CLUB

NewspaperMay 19, 1996 | Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA)

Page: 14H2 | Section: PICAYUNE

Slidell Republican Women's Club prepared for their upcoming installation banquet. Seated are Joan Holmes, left, and Jan Haggar, and standing are Bette Simpson, Sharon Schneider and Lynn Bowers.

SLIDELL WOMAN IS TOP VOLUNTEER

Newspaper June 23, 1996 | Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA)

Page: 17H2 | Section: PICAYUNE

164 Words | Readability: Lexile: 1280, grade level(s): 11-12

Kathy Jones of Slidell recently was named the Betty Robbins Volunteer of the Year at the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries national convention in Nashville, Tenn.

Established in memory of the late Betty Robbins of Ruston, the award recognizes outstanding individuals from each region of the national association. But Jones' application was so impressive, only her award was presented during the convention.

Jones taught at Abney Elementary School for 13 years and was honored as a Teacher of the Year.

She has been an active member of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries on a local, state and national level for the past 14 years.

She is a member or past member of the Ozone Camellia Club, Alpha Delta Kappa sorority, Slidell Jaynes, Slidell Women's Republican Club, Council for a Better Louisiana, the Parenting Center Advisory Board and Le Cotillion.

She and her husband, Brice, have two children and are active members of the Slidell Chamber of Commerce.

Illustration:

KATHY JONES

Volunteer of the Year

REED POINTS TO RECORD AS RIVAL VOLZ QUESTIONS IT - CANDIDATES TRYING HARD TO MEET VOTERS

Newspaper September 5, 1996 | Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA)

Author: CHARLIE CHAPPLE St. Tammany bureau | Page: A1 | Section: NATIONAL

Readability: Lexile: 1100, grade level(s): 8 9 10 11-12

For the first time in 12 years, there's a district attorney's race in St. Tammany and Washington parishes.

And voters are seeing two candidates - two-term incumbent Walter Reed and former U.S. Attorney John Volz - use different tactics as they campaign for the Sept. 21 election.

In forum after forum, Volz has attacked Reed for what he claims is political misuse and abuse of the 22nd Judicial District Attorney's office, including "sweetheart deals" for the incumbent and his assistants or former assistants.

"Part of my responsibility is to bring up the issues, as I have at every forum," Volz told a gathering of the Slidell Republican Women's Club on Friday. "And I'm not saying anything that's not documented by public record."

Reed, meanwhile, is trying another approach in his first election battle since 1984. At a campaign fish fry Saturday night in the Bayou Liberty community near Slidell, Reed didn't mention Volz once as he urged a supportive crowd to re-elect him.

"I've worked hard for the people to keep the community safe," Reed said. "We've been tough on crime and our jails have stayed full since I was elected. But I try to keep a balance. I know the difference between a criminal and a citizen who made a mistake. I know the difference between a juvenile delinquent and a kid who made a mistake . . . I will continue to meet with people and listen to their problems. I see 450 to 500 people every month at five different offices. And I will continue to listen to your problems."

Reed, who appears more comfortable at campaign functions such as the fish fry than at rigid political forums, said he is avoiding attacks on his opponent, for whom Reed once worked as an assistant U.S. attorney.

That's because "90 percent of the voters want to know how you're going to make their life better. How you're going to make this a better community," Reed said. "All he's done is attack. People want to know what he's going to do."

But Volz said his campaign strategy is more than that and he's offering voters a choice that's professional and apolitical.

When knocking on doors and talking to voters, "I basically introduce myself, say who I am and what I'm going to do," Volz said.

Volz said he will be a full-time prosecutor with no outside practice, unlike Reed, whose law firm has gotten more than $1.5 million in legal work from the state attorney general's office since 1992.

Volz said he also would not use the office's political influence to land lucrative contracts with public bodies such as the St. Tammany Parish School Board and the Causeway Commission for law partners or assistants.

Steve Caire, Reed's former law partner and a former assistant district attorney, got a contract to represent the Causeway Commission when the two were still associates, Volz said at Friday's forum. "And in less than two years, he (Caire) makes $200,000 from the Causeway Commission," Volz said.

Volz later said when Reed sued Caire in 1994 to dissolve the partnership, income from the commission was listed as an asset. "That shows you Reed was making money from the contract," Volz said.

Another assistant and former law partner, Harry Pastuszek, has made $500,000 representing the School Board since 1992, Volz said.

Reed said that under state law, a district attorney is allowed to have a limited private practice and many district attorneys do. "The real issue is am I full-time DA," Reed said. "And the answer is yes. All you have to do is look at the performance of our office."

Reed said he personally makes no money from assistants who as private attorneys handle the legal work for public bodies. Pastuszek, who has not been a law partner of Reed's since 1987, was hired by the School Board at an hourly rate that is $20 less than the fee paid to the firm that previously represented the board, Reed said.

Pastuszek's work with the board has gradually increased because "the board is pleased with his work and has given him more and more responsibilities," Reed said.

Pastuszek, though an assistant district attorney, is paid directly by the School Board with the district attorney's office getting a copy of the bill.

Reed said his office represents about 100 public bodies in the two parishes and is required by state law to represent some of them. Many, which have no money to pay legal fees, are represented at no cost, Reed said.

"It does raise the question, should the DA be representing public bodies," Reed said. "In a perfect world, each public body would have independent counsel."

Volz said if elected, his office would do the work for a much lower cost, saving taxpayers money.

Volz also attacks Reed for his prior heavy involvement in supporting other candidates for political office, including district judges. Volz said he would neither endorse nor put up candidates for any other office.

Reed promises to "be much less involved in the future in other people's races. I have been too active in the past. It's somewhat a valid criticism. But you can't get away from the fact that this is a political job."

Reed said he has tried to field the attacks from Volz in a professional manner, but said they are not the real issues of the campaign.

"I think the election will come down to two things," Reed said. "No. 1, my performance. And No. 2, who do the people feel the most comfortable with. And I think a large majority of the people feel comfortable with me in this office."

Reed said the first time he ran for the office, he ran on promises. "Now, I'm running on my performance," he said.

His record includes operating an office with an open-door policy that allows constituents to schedule appointments to talk with him, he said. Accomplishments in the office include a 93 percent conviction rate, including pleas, and establishment of a Family Advocacy Center to combat child abuse, domestic violence and nonsupport of children, he said.

Responding to Volz's criticism that Reed never personally prosecuted cases, Reed said, "My job is to run the office and pick and select qualified assistants and make sure they do what they're supposed to do. And the record shows they are doing the job."

Volz said when he ran the U.S. attorney's office for a federal district covering 13 parishes, he also prosecuted cases. "I can do both," he said.

Volz said while he is a relative newcomer to the judicial district, his work as U.S. attorney involved St. Tammany and Washington parishes.

"They were part of my beat," Volz said. "I personally tried cases right under Walter Reed's nose, such as the Causeway Commission scandal."

The theme of his campaign, Volz said, is professional ethics and running an impartial district attorney's office free of politics, political favors and conflicts of interest. "The people deserve no less," he said.

Volz concedes he is the underdog, but said his message is getting through to voters.

"I do have some name recognition and I do have a record to run on," he said, including a long background in law enforcement and prosecuting criminals, especially those involved with drugs.

EFFORTS TO PUT END TO ILLITERACY GROW

NewspaperOctober 20, 1996 | Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA)

Author: STEPHANIE LYNAM St. Tammany bureau | Page: 14H2 | Section: PICAYUNE

495 Words

Literacy assistance is spreading throughout St. Tammany Parish because of the efforts of two organizations and two individuals.

The St. Tammany Literacy Assistance Program in Slidell will expand to the west side of the parish, two Slidell residents have started a program to teach parents to teach their children to read, and Slidell Republican Women's Club members visit schools to read to the children - all in an effort to decrease illiteracy.

Representatives from these groups spoke at the Social Services Network of St. Tammany meeting Oct. 11 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Slidell.

Juliette Cote started the St. Tammany Literacy Assistance program in 1993 and has trained about 120 volunteers to teach literacy.

The cycle of illiteracy often begins at a young age, Cote said. "Children have a natural curiosity and want to learn, but fall through the cracks," she said.

Cote cited a recent U.S. Department of Education study that indicates that half of the nation's adults do not read well enough to work effectively. Illiteracy makes it difficult for people to, among other things, read a telephone book or menu, or to complete a job application, Cote said.

She offers a free workshop about once every two months to teach volunteers to teach others to read at a fifth-grade level. Open to anyone, the next 15-hour workshops will be held Nov. 4, 11 and 18; and Nov. 6, 13 and 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. Registration for either three-day session will be held Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m. at the church.

Volunteers are seeking assistance from churches and businesses to help in the expansion of the program to the west side of the parish.

Everyone at the literacy assistance program is a volunteer, including Cote. It costs about $2,200 each year to operate the program, which relies on donations from the public and some corporate donations. There always is a need for more tutors, and many people who want to learn are on a waiting list, Cote said.

Patty Paoletti and Jan Hagar of Slidell teach parents to teach their own children to read. They will begin giving workshops in November.

Paoletti taught school for 12 years, then opened a tutoring business. She and Hagar will each a brief workshop at no cost, except for a minimal charge for books and materials.

They believe that this program will be right for some people. "I think it makes reading more accessible. It gives the parent more power and more control," Paoletti said.

Slidell Republican Women's Club is attempting to fight illiteracy by helping to develop a love of reading.

Members visit schools to read to kindergarten students. "You may not teach them to read, but you may teach them to love somebody," said Maggie Hill, a club member. She knows two troubled kindergarteners, one in trouble with the law and one who is abused. She believes that her group's efforts could make a difference, by giving the gift of literacy.

For information about these groups, call the literacy assistance program at 649-9819 or (800) 897-3690.