News

On Thursday evening, Katina Smith received her 5-Year Service Award Pin from the Louisiana Municipal Clerks Association (LMCA) during the annual LMCA Clerks Convention held in Bossier City, Louisiana.

This award recognizes municipal clerks across the state who have completed five years of dedicated service in their role. Katina, a proud native of Winnfield, has been with the City of Winnfield for 14 years and is now in her 7th year serving as City Clerk.

We are incredibly proud of Katina and thankful for her continued commitment to our community.

A big congratulations to Katina and to all the municipal clerks across Louisiana who were recognized for 5, 10, 15, or 20 years of service. Your hard work keeps our cities running smoothly. Thank you for all that you do!

Winn Parish – On April 3, 2025, at approximately 7:45 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a two-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 1236 east of U.S. Highway 167. The crash claimed the life of 71year-old Paula J. Bearden of Camden, AR.

The initial investigation revealed that a 2020 Ford Eco Sport, driven by Bearden, was eastbound on Louisiana Highway 1236. For reasons still under investigation, the Ford Eco crossed the centerlines into the westbound travel lane and collided head-on with a 2022 Peterbuilt commercial vehicle.

Camden, who was restrained, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the commercial vehicle, who also was restrained, sustained no injuries. Routine toxicology samples were obtained and submitted for analysis.

Members of Kiwanis Club of Winnfield recently attended the Mid Year Education Conference in Natchez, Mississippi. Those who made the trip are pictured including Bill Gaddis – Secretary/Treasurer, Rita James – President, Gov Claude Vinson, Kim Futrell, Ethell Howell – past President, Margaret Coon – Vice President, and Mary Lou Blackley – President Elect.

There was Literacy in action at Dodson High School recently. Tiffany Martin, District Literacy Coach, and Andrea Harrell, Literacy & Learning Specialist, teamed up to support 1st & 3rd grade writers. From sentence expansion to Claim, Evidence, & Reasoning (CER), students engaged in meaningful, fun learning while teachers gained valuable strategies.

The 4th Annual Don & Sug Wells Spay & Neuter Event through the Heart of Louisiana Humane Society is about to kick off.

On behalf of the HLHS and all of its volunteers and supporters, a huge thank you to the family of Don & Rosie “Sug” Wells for continuing this event.

The Wells family has seen Don & Sug’s late wishes out, which parallels with the rescue mission of the Heart of Louisiana Humane Society: Assisting displaced animals, and lower income families in the state through advocating and providing low cost spay and neuter assistance.

The hope is that the legacy of Don and Sug will continue and this event will bring awareness to all communities in Central Louisiana that spay and neutering your companions will benefit Louisiana and the thousands of innocent animal lives lost due to overcrowding of shelters and abandonment of them.

The Winn Parish retired teachers met on February 10, 2025 at the Winn Parish Library. President Ethel Howell introduced two special guest speakers, Mayor Gerald Hamms and Sheriff Josh McAllister.  Mayor Hamms gave a general overview of the city’s systems and services. Sheriff McAllister spoke of his first months as sheriff and the partnerships he is focusing on within the parish.  The Winn Parish retired teachers’ programs this year are focusing on Winn Parish graduates who are giving back to our community

Shannon Chevallier wears a lot of hats in our community. She is a nutritionist and community health specialist with the Louisiana Ag Center. She is on the Parks and Recreation Board and was honored by the Winn Chamber of Commerce as Volunteer of the Year. Shannon is a positive person and if you tell her she can’t do something she is determined to do it. She spoke to Kiwanis in her role as part of the Main Street program. The Main Street program is trying to revitalize Winnfield and look for opportunities to find funding. If we want Winnfield to look better it takes a community. We need to start with what we have and build on it. The programs are Main Street America, Main Street Louisiana and Main Street Winnfield. The Winnfield historic district includes Main Street all the way to the north side of Lafayette St.

Kim Triplett

Four communication dispatchers with the Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office recently completing a comprehensive 40-hour training course over several weeks. This training will greatly enhance the quality of emergency response for both the citizens of Winn Parish and our first responders.

Sheriff McAllister shared, 'Communication dispatchers are often the first point of contact during an emergency. It's essential that they can quickly gather accurate information, speak with confidence, and provide compassionate support to the public.'

As the Kiwanis Club members gathered in their usual meeting space, a buzz of excitement filled the air. This was no ordinary meeting— today, they had a special guest. Ambassador Bill Thompson, Santa Claus’s personal representative for Winn Parish, was there to share some festive wisdom and rally support for this year’s Christmas parade.

Bill took to the podium, his presence commanding yet warm. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a pleasure to be here. I’ve been Santa’s representative here for 30 years, and let me tell you, this community knows how to celebrate Christmas.”

He shared stories of parades past, the sparkle in children’s eyes, and the joy of seeing Santa arrive in style. “This year, we’re aiming for something even more special,” he announced, revealing plans for a safer, more personal approach to gift-giving with individually handed- out stuffed animals, as suggested by Ethel Howell, Winnfield Kiwanian.