News

Alexis Pulsone, a sophomore at Pleasant Hill High School, is currently participating in the Educators Rising program affiliated with Northwestern State University. This program, under the guidance of Ali Ezernck, allows high school students to begin their secondary education in Education.

Alexis competed and placed regionally in the Educators Rising Moment Speech Competition. She spoke regarding her personal Educator Rising Moment. This subject was addressed as the ‘moment’ that Alexis realized she wanted to pursue a degree in education.

Alexis then proceeded to compete at the state conference/competition in Lafayette. Once again, she placed and is now preparing to catch a flight to Orlando, Florida to represent Sabine Parish at the Educators Rising National Conference in June.

Attorney General Jeff Landry waves to those in attendance at the recent Zwolle Loggers and Forestry Festival.

Family, Fishing and Fun at the Big Bass Splash presented by Sealy Outdoors. $500,000 Guaranteed in cash and prizes with 1st Place Overall winning a Phoenix 721 Pro XP powered by Mercury equipped with Minn Kota, Humminbird, Navionics and Power Pole; RAM Truck; plus $5,000 cash! That yields a total GRAND PRIZE PACKAGE VALUED AT $100,000!

The Town of Many has been upgrading its water and sewer systems for the past two years with money received from the Federal Treasury Department’s ARPA funds. Last year, the electrical control system at the Town’s water treatment and distribution plant, was replaced with a stateof- the-art Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. These systems are used for controlling, monitoring, and analyzing water plant processes and consists of both software and hardware components and enables remote and on-site gathering of data from the equipment.

The 30th annual Powwow of the Choctaw Apache Tribe of Ebarb will be held on April 2829 in Ebarb.

Celebrations begin on April 27 with a Native American Mass at 6 PM at St Ann’s Catholic Church in Ebarb. Father Keith Garvin will preside. The Rising Sun Youth Group and Tribal Princesses will be in full regalia and actively participate in the Eucharistic Celebration. Immediately following Mass there will be a covered dish meal in the church hall. Everyone is welcome.

The House Ways and Means Committee advanced a proposal for a constitutional amendment that would sharply increase the cap on the share of severance tax revenue that each parish can keep.

If voters across the state approve the change, the new annual cap would be $10 million for each parish, up from about $1.1 million now. Eighteen parishes in various parts of the state would benefit the most, across to legislative analysts.

The proposal would cost the state $46.9 million over five years, according to the analysts.

The committee passed that proposal Wednesday along with another bill, sponsored by Rep. Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, that would reduce the state’s severance tax rate on oil from 12.5% to 8.5% in half-percent increments until fiscal year 2032.

A fiscal note attached to the bill estimated that it would cost the state $90 million over five years. The share that all the parishes receive also would drop, by $4.9 million a year by 2032.

The Toledo Bend Lake Association’s (TBLA) 2023 20th Annual Bass Unlimited Back-AGreat- Fighter Banquet and Auction was a tremendous success. It was a beautiful evening that defied the early-week weather forecast. The sold out event began with over 600 guests, sponsors and volunteers browsing items available in both the Silent and Live Auctions, and the raffle drop boxes, while Capt. Steve “Scobby” Stubbe of Mudfish Adventures gave fly fishing demonstrations, and Emcee Ricky Yeldell mingled throughout the crowd.

Kenneth Ammons, former Scoutmaster for Troop 80 Boy Scouts of America, was awarded the distinguished Silver Beaver Award on Sunday, March 19 during services at the First United Methodist Church of Many. Ammons led the troop from 1990 to 2013.

The Silver Beaver is the highest award a council can present to a volunteer for outstanding service to youth. It also represents outstanding longtime service by performing community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication after many years. It is awarded to those who do not seek it.

Ammons was nominated by Many Lions Club members Jim Cole and Stewart Carnline. The Lions Club supported the troop for a number of years.

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin recognized Ammons’ accomplishments and sent a certificate for his “outstanding work in achieving the prestigious Boy Scouts of America Silver Bearded award.” Ardoin noted “Many in Scouting aspire to, but few actually achieve the Silver Beaver.”

Benjamin “Benny” Remedies has been named the Oldest Logger by the Zwolle Loggers and Forestry Festival.

He was born on Sept. 30, 1944 to Robert “Bob” and Gladys Bebee Remedies as oen of 11 children. He attended St. Joseph Catholic School for six years, then moved on to public school. He graduated from Zwolle High School in 1962. During his senior year in high school, he met the love of his life, Mary Rivers. They married in 1963 and had one son, Dale. They have three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Sadly, Mary passed away in 2017 after 52 years of marriage.

The Sabine River Authority of Louisiana held an informational meeting on April 13 regarding a possible future water sale from Toledo Bend Reservoir.

SRA Executive Director Warren Founds headed the meeting and to begin meticulously went over the purpose of the meeting and a brief history on the founding of Toledo Bend.