News

Winn Council on Aging and Hand in Hand Hospice will host a Fan Drive on Friday, June 7, from 8am-12pm at Winnfield 1st Assembly of God Church.

If anyone would like to donate fans or proceeds to purchase fans, please go by Winn Council on Aging at 200 N Church St. Winnfield. Also, you may contact one of the following: Mary Adams (318) 413-9731 or (318) 628-2186 Delores Sampey (318) 663-4584 or (318) 521-8068. Food and entertainment will be provided during the Fan Drive.

On Saturday, June 1, 2024 Kisatchie National Forest, the Winn Parish Sheriff ’s Office, and the Winnfield Bass Club will host a free Youth Fishing Derby on the Winn Ranger District. The Winn District invites children ages 2-12 to participate in the derby at the Bombing Range Pond, 7 miles west of Winnfield. Check-in will begin at 7:30am with fishing at 8:00am and concluding at approximately 10:00am with an award ceremony for the derby winners.

Please bring your own fishing gear (rods, poles, lines, hooks, etc), bait (for catfish and bream), water, sunscreen, chairs. Adults may cast for children, but are not allowed to reel in the fish.

Randy Hudson, a 1974 graduate of Dodson High School, lost his class ring shortly after graduation.

After diligently searching for the ring, he finally gave up and ordered a new one.

He thought about the ring several times throughout the years, but never expected to see it again.

One day, may years later, he got a call and not knowing the number he didn’t answer it but then received a text saying, “This is the Chief of Police of Dodson.”

Randy called to see what he wanted and can you imagine his surprise when the chief asked him if he had lost a class ring?

Randy went to see the chief. He told Randy that he needed to know where he had lived in Dodson. When Randy told him he said, “well that’s the people who have the ring.”

Randy paid them a visit. They told him that their dog had dug it up by the carport. After cleaning it up, they contacted the chief. Would you believe that ring still looked brand new after 50 years?

Keep Louisiana Beautiful has once again recognized The City of Winnfield’s efforts to beautify our community and eradicate litter. The City of Winnfield announced that Keep Louisiana Beautiful has awarded the city a $8,000 grant to help beautify the 167 N entry to Winnfield. “This grant award represents an active partnership of KLB, City of Winnfield’s Keep Winn Beautiful, local lawmakers, the citizens of Winn Parish, and a host of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to clean up hot spots around our town and parish to raise awareness for KTB’s anti-litter initiative,” Chevallier said. “We are really excited about the project this grant will fund and the improvements it will make possible at the entrance of Winnfield.”

City of Winnfield Mayor Gerald Hamms echoed Chevallier’s sentiments adding, “This is great news for the City of Winnfield. The Keep Louisiana Beautiful grant is truly a blessing for our community.”

Music, good food, and the company of fine friends are essential ingredients for a celebration. On Saturday, April 20, Christ Wesleyan Fellowship of Winn combined the three for their anniversary of the founding of the church on April 16, 2023.

A member of the Global Methodist Church, Trinity Conference since October 2023, Christ Wesleyan meets on Sundays and Wednesdays in the sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church, 302 South Bevill St. Larry and Donna Bates hosted the Fish Fry meal, which included fish caught by member Glenn Ford and desserts brought by the ladies of the church. Members and guests enjoyed the food while listening to live music presented by Tammy and Stan Griffith, Danny Davis, John Evers, and Donny Spikes.

Brandy Smith of Tyler, Texas, a mother of five and first-generation college graduate, said that pushing fear aside, accepting help and believing in her own abilities were key factors in completing her degree. Smith will graduate from Northwestern State University with a Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences May 8. Since childhood, Smith dreamed of working in medicine. She graduated from Mineral Wells (Texas) High School in 2000 at age 17 and enrolled in Weatherford Junior College seeking a biology degree. Right out of high school, she found a job as a radiology scheduler at a prominent Fort Worth hospital where her love for radiology blossomed. In 2002 she started X-ray school at John Peter Smith School for Health Career Development, graduating in 2004.

Winnfield, LA—— Winnfield Police are investigating a shooting that left 2 dead in the Hatfield section of town. An investigative team was immediately dispatched upon confirmation by the shift supervisor.

Initial findings indicate an apparent murder/ suicide incident as it has been determined that the male subject had fired several shots from a handgun striking the female subject, then turned the gun on himself. After interviews with family members and close associates, police have been unable to determine a motive for this tragic situation. Neither victim had any prior dealing with police.

They are identified as Amyria McDonald, age 20, of Winnfield, and Virgil Smith, Jr., of the Winnfield and Natchitoches area.

Chief Johnny Ray Carpenter stated, “Our hearts go out to these families and friends. This has affected an entire community for such a senseless tragedy to these young people who had their whole lives ahead of them.”

Brookshire Grocery Co. (BGC) recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of its Super 1 Foods banner.

From its inception in the early 80s, Super 1 Foods has provided a different shopping experience for customers, focused on low pricing with incredible service.

Super 1 Foods offers full-scale supermarkets, providing excellent high-quality fresh meats and produce, everyday low prices, and helpful staff, making it a pleasant shopping experience for customers. The Super 1 Foods banner is able to offer high-end products for less because the company buys by the truckload directly from distributors and passes the savings on to customers.

The WHS/WSHS annual alumni reunion will be held Saturday, June 22, 2024 at the Winnfield Civic Center. The annual event is hosted by the class celebrating their 50th high school reunion. The class of 1974, directed by Paul Harlan, has been working diligently to bring the alumni a memory filled reunion. . If you are a graduate of Winnfield High School or Winnfield Senior High School, or if you attended, but for any reason did not graduate, you are welcome to come to the reunion as long as you are pre-registered. How do you pre-register? Send your name and mailing address to Jimmie Frazier Davies at jimmieleedavies@ hotmail.com or to Mary Lou Blackley at Blackleym0227@gmail.com. You will be added to the database and you will receive a newsletter with the registration enclosed. YOU MUST BE PRE-REGISTERED. No one will be admitted at the door unless they are preregistered and prepaid. June 8 is the deadline.

The City of Winnfield and Mayor Gerald Hamms is elated to ask all City and Parish Citizens to join us on Wednesday, May 8 at 2 pm for the reenactment of the 80’s poster created during former Mayor Max Kelley term on Why Winnfield Means Business. With Mayor Hamms goals and expectation of the growth of the City he is asking everyone “Why Not Winn”. We are asking all business owners, all citizens, students and staff of the Winnfield Middle School and Winnfield Senior High School, school board staff to meet us a Stokes Walker Stadium.