By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A candidate who narrowly lost a race for St. Francis County Treasurer is asking for a recount.
Tammy Talley, who lost by 111 votes in her bid to unseat County Treasurer Ann Harbin, made the request Wednesday. The race took place in the Democratic Primary. There is no Republican candidate, so the primary winner takes the office.
"We haven't finalized anything," said Bettye Proctor, a member of the county Election Commission. She said each party is entitled to have three people present at the recount. The final, unofficial vote was 2,736 to 2,625 in Harbin's favor.
There was a question as to whether the election commission met without notifying the media. Proctor answered that the election commission did not have an actual meeting.
"Tammy came and asked for a recount, and said the letter would be faxed here," Proctor said. "It was here in a few minutes, and then I called Joe (Young, election commission chairman). He came over. Tammy put the letter in front of us. He signed and I signed. There was no meeting."
However, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act states, "If two members (of a governing body) meet informally to discuss past or pending business, that meeting may be subject to the FOIA."
Proctor, who is an employee of the treasurer's office, said the recount would be run as fairly as possible.
"We're trying to find a time that will be convenient to both parties," she said. "It has been suggested that since Monday is a holiday, maybe Tuesday would be good. And I suggested maybe have it at night so everyone can be up here. But they may not want to. You can't read other folks' minds.
"I told Tammy we'd be glad to work with her, and I'll do the same for Ann," Proctor continued. "Whatever I do for Tammy, Ann will have the same results."
In the meantime, Proctor said results of the primary election cannot be certified until the recount is completed.
In Talley's petition for a recount, she cited state election law (7-4, 109{c} in particular), which states, "No person who is a paid employee of any political party or of any person running for any office shall be eligible to be a member of a county board or an election official."
No particular instance or individual was named in the petition, and Talley could not be reached for comment this morning.
Steve Hollowell, a Republican member of the election commission, filed for a position on the Forrest City City Council before the primary. However, Hollowell said this morning that his understanding is that the rule about candidates not being election commission members only refers to the specific election in which the commission member is a candidate. Forrest City municipal candidates do not take part in a primary. The Forrest City election will be part of the general election in November.
Talley's petition also asks that all ballots rejected by the automatic tabulating equipment be hand counted.
Proctor said that in addition to the recount, the commission is having to get ready for a runoff election for a constable position and possibly a state position.
"Early voting is supposed to start May 28 for the runoff, if we can get the ballots back," she said. "We have a time getting our ballots done."
The runoff election will be held June 11.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln will host a special public forum on the new Farm Bill Wednesday, May 29, in Forrest City.
The forum will be held at the Forrest City Civic Center, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
"She's doing it early so area farmers can come in and ask questions about the newly-signed Farm Bill," said Drew Goesl, Lincoln's press secretary. "She's gotten a lot of questions on the new bill."
Goesl said the forum will not be for farmers only.
"The Farm Bill will affect more than just farmers," he said. "And we thought Forrest City would be a great location to do it. We expect people to be coming in from all over. She's been a proponent of the Farm Bill, but she does think it's essential that Arkansans understand it so they can best utilize it."
Senator Lincoln, in a news release, said the new Farm Bill would be helpful to farmers.
"The six-year Farm Bill that we passed is not a perfect solution, but it does put farming on solid ground once again," she said.
According to Lincoln, some of the following topics addressed in the bill will be of special interest to Arkansans:
*Commodity programs (including higher payment limitations). "Southern farmers, whose crops are far more costly than those produced in other regions, will benefit from the higher level of support," Lincoln said.
*Conservation. "The 2002 Farm Bill includes a variety of measures that will strengthen conservation programs. Among those measures are an increase in the acreage caps of the Wetlands Reserve Program and the Conservation Reserve Program."
*Nutrition. A $6.4 billion nutrition title will enhance the food stamp program, increase funding for the Emergency Food Assistance program, provide additional commodities in the school lunch program and increase funding for the Senior and Women, Infants and Children nutrition programs.
*Rural development. The $1.03 billion rural development title will promote broadband service and local television access in rural areas, develop small business and local economies, fund rural firefighters and emergency personnel and expedite applications for water and wastewater programs.
*Energy. The $450 million energy title will promote biodiesel fuel use along with investment in renewable energy systems and improvements in energy efficiency," Lincoln said.
Following the meeting on the farm bill, Lincoln will be briefed on welfare reform by the Lee County Community Development Corporation.
In two races which were waiting on results from Phillips County, one incumbent was apparently unseated while one incumbent won in Tuesday's Democratic Primary.
According to unofficial results, in the District 16 Senate race, Marianna farmer Steve Higginbotham pulled 2,185 votes in Phillips County to 1,356 for incumbent Alvin Simes and 146 for Forrest City banker Gordon McCoy. This unofficially gave Higginbotham enough votes to be the clear winner in the Democratic race for Senate District 16, without a runoff.
The final unofficial totals were 6,078 for Higginbotham, 4,275 for Simes and 1,398 for McCoy.
In the other race, District Judge Baird Kinney pulled 1,759 votes in Phillips County, while his opponent, Todd Hughes Murray, received 3,458. However, in spite of Murray's strong showing in Phillips County, Kinney still won the over-all vote, 12,824-8,399.
In St. Francis County, Higginbotham took 2,354 votes to 1,536 for Simes and 778 for McCoy in his home county. In Lee County, Higginbotham's home county, Higginbotham took 1,216, Simes took 734 and McCoy finished with 162. In Crittenden County, Simes came back, taking 649 votes to 323 for Higginbotham and 312 for McCoy. Simes ran into problems in his own home county of Phillips, however.
Problems with the voting machines caused the ballots in Phillips to be hand counted.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Problems with rust in the Kittle Road water tank have halted the painting of the structure until repairs can be made, members of the Forrest City Water Commission learned during their monthly meeting this week.
Forrest City Water Utility Manager Jim Beazley said rust in the roof of the tank found during sandblasting as preparation for painting caused the work on the tank to stop.
"When the crew was in there sandblasting, they found a section that needs to be repaired before they can continue painting. They finished painting the shell of the tank and primed the roof, but that was all they were able to do. They did deduct $20,000 from the price they were charging us, but they can't finish the work until the repairs are done," Beazley said.
Beazley also told commissioners that the repairs to the roof would be in the range of $100,000, and that a new tank would cost an estimated $1.6 million to construct. Beazley told commissioners the tank could be put back in operation after it is disinfected.
A Forrest City High School student was arrested Wednesday morning after allegedly making verbal and written threats at the school.
The Forrest City Police Department reported the 17-year-old was charged with terroristic threatening after he allegedly stood up in class and said, "If I had a gun, I'd shoot up the school."
After the student was sent to the principal's office, school personnel searched him, his backpack and his locker for weapons, but found no weapons. However, officials did find where the student had allegedly written several references in his notebook regarding shooting and killing people. These entries were described by police as "graphic descriptions of violence."
After the student was processed at the police department, he was released to his family and told to meet with juvenile intake officers who police reported planned to seek counseling for the teenager.
Steve Hollowell of 1825 Montrose Drive, Forrest City, has announced his candidacy for election to the city council as alderman for Ward 3, Position 1, subject to the Nov. 5 general election.
Hollowell is a lifelong resident of Forrest City, and is a real estate broker with Gilmer and Mosley Realty.
He is chairman of the Board of Trustees at East Arkansas Community College. He is a member and past president of the Forrest City Board of Realtors, and is a member of the Forrest City Rotary Club. He is a graduate of LeadAR, a leadership development program sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas. He is also a current member of the St. Francis County Election Commission.
"As an alderman my goal would be to serve the people of Ward 3," said Hollowell. "I have always been interested in public service and look forward to working with the mayor, the city council and all the voters of Forrest City."
Hollowell is married to the former Eva Hollis, a registered nurse with Baptist Memorial Hospital. They have one son, Adam, who is 4.
Bells will ring for the last time this school year on Friday as students in the Forrest City School District begin their summer vacation.
Classes will dismiss at 2 p.m. Friday and will resume again in August.
Other school districts in St. Francis County will be in class next week.
Calvary Christian Schools will dismiss on Tuesday, May 28. Classes will let out at 2 p.m.
In the Palestine-Wheatley School District, classes will be dismissed at the normal time on Friday, May 31.
Hughes students will have to make up one day at the end of the school year. The last day of school in Hughes will be on Saturday, June 1.
Two people were sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Corrections during circuit court hearings Wednesday at the St. Francis County Courthouse.
Steven Henderson, 27, of Forrest City, was arrested in September 2000 on a charge of attempted murder for engaging in violent group activity. This charge was amended and reduced to second-degree battery, and Henderson was ordered to serve five years in the state prison.
Marcus Powell, 25, of Hughes, was sentenced to three years in prison for theft of property under $500 and two counts of commercial burglary. The charges were merged.
Both subjects were given credit for time served.
In a short meeting this week, the Forrest City Library Board voted to close Wednesday, May 29, due to a customer service workshop in Jonesboro. All library staff will attend the workshop which is specifically designed for library personnel.
In addition, the library will also be closed on Saturday, May 25, and Monday, May 27, for the Memorial Day holiday.
In other news, board members learned the Summer Reading Program, which will feature art by local artists, has a June 1 signup date.