By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A recent chemical spill on Interstate 40 has cost Forrest City taxpayers over $25,000, but that money may soon be coming out of the pocket of Roadway Trucking.
According to information provided by the Forrest City Police and Fire Departments, $26,133.05 in bills were accumulated due to the chemical spill which occurred on the night of June 19. Forrest City Fire Chief Dan Curtner said the costs for manpower, the trucks, the foam and equipment used, totaled close to $20,000. Those charges, according to Curtner, have been billed to Roadway, and Curtner said that he expected the bill to be turned over to the trucking company's insurance carrier.
"We followed our normal protocol for these types of incidents, and we sent a bill to the trucking company," Curtner said. "We billed them for manpower, trucks, foam and whatever we used to try to get the incident under control. Once we bill someone, they generally turn everything over to their insurance company, and that's what we're expecting to have done in this case."
The Forrest City Police Department also incurred some added expenses during the incident as they paid overtime to some officers, and are also faced with picking up the tab for an officer who was injured during the evacuation. According to figures from the FCPD, $6,133.05 in overtime and medical expenses have been totaled, $5,000 of that due to the injuries sustained by officer Ronald Holub.
According to Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant, the police department would be using the same protocol for getting payment for the overtime, but the injuries to Holub may be covered under workman's compensation laws.
Areas in a one-square-mile radius from the wreck site on Interstate
40 were evacuated for close to an hour that morning, including
several neighborhoods and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City.
Traffic was blocked for a while near a busy Forrest City intersection Thursday afternoon after an two-vehicle accident in which one car ended up upside down.
The accident occurred about 1:40 p.m. at the intersection of Washington and Arkansas when a Mercury Cougar driven by Melony Oates, 46, of 234 SFC 405, Forrest City, pulled out from the parking lot of Tobacco Super Store and collided with a Chevrolet Blazer driven by Tony Brittnum, 43, of 436 Cope Cove in Forrest City.
The Blazer turned over twice.
Brittnum and a passenger, Andre Stephens Jr., were taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City, where they were treated and released. According to the report, Oates was charged with driving while intoxicated, second offense, driving on a suspended driver's license and failure to yield.
East Arkansas Community College has announced the addition of a new Certificate of Proficiency program in Microcomputer Maintenance and Repair.
This course of study will prepare students for employment as a computer technician and gives those completing the curriculum a background for A+ Certification. Emphasis is placed upon computer hardware, maintenance, operating systems and troubleshooting.
"This Certificate of Proficiency expands upon the various computer-related programs that EACC already offers," said Jan Haven, EACC vice president for Academic Affairs. "Since 1995, EACC has offered students the option of the CIS (Computer Information Systems) program.
"In the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) curriculum, the student takes more general education courses, such as English Composition I, in addition to the technically based computer courses" Haven continued. "This helps students become well rounded and more employable because they have more skills to offer to a potential employer. Students who pursue an A.A.S. or Technical Certificate in CIS will now have the option of taking the courses required for Microcomputer Maintenance and Repair as electives. As graduates of both programs they would be highly employable. It's a winning situation for the student and the employer."
EACC also offers a Certificate of Proficiency in Business Systems Networking (CISCO). "This program is designed to meet current and future demands in an ever-changing workplace," said Haven. "Completion of the certificate prepares the student to take the CISCO Certified Networking Associate (CCNA) exam. Students graduate with the skills necessary to set up, configure, and troubleshoot CISCO brand networking equipment. They are also qualified to maintain a computer network and the network's link to other networks via an Intranet or Internet"
Haven also said it is important to keep up-to-date on the latest technologies.
"We offer a wide variety of technical programs that would be useful to employees who want to hone their existing computer skills," she said. "We offer basic courses such as Computer Fundamentals and courses that teach the use of specific software such as Microsoft Excel and Publisher, which provide training leading to MOUS (Microsoft Office Users System) certification. The student also has the option of taking more complex technical courses like Systems Analysis and Design."
For more information about courses available at EACC, please call 870-633-4480.
A used car dealership, Car-Mart, will be opening soon in Forrest City. It will be the seventh location to open this year, and will be the 60th location over all.
There are currently Car-Marts in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky and Indiana
Car-Mart has been in business since 1981. It offers in-house financing, a unique layaway plan, and a Buyer's Protection Plan. They also offer a "trade-for-anything" policy that has brought in everything from horses to wash tubs.
The lot is scheduled to open at 1826 West Broadway in early August, with a grand opening planned for September.