Lawsuit filed against Town of Homer

following a complaint

MICHELLE BATES, Editor

Former Town Clerk Rita Mitchell’s attorney has filed a petition for enforcement lawsuit against the Town of Homer, citing violations of open meetings laws.

The suit states the Town of Homer violated the open meetings laws when it met in executive session to discuss options regarding the termination of Mitchell. After the council came out of executive session on September 12, they voted to terminate her.

The suit goes a step further stating “the actions taken on September 12, 2007, are invalid and without legal effect, pursuant to LA R.S. 42.9.” It is also asking for reasonable attorney’s fees and “costs of this litigation.”

Mitchell is seeking damages, stating in the lawsuit that she “is still owed monies from the Town of Homer, which include regular pay, vacation pay, and retirement funds.” The petition states that she is entitled to her regular rate of pay through the current date because her termination is null and void, pursuant to Louisiana RS 42:9.

In response to the suit, Homer Mayor David Newell said he would recommend to the town council to fight the suit and counter sue for restitution of the money that was allegedly stolen. At this time, though, he does not intend to call a special meeting regarding the matter.

“It’s a shame that someone can steal from the town, admit it, resign and hire an attorney and sue us,” Newell said. “A meeting was set for her on three different occasions. Each time, her attorney was consulted. He was the one that requested delays the first two times – all at an inconvenience for everyone involved.”

The purpose of the meetings was to inform her of what the issues were and give her a chance to respond, he said.

“She already knew what the issues were,” Newell said. “She had discussed this in depth with the auditors and when given a chance to respond to the council, she chose not to.”

Town Attorney Jim Colvin said the council was within its rights to hold the meeting in executive session, pursuant to Louisiana Revised Statute 42:6.1, because of the nature of the meeting. Issues of litigation, strategies of any litigation and allegations of misconduct were discussed in that executive session.

The state auditor’s report is not yet complete, and once complete will be turned over to the District’s Attorney office and the District Attorney’s office will determine whether charges should be filed.

In September, Mitchell was suspended without pay after a discrepancy in a water bill account was found. The customer called Newell stating the bill had been paid twice, and after some investigation, found that the cash drawer showed the first payment was listed as a check not attributed to the customer’s account, but was placed with the checks that came in on that day. Cash receipts had been altered to reflect the amount of the check involved.

“Numerous cash receipts were altered that totaled up to the exact amount of that check, clearly indicating that amount of cash was stolen from the cash drawer,” Newell said during Mitchell’s pre-termination hearing that was held September 17.

Her termination went into effect on September 17.

Doll makers comfort children

JIMMY DEAN, Feature Writer

A group of local women gather at 9 a.m. at the Claiborne Parish Police Jury building the second Tuesday of each month. They are doll makers. No, not Barbie dolls. Not ceramic dolls. Just simple, fabric dolls.

Known informally as the “Doll Makers Club,” they have been meeting for 10 years or so.   According to Kathleen Bryan, the number varies from meeting to meeting. Almost twenty helpedthis month.

The plain fabric dolls are given to underprivileged and abused children. Over the years the club has provided dolls to Shriners and other hospitals to comfort sick and injured children. They have also given dolls to the local DART office, to the school board, and to the local police department. When a child has been abused, injured, or is sick, a soft cloth doll can often provide comfort. The club presently furnishes dolls to Forcht Wade Correction Center for the inmates’ toy project.

When asked if one must know how to sew to participate, Kathleen says, “My goodness, no. Even though some of us can’t sew, we help by stuffing the dolls with fiber fill.”

When I ask how the dolls are made, she says people donate leftover scraps of fabric which are then sewn together according to a pattern. Next a face becomes part of the approximately 8” long doll. Finally, it is stuffed with fiber fill.

Kathleen says, “We’ve been favored with plenty of donated fabric. Our biggest expense is the stuffing, the fiber fill. We were thrilled recently to receive a donation of 25 pounds of fiber fill from Fairfield Processing Corporation in Danbury, CT. Since we ordinarily buy five pounds of stuffing at a time, Fairfield’s 25-pound donation was most welcome!”

Kathleen says anyone who wants to help is welcome to join them at the Police Jury building to make dolls.

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Nothing that grieves us can be called little: by the laws of proportion, a child's loss of a doll and a king's loss of a crown are events of the same size.—Mark Twain

Was it ‘boys will be boys’ or was it hazing?

MICHELLE BATES, Editor

Was it hazing or boys just being boys? That was the question when Homer Police were called to Homer High School Tuesday afternoon (October 9).

Reportedly, four football players stripped a freshman player of his clothes (at practice) and took a picture of him with a cell phone camera.

According to the victim’s mother, Angela Tims, her son was stripped naked causing injury to his arm.

“They drug my son, and they rubbed the hide off his arm,” Tims said. “It was to the white meat, where blood had come up through that white meat – that’s how bad it had gotten. They left him naked in the floor and one of the boys with a camera phone (took a picture).”

Tims said she called police because she was angry and wanted to make sure that the upperclassmen were punished for what they had done. She also spoke to Head Football Coach Glen Kyle who said he would handle the situation.

Tims told Kyle that she wanted the school to handle the situation. She later met with school officials and was informed of the boys’ punishment.

According to reports, the boy with the camera phone told school personnel he did not take a picture of the victim. The four involved in the hazing were given a 1-10 day suspension and were not allowed to play in Friday night’s game against Springhill.

The victim of the hazing was also suspended for carrying a gun clip on school property, which occurred after the altercation. He returned to school on Monday.

Tims explained that the gun clip was empty and he had absolutely no malicious intent with the clip. The clip was a rusty antique that holds three or four bullets. She said news reports made it seem like her son brought it to school because of the trauma he experienced during the hazing incident.

Tims said on the day of the altercation when her son described the incident to her, he was playing with the gun clip. In her rush to talk to school officials, neither Tims nor her son realized the gun clip made the trip back to the school with them. Tims said that her son did not intentionally go back to the school with the clip intending harm to others.

 “My son did not go back up to the schoolhouse with the clip in his hand,” she said. “I took my child back up there (after) he got home and he forgot to leave the gun clip at the house, and I explained that to the school board.”

She said in fact, when they returned to the school, most of the players had gone home, as there was no school that day. However, Kyle was still at the field with some of the players who came to practice late.

“The news was very wrong for what they said,” Tims said. “You know how kids can walk out the house with something in their hand. He had a clip, but he did not have no gun.”

Tims thanked everyone for handling the situation properly and she is very satisfied with the outcome.

“When I went to the school system, the school board and the principal fixed the problem,” she said. “Whoever went over my head and went to the media and the newspaper people, that was very wrong. For somebody to take this and blow it out of proportion is wrong.”

The Homer Police Department received several calls regarding the incident. Chief Russell Mills said no report was made.

According to Tims, because school officials handled the situation in a satisfactory manner, no charges were or will be filed.

“I admire him (Kyle) and the principal for what they did,” she said. “If nothing was going to be done about it, I would have had to press charges, because that’s cruelty to a child. They took up on their part and handled it.”

She also wanted the parents of the players involved to know that she has no ill feelings about the situation.

“I have nothing negative to say about our schools or about anybody’s parents or those boys, but their punishment should let them know to learn not to let this happen again, because it was just uncalled for,” she said. “I want them to know that we’re sorry that it happened, and I did not call the media, and the school handled it, and it should have been left at that.”

School board member Terry Willis agrees that the whole situation went too far, but, he said, he wants the focus to return to education and supporting Homer’s athletics programs.

“We do acknowledge that there was a problem and that something happened,” he said. “Overall, what goes on here is no different than what goes on all across this state. People make mistakes, but overall, we’ve got a good group of kids that’s really concerned about their athletic program. It’s important that we get this behind us and tend to priorities, and that’s education.”

Superintendent Wayne King said the situation is being dealt with, and he’s returned his attention to the tasks at hand, leading Claiborne Parish Schools in the right direction.

“We are dealing with the situation and we are going to go on with the tasks at hand,” he said. “We are going to go forward and as we work through the school year, we’re going to address whatever we need to address.”

A hearing was held Tuesday morning, October 16, regarding the hazing incident. More news to come as this story continues to develop.

Vote results in tie for Haynesville District 4 seat

The Guardian-Journal

The Haynesville Town Council met in a special meeting, Monday, October 8, to take a vote on who would replace the late Rene Lincoln-Buggs, who passed away suddenly last month.

The vote resulted in a tie between Rene’s husband, Alford Buggs and Brian Bogle. Because the vote was a tie, the issue will be sent to the Secretary of State for a decision.

After the meeting, there were questions raised as to whether Joyce Major, District 3 councilwoman and mayor pro temp, could vote as she is acting as mayor until Haynesville Mayor “Mutt” Slaid returns to oversee his duties again.

According to the Lawrason Act pursuant under Louisiana Revised Statute 18:602, the charter in which Haynesville is run under, she can vote because she is still a council member, only acting in Slaid’s absence.

Two women arrested after leaving young kids

in hot car at Wal-Mart

JANA RYAN, Special to The Guardian-Journal

Two women are behind bars after placing two young children in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation.

Takako Modisette, 23, of Homer, was arrested Tuesday and charged with two felony counts of cruelty to a juvenile, one count of disturbing the peace and one count of battery on a police officer.

Bernice Modisette, 44, of Haynesville, was arrested Tuesday and charged with two felony counts of cruelty to a juvenile.

According to Minden Police Chief T.C. Bloxom, his department received a call from a concerned citizen around 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. The caller reported that two children had been left unattended in a Dodge Caravan in the Wal-Mart Super Center parking lot.

When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered two children, ages five and six, in the vehicle. Two windows on the van were down.

“The children had been left in the vehicle for approximately one hour,” said

Bloxom. “They were sweating profusely when the officers arrived.”

After the officers made contact with the children, Takako Modisette, the children’s aunt, and Bernice Modisette, the children’s grandmother, exited the store. With them was a small baby belonging to Takako Modisette.

“The two women were supposed to be watching the two children for their mother, who at that time, was at work in Homer,” said Bloxom. “Takako

Modisette had taken her own child into the store while the other two children had been left in the van.”

During the course of Takako Modisette’s arrest, she kicked an officer in the leg, resulting in a charge of battery on a police officer.

Both women were placed under arrest and transported to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.

“We have constant warnings on the news channels, in the newspapers and on the radios concerning the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles,” said Bloxom. “People should realize the danger in this, but they just don’t seem to listen or pay attention.”

Takako Modisette remains incarcerated and is being held on a $22,375 bond. Bernice Modisette also remains incarcerated with a $10,000 bond.

A representative of the Webster Parish Child Protection Office later released the children into the custody of their grandfather.

Flight from Homer Police leads to arrest

and several charges

The Guardian-Journal

A woman was arrested Tuesday, October 9, after attempting to stop Homer Police from arresting a man.

Homer Police, along with Probation and Parole Agent Franklin Evans, went to the residence of Shirmane Wright to serve warrants. Upon arrival, Alisha Rabb, 24, of Homer, was backing out of the driveway of the residence. While Officer Van McDaniel and Evans were speaking to her concerning the whereabouts of Wright, she continued to back out of the driveway.

It was then that McDaniel noticed Wright in the floor of the vehicle. He and Officer Mike Rayburn attempted to stop the vehicle, but Rabb refused. Giving chase, officers finally pulled her over at the intersection of Pearl and Mayfield. Upon stopping, Rayburn took Wright into custody and arrested Rabb as well for obstruction of justice, resisting an officer and accessory after the fact.

Bond was set at $500 for the resisting an officer charge and $500 for obstruction of justice.

In an unrelated incident, Tomun Ann Burns, also known as Tonica Burns, 27, of Homer, was arrested after she was stopped for a traffic infraction by Officers Ken Wood and Keith Ferguson. She was pulled over for passing on the right on West Main Street in Homer, and when asked her name, she gave a false name. When officers checked out the information given, they found her driver’s license had been suspended.

When officers asked her to step out of her vehicle, she refused, even after being read her Miranda rights and told she was under arrest. Instead of exiting the vehicle, she attempted to drive off with the back door on the driver’s side open. Two minor children and a baby were observed in the back seat.

Burns was charged with passing on the right, resisting an officer by giving false information, resisting an officer, driving under suspension, improper supervision of minors and domestic abuse with child endangerment. Bond was set at $500 for each of the six charges, totaling $3,000 bond.

Hwy. 79 construction begins

The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates

Pictured from left, Jason Winget, DOTD; Homer Mayor David Newell; Darrell Mills of Hope Construction; Renea Wise, Lead Inspector, DOTD; Hollis Manis of Hope Construction and Claiborne Chamber of Commerce President J.T. Taylor. Construction is now underway, weather permitting, and the project is expected to start just past Lynn’s Flower Shop, but access to North 8th Street will remain open during construction. Traffic is expected to flow at all times, but it has been suggested that if possible, thru traffic find an alternate route to help ease traffic congestion.  Construction is expected to last three to four months.

Negotiations in the works for old Wal-Mart building

MICHELLE BATES, Editor

Negotiations are in the works for the sale of the old Wal-Mart building in Homer. The Town of Homer has entered into a contract with the owners, Homer Investments LLC, in hopes of bringing more jobs to the area.

“We have a contract to purchase the building for $262,500,” said Homer Mayor David Newell.

Because the town is still in negotiations, no details could be publicized at this time. The town is also working on a contract to resale a portion of the building to new owners. He did say he feels like this deal would be a good business move for the citizens of Homer, and it’s a clear example of trying to increase and keep jobs in the community.

“Everything that I’m doing is dealing with jobs,” he said. “I’m trying to keep jobs and increase jobs in the town. That’s our focus.”

He said some money from the town’s funds would have to be spent, but he did not give any detail, citing that negotiations were still on the table.

“I’m not interested in spending the town’s money unless there’s something specifically that the town’s going to retain out of it,” he said. “People have committed town funds over the last century in an effort to increase jobs in the town, and sometimes they’ve been successful and other times they have not. I’m doing my best to work something that will increase jobs in the town.”

The Beacon Plastic Building is also up for sale, but J.T. Taylor, president of the Claiborne Chamber of Commerce is handling the sale of this building. He said negotiations were also ongoing, but could really give no details at this time.

“I’m working on something, but it’s all preliminary right now,” Taylor said.

School board pay dates issue still on table

MICHELLE BATES, Editor

The issue of school board pay dates is still on the table. Pat England of the Louisiana Association of Educators spoke to the Claiborne Parish School Board Thursday night on behalf of its teachers and employees.

A survey, 426 to be exact, by the Louisiana Association of Educators was sent out to all teachers and employees with three questions to get a better idea of what they want the school board to do. Forty-two (42) percent of the surveys mailed out were returned.

The three questions on the survey were as follows: (1) Do they wish to continue pursuing conversations and discussions regarding the resetting their pay date; (2) Have they ever discussed or were interested in having their pay checks direct deposited into their local banks or credit union; and (3) If, at sometime in future, would they be interested if the board could provide payroll twice a month.

On question 1, a total of 147 employees responded yes and 25 responded no. On question 2, 148 responded yes and 42 responded no. On question 3, 113 responded yes and 54 responded no.

“There seemed to be mixed results on question 3, but 1 and 2 seemed to be fairly persuasive in the yes category,” England said to the board. “What I’m here to do tonight is to encourage the board to continue to allow the staff to look at these issues that the employees are concerned about, and when the board is able to address what they feel – what they would like – that the board would approve that action. But, in the meantime, the conversation needs to continue.”

She was asked if she knew when the state makes the MFP funds available, and she said she had, but because looking to the state for a viable solution was basically not an option, she focused on the length of time it takes to move the money from those funds to make payroll.

“Maybe we can figure out a way to move the money quicker, and the board would have it at their disposal sooner,” she said. “I’m hoping that we can work towards that (direct deposit) as well as looking at what I call a set pay date.”

Claiborne Parish Schools Superintendent Wayne King said the door is open.

“To all the employees, you have an open ear,” he said. “I’m not speaking for the board, they can speak for themselves, but I do know they will have an open ear too, when and where we can accommodate things. I’m sure that we will do the best we can for you. I want to tell you, too, that we are working towards trying to find that direct deposit for you if we can get the software working. We’re going to pursue that. We’re going to pursue looking at the other thing that you’ve asked us about, because I said we will continue working towards those goals. I will not do anything illegal, that’s not within the law. I will do my very best to give you my very best when I can do it.”

At September’s school board meeting, several teachers and school employees came before the board with a new pay schedule proposal asking for them to change the pay schedule dates in order to help many of them financially. The compromise said that teachers and employees would get paid on the 27th of every month if the funds are available. If the 27th falls on a weekend, then paychecks would be distributed on the Friday before.

In Claiborne Parish, all teachers and employees are paid through the MFP (Minimum Foundation Program) fund, which is the money specifically used to pay teachers and employees. Last year, teachers and employees were paid on the fourth Friday of every month, and it changed to the last Friday of every month because of the date the MFP funds became available.

The school board voted against the new proposal because of the timing of availability of these funds.

Lewis Way Road gets asphalt after

several years of waiting

The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates

Above from left, District 10 Police Juror Willie Young and State Representative Rick Gallot smile as several years of hard work pay off. Lewis Way Road is now finally being paved.

The Guardian-Journal

The paving of Lewis Way Road just outside of Homer has now become a reality. Paving of the road began Tuesday morning, October 9, as Claiborne Parish road crews moved equipment out to the road and began construction.

And according to State Representative Rick Gallot, it’s been a long time in coming. Approximately seven years ago, the road was in terrible shape – so bad that school bus drivers were unwilling to drive on the road. When it rained, it became a muddy mess and the road was wrought with sizeable potholes.

Prior to the beginning of the Iraq war in 2003, arrangements were made with the Louisiana National Guard’s 527th Engineering Battalion to come in and build up the road as one of their training projects. Before work could begin, they were deployed overseas.

“That’s when we went back to the drawing board, and we were able to get the funding through the Office of Rural Development,” Gallot said. “This was one of those projects that everybody said couldn’t be and wouldn’t be done. Sometimes you have to think outside the box and get it done, and that’s what we did.”

So, the process of obtaining rights-of-way from the residents and getting rural development funding for culverts, building a good base and bringing in gravel began.

At that time, there were no parish funds available for the road, and initially, Lewis Way Road wasn’t even a part of the parish system.

The right-of-way was never dedicated to the parish. Eventually, the parish took it into their system and the state provided the funding for the materials needed, while the parish provided the equipment and manpower to do the work.

“It’s been a joint effort, basically, all along,” Gallot said. “We provided from the state, the money and the parish has provided the work.”

Flu shots now available at health unit

The Guardian-Journal

The flu vaccine is now available at the Claiborne Parish Health Unit. Groups eligible to receive influenza vaccines through the health unit are as follows:

All children from six (6) months up to eight (8) years of age

Anyone six (6) months to 18 years of age on long-term aspirin treatment

Anyone 50 years of age or older

Anyone with long-term health problems including: heart disease; lung disease; asthma; kidney disease; diabetes; anemia and other blood disorders; muscle or nerve disorders; and weakened immune system

Flu shots will be offered on a daily basis from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Claiborne Parish Health Unit, 624 West Main Street, Homer. People are asked to bring their Medicaid/Medicare cards for billing purposes. For those who are not covered by these programs, there is a $10 administrative fee.

For more information, please call the local health unit at 927-6127.

Raffle tickets on sale now!!!

The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates

The beautiful pine tree quilt pictured here with its creator, Mrs. Nurlie Foster of Haynesville, will be raffled off at the 2007 Christmas Festival. It is presently on display at Capital One Bank in Homer where tickets can be purchased for $1.00. They are also available at The Raven Bookstore and the Claiborne Chamber of Commerce in Homer and Killgore Pharmacy in Haynesville. Purchase your tickets now and help promote art in Claiborne Parish!

Harvest Carnival to be held October 27

The Harvest Carnival will be held from 3 until 6 p.m. in the Brookshire’s parking lot. Lots of fun and games, including bobbing for apples, a cakewalk, and much more! A DARE officer will on hand to discuss the DARE program with the kids. Also on hand will be a dunking booth, donated by Pafford Ambulance. A firetruck will be on hand with volunteer firefighters to show the kids and teach them about fire safety. Oh! And don’t forget the food! There will be hot dogs, chips and cokes for only a $1. All proceeds will go to DART and the Claiborne Boys and Girls Clubs. For more information, call 927-9651 and ask for Patti Beaty.

Haynesville sixth graders get laptops

MICHELLE BATES, Editor

The sixth graders at Haynesville Junior High School will be getting early Christmas presents as each one will receive a laptop computer to use for homework and school assignments.

Claiborne Parish Schools Superintendent Wayne King said these laptops are part of a grant program from the state called “Turn on to Learning: Louisiana’s Laptop Initiative.”

It is sponsored by the Louisiana Governor’s Office in cooperation with Apple Computers.

“We’re going to have about $80,000 worth of equipment in our parish, and it’s going to sixth grade kids,” King said.

Guidelines for the program say that it has to be two sixth grade classes within the same school and it had to be a school that presented low test scores. The superintendent and the board looked at schools in both Homer and Haynesville and decided that Haynesville better fit the program.

“We wanted to be sure where we were with the kids,” King said. “The one that best fit the mold – and we could only get 50 laptops – was Haynesville Junior High sixth grade. There are 48 sixth grade students, and in that sixth grade, every child will have one.”

The program comes as part of a university study that will determine whether it will help these children bring up their test scores.

These children will be able to take these computers home with them at midterm and will be able to use them for homework and school assignments in the areas of science and social studies. So, why not use them for math? The superintendent said it was because the two teachers that volunteered to be a part of the study teach science and social studies.

Another aspect of the program that was a deciding factor is the fact that sixth grade students are in between LEAP tests. The fourth and eighth grades take the LEAP, but the sixth grade takes the I-LEAP.

“We’re all looking forward to this and see how it’s going to come about,” he said. “This may be a revelation for us all to see if this is a direction we all need to go through. Keep in mind that sixth grade kids are the ones that do the I-LEAP. We have the fourth and eighth grade that do the LEAP, and they are in between there. These are the children they wanted to focus on, that age and grade level, to see if that will be a good working situation. When we found out we had the chance to do this, we jumped on it.”

The teachers, Dana Smith and Kristie Wortham, as well as the principal, William Kennedy and superintendent, will go through training to learn to use the laptops before handing them out in the classroom.

As of last Thursday, October 11, the laptops were at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge getting set up, and within a week or so, the computers for the teachers will come in. Approximately two to three weeks after that, the computers for the students will arrive into the parish.

“It’s going to be a learning experience for us and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “I want to recognize Haynesville Junior High, the principal and the two teachers that’s doing this and let’s see what happens with the children in our schools.”

He said at the end of the school year, if the laptop program works, the computers will belong to the Claiborne Parish School system.

Keep Claiborne Beautiful joins with

Keep America Beautiful

The Guardian-Journal

The Keep Claiborne Beautiful (KCB) organization has teamed up with the national Keep America Beautiful (KAB) which will bring many benefits to Claiborne Parish in its effort to keep the parish cleaned up.

According to Lauren Tichenor, with Americorp Vista, Community Development for Claiborne Parish, as a KAB affiliate, this opens up the organization to many opportunities for grants, many more resources and the ability to network with other regional affiliates.

“This gives us an organizational structure, and we have a better chance for sustaining this group,” Tichenor said.

It also forces the organization to choose a target date and discuss the projects they want to accomplish.

Some of the expectations of being affiliated with Keep America Beautiful is that they have to set a target date for becoming members, which was set for February 2008. KCB will have to have a litter index, which gauges how much litter will decline or increase over the next three years.

It now must also have an organizational team, which means Keep Claiborne Beautiful will have a set of bylaws, obtain 501 (c)3 status and expand the board. In other words, structure to keep KCB sustainable.

Another expectation is asset mapping – who the civic organizations they can work with, ordinances, business donations, technical support using resources from and within the community to actually make it a community-based organization.

The most important mission of KCB is education and changing behaviors.

“There needs to be more education about litter abatement,” Tichenor said. “One of our missions is to educate – information about litter abatement, waste reduction.”

The program builds many characteristics throughout the parish in that by being an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, it will open up many more options for the citizens.

“Through this program, it builds a sense of community pride, a sense of responsibility,” Tichenor said. “The real motive is changing behaviors, promoting positive behaviors and encouraging those that already have positive behaviors.”

The Great American Cleanup will be held in the Spring, in which Claiborne Parish will be a part of. This will give the parish an opportunity to compete with other cities to see which community can have the cleanest city.

She also wants to go into the schools and allow the children to be a part of the cleanup initiative by conducting a T-shirt contest for a logo. Through this contest, kids will have a chance to choose the logo for Keep Claiborne Beautiful.

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