By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
St. Francis County leaders are attempting to gather support for a regional airport to service St. Francis and Cross counties, a move which has already received support from the Wynne area.
The proposed regional airport was discussed this morning by members of the St. Francis County Transportation Committee in a meeting at the St. Francis County Courthouse.
According to transportation committee chairman Buzz Haven, the airport was discussed at a meeting last week between members of the SFCTC and the Cross County transportation committee. Haven said the Cross County contingent endorsed the idea of a regional airport which could be located in St. Francis County near Colt or Caldwell.
According to Haven, the regional airport idea began for him when the Forrest City Airport attempted an expansion which would have encroached on farm land and a home owned by his family farm.
"For me, this all started when the Forrest City Airport wanted to expand their property, which would have meant giving up some prime farmland and my son's home. I had 80 businesses in the area that were interested in the idea of a regional airport, so I took the idea before the Forrest City Airport Commission and the Cross County Transportation Commission. So far, Cross County has taken the ball and run with it," said Haven.
According to Haven, the FCAC failed to respond to the idea with either negative or positive feedback.
"I went before them with the chairman of the Wynne Airport Commission months ago, and I haven't received a response of yes or no on whether they would endorse it. So far, I've gotten nothing. Judge (Carl) Cisco (St. Francis County Judge) went before them, and he hasn't received a response either. We even tried to contact the chairman of the Forrest City commission about the meeting last week, and none of them were available," added Haven.
When asked by fellow commission member Rausch Hodges if Haven's past with the Forrest City commission might be a roadblock with them, Haven responded, "I'm sure it is, and that's one of the reasons that I asked Judge Cisco to go out and talk to them. I see nothing greater that could happen for both of these counties."
SFCT commissioners voted to explore the possibilities of a regional airport and to seek information on the project. Commissioners also agreed to attempt to meet with the airport commission to get their feelings on the idea. A joint meeting between the Cross County Commission, the St. Francis County Commission and the airport commission was also discussed.
An agenda has been announced for Thursday's forum for the four candidates running for mayor of Forrest City.
The forum will be held beginning at 6 p.m. at the Forrest City Civic Center. The four candidates are the incumbent, Larry Bryant, and challengers Frederick Freeman, Bill Baxter and Chris Oswalt.
The public is invited.
Under the format which will be used, each candidate will have two minutes for opening and closing remarks. In addition, each candidate received three prepared questions, two weeks prior to the forum. Candidates will have two minutes apiece to respond to each question posed by the moderator.
A warning flag will be raised at the one minute, 30-second mark to notify candidates of time remaining. A bell will be sounded at the two-minute mark, and the candidate speaking will be asked to end his remarks.
Numbers have been drawn by the candidates prior to the forum to determine the order of speaking. The audience will be asked to remain quiet during the candidates' remarks.
The floor will not be open for questions from the audience.
These are the three prepared questions which will be asked each candidate:
*What is your commitment to financial support for economic development in our city?
*How do you plan to improve the quality of life in Forrest City?
*What role will the city play in retaining existing business and industry?
A Heber Springs man was arrested Monday after allegedly trying to get a phony prescription filled at a local pharmacy.
According to the Forrest City Police Department report, a call was received at the Harvest Foods Pharmacy, and the caller claimed to be a Dr. David Eades in Heber Springs.
However, the pharmacy employee called Dr. Eades, and Eades reportedly said he didn't know anything about it. Later, when contacted by the Forrest City Police, Eades said that lately, several phony prescriptions have been called in using his name, in Heber Springs, Searcy, Sherwood and now Forrest City.
According to the report, Robert Keith McGough, 35, showed up to get the prescription and was confronted by police.
Police also found the vehicle in which McGough had arrived at Harvest Foods. In the vehicle was a woman, Melissa Cook 29, also known as Melissa Browning, of Heber Springs, and a 4-year-old child thought to be the child of McGough and Cook. Cook was later released and told to contact her probation officer, according to the report.
When interviewed, McGough reportedly admitted calling in the prescription to Harvest Foods. He said he also called in another prescription to Super D, but the pharmacy did not fill it. He reportedly stated that he is addicted to pain killers.
McGough was placed in the county jail and charged with criminal attempt -- fraud to obtain a Schedule III controlled substance. He was also charged with parole violation. The report stated that the case is pending a prosecutor's review on Melissa Cook.
The third week of the Professor Pigskin football contest was very close.
Several readers missed just three of the selected games while many missed only four.
But it was Forrest City's Michael Hill who walked away with the $50 prize, missing just two of the 24 games.
This week's selection of games can be found inside today's Times-Herald.
A local nursing home patient was returned unharmed to her care facility a short time after leaving there Monday afternoon.
Mary Luker, who suffers from Alzheimer's, walked out of the Crestpark Retirement Inn and Residential Care facility with some visitors and asked them for a ride, according to Crestpark officials.
She later flagged down a ride with a local wrecker service driver, telling him she needed a ride home. After driving through several neighborhoods, the lady told the driver to let her out at a residence just off Highway 284. However, the wrecker service driver returned a few minutes later and found the lady walking south on Highway 284.
After notifying authorities of the woman's whereabouts, officials found that she belonged at Crestpark. She was then delivered to the nursing home staff.
Crestpark officials this morning asked visitors to use caution when leaving the facility, especially if they are asked for a ride.
Another arrest has been made in connection with several vehicle break-ins at Forrest City High School.
DeShawn Jones, 18, of 725 Redwood in Forrest City, was arrested at Friday night's Forrest City High School football game. He was charged on warrants for allegedly breaking into several cars at the high school on Sept. 6.