By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
After an optimistic forecast, glitches have developed in a new system of disbursing child support payments, and there have been delays.
The state Office of Child Support Enforcement took over delivery of the checks from county circuit clerks at the beginning of July. The week before the changeover, St. Francis County Circuit Clerk Bette Green had expressed concern that there might be delays. At that time, Dan McDonald, administrator of the office, said there was only supposed to be a 48-hour turnaround time from the time his office received the money until it was sent to the recipients.
McDonald has reportedly said the office had substantially underestimated the additional child-support cases it would be handling.
McDonald also said there are also about 10,000 checks that have been delayed because insufficient information had been provided.
Green disputed that.
"I can't speak for any county but this one," Green said. "But I know that I responded to every request they have made. I've filled out every form, I've sent in every disk to possibly help this conversion to go better. But there's some finger-pointing going on, and the people who are suffering from this are children."
Green said what has happened confirms the concerns she had in June.
"You think about that. The circuit clerks were doing it (before July). I've been in office since 1989, and we collected child support. It's been one of the major functions of my office, one of the major responsibilities. And over the years I've developed a camaraderie with the custodial parents as well as the non-custodial parents. And then to see the families put into this dilemma that they have absolutely no control over is extremely upsetting."
She said it is frustrating to have the money but not to be able to forward it to the custodial parents.
"I have the money in my hand, but I am mandated by law now to forward it over to this clearinghouse," said Green. "The non-custodial parents are working, the child support is being withheld from their wages, they're doing their part. Their employers are doing their part by sending the money (to the circuit clerks who now have to forward it to Little Rock). And then the custodial parents who need the money, to pay the bills, to buy the groceries to feed the kids, aren't getting the money because it's held up in Little Rock."
She said there used to be cases in which custodial parents would call her office in an emergency and could come by the office and pick their checks up rather than waiting for them in the mail.
"But now that it's taken out of local control and put in state hands, it's in a bin with 10,000 checks."
Green said she had gotten more than 20 phone calls in one morning from custodial parents needing their money.
"I think it finally clicked in on people yesterday that, 'My money ain't coming. I gave it a while and here we are in the third week of July and I still haven't gotten my child support.' So they start calling the people they've been working with for all these years."
She said all her office can do now is to give people a state number to call, and said it seems as if she's passing the buck.
"I don't know if they need to back up and reevaluate this process, or put a moratorium on this until they get the bugs worked out, or what. But we're going into August, and people are needing to get their kids back into school, buy school supplies and school clothes and whatever. And the check is hung up in Little Rock. You see the dilemma these people are in? A lot of non-custodial parents are saying, 'Look, it's in the mail,' and it really is."
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
Funding for a feasibility study on clearing debris in Spring Creek has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The House earmarked $50,000 towards the cost-benefit study regarding the clearing away of debris causing flooding in the Spybuck community one mile west of Forrest City.
According to District Conservationist Willard C. Ryland of the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Forrest City, more than just the Spybuck area could benefit from the project. He said Forrest City could be affected as well if the debris is not cleared away.
"The head waters of Spring Creek start in Forrest City," he said. "It starts on the Ridge, goes through Stuart Springs Park and runs through Dawson Road and around schools like Stewart, goes west of Forrest City...and drains into the L'Anguille River north of I-40," said Ryland. "Therefore, if the debris is not cleared away and properly maintained, the creek could eventually cause flooding problems in Forrest City."
Ryland said the community of Spybuck, which has a population of about four homes, and also an area south of I-40, which has about 30 or 40 homes, have been troubled with flooding, drainage and septic tank problems due to the creek being clogged by debris.
"In our initial investigation, we found at least seven very large beaver dams and other debris caused by excessive tree growth causing the creek to back up," said Ryland. "We submitted an application for this project. We requested $150,000 to clear away the debris if the study proved feasible," he said.
Ryland said the Corps of Engineers has hired consultants to investigate the cost-benefit of the project and the Corps will do some of clearing away of the debris. He also said St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco has informed him the county would assist in clearing away the beaver dams if possible.
Cisco said, "It will benefit our roads in that area and that's why we're interested in helping clear away the debris."
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The first three days of August will be days of discovery and fun for local youngsters ages 4-12, as the Forrest City Junior Auxiliary and St. Francis County Museum present "Discovery Room 2001."
Each day, the session will start at 10 a.m. at the museum, and last until noon. Each day will also feature its own unique style and special guest.
Wednesday, Aug. 1 will feature Elaine Bartee, master level Orff Specialist from Jonesboro, who will introduce the Orff Schulwerk Process of Music. Orff Schulwerk is a way to teach and learn music. It is based on things children like to do: Sing, chant, rhyme, clap, dance and keep a beat on anything near at hand. These instincts are directed into learning music by hearing and making music first, then reading and writing it later. It is designed for all children, and takes place in a non-competitive atmosphere where one of the rewards is making music with others.
Bartee has been an elementary music teacher in the Jonesboro public Schools for 25 years, and has a bachelor and master's degree in music education. She also has a Level 3 Orff Certification from DePaul University in Chicago and a Master level Orff Certification from the University of Memphis.
She is currently serving as elementary vice president for the Arkansas Music Educators Association and was a critic reader for the 2002 Silver Burdett Music Series. She has been a frequent music clinician throughout Arkansas. She is a chellist with the Northeast Arkansas String Quartet, the Northeast Arkansas Symphony and the Arkansas State University Orchestra. She is trained in the Suzuki string method.
Children will sing and have a hands-on experience with such instruments as xylophones, glockenspiel, metallophones and a variety of other rhythm instruments. The children will also have the opportunity to improve their own music creations.
Also on that first day, the museum will be visited by he Arkansas Arts Center's Artmobile, featuring "Time Travelers: Art at the beginning of the Modern Age." The exhibit consists of more than 25 works in a variety of media.
The Artmobile will also be on display from 1-6 p.m. for the general public, in the parking lot behind the museum.
On Tuesday, Aug. 2, Sara Harris, a former Miss Arkansas, will be bringing her program, "Music Matters," to the Discovery Room. In a 1998 interview, Harris said she wants to take music into classrooms and systems which don't have funded music programs.
"It's proven that students who have had artistic training, like music, when they are very young -- even in preschool -- usually score higher on their ACT and SAT in the math and science reasoning parts of those tests. It just helps them be more productive students," she said.
The theme of Friday, Aug. 3, will be "Create Your Own Masterpiece!" It will be instructed by art instructor, Meredith Poe Reeves. Through hands-on art creations, the children will have the experience of comparing and contrasting early art to modern art.
This year's Discovery Room is chaired by Phyllis Finley, with Sylvia Heustess as vice chair.
A Marion accountant has been charged with stealing more than a quarter-million dollars over a period of about four years from farming interests which employed her.
Ruth Kelley, 52, of Marion, has been charged with theft of property, a Class B felony, forgery in the second degree, a Class C felony, and falsifying business records, a Class A misdemeanor.
Kelly worked as a bookkeeper for the Robert May family farm for 18 years, until February of 1999. She was responsible for the account books of Robert May Sr., May Farms, Midway Farms, Roger May Farms and Whiskey Chute Farm.
Discrepancies were allegedly discovered in 1999, indicating that checks had been written to pay Entergy utilities, although the Entergy bills were drafted from the checking account automatically. Kelley was authorized to write checks and sign them on behalf of the accounts of the Mays.
It is alleged that from 1995 through 1999, Kelley was writing unauthorized checks on the Mays' accounts for her own personal use, paying her bills, including credit cards, utilities, doctor bills, department stores and grocery stores. It is alleged that she would cover up her actions by picking up the canceled checks and statements from Planters Bank in Hughes herself, take them home and change the "pay to" portion of the checks to read business names that the Mays would normally do business with.
It is alleged that from 1995 to 1999, Kelley stole a total of $290,985.31.
The Forrest City Water Commission agreed this week to sand blast and paint a 1.6-million gallon, ground-level water tank on Kittle Road.
The commission gave Water Utility manager Jim Beazley permission to start drawing up specifications for the job. Beazley said a good time to do the job would be in the fall, after water usage declines.
"One good thing about it, there's no lead," said Beazley. He said the last time the tank had been cleaned and painted was around 1983.
Advising and registration for the fall semester classes at East Arkansas Community College will begin Wednesday, Aug. 15, through Friday, Aug. 18.
First time students are recommended to make an appointment with a counselor in office building 1 before beginning the enrollment process.
Continuing students may make an appointment to meet their advisors during the regular college hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Students may also register for fall semester classes prior to regular registration. Early registration often ensures class availability.
Late registration has been scheduled for Monday, Aug. 20 to Wednesday, Aug. 22.
Contact the EACC registrar's office toll free at 1-800-797-EACC or 633-4480, ext. 219, or visit the website at www.eacc.cc.a.us for more information.
The Forrest City Planning Commission will hear several requests at its regular meeting Tuesday, July 24, at 4 p.m. in city hall.
Eugene Turner will request a 10 foot setback variance to place a metal canopy on the back of his home. Glen Ford is requesting a 10 foot variance to build a carport. Derwin Sims with Diacom Corp., will be requesting preliminary plat approval of nine lots on three acres adjacent to Southfork Estates Phase II.