By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Arkansas State Police Troop D, along with ASP Troops throughout the state, will be out in increased numbers beginning tonight at 6 p.m., as the Christmas holiday period kicks off for troopers.
According to a press release from ASP Troop D Commander Nathaniel Jackson, the holiday period will begin tonight and end at midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 25. Increased patrols will also be out for the New Year's holiday rush, beginning Monday, Dec. 30, at midnight and ending on New Year's Day at midnight.
"We will be looking for impaired drivers, and we will get them off the road," Jackson said.
According to the release, child safety restraints and seatbelt usage will also be monitored.
"We want to remind travelers in this jurisdiction that buckling up themselves and their kids is the best way to protect themselves against all the hazards along their route, everyday," he said.
From Dec. 20 through Jan. 5, ASP troopers across the state will also be participating in a national crackdown on alcohol-impaired driving, in conjunction with officers in Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and the Indian Nations, in the Alcohol Impaired Driving Crash Crackdown.
According to a press release from the from the ASP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32 percent of Arkansas' 611 crash fatalities involved alcohol.
"From Dec. 20 through Jan. 5, Arkansas State Police and local law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in large numbers to get impaired drivers off the road. Impaired driving is not just bad judgment, it's a crime," said Col. Don Melton, director of the ASP.
Some changes have been made in the St. Francis County Assessor's Office, which should improve service, according to Assessor Craig Jones.
A new computer system was installed earlier this month, and new cabinets were added. Jones said getting car tags will now be more efficient.
"We have a new computer system installed, and these computers are night and day compared to the old ones," Jones said. "Our software provider informed us that our network server was full and would crash before February of 2003. The old server was installed in 1995, and like the new server, served the Assessor's Office and the Collector's Office."
He said Apprentice Information Systems of Springdale installed the new system.
"This new computer system will allow us to get more current updates from our software provider and bring the office into the 21st century," said Jones. "We will no longer keep a copy of your personal assessment sheet. This will save the county money and free up office space due to the removal of file cabinets."
He continued, "We will have an elaborate backup system in place to keep the records, and these records will be burned onto a compact disc."
The disc will be stored in a lock box in a location away from the courthouse.
"The backup process will be a lot more thorough and more time will be spent assuring that the records are being backed up properly and that our records are as accurate as humanly possible," Jones said.
New work stations were also added.
"We noticed that taxpayers who wanted assessments would often stop at the window and ask for their assessment sheet. We would ask them to step into the office and provide them with the proper paperwork. This method seemed to be inconvenient for the taxpayers, so we decided instead of the taxpayer coming to us, we would go to them. Now you can go to the window to get your assessment sheet instead of having to come into the office."
He noted that anyone wanting to come into the office could do so, "But if you are in a hurry, going to the window will speed the process up."
Getting proof of a current car assessment is one of the steps required in getting car tags.
Jones said he apologized for anyone who was inconvenienced on Dec. 11 and 12, when the office was closed.
"I do not like to close down the office, but with all the construction going on, I had no choice," he said. "I would like to thank the members of the Quorum Court for their insight in appropriating the money for this new system. I know of a county whose server crashed, and they had to spend several thousand dollars to retrieve their records, shut down for a week and then have a new server installed."
A Lee County Sheriff's Deputy transporting a prisoner was involved in an accident Thursday afternoon in Forrest City.
The Forrest City Police Department reported a 1998 Ford, driven by Deputy Ocie Lee Banks, 56, of Marianna, was involved in an accident with a 1995 Honda Accord driven by Sadie M. Applewhite, 56, of Goodwin, about 4:15 p.m. at the Cross and Izard streets intersection near the St. Francis County Courthouse.
According to reports, Banks was in Forrest City to pick up a prisoner, Ervin Hill, 20, of Marianna, who was wanted by the Lee County agency on an aggravated robbery charge.
Applewhite told police she was traveling through the four-way stop sign, making a left turn onto Cross Street, when her vehicle was struck on the driver's side by the deputy's car. Banks told police he did not see the Applewhite vehicle until he hit her.
Hill was taken by ambulance to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City where he was treated and released.
The Applewhite vehicle received an estimated $2,500 damage, and an estimated $250 damage was reported to the deputy's vehicle.
No charges were filed in the accident.
Members of the Madison City Council agreed to give all employees of the city Christmas bonuses during a called meeting of the council Thursday night.
By a 4-0 vote, council members agreed to the proposal, which will give hourly employees an extra week's pay as a bonus. The proposal will also pay council members a $150 bonus; firefighters, a $140 bonus and the city recorder $250.
"All of the cities in the area were able to give their employees something, and I think that we should show the consideration and do the same," said council member Gail Graham.