Operating under a different format, the 24th annual Agricultural Exposition will be held on Thursday this week at the Forrest City Civic Center.
The event has traditionally been held over two days, and usually in February.
According to Mitch Crow, county Extension agent-staff chairman, the production meetings which usually are held during the Expo will be scheduled for other times.
"We're trying to do more cutting-edge type programs," he said.
This year's theme is "Making the Most with Diversification and Conservation."
Beginning at 8 a.m. on Jan. 30 and continuing until noon, the topic of the programs will be "Farm Bill -- Conservation Programs." Topics will include CRP/On Farm Storage; EQIP/Technical Service Providers; Partners Program; Hunting Leases; Wildlife Habitat; and Restoring the Delta. There will be times for discussion and question, and also time to visit the exhibits.
The afternoon sessions will last from 1:30 until 4:45, and the topic will be "Water Management." Individual topics will include Polyacrylamide; Center Pivot Irrigation (Cotton); Drip Irrigation; Water Rights; and No-Till/Conservation Till. The afternoon sessions will also have time for discussion and questions, and for visiting the exhibits.
Speakers at the sessions will be experts in their fields, including the Cooperative Extension Service, Ducks Unlimited, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the Farm Service Agency, Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, U.S. Forestry Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service and agricultural engineers from the University of Missouri and Mississippi State University.
As usual, there will be exhibits inside and outside, featuring the newest farm machinery and equipment. The indoor manufacturer's booths will have displays of products.
The Expo Planning Committee is made up of Extension agents from St. Francis, Crittenden, Cross, Lee and Monroe counties.
According to the local Extension office, exhibitors will include the following: 21st Century Wireless, Arkansas Agricultural Statistics Service, Cache River Valley Seed, Delta & Pine Land Co., Farm Credit Midsouth, Geisler Brothers, Gustafson LLC, Martin Industries, Natafim, Rice Tec, St. Francis County Conservation District, St. Francis County Farm Bureau Women's Committee, St. Francis County Farmers Assn., Stonevill Pedigreed Seed Co., Sygentia, Triumph Seed Co., Inc., University of Arkansas Soil Test Lab, Wallace Specialty Equipment Co., Machen Ford & Chrysler, Steve Jones Chevrolet and Western Auto.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Changes in hiring practices and restructuring of the personnel policy handbook are two of the issues that will be addressed in the coming months by the St. Francis County Quorum Court's Personnel Committee.
Committee Chairperson Earline Smith, in the committee's first meeting of the year on Tuesday, told members that concerns over hiring practices at the courthouse have been mentioned to her by members of the community.
Smith questioned elected officials as to how they advertise for any open positions. Each of the elected officials said they had different ways of advertising, ranging from posting the positions on the bulletin board at the courthouse and with the Employment Security Division, used by SFC County Judge Carl Cisco, to posting the positions in the Times-Herald, which County Assessor Craig Jones said he uses.
"I've always had a lot of success with posting any openings in the newspaper. The last time we had a position available, I ran it in the newspaper for the required two-weeks period, and in that time, I received 30 or 40 applicants from which I selected who would be interviewed based on their qualifications," Jones said.
The matter was tabled by the committee along with discussions on the personnel policy handbook and an evaluation of salary increases.
The committee will meet again on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m. in the Quorum Court Room at the courthouse.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
A request for a variance from a required 20-foot landscape buffer was discussed by the Forrest City Planning Commission Tuesday afternoon.
Kevin Thomas of Jackson Used Cars requested that the commission grant him a variance to allow a six-foot chain-link fence with vinyl slats to serve as a buffer between his property and the land located to the west and north.
John Peoples, owner of the property both to the west and north of the car lot, questioned if the variance is actually necessary. "I'm not sure if my property is zoned for commercial or residential," Peoples said. "I don't have a problem with the variance either way."
Chairman Danny Capps stated that the city plat is not clear on the zoning of Peoples' property.
"The best that we can tell is that the Thomas property is in a commercial zone, butting a commercial zone on both the west and north sides," explained Capps. "If both the Peoples properties are located in commercial zones, then I don't see the need for the variance. The fence is already there, and with the slats that should be enough privacy between commercial properties.
"I do feel that we should grant the variance to Mr. Thomas, however," Capps added.
The commission unanimously voted to grant the variance. Capps also suggested that Peoples hire a surveyor to clear any doubts about his property boundaries and the zoning for his properties.
Thomas must now take the matter before the Forrest City City Council for final approval.
A home on North Rosser was destroyed and two other houses damaged this morning by fire.
The fire occurred at 822 N. Rosser.
The Forrest City Fire Department responded to a call at 3:10 a.m. According to a fire department spokesman, the roof collapsed and the house was a total loss.
The houses on each side of the burned home were also damaged. The house at 826 N. Rosser, occupied by Anita Walker, received damage to the roof and walls. The house at 816 N. Rosser, which is not occupied, received minor damage. Both the damaged houses are owned by Roger Mansel. The destroyed house is owned by Novela Gatewood, and Catrina Gatewood was living there.
According to the fire department spokesman, the cause of the fire is unknown and is under investigation.
Dave Goerlitz, best known for appearing as the "Winston Man" in numerous ads for the R.J. Reynolds company, will speak at several locations in St. Francis County on Feb. 24.
He will speak at a joint meeting of the Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club and Lion's Club at noon in Forrest City. He will also meet with local students at Lincoln Middle School, Forrest City High School, and Hughes High School.
Goerlitz was featured in 42 ads for Winston cigarettes in an advertisement series called "Search and Rescue." In November of 1988, he took a stand against smoking by participating publicly in the Great American Smokeout.
Since that time, he has been honored by the World Health Organization, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association and the American Heart Association. Over the past six years, he has told his story to more than 5 million young people and adults in North America, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and Sweden.
His visit to Forrest City and Hughes is being coordinated by the Hometown Health Network of St. Francis County and the Tobacco Prevention and Education Coalition of Forrest City.
Another suspect has been arrested as the result of a weekend drug raid on a rural residence.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Department reported Melanie Lipe, 38, 2595 SFC 811, Forrest City, was arrested without incident at the Fina Station in Palestine just after 1 a.m. today.
Lipe is charged with possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia, manufacture of a controlled substance, methamphetamine and possession of ephedrine with intent to manufacture.
Lipe was arrested in connection with a drug bust at the Timmy D. Jackson residence in the Newcastle community on Saturday. Three people were arrested at the residence, and several other people fled when police arrived, according to reports.