News

On August 27, Kaydence Rae Ann Meshell was crowned as the 46th Annual Miss Zwolle Tamale Fiesta Queen. Better known to everyone as Kaydee, she is the seventeen year old daughter of Chris and Kacey Meshell. Her paternal grandparents are Randy and Connie Byrd and Herbert and Eva Meshell. Her maternal grandparents are Joseph “Buckeye” and Claire Lopez. She is the oldest of three children and has one sister, Miley Claire, a ninth grader and one brother, Brady, an eighth grader that both attend Converse High School. Kaydee has a special 95 year old great-grandmother, Ms. Minnie “Sissy” Campbell, which she credits for teaching her about being passionate about family, faith and dignity.

Kassie Malmay Thomas, Zwolle School Bus Driver, was recognized at the Sabine Parish School Board Meeting, for her immediate and professional response to a medical emergency aboard her bus the morning of August 26, 2022. Her actions saved the life of a 4-year-old student, as well as keeping the other students in her care safe. Nichols Dry Goods of Many generously provided Ms. Thomas with a lovely gift basket full of good smelling, stress relieving items. Grateful thanks to Mrs. Thomas and to Nichols.

The Sabine Parish School Board Regular Meeting Date for October has been changed. The new meeting date is Monday, October 3, 2022, 5:30 p.m. Please contact the School Board Office during normal business hours if you need additional information.

Mayor Robert Hable signs Constitution Week proclamation at Veterans Park event. The Sabine Chapter DAR requests annually that the week September 17-23 be proclaimed as a week of observance in celebration of our U.S. Constitution. Please visit the main branch of the Sabine Parish Library to pick up a free pocket Constitution.

The Tamale Fiesta shirts are now on sale at Sabine State Bank in Zwolle.

This year the Tamale Fiesta will feature three shirt designs. The first T-shirt features this year’s poster designed by Artist Richelle Doris and is in loving memory of Floyd Giblin. The second T-shirt is a Salute to Toledo Bend, it features not only a beautiful Toledo Bend Sunset, but it also features area Spanish student’s drawings. Student artists include Piper Adair, Leo Bass, Quade Leone, Hunter Lovelady, and Jayden Wilson. Prices for the first two T-shirts are Shortsleeve youth $20, Adult short-sleeve sizes S- 2X large-$25, and 3X & 4X shirts are $30. The third T-shirt plays tribute to American pride and faith and is our only new long-sleeve shirt. Prices for the longsleeve shirts are S-2X are $30 and 3X will be $35.

After years of both work and anticipation, modern internet is set to begin being installed in Sabine Parish over the coming year, and information regarding such was released at a public meeting hosted last week by the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission. “This has been a long journey and we are excited to get to the next phase,” said Executive Director of the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission Georgia Craven at the start of the meeting.

The meeting outlined what can be expected in the coming year, which is that Optimum (formerly Suddenlink) and Swyft will be expanding to more than 3,000 locations in the next 12 months. The new connections will be state of the art broadband with available speed for residential addresses going up to one gigabit speeds for both downloads and uploads.

“I never imagined being King of the Tamale Fiesta,” said a surprised Ronnie Brandon. “When Suzette Anderson called and told me I had been named King by the Board of Directors, I was shocked.” “I am very honored,” he added. Brandon will be the 46th King to reign over the popular Zwolle Tamale Fiesta, which will be hosted on October 6-8. Large numbers of festival-goers flock to the small Sabine Parish town for a weekend of arts and crafts, contests, a parade, tamale-eating contest, music and so much more. Tamale Fiesta t-shirts, prints of the 2022 poster and plenty of hot tamales, prepared by some of the best cooks in the state, will be available for sale.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution urges Americans to reflect on the United States Constitution during this month’s annual observance in honor this foundational document of national governance.

The DAR initiated the observance in 1955, when the service organization petitioned the U.S. Congress to dedicate September 17–23 of each year to the commemoration of Constitution Week. Congress adopted the resolution, and on August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into Public Law #915. The celebration’s goals are threefold: to encourage the study of the historical events that led to the framing of the Constitution in September 1787; to remind the public that the Constitution is the basis of America’s great heritage and the foundation for its way of life; and to emphasize U.S. citizens’ responsibility to protect, defend and preserve the U.S. Constitution.

Verity Nichole Gentry was sworn in as 11th Judicial District Judge before a packed courtroom in Many on Tuesday, Sept. 6, shortly after noon. The oath was administered by retired Judge Stephen B. Beasley, who gave up the bench April 1. BDC Radio Personality Tedd W. Dumas served as Master of Ceremonies. Keynote Speaker was State Sen. Louie Bernard of Natchitoches. Third Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Elizabeth A. Pickett of Many spoke and following the swearing in, assisted in the donning of the robe. Other speakers were District Attorney Don Burkett, Sheriff Aaron Mitchell, Many Mayor Robert Hable and Sabine Police Jury leader William Ruffin.

Some 150 persons attended the Ceremonial Swearing In of Verity Gentry as 11th Judicial District Judge, which included law enforcement from the Sabine Sheriff’s Office and Many Police Dept., area District Attorneys, Assistant DAs, attorneys, campaign supporters, longtime friends and several family members.

I am a lifelong resident of Pleasant Hill and a 1977 graduate of Pleasant Hill High School. My wife, Marian Bell, is a Pleasant Hill High School graduate of 1980. We have been married for 40 years and have three children, two of which are educators. I retired as an agriculture teacher after 40 years, 37 of those I spent teaching at Ebarb High School. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education from Louisiana Tech University in 1981. I began my teaching career at Stanley high School where I taught three years. I then moved to Ebarb High School where I became the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. I continued my education during my teaching career earning a master’s degree in 1998 from Northwestern State University. I also added my areas of certification including general science, mathematics, principalship, and parish supervisor of instruction.