Homer Memorial Hires New Administrator
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Board of
Directors for Homer Memorial Hospital met last week and unanimously approved
hiring Doug Efferson as the new hospital administrator.
Efferson will replace James McClung, who will be
leaving the end of March. "We needed someone who could continue the
momentum. We have been really successful under James
McClung," according to Board President T.E. "Buddy" Pixley.
"We don't need someone to turn the hospital around, just to keep it
going."
McClung turned
in his resignation December 21, 2004, to take a new position as Administrator
of the Green Clinic Surgical Hospital in Ruston.
Pixley appointed a Search Committee consisting of George Tigner, Gussie Young, Dr. Cliff Salmon, and himself. They
received about thirty applications and personally interviewed five applicants
before deciding to recommend Efferson to the Board.
The Board officially hired Efferson as
of March 1, but he will not take over until April 1. Until then, he plans to
spend one day a week working with James and meeting with the community.
Efferson is a licensed respiratory therapist with a
master's degree in hospital administration. He has 25 years experience in healthcare,
first as a clinician, then as healthcare manager and administrator. He was
raised in Shreveport, where he graduated from C.E. Byrd High School. He said his interest in the healthcare field
began when, as a high school senior, he worked at Schumpert
cleaning equipment for the respiratory department. He said, "This early
beginning as a healthcare `dishwasher' blossomed into a lifelong passion for
healthcare."
Fire Damages Gladney Home
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Firefighters
were called to the home of Betty and Frances Gladney about 7:45 PM Tuesday night, March 1.
According to Homer Fire Chief Dennis Butcher, the Gladneys
heard something in the attic just before the electricity went off. After making
the 911 call, someone saw the smoke and stopped to tell them. Electrical
problems in the attic appeared to be the cause of the blaze.
Sixteen fire
trucks from four fire districts responded, from the Homer Fire District and
Fire Districts 4, 5 and 6. When they arrived on the scene, smoke was coming out
of the eaves of the house, which is normally a bad sign. Butcher said,
"Firefighters did an excellent job. I am proud of the basic firefighting
skills they displayed. They did everything by the book."
The fire was
knocked down in about ten minutes, but firefighters stayed another ninety minutes until
they felt comfortable the fire was completely out.
The house,
which was built in 1929, is located less than one mile southeast of Homer on
Hwy. 146 (White Lightning Road). No one was injured, but there was extensive
damage to the structure. Most of the fire damage was in the roof and attic
area, above the ceiling of the house, while the rest of the house had
considerable smoke and water damage.
KISATCHIE JAYCEE PRESIDENT, Bryan Widenhouse, received the
International Senatorship Award at the Region 1
meeting held February 9 at St. Gabriel.
Presenting the award were (l.-r.) Crystal Guidry, Belinda Brown, and Mona Bergeron. Guidry is
administrative vice-president, Brown is a former president, and Bergeron is the
current president of all Jaycees in the State of Louisiana.
Kisatchie Jaycee President Receives Top Honor
Only Two Inmates Have Received Award,
Both From DWCC
The Region 1
Louisiana Jaycees (all institutional chapters) recently met at the Louisiana
Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel. State Jaycees' President, Mona Bergeron, and
a delegation of state officers, presented Bryan Widenhouse
with the Junior Chamber International Senatorship Award. This prestigious award is the highest honor
that can be achieved by a member of the Junior Chamber organization. Widenhouse serves
as chapter president of the Kisatchie Jaycees of
David Wade Correctional Center in Homer.
The first
incarcerated person ever to achieve this honor was also a former resident of
David Wade Correctional Center and a former president of the Kisatchie Jaycees, Matthew Pineda. "The first Jaycees
meeting that I ever attended was when Matthew Pineda received his Senatorship. He told
me to be the next," said an emotional Widenhouse
upon accepting his award.
What Does The American Cancer Society
Do?
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
"What does
the American Cancer Society do?" This was the question posed by Christina
Griffin to the members of the Homer Lions Club. Griffin, who was recently named
Community Representative for the American Cancer Society (ACS) Mid-South
Division, gave an overview of the mission of the Society. The former seventh
grade Language Arts teacher said she got involved with ACS after losing her
grandfather, her uncle and three cousins to cancer. Her sister is a breast
cancer survivor. Griffin said she strongly supports ACS because she has seen
how they helped her family.
She encouraged
members of the Homer Lions Club to get involved with the local "Relay for
Life" event which is scheduled for Friday, April 22 at the Homer High
football stadium beginning at 6 PM. Teams and corporate sponsors are still
needed. Nancy Mason and Sandra Griggs are the chairpersons for this year's
event. They can be contacted at Regions Bank at 927-9626.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful Sponsors Zero
Tolerance For Litter Weekend March 4-6
Effort Supported By Governor, State
Police, Wildlife & Fisheries
If you
regularly use the bed of your truck as a garbage can, you may want to clean it
at the next gas station. Keep Louisiana
Beautiful (KLB), along with state law enforcement agencies, will be paying
particularly close attention to people who create conditions likely to result
in the illegal disposal of litter in public places during a statewide
"Zero Tolerance for Litter" weekend.
From Friday,
March 4th through Sunday, March 6th, state law enforcement agencies such as
State Troopers and Wildlife and Fisheries rangers will be on the prowl for
people who are litter buggin' Louisiana's roadways
and waterways.
Housing Authority Awards Bids On Lawn Mowers
Chairman Mary
Sawyers opened sealed bids received for two lawn mowers recently declared
surplus by the Board of Directors of the Homer Housing Authority. Bids received
at their February 28 meeting on the X-mark Riding Mower were as follows: $4,860
from Jeffery Waller of Haynesville, $4,510 from Hammock Lawn Care of Junction
City, and $3,355 from Stanley Washington of Lisbon. Bids for the Snapper mower
were as follows: $100.99 from Travis Carr, $100 from Jerry Hightower, both of Homer, and $100 from Hammock Lawn Care. The Board accepted
the high bids on both.
Mickey Mayfield To Seek Second Term
As Haynesville Mayor
Mickey Mayfield,
in announcing his candidacy for a second term as mayor of the Town of
Haynesville, said he believes the future of Haynesville lies
with the image the town projects to future business prospects and to its
residents. He continued saying "It is important for the person
who represents the town to project the hospitality and friendliness of the
community as a whole. It is the mayor's responsibility to show these traits, as
well as aggressively and energetically taking care of the town's finances and infrastructure."
Mayfield thanks
residents for their past support and for their prayers. In closing, he said he
would like to continue to work toward making Haynesville a place people are
proud to call home and business owners want to invest their money, and he
humbly asks for your vote on Saturday, April 2.
Carla Smith Seeks Seat On Haynesville Town Council
I,
Carla Frasier Smith, announce my candidacy for District 5 Alderman of
Haynesville, Louisiana. My purpose in running for election to the Haynesville
Town Council is a strong desire to be an active participant in improving our
city with goals toward a greater emphasis of our town. I will work as hard as
it takes to make Haynesville the most productive, the safest, and the most
beautiful place possible....for all our loved ones...both now and in the
future. Let me prove to you what I can do. Vote #14 on
Saturday, April 2, 2005, for Carla Frasier Smith.
John Wesley Cooper Announces Candidacy
John Wesley
Cooper Jr. announced his candidacy for District 1 Alderman, Town of
Haynesville. Besides working for a closer relationship between the mayor and
council, and with the Claiborne Chamber and Industrial Board, Cooper wants to
work with the public works department to keep water rates low as possible, to continue
improving streets and drainage, and to work to make improvements in the police
department to improve protection for town residents. Cooper closed by saying,
"I want to be your city councilman, but I need your help. Please vote #7
on Saturday, April 2, 2005."
