Attention SCWD
Customers:
South Claiborne under water ban
The South Claiborne Water System is officially under a water ban due to the loss of one of its
wells. This ban is for all customers. ALL CUSTOMERS will need to
stop watering yards, gardens, flower beds, swimming pools, washing vehicles and
using their sprinkler systems.
Please use the water for ONLY bathing, cooking,
washing clothes and drinking.
Poultry
growers, dairies and commercial users must use their private wells. The system
can no longer carry the usage needed to support the above named and serve
households, according to SCWS Manager Van Austin.
“We
want to thank you for your patients and understanding until this matter is
resolved,” he said.
For
more information, please call 318-258-4151.
Lake Claiborne Boat Parade & Fireworks
Show
Annual event slated for this Saturday
Dedicated to the Memory of the late Dick
Dorrell
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
This
year’s Lake Claiborne Boat Parade & Fireworks Show is slated to be one of
the best events expected this year.
Slated
for Saturday, July 3, this year’s event has been dedicated to the memory of
R.L. “Dick” Dorrell, who passed away in May. Very involved with making the
annual event a resounding success, Dorrell was an example of the ultimate
community volunteer, according to Fireworks for Lake Claiborne Inc. Committee
Chairman Fred Lewis.
“Dick
always took a special interest in the boat parade, and it was his hard work on
that event that has made it a successful happening, which is highly anticipated
each year,” Lewis said. “He was a wonderful example of a community volunteer,
always willing to give his time and effort. We will miss him tremendously.”
And
while Dorrell watches from above, the boat parade will leave Pleasure Point Marina on Lake Claiborne at about 7 p.m. on Saturday, and the fireworks show
will follow from atop the Lake Claiborne Dam at about 9 p.m.
A new
company has been contracted to do the fireworks. A spectacular show is
anticipated. Citizens are reminded there will be no charge for the boat parade,
fireworks or parking.
The
entire patriotic event is financed by generous public donations. All such
donations are very much appreciated, are tax deductible and will be applied to
the costs of presenting the shows.
Please
mail donations to Claiborne Fireworks, P.O. Box 181, Homer, LA 71040.
For more information on the
Fireworks Show and Boat Parade, contact Fred Lewis at 318-927-9180.
However,
for holiday revelers’ safety, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries as well as the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office will be on patrol
throughout the day and evening to make sure everyone has a good time safely.
Sheriff
Ken Bailey is asking patrons to use caution during the parade and that all
boaters have their running lights working so that when they travel back to
their docks, they can be seen. Also, Bailey said there will be no jet skis
allowed on the lake during the parade.
“We’re
asking that when the parade passes by that all revelers be on their boat docks
or on the banks and not in the water during the parade,” Bailey said. “Please
make sure all the running lights are in proper working order because they have
to be on. We want everyone to have a safe time on the lake.”
Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries Agent Sgt. Wesley Walker also gave some important
boating and safety tips for patrons this year while on the water. The number
one thing to remember, he said, is lifejackets, lifejackets, lifejackets.
“The
first priority is to make sure you have enough lifejackets and that you’re
wearing them if you have to,” he said.
For
boaters on boats less than 26 feet, kids aged 16 years or younger must wear a
lifejacket. People on boats under 16 feet that are powered by a tiller handle
outboard must wear a personal floatation device (PFD) as required by law when
the boat is under power.
Many
citations for lifejacket violations are given every year during the summer, Walker said.
“Typically,
we’ll see several people on a boat and they are one or two short,” he said.
“And the other we see is on the tiller boats; people have their lifejackets,
but they are not wearing them.”
Other
rules boaters should be aware of is that there should be no personal watercraft
(jet skis) on the lake after sunset. All other watercraft must display
navigation lights: red and green lights should be on the bow, and the stern
will be the all around white light.
For
more information on safety tips or boating regulations, please call the
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries office at 371-3049 or go to
their website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov.
Road Closures for Homer By-Pass
construction
The
Louisiana Department of Transportation has announced road closures at La. 2 and
La. 540. There are two road closures that are required for the work on the
Homer By-Pass, which began Monday, June 28.
One
closure is La. 2 from the bypass project east to the La. 540 intersection, and
the other is La. 540 south of the La. 2 intersection.
La.
540, known as Ruple Road, will remain open for non-overwidth trucks by way of
La. 2 and Hwy. 79.
The
closures are expected to last through the end of August.
Vehicle Restrictions:
The
closures will require detours on state routes.
For through
traffic (non-overwidth) vehicles on La. 540 at U.S. 79 in Homer, the
established detour route is (1) U.S. 79 to La. 2, (2) La. 2 to La. 540, (3) La.
540 to La. 534.
Overwidth
trucks will be directed west on La. 3062, halfway around the Square onto northbound
U.S. 79. Trucks continue on La. 9 north to the stop sign at La. 2. From that
stop sign, a truck can go east on La. 2, north on La. 9, or west on La. 2 to
U.S. 79 north.
SAFETY
REMINDER: DOTD appreciates your patience
and reminds drivers to drive with caution through the construction site and be
on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.
Water line issue snarls traffic
On Wednesday morning, traffic was moving
slowly through Homer on Hwy. 79 while Homer Public Works crews worked
diligently to fix a leaky valve. At right, Public Works Supervisor Lee Wells
cuts on the pipe to remove the faulty valve. Below, traffic can be seen moving
around the project as crews worked for several hours to get it fixed. Public
Works Employee Derrick Burns assists Wells at the site of the faulty valve. The
Town of Homer has had a rash of issues with aging water lines and sewer lines.
Homer man picked up for criminal
mischief
The Guardian-Journal
A Homer
man was arrested on two charges after Homer Police picked him up last Saturday.
Orie
Kelly, 57, was arrested Saturday, June 27, by the Homer Police Department and
charged with criminal mischief and criminal trespass. Bond on both charges was
set at $500 each.
On that
day, the victim, Mary Thompson called Homer Police when Kelly allegedly refused
to leave her property. When Homer Police Officer Shane Huffstetler arrived at
the residence on West 3rd Street, Thompson told him Kelly had been by her house
several times that day looking for work and money, among other things.
According to police, Thompson had asked Kelly to leave her property, but he
refused. Instead, he went and sat under her carport in the shade.
Kelly
was patted down for officer’s safety then was placed under arrest on the above
charges. Officer Thomas Davis transported Kelly to the Homer Police Department
for booking, and then taken to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for further booking on the above charges.
In
other crime news, three Homer residents were arrested on drug charges after a
traffic stop.
Ethan
Ellis, 19, was arrested and charged with speeding, with bond set at $500, no
proof of insurance, with bond set at $500, and possession of marijuana (3rd
offense), with bond set at $15,000.
Lauren
L. Cook, 19, was arrested and charged with simple possession of marijuana. Bond
was set at $500.
Ashley
J. Staggs, 25, was arrested and charged with simple possession of marijuana.
Bond on was set at $500.
According
to police, the vehicle occupied by the three individuals was observed traveling
at a high rate of speed in the Pearl Street and MLK area. Officer Mario Thomas
initiated a traffic stop.
Officer
Van McDaniel arrived on scene to assist.
Permission
to search the vehicle was given, and while Thomas conducted a search, Staggs
reportedly told McDaniel where some marijuana was located inside the vehicle.
During the search, a medal can, which contained a green leafy substance
suspected to be marijuana, was discovered in the trunk of the car. Inside the
can, several smoked rolled cigars filled with the green leafy substance was
also found inside the can.
Allegedly,
Ellis told police the drugs belonged to everyone, that when they saw the patrol
unit, the can was passed to Staggs, who was in the back seat, who then put it
into the trunk of the vehicle.
All
were arrested and transported to the Homer Police Department for booking. Ellis
and Staggs were transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for further booking. Cook was transported to the Claiborne Parish Women’s Facility.
In a
separate case, Kevin D. Boyd, 33, was arrested on Monday, June 21 in reference
to a disturbance.
Boyd
was charged with a parole violation with no bond and theft of goods under $300,
with a $500 bond.
According
to police, Homer officers were dispatched to Pizza Hut in Homer. Officer Thomas
Davis arrived on scene and observed Captain Donald Malray across the street
holding a suspect. When Davis conferred with Malray, he learned that Boyd had
been arrested for shoplifting. He allegedly took several items from the Dollar
General Store on West Main Street.
He was
placed under arrest and patted down for officer’s safety. At that time,
McDaniel arrived on scene and assisted in locating the items stolen from the
store. Those items were located on Boyd’s person, at which time he admitted to
taking them.
He was
transported to the Homer Police Station for booking and later transported to
the Claiborne Parish Detention Center.
Boyd’s
record shows a prior conviction for theft of goods.
In an
unrelated case, a Ringgold woman was arrested in Homer for two charges.
Lisa C.
Baldree, 47, was arrested and charged with DWI (1st offense), with bond set at
$750, and tail lamps, with bond set at $500.
Police
say that on Thursday, June 24, Officer Mike Rimsky observed a vehicle on U.S.
79 traveling eastbound. The vehicle made a left turn onto Washington Street and
at that time, Rimsky observed a tail lamp with red tape over it. After the
vehicle turned onto Harris Street, he initiated the traffic stop.
Rimsky
made contact with the driver, identified as Baldree, and as he was speaking
with Baldree, he detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her
person. Baldree was then asked to step out of the vehicle, and as he continued
his conversation with her, reports say he noticed signs of alcohol use.
When
asked, Baldree admitted to drinking alcoholic beverages, and at that time, she
was placed under arrest where she was then transported to the Homer Police
Station for further testing. The breath intoxilyzer test came back above the
normal limit, at which time, she was then transported to the Claiborne Women’s
Facility on the above charges.
In a
separate incident on Sunday, June 27, a Homer man was arrested on several
charges which landed him in jail.
Clayton
J. Aycock was arrested and charged with DWI (1st offense) with bond set at
$750, open container with bond set at $500, and use of turn signals required,
with bond set at $500.
According
to police, Officer Van McDaniel initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle Aycock
was driving for failure to signal.
Upon
making contact, McDaniel detected the odor of suspected marijuana and alcoholic
beverages coming from his person. McDaniel then conducted field sobriety tests
to which Aycock performed poorly, reports say. He was then arrested on the
above charges and transported to the Homer Police Station for further testing.
His intoxilyzer test came back above the normal limit, at which time the
suspect was transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for further
booking.
Trash Bash This Saturday
Trash
Bash will be this Saturday, July 3 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., beginning on Oil Mill Road, between the old cotton warehouses and housing apartments. This
is available to Homer citizens only. Please be prepared to show identification.
Metal
and white goods (refrigerators and washing machines, etc.) and regular trash
accepted. No limbs accepted unless bundled in 6-foot long pieces.
For
more information, please call Town of Homer’s Clean City Committee at 927-3271
or 927-2342.
Bailey benefit raises thousands
Photo courtesy of the Homer Police
Department
The benefit for the family of a Homer
Police Officer was a complete success. For the family of the late John Bailey,
the community turned out in force to help them out. With delicious barbecued
chicken, baked beans and potato salad, the event raised $3,600. Sponsoring the
event was the Homer Masonic Lodge #152, the Homer Police Department and the
Homer Fire Department. Bailey passed away in May after sustaining head injuries
while off duty. Bailey was a K-9 handler with the Homer Police Department as
well as a volunteer firefighter with the Homer Fire Department. Pictured above
are from left, Homer Police Chief Russell Mills, Saundra Bailey (John Bailey’s
mother), Brady Allen from the Homer Masonic Lodge #152, and Homer Fire Chief
Dennis Butcher. Mills, Allen and Butcher say a special thank you to the
community for its support of John Bailey’s family.
Qualifying begins next week
Mark the calendars for July 7-9
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Qualifying
for several local seats is just around the corner.
Beginning
on Wednesday, July 7 through Friday, July 9, qualifying for several seats in
the fall election will be open.
As
stated in last week’s edition of The Guardian-Journal, the August 28th election
will be a closed primary for U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative. The books
will be closed on July 28th. Early voting for this election will be held August
14-21.
On
October 2, several seats will be up for grabs. They include open primary
election and second party primary runoff, court of appeal judge, school board
members, Athens mayor and board of selectmen, Homer Mayor, Marshal (police
chief), and board of selectmen, Junction City mayor, chief of police and
aldermen. Also a runoff of party for U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative if
necessary. Books will close September 1. Early voting will be held September
18-25.
The
November election will be held Saturday, November 2. Those elections include:
general election for U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative and any runoff from
the October 2 election. Books will close on October 4. Early voting will be
from October 19-26.
U.S. Senator
According
to the qualifications of candidates from the Louisiana Secretary of State’s
website, to qualify, the candidate “shall have attained the age of 30 years,
have been a citizen of the United States for 9 years and be an inhabitant of
Louisiana when elected.”
The
qualifying fee is $600, with an additional $300 for the state central committee
fee, which is the fee collected from each Democratic and Republican candidate.
U.S. Representative
According
to the Secretary of State’s qualifications, for U.S. Representative, the
candidate “shall have attained the age of 25 years, have been a citizen of the
United States for 7 years and be an inhabitant of Louisiana when elected.”
The
qualifying fee is the same for the U.S. Senator.
Court of Appeal Judge
“The
candidate shall have been admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana for at
least 5 years, (10 years for court of appeals candidates) prior to the
candidate’s election. By the date of qualification, candidate shall have been
domiciled in the respective district, circuit or parish for the two years
(beginning 1/1/08, 1 year) preceding the candidate’s election.”
It goes
on to say that the candidate must be younger than the age of 70 to run.
Qualifying
fees are $450, with state central committee fee set at $225.
School Board Members
Those
running for school board must be at least 18 years of age by the date of
qualification, resided in Louisiana for the preceding two years and have been
actually domiciled for the preceding year in the parish, ward, or district from
which the candidate seeks election.
The
candidate must be able to read and write. Qualifying fees are $115 plus $57.50
for state central committee fee and $57.50 for the parish executive committee
fee, which is an additional fee collected from each Democratic and Republican
candidate if assessed by parish committee.
Athens, Homer
mayor
For
candidates running for mayor in Athens and Homer, the candidate shall be an
elector of the municipality who at the time of qualification shall have been
domiciled and actually resided for at least the immediately preceding year in
the municipality.
NOTE:
Because the Town of Homer is under a special legislative charter, the residency
requirements for a candidate is silent on the issue of how long that candidate
must reside within the corporate limits. The charter just says the candidate
must reside within the corporate limit.
Qualifying
fees for this office are based on population. For a municipal population of 0
to 4,999, qualifying fees are $40, with an additional $20 for state central
committee fee and $20 for the parish executive committee fee.
Alderman, Council members
The
candidate shall be an elector of the municipality who at the time of
qualification shall have domiciled and actually resided for at least the
immediately preceding year in the municipality.
Qualifying
fees are the same as for the mayor.
Homer Chief of Police (Marshal)
Based
upon the Lawrason Act, the candidate shall be an elector of the municipality
when elected. At the time of qualification, the candidate shall have been
domiciled for at least the immediately preceding year in a city or town (6
months in a village).
According
to Homer’s special legislative charter, the chief of police, or marshal as it
is named in the charter, “an individual must reside and be domiciled within the
corporate limits of the Town of Homer.” The charter is silent on how long the
candidate must be a resident within the corporate limits.
Qualifying
fees for the elected position of marshal is $75, with an additional $37.50
going to the state central committee.
All
fees must be paid in cash, certified or cashier’s check on a state or national
bank or credit union, United States Postal money order or money order issued by
a state or national bank or credit union.
For
more information, please call the Claiborne Parish Registrar of Voters Office
at 318-927-3332 or go to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.louisiana.gov.
Homer Lions Club to feature Sonny Dykes
Louisiana
Tech University Head Coach Sonny Dykes will speak to the Homer Lions Club on
Thursday, July 22.
For all
the Lions Club members who are Tech fans and/or alumni, this will be the chance
to see the newly named head coach share his vision for La. Tech this coming
football season.
The
Homer Lions Club meets at noon every second and fourth Thursday at Nicky’s
Mexican Restaurant. All members are encouraged to attend and bring a guest.
