Responders from the Winnfield Police Department, Winnfield Fire Department and Advanced EMS were dispatched to a home in the 500 block of Elliott Street on Feb. 16 around 1:28 am for two unresponsive individuals. Both black male subjects had been discovered inside the residence by a concerned neighbor who alerted authorities.
Officers found a running generator inside the house that was not properly vented, allowing exhaust to escape into the house, resulting in the death of the two individuals from carbon monoxide poisoning. The two men were identified as Tyrone Williams, age 62, and Lester Barnes, age 66, both of Winnfield.
Emergency personnel remind citizens that the most common form of carbon monoxide poisoning is unvented space heaters that use combustible fuel and indoor air for heating. Other sources are any equipment that uses combustible fuel and generates an exhaust into a room or structure. Carbon Monoxide is odorless and colorless. Symptoms include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pains and confusion. Results, as in this case, are deadly.
One suspect has been arrested in the shooting incident that occurred on 1/26 that caused the Winnfield Primary School to go on “lock-down” for a brief period. The school lock-down was only a precaution as the shooting itself occurred on Martin Luther King Jr Drive, about ½ mile from the school itself.
After a brief investigation, Jamikel Rachal, age 28, of Atlanta, was booked into the Winn Parish Detention Center on charges of Illegal Use of Weapons or Dangerous Instrumentalities and Unlawful Disruption of the Operation of a School. He is currently on bond awaiting court.
Date: 2-9-23 Name: James W Bunch Address: New Orleans, LA Race: Black Sex: Male Age: 43 Charge: Failure to appear
Date: 2-10-23 Name: Willard B Austin Address: Joyce, LA Race: White Sex: Male Age: N/A Charge: Sexual battery (x2)
Date: 2-10-23 Name: Jeffrey Kyle Waxley Address: Winnfield, LA Race: White Sex: Male Age: 53 Charge: Failure to appear (x2)
Date: 2-10-23 Name: Joseph Blake Allen Address: Winnfield, LA Race: White Sex: Male Age: 39 Charge: Theft of firearm, Unauthroized entry to buisness
Date: 2-11-23 Name: Russell Magee Jr. Address: Dodson, LA Race: Black Sex: Male Age: 50 Charge: Aggravated battery
Date: 2-12-23 Name: Benjamin Tyler Hanson Address: Dodson, LA Race: White Sex: Male Age: 22 Charge: Failure to appear (x3)
Date: 2-13-23 Name: Tanisha A Almos Address: Winnfield, LA Race: Black Sex: Female Age: 40 Charge: Failure to appear (x4)
Date: 2-14-23 Name: Kristi Greer Address: Quitman, LA Race: White Sex: Female Age: 51 Charge: Theft (over 25,000), Exploitation
Date: 2-15-23 Name: Sharon A Bush Address: Winnfield, LA Race: Black Sex: Female Age: 51 Charge: Simple criminal damage to property, Hit and run
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
There are some dishes that always, I mean always, taste better when someone else makes them. For years I have always heard my parents say that sandwiches truly taste better when someone else makes them. The older I became I realized that it was the truth. Same thing with a salad, it just tastes better when someone else’s hands have prepared it and served it.
I always chalked it up to the monotony of making a sandwich or a salad. The endless chopping of vegetables and repetitious actions of retrieving all of the necessary products from the refrigerator is no fun for anyone involved. Normally as I grab each item from the fridge it gets harder and harder to grab the next. Sure, I can make do with a sandwich that has no lettuce and tomato because I seriously do not feel like slicing it, placing it on the bread and cleaning up after myself.
Plain ole bologna, cheese and whitbread it is. Does my salad really need cucumbers that I need to wash, peel and slice? Somedays, nope, sure doesn’t.
Then, there are the meals that only taste good when prepared by our own hands. For example, do you really want someone making your bowl of cereal? Do they sincerely know how much milk to pour before it becomes too much? For me, it is my coffee. I would rather complete this task on my own. Some days I need more creamer than coffee and some days I do not require creamer at all. I am as moody as my coffee taste buds.
Another meal that always tastes wonderful when we serve ourselves and we never want it served by someone else is Humble Pie.
One of my most favorite stories in the Bible is when Jesus walked in while his Disciples were arguing over who is the greatest among them. This is one of those times I would have loved to be a fly on the wall just to see their faces when the Lord walked in. Were they embarrassed or did they know enough at the time to even be embarrassed?
This was the appointed time that Jesus chose to school them on being humble and being a servant. He said, “those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank and the leader should be like a servant…” How powerful are those words? Jesus created true servant leadership. He went on to say, “Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits, of course, but not here! For I Am here as one who serves.”
As followers of Christ we are to emulate his character and his serve our brothers and sisters. He came to serve and love others, so should we.
Being in the public as an elected official, I try to constantly remind myself that I am here to serve others and not serve myself or my ego. This is a constant conversation between me and the Lord, it has not been a one and done feeling. Anytime I start feeling “great” about myself, I prayerfully turn my attention to my creator and my redeemer. I am constantly grateful for his mercy and love.
When we constantly feed our souls with Humble Pie, our bellies are way too full to eat Humble Pie served by others.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.” James 4:10
Sixteen years ago, a young man had an idea for an outdoor radio program. At the time, he was doing Natchitoches Central football as a color analyst with Chris Boyd who did the play-by-play. Chris was an outstanding sports broadcaster and a great mentor to this young man as he learned a lot under his tutelage. During this time, NC football was not a great program and on this particular night, they were at West Monroe (Louisiana’s top high school football program at that time). It was 42-0 at the half, and during a commercial break, the young man pitched his outdoor radio show idea to Chris who thought it was a great idea and encouraged him to pursue it.
After getting a full endorsement from Chris, the enthusiastic young man approached a local radio station to carry the show and was told, “It’ll never work; already tried and no one would buy advertising for it.” Hmmmm…. After a lot of explaining and begging, the young man finally got the station owner to let him buy the airtime. The station owner offered a monthly figure it would cost and gave him three weeks to try and sell it. Obviously, the station owner had basically told the young man that this would never happen. Bound and determined to prove him wrong, he immediately started reaching out to businesses that he felt would benefit from such a program. Any business related to the hunting or fishing world was on his radar, and in most cases, there was a personal connection.
One reason the young man believed he could make such a program work was due to the great list of contacts he had related to the bass fishing world, both from a business standpoint and personal relationships he had with professional anglers. He made these connections due to the level of tournament fishing he was competing on with the FLW Tour and B.A.S.S. Opens. Formatting a show would be the easy part. Gaining sponsors would be more difficult since only a handful of people had tried producing this type of radio program. A few had tried, but all had failed.
Two days after walking out of the radio station, the young outdoorsman walked back into the office. He announced to the station owner that he had secured 14 sponsors and was ready to roll! The look on the owner’s face was of shock and dismay, to say the least. He asked how he did it and wanted details. Well, the young outdoorsman surely wasn’t going to reveal his selling strategy but did tell the station owner one important part of his success. There was a difference between the station owner’s sales staff trying to sell this type of programming versus the young outdoorsman; he wholeheartedly believed in what he was selling and knew the program would be a success. That’s when the Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Show was born in February of 2007!
Yes, the young outdoorsman with radio dreams was yours truly. Over the course of sixteen years, the show went from local radio to regional, and even a nationally known radio station by way of KWKH. KWKH is a legendary Shreveport radio station known by listeners all across the country, which at the time switched from country music to all sports talk and became the official home of LSU Sports. This gave the HUTD Show a built-in audience with KWKH, and we quickly gained more traction as word spread about the level of our programming. We interviewed the greatest names in the bass fishing world… Kevin Van Dam, Skeet Reese, Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Ray Scott, Mark Zona, and Rick Clunn to name a few. By having the top professional anglers in the country appear, the HUTD Show obtained instant credibility.
Today, the Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Show continues to set the bar for great outdoor radio entertainment as we talk hunting and fishing on a weekly basis with the greatest names in the industry. There are also two guys who have helped make this program the success it has enjoyed…my two co-hosts, KISS Country radio legend Gary McCoy and H&W Team Trail Tournament Director and duck hunting guide Mike Echols. They say successful people surround themselves with people better than themselves. This is definitely true in my case, as these two guys brought not only a wealth of knowledge of the great outdoors, but offered great personalities as well.
We invite you to tune us in every Wednesday from 11:00 AM till 1:00 PM on AM 1130 The Tiger KWKH or catch us on our Facebook page and YouTube Channel. I hope you’ve enjoyed going down the path of the HUTD Show and how our show got started. Till next time, good luck, good fishing, and don’t forget your sunscreen!
What was your worst day on the job? Not something you want to remember? Why? I cherish the worst day I exchanged hours of my life for the GREEN.
When you get gray in the hair, you sometimes start to think back about your worst day on the job. And I’ve got quite a bit of gray and have also realized I’m on the downward swing professionally. I’ve been at it longer than what I have left. So I thought – what was my worst day?
Easy. It came in August of 2002. Yep, a lot of you weren’t even born then, and if you were, you were toddling around in Huggies. Well in a normally hot summer August, I had a kind gentleman come into the offices at 203 Dixie Street.
Side note: I was young y’all. Really young. Tasked with a huge job that somebody my age probably shouldn’t have had. I didn’t know what I was doing, but working hard was (and still is) all I have ever known. Fake it till you make it, right?
So this fella comes to see me. He spins me a yarn about lawsuits and a BIG BAD BANK stealing his family land. He hits me with the figure of $250 BILLION. Yeah, billion. Not million. I get on the phone with his lawyer. It sounds like the story of all stories. 60 Minutes type stuff.
I didn’t think rationally. I thought competitively. All I wanted was to be first. All I wanted was to sell papers. I wanted to beat the Shreveport Times. I wanted to beat CNN. Hell, I wanted to win a Pulitzer Prize at 22.
So since I tell you it was the worst day professionally of my life, you can imagine what the result was.
There was no lawsuit. It was a scam. It was a sham. And for the life of me, I still don’t know what the endgame was. Maybe they just woke up one day and said “let’s see if we can get this young fool to run our bogus story and make him look like a jabroni.” Y’all like that word? Jabroni – thank you to The Rock.
Well, mission accomplished. I ran it. It was a lie. And before the clock struck five (the paper went out at 10 that AM) I was getting calls from lawyers in Atlanta. The bank’s lawyers. The big bank. One of the biggest bank chains in all of the world.
Oh lord, it was a mess. I thought I was gone. Jailed for defamation. Cut down before I even got started. And worse – sued into oblivion. I would get sued multiple times before all was said and done in that chapter of my life. Heck, being sued became commonplace – like changing socks. I was numb to it. That didn’t happen this go around. I did have a huge retraction to print, a come-to-Jesus meeting with the head of said LARGE bank chain in his office – that was fun – and pride so wounded I still have nightmares about it to this day.
But, in the end, it passed as all things do. Funny thing is, I am glad it happened. Anyone who knows me knows I am extraordinarily competitive and passionate. That’s how Yahweh made me. My good days aren’t as important as my bad days. I don’t learn from what I do right. But, brothers and sisters, let me tell you I do learn from my mistakes. I made a mistake that day. And I’ve made a whole heck of a lot of mistakes since then. Still make them with each passing 24 hours. Don’t get sued anymore, thankfully. A least not in the last decade.
Bad days are good. They are cool. They are welcome.
Mistakes make the person. Learning from them makes the soul.
It was a bad day in 2002.
But I’d take nothing for it.
Just…I hope I don’t have anymore quite like that again. NOTHING is as rough as staring down a group of Atlanta lawyers. And that isn’t even counting the time I was sued by the ACLU.
That was a bad day as well.
But that . . . is another story.
Josh Beavers is a teacher and a writer. He has been recognized five times for excellence in opinion writing by the Louisiana Press Association.
Monday, February 6th around 3:45 that afternoon a message was issued through the school system (with a link to their website, http://www.winnpsb.org, soon to follow after 4 pm) to forward guardians, loved ones, and faculty alike to a survey addressing the recent inquiries to a four day calendar week for our district.
After clicking the guided link you are allowed to view two color-coded sample calendars, one of a four-day school week, and the other of the standing five-day school week to better compare the differences each brings to our families and community for the ’23-’24 calendar year. This link, the samples, and the survey provided will close this coming Friday, February 17th, at noon. The information provided by those who have interacted will be collected and presented for public disclosure shortly after.
Mentioned cons for a 4-day school week; -Decrease in quality of instruction for teachers and students alike. -Fewer opportunities for the school to provide meals (breakfast and lunch) to students. -Impact on extracurricular activities. -Longer school days affecting bus routes, prompt after-school pick-up, and tutoring. -Childcare adjusting to the new calendar.
Mentioned pros for a 4-day school week; -Improved attendance for students and employees alike. -Improved teacher and other faculty recruitment and retention. -Improved student academic and testing performance. -Longer weekends for faculty and students.
If you have yet to interact with the message described above or the link provided on the school districts website, please be sure to do so before this coming Friday! Whether this topic presents concerned or optimistic feelings for your student and household now is the time to assert your voice is properly represented in the coming changes. Complete the survey, reach out to your representing school board members, and most importantly discuss this with your family and peers!
SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR DISTRICTS:
Lacey McManus/District 1 (318-302-2427) Harry Scott/District 2 (318-542-6294) Amber Cox/District 3 (318-471-7783) Michelle Carpenter/District 4 (318-413-2757) Steve Vines/District 5 (318-413-1253) Michael Riffe/District 6 (318-302-3171) Joe Llaine Long/District 7 (318-413-4614) Patrick J Howell/District 8 (318-623-8612) Dan Taylor/District 9 (318-451-0456) Joe Lynn Browning/District 10 (318-471-0192) Lance Underwood/District 11 (318-374-0505)
“Even a blind hog stumbles on an acorn every now and again,” an old fashion and light-hearted idiom that Mike Roberts, local artist, and owner and operator of the fittingly named “The Blind Hog” flea market, feels is the heart of the inspiration and sentiment behind their newly established business, located at 611 East Main St of Winnfield.
Shifting through the eclectic and overburdened corners of your local thrift store or flea market is nothing short of a journey. You enter curious in nature, hands and eyes flitting over trinket after trinket that more than likely holds a memory longer than your own. Nevertheless, there is something for anyone; a moment’s distraction, an untold story, maybe even an unlikely treasure to take home and make your own. After all, that was the founding idea behind opening ‘The Blind Hogs’ doors, stumbling upon an incongruous and spontaneous acorn for yourself. If you don’t find that sort of significance in any of the items inside, you will undoubtedly find it within Mike and Karon Roberts.
Mike and his wife, Karon, are a refreshing and welcoming pair. They’re the sort of folk that draws you into the beauty of living in a small town with their easy manners, quick laughter, and pockets full of tidbits and stories ready to share. Though they had only been open since December of last year, they’ve already accumulated quite a funky collection to sift through, including a few pieces that took shape from own Mike’s artistic ingenuity. He describes his style as “realism with a touch of impressionism,” capturing his subjects with details that lend the onlooker the impression of gazing into a photograph, not a painted canvas shelved within a local thrift store.
The Roberts are colorful characters, and the idea behind the experience they’re vending to us here in Winn Parish is no less lively. So if supporting small businesses or rooting through their curious knickknacks and trifles isn’t your thing, maybe a glance or selfie with the hand-painted mural of their blind and good-humored mascot (who may or may not bare a strong resemblance to Ray Charles around the eyes) to the side of their shop will get you out for a visit to this charming hole in the wall!
Big thank you to Mike and Karon for their time, the walkthrough and details of their business, and above all, the kindness they showed a stranger off the rainy street that afternoon. I could write much more about these two and the time I’ve had in and out with them over the past few weeks, but hopefully, there’s enough here to entice you to find it all out for yourself.
Bats were blistered as Winnfield Tigers Varsity defeated Grant 10-6 on Monday.
Winnfield Tigers Varsity notched three runs in the sixth inning. Caplan Young and Canyon Compton each had RBIs in the frame.
Grant scored three runs in the ninth inning. #17 and #2 all moved runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.
Jacob Whisonant toed the rubber for Winnfield Tigers Varsity. Whisonant surrendered zero runs on two hits over three innings, striking out five and walking one.
#1 led things off on the hill for Grant. undefined allowed one hit and zero runs over two innings, striking out two and walking one.
Winnfield Tigers Varsity hit one home run on the day. Sean Lawe Spangler went yard in the fifth inning.
Ryland Brister went 2-for-5 at the plate to lead Winnfield Tigers Varsity in hits. Brister led Winnfield Tigers Varsity with two stolen bases, as they ran wild on the base paths with five stolen bases.
#18 led Grant with two hits in four at bats.
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National 4-H Conference is the pinnacle experience in 4-H civic engagement, providing 4-H members the opportunity to connect with others and develop ideas to lead change that impacts communities across the nation and world.
Louisiana 4-H members selected as delegates will travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in the National 4-H Conference. Delegates will also spend a year in their role learning how to effectively advocate for the 4-H program and issues affecting their community.
The 2023 Louisiana 4-H National 4-H Conference Delegation:
Guest speakers for the February 14th Kiwanis club meeting were Annie Heard, Louisiana State FFA Vice President and Lauren Poole, Louisiana State FFA Senate Sentinel. They were accompanied by their Ag teacher, Ryan Riley. Both girls were part of a group of 75 state FFA officers from around the nation that went to Costa Rica for an international educational experience. There was an application process that included writing essays and course work including basic Spanish and research projects about Costa Rica. The girls took turns speaking about the trip and their favorite parts. They went on 2 tours each day for 10 days. Annie Heard began with the Pineapple Plantation tour where they ate pineapple fresh from the plant. Although Annie did not like pineapple she found that it was very good. Costa Rica is the #1 exporter of pineapple.
Lauren Poole spoke about a visit to the Farmer’s Market. It was really local and they saw the culture of Costa Rica there. Another interesting place was the Don Juan Organic Farm where they were given a small ball that they were told to chew like gum. It turned out to be fresh peppercorn which they spit out very fast. Their tour guide was very gracious and fun. Everyone was very kind to them. They passed around pictures of various activities they were involved in. They visited the Agricultural and Technical Institute which had a small farm. Lauren milked a cow. The had a tour of the Heart of Palm farm. They told the story of Miss Maria who started the farm to put her daughters through college. Then she opened a restaurant attached to the farm to help other women support themselves. They also went to the Fab Lab which was a science laboratory where they saw many interesting things. Lauren is interested in engineering and she saw how engineering could impact agriculture. Annie said she would like to be an advocate for farmers. So the trip had an impact on their career plans for the future. Both girls said they gained an appreciation for other cultures and learned about the power of gratitude. You have the power to influence others by you attitude and actions even if you can’t speak to them.
Winnfield is very fortunate to have to FFA state officers from our school. These girls are very articulate and present themselves well. They represent their school, town and state well.
The Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame proudly announces eight prominent Louisiana political leaders will be honored with induction and one family will be awarded in New Orleans on March 4.
The Political Hall of Fame inductees for 2023 are the Hon. Bernard Bagert, Mr. Jim Carvin, the Hon. Louis Charbonnet, the Hon. Mitch Landrieu, the Hon. Marc Morial, the Hon. Ben W. Nevers, the Hon. Suzanne Haik Terrell and Mr. Roger F. Villere.
The Political Family of Officeholders Award will be presented to the Bagneris family, brothers John, Dennis and Michael Bagneris.
The 31st Annual Hall of Fame Induction will be held at The National WWII Museum U.S. Freedom Pavilion at 1043 Magazine St. in New Orleans, LA on Saturday, March 4. A public reception will be held from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the banquet and ceremony to follow.
Tickets may be purchased from the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame for $250 each (open seating) by visiting The Friends of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation event website at lapolmushof.com or by calling (318) 628-5928 before Feb. 28. All tickets must be reserved and paid for in advance.
Various level event sponsorships are also available. Staff at the Louisiana Political Museum is happy to provide more information concerning sponsorship details. Interested persons and organizations are invited to contact (318) 628-5928 or (318) 628-0169 to arrange an event sponsorship.
The honorees for 2023 are:
THE HON. BERNARD BAGERT – Ben Bagert, Jr. is known as someone who values the dignity of hard work. At Jesuit High School, he excelled in many student and athletic activities. He earned his law degree at Loyola where he was named President of the student body. He began the practice of law in1968. His interest in politics led him to run as a Democrat for State Representative. It was a very tough campaign, but he won at the age of 24. He served in the State House from 1970-1984 and was one of the famed “Young Turks” who worked with E.L. “Bubba” Henry for legislative reform. In 1984 he won a state Senate seat. In the Senate, he worked on opportunities for people suffering from addictive disorders, mental health challenges and those who were developmentally disabled. Bagert ran as a Republican in the 1990 United States Senate race but withdrew early to prevent David Duke from securing a spot in the runoff election. He left politics in 1992 to devote himself full time to his law practice. Bagert’s ethical standards and legal expertise are widely respected as he has argued cases before numerous courts in several states. He has earned many accolades and awards and is affiliated with many law-related organizations. Bagert has been named a “Top Lawyer” in Louisiana.
JIM CARVIN – James Desmond Carvin was known as a “political guru” in Louisiana politics. Born in New York in 1929 to British parents, the family moved back to England during the Depression. At the age of 18, he returned to live in the United States, serving in the Air Force during the Korean War using his artistic skills to draw bombing maps. After the war, he was sent to Lake Charles. After his service was concluded, he started one of the first local advertising agencies. This led him to what would become his true passion – managing political campaigns. After managing the Gillis Long 1963 Gubernatorial Campaign effort, he moved to New Orleans and partnered with two well-known political veterans, Gus Weil and Ray Strother, to form a political consulting partnership. Carvin later began his own firm which touted a 75 per cent success record in local, state and national campaigns. He developed campaign strategies for many of Louisiana’s leading political figures on both sides of the aisle, including Edwin Edwards’ campaigns for Governor and ten consecutive Mayors of New Orleans. Along with James Chubbuck and Ed Renwick, he was instrumental in developing the Institute of Politics at Loyola University. This “Dean of Louisiana Politics” continued his political work even through a debilitating stroke until his death in 2009. It was written that he was “a winner till the end.”
THE HON. LOUIS CHARBONNET – Louis Charbonnet III was born in 1939 in New Orleans’ Historic Tremé Neighborhood, the oldest neighborhood of “Free People of Color” in the United States. A graduate of Houston’s Commonwealth College of Science, Charbonnet also studied at Loyola University’s City College and Southern University. He received the CFSP certification in 2012. After serving in the Army, Charbonnet returned to New Orleans to work with his father in the construction business and at the family funeral home. Always having a heart for the needs of his community, he ran for and won the Louisiana State Representative seat for the 96th District. He served in this office from 1970-1984. During his legislative service, Charbonnet distinguished himself as a floor leader for Governors Edwin Edwards and Dave Treen, and also for New Orleans Mayors Moon Landrieu and Ernest Morial. In addition, he was the legislative coordinator for the city of New Orleans for Mayor Sydney Barthelemy. After retiring from the political arena, he devoted himself to his family’s funeral business where, as the fourth-generation co-owner and CEO, he built it into the world-famous Charbonnet Labat Glapion Funeral Home. Under his guidance, the funeral home expanded to other locations and began a variety of related businesses, including a French Quarter buggy business. His 54 years of unwavering dedication have earned him many honors. He considers his greatest honor being recognized as the Robert H. Miller Professional of the Year by the National Funeral Directors and Mortician Association. He is currently guiding the fifth generation of his family, including daughter Kim, to operate his family’s legendary New Orleans business.
THE HON. MITCH LANDRIEU – Mitch Landrieu had a successful law practice in New Orleans where he became known as an expert reformer. He then served 16 years in the state legislature and two terms as Lieutenant Governor. He ran for Mayor of New Orleans, was elected and served two terms from 2010 to 2018. When he took office, New Orleans was still recovering from Hurricane Katrina and in the midst of the BP oil spill. Landrieu fast-tracked over 100 projects and secured billions in federal funding to help in the city’s recovery. In 2015, Landrieu was named “Public Official of the Year” for his efforts. In 2016, he was voted “America’s Top Turnaround Mayor” in a Politico survey of mayors. He served as the President of the US Conference of mayors. Landrieu gained national prominence for his decision to remove four Confederate statues from New Orleans. This earned him the prestigious John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. He authored a book about his personal journey confronting racism, which became a New York Times bestseller, “In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History.” He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the President and White House Infrastructure Coordinator. He is also responsible for coordinating the implementation of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. He and his wife Cheryl live in New Orleans, where they raised their five children.
THE HON. MARC MORIAL – New Orleans native, Marc Morial, has been described as one of the few national leaders to possess “street smarts” and boardroom savvy.” He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Economics and African American Studies. Then, after earning a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, he began an active, high-profile law practice in New Orleans. Morial served as a State Senator from 1992-1994. Following in his father’s footsteps, he successfully ran for Mayor of New Orleans in 1994 and served until 2002. Morial currently serves as the President and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation’s largest historic civil rights and advocacy organization. He hosts a weekly syndicated show and authors a weekly opinion column which reaches hundreds of thousands. As a published author, his leadership book, “Gumbo Coalition: 10 Leadership Lessons that Help You Inspire, Unite and Achieve,” has been widely acclaimed. He has received numerous awards and honors including being named by Ebony magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans; named by Non-Profit Times as one of the Top 50 Non-Profit Leaders; one of the Top 100 Most Influential Black Lawyers in America; and has been inducted into the Civil Rights Walk of Fame in Atlanta, GA.
THE HON. BEN W. NEVERS – Ben W. Nevers is a 1964 graduate of Bogalusa High School, a 1969 graduate of Louisiana Technical College – Sullivan Campus and a Veteran of the United States Army. In 1980, he founded Nevers Electrical Contracting Company. His was elected to the Bogalusa School Board in 1987 and served until 1994. Nevers was elected to a term in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1999-2003. He then served in the State Senate, District 12, from 2004-2016. As a Senator, he chaired many committees, including Labor and Industrial Relations, Education, Judiciary, and the Child Poverty Commission. In 2016, Nevers was chosen by Governor John Bel Edwards to lead his gubernatorial campaign transition team, and then to serve as his Chief of Staff. He served in this position until February 2017. He has since chaired the Governor’s Advisory Council on Rural Revitalization and Southeast Louisiana Pregnancy Center for Woman and Children. Among his numerous awards are Southeastern Louisiana University Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree, induction into the AFL-CIO Hall of Fame and the Russell B. Long Legislative Service Award. He is a member of many associations including the American Legion, Gideons International and the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association. He and his wife, Ann, reside in Bogalusa and have three children.
THE HON. SUZANNE HAIK TERRELL – Suzanne Haik Terrell attended Newcomb College of Tulane University where she received her Bachelor of Arts. She operated a medical equipment business for several years and then earned her Juris Doctorate from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. During private law practice she focused on business litigation and administrative law. At this time, she became active in the political arena, volunteering to lobby on medical issues in the legislature. Living in New Orleans in 1993 with her husband, Dr. W. Lee Terrell, and their three children, Ms. Terrell won a term on the New Orleans City Council. She won a second term with no opposition. During her tenure, she helped establish “Teen Court,” a program for juvenile first offenders, and she was instrumental in creating a robust government access channel known as New Orleans Access Television. In 1999 Suzanne Terrell became the first Republican woman to be elected to statewide office in Louisiana. As the Commissioner of Elections, her hard work saw the Louisiana election system recognized as the Best Voter Registration System in the South and, indeed, in the whole country. Terrell streamlined department operations and advocated for the merging of her office with the Secretary of State. She was successful in this endeavor, and when her term ended in 2004, the office of Commissioner of Elections was abolished in Louisiana. Terrell was then appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Economic Development by President George W. Bush during the aftermath of Katrina. She later became Senior Advisor and Director of Outreach for the Department of Commerce, EDA and served as the agency’s Capitol Hill liaison. During her time there, she worked on efforts to revitalize the Gulf Coast. After this service, Terrell returned to New Orleans and launched the law firm of Hangartner, Rydberg and Terrell. She continues to practice law and serve her community through non-profit endeavors.
ROGER F. VILLERE – When volunteerism is discussed in Louisiana, the name of Roger F. Villere, Jr. of Metairie must be near the top of the list. His commitment to family and community are unmatched. Villere attended the University of New Orleans, is a fellow of the Loyola Institute of Politics and the UNO Government Leadership Institute. He established Villere’s Florist in 1969 and has earned many awards and designed for a number of high-profile persons. He has played a leadership role and continues leading in the local business community. Villere has served in community positions including the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Council, the East Jefferson Council of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, the American Academy of Florists and the Louisiana State Florist Association. Villere has also been a part of and led numerous community programs and organizations. Among them are the Alliance for Good Government, Jaycees International, the LaFreniere Kiwanis Club, the East Jefferson Hospital Foundation and the Women’s New Life Center. His service extends beyond his community. Villere was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Louisiana in 2004, serving through 2018. During his tenure as Chairman, the Republican Party of Louisiana made historic gains across the board. He has attended five Republican National Conventions and has served as an RNC Committeeman and a member of the Rules Committee. In 2011 he was elected to the RNC Executive Committee and served as Vice Chairman in 2012. Villere has received numerous awards, including a Presidential Appointment and a number of Congressional Appointments. He and his wife, Donna, have three sons, four granddaughters and three great-grandchildren. He will leave a legacy of selfless service.
THE BAGNERIS FAMILY – Louisianans are well aware of two brothers who worked from humble beginnings to earn positions of prominence in government. Those would be former Governor and U.S. Senator Huey P. Long and former Governor and U.S. Congressman Earl K. Long. A modern family in Louisiana politics with three hard-working brothers will be honored with the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame 2023 Political Family of Officeholders Award. The brothers, John, Dennis and Michael Bagneris, have made their marks. John Bagneris worked his way through Southern University and became chairman of Tremé Community Improvement Association which sought better housing and rent control for neighborhood residents. He was elected State Representative for District 100 in 2016. Dennis Bagneris, a graduate of Xavier University and Tulane Law School, was elected District 3 state senator in 1984 and ran unopposed three more times before winning the Louisiana Fourth District Court of Appeal judgeship in 1999. Support of state teachers was a benchmark of his tenure. Michael Bagneris, a graduate of Yale University and Tulane Law School, served as executive counsel to New Orleans Mayor Ernest “Dutch” Morial. He would later be elected judge in Orleans Parish Civil District Court where he served 20 years and has remained active as a judicial educator through lectures and committee posts. The Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame is proud to honor this family.
The Board of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame wishes to thank the following sponsors for their support of the 2023 Political Hall of Fame Induction Banquet: The Haynie Family Foundation, The Times Picayune/NOLA.com and The Terrell Family. Other event sponsors are listed at lapolmushof.com.
