Storm Takes Roof Off
Claiborne Academy Gym
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
As students were sitting in the
cafeteria during lunch on Friday, April 30 at Claiborne Academy, they heard
what they thought was thunder. Ninth grade student Hunter Spillers said
students were amused at the way their cheeks seemed to "poof" out,
but they weren't laughing long. Seconds later, someone yelled,
"Tornado."
All the students were immediately herded
into the cinder block hall by Coach Chad Watts and teachers Lori Lewis, Ed Watson and
Christopher Knight. Several students had been playing basketball in the gym
when they observed the roof stand straight up in the air then drop to the gym
floor, leaving a 30 sq. foot hole in the roof. A large tree near the highway
was uprooted and lying on the ground.
After about ten minutes, students were
moved to the office building where many were allowed to go home. Students
remained out of school on Friday, while crews came in and cleaned up the debris
and repaired the gym roof, which was completed late Friday evening.
There had been no weather alerts or
tornado warnings issued prior to the storm hitting the school. There was also
no indication whether the damage had been caused by a tornado or straight line
winds.
Arrests Made In Kidnapping, Rape Case
Following an investigation into a
kidnapping by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office and the Claiborne Parish
Sheriff's Office, four young men from Claiborne Parish were arrested and
charged with second degree kidnapping last week. According to Lincoln Parish
Sheriff Detective Wesley Harris, their office received a report that a
34-year-old Ruston woman had been abducted from the Que
Stick located between Ruston and Grambling on Saturday, April 23 about 1:30 AM.
She had been taken to another location believed to have been in Claiborne
Parish where she was allegedly raped.
Arrested were Jared Evans, 19, Jacob Evans, 20,
and Shariston
J. Ford, 19, all of Homer, and Sidric D. Ford, 20, of
Lisbon. Jacob Evans was also charged with aggravated rape. His bond was set at
$200,000. Bond for the other three was set at $75,000. Sidric
was also charged with possession of marijuana.
All four are presently being held in the
Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
Homer To Take
Bids On Streets
Discuss Filing Insurance Claim On Overspent Funds
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Mayor Huey Dean told the Homer Town
Council that road funds due the Town this year from the Claiborne Parish Police
Jury totaled $19,920.
He presented a list of the following streets he recommended to overlay_North 5th, East 2nd, East College, Forest Drive,
and Edgewood Drive. They could use a portion of the $150,000 in the street fund
account. As long as they keep the total under $100,000, they would not have to
advertise.
Jesse Ford suggested they add two other
streets in very bad condition to the list_North 3rd, that runs behind Piggly
Wiggly and beside Hibernia Bank, and South 2nd. Thomas McDonald agreed. He said
they also needed to remove the patch on North 3rd beside McKenzie Bros. because
it is diverting water off the street and onto the lot behind his business.
Dean suggested they might delay
overlaying Edgewood Drive temporarily, but Chief Rodney Hollenshead
said since they completed the new circle drive behind the new Homer Elementary
School, there are approximately 20 buses being loaded and unloaded from
Edgewood Drive. Several have already asked about it and he said the street really needed to be done.
Ford suggested getting a quote with the
two additional streets and possibly sell some surplus
if needed to help pay the additional cost. Billy Kirk Jenkins said he knew of
several streets in his and J.C. Moore's district that needed to be done as
well.
Dean said he was working on a grant for
Martin Luther King and several others streets. Thomas McDonald said those
streets can qualify for grants, where these streets would not qualify because
grants are based on income of the residents who reside on a street. The Council
agreed to let the mayor advertise for bids.
Fifty Main Street Bicyclists Stop In Homer
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Miles K. Luke, 84, of Monroe was the
oldest bicyclist to stop in Homer last Wednesday, April 28, but he didn't
travel the farthest. That honor went to Don Robitaille
of Lewiston, Maine. The youngest was Greg Armstrong, 35, of Huntsville,
Alabama, but the bicyclist who seemed to be having the most fun was Carolyn
Roberson of Ruston.
Luke said this is his sixth year to
participate in the "Cycle Main Street" program. He first started
bicycling in 1962. He was having back problems and making regular trips to see
the chiropractor. Someone suggested that he try
bicycling, so he joined the President's Physical Fitness Program during President John F. Kennedy's administration.
Arnold Swarzenegger headed up the program which
required a person to bicycle 600 miles in 120 days, at a rate of about 12 miles
per day. Miles said he would chart his distance and time on a graph on the back
of the kitchen door. Since he started bicycling, he hasn't had to visit the
chiropractor.
The Main Street bicycle tour group
included 50 bicyclists and several staff members who spent six days, from April
25 to May 1 traveling across Northwest Louisiana. Seventeen cyclists were from
all over Louisiana, while others came from Texas, Georgia, Maine, Colorado,
Florida, Alabama, California, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio. They stayed overnight
at Lake Bistineau, Ruston, Lake D'Arbonne,
Homer, Springhill, and Minden, before returning to Lake Bistineau.
National Day Of
Prayer
Thursday, May 6 At
Noon. Claiborne Parish Courthouse Lawn
"In his first Inaugural Address,
President George Washington prayed that the Almighty would preserve the freedom
of all Americans.. On the National Day of Prayer, we
celebrate that freedom and America's great tradition of prayer. The National
Day of Prayer encourages Americans of every faith to give thanks for God's many
blessings and to pray for each other and our Nation." These words are from
President George W. Bush's 2004 Proclamation. It goes on to say, "Prayer
is an opportunity to praise God for His mighty works, His gift of freedom, His
mercy, and His boundless love. Through prayer we recognize the limits of
earthly power and acknowledge the sovereignty of God....Prayer leads to
humility and a grateful heart, and it turns our minds to the needs of
others." On Thursday at noon on the lawn of the Claiborne Parish
Courthouse, local citizens are urged to join the Homer Ministerial Alliance and
the Trinity Bible Study and Prayer Group, to pray for our parish, state, and
nation.
First Annual Pineview
Alumni Leadership
and Career Camp
Saturday, May 8 ∙10AM-9PM
The 1st Annual Pineview
Alumni Leadership & Career Camp for youth, Business Expo, and Talent
Showcase will be held Saturday, May 8th 2004 at Homer City Hall Auditorium
beginning at 10 AM. The Youth Camp will be 10 AM-4 PM (snack provided at 1 PM),
Business Expo from 12-6 PM, and Talent Showcase from 6-9 PM. They still have
opening spots in the Talent Showcase. If you are interested in attending or
sponsoring this event please contact Patrick Bailey at (214) 529-4160 or email
at Patrick.Bailey@comcast.net or call Terry Battle at (318) 927-7904 or
353-1109. This event is sponsored by: Brothers Standing T.A.L.L. (Talented,
Achieving, Learning, and Living). Our mission is "To inspire, uplift, and
provide positive role models to mentor youth in our community.".
Athens High Graduation Set For May 9
Commencement Exercises will be held at
Athens High School on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 4 PM in the school gymnasium.
Valedictorian is Kanethia
Tenee Daniel and Salutatorian is Karesse
Ja Niece Harris.
The 2004 candidates for graduation at
Athens High School are Wesley Dewayne Barnes, Kanethia
Tenee Daniel, Sharquita Raenencya Frazier, Karessa Ja Niece Harris, Kertedra Suandenese Harris, Kecherra Shavon Ivory, Aushenterria Shantaé Mitchell, Vincent Gerard Mosley, Natasha Lanette Patterson, Jack Ryan Phillips, Krystle
Annternete Rallins, Kartrina Evonne Robinson, Falicia Jeanette Schofield, Candice Renese
Shelton, and Ashley Nicole Stewart.Commencement
Exercises will be held at Athens High School on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 4 PM in
the school gymnasium.
Valedictorian is Kanethia
Tenee Daniel and Salutatorian is Karesse
Ja Niece Harris.
The 2004 candidates for graduation at
Athens High School are Wesley Dewayne Barnes, Kanethia
Tenee Daniel, Sharquita Raenencya Frazier, Karessa Ja Niece Harris, Kertedra Suandenese Harris, Kecherra Shavon Ivory, Aushenterria Shantaé Mitchell,
Vincent Gerard Mosley, Natasha Lanette Patterson,
Jack Ryan Phillips, Krystle Annternete
Rallins, Kartrina Evonne Robinson, Falicia Jeanette
Schofield, Candice Renese Shelton, and Ashley Nicole
Stewart.
Homer High Commencement Set May 11
Homer High School will hold Commencement
Exercises on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 in the Ronny G. Beard Memorial Stadium
beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Co-Valedictorians are Deanne Michelle
Compton, daughter of Adrian Compton and Kathy Foster and Aurelia Joy Davila, daughter
of David and Mary Davila. Salutatorian is Matthew Allen Anstead,
son of Mark and Cindy Anstead.
The 2004 candidates for graduation at
Homer High are Matthew Allen Anstead, Felix Ray
Armstrong III, David Cole Bailey, Shequita Latrese Banks, Antonio Bennett, Kenton Jwayne
Blunt, Angela Lynn Burham, Olen Bursey,
April M. Champ, James D. Collins, Shenika Nicole
Combs, Deanne Michelle Compton, LaFrance Cooper, Erin
Cornelius, Joshua D. Daniels, Dustin L. Danzie,
Aurelia Joy Davila, Hanna Renae Dubroc,
Denisia Faye Dunn, Joshua Coy Ellis, Joseph Matthew
Ellis, Sharicka Nicole Ferguson, James C. Ferrell, Deandare Lateze Ford, Cornelius
Franklin, Carmesha Veunte
George, Nikita Rochelle Grant, Shanae Latrice Hamilton, Lemeka Rena
Harris, Leonard Harris, Shatara Lasha
Harris, Christina Love Harrison, Edwin Henderson, Jr., Jennifer Horton, Lakeisha S. Jenkins, Jonas Darnell Jones, Shaquaila Denise Jones, Samantha Ann Kelly, Sheret Tone Kelly, Laquita V.
Layton, David Alan Lowe, Terrance Alonzo Marcell,
Heather Danielle Martin, Gary Wayne McCoy, Crystal Mims, Delmartianna
Payton, Kimberly Roxsanne Rhodes, Jerikca
Lacole Robinson, Kenni Lynn
Sanford, Zachery C.F. Smalling,
DeTyson Veon Smith, Jason
Randall Smith, Dallis McKenzie Tindall,
Kyle Nelson Trigo, Demario M.
Turner, Byron Cortez Webb, Jessica Nicole Webb, Latonya
L. Williams, Robert Thomas Williams, Roxanne Williams, Ashley Nicole Willis, Lakeshia D. Willis, Randy Tyrone Winzer,
Akeem K. Young, and Gregory O'Neal Young.
Pineview Seniors Graduate May 7
Pineview High School Commencement Exercises will
be May 7, 2004 beginning at 7 PM in the Pineview High
School Gymnasium, according to Principal Felton C. Evans.
Honor graduates are as follows
Chasidy Shardé Smith
is valedictorian and TOPS recipient and Shardé Reneé Evans is Salutatorian.
Honor Students who are also TOPS
recipients are Shawlkedra Lashun
Bennett and Candice Shardé Malone. Other Honor
Students are Natlie Nicole Ford, Erica Lashan Meadows, and Kateisha Shanell Sanford.
Candidates for graduation include the
following:
Shawlkedra Lashun
Bennett, Shardé Reneé
Evans, Patrice Fielding, Natlie Nicole Ford, Tiffany
Renee Heard, Rubbie Rene James, Marcus Jermaine Lewis, Candice Shardé
Malone, Shakeydrell Nikeah
Malone, Shaquita Shanette
McKinsey, Erica Lashan Meadows, Kateisha
Shanell Sanford, Chasidy Sharde' Smith, Patty Michelle Thomas, Vincent LaShun Pitts.
Summerfield Seniors To
Graduate May 10
The Senior Class of Summerfield High
School announces their Commencement Exercises to be held on Monday evening, May
10, 2004, at 8:00 p.m. in the Summerfield High School Gymnasium.
Valedictorian is Candice Morgan Elliott and
Salutatorian is Joshua Daniel Karl.
Members of the Class of 2004 will be
graduating are Neal Joseph Arceneaux, Crystal Jane Bailey, Jon Eric Bowman, Candice
Morgan Elliott, Justin Lane Hurst,
Joshua Daniel Karl, Mary Kathleen Moore, Katie Leanne Murphey,
Dustin Lawrence Singleton, and Anna Claire Stevens.
