Wednesday, March 1, 2023
CHRIS LOUPE SELECTED FOR SABINE HALL OF FAME HIGHEST HONOR: HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
Chris Loupe will be inducted into the Sabine Hall of Fame on Tuesday, March 28, at a banquet to be held at St. Joseph’s Hall, 307 Hammond St. in Zwolle. This is the organization’s highest honor, recognizing someone with a lifetime of service to Sabine Parish, age 70 or above. Banquet doors will open at 6 p.m. and the program will start at 6:30 p.m.
Paul Christopher “Chris” Loupe was born October 6, 1948, in Lafayette. After Chris graduated in 1966 from Zwolle High School, he attended LSU in Baton Rouge for two years, then transferred to NSU where he graduated in 1971 with a BS in Animal Science.
Not long after, on a vacation to Galveston, he called home and talked to his mother only to find out he had been drafted and was to report to Fort Polk for boot camp and induction into the U.S. Army.
After boot camp and AIT training, he received orders to report to Long Binh, Vietnam, where he spent 11 months. After two years of service in the Army, he decided to attend LA Tech and get a degree in Vocational Agriculture.
It was there he became reacquainted with Miss Becky Brandon, who would become the love of his life, his wife and best friend. He and Becky raised four beautiful, intelligent women who learned hard work and faith in God from their parents. Their daughters are Erica Harding, Erin Talley, Amy Petriello and Meredith Founds. The Loupes are grandparents to twelve wonderful grandchildren – Leo and Caleb, the only boys in the family, and 10 granddaughters – Lexie, Blair, Taylor, Emery, Alyssa, Sydney, Bella, Millie, Tegan and Abbey. Chris always said of his kids and grandkids, “Someone must beautify the world, and we were chosen.”
Along with then-board member E. B. Malmay, Chris reopened the Vocational Agriculture department at Zwolle High. He taught for 24 years at the school, and during that time was elected Area II Advisor of the FFA Association. Chris was also elected President of the Agriculture Teachers Association.
After putting his four girls through college, Chris exchanged the blue jeans and boots of the classroom for dress clothes and a tie. He became an agent with the Horace Mann Life Insurance Company where he helped teachers with retirement and insurance needs for the next 23 years.
While with Horace Mann, he became a member of the Million Dollar Round Table, receiving numerous awards and trips for his accomplishments. With retirement looming, he sold his insurance company. But Chris’ working days weren’t complete. Within six months, he heard the Agriculture Department at Zwolle was looking for a teacher, so he applied and was hired, stepping back to his first love of teaching young people.
Chris is a lifelong member of St. Joseph Catholic Church of Zwolle, where he has served as catechism teacher for over 30 years, an eucharistic minister, lector and member of the pastoral council. Chris loves his church, and the service he gives was awarded the Diocesan Service Medal.
Chris served on the Sabine Parish Fair Board for over twenty years. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 4818. He has served his community for multiple terms as a Zwolle Town Council Member as well as one term as Zwolle Mayor. And, of course, Chris has served on the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta Committee from its inception. His dad, Rogers Loupe, began the Fiesta in 1975. Mr. Loupe served as President of the Fiesta for approximately 10 years. Chris followed in his dad’s footsteps and has now been the group’s president for over 30 years.
The Tamale Fiesta, along with local sports, has helped put Zwolle on the map. The time, energy and hard work that Chris and the entire committee have put into 45 years of the Fiesta testifies to the integrity of the committee and its devotion to Zwolle as well as to the surrounding Parish.
Chris is a member of the Sabine Medical Center Advisory Board, serves as President of the Zwolle Depot Museum Committee and is a member of the Zwolle VFW.
Chris said he is honored to be a candidate for the Sabine Hall of Fame, following in his father’s footsteps.
Tickets for the banquet are $50 each and may be purchased at Pete Abington’s office, Nichols in Many, Sabine Parish Tourist and Recreation Commission, Sabine Parish Chamber of Commerce, Robert Gentry’s Office inside the radio station at 605 San Antonio Ave. and by calling Martha Henderson at (318) 645-9573.
Each year the Hall of Fame donates to non-profit charitable groups. This year, donations will be made to H.E.L.P. of Sabine, a Christian 501c (3) corporation that provides outdoor opportunities to physically disabled children, adults and combat injured veterans and to SWAG Youth Group at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Hongo Sentenced to 15 years in Federal Prison
On Thursday, Sheriff Aaron Mitchell announced Ronnie Kurt Hongo Jr., age 43, of Many has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug and firearms charges.
According to evidence presented to the court, on or about March 19, 2021, the Sabine Parish Sheriff Tactical Narcotics Team executed a search warrant at a residence on Ivanhoe St. in Many where Hongo lived. Law enforcement agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office had information that Hongo had been selling methamphetamine to others. During the execution of the search warrant, deputies discovered 13 ounces of methamphetamine and a .45 caliber pistol inside the home. Hongo was present at the home at the time of the search, and he was subsequently arrested.
Following his arrest, Hongo confessed to possession of the narcotics and firearm.
Additional investigation by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) revealed that the firearm had traveled in interstate commerce and functioned as designed.
Hongo pleaded guilty on October 5 of last year to one count of Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of Carrying and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
The case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon H. Whitten.
Sheriff Mitchell thanks the FBI and ATF for their help in this investigation and many other illegal narcotic and firearm investigations.
Sheriff Mitchell said the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office will continue to use federal partners and resources to target, arrest and prosecute the illegal drug dealers in Sabine Parish.
(Special thanks to Det. D.W. Seegers for the above information.)
Sabine Parish Educator Rising Students Win Big at Regional Conference
On Feb. 8, Sabine Parish Educators Rising students traveled to the campus of Northwestern State University to attend the Educators Rising Regional Conference. Schools represented were Converse, Ebarb, Many, Negreet, Pleasant Hill and Zwolle High Schools. In total, there were 53 Sabine Parish high school future educators in attendance.
The conference brought together schools from across the state to network with future and current educators. Students competed in educational related competitions and participated in hands-on workshops.
Students were welcomed by NSU’s Kristen Walker. The program was then turned over to Guest Speaker Jessica Borland, the 2019 Louisiana Teacher of the Year. Borland currently teaches 4th Grade at South Grant Elementary School in Dry Prong.
Her presentation, “Plant, Grow, Bloom,” discussed the importance of teachers needing other teachers for support, collaboration and to uplift each other. A scenario Borland used to help the audience visualize this was “Find Your Marigold,” an article by Jennifer Gonzales. In the words of Gonzales, “By finding the positive, supportive, energetic teachers in your school and sticking to them, you can improve your job satisfaction.” Borland stressed the importance of how the marigold flower aids in the growth of strong vegetables by protecting them from weeds and insects. She related this to finding a positive person that helps others grow and thrive.
On the other hand, she described walnut trees as being toxic to other plants by inhibiting their growth. Her analogy helped the audience better understand the concept of not allowing themselves to be influenced by negative people or situations.
After the guest speaker’s address, students were dismissed for breakout sessions and competitions.
To close the conference, Converse High School Junior Katelen Bennett was asked to speak on being an Educators Rising National Officer. Katelen is the first and only National Officer from Louisiana. She will represent her school, parish and state at the national conference held this summer in Orlando, FL.
“Educators Rising has brought me way out of my comfort zone,” Katelen stated. “I would have never imagined I would go from a shy student not talking much in class to being on a stage and confidently speaking in front of thousands. This class and club have been a true blessing to me. I am very grateful for the opportunities Ed. Rising has provided me over the past year,” she said.
Sabine Parish’s future educators participated in the following competitions:
- Educators Rising Moment Speech
- Interactive Bulletin Board
- Impromptu Speaking
- Job Interview
In the Educators Rising Moment Speech competition, students prepared a three-to-four-minute speech about their passion for education and the moment each realized education was the career for him or her.
The Interactive Bulletin Board competition required students, in teams of two, to create an original bulletin board centered around a grade level standard. Additionally, their board was required to be interactive to enhance student learning.
In Impromptu Speaking, competitors were given 10 minutes to formulate, then deliver a speech on a current education topic to a panel of judges.
Lastly, the Job Interview competition allowed the students to go through an entire interview process for a job as a paraprofessional. Prior to the competition, students were asked to submit a professional resumé and cover letter.
Of the 12 medals awarded, Sabine Parish Ed. Rising students brought home 10. Placing and earning the opportunity to compete at the state conference on March 17 in Lafayette were:
Educators Rising Moment: 2nd – Alexis Pulzone, Pleasant Hill High School and 3rd – Katelen Bennett, Converse High School.
Interactive Bulletin Board: 1st – Abbey Phillips and Preslee Sepulvado, Ebarb High School; 2nd (Tie) – Weston Brown and Addyson Whaley, Many High School, and Leah Clary and Madelyn Wilson, Ebarb High School; 3rd – Emma Penfield and Hannah Campbell, Many High School; and 4th – Paisleigh Rivers and Lakin Guidry, Ebarb High School.
Impromptu Speaking: 1st – Isaac Sweet, Many High School and 3rd – Riley Greer, Negreet High School.
Job Interview: 1st – Annabelle Bagely, Converse High School.
The goal of the Sabine Parish Educators Rising program is to grow future educators, coaches, school leaders, paraprofessionals, counselors, and various other vital education-based positions. The participating students showed their passion for education at the event, and they also show it daily in their classroom work. Through this program students grow not only as future educators, but as individuals and future leaders as well.
Sheriff Aaron Mitchell recently informed the public of new courthouse security measures implemented by the Sabine Parish Police Jury.
The security enhancements at the Sabine Parish Courthouse located at 400 South Capitol St. in Many are as follows:
– All visitors are required to enter and exit the courthouse through the glass sliding doors facing South Capitol St.
– Sabine Parish Sheriff Deputies are now stationed at the Capitol St. entrance to operate a security checkpoint.
– Every courthouse visitor is subject to a security screening for weapons and/or dangerous instrumentalities.
– Visitors are prohibited from carrying any bag, purse, package, briefcase, or other closed container into the courthouse.
– All courthouse doors other than the Capitol St. entrance are closed to the public.
Sheriff Mitchell asks everyone for their patience and understanding as the Police Jury enacts the new, safer, more modern courthouse security procedures.
(Thanks to Det. D.W. Seegers for the information provided above.)
About 100 students from Many High School, Broadmoor High School and Scotlandville High School in Baton Rouge participated in Northwestern State University’s second Experiential Learning Day held Friday, Feb. 24.
Hosted by Louisiana GEAR UP, the day’s focus was on ACT prep as students learned test-taking tips in English, science, math and reading led by faculty from NSU’s Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development. They also rotated through workshops that focused on nursing and allied health, new media, journalism and communication arts, creative art and graphic design, computer information systems and classroom to career transition.
The next GEAR UP events at NSU will take place this Friday, March 3, and March 24.
A federally funded national initiative, Louisiana GEAR UP (Louisiana Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is supported by the U.S. Dept. of Education, which awards grants to states or institutions of higher learning to create partnerships with high-poverty middle or high schools. In partnership with 16 school districts and the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA), Louisiana GEAR UP aims to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education.
(Thanks to Leah Jackson, NSU Director of Public Information and Media Relations, for the above report, and thanks to NSU Communications Director David West for bringing it to our attention.)
We hear the Willie Stewart Family & Friends show has been confirmed for two concerts at the Sabine Theater in Many this year. The first will be their popular, patriotic “God Bless America” show scheduled for Saturday, July 1. The second is their “Home for Christmas” holiday concert, set for Saturday, Dec. 16. As always, admission will be free, but interested persons are encouraged to save the dates and to also arrive early to each concert as seating is always at a premium.
Many Chief of Police Cheryl Wooley announced on Tuesday the arrest of Phanon Maxey. He was arrested on Abuse/Aggravated battery charges and was taken into custody at his home early Tuesday morning without incident.
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