By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A large crowd nearly filled the bleachers and the floor of Mustang Arena Monday night, as a legendary college coach lent his name to the formation of a Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter in Eastern Arkansas.
Bobby Bowden, head football coach of the Florida State Seminoles, was the main attraction of an evening of entertainment and inspirational speeches.
Dr. Dale Morris acted as master of ceremonies.
"I'm excited about Coach Bowden sharing his testimony tonight," said Morris. "We are here tonight not only to generate interest for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and to hear Coach Bowden. Eventually, what we're trying to do is to establish a staff representative in a nine-county area."
Morris introduced HiStrung, an energetic group of young fiddle players from Bellevue Baptist of Memphis. They were followed by former Miss Arkansas Sara Harris, who sang the National Anthem. Harris and Amber Bennett also sang additional numbers.
Cecil Twillie offered an invocation. David Gunn, assistant football coach at Arkansas State University, gave a Christian testimony. Bowden was introduced by Steve Roberts, head football coach at ASU.
Bowden set the early tone of his speech with a joke, saying, "I've spoken to many FCA groups around the country, but this is the biggest crowd I've ever seen without supper."
After keeping the audience in stitches for a while, Bowden got to the serious part of his speech. He said he had a special message for young people in the audience.
"All of you remember, that God loves you, that God created you," he said. "If they teach evolution in your high school, don't believe it. You were created. You didn't just happen. You're important. You're important to God. That's why I'm talking to you."
He said he was inspired many years ago because a famous athlete came and spoke at a meeting. "I wanted to be like that. And I kind of made up my mind that was what I would try to do. And God made it possible."
He said that next year, he would be in his 49th year as a college coach. "It gives me an advantage, because I've been there. As I talk to high school and college boys and girls, I can really help them if they'll listen. Because they don't know what's going to happen to them yet...and looking back, I can see how God planned and led my life, because I let Him."
He said he never got a job he applied for. "In every job I had, they called me. Back when it was happening I didn't know what was happening. But now that I look back, I can see exactly how God led my life." Later, he said, "All God wants from you is to make yourself available."
He said that at Florida State, every staff meeting begins with prayer.
"Ain't we awful? I don't see how the government stands it, do you?" he said, and drew applause when he said, "The biggest lie facing the American people is the lie about separation of church and state."
He continued, "We don't do that, folks, so God will let us win. We do it to ask Him for wisdom, to ask Him for help in the decisions we have to make."
Bowden said he has seen many lives changed from contact with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
There was also a silent auction, as well as books and other memorabilia for sale to benefit FCA.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A month after failing to second a motion which would have required offenders to pay for their own incarceration, Madison City council members changed their minds.
Madison Mayor James Brooks brought the matter back before the council Monday after he said questions had been raised over the proposed ordinance.
"I think that there was a little bit of confusion over this last month, so I feel that it should be brought back before the council again," Brooks said.
According to Brooks, the ordinance would now force offenders who are incarcerated by Madison police officers to pay the fee for being placed in the St. Francis County Jail. Brooks told council members that Madison would be the first municipality to enact an ordinance of that nature.
"I think that it's almost like double jeopardy to make the taxpayers pay taxes on the jail and then force them to also pay for criminals to be held in jail. Under the current system, the cities are responsible for paying the costs. This puts that cost on the criminal. This move is simply an attempt to recoup our money. If an offender spends five days in jail then the city has to pay the cost of the incarceration, and I think that the offender should have to pay that fee," Brooks said.
Brooks also told council members that the ordinance would potentially cut the costs to the city by as much as $1,400 per month.
In other business, council members were updated on the deteriorating status of the city's oxidation pond. According to Brooks, heavy rains during March have compounded an erosion problem that the city had been facing at the ponds.
"We have been keeping an eye on the situation for the past few months, and we knew that this was something that we were going to have to work on, but last month's rains are making the problem worse at a faster pace. Our ponds are close to where Crow Creek and the St. Francis River meet, and with the erosion that we're getting, the river could start to flow into our oxidation ponds which will cause a problem," Brooks said.
Brooks told council members that officials with the state and federal government had been called in to check on the situation and attempts would be made to get federal funding for the repair to the ponds.
Brooks also notified council members on the status of three grant applications that the city had been seeking.
In March, committee members of the East Arkansas Enterprise Corporation gave Madison partial grants on a project which will help build streets and sewer systems for the construction of a housing unit in Madison. The city also received partial funding for the construction of a community center, which will be located near city hall on Dr. Martin Luther King St. Brooks informed council members that two additional grants had been received from the EAEC for the two projects. The infrastructure grant was for $12,000, and the community center project received an additional $15,000. It was reported in Monday's Times-Herald that a $50,000 grant had also been received for the construction of the community center.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The absence of information requested from Forrest City Civic Center caterer Jim Hitchcock will force the Civic Center Commission into a special meeting later this month.
Commission members agreed Monday afternoon to give Hitchcock until April 29 to respond to a certified letter that was sent requesting an inventory of items belonging to Hitchcock which are stored at the civic center. According to commission secretary Debra Miller, Hitchcock was mailed the certified letter in March requesting the information, but had not yet responded. Miller also told commissioners that Hitchcock had not provided quarterly reports showing what business his catering company had done with the civic center during the first quarter of the year.
"I think that we need to discuss what actions this commission needs to take if Mr. Hitchcock continues to not comply with our agreement," said commissioner Shirley Harvell, who acted as commission chairperson in the absence of chairperson Delois Morelon.
In other business, commissioners heard a report from civic center manager Raymond Steward over the status of additional tables and chairs requested by the commission at its fourth quarter meeting in December.
According to Steward, Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant provided him with figures on metal chairs without padding. According to Steward's figures, four metal chairs would cost $29.95. Steward also gave commissioners figures on the cost of an eight-foot table at $69.95 and six-foot tables at $49.95. Commissioners requested that a letter be sent to Bryant inquiring about the purchase of padded chairs.
A Forrest City restaurant was robbed Monday night.
The Ho Ho Restaurant at 110 Barrow Hill Road was robbed about 9 p.m. when a suspect pulled a pistol on one of the employees, called her by name and demanded the money from the register. After taking the money, the suspect fled the business on foot running toward a nearby motel and liquor store.
Police said the suspect is described as about six feet tall, in his early 20s and having braided hair. He also has a scar near his nose and one at the corner of his mouth. He was wearing a black jacket and black pants, according to police.
Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the Forrest City Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at 870-633-3434 or the Forrest City Crime Stoppers at 870-261-1499. All calls will remain confidential and Crime Stoppers offers up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.