By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Airport Commission Monday night gave its approval to seeking estimates on a new roof for the main building, and to take a look at the heating and cooling systems of the building. There was also discussion of airport expansion and the possible paving of some areas.
The estimate on the roof will also include a new front door. According to the commission chairman, Bill Hays, the roof will be stripped down to the wood.
On the heating and air conditioning system, Hays said there have been complaints. At times the system works fine, however, at certain times of the day during summer, the air-conditioning is considered inadequate.
"We first have to figure out what we need," said Hays.
On the matter of expansion, Hays said a plan is under consideration in which a certain amount of expansion could be achieved without having to acquire new land. Hays said he would like a survey done of the airport land, and have it staked out. "We need to know exactly where our boundaries are, he said.
The board agreed to find out how much such a survey would cost, and to go ahead and have it done if it is not too expensive.
"A shorter runway would not fill all our needs, but it would fill some of them," said Hays, referring to the alternate plan. The original expansion plan calls for an expansion from 3,000 feet to 5,000 feet. The runway would also be widened. It is not known exactly how much expansion would be possible under the alternate plan. In August, a hearing was held in which several area residents spoke against expansion. Some spoke in favor of a regional airport at another site. Hays said it might take 20 years to get a regional airport approved and built, while there are immediate needs, particularly safety.
"When I hear emergency vehicles headed down south, and when there's bad weather and planes are in the air, I just cringe," said Hays. "We've got to have a safe airport. We've got to have one we can use. It's just unthinkable that we don't have a better runway."
The airport is also applying for a 75-25 matching grant from the state Aeronautics Commission to pave some taxiways. The "25" match can be met through "in-kind" labor. Hays said he was optimistic about getting the grant. Also being considered is a 90-10 matching grant to build a new security fence.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Two Forrest City aldermen responded this morning to an accusation by the local NAACP branch over non-action on a grant request to build a community center at Southside Park.
Mayor Larry Bryant had proposed passage of the resolution at a budget meeting last week. A motion on a resolution to apply for the grant died for lack of a second. The NAACP called the lack of action shortsighted and racially biased. Southside Park is in a predominantly black area of town. The grant had to be in an economically distressed area.
Alderman Glenn Ford, who is black, said he was against the proposal because there was too much of a rush on it.
"I tell you what," Ford said. "We were scheduled for a budget meeting, and when we got there, the mayor had this resolution for this grant, that had to be turned in the very next day. The deadline was upon us.
"The big question is, do you want to spend a half-million dollars of the taxpayers money? I didn't have anything to go on."
The half-million dollar figure Ford mentioned was the city's approximate match on the grant, with about $475,000 coming from the Arkansas Department of Economic Development.
"The biggest concern everybody had was the short notice," Ford said. "I don't have a problem with building a center. But I'm not just going to approve anything unless I can tell the people in my district what we're spending the money for.
Chris Oswalt, a white member of the council, said the council has not ignored Southside Park.
"There was a grant that has been applied for to help Southside Pool, do major work out there," said Oswalt. "It is quite a bit of money and it sort of irritates me when people remember only the bad and forget the good."
Oswalt was referring to the council's approval of a 50-50 grant being sought from the state Department of Parks and Tourism for improvements to the pool. The total cost of renovation, if the grant is fully funded, is estimated at $500,000.
Attempts were made to contact the other council members who were present when the motion was made, and they either could not be reached or did not want to comment.
The city council meets tonight at 7 p.m.
One of four people suspected in the September shooting last year of two teenagers was sentenced to prison on Monday.
Arnold Lee McKnight, 24, Forrest City, received a five-year sentence in the Tucker Maximum Security Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections after entering a guilty plea to a reduced charge of first-degree battery. McKnight appeared before Judge Harvey Yates during circuit court hearings Monday at the St. Francis County Courthouse.
According to court records, McKnight and three others are believed to have shot Quenton Jefferson and Brandon Jefferson, who were 17 and 15, respectively, at the time. The shooting occurred outside the Betty Swift residence at 1220 N. Washington as the two teenagers were trying to leave Swift's home. Quenton Jefferson was reportedly shot in the head and Brandon Jefferson was shot in the shoulder and hip.
McKnight was originally charged with attempted murder and engaging in violent criminal group activity. Those charges were reduced and amended to one count of first-degree battery.
In other circuit court activity, Robert Lee Edwards Jr., 19, Forrest City, was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery and fleeing. Edwards was arrested in August after allegedly attempting to kidnap a woman from the Wal-Mart parking lot. His St. Francis County sentence is scheduled to run concurrent with any additional prison sentences he has received in Craighead County.
Dellemond Cunningham, 23 , Forrest City, was also sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Cunningham was given a five-year prison term for robbery.
Just as it should, the final Times-Herald Professor Pigskin Contest came down to the wire before Earlene Allen of Forrest City edged two others readers to win the $50 cash prize.
Allen missed three of the last week's selected football games while her closest competitors missed just four each.
The Times-Herald sends out a hearty "thanks" to everyone who took time to participate in the 2001 Professor Pigskin.