By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Students at the Forrest City Junior High School were evacuated this morning after a possible gas leak was discovered by school officials.
The school was closed and students shuffled to Mustang Arena while Arkla Gas officials checked the facility for a gas leak after a strong odor of gas was detected by junior high personnel.
Classes could be closed for the remainder of the week if a gas leak is detected.
According to FCJHS Principal Billy Ferguson, the boiler at the building was being repaired on Wednesday, and officials believe that may be the cause of a strong odor that was detected when faculty and students arrived this morning.
"We had the boiler problems yesterday, and the heat was out. Maintenance personnel worked on that yesterday, and when we got here this morning there was a very strong odor in the building. We vented the building to see if that would alleviate the problem, but we could still smell the odor," Ferguson said, adding that the odor was similar to "rotten eggs.
"So we decided it would be best to err on the side of safety and move the students," Ferguson said.
All administration and students were evacuated from the building, but teachers and cafeteria workers continued with some of their duties.
"We will have some teachers that will remain in the arena with the students, and the others will work inservice in an area at the high school. The cafeteria workers were cleared to go back to work earlier this morning after it was decided that the cafeteria was not at risk. We decided that it was best that they continue working so that we could feed the students if needed," said Forrest City School District Assistant Superintendent Alice Barnes.
School officials began releasing students to their parents at 9:30 this morning, and according to Barnes, the building could be closed Friday as well.
"We want to make sure that everything is safe before we reopen the doors.
The gas company is checking the building, and if they find any leaks or if they find any gas remnants left in the building, then school will not be in session. All activities such as basketball games and extracurricular activities will either be rescheduled or moved.
The two junior high basketball games scheduled for tonight at The Barn are being moved to Mustang Arena. The girls game against Blytheville West will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the boys game.
Jesse Hickman area manager with Reliant Energy said that testing this morning had not found any gas leaks.
"We've been running tests and we've shut off the gas to the building. So far, we haven't found anything. We're working with the school officials to find out exactly what they smelled so that we can determine if there is a leak. We'll be out here until we can find out what the problem is so that we can get it solved," said Hickman.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The St. Francis County Assessor's Office will be open until 8 tonight, to handle questions about property tax credits authorized by an amendment approved in the last general election.
The amendment was Amendment 2 on the November Ballot, and since its passage is Amendment 79 to the Arkansas Constitution, according to Craig Jones, County Assessor. The amendment provides for a tax credit of up to $300 for qualified individuals.
"This is for people who have questions about the tax," said Jones."
He said the assessor's office normally closes before a lot of people get off work.
"When you close at 4:30, you can miss a lot of people," said Jones. "Most people work, and this gives them a chance to ask about the tax credit or express their feelings about it. This is for working folks."
He said the most-often asked question so far has been about eligibility.
"A lot of people ask, 'Do I qualify?'" Jones said. He added that another often-asked question is caused by a misunderstanding of what the tax credit means.
"A lot of people are asking, 'Where's my $300 check?' But it's just a credit deal. Nobody's going to get a check."
Any time the office is in operation, the phone lines will also be open. The number is 261-1710.
"That's what happened the last time (the office was open late)," said Jones. "We didn't have a lot of walk-ins, but a lot of people called."
To get into the office, Jones said people need to come to the door by the clock tower.
"The doors will be locked, but if they come there I can see them from the window," he said.
Jones said the office will probably make it a practice of staying open late a few times during the year.
On a related matter, Jones said a problem has developed over the affidavits mailed to people for them to sign and return, over their ownership of property. Many people have been tearing off the bottom of the affidavit and mailing it in.
"They need to send in the whole letter," said Jones. "It's got the parcel number code at the top."
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A suit seeking over $3.8 million has been filed over the death of a St. Francis County man at a railroad crossing in 1993.
The suit was filed by Sheryl Lucas Scrape, whose husband Jack Franklin Scrape, was killed on Oct. 4, 1993, when the grain truck he was driving was struck by a train owned by the St. Louis Southwestern Railroad Co. The accident occurred, according to the suit, at a railroad crossing known as Bryant Crossing at Jumper Corner Road.
Named as defendants are the railroad company, along with B.F. Altchol of Jefferson County, who was operating the train engine, and Scrape's employee at the time, Ronnie Bridges, a farmer.
The suit claims that Scrape's death was caused by negligence of the defendants. It is claimed that the railroad and engineer are at fault for not maintaining a constant lookout for persons using the crossing, failing to maintain proper control of the engine, failing to ring a bell or blow a whistle, operating the train at an excessive rate of speed, failing to apply the brakes of the train, failing to provide adequate warning signals and failing to maintain the crossing in a safe manner.
The suit also claims that the crossing where the accident occurred is abnormally dangerous, stating "a reasonable person could not use it with reasonable safety in the absence of special warnings."
The suit also alleges that Bridges, Scrape's employer, had Scrape operating an unsafe truck.
The suit asks for $100,000 for Scrape's funeral expenses, property damage, "and for his conscious pain, suffering and mental anguish prior to his death."
The suit also asks for $3 million for the beneficiaries of Scrape's estate, which includes his wife, two sons and five daughters.
The suit further asks for $750,000 in punitive damages, for a total of $3,850,000.