By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
With only one day left before the runoff elections in Hughes and Forrest City, close to 1,000 voters have turned out for early voting.
With only a week to cast early ballots, Forrest City voters have flooded the St. Francis County Clerk's office since last Tuesday, casting ballots in the lone runoff for Forrest City, the mayor's race between incumbent Larry Bryant and his challenger, Bill Baxter. According to St. Francis County Clerk Elizabeth Smith, the flow of voters has been good for the last week.
"It's just really been a steady flow, we've had lines a few times, but they've moved along well and we've been able to get voters in and out," Smith said.
According to Smith, at the start of voting this morning, 889 voters had cast ballots. As of 9 a.m. the number had eclipsed 900, at 913. Although there are two races in Hughes also in runoffs, Smith said that the majority of voters have been voting in the Forrest City race.
"I would have to say that just about everyone that has come in and early voted has been from Forrest City. The race for mayor is a tight race, and Forrest City does have the largest number of registered voters, so that's to be expected," Smith said.
According to Smith, there are close to 8,000 registered voters in Forrest City, which is almost half of the 18,005 registered voters in the county.
Tuesday voting in Forrest City will take place at the Forrest City Civic Center and at Christ Church.
Hughes voters will select two council positions Tuesday. In Ward 3, Position 1, Irene G. Combs and Gary B. Barkley will face off and in Ward 3, Position 2 at large, Ray Charles Robinson and Jon E. Tate are the candidates.
Area law enforcement agencies will once again join forces to enforce seat belt and child restraint laws during the holidays through the Click It or Ticket program.
According to a press release from the Forrest City Police Department, the program began today in Forrest City and will end on Monday, Dec. 2.
"We will have officers working overtime under the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program. They will be targeting violators of the seat belt and child restraint laws, we have grant money to work this program, and we are going to be very aggressive in our enforcement efforts," said Lt. Eddie Adamson with the FCPD.
"This Thanksgiving season is going to kick off our increased enforcement efforts under the Click It or Ticket campaign, but the program will actually be a year-long program so driver's can expect officers to be enforcing traffic safety issues throughout the year," Adamson added.
According to the press release, agencies in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and the Indian Nations will be participating the campaign. Over the past few years, several changes have been made to Arkansas seat belt and child restraint laws. Those include:
* Every person sitting in the front seat of a vehicle must wear a seat belt.
* All children under 15 years of age must be secured with a seat belt or in a child safety seat, whether they are sitting in the front or back seats.
* Any child less than six years of age and less than 60 pounds must be properly secured in a child safety seat.
* Drivers can be stopped and ticketed for a seat belt violation if any passengers under 15 years of age are not buckled up or properly restrained.
* Drivers and passengers 15 years old and over who are not wearing seat belts in the front seat can be ticketed and fined $25 if they are stopped for another violation.
According to the press release, the fine for a child safety seat violation or for unrestrained passengers under 15, is $175 in St. Francis County District Court.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A Forrest City man is seeking a further hearing on his suit claiming discrimination on the part of the Forrest City Housing Authority.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently ruled 2-1 that Michael Gray failed to present sufficient evidence supporting his claims. However, the dissenting judge stated that he believed Gray created "a triable issue," and said further proceedings were called for.
Gray was hired as a grant coordinator for the FCHA in October of 1999. and was later discharged.
Gray, who is black, claimed he was put on probation and later fired after he filed for a school board position against a white incumbent. He also claimed that racial slurs were used against him. Gray submitted affidavits of three FCHA tenants who said Gray set up and reactivated programs and performed his job well.
Two defendants, FCHA Director Janet Duncan, who is white, and Assistant Director Wayne McNeary, who is black, claimed that he was placed on probation and fired because of poor job performance.
The two-judge majority stated that Gray "presented insufficient evidence that the reason give by Duncan and McNeary for his discharge was a pretext for intentional discrimination."
However, the dissenting judge stated that the FCHA personnel policy seemed to have been violated by the 90-day probation. The judge also stated that "defendants failed to provide any evidence -- other than their attestations and deposition testimony -- that Gray's performance was deficient."
Gray said he is requesting a rehearing "en banc," meaning before the entire court of appeals. He had not received an answer by deadline.
As they do annually, the St. Francis County Food Pantry and several area churches are cooperating to serve free Thanksgiving dinners this year.
This year's dinners will be served Wednesday, Nov. 27, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., except for Salem Baptist, at Haven and Broadway streets, which will serve its dinners on Thursday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Although the dinners are open to anyone, they are meant especially for those in need.
The churches serving on Wednesday include Madison Light, First Baptist at Cross and Grant streets, Lane Chapel on Scott Street, New Light on Day Street, Church of God on Whitaker Street, and Prosperity Church on SFC 224.
Students in the Forrest City School District will be dismissed Tuesday for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Classes will be dismissed at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, and resume at the regular time on Monday, Dec. 2. District and school offices will be closed Wednesday through Friday.
The Forrest City Planning Commission is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday at city hall.
Commissioners will discuss a variance request for the placement of a sign at 1911 N. Washington, and hear from Carey Vandiver, who is requesting permission to tear down an existing building at 120 N. West St., and replace it with a metal building.