Candidates Qualify For
September Election
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Homer Mayor Huey Dean will face
Town Attorney David Morgan Newell in the race for the mayor’s seat in the September 30, 2006 election. Russell Mills, Interim Police Chief for the
Town of Homer, will face two challengers in the fall election—police officer Jimmy Hamilton and Willie Burns Jr.
Of the five selectmen in the
Town of Homer, two were unopposed and will maintain their positions
for the next four years: Toney Johnson in District 3 and Carlette Sanford in
District 4. In District 1, incumbent J. C. Moore is being challenged by Willie
“Hog Head” Curry and Scott B. “Doc” Roberson. In District 2, incumbent Billy K.
Jenkins will face challenger Michael J. Wade. In District 5, Lilla Mae Jackson
will face Patricia K. Jenkins for the seat held by Jesse Ford. who did not qualify.
Several School Board members
were unopposed in the upcoming election and will retain their seats. They are
Board President William H. Maddox in District 2, Joe M. Lee in District 3, and
Thomas E. “Tommy” Davidson in District 6.
Two new members were also
unopposed and will assume seats on the School Board—Sherman Brown in District 4
replacing A. D. Williams and Terry R. Willis in District 10 replacing Stewart
Griffin. Williams and Griffin did not qualify.
Incumbents Danny “Doc” Lee,
Stanley O. Edwards, Vera R. Walker Meadors, Almeter Willis, and E. Blake
Hemphill will face challengers. In District 1 Danny Lee will face Byron Brown, Stanley
Edwards will face Earl L. Amos, Vera Meadors will face June Legendre
McClure, Almeter Willis will face Maxine F. Wilson, and Blake Hemphill will
face “Jim” Featherston.
Byron “Bud” Ruple, interim
Police Juror in District 3, will face challenger Robert E. McDaniel.
The following candidates
qualified in the Village of Athens and were unopposed. Hubie D. James
retains his seat as mayor. Clayton M. “Jack” Spurlock will assume duties as
chief of police and Melver Stassen, Cary Lee Williams and Bobbie Sue Powell
will serve as aldermen.
In the Village of Junction
City, Louisiana, Mayor Preston Rogers and Aldermen Ronnie Daniels, Arnold
Jones, and Terry Enis will retain their seats for another four years since no
one qualified to run against him. Clarence McClelland was the only person to
qualify for Police Chief. He will replace Robbie Lowe who did not qualify.
Also on the September 30, 2006 ballot will be a 7 year, 1/8% sales and use tax
proposition for the Claiborne Parish Watershed District.
There will be 13 constitutional
amendments on the Sept. 30 ballot:
No. 1: Change name of the
Wetlands Conservation Fund to the Coastal Protection Fund, and provide eligible
federal revenue from offshore oil money used only for coastal wetlands
conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure
impacted by coastal wetland losses.
No. 2: Repeal the Louisiana Coastal Restoration Fund
No. 3: Establish regional flood
protection authorities and authorizing ad valorem taxes subject to voter
approval
No. 4: Establish compensation
for taking property for hurricane protection projects
No. 5: Prohibit expropriation
of property for economic development
No. 6: Provide procedures for
expropriating property
No. 7: Authorize investment in
equities up to 35 percent of the Medicaid Trust Fund for Elderly
No. 8: Provide continuation of
the homestead exemption protection for homes affected by natural disasters or
emergencies
No. 9: Prohibit legislative
mandates that cost school boards money unless enacted by two-thirds of elected
members of each house of the legislature.
No. 10: Authorize investment in
stocks of higher education funds
No. 11: Extend homestead
exemption for property owned by an irrevocable trust
No. 12: Establish a procedure
for filling vacancies in statewide offices
No. 13: Provides for
qualifications for becoming a judge in district, family or parish court and to
reduce term of residency from two to one year.
Claiborne Parish Registrar of
Voters Patricia Sanders is asking all registered voters to notify her office if
they have changed their residence or name, or if the residence address on file
in the Registrar’s office is incomplete or if their mailing address has
changed. Anyone who has not voted in the last two federal elections or anyone
with an incomplete or new address may have been placed on the inactive
list. The last day to make changes or
register to vote is Wednesday, August 30, 2006.
For more information or to make
a change, contact Sanders at 927-3332 or stop by the Registrar’s office in the
Claiborne Police Jury
Office Complex.
Important upcoming election
dates:
August 9-11 - Qualifying for
September 30 election
August 30 - Books close for
September 30 election
September 18-23 - Early or absentee
voting for Sept. 30 election
September 30 - Election Day
Sheriff Urges Motorists
To Slow Down In School
Zone
Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken
Bailey would like to remind everyone that is is the time of year for schools to
reopen. All school zone speeding limits will be strictly enforced for the
protection and safety of everyone. Buses will be enroute again and motorists
need to pay special attention to them. Please do not attempt to overtake a bus
while children are being loaded or unloaded. The safety of our children is
everyone’s responsibility..
HOMER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL Administrator Doug Efferson
stands with Greg Pafford, President of Pafford Ambulance, in front of the new
Air-One Helicopter. The helicopter, stationed out of Ruston, Louisiana,
will provide additional air-ambulance services to Claiborne Parish. This first
visit to Homer
Memorial
Hospital
was a trial run to make sure all radio communications and emergency procedures
are in place before beginning service to Homer Memorial Hospital.
Raises Approved
For Certified Teachers,
Support Staff
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Certified teachers in Claiborne
Parish public schools will receive a $1,600 pay raise effective on their
first check in September. According to
Superintendent James Scriber, $1,500 was funded by the state. The balance came
from the requirement to put 50 percent of all new MFP money toward pay raises
for certified teachers. Non-certified teachers and other support personnel will
receive a $500 pay raise payable this year in a one lump sum payment in
October. In future years, the raise will be divided and added to each check.
Ronnie McKenzie gave an update
on school construction projects. The Homer Junior High building is complete and
dirt work has begun on the gym and library. They cannot order the metal
building until the slab is complete and it will take approximately 12 weeks for
delivery. A number of calls have been
received on the Penix house, but no takers so far.
McKenzie told the Board prices
on new buses have gone up substantially. He suggested purchasing three new
buses and three used buses. This would help replace some of the 20 buses
purchased in 1992. Of those, 19 are still running. He said the Board could
piggyback up to three buses on the bid received by Calcasieu Parish for new
buses at $64,400. Alexandria has three used buses, a 2002
model with 51,000 miles and a 1-year warranty, a 2003 model with 20,000 miles
and a 2-year warranty, and a 2005 model with 31,000 miles and a 4-year
warranty. The Board voted to accept McKenzie’s recommendation and purchase 3
new and 3 used buses at a total cost of about $328,000.
Town Of Homer
Sets Millage Rates
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
At a Special Called Meeting
held Friday, August 11, the Board of Selectmen for the Town of Homer voted to
approve the tax millage rates for 2006 as follows 8.94 mills, slightly lower
than the millage rate of 8.98 mills
collected in 2005.
A Letter
From Heaven
A Poem by Ruth Ann Mahaffey written in memory of her late husband, Richard Mahaffey, Reprinted with permission. More poems by Mrs. Mahaffey available at www.Ruthann1.com
To my dearest family, some
things I'd like to say...
but
first of all, to let you know, that I arrived okay.
I'm writing this from
heaven. Here I dwell with God above.
Here, there's
no more tears of sadness; here is just eternal love.
Please do not be unhappy
just because I'm out of sight.
Remember that I'm with you
every morning, noon
and night.
That day I had to leave
you when my life on earth was through,
God picked me up and
hugged me and He said, "I welcome you."
It's good to have you back
again; you were missed while you were gone.
As for your dearest
family, they'll be here later on.
I need you here badly;
you're part of my plan.
There's so much that we
have to do, to help our mortal man."
God gave me a list of things, that he wished for me to do.
And foremost on the list,
was to watch and care for you.
And when you lie in bed at
night, the day's chores put to flight.
God and I are closest to
you....in the middle of the night.
When you think of my life
on earth, and all those loving years
because
you are only human, they are bound to bring you tears.
But do not be afraid to
cry; it does relieve the pain.
Remember there would be no
flowers, unless there was some rain.
I wish that I could tell
you all that God has planned.
But if I were to tell you,
you wouldn't understand.
But one thing is for
certain, though my life on earth is o'er.
I'm closer to you now,
than I ever was before.
There are many rocky roads
ahead of you and many hills to climb;
but
together we can do it by taking one day at a time.
It was always my
philosophy and I'd like it for you too..
that
as you give unto the world, the world will give to you.
If you can help somebody
who's in sorrow and pain,
then
you can say to God at night......"My day was not in vain."
And now I am
contented....that my life has been worthwhile,
knowing
as I passed along the way, I made somebody smile.
So if you meet somebody who
is sad and feeling low,
just
lend a hand to pick him up, as on your way you go.
When you're walking down
the street, and you've got me on your mind;
I'm walking in your
footsteps only half a step behind.
And when it's time for you
to go.... from that body to be free,
remember
you're not going.....you're coming here to me.
|
Children Remembered
On Anniversary Of Death
5th Annual Lake Claiborne Car & Bike Show
Set For October 7
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Five years ago this Saturday,
August 19, two small 
children died in a tragic house fire. They were 5-year-old
Christian Danielle Manzanares and her 4-year-old brother, Joseph Gregory, the
only children of Matt and Leslie Manzanares and the grandchildren of Rickey and
Sharon Bearden, all of Homer.
For the past four years, Rickey
and Sharon Bearden have been on a mission, to raise money for other area
children in need—children who have been stricken with cancer and are being
treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Rickey Bearden organized the
Lake 
Claiborne Car & Bike Show in 2002, and has raised $48,000 so far. The
goal is to raise another $22,000. This is the amount needed to dedicate a room
at the St. Jude Hospital Memphis, Tennessee in memory of his two grandchildren,
Christian and Joseph, and they hope they will be able to top their goal this
year.
Bearden said, “I do not plan to
stop raising money for St. Jude once I have reached the $70,000 goal, I will
just be able to relax some, and not feel so much pressure.”
This year’s St. Jude Lake
Claiborne Car Bike Show will be held Saturday, October 7 at Lake Claiborne State Park. Let’s help put a plaque on a
door at St. Jude in memory of Christian and Joseph by making a contribution
today. Individuals can drop their pocket change in any of a number of
containers placed at convenience stores around the parish or by contributing
your pennies to the “Pennies For St. Jude” program,
collected by school children throughout the parish. Persons can also mail their
tax deductible donation for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to Rickey Bearden, 225 Beardsley Street, Homer, LA 71040.
Matt and Leslie Manzanares and
Rickey and Sharon Bearden would like to take this opportunity to offer their
heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed in the past and who has
volunteered to help with the Car & Bike Show over the past four years.
For more information about this
year’s Car Show, call Bearden at 318-927-9740.
Hospital Emergency Room
To Require Co-Pay For Non-Emergency Care
Starting Friday, September 1,
the Emergency Room at Homer Memorial Hospital will require
a $40.00 co-pay from patients requesting non-emergency services in the
emergency room.
The reason for this change is
the increased volume of non-emergency patients using the emergency room as a
clinic instead of going to see their local physicians. This has resulted in an increased volume of
patients in the emergency room that makes it difficult to take care of true
emergencies. Many of the non-emergency
visits could wait until normal clinic hours or could be taken care of at home
with over-the-counter medications.
Instead, many individuals are coming to the emergency room out of
convenience and the fact that, in the past, they could receive care without any
up-front payment being required.
Doug Efferson, Administrator at
Homer Memorial Hospital, highlighted the situation as
a matter of space, volume, and choice.
The hospital’s five bed emergency room is limited on the number of
patients it can treat any given time. In
years past, the emergency room averaged 7,100 visits per year with 45% being
non-emergency visits. This past year,
the volume went up 21% to 8,642, with 55% being non-emergency visits. Mr. Efferson believes the dramatic increase
is a direct result of using nurse practitioners to staff the emergency room
during clinic hours and the fact that no up-front payment is required. For some residents, this has made the
emergency room a quick and financially attractive choice for their
non-emergency health care needs.
The solution…
encourage individuals in the community to using the emergency room as a
matter of need instead of convenience.
The $40.00 co-pay is not designed to restrict care, but it is designed
to place a value on the convenience of receiving non-emergency care in the
emergency room setting. The hospital
will continue to treat anyone who requests services from the emergency
room. The only difference is that
patients who choose to use the emergency room for non-emergency care will have
to pay $40.00 toward their bill at the time of their care.
How will it work… the hospital
will receive and evaluate patients as before.
If, at the time of the patient’s medical screening their condition is
determined to be non-emergent, admissions will collect the $40.00 co-pay. Once paid, care will be provided. If a patient chooses not to pay the $40.00
co-pay, they will be able to leave without any charges being generated.
Mr. Efferson stated that Homer Memorial Hospital is committed to meeting the
healthcare needs of Homer and Claiborne Parish and that, to do so, we have to
be good stewards of the resources the hospital has to meet those needs. “We hope this encourages residents to choose
when and where they receive non-emergency care wisely so that individuals who
have a medical emergency can receive care without delay”.
In accordance with Federal law
and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, Homer Memorial Hospital is prohibited from
discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
Clasons
Head To London
Stuart Clason and wife, Tiffany, 
will be leaving Thursday, August 17, for London where Stuart will be attending
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) this fall and
working on a Master's in Local Economic Development. The program takes about 12
months to complete. At that time, the couple plans to return to this area where
Stuart hopes to use what he learns for the benefit of this area. He said, “Upon
completion I hope to secure a position in either the public or private sector
in the field of economic development.”
The London School of Economics
and Political Science (LSE), founded in 1895, is a world class centre for its
concentration of teaching and research across the full range of the social,
political, and economic sciences. Founded in 1895 by Beatrice and Sidney Webb,
LSE has an outstanding reputation for academic excellence. Affiliated with the University of London, few university institutions
in the world are as international. The study of social, economic and political
problems covers not only the UK and European Union, but
countries on every other continent. From its foundation LSE has aimed to be a
laboratory of the social sciences, a place where ideas are developed, analyzed,
evaluated, and disseminated around the globe.
The aim of the School was the
betterment of society. By studying poverty issues and analyzing inequalities,
the Beatrice and Sidney Webb sought to improve society in general. The School's
motto, adopted in February 1922, was suggested by Professor Edwin Cannan from
Virgil's Georgics. The phrase rerum cognoscere causas means to know the causes
of things. The industrious beaver emblem was chosen the same year.
Thirteen Nobel Prize winners in
economics, literature and peace have been either LSE staff or alumni including
George Bernard Shaw. The School has more than 70,000 registered alumni. Around
30 past or present heads of state have studied at LSE, and 30 members of the House
of Commons and 34 members of the House of Lords have either studied or taught
Stuart and Tiffany would like
to ask everyone to please keep them in their thoughts and prayers as they
undertake this endeavor. Stuart said, “We hope to see you all when we return
next year!”
Stuart is the son of Terry and
Jenifer “Toni” Clason of Homer. Jenifer is one of three judges in the Second
Judicial District Court.
Claiborne
Parish Recycling Hub Relocated
The Claiborne Parish Police
Jury and Trailblazer RC&D would like to announce special changes made
regarding recycling in Homer. Due to the recent closing of Wal-Mart, the
newspaper and aluminum can recycling drop-off has now been moved to the
Claiborne Parish Highway barn, located at 4070 Highway 79. This site is now a
drop-spot for office paper, newspaper, and aluminum cans. There will no longer
be a recycling drop-off at Wal-Mart in Homer. These recyclable items can be
dropped off at the Claiborne Parish Highway Barn during the hours of 7 AM and 3 PM, Monday-Friday. Trailblazer appreciates the cooperation,
participation and support of the community. For additional information, contact
Desi Goss at the Claiborne parish Police Jury office at 927-2222. Schools and/or area offices desiring to
participate in this recycling program may contact Desi Goss or Trailblazer
RC&D in Ruston at 318-255-3554.
June McClure Announces
Candidacy For School Board
I, June Legendre McClure, would
like to 
take this opportunity to announce to the citizens of Claiborne Parish
School Board District #7 that I am now seeking to serve as your representative
on the Claiborne Parish School Board. As
a teacher at Homer High School for over twenty-eight years, I
dedicated my life to the education and welfare of the children of Homer. There is no one who has shown more love and
concern for these students over the years, with the possible exceptions of
Coach Ronny Beard and my father, Bill McDonald, than I have. For all those years I worked tirelessly to
improve Homer High and to do the most that I could to benefit the students and
to make their educational experience one that that they could remember with
honor and pride—“Pelican Pride.” It is
now my desire to continue to serve these children, who are the future of our
community and our country, as the school board member representing District #7.
I feel that the many years that
I spent working at Homer High with the teachers and administrators of Claiborne
Parish, as well as with the parents, will be of benefit to me in my efforts to
understand the questions and problems that arise in the lives of the students
and teachers as they strive to better the education process in Claiborne
Parish, and I am willing to work along side each and every one of them to
achieve success for all of the students of Claiborne Parish.
While teaching at Homer High, I
was able to achieve much success with the Future Business Leaders of America
program, and I would like to see many of the students of Claiborne Parish
benefit from success in organizations such as this. These organizations offer wonderful training
for scholarship, leadership, and patriotism.
However, no one knows better than I that success cannot be achieved
without the support of the administration and parents and wonderful teachers
who are willing to devote their time and endless energy to make things happen
for the betterment of all.
I began my teaching career at
Homer High in September, 1975, and continued until my retirement in September,
2004. During that time I received a
B.S., M.S. and plus 30 in Business Education from Louisiana Tech University, and I continued my education
on a regular basis until my retirement.
Some of my honors include being the third individual selected as
Louisiana FBLA Adviser of the Year, having my name inscribed on the FBLA Wall
of Fame in the headquarters in Washington, D.C., serving on the Louisiana FBLA
Executive Committee, a position that I still hold and which allows me to stay
in contact with the students and advisers of this wonderful organization, and
serving as president, vice president, and historian of the Louisiana Tech Beta
Omega chapter of Delta Pi Epsilon, the national honorary graduate fraternity in
business education.
I graduated from Homer High School in 1959 and continued my
education at Louisiana Tech University (then Louisiana Polytechnic
Institute) receiving a B. S. degree in Accounting in 1962. After graduating from Tech, I went to work
for Shell Oil Company in New Orleans as an accountant, where I met Leonard
Legendre to whom I was married for over 30 years and who passed away in
1993. We have four children, Mike,
Debbie, Michele, and Kevin; all of whom graduated from Homer High School. I am now very happily married to Roy McClure,
who is wholeheartedly supporting my candidacy for this position. I am an active member of the St. Margaret
Catholic Church in Homer where I hold the positions of Parish Life Coordinator
and Ladies’ Altar Society President.
And, so, voters of Claiborne
Parish School Board District #7, it is my sincere desire to see each of you
over the next few weeks to renew old acquaintances or make new friends, and I
want you to give me the opportunity to serve you and your children. June Legendre McClure, School Board Member,
District #7!!
