ZWOLLE, La – Christopher Delane Malmay (age-27) of Zwolle was arrested this afternoon.

By Doug Ireland, Journal Sports

It really was about a girl named Sue.

Susan, actually — known to family and friends forever as Susu.

Susu Williamson, part of a cornerstone family of Natchitoches, caught the eye and then quickly captured the heart of an out-of-place Ohioan.

Greg Burke met his destiny. He certainly didn’t realize it at the time, 37 years ago, but falling for that pretty little blonde girl with the antebellum accent moved the center of his universe about 1,500 miles south.

He was an intern in the Northwestern State athletic department, nearing the end of his nine-month appointment, when his boss, Tynes Hildebrand, and the president of the Demon Booster Club, Layne Miller, agreed that the three-person athletic administrative staff should add a full-time fundraiser.

Greg had little experience in that mode. But in his multi-faceted capacity at NSU, he had shown a cordial connectivity that belied his Yankee roots. Besides, his work ethic and efficiency was remarkable.

“The interest in staying here had grown immensely,” he said. So he applied for the new position, was an easy choice for Hildebrand, and not long afterward, he was proposing to Susu. In 1986, they tied the knot.

He spent five years, from 1986-91, as assistant athletic director and fundraiser for Northwestern. The Burkes moved back near his hometown of Alliance, Ohio, about an hour south of Cleveland, when he got hired at the University of Akron to raise money for the Zips’ athletic department.

The couple became parents Dec. 8, 1993, when Catherine Jean arrived. Life was good, even if Bill Belichick and a young assistant coach named Nick Saban couldn’t turn Burke’s beloved Cleveland Browns into winners.

Life got better in the summer of 1996, when new NSU president Dr. Randy Webb tapped Burke to replace Hildebrand as the Demons’ athletic director. The chance to bring his wife home, to a place he adored, and to raise their daughter there was too appealing to pass up.

Now, a quarter-century later, it’s Burke who is being replaced as AD. After months of discussions, first with his friend Dr. Chris Maggio and this fall with Maggio’s successor as NSU president, Marcus Jones, Burke and his bosses have found the perfect next step.

His talents are shifting to a much more finite role, as a fundraiser for the NSU Foundation, which supports the overall mission of the university.

In a few weeks, Burke will no longer sweat out a mind-boggling array of athletic issues, although he’s still going to avidly cheer on the Demons and Lady Demons. Instead, he will assist Jones, NSU Foundation director Drake Owens and the Foundation staff in a major capital campaign in 2022 and beyond.

“Even though I will be transitioning out of athletics, I loved this university then, 30-some odd years ago, as much as I do today, and will continue to do as I take on this new role,” said Burke.

What the future holds is outlined in Etch-A-Sketch. What he’s done is indelible in his photographic memory. Burke can recall sequences from NSU games in every sport dating back to before he met Susu.

The passion he has for Northwestern, built around athletics but broadened since, is astonishing. So as news spread just before Thanksgiving about his move across campus, he felt, purely, thankful.

It’s been the opportunity of a lifetime. There’ve been a lot of great moments, and a lot of tough moments and stressful moments, but what I am taking with me are the treasured relationships with people on campus, in this community, around the state and around the nation,” he said.

“I appreciate everybody who’s been a part of the career I’ve had with NSU Athletics. Those people are still going to be a part of my life, a part of who I am. I encourage people, more than anything else, to support this university.

“Find a way to get behind these young people, these coaches. Maybe it’s giving $20 a month, or maybe it’s $2,000 a month, or anything in between. Come to ball games, like our posts on social media, encourage recruits to visit our campus, because when they do, they’ll love what they see and experience. They’re not coming just to score touchdowns or hit home runs, they’re coming to be students, and to become graduates of a great university that’s been producing successful alumni since 1884.”

Burke’s departure from athletics will leave a gaping hole that ought to be filled by several people. Since 2007, he’s been doing the work of two, at least. Budget concerns led Dr. Webb to not fill the vital slot of assistant AD for internal affairs that was vacated by the retiring, unsung hero Donnie Cox. Burke assumed all of those duties, and soldiered on.

Before, and after, he had offers elsewhere, at brand name programs and ambitious climbers, from friends who admired him and wanted him alongside them, but not because he applied any place. Each time, Burke weighed the added prestige and significant income jump, yet stayed put.

It was really all about a girl named Sue. And as time passed, a place he grew to love, NSU.

Now that the fall feeding spree is just about over and bass have headed for their winter haunts, it is a great time to start preparing for the upcoming season. For many anglers, the new season starts the first weekend of January. So, what to do now? Let’s start with taking care of any maintenance and repairs that relate to all your equipment. Most anglers have a fishing room or man cave where they store, clean, repair, lube, and re-spool all their reels. It’s a good time to check rod eyes for frayed edges that can cause fishing lines to break on the hook set. A fishing room is an angler’s sanctuary, a place where we can get away from all the noise of the holiday’s and focus on getting our gear ready for another season. You want to try and control as many facets or variables of fishing as you can like equipment and boat maintenance.  Some anglers neglect this portion of work that’s not fun, but necessary.

Another area that anglers need to focus on is boat maintenance. As soon as my last tournament is over, which is usually by November 1st, I’ll make an appointment with my boat dealer to take care of any routine service work like changing my engine lower unit oil and replacing spark plugs and water pumps. As the old saying goes, “You can either pay me now or pay me later.” Preventative maintenance goes a long way in helping me to avoid motor breakdowns. I think this is one reason I’ve had very little issues with my Yamaha motor over the years. This type of maintenance is even more important today than in years past, since now parts are so hard to come by. Part shortages like computer chips and power packs continue to plague boat dealers due to Covid issues and shipping issues from China. Spending the preventative money now, will save you repair money later.

Next thing to do… clean up and rearrange your fishing room. After a long season of taking tackle boxes in and out of my boat and fishing room, it’s usually a big mess. I’m an angler that likes to be organized. I hate digging and looking for something. I want to be able to go directly to a certain spot and pull whatever I need off the shelf. One item that helps me with being organized is a label maker. There are several on the market and all will do a great job. It also makes it easier to walk into your fishing room and find what you’re looking for. The same goes for storing boxes in your boat. You don’t want to waste valuable fishing time looking for a tackle simply because you’re not organized. In tournament fishing, time is money, and looking for a tackle means you’re not fishing.

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a tournament angler, the things I’ve mentioned above are critical in helping you to eliminate and control some of the variables that can keep you from being productive on the water. Tournament anglers are some of the most detailed people you will ever meet, and they understand that fishing is more than just luck; it’s all about preparation. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!  

Steve Graf

Today is December 3rd and a memorable day in my house. Twenty-three years ago on this day the Lord thought it would be quite an adventure to have my daughter born three and a half weeks earlier that expected. Meredith was supposed to be a Christmas Eve baby and all of our family members with December birthdays warned us about the pitfalls that came along with it. Everyone said that she would never have a regular birthday. All of her presents would most likely be wrapped in Christmas paper if she even received a birthday gift.

Just like any new mother, I wanted to truly commemorate the birth of my daughter. There were several different things that I mulled over but for some reason it just seemed fitting to plant a tree the same year she was born and watch it grow. After much research we settled on planting a Yoshino Flowering Cherry Tree. The blooms would a delicate pink just like my precious daughter. The tree was nurtured and fertilized. We did everything that you would do to a tree to build a healthy foundation for future growth and maximum bloom potential.

Of course the first year that it was in the ground there were no blooms. Zero. We researched it and it appeared to be somewhat normal. Much to our surprise after one year it had one bloom and boy was it the most beautiful bud you have ever seen in your entire life. We were so proud. Year two rolled around and we knew it would be the year that wowed us. It had two blooms the entire year but they were breathtaking.

Year three was upon us and our bouncing baby girl was turning three as well. We felt confident that this would be our year to wow the entire town with the loads of blooms. The tree mesmerized us with three healthy flowers. I truly wish that I could tell you that I was exaggerating for literary purposes but I cannot. What I can tell you is that year four, five, six and seven did not disappoint us. Each year it respectively gained one bloom. As humor would have it, when we moved from Winnfield to Natchitoches it had record setting blooms.

I am assuming the pressure to perform and helicopter tree-parenting really took its toll on the precious tree that was planted for the precious baby. The new owner of our old home is very gracious and does mind that I stalk the tree in the springtime just to take a gander at it.

When Meredith’s birthday was approaching I could not help but think about the delicate pink blooms on the special tree that was planted in her honor. As I do every year. But this year was different.

I began to ponder on the infinite wisdom of our loving Heavenly Father and how he picks the day of our birth, ordains our days, orders our steps and even knows the date of our return to him. To take it a little further, I couldn’t help but being wowed knowing that when he created the heavens and earth, he also knew that one day he would create his son and that his son would die for our sins. He knew his son would hang on a cross even though he had committed no wrongs.

Please understand that I dare not compare my daughter’s birth to the birth of Jesus.

But…..

When I thought about God watching the new born tree grow that would eventually become a cross that his son would hang on, it literally flooded my soul. Our all knowing, all seeing and all encompassing God knew that one day this tree would be utilized in the most gruesome and painful way. But would eventually give life to all of his children. Did it sadden him to know this tree was growing? Did he watch it grow and check back on its progress or did purposefully pick one that would take thirty-three years to mature?

Some mysteries of the Bible we may never know the answer to but I do know that God gives purpose to every soul that is born and every life that is lived. He chose us to live in such a time as this. My prayer is that you will spend the month of December reflecting on God’s goodness and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

“For thou didst form my inner parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are thy works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me. When as yet there was not one of them.”
Psalm 139:13- 16

Lucian “Luc” Scott Carter
August 02, 1967 – November 30, 2021
Service: Saturday, December 4 at 1 pm at The Life Church in Many

Louis Remedies Jr.
November 7, 1946 – November 27, 2021
Arrangements TBA

PRANCER, one of Santa’s favorite reindeer, is flying into the Many Community Center on Saturday night, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m.  He plans to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. ADMISSION IS FREE AS ALWAYS.

  A farm girl nurses a wounded reindeer she believes is one of Santa’s, hoping to bring it back to health in time for Christmas. Her holiday spirit inspires those around her, something her disheartened father is having trouble understanding. In fact, he is planning to send his daughter away.  

            Jessica, the daughter of an impoverished farmer, still believes in Santa Claus. So when she comes across a reindeer with an injured leg, it makes perfect sense to her to assume that it is Prancer, who had fallen from a Christmas display in town. She hides him in her barn and feeds him cookies, until she can return him to Santa. Her father finds him and decides to sell him to the butcher, not for venison chops, but as an advertising display. She attempts to open Prancer’s cage but falls, injuring her head. Jessica stays in her bedroom, becoming despondent. Her dad goes to her and she asks him to read a passage from “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”. He tells her that times may continue to be hard for a long time but while he could bear losing the farm, he will not lose her. He changes his mind about sending her away. He suggests they take Prancer to Antler Ridge, which would be the perfect place for Santa to pick him up. The townspeople gather outside her window and begin singing to cheer her up. Prancer is taken to Antler Ridge where he runs out of sight. Following his tracks, John and Jessica notice that they vanish at the edge of a cliff. The faint sound of sleigh bells can be heard, and a streak of light is seen rising to meet Santa’s sleigh. Jessica bids Prancer farewell, and to always remember her. The sleigh flies across the full moon and over the town towards the Riggs farm-its very first stop.

PRANCER is the perfect Christmas movie for families.  It’s a story about love and redemption and, most of all, it’s about magic and believing in the magic of Christmas.

The movie will begin at 7 p.m.  Theater doors will open at 6:30. There is no admission charge, and drinks and popcorn are only $1.00 each.

PRANCER is a Christmas gift from Mayor Robert Hable, the City Council, and the Cultural District Advisory Committee.  

Area folks have a new place to take a coffee break, thanks to the opening of the Coffee Bistro at 867 San Antonio Avenue in Many.

Sardonicus and Samantha, the owners of Coffee Bistro, have worked long and hard to renovate the building to make it a comfortable place to take a break, relax, and enjoy the many flavored coffees and pastries they offer.

The business opens at 6  a.m. and stays open until 6 p.m.  Monday through Friday.  Two comfortable leather sofas, and several tables for four offer a variety of places for customers to relax.

Coffee Bistro recently held its grand opening, and a large number of public officials and local residents attended to see just what this new business in town has to offer.  People left with promises to return often to enjoy both hot and ice cold coffees, Frappuccino, and other flavored drinks.

A wide variety of pastries, including beignets, awesome cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls with bacon ad other pastries are available.  Salads and sandwiches are served at noon for customers on their lunch hour breaks.

`Darwin stressed that he and his family are lifetime residents of Many and they wanted to own and operate a business in Many to serve the needs and wants of so many people who’ve mentioned they would like to have a comfortable place to relax and enjoy coffee and conversations with friends and family.

“We think we are filling that need, and we plan to be here for a long, long time,” Darwin stated.  

The oldest building in Many got a major facelift and it’s now the pride of San Antonio Avenue and the Many Cultural District.  

The OTASCO brick building at the corner of San Antonio and Capitol Street is looking good, with new awnings, new wood braces with wrought iron scrollwork, all rotten wood replaced on the store front, some new windows, a  fresh paint job, and decals on the windows depicting hardware carried by the store, and appliance repair.

Larry Campbell’s father owned and managed the store for many years, with Larry taking over the business after his dad’s passing.  

Campbell contacted Contractor Ellis Rains to repair and renovate the OTASCO store, and work began last summer.  It’s been a time-consuming job but it’s almost completed just in time for the holidays.

The chairperson of the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee, Mary Brocato, who is also alderwoman at large for the town, worked closely with Campbell and Rains to ensure that the end results were everything they wanted when the restoration was complete 

Rains said he wanted the restoration to be of the highest quality and it took time to work everything out.  Campbell is thrilled about the results and said he knows everyone in town will be happy about the long-awaited renovation.

Brocato stressed that not one penny of city money was spent on the renovation. The total  renovation was made possible by several generous financial  donors in town and also by several locally owned businesses that kindly donated building items to make the new look for OTASCO possible.  Interstate Building Supply donated the paint and other  much needed supplies.  Glass Technology donated and replaced broken glass in the front of the store.  The Sky’s the Limit donated  the old fashioned looking decals now  on the store windows.  Ed’s Sheet Metal donated a vent for flashing through the roof.

What was originally planned was just the replacement of the old awnings above store.  However, it swiftly turned into an all-encompassing renovation of the entire store front.  Rains and his workers worked for weeks that turned into months due to weather conditions and other factors.  They returned a few weeks ago to complete the job, and the end results are everything that Campbell  and Rains had hoped for.

Brocato commented that “This was a labor of love and respect for a historic old building.  It does take a village sometimes, and thanks to Campbell, Rains, and the good people of our village of Many, the OTASCO store is now enjoying a new life.”

“We just have one more thing to complete,” Brocato said.  “I’m looking for a generous donor to tint the store’s front windows, and then we’ll be done.  If someone wants to donate their talent and time to tint the windows, or donate the funds so we can have it done, please call me at 318- 617-5239, so we can get this last task done,” she asked.

By Doug Ireland, Journal Sports

Lots of people will check their Powerball tickets tonight at 10 p.m., hoping they’ve hit the jackpot, able to claim a cash prize that will be worth about $103 million once taxes are levied.

Brian Kelly already won. Notre Dame’s all-time winningest football coach is the newly minted, emphasis on the word “minted,” man in charge at LSU.

So did Lincoln Riley. He was the guy nearly everybody thought was going to be the LSU football coach. Instead, he headed west, not south, from Oklahoma and is the new top Trojan at Southern Cal.

They are each poised to collect more than $10 million annually for at least the next decade from their new jobs, after shocking everyone at their old ones. Riley became embroiled in speculation last Friday that he was going to be the new head Tiger, and didn’t refute anything until the postgame press conference after OU’s loss to Oklahoma State late Saturday night, when he denied he was heading to Baton Rouge.

Meanwhile, in Tiger Stadium that evening, during the second half of the spectacular finale for fired head coach Ed Orgeron, word began circulating among the very well connected that there wouldn’t be a Lincoln driving to the LSU football facility.

Everybody fond of the purple and gold was ebullient about the thrilling finish of the game, won with 20 seconds left 27-24 by the Tigers over Texas A&M at the expense of the man initially at the center of speculation about the LSU post, Aggies’ coach Jimbo Fisher.

LSU beat one of its biggest rivals. The Tigers sent out the colorful, passionate and loyal Coach O in unforgettable style; or, if you prefer an alternate version, LSU finally shed itself of Coach O and his ineffective staff while knocking off those oddball Aggies led by Fisher, the man who spurned the Tigers five years earlier, thereby opening the door for that crazy Cajun to take the helm.

Whatever the perspective, Tigers were hootin’ and hollerin’ about stunning A&M, until a seemingly astute reporter asked Riley a pointed question in aptly-named Stillwater, Okla. 

LSU’s anticipated coronation of the Sooners’ brilliant young coach was off. Turns out, the reporter was too specific with that question. By lunchtime Sunday, Riley, family and some of his staff were packing bags for the Left Coast.

Talk about a plot twist. For many Tiger fans, and in the eyes of much of the national and Louisiana media, the heir apparent had been kidnapped and found a new home. What seemed to be a master move by LSU’s low-key but highly effective coaching search manager, athletics director Scott Woodward, was apparently up in smoke. There were possibilities, but compared to Riley, they all seemed like three-day-old Thanksgiving leftovers – palatable, just not worthy of great enthusiasm.

Florida took a flier on Ragin’ Cajun coach Billy Napier, who was on the outer edges of LSU’s sphere of interest. No Napier? No matter. Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, Mark Stoops of Kentucky, Michigan State’s Mel Tucker, former Tiger defensive coordinator and successful second-year Baylor head coach Dave Dave Aranda, even former Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl champion coach Doug Pederson (who played at ULM, then the NFL, and began coaching in Shreveport at Calvary Baptist High School 15 years ago) were appealing options.

Nobody had Notre Dame’s Kelly on the list. Not the three-time national coach of the year. Not the guy whose record in the last five seasons (54-9) was virtually identical to Riley (55-10) at OU. Not the coach who has more victories (284 in 31 total seasons, said LSU’s announcement) than any active coach in big-time college football. Not the man who led the fabled Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoffs in two of the last three seasons, and a 113-40 record in his 12 seasons in South Bend.

Nope. Because just last week, Kelly was asked if he would ever leave the Irish, and snapped off an answer dismissing the suggestion. Even a $250 million deal (his figure) would still have to pass his bride’s muster, they loved South Bend so much.

Behind the scenes, however, there were tremors. Notre Dame players don’t have a spacious, cutting-edge academic study center – they often do homework in the hallways of the Irish football facility. They don’t have their own training table (code for bottomless buffet), but have to retask a recruiting lounge into a dining area. These concerns and others were discussed by Kelly and his boss, UND athletics director Jack Swarbrick, but nothing was happening. Swarbrick said Tuesday he noted some “Freudian slips” by Kelly recently revealing some “restlessness” and said he wasn’t shocked at Kelly’s departure. He was the only one.

Today, Kelly, for a dozen seasons in charge of the storied football program on an iconic campus featuring Touchdown Jesus, is in his first day on the job across the street from Mike the Tiger’s lair. The former Golden Domer now will have LSU’s Golden Girls cheering for him. 

He’s not Nick Saban of Alabama, or Clemson’s Dabo Sweeney, or Lincoln Riley. But he is universally regarded on that level in the college game. Nobody, except his agent Trace Armstrong, saw him moving to another college. He’s often been suggested as an NFL coach, with the Chicago Bears said to have him on their short list for that anticipated opening.

But Armstrong saw opportunity, and knew his client preferred coaching on campus. Armstrong’s reward:  he will collect as much as three percent, the industry standard for negotiating coaching contracts, of Kelly’s LSU haul.

Even more spectacular than that roughly $300,000 annual commission? Armstrong is also Riley’s agent. He’ll be cashing in those California dollars, too.

Did Riley have both USC and LSU on his table, and when he went west, Kelly bolted for the Bayou State?

Or were they just better fits where they’ve landed – Kelly with one of this century’s most dominant programs, with all the resources in place, and Riley ready to restore the luster at once-proud USC?

It seems Armstrong, a former Florida star and longtime NFL defensive tackle, was playing chess while his counterparts were playing checkers. The short, pudgy, quiet guy at the next table: the LSU AD, Woodward.

When it appeared he was boxed out of the glamorous Riley sweepstakes, within 24 hours, Woodward completed the mission of scoring a “home run hire” replacing Orgeron.  Checkmate, y’all.

He took Notre Dame’s king, and nobody can argue LSU football on Dec. 1, 2021, isn’t what Kelly said in the Tigers’ press release Tuesday.

“Our potential is unlimited.”

By Brad Dison

In the summer of 1929, Anne Parrish and her husband, Charles Albert Corliss, were strolling leisurely along the picturesque Seine River in the City of Light (La Ville Lumière), Paris, France. They spent their time taking in the sites and browsing through the numerous bouquinistes stalls along the Seine River.

Bouquinistes, French for booksellers, have sold used and antique books in small green stalls which line the banks of the Seine River at fixed points since 1859. Prior to that, beginning around the 16th century, bouquinistes peddled their books from carts along the river.

Anne derived great enjoyment from looking through the stalls of old books. Anne was a lover of books. She was a successful American novelist and children’s book writer. Many of her books appeared on the New York Times best sellers lists.

In one of the 900 bouquinistes stalls somewhere between Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre, Anne saw the cover of a familiar children’s book which brought back memories from her own childhood. The book, “Jack Frost and Other Stories”, was worn from age but still in decent enough condition. It was a book like the one she had as a child in Colorado. Although she had never tried to seek the book out, she had never seen another copy. Her mind raced back some 30 years back in time to the Colorado Springs of her childhood. She glanced at the book for only a second or two and her mind was made up. She bought the book for a single franc.

Anne was elated to find a book like the one she had cherished as a child. Her husband was less than enthusiastic and was “skeptical as to its literary value”. Anne explained that she wanted the book not because it was an important literary work but for its sentimental value. Anne’s husband challenged her to recall anything about the contents of the book. She thought for a moment and remembered a story about a girl named Dorothy who hated her nose. Her husband, still skeptical, shuffled through the book until he came upon the story of Dorothy, just as Anne has claimed. Her husband knew it was useless to question her further and shuffled through the pages. Just then, something caught his eye. On the front page of the book, the flyleaf, he saw a name and address written in a childlike scrawl. He looked at the book with a seriousness that took Anne by surprise. Without saying a word, he turned the book around and pointed to the writing in the book. Anne read the childish scrawl and was just as shocked as her husband. Written in the book was the original owner’s name, “Anne Parrish, 209 N. Weber St., Colorado Springs”. Anne had unknowingly bought her own childhood copy of “Jack Frost and Other Stories”.

Sources:
1. Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa), July 28, 1941, p.9.
2. Lauren Gray, “40 Amazing Coincidences You Won’t Believe Actually Happened,” Best Life, June 14, 2019, bestlifeonline.com/weird-coincidence/.
3. “Les Bouquinistes,” Afar, accessed November 23, 2021, afar.com/places/les-bouquinistes-paris.

The path to good health includes staying up-to-date on health screenings and diagnostic exams. Timely care and early detection can prevent serious illnesses and improve outcomes. The following are commonly recommended general health screenings for both men and women. You may also want to talk with your primary care physician about other possible screenings based on your personal or family medical history. 

• Age 18 – Routine wellness exam and labs are recommended for both men and women beginning at age 18 and then performed on an annual basis. Blood sugar levels should also be screened to determine risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes.
• Age 20– Cholesterol screenings are recommended for men and women every five years to assess the risk for cardiovascular disease. In families with a high incidence of cardiovascular disease, screenings may be recommended for children and adolescents as well.
• Age 21– A Pap smear is recommended for women once every 3 years to test for the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells on the cervix, the opening to the uterus. No physician referral is needed, and OB/GYN physicians provide these screenings.
• Age 40– A mammogram, to screen for breast abnormalities including cancer, is recommended for women at age 40 and then each year or two years thereafter depending on family history. No referral or doctor’s order is needed for an annual screening mammogram.
• Age 45 – The American Diabetes Association recommends both males and females be screened for diabetes.
• Age 45 – A colonoscopy is recommended tor men and women to detect any abnormalities in the large intestine and rectum, as well as for colon cancer. Physicians base their recommendations for follow-up screenings on the findings of the initial colonoscopy and family history.
• Age 50– A prostate screening is recommended for men on an annual basis to help detect prostate cancer. This screening is performed by a urologist and includes a physical exam as well as blood work to measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA) present in the blood.
• Age 60 – A DEXA scan for both men and women to measure bone density is recommended. This scan can help determine if you are at risk for osteoporosis. Physicians will then recommend appropriate follow-up screenings in subsequent years.

So take control of your health by getting age-related screenings. It is important for you to speak with your primary care physician to schedule these screenings and ensure you stay on the path to good health!

Is this the 12th month of 2021 or the 24rd month of 2020? When Waylon Jennings recorded “Stop the World and Let Me Off” in 1965, he was a man way, way ahead of his time.

Crazy, crazy …

But things are getting better, as evidenced by our annual Best Books of the Year list. You won’t find any pandemic-related works here like you did last year. Who can forget the 2020 bestsellers, like LOCKDOWN!: Your Place or Mine?, or 1,501 Ways To Make Banana Bread, or The Vaccine Two-Step: Let’s Give it a Shot.

And of course, everyone’s favorite recent trilogy, Why Masks Work and the sequel, Why Masks Don’t Work, followed by the recently published Why Masks Might or Might Not Work.

Crazy crazy crazy crazy crazy…

For years we’ve published our favorite books in late December, but in a rare moment of logical thinking, I figured it would be best to do this now in case you need a Christmas present idea. So …

Isaac’s Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson was my favorite book of the year. Published in 2000 and on my shelf since, I just got around to reading it, about the Galveston hurricane, Sept. 8, 1900. I have a friend who’s read it three times, and I can understand why.

These others get four of five stars:

News of the World (2016) by Paulette Jiles, about a 72-year-old man in post-Civil War times on a journey from Wichita Falls to San Antonio. In small towns along the way, he reads the news to people who have no access to it. His companion is a girl, 10, kidnapped but now safe, who he’s returning to her family. She basically brings him to life again. I haven’t seen the movie yet, starring Tom Hanks.

Also The Music of the Statler Brothers, An Anthology (2020) by the retired group’s lead singer, Don Reid, and Songteller: My Life in Lyrics (2020) by Dolly Parton. And two books by the late Carl Reiner, My Anecdotal Life (2003) and I Just Remembered (2013). I listened to the authors read the Parton and Reiner books, which was part of the joy. Same with a couple of Dick Van Dyke books, My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business (2011) and Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Living Well Longer (2016). Van Dyke will be 96 Dec. 13. Also Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, and Other Things I’ve Learned (2005), written and read by Alan Alda, if you happen to be a fan. Finally, This is Your Captain Speaking: My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith and Life (2013), a nice surprise by the entirely likeable Gavin MacLeod from “The Love Boat” and Murray on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

Same with the just-released The Boys, written and read by brothers Ron and Clint Howard, about growing up as child actors but mainly about their endearing relationship with their less-successful actor parents.

Loved it.

Other biggies:

Life Lessons (2021), a book of semi-Sunday school lessons, also by the Statlers’ Don Reid;

A Burning in My Bones (2021), the authorized biography of Eugene Peterson, translator of The Message, authored by Winn Collier;

Also The End of Me (2015) by Kyle Idelman, about the tricky business of dying to self, Improving Your Serve (2004) by Chuck Swindoll, and Anne Lamott’s 2012 Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers. Pastor Tim Keller and others would suggest she left out confession, that;

Help, Sorry, Thanks, Wow would be a more exact title, but most all agree, including Keller, that it’s a thoughtful and most helpful little book.

Also four of five stars to Inside Comedy (2021) a semi-modern history of comedy by David Steinberg, The Only Plane in the Sky (2019), an exhaustive oral history of 9/11 by Garett Graff, Squeeze Me (2020) by Carl Hiassen, who writes brilliant novel after brilliant novel defending his native Florida, pointing out political absurdities in ways that are scorching and funny, and The Queen’s Gambit (2003) by the late Walter Tevis about a female chess prodigy. (The recent drama series on Netflix, set during the Cold War 1950s, is as many thumbs-up as you can give it.)

Three of five stars to The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz (2020) by Erik Larson, The Dutch House (2019), a novel by Ann Patchett, and March Violets (1989), a Berlin noir-like novel by a new guy for me, the late Phillip Kerr, about his German private eye Bernie Gunther.

Finally got around to Moneyball (2011) by Michael Lewis; loved it. And Tobacco Road (1932) by Erskine Caldwell. Re-read The Adventures of Huck Finn (1884) by Mark Twain and The War of Art: Break Through Your Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles (2002) by Steven Pressfield, always a good call.

See you at the library. Read on!

The annual American Indian Crafts Day scheduled for Saturday Dec. 4 at the Williamson Museum on the Northwestern State University campus has been cancelled.

NSU Professor of Anthropology Dr. Pete Gregory, who organizes the event, said COVID restraints and travel difficulties prevented large numbers of craftspeople from participating. Gregory said he plans to hold American Indian Crafts Day next year.

Ilene Francine Kay
September 22, 1960 – November 26, 2021
Service: Wednesday, December 1 at 10 am at Provencal United Methodist Church

Louis Remedies Jr.
November 7, 1946 – November 27, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Tristen Shane Small
March 12, 2001 – November 27, 2021
Service: Thursday, December 2 at 12 pm at First Baptist Church in Hornbeck

Elizabeth Mitchell
May 14, 1924 – November 29, 2021
Service: Tuesday, December 7 at 2 pm at First United Methodist Church of Many

There’s an old saying in football that you can’t win a game in the first quarter but you can lose one in the first quarter.

Friday night, Many proved that wrong, scoring 30 unanswered points in the first 4 minutes and 29 seconds of the first quarter that basically decided the outcome of a Class 2A quarterfinal with visiting Rosepine.

The defending state champions (12-1) cruised home for a 50-12 victory over the Eagles, posting their eighth quarterfinal win in the last nine seasons.

The Tigers move on to the semifinal round next week in Many at John W. Curtis Stadium at 7:00. Many will face district rival Avoyelles, coming off a 46-28 victory at North Caddo and making its first semifinal appearance.

Rosepine made the 51-mile drive up U.S. 171 riding the crest of a double overtime 43-42 victory last Friday over Red River. The idea that the Eagles would extend  momentum of that thrilling win into their matchup with Many was blown up in slightly more time than it took for the pregame fireworks show.

Jeremiah James got the onslaught started with a quick 47-yard sprint up the middle for the first Tiger touchdown. The Tigers covered 63 yards in three plays that only took 1 minute and 37 seconds off the clock.

A quick Rosepine three-and-out was followed by a bad snap on the punt attempt. Tylen Singleton recovered at  the 5-yard line. Two plays later James scored from the 2 and with Tackett Curtis’s two-point conversion the score was 14-0 with 9:26 left in the first.

Rosepine’s next possession also ended rather quickly, as Jayvion Smart stepped in front of an intended receiver and returned the interception 31 yards for another Many score just 53 seconds later. London Williams added the two-pointer for a 22-0 lead.

On their first play from scrimmage on the ensuing possession, the Eagles fumbled an option pitch and Curtis recovered it. The Tigers scored on the very next play on a Curtis pass to Jack Deville over the middle that covered 23 yards. Williams added the conversion to make the score 30-0 with 7:31 left in the first quarter.

Some fans were just arriving as Many already had 30 points.

Rosepine finally answered on the next possession, a six-play drive covering 57 yards, the last 33 coming on an Ethan Frey pass to Braden Trull down the sideline. The extra point kick was blocked by Swayze Carheel, leaving the margin at 30-6.

Rosepine kept fighting, and shortly before halftime covered 40 yards on seven plays, the last 11 yards coming on a Frey pass to Isaiah Stinson. The conversion failed, but the lead was trimmed to 30-12 with 2:21 left in the half.

The Tigers were not content going into halftime with an 18-point lead. After the kickoff, Many worked its way 65 yards in less than two minutes. The six-play drive, all runs, ended with a Williams 20-yard touchdown run. The conversion was missed, but the Tigers led 36-12 with 28 seconds to go in the half.

On Rosepine’s second play of the third quarter, Smart picked off another Frey pass — Smart’s second of the night and fifth in the last two games. Williams ended the Tigers’ eight-play drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. James added the conversion to push the spread to 44-12 with 7:42 left in the third quarter.

The next Rosepine possession featured arguably the best players from both teams in a collision that could be heard all around the stadium. Curtis and Frey met on a run up the middle that ended with Curtis making a spectacular hit on Frey.

Rosepine turned the ball over on downs after running 10 plays on that drive.

Many’s last touchdown came at the 7:42 mark of the fourth quarter, on a James 5-yard run.

The Tigers ran 53 plays for 314 yards, 253 yards rushing and 61 passing. The Tigers amassed 16 first downs. The referees flagged the Tigers eight times for 88 yards.

Rosepine’s 56 plays netted 173 yards, 155 passing and 18 rushing. The Eagles gained 12 first downs and were flagged six times for 45 yards.

Rosepine’s first trip ever to the quarterfinals ended with a loss to the top-seeded Tigers but the Eagles showed a lot of grit and determination, led by a great player in Frey. Their season ended with an 11-2 record and nothing to hang their heads about.

For Many, it’s business as usual, with another semifinal berth, although this time, it’s a rematch of a down-to-the-wire 34-30 win over Avoyelles last month in Many.

The bickering back and forth from friends and opposing head coaches Andy Boone and Jess Curtis will surely highlight the week leading up to the game. On the line will be a trip to the Superdome, with Many attempting to go back to back with state championships in Class 2A.  The teams in the other semifinal game will be Jonesboro-Hodge and Amite.

Scoring Summary

First Quarter:

10:23 M – Jeremiah James 47-yard run, conversion failed, 6-0

9:26 M – James 2-yard run, two-point conversion by Tackett Curtis, 14-0

8:33 M – Jayvion Smart 31-yard interception return, two-point conversion by London Williams, 22-0

7:39 M – Curtis 23-yard pass to Jack Deville, two-point conversion by Williams, 30-0

5:14 R – Ethan Frey 33-yard pass to Braden Trull, conversion failed, 30-6

Second Quarter:

2:21 R – Frey 11-yard pass to Isaiah Stinson, conversion failed, 30-12

0:28 M – Williams 20-yard run, conversion failed, 36-12

Third Quarter:

7:42 M – Williams 4-yard run, James two-point conversion,44-12

Fourth Quarter:

7:42 M = James 5-yard run, conversion failed, 50-12

Individual Stats

Passing: M – Curtis 3-7, 61 yards, 1 TD

         R – Frey 7-21, 155 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

Rushing: M – Williams 20-121, 2 TD’s; James 13-107, 3 TD’s; Curtis 3-12,

McLendon 3-11, Maxie 1-1, Aldredge 1-1

          R – 28-18

Receiving M – Deville 2-40, 1 TD, Leach 1-21

          R – 7-155, 2 TD’s

Tackles M – Singleton 4 unassisted, Curtis and Montgomery 6 total, Matkin 5 total, Carheel 4   

Check out this week’s basketball scores in Sabine Parish along with the Power Rankings! 

Monday November 22

GIRLS

Florien Lady Blackcats 64 (11-1)
Converse Lady Wildcats 40 (1-6)

Zwolle Lady Hawks 59 (6-3)
Ebarb Lady Rebels 31 (3-6)

BOYS

Converse Wildcats 51 (3-5)
Florien Blackcats 49 (5-7)

Zwolle Hawks 83 (7-3)
Ebarb Rebels 48 (4-6)

Ringgold Redskins 53 (2-2)
Pleasant Hill Eagles 51 (5-3)

Tuesday November 23

GIRLS

Ebarb Lady Rebels 55 (4-6)
Many Lady Tigers 29 (1-1)

Negreet Lady Indians 51 (6-6)
Pleasant Hill Lady Eagles 33 (1-6)

BOYS

Pleasant Hill Eagles 49 (6-3)
Negreet Indians 45 (3-9)

MANY, La – The Town of Many will have a Toy Drive for the holiday season. To be able to donate toys to children in need, citizens of Many may drop toys off at Foy Motors or to Crystal Hable at Lafitte’s Home Furnishings.

Everyone is asked to have toys either in bags or boxed prior to being dropped at donation spots. 

Check back with the Sabine Parish Journal all month for more holiday events and schedules. 

Buying tickets from individuals for any Natchitoches Christmas Festival of Lights event puts you at risk of being deceived by online scammers.

BUY FROM PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Anyone that wants a ticket to the Festival can get one on our official website or at a Festival ticket booth. Tickets to events such as “Cookies With Santa” are LIMITED and ONLY available on our website.

The Nov. 27 “Cookies With Santa” event is SOLD OUT! The next “Cookies With Santa” event is Dec. 11.

Please take this precaution to avoid Festival ticket scammers. Only official Natchitoches Christmas Festival of Lights tickets will be honored.

PRICE
Armbands are $10. Children 6 and under are free and do not require an armband. Anyone who wants a ticket should be able to purchase one.

WHERE TO BUY
Visitors can purchase tickets (armbands) online ahead of their chosen Festival event date, or purchase tickets (armbands) when they arrive.

Tickets (armbands) are only valid for the selected date purchased at checkout online, or at a Ticket Booth on the date of the Festival selected by the attendee.

The Festival will have multiple, visible Ticket Booths available near the Festival area (Front Street / Riverfront).

The 95th Natchitoches Christmas Festival of Lights is not under the same restrictions as last season, so there will be plenty of armbands (tickets) for anyone that wants to attend.

Festival tickets (armbands) can be purchased at the ticket booths with cash or credit cards. Card purchases can be made using visitors’ smartphones. There will be special Scan Codes available and visible at the ticket booths for a smartphone user to make their ticket (armband purchases).

BUYING TICKETS ONLINE
All who have purchased tickets (armbands) ahead of time online will need to visit a Festival Ticket Booth and present proof-of-purchase (printed or on their device) to retrieve their armbands before entry to the Festival area.

BUYING TICKETS AT THE FESTIVAL
Visitors that would like to purchase their tickets (armbands) when they arrive will need to visit a Festival Ticket Booth to make their purchase before entry to the Festival area.

NOTE: Ticket Booths open at 1pm on Ticketed Event Dates. Visitors can enjoy the Riverfront area before that time, but will require a ticket (armband) to remain in the area once Ticket Booths open.

CASH, CARDS, & SMARTPHONES
Festival tickets (armbands) can be purchased at the ticket booths with cash or credit cards. Card purchases can be made using visitors’ smartphones. There will be special Scan Codes available and visible at the ticket booths for smartphone users to make their ticket (armband purchases).

CONVENIENCE
Buying tickets online ahead of time is more convenient and will save visitors time when acquiring tickets (armbands) at the ticket booths when they arrive.

HAVE YOUR RECEIPT WITH YOU
Whether purchasing online or at the Festival ticket booths when they arrive, it is important for all visitors to retain copies (digital or physical) of their purchases on their person to eliminate any errors or confusion.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
You can find a full schedule of events here — https://www.natchitocheschristmas.com/schedule

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum, in cooperation with Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, will examine water as an environmental necessity and an important cultural element as it hosts “Water/Ways,” a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program. “Water/Ways” will be on view December 4 through January 15, 2021.

The exhibition opens with a free reception on Friday, Dec. 3 from 5-7 pm. Light refreshments will be served and Dr. Shane Rasmussen, Northwestern State University Professor of English and Director of the Louisiana Folklife Center, will be on hand to take oral histories from people on how water affects and enhances their lives as part of the Smithsonian project “Stories from Main Street”.

State regulations regarding masks and physical distancing will be followed.

Please visit our website or call (318) 357-2492 for more information.

Free and open to the public.

This Smithsonian Institution Museum on Main Street (MoMS) Water/Ways tour is part of the BHP-funded project, Coastal Impacts: An Integrated Approach for Community Adaptation, Understanding, and Planning, which assists local communities to build intergenerational coastal literacy through community conversations around books, film, and exhibitions, fostering greater understanding of and support for coastal restoration projects.