On Sept. 2, the Winnfield Fire Department visited the Winn Council on Aging to lead a class on fire safety and fall prevention for seniors. Firefighter John Hurt, Capt. Philip Wilkerson and part-time firefighter Cody Lockridge shared practical tips on keeping homes safe, including the importance of working smoke detectors, clearly visible house numbers and everyday precautions to avoid slips and falls.

Residents who do not have smoke detectors are urged to call 318-628-3923

By Annie Goods, Winn Parish DART Advocate
Thoughts of suicide can be frightening. But by reaching out for help or checking in with family and friends, we can avoid devastating outcomes. Comments or thoughts about suicide, also known as suicidal ideation, can begin small, for example, “I wish I wasn’t here” or “Nothing matters.” But over time, they can become more explicit and dangerous.

Here are a few other warning signs of suicide:

• Increased alcohol and drug use.
• Aggressive behavior.
• Withdrawal from friends, family and community.
• Dramatic mood swings.
• Impulsive or reckless behavior.

Suicidal behaviors are a psychiatric emergency. If you or a loved one starts to take any of these steps, seek immediate help from a health care provider or call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

• Collecting and saving pills or buying a weapon.
• Giving away possessions.
• Tying up loose ends, like organizing personal papers or paying off debts.
• Saying goodbye to friends and family.

If you are unsure, a licensed mental health professional can help assess.

Research has found that 46% of people who die by suicide had a known mental health condition. Several other factors may put a person at risk of suicide, including but not limited to:

• A family history of suicide.
• Substance use. Drugs can create mental highs and lows that worsen suicidal thoughts.
• Intoxication. Analysis from the CDC indicates around one in five people who die by suicide had alcohol in their system at the time of death.
• Access to firearms.
• A serious or chronic medical illness.
• Gender. Although more women than men attempt suicide, men are four times more likely to die by suicide.
• A history of trauma or abuse.
• Prolonged stress.
• A recent tragedy or loss.

When a suicide-related crisis occurs, friends and family are often caught off-guard, unprepared and unsure of what to do. The behaviors of a person experiencing a crisis can be unpredictable, changing dramatically without warning. There are a few ways to approach a suicide-related crisis.

• Talk openly and honestly. Don’t be afraid to ask questions like, “Do you have a plan for how you would kill yourself?”
• Remove means such as guns, knives or stockpiled pills.
• Calmly ask simple and direct questions, like “Can I help you call your psychiatrist?”
• If there are multiple people around, have one person speak at a time.
• Express support and concern.
• Don’t argue, threaten or raise your voice.
• Don’t debate whether suicide is right or wrong.
• If you’re nervous, try not to fidget or pace.
• Be patient.

Annie Goods of the Winn Parish DART Office says suicide is not the answer. There is hope. If help is needed, call the 1-800 Suicide Hotline.

When a tyrant dies, his reign ends; When a martyr dies, his reign begins. (Soren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher and theologian).

I was stunned to learn of the murder of Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old husband and father of 2.  He was the founder of Turning Point USA and a funny, witty, highly intelligent, self-taught individual.  His organization sponsored him traveling to college campuses across the country to engage with often confused and misguided college students in respectful, civil debate.  

He addressed many topics in these rallies, including that socialism may not be the best form of government, in light of the extraordinary success of free market capitalism; why transgenderism is so fundamentally unfair, and dangerous, allowing mediocre male athletes to compete in women’s sports and encouraging the butchery and mutilation of young children who are “confused” about their gender; or, how an innocent unborn child, while a creation of her mother and her father, is a genetically distinct and independently sacred life, worthy of protection, with a heartbeat at 18 days, and brain waves measurable at 45 days, after conception. 

He also spoke regularly of the great importance to his life of his Christian faith and strong belief in Almighty God.

And why was he murdered? Well, no one was trying to steal his car, home or money. He was not even an elected official. He was shot and killed for his ideas even though they were stated in a charitable and constructive way. He never advocated for violence; in fact, he warned against it. 

And that is the cruelest irony of all. 

He died because he dared engage in freedom of speech and freedom of conscience on a college campus which, at least traditionally, was a bastion of vigorous intellectual debate and inquiry.  No more, unfortunately. The fascist Thought Police of the violent Lunatic Left were Charlie’s self-appointed judge, jury and executioner.

As recently as the 1960’s, students on college campuses opposed to the Vietnam War demanded to be heard, including engaging in sit-ins in college administrative offices and other forms of civil resistance. Today, the opposite is true.  Today, a conservative speaker on a college campus, if he or she is allowed at all, is often harassed, threatened and shouted down for expressing a dissenting viewpoint.

This is the dark coven of Political Correctness coming home to roost; The ultimate form of Cancel Culture:  Charlie Kirk’s life has literally been cancelled.  Snuffed out.  On live television. Within the eyesight and earshot of 3 thousand students. With millions watching on TV and on-line.  A Public Execution.

And yes, while there is political violence on both sides, I believe in the last decade the vast majority of it has targeted conservatives. That is what caused the death of Charlie Kirk.  The Left, including the national media, have for years relentlessly attacked conservatives deeming them “white supremacists, “Nazis” and “destroyers of democracy.” 

The Left has also deemed speech with which it disagrees to be “violence” to the listener.  It is, then, not difficult to imagine an unstable individual reacting to that “violence” with murder because it’s been justified by powerful Leftist elites who don’t really have a problem with violence being done to conservatives (polling indicates 50% of the Left are not strongly opposed to the killing of Elon Musk or Pres. Trump).  Speech is not violence.  Violence is violence.  In short, while calls to violence arise from the distant fringes of conservatism, calls to violence come from the heart of the Democrat Party.

I will always remember him as the warm, funny and gracious person he was.  I will never forget watching him face a throng of college students, many of whom insulted him, prompting him to chuckle and then share the truth.  

When I think of a life lost in this fashion, I remember something I read many years ago by an author I cannot recall who said on the passing of a loved one that, “sadly, a light has gone out.  There is now an empty place against the sky.”  That is how I will remember him.

However, rather than having silenced a clarion voice for truth, I think his death will ignite a legion of like-minded patriots. I hope his death will serve as a transformative turning point in our nation and culture.  Millions of flames of light have been lit across a broad and peaceful sky. That this continues should be our prayer. 

Royal Alexander

Anyone who has ever met me or knows me well knows that I truly love social media. I sincerely love capturing a moment, finding a way to tie to the goodness of God and sharing it with whoever will stop long enough to read it. I believe in the positive powers of social media when it comes to getting a message out to the masses. I believe in the power of social media to help connect family and friends worldwide. I also love the news outlets on social media. Social media news outlets always share snippets that summarize a story, it fits perfectly into my schedule. No one has time to sit and watch a whole episode of the news. Personally, I’ve always tried to share a balance of content that includes positive things as well as not so positive things that happen to me and my family. I’m known for sharing personal calamities that will hopefully make others feel normal about what they’re going through or offer a small nugget of wisdom gained through years of mistakes.

It is truly my personal brand. I fail. I then share the results and find the silver lining in hopes to never do it again.

Being on social media as much as I am, I have also learned the skill of scrolling past things that offend me or scare me. I scroll so quickly that the content doesn’t have time set up camp in my soul. I have motley crew of social media friends on both sides of the aisles, all ages and all races and nationalities. I have many social media friends with very religious beliefs or some with no religious beliefs at all. I have friends who hate the little town that we live in and I have friends who love the little town that we live in and want to see it thrive. But typically, whatever the case, I have no problem scrolling past anything that will darken my day, dampen my spirit or steal my joy.

Admittingly, sometimes I have to take breaks from social media because I spend too much time presence of scrolling mindlessly while looking for my next laugh or recipe. Too much a good thing can be a bad thing for me.

One of my favorite social media posts are the posts with a positive outcome. This past week our entire small community smiled on social media because a stolen bike was returned to a sweet elderly man who never bothered a soul. On this day we saw the absolute best that social media had to offer.

As the events of this past week began to unfold, that would be the last happy moment I would witness on social media as I know it. This week has truly left me with no words and a heart that is heavily yearning for the Lord to hurry and rescue us from this sad world that we live in.

Some things our eyes are just not meant to see on a replay reel. Our souls were not created by God to watch someone lose their life, watch people cheer over it and scroll on to the next trendy dance on Tik Tik without feeling anything. Both of my daughters shared with me that they watched the video of the Ukrainian refugee girl lose her life on a bus in North Carolina while no one tried to help her. I tried to explain to both of them that it was not normal and how up until a few years ago the media outlets would “blur out” the inappropriate images while warning you. They rarely do that any more. There is such a deep and disturbing craving to see all of the gruesome details on demand.

Lord, may I never become so desensitized and cold hearted where I think it’s okay that a young father of two get gunned down while he is sharing his beliefs at an event where his wife and children are. May my heart never get so hard that I feel nothing when a young refugee girl is murdered on a bus before her life truly even starts. May never be so cruel to wonder if she is here illegally or completed the proper paperwork. May I never get used to seeing defenseless school students run for their lives and talk to news correspondents about how scared they were during a school shooting. May I never turn a blind eye or ear to colleges being locked down because of horrendous threats to the student body. Our souls were not created to continuously handle this much darkness.

The events of this week have sent me running to seek shelter with our Savior and clinging to the eternal hope we have in him. This week has made me seek refuge within the pages of the Word of God more than ever before. This week has reminded me that our home is not here on this earth but in heaven. This week has reminded me that our country needs prayer, unity, revival, forgiveness and spiritual help. We are living in days where crisis after crisis is available at our finger tips to relive as many times as we want to. Even with all of this being said, there is hope in a relationship with the Lord. I invite you to seek refuge in him. Get a Bible, or open your Bible again. Pray for our country. Find a church this Sunday. Lay your cares at the feet of a savior who is waiting on you. We need him more than ever.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is just, whatever is honorable, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about those things.”
Philippians 4:8

Reba Phelps jreba.phelps@gmail.com

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 no deaths to report for this edition, please check back 9-24-25. Thank you.

By Matt Vines 

Preparing to take the helm in December, Superintendent-elect Dr. Troy Bell devoted his first week in Winn Parish to connecting with educators, students and the community.

On Tuesday, Bell met with supervisors and later gathered with central office employees. He began visiting schools Wednesday, starting with Winnfield Senior High School and Winnfield Middle School. Thursday brought visits to Winnfield Primary and Calvin High, while Friday’s stops included Grandparent’s Day at Winnfield Primary and Dodson High.

Bell spoke with principals at each campus about their schools’ achievements as well as areas of concern. He noted the pride shown by each school, the active engagement of students and the dedication of teachers. “There are many positive things happening on our campuses that deserve to be shared more broadly,” he noted. “Strengthening our communication will be a focus moving forward.”

Bell continues to work closely with Superintendent Al Simmons to ensure a smooth transition in leadership and is already turning his attention to upcoming events and building deeper relationships within the school system and parish.

Micah Wolfe, a junior at Winnfield Senior High School, spent part of his summer at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. Founded in 1978, SCAD is a private art school with campuses in Savannah and Atlanta, as well as Lacoste, France. In the 2025 edition of Best Colleges, SCAD is ranked No. 8 among Regional Universities South and No. 4 in Most Innovative Schools.

This summer, Micah chose to study film and TV as well as crafting dynamic characters. In his Script to Screen class, he worked in a small group to develop and produce a short film, taking it from initial concept to final cut. Using only video cameras, computers and their imaginations, Micah and his classmates collaborated to learn about story progression, pre-production, production and post-production. They screened their final films for their parents.

In his illustration class, Micah explored how to design complex characters for games, animated features and television using professional design methods. He studied character silhouettes, created professional character sheets and developed story worlds that connect characters in dynamic and engaging ways. By the end of the workshop, he had completed a fully developed, character-driven story concept.

This is the second summer Micah has attended SCAD Summer Workshops. These experiences have deepened his understanding of the expectations required to pursue a degree from a top art college. Micah completed the program with new skills, more confidence and an eagerness to continue learning as much as he can in this field. Looking ahead, he hopes to attend the SCAD Rising Star program, a four-week summer session designed for high school seniors that awards college credit.

By Rhonda Pharr

The local Cancer Support Group got its beginning in 1993 when Juanita Pharr, battling cancer at that time, was approached by her pastor, Steve Caraway at the First United Methodist Church about the need for a support group for community members battling cancer. With the support of the church, Juanita (although never having led any group like this) decided that it was an important need and agreed to getting one started in our community.

The group started small, but through the years has grown. They began meeting monthly in the parlor at FUMC and shared their celebrations, fears, and concerns with each other. The members were there for each other whether it be sending cards of encouragement or staying on the phone counseling each other through difficult news. They found that this group allowed them to share the fears that they were leery to share with their family members. It allowed them to lay it all on the line with others who were experiencing the same thing and through this they found much needed comfort and peace. Family members and caregivers also attended the meetings and were able to interact with others who faced their fears and concerns which gave them support and comfort as well.

In 1998, Juanita Pharr lost her battle with cancer. To honor her memory the group of survivors at that time decided to rename the group The Juanita Pharr Cancer Support Group. At that time, her husband, William Pharr, had become very active in the support group, continuing the group meetings with the help of Maxine Godman and the other members. They would meet monthly at different locations and have lunch, discuss treatments, new grandbabies, etc. They became a second family to each other. William was later diagnosed with skin cancer and was not only able to view the meetings from the standpoint of a caregiver, but also as a patient. He continued his work with this group until he passed away in 2015. This group also became very active in the local Relay for Life at that time.

In 2025, Juanita and William’s daughter, Rhonda Pharr, approached the administrative board at FUMC, with a dream of starting the Juanita Pharr Cancer Support Group back up for the members of our community. With the overwhelming support of the church, the group began meeting again. “Our goal as a support group is to let cancer patients know that they do not fight this battle alone. They are constantly in our prayers and we are only a phone call away from any help we can give,” stated Rhonda. We are very blessed to have several members of the Relay for Life committee from years ago as part of our group. They have dedicated themselves to this fight for years and we are so happy to have them back fighting this battle with us.

Our group meets the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 5:30 pm in the fellowship hall of the FUMC. We have food, fellowship, words of encouragement, games, speakers, activities, celebrations, prayers…anything we can think of to make our patients fight bearable. We laugh together, cry together when needed, celebrate the joys and most of all cherish the time we all get to spend together.

Through donations from local churches and citizens we have created a fund to help those current cancer patients who are traveling for treatments, etc. We also have homemade soup available for current patients who just do not feel like cooking after treatments thanks to support group member Pat Thurmon. At this time, we are compiling a list of volunteers who would be willing to drive patients in need to local appointments (Natchitoches, Alexandria, Ruston, etc.). We, as a group, strive to help those facing this daily battle in any way we can.

Our meetings are open to anyone whose life has been affected by cancer, whether a patient, friend, family member, caregiver….we invite you all and would love to have you. For more information or to volunteer please contact Juanita Pharr Cancer Support Group on Facebook, by email, juanitapharrcsg@gmail.com , or call 318-332-4713. We would love to have each of you.

Courtesy of Dodson Highschool 

The Dodson junior varsity basketball teams squared off against Georgetown last week, with both the Lady Panthers and Panthers delivering exciting performances on the court.

The Lady Panthers came out strong and held their momentum through all four quarters, securing a 19-13 victory. Defense played a big role in the win, keeping Georgetown from finding a rhythm offensively. Leading in points for Dodson was Bacey Pritchett, who posted the game-high score.

On the boys’ side, the matchup came down to the wire. The Panthers traded baskets with Georgetown throughout the game, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. In the end, Georgetown managed to slip by with a narrow 37-34 win. Ryder Diffey paced Dodson with a strong scoring performance, helping keep the Panthers in contention until the final buzzer.

While the boys fell just short, both teams showed grit and determination, leaving plenty of optimism for the remainder of the season.

The Winn Parish Chamber of Commerce has named Friends Gifts and More as its August 2025 Business of the Month.

Friends first opened in December 2023 and relocated to its current location at 209 South Abel Street a year ago. The business was recognized as the chamber’s New Business of the Year in 2024.

The shop carries a variety of unique gift items, many of which can be personalized. Customers can find school spirit gear, candles and freshies, Bibles and devotionals, jewelry, and specialty engraved items. Friends can even engrave signatures, recipes and messages in a loved one’s handwriting.

The store is owned by Cristy Carter and also features several in-house vendors: Heather Jones with gift items, skinny syrups and bath products; Amy Kelly with dry tea mixes; Mattie Claire Womack with Lucy Goosie handmade bows; and Cindi Beaubouef, also known as Crayon Princess, with hand-painted specialty items.

The chamber expressed its appreciation for the business, noting the value it brings to the community.

Winnfield’s Rotary Club hosted Rotary District 6190 leaders on Aug. 20, 2025, when the district governor visited to meet members of the 98-year-old club, chartered in 1927. Joining him were District 6190 Governor-elect Charlotta Nordyke of Shreveport, Area Assistant Governor Linda Thomas of Leesville, Past District 6190 Governor Wayne French, president of the Leesville Rotary Club, and Steve Scerna, past president of the Leesville club.

Lawrence Caldwell, District 6190 governor for 2025-26, was introduced by Thomas, his assistant governor for the area. Caldwell retired after 42 years in his family’s commercial insurance business. Following retirement, he served as executive director of the Downtown Rotary Club of Shreveport, where he remains a member. He is an avid sportsman and enjoys working with youth in sports.

Caldwell outlined four goals for his term: increasing the number of Rotary clubs and members; increasing donations to the Rotary International Foundation to fund local, national and international projects that support educational, economic and social growth; boosting participation in district activities and events; and improving training and involvement in the district’s Rotary Youth Leadership Award summer camp for rising sophomores.

Nordyke expressed her enthusiasm for serving as district governor in 2027, when the Winnfield Rotary Club will celebrate its 100th anniversary. She encouraged the club to continue its community service projects, including providing school uniforms for economically disadvantaged students, giving dictionaries to all fourth graders in Winn Parish, sending local youth to the district’s RYLA leadership camp and awarding scholarships to graduating seniors.