By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Those attending the annual Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce banquet Thursday were reminded of tragedy, but were also told of strides being made.
"For the first time in many, many Chamber banquets, our nation is in a military conflict," said Danny Ferguson, executive director of the chamber and also a state representative. "The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 had a tremendous impact on the national, state and even our local economies. And these events will affect our lives and the way we conduct business for a long time, maybe forever."
He also said the local economy had taken some blows, including the closing of Yale Hoists, the city's oldest manufacturer.
"However, while we need to recognize these negative events and need to learn from them, it's critically important that we also emphasize the positive."
He said that when Boar's Head came to Forrest City, they expected to top out at about 350 employees within five years.
"Now, at about the five-year mark, they have 600 employees, and they are rocking and rolling," he said, and added that some Boar's Head products had rated tops in the nation in a consumer magazine.
He also said Sanyo is doing well and has made improvements to its plant, and last year purchased Mulay Plastics when the plant was going to close, "saving about 140 jobs in the Forrest City area."
He mentioned the third phase of the federal prison complex. And praised the accomplishments of several other local industries, including Forrest City Grocery, Rubitex and others.
"In spite of the economic problems of 2001, retail sales have held up comparatively well. And we've seen the opening of Grace Plaza and several new retail and service businesses in the area."
Outgoing Chamber President Tom Machen said that this time last year, "We were all safe and secure. Military action was an occasional weekend maneuver, and to be quite honest with you, I didn't know what Enron was. Within a few minutes on Sept. 11, everything changed...Worst of all, we realized we were vulnerable. Terrorism was now personal, not just something to watch on the evening news."
However, he said the country also found new heroes, and "this one, horrific act galvanized us into one nation, under God. Forget black, white, male, female, Christian, Jew or even Muslim...We were all simply Americans."
He said there are challenges, and said the new Chamber president, Rujay Burke, will need everyone's help.
Burke, for his part, said he was born in Forrest City, and loves the area. He encouraged everyone to take pride in Forrest City and work to make it a good place to live. He said the Chamber is active in recruiting industry and sponsors activities such as the Christmas parade.
He encouraged businesses which are not part of the Chamber to join.
Outgoing board members were presented plaques. Also, the Terry McGraw Family, St. Francis County Farm Family of the Year, received a plaque from the Times-Herald.
The guest speaker, Beth A. Higgs, Ph.D., entertained the audience with humorous and insightful looks at life.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A major facelift is in the works for the Turner Circle Housing Development, but a time frame has not yet been established for the project.
Members of the Forrest City Housing Authority Board on Thursday passed a resolution granting approval to a measure which will remove the upper level apartments in Turner Circle. According to FCHA Director Janet Duncan, the changes to the development are being done for a variety of reasons.
"We have had problems there that have needed to be fixed for 30 years, like the sewer. This will fix those problems. This will also help lower the crime rate because we're going to eliminate the breezeways between the buildings and actually incorporate that space into the new apartments. There will be two apartments per unit, and we're going to cut the number of apartments in half, from 100 to 50," Duncan said.
Duncan also told board members that cutting the number of apartments will also help eliminate many of the vacancies the FCHA has.
According to Duncan, the only questions remaining on the project are when the demolition will begin and where the funding for the project will come from. Duncan told board members that if the re-development is approved, demolition could begin as soon as this summer.
"To get our funding, we have to have the approval letter in-hand when the funding becomes available. That's the process we're in right now, seeking approval. I don't see why we wouldn't get approval, so I don't really see that as a problem. If we don't get the funding immediately, we're still going to proceed with demolition using our own funds, but if we do it that way it'll be a longer process to getting this all complete. The funding lasts for two years, so that is how long we're expecting the project to take from start to finish," Duncan said.
Duncan also told board members that residents will begin to be relocated as soon as demolition begins and that residents who wish to return to Turner Circle when the project is complete, would be given the opportunity.
In other business, board members approved a measure to pay two residents a monthly stipend of $50 for as long as they continue their education at East Arkansas Community College. According to board chairman Gazzola Vacarro, two Rice and Mann residents recently completed a computer course offered at the Warren Faupel Center and then enrolled in EACC.
"Last year we were applauded by the people over in Little Rock for the scholarship that we offered, and this is just something else that we can do for our residents to help them out as they try to better themselves. This $50 is not a lot of money, but it will help assist them in the things outside of books and classes that they need. We have one woman who was having problems staying at the college all day because she didn't have enough money to eat there on campus. This is just something we can give to her that will help her out a little," Vaccaro said.
Board members voted to give the stipend to any future residents who advance from the EACC offered programs at the Faupel Center to full-time student status at EACC.
The board also approved Warren Faupel for another five-year
term on the FCHA board.
The St. Francis County Courthouse will be the site for Town Hall Meeting with the Arkansas State Election Improvement Study Commission on Monday.
The meeting, which will be held in the Quorum Court meeting room, will cover new election information created in last year's legislative session.
"This is more or less going to be an information session and a forum for citizens to ask questions and voice their opinions on election legislation," said St. Francis County Election Commissioner Bettye Proctor, adding that the meeting will be the last opportunity for St. Francis County citizens to speak with outgoing Secretary of State Sharon Priest.
The information gathered will be used to make final recommendations on the election information to the Arkansas General Assembly, Priest said in a news release.