News

Toledo Bend Lake Association (TBLA) volunteers have been preparing for a fantastic evening this Friday, April 19, when over 600 attendees will come together for the Annual Bass Unlimited Banquet and Auction. Generous businesses from Texas and Louisiana have contributed to help make this a unique opportunity for raising money that directly benefits the Toledo Bend Lake communities. Included in the raffle and live auction at the banquet are unique items, culinary dining experiences, long-guns, guided fishing trips on Toledo Bend, and much more.

Many and Sabine Parish book lovers are in for a special treat when author Susan Noel Sands comes to Many City Hall at 12 noon on Saturday, May 4, to launch her 10th novel, Bayou Redemption, and hold a book signing party. Susan is special not just because she is a successful author, but because she grew up in Sabine Parish, graduated from Negreet High School and Northwestern State University. Her 10 published novels have Southern settings, many in the Many, Natchitoches, Cane River areas. Even though the names of the locations are changed, her readers may recognize these familiar settings.

The bright colored regalia moving with the motion of ancestral dance make the 2024 Choctaw- Apache Powwow a must-see event! The Choctaw-Apache Tribe of Ebarb will host a Native American Mass on April 25th, followed by the 31st Annual Powwow April 26-27 at the Choctaw Apache Tribal Grounds, 217 Gene Knight Rd. in Noble, La.

The powwow celebrates the heritage of the 21 families that make up the tribe of over 7,000 members – one of the largest tribes in Louisiana. The ancestral territory, located in the western part of Sabine Parish, includes Converse, Ebarb, Noble, Zwolle, and the communities of Blue Lake and Grady Hill.

All who are interested in joining this celebration are welcome to come and enjoy the traditional music, dance, food, and crafts. Guest drums and dancers are also welcome. Make plans to take advantage of this opportunity to experience the rich Native American culture in Sabine Parish!

The Zwolle Loggers and Forestry Festival is pleased to announce that Dewitt Sepulvado has been named the oldest logger for 2024.

Sepulvado began cutting logs in 1958 for Hunt Lumber Co., and over the years he has worked for Haslam Lumber Company, Sabine Lumber Company, Boise Cascade, and Willamette, where he retired at the age of 62. He worked six days a week regardless of weather conditions. Luckily, throughout his career, he never had an accident while using his power saw. Since his retirement, he enjoys fishing, farming, and going to the casino.

The 2024 Zwolle Loggers and Forestry Festival will be held April 19th and 20th at the Zwolle Festival Grounds in downtown Zwolle, La. As always, this event promises to be a memorable experience for local and visiting families.

The festival opens Friday at 4:30pm with a multitude of exciting events, beginning with a Truck Show. The carnival rides can be enjoyed any time between 5 and 9pm. Following the Truck Show is a Talent Show, the Pink Sisters of Sabine Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, and Truck Light Show. Fans of live music can enjoy the Bernie Alan Band from 7 to 11pm. Friday’s gate admission is $5 and carnival armbands are $25 but must be repurchased on Saturday.

Foy Motors generously continues to support Toledo Bend Lake Association’s efforts by sponsoring the visors for this year’s Bass Unlimited Banquet and Auction. Foy is a locally owned and operated business that proudly participates in supporting its community. Together with their support this event allows TBLA to raise funds for the Toledo Bend Lunker Bass Program, scholarships, grants, and other projects that benefit the Toledo Bend Lake Area communities.

The Bass Unlimited Back-A-Great Fighter Banquet and Auction will be held on Friday, April 19 at Cypress Bend Park Pavilion.

Larry Maurice Malmay, 47, of Zwolle, Louisiana, was sentenced on drug trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Malmay to 182 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Optimum, the local provider of internet, mobile, phone, and TV services, today announces that due to a significant upgrade made to the company’s network and infrastructure, local residents and businesses can now access up to 500 Mbps internet speeds in Florien, Anacoco, Fisher, and Hornbeck, Louisiana. With this launch, Optimum now offers the fastest internet speeds available in these areas, providing internet that is more than 16 times faster than the previous fastest speed offered by the company in these markets.

“We are excited to continue investing in these communities by bringing faster, more reliable and stronger internet service to our customers,” said Jesse Garcia, Vice President, General Manager of Optimum Mid Central. “With this network investment, local residents and businesses in these communities can enjoy a higher quality and more reliable connectivity experience across our full portfolio of products, all through Optimum.”

By Ramona Moore

The Toledo Bend Lake Association (TBLA) will hold its Bass Unlimited – Back-A-Great-Fighter Poster Unveiling Gala and Auction at 6:30 on Thursday, April 4, in the Grand Ballroom at Cypress Bend Resort on Toledo Bend.

This year’s poster is sponsored by Toledo Town Realty located on the Texas Highway in the Toledo Town area. Tori Cathey, Owner/Broker is a multimillion-dollar producer and has been in the real-estate business for over 18 years with experience in planning and selling subdivision lots as well as camps and homes.

Tori has lived in the Toledo Bend Area for over 29 years, and is a proud sponsor and supporter of the bass fishing industry. Tori and her family hosted a bass tournament in honor of her late father Wayne Moran last year, whose favorite past time was bass fishing on Toledo Bend, with the proceeds going towards a scholarship.

Project Celebration has multiple events happening in the month of April. They would love for everyone to participate that can to show support of our children and men and women who are abuse.

April 2nd: Day of Action for SAAM, It is wear teal day and post on social media #SAAM2024 #pci2024 April 8th: Sabine Parish is having a Sex trafficking training at PCI 10-11am.

April 8th: Desoto Parish is having a Sex trafficking training at DPSO training center in Grand Cane at 1-2pm.

April 10th: Sabine community health fair at the Health Unit. All are welcome April 18th: Painting party for CAAM/SAAM at PCI Many. The cost is $40 and it goes toward services and things that children need to get through their journey after abuse and help train to prevent abuse. We must have all people that are attending by the 15th of April to prepare the products needed.