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Council Delays Decision On Water Rate Increases, Separating Funds
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Mayor Huey Dean and the Homer Town Council met in their first
regular session of the year on Monday, January 5. Motions to raise water rates
as mandated by the FMHA and to approve the recommendations of the Financial
Advisory Committee were not approved, but a Special Meeting was set for next
Monday, January 12 at 6 PM to address those issues. Elmer Poss,
chairman of the Financial Advisory Committee, presented the following
recommendations to the Council:
1) to
open separate bank accounts for each of the following restricted funds_
Industrial Development Fund, Street Fund, Fire Fund, Recreation Fund, Police
Fund and Contingency Fund by the end of January
2) to
place all future sales tax collections into those separate accounts beginning
with the January 2004 receipts
3) to
designate the $45,000 received from the sale of the Coca-Cola plant to the
Industrial Fund
4) to
set up a repayment schedule in all future budgets to repay the $309,000 owed to
the Industrial Fund
5) to have Town
Treasurer Shenovia Harris trained by Software and
Services as soon as possible so she can begin preparing the monthly financial
reports and budget comparisons to save
the money now paid to financial consultant Carlos Martin
6) to
involve the police and fire departments more closely in the budgeting process
in the future.
Poss said total balances for each account
will be transferred from the Master Bank Account to separate accounts with the
exception of the Industrial Fund. The Committee realized the Town would not be
able to put the $320,000 in a separate Industrial Fund account right now since
there was only about $11,000 left in the Industrial Fund at the end of November
due to the ($309,000) deficit in the Enterprise and General Funds.
Teen Dies In
One-Vehicle Accident
Aaron Kyle Hammons, 17, of Emerson, Arkansas was killed around
6:40 PM Christmas Day in Claiborne Parish when the pickup truck he was driving
ran off the road and overturned on Maddox Road just east of Hwy. 79. Hammons
was westbound in a curve when the vehicle ran off the road into a ditch, spun
around, and rolled over one time according to Louisiana State Police reports.
The teen was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the truck. He was
transported to Homer Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. One
passenger in the truck, 19-year-old Jason Taylor of Haynesville received minor
injuries and was treated at Homer Memorial and released.
"So Many Books...So Little
Time!"
- Claiborne Parish Library's Adult
Reading Program Jan. 5-Feb. 13
The Claiborne Parish Library started the new
year with an adult reading program which began Monday, January 5, 2004.
The theme for this year's program is "So Many Books...So Little
Time!" The required reading is six books, six audiocassettes, six books on
compact disks or any combination of these. Certificates, along with other
rewards, will be given upon completion of the required reading. Special
programs will include two book reviews, one by Dr. Mark Haynes and the other by
Joyce Lilly. Dr. Haynes, will be giving a book review on John Grisham's latest
book, Bleachers, on Thursday, January 8, at 6:00 PM at the Library in Homer.
The plot of this short novel is not Grisham's usual legal-thriller but instead
centers around Coach Eddie Rake and his years of glory
with the Messina Spartans high school football team. The annual brown bag
luncheon will be held Thursday, January 29 at 12:00 noon with Joyce Lilly
giving a book review. Program participants will also be viewing and discussing
the New Masterpiece Theater movie, Doctor Zhivago. On
Thursday, January 22 at 6:00 p.m., Part I of the movie will be shown and Part 2
will be shown on Thursday, February 5 at 6:00 PM. Refreshments will be served
following each evening program and drinks and cookies at the luncheon. Mark
these dates on your calendar so you don't miss a fun time at the Library and be
sure to invite someone to come with you. All programs are free and open to the
public. For more information, call the Claiborne Parish Library at 927-3845.
Money Problems, Mayor Recall Top News In
2003
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Top news stories around the country in the year 2003 ranged from
the War in Iraq, the killing of Saddam Hussein's two sons, and the capture of
Saddam Hussein Saturday, December 13.
Other major stories included the explosion of the Space Shuttle
Columbia; the arrest of Scott Peterson for the murder of his wife, Laci, and unborn son Conner; the arrests of Kobe Bryant and
Michael Jackson; the West Nile Virus, finding Elizabeth Smart, and the
California recall of Governor Gray Davis and election of his successor, actor
Arnold Swarzenegger. In Louisiana, voters elected
their first woman governor, Kathleen Babineaux
Blanco, while closer to home in Claiborne Parish, voters elected a new sheriff,
new state senator, school board members, police jurors, and defeated a 1/4 cent
sales tax election for economic development. In Homer, the new mayor and
council were plagued all year with serious financial problems. The town clerk
and attorney resigned and new ones were hired. One police officer was arrested
and the housing authority director and town inspector were fired. A recall
against Mayor Huey Dean started in February was still unresolved at year end.
In Haynesville, the mayor and council pursued a civil suit against the former
town clerk and auditing firm to recover missing funds totaling $432,250, won a
suit against Entergy, fired two police officers, and installed a new automated
meter reading system. New school construction projects were underway in Homer
and Haynesville. School superintendent Gary Jones in Claiborne Parish and Alvin
Kelly in Junction City resigned. Other top news stories were varied and included the burning of a historic black
rural church, the clearing of the Homer Bypass, selection of I-69 corridor,
4-laning Hwy. 167, Cheryl Ford, improved school test scores, youth gangs,
drive-by shooting, drowning, murder conviction, litter court, mosquitoes, parishwide economic plan, and the West Nile Virus. The
following is a month by month recap of events that made headlines in Claiborne Parish
from January 2003 through June, 2003... (A recap of July - December will be
published in next week's paper.)
Homer-Claiborne Chamber of Commerce
39th Annual Membership Banquet
Monday, January 26 ∙ 7 PM ∙
Homer City Hall
The Homer-Claiborne Chamber of Commerce will hold their 39th
Annual Membership Banquet on Monday, January 26 at 7 PM at the Homer City Hall.
Thomas Mitchell, "The Old Coach", a humorous speaker from Marshall,
Texas will be the featured speaker. Sponsorships are available. Tickets are $25
each. Tables can be reserved in advance for $25 and $35. For more information,
call Mac Brakefield at 927-3271 or Dr. Greg Woodall
at 927-3976. Seating will be limited.
Scooters, Power Wheelchairs Not For Use On City Streets, Sidewalks
Children in Homer who received a new battery-powered scooter for
Christmas will have to make sure they do not ride them on the street, on the
sidewalk or at the park according to Homer Police Chief Rodney Hollenshead. It is a matter of safety and they should only
ride the scooters in their own yard. What make them different from bicycles is
that they are motorized. Motorized vehicles such as motorcycles, four-wheelers,
and go-carts are licensed. Gas-powered scooters have to be registered and the
driver must be licensed. Then they are only allowed on private property such as
driveways and parking lots, with the permission of the property owner. For the
past several months, the Homer Police Department has received a number of
complaints of near
accidents where individuals were riding power wheelchairs illegally on city
streets. Hollenshead said these vehicles were not
meant to be used on public roadways with other motor vehicles, and in order to
prevent a serious or fatal accident, his officers will begin enforcing the law
to keep them off the streets as well. The penalty for riding a scooter or power
wheelchair on a public street can mean a warning citation for the first offense
or, depending on the situation, officers could even
confiscate the vehicle. If you have any questions, please call the Homer Police
Department at 927-4000.
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Homer High Football Banquet Set For Monday, January 12
The Homer High School Football Banquet will be held Monday,
January 12 at Homer City Hall beginning at 6:30 PM. Tickets are $5.
Cancer Survivor To Speak To Cancer
Support Group Jan.15
The North Louisiana Cancer Support Group will meet January 15 at
6:30 PM in the Conference Room of Willis-Knighton
Claiborne Regional Health Center. They will be honored to have as their guest
speaker Mrs. Dewanna Pipes of Jonesboro. They will be
blessed and inspired by her survival story which she relates with humor and
love. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Bonnie at 318-927-1517.
Council On Aging Board To Meet Tuesday,
January 20
The Board of Directors and Advisory Council for Claiborne
Council on Aging will meet at 2 PM on Tues., January 20, 2004 in the Claiborne
Senior Center. The agenda include, but is not limited to election of officers,
Audit Report, Compliances, and By-law recertification.
Trash Bash Set For Saturday, January 10 From
8 AM-3 PM
The Town of Homer and Clean City Committee will hold their
monthly Trash Bash this Saturday, January 10 from 8 AM until 3 PM on Oil Mill
Road between the old Cotton Warehouses and the Homer Housing Authority. For
more info, call 927-3271 or 927-2341.
Rep. Rick Gallot Schedule For Homer Office For January
State Representative Rick Gallot will
be in his Homer office located in the Police Jury Office Complex on Friday,
January 9, and the following Wednesdays: January 14, 21, and 28 from 9 AM - 12
PM.
Claiborne Bass Club To Meet Jan. 8 At
Homer Fire Station
The Claiborne Bass Club will hold their club meeting for the new
fishing season on Thursday, January 8 at 6:30 PM at the Homer Fire Station.
Club dues will be collected. Officers and lakes will be voted on by paying
members. Any questions, call David at 927-3103.
Police Jury, School Board To Meet This
Week, Jan. 7-8
The Claiborne Parish Police Jury will meet Wednesday and
Thursday, January 7 and 8 at 10 AM in the Police Jury Office Complex. The
Claiborne Parish School Board will meet Thursday, January 8 at the School Board
office at 7 PM, immediately following their work session at 6:15 PM.
Homer Town Council To Meet In Special
Session Mon. Jan. 12
The Homer Town Council will meet in Special Session at 6 PM on
Monday, January 12 to discuss separating restricted funds in the Masterbank Account and raising water rates as mandated in
the agreements with the Farmers Home Administration in regard to its water and
sewer revenue bonds.
Haynesville Town Council To Meet
Thursday, January 15
The Haynesville Town Council will meet Thursday, January 15 at 6
PM in the
Council Chambers.
LEAP Remediation Tutoring For 8th Graders At
Homer Jr. High
Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) Remediation
tutoring is being offered at Homer Junior High School. The LEAP Remediation is
for 8th grade students only. The program is being held on Tuesdays and
Thursdays from 3:00-4:30 PM. Parents may give permission for their child to
walk home or they must provide transportation for the child to get home at
4:30. Parents are encouraged to please send their students to participate in
the LEAP Remediation. The LEAP test will be given in March. The students must
pass the LEAP test and the grade to be promoted to the 9th grade. If you have
questions or need additional information, please contact Mrs. Gurtha Capers at (318) 927-2826.
FAFSA/Scholarship Workshop Set For Jan. 17 At
Homer High
A FAFSA and Scholarship Workshop will be held Saturday, January
17 at Homer High School from 10 AM until noon in the school library for any
high school senior or their parents. The Workshop which is a joint ministry of
the Homer High School FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and the First
Baptist Church in Homer will offer assistance in submitting FAFSA information
on-line, applying for scholarships, and preparing scholarship essays. For more
information about the workshop, call Sarah Sanks at
927-9330.
South Claiborne Water System To Hold
Annual Meeting January 12
The South Claiborne Water System, Inc. will hold their annual
meeting on Monday, January 12, 2004 at 6:30 PM at the new water office at 524
Tulip Road in Athens.
Middlefork Water System Directors To Meet Monday, January 12
The directors of Middlefork Water
System will meet at Moon's Store on Monday, January 12 at 7:30 PM.
Homer Lions Club Members Are Selling Bergeron 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.
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 or 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.
Homer-Golden Raiders Club Meeting Set For January 10, 1 PM
The Homer-Golden Raiders Club meeting will be held January 10th,
1 PM, Lane Chapel C.M.E. Church, 290 Washington Street in Homer. Area
Coordinator is Joe Etta Williams. Officers are President Marie Gray,
Vice-President Mildred Heard, and Secretary Zelmarie
Kennedy.
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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 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.
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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 |
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Geraldine H. Hightower
Publisher |
Susan T. Herring
Editor & Feature Writer |
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Official Journal
Claiborne Parish Police Jury, Claiborne Parish School Board, Town of Homer, Villages of Athens, Lisbon, Summerfield and Junction City, La.
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(Payments for subscriptions may be made to the above address)
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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!
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