another competitors boat, be cautious as it goes without saying, “Never trust another competitor or tournament angler if you’re looking for information.”

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and make sure to set the hook. You never know when you might catch that fish of a lifetime!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com