Sheriff Detectives Capture Darren Block
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
After remaining
on the loose for almost two days, Darren Block, 33, of 1426 Pearl Street in
Homer, was located by Claiborne Parish Sheriff detectives
near the Lisbon landing on La. 2 around 12:45 PM on Wednesday, April 13.
Detectives had received a tip from a concerned citizen that Block was seen in a
vehicle at the landing. Four detectives in two unmarked vehicles rode to the
landing. The first vehicle drove past and confirmed Block was in the parked
car. When the second unmarked vehicle pulled up in front of the car, Block
jumped out from the rear driver's side seat and took off running down the
highway, running directly into the path of the first detective vehicle. Block
then turned and ran into the woods. Detectives pursued and apprehended him a
short time later.
Claiborne
Parish Sheriff deputies arrived on the scene and transported Block to the
Claiborne Parish Detention, where he was booked under warrants issued by the
Louisiana State Police for insurance fraud and perjury, bond set at $20,000 each; also two bench
warrants from the Sheriff's Office for failure to appear with bond at $5,000
each, and an arrest warrant issued by the Homer Police Department for simple
escape with bond set at $10,000.
Block, who is
also known as Darren Williams or "Jed", apparently has a list of
previous arrests and convictions, the first in March 1995, for attempted second
degree murder and aggravated criminal damage to property. He pled guilty and
was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for three years. The sentence
was suspended and he was placed on supervised probation beginning in May 1995,
with credit for time served. His probation was later revoked.
Over the past
five years, Block has a long list of arrests. He was arrested for simple
battery and disturbing the peace in December 2000, pled guilty in March 2001
and was sentenced to six months. Sentence was suspended and he was placed on
unsupervised probation.
In July 2001,
he was arrested and charged with speeding, expired motor vehicle license,
failure to register vehicle, flight from an officer, resisting an officer,
flight from an officer, and issuing worthless checks. He pled guilty in April
2002 and served 21 days in jail.
In October
2004, he was arrested for simple battery for domestic violence with child
endangerment and resisting arrest, and again in November 2004, for possession
of marijuana, first offense. A bench warrant was issued April 6, 2005 for
failure to appear in court on the battery charge. Both are pending in the
courts
RECIPIENTS OF THE GOVERNOR’S AWARD of Excellence were Chaplain Ray Anderson, Jamie
Fussell, Marc Pittman, Jan Elkins, Deputy Warden Angie
Huff, Gwen Campbell, and (not pictured) Kim Barnette.
DWCC Presents Governor's Award Of Excellence
In front a
backdrop of Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, the
Human Relations Club at David Wade Correctional Center presented its Second
Annual "Governors Award of Excellence" on March 23. The stage area of Hope Chapel was decorated
in royal blue and metallic gold ribbons and boys. David Wade artist John Turner
captured Blanco's sparkle and unique smile. The likeness of the Governor was
extraordinary.
DWCC's "Stars Behind Bars" entertainers Keith
Dees, Kerry Lee and William White set the stage for a beautiful program with
songs like One Moment in Time, Somewhere, Hero, To Where You Are, and Wind Beneath Our Winds.
HRC President
Ronald Lowery served as emcee. He said, "We believe each person can reach
their dreams and goals. We hope this program inspires in each of you the
motivation to follow your dreams and take them to the limit."
With the theme
"Take Me Higher", the Club in collaboration with Governor Blanco's
office recognized seven individuals for their work in the community, for going
beyond the call of duty to enrich other's lives. The Governors Award of
Excellence was presented to Jan Elkins with KTBS Channel 3 for St. Jude's
Children's Hospital fundraiser, Gwen Campbell with KTBS Channel 3 for
Children's Assignment Education, Deputy Warden Angie Huff for Rehabilitation
Programming, Chaplain Ray Anderson for
Faith Based Programming, Jamie Fussell for Habitat
for Humanity- Humanitarian Award and Educational Director for Dept. of
Corrections, Kim Barnette for Educational Programming
in Corrections throughout the State of Louisiana, and a moving tribute to Marc
Pittman for his inspirational book "Raising Cole", a father's story
of his love for his son, Cole Pittman, University of Texas football player who
was killed in a car accident.
Under the
direction of DWCC Warden Venetia Michael, Deputy Wardens Jerry Goodwin and
Angie Huff, with Staff Sponsor Jamie Fussell, the
Human Relations Club is working for the growth and harmony of the
community. HRC is governed by an
executive board with a membership of over fifty. The Club is extremely proud of
its "Governor's Award of Excellence" and paid a special thanks to
Governor Blanco and her office for their support and help in making the program
a success.
LISA DONEY, ASSISTANT DEAN at Northwest Tech, (left) expressed her appreciation to Robert McGaha (right) and Presbyterian Village for awarding $500
scholarships to Nikita Grant and Danyell Brooks,
allowing them to enroll in the Nurse Assistant Program which is offered each
spring and fall semester at NW Tech.
Presbyterian Village Sponsors Vo-Tech
Scholarships
Homer
residents Danyell Brooks and Nikita Grant were both awarded $500
scholarships toward the Nurse Assistant program offered at the Homer campus of
Northwest Louisiana Technical College (Northwest Tech). Both scholarships were
underwritten by the Presbyterian Village. Robert McGaha
serves as director for the Presbyterian Village which is located on Hwy. 79
south of Homer. The nursing home recently established an educational scholarship
fund and plans to continue to award future Nurse Assistant scholarships. Each
semester a deserving student enrolled in the NA program at NW Tech in Homer
will be awarded a scholarship.
Danyell Brooks, 17, received the first scholarship. She
said, "I would like to thank Presbyterian Village for giving me this
chance to make my dreams come true." Brooks has a 6-month-old daughter.
Her parents are Curtis Barnes and Victoria Johnson.
Nikita Grant,
the second scholarship recipient, is the daughter of Melinda Grant and Louis
McCoy. She was also very appreciative and said she was looking forward to
furthering her career as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
THE 2005 Claiborne PARISH Jubilee is seeking African-American quilts such as these that were part of an
earlier documentation clinic held by Dr. Susan Roach. Roach, folklorist for the
Louisiana Regional Folklife Program at Louisiana
Tech, will host a Louisiana Quilt Documentation Clinic on Tuesday, May 10 from
10 AM - 4 PM in the Police Jury Complex.
Rosie Allen (right) displays a strip pattern quilt, while Josie Shelton
(left) shows off her drunkard pattern quilt. For more information on the
Jubilee Quilt Documentation Clinic, call Dr. Roach at (318) 257-2728.
African-American Quilts Sought For Quilt
Clinic
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Claiborne Parish Jubilee, in
conjunction with its 2005 Quilt Show, will host a Louisiana Quilt Documentation
Clinic to be conducted by Dr. Susan Roach on Tuesday, May 10, from 10 AM - 4 PM
Quilt makers and/or owners are invited to bring their quilts made in Louisiana
from the days of earliest settlement of the state to the present. Dr. Roach, folklorist for the Louisiana
Regional Folklife Program at Louisiana Tech, hopes to
document a wide variety of the community's quilts--historic 19th century ones,
worn everyday 20th century ones, as well as new fancy and contemporary art
quilts.
Roach says,
"After seeing the wonderful 2004 Jubilee Quilt Show in Homer, I am
thrilled to have the opportunity to document quilts from Claiborne Parish and
am excited about the volunteers assisting with our efforts." Volunteers include Nurlie
Foster, Martha Gilbert, Lillie Harper, and Shirley Joslin.
Mrs. Foster, who is coordinating the Claiborne Jubilee Quilt Show May 13-14,
says, "I urge everyone to participate in both the documentation and the
show."
The
documentation will be held in the Claiborne Parish Police Jury Office Complex,
formerly the Homer National Bank building, at 507 West Main Street in downtown
Homer. Roach says, "I know the
parish has some 19th century quilts based on a 1989 quilt search. Also, I am
interested in documenting quilts made by African Americans because of recent
national attention given to African American quilts from Gee's Bend,
Alabama. I believe there are similar
quilts here."
RUSTY ELLIS PERFORMS (left) during church services held at the Jordan Crossing, located at
the intersection of West 4th and South 4th in Homer. Katy Burns is
getting her life back together and has a job, thanks to Buddy and Frances Minchew, who hired her at the Sunrise Bakery.
Jordan Crossing More Than Homeless
Shelter
Since Opening In April 2003,
Not All Residents At
The Jordan Have Been Success Stories
BY JIMMY DEAN Feature Writer, The
Guardian-Journal
”The Jordan Crossing is a faith-based outreach helping
people with life-controlling problems [meet their] spiritual and physical
needs.'"
Wearing a clean
white apron, Katie Burns doesn't look like a drug user_whatever
the average drug user is supposed to look like. "I was your typical high schooler before I got involved with drugs," she says.
"I was into boys and studying for my next test. I graduated from St.
Frederick's High School in Monroe with two scholarship offers. But then crack
cocaine turned my life upside-down."
Asked how she
got into drugs, Katie replies, "My boyfriend got me to try crack cocaine.
Since then, I've been repeatedly arrested for drug possession, simple burglary,
and unauthorized use of a vehicle. My last sentence put me in jail in Monroe. I
just got out in February and am on probation for the next seven years."
Elaborating on her path to drug use, Katie says, "I look back on it now
and see that my life was empty. It had no purpose. I did not have a close
relationship with God. That was my real problem, but I didn't see it then. I
had gone to church with my mother, but at 15 I would be counting the number of
tiles in the church.
"It's been
two years since Jordan Crossing opened in April 2002," said Rusty Ellis,
its Founder-Director, Father-Confessor, and
"Whatever-Else-It-Takes-to-Make-It-Work." Ellis said that he had
considered for several years "some kind of place in Claiborne Parish to
help drug addicts turn their lives around without charging them money." He
adds, "But we've expanded beyond drug addicts only. We want to help anyone
turn their life around," regardless the nature of their problem.
"It's drugs for many, but we're available to anyone to help with whatever
stands between them and a productive, abundant life."
During a recent
interview Ellis said, "Even while I was addicted and trying to get clean,
I was thinking about how I could somehow help others make it, too. But, of
course, I first needed to do something about my own addictions. I needed to get
clean myself." Ellis went on to
describe how he and his wife Kalia "have been
there, done that" when it comes to drugs. "You name it_crack cocaine, marijuana, LSD, meth_we've
used it all." He added, "Snorting, injecting, huffing_we've
seen and done all of it."
Ellis said,
"Like most, I started out as a `recreational' drug user. Let me tell you,
there's no such thing as a `recreational user.' It will hook you regardless of
how you tell yourself that it won't. My addictions began 33 years ago with
cigarettes, progressed to alcohol, and eventually led me to sticking needles in
my arm, my leg, wherever. There was no drug I wouldn't try."
C'mon Everyone! Don't Miss Out On This
Most Spectacular Event
American Cancer Society "Relay For
Life"
Friday, April 22, 2005, 6 PM
The Relay for Life event will be held at
the Ronnie Beard Memorial Stadium April 22, 2005 at 6:00 p.m. till 6:00 a.m.
April 23, 2005. Registration sign-in will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the cancer
survivor lap will begin at 7:00 p.m. and the Lighting of the Luminary Ceremony
will begin at 9:00 p.m. You can still purchase a luminary 'in honor of' or 'in
memory of' from any team member prior to the relay or the day of the relay.
Entertainment will be provided by our very own Shane Huffstetler
and other exciting guests. If you work up an appetite from all that walking,
the First Baptist youth department wilt be selling loads of goodies in the
concession to replenish your energy for the walk-a-thon!!! Be sure to bring
your lawn chairs and sit back and enjoy loads of Fun, Food and Fellowship!!!!
See you at the Relay!!!!!
I-69 Project Manager To
Speak At
Chamber "After Hours"
Kent Dussom,
I-69 Project Manager for the URS Corporation, will be the guest speaker at the
Claiborne Chamber of Commerce "After Hours" to be held Tuesday April
26 at 5:30 PM in the Claiborne Parish Police Jury Complex. The DEIS which shows
maps of the remaining possible I-69 alignments through Claiborne and Webster is
now available for viewing at the I-69 Program Office in Homer. A public meeting
will be held at the Fair Barn in Haynesville on May 11 from 4-7 PM. Citizens
are urged to educate themselves and complete a comment
form with reasons for their preference before the May 30 deadline. For more
information, contact Christi Wilson at 927-5445 or 877-886-9233.
National Day Of
Prayer
Thursday, May 5, 2005, 12 PM
The National Day of Prayer will be observed at noon on Thursday,
May 5 on the lawn of the Claiborne Parish Courthouse. This year's theme is
"God Shed His Grace On Thee." The 2005
Honorary Chairman is Max Lucado, Oak
Hills prayer ministry in San Antonio, Texas. This years scripture is
Hebrews 4:16 NIV, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with
confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time
of need
Homer Elementary School To Host Open House
.Homer Elementary School will host an
Open House on Thursday, April 28 from 5:00-6:30 PM to allow the community to
come by and view the newly remodeled building and the new additions to the
school. Renovations to the existing building and construction of two new wings
and a multi-purpose room, and the addition of a new library began during the
2003-2004 school year. Students in grades Pre-K through 4th grade began classes
in the fall of 2004. Fifth grade students will be added to the campus this fall
in August 2005.
