By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
No conclusions have been drawn yet from an OSHA investigation into an incident in which three men fell to their deaths from a telephone tower in rural St. Francis County.
Michelle Martin, compliance and health officer with the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Little Rock, said by telephone this morning the investigation is ongoing.
"That investigation is still pending," she said. "There are some things that are in the process. We're now waiting on lab results. I can't give you any idea as far as when it will be completed, but it's still ongoing now."
The accident happened on Jan. 2. The three men, Brian Barnes, 23, of Muskogee, Okla., John Seabolt, 26, also of Muskogee, and Jamie Anders, 27, of Hattiesburg, Miss. fell to their deaths while working on the tower.
They were employees of All State Steel Erectors of Wagoner, Okla., and were installing new guylines to make the tower steadier. A one-inch rope which was being used to transport the men to the top of the tower snapped, and the men fell. The tower is 250 feet tall, and the rope broke when they were about 100 feet in the air.
The accident took place on County Road 409, about three miles northeast of Ark. Highway 284.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Allegations of a strip search by a Palestine-Wheatley High School principal were not discussed during the school district's monthly board meeting Monday.
The meeting, held in the library on the junior high school campus in Wheatley, was attended by a large gathering of concerned parents and citizens who were expecting the matter to be discussed by board members. Instead, board members addressed only one matter and adjourned after about five minutes.
Without mentioning the alleged search, board members were updated on the status of an $81,000 grant for the renovation of a building for a preschool on the Palestine-Wheatley Elementary campus in Palestine.
Following discussion on the grant, school board member Ronnie Crider made a motion for adjournment which Stan Siler offered a second. Board members then left the meeting area with several parents and faculty members still remaining.
When asked about the situation, PWSD Superintendent Jimmy Allen said, "Really, if we hadn't felt a little tension in the room, the only other thing that we had on the agenda dealt with teachers aides, but that was handled. We had a concerned parent on the agenda, but that was over a situation with the high school concerning grades. A committee was formed, and that situation was taken care of so that parent didn't come before the board tonight."
According to Allen, the investigation into the allegations of a strip search at the PWJHS campus in Wheatley by high school Principal Jeff Cagle, is continuing. The search stemmed from an alleged theft.
"The investigation is coming to a close, and the matter is currently in the hands of the attorneys. We're close to completing this, but it hasn't been closed yet" said Allen.
When asked if a called school board meeting could be expected, Allen replied, "There are two or three things that you can do. If there is some type of reprimand or anything more severe, then there will be a called meeting. There won't have to be an executive session because that decision will come from me. The school board will be an impartial jury if it goes past that," Allen said.
Those who remained in the library after the meeting appeared upset that the strip search was not discussed by the board.
According to Jeff Rosenzweig, an attorney representing the parents of some of the students involved in the incident, everything is still being analyzed before any determinations are made on what will follow.
"We're in the process of just analyzing what happened and trying to explore all the ramifications of it. We're trying to determine the due diligence. We have to do all the investigation, determine who all was hurt, who all was responsible and who made what decisions," Rosenzweig said.
The Palestine-Wheatley handbook does not make any reference to strip searches of students, with the only search reference concerning locker searches. According to the handbook, "Locker Searches may be conducted if there is a reasonable belief that a controlled substance, gun or other contraband is in the locker. A blanket search of lockers will not be conducted except in unusual circumstances such as in the case of a bomb threat."
The theft policy listed in the handbook states, "A student shall not steal property of another student or school employee. Students shall not attempt to extort another student's property by force or threat. Students may be referred to legal authorities."
Six circuit court cases were disposed of Monday when a Forrest City man was sentenced to prison on a variety of charges.
Rex Bradford, 42, 2786 SFC 811, was sentenced to five years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections on charges dating back to January of last year.
Bradford was arrested on Jan. 22, 2001, for possession of firearms by certain persons, possession of drug paraphernalia, fleeing, possession of a controlled substance, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, unauthorized use of another person's property to facilitate certain crimes. On Jan. 26, he was arrested for reckless driving, fleeing, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of an instrument of crime and littering. On Oct. 25, police arrested Bradford for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, felon in possession of a firearm, manufacturing a controlled substance and simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms.
In each of the three cases, Bradford was sentenced to five years in prison, but those sentences are to run concurrent.
At the time of Bradford's arrests last year, he was already serving a five year suspended imposition of sentence for other charges. On Jan. 24, 1999, he was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, on Jan. 25, he was arrested possession of drug paraphernalia, and on Dec. 19, 1999, he was arrested for theft by receiving over $2,500.
The revocation of his suspended sentence was nolle prosequi, and he was sentenced Monday on the charges from last year.
In other circuit court action, Lamar Rashard Coleman, 20, 633 Christian St., Forrest City, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for aggravated robbery and theft over $500.
Corey D. Johnson, 21, Hughes, was sentenced to five years in the ADC for fleeing, resisting arrest, theft by receiving and possession with intent to sell/deliver counterfeit narcotics.
The City of Caldwell and the Caldwell Fire Department are starting a Fire Prevention Program for the residents in and around the Caldwell area.
Caldwell firefighters will be installing, free of charge, a five pound fire extinguisher in residents' homes. Applications may be picked up at the Caldwell Post Office or on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Caldwell City Hall.
Applications should be completed and returned or mailed to the Caldwell City Hall.
For more information contact Caldwell City Hall at 633-1513, Tommy Skelton, Caldwell Fire Chief at 633-9582, or Shane Dallas, Caldwell Assistant Fire Chief at 633-3008.
Five counterfeit State Farm checks valued at over $28,000 have been cashed or deposited at banks in Forrest City, according to the Forrest City Police Department.
One report was made on Feb. 14, and four were made on Feb. 18.
The first report was of a check for $5,956.61 which had been cashed, and $200 was deposited in an account at First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas. On Feb. 18, a bogus check for $4,956 was deposited at Forrest City Bank. Another check, for $7956, was deposited into a business account at First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas. This money was recovered by the bank.
On the Feb. 18, another check, for $4,983, was reported deposited and withdrawn at the First National Bank of Wynne branch in Forrest City, and this money was recovered. Union Planters Bank reported a bad check for $4,983 was deposited there.
Although the people making the deposits have been interviewed, no arrests had been made as of deadline.