Commentary

Last week I was deemed a non-essential employee by the Natchitoches Times, owners of our local newspaper, The Sabine Index.

I got the news over the telephone and to tell the truth I was hurt and shocked.

The caller told me that employees of the Index would be researching and writing Looking Back. They also offered to let me continue writing Patchwork for no pay.

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BIDEN

In my article of December 18th, 2020, I specified that we need to look above personalities and look at the platform of the candidates. Well, those who voted against Trump because they just didn’t like him now have a Democratic platform. Let’s see what is taking place now that we predicted.

Illegal Immigration: Biden has already said he is going to do away with many of the programs that will hold them at the border and he is going to grant amnesty to many thousand others. He also stated he would abandon the wall construction. Get ready for the aftermath of crime and disease and sanctuary cities.

I should have run away and joined the circus years ago! At one point in my life I even thought about going to clown school!!

Alas, I studied journalism instead, but always kept my love for clowns and the circus alive in my heart.

I love to dress up…….and those who have attended Sabine’s Mardi Gras can attest to that. When we wore costumes, I was a snowman, a Teenage Ninja Turtle, a Cabbage Patch Kid, a Purple People Eater, and of course, a clown! Don’t laugh…there were others in our group dressed the same way!!

Back in my younger years, I dressed up as a witch for Halloween and visited several elementary schools, and was even the Easter Bunny at church functions!

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50 Years Ago

Week of January 21, 1971

A group of seven ladies and one man from Carter-Ferry Road attended the Sabine Parish Police Jury meeting to talk about litter. After not getting the answers they wanted, they stormed out of the meeting and threatened “to go higher up” and embarrass the Jury.

John Byrd, manager of Hodges Gardens, received the Outstanding Young Man award from the Many Jaycees.

Prominent Many citizen O.E. Williams Sr. died on January 18. He was a Director and Vice President of Sabine State Bank, a First Southern Methodist Church member, a farmer and conservationist for 38 years. He was chairman of the Board of the Supervisors for the Upper Sabine Soil and Water Conservation District. Mr. Williams also operated a large mercantile in Many from 1908-1942 and retired to raise cattle, horses and mule and be involved with timber.

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!!

The Saints were marching to a win against the Chicago Bears when we began to see flakes of snow coming from above.

“Look,” I exclaimed. “It’s snowing!” (and it was right on time as predicted!)

I spent much of my childhood in Massachusetts (say it Dean) and New Hampshire, so I was used to snowy winters, heavy coats, snowsuits, boots and playing outside until my gloved fingers were almost frozen and my nose was red!

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AGAIN WE START

The year ended with a sad occurrence when newly elected Congressman Luke Letlow died. Another well known name, Rep. Vick Stelly, who authorized the legislation in 2002 restructuring major components of the state’s tax laws also died. Nevertheless, life marches on and we have to deal with the future of Louisiana and the nation. Outgoing Congress Ralph Abraham indicated that he would fulfill the rest of his term, if necessary, until the special election March 20, 2021.

We also have to deal with the New Orleans Second Congressional District vacancy created when Congressman Cedric Richmond resigned this month to go to work for President-elect Joe Biden. The election will be the same date.

The primary concern is redistricting. The state count should come in February, although there are no guarantees. This slows the legislature down in preparation and planning. They should finish this in 2021, as required by the state constitution.

I am a cat person….always have been since I was a toddler. I loved my cats over the years…even though many of them were tabby cats, which I named Fluffy. No telling how many Fluffy cats I loved and lost.

At one point in my life, we had Great Danes. We lost both Candy and Jimmy before we moved south.

With two little boys, cats and dogs became a must! Davy had Hunter, a little beagle and later on Paul had Duke, a border collie. Over the years they joined a bunch of cats—Baby Sister, Bubbie, Tipsy and others—in Animal Heaven.

After the boys left home, we only had cats.

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HOLIDAYS FROM UNCLE EARL

The late Earl K. Long was extremely colorful. Some of the stories about him concern his pea patch planting, hospital escaping, stripper dating, microphone-screaming, linen suit wearing, lawmaker punching, chief executive. But, the younger generation is likely unaware of Long’s spiritual side and his holiday gift giving. The Restaurant Association told this story. Long had been quoting the Bible as saying that he was the best friend the voter could ever have besides “Jesus Christ and Sears & Roebuck catalog.” His spiritual side accelerated when he was baptized at the First Baptist in Baton Rouge in 1955. Long didn’t want to offend voters in the Catholic South Louisiana so he made a point of telling crowds that he was “40% Catholic and 60% Baptist” by virtue of his attendance at Loyola University Law School.

The year 2020 is history. We opened the door and out she went. The year we just got rid of was not fun, full of adventure or one we grew to love. It was filled with sadness, grief and uncertain living.

I found this wonderful outlook on life while scrolling on Facebook. It made me stop and think that instead of thinking about the inconveniences and sad things, we should celebrate the good that we learned about in 2020.

This writing, by Laura Kelly Fanucci of Kelly’s Treehouse, touched my heart and changed my look at 2020. I hope you will read it and take it to heart!

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50 Years Ago

Week of December 31, 1970

Four children were orphaned when their parents were killed in a twocar collision on December 22 at 7:35 p.m. on the Marthaville Road. The accident occurred just two miles out of Many. Dead at the scene was Gene A. Carhee, 28. His wife, Claudie Carhee, 28, died at the local hospital. The children were injured and taken to the hospital before being transferred to Shreveport. Carhee was reported traveling south at a high rate of speed, according to the investigating officers. He was over the middle line and when he crested a hill, me met a vehicle and collided. The couple was the 14 and 15th traffic fatality of 1970.