Gas leak gives kids day off from school


Photos courtesy of Dennis Butcher

Officials from CenterPoint Energy met at the Claiborne Parish Fair Complex Tuesday morning, staging the complex as their command center. Eric Barkley, district director, met with Claiborne Parish officials, including Homeland Security Director Dennis Butcher, Haynesville Police Chief Anthony Smith, Haynesville Mayor Sherman Brown and CenterPoint Operations Supervisor Mike Womak. The three leaning over the computer are CenterPoint Energy service technicians. The Claiborne Parish Fair Complex was the staging area for CenterPoint Energy service technicians as they quickly and methodically responded to a gas leak that shot off gas for thousands of customers as well as Haynesville schools.

 

The Guardian-Journal

Students who attend Haynesville schools got an unexpected day off following a gas leak that had not yet been repaired Tuesday.

Transportation Supervisor Ronnie McKenzie said a tractor hit a gas line off Hwy. 615, breaking an eight-inch line.

Eric Barkley, district director for CenterPoint Energy, said a contractor’s equipment broke the line around 5:30 p.m. Monday.

“A contractor’s back hoe struck some of our equipment, which caused the outage,” he said. “We immediately responded, and we enacted our emergency operations plan soon thereafter.”

It’s a three-step process, he said, which means workers recognize it’s a significant event and are mobilized to begin repairs. At this point, all meters on that particular system are turned off, and once they are turned off, they restore gas to the system to purge it from any air that may have gotten into the lines. Once they are sure the lines are in working condition again, then they go back and do what’s called a “re-light,” where workers go back and turn the meters back on.

Officials met at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, and officials said there were 1,114 meters were affected. As of that meeting, approximately 600 meters were turned off. Homeland Security Director Dennis Butcher said there were about 60 service technicians from all over the area were out turning the meters off.

Both school cafeterias run on gas and without gas, kitchen staff cannot cook lunch for the day, said Claiborne Parish Superintendent of Schools Dr. Janice Williams.

“Without the cafeteria, we can’t serve food,” she said, “and hopefully this issue can be resolved so we can have school back in session tomorrow (Wednesday). We’re working closely with CenterPoint to reach a resolution for this issue.”

As of Tuesday morning, CenterPoint workers were ahead of schedule to getting everything back up and running. Shortly after noon, they began the re-lighting and restoring gas to its customers. Priorities included the nursing home, the medical clinic and the schools.

CenterPoint workers from as far as Little Rock, Arkansas and East Texas were brought in to fix the gas line break.

 

School Board honors Students of the Year

Students of the Year

The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates

Students of the Year were honored at Thursday’s Claiborne Parish School Board meeting. Pictured from left are Schools Superintendent Dr. Janice Williams, Students of the Year Summerfield Senior Austin McCurry, Summerfield Eighth Grader Ashlyn Turner and Haynesville Junior High fifth grade student Ethan Coker, Pre-K to Eighth Grade Supervisor Bob Bond and School Board President Will Maddox.

 

The Guardian-Journal

Students of the Year were recognized at Thursday’s Claiborne Parish School Board meeting.

This year’s students of the year are: Ethan Coker, a fifth grade student at Haynesville Junior High School, Ashlyn Turner, an eighth grade student at Summerfield High School, and Austin McCurry, a senior at Summerfield High School.

Coker is the son of Keith and Lauribeth Padgett of Haynesville. His favorite subjects are science and history. He is actively involved in 4-H, AWANAS, market and breeding goats project, market swine projects, exhibition poultry project and the 4-H Outdoors Skills Archery Team.

Ethan serves as the president of the 4-H Club and treasurer for the Claiborne Parish Livestock Club. He also won the State Records Only contest this past summer for his outstanding Records Portfolio, which he has admitted helped him put together his Student of the Year application!

As a result, he was awarded a three-day long, all expenses paid, educational trip to the Louisiana Gulf Coast (Marsh Maneuvers). He enjoys hunting, fishing, video gaming and reading when time permits.

Turner is the daughter of Miki and Jason Turner of Summerfield. She enjoys playing softball, watching wrestling, riding the four-wheeler and playing Wii.

She has one dog and several cows. She raises them to show as a 4-H project. She states, “I’m a country girl, and I’m proud of it!”

McCurry is the son of Angela and Marty McCurry. He is a senior, and taking, in his words, “a few challenging classes such as calculus and physics.”

He is a member of 4-H, BETA Club and FCA. This year, he is serving as president of 4-H and is treasurer of the BETA Club.

McCurry plays baseball, travels nationally showing Brangus livestock and represents this parish proudly.

After graduation, he plans to attend Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, but is undecided at this time about his major. However, he is considering something in the architecture or engineering field.

The school board congratulated these students on this honor, and School Board President Will Maddox touted that each of these students were members of 4-H, which is a testament to the impact the organization has on children’s lives.

Congratulations to these students!

 

Traffic stop leads to arrests

 

The Guardian-Journal

One Homer man turned himself into police and another was arrested on drug charges following a traffic stop.

Demarius D. Willis, 24, of Homer, turned himself in on Thursday, February 9, on warrants for resisting an officer, driving under suspension, possession of Schedule I CDS (marijuana), possession of drug paraphernalia, open door into traffic lane, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, no seat belt, disobey stop/yield sign, reckless operation of a vehicle and open container. Bonds on all these charges totaled $5,000.

Kevin D. Franklin, 31, of Homer, was arrested on Wednesday, February 8, on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia with bond set at $500 and possession of marijuana, third offense, with bond set at $10,000.

According to police, Homer Police Sgt. Van McDaniel conducted a traffic stop on February 8, in which he’d noticed a vehicle roll through a stop sign on Washington and Lee D. Nellams Streets. He signaled the vehicle to pull over by turning on his emergency lights and sounding the siren on his unit.

The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Willis, refused to pull over for more than half a mile, finally stopping on Lyons Hill Road. McDaniel then made the traffic stop, and reports say Willis exited his vehicle when he stopped. Verbal commands were then given to get back into the car, and instead, Willis reportedly ran off. Because there was another person in the vehicle, reports say the officer did not pursue Willis.

He then made contact with Franklin, the passenger in the vehicle, asking him to exit the vehicle. As the suspect was exiting, the officer reportedly detected a strong odor of what may have been marijuana coming from his person and the inside of the vehicle.

Franklin was immediately detained and put inside McDaniel’s patrol unit by Homer Police Chief Russell Mills, who was on the scene with McDaniel. Once Franklin was detained, the two began to search the vehicle, which revealed a weight scale commonly used to measure drugs. According to reports, the scale had what appeared to be drug residue on it, and it was collected and taken into evidence. A further search revealed what was believed to be marijuana seeds throughout the interior of the car. These seeds were also collected and taken into evidence.

Reports say that Franklin admitted to smoking marijuana in the vehicle and eating a marijuana joint to conceal evidence.

Franklin was placed under arrest and transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center on the above charges.

Willis turned himself in the next day.

In a separate case, Jarvis Willis, 23, of Homer, was arrested on Tuesday, February 7, on domestic abuse with child endangerment charges with bond set at $2,000, and a probation and parole violation with no bond. The warrants stem from an incident in December 2011 when Officers Willie Knowles and Thomas Davis were dispatched to the 3200 block of Dutchtown Road in reference to a disconnected 911 emergency call.

The two officers went to the home and were met by the victim Angela Gilbert. According to reports, Gilbert told police that Jarvis Willis was at her home when they began to argue. Reports say she then told officers that Jarvis Willis hit her in the head several times. When 911 was called again, reports say Jarvis Willis fled the scene.

Davis observed what appeared to be knots on the victim’s forehead, of which she refused medical treatment.

The child endangerment charge comes in because at the time of the altercation, two children were present in the home.

He was arrested by police and taken into custody. Arresting officers were Sgt. Van McDaniel, Chief Mills, and Captain Donald Malray.

 

Celebrating Black History Month

 

February 16

 

At 6 p.m., the Boys and Girls Clubs of Timber Ridge will celebrate Black History Month themed “Black Women in History and Culture.” The guest speaker will be Homer Mayor Alecia Smith.

 

February 25

 

You are invited to a Black History Parade at 3 p.m. in downtown Homer! Bring the kids and come celebrate with us! For more information, please call 318-927-9214 or 318-805-7218.

 

Former board president defends himself amidst allegations

 

MICHELLE BATES, Editor

The former president of the board of Claiborne Parish Fire District #3 defended himself at this month’s Claiborne Parish Police Jury meeting amid allegations he was breaking the law.

Danny Mills, who was removed from the fire district board in January by the police jury, said he didn’t know that he’d been removed from office until it was published in the newspaper the following week.

“I feel like I should have been given an opportunity to explain what had taken place, and I saw the newspaper and received a letter that I’d been removed from the board,” Mills said. “Breaking the law is not what I tried to do. We received an anonymous letter in the mail that our ethics lawyer said I was breaking an ethics law involving nepotism.”

According to a letter from then Fire District #3 then-Secretary West Ogden to the police jury, Mills had been knowingly violating ethics laws including nepotism. He cited Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics LSA RS 42:1112, 1119 and 1161A.

“When I got this letter, I didn’t know what nepotism was, much less how to spell it,” he said. “Whenever my son was hired on to the fire department, the Town of Haynesville handled all the money. They paid his checks, his insurance and all his benefits.”

However, all of Larry Mills’ paychecks came from the Fire District #3 funds, according to records, not the Town of Haynesville. At the time, the town was handling all the finances for the fire district, but all paychecks were coming from Fire District #3 funds. The town has no authority over the funds, but they kept the books for them. That was changed in 2011, where all the books and recordkeeping were turned back over to the fire district.

Also, according to Ogden’s letter to the police jury, Mills admitted to “breaking the law by not stepping down and by letting his son come to work (after being told that was in violation of the law.)”

According to Mills, his son Larry, was hired in August 2007 with the approval of the fire district board and the Town of Haynesville. However, the minutes from the town’s August 2007 meeting do not show where the town approved the younger Mills’ hiring.

The minutes from the August 2007 meeting of the fire district board show the board did approve his hiring, but it does not say who voted how. It just says, “Discussion on hiring replacement for officer hired to keep fire record books. Mills boy (Larry Mills) was hired.”

Present at that 2007 meeting were Terry Manes, president, Freddy Crump, Danny Mills, Jim Bower and Crawford Williams, secretary treasurer.

According to Mills, it was in 2011 that the board received the letter stating they were in violation of nepotism. He then contacted Attorney Jim Hatch, and Mills said Hatch told him they weren’t in violation of nepotism.

When his son came back into town following the January police jury meeting, Mills said he told Larry that he intended to step down from the board. Larry made it clear, he said, that he wanted his father to stay on the board.

He also discussed the incident in which Mills allegedly threw his pager at Haynesville Fire Chief Mark Furlow, saying he did not consider himself throwing anything at anyone. He said he tossed the pager on the table and it slid, falling to the floor beside the chief.

“If I was throwing it, I think it would have gone a lot farther than that,” Mills said. “But that’s what was said I did.”

He also said one thing that was left out of the article in the newspaper was that the pager was picked up and thrown back and went “whizzing past my head at about 40 miles an hour.”

He also touched on the fact that he’d asked the treasurer to pay for items not approved by the board, and he said that was true. He said several thousand dollars had been spent on water rescue equipment and also out of town training.

“No questions were asked about the equipment or the training that was paid for,” he said. “I thought the wetsuits were paid for, and I thought the room and board was paid for (on the out of town training). When Larry came back, we told them we would pay for this. And none of this until now had been approved by the board. I don’t see where I asked the treasurer to pay for anything that shouldn’t have been paid for to start with.

“You know, inmates have a right to due process, and my name was put in the paper as one of the biggest crooks in Claiborne Parish and I didn’t even know it was happening,”he said. “When we hired Larry, nepotism was the farthest thing from my mind on the volunteer fire department. Had we known, we wouldn’t have done it then. None of us outright tried to commit nepotism. I’ve not tried to ask the treasurer to pay for anything that shouldn’t have been paid for. I’m sorry this couldn’t have been handled behind closed doors, and I’m sorry this has split the board. I just wanted an opportunity to give my side and that’s my side.”

Also, at the time, Mark Furlow was fire chief, but he has no dealings with the board other than to go before them for any purchases that need to be made or if he’s requested to attend a meeting. Furlow, who has stepped back from the entire situation, is also juror for Police Jury District #2. In January’s meeting, he abstained from voting when Mills was removed from the fire district board, citing a conflict of interest as he is the fire chief.

Resigning from Fire District #3’s board were Eddie Bailey, Alan Fanning and Freddy Crump. Taking their places are Matt Reeder, Russell “Rusty” Durham, Justin Childress and Cameron Goodwin, the new secretary treasurer. West Ogden also stepped down as the fire board’s secretary.

In other news, merit raises were given to highway department employees, including Truck Drivers Randy Crittendon, Greg Buggs, Todd Brown and Foreman Eric Kennedy.

Also, the process of adopting a resolution to close a portion of Pitman Road is underway. The road closing was requested by Eric Holley, who wishes to close only the portion on his property, and it does not affect any other landowners.

The state project of replacing the Sanders Road Bridge is complete. It has passed final inspection and everything is ready to go. The bridge should be opening soon.

The next meeting of the Claiborne Parish Police Jury will be held Wednesday, March 7 at 9 a.m. in the meeting room at the Claiborne Parish Police Jury Complex. For more information, or for questions, please call their office at 318-927-2222.

 

Blood drive set for February 22

 

Athens High School will host its second blood drive of the 2011-12 school year on Wednesday, February 22, from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM.  The LifeShare mobile bus will be onsite to facilitate the drive.

The first drive to ever be held at Athens High School took place earlier this school year when 20 units were donated.  Several students and staff members donated blood, many for the first time.  Mr. Keith Beard, school counselor and blood drive contact, was excited about the response for the first-ever blood drive. 

The blood drives at Athens High School are provided for not only the students and staff, but for the entire community, as well.  People from Athens and the surrounding area are encouraged to support the February 22nd drive.  T-shirts and refreshments will be provided.  Several lives can be saved from each unit donated.

 

Russellville Marker now in place

The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates

The Russellville Marker has now been replaced, which was broken and knocked over. Through the generous donations of many, the marker was replaced, which is the first parish seat for Claiborne Parish.  In 1828, Claiborne separated from Natchitoches Parish, and it was at that time that Claiborne was part of several other parishes, including Bienville and Webster Parishes. Beverly Volentine and others came to the police jury meeting to accept a gracious donation by Gibsland Bank and Trust, represented by Patricia McMullen, for the marker. Lavelle Penix, pictured above, expressed his gratitude for the hard work these ladies put forth in gathering the funds to mark this historical site. Measures have been taken as well to make sure the marker is not broken again, he said.

 

Homer Police Lieutenant retires

Photo courtesy of Lt. Roger Smith

A retirement reception was held for retiring Homer Police Lt. J.D. Faulkner Thursday, February 9. Faulkner has been with the Homer Police Department since 1995. He was awarded an award of excellence for his many years of service to the department. His fellow officers are sad to see him go, but wish him well in the next chapter of his life. Faulkner, left, is pictured with Homer Police Chief Russell Mills.

 

Firefighters train for small space rescue

 

A training course sponsored by LSU was held at the Homer Fire Station on Tuesday, February 7, for confined space firefighter rescue. Dawn Young, an LSU training instructor, conducted the course, showing firefighters how to rescue a victim or another firefighter from small, tight spaces. Major subjects of the course was firefighter rescue and recovery, shared techniques on how to remove the victim through a confined space such as a small window. Firefighters from every department in the parish attended the training course. The three hour course involved some classroom time which covered technique applications and then a hands-on training. Equipment and props for the course were provided by Pine Country Training Facility, located at Camp Minden in Webster Parish.

 

Firefighters Tommy Sanders, Ricky Bearden, Dale Wheeler, Mark Owens, Matt Reeder, Bobby Morgan train at the Homer Fire Station on how to get out of small confined spaces during a fire. Firefighters fully dressed out and got hands-on training while trying to get out of this small window.

 


Instructor Dawn Young looks on as Mark Owens of Haynesville climbs through the small “window” in full gear. Also pictured are Firefighters Rickey Bearden, left, Ken McBride and David Monk.

 

 

Claiborne Parish tourism initiative is underway

 

JIMMY DEAN, Feature Writer

The Claiborne Chamber of Commerce has put together an assortment of materials to highlight where to go and what to do and see in Claiborne Parish. “Whether you’re a visitor or a local resident,Brochures and the Two Disc Driving CD available at several area locations - Click to Visit ClaiborneParishTourism.org Claiborne Parish has a driving tour CD set that you will find interesting,” says John Watson, Executive Director of the Chamber.

“The CD is one part of a major initiative aimed at helping others see and appreciate what is wonderful about Claiborne Parish,” Watson notes.

Asked what else is a part of the initiative, Watson explains that a colorful tourism brochure has been prepared. In addition,  there is a new website www.claiborneparishtourism.org.

Also, a cemetery brochure includes a map of the parish with the locations of 156 cemeteries in the parish or within a few miles of the parish line.

Finally, television ads have appeared describing Claiborne Parish as a desirable tourist destination.

Describing the tourism brochure, Watson says it highlights points of interest in Homer, Haynesville, Athens, Lisbon, Summerfield, and other areas of Claiborne Parish. It points out that 10 buildings in the parish are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The brochure includes pictures of the Claiborne Parish Courthouse, Herbert S. Ford Museum, Lisbon’s Killgore House, the mural on the west wall of Haynesville’s Killgore Pharmacy,  Homer’s Old Town Cemetery, the Hill Farm, Summerfield’s Alberry Wasson House, and Lake Claiborne.

The cover of the “Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, Cemetery Guide” notes that it is intended to be “A guide to finding the resting places of your ancestors.” A brief description gives directions for each of the 156 cemeteries There is also a map in the brochure marking the approximate location of each.

The new tourism website, www.claiborneparishtourism.org, describes Lake Claiborne State Park and lists local lodging such as Panther Creek Bed and Breakfast at Summerfield and Lake Claiborne Vacation Cottage on Harmon Loop.

The website describes “eateries” such as the Rebel Stop and Moon’s toward Summerfield, Port-au-Prince on Lake Claiborne, Sunrise Bakery and Restaurant and Homer Seafood and Pizza as well as Yesterday’s Grill in Haynesville.

Highlights related to Homer, Haynesville, Lisbon, Athens, Summerfield, and the parish’s historic cemeteries are all mentioned on the website.

Some parish events are plugged including the Butterfly Festival, the Claiborne Jubilee, the 4th of July Fireworks and Boat Parade, Lake Claiborne Antique Auto and Bike Show, and the Christmas Festival.

The set consists of two CDs with 41 tracks of information highlighting areas of interest around the parish. For only $3 visitors or local residents can learn things about Claiborne Parish that’s not in the history books, stories passed down from grandparents to grandchildren that has become the stuff of local legend and lore.

Of course, the internet website is free as is the tourism brochure. With the cemetery guide available for $1 and the driving CD sets for $3, the whole tourism package is available for $4, a token cost to cover expenses of production.

Many local citizens donated many hours to the brochures, the cemetery guide, the driving CDs, and the website.

Brochures and CD sets are available at the following locations:

* The Grapevine

* The Raven Bookstore

* Port-au-Prince Restaurant

* Killgore Pharmacy

* The Rebel Stop

* Claiborne Parish Library

* Delta Interiors

* The Chamber Office at Ford Museum

Brochures only are available at the following:

* Courtyard Florist

* Lake Claiborne State Park

* Haynesville City Hall

* The Guardian-Journal

 

NOTICE: Deadline For Advertisements

No Later Than 5 p.m. On Mondays

All display and legal advertisements for The Guardian-Journal must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Monday of the week in which it is to appear. Classified ads will be received until 12 p.m (noon) on Tuesday prior to the Thursday publication date. Thank you for your cooperation.

 

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1-877-480-9918.

Archived Guardian Journal Headlines & News Briefs from November 1999
 

News Briefs

Pelican yearbooks on sale until April 1

The 2012 Pelican yearbook is now on sale for $35 until April 1. The annual will include 128 all-color pages with lots of history and activities. See Denice Owens, advisor, for an ad or purchase information, or come by the Homer High School office.

 

Haynesville Town Council to meet February 16

The Haynesville Town Council will meet at 6 p.m. in council chambers, located behind City Hall, for its regular monthly meeting. For more information, or for questions, please call their office at 318-624-0911.

 

MARA to meet February 18

The Minden Amateur Radio Association (MARA) will meet at Exacta Inn at 11 a.m. for lunch, with the meeting beginning at 12:15 p.m. Anyone interested in amateur radio (ham radio) is invited to attend.

 

Sweetheart Pageant slated for February 18

The Sweetheart Pageant will be held at 5 p.m. at the Claiborne Parish Fair Complex. Entry fee for ages pre-K through 12 is $20. Registration deadline is Monday, January 30. Applications may be picked up at the Boys and Girls Clubs in Homer and Haynesville. For more information, please call 624-1188 or 927-2718.

 

Food Distribution set for February 20

The next food distribution will be held at the old Boys and Girls Club on Lyons Hill Road. Hours will be from 8:30 until 9:30 a.m. YOU MUST BRING A BOX FOR YOUR FOOD.

 

Homer Lions Club to meet February 23

The Homer Lions Club will meet at noon at Nicky’s Mexican Restaurant. Tonikoa Goins, with Kisatchie National Forest, will be the guest speaker. All members are encouraged to attend and bring a guest!

 

Free Cancer Screening at HMH February 23

Homer Memorial Hospital will be conducting free breast cancer screening mammograms on this day. To qualify, you must be 40 years of age or older, no insurance or very high deductible and not had a mammogram within one year. Call Amanda Westbrook at 318-927-2024, ext. 286 for an appointment. These services are paid for by a federal grant.

 

Board of Supervisors to meet February 24

The Claiborne Parish Board of Supervisors will meet in the Registrar of Voters Office at 10 a.m. to draw commissioners for the elections to be held on March 24. For more information, please call the Claiborne Parish Registrar of Voters Office at 318-927-333.

 

Carrying Concealed Handgun Class set for February 25

A Carrying Concealed Handgun Course, required for the Louisiana State Police Handgun permit, will be conducted in Homer. Anyone wishing to register for this class may do so by phone at 318-469-4623, Click Here for Registration Form or by emailing , and request a registration form. The cost of the class is $40 and information on submitting the course fee is on the registration form, including where to send to. Money orders or cash only for registration fee. No checks accepted and the registration fee is nonrefundable. The class is from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., with the classroom session in the morning and the range session in the afternoon. Pre-registration is required and registration forms, along with fee must be in by Wednesday, February 22. Certificates will be issued after completion of the class, along with applications for Carrying Concealed Handgun to LSP. Applications may also be obtained by going to the LSP website (www.lsp.org/handguns.html). If fingerprint cards are available, we will also do fingerprinting during the class. For more information or questions, please call 318-469-4632 or 318-225-1366.

 

Food for Seniors set for February 27

Food for Seniors in Claiborne Parish will be distributed from 8 until 9:30 a.m. at the old Boys and Girls Club in Homer.

 

“Read Across America” event set for March 1

The Claiborne Association of Educators and the Boys and Girls Club of Timber Ridge will present “Read Across America” from 4 until 6 p.m. at the Homer and Haynesville Units. Story time at the Homer unit will be presented by Mayor Alecia Smith and story time at the Haynesville unit will be presented by Mayor Sherman Brown. There will be plenty of stories, refreshments and prizes!

 

Garrett Fundraiser set for March 3

A fundraiser for Kelley Ware Garrett will be held at 11 a.m. until the last plate is served at the Haynesville Country Club. There will be a silent auction and plenty of good food. If you would like to make a donation, there is an account set up in the name of Kelley Ware Garrett at Citizens National Bank. If you have any questions or any items to donate, please call Alan Tomlinson at 318-265-0323, John Tomlinson at 318-465-4451, Doug Garrett at 870-904-1451 or Ami Garrett at 318-624-9898 or 870-547-3454.

 

Football Camp at Mayfield Park March 17

A free football camp, hosted by Homer Mayor Alecia Smith, Town of Homer Recreation Department and NFL Player Demetrius Bell, will be held at Mayfield Park from noon until 4:30 p.m. From noon until 2 p.m. will be free elementary school payer football and cheer camps with NFL players (grades 1-6), and from 2 until 4:30 p.m., free high school player football skills camp with NFL players (grades 7-12). For more information and to pick up a registration form, please contact Shaquaila Lewis at the Town of Homer for more information, at 318-927-1312 or 318-927-3555.

 

Hunter Smith Reunion June 28-July 1, 2012

The Hunter Smith family reunion will be held in Haynesville. For more information, please contact Maud Smith at 318-927-3422 or go to www.embracingfamilyreunion.com

 

Ford Museum Seeking Veterans' Photographs

The H.S. Ford Museum has received a grant from Entergy that will enable us to make its exhibits more interactive. Our first emphasis will focus on honoring our military veterans, especially those with a connection to North Central Louisiana. For this project, we are requesting the public's help in gathering photos, formal as well as candid photos that capture everyday life in the military. Artifacts and photos are needed from the Civil War era to the present. Items can be sent to the museum at or mailed to P.O. Box 157, Homer, LA 71040. The museum is opened Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 am to 4 pm for anyone wishing to deliver material in person.


Local CPA Signs On as ClaiborneOne Sponsor

The accounting firm of Steven J. Koskie, CPA LLC has signed on as a sponsor of the ClaiborneOne website.


Steven J Koskie CPA LLCSteve Koskie, Managing Member of the firm said, "Back in the fall, we decided we were going to enhance our presence on the internet. So many people now use the internet as a key way to get news and information. By improving our website and overall web presence, we felt we could achieve two important goals. They are, first, to be of more service to our existing clients and, second, to more effectively reach out to new clients."


After reviewing the web traffic statistics for ClaiborneOne the decision to become a sponsor was made. "I was surprised by the amount of web traffic that goes through the ClaiborneOne web site. ClaiborneOne provides a great service as a 24 hour a day clearinghouse of parish news and information that reaches literally around the world."


Steven J. Koskie CPA LLC is located at 417 North Main Street in Homer. The firm focuses on preparing personal income tax returns, business income tax returns, and bookkeeping/accounting services for business. The firm also provides a variety of financial planning services for individuals and consulting services for business.


"Our experience covers a broad horizon. We have a lot of experience in oil & gas as regards income tax, lease negotiations, and royalty/working interest accounting. We also are very engaged in agricultural endeavors like poultry farming, timber farming and cattle operations. Through the years, I've helped manage some very significant investment portfolios of stocks, bonds, and limited partnerships. When it comes to helping businesses, having 10 years experience as a controller and CFO for significant private companies gives me a unique hands-on perspective of what business owners face in their daily lives. I know their problems and opportunities because I've lived with the very things they deal with everyday. Plus the fact that I've dealt with the day-to-day business decisions of my own firm for a decade."


"We look forward to serving the citizens and businesses of Claiborne Parish and the surrounding area for many years to come. We have a vested interest in the growth of the area and work hard to provide a high quality service. This means much more than delivering a tax return or a set of books to a client. We have the privilege of helping people live their lives and manage their resources. That responsibility to our clients is why we say our income tax, accounting and consulting services require we make a point to 'Provide more than numbers on a page'."


J.T. Taylor RealtyJ.T. Taylor Realty/Dimex Sales - Now Online

J.T. Taylor Realty has provided Real Estate Sales and Buyer Representation in Homer, Haynesville and Claiborne Parish for Commercial, Residential and Timberland Properties since 1984.


With over 56 years experience in the Commercial and Home Markets, J.T. Taylor offers a wealth of knowledge To Help You Avoid the Pitfalls of Buying, Selling or Remodeling a property!


For over 10 years, Dimex Sales has offered a full line of Portable Buildings for Home, Home/Office, Construction Sites, and Storage needs.

 

DNG ConsultingDNG Consulting - Now Online

Based in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, DNG Consulting, LLC provides a wide range of consulting services to meet the needs of a variety of client types. DNG Consulting assists clients in Mergers & Acquisitions, Management Organization Study & Re-structuring, Project Management, Critical Path Recovery Scheduling, Construction Claims Analysis, Business Development, Professional/Technical Recruitment Services and Fuel Services.

 

Don Grimes, President of DNG Consulting, and wife Bea are long time Claiborne Parish residents. The Grimes' have been involved in promoting Claiborne Parish for many years.



Claiborne One Site Now Features Area Image Archive

Archives Now Online include:


Money Available for New or Expanding Businesses in Homer

The Claiborne Chamber of Commerce now has monies to lend through the Revolving Loan Program. Anyone who is interested in starting a business or enlarging an existing business within Claiborne Parish may be eligible. These funds were received from the USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program to assist small businesses and provide for jobs in Claiborne Parish. Loan preferences will be made on the basis of job creation. Further information may be obtained by contacting John Watson, Executive Director of the Claiborne Chamber of Commerce at (318) 927-3271. The Claiborne Chamber of Commerce is an equal opportunity provider. To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).


Smoke Detectors For The Elderly Offered through TRIAD

TRIAD of Claiborne wants all seniors age 65 and above, to have a smoke detector. You may also qualify if you're disabled. Having a smoke detector can mean the difference of life or death. Smoke detectors are available without charge. If you don't have a smoke detector, call 927-2011.

 

  
 
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The Guardian-Journal
 
The Guardian-Journal
620 North Main  |  PO Box 119  |  Homer, La 71040
Phone 318-927-3541  |  Fax 318-927-3542

Co-Owners
Kathryn H. Hightower Hilda Spillers Estate

Geraldine H. Hightower
Publisher
Michelle Bates
Editor
Official Journal
  Claiborne Parish Police Jury, Town of Homer, Villages of Athens, Lisbon, Summerfield and Junction City, La.
Subscription Rates (payable in advance)
Pricing Subject to Change Without Notice
Claiborne, Bienville, Lincoln, Webster and Union Parishes $25.00 per year
Inside the State of Louisiana $30.00 per year
Outside Louisiana (within U.S.) $35.00 per year
(Payments for subscriptions may be made to the above address)
Submissions
  Deadline for Advertisements and News Copy is Monday at 5 PM. Weddings and Engagements must be turned in for publication on the Friday prior to the desired publication date. Photographs must be in the newspaper office by 4 p.m. Friday, a $10.00 charge is placed on all photographs.
All "Letters to the Editor" must be signed.
 
We reserve the right to edit all news copy!
 
  
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Online Since 11/11/99

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