By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Members of the Community Relations Board of the Federal Correctional Institution at Forrest City received an update Thursday on the status of the medium-security facility which is now under construction.
Cole Jeter, who recently arrived as warden of the low and minimum-security facilities, said there would be a separate warden for the new facility.
"Let me assure you there will be another warden for the new facility," Jeter said. "They are looking at identifying the warden for the media in December."
Jeter said the $86.4 million project is almost 80 percent complete, overall. He said the Unicor building (where inmates will work) is 75 percent complete, administration is 80 to 85 percent complete, one housing unit is 70 percent complete, and the other two are 50 and 58 percent complete.
"We are ahead of schedule," he said. "The weather has been most cooperative during the construction phase to allow us to do that."
Construction is scheduled to be completed in June of 2003.
Jeter added that his orientation to his new post is going well.
"I've been inspired by the work ethic of the staff, and I'm very, very pleased to be here," he said.
Jeter introduced the guest speaker, André Stephens, director of the St. Francis County WorkForce Alliance Association.
Stephens talked about the Workforce Alliance, and also expressed his thanks to the prison for helping to supply labor for the Cyber Cafe, an establishment which provides free Internet access and computer training.
He said the Workforce Alliance tries to supply services which people who have been on welfare may need in order to get into the workforce. These include transportation, safe and affordable child care, education and scholarships to single heads of households.
"It's very difficult to put the burden of finding work on a family without transportation" and those other services, Stephens said.
He said the Alliance has also worked with the Forrest City School District on a teen pregnancy prevention campaign, which also made use of Mustang Channel 17.
He said the Cyber Cafe, fills a gap. He said the schools are doing all they can, but that doesn't reach everyone.
"There are a huge number of people in this county who have never sat at a computer," he said.
After Stephens had talked, Jeter said the prison has donated numerous computers to the Forrest City School District and Calvary Christian School.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Rain showers this morning sent Arkansas State Police Troopers with Troop D in Forrest City out in full force on Interstate 40 as many travelers chose the median and ditches over normal interstate travel.
According to Lt. Tommy Wicker with Troop D, in a one-hour period of time, troopers assisted as many as eight vehicles that lost control on the highway.
"It was just a matter of the storm coming in and people not taking the proper precautions. They didn't slow down or anything, and that tends to cause problems on slick highways. It was almost like it was snowing or there was ice on the road," Wicker said. No serious injuries were reported.
On Thursday, there were five reported accidents in Forrest City, including one at the intersection of Broadway and Washington streets which sent a Wynne woman to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Forrest City. According to a report from the Forrest City Police Department, 31-year old Jennifer Davenport was injured transported from the scene of the accident to BMH where she was treated and released.
A housing project, Hughes Meadow Apartments, LTD., has applied for just over $1.3 million from USDA Rural Development for construction.
The apartment complex, if approved, will consist of 25 family units. There will be 12, two bedroom and 12, three bedroom units, and one two bedroom manager's apartment.
The application has been received for review by the East Arkansas Planning and Development District in Jonesboro.
Two men involved in a bizarre come-and-go series of incidents at the St. Francis County Jail have been bound over to circuit court.
Joseph Smith, 33, of Memphis and Tyrone Hall, 24, of Forrest City, were both charged with second-degree escape and bound over with $5,000 bond.
An escape route into and out of the jail was discovered after an apparent burglary at the Forrest City Post Office during the early morning hours Monday.
Smith reportedly told police he had escaped from the jail through a window that had been removed from inside his cell. He claimed that he and other inmates in that cell had been coming and going since Sept. 1.