These two daughters of Blake and Lauren Byles were featured on the Earthmovers of Many Facebook page last week. Blake is a man who believes in working hard, helping your fellowman, being honest and doing the job right. The young ladies are Hannah and Heidi.
And speaking of the young ones, this is a photo of Ellie Claire Kniffin, daughter of Leighton and Charity Kniffin of Marthaville. And we must say the proud grandparents are Lyle and Becky Birdwell Kniffin. Ellie Claire loves music and is shown here on her father’s guitar case listening to her daddy play. She celebrated her 15-month-old birthday on July 24 and will become a big sister when Mary Ann arrives in December. I am happy to report I was blessed to give Ellie Claire her first popsicle at Marthaville Good Ole Days last year. She smiled really big!
Among those giving a warm welcome to new NSU President Jimmy Genovese, center, at Northwestern on Tuesday morning were Sen. Alan Seabaugh, District 31, right, and Rep. Jack McFarland, District 13, left.
Laura Seabaugh, right, of Attorney General Liz Murrill's office, and Laurie Gentry, left, Legislative Assistant to Sen. Alan Seabaugh, enjoyed talking with Sarah Genovese, center, one of Jimmy and Martha Genovese's five daughters.
Jimmy Genovese, Northwestern's new president, greeted Sen. Alan Seabaugh, left, and others as he and his family made their grand entrance into the Welcome Reception given the Genoveses by NSU last Tuesday morning.
Jimmy Genovese made his first public appearance as the 21st president of Northwestern State University on Tuesday morning, entering the packed Student Union Ballroom as loud, lively Zydeco filled the room. Student athletes and cheerleaders entered with the Genovese family and soon after their appearance, the spirited Demon Fight Song began to play. The Opelousas native, his wife Martha, and three of their five daughters greeted several friends as they proceeded through the crowd to their seats on the front row of the welcoming ceremony.
Among those he greeted at the front were State Sen. Alan Seabaugh and wife Laura, on hand to represent Attorney General Liz Murrill's office.
Sen. Seabaugh was instrumental in bringing Genovese to Northwestern, earlier commenting, “A big thank you goes out to Governor Jeff Landry, Mark Romero, the entire University of Louisiana System Board and the Presidential Search Committee. This is a home run hire, and we could not be more excited for NSU, the City of Natchitoches and the entire NSU family!”
Natchitoches Parish District Attorney and NSU alum Billy Joe Harrington introduced the new president at Tuesday’s welcome reception, praising Genovese's reputation for treating people with respect. He expressed confidence in his leadership and highlighted Genovese's dynamic energy and extensive experience, sharing his belief that both will benefit the university and attract more students.
Emceeing the event was Drake Owens who invited different student leaders, athletes and staff onstage to present Genovese with “all things NSU purple” to be fully outfitted for NSU culture, a leather letter jacket and other items. The new president was also presented the university's ceremonial mace after the meaning of its symbolic emblems and craftsmanship was shared.
In an enthusiastic speech, Genovese expressed joy and determination to reinvigorate his alma mater, urging the audience to support his vision. He emphasized his extensive experience, having served on the Supreme Court for eight years, managing a large team and substantial budget.
His brief remarks were dotted with humorous quips that stirred the audience’s enthusiasm. When sharing about his family, he laughed that managing a household with five daughters had fully prepared him for this new role.
Genovese graciously thanked outgoing president Dr. Marcus Jones for his service and assistance during the transition, praising Jones' dedication to the university.
Genovese emphasized the importance of students as the lifeblood of the institution and expressed his commitment to increasing enrollment, improving funding and helping build a new, organic excitement around NSU sports and other aspects of campus life. He outlined his vision to restore Northwestern State's prominence.
He officially assumes office on Monday, August 5, as the university approaches its 140th academic year.
“We are very excited for Northwestern State University and its new President (soon to be former) Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Genovese,” Seabaugh noted in his earlier remarks.
Genovese and wife Martha both attended Northwestern. He graduated from NSU in 1971 and earned a law degree from Loyola University in 1974, eventually serving on the Third Circuit Court of Appeal and then the Louisiana Supreme Court. As an undergraduate, he was active in sports, Greek life, and student government. Martha majored in nursing at NSU before pursuing a military career. She retired as an Air Force Staff Sergeant.
The couple has five daughters, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
"Cadillac" Rhone, right, great NSU student and athlete, presented former Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Genovese a letter jacket as part of the welcome from Northwestern State University last week.
Many native ZeQuarrius “Cadillac” Rhone participated in ceremonies to introduce new Northwestern State University President James T. “Jimmy” Genovese to the public Tuesday morning, July 23. He presented Dr. Genovese with a Northwestern letter jacket. Cadillac is a student at NSU and a member of the Demons Football team.
The talented ball player and good student is the son of Rickey Rhone and Sanquanetta Slate. He is a business administration major and wants to become a real estate broker in Louisiana. His life’s ambition is to use his platform to spread God’s love and word and to take care of his family.
At Many High School, he quarterbacked the Tigers Football team to the Class 2A state title. He totaled more than 4,400 offensive yards in his career and had double-digit wins in each of his four seasons. He was a three-time all-district player and academic all-state player who graduated with a 4.0 grade point average. Cadillac was also a four-year basketball letterman and participated in Student Council, Beta Club, Quiz Bowl and was a nominee for Student of the Year.
John Curtis said he’s a good man, and we are mighty proud of him.
After a few days of rain and a night filled with it on Tuesday, we woke up Wednesday morning, July 24, to a good crop of mushrooms that had sprung up overnight.
Signs Along Life’s Highway
This sign goes way back to about 1920. It was located in Cordell, OK.
Sabine Parish Sheriff Alfred Lout Sr. served as sheriff from 1871 until he was killed while performing the duties of his office in 1883.
Sheriff Alfred Lout served as Sabine Parish Sheriff from 1871 until he was killed in 1883. He was a well-respected sheriff, faithful father and loyal friend. Sheriff Lout was shot on the streets of Many in December 1883 by Dr. J. H. Word, Sabine Parish Coroner.
While it cannot be proven what caused Dr. Word to murder the sheriff that night, Observations was able to find this account of events from one of the posse who brought Dr. Word into town for the trial. This account was featured in the Dec. 29,1883 edition of the St. Landry Democrat.
“Sheriff Lout arrested J. W. Clingman for being in a scuffle earlier that night. The sheriff was instructed not to bring him into town, but to get an appearance bond signed for him. Dr. Word questioned the sheriff where Clingman was and who signed for him. This exchange erupted an argument between the two which resulted in Sheriff Lout threatening to arrest Dr. Word. Both parties drew their weapons. It was at this point two bystanders, Mr. Davis and Mr. Edmunson, attempted to de-escalate the situation by trying to restrain them both. Dr. Word reached over Mr. Davis, who had hold of Lout, and shot him through the heart which instantly killed him,” the posse member explained.
In a Times-Picayune article from 1883, there was a similar account, but with a different ending. This article stated that Dr. Word shot at him four times before the sheriff even had a chance to draw his weapon.
A Shreveport Times article that ran in December 1884, included some details about the trial. It took two days to select a jury, and the trial was slow because there were 60 witnesses for the prosecution and the state. Some attorneys mentioned in a different article who were involved in the trial include W. H. Jack, Esq. and Wise, and Hon. D. C. Scarborough, District Attorney. Ultimately, Dr. Word was found guilty, but his time served may not have been too bad. In a Lake Charles Echo article from March 1885 written by a reporter who visited the Penitentiary, he noted that Dr. Word was employed in the prison hospital as an apothecary, or steward. The article stated that he appeared to be in good health, “was cleanly clad and wore his convict uniform with considerable gracefulness.”
After his untimely death, Sheriff Lout’s term was completed by Bailey Lout. Although it may forever be a mystery what really happened that fateful night, Sheriff Lout died serving Sabine Parish well.
New Orleans Times Picayune excerpt from December 17, 1883:
“On last Saturday evening an altercation arose between some four or five persons, the most of whom were under the influence of whisky. Two of the party indulged in a fist and skull fight, which resulted in one of them getting very badly bruised about the face and eyes. A warrant was issued and put in the hands of the Sheriff, Mr. A. Lout, who served it by arresting one of the parties engaged in the fight. Mr. Lout proceeded to attempt to arrest Dr. J. H. Word, of this place, who was taking an active part on behalf of one of the parties to the fight, when he refused to submit to an arrest by the sheriff and drew his pistol and shot at him four times, one of the shots penetrating directly through his heart, causing instant death. Mr. Lout had a pistol on his person, but had no time given him for using it in his defense.
“Dr. Word made no attempt to escape and was very soon arrested by several of the citizens and confined in jail for a few hours...”
(Special thanks to Observations Intern Lauren Ray for researching and writing the article above.)
[Interested persons may wish to visit the Sabine Parish Courthouse, where the Sheriff’s Office has a beautifully framed display of canvases with images of all known Sabine Parish Sheriffs since the agency’s start.]
This "Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Louisiana to His Excellency Sam'l D. McEnery, Governor of Louisiana" was issued in 1886-1887.
Research also discovered an article, shared below, in the historic “Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Louisiana” dated 1886-1887. The portion of the report summarizing the case of Sabine Parish Coroner Dr. J. H. Word follows:
“Dr. J. H. Word convicted in Natchitoches July 28, 1884, of murder without capital punishment for the killing of Alfred Lout, sheriff of the parish of Sabine, on the 8th of December, 1883, and sentenced to the penitentiary for life.
“The killing took place in Sabine near the courthouse at a period of extraordinary excitement, while the deceased was in discharge of his official duty, the accused being under the influence of drink.
“When arraigned for trial in Sabine the accused applied for and obtained a change of venue to Natchitoches, for the reason that the deceased, who had long been sheriff, was so popular that a fair trial could not be had there.
“Application for pardon was based mainly on the ground that Dr. Word was suffering from painful chronic diseases, and the trial judge, Hon. D. Pierson, who had refused previously to recommend a pardon, endorsed the application as follows:
“’It now appearing from the certificates, as well as the sworn statements of eminent and honorable physicians, that the prisoner cannot long survive the fatal disease with which he is afflicted, and that he cannot, in all probability, recover under the most favorable conditions of prison life, I feel authorized to recommend the pardon.’
“’I base this action upon the evidence of physicians attached to the record, and in furtherance of the same spirit that spared his life in the qualified verdict rendered by the jury that condemned him.’
“In this recommendation the Lieutenant-Governor and the Attorney General concur. The previous good character, the great ability and the exemplary prison life of the prisoner are attested by the petitions. The signatures to the various petitions on file number more than 1300, and one of these is signed by almost all the members of the General Assembly. Pardon issued June 23, 1887.”
Rain, rain, rain all last week. It flooded in Zwolle and other locales on Thursday, July 25. This photo was made that morning on Zwolle’s South Main Street.
Notice is hereby given pursuant to Article 7, Section 23 (C) of the Louisiana Constitution and R.S. 47:1705 (B) that a public hearing of the Sabine Parish Police Jury will be held at its regular meeting place, the Police Jury Meeting Room of the Courthouse, 400 S. Capitol Street, Room 101, Many, Louisiana, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at Nine O’clock (9:00) a.m. to consider levying additional or increased millage rates without further voter approval or adopting the adjusted millage rates after reassessment and rolling forward to rates not to exceed the prior year’s maximum. The estimated amount of tax revenues to be collected in the next year from the increased millage is $ $4,521,214.83, and the amount of increase in taxes attributable to the millage increase is $ $756,575.64.
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