By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The North East Arkansas Recycling Center, (NEARCO) was named as the Government Recycler of the Year during an awards banquet given by the Arkansas Recycling Coalition, Tuesday.
The awards ceremony, which honors recycling centers statewide, was given in DeGray State Park, and awards went to corporate recyclers as well as recycling educators. According to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, NEARCO, in its third year of existence, was selected over several institutions that have been operating for several years.
"It really was an honor to receive this award because we've come so far so fast," Cisco said. "We've worked really hard to build this, and it's beginning to pay off for the county and also for area businesses."
According to Cisco, NEARCO, which was runner up in the category last year, is currently serving five counties. Cisco also said that the facility has increased the volume that they handle and hope to continue to build on the successes of their first three years.
"Our main goal is to help businesses save money and increase their profits, while also providing a service and making a profit off of the cardboard we recycle. The program has worked well so far and we hope to continue with this success and hopefully be able to increase and expand our program so that we can better serve St. Francis County," Cisco said.
Through September of this year, NEARCO had generated over $148,000 in sales and recycled close to 2,000 tons of material. According to figures provided by NEARCO, the center has sold 1,718.60 tons of cardboard; 50.58 tons of old newsprint; 72.22 tons of shredded office paper; 16.74 tons of stretch wrap and 89.54 tons of packing foam, generating $148,657.05 in sales.
Use of the center has also decreased the cost to the county
for landfill usage by $48,692.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
The second of three men accused in the deaths of three men in Crow Creek last December has been sentenced to prison.
Steven D. Neal, 36, of Marianna, was sentenced to 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections on Thursday in the deaths of Dylan A. Boyd, 31, Carl Boyd, 21, and Dewayne Stewart, 27. The three men were shot to death at the Boyd residence in Crow Creek on Dec. 7.
Neal was originally charged with three counts of capital murder, but those charges were reduced to second-degree murder, and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison on each murder charge. However, the 20-year sentences are scheduled to run concurrently, meaning the total sentence for Neal on the murders is 20 years.
However, Neal was also sentenced to 15 years in the ADC on previous charges of fleeing, criminal impersonation and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Those charges were merged into one count, and he was sentenced to 15 years for that arrest. That sentence is to run consecutive to the sentence for the murders, meaning Neal could spend a total of 35 years in prison on both cases.
Kevin Mosby, 31, of Forrest City, was the first suspect sentenced in the triple murders. He pled guilty to the Crow Creek murders and the theft of a van involved in the case, and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He received 20 years for each of the three murders, and like Neal, those sentences are scheduled to run concurrently. The second 20 years was for the theft of the van.
A third suspect, Jimmy Mills, 31, has not been tried or sentenced for the murders.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The St. Francis County Health Unit will begin providing flu shots Monday, Nov. 18.
The hours of the clinic will be 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The cost will be $10. Nursing home employees will not be charged.
The Health Department is encouraging all individuals to get their flu shots; however, there are groups that are at an increased risk for developing complications from influenza, and those people are urged to get their shots.
The high-risk group includes: Persons aged 65 and older; residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities; adults and children who have chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular system, including asthma; adults and children who require regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic diseases including diabetes, renal dysfunction, hemoglobinopathies and immunodeficiency caused by medications or HIV/AIDS.
Others in the high-risk group include: Children and teenagers (6 months to 18 years) who re receiving long term aspirin therapy and therefore may be at risk for developing Rye Syndrome after influenza infection; Women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the flu season; persons who can transmit the flu to those at high risk, including health care workers, employees of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities, employees of assisted laving facilities and other residences for persons in high-risk groups and household members (including children) of persons in high-risk groups.
It is also suggested that persons in high-risk groups get a vaccination to protect them against bacterial pneumonia.
According to a press release from the Health Department, influenza season in Arkansas usually states in late December. It takes about one to two weeks for a person to develop protection after receiving the shot.
Background checks not necessary in FC programs
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
As Little League Baseball programs nationwide make a move toward background checks for all adults with Little League, a difference in programs used will keep volunteers in Forrest City from undergoing the checks for the time being.
In October, Little League Baseball announced that all Little League managers, coaches and volunteers must be checked against state lists of convicted sex offenders. Officials with Little League have looked to the Arkansas State Police in an effort to comply with the international rule.
According to Forrest City Recreation Department Director Kenneth Taylor, Forrest City programs will not be affected by the ruling because all Forrest City programs are governed under Cal Ripken and Babe Ruth guidelines, which currently don't call for mandatory background checks. According to Taylor, volunteers for city programs are currently selected on recommendations from citizens and from past experience working with the program.
"Since we work with Cal Ripken and Babe Ruth we don't have to do those checks, but we are pretty selective in who we choose to work with our children. Everyone that works with the program, be it as a coach, or as an umpire or in whatever aspect, is someone who has been given a good recommendation or we have personal knowledge of. Protecting the children out there is very important so we try to get as much information on our people as we can," Taylor said. League officials anticipate that as many as 3,000 people who work with Arkansas Little League will undergo checks over the next several months. Volunteers will be required to fill out a state police background check questionnaire and have it notarized. League officials will then review the results of the check to determine if the person can work with the organization. According to Taylor, a move to implement the mandatory checks could lessen the number of volunteers available to the program.
"Although this is a good move, it's something that could also keep people from volunteering to coach. There are people out there that would decide not to coach if they had to do a background check, because they might have something on there record that they did in their youth. Those same people may have turned their lives around and be productive members of society now, but this would scare them off," Taylor said.
According to Taylor, recreation rules currently prohibit individuals with felony convictions from working with the program. State police conduct about 100,000 background checks each year. The checks are required for teachers, social workers and others who have on-the-job contact with children.
A 19-year old man wanted in connection with an Illinois murder was apprehended Thursday at a residence in Caldwell.
Gregory L. Murray, 19, of East St. Louis, Ill., was arrested Thursday when officers with Arkansas State Police Troop D served a federal warrant for capital murder at 5202 SFC 255 in Caldwell. According to ASP Investigator Dale Arnold, state police officials were notified about a week ago that Murray might be in the area.
"We were originally notified that he might be around here about a week ago, but we were able to confirm his location a couple of days ago. Once we confirmed that location, then we staked the location out and were able to apprehend him."
Murray was wanted on a federal warrant in connection with the murder of a man over three kilos of cocaine, according to reports. Arnold said troopers were able to avoid a confrontation with Murray when he surrendered to officers although there was a firearm located on the bed beside him.
"When we busted in we found him in a back bedroom sitting on bed with a loaded shotgun beside him. He had his hands up and didn't offer any resistance to being arrested. It was a relief because it could have been a bad situation," Arnold said.
According to Arnold, officers collected the shotgun, which was stolen, two ounces of powder cocaine, marijuana and other drug paraphernalia from the residence. Arnold said further arrests will be made in connection with the Murray arrest.
Pantry issues call for help
The holiday season is fast approaching, and the Food Pantry is in need of help, according to Catherine Freeman.
"People are coming in right and left," she said. "We're seeing 20-30 families daily, and it's eating us out of house and home. We need help, help, help. Thanksgiving and Christmas are right on us."
An officer with the Forrest City Correctional Institute-Forrest City and his wife, a Forrest City native, were found dead Wednesday, at their home in Wynne, the victims of an apparent murder-suicide.
According to reports from the Wynne Police Department, the bodies of James Jack, 28, and his wife, Ester Jack, 35, were both found at a residence on Maple Drive Wednesday. According to the report, WPD Chief Mike Bachand was called to the residence at 210 Maple Drive in Wynne on a concern of welfare call at 6:24 Wednesday night. When no one answered the door, officers contacted the property owner who let officers into the home were the couples' bodies were found.
According to the report, James Jacks was discovered on the floor of the computer/weight room and he had been shot at least twice in the back. Ester Jack's body was found in the living room, with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to the report, a 9 mm handgun was recovered near Ester Jack's body.