Sheriff Sam Craft of the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office announces recent arrests made by VPSO.

September 3, 2026

Olen Jamie Hamm, age 54, of DeRidder, was arrested and charged with eight counts of Molestation of a Juvenile, eight counts of Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile, eight counts of Aggravated Crimes Against Nature, and four counts of Oral Sexual Battery. Bond has not been set and Hamm remains in the VPSO jail.

David Edward Dowden, age 53, of Simpson, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic. Bond has not been set. A detainer for the Louisiana Department of Probation and Parole has been placed on Dowden and he remains in the VPSO jail.

September 5, 2026

Hunter Reed Hoelscher, age 20, of San Augustine, Texas, was arrested and charged with one count of Domestic Abuse Battery. Bond was set at $ 10,000.00. Hoelscher remains in the VPSO jail.

James Jeffery Dickens, age 45, of Rosepine, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of Marijuana and two counts of Simple Assault. Bond was set at $ 4133.00. Dickens posted bond and was released.

September 6, 2026

Brenton Perkins, age 64, of Pitkin, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of Marijuana, one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, one count of Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated, one count of Resisting an Officer, one count of Flight from an Officer, and one count of Open Container. Bond was set at $ 11,200.00. Perkins posted bond and was released.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

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The Office of Louisiana Highway Construction joined local leaders and project partners yesterday to celebrate the completion of the new LA 463 bridge over Boggy Branch in Vernon Parish.

The project was delivered in 146 days.

LA 463 serves the Pitkin community and surrounding areas, providing an important connection to schools, medical care, local businesses and other essential services.

In one of Louisiana’s largest and most rural parishes, reliable infrastructure is critical to keeping communities safe, connected and moving forward.

The Office of Louisiana Highway Construction thanked Gov. Jeff Landry, the Legislature, local leaders, project partners and construction teams who helped deliver the project for the people of Vernon Parish.

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All Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles customer service centers will be closed Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, for system modernization efforts and staff training.

All private companies contracted to do business with the OMV, including Public Tag Agents and Auto Title Companies, will be unable to perform driver’s license, reinstatement, vehicle registration and title transactions from Saturday, Sept. 12, through Monday, Sept. 14.

Additionally, the OMV’s website, Expresslane.la.gov, and LA Wallet will be temporarily unavailable from Saturday, Sept. 12, through Sunday, Sept. 13.

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Vernon Parish will see mostly sunny conditions Wednesday with patchy fog in the morning. Highs will reach the mid 90s, with east winds around 5 mph. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy with patchy fog possible after midnight. Lows will be in the lower 70s.

Thursday will be mostly sunny with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs will reach the lower 90s, with temperatures falling into the mid 80s in the afternoon. Southeast winds will be around 5 mph. Thursday night will be partly cloudy, with lows in the lower 70s.

Friday will be mostly sunny with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 90s, with temperatures falling into the upper 80s in the afternoon. Friday night will be partly cloudy in the evening before clearing, with lows in the lower 70s.

Saturday will be mostly sunny with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 90s. Saturday night will be partly cloudy in the evening before clearing, with lows in the lower 70s.

Sunday will be mostly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 90s. Sunday night will be partly cloudy in the evening before clearing, with lows in the lower 70s.

Monday will be mostly sunny with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 90s.

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Jennifer Carter of Vernon Middle School has been named the Vernon Parish School Board Employee of the Month for September 2026.

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All three Vernon Parish teams winning in the same week happened only once in the 2025 season in the final regular-season week, but that’s exactly how the parish started the 2026 campaign.

They’ll aim to add to that two-week streak with all three parish teams on the road.

Rosepine (1-0) starts the week off Thursday when they dip south to Grand Lake (1-0).

Leesville (1-0) charts its path to defending Division II Non-Select champions Iowa (0-1) on Friday.

Pickering heads across the central part of the state to face Montgomery (0-1).

LEESVILLE

The Wampus Cats proved that their offense wasn’t rusty as they wamped up on DeRidder in a 46-22 win to start the season.

But as good as quarterback Trel Broom and the offense looked, perhaps the most exciting facet of the Week 1 win was the defense.

For a unit that allowed six teams to score 30 or more points this season, Leesville clamped down on a capable DeRidder unit and allowed the offense to build an early lead.

That type of performance will be further tested against Iowa, who did lose 12 seniors and half of their total starters from that state title team.

The Yellowjackets, who were one of four of Leesville’s district foes to drop down to Class 3A this cycle, won last year’s meeting 33-7.

But Class 5A Barbe scored a huge win in 42-15 fashion against Iowa this past week, which means the Yellow Jackets still have things to iron out on both sides of the ball.

Leesville running back Grant Braxton continued central role in the offense with 221 yards and four touchdowns on a grinding 35 carries.

Broom proved the explosive pass play will still feature in the offense as well despite a loss of seasoned pass catchers from the 2025 offense.

He threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns to two interceptions on just 11 completions.

Julius Brown led the way with four catches for 88 yards and three other Wildcats (Dylan Absher, Jaylen Hames, and Masyn Escoffery-Williams) caught touchdowns.

For Iowa, they hung tough early and trailed 28-15 at the half before Barbe shut them out in the second half.

Iowa quarterback Lawston Broussard has the ability to throw efficiently (8-12, 61 yards), but if the Wampus Cats tackle well, there shouldn’t be huge plays in the passing game.

Leesville will need to hold steady on the lines of scrimmage, particularly against Iowa’s rushing attack headlined by Kaston Lewis (115 yards, two touchdowns).

PICKERING

For a Pickering team angling for a playoff spot since returning to district play and playoff eligibility, the Red Devils accomplished two important things in Week 1.

Pickering logged a win against a Class 3A team, which will help in the power rankings.

And they did so convincingly, looking like a postseason squad in the 47-0 win. It’s the first shutout Pickering pitched since the 2024 regular season finale against Plain Dealing.

Montgomery is a program that vies for home playoff games each season in Class 1A, and it’ll be another great postseason metric for Pickering as they hit the road for a nice 90-minute trip.

The Tigers couldn’t stand up to Rosepine in a 48-20 loss, and they’ll take another swing at Vernon Parish this week.

Montgomery is known to light up the scoreboard with eight games of at least 30 points and four games of 40-plus points.

But the Tigers can give up those points as well, with eight teams reaching at least 30 points and four losses of 50 points or more.

Pickering may not want to get into a shootout, but discipline and good tackling should provide the Red Devils the pace they desire on the road.

ROSEPINE

While it may be way too early to say that the past two one-win seasons are just a faint memory, this obviously is not the same Rosepine team in 2026.

The Eagles followed up their jamboree win against Many with a convincing performance in a 48-20 victory over Montgomery.

A short-week test awaits when they head to take on Grand Lake, who took care of DeQuincy in the opener, 34-20. DeQuincy took a brief lead in the fourth quarter before Grand Lake scored the final two touchdowns of the game to wrap up the victory.

It’s the second straight Thursday contest for Grand Lake to open the season, which may give the Hornets a slight edge with an extra day of rest.

But Thursday games are nothing new for Rosepine, which usually play a few each season.

What Rosepine hasn’t had in the past three seasons is a winning streak, not since a 10-win season in 2022.

Grand Lake is more established than Montgomery (see a 61-18 playoff win over Montgomery in last year’s first round), but the new-look Eagles in the second year of the David Weldon era may have what it takes to get what would be an impressive road victory.

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I’m a huge fan of the Little League World Series. There’s so much joy watching baseball at its purest form, kids having fun in a game that has been played for over a century, not worried about how much money they are making.

It’s probably the one time in a young baseball player’s life that money is not a factor. It’s kids playing a game they grew up with on a sandlot or in the side yard of their neighbor’s house. 

This is how I learned to play baseball, either on a sandlot or in someone’s backyard. Sure, there were a few broken windows and an occasional broken nose when someone (probably me) lost control of a fastball. But at the end of the day, it was just a part of the game we all loved!

Of course, once a window was broken, we scattered like a covey of quail and ran to our houses as if nothing had ever happened. No one wanted to accept or admit they were responsible for the damage done. But eventually over time, the truth would come out and the person responsible had to pay for the window either by handing over cash or doing yard work for a month, or maybe even both. 

While we very seldom had enough players to field a full team, baseball is the only game that I’m aware of where you have ghost runners. That’s right, imaginary runners who could literally fly around the bases. You could play with 3-4 players on a team and make it work, all due to the ghost runner rule.  

The thing about growing up in a small Texas town was that there really were neighborhood rivalries. East side vs. West side, North side vs. South side. One elementary school vs. another. The rivalries were real until you got to high school and you became one team. 

What is the secret to a winning athletic program? Well, in the town of Mt. Pleasant, Texas, during the 1970s, the athletic talent level was insanely high for such a small town. There were many great athletes coming through MPHS during this time frame. The Mt. Pleasant Tigers had a statewide reputation for winning and doing well in all sports. 

Championship teams were a constant and expectations from the community were high. But the one thing I remember the most was the support we had from the school and the community itself. 

The leadership came from a lot of people like the mayor, school principals, teachers, booster club members, the student body, auxiliary groups, coaches and our parents, that paved the way for so many championship teams. You cannot put a price on how much community support means. 

We took pride in representing Mt. Pleasant High School and looked forward to anyone who wanted to challenge the Mt. Pleasant Tigers in any sport.

I was so blessed to have the opportunity to play for a Texas baseball state championship in 1978 and win. I’ll never forget what our head coach told the team after we won. “Fellows, this win tonight will mean more to you later in life than it does now.” Truer words have never been spoken.

To this day at the young age of 65, it’s the proudest moment I have ever experienced as an athlete including the day I signed to play college football and baseball at Northwestern State. Winning a state title has meant more to me than being drafted by Major League Baseball.

There’s something special about growing up in a small town and winning a state title during your high school years, playing with guys and friends you grew up with. 

It’s that closeness and comradery that made us great, along with the talent we possessed as a team. It has made us friends for life as we continue to get together from time to time to celebrate our accomplishment and share the same stories over and over. 

The one thing I have noticed over time is just how much better we have gotten with each passing year. That’s right, we’re now legends in our own minds!  

How lucky was I to have been a part of such a great community of people who cared about and made sure we had the support we needed to be successful! I would like to say thank you to those who played a part in not only my personal success, but the success of many teams that represented Mt. Pleasant High School. Go Tigers!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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“We don’t understand it, but your muffler is disintegrating from the inside.”

For once, the description of the noise my truck was making actually matched the noise it made for the service technician. Usually, when you take a vehicle to the shop, it immediately begins behaving like a child in front of company.

“It was doing it all the way over here,” you say.

The mechanic starts the engine.

Silence.

The truck sits there looking innocent.

But Saturday it cooperated.

“Eventually,” the service man explained, “your muffler will completely disintegrate, and your truck will become very loud.”

There are at least two ways you know you are getting old. The first is when the phrase “your truck will become very loud” sounds more like a threat than a promise. When I was younger, a loud truck might have been impressive. Now I want my muffler to do exactly what its name implies: muffle. Loud and old do not mix well—whether we are talking about trucks, music, neckties, or people explaining their opinions at restaurants.

The second way you know you are old is Muzak. If you step into an elevator, a doctor’s office, or a car dealership and realize the gentle instrumental music playing in the background is the same song your parents once yelled, “TURN THAT GARBAGE DOWN!” about—you are old. Saturday, Muzak was playing while the service man described my disintegrating muffler.

There was no denying it.

I am old.

And suddenly I began imagining life with a loud truck. Would people hear me pulling into the church parking lot before they saw me? Could I lead a funeral procession in it? Would the Baptists think I had joined the youth group? Would the Catholics begin praying for me?

“How much will it cost to fix?”

It was going to be expensive. Apparently, disintegrating from the inside was not covered by the warranty. That phrase stayed with me. Disintegrating from the inside.

How is your muffler?

Because mufflers are not the only things that can look reasonably good on the outside while quietly falling apart where nobody can see.

People can do it too.

Discouragement is a kind of interior rust. You start with faith, hope, and love. But disappointment works on you. Frustration works on you. Anger works on you. Fear works on you. And if you do not continually center your life in Christ, the corrosion begins. Often the problem is not that God has abandoned us. The problem is that we have decided exactly how God ought to behave. We get a plan fixed in our heads, a result fixed in our hearts, and a timetable fixed on the calendar. Then, when God refuses to cooperate, we become discouraged. Slowly, quietly, something begins disintegrating on the inside.

And here is another thing I learned about mufflers: When they deteriorate on the inside, eventually they get loud on the outside. That may explain more about our world than we would like to admit. Public discourse has become a contest to see who can be loudest. Conversation has been replaced by competition. Listening has become a lost art. We no longer seem content to disagree with somebody; we must defeat them, embarrass them, label them, or shout over them. Maybe all that exterior noise is telling us something about our interior condition.

Maybe some of us need our spiritual mufflers repaired. There is a verse of Scripture that both comforts and confronts. Eight simple words that can aggravate people who are determined to stay loud and bring wonderful hope to those who know something inside them needs restoring:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”
—Psalm 46:10

Be still. Stop shouting. Stop insisting. Stop rehearsing everything that is wrong. Stop telling God how God ought to run the universe. Be still long enough to remember who God is—and who you are. Maybe faith, hope, and love are not restored by becoming louder. Maybe they return when we become quiet enough to hear God again.

I get it, Lord.

Will you help me repair my muffler?

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On Sept. 9, 1776, the Continental Congress formally declared that the new nation would be known as the “United States” of America, replacing the term “United Colonies” that had been used previously. 

The decision came less than three months after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, as the colonies continued establishing the government and identity of the nation they had declared independent from Great Britain.

The name “United States of America” was directed to be used in continental commissions and other official documents.

Sept. 9 also marked other notable moments in history, including California becoming the 31st U.S. state in 1850 and Elvis Presley making his first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1956. 

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In 1863, the United States of America and the Confederate States of America were in the midst of what we now call the Civil War.  On June 1, 1863, nineteen-year-old Willis Meadows of Lanott, Alabama, joined Company G of the 37^th Alabama Regiment.  Willis was a fierce hunter who realized early on that missing a shot at wild game meant that he and his family would not have any meat on the table.  Within days of his enlistment, his superiors recognized his shooting skills and made him a sharpshooter.  One month to the day after his enlistment, July 1, Willis was helping defend Vicksburg from the Union army.  Through a small hole in a sheet of boiler plate, Willis took careful aim and fired a single shot at a time at Union soldiers so as not to give his position away.  He waited several minutes before firing again so the enemy could not pinpoint his position.  Every few minutes, Willis took down another soldier.  

21-year-old Peter Knapp and three other members of the 5^th Iowa volunteers were ordered to eliminate the sniper.  They slowly scanned the area while they awaited another shot.  Finally, Peter saw a flash come from the small hole in the boiler plate.  Peter was a crack shot as well.  As Willis peeked through the hole in search of another target, Peter fired.  The one-ounce cone-shaped bullet went through the same hole Willis had been firing through and struck him, Willis, in his right eye.  Peter saw Willis collapse and knew he was either dead or dying.  Peter and the other three reported that they had eliminated the sharpshooter and were sent on another assignment.

A short while later, a Union soldier found Willis and realized that he was still alive.  He and other Union soldiers took Willis to their surgeon who transferred the wounded sharpshooter to a federal hospital.  Doctors operated on Willis and concluded that it would be too dangerous to try to remove the bullet.  They stopped the bleeding and hoped for the best.  Despite the doctors’ grim prognosis, Willis’s condition slowly improved.  Except for the loss of his right eye, Willis regained his health.  Willis was eventually paroled and returned to Alabama.

58 years later, Peter was reading the newspaper when he read Willis’s incredible story.  He soon realized that Willis was the man he shot and whom he thought he had killed.  Peter wrote to Willis and they began corresponding back and forth for the remainder of Willis’s life.  The newspaper article which turned former enemies into friends was published on March 22, 1921.  On the day before, Willis, then 78 years old, was in his kitchen when he began coughing.  His coughing progressed into a coughing fit.  Willis held his handkerchief over his mouth, but nothing he tried would ease his coughing.  After several long minutes, Willis’s coughing ended abruptly when something struck his handkerchief.  He lowered the handkerchief from his mouth and stared in amazement.  58 years after being shot through the eye and left for dead, Willis coughed up Peter’s bullet.         

Sources:

1.     The Wellston News (Wellston, Oklahoma), April 1, 1921, p.2. 

2.     Phillips County News (Malta, Montana), September 8, 1921, p.1.

3.     “March 14, 1921 Coughing up Bullets,” Cape Cod Curmudgeon, March 24, 2018, Accessed August 30, 2026, https://todayinhistory.blog/2018/03/24/march-24-1921-coughing-up-bullets/.

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Levea W. Johnson
Service: Friday, September 11, 2026 at 1:30 pm at Central Louisiana Veteran Cemetery in Leesville

Vernon Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access.

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Sheriff Sam Craft of the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office announces recent arrests made by VPSO.

September 2, 2026

Tyler McFarland, age 33, of Hineston, was arrested and charged with one count of Criminal Trespass and one count of Criminal Damage to Property. Bond was set at $ 4795.00. McFarland remains in the VPSO jail.

Evelyn Stracener, age 37, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic, one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and one outstanding Bench Warrant. Bond was set at $ 11,561.00. Stracener remains in the VPSO jail.

September 3, 2026

Linda Gable, age 52, of Anacoco, was arrested on an out of jurisdiction Bench Warrant from Beauregard Parish. Gable was transferred from the V{SP jail to Beauregard Parish.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

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The Pilot Club of Leesville has named Beverly Gilbert Chance as its 2026 Pilot Ambassador.

The honor is presented during Pilot International Founders Month to a member who exemplifies the spirit of Pilot through active involvement, promoting and supporting the mission of Pilot International, faithful attendance at meetings, and giving time and talents to projects and fundraisers.

The Pilot Club of Leesville said Chance’s dedication, service, generosity and commitment to Pilot made her deserving of the honor.

Chance was pictured with LaWanda Sexson, PIFF representative, and Tiffany Koch, president.

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The Leesville Lions Club welcomed Annie Hamilton, chief of the Business Operations Division for Fort Polk Family & MWR, as the guest speaker for its weekly meeting.

Hamilton shared information about MWR and the programs, services, recreational opportunities and events available at Fort Polk.

Hamilton’s career with MWR has included working with youth in Germany, recreation and business operations, Navy MWR in the Northwest and now Fort Polk.

The Lions Club said the resources provided by MWR support the military community and help strengthen the connection between Fort Polk and surrounding communities.

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The Vernon Parish Library and the Vernon Parish Historical and Genealogical Society will host a free presentation, “A Walk Through the Archives” on Saturday, Sept. 5 from 11:30am-12:15pm. The presentation will focus on discovering how the stories, records and memories that connect the community are preserved. Discover the fascinating and detailed process involved in properly storing, protecting, and preserving donated historical materials for future generations. If you’ve ever wondered what happens to these items once they become part of the library’s collection, this is a great opportunity to learn more. The presentation will be held in the meeting room of the main branch of the Vernon Parish Library.

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The Coushatta Tribe collected longleaf pine needles on Sept. 3 on the Kisatchie National Forest in Vernon Parish for making cultural baskets. Public Affairs, Recreation and Heritage Staff Officer Jim Caldwell said it was a great day to be with friends in the Kisatchie National Forest.

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At the August 27, 2026, England Economic and Industrial Development District (EEIDD) Board of Commissioners meeting, it was announced that a special board meeting would be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. However, the special board meeting is no longer scheduled.

The public will be notified of all open meetings of the EEIDD Board of Commissioners, per Louisiana Revised Statute. The next official meeting of the EEIDD Board of Commissioners is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., Thursday, September 24, 2026, in the EEIDD Board Room, located at 1611 Arnold Drive, Alexandria, Louisiana 71303.

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William Matlcok
Service: Friday, September 4, 2026 at 12 pm at Bethesda Ministries

Vernon Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access.

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Sheriff Sam Craft of the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office announces recent arrests made by VPSO.

August 26, 2026

Gregory Wayne Martin, age 31, of Alco Hutton, was arrested on an outstanding Bench Warrant. Bond was set at $3000.00. Martin remains in the VPSO jail.

August 27, 2026

Shelby Johnson, age 35, of Leesville, was arrested on an outstanding Bench Warrant. Bond has not been set and Johnson remains in the VPSO jail.

Donald Ray Wofford Jr., age 43, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of Disturbing the Peace / Drunkenness and one count of Resisting an Officer. Bond was set at $ 2162.00. Wofford remains in the VPSO jail.

August 28, 2026

Miranda Blair Finch, age 30, of Pitkin, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic, one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and one count of No License Plate Light. Bond has not been set and Finch remains in the VPSO jail.

Kerry Carnline, age 28, of Simpson, was arrested and charged with one count of Simple Battery. Bond was set at $ 1281.00. Carnline posted bond and was released.

August 29, 2026

Charles P. Martinez, age 52, of Anacoco, was arrested and charged with one count of Unauthorized Entry of an Inhabited Dwelling and one count of Criminal Damage to Property. Bond has not been set and Martinez remains in the VPSO jail.

August 30, 2026

Damian Keith Sweat, age 48, of Pitkin, was arrested and charged with one count of Resisting an Officer, one out of Jurisdiction Bench Warrant, and one outstanding Bench Warrant. Bond has not been set and Sweat remains in the VPSO jail.

September 1, 2026

Angela Maddox, age 32, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic, one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, one count of Tail Lamps, one count of No License Plate Light, and one count of Operating a vehicle while License is Suspended. Bond was set at $ 14,166.00. Maddox remains in the VPSO jail.

Brandon Alexander, age 43, of Anacoco, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic, one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and one count Possession of Marijuana. Bond was set at $13,122.00. Alexander remains in the VPSO jail.

Wendell Wilford Coffey, age 45, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic and one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $ 11,561.00. Coffey remains in the VPSO jail.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

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The Louisiana State Analytical & Fusion Exchange (LA-SAFE) has issued an alert regarding a disturbing social media trend targeting schools and individuals across Louisiana and nationwide.

The posts often include AI-generated or heavily edited images or videos of a life-sized “Cat in the Hat” character near a home or school. They may also contain vague statements claiming the character is “coming to” a particular school or person next.

Students and families are asked to:

• Do not respond to, forward, share or repost these messages.
• Never provide school schedules, teacher names, classroom locations or other personal information.
• Save screenshots, usernames, links and other available information.
• Report the content immediately to a school administrator or local law enforcement.
• Call 911 if there appears to be an immediate danger.

Creating or sharing threatening content, even as a joke, can cause fear, disrupt schools, prompt a law enforcement response and result in serious criminal consequences.

The Vernon Parish School Board asked families to speak with their children about making responsible choices online.

The safety of students and employees remains the school board’s highest priority.

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For nearly as long as The Johnson Foundation in Racine, Wisconsin, at Wingspread has existed, the Institute of Fire Engineers (IFE) has gathered there to help shape the future of America’s fire and emergency services. 

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Institute’s first convening at Wingspread, bringing together the foremost fire service leaders across the profession to share their knowledge and experience, strengthen collaboration, and explore workable solutions related to progressive leadership, modern technology, firefighter health and safety, and public safety partnerships. It has been a longstanding tradition of service and innovation to our country and the people that firefighters serve. 

“It has been a great honor and a true privilege to participate in Wingspread VIII”, says retired Fort Polk Fire Chief Emeritus Michael L. Kuk, PhD.   Kuk joined leaders from across the nation’s fire and emergency services community during the four day event.  He noted that one has to be invited to this unique circle of talent to help shape the future of the profession.  “This has been the pinnacle of my career and life as a firefighter.  Kuk’s career spans over six decades of service, with over fifty years of chief officer leadership.

“I am especially honored to contribute both as an individual professional and as a representative of the US Military and Louisiana Fire Service” notes Kuk.  With his highly specialized background and a legacy of leadership of numerous departments throughout the nation, he brought a new perspective to the ongoing work of issues that faces the American Fire Service.

Chief Kuk is a US Army Vietnam Veteran, who served in the highly specialized role as a Combat Firefighter while in country, and wrote a book about his time served.  “An Army Firefighter in Vietnam 1970-1971” is his published documentary.

Chief Kuk wishes to offer his summary of the whole as “these committees and input work have reinforced the importance of bringing together diverse perspectives and disciplines to address the evolving challenges and issues that are daily facing America’s Fire and Emergency Services. I am most grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a group of dedicated professionals, and I look forward to continuing this important work at the next Wingspread.”

Of special note to this year’s conference was a musical performance by Kuk to the attendees.  On the final night of the event, the City of Racine, Wisconsin’s firefighters hosted a farewell meal at the central fire station in downtown Racine.  As a well-known musician and entertainer, Kuk treated everyone to a small concert of Louisiana Swamp Pop music by playing his keyboards and singing. The group gave him an uplifting round of applause after each song.

The history of the first Wingspread Fire Conference took place in February 1966, when 10 senior fire service leaders met at the Johnson Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin.  These founding members established and sustained the mission to identify current and future significant impacts to our nation’s fire departments. Their work has continued steadily for the past 60 years without interruption. The history of the conferences and the seven conference reports are available at the National Fire Heritage Center Web site.

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