The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 20

20 A THURSDAY. MAY 30, 1 99 1 THE TIMES HTHE aw cabins beeoig irestoirec Today's forecast highs and tomorrow morning's lows and the weather conditions: LITTLE ROCK 9071 Partly cloudy Magnolia Plantation site holds antebellum quarters JACKSON 8972 Partly cloudy SHREVEPORT DALLAS 9272 Partly cloudy 8772 Partly cloudy BATON ROUGE," NEW ORLEANS 9072 way to go in being developed and the organization would like some financial help from the U.S. National Parks Servie. "We can't replace these once they are gone," said Leslie Tassin, state historic preservation officer for the Office of Cultural Development. Tassin was at the plantation Wednesday to observe the work on the cabins, which has been hindered by heavy rain.

Walls crumbling under the elements are being replaced brick by brick with material salvaged from older, demolished buildings. And ceiling joints are now hanging over the earthen floors and fireplaces of some of the double-room cabins, where before they were open to the sky. "We would like to be able to give more toward the project, but unfortunately our office has a small "I have to admit I haven't seen brickwork like this in my time," said Coutee, referring to some of the haphazard patterns in which the bricks were laid in the original wall. Part of the state funding covered an archaeological dig to determine the actual age of the cabins. They are believed to date back to the 1830s about the time the original main house was built.

"We couldn't have waited another year," said Ann Brittain, president of Museum Contents. The group is still seeking donations to meet their end of the bargain. Museum Contents also oversees other plantation buildings located near the cabins. The National Parks Service is conducting a study of Cane River plantation homes and other outlying historical sites to determine if federal funding would be available for upkeep. amount of money to stretch over the entire state," Tassin said.

"Last year we were budgeted $140,000 for such projects." The limited funds require shortcuts in restoring the authenticity of the cabins. Proposed wood-shingled roofs are out because of the cost of upkeep. Instead, painted tin roofs will be installed that give the illusion of being weathered. One cabin has already been restored to its original condition, with a wooden roof, at a cost of $10,000. Another cabin has fallen beyond repair, like 19 other slave quarters that once stood in the meadow near the main house.

Local mason Michael Coutee has to do the dirty work. His three-man crew has already rebuilt several walls and ledges that will support the roof. By GREG KENDRICK The Times NATCHITOCHES An important part of Louisiana's past is being renovated at Magnolia Plantation. Masonry work has begun on six of eight slave cabins as part of a $73,000 state and private renovation project. The pre-Civil War cabins, located south of Natchitoches, are considered to be the last standing peripheral plantation buildings of that era.

And the $36,000 matching grant from the state Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism is one of the biggest investments the agency has made to preserve the state's heritage. The owners of the slave cabins, the non-profit Museum Contents is matching the grant. A spokesman said the site has a long HOUSTON 8873 Partly cloudy Storms RAIN inches May, so far: 10.55(6.11 above normal) 1991, far 48. 1 1 127.71 above normal) Wadnaaday: 42 (good) Wadnaaday: 847 1 Uatyaar: 8565 Racorda: 100 in 1886; 49 in 1984 AIR QUALITY HIGHSLOWS POLICE BRIEFS ShreveportBossier area mim.m uvium hmmw i Rain possible High: 90s Low: 70s Rain possible High: 90s Low: 70s Cloudy High: 90s Low: 70s Rain possible High: 90s Low: 70s 3 DALLAS: Warm and humid with a chance of thunderstorms Saturday through Monday. Lows in the upper 60s to low 70s.

Highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. NEW ORLEANS: Partly cloudy with a chance of scattered afternoon and isolated evening thunderstorms today through Monday. Highs in the 90s. Lows in the mid-70s. 5i The following were arrested on felony charges during the 24-hour period ending at 4 p.m.

Wednesday. SHREVEPORT CITY JAIL Lelia Edna Lee, 21, of the 2900 block of Sandy, Shreveport, two counts of felony theft. Patrick K. Kelly, no age available, of the 200 block of Riverwood, Shreveport, felony theft. Thomas Szymanski, 17, of the 200 block of Wellington, Shreveport, felony theft.

Barry McCray, 23, of the 9200 block of Biddle, Shreveport, hit and run. Brandon F. Hayes, 18, of Keithville, carnal knowledge of a juvenile. BOSSIER CITY JAIL Marvin B. Harvey, 28, of the 3700 block of E.

Texas, Bossier City, felony theft. James Cunningham, 27, of Benton, simple burglary. LemielE. Herring, 31, of the 400 block of Ricky, Shreveport, felony theft. Shannon A.

Zetzsche, 18, of Doyline, simple burglary. CADDO PARISH JAIL Kelly Ray Rowan, 34, of Keithville, simple battery, family violence act. Bobby Glen Sims, 33, of the 4200 block of Robin Hood, Shreveport, distribution of schedule II controlled dangerous substance. Charles Branden, 17, of the 4700 block of Blanchard, Shreveport, possession of schedule II controlled dangerous substance. BOSSIER PARISH JAIL Dwight L.

Laughlin, 52, of the 2300 block of Brown Leaf, felony theft by issuing worthless checks. Gunman causes car to crash; 3 injured A gunman opened fire on a car Wednesday in a low-income Bossier City neighborhood, injuring the three occupants and forcing the bloodied driver to crash into a tree. The 2:45 p.m. shooting near Full-ilove and Evans streets appears gang-related, police said. The car's driver, Tommy Christian, 26, of Evans Street was shot in the cheek and eye before careening off the road.

Passenger Kevin Simpson, 17, suffered a gunshot to the hand while the other occupant, J. W. Christian, 33, had cuts to his hand. The younger Christian was driving on Fullilove when a gunman fired several times at the Buick Century while apparently positioned between two houses with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, police said. A suspect was being sought last night on two counts of attempted murder one count for each man shot.

Meanwhile, Tommy Christian was being treated in the surgical intensive care unit of LSU Medical Center. Simpson's wound was not critical, and J.W. Christian was treated at the scene by Bossier City firefighters. Youth runs into car, suffers broken ankle A 15-year-old boy ran into the side of a car on busy Jewella Avenue Wednesday, suffering a fractured ankle and other injuries. The youth, Myron Clements, ran onto Jewella and into the car around 5 p.m.

near South Park Mall. Authorities weren't sure why the boy did not wait for traffic to clear. The youth would not give his address to authorities at the scene. The driver in the accident was not cited. Clements suffered the fracture, an injured shoulder and lacerations to the back of his head, according to the Fire Department.

He was transported to the hospital. Flood- To- 24-hr. day changa Ark. City Vicksburg Natchez ataga 0.4F 0.4F 0.5F 0.4F 0.3F 0.6F 0.3F 23.5 33.6 44.0 34.8 13.7 26.0 46.5 37 43 48 35 17 26 40 RED RIVER Arthur City DeKalb Index Fulton Shreveport Grand Ecore Alexandria 26 24 25 27 30 33 32 5.3 15.2 5.3 8.9 14.1 21.8 24.2 0.5F 2.1R 0.5F 0.3R 0.5F 1.3F 0.5F 50 52.7 0.3F STAGE FORECASTS RED RIVER 0.2F 0.2F NC 0.2F 30.5 24.5 16.7 6.4 30th 15.6 9.4 13.9 23.7 31at 15.0 9.0 13.8 23.4 DeKalb Fulton Shreveport Alexandria BR. N.O.

OUACHITA Camden Monroe BLACK Jonesville ATCHAFALYA Simmesport Melville Butte LaRose Morgan City ARKANSAS Little Rock LAKES Denison Toledo Bend Wright Patman Lake 0 the Pines Millwood Caddo Lake Cross Lake Lake Bistineau Wallace Lake 23 8.0 0.3F Shreveporter held on murder count 16 4.6 0.3F Rla. Pools State to liquidate insurance company GLOVER Glover LITTLE Idabel Horatio 30 17.1 2.7 15.7 0.1F 0.5R 0.4R 617.810.000cfs 171.9 229.0 2.600cfs 232.3 260.3 170.6 170.9 145.7 SABINE RIVER Gladewater 26 10.8 MISSISSIPPI Memphis 34 17.3 0.7R Helena 44 24.1 0.3F 1 ---i -10a -Os Oa 1Q 20s 30a 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s SOa 100s 110s Bands show high temperatures. If the court goes along with the liquidation petition, policies would be terminated. The commissioner's office will seek to take control of Sovereign's assets to get as much cash as possible to pay valid claims, Wagner said. The state also has a guaranty fund to cover automobile insurance claims.

Wagner has been meeting with Sovereign officials for the past two weeks to discuss complaints the Department of Insurance has received about non-payment of claims and about the financial health of the company, Nungesser said. The department received 249 complaints about Sovereign in the first five months of 1991 compared to 149 in all of 1990, Nungesser said. BATON ROUGE (AP) The state Insurance Department used its court authority Wednesday to close Slidell-based Sovereign Fire and Casualty Insurance the first step towards liquidation. The company concurred in the decision by acting Insurance Commissioner Hunter Wagner, said a news release from the department. Wagner could have made an attempt to rehabilitate the company but decided against that course.

"The money is just not there," he said in the news release. "It has been impossible to secure additional capital, or to find a company willing to assume some or all of the policy liabilities through a reinsurance treaty or acquisition." By MARCIA ROBERTSON The Times A Shreveport man was arrested on first-degree murder charges Wednesday several hours after the body of Willie J. Greer was discovered in his Gregg Street house. Greer was found around 2 p.m. lying about 6 feet from the front door in the living room of his house at 124 Gregg said Shreveport homicide detective Gary Robinson.

Around 10:10 p.m. Wednesday, Donell Hayes, 39, of the 1200 block of Post Oaks, was booked into the Shreveport City Jail for first-degree murder. Shreveport detectives were looking for a second suspect early today. Detectives refused to say what the suspected motive was behind Greer's death. He was discovered by a friend who went to visit and saw him on the floor, police said.

The friend called neighbors, who entered the house and found him dead. Greer was last seen alive around 4 p.m. Tuesday. Robinson said Greer had suffered multiple, unidentifiable chest wounds. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause and time of death.

Several items had been taken from the house, but Robinson said he did not know if the items had been stolen or loaned out. But Greer's sister-in-law Mercie Greer said she believed the motive was robbery. "He didn't talk to a soul. He would go to work and come home. Fish.

(But) the world is about money and drugs. And I think that is what happened. Somebody broke into his house and stole his things for money," Mercie Greer said. WARM STATIONARY COLD 1991 Accu-Weather Inc. High Low ilwufi Rm Tuonrn Flumes Snow Sumy Pi Cloud Cloudy The fee for the seminar is $20, which includes entrance into Hodges Gardens, a free orchid and lunch.

2 crclear; rn-rain; cdcloudy torney Mike Ruddick said. Williams is accused of fatally shooting Desmian Demond Willis, a 16-year-old sophomore at Homer High School, once in the chest with a 9mm handgun during an altercation over a girlfriend. The shooting occurred in the front yard of a home in the 1500 block of Hill Street in Homer. Temperatures indicate high and overnight low. weather; cd cloudy, cr dear; rn ram A July 13 election has been called to consider two proposals to fund the district, which includes all of Lincoln Parish, except Choudrant, Grambling and Ruston.

The first proposal calls for a property tax of about 10 mills to pay off a $4 million bond issue for construction of 19 fire stations throughout the parish. The other proposal is an annual $72-per-structure fee to finance operations. J.I. 1. Jit a.iH..u-i-.n,iM.f.

Sales tax election called in Arcadia ARCADIA The town of Arcadia has called a special election July 13 for voters to consider a 1 cent sales tax to help pay for improvements to the town's waterworks and sewage disposal systems. The proposal earmarks 40 percent of the tax proceeds to be spent on constructing, extending or improving the two utility systems. The town is under state and federal mandates to repair its sewage disposal system by December or face possible fines of up to $50,000 a day. And the Sierra Club, an environmental group, has threatened to sue the town for allowing untreated sewage to be discharged into Brinson Creek and tributaries to Saline Bayou, one of the state's scenic waterways, during the past three years. HI Lo 70 55 cd 90 77 cd 72 59 cd 73 63 cd 63 45 cd 61 43 rn 73 66 cd 75 59 cr 64 39 cd 88 68 cr 66 50 cr 95 75 cd 61 41 cr 72 41 cr 77 48 cd 86 81 rn 5S 52 cd 70 55 cr 61 36 cd 86 55 cr 95 75 cr 79 65 cd 81 55 cd 73 55 cd 106 79 ct 75 52 cr 89 64 cr 73 48 cr 68 52 rn 75 55 cr 90 77 cr 62 46 cr 93 79 cr 75 66 cr 70 59 cd 68 59 cr 63 37 cd Coushatta High offers drivers ed course COUSHATTA Coushatta High School will offer a drivers' education course beginning Wednesday.

All parish students 14 years of age and older are eligible to attend the course. The class is limited to 30 students. For details, call instructor Steve Stroud after 5 p.m. at 932-4821. Athens Bangkok Beijing Beirut Berlin Budapest Aires Cairo Calgary Caracas Copenhagen Dhahran Dublin Geneva Harare Hong Kong Istanbul Jerusalem Jo burg Madrid Manila Montreal Moscow Nairobi New Delhi Pans Rio Rome Santiago Seoul Singapore Stockholm Taipei Tel Aviv Tokyo Vienna Warsaw TODAY FRIDAY HI Lo Otlk HI Lo Otlk Anchorage 55 45 rn 56 44 rn Atlanta 91 71 cd 92 71 cd Austin 92 74 cd 94 74 cd Baltimore 94 70 cd 94 70 cd Birmingham 89 68 cd 68 89 cd Boston 74 64 cd 72 58 rn Charleston.SC.

93 73 or 94 73 cr Charlotte.N.C. 92 70 cr 94 70 cd Chicago 90 71 rn 92 72 cd Denver 80 50 cd 68 51 cd Detroit 86 66 cr 90 64 cd Flagstaff 70 33 cr 63 36 cr Honolulu 86 73 cd 87 72 cd Houston 88 73 rn 90 72 cd Jackson. Miss. 89 72 cd 92 70 cr Kansas City 89 73 cd 88 71 cd Las Vegas 89 64 cd 84 62 cd Los Angeles 67 56 cd 70 57 cd Louisville 88 73 cd 89 72 cd Memphis 90 72 cd 90 72 cd Miami Beach 87 73 cd 90 72 cd Milwaukee 88 70 cd 89 65 cd Nashville 90 72 cd 90 71 cd New York City 81 70 rn 80 65 rn Oklahoma City 88 70 cd 88 70 cd Orlando 91 70 cr 91 70 cd Philadelphia 90 71 cd 85 69 cd Phoenix 97 70 cr 91 70 cr Richmond 95 67 cd 96 68 cd St Louis 89 75 cd 88 74 cd San Francisco 64 62 rn 69 52 or Santa Fe 82 46 cr 78 48 cr Seattle 60 48 rn 62 48 cd Tampa-St Ptrsbg 89 73 cr 89 73 cd Topeka 88 69 cd 90 69 cd Tulsa 90 73 cd 88 73 cd Washington.D.C. 94 72 cd 94 72 cd TEMPERATURE EXTREMES HIGH: 106 at Presidio, Texas; LOW: 20 at Truckee.

Calif. Last New First Full Medical technician course being offered MANSFIELD The Mansfield Technical Institute is accepting applications for an emergency medical technician basic course to be offered in Logansport beginning in late June. The course will 6ffer 140 hours of instruction during night meetings from 6 to 9 p.m. The program will be scheduled to meet on Monday and Friday nights. Costs includes a $25 tuition fee and an undetermined textbook fee.

Enrollment is limited to 30 people. Those interested should contact the school at 872-2243. Group to get look at state's politics MINDEN Representatives of pro-democracy forces in the Soviet Union and other Eastern European nations are scheduled to be in Mind-en today to get a first-hand look at Louisiana politics. The entourage will meet with parish and city officials at 9:30 a.m. at the Minden-South Webster Chamber of Commerce office, 101 Sibley Road.

The visit is part of an educational project sponsored by the Free Congress Committee in Washington, D.C. The group on a statewide tour that includes political campaign seminars and hands-on experience in state and local political arenas. Minden water service to undergo disruption MINDEN Water service will be disrupted for about four hours this morning while a city crew repairs a fire hydrant near Webster Parish Alternative School on Clerk Street in Minden. The cutoff begins about 8 a.m. and will affect areas at Clerk and Corner streets, and from Marshall through Goodwill to near the Mind-en Fair Park Recreation Center.

Orchid seminar to be held Saturday FLORIEN Hodges Gardens will hold an orchid seminar Saturday at its garden on U.S. Highway 171. Participants will receive advise on selecting and caring for different types of orchids. Don Howe, owner of an orchid business in Atlanta, Texas, will lead the seminar scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Homer man indicted on murder charge HOMER A Claiborne Parish grand jury indicted a Homer man on a charge of second-degree murder Wednesday in connection with the shooting death of a local teen-ager May 1. Eric T. Williams, 21, is scheduled to plead to the charge at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Claiborne District Court in Homer, assistant district at Public hearing set tonight on fire district RUSTON The fifth in a series of public meetings about a proposed parishwide fire district will be held at 7 p.m. today at Rock Corner Baptist Church on Lincoln Parish Road 506.

7Tj fry ran Tomorrow 6:09 Today 8:16 June 5 June 12 Juno 19 Juno 26.