Courtesy of Brian Montgomery
The information below is a generated summary of the aid and service the Winn Parish Fire Department has lended its community over the course of the year. We thank our local firefighters and EMTs for their vigilance and protection of Winn Parish and all who call it home.
Dennis “Skinny” Hallmark passed something along to me that was special. So special in fact that what I learned on that visit to Alabama with him in 1992 ignited a passion I had never felt before or since. He guided me on my first turkey hunt and when I drew a bead on a gobbler and he dropped, I was hooked just as solidly as if I had mainlined a narcotic.
For the next 20-something years, hunting wild turkeys in spring was my passion and not only did I finally learn how to do it on my own, I have had special opportunities to pass along my love for the sport to several other rookies like I was that day in Alabama.
Sarah Hebert was the first. On opening day of turkey season for youth several years later, I was asked to do for Sarah what Skinny had done for me. In other words, I was her guide for a hunt on what was then the Jackson-Bienville wildlife management area. I was privileged to call in a gobbler for this young teenager and saw in her eyes the same fire I experienced when my Alabama gobbler bit the dust.
Still later after having several successful turkey seasons under my belt, my Ruston friend, Jody Backus, asked if I would accompany him to his property to see if I could guide him to success with gobblers that inhabited his land. He was successful in downing a big gobbler.
Each episode differs in the way it plays out. When I called the gobbler in for young Sarah Hebert, it same right off the roost to the decoy we had set out. The hunt ended quickly because soon after daylight, she was packing out her first longbeard. In Backus’ case, the weather was chilly and nasty and we were on the verge of giving up when at the last minute, a big longbeard decided to make Jody’s day.
On two other occasions, I shared my know-how with a couple of other hunters who took what they had experienced when I guided them to call in and take gobblers on their own. I wasn’t there when Carla Johnson and Ross Downer got their gobblers but their success was almost as gratifying as if I had been there.
Louisiana’s turkey season opened this past Saturday and I found out about another situation in which one hunter guided another hunter, a novice, to take their first longbeard.
My nephew, Dan Dupree, lives on Clear Lake in Natchitoches Parish with his wife, Debbie and two offspring, daughter Rachel who will graduate from college this summer as a nurse and high school senior, Johnathan, who has been successful in killing a gobbler or two.
“I had located some turkeys on our hunting lease and had gone out and scouted to sort of get them located. When opening day came, I had planned to take my dad and guide him but he wasn’t able to go,” said Johnathan. “Rachel asked me if I would take her so rather than going out to chase gobblers on my own, I agreed.”
Rachel had been successful on her deer stand having taken a nice 9 point buck this past deer season but had never tried turkey hunting. They got to the woods early and as it began to get daylight, the gobblers began waking up and long story short, Johnathon used his turkey calls to entice a big longbeard to Rachel’s gun. She dropped the 21 pound bird with a 10 ½ inch beard at 30 yards with one shot from her 20 gauge Remington.
Her reaction? “I’m hooked; I think Johnathon has created something in me that I’m going to love” she said.
That’s the way it is, one hunter helping another experience the thrill of something that means so much to the guide and ultimately to the novice hunter. In my case, my helping Sarah and Jody and Ross and Carla to getting their first gobblers was right up there in soul satisfaction equal to the day Skinny watched me jump up and down with excitement over my first.
That’s the magic turkey hunting induces.
Date: 4-11-24
Name: Jennifer Coker Roberts
Address: Oakdale, LA
Race: White
Sex: Female
Age: 51
Charge: Failure to appear
Date: 4-11-24
Name: Rickey Metton Brown
Address: Dodson, LA
Race: White
Sex: Male
Age: 55
Charge: Failure to appear (x4)
Date: 4-11-24
Name: Tyrone L Perry
Address: Natchitoches, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 31
Charge: Failure to appear
Date: 4-11-24
Name: Marcus T Ford
Address: Winfield, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 46
Charge: Armed Robbery, Accessory to Armed Robbery
Date: 4-13-24
Name: Jorgi A Capps
Address: Georgetown, LA
Race: White
Sex: Female
Age: 34
Charge: Simple battery, Simple assault, Disturbing the peace
Date: 4-14-24
Name: Jared Adams
Address: Sulphur, LA
Race: White
Sex: Male
Age: 40
Charge: Warrant (simple battery)
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.
Date: 4-11-24
Name: Wilbur D Beard JR
Address: Winnfield, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 31
Charge: Direct contempt of court, Simple robbery
Date: 4-11-24
Name: Wilbur Beard III
Address: Winnfield, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: N/A
Charge: Illegal possession of stolen things
Date: 4-11-24
Name: Marcus T Ford
Address: Winnfield, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 46
Charge: Armed Robbery, Criminal Conspiracy (armed robbery)
Date: 4-12-24
Name: Presley Scallion
Address: Goldonna, LA
Race: White
Sex: Female
Age: 25
Charge: Direct contempt of court
Date: 4-13-24
Name: Xavier Wyatt
Address: Homeless
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 27
Charge: Remaining after forbidden
Date: 4-15-24
Name: Angela M Brice
Address: Winnfield, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Female
Age: 40
Charge: Accessories (armed robbery)
Date: 4-16-24
Name: Heather L Johns
Address: Winnfield, LA
Race: White
Sex: Female
Age: 38
Charge: Direct contempt of court (x3)
Date: 4-16-24
Name: Edward Powell
Address: Homeless
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 35
Charge: Direct contempt of court (x2)
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.
Timothy Kent Boyett
March 28, 1963-April 9, 2024
Service: Funeral services for Mr. Boyett held Friday, April 12th, at Cypress Creek Baptist Church. Interment followed in Cypress Creek Cemetery in Dodson, LA.
Michael Ray Klusman
January 18, 1948-April 11, 2024
Service: Memorial services for Mr. Klusman held Saturday, April 13, 2024 at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.
A Town Hall meeting last week brought questions and answers from Winnfield residents concerned about recent peaks in their electric bills.
Speaking and fielding questions April 3 were Kevin Bihm from LEPA, Louisiana Energy & Power Authority which supplies the wholesale power to the city’s substation, and Jarod Taylor of Delta Consulting out of Natchitoches.
Mayor Gerald Hamms, host of the session, opened by telling a good turnout at the A. Leonard Allen Building that he’d brought in the speakers to answer their utility questions. “We want to be as transparent as possible.”
Bihm said he believed he’d brought good news with a report of the rate stabilization program that the city asked for in 2020. LEPA approved and it went into effect in 2022. He explained that it serves to “smooth out” costs over the year. Because the number of kilowatts homeowner use in summer and winter, costs are higher. When heating or cooling is not needed as much in spring and fall, bills are lower. By charging a little more during those slow months, that money that was “put away” can be repaid in summer and winter, thus reducing those bills. Without stabilization, a bill for 2000 kwh would have been $194. With stabilization, it was $161.
Questions indicated that the audience was still unsure. If they set their thermostats at the same temperature as last year, why were costs so much higher this year? They asked. Bihm took that question, noting that from January 12-17, temperatures here were below freezing, reaching down to 11 degrees one night, far colder than last year. “When it’s colder outside, your heater cycles on more often to keep up. It may not turn off at all. The higher bills this winter are not due to high rates but rather to higher consumption.” LEPA also experienced a spike in costs from its suppliers.
He also showed a chart to the audience of the costs charged by dozens of electric cooperatives and investor-owned companies across Louisiana. LEPA was near the top, the second cheapest in the state. Residents with the same usage out in the parish on Entergy would have paid 27% more, he said
Johnny Ray Carpenter asked how fuel adjustment impacts the bills. Bihm replied that the fuel adjustment costs are already part of the wholesale billing to the city. What some may call the “electric bill” might more accurately be called the “utility bill” since it includes water, sewerage and garbage. “You pay in one bill what others might write four different checks for,” said Taylor.
The LEPA rep demonstrated on another graph that for a $101 charge to a city customer, LEPA’s charge to the city was $61. The other $39 is not so much a “fuel adjustment” but “city charges” which generate revenues to supply and man not only the electric department but other city departments that don’t generate much revenue including fire and police. “I’d also call it good news when residents buy electricity from their own municipality because the money stays here.”
As to higher bills during severe weather, consultant Taylor confirmed that heating and cooling is the greatest consumer of kilowatt usage by a homeowner. So where temperatures are really high or really low, weather is the main cost factor. “You never have an issue with air conditioning during the spring or fall.”
Mayor Hamms concluded that the city must act (financially) responsibly “so that we’ll have the money to pay LEPA each month. Otherwise, all the lights would go off.”
Early Voting will be held in the Registrar of Voters office in the Winn Parish Courthouse Saturday, April 13, through Saturday, April 20, (closed Sunday, April 14), said Registrar of Voters Bryan Kelley.
Voting hours will be from 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Voters should enter through the Main Street entrance of the courthouse. The election will be Saturday, April 27.
On the ballot will be two parishwide tax issues, one a 10-year renewal of a half-cent sales tax for Police Jury road maintenance and the second a 10-year property tax of 9.25 mills for the School Board for ongoing maintenance of parish schools.
Also to be considered by voters in Consolidated School District No. 11 (the Dodson/Sikes area) will be a 20-year renewal of the 15-mill property tax currently levied to pay General Obligation Bonds for capital expenditures and improvements in that school district.
Voters are invited to download the GeauxVote app which allows voters to view their individual sample ballot and monitor results on Election night.
Sample ballots are also posted on the wall outside the Registrar of Voters Office.
The total eclipse of the sun on Monday, April 8, was as impressive as you read about, if you’re in the right place. When we learned a year ago that our son’s home in east Texas was in the path of the eclipse, we said we’d like to come. He had the sun-proof glasses and a spare bedroom. All was set.
Then there’s Murphy’s Law. What could go wrong? On our visits to Corsicana, we’re generally greeted by warm, open, blue skies. What if the weather chose that one special day to put on a Louisiana-style overcast or even a rain storm? So we started watching our cell phones for weather forecasts. Sure enough, as April 8 neared, clouds and maybe rain were in the picture. “Bummer,” our kids would say.
We headed west, still optimistic. Friday was beautiful, warm and sunny. But Saturday dawned drab and cloudy, a shroud of fog over the fields. As the day burned away, so did the clouds. By 12:30 (the start time for Monday’s eclipse) all was clear. Same thing happened Sunday. But when Monday arrived the opening curtain looked bleak, with a heavy overcast and rain predicted.
By noon, the sky was mostly cloudy yet the sun peeked through from time to time. With our special glasses handy, we sat on the back patio, glancing up at the sun periodically when it broke through. The eclipse started punctually at 12:20 and over time, between the clouds, we watched the sun’s sphere slowly nibbled away by the moon’s shadow until it looked through the glasses like an orange crescent moon.
Then Murphy’s Law struck…in reverse. As the cloud cover continued drifting eastward, we saw a large expanse of clear blue to the west, headed our direction. The magic and majesty of the eclipse was unfolding. As the shadow neared its totality and the sun was the tiniest sliver, it was as if Old Sol was fighting to resist, sending all its light and energy through that narrow gap. For the sunlight was no longer a warm yellow but an intense, bright white-hot light.
Then it was gone. In the total eclipse, the sun’s face is blocked and only the outer ring of the corona is there to accent the rim of the black shadow. Plus a couple of solar flares visible through binoculars. And, yes, we are now watching the entire four-minute show of the total eclipse through that one large open space in the clouds. It was amazing. The next total eclipse being discussed is two decades out.
On “decades,” Diane and I just marked an event that at one time was a regular feature in weekly newspapers: our 50th Anniversary. We found a nice cabin near Nacogdoches, Texas’ oldest town, and enjoyed a couple of quiet days there before making a short drive through the woods to Corsicana.
So I use this opportunity to answer the question, “To what do you attribute your marriage success?” Just a couple of words: Love. Compromise. Commitment. And the need to have a Christ-centered household.
Our greatest success? I think that Diane and I could each point at one thing or another but in the long run, I think we’d conclude it’s our children. We are given only so much time on this earth so it’s good to see your children carry on the values and beliefs impressed on them by their parents and grandparents.
My son concluded in a card he made for us, “Nothing eclipses the day you met.”
Business items were short at the April meeting of the Winn Parish School Board as the school year draws near its end. The most excitement came during the “School Spotlight” segment of the agenda with presentations from Winn Primary and Winnfield Senior High schools.
While the spotlight generally focuses on students, principals James King and Chase Bartlett used the opportunity praise the efforts of teachers at their schools.
King mentioned that the WPS was preparing for a Family Night April 4 to get the students “pumped up” for the testing that is about to take place and brought with him PE teachers Trish Phelps and Carla Tinnerello who were certainly “pumped up” about new equipment they’ve been able to incorporate into their health and education programs.
Trish Phelps described the 12×19-foot Lü board that has been installed as “above and beyond” any expectations, “bringing cutting edge technology into the gym.”
Lü is described as a video and audio system built for education that allows educators to transform the gym into an engaging and immersive environment. It provides immersive educational environments with giant and bright wall projections, 3-D camera and touch-screen experience.
Carla Tinnerello’s enthusiasm was evident as she described ways the this interactive screen can transform rote learning like math facts into an engaging learning experience for students. “You can build a program to fit your lessons. Add exercises and make it different every day.” She said that the Lü can even break a class into groups with different activities like exercise, dance, shapes and math facts.
“Anything you can put together on a laptop, we can do with this interactive screen in the gym.”
When it came Bartlett’s turn to talk about WSHS, he agreed that students are normally in the spotlight and are, in fact, the primary goal of education. “But I want to spotlight the group that is responsible for the success of our students, and in this care, a very particular group: the faculty and staff at WSHS. It takes us all.
“As our school focuses on excellence, we try to be better tomorrow than we are today. We are all pulling in the same direction.” As he indicated the group of WSHS educators in attendance that night, me mentioned that not all were able to come due to prior commitments, often with other community involvement.
He pointed out that while academics is No. 1 in the educational process, it’s not the only building block that allows students to excel. There are also athletics, club activities, special trips and more that allow teachers to help give students purpose. He boasted on each and stressed that the dedication of educators makes the difference.
In comments at the meeting’s conclusion, Supt. Alfred Simmons said that school testing will begin soon. “Teachers and students have done about all they can do. Now we’ll see the results.” He advised board members of observe education-related matters before the legislature, noting the School Board Association can keep them posted. Dates of note are the Seniors Honor Reception on April 30 and the Retirement Reception that will be held at WMS on May 6 prior to the board’s meeting, also at the school.
The Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame on April 6 hosted its 2024 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the illustrious Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, situated in the heart of Baton Rouge. Steeped in history, the Baton Rouge Capitol Center, formerly known as the Heidelberg Hotel, holds a significant place in Louisiana’s past. Once a favored residence of Governor Huey P. Long, the hotel even boasted a tunnel leading to the old Louisiana State Capitol.
In a nod to Governor Long’s legacy, museum director Shonna Moss felt it appropriate to hold this year’s event at one of Long’s cherished second homes, especially given the museum’s location in Winnfield, the birthplace of the legendary governor.
The ceremony saw the induction of seven distinguished individuals into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame, among them the state’s former governor, John Bel Edwards. Joining Edwards were former Senator Louis Lambert, former State Representative Joe Delpit, Chairman of the Board of Regents Richard Lipsey, former President of the LA Chemical Association Dan Borné, radio journalist and WAFB’s political analyst Jim Engster, and former newspaper reporter and Pulitzer Prize winner Ed Anderson.
With the addition of these seven esteemed gentlemen, the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame now proudly boasts 243 luminaries in Louisiana politics. This diverse group includes journalists, politicos, visionaries, and pundits, all of whom have left an indelible mark on the state’s political landscape.
In addition to honoring individual achievements, the ceremony also recognized the Carter family as the recipient of the prestigious Family of Officeholders Award. The Carter family’s legacy of public service traces back to Judge Burrell Carter, former Mayor of Greensburg and Chief Judge of the First Circuit Court of Appeal. Carrying on his father’s political legacy, Robby Carter serves as the State Representative for District 72 and was recently appointed Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Notably, the Honorable Jay Dardenne, former Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and State Senator, served as the master of ceremonies for the event, adding an extra layer of prestige and significance to the proceedings.
The 2024 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony not only celebrated the accomplishments of these remarkable individuals but also underscored the enduring significance of Louisiana’s rich political history.
Saturday, April 20, has been designated as “City/Parish Cleanup Day” all across Winn, with time for the event set for 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. Volunteer teams of all sorts are being sought.
Organizers point out that this is not just for Winnfield but for Atlanta, Brewton’s Mill, Calvin, Dodson, Jordan Hill, Joyce, Saline Lake, Sikes, St. Maurice, Tannehill, Tullos and all points in between.
In this effort to beautify our communities, all participants are encouraged to “team up.” This is an opportunity for all manners of school groups, youth organizations, churches, clubs, business & industry, friends & family teams to participate.
Note especially with the youth groups, all teams must have an adult sponsor.
As an added bonus for the teams taking part, hamburgers will be served at the Grove Street Recreation Center in Winnfield at 11. Door prizes will also be given.
Teams are encouraged to register at: https://keeplouisibeautiful.org/love-the-boot/volunteer. (Type in 71483).
For more information about the Cleanup Day, call 628-5824 or 628-3939.
Compliments of Rotarian of the Day, Jane Purser, Eddie Jenkins, former Winnfield resident, entertained and informed Winnfield’s Rotary members about the history of Winnfield High School and Senior High School’s in track and field, regaling listeners with the accomplishments of local athletes throughout the years of track and field competition.
Eddie Jenkins was raised in Winnfield and played football and competed in track and field while at WSHS. He says he wasn’t able to return to Winnfield after college as he originally planned because he went into the mental health field, but he still says he is “from Winnfield.” He follows the accomplishments of Winnfield’s football and track and field teams, and has a website devoted to Winnfield football and a Facebook page dedicated to Winnfield track and field.
He pointed out that track and field, although the team is scored by combining the individual members’ placements in their events, is essentially an individual competition in which athletes compete against the clock and other athletes. In the team scoring for each meet, points are awarded for first through sixth places in each event, all points are totaled for each team and the team with the highest score wins the meet. Winnfield’s boys track and field team won its first district title in 1967 and has won the district meet 18 times. In 1984, Winnfield began fielding girls track and field teams which have won the district meet 17 times, including 12 straight from 1995 to 2006.
“It is very difficult for a track and field athlete to even qualify for the state meet,” says Jenkins, “because he must first be in the top four of all athletes in three districts in his event to compete in regionals, and in the top three in regionals just to get to the state track and field meet.” There are three regions in the state, and the top three in each event in the regional meet qualify for the state meet.
Over 160 boys on Winnfield teams have qualified for the state meet, and 21 have won gold medals in their events in the state meet. 115 WSHS girls have qualified for state since 1984, with four winning gold.
Jenkins named several outstanding track and field athletes from Winnfield, including Tom Huffman, who won state gold medals in the 100 and 200 yard dashes in 1910, and Maurice McQuiddy, who competed in the 50, 100 and 220 yard dashes, long jump and pole vault from 1924 to 1926 and won gold medals in the 50, 100, 220 and long jump in 1926, setting the state record in the 100 and 220 that year.
Mike Lewis set a new record of 9.9 In the 100-yard dash as a senior at WSHS in 1972. Winnfield’s Benny Mitchell broke that record in 1982, running a 9.8. Also in 1972 Jerry Keen was undefeated in the state in the 120 high hurdles. “Jerry ran whatever it took to win the race,” says Jenkins, “so whatever the second-place competitor ran, Jerry ran 1/10 or 2/10 of a second faster than that.” He broke McQuiddy’s state record of 10.4 with a 9.9.
Jeffrey Dale set the state record of 48’ 4.75” in the triple jump in 1980, breaking the 44-year-old record of 47” 6” by almost 11 inches. Garlon Powell went to state for WSHS from 1981-1984, winning three medals in triple jump, two in the 110 hurdles and three medals in the 400 and 1600 relay. John Nichols was the star discus thrower from 1985 through 1987, winning gold medals in district, regional and state competitions in the discus each year except 1985 when he won bronze. His personal best in high school was 212 feet, two feet shy of the national record. He also won gold in the shotput at state in 1987. He went on to become the NCAA champion and set the LSU record in discus.
Bridget Webster compete for WSHS from 2003 to 2006 in the 1600 and 3200, winning a total of 13 gold medals and 21 total medals in district, regional and state meets.
The Kiwanis club fundraiser lunch began Sunday afternoon, April 7, with the seasoning of the meat by Dr. Bill Gaddis, Jim Nicol, Troy Rogers and Lamar Tarver.
The cooking crew made up of Jim Nicol, Troy Rogers, Joe Evans, Dylan Womack, Ronnie Dubois and Dr. Gaddis began very early Monday morning at the Farmer’s Market. By 10 a.m. many Kiwanians and helpers(Sabine Bank, Dr. Gaddis’ office staff, Shonna Moss and Megan Nicol) began filling plates.
A total of 499 plates were sold and picked up. The Kiwanis Club expressed appreciation to Jimmy Dale Zimmerman and Autumn Leaves Nursing Home with help from Wyatt Manor preparing the potato salad and green beans. Mac’s Fresh Market provided the bread. Kim Futrell provided the cakes.
The community support allows the local club to provide scholarships and all its endeavors.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.