Wednesday, June 9, 2021

News about the way the new director of the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission was selected is really getting around. Natchitoches Times Publisher Lovan Thomas wrote the following in his very popular “Just Talkin’” column on Thursday, June 3:

“JT reads where our neighbors to the west are not happy campers.

“It seems, some one or some group, decided to hire a new Tourist Commission Executive Director from not only outside of the area, but also from outside of the state…and with no ties to Sabine Parish at all. He’s from South Carolina. (Wonder if he knows the new LSU President?)

“From what JT can glean…the retiring executive director, who plans to stay involved in the commission and some of the state boards…handpicked her successor. Sounds to JT like she wants to stay…and control things in Sabine Parish.

“The Many City Council went so far as to send a resolution to the Tourist Commission expressing their disappointment. They argued there were plenty of qualified candidates locally and in the state that could sell their parish better because they know the people and the assets.

“Don’t know when the new guy starts, but JT hopes he brings some waders because he’s going to need them.”

Sabine Registrar of Voters Zack Faircloth is currently confirming the addresses of registered voters based upon information received from the Postal Service. Cards have now been sent out to voters. The process is to be done annually to persons the Registrar has reason to believe might have had an address change.

The mailing contains an Address Confirmation Card which is to be completed, signed, dated and returned to the Registrar with no postage necessary. 

A person’s registration status may be inactive until the registration address is confirmed. A person may vote, but will be required to confirm their address by completing and returning the Address Confirmation Card or completing it when you appear to vote. When completing the card, state law requires a person to register where they reside and if a person files a homestead exemption on a residence, they are required to register and vote where that exemption is claimed.

If you got a card, this is a reminder to please complete it and mail it back to the Registrar. If you have a question, please call the Registrar’s Office at (318) 256-3697.         

As Observations was posted online Tuesday, we learned that Norman Ural Booker III was released on bond from the Sabine Parish Detention Center.

He was ordered jailed on May 4 after being found guilty of violating terms of his bail which included a prohibition of any contact of any nature whatsoever with any person under the age of 17. While out on bond, the court received information that Booker made contact with several juvenile females while attending the Louisiana High School Athletic Association State Championship game. Booker was ordered to be jailed until a hearing on June 3. That hearing was postponed until Tuesday.

Booker was arrested Oct. 29, 2020 for Misdemeanor Sexual Battery, Indecent Behavior with Juveniles, two counts of Sexual Battery and Oral Sexual Battery.

I want to recognize a regular reader of Observations, Nellie Faye Jordan Mitcham who lives in the Bethany Community near Marthaville. She has lived there for many years and was one of the best friends my mother ever had.

Faye was born and raised somewhere down around Goat Hill, between Marthaville and Robeline. I think it was shortly after she was out of high school, she married Vonnie J. Bruce. He was a fine man and I knew him since I was just a lad. Unfortunately he died too soon on March 8, 1972. He was only 47. They had one son, William Jackson, who is known as “Butch.”

Some years later she married Robert “Mitch” Mitcham and they lived together many years. He died on July 5, 2013 at the age of 91.

Faye would take my mother with her to Natchitoches on the first of each month to buy groceries. She did this for many years. In addition, she would come by our house and visit my folks. She and my mother quilted together. She was always there to help my folks in any way possible.

My wife Laurie and I always love to visit Faye and wish we could do it a lot more than we do. And Faye, thank you so much for always being such a good friend to my parents.

Damien Martell Medlock, 35, of Many was arrested May 31 on drug charges, and Methamphetamine with a street value of $52,640 was seized.  Chief Deputy Brad Walker said it was the largest amount yet seized in the Sabine Sheriff’s battle against illegal drugs in the parish. Working on the case were the Sabine Sheriff’s Tactical Narcotics Team, the Tri-Parish Task Force and the FBI.

Judge Stephen B. Beasley issued a search warrant for Medlock’s home at 225 Highland Ave. in Many. As a result, 4.7 lbs. of Methamphetamine were seized, as well as packing materials, scales and ledgers. Medlock was charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution, possession of drug paraphernalia and obstruction of justice.

Sheriff Aaron Mitchell continues his war on illegal drugs in Sabine Parish. The sheriff said that during May one pound of marijuana, over 6.5 lbs. of methamphetamine, 51 grams of synthetic cannabinoids, four grams of crack cocaine, other narcotics, drug paraphernalia and three stolen firearms were seized from the 10 persons arrested.

Those arrested on drug charges were Kayla Teresa Durley, John Matthew Tatum, Adam Valentine Hicks, Jonathan Dewayne Ebarb, Courtney Barbre, Megan Nicole Matthews, John Brady Corley, Eugene Frazier Jr., Damien Martell Medlock and Dominque Deshawn Lewis.

Hats doffed to Sheriff Mitchell, Chief Deputy Walker and those in the Sheriff’s Department who work so hard to get illegal drugs off the street. Their efforts do not go unnoticed.

Donald Murphy who lives down around Negreet has been a friend for a lot of years.

I first met Donald when I printed some letterheads for Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music. I hired him to draw a picture of Bill to use on both the letterhead and envelope.

Some time later, Don drew a picture of James Stallworth, the “Yellow Pine Philosopher,” to go on the cover of a book about James that I was publishing.

Last week he brought this new picture in and gave it to me. He said sometimes at night he is unable to sleep, so he gets up and draws a piece. Thanks, Donald. We appreciate you thinking of us.

Sales tax collections in Sabine Parish were down by $910,310.24 for May over May of last year, according to figures released by Sales Tax Collector Nolan Rivers. Total collections for the month totaled $2,625,644.75.

Pilgrim’s Pride and JBS USA were involved in a cybersecurity attack that impacted the companies’ operations in North America and Australia the weekend of May 29-30. Pilgrim’s, the world’s largest chicken producer, operates a feed mill and processing plant in Natchitoches.

JBS USA reported that it took immediate action suspending all affected systems, notifying authorities and activating the company’s global network of information technology professionals.

It was a pleasure for wife Laurie and me to present the program at a meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club on Tuesday, June 1. I spoke about Gov. Earl K. Long and Gov. Jimmie Davis. Laurie ended the program by singing Uncle Earl’s favorite hymn, “In the Garden.” Thanks to long-time friend Mike Wynn for the invitation. It was a lot of fun.

Natchitoches District Judge Lala B. Sylvester issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday of last week that shut down the Natchitoches Parish School Board’s plan to move forward with building a new high school. The Board was to have met that afternoon to vote on the matter. Marthaville resident Randall “Fuzzy” Hennigan filed a suit asking for the order, which prevented the School Board from taking any action. His suit is set for a hearing on June 16.

According to the suit, the reason for consolidation of the Marthaville, Provencal and Cloutierville areas is to build a new high school on the Waterwell Road just west of Natchitoches. The suit contends students from Marthaville would be traveling an hour by bus, restricting access to an education and prohibiting them from participating in extracurricular activities.

Mark it down, mark it down! There will be a special prayer meeting on Juneteenth, Saturday, June 19, at the old Many Jr. High at 3 p.m.

“We are asking that everyone come out to pray for our community and most importantly, the youth, ‘Our Future,'” a recent poster on the event stated.

We salute this fine effort. God knows if we ever needed prayer in this country, it is now.

Interested persons may contact Councilwoman-elect Mary Perry at (318) 508-2911 for more information about the Juneteenth Prayer Meeting.

The Rev. Gloria Youngblood, Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Many, was honored with a farewell dinner on Wednesday, June 2 at the church’s Family Life Center. After many years of service at various pastorates, she is retiring from pastoral ministry at the end of June and will relocate to Baton Rouge.

A number of successful church ministries and efforts were accomplished during Pastor Youngblood’s time at FUMC-Many, including the building of a Prayer Labyrinth for the use of church members and the public, which is located across Main St. from the Family Life Center and church sanctuary; a “Miracle Sunday” fundraising effort, which raised $100,000-plus to do much-needed church repair, maintenance and some renovation; and the successful start of a popular Wednesday night youth program, which presently has some 30-40 young people attending regularly. During the pandemic there was also an additional outdoor worship service added, which has continued with devoted support.

We wish Pastor Gloria all the best as she concludes her time in Many and makes the move to Baton Rouge. Her last service at FUMC-Many will be this Sunday, June 13.

Pastor Emeritus Ray Spiller will speak the following two Sundays, Father’s Day, June 20, and June 27 before the newly-assigned pastor, Brian Coplin, begins on Sunday, July 4.

SEEN IN SABINE

Flag Day is upcoming Monday, June 14, and we hope you and yours take a moment to remember all the amazing freedoms our great flag stands for.

The holiday, which commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States, was originated by a Wisconsin small-town school teacher, Bernard Cigrand. He proposed the flag should be celebrated and initiated its first formal observance back in 1885, when the flag had only 38 stars, one for each state admitted to the union at that time. That particular flag was in use from 1877 until 1890, when five more stars were added for North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington and Idaho.

In 1916, Pres. Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation officially establishing June 14 as Flag Day and in 1949, Flag Day was established nationally by an Act of Congress.

The field of stars on the U.S. Flag kept growing until 1960 when the current 50-star flag was born after Hawaii achieved its Statehood.

On Flag Day – Monday, June 14, at 10 a.m, VFW Post 5187 will hold a Freedom Circle Flag Ceremony at their new Freedom Circle of flags located at the intersection of Hwy. 171 and N. Obrie St. in Zwolle. The event is free and all are invited to attend.

After the ceremony, everyone is invited to a brunch at the Zwolle VFW Hall at 860 Dahlia Vines St. in Zwolle.

And speaking of things patriotic, don’t forget The Stewart Family & Friends will present their popular God Bless America concert on Saturday, July 3 at 7 p.m. at the Many Community Center [Sabine Theater.]

The show will feature patriarch Willie Stewart and wife Debbie, Willie’s son Bo, Willie’s grandson Kelly and his wife, fiddler Clancey Stewart, as well as father-and-son Steve and Mark Birdwell, and John Brittan, who will round out the group.

It’s sure to be a fabulous night of memorable entertainment, as always, and you don’t want to miss it. Doors open at 6 p.m., admission is free and soft drinks, water and popcorn are only $1 each. Come and plan to enjoy!

The Sabine Parish Library just started its Summer Reading Program (SRP) on Monday. “Tails and Tales” is ongoing until Monday, July 12. The scheduled reading activities are as follows:

Ages 2-12 are invited to pick up a SRP packet each Monday. For every half-hour of reading, readers will receive a “Brag Tag.” Packets are available at all branches, and readers will also earn tickets for a chance to win a fun Grand Prize at the end of the program.

Adults are invited to pick up an adult packet each Monday, and for every book read and brought to Many Library, a librarian will scan the book’s spine to start a “Tall Tales Bookstack” for each adult reader. The reader with the tallest stack will win a Grand Prize at program’s end.

For more information, call (318) 256-4150 or contact Robbin Jordan at rjordan@sabineparishlibrary.org or Angela Prince at aprince@sabineparishlibrary.org. In Converse, contact Patty Ebarb at (318) 567-3121; in Toledo Town, Olivia Barnard at (318) 256-4152; and in Zwolle, JeanMartinez at (318) 645-6955.

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