News

The Winnfield City Council met for its regular meeting at the Allen Building on March 10. Mayor Gerald Hamms honored two longtime Winn Parish residents with the “Hammy Award,” recognizing those who have shown “outstanding dedicational service and unwavering commitment to making a positive impact in our community.”

The first recipient of the Hammy was Audrey Calhoun, the first African American woman in the United States to earn a bachelor’s degree in forestry. Calhoun credited her accomplishments to her roots in Winnfield, citing the people she knew, the schools she attended, and everyone who made a difference in her life. “I always knew that I’d come back to Winnfield,” Calhoun said. With an inspirational career spanning from the start of the Nixon presidency through President Clinton’s second term, Winnfield is proud to be her home.

The Winn Parish Sheriff ’s Office recently conducted its annual firearms training to ensure deputies remain proficient and prepared to safely carry and use their service weapons.

The training is required by the Louisiana Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), which mandates that all law enforcement officers qualify with their firearms at least once each year. The course is held at the Winn Parish Sheriff ’s Office firing range and requires officers to achieve a minimum qualifying score in order to carry a firearm while on duty.

Anastasia Wiley, District Judge shares humorous travel experiences in an address to the Winnfield Kiwanis Club, with tails of travels to Ireland. She challenged the idea that travel is not a hobby, arguing instead that such experiences are necessary to regulate one’s life and provide emotional balance. Reflecting on her time abroad, she described two distinct trips to the Emerald Isle, including a 1996 visit during graduate school and an emotional journey in 2011 to honor a friend’s late sister. She shared humorous stories of navigating the Irish countryside in a rented car, taking a rainy buggy ride to a castle, and practicing expertlevel packing that she compared to a game of Tetris.

My slogan is: Do It Right the 1st Time – Vote #51 I am a lifetime resident of Winnfield. I have been involved with civic, community service, sports backer, school board member, teacher’s aide, supervisor at West Fraser, church mission with jail ministry and much more in my city.

I am a true Christian and a member of the Community Outreach Ministry under the leadership of Pastor Theresa Hall Lard.

I am not here to contradict the past or where we are now. I’m here to move Winnfield and my community forward on a positive note. To everyone who knows me, knows that I stand for a positive reaction.

I am married to James Carter for 56 years and the proud mother of 5 daughters (Stacy, LaChon, Patrece, J’Amie and Suzette). I also have many, many grands and great-grands.

I only ask for you to give me a chance to serve you. Again Vote #51.

Winnfield’s Rotary Club members were entertained at their meeting on March 4, 2026 by Louisiana District Judge Anastasia Wiley, who recounted some of her travel adventures involving animals.

Judge Wiley says she inherited her love of travel from her paternal grandmother and maternal great grandmother. She has traveled extensively and regaled her audience with tales of encountering animals in the wild, at the request of Rotarian of the Day, Joe Evans.

During a trip to Alaska, Judge Wiley and her travel companion drove south from Anchorage along the coast where they sighted a Beluga whale rising from coastal waters and a herd of moose grazing in a field in a small town where they stopped to fuel their SUV. They also took a tour of Denali National Park, in which only guided tours are allowed, where they sighted bears, otters and other critters.

Former Winnfield Mayor George Moss spoke to the Kiwanis Club on February 24, sharing reflections on the town’s history and its potential for tourism and community growth.

Introduced by Kiwanis President Mary Lou Blackley, Moss focused on Winnfield’s rich heritage, natural beauty, and the importance of working together to promote local assets. He noted that while some historic structures have been lost over the years, much remains that can be preserved and showcased.

Moss emphasized that tourism development does not always require major infrastructure projects, but rather a unified effort to promote what already exists. He pointed to neighboring Natchitoches as an example of a community that successfully revitalized its downtown and built a strong tourism identity through collaboration and promotion.

Beginning Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 10:00 PM, the City of Winnfield will implement a city-wide water shutoff to replace damaged fire hydrants.

Crews will be working on hydrant replacements in the following areas:

• Main Street

• Crawford Street

• North Pineville Street

• South Pineville Street We estimate the shutoff will last from 10:00 PM to approximately 5:00 AM.

We understand that any water interruption can be frustrating, and many may be tempted to complain or judge this situation based on previous incidents. But please know: the city is always working to accommodate our citizens as conveniently and efficiently as possible.

Every situation is different, and our teams are doing their best to respond quickly and responsibly.

We encourage everyone to ask questions, stay informed, and avoid assumptions.

The Winn Parish Police Jury held its regular meeting on February 17, with Gavin Snowden appearing first on the agenda to provide a road update in place of Road Superintendent Mr. Holmes. Snowden informed the Jury that three rack projects have been completed, with five remaining. While two grader operators are currently in training, the Police Jury is looking to hire three additional operators to ensure future projects meet their deadlines. Paul Hodnett, Assistant Road Superintendent, expressed the need for two tractor operators (no CDL required) and one truck driver (CDL required).

The February 17, Kiwanis meeting guest speaker was Dr. Troy Bell, Superintendent of Schools for Winn Parish. Dr. Bell and his wife have 4 children between them and 3 grandchildren. They live in Kelly, La and she works for a bank in Columbia. Her commute is shorter than his and that’s alright.

He started in education at the age of 38 and has been in eductation for 21 years. He began coaching and teaching math which is not what a coach normally teaches but he says he is a math nerd. He taught and coached in Caldwell parish and was in the Franklin parish Central office. In Franklin parish he did every job which was helpful in preparing him to be Superintendent. His doctorate is in theological education and ministry.

Both Caldwell and Franklin are similar to Winn in that they are rural areas but he said Winn has more community involvement.