News

Rotarian of the day, Chesney Chandler, introduced her guest speaker for Winnfield Rotary’s July 24, 2024 meeting, Eight Judicial District Court Judge Anastasia Wiley. Judge Wiley, who was Winnfield’s City Judge before assuming the district court bench in January 2021, considers her job to be one of community service, and she continually strives to help more people as best she can.

While acknowledging that 2020 was a bad year, Judge Wiley told the group of positive changes in court procedures that resulted from the need for social distancing with the advent of COVID19. Holding conferences with attorneys and the parties to cases via Zoom or other electronic video means is now standard procedure. This eliminates travel as well as the time previously spent in court waiting for one’s case to be called up. It also avoids the need for parties to see each other in person in contentious cases. Training sessions for court personnel are also via video communication.

Micah Wolfe, an upcoming sophomore at Winnfield Senior High School, spent part of his summer at SCAD University in Savannah, GA. The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private art school with locations in Savannah, Georgia; Atlanta, Georgia; and Lacoste, France. It was founded in 1978 and according to the 2024 edition of Best Colleges (https://www.usnews.c om/best-colleges/rankings/ regional-universities- south) it is ranked at number 9 in the Southern Region. Micah took classes in Sequential Art: Cartoons and Comics and Animation: Contemporary 2D Techniques.

The Louisiana Department of Education released the LEAP test results for the 2023-2024 school year last week and Winn Parish was recognized as a top system for growth among all public school systems in Louisiana. Calvin High School was likewise recognized as a top school for growth.

Louisiana public schools are evaluated based on proficiency on standardized tests in grades 3-8, high school, and combined. Proficiency is determined as a score of mastery or advanced, the top two possible grades on the test. Winn Parish was among the top eight school systems for growth in the state, growing two points from the 2022-2023 school year.

Calvin High School ranked among the top schools for growth, growing 14 total points last year. Calvin was one of only three central Louisiana schools to rank among the top schools for growth.

Two suspects were arrested on July 14 after fleeing the scene during an attempted traffic stop near Calvin. According to Winn Parish Sheriff Josh McAllister, Deputy Aaron Bruce was attempting the traffic stop of a U Haul truck on LA Hwy 501 around 11:07 pm on Sunday, July 14 when both occupants fled into the woods. The Winn Chase Team was called to help located the suspects.

According to McAllister, within an hour and the second suspect was apprehended several hours later.

Jason B LaCroix, age 45 of 155 Washington Street, Joyce, LA and Duane Fallis, age 44 of 762 Mosley Drive Winnfield, LA were booked and are currently being held at the Winn Parish Detention Center.

Lacroix is charged with resisting an officer by flight, possessiong of CDS Schedule II (crystal methamphetamine), possession of Schedule I (marijuana), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Houston Polson has a varied and interesting background. He has a BS in Textile Chemistry and in Technical Education, he has a MBA and a Juris Doctor degree. He is retired from the US Air Force and currently serves as a part-time deputy with the Sheriff ’s office. However, he came to speak to the Kiwanis club about Ham radios. April 1st of this year he became the Louisiana Section Manager of the American Radio Relay League. He has been a ham radio operator since July 1984. At the convention in Dayton, Ohio they had the largest gathering of hams, 35,878 people came through the gates. It was 3 days of information about hams-57 forums or programs and the world’s largest flea market. Polson even came home with a few things himself. There are 878,00 ham radio operators licensed in the United States. The American Radio Relay League is the national organization for amateur radio operators. It is a service-voluntary, noncommercial radio services in times of emergency.

Just 7 months and 6 days after the first fire at Delta Tire and Alignment in Winnfield, another broke out Tuesday evening, July 23, 2024, causing extensive damage An emergency 911 call came in to officials at 7:41 p.m. at the same time City Police coming over the five-lane overpass spotted smoke surrounding the building and reported the blaze. Winnfield Fire Department responded with five units and 12 people. The fire crews were able to get the fire out, fairly quickly. Once out the State Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted, as is standard to determine cause of fire. Winnfield Police Department and the Winnfield Fire Department secured the scene. The State Fire Marshal’s Office dispatched personnel to begin an investigation as to the casue of fire.

August, 2024

5th and 6th – Staff Development*

7th – First Day Students (1/2 day)

September

11th thru 13th – Progress Reports

October

11th – End of 1st 9 Weeks

21st – Staff Development/Parent Conference*

November

5th – Election Day*

13th thru 15th – Progress Reports

25th thru 29th – Thanksgiving Break*

December

20th – End of 2nd 9 Weeks

23rd thru Jan. 3rd – Christmas/New Year’s Break*

January

6th – Teachers Return – Staff Development*

7th – Students Return – 2nd Semester Begins

10th – Report Cards

February

5th thru 7th – Progress Reports

March

7th – End of 3rd 9 Weeks

17th – Easter Break*

April

9th thru 11th – Progress Reports

14th thru 21st – Easter Break*

May

7th – Seniors’ Last Day

22nd – Students’ Last Day

The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal (SFM) is proud to announce its selection as one of the first award recipients of a new federal grant aimed at combating carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning across the country.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Grant Program (COPPGP) award, totaling $50,000, allows the agency to obtain hundreds of carbon monoxide detectors and generator safety signs to elevate awareness about the dangers of CO, especially related to generator use, and to increase CO poisoning prevention measures across Louisiana.

The Winn Dixie Youth tee ball “SweeTees” have been busy this summer, playing in both the district and state All Star tournaments. This tenacious group of girls played in their district tournament at Parc Natchitoches the weekend of June 21st. They started off with a bang and beat the Jena All Star team.

Next, the girls moved on in the bracket to play Sabine all stars. Failing to win that game, the girls had to face LaSalle and came out with a win! This meant they had to face Sabine again. The girls fell to the tough Sabine team once more but in doing so, secured the District 7 Runner Up title and a bid to the Louisiana State Dixie Youth Softball Tournament in Alexandria.

14[ Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel].

15But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living. -- I Peter 1:14-15, AMPC I know, I know; we much prefer to do our own thing. The flesh never changes, and we have to learn that, much like a willful child, it must be disciplined and trained and directed. The LORD will help us do that, so our spirits (the real us) can supersede and get our God-jobs done!

We have to ask the LORD to help us learn to control our flesh (desires that are not of the Spirit of God, and even some things that seem good, that are not His perfect will. I’m preaching to myself!), and He is gracious to do so.