By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
School security in the Forrest City district will be a little easier now, with the receipt of a COPS in Schools program grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The grant, for $225,973, will enable Forrest City to hire two policemen for school duty. The "COPS" part of the program's name stands for Community Oriented Policing Services.
"We're working with the school District," said Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant. "We're going to hire some police officers."
He said he had not been informed officially in writing that the grant had been awarded, but said he had been told verbally.
Press releases from U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Tim Hutchinson, and from Congressman Marion Berry also confirmed that the grants had been awarded.
Pat Flanagin, financial director of the school district, said there are currently two Forrest City policemen working with the district -- one at the high school and one at the junior high. He said the district has fully funded one of the officers, and hopes for additional officers.
The officers hired through this program are known as School Resource Officers, and they are permanently assigned to a school or school system. The primary role of these officers is to provide a law enforcement presence on campus. Some SROs also teach crime prevention and substance abuse classes and counsel troubled students.
"Nothing is more important than the safety of our children, especially when they are in school," Berry said in his release. "These grants will help the local police departments hire more officers to improve protection services in this area."
In a joint release with Hutchinson, Lincoln said, "School should be a safe, creative haven for students, not a place that they fear. We've got to do more to ensure the safety of our children at school.
Hutchinson commented, "Ensuring the safety of classrooms is a critical education goal. Every child deserves the ability to learn, absent the fear of violence."
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
With a $200,000 check for a feasibility study in hand, the proposed transportation mall is one step closer to becoming reality, and that reality, according to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, would mean more tax dollars for St. Francis County and more jobs for county residents.
According to Cisco, the proposed mall, which would be located east of Crowley's Ridge, would be able to bring in revenue for the county through tax benefits from the businesses located on the site.
"This idea would give the county an added source of revenue through the income generated from taxes. The basic idea is for the county to provide the infrastructure to the development. This would include sewer services, land development and so forth," Cisco said. "We would then go to the private sector, which would actually do all of the building. Once those properties were developed and operating, the county would benefit from the tax revenue from those businesses. What we'd be doing basically would be helping the business owners get in the position to generate business and jobs by providing them with location and the amenities that they'll need," said Cisco.
According to Cisco, the facility would cover close to 120 acres and could employ between 500 and 700 people. Cisco said that the added benefit for the area would be the benefits to travelers and truck drivers.
"Every day there is a great deal of traffic that travels through this area. This site would provide truck drivers with an area where they could park for the night. It could also have hotels and restaurants available which will make it a complete travel facility. We could soon see even more travel through the area with the current situation so this type of facility is really needed in the area," Cisco said.
Cost estimates on the project have been put in the area of $25 million. The $200,000 grant for the study from the Commerce Department was announced this week by U.S. Congressman Marion Berry.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
As patriotism abounds in light of last week's tragic events, American flags are becoming harder and harder to find.
Members of a local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post made that search a little easier this week for students and teachers at Forrest City High School.
In a gesture of patriotic support, members of the VFW Post 2869 gave 300 American flags to members of the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) at Forrest City High School to be distributed.
"Commander Harold Campbell and I had been driving around town, and we noticed how few flags were being displayed. That's not surprising because of the shortage of flags right now. We thought that it would be a good idea if we distributed the flags that we use every year on Memorial Day since they were basically being stored in a box," said VFW member Ed Chauvin.
"We contacted the school, thinking that it would be perfect if students in the NJROTC could distribute the flags for us and hopefully it will work out. The NJROTC is the military unit in Forrest City, and who better to pass out the flags than them," Chauvin said.
Lieutenant Nick Hutchins, NJROTC instructor, agreed with Chauvin, saying, "This was something that the members of the VFW thought would be a good way of getting the young people involved with the patriotic show of support. Plus there are teachers who weren't able to get flags, and this will give them a flag. I think that it was a great idea, and we would just like to thank Mr. Vent (FCSD Superintendent Lee Vent) and the VFW for giving us the opportunity to pass these out," said Hutchins.
The NJROTC is in its second year at the FCHS. Hutchins along with Chief Petty Officer Byron Mitchusson are the Naval Science Instructors.
The Crowley's Ridge Saddle Club is sponsoring the World Championship Charity Rodeo on Friday, Sept. 28, and Saturday, Sept. 29, at 8 p.m. each night at the Wiley T. Jones Fairgrounds.
Saddle Club member Becky Huckaba said the event will benefit the local Special Olympics. Rodeo participants will be members of the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA).
Huckaba also said there will be a professional rodeo clown in Forrest City on Thursday, Sept. 27, to visit all area schools and to pass out free passes to the rodeo. There will also be a Miracle Ride on Thursday, Sept. 27, at the fairgrounds.
"This (miracle ride) is for children and adults with handicaps and special needs. We will have professional cowboys on hand that night to perform demonstrations and to allow those attending to ride what we call 'gentle ride' horses," Huckaba said. "Some of the people who come to this event have never even seen a horse before, and they actually get to ride one."
Advance tickets for the event are $6 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Tickets may be purchased at Honda, Flippo Motors, Manley Printing or from any Saddle Club member. Tickets at the gate will be $8 for adults and $5 for children under 12.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The East Arkansas Enterprise Community unanimously approved recommendations from its Economic Development Committee this week to award funds to projects to improve agribusiness.
University of Pine Bluff (UAPB) will receive $185,000, and $45,000 will go to the Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation (ALFDC). Both awards are for the implementation of the Enterprise Community Benchmark 9, which is the agriculture and technology portion of EC funding projects.
Benchmark 9 funding will allow the university and the ALFDC to establish a Delta Agricultural Technology Center. The center will promote the development of agribusinesses in the Enterprise Community area. It will also be used to expand the Arkansas Economic Corporation as a marketing trade and development agency, and to find ways to induce young and entry-level farmers to pursue agribusinesses.
According to a letter of recommendation from EDC chairman, Larry Nash, the actual funds will not be released to UAPB until the university has met with certain requirements and conditions set forth in the commitment from 1999.
One of the requirements will be to hire a full time manager for the agri-tech center in Marianna.
In other business, the EAEC coordinator Robert Cole announced to the members that the Economic Center and the county had reached a formalized agreement.
"We do have a fiscal agent," said Cole. "The Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation had been our fiscal agent, and Judge (Carl) Cisco and the county have reached an agreement with the enterprise community to be its new fiscal agent."
ALFDC director, Dr. Calvin King will replace St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco on the board, since Cisco will not be allowed to be a member while he represents the county has fiscal agent. The ALFDC had been the fiscal agent before July of this year.
In other business the EAEC: Agreed to give leveraged funds to Brinkley for a community center in the amount of $55,000; ageed to give $15,000 to $20,000 to Hughes for their community center; and agreed to re-address a request from Madison for an application for a multi-purpose community building which would serve also has a fire station and other community related activities.
The EAEC passed a motion to accept an application from the ALFDC for equipment upgrades for the community facility, conference/business center. The center will address the needs of rural people in each of the educational and informative seminars, such as health issues, small businesses and government agency information.
The next EAEC meeting is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 10 a.m., and will also serve as its annual meeting.