By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Forrest City will see a changeover in solid waste collection, beginning late this month and continuing into early November.
However, if all goes as planned, the only difference residents will see will be the color of their garbage carts.
The city recently gave the garbage collection contract to King Disposal. Waste Corporation of America has the current contract, which will expire Nov. 5.
Waste Corporation plans to begin picking up residential carts on Monday, Oct. 29. Front load dumpsters will be removed beginning Nov. 5.
Joe King of King Disposal this morning said his plans call for as little disruption in service as possible.
"I don't want any service to be disrupted," said King. "What I'm going to do is to start putting the carts out on the 29th."
He said King Disposal will be putting out its carts after the WCA carts are picked up. The King Disposal truck will probably run later than the WCA truck, to prevent any interference in the pick-ups.
King said the 95-gallon carts will be blue, and said plans call for the schedule of pick-ups to remain the same.
He also said that residents with multiple WCA carts should make sure they all get picked up.
"People who have two or three carts of the other company -- please put them out," King said. "Those carts will not be emptied by my company."
He said it would not be legal for King Disposal to empty the carts of another company. He said people who need multiple carts should contact the company.
King said he does not have a business telephone number yet, but will soon. He said he has a building tentatively leased in Palestine next to the post office.
A person at the WCA office in Wynne said she had no knowledge of how King would replace the carts. "I just know that our contract does expire on the fifth," she said.
King Disposal beat out WCA, Delta Disposal of Jonesboro, Riverside Environmental Disposal of Marion and B&B Disposal of Jonesboro for the contract.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
As members of Charlie Company prepare to leave for Colorado for training on a peacekeeping mission in Egypt, their families are preparing to spend an extended period of time without them, and that is the biggest concern for many of the soldiers at the Forrest City National Guard Armory this week.
Company C was notified last week that their unit would be part of a contingent from Arkansas that will be traveling to the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt as part of the Multinational Force and Observers, an outgrowth of the 1979 Peace Treaty between Israel and Egypt. Since Monday, soldiers have been reporting for duty daily for readiness training.
Throughout the unit, soldiers spoke of the concerns that their families have for them as they enter the Middle East following the events of a month ago. According to Capt. Jonathan Jones, Company Commander, the most difficult part of the deployment for him will be his concerns for his family and homeland defense.
"With the state of homeland security, and the terrorism that happened 30 days ago, the effect of it for me will be leaving my family behind. I will worry about my family, but this is the job that we have to do, and we're proud to do it," said Jones.
E-5 Stanley Clark, a 1990 graduate of Forrest City High School, also echoed the sentiment of concerns for the family, but he also said that deployment is part of the job that he signed up to do.
"My family isn't really happy about me having to leave, but they understand that it's a part of my job. They don't want to see me leave but they know that this is something that I have to do and am proud to do," Clark said.
According to Sherry Hankins, wife of Guardsman Johnny Hankins, the hardest part of this deployment will be for their two children.
"Even though I don't want to see him go to Egypt, I can understand that it's something that he has to do as a part of the National Guard. We have two children and they understand but don't want to see him go. I have a teenage son who knows what his daddy has to do and really understands everything, but my daughter is having a problem with everything. She's afraid, as many people may be, that her daddy won't be coming back," said Hankins.
Although the mission is a peacekeeping mission, many of the soldiers say that they have been preparing their families for the worst. Clark, who is in his third term with the Guard, after serving four years in the Army, said that he has told his family to expect anything following the attacks last month.
"I was due to be dispatched on Oct. 3, but as soon as I saw what happened on Sept. 11, I came in and re-enlisted. I've told my family that they have to be prepared because even though they're calling this a peacekeeping mission, in the Army you could get a call that orders you to back up another unit and then you're in the middle of things. I just reassure my family by telling them to keep their faith in God and letting them know that the best team will win," Clark said.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The findings are in from the economic impact study conducted on the participation of the 2001 Mightymite Triathlon.
The Forrest City Advertising and Promotions Commission reviewed those figures this week and also learned that a new director will be needed for the annual event.
Dr. John Alderson of East Arkansas Community College, who conducted the economic impact study, told the commission after refunds and payment of insurance, $10,997 was collected for entry fees. And, based on 204 questionnaires returned by participants, a total of $21,167 was estimated to have been spent during the Mightymite.
According to Alderson, the resulting impact would range from a minimum of $63,501 to $148,169, of money spent and re-spent in Forrest City during the triathlon.
Alderson said restaurants and motels reported varying results in occupancy and sales during the event.
"Seven restaurants were surveyed and we found there was not much change in sales on the Friday evening when the entrants and officials arrived in town," he said.
"And with the three motels participating in the study, Saturday was a total loss as far as guests were concerned. "So, what we have discovered is, they are staying in the motels on Friday night, but not going out to eat and leaving as soon as the event is over on Saturday afternoon," said Alderson.
The commission is looking into ways to get the entrants and officials to spend more money while in Forrest City and may add more questions to the survey's questionnaires next year to determine how to keep them in the city longer.
Rich Trail, who took over as director of the triathlon this year for the first time, will not continue as director next year.
According to A&P chairman Kem Merrell, "He said he had too many responsibilities right now and didn't really have the time."
In other business, Alderson told commissioners he will present the findings of the recent Saddle Club Charity Rodeo at next month's meeting.
Village Creek State Park will host a star gazing event to be held on Saturday, Oct. 13, and will begin at 7:30 p.m., at the park.
The Memphis Astronomical Society will be presenting programs on constellations and other night sky sights in the visitor center auditorium.
Following the programs, participants will be treated to telescope viewing. In the event of rain, the event will be moved to Saturday, Oct. 20.
There is no charge for the program. For more information, contact Village Creek State Park at 238-9406.
A Forrest City Prayer Walk will be held this Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Forrest City civic Center.
The event is being sponsored by the Wednesday Morning Prayer Group.
Walkers will start from the Civic Center and make a loop, walking south on Washington to Arkansas, right on Arkansas and then right on Division, and returning to the Civic Center.
After the walk, choirs from area churches will provide music at the Civic Center.