Homer Police Investigate Shooting
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Homer Police
officers were called to 1013 Harris Street regarding a shooting that occurred
about 1:15 PM on Sunday afternoon, January 15. Upon arrival at the residence,
officer Russell Mills found Tedric Lewis, 37, of Homer lying in the front yard
of his parents' home with a gunshot wound to his upper left chest.
Assistant Police Chief Donald Malray, who took the initial call,
contacted the Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office, who in turn dispatched
Claiborne Ambulance to the scene. Lewis was transported to Homer Memorial
Hospital, then airlifted to LSU Medical Center in
Shreveport where he underwent surgery to remove a portion of his lung. He is
expected to recover.
According to
Malray, Lewis was apparently shot with a .22 caliber, long barrel pistol which
was found in a barbecue pit at the residence. At least four unspent shell
casings were recovered at the residence, two inside the pistol and two next to
Lewis' vehicle.
Tedric's
mother, Magalene Lewis, initially told Mills her son had shot himself, but on
Tuesday at LSU Medical Center, she told Malray she was not sure what happened,
whether he shot himself or someone else had shot him.
The incident is
being investigated by the Homer Police Department and Assistant District
Attorney Danny Newell. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call
the Homer Police Department at 318-927-4000.
Bones May Provide Clues In Man's Disappearance
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Bones found
scattered over a wooded area in South Claiborne Parish may provide clues to the
mysterious disappearance of James Ferrell, Jr. over three years ago, if DNA
tests concludes the bones do belong to Ferrell. According to Sheriff Ken
Bailey, The Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office received a report Thursday,
January 5, 2006, about the discovery. Detectives went to the site and collected
all items at the scene and sent them to the Crime Lab for analysis. Due to the
backlog, it could take the Crime Lab several months to confirm the identity of
the remains.
Due to the
location of the bones found, detectives concluded they could belong to Ferrell
who was last seen around 5 PM on December 5, 2002 washing his truck at his home
on Old Athens Road south of Homer. The Sheriff's Office suspected foul play
from the beginning and conducted a thorough investigation, using cadaver dogs
from the Shreveport Fire Department in an attempt to locate Ferrell's body.
Within weeks of
Ferrell's disappearance, two Homer men and a juvenile were arrested. Roland
Burns, 32 at the time, and Jerome Pickins, who was 20, were charged with first
degree murder and armed robbery. The 16-year-old juvenile was charged with
accessory after the fact of first degree murder. He was released sometime in
2003. Burns and Pickins were released October 21, 2004 for lack of sufficient
evidence according to Assistant District Attorney Danny Newell. Sheriff Bailey
said if they were to find any additional evidence they could be arrested again.
While they wait
for results from the Crime Lab, detectives are continuing to investigate the
case as a homicide.
Anyone with
information on the identity of the remains found in South Claiborne Parish on
January 5 or in the disappearance of James Ferrell, Jr. in December 2002 is
asked to please contact the Criminal Investigation Division at 318-927-9800
between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
I-69 Final Corridor Decision Still On
Hold
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The final
decision on which route I-69 will take between El Dorado and Haughton was
expected months ago. Following a meeting of agencies in November, URS Corporation,
the engineering firm hired by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to
conduct the study for this particular section of independent utility (SIU-14),
prepared a draft press release to announce the final decision. This was
forwarded to DOTD for review and final approval. For more than a month, URS
Analyst Scott Hoffeld has been expecting a decision from the Louisiana
Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).
Over the past
several months, URS, along with other state and federal agencies, have
conducted several field studies of the area and
have sought additional input from elected officials in the area. On
October 3 and 4, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) biologist accompanied
Hoffeld and biologists from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
(LDWF) to inspect the proposed alternative rights-of-way.
During this
field inspection, they discovered a slight adjustment in the Alternative 4.3
crossing of Bayou Dorcheat would significantly reduce the wetland impacts, which
they recommended by fully evaluated. A slight adjustment was made, moving the
alignment from a wetland area to a nearby ridge. The new alignment was
designated Alternate 4.4. It would decrease wetland impacts and construction
costs would be reduced by $5.5 million. When compared to Alternative 4.3,
wetland impact would be reduced approximately 60 percent and impacts to mature
bottomland hardwood wetlands would be reduced nearly 40 percent. When compared
with Alternative 5, the impact to mature forested wetlands in Alternative 4.4
would be less than 8 acres.
With this new
information, the FWS concurred with the assessment by LDWF that the crossing of
Bayou Dorcheat, a State-designated scenic stream, in Alternative 5 would be
difficult to mitigate and recommended the selection of Alternative 4.4 as the
preferred alignment.
In a letter
written November 14, 2005 to Hoffeld by LDWF Secretary Dwight Landreneau, he
said, "LDWF's preferred I-69 corridor alternative was determined only
after a comprehensive evaluation of anticipated detrimental impacts to wetland
habitat and to Bayou Dorcheat, a Louisiana designated Natural and Scenic
River." From a Scenic Rivers perspective, Alternatives 4.3 and 4.4 were
preferable over Alternative 5. "An interstate right-of-way bisecting a
designated Natural and Scenic River in a remote, natural, and scenic area is a
permanent alteration to the streams character and quality".....and would
be "difficult to mitigate."
E. R.
"Smitty" Smith III, president of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation
(LWF), said LWF favors the use of Alternative 4; that crossing of Bayou
Dorcheat would be less objectionable of the two preferred alternatives. He said
the proposed crossing areas in Alternative 5 possess much of the scenic,
ecological, and recreational values that made Bayou Dorcheat a prime candidate
for inclusion in the National and Scenic Rivers System in the first place.
LDWF Secretary
Landreneau said the Department is required to take into consideration the
comments of the public in making a permit decision. The Scenic Rivers Program
received nearly 5,000 signatures in favor of the Alternative 4 crossing of
Bayou Dorcheat. He said, "It is unusual for us to receive comments in such
number outside of our formal permit process and we certainly will not discount
them."
On Tuesday
after speaking with Secretary Johnny Bradberry, Communication Director Mark
Lambert, confirmed that no decision had been made by DOTD and he had no idea
when a decision would be made. DOTD is presently working with local and state
representatives in this area to get their input. He said, "We feel it is
prudent to listen to the elected officials."
State
Representative Rick Gallot said he had not been contacted by DOTD in the past
month or so. Cynthia Steele, secretary-treasurer for the Claiborne Parish
Police Jury, said she also had received no recent communication or requests for
input from DOTD. The Jury did, however, receive a request for additional
information on October 12, 2005.
In response, the Jury submitted a letter listing the advantages
of Alternative 4.3, stating it would "have much more positive impact on
the lives of more people in this region than any other choices
considered." The letter was signed by Cynthia Steele, Roy Lewis, J. T.
Taylor, Dr. Alice Stewart, Dennis Butcher, Homer Mayor Huey Dean and Minden
Mayor Bill Robertson. It also listed advantages for Alternative 4.3 regarding
the scenic river crossing, economic development projects, and protection of the
aquifer recharge area.
In making their
final decision, DOTD must take into account the planning considerations found
in Revised Statute 56:1848, Part 9 of the Louisiana Natural and Scenic Rivers
System Act that states, "No agency of the state government shall authorize
or concur in plans of local or federal agencies that would detrimentally affect
whether, directly or indirectly, a natural or scenic river or upon which the
full and equal consideration of the stream's potential as a natural or scenic
area with aesthetic values has not been discussed and evaluated."
Lambert said he
would try to get a possible time frame when a decision would be made by the
DOTD. In the meantime, residents in the SIU study area in Claiborne and Webster
parishes must continue to wait.
THE HOMER HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA CLUB will present the great American Classic of theatre, Thorton Wilder's Our
Town on Monday, February 13 at 6:30 PM on the Homer High stage. High school and
junior high students are invited to attend the 9:30 AM and 1:00 PM
performances. This play has been reviewed as "the greatest American
dramatic theatre experience." The production will include three acts in
the life of a small town including everyday, a wedding, and a funeral. Tickets are $2 for adults and $1 for students
and can be purchased from Director Denice Owens. Some of the characters in the production are
(left photo, l.-r.) Tommi Roberts, (Emily Webb), Camille
Gladney (Stage Manager, Narrator of the Story), Devin Owens (George Gibbs), and
(right photo, l.-r.) Cody Lowery (Mr. Webb), Carrie
Ware (Mrs. Webb), Olivia Feazell (Mrs. Soames), and Ricky Sanders (Dr. Gibbs).
Police Jury Votes To
Change Meeting Dates
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Claiborne
Parish Police Jury voted to combine their workshop and regular meetings and
hold them the same day. With the choice of Wednesday or Thursday morning, the
Jury voted 4-3 to hold meetings on Wednesday, in spite of objections made by
the two parish newspapers, The Guardian-Journal and The Haynesville News. Both
newspapers expressed a desire to hold the combined meeting on Thursday since it
would be easier for reporters to attend.
Lavelle Penix
said, "Personally I don't think we spend enough time on a lot of things...
and I don't think we can do it in one day."
Roy Mardis said
if the Jury is going to change the meeting schedule, he thinks they should look
at the possibility of having some evening meetings to better suit the public.
He said, "If we are not going to do that, we certainly need the newspaper
to be here to get the best report out to the public."
Voting to hold
meetings on the first Wednesday after the first Sunday each month beginning at
9 AM were Scott Davidson, Joe Sturgis, Butch Bays, Mark Furlow. Voting against
were Lavelle Penix, Roy Mardis, and Jerry Adkins. Willie Young was absent.
Burn Ban Still In Effect
The Burn Ban
issued in Claiborne Parish last week is still in effect according to Homer
Police Chief Dennis Butcher. The small amount of rainfall received this week is
not sufficient enough to lift the burn ban. Parish residents are warned to
refrain from all outside burning until further notice. Butcher said a wildfire
educational program has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 24 at 6:30 PM at
the Homer Fire Station in conjunction with Trailblazer in Ruston.
Karl Malone To
Speak At Banquet
Karl Malone
will be the guest speaker at the 41st Annual Claiborne Chamber of Commerce
Banquet to be held Monday, January 30 at 6:30 PM at the Claiborne Parish Fair
Barn in Haynesville. Reservations are $30 per person and must be paid in
advance. Seating is limited to 300 persons. For more information or to make
reservations, call 927-3271.
More Highlights From 2005
Below are more highlights from events
that occurred in 2005: (continued from last week)
FEBRUARY
A Black History
Gospel Extravaganza and Recognition Program was held
Sunday, February 20 at the Claiborne Parish Fair Barn in Haynesville to honor
41 African American movers and shakers in Claiborne Parish.
The Herbert S.
Ford Memorial Museum held a grand opening February 20 of the new display
"Claiborne Parish In The 1920s: The Oil
Boom".
The Claiborne
Parish School Board approved the architect's preliminary drawing for the Homer
Junior High building and voted to proceed with preparing blueprints and
advertising for bids.
The Claiborne
Parish Police Jury approved upgrading the computer system at the Claiborne
Parish Tax Assessor office.
*****
White Lightning Series #14:
Nick Ramsey Acquitted in S. J. Maffette’s
Killing
NOTE: This is another in our series of articles reprinting prior
published information on the White Lightning Feuds.
* * * * *
(continued from last week)
The Nick Ramsey
trial at Minden the past week ended in a verdict of acquittal. This was the
seventh time the case has been tried, and we know the taxpayers of the parish
are glad that it has terminated at last.
— Guardian-Journal, page 3
October 3, 1900
* * * * *
The celebrated
Ramsey case, which grew out of Nick Ramsey's killing A.J. Maffette several
years ago came to an end at Minden last week, the
defendant coming clear. The case has been tried, we believe, seven times, the
defendant being twice convicted and twice sentenced. Four mistrials were made,
and this, the seventh, resulted in an acquittal. The case has been before the
courts for four years and has cost the parish between seven and ten thousand
dollars, and that it has come to an end will no doubt be a source of general
satisfaction.
— The Clipper, page 2
October 4, 1900
NOTE: The final chapters in the White Lightning Series in
their entirety will be available only in the book being published by The
Guardian-Journal.
