Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Highly respected Sabine Parish businessman Bruce A. Taylor announced this week that he will be a candidate for Dist. 3 Police Jury in the Oct. 14 primary. A lifelong resident of Sabine, he has an extensive background as a road builder and is a licensed Louisiana contractor.
Taylor stated, “I will bring my business experience to provide the change needed to get roads repaired and built properly. We need real change and if you are ready, please vote for me.”
The candidate said that his top priority as a Juror will be road improvement. He continued, “There are so many roads that have gone down severely in the past few years. I want to see improvements made with better ditch drainage and open rights-of-way for the roads to get sun in order to dry quickly after rains. In addition, I want our roads to be built to a standard so that school buses, cars, ambulances, etc. can drive them easily, as well as durable enough our logging industry and chicken farms can drive without destroying them. We need and must support our logging industry and poultry farmers.”
He continued, “Hauling rock daily is not the answer. We have homes throughout the parish that have white rock that is causing major dust where visibility is a hazard. If a road is blacktopped or oil sanded, I want to properly maintain them, not rip out and dump white rock on them.”
Taylor said he is very receptive to the public and asks interested persons to call him at (318) 508-1600.
Qualifying for the Oct. 14 statewide election will be held in the Sabine Clerk of Court’s Office August 8-10. The office is open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Among positions on the ballot will be Sheriff, Tax Assessor, Clerk of Court, State Senator, State Representative and members of the Sabine Parish Police Jury.
Also on the ballot will be all statewide elected officials.
The following information on qualifying came from Sec. of State Kyle Ardoin’s office:
Qualifying for the Oct. 14 Gubernatorial Primary Election will be held from Tuesday, Aug. 8 through Thursday, Aug. 10.
Local and municipal candidates qualify with the clerk of court in the parish in which they are registered to vote. All candidates for state office will qualify at the Louisiana State Archives located at 3851 Essen Lane in Baton Rouge. Hours of operation for the secretary of state are 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. Candidates are encouraged to check with their local clerk of court for specific parish hours.
Pursuant to Act 312 of the 2020 Regular Session and Act 35 of the 2022 Regular Session, qualifying candidates will be required to provide an email address and present a valid Louisiana driver’s license or Louisiana identification card. For more information on qualifying, visit the secretary of state’s website at www.sos.la.gov.
(Special thanks to Sec. Ardoin’s Chief of Staff and our longtime friend Joe Salter for the above report from the Secretary’s office.)
Clancey Stewart of Florien took Second Place in the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship held at Northwestern as part of the 43rd Annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival.
Clancey took First in the 22-59 age group championship division, and she and Joe Suchanek of Merryville took First in the twin fiddles competition.
The final championship round had three past Championship fiddlers, including Clancey who won in 2018.
That Jody Cantrell, Manager of Quality Outdoor on San Antonio in Many, is a guy who knows how the tell a story, while at the same time selling riding lawn mowers, trailers, side-by-sides and anything else he can get his hands on.
Recently we got a note from him as follows:
“Have you met Donald J who is the night watchman for Quality Outdoors? He lives just across the street from his job around the shed on the back corner of what is now the Sabine Life Insurance office building.
“Before it got so hot, during most days he would climb up on the roof of that shed and observe all the activities on San Antonio Ave. between naps. Sometimes he would have company over.”
Continuing, Jody writes, “He guards our store and awaits my arrival so he can have breakfast. He is there every morning. He prefers to dine alone and doesn’t want company. What he lacks in social skills, he makes up for in consistency and dependability. He’s an old man, but won’t tell you how old. I think he moonlights at a few other businesses close by. If you see him, say ‘hi,’ but don’t expect much for conversation.”
Jody concluded his interesting take: “Just one of the many dwellers of Many that’s right under our nose, but is seldom noticed.”
We are excited to share that our earlier report has come to fruition. Ya Ya’s Children’s Boutique, formerly of Natchitoches, has made its new home in Many on San Antonio Ave. downtown. The popular store, which offers infant and children’s clothing and accessories, as well as baby and birthday registries, now also offers a candy corner for shoppers with a sweet tooth.
Owner Laura Strahan of Marthaville released the following statement last week:
“After ten years in business in our Natchitoches location, we are moving Ya Ya’s to 785 San Antonio Avenue in Many, Louisiana!
“This was not an easy decision, but after much prayer, our family has every confidence it will be a blessing for us in many ways. We sincerely LOVE and VALUE all of our wonderful customers from Natchitoches and the surrounding areas and hope you will continue to make the short drive to Many and shop with us at our new location or by phone. We will be working on a new on-line shopping platform in the next few months as well. Sabine Parish and lake area customers, we are thrilled to now be located in our home parish and we are ready to serve you all locally in Many!
“We have worked hard on on our new space and can’t wait for you to see it! We will be closed on Saturday, July 29th in Natchitoches and reopen sometime next week in Many. Many things will remain the same; our phone number will still be (318) 238-3366, our friendly staff, our baby shower and birthday registries, and our excellent customer service! We will expand our huge selection of fine quality infant and children’s clothing and accessories.
“We are also excited to announce we are adding a ‘Papaw’s Candy Corner’ for our littles and bigs who have a sweet tooth!
“Thank you, Natchitoches, for being so good to us for the last ten years! Please continue to allow us to serve you and shop with us for the most beautiful clothes for your beautiful children!”
We welcome Ya Ya’s, thank Laura for choosing downtown Many, and congratulate her and all her staff! Best wishes on a long, successful presence here.
Sheriff Aaron Mitchell reported on Friday the arrests of two Sabine Parish last week for narcotic and firearm charges.
Javoy Lavay Johnson, age 29, of Many and David Rachal Jr., age 69, of Fisher were arrested as a result of investigations by the Tactical Narcotics Team (TNT).
TNT Agents have recently been investigating the illegal firearm activity of Javoy Johnson. Agent T. Beason was able to obtain a search warrant for Johnson’s Ivanhoe Street address in Many. Agents located and seized suspected marijuana, crack cocaine, fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, a handgun, and approximately $11,725 cash. There was a one-year-old child on the couch at the time of the search warrant.
Johnson was booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center for:
• Possession with intent to distribute schedule I (Marijuana),
• Possession with intent to distribute schedule II (Crack Cocaine),
• Possession of schedule II (Fentanyl),
• Possession of drug paraphernalia,
• Possession of firearm by person convicted of certain felonies,
• Possession of firearm in presence of CDS,
• Possession of CDS in presence of person under age 17.
Johnson was under state probation for prior felony drug and gun charges.
TNT Agents had been investigating the illegal narcotic activity of David Rachal Jr. since January 2023. Agent B. Jones was able to obtain a search warrant for Rachal’s residence on Shady Hill Road east of Fisher. Agents located and seized approximately one-half ounce of suspected methamphetamine, Alprazolam pills, drug paraphernalia, approximately $870 cash and nine firearms. One of the guns had the serial number scratched off.
Rachal was booked into the Sabine Parish D.C. for:
• Possession with intent to distribute schedule II (Meth),
• Possession of schedule IV (Alprazolam),
• Possession of drug paraphernalia,
• Nine counts of Possession of firearm in the presence of a CDS,
• Possession of firearm with obliterated serial number,
• Warrant for three counts of Distribution of schedule II (Meth).
No bonds had been set as of press deadline and both men remained in jail.
(Special thanks to Det. D. W. Seegers for the report above.)
Long-time Many resident Mark Ussery packed it all up last Friday and left for his new home in Pensacola, FL. The move was brought about because he has kin living there and wanted to be nearer them. He came by for a visit before he left, and brought two vintage medicine bottles as a gift. Mark worked at one of the mills in Zwolle at one time, ran a flea market sale, sold gutters, bought and sold gold and silver and was a right good bass guitar player. He shall be missed around these parts.
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