News

Winnfield, LA——On June 11th, area first responders participated in a “First Responder Day” for children attending school at the Behavior Specialists Of Louisiana located on Maple Street in Winnfield. While sponsored by the Center, it also furthers positive interaction between children and all first responders incorporating the “Bridge the Gap” program of the Winnfield Police Department.

Christ Wesleyan Fellowship of Winn is proud to announce that the Reverend Russell Jones has accepted the call to be the first pastor of their young church. The church believes that Rev. Jones and his wife, Raynore Dixon Jones, have a love for Winnfield residents that resonates with the goal of the new church plant to be a beacon of the gospel of Jesus Christ to Winnfield and Winn Parish.

Though Christ Wesleyan Fellowship of Winn is a new church, most of the members of the church are not new to Winnfield. In 2023, long-time and lifelong Winnfield residents were joined by new community members to form a new congregation based on Biblical principles, standing for traditional Christian values.

Through a three-year grant from The Rapides Foundation, LAMHA will now have a part-time outreach professional based in Central Louisiana. Randa Williams, the outreach professional, will be helping connect behavioral health organizations and professionals with The Fisher Project as a resource for their clients who are at risk of suicide.

“Although working in the health care field was not my goal as I began to study marketing at Northwestern, I enjoy it very much and I’ve realized how important rural health care is,” Victoria Hubbard Knighten, Winn Parish native and currently marketing liaison for Winn Parish Medical Center, told Winnfield’s Rotarians at their meeting on May 22, 2024. Victoria spoke at the request of Rotarian of the Day, Bo Walker.

The 20th Annual Youth Fishing Derby was held on June 1st by the Winn Ranger District of the Kisatchie National Forest, the Winnfield Bass Club, Sheriff Cranford Jordan and the Winn Parish Sheriff ’s Office. There were 73 youth ages 2-12 who participated in the event, along with parents and others. The purpose of the event was to provide a fun, exciting, and educational experience for the youth in the area and an opportunity to experience their National Forests. The pond was stocked by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery with catfish for the event. There was a great deal of family fun as children and youth enjoyed fishing in a beautiful National Forest setting of the Winn Ranger District. A plaque, rod and reel, and tackle box were awarded in age classes 2-4, 58, 9-12, and overall, for biggest fish and biggest stringer of up to three fish. In addition, each participating child received a free fishing rod, goody-bag, and a door prize.

Katherine Nevils, of Winnfield, LA, was named to the University of Mississippi’s Spring 2024 Honor Roll lists.

Nevils, majoring in Biomedical Engineering, was named to the Dean’s Honor Roll, which is reserved for students who earn a semester GPA of 3.50-3.74.

To be eligible for honor roll designation, a student must have completed at least 12 graded hours for the semester and may not be on academic probation during the semester.

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is reminding the public to take precautions against mosquito bites that can expose people to West Nile virus (WNV) and dengue virus.

In Louisiana, we typically see more mosquito activity in the warmer summer months, increasing the risk for mosquito-borne diseases like WNV and dengue.

West Nile virus

While 80% of human cases are asymptomatic, many people can develop West Nile fever. Symptoms of West Nile fever, which is a flu-like illness, can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, and/or rashes.

The Winnfield Tigers placed six players on the Louisiana Sportswriters Association Class 2A All-State baseball teams announced last week.

The Lady Tigers’ Madison Nelson was the only first team selection on the All-State Softball Team. She was joined by three teammates on the Honorable Mention squad.

Nelson made the elite team as a utility player. She is a senior and finished the season with a .380 batting average.

Named to the honorable mention team were Raelynn Bartlett, Kylee Higgs and Riley Lawson.

The 17 member first team included 10 seniors, two juniors, three sophomores, a freshman and an eighth grader, Kenley Sonnier-an outfielder, from Catholic of New Iberia.

The Tigers didn’t land any first teamers on the All-State Baseball squad, but had two to make 25-man Honorable Mention. Those players were Canyon Compton and Jake Hemphill.

Continuing the tradition of being the Youth Sports Capital of Louisiana, the area has secured the hosting rights for the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) Boys Basketball, Swim, Softball, and Baseball State Championships for an additional two years. The announcement comes after a majority vote by the LHSAA, solidifying Southwest Louisiana as the premier destination for high school athletics in the state.

LHSAA Boys Basketball State Championships will take place from March 10-15, 2025, and March 9-14, 2026, at the Burton Complex in Lake Charles. The 2025 event will mark the twelfth consecutive year the championships have been held at this venue, with 40 teams competing for the title. The tournament historically draws about 18,000 attendees over its six-day duration.

The following message was distributed to faculty, staff and students Thursday, May 30 by Northwestern State University President Dr. Marcus Jones. Jones made the announcement in tandem with communication from the University of Louisiana System office.

Dear Faculty, Staff, Students, and Natchitoches Community, It is with gratitude that I announce my departure as President of Northwestern State University (NSU) to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the University of Louisiana System, where I will also serve as a senior advisor to President Gallot. Serving Northwestern State University for the past 25 years has been an immense pleasure and a profound honor.