Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Some four dozen elected officials, community leaders and interested persons gathered for U.S. Congressman Mike Johnson’s Town Hall meeting held Monday at the CDC Building in Many.
Congressman Johnson spoke for about a half-hour on the successes of the former presidential administration and touched several times on the unraveling and abandonment of several of those successes under Pres. Biden.
After the event, Congressman Johnson spoke exclusively with Observations, noting, “We had a great Town Hall here in Sabine. This was the third stop of four parishes today. [Today’s Town Hall] indicates people are engaged and deeply concerned about some of the things they see happening in the country. Today we gave an update on some of the big issues facing us and for what I believe is an optimistic prospect for next year’s mid-term election cycle and what’s going to happen with the country in the days ahead.”
When he was asked during the Town Hall about how Louisiana, and specifically Sabine Parish, might get its share of the massive spending bill that was just passed, Congressman Johnson had good news and bad news.
In the good news category, he shared that there are more military construction dollars authorized to be spent in Louisiana than anywhere else in the nation. Louisiana’s Fourth District, which Congressman Johnson represents, includes Ft. Polk in Leesville and Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City.
Among the not-so-good news was that the $1.2 trillion earmarked for Louisiana is spread out over ten years, and that while accurate, the big number is somewhat misleading. “Over half that was already coming to us anyway before the bill passed,” Johnson noted as he explained how different lawmakers are touting the figure as if it is all “new” money.
The congressman said one of the popular potential infrastructure projects talked about for some of the funds’ use is the completion of 1-49. “To complete that three and one-half miles will cost $650 million,” he shared, putting some of the big numbers in perspective.
He also noted a lot of the bill’s resources are going to New York and California, with spending set up to benefit large, urban areas the most.
“The rural areas are going to be left out of a lot of this. What you’re hearing on proposed spending is not the whole truth,” he said. “I am hopeful that when we take control next year, we can pass a real infrastructure package that will be streamlined and take into account the actual priorities of each state.”
When asked about a lack of internet services in the parish, Johnson gave an update on broadband progress, explaining that the first studies were not done correctly. Old maps were used, and if a parish seat or town had internet, the entire area was marked as having internet service. Widespread internet service, of course, has never been the case in Sabine Parish.
The errors were corrected with the use of updated FCC maps, and it was discovered 188,000 small, rural areas in Louisiana are still not served by internet. Johnson pointed out that internet access is an absolute must now for employment, education, medical appointments and more.
“If we can pass a real infrastructure plan, we will focus on rural America, not because they’re conservative and our base, but because that is America,” the congressman said.
Something else he touched on during his visit was his complete dismay that there are elected legislators and policymakers who do not seem to understand the basics of economics.
“There are people in Washington who sincerely do not understand if you give someone something for ‘free,’ that it first must be taken from someone else. When you ask them about running out of money, their response is, ‘We own the printers. We’ll just print more money,’” the congressman shared incredulously.
He continued later to Observations, “I know it seems bleak for a lot of people in a lot of ways right now, but I believe we’re going to have a Republican majority in the Congress when we begin in January ’23, and I believe we can begin to turn a lot of this around. That’s what we’re fighting for,” Johnson said.
Among elected officials attending the Town Hall were Sen. Louie Bernard, Rep. Rodney Schamerhorn, District Attorney Don Burkett, Mayor Robert Hable, Chief of Police Cheryl Wooley, Alderwomen Mary Brocato and Cherry Williams, and Police Juror Stephen Steinke.
“We love the people of Sabine Parish and the surrounding area. They’re resilient folks. We know how to survive all these challenges and I think better days are ahead,” Johnson concluded.
One of the most popular places to find area news, including news of Sabine Parish, is The Cenla Report on Facebook. The page was created Nov. 27, 2012, nine years ago this week by Zwolle native Damon Ryan Roberson.
An ultra-conservative, Roberson publishes the news as he sees it and lets the chips fall where they may. We congratulate him on his years of success and wish him continued success in the future. As we wrote the column this week, his Cenla Report page had 38,352 followers.
He is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Fred Roberson. Mr. Roberson ran Pelican Drug in Zwolle for many years and both he and Mrs. Roberson were very active in community affairs. Damon has lived in both Baton Rouge and Miami, FL.
Don’t miss it! There will be a Good Ole Days Christmas in Heritage Park in downtown Marthaville on Tuesday, Dec. 21 starting at 5:30 p.m. All are invited for free hot dogs and bottled water, followed by lots of Christmas music, including some singalongs, then a Christmas-themed message by the Rev. Brian Jennings. Afterward, Santa will visit downtown Marthaville, then there will be fireworks sponsored by NOS Construction, Marthaville General Store and Sharper Image.
We remind all a “See Ya Later” Gathering in celebration of “Our Hometown Hero for Deployment” will be held at Robeline City Park on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 3 p.m. There will be food and music. Sounds like a great event!
After Conrad Cathey’s efforts which led to the recent defeat of the renewal of the Sabine Library tax, strong rumors are floating around that he might toss his hat in the ring next election. Word is he’s just looking around now. He is a former Sabine Tax Assessor.
Lots of folks have asked if the Stewart Family & Friends will present their annual Down Home Christmas Concert at Sabine Theater this year, and the answer is a resounding “Yes!” You may recall the show was cancelled last Christmas due to the pandemic.
This year’s show will be Saturday, Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. at Many Community Center [Sabine Theater.] Admission is free and seating is general admission, so be sure to come early to get good seats.
We hear the program will include lots of old favorites and several new numbers performed by Willie Stewart and wife Debbie on guitar, harmonica, percussion and vocals; Willie’s son Bo Stewart on mandolin, banjolin and vocals; Bo’s son Kelly Stewart and wife Clancey on fiddle, guitar, cajon drum box and vocals; Steve Birdwell on guitar, mandolin and vocals; Steve’s son Mark Birdwell on guitar and vocals; and Laurie Gentry on upright bass, autoharp and vocals. We expect in addition to some great music, there will be a few of Bo’s tall tales as well.
Everyone is invited to attend this beloved annual Christmas event. It is sponsored by the Town of Many, Mayor Robert Hable and the Many Cultural District Committee.
Our mighty Many Tigers are movin’ on up! They will play in the Class 2A Semifinals this Friday night, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. at Many High School’s John W. Curtis Stadium. It’s a not-to-be-missed game against the Avoyelles Mustangs.
This is a highly-anticipated rematch from Week 7 of the season, when our Tigers took the game 34-30 after Tackett Curtis scored a go-ahead touchdown run. That game was reported as one of the best games of the season statewide.
Adding to the excitement will be the wonderful fireworks always on display at our Many Tigers home games. Don’t miss this opportunity to support the Tigers as they vie for a chance to advance to the State Championship at the New Orleans Superdome.
Because of Uncle Joe’s run-away, out-of-control inflation, Dollar Tree is now $1.25 Tree. And it’s all just now getting underway good.
Over the past 30 years, there have been 266 weather or climate disasters in the U.S. that generated losses of $1 billion or more. Of those, Louisiana saw 19 hurricanes and seven floods.
WE GET LETTERS: And we always look forward to hearing from our friend, Ronald Byrd, of South Boston, VA. His thoughts on the Thanksgiving Observations follow.
“Robert, I was happy to learn that Many’s football team is peaking at the right time, beating Rosepine soundly. Of course, that happened a couple of days after your Observations. You shouldn’t be surprised that you’re not my only source! LOL. I might be old, but I know how to use the Internet! Your story about Les Lott was heartwarming, particularly because of the timing – Thanksgiving week. I’m not at all surprised that you and Laurie treated a lonely old man so well. It’s what I’d expect from the two of you. While you couldn’t know how close to the end he was, you and Laurie made his last days somewhat better, I expect. His gift of the drinks to Laurie was a touching validation of that point. I did find the rest of your Observations of interest, but these two items really stood out to me. I hope you both had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I’m thankful for your friendship, regretting only that we were out of touch for about seventy years. Wow, was it that long? From 1950 to 2020, more or less… take care, my friend. Hi to Laurie… Ronny”
And thanks to Many native Bob Riser for sending the current issue of “El Dorado Insider.” I first met Bob when we were students at Northwestern, and he was a big leader in the Black Knights. He is in the banking business in El Dorado, where he has lived for a number of years.
CHRISTMAS IN MANY FESTIVITIES are cranking up full steam ahead! Mark your calendars for these important upcoming events:
Dec. 2 – Christmas in Many Tree Lighting at 5:30 p.m. followed by the 1st Annual Many Christmas Poster unveiling at 6:30 p.m. – Many City Hall
Dec. 9 – Moonlight Madness from 5 until 8 p.m. with participating businesses, vendors, food trucks, Santa and a 7 p.m. Christmas movie at the theater – Downtown, participating merchants, Many Community Center [Sabine Theater]
Dec. 11 – The Stewart Family & Friends Down Home Christmas Concert at 6 p.m. – Many Community Center [Sabine Theater], Free admission
Dec. 18 – The Annual Many Christmas Parade at 2 p.m. on San Antonio Ave. in downtown Many, followed by food trucks and vendors, entertainment by Studio B Dance Company, fireworks at 6 p.m. at the Sabine Parish Fairgrounds and a free Christmas movie at Many Community Center [Sabine Theater] at 7 p.m.
“The oldest building in Many got a major facelift, and it’s now the pride of San Antonio Ave. and the Many Cultural District,” according to Many Cultural District Advisory Committee Chairperson Mary Brocato.
The OTASCO brick building at the corner of San Antonio Ave. and Capitol St. 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 coat of paint and decals on the windows advertising hardware 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.
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 style 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, which 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, “This was a labor of love and respect for an 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 completed,” she asked.
On a side note, Ellis Rains operates Toledo Outdoor Services, and he promises outstanding service at a reasonable rate, with 43 years of experience. In addition, he does decks, porches, metal roofs, shingle roofs, remodeling boat houses and more.
He told Observations that the OTASCO project took a lot more time than he anticipated. Rains said he spent $7,000 of his own money completing the project. “Once I got started, I just couldn’t stop,” he said. In addition, he said he was very pleased with the completed project. He pointed out the the tin on the awning is 120 years old and came from a building at Ft. Jesup.
(Special thanks to Mary Brocato for supplying the largest portion of the information above.)
MOVIES IN MANY
“Prancer,” one of Santa’s favorite reindeer, is flying into the Many Community Center this Saturday night, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. He plans to get everyone in the Christmas spirit with this wonderful holiday movie. Admission is free, as always.
The plot of “Prancer” revolves around a farm girl who 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 at Riggs Farm 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, Jessica and her father 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 promises to always remember him. 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 starts at 7 p.m. and theater doors open at 6:30. There is no admission charge, and drinks and popcorn are only $1 each.
The showing of “Prancer” is a Christmas gift from Mayor Robert Hable, the City Council, and the Cultural District Advisory Committee.
(Thanks to Mary Brocato for the above article.)
Area folks have a new place to take a coffee break, thanks to the opening of the Coffee Bistro at 867 San Antonio Ave. in Many. Sardonicus “Don” and Samantha Darwin, 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 iced coffees, Frappuccino, and other flavored drinks.
A wide variety of pastries, including beignets, awesome cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls with bacon and 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.
(Special thanks to Mary Brocato for the above feature on the Coffee Bistro. Photos by Observations)
A “No Man’s Land” documentary is set to air Monday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. on Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB.) It was produced by Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Bill Rodman and Flo Ulmer.
Many Alderwoman at Large Mary Brocato consulted on the film and appears in it briefly as well.
The documentary features Sabine Parish history of the early 1800s and is sure to be interesting. If you happen to miss Monday night’s broadcast, we understand it will be shown again on LPB at Thursday, Dec. 9 at 9 p.m.
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