By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A teenager is charged with arson stemming from a fire last week that destroyed a large portion of the St. Francis County Courthouse.
St. Francis County Sheriff's Department Chief Investigator Glenn Ramsey said the juvenile, Immanuel Bonner-Bey, 15, 229 Beech St., Forrest City, was arrested Wednesday afternoon for arson, a Class Y felony. The Class Y felony carries a penalty of 10 to 40 years or life in prison. Ramsey said a person can be charged with a Class Y felony in an arson if the fire causes more than $100,000 damage to a structure.
Bonner-Bey, 15, is being charged as an adult and is being held in the St. Francis County Jail on a $150,000 bond set Wednesday. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Forrest City Municipal Court Friday morning.
According to Ramsey, the juvenile has admitted his involvement in the fire which caused in excess of $300,000 total damage to the north wing of the courthouse on the afternoon of Tuesday March 20. "During the investigation, several witnesses we interviewed gave substantial information that led to the probable cause for an arrest," Ramsey said. "After his arrest, he did acknowledge that he had set the fire."
Ramsey said the sheriff's department was able to make an arrest through the cooperation of various local and state agencies. "The Forrest City Fire Department, Forrest City Police Department and Arkansas State Police not only assisted us in the investigation of the fire, but also in the handling of prisoners during this emergency."
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Housing assistance checks for more than $100,000 and individual and family grants for over $47,000 have been approved in St. Francis County through the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, following the December ice storms.
According to the figures, there were 275 total applicants in St. Francis County. Of those, housing assistance checks totaling $105,818 were approved, while $47,908 in checks for individual family grants were approved.
Statewide, a total of over $10 million for the housing program and more than $2 million for individual and family grant program has been approved.
Small Business Administration loans are not broken down by county. But as of March 23, there were 847 home loans for just over $4 million, 111 business physical damage loans for just over $1 million and 120 business economic loans for just over $1 million.
In a related matter, the AEDM and FEMA are encouraging people to take part in the National Flood Insurance Program.
Every year, more homes in the United States are damaged by floods than any other national disaster. Having a flood insurance policy, available to everyone in a community that participates in the NFIP, is a good way to begin the process of recovering from a flood.
Premiums are reasonable -- in most cases, about $1 a day per $100,000 in coverage.
In St. Francis County, it is estimated that there are over 10,000 units at risk from flooding.
Losses from flooding are not covered under most homeowners or business policies. "The time to prepare for a disaster is now, not when the damage is done," a press release stated.
It is suggested that people check with their insurance agent first. If he or she cannot write this insurance, people may call the National Flood Insurance Program, toll free, at 1-888-CALL FLOOD, extension 445, to get the name of an agent in the area who does write flood insurance.
Today's newspaper features a special home improvement section, brought to you by the Times-Herald and its advertisers.
The section will cover every aspect of improving your home.
Sponsors of the section include:
AAA Electric Service, Abram Builders, Arkansas Concrete, Blankenship Monument and Marble Works, Burns Electric, CCR Inc., Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute, Evans Custom Cabinets, First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas, First National Bank of Wynne,
Forrest City Bank, Forrest City Plumbing, Hodges Nursery, Howard Miller Insurance, IRC, Ivan Cummings Heating and Air Repair, Jones and Son Fence & Pool Co., Kerby's Home Improvements, Martha Wilson Realty, McCluskey Insulation,
National Carpet One, Parker Furniture Co., Pearson Insurance, Phil's Honey Dew Service, Pike's Roofing, Qualls Construction Co., Ridout Lumber Co., Sears, Southern Furniture Co., Tradition Homes,
True Value Hardware, Union Planters Bank, Vaccaro Lumber, Western Auto, Wholesale Metal Supply Co. and Woodruff Electric Cooperative Corporation.