Boar's Head Provisions Co. announced today that the Forrest City plant has been selected as the location for a new line of Boar's Head Brand products.
According to the Forrest City Plant Manager Mike Locke, plans call for breaking ground soon on a specially designed addition that will house the state-of-the-art equipment required for this new product line.
The company announced that local building contractors will be assisting Boar's Head in the construction of this project at its 2530 West Broadway facility. Upon completion of the new processing area, hiring and training will begin for new positions that will be needed to staff the new line. Up to 30 new jobs will potentially be created.
"Boar's Head is grateful to its employees and their families for the support they have shown every day since the Forrest City plant opened," Locke stated. "The dedication of our employees was an important factor in Boar's Head's choice of this plant to produce our new product line."
He continued, "I would also like to express my appreciation to the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce and its Executive Director, Danny Ferguson, and to the Arkansas Department of Economic Development for their help in making this expansion happen in Forrest City. Boar's Head is excited to have this opportunity to help build the future of Forrest City, and we are dedicated to continuing our efforts to produce the highest quality products available."
Boar's Head Provisions, headquartered in Sarasota, Fla., produces delicatessen products in its five facilities. In 1996, Boar's Head open its Forrest City facility, where it produces smoked turkey, roasted turkey, chicken and hams.
There are currently more than 500 employees at the Forrest City plant.
Ferguson added, "The Forrest City area is proud to have Boar's Head Provisions as a member of our industrial community. Boar's Head has had a tremendous positive impact on our area, providing many job opportunities for the workforce in St. Francis County and the surrounding region. We appreciate the company giving us the opportunity to compete for this expansion. Boar's Head has been a good corporate citizen, and we are delighted that they have chosen Forrest City as the site for their new product line."
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Students and faculty at East Arkansas Community College heard a patriotic speech with an emphasis on the impact of youth and education in our nation's military as Secretary of the Navy Gordon England made a visit to Forrest City Monday.
According to England the American dream begins with education, and that dream begins with students like those currently at EACC.
"For many, higher education is the door to small dreams which opens the door to larger dreams and the American dream. Young men and women just like you are the key to our military and therefore the key to our war on terrorism," England said.
According to England, the average age of a Marine is 24, and the average age of deck personnel on aircraft carriers is 19, making young Americans the primary factor to winning the war on terrorism. England also told the crowd that the nation's current battle against terrorism is only the first battle in what could be a long war.
"In the 1950's we began a war on the second ism that our country has faced, communism. Recently at an assembly of Korean War veterans I told them that Korea was but a battle in a long war that wasn't completed until 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down. That war was against communism, but our current war against terrorism is the most important war in our nation's history," he said.
England went on to explain to the assembly that the war in Afghanistan is but the first battle in a long war. England also said that this would be the nation's most important war because of the threat of weapons of mass destruction.
"During our war on communism, there were many powers that had weapons of mass destruction but none of them wanted to use them. That is the difference between that war and the one we face now. Groups like al-Qaida now would use those weapons if they had access to them to try to cripple our country and our way of life. Organizations like al-Qaida can't be allowed to exist. This is going to be not only a military effort but also an economic and diplomatic effort," said England.
According to England the war will be won for three reasons The nation's leadership, technology and the primary reason, the best people who are highly educated and highly trained.
England, who was joined by Sergeant Major Alford McMichael, spent much of the afternoon with students at Caldwell Elementary reading to them as a part of the Rolling Readers program.
England was nominated for the post in April of 2001, and was sworn in last May. He is a native of Baltimore, Md., and served as executive vice-president of General Dynamics from 1997 to 2001.
With under a month left before the filing period ends for November municipal races in Forrest City, two more candidates have formally entered the race for mayor.
Scott Carroll and Frederick Freeman filed last week for the position currently held by Mayor Larry Bryant. Bryant has yet to file for re-election. Also filing for municipal races in Forrest City were Brent Ponder, who is seeking the Ward 3 Position 2 spot on the City Council and incumbent, Marie Todd, who is running for re-election to the post of City Clerk-Treasurer.
In Hughes, Mayor Donnie Mooney filed yesterday, as he attempts to retain his spot as mayor in Hughes. Several Hughes residents have also filed for alderman positions. Irene Combs filed yesterday for the ward 3 position 1 spot and Joe Cox, Magnolia Blacksher, and Jesse White all filed last week for alderman posts. Cox is seeking the ward 1 position 1 post, Blacksher, ward 2 position 1 and White, ward 2 position 2.
Also filing yesterday were two individuals in Wheatley. Melvina Hickman, is running for the post of recorder-treasurer in Wheatley and David Lee is seeking the post of alderman position 4. Last week, Billy Darby filed for alderman position 1.
The filing period for the November general election ends on Monday, May 20.
A second suspect in the kidnapping and aggravated robbery of two Hughes men was arrested Monday at the St. Francis County Jail where he was being held for parole violation after a weekend arrest by the Forrest City Police Department.
Altovise Swift, 29, 1947 Williams St., Forrest City, was arrested this weekend after fleeing from Forrest City police officers. Swift was also wanted on warrants for parole violation out of Pulaski County.
Swift was charged by officers with the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department yesterday for the aggravated robbery and kidnapping of Bob McKenzie, 87, and Sammy
Wilson, age unavailable, from outside Lock's Food Center in Hughes earlier this month.
Last week, Jermaine Johnson, 26, 1947 Williams St., Forrest City, was arrested at a store in Wynne where he was attempting to buy a pair of shoes with a credit card allegedly stolen during the kidnapping.