The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 18

2B THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2004 LocalState THE TIMES shreveporttimes.com La. lawmakers: Health care may Renaming: Huckaby died in office require special legislative session June 2001. Lester's original proposal called for renaming Caddo and Ford streets, as well as Shreveport-Blanchard Highway, to Hilry Huckaby III Avenue. But he met opposition from property owners as well as an American Indian tribe. Caddo Street was not only one of Shreveport's 16 original streets, but was named in 1836 by Capt.

Henry Miller Shreve in tribute to the original occupants of the land, the peoples of the Caddo Nation. Ford Street was named during Reconstruction for the third pastor of First Presbyterian Church, the Rev. J. Franklin Ford. bring down the old commission form of government that diluted black voting strength in favor of the current mayor-council system.

He went on to become the first black elected to Shreveport's City Council, a position he held for three terms before a losing his re-election bid in 1990. Two years later, he was elected a Caddo Parish district judge. He was removed from the bench after pleading guilty in 1995 to a misdemeanor tax offense. He served a year in federal custody. Huckaby was re-elected to the City Council in 1998, but died of a stroke and heart attack while in office in Continued from IB Chairman Thomas Carmody.

The name change will cover an area of Shreveport-Blanchard Road from Roy Road to North Hearne Avenue, which parallels the Kansas City Southern Railroad yard. Company officials did not return phone calls from The Times on Wednesday. The road is also a state highway, but the city has authority to change the name just as it did in naming state Highway 1 Youree Drive. Youree is named in honor of pioneer Shreveport developer Peter Youree. As an attorney, Huckaby helped which was intended for lawmakers, though about 30 individuals from die healthare community also came to the session at the Greater Shreve-port Chamber of Commerce.

State Rep. Cedric Glover. D-Shreveport and state Sen. Sherri Smith Cheek, R-Shreveport, also were present. The briefing highlighted the most pressing concerns about health care in this region as gathered in two recent public forums in Shreve-port.

The summary of those forums has been sent to Blanco, who had called upon each region of the state to submit reports. The forums were sponsored by The Times, United Way of Northwest Louisiana, the Strategic Action Council and the chamber. "I'm optimistic," Glover said of making change to health care. "Possibly we can come back in the fall." Cheek said the discussions of regional concerns during the History: Building unity through knowledge Continued from IB recognized by Roy Griggs, owner of 10 Shreveport-Bossier City McDonald's restaurants, for being one of 1,600 players nationwide nominated for McDonald's All-American High School basketball team. Later this month Chavis will know if he made the team, The future: Appreciating the accomplishments of the past and the present by taking advantage of the opportunities for which so many have worked, slaved and died.

The final student played by Jalessa Scott got a glimpse into her future with help from the Ghost of Black History Future (Victoria McWooden). SheneUe Wallace played Scott's child, praying to God, thankful of her mother's accomplishments and the lessons that are continually remembered. Biology teacher Chevette Mooney said she hopes the program helped unite Parkway High students through knowledge. Physical education teacher and coach Jeremiah Williams didn't let Taylor speak, they would be violating open-meeting laws. "You need to feel the pulse of the community," he said to board members.

"It's obvious that it doesn't matter to you, and it should matter to you." "I will appreciate you considering what we are doing to get done what you asked us to do," board member Norman LaFargue said to Cash. The investigation is limited to possible violation of departmental poli Investigation: Board can order discipline By Alisa Stlngley astingleygannett.com Making significant progress to reform Louisiana's healthare system probably won't happen in the upcoming Legislature and may require a special session this fall, area lawmakers said Wednesday during a briefing about Northwest Louisiana health-care concerns. The reason little may get done in the regular session is there isn't much time between Gov. Kathleen Blanco's health-care summit Wednesday and March 4 and the start of the session March 29, lawmakers said. "One of the difficulties we face is the time frame of the summit and introducing legislation.

That will be a challenge for us," said state Sen. Lydia Jackson, D-Shreveport. Jackson is one of only three area legislators who attended the briefing, Local Briefs Probe continues into shooting that hit bus Shreveport police continue to investigate the drive-by shooting Tuesday that riddled three vehicles with bullets, including a Caddo school bus. The shooting started when the occupants of a Chevrolet Caprice opened fire on a Chevrolet Suburban near Hearne Avenue at Kings Highway. Three bullets hit the bus, one barley missing the driver's head.

No students were on board. A supply truck also was struck by bullets. The Suburban, with multiple bullet holes, was found abandoned in the parking lot of Willis-Knighton Medical Center on Greenwood Road. Police said they found an assault rifle in the Suburban. No arrests have been made.

Court: Woman now fit to face murder charge A Shreveport grandmother accused ofkilling her granddaughter now is competent to stand trial on a charge of first-degree murder. That determination about Joan B. Edgar was made Wednesday in Caddo District Court. The 62-year-old has been undergoing treatment at Edgar Feuciana Forensic Facility of the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System in Jackson. She was sent there after a Caddo District Court judge ruled in February 2003 that she was incompetent to go to trial.

"No one Ingredient in American history is more important than the other." Jeremiah Willams, physical education teacher and coach echoed Mooney's sentiments: "No one ingredient in American history is more important than the other. They all help achieve the full flavor of the American dream." cies and procedures that may have been committed by Ramsey, who has since been fired for an unrelated policy violation. The board can order discipline if it finds the officers violated Police Department policies or procedures. The officers or police chief can appeal the discipline, if any, back to the board. After the board hears the appeal, it can be taken back to court.

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(318)742-3600 450 Benton Rd, Suite Bossier City, LA 71111 wownmeni Intmont Co 6UC0 Ctneia1 i Murine C. C0 Mmmt Lo 1.1(0 Comt: Ccun MuUwl 11. Co (iflCO, WMtwntoB Continued from IB Taylor's comments added to an already heated discussion between the Rev. Arris Cash and a panel member. The board originally denied Taylor the opportunity to speak during Wednesday's meeting.

The reasons: The meeting was scheduled to discuss the investigation only, and Taylor was not on the agenda. But Cash argued that if the board Grant Information Meeting Tuesday. March 2. 2HW 0 P.M. Virginia K.

Shehee Biomedical Research Institute. Rivom f-1 -42 1SII5 Kings Highway. Shreveport. LA Interested persons are invited to aliend and ask questions pertaining to the EPA Unmnlields Cleanup Oram lor properties located in Shreveport. Louisiana at IXMiand IS70 Kings Hinhwav 2127 Kings Highwav and Mansfield Road Carrie Avenue Manstield Road For additional meeting information, please contact: Patrick Murphy Facilities Manager Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana Assistant District Attorney Laura Wingate said no date has been set for the trial during which prosecutors will seek the death penalty.

"That's going to depend on what motions are filed. Once we finish those hearings, we will pick a trial date." Edgar's next court date is April 7, when evidentiary issues will be considered, Wingate said. Edgar is accused of fatally shooting granddaughter Julia Kate Gerald, 2, on Aug. 7, 2002, in the child's Oriole Lane home. Edgar also allegedly shot and wounded daughter Connie Gerald and granddaughter Kelly Gerald, who was 1 at the time.

Police said Edgar ran to a neighbor's house after the shootings and asked him to call 911. First-degree murder is punishable by life in prison or death. LSUS gets $40,000 grant for broadcast lab AEPSWEPCO has awarded a grant to LSUS' Communications Department to fund a new broadcast journalism laboratory. The grant, totaling $40,000 over three years, and the equipment to be purchased with it will be discussed at 10:15 a.m. Friday in Room 363 of Bronson Hall Two broadcast journalism students will interview AEPSWEPCO head Brian Bond on a set in the classroom that will house the TV studio.

LSUS Chancellor Vincent Marsala, Jack Nolan, chairman of the Communications Department, and Johnette McCrery, assistant professor of communications, will be on hand to answer questions and conduct individual interviews. fr mm forums have prompted health-care professionals to contact her about "bills to make it work better." She said lawmakers need that kind of input from health-care workers in the trenches. The Northwest Louisiana report brought to light policy issues such as health care not being a state budget priority and the state's high poverty rate. "System" issues included Medicaid reimbursement and bureaucracy. Some of the regional gaps in health care noted in the report are too many uninsured and underin-sured, lack of prevention opportunities, comprehensive care for high-needs children and long-term mental health care.

"We've got to reform the system," said Joe Pierce, United Way executive director, who made Wednesday's presentation. "We need statewide solutions with a local flavor." Black History Month program slated Friday Shreveport Housing Authority will hold its Black History Month program at 6 p.m. Friday at the Naomi D. Jackson Heights Housing Development, 1411 Milam St. in Shreveport J.

Mason of Shreveport will be guest speaker. The Booker T. Washington ROTC drill team will perform. Training of advocates to begin here Saturday The Court Appointed Special Advocates program will start training volunteers at 9 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, 900 Jordan St in Shreveport The 30 hours of training will continue Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings through March 20.

CASA volunteers advocate for abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court and the child welfare system. Volunteers must be at least 21 years old. Call (318) 221-2272 for further information. Navigating medical Web sites is focus of session VWCA of Northwest Louisiana will offer computer training to the public to better access and navigate medical Web sites from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Saturday at the Allendale branch, 700 Pierre Ave. Call Reginald Lowery at (318) 226-8717, ext 18, for more information. Rom Staff Reports electricity. We are open to working with the state." Interest in Mansfield's plight continues to grow as individuals and groups from states such as California, Alabama, Illinois and Michigan join the Friends of the Mansfield Battle-field's preservation effort Joiner said. "It's been getting a lot of attention because of the sad state of affairs." The Office of State Parks just this week included the Friends of the Mansfield Battlefield Web site as a link from its Louisiana State Parks and Historic Sites Web Mansfield was one of the key battles in a two-month campaign fought for control of the strategic Red River Valley.

Although the number of people in the battle about 30.000 is relatively small, the losses proportionally were enormous with nearly a quarter of the troops who fought at Mansfield becoming casualties, according to the trust Confederate Gen. Richard Taylor's triumph at Mansfield set the stage for a Union retreat that left the Red River Valley in Southern hands for the remainder of the war. The 140th anniversary of that April 8, 1864, battle will be celebrated April 3-4, when more than 1,000 re-enactors converge upon Mansfield and nearby Pleasant HID for re-enactments. Cavalry troops and 14 cannons wiD be a part of the two-day event -'4r I MAT RT a ru JKVLJl Battlefield: Trust negotiating for 60 more acres to bring preserved acreage to 237 i 5 i i maim 2 WARY 28. Greg PearsonFileThe Times A field nurse tends to a wounded soldier during a re-enactment of the Civil War Battle of Mansfield on Oct.

4. v. Sweatshirt Continued from IB from the list is to have the site completely protected from the dangers of mining or urbanization, said Gary Joiner, an author, historian and president of Friends of the Mansfield Battlefield. Lignite mining already has chipped away at more than several hundred acres in the southern ends of the approximate battle site. Hundreds of more acres fall within the mining permit The trust saved 134 acres several years ago and is working with the Austin Civil War Round Table and Friends of the Mansfield Battlefield to preserve additional property.

Some progress is being made in that the trust is negotiating a conservation easement on 60 more acres that would put the preserved acreage at 237, trust spokesman Jim Campi said. That's certainly a good start" The Louisiana Office of State Parks is not involved in that preservation effort since that easement involves federal funds available through the FarmlandRanchland Protection Act public information director Bo Boehringer said. "But we continue to pursue and support any acquisition opportunities to protect the total battlefield acreage, whether it's state parks or any channels we have access to." Discussions still are under way on what to do with 41 acres donated two years ago by AEP-SWEPCO, Boehringer said. The property around the historic Allen House and adjacent to state Highway 175 still is in the utility company's hands until a decision is made whether to put the property under the umbrella of state parks or Friends of the Mansfield Battlefield. The lignite operation run by Dolet Hills Mining a subsidiary of AEP-SWEPCO, has 30,000 acres under permit for mining.

But not all of the acreage has required the company to do a cultural survey, a process that searches for any historical properties such as human remains or artifacts underneath the ground. "We have one area that still needs a cultural survey before it is mined," AEP-SWEPCO spokesman Mike Young said. "But there are no plans mv Every Sweater The Unique Shop 402 Kings Shreve City Super Store Lakeshore Family Center 201 Minden Store 340 Homer Rd. Online Friends of the Mansfield Battlefield: www.mansfieldbat tlefield.org. Louisiana Office of State Parks: www.crt.state.la.us crt parks.

"It's been getting a lot of attention because of the sad state of affairs." Gary Joiner, author, historian, president of Friends of the Mansfield Battlefield to mine it in the near future. I'd say we're five years out." Even though the mined property is reclaimed as close as possible to its natural state after the lignite is stripped from the earth, preservationists argue that the historic integrity of the land is altered forever. AEP-SWEPCO recognizes the significance of the Mansfield battle site, Young said. "We operate legally and under all requirements of the state. But we still have a responsibility to mine the land to produce Hwy.

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