News

Very important Friends of Fort Jesup meeting next Thursday January 12th at 6:00 pm at Fort Jesup State Historic Site in the museum building. Please plan to attend and invite as many people as possible. We need to plan the years events and how we can help improve this important Historic Site. You do not have to be a member to attend the meeting.

(The Center Square) – Louisiana is among states with the biggest population declines in recent years, according to new U.S. Census data.

Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows Louisiana ranked fifth among states for numeric decline in the population between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2022, losing 36,857 residents in that time. Between April 1, 2020 and July 1, 2022, 67,508 residents left the Pelican State, according to the data.

States that lost more residents include New York with a 180,341 decline, California with a 113,649 loss, Illinois’ 104,437 drop, and Pennsylvania with 40,051 fewer residents.

In terms of percentage loss, Louisiana tied Illinois with a 0.8% decline from 2021 to 2022, behind only New York with a 0.9% loss.

Despite the population loss, Louisiana has remained the 25th most populous state in the U.S. from 2020 through 2022.

Locals around Sabine Parish were flabbergasted last week when news trickled out that longtime Many Tiger Head Football Coach Jess Curtis had accepted the open head coach position at Natchitoches Central High School.

Sheriff Aaron Mitchell and the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office sadly report Deputy Adam Nelson, 26, passed away on Dec. 29.

Adam suffered a medical event while on vacation in Colorado with his family.

Adam worked for the Sheriff’s Office for almost 3 years. He started as a correctional officer, then patrol deputy, and quickly became a member of the Sheriff’s Tactical Narcotics Team and Special Operations Group (S.O.G.). Adam was also a member of the ATF Project Safe Neighborhoods Federal Task Force.

Adam’s passion for advanced, continuous law enforcement training and his tactical mindset caused him to excel in his narcotic and firearm investigations at the Sheriff’s Office.

Chief Deputy Brad Walker said “Adam was deeply committed to his job and the success of the Sheriff’s Office; he inspired all of us to push ourselves to our full potential.”

Lots happened in 2022 as life returned to mostly normal following the COVID pandemic of the previous years.

July

A large feature story detailed the help that was needed in revitalizing Sabine High School.

July 1 marked the beginning of new fishing and hunting licensing. Now licenses are good for 365 days after the date of purchase.

Wayne Martinez, long-time ARC of Sabine Director recently retired.

The annual Back to School Rally was set for July 30.

The town of Many was offering a $200 prize for the winning Christmas Festival Poster entry.

The Sabine Prevention Alliance announced a parish-wide community forum for the prevention of substance abuse on July 23.

Ronald Williams of Powhatan lost his life on Highway 6 just west of Many.

A recent study covered by the Index shows that Louisiana was the hardest hit by recent inflation.

Timothy Goodwin was named new ARC of Sabine Executive Director.

On Thursday Dec. 29, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Matthew Edgar was apprehended and taken into custody by the US Marshall Service. He was immediately taken to the Sabine County Jail to await formal sentencing by the court.

As of the Index press time on Dec. 30, very little additional information is available. More will be included in next week’s paper.

You are cordially invited to attend the Jan. 16 Martin Luther King Jr. March and Ceremony. The march will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the corner of East Alabama Avenue and MLK Drive and end at King’s Chapel AMEC at 1810 San Antonio Ave., Many. The speaker for this year’s event will be Judge Agnelis L. Reese.

Reese is a native of Bastrop and an honor graduate of Bastrop High School. She graduated La. Tech University with a double major in sociology and history. In May 1989, she graduated from Southern University Law Center magna cum laude and third in her class. While at Southern she was vice president of the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity and president of the Moot Court Board.

Zwolle High School Senior and the current 46th Annual Miss Zwolle Tamale Fiesta Queen, Kaydee Meshell, will join twenty-two others aboard the Louisiana Feed Your Soul Float in the 2023 Rose Bowl Parade on Monday, January 2nd.

The 134th Rose Parade presented by Honda is part of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses in California and features magnificently floral-adorned floats, equestrian units and marching bands. The theme for 2023 is “Turning the Corner”.

Goodwill Chapter No. 128 OES-PHA of Esther Grand Chapter, OES located in Zwolle, La was awarded a two hundred fifty ($250) dollar gift card from Spring Market Grocery Store in Zwolle. With the gift card donated to Goodwill Chapter twenty-two (22) families were blessed with a “Ham” for their Christmas holiday dinner. Sis. Christie W. Williams, Worthy Matron of the Chapter and all the members take this opportunity to express so much appreciation to Pastor Aggie Babers and Apostle Harry Babers of Tabernacle of Love Ministries in Zwolle, La for the use of the ministries’ facilities so that the community recipients of the “Ham” could be given out in a timely fashion and orderly manner. Thank you so much Tabernacle of Love Ministries Family for the love and support. Thanks to Spring Market Grocery Store for the award given, and thank you Goodwill Chapter members for your presence and assistance too. Members present with Worthy Matron Christie W.

Facing another billion- dollar Entergy bill for the cost of hurricane recovery, the Louisiana Public Service Commission may use a new theory suggesting that company shareholders split the cost with customers.

“Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Entergy customers have borne 100 percent of the cost of storm recovery $20 billion,” said LPSC member Foster Campbell.

“Now we have learned we may have the option to make the company and its shareholders share that burden.”

Last week the commission delayed ruling on Entergy’s request to pass on to ratepayers another $1.6 billion in costs associated with recovery from five named storms in 2020 and 2021. That delay came after testimony by New Orleans lawyer Pat Patrick, hired by the LPSC at Campbell’s request to research its legal obligations on storm recovery.