Man Arrested For Home Invasion, Kidnapping

A home invasion of an Athens residence last week led to the arrest of a Bienville parish man. Prentis Spencer, 24, of Gibsland was arrested Thursday, December 7 and charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery and unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.

The Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Officer received a call Wednesday evening, December 6, about 11:45 PM from Robert E. Coliston of 15523 Hwy. 9 in Athens. He reported someone had “kicked in” the front door of his residence. Deputies Brian Pepper, Randy Pugh and Roger Ellerbe responded to the call. Upon arrival, Coliston reported his daughter, Janet Coliston, had recently had trouble with a former boyfriend whom he identified as Prentis Spencer.

Spencer apparently had come to the residence about 7:30 PM on Wednesday and caused a disturbance. He was asked to leave and not return. Coliston left for work around 11:30 PM. A short time later, he called his residence. When no one answered the phone, he notified the Sheriff’s Office of the situation and reported his daughter, Janet, and her three children missing.

Deputies obtained information that the victims were believed to be at a residence in Arcadia. Deputy Pepper notified the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office. Claiborne Parish deputies, along with Claiborne Parish CID (Criminal Investigative Division) Detective Duffy Gandy, met with the Arcadia Police Department and Bienville Parish deputies at an apartment complex in Arcadia. Spencer and the four victims were located at a residence in the complex.

Law enforcement officials were able to control the situation. Spencer was arrested on an outstanding warrant and booked into the Bienville Parish jail. Further investigation led to additional warrants issued on Spencer for aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, and unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.

Spencer was then transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center where he was served warrants by Detective Gandy on the above warrants. His total bond has been set at $70,000. According to Sheriff Ken Bailey,  the quick response time by the Claiborne and Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Offices, and the Arcadia Police Department resulted in Spencer’s arrest and the safe return of Janet Coliston and her children.

A separate incident led to another arrest on Saturday, December 9 while Deputy Paul Brazzel was working security at an Athens High School basketball tournament. Deputy Brazzel approached several individuals who were engaged in a fight and gave multiple verbal commands for them to stop. He then deployed his Taser X26 in an effort to bring the situation under control.

Kendrick Osayi Oyara, 17, of Homer was arrested for disturbing the peace by fighting. He was read his Miranda rights. While search the subject, Brazzel discovered a paper towel in his right front pocket which contained a green leafy vegetable substance believed to be marijuana. Oyara was transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center where he was booked on the disturbing the peace and possession of marijuana. His bond was set at $500 for each charge.

Police Investigate Burglaries, Accident

The Homer Police Department investigated two burglaries this past week and one accident on North Main in front of First Guaranty Bank last Friday night. Officers were able to make one arrest after receiving a tip regarding the burglary at the Claiborne Electrical Contractors warehouse on West Main Street, formerly the West Main Motors building. A reward is being offered for information on another break-in at Sunrise Bakery on North Main  Street (Hwy. 9) in Homer.

Homer Police officers were called to the Sunrise Bakery on North Main about 7:45 AM Monday morning regarding a burglary which occurred sometime between 11 AM on Sunday, December 10 and 7 AM on Monday, December 11. Someone had apparently broken out a glass in the front door to gain entry to the building. Once inside the burglars cut the cord to the cash register which contained a small amount of cash and removed it from the building. A short time later, officers recovered the cash register after employees at the Town’s wastewater treatment plant noticed ribbon hanging from a tree and discovered the cash register lying on the ground.

Homer officer Keith Ferguson was able to lift fingerprints from the register. The investigation in ongoing. Buddy Minchew is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the burglary.

On Tuesday, December 12, Homer Police officer Keith Ferguson responded to a call received at 6:46 AM regarding a burglary that occurred sometime after dark the previous night at the Claiborne Electrical Contractors warehouse on West Main. After several unsuccessful attempts to enter the adjacent laundromat, the subject finally made his way through a window in the warehouse office where a bucket containing an undetermined amount of quarters for use in the change machine was stolen.

Just before noon Tuesday, Homer Police received a tip. Officers Ferguson, Norah Banks, John Bailey, and Chief Russell Mills proceeded to Piggly Wiggly where they located a person in possession of a bag full or rolled quarters totaling $130. Once at the Police Station, the suspect, Lemunel Trevor Combs, 21, of Homer confessed to the crime, admitting that he had acted alone in the burglary.

Combs was arrested and charged with simple burglary. He was transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center where he was booked, with bond to be set.

Last Friday night, December 6, Homer officers were called to the scene of a one-vehicle accident around 10 PM. After arriving at the scene, Officer Roger Smith discovered a vehicle overturned in the eastbound lane, facing westward. An eyewitness stated the driver had fled the scene on foot. It appeared the vehicle had been traveling eastbound on Hwy. 9 when it struck a street sign, then a light pole which caused it to overturn.

Officers went to the residence looking for the driver of the vehicle, but were unable to locate him. Late the following day, Joe. D. Levingston, 26, of Homer, reported to the Homer Police Department that he had been driving the car, but became scared and disoriented following the accident, and left the scene. Levingston was charged with careless operation and failure to report an accident.

Ordinance Proposed By Jury

For Mandatory Building Code

Police Jury Includes $700,000 For Blacktop Program In 2007

 BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal

The Claiborne Parish Police Jury met in regular session on December 6. On December 12, they held the first of two public hearings to receive public comments on the proposed budget for 2007 and the mandatory statewide building code.

Secretary-Treasurer Dwayne Woodard reported he had attended a public meeting for Act 12 in Union Parish. Fifteen contractors were present, asking how the building code would be implemented and what was the alternative for the affidavit system.

Woodard said, “Under Act 12, the State wants each parish to appoint or hire a building code inspector, which could cost anywhere from $150,000 to $300,000.”

Assistant District Attorneys from several parishes developed an ordinance which is the ordinance being proposed by the Claiborne Police Jury. It would allow the parish to meet Act 12 requirements by using an affidavit system. The homeowner or contractor would come in and sign an affidavit that the new structure would be built to the new code. When completed, they would sign the remaining portion to get a certificate of occupancy. This would only pertain to new structures, public buildings and major renovations. Farm structures and recreational camps would not be included.

Any enforcement would then become a civil matter between them and the Second Judicial Court. The Jury would make no inspections nor would they enforce the code, however lending institutions could require the building code inspection. The Jury will only be a record keeping body. If the Jury chooses to approve the ordinance, it could also be rescinded or amended if needed.

Rep. Rick Gallot said the State does not enough qualified people to inspect. Jerry Adkins said, “Essentially, this is an unfunded mandate.”

Jury President Roy Mardis said the Jury has to be in compliance by December 31, 2006.

Woodard said the repercussion for not approving the code could be an increase in homeowner’s insurance rates. Presently, only eight insurance carriers will write policies in Louisiana and two are threatening to pull out if this ordinance is not approved statewide. This would leave only six companies in Louisiana, compared to 18-24 carriers in other states, which could drive up the cost for homeowner’s insurance.

Davidson said, “I don’t like the fact of the government telling the private person what they have to do.”

Local resident Roe McCasland said he had spoke to 65 people concerning this issue and all but one were opposed to hiring a rural  building inspector.

A public hearing will be held at 10 AM on Thursday, December 14 to address the 2007 Budget and the Act 12. A Special Called Meeting will be held at 10 AM on Wednesday, December 20 to adopt the 2007 Budget and the Ordinance pertaining to building codes required by Act 12.

Dwayne reported the $100,000 equipment grant had been mailed and confirmation had been received. He said it looks like the parish will be approved for the Louisiana Road Safety Grant for  $191,000 to be used to rehabilitate all parish road signs.

Juror Willie Young stated he received word from Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu that the Capitol Outlay grant for $395,000 had been approved. These funds will be used for road improvements on Spigener Road, Lewis Way, and State Line Road. Funds should be received prior to June 30, 2007. In addition, the Jury has budgeted $300,000 for the blacktop program. The Jury has not determined which roads will be included.

                          …. more

Suits Against School Board Dismissed

 BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal

Superintendent James Scriber informed board members during their regular meeting December 7 that  the suit filed against the Claiborne Parish School Board by Carolyn Johnson for age and race discrimination had been dismissed and all court costs were assessed against plaintiff.

Another complaint filed by Mrs. Shine with EEOC, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, for racial discrimination had been dropped at her request.

Scriber told the Board the 13th sales tax check will be paid on Friday. Professional employees will get $2,003.22. Support personnel will get a check for $861.79. This is the second year in a row there was enough sales tax to avoid dipping into the general fund. So far, sales tax collections have not changed much for the School Board.

Last year sales tax collections in November were $259,498. This month they were $263,000. The main reason for the increase is the oil and gas activity. On the other hand, sales tax collections for the Town of Homer were down about $30,000. This is in part due to the closure of Wal-Mart. Scriber said, “I don’t have an answer, but I have still have a lot of questions about the way things were handled.  I still feel free to ask those questions to the appropriate people.”

Sgt. Joshua Madden spent two weeks with his wife, Dani, and their son, 2-month-old Jaxon Levi, before returning to Iraq on December 1. Five days later he was killed by a roadside bomb. Flags in Minden have been lowered to half -staff until the fallen soldier is laid to rest.

Local Soldier Killed In Iraq

 BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal

Every time a soldier is deployed for duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, they are faced with the reality it could be the last time their loved ones will see them alive. It was no different when Sgt. Joshua Barrett. Madden headed back to Iraq on Friday, December 1. He had been granted leave to return home November 15 to meet his new son, Jaxon Levi, who was born September 1 and spend an early Christmas in Athens with his wife,  Dani.

No one knew at the time this would be the first and last time he would hold his son. Just five days after returning for duty in Iraq, the 21-year-old was killed. According to a Department of Defense news release, Madden was one of five Task Force Lightning soldiers who were killed December 6 in Hawijah, Iraq from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb or IED (improvised explosive device) detonated near their vehicle while conducting combat operations in the vicinity of the northern city of Kirkuk.

Madden and three of the soldiers killed that day were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. They were Sgt. Jesse J.J. Castro, 22, of Chalan Pago, American Samoa; Cpl. Jason I. Huffman, 23, of Conover, N.C. and Pfc. Travis C. Krege, 24, of Cheektowaga, N.Y.  The fifth soldier killed was Spc. Yari Mokri, 26, of Pflugerville, Texas, who was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

Josh was a 2003 graduate of Minden High School and the son of Jerry and Cindy Madden of Minden. Josh had been stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii for the past three years, where he married his wife, Aimee Danielle “Dani” Smock, daughter of Andy and Nancy Smock of Athens. This was his second tour of duty in Iraq. Besides his wife, son and parents, he is survived by two brothers, David and Kevin; one sister, Jennifer Benamati; and grandparents, Simon and Dot Madden.

Madden’s body is expected to be flown to Dallas later this week and will be escorted by the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office back to Minden. Tentative funeral arrangements have been set for Saturday, December 16 at First Baptist Church in Minden with burial to follow in the Gardens of Memory Cemetery where the soldier will be honored with a 21-gun salute and the playing of “Taps.”

According to the latest casualty report dated December 12, 2006 on the U.S. Department of Defense  at http://www.defenselink.mil,  2,933 service members who have been killed since the war began in 2003  At least 69 troops were killed in November and 105 in October, which is the most killed in one month since January 2005. 

The Washington Post has a website which lists information and “Faces of the Fallen” of all U.S. service members who died in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom at http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/iraq/

Sheriff Offers Safety Tips For Christmas Shopping

Claiborne Parish Ken Bailey advises holiday shoppers, “Think shopping safety at Christmas!” Shoppers are making their lists and checking them twice, But they are probably neglecting to check their safety. Just how safe is shopping at this time of the year? Perhaps not nearly as safe as people assume it to be, according to Sheriff Bailey, especially if people shop alone.

This time of year has a tendency to attract more shopping-related criminal activity because of larger crowds and extended store hours. These factors, combined with the usual distractions related to shopping, create a more favorable environment for petty thieves and other offenders.

In light of these factors, Sheriff Bailey warns shoppers to be on their guard so that they do not become one of the tens of millions of people a year who are victimized by some sort of criminal activity.

Across the U.S., malls and shopping centers are heightening security measures by hiring additional security personnel and installing surveillance cameras in areas such as parking lots and entrance ways.

“Unfortunately, when shopping, people sometimes have a tendency to become distracted and lose sight of their personal safety,” said Sheriff Bailey. “However, there are several precautions busy shoppers can take to help eliminate their chances of becoming a crime statistic.”

Those safety precautions include:

• Always try to shop with another person. A single shopper is the ultimate target for theft.
• When going shopping, make sure you tell someone where you are going and what time you expect to return home.
• Plan ahead. If you know you are going to return to your car after nightfall, park in a well-lit area. Note your parking place. Parking lots has a tendency to look very different as cars come and go.
• If you are in a store and sense that you are being followed, locate a store employee or security personnel. Be prepared to give them a complete description of the person you suspect.
• If carrying cash, keep it in a front pocket. This makes it more difficult for a pickpocket to remove.
• Store car keys in a pant or jacket pocket. If you purse is stolen, you will still be able to drive home.
• Take only one or two credit cards and a couple of checks with you.
• Make a list of all credit card numbers and the numbers to call in case they are lost or stolen. This will make the incident a lot easier to report.
• If you feel uneasy returning to your car alone, find a security guard and ask him to walk you to your car.
• When returning to your car, check around it and in the back seat.
• Have your car keys in your hand to avoid spending unnecessary time unprotected from the security of your vehicle.

Sheriff Bailey concluded, “Have a safe and joyous holiday season from your Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office.”

“Spirit Of Christmas” Food Drive Ends Friday

BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal

With just days remaining in the Spirit of Christmas Food Drive, more donations are needed to help the 13,000 families targeted to receive assistance this year. In Claiborne Parish, the food drive will end Friday, December 15 when boxes will be packed and delivered.

“Donations have been coming in steadily, but we need more help to reach all those in need,” said Sam Anderson, director of public relations for Brookshire Grocery Company.

All food collected in the Homer area will be distributed to families in Claiborne Parish. Brookshire will donate roasting hen to families assisted through the food drive. Last year, the company provided more than 15,000 hens, more than 110 of those were in Claiborne Parish.

The drive, sponsored by participating Brookshire’s and Super 1 Foods stores, as well as service organizations, including the Homer Lions Club, help families in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi who need assistance during the holiday season. Donations may be made by placing non-perishable food items in the designated containers at the front of the Brookshire’s store. Items in glass jars and homemade goods are not accepted. Bulk items, such as flour and corn meal, should be donated in smaller quantities.

Schools throughout Claiborne Parish schools are collecting food items through their local 4-H clubs. Items can also be dropped off at the First Presbyterian Church by first calling Rev. John McClelland at 927-4804 or 927-3887.

Junior 4-H leaders will collect, sort, and package the food items Friday morning, December 15. Homer Lions Club members with assistance from the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Homer Police Department, and the Haynesville Police Department will deliver boxes Friday afternoon. Persons receiving boxes will need to be home when boxes are delivered.

Homer Golfer And I-Bowl “Sportsman Of The Year” Albert Crews

Albert Crews Named I-Bowl Sportsman Of Year

From local caddy at the Homer Golf Course to Sportsman of the Year, local golfer Albert Crews was named last month by PetroSun Independence Bowl officials as the PetroSun Independence Bowl’s “2006 Sportsman of the Year.”

Crews, 54, of Homer, recently appeared on the Golf Channel’s reality television show, “The Big Break VI”, a show that matched nine men and nine women against one another in “a variety of challenges that test their skills and mental toughness for the right to compete in two Champions Tour and two LPGA Tour events, respectively.”

Crews, who was eliminated from the show on October 31 after a successful run over the past few months, was one of the most unique stories in the show’s history. Crews plays golf cross-handed, meaning his right hand is positioned on top of the left hand when he grips a club, and also taught himself to play the game. He even took 24-hour Greyhound bus trips to mini-tour events.

“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase one of our own for the Sportsman of the Year award,” said PetroSun Independence Bowl Chairwoman Markey Pierre. “A home-grown talent of such caliber is what Albert is, and we are ecstatic to have him as our Sportsman of the Year.”

In 2005, Crews, whose goal is to play on the Champions Tour, qualified for the U.S. Senior Open by making birdie on the final hole to force a playoff and then went on to win the playoff. Crews serves as an associate pastor at the First Ebenezer Baptist Church in Homer. He also works as a concrete mason, a carpenter, and he even lays tile.

“I would like to thank the PetroSun Independence Bowl committee and I greatly appreciate them for naming me the 2006 Sportsman of the Year,” said Crews. “This is by far the most prestigious award that I have received in my golfing career.”

Crews joins an illustrious list of past recipients such as Tim Brando (1992), David Toms (1997), and Meredith Duncan (2001). The award was last given in 2004 to Brock Berlin.

This year’s award will be presented to Crews at the annual Minuteman Luncheon on Wednesday, December 27 at 11:45 AM at Shreveport’s new Convention Center. Tickets for the Minuteman Luncheon are available by calling the bowl office at 318.221.0712 or toll free at 888.414.BOWL (2695) from 8:30 AM-5 PM, Monday through Friday. Tickets for the event are $25 and tables of eight are available for $200.

PetroSun  I-Bowl officials announced December 3 the Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 2006 PetroSun Independence Bowl on Thursday, December 28 at 3:30 PM. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN from Independence Stadium.

Alabama, representing the Southeastern Conference, enters the game with a 6-6 record while Oklahoma State of the Big 12 Conference also owns a 6-6 mark. The Crimson Tide is making its second all-time appearance in Shreveport, having previously beaten Iowa State by a score of 14-13 in the 2001 game. Oklahoma State will also play in the Independence Bowl for the second time. The Cowboys lost 33-16 to Texas A&M in 1981. Alabama and Oklahoma State will be meeting for the first time.

The Crimson Tide is making its 54th all-time bowl game appearance, which leads the NCAA, and the Tide has also won 30 bowl games in school history, which is also tops in college football history. Oklahoma State is playing in a bowl game for the 17th time overall and the first time since a 33-7 loss to Ohio State in the 2004 Alamo Bowl.

Alabama, coming off of a 10-2 campaign in 2005 that ended with a 10-3 win over Texas Tech in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, began the season 3-0. The Tide then lost three conference games by a combined 11 points, including a one-point loss in double-overtime to Western division champion Arkansas. Alabama defeated Ole Miss and Vanderbilt in SEC play and also beat a bowl-bound Hawaii team in its season-opener.

The Cowboys were just seconds away from defeating in-state rival and division champion Oklahoma last weekend at home before losing 27-21, but OSU did defeat North champion Nebraska earlier in the season by a score of 41-29. The Cowboys, like Alabama, also suffered some tough defeats during the season as Oklahoma State lost to Texas A&M by a count of 34-33 in overtime and lost 30-24 to Texas Tech. OSU also picked up key conference wins over Baylor and Kansas during the season.

Tickets for the 2006 PetroSun Independence Bowl as well as Bowl Week event tickets available to the public by calling the Bowl Office at 318.221.0712 or toll free at 888.414.BOWL (2695) or by visiting the bowl’s official web site at www.independencebowl.org.

Christmas Memory Tree

In Memory Of—Given By

A.W. Reed -Alexis Harvey & Janie Boudreaux

Lavelle Reed -Alexix Harvey & Janie Boudreaux

Kirk Womack - Mal & Edith Hausman

James D. Kely - Marie Kelly

Mallory Faith Hicks - Mama & Daddy

Shorty Garcia - Jenny & Guy Morgan

Travis “Buddy” Miller - Lillian Bridwell

Blanche Butler - Lefeaux & Elmore Family

Jeff Butler - Lefeaux & Elmore Family

Nelle & Lawrence Lefeaux -  Lefeaux Family

Bobbye D. Mitchell - Ralph Mitchell

 Debra Renee’ Mitchell - Ralph Mitchell

Mike A. Mitchell - Ralph Mitchell

Ada F. Mitchell - Ralph Mitchell

Tory Lenikko Lewis -Sellus & Magalene Lewis

Charles M. Cathey - Sarah Cathey

Jacqueline Woods - Coleman & Woods Family

Peggy Millican - J. Nell Oliver

Doris Volentine - Joey & Gayle Speer

Opal Speer - Joey & Gayle Speer

Joe Speer - Joey & Gayle Speer

In Honor Of—Given By

Cecil Volentine - Joey & Gayle Speer

To purchase light for Memory Tree, send $5 for each name (“memory” or “honor”) to Claiborne Parish Christmas Festival. 400 West 3rd St., Homer, LA 71040 or take to Miss Lizzies. For information, call 927-9009

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