Operation T-Bos Continues
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
Homer Police Department is still rounding up alleged drug dealers in Operation
T-BOS (Taking Back Our Streets).
Arrested
last week included:
•
Kimberly D. Rushing, 27, of Minden. She was charged with one count of
distribution of a Schedule III Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) (Zataflex),
with bond set at $20,000.
•
Michael M. Walker, 32, also of Minden. He was charged with four counts of
distribution of a Schedule I CDS (marijuana), with bond set at $30,000 on each
count.
• Tab
James Cooper, 30, of Homer. He was charged with one count of distribution of a
Schedule III CDS (Lortab), with bond set at $30,000.
• Helen
J. Dixon, 51, of Homer. She was charged with one count of distribution of a
Schedule III CDS (Lortab), with bond set at $30,000.
•
Tanesha L. Curry, 35, of Homer. She was charged with one count of distribution
of a Schedule III CDS (Lortab), with bond set at $30,000.
•
Lakendra D. Kimble, 25, of Lisbon. She was charged with one count of
distribution of a Schedule IV CDS (Soma), with bond set at $30,000.
• Tommy
Ray Mitchell, 49, of Homer. He was charged with distribution of a Schedule II
CDS (cocaine), with bond set at $30,000.
These
arrests are the result of an investigation that began in February after the
Homer Police Department began receiving several phone calls regarding
prescription pills being sold illegally. In fact, Captain Donald Malray said
there had been several overdoses as well, including one fatal one. Since March
2010, approximately 44 grand jury indictments were made from undercover buys
with some being repeat offenders.
“If you
continue to sell drugs in this area, you will be arrested,” said Homer Police
Chief Russell Mills. “We encourage the community to continue to be aware of
their surroundings in their neighborhoods. If you see something that needs to
be reported, please do so.”
Mills
reiterated that he doesn’t need your name, just your information.
In
other crime news, a Homer woman was arrested on two warrants that stem from an
incident in July.
Crystal
M. Willis, 19, of Homer, was arrested Tuesday, August 31, on two warrants, one
for second degree battery with bond set at $10,000, and the other for second
degree robbery, with bond set at $50,000.
According
to reports, the incident occurred on July 20, after Officer Van McDaniel was
contacted by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office in regard to a victim of
battery.
The
victim, Katajah Chatman, told medical staff at Minden Medical Center that she’d been severely beaten at a residence on Pearl Street in Homer. Medical staff
promptly contacted Claiborne authorities.
McDaniel
was able to interview Chatman over the phone initially, when she told the
officer that Willis and two others had beaten her severely for not doing
something they wanted her to do.
Several
others attempted to stop Willis and another girl from beating Chatman, but it
was to no avail, police say. According to one witness who attempted to stop the
attack, his wallet was taken by Willis while others were holding him back.
According
to reports, Chatman’s face was severely swollen and a cut inside her lip was
seen by police.
Several
witnesses gave statements to police and a warrant for Willis’ arrest were
obtained.
12th Annual Celebration of Butterflies
Haynesville
will be hosting its 12th annual Celebration of Butterflies at this year’s
Butterfly Festival this Saturday, September 11 from 9 a.m. until late evening.
Everyone
is invited to participate in the event’s morning parade. Groups and
organizations that are interested in marching in the event are asked to contact
Linda Knox at 624-1606. Participants may ride on a float, ride a horse,
motorcycle or golf cart/atv or march in the parade.
Food
and craft vendors are also being sought for the day-long event. The charge for
vendors is $25 for a 10 by 10 booth in the air-conditioned fair barn and $15
for a 12 by 12 space under the covered pavilion found outside. Tables are $5
each. for vendor information, please contact Pat Bourn at 624-1216 or LeBois
Sincox at 624-0661.
A
nature photography contest will also be held during the course of the day. For
information, contact Mary Anna Perryman at 377-1006.
A
container gardening contest will also we held, those wanting to participate are
asked to contact Beverlee Killgore at 624-112 or 624-2432.
This
year’s Butterfly Festival will feature a new event - an art show. The event
will be artwork by students and adults featuring butterflies. The event will
take place in the old school building and will be awarded first, second and
third places along with Best in Show winners in four age categories. The
winning pieces will then be a part of a traveling “Art on Display” tour. For
more information contact Jeri Dettenheim at 927-4254 or 225-2282.
Other
festival highlights include Bumper-to-Bumper Kiddie Rides by James Roach, a
spacewalk, sidewalk art competition with Suzy Allen, Karaoke under the
pavilion, sale of butterfly plants, books, posters and t-shirts, along with
take home butterfly towers.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
9 to 9:30 a.m. - Parade with Grand Marshals Ray and Ethel Killgore
9:45 a.m. - Announcement of
parade winners
10 to 11 a.m. - Gardening
for Wildlife with Bill Fontenot, the Botanizing Birder
10:30 to 12 p.m. - Creative
Fun for Children in the Children’s Activity Room
11 to 11:45 a.m. - Dance lines, high school and junior high cheerleaders
11:15 to 12:15 p.m. -
Plants from Grandmama’s Garden, a walk down memory lane
with Lelia Kelly, Ph.D.
1 to 2 p.m. - Butterflies from Scratch with Charles Allen, Ph.D.
1 to 2 p.m. - Silver Belles
- Springhill Line Dancers
2 to 2:15 p.m. - God Planted those Dandelions - a brief skit
with Loice Kendrick-Lacey
2:30 to 3:30 p.m. - Master
Gardening Quiz Bowl Competition
with Robin Bridges as emcee
3:45 to 4:45 p.m. -
Wildflowers of Louisiana with Charles Allen, Ph.D.
5 p.m. - Drawing for
butterfly quilt
5 to 6:30 p.m. - Supper break
6: 30 p.m. until - Country,
Bluegrass and Gospel music
For
more information concerning the 12th annual Butterfly Festival, contact Loice
Kendrick-Lacey
at 624-1929 or (870) 234-4910.
Admission
for the event is $3 for adults and $1 for children six to 18.
Children
under six will be free of charge.
2010
Festival Sponsors are Claiborne Chamber of Commerce,
Haynesville Garden club and the
LSU AgCenter Research & Extension offices
9/11 event slated for this Saturday
On Saturday, September 11, a program in
remembrance of those lost that tragic day and in honor of all firefighters, law
enforcement and emergency personnel will be held at Firsti Baptist Church in Homer.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m., a fish fry with all the trimmings will be served, followed by a dynamic speaker, Dr. Rick
Scarborough.
There is no charge to attend the event,
and all are welcome to attend.
Airport improvements one step closer
Resolution approved to accept agreement
offer of almost $720,000
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Airport
improvements are one step closer to getting done.
The
Homer Town Council, in a special called meeting Friday, September 3, approved a
resolution as one of the last steps before the money hits the bank. Approved
unanimously, with Councilmen Doc Roberson and Michael Wade absent, the process
is now moving forward again to receiving approximately $720,000 for airport
improvements, that also includes runway lighting, to Homer Municipal Airport.
The
special called meeting was called because the deadline to have the resolution
approval in is Friday, September 10.
This
grant has been a long time in coming, but it hasn’t been without its issues.
During the previous administration under former mayor Huey Dean, Stallion Heavy
Haulers was allowed to rent the airport space to run their business with the
idea that the airport would be a temporary location until they could build
facilities to house their business. However, the company stayed far longer than
it had agreed to.
Under
the last administration under former mayor David Newell, the mayor worked with
the FAA and Stallion to come to a compromise without losing the company and the
grant. So, he allowed Stallion to stay at the airport until their facilities
could be completed. However, because the company was there, the town was in
violation of FAA guidelines. And in 2008, the council could not agree to an engineer
to attach to the grant, which would have put them in jeopardy of losing the
grant altogether and possibly making the town pay back federal funds already
received for airport improvements. After much discussion and a written opinion
by Town Attorney Jim Colvin, the council agreed to go with the engineer
recommended by the committee formed earlier. They agreed to attach Alliance
Engineers to the grant.
But it
didn’t end there. Later that year, Stallion moved out of the airport and into
their new facilities on Hwy. 79 north of Homer, which left the airport still in
violation of FAA rules and regulations.
There
was damage at the airport that needed to be fixed in order to come into FAA
compliance, but it was still too late to receive the grant for that year.
Because
of that, the FAA, according to Newell, was still willing to work with the town
so it wouldn’t lose the grant. The FAA offered a hand up in allowing the grant
to be “loaned out” to other municipalities in order to keep Homer in the loop
and from losing the grant altogether.
This
grant will help not only improve the airport itself, but the addition of the
runway lighting will allow nighttime flight again. Currently, no nighttime
flights can land in Homer because it is a “visual only” runway.
In
2006, the town received a $250,000 FAA grant in order to rehabilitate the
runway, taxiway and apron. In previous years before that, the town had received
grants totaling $450,000 and $332,000 respectively for safety improvements,
which included the purchase of property, landscaping and dirt work to widen
shoulders along the 3,200 foot runway and work to correct an erosion problem on
the east end of the runway.
October election early voting begins
September 18
The Guardian-Journal
Early
voting for the October 2 election will be held Saturday, September 18 through
Saturday, September 25.
Office
hours will be from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day. The office will be closed
on Sunday, September 19.
Note:
Books will be closed for the November 2 election on October 4. Early voting
will be Tuesday, October 19 through Tuesday, October 26. The office will be
closed on Sunday, October 24.
So now
it’s on to the October 2 ballot, which will include a couple of proposed
constitutional amendments as well as tax propositions.
See
upcoming editions of The Guardian-Journal for more details as the voters become
informed of what they are voting for before they pull the lever or push the
button in the voting booth.
However,
here’s a brief highlight of what’s next:
Proposed Constitutional Amendments
Proposed
Amendment No. 1
Act No.
537 Senate Bill No. 5, Regular Session 2009
To move
the convening of the legislature in annual regular session in even-numbered
years to the second Monday in March and in odd-numbered years to the second Monday
in April and to change the effective date of legislation enacted at such
sessions to August first (Amends Article III, Sections 2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a)
and 19).
Proposed
Amendment No. 2
Act No.
538 Senate Bill No. 209, Regular Session 2009
To
provide that the director, deputy director and all employees of the Governor’s
Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness shall be in the
unclassified service of the state civil service (Amends Article X, Sections
2(B)(11) and (12); adds Article X, Section 2(B)(13)).
Tax Propositions, Town of Homer
Proposition
(Sales Tax)
SUMMARY:
ONE-QUARTER OF ONE PERCENT (.25%) SALES AND USE TAX WITH ALL THE PROCEEDS TO BE DEDICATED AND USED FOR TRAINING, SALARIES, EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES,
MAINTENANCE, AND OPERATION OF THE HOMER POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Shall
the Town of Homer, State of Louisiana (the “Town”), under the provisions of
Article VI, Section 29 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana of 1974,
Louisiana Revised Statute 33:2711, and other constitutional and statutory
authority, be authorized to levy and collect a tax of one-quarter of one
percent (.25%) (the “Tax”), upon the sale at retail, the use, the lease or
rental, the consumption, and the storage for use or consumption of tangible
personal property and on sales of service in the Town, all as currently defined
in Louisiana Revised Statute 47:301 through 47:317 and in the manner provided
by State law, with the proceeds of the Tax (after paying the reasonable and
necessary expenses of collecting and administering the Tax) (the estimated
amount reasonably expected to be collected from the levy of the Tax for one
entire year being $109,000), to be dedicated and used for constructing,
acquiring, extending, improving, operating and/or maintaining police department
for said Town, including but not limited, for salaries and benefits; education
and training courses, equipment, and materials; uniforms and accessories;
officer supplies, equipment and accessories; vehicles and accessories; fuel,
oil, and other similar supplies; communication equipment; computers, software,
accessories and supplies; office supplies; buildings; and all other items
reasonably needed and used by police officers and police personnel in the
operations of the Homer Police Department?
Proposition
(Sales Tax)
SUMMARY:
ONE-EIGHTH OF ONE PERCENT (.125%) SALES AND USE TAX WITH ALL OF THE PROCEEDS TO BE DEDICATED AND USED FOR PUBLIC PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES?
Shall
the Town of Homer, State of Louisiana (the “Town”), under the provisions of
Article VI, Section 29 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana of 1974,
Louisiana Revised Statute 33:2711, and other constitutional and statutory
authority, be authorized to levy and collect a tax of one-eighth of one percent
(.125%) (the “Tax”), upon the sale at retail, the use, the lease or rental, the
consumption, and the storage for use or consumption of tangible personal
property and on sales of services in the Town, all ass currently defined in
Louisiana Revised Statue 47:301 through 47:317 and in the manner provided by
State law, with the proceeds of the Tax (after paying the reasonable and
necessary expenses of collecting and administering the Tax) (the estimated
amount reasonably expected to be collected from the levy of the Tax for one entire
year being (54,500), to be dedicated and used for constructing, acquiring,
extending, improving, operating and/or maintaining public parks and
recreational facilities for said Town, including but not limited, for
recreational equipment, materials, supplies and accessories; recreational
buildings and facilities, including public pools and parks; equipment, supplies
and accessories for public pools, parks, and recreational facilities; salaries
and benefits of employees and/or independent contractors for recreational
purposes, including lifeguards, grounds keepers, maintenance employees, and
others; sports facilities, equipment, supplies and accessories; and other
recreational purposes for the benefit of the Town?
Lieutenant Governor
Democrats
Kenneth
“Ken” Burkhalter of Slidell, James “Jim” Crowley of Shreveport, Caroline Fayard
of New Orleans and “Butch” Gautreaux of Morgan City
Republicans
“Jay”
Dardenne of Baton Rouge, Kevin Davis of Abita Springs, “Sammy” Kershaw of Lafayette, Melanie J. McKnight of Baton Rouge and Roger Villere of Metairie.
Judge, Court of Appeal 2nd Circuit
Henry
Brown of Bossier City, Democrat
Claiborne
Parish School Board
District
1
Danny
“Doc” Lee of Bernice (Unopposed)
District
2
William
H. Maddox of Haynesville (Unopposed)
District
3
Linda
Knox of Haynesville (Unopposed)
District
4
Yolanda
L. Coleman and Betty Richardson, both of Haynesville
District
5
Betty
Fomby Andrews of Homer and Stanley O. Edwards of Athens
District
6
Thomas
E. Davidson of Athens (Unopposed)
District
7
Vera R.
Walker Meadors and Georgia Marie Norton, both of Homer
District
8
Almeter
H. Willis of Homer (Unopposed)
District
9
Mary F.
Randle and “Joey” White, both of Homer
District
10
B.
Stewart Griffin, “Billy” Kirk and Terry R. Willis, all of Homer
Village
of Athens
Mayor
Hubie
D. James of Athens (Unopposed)
Chief
of Police
“Jack”
Spurlock of Athens (Unopposed)
Aldermen
Melver
Stassen of Athens, Prentis Washington of Homer and Ardis Willhite of Homer, all
unopposed
Town of Homer
Mayor
Huey Dean
and Alecia Nychole Smith, both of Homer
Marshal
Bennie
W. Holyfield and Russell Mills, both of Homer
Town
Council
District
1
Sedric
Bates, Willie “Hoghead” Curry, Linda Ferrell Mozeke and “Doc” Roberson, all of
Homer
District
2
Ray D.
Jiles and Michael J. Wade, both of Homer
District
3
“Don”
McCalman of Homer (Unopposed)
District
4
Carlette
Sanford and Maxine F. Wilson, both of Homer
District
5
Patricia
K. Jenkins of Homer (Unopposed)
Village
of Junction City
Mayor
Preston Rogers of Junction City (Unopposed)
Chief
of Police
Mark A.
McLelland of Junction City (Unopposed)
Aldermen
Barbara
B. Daniels, William “Terry” Enis and Arnold Jones, all of Junction City, all
unopposed
Homer Town Hall auditorium floors get makeover
Before
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
Pictured above, through the dust, these
two workers from Shelton’s Janitorial sand the floors in the Homer Town Hall auditorium. Morris Shelton, left, and Stanley Ferrell, right, are shown sanding
the floor in preparation to restain it.
Picture: Homer Town Hall floor pic after
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
Pictured above, the floors were restained
and finished on Thursday, August 26. Shelton’s Janitorial in Homer completed
the work. The project cost approximately $1,500, which includes a contract for
spraying and buffing the kitchen floor monthly at $50, protect and shine the
hardwood floor two weeks per month at $75 per with with a total cost of $150
per month. In addition, Shelton’s will strip and wax the floors annually for
$400, and refinish the hardwood floor once every three years for $1,500.
Texas man arrested for drugs
The Guardian-Journal
A
traffic stop led to the arrest of a Texas man who was allegedly found to be in
possession of drugs and other items.
According
to the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, On Friday, September 3, Deputy Marc
Herring was patrolling Hwy. 79 when he observed a vehicle traveling at a high
rate of speed.
Herring
made contact with the driver, Carl W. Shirey, 20, of Freeport, Texas. Consent to search the vehicle was given and Herring discovered two ashtrays in the
vehicle with suspected marijuana roaches in them, along with a blue pouch
containing suspected synthetic marijuana.
While
searching the vehicle, Herring also discovered that the trunk of the vehicle
would not open. Officer Ricky Goode and K-9 of the Haynesville Police
Department arrived to assist. Deputy Aaron Christian along with his K-9 partner
arrived on scene.
Both
K-9 officers alerted on the vehicle and a locksmith was called to open the
trunk. An assault rifle was recovered from the trunk and Shirey was booked into
the Claiborne Parish Detention Center.
He was
charged with speeding, possession of Schedule I CDS (marijuana), illegal
carrying of weapon with CDS in possession and child endangerment for illegal
use of CDS in the presence of a minor.
Shirey’s
bond is to be set.
In a
separate incident, an Arkansas truck driver found himself in handcuffs after a
traffic stop turned up suspected drugs.
According
to a press release, on Saturday, September 4, Deputy Steve Harbour stopped an 18-wheeler for improper lane usage. Harbour made contact with the driver,
who was identified as David Michael Christie, 46, of Norphlet, Ark.
Deputies
J.T. Williams, Aaron Christian and Roger Ellerbe arrived on scene to assist.
A
search subsequent to the stop revealed a suspected bag of marijuana in
Christie’s left front jeans pocket and a cigarette package with what appeared
to be a marijuana cigarette inside in the cab of the truck.
Christie
was transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for booking on the
charges of improper lane usage with bond set at $500, and possession of
marijuana with bond set at $500.
