KARL MALONE - former NBA star, businessman,
and keynote speaker at the 41st Annual Claiborne Chamber of Commerce Banquet - received a standing ovation for his remarks during the banquet held
Monday night. He and his wife, Kay, were among more than 320 businessmen,
community leaders and elected officials who attended the event. Chamber
President J. T. Taylor said it was the most successful and well-attended banquet
they have had.
Karl Malone Speaks "From The Heart"
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
It was not Karl
Malone, the basketball player, who was the keynote speaker at the Claiborne
Chamber of Commerce Banquet Monday night. It was Karl Malone, the businessman.
And it wasn't just any businessman, but one who "spoke from the
heart" and told what was "on his mind."
"I believe
in Claiborne Parish," Malone said. "I am proud to be from Claiborne
Parish." Many seem to be afraid to
say where they are from, but he told the crowd, "Be proud of where you are
from."
Malone admitted
he was no saint. He said he had made many mistakes in his life, but he had
tried to make up for them. He attributed his success to many of the lessons he
learned early in life, mostly from his mother, Shirley Turner and his
grandfather, Leonard Jackson; also teachers such as James Scriber and A. D.
Williams; and J. R. "Snap" Oakes, who gave him his first job.
His mom, a
single parent, instilled certain values in him—not to look at color, or
materialistic things, but just to be himself. His grandfather, whom he loved,
taught him, "Never judge a man by his skin color, never judge a man by
what he has—judge a man by his heart."
Malone went on,
"I'm not afraid to die. I'm afraid to fail, because I promised my mom and
my grandpa." He made a commitment—that he wanted someone to be proud, and
that someone was his mom. He wanted her to look back and say, [Karl] did
something with himself...but as a child of a single parent, he knew he needed
help. Malone said he believed in his mom...he believed in the Man above...and
he believed in the people who were telling him the right things
Today, parents
are afraid to discipline their children. They are not allowing teachers,
principals, and superintendents to do their job. The first thing they do is
take the kid's side.
Police officers
can't do their job anymore either, because of racial profiling, "Are you
tired? ” he asked. "I am. Everything is black and
white...enough already."
He suggested
business owners seek ways they could give something back to their community.
Stop waiting on Baton Rouge or the federal government to get the economy going.
He said, "We are the government." Invest some of your money back into
the community. He added, "It is not about you or your money. You can't
take it with you:"
One way to give
back would be to give a kid in need a job—not your own child or a friend‘s
child, but a child who really needs a hand up—like he did when he was young.
Get with the teachers and the principals. Have them recommend which child to
hire, then make them work. They will one day
appreciate it.
Malone always
wanted to come back to North Louisiana, but did not know if his wife, Kay,
would be willing. His wife is not black, as many think. She is Philipino and
white, but his children are considered African-American. Once they decided to
move back to Louisiana, they sat down with their children and told them what to
expect—that eventually someone would call one of them a "nigger". He
enrolled them at Cedar Creek School in Ruston, and within months, what he had
predicted happened. One of his son's classmates called him that name.
It was sad, but
Malone said he was proud of the way his 10-year-old son Karl Jr. (K .J.)
responded. He had no hard feelings toward the child who called him the name,
only hated that he had learned it from his parents. Malone told the Chamber
members, "Don't teach hatred, don't teach racism“...and
don't get mad at the kid when it was you who taught it to them.
Malone asked
what it was going to take to pull us together. He said the terrorist attack on
9-11 brought us together. We were all one then, but what has happened since
then to pull us apart. We don‘t even want to look at that person next to us at
a red light.
In spite of the
problems facing Claiborne Parish and the challenges that still lie ahead, Malone was
convinced Chamber members could do something to boost the local economy and
could make a difference if they wanted to. He said once again, "I believe
in Claiborne Parish and I believe in the people in this room. We can do lot
more if we think about other people.”
Chamber
President J. T. Taylor said, "Karl was always keenly aware of the
depressed economy and envisioned a way to utilize his love of logging and
nature as a way to give back to the community that meant so much to him, by
creating jobs for people." The
Chamber Board will continue to promote, assist and encourage the advancement of
material prosperity, commercial and industrial and civic progress of Claiborne
Parish, and Taylor said, "I
am convinced if we stay the course and continue to work together, we can make a
difference.”
2006 CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS at the 41st Annual Banquet Monday night with
guest speaker Karl Malone (back, center) are (l.-r.)
Gurvis Vines, Beverlee Killgore, Wesley Emerson, Steve Koskie, John David
Watson, Patricia McMullan, J. T. Taylor, Karlene Sanford, Melissa Watts,
(Malone), Ann Freeman, Melody Kelly, Dr. Eddie Butler, and John Wesley Cooper.
Arrested For Counterfeit Paycheck
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Homer
Police Department is investigating several counterfeit payroll checks that have
been cashed within last two months in Homer. Three checks were cashed at Piggly
Wiggly and two at Brookshire's. Officer Jim Faulkner located one of the
offenders, Melissa Varner, of Ruston. She had cashed identical payroll checks
with the same check number 3987460, both from Manpower Temp Services, Collier
Investments of Ruston, both in the amount of $358.96. There are warrants
pending on Varner on the same charge in Minden, Bernice, and Farmerville.
Two other
checks were made out to Ashley Robinson, one from Super 8 Motel showing
Robinson with a Mangham, Louisiana address; the other from Manpower showing
Robinson with a Ruston address.
Police Chief
Russell Mills is investigating at least one other counterfeit check in the
amount of $356.31 from Citizens Bank at 2790 Airline Drive in Shreveport. Mills
said this was not a valid address, since Airline Drive is in Bossier City. This
check was cashed within the past two weeks at Piggly Wiggly.
Homer Police
advise area businesses to strictly follow their check cashing policy before
cashing any check. Get all pertinent information and confirm the person's
identity by looking closely at their driver's license. If in doubt, call the
Homer Police Department at 927-4000.
Decision On
Interstate 69—It Is Alternative 4.3
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Economic
development and protection of the Bayou Dorcheat and surrounding wetlands were
the issues at the core of the decision by the Louisiana Department of
Transportation and Development for the selection of Alternative 4 with Option 3
as the preferred construction alternative for I-69 between Haughton and El
Dorado. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries all support the
decision. Their main reason was the difficulty mitigating impacts that would
have resulted to recreation on Bayou Dorcheat from other alternatives being
considered.
The Alternative
4 with Option 3 route of I-69 heads north from I-20 at Haughton, northeast into
Webster Parish, north of Minden, and continues in a northeasterly direction
into Claiborne Parish, just southeast of Leton. From there, the route continues
north toward Haynesville, crosses U.S. 79 and
continues northeast into Arkansas. This new alignment will be further refined
and presented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project,
expected for public distribution in late 2006.
Although more
than half of the 4,726 public comments on the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the project noted preference for Alternative 5, the 1,296 public
comments opposing Alternative 5 and its options cited key problems related to
the adverse recreation and scenic effects to Bayou Dorcheat. The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the
U.S. EPA provided similar opposition to Alternative 5.
Alternative 4
crosses Bayou Dorcheat in a narrow area of swamp where the Kansas City Southern
Railroad crosses the bayou. Coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries resulted in the
realignment of Alternative 4 with Option 3, reducing the acreage of swamplands
impacted by the new bridge and its approaches.
While Bayou
Dorcheat is a Louisiana Scenic Stream throughout the Louisiana region
considered for the new interstate alignment, only a small portion of the river
is navigable by recreation boats through most of the year. The preferred
alternative avoids this heavily used area, while the other alternatives
proposed for consideration traverse them.
Most public and
community officials' comments following the May public hearings reflected a
strong desire to have the new interstate located close to their communities,
principally for economic development. The Haughton-to-El Dorado section of I-69
traverses a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Rural Renewal
Zone. The North Louisiana Rural Renewal Zone includes all of Claiborne Parish
and parts of Webster and other parishes in Louisiana. The preferred alternative
is closer to the center of the rural renewal zone than other alternatives, and
closest to Minden, the largest population and employment center in the study
area.
Based on its
proximity to Minden and the anticipated type of retail and
warehouse/distribution development induced by the new interstate, the Preferred
Alternative is considered to have good potential for economic development,
similar to other alternatives proposed. Furthermore, it is closer to the
proposed North Hills Lakes residential development projects, supported by both
Webster and Claiborne Parishes.
Alternative 4
is inside a 2-mile-wide corridor that was identified by the project team in
late 2003 as the second best corridor in terms of the potential for yielding
the overall best alternative for the project. Following the announcement of
another corridor as the preferred corridor in late 2003, several public petitions
were submitted that requested that the Alternative 4 corridor be reconsidered.
Subsequent review by the project team led to the inclusion of this corridor in
the development of alternatives along with the preferred or best corridor.
Alternatives were then developed in both corridors as presented in the EIS
distributed for public comment in March 2005.
Both
Alternative 4 with Option 3 and Alternative 5 have the same alignment in the
Arkansas portion of the project. Consequently, the only choice to be made for
the Arkansas section of the project was whether this alignment or an alignment
with an optional Cornie Bayou swamp land crossing (Option 2) should be
preferred. Most comments from Arkansas residents (82) noted preference for an
alignment without Option 2. Such an alignment reduced Cornie Bayou swamp
impacts and traversed less of the Cornie Bayou floodplain, when compared to
Option 2. These issues are key reasons that Arkansas Highway and Transportation
Department had chosen the Preferred Alternative without Option 2.
Arrest Made For Stalking, Aggravated
Arson
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
An arson fire
that occurred at 256 Oil Center Road in Haynesville on December 21, 2005, led
Sheriff Detective Charles Buford and the State Fire Marshall's office to launch
an investigation which led to the arrest of Michael Shane Desadier according to
Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey.
Desadier, 36, of Haynesville was
arrested at David Wade Correctional Center on warrants issued by the Second
Judicial District Court He was charged with stalking and aggravated arson, with
bond set at $125,000. Other arrests are pending.
Homer Man Killed In Tractor Accident
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Claiborne
Parish Sheriff `s Office received a call from Scott Davidson on Monday, January
30 concerning an accident involving a tractor at their business, Sugar Creek
Construction, located at 1012 Hwy. 519 out of Athens. Detective Duffy Gandy and
other deputies were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, they found Johnnie
Lee Pickens, 64, of 200 Pickens Road in Homer, had been run over by a tractor
driven by another farm employee. He was putting out hay and was carrying a
round bale of hay at the time of the accident.
Johnnie, also
known as Joe Brown, was retired from the Hill Farm and had worked for the
Davidsons for years. He was a good employee and well-trained in handling the
equipment.
Pickens was
pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner Dr. D. K. Haynes. An autopsy has been
ordered..
Anonymous Tip Leads To Drug Arrest
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
An anonymous
tip to the Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office last Wednesday, January 25 led to
the arrest of Ted D. Colquitt. According to Sheriff Ken Bailey, the caller
described a black male who was selling narcotics on Hollenshead Road just off
La. Hwy 540. Agent James Spillers, assisted by agents of the Louisiana State
Police and other deputies, responded to the call.
Once on the
scene, they observed a man fitting the description given by the caller standing
on the shoulder of the roadway. When officers identified themselves, the
subject ran. He was quickly apprehended and found to be in possession of
marijuana.
Colquitt, 22, was arrested and transported to the Claiborne
Detention Center where he was booked and charged with possession with intent to
distribute Schedule I CDS (marijuana). His bond was set at $2,500.
Sheriff Bailey
said, "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their
participation in helping us maintain a safe, law abiding parish." Anyone
with information regarding any illegal activity is asked to please contact the
Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office at 318-927-2011. Information received will be
acted upon and the identity of the caller will be kept anonymous.
Governor Blanco Makes Chief Appointment
Official
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Governor
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco upheld the recommendation of the Homer Town Council
by appointing Russell Mills as Police Chief in the Town of Homer. He will
replace Rodney Hollenshead who retired effective December 31, 2005. The
commission was signed Friday, January 27 by Governor Blanco and countersigned
by Secretary of State Al Ater. Mills' appointment was effective Friday and will
continue through
December 31, 2006.
Mills wasted no
time taking charge. He called a meeting of the officers on Monday, January 30
to inform them what would be expected and that department policy would be
followed. He plans to present some minor policy changes for approval by the Town Council at
their next meeting on Monday.
He then
presented the following mission statement to the officers:
"It is the
mission of the Homer Police Department to work with the citizens of our
community to preserve life, maintain human rights, protect property, and
promote individual responsibility and community commitment. We seek to be a
catalyst for positive change through persistent, personalized and cost
effective use of public safety resources. By embracing the values of pride,
professionalism and integrity, we remain committed to maintaining the public
trust."
HPD Warns: Be Wary Of Solicitors
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
At least one customer who purchased a magazine subscription from
the group of solicitors who were in Homer Thursday, January 19 called the
company to verify their order. Kathy Burns and her husband, Floyd, live
on Beverly Drive. She had ordered Prevention magazine, but was told it had to
be sent directly to a charity, so she selected St. Jude Children's Children
Hospital.
Burns had
purchased a 2-year subscription valued at $24.95 for $44 plus a processing fee
of $12 which she was told would be refunded with a cashier's check. The company
told her she had been misinformed; that fee was not refundable.
After reading
the article in last week's Guardian-Journal, Burns decided to
check her order. She was told by a representative of Atlantic Circulation in
Cambridge, Maryland, that St. Jude did not accept magazine contributions and
her magazine had instead been shipped to a hospital in Marinette, Wisconsin. A
call to the postmaster in Lisbon confirmed the address was not valid.
At this point,
the company offered to send her subscription to Homer Memorial Hospital. She
instead filed a complaint with the Homer Police Department and the Better
Business Bureau (BBB) in Shreveport. She also closed her checking account to
avoid identity theft. She suggested anyone who placed an order and gave them a
check or credit card, to close their account and open a new one.
Capt. Raymond
Yetman with the Minden Police Department said these same individuals had been
run out of town earlier the same day. Minden has an ordinance that prohibits
door-to-door selling to residences, unless the resident is contacted by
telephone first and an appointment is set up.
Andy Fisher,
president of the BBB in Shreveport, said Atlantic Circulation showed a
satisfactory record, but 102 complaints in the last 36 months, although
resolved, seemed high. If a consumer does not file a complaint, the BBB has no
way to get the information. Information submitted on a complaint will be sent
directly to the company. There is no charge since they are member supported and
he would encourage businesses to join.
Captain Donald
Malray said most of the solicitors had some criminal activity on their record
with the National Crime Investigation Center, most were misdemeanors. Any Homer resident who believes
they have been conned should call the Homer Police Department at 927-4000 or
the Better Business Bureau in Shreveport at 800-372-4222, or go to http://www.shreveport.bbb.org.
The investigation is continuing.
ROVING REPORTER RICK ROWE (center) with Channel 3 News in Shreveport was in Homer Monday to judge a
"Mini Iron Chef" competition between Claiborne Parish students Shelby
Harper of Haynesville (left) and Christopher Burch of Homer.
Iron Chef Comes To Homer
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
"What is
the best time to eat alligator?" Christopher Burch of Homer asked Channel
3 reporter Rick Rowe during last Monday's morning show. Unable to come up with
an answer quickly, Burch said, "Before it eats you."
Burch and
Shelby Harper of Haynesville, both will be competing
on the "Iron Chef" which will air on the Food Network. The segment
will be filmed in Homer this Saturday, February 4 at the Calvary Baptist
Church.
Recently Rick
Rowe learned of the upcoming competition and invited Shelby and Christopher to
compete in a mini-Iron Chef at their studio. Last Monday, January 30, Channel 3
in Shreveport, Burch and Harper each made two dishes in Channel 3's kitchen. “Judge
Rowe gave each a win, thus ending the mini-Iron Chef competition with a tie.
Christopher, a
sophomore at Haynesville High, is very involved in 4-H cookery contests,
outdoor skills, and other activities. He has been in 4-H since 4th grade and
has won numerous beef, seafood, poultry and egg cookery competitions at the
local and district levels.
Shelby is a
freshmen at Haynesville High and has been active in 4-H since 4th grade. She
has won poultry and beef cookery contests at the parish and district levels.
