Local Flu Cases Up, Vaccine Running Low
- Flu Shots Still Available At Health Unit For At Risk Individuals
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The
Guardian-Journal
Claiborne
Parish, like the rest of the nation, is seeing an increased number of flu cases
this year. Although state health officials predicted there would be plenty of
vaccine to go around this year, local clinics are either out of the vaccine or
expect to be out by the end of this week. The Claiborne Parish Health Unit still
has some vaccine available for high risk individuals, such as children and
senior citizens with chronic illnesses such as asthma, kidney disease, or heart
disease, or who have diabetes or are on dialysis. Although the FDA approved a
new influenza vaccine this year that is delivered as a nasal mist, it was only
approved for use by healthy people ages 5-49 and has not been available
locally. It was not produced in large quantities this year but is expected to
be used more widely next year, however the cost is
about 5-6 times that of the traditional flu vaccine. Ray Brown, FNPC, at Dr.
Cliff Salmon’s clinic, said they have immunized over 600 people at their clinic
alone this year. As of Tuesday, they only had enough for about 20 more
vaccines. This is the worst year for the flu he has ever seen, especially with
so many children getting sick. He said, “The most dangerous thing is not the
flu, but the secondary bacterial infections that develop from the virus, such
as pneumonia.”
Cydni’s School Of Dance Receives
“Critics Choice” Award
Excitement
filled the ballroom when the junior team from Cydni’s
School of Dance in Homer was presented a Platinum Award for their tap
routine to Jim Dandy during the New York City Dance Alliance Regional
Competition and Workshop held in Houston November 22-23. Over the two
day period, Cydni’s junior and senior competition
groups participated in rigorous workshops training in ballet, jazz and tap with
professional dancers and teachers from the NYC Dance Alliance. The junior group
received a High Score Award as well as the most prestigious award in each
division, the “Critics Choice” award. This award is a determination by the
judges in which performance excelled in choreography, dancer’s synchronization,
appropriate music for the dance, etc. By receiving this award, the girls have
the opportunity to perform in New York City at the NYCDA’s National
Convention next July. The junior team also received a Gold Award for their jazz
dance to Elvis Presley’s “A Little Less Conversation”. Team members are Abby
Bass, Haley Garrett, Cyd Hutson,
Morgan Ledbetter, Amelia Moss, Chaise Simpson, Andrea Violet, Emily Waddle,
Robin Wilder, and Hannah Young.
Dubach: Town Or Village, That Is The
Question?
Dubach,
along with the Louisiana Tech professor whose students recounted the
municipality’s population, awaits the answer. Here’s what’s at stake: After a
2000 census count threatened to drop the town to village level and upset the
voting system, Dubach decided to challenge the numbers. Though the system had
been dictated by a 1975 redistricting scenario, Dubach had complied quickly and
the new system had worked out well. Feeling certain the count of 800 was
defective, then-town attorney W. Kyle Green, backed by Mayor Margaret Rogers
and the town council, enlisted the help of Dr. Gary Stokley, who had consulted with the town on previous
matters.
DART Children Share Their Christmas Wish List
Eight
children, between the ages of 4 and 14, are presently being served by the local
Domestic Abuse Resistance Team (DART). Mary Ellen Gamble and Aarin Austin are hoping the generosity of the local
community will help them find a way to grant the “Christmas Wishes” of those
children. Austin, who serves as child advocate for the Children’s Playgroup,
meets with these children on a bimonthly basis in Claiborne and Union Parish,
who are in the program because they have either been a victim or have witnessed
domestic violence in their home. Austin is working to bring some joy to their Christmas this
year by sharing their Christmas lists with the local community. To do this, she
placed several Angel and Snowman Wish Ornaments on Christmas trees around town.
They are located at First Guaranty Bank, the Claiborne Parish School Board, the
Claiborne Parish Library, and the Claiborne
Parish DART office. These ornaments include what the children would like
for Christmas—items such as footballs, basketballs, cartoon or Disney movies,
baby dolls, Christian story books, stuffed animals, Pokemon
cards, and games. For more information on how to fulfill a Christmas wish for a
DART child, contact Austin or Gamble at (318) 927-2818. All gifts will be greatly
appreciated.
“Toy Run 2003” Hosted By The Christian
Community
- Set Saturday,
December 13 In Homer
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 one new toy, valued between $10 and
$20. Motorcyclists will meet on the Courthouse Square and will ride to Shongaloo,
Haynesville, Summerfield, then back to Homer. Toys collected will be
distributed by area churches to needy children. For more information, call
Rickey Bearden at 927-9740.
Big Dog Run Attracts 125 Participants From
8 States
The
Big Dog Ultra Trail Run/Walk held Saturday, November 29 at Lake Claiborne State
Park attracted 125 participants from seven states—Texas, Arkansas, Florida
Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Wyoming. Martha Klipping,
local instructor at the Northwest Louisiana Techical College, helped organize the event. She said everyone was very
impressed with the Park. Besides the participants from out of state, there were
about 30 people from
the immediate
area, from Minden, Springhill, Ruston, and Shreveport,
who said they had never been to the Park and were rather surprised to see how
nice the 600 acre facility was. They said it was a great running course and
many said they would definitely come back again. Several of the participants
camped at the park and some stayed at Linder Motor Lodge. They would have liked
to have rented one of the ten cabins at the Park, but found they had been
reserved a year in advance. Klipping said it would be
nice if they built more cabins. Of the 125 entrants, 22 participated in the 50K
Run. They did have one minor problem with the 13.1 mile run. Klipping said the path was not all in one straight line and
was hard to follow. Several participants got a little lost and they were not
sure if they all ran the right distance. Klipping was
complimentary of the twenty students, most from Homer, who are in her
Hospitality Class at NW Tech. They helped with the Run by providing help
cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for the participants and helping staff the aid
stations along the routes. Several boxes of food were collected and well as a
number of toys were donated. Proceeds for use of the Park will be donated to
DART, the local Domestic Abuse Resistant Team.
The Big Dog Ultra Trail Run/Walk was sponsored by the Ouachita Valley
Road Runners Club, Inc. of Monroe which was formed in 1979 by a group of dedicated runners
to promote safe running and physical fitness through running. For more
information on the OVRRC and future events, call President Jeff Baillie at (318)
323-2216 or email him at jeffb@bayou.com, or visit their website at www.ovrrc.com.
Christmas Memory Tree
In Memory Of—Given By
Rebel
McCleskey by Hill, Cochran families
Neva Edmonds by Thomas & Margaret Crump
Jesse
Lee Edmonds, Sr. by Thomas & Margaret Crump
Jesse
Lee Edmonds, Jr. by Thomas & Margaret Crump
Lillian
Meadors by Paige Prince
W.F.M.
Meadors, Jr. by Paige Prince
Mary
Elizabeth Brown Collier by Paige Prince
Mary
Lee Meadors by Paige Prince
Anges McCasland Patton by Paige Prince
Landon
Hays by Claiborne Academy Class of 2005
Landon
Hays by Daniel & Heather Bays
Bill
Lentz by Julia Lentz
Odus Lewis by
H. Ray Lewis
Beatrice
W. Lewis by H. Ray Lewis
Connor
Simpson by Roy & Jean Reynolds
Peter
Brooks by Louise Ross
Polly
Brooks by Louise Ross
Richard
Brooks by Louise Ross
Theodosia
Brooks by Louise Ross
Henry
Brooks by Louise Ross
Lucille
Brooks by Louise Ross
John
Richard Brooks by Louise Ross
Sue
Annie Brooks by Louise Ross
Larry
Evans by Family of Larry Evans
Pap-Paw
Pepper by Darrell & Susan Pepper
Tracey
Hanry by Darrell & Susan Pepper
Keam Bass by
Darrell & Susan Pepper
James
Pepper by Mary Evans & family
Kerry
Tabor by Russell & Paige Tabor
Hazel
O’Rear by her family
Odis
O’Rear by his family
Betty
Brantly Gilbert by Vanice
Harmon & family
Myrtis Brantly by Vanice Harmon &
family
Jack
Harmon by Vanice Harmon & family
Steve
Harmon, Sr. by Vanice Harmon & family
Leola
Harmon by Vanice Harmon & family
Van
Brantly by Vanice
Harmon & family
John
S. Odom by Lewis & Carol Ann Odom
Novis Odom by
Lewis & Carol Ann Odom
John
S. Odom by George & Natalie Sargent
Novis Odom by
George & Natalie Sargent
Rev.
Jessie Leon Johnson by Joshua & Leon Johnson
Rev.
Jessie Leon Johnson by Joshua Cadero Johnson
In Honor Of—Given By
Boyce
Shackelford by Paul Mercer & Jennifer Cardwell
Elaine
Pearson by the Pearson, Snyder & Cottrell families
Owen
Pearson by the Pearson, Snyder, & Cottrell families
Navy
Ret. Capt. John C. Patton by Paige Prince
Pam
Patton by Paige Prince
Kay
Meadors by Paige Prince
George
Meadors by Paige Prince
Glenbrook High School by Paige Prince
Mt. Olive
Christian School by Paige Prince
Jesus
Christ by Paige Prince
Jill
Prince by Paige Prince
Philip
Prince by Paige Prince
Casey
Prince by Paige Prince
Lizzie
Prince by Paige Prince
(For
information on purchasing a light on Memory/Honor Tree, call 927-9009.)
