Decision On
I-69 Expected This Summer
Don't Delay! Fill Out Your
I-69 Comment Form TODAY!!
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
For the past
two years, residents
in Claiborne and Webster parishes have attended public meetings,
received information on the interstate that will one day cross the two
parishes, just one of many sections of an interstate highway that will connect
Arkansas near El Dorado to Haughton. Although the overall purpose of I-69 is to provide
a corridor for movement of goods through the NAFTA corridor between Canada and
Mexico, to alleviate congestion on existing interstate highways, to provide
enhanced economic development opportunities for targeted communities, and to
improve overall system linkage, each individual section of highway was required
to meet the purpose and need for the immediate area.
The number of
paths considered have been reduced and rearranged as part of the study process
conducted by the URS Corporation, as new information was received, and public
comments were submitted. The number of paths have been reduced to two remaining
build alternatives
with a number of options. Depending on the combination of alternatives and
options, there are eight possible corridors.
Monday, May 30,
is the deadline for public comments to be included in the official record prior
to the completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), however
comments will continue to be accepted and considered after the FEIS is
completed.
The URS project
team will compile and analyze all comments from the public and agencies and
will present the information to the Federal Highway Administration, the
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and the Arkansas State
Highway and Transportation Department. Those three agencies will choose the
Preferred Alternative sometime this summer along with the collaboration of
other regulatory agencies (EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers). The description of the Preferred Alternative and required
mitigation to offset adverse effects will be included in the FEIS.
There will be a
30-day comment period after the FEIS is released,
however a public hearing is not scheduled. Once the comments on the FEIS are
evaluated, the FHWA will make a final decision on which alternative is selected
and will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) sometime this fall. At that point,
the decision will be made.
Comments play
an important role in the decision making process. Area residents who have not
submitted a comment form are strongly urged to do so. Comment forms are available at the URS Program Office at 425 West Main. Fact
sheets and comment forms are also available at the Claiborne Chamber of
Commerce and the Claiborne Parish Police Jury Complex. Comments can be mailed
to the I-69 SIU No. 14 Program Office, 425 West Main, Homer, LA 71040 or
submitted on-line at http://i69arkla.com/
Be sure to include your name, address, and phone number, and the reason
for your corridor
For more
information, contact Christi Wilson at the I-69 Program Office in Homer by
calling 927-5445 or 1-877-886-9233.
Haynesville Ups Garbage Rates
Cullen Mayor Asks Council To Support I-69 Alternative 5
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Haynesville
Town Council voted at their regular meeting on Thursday, May 19 to increase the
garbage rate by sixty cents ($.60) to each household effective July 1, 2005.
The Town received a notice
from BFI informing them they were increasing their rate per
household by fifty-seven cents ($.57) effective April 1, 2005. The Council
voted to pass the rate increase on to customers. Customers are paying $10.25
now. With the increase, customers will pay $10.85 per month.
Bobby
Washington, mayor of Cullen, asked the Council if the Council would join them
in supporting I-69 Alternative 5 by approving a resolution of support. He said
Alternative 5 was the shortest route and would cost less to build. J. T. Taylor disagreed. He said the unknown
underground in the Cotton Valley oil fields could cost billions and Alternative
4 was almost one mile shorter than Alternative 5. Alternative 4 also has about
half the mileage over the Sparta Aquifer recharge area. If there were a
chemical spill on Alternative 5, it could possibly shut down the water supply
to Haynesville.
Taylor said an
interchange on La. 2 would mean economic development and tax dollars for
Claiborne Parish, and asked, "Who would that benefit?"
Councilman H.
U. "Mutt" Slaid said, "I don't mind
telling you, anything that will help the northwest corner is going to get my
vote. I am not interested in what Minden...is going to do. What have they ever
done for us?" Slaid asked Washington to bring a
copy of the resolution endorsing Alternative 5 to their next council meeting.
Homer High Vandals Arrested
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Homer Police
officers arrested six individuals around 1:30 PM on Wednesday, May 18 in
connection with vandalism of the buildings and grounds at Homer High School on
Saturday, May 14 around 1 AM. Total damage was estimated between $3,500 and
$5,000.
Damages to
school property included filling locks on 14 exterior doors with super glue,
breaking two concrete benches, painting graffiti on benches and sidewalks,
strewing debris and trash on the sidewalk and grounds, pouring molasses on
sidewalks and in the gas tanks of one truck and one tractor and in several
window air conditioning units.
Of the six
teens arrested, all were either students or former students of Homer High.
Arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy and simple criminal damage to
property were Paul Wayne Barnette, 18, of Shongaloo; Heath Evan Hollenshead
18, of Homer; Ashley Amanda Olson, 18, of Haynesville; Alberto Luna, 18, of
Athens; Nicholas Chet Barnette, 17, of Homer; and
Zachary Black Torbet, 17, of Homer. All were released on $3,000 bond.
The six
teenagers could face a fine of $1,000, possible jail time up to two years, or
both. Chet Barnette, Paul Barnette,
and Albert Luna are still in school and will also face an administrative
hearing before the Claiborne Parish School Board.
HMH Administrator Wants Clean Hospital,
Good Care
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Doug Efferson has been administrator of Homer Memorial Hospital
for two short months, but he has already identified some problems and working
to address three main issues: 1) housekeeping, 2) performance improvement, and
3) overtime. He realizes the Board of Directors is dealing with an older
building, but "while we are old, we will be clean."
One of the
physicians he worked with in Coushatta, Dr. Hernandez, said Homer Memorial
Hospital was a "diamond
in the rough." Efferson agreed. He said the
equipment is excellent, the physician base is amazing, and the staff is
exceptional, their longevity, commitment, and compassion. "It awes
me," he said.
The hospital
has a MRI, CT, and is working to add nuclear medicine, if they can identify the
space. So much could be done if had the room. About the time the Board of
Directors announced plans for a $2 million expansion of hospital, mold was
found in the air conditioning system, raising concerns about whether it was a
good idea to spend money to renovate the old building. Plans were put on hold
until the Board could be sure they were not putting good money after bad.
"My job is
to take care of health care in Claiborne Parish," Efferson
said. "Healthcare is only limited by our own imagination."
He admires and
respects politics, and understand politics is in everything we do, but when it
comes to healthcare he needs to be firm and do what is best for the patients
rather than what may be politically correct. He said, "I think it is
important to put patient care first, and politics, second."
Sewer Plant Opens Refurbished North
Basin
THE NORTH BASIN OF THE Wastewater Treatment
Plant was placed back on-line at 9:30 AM on Friday, May
20. On hand for the opening of the valve were (left photo) Homer Councilmen
Ronnie Anderson and Toney Johnson and American Water and Wastewater Management
operator Bruce Shaddock. Observing the sludge as it entered the north basin
were (right photo, l-r) Johnson, AWM project manager Jeff Jones, operator
supervisor Robert Goss, and operator J. R. Holt. The plant achieved full flow
in both basins by 3:15 PM Friday and the water was looking good Monday morning.
Claiborne Country To
Sponsor Benefit For
Rolling Hills Ministry
Claiborne
Country and Mr. Julius "Doodley" Peterson
will hold a benefit on Saturday, May 28 for the Rolling Hills Ministry Disaster
Relief Program of Claiborne Parish. The
Claiborne Country House Band consisting of Mike Nutter, Sam Lawrence, Joe
Perot, Micah Satterfield, and Dennis Lindsey, along with other special guests
will perform Saturday night
from 7:00-10:30 PM. No admission will be charged. Donations will
be taken at the door. Concession will be available and children are welcome. No
smoking or alcohol. All proceeds will go to the Rolling Hills Ministry Disaster
Relief Program. Mike and Diane Nutter encourage everyone to come out and help
support this great organization. For more information, call
1-870-546-9534.
Fred Ware, owner of Barkett
Candy Company in Haynesville, prepares peanut patties for shipment
to nine states.
Barkett Candy Never Skimps On Peanuts
BY JIMMY DEAN, Feature Writer, The Guardian-Journal
Picture a
12-year-old Syrian lad hiding on a cargo ship in 1918 or 1919. His name was
Ellis A. Barkett. His father had already emigrated
from Syria to the United States with plans to make enough money to send for his
wife and children. Ellis's mother and siblings had died of
starvation in Syria. Ellis made it to America on that ship and finally made it
to Shreveport despite speaking no English.
Barkett was industrious. He drove a horse and buggy to
deliver ice in the morning, then ice cream in the afternoon around Shreveport.
He also worked with his cousin George Khoury at Khoury Candy Company where he learned how to make candy,
peanut patties, to be precise. Khoury later sold out
to Knighten Candy Company. Meanwhile, Barkett married Isabel Haddad and together they followed
the "secret family recipe" for peanut patties. Always a small
business with only 2-3 people (counting Ellis and Isabel), Barkett
Candy Company operated in Shreveport until Barkett's
death in 1996.
His daughter
Betty and son-in-law Fred Ware then moved the business to Haynesville. They had
helped Barkett since their marriage in 1969. Ware
said he worked several years with Barkett before
learning the recipe for the candy. Ware says Barkett
often repeated the main rule: "Don't ever skimp on the peanuts."
Claiborne DAR "Patriot
Project"
To Accept Items Memorial Day
The Claiborne
Parish Daughters of the American Revolution invites the community to join in
the commemoration of Memorial Day May 30, 2005. Court House Square, Homer, LA.
10:00-11:00 AM. Please bring an item for the "Project Patriot"
donation box that will be sent to the troops hospitalized at Landstuhl, Germany.
When active
duty military are severely injured, they are sent by medivac
to Landstuhl, Germany. Soldiers arrive at Landstuhl essentially with nothing. Landstuhl
Regional Medical Center is the largest American hospital outside of the United
States and is the only American Hospital in Europe. The hospital is currently
requesting personal care and entertainment items for wounded military
personnel.
The facility requests any of the following items:
1. Sweatshirts,
long-sleeved t-shirts, jackets, pajamas, etc., - All Sizes
2. Toiletries:
men's and women's deodorant, soap (bar & liquid), shampoo (with/without
conditioner), toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and floss handles with
replacements, floss picks, combs, brushes
3. Tube socks
in multi-packs
4. Music CDs,
DVDs (action, comedy preferred)
5. Portable DVD
players, portable CD players, X-Box, Playstation,
other portable electronic games
6. Magazines
(fashion, car, motorcycle, sports, gaming, outdoor life)
7. Homemade
greeting cards. The wounded look forward to receiving cards
from home.
Entertainment
items are especially needed. Doctors are encouraging the wounded to watch
movies, listen to music, and to play games to keep the soldiers' minds occupied
and to keep them from withdrawing.
