Lots upcoming during the “Grinchmas in Many” Christmas season and you don’t want to miss it!
Tuesday night was the official Christmas Tree Lighting in downtown Many, and the large tree across from Many City Hall on San Antonio Ave. looks beautiful. Kudos to the Mayor and First Lady of Many Robert and Crystal Hable on arranging for such a nice one this year.
Moonlight Madness was originally scheduled for tomorrow evening, but due to expected rain, it is now re-scheduled for this Friday, Dec. 1 from 5-8 p.m. in downtown Many. Attendees can register to win a huge Christmas basket filled with prizes every time they visit a participating business during the evening.
There will be food trucks and other fun around the Many Christmas tree and train, Santa will be there, and we hear the Grinch will make an appearance, too! To see participating Moonlight Madness businesses, visit the Events in Many Facebook page at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064287717188.
On Saturday, Dec. 9, Many will hold its annual Christmas Parade and Festival starting with the downtown parade at 4 p.m. Afterward, festivities move to the Sabine Parish Fairgrounds on Fairgrounds Rd. for the festival. At 7 p.m., the annual Christmas fireworks show will be held.
On Saturday, Dec. 16, the Stewart Family & Friends will present their annual Down-Home Christmas Concert at Sabine Theater at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
Be sure to check future Observations throughout the holidays to learn all the latest.
The following Sabine citizens were introduced at the Many Christmas poster unveiling as Many Christmas parade honorees:
Grand Marshals - South, Central and North Sabine Firemen
The Town of Many said, “This year’s Grand Marshal choice was a unanimous decision! We have the best Fire Districts in the state and two months ago they proved how important a role they play [throughout Sabine] by protecting our parish from further destruction due to the wildfires! We honor you all for your dedication and commitment to protecting our communities. Thank you!”
Honorary Grand Marshals - Shannon and Amy Self
This year’s Honorary Grand Marshals are a man who had a vision, plan and a barbecue pit and a lady who loves to junk! After an oilfield and wrecker driver career, Shannon stepped out on faith and opened a barbecue truck, “Shannon’s Butcher Block,” to the public. His wife, Amy, is known for her amazing renovations of pre-loved furniture. God placed a call on their hearts, and when the wildfires struck this year, they loaded up Shannon’s pit and headed south. With the help of family, friends and complete strangers, they fed the community, firefighters and emergency personnel. Having lost their own home to fire 15 years ago, the Selfs were honored to help the affected communities during their time of need.
Business of the Year - Revitalize Sabine Medspa & Wellness Center
Revitalize Sabine Medspa & Wellness Center opened in 2021 when Nurse Practitioner Haley McCarty and Registered Nurse Christy Kelly, shown above, saw a need for aesthetic services in the parish. They first opened only one half-day a week with limited services. In just a couple of years, amazing growth brought three quick moves to larger spaces and finally, to their newest home at 905 Main St. in Many. Their team grew to include licensed estheticians Gavin Sepulvado, Anna Strahan and Anna Lea Simmons, and the medical spa now offers a full menu of aesthetic services and is open 40 hours-plus per week. Other businesses located there which have contributed to Revitalize’s amazing success are Taylor Alford, the Fitting Room Boutique; BodyLuxe massage by therapist Ashley Lowery; Cherryl Meshell, Lash Out Loud; and Aaliyah Meshell, Liyah’s Beauty Loft.
Young Achiever - Porsha Aldredge
Porsha is a 33-year-old mother of four born and raised in Many. Porsha has spent the last five years educating herself on real estate investing and personal finance after facing early financial challenges. Though still new to implementing these strategies, she shares her personal journey to empower others. She wants today's youth to know generational wealth is possible for anyone willing to learn, regardless of background or life challenges. Porsha has big dreams of financial freedom and continues to actively educate herself in personal finance, investing and building multiple streams of income. Porsha is proof overcoming poverty and gaining financial freedom is possible through personal motivation, dedication and education.
Academic Rising Star - Jaxon Brock Foster
Jaxon, the son of Randall and Stacye Gordon of Many and Chris and Rachelle Foster of Lake Charles, is 18 years old, a brother to eight and a proud Many Tiger. He has maintained a 4.0 in high school and college courses and scored 31 on the ACT. A member of the Sabine Parish Champions MHS Quiz Bowl Team, FCA and BETA/National Honor Society, Jaxon consistently earns top scores on state and national tests. He has earned English CLEP credit for college, attended Boys State and the English and Math NSU Literary Rally. He has been on the MHS Tiger football team four years and will soon receive two Academic All-State Awards – one at the football State Championship in New Orleans’ Superdome and the other at the Track and Field State Championship in Baton Rouge. Jaxon is an active member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Many, he volunteers as a Teeball coach for the Dixie Youth Program and tutors fellow students in math. He plans to attend Texas Christian University to earn a major in finance and minor in accounting.
Athletic Rising Star Athletic - Tylen Singleton
Tylen is the son of Christy Butler and the late Sammy Butler and the grandson of George Cain and the late Mary Cain. His siblings are Kurtlyn Cain, Jalen Singleton and Lynlei Butler. Tylen started playing football in the youth league and is now a star linebacker for the Many High School Tigers. At MHS, Tylen was a starting football player as a freshman and helped Many win the State Championship that year. He also received the Most Valuable Player award in the Championship Game. As a sophomore, he helped the Many Tigers become state runner up. In his junior year, he helped propel the Tigers to another State Championship win. National college football scouts and others have watched his football talent unfold and grow on the field, and it was an exciting time for all when Tylen committed earlier this year to LSU to continue his football career there. His plans are to study business at Louisiana State to eventually start his own clothing businesses.
We congratulate all the Many Christmas Parade honorees! Their recognition is well-deserved, and we appreciate the positive roles they play in Sabine and beyond.
Sabine State Bank and Trust Co. in Robeline fell victim to a car crash early Monday morning. Both bank and car burned in the resulting fire.
A car traveling west on Hwy. 6 in Robeline at 12:18 a.m. Monday missed the S curve turn and slammed into the Sabine State Bank and Trust Co. building. A fire erupted, and both the car and the building burned.
Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies said according to preliminary information and evidence gathered, a 2019 Honda Civic driven by Jay Stroble, 21, of Muskogee, OK, exited the highway on the right side and traveled several hundred feet before he struck the bank building and came to rest. Stroble was assessed at the scene by EMS and released without transport.
As Observations was posted the investigation remained active and was being conducted by the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, the State Fire Marshal and Natchitoches Fire Protection District No. 7, with assistance by the Robeline Police Department.
Among those informing Observations of the above event was Bussy Mims of Springfield, IL. He got it from Velton Jordan, a former resident of Robeline who was graduated from Robeline High and NSU. Velton now lives in Lascassas [Murfreesboro], TN.
Word on the street locally was that when the incident happened, a 911 call came in from the driver who had crashed and didn't know where he was, and at the same time, area fire departments began receiving calls that Sabine State Bank in Robeline was on fire. It was speculated the driver simply fell asleep and thoughts were he might have been driving a hybrid, since the front of the car ignited in the blaze but not the rear. We await reports from the official investigation to learn exactly what happened.
David McMillian, host of "Strategies for Living" radio show/podcast on KEEL in Shreveport
This coming Friday I will guest on the radio/podcast program “Strategies for Living,” hosted by David McMillian. He is a longtime friend and is a highly respected family therapist. His show is typically dedicated to helping listeners improve their quality of living in body, mind, spirit and relationships.
On our program, we will be talking about the Country music show, The Louisiana Hayride, which was very popular on KWKH radio and other related items of interest.
The program will broadcast live from 7-8 a.m. on KEEL, 710 AM in Shreveport.
Grand Ole Opry, Country music, songwriting legend Bill Anderson
Country music legend Bill Anderson will be on “Open Line” with Tedd Dumas and me on Monday, Dec. 11, beginning at 7:30 a.m. for 30 minutes. Tedd has been kind enough to let me join him for his popular show on a monthly basis, and I invited Bill to be our special guest this month.
Bill was recently honored as being the longest-serving member in the history of the Grand Ole Opry. One of the most awarded songwriters in the history of Country music, he was inducted into the Opry family on July 15, 1961. His membership has not lapsed in the 62 years since.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, of which Bill is a member, recently carried an exhibit on his life and career. The exhibit explored his life and musical legacy from childhood through his contributions as one of the most decorated artists, songwriters and entertainers in history.
Not one to stop, Bill has a new collaboration, “The Country I Grew Up With,” featuring four other members of the Country Music Hall of Fame - Bobby Bare, Jimmy Fortune, Vince Gill and Willie Nelson.
Bill said, “So far as I can determine, this is the first Country record in history featuring five members of the Country Music Hall of Fame performing one song. I am so proud they wanted to join me in taking this nostalgic look over our collective shoulders. I just hope it stirs up fond memories for everyone who hears it.”
Senator-elect Alan Seabaugh, left, congratulated his longtime friend, newly elected U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, right, when Seabaugh and wife Laura visited the Johnson family a few days after Rep. Johnson's election as Speaker.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, right, U.S. Congressman 4th District of Louisiana, and wife Kelly welcomed their friends, Senator-elect Alan Seabaugh and wife Laura, left, during the Seabaughs' recent trip to see the Johnsons.
A little over six weeks ago, Louisianans elected not only a conservative Republican Governor in Jeff Landry, but also elected Republican super majorities in both houses of the Louisiana Legislature. Senator-select Alan Seabaugh called it “the greatest political shift to the right that Louisiana's government has ever taken.”
In early November after the election of Rep. Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House in DC, Seabaugh commented, “As if [the Oct. 14 election result] wasn't blessing enough, a mere 11 days later, through a series of events so unprecedented and unexplainable by any description other than being divinely guided by God's own hand, the United States House of Representatives elected Mike Johnson as its 56th Speaker while allowing Steve Scalise to remain as Majority Leader.”
Johnson is the first Speaker of the House to hail from Louisiana, and it is the first time the House of Representatives has been led by two Louisianans as Speaker and Majority Leader. The Senator-elect and the newly elected Speaker are good friends who used to be seatmates in the State Legislature. Their wives, Laura Seabaugh and Kelly Johnson, are also close.
Of the Johnsons, Seabaugh commented, “Watching these two Godly and humble souls raised to such heights has been a blessing in itself. But the real blessing is to the state of Louisiana and to the entire country. As the rest of the nation is finding out, Mike is a truly exceptional person. He is one of the most intelligent people I have ever known or had the pleasure of working with. He has as thorough of an understanding of this nation’s political and cultural history as anyone ever, but he has an equally thorough understanding and depth of knowledge of Biblical history, culture and doctrine.”
The future Senator was struck by Rep. Johnson’s explanation of his personal worldview during a TV interview after his election as Speaker. “When [Mike] told Sean Hannity that his ‘worldview’ came from the Bible, it was a poignant moment. Incredibly important by its simplicity. Shouldn't we all answer that question the same way?” Seabaugh reflected.
Shortly after the historic vote for Speaker of the House, the Seabaughs visited the Johnsons in Washington as they began to acclimate to their new roles, readjusted lives and life in a brighter spotlight.
Speaker Johnson later shared with USA Today, "I get up excited every day and am enjoying the opportunity I've been presented with. I see this as an opportunity for renewal and restoration, and I'm enjoying being in a position to help guide the country in that direction."
Senator-elect Alan Seabaugh was interviewed about his friend's election to U.S. Speaker on KTBS in Shreveport one day after the historic vote. The Seabaughs traveled to DC the following week to see their longtime friends, U.S. Congressman Mike Johnson and wife Kelly.
In sharing his thoughts, Senator-elect Seabaugh requested, “Please take a moment to thank God for everything He did for us last month. Please also pray for Jeff Landry and the new Legislature (including yours truly) as we get to work making Louisiana's government as great as its people.”
(Thank you to my wife Laurie for the article above.)
Union Baptist Church, just south of Florien
The other day I was busy at work in my little home office when the doorbell rang. No one was expected so it was a surprise when I answered it and found two gentlemen I did not know. There was no car in the driveway, so I wasn’t sure what was up at first.
It turned out to be Mr. Kent LaBouve and a young man named Riley Thompson from Union Baptist Church just south of Florien. They were out walking the entire neighborhood to knock on doors and invite people to church. That is something you certainly don’t see much anymore.
We had a nice chat, and they shared that Union Baptist recently celebrated their 125th anniversary. They said their church believes in old-fashioned preaching, praying and praising the Lord. The church pastor is Brad Thompson, Riley’s dad.
They left a brochure with me, and a photo inside shows Pastor Brad, his wife and two of their four sons holding musical instruments - fiddle, guitar, bass and banjo. Had I seen that before those gentlemen left, I might have invited them inside for a jam session!
In an era when people simply don’t visit door-to-door to invite strangers to church, it was wonderful to meet these two and see firsthand their dedication to God’s good work.
It was a pleasant day weatherwise, but I should also mention Mr. LaBouve was completely blind. He was out walking the neighborhood with only the assistance of his teenage friend and a mobility cane.
Union Baptist Church is located at 39200 Hwy. 171 in Florien and may be reached at (318) 541-1709. They have Sunday School each Sunday at 10 a.m., Sunday Morning Worship at 11 a.m. and Sunday Evening Worship at 6 p.m. Wednesday Prayer Meetings are held at 7 p.m. The church is on Facebook and interested folks may also learn more by visiting www.unionbaptistflorien.com.
(Special thanks to my wife Laurie for the above piece.)
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