Champ Clark Lashley
September 10, 1960 – December 3, 2024
Service: Mr. Lashley will be cremated, and a memorial service will be announced by the family at a later date.Please check back for more information. 

Betty Ann Conerly Stokes
August 28, 1950-December 3, 2024
Services: Funeral services for Mrs. Stokes will begin on Friday December 13, 2024, 5 PM in Heritage Rowe Funeral Home and Memorial Park (1352 Belview Road in Leesville, LA) and then again on Saturday December 14, 2024 at 10 AM within Greater Neal Temple of God and Christ (286 Old Alexander Hwy) until the time of final services at 11 AM. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Catherine Ann Griffin
April 9, 1931 – December 4, 2024
Service:  A celebration for Mrs. Griffin took place December 6th, 10:00 am at Bethlehem Baptist Church with graveside to immediately follow within the church cemetery. 

Jessie Dean Dubois Graves
January 5, 1938 – December 4, 2024
Services: Funeral services for Mrs. Graves took place Saturday, December 7, 2024, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, starting 11:00 AM until the time of the final service at 2:00 PM. Interment followed within the French Cemetery.  

Judy Renee Harris
November 23, 1941 – December 1, 2024
Services: Services for Mrs. Harris took place Saturday, December 7, 2024, at Southern Funeral Home. Visitation began at 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM, with final service beginning shortly after. Interment followed within the Sardis Cemetery in Atlanta. 

Jerry Lynn Erskins
December 11, 1940 – December 5, 2024
Services: Graveside funeral services  for Mr. Erskins took place Monday, December 9th 2024, at 11 AM at Wright Cemetery near Sikes, Louisiana. 

Rev. Robert Leon “Bob” Tuggle
September 6, 1940 – December 6, 2024
Services: Graveside funeral services for Mr. Tuggle took Sunday, December 8th, 2024, 2 PM at Old Union Cemetery in Joyce. 

Ronald Leon Stewart
October 1, 1950 – December 9, 2024
Services: Graveside services for Mr. Stewart took place Tuesday, December 10 2024, at 11 AM in New Hope Cemetery (Dodson, LA). 

You deserve a career where talent is recognized and rewarded. When your strengths meet our opportunities, great things can happen. Work and learn from the best in the industry in a fulfilling career with exceptional benefits at RoyOMartin. 

RoyOMartin-Plywood in Chopin, La. is hosting a job fair for production team members and industrial electricians in Natchitoches, La., on December 11, 2024, at the MLK Community Center. Attend one of two sessions, at 3:00 or 5:30 p.m. The starting pay for production team members is $16.74 per hour, potentially increasing your pay to $25 per hour. Industrial electricians’ pay is based on experience, up to $43 per hour. 

At RoyOMartin, people are our number one asset. We are committed to keeping them safe and well and supporting them as they learn and grow. That’s not just lip service. It shows in the variety of benefits and industry-leading employee-development programs we offer such as affordable medical, dental, and vision insurance, our family medical clinic in Alexandria, La., supplemental insurance options, flexible spending accounts, retirement program and profit sharing, paid time off, and transportation assistance. That’s right, catch the bus each shift at the Shop-a-Lott “the Y!”  

Employee safety is RoyOMartin’s #1 priority. We believe that all accidents can be prevented with our “I Believe in Zero Now” (IBiZ) safety philosophy. Our team members are trained to work safely, from new-hire orientation through ongoing job-specific safety training, and each location has designated safety and occupational health professionals. That’s what makes us one of the safest plywood plants in North America.  

See why 750 people call RoyOMartin-Plywood their work family. Learn more about RoyOMartin’s open positions and apply at royomartin.com/careers. Take advantage of this chance to join the RoyOMartin team at the December 11, 2024, Natchitoches Job Fair at the MLK Community Center at 3:00 and 5:30 p.m. 

Three Winn Parish students have begun what they hope would be a six-month trek to Louisiana Student of the Year honors.  Their first phase was marked Monday night when the School Board recognized the parish winners for grade 5, 8 and 12.

Winner at the Grade 5 level is Jackson Compton of Winnfield Middle School.  Winner for Grade 8 is Sienna Box of Calvin High School.  Winner for Grade 12 is Emily Nevils of Winnfield Senior High School.

This is no easy accomplishment, explained instructional supervisor Nancy Crain, district coordinator of this competition.  “It’s quite a bit of work for students and their parents to put together a portfolio.  Included in the process are written essays and personal interviews.  We’ve had three Winn students to make it all the way to state, something a little parish like us should feel fortunate and proud of.”

As part of the presentation, the board heard that the three honorees had first won the school division of their grade categories and a Powerpoint presentation was displayed to show the other school winners.  In 5th Grade, Jase Tinsley took honors at CHS while Dakota Marker was winner at DHS.  In 8th Grade, Brody Tucker was winner at DHS while Braelynn Golemon took honors at WMS.  And for 12th Grade, it was Kyleigh Blundell winning at CHS and Garrett Jones winning at DHS.

Supt. Al Simmons told the gathering that this recognition comes through the Department of Education.  The state sets criteria, the parish implements.  It’s academic including student grades but it also factors in community service and requires both writing skills and the spoken word through interviews for competitors to advance.  It’s a long process as students progress from the school level to district, then zone and regional before arriving at state finals in April.

Following the Board’s congratulations and photos, Mrs. Crain asked the winners and their mothers into her office to discuss some competition details.  Chris Nevils, father of the senior winner Emily, took the opportunity to comment to the board.

“We moved up to Winnfield when our older daughter Kate was 1,” he said.  “One of the reasons of our decision was the school system you have here.  What we’ve seen tonight is proof that this has been the best place for our children and others in Winn.  The teachers here are spinning straw into gold.”  He added that their older daughter was one of the three who made it to state.

A water main break in Winnfield as Thanksgiving approached brought with it a citywide boil advisory but city schools reopened safely after the holiday break when bottled water was transported to the schools by the district’s crews, the Winn Parish School Board heard from Supt. Al Simmons at their December 2 meeting.

The city crew was working on a leak in the main on S. Bevill Street around 10 a.m. Wednesday, November 27, when the line blew out.  The crew continued working until repairs were completed around 2:30 a.m. Thanksgiving morning.  Daily water samples are taken until an “all clear” is given.

The superintendent told the board that the cafeteria managers were especially versed on the advisory then went on to compliment the efforts of cafeteria workers across the parish for the work they went through to put on a Thanksgiving lunch that brought in big crowds of guests before the break.  “It was quite an undertaking, making preparations all week.  There were many guests.  Calvin hosted our Retired Teachers group.  It was a labor of love.”

Dodson High School took its next step towards baseball and softball field improvements with acceptance of lighting bids.  The low bid of $431,726 by Twin City Electric of Monroe was approved.  GeoSport Lighting LLC of St. Gabriel had also submitted a bid of $497,000.  A third contractor was involved in pre-bid conference but did not bid.

In the short Monday session, member Harry Scott asked if the survey of the Atlanta High School property showed that “we own what we think we own” as they prepare to give the library site to the parish library system.  He heard that they do.  He also inquired about the possibility of a bond issue for a parish sports complex and head that, while possible, it would take some study first.

Unable to attend in person, member Dan Taylor participated in the session via speaker telephone.

“The 2024 Winnfield Christmas Parade is just two nights away, set for Friday, December 6, at 6 p.m.

Leading the way will be Grand Marshal Leroy James while as the anchor of the parade will be that always favorite character, Santa Claus.  And there will be plenty of fun in between.

The midweek look at Friday’s weather shows the evening will be cool, at around 50 degrees.  Forecasts also show rain on Thursday and Saturday but parade day Friday looks pretty clear.

Weather will be no factor when the City of Winnfield hosts the traditional Christmas Parade Reception which will be held from 4 until 5 p.m. in the Winn Parish Library at 200 North St. John Street.  City Hall invites the public to “Come celebrate with the parade Grand Marshal and Santa Claus.”  Refreshments will be served.

A light show is scheduled when the parade is over as the City of Winnfield sponsors its fireworks show. Promotions call it “the most beautiful, sparkling light show in the dark.”

It’s all happening two days from now.

Winn voters who have not voted early or absentee will be able to go to their regular polling places this Saturday, December 7, to record their preferences on four Louisiana Constitutional Amendment proposals

Absentee/early voting statistics through the end of the Early Voting period (November 30) showed that a total of 170 individuals took part, with 123 in-person and another 47 absentee (mail) voters, according to Registrar of Voters Bryan Kelley.  That total is about 2% of Winn’s 8,459 registered voters.  (By comparison, 2,714 or 32.1% had voted early at this point in the November Presidential Election). 

Election hours are 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.  Voters need to bring an appropriate photo ID such as a Driver’s License.

Of the early total, 149 were White, 21 were Black and 0 were Other.  Males numbered 79 and Females were 91.  There were 55 Democrat, 90 Republican and 25 Other.

Those four Constitutional Amendment proposals are explained below.  (It’s also posted on the wall outside of the Registrar of Voters Office).

2024 Proposed Constitutional Amendments, December 7 Ballot:

Proposed Amendment No. 1  

Act 405 (2024 Regular Session) – Proposing to amend Article V, Section 25(C) and to add Article V, Section 25(A)(4) of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to the judiciary commission; to require the judiciary commission to conduct certain investigations; to provide for membership of the judiciary commission; to specify an election for submission of the proposition to electors; and to provide a ballot proposition. 

Do you support an amendment to allow the Supreme Court to sanction a judge upon an investigation by the judiciary commission, and provide that the recommended sanction shall be instituted by the judiciary commission or by a majority of the supreme court, and to provide for the appointment of five members of the judiciary commission? (Amends Article V, Section 25(C); adds Article V, Section 25(A)(4)) 

Proposed Amendment No. 2 

Act 406 (2024 Regular Session) – Proposing to add Article III, Section 16(F) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to provide relative to consideration of appropriations bills; to provide for time periods and required information relative thereto; to provide for submission of the proposed amendment to the electors; and to provide for related matters. 

Do you support an amendment to require that the legislature wait for at least forty-eight hours prior to concurring in a conference committee report or amendments to a bill appropriating money? (Adds Article III, Section 16(F)) 

Proposed Amendment No. 3 

Act 407 (2024 Regular Session) – Proposing to amend Article III, Section 2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a) of the Constitution of Louisiana and to add Article III, Section 2(A)(5) of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to regular sessions of the legislature, to allow the legislature to extend a regular session for a limited time period for a specific purpose; to provide for submission of the proposed amendment to the electors; and to provide for related matters. 

Do you support an amendment to allow the legislature to extend a regular session in increments of two days up to a maximum of six days if necessary to pass a bill appropriating money? (Amends Article III, Sections 2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a); Adds Article III, Section 2(A)(5)) 

Proposed Amendment No. 4 

Act 409 (2024 Regular Session) – Proposing to amend Article VII, Section 25 of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to ad valorem tax; to provide for the administration of tax sales of immovable property; to provide for the postponement of taxes under certain circumstances; and to specify an election for submission of the proposition to electors and provide a ballot proposition. 

Do you support an amendment to eliminate mandatory tax sales for nonpayment of property taxes and require the legislature to provide for such procedures by law; to limit the amount of penalty and interest on delinquent property taxes; and to provide for the postponement of property tax payments under certain circumstances? (Amends Article VII, Section 25).

For an unbiased view of what it means to vote for or against each of those amendments, readers may Google “PAR Guide to the 2024 Constitutional Amendments.”

“I spend time with my patients, doing a head-to-toe exam,” APRN Stephanie Simmons tells the Journal with a relaxed smile.  “I’m not rushing it.  I want you to be comfortable, to know I’m here to help you.”

Isn’t that the attitude you want when you go in to the doctor’s office?  It’s not surprising that you’ll find Stephanie at Winn Community Health Center whose refrain is “Proving essential services regardless one’s ability to pay.”

She’s been a nurse for 25 years and has been an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse for the past 12 years.  “I always knew, even as a little girl, that I wanted to be a nurse.  I had two aunts in my neighborhood who were nurses.  I always knew.”

The Winnfield native is a 1994 graduate of WSHS who received her LPN degree from the original Huey P. Long Technical College on S. Jones Street.  She went on to NSU for two more degrees in nursing before receiving her APRN degree at Grambling.  She’s worked elsewhere but keeps coming back to Winnfield “because it’s my home.  These are my people, my friends and it make me feel good to see them do better.”

Asked her role as an APRN with Trinity, she responds it is primary care for the family, “the total range from ages 0 to 100.”  She can diagnose and treat illnesses, give advice, refer to specialists, administer IVs, “everything.  When I do a physical, I want my patients to respond, ‘Wow.  That’s how it ought to be’.”

Her personal style is her trademark.  “I’m very verbal.  I talk to my people to get to know them.  When they see me as their friend, they tend to open up more, knowing that what they tell me isn’t going anywhere else.  It’s between us.  The more I know about what’s going on around them, the more I can understand their whole well-being.”

Stephanie comes from a family of four and, herself, has been married to Billy Harris for 21 years and has three children plus one “bonus” child.  She is celebrating the recent arrival of her first grandchild, a girl.

To see a healthcare professional like Stephanie at Winn Community Health Center, part of the Trinity group, call 318-648-3075.  They are located at 431 W. Lafayette Street in Winnfield, in the shadow of the rising three-story complex that will spaciously house their services.

Many will travel north to Arkansas or east to the mountains to view the annual changing of the colors as nature puts on a show of leaves, shifting from greens to fall splendors.

But you don’t have to travel out of Winn to find some pretty nice snapshots as the leaves here (except pine) change to those autumn hues before turning brown and falling.

When I spot the bright reds or yellows that some trees offer, I’m reminded of a poem we studied in high school by English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley called “Ode to the West Wind.”  He describes this time of year when the brightest colors from their October peak are beginning to fade, soon to be blown away by the wind.  One descriptive sound bite that has stuck with me all these years is, “Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red.”

For a little culture in the Journal, we share a few lines from Shelley’s opening description:

O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being,

Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead

Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,

Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,

Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,

Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed.

(There is much more to his Ode).

Compliments of Rotarian Thomas Little, Kelli Cedars of Lagniappe Home Health informed members of the local Rotary of the many health care and services available to patients while residing in their homes when she spoke here October 23.

These include nursing, nursing assistants, therapists, social workers, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, fall prevention assessment and management by removing fall hazards and installing safety measures, medication assistance, blood pressure and diabetes care and management, and management of IV therapy. Lagniappe’s psychiatric nurse has experience with post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.

Ms. Cedars said all the above services are covered by traditional Medicare coverage. She also cautioned her audience to beware of the lure of reduced premiums with an HMO plan because such plans do not cover a lot of the services available in the home and are restricted to health care providers in a particular network, who are probably not local.

Lagniappe Home Health employs local nurses and therapists. An out-of-town home health care service has nurses who must travel 30 minutes to an hour to provide patient care, which is not feasible in emergency situations.  Ms. Cedar noted the choice of home health provider belongs to the patient, and one need not select the provider recommended by his physician. 

First United Methodist Church in Winnfield will be the scene of a free Community Christmas Concert this Sunday night, December 8.  It will feature Winnfield native Ashley Price Nacquin and her husband Shawn and will begin at 5 p.m.  A reception at the church will follow.

The concert will be a mix of religious and secular music.  Ashley will be playing the piano while Shawn will play both the clarinet and the saxophone.  Ashley grew up in Winnfield and provides music at four churches around this community.  Shawn Nacquin was band director at WSHS in 2022 and 2023 and is now band director at ASH.

“We are excited that she wants to offer this concert to the community,” said Rev. Joel Carter.  “Our church is inviting the community.  We hope they will join us to begin the Holy Season with this traditional Christmas Concert.”  

A free program on hearing loss will be held at the Winn Parish Library on Wednesday, December 11, as part of the Wellness Wednesday series sponsored by the Library, Rapides Foundation, City of Winnfield and LSU AgCenter.

Organizers ask, “Is it hearing loss?  Use the checklist below to screen yourself for hearing loss:”

🔾 Do you have dizziness, pain or ringing in your ears?

🔾 Do people around you often seem to mumble?

🔾 Do you often need to ask people to repeat themselves?

🔾 Do others complain about you turning up the TV too loud?

🔾 Do you have trouble following conversations when more than one person is talking?

🔾 Do you have trouble hearing on the phone?

🔾 Do you have to listen carefully, making an extra effort to understand conversation?

🔾 Do you have trouble hearing in noisy environments, such as a restaurant?

“If the answer is ‘yes’ to one or more, it is recommended that you make an appointment with a certified audiologist for hearing evaluation,” organizers suggest.

Wellness Wednesday on December 11 will begin at 11:30 with lunch and the program will follow at noon.

What I’ve always found interesting is the long-held belief that “America’s enemies always test a new president to see how far they can go.” Well, I’m highly doubtful that will occur now.  They won’t be testing this one. 

Our enemies no doubt already know that the “appeasement” policy of the Obama-Biden Administrations is resoundingly over. 

Rather, our enemies know exactly what they will be getting from Trump II and America—a decisive Commander-in-Chief and a military structure with the capacity to bring overwhelming force against America’s enemies. The result of this, ironically, will be to preserve peace. This was President Reagan’s philosophy of “peace through strength.”

New security measures will undoubtedly include Pres. Trump’s vision of possessing the technology to knock down and destroy incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles. “We will replenish our military and build an Iron Dome missile defense system to ensure that no enemy can strike our homeland,” Trump stated on the campaign.

Such a defense system will no doubt build upon the great Strategic Defense Initiative technology of Pres. Reagan in the 1980s, much as that technology has been deployed for several decades by Israel to defend itself against endless bombing attacks.

Iran, who tried and will continue to try to have Pres. Trump assassinated, is back on its heels. The sanctions Pres. Trump imposed in his first term crushed the economy of that nation, so it was not in a position to continue funding terror campaigns—whether directly or through its proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah—throughout the world.  Those sanctions will be reimposed.

Israel, no doubt, has breathed an enormous sigh of relief.  The Obama-Biden Administrations often only tenuously supported that country and then, often only due to extraordinary pressure by the American people to do so.  Trump will no doubt stand behind Israel and allow it to defend itself by any and all means necessary.

China will no doubt continue to engage in cyberespionage and intellectual theft but will think twice about further dominating weaker nations or commandeering new territories.  This is not only due to robust U.S. military strength but also because China cannot afford to be cut off from trade with America, even with Trump-imposed tariffs.

President Trump will also do what he said he would during the campaign and end the Russia-Ukraine war. This will probably require Ukraine to cede some portion of its territory that Russia has seized but in so doing Ukraine will remain under the protection of the U.S.; to say nothing of the hundreds of billions of dollars it has received from us already.  Russia, in turn, will be looking for a face-saving way to end the conflict.  Despite his statements about the use of nuclear weapons, Vladimir Putin does not want to test Pres. Trump.

Kim Jong Un in North Korea is, as always, engaged in bellicose rhetoric and saber rattling but he also doesn’t want to cross Trump.

As an aside, Elon Musk has commented that the F-35 fighter jet tries to do too many things and does nothing particularly well. Musk thinks the “F-35 fighter is an obsolete and poorly functioning weapon system whose mission is best overtaken by uncrewed aircraft.” (Air @ Space Forces Magazine, J. Tirpak, 11-27-24).   In fact, Musk believes we should move to entirely unmanned fighter aircraft.  If we ever do so we would no longer need to be concerned about many things, including human fighter pilots being killed or pilots losing consciousness and passing out when G forces overwhelm them. 

To that end, I am greatly interested in seeing what reductions Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy conclude can be smartly and strategically made to address the enormous but corroded U.S. military-industrial complex.

This is an exciting time on multiple fronts. The difference is America is again led by a decisive, fearless man who has been tried and has emerged victorious, not only overcoming eight years of relentless bombs and legal attacks from the corrupt Deep State and their media coven, but also surviving two assassination attempts, including one in Butler, PA where he was actually struck by an assassin’s bullet.  In short, America’s domestic political and foreign enemies see a battle-tested man of combat-level courage.

At this time of year when we give thanks for living in America, we must follow Trump’s example and, as did he, we too must thank God for sparing his life and blessing the life of our nation.  Happy Thanksgiving and Christmas season

Over my many years of traveling the country and fishing tournaments, most places and the people that live there are usually friendly. Texas has always held a special place in my heart since I’m from there and there’s nothing like Texan hospitality.  Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma and Arkansas also have some fine folks, but there’s one place you need to proceed with caution; that would be south Louisiana down on the Bayou. 

Now let me clarify the last statement. South Louisiana folks, or Cajuns as they like to be called, are some of the most welcoming people you’ll ever meet. Most have never met a stranger and most have a big heart willing to share their dinner table with anyone. 

But when you get into the swamps and bayous of south Louisiana, the demographics change over to a different kind of soul. These people who live on the swamp see the outside world as infringing on their way of life and do not welcome outsiders with open arms. 

I learned this firsthand during a bass tournament just outside of Morgan City. There’s an area down there where Bob’s Bayou Black Marina is located and was the host for this tournament. The minute you pull up to this marina, it’s like going back in time. It has an earie feel to it and reminds you of the movie, “Deliverance.”

It has a feel that makes you very uncomfortable just getting out of the truck and going inside to pay the boat ramp fee. Locals at the ramp give you a look that simply asks, “Are you lost?” But as I entered the store, I noticed a photo on the wall that was signed by Bassmaster Classic Champion Kevin Van Dam (greatest bass angler of all time) which did make me feel a little more at ease. 

Now being new to this area, I was looking for information; not about what the bass were biting, but where I could and could not run my 20-foot Ranger bass boat. I had heard stories about anglers getting in trouble in the swamp by fishing areas they were not welcome in.  

The gentleman who owned the marina was more than willing to show me on a wall map the areas I should avoid at all costs. Due to horror stories of the past that were embedded in my brain, he had my full attention. 

So, now that I had a good idea as to where I could and could not fish, I dropped my boat in the water and, without fear, headed out for a day of fishing looking for the winning stringer of bass. 

Now if you want to get lost and test your navigational skills, venture into the swamp and bayous of south Louisiana! All I will say is this, “Thank the Lord for GPS!” Because I can now understand the stories I’ve heard of anglers getting lost. It truly is a maze of waterways and canals that seem to branch off in every direction like a state road map. 

While fishing a stretch of a canal, I noticed a house, on stilts of course, just about 50 yards in front of me. As I approached this house, a man walked out holding a 12-gauge shotgun and looking at me in a not so friendly way. He asked me, “Son, are you lost?” I responded with a very kind, “No sir.” 

He then informed me that I had two options, “Leave now or stay for dinner and never be heard from again!” I chose the first option and left that area never to return! It was nice of him to offer me dinner, but I did not want to stay for dessert.

 I’ve also learned through other’s mistakes when dealing with these so-called swamp people. One such unwritten rule is to never enter a canal that has a gate at the front of it. Another fact is that one place you do not want to be after dark would be the Louisiana swamp! Ask Elite Series Pro Gary Kline who found out firsthand just how spooky the swamp can be when the sun goes down.

Gary also found out first-hand how unwelcoming swamp people can be when he was shot at while practicing for the Bassmaster Classic. So, the next time you’re headed for the bayous of south Louisiana, make sure you know the lay of the land and what areas you might want to avoid. 

Till next time, good luck, good fishing and just because it’s December, does not mean the fish won’t bite. You just need to slow down with your presentation and be a little more patient. You might not get as many bites, but the ones you catch will be good ones.  

 Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com