By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Mayor Larry Bryant said this morning that the main thing coming from the transportation summit he attended last week in Helena was hope for funding down the road.
In the meantime, he said the city is doing the best it can for transportation.
The summit was hosted by the Delta Regional Authority, and held at the Delta Cultural Center last Thursday and Friday (See related story, Page 3).
"Hopefully, there will be some funding going toward Interstate 69 and other roads to help with economic development," said Bryant. But whatever happens, we have to look at it in a long range manner, because it could be 10 to 15 years before it comes to fruition."
He said the street work is currently going on around town. He said several streets have received overlays.
"And we got our railroad crossing down on Day street fixed, finally," he said. "It's looking good."
He said the intersection of Robinson and Murry streets will close for about a week.
"We're putting a pipe in. There has been a big dip there. We're digging it out, and we're going to put in a storm drain and a pipe."
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A Forrest City woman was critically injured in an automobile accident Sunday afternoon, just hours after she was treated and released at a local hospital for injuries she sustained during a domestic disturbance at her home.
Carol P. Kimble, 25, 403 Lombardy St., Forrest City, reported to the Forrest City Police Department about 9:45 a.m. Sunday that she had been held captive overnight in her home by a male subject who allegedly beat her and attempted to sexually assault her. She told police she was able to escape from the subject and sought treatment for injuries to her face and chest at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City. She was released from the hospital a short time later, after which police arrested Travis Larone Kimble, 25, 1937 Williams St., Forrest City, on a charge of third-degree domestic battery. According to police reports, Kimble was released on his own recognizance and given a court date of July 8.
Just after 3 p.m., Carol Kimble was involved in a head-on collision on East Broadway in front of the Broadway Cinema. Witnesses told police Kimble was traveling west in a 1987 Honda Accord, which appeared to be spinning out of control, before she struck the front of a 2000 Dodge driven by Angela Christine Krause, 21, of Caldwell.
Witnesses also told police it appeared that Kimble's car was being chased by a black Cadillac traveling at a high rate of speed. After the accident, witnesses told police the Cadillac turned around and headed east on Highway 70 toward Madison.
The Forrest City Fire Department used the Jaws of Life to remove Kimble from the wreckage. She was then airlifted to the Med Center in Memphis where she is listed in critical condition today.
Krause was also injured. She was taken by ambulance to BMH-FC where she was treated and released.
Both vehicles were reportedly totaled in the accident.
The investigation is continuing.
In another similar accident, a Forrest City man found himself stuck through the windshield of a woman's car after he allegedly threatened to kill her.
The Forrest City Police Department reported Markei Randle, 26, 306 Happy Hollow, went to Johnson's home, his ex-girlfriend, about 5 a.m. Saturday and began arguing with her. Johnson told police the suspect threatened to kill her, but after talking with him for awhile, he calmed down and agreed to follow her to his mother's home in Happy Hollow.
However, after getting in her car, Johnson said she drove to Arkansas Street at which time Randle apparently realized she was not driving to his mother's house and he struck the rear of Johnson's car at the intersection of Arkansas and Division streets. She told police when she got out to check the damage to her car, Randle jumped onto the hood and started kicking her windshield. The impact of Randle's car, caused Johnson's airbags to deploy, police reported. She told police that even with the airbags and glass from the windshield coming into her car, she drove west on Victoria Street to near the Dawson Road intersection where she finally lost control of her car and struck an embankment. This impact caused Randle to continue through the windshield.
The Johnson vehicle received an estimated $6,500 damage, and $3,000 damage was reported to the Randle vehicle.
Johnson was treated and released at BMH-FC.
According to the police report, Randle was taken to the Med Center in Memphis for treatment, but a condition update was unavailable at press time.
St. Francis County had an unemployment rate of 7.8 percent during May, according to figures from the Arkansas Employment Security Department.
The May figure was down from the 8.3 percent recorded in April. It is also lower than the 9.2 percent recorded in May of last year. It put St. Francis county in a three-way tie with Fulton and Drew counties with the 13th highest unemployment of the state's 75 counties.
According to figures, during May, St. Francis County had a civilian labor force of 12,000, with 11,075 working and 925 not working.
The state's highest unemployment was 13.7 percent, in Mississippi County. Three other counties had unemployment over 10 percent. They were Desha and Dallas counties, both at 10.2 percent; and Chicot County at 10.1 percent.
The state's lowest unemployment was 2 percent, in Benton County. Two other counties, Madison and Washington, each with 2.4 percent, also had unemployment under 3 percent for May. Thirty-one counties had unemployment of 5 percent or less.
A second summer school student has been arrested in connection with a gun found at the Forrest City Junior High School on Irving Street last week.
The Forrest City Police Department reported the 15-year-old was arrested Friday and charged with possession of a firearm by a minor on school property. The first suspect in the case, a 16-year-old, was arrested Thursday on the same charge after a maintenance worker found a .380 caliber pistol behind the cafeteria.
The 15-year-old told police he took the handgun to school and placed it in the 16-year-old's backpack.
A Widener man is charged with sexual abuse after alleged inappropriate contact with two young girls over the weekend.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Department reported Merlin Andrews, 63, of Widener was arrested on charges of first-degree sexual abuse, third offense driving while intoxicated, operating a motor vehicle during a suspended driver's license period and refusing to submit to a test.
According to the report, the suspect lived in a shop near the victims' home and approached the mother of one of the children about 9 p.m., complimenting her on her child's appearance. He then allegedly made comments regarding her child and her niece.
The mother reportedly warned Andrews not to touch the children; however, a short time later the suspect allegedly entered a camper trailer where the children were playing. One of the girls told the mother that the suspect had touched and kissed them.
He was arrested about three hours later near Madison. He is being held in the St. Francis County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
The Forrest City City Council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, at city hall.