The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Law Enforcement Division is looking to hire up to 31 cadets for a Cadet Academy class slated to start in October to bolster the ranks of agents in the field.

The opening dates that applications will be accepted for the “Wildlife Enforcement Cadet” position are from May 2 to May 22.

Interested applicants can apply online through the Department of Civil Service website and must complete the Protective Services Exam (PSE) Series 2100 Exam and get a score of 77 or above to be eligible for the next academy.

In order to schedule the PSE 2100 civil service exam, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/louisiana/jobs/3147666/2100-protective-services-exam-pse.

For more information on becoming an LDWF enforcement agent, please visit https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/become-an-agent.

“If you have a love for the outdoors and conservation, then this is an occupation that you should apply for if you are qualified,” said Col. Chad Hebert. “A lot of our cadets that graduate the academy find the job rewarding and make it their career.”

The cadets will train at the department’s training facility housed within the Waddill Outdoor Education Center in Baton Rouge. Successful completion of approximately six months of intensive physical and academic training is required to graduate.

At the academy, cadets train to enforce the state’s recreational boating laws, the state and federal wildlife and fisheries laws, and general law enforcement work on the state’s many wildlife management areas. The academy also covers general law enforcement training required for all state law enforcement officers.

Agents are additionally trained for search and rescue and serve as the lead responders in search and rescue coordination under the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

The NRMC Wound Center was recently recognized for receiving the Center of Distinction Award; the prestigious Robert A. Warriner, III Clinical Excellence Award for 2021, and a 2021 President’s Circle Award recipient.

For more than a decade, Healogics has presented the Center of Distinction Award to acknowledge the hard work, dedication and accomplishments of Wound Centers that deliver care, treatment and services in a manner that exceeds the performance of other like Centers. Center of Distinction awards are given to Centers that achieve or exceed outstanding clinical and operational results, including ≥ 92% Patient Satisfaction Rate, ≥ 75% Wound Adjusted Comprehensive Healing Rate and a ≤ 16% Outlier Rate.

To be awarded the Clinical Excellence Award, a Center must score in the top 10 percent of eligible Wound Care Centers for 2021 on the Clinical Excellence measure, which is the Comprehensive Healing Rate weighted by wound mix.

The 2021 President’s Circle Award is based on achieving or exceeding outstanding clinical and operational results in 2021. This award distinguishes winners as the best of the best.

“We are exceptionally proud of our outstanding wound care team,” explained Kirk Soileau, NRMC CEO. “Since opening, they have consistently set high standards of care and customer service and performed their work at the top deciles nationally. Their ability to heal problem wounds is astounding. They improve their patients’ quality of life by successfully treating wounds that impact every aspect of life: physically and emotionally. Most importantly, they are saving lives and limbs. Thank you to every member of the NRMC Wound Care team for your care and commitment to our community.”

For more information on wound care services, please visit NRMChospital.org

WINN:
Doris Jean Goodeaux
May 31, 1942 – May 11, 2022
Service: Saturday, May 14 at 3 pm at Southern Funeral Home

NATCHITOCHES:
Pete Stewart
August 25, 1958 – May 9, 2022
Service: Saturday, May 14 at 1 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home

SABINE:
William Manual Stewart
August 6, 1945 – April 25, 2022
Service: Saturday, May 14 at 2 pm at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many

RED RIVER:
Kenneth Franklin Jordan
October 16, 1943 – May 10, 2022
Service: Friday, May 13 at 2 pm at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel

The Calvin Cougars Baseball team will play today at 2:00 PM at McMurray Park in Sulpher in the LHSAA State Tournament Semi-Finals against Hicks Pirates. 

The Cougars last advanced to the semi-finals in 2007.

Calvin High School will be closed Wednesday, May 11th to allow students and faculty to cheer on the Cougars in Sulphur.

Tickets for the game may be purchased at https://gofan.co/app/school/lhsaa

Listen to the game live at https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/calvin-high-school-calvin-la

Meet Lauren C.

Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge exists to provide men and women with an effective residential, biblically-based solution to life-controlling problems. Our purpose is to produce graduates who function responsibly and productively in society, and who have healthy relationships in the workplace, family, church and community.

Adult & Teen Challenge is one of the largest and most successful accredited programs of its kind with over 1000 residential locations worldwide. Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge was founded by Greg and Abigail Dill in 1987. Over the last 35 years, we have grown to 8 campuses statewide, with the ability to accommodate men, women, and women with their children.

WHAT IS STUDENT SPONSORSHIP?

Students often come into Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge with little or no hope in life. They have burned every bridge and lost almost everything due to drug abuse and other crimes. Most times, they have little outside help supporting them during this time; therefore, we do not charge a monthly tuition. If you would like to help offset these costs, you can sponsor a student for as little as $35 a month. You can also sponsor a child that is enrolled here with their mother for an additional $15 per child. Your sponsorship means that they have someone who cares and is invested in their success!

As a monthly sponsor, you can expect:

• A packet with information about your student
• Monthly updates
• The opportunity to write letters to your student
• The opportunity to send care packages to your student
• You can pray for them
• You will receive a personal invitation to attend their Graduation Ceremony

For more information about becoming a sponsor visit https://www.louisianateenchallenge.com/sponsorship/

Graduate’s Name: Madison Lee Brooke Green

Graduate’s Name: Stormy Carpenter

“May is Mental Health Awareness month,” says Erin Boyt, the mental health professional introduced to the Winnfield Rotary Club at its meeting on May 4, 2022. Ms. Boyt is in the field of education, a specialist in Educational Technology with a Master’s Degree in Education. She worked in the school setting for several years before conducting a summer program on mental health and determining this was her calling. She began her own community mental health center which she operated for 11 years and then merged with Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. She is also a volunteer firefighter and first responder.

Ms. Boyt’s timely appearance at Rotary to speak on the subject of mental health was arranged by Rotarian of the Day, Sandi Teal of Autumn Leaves Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Their connection is through the NRMC’s Insight Behavioral Geriatric Psychiatric Unit, which accepts referrals of geriatric patients from all nursing homes in the area for inpatient mental health treatment.

Among the eye-opening facts related by Ms. Boyt is that over 715,000 adults in Louisiana are afflicted with mental illness of some kind, including depression, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, and various types of schizophrenia and other psychoses. In the last couple of years, the COVID-19 epidemic in Louisiana has resulted in an increase in the rates of mental illness due to isolation, anxiety and stress, but has resulted in a decrease in treatment of those afflicted. One out of every five adults, 20 percent, in the United States has a mental health issue—that is 43.8 million people. And 18 percent of children in the United States suffer from a mental health issue.

The good news, according to Ms. Boyt, is that “Winn Parish residents have several mental health treatment resources available in the area.” There is Winterhaven Professional Counseling Services on Highway 167 North, which provides treatment for all ages, from school age to geriatric patients. Winn Community Health Center also provides counseling and psychological services.

Natchitoches Regional Medical Center serves the residents of our community with a full range of mental health services as well. Insights is their inpatient treatment center for patients 45 years old and up through geriatric patients, offering a total of 15 beds. Discovery House is NRMC’s step-down facility which houses male patients over the age of 21. The outpatient component of NRMC’s services is called Reflections, which provides intensive outpatient group therapy five days a week, addressing such problems as bereavement, mild depression, chronic depression, and any other mental health issue not requiring inpatient treatment.

According to Ms. Boyt, most Americans confront problems caused by excessive stress in their lives. Symptoms of excessive stress include eating too much or emotional eating, headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, and other physical ailments. Some coping skills we can all use to decrease the stress our bodies experience day to day include daily exercise, prayer or meditation, listening to soothing music or sounds, getting outdoors, gardening or other outdoor activities, other types of hobbies, deep breathing, taking a power nap for 15 minutes or so, taking time out from work activities for 10 or 15 minutes, making a social contact, identifying areas of gratitude in your life. If we are coping with the physical or mental illness of a loved one, getting support from someone who understands the issues of such a situation is very helpful.

The day program of NRMC called Reflections is an intensive outpatient group therapy program. Beginning at 10 a.m., the program hosts three group sessions per day, in which patients talk about many different things and issues, share their problems and their coping mechanisms, and develop social skills and contacts. Between sessions, the patients have snacks and relaxation. Group therapy eliminates the patients’ isolation, gets the focus off themselves, helps them relate to others with the same problems, and offers helpful suggestions for coping. In addition, the patients get a sense of satisfaction from helping each other. The medical professionals monitor whatever medications the patients may be on, and at the end of the day, a nurse provides the patients with health information related to their issues.

The length of the program for each patient varies, depending on the individual needs.  The patients receive aftercare for as long as they need it, often for many years, and maybe in person or telemedicine visits.

“Symptoms indicating a need for mental health therapy include anything that affects a person’s normal daily functioning,” says Ms. Boyt, and maybe not eating, overeating, not sleeping or sleeping too much, a change in hygiene habits, obsessive repetitive thoughts (like the man who constantly thought about buying a sailboat and sailing away from his life, but he had never sailed in his life), isolation and similar changes. If you notice such symptoms in a loved one, friend or relative, you should take a gentle approach to encourage the person to seek help. You may say something like, “I know I needed help when I was……” or “I benefitted from getting therapy or treatment, and it might help you also.” Just gently encourage the person to talk to someone, such as their primary care doctor. Men are notorious for not wanting to reveal problems, so they need encouragement and permission to talk about things that are bothering them, and need to know it’s harmful to bury their stress because talking about it can ease the burden. It’s helpful to talk to someone with common experiences, such as firefighters talking to other firefighters, police officers with police officers, and the like. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a particular problem today for persons who have been on active duty in combat situations, and talking with someone who had the same experience is vital. The VA does have mental health resources to help with such problems, so that is a good place to start.

Ms. Boyt responded to many questions from her audience, and the meeting was subsequently adjourned with the Rotary motto, “Service above self!”

Pictured above: Left – Ms. Erin Boyt, Rotarian Sandi Teal

Save Cenla recently completed its 2-day ASIST workshop at CLTCC. 27 participants completed the training and were ASIST certified by the end of day two. 

Participants were from a vast array of backgrounds and organizations including Beacon Intensive Outpatient of Alexandria, 5 Dodson High School students, Dogwood Academy parent and High School student, Monterey High School teacher, mother, 2 from Mt. Grace Teen Challenge, Natchitoches Parish School Board, 3 from Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Office, retired, self-employed law enforcement officer, 4 Winnfield High School students, 2 from Winn Detention Center, and 3 from the Winnfield Police Department. These organizations now have people who know how to help someone who may be thinking of suicide.

Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to learn this skill. Also, thank you, Dean Jeff Johnson of Huey P. Long CLTCC, Winnfield, Sheriff Jordan of Winn parish, CLHSD, and all of our sponsors listed on the banner below, for helping us create suicide-safer communities.

Winn Parish prekindergarten registration has been in progress since March 5, 2022. PreK registration will continue through June 24, 2022. Once a public school PreK class reaches 20 students, the class will be closed, and children will be allowed to fill seats in other locations.

As of May 5, 2022, there are only 4 seats available at Atlanta High School, 6 seats at Calvin High School, 8 seats at Dodson High School, and 12 seats at Winnfield Primary School. Students will be placed on a waiting list once the class is full if they choose not to attend another school where seats are available. Please register your PreK student as soon as possible for the best availability.

Registration information for PreK for the 2022-2023 school year may be obtained at the following locations: Atlanta High School, Calvin High School, Dodson High School, Winnfield Primary School, and the Winn Parish School Board Office.

All students must be four years old on or before September 30, 2022, to enter the four-year-old program. Information required for registration includes: 1) the completed Winn Parish Early Childhood Application 2) income verification 3) copy of child’s social security card 4) copy of the child’s birth certificate 5) up to date immunization record and 6) parent/caregivers’ proof of residence.

The Winn Parish Early Childhood Application and financial forms will be included in the folders obtained at the identified locations and are also available online at www.winnpsb.org. Here is important information about income verification required by federal guidelines. Parents/caregivers should provide a copy of the income verification which may be a SNAP/CAFÉ letter stating the child’s name with a valid effective and end date OR two (2) consecutive check stubs for every parent or caregiver (within 2 months of registration date) OR current foster care placement agreement form (DCFS). Each parent/guardian in the household who is not currently employed must complete the Statement of No Income form. Additional adults living in the household must complete the Statement of No Financial Assistance form. Important information about residency: Acceptable proof of residence may be in the form of a current utility bill, Louisiana driver’s license, state-issued ID card, or current lease/mortgage statement.

All completed registration information in folders must be returned to Amanda Taylor at the Winn Parish School Board Office at 304 East Court Street in Winnfield, LA by June 24, 2022.

Please call Amanda Taylor at the Winn Parish School Board Office at 628-6936 or email ataylor@winnpsb.us if you have any questions or concerns.

Date:5-5-2022
Name: Jason Ray Barton
Address: Winnfield, LA
Race: White
Sex: Male
Age: 31
Charge: Driving under suspension, No registration

Date: 5-6-2022
Name: Chelsea R Orshorn
Address: Provencal, LA
Race: White
Sex: Female
Age: 30
Charge: Aggravated arson, Theft of a firearm

Date: 5-7-2022
Name: Kyeshika K Johnson
Address: Winnfield, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Female
Age: 35
Charge: Failure to appear (x5)

Date: 5-7-2022
Name: Todd Smith
Address: Golddonna, LA
Race: White
Sex: Female
Age: 49
Charge: Failure to appear (x2) (Grant parish)

Date: 5-7-2022
Name: Markus Gooden
Address: Jonesboro, LA
Race: White
Sex: Male
Age: N/A
Charge: Failure to appear (x2)

Date: 5-9-2022
Name: Kyeshika K Johnson
Address: Winnfield, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Female
Age: 35
Charge: Failure to appear (modification hearing)

Date: 5-9-2022
Name: Kevin D Sapp
Address: Atlanta, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age:29
Charge: Driving under suspension, Failure to appear (x5) (Grant parish warrant)

Date: 5-10-2022
Name: Kevin D Sapp
Address: Atlanta, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 29
Charge: Theft, Failure to appear for arraignment

Date: 5-10-2022
Name Christopher A Small Jr.
Address: Clarence, LA
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 21
Charge: Illegal possession of stolen things, Operating a vehicle without proper equipment

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.