News

Local musicians, artists, poets, and creatives receiving something very new and needed on June 27 when the first meeting of the Sabine Songwriters Circle was held at the Many Train Depot Museum.

Local singer and songwriter Derrick Mc-Lendon came up with the idea after attending different similar events in Pineville and Texas. After approaching the town of Many with the idea, he was quickly granted use of the historic Many Train Depot for the monthly meeting, which for the time being is held on the last Tuesday of each month.

The depot serves as a truly magnificent venue with excellent acoustics. Around 20 people attended, and the seats were about half full.

The original compositions presented by each musician or artist made one feel a range of emotion at different times during the night. At points, the crowd roared with laughter, while at other times they were feeling other emotions and even shedding a few tears.

Two Sabine Parish men were recently sentenced to lengthy prison sentences in federal court.

Eugene Patrick Kavanagh (age-58) of Many was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of Firearm in the furtherance of Drug Trafficking.

On January 27, 2022, Kavanagh was arrested after the Sabine Parish Sheriff Tactical Narcotics Team executed a search warrant at his home in the Pirate’s Cove area on Toledo Bend Lake. T.N.T. Agents located and seized methamphetamine, marijuana, a glass smoking device, sandwich bags, two .38 revolvers, a .380 pistol, a 9mm pistol, and an illegal length barrel shotgun.

Julius Theodore Winfield III (age-44) of Zwolle was sentenced to 78 months (6 years, 6 months) in prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine.

Phyllis Lehr of Zwolle has been named to the Board of Directors of the Sabine Hall of Fame, according to Chairman Pete Abington. She will be in charge of publicity and photography. “We are very pleased to have Ms. Lehr on the committee,” Abington said. “She is a real community worker and is interested in the betterment of Sabine Parish. I know she will do an outstanding job.”

Ms. Lehr commented, “I am looking forward to meeting the people who will be selected to represent each area of accomplishment for the coming year. These highly motivated individuals are models of achievement in their areas of experience and success. The manner of recognizing them with their colleagues and family in attendance is a fabulous event.”

It was business as usual at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Sabine Parish Police Jury on June 19.

State Representative Rodney Schamerhorn addressed the jury and warned them about certain bills that he refused to vote for, including the budget bill. Schamerhorn stated that the bills have passed but nobody knows exactly what amendments it contains, and which were left out. He is hoping for a governmental veto of House Bills one and two.

The jury appointed James Tidwell to serve as Sabine Parish’s representative on the Northwest Louisiana Human Services District Board. Mary Brocato recently resigned from her position.

Buddy Wood and P.M Woods were re-appointed as commissioners for the Sabine Parish Communications District (E-911).

Harry Babers was appointed as a commissioner for the Sabine Parish Housing Authority.

The Choctaw-Apache Tribe is pleased to announce the persons who met the criteria of the tribe’s by-laws and will be running for office.

The choice for chairman will be between Thomas Neil Rivers and Donald Garcie.

Wilford Jason Rivers will be elected unopposed to the vice-chairman position.

The tribe’s will elect either Krista Amelia Procell Rivers or Robert B. Caldwell, Jr., to the position of secretary.

Melody Hubbard was unopposed and will be elected to the position of treasurer.

The tribal council will be elected from six of the following: Bridgette Ferguson, Alexis Hubbard Hagelin, Dorothy L. Harper, Kenneth E. “Chooch” Laroux, Mary Westbrook Rivers, Adam W. Sepulvado, Mattie Laroux Sepulvado, and Shaun Toopes.

Three graduates of Northwestern State University’s Department of Engineering Technology were recognized for research submitted to Industrial Engineering and Operations Management Society International.

Work by Matthew Lovelady of Zwolle and Nicholas Tramel and Tanner Funderburk, both of Noble, won first place in the research competition sponsored by IEOM and announced at a conference last week. The research was submitted before the students graduated in May. Research sponsors are ET professors Dr. Shahriar Hossain and Dr. Nabin Sapkota.

Hossain accepted the award on the students’ behalf at the IEOM international conference in Houston where more than 400 papers were submitted from 30 countries. Hossain submitted two separate papers from two industrial engineering technology senior design projects that he supervised last year and both were accepted for publication and publication in conference proceedings.

Three incoming Northwestern State University freshmen who will be part of the university’s bass fishing team were named recipients of Dylan Kyle Poche Memorial Scholarships. Ross Miller of Rayne, Cole Pickett of Many and Drake Wadsworth of Stonewall will be awarded a combined $20,500 from Burt and Shelley Poche. All three students will major in business while competing in FLW, B.A.S.S. and Collegiate Bass circuits.

Funds for the annual scholarships are generated through the Dylan Kyle Poche Memorial Fishing Tournament, held each year at Toledo Bend Reservoir, with a large portion also donated to the Fishing Team to defray expenses incurred with travel and competition.

A Sabine Parish cattle producer is this year’s Outstanding Young Farm Woman.

Sadie Meshell, 29, received the award at the Louisiana Farm Bureau 101st Annual Convention in New Orleans on June 22, 2023.

“Winning this award means I have reached a milestone: I am being recognized as a true cattleman,” Meshell says. “I was told I couldn’t do what I do alone and yet here I am proving to women you can run an operation. This recognition has given me the confidence to push my boundaries within my operation. I’m looking into diversification options, land leasing opportunities and, of course, the purchase of more cattle.”

A first-generation cattle producer, Meshell says she was raised on her grandparents’ farm and always dreamed of continuing that way of life.

“It’s a slower pace lifestyle with a lot of high-quality people living it,” Meshell says. “I enjoy the simple things in life and put all of myself into anything I am trying to achieve.”

In what could be described as two of the most exciting games of the LHSSA Softball State Playoffs, the Converse Lady Cats claimed their first state title in 29 years in highly dramatic fashion. At the helm of both victorious finishes was pitcher Avery Prine.

In the state semifinal game, the Lady Cats took on the Choudrant Lady Aggies. Not only was Prine a gem in the circle but she also took care of business at the plate. Prine allowed one run on five hits and struck out 13 batters. Alongside teammate Summer Brumley, Prine was 2 for 4 at the plate and sealed the deal in the bottom of the 7” with a massive 2-run homer to lead her team to victory with a final score of 3-1. Also recording hits in the semifinal game were Kraegan Jordan and Kristin Claire Murray.