By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The small meeting room of the Forrest City Civic Center was packed Wednesday, as representatives of government agencies and private enterprise learned about the Emerging Markets Partnership, which will be managed by the Enterprise Corporation of the Delta.
A $20 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, along with $45 million from Fannie Mae, the country's largest home mortgage source, will kick off the program. The money will be used to "leverage" other funds, creating even more money to be used in a 58-county area in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.
According to Garrett Martin, senior program officer with ECD, there are some projected goals over the next five years. These include $180 million in loans and investments to small and medium-sized businesses. Along with that is a goal of technical assistance to 1,000 small and medium-sized businesses. There is also a five-year goal of 1,500 new single-family housing units, along with 5,500 mortgages to low and moderate income residents.
Agencies, non-profits and private enterprises have until 5 p.m. on Feb. 11, 2002 to make proposals, Martin said. The proposals will be reviewed through March and contracts will be announced in April. Proposals that are accepted will be implemented between 2002 and 2006.
He said applications had to be complete, with a cover letter, a project narrative, a report on institutional capacity (which means -- can the entity handle the project?) and ways to actually measure results.
There has to be a projected timeline, such as six months, two years, or whatever. And one of the most important is a projected budget and sustainability. Martin explained that "sustainability" refers to whether the project will be able to continue on its own once the government money runs out. Can it keep going?
To apply, an entity must be in one of the 58 counties covered by the ECD. There were several suggestions for projects given which might help people decide if their organization can apply for funding on one or more programs. These include home buyer education and credit counseling, child care, increasing access to child health care, transportation, increased health insurance coverage, and others.
Martin said anything which can help improve the economy of a region will be welcome. For instance, home ownership increases the tax base and also helps stabilize communities, he said. As another example, access to affordable child care can mean the difference between employment and unemployment in many cases. Likewise, adequate transportation can help a person's job opportunities.
"We want to partner with folks for strategies that will bring jobs to the region," Martin said.
A major press conference was held in Pine Bluff Monday to announce the program. A meeting similar to the one in Forrest City took place in Monroe, La., on Tuesday, and is taking place in Greenville, Miss., today.
Anyone wanting more information can contact Linda Mann, communications officer of the ECD, at 601-944-1100.
The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled today that a judge wrongly awarded attorney's fees in a case involving a Hughes school election.
The court reversed an order by Circuit Judge L.T. Simes II, which awarded $18,798.63 to attorney Sam Whitfield of Helena and $2,000 to Jimmie Wilson.
The high court said state law does not provide for awarding fees in election cases.
Betty Proctor, a member of the St. Francis County Election Commission, a defendant in the case, said it was a relief.
"That's been pending a long time, and with the county in the financial shape it's in now, it will help our county," she said. "I'm pleased it came out this way."
Joe Young, chairman of the election commission, also expressed pleasure at the high court's decision.
"I'm pleased to hear they threw it out," said Young. "It's been a long story, but I'm tickled to death about it."
County Attorney Fletcher Long, who represented the commission, could not be reached for comment before press time.
The suit was over the results of the Sept. 15, 1999, race for an at-large position on the Hughes School Board.
The St. Francis County Election Commission certified Donnie Mooney as the winner of Position 7 over his opponent, Hudie Hardaway. Hardaway, along with others, filed suit. They alleged that there were voting irregularities during the election, and specifically cited the election commission's failure to count 91 ballots.
Following a trial and hearing, on Sept. 17, 1999, Simes ordered that the 91 votes in question be counted.
Simes counted the ballots himself, except for three that were spoiled. After counting the ballots, he ruled that Hardaway was the real winner of the election by one vote, 239 to 238.
Simes then ordered the election commission to certify Hardaway as the winner immediately. Subsequently, he also awarded attorney's fees and expenses.
The Supreme Court ruled that the action was improper, because Arkansas' election laws provided the basis for Simes' judgment.
Shipments of the flu vaccine have arrived in Arkansas, and they will be available locally starting next week.
"We will start Tuesday morning," said Bonnie Dodson of the St. Francis County Health Unit. "We are working with nursing homes this week."
She said general vaccinations will start Tuesday because the Health Unit office will be closed Monday, Nov. 12, for Veterans Day.
This year's fee is $11 per injection, same as last year.
"Medicare and Medicaid will cover the shots," said Dodson.
"Our priorities are folks who are at the greatest risk, who are health compromised or elderly," she added. "But we're ready to go."
The state Health Department earlier this week said the shots will be given to high-risk people first, and then to the general public.
Those at high risk, the agency said, include the elderly, people with weak immune systems and pregnant women
Also, starting this year, two new priority groups will be added -- postal workers and emergency personnel. Health-care workers also should get vaccinated so the flu does not spread further, the department recommended.
Department spokeswoman Ann Wright said postal and emergency workers were added ''to keep the infrastructure healthy as we move into flu season.''
People are advised to contact their health-care provider to find out when and where they can get the vaccine.
''We're urging young, healthy people under 65 to please wait for a flu shot until after high-risk individuals have been immunized,'' said Dr. Sandra Snow, medical director of the Health Department's communicable disease division.
The flu season in Arkansas runs from December into spring. It usually takes one to two weeks after getting the flu shot to develop protection.
A local restaurant was robbed during closing Wednesday night
Employees at Ho-Ho's restaurant at 110 Barrow Hill Road told police they were closing the business about 9:45 p.m. when two black males, armed with knives, entered and forced one employee to sit in a chair. The suspects then reportedly wrestled the business owner, Andy Lee, to the cash register from which they removed an undetermined amount of money.
An attempted robbery was reported just after 10 p.m. at the Eastview Liquor Store on Highway 70 East.
An employee there told police a suspect, wearing a white T-shirt, black pants and a black mask, struck the store's front window with a shotgun. The employee reportedly fled to the rear of the store and called police.
The investigation is continuing in both cases.