State Police Arrest Two For Bomb Threats
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Seven Homer
businesses received terrorist bomb threats
last week. At approximately 7:30 PM on Monday, November 8, employees at
Subway received the first threatening phone call, warning employees of a
potential bomb threat. Shortly thereafter, similar calls were made to the Sonic
Drive-In, Wal-Mart, Handee Pak, McDonald's, Pizza Hut
and Kentucky Fried Chicken. All businesses except Subway and Pizza Hut
immediately reported the calls to the Homer Police Department.
According to
the store's policy and procedure, Wal-Mart employees were evacuated from the
premises while Homer Fire Department personnel checked the store. No bomb
devices were found. The store was closed for 1-1˝ hours.
Homer Police
Chief Rodney Hollenshead contacted Michael Allen with
Louisiana State Police North District Detectives, asking for assistance with
the investigation.
On Tuesday,
November 9, LSP detectives, Chief Hollenshead, and
Homer officers Norah Banks and J.D. "Jim" Faulkner initiated a joint
investigation which led to the discovery that calls had been made from the
residence of Lisa Webb Ford on Hill Street in Homer.
Louisiana State
troopers arrested Maurice T. Grant, 18, of Homer on Friday, November 12. He was
charged with communicating false information on planned bombed threats,
telephone harassment and improper or indecent telephone conversation. He was
transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center where he was booked. His
bond was set at $55,000.
Also arrested
on Friday was Lisa Webb Ford, 36, of Homer, who was charged for telephone
harassment and improper or indecent telephone conversation. She was transported
to the Claiborne Parish Jail women's facility and booked under $5,000 bond.
A person if
convicted of communicating false information of arson or attempted arson shall
be imprisoned at hard labor for not more than twenty years. The penalty for any offense such as improper
language or harassment by use of a telephone as set forth in RS 14:285 is a
fine of not more than $500, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or
both. Upon second or subsequent offenses, the offender shall be fined not more
than $5,000, or imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than two
years, or both.
Fire Claims Two Lives
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
An early
morning fire claimed the lives of two people in Homer this past Tuesday. The
Homer Fire Department received an Emergency 911 call at 1:47 AM on November 16
about a fire at a residence at 821 Lodge Street in Homer. Firefighters were on
the scene within six minutes, but were too late to save the lives of Bennie Mae
Knowles, 76, and 4-year-old Gercarreo Watts.
Knowles' son,
Leroy Cooper, had to break out a window in the back of the house to escape. He
attempted to enter the front of the house but was unable. Realizing the fire
had spread to a nearby residence, he notified his neighbor Joe Nathan Gilbert.
Gilbert also escaped injury but his mobile home located at 823 Lodge Street
received extensive damage. Cooper was
later treated and released from Homer Memorial Hospital.
Gercarreo's father, Gerald Tims
Sr., had stopped by earlier in the evening to pick him and his older brother
up, but decided to leave Gercarreo because he was
asleep.
Homer Fire
Chief Dennis Butcher said the house was a total loss. Only a portion of one
wall remained standing after the fire was extinguished. He said the cause of
the fire was still under investigation but it appeared to have been an
accident. According to Butcher, all fire fatalities must be investigated by the
Louisiana State Fire Marshal's office.
Ironically, a
call on a second fire came in at 1:46 AM, just one minute prior to the Lodge
Street call. This time it was a fire at 719 McCasland
Street in Homer. No one was at home at the time but the home received heavy
fire damage. Butcher said this fire also appeared to be accidental.
Butcher said it
had been almost nine years since the Town of Homer has had a fatality due to a
fire. The last was in 1995, when on December 10, two people died in a house
fire on Hunter Street.
HOMER FIREFIGHTERS WERE ON THE SCENE of this house fire on Lodge Street within minutes of receiving the 911
call. Even with an abundance of manpower the fire had already engulfed the home
and firefighters were unable to save the lives of one elderly woman and her
4-year-old grandson.
.
Lake Delegation Travels To Capitol
Lakes, Roads Top Committee Agenda
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Claiborne
Chamber of Commerce President has assigned Jerry Williams, CEO of Claiborne
Electric Cooperative, with the task of heading up a Water and Transportation
Committee. Taylor said Williams is very knowledgeable and concerned about the
parish's roads and water needs.
Williams
traveled to Baton Rouge on November 10 to attend a meeting with Commissioner of
Administration Jerry LeBlanc. The meeting had been arranged by State
Representative Jean Doerge to allow representatives
from Claiborne and Webster parishes to discuss the multi-parish lake project.
Also attending the meeting were Dr. James Robert Michael, Herb Byars, and Alice Stewart who serve on a committee appointed
by both juries to work on the two-parish lake initiative.
Others
attending the meeting were
Webster Parish Cooperative Extension Agent Robin Bridges; Michael
Taylor, State Director of USDA's Rural Development Program; Anthony Duplechin, Director of the Office of Conservation's Ground
Water Resources Division; and Ben Magee, USGS Supervisory Hydrologist.
Williams used a
Power Point presentation to describe the lake initiative. Dr. Michael then
answered questions related to the economic aspects. Commissioner LeBlanc said
he would appoint a committee to work with Dr. Michael to gather information
needed to further develop the initiative.
The Committee
also has been and will be working to secure financing for the Homer Bypass
project which has an updated projected cost of around $14 million.
Dr. Michael
plans to make a report at the next meeting of the Claiborne Parish Police Jury
on December 9.
CHAMBER PRESIDENT J. T. TAYLOR and Jerry
Williams, Claiborne Electric Manager, are pointing to
potential lakes that could be built in Claiborne Parish to help recharge the
Sparta Aquifer as well as provide much needed economic development.
High Speed Chase Leads To One Arrest
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Claiborne
Parish Sheriff Deputy Randy Pugh was involved in a high speed chase on Tuesday
night, November 9, that resulted in the arrest of
Derrick S. Grimes, 29, of Junction City, Arkansas. According
to Sheriff Ken Bailey. Deputy Pugh pursued Grimes off La. 9 and onto Corney Lake Road with his emergency lights and siren on.
The pursuit continued on La. 167 into Union Parish where Grimes was stopped in
the Lillie area and placed under arrest for speeding, wreckless
operation, having no driver's license in his possession, having an expired
driver's license, running a stop sign, flight from an officer, and possession
of marijuana.
Grimes was booked into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center where
he was placed under a $3,500 bond. The Union Parish Sheriff's Office also
issued Grimes a traffic ticket for wreckless
operation.
School Board Discusses School Projects
Agenda Includes Math Curriculum, School
Performance Scores
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Contractor
Don Barron and Architect Hugh Parker attended the regular meeting of the
Claiborne Parish School Board on Thursday, November 11 to address concerns of
leaking roofs and heating and cooling problems at Haynesville Junior-Senior
High and Homer Elementary.
Maintenance
Supervisor Ronnie McKenzie explained to the Board some of the problems they
were still having with the newly constructed school buildings. He said after
the last two rains it appeared leaks in the main building had been corrected
except around the air conditioning and in the gym at Haynesville.
At Homer
Elementary, some of the leaks around the air conditioning were caused by using
the wrong lubricant on the valves. They are checking to see if they are having
the same problem in Haynesville. Other problems include water leaking around a
conduit and heating and cooling problems in some rooms. At Homer Elementary,
some thermostats are in the ceiling and a ceiling tile has to be removed to
replace the filter.
Barron told the
Board he had done all he could to correct the problems. Joe Lee said, after 1˝
years, there is still water sitting on the gym roof. He said, "I'm ready
to check into some performance bonds."
Barron said,
"We've done everything we can. I'm about ready for my money
too." Will Maddox said, "I
know you want your money, but we want a roof that doesn't leak."
Parker relayed
information from Architect Rice Gregory who said they did not put flashing
across the wall under the stone cap as was specified. He suggested putting a
metal cap of the same color over the stone caps. It would be the easiest, least
costly solution. Barron said he was still responsible for everything on the job
and agreed to do whatever necessary to solve the problems.
Superintendent
James Scriber informed the Board the agreement on the two houses belonging to
O.P. "Pete" Pearson had been worked out and recommended the Board pay
an additional $1,000 to allow Pearson to break the lease on the rental house in
order to get the tenants out by February 1. Pearson will have until March 1 to
move. The Board unanimously approved the purchase and voted to go ahead and
declare the house surplus and advertise for bids.
Barbara Monzingo reported on the 2003-2004 School Performance
Scores. Haynesville Elementary had growth of 23.7 ,
the highest in this area. Summerfield grew 12.5 points. Homer High and Athens
High both had growth over 11 points, Homer at 11.1 and Athens at 11.9. Homer
Elementary had growth of 7.0. Homer Junior High grew 2.3, but failed to meet
their growth target of 4.8. Haynesville Jr./Sr. High and Pineview had no
growth. All schools in the parish but three will receive monetary awards. Other
good news was that all subgroups at every school also showed growth.
Police Jury Refuses Bottle Club Permit
Furlow's Motion To Hold
Evening Meetings Each Quarter
Was Defeated 5-3
Jury
Vice-President Roy Mardis conducted the regular
meeting of the Claiborne Parish Police Jury on Thursday, November 11 in the
absence of President Weldon Kilpatrick. Jurors took no action on a request by
Cosmos Oyara to issue him a permit for a bottle club.
Oyara expressed his grievances in a letter to the Jury,
asking jurors not to deny his license based on the actions at other bottle
clubs. He said he had managed businesses for over 20 years with great success
and asked they give him the chance to provide income for his family. If he were
to violate the ordinance pertaining to bottle clubs, the Jury could then
rescind his license.
Juror Scott
Davidson said he felt the Jury should uphold their previously adopted policy. He
said, "I see no reason to change." Juror Willie Young referred to a
petition with fifty signatures presented to the Jury by Hazel Martin asking
jurors not to approve any such permit in the Spring Lake area.
By taking no
action, jurors upheld their policy not to approve or renew any bottle club
permits.
In an effort to
make it easier for their constituents to
attend meetings, Juror Mark Furlow suggested the Jury
hold their regular meeting at 6 PM in the evening once each quarter. He said,
"Some people cannot leave their jobs to attend meetings at 10 AM in the
morning." Furlow's motion to change meetings to 6 PM in March, June, September and
December failed by a vote of 5-3. Voting for the change were Furlow, Young and Jerry Adkins. Voting against were Davidson,
Lavelle Penix, Butch Bays,
Roy Lewis, and Joe Sturges.
Homer Housing Authority Off Trouble List
Monthly Reports No Longer Required By
HUD
Rosie
Smith-Kelly, Executive Director for the Homer Housing Authority said,
"There is light at the end of the tunnel." After several years of
being on the Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD's Trouble
Agency List, the Housing Authority for the Town of Homer is moving in the right
direction. Kelly says she and team members are focusing on customer
satisfaction.
On October 26,
2004, the Housing Authority received a letter from Dominick A. Pittari, Director for HUD's Office of Public Housing in New
Orleans which said, "We have reviewed your MOA Monthly Progress Report for
the period ending October 13, 2004. Congratulations, the HHA has completed all
strategies and task assigned under the MOA, which expires on January 1, 2006, Reporting on a monthly basis is no longer
required."
In the most
recent Public Housing Assessment Subsystem (PHAS) submission, the HHA's PHAS score exceeded 50% of the passing grade it
needed to be designated as a Standard Performer; therefore, the HHA is no
longer troubled. Pittari said they were confident the
HHA would continue to improve and will achieve a High Performer designation in
the near future.
Kelly said the
Board of Commissioners, the Housing Authority Team Members and the residents
are looking forward to a brighter future.
Full Lake Claiborne Drawdown
Expected By Mid-Week
The Claiborne
Parish Watershed District Commission held an information session on Thursday,
November 11 to answer questions and listen to comments about the drawdown of
Lake Claiborne. Complaints were heard about the slow release of water from the
Lake after the recent heavy rainfalls. This resulted in a persistently
incomplete drawdown. One contractor reported that substantial contracts for
work along the shoreline during the promised 7 foot drawdown may have been
jeopardized by the failure to sustain the full drawdown. The Commission
communicated this to Department of Transportation (DOTD) officials, along with
a copy of the original resolution approved by DOTD requesting a seven foot
drawdown at a rate of 3" to 4" per day. On Friday, DOTD opened the
gates wider which should result in the full seven foot drawdown by mid-week.
Real-time data on Lake Claiborne can be accessed at the USGS website located on
the internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?07364840.
Christmas Memory Tree
In Memory Of—Given By
Ronnie Richard - His Family
Thomas J. Reed - Marion Reed
D. H. McHam - Marion McHam Reed
Barry Broughton - Randy & Megan Broughton
Landon Hays - Randy & Megan Broughton
Ed Foster - Randy & Megan Broughton
Lanoma Gibson - Randy & Megan Broughton
John Gibson - Randy & Megan Broughton
Edna Broughton - Randy & Megan Broughton
To
purchase a light for the Christmas Memory Tree, send $5 with name of person
(indicate whether in "memory" or "honor") and who the gift
is from to Claiborne Parish Christmas
Festival at 400 West 3rd St., Homer, LA 71040 or take to Miss Lizzies For more info, call 927-9009.
