Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Members of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) have selected our Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin as president of the group. He took the oath of office Aug. 16 at the organization’s meeting in Des Moines, IA.

“As the job of Secretary of State continues to gain more national importance, I look forward to leading the association’s time-honored tradition of learning from one another through bipartisan conversations and sharing innovative practices,” he said. “I have been extraordinarily blessed to spend the past decade serving the people of Louisiana and I will bring that same commitment to service to NASS during my tenure. I thank my colleagues for their faith in me. It is a tremendous honor to become president during this critical time in our democracy.”

Ardoin has served as Secretary of State since 2018, with nearly a decade of prior service as First Assistant Secretary of State.

Our own Joe R. Salter serves as Ardoin’s Chief of Staff. Joe is a native of Florien and has years of public service in education. He served Sabine Parish as State Representative and was selected by Gov. Kathleen Blanco to be her Speaker of the House. He is married to the former Bettye Lilly and they have two children Brantley (Tammy) and Mandy (Billy). Joe and Bettye are the proud grandparents of Haylee, Tyler, Riley and great-grand Kendall.

Congratulations to fisherman Bo Dowden, who will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches on Saturday, Aug. 28, culminating a three-day Induction Celebration. Anyone interested in attending may visit LaSportsHall.com or call (318) 238-4255.

“I was pretty amazed,” Dowden told Raymond Partsch III of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. “Most of the people I have known that have gotten in were basketball or football players. It is truly an honor.”

His love affair with fishing started at four years old when he lived in Natchitoches. His grandfather, V. S. Pugh, taught him how to fish and how to do it right. He was graduated from Natchitoches High School and attended Northwestern State University. He graduated from NSU in 1965 with a degree in industrial arts, but his pursuit to become a professional bass fisherman didn’t start right away. As a matter of fact, his first pro bass tournament wasn’t until 1972 on Lake Sam Rayburn.

He worked as a drafting surveyor and later became an outboard motor mechanic at C. E. Collins & Sons in Natchitoches. It was his reputation for being a good mechanic and a good local fisherman that got him in his first Bassmaster Classic.

Ed Todtenbier of Natchitoches was one of the founding members of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS). Dowden helped him in that endeavor.

Back to Bo’s first tournament:  he did not win in ’72. The tournament was taken by Roland Martin, but Bo did catch four fish that year on Lake Eufala in Oklahoma. After that, he was hooked on becoming a professional fisherman. The same year he opened a very successful business, Bo’s Marine, in Natchitoches which he operated for 17 years.

He and wife Gladys raised three children, Villis Pugh Dowden Jr., Eason Paige Dowden and Meredith Rose Dowden.

Within a few years, Dowden would develop a reputation for being one of the best and most respected professional fishermen in the United States. He placed in the money in 32 of his first 44 BASS tournaments.

In 1980, the Bassmaster Classic was held along the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River in upstate New York. That was Bo’s first win and it just so happened it was the sport’s most prestigious event. “It was pretty amazing,” said Dowden, who defeated 40 of the top bass anglers in the country for the coveted title of Bassmaster Champion. “It was something I always wanted,” he said.

The superstar of fishing completed a total of 14 Bassmaster Classics, including finishing third in 1982. When he retired from competitive fishing in 2001, he had collected career winnings of $235,261.79 in sanctioned BASS events.

Bo got his Louisiana Real Estate Agent license in 1993, and in ’97 received his Broker License. Three years later, he opened Bo Dowden & Associates Real Estate in Many (Toledo Town.) He is now listed as Owner and Associate Broker. In addition to offering lots, properties and homes, since 2005 his office has also managed over 40 lake rental properties for owners of the Toledo Bend Lake community. His wife, Glady, also a Real Estate Agent and sons Eason, a Broker, and Villis P. Jr., an Agent, all work in the business as well.

ESPN Outdoors and BASS named Bo Dowden among the 35 greatest anglers of all-time in 2004. These days he spends his time fishing Toledo Bend Lake, where he has lived since 1980. “I have become a normal weekend fisherman,” Dowden said. “I still love bass fishing. I always have. I still have my tackle box packed up and ready to go. I can still catch fish. I am old, I am tottery, and I have a hard time getting around the boat, but I still can catch fish.”

(Thanks to Chip Davis, Director of the Sabine Tourist Commission, for passing this information along to us, and thanks to Raymond Partsch III for preparing the material.)

Our condolences to the family of Virginia Fremaux who peacefully passed away Aug. 20. She had been ill for some time. We attended the Many First United Methodist Church with her, and she was a regular reader of Observations.

Virginia was a fine Christian lady who was very active in many various, worthwhile endeavors during her life. She will be greatly missed.

We extend our deepest sympathy to her family and friends.

Picture of the Past

This is a post card showing C.A. Derrick Grocery and Garage in Converse, located at the corner of Hornbeck and Port Arthur Streets. The station was operated by Coleman Derrick, who was also Town Marshal. He worked as a deputy sheriff under both Sheriff T. M. “Pappy” Phillips and Alfice Brumley. He is shown in this photo with his leg up on the bench. The photo was loaned to us by Carl Derrick, his son, of Bossier City. The elder Mr. Derrick stopped operating the store in about 1965 or ‘66. The Derrick house was located behind the store. The current-day playground of the First Baptist Church in Converse is where the station was located. The Derrick family donated the property to the Church.

We learned early Tuesday morning of the death of Barton Rumsey. He served the Louisiana Sabine River Authority as engineer for many years. He was highly respected by all who knew him. Our condolences to his wife Linda and other members of the family.

The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office wishes to update the public on the drowning which occurred on Toledo Bend Lake on July 31, 2021. The drowning claimed the lives of 46-year-old Paul L. Murphy Jr. and 44-year-old Joseph L. Sam Jr., both of Opelousas, and 40-year-old James F. Young, of Lafayette.

The investigation is being conducted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and is still underway.

Authorities began to look for the three men and their small aluminum boat after they did not return to the boat launch at the end of LA Hwy. 1215. Some of the men’s fishing gear was found, but the boat they were in has not been located. One of the men was found wearing a life jacket and the other two were not.

According to Wildlife and Fisheries Region 3 Captain Trey Mason, the investigation is ongoing and autopsy results of the three men are pending. The preliminary result of the investigation is fresh water drowning at this time.

Wildlife and Fisheries Agents continue to search for the boat, which is believed to be on the bottom, when they are out on the lake.

Any specific questions can be directed to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office will post any updates or news as it becomes available.

(Special thanks to Det. Wade Seegers for the above report.)

For those who wish to have their say about Sabine students being required to wear masks, remember the special meeting of the Sabine Parish School Board is tomorrow evening, Thursday, Aug. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at Many High School Gym. All attendees must be masked. To speak, a card must be turned in at the door to be placed on the list to do so.

Kresha Matkin, spokesperson for the “Unmask our Kids Sabine Parish” Facebook page, shared the following on Thursday of last week:

“When I tell you that my phone doesn’t stop…  I have had phone calls from principals, teachers (both retired and active), school nurses, concerned parents, doctors, pharmacists, state representatives, school board members and a very nice attorney general. I say that to say this – I had no idea how many people were supporting this and afraid to speak out. When I say ‘afraid to speak out,’ I mean they are worried about losing jobs, have had gag orders put on them, or afraid about business. I had no idea how set up we were and the planning that went into attempts to silence us. I know we have a lot of trolls on here, so I won’t go into too much detail but the people that are watching this page need to know that your own people blow my phone up 24/7 and are telling me everything.”

Matkin continued, “I hope everyone is planning on attending the meeting next week on Thursday at Many High School Gym at 5:30. I hope everyone pays close attention to who the School Board is going to push for new Superintendent come December. We have other options. I’ll leave that there for now,” she posted.

Observations has noted that several persons in the Unmask our Kids group are excited about the possibility of a local campus opening soon for Magnolia Bend Academy, which is based in Coushatta. Recently, information was shared on the group’s page about that, and a call went out to retired and active teachers who may wish to be involved. Magnolia is a private educational opportunity using the Bible-based Abeka Curriculum. Graduating students receive a state-approved diploma, and dual enrollment is offered to their students through NSU, BPCC and NWLTC. Most of Magnolia Bend Academy’s staff of certified teachers have advanced degrees.

Mark Birdwell of Marthaville killed this giant rattlesnake recently. It was in the muscadine vineyard maintained by his parents, Steve and Phyllis Birdwell, near their home in the Bethany Community. The rattler had something like 12 rattles. Rattlesnakes are on the move, working to fatten up in anticipation of winter, so be careful.

Signs Along Life’s Highway

We saw this United Nations vehicle recently in Leesville. Wonder what it was doing there? Note the license plate, “01.”

Just in: The Sabine Parish Sheriff Tactical Narcotics Team and Patrol Deputies have arrested four this month for various drug charges.

The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Tactical Narcotics Team (TNT) arrested Gary Dewayne Smith, age 45, of Zwolle the night of August 10. TNT Agents stopped the vehicle Smith was driving for a traffic violation on La. Hwy. 191 near Zwolle. During the investigation, Smith admitted to having a glass smoking device in his pants pocket. Agents then located approximately 3.8 ounces of suspected methamphetamine, a measuring scale, and several small Ziploc bag inside the vehicle. Smith had approximately $580 cash in his pants pocket, which was also taken and seized.

Smith was booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for Possession with intent to distribute schedule II (Meth), Possession of drug paraphernalia, and Improper lane usage.

Smith’s bond was set at $10,000 by the 11th Judicial District Court, and he bonded the next night.

Fred James Moss, age 51, of Hemphill, TX was arrested the night of August 13 by the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Tactical Narcotics Team. TNT Agents stopped Moss’s vehicle for a traffic violation in the City of Many. Moss told agents he did not have a driver’s license. After a short investigation, agents located approximately 31 grams of suspected methamphetamine under the seat of the truck.

Moss was booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for Possession with intent to distribute schedule II (Meth), Switched license plates, Unsafe vehicle, Modified exhaust, and Driver must be licensed.

Moss’s bond was set at $10,000 and he bonded four days later.

Dajohn Maxwell Hymes, age 28, of Natchitoches was arrested the evening of August 14. Deputies stopped Hymes’ vehicle for passing in a no passing zone and speeding on La. Hwy. 6 east of Many. Deputies located a 20-month-old child unrestrained in the front passenger seat. Further investigation led Deputies to locate and seize a small amount of suspected marijuana, several pills, approximately one pound of synthetic cannabinoids, two measuring scales and a .40 caliber handgun.

Hymes was booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for Distribution or possession with intent to distribute schedule I (Synthetic Cannabinoids), Possession of schedule I (Marijuana), Possession of schedule II, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Illegal use of CDS in the presence of persons under 17, Possession of firearm by a convicted felon, Possession of firearm while in possession of CDS, No passing zones, General speed law, Driver must be licensed, Expired MVI, Child passenger restraint system, and Vehicles without required equipment or in unsafe condition.

Hymes’ bond was set at $15,000, and he bonded four days later.

Orlando Travon Sloan, age 28, of Florien was also arrested the night of August 14 by Patrol Deputies and TNT Agents. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle Sloan was driving for a traffic violation on La. Hwy. 191 near Turtle Beach Road, but he refused to stop. Deputies pursued Sloan’s vehicle south where they observed something thrown from the vehicle near La. Hwy. 476. Sloan then turned onto La. Hwy. 474 where he traveled a short distance and ran from his vehicle into the woods. Sloan was quickly located and taken into custody.

Deputies went to the location where something was thrown from the vehicle and located approximately 17 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a glass smoking device and measuring scale.

Sloan was booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for Possession with intent to distribute schedule II (Meth), Possession of drug paraphernalia, Intentional littering, Aggravated flight from an officer, Reckless operation of a vehicle, Resisting an officer by flight, Improper lane usage, and Driving under suspension. Sloan’s bond was set at $10,000 and he remains in jail at this time.

Just a reminder that the series on former Gov. Edwin Edwards and his relationship with Sabine Parish will continue Friday. That will make it Part VI. We have put a lot of work into this project and want to thank everyone for reading. 

-30-