The Town Talk from Alexandria, Louisiana • 3

Cenla Tlavntalk Sunday, March 21, 2004 A3 Coutee says xneigh' to Mounted Patrol Horse stables It By Mandy M. Goodnight The Town Talk Alexandria police Chief Daren Coutee is pulling the reins on the department's Mounted Patrol Unit The department still has four horses, but he said that he hopes to get rid of them and their equipment. "They are the least productive of our Police Department," he said. The unit's end comes with Coutee's other restructuring moves made this week. With a manpower shortage, Coutee said he had to "beef up" the patrol division.

"We have to have officers on the street," he said. Coutee has moved supervisors or in specialized unit, like DWI, motorcycle or K-9, who also can answer calls for service. Prior to the restructure, there were fewer officers on the street and some officers had to stay at work beyond their normal shift. The department is working harder to make up for the loss of officers, Coutee said. Still, he hopes to decrease crime in the city by 5 percent.

Alexandria was rated the fourth worst small city for crime rate by Sperling's BestPlaces. The ranking used FBI statistics from 2002, but crime totals were lower in 2003. Coutee wants to continue that trend despite not having a full force. While the Mounted Patrol Unit served a purpose, Coutee said that the horses are only needed for three yearly events, where they are used for crowd control. In addition, the horses have been used as a public-relations tool.

The division's end could spell extra money for a financially strapped department and city. The sale of the horses and equipment could generate quick cash, but there are long-term savings, Coutee said. Feed and other supplies to care for the horses do not have to be bought and the manpower to operate the stables will be used elsewhere. While only one person was assigned to the division, other officers were used for events and patrol duties. The horse barn, which was completed nearly two years ago, cost the City Council $70,000.

The facility will not go to waste, Coutee said. He plans to use it for training purposes, particularly for the K-9 division. The city's Mounted Patrol was the only unit on the chopping block. Other services remain in place, but are running shorthanded. The narcotics and detectives divisions remain understaffed.

There are 12 officers assigned to the detectives division, including supervisors, and five in narcotics. With fewer officers in narcotics, the department is coordinating investigations with the Louisiana State Police Daren Coutee: Alexandria police chief talks about cuts. eight officers, sending most of them to the patrol division. Each of the depart- 1 located here Town Talk graphic ment's four patrol shifts increased from 12 officers to 17 officers. Thirteen officers on those shifts are working in the city's nine patrol zones, he said.

The remaining officers are I 9i of plants," Hayes said. "It's my first time, and I like what I see. Plenty of colors, so that's good. I've got my eye on these golden gerberas and the pink gerberas. It's a good, fun time here." Some would argue the most fun could be found at the 10 a.m.

festival parade, or three miles down the road in Longleaf, where fest-goers could tour the ALEXANDRIA A Forest Hill blooms at Nursery Festival and Rapides Parish Sheriffs Office, Coutee said. He said his agents have not joined Metro Narcotics, but are concentrating on the city's drug problems. One area, Coutee hates to see suffering is his Community Services division. He had a two-man team working with Neighborhood Watch, groups, organizing the Teen and Citizens acade! mies, and talking at pubf lie venues. One officer had to be reassigned to the detectives division.

"We have to make the changes to answer the calls for service from the public," Coutee said. Mandy M. Goodnight 487-6465; mgoodnighttSMhetaHfflUllLCQa in "I love pottery, and I love plants," Williams said. "I've got a whole lot at home, probably just about everything, but not everything. If I could find something like a different kind of geranium, I'm taking it with me.

"I'm glad I came. There's lot's here, and the people are real The event continues at 8 a.m. today. Eugene Sutherland: 487-6380; Sutherland thetowntaJk.coia 1 1 i x- Vickie Dickens (left) and Debbie Lacaze, both of Pitken, look at various flowers on display Saturday at the Forest Hill Nursery Festival. Photos by Melinda MartinezThe Town Talk i TTrf i 1 r-' i Murrell Nelson (left) shows George Mitchell how an engine lathe works at the biannual Machine Shop Day held Saturday at the Southern Forest Heritage Museum.

By Eugene Sutherland The Town Talk FOREST HILL There were plenty of ways Beverly Christy could have celebrated her 50th birthday Saturday. Sure, it was a coincidence her big day happened to fall on the same day as the 19th annual Nursery Festival, but somehow this seemed like the kind of color-filled, peaceful surrounding that was worthy of the Lafayette resident's big day. "We come here every year, mainly for the flowers," said Christy, accompanied by her mother, Harriet Valmont, of Opelousas, and a sister who requested anonymity. "That's what keeps us coming back. I've already treated myself with this old-fashioned Coke bird-house." Attending the fest never gets old, Valmont said, as it serves as a solid way to spend a day with family.

"I think it's wonderful," she said. "It's a great way to spend the day with my two daughters." A bright, beautiful day splashed thousands of visitors as they strolled through a record-sized number of nursery booths and carnival rides. In true Forest Hill fashion, not a brown leaf or stem could be found. Those whose senses weren't being pleasantly overloaded with the scents of azaleas and geraniums, were equally soothed by the aroma of Southern Forest Heritage Museum. There, they got a glimpse of machinery dating back to the early 1900s at the biannual Machine Shop Day event.

Among the highlights was a double arbor lathe, built circa 1905. Lathes were large machines used to turn and sharpen round metal items such as axles, shafts and wheels. Other features at the old planer mill were a functioning, 12 horsepower vertical steam engine, also circa 1905. Fort Worth, Texas, blacksmith Steve Holding entertained visitors with displays of his cratt over a fire. Not to be overlooked were two original train-log loaders.

Only Hemph three others exist in the world. "This is wonderful," said Quincy Hemphill, 61, of Dodson. "Everything I've seen, especial- in Cajun cooking that included dishes such as crawfish etouffee, huge chickens-on-a-stick, red beans and rice and boudin. Alyssa Hayes, 24, of Centerpoint had strayed away from helping inlaws run the Modern Concrete Designs booth for a few minutes to peruse the gerberas at Sutton's Bedding Plants. "There's a lot of variety i- ftX4.

S-JtZsiLlm C.iiTI'r--"" J'-' Barre poses with some wood cuts that her husband She was selling them at Saturday's festival. generation needs to see how things were way back." Tyler summed his feelings up, as he looked upon the old locomotive that is a permanent fixture at the mill area. "Cool," he said. "This stuff is cool." Back at the Nursery Festival, Ville Platte resident Helen Williams, 46, was busy indulging her passion for hibiscus, geraniums and all forms of pottery. There's a lot of variety of plants.

It's my first time, and I like what I see. Plenty of colors, so that's good. Alyssa Hayes of Centerpoint On Nursery Festival 99 Civil Air Patrol trains for domestic emergencies Christine Marks of Port made and she painted. ly the restoration, I worked in the old Tre-mont Lumber Co. mill in Joyce, back in the early '60s.

I'm ready to see one of these locomotives restored." Hemphill's wife, Patsy, and their grandchildren, Jeri, 2, Tyler, 9, and Megan Desoto, 9, were equally fascinated. "It takes you back," Patsy Hemphill said. "I'm glad they're showing the locomotives and engines. The younger Civil Air Patrol flight line Maj. Steve Caldas before Town Talk -7-.

4 Trnr Some of the members have pilot's license and fly the single-engine piston aircraft that CAP uses. The auxiliary has the "largest fleet of single-engine aircraft in the world," Ford said. Lt. Col. Amos Plante, chief of staff for the Louisiana division, was nn hand to Lafayette, joined the auxiliary six years ago and has been in flight since.

"This is a good way to serve," Caldas said. His colleague and friend, Kerry Ordes, an assistant professor of political science at LSU-Alexandria, said the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy gave him reason to join. 1,1 -'-l I thought was too busy," he said. "Nobody's too busy to chip lymmd always that I 12-year- 4no vu observers, mission scanners, pilots and others about the day's mission.

"We are very important to Homeland Security," he said of the auxiliary's role in the overall in. i II 1 Whether it is By Carita Jordan The Town Talk Louisiana Civil Air Patrol members gathered Saturday at Pride International to train for domestic emergencies. The Civil Air Patrol is a civilian volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force that was formed in 1941, a week before Pearl Harbor was bombed. The group is for those 12 and older who are interested in aviation.

Suzann Ford, a legal secretary who lives in Quitman, volunteered with the auxiliary after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. "I had no prior military experience, but I felt that there was something I could do," she said. Ford serves as a public affairs officer for the Louisiana division of the Civil Air Patrol. Many of the members have never been in the military. Civil Air Patrol has about 64.000 members nationwide and about 850 are in Louisiana.

Saturday's exercise was a simulated search and rescue mission. 73-year-oldF Plante or LirJ old Robert Roussel, a cadet, the auxiliary has highly energized miUtary strucpante The auxiliary works nearly 85 percent of domestic search and rescue missions, Plante said. In addition, the auxiliary has participated in disaster-relief efforts along with helping nonprofit organizations with similar tasks. Steve Caldas, a professor at the University of Louisiana at nr- n-nr T'- members. The auxiliary offers ROU55ei cadet training from ages 12 to 21.

"I've been able to learn so many things," Robert said. "I think I will be prepared for the Air Force Academy when I get older." Carita Jordan: 487-6329; c)ordaathet0Wtrta lk.com supervisor Maj. Randy Smith (left) talks with pilot he prepares for takeoff. Melinaa MartinezTht.