By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Incidents at several local schools, including drugs, battery and threats of violence, have resulted in the arrests of five juveniles so far this week, according to Forrest City Police Department reports.
On Monday, two students, aged 15 and 16, were arrested after an altercation at Forrest City High School. The two were accused of attacking another student. Both were charged with disorderly conduct, disrupting campus activities and third degree battery.
Also on Monday, a 14-year-old juvenile was arrested for allegedly being in possession of marijuana at Forrest City Junior High.
On Tuesday, a 15-year old juvenile was arrested and charged with terroristic threatening. It is alleged that the student stated on three different occasions that he was "going to bring a gun to school and do the same thing" during a class discussion over the recent school shooting in California.
Also on Tuesday, a 12-year-old student at Lincoln Middle School was sent to the alternative education class for allegedly striking another student. The student then allegedly made several threatening statements against an administrator. According to the police report, the student became violent when police attempted to arrest him. He was charged with two counts of terroristic threatening, disorderly conduct and refusal to submit to arrest.
Police are investigating an incident which allegedly took place at Lincoln Middle School. The mother of a student claimed her daughter had been punched three times by a boy.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
An estimated 300 people were at the Forrest City Civic Center Wednesday night for the annual East Central Arkansas Razorback Rally hosted by the East Central Arkansas Razorback Club.
Razorback fullback Rod Stinson was honored during last night's festivities with the second annual Harold Horton Award. The award is given to the player who shows character and excellence both on the field and off. The award is sponsored by Don and Ellen Edmondson of Forrest City. Former Razorback wide receiver Anthony Lucas received the first award. The award was presented to Stinson by Clay Henry, editor of Hawgs Illustrated.
"When the question of someone helping out comes up, people normally think of Rod. He is the type of young man that always offers to help. When someone goes out with an injury, Rod is the type of man that takes two shifts at fullback. When his shoulders are drooping because he isn't really big enough to be a fullback, he steps in anyway and does it to help the team," said Henry.
Forrest City native and Arkansas Defensive Coordinator John Thompson also spoke briefly at last night's event. "I know that I'm not the person that everyone's here to hear, but it is extremely humbling to come back here and see the greats of the Razorback program. To be associated with guys like Harold Horton and Rod Stinson and Houston Nutt is an honor. It's an honor to be able stand up here and be a part of you all," said Thompson.
The keynote speaker for last night's event was Arkansas Head Coach Houston Nutt. Nutt congratulated Rod Stinson on receiving the Horton Award, and told the audience that he was proud to be in Forrest City and proud to have John Thompson on his football team. Nutt also spoke to the group on the efforts it took to bring his first team together in 1998.
"For two and a half weeks in 1998, not one student athlete came into my office and it upset me. I said to myself that if they won't come see me I'll go see them. And at 10:45 p.m. one night I did," said Nutt.
Nutt also spoke to the audience about some of the problems that face the team and how it's the two or three players that cause trouble who are focused on and not the 98 that are doing things right.
Several items were auctioned off during a silent auction held prior to the event. Both a basketball and football signed by the respective Arkansas teams were auctioned. Both items were sold for $250 each.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A teenager shot while robbing a local convenience store last year has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Derrick DeWayne Parker, 16, 315 C St., Forrest City, was sentenced Wednesday in St. Francis County Circuit Court on combined charges of aggravated robbery and felon in possession of a firearm. After his release from prison, Parker will also serve a five-year suspended sentence on numerous charges stemming from incidents that occurred in 1998.
According to court records, Parker was fleeing the Citgo on South Washington in Forrest City when he was shot by Arkansas Game and Fish officer Cornell Taper. According to police reports, Taper saw Parker holding a gun on the store's clerk. The subject fled the store on foot after seeing Taper, police reported. Taper reportedly told the teenager to stop and fired shots at Parker.
Police were later called to a C Street residence where they found Parker with a gunshot wound.
Taper was placed on administrative leave following the shooting even though he was cleared of charges.
A Kentucky man working on his tractor-trailer at a local Interstate 40 rest area was killed Wednesday morning when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver.
Arkansas State Police Troop D Corporal Kelvin Stewart said Raymond E. Shouse, 60, of Mount Eden, Ky., was stopped on the entrance ramp at the westbound rest area near Forrest City when he was struck and killed about 5:30 a.m.
Stewart said it is common for truckers to park on the entrance and exit ramps, but the angle of those ramps cause many trailers to get stuck on the truck's tractor.
"There was enough evidence at the scene for us to believe this is what had happened to Mr. Shouse's vehicle. Apparently, he was trying to get the trailer unstuck when he was hit."
Stewart said it is believed Shouse was struck by another tractor-trailer leaving the rest area.
The investigation is continuing.
Several meetings are planned for tonight in St. Francis County.
The Wheatley and Colt city councils will each meet at 7 p.m. The meetings will be held in the city halls located in those towns.
The St. Francis County Quorum Court will hold a special meeting at 7 tonight to set the correct millage rate for the Forrest City School District. The meeting will be held at the courthouse.