Residents can expect a mix of sunny days and cold nights through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Wednesday will be sunny with calm winds and a high near 51 degrees. Skies will turn partly cloudy Wednesday night, with temperatures dropping to around 25 degrees.

Thursday brings partly sunny skies and a slight warm-up, with highs near 55. Clouds will increase Thursday night, along with a 20 percent chance of showers, and lows near 30.

Friday will be cooler with partly sunny skies and highs near 43. Friday night will be partly cloudy with temperatures falling sharply to around 16 degrees.

The weekend remains dry but chilly. Saturday will be sunny with a high near 35, followed by partly cloudy skies Saturday night and lows near 17. Sunday will bring more sunshine with highs around 44, and mostly clear skies Sunday night as temperatures drop to about 21.

Monday looks sunny with a warming trend, with highs climbing back into the low 50s near 52 degrees.

Residents are advised to dress in layers and take precautions during the colder overnight hours, especially heading into the weekend.

Louisiana snow day essentials: space heater, extension cord, boiling water, generator, candles, and a phone at 3% battery. While some outside the South might chuckle at a Louisiana winter, we know how to stay prepared, make the most of any situation, and get through it together.

Do you have a drawer under your oven? And more importantly—what’s living in there? Cookie sheets? Muffin tins? A colony of plastic lids that haven’t had matching bowls since the Bush administration.

And the bigger question: Are you even using that drawer correctly?

My mother used that drawer for cookie sheets, and therefore—by the sacred laws of Southern motherhood—I was required to do the same. You don’t question Mama’s kitchen theology. You just obey and hope she doesn’t notice you put the castiron skillet in the dishwasher.

But who gets to tell you what’s right? Who shapes your choices? And when does “that’s how Mama did it” turn into “that’s how I got myself into trouble”?

Before we go any further, let me ask something bold: Do you know the truth about oven drawers?

Let me tell you a story.

There’s an old African tale about a man and his beloved lamb. He fed it by hand, played with it, probably let it sleep on the porch. Hard times came, and he had to take the lamb to market.

Three thieves heard about this and cooked up a plan.

As the man walked down the road with the lamb over his shoulders, the first thief said, “Why are you carrying that dog?”

The man laughed. “It’s a lamb.”

A little farther along, the second thief said, “Finelooking dog you’ve got there.”

The man frowned. “It’s… a lamb. Pretty sure.”

Near the market, the third thief shook his head. “Sir, they won’t let you bring a dog in there.”

That did it. The man set the lamb down, stared at it, and thought, “Well, if three different people say it’s a dog, it must be a dog.” And he walked away.

If he’d turned around, he would’ve seen the thieves scooping up his verymuchnotadog lamb and heading home for supper.Now, back to the oven drawer.

For years, I never questioned its purpose. Mama said it was for cookie sheets, so it was for cookie sheets. End of discussion. But like the man with the lamb, I realized I’d let other voices define reality for me.

Then I learned the shocking truth: Some oven drawers are storage drawers… and some are warming drawers.

If your oven is older than your church’s carpet, it’s probably storage. But newer ovens? That drawer might be designed to keep food warm.

Which means: Trying to warm your biscuits in a storage drawer is just wishful thinking. Storing your plastic lids in a warming drawer is how you end up explaining yourself to the fire department.

It is not your mother’s oven.

And that’s the point.

In a world where everyone has an opinion—loudly—and where people will swear up and down that the lamb you’re carrying is a dog, you need a center that doesn’t wobble. You need truth that isn’t based on trends, polls, or whoever shouts the loudest.

You need someone who won’t call darkness “light” just because it’s fashionable.

You need the One who doesn’t change.

You need the One who won’t mislead you for His own gain.

You need the One who tells you the truth—even when three thieves insist otherwise.

And that place, that Person, is where I always end up: Jesus.

Once again I’m going off the rails and taking a break from talking fishing. Those of you that have read my articles from the very beginning know about my history as a kid. Growing up on the streets of Rosenburg, Texas, and Houston, made me a little tougher than most kids my age. I knew first-hand by the age of 8 what it was like to be footloose and fancy free running the streets ‘til all hours of the night, with zero guidance.

While my biological mother was more concerned with her modeling career and surviving the beatings she took at the hands of my stepdad, I was just trying to survive. I was the one sneaking into houses looking for a quick meal.

The one thing I always wondered — where was my real dad during all of this and why did I never get to meet him? Why was he never involved in my life?

Was this his choice to avoid contact with me or was there some kind of a mutual agreement between my mother and him that he was to never reach out to me for any reason?

These are questions that I’ll never get the answers to until the day I’m reunited with my dad and the loved ones who have crossed over to the other side. But as a father myself, I cannot imagine having a child in this world and not knowing who or where they were.

I’ve always heard that my athletic abilities came from my dad. I’ve heard stories from my older brother, Mike (we share the same mom and dad), on the kind of dad he was to him and how he supported him and his athletic career.

But the same questions continue to go through my head today, even at the age of 64. How was it that we never met? Why didn’t he reach out to me?

Every kid wants that relationship with their dad. A dad plays an important role in the development of a young boy growing into a man. He also provides a sense of security to all his children that no matter what, dad always has their back.

He provides advice and guidance for life’s troubled journey and teaches how to navigate those trials and tribulations. He’s the man who jerks a knot in your tail when you need correcting or get out of line. He’s the rock you look up to and hope to make proud one day. He’s the man you only hope you can be one day.

But for me, that connection was never made. The years went by with zero contact from the man that I only heard about from relatives. From what I’ve been able to learn over the years, he had a good side and a bad side.

I’ve been told that he enjoyed his Friday and Saturday nights at local taverns, but he also had wandering eyes for the ladies and traded one for another frequently. Guess this is why he and my mother divorced while she was pregnant with me. All total, he was married seven times (the legal limit in Texas) and once to the same lady, twice.

So, maybe those that knew him thought it was in my best interest NOT to have a relationship with him; that nothing good would come out of us having that father-son bond that a boy wants with his dad.

But looking back, he missed out on so much of my life’s great experiences. Things that a dad is supposed to be there for like a high school state championship, graduation, signing an athletic scholarship, getting married, being drafted by a Major League Baseball team and so much more! He missed out on so many of my life’s ups and downs — and three great grandkids.

Growing up, I had the best childhood a young boy could ever ask for while being raised by my aunt and uncle in an awesome small town in East Texas. My uncle, who I called Dad after being adopted, was a great provider and taught me about responsibility and hard work while growing up on a ranch. He assumed the role of a loving father as best he could, but it’s just not the same.

There’s something about having a relationship with the man you share the same DNA with as it completes the internal connection — the connection that only a father can have with his children.

So, I know the day will come when I’ll get all my questions answered. I’ll finally get to meet the father I never met. But in the meantime, I’ll do my best to be the best father I can be to all three of my children.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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Freida Sue Howell “MeMe” Brown, age 77, of Dodson, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 22, 2026, in Winnfield, Louisiana. Born on August 16, 1948, in Winnfield to the late Julian Franklin Howell and Rebecca Dees Howell, Freida was a graduate of Dodson High School. She spent many years as a dedicated employee of Nichols Department Store, where she was well known and warmly regarded by customers and coworkers alike.

A woman of Baptist faith, Freida lived her life grounded in devotion to family and quiet kindness. She enjoyed traveling and exploring new places, but her greatest joy and true passion were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who were the center of her world. She also had a fondness for collecting Southwestern décor and was known for raising and caring for cats and raccoons, reflecting her gentle and nurturing spirit.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Travis Melton Brown, and her sister Patricia Ann Jacobs. Those left to cherish her memory include her sons, Ricky Melton Brown and Marshall DeWayne Brown; her grandchildren, Paige (Cody), Hannah (Alex), Lane, Reagan (Tyler), Jesse, and Gracie; her great-grandchildren, Wyatt, Cade, Whitley Cate, Emersyn, Blaine, Stetsyn, Briggs, Sutton, Hudson, and one on the way, Adeline; her siblings, Willie Howell, Robert Howell, Jay Howell, Mary Oliver, Jenny Vines, Gloria Harkins, and Bert Howell; along with numerous nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 29, 2026, in the Chapel of Southern Funeral Home. Interment will follow in the Cypress Creek Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family on Wednesday, January 29, 2026, at the Southern Funeral from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and also on Thursday from 12:00 p.m. (noon) until time of services.

January 28, 1986, stands as one of the darkest days in the history of space exploration. Just 73 seconds after liftoff, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven crew members and shocking viewers around the world.

The mission had drawn unprecedented public attention due to the presence of Christa McAuliffe, a New Hampshire schoolteacher selected to become the first civilian educator in space. Millions of students watched the launch live in classrooms, making the tragedy especially traumatic for a generation of Americans.

Investigations later determined that the disaster was caused by the failure of O-ring seals in one of the shuttle’s solid rocket boosters. Cold temperatures on the morning of the launch compromised the seals, allowing hot gases to escape and ultimately leading to structural failure. Evidence revealed that engineers had raised concerns about the risks, but those warnings were not acted upon.

In the aftermath, NASA grounded the shuttle fleet and launched an extensive review of its procedures, management culture, and safety protocols. The Rogers Commission’s findings led to significant changes within the agency, emphasizing the importance of engineering judgment and transparency in decision-making.

The Challenger disaster reshaped public perception of space travel, underscoring the inherent risks of exploration. Memorials, scholarships, and educational programs were established in honor of the crew, ensuring their legacy would inspire future generations.

January 28 serves as a solemn reminder that progress often comes at great cost. The lessons learned from Challenger continue to influence aerospace safety and remind the nation of the human lives behind scientific ambition.

Interim CEO for Winn Parish Medical Center Ashley spoke to the Kiwanis Club, Tuesday, January 13th. She was accompanied by the CFO Judy LaCroix who had been at the hospital for 2 years. Mrs. Files has been employed by the hospital for 26 years beginning in administration, then in human resources and marketing. In her time at WPMC she has seen a lot of changes and CEOs. She was excited to step into the Interim CEO position although she is still doing human resources and training someone to do payroll.

The big news at the hospital is that they have signed an affiliation with Oschner Health to work on initiatives and to improve healthcare in Winn Parish. It will bring in more services and better access to care in our rural area. It also offers opportunities in recruitment and a system update. The system update offers telehealth visits and telestroke which is beneficial for a person is having a stroke to have access to specialized care.

Winn Wellness will be moving to its new location (the old Fred’s/Walmart building) at the end of this quarter. This will give them more room. They will be able to bring in more specialists. Winn Wellness offers primary care with Dr. Mark Shelton, Dr. Julio Iglesias, and PA Tony Acosta. Winn Rural Health is Dr. Bethany Citerella and NP Jamie Goleman. Pediatrics is PNP Ginger Roberts. At this time the specialists are Dr. James Lee, surgery; Dr. Kerry Byrnes, surgery; NP Kay Shepherd, wound care; NP Railey Garrett, orthopedics; Dr. Padam Hirachan, nephrology; and Dr. Joseph Landreneau, cardiology.
The hospital also offers lab, radiology and MRI services. Any out of town provider can send orders and you can have your tests done locally. The Specialty Clinic is available for physical therapy and offers dry needling with a doctor’s order.

The Circle is a senior’s group for persons 50+. They meet the last Tuesday of the month at 2 PM in the cafe. They have speakers and refreshments. There is also a pastor’s group that meets once a quarter.
The hospital was established in 1948 and has been in continual existence since then. At this time they are under Allegiance Healthcare which is a management company. In 2024 including payroll, taxes, utilities and civic donations they spent $12,842,000 in our community. We are very fortunate to have the hospital here and good things are coming in the future.

Winn Parish residents should brace for a soggy midweek period that will give way to bitter cold and the potential for icy, hazardous conditions by the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
Rain is expected throughout Wednesday, with highs near 57 degrees and southeast winds around 5 mph. The chance of precipitation stands at 80 percent. Showers will continue into Wednesday night, with the possibility of a thunderstorm before 3 a.m. Rain remains likely overnight as temperatures dip to around 48 degrees. Winds will become calm by late night.

Thursday brings continued cloudy skies with a 30 percent chance of rain, mainly during the morning hours. Highs will reach near 59 degrees. Thursday night remains cloudy with another 30 percent chance of rain after midnight and lows near 46.

By Friday, clouds linger and rain chances increase again, especially after noon. Highs will be near 55 degrees. Conditions take a dramatic turn Friday night as temperatures plunge to around 25 degrees. Rain is expected before midnight, transitioning to rain or freezing rain as colder air moves in. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Saturday poses the greatest risk, as freezing rain and sleet are likely before noon, followed by a mix of rain, freezing rain, and sleet throughout the day. Highs will struggle to reach 33 degrees, creating a high potential for icy roads, bridges, and elevated surfaces. Saturday night remains cloudy with lows near 20 and continued chances for freezing rain and sleet.

Sunday offers only slight improvement, with a small chance of rain or freezing rain under partly sunny skies. Highs will hover near 37 degrees before falling to around 18 Sunday night.

Conditions improve Monday, with mostly sunny skies and a high near 46.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed and prepare for possible winter weather impacts, including dangerous travel conditions and potential power outages from late Friday through the weekend.