By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Efforts continued this morning to select one juror and two alternates to serve in the trial of a man accused of abandoning his two children in St. Francis County.
The trial could start this afternoon if the remaining juror and alternates are chosen.
Eleven jurors were chosen Tuesday for the trial of Alex Ware, 35, of Memphis. He is accused of capital murder in the 1999 deaths of Alexander Harrell 1, and K-Von Harrell, 2.
Circuit Clerk Bette Green said this morning that 37 prospective jurors had been interviewed, with 11 being chosen to serve.
Circuit Judge Harvey Yates addressed the remaining prospective jurors this morning, saying, "It will take most of the morning to get all this accomplished, so bear with us if you will."
Prosecuting Attorney Fletcher Long Jr. said that if opening statements could begin this afternoon, all the prosecution witnesses could be called in one day, except for one. The prosecution's DNA expert, John Stewart, will not arrive from Washington, D.C. until Friday.
The prosecution is alleging that in June of 1999, Ware brought the two children to St. Francis County on two different days. He is accused of abandoning Alexander on June 16, and of throwing K-Von into Old Blackfish Lake near Heath a few days later.
He is accused of killing the children in retaliation against the mother of the children, Chantilly Harrell of Memphis, who had decided to break up with him.
Ware was arrested in September of 1999 by Memphis Police, after Harrell told police that Ware had kidnapped her children.
According to testimony at a hearing Monday before jury selection again, it was stated that Ware at first denied anything had happened to the children, but then said the children had been killed by the mother, and that he had been a witness.
Ware showed officials where he said the two children were left in St. Francis County. An series of extensive searches produced some remains believed to be Alexander, near Widener. No trace of K-Von has been found.
Ware's attorneys are Jerry Coleman of West Memphis and Raymond Abramson of Clarendon. During the Monday hearing, they tried to prove that the two arresting Memphis police officers, Billy Smallwood and Max Howard, had improperly manipulated Ware into making statements to them in their patrol car. He allegedly asked if he could be charged if bodies were never found, and later allegedly mentioned suicide.
Yates ruled that Ware wasn't coerced into making the statements, and the testimony will be allowed.
After Ware accused Harrell of doing the killing, Harrell was arrested. She was freed after further investigation.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Advertising and Promotions Commission has agreed to help fund a state 5-A basketball tournament if Forrest City is chosen as the host site.
The Arkansas Activities Association will vote tonight in Little Rock on which city will host this year's tournament. Forrest City High School Athletic Director Bill Baxter told A&P Commissioners on Tuesday that Forrest City and Pine Bluff are the only two cities interested in hosting the event.
"We are required to give all box office receipts to the tournament board, that is how they will choose which town to host the tournament," Baxter said.
Baxter also presented commissioners with the 2000 Rumble on the Ridge Basketball Tournament financial report. According to the report, $47,134 funded the event, which includes the commission's contribution of $25,000. The report also showed $46,315 in total expenses. Last year's tournament showed a net profit of $819.
Ticket sales for the event almost doubled. The report shows 3,000 people purchase tournament tickets at a cost of $16,749. The 1999 tournament, which was held in Wynne, had about $9,000 in ticket sales. An estimated 6,000 people attended the 2000 event.
Following Baxter's report, commissioners voted to contribute another $25,000 to the 2001 Rumble.
Delta Beverage, the corporate sponsor which contributed $6,000 last year, will not sponsor the 2001 event. Baxter says he will continue looking for a new corporate sponsor for tournament.
In other business, Niki Jones, coordinator for the 2000 Forrest City Christmas Parade, told commissioners the parade was successful, coming in under budget by $150. The commission had granted $2,500 for the parade.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
Hughes City Council members were introduced to the newest member of the city's police force at the group's meeting this week.
HPD Lt. Mike Metford presented Coco, the new drug task force dog. Coco and Metford demonstrated the dog's drug sniffing abilities by finding a towel, which had been previously put in a canister with marijuana and five rocks of cocaine. Chief Stone hid the items in the room prior to the meeting for the purpose of the demonstration.
Mayor Donnie Mooney announced to councilmen that the city is looking for a new water superintendent after Gary Barkley, the current superintendent resigned.
According to Mooney, the city has to hire a certified water superintendent. "We were really pleased with Gary, and we wanted him to stay, but he has found work elsewhere, and it will not be easy to find someone who is certified," Mooney said.
Mooney and the board discussed the recent ice storm of last month, which left the city without power and water. Hughes qualifies for disaster relief funds and many councilmen expressed interest in using disaster relief funds to purchase a new motor for the water generator, which was the main cause of the water outage. Councilmen asked Mooney to find out if there are grants available to help with the water system. Mooney said he had filled out all of the necessary paper work to obtain a grant two years earlier to help the town with its water system, but said he had heard nothing further on the matter.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant received authorization to waive bids for debris pickup around Forrest City during a special Forrest City City Council meeting Tuesday afternoon.
According to Bryant, the city has received information that the Federal Emergency Management Administration will pay 87.5 percent of the costs for repairs in the city.
"I would like for you all to give me the authority to spend up to $20,000 for contracting people to come in and help us remove a lot of the debris still in the city. We've already reached the $5,000 limit that I have the authority to use, and this will let us continue to use an outside contractor without any delays," said Bryant.
Bryant said that he might not spend the full $20,000, but the authority would give him the leeway to get other contractors if needed.
"We have talked to a couple of other contractors but the company we're working with right now is the most cost effective, he has one truck in here now but, he has told us that he can bring in more crews to help get the job done. I'd like to praise our street department because they've been working overtime and Saturdays to get this cleaned up and they will continue to do so. We're doing all we can right now but this clean-up could be a long and tedious process," said Bryant.
The council unanimously agreed to waive the bid process.
The Caldwell City Council on Tuesday night approved the 2001 budget which includes an increase in the stipend paid to volunteer firefighters.
The budget includes an increase in the amount paid to firemen for each fire response from $8 to $15.
A salary increase for the city clerk is also included in the budget.
Mayor Gary Hughes updated councilmen on the pavilion dispute at the city park. Hughes said the city has not yet been contacted by the contractor or his attorney regarding this matter.
In other business, returning councilmen Sonny Gunn, Joe Hughes, John Clark and Hayward Gowan, as well as city clerk Jenny Lindsey, were sworn in for this term of office.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The Madison City Council voted illegally Monday night on the addition of a new council member.
Councilmen met in an executive session to discuss the appointment of Lindsey Cowins to a vacant city council position. Although the discussion on Cowins' appointment was permitted behind closed doors, the vote, 3-2 in favor of Cowins, was not.
In order for matters discussed in executive sessions to become official, the vote must be taken in public, according to the Arkansas Attorney General's office.
A misunderstanding in filing for council positions put two councilmen, Cowins and Gail Graham, against each other in the November General Election. Graham won the election, but the move created a vacancy in Cowins' former position.
"His past experience on the council was the deciding factor in our choice," said Mayor James Brooks.
In other business, councilmen approved the general and street budgets for the city for 2001. The council also agreed to a five-percent, across-the-board pay increase, for full-time employees and elected officials. The pay increase also includes an additional $250 per year for part-time elected officials if the budget permits. The pay increase is also retroactive to 2000.
The council also agreed to purchase a new computer for city hall, and to open the bidding process for repairs to the roof at city hall.
Circulation decreased at the Forrest City Library in December, due in part to the winter storms, according to DaShaune Roberts, who is serving as interim librarian following the resignation of Head Librarian Chris Maxam.
Roberts told library board members this week that 1,369 items were checked out. "That includes everything books, video tapes and audio tapes checked out in December."
During the circulation review, Jim McInturff, board chair and member Brad Beavers suggested the board receive future circulation reports that are broken down by days, instead of how many books, videos and audio tapes were checked out by the month.
"I'd like knowing how many books are being checked out by the day," Beavers said. "We might find that Friday night is busier than other nights, if we track the report by days."
During the financial report, Roberts told board members the library did not receive has much in millage funds in 2000 as were projected in the budget. The library's 2000 projected budget was $180,000, with $140,000 of that expected to come from the millage. "We only received $130,000 from the millage," Roberts said.
Beavers noted that the library underspent its entire budget last year by $19,317.97. "We overspent on certain line items, such as books, which, if you're going to overspend on a library budget, it should be on books," Beavers said.
Members of the Palestine City Council were sworn in last night, just prior to hammering out the final draft of the city's 2001 budget.
The city's budget includes $290,000 in expenditures, and $379,992 in revenue.
The council unanimously agreed to give Mayor Willetta Carroll a raise of $4,500, bringing her annual salary to $20,000. Only one council member voted against raising the salary of Levita Ross, a secretary for Carroll. Ross is to receive a raise of $2,600 annually, bringing her salary to $16,960.
One council member, Gary Gore, elected from Ward One, was not sworn in during the meeting because he has notified city hall that he intends to resign from his position.
According to City Attorney Jerry Roberts, Gore's position can be filled by someone being nominated by residents in Ward one. The council will have the final vote on filling the vacancy.