Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Dr. Mark Holder to be honored for Outstanding Service to Humanity

Dr. Mark Holder will be honored with the Outstanding Service to Humanity Award Tuesday, March 28, at the Sabine Hall of Fame Banquet at St. Joseph’s Catholic Hall in Zwolle.  Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the program will start at 6:30 p.m.

Dr. Holder, a man of many talents, is Chief of Staff at Sabine Medical Center, where he also serves as an Emergency Room Physician.  He is a detective on the Many Police Department and serves as Sabine Parish Coroner.

A native of Houma, his father worked in the oilfield and his mother was a police officer.  Dr. Holder was graduated from high school and then attended LSU and Nichols State University earning a BS in biological sciences/chemistry.  He was accepted at the LSUMC School of Medicine in New Orleans where he earned his MD degree.

Dr. Holder completed his internship in Internal Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and then returned to LSUMC at the Earl Long Hospital in Baton Rouge to complete his residency in Internal Medicine.  His focus was on critical care and cardiology.  Following his residency, he remained in Baton Rouge as a clinical instructor in Internal Medicine/Hospital Medicine for a short time before joining the staff at Baton Rouge General and Ochsner Clinic Foundation as a hospitalist.  During this time, he moonlighted in various emergency rooms throughout the state and gained an interest in Emergency Medicine.

In 2017, Dr. Holder was offered a staff position at Sabine Medical Center and decided to return to a rural setting like the one he grew up in just south of Houma.  He was welcomed with open arms by the people of Sabine Parish and as a result he embraced the community.

He accepted a position as Director of Emergency Medicine and following the death of Dr. Jack Corley (a physician for whom he had a tremendous amount of respect), he was advanced to Chief of Staff.

Shortly after moving to Many, former Sheriff Ronny Richardson and his Chief Deputy John Adair gave Dr. Holder the opportunity to join the Sheriff’s Office initially as a reserve deputy and shortly thereafter as a full-time patrolman.

He was elected Parish Coroner in 2019, and in 2020 joined the Many Police Department working under the late Chief Roger Freeman as a detective.  Following, Freeman’s death, Dr. Holder continued in the position under Chief Cheryl Wooley.  He completed his POST training at Bossier Sheriff’s Office Training Academy in 2022 and is also a certified homicide investigator.

In April 2022 he and his wife Misti were wed.  She is a schoolteacher in Shreveport.  He is blessed to have two stepsons, Ali and Eli, and a wonderful family.  Dr. Holder enjoys traveling, family time, playing the guitar, fishing and hunting.

“Serving the people of Sabine has been truly rewarding and an honor,” he commented.  “I gain so much inspiration from my daily interactions with the wonderful people of this parish.  They are why I do what I do.  This parish has welcomed me into the community, and I am humbled by this honor.”

Advance tickets for the banquet at $50 each may be purchased at Pete Abington’s office at 1030 San Antonio Ave., Nichols in Many, the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission and Sabine Parish Chamber of Commerce at 1601 Texas Hwy., Robert Gentry’s Office at 605 San Antonio Ave. inside the radio station building, and by calling Martha Henderson in Zwolle at (318) 645-9573.

Each year the Hall of Fame make donations to non-profit charitable groups.  This year, the Hall will donate 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.

Sabine Judge Verity Gentry will be on Tedd Dumas’ popular radio program “Open Line” at 7:30 a.m. Monday morning, March 13, to discuss the new security measures implemented by the Police Jury for the Sabine Parish Courthouse.

Sheriff Aaron Mitchell announced on Feb. 23 that the new measures were going into effect that week.

The safety procedures include courthouse entrance and exit by visitors through the glass doors in the front of the building on S. Capitol St., a security checkpoint at that entrance with visitor screenings for weapons and/or dangerous instrumentalities, the prohibition of closed containers – bags, purses, packages, briefcases, etc. being brought into the courthouse, and no public use of other courthouse entrances.

The upcoming radio show can be heard at KWLA 103.1 or by visiting bdcradio.com and selecting “Listen Live.”

CHOICES
I’ve had choices

Since the day that I was born.

There were voices

That told me right from wrong.

If I had listened

No, I wouldn’t be here today

Living and dying

With the choices I’ve made.

– George Jones hit from his comeback album of 1999, “Cold Hard Truth”

That song was close to a true-life tale for Country star George Jones, who understood all too well the consequences of choices.

Someone else who understood choices inside out was our late friend, Robert James Waller, author of the blockbuster “Bridges of Madison County.” He addressed choices in the last book he ever wrote, a non-fiction work titled “The Summer Nights Never End… Until They Do, (Life, Liberty, & the Lure of the Short-Run).”

Waller, a university economics professor before writing made him famous, shares in his book how every little choice builds a firm, sound foundation for not only personal success but helps create a strong, healthy society as well. Every little choice, made wisely, lays the groundwork for deciding the “big choices” correctly. He explained how the overarching good and bad of life boils down to choices. In each moment, from childhood onward we all choose one thing over another – basic economics. And as economics teaches us, each choice produces a different outcome.

In his last book, Robert Waller methodically laid out the folly of flawed choices, the wisdom of good ones, and how personal responsibility and correct governmental incentives (the reward of positive behaviors and choices) are key to solving virtually every challenge we face personally, in our communities, cities and as a country.

My wife and I were honored to be asked to read Robert’s book before publication and share our ideas before the final revision. He thought so much of my wife’s analysis, he used it in the book’s opening pages, “[After reading the book,] Laurie Gentry said this: ‘My life is ruined for the better,’ a comment that somehow captures the essence of the book.”

Laurie’s assessment was half-joking but made with a clear understanding that taking responsibility for our choices is certainly not the easiest, most pleasant path. When we know what the right thing is, we become responsible to do the right thing as we make daily choices – even small, seemingly insignificant ones.

It is much easier and perhaps it is the “path that leads to destruction” for a person to simply do whatever he or she wants, or to declare victimhood. Take your pick of offenses. They’re plentiful, and more are being born every day.

Our good friend Ronald Byrd of South Boston, VA, summed up perfectly the awesome opportunity and responsibility of choices in his latest letter about Observations:

“Robert, your Observations of last week stimulated thought about how we all make choices at some points in our lives, choices that lead us in vastly different directions.  Chris Loupe, Cheryl White, and Ronnie Curt Hongo Jr. weren’t always examples of good and bad. In their separate school days, they had to make choices that would determine their fates later in life.  Chris and Cheryl chose education, hard work, and law-abiding lives. Ronnie chose to go the easy-money route through selling narcotics, an all-too-common choice in today’s world.  Thank goodness for that Sabine Parish Educators Rising program that is encouraging those 53 participants towards making choices to live lives like those of Chris Loupe and Cheryl White.  Sadly, at the same time there are probably a few of the classmates of those 53 participants who’ve already made choices to go the other direction, to go for the lure of big money and power provided by drug dealing or other lawless activities. The dull, everyday involvement in hard work versus some quick and easy way… excitement versus boredom.  The American Dream is still attainable and is a frequent message in our churches and schools. Choices have consequences, a lesson that must be instilled in the early lives of children.  Somebody dropped the ball on Ronnie Curt Hongo Jr., and he will suffer the consequences of his bad choices far beyond the period of his incarceration.  While it might or might not be so that society failed him, only he is ultimately responsible for his bad choices and that’s another lesson that all children should be taught. Your Observations regularly provide readers a microcosm of life in a small town, a refreshing story that continues to tell about the best of life in America, but which is regularly tainted by tales about the outcomes of those very few folks who made those very bad choices early in life. Thank God and Sheriff Mitchell for the vast majority who choose to live wholesome, law-abiding lives.  Ronnie”

We treasure Ronnie’s keen insight, as always, and thank him for sharing his thoughts with Observations.

Jess Curtis of Many, who is now football coach at Natchitoches Central High School, and retired Northwestern basketball coach Mike McConathy were recognized at the annual National Football Foundation, S. M. McNaughton Chapter dinner at the East Ridge Country Club in Shreveport on March 2.

Jess was recognized as the chapter’s Coach of the Year for leading the Many Tigers in back-to-back state championships, including an unbeaten season last fall.  Mr. State Farm Buddy Wood introduced Jess for the award.  Jess is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Curtis of Many.

McConathy was presented the chapter’s Distinguished American Award for his impact of both high school and collegiate athletics, community service and lifelong involvement with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  He is currently campaigning for State Senator for the seat held by Sen. Louie Bernard who is retiring.

Community Bank of Louisiana in Many is this year’s Bass Unlimited Toledo Bend Lake Association (TBLA) official poster sponsor. The 2023 Bass Unlimited poster unveiling will be held April 6, and the annual TBLA Bass Unlimited Banquet and Auction is April 23.

Community Bank Vice Pres. J. J. Blake commented recently, “As I stand on the balcony of our bank building and gaze up and down San Antonio Ave. seeing an endless line of cars, trucks, campers and boats… it’s all about Toledo Bend Lake. Community Bank of Louisiana is proud to sponsor this year’s poster. As a kid growing up [here], I never thought I would see a traffic jam in Many!” he remarked of the heavy downtown traffic. Blake also thanked the Toledo Bend Lake Association for their hard work in producing the yearly event.

To pre-order banquet tickets call (337) 842-7814 or (281) 798-7131.

Sales tax collections in Sabine Parish amounted to $276,677.23 more in February than February of last year, according to a report issued by Wanda Rivers, Sabine Sales and Use Tax Administrator.  Collections for February of 2022 totaled $2,282,816.10, compared to the 2023 total of $2,559,493.33.  All taxing entities, except the Town of Zwolle, collected more during the period. 

Remember to set your clocks forward one hour Saturday night for Daylight Savings Time, which begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 12.  Daylight Savings Time (DST) is designed to help make better use of the long daylight hours of Spring and Summer. Some, my wife included, would love to remain on DST all year. Others just wish we would stick with one time or the other and quit switching back and forth every year.

High school students from Negreet, Florien and Ebarb high schools attended a one-day intensive ACT Boot Camp at Northwestern State University last Friday, March 3.

“Our goal is to help prepare these students for state-wide ACT testing planned for later this month,” said Steve Gruesbeck, executive director of La GEAR UP. “Students participated in interactive, hands-on workshops with NSU’s School of Education faculty, each focusing on one of the four ACT subject areas: English, Math, Reading, and Science.”

To open the event, the high schoolers visited with NSU faculty at booths to learn about job interviewing skills, resume writing and the academic and career opportunities that exist in Computer Information Systems (CIS); Fine + Graphic Arts; New Media, Journalism and Communication Arts and Nursing and Allied Health.

Louisiana GEAR UP (Louisiana Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded national initiative.  NSU works with 16 school districts and the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education.

“Since 2020, through partnership with Louisiana GEAR UP, our project has delivered high-quality, no-cost ACT summer camps and preparatory workshops like this to more than 720 public school students across the state,” Gruesbeck said. “Our project also provides no cost registration for up to 95 Freshman Connection registrants. To qualify, they must register to attend the first three Freshman Connection sessions and attend a Louisiana GEAR UP or Louisiana Field Outreach High School.  Sabine Parish public high schools are Louisiana GEAR UP schools.”

(Special thanks to NSU Director of Public Information & Media Relations Leah Jackson, who wrote the article above, and to NSU Director of Communications David West for bringing it to our attention.)

Dr. Cheryl White, one of the nation’s top authorities on the Shroud of Turin and a 40-year LSUS history professor, presented a wonderful examination of the latest research on the ancient burial cloth at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Many on Monday evening. The Shroud is thought to be the cloth in which Jesus was wrapped for burial after the crucifixion. In the fibers of the cloth is the image of a man who was severely beaten and had thorns pressed into the head and neck area, suffered a visible side wound and died by crucifixion. How the image got into the Shroud remains a mystery.

Dr. White shared the latest forensic, pollen and soil examinations, blood type analysis, 3D modeling and other state of the art discoveries, the results of which are now accessible to the public. As a foremost historical authority on the item, Dr. White traveled to Turin, Italy in July of last year to privately see and contemplate the cloth’s origin.

“This shroud has been studied more than any other object in the world,” she shared. “Hundreds of thousands of research hours have been poured into this linen.” It is the single most studied artifact in human history.

A radiocarbon age determination made back in 1988 seemed to prove the burial cloth was only as old as the mid-1200s to mid-1300s, but the three participating laboratories [University of Oxford, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology – Zurich and University of Arizona] used a sample that has since proved to be invalid, and it gave an erroneous date for the production of the main cloth.

The three labs did not take six different samples from across the Shroud, as their approved protocol permitted. To lessen impact one would assume, the three entities took a larger corner sample and divided the single sample into six cuttings for testing. Modern testing has determined that particular corner of the cloth which was carbon dated 35 years ago has a completely different chemical composition than the remainder. The corner that was tested is cotton. The original, largest part of the Shroud is comprised of very fine linen made of flax, not cotton.

Other confirmations of potential authenticity, including pollen and soil examinations, bleeding wound patterns and more offer evidence the cloth dates to the first century and could be Christ’s.

Another leading Shroud of Turin researcher has discovered through computer modeling that the only way such a cloth could capture an image in its fibers is by the presence of an unbelievably powerful light for only a fraction of a millisecond. It was determined the megawatts required for that kind of exposure is just slightly over the amount of power it would take to light New York City for over two years. We don’t remember Dr. White’s exact number, but a quick calculation says over 4 million megawatts.

When asked about a source to learn more about the Shroud of Turin, Dr. White advised interested persons to visit shroud.com but she warned that the site publishes Shroud theories from many sources. She said users must be careful to seek out only the site’s properly researched, academic articles for reliable information.

(Thanks to my wife Laurie for the above article.)

Congratulations to local Lions Club members Eugene Fremaux, Anna Garcie, Jamey Johnson, John Migliore and Elizabeth Pickett, who were honored for lengthy terms of service at Tuesday’s Lions Club meeting in Many.

Lions District Gov. Terry Harkey recognized the five for their longtime involvement in the civic club devoted to community leadership and service. Eugene Fremaux has served 40 years, Anna Garcie and John Migliore have each served 20 years, and Jamey Johnson and Judge Elizabeth Pickett have each served 15 years.

We add our congratulations to all those recognized as well.

(Special thanks to Brian Coplin for sharing the above information.)

It was with sadness that we learned of the death of longtime friend Lynn Wooley on Feb. 26.  He was a family man, a community leader and a public servant.  He served the Negreet area as both Constable and School Board Member.

Those of us who were fortunate enough to call him friend, remember that he was a successful businessman and always a hard worker.  He worked as a welder, ran a water well service and was a cattleman.

We extend our deepest sympathy to our neighbor and his son Donnie Wooley and his wife Chief of Police Cheryl Wooley and other members of the family.          

Another gas pipeline is going through Sabine Parish.  It’s under construction now at the right-of-way west of Many and crosses Hwy. 6.

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