Martin Luther King Jr. honored in
Claiborne Parish
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
Citizens gathered at the corner of Hill Street and MLK Drive to march in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The march ended at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, where a program in his honor was held.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but
by the content of their character.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
“I Have A Dream…”
Washington, D.C.
August 28, 1963
He had
a dream of equal rights for all.
Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr., named the greatest leader of the Civil Rights Movement,
moved a nation to change its laws and its attitude towards injustice. Using
Christian principles and the principles of Indian Leader Mahatma Gandhi, who
taught a policy of passive resistance, King began a nonviolent movement towards
equality for all.
It is
in that spirit that the United States celebrates his passions and teachings
with a national holiday in his honor. Citizens of Claiborne Parish gathered
Monday evening at Hill Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Homer to
march commemorating the man and his actions.
Ending
at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, an uplifting program was held.
Shreveport Attorney Larry English was the guest speaker.
He
talked about King’s passive resistance techniques, and although they were
passive in nature, the civil rights leader never backed down from his beliefs.
Since his death, he has been portrayed as a conciliator, but he was more
complex than that. He was a man of action and used the passive technique as a
means of agitation.
“We
don’t sing about or talk about that radical King,” English said. “We talk about
the ‘I Have A Dream…’ King. He challenged the powers that be to change…There is
a price to pay when you lead a set of ideals that are bigger than man. Freedom
ain’t free.”
He
challenged those in the audience to pay back what King worked so hard to gain.
Today, at least 30 to 40 percent of blacks are left behind, he said, and it was
time “for us to be the people he challenged us to be.”
“When
you’re fighting for common decency, then everybody has to be involved,” English
said.
In a
letter written April 16, 1963, while in a jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, King explained his techniques.
In “A
Letter from the Birmingham Jail,” he said, “Nonviolent direction seeks to
create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has
constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to
dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of
tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather
shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word ‘tension.’ I have
earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive
nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth.”
According
to the King Center’s website, www.thekingcenter.org, King was born to the Rev.
and Mrs. Martin Luther King, Sr. on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Ga. Licensed
to preach in 1948, his civil rights movement of equality began with the bus
boycott of 1955, where Rosa Parks was the first black woman to sit at the front
of a segregated bus.
“He was
ready, then, early in December 1955, to accept the leadership of the first
great Negro nonviolent demonstration of contemporary times in the United States, the bus boycott described by Gunnar Jahn in his presentation speech in honor
of the laureate,” states his biography from www.nobelprize.org. “The boycott
lasted 382 days. On December 21, 1956, after the Supreme Court of the United States had declared unconstitutional the laws requiring segregation on buses,
Negroes and whites rode the buses as equals. During these days of boycott, King
was arrested, his home was bombed, he was subjected to personal abuse, but at
the same time he emerged as a Negro leader of the first rank.”
He was
assassinated April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, where he died from a gunshot
wound to his neck.
Traveling
more than 6 million miles, giving more than 2,500 speeches, writing 5 books and
numerous articles, his speeches and teachings are now housed and preserved at
The King Center, established in 1968 by his wife, the late Coretta Scott King.
“The King Center is the official, living memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., leader of America’s greatest nonviolent movement
for justice, equality and peace,” the website stated.
Located
in his birthplace of Atlanta, King’s remains are entombed at the center as well
as his life, legacy and teachings through several media outlets including the
written word, his books, CDs, DVDs, photos and film. Not only in this place
will he be remembered for his struggles and triumphs, but he will live on the
memories of those who experienced the social injustices of the country at that
time. He will also live on in the minds of future generations who are taught his
life and legacy.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see
the whole staircase.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
KTBS Channel 3 Highlights Homer,
Claiborne Parish
KTBS Meteorologist Jennifer Gray speaks
to Homer citizens during the Community Caravan held at Homer Seafood Thursday,
January 14. KTBS Reporter Trish Williford interviews Alice Gandy, the Claiborne
Healthcare Foundation’s coordinator. The television news station was in Homer,
Thursday, January 14 with its Community Caravan to find out what’s great about
Homer and Claiborne Parish. Joe Richardson, a Homer resident (pictured right),
speaks with KTBS Reporter Rick Rowe (pictured left) at Homer Seafood Thursday, January
14. Walking into a packed house, the television news station was in Homer with
their Community Caravan.
Story and Photos by Jenni Williams, Staff
Writer
Claiborne
Parish citizens packed the house at Homer Seafood/Pizza Pro last Thursday to
meet and greet with many of KTBS 3’s news anchors and reporters as they visited
the area during the station’s Community Caravan - 3 Listens Community Forum.
The
event is an effort by the team at KTBS 3 to visit communities within a 150-mile
radius around the Shreveport/Bossier City metroplex, communities in which the
station provides news, weather, community events and much more.
As the
first Community Caravan of 2010, Claiborne Parish residents were given a round
of applause by KTBS 3 reporter Rick Rowe, for the standing-room only crowd that
lined the walls of the restaurant.
Citizens
were able to pull up a chair and sit down to have a visit with their reporter
of choice - Jan Elkins, Rick Rowe, Trish Williford, Jennifer Gray or Sherri
Talley.
The
KTBS crew was able to answer many questions and gather lots of ideas on events
going on in the Claiborne Parish area to cover for the news station.
Community Reporter Jan Elkins
opened the question and answer session, breaking the ice by confessing to
attendees that she has been with the station for a little over 200 years. Of
course, not actually, but most of KTBS 3 viewers know who she is and recognize
her for her many years of service with the station.
Elkins
explained that KTBS 3 is the only locally owned news station in the area and
one of very few across the nation that is still locally owned. As a locally
owned station that feels more like a family than the typical work environment,
the purpose of these Community Caravan events is for the KTBS 3 family to go
out and meet your family.
“We
live here, we work here and we want to be a part of your community,” Elkins
said, before turing over the microphone to Jennifer Gray.
Gray,
the morning meteorologist for the station, greeted attendees and spoke a little
about her morning, which was spent at Homer High School with some of the
students. She spent the morning discussing with the students the purpose of
the Community Caravan.
While
speaking to the residents at Homer Seafood, Gray said, “We pride ourselves on
our doplar radar and many other tools we have at the station and we are always
trying to make our station better.
“Don’t
ever be too shy to let us know if you have something you want us to cover,”
Gray concluded. “Send us your ideas and critiques.” Gray handed the microphone
over to Sherri Talley.
Talley,
one of the five and six o’clock news desk anchors, also handles most of the
information broadcast through the station’s website, www.KTBS.com.
“If you
see something newsworthy - anything - community event, a wreck, a child having
fun outside in the weather, just about anything, send the information to us,”
Talley told the citizens. “You be our eyes and ears of your community.”
Talley
also produces ArkLaTex Angels on the last Sunday evening of each month. She can
also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sherritalley and her blog at
www.sherritalley.com
Taking
the floor from Talley with a round of applause for all those attending, Rick
Rowe, KTBS 3 Community reporter, declared Claiborne Parish as number one for the
sheer number of attendees at the lunchtime meeting.
“Way to
go Homer, you guys are number one. We’ve never had a standing-room only crowd!”
Rowe began. “We’re here to get the good news - not just the ugly. We don’t want
just the ‘who’s having an affair with whose wife, who’s suing whom and all that
ugliness’. We want the good stuff, too.”
“I want
the Promise of Hope stories - how God has worked in people’s lives. In some way
or another, I bet everyone in this room has been impacted by God,” he
continued. “That’s the type of story I want to share. Good news, about good
people, doing good things.”
The
Promise of Hope segments are shown on KTBS 3 twice a month on Sunday evenings.
Rowe
turned the mike over to Trish Williford for some on-air interviews with area
residents.
Williford,
laughingly took over the microphone, immediately grabbing Claiborne resident
Floy Ebarb, “Mrs. Ebarb, you were so happy to see us, you showed up yesterday!”
Williford exclaimed. Ebarb replied, “My daddy told me never to be late for anything
- especially to church!”
Ebarb
and husband, Leo, while at Homer Seafood with plenty of time to spare on
Thursday, mixed up the dates and showed up on Wednesday to take part in the
event.
First up to answer questions
on-air from Williford was local businessman and Claiborne Chamber of Commerce
member J.T. Taylor, who spoke of the growth Claiborne Parish is experiencing
with the new tire business being constructed on Hwy. 79 north of Homer and the
Homer Bypass currently under construction south of Homer.
Alice
Gandy, Claiborne Healthcare Foundation Coordinator, was on camera next,
explaining the million dollar remodeling recently done at Homer Memorial Hospital and the positive impact the remodel can have on the community.
The
KTBS 3 crew continued around the parish for the remainder of the afternoon and
shot live from the Claiborne Parish Courthouse lawn during the five and six o’clock news casts.
The
KTBS 3 Community Caravan - 3 Listens Community Forum was so well attended,
many familiar faces could be seen among the crowd including Sheriff Ken Bailey,
Mayor David Newell, Police Chief Russell Mills and many other local leaders in
the parish.
Homer man arrested in Minden
Minden
Detectives Dan Weaver and Marvin Garrett arrested a Homer native Thursday
multiple drug infractions.
Jermaine
Abbott, 33, of the 500 block of Armory Drive, was arrested on two outstanding
warrants issued by the Homer Police Department for two counts of distribution
of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) Schedule II (crack cocaine.) At the
time of his arrest, Minden filed an additional charge of possession of a CDS
Schedule II (crack cocaine) with intent to distribute.
“Minden narcotics detectives Dan Weaver and Marvin Garrett received information that Abbott
was in town,” said Bloxom. “Aware that he had outstanding warrants issued out
of Homer, the detectives went to a residence on Brooks Street where they made
contact with Abbott and placed him under arrest.”
At the
time of his arrest, Abbott was found to be in possession of 3.6 grams of crack
cocaine, resulting in the additional charge of possession with intent by the Minden department.
The
crack cocaine had an estimated street value of $360.
He is
currently incarcerated at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center. He also has a hold
placed on him by Homer Police.
Reprinted
with permission from the Minden Press-Herald.
Homer fugitive caught
The Guardian-Journal
Minden authorities have finally caught up with a wanted
fugitive – a Homer native.
Jerry
Allen, 31, of the 600 block of Greer Road in Homer, was arrested Wednesday,
January 13 and charged with five counts of bank fraud.
In a
story published in the Minden Press-Herald, Allen was finally apprehended in Arlington, Texas. On January 4, his story was published as a Most Wanted individual in the Minden paper which led to a tip that he might be in Texas. Minden authorities then
contacted the U.S. Marshal’s Office in Shreveport, who in turn notified the
Marshal’s office in Arlington.
According
to the story, Allen was under surveillance for two days to verify his identity,
then arrested on the above charges.
According
to reports, Allen was a wanted fugitive for these crimes. In October 2008,
Jerry Allen allegedly deposited a check bearing another person’s name into his
personal checking account. The check in question was written on an account that
had been closed for two years. Minden detectives say afterwards, Allen made
cash withdrawals totaling $1,300 from his account using an automatic teller
machine (ATM).
He is
currently incarcerated in Arlington, where authorities are waiting for him to
sign a waiver of extradition.
Woman charged with forgery
The Guardian-Journal
A Monroe woman was arrested on theft and forgery charges after stealing checks from a
Claiborne Parish resident.
According
to the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, on Monday, January 11, Amy Marie
Hill, 24, of Monroe, was arrested and charged with theft, bond set at $500, and
forgery, bond set at $10,000.
According
to a press release, Hill stole three checks from a Claiborne Parish resident
along with $5 cash. Two of the checks were cashed. One check was written to
Dixie Mart in Athens for $18.59, and the other check was written to Murphy in Monroe for $53.67. One check was destroyed.
Dixie
Mart supplied surveillance video from the time of the transaction of the check,
and Hill was identified as the person who wrote that check.
Hill
was brought to the Criminal Investigation Division of the sheriff’s office for
questioning. After an investigation into the matter, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s
Detective Randy Smith arrested Hill. She admitted to stealing the checks and
cash out of the victim’s purse.
Hill
was booked into the Claiborne Parish Women’s Facility on the above charges.
Voter canvassing underway
Claiborne
Parish Registrar of Voters is conducting the annual canvass of registered
voters in the parish.
The
canvass is conducted annually by law to verify the addresses of those voters
who the United States Post Office National Change of Address system cannot
confirm.
If you
receive an identification card or an address confirmation card, please take
time to look at the information. If changes need to be made, make the changes
and mail back to the Registrar.
For any
questions, please call the Claiborne Parish Registrar of Voters Office at
927-3332.
Claiborne
Parish will be having an important election this fall. Voters need to be sure
that their address, name and party are correct before these elections. These
items could effect where you vote. This is why it is important to participate
in the canvass and have your driver’s license or picture identification
correct.
The
Office of Motor Vehicles can change your address free of charge. For more
information, please call the Registrar of Voters Office at 927-3332.
Please welcome Homer’s first 2010 baby!
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
New parents Kayla Dison and Jaroderick
Harper welcome their first son into the world. Jalynn James Harper, born at
12:50 p.m. Tuesday, January 19, was 6 lbs. 12 ounces and was 18 inches long.
Maternal grandparents are Phillip and Tammy Schipplock of Homer. Paternal
grandparents are Woosie Warren and Sue Baby Harper, of Homer.
‘Making the Most of the Pieces’
Teddy Allen to be featured speaker at
annual chamber banquet
The Guardian-Journal
The
Claiborne Chamber of Commerce will be presenting its 45th annual banquet on
Monday, January 25, at 6:30 p.m. at the Claiborne Parish Fair Complex in
Haynesville. The theme for the evening will be “Making the Most of the Pieces,”
and the featured speaker and honored guest will be Teddy Allen.
For
many years, Teddy Allen worked for the Shreveport Times as a well-known
columnist and reporter. Growing up, Teddy spent several years in Homer while
his father was preaching at First Baptist Church. Teddy’s perspective of
growing up in Claiborne Parish and living in North Louisiana will be
interesting and entertaining.
Banquet
reservations are available for $35 per person. All reservations must be paid in
advance to confirm seating. Reservations will NOT be available at the door the
night of the event. Seating is limited to 400 people, so you need to return
your reservation card as soon as possible. Business dress shall be appropriate
for the evening.
As in
prior years, sponsorship opportunities are available. All sponsors will be
recognized at the banquet and will be listed in the event program. The various
sponsorship levels and benefits are as follows:
Diamond
Sponsor: $1,000 receives special recognition, 12 tickets and reserved tables.
Platinum
Sponsor: $700 receives 8 tickets and a reserved table.
Gold
Sponsor: $400 receives 4 tickets and a reserved table.
Silver
Sponsor: $200 receives 4 tickets and reserved seating.
Bronze
Sponsor: $100 receives 2 tickets and reserved seating.
On your
reservation card, please list the names of the people who will be attending the
banquet. Please check the designated box on the card for those who are
interested in being a banquet sponsor, or contact the chamber office at
318-927-3271.
H1N1 vaccine now available at Health
Unit
The
H1N1 flu vaccine is now available at the Claiborne Parish Health Unit for
everyone. There is no charge for this.
Shots
will be given on a daily basis (excluding the second and fourth Mondays of each
month) between the hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Claiborne Parish Health
United, located at 624 West Main Street in Homer. For more information, please
call 927-6127.
A Lesson in History
Lions 8-L District Governor speaks to
Homer Club
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The Homer
Lions Club got a lesson in its own history.
Lions
District 8 Governor Don Brown spoke to the club Thursday and gave a few
statistics about the district and the Homer Club – and some of it was not all
good news.
For
instance, District 8, of which the Homer Lions Club belongs to, the number of
members has dropped in the last five years.
“We’re
in danger of losing a district,” he said. “As a district governor, I am charged
with having 35 clubs and 1,250 members. When I took over, we had 31 clubs and
1,100 members. Why is it important to Homer? We lose a district, the next thing
you know we lose two districts. You know, our district used to have 2,000
members, and today, we have 1,100 members.
“Believe
me, there are a lot of people out there that would make great Lions,” Brown
said, encouraging the group to focus more on increasing its membership.
Homer’s
club has only three new members this year. Over the last five years, the Homer
Lions Club has recruited 32 new members.
“We’d
like to grow, and it’s hard to grow when we’re losing members,” he said. “In
the same five years, you’ve lost 40 members. On June 30, 2005, you were at 67 members, and today, you’re at 54. I implore you to look around and find people
to join your club.”
The
district has lost 999 members in five years, Brown said.
“We
recruited 718 members over the last five years, but we’ve lost about 1,000,” he
said. “We can’t keep doing that.”
The
district is averaging 144 new members a year over the last five years, and it’s
dropped 200 members per year.
The
good news is the Homer Lions Club is going strong increasing its membership.
The issue is retention, Brown said.
Another
tidbit Brown said is that four past district governors have come from this
district.
The
Homer Lions Club was chartered in 1926, making this Lions Club almost 85 years
old and the third oldest club in the district. The Shreveport Downtown Lions
Club is the oldest club in the district, chartered in 1914. The original Lions
Club didn’t actually begin until 1917, but the Shreveport Club, at that time,
was the Shreveport Business Club.
The
second oldest club is the Haynesville Lions Club. In 1918, Louisiana became a
part of District 5, and in 1922, Louisiana became District 8 by itself. At that
time, Brown said, there were only three clubs, the Shreveport Downtown Club,
the Monroe Club and the New Orleans Club.
On June 30, 1925, Lionism truly began at a Lions Convention when Helen Keller challenged
Lions to become “knights of sight.”
“From
that point forward, Lions Clubs had a mission, and we’ve fulfilled it ever
since,” Brown said.
In
other Lions Club news, Heather Broussard, a representative of the Louisiana
Association for the Blind (LAB), also gave a brief address of the organization
and what it does.
According
to the literature she handed out, the association provides jobs to the blind or
those who have very low vision.
“LAB is
committed to providing employment opportunities and choices for people who are
blind through the manufacturing of products,” the brochure states. “LAB provides
jobs to people who are legally blind, in the fields of manufacturing, clerical,
rehabilitation and retail sales.”
Broussard
said some of the products they make is copy paper.
“Some
people would say brooms, because that’s what they started out making back in
1927 when the Lions Club in Shreveport founded us,” she said. “That’s how long
we’ve been around.”
Today,
their Shreveport facility manufactures copy paper, index cards and wrapping
paper. In their other Shreveport facility, other types of copy paper are made
such as different colors and sizes of copy paper. They also do what’s called
safety walk, peel-n-stick, which is an abrasive, sandpaper type material that
is placed inside a bath tub or a ramp.
This
material is also used on various vehicles such as boats and ships, and it’s
also sold to the military as well.
Currently,
their facilities employ about 130 people, and they have a rehabilitation center
as well as a store where military uniforms are sold as well as other
“blind-made” products.
“Our main
purpose is to continue growing at the rate that we are so that we can continue
employ blind people and provide services,” she said. “One new thing that we’re
also doing is offering a new outreach program which will teach independent
living skills” and other things.
For
more information on this organization or their facilities and programs, please
call 318-635-6471. LAB’s administrative office is located at 1750 Claiborne Avenue in Shreveport.
DARE graduation slated for January 28
The Guardian-Journal
DARE
students will graduate next Thursday, January 28, at 6:30 p.m. Graduation ceremonies will be held at the Homer High School Auditorium.
The
DARE program was started in 1983 with the idea of helping kids stay drug and
alcohol free. Over the past 12 weeks, DARE students have worked hard to make
good decisions and stay drug free.
The
Claiborne Parish School System and the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office has
always supported the DARE program and will continue to do so. Every year, a
DARE graduation is held to show these kids the love and support they deserve.
These
graduations used to be held at each school during school hours. Because of
this, a large number of parents could not attend the graduation because of work
or other obligations. Holding the graduation also interrupted the daily
activity of school.
Instead
of holding the graduations at each school during school hours, it was decided
to host a parish-wide graduation. This was done in hopes of making it more
convenient for everyone to attend the graduation. Please feel free to invite
all family and friends.
A few
days before ceremonies, each DARE student will be given a DARE t-shirt. Parents
are asked to please make sure their child is wearing his or her DARE shirt
along with uniform trousers during the graduation.
For
more information or for those who have questions, please call your child’s
school.
