Car hits house, driver airlifted to hospital with
severe injuries
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
This mangled car is what’s left after slamming into the
wall of the home of Flossie Flucas, on the corner of Ivory and U.S. 79 in
Homer. Homer Police say the driver swerved into the other lane of traffic in an
attempt to pass another vehicle, hit the embankment and hit the house. The
driver was flown by Pafford Air One to LSUHSC with severe injuries.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
A Houston, Texas man is in the hospital with
severe injuries after he hit a house in Homer with his car.
According to officials at the scene early
Tuesday morning, Christopher Tullos, 39, was traveling northbound on U.S. 79
and attempted to pass another vehicle within the corporate limits of Homer.
When he went into the northbound lane of travel, he hit the embankment which
steered the car into the home of Flossie Flucas, who lives on the corner of
Ivory Street and U.S. 79.
Sandra Evans, who was traveling southbound on
her way to work, said when she saw the car coming, he ran her off the road.
“He would have killed us,” she said. “He was
traveling at a high rate of speed and was weaving.”
She said she stopped and pulled off the road
because she knew something was wrong.
“He was either sick or on drugs,” she said.
“There had to have been something wrong with him. I was praying for him because
I knew something was wrong.”
Evans had her three-year-old granddaughter in
the car with her.
Flucas said she was inside her home when she
heard a big “thud,” like the roof was caving in.
“I had just walked out of that room (the side
of the house the driver hit),” she said. “I saw the dresser drawer half way out
and everything on the floor. I looked out the window and saw smoke.”
At that time, she learned the car was on fire
and saw people trying to extract Tullos from the vehicle.
“It was (scary),” she said, “because I was
looking at a car in my wall. I had just walked out of that room. The Lord is
good and I was blessed.”
Tullos was treated at the scene by paramedics from Pafford Ambulance
Service before he was flown by Pafford Air One to Louisiana State University
Health Sciences Center in Shreveport for treatment of severe injuries.
Homer Police Chief Russell Mills said
toxicology tests are pending. First responders from the Homer Fire Department
were also on scene. Homer Police Officer Johnnie Hough was the investigating
officer on scene.
Haynesville man perishes in Webster crash
The Guardian-Journal
A Haynesville man has died as the result of a
crash in Webster Parish.
According to Louisiana State Police Troop G,
at approximately 9 p.m., Sunday, April 14, troopers responded to a single
vehicle crash on U.S. 79 south of La. 518 in Webster Parish that claimed the
life of Tony Burns, 44.
The preliminary investigation revealed that
the Minden Police Department received a complaint alleging that the driver of a
2001 Chevy Malibu was driving in a reckless manner, the press release stated.
Minden officers located the vehicle and attempted to stop it. Burns did not
stop and continued north on U.S. 79 at a high rate of speed, lost control of
the vehicle and drove into a ditch on the right side of the road.
Burns struck an embankment, traveled back
onto the road and then overturned multiple times.
“Burns was not wearing his seatbelt and was
ejected,” the press release stated. “Burns suffered fatal injuries as a result
of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Webster Parish
Coroner’s Office.”
Alcohol is suspected to be a factor in this
crash, and a toxicology sample was obtained from Burns. It will be submitted
for analysis.
To report impaired drivers, motorists are
encouraged to dial *LSP (*577) from their cell phone or contact their local law
enforcement agency.
Wearing a seatbelt is the single most
effective thing motorists can do to protect themselves from injury in the event
of a crash. Louisiana state law requires vehicle occupants in all seating
positions to be properly restrained, day and night. Buckle up Louisiana --
every trip, every time.
Relay for Life raises $34,500
The Guardian-Journal photos/Jenni Williams
Survivors gathered at the Courthouse Square in Homer
Saturday for the Survivor’s Walk to honor those who have survived cancer. This
year’s total, so far, has raked in an astounding $34,500 for the American
Cancer Society. The funds will go towards research, prevention, education and
other areas for the American Cancer Society. Below right, the 2012 Claiborne
Parish Relay for Life event was recognized for qualifying in the Top 20 per
capita in the state of Louisiana. Pictured second from right is Lindsay
McEwlee, with the American Cancer Society, along with members of the Claiborne
Parish Relay for Life Committee.
South Claiborne Water System issues boil advisory
The South Claiborne Water System, PWS
ID#10237006, Athens, LA is experiencing problems with the water supply system.
Because of these problems, the water produced
by our water system is of questionable microbiological quality.
Therefore as a precaution, the Water System
is releasing a BOIL ADVISORY
effective immediately. The Boil Advisory is to remain in effect until rescinded
by the Water System.
It is recommended that all consumers
disinfect their water before consuming it (including fountain drinks), making
ice, brushing teeth, or using it for food preparation or rinsing of foods by
the following means:
Boil water for one (1) full minute in a clean
container. The one minute starts after the water has been brought to a rolling
boil. (The taste can be eliminated by shaking the water in a clean bottle or
pouring it from one clean container to another, or by adding a pinch of salt to
each quart of water that is boiled.)
Again, please be sure to disinfect your own
water prior to consumption until you have been advised otherwise.
Upon notification from the Office of Public
Health State Regional Laboratory that the samples collected from our water
supply have been found to be safe, the State Health Department will notify the
water supply of the sample test results. Upon such notification, the South
Claiborne Water System will then rescind the BOIL ADVISORY
and notify its customers that the water has been found to be safe.
Van Austin,
Manager, South Claiborne Water System
Police to crack down on city parks, parking violations
Homer Police Chief Russell Mills said his officers will
be cracking down on litter and the drinking of alcoholic beverages at Mayfield
Park. These photos were taken Sunday morning after police received numerous
complaints about the condition of the park following a party or event this past
Saturday night.
The Guardian-Journal
After receiving numerous complaints in
regards to the condition of Mayfield Park, Homer Police Chief Russell Mills
said he and his officers will crack down on violators.
In an interview with The Guardian-Journal,
Mills said the police department had received several complaints in regards to
a party or an event that occurred Saturday night, April 13. Officers checked it
out and found the condition of the park following the event to be deplorable.
On that Sunday morning, Homer Police photographed the aftermath of the party or
event and found several violations of town ordinances, including drinking
alcoholic beverages on the property.
“It rubs me wrong that there are beer bottles
and trash at Mayfield Park,” Mills said. “People need to start cleaning up
after themselves.”
Not only that, but police are strictly
enforcing the rules of the use of the park with spring now here and school
about to let out for the summer.
“The parks need to be a safe environment for
kids to play and families to enjoy,” Mills said. “It’s a shame that adults
can’t pick up after themselves, but yet they can hold events on the Square and
keep it clean. It was an eventful weekend on the Square with the (American
Cancer Society’s) Relay for Life and the block party held by First Baptist
Church. There was no trash when they left.
“Use the parks, respect and clean up after
yourself,” Mills said. “We want families to have wholesome fun. There has to be
checks and balances. We will work with the council and the recreation director
to have a safe summer.
“If you litter, you will be fined,” he
continued. “If you drink (alcoholic beverages) at the park, you will be fined.”
During the last recreation committee meeting
on April 4, Patricia Jenkins, committee chair, and Fred Young, recreation
director, said security issues are still in discussion as to how to better
secure Mayfield Park.
Mills also said police have received numerous
complaints about improper parking on neighborhood streets where motorists
cannot pass through.
“You will be cited if you are parked where a
vehicle cannot pass,” Mills said. “We have to crack down on this.”
Citations include La. Revised Statute (R.S.)
14:97 simple obstruction of a highway of commerce, which states, “Simple
obstruction of a highway of commerce is the intentional or criminally negligent
placing of anything or performance of any act on any railway, railroad,
navigable waterway, road, highway, thoroughfare, or runway of an airport, which
will render movement thereon more difficult. Whoever commits the crime of
simple obstruction of a highway of commerce shall be fined not more than two
hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.”
A person will be cited for improper parking,
which specified in Louisiana Revised Statute 32:143, that “no person shall
stand, or park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other
traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or
traffic control device, in any of the following places...” It lists 15
different places that are prohibited, including in front of a public or private
driveway, on the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or
curb of a street, at any place where official signs prohibit such or any place
where parking will obscure or obstruct visibility of any traffic control
device.
Mills reminds motorists and homeowners, that
if vehicles are illegally parked, then the homeowner could be cited as well.
CA girls basketball team recognized by CPPJ
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
The Claiborne Academy Lady Rebels were honored with a
framed resolution by the Claiborne Parish Police Jury on Wednesday, April 10,
proclaiming April 10 as Claiborne Academy Lady Rebel Day in honor of winning
the MAIS State Championship this year.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The Claiborne Parish Police Jury honored the
Claiborne Academy Lady Rebels for winning the MAIS Class A State Girls
Basketball Championship with a resolution declaring Wednesday, April 10 as
Claiborne Academy Lady Rebels Day in Claiborne Parish.
District 2 Police Juror Mark Furlow presented
the two captains of the team, Headmistress Jane Brown and Coach Wade Heigle
with a framed resolution in honor of the girls’ win.
According to the resolution, the Lady Rebels
won the MAIS Class A State Championship on February 23 in Learned, MS against
Tri-County Academy of Flora, MS by a score of 40-33.
“Now, therefore be it resolved that the
Claiborne Parish Police Jury hereby officially recognizes and congratulates the
players of the Claiborne Academy Lady Rebels, Head Coach Wade Heigle, CA Head
Mistress [sic] Mrs. Jane Brown and the CA Faculty and Student Body,” the
resolution states.
All the jurors congratulated the girls on
their significant achievement.
In other news, the police jury amended the
agenda to add a few items, one of which included considering allowing Attorney
Danny Newell to continue to represent the police jury at no charge until the
next term of the district attorney. According to Police Jury President Scott
Davidson, Newell was terminated as an assistant district attorney because he
announced to Stewart his intention to run for the office in 2014.
Newell has represented the police jury for
the last 16 years, and in offer of explanation, Newell emphasized what Davidson
said. A letter by District Attorney Jonathan
Stewart said it was “unrealistic” to have Newell continue working as an
assistant district attorney after announcing his intention to run.
According to an ad in the Haynesville News,
when Stewart ran for Second Judicial District judge in 2000, he was an
assistant district attorney at the time and when he ran for district attorney
in 2008.
Newell was asked to tender his resignation,
but he refused citing the major trials coming this year, which include the
trial of the other defendant in the murder of the late Butch Bays, the trial of
Patishi Kirk, who is accused of killing her boyfriend, Vincent Dunn, and the
aggravated rape trial of Cameron Cockrell and Jermaine Johnson.
Mr. Lea Hall has been hired to replace
Newell.
In other news, the police jury accepted the
lowest bid from Utility Service Co. for approximately $64,000 for the Standpipe
re-coating and tank modifications for the Summerfield Water System.
The police jury also approved Ordinance 768,
an ordinance granting to Claiborne Electric Cooperative, Inc., the franchise,
right and privilege, for a period of fifty (50) years to supply electric power
and energy to the parish of Claiborne.
A public hearing for the ordinance was held
at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 10.
Also, a request from the Claiborne Parish Watershed
District was tabled, which would include their one-eighth cent sales tax
renewal on the October ballot with the police jury’s renewal proposition.
Davidson wants to know if they need to “sundown” the sales tax, in other words,
let it lapse if the watershed district doesn’t really need it. He said he
wanted to know if they really need it and wanted more information before
approving the request. It will be put on the May agenda for approval.
In other news, Joseph Michael Bailey will
replace Cameron Goodwin on the Claiborne Parish Fire District #3 board. Goodwin
resigned March 15.
The jury approved a request from the Office
of Community Services Board of Control to increase the salary of Jodie Heigle,
executive director, effective May 1.
In economic news, Secretary Treasurer Dwayne
Woodard requested that the jury invest in the North Louisiana Economic
Partnership at $1,000 annually. NLEP is the gateway for economic development in
the northwest Louisiana region. It was approved.
Road Superintendent Tommy Durrett presented the 2013 Chip
Seal list which will include 27 miles of one-shot, 3.8 miles of 2-shot and 1.9
miles of 3-shot. There are 630 miles worth of parish roads that are
blacktopped, and 20 miles that are dirt roads in the parish, Durrett said.
In the buildings and grounds report, District
3 Juror Bob McDaniel had a lengthy list to go through. It included:
• Voiding the lease on the Armory Building.
• Opened the floor for discussion of Taylor
Ministries to lease or buy the Armory building.
• The roofs on all parish buildings have been
replaced over the last couple of years, and now their efforts are moving
inside. Currently, Heigle is asking for some work to be done to the building of
the Office of Community Services and for a new sign to be placed outside the
building. The sign will be done by Evangeline Specialties. At this time, the
other work inside the building will be revisited.
• Much discussion was put into the women’s
jail, located at the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office. No real upgrades have
been made since the 1970s (except for the dispatch office), and the jury agreed
it was time to give renovations some major thought. Right now, they are getting
new locks for the cell doors at the jail. They also discussed repairs to the
showers, because there is leaking plumbing. Also discussed was a refrigeration
problem.
• The jury is also looking at moving all the
electronics for the 911 system at the sheriff’s office. Right now, it’s all
stored in a broom closet, and those electronics are the heart of the sheriff’s
office.
The estimated cost of the project is
$100,000. According to Sheriff Ken Bailey, space is increasingly becoming a
problem because they can’t expand -- there’s nowhere to go. Unfortunately,
there are no grants out there for this, so the police jury will have to pay for
it.
• Other repairs discussed were some to the
courthouse, which include power-washing the courthouse, pulling off some
gutters, re-painting the exterior, shutters, sanding, priming handrails, repair
cracks in the columns and breaks in the sidewalks. The total cost of this
project is roughly $20,000, which will go to Garcia Construction.
• Also, water is leaking into the bricks on
the west wall of the Claiborne Parish Police Jury complex.
• Thanks to a $2,000 grant from Operation
Round-Up from Claiborne Coop, the ramps at the Harris Polling Place will be
replaced.
• In an update on the library, the building
has been gutted and foundations poured, but as workers dug into the building,
additional damage from storms has been found. The cost of those damages will be
covered by the insurance company.
The next police jury meeting will be at 9
a.m. Wednesday, May 8, in the meeting room at the police jury complex. For more
information, or for questions, please call their office at 318-927-2222.
CPSB honors Lewis family with resolution
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The Claiborne Parish School Board tackled a
fairly lengthy agenda at their monthly board meeting, and in that meeting a
resolution was passed to honor the late Homer High School’s Principal Clifton
Lewis.
A framed copy of the resolution honoring Mr.
Lewis was given to his widow, Mrs. Clifton Lewis and his son, Everett Lewis,
presented by Personnel Supervisor Mary McDaniel. Lewis passed away recently
following a lengthy illness. Mr. Paul Beene is serving as interim principal.
“Thank you to the Claiborne Parish School
System for all the kindness extended to our family,” Mrs. Lewis said. “I hope
that he was as much a blessing to you as you were to him.”
In other news, Mr. David Robinson asked for
some help funding the FBLA trip to the national convention. According to Dr.
Janice Williams, the cost is $600 per child and FBLA will still have to raise
roughly $800 to make the trip. Those going are Homer High School Students
Tre’Various Moore, Ge’Kobe Hunter and Michaella Shelton.
The convention is in Anaheim, California on
June 27-30. The motion to support was approved.
In other news, the school board also approved
summer school to teach driver’s education, with a 25 student limit at $250 per
student.
The school board also approved a motion to
advertise for a special education supervisor and to advertise for the position
of principal at Homer High School. The special education supervisor, Jan
McCullin, is retiring.
Also approved was authorization to allow
Business Manager Fred Evans to purchase new computer hardware and operating
system for payroll and accounting. According to Evans, the computer itself is
five years old and two hard drives have been replaced in that one computer in
the last year, he said. The computer is out of warranty and the IT (Information
Technology) department says it needs to be replaced.
It will cost approximately $19,000 for the
computer and the software. The threshold before having to bid out the purchase
is $20,000, and the amount is just under that. The funds will come from the
1978 sales taxes.
Also in other news, salary schedules must be
published under Act 1, passed last year by Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Louisiana
Legislature. Even though Act 1 has been declared unconstitutional and is being
appealed to the supreme court, the school board must operate as if it is still
in place until they have something in writing that states otherwise, Evans
said.
According to Evans, Act 1 guidelines require
they establish salary schedules for teachers, administrators and certified
personnel using three components, which include demand, experience and
effectiveness. He took the current salary schedule and broke it down into
demand and experience, with 50 percent for demand and 50 percent for
experience.
“Then you have to consider the evaluation
process, in that a teacher or administrator is either effective or
ineffective,” Evans said. “They are emerging effective, effective efficient,
effective and highly effective.”
This means in each category, teachers,
administrators and certified personnel will get a stipend in a certain amount,
depending on the category they meet in effectiveness. Emerging effective is
$300, effective efficient is $400 and highly effective is $500.
“One of the requirements of that is if a
person is deemed to be ineffective, their salary will be the same the following
year as it was the previous year,” he explained.
In other news, the school board approved a
memorandum of understanding with the Boys and Girls Club Homer Unit, which is
using school board property to meet. Currently, they are meeting in the
upstairs conference room at Homer City Hall.
While the agreement has always been the same,
this is just putting it all in writing, Dr. Williams said. Nothing has changed
as far as the agreement itself.
In the superintendent’s report, Dr. Williams
announced that six retirees will be recognized at the May 9 board meeting, with
a reception for them set before the regular meeting. Also, the 4-H banquet will
be at 6 p.m., Monday, April 29 at the Claiborne Parish Fair Complex in
Haynesville. This will be a covered dish dinner and awards will recognize
outstanding 4-Hers, volunteers and supporters.
The next meeting of the Claiborne Parish
School Board will be at 6 p.m., Thursday, May 9 in the board meeting room at
Central Office. A retirement reception will be before the regular meeting. For
more information, please call their office at 318-927-3502.
Rep. Jefferson gives review of Legislators’ first week
in session
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The Louisiana Legislature has finished out
its first week in session and as of press time Tuesday evening is well into its
second week.
District 11 Rep. Patrick Jefferson sat down with The
Guardian-Journal to talk about the remaining weeks in session, with three
important things in mind -- budget, budget, budget.
While Gov. Bobby Jindal has pulled his
proposed tax plan to do away with state income tax, he and legislators still
have to deal with the budget and how to fix the deficit. The problem,
Jefferson said, is that there are only two places where funds are not
restricted, and those are education and healthcare. The rest of Louisiana’s
funds are dedicated and cannot be spent anywhere else other than its intended
purpose.
He also said legislators stood united against
Gov. Jindal’s plan, some wanting to phase it out over a 10-year period, others
not wanting to do away with it at all.
“It would have just signaled the death of so
many municipalities because we would have had an astronomical sales tax rate,”
Jefferson said. “I was in a meeting and one of the members indicated that no
business entity, no person went to the administration and said, ‘I don’t want
to pay income taxes anymore.’ Where this idea came from, I’ve not been told.”
Why even bother unless you’re looking at a
national approach? he asked.
“Maybe we can tweak some things, but as far
as our sales tax and our income tax, it’s relatively low when you look at our
sister states,” he said. “It’s pretty obvious that some of us know that we’re
going to look at some of the credits and exemptions and closing some loopholes.
Our revenue stream is shrinking. We have to identify things to help us generate
more funding.”
He said he noticed this year a unique sense
of collegiality among the members, but “we were pretty united in saying the
governor’s tax proposal wasn’t going to work. There is a strong contingency out
there that it’s fine, that we don’t need to do anything with it. There are others
who say that we need to generate some revenue.”
He says after listening to Gov. Jindal’s
administration, revenue is shrinking because funds from gaming, state income
tax and sales taxes are down.
“It’s probably a combination of things, and
that’s why we’ve consistently, during this administration, had mid-year cuts,”
he said. “which have hurt and almost crippled higher education and our
hospitals. That’s why we’re in the situation we’re in.
“We want to make sure that whatever was done,
number one, is working, number two, what was done for the individuals who have
to implement it understand and number three the individuals who are affected
understand,” he said. “I’ve talked to several teachers who don’t mind the
evaluation, but what is it? The people who are doing the evaluations don’t get
it. But the primary challenge will be the budget.”
Another area they are looking at is Medicaid
expansion. To date, Gov. Jindal has taken a hard stance against accepting any
federal monies for Medicaid, to the tune of approximately $600 million.
Jefferson said because of this, Medicaid will be crippled in its ability to
provide services to those who need it most.
This year is the last year that Jindal has a
chance to accept this federal funding.
“People are fed up with the cuts,” Jefferson said. “The
individuals who I often speak with in this district and in this state, they
don’t mind paying their fair share as long as they can see positive results.
Nobody wants to waste money; nobody wants to see money spent on things it
wasn’t intended on spending it for.
“Another thing we’re going to have to deal
with is our TOPS program,” he continued. “The governor said there shouldn’t be
a cap on TOPS, but it’s a drain on the budget.”
One of the suggestions to bring in more
revenue is raising the “sin” tax on cigarettes. But what about raising taxes on
alcohol sales or gaming? Jefferson said he’s been asked those same questions
and doesn’t have an answer right now. So, this session, they are going to look
at several different programs, state salaries, education measures passed last
year and look at moving around some things. They will be looking at what works,
what doesn’t work, closing some loopholes.
He reiterated the main topics of this year’s
session will be the budget and Medicaid.
AWWM speaks out about ‘deficiencies’
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
American Water & Wastewater Management
(AWWM) speaks out after Town Attorney Marcus Patillo sent a letter to the
company saying its services would no longer be needed after Monday, April 15;
however, in a letter dated April 12, Patillo said the town will not terminate
the contract.
In the April 1 meeting of the Town of Homer,
it was insinuated the company was not properly managing the town’s wastewater
treatment facility, with Patillo saying in his letter, dated January 8, 2013,
there was a breach of contract due to the conditions of the facility during a
tour of the plant in October 2012.
“I have been advised that the facility is not
monitored every day as the terms of the initial contract stated that it would
be,” Patillo stated in his letter to Marios Papadopoulos, owner of AWWM.
“Further, the facility is in need of cleaning, as of the date of the visit by
the Homer town officials it appeared that the facilities and equipment there
had not been cleaned in some time, as evidenced by the photos from that October
17, 2012 visit. As a result of this visit, let this letter service as notice by
the Town of Homer as terminating its contract with you.”
He cited the company’s contract with the town
under Section 2 Scope of Services, which state the services AWWM agreed to
provide for the town, which is operation, maintenance and monitoring of the
facility.
In the April meeting, Walter Young, a town
employee who is responsible for the collection system of the plant, said
“deficiencies” were cited in this year’s annual municipal water pollution
prevention audit report.
Pam Breedlove, attorney for Papadopoulos,
said in a letter addressed to Patillo there was no breach of contract.
There were three violations listed, one of
which was not a violation at all, but rather a typographical error in a monthly
report. This violation occurred in a report for the monitoring period of
September 1, 2011 to September 30, 2011, where the chlorine value on the
monthly report stated 7. It should have read .07, and in March of this year, an
amended discharge monitoring report was resubmitted to the Louisiana Department
of Environmental Quality.
The second violation occurred in March 2012
showed effluent (final discharge from the wastewater treatment plant)
measurements above the authorized permit levels. In a response letter to the
DEQ, Papadopoulos explained that this violation “could be attributed to the
amount of sludge that is generated at the equalization basins and chlorine
chambers due to the operation of the SBRs (Sequencing Batch Reactors). The
chlorine chambers are also very short in length. (All these have been
repeatedly mentioned to the town engineers in order to provide solutions.)”
The third violation occurred following the
storms in June 2012 that knocked out power to much of Claiborne Parish for
several days, including the wastewater treatment plant in Homer. According to
Breedlove’s letter to Mr. Patillo, dated April 5, AWM’s staff was “onsite
twenty-four hours a day during this time period while generators were brought
to operate the plant. DEQ was notified at the time this occurred. This event
was beyond the control of all.”
According to Karl Johnson, area supervisor
for AWM, the problem is not the wastewater treatment facility itself; it’s the
collection chambers that keep causing the effluent measurements to be above the
authorized permit limits.
In a visit by Mayor Alecia Smith and a few
town council members to the plant in October, Patillo stated in his termination
letter they found the facility to be unsatisfactory. Photographs attached to
the letter show the basins (holding area where the water is treated) and the
area around the facility, which showed vegetative debris around the facility.
In a telephone interview with Papadopoulos,
he explained the wastewater treatment process from beginning to end, and in the
holding area aforementioned, the water should look light brown, sometimes with
light beige foam, which means the water is being chemically treated. However,
the main concern should be the outflow (the end of the treatment process). The
outflow should be clear, he said.
“The water is supposed to look light brown
with some bubbles and occasionally with light beige foam after the water is
oxygenated,” Papadopoulous said. “If the water is not crystal clear in the
outflow, then there is a problem.”
At the outflow, that’s when the treated water
flows into the creek and from there eventually into Lake Claiborne. That’s why
their DEQ permit is so strict, he said. The water has to be viable to support
aquatic life.
There was also issue with payments owed to
AWWM by the town that have now been taken care of, Papadopoulos said. They are
caught up on their payments.
The Guardian-Journal attempted to contact
Mayor Smith for comment on this story, and as of press time, our phone call had
not been returned.
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.
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.
