Town Reverses One-Way By Post Office
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Homer Town
Council approved a proposal by Postmaster Karen Collins at their regular
meeting on Monday, September 13 to reverse the direction of traffic on West
2nd, the one-way street next to the Homer Post Office. Traffic presently runs
from north to south, from North 2nd to North Main. Once the Post Office moves
the three outside mail receptacles to the opposite side of the street, the Town
will change the direction of traffic to south to north, from North Main to
North 2nd. The street will continue to be a one-way street allowing residents
to drive up to the mail receptacles to drop off their mail.
Collins said
reversing the direction of traffic would help eliminate the safety issue for
vehicles entering North Main due to limited visibility at the intersection and
the heavier traffic on North Main. It would also not disturb the parking beside
The Guardian-Journal, but would add additional parking spaces for the post
office. Fire Department vehicles would
also have a faster route when responding to emergencies on the north side of
town.
Council To
Respond To Discrimination Suit
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Homer Town
Council met in executive session at their regular meeting Monday, September 13,
2004 to discuss the lawsuit filed by three former town employees against Mayor
Huey Dean and all five councilmen, J. C. Moore, Billy Kirk Jenkins, Johnette Faulkner, Thomas McDonald, and Jesse Ford.
Debra S. Sarpy,
Linda K. Robinson, and Linsey E. Jones filed a
complaint for employment discrimination, alleging that they had been let go by
the Town because they were black. All three had been let go at a special called
meeting of the Town Council on February 20, 2003 as a means of addressing the
Town's cash situation. At the time, Dean said once fund balances are brought
back, these cuts could be restored.
Armed Robbery Suspect Nabbed In Florida
Juvenile Arrested For Theft, Town
Inspector Sentenced
Kenneth Wayne
McDaniel, 37, was arrested September 7 by the Homer Police Department and
charged with simple escape and armed robbery. He was booked into the Claiborne
Parish Detention Center on $100,000 bond for the armed robbery at the Hillside
Motel on October 19, 2003. McDaniel and two other suspects allegedly knocked on
the door of Room 17, which was occupied by Pablo Alvarado and Rodrigo Perez
Castillo.
When they
opened the door, two black males with guns and one black female forced their
way into the room, took approximately $360 from their wallets, searched the
room for more money, cut the phone cord, then left the
motel on foot. Castillo immediately went to the motel office and called 911. At
that time, he saw the suspects drive off in a gray Chevy Lumina.
On November 18,
2003, Homer Police officers arrested McDaniel. While he was being booked, the
door which had been locked was opened briefly to allow a citizen to pick up
some license plates. McDaniel slipped out the door, still with handcuffs on one
wrist.
The Homer
Police Department put out a bulletin through NCIC, the National Crime
Information Center. Earlier this month, authorities in Florida picked McDaniel
up on a minor traffic stop. They ran his fingerprints through the computer and
discovered there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Florida authorities
contacted the Homer Police Department, who in turn contacted the U.S.
Marshall's office to make arrangements to have McDaniel transported back to Louisiana.
On Tuesday,
September 7, Homer Police Officers Jim Faulkner and Gregory Pickens drove to Alexandria to pick
up McDaniel.
The other male
suspect, Nicholas Gilbert, 25, of Homer, was arrested October 22, 2003 and
charged with armed robbery. His bond was also set at $100,000. He was transferred
November 13, 2003 to the Bayou Dorcheat Detention
Center where is presently being held. According to Captain Donald Malray, the investigation is ongoing concerning the third
party involved with the robbery. Other arrests could be forthcoming.
One juvenile
from the Mt. Sinai Community was arrested by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff's
Office according to Sheriff Ken Bailey and charged with two counts of burglary
of an inhabited dwelling and one count of attempted burglary of an inhabited
dwelling.
The Sheriff's Office received a report of a burglary on Walston Road on June 21, 2004. Walston
Road is located off Alt. 2 east of Colquitt. Two attempted burglaries were
later reported on Walston Road, one on August 3 and
one on September 9. By the time Lt. David Crump, Deputy Ben Booth and Detective
Duffy Gandy arrived on the scene September 9, the suspect had fled. A follow up
investigation by Juvenile Officer Ben Booth on the attempted burglary on
September 9 led to the juvenile's arrest.
Former Town
Inspector Travis Beebe was sentenced by District Judge Jenifer
Clason on Wednesday, September 8 to a five-year
suspended sentence, three years supervised probation, and ordered to pay full
restitution of $8,300 to the Town of Homer, plus fine and court costs. Beebe
was arrested by the Louisiana State Police on March 11, 2004 and charged with
one count of felony theft of Town funds he allegedly took while he was employed
by the Town of Homer
Recall Awaits Ruling By
Supreme Court
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Attorneys
Carlos Prudhomme and Larry English mailed an appeal
on Friday, September 10 to the Louisiana Supreme Court asking they overturn a
lower court ruling issued by the Second Circuit Court of Appeal in Shreveport
on September 8. Three judges ruled to dismiss the appeal of an August 26 ruling
by District Court Judge Jenifer Clason.
Judges Caraway, Moore and
Brown concurred that under the provisions of Section 1409 of the Election Code,
Recall Chairman Lurry D. Crew had received ample
notice of the August 26 judgment but that the appeal filed on Wednesday, September 1 came
too late. Judge Brown agreed with Judge Clason's
ruling that the failure or refusal to provide the names on the recall petition
was an illegality that affected the validity of the recall.
Judges Stewart
and Gaskins dissented the majority ruling. Stewart stated the main complaint
that Wilson and Crew did not comply with their custodial requirements fell
under the public records law. Gaskins said it was unfair to penalize the
litigants by requiring their strict compliance with the time limitations since
from the inception of this lawsuit, the times set out
under the election law were disregarded.
The appeal
mailed Friday, was received by the Louisiana Supreme Court in New Orleans on
Monday, September 13. According to Clerk John Olivia, the Supreme Court has no
deadline for issuing a ruling, only that they handle the case expeditiously. If
the Court refuses to consider the appeal, the case is over. Otherwise, the
Court will set a hearing for arguments.
As of Tuesday,
September 14, the offices of the Supreme Court were closed. The city was being
evacuated in preparation for the possibility of being hit by Hurricane Ivan.
Olivia said if the storm misses them, they could be back in the office by
Thursday, September 16 and could make a decision as early as Friday, September
17.
A decision must
be made by September 22 in order for the recall election to be included on the
November 2, 2004 general/primary presidential election.
Architect Presents Options For Homer School Project
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
School Superintendent James Scriber told
members of the Homer School Project Oversight Committee he felt the innuendo
that he was either incompetent or had neglected his duty concerning the Homer
School project was undeserved. Scriber explained in detail what he had done
concerning the school project since he took over as superintendent in June.
At their May
meeting, the School Board rejected a $3.8 million bid to construct a junior
high building attached to the north side of the existing high school building
because the bid was well over the remaining bond monies. At a meeting held on
June 21, Scriber said he made it clear at that meeting, that he thought the
Board should do what the people voted on_to construct
the junior high on the same campus with the high school, to build a track, and
to renovate the high school. At that time he asked for some time to see how he
could make it work.
Several
suggested at that meting that more tax money might be needed, so he checked
into both a property tax and a sales tax. They needed to explore every avenue
of funding before making a decision.
Presently there
is $2.8 million in bond money. In January, there will be $600,000 available in
District 13 maintenance funds and we have $300,000 in federal QZAB monies that
we can borrow, interest free, for renovation projects
only.
Regarding the
comment that indicated
there was an unnecessary delay, he asked the question, "Why was the junior
high project not bid with the elementary project?" Bill Owens, co-chairman
of the Oversight Committee, said he would like to know the answer to that
question as well.
Claiborne, Webster Police Juries To Hold Joint Meeting
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Dr. James
Robert Michael gave
the Jury a brief update on the status of the Flat Lick Lake
project at their work session on Wednesday, September 8. He said it was doing
to be necessary to build two dams on Flat Lick. One would back water up to this
side of Lewisville Road. The other dam would be near Flat Lick Road.
Michael
stressed the importance of appointing people to the Watershed Commission who
would be willing to work, because he said it was going to take a lot of work to
complete the lake project and the Watershed Commission would be the logical
body to oversee it.
Besides the
lake development itself, they need to look at building a welcome center on
Garrett Mountain with landscaping, restore some of the hardwoods, renovate the
buildings around the Square, beautify the railroad depot and the area between
the Square and the city limits, and work with the Housing Authority to get good
housing.
Michael said
he, Herb Byars and Alice Stewart would be glad to
serve on an advisory committee once the project gets started. He did not know
the timetable, but some time soon the Governor would give permission to issue
bonds for construction of the lakes. Bond funds would include $2 million per
year for operating expenses.
At the regular
meeting on Thursday, September 9, Scott Davidson said Michael informed him his
committee would be meeting with the Governor and/or her representative at the
end of September or first of October. They were also planning to hold a joint
meeting of both Claiborne and Webster Parish Police Juries, Webster and
Claiborne Parish Watershed Commissions, and all legislators who represent this area at the LSU AgCenter building across from Wal-Mart in Minden on Monday,
September 20 at 6 PM.
Homer Wal-Mart To
Host Diabetes Awareness Program
Saturday, September 18, 10 AM-4 PM
Wal-Mart in
Homer will host a Diabetes Awareness Program on Saturday, September 18 from 10
AM - 4 PM. Demonstrations will be given on how to use a glucometer
and foot care. There will be free health screenings for blood sugar, blood
pressure, and cholesterol from 11 AM - 3 PM. Each person will receive a
diabetes resource book. Product samples and educational information will also
be available. For more information, call the Wal-Mart Pharmacy at 927-9055.
Poverty Point Culture Program To Be Held
At Ford Museum
Have
you ever wondered what life was like in Louisiana one hundred, one thousand, or
even ten thousand years ago? The stories of past Louisiana residents lie just
below our feet. Louisiana has more than 15,000 archaeological sites that have
given archaeologists insight into our vast cultural heritage. Archaeologists
will share the results of their research during the seventeenth annual
Louisiana Archaeology Week sponsored by the Louisiana Division of Archaeology
from September 26 through October 2.
Residents of
Claiborne Parish will have an opportunity to learn about the Poverty Point
culture in Louisiana and Mississippi that dates back to 3,000 years ago from
one of the experts during archaeology week this year.
The Ford Museum
in Homer will host a presentation by Dr. Joe Saunders,
Regional Archaeologist for Northeast Louisiana on Sunday, September 26 at 2 PM.
Dr. Saunders is currently at University of Louisiana at Monroe and has
conducted extensive research on early mound building cultures of the
southeastern United States.
Guests are
invited to bring any objects they may have found for identification. For more
information on the program, call the Ford Museum at 927-9190.
Trailblazer Opens Recycling Centers At Schools
Principal Pat
Lee met with Trailblazer Board member Jimmy Marsalis April 9 to set up a mixed
office paper collection center at Homer Elementary School. Collection centers
were also set up at Haynesville Elementary School and the Claiborne Parish
Alternative School. In cooperation with the 4-H Extension office, Trailblazer
will be conducting programs on recycling for area schools, garden clubs, and
other civic groups who wish to participate. The first presentation will be at
Haynesville Elementary Monday, September 20. Students will be told about the
wise use of resources using the "3 R's—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." To
set up a presentation for your school or civic group, contact Jimmy Marsalis or
Ellzey Simmons at 318-255-3554.
