The good news is that Many scored a season-high 35 points Friday against Leesville after reaching the end zone just once total in its first two games.

The bad news? The Tigers surrendered a season-high 60 points in a 60-35 loss, one in which Many fell behind 28-7 in the second quarter.

Leesville’s Xavier Ford scored three rushing touchdowns while quarterback Trel Broom tossed four touchdowns to spark the Wampus Cats offense.

The Many offense found success on the arm of quarterback Kellen Cox, who threw three lengthy touchdowns.

Cox threw 30-yard strikes to Ky Warren and Evan Wilson along with another 70-yard bomb late in the game.

Many’s other touchdown came on a 75-yard kick return by Daniel Thomas.
Warren’s touchdown catch cut Leesville’s edge to 21-7 and Thomas’ kick return kept Many alive, down 28-14 in the second quarter.

But the Wampus Cats scored the next three touchdowns to put the Tigers away on their home field.
It’s a positive that Many’s offense got a jump start, but it came against a Leesville defense that allowed 56 and 32 points, to Sam Houston and Tioga, respectively, this season.

Many’s 0-3 start is already more regular-season losses than in 2023 (8-2), and it’s the same number of regular-season losses from the past four regular seasons combined (2020-23).

The Tigers did start 0-3 in 2019 and won the final seven games, which started a playoff run to the championship game.

In head coach Dillon Barrett’s first season in 2023, Many shrugged off a disappointing opener (47-10 loss to Sam Houston) to go 8-2 and reach the quarterfinals.

Many lost 26 seniors off that team, including program cornerstones like running back Jeremiah James, cornerback Tylen Singleton, and defensive end Swazy Carheel.

Now the young Tigers will attempt to get the train back on the tracks when they welcome Class 1A St. Mary’s to town.

St. Mary’s is in a rebuild of their own after a Division IV Non-Select quarterfinals appearance. These Tigers (1-2) got in the win column this past week with a 17-12 win against Holy Savior Menard.

The St. Mary’s game is the third home game in the first four for Many, who will start a three-game road trip after Friday.

If Many doesn’t get its first win against St. Mary’s, trips to power Alexandria Senior High and a revived Lakeside High in the District 3-2A opener won’t be easy.

One of Natchitoches’ longest standing cultural traditions began its 59^th season of musical excellence with the season’s first concert Tuesday, September 24, at NSU’s Magale Recital Hall. NSU Music professor, symphony director and conductor, Dr. Douglas Bakenhus led the 70 musicians of the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony in a selection of classical pieces around the theme of “Symphonic Legends, Myths and Reveries.”

Guest soloist John Henry Crawford, an award-winning cellist, performed a piece by Franz Joseph Haydn. His instrument is a rare 200 year old cello that was smuggled out of Austria by his grandfather in 1938 just before WWII. His bow dates from 1790.

The Natchitoches-Northwester Symphony Society is exactly as its name would suggest, a synergy between Northwestern State University and its community. The symphony is composed of student musicians from NSU, joined by 4 members of NCHS’ superb orchestra and an LSMSA student. The symphony’s presidents and board of directors are drawn from the community, while the several hundred members of the Friends of the Symphony provide financial support.

The Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Society will put on five concerts as well as being an integral part of another beloved local tradition, the Christmas Gala, during its September to April season. Their next concert will be Tuesday, October 29, 7:30 at NSU’s Magale Recital Hall. The theme will be “American Liberty: Honoring our Military’s Service and Sacrifice.” Our community is blessed to have such a large number of talented young men and women. Come out and support them and have a wonderful time at a concert!

*Publisher’s note: This is the final in a series of stories highlighting the 83rd anniversary of the Louisiana Maneuvers in 1941, by historical contributor, Rickey Robertson.

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By Rickey Robertson

When the U.S. Army began to hunt for a suitable training area to conduct large-scale maneuvers, Lt. Colonel Mark Clark came to Louisiana and found an ideal location. On a Louisiana road map that he picked up at a service station, he mapped off an area that would become known as the Sabine Area. On the map he used the Red River as the eastern boundary and the Sabine River as the western boundary. He used Shreveport as the northern boundary and Lake Charles as the southern boundary of the large maneuver area. This maneuver area was made up of over 3400 square miles, making this a massive training area. One thing he noted was the majority of this area was very rural and had a very poor rural network. Both roads and bridges were in very poor condition and most would not hold up under heavy use. This area would have over 470,000 troops and over 60,000 vehicles, from motorcycles, heavy trucks, scout cars, half-tracks, and tanks moving continuously. With the movement of all these vehicles, all the roads and bridges would be damaged severely. Just weeks before the maneuvers, army engineer units began to work on the road and bridge network in an attempt to strengthen them.

As the maneuvers began, a tropical depression hit Louisiana and the roads became mud bogs. The Yankee soldiers from up north called the thick heavy mud “Louisiana Maple Syrup”. Civilian travel came to a standstill due to the conditions of the roads. The only hard surfaced roads were around the small towns in the area. U.S. Hwy. 171was only partially hard surfaced through and around the small towns in the area. As the Battle of Mount Carmel was being fought, only armored and tracked vehicles were able to move. A lady at Peason went into labor and her husband loaded her up in their vehicle and attempted to get to Many, La. to the hospital. They got stuck and they were loaded into the back of a half-track used by medics, and guess what? Between Peason and Mount Carmel she delivered a big bouncing baby boy !

As the armored units and their tanks would advance and retreat, they always were in a hurry. Mrs. Joanne Pickett told me in an interview that her brother, Willard Hopkins, liked to go watch the tanks cross the small bridge over a spring branch near their farm in the Middle Creek Community. All went well till the bridge collapsed under a fast moving tank, with the tank commander being killed in the accident. And another time the bridge over Lockwood Creek near Many, La. collapsed and a tank fell into the creek with none of the crew being injured. On Sandy Creek between Peason and Kisatchie near the Billy and Houston Dowden homesteads, the army had built a narrow wooden bridge over the creek and during a blackout movement a tank ran off the side of the bridge and fell into the deep creek. 3 tank crewmen were killed in this accident. Due to the large deep ruts in all the roads, many vehicles actually overturned and had to be up-righted. At Mount Carmel, just past the cemetery, heading towards Peason, a half-track turned over in the small creek located there and 3 crewmen were killed in that accident.

There were country stores scattered all through the rural areas of the maneuver area and they had to be supplied. In Many, Louisiana, there was the Many Nehi Bottling Company where soda pop of many flavors was bottled. My grandfather had a country store for many years at Peason and sold cases and cases of Nehi drinks to the soldiers. Army trucks would pull up and the soldiers would jump out with only minutes to try and get an RC Cola or Nehi drink and some snacks. They were always in a rush, with sergeants shouting, “Hurry up, hurry up !“ They were in such a hurry that Granddaddy had a washtub at the end of his counter, and the soldiers would throw their money into the tub, quickly load onto the trucks, and they would move out fast. And Granddaddy always said none of the soldiers ever beat him out of or owed him money for anything they had gotten.

Near Peason, the roads were filled with deep ruts that were level full of water. Livestock could not even cross the road and owners of stock could not move their animals from one field to the other across the road. My Dad was asked by Mr. Sam McCollough to help him move a large flock of sheep from one field to the other. The road was so bad that the sheep would try and cross but would get stuck and would flounder in the deep ruts and mud. My Dad got on his horse and got across the road and he would rope one sheep at a time and would drag them through the mud into the field. While doing this it came a thunder and lightning storm. Soldiers were marching in the ditches and near the fence rows as they advanced toward Mount Camel and the battles being fought there. While moving the sheep, lightning stuck the barbed wire fence near my Dad. He saw a soldier slip in the mud and grab the fence. The lightning struck the fence and the soldier was killed.  

Schools throughout the area had to have classes cancelled for the month of September 1941. Both students and teachers could not get to the schools due to the damage to the roads and the lack of dependable buses and automobiles. The U.S. Army continued to conduct maneuvers all the way through 1944. In between the phases of the maneuvers army engineers would work on the roads and bridges. They hauled dirt, rock, and gravel and also installed new culverts and repaired bridges. But with the heavy traffic flow of military vehicles the roads were soon demolished. The army learned the art of moving large convoys of military vehicles in all types of weather and terrain here in Louisiana. Yes, even the roads and bad weather here in Louisiana helped to train the most powerful army in the world during World War II.

By Doug De Graffenried

When I was a little boy, keys were my thing. I loved keys. I loved real keys.

I had a reliable source of keys too. My grandfather was a police officer. It seems that back in the 60’s people would lose keys at a very high rate. Pop would bring me bags of keys from time to time. I’m sure I was only receiving three or four at a time, but to me they appeared as a mountain of plenty.

I had a key ritual. I would separate out the door and house keys from the car keys.

Back in the day, each motor company had a key design unique to that motor company. For this article we will illustrate using the Ford Motor Company. Because Ford also made Mercury products the keys were interchangeable. If you worked at it, you might discover a Mercury car key would fit a Ford product.

One Friday night, Pop stopped by with a bag of keys. I quickly sorted the keys. I took the car keys outside for an experiment.

I don’t know how I knew this, but I had a couple of Mercury keys which I took outside. I crawled into the driver’s seat of our 1961 Ford Galaxy and started testing keys. The Mercury ignition keys would fit into the Ford ignition. (You remember, of course the difference between the ignition keys and the trunk keys?) While the Mercury keys fit into the ignition, they would not turn the tumblers.

My key experiment was nearly completed when I put a Mercury key into the ignition and turned it. The 1961 Ford Galaxy roared to life. I then followed the pattern I had learned from adults. I pulled the shift lever down into “D.” “D” meant go!

The car lurched forward and traveled about five feet into the side of the house. The dent in the house was still there 40 years later!

Thus began my illustrious driving career.

The adults filed out of the house. Mom, Dad and Pop the police office all asked, “How did you start the car?” I shared my key knowledge. Pop cut off my Ford Motor key supply. I did have a large collection of General Motors keys that I had decided to try on whoever owned one of those cars. Pop owned a Chevrolet. I had developed a testing plan for that automobile.

Jesus has given us the keys to the Kingdom. No need to be locked in or locked out. You have the keys. Often you have the power to set yourself free.

Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston. You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com

This week, I would like to go back in time and reflect on a group of guys who shared a championship season and were the first team in school history to win a state title. Not only were we teammates, but this group was truly something special. This group was the complete package of talent, attitude and commitment. We were players/friends who would forever be linked together.

Last week, I had the opportunity to reunite with this group of guys that did something very special in 1978 by winning the Texas high school state baseball championship in Class 3A, the second highest level at that time in the Lone Star State. As an athlete who has played on all levels, high school, college and professionally, I’ve been blessed to be a part of several championships. 

The one common thread for every team I’ve played on, was the personal connection to the players. The 1978 team was unique and will always have special meaning for me personally. This was a group of guys who grew up together in the small East Texas town of Mt. Pleasant. 

During the 1970’s, MP was a prideful community that was very athletic-minded. The mindset here was about winning and anything short of that was not acceptable. But before the early ‘70s, MP was just another small town that had minimal athletic team success. Then a coach by the name of Donnie Laurence showed up and began to develop not just a great football power, but a solid all-around high school athletic program.

Along with Coach Laurence, several high-quality coaches arrived including two baseball coaches, Marion Giesecke and Steve Rippee. These coaches help build MP into the second winningest all-around program of the ‘70s, only behind Oddessa Permian of “Friday Night Lights” fame. It was a very special time in MP Tiger history. 

Then in 1978, MP Tiger baseball became the school’s first team sport to win a state title. This was accomplished by a special group of guys who played loose and confident and never walked on a baseball diamond expecting anything less than a victory. These guys played with heart and determination and no matter how bleak a moment was, they never wavered or faltered. 

To understand how good they became, you first must look at where they came from. These young men grew up with great success coming up through the Mt. Pleasant Dixie Youth Program. They had great coaching early in their young careers from a handful of special men like James Stansell, P.A. Thomas, Pat Sisk, Joe Traylor and many others. These men knew the game and taught this group how to play the game the right way.

The 1978 Tiger baseball team was built around six seniors, eight juniors, and two sophomores. This was not an average group of players, but guys with an immense level of talent. The skills included great pitching, defense and the ability to hit the baseball. To illustrate the level of talent, this group had three players drafted — two by Major League Baseball and one by the NFL — and several that went on to play collegiately. 

What made this group so special? Most of the guys on this team were members of the 1977 Tiger baseball team. That team had great talent but underachieved mainly due to the amount of internal pressure that was placed on the shoulders of each player. From my perspective looking back, it seemed like we had a team meeting every other week talking about what we must do in order to make it to state. 

As the ‘77 season progressed, the pressure continued to build to the point that the team played tight and did not even win district, therefore being left out of the playoffs. This was the only year of my four years at MPHS that we did not make the playoffs. Again, this was a team with as much talent as any team I ever played on. 

But the 1978 team, guided by great senior leadership, made a group decision that there would be only ONE team meeting before the season started. We committed to play loose and have fun! We knew we had plenty of talent, we just had to relax and let our talent take us to where we wanted to go — and that it did!

This MP team made it to the regional finals, where we had a best of three series against Fort Worth Boswell. MP hosted the first game, and the mighty Tigers came up short. With the odds stacked against us, the remaining two games were to be played in Fort Worth. We had our work cut out for us; either sweep a doubleheader or go home like so many other MP Tiger baseball teams had done in the past. 

But the ’78 Tigers made it happen, with great pitching, defense (zero errors in the last four playoff games) and timely hitting, and defeated Boswell twice and advanced to the state tournament in Austin! As they say, the rest is history. We shut out top-ranked Brazosport 10-0 in five innings in the semifinals and defeated Burkburnett 5-2 in the title game. We finished with a state championship and a record of 26-4. 

I cannot describe the bond among athletes that get the opportunity to win a state championship. It’s a connection that forever links you as players. I remember Coach Giesecke’s locker room speech after our huge win. “Fellows, this is a victory you will cherish more later in life, than you do now. You will forever be remembered with this win.” Truer words have never been spoken! He was spot on with his statement! 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

By Brad Dison

Chester, Illinois, is a city on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River about 70 miles south of St. Louis, Missouri. What began as a ferry town on the Mississippi eventually became a major supplier of castor oil which was used as a lubricant. Chester had the advantage over other towns because of its location on the river. Wood-burning steamboats filled with castor oil delivered the lubricant to St. Louis, New Orleans, and even as far away as England.

When Elzie Crisler Segar was born in 1894 in Chester, the city had an iron foundry, machine shops, several mills, a few taverns, an opera house, and a number of stores. Elzie and his family often shopped at a general store on Pine Street in Chester which was owned and operated by Frank and Dora Paskel. When Elzie was growing up, Dora made an impression on him. Dora was a taller-than-average woman who wore long, black, fitted dresses which covered everything from her neck to her wrists and ankles. Dora usually wore her hair in a tight bun. Elzie remembered that she was strong-willed and feisty.

As a teenager, Elzie went to work in the Chester Opera House which was operated by J. William Schuchert. Elzie was such a good worker that William promoted him to projectionist of the opera house. William and Elzie’s relationship evolved from boss and employee to true friendship. When Elzie showed an interest in art, William paid for Elzie’s art correspondence courses. William often sent Elzie to the nearby Wiebusch tavern with enough money to get them hamburgers.

At the Wiebusch tavern in Chester, Elzie befriended a former Polish sailor who had emigrated to the United States named Frank Fiegel. Frank kept the tavern clean when the place was quiet, but his real job was to maintain order. Frank was a bouncer. Frank was known for his fighting skills and although he never looked for a fight, he never shied away from one. During one brawl, Frank received a blow that permanently disfigured one of his eyes. While waiting on hamburgers, Elzie often listened as Frank told stories about his adventures out of one side of his mouth while the other side held his pipe.

When he was about 20 years old, Elzie moved to Chicago to continue building his career as an artist. He never forgot Dora, William, Frank, or the lubricant that Chester was so well known for, including them in his art which became popular around the world. Sadly, 43-year-old Elzie Crisler Segar died of leukemia on October 13, 1938, cutting short his career. Luckily, other artists have continued his cartoon work that we all know. J. William Schuchert, Elzie’s boss who loved hamburgers, was the inspiration for a character named J. Wellington Wimpy. Elzie named a character after Chester’s lubricant called Castor Oyl. Dora Paskel, the operator of the general store in Chester, was the inspiration for Castor Oyl’s daughter, Olive Oyl. Frank Fiegel, the scrappy brawler from the tavern who had a deformed or “pop-eye” was the inspiration for… Popeye.

Sources:

1. “History of Chester,” City of Chester, IL, accessed September 20, 2024, https://www.chesterill.com/about/history-of-chester/.

2. “Elzie Crisler Segar,” FindaGrave.com, accessed September 19, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3546/elzie-crisler-segar.

3. ‌“Dora Schrader Paskel,” FindaaGrave.com, accessed September 19, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7846018/dora-paskel.

4. “John William Schuchert,” FindaGrave.com, accessed September 19, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7846022/john-william-schuchert.

5. “Frank ‘Rocky’ Fiegel,” FindaGrave.com, accessed September 19, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31875462/frank-fiegel.

Charles William Cruse
January 18, 1971 — September 22, 2024
Service: Wednesday, October 2 at 2 p.m. at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches

Christian R. Rachal
October 28, 2010 – September 19, 2024
Service: Pending with Winnfield Funeral Home

Brother Michael David Elvestrom
Service: Saturday, September 28 at 1 pm at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

Oliver Miles Jr.
July 10, 1953 – September 18, 2024
Service: Saturday, September 28 at 2 p.m. in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel

Ronald “Ronnie” Coutee
December 1, 1948 – September 16, 2024
Service: Wednesday, September 25 at 11 am at the St. Anthony Catholic Church, located at 911 5th St. in Natchitoches

Ed Evans
June 5, 1952 — September 4, 2024
Service: October 5 at 1 pm at First Presbyterian Church of Natchitoches located at 114 Bienville St., Natchitoches

By Bret H. McCormick, Journal Sports

The challenge doesn’t get any easier for the Many Tigers this week.

After dropping their second straight game, this one 37-0 against DeRidder, the Tigers will welcome Xavier Ford and the Leesville Wampus Cats to Sabine Parish this week.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Ford opened the season with a 298-yard, six-touchdown performance in a loss to Sam Houston. Last week, he was even better, compiling 400 yards and scoring six more times in a victory over Tioga.

Many coach Dillon Barrett said the “million-dollar question” is how the Tigers slow down Ford.

“We’ve got to contain Ford. They have other weapons on offense, but there’s no secret that he’s their main weapon,” Barrett said. “And he’s talented. He’s kind of a (multi-faceted) running back. He can run downhill. He’s fast. For us we have to contain him, obviously. We can’t let him get out into space.”

The Wampus Cats scored on explosive play after explosive play against Tioga, including a 99-yard touchdown pass to freshman Julius Brown.

Limiting explosive plays will be a major point of emphasis for the Tigers, who were bitten by big plays in last week’s loss to DeRidder. The Dragons scored three passing touchdowns of over 40 yards last week, including two to senior Uriah Wade as well as a 70-yard pass from senior Tanner Davis to junior Javaughn Fairley that put Many behind 14-0 in the second quarter.

DeRidder got 245 rushing yards and two touchdowns from its junior running duo of Reed Williams (27-151) and Connor Rushford (14-84). The Dragons led 21-0 at the half and scored two more touchdowns as well as a safety in the third quarter.

“We have to do a really good job of tackling and bringing (Ford) to the ground,” Barrett said.

Offensively, the Tigers must figure out how to get into the end zone after being shut out last week and scoring just once in the Week 1 loss to Logansport.

Barrett said he thought his team did a better job last week of limiting penalties, but they still are being bitten by the turnover bug and missed assignments.

“We have to finish drives,” he said. “We’re moving the ball up and down the field, but we’re struggling to find the end zone. We’re struggling to finish drives.”

He said the Tigers have spent extra time in practice this week trying to get those things ironed out, and he believes they have a good plan in place to attack Leesville.

“We have to get all 11 guys consistently doing their job and executing across the board,” Barrett said.

Over my many years of tournament bass fishing, I have had the privilege and honor of sharing a bass boat with some great anglers. Some of these are 1997 Bassmaster Classic Champ Dion Hibdon, three-time FLW Angler of the Year Clark Wendlandt, and MLF Champion Kelly Jordon — who all have the ability to not only find bass, but catch them as well. 

Sure, there are videos and some great fishing magazines that can help point you in the right direction, but nothing replaces experience and time on the water. Today, we’ll go over what makes a great tournament angler and what are the skills necessary to compete on a high level.

Just like any other sport, some athletes are just gifted and have great ability. Some are the complete package and have not only great physical talent, but they possess a great mental aptitude for whatever sport they are playing. 

In the tournament bass fishing world, there are certain skills one must possess in order to compete. First is the ability to cast a lure and put it into places where bass live. Anglers must be versatile and able to pitch, flip or cast the bait where they want. It’s like a baseball pitcher being able to throw with precision and accuracy in order to get batters out. If you can’t cast, you won’t be competitive. 

One of the most overlooked skills necessary to be a successful bass fisherman is the ability to locate fish. Finding fish is probably the hardest skill to learn but with today’s high level of electronics, the task has been made much easier. 

Today’s up and coming anglers have it too easy with all the new fish locating tools they have at their disposal like down imaging, side scan and, yes, the newest tool, the controversial forward-facing sonar. Anglers a generation ago had to learn this skill the hard way by understanding water clarity, water temperature, habitat or simply by getting on the water and making cast after cast to try and locate bass. 

Back in the day, anglers had to cover a lot of water, fan casting a lure for hours trying to locate bass. But most anglers today never have to wet a hook to locate bass. Today’s angler will spend countless hours idling around the lake watching their sonar screens searching and GPS marking good structure or cover like laydowns, brush piles, hydrilla (grass) or more importantly, baitfish!

All the pre-fishing they need to do today is on a 10- or 12-inch screen. It’s a known fact that some anglers will never make a cast before the tournament starts. Ten years ago, if someone showed up at a bass tournament without pre-fishing, they were just simply donating to the rest of the field. But oh, how times have changed here on Walton’s Mountain!

So, here’s my advice to all the young anglers coming up today. Learn how to find fish on your own. Don’t rely on someone else to send you waypoints or show you where they are catching fish. Trust yourself to find fish!

There are no shortcuts or a magical formula for being successful. One thing has remained true from the very beginning of tournament bass fishing — there’s no substitute for time on the water! 

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and always wear your sunscreen and good UV protective clothing. Melanoma is the number one killer among all forms of cancer. Don’t roll the dice when it comes to your health. 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

*Publisher’s note: This is the second in a series of stories highlighting the 83rd anniversary of the Louisiana Maneuvers in 1941, by historical contributor, Rickey Robertson.

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By Rickey Robertson

One of the major aspects of the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941 was to test all the officers throughout the U.S. Army in their leadership skills. Every officer, from general officers down to platoon leaders, was to be evaluated during the large-scale maneuvers. Many were outstanding and began to rise in rank as soon as the maneuvers ended. One such officer who came to Louisiana and excelled was a colonel named Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The Army had first entered Louisiana in 1940, and one thing that was immediately evident was the lack of equipment, vehicles, and supplies. But most important it was found that there needed to be a base for the upcoming maneuvers in 1941 for all the many units that would be operating in the Sabine Maneuver Area. A very able Army officer was assigned the task of finding the best location for this camp.

In September 1940, Colonel Dwight Eisenhower arrived in Leesville on board the “Kay See” car, Kansas City Southern Railroad’s most luxurious railcar. Colonel Eisenhower, born in Dennison, Texas in 1890, was a member of the West Point Class of 1915, and was very highly respected by the General Headquarters Staff in Washington, D.C. Colonel Eisenhower and three officers assigned to him arrived in Leesville and rested. The next day, Colonel Eisenhower, a Mr. Porter who provided horses for the group to ride, Marvin Beaver, Mayor Jean M. King of Leesville, and the Army officers rode 7 miles east of Leesville across the barren and cutover timberlands and stopped atop a mile-long humpback ridge. Colonel Eisenhower dismounted and looked over the area. Due to an old football injury dating back to his days as a cadet at West Point, he used his walking stick continuously. As Colonel Eisenhower looked over the land, he jammed his walking stick into the sandy soil and declared that “this is the location where the new camp will be built!” Colonel Eisenhower had just located the site for Camp Polk, Louisiana.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was still a colonel at the time of the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941, with his star only beginning to rise. As a Regular Army Colonel, he was Chief of Staff for the Third Army that was involved in the Louisiana Maneuvers. He continued with these duties after the maneuvers ended in September 1941, and in October 1941 was promoted to Brigadier General. By March 1942, he was promoted to Major General in charge of Army Operations at the War Department, and in late 1942 was promoted to Commanding General of the United States Forces in Europe. He commanded Operation Torch in North Africa in 1942 and Operation Husky in Sicily in 1943. He became Supreme Allied Commander of all forces in Europe and commanded the largest invasion force and army in the world that landed in Normandy France on June 6, 1944. He was promoted to 5-star rank and stayed so until he retired.

Many legends of Dwight Eisenhower remain throughout the Natchitoches, Sabine, and Vernon Parish areas. His skillful planning helped the Blue 3rd Army to attack the Red 2nd Army at Mt. Carmel and stop General George Patton’s 2nd Armored Division’s advance toward Peason Ridge. The late Eileen Addison Lombard, whose father ran Addison’s Store right at the major crossroads, told me in an interview how Colonel Eisenhower and other officers entered her father’s store after the battle and talked with the Addisons before leaving to survey more of the battle site. Another instance of Colonel Eisenhower being in Sabine Parish was out at Peason, Louisiana. Throughout the maneuvers the women all over the area were continuously making biscuits and frying chicken for the soldiers. At Peason a large headquarters had been set up by the Blue 3rd Army as it advanced toward Mt. Carmel. At a local home, an officer approached the family and asked if the lady of the house would mind fixing breakfast for some officers at the headquarters. She fixed a big pan of biscuits, eggs, and fresh bacon right out of the smokehouse. In a short while the officers arrived and had this feast. The officers made small talk with the family while they ate, and as they departed, one of the officers slipped a $100.00 bill under his plate and thanked the hostess. This officer who appreciated the hospitality and meal was Colonel Dwight Eisenhower.

After World War II, General Dwight Eisenhower followed in the footsteps of his old commander, General George C. Marshall, and entered into American politics. General Eisenhower was elected President of the United States in 1953 and served in that office until 1961, when he was succeeded by John F. Kennedy. On March 28, 1969, former General and President Dwight David Eisenhower passed away. He left a mark in American history, Army history, Louisiana history, and the history of the Louisiana Maneuvers.

By Courtney Freeman

The Village of Robeline will hold its monthly meeting in the Police Depot on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. Everyone is invited to come be a part of the discussion of your community.

I attended the quarterly meeting of the library board to get an update on the possible Robeline library. The plan is still in place but at a stand still for the lack of available property. The library would like the property to be on or very close to Hwy. 6, so if you or someone you know would be willing to sell their property please contact the Natchitoches Parish Library.

Natchez has had more success with finding available property and while the board would have like to move on both projects simultaneously, it is looking like Natchez will move forward alone unless something happens in the next month or so. I of course want Robeline to have its library but I am very happy the library board has decided go ahead and get the ball rolling for Natchez. I know the people of Natchez will greatly enjoy the new addition to their community.

The Heritage Society will also have a meeting on Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. We are just two-and-a-half weeks from the festival and time seems to be flying by. If you intend to come to the Alumni Dinner it is not limited to individuals who graduated. We do realize some students had to move schools in the middle of high school when Robeline closed. Please contact us if you have any questions. 

We are also still accepting vendors and parade applications for the Robeline Heritage Festival on Oct. 4-5. We invite all to come join in the fun. I can be contacted at 318-354-7019

The musical entertainment for Friday night will be the Stewart Family at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, The Sundown band will start off at 5:30 p.m., followed by The Dirt.

Shreveport Police Sex Crimes Detectives were contacted on Sept. 13 regarding a Nonconsensual Disclosure case involving a 19-year-old woman.

Detectives made contact with the victim, who disclosed that Amya Johnson (DOB: 04/26/06) had posted a private sexual video of her without consent on the social media platform Instagram. After a thorough investigation, officers arrested Johnson for the crime of Nonconsensual Disclosure of Private Images.

The Shreveport Police Department takes these violations seriously and encourages anyone who has been a victim of similar crimes to come forward.

By Brad Dison

Elias toiled away in his machine shop trying to solve the problem that would make his contraption practical.  He thought solving the problem would be quick and easy.  Other inventors had tried but failed in the task that Elias struggled with.  He worked day and night on the problem and was nearing the point of poverty.  Even as he slept, the problem taunted him.  Finally, his life depended on the success of his invention. 

The king was a ruthless man who was feared by all.  When people saw him, they averted their gaze so as not to attract his attention.  If the king took notice of someone, it normally ended badly.  Somehow, the king heard about Elias’s work on his invention.  The king realized that Elias’s invention would put his country in the forefront in the Industrial Revolution, and it would also be a fun game.  To Elias, it was no game.  It was cruel.  The king sent word to Elias that he had just 24 hours to make his invention work.  If he failed to get it to work in that short length of time, the king would have Elias executed. 

Elias worked at a feverish pace.  At times, minutes felt like hours ,while at other times, hours felt like seconds.  Elias was running out of time.  With a knock on the door, Elias knew his time had run out. His mind frantically worked for a way to make his contraption work.  The king’s lead soldier knocked with such force the second time that the door almost came off its hinges.  Elias had no choice but to answer the door.  The lead soldier glared at Elias.  Several other soldiers waited in formation outside.  The lead soldier asked Elias if he had finished with his invention.  Elias knew better than to lie because the soldier would test the device and the outcome would be the same.  Elias hung his head and explained that he had failed to make it work.  He needed more time, time the king was unwilling to give.  The soldiers shackled Elias’s hands and led him away to be executed.  As they walked, none of the soldiers would speak to or even make eye contact with Elias.  Elias’s pleas for more time were answered with silence.  Elias looked at each soldier, then looked at each soldier’s weapon.  In the front were soldiers carrying pikes, long wooden shafts with leaf-shaped steel spears attached to the ends.  Elias noticed that the spear points had a small hole drilled near the tip.  It was a eureka moment for Elias.  In that instant, he knew how to make his contraption work.  The one part of his contraption that he failed to make work just needed a hole similar to those in the soldiers’ pikes.  He tried to explain this to the soldiers, but they kept marching Elias to the place of his execution.  Elias kept trying to persuade the soldiers all the way to the scaffolding.  As the soldiers held Elias’s head on the chopping block, Elias begged for them to reconsider.  The executioner drew back his ax.  As the blade of the ax fell, Elias jerked himself awake.  It had all been a dream.

It was about 4 o’clock in the morning when Elias awoke in his bed in Massachusetts.  There was no brutal king, no soldiers, and no execution.  Then, Elias remembered the pierced tips of the pikes the soldiers carried.  He ran to his shop and began working by candlelight.  By nine o’clock that same morning, Elias had solved the problem that had stumped other inventors for decades.  He tested his working model repeatedly with the expectation that it would soon fail, but it worked beautifully.  On September 10, 1846, the United States Patent Office awarded Elias patent number 4,750, from which he became wealthy.  Because of that dream, Elias knew where to position the eye in the needle.  One newspaper reported that his machine makes “beautiful and strong seams in cloth as rapid as nine tailors!”  That dream helped Elias Howe invent the first practical sewing machine.

Sources:

1.      London Daily News, March 15, 1847, p.2.

2.     The Boston Globe, March 25, 2018, p.K6.

By Doug De Graffenried

The Day Surgery waiting room of any hospital is a slice of our culture. If you want to know what is happening in the world pay attention to folks waiting to be called back for their surgery. Watch and listen as family and friends deal with the anxiety this environment and situation produces.

That poor besmirched fellow was sitting in the waiting room, awaiting his turn to go back, and be prepped for his surgery. I will tell you that any surgery is an anxiety producing event. This guy, and the whole waiting room was listening to his wife, whom I have designed “Helga the Horrible.” From listening to her and believe me no one on the second floor missed a word she said; she was having a tough time with her husband’s surgery.

“Helga” had dropped her husband off by the front door of the hospital and then parked the car. While she was parking the car, she “lost” her husband. When she found him on the second floor at Day Surgery, he was moments away from being called back for the big operation. There in front of God and all of us, Helga let her husband have it. She blasted him for not waiting for her by the front door. His defense was that the orderly came and moved him to the second floor. She blasted him for the stupidity of the orderly who moved him without telling Helga that he had been moved. Her husband reported that he was not in charge of personnel at the hospital and that in fact the orderly had been very kind to him. She reloaded and blasted him for not having a newspaper for her to read while she waiting, as she had left her device in the car and didn’t want to go back to the car to retrieve it. The nice man got up and found Helga a newspaper. She was not happy that it was a day old.

Then Helga got upset because her husband was not more upset about his surgery. She catalogued every ache he might face. She described every pain her friend had after the same surgery. She went into brutal detail about every danger he could face during surgery and after surgery. Her Scandinavian ire was up that he was calm before this procedure and how dare he leave her to worry about all that could happen to him. Then she stood and said to a man who hadn’t eaten since midnight and was about to have surgery, “I’m hungry and I’m going to get breakfast.”

When “Helga” walked off, the poor fellow breathed an audible sigh of relief. I’m thinking that if his wife is like that all the time, major surgery likely gave him some relief. He was probably happy that he was going to get some sleep.

When you get up to leave….are people glad you came or glad you’re going?

Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston.

You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com

Ronald “Ronnie” Coutee
December 1, 1948 – September 16, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Lynwood “O’Keith” Barnes Hudson
June 22, 1960 – September 10, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Melvin Ray Small
December 17, 1955 – September 11, 2024
Arrangements TBA

Ed Evans
June 5, 1952 — September 4, 2024
Service: October 5 at 1 pm at First Presbyterian Church of Natchitoches located at 114 Bienville St., Natchitoches

Robert W. Masteller
February 18, 1946 – August 28, 2024
Arrangements TBA

By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports

The Many Tigers are going back to the basics. 

After a humbling, 46-7 loss to Logansport in the season opener, Tigers coach Dillon Barrett admitted his team did not play up to its potential. 

“That was not the outcome that we were expecting at all,” Barrett said. “We just didn’t play well, to put it simply like that. We didn’t show up to play. We didn’t execute.”

The Tigers faced a great deal of adversity last week and didn’t rise to the challenge. Starting quarterback Levi Booker went down with an injury in the first half, the Tigers trailed by three scores at the half, and things didn’t improve in the second half. 

Many struggled to finish drives and also didn’t do a very good job of tackling, Barrett said. One bright spot was the composure of sophomore backup Kellen Cox, who came off the bench after Booker’s injury and tossed a touchdown pass to Payton Hyden for the Tigers’ only score. 

Barrett said he felt the Tigers entered the Logansport game with a solid game plan in all phases, but they just didn’t execute at a high level. They must play better this week, when they travel to DeRidder on Friday.

“This weekend as a staff, we talked about solutions – what happened and making sure that doesn’t happen again,” Barrett said. “That’s not who we are. We’re better than that. Our guys know that. The coaching staff knows that. I know that.”

Although the forecast early in the week showed DeRidder could be in the pathway of Hurricane Francine, as she shifted east on Tuesday, Barrett said the projection was there would be no issues with the two teams playing Friday night. 

With Booker still injured, Cox will be the starting quarterback this week, and he’s taking all of the first-team snaps in practice to prepare for that opportunity.  

“He’s young, obviously, only being a sophomore, and he’s inexperienced, but I was very pleased with how he responded not only Monday and this week, but also Friday whenever our starter got hurt,” Barrett said. “He was completely composed, and a lot more mature in handling that situation.”

Barrett said he believes Cox has had a good approach to practice this week and is ready for the challenge that faces him.

“He’s had a good week so far,” Barrett said. “He’s had a good approach every day. He’s had a good attitude. I think his mindset is right. I think he’s in a good headspace. Now we’ve got to get him ready to play come Friday.” 

But it’s not just at quarterback where the Tigers have to be ready. Barrett wants to see improvement from everyone. That begins with getting back to the Tigers’ core principles – players knowing their assignment, alignment and technique. 

Despite last week’s outcome, Barrett remains confident in his team’s plan and ability.

“I do believe in our team,” he said, “I do believe in our guys, and I do have confidence in our guys. I know our potential, and we haven’t played up to that potential yet. I know we have it, and it’s a matter of putting that product on the field and pulling that out of every guy individually and bringing them all together as one. That’s been part of the struggle last week and even in the jamboree, not playing as one unit together at times and trying to do our thing.”

As predicted, Francine strengthened into a Cat 1 hurricane last night and continues an eastward slide into the Louisiana Coast.

Francine is anticipated to make landfall Wednesday evening near Morgan City. After landfall, the center is expected to move northward into Mississippi Wednesday night and Thursday. She is expected to weaken quickly after moving inland.

Threats to Sabine Parish appear to be minimal with breezy conditions and possible bouts of heavy rain Wednesday into Thursday. 

Forecast for Wednesday: 
Showers and thunderstorms are possible during the day. High near 78. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Overnight, showers likely with possibly a few thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. 70% chance of rain.

Forecast for Thursday:
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Late afternoon/evening bring clearing skies with a low around 64. North wind around 5 mph.

Thanks to the largest one-time gift in Northwestern State athletics’ history, sizeable improvements are coming to NSU’s baseball and softball facilities.

A $1.9 million donation from the Thornton family announced Tuesday will provide new artificial turf at both Brown-Stroud Field and the Lady Demon Diamond, giving the university the first two no-fill turf fields in the United States. Both Dr. Jennifer and David Thornton are Northwestern State alumni, giving added significance to the gift.

In addition to turfing the fields, the donation will pad baseball’s outfield wall and overhaul the current lighting system at the softball complex.

“As a department, we are overwhelmingly grateful for the support of the Thornton family,” NSU Director of Athletics Kevin Bostian said. “The Thorntons have been tremendous stewards for Northwestern State, and this is another example of their generosity. This gift is a game changer for two of our programs, each of whom will have one of the best facilities in the Southland Conference in their respective sports with these additions.”

The Thorntons long have been passionate supporters of Northwestern, creating scholarships to support students in computer information systems, nursing, business, fine arts, accounting and criminal justice in the past decade.

Both Jennifer and David Thornton are NSU graduates with David earning a degree in computer information systems in 2007 while Jennifer has an associate’s degree in nursing (2010), a bachelor’s degree in nursing (2013) and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (2022). They are the parents of Tenley (14), Taylen (12) and Cooper (3). 

The partnership with GeoSurfaces will bring the Baton Rouge-based company’s PIVOT no infill turf to a U.S. sports facility for the first time.

“We want to express our sincerest thanks and appreciation to the Thornton family for this incredible display of generosity,” NSU head baseball coach Chris Bertrand said. “The impact that this project will have on Demon Baseball is immeasurable. Demons of the present and future will have a first-class facility and experience like no other. As we continue to build Demon baseball in the new landscape of college baseball, our facility becoming what it is will be a focal point in bringing student-athletes to our university. We have the Thorntons to thank for this incredible addition to us attracting people to Demonland. Our staff, our players, and our fans are chomping at the bit to see the new B-Stro.”

Both Bertrand and first-year softball head coach Jenny Fuller will serve as spokespeople for the GeoSurfaces brand.

Fuller will begin her first year as Northwestern State’s coach with a new-look facility.

“There’s a new look coming to the NSU softball stadium, and we couldn’t be more excited,” she said. “Going to a full turf field in our facility is a game changer in so many ways. We’re adding to the experience of what a Demon softball game looks and feels like for our fans and players. And it goes without saying that this is going to give us a significant boost in recruiting and bringing high-caliber athletes to the program. We are so thankful to GeoSurfaces for helping make this happen and could not have asked for a better way to start this journey at NSU.”

The projects are set to start later this month and both facilities will be ready for the 2025 seasons, which begin in February.

*Publisher’s note: This is the second in a series of stories highlighting the 83rd anniversary of the Louisiana Maneuvers in 1941, by historical contributor, Rickey  Robertson.

****************************************************************************************************

By Rickey Robertson

During the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941 we have heard the stories of the famous officers who came through our area, such as Eisenhower, Patton, Clark, Kruger, and so many others. These officers became famous due to their leadership during World War II. But we often overlook the fact that many enlisted men who came through the Louisiana Maneuvers also became famous during World War II and afterwards. One such enlisted man was Bill Mauldin.

William Henry “Bill” Mauldin, who was born in New Mexico, joined the Arizona National Guard in 1940, which was a part of the 45^th Infantry Division. Two days after joining the National Guard this and other units across America were federalized in service for one year. Prior to his enlistment he had become a cartoonist and writer. As he took his infantry training he also worked on his first book” Star Spangled Banter” that was filled with cartoons of soldiers and the predicaments that they faced in each while training, camping, marching, and preparing for war. During the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941, Bill and the 45^th Infantry Division were sent to Louisiana to participate in the maneuvers. The 45^th Division first went into bivouac south of DeRidder, Louisiana, in Beauregard Parish. While camped in this area, the very first USO Building in the United States was opened at DeRidder. Bill and the soldiers of the 45^th Division were the first of thousands upon thousands of soldiers who were able to attend all types of programs at this location.

As with all the units who participated in the Louisiana Maneuvers, the 45^th Division was constantly on the move. During Phase 1 of the maneuvers, General Patton and his armored units were assigned to the Red Army and the 45^th Infantry to the Blue Army. General Patton had arrived at the little community of Mount Carmel and was planning an attack through Peason and Peason Ridge that would allow him to capture Leesville and Camp Polk. But General Krueger and his assistant Colonel Dwight Eisenhower sent the 45^th Infantry Division to block Patton. The 45^th Infantry came through Peason and slipped through the Mount Carmel Cemetery and attacked General Patton and the 2^nd Armored Division. The Battle of Mount Carmel raged throughout the day around Addison’s Store and the Corleyville Road intersection with Patton’s units being pushed back toward Many, Louisiana. And who came right through here with the 45^th Infantry? Yes, Bill Mauldin. And when war came to America, the 45^th Division was shipped overseas and participated in the Sicily Campaign and the Italian Campaign in 1943 and 1944. In 1943, Bill was wounded by German mortar fire. Bill was now becoming famous for his depictions of World War II soldiers, with his most famous characters being “Joe and Willie”. Joe and Willie were two very dirty, very tired, and very battle-worn infantrymen who slogged through the mud, rain, and snow from one battle to the other against the Germans. Bill became very popular with the troops and civilians, but not to General Patton! And Bill also became the cartoonist for Stars and Stripes Magazine due to his great cartoon work. And by March 1944, Sgt. Bill Mauldin was given his own jeep so he could travel up to the front line area when he needed to.

After the war Bill returned back to the United States and continued his work as a political cartoonist. And in 1956, Bill even ran for Congress in New York but was defeated. During his career, though, Bill was awarded two Pulitzer Prizes for his work. This was such a great accomplishment for a man who, as a young 19-year-old soldier, had come and trained here in Louisiana. Sadly, Bill passed away on January 22, 2003, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, along with the men he served with and depicted in his cartoons. And in 2010, the United States Postal Service came out with a commemorative stamp in his honor. On the stamp is Bill, along with his famous World War II characters, Joe and Willie. So when you see a Bill Mauldin cartoon, remember that he was one of the Greatest Generation of World War II that came through our area and whose cartoons will continue to live on for generations of Americans.  

By Doug De Graffenried

“We don’t understand it, but your muffler is disintegrating from the inside.”

For once the description of the sound the truck was making was congruent with the sound the truck made. Many times, you try to describe a noise to the service technician and the vehicle won’t cooperate, but Saturday it did.

“Eventually your muffler will disintegrate, and your truck will become very loud.”

There are two ways you know you are old. The first way is when you don’t like the idea of your truck being loud. When you are old, you want the muffler to silence the sound. Loud and old don’t mix, whether in music or in clothing selection. The other way one notes their arrival at old age happens in elevators. If you hear Muzak playing in the elevator, and it is the same music of your adolescence, you are old. If your parents said, “Turn that garbage down!” And you hear that music playing at the doctor’s office, you are old.

Saturday, Muzak was playing at the car dealership as the service man described the disintegrating muffler. I am old. I was wondering if a loud truck would be accepted in a funeral procession. Would the truck be heard pulling into the parking lot on Sunday morning? What would the Baptists think? What would the Catholics say?

How much to fix a disintegrating muffler? It was going to be expensive because rotting from the inside was not covered under any warranty. 

How is your muffler?

The diagnosis of a muffler disintegrating from the inside was spiritually enlightening.

Do you know what it feels like to rot from the inside? Discouragement is interior rot. You start out with faith, hope, and love and if you don’t constantly stay centered in Christ, the world can whittle away at all three. You start disintegrating spiritually. Discouragement most often happens when you get something fixed into your head and heart rather than seeking out what God would have you do. Most often you are discouraged when God is not doing things your way.

The other thing you might discover is that when your muffler disintegrates you become loud. That seems to be the gist of public discourse today, just getting louder than the other side. Conversation has been replaced by competition and ideas are rapidly giving way to idiocy.

There is a verse of scripture that comforts and confronts at the same time. The same eight words can bug the fool out people with disintegrating mufflers and offer hope to those who want their muffler restored. If you need faith, hope, and love restored, hear the word of the Psalmist:

“Be still and know that I am God.”

I get it, Lord.

Will you help me repair my muffler?

Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston.

You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com

Every year there are certain seasons that people look forward to: Week 1 of the NFL, opening day of baseball season and for me it’s the arrival of both the spring and fall seasons.

For most outdoorsmen, it’s hunting season! This is like Christmas morning for anyone who enjoys chasing a squirrel, dropping ducks from the sky or finally shooting that trophy buck of a lifetime. 

Let’s look at what hunting season means to so many outdoorsmen. Let’s start with dove season which is basically a tailgate party with guys carrying shotguns. Dove season, like football season, kicks off the new year for all hunters. They gather in small groups and enjoy some time in the field hopefully where there are plenty of birds passing through. Dove hunts are simply a social hunt and a great way to introduce kids to hunting. 

Next comes teal season (mid-September) which brings out a totally different kind of hunter. These guys are serious about shooting what just might be the hardest duck to hit on the fly. Teal are the F-16’s of the duck hunting world and can do a fly-by quicker than some hunters can get a gun up. Teal are also a great tasting bird and make great table fare.

The first of October is the official start of deer season as bow hunters take to the woods in search of some good venison backstrap. Bow hunters are very committed and put in a lot of time practicing in their back yards or on a bow range. Deer hunting in general, is probably more popular than any other wild game that’s pursued.

Bow hunting requires a lot of skill in order to be effective and take a deer with good arrow placement. The popularity of bow hunting is due to the fact it’s a throwback to how our ancestors used to hunt. Bow hunters might be the most dedicated group of hunters there are due to the amount of effort and skill required.  

Fast forward to mid-October. The opening day of rifle season triggers a landslide of deer hunters taking to the great outdoors in search of that monster buck they’ve been watching on their trail cameras for the past two months. No other wild game opening day is more popular than the opening day of gun season as deer camps are overflowing with both excitement and the anticipation. It’s like a child waiting on Christmas morning; they literally cannot sleep! 

There are so many traditions that revolve around different types of hunting seasons. Deer camps have been a part of family traditions for decades and most would give up their home before giving up their deer camp. 

Many outdoorsmen plan their entire year around their favorite hunting season. It determines when they will take their vacation or request extra time off from their daily jobs. They are literally consumed with everything that revolves around hunting.

They plan Thanksgiving and other holidays around hunting season. It’s like people planning their lives around their favorite football team; nothing else is more important! If you’re one of the fortunate that have a great hunting camp; count your blessings and never let it go. Because once it’s gone, you will have a hard time replacing it. 

‘Til next time, good luck, good hunting and to all outdoorsmen, have a great hunting season! 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com