Haynesville Council Turns Down Hiring Police Officer

BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal

Police Chief Jim Garner recommended hiring Greg F. Bubblis of El Dorado to fill the vacant position in the Haynesville Police Department at the regular meeting of the Haynesville Town Council on Thursday, December 18. Bubblis is 32 years old, married with two children, and recently returned from the Gulf War after being discharged from the Army. His wife works as a medical specialist in Homer and both agreed to move to Haynesville if he was hired. Garner’s recommendation failed however when none of the three councilmen  present at the meeting, Alvin Kendrick, H.U. “Mutt” Slaid, or Joyce Mayor, moved to hire Bubblis. Joyce Major said, "I don't want to sound like I'm racist...but we have one black police officer on our force. Why don't we have more?" Majors wanted to know whether it  was because blacks don’t apply or if they don’t test out.

Summerfield School Burglarized

Summerfield High School Principal D’Arcy Stevens arrived at school early Thursday morning, December 18 to find the school had apparently been burglarized during the night. The Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office was contacted. Evidence uncovered at the scene by detectives showed that four or more persons had entered the building during the night, stolen the safe from the main office, along with several other items. Chief Detective Chuck Talley said evidence found at the scene revealed that four or more individuals entered the building, kicked in the door to a locked storage room where they retrieved a two-wheel dollie. They gained access to the office. Although very heavy, they managed to load the 2’x2’ gray safe  from under the counter and onto the dollie without causing further damage. The safe was then wheeled out the north rear entrance, across the playground and through a gate to a parking lot where it appears to have been loaded onto a pickup truck. An undetermined amount of cash and checks was taken, some rolled coins, and two credit cards which have since been canceled. Anyone with information on this  crime is asked to please contact detectives at the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office at (318) 927-2011.

Minden Will Never Forget

- Annual St. Jude Auction Set Jan. 29-Feb. 1

About a year ago, a young man from Minden was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).  Justin Morris, a junior pre-med student, was the second child in his family to be diagnosed.  When his sister Kelsey was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, she was cured at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The town of Minden will hold its 28th Annual Minden Auction and Lincoln Navigator Giveaway January 29-February 1 at the Minden Civic Center in honor of Justin.  Tickets for the fully loaded 2004 Lincoln Navigator are $100 and can be purchased at Porter’s Dry Cleaning and Harper Motors or by calling the 24-hour information line at (800) 724-2423. For a $20 month donation, you will be eligible to win a $15,000 necklace, a laptop computer, or a high definition television. In addition, there will be hundreds of other raffle items. Since 1977, this event has raised more than $2 million for St. Jude. Per capita, Minden has raised more than any other town in the U.S. and hive one of the highest rates of cancer in Louisiana.  Founded by Danny Thomas in 1962, St. Jude has treated more than 1,000 young cancer patients from Louisiana at no cost to their families.

Wildlife & Fisheries’ Lake Authority Discussed

Members of the Claiborne Parish Watershed District Commission met December 11. In response to a letter submitted by the Watershed District enforcement authority and effectiveness of enforcement on Lake Claiborne, three Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement officers attended the meeting and addressed the Commission. Also distributed for consideration were drafts of a budget, a code book, bylaws, and a commercial fishing resolution. Those attending were President Bobby Joslin; members Alice Stewart, Walter Lee, Almeter Willis, Phillip Fincher, Maurice Wilson, and Roger Pemberton; Police Jury liaisons Jerry Adkins and T.E. ‘Gene’ Coleman. 

Police Jury Approves $4.2 Million Budget For 2004

Police Juror Jerry Adkins told the Claiborne Parish Police Jury at their regular meeting December 11 there were serious considerations to make on the 2004 budget and he recommended taking at least 3 precautions: 1) have appropriate committees review the budget on an item by item basis and provide comment and direction, 2) have the budget reviewed by the administrator who will carry it out and provide feedback; and 3) have the document viewed by someone with experience in the budget process. Adkins said, "You can get to a point you have some real cash flow problems if  you don't anticipate all the things that may occur." Adkins said he wants to make sure all the legal requirements are met and there is enough flexibility in the budget. For the past several years, the Jury has been overlaying roads with carryover money because there was not enough revenue to support the expenditures. Adkins said, "Revenues have been remaining relatively stable, year after year...but expenditures have been going up." Workman's comp was $100,000 in 2000. In 2003, it was $169,000. General liability was $139,000 in 2000, and so far this year, they have paid more than $257,000. The cost for garbage pickup in 2000 was $394,000. In 2003, it was $417,000. Adkins said, "You need to strike that balance, meet obligations, serve people the way you’re supposed to, and do it as economically as you can." Gene Coleman suggested putting a 3-5 year plan in place. He said one principle is that we react to problems. With a long term approach you  can anticipate problems and deal with them beforehand. He was still troubled because the Jury doesn't have sufficient money for bridges. He said, "We have more bridges than any other parish in the State of Louisiana that are substandard" yet we still have not put a proposal before people to address the problem in a systematic way. Following a public hearing, the Jury voted to adopt the proposed budget for 2004 with estimated revenues and expenditures totaling $4,207,071. Gene Coleman voted against the motion, stating his concern for how they were going to maintain roads without a substantial reduction in services to the people, or address bridge repair, striping and widening roads. More needs to be done.

What Christmas Means To Me....

Christmas has different meanings to different people. It is a special time of year—a time when families gather to share gifts, a time when children anxiously await the arrival of Santa Claus, a time of merriment and parties, a time for listening to the sounds and songs of Christmas, to enjoy the smells of the season. Whether you celebrate Christmas as the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ, or just a time to give to family, friends or those in need, you are sure to, in some way, experience the love of God. Where you see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, God’s Holy Spirit is nearby. Sometimes it is through the eyes of a child we can learn what Christmas really means, and you may be surprised to see that the majority of second grade students in Claiborne Parish believe it is more about Jesus, love, giving, sharing, and being kind, than about getting gifts from Santa Claus. Here is what those second graders had to say...

Ministerial Alliance Meets At Hope Chapel

The Homer Ministerial Alliance held their regular monthly meeting at the newly constructed chapel at David Wade Correctional Center at noon Wednesday, December 10. DWCC Chaplain Ray Anderson explained how the chapel was built strictly with donated funds. They named the chapel, Hope Chapel, because it is a place where inmates can go to find hope. The Chapel is located on the prison grounds and accessible seven days a week to all inmates who have free access within the compound. All religious groups are permitted to use the chapel and they have some type of religious services every day. Although statistics show about 10 percent normally attend services in prison, Anderson said statistics at Wade show between 25 and 35 percent of inmates who can,  do attend services. It is commitment to faith-based programs that help inmates once they are released from prison to avoid reoffending and returning to prison. Ministers attending included Ministerial Alliance President David Dietzel (First United Methodist Church), John Markley (Grace Bible Church), Ray Anderson (Homer Church of Christ/ DWCC Chaplain), John McClelland (First Presbyterian Church), Bentley Masingill (Trinity Southern Methodist Church), and Robert McGaha (First Pentecostal Church. Others attending were Jack Kelly (Grace Bible Church),  Barbara Martin (Jordan Crossing) and local retired ministers Ed Frankie, Terry Willis, and Walter Easton.

“MERRY CHRISTMAS!!...HAPPY NEW YEAR...AND GEAUX TIGERS!” from LSU fans Hunter Spillers, Kalei Sherrill and Haidyn Herring. Hunter’s tree is decorated with LSU memoribilia and ornaments listing games of the 2003 season. Join them Sun., January 4, at 7 PM to watch LSU play Oklahoma for the National Championship in the Sugar Bowl.

Christmas Memory Tree

In Memory Of—Given By

Charles Louie “Red” Tabor, Jr.  by John Randall Tabor

Joe D. Tuggle by James Hamilton family

Cora Weaver Tuggle by James Hamilton family

Janet Pugh by Melanie & John Moss, Brock & Maci Jo

Thomas W. Boliew by Mr. & Mrs. Don Ceccarelli

Lonnie Mills Boliew by   Mr. & Mrs. Don Ceccarelli

Edna M. Owens by  Mr. & Mrs. Don Ceccarelli

Doris Volentine by Missy Robinson, Michelle Martin, & Staci Speer

Jean Lochner by Missy Robinson & Michelle Martin

Herbert May by Missy Robinson & Michelle Martin

Glen DeVanie by Adam & Missy Robinson

Neal Hardy by the Neal Hardy family

In Honor Of—Given By

Gracie Kilpatrick Tabor by John Randall Tabor

Judy May by Missy Robinson & Michelle Martin

Cecil Volentine by Missy Robinson, Michelle Martin, & Staci Speer

(For information on purchasing a light on Memory/Honor Tree, call 927-9009.)