Arkansas State Police confiscated an estimated $160,000 in cocaine during a routine traffic stop Thursday morning near Widener.
A trooper working Interstate 40 stopped the 1993 Buick driven by Angel Pineda, 30, of Ingleside, Ill., about 11:45 a.m., at the 247 eastbound mile marker.
Pineda gave the trooper consent to search his vehicle where the eight kilos of cocaine were found. According to State Police, each kilo was uncut and is valued at $20,000 each.
The trooper said he stopped the vehicle for following too closely, and when he approached the driver, he noticed contraband and the smell of fresh paint on the old car.
The vehicle was then taken to ASP Troop D Headquarters in Forrest City where the kick panels on the car were cut open and 18 packages of cocaine were found.
Pineda is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
He is scheduled to appear in St. Francis County District Court
on Thursday.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
County road department finances took a hit yesterday when Treasurer Ann Harbin received only a partial payment of County Special Distribution funds for the month of November.
According to a memo from the Arkansas State Treasury, the turnback payment was significantly reduced this month after the Department of Finance and Administration reported that $30 million in gasoline and diesel fuel tax payments were not processed by Wednesday Nov. 26, which was the last working day of the month due to the Thanksgiving holiday. According to the memo, the payments will be included as part of December's revenues, which will be distributed in January.
Harbin said this morning, that the funds for November were close to $16,000 which is down from the $70,000 to $75,000 normally received.
"The road department normally gets between $70,000 and $75,000, so the road department is going to be short about $55,000 in revenue," Harbin said.
According to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, the shortfall will affect how the department ends the year.
"It hurts us to have this happen at the end of the year when you're trying to get everything balanced out and closed out, but we'll just have to go into county general more and hope that this doesn't happen too often," Cisco said.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A city law against parking tractor-trailers, also known as 18-wheelers, in residential areas is being enforced, according to Forrest City Police Chief Clarence McNeary.
The ordinance was passed at the Aug. 19 city council meeting. No emergency clause was added, meaning the ordinance would take effect in 90 days.
"We've been enforcing it about a month or so," said McNeary.
The law states that no one may "operate, maintain or park a tractor/trailer truck or the tractor or trailer unit separately in any area within the city limits" in any area zoned residential.
Trucks are allowed into residential areas to make deliveries or conduct business, but the law requires the vehicles to be removed after the delivery is completed.
McNeary was responding to some complaints that the law was not being enforced in some areas. He said any citizen who witnesses the law being violated should call the police.
"If citizens see a violation of this ordinance -- if citizens see violations of any ordinance -- just call the police and we'll come check it out," he said. "If we see them and locate them, we'll deal with it."
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Widener City Council this week voted for a water rate increase.
Mayor Dot Halford said the city really had no choice.
"They've been after me since before I became mayor to get a water rate increase," said Halford.
She explained that "they" are the people at USDA Rural Development.
"We have a loan with them, and they're the ones who tell you when you need a rate increase," Halford said. "Finally, we got to the place that we had to do something. We couldn't wait any longer."
She said the water department needs some help, because income has not been matching expenditures.
"If we ever get on our feet good, we can lower those rates," she said.
According to the plan, the minimum water charge remains the same, at $9 for old-line water and $15.10 for new line water. There is an 8 percent increase for water usage.
In addition, the minimum sewer rate is being raised from $7.14 to $9. Sewer usage rates will be increased by about 18 percent.
According to Halford, the average water bill has been $16.21 for old line water, $23.48 for new line water, and the average sewer charge as been $12.81. The new rates will be $17.42 for old line water, $25.05 for new line water and $16.75 for sewer.
The Forrest City City Council will meet Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m. at the city hall.
Among agenda items is the 2004 budget.
Also on the agenda is Delores Morelon of the Forrest City Civic Center Commission, to address attendance and dismissal requirements of commissioners.
The Wheatley City Council convened briefly Thursday night in their last regular meeting of 2003. First on the agenda was Christmas bonuses for city employees.
After a short discussion, the council agreed to give the full-time employees a $400 bonus and the part-time employees a $350 bonus. The one exception was a new police officer that was given $150 because he had just joined the Wheatley Police.
The council also approved the revised city budget for 2003. Next month, the 2004 budget will be discussed.
A Forrest City man was arrested in Colt after a high speed chase Wednesday.
According to the report, at about 2:30 a.m., the Drug Task Force asked the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department for help in apprehending a vehicle traveling on Ark. Highway 306 west of Colt. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but it kept going.
The officers pursued the vehicle, a white SUV, on Hwy. 306, at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour, according to the report.
The vehicle finally pulled in at the Exxon Station at Colt. Arrested was Derrick A. Boyd, 29, of 973 Victor in Forrest City. He was charged with fleeing, reckless driving and possession and delivery of a controlled substance. Officers found a loaded .357 magnum revolver lying on the driver's side floor in plain view, and Boyd was also charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm. Boyd was bound over to circuit court on a $25,000 bond.