Registration is now officially open for the Winn Parish Library’s 2026 Summer Reading Program, giving children and families across the parish an opportunity to stay engaged in reading and educational activities throughout the summer months.
This year’s theme, “Plant a Seed, Read,” combines literacy with agriculture and outdoor-inspired learning as the library encourages students to continue building reading skills while school is out for the summer.

According to library officials, the Summer Reading Program will run from April 27 through July 13 and is open to participants throughout Winn Parish.

Families may register online from home and later pick up their program packets at a local library branch, or they can visit a branch location and complete registration in person with assistance from library staff.

The annual program is designed to promote reading, creativity, and lifelong learning among children and students during the summer break. Participants typically have opportunities to earn prizes, track reading progress, and participate in themed activities and events.

The Winn Parish Library encourages parents and guardians to sign children up early so they can take full advantage of the summer program offerings.

Additional information and online registration are available through the Winn Parish Library website.

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The Louisiana Department of Health is urging residents to prioritize water safety as summer approaches, reminding families that strong safety practices can help prevent drownings and serious water-related injuries, particularly among children.

The reminder comes as Gov. Jeff Landry has proclaimed May as Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund Swim Safety Month.

According to recent data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the fourth leading cause of injury-related deaths among children ages 0 to 14 in Louisiana.

LDH officials said most drownings are preventable and often happen quickly and quietly. Between 2022 and 2024, 55 children drowned in Louisiana, according to the LDH Office of Public Health. More than half of those children were unsupervised, and 42 percent drowned in water areas without proper protective barriers. Most incidents occurred in swimming pools.

An additional 54 children were hospitalized due to nonfatal drownings or near-drownings, which health officials say can lead to lifelong disabilities and permanent developmental impacts.

State health officials are encouraging parents and caregivers to actively supervise children whenever they are near water, keep young children within arm’s reach and never leave children unattended around pools, lakes or other bodies of water.

The department also recommends enrolling children in swim lessons at an early age, installing protective barriers and self-latching gates around pools, ensuring pools and spas have compliant drain covers and teaching children to avoid pool drains.

Officials say extra caution should be used in open water environments such as lakes and beaches, where conditions can include low visibility, changing depths, currents and underwater hazards.

Families are also encouraged to use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets during boating and water recreation activities, avoid alcohol while swimming or supervising children and learn CPR and basic rescue skills in case of emergencies.

Additional water safety information, swim lesson resources and CPR class information are available through the Louisiana Department of Health.

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The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) approved a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to conduct a recreational alligator hunting season from Oct. 1-31, 2026. The action came during the LWFC’s May meeting Thursday (May 7) in Baton Rouge.

“We are proud to increase recreational opportunity for Louisiana sportsmen and women across the state with this exciting new season,” said LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth. “The American Alligator is a true conservation success story, and by being able to have a recreational season, we are able to further promote this success and the rich hunting heritage that makes up the Louisiana way of life.”

The recreational season would be separate from the commercial season. Properties already issued commercial harvest tags are excluded from recreational eligibility. Alligators, hides, meat and parts taken under a recreational hide tag may not be sold, bartered or commingled with commercial-tag alligators.

The recreational season would be conducted by lottery. Only Louisiana residents may apply. A total of 5,000 participants would be selected with two recreational alligator hide tags issued to each participant. Immediate tag attachment upon harvest and tag validation within 72 hours via department portal, LA Wallet, phone, or LouisianaOutdoors.com, is required.

Method of take is restricted to hook and line, or snatch hook only — anchored, tethered, or originating from immovable eligible property with written landowner permission. Pole hunting and free shooting is prohibited.

There would be eight zones statewide with recreational opportunity in each zone. Zones B and C would have 1,250 participants, Zone A 500 participants and zones D, E, F, G and H 400 participants each.. A recreational alligator hunter must possess a basic hunting license, the recreational alligator hunting license, valid recreational hide tags and written proof of land ownership or permission.  A recreational alligator hunting license would be $25 for residents and $150 for non-residents.

To see the full NOI, visit the LDWF Alligator Hunting webpage.

Public comment on the NOI will be accepted through June 26. Comments may be submitted to LDWF Alligator Program Manager Jeb Linscombe at LDWF, 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette, LA, 70506, or by email at jlinscombe@wlf.la.gov.

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I’ve always heard the saying that “some things never change,” but that would not be the case for bass tournaments. When you look back at tournament participation over the last 10 years, one thing is very apparent; anglers have walked away from bass tournaments. 

Let’s look at some of the reasons that might explain why participation is down. But understand this, you can’t point your finger at just one reason. First and foremost, we are living in a different time as compared to the hay day of tournament bass fishing that was the 1990s and early 2000s.

After the conclusion of the COVID outbreak in 2021, for some reason tournament participation has gone south. Tournaments were at full strength during COVID as anglers were looking for an escape from isolation. Bass boat sales were out the roof nationwide with people retreating to the outdoors. 

All the major tournament trails were filling up with a maximum number of entries anywhere from 200 to 300 boats or more. But a couple of years after COVID, for whatever reason, anglers quit showing up. 

That was about the time forward-facing sonar became an issue. Nothing in the last 40 years has had as much controversial impact than forward-facing sonar. 

Now I’m not pointing the finger at this alone because it may be just a coincidence that anglers were dropping out of tournaments. But for the last five years, anglers have come up with other reasons for not fishing competitively. 

Some say it’s the economy, but I’m not totally buying into this idea. One thing about bass tournament anglers, they will do whatever it takes to make sure they can still compete even if it means selling their youngest child or their wife getting a second job in order to save enough money for them to fish the next tournament. 

While I’m joking about them selling their youngest child, there is one thing that seems to be a common variable to anglers not showing up: gas prices! Back in 2014 when a tank of gas cost you an arm and a leg ($4 a gallon), anglers decided to park their high-dollar bass boats.

While gas prices can have an influence on whether anglers fish or not, presently we are once again on the verge of anglers parking their boats as gas prices continue to rise due to the war with Iran. 

Here’s a major concern of mine that I think is having a negative effect on tournaments … cheaters! Over the last two years, there have been more anglers disqualified for rules violations and more people who have been caught cheating. 

This has given the sport a black eye and is just another reason anglers are thinking twice before entering a tournament. They just don’t trust that someone is not cheating! Even on local weeknight shootouts, there have been anglers caught cheating just to win a couple hundred dollars. 

So, even with all the reasons we’ve mentioned, one angler recently summed it up as to why tournament participation is down nationwide: “It’s just not fun any more!”

Very few of us fish for a living. We love tournaments because we enjoy the comradery and the competition. Most guys are perfectly happy if they just get a check to help cover their gas, hotel and food. 

But it’s sad that we live in a world today where there will always be a couple of bad apples that can ruin it for everybody. I just hope that one day anglers can look forward to fishing a tournament and not have to worry if someone is cheating. 

Hopefully the heyday of tournament bass fishing is not over. But it’s going to take time for some anglers to return to the sport they love. Tournament organizations are in a pickle today trying to figure out the formula that will encourage tournament anglers to return.

Every tournament trail is always attempting to get more anglers to enter their events. Their dilemma is trying to figure out who should be their target demographic group. Should they cater to the younger generation (18 to 34) or try to get the 35 and older anglers back? 

There’s one key component they’ll need to factor in when getting more anglers to return; they must gain their trust again.   

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SHIRLEY’S OBITUARY

Shirley went to her Heavenly Home on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. On a Monday the 12th of January, 1931 in Alexandria, La. Shirley Ray Lewis was born to parents Rayford Earl and Ninon Shirley Lewis. This beautiful child grew up to love life, her Lord and God’s creations especially flowers, birds, bees, butterflies and animals. She went to high school in Winnfield, Louisiana and graduated in 1948. She graduated college in 1952 from Texas State College for Women in Denton TX and worked for a year in Kingsville TX as a PE teacher. She also worked as a counselor for Heart of the Hills camp in Texas and Camp Nacanowa in Crossville TN.

She enjoyed being a Girl Scout leader for many years and taught us girls so many things from athletics to crafts to swimming and even a little cooking. She was a lifeguard and used her skills to save a friend’s life in Saline Lake many years ago. But most of all she enjoyed family. She participated in Bible Study Group, Home Demonstration Club and worked at the Food Pantry. Shirley supported the Winn Parish Fair by working in the Home Demonstration booth. She entered and won awards for the submission of many types of flowers, canned food items and photography entries.

She was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women’s group and sang in the Choir. For many years, she prepared the flower arrangements for the altar at the Methodist Church.

She may have borrowed some flowers but she said that was for the Lord’s use so it was allowed.

Her passions, aside from her family, were helping children, serving her church, appreciating nature and recognizing our military servers. She was an excellent seamstress and cook. She was also skilled in scrapbooking, metal art work, decoupage, canning and stained glass art. She was “born to play” ( her choice words). Photography was a hobby she enjoyed. She had a few of her photos accepted for publication in “Birds and Blooms” magazine.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years Donovan Hearn Walsh and her parents Ninon Watson Lewis and Rayford Earl Lewis.

She is survived by her daughter, Susan Walsh Skains,(Terry) her grandchildren Allison Harrison (Matt), Michael Etheridge(Krystal), grandchildren by marriage, Jennifer Skains Finkelson (Keith) and Dennis Skains. She is survived by seven great grandchildren: Shelby and Patrick Harrison, Logan, Luke and Lex Etheridge and Hunter and Austin Finkelson. She is also survived by her favorite brother, John Ford Lewis and wife Judy of Navarre Beach, Florida.

Visitation will be Friday, May 15, 2026 from 4-7 p.m. at Southern Funeral Home of Winnfield. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 16, 2026 in the First United Methodist Church of Winnfield. There will be a visitation prior to the service starting at 10:00 a.m. Internment will be following at the Winnfield

Cemetery under the direction of Southern Funeral Home of Winnfield.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the organization or church of your choice, the Community Food Pantry at P. O. Box 302 Winnfield, LA 71483; St. Jude, Gary Sinese Organization that were some of her favorites.

Messages of condolence and sympathy may be extend to the family online by visiting http://www.southernfuneralhome.com

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Graduation season is officially here, which means students across Louisiana are preparing for one of life’s biggest milestones… and one of its longest ceremonies. Between the packed auditoriums, nervous sweating, endless speeches, and the fear of tripping on stage, every graduate knows survival requires a few essentials: graduation cords, a portable fan, sunglasses for hiding tired eyes from cramming for finals, and a fully charged phone ready for photos the second it’s over.

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Several years ago, a radio station in San Francisco conducted a nonscientific listener survey. Sixty-eight percent of the people surveyed were for it. Twenty percent were against it. The remaining twelve percent had no opinion on the matter. So the radio station concluded from this nonscientific survey that the vast majority were in favor of it. The funny part is that the radio station never asked a question. It was an illustration of the bandwagon effect. If you get enough people walking down South Trenton Street in the same direction at nearly the same time, a parade is likely to break out.

I could go on one of my rants about people not thinking critically about political, educational, existential, or spiritual matters — but I won’t. I will say this: you need to read more than just the headlines on the website. You need to read the article. And you need to read more than one verse of the Bible if you want the whole picture. We often form opinions based on emotion rather than actually thinking something through. (I know — shocking.)

I talk about this because when people find out I’m a minister, they usually ask a question that goes something like this: “Do Methodists believe in drinking wine and playing cards at the dance held on Sunday afternoon at the movie theater?” This is not a serious question, but the ones people ask me are just as funny. When someone asks me about a specific “sin,” I usually ask them what they think. You might be surprised to know that people are looking for direction and validation in their lives. I’m amused that they mostly want to know if I’m AGAINST the same things they’re against. Often, in seeking direction and validation for our spiritual position, we join a church where people “think like we do.”

Nonchurch folks define the congregation of Trinity Methodist in two ways: by who attends our church, and by what we are AGAINST. I have a list of jokes to prove my point, but space doesn’t allow me to share them. (You’re welcome.) In church life, the bandwagon is joined as much for what a church is against as for what the church believes. But do you really want anyone defining you by what you’re against?

Now here’s what I want you to hear — and I want you to hear it louder than any bandwagon rolling down the street. I am FOR YOU. I believe God loves you just the way you are — not the “improved,” “cleanedup,” “Sundaybest” version of you, but the real you, the one who sometimes burns the biscuits, loses their patience, and wonders if they’re getting any of this right. You don’t have to do one single thing to earn God’s love. Not one. I believe God wants the best for you — and your “best” doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. God loves you so much that He sent Jesus into the world to show us that love with skin on.

And if you’ve never heard anyone say this plainly, let me be the first: you matter, you are loved, and heaven is not rolling its eyes at you. God is not waiting for you to get your act together — God is already cheering for you, believing in you, and walking with you.

What do you believe?

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After 22 years of shared finances, a new disagreement puts one couple at odds: should they help an adult son with car payments, or protect their retirement?

 See what Ida says 

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The Natchitoches Jazz&R&B Festival, which is celebrating its 29th year on May 15-16 is widely regarded as one of the top if not, THE top music festivals in north Louisiana. 

According to festival chairman Rodney Harrington, the event is the culmination of a year long community effort and would not be possible without the generous support of area businesses, concertgoers, and musicians.

“First and foremost, we have a super hard-working board of directors and core group of volunteers who work all year long for no other reason than to help provide good quality musical entertainment for the people of our area and beyond,” said Harrington.

“The festival simply wouldn’t happen without the generosity of our sponsors or partners as we call them”, Harrington continued, “they step up to the plate year after year and allow us to put on a top quality festival featuring A-list artists  and first class sound and production.”

Harrington did say that ticket sales are critical, however, and at the end of the day, it’s all about putting” butts in the seats.”

“With advance online ticket sales, we are able to track where our purchases are coming from and it’s pretty eye-opening,” Harrington said, “ we have folks coming to this festival from literally all over the country, although we rely heavily upon people who are in driving distance.”

He encourages local businesses which, for whatever reason, did not become sponsors, to please consider buying tickets to give to their employees and/or customers. 

Harrington says that the festival was started over 30 years ago mainly to provide a venue for local musicians to perform and it still maintains its loyalty to that group.

“The lineup of performers includes lots of local acts and they are going to be amongst the best you’ll see at the festival, “says Harrington.

For the first time, this year’s festival will feature a stage where all performers will play only their original music.  This will be in the beautiful setting of Beau Jardin and will be presented in cooperation with The Natchitoches Original Music Showcase.

BREAKING NEWS ALERT:  VIP TICKETS ARE NEARLY SOLD OUT AND THE JAZZ FEST BOARD ANTICIPATES TERMINATING THE FURTHER SALE OF THOSE TICKETS IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. 

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.natchjazzfest.com

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Burger joints are as much a part of our American culture as the fish and chip shops are in England.  On April 25, 1960, Michael James “Jim” Delligatti opened a drive-in restaurant franchise in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.  Jim’s drive-in operated on a streamlined technique in which they could deliver a hamburger, French fires, and a milkshake in 50 seconds or less.  The menu consisted of just ten items: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries, triple thick milkshakes, Coca Cola, root beer, Orangeade, milk, coffee, and hot chocolate.  By using their assembly line process, they could prepare 36 hamburgers in just 110 seconds.  Jim’s drive-in had the space to prepare 6,000 hamburgers a day.  At $.15 each, the profit margin per hamburger was small, but they made up for it in volume.  Customers flocked to Jim’s drive-in.  The food was inexpensive, quick, and tasted good.  A bright neon sign identified the drive-in.  The brightly lit food preparation area was enclosed by 900 square feet of quarter-inch plate glass so customers could see that their food was served quickly in spotless surroundings.  Business was so good that by 1971, Jim owned a dozen drive-in restaurant franchises in western Pennsylvania.  Jim eventually owned 48 restaurants in the drive-in restaurant chain.      

Jim always paid attention to what his customers wanted.  After hearing that they desired a bigger sandwich, Jim went to work.  After a short time—speed was of the utmost importance—Jim created a bigger sandwich by using items already on his menu and adding a unique sauce made from salted egg yolks, mustard, onion, garlic, and relish.  In March of 1967, Jim used his Uniontown drive-in to test out his new sandwich.  Demand exploded and Jim added his new creation to the menus of his other drive-ins.  The results were the same.  Jim’s larger sandwich was a hit, but the parent company did not want to alter their original menu.  Jim explained, “they figured, why go to something else if (the original menu) was working so well?”  Eventually, Jim’s creation was added to the national chain’s menus with resounding success.  Since 1968, the chain has sold billions of Jim’s larger sandwiches.  In 2006, the parent company estimated that they were selling 550 million of them each year at a rate of 17 each second.            

Jim did not become wealthy off of his creation that is now sold in over 100 countries.  Jim received no payment and no royalties for the creation, but that was okay with Jim.  After more than six and a half decades, Jim’s Drive-In is still open.  From the menu at the drive-in restaurant at 575 Morgantown Street in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, you can still order the sandwich Jim created there by combining two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions, on a sesame seed bun.  It is said to be the most popular sandwich on the planet.  Jim, the owner of a McDonald’s franchise, was the creator of the Big Mac.  …and it’s time for lunch.

Sources:

1.     The Evening Standard (Uniontown, Pennsylvania), April 12, 1960, p.7.

2.     The Evening Standard, March 2, 1971, p.69.

3.     Valley News (West Lebanon, New Hampshire), December 4, 2016, p.12.

4.     “Michael James Delligatti,” Devlin Funeral Home, accessed May 3, 2026, https://www.devlinfuneralhome.com/obituaries/michael-james-delligatti/.

5.     “Inventor of the Big Mac dies, aged 98,” BBC News, November 30, 2016, accessed May 3, 2026, https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-38162497.

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For at least one day this week, aviator sunglasses become socially acceptable indoors, people suddenly feel the need for speed on their morning commute, and someone, somewhere, will absolutely attempt a volleyball reference they are too young to fully understand.

May 13 marks National Top Gun Day, an unofficial holiday celebrating the 1986 blockbuster film that turned fighter pilots into pop culture icons and permanently convinced generations of movie fans that motorcycles, leather jackets, and dramatic runway walks were essential personality traits.

The holiday arrives this year with even more momentum as both Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick are returning to theaters for a limited anniversary run beginning May 13 to celebrate the original movie’s 40th anniversary.

That means Americans this week may once again find themselves explaining to younger family members why everyone over age 35 instinctively says “Talk to me, Goose” during minor inconveniences.

The original Top Gun, released in 1986 and starring Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, became one of the defining films of the 1980s. The movie reportedly boosted Navy recruitment, made aviator sunglasses wildly popular, and helped launch one of the most recognizable soundtracks in movie history.

Even people who have never seen the film somehow still understand the references. “Danger Zone” starts playing, and suddenly everyone feels qualified to land fighter jets.

The holiday itself has developed a surprisingly loyal online following over the years, with fans celebrating by rewatching the movies, quoting dialogue, and debating whether Top Gun: Maverick somehow managed to outperform the original nearly four decades later.

Social media users have already begun posting their plans for the annual celebration.

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After more than 30 years of serving as a District Attorney Law Clerk, Assistant District Attorney in East Baton Rouge Parish, and currently as Winn Parish District Attorney,  Chris Nevils has announced that he will retire at the conclusion of his current term, ending, for now, his service as an advocate for the people of the State of Louisiana and, most importantly the great people of Winn Parish.

First elected in 2006, District Attorney Nevils took on tough challenges as a perceived outsider. Nevils worked tirelessly to change the his public perception along with the perception of a parish where “justice” often depended on your surname rather than the strength of the evidence.   Committed to the City of Winnfield in the parish where he and his wife, Kim, raised their two children, Kate and Emily, he always tried to meet as many people from all walks of life in making the parish his home, forever.

By treating all the citizens of the parish fairly and with respect, Nevils has served the community with integrity, professionalism, and an unwavering resolve to upholding the rule of law. “In every case, I take the decision to prosecute someone very seriously and have only done so where a case can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt with evidence produced after a solid investigation,” said Nevils.

Over the course of his tenure, the office has achieved significant milestones, including the successful ridding of hundreds of thousands of dollars in inherited office liabilities at no additional expense to the public. The DA emphasized that “the office continues to operate on mid-2000’s level funding while still attracting the best prosecutors and support staff to be found in a any judicial district.  These reforms improved transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility within the office, helping restore public trust and ensure long-term operational stability.” Most recently, Nevils successfully represented his office and the Winn Parish Police Jury in securing a settlement against opioid manufacturers.  The non-public funds resulting from the settlement are already being put to good use through partnerships with local law enforcement for undercover drug investigations, improved efficiency and cooperation between agencies using cutting-edge technology, and creating a standardized system for offenders seeking substance-abuse and mental-health treatment for non-violent offenders.

In addition to his leadership in the office, on the appointments of three different Governors, District Attorney Nevils served on numerous boards and commissions including the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, the Louisiana Sentencing Commission and the Central Louisiana Juvenile Detention Facility Board.  He was a frequent lecturer and presenter on criminal justice issues, sharing his expertise with legal professionals, policymakers, and community organizations.  He further served with distinction on the Board of Directors for the Louisiana District Attorney’s Association.  His leadership efforts were recognized by the Louisiana State Police when he was named Prosecutor of the year in 2014.  Finally, Nevils worked closely with state legislators to help develop and advance laws that benefited the local community (such as transferring unspent criminal-court funds to the parish general fund) while contributing to broader statewide public safety and justice initiatives.  Whenever asked, he served on study committees for the Louisiana State Law Institute, bringing his insight and ideas to help craft legislation promoting public safety and accountability for offenders.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the citizens of Winn Parish,” said District Attorney Nevils. “I am deeply proud of the work we’ve done to strengthen public safety, support victims, and ensure fairness and accountability in our justice system and remain truly optimistic that a new generation of young leaders will make the sacrifices that come with public service to continue these efforts.”

“Throughout his tenure, Chris has been a tireless champion and advocate for victims and always sought justice.  He is a true leader in the criminal justice system,” said Billy Joe Harrington, District Attorney for Natchitoches Parish.

As the office prepares for this transition, District Attorney Nevils shared that his decision to retire is driven by a desire to spend more time with family and to become more actively involved in local community issues outside of public office.   Serving as counsel for the Winn Industrial Development Board, Nevils wants to continue to attract large economic projects to the parish to generate more employment opportunities and try to reverse the population loss affecting all rural parishes in Louisiana.

Chris Nevils expressed confidence and heart-felt pride in the continued strength of the DA team. “The attorneys, paralegals and support-staff professionals in this office are among the finest in the State of Louisiana.   They are provided with the best continuing education, technology and cross-training which allows the office to run with fewer employees.  They believe in treating everyone fairly and all are experts at helping people (whether victims, their families, or the families of criminal defendants) get through difficult and often impossible situations.   I have full faith they will continue to serve this community with excellence.”

The current term ends in January, 2027.  Nevils concluded by noting that there are several younger but highly experienced attorneys who would be up to the physical and mental challenges of serving as District Attorney and hopes that they will consider running.

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