Claiborne Pharmacy constructing new building
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
Claiborne Pharmacy is moving across the street into new
facilities to better serve its customers. Co-owner John Bannister said the
completion date of construction should be sometime in November or December. The
new facilities are being built by Garcia Construction. The new facilities will
offer more space for merchandise, expand the pharmacy area to allow for
ever-changing technology, faster service to its customers and offer more
services to its customers. Bannister said the need to better accommodate
technology was one of the major factors in the decision made to move between he
and co-owner Paula Bennett. It just requires more space than they have, he
said. “We like it here, but we need more room,” he said.
Library expansion moving along
The Guardian-Journal photos/Jenni Williams
The renovation of the Claiborne Parish Library, Homer
Branch, is moving along smoothly. More services will be offered to the general
public in the new facilities, allowing upgrades in technology as well as more
room for study areas and computer stations. The new facilities will also house
a new multi-purpose room as well as more office space for the staff.
Jenni Williams, Staff Writer
The Claiborne Parish Library,
Homer Branch, renovation and expansion is moving right along with their
12-month projected construction period.
The newly renovated space, which
will be triple in size to the current building, will now house an expanded
children’s area, spacious multi-purpose room, young adult area, reading areas,
local history, board meeting room and study areas.
Library operations are
continuing as usual from the Haynesville branch, including technical services,
processing and inter-library loans.
The Haynesville branch, the Joe
W. Webb Memorial Library is located at 1919 Main Street and will be able to
take care of all your library needs during this time of construction.
Bookmobile services are still being
offered also, please contact Leilani Sullivan at 927-3845 for those services.
Auditors find Homer not compliant
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
As of Monday, July 22, the Town
of Homer has been placed on the noncompliance list with the Louisiana
Legislative Auditor’s Office (LLA).
The full audit report has not
been uploaded to the website; however, it lists the due date for the report as
June 30, 2013, and it was placed on the list Tuesday, July 16. The
noncompliance list, according to the website, was created on Monday.
“It’s a daily list prepared by
the Legislator’s Auditor’s office,” Irwin said. “It contains a list of all
entities that have not submitted their report to us in a timely manner.”
She said Homer requested an
extension, but that extension was denied because two out of the last three
reports turned in were late.
“If they have a history of not
being timely, that we don’t let them get away with it,” she said. “The
extension committee met and we decided not to extend it because two of the
agency’s reports were not submitted in a timely manner.”
According to Irwin, the
auditor’s notes say Homer’s audit report will not be submitted on time because
they have not received everything necessary to perform the audit.
“It’s not an issue of Homer not
cooperating with the auditors, it’s just that by the end of June she still
didn’t have everything she needed to perform the audit,” she said.
So what does this mean for
Homer? It means that from the date the town was put on the noncompliance list,
all state funding stops. She explained that it doesn’t mean the town will not
get the money (i.e. grants); it just means it will be put into an escrow
account until the town comes into compliance.
The Town of Homer has been under
increased scrutiny in the last several months after the council voted to
disband the Homer Police Department, citing budget overruns, concerns of
leadership and other reasons. Homer Police Chief Russell Mills filed and was granted
an injunction against the town, effectively stopping the council from enforcing
its vote.
That’s when Mills began a
barrage of public records requests of travel expenses by the mayor and council,
general ledger statements for each fund as well as each department. The
District Attorney’s Office soon after began an investigation into those
expenses, turning it over to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office for
review. Also, Louisiana State Police have gotten involved in the matter and
District Attorney Jonathan Stewart said state police are waiting on the
auditors to complete its report before it finishes its investigation into the
town’s alleged misuse of funds.
Six plead guilty to auto insurance scheme
SHREVEPORT -- United States
Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that six defendants pleaded guilty
before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on Monday, July 15, the day
trial was set to begin.
The following defendants pleaded
guilty to fraud charges related to an automobile accident insurance fraud
scheme:
• Bobby Lee Kimble, 42, of
Athens, pled guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and health care fraud,
• Joe Abbott, 54, of Arcadia,
pled guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud and health care fraud,
• Marcus Kimble, 30, of Arcadia,
pled guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and health care fraud,
• Damario Henderson, 29, of
Homer, pled guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud and health care fraud, and
• Larry Kimble, 33, of Athens,
pled guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud.
The members of the ring
conspired to stage and fabricate automobile accidents and submit fraudulent
claims to insurance companies for bodily injury and property damage. The
“Kimble Ring,” which was composed of family, friends and associates, staged
accidents, including two automobile rear-end collisions, single automobile
collisions with trees and false hit and run claims. False claims were filed for
accidents in Bienville Parish, Ruston, Athens and Claiborne Parish between
December 2007 and March 2008.
The group faces up to five years
in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit fraud.
They face 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for health
care fraud, up to 20 years in prison and three years of supervised release for
wire fraud and up to 20 years in prison and two years’ supervised release for
mail fraud.
The charges also each carry a
$250,000 fine and restitution. Sentencing dates of November 13 and 14 were set
for the defendants.
“This group was motivated by
greed and their goal was to get as much money as possible by defrauding
insurance companies out of thousands of dollars,” Finley
stated. “Their actions placed unnecessary burdens on the local insurance system
by causing money and time to be misspent on false claims. This office will
continue to prosecute these types of cases to the fullest extent of the law.
The Louisiana State Police
investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the
case.
Investigation leads to copper wire theft arrest
This investigation began in early
January when Lt. Jimmy Brown of the Claiborne Sheriff’s Office was dispatched
to an oil field location in northern Claiborne Parish in reference to a copper
wire theft.
Detectives Charles Buford and
Randy Smith were later called to investigate the theft. During their
investigation, they joined forces with detectives from XTO Energy, the Webster
Parish Sheriff’s Office and Columbia County Sheriff’s Department and were able
to link Burns and Savoie to multiple thefts in all jurisdictions. Burns and Savoie
had stolen copper wire from several places causing loss of production to be
estimated in excess of $60,000.
On March 13, 30-year-old Shelly
B. Burns of Emerson, Ark., was arrested and charged with criminal trespass,
criminal damage to property and theft of copper.
Her bonds were set at $6,500.
Warrants were obtained for
32-year-old Jason S. Savoie, also of Emerson, and he was transported from
another facility on unrelated charges and booked into the Claiborne Parish
Detention Center on July 18. Savoie was charged with five counts of criminal
trespass, five counts of criminal damage to property, and five counts of copper
theft.
His bonds were set at
$32,500.00.
Sheriff Ken Bailey wants to take
this time to remind all citizens to remain vigilant, and if they observe these
crimes, report them to police so these criminals can be stopped.
If convicted of criminal
trespass, criminal damage to property and copper theft, Burns and Savoie could
face up to 15 years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines plus restitution.
Drug overdose leads to arrest for drug possession
On July 2, Claiborne Parish
Sheriff’s deputies and Haynesville First Responders were dispatched to 536
Triplett Road in reference to an unresponsive person due to a possible drug
overdose.
Upon their arrival first
responders found 35-year-old Jason Williams of Haynesville responding, but
clearly suffering from symptoms of a drug overdose.
Once Williams was stable, he was
transported by Pafford Ambulance to Homer Memorial Hospital for observation.
While at the scene, deputies discovered several syringes and a plastic bag
containing what appeared to be methamphetamines.
The deputies later collected the
syringes and alleged illegal narcotics and submitted them as evidence. Once
Williams was released from the hospital, he went to Bossier Parish, and
Claiborne deputies obtained warrants for his arrest for illegal possession of
drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamines. Also during the course
of the investigation, deputies discovered Williams had an outstanding warrant
for his arrest for criminal neglect of family.
On July 18, Detectives Randy
Smith and Darren Keel located Williams in Bossier Parish, and with the
assistance of the United States Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force, he was taken
into custody. Williams was later transported back to Claiborne Parish as a
fugitive and booked into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for possession
of methamphetamines, possession of drug paraphernalia, and criminal neglect of
family.
Sheriff Ken Bailey wants to take
this time to remind citizens that illegal narcotics are not only dangerous, but
they will not be tolerated. Anyone caught in possession of illegal narcotics
will be arrested.
If convicted of these charges,
Williams could face up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.
Cyberstalking lands man in jail
On July 17, 51-year-old Brian J.
Grimm of Shreveport was arrested for two counts of cyberstalking and obscenity
after a lengthy investigation by Detective Darren Keel of the Claiborne
Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began more
than six months ago when a female victim contacted the sheriff’s office in
reference to Grimm contacting her via Facebook and sending her nude and
inappropriate pictures of himself.
Keel then conducted a thorough
investigation into the incident, at which time he obtained a search warrant for
Grimm’s Facebook account. During the course of the investigation, Keel
discovered there were also several inappropriate messages that had also been sent
to a male victim. As Keel got further into the investigation, he discovered
Grimm had been sending messages of explicit content to victims all over the
surrounding area.
Sheriff Ken Bailey wants to take
this time and ask citizens to speak out if they have fallen victim to such
crimes as these and report them to your local law enforcement agency.
If convicted of cyberstalking,
Grimm could face up to one year in jail and up to $2,000 in fines. If
convicted of obscenity, Grimm could face an additional three years in jail and
up $5,000 in fines.
Claiborne OEP director issues heat warning
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
A severe heat warning is being
issued by Claiborne Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Dennis
Butcher for the parish and giving some tips to help those especially affected
by heat.
When a child died from being
left in a hot vehicle recently, Butcher said it was important for Claiborne
Parish residents to understand the ramifications of leaving children in cars.
“It’s a fatal mistake to leave a
child in the car,” he said. “Their small body size absorbs heat more quickly,
and they don’t have the ability to change their environment. Body temperatures
are very sensitive and if it goes up or down six or seven degrees, you’re in
serious trouble.”
According to an article from
www.accuweather.com, statistics show that 20 children have died in hot vehicles
this year. Last year, 33 children perished.
It takes five minutes or less
for a car to heat up to outside temperatures, Butcher said. Solar radiation
passes through the windows of the vehicle, heating up everything inside,
because it gets trapped inside with no way out.
According to Safe Kids
Worldwide, heat convection also contributes to the rise in temperatures inside
a car.
One of the leading causes of
heat stroke in children is from being left in a hot
vehicle. Typically, said Jan Null, CCM at San Francisco
University, 52 percent of these deaths are due to a caregiver forgetting a
child in the car, which could be prevented.
“When a child is left in a car, there is
50-50 percent chance that they will be left on the sunny side of the car,” Null
said. This is especially dangerous because children, unlike adults, have not
yet developed the ability to cool themselves off.
Heat stroke, as defined by medicinenet.com,
is where “a core body temperature that rises above 104 F (40 C) accompanied by
hot, dry skin and central nervous system abnormalities such as delirium,
convulsions, or coma. Heat stroke that results from exposure to a high
environmental temperature is called nonexertional heat stroke. Heat stroke that
results from strenuous exercise is called exertional heat stroke. Irrespective
of type, heat stroke can be life-threatening. Immediate medical attention is
essential when problems first begin. Symptoms may include confusion,
combativeness, bizarre behavior, faintness, staggering, strong rapid pulse, dry
flushed skin, lack of sweating, possible delirium or coma.”
“In the worst case scenarios, if
a child is small and on the sunny side of the car, death can occur in 15
minutes or under,” Null said.
Here’s a simple acronym to help
parents and caregivers remember these tips to keep children safe: ACT:
A-AVOID: Never leave your
child alone in the car, even for a minute. Consistently lock unattended vehicle
doors and trunks.
C-CREATE REMINDERS:
Create reminders and habits that give you and your child’s caregiver a safety
net. Establish a “peace of mind” plan -- call or text all other caregivers so
all of you know where your child is at all times. Put your cellphone, laptop or
something else that you will need at your destination in the back seat to make
sure that you have to look before leaving the vehicle.
T-TAKE ACTION: Dial 911
immediately and follow the instructions that emergency personnel provide --
they are trained to determine if a child is in danger.
ELDERLY
Butcher also offered the
following tips from the National Institute on Aging for older adults to stay
safe during the summer months.
“The heat gets to older people
much more quickly, because many are more likely to try to use fans instead of
an air conditioner to cool their homes,” he said. “And some elderly who are on
a fixed income don’t have air conditioning and stay closed up in their homes
with just a fan going. That can be very dangerous.”
People who don’t have air
conditioning should go to places that do, like a senior center, a shopping
mall, movie theaters or libraries. Also, some churches may offer their
facilities as cooling centers to allow those without air conditioning to come
inside and get out of the heat.
He said it is important for the
elderly to stay hydrated and stay in a place that has air conditioning until
the temperatures outside cool down during the evening hours.
If you suspect an elderly person
might have hyperthermia, where their body temperature increases drastically,
the following tips are offered:
• Get the person out of the heat
and into a shady, air-conditioned or other cool place. Urge the person to lie
down.
• If you suspect heat stroke,
call 911 immediately.
• Encourage the individual to
shower, bathe or sponge off with cool water.
• Apply a cold, wet cloth to the
wrists, neck, armpits and/or groin. These are places where blood passes close
to the surface of the skin, and the cold cloths can help cool the blood.
• If the person can swallow
safely, offer fluids such as water, fruit and vegetable juices, but avoid
alcohol and caffeine.
PETS
Butcher also reminds pet owners
to never leave your four-legged loved ones in hot vehicles. The interior of an
extremely hot vehicle can kill a pet just as quickly as a child.
According to information
provided by Butcher, veterinarians offer the following tips to keep your pets
cooler and safe:
• Walk pets in the early morning
or late evening when the sun is low and temperatures are cooler.
• Walk dogs on softer ground
such as dirt trails or grass instead of hot blacktop or cement sidewalks, which
can burn their paws.
• Make sure dogs always have
plenty of shade in which to rest outside. The shade provided by trees is ideal,
particularly if there is soft grass or dirt underneath, on which they can
relax.
• Always provide plenty of
fresh, clean water for dogs.
• Keep pets inside in the
coolest parts of the home during the most intense heat waves.
Heat stroke symptoms in pets
include: constant panting, lethargy, vomiting, coupled with a hot day or
vigorous exercise. Pet owners should be very concerned if their pet is showing any
of these symptoms and should contact their vet immediately.
Other tips for those working
outside include taking several breaks throughout the day, drink plenty of
fluids and never work alone.
Butcher said during this time of
year, it is extremely important for people to watch out for each other, check
on your neighbors, especially your elderly neighbors, and use extreme caution
if you have to be outside during the peak hours of the day.
