During the Winnfield City Council’s March 10 session, Mayor Gerald Hamms recognized two longtime Winn Parish residents with the “Hammy Award” recognizing for their “outstanding dedicational service and unwavering commitment to making a positive impact in our community.”

The first recipient of the Hammy was Audrey Calhoun, the first African American woman in the United States to earn a bachelor’s degree in forestry. Calhoun credited her accomplishments to her roots in Winnfield, citing the people she knew, the schools she attended, and everyone who made a difference in her life. “I always knew that I’d come back to Winnfield,” Calhoun said. Her career with the National Parks Service, much of that in Washington, D.C., spanned from the start of the Richard Nixon presidency through Bill Clinton’s second term (including Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush).

Hamms then presented the award to Bob Holeman. His journalism career included a decade with the weekly Coushatta Citizen followed by a 25-year tenure at the helm of the Winn Parish Enterprise. Though he “retired” in 2008, he began a new journey with online reporting as owner of the Winn Parish Journal. Holeman stated that his work was not so much about the money, but about “providing a service to the community and the opportunity to be involved.”

A stretch of warm, sunny weather is in store for residents of Winn Parish, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.

Conditions will remain bright and pleasant beginning Wednesday, with sunny skies and a high near 85 degrees. Winds will be calm early before becoming light from the south in the afternoon. Clear skies will continue overnight, with temperatures dropping to around 58 degrees.

Sunshine continues through Thursday and Friday, with highs climbing to the mid-80s both days.

Overnight conditions will remain mostly clear, with lows near 59 Thursday night and cooling slightly to around 50 degrees by Friday night.

A noticeable cooldown is expected Saturday, with sunny skies and a high near 71 degrees. Saturday night will be mostly clear and cooler, with lows dipping to around 48 degrees.

By Sunday, temperatures will rebound under sunny skies, with a high near 80 degrees—offering ideal conditions for outdoor plans across the parish.

Forecasters say the extended period of dry weather will provide a great opportunity for residents to enjoy springtime activities throughout Winn Parish.

Local Kiwanians join regional leaders for training, networking, and annual awards

Members of the Kiwanis Club of Winnfield joined fellow Kiwanians from across three states for the LaMissTenn Kiwanis Mid-Winter Education Conference held Saturday, March 21.

Approximately 180 attendees from Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Tennessee participated in the one-day conference, which focused on strengthening local clubs through leadership development, membership growth strategies, fundraising initiatives, and expanded networking opportunities.

Local attendees included Vice President Troy Rogers, Kim Futrell, Secretary-Treasurer Dr. Bill Gaddis, President Mary Lou Blackley, and Margaret Coon.

Throughout the event, participants attended a series of educational sessions designed to support Kiwanis clubs in their community service efforts. The conference also featured an inter-club meeting, where attendees shared ideas and best practices while enjoying a luncheon.

The gathering concluded with the presentation of awards recognizing achievements for the 2024–25 Kiwanis year, highlighting outstanding service and contributions among participating clubs.

Kiwanis International is a global organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and communities through volunteer service and leadership.

Picture left to right: Vice-President Troy Rogers, Kim Futrell, Secretary-Treasurer Dr. Bill Gaddis, President Mary Lou Blackley, and Margaret Coon. 

March is widely recognized as Women’s History Month-a time set aside to celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of women across generations. It is a time to reflect on hard-won progress in education, leadership, and civil rights. But alongside that progress lies a difficult truth that cannot be ignored: domestic violence continues to impact millions of women every year, often in silence.
For decades, women have fought to have their voices heard-not just in boardrooms or at the ballot box, but in their own homes. Historically, domestic violence was dismissed as a private matter, something to be handled behind closed doors. That mindset left countless women without protection or support. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that the issue began to receive the serious attention it deserved, leading to the creation of shelters, legal protections, and advocacy programs.

Today, the conversation has shifted-but the problem remains. Domestic violence cuts across every community, regardless of income, education, or geography. In rural areas especially, victims often face additional barriers: limited access to services, transportation challenges, and a lack of anonymity. These realities make it harder to seek help and easier for abuse to continue unchecked.

Women’s History Month is not only about looking back-it is about taking responsibility in the present. The same courage that fueled past movements must now be applied to protecting women in their most vulnerable moments. Awareness is only the first step. Real change comes from action: supporting local advocacy programs, strengthening community response systems, and ensuring survivors have access to safe housing and resources.

There is also a cultural responsibility. Families, schools, and communities must continue teaching respect, accountability, and healthy relationships. Preventing domestic violence starts long before a crisis occurs. It begins with how we raise the next generation and what behavior we are willing to tolerate.

The legacy of Women’s History Month is built on perseverance and truth. Honoring that legacy means refusing to overlook the realities women still face today. Domestic violence is not just a personal issue-it is a societal one. And until every woman can live safely and with dignity, the work is not finished.

Winn Parish Dart Advocate/ Annie Goods

The Dr. Jerry Williams Memorial Book sale, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Winnfield, has been extended until Thursday, April 2, 2026. This sale features the personal library collection of Dr. Williams, comprising over 2,000 books. The collection contains many mystery novels by Lee Child, James Patterson, Stuart Woods, and other bestselling authors. Also featured are rare children’s titles, WWII and Civil War history, and Louisiana history books. The Kiwanis Club encourages the community to check out this unique collection! All proceeds from this sale will be donated to the Winn Parish Library, where Dr. Williams served as Library Board President until his passing.

With over 30 years of bass tournament experience, I know that every bass angler that wets a hook has one goal in mind when they enter a tournament — win! While we all strive to bring winning sacks to the scales, the stars do not always align and allow that to happen. 

My background as an athlete has proven to be beneficial when it comes to the mental side of tournament bass fishing. The “never give up” mentality is so important as a tournament angler. 

Playing on a Texas state championship high school baseball team was one of my greatest accomplishments as an athlete. Twice during that special run in 1978, our backs were to the wall, but we never gave up and persevered on our way to winning it all. 

We never panicked no matter what the situation was. We stayed strong and committed to each other, making sure things went our way. Tournament bass fishing is no different. There will be days when things just don’t go the way you thought they would.  

But the guys who have a strong mindset, and the “never give up” attitude, seem to always find a way to put fish in the boat. Even if they don’t catch the winning fish, they still make a good showing. 

One of my recent trips to Lake of the Pines brought me so much joy — eventually! It began when the fish I found in practice just did not pan out. Oh, I had lots of excuses as to why they did not bite, but to sum it up, I just did not catch them. 

At 10:30 that tournament morning, I did not have a fish in the boat. I had caught a few, but none that would reach the 14-inch minimum. But I did not panic as I felt the fish would bite a little better in the afternoon due to the full moon we were fishing under. 

I finally put three fish in the boat between 10:30 and noon and then decided to move out of the area where I had found quality fish during practice. There was so much fishing pressure on the lake, I was sure that a lot of the fish I had found the day before had been caught. 

So, I pulled up on a point and made a long cast, and low and behold I caught a solid 3-pounder! I’m thinking, “hmmm, this is a good sign and maybe there’s a good school of bass on this point.” Sure enough, it was loaded with good keeper-size fish including a 5-pounder that threw my bait back to me on one particular cast. 

I anchored down on this spot and for three hours I began to catch over 35 bass off this one point. It was a day you don’t have all the time as an angler and even though I did not catch the winning bag, I had an awesome day on the water and enjoyed a trip I will never forget!

I’m wondering if age has anything to do with how I think now as an angler. At 65 years old, winning tournaments is just not as high on my priority list as it used to be. Oh, I’m still competitive and want to beat the pants off all these young bucks, but then there’s reality.  

But one thing I can say for myself, no matter how much longer I continue to fish bass tournaments, my desire to compete and win will never wane. I just have to remember; it’s not always about winning.

A Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement leader serving multiple parishes across Central Louisiana has completed advanced training through the FBI National Academy.

Capt. John Volentine graduated from the 297th session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, on March 18. He was among 253 law enforcement officers selected from across the United States and internationally to participate in the program.

Volentine serves as captain over enforcement operations across a large region that includes Sabine, Vernon, Natchitoches, Grant, Winn, LaSalle, Avoyelles, Rapides, Catahoula, and Concordia parishes. He has been with the LDWF Enforcement Division since 2005.

The FBI National Academy is known for its intensive 10-week training program focused on leadership, communication, and physical fitness. Participants are chosen based on their experience and leadership within their agencies.

During his career, Volentine has played a role in emergency response efforts during multiple major hurricanes, including Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike, and Harvey. He has also received recognition for his work in wildlife enforcement, including being named Waterfowl Officer of the Year in 2013 and 2014.

In addition to his enforcement duties, Volentine serves as an adjunct instructor at LSU of Alexandria, where he teaches criminal justice courses.

Officials say his completion of the FBI National Academy highlights continued investment in leadership and public safety across Central Louisiana.

When I was a little boy, keys were my thing. Not toys. Not marbles. Not baseball cards. Keys. Real, metal, grownup keys—the kind that clinked in your pocket and made you feel like you had access to the universe.

And I had a source.

My grandfather—Pop—was a policeman. And apparently in the 1960s, Americans were losing keys at a rate that can only be described as “biblical.” Pop would bring me bags of keys. Now, I’m sure it was only three or four at a time, but to my young eyes it looked like Fort Knox had sprung a leak.

I had a ritual. A system. A liturgy of keys.

House keys over here

Car keys over there

Mystery keys (the ones that looked like they opened secret government bunkers) in a special pile

Back then, every car company had its own key design. Ford keys looked like Ford keys. GM keys looked like GM keys. Chrysler keys looked like they were designed on a Friday afternoon. And because Ford also made Mercury, their keys were cousins—interchangeable in shape, though not in function. You could slip a Mercury key into a Ford ignition, but it wasn’t supposed to turn.

Supposed to.

One Friday night, Pop dropped off a fresh batch of keys. I sorted them with the precision of a jeweler. Then I grabbed a couple of Mercury keys and headed outside for what I can only describe as unauthorized field research.

I climbed into our 1961 Ford Galaxie—bench seat, steering wheel the size of a hula hoop, and an ignition switch that sat right on the dashboard like it was daring you to try something foolish.

I inserted a Mercury key.

It fit.

But it didn’t turn.

I inserted another Mercury key.

It fit.

It didn’t turn.

Then came key number three.

I slid it in, gave it a twist, and—VROOOOM—the Ford Galaxie roared to life like it had been waiting all day for a small child to hotwire it.Naturally, I followed the adult pattern I had observed:

I pulled the column shifter down into “D.”

“D” meant go.

And go it did.

The car lurched forward and traveled a majestic, triumphant five feet straight into the side of the house.

The dent remained for forty years, a permanent historical marker commemorating the beginning of my illustrious driving career.

The adults poured out of the house like a fire drill—Mom, Dad, and Pop the policeman.

“How did you start the car?” they asked.

I explained my keybased methodology. Pop immediately cut off my Ford key supply.

I still had a large collection of GM keys, though, and Pop owned a Chevrolet. I had a whole testing plan ready for that vehicle. Sadly, my research program was shut down before Phase Two.

Jesus has given us the keys to the Kingdom—and unlike my MercuryFord experiment, these keys actually belong to us, they always fit, and they never cause property damage.

You’re not locked out.

You’re not stuck in “Park.”

You don’t have to hotwire your way into grace.

The astonishing truth is this:

In Christ, you already hold the keys.

Keys to freedom.

Keys to forgiveness.

Keys to hope.

Keys to a life that actually goes somewhere.

And unlike that 1961 Ford Galaxie, you won’t crash into the side of the house when you use them.

Jesus hands you the keys and says, “Go ahead. Turn the ignition. Live. Move. Be free.”

That’s a Kingdom worth driving toward.

It’s barely spring, and it already feels like summer showed up early. Around here, people aren’t just noticing—it’s becoming the main topic of conversation.

Even the jokes are writing themselves. Crawfish might as well be saying they’re “boiling before the pot now.”

All humor aside, the early heat has folks doing double takes at the calendar and wondering what the rest of the season has in store.

It was the most elaborate presidential inauguration in the history of our country at the time. An estimated one million people witnessed the peaceful transition of power in person. There was a 10-mile, two-and-a-half-hour inaugural parade which escorted incoming president Dwight D. Eisenhower from the Capitol to the White House. The parade was comprised of about 22,000 servicemen and women, 5,000 civilians, 50 state and organizational floats which cost a total of about $100,000, 65 musical units, 350 horses, three elephants, an Alaskan sled dog team, and the first public showing of our military’s most devastating piece of artillery at the time, an 85-ton atomic cannon called “Atomic Annie.” Overhead, a continuous stream of aircraft including 1,100 jet fighters and a fleet of super bombers flew over the parade route. To handle the huge crowds, two formal balls were held simultaneously at opposite sides of the city with President Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower having to be shuttled back and forth between the two for maximum effect. While at previous inaugurations, one or two film stars made appearances, at least 40 stars of film and stage entertained or were guests at the inauguration, more than at any previous inauguration. Newspapers around the world reported that it was the “biggest show ever staged in Washington.”

Hotels charge premium prices, and many desperate people had to pay a “black market bonus” of $100 just to make a hotel reservation. Adjusted for inflation, that would be over $1,200 in today’s money. Some of Washington’s “old families” rented out their luxury homes to millionaires and their friends for up to $3,000 for the week. That would be nearly $37,000 in today’s money. 60 special trains set up “Pullman Cities,” named after the 600 Pullman parlor and sleeper train cars which accommodated about 10,000 visitors. Forty steam locomotives kept constant “full heads of steam” to provide heat and hot water for the Pullman cities. The accommodation committee set up for the purpose of housing the influx of visitors to our nation’s capital referred to it as Operation Headache.

Rather than paying exorbitant fees and fighting the maddening crowds, most people chose to watch the inauguration from the comfort of their own homes. It was broadcast on all three major television networks: ABC, CBS, and NBC. An estimated 29 million people tuned in throughout the day for at least part of the inauguration.

President Eisenhower’s inauguration should have been the highest rated program on television during that era, but it was overshadowed by a regularly scheduled television sitcom shown the night before which depicted something that has happened to every living human being—a child was born. More than 70% of American households, some 44 million people, 15 million more than watched the inauguration, watched the 30-minute sitcom which aired on CBS, a single network. It remains one of the most watched sitcoms in television history. The episode was filmed two months earlier and starred an actress who was really pregnant, a first for television. This comedy showed the fictional chaos that happened leading up to the actress having a baby. The actress in the sitcom went into labor and had a son, named after his father, on the day the episode aired. The episode was titled “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” and starred Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

Sources:

1. The Mail (Adelaide, Australia), January 17, 1953, p.23.

2. Press-Telegram (Long Beach, California), January 20, 1953, p.3.

3. The Roanoke Times, January 21, 1953, p.18.

4. “Inaugurations: 1953 Inauguration,” Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, National Archives, accessed March 15, 2026, https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/eisenhowers-presidential-years/inaugurations.

5. “Lucy Goes to the Hospital,” IMDb.com, accessed March 15, 2026, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0609259/.

“Are you a homeowner who feels stuck because you don’t have enough equity to sell, but still need to bring your monthly housing costs down?”

 See what Ida says 

March 25 marks the birthday of music icon Elton John, born in 1947 in Middlesex, England. Over the course of more than five decades, Elton John has become one of the best-selling artists of all time, known for flamboyant stage costumes, unforgettable melodies and deeply personal songwriting.

Bursting onto the international scene in the early 1970s, Elton John teamed with lyricist Bernie Taupin to create a catalog of hits including “Your Song,” “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “Crocodile Rock.” His blend of pop, rock and theatrical performance redefined what it meant to be a global superstar.

Albums such as “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” cemented his reputation as a musical innovator. Known for his dynamic piano performances and larger-than-life persona, Elton John became synonymous with arena-filling concerts and extravagant tours.

Beyond music, he has been a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and HIV/AIDS awareness through the Elton John AIDS Foundation, using his platform to promote philanthropy and social change.

In 2019, his life and career were dramatized in the biographical film “Rocketman,” introducing his story to a new generation. He also completed a multi-year farewell tour, closing a historic chapter in live performance history.

As fans celebrate his birthday each March 25, Elton John’s influence remains undeniable. From chart-topping hits to cultural impact, his legacy continues to sparkle as brightly as the sequined jackets he made famous.