By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Efforts that began seven years ago were finally recognized Wednesday as ground was broken on the 10 and 15 Mile Bayou projects in St. Francis County, just west of Highway 79 near Hughes.
Congressman Marion Berry joined a delegation from the St. Francis Levee District and the United States Corps of Engineers in opening the project, which will replace two bridges in St. Francis County and will help alleviate flooding problems in the St. Francis River Basin.
According to Berry, work to get the funding for the project began in 1996 during his first term in office.
"This is a good example of what happens when you keep working and pushing to get something and don't just quit," said Berry.
"In 1996 when I first got elected, members of the St. Francis County Levee District approached me about the need for work on the 10 Mile Bayou and 15 Mile Bayou. I thought that it was a no-brainer that we would get this done because of the contacts that we had in Washington at the time. We had a lot of support for the project, but it was one of those rocks that you just can't get over the hill. Us being here today is a classic example of if you just don't just give up, you can get stuff done, " Berry said.
According to a press release from the Corps of Engineers, the two bridge replacements will be done as part of an overall project to enlarge 10.9 miles of 15 Mile Bayou and 8.6 miles of 10 Mile Bayou. The purpose of the expansion is to provide increased flood protection to rural and urban areas in the 260-square-mile St. Francis River basin.
Col. Dennis Sumter with the Corps of Engineers praised the cooperative work of both St. Francis and Crittenden counties along with the Levee District for their work to get the project approved.
"Cooperation is the heart of this type of project and everyone involved in this is proof of that. The two county's involved, the Levee District and everyone who worked over the years to get this accomplished should be proud. This work is very important because it will provide flood protection to 260 miles of land in the St. Francis River Basin," said Sumter.
"The credit for this project needs to go to Sam Ashworth and the Levee Board and the people out here that worked to get this done. It's people like that, that make this country great and will keep it prospering for a long time to come," said Berry.
According to Noble, the work is something that was needed and will be appreciated. "Living in Marion, I know that this work is necessary to help protect citizens from flood problems. I've had friends and church members over the past few months that have been affected by flooding, and it's a blessing that we haven't had more serious problems from flooding. This work will help with ease those issues and will definitely help protect the people of Eastern Arkansas," said Noble.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Three schools in the Forrest City School District are among the 126 schools listed as "academically troubled" by the Arkansas Department of Education.
Released Wednesday, the list includes Forrest Hills Elementary, Caldwell Elementary and Forrest City Junior High. While 126 schools are listed, the three local schools are among 109 listed as "Status 1" schools, meaning it is their first time on the list.
The overall list increased from 25 last year to 126 this year.
Forrest City Superintendent Lee Vent was out of town at a meeting today, but Deputy Superintendent Dr. Alice Barnes said work will be done to get the three schools back up to standards.
"Basically, the three schools that failed to meet the standards will start to break down the data into parts, look at the different components and skills subgroups, and try to identify certain populations or subgroups that are causing the schools to fall below the standards," Barnes said.
"And after that, we will target the students or groups and do some remediation," she continued. "It could include after school programs, small in-school group sessions, in addition to looking at the curriculum to make sure it is aligned with the test. We've done a lot of work on curriculum alignment."
She said they would also be investigating some things that other schools have done.
"We actually have made some improvements from last year, and we're hoping that each year we can make greater improvements. Our goal is to have all our schools meeting the standards."
The state Education Department was identifying low-performing schools as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The academically troubled list includes schools from 64 of the state's 308 districts.
Other schools on the list in this area include Palestine-Wheatley Junior High, Strong Middle School in Marianna, and Parkin Elementary and Junior-Senior High. Affected schools may appeal.
Also, a "significant number" of other schools is expected to be added to the list in the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime, superintendents from around the state were to meet in Little Rock today to try coming up with a plan that they believe is the fairest way to fulfill a court mandate to revamp public schools.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Gov. Mike Huckabee's decision to call a special session beginning Dec. 8 to deal with education reform has left a local lawmaker wondering if that might not be rushing the state Legislature.
The Arkansas Supreme Court has given the state until Jan. 1 to solve what it called unequal funding and inadequate education across the state.
State Rep. Danny Ferguson said he would have liked for the session to begin earlier.
"Of course, the governor calls the shots on the date for a special session," said Ferguson. "Personally, I would like to attack it a little sooner, so our backs aren't against the wall with the Christmas holidays and a Jan. 1 court deadline."
Ferguson said there are two "huge debates" facing the Legislature over education reform. One is the academic question.
"The other one is the funding portion of it," he said. "And that is a tough piece of this puzzle, with the kind of money they're talking about -- major, major tax increases. We first have to form a consensus on what the reform package is going to be, and then we have to turn around and fund it."
When asked if he thinks the governor is trying to pressure the Legislature into acting quickly by such a late call, Ferguson said, "I wouldn't speculate on that. I, myself would like to tackle it in November, but I'm just one of 135."
Ferguson said he has heard some rumblings from other lawmakers that the session might be a little late. And he said he wasn't sure the Legislature would be able to dispense with problem quickly.
"I would be surprised if we walk in there and are voting on a package in a couple of days," he said. "Unless the skids are really greased between now and then, I do not see anything coming out in just a few days. There is quite a bit of time between now and December. And I know a lot of work is going to be done on it. But at this point, in my opinion, we're still pretty far away from a consensus."
Meanwhile, according to the Associated Press, Huckabee said the Dec. 8 date would give legislators more time to decide how to comply with the court ruling.
''This way we're going to have that opportunity that the Legislature can join with me in coming up with a remedy that we can all live with that meets the court challenge,'' he said. ''If we can't find a legislative remedy, then I'm fully prepared to try to engage the voters of this state in a citizens initiative to get it on the ballot'' for November 2004.
Huckabee, just back from the National Governors Association conference in Indianapolis, jokingly compared the Legislature to racers in the Indianapolis 500 -- ''a bunch of grown people going around in circles making lots of noise with no particular destination.''
Dale Arnold, an Arkansas State Police Special Agent, was presented the Arkansas State Trooper of the Year Award for 2002 during ceremonies in North Little Rock Wednesday.
Arnold, 47, of Wynne, holds the rank of corporal and is assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division, headquartered in Little Rock, and works out of the Troop D office in Forrest City.
Arnold was among 39 ASP employees, three specialty units and eight citizens at large who were recognized at the agency's annual awards ceremony.
Arnold, a 19-year ASP veteran, was nominated by his supervisor, Special Agent Paul Curtis. Curtis wrote, "Special Agent Arnold is an extremely dedicated trooper and has an outstanding work ethic which reflects well on our department. If there is a major criminal occurrence in the eastern region of my company, I know Special Agent Arnold will respond to it immediately, whether on duty or off, and I will have an assessment of the situation forthcoming immediately."
Among the noteworthy cases headed up by Arnold during 2002 was a January triple homicide in St. Francis County that led to the arrest of three out-of-state fugitives. In addition, a check-kiting scheme that spread across several east Arkansas counties was handled by Arnold and culminated in the arrest of 12 suspects.
In addition, Trooper First Class Mike Kennedy of Forrest City was awarded an official Commendation for his commitment to service and duty in St. Francis County during 2002.
Kennedy is credited with 110 felony arrests and 459 misdemeanor arrests last year. During the same reporting period, Kennedy logged 137 DWI/DUI arrests and seized more than 500 pounds of illegal drugs.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The ongoing battle between St. Francis County and B&B Disposal, based in Jonesboro, has taken another turn after St. Francis County Attorney Fletcher Long filed a lawsuit in St. Francis County Circuit Court.
According to the lawsuit, the county is seeking an unspecified amount in damages from B&B for excessively charging the county for excessive trash carts allegedly located in St. Francis County which either were not in place at all, or which should have been billed to individual citizens as opposed to the county.
The lawsuit also seeks repayment for expenses incurred by the county for collecting carts and garbage left in the county after B&B's contract was canceled, in February, to the tune of $8,926.69. Another $12,147.08 in charges that the county paid to King Disposal , II LLC, for collecting B&B carts is also being sought.
Problems with B&B arose last fall when complaints on their service poured in to the St. Francis County Judge's Office. After attempts to rectify any issues, the county's contract with B&B was canceled by the Quorum Court in February. Justices voted to replace B&B with King Disposal which is based in Palestine.
Today's edition of the Times-Herald contains our annual salute to agriculture, specifically the 2003 St. Francis County Farm Family of the Year, the Darrell and Debbie Gore family of Palestine.
Numerous advertisers also made the section possible, and they are:
Airtherm; Arkansas Concrete; Bosnick; Broadway Boot-N-Shoe; Brothers Implement; Carl Cisco, St. Francis County Judge; Case-Heartland Equipment; Catfish Island; Chez Weenie; Clark Oil; Colony Shop; Davis Irrigation; Dearl & Harold Auto Electric Service; Debbie's Flowers; Diamond D Wrecker;
East Arkansas Insurance; Wanda Eddleman; Entergy; Erwin Keith; Farm Bureau; Farm Credit Midsouth; Farmers Supply; First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas; First National Bank of Wynne; Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce; Forrest City Bank; Forrest City Family Practice Clinic Dr. George Conner; Food Giant; Darrell and Debbie Gore; Earl Gore; Gray's Service Center;
Hobbs Equipment; Honda of Forrest City; Howard Miller Insurance; Earnest Howton and Family; J & J Enterprise; J & P Flash Market; the Jarrett Family; Jayroe and Co. Professional Business Consultants; Judy's Antiques and Gifts; Jumper Well Service; Lindsey Brothers Gin; Kenne Long Heat and Air; Joyce Long Real Estate; Machen Ford and Chrysler; Mary Nell Meyer; B.J. Michaelis and Sons Farm; the Michaelis Family; Mike's Family Foods; NAPA Auto Parts Store;
City of Palestine; Dave Parkman, Sheriff; Paula's Hair Care; Pearson Insurance; Dr. and Mrs. Donald Perkins and staff; Producers Rice; Producers Tractor; Racer's Ag Service; Ray Houser; Riceland Wheatley; Ridout; Ruby's Flowers and Gifts; St. Francis County Farmer's Co-Op; SBC; Sears; Stacie's Styling Studio; Sonic; Steve Jones Chevrolet; Taylor-Casbeer; Times-Herald Printing; Triple G Farms; Vel-Rich Jewelers; Mike Walker Family; Western Auto; Wholesale Metal and Woodruff Cooperative Corporation.