Cross-burner sentenced to four years
Sentence includes three years of
supervised release
TIFFANY FLOURNOY, Special to The
Guardian-Journal
A
31-year-old Minden man has been sentenced by a federal court for hate crime
violations and obstruction of justice charges in connection with a
cross-burning incident.
Daniel
Earl Danforth is set to serve four years in prison and three years of
supervised release for the federal crime he allegedly carried out with others near
the home of an interracial Athens couple.
The
sentence was handed down in federal court Thursday.
The
case stems back to 2008. Danforth, who is Caucasian, was indicted by a federal
jury on September 30, 2009, and later convicted for the cross-burning crime in
January.
Danforth
was convicted on a civil rights conspiracy, use of fire in the commission of a
federal felony and obstruction of justice in connection with the 2008
cross-burning.
According
to the U.S. Department of Justice, Danforth and his co-conspirators, driven by
hatred, threatened an Athens family with violence, “simply because they
associated with persons of another race.”
“Driven
only by bigotry and hate, the defendant threatened members of his own family
with violence because they associated with persons of another race,” said
Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division.
“Incidents of this kind have no place in this country, and they are a reminder
of the civil rights challenges we still face in 2010.”
According
to FBI reports, around October 24, 2008, Danforth and two of his cousins built,
erected, and burned a cross near the Athens home of another cousin and her
African-American boyfriend (now husband) and other relatives.
Reportedly,
the cross was posted adjacent to the victims’ home in order to intimidate them.
Days
later, Danforth reportedly telephoned a relative, who was residing with the
victims and directed her to the location of the burned cross.
Allegedly,
after learning that the FBI was investigating the case as a possible civil
rights violation, the defendant and his co-conspirators removed the burned
cross.
On
April 28, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Danforth’s
cousin, Joshua James Moro, for his participation in the civil rights
conspiracy.
This story was reprinted with permission from the
Minden-Press-Herald.
Mayor resigns
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Homer
Mayor David Newell has resigned.
Effective
Tuesday, June 1, the Town of Homer no longer has a mayor until one is
appointed, said Town Attorney Jim Colvin.
Secretary
of State Press Secretary Jacques Berry confirmed Newell’s resignation.
According
to Louisiana law, the town has 10 days after the resignation becomes effective
to appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the November elections.
Currently,
District 2 Councilman Michael Wade serves as mayor pro tempore, which means in
the mayor’s stead, he will conduct the town’s regular monthly meeting as well
as any business that falls under the job description of the mayor.
According
to the secretary of state’s website, the resignation notice is given to the
governing authority required by law. Then, as required, the town will have to
make an appointment to fill the vacancy and call a special election to fill the
vacancy if one is necessary.
However,
if there is less than one year left on an unexpired term of an elected
official, the appointed person will fill the position until the next election,
which in this case will be November.
“The
council will appoint a new mayor until this fall’s election,” Colvin said.
The
council is expected to meet on Monday, June 7, at 6 p.m. in council chambers located at the Homer Police Station.
As of
press time, Newell could not be reached for comment.
Last
month, Newell’s seat was declared vacant because he did not meet the residency
requirements of his office. He confirmed that he has a house in Haughton, where
he moved his girls to schools in Bossier Parish.
According
to Claiborne Parish Tax Assessment records, Newell does not have homestead
exemption in this parish; however, Tax Assessor Bob Robinson said Newell filed
for homestead exemption in Bossier Parish.
The
next week, Newell announced his plans to resign in a story in The Shreveport
Times, where he said he was “tired of politics.” The former mayor has taken a
beating in the last several months over dealings with Homer Memorial Hospital and other issues.
In
April, Former Hospital Chairman Buddy Pixley was removed as the mayor’s
representative on the board. But Pixley says he was removed from that position.
Not long after that, Hospital Administrator Doug Efferson resigned in the wake
of Pixley’s removal/resignation. Then, just a few weeks ago, Claiborne
Healthcare Foundation Coordinator Alice Gandy turned in her resignation. When
interviewed, she would not give a reason why she resigned, but she emphatically
stated she would do whatever she could as a private citizen to support the
foundation.
Traffic stops yield drug busts
The Guardian-Journal
On May
30, Claiborne Parish Deputy J.T. Williams was running routine traffic patrol
and stopped a vehicle for running a stop sign.
Deputy
Aaron Christian arrived to assist and ran K-9 Officer Rico on the vehicle. Rico
alerted on the driver’s side door rear seam of the vehicle. Deputies searched
the vehicle and found shake and marijuana seeds inside. Williams then retrieved
a clear cellophane bag with suspected marijuana inside it from Tiffany Richard,
23, of Dubach.
Richard
was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana with bond set at $500.
On the same
day, in an unrelated incident, Deputy Steve Harbour initiated a traffic stop on
a vehicle for failure to stop at an intersection.
Christian
arrived on scene to assist, and ran Rico on the vehicle. The search of the
vehicle resulted in the finding of a grinder used for marijuana and several
pieces of marijuana in small amounts.
Harbour
arrested the driver, Kerry Carnell Johnson, 29, of Arcadia, and charged him
with disobeying stop/yield signs, possession of marijuana and possession of
drug paraphernalia. Bond is to be set.
In a
separate incident, on May 29, Deputy Roger Ellerbe observed a vehicle fail to
stop at a stop sign. K-9 Deputy Aaron Christian was on scene and deployed his
K-9 Partner Rico on the vehicle which resulted in the discovery of a cigar
containing marijuana in the front passenger door pocket where Latara A.
Richard, 26, of Castor, was seated.
Richard
advised that the cigar containing marijuana was hers, as well as, a small clear
plastic bag of marijuana in the pocket inside a purse that was located on the
front seat passenger floorboard.
Richard
was placed under arrest and charged with possession of Schedule I marijuana
with bond set at $500.
The
driver of the vehicle was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign.
Housekeeping still an issue at HMH
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Homer Memorial Hospital’s
board is still dealing with the housekeeping issue that has kept many up in
arms for the last several months.
In a
special called meeting last Tuesday, William Crowell, vice president of the central
division of Hospital Housekeeping Services, was on hand to answer questions the
board had, among them, why the hospital has no overnight shift coverage.
Interim
Administrator Ginger Smith said she’d received complaints that the nurses and
staff in the emergency room were having to clean rooms after a trauma patient
or each patient seen in the ER.
Some of
the complaints Smith received also included chemicals in use, cost of service
and safety issues. The main issue was they don’t have personnel coverage from 12 p.m. until 7 a.m.
“Before
they came in, they had at least one male worker in housekeeping, and it’s now
leaving the hospital with only one male at the hospital working the entire
shift,” Smith said. “Not only is that a safety issue, but we did not have
someone to clean the rooms or clean the ER after we have trauma patients.
Currently, the nurses are having to clean between patients.”
According
to Crowell, the contract does not cover overnight shifts, however, the last
shift was set to end at 1:30 a.m. each morning – of which the employee on that
shift was clocking out at 12:30 a.m. Crowell indicated that in conversations
with former administrator Doug Efferson, he understood there was to be no
overnight coverage.
To
satisfy the hospital’s needs within the boundaries of the contract, Crowell
said he was willing to work with the board to get the coverage they needed,
because they mainly need trash removal and assistance if needed.
“I can
move one to overnight, but if you do more than floor care, additional staff
will be needed,” Crowell told the board, which would in turn raise the fees the
hospital already pays.
In the
hospital’s last financial report, it stated the cost they were paying prior to
the contract with HHS was $337,432.16 per year, and the current price with the
company is now $428,328 per year, which is a $90,895 difference.
In the
end, Crowell and Smith are to continue negotiations and get the issue worked
out.
Last
year, Efferson called HHS due to some issues the hospital was having with
housekeeping. Patients were complaining about the cleanliness of the rooms and
other areas of the hospital. The idea, Efferson said last year, was to bring
this company in and teach the housekeeping department more efficient ways to
keep the hospital clean up to standards. In turn, the employees would become
employees of HHS and not the hospital. Those employees, even though they work
for HHS would still stay at Homer Hospital with benefits included.
Even
then, some board members were not aware of how the current contract was set up,
instead, relying on Efferson to handle the negotiations. Board Chairman Wesley
Emerson voiced his concern and said he – along with others – would keep a
closer eye on what the actual paperwork says.
“What
we have is flat not satisfactory,” said Emerson. “We have to figure out
something.”
In
other housekeeping news, Smith mentioned housekeeping services for the
outpatient clinic, which will be an additional cost. The interim administrator
said there would be an additional cost, which would be cleaning the office
after each patient, and the company should get back with the hospital with the
exact cost soon.
The
board also discussed HealthSouth. Currently, the lab work is going to another
facility, and the hospital does not get the results, Smith said. Before, the
hospital was doing all the lab work and it was showing up immediately in the
electronic medical record. Physicians had access to the results immediately and
they could look at it from their office.
“It was
just like continuity of patient care,” Smith said. “We looked at it, and as far
as the contract, it would be a win-win situation. All the physicians have
requested that we do this.”
The
board approved a motion for the Health South contract plus Medicare costs plus
20 percent. It’s about 20 percent above what Medicare reimburses, Smith said.
“I
looked at the cost of us doing the tests plus what Medicare reimburses, and all
but one test perform would be making a profit. The highest requested test we
do, we’re making a profit on,” she said.
Homer Hospital is also
adding to its ER personnel. Dr. David Tyler will be replacing Camille Wise, the
nurse practitioner who’s working the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. shift in the emergency
room on Monday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
In
other hospital news, Fred Young was appointed as Mayor David Newell’s
representative on the hospital board.
Also,
in the current organizational chart, there were concerns in that the nurse
manager being made the administrative director and four vacant spots in four
departments including central supply, dietary, housekeeping and purchasing
departments. There is no manager at this time. Before, these departments were
managed by the chief operations officer who was not replaced. Also, there is a
change with the nurse that is working in the outpatient clinic to be moved
under the surgery director. In regards to the director of medical record
department, the board approved a motion that the director also become their
compliance officer and take it out from under human resources.
According
to Board Member George Tigner, these suggested changes are in line with trying
to stay in line with compliance issues. The chain of command would fall where
it should. It’s very possible that when they hire a new administrator they may
want to make some changes to meet their operational style, Tigner said.
Smith
has indicated that while she is interim administrator, this is the way she
thinks it needs to be and encouraged the board to approve this.
The COO is a position they had and did not refill. The job description will be looked at before the
position is filled. Asked if they had someone in mind, Board Member Alecia
Smith and the interim administrator said it would have to be followed under
their regular procedure. It has to be treated as a regular hire position.
The
motion to approve these changes was approved.
‘Kids Fishing Derby’ slated for June 26
The
Kisatchie National Forest, Caney Ranger District, would like to announce the
upcoming event at Corney Lake, “Kids Fishing Derby,” which will be held
Saturday, June 26, 2010, at the Corney Lake Recreation Area.
The
event will be held from 9 until 11 a.m. Participants must be 15 years or under
and accompanied by a responsible adult (18 years or older). There will be no
charge to participate, and if needed, bait will be furnished. Registration
forms are available at the Caney Ranger District Office in Homer. Participants
can also register the day of the event.
Lunch
will be provided to all participants.
Prizes
will be given to every participant. Corney Lake is located in the Summerfield
area on La. 9. There will be directional signs the day of the event. For
additional information, please call the Caney Ranger District at 318-927-2061.
Bypass construction moves to next phase
The Guardian-Journal
Construction
of the Homer Bypass is moving along.
J.T.
Taylor, who has been a staunch advocate of the bypass, said the next phase of
construction should begin within the second week of June. The entire project
should be completed by January 2011, weather permitting, and this includes
paving work at La. Hwy. 2, U.S. Hwy. 79 and La. Hwy. 9.
The
total mileage of the project is approximately 8.279 miles, worth $6.9 million,
all state funds.
The
Louisiana Department of Transportation (DOTD) is constructing the bypass, also
known as La. Hwy. 3244, from U.S. 79, south of Homer to La. 2, north of Homer.
This part of the project will add embankments and drainage structures. The work
was awarded to Eutaw Construction Company of Jackson, Miss., for $5.8 million.
That phase of construction was completed by spring 2009.
Once
complete, the paving contract will be let to complete the southwest part of the
bypass.
Four
major highways – U.S. 79, La. 2, La. 9, and La. 146 – all meet in Homer.
Currently, the only route to go through town is to circle around The Square in
Homer.
“The
bypass will relieve congestion and improve safety,” Taylor said.
In
other news, Taylor just received an update on the I-69 project, specifically on
SIU 14, which extends from El Dorado, Ark., to I-20, just west of Minden.
URS submitted the Preliminary Final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for SIU 14 to the Federal Highway Administration on February 12
of this year. This was done through LADOTD and AHTD. URS expected a response
after 30 days, but no such response has occurred to date on this legal review
of the impact statement.
URS also has pending the final Wetland Delineation and
concurrence on the Preferred Alternative from the USACE Vicksburg District.
URS has also received comments from AHTD, has submitted
responses to those comments and received a comment response clearance or
approval from AHTD.
LADOTD
has made a statement that they have no comments, so that is clearance from
them.
Taylor said District 4 Congressman John Fleming has this
information at his Washington D.C. office, and he plans to ask the congressman
to talk to members of the Federal Highway Commission about speeding up the
process.
“I am
resolved to see this project through,” Taylor said, “and I hope others will
remain encouraged as such information on progress is made available.”
Homer PD has busy Memorial Day weekend
The Guardian-Journal
A Homer
man was arrested for theft over $500 after he allegedly took several valuable
items from someone’s home and pawned the items.
Ragan
W. Lowe, 33, was arrested by the Homer Police Department and charged with theft
over $500 with bond set at $10,000.
According
to reports, on Thursday, April 22, Ricky Tabor came to the Homer Police
Department in reference to a theft. Officer Steve Risner, who investigated the
case, contacted Tabor in reference to some missing jewelry. According to
reports, Tabor told police he believed his stepson, identified as Lowe, had
taken the items.
Police
say later in the day, Tabor contacted them again because he’d found Lowe and
were on their way to the two pawn shops where the jewelry was pawned. The owner
of the pawn shop in Minden admitted to officers the jewelry was pawned at his
place of business but was unaware the jewelry was stolen.
On May
27, Lowe was arrested on the above charges.
In an
unrelated incident, an Arkansas man was charged with a DWI and open container
after a traffic stop for driving on the fog line and speeding.
According
to reports, Chaundrae R. Hart, 33, of El Dorado, was stopped north of The
Square in Homer after Officer Van McDaniel observed him speeding and driving on
the fog line. Upon initiating the stop, police say, McDaniel made contact with
Hart, allegedly detecting the odor of alcohol coming from his person.
Reports
say Hart performed poorly on a series of field sobriety tests and refused to
continue testing. Hart was then placed under arrest.
Once at
the police station, Hart also refused to take the breathalyzer test, at which
point he was booked and transferred to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center. Bond was set at $750 on the DWI and $500 for the open container charge.
Officer
Thomas Davis was also an investigating officer in this case.
In
other crime news, on Saturday, May 29, Jamarcea Harrison, 29, of Homer, was
arrested on several charges.
Harrison was arrested and charged with DWI, with bond set at
$750, resisting an officer, with bond set at $500, disturbing the peace, with
bond set at $500, and disobeying stop/yield signs, with bond set at $500.
According
to reports, Harrison was allegedly seen failing to stop at the stop sign on Hudd Drive and Lee Nellums Street. Officers Van McDaniel, Thomas Davis and Mike Rimsky
initiated a traffic stop at Coleman and Scott Streets, and upon contact,
officers detected the odor of alcohol coming from his person.
Field
sobriety tests were conducted where Harrison is said to have performed poorly. Harrison was placed under arrest, and as McDaniel began to put the suspect in the patrol
unit, police say he began to pull away from the officer. He was subdued, then
transported to the Homer Police Station for further testing.
Once at
the police station, reports say Harrison refused the breathalyzer test and
became very agitated. He was advised that if he continued cursing at the
officers, he would be charged with obscenities. Harrison reportedly calmed
down.
In an
unrelated incident, on Sunday, May 30, Homer Officers Mario Thomas, Van
McDaniel and Shane Huffstetler all assisted in a traffic stop which resulted in
the arrest of an Arkansas man.
Curtis
Yates, 29, of Emerson, Ark., was arrested and charged with simple possession of
marijuana with bond set at $500, and speeding, with bond set at $500.
According
to reports, Thomas conducted a traffic stop, and after making contact with
Yates, the officer noted the appearance of impairment.
At that
time, the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotic K-9 Officer Rico was
brought to the scene, where he alerted on the passenger side of the vehicle.
A
search of the vehicle revealed a bag with a small amount of a green leafy
substance inside. Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Christian also found
an empty pill bottle containing the same green leafy substance.
At that
time, Yates was placed under arrest and transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center.
Another
Homer man was arrested on DWI charges after Thomas stopped his vehicle for
failing to stop at a stop sign.
A
background check of Harold Wafer, 61, revealed that his registration had also
expired.
He was
booked at the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for DWI with bond set at $750,
disobeying stop/yield signs, with bond set at $500, and no license plate on
vehicle, with bond set at $500.
Stop leads to drug charges
On May
28, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Roger Ellerbe observed a vehicle with a
head lamp not functioning on the passenger’s side and a tail lamp not
functioning properly on the driver’s side.
Ellerbe
initiated a traffic stop and found the driver to be Jason Doolin, 32, of El Dorado, Ark. Upon requesting the proper paperwork, Ellerbe discovered Doolin had a
suspended driver’s license, had failed to register the vehicle he was driving
and had switched license plates.
Deputy Steve Harbour was on
scene to assist.
Deputies
noted a strong odor of alcoholic beverages and the odor of suspected marijuana
emitting from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of
a metal pipe used for smoking marijuana and a cigar containing marijuana on the
front passenger seat along with an open container of alcohol in the passenger
side door pocket. The passenger was found to be Jeffery D. Burns, 22, of Smackover, Ark. and a small jar containing marijuana was located on his person.
Doolin
was placed under arrest by Ellerbe and charged with headlamps on motor vehicles
required with bond set at $500, driving under suspension with bond set at $500,
switched license plates with bond set at $500, failure to register plates with
bond set at $500, tail lamps required with bond set at $500, simple possession
of marijuana, with bond set at $500 and possession of drug paraphernalia with
bond set at $500.
Burns
was placed under arrest by Harbour and charged with possession of marijuana,
2nd offense with bond set at $1,500, and open container with bond set at $500.
Channel Marker Project nearing
completion
JENNI WILLIAMS, Staff Reporter
As the
Lake Claiborne Channel Marker project is nearing completion, the Claiborne
Parish Watershed District (CPWD) met in a special called meeting last Thursday
to discuss a few changes to be made to the project.
The
board has submitted a change order request to Pro-Build Construction pertaining
to a select number of piles and some of the signage located on the piles.
The
necessary changes will come at a cost of approximately $8,600 and will cover a
variety of changes:
1. The
Coleman Creek sign will be relocated from Pile #1 to Pile #3 which is the pile
leading into the creek, instead of the back of the creek.
2. A
sign “Idle Speed/No Wake” will be added to Piles #1 and #2.
3. On
Piles #9 and #10, the signs “Danger Stumps” will be removed and replaced with
“Idle Speed/No Wake.”
4. A
pile numbered 13.5 leading into Isaac Creek will be added and will have Day
Marker signage added.
5. The
signs specifying the “1,000 Yard Channel” will be removed and replaced with the
correct “1,000 Feet Channel.”
6. A
piles numbered 119.5 will be added between piles 119 and 120 in an effort to
keep boaters heading to the main lake and out of the stumps. The pile will have
all the regular pile cap, band and will also include a “Main Lake” sign with a directional arrow.
7. Pile
#84 will have a “Beaver Creek” sign added below the “Danger” sign.
8. The
piles #115 and #118 leading into the Featherston Passage will receive “Idle
Speed/No Wake” signs to each.
Each of
these items were voted on by the board and deemed completely necessary to the
integrity and completion of the permanent channel marker project.
“We
have come too far, and spent too much not to finish a project of this size the
right way,” Chic Hines, with the CPWD, said of the extra expense.
According
to members of the engineering firm handling the project, the changes appear
completely justified.
The
members of the CPWD also discussed the possibility of a Claiborne Parish Police
Jury (CPPJ) Ordinance where law enforcement will police the permanent channel
markers and all the attached signage.
A
completed ordinance has been written by the CPWD and will be submitted to the
next CPPJ for approval. The CPWD hoped to have the completed ordinance in place
by the completion of the channel marker project.
Other
business at the special called meeting included a discussion of the Lisbon Landing Land and Water Conservation Grant to be used for improvement to the landing
and parking lot of Lisbon Landing located east of Homer on La. 2.
Due to the
lack of definitive answers, the discussion was tabled until the CPWD and CPPJ
could find the answer to these questions and will be on both boards’ June
meetings.
Claiborne
Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey addressed the board with a request to share the
expenses of having Deputy Jeff Pugh patrol the lake for approximately 10 hours
per day during the summer weekends.
The
board unanimously agreed and details will be ironed out between the board and
the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The
next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on June 24 at 5:30 p.m. in the Claiborne Parish Police Jury building meeting room.
Fuller Center Event raises $900
The
Fuller Center of Claiborne Parish held a spaghetti supper fundraiser on Friday,
May 21, where the organization raised $900.
Held at
Homer City Hall, Charlie Parks, executive director of the Webster Parish
organization, spoke to those in attendance. Door prizes at the event were given
away, and according to board members, a good time was had by all.
The
purpose of the fundraiser was not only to raise money to begin repairing and
building homes in Claiborne Parish, but to introduce the organization to the
community. So far, the organization has raised approximately $1,900 through
generous donations and recycled cans.
The
executive board and other board members were introduced, including President
Russell Grigsby, Vice President Ben Booth, Secretary Renee Boyle and Treasurer
Tara Thornton.
Kathy
Miller, of Kathy’s Real Soul Food, donated her services and prepared the dinner.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Claiborne gears
up for summer
Summer registration going on now
The Guardian-Journal
The
Homer and Haynesville Boys and Girls Clubs of Claiborne is beginning its summer
enrichment camp.
Beginning
Tuesday, June 1, the camp will last approximately seven weeks, with
registration June 1-7. At the Homer Boys and Girls Club, participants may
register between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. At the Haynesville site, participants may
register at the same times.
A bus
route will be available. Bus group 1 will be picked up from 8:30 until 8:50 a.m.
The
21st Century Program for students, grades 1-6 (ages 6-11) will be held from 9
until 11:30 a.m. Bus Group 2 will be picked up between 11 and 11:25 a.m.
The
Boys and Girls Club Summer Recreational Camp for ages 6-16 will be held from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
After
programs are over, the buses will transport children to the following drop off
locations. Stop 1 will be at the corner of Martin Luther King and Adams Avenue. Stop 2 will be at the corner of Monroe and Buckner Street (side street by Refreshing Springs Church). Stop 3 will be at Armory Drive in front of the National Guard
building. Stop 4 will be at Keith’s Food Mart at the front of the store and
Stop 5 will be in front of Ebenezer Church.
Vera
Meadors will be the lead teacher and unit director for the 21st Century program
in Homer. Betty Waldron will be the projector coordinator for the 21st Century
group in Haynesville. The unit area director is Jonavan Robinson.
The
mission of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Claiborne Parish is to enable all young
people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as
productive, caring responsible citizens.
For
more information or to pick up a form, please call 927-2718.
