By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The possibility of East Arkansas Community College offering daytime courses in Wynne is a step closer to reality.
"In September of 2001, the board had some discussion at that time about wanting to offer some daytime courses in Cross County, most specifically in Wynne," said Grace. "Of course, we've offered courses up there at night for a long time. But we wanted to offer day classes. At that time the board gave us the authority to look for space to lease in the Wynne area. We've worked on two or three possible projects since then, and this is the one that has materialized."
The Cross County Economic Development Corporation has announced that subject to approval by the Cross County Quorum Court, it will offer to purchase the former K-Mart building on South Falls Boulevard in Wynne.
The Cross County group wants to convert the building into several different learning centers. The University of Arkansas and the Workforce Investment Board, along with EACC, would be among those using the center.
Grace talked about the uses EACC could make of the space.
"We hope we could then offer daytime courses to the residents of Cross County who are unable to commute to Forrest City," he said. "We would also be involved with Cross County Development and the University of Arkansas Engineering Department, to offer credit and noncredit training in business and industry. And it wouldn't be limited to Cross County. We would want everyone in this area to participate."
Grace said the possibilities are not specific at this time, "because it is in the development stage as to just where this will take us. But it's an opportunity to bring some technical training and work with the Genesis Center, which is part of the University of Arkansas."
In a best-case scenario, he said there would even be the possibility of EACC offering lower division engineering courses, along with upper division courses from the U of A. EACC could also offer credit and non-credit courses in business and industry training.
"It's one of those ventures where we don't know exactly where the end will be, but we know it's a positive step," said Grace. "They have acquired some space and we've been involved in the discussion that if the space became available we would be interested in being housed with these groups. And the answer is yes, we would."
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A Forrest City man was stabbed to death during an altercation with a family member Thursday night, according to the Forrest City Police Department.
Louis Dinwiddie, 39, of 125 Poplar Street, was pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City.
The police were called to the home on Poplar Street just before midnight in reference to a stabbing. The victim was found with an apparent stab wound to the chest.
After talking to the other residents of the house, Walter Dinwiddie Jr., 35, of the same address, was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder. Walter Dinwiddie is Louis Dinwiddie's brother.
After talking to witnesses, police reportedly determined that there had been a disagreement between the two over some food, which escalated into name calling and violence.
A wooden-handled butcher knife is believed to have been the weapon.
Walter Dinwiddie is scheduled for arraignment in Forrest City District Court on Monday, Oct. 7 at 1:30 p.m.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The expected lawsuit by the City of Forrest City to have two candidates -- or one candidate, depending on the court's decision -- thrown off the November ballot, was filed Thursday in St. Francis County Circuit Court.
The suit claims that only two candidates for alderman, incumbents John Gadberry and Roy Hancock, filed during both filing periods created by a conflict in state law.
Named as plaintiffs are Gadberry and Hancock, along with the rest of the city council, the mayor and the city itself.
Named as defendants are the St. Francis County Election Commission and its members, Joe Young, Bettye Proctor and Paul Spears, County Clerk Elizabeth Smith, and candidates Bobby Ray Woodard, Henry Peacock and Clifton Avant.
The suit alleges that the City of Forrest City passed ordinances in 1986 and 1994, both allowed by the state Legislature, naming the deadline for independent filings for municipal offices at noon on the day before the preferential primary.
Forrest City has independent elections. The suit further alleges that the legislature amended the law, providing that independent candidates for municipal office may file not more than 80 or less than 60 days prior to the general election. According to the suit, this action by the Legislature created a conflict on filing periods.
According to the suit, Gadberry filed during both periods for reelection to the Ward 4, position 2 seat. Likewise, Hancock filed for reelection to Ward 1, position 1, during both periods. The suit says they are the only city council candidates who filed during both periods.
The suit states that Woodard, who is running against Gadberry, and Avant, who is running against Hancock, filed during the second period only. The suit further claims that Peacock, who is also running against Hancock, filed only during the first filing period.
The suit seeks to have the first filing period -- the one adopted by the city council which says the deadline is at noon the day before the primary -- upheld, which means that Woodard and Avant would not be eligible as candidates. However, if the second filing period -- 60 to 80 days before the election -- is upheld, the suit asks that Peacock be declared ineligible as a candidate.
The lawsuit does not address what will happen if the judge decides to allow both filing periods to stand, although apparently all candidates will remain eligible.
During the last city council meeting, City Attorney Christopher Morledge said it was practically a certainty that the Legislature will address the issue of conflicting filing periods during the upcoming session.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
St. Francis County has received more than $8,200 in additional funds for the May preferential primary, according to officials with the State Election Commission.
Susan Stormme with the state commission said an additional $8,256 was sent to the county for reimbursement of funds from the May primary. According to Stormme, the funds were sent after paperwork confirming charges that were originally submitted to the state were provided.
In August, the county received a check for $642.58 for reimbursement which left them $15,073.19 short of the requested $15,717.77. The additional funds will still leave the county $7,461.77 short of the money spent by the election commission.
According to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, the remaining funds would come from the county's general account. Cisco also said that he was under the impression that the county commission was submitting information that would pay the county the remaining $7,400.
"It was my understanding from the election commission that they were going to submit some more information that would get the difference reimbursed, If we don't get that then the county will be responsible for it," Cisco said.
The county is currently awaiting reimbursements for the June runoff election, but according to Stormme, there has been no correspondence from the county commission seeking reimbursement.
"We haven't received any bills for the runoff yet, so we can't reimburse the county," Stormme said.
According to Judy Armstrong, St. Francis County Election Coordinator, the paperwork was submitted and Armstrong said that she was unsure why the state commission hadn't received it.
"I sent that information off a while ago, and I'm not sure what the mix-up is. I may need to resend everything so that we can get the ball rolling," Armstrong said.
Armstrong also said that ballots for the November general election have been sent to the printer. The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, with early voting starting Monday, Oct. 21, and ending on Monday, Nov. 4. Early voting hours will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
State highway crews scraped a layer of pavement off a portion of North Washington this week.
According to Ray Woodruff, district engineer with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, the work was necessary.
"That pavement has rutted, and of course it was holding water when it rained," said Woodruff. "And the surface had become somewhat slick, and it didn't have much skid resistance on it."
According to Woodruff, the work will probably remain as-is, at least for now.
"Right now, we'll probably leave it like that," he said. "Sometimes, when we take this (a layer of pavement) off, the pavement will start deteriorating faster than normal. And if we start having problems with it, then we'll come in and overlay it."