By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
An argument between students at Forrest City High School over a basketball game may have resulted in one of the students bringing a gun to school Wednesday.
Two students were arrested after a .22 caliber pistol and two hollowpoint shells were found inside a backpack just after school began yesterday morning.
Jerrell Alexander, 18, and a 15-year-old student were each arrested on a single charge of possession of a firearm on school property. Alexander was arraigned in Forrest City Municipal Court Wednesday afternoon and bound over to circuit court on a $10,000 bond. The 15-year-old is scheduled to meet with a juvenile officer Monday morning.
The two students now live in Forrest City, but transferred from Hughes to the Forrest City School District about two years ago, according to School Resource Officer Michael Long. Forrest City and Hughes played each other Tuesday night in a basketball game at Hughes.
FCHS Principal Abbie Robinson said a student who observed the weapon notified school officials immediately, and the students involved in the incident were separated from the remainder of students. "Within the hour, we had the weapon," Robinson said, adding that the normal school day was not interrupted.
The gun apparently passed through the hands of several students before it was found by police.
According to the report at the Forrest City Police Department, Alexander had passed the gun to a female subject and the gun changed hands another three times before it was placed in the 15-year-old's backpack.
Robinson said she has no idea why the student may have brought the gun to school. Long, however, said although the investigation is continuing, there is the possibility the students may have been fighting over the games.
"From my investigation, this was not about a basketball game. It was some kind of ongoing conflict, but we're hearing all types of conflicting things right now," Robinson said. "Everyone we've talked to has been cooperative."
Robinson said the way the school handles reports of weapons on campus varies by incident. "It depends on the situation. For example, the way it was yesterday, classes had not started yet, and the students were still outside. In each incident we would use our basic instincts and judgment on how to handle it. In this instance, we got the people involved away from the other students to assess the situation. It was done in such a way that it did not disturb the flow of the school day at all.
A man who shot himself in the leg while attempting to rob the Hughes Post Office almost a year ago has been sentenced to 150 months, or 12 and a half years in prison, in federal court in Little Rock.
Chris Hatton of Hughes, who was 23 at the time of the robbery, was accused of robbing Postmaster Jeonilla VanHowton at gunpoint on Dec. 18 of last year.
Hatton reportedly demanded money from VanHowton and promised no one would get hurt if she cooperated.
Hatton reportedly handed the postmaster a paper sack, into which she placed a large amount of money. She handed the sack back to Hatton, who then fled.
It was at that point, as he was attempting to leave the post office, that Hatton apparently attempted to place his 45-caliber pistol into his pants when the gun discharged, wounding him in the left leg.
A rural carrier for the post office was watching the suspect to see what car he would get into. When Hatton shot himself, the carrier took the opportunity to apprehend Hatton himself, Hughes Police Chief Joe Stone reported at the time.
After undergoing surgery at the Med in Memphis, Hatton was charged with armed robbery.
The unemployment rate in St. Francis County was 5.4 percent in October, down from 7.4 percent in September, and also down from 6.6 percent in October of last year.
The rate gave St. Francis County the 14th highest rate in the state.
According to the figures provided by the state Employment Security Department, during October, St. Francis County had a civilian labor force of 11,975, with 11, 325 working and 650 unemployed.
The state's highest rate was in Mississippi County, with 10 percent unemployment. It was the only county in the state with double digit unemployment during October. Only three other counties -- Dallas with 8 percent, Poinsett and Phillips with 7.2 percent each -- had rates above 7 percent.
Carroll and Washington counties tied for the lowest unemployment at 1.7 percent. Benton county with 1.8 percent and Madison County with 1.9 percent had unemployment under 2 percent.
Eighteen counties had unemployment at 3 percent or lower. Forty-one were at 4 percent or lower.
A Forrest City woman was kidnapped and raped Wednesday morning after giving the suspect a ride to work.
The Forrest City Police Department reported the man allegedly pulled a pistol on the victim and forced her to drive to a beauty shop on North Izard Street.
Police reported the woman tried to get away, but the man taped her up and placed her in the trunk of the vehicle. He then allegedly took her to the Super 8 Motel at Shell Lake and checked into a room.
It is alleged that the man then took the woman into the room and raped her twice, after which he checked out of the motel and brought the woman back to Forrest City and let her go with the car.
The woman filed a complaint with police, and Investigator Glenn Ramsey of the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department went to Shell Lake and collected evidence from the scene. The vehicle was also checked by Lt. Dwight Duch of the Forrest City Police Department.
The victim reportedly received injuries to her back and knee during the altercation which took place behind the beauty shop.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of the man accused in the assault.
Plans are shaping up for the 2001 Forrest City Community Christmas Parade, scheduled for Friday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m.
Otto and Rosemary Kirkpatrick have been selected earlier to be the Grand Marshals for the event.
As of press time, 115 entry forms had been submitted to the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce.
Entrants are reminded to be on time since the judging process will take place prior to the parade. The parade will begin at 7 p.m., at the Forrest City Civic Center parking lot. However, participants are required to be in place at 5:30 p.m. to be judged. Those who arrive after 5:30 p.m. may still participate, but will not be judged.
The parade will begin at the civic center and then will head south on Washington Street to Hill Street, one block west on Hill to Rosser Street, then north on Rosser to end at Union Planters Bank.
The Chamber of Commerce hopes people from all over the area will join them for the Christmas Parade, "A Patriotic Christmas."
For more information, contact the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce at 633-1651.
The parade line-up is as follows:
1. Forrest City High School R.O.T.C.
2. Merry Christmas letters
3. Grand Marshall Otto and Rosemary Kirkpatrick
4. St. Francis County veterans
5. Spouses of National Guard called to duty
6. St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco
7. St. Francis County Sheriff Dave Parkman
8. St. Francis County Assessor Craig Jones
9. St. Francis County Clerk Elizabeth Smith
10. St. Francis County Treasurer Ann Harbin
11. Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant
12. Forrest City Police Chief Clarence McNeary
13. Forrest City Fire Chief Dan Curtner
14. Forrest City fire truck
15. Delta Motor Patrol (Shriners)
16. First Baptist Church
17. Emmanuel Baptist Church
18. Oak Hill Church of God
19. Jerusalem Baptist Church
20. Lee County School District marching band (junior and senior), assemble at the corner of Mississippi and Washington Streets
21. Calvary Christian School Elementary Cheerleaders (meet on island)
22. Calvary Christian School Junior and Senior High School cheer leaders
23. Girls Scout Troop #366 (meet on island in front of civic center)
24. Girls Scout Troop #1182 (meet on island in front of civic center)
25. Girls Scout Troop #289 (meet on island in front of civic center)
26. Girls Scout Troop #348 (meet on island in front of civic center)
27. Forrest City High School Dance Team
28. Miller Junior High School band
29. Forrest City Junior High School cheer leaders (assemble on stretch of ground next to Washington Street and beside Mississippi Street)
30. Forrest City Senior High School cheer leaders
31. East Arkansas Enterprise Community
32. Cross County HIPPY
33. University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
34. Caldwell Elementary School (meet on island)
35. Calvary Christian School
36. Chapter 3955 (AARP)
37. Helena Central High School band (assemble on Mississippi Street)
38. Miss St. Francis County
39. Junior Miss St. Francis County
40. Tiny Miss St. Francis County
41. Wee Miss St. Francis County
42. Miss East Arkansas Community College
43. Little Miss Fairest of the Fair
44. Little Miss Eastern Arkansas
45. Dainty Miss Eastern Arkansas
46. Tiny Miss Brinkley
47. Little Miss Cotton
48. Beauty queen
49. Beauty queen
50. Beauty queen
51. Beauty queen
52. Beauty pageant winner
53. Ben's Barber Shop (antique cars/trucks)
54. Daron Sparkman
55. Gary Chapman
56. Billy Kennedy
57. Chris Ward
58. Leon Ward
59. Donald Blankenship
60. Darrel Neeley
61. Billy Allen
62. Billy Allen
63. Jeremy Fryer
64. Charlie Huckaba
65. Bobby Goodwin
66. Jeff Young
67. Stephen Chism
68. Jeff Petty
69. Wynne Racing Team (20 antique cars)
70. Wynne Racing Team
71. Wynne Racing Team
72. Wynne Racing Team
73. Wynne Racing Team
74. Wynne Racing Team
75. Wynne Racing Team
76. Wynne Racing Team
77. Wynne Racing Team
78. Wynne Racing Team
79. Wynne Racing Team
80. Wynne Racing Team
81. Wynne Racing Team
82. Wynne Racing Team
83. Wynne Racing Team
84. Wynne Racing Team
85. Wynne Racing Team
86. Wynne Racing Team
87. Wynne Racing Team
88. Wynne Racing Team
89. Wynne Racing Team
90. Wynne Racing Team
91. Forrest City Junior High School Band (assemble on Mississippi Street)
92. American Legion Post 459
The following entrants need to assemble on the back parking lot of the civic center, use the Rosser Street entrance
93. Jones Wrecker Service
94. Loomis Fargo & Company
95. Federal Corrections Institution
96. First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas
97. Crest Park Skilled Nursing Home
98. Devazier Trucking Company
99. Forrest Hills Residential Care Facility
100. Peter Built Trucks
101. White Motor Company
102. Forrest City Masonic Lodge
103. Forrest City Senior High School Band (assemble on Mississippi Street)
104. Nicky Milton (antique tractors)
105. Larry Fleming
106. Candice Kelso
107. Rodney Kelso
108. Jeffrey Neeley
109. Brett Hartman
110. Victor Steagall
111. Crowley Ridge 4-H Horse Project Club
112. Crowley Ridge 4-H Club (horse and buggy)
113. Stanley Roberts 4-4 Club (horse and buggy)
114. South 40 Horse Riders Club. Tony Dawson, Huester Barton, Carlos Barton, Rickey Humphrey and Darrell Taylor
115. Santa's float (Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute)
A pizza deliveryman was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday night outside a local restaurant.
Jerry Bieber, 44, was leaving the Pizza Inn at 901 N. Washington, Forrest City, about 7 p.m. on his way to make a delivery when he was approached by a black male suspect pointing a pistol at him.
Bieber said he had gotten in his car when the suspect approached him and told him to get out of the vehicle and onto the ground. The suspect then reportedly took undetermined amounts of money belonging to Bieber and to the business.
The suspect reportedly fled west on Fussell Street.
A Pine Bluff man was sentenced to five years in prison Wednesday for attempting to sell stolen firearms to an auxiliary policeman earlier this year.
Kenneth Dewayne Dorn, 31, Pine Bluff, was charged in May with theft by receiving a firearm, possession of a firearm by a certain person and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
According to the Dorn's court records, he attempted to sell the weapons to the Forrest City Police Department auxiliary officer outside Handy Foods on West Broadway.
Carl Summers, 29, Wheatley, was also sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Corrections on Wednesday.
Summers was given a five-year prison sentence for attempted burglary and second-degree battery on a law enforcement officer.
The Colt Community Development Corporation is again sponsoring "Christmas at the William Stone House," located in Colt at the intersection of Hwy. 1 and Hwy. 306 East.
The Christmas House hours are Thursday and Friday from 2 to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Santa will make an appearance on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and pictures with Santa will be available for a small fee.