|
|
 |
|
|
|
School Performance Scores Mean Checks For Schools
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Claiborne Parish School Superintendent Gary Jones met with
principals of every school in the parish last Thursday to inform them of the
outstanding performance of Claiborne Parish schools. He told them that every
public school in Claiborne Parish except for Haynesville Elementary and Homer
Junior High will be receiving a check for their growth this year. Both schools
showed growth, but not enough to warrant a check. “All of our efforts are
paying off. I’m excited for you and I’m proud of you,” said Jones. “This last
year wasn’t our strongest year. This group coming up this year is going to
knock the top off it. You are going to be heroes this year.” Of the eight
schools in the parish, three received exemplary academic growth (Athens High,
Haynesville Jr./Sr. High, and Summerfield High). Four received recognized
academic growth (Haynesville Elementary, Homer Elementary, Pineview High, and
Homer High). Only one school, Homer Junior High, received minimal academic
growth.
Legislative Audit Findings Discussed At Council Meeting
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Fire
Chief Dennis Butcher told members of the Town Council at a Special Called
Meeting on Monday, November 24 they would need to decide whether to hire a
full-time or part-time employee at the fire department and in the inspector’s
office or do away with the position altogether. He said he would be willing to continue
paying 2/3 of the salary, but he wanted to make sure he would get 2/3 of the
work at the fire department. Mayor Huey Dean reminded the Council that
according to Financial Consultant Carlos Martin the Town was still going in the
hole. He would hate to hire a new man then be forced to let another employee
go. Elmer Poss, Chairman of the Financial Advisory Committee, reminded the
Council they needed to cut the budget somewhere and there would be a lot of
fringe benefits with any position. Dean presented the Council with a list of
recommendations submitted by the Financial Advisory Committee for their review
and asked they make a decision on the recommendations at their next meeting.
Recommendations
included changing the fiscal year to January 1-December 31, separating
restricted fund accounts as soon as possible after determining if the computer
system will handle the change; that the office staff receive instruction to
assist with reconciling bank statements and subsidiary records to general
ledger; all fines, permits, inspection fees be paid at business office; monthly
financial reports be provided to Council and Committee members; set up a
schedule to repay overspent restricted funds; appoint Annexation Committee to
report at each meeting; add wastewater treatment plant and water well to
insurance policy; dropping short term disability insurance at next premium
date; and hiring a part-time employee or out-sourcing services instead of
hiring another town inspector to help reduce payroll costs. Dean informed the
Council he met with Legislative Audit Advisory Council in Baton Rouge November
19. Chairman Sen. Tom Schedler complimented Dean for taking the initiative
asking for the state legislative auditor’s office to review the financial
situation of the town. Now that the alleged theft in the town inspector’s
office and at the Homer Housing Authority have been turned over to the District
Attorney’s office, he is confident the other items were being addressed and
would not need additional oversight by their council at this time. Each audit
finding had been assigned to a member of the Council or representative of the
Town at the last meeting. Each presented recommendations or made comments on
the Findings as follows.
Haynesville Council Considers Proposal For Drag Strip
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Vincent
McDaniel and his wife, Miranda, addressed members of the Haynesville Town
Council at their regular meeting Thursday, November 20. They expressed interest
in possibly leasing the Haynesville airport to open a drag strip. The Tornado
Raceway would pay ten percent of its ticket sales to the Town of Haynesville.
The McDaniels said the first choice was a drag strip if they could negotiate
acceptable terms, but if not they would like to open either a sports pavilion
or trade market like Bonnie & Clyde. All council members expressed their
support for the idea if details could be worked out. An acceptable contract and
certificate of insurance would need to be presented to the Council, one that
would protect the Town from any liability. Other issues would also need to be
addressed, such as additional security and health issues. The council agreed to
allow the McDaniels to pursue the idea further.
Homer Elementary Students Learn About Indians
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Homer
Elementary second graders were treated to a first hand lesson from one Indian
descendant on Friday, November 21 as students were preparing to take a week off
from school for the Thanksgiving holidays. Students gathered around James
Harris and his wife, second grade teacher Maggie Harris, on the Homer
Elementary playground and listened as James told of the many things the Indians
taught the early settlers about the land. Both were dressed in traditional Indian
attire. James explained how Indians made use of almost every part of a buffalo
or deer.
.
Local Businesses Participate In Job Training Program
Thanks
to the participation of several local businesses who are participating in the
community-based job training program provided through Homer High School, high
school students are receiving job training skills. The four-year-old program
allows students to be transported from campus two days a week where they
receive on-the-job training as well as basic skills that can be
useful
with any type of work. Senior students will also create a resume listing the
job training experiences which can be used with potential employers after they
have graduated from high school. Local businesses who are participating in the
Community Based Job Training Program through Homer High School this year are
Alternative Touch, Boys & Girls Club, Billy's Citgo, Brookshires, Claiborne
Insurance, Claiborne Parish Special Services, Duck's Kar Kare, Town of Homer,
Keith's Food Mart, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Lily of the Valley Flowers, New Hope
Day Care, Piggly Wiggly, Pizza Hut, Presbyterian Village, Subway and Wal-Mart.
Other businesses who have participated in the past include Linder Motor Lodge.
Big Dog Ultra Trail Run/Walk Set For Saturday, Nov. 29
Lake Claiborne State Park
The
Big Dog Ultra Trail Run/Walk will be held Saturday, November 29 at Lake
Claiborne State Park. Race distances are 50k, 20 miles, 13.1 miles, and 4
miles. Start time is 8 AM. Entry fees are $20 for 4M, $30 for 13.1/20 M, and
$35 for 50K if paid by November 15. Individuals who would like to come out and
just "walk" the path can do so without charge, except for entry into
the Park, but they will not receive a T-shirt. Donations will be accepted.
Funds raised will go to D.A.R.T., the Domestic Abuse Resistant Team, that
serves victims of domestic violence in a five parish area. Area businesses are
also encouraged to donate to help with other costs as well. For more
information visit the website at www.ovrrc.com or contact Dr. Jeff Baillie at
jeffb@bayou.com or at work at 318-323-2216 or Martha Klipping at
marthaklipping@hotmail.com or call her at 927-2034.
Claiborne Christmas Festival Saturday, November 29
Downtown Homer, 10 AM - 6 PM
The
Claiborne Parish Christmas Festival will kick off Saturday, November 29 with
the Christmas Parade beginning at 10 AM. Activities will continue throughout
the day around the Courthouse Square in downtown Homer and will conclude at 6
PM. The day’s events will also include “Oreo” the 2000 lb. Bull, a Kiddy
Tractor Pull, Screaming Demon, Cloggers, Magic by Jim Chester, face painting,
cake walk, and wagon rides. Persons can also purchase lights on the Christmas
Memory Tree again this year for $5 per name. The Memory Tree will be located on
the lawn of the Homer Fire Station. To purchase a name, send your $5 check to
the Claiborne Parish Christmas Festival, c/o Dale Tully, Miss Lizzie's, 400
West 3rd, Homer, LA 71040. Be sure to include the person’s name, whether it is
“in memory" or "in honor", and the names or names of the persons
purchasing the light. Blank forms can be picked up at any Lizzie's stores. Call
927-9009.
Christmas Memory Tree
In Memory Of—Given By
Kevin
White by Elvie & Lawrence White
Landon
Hays by HollieWilliams & family
Jimmy
C. Bradshaw by Lyonal Bradshaw
Billy
Lowe by Doris Lowe
John
B. Lopo by Vivian L. Lopo
John
Lewis Lopo by Vivian L. Lopo
Jason
Friemel by his mother, Lorri Friemel
John
Wayne Odom by Lewis & Carol Ann Odom and family
John
Wayne Odom by Natalie & George Sargent
In Honor Of—Given By
John
D. Ware by Clara Ware
|
|
|
|
Junction
City Dragons Advance To AA Quarterfinals
The
Junction City Dragons (12-0) advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class AA
state playoffs and will host the Hughes Blue Devils at Dragon Stadium on
Friday, November 28. Kickoff is 7:30 PM.
Haynesville
Tors Advance To Third Round Of Playoffs
The
Haynesville Tors will travel to Phoenix in the third round of the playoffs
Friday, November 28. Kickoff is 7 PM.
Homer
High Cheerleades To Raffle Portable DVD Player
Homer
Cheerleaders will be raffling a RCA 7” Portable DVD Player. This unit has a 7”
LCD Screen, 3 Hour, Li-ion battery, AC Adapter/Recharger, remote control, and
plays DVD, CD, CD-R(W), VCD, DVD-RW, and MP3. The drawing will be December 6.
Tickets are $1. For more info or to purchase tickets see a Cheerleader or call
Rhonda Porter at 927-6091.
Homer
Lions Club Members Are Selling Pecans $6 Bag
Homer
Lions Club members are selling 12 oz. bags of Bergeron shelled pecans for $6
bag. Funds raised go to support the Crippled Children’s Camp and the Louisiana
Eye Foundation. Contact any Lion member today and purchase several bags.
Town
Of Homer Offices To Close November 27 & 28
The
Mayor’s Office and Business Office of the Town of Homer will be closed
Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 in observance of the Thanksgiving
holidays.
Flu
Shots Now Available At Claiborne Parish Health Unit
Flu
shots available by appointment at the Claiborne Parish Health Unit. Shots to
anyone over age 50 or any high risk individual. $10 will be charged for those
not covered by medicare or medicaid. Please bring medicare/medicaid card. Call
927-6127 for more info.
Claiborne
Parish Library To Close Thurs.-Sat., Nov. 27-29
The
Claiborne Parish Library will be closing at 5 PM on November 24, 25, and 26,
and will be closed November 27-29 for Thanksgiving.
Notice
To Vietnam Veterans Denied Certain Health Claims
If
you are a Vietnam Veteran and have been denied after filing a claim for respiratory
cancer ot Type II diabetes, please call the the local office of the Louisiana
Department of Veterans Affairs at 927-3077. Even if the veteran is now
deceased, the surviving spouse should call.
Claiborne
Academy To Hold Book Fair, Christmas Musical
Claiborne
Academy will hold a Book Fair December 1-5. Grandparent, Parent's Day will be celebrated Friday, Dec. 5 with a
dinner from 4:45-6:30 PM, immediately followed by the Elementary Christmas
Musical at 6:30 PM. Santa will arrive sometime during the evening. Call
927-2747.
DART
To Hold Raffle For $500 Christmas Money
DART
will hold a raffle for $500 Christmas Money. Raffle donations are $2. Proceeds
will benefit Claiborne DART. The drawing will be held December 19, 2003.
Homer
Town Council To Hold Regular Meeting Monday, Dec. 1
The
Homer Town Council will hold their regular monthly meeting on Monday, December
1 at 6 PM in the Council Chambers.
Claiborne
Parish Police Jury, School Board To Meet Dec. 3 and 4
The
Claiborne Parish Police Jury will meet Wednesday and Thursday, December 3 and 4
at 10 AM in the Police Jury Office Complex. The Claiborne Parish School Board
will meet Thursday, December 4 at the School Board office at 7 PM, immediately
following their work session at 6:15 PM.
DART
To Hold Raffle For $500 Christmas Money, Drawing Dec. 19
DART
will hold a raffle for $500 Christmas Money. Raffle donations are $2. Proceeds
will benefit the Claiborne Parish DART (Domestic Abuse Resistance Team). The
drawing will be held December 19, 2003.
Haynesville
Study Club To Meet December 3 At Camp Harris
The
Haynesville Study Club will hold their annual Christmas meeting at Camp Harris
on Wednesday, December 3 at 11:30 AM. The book review will be given by Maxie
Garrett. Members are reminded to bring books suitable for elementary school
children and meet at First Baptist Church in Haynesville at 10:45 AM.
Christian
Community To Host “Toy Run 2003” Saturday, December 13
The
Christian Community of Homer will host a “Toy Run 2003” on Saturday, December
13, 2003 beginning at 12 PM on the Homer Town Square. The entry fee is a new
toy, valued between $10-$20. Motorcyclists will meet on the Courthouse Square
and will ride to Shongaloo, Haynesville, Summerfield, then back to Homer. Toys
collected will be distributed to area churches to be distributed to needy
children.
Athens
Methodist Church To Present Live Nativity Saturday, Dec. 20
The
Athens United Methodist Church will feature live Nativity scenes in “The Road
to Bethlehem” on Saturday, December 20 from 6:30 PM until 8:00 PM. Costumed
persons will be portraying events leading to Christ’s birth. Some live animals
will also be included. The public is invited to view this Christmas spectacular
by driving through College Avenue, accessible from La. 9 in Athens. (Rain date
Sunday, Dec. 21.)
Senior
Citizens Encouraged To Participate In Project Gold
All
Senior citizens residing in District 11 are invited to participate in Project
Gold, a program sponsored by the Community Coordinating Council and State Rep.
"Rick" Gallot. The goal is to provide enriching, educational
experiences for citizens 62 and above. For applications, please contact Renee
Lincoln-Buggs in Haynesville at 624-2552, Joe Etta Williams in Athens and Homer
at 927-9444, Valerie Cooper in Lisbon at 353-6057, or Valena Lane at 247-6676
or 255-3632. The deadline is December 31, 2003.
|
Claiborne Parish Residents Announce Opening of Web Site
 Claiborne Parish Business owners, B.G. and Rochelle Hall announce the opening of their new web site. Operating their business, Hall Boat Lifts, from their home on Lake Claiborne, the Hall's have provided sling style Boat Lifts and Accessories for over 24 years. Interested parties are invited to visit them on the web at www.HallBoatLifts.com.
Claiborne One Site Now Features Area Image Archive
Archives Now Online include:
To submit your images for inclusion in the Claiborne One Image Archive you may email them to webmaster@ClaiborneOne.org.
Louisiana Purchase Story To Unfold At The Ford Museum
After the United States bought the Louisiana territory for $15,000,000, President Thomas Jefferson selected William Charles Cole Claiborne to govern lower Louisiana. Backing this with military power was General James Wilkinson. The two commissioners arrived outside New Orleans on December 17, accompanied by five hundred U.S. Army troops, to take possession of the territory. On December 20, 1803, at the Cabildo in New Orleans, Claiborne and Wilkinson signed the transfer document with Pierre Clement Laussat, Napoleon's representative, which granted lower Louisiana officially to the United States. Three months later, in St. Louis, Missouri, France ceded the rights to upper Louisiana as well. The Purchase opened the door for western exploration, settlement and trade by the United States. President Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to head the first transcontinental expedition, called the Corps of Discovery. In May of 1804, Lewis and Clark departed from the St. Louis area with some 40 soldiers. They journeyed up the Missouri River, across the Great Divide, and westward to the Pacific Ocean. Because the borders of the Louisiana Purchase were not determined for many years, no map exists from that period that outlines the actual territory obtained in 1803. It took several years for Spain and the United States to settle their boundary disputes. In 1810 and 1819, the United States annexed parts of the Spanish territory of Florida by treaty. The two nations also ended conflict over the western frontier in 1819 by establishing the border of Texas and Louisiana at the Sabine River. The public is invited to visit America's Best Buy: The Louisiana Purchase at The H.S. Ford Museum through October 15. Museum hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,The Museum regular hours are Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 9 AM - 4 PM, closed from 12 noon until 1 PM. Admission is: adults - $3.00, children - $1.00, and families - $5.00. For more information and special tour schedules please call 927-9190.
Claiborne Parish Christmas Festival Cookbooks On Sale
The Claiborne Parish Christmas Festival cookbooks are in. They are $13 each and can be bought at several area stores. Call 927-9009 if you want to reserve one. All proceeds will go toward this year's Festival set for November 29.
Claiborne Boys & Girls Club After School Program
The Claiborne Boys & Girls Club After School Program - now available. Hours in Homer are 3 PM - 7 PM, in Haynesville 3 PM - 6 PM, Monday - Friday. They will be offering Power Hour, tutoring, Voyager Educational Curriculum, Smart Moves, recreation. For more info, call Executive Director Leroy
Hamilton at 318-927-2718.
Money Available for New or Expanding Businesses in Homer
The Homer Chamber of Commerce now has monies to lend through the Revolving Loan Program. Anyone who is interested in starting a business or enlarging an existing business within an eight mile radius of Homer may be eligible. These funds were received from the USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program to assist small businesses and provide for jobs in Homer. Loan preferences will be made on the basis of job creation. Further information may be obtained by using our online contact form or contacting Mac Brakefield, Executive Director of the Homer Chamber of Commerce at (318) 927-3271.
Smoke Detectors For The Elderly Offered through TRIAD
TRIAD of Claiborne wants all seniors age 65 and above, to have a smoke detector. You may also qualify if you're disabled. Having a smoke detector can mean the difference of life or death. Smoke detectors are available without charge. If you don't have a smoke detector, call 927-2011.
The
Claiborne One Website Is Seeking Area Support
The
Claiborne One website at www.claiborneone.org has over 500 pages online, including the Claiborne
Parish Police Jury, The Towns of
Haynesville & Homer and are seeking sponsors to support continued growth.
Sponsors are provided custom banners linking to the sponsor's website.
Guardian-Journal Headlines and New Briefs, updated weekly, are available at
Claiborne One, archived since November, 1999. A community effort is needed in collecting information for Claiborne One. For contribution ideas, see the open letter from Claiborne One's local web site designer. To contribute news and photos to Claiborne One contact Key-Comp Web Design, Joel Ponder at 927-9229 or use the online contact form. For more information on becoming a sponsor Visit the Claiborne One Sponsorship Page or contact the Allen Group, Al Lynn at 927-9674.
|
|
|
The Guardian-Journal
620 North Main | PO Box 119 | Homer, La 71040
Phone 318-927-3541 | Fax 318-927-3542
Guardian-Journal@claiborneone.org
Co-Owners
| Kathryn H. Hightower |
Hilda Spillers Estate |
|
 |
Geraldine H. Hightower
Publisher |
Susan T. Herring
Editor & Feature Writer |
|
|
Official Journal
Claiborne Parish Police Jury, Claiborne Parish School Board, Town of Homer, Villages of Athens, Lisbon, Summerfield and Junction City, La.
|
|
|
Subscription Rates (payable in advance)
| Claiborne, Bienville, Lincoln, Webster and Union Parishes |
$20.00 per year |
| Inside the State of Louisiana |
$25.00 per year |
| Outside Louisiana (within U.S.) |
$30.00 per year |
(Payments for subscriptions may be made to the above address)
|
|
|
Submissions
Deadline for Advertisements and News Copy is Tuesday at 12 Noon. Weddings and Engagements must be turned in for publication on the Friday prior to the desired publication date. Photographs must be in the newspaper office by 4 p.m. Friday, a $10.00 charge is placed on all photographs. All "Letter to the Editor" must be signed.
We reserve the right to edit all news copy!
|
|
News Search
Current News | Headlines | News Briefs | Subscriptions | Email
Junction City Headlines & News Briefs
Contact Us for Back Issues of the Guardian-Journal
Archived Headlines and News Briefs
Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and User Agreement
Visitors  11/11/99
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
