Legislative auditors in Homer
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office
has confirmed that a team of auditors are in Homer, but did not say why they
are here.
“We do have a team of auditors in Homer, but
I cannot comment on what they’re doing,” Eric Sloan, CPA, assistant legislative
auditor and director of investigative audit and advisory services said. “If
something rises to a point where we have something to report, we will issue a
report and the town will be given an opportunity to respond. That’s our
standard procedure.”
According to the legislative auditors’
website (www.lla.state.la.us), “investigative auditors gather evidence
regarding fraudulent or abusive activity affecting governmental entities. Their
audits are designed to detect and deter the misappropriation of public assets
and to reduce future fraud risks. Employees who conduct investigative audits
have degrees in accounting or advanced degrees with at least 15 hours in
accounting. Investigative auditors are based in Baton Rouge but travel
throughout the state to respond to allegations.”
While Sloan would not say the nature of the
auditors’ visit, District Attorney Jonathan Stewart said his office received
complaints of alleged financial impropriety.
“Our office received complaints concerning
allegations of financial impropriety,” he said, “and as a matter of proper
procedure, we forwarded the complaint to the legislative auditors.”
The DA’s office did not participate in the
investigation of the complaint, he said, and he could not say what the
allegations are because they were not specified in writing.
“But they did include some things that had
been reported in The Guardian-Journal,” he said.
In the March 21 edition, The Guardian-Journal
published some questionable expenses and practices within the town’s financial
documents from 2012, including some expenses involving the payment of a
registration fee for the Louisiana City Attorney Association’s conference, as well
as reimbursements for vehicle mileage, hotel stays and meals.
Also questioned were practices within the
town for travel reimbursements, meals charged to the town’s credit card and
other expenses.
Research into these expenses by The
Guardian-Journal came on the heels of the town council’s attempt to disband the
Homer Police Department, of which Mayor Alecia Smith cited repeated over runs
in overtime in the police department’s budget, numerous lawsuits and concerns
of leadership.
Homer Police Chief Russell Mills then hired
an attorney and won a suit against the town for open meetings law violations.
The town council withdrew its vote to disband the police department in a
special called meeting on March 2, just two days before the hearing on Chief
Mills’ case.
Depending on “the nature of the findings,”
Sloan said, it would go “to the authorities who have prosecutory powers,” which
could be the attorney general or the district attorney’s office.
Homer chief meets residency obligation
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Homer Police Chief Russell Mills meets the
residency requirements needed in order to hold his office, according to
Claiborne Parish District Attorney Jonathan Stewart.
On February 22, Azzie Olds, a resident of
Homer, filed a complaint with the district attorney’s office asking them to
investigate whether Chief Mills meets the residency requirements to be chief,
because he owns a business and a second home on Lake Claiborne.
“There is no evidence that Chief Mills has
had any change of residence since he was elected,” Stewart wrote in his letter
to Ms. Olds. “In fact, apparently, his same living arrangements have existed
since the year 2005. As a result, the District Attorney does not believe that
Mr. Russell Mills has, by his actions, abandoned his residence and domicile in
Homer, Louisiana, which would cause him to lose his qualifications to retain
office.
“That does not mean that the facts do not
present a close [sic] case,” he continued. “However, based on the facts of this
case, it appears that the District Attorney would not be able to maintain its
heavy burden of proof in an action to declare an office vacant. The same result
might not have been reached had this matter been brought forward as an
objection to the candidacy of Mr. Mills.”
In Stewart’s letter, sent to Ms. Olds, Mayor
Alecia Smith, the Homer Town Council, the town’s official journal and a
courtesy copy to Chief Mills, he cited several provisions of law and met with
assistant district attorneys as well as the district attorney’s investigator,
which led him to his decision. The investigation began March 7 and was
concluded by March 25.
Stewart said, “There are two primary
differences between the procedure to legal [sic] challenge candidacy and to
declare an office vacant. A challenge of candidacy may be brought about by the
filing of a suit by a registered voter or by the District Attorney. A lawsuit
to declare an office vacant may only be instituted by the District Attorney.
“The law imposes a strong burden on the
plaintiff in a suit to challenge candidacy and an even stronger burden upon the
District Attorney should he file a suit to declare an office vacant,” he
continued. “The law is generally construed liberally so as to favor the
candidacy of a party whose qualifications may be in question and also presume
that a person elected still maintains the qualifications necessary to hold
office.”
A number of factors came into play which led
the district attorney’s office to come to the decision it did, like the fact
that Chief Mills has rented a fully furnished apartment within the corporate
limits of Homer since 2005, has paid utilities there and is seen there daily by
his landlord.
“He sleeps there part of the time and has
maintained his voter registration there,” the letter states. “He has no
homestead exemption elsewhere.”
The letter goes on to say there are factors
that indicate Chief Mills’ Homer address may not be his principal residence,
like the fact that his wife and children live in a mobile home on Lake
Claiborne, that he has a business there and that his wife’s voter registration
and vehicle registration is at Lake Claiborne.
“There is a presumption that a husband and
wife share the same domicile,” Stewart said.
And since the district attorney’s office is
“required to presume that at the time he was elected, Mr. Mills met the
residency and domiciliary requirements of the office of Chief of Police,”
because no one contested his candidacy in the last two elections.
“That being the case, the only question for the District
Attorney to give an opinion on is whether or not Chief Mills has acted in a
manner since his election so that he no longer meets the residence or
domiciliary requirements of the office,” he states. “There is a presumption
against change of domicile. A person may have several residences but only one
domicile. While domicile depends heavily upon intention -- intention is based
upon the actual state of facts and not necessarily what one declares them to
be.
“There is no prohibition for a person
establishing or maintaining a domicile primarily for political purposes,” he continued. “A
public official who continues to discharge his duties is presumed to continue
the domicile he had when elected.”
The complaint came at a time when
disagreements between Chief Mills and Mayor Smith came to light after the town
council voted to disband the town’s police department. Chief Mills sued Mayor
Smith and the town council, effectively putting a stop to the enforcement of
that vote.
The council withdrew its vote to disband the
police department, but a second suit regarding the purported illegal action of
doing away with term limits for the mayor and council was filed in early March.
The council withdrew that vote as well. The hearing on the term limits vote is
Thursday, April 18, in district court at the Claiborne Parish Courthouse at
9:30 a.m.
After rounds of public records requests by
Chief Mills and others, citizens and business owners have also put the mayor
and council on the spot for several questionable expenses over the last two or
three years. Citizens and business owners have shown up in droves at the
council meetings since the February decision to disband the police department.
They have asked questions of the mayor and council but, as of yet, none have
been answered.
The council also withdrew a vote to introduce
an ordinance to amend the town’s budget. According to an amended petition filed
the same day of the hearing on the disbandment of the police department, it is
the belief of Chief Mills the action taken by the council to introduce this
ordinance was to slash his budget so drastically as to render the police
department inoperable.
HMH welcomes new Interim CEO
Homer Memorial Hospital (HMH) has signed an
agreement with Quorum Health Resources (QHR) for hospital management services,
effective Monday, April 1.
The announcement was made by the hospital’s
board of directors and Don Smithburg, regional vice president of QHR.
Before choosing QHR, members of the board
said they carefully considered its options and was attracted by QHR’s depth of
resources, broad experience and the expertise of their management staff. QHR
works with several hospitals in this region, so they understand the issues
unique to this area and are prepared to deal with the challenges like HMH
faces.
“It is a privilege for us to have the
opportunity to work with Homer Memorial (Hospital),” said Smithburg. “Our
capabilities and experience match their needs, which we have identified
together with their board. We are impressed with the dedication of the
employees, medical staff and governing board, and look forward to working with
them.”
Current hospital interim CEO and long-time
HMH employee Ginger Smith has been appointed chief nursing officer (CNO),
responsible for all clinical operations at the hospital. Born at HMH and
employed at the hospital for her entire career, Smith has filled in as interim
CEO in the past and has performed each of her roles at the hospital with
passion and never-ending energy.
“She is an extraordinary asset to Homer
(Memorial) Hospital and the community and QHR is honored that she will play a
key leadership role on the management team,” Smithburg said.
QHR has named Scott Landrum as interim CEO
while QHR conducts a national search for a permanent CEO for HMH. During this
process, QHR will work closely with the board, medical staff, employees and
community leaders to find a CEO that meets the needs of the hospital and
community.
“Our goal is to provide a seamless transition
of leadership during the CEO search process, giving the board time to find the
right candidate for the permanent position.”
Landrum most recently served as interim Chief Executive
Officer in two hospitals in Colorado. He has also provided leadership for QHR
client hospitals in Ohio, Florida, Arkansas and Texas. For nearly 33 years,
Landrum has held a variety of hospital administrative positions. He received a
bachelor’s degree from Centre College and his master’s in health care
administration from Trinity University.
Under the terms of the agreement, QHR will
furnish management expertise and resources while strengthening the services the
hospital provides to the community. The hospital’s board will retain control
over governance responsibilities.
In addition to day-to-day management
assistance, the agreement provides HMH access to QHR’s national purchasing
agreements, a comprehensive array of education, training and consulting
services and specialty healthcare services provided by QHR’s strategic service
partners.
3rd annual Team Cade Benefit May 4
Tour de
Claiborne
The Tour de Claiborne Cystic Fibrosis benefit
ride will be Saturday, May 4. Sign in is between 8:30 and 9 a.m. at Homer High
School with the ride beginning at 9:30 a.m. The entry fee is $50. There will be
three routes this year:
1. 8 miles: South on North Main Street, left
onto Highway 3, left onto U.S. 79 Bypass, left onto North Main Street to the
finish line.
2. 14 miles: South on North Main Street, left
onto Highway 2, left onto North Main to finish line.
3. 30 miles: South on North Main Street,
right onto Highway 2, left onto Lewisville Road, Highway 159, left onto Pistal
Thomas Rd, right onto Highway 2, right onto North Main Street to the finish
line.
Register online at Bikereg.com. Onsite
registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and closes at 9 a.m. on the day of the
event. At registration, please put your shirt size at the end of your name.
Poker Run
Registration for the poker run will be at 8
a.m. at the Courthouse Square with the first bike out at 9 a.m. Riders will
return to the Courthouse Square by noon. The registration fee is $25 per
person, with the grand prize at $250.
Raffle
Raffle items include a $250 gift certificate
to Delta Interiors for $2, a four-gallon fish fryer for $2, a Cajun grill for $5
and a 52” Exmark lawn mower at $10.
Silent
Auction
During the Team Cade Cystic Fibrosis Benefit,
a silent auction will be taking place with lots of great items including
autographed sports memorabilia, a day of golf, gift baskets, kids’ toys and
much more! Items will be on display in the police jury building during the
benefit.
Chicken
Plate Lunches
While everyone is out and about looking at
all the silent auction items, or putting their money in the hat for raffle
prizes, or returning from the bike ride or poker run, chicken plate lunches
will be served for everyone! At $7 each, plates will include chicken, baked
beans, potato chips, bread and a cookie.
Relay for Life coming up soon!
Annual fundraiser slated for April 13
The Guardian-Journal
Claiborne Parish’s American Cancer Society’s
Relay for Life is expected to be better than ever, and for the first time, will
be held on the Claiborne Parish Courthouse grounds on Saturday, April 13.
To begin at noon and end at midnight, 11
teams will be participating with this year’s theme, “Cancer Never Takes a
Holiday.” Each team will decorate their “campsites” with a selected holiday.
Several teams will have games, food and
raffles going on throughout the day. In addition, there will be entertainment
throughout the day.
Registration and lunch for survivors will be
at noon.
Opening ceremonies will be at 12:30 p.m.,
followed by the Survivor’s Walk at 12:40 p.m.
A schedule of events is as follows:
1 p.m.: 4 His Glory
2 p.m.: Spencer Smith
3 p.m.: Bark for Life
4 p.m.: Unshakeable
5 p.m.: Sweet Harmony
6 p.m.: Erin and Jeff Sandford
7 p.m.: Dick’s Hat Band
8 p.m.: Rigdon Family
9:30 p.m.: Luminary Ceremony
Several teams will also be selling food items
including: Grace Team will be selling Cajun food for their theme of Mardi Gras,
Heritage Nursing Center will be selling raffle tickets for a gift card wreath
and will have food and candy for their theme of Halloween, Presbyterian
Village’s team will feature a “Kids’ Zone” with balloons, tattoos, and Pot of
Gold for their theme of St. Patrick’s Day, United Pentecostal Church of Homer
Youth will feature a chalk board to honor cancer survivors and/or those who
have lost their lives o cancer, and they will be selling cookies for their
theme of Christmas, Homer Memorial Hospital will be selling hamburger plates,
the Grits team will be selling raffle tickets and have a silent auction,
Brookshires will be selling barbecue plates and First Baptist Church youth will
be having the dog show “Bark for Life.”
The Bark for Life, a canine event fundraiser,
will be at 3 p.m. The event is open to all dogs. Categories include the fastest
dog, cutest trickster and best dressed. Registration is $5 and includes a
bandana for the dog and a wristband for the owner.
Prizes will be awarded to the top three dogs.
Enter as many categories as you want or just bring your dog to enjoy the fun!
For more information, please contact Christina at 318-927-3596.
The luminary ceremony will be at 9:30 p.m.
This is a very moving ceremony where all the lights are turned off and bags
with candles bearing the names of those deceased or survivors are placed around
the “track,” lit and the names of survivors and those who lost their lives to
cancer are read.
Please come out and listen to the
entertainment we have planned and enjoy the food and fellowship while
supporting a great cause. Hope to see you on the Square on Saturday, April 13.
For more information, you may contact Nancy at 318-927-2517 or Christina at
318-927-3596.
Mock crash hits home with students
The Guardian-Journal photos/Michelle Bates
In a mock crash Friday morning, emergency medical
personnel, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s deputies and local firefighters rush to
save the lives of these teens involved in a drunk driving crash, of which one
teen lost his life. A Pafford EMS checks the pulse on the boy thrown through
the windshield, while others work to rescue another teen in the car, then check
on the driver in the other vehicle. Just a week before prom at Claiborne
Academy, Louisiana State Police Public Information Officer Matt Harris enlisted
the help of local law enforcement, emergency personnel and first responders to
drive home the point that drinking and driving is a deadly game of Russian
roulette. Those who participated in the mock crash are all volunteers and took
time off work to show teens what really happens at the scene of a fatal crash.
Ronald Fletcher, with Think First, an organization
dedicated to preventing serious injury, spoke to the kids about his experience
of driving while drunk and how it has affected him and his family. Elaine
Pahilan, a trauma injury prevention coordinator at LSU Health Sciences Center,
standing next to Fletcher, talked to the kids about her job and why she is in
the position she is. She, too, lost family members due to drunk driving.
Many age groups at Claiborne Academy watched the
scenario of a mock crash on Friday morning, some becoming emotional as the
reality of what happens following a fatal crash hit home. High schoolers at CA
will celebrate their prom next week, and the idea of the scene was to drive
home the point that drinking and driving affects everyone.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Students at Claiborne Academy were up close
and personal as the scenario of a mock fatal crash played out before them.
Just a week before the school’s prom, the
idea of the mock crash was to drive home the point that drinking and driving is
not only not cool, but it’s deadly.
“Every fatal vehicle crash, all of these
entities are called in to interact,” said Louisiana State Police Public
Information Officer Matt Harris of the emergency personnel on scene. “Everybody
here has a job; everybody here is affected by a decision and a choice that one
person made.”
The scenario played out like this. A drunk
driver hit a car full of teens, injuring one and killing two -- one ejected
through the windshield. The ejected teen was pronounced dead at the scene.
Emergency personnel including Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s deputies, Louisiana
State Police, Pafford EMS, Pafford Air One, first responders from all fire
service districts, Coroner Dr. Scott Haynes and others raced to the scene to
save the lives of those involved.
The driver of the other vehicle was arrested
for drunk driving and will most likely spend a good portion of his life behind
bars because he killed someone -- all because he made the choice to drink and
drive.
Ronald “Bubba” Fletcher, drove that point
home when he spoke to the kids, telling them of his experience, saying he was
lucky in the fact that no one else was involved in the crash -- and it’s a
crash, not an accident, he emphasized.
He told his story and the impact one decision
to drink made on him and his family for the rest of their lives.
The crash that changed his life forever
happened at the entrance ramp from Mansfield Road to La. 3132 in Shreveport. He
was going too fast, lost control, went off the embankment breaking the driver’s
side axle which sent the truck into a roll. About the second or third roll, he
said, he was ejected out of the driver’s side window and about the fourth or
fifth roll, the truck rolled over him.
He talked about what changed following the
crash, first and foremost the fact that he actually died that day. He went back
several months later to thank the first responders who saved his life, and he
said, “They were pretty shocked to see me because I was dead on the scene. They
knew it when they walked up on me -- the way that my body was twisted and the
way that my eyes had that wide-open, hollow stare. They followed their jobs and
went to work on me.”
He was resuscitated and taken to LSUHSC in
Shreveport where he stayed in the Intensive Care Unit for a month. He sustained
several life-threatening injuries, including breaking several vertebrae,
severing his spine, several broken ribs and both lungs were collapsed.
He talked about how it affected his wife, the
worry she went through, not knowing where he was or what condition he was in
during the drive from Monroe to Shreveport. When his wife and family arrived at
the hospital, they got to live in the family waiting rooms at the trauma unit
for the next month.
“They (doctors) tell me, ‘You’re paralyzed,
you’ll never walk again,’” Fletcher recalled tearfully. “That’s a hell of a way
to wake up, because the last thing you remember is having a few drinks, having
a good time, no big deal.”
He spent the next month and a half learning
to be an “infant” all over again -- learning to feed himself, bathe, dress
himself and get out of bed and in and out of his wheelchair by himself. He
finally gets to go home and he’s scared, he said. Luckily, his mother and
family were there to help take care of him.
“I made the choices,” he continued. “I made
the choices that put me here. I made the choice to never be able to walk again.
I made the choice to be in this steel prison for the rest of my life. I made
the choice to put my family and friends through all their pain. I made that
choice. I chose to drink and drive. I chose not to reach over and click that
seat belt. I made that choice.”
Elaine Pahilan, trauma injury prevention
coordinator with LSUHSC, said many of the patients from these kinds of crashes
do not make it to the trauma center. She works for a level one trauma center,
which means the trauma center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a
laundry list of surgeons to fix people’s “insides and put bones back together
and make sure pressure on the brain is relieved.”
Her role at the hospital is to speak to every
impaired driver that comes through her doors, she said.
“If you come into my hospital and have an
elevated blood alcohol level (.08 for adults and .02 for teens), you get a
visit from me,” she
said. “What I talk to you about is exactly what Bubba was talking about -- the
choices you make.”
Harris said it’s not easy for Fletcher to
relive the incident, but yet he does it time and again to prevent kids from
making the choice he made that irrevocably changed his life. Harris also spoke
of the first responders who volunteered their time to participate in the mock
crash, saying they volunteered “to be here for you.”
Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey faced a
sea of somber faces as he talked to them about the choices they make.
“You see what can happen,” he said, referring to
the crash scene behind him. “You can make those bad choices. I know that your
prom is a week from tonight, and it’s going to be a fun time. It should be a
fun time. Have fun, have a good time but think about what you’re doing.”
He also went over choices he’s discussed with
these kids before -- texting and driving, speeding, distracted driving and
drinking and driving.
“These are some of the best days of your life
right now,” he said. “Enjoy them but think about what you’re doing. I’ve been
doing this for 27 years and I’ve been to a bunch of those (fatal motor vehicle
crashes) that end just like that.”
Captain Tom Madden, Commander of Troop G, spoke to the
kids, reiterating what Harris, Bailey and the two guest speakers talked about.
“This is a mock crash,” he said. “He (Harris)
didn’t introduce this as a mock accident, it’s a crash. I can’t implore you any
better than what the sheriff has said. In Troop G, we average not reenacting
this, we average the reality of this 30 to 50 times a year.”
He praised Fletcher for his courage to face
his decisions.
“For a man to sit before you and take
responsibility for his actions...” he said. “Everything has consequences. I’ve
raised a daughter and everything has a consequence. The reality is that 60
percent of the fatal crashes in the Troop G area in some way shape or form are
unrestrained occupants. Another 30 some odd percent can be attributed to
alcohol, substance abuse, some type of impairment. It all comes back to the
decisions we make. The reality is, these things can be avoided.”
“I’m very thankful that I was the only one
involved in that crash,” Fletcher said. “I did this to me. I can’t imagine if I
did that to somebody else’s family. What I did, I have to live with because I
did this to myself. Think about your choices. It can happen that quick. It only
takes a few seconds. I’m here to ask you to stop and think first.”
Harris wants to thank all the agencies
involved including McKenzie Bros. Towing for providing the vehicles and set up
for the mock crash. Also, thanks goes to the role players and Mr. Ed Watson for
preparing them for the scenario.
Claiborne Jubilee set for May 25
Above, under the direction of Charlesetta Johnson,
these members of the Gospel group, The Faithful Eight, performed at the
Claiborne Jubilee in May 2012. Jubilee organizers are pleased to announce that
this fine group has once again agreed to share their talents at the 2013
Jubilee to be held May 25. Right, this chair was painted by Becky Lowe for the
“We’re Saving a Seat for You” auction held by the Claiborne Jubilee in 2011.
Artists and chairs are again sought for this year’s auction which will take
place on May 25, during the Jubilee celebration on the courthouse lawn in
Homer. For more information or others interested in performing may contact
Cynthia Steele, 927-2566.
‘Potluck @ the Fair’ set for May 10
The third annual “Potluck @ the Fair”
fundraiser will be held Friday, May 10, 2013 at the Claiborne Parish Fair
Complex in Haynesville.
This family-oriented event will be once again
sponsored by the Town of Haynesville’s Citizens Advisory Committee and the
Haynesville Beautification Committee.
The CAC members are Keith Killgore, Will
Maddox, Mary Presley, Martha Trinko, Mollie Coleman, Linda Baremore, Ricky
Torrence, Claire Traylor, Laurie Smith, Mary Alexis, Linda Levingston and Linda
Knox.
This year’s event will begin at 6 p.m. with a
“potluck” dinner featuring a wide, delicious variety of foods prepared by the
great cooks of our town and area. During and following the dinner, a silent
auction will be held with many great items to bid on.
The silent auction will start at 6 p.m. and
close at 7:30 p.m. Then starts the evening’s entertainment. We are pleased to
have the talented “Lisemby Family Gospel Group” from New Eddinburg, Ark., as
our guest entertainers this year.
The proceeds from the fundraiser will be
dedicated to the maintenance of the fair complex roof as the top priority.
There are major maintenance issues with the roof at the present time, as it is
nearing 30 years old. The neoprene fasteners on the metal roof have
deteriorated, as well as the skylights. The white factory coating has worn off
over time exposing bare metal panels on the roof. The original insulation and
acoustic material has deteriorated inside and will have to be addressed. All of
these areas will require significant maintenance soon.
The proceeds from the past two fundraisers
have been used to remodel the bathrooms, tile and paint the hallway, and to
tile the floor of the kitchen. Additional tables and chairs were purchased for
the facility. New and energy efficient air conditioning has been installed at
the complex in addition to four interior circulating fans, each with their own
controls. A significant electrical upgrade was made when the new air and fans
were installed.
Tickets to the event are $20 each. They can
be purchased from any CAC member, at Haynesville City Hall, Killgore’s Pharmacy,
Carla Smith’s Cut and Curl, and from Jackie Roberts at the Haynesville News
Office in Homer. Call Keith Killgore at 318-624-1122 for more information. Food
and silent auction inquiries should be made to Linda Knox at 318-624-1606.
All ticket purchases, donations and
contributions are tax deductible and appreciated. You do not have to cook or
bring any kind of food to attend! If you would like to prepare a dish, please
contact Linda Knox at 318-624-1606.
The CAC and Haynesville Beautification Committees
want to thank the community and surrounding area for all the support the last
two years. We have made significant progress in the maintenance of the
Claiborne Parish Fair Facility and look forward to seeing everyone again at
this year’s event.
Burham raffles to help with medical expenses
The Guardian-Journal
A raffle fundraiser for Bryon Burham, a
Claiborne Parish Police Jury employee who reinjured his leg recently, is going
on now for a Savage 11 Hunter XP 243 with a 3-9x40 Bushnell scope.
Tickets are $5 each and the drawing will be
held Saturday, April 20. Also, another raffle for a $100 gas card is going on
as well, with the drawing to be held May 1.
For more information on the gun raffle or to
purchase tickets, please call Allison or Cody Dillon at 318-433-0863 or
318-617-4443. For more information on the gas card raffle or to purchase at
ticket, please call Cindy Burham at 318-433-1389, Christy Coleman at
318-517-3293, Angela Burham at 318-245-2844 or Tammy LaRowe at 318-523-9988.
Burham was traveling to work on his
motorcycle in May 2012 when a car topped a hill in his lane and hit him. Burham
underwent 12 surgeries to save his leg. On Marcy 20, Burham fell in his home,
tearing ligaments from the bone and ripping his knee apart. As a result,
doctors had to amputate his leg from the knee down.
He had many blood transfusions because his
blood count was down.
Burham is now at home and recovering. Donations from
these two raffles are being sought to help pay for his prosthetic and therapy.
Tickets for the gun raffle may be purchased
at Gibsland Bank on Homer Road in Minden, Security Finance and at Hill Oil in
Homer.
Man jailed over diesel fuel
Drug charges added to theft charge
A complaint in reference to stolen diesel
fuel landed a Haynesville man behind bars on more than just theft charges.
According to a news release from the
Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Deputy John E. Stephenson responded to a
complaint in reference to diesel fuel being stolen from a Volvo excavator.
Upon arrival, Stephenson conducted an initial
investigation.
Detective Randy Smith continued the
investigation and discovered that Trevor Ford Holly, 21, had stolen the diesel.
Upon completion of the investigation, Detective Smith arrested Holly and booked
him into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center.
Holly was charged with criminal trespass with
bond set at $1,000, theft less than $500 with bond set at $1,000, possession of
Schedule I CDS (marijuana) with bond set at $1,000, possession of drug
paraphernalia with bond set at $1,000 and possession of Schedule II CDS
(methamphetamines) with bond set at $5,000.
In a separate incident, on Thursday, April 4,
Stephenson located Lavince Carter, 23, of Homer, to serve a restraining order
as well as outstanding warrants on him.
Upon locating Carter, Stephenson discovered
him sitting in a smoke-filled vehicle. Stephenson recognized the odor of burnt
marijuana and arrested Carter. Carter was served the restraining order and
booked into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center.
He was charged with a Springhill Police
Department warrant for second degree battery with bond set at $5,000, a Homer
Police Department warrant for violation of a restraining order with bond set at
$1,000 and simple possession of marijuana with bond set at $500.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
The Guardian-Journal
April is National Child Abuse Prevention
Month.
Child sexual abuse is a difficult subject to
discuss and many of us opt not to talk about it. The reality is that child
sexual abuse is prevalent in our society. Most children won’t talk about what
is happening, so we have to.
Every day in the United States, children are
trafficked for sex. It happens in schools, shopping malls, truck stops, clubs
and bars. It even happens in homes. If you think it can’t happen in our
neighborhoods, you need to think again.
There are avenues for child victims and help
is available. If you suspect a child is a victim of sexual abuse, call the
24-hour hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD, or call the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s
Office at 318-927-2011.
April is also recognized as Sexual Assault
Awareness Month. Sexual assault is not defined just as rape, but includes any
inappropriate touching or kissing.
Sexual violence can range from sexual threats
to unwanted contact to rape. It even includes sexual assault upon a person who
is incapable of giving consent because of mental or physical incapacity,
including due to the influence of drugs, alcohol or age. These traumatic events
have obvious physical effects on victims, but also can produce feelings of
denial, helplessness, anger, self-blame, loneliness, anxiety and shame.
Help us fight against sexual assault. if you
or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, contact the
Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-927-2011.
New La. Tech Softball coach guest speaker for
Homer Lions Club
Coach Mike Montgomery, head softball coach at
Louisiana Tech University, will be the guest speaker for the Homer Lions Club
this Thursday at Nicky’s Mexican Restaurant.
After highly successful head coaching stints
at both Centenary and Northern Colorado, Montgomery takes over at Louisiana
Tech this year after being named only the third head coach of the program in
the last three decades.
"I am very honored to have been chosen
as the head softball coach at Louisiana Tech University," said Montgomery.
"I would like to thank Athletic Director Bruce Van De Velde and Senior
Woman's Administrator Mary Kay Hungate for this opportunity. What an exciting
time to be joining the Louisiana Tech family.
"I am very familiar with the pride and
passion of Louisiana Tech Athletics, specifically of that which surrounds the
softball program and its rich history. It is my desire to continue the growth
of the program and to strive to create a level of excellence that will live up
to some of the great accomplishments of the past."
Montgomery boasts 12 years of collegiate head
coaching experience - 10 on the Division I level - after spending two years at
NAIA Georgetown (Kent.) College, eight years at Centenary College and the past
two years at North Colorado. He has won 330 career games on the college level.
The Kentucky native has led his teams to
seven winning seasons during those 12 years, including seven seasons of 30 or
more wins, while guiding Centenary to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances in
2004 and 2005. During his time at Centenary (2003-2010), Montgomery won 216
games, including victories over Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, Minnesota, Syracuse,
Boston College and New Mexico.
"We are excited to have Mark Montgomery
lead our softball program," Van De Velde said. "Mark has been the
head coach of two Division I programs that have competed successfully at the
highest level of NCAA competition. Mark has demonstrated that he cares deeply about
the personal and academic development of student athletes.
"As we prepare to join Conference USA,
it is a priority for all of our programs to remain committed to competitive
excellence. We believe Coach Montgomery will raise the overall success level of
our softball program and will work tirelessly to promote the sport in the
community and around the state. He has a great background and strong
relationships with local high school programs and travel ball teams which will
help with recruiting."
Montgomery's teams have also been highly
successful away from the softball diamond as each one of them has registered a
team grade point average above 3.0 for the past 10 years. His 2001 team at
Georgetown College posted a cumulative GPA that ranked in the top 10 of the
National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Academic Teams.
Prior to his collegiate coaching experience, Montgomery
served as the softball coach at Lafayette (Kent.) High School where he won
seven district titles, five regional titles and one state championship title
while posting a 170-73 record.
He earned his bachelor's degree from Eastern
Kentucky in 1992 and his master's degree from Georgetown College in 2000.
Montgomery and his wife Melanie have three
daughters: Bailey, Emma and Adrienne.
The meeting will be at noon. LA Tech Sports
Information Director Malcolm Butler will also be a guest speaker.
