By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A man wanted for murder in Mississippi was apprehended in Forrest City during the early morning hours Saturday.
According to the police report, the Forrest City Police were contacted by the Holly Springs, Miss. Police Department, requesting assistance in finding Sammy Lee Johnson. Johnson, 28, of Holly Springs, was wanted on a charge of capital murder in the death of Bobby Glen McGregor in Holly Springs. The murder occurred on Oct. 10.
After going to one location where it was thought Johnson might be, Forrest City officers finally found him at 203 S. Powell Street. He was arrested without incident.
Johnson is being held in the St. Francis County Jail with no bond, awaiting extradition back to Mississippi.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
Hughes still has a problem with unpaid water bills, but the balance of unpaid bills has been cut by $12,000, city council members learned this week.
Mayor Donnie Mooney told council members in a recent meeting that the debt for unpaid water bills was around $21,000 earlier this year, prior to the council passing a motion to shut off water service to delinquent customers.
According to Mooney, "We used to be $21,000 in the hole, now we have that down to $9,000. I think that's a lot of progress."
Council members still voiced concern about customers who haven't paid for almost two months. One member, Joe Cox, said the city was given the authority to cut off service to anyone who hasn't paid their bill by the 15th of each month.
"I want to know why some of these people are still on. They haven't paid since July and we passed an ordinance to not let them get that far." said Cox.
Mooney said he would look into the situation, but still felt optimistic that the balance has been lowered as much as it has been.
"We are coming up on the 15th and these will be taken care of," said the mayor. "I can remember when this report (delinquent water bills) was a lot more than four pages long. We have brought this balance down considerably."
In other business, the council passed a motion to renew the city's property insurance with Allstate for another year. An agent representing Allstate, Tracy Beene, told the council members the cash value of property in Hughes hasn't increased in four years and some of the addresses on insured property may be wrong, which would stop payment of policies if the address is not correct. According to Beene, "Not updating the cash value of a property could be a problem. If a building and its contents are worth more than they were four years ago, you are only going to get 80 percent of what it was worth four years ago without updating."
She also said an adjuster who came to inspect a pump house struck by lightning earlier this year had the wrong address on the insurance information.
"The adjuster came out here and the pump house in question was not where it was suppose to be and that could have caused the claim to not go through."
The mayor said he would look into the addresses to make sure all were correct and would update the cash values of city property.
In other business, the council accepted a bid to lease 72 acres of farm land out to L.T. Gardner, for $3,520 a year. Gardner was one of only two bids for the three-year lease agreement with the city.
The mayor also announced that the East Arkansas Enterprise Community has agreed to give Hughes $20,000 needed to finish renovation on the community center.
The city decided not to impose a formal Halloween curfew this year. According to Chief of Police Joe Stone, "Last year we didn't have a set time. We just started clearing the streets soon after dark and we didn't have any problems with it. It was peaceful last year. We only received a couple of calls that whole night and they had nothing to do with Halloween mischief."
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Twenty-six bands with more than 1,500 members will take the field at Sam Smith Stadium at Forrest City High School on Saturday, Oct. 20, for the fifth annual Forrest City Invitational Marching Festival.
The festival will begin at 10:30 a.m. and continue throughout the day. It is being sponsored by the Forrest City Band Boosters.
Bands from West Memphis, Marion, Vicksburg and Pulaski County are just a few of those scheduled to compete Saturday. They will perform a variety of music, ranging from the classics to Rock and Roll. Because Forrest City serves as host of the festival, the Forrest City High School Band, the Pride of the Delta, will be the last band, scheduled to compete at 7 p.m.
The highlight of the evening will be a special exhibition program, to be performed by the Arkansas State University Marching Indian Band, scheduled to begin at 7:30.
Awards for overall band performance, as well as drum majors, color guards, woodwinds, brass and percussion will be given immediately after the ASU band exits the field.
Admission for the all-day event is $2. Concession stands will be open throughout the day.
The Forrest City City Council will meet in regular session Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.
There is a scheduled bid opening on a step-van for the police department. Among other agenda items, the council will set the millage rates for real and personal property.
FCSB meeting set for today
At 4:45 p.m., the board will hear a report from Stephens, Inc. on the bond sale. The regular meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Some of the agenda items include reports on demolition and asbestos removal at the old junior high building, bus bids and Forest City Education Foundation grants.
The Palestine-Wheatley School Board will also meet this evening. The board meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the high school cafetorium.
Board members will discuss an attendance policy and mileage for employees. They are also