Inmate Escapes From Detention
Center
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
A Bienville Parish inmate
escaped while being transported back to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center following a trip to the E. A. Conway Medical Center in Monroe. Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey said he received the call at approximately 3 PM on Tuesday, July 11 that the inmate had escaped.
The Chase Team from David Wade Correctional Center was immediately dispatched to
the I-20 westbound lane about one-half mile east of the Dubberly exit, where,
according to the CDC corrections officer, the escapee reportedly jumped a fence
and ran into the woods when the van ran out of gas. It is unclear why the
officer continued to drive past the I-20 exit to Homer.
Law enforcement officers with
the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office were first on the scene to begin the search
with their canine team. The manhunt will continue through the night or until
Nash is apprehended. He is thought to be hiding in the Arcadia area. Bailey said, “He will be
caught. It is just a matter of time.”
Nash was being held in the Claiborne Parish Detention Center awaiting trial. He is charged
with aggravated robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Lonzo M. Nash is a 34-year-old
black male, 6’ 1” in height, weighing 285 pounds. He has brown eyes, short
black hair and a moustache. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of this
inmate is urged to contact the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office at
318-927-2011 immediately.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lonzo M.
Nash should call the Sheriff’s Office at
318-927-2011.
Woman Killed In Motorcycle
Accident
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Anita Myers, 51, of Minden was
killed in an accident on Hwy. 518 just west of Old Athens Road in Claiborne
Parish on Saturday, July 8 at about 4:45 PM. Myers was northbound on a 2006
Harley Davidson motorcycle when she failed to negotiate a right-hand curve and
apparently crossed the center line into the path of a 2002 Chevrolet pickup
truck driven by Sophia Burns, 42, of Homer. Burns, who is the warden at the
Women’s Facility of the Claiborne Parish Detention Center in Homer, was transported to Homer Memorial Hospital for observation and was
treated for minor injuries. She voluntarily agreed to a blood sample analysis.
The release issued by the Louisiana State Police said there was no evidence of
drugs or alcohol by either driver, however a
toxicology test will be performed on Myers. Myers was wearing a safety helmet
and Burns was using her seatbelt.
Myers was said to have
completed a motorcycle safety course, but had only been riding about two weeks.
Her inexperience is believed to have contributed to the accident.
No charges are expected to be
filed according to the Louisiana State Police.
Homer Council Overrides
Police Chief Decision
Agenda: One-Way On East 2nd,
Arlington Cemetery Maintenance.
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The agenda for the July 10
meeting of the Homer Town Council included several issues involving the Homer
Police Department. Two requests by Homer Police Chief Russell Mills were
approved, but in an effort to “clip his wings” according to Councilman Jesse
Ford, three Councilmen voted to override the Chief’s decision to deny vacation
to one officer this month.
Other issues on the agenda
included a decision by the Council not to renew the contract for the inmate
crew at David Wade Correctional Center that oversees maintenance at Arlington Cemetery and an ordinance to change the
section of East 2nd Street between First Guaranty Bank
and St. Margaret’s Catholic Church to a one-way street headed north.
The Council unanimously
approved the request by Police Chief Russell Mills to allow him to purchase and
install video equipment and microphones in four police units at an estimated
cost of $16,000 using LMA funds in the budget. Mills said, “This will make
officers be better officers.” The Council also voted 5-0 to allow Chief Mills
to hire another officer as long as the officer was presented to them prior to
being hired. Mills said he was still short two officers and might be losing a
third. Captain Donald Malray is still on workman’s compensation due to an
injury at a convenience store in mid-February, but said he would be back to
work Wednesday.
Mills asked the Council to
consider his previous request to give officers a raise. In the past 16 years,
the Town has lost 15 good officers. He said, “If we don’t change, that is what
we will always have.”
Sgt. Jimmy Hamilton was on the
agenda to voice a complaint about not being allowed to take vacation this month
even though he had submitted his request in February. He understood Mills was
trying to lower overtime. He said, “I respect Chief Mills and don’t want to
create a problem, but I feel I should be allowed off to spend time with my
family.”
Chief Mills explained he had
approved Hamilton’s request to be off July 3-4. At that time, he
was off seven straight days. Other officers had to be called in. Mills said it was
impossible to approve vacation that far in advance, since there was no way to
know what the situation would be. A similar request submitted several months
ago by Officer Davis for vacation in July was also denied. He said, “The bottom
line is we are shorthanded.”
Billy Kirk Jenkins asked Town
Attorney David Newell, “Does the Council have the right to override this?”
Newell said he thought the Council had authority to do whatever they wanted.
Mills asked, “If he was in the
position I’m in, would he cut the town short, not having enough officers
qualified to be out there, to put that burden on the department?” Mills said he
felt he was appointed to the position to run the police department to the best
of his ability and do what is best for the town. He said he told Hamilton if they were fully staffed by
the end of the month, it would not be a problem to take off.
Hamilton recalled Mills stating if they
got in a bind he would work for any officer on any shift to avoid overtime.
Mills asked if the Council honored Hamilton’s request, then what do you
need a police chief for? The Council needs to make the
schedule.
Jesse Ford said, “A man’s
vacation is his right.” Jenkins agreed, that vacation
time is yours and you cannot deny it. Mills said he did not think it was the
Council’s duty to run the police department. Ford responded by saying,
“Somebody had to clip your wings somewhere.”
At this point, Newell read from
the Town of Homer personnel policy under vacation leave, “All vacation
leave is taken only as allowed by the department head for which he works. Employees should
request vacation leave as soon as possible after the beginning of each calendar
year. The Department Head shall review requests for vacation and his decision
concerning the scheduling of vacation shall be final.” Jenkins said the policy
needed to be changed.
Mayor Huey Dean said, “Looks
like part of that could be our fault by not letting you get enough officers.”
Toney Johnson said the problem
with this is, once we do this, every time we have disgruntled employees, we are
going to have to do their schedule.
In a split vote, the Council
voted to reverse the decision by Chief Mills regarding the request for vacation
by Sgt. Hamilton and approved all dates submitted through October. Ford,
Jenkins, and J. C. Moore voted for the motion. Johnson and Carlette Sanford
abstained.
Mills introduced Van McDaniel,
the new reserve officer. Ford said it was not necessary to bring reserve
officers who get no pay to the Council.
Regarding the issue of
compensatory time or K-time, Attorney Newell suggested the Council adopt as
policy La. Revised Statute 33:2213.1 which allows a maximum of 480 hours
K-time. The Town would have to cut a check to employees who have more than 480
hours.
Ford said employees should be
required to provide proof of K-time with forms signed by their supervisor and
the mayor, a policy approved by the former administration. Mills said he was
unaware of the forms but agreed there needed to be a definite policy. He said
he would start using them immediately, however it
would be hard to make this policy retroactive.
Mills suggested the Council
look into adopting a “nuisance neighbor” ordinance recently passed in the Shreveport area that allows police
officers to physically evict a person who has continuous calls regarding
disturbances, fights, narcotics, guns being discharged, and to fine the
property owner. Dean asked, “Would the landowner get fined immediately?” Mills
said more research was needed at this time.
DWCC Warden Venetia Michael
explained the reason for the recent increase in fees for inmate crews. The Town
has only one crew coming now, since the other contract expired June 30. The
other contract will expire next year. In the 1980s, the Town only paid about
$20,000, a portion of the officers’ pay. With a more than $6 million loss in
the budget after Hurricane Katrina, the fee was raised to $33,000 per crew. The
Police Jury opted to hire their own supervisor. She
said that was okay but the law requires inmates to be in custody at all times.
The Council discussed whether
they needed to continue to pay two crews, with one dedicated to maintenance at
the Arlington Cemetery. Jenkins asked if the town
owned the cemetery. Dean said yes. Ford disagreed. He said the town owns the
plot, then sells the plot, then has to upkeep the plot. He said, “This is the
only cemetery I know that does that.” He suggested Dean contact
the Cemetery Association to see if they would help pay the fee for a second
crew or get their own crew. Dean said the Town could get two crews from Detention Center for $37,000. The Council voted
3-2 to continue with one crew and not renew the other contract, with Jenkins,
Ford, and Moore voting yes and Johnson and Sanford voting against.
Although not on the agenda, the
Council voted to add to the agenda proposing an ordinance to make the one block of East 2nd Street beside First Guaranty Bank
between North
Main
and North 2nd a one-way street headed north, to advertise and hold a public
hearing at the next meeting. Sanford voted against the motion.
Altercation At Hospital Leads To Arrest
One 17-year-old girl was
injured when she was shot in her lower left leg just above the ankle at
Claiborne Place Apartments on Tuesday, July 4. Homer Police officers were
dispatched by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office around 11:20
PM in
reference to the shooting. Upon arrival officers were told three shots were
fired into the crowd on the grounds of the apartments. The girl was taken to Homer Memorial Hospital by private vehicle, then later transferred to LSU Medical Center in Shreveport.
An altercation between several
young black males in the emergency room at Homer Memorial following the
shooting led to the arrest of Donald Grider, Jr. 18, of Homer. Following review
of the hospital’s surveillance video by Police Chief Russell Mills, Grider was
arrested on Monday, July 10, charged with simple battery and disturbing the
peace. Bond to be set. Other arrests are pending.
Grider had accompanied the
young girl to the hospital. As an 18-year-old male was leaving the hospital, he
was attacked by Grider and several others. Mills said this attack appeared to
be part of an ongoing conflict between a group of
approximately 30 young males, ranging in age from 14 to 27.
The shooting incident at Claiborne
Place Apartments is still under investigation. Anyone with information to help
solve this case is urged to contact the Homer Police Department at 927-4000.
Persons providing information will remain anonymous.
Homer Police officers made
several arrests over the weekend. On
Saturday, July 8, Jerome Willis, 30, of Homer was arrested, charged with simple
burglary. His bond was set at $10,000.
Lester Harper, Jr., 24, of
Homer was also arrested July 8, charged with indecent behavior with a juvenile.
Bond to be set.
On Sunday, July 9, Jared Ariel
Evans, 21, of Kidd Drive in Homer, was arrested for
possession of a firearm by convicted felon.
James Ardis Jr, 21, of Kidd Drive in Homer, was also arrested
July 9, charged with possession of marijuana.
FORMER HOMER POLICE JUVENILE OFFICER Rodney Hollenshead
and Police Officer Linda Featherston first introduced Officer Ollie and Friends
to the children in the Homer community in August 1992.
Former Police Chief
Rodney Hollenshead
Remembered
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
“Successful is the person who puts God first and seeks his
guidance. He has lived well, laughed often and always put the service of people
before himself. He has gained the respect of others, whose leadership will
leave its mark upon this Town and Department for years to come.” These were the
words used to describe Police Chief Rodney Hollenshead in the certificate of
appreciation presented by Homer Mayor Huey Dean at his retirement celebration
held last December.
Health issues forced Hollenshead to
take early retirement, one year before the end of his third term as Homer
Police Chief. Last Friday, July 7, 2006, Hollenshead lost a hard
fought battle with cancer, just three days after his 58th birthday on July 4th.. Described by his pastor, Rev. John McClelland, during his
service, Hollenshead was “a peace officer who is finally at peace”.
Hollenshead served six years as
police officer for the Town of Homer before he ran and was elected
Chief of Police in 1994. For five of those six years, he served as juvenile
officer. According to his wife, Hazel, and daughters, Dana and Ginni, Rodney
loved the Lord, his family, and this community. He was constantly being called
away from home, both day and night, but never complained. His desire was only
to do his best to serve and protect the citizens of Homer.
One program Hollenshead was
especially fond of was the Officer Ollie program brought to Homer in 1992 by
Police Chief Randy Pugh. As juvenile
officer, Hollenshead spent many hours in the portable trailer using puppets and
scripts to educate children on the dangers of drugs, alcohol, sexual predators,
traffic safety, bicycle and skateboard safety, fire prevention, and other
issues. He thought Officer Ollie was a valuable tool to use to teach children
about how to be safe and make good choices.
Hollenshead spent 17 years in
law enforcement, the last eleven years as Police Chief. After first being
elected Chief in 1994, he was overwhelmingly re-elected by Homer citizens in
1998 and 2002.
In his political announcement
in 1994, he said, “My office will always be open to the public for comments and
suggestions.” He stayed true to his word.
Besides his law enforcement
duties, Hollenshead was an elder, lay leader, and former choir director in the
First Presbyterian Church in Homer. He was an active member and former
president of the Homer Lions Club.
Last December, when law
enforcement officers, local officials and friends gathered at Homer City Hall to pay tribute to Hollenshead’s
contributions to the Homer community, State Police Detective and former Homer
Police officer Michael Allen said it was character
that makes a person special and Rodney had character. He worked hard, was
compassionate and truly cared about the people of Homer and his officers.
In a resolution adopted by the
Claiborne Parish Police Jury, Hollenshead was referred to as a “unifying force
among the citizens of the community.” For that and for many other reasons, he
will truly be missed.
FARMER MINOR SHARES STORIES of Daisy,
the world’s most famous pot belly big, at the Claiborne Parish Library in
Homer.
Farmer Minor Tells Kids To
“Pig Out On Reading”
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Farmer Minor told children who
came to the Claiborne Parish Library last week to see Daisy the Pig, “Many
people think all pigs are pink, but they’re not. They’re every color, just like
you and me.”
Daisy, billed as the world’s most
famous pot belly pig is 12 years old and has lived with Farmer Minor and his
wife since he was very small. Farmer Minor told the children how frightened
Daisy was the first night he came to live with them, and how he ended up
sleeping in their bed with them, curled inside Farmer Minor’s arm. As he grew,
he continued to sleep with them, forcing them to get a larger bed.
For the past 12 years he has
continued to sleep with them in their bed, forcing them to get a larger bed.
Ten years ago, they added a new member to the family—Sabrina, the cat, who
thinks she is a pig,. She sleeps on top of the covers,
while Daisy sleeps under the cover. Daisy, on the other hand, doesn’t know she
is a pig. She sat quietly in a baby stroller while Farmer Minor entertained the
children, telling them how smart pigs were.
They never have to worry about
accidents on the floor or in the bed. He asked, “You don’t think Miss Pam would
let a pig in the library if she thought it would “poop” on the floor, do you?”
Another thing people don’t know
about pigs is they are very clean. They only wallow in the mud to get cool or
to protect them from the sun. In fact, Farmer said, Daisy takes a shower with
him every night. He bathes her with baby shampoo so it won’t burn her eyes. The
only thing she doesn’t like is having her ears washed.
To reward Daisy’s good
behavior, Farmer Minor offered her a treat. He placed one raisin between his
teeth, then passed it on, from lip to snout, to Daisy.
That “kiss” prompted even more kisses, and some hugs for Daisy.
Farmer Minor told the children
how he and his wife read books to Daisy. He read the children one of Daisy’s
favorite books and encouraged them to “pig out” on reading.
For more information on Daisy’s program, go to http://www.daisyminor.com
FRED CROFT AND BETTY DUFF,
residents of Vancouver,
British Columbia,
were in Homer July 9-10. Shown here Monday morning,
they stayed overnight at Valhalla Motorcycle Campground off Dutchtown Road.
Natives of Canada,
they generally bike 5,000 miles roundtrip on a three-week summer vacation to New Orleans.
As they planned to leave Shreveport
Sunday afternoon and head south, someone told them Valhalla
caters to bikers, so they turned aside to Homer. A biker for 45 years, Fred
works in a produce warehouse for Safeway. Betty cleans houses and has been riding
motorcycles for 34 years. Covering up to 500 miles a day, they expect to be in New Orleans
until about Saturday or Sunday before returning to Vancouver. Asked what
they hope is unchanged about New Orleans
since Katrina, Betty says, “Shrimp etouffé. I gotta have some etouffé.” They
expect to make Homer a part of their itinerary next summer.
Summer Reading Program At
Library To
End July 15
The 2006 Summer Reading Program at the Claiborne Parish
Library will end Saturday, July 15. Children who are participating are reminded
to turn in their reading time cards. Children must read at least 9 hours to
enjoy a pizza party. Robin Bridges with the LSU AgCenter Extension Service will
be the guest speaker for the last program which will be held on Wednesday, July 12 at 10
AM in
Haynesville and on Thursday, July 13 at 2 PM in Homer. There will be no
morning program on July 13. For more information, call 927-3845 in Homer or
624-0364 in Haynesville.
Free Summer Programs For Children
Displaced By Hurricane
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Claiborne is offering free
summer youth development programs for children ages 6-18 who have been
displaced or affected by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita. Funding for summer
programming is being provided by the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps. Activities
include educational enrichment programs, career exploration, arts & crafts,
sports & physical education, health & life skills sessions, recreation,
field trips, and much more. Clubs are located in Homer and Haynesville. Hours
of operation are Monday-Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Children who have
been displaced or affected by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita qualify for free
membership and all Club-related activities from now through August. For more
information or to enroll, contact the Boys & Girls Clubs of Claiborne at
(318) 927-2718. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Claiborne is "the positive
place for kids".
