Homer Police Officer, Sgt. Russell Mills, gives clerks at one local convenience store some tips on how to spot
counterfeit bills, showing them to look for the watermark and the magnetic
strip.
Counterfeit $100 Bills Under Investigation
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Homer Police
officer Russell Mills was called to KMC/McInnis Insurance in Homer around 2:30
PM on Friday, December 16. He was met there by McInnis employee Bob Robinson
who informed him he had what he thought to be two counterfeit $100 bills. Sgt.
Mills compared serial numbers on the bills to the ones picked up at
Brookshire's last week by Homer officer Keith Ferguson and at J&J Liquor
Store in Haynesville. The serial numbers were a match.
After
questioning Clifton Wilson, the man who had the two bills, Mills discovered he
had gotten both after giving change to two different individuals the night
before. He got the first bill from Ronnie Shelton, 46, of Homer and second from
a person he did not know.
Shelton told
Mills he had gotten the bill from a young man who wanted him to purchase some
alcohol for him. He did not know the young man's name, but when officers
entered the police station a few minutes later with Cambron Warren, Shelton
identified Warren as the person with the bogus bill.
Warren, 18, of
Homer was being arrested on unrelated charges. He admitted he had given the
bill to Shelton, but had no idea it was counterfeit. He had made change by
giving five 20s to an unknown black male from Ruston in his early 20s.
Mills contacted
a Detective Harris with the Ruston Police Department, who advised him their
office was working on a case involving counterfeit bills. They had already
confiscated a computer they believed could be involved. Mills also notified
Agent Lewis with the U.S. Secret Service who told him they had received a call
last week from the Haynesville Police Department. If any other information
arises, he said he would be in contact.
Wilson was
arrested and charged with monetary instrument abuse. He was also cited for
violating a town ordinance by selling alcohol without a state or local permit.
Shelton was charged with unlawful purchase of alcoholic beverage by a person
for a person under the 21 years of age.
Monetary
instrument abuse is when a person makes, issues, possesses, sells, or otherwise transfers a counterfeit or forged monetary instrument,
with intent to deceive another person. The penalty is a fine of not more than
one million dollars ($1,000,000), but not less than five thousand dollars
($5,000), and imprisonment, with or without hard labor, for not more than ten
(10) years but not less than six (6) months, or both.
HOMER'S ANNUAL "TOYS FOR TOTS" campaign raised over $1,000 this season to
purchase bicycles and toys for needy and underprivileged children in the Homer
area. (top photo,
back) Town of Homer employees Derrick Burns, Shenovia Harris, Rita Mitchell,
(front row) June McClure, and Homer Police officers Sgt. Jimmy Hamilton and
Capt. Donald Malray display three bicycles donated by Wal-Mart in Homer. (bottom photo) Homer Police Sgt. Russell Mills presents
several gifts he contributed to Emmantavious and Ke-Morion Ivory of Homer.
Bicycles and toys collected will be distributed by members of the Homer Police
Department this week.
“Toys For Tots”
Raises Over $1,000
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
About four
years ago, officers in the Homer Police Department began collecting money to
purchase bicycles for needy and underprivileged children in the Homer area.
Last year, Homer Mayor Huey Dean and Town of Homer employees joined in. This
year several police officers, a number of businesses, and several individuals
came together once again to raise money
to purchase bicycles and other toys for what has been termed the annual "Toys
for Tots" campaign. Homer officers will be delivering the bicycles and
other gifts to children later this week.
Contributions
were received from De bra Woodard,
Claiborne Electric, Balar Associates, American Water & Wastewater
Management, Donnie and Chris Bowman, Ken and Vicki Bailey & Colin, Patrick
Gladney, Susan and Bill Herring, Memorial Funeral Home, J. C. Moore, Claiborne
Drug, Thomas Auto Center, A Steel Magnolia, Doug Efferson and Homer Memorial
Hospital, Dr. Ivy Reed, Miss Lizzies, Lynn's Flower Shop, State Farm Insurance,
McInnis and KMC Insurance, KRC Manufacturing, Synco Motors, Pro Build, Mr.
& Mrs. James Scriber, Celeste Ware, Glenda Williams, Judge Jenifer Clason,
Jim Hatch, Donald Malray, Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Mills, Rodney Hollenshead,
Nora Banks, and Wal-Mart Store #290 and manager Yamada Burks.
HOMER POLICE OFFICER Nora Banks and dispatcher
Linda Featherston (left photo) accept a donation from
Homer Memorial Hospital Administrator Doug Efferson. Homer Wal-Mart Manager
Yamada Burks (right photo) presents three bicycles to Homer Officer Anthony Combs
for this year's toy drive.
FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN and two women were seriously injured when the driver of this Lincoln Town
Car, Antoinette Smith of Spearsville, lost control, then traveling at a speed
of 45-50 mph came to an abrupt stop after hitting this tree. La. State Trooper
Doug Pierrelee said according to technical data, an impact like this should
have been fatal for persons unrestrained. Smith will be charged with criminal
negligence as soon as she is released from the hospital. The young
children hit the rear of the front seats is apparent by the damage and marks
left by the children. Impacts this severe are normally fatal.
State Police Investigate Deadly
Accidents
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
One
six-year-old girl was airlifted to LSU Medical Center in Shreveport Monday, where
she remains in pediatric intensive care following a near deadly car crash on
La. 9 (Summerfield Hwy.), approximately 11 miles east of La. 2. Three other
children and two adults were also seriously injured in the crash. All were
transported to Homer Memorial Hospital, then later
transferred to LSU Medical Center.
Antoinette
Smith of Spearsville
was traveling south on La. 9 in a Lincoln Town Car. When she
failed to slow down in a construction zone with a posted speed limit of 45 mph,
she lost control, slid sideways before leaving the roadway, then came to a very
abrupt stop impacting a large tree. Smith and passenger, Tara Kennedy, were
thrown through the windshield into the crumpled hood. Neither were wearing seatbelts.
Four children,
ages 3, 5, 6 and 10, believed to be Smith's stepchildren, were riding
unrestrained in the back seat. The impact threw the children forward into the
back of the front seat, breaking the ocular bones around the eyesocket of the
six-year-old. The other children received broken bones and lacerations.
Trooper Doug
Pierrelee said, "It was arrogance that caused this." Once Smith is released from the hospital, she
will be arrested for criminal negligence. He said she showed no reasonable
amount of care by speeding through a construction zone with four children
sitting unrestrained in the back seat. He is glad none of the children were
fatally injured, but wonders what longterm effect a violent crash such as this
will have on these children. As for the person responsible, he said, "It
is our job to hold her accountable."
In an unrelated
accident last week, Royce A. Brown, 63, of Bernice was headed home from Ludlow
Coated Products about 7:30 on Wednesday, December 14, when he failed to
negotiate a right hand curve at the intersection of Friendship Road and Hebron
Road. The 1996 Chevy pickup he was driving continued in a straight path, left
the roadway, and traveled approximately 100 feet before impacting a large tree.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to
Louisiana State Police reports, no alcohol was involved and Mr. Brown was
wearing a seat belt. It is believed the accident could be medically related.
His body was transported by Claiborne Ambulance to Little Rock, Arkansas for
autopsy.
Haynesville Council Hires Police
Officer, Dispatcher
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Haynesville
Town Council authorized Police Chief Anthony Smith to hire Rick Mixon as police
officer and Heather
Evans as dispatcher for the Haynesville Police Department.
Following the
reading of Ordinance #574 by Town Clerk Penny Fields, the council voted to
approve the ordinance to levy a vocational tax on all professions, trades,
pursuits, businesses and vocations for the year 2006 in the Town of
Haynesville.
FIRST PLACE WINNERS OF THE 2005 CHRISTMAS
FESTIVAL POSTER/T-SHIRT CONTEST (top left-right) in
Category A (K-3) were Josh Evans, 2nd
grade at Haynesville Elementary (teacher Suzy Allen), Category B (4th-6th) Tymario Walter, 6th
grade at Athens High School (teacher Dianne Springer), (bottom left-right) Category C (7th-9th)
Bryce Brunson at Summerfield High School (teacher Becky Lowe), and Category D
(10th-12th) Camille Gladney, senior at Homer High School (teacher Dianne
Springer). Winners received a $50 savings bond from the Claiborne Christmas
Festival Committee. Walter's entry was featured on the 2005 poster and
Brunson's will be featured on the 2006 T-Shirt.
What Christmas Means To Me...
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
As Christmas
approaches, we need only go to our children if we want to know the
"true" meaning of the season. What is Christmas really all about? Santa Claus or Jesus Christ, getting presents or giving to others.
Just ask any second grader. Most will tell you, as Haynesville Elementary
student Anquanetta Hawkins said, "It is all about Jesus". Taylor Doss
at Claiborne Academy said it is about peace, good will on Earth. Classmate
McCall Heckel said it is about loving everyone.
Several
Haynesville students Kalon Noble, Carol Walker, and Madison Taylor agree, Christmas is a time to give to needy people. To Scarlett
Carter at Mt. Olive Christian School, Christmas means God' love. Dalton Nokes
at Junction City said he thinks Christmas is about telling people about Jesus
and how he died on the cross. Sarah Elizabeth Ellis at Summerfield adds,
"Even Jesus loves Christmas."
Summerfield
student Jacob Ellis shaped his thought in rhyme, "Candy, cookies, joy and
love...sharing, caring, and Angels above."
Jessalyn Howard
at Junction City said, "It helps me to know if I've been good this
year."
One student at
Junction City, Drew English, took a more light hearted
note, sayin it is a time he can sing "Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle
Bell Rock."
Below is a list of what Christmas means to other second graders
in Claiborne Parish:
Christmas Memory Tree
In Memory Of—Given By
Jesse Lee Edmonds Sr._Thomas &
Margaret Crump
Jesse Lee Edmonds Jr._Thomas &
Margaret Crump
Neva Edmonds_Thomas & Margaret Crump
Norine Robinson_Thomas & Margaret
Crump
Cora Tuggle_James & Beth Hamilton
Earnie Harmon_Juanita Dean
Kerlin C. Dean_Juanita Dean
Gladys Cockerham_Kayla Hanson &
Katie Dickerson
Linda Dickerson_Gordon & Katie
Dickerson, Donnie & Kayla Hanson
Jerry Coleman Sr. - Denny & Michelle
Bays & Dustin
Landon Hays -Dustin Bays
Lenny Legendre - Denny & Michelle
Bays & Dustin
C. J. Hammond - Lindsey Hammonds
Darien "DeJuan" Early - Hattie
& Joyce Graham & Anthony Kelly
Ray Herring - Jeanie, Angel &
children
S. E. Smith - S. E. Smith Family
Tim Smith - S. E. Smith Family
Landon Hays - CA Class of 2005
Lillian Meadors - Paige Prince
W.F.M. Meadors, Jr. - Paige Prince
In Honor Of—Given
By
Elmer Poss_Beth Hamilton Family
Chris Ebarb - Denny & Michelle Bays
& Dustin
Mike Legendre - Denny & Michelle
Bays & Dustin
Alline Smith - S. E. Smith Family
Lizzie Prince - Paige Prince
Casey Prince - Paige Prince
Philip Prince - Paige Prince
