News

Winn Parish 4-H member’s had a great time at 4-H Camp recently. Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center, located in Pollock, La., has been a part of the Louisiana 4-H life-skill building experience since the 1920's. Grant Walker has touched the lives of thousands of youth in our state. Each year, approximately 6,000 youth and junior leaders, along with adult volunteers, 4-H agents and staff attend ten 4-H Camp sessions for a variety of educational activities, ranging from environmental education to nutrition. 4-H Camp also provides an environment where children can engage their minds through hands-on learning.

The Rotary scholarship recipients of the graduating class of 2024 were the special guests at Winnfield Rotary Club’s meeting on June 19, 2026.

The City of Winnfield is pleased to receive the 2024 Outstanding City Award, presented by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and Keep Louisiana Beautiful.

The Outstanding City Award celebrates community involvement and recognizes the city with a substantial cleanup effort. The selected city demonstrated strong community unity and a collective commitment to maintaining a clean environment and a thriving hometown.

A swearing in ceremony was held on June 29 for Sheriff Joshua McAllister. McAllister was elected sheriff during a run off this past March against former sheriff, Cranford Jordan.

The ceremony was held at CLTCC Huey P Long Campus with a packed house and some very special guests. One of those guests was Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungessor who officiated the swearing in.

Many other distinguished guests were present including Judge Jay McCallum and several members of the Louisiana State Police. The Family Church praise team shared a time of worship with music.

A video was played during the event that included U.S Representative Julia Letlow sending best wishes to the sheriff and the parish.

Toni, wife of Sheriff McAllister, spoke to the crowd offering thanks to all who played a hand in the festivities as well as their support during the campaign.

In conclusion of the ceremony, Police Juror Author Robinson led the benediction.

What industry was productive near Winnfield from 1931 through 1965 but ceased abruptly in 1965 to the detriment of about 100 employees and the entire community? Local amateur historian, John Holland, reminded Rotarians that Winnfield’s economy was once bolstered by the Carey Salt Mine just a few miles out on Highway 84 at their meeting on June 12, 2024. Rotarian of the Day Kiah Beville, arranged Holland’s talk, which he presented at the Louisiana Political Museum which preserves memorabilia from the salt mine.

Winnfield native and life-long resident John Holland has delved into the history of our local salt mine. Holland’s grandfather was employed at the mine for many years and John went to the mining site frequently with him over the years.

The Goldonna School reunion will be July 13, 2024 at Goldonna Baptist Church in Goldonna, Louisiana. You can arrive as early as 10:30 am, so you can have time to visit. Feel free to bring any old pictures, newspaper clippings or yearbooks you may have that you can share with everyone. Contact everyone you know that attended or graduated from Goldonna School. The menu will be fish with all the trimmings. The cost will be $20.00 per plate. Please let Linda Dupree or Eva Gates know ASAP if you plan to join us for the meal. If you have any questions you may contact Roy or Linda Dupree at

318-875-2716 or 318-471-0602 or Eva Gates at 318-727-9315 or 318-471-9312.

LSUA, LA-HOSA Future Health Professionals and CLTCC have partnered to offer a Future Nurse Camp July 15th through July 19th at the CLTCC Winnfield Campus. The five-day camp is for high school students considering a career in nursing. Participants will explore various nursing careers and participate in hands-on nursing skills including wound care, vital signs, head-to-toe assessments and medication administration. The camp is free of charge and is funded by a Future of HealthC.A.R.E. Program Grant from The Rapides Foundation. Participants will be provided a set of scrubs, a stethoscope, and lunch. Interested students should contact Kristina Sloan via text or call at 571-- 417-8417.

UNIVERSITY, MS (06/26/2024)— Katherine Nevils, of Winnfield, LA, is among the more than 3,100 students who earned their degrees from the University of Mississippi in May 2024.

Nevils, who majored in Biomedical Engineering, received a B.S.B.E. in Biomedical Engineering from the School of Engineering.

“Our May 2024 graduates are distinguished by incredible achievements, character and resilience,” Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. “They accomplished so much during their years at Ole Miss, and we can’t wait to see all the ways they will pursue their passions and reach their full potential on their paths to a bright future.”

May 2024 graduates were invited to walk across the stage at the University of Mississippi’s 171st Commencement exercises, which were held by individual colleges and schools May 8-12. The universitywide morning Convocation took place Saturday, May 11 in the Grove, with Wright Thompson, senior writer for ESPN, giving the keynote address.

The American Enterprise Institute has ranked Louisiana’s broadband office, known as ConnectLA, first in the U.S. for implementation of broadband best practices and initiatives. AEI’s Broadband Barometer Project released its annual report cards to document each state’s efforts related to broadband access and programming.

Ranked first along with Idaho, Louisiana secured perfect scores on its report card by meeting all criteria in areas such as transparency, efficiency and accountability.

According to AEI’s report card, transparent access to Louisiana’s broadband plans and emphasis on market-based competition were significant factors that contributed to the state’s ranking.

In 1924, a group of local businessmen and professional leaders joined together to establish the Winn Parish Enterprise. That was 100 years ago. Today, even though technology has advanced and we now have the Internet, the Enterprise is still going strong. Before the Enterprise there were several different newspapers in Winn Parish. The most complete history of earlier Winn papers comes from an item in the January 17, 1930 issue of the Winnfield News-American, most of it supplied by a W.L. Smylie.

The Southern Sentinel, he wrote, was started in 1859, before the Civil War, and was the first newspaper in Winn Parish. It was suspended during the war but revived afterward for a short period of time and was passed into the hands of O.M. Grisham in 1904.

Within a year Major Will A. Strong of Monroe bought the office and managed the publication of the paper. He published it until his death in 1910.