By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
It was a time many people don't remember. The world was at war. The Big Band era was in full bloom.
And the chief source of entertainment, bigger in its way than the movies, was in the home. And while it may have sat in the living room, it didn't have a TV screen.
It was the radio. And on many a night, families would gather around to hear anything from sporting events to war news, from the "Green Hornet" to the best music and comedy of the day.
The Forrest City Little Theatre is presenting a nostalgic look back at those days, in its next production, "KLTR 1940s Radio Show."
It will be presented Friday, July 27, at 7 p.m., at the Forrest City Civic Center in a dinner theater performance.
While no single radio show had all the different elements this one will attempt to give a taste of what the shows were like, with some comedic complications thrown in.
It begins with an announcer "warming up" the "studio audience" and pointing out where the "applause" sign is located. He is interrupted by a painter with a work order.
However, the show must go on, and before their argument can be solved, the show is on the air with a large ensemble number.
From there, there are news headlines of the day and commercials for products like Hadacol, Halo Shampoo and Pepsodent. There are romantic ballads such as "Isn't It Romantic" and "Ain't Misbehavin," as well as peppier songs like "Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree." Other songs will include "As Time Goes By" and "God Bless America."
Episodes of "Green Hornet" and "Lights Out," complete with a busy sound-effects man, will be part of the show, as well as a lighter touch with "Burns and Allen" and "Who's on First?" There will also be some dancing for the entertainment of the studio audience.
Cast members will include Chip Arnold, Kathy Cockmon, Leslie Colvin, Byron Criss, Kevin Duke, Patricia Duke, John Fare, Eddie Fleeman, Ian Coombe, Angela Gates, Kelly Gabe, Dustin Lemke, Kathy Meredith, David Nichol, Carla Nimocks, Janet Northcutt, Alysha Robinson, Rose Ann Scheiderer and Cecil Smith.
Tickets are $15 per person, which includes an Italian dinner.
Tickets and reserved tables are available at Chez Weenie, 624 E. Garland at Forrest Street.
For more information, call 633-4480, ext. 255.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The East Arkansas Community College Board heard a report Thursday on a new ROTC program which will be offered for the first time at the school this fall.
EACC President Dr. Coy Grace introduced Nick Hutchins, who heads the ROTC program at Forrest City High School, saying, "This is a project that will lead to a cordial relationship between Forrest City Public Schools, East Arkansas Community College and Arkansas State University. It will be possible for students to take their first two years of their ROTC program here on this campus and transfer to other schools...I think it's a wonderful thing. It will add a dimension to our campus that is not here already."
Hutchins said the high school program goes from 9-12, in which a lot of emphasis is put on discipline. "I would hope by the time they get here, we won't have to deal with a lot of the discipline, but it will add on to the flavor and space that they've learned in high school for drill, for physical fitness, and we teach a lot of teamwork. Teamwork and leadership is paramount to anything we do."
He said there will be some active duty Army individuals working on the EACC program.
"I really believe this is going to have a positive impact on not just EACC but Forrest City in general," he said. "It's also going to attract students from about five other high schools in northeast Arkansas, that have ROTC programs. So once that 12th grader graduates from one of those high schools and has taken ROTC, there's no better place to go than EACC."
According to Hutchins, the ROTC program at the Forrest City Schools has had impacts beyond what some people think of when they hear about ROTC.
"We've had about 20 students who have turned around in every form and fashion you can imagine," he said. "We've had two taken off probation. We've had some who have been able to stand up and lead in presentation. We've had some to lose a lot of weight. There are a lot of benefits to this program."
On another matter, Grace gave a report on the renovation plans for the old Learning Resource Center, which is to be converted to other uses now that the new LRC is in operation.
"We spent about all last year I think, getting status reports on the new LRC," Grace joked. "We may spend several months this year getting reports on the old LRC and its renovation. He said a committee has been selected and details have been worked out.
Vernie Meador, vice president for business affairs, reported that architect Bob Beavers believes a plan can be completed by July 26. State Building Services will still have to review the plans. It is hoped that the bids will be awarded around Oct. 5.
On another subject, Grace reported that the school has been approved for five more years of funding for the Student Support Service Program, which provides counseling, tutoring and other services to at-risk students. He said the first year's funding was around $238,000. He also said the school has received an Adult Basic Education Grant of $42,265.
Grace also reported that the official Summer I enrollment number is 454, which is up 9 percent over last year's Summer I figure. The enrollment for Summer II, which is generally smaller than Summer I, stands at 265 but is not official yet. Grace said that figure is 31 percent higher than last year's official count.
He also said 334 students have enrolled early for the fall semester.
In other business, the board approved the retirement of Beth Huddleston, a secretary. The board also approved two recommendations for employment -- Jeanette Moore as Custodian II and Emma Murray as a nursing instructor.
Forrest City Police Chief Clearance McNeary encourages residents who have reported bicycles stolen this year to come by city hall to possibly identify their property.
McNeary said it is hard for some people to claim their bikes if they are recovered because most people don't keep a record of the serial numbers of the bikes.
"Some people come in and say 'that's my bike, I would know it anywhere,' but we can't release an item like that. We have to have proof the bicycle really belongs to them by identifying the bike with the serial number or by etching an identifying mark someplace unseen on it," said McNeary.
McNeary said most people buy their bicycles from local stores which may put the bicycle together for the customer and not save any of the serial numbers or warranty information. "That's why we can't trace most of the bikes we have recovered," he said. "There have been only three people who have actually had their bicycle's serial number to identify their bikes."
McNeary said bicycles are more vulnerable to theft because they are left outside. "People say they were out of town and the bike was on the front porch. Well, that made it easy for someone to steal," he said.
McNeary said bikes not claimed with serial number or other identifying data will be auctioned later this summer. "Currently, the city has recovered 39 bicycles ranging in different sizes, colors and manufacturers.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The Consolidated Youth Services, Inc. Serious Offender Program in Colt is continuing to run effectively, according to Jimmy Carter, director of the program. Carter spoke during a quarterly meeting of the executive board committee Thursday night.
According to Carter, in April, the daily average of residents was 24.6, with six residents finishing the program and entering the six-month after care program. Nine new residents were received from Alexandria Youth Services and three residents were transferred to the North East Arkansas Regional Juvenile Program in Harrisburg.
In May, the daily average was 21.6 residents, with six new residents, three entering after care, two being transferred to Harrisburg and three residents who were absent without leave. According to Carter, the three were recaptured with the assistance of the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department and transferred back to the Alexandria facility.
In June, two other residents went AWOL but quickly returned. The camp population was at 28.1 residents, with 15 new arrivals, two residents entering after care and one resident being transferred to the Harrisburg facility.
According to Carter, residents also took outside trips to the Forrest City Sports Complex, fishing and the skating rink. Summer school is currently going on at the facility. Residents spend a major portion of their day in a school setting, said Carter.
"For those of you that may not know, most of our guys are in a classroom setting for the major part of the day, so we're on a strict schedule. The education is on a life skills program. It's duel education really," Carter said.
Bonnie Smith, executive director with CYS, was also onhand for the meeting and further explained the CYS program.
"The program is built on the concept that boys, or many of those in the program, lack the skill, or some of the skills, that they don't know how to get along with their peers, their parents and their teachers. What we're trying to teach them is how to turn their lives around. We also want to teach them that they are the driving force behind that. There are some programs that are really strict. Here, we ask our staff members to be role models for the kids and to show the kids the right way to behave. We want the kids to understand though that we cannot make them behave except to the point of protecting them, the other kids and the staff," said Smith.
A pair of students were also at the meeting to speak to committee members about their stay in the 38-week program. Both students were near the end of their stay at the camp and both were positive about their time there.
When questioned by board members about the positives and negatives of their stay, both remarked that the Wilderness Camp had shown them that they hold the responsibility for their actions and that they are responsible for their actions. According to Smith, residents' stay can exceed the 38-week criteria based on the actions of the residents at the camp, or it can be shorter than the 38-week period because campers scores can earn them time off. Campers ages are 13 to 17. Campers can be released from the system on their 18th birthday or can be transferred to another facility.
Per capita income in St. Francis County was $17,580 in 1999. That was dramatically higher than 1989, but still lower than the statewide per capita income.
The figures come from "Bearfacts," a summary of the performance of the economy. The information is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
According to the figures, in 1989, St. Francis County's per capita income was only $10,275 and ranked 68th in the state. In 1999, the $17,580 figure put the county at 58th in the state. There are 75 counties in Arkansas.
The statewide average per capita income in 1999 was $22,233. The national average was $28,546. Arkansas ranked 47th. In 1989 the Arkansas average per capita income was $13,813 which caused the state to be ranked 49th.
According to the figures, St. Francis County ranked higher in the state in a category called "Total Personal Income." This includes all wages, salaries, other labor income, dividends, interest, rents and transfer payments received by St. Francis County residents. In 1999, total personal income topped $448 million in St. Francis County, ranking it 26th in the state. In 1989, the TPI was just over $296 million and ranked 27th in the state.
A Forrest City man has been charged with first-degree sexual abuse involving an alleged incident with an 11-year-old girl.
Police officers were called to the emergency room at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City on July 4 about a possible rape.
A foster parent of the child stated that the girl and Robert Lee Calvin, 22, of 1297 Eldridge Road, had been found in a bedroom of an apartment on Turner Circle.
Calvin was arrested Thursday, July 12, and charged with sexual abuse in the first degree. He was also charged with two counts of failure to appear.