Relay for Life slated for April 16
The
annual Claiborne Parish Relay for Life will be held from noon until midnight on
Saturday, April 16, at the Ronnie G. Beard Memorial Stadium at Homer High
School.
In case
of bad weather, the event will be held at the Homer High School gymnasium.
For
more information, please contact Nancy Mason at 318-927-2517 or Elbie Dickens
at 318-927-2360.
Marathon Oil donates to Relay for Life
Marathon Oil made a generous donation of
$4,500 to the annual Relay for Life. The Relay for Life will be held at the
Ronnie G. Beard Football Stadium Saturday, April 16, from noon until midnight.
In case of inclement weather, the Relay will be moved into the Homer High
School gymnasium. To get involved, or for more information, please contact
Nancy Mason at 318-927-2517 or Elbie Dickens at 318-927-2360.
Homer man faces theft charges
The Guardian-Journal
The Top Dollar Scrapyard has its share of issues in the
last couple of years since it’s been open for business.
With citizen concerns over getting a fence up around the
area facing the highway to washing the highway of red clay tracked onto the
highway from their property, now one Homer man has allegedly stolen from them.
Otis C. Ford, 46, of Homer, was arrested on Monday, March
14, and charged with theft. Bond was set at $10,000.
According to police, the co-owner of the scrapyard filled
out a voluntary statement and produced tickets that had been allegedly altered
by Ford to obtain more money for the scrap he originally brought in. Reports
say Ford allegedly changed the tickets that he’d gotten from the “small scale”
person to show that he’d brought in 182 pounds of copper, when in fact, he’d
only brought in a little more than 30 pounds of aluminum.
There are three copies of a ticket -- white, yellow and
pink. The white copies reflected the correct amount of scrap, but the yellow
and pink copies had been altered to show more than was there. Ford was
allegedly paid the amount that was altered.
Police say when the white copy of the ticket was
presented to the “small scale” person, the discrepancy was noticed. At that
time, the Homer Police Department was notified. The following day, Ford was
placed under arrest for theft.
Police say when Ford was questioned, he claimed he did
not know the tickets were being altered.
In other crime news, another Homer man was arrested on
three charges.
Gregory
B. Rabb, 45, of Homer, was arrested Tuesday, March 8, and charged with two counts
of resisting an officer with bond set at $500 on each charge and theft with
bond set at $5,000.
According to police, Officer Willie Fred Knowles had
detained Rabb on a warrant for shoplifting. Officer Thomas Davis then placed
Rabb under arrest on the warrant and it was at that time Rabb took off on foot.
Reports say Davis deployed his taser unsuccessfully, and when Officer Greg
Schneider arrived on scene, he joined in the foot pursuit of Rabb.
Schneider made an attempt to subdue Rabb, but was
unsuccessful. He then returned to his patrol unit and drove to the corner of
McCasland and West 4th Streets. A witness told officers Rabb had gone behind a
home on McCasland. When officers located Rabb, the suspect took off again only
to be stopped by officers. When Officer Davis arrived at the scene, Schneider
placed Rabb under arrest and transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention
Center for booking.
HPD trains for bus assaults
Photo courtesy of the Homer Police
Department
Officers from the SPEED (Strategic Police
Entry Enforcement Division) of the Homer Police Department spent the day
Saturday, March 12, training for assaults on a school bus. For example, they
trained in an active shooter scenario where a student or perpetrator was firing
rounds from a school bus. The SPEED team regularly trains for high risk
situations. The next training will be held this Spring.
ATV raffle benefits Adam Graves Fund
Raffle
tickets for a new Honda ATV are now being sold by all Claiborne Electric
Cooperative employees, with all proceeds going to the Adam Graves Fund, which
is being held at Citizens Bank and Trust.
Graves,
a Claiborne Electric lineman, suffered an injury which resulted in the loss of
both hands when he came into contact with an energized high-voltage line in
December, 2010.
At noon
on Friday, April 1, 2011, a drawing will be held in the lobby of Citizens Bank
and Trust in Homer. The holder of the winning ticket will receive a brand new,
2011 Honda Recon ATV. The 4-wheeler is being purchased through donations given
by Claiborne Electric employees and matched equally by Claiborne Electric
Cooperative, allowing every dollar raised through raffle ticket sales to go to
Adam Graves.
“Our
employees are eager to do their part in this fund raiser for Adam,” said
Claiborne Electric CEO Mark Brown. “Each one of them will have a part in buying
the ATV and selling the tickets which will raise money for Adam. This raffle is
somewhat unusual in that we are not limiting the number of tickets sold. We
want to raise as much money for Adam as possible, so we ask people to look at
it as a donation for a very worthy cause with the knowledge that someone will
win a 4-wheeler.”
Raffle
tickets are $10 each, and are available from any Claiborne Electric employee or
at the co-op’s front office on Hwy. 9. You may pay cash for them or write
checks to the Adam Graves Fund.
Cancer patient account set up
An
account at Regions Bank has been set up for Jamal Webb, a 9-year-old student at
Homer Elementary School who has lyphoblastic leukemia.
Jamal’s
parents, Latora Webb and Jamayne Jackson, along with Jamal’s grandparents,
James and Annie B. Jackson and James Webb would like for family and friends to
continue their prayers.
Jamal
is being treated in Memphis, Tenn., and the account has been set up to help the
family offset the expenses while he undergoes treatment. The account is
entitled “Benefit Account for Jamal Webb,” and the community is
encouraged to help the Webb family in this difficult time. Thank you in advance
for your generosity.
Library expansion project moving forward
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
Claiborne Parish Library is now well on its way to making the dream of
expansion come to fruition.
During
the Claiborne Parish Police Jury’s regular monthly meeting, the Library Board
of Control requested the police jury contact the Louisiana Bonding Commission
to comply with the legal procedures necessary to get permission to borrow up to
$1.7 million for the project. Initially, the USDA approved a request for a loan
for the expansion, however, according to Pam Suggs, library director, the board
of control voted to use private funds instead of the USDA program.
According
to a proposed financial analysis compiled by Danny Magee of Magee Consultants
Inc., the library is “woefully inadequate for current library functions and use
by the library staff, library patrons and the general public.”
The
idea behind the expansion is to provide additional space for computer use, a
bigger children’s collection and reading area, a larger staff workroom and
processing area at a lower level, a larger board meeting room, a large public
and activity multi-purpose meeting room with a serving kitchen and additional
public restroom facilities, the analysis stated.
Also
according to the analysis, the scope of the proposed facility would expand the
library by 9,573 square feet, making the entire facility 16,217 square feet --
one and a half times its current size.
The
total cost of the project is expected to be approximately $2.7 million. The
library board already has about $1 million in cash reserves, and the police
jury voted to go through Citizens Bank and Trust for the financing of the additional
$1.7 million needed for the project. Although Magee says in the analysis that
both ways of obtaining financing are feasible, however, the library board and
the police jury agreed that it would be cheaper to get the additional financing
through the bonding commission.
In
other building news, by approval of the jury, Secretary Treasurer Dwayne
Woodard was given permission to turn over all adjudicated properties to their
attorney Danny Newell. It was also recommended that all jurors look at any and
all properties before selling them.
Also,
the jury is turning over the issue of leasing the Armory Building to Friendship
Missionary and Educational Association to Newell as well to draw up a lease
agreement, and will get and appraisal from J.T. Taylor.
In other
news, some employees got merit raises with the approval from the police jury.
They are: Jim Gardner, Randy Crittendon, Donald Farley, Sonny Greeson and Jimmy
White.
Road
Superintendent Tommy Durrett also released the list of chip and seal roads for
this paving season. At least 10 miles will get the C-2 and C-# (2-shot
coverage). Those roads include: Wilson Road, .8 tenths, Thompson Road, .9
tenths, Academy Road, 1.2 miles, Lonnie Road, 1.3 miles, Wasson Road, .2
tenths, Darling Road, .5 tenths, Corney Lake Road, 1 mile, Bicycle Road 1 mile
(some of it will be 1-shot), Flat Lick Road. 1.9 miles and Quail Trail Road, .7
tenths. Roads getting C-3 (1-shot coverage) include: Corney Lake Road. 1.9
miles, Youngblood Road, 2.4 miles, Bear Creek Road, 1.2 miles, Hebron Road, 1.5
miles, Hubie Lewis Road, 2.3 miles, Richardson Loop Road, 1.3 miles, Old Town
Road, 2.5 miles, Laban Ware Road, .7 tenths, Sugar Creek Road, 1.2 miles,
Bicycle Road, 1.4 miles and Harmon Loop Road, 4.6 miles.
The
total estimated cost to chip and seal 30.5 miles of roads is $439,500. Budgeted
this year was approximately $450,000.
During
the public comment portion of the meeting, Claiborne Parish Watershed District
Board Member Chic Hines said that he’d received several questions regarding any
scheduled drawdowns of Lake Claiborne. He said that there will be a drawdown
this year, likely to take place after Labor Day.
Woodard
also noted that there plans in the works to hold a meeting regarding the
redrawing of district lines.
The
next meeting of the Claiborne Parish Police Jury will be held at 9 a.m.,
Wednesday, April 6. For more information or questions, please call their office
at 318-927-2222.
CPSB recognizes art students
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
Four students were honored by the
Claiborne Parish School Board for their art projects which placed in the 2011
Louisiana Governor’s Office Arts Contest. Pictured above are from left,
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Janice Williams, Justin Ware, who won second
place, Haley Gray, honorable mention, Kayla Jones, honorable mention, Rhonda
Porter, art teacher, and Will Maddox, school board president. Congratulations
to these students. Their artwork is currently on display at the Governor’s
Mansion in Baton Rouge.
USAF jazz band, Dimensions in Blue, to
present free concert March 20 at Homer City Hall
Lackland
AFB, San Antonio, TX — Dimensions in Blue, the jazz ensemble from the United
States Air Force Band of the West, will be presenting a concert on March 20,
2011 at the Homer Town Hall. Performace time is 3:00 pm. The performance is
free of charge and open to the public. The theme for this concert is “Notes for
Living” promoting good health through musical enjoyment and is sponsored by the
David Raines Community Health Centers and the Claiborne Chamber of Commerce.
Tickets
will be available free to the public after noon on Friday, March 11 on a first
come basis, at David Raines Community Health Centers in Haynesville, and Homer
Town Hall.
The
Dimensions in Blue jazz ensemble, from the United States Air Force Band of the
West, generates a unique excitement through performances of America’s only
original artform: Jazz. As one of the Air Force’s finest and most versatile big
bands, Dimensions in Blue features 18 talented musicians from around the
country. The band currently tours over 30,000 miles and entertains over a
million people each year.
Over
the years, Dimensions in Blue has presented outstanding big band jazz to
audiences throughout Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Louisiana. From working
with high schools and colleges to promote music education, to fostering
national pride and patriotism through community relations concerts, Dimensions
in Blue’s commitment to musical excellence reflects the core values of the
United States Air Force.
Since
its inception, Dimensions in Blue has kept the 1940s Glenn Miller Army Air
Corps sound at the center of its musical focus. As Dimensions in Blue’s musical
heritage and reputation has grown, it has incorporated a more contemporary
sound in order to connect with today’s generation while entertaining and
inspiring audiences of all ages with some of the biggest names in the jazz
world.
Drawing
on the heritage of over 70 years of exciting big band jazz music, Dimensions in
Blue looks toward the future to provide audiences with the very best the Air
Force has to offer. Proudly performing in the vintage “Pinks and Greens” as
well as the modern “blues” of today’s Air Force, Dimensions in Blue will
continue to deliver world class musical entertainment to you, our audience and
loyal supporters, and demonstrate Air Force integrity, service and excellence
throughout the country.
The
Dimensions in Blue jazz ensemble, from the United States Air Force Band of the
West, generates a unique excitement through performances of America’s only
original art form: Jazz. As one of the Air Force’s finest and most versatile
big bands, Dimensions in Blue features 18 talented musicians from around the
country. The band currently tours over 30,000 miles and entertains over a
million people each year.
Over
the years, Dimensions in Blue has presented outstanding big band jazz to
audiences throughout Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Louisiana. From working
with high schools and colleges to promote music education, to fostering
national pride and patriotism through community relations concerts, Dimensions
in Blue’s commitment to musical excellence reflects the core values of the
United States Air Force.
Since
its inception, Dimensions in Blue has kept the 1940s Glenn Miller Army Air
Corps sound at the center of its musical focus. As Dimensions in Blue’s musical
heritage and reputation has grown, it has incorporated a more contemporary
sound in order to connect with today’s generation while entertaining and inspiring
audiences of all ages with some of the biggest names in the jazz world.
Drawing
on the heritage of over 70 years of exciting big band jazz music, Dimensions in
Blue looks toward the future to provide audiences with the very best the Air
Force has to offer. Proudly performing in the vintage “Pinks and Greens” as
well as the modern “blues” of today’s Air Force, Dimensions in Blue will
continue to deliver world class musical entertainment to you, our audience and
loyal supporters, and demonstrate Air Force integrity, service and excellence
throughout the country.
We look
forward to seeing you at the concert.
