By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Registration is nearing for Forrest City High School and Forrest City Junior High.
Forrest City High School registration will be held Aug. 7 through 9 on the FCHS campus. Twelfth graders will register on Wednesday, Aug. 7; 11th graders on Thursday, Aug. 8; and 10th graders on Friday, Aug. 9. Registration hours for each grade will be from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Students will be assessed a $5 fee at the time of registration and all fines must be paid at that time. Schedules for students unable to pick them up at registration will be available at open house on Aug. 16 from 2 to 4 p.m. Students failing to pick up schedules before Aug. 19 will be charged a $10 late fee. Tenth graders should come prepared to take a photo for their school ID.
Forrest City Junior High School registration will also be from Aug. 7 through 9 from the hours of 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eighth grade registration will be held Wednesday, Aug. 7 at the Old Stewart School and ninth grade registration will be held at the high school. Registration for new students will be Friday, Aug. 9 at the Old Stewart School for eighth grade and the high school for ninth grade. Ninth graders also need to pay $15 for physical education uniforms at the time of registration.
At Lincoln Middle School, schedules will be handed out Aug. 7 and Thursday, Aug. 8. New students will register Friday, Aug. 9. Times will be 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. all three days. Students who do not get their schedules Wednesday or Thursday can pick them up Friday.
The 2002-2003 school year is only a few weeks away, beginning on Aug. 19.
Meanwhile, the effort to bring free lunches to all students in Forrest City is moving forward, but not fast enough, according to the Child Nutrition Office.
"We are not where we would like to be right now," explains Brenda Flowers, the certification clerk with the office. "We have made some progress, but are nowhere near our goal to get all the students in Forrest City on the free lunch program."
Flowers said that only about 1,000 children have been signed up, but much more are needed before school begins.
"We really want to encourage parents to come by the office and sign up. It will greatly benefit the school district the sooner we can get the footwork done," added Flowers.
Parents can come by the office and pick up an application. The office is located at 836 North Division. Parents should bring proof of gross income, the grades their children are in, what school their children attend and the social security number of the person signing.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Local businesses are being warned that there are people passing bad checks.
Forrest City Police Department Criminal Investigation Division Sgt. John Riggins reported that in the last week, two complaints have been received.
"It's about checks from the T-Check System," said Riggins.
This is a system which works mainly for the convenience of truck drivers, and truck stops and some convenience stores have them.
"On the face of the check, there is an 800 number," said Riggins. "The store clerk is supposed to call that number before accepting the check."
That's where the problem came in.
"In two instances, clerks have gone ahead and cashed the check, and the checks have come back."
Riggins said there has been a rash of such check cashings, mostly in Memphis, over the last three weeks.
"We believe these two checks are the farthest west, so far."
According to Riggins, apparently truck drivers are not the ones who are passing the bad checks.
"The two instances in town are someone who just got ahold of some of these checks and he or she is trying to get some money," he said.
The two checks passed locally total about $300, Riggins said.
He said the problem can be controlled.
"If store clerks and businesses will be sure to follow up and call the number on the front of the checks, then this activity will not take place."
Gary Smith has joined the staff of Forrest City Bank as senior vice president.
Originally from Lawrence County, Smith is a 1970 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He also spent three years in the military.
Smith brings 15 years of banking experience in Jonesboro and Fayetteville to the job.
He moved to Forrest City with his family in 1990 as general manager of Flippo Motors.
He also has three daughters and a new granddaughter.
"His expertise in banking and his business experience will be great assets to the bank," According to John Stipe, president of Forrest City Bank. "Please join us in welcoming him to our banking family."
Smith invites all of his friends to come visit him at Forrest City Bank.
The deadline to file as a candidate in the September school election is Monday.
St. Francis County Clerk Elizabeth Smith reminds those interested in seeking board positions to file by 4:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5.
As of today, Smith said Sandra Garrett Taylor has filed for the Position 5 seat in the Forrest City School District.
In the Palestine-Wheatley School District, Dorothy Smith has filed for reelection to the Zone 1 seat, and incumbent Stan Siler is being opposed by Dow V. Lee for the Zone 5 seat on the board.
The school election is set for Tuesday, Sept. 17.
The Forrest City City Council will meet in regular session Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. in city hall.
Included on the agenda is an ordinance dealing with the proposed annexation of land.
Also on the agenda will be Fire Chief Dan Curtner, asking permission to seek bids for a thermal imaging camera.
There are also several resolutions, one establishing a grievance procedure for Americans with Disabilities Act complaints.
St. Francis County government received $136,260.37 in sales tax revenue during June.
In addition, cities in St. Francis County received the following amounts: Hughes, $27,006.16; Forrest City, $213,706.02; Wheatley, $5,380.98; Palestine, $10,718.58; Madison, $14,276.96; Caldwell, $6,726.22; Colt, $5,323.12; Widener, $4,845.90.
In cities with their own sales taxes, the following amounts were received for June: Forrest City, $153,350.28; Hughes, $7,184.33; Madison, $2,080.52; Palestine, $4,989.24; Wheatley, $4,959.92.