By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Two towns in St. Francis County will be included in the Great River Road Celebration Tour, to be conducted July 8-10.
The city hall in Hughes will be visited at 2:30 p.m. Monday, July 8. The St. Francis County Museum in Forrest City is scheduled for a visit at 3:30 p.m. that day.
The Great River Road in Arkansas was recently declared a National Scenic Byway. The route goes through 10 counties in Eastern Arkansas. The Great River Road also includes the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and part of Missouri.
A highlight of the stops will be the introduction of the 2002-2003 Arkansas Delta Byways Tourist Association visitors' guide, the first to feature the Great River road as a National Scenic Byways. There will also be an announcement of the latest tourism statistics for the Arkansas Delta Byways region.
"This designation will have a major impact on the region," said Dr. Ruth A. Hawkins, executive director of Arkansas Delta Byways at Arkansas State University. "Not only will it involve national promotion of the region, thus attracting more visitors, but it will make us eligible to apply for competitive grants to do many of the projects identified along the route."
U.S. Rep. Marion Berry recently said the Scenic Byway designation would be a great help to the area's economy.
"The Great River Road will be marketed to tourists by the Department of Transportation, and should lure more highway travelers, who will fill up their tanks at Arkansas gas stations and eat at Arkansas restaurants," Berry said. "There's no doubt the new scenic byway designation should give a much-needed boost the regional economy of the Delta."
The tour through Arkansas will include representatives from the Mississippi River Parkway Commission (the official organization for the Great River Road), Arkansas Delta Byways (the regional tourism association), Arkansas State University (coordinator for the National Scenic Byway application), the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and city and county officials.
Other July 8 stops will include Blytheville, Osceola, Marion and West Memphis. Stops on July 9 will be at Brinkley, Marianna, Helena, St. Charles, Stuttgart and DeWitt. Towns visited July 10 will be Monticello, Dumas, Arkansas city, McGehee, Lake Village and Eudora.
A grant seminar to assist those interested in applying for economic development or other funding through the Delta Regional Authority will be held Wednesday, June 26, at East Arkansas Community College in Forrest City.
The announcement was made by State Sen. Kevin Smith, D-Helena.
According to the Arkansas Department of Economic Development, the teleconference-format seminar, one of eight being held simultaneously around the state, will take place in the Learning Resource Center, Room 129, beginning at 10 a.m. and will last until about noon.
A total of $4.3 million will be awarded in July to communities in the Arkansas Delta, specifically targeted for transportation and public infrastructure, education and economic development.
The deadline for all applications is July 15.
Smith, who is co-chairman of the Delta Caucus, said it would have been good to have more time.
"Since the governor is only allowing a month for a community or organization to get their application in, I am making this announcement to make sure everyone knows about it and has a chance to make their case."
Gov. Mike Huckabee will make all final decisions regarding the awarding of all grant funds, according to a press release.
In the release, Smith said it was still good to give people a chance at the funding.
"We have waited too long for this day," said Smith. "Hundreds of leaders from all across the Arkansas Delta marched on Washington back in 1999 to get the ball rolling on this issue," he said. "It is exciting to see the pay off for all the efforts, when literally hundreds of grassroots leaders spent their own money to travel to Washington and testify before Congress."
Other sites for the seminars include Beebe, Newport, Pine Bluff, West Memphis, East Camden, Helena and Osceola.
No minimum or maximum amounts have been established for grant requests, although the total amount is divided as follows: 50 percent for infrastructure and transportation; 24 percent for economic development; 24 percent for education; and 2 percent for technical assistance. There are no matching requirements.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A man believing he contracted the AIDS virus from a blind date set up by a friend allegedly tried to kill his friend Monday morning before reportedly attempting suicide.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Department reports Daniel Breeding, 24, and Michael Peer, 23, were watching movies and drinking beer at Breeding's home on Highway 70 at Heth when Peer allegedly attacked Breeding.
The victim told police Peer had left the room where they were watching television, only to return a short time later with a steak knife which he allegedly used to stab Breeding an estimated 13 times in his neck, chest, back and arms before Breeding fought off his attacker. Peer reportedly then fled into nearby woods.
When SFC deputies arrived, several Arkansas State Police troopers and members of the Crittenden County Sheriff's Department were standing at the edge of a rice field talking to the suspect who was reportedly threatening to commit suicide.
However, according to the report, after about 30 minutes of talking with ASP Troop D Corporal Howard Smith, the suspect surrendered to police. Peer had suffered a self-inflicted cut to his right wrist, according to police. He was treated by emergency personnel at the scene and taken to Shell Lake from where he was airlifted to the Med Center in Memphis. He is listed in satisfactory condition today at the Med.
Deputies reported Peer was threatening to kill himself because he thinks he has AIDS and is going to die. Peer told deputies Breeding had pressured him to date a girl about six years ago, and he thinks he contracted AIDS from that relationship. Because Breeding reportedly set Peer up with the girl, the suspect told police, "I was going to take him with me." Deputies also reported Peer had not been tested for the AIDS virus.
Breeding was taken to Crittenden Memorial Hospital by his wife before police arrived. He was later transported to the Med Center in Memphis, but was discharged from the hospital Monday afternoon.
Investigating SFC Deputy Herbert Neighbors said warrants have been issued for Peer's arrest.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Department and the Forrest City Police Department are looking for a 31-year old Forrest City man who escaped from the St. Francis County Jail Monday afternoon.
According to a report at the Forrest City Police Department, Issac Matthew Henderson, 31, 703 S. Izard St., was arrested yesterday by Forrest City Police Officers on charges of fleeing, driving on a suspended driver's license and two counts of failure to comply. Henderson was then transported to the St. Francis County Jail.
According to the report, Henderson escaped from the jail two hours after being transported there when he knocked down a jailer and ran out the door as a trustee was entering the building.
St. Francis County Sheriff Dave Parkman was not available for comment this morning.