Disturbance Call Leads To Arrests
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
A disturbance
call on Pearl Street early Sunday morning, led to a number of arrests. Homer
Police officers Ken
Wood, Thomas Davis, and Anthony Combs responded to a call received around 1:56
AM on Sunday, August 14, advising them of a person with a gun in the 1400 block
of Pearl Street. Upon arrival at the scene, they immediately heard gunshots
down the street and went to check it out. They searched the area but found no
gun and no one injured.
Officers returned to
residence of Wallace Ridley's residence on Pearl Street, who requested police
call a wrecker to move the vehicle parked in his driveway. Jamarcia
Harris had apparently pulled up in Ridley's driveway and got out of his car.
Harris said Ridley began arguing with him because Kenny Mann was in the
vehicle. When Ridley saw police vehicles approaching, he hit Harris in the
mouth with the butt end of a pearl-handled hand gun. Harris and Mann walked
down the street.
Ridley was
asked by officers if he had the keys to Harris' vehicle. He said he did not.
When Gordon's Wrecker Service arrived, Ridley began cursing him. Gordon decided
to leave and asked officer Woods to call McKenzie Brothers. Ridley's mother tried to calm him down, but
made the situation worse. As Woods was walking back to his unit, a beer can was
thrown at him, hitting the ground near his feet. He called the Sheriff's Office
for backup. As they waited for Police Chief Rodney Hollenshead
and Captain Donald Malray to arrive, they tried to
calm down the crowd which had grown to around 100 youth and adults.
About this
time, Ridley got in Harris' car and started the engine with keys he had all
along. Officers yelled for him to stop, but he backed into the road anyway, then drove around his house, hitting a utility trailer
parked in the yard, attempting to run over Malray,
and damaging the vehicle.
As officers
were trying to get Ridley out of the vehicle to arrest him, three men attempted
to incite a riot by yelling racial expletives at the officers and encouraging
the crowd to attack the officers. To hold back the crowd, Wood stated he held
his mace (chemical agent) in a ready position until they were able to handcuff
Ridley.
Other officers,
besides Malray and Hollenshead,
arrived on the scene around 3:23 AM to assist Wood, Davis, and Combs. They were
Homer officer Russell Mills, Sheriff deputies Randy Smith and David Morgan, and one unit from
the Haynesville Police Department.
Ridley was
transported to Homer Memorial Hospital where he was checked for injuries. None
were found so officers transported him to the Claiborne Detention Center where
he was booked. Ridley, 38, was charged with aggravated assault, second degree
aggravated battery, simple criminal damage to property, misrep
during booking, unauthorized use of motor vehicle, resisting officer by
fighting, resisting an officer, incite to riot and DWI. His bond was set at
$29,000.
Homer officers
later arrested Derrick Frazier, 34; Mike Wilkins, 33; and David Mack, 42, all
of Homer. They were all charged with "inciting to riot" and
"resisting an officer by interfering." Each was booked into the CDC
on $4,000 bond.
Town Water System Under
Administrative Order
Investigation Continues Into Who
Disarmed Town's Call Out System
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Town of
Homer water system is under Administrative Order from the Department of Health
and Hospitals for failure to monitor the drinking water for disinfection
byproducts during 2004, according to a notice received August 2 by Homer Mayor
Huey Dean. Failure to comply with Order No.
C-05-027-069 may result in penalties up to a maximum of $1,780 per day and/or
civil penalties not to exceed $3,000 per day for each violation. The order will
remain in effect until terminated by the state health officer when the water
system has remained in compliance with all provisions for a minimum of 12
consecutive months.
The Order
requires initial monitoring samples be collected no later than September 30,
2005, preferably in July or August. According to Mayor Dean, samples have
already been collected and submitted. If either sample were to exceed the
maximum contaminant level, the Town would be required to perform compliance
monitoring every quarter and will continue until notified in writing by OPH.
The Order
mandates the Town's manager and the operator of the Homer water system attend
the Louisiana Rural Water Association's special drinking water school for
special compliance training on August 18 in Ruston. Mayor Dean said Walter
Young, who manages the water system, will attend the school on Thursday.
The Town shall
also notify all customers on the system of the non-compliance order, including
new customers, by publishing a notice in the newspaper and by mailing or hand
delivering notices as soon as possible, but within 90 days of receipt of the
letter. Copies of the notices must be submitted to the Compliance Program
Manager in Baton Rouge within 10 days. This is necessary to insure the State
and EPA records of this matter are accurate and complete.
The District
Attorney's office is investigating the situation where someone disarmed the
call out system at the town's water treatment plant which caused town residents
to be without water Sunday, July 3, after storage tanks were emptied when no
one was notified of the water leak on a fire hydrant in the south industrial
park.
Several weeks
later, in mid-July, councilman Ronnie Anderson called
the system to make sure it was operating properly. The call out system is set
up to call when the water level in the elevated storage tank drops below around
90 percent and levels in the ground storage tanks drop below around 80 percent.
When it failed to answer, he contacted the Homer Police Department. Officer
Gary English rode with him to check the system and they discovered the phone
line had been unplugged
again. English took pictures to verify the incident.
On Tuesday,
August 2, councilmen Anderson and Toney Johnson
received a call notifying them levels in the storage tanks had dropped below
minimum levels. They responded and discovered a leak in the two inch water line
on the Dutchtown Road just past the Dutchtown Well. When Homer Police were unable to locate
town employees Walter Young or Lee Wells, Anderson and Johnson called town
clerk Rita Mitchell, who was able to contact Young and several other town
employees who came out and repaired the line.
Anderson said
Bill Jarrett with Agape Construction in Bossier programs the call out system.
He was told town employees did not want their phone numbers programmed into the
system and had not included them. The only numbers programmed into the system
were Anderson's, Johnson's and Jarrett's. Mayor Dean said phone numbers of town
employees Walter Young, Lee Wells, and Derrick Burns have since been added to
the system.
Council Goes With Balar
Plan For Sewer Plant
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Homer Town
Council met Monday, August 8 in special session and voted unanimously to go
with the plan presented by Balar Associates for the
sewer plant renovation project.
Jim Hagan with Balar said it would have been much easier and would have
taken far less time to design a plan that would replace the existing equipment
at the wastewater treatment plant, but they decided to go with the sequencing
batch reactor because it had less mechanical equipment and was easier to
operate.
Gary Beard had
addressed the Council at their regular meeting on August 1, telling them he helped
design the town's sewer plant. He told selectman all he wanted to do was get
his company's supplier to fabricate the needed equipment for the town's plant,
which he said could save the town over $100,000. He assured the Council
changing plans at this point would not jeopardize their LCDBG grant.
Councilman
Ronnie Anderson said
he had called the Town of Vivian to inquire about their sewer plant, which is
similar to the one being proposed by Balar. He said
Vivian loves their system, and it has been in compliance since 1990. Prior to
that, they had a plant similar to Homer's. They were also very complimentary of
Balar.
Councilmen
agreed not to take action on the surplus vehicles and equipment until they
could re-advertise. Anderson suggested they make a decision at the next meeting
whether or not they receive the minimum bids.
Parish Jail To
Get New Communication System
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
The Claiborne
Parish Police Jury allowing the Sheriff's office to upgrade their communications
equipment in the dispatch room at the parish jail at their regular meeting
August 11. They also approved spreading oil on the Industrial Road, agreed to
study ways to continue collection of white goods, and approved placing a
recycling bin for white paper at the Highway Department.
CPSO Detective
Chuck Talley told jurors the Sheriff's Office had received a Homeland Security
grant to replace communications equipment in the dispatch office. Jurors
approved the renovations and agreed to provide engineering services up to
$2,000 to make sure plans would meet requirements of the fire marshal and
health inspector. Sheriff Ken Bailey said, "In 1977, when the jail was
built, it was probably state of the art, because it was the first modular jail
in the State of Louisiana, but this is 2005. Technology has changed."
CNET Agent
James Spillers asked jurors if they could notify the Sheriff's Office before
issuing any temporary or one-day alcohol permits for single events so their
office could do a background check. He commended the Jury for discontinuing
permits to bottle clubs. Since that time, Spillers said "The call volume
related to those places went to zero."
RICHARD JOHNSON, NATURALIST and volunteer curator of Briarwood, the Caroline Dorman Nature Preserve,
for past 35 years, will give a slide presentation highlighting the preserve and
native plants in general at the Haynesville Celebration of Butterflies at the
Claiborne Parish Fairgrounds in Haynesville on September 10. Caroline Dorman,
who was Johnson's mentor, is known worldwide for her promotion of Louisiana
iris and other plant treasures. Dorman created a botanical garden and, at her
death in 1971, willed
it to the Foundation to care for in perpetuity as a study area of native
plants. It was her wish that Johnson continue the work
they shared.
Butterfly Festival To Feature Nature
Photography Contest
A nature photography contest will be part of the Haynesville
Celebration of Butterflies to be held September 10 at the Claiborne Parish
Fairgrounds in Haynesville. Entry classes are: Student in grades 1-4, grades
5-8, grades 9-12, and adults. All photographs will be on exhibition during the
festival with winners being announced from the stage at 12:30 PM Awards each
class are first place $20, second $15, third $10, and fourth honorable mention.
For an entry form or further information, contact Sarena
Cox, 216 Dawson St., Homer, LA 71040, or call (318) 927-4314, or email her at
.
Vendors Sought For Butterfly Festival
Food and craft vendors are being sought for the seventh annual Haynesville Celebration of Butterflies to be held at the Claiborne Parish
Fairgrounds in Haynesville on Saturday, September 10. The charge for vendors is
$25 for a 10'x10' booth in the air-conditioned building and $15 for a 12'x12'
space under a covered pavilion. Tables can be rented for $5 each. Festival
hours are 9 AM - 9 PM. For a vendor application, contact LeBois
Sincox at 318-624-0661 or Pat Bourn at 318-624-1216.
Public Meetings Set For Lake Project
Update
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Dr. James
Robert Michael said the committee established by the Claiborne and Webster
Parish Police Juries are ready to hold a public meeting and meet with
landowners to bring everyone up-to-date on the Sparta Aquifer Recharge and Economic Development
Project, sometimes referred to as the North Hills Economic Development Project.
In January 2004,
Dr. Michael, retired director of Louisiana Tech's College of Business Research
Division, addressed members of the Claiborne Parish Police Jury, expressing his
concern about the importance of moving quickly to develop an economic
development plan that would preserve the area's drinking water by building a
series of lakes over the Sparta Aquifer recharge area. There lakes could also
work to improve the economy by attracting retirees to the area.
The following
month, the Claiborne Parish Police Jury authorized Dr. Michael, Dr. Alice
Stewart, Herb Byars, and Robin Bridges to work as a
committee to begin researching the best location for lakes and dam sites, to
develop layout of the lakes, and all other measures necessary to successfully
complete the project.
A meeting has
been scheduled for Thursday, September 1 beginning at 7 PM in the Claiborne
Parish Police Jury Complex to meet with landowners, to bring them up-to-date on
the current lake project and to get their input. What they are proposing is
that landowners and interested investors join with the Claiborne and Webster
Police Juries to form a quasi public corporation which will have the legal
ability to transfer money between the entities. Financial alternatives for
landowners will be explained at the meeting. Michael will provide figures on
what the return would be over the next fifty years to landowners if they choose
to continue planting pine trees on their property. He will also explain the
returns that will accrue to the landowners, the investors and the two parishes
if they form the quasi corporation.
Michael said,
"We cannot overstress the critical nature of this project." The
Sparta Aquifer is in dire straits. In the roughly seven years the Sparta
Commission has been studying the project, the water levels have declined by
roughly 1.5 to 2 feet per year. This is in addition to a 50 year decline of
more than 100 feet. He said, "That cannot continue without irreversibly
ruining the Aquifer."
Candidates Qualify For Fall Election
Toney Johnson
was the only person to qualify for Homer Selectman in District 3. Two
candidates qualified to run for District 4 Selectman in the Town of Homer in
the upcoming election to be held October 15, 2005. They were Ivy McGee-Reed and
Carlette Sanford.
Candidates to qualify
for Justice of the Peace in 1st Justice of the Peace Court were C. F.
"Chuck" Clawson and Roberta Paschal.
Also on the
October 15 ballot will also be propositions to renew two parishwide
10-year tax renewals, both at 5.90 mills, and one 10-year tax renewal
proposition in District 11 (Haynesville) for 4.14 mills.
Certified Teachers To
Get Pay Raise
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Superintendent
James Scriber told school board members at their regular meeting last Thursday
that Claiborne Parish had received $102,308 in additional MFP money from the
State this year, which amounts to $387 per teacher. The state sent additional
funds to meet the State's mandated pay raise for all certified teachers of
$530.
Scriber showed
comparison figures to neighboring parishes of similar size (Bienville, Jackson,
and Union), stating Claiborne may need to make more
cuts due to all the unfunded mandates such as Option 3 and due to increases in
retirement and insurance costs. Scriber said, "Before next spring, we are
going to have to look at some additional cuts, and I'm telling you they will
have to be deep
cuts and they are going to hurt."
IOWA Test Scores Need More Improvement
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
"Test
scores are up some, but not where we want them to be," according to James
Scriber, Superintendent of Claiborne Parish schools. His biggest disappointment
was the IOWA test scores in grades 6, 7 an 9. All scores showed a significant
drop from last year's test scores. Next year, the IOWA test will be changed to
the I-LEAP, making a test comparison to past scores impossible.
Scriber said
IOWA scores in grades 3 and 5 have steadily improved since 1999, from 27
percentile in third grade in 1999 to 54 percentile in 2004; and from 32
percentile in fifth grade in 1999 to 49 percentile in 2005. This means 46% of
third grade students nationwide scored better than Claiborne Parish students in
2005 and 53 percent scored worse.
IOWA test
results for sixth graders in 2005 was 32 percentile, for seventh graders was 38
percentile, and for ninth graders was 34 percentile. In 1999, test results in
sixth grade were at 38 percentile, seventh and ninth grades were both at 37
percentile.
These IOWA test
results show comparison of different classes each year. Tracking test results
since 1999 for ninth grade students shows the same group of kids improved their
scores from 27 in 1999 to 34 in 2005.
"I hope we
are not doing a lot of learning to read but reading to learn," Scriber
said, "I hope we are not saddling our teachers with so much paperwork and
requirements that we do not have time to teach." He believes we should
encourage teachers to teach school, adding, "That is what is going to make
the difference."
Test scores are
available on-line at www.louisianaschools.net.
PAIGE COTHREN, Ole Miss graduate, former NFL player with Eagles and Rams, &
Baptist minister and counselor for 35 years, spoke to the Lions Club July 28.
He shared football stories included in his new book and stories of past games
between Ole Miss, LSU and La. Tech. One chapter was titled, "Why I Hate
LSU Football."
Former NFL Player Speaks To Lions
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Paige Cothren has had a full life—from playing football to teaching to
coaching to preaching to counseling to
writing novels. He graduated from
Natchez High School in 1952, then from 1953 to 1956,
he played football at the University of Mississippi. By the end of his college
career, he held all the national collegiate field goal records, in addition to
many other awards. In 1988, he was inducted into the University of Mississippi
Athletic Hall of Fame. After college, Cothren went on
to play three seasons with the National Football League, for the Los Angeles
Rams (1957-58) and the Philadelphia Eagles in 1959.
Three of his
uncles, Buster, Ray, and Barney Poole, all played at Mississippi. He said the Pooles are a family rich in football tradition. In those
days, football was a tougher sport. He recalled how players had to be
"hurt", not "hurting" to come out of a game. By hurt, he
meant broken and showing. Players played both ways, without a face mask, and
many times with broken noses.
Ford Museum Looking For Info
On Early Schools, Black And White
Education has
always been important to the citizens of Claiborne Parish. John Murrell hired
the first school teacher to teach children in Claiborne Parish in 1822 for $15
a month. Before consolidation in the 1920s, there were approximately 70 schools
located in various communities. The majority of these schools were for black
children. In the process of redoing one
of the walls in Mr. Haley's Education Room at the museum, the Ford Museum is
gathering as much history, photographs, and artifacts concerning these early
schools as possible.
Anyone with
information concerning any of the following schools is asked to please call
Linda Volentine at 927-9190. Black schools were
Sexton, Relief, Ward's Chapel, New Home, Good Springs, Gordon, Colquitt, Haynesville,
St. James, Bethel, Spring Grove, Fellowship, Pleasant Grove, Cherokee, St.
Paul, Mt. Sinai, Mt. Calm, Oak Grove, Pine Hill, Mt. Obie,
Mt. Olive, Shady Grove, Wafer Chapel, Mt. Tabor, Blackburn, Friendship, Beach
Hill, White Oak Grove, Chatham, Forest Grove, Mt. Pisgah, St. Rest, Buck
Bottom, Salem, Gum Grove, Homer, Liberty Hill, Mt. Pleasant, Providence, Rocky
Mountain, Oil Field, Rogers, Bamaville, Rogers Mill,
St. Mark, Moreland, Bennett Grove, St. John, Point Pleasant, Cedar Grove,
Kimble, Mt. Superior, Richland, Walthall, Athens, St. Luke, Good Hope, Pleasant
Valley, Calhoun, Frazier, Hurricane, and Antioch. White schools were
Haynesville, Harris, Athens, Homer, Cross Roads, Hurricane, Lisbon, and
Summerfield.
Meeting Set To Address Vegetation Problem
On Corney Lake
A meeting will
be held Tuesday, September 6 at 10 AM at the Homer Police Station to discuss
the vegetation problem on Corney Lake. Richard Wright
from U.S. Congressman Jim McCrery's office will be there to discuss what action
should be taken. For more information, call Jeff Brown at 624-0338.
