Athens bank almost hit again
The Guardian-Journal
Gibsland
Bank and Trust in Athens was almost hit again.
Early
Monday morning, Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey said the bank had almost
been robbed yet again, when two males tried to enter the bank.
The two
armed males were dressed in camouflage pants, dark clothing, ski masks and
gloves.
Bailey
said at approximately 11:45 a.m., the two ran to the front door of the bank,
attempted to enter, and when they found the doors locked, they ran. Preliminary
investigation shows the two came in from the north end and left the same way.
The David Wade Chase Team was called in for assistance, and the dogs found a
“good” track from behind the bank, Bailey said.
“We believe
they were picked up by another vehicle, but we don’t know the direction of
travel right now,” Bailey said.
This is
the third time within a year the small town bank has been hit or at least an
attempted hit. The investigation into the last robbery is still ongoing, said
CPSO Detective Ben Booth.
The
sheriff said the investigation into Monday’s attempt is still ongoing as they
are still interviewing witnesses.
Gibsland
Bank and Trust has also taken a few safety measures in an effort to ensure it
doesn’t get robbed again and that its employees remain safe. One such example
is that they are now keeping the front doors locked at all times. Bank
employees push a button from inside to allow customers to enter the bank.
“That
was a good safety measure,” Bailey said, “because they didn’t get in the bank.”
If
anyone has any information that could lead to the arrest of the two who
attempted to rob the bank, please call the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office at
318-927-2011, or the Criminal Investigative Division at 318-927-9800. Remember,
all callers will remain anonymous. Authorities just want information, no names.
In
other crime news, a Bakersfield man was arrested in Claiborne Parish on several
charges during a traffic stop.
On
Thursday, April 15, David Wayne Wilburn, 33, was arrested and charged with
speeding, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of Schedule I
Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) marijuana. Bond was set at $500 on each
charge for a bond total of $1,500.
According
to CPSO press release, Deputy Roger Ellerbe was on routine traffic patrol and
observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. Ellerbe initiated a
traffic stop and found the driver to be Wilburn.
When
Ellerbe requested the proper paperwork, Wilburn was unable to provide registration
and proof of insurance. Deputy J.T. Williams arrived on scene to assist.
Further
investigation revealed a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle and
deputies discovered a small wooden and metal pipe approximately two inches in
length used for smoking marijuana in Wilburn’s left front blue jeans pocket. A
search of the vehicle revealed a wooden box containing marijuana and a small
metal pipe used for smoking marijuana (approximately three inches in length) in
the front seat center console.
The
vehicle registration and proof of insurance were provided and Wilburn was
arrested on the above charges. He was booked into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center.
Homer officer critically injured
The Guardian-Journal
A Homer
police officer was critically injured last Saturday while helping family
members move.
According
to Police Chief Russell Mills, Officer John Bailey is at Louisiana State
University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) with critical head injuries.
According
to information Mills received, Bailey was in Springhill in the back of a pickup
truck holding on to a piece of furniture. The truck was backing up when it made
a sudden stop causing Bailey to lose his balance and fall out of the back,
hitting his head on the concrete as he landed.
He was
rushed to Springhill Medical Center where he was then airlifted to the trauma
center at LSUHSC. Mills said Bailey sustained a skull fracture on the left
side, and he is being kept sedated.
“It was
just a freak accident,” Mills said.
Officer
Roger Smith, who has been to visit Bailey’s family at the hospital, said his
condition is listed as serious. According to information he’s received, doctors
say Bailey is still hemorrhaging from the brain. A CT scan showed no
improvement, Smith said, and Bailey is in a coma.
Currently,
doctors are concentrating on keeping the swelling down.
“It’s
still kind of a big scare, but there’s no change and it’s no better,” Smith
said.
Bailey’s
chances of survival are high, but it’s still unknown as to whether he will
recover 100 percent, Smith said.
The
Guardian-Journal will follow with more
updates as more information becomes available.
Motions withdrawn
Plaintiffs clarify wrongful death suit
as negligence case
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
plaintiffs in the wrongful death suit filed against the Town of Homer have clarified the allegations they are making in the death of Bernard Monroe Sr.,
calling it a case of negligence – not a case of racial discrimination or
profiling.
On
Monday, April 19, at approximately 10 a.m., the Monroe case came before 2nd
Judicial District Judge Jenifer Clason. A morning recess was taken in which
attorneys on both sides met in the judge’s chambers for a chamber conference.
They returned to open court about an hour later with an agreement.
Southern
Poverty Law Center Founder and Attorney Morris Dees announced in open court at
that time, the case was not a racial discrimination suit nor was the suit
making a racial profiling claim. Dees said they are not alleging the
officer-involved shooting was racially motivated, when it is in fact, a
negligence claim.
“In
exchange for that stipulation, we withdraw our two motions,” Town Attorney Jim
Colvin stated in court.
On
February 10, Dees filed a wrongful death suit against the Town of Homer and former Homer Police Officers Tim Cox and Joseph Henry, claiming the officers
failed to exercise reasonable care in the performance of their duties, thereby
bringing about Monroe’s death.
Monroe
Sr., 73, was shot and killed in his front yard on Friday, February 20, 2009, after Cox and Henry pursued his son, Shaun, to the elder Monroe’s residence.
Allegedly, Monroe engaged the two officers with a loaded handgun in his
possession. Family, friends and witnesses dispute the fact Monroe had a gun in
his possession at the time of shooting, instead saying he was holding a sports
drink bottle.
The gun
collected at the scene was sent to the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) for
DNA and fingerprint analysis. According to Louisiana State Police, the gun was
traced back to its origin but did not release who the gun belonged to or if it
was actually found to be in Monroe’s physical possession at the time of the
shooting.
State
police conducted a thorough and lengthy investigation into Monroe’s death,
while the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted its own investigation
into the incident. While state police investigated the physical aspect of the
shooting, the FBI focused on any alleged civil rights violations Monroe may have experienced. According to FBI Public Information Officer Sheila Thorne on
Monday afternoon, that investigation is still ongoing. She did not indicate if
the inquiry is coming to a close.
On
February 4, nearly one year after Monroe’s death, a Claiborne Parish Grand Jury
returned a no true bill in the criminal aspect of the case – which means the
grand jury did not find enough evidence to indict Cox or Henry.
Upon
hearing the news, Dees, on behalf of the Monroe family, filed the wrongful
death suit on February 10.
Shortly
thereafter, Colvin filed two motions in the case, saying the petition filed on
February 10 was vague and asking the court to limit the attorneys’ comments to
the media regarding this case. He attached several documents in which Dees
used articles released on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s website, as well as
the suit, solicitation letters for donations using this case and national
newspaper articles written about the case as evidence of the vagueness of the
petition, which appeared to be a negligence only claim, as opposed to claims of
racial discrimination.
According
to Claiborne Parish Clerk of Court records, on March 19, Dees also filed an
amended petition to remove the children of Monroe as plaintiffs in this case,
leaving Louise Monroe as the sole plaintiff.
At this
point, it’s anyone’s guess where the case will go from here. In earlier
interviews, Dees indicated that the case could go to civil trial as late as a
year from now. According to previous interviews with both attorneys, they are
jointly seeking to obtain the state police investigative report at the
Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.
Please
keep looking for updates in future editions of The Guardian-Journal.
Arrest made in theft case
The Guardian-Journal
A Homer
woman has confessed to theft, police say, in a case that is still ongoing.
Anita
Tabor, 54, was arrested on April 1, and charged with theft over $500. Bond was
set at $10,000.
According
to Homer Police Chief Russell Mills, he was contacted by the district manager
of a local check cashing company, stating a theft had occurred. Upon her
arrest, Mills said she gave a full confession to police.
“She
was opening old accounts and paying the fees on them,” he said. “Finally, it
just got so big that she couldn’t pay it.”
Mills
said the higher ups in the company noticed some discrepancies and came to Homer
to check it out.
Here’s
how it works. At the local store, a person goes in for a payday loan, and when
the person comes back to pay off the loan, a fee is assessed to the loan. The
person pays off the loan plus the fee and business is done.
What
Tabor was doing, Mills said, is opening old accounts, getting payday loans, and
when a payment on the loan came due, she paid the fees. She admitted to police
that she just couldn’t pay the fees on the loans she had taken out and it just
caught up with her.
According
to the police chief, she could not be charged with forgery because the victim
is the company and not an individual person.
At this
time, it is still unknown just exactly how much money she took from the
company.
In
other crime news, a Homer man racked up several charges after he allegedly
decided not to cooperate with police.
On
Tuesday, April 6, O’Brian Shelmon, 21, was arrested and charged with resisting
an officer with force or violence, resisting an officer, disturbing the peace,
simple escape, and possession of Schedule I CDS marijuana, all with bonds of
$1,000 on each charge. He was also charged with battery of a police officer and
obscenity, with $5,000 bond on each charge.
According
to reports, on the above date, officers were dispatched to the 900 block of Fannin Street in reference to a disturbance allegedly involving Shelmon. Officer Van
McDaniel located Shelmon in the area when he arrived, notifying other officers
of his location.
Police
say Shelmon appeared intoxicated and fled on foot as other units arrived in the
area. Officers gave chase, apprehending Shelmon on the property of a local
convenience store. Captain Donald Malray, and Officers John Bailey and Willie
Fred Knowles had Shelmon detained, reports say.
Shelmon’s
uncle arrived on scene and attempted to calm him down. Shelmon allegedly
attempted to bite him. The suspect was restrained by Knowles and McDaniel.
Other attempts to calm him down were made, but Shelmon continued to act
belligerently, reports said.
Pafford
Ambulance was dispatched to the scene, because, according to reports, Shelmon
may have had a “serious” reaction to what police believe was drug use. However,
paramedics refused to transport Shelmon because he was being physically combative.
Malray transported Shelmon to Homer Memorial Hospital for treatment. McDaniel
was also treated for injuries and released.
In
other news, a 23-year-old Homer woman was arrested on Monday, April 12, on a
charge of simple battery.
Jessica
Sampson was arrested and charged, with bond set at $500.
According
to reports, police were dispatched to Claiborne Place Apartments in reference
to a fight. Officers Bailey and Knowles responded to the call, and the victim
stated Sampson attacked her from behind when she attempted to walk away from an
argument the two were having.
The
officers located Sampson in her apartment, arrested her and transported her to
the Homer Police Station for booking. She was then transported to the Claiborne
Women’s Facility.
An Athens man and a Homer man both were charged with DWIs in unrelated incidents.
Kenjuan
D. Miller, 38, of Athens, was arrested on Tuesday, April 13, and charged with
headlamps on a motor vehicle, with a bond of $500, driving under suspension,
with bond set at $500, and DWI third offense, with bond set at $5,000.
Reports
say that Officer Mario Thomas was on another traffic stop when he observed a
vehicle pass by with a headlight out.
He left
the initial traffic stop and stopped the vehicle which passed him on the square.
When Thomas made contact with Miller, he detected what is believed to be the
odor of alcohol coming from his person. He was advised of his rights, given a
field sobriety test, to which he performed poorly, and arrested. He was
transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for booking.
Gerald
Tims, 48, of Homer, was arrested on Friday, April 16, and charged with DWI
first offense, with a bond of $750, and possession of marijuana, with a bond of
$500.
According
to reports, while searching for another suspect in the area of Lodge Street, Officer Darren Norton observed a male, later identified as Tims, passed out
behind the steering wheel of the vehicle. Officers Thomas Davis and Mario
Thomas were called to the scene to assist. According to police, several
attempts to wake him up were unsuccessful. Thomas and McDaniel were able to get
him to come to, and asked the man to exit the vehicle. Three portions of a
field sobriety test were attempted to be given, but reports say Tims refused
two of the three stages of tests.
A
search of the suspect’s person revealed a box cutter and a suspected baggie of
marijuana.
After
given an intoxilizer test, he was transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for booking on the above charges.
Claiborne Relay for Life
Cancer fundraiser slated for this
Friday!
JENNI WILLIAMS, Staff Reporter
The
annual Claiborne Relay for Life will be held from 6 p.m. Friday, April 23 until 6 a.m. Saturday, April 24 at the Claiborne Academy Football Stadium.
The
event will be host to many different activities during the 12-hour walk. A
survivor’s walk, luminaria ceremony, and the Mr. Relay “Beauty” pageant are
just a few of the planned events to keep the many attendees entertained.
The
evening will kick off with an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. followed by a Survivor’s Walk for any cancer survivors attending the event.
Immediately
after the Survivor’s Walk, Dick’s Hat Band will take the stage and fill the air
with music. Following the performance will be the Mr. Relay “Beauty” pageant at
approximately 8 p.m.
Shortly
after the pageant, The Glory Gals featuring Melissa Moss Smith, Pat Corbin and
Lori Simmons Ellis will take the stage to entertain the crowd with their
amazing gospel singing.
The
luminaries will be lit during a special ceremony at 9:30 p.m.
A
scavenger hunt is scheduled after the luminaria ceremony, along with many other
surprise activities to keep the relay teams going.
Door
prizes will be given out throughout the entire event for the attending cancer
survivors. Also, a silent auction will be held during the late evening.
There
will be lots of entertainment, food, games, raffles and fun for everyone that
will be occurring on a continuous basis throughout the evening’s event. People
of all ages will be able to find something that appeals.
Cancer
survivors are asked to come out to the event at 5:30 p.m. to register and enjoy a round of refreshments provided before the opening ceremony.
Come
out and support the annual Claiborne Relay for Life event this weekend as area
residents do their part in the fight against cancer.
Homer Memorial Hospital
Gandy: What’s God’s plan for this?
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
“What
is God’s plan for this?”
That
was a question asked by Claiborne Healthcare Foundation Coordinator Alice Gandy
as she gave her foundation report at Tuesday’s Homer Memorial Hospital Board
meeting. With the recent events over the past month, the community has reeled
with many emotions where their local hospital is concerned. Gandy not only set
the record straight on the foundation, she also put the hospital board on the
spot about some of the decisions made in the last four weeks.
In late
March, former hospital board chairman Buddy Pixley was removed, followed by the
resignation of former hospital administrator Doug Efferson on April 5.
Although
reports of donors pulling their cash and pledges from the healthcare foundation
are not true, Gandy said, citizens are vowing that they won’t “give another
penny until this is settled.” The good news, she said, is that not one employee
who participates in employee giving has pulled out.
The
foundation currently has approximately $620,000 in cash and $100,000 in
pledges.
People
want to know that their money is safe, she said – and it is. The funds raised
for the foundation project are separate from Homer Memorial Hospital’s accounts. However, the hospital does provide the monies to cover operating expenses
and maintain office space for the foundation and the position of foundation
coordinator.
Foundation
Board President Ronald Day thanked the hospital board for their past support,
and said the foundation has not lost its goal of renovating the current
intensive care unit, cafeteria and nurses station. However, he asked the
hospital board to go on record through the form of a motion to support the
foundation both financially and for clarification purposes.
“We
need to clarify where we stand in light of everything that’s happened,” he
said.
Some
board members seemed confused, but Board Member Dottie Palmer said support of
the foundation hadn’t changed. Emerson asked why they would make a motion when
they already supported the foundation and its efforts. However Homer Mayor
David Newell made the motion, and with a second, it was approved.
The
possibility of moving the hospital under the umbrella of the Claiborne Parish
Police Jury was also mentioned. If the board chooses to turn over the ownership
of the hospital from the town to the police jury, then the $1 million would be
there immediately, Gandy said.
On
Friday, April 23, at 10 a.m., a special called meeting of the police jury will
be held in the police jury room, where a proposed resolution is on the agenda
which essentially lets the town know it is ready, willing and able to assist
the hospital if need be. The public is strongly urged to attend to gain input
from citizens on where they’d like to see the hospital go.
In
other hospital news, Alecia Smith, on the executive/personnel committee said
during their committee meeting a public relations position was discussed. No
recommendations were made at that time.
Hospital
Attorney Jim Colvin also said there are changes being made to the hospital’s
complaint policy. The committee will be making and reviewing those changes
where it will then go before the board at the May meeting. Also discussed was a
job description for the new administrator that will be publicized when the
advertisement in all the correct journals begin. His suggestion was to open
advertisements for 60 days and take another 30 days to review applications
before making a choice for a new administrator – essentially choosing a new
administrator within a 90-day time frame.
In the
meantime, an interim director of nursing was named. Wendy Burnham will take on
those responsibilities while the need is there. Jackie Moore was also named the
interim med-surg nurse manager, and both employees, along with Interim
Administrator Ginger Smith, will receive a temporary 15 percent salary
increase.
Ford Museum Open House to feature artworks by DWCC inmates on Sunday
afternoon
Among the works of art to be featured
during the Ford Museum’s open house on Sunday, April 25, are a leather Bible
covers depicting the Summerfield Methodist Church by Terrance Luke, the
Catholic Church by Kevin Guillory, and the Athens Methodist Church by Richard Greenwell and a painting of the St. Luke Church by Charles Alexander.
If you
have ever wished to own a piece of Claiborne Parish history, the best time to
fulfill this desire will be Sunday afternoon, April 25 from 2 pm - 4 pm at the Ford Museum. The Board of Directors will be hosting a showing of artwork created
by the inmates at DWCC. The Offenders Art Program is another success story
from DWCC.
Not
only does it allow a positive aspect to the lives of the incarcerated inmates,
the art program contributes in numerous ways to the life of Claiborne Parish.
Inmates are continually donating works to area charitable causes. Many donate
to public causes also.
Kevin
Guillory, a Louisiana Cajun, comes from a family with a variety of artistic
talents. The three paintings Guillory has in the expo are evidence of the
interests he has had in art since he was a child. For Guillory, art has kept
him open minded and given him an avenue to take his mind off things.
From a
working and Christian family, Terrance Luke, began to develop his artistic
talents in high school wood working shop classes. He began to work with
leather in the 90s. Luke enjoys the pleasure his works give people.
Richard
Greenwell began working with leather crafts about two years ago and enjoys
creating objects with his hands. Through art, Greenwell has learned that he
can do anything if he tries hard enough.
Charles
Alexander, the oldest of 14 children, was raised in Houston, Texas. Alexander
feels that his talent is something he was born with but admits he has learned
much from others. Working in the creative field allows him to enjoy the simple
things that we normally take for granted.
The
public is invited to attend the DWCC Art Expo. Each of the artists’ works will
be for purchase. For more information call 927-9190.
Proclaiming:
The National Day of Prayer
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
On Wednesday, April 14, members of the
clergy and townspeople gathered at Homer City Hall as Homer District 3
Councilman Toney Johnson, representing Homer Mayor David Newell, signed a
proclamation making Thursday, May 6 National Day of Prayer in Homer, in which
the mayor asked his fellow citizens to join him in prayer to “meet the
challenges that lie before us with courage, wisdom and justice.” Pictured above
are: Johnson, center, and now from left, back row, the Rev. John McClelland,
the Rev. John Markley, Ed Frankie, the Rev. Jimmy Simeon, the Rev. Russell
Grigsby, and the Rev. Ben Booth. Front row, from left, are: Mary Turner, Claire
Brown (to the right of Johnson), and Glenda Prince.
Lions Chicken Charbroil set for May 7
The Homer Lions Club will hold its annual
chicken charbroil in the parking lot at Regions Bank on Friday, May 7. From 11 a.m. until sold out, Homer Lions will be selling plates of good home cooked chicken,
beans, potato salad, with a slice of bread for $7 per plate. Thanks goes to the
House of Raeford in Arcadia for the chicken donations. For more information, or
to purchase a ticket, please contact any Homer Lion.
NAACP annual banquet slated for April 24
The Claiborne Parish NAACP will hold its
annual banquet on April, 24, 2010 @ 7 p.m. at the Haynesville Fair Complex.
The theme for this year’s banquet is “Now Is the Time.” The speaker for the
event will be the Rev. Aaron Dobynes, pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church in Shreveport. Tickets can be purchased from any Claiborne NAACP member for a donation
of $20.
Cross-burning sentencing postponed
The Guardian-Journal
The
sentencing for a man convicted of burning a cross in the yard of an interracial
couple in Athens has been postponed.
According
to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Daniel Earl Danforth’s sentencing has been
postponed until Thursday, May 27, at 10 a.m.
He was
convicted in January of a civil rights conspiracy, use of fire in the
commission of a federal felony and obstruction of justice in connection with
the cross burning.
At
trial, evidence revealed that on October 23 or 24, 2008, Danforth agreed with
his two cousins, to build, erect and burn a cross near the homes of a cousin
and her African-American boyfriend (now husband), and other relatives who
approved of their interracial relationship. Danforth and his co-conspirators
built the cross using two pine trees, wire or cable, and a large nail. One of
Danforth’s cousins then went to get diesel fuel to use to burn the cross.
Meanwhile, Danforth and his other cousin transported the cross to an area
adjacent to the victims’ homes where, using chainsaw gas, they set the cross on
fire in order to intimidate the victims. On October 26, 2008, Danforth telephoned a relative who was living with the victims and directed her to the
location of the burned cross.
The
evidence also showed that several days later, after the defendant and his
co-conspirators learned that the FBI was investigating this crime as a
potential civil rights violation, Danforth, his cousin who helped transport and
burn the cross, and the cousin’s girlfriend formed a plan to get rid of the
burned cross to prevent the FBI from discovering it and using it as evidence.
Danforth’s
cousin then drove Danforth to the woods behind the victims’ homes, where
Danforth removed the cross, disassembled it and hid it in the woods in an
effort to thwart the FBI investigation.
Fundraiser for former officer to be held
Saturday
The Guardian-Journal
A
fundraiser for former Homer Police Officer Mike Rayburn will be held this
Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Piggly Wiggly in Homer.
Hamburger
plates will be on sale for $5 and hot dogs for $1. There will also be a bake
sale with cakes, pies, cookies, cupcakes and more. Anyone wishing to donate a
baked item for this sale, please call Piggly Wiggly at 927-2353.
There
will be a bouncy house for the kids and live music all day. There will be
prizes drawn throughout the day. Tickets for the prizes are $1 each.
A local
news channel will be covering this event.
Rayburn
has had serious medical issues since an incident that changed his life and the
lives of his family forever. In May 2009, according to police, Rayburn
barricaded himself in his home in Haynesville and fired his weapon, causing a
self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was airlifted to Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center where he was treated for the life-threatening injury.
According
to reports, Rayburn had been having personal issues which culminated in the
tragic events of that day.
Since
then, medical expenses for Rayburn’s care have multiplied, and his family has
struggled to pay those expenses. According to Rayburn’s mother, Pat Rayburn,
medical expenses have been astronomical – but she’s never given up on her son.
“I’ve
been with him 326 days and I’ve never left his side,” she said.
His physical
condition has deteriorated tremendously, and Mrs. Rayburn doesn’t expect her
son to live much longer.
“He
could go any day now,” she said. “We’re to that point.”
But
that doesn’t mean the medical bills have gone away, and that’s why the public’s
help is needed. The fundraiser will be held in the parking lot of Piggly
Wiggly, Saturday, April 24, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. For questions, or for those who wish to donate, please call Piggly Wiggly at 927-2353.
Hwy. 518 closed
Bridge falls through causing accidents
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
A
bridge on Hwy. 518 in Claiborne Parish is temporarily closed until the
Louisiana Department of Transportation can fix it.
On
Wednesday afternoon, April 14, two 18-wheelers were traveling on the state
highway and crossed the bridge, which according to Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken
Bailey, caused the bridge to give way. The two big rigs, from Longview
Construction in Longview, Texas, were carrying asphalt.
The
bridge caved in approximately 5 to 6 feet, Bailey said.
According
to Bailey, there were three vehicles involved in two separate accidents. Two
vehicles actually went into the hole in the bridge before it was shut down.
Louisiana State Police worked the scene and closed off Hwy. 518. The Louisiana
Department of Transportation has placed barricades on Hwy. 518 at Fincher Creek
and on Hwy 518 at Raymond Smith Road. The entrance to Hwy. 518 from U.S. Hwy.
79 in Webster Parish is open until motorists reach Fincher Road.
“It
will cause an inconvenience for a while for those coming from Athens,” Bailey
said.
According
to DOTD officials, it will probably take a couple of months to repair the
collapsed portion of the bridge.
In the
meantime, motorists will have to detour around the affected area until the
bridge can be repaired. For more information or for questions, please call the
Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office at 927-2011.
Let your voice be heard!
CPPJ calls special meeting to discuss
hospital issue
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
Claiborne Parish Police Jury has called a special meeting to allow the public
to give their input on what direction they want to see Homer Memorial Hospital take.
On
Friday, April 23, at 10 a.m., the police jury will propose a resolution to let
the public know, as well as the Town of Homer and the Homer Memorial Hospital
Board, that they are ready and willing to assist in any way possible through
the parish wide hospital district created in 1995.
If the
proposed resolution passes, that means the police jury is ready to help the
town with the hospital by bringing it into the parish’s hospital district #3,
effectively meaning the board appointed by the police jury would run the
hospital. If the town agrees, it would be transferred from the town to the
police jury.
Claiborne
Parish Hospital Service District #3, according to the proposed resolution, is
managed and administered by a board of nine members, two at large members from
Claiborne Parish, two physicians practicing within Claiborne Parish and five
additional members from each police jury district within the parish.
Police
Jury President Scott Davidson expressed his concern with the issues that have
occurred over the past few weeks and said the purpose for the meeting was to
listen to the people of the parish.
“I want
to be able to listen to everybody, pro and con on the issue,” he said. “My hope
is that the Town of Homer thinks this is the best option for them, the people
of Homer and for the hospital. With all this new healthcare stuff going on, if
the hospital gets in trouble again, there’s not enough tax base in the town to
save the hospital. If it came down to it, the only way it could be saved is
through a parish tax.”
According
to police jury records, by Legislative Act, the Claiborne Parish Hospital
Service District #3 was created in 1995. However, in 1989, doctors from Homer Memorial Hospital approached the police jury asking for its help when the hospital
got into some financial trouble. Consequently a 10 mill property tax was passed
and over the next nine years, a total of approximately $3 million was generated
for the hospital. The tax lapsed in 1998.
Since
the removal of former hospital board chairman Buddy Pixley and the resignation
of hospital administrator Doug Efferson earlier this month, the public has been
in an uproar. While some members of the public and the town council have
expressed their disapproval of Efferson, others have staunchly defended him and
the hospital.
And
while many have attempted to buffer the situation with positive statements
about moving forward, many more have fears about what’s going to happen to the
hospital, including Davidson. He said it would be a sad day if the hospital
were to close, because although the building itself is nothing but bricks and
mortar, the employees and doctors at Homer Memorial are the true assets to the
parish.
“If you
don’t have the doctors that we have – these people are here because they have
roots and ties to Claiborne Parish,” Davidson said. “If we didn’t have them, we
wouldn’t have a hospital. That building is nothing but bricks and mortar.”
So, to
get the public’s opinion on what direction they’d like to see the hospital
take, the meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m., Friday, April 23, in the police
jury meeting room. The public is strongly urged to attend.
Davidson
is also encouraging anyone with questions or further discussion, please call
him at home at 318-263-2544.
“Cock your hat—angles are attitudes.”
—Frank Sinatra
JIMMY DEAN, Feature Writer
I’m
attempting a transition from “Not a Hat-Guy” to a “Hat-Guy.” My opinion has
been that either you’re a hat-person or you’re not. If you’re not, it’s hard to
become one.
Well
into my 60s now, I’ve decided to become a hat-guy because last summer my
balding head sunburned more than once.
Not
sure what type of hat to get, the internet had lots of information about types
and styles of men’s hats.
For
instance, the website artofmanliness.com describes appropriate hats for
different types of faces. The “short, full face,” the “long, thin face,” the
“top-heavy face” as well as the “square face”—there are pictures and advice for
many types.
The
website also addresses how a guy should choose a hat considering such facial
features as a long nose, a prominent jaw, a receding chin, and protruding ears.
Choice
of the hat’s color may be affected by one’s complexion, color of hair, or
absence of hair.
One
major part of a hat is the crown, the part rising above the brim. A crown may
be flat on top or creased. It may or may not taper as it rises upward.
Another
major hat part is the brim, the flat’ish part around the base of the crown. The
brim may be narrow or wide or in-between. It may curve up at its rim or curve
down or not curve at all—or it may accomplish some aspect of all three.
Then
there’s the band, often a ribbon, around the base of the crown. The band may be
of silk, cotton, leather, linen, shells, etc.
The
crown may be tall as in a top hat or short as in a porkpie or it may be
in-between. A wide ribbon with a tall crown or a narrow ribbon with a short
crown or some other variation all produce differing effects.
Considering
colors and materials, no wonder there are so many types and styles of hats to
choose from.
Hardly
knowing the difference in a beanie and a beret, I looked up some hat types. As
you can see from the pictures, the fedora has a relatively high crown,
relatively broad brim, and usually sports a medium band. It also has a crease
in the top and dents on either side of the crown.
The
derby, called a bowler in Britain, has a tall, rounded crown with a narrow brim
that is turned up on the sides.
The
boater has a medium brim, wide’ish band of ribbon, and relatively narrow brim.
The crown is flat at the top with no taper. One reference explains the name
(‘boater”) relates to its origin. It’s the type of hat once worn by seamen.
A
variation of the straw Panama is the gambler, a hat that was popularized by
riverboat gamblers in the mid- to late-1800s.
Pineview School could be revitalized
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The Pineview School could be revitalized if a community organization gets what it’s asking for.
Members
of the Pineview Community Development and Educational Corporation (PCDEC)
approached the Claiborne Parish School Board Thursday night seeking its
approval to lease the recently closed school building for community
revitalization.
Pineview closed at the end of
the 2008 school year, prompting outrage among the Pineview community and the
school’s alumni. Due to financial concerns, the school closed because the
expenses were far outweighing the amount of money the school received.
PCDEC
President Willie Sims Lewis said she understood the numbers and why Pineview
closed. But, it didn’t stop the pain it caused her, she said.
“When
Pineview closed, it was like a stab in the heart,” she told the school board,
“but yet, I understand school closures. I’ve seen several closings and I
understand it’s about the numbers.”
Pineview
Alumni Roy Mardis approached the board, saying the organization was looking
forward to providing several types of services to the region, which would
include drawing from areas in Lincoln Parish as well as the other side of the
parish, including the Lisbon area.
The
idea, he said, is to be able to offer the children in the community a place to
go after school, summer programs and job training for older teens which can’t
or won’t go to college.
“We
want to get them ready to go from high school to work,” Mardis said.
Its
mission statement says “encompassing the promotion of employment and training
in the areas of construction, environment, energy, farming cooperative and alternative
educational services for dropouts.”
The
organization wants to lease the school building for the long term, with a
reduced lease amount of $1 per year.
Lewis,
Pineview Alumni, Class of 1961, said the organization would serve as a
partnership between the public and private enterprise.
“I love
Pineview High School,” she said. “For whatever I am today, it is because of
Pineview. We were given the wherewithal to go forward into the world and make
something of ourselves. What we wish to do is to revive a community, revive a
site – not to be a school again, but to bring different business entities into
that school.”
According
to the proposal, the preliminary phase of getting things started include:
•
Secure an approved set of the construction plans to review the site to allow
for an analysis of services and enterprises to be delivered.
•
Develop a business plan to address short and long term goals.
•
Establish a directory of grantors such as Louisiana USDA-Rural Development,
Farmers Home Loan (federal), Housing and Urban Development for funding
pre-apprenticeship programs, private enterprise such as Bill Gates Foundation
and so many others.
The
list goes on to include other programs with a focus on the following areas:
workforce development, childcare, school age childcare (after school), senior
day care, sports and fitness, cultural arts and life skills training.
But one
of the biggest things the proposal emphasizes is giving something back to the
community.
“We,
the alumni, wish to give something back,” the proposal states. “We have a wide
variation of professional and corporate experience among our graduates. We also
care deeply about the growth of our community. We can and are willing to plan
and work to revitalize the Pineview community.”
The
school board asked the group to give them some time to get a legal opinion on
the matter and see where they stand. In fact, members of the school board
seemed receptive to the idea. District 6 School Board Member Tommy Davidson
said the parish needs something like this.
“We
need something like this done by the community and not by the government,” he
said.
In
other news, the school board seemed nearly evenly divided on a topic that was a
sore spot for some. The school board voted twice on which law firm they would
go with to handle the board’s bond issue. According to Claiborne Parish Schools
Superintendent Dr. Janice Williams, Foley and Judell Law Firm has handled the
school board’s bond issues for the last 34 years, but in a surprising turn of
events, the Colvin Law Firm with Wes Shafto, with Breithaupt, Dunn, DuBos,
Shafto and Wolleson, a law firm in Monroe, won out with a vote of 5-4. District
5 School Board Member Stanley Edwards was absent.
The
school board also approved:
• A
resolution honoring the Athens High School Boys Basketball team for winning the
Class C State Championship. The boys got a standing ovation from school board
members and those in attendance at the meeting.
• A
request from FBLA for support to attend the National Convention in Memphis, Tenn. Six from Homer High School will attend the national convention as well as
two students from Haynesville High School, for a total of $6,000. Sponsors from
both schools include David Robinson from Homer High School and Lynn McCoy from Haynesville High School.
• Adopting
a resolution for the refunding of the Callable Maturities of the School District #11’s Outstanding General Obligation Bonds – Series 2001.
• To
advertise for legals.
• To
approve summer school to teach driver’s education, with the cost set at $200
per student.
• A
recommendation for Title I Supervisor, which went to Haynesville Elementary
School Principal Bob Bond.
• A
recommendation for principal at Summerfield High School, which went to James
Scriber for one year.
•
Personnel actions which included the resignation of Andre Hampton, a special
education teacher at Haynesville Junior High School. His resignation will be
effective as of May 21.
The
next school board meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 6, in the
school board meeting room at central office. For more information or for
questions, please call the Claiborne Parish School Board Office at
318-927-3502.
