HMH requests funding for equipment, parking

Digital mammography, bone density machines may also

soon be on the way

MICHELLE BATES, Editor

Homer Memorial Hospital is seeking state funds to expand its parking lot and purchase two modalities that would enable doctors to offer more services to the community it serves.

Currently, the hospital board, through a legislative liaison and legislators, is seeking capital outlay funds to purchase a digital mammography machine ($225,000) and a bone density machine ($50,000).

Funds are also being sought to expand parking at the hospital ($110,000).

“While that is not a lot of money, Homer Memorial, for the first time, had a legislative liaison that was actively seeking out return of citizens’ tax dollars back to Homer, and we were successful,” said Markey Pierre, a legislative liaison with Southern Strategy Group. “The bond portion of (money from the state budget is) $3.4 billion and $1.2 billion of that is coming from cash sources.”

She’s asking the hospital board to garner support, through resolutions and letters, from the Town of Homer, the Claiborne Parish Police Jury and legislators to get this funding pushed through. They’ve made it through the first step, which was getting these items into the actual bill under Priority 2 funding, but the next step is to get it put on the state’s bond commission agenda.

She also said while there is millions in bond money, the hospital is going to have to fight hard to get its portion, which means soliciting support from legislators, like Rep. Patrick Jefferson, District 11, and Sen. Mike Walsworth, District 33.

Jefferson said he’s already on board and will do what he can to make sure the hospital gets what it needs. While the funding is not there yet, he said, the hospital is the next on the list.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” he said.

The hospital currently offers digital mammography, on a mobile basis, to qualifying patients in the Claiborne Parish area through a grant with the Feist-Weiller Center at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.  Purchasing these new modalities will allow the hospital to offer the remainder of its patients state-of-the-art, digital service.

HMH has long suffered for its lack of available parking in that it is landlocked on all four sides of the property. According to Interim CEO Scott Landrum, they are seeking funding to appropriately upgrade all of the parking areas.

“We are submitting data to Quorum Health Resources (QHR), our management company, and planning for stakeholder interviews which will culminate in the QHR facilitated planning session,” Landrum said. “The Strategic Plan and accompanying Medical Staff Development Plan will be defined as the results of these processes and serve as an operational guide for the next three to five years for the hospital.  Once these are in place, a new Facilities Plan will be constructed, utilizing the hospital’s existing plan as a resource.  Site analysis will be part of the process.”

Currently, Landrum serves as the interim CEO while the permanent CEO is recruited. Several changes have been made since he took the helm in April, during the “on-boarding” process.  Much reorganizing and streamlining has occurred.  As an employee of QHR, Landrum’s job is to temporarily run the hospital, support the planning process, and provide procedures with regard to accepted hospital standards. QHR will remain in the management role, once the new CEO is recruited.

In last week’s edition of The Guardian-Journal, the DANCE Club (the employee fundraising arm of the Claiborne Healthcare Foundation) has nearly reached its goal of raising $200,000 in cash and pledges to renovate the cafeteria and courtyard.

The Claiborne Healthcare Foundation continues to raise funds to help offset costs of renovations needed for the hospital. For instance, the foundation raised enough funds to completely renovate the new Intensive Care Unit and nurses’ station to allow better access and current technology to patients.

To donate to the foundation, please call Adrienne Willis at 318-927-1400 to find out the many different ways to donate.

The Guardian-Journal photo/Jenni Williams

Citizens National Bank is sponsoring a “Stuffing the Bus” school supply drive through Friday, August 23 for local schools. Please go by the bank at 600 East Main Street in Homer and help them collect much-needed school supplies for area students. For a list of supplies requested, please see this week’s edition of The Guardian-Journal.

Traffic crash leads to drug arrest

HAYNESVILLE -- On July 27, shortly after 3:30 p.m., Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Deputies John Eric Stephenson and Heath Tingle responded to the intersection of Shady Grove and Oil Center Roads in reference to a vehicle crash.  Upon their arrival, they discovered that 39-year-old Rodney Burns, of Springhill, failed to obey a stop sign and crashed his vehicle into a fence. 

After Burns crashed, he had apparently crawled underneath his vehicle in an attempt to repair it and fell asleep.  Once Stephenson and Tingle discovered Burns under his vehicle, they immediately checked to see if he was injured, and it was at that time that they discovered him to be sleeping.  The deputies then woke him up and began their investigation into the vehicle crash. 

Stephenson asked Burns if he had a driver's license and Burns walked over to his vehicle and opened the driver’s side door and began searching the interior of the vehicle. In the process, Burns reached into the storage compartment of the door and grabbed a tic tac box that contained pink, white, and blue items of different sizes. The items appeared to be pills of some kind. Stephenson picked up the tic tac box and confirmed that the items inside were, in fact, pills that were later identified as methadone, oxycodone, and diazepam which are all illegal to possess without a prescription.

At the conclusion of the investigation, Burns was arrested for careless operation, failure to obey a stop sign, failing to have a driver’s license on his person and possession of schedule II narcotics.

Sheriff Ken Bailey wants to take this time to remind citizens to remain vigilant and obey all traffic laws, and if caught in possession of illegal narcotics of any kind, that person or persons will be arrested.

Local detective aids FBI with nationwide operation

During the past 72 hours, the FBI, its local, state, and federal law enforcement partners and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) conducted Operation Cross Country VII, a three-day enforcement action to address commercial child sex trafficking throughout the United States. 

The operation included enforcement actions in 76 cities across 47 FBI divisions nationwide and led to the recovery of 105 children who were being victimized through prostitution.  Additionally, 150 pimps were arrested on state and federal charges.

“Child prostitution remains a persistent threat to children across America,” said Ron Hosko, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigation Division.  “This operation serves as a reminder that these abhorrent crimes can happen anywhere, and the FBI remains committed to stopping this cycle of victimization and holding the criminals who profit from this exploitation accountable.”

“The success of the Louisiana element of this national initiative could not have been achieved without the relentless investigation efforts of our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners with our FBI Agent and Professional Staff assigned throughout the state,” said Michael Anderson, Special Agent in Charge, New Orleans Division.

Across Louisiana, 76 arrests were made, and six children were recovered.  Detective Adrian Malone, of the Claiborne Sheriff’s Office, who is a member of the FBI Task force, joined forces with agencies across Northwest Louisiana and his efforts played a vital role in the investigation and apprehension of these criminals.  During this investigation, these investigators gather crucial evidence that resulted in the arrests of 1-pimp, 11-prostitutes, 4-cyber predators, and 18-johns in the Shreveport area.

Task force operations usually begin as local enforcement actions that target truck stops, casinos, street “tracks,” and websites that advertise dating or escort services, based on intelligence gathered by officers working in their respective jurisdictions.  Initial arrests are often violations of local and state laws relating to prostitution and solicitation.  Information gleaned from those arrested frequently uncovers organized efforts to prostitute women and children across many states. 

FBI agents further develop this evidence in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section so that prosecutors can help bring federal charges in those cities where child prostitution occurs. 

To date, the FBI and its task force partners have recovered more than 2,700 children from the streets. The investigations and subsequent 1,350 convictions have resulted in lengthy sentences, including 10 life terms and the seizure of more than $3.1 million in assets.

“I will send deputies wherever needed at any time,” said Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey.  “These are violent criminals that need to be taken off of our streets, so that the safety of our children can be secured at all costs.”

‘Ride for Life’ benefit for Homer toddler

The Guardian-Journal

A “Ride for Life” benefit motorcycle rally is set for Saturday, August 10, at 10 a.m. to help a little Homer toddler diagnosed with cancer.

A’shai Sulay Casey, 1, was diagnosed with a Sacrococcygeal Germ Cell tumor on March 7. She is the daughter of Deborah Casey and Quinshaun Adams, both of Homer. Casey and her mother travel to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., for chemotherapy treatments.

Little Sulay loves to play with kids and smile. Her vibrant personality brightens up the room, and her zest for life is infectious.

Devitar Entertainment is sponsoring the fundraiser.

The “Ride for Life” is a motorcycle rally where bikers will show their love and support for this little angel. Bikers will line up at the Courthouse on the Square in Homer at 10 a.m. They will ride out to Lake Claiborne where they will interact with other supporters enjoying food, games, tournaments and music.

Admission to the park is $8.

Clubs attending the ride include: Trendsettaz, MoneyTalk Car Club, Riders Inc., Street Respect (Benton Chapter) and Street Respect (Magnolia and Eldorado chapters). All solo riders are welcome to be a part of this ride as well.

For more information, please call 318-927-1330.

La. Tech, CPSB partner for science, engineering camp

The Guardian-Journal photo/Jenni Williams

Louisiana Tech and Claiborne Parish partnered together to host a science and engineering workshop at Homer Elementary this week. Sixteen students, four teachers and three Tech engineers/grad students participated in the four-day course. The 16 participating students were able to spend this time participating in a number of scientific experiments, conducted by two La. Tech engineers and a grad student working on his master’s degree. The students were able to gain an insider’s knowledge of the way science works and make sure they want to continue pursuing this avenue as a career.

Mark Your Calendar!

Library hours change this Saturday!

Beginning August 3, the hours for Joe W. Webb Memorial Library will change to the following:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Monday – Friday.  The library will no longer be open on Saturdays.

Trash Bash this Saturday!

The Homer Clean City Committee’s Trash Bash will be held this Saturday, August 3,  from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., beginning at Oil Mill Road, between the old cotton warehouses and housing apartments. This is available to Homer citizens only, and please be prepared to show ID. Metal and white goods (refrigerators and washing machines, etc.) and regular trash accepted. No limbs accepted unless bundled in 6 foot long pieces. For more information, please call 318-927-3271 or 318-927-2342.

Back to School Bash

August 19-20

A Back to School Bash will be at Homer City Hall on Monday, August 19 and Tuesday, August 20 to help students prepare for the beginning of the new school year. On Monday, students may come to Homer City Hall from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. to get their hair cut. The bash will be on Tuesday, from 5 until 7 p.m., where students can enjoy face painting and attend the supply giveaway. Students must be present! Guest speakers will include Homer Mayor Alecia Smith, State Rep. Patrick Jefferson and others. The bash is brought to you by Rep. Jefferson, Mayor Smith, Homer High School’s Future Business Leaders of America, Curry’s Cuts, Monroe’s Barber and Beauty and Smitty’s Barber Shop. For more information, please call Homer City Hall at 318-927-3555.

Project Stuff the Bus ‘13

The Community Improvement Organization Inc., is sponsoring a school supply drive through Wednesday, August 7. All school supplies can be delivered to the Haynesville Housing Authority. Items requested include pens, pencil boxes, glue, binders, two-pocket folders, crayons, colored pencils, markers, scissors, rulers, erasers, notebook paper, subject notebooks, composition books, backpacks and more. All supplies will be given out at the annual Back To School Block Party on August 10. For more information, please contact Yolanda Coleman at 318-624-1272 or Roderick Hampton at 318-927-2519.

Long range committee opens dialogue about Claiborne schools

MICHELLE BATES, Editor

Claiborne Parish School Board members, Central Office staff and school principals met for a retreat Monday night to determine where the parish schools are and what’s in store for its future.

The tone set for the meeting centered on campaigning for a positive image for all the schools as well as how to deal with changes put in place by the State Department of Education.

Currently, Schools Superintendent Dr. Janice Williams said Homer High School and Homer Elementary were declared failing schools. Homer Junior High and Haynesville Junior High were given a “D”, while Haynesville Elementary and Summerfield are “C” schools.

Homer Elementary Principal Jane Brown has hit the ground running with her school and says they have to get the community together and garner more parental involvement.

“We have to create a ‘family unit’ at school and show parents that it’s ok,” Brown said. “We have to get parents in the building.”

Building character traits and respect was another point discussed, because several in attendance said statistics show that if they build character and respect into the students, their scores will improve. Many children come from broken homes, and teachers have no way of really knowing what kind of home environment their students live in.

School Board Member Yolanda Coleman, District 4, suggested collaboration with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Timber Ridge, because the organization teaches kids about good character traits and respecting themselves and others.

She suggested “sponsorship of students” into the Boys and Girls Club so that students would have more exposure to the programs it offers to help them in school. The cost per child is $20 per year.

Another topic discussed was how to enrich a student’s education through arts and music while still meeting the rigorous state standards put into place that teachers must help students reach. Among ways to do this is through securing grants, having outside groups and volunteers come in and teach these courses.

Claiborne Parish already has two art teachers, but with continued budget cuts over the last few years, music programs have been cut.

School Board member Joey White, District 9, asked the principals and district staff to meet and develop a plan to help turn the failing schools around. One of the issues discovered in the meeting is teachers’ fear of the state testing. Not only do students seem to fear it, but the teachers do as well. Amid the discussion was making a point to help the teachers change their mind set so they don’t fear state testing.

Since Gov. Bobby Jindal’s sweeping education reform, teachers are more fearful than ever because their jobs now depend on how well their students are learning. And 50 percent of these state test scores are part of how they are evaluated.

Bill Kennedy, Haynesville Jr./Sr. High School Principal, updated those in attendance about the curriculum changes.

“(Teachers) will be teaching classes never taught before teaching materials they’ve never done before,” he said.

While last school year was considered a transitional year into the Common Core curriculum, this school year, the new state standards will be fully implemented -- and that’s going to hurt some students.

High school diplomas are changing as well. Along with the basic high school diplomas, different diplomas will be offered depending on the child’s area of study. For instance, if a high school senior is college bound, then they would get the Core 4 diploma. If the high school senior wishes to attend junior college or a vocational college, then they would get a career diploma.

Sandra Lee, district literacy coach, said she believes once Common Core has been followed for a while, it will be “OK,” instead of the initial shock.

The whole idea of Common Core, she said, is to get everyone on the same page so that each class is meeting the standards to move on to the next grade. One of the issues teachers face is students come into their classroom unprepared for the material he or she has to learn, and with Common Core, that could be eliminated.

And while they also discussed funding sources and facility needs for the schools, the most important topic continued to come back to doing what’s best for the kids of Claiborne Parish.

“We’re all in this together,” said Almeter Willis, District 8. “Our children are our concern.”

Local shares experiences from trip to Iceland

MICHELLE BATES, Editor

Icelandic geography and culture drew a Homer woman and a group of her friends to this remote and unique European country.

Laree Walker recently spoke to the Homer Lions Club about her trip, showing a presentation of the different places in Iceland they traveled, the food they ate and talked about the culture there.

“Why Iceland?” she asked. “I go on trips with my girlfriends, and we’ve been wanting to go to Iceland for a few years now, and we found a packaged deal that we couldn’t pass up. We do really like the unique and not so ‘tourist-y’ places.”

She and her friends rented a car to travel a country that is smaller than the State of Louisiana. Located near Greenland, the population of Iceland is roughly 300,000 and is a country formed by volcanoes. Most of the roads are on the coastal areas of Iceland, she said.

“The center (of the country) is uninhabitable,” she said, “so you don’t go out there unless you are an extreme (outdoorsman). It’s all around the coast.”

Founded in 1784, Iceland is a country established by the Vikings. According to internet research, their language is Icelandic, derived from a North Germanic language derived from Old Norse.

Iceland’s capital city is Reykjavik, which is where Walker and her friends stayed.

“In the City of Reykjavik, they spoke English as well, so there were no language barriers,” Walker said. “The farther you got out of the city, the more broken the English, but we never had any real language barriers. It’s like most European countries, they teach their kids three or four different languages.”

Its currency is called the krona, and gas is very expensive. She said it’s about $24 per gallon for gas, and a meal for one person might cost roughly $50.

The country is “99 percent renewable resources; water just seeps from the ground.” Much of their renewable resources are geothermal energy, hydropower and fish.

Its main economy is the fishing trade, although the countryside is full of horses and sheep.

The horses of Iceland are a tough breed, she said, more acclimated to Iceland’s cold weather. These Icelandic horses are short and hardy, with a unique gait, helping them navigate the country’s terrain.

“They have a lot of hair to keep them warm,” she said. “There were so many horses everywhere. I didn’t expect to see so many horses. Trail rides are very popular in Iceland. We didn’t go on any trail rides, because it was too cold.”

Sheep stock are common as well.

The group went to Lake Pingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest natural lake. They went in late April, early May, which means Iceland was still in the “thawing process” for its next season, she said.

“The water is so clear and so cold,” she said. “It’s about two to three degrees Celsius, and volcanic ash and molten lava built a natural filter for the water, so it’s some of the most pristine water in the world.”

The group also visited several water falls; in fact, she said they are everywhere. They also went on a “glacier tour,” where a guide took them to a glacier, explaining how the landscape worked.

“It could change from day to day,” Walker said. “He told us that the glacier could melt and wash it all away and it would look totally different the next day.”

They also visited a place called Blue Lagoon, which is a popular layover spot, she said. There is a bridge about 15-20 yards wide that connects Eurasia to the North American continent. Iceland sits on two tectonic plates which move approximately two centimeters per year.

“Even today, the country is growing by about 5 cm per year, as it splits wider at the points where two tectonic plates meet,” according to promoteiceland.com. “This geothermal activity gives Iceland unique access to abundant energy in forms of both hydropower and geothermal energy.”

Iceland is largely built on volcanic ash and molten lava, which means volcanic activity, earthquakes, avalanches or glacial outburst floods are common.

According to research, the volcano Eyjafjallajokull, or E-16, erupted in 2010, stopping air traffic for nearly two weeks because of the volcanic ash in the air. It effectively stopped air traffic in about 20 European countries. The latest to erupt in Iceland was Grimsvotn in 2011.

For more information about Iceland, visit www.visiticeland.com.

Community meeting set for August 17

The public is invited to attend a community meeting sponsored by the education committee of the Claiborne Parish Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

The meeting will be at 5 p.m., Saturday, August 17 in the sanctuary of Lane Chapel CME Church, located at 290 Washington Street in Homer.

The meeting is not designed to be a town hall meeting, but rather an informational meeting with a short question and answer period at the end. The theme is “Claiborne Parish Public Education: Where we are now, Where we are headed and How do we get there from here.”

Invitations have been extended to the school superintendent, parish principals and the coordinator of the alternative program.

Members of the education committee include: Retha Curry, Sadie Flucas and the Rev. Cleon Warren.

Terry Willis serves as branch president.

Claiborne Parish tourism initiative is underway

JIMMY DEAN, Feature Writer

The Claiborne Chamber of Commerce has put together an assortment of materials to highlight where to go and what to do and see in Claiborne Parish. “Whether you’re a visitor or a local resident, Claiborne Parish has a driving tour CD set that you will find interesting,” says John Watson, Executive Director of the Chamber.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brochures and CD sets are available at the following locations:

* The Grapevine

* Port-au-Prince Restaurant

* Killgore's Pharmacy & Gift Shop

* The Rebel Stop

* Claiborne Parish Library

* Delta Interiors

* The Chamber Office at Ford Museum

Brochures only are available at the following:

* Courtyard Florist

* Lake Claiborne State Park

* Haynesville City Hall

* The Guardian-Journal

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