News

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.

On Tuesday, May 28, Dr. Bill Gaddis led a program on Memorial Day with the Kiwanis Club of Winnfield.

He invited guests Charlie Bice and Tommy Harrel to join us and also included member Dr. Jerry Williams in the program. Tommy was in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam beginning in December 1968. He was recruited in college.

Charlie also served in the United States Marine Crops and was recruited when a junior at Northwestern. In 1959, he went to flight school at Quantico. After being sent to the West Coast, he learned how to fly helicopters. He was actually in the Marines for 20 years.

Dr. Jerry Williams was in ROTC and the National Guard and served at Walter Reed Hospital.

Dr. Gaddis was in ROTC and served in the Army. For a period of time, he was answering congressional complaints about the military and then served as MOS officer in Vietnam.

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.

Jeff Landry recently signed into law Act 131 (HB 208) which addresses domestic violence offenses.

The legislation was passed unanimously by both the House of Representatives and the Senate to address domestic violence, including battery of a dating partner and domestic abuse by strangulation.

Autumn Leaves Residents Enjoy Cotton Candy Day

Kiwanis Girls Softball Team Treated to Pizza Party

At Winnfield Rotary Club’s meeting on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, Rotarian Al Simmons, Winn Parish School Superintendent, brought to Rotarians’ attention to a lawsuit recently filed by the Louisiana Attorney General, asking U. S. Courts to strike down new rules recently established by the U. S. Department of Education in the application of the law commonly referred to as Title IX.

Mr. Simmons explained that Title IX is a provision of the education statutes in the United States Code passed a little over 50 years ago prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex or gender in any federally funded education program or a c t i v i t y . Implementation of the statute has primarily received notice in the area of sports, as it results in women’s sports receiving funding equal to men’s sports.

Montgomery Alumni invites all graduates and friends to celebrate with them on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Verda gymnasium at 7pm. The MHS gym is being renovated. We will have our annual meeting, be presenting scholarships to graduates, enjoying a banquet meal and dancing to music by DJ Doc Couty. Join us to re-connect with friends and classmates. For more information call Sharon at (318) 646-3570.

Sheriff Cranford Jordan has officially retired plate WP17 in honor of former WPSO Deputy Clayton James Horne. Jordan stated that this decision was made to “honor Horne for his excellent service during his time with the Sheriff ’s Office.”

Deputy Horne also carried the title of U.S. Army Specialist while serving his country. Horne committed his life to serving both his community and his country. At the time of his death, Horne was deployed to Saudi Arabia with the 351st Military Police Company, 160th Military Police Battalion in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

Megan Dabbs Frederick, Volunteer Coordinator, for ACG Hospice, spoke to the Kiwanis Club, Tuesday, May 14th. ACG (Agape Care Group) bought out Legacy Hospice and moved the office to Jonesboro but they service patients all over the state, from the Monroe area to the Houma area. Most of the work is done in the field so the office is just a place for storage, etc.

This hospice organization allows their employees to make what they do a ministry. Patients can be in the home, in a nursing facility or a hospital. There is a hospice liaison who consults with doctors, nursing facilities and hospitals to make decisions about whether or not a person should be on hospice.

Hospice can be a few days, weeks, months or maybe even years.