Commentary

LOUISIANA’S INFLUENTIAL WOMEN

5o Years Ago

Week of September

3, 1970 Doyle Lee of Fisher killed a 5’6” rattle snake on Lee Road near Vowells Mill.

Instead of remodeling a 42-year-old Florien High School and build a new elementary school, the representatives of Ward 1 requested a $750,000 bond election for South Sabine Consolidated School District 20, School Board member John McCollister made the motion and Charlie Jett seconded. The motion was approved.

A Mansfield man was killed in a one-vehicle wreck east of Belmont on La. 120. Benton Vines lost control of his truck and ran into a pine tree, according to Sabine Parish Sheriffs authorities.

I have discovered something about myself in the last few years. I guess the older one gets, the wiser one becomes!!

I love to binge-watch series on television. In fact, I realized recently that I binge on other things, too. If I am reading a good book I want to finish it—sometimes reading in the midnight hours or spending a day in my chair...doing nothing but going from chapter to chapter. If I get on a cooking spree, I make several different dishes at the same time—one for supper, another for the freezer and one in the refrigerator for the next night.

It’s like I become addicted to whatever I am doing. (Wouldn’t it be great if it worked for cleaning out closets, deep-cleaning the house, or writing that elusive book that is floating around in my mind??)

The first time I experienced binge-watching was at Paul and Lexie’s home in Wilmington, North Carolina a few years ago.

LOUISIANA’S LAST PLACE RANKINGS

Louisiana’s last place rankings in most categories is often blamed on the governor or the legislative state leaders needing to get their act together, we are told. It was pointed out in the Advocate the other day that many of the problems in our state rest on the result of Louisiana’s two largest cities, They are poorly run and they are a mess.

The FBI’s most recent report was that Louisiana’s ranked #1 in killings with 14.4 murders per 100,000. New Orleans and Baton Rouge are the two main drivers of this. They are two of the most dangerous cities in the country, if not the world.

There is a direct correlation between poverty and crime. Some on the left blame poverty for crime. If a neighborhood city or state is dangerous, businesses are lest likely to locate there, meaning fewer jobs. As many as seven to ten homicides go unresolved in New Orleans.

50 Years Ago Week of August 27, 1970

T.M. “Pappy” Phillips was elected as a board member at Sabine State Bank. A man who loved his community, he served in many different ways. He served as Sabine Parish Sheriff from 1944-1966 (22 years) and was a Sabine Parish School Board member from 1938-1944. A faithful member of Many’s First Baptist Church, he was also a deacon. He was a member of the Many Lions Club, the American Legion and the Many Masonic Lodge.

Approximately 4,800 students were expected to enroll in Sabine Parish schools for the 1970-71, according to Superintendent L.B. Skinner.

Federal funding of $8 million is being sought for the Toledo Tourist Complex on the lake.

On a dark and lonely road…far, far away…. but not too far away from the city lights….four humanoids--two men and two jittery ladies… began an adventure in space.

That’s how the male humanoids would describe this outing.

Two vehicles met on the road at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday night, August 12. for an outing of star watching. (Likely story!)

The Perseids Meteor Shower, which peaked on his night, began on July 17 and continued through August 24. It promised to be quite a display of meteorites and shooting stars in the Northern Hemisphere.

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WHITE PRIVILEGE

An article I read concerned a college student who was distressed about “white privilege” and the “racist” intent of America. It was apparent that one person he cared about very much was Barack Obama. So, the conversation went this way. “ President Obama served eight years as our nation’s leader. He received 135 million votes in his two campaigns. Tens of millions of white people cast their votes for a black man. Does that sound racist?”

The speaker following up stated, “My skin color is white. I paid for my education with the help of my father. I received no grants, no financial assistance at all. I came, I paid, I graduated. Is that white privilege?”

50 Years Ago Week of August 13, 1970

Voters in Sabine Parish went to the polls on Saturday, August 15 to determine who would represent them in the La. House of Representatives. Incumbent Speedy Long was being challenged by John K. Snyder.

Ebarb’s Greg Procell helped lead the way for the West victory against Bolton High School in the La. All-Star Basketball game. Procell’s team won, 100-95.

Morgan and Lindsey in downtown Many was hosting a “Back-to-School Sale”. Sizzler binders and a matching tote bag were selling for $1,97. A metal locker was $8.44 and 300 sheets of lined notebook paper was 38 cents.

O.E. Williams Sr. was honored for 32 years of service in the Soil Conservation District. He served as supervisor.

We are sad to report that Councilwoman Mary Beth Brocato has announced the August Movies in Many have been cancelled due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Sabine Parish.

Our Sabine Sheriff is a man of his word. John Allen Martinez Jr., 40, hanged himself in the Sabine Parish Detention Center on March 18. On June 18, Observations carried a story about his widow, Melanie Martinez, attempting to get answers about his death from then-Sheriff Ronny Richardson, District Attorney Don Burkett and others.

Burkett told us that at that point in time, he talked with Ms. Martinez but did not have any information he could give her.

“I’m getting the run around; I’m not getting any answers and it’s frustrating,” she said back in June. Sheriff Aaron Mitchell, who was not in office when the incident happened, said he would listen to Ms. Martinez after he took office July 1, and he did.

50 Years Ago

Week of July 30, 1970

The Tom Gates’ home on the Middle Creek Road was completely destroyed by fire. Since all of the phones were out, a lady visiting the family, drove in to Many and reported the blaze. Nothing was saved.

The body of Richard Maxey, 43, was found in a wooded area near Noble on July 22, according to the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office. A charge of murder was filed against William J. Corley on the night of July 21. Corley and Maxey got into an argument at a lounge and Maxey was shot with a .22 magnum Derringer pistol.

A stand of dead trees south of Highway 6 were infested with Southern Pine Beetles, according to the La. Forestry Commission. They were in the process of killing the beetles.

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