For the October 14 election, a record early/absentee ballot tally could go even higher, said Registrar of Voters Bryan Kelley, after the Early Voting polls closed at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7.  His office will accept mail-in absentee ballots until 4:30 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 13.

The registrar reported that as of Saturday’s closing, a total of 1,936 voters had cast their preferences.  That included 1,765 in-person and another 171 by mail.  That eclipsed the last governor/sheriff race in fall of 2019 when the total was 1,747.  The difference reflects a 10.8% increase but Kelley reminds that more mail-in ballots could arrive before the Friday deadline.

Kelley added he cannot say if this increase is a reflection of voter interest in the Oct. ballot compared to the ballot four years ago or if it’s an indication of growing voter acceptance of the Early Vote.  “Early voting has been growing since the concept was introduced by the Secretary of State’s Office.  But high profile races drive voter turnout.”  Nor can the early voting totals be used to predict favorites in the state or local races since those ballots and machines will remain sealed until voting closes on Election Night, Oct. 14.

Drawing the greatest local interest on Saturday’s ballot are the parishwide races for Sheriff.  High interest at the district level are races for Police Juror in districts 3, 4, 5 and 6.  Other statewide races from Lieutenant Governor to Secretary of State will be contested as well as the district BESE Board seat and western Winn’s small slice of Senate District 31.

Other Early Voting statistics break downs show that 1,525 of that 1,935 total were White, 395 were Black and 16 were Other.  By party, there were 632 Democrat, 913 Republican and 391 Other.  Voting were 844 males and 1,0291 females.

For those races where a runoff is necessary, the General Election date will be Saturday, Nov. 18.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, in his bid for the governorship on the Oct. 14 ballot, made a stop through Winnfield on Oct. 6, speaking at the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame.

Traveling with his wife, Sharon, Landry was introduced at the museum reception by Rep. Jack McFarland who extolled the speaker as a needed change in state leadership.  Landry was billed as a champion of conservative values who vows to protect communities, expects more from our schools and end the state’s outmigration.

As he entered the museum hall, the candidate worked around the room already filled with constituents, shaking hands, chatting and posing for photo opportunities.  In brief comments, he said his administration would deliver on promises that so many before him had promised but failed to keep.  Included is a focus on crime that would emphasize citizen rights over criminal rights, support the law enforcement officers and stand for truth and transparency to win back control of our streets.

In the area of education, he believes students ought to learn how to think rather than being taught what to think.  Teachers deserve respect.  As to business and industry, he supports those areas…agriculture, timber, chemical, industries…that have built this state.  “These are all things God has blessed us with.”

He claimed that “all it takes is leadership.  We’re going to have a state that is as good as the people of this state.”

“I am proud to have grown up in Winnfield,” says Mike Crawford, Chief Bankruptcy Judge of the United State Middle District of Louisiana, who visited with Rotarians at the weekly meeting of the Winnfield Rotary Club on October 4, 2023. Mike was the son of Morris Crawford, who served in the Winnfield Rotary Club for many years, including serving as president in 1966 and attaining the status of Paul Harris Fellow in 1992.

According to Judge Crawford, his father instilled in him the importance of service to the community, which he has carried on in his adulthood by serving on the board of the Special Olympics of Louisiana and becoming the legal advisor to the board of the Special Olympics, which is, of course, an unpaid job. Having served in these capacities for over 15 years, Judge Crawford was named to the Special Olympics of Louisiana Hall of Fame. He currently serves on the board of the Baton Rouge Food Bank.

Judge Crawford credits his father and Rotarian Mickey Simmons, local attorney, with inspiring him to attend law school.

Judge Crawford insists his attaining the federal judgeship was merely happenstance flowing from his serving a clerkship on the U. S. Bankruptcy Court in Opelousas right out of law school, where he met many lawyers practicing in the field of bankruptcy and obtained a job with the prestigious Baton Rouge law firm of Taylor Porter. He had no thoughts of seeking a judgeship until he was informed by the prior bankruptcy judge in Baton Rouge that he was stepping down, with an unspoken suggestion that Mike should seek the post.

The appointment of a federal bankruptcy judge for the Middle District of Louisiana is the duty of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which appoints a committee to review and investigate applicants and make a recommendation to the Court of Appeals. Crawford was the subject of a comprehensive investigation by the FBI before the appointment by the Court of Appeals. 

Judge Crawford received the letter notifying him of his appointment to the federal judgeship on October 3, 2022, and his investiture to the position took place on October 7, 2022, so his appearance in his “home town” took place amidst the celebration of his one-year anniversary as the Middle District Bankruptcy Judge.

Mrs. Jane Purser, whom Judge Crawford credits as a “second mother” to him as the mother of one of his best friends growing up, was responsible for getting Judge Crawford to speak to Rotary. Among special guests attending the meeting were another of the Judge’s best friends, Marty Harrel. Also in attendance was Mike’s first grade teacher, Kathy Guin, who was in her first year of teaching when Mike was in her class.

At 6’4, Barry Howard is a hard man to miss, especially when he’s walking across your back yard to check the gas meter.  But residents will miss his appearance around town as he informed those in the First Baptist Church men’s prayer breakfast group last week that he’d be retiring at 4 p.m. that afternoon.

Howard has been working in Winnfield since November 1998, where he arrived with the title of “town operator.”  He explained that meant he did it all, reading meters, repairing leaks, turn-ons, turn-offs, whatever it took.  He told the Journal that many of his customers didn’t know his name.  They just knew him as “The Gas Man.”  They certainly did know his smile and his easy-going personality.

As to those relationships, Howard told the breakfast gathering that over his quarter century of service here, he saw his customers become friends and his friends, through this association, become brothers in Christ.

His start in the natural gas business came a decade before his Winn arrival, when he began work for TransLa Gas in Natchitoches on June 1, 1988.  The company name has changed, now Atmos Energy, but the local natural gas service is still the same, though modernization has come in areas like meter reading.  At one point, Howard even let the newspaper publisher try out (for about 20 feet) the company’s Segway when they used it here for a while. 

He explained how “routines” intersect.  With his criss cross driving around town, he would meet some of the different postal carriers, Carroll Varnell, Teddy Garner, David Adams on their routes and over time could predict who he would find and where.

Outstanding memories?  During his Natchitoches years, “Steel Magnolias” was filmed.  When he rang the doorbell where Sally Fields was staying, he was surprised that the actress herself, not a butler, answered.  Their conversation was pleasant, he recalls, but brief.  Then there was Hurricane Laura here.  “That put a lot of work on us.  It didn’t mess up the gas lines so much but there was a lot of locating lines (damage prevention) when they replaced power poles.”

Barry’s wife of 45 years is Pamela and they make their home in Clarence.  With two grown sons, Brandon and Jonathan, they have three grandchildren.  Members of the Family Church, he says that in retirement, Sunday will be the only day you won’t find him on the lake.  “White perch, the only fish.”

Well, that’s not quite true because is a old tractor enthusiast and actually president of the North LA Vintage Tractor Club which keeps him pretty busy with appearances at fairs and festivals.

Howard concluded that his 25 years working in Winn Parish has been awesome.  “I couldn’t have chosen a better community to work in.  These are the best people in the world.  I got along with everybody from the mayor’s office to the jailhouse.”

Finish with a little humor.  Howard shared an anecdote with the breakfast group about one of the attendees.  “He saw me reading his meter and, knowing I garden, asked me:  “Barry, help me out.  My tomatoes are just starting to turn red but when I come out in the morning, they’re gone!  What do you suppose are getting them?  Coons?  Deer?’  I asked him if he ever thought about the meter reader, then left his yard real quick.”

Paid Advertorial

CRANFORD JORDAN FOR SHERIFF

QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED AND DEDICATED SHERIFF WHO SERVES WINN PARISH.

A SHERIFF WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD.  

HIS WORK WITH THE 911 BOARD, WINN PARISH FIRE DISTRICT #3 AND WINN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS A TESTAMENT FOR HIS ABILITIES TO SERVE OUR PARISH.

Paid for Cranford L Jordan, Jr. Campaign Fund 

Winnfield Senior High School capped its Homecoming 2023 week with a 30-14 victory over district rival Lakeview on Friday night (see related story by Daniel Simmons, with photos courtesy Tiger Snaps).  The stage for the gridiron celebration was set by the announcing of the homecoming court and the Thursday afternoon homecoming parade down Main Street.

Selected as 2023 Queen was Madison Nelson, with Breanna Pray serving as Maid.  Serving as Ladies on the royal court were Olivia Busha, MacKenzie Green, G’Anae Hoard, Da’Tasia James, Kennedy King, Rilend Lawson, Baily Lenard, Tineshia Sapp, Lauren Rouse and Alexia Weston.  The boys escorting the lovely girls were Luke Mercer, Joey Carrithers, Jeylen Givens, Jaterion Hobdy, Henry Craig, Ryan Davis, Eli Little, Jake Jones, Tanner Lawson and Jacob Brouillette. 

For gametime, various classes set up booths on the north end of the track at Stokes-Walker Stadium to gather and celebrate some food and memories.

Pregame activities included the on-field presentation of the court.  Following was the presentation of a huge 30 x 60 American flag donated to the school by WoodmenLife.  Students who had been trained how to properly unfurl the national symbol carried it aloft to midfield where the crowd stood as the WSHS band played The National Anthem.  Students then continued to hold the flag aloft as they carried it to the north end of the stadium where it was mounted, then hoisted of the Winnfield Fire Department’s ladder unit to remain on display throughout the game.

The success of Northwestern State University is vital to Northwest Louisiana.

My wife, Mrs. Laura, is a 1991 Graduate of NSU and nearly 50 of our close family members are graduates of NSU including three of our four parents. Our great grandparents, grandparents, parents, numerous aunts, uncles cousins and siblings were students, athletes, professors, cheerleaders and graduates of NSU.

The beautiful N that lights the night on top of Turpin Stadium was placed in honor of Mrs. Laura’s grandfather E.H. Gilson. He was the Quarterback for the 1939 undefeated Football Team, her Uncle played in the 1960s and her brother played in the 2000s. Her grandmother was the first band majorette for NSU.

Laura worked for several years in the Admissions office, both as a student and in her first post graduate job. She traveled the state recruiting students to attend NSU. She was also on the original founding team of “Freshman Connectors” for incoming NSU students and helped develop the program.

Our families are from Natchitoches for several generations back. I proposed to Mrs. Laura on Front Street.

Our family has bled purple since it was the Normal School, and before the color orange was added.

In this campaign, our opponent’s supporters are spreading ugly rumors that we are somehow anti-NSU. Nothing could be further from the truth!

We are not naive or blind to the current situation at NSU. Changes must be made if we are going to return NSU to the status it deserves as a top regional university. We are committed to making those changes. Most importantly, we have the experience, insight and team ready to make it happen!

It is time for change. I am asking for your vote on Saturday!

WE ARE NORTHWESTERN! 🤘🏻💜🧡

Alan Seabaugh

By: Daniel Simmons
Photos courtesy of Tiger Snaps

After a tough loss to Bunkie in Week 5, the Winnfield Tigers headed into their first district game of the season against the Lakeview Gators with a 1-4 record. Defeating the Gators did not project to be an easy task. During the week the Tigers had to prepare for Lakeview’s unconventional style of play while also dealing with the many distractions brought along by the homecoming festivities. But the Tigers were still able to put it all together Friday night, defeating the Gators by a score of 30-14.

The early moments of the game were not kind to the Tigers at all. They opened the game with the ball, going 3 and out and punting it away to Lakeview. The Gators’ first offensive drive was a long, slow, clock-eating drive that wore down the Tiger defense. On this drive, Tiger defensive lineman Brayden Chandler was injured, and it appeared to be a very significant injury. The injury was later confirmed to be a dislocated hip. The game was stopped for roughly 25 minutes while Chandler was receiving medical attention and being loaded into an ambulance that came onto the field. Play resumed once the ambulance left the field, and the Gators ran for a touchdown on the first play back. The two-point conversion was good, giving the Gators an early 8-0 advantage. The Tigers were prepared for an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, but the Gators executed the onside kick perfectly, as the ball bounced off a Tiger and Lakeview recovered, putting their ball-control offense right back on the field just as soon as they came off of the field.

At this point in the game, things were looking bleak for the Tigers. They hadn’t moved the ball at all on offense, the defense hadn’t stopped the Gator offense, and the energy from their sideline and home crowd had vanished after the injury. Lakeview looked positioned for another long drive that would at minimum tire out the defense even further, and might would add another touchdown to take a two-score lead. But the Tiger defense stepped up and made a play that proved to be the turning point in the game. The Gators botched a handoff, fumbling on the exchange between quarterback and running back. The Tigers recovered the fumble, giving their offense a chance for the first time in what felt like forever. The offense made the most of the opportunity, tying the score at 8 with a touchdown run by Jaylon Jackson and two-point conversion by Malachi Williams. The defense stepped up again on the ensuing offensive possession by the Gators, forcing a turnover on downs in Lakeview territory. All of a sudden, the excitement had returned to the Tiger faithful. Quarterback Damascus Lewis moved the Tigers down the field in multiple ways, running it himself as well as throwing passes to Breylan Starks and Jaylon Jackson. Jeremy Mamon bulldozed in from 2 yards out for a touchdown, then did the exact same thing on the two-point conversion that followed, making the score 16-8 in favor of Winnfield.

Winnfield’s offense was again able to start out with excellent field position on their next drive, as Lakeview turned it over on downs in their own territory again. The Tigers scored another touchdown on a beautiful downfield pass by Damascus Lewis to Ryan Davis. Lewis set his feet and threw a rainbow of a ball deep down the far sideline to Davis, who caught the ball in stride and ran the rest of the way for the touchdown. Jake Jones caught the two-point pass, giving the Tigers a 24-8 lead going into halftime. Lakeview started with the ball in the second half and scored a touchdown on an impressive drive that burned off 8 minutes of game clock. But the Tiger defense stepped up again, stopping Lakeview on the two-point run to keep the Tiger lead a two-score lead. The Gators would not score again for the rest of the night, and the Tigers would add another touchdown on a run by Lewis, arriving at the final score of 30-14.

The Tigers will play their first away game in over a month this week, as they will head west to Many to take on the Many Tigers, last year’s Division III Non-Select state champions. This year’s Many team does not feature star safety/quarterback/punt returner Tackett Curtis, as he has moved on to college ball at USC, but Many is still a very stout team that will give the Tigers a difficult game. Many is 3-2 on the season, most recently defeating Mansfield 42-13.

Paid Advertorial

Winnfield Rotary Club held its Fourth Annual 5K Fun Run/Walk Fundraiser on Saturday, September 30, 2023, in conjunction with the opening of the Winn Parish Fair. Early that morning, beginning at 6 a.m. for the organizers and 7 a.m. for the participants, the “old Coonhunters’ Pavilion” was the site of much activity, including music by DJ Cedric Johnson, and registration of runners and walkers alike. It was a gorgeous clear morning with temperatures between 66 and 70, perfect for a good run!

The children’s one-mile fun run, free to all children between the ages of one and nine, began at 7:30, going down Country Club Road from the Coonhunters’ Pavilion to Hickory Ridge Drive, to the end of Hickory Ridge and back to the Pavilion and was completed before the 8 a.m. start of the 5K run/walk.

The 5K run/walk, open to all ages, traversed Country Club Road, Oak Ridge Drive, and Hickory Ridge Drive. Tyler Pyles, local physical therapist, took first place overall and in the adult category. Colby Pray gave Pyles a run for his money in a last-ditch sprint to the finish and placed first in the teen category. Baron Atkins came in first in the children category.

Winnfield Rotary Club is grateful to all the sponsors of its fundraiser, Price Beville & Smith, Azalea Drive Walkers’ Association, Winn Parish Journal, Laurel Heights Baptist Church, Winnfield First Baptist Church, Vintage Belles Boutique, Tower Loan, Bank of Winnfield, Louisiana Political Museum & Hall of Fame, Gaar’s Mill New Hope Church, Joe Evans, CFP, Mark Shelton, M. D., Inn Parish Medical Center, Winn Community Health Clinic, Jonathon McDow, Attorney at Law, Pharmacy Services, Six C Fabrications, Southern Funeral Home, Lowell Hubbard Logging, P. K. Smith Motors, Sabine Bank & Trust, Winnfield Family Eye Care, and Autumn Leaves Nursing & Rehab.

Funds raised by the event are used by Rotary to provide dictionaries to every fourth grader in Winn Parish, new school uniforms for underprivileged students in kindergarten through fifth grades in Winn Parish, scholarships for Winn Parish students to attend four-year universities and/or Central Louisiana Technical andS Community College, and leadership training for Winn Parish students progressing from their sophomore to junior year in school.

All entrants in both fun runs left the race with bags containing a race T-shirt as well as freebies from the various sponsors of the fundraising event.

All runners in the 5K were timed and may obtain their times from Mary Lou Blackley, race organizer, at blackleym0227@gmail.com or (318) 481-0227.

Art Linkletter of the B&W TV era said “Kids say the darndest things” and proved it time and again when talking with children.  Sometimes we as adults can be put in our place by a child’s comeback.

When the School Board held its October session, one agenda item was “School Spotlight – Dodson High School.”  (I regret that, due to a touch of COVID, I missed the September session which included the spotlight on Calvin High School and BETA standout Lauren Chandler).  Last week, DHS principal Wendy Miller introduced three fifth-graders, sisters Bracey and Brilynn Pritchett and Elijah Shell, who had crafted birch bark hut models.

Before the meeting began, I took the trio outside for a photo to display their replicas of Native American huts for which they’d used the native construction method.  Photo taken, I viewed their work and asked the question, “So what did you use to make these?”  I’d assumed I had just asked one of those rhetorical questions like, “What color was George Washington’s white horse?”  Wrong.

Without flinching, Brilynn looked straight into my eyes and said, “Southern yellow pine.”  Great answer.

Isn’t it grand to be around clusters of happy kids?  It makes 72-year-olds like me feel a little sprier.  Generally the folks we hang with are our own age so we’re talking aches and pains, medications and surgeries.  Or grandkids, a brighter conversation.

Two recent sightings of kids made me smile.  First was at Stokes-Walker Stadium on a home game Friday night.  I move away from the sidelines to sit in the stands for a bit to watch the action.  Not so much action on the field as in the stands themselves.  Everywhere are happy children, so energized with the open air atmosphere and being with friends that the benches are unable to hold them.  They’re compelled to move about.

Many of the young girls are dressed in red and white, often in little cheerleader outfits.  They call excitedly to friends they spot.  The boys, maybe not so tied to school colors, are just as animated as they make their way from here to there and back.  

More children and youth are gathered in the livestock barn as the Winn Parish Fair opens.  They are proud and enthusiastic as they bring in their animal projects that they’ve worked on for so long.  And more youngsters come in, a school bus at a time, to be guided by Junior Leaders through the petting zoo and other Ag Awareness exhibits.  They’re all at ease, having fun and learning as well.

As we look at this youngest generation, so positive with all their hopes and aspirations still unburst before them, let us too take hope that good things lie ahead for them.  And through them, good things ahead for our nation.  

Winnfield’s Main Street was a festive scene on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 5, as Winnfield Senior High School homecoming floats and sports cars carrying the ladies of the Homecoming Court rolled along the familiar route.  (Please see related story for information and photos on Homecoming and the court).

Signs on the floats carried slogans like “Put a Bight on the Gators” and on Friday night, the Tigers did just that, with a 30-14 win over Lakeview.

Children along the route cried out in delight as candy and parade trinkets are thrown their direction from the passing vehicles and the WSHS band plays music fitting the homecoming spirit.

It’s Homecoming 2023.

Winn Parish School Board members, in response to questions at their Oct. 2 meeting, heard that equipment, supplies and materials that may still remain on the Atlanta High School campus are gradually making their way to other schools in the parish.

“It’s an ongoing process,” replied Supt. Alfred Simmons.  “Teachers, principals, janitors and all are going out and taking what can be used elsewhere.  Everyone wants to see that everything is used.”  He pointed out that some equipment would be more damaged than useful if disconnected so it would remain on the property.

In discussion during the committee session a week earlier, the board viewed their next action on a parishwide maintenance tax renewal.  A prior effort had failed, the officials feel, more from lack of information than from opposition.  The board will be advised in upcoming sessions on the tax that “needs to be passed and on the books by December 2024.”

Dodson High School was in the “School Spotlight” on the board’s October agenda and principal Wendy Miller told the members that “great things are happening at Dodson.”

The recent Open House drew more than 300 to view what is going on at the school while organizers and children alike are looking ahead of October 24 when the school will hold the community Fall Festival.  A feature of the “Spotlight” is a view of student achievement at each school.  Mrs. Miller introduced fifth grade teacher Jennifer Page.

Mrs. Page explained that her class was reading “The Birch Bark House” and introduced three students who had built replica birch bark huts using the Native American method to craft their models.  The students were sisters Bacey and Brilynn Pritchet and Elijah Shell.  Asked how they’d done this, the reply was that thin wood strips were soaked in a solution, shaped into a mold and allowed to dry in place.  Mrs. Miller said the projects were to be entered into the parish fair.