NATCHITOCHES:
Ken Babers
October 15, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Billie Hayes
October 14, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Martin Luther Howard Sr.
November 7, 1920 – October 1, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Press Release City of Winnfield Police Department
October 15, 2020

A burglary suspect was shot after a 5 hour standoff with police in Winnfield during the early hours this morning.

Cornelius Street, 42, of Winnfield had allegedly burglarized a vehicle just outside the city limits on Cedar Drive.  City Police and the Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to the burglary-in-progress.  Deputies and Officers attempted to arrest Street at a residence on Front Street.  Suspect ran into the house and barricaded himself from police while keeping his girlfriend and 2 young children in the house.  Initial attempts to negotiate yielded no positive results.  Deputies deployed chemical munitions with no response. Officers then  attempted to make entry into the home and were met by a barrage of gun fire. 

A SWAT team from the Louisiana State Police were called in to assist.  As the standoff entered its 5^th hour, SWAT deployed flashbangs and made entry and secured the girlfriend and children to safety.  Street started a fire in the area where he was barricaded.

Street was taken into custody shortly thereafter.  He has been shot in the jaw.  He was transported to the Rapides Regional Medical Center in stable condition By Advanced EMS ambulance.  The Winnfield Fire Department were quickly on scene to extinguish the fire.  Both emergency elements had been staged nearby until the scene was cleared and safe.

Street faces multiple charges stemming from this incident, including Simple Burglary,  3 counts of Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Arson, 2 counts Cruelty to Juveniles, and 4 counts of Attempted First Degree Murder of a Police Officer.

The coordinated efforts of the Winnfield Police Department, the Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, Winnfield Fire Department and Advance EMS resulted in no lost lives and no injuries to any emergency response personnel.

The incident is now under investigation and review by the Louisiana State Police.  Any further comments, if any, will be released by Troop E through their Public Information Officer.

Winnfield- Shortly after 1:00 a.m., Louisiana State police was requested by Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office to assist with a barricaded suspect in the 1700 block of Front Street in Winnfield.  

Prior to State Police being contacted, the Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve an arrest warrant for burglary charges for 42-year-old Cornelius Street.  Upon their arrival, the Sheriff’s Office encountered gunfire from Street.  At that time, he barricaded himself inside the residence along with family members.    

During the course of the incident, Street ended communications with law enforcement and refused to be taken into custody while igniting a fire in the residence. As the incident progressed, Street continued to threaten Troopers and Deputies with a firearm resulting in Street being shot by law enforcement.  Street was taken to a local hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound.  

No family members, Deputies or Troopers were injured during this encounter.

The investigation remains active and ongoing, and there is no further information available at this time.  

Early voting begins today for the Nov. 3 Election. Early voting will run Friday, Oct. 16 through Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 8 am – 7  pm at the Registrar of Voters Office in the Winn Parish Courthouse. The Courthouse is considered a polling location during early voting and NO electioneering will be permitted within 600 feet of the building.

• a driver’s license,
• a Louisiana Special ID, 
• LA Wallet digital driver’s license, 
• a United States military identification card that contains the applicant’s name and picture, or
• some other generally recognized picture ID that contains your name and signature.

Voters who have no picture ID may complete and sign a Voter Identification Affidavit in order to vote; however, it is subject to challenge by law.

The deadline to request an absentee by mail ballot is Oct. 30 by 4:30 p.m. You can request an absentee by mail ballot online through our Voter Portal or in writing through your Registrar of Voters Office (other than military and overseas voters).

The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted mail ballot is Nov. 2 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).

Winn Parish Registrar of Voters has taken measures inside the courthouse to ensure that social distancing measures are followed while placing your vote.

According to the Louisiana Department of Health website on October 15, 2020, Winn Parish reported 12 new cases of COVID 19 bringing the total positive case count to 658. There has been no additional deaths in Winn Parish keeping the parish total at 19. There are 61 active positive cases in Winn Parish. 

The week of 9/24/20 – 10/7/20 Winn Parish two week cumulative incidence was 134.43. Placing Winn Parish in the “High” category. 

According to ICE.GOV as of 10/15/2020 there are 32 detainees with confirmed cases of COVID 19 currently under isolation or monitoring at the Winn Correctional Center (WCC). There have been  no additional deaths keeping the total number of deaths of a detainee who died after testing positive for COVID-19 while in ICE custody at WCC at one. There have been 230 total confirmed COVID-19 cases at WCC since testing began in February 2020.

There have been no official numbers reported by Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office or LaSalle Management regarding number of positive COVID cases or deaths amongst staff at WCC. 

The latest Nursing Home Report dated  October 13, 2020, reflects one new cases among residents, and no new cases among staff reported for this week at Autumn Leaves Nursing & Rehab Center. Winnfield Nursing & Rehab reported no new cases among residents, and two new cases among staff.

By Reba Phelps

The sounds and smells of coffee percolating from my second-hand Keurig are the ingredients in the recipe for a perfect morning. Granted, during the weekdays, I do not get to linger and enjoy it for very long once the piping-hot brew hits my cup. Sometimes the weekday coffee has to be on-the-go and transported in a travel mug. Typically during the week I am all alone for these cups unless my oldest decides to join for a few brief moments before her classes or sometimes coffee is enjoyed while reading my daily devotions. 

But, a cup of Joe on the weekends takes on a whole other life of its own. The smell is more profound. The sounds of the percolating second-hand Keurig seem to have a certain pep in their step. The weekend coffee is often enjoyed on a porch with friends as long as the weather permits. If the elements are not agreeable then we will find our way into someone’s home. 

Somewhere along the way we affectionately started referring to our Saturday meetings as, “Coffee Club”. For research purposes I consulted one of our founding members, Brandy Tilley, to find out the exact date. She is our unofficial keeper of the records. If we want it to be an official club we should know when we were founded. After much deliberation she decided it was founded in 2014. 

Although we would love to lay claim to this local tradition, it was not one created by me nor my immediate friend group. You could say that the Coffee Club model was patterned after a group of local men who we deeply respect and admire. We were lucky enough to have met them through our weekly Kiwanis Club meetings. 

Week in and week out we would hear their friendly, and not so friendly, jabs at each other. The teasing and jeering these men could endure was astounding and very entertaining. We quickly learned two things. This witticism was normally spillover from their Coffee Club. And, these men could not offend each other. They were like brothers. 

I never will forget the day that a few of us from the bank were invited to join the Coffee Club at their very own meeting location to hear all about their Christmas fundraiser. We were ecstatic. We were finally able to visit our friends at the infamous Coffee Club. While we were there we were completely blown away by the deep compassion and love they had for our community. These men were making a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. It was a beautiful sight to take in. 

The official name of the club was, “Walter P. Ledet Coffee Club” and they were founded in the early1970’s. They met five days a week and would end each meeting with a coin toss to see who would foot the bill. They also would have a program every Wednesday of the week. I dare not to even guess how many projects they have completed during their time together but I can guarantee they enjoyed each other’s company while they did it. 

As stated in their official proclamation, “Many great personalities from many walks of life have come and gone from this Club’s membership”… They welcomed everyone. It should also be noted, as they may not be aware, they have a whole host of imitators that hope their coffee club is as successful and meaningful as theirs. Hopefully, they know this is the sincerest form of flattery.  

Our budding club has grown accustomed to meeting as often as we can. Just like this wonderful group of men, we would love to meet five days a week but sometimes work, family, ball games, travel and other obligations get in our way. But, we always find the time to connect over ground coffee beans and boiling water. We rotate house to house and we are working on building our own set of Bylaws that include a relaxed dress code, a make-up free face and It is automatically deemed a “no judgement zone”. We do not expect a clean house or well-behaved children when we arrive. 

Coffee truly has a way of bringing people together. 

Some might say it has never been about the coffee as much as it has been about the fellowship and sharing with friends. It has grown into an event where time slows down and nothing else matters except for the conversations had amongst friends. We were built for fellowship and not isolation from others. Quiet time is always good but fellowship with others is where we connect and show love to the people that God has put in our path. 

We grow as humans when we connect with others on a deeper level. 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

Rural electric cooperatives serving 14 North Louisiana parishes were authorized today by the Louisiana Public Service Commission to enter the internet business and help bridge the digital divide.

“Today the Public Service Commission made a bold statement: we are for rural broadband,” said Foster Campbell, PSC member representing North Louisiana.

Meeting online because of the coronavirus, the five members of the PSC voted unanimously for Campbell’s plan to support internet initiatives by Claiborne Electric in Homer and Northeast Louisiana Power in Winnsboro.  The two cooperatives will use federal grants and low-interest loans to offer high-speed internet in rural areas from Webster Parish eastward to the Mississippi River.

“Everyone wants internet service now,” Campbell said.  “It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity.”

Campbell said rural electric cooperatives have for decades served rural residents and businesses, so it’s appropriate that they offer broadband as well.

“During the New Deal the big electric companies didn’t want to bring power to rural areas, so President Roosevelt created electric co-ops and the government helped them get established,” he said.  The cooperatives paid back the government assistance and now offer some of the cheapest electricity in the country.

“We’re going to use that successful business model – targeted federal investment – to deliver broadband to areas that have few other options,” Campbell said.

Federal agencies are expected to distribute more than $600 million in Louisiana over the next 10 years as grants to expand high-speed internet service. 

“These are our tax dollars,” Campbell said.  “Few public needs are as vital now as broadband access, so we should capture these dollars for Louisiana and bring internet benefits to education, health care and business.”

The two Louisiana co-ops are part of a trend across the country of New Deal-era power cooperatives offering broadband.  Campbell said North Louisiana has more areas without good internet service than many other regions.

The PSC vote means the two cooperatives can create internet subsidiaries that will seek government grants and low-interest loans to bring fiber-optic and wireless broadband service to members and non-members in their coverage areas.  Commissioners said other co-ops in Louisiana may follow suit.

The chairman of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) praised a federal court’s ruling to enjoin California from enforcing the statutory ban on the importation, sale and possession of alligator and crocodile products in the state.

The California law criminalizes the sale and possession of alligator and crocodile parts in California. The ban would have had far-reaching, negative consequences for Louisiana’s huge alligator farming industry, estimated to be worth more than $100 million annually to the state’s economy.

“We are encouraged by the court’s decision. We know this is the first step and not the last. But it gives Louisiana’s vital alligator industry the ability to continue operating in California and beyond,” said Bill Hogan, chairman of the LWFC.

Judge Kimberly Mueller of the U.S. District Court for California’s Eastern District issued the ruling earlier this week, indicating that there are serious questions as to whether federal laws regulating the sale and importation of crocodilian species, preempts the California law, such that a preliminary injunction is warranted. The ruling also found that implementation of the law would cause significant and irreparable economic harm to Louisiana’s alligator industry.

California may appeal the decision.

The Louisiana Attorney General’s office, representing the LWFC, joined plaintiffs from the alligator industry in filing suit in December of 2019 challenging California’s ban, which had been scheduled to take effect on the first of this year. As a result of these law suits, the court issued a temporary restraining order on December 27, 2019 prohibiting enforcement of the California ban.

If the ban on alligator products had been imposed, Louisiana’s alligator industry would have lost California’s lucrative high-end fashion market for the sale of skins used for shoes, boots and handbags, which is a major source of revenue. It would have also deprived the industry from using California ports as a method of international distribution, specifically to Asia.

Louisiana’s alligator industry, under the guidance of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and its restoration programs, has brought the alligator population from near extinction to nearly 3 million alligators in the wild and on farms in Louisiana.

WINN:
Dwight Alton Callender
June 30, 1939 – October 13, 2020
Service: Friday, October 16 at 11 am at First Baptist Church of Winnfield

Douglas Ladrell Taylor
October 11, 1978 – October 9, 2020
Service: Saturday, October 17 at 2 pm in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 117 MLK Drive in Winnfield

Ida “Beth” Elizabeth Swanson
May 11, 1939 – October 11, 2020
Service: Friday, October 16 at 2 pm at the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Winnfield

NATCHITOCHES:
Daniel John Dupree
May 05, 1957 – October 10, 2020
Service: Saturday, October 17 at 11 am at the St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, located at 911 5th Street in Natchitoches

Ken Babers
October 15, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Billie Hayes
October 14, 2020
Arrangements TBA

David Wayne Hicks
March 27, 1959 – October 08, 2020
Service: Saturday, October 17 at 2 pm at Coldwater Baptist Church in the Hagewood community

Jeannie Rachal
October 6, 2020
Service: Saturday, October 17 at 11 am in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Martin Luther Howard Sr.
November 7, 1920 – October 1, 2020
Arrangements TBA

Vanilla Hardy
May 11, 1970 – September 23, 2020
Arrangements TBA

RED RIVER:
Lawrence Ralph Joyner
February 10, 1946 – October 14, 2020
Service: Saturday, October 17 at 1 pm at Mr. Joyner’s residence (893 Morgan Quick Road, Ashland, LA 71002)

Myrle Ike Carlisle
April 13, 1940 – October 14, 2020
Service: Sunday, October 18 at 2 pm at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel

A Vehicle burglary suspect was shot in the jaw after a five-hour stand-off with police in Winnfield early this morning.

Cornelius Street, 42 of Winnfield allegedly burglarized a vehicle located on Cedar Dr. in Winnfield Wednesday night. The City of Winnfield Police Department received a call of a vehicle burglary in progress. The location of the vehicle was located outside of the city limits so Winn Parish Sheriff’s Department was called by the WPD.

Winn Parish Sheriff’s Department assisted by Winnfield Police Department attempted to arrest Street at his home located at 1708 Front St. in Winnfield at approximately 11 PM Wednesday. As officers approached the door of the house, five shots were fired at the officers.

Street barricaded himself inside the home with his girlfriend and children inside. Winn Parish Sheriff’s Department called the Louisiana State Police SWAT team to assist. Winnfield Fire Department and Advanced Ambulance were also called and staged nearby on E. Jones St.

After a four-hour stand-off, LA State Police SWAT breached the front door, threw flashbangs into the home, and was able to remove the suspect’s girlfriend and children from the house.

Street was barricaded in a storage room in the front of the home. According to sources, he was shot one time through the left side of the jaw. Street was transported in stable condition to Rapides Regional Medical Center.

No officers were injured during the incident. This story is still developing.

Voters who want to vote early for the Presidential General and Open Congressional Primary Election on Nov. 3, 2020, may do so in person from Oct. 16-27 (excluding Sunday, Oct. 18 and Sunday, Oct. 25) at Winn Parish court house located at 119 W. Main St. #105 in Winnfield. The Registrar of Voters office will be open 8 AM – 7 PM for each day of early voting. 

• a driver’s license,
• a Louisiana Special ID,
• LA Wallet digital driver’s license,
• a United States military identification card that contains the applicant’s name and picture, or
• some other generally recognized picture ID that contains your name and signature.

There are seven (7) constitutional amendments to the Louisiana Constitution that will be on the ballot for the November 3, 2020 election. Listed below are each amendment and an explanation of what a yes (for) or no (against) vote means.

Amendment 1 “Do you support an amendment declaring that, to
protect human life, a right to abortion and the funding of abortion
shall not be found in the Louisiana Constitution?”

A VOTE FOR WOULD
State that nothing in the Constitution protects a right to abortion.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD
Leave the Constitution with no specific language on abortion.

Amendment 2 “Do you support an amendment to permit the
presence or production of oil or gas to be included in the methodology
used to determine the fair market value of an oil or gas well for the
purpose of property assessment?”

A VOTE FOR WOULD
Allow for a well’s oil and gas production when valuing it for property tax assessment.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD
Keep the current methods of oil and gas well assessment.

Amendment 3 “Do you support an amendment to allow for the
use of the Budget Stabilization Fund, also known as the Rainy Day
Fund, for state costs associated with a disaster declared by the
federal government?”

A VOTE FOR WOULD
Allow the Budget Stabilization Fund to be tapped when there is a federally declared disaster.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD
Continue to restrict use of the Budget Stabilization Fund to revenue shortfalls.

Amendment 4 “Do you support an amendment to limit the
growth of the expenditure limit for the state general fund and
dedicated funds and to remove the calculation of its growth factor
from the Constitution?”

A VOTE FOR WOULD
Create a new state budget spending limit with probable slower growth.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD
Continue the current method for an expenditure limit.

Amendment 5 “Do you support an amendment to authorize local
governments to enter into cooperative endeavor ad valorem tax
exemption agreements with new or expanding manufacturing
establishments for payments in lieu of taxes?”

A VOTE FOR WOULD
Provide new options for manufacturers and local governments to schedule payments instead of property taxes for industrial expansions.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD
Leave the current system as the only set of options for property taxes, payments or exemptions for manufacturers.

Amendment 6 “Do you support an amendment to increase the
maximum amount of income a person may receive and still qualify
for the special assessment level for residential property receiving
the homestead exemption?”

A VOTE FOR WOULD
Allow homeowners with higher incomes to qualify for the property tax assessment freeze.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD
Keep the current income threshold for property tax freezes.

Amendment 7 “Do you support an amendment to create the
Louisiana Unclaimed Property Permanent Trust Fund to preserve the
money that remains unclaimed by its owner or owners?”

A VOTE FOR WOULD
Protect unclaimed property money in a new trust fund.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD
Keep the current program that benefits the state general fund.

Proposition Shall sports wagering activities and operations be
permitted in the parish of Winn?

A VOTE FOR WOULD
Permit sports wagering in the voter’s parish.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD
Forbid sports wagering in the voter’s parish.

For an independent, non-partisan review of the amendments click below to read the Public Affairs Research Council’s PAR Guide to the 2020
Constitutional Amendments.

John Wade Hoffpauir a 12-years-old rodeo athlete from Winn Parish, has been riding his horses and rodeoing for the majority of his life. He has won many awards throughout his rodeo career: saddles, belt buckles, halters, and bits. The events he competes in are goat tying, calf roping, and team roping.

One thing is for sure, rodeo is fun but very hard work. In his first year as a member of the National Little Britches Rodeo Association John’s mother, Kandace Hoffpauir, took him to his rodeos with the help of his grandparents.

“If you are thinking about rodeoing, you should know a few things,” said John Wade. “A lot of people think your parents must be a Pro Rodeo winner or be really rich to succeed in this sport. Now I’m not poor, and I’m not rich. I’m somewhere in between. My dad isn’t a pro, but he can still team rope. Your horses are one of the most important things in rodeo. Now you don’t need a really expensive horse, you just need a horse that fits you. So, you don’t need the best of all things, like trucks, trailers, and tack to win in a rodeo. So, to do rodeo, you need to work hard, practice a lot, and most importantly have a family that will support you and help you.”

John Wade is thankful for everything his mom, dad, and all his family members and all the other people have done to help him. Whether it be helping him practice or giving him a rope.

“John Wade has always been a blessed addition to our little family,” said his mom Kandace. “He has always wished to be with horses! Ever since he was 2 weeks old, if you desired for him to be in a better disposition, just take him to the horses, especially “Rock” his old faithful All Around Sorrel Quarter Horse or “Gus” the Palomino Shetland pony.”

John Wade continues to ride today to honor his late sister, Krissy. The children trail rode, attended Rodeo Bible Camps, competed in 4-H Horse Shows, won equine tack prizes, buckles, saddles, and money in Mutton Bustin, Calf Riding, Goat Tying, Pole Bending, Barrel Racing, Arena Races, Breakaway Roping, Showmanship, Trail Course, Halter Showing, and any other events available while also winning All Around Places in many local Playday clubs. They participated and placed in several Barrel Runs, and supported friends in Team Roping all of their lives as the very Best of Friends, siblings, and equine lovers.

After Krissy passed John Wade’s friends encouraged him to pursue roping events with National Little Britches. He attended Martha Josey’s Calf Clinic after buying a cutting horse and qualified for the National Little Britches Breakaway event on Huckleberry. He on Rock and his partner Kayson Lasyone on T, have grown to become such a great team and were named the Deep South Little Britches Team Roping Champions last year and qualified to attend the National Events this past year. He has continued to Goat Ty with his horse Jasmine who has won him many awards through the years, including qualifying for the National event this year.

“We love and support our son’s dreams,” said Kandace. “We have a great respect for the sport that keeps Christ in prayer before each event and honoring of the American Flag and National Anthem. We have grown our rodeo family.”

The WPJ recognize there are many families who compete in rodeo events. If you’d like to showcase your athlete’s achievements through the Journal email photos and information from your competitions to wpjwinnla@gmail.com.

COVID-19 testing is provided every Monday, by the National Guard at the Winn Parish Health Unit located at 301 W Main St #101, Winnfield, LA 71483. The testing hours are 8am-12pm. This is a free service for our community.

Register online at health.questdiagnostics.com/stlou