False alarm at HMH
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
Staff and patients got quite a scare as
the fire alarm sounded Tuesday afternoon at Homer Memorial Hospital. Fortunately, it was a false alarm. The Homer Fire Department, the Homer Police
Department as well as a Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s deputy converged at the
scene. Administrative staff was evacuated to the hospital lobby as maintenance
workers and firemen searched for the source of the alarm. According to Hospital
Administrator Doug Efferson, nothing was found and the system reset without
further incident.
Officers assaulted in domestic case
A Homer
man found himself on the wrong side of the law after he allegedly attempted to
flee police and assaulted two officers.
Charles
D. Rodgers, 34, of Homer, was arrested Saturday, September 6, and charged with
possession of Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance (crack cocaine), with
bond set at $5,000, possession of drug paraphernalia, with bond set at $500,
two counts of resisting an officer, with bond set at $500 on each count,
attempted disarming of a police officer, with bond set at $5,000, two counts of
battery of a police officer, with bond set at $2,500 on each count, and
aggravated second degree battery, with bond set at $15,000.
According
to the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, on that date, Deputy Paul Brazzel was
dispatched to 146 Rodgers Road in Homer, in reference to an individual being
hit by a vehicle. Upon Brazzel’s arrival, he noted Pafford Ambulance was on
scene and attending the victim.
Prior
to being airlifted to Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
(LSUHSC), the victim stated that her boyfriend, identified as Rodgers, ran over
her with the truck. Detective Ben Booth arrived on scene to begin an
investigation.
After
conducting the initial investigation, Rodgers was arrested. During the course
of the arrest, Rodgers made attempts to flee from officers and assaulted two
officers in the process.
Homer
Police Officer Dale Sindle arrived on scene and transported Rodgers to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for booking.
Brazzel
remained on scene and a search of the residence revealed a white rock-like
substance, commonly associated with crack/cocaine, as well as a silver pipe
commonly used to smoke crack.
In
other news, an Arkansas man found himself in custody after a traffic stop led
to possession charges among others.
Brandon
T. Cheatham, 21, of El Dorado, Ark., was arrested Saturday, September 19, and
charged with speeding, 68/55, with bond set at $500, no driver’s license in
immediate possession, with bond set at $500, no registration certificate in
vehicle, bond set at $500, no license plate, with bond set at $500, no tail
lamps on trailer, with bond set at $500, possession of drug paraphernalia, with
bond set at $500, possession of Schedule I CDS marijuana, bond set at $500, and
illegal use of CDS in the presence of a person under 17 years of age, with bond
set at $500.
On that
date, Deputies J.T. Williams and Roger Ellerbe observed a vehicle traveling at
a high rate of speed towing a trailer without tail lamps or a license plate.
Deputies made a traffic stop and found the driver to be Cheatham. Cheatham was
unable to provide proper paperwork and Ellerbe noted a strong odor of marijuana
emitting from the vehicle.
A small
round wooden box containing suspected marijuana was discovered in Cheatham’s
front right shorts’ pocket. Cheatham was placed under arrest and Deputy Darren
Keel was called to assist. Occupants of the vehicle were questioned and a
16-year-old female turned in a small clear bag of marijuana. Cheatham advised
that the bag of marijuana was his.
Cheatham
was then transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center and booked on the
above charges.
Homer getting tough on past due
utilities
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
Town of Homer is now getting tough on utility bill payments.
In its
regular meeting, Monday, September 14, the council briefly discussed the
auditor’s preliminary findings for the year 2008’s budget, which included a
lack adequate management of utility receivables.
Although
there were several findings, a closer look at the findings revealed that many
had already been resolved or the town was not necessarily at fault.
Note:
These are preliminary findings and are not part of the final report. The final
report has not been completed. The town turned in its reports to the auditor on
time, but the audit has not been completed.
According
to Town Clerk B.J. Lowe, about half of the eight findings have already been
resolved. There were many changes that took place, but not in enough time for
that year’s audit report.
One
finding listed by Marsha O. Millican, CPA, is that the utility receivables are
out of balance. That’s due to two different computer programs used by the town
in order to keep up with what the town receives in revenue.
The
problem comes in that there is a difference in the programs for utility billing
– how to get utility billing out to the financial software, Lowe said.
“It’s
there, we just have to find the error,” she said. She believes the issue arises
from when the town changed the billing and due dates of utility bills last
year, which may have thrown things off. To resolve the issue, she said, an
internal audit is underway to find the discrepancy.
Also, a
finding stated that the “town is not adequately managing utility receivables.”
To fix the issue, Lowe said the town is considering hiring a collection agency
to help them collect balances that are seriously past due.
“Small
towns struggle with this issue,” Town Attorney Jim Colvin said during the
council meeting. “Right now, we’re just not working with accounts as well as we
should, and we’re talking about accounts that are 90 days, 120 days past due. These
range from municipal fines such as speeding, water bills, things of that
nature.”
A
company representative was introduced the council and the public. With American
Municipal Services, Gary Bogan spoke to the council about his company as a
collection agency. The company is located in Carrollton, Texas. The council
made no decision as to whether they would hire this company or not. The
presentation was for informational purposes only.
According
to management’s response on the preliminary audit finding, “Administration has
worked very hard to get account balances under control and up to date. We have
updated our policies and procedures and are aggressively working with our
residents to get these balances under control, including enforcing our cut-off
policy, writing off bad debts and prosecuting for theft of utilities.”
“We try
to help these residents,” Lowe said, “but part of the problem is old meters.
They don’t have leak detectors on them.”
Some
residents have had utility bills as high as $300 or more for one month, but
Lowe said that some of these residents aren’t using that much water – there’s
usually a leak in the system causing their water bills to be so high. And with
these kinds of issues, she can’t make them pay a water bill that high when
their actual water usage doesn’t match the meter reading.
But –
for those residents who simply do not pay their bills, they will lose their
service, Lowe emphasized. If their bills aren’t paid, they will be turned over
to a collection agency.
Another
issue the auditor addressed was that the segregation of duties is inadequate to
“provide effective internal control.”
“If you
do billing, you shouldn’t take payments,” Lowe said, “and if you pay the bills,
you shouldn’t create the purchase orders. That’s the kind of segregation she’s
talking about – and with a limited staff, it’s hard to do. All in all, we’re
doing things the right way, sometimes it just takes time.”
When
the final audit report for the year ending 2008 is complete, a copy will be
available to the public for review.
In
other council news, Town Attorney Jim Colvin was given the green light by the
Homer Town Council to pursue efforts to recover the costs of repairing the
apron at the Homer Municipal Airport.
According
to Colvin, when Stallion moved to its new location north of Homer, company
officials offered the town $20,000 for those repairs. Those repairs have now
been completed to the tune of approximately $51,000, he said.
Because
there are other aspects involved in the case, such as Stallion is an employer
in Claiborne Parish and those employed there live in Claiborne Parish, the
decision was a difficult one. In the end, the council chose to authorize Colvin
to pursue collection efforts.
In
other news, the council has approved a resolution for the ad valorem tax passed
every year to collect property taxes for the next fiscal year.
The
council also approved a motion by District 2 Councilman Michael Wade to have
property on Pearl Street, owned by Waddie Miller, cleaned up and have the house
torn down after a public hearing was held. No one spoke on the owner’s behalf,
and the hearing was closed.
“It’s
been in bad shape for years,” Wade said. “The house is basically falling in.”
Homer
Mayor David Newell said administration is working hard to keep up with these
blighted properties to make sure they do not begin or continue to be a hazard
to the citizens.
“This
is a lot of work and effort to find out who the owners are,” Newell said. “This
is almost a full time job, and Tangie’s been working hard.” According to
Newell, Tangie Wallace has been working diligently for the last several weeks
on resolving the issue of blighted property within the corporate limits of
Homer.
A
motion to accept Swint Enterprises to repair the lights at Armory Park failed when the council voted 2-3 against it.
Colvin
explained that the wiring at Mayfield Park is bad, and over time, wiring has
become exposed.
“The
wiring needs to be replaced,” Colvin said. “The rewiring project needs to be
done whether it’s done now or in the spring or summer.”
Two
bids came in – one bid for Armory Park set at approximately $3,400, and Mayfield Park for approximately $8,000. The money for the repairs would have come from the
recreation fund.
Balar
Engineers was also approved as the town’s engineers for the next year for the
Louisiana Community Development Block Grants (LCDBG).
A
motion to accept Blackwelder Electric to repair the air conditioner in town
hall was approved. The units on the roof and inside the building need to be
replaced. Neither unit works. As of last Friday, the air conditioners were
replaced.
In
other news, the council approved a resolution to aid in the process of Homer Hospital purchasing a new CT scanner. According to Colvin, the resolution gives the
hospital permission to go to the bond commission to seek approval for the
purchase. It’s basically the same resolution that was approved in August’s
meeting, but with a few more clauses in it. Also, an ordinance will have to be
introduced and approved.
“This
is just the paperwork so that the hospital can go before the bond commission
and borrow the money to purchase the CT scanner,” Colvin said.
Hill Farm Field Day October 1
The
Hill Farm Research Station, a unit of the LSU AgCenter, will sponsor a
beef/water quality/forage/forestry/poultry field day on Thursday, October 1.
Registration
and exhibits open at 11 a.m., lunch will be served at noon, with the program beginning at 1 p.m.
The
Hill Farm Research Station is located at the intersection of U.S. 79 and La. 9,
southwest of Homer.
Activities
begin with a trade show and on-going demonstrations.
At 1 p.m., guest speaker Dr. Mike Strain, Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, will
discuss “Agriculture Today.” Tours will be conducted featuring topics related
to external and internal parasites in beef cattle, pasture management of
clover, broiler house advances, new pine tree families, and impact of BMPs on
runoff water quality.
Please
reserve your seat on the tours by calling 318-927-2578 by Friday, September 25,
and encourage those interested to attend as well.
Claiborne no exception to crime wave
Bailey: ‘Investigators working
diligently to solve crimes’
The Guardian-Journal
Our
nation, and Claiborne Parish is no exception, seems to be in the grip of a
crime wave that has no boundaries.
During
the past summer months, Claiborne Parish has experienced crimes against
property that include identity theft, theft, criminal damage to property,
attempted burglary, burglary and attempted armed robbery. Sheriff Ken Bailey
stated that Claiborne Parish criminal investigators and deputies have been
working diligently to solve as many of these crimes as possible.
Over
the summer months, encompassing many investigative hours, the Claiborne
Sheriff’s Office made a total of 26 arrests on property crimes which cleared 29
cases. Two cases are pending arrest, and we currently have 24 outstanding
warrants for other arrests.
“Of
course, there is no way to solve every crime, but we will continue to do our
best to protect and serve the citizens of Claiborne Parish,” Bailey said. “That
is why we are here.”
If you
have any knowledge or information regarding a crime, you can help make our
parish safer by contacting the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office at
318-927-2011 or Claiborne Criminal Investigations Division at 318-927-9800.
HHS Homecoming Parade October 1
The annual Homer High School Homecoming Parade will be
held at 5:30 p.m. The parade will have more than 36 entries and will begin at
the high school, go around The Square, come back to Second Street and end at the
stadium for the annual community pep rally.
‘Johnny’ Cooper remembered with flag
presentation
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
Bob McDaniel, left, presents Haynesville
Mayor Sherman Brown, right, with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in
Washington D.C. in memory of John Wesley Cooper.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
On
behalf of the Town of Haynesville, Mayor Sherman Brown accepted the United
States Flag in honor of John Wesley Cooper.
With a
great deal of emotion, Bob McDaniel presented the flag in memory of his friend,
who was a staunch advocate for his hometown and Claiborne Parish. The flag was
flown over the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC, at the request of Congressman
John Fleming, 4th Congressional District, on August 20. According to the
certificate, the flag was flown to be presented by McDaniel to the town.
“I knew
Johnny all my life, and we had the same birthday,” McDaniel said. “We grew up
together, and Johnny almost gave his life for this country. He spent the first
half of his life, after he came back from the military, becoming an
entrepreneur. He did extremely well, and he spent the last half of his life
trying to return as much of that to Haynesville, Claiborne Parish and the state
of Louisiana as he could.
“In all
honesty, I don’t think I’ve met a man more honest, with integrity as Johnny
Cooper,” he continued. “He was my friend.”
With
the presentation of the flag, Brown voiced much appreciation and said he would
fly it when the other one needed replacing. The flag that now flies over city
hall was presented in memory of the late Mayor “Mutt” Slaid.
On that
note, Brown mentioned many members of the committees and boards who have given
of their time to the Town of Haynesville – of their own free will. These people
are not paid employees, he said.
“All of
these people serve for nothing,” he said, “and it’s sometimes being abused by
‘John Doe public.’ I just want it to be said that we appreciate all the
members of these boards that volunteer their time to help this community. He
(McDaniel) wanted to share this with the town, and we appreciate that.”
Golf Carts
The
Rev. Rodney Gray, pastor of First Assembly of God Church in Haynesville, spoke
to the council about enacting an ordinance to allow golf carts to be driven on
city streets legally.
According
to Gray, the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA) legalized golf carts
in 1996. Since that time, 12 states have adopted it, he said. So why legalize
golf carts?
For
one, he said, it uses very little gas, and it’s a great way to meet people.
The
council voiced their concerns about golf carts being on the road, and Gray said
they were perfectly safe provided they had the proper lighting and insurance.
His, he said, is insured through his auto insurance company.
Haynesville
Police Chief Anthony Smith said he saw no problem with passing an ordinance on
the issue, and said he had no problem with golf carts. In fact, passing an
ordinance would actually give him the authority to issue citations, if
necessary, said District 5 Councilwoman Carla Smith. But, to have such an
ordinance, some stipulations would have to be put in place, such as proper
lighting, insurance, and other requirements of the Department of Motor
Vehicles. To be able to drive them on the road, the driver will have to be a
licensed driver.
“We
don’t have a problem with it, but it’s with the little kids going everywhere
(on a golf cart),” Smith said. “It’s still considered an ATV, but we don’t have
a problem with it if they’re properly lighted, with signal lights and
headlights. We do give golfers permission to ride the back streets, but I think
(the ordinance) needs to have some stipulations.”
Another
issue is the older golf carts don’t have the lighting, but the owners can buy a
kit to properly light the ATV.
Brown
and Smith are expected to study the issue further and come back to the October
meeting with something that will fit Haynesville. The council gave the mayor
and Smith consent to consult Haynesville Town Attorney Danny Newell to draft an
ordinance. Next month, that draft would be introduced, and then in November, a
public hearing will be held followed by a vote of the council.
Recreation
In
other council news, Coach Ronnie Fields, of the Haynesville Recreation District
Board, gave an update on several things that are going on, but he was also
seeking permission to seek bids for the construction of a batting cage at Woodson Park in Haynesville. The batting cage would be beneficial, he said, because last
year, there were more than 150 children involved in the town’s baseball program
– a record number.
“It
will be used for our kids, our high school teams and anyone else,” Fields said.
“The batting cage keeps the balls in one central area. It won’t be wasted and
it will add beauty to our park.”
Fields
said the project’s cost is estimated at $20,000 or under. According to law, a
public entity must seek bids if the project’s cost is $30,000 or more. Because
this project is estimated below that amount, Fields is allowed to seek quotes.
The town will not have to seek bids from the public.
The
board has also put high yellow trim across the top of all the fences as well as
back stops from field to field at Woodson Field. Also improved was the entrance
at the tee ball field. Steps and a permanent bench have been placed there.
Also, a shed has been purchased to house and protect all the lawn equipment.
The building has also been fenced in.
“We’re
making improvements, and we’re trying to do positive things for the kids,”
Fields said. “I appreciate the support the mayor and the council gives us.”
The
council approved a motion to allow Fields to move forward with the request for
the batting cage based on the projected cost. If the cost is more than $30,000,
then the board will have to bring the request back to the council.
Also,
during the Louisiana Municipal Association conference, Fields saw some
playground equipment called the “Wave.” It’s similar to a see-saw, but it moves
every time a child touches it or moves on it. According to Fields and Brown,
this new equipment is virtually “accident-free.” In fact, Fields said, it’s
safer than what’s at the park now. It has been quite some time since any
playground equipment for the town’s park has been purchased, and it was time
for an upgrade.
“It’s a
very safe piece of equipment, and it’s something that kids can play on, even if
they’re not supervised,” Fields said.
CAC
McDaniel
gave the council and the public an update on activities from the Community
Advisory Council (CAC). Much of what he discussed was the Haynesville Cleanup
Day, which will be held Saturday, November 7, from 8 a.m. until noon. “Grab it” tools will be available for volunteers to use to pick up trash.
Beverlee
Killgore will spearhead the event. Refreshments, t-shirts and bags will be
provided by the Haynesville Beautification Committee. For more information,
contact a member of the CAC or Killgore.
“It was
a lot of fun last year,” McDaniel, a CAC member said. “We had a tremendous
turnout.”
District
2 Councilman Herbert Taylor reminded the other council members that they will
need to go through their districts and choose the areas most in need of
cleanup.
“We
want to concentrate on Hwy. 79, north and south, the fairground area and the
street going over to the stadium and the recreation areas,” McDaniel said.
Also in
progress is the new Haynesville website, www.haynesvillela.com. Categories are
being added to the website, with “Churches” to be the first.
In
other CAC news, the town and CAC committee will have a booth at the Claiborne
Parish Fair to answer any questions about the upcoming census in 2010. The CAC
has worked diligently to make sure the citizens of Haynesville turn in their
census forms and be counted. The census is used for many different things, but
it also determines how much state and federal funding a municipality receives
each year, based on its population. More state and federal dollars means better
roads, better emergency services, better utility services, just to name a few.
Also,
Mary Presley will replace Mary Adams on the committee. Linda Knox is the
committee’s new secretary.
The
next CAC meeting will be held October 19 at 6 p.m. Final details for the Haynesville Cleanup will be ironed out then.
In
other news, Penny Fields and Bob Bond resigned from the Haynesville Housing
Authority. The town council accepted their resignations and accepted the
appointments of Tom Crocker and Donald Perkins. Clora Hendricks was also
reappointed to the housing authority board.
The
board also accepted the highest bid for the Crown Victoria at $650, bid by
Deshun Hill. Three other bids were also turned in from Kenneth Christian for
$600, Gloria Christian, for $625, and Shondrika Hill for $550. The minimum bid
was set at $500.
The
council also approved a motion to donate $500 to the Sparta Groundwater
Commission. The commission requested $1,000, but the council decided on the
amount of $500.
2009 Claiborne Parish Fair
Schedule of Events
Sunday, Sept. 27
1-4p.m. - school and club
poster displays in north end, along with general entries and poultry entries
will be accepted
1 p.m. - livestock will
begin arriving
4 p.m. - goat weigh-ins
will begin along with swine and lamb
6 p.m. - goat, lamp, swine
and commercial heifer weigh-in deadline
Monday, Sept 28
9 a.m.- 5p.m. - general
exhibits and fresh crops and vegetables will be accepted school and club
posters will be set up
6 p.m. - 4-H poultry and
egg cookery contest all dairy and beef cattle must be in barn
“Made in Claiborne Parish” exhibits must be in
Tuesday, Sept 29
9 - 10 a.m. - bakery items
and fresh vegetables accepted
10 a.m. - judging of all
entries and poultry
4 p.m. - fair parade
4 p.m. - until closing -
carnival open arm bands purchased from school will be accepted
5 p.m. - judging of goats
and lambs judge market and breeding swine judge dairy and beef
6 p.m. - “Made in
Claiborne Parish” exhibits
Wednesday, Sept. 30
9 a.m. - noon - school group day (daycares and pre-k through 4th grade)
2 - 4 p.m. - bingo in south
end
4 p.m. - rabbit show in
livestock barn
5 p.m. - carnival opens
6 p.m. - “Made in Claiborne
Parish” exhibits
Thursday, Oct. 1
5 p.m. - carnival opens
6 p.m. - buyer’s supper
for all sale supporters
“Made in Claiborne Parish” exhibits
7 p.m. - junior livestock
sale
livestock may leave after conclusion
Friday, Oct. 2
9 - 11a.m. - remove all
exhibits and displays
5 p.m. - carnival opens
Saturday, Oct. 3
10 a.m. - 4-H pet show
Cloverbuds pet show
Cloverbuds pygmy goat show
1 p.m. until closing -
carnival opens
armbands will be accepted from 1 - 5 p.m.
6 p.m. Claiborne Parish Fair
Pageant
With so many activities and exhibits to enter, everyone
should be able to find some part of the week’s events to attend. Come out and
support local artists, farmers and 4-H members as each one participates in the
2009 Claiborne Parish Fair.
Walmart helps Homer Elementary teachers
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
These are the 10 lucky teachers who won
the drawing for $100 gift cards to use for school supplies in the classroom.
Pictured from left, back row, Jason Chachere, assistant manager of the Walmart
Minden store, Melanie Holloway, Amber Barton, Myrhonda Turner, Miranda Bogle,
Gussie Young, Homer Elementary Principal Pat Lee, and Kristen Goede. Front row,
from left, Karen Dowling, Ashley Lonadier, Kim Baker and Christine Baker.
Ten
lucky teachers at Homer Elementary got $100 gift cards from Walmart during a
drawing held Tuesday, September 22.
According
to a press release, Walmart is helping 10 teachers purchase much-needed
supplies through its new Teacher Rewards program.
Selected
randomly by the school’s principal, Pat Lee, each teacher was presented with a
$100 Teacher Reward Card at an award presentation ceremony at the school.
Nationally,
the Teacher Rewards program will enable Walmart and Sam’s Club to provide more
than $4 million to 40,000 deserving teachers across the United States.
“Walmart
is committed to helping address unmet needs in the communities where we serve,”
said Jason Chachere, Walmart assistant manager. “Our support for Homer Elementary
underscores this commitment, and we are hopeful that through the Teacher
Rewards program, these educators will be able to purchase the materials needed
for the new school year.”
“We, at
Homer Elementary, are so excited to have Walmart honor us with this rewards
program,” Lee said. “I felt fortunate to be able to draw 10 names from our
hard-working and dedicated staff to be the recipients of these gift
certificates.
“The
classroom supplies they purchase will benefit the students in our school – above
and beyond what they are ordinarily able to do,” she continued. “We want to
thank Walmart, and especially Jason, for coming in and taking an active part in
helping to educate the children of our community.”
The new
Teachers Rewards program is an extension of the retailer’s ongoing support of
education and local community involvement.
In
2008, Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $66 million
to fund educational programs and scholarships in communities across the
country.
According
to statistics, on average, teachers pay $512 per year out of their own pockets
for classroom materials and supplies.
As
households around the nation struggle to make ends meet, the retailer
understands students’ school supply needs will likely grow.
Teachers
receiving these awards Tuesday included Ashley Lonadier, third grade ELA,
Melanie Holloway, 4th grade ELA, Myrhonda Turner, kindergarten teacher, Miranda
Bogle, first grade teacher, Kim Baker, first grade teacher, Amber Barton, first
grade teacher, Kristen Geode, fourth grade ELA, Gussie Young, fourth grade
Social Studies, Karen Dowling, third grade science, and Christine Baker,
pre-kindergarten.
Congratulations
to all these teachers.
