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Last week, the third-grade scholars of Winnfield Primary School stepped out of the classroom and into the streets for a walking tour of the City of Winnfield. This educational experience allowed the students to see the inner workings of their community firsthand. The young explorers visited several key local institutions, including the Sabine Bank drive-thru, the Winn Community Health Clinic, and the Winn Parish Library. The tour continued with stops at the Bank of Winnfield and Winnfield City Hall, providing a comprehensive look at the civic and financial pillars that keep the city running.

A major highlight of the day was the visit to the Winn Parish Courthouse. There, students were given an inside look at local government, touring the Sheriff ’s Office, the Tax Assessor’s Office, and the Registrar’s Office. These visits offered the scholars a practical understanding of how public records are kept and how law enforcement and taxation function within the parish.

Winn 4-H kicked off its end-of-year celebrations with the highly anticipated Achievement Day. This event serves as the grand finale of the club year, honoring members who showed true dedication by participating in club activities and attending at least two 4-H events throughout the season. As the biggest contest day of the year, Achievement Day is where hard work meets recognition. Members showcased their growth and skills across a wide variety of categories such as: Exhibits, Communications, Interviews, Demonstrations, Judging and Identification.

The day wasn’t just about competition; it was a fun, educational experience for everyone involved. Especially Winn 4-H Junior Leaders, whose mentorship and hard work ensured the event ran smoothly and remained a positive environment for all members.

Pictures taken by Kamryn James, Blakelyn Busha, and Hadley Golemon

Louisiana politics recently took center stage in Alabama as Shonna Moss, Director of the Louisiana Political Museum & Hall of Fame, traveled to Huntsville to address one of the region’s largest civic organizations.

Invited by Dr. Waymon Burke, a Professor of History, Moss spoke to the Huntsville Rotary Club, a massive chapter of around 380 members. With an average attendance of 300 at every meeting, the Club provided a platform for Moss to share Louisiana’s unique heritage and its tourism industry.

Students recently participated in a hands-on mock trial program, Colton Sandifer v. Della Etheridge, marking the second year the educational event has been held in coordination with local officials. The program began with a visit from Sheriff Josh McAllister and Deputy Mike Gilliam. The officers provided instruction on community safety and the proper use of the 911 emergency systems. To initiate the mock trial proceedings, the officers staged an “arrest” of Colton Sandifer, who was accused of stealing a lunch belonging to Della Etheridge.

The trial took place at the Winn Parish Courthouse under the guidance of Judge Anastasia Wiley and her staff. Students assumed various professional roles within the judicial system to experience the legal process firsthand, including: Attorneys, Judges, Clerks, Bailiffs, and Jury Members.

The Winn Parish Library is officially kicking off its 2026 Summer Reading Program, and this year, the community is invited to watch their imaginations grow. With the inspiring theme “Plant a Seed, Read,” the program aims to spark a love for literacy across the entire parish.

“Plant a Seed, Read” is designed for all ages. From toddlers and teens to parents and grandparents, the library is encouraging the whole family to participate together. Registration is now open, and the library has made it easier than ever to sign up. Visit any branch of the Winn Parish Library to sign up with a librarian and registration forms are available for those who prefer to fill out. You can also register online by visiting the website at www.winnlibrary.org.

The Louisiana Forest Festival took over the Winn Parish Fairgrounds as this year’s celebration remained in its mission to educate adults and children alike about the vital timber industry, while celebrating the hardworking men and women who serve as its backbone. By bridging the gap between history and modern practice, the festival continues to advocate for the future of this essential industry within our local community and throughout the entire state of Louisiana.

A Sanctuary Without a Ceiling: Building a Heart for Winn Parish The room at the Kiwanis lunch fell quiet as Michael Durbin looked across the audience, asking a single question: “How many of you have a father or family member that was a veteran? Almost every hand in the room rose, a sea of shared history and sacrifice. Beside him stood Shannan Chevallier, his partner in a mission that has become the heartbeat of Main Street .

For Durbin, a veteran himself, this project is deeply personal, rooted in a memory from forty years ago when, on his first night at boot camp, as an eighteen-year-old recruit, he cried himself to sleep thinking of his mother. That memory birthed the central vision for the memorial: **a statue of a mother kneeling in prayer, clutching the American flag**, surrounded by five soldiers representing each branch of service. A sixth soldier will stand alone in a corner, honoring the “fallen soldiers, men and women that did not get to come home”.

Firefighters from Winn Parish Fire District 3 (WPFD 3) took their training to the next level on April 13th, braving the intense heat of a specialized Flashover Simulator. The training, provided by the Louisiana Fire and Emergency Training Academy (FETP), offered local responders a firsthand look in structural firefighting.

The Flashover prop is a mobile laboratory of fire behavior. By manipulating fuel loads and ventilation, instructors can create a controlled environment where firefighters witness the transition from a growing fire to a flashover, the ignition of every combustible surface in a room. The simulator allows firefighters to see how oxygen flow impacts fire growth. Beyond fire science, the exercise focuses on psychological composure, teaching responders to remain calm and tactical under extreme thermal stress.

The local Rotary Club received a dose of “The Happiest Place on Earth” during its weekly meeting this past Wednesday where Thomas Little, shared insights from a recent leadership retreat at Disney World in Florida. Little was part of a group of 16 Nursing Home Administrators sent by Central Management to attend Disney’s Approach to Leadership Excellence. The three-day program is designed to show how personal principles shape professional leadership and how to set a standard for others to follow. During the session, Thomas and his fellow administrators explored the core strategies used by The Walt Disney Company. Beyond the technical strategies of management, Thomas emphasized the human element that sets Disney apart. He noted that while every team member was dressed, whether in a specific “costume” for a themed area or a professional uniform, the attire wasn’t the focal point. “The most important thing the employees were wearing was a smile,” Little told the club.

On April 20th, the Winnfield Middle School campus transformed into a training ground for safety and emergency preparedness. Winn 4-H hosted the CRM ATV Safety Training course, an intensive program designed to provide students in grades 5-12 with the essential skills needed to navigate the risks of off-road riding.

The ATV course went beyond basic riding mechanics, offering a approach to safety that included: First Aid Training & CPR , “Stop The Bleed”, and ATV Safety Certification.

The necessity of such programs is proven by national data. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), between 2018 and 2020, there were 2,448 deaths in the United States associated with Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs). The statistics reveal a particularly high risk for younger riders and ATV users: ATVs accounted for more than two-thirds of all OHV-related fatalities and nearly 300 deaths involved children under the age of 16.