The News-Star from Monroe, Louisiana • Page 13

Local Ieff Guerriero i i ne injury Aiiorney i SECTION SUNDAY April 15, 2012 The I 2200 FORSYTHE AVE. i MONROE, LA o-i Dooconc "i Pad AAwtiserant ii ULM students voting on natatorum By Sarah Eddington seddingtonthenewsstar.com In the four months since the YMCA of Northeast Louisiana took over operations at the University of Louisiana at Monroe's natatorium, there has been a significant increase in the number of students and community members using the facility, according to YMCA Executive Director Chris Pealer. Additionally, Pealer said around $40,000 worth of cosmetic repairs have been done to the Lake C. Oxford Natatorium, including replacing several broken light fixtures, pressure washing the entire building and adding signage. But that may be all for naught if ULM students decide in a vote this week to get rid of the pool so the building can be turned into an event facility.

The second fee to be voted on is a $65 per semester fee to fund an outdoor recreational facility in Bayou Park. The proposed facility would include an outdoor pool, surrounded by a lazy river, and the construction of an amphitheater, canoe dock and an indoor pool. The suggested fees come as a result of a straw poll conducted on campus that found students would prefer an outdoor recre ational facility in Bayou Park and to convert the natatorium into an events building than to keep the original pool, which has been at ULM since 1976. Word came last summer that low student usage and high maintenance costs had prompted the university to reassess keeping the natatorium open after the fall semester. In January, the university See VOTE, Page 3B Aquifer project gushes forward -w- West Monroe Boys and Girls Club By Scott Rogers lsrogersthenewsstar.com The $20 million Sparta reuse project that will recycle wastewater for Graphic Packaging is expected to become fully operational within the next several weeks.

West Monroe Mayor Dave Norris said officials are still conducting experiments on treated Norris wastewater at its treatment plant before the city ultimately begins sending 10 million gallons to Graphic Packaging. "We're still running some experiments to get our process better than it is, but it's working perfectly. I think sometime in the next few weeks we'll start the entire process," Nor- Students will vote on two items Wednesday and Thursday, both of which pertain to proposed fee assessments. The first fee to be voted on is a $25 per semester fee that would be used to convert the natatorium into an event facility. The plan for the proposed event facility would eliminate the pool and renovate the building into one that can be used for banquets and receptions.

Tf H.I v- after school, ben cordathe news star Above, Carl Whitlock gets some homework help from Devin Brocks at the West Monroe Boys and Girls Club. Left, Kelsey Grisham i works on an arts and crafts project after school ben corda THE NEWS-STAR Tech artists help with Homer mural Brendan O'Toole plays pool at the Club marks 50th By Zack Southwell zsouthwellthenewsstar.com The Boy's Girl's Club of Northeast Louisiana is celebrating its 50th year and director Tom Morris said the club's encounter. "Some (Ouachita Parish) deputies had to go to east Texas Morris to pick up some prisoners," Morris said. "While they're waiting, there was a Texas Ranger and other law enforcement officials See CLUB, Page 3B founding 13 came by way of a chance I 1 ris said. The Sparta Reuse Project is a comprehensive plan to reduce water usage from the Sparta aquifer, a major source of drinking water for municipalities and water systems west of the Ouachita River.

Currently, Graphic Packaging uses water drawn from the Sparta aquifer for its production processes and is the area's largest consumer of aquifer water. The aquifer serves a 16-parish region and replenishes itself at a rate of 53 million gallons a day. However, nearly 71 million gallons a day are drawn from the aquifer. When operational, the facility will immediately be able to provide Graphic Packaging with 7 million gallons of treated wastewater each day. As a result, Graphic Packaging will decrease its draw of water from the Sparta by the same See AQUIFER, Page 3B "The Homer Colored College is depicted with a portrait of its most famous visiting professor, Dr.

George Washington Carver." NICK BUSTAMANTE Art professor North Louisiana Hill Farm Research Station in the parish. Bustamante said several longtime residents would recall blooming peach trees across the rolling hills. Bustamante said five undergraduate art students from Tech make up the painting crew, and the mural is based See MURAL, Page 3B 0 l.r Special to The News-Star RUSTON Louisiana Tech associate professor of art Nick Bustamante is bringing art to a new forum in north Louisiana with the "Homermural Project." Bustamante said the mural will be in Homer and will represent the parish's agricultural heritage by featuring cotton wagons going to the cotton gin, as well as other symbolic representations. "The Homer Colored College is depicted with a portrait of its most famous visiting professor, Dr. George Washington Carver," Bustamante said.

"The dairy industry was prominent in Claiborne Parish as well; the Claiborne Creamery was home to Home-R-Maid ice cream for many years." The mural will also feature peach orchards, which were once an early project of the rVj. LiM III IMmiMM You don't have to leave town for the best smaller-sized hospital around. rfKS For medical excellence in overall surgical care and joint replacement. For Knee Replacement 3 Yean in a Row (2010-201 2) For Spine Surgery and Back NeckSurge7(2012) 0 First-class quality. With the grades to bock it up.

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