Town Council To Consider New Hospital

BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal

            The need for a new hospital or the need to renovate the existing hospital was the main topic of discussion at the Homer Town Council meeting Monday night. Doug Efferson, who has served as administrator of Homer Memorial Hospital for the past six months, expressed the concerns of the HMH Board about the condition of the present facility and the need to make a decision soon to either renovate the current facility or begin exploring options to construct a new, modern hospital that will be able to meet current and future needs.

            Efferson noted a number of problems identified at the current facility. He said the hospital is landlocked in a residential area which limits growth and upsets residents. Recent problems with mold, air conditioning and plumbing have raised questions about the building's long-term viability. Due to space limitations, visiting physicians must rent space in the emergency room. For the same reason, the Geri-Psych facility is located in Haynesville and Home Health and Central Supply are located across the street.

            For the past several months, the Hospital Board has been seriously exploring the possibility of building a new facility. Efferson said the Board needed input from the Council to decide which is the right course of action and suggested they form a committee to explore the idea. He suggested they review and make any changes to the proposed ordinance prepared by town attorney David Newell and hospital attorney Jim Colvin.

            The ordinance as written would transfer all ownership and operation of the hospital to Hospital Service District No. 3 upon the fulfillment of certain conditions. which would include payment in full of the FHA indebtedness of the hospital, approximately $2.4 million. Other conditions would include approval by the Police Jury, approval by all three hospital service districts, approval by the Louisiana Attorney General on the intergovernmental transfer, approval by the La. State Bond Commission to build a new hospital facility, and approval of the transfer of Medicaid and Medicare provider numbers.

            During the 3-4 years it would take to build a new facility, the Town would lease the current building for $10,000 per month. Once construction of the new hospital was complete, the Town would retain ownership of the existing building.

            Efferson told the Council if they did not believe a new hospital was something the Town should consider, there would be no need to set up a committee. The question is, "Do we want a new hospital in Claiborne Parish. If the answer is no, there is no reason to go forward. If the answer is yes, we will figure out a way to do it."  There are a number of viable alternatives; this is just one. No matter which direction they go, he reminded the Council that any revenues generated by a hospital could only be used for healthcare.

            Toney Johnson, who met with the hospital board in a special meeting on Friday, said, "We are at a crossroads with the hospital. They need to either spend money to renovate the hospital or build a new facility." He added, "How goes healthcare is how goes this community." Input will be needed from the entire parish, town councils, the police jury, and the medical community. He said, "We need to know what the people of Claiborne Parish want."

            Former mayor David Aubrey asked why every member of the Council had not been contacted for the Friday meeting at the hospital. Johnson suggested one of the black town councilmen serve on the committee. Aubrey said that should not be the issue. He asked, "Why did they pick to call you and didn't try and give the others the respect, an opportunity? That is the insult."

            J. C. Moore said he thought a committee had been formed several months ago. Efferson said an attempt  was made to set up a committee in July but they discovered only last week the Council was not fully informed, that communication had fell through.

            Newell said he took exception to that statement. The only reason he had not presented it to the Council was because he had not had time to digest the significant issues, but he recommended the Council go ahead and set up a committee.

            Jesse Ford said he did not want to be rushed into anything. Right now the hospital is being run pretty good and now, they want to give it to the parish  The parish is having their own financial problems.

            Hospital Board Chairman T. E. "Buddy" Pixley said they did not want to give any appearance of making decisions behind anyone's back. If there is anything wrong with the proposal, he suggested they change it. He told the Council, "This body has the power and the charge to vote on what to do with the hospital, because you own it."

Ford said, "Where would this hospital be located?"

            Efferson said. "That would be strictly up to the town."

            Hospital board member Lawson Wilder said he did not oppose a committee, but there were a lot of questions that should not be left to them. He asked, "Is this council planning on voting to make this decision or do you plan to submit it to a vote of the people of Homer?" He also wanted to know who would decide on the location for a new hospital and how would it be financed.  He suggested giving the committee some guidelines. If they propose a property tax, then later a sales tax, they could kiss any future business prospects goodbye.

            The Council voted to form a committee and appointed Toney Johnson, J. C. Moore, and David Newell to serve with others to begin exploring the possibility of building a new hospital. At Newell's request, the Council added to the agenda to go into executive session to discuss the strategy dealing with the hospital.

Body Found In Car Identified

            The Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office released the name of the individual whose body was found  in the trunk of a car near the Bienville Parish on September 10.

            Clifford Wade Taylor, 36, of Minden had been reported missing by his parents on August 27, 2005. They had not seen him since he left their house in a vehicle that was registered to them. The two hunters had reportedly noticed the car in the woods just off Old Arcadia Road about one mile north of the Bienville Parish line two weeks earlier. This would have been the same day Taylor was reported missing  Taylor's skeletal remains were identified through DNA tests conducted during an autopsy in Little Rock, Arkansas.

            Although the cause of death is unknown, authorities are investigating the case as a homicide and arson.

            Anyone with information on the disappearance or death of Clifford Wade Taylor is asked to call the Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office at 927-2011, the Webster Parish Sheriff's Office at (318) 377-1515, or the Minden Police Department at (318) 377-1212.

Homer Helping Homer

            After hearing of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and the exodus of families to areas in other parts of the country, the student council at Homer Community School in Homer, Nebraska decided they wanted to help. On September 7, Pat Lee, principal at Homer Elementary School, was contacted by Jeff Horner, a social studies teacher at Homer Community School, to see what was needed and how they could help the students that are being enrolled in Homer schools.

            Homer, Nebraska has a population of 608 and a K-12 student body of just under 400. Student count at Homer Elementary School (PreK -5) is currently at 609. At Homer Junior High (6-8) the enrollment is 286 and at Homer High (9-12) enrollment is 327. The three schools combined have enrolled approximately 70 students from South Louisiana.

            Homer, La. Schools have received 17 boxes of school supplies from Homer, Nebraska. "Every imaginable school supply has been provided," according to Lee. "We received the boxes last week and were overwhelmed with the generosity of the community of Homer, Nebraska . It is amazing to see what a tremendous impact a small group of focused individuals can do for a worthy project."

            Supplies and uniform shirts were distributed throughout each Homer school to fulfill needs of the newly enrolled students.

DART To Remember Domestic Abuse Victims

            D.A.R.T., the Domestic Abuse Resistant Team, will hold their candlelight vigil Thursday, October 6 to remember area victims of domestic abuse. The annual event, which is held in October as part of Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, will begin at 6:30 PM in the Family Life Center of First Baptist Church in Homer.

            Twenty-one red silhouettes have been placed on the Courthouse lawn in Homer as a reminder of the 17 women and 4 children who have died since 1997 as a result of domestic abuse in the five parish area served by D.A.R.T. (Claiborne, Lincoln, Bienville, Union, and Jackson). Two women who are not yet represented are Stephanie Pepper Sims and Jacqueline Renee Beard.

            Sims, an English instructor at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, was first reported missing from her home in West Monroe in January 2003. Her body was found on a game reserve in Jackson Parish in February, the victim of a gunshot wound to the chest. Wayne Joseph Guidry Jr. of Luling was arrested a short time later.

            Last December, Ruston police were called to a residence where they discovered Roger Beard had apparently shot and killed his 23-year-old wife, Renee, then attempted to kill himself.

            As local citizens drive around the Town Square this week, they are asked to remember these silent victims and to become their voice to raise awareness and to help D.A.R.T. overcome domestic abuse in our community. The public is also strongly urged to attend this emotional vigil on Thursday.

            For more information on D.A.R.T, please call Mary Ellen Gamble at 927-2818.

THE 36TH ANNUAL HOMECOMING will be observed at Claiborne Academy this Friday night, October 7, 2005 with a game against the Briarfield Rebels. This year's Homecoming Court to be presented during halftime consists of Homecoming Queen Mitzi Heard (seated, center) and her court, from left to right, Junior Maid Lindy Lee, Freshman Maid Gina Rushing, Football Sweetheart Nancy Gandy, Spirit Sweetheart Sarah Watson, Sophomore Maid Carli Newell, and Senior Maid Kelsey Emerson.  The Court will be escorted to their seats during a car parade at 6:15 pm. Game time is at 7:00 p.m.

HOMER HIGH 2005 HOMECOMING COURT who will be presented at halftime during the Homer-Lakeside football game Friday, October 7 in the Ronny G. Beard Memorial Stadium are (l.-r.) Freshman maids Annatraia Hay and Afton Noel Owens; Sophomore maids Brittany Goodwin and Shakendra Moore; Junior maids Komecia Burns and Magan Martin; Senior maids Allegra Turner, Monique Cooper, Melissa Hylan; Football Sweethearts Tommi Roberts, Sharmetra Aubrey, Leontyne Jones, and Homecoming Queen Shauntay Morgan. They will be introduced at the Pep Rally at 6 PM following the Homecoming Parade down North Main and around the Courthouse Square beginning at 5 PM on Thursday. The Annual Homecoming Tea will be 11:30-12:30 Friday in the Home Economics cottage.

White Lightning Meanders Through Hilly North La.

            White Lightning—it may evoke feelings of adventure, of moonshiners tearin' down the road with `revenooers' hot behind.

            Anyone who lives in Claiborne Parish has heard of the White Lightning Road. And anyone who has lived in Claiborne Parish since the 1950s and 1960s knows why LA146 is called the White Lightning Road. But for those unfamiliar with its history,  some background on the White Light-ning Road may  be `enlightning.'

            Few of the generation that witnessed the birth of the White Lightning in the 1920s are still around. Their children have become today's `old folks' and are dying out, too.

            As to how the White Lightning Road got its name, a couple of generations ago brewing one's own liquor (making moonshine or "white lightning" or "corn likker") was common. Most parishes in North Louisiana between Ouachita and Bossier and south toward Natchitoches were dry. No alcohol could be sold. Making moonshine was not illegal. But selling "corn likker" was. That was bootlegging. Most arrests in dry parishes before the 1970s were for bootlegging.

            But back to how the White Lightning got its name. It was in the 1920s that convicted bootleggers were put to work clearing and laying out the route of the White Lightning Road. So its laborers being mostly convicted bootleggers led to its name, White Lightning Road.

            Convicts used shovels, teams of mules, and slips and skids to clear and level the roadway. Leaning right, then left, stepping up, then down_LA 146 staggers for 30-something miles between Homer and Vienna. The convict roadbuilders cut down trees, dug out stumps, cleared underbrush, burned debris, leveled dips and rises_all without backhoes, graders, or bulldozers. A dirt road at first, after about 20 years it was covered with gravel. Back then, gravel was a major upgrade. Of course, it's been paved now for about 40 years.

            With more curves than a majorleague pitcher, the White Light-ning of today still bears the mark of its hooch heritage.

            Bill Hightower and Jimmy Dean researched this article.

Absentee Voting Will End Saturday, October 8 At Noon

            Absentee voting for the upcoming election on October 15 will end Saturday, October 8 at noon. Registered voters may absentee vote this week at the Registrar of Voters office in the Police Jury Complex, from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Monday-Friday, and from 8:30 AM until noon on Saturday. Candidates for Town of Homer Selectman in District 4 are Ivy McGee-Reed and Carlette Sanford. The choices for Justice of the Peace in the First JP Court are C. F. "Chuck" Clawson and Roberta Paschal. Also on the ballot are the renewal of two 10-year parishwide school taxes, both 5.90 mills, and the renewal of a 10-year school tax in District 11 (Haynesville) at 4.14 mills.

Watershed Commissioners To Bring Ideas In December

            At the last meeting, Chairman Alice Stewart suggested Claiborne Parish Watershed District commissioners bring ideas to the December meeting so they could begin to put together a plan for next year. She wants a plan that will address routine buoy maintenance in the future and the need to hire someone to do the work. Deputy Jeff Pugh agreed buoys were probably the most serious problem on the lake. They need to also seek clarification on the district's responsibility and the responsibility of DOTD for upkeep of the Lake Claiborne dam. Commissioner Butch Fincher suggested they seek an opinion from the State Attorney General.

            The District also needs to look at hiring personnel to handle lake concerns from residents, bookkeeping duties, grant writing, and other things. In the 1960s, the board considered hiring a full-time administrator to handle routine tasks, but never acted on it. After 40 years, the need is much greater. Gene Coleman agreed the watershed commission should set policy, then hire an administrator to implement that policy. This commission was given the power to raise revenue so they could manage more effectively. The current situation makes Stewart a volunteer lake manager.

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