By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
Area artists will be recognized at a reception in their honor later this month at the St. Francis County Museum.
The reception, ending a month-long display of work by members of the St. Francis County Arts Society at the museum, will be held on Saturday, June 30.
Museum Director Laura Mazzanti told members of the museum's board this week that Barbara Taylor, Michi David, Beatrice McEwen, Joan Benard and Laura Taylor are among the artists expected to attend the reception.
Also during the meeting, Mazzanti told members that the museum will have a Christmas in July event to prepare the facility for the holiday season. Mazzanti said residents may drop off Christmas decorations and toys at the museum during July.
"I found out last year that this house is ideal to be decorated with period Christmas toys and other items from the turn of the century," said Mazzanti. "As long as it's something different, and something antique looking, I think it would be neat," she said.
According to Mazzanti, the museum already has some toys. "We already have a lovely doll collection, and I know someone who has a Lionel train set that dates from the 50s. Even though that's not antique, it's quite unique especially considering the fact that this used to be a railroad town, and this house was built near the railway," she said.
Mazzanti said the museum will take good care of items and toys donated for the holiday season. "We have all of these glass cases that lock, and we will look after everything. I think it will be fun," she added.
In other business, Mazzanti said the Forrest City Junior Auxiliary would like to rent storage space from the museum for $25 a month.
"They have been using a closet at the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce, but they would like to start storing their items here. I think it would be great for the museum," said Mazzanti. "We already have the Angel Tree every year now, and they would use this facility during our business hours."
Board members will consider the rental space.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A state police car was destroyed in a fiery crash Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 40 near Palestine after the trooper's car rearended a pickup.
Arkansas State Police Troop D Captain Steve Gray said the 2000 Ford Crown Victoria, driven by Sammy Koons, 30, of Marion, caught fire after striking the 1994 Ford F150 pickup driven by Jessica L. Unruh, 19, of Cheyenne Wells, Colo.
According to Gray, the accident occurred about 4:30 p.m. at the 233 eastbound mile marker on the L'Anguille River bridge.
Traffic was backed up on both sides of the interstate due to the construction in the area, Gray said. On impact, Koons' car pushed Unruh's vehicle into the rear of a 1993 Chevrolet pickup driven by Lex Dewayne Reeves, 21, of Abernathy, Texas. Reeves' vehicle was then pushed into the rear of an 18-wheeler. Gray said the tractor-trailer driver apparently didn't realize his vehicle had been struck and left the accident scene.
All of the vehicles struck in the chain-reaction accident were reportedly stopped due to the interstate construction in the area, according to Gray.
The fire caused by the state trooper's car also engulfed Unruh's truck, completely destroying both vehicles.
Gray said no one appeared injured at the accident scene.
Traffic was backed up for several hours due to the accident, and rerouted through Forrest City for an extended period of time Wednesday evening.
Gray said no charges have been filed at this time, and Koons' involvement in the accident will be handled administratively by state police. Koons is still on active duty at this time, according to Gray.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
Forrest City will be on the route of the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay.
The Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Torch Relay advance managers and a representative from Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Memphis, a sponsor of the event, were in Forrest City this week to meet with Mayor Larry Bryant and Police Chief Clarence McNeary. The group outlined the route torch runners will take through the city on Dec. 14, 2001.
Alisa Jeffery, an advance manager for the relay, 13 people will carry the torch through two-and-a-half miles of Forrest City. "Each person will carry the torch two-tenths of a mile through a pre-determined route through Forrest City," she said.
The relay, according to Jeffery, will start in the last town to host the Olympics in the U.S. "The flame will be flown by plane from Greece to Atlanta, Ga., on Dec. 4. The relay will begin there and travel to Salt Lake City for the opening ceremony on Feb. 8, 2002.
The 13 people chosen to carry the torch here on Dec. 14 are from the Arkansas-Memphis area," said Jeffery.
Bryant asked about the application and selection process for the relay.
Jeffery said the process of screening applicants had already been completed.
"There were over 100,000 applicants," Jeffery stated. "We chose the ones who embody the spirit of the Olympics and have overcome some sort of adversity or dilemma in their lives," she said.
The advance managers said the route of the Olympic flame can not be revealed at this time, due to security reasons.
For more information concerning the Olympic Torch Relay, Jeffery said people may log onto www.saltlake2002.com.
Five St. Francis County residents received a total of $356.75 from the Arkansas Crime Victims Reparations Board in May.
It was part of $213,852.19 awarded to 212 crime victims in May.
The largest amount going to a single county was $36,046.53, going to 35 people in Pulaski County. That was followed by $18,969.48, going to seven people in Saline County and $12,543.72 going to three people in Clark County. The smallest amount was $40, going to one individual in Conway County.
The Attorney General's Office administers the Crime Victims Program, whose goal is to provide compensation for victims' unexpected expenses, such as medical treatment, mental health counseling, rehabilitation, lost wages, replacement services and funeral expenses.
The maximum award to an individual is $10,000. However, for people victimized on or after Aug. 1, 1999, and whose injuries were catastrophic and resulted in total, permanent disability, the maximum award can be as high as $25,000.
St. Francis County government received $127,728.34 from county sales tax in May, according to City and Town, the official publication of the Arkansas Municipal League.
The towns within St. Francis County also received the following amounts from county sales tax: Hughes, $25,315.16; Forrest City, $200,324,70; Wheatley, $5,044.04; Palestine, $10,047.42; Madison, $13,383; Caldwell, $6,305.06; Colt, 4,989.82; Widener, $4,542.36.
In addition, cities within the county that have their own sales taxes received the following: Forrest City, $148,308.39; Hughes, $9,834.64; Madison, $2,396.84; Palestine, $6,506.69; Wheatley, $6,111.95.