By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
The federal government's inability to approve an operating budget for the current fiscal year could impact the opening of a new prison facility in Forrest City.
FCI-FC Warden Cole Jeter told members of the prison's community relations board during a noon meeting Wednesday that the medium-security facility is about 90 percent completed. June was the original date set for completion of that facility, according to Jeter, who added that prison officials have requested the standard 45-day punch list and expect to take occupancy of the complex during the first part of August.
The $86-million facility is expected to employ between 325 and 350 staff members. The facility will house about 1,500 adult male offenders. Current FCI-FC employees will have an opportunity to transfer to the new compound from either the low- or minimum-security facilities that are currently being operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Forrest City.
"With the budget being incomplete, we have been operating since October under the Fiscal Year 2002 budget, so this delays everything," Jeter said.
The executive staff is expected to be hired about nine months prior to the first inmates arriving at the medium-security facility, according to Jeter, who again stressed that exact dates on when things will happen are unknown. "Once Congress tells us how much money is coming down the pike, we can start hiring executive staff late this year and be ready for activation early next year. The staff will work in the facility to familiarize themselves with its layout for several months before inmates arrive.
Although some of the duplicated services at the prison compound will be shared between the low and medium facilities, Jeter stressed that the new facility, unlike the Satellite Camp, will have its own warden and executive staff. Jeter is currently the only warden at the compound.
The low-security facility employs 321 people with an inmate population of 2,050. This facility has an estimated annual operating budget of $23 million.
Congress is still is working on spending bills for the budget year that began Oct. 1. By voice vote this week, the House approved a bill that keeps agencies open through Feb. 7 while budget negotiations continue. Without the bill, spending authority will expire Jan. 31, and quick Senate passage is expected.
The original plans for the FCI-FC was for four compounds. The BOP has not announced a decision yet as to whether or not the fourth facility will be built.
Jeter also updated board members on two other building projects. Construction is progressing on a warehouse facility for Unicor, the prison's industry where about 310 inmates are employed making furniture that is sold to government agencies. Furniture will also be built in the Unicor facility at the medium-security complex.
The second project is also the construction of a warehouse. This building will house freezers and coolers for the foodservice branch of the facility. Jeter said the FCI-FC currently spends about $90,000 annually for off-site storage areas for both the Unicor and foodservice branches.
In addition, Jeter said the FCI-FC has been approved for the addition of a firing range on which construction is expected to begin soon. "This facility will support both the low and medium facilies when it comes online," Jeter said.
"It's going to be a very busy time when the medium facility begins to operate," Jeter said.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
Drugs were found inside two Forrest City residences Wednesday afternoon as police executed search warrants within minutes of each other.
One group of officers were searching a home on Margaret Drive when police executed the third search warrant in less than three months at a home on D Street.
According to a report by the Forrest City Police Department, drugs were found on a person visiting the home of Donta Jones at 515 D St., when FCPD officers assisted the First and Third Judicial District Drug Task Forces as they raided that residence about 4:15 p.m.
During the search, police found five individual plastic bags containing marijuana with an estimated total weight of 6.6 grams on Roshunda Barber, 23. Barber is charged with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) with intent to deliver near certain facilities and non-payment of fines on a previous marijuana charge stemming from a previous warrant execution. The residence is located within 1,000 feet of a church which is defined as a certain facility in the Arkansas Criminal Code.
Jones was at home at the time of the raid, but was not charged.
The Jones residence was also raided on Nov. 6 and on Jan. 17, according to the police report. Barber was arrested on drug charges during the Nov. 6 raid, and according to police, she was "visiting" the residence when all three search warrants were executed.
Barber was scheduled to appear in District Court this afternoon.
The FCPD was assisted by the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department and the Drug Task Force as they executed a search warrant just after 4 p.m. at the home of Eric Wright at 1606 Margaret Drive.
According to police, several citizens had complained to police which caused them to begin investigating possible illegal activity at the residence which was occupied by Wright and some small children.
During the raid, police stressed that the new facility, unlike the Satellite Camp, will have its own warden and executive staff. Jeter is currently the only warden at the compound.
The low-security facility employs 321 people with an inmate population of 2,050. This facility has an estimated annual operating budget of $23 million.
Congress is still is working on spending bills for the budget year that began Oct. 1. By voice vote this week, the House approved a bill that keeps agencies open through Feb. 7 while budget negotiations continue. Without the bill, spending authority will expire Jan. 31, and quick Senate passage is expected.
The original plans for the FCI-FC was for four compounds. The BOP has not announced a decision yet as to whether or not the fourth facility will be built.
Jeter also updated board members on two other building projects. Construction is progressing on a warehouse facility for Unicor, the prison's industry where about 310 inmates are employed making furniture that is sold to government agencies. Furniture will also be built in the Unicor facility at the medium-security complex.
The second project is also the construction of a warehouse. This building will house freezers and coolers for the foodservice branch of the facility. Jeter said the FCI-FC currently spends about $90,000 annually for off-site storage areas for both the Unicor and foodservice branches.
In addition, Jeter said the FCI-FC has been approved for the addition of a firing range on which construction is expected to begin soon. "This facility will support both the low and medium facilies when it comes online," Jeter said.
"It's going to be a very busy time when the medium facility begins to operate," Jeter said.
A lawsuit has been filed by a man who claims the ladder to a deer stand collapsed with him the first time he used it, causing him severe and permanent injury.
Seamon Haynes of Wynne has filed the suit against Trax America, Inc., of Forrest City, the company which sold him the deer stand.
Oney Haynes, Seamon Haynes' wife, is also listed as a plaintiff, claiming hardship on her as a result of the accident.
According to the suit, the deer stand is designed for use by bow hunters. It states that Seamon Haynes purchased the deer stand from the company's retail outlet in Forrest City in late October of 2001.
On Nov. 10, 2001, according to the suit, Haynes used the deer stand for the first time. The ladder allegedly collapsed when he was about 10 feet off the ground. Haynes suffered fractures to his lower left leg. The suit states that metal plates and screws have been inserted into his leg, and states that he is less mobile than before.
The suit further states that the stand was expressly warranted to support a 300-pound man, and Haynes weighed 240 pounds at the time of the accident.
The suit asks for compensatory damages for hospital, medical, pharmaceutical and travel expenses, and for all other "proper relief."
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The 24th annual Arkansas Agricultural Exposition got under way this morning at the Forrest City Civic Center, with a new format and fewer exhibitors.
The Expo will be held for only one day this year, instead of the two-day format of years past.
About 100 people had signed in by 9:30 this morning.
"I'm very pleased with the new format," said Mitch Crow, Extension agent and staff chairman in St. Francis County. "I think our interest has increased with the farmers. I think we've got some landowners here today that maybe we didn't get to come in the past."
He said there is interest in provisions of the Farm Bill and the Partners program with Ducks Unlimited.
Crow acknowledged that there were fewer exhibitors than in years past.
"There are not as many exhibitors," he said. "We're a little disappointed in that. But maybe if we can get our producer and landowner numbers up, we'll get more exhibitors."
Morning sessions included conservation programs with the Farm Bill. Afternoon programs, which will continue until 4:45, will focus on water management.
A Hickory Ridge mother and daughter were killed and a Widener man injured Wednesday afternoon in an accident at a Cross County intersection near Fair Oaks.
According to a report from Arkansas State Police Troop D in Forrest City, Janet D. Suthrlen, 31, and her daughter, 13-year-old Nikki Suthrlen, both of Hickory Ridge, were killed yesterday when the 1997 Pontiac Suthrlen was driving collided with a 1992 Ford Expedition, driven by 24-year-old Samuel McNair of Widener. The accident occurred at the intersection of Cross County Roads 147 and 152.
According to the report, after stopping at a stop sign on CCR 147, Suthrlen pulled into the path of the McNair vehicle, which was traveling westbound on CCR 152. Troopers reported both vehicles were knocked 85 feet from the site of the collision and both mother and daughter were killed on impact.
McNair was transported to the MED in Memphis, and was reported to be in good condition this morning.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Water Commission heard a report this week from one of its members regarding several groundwater related topics.
Commissioner Willard Ryland, who is also a district conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), reported that well static water levels remained near the same level from 2001 to 2002, but added that the levels are misleading.
"Most of the wells we check stayed the same, some a little up and some a little down," said Ryland. "The fact that we had a large amount of rain last year helped keep us around the same level, but the static water levels have been steadily going down. Last year's numbers are not a good indicator of our well water situation.
"There are wells that 20 years ago, we would hit water at 45 feet down. Now in those same wells, we hit water at about 65 feet. That is a 20-foot drop."
Ryland said that, according to USDA and NRCS statistics, a factor in the drop is an increase in groundwater usage by farmers in St. Francis County.
A booklet handed out at the meeting showed that an approximate total of 1,990 wells, using approximately 160,183 acres of water in 2001 were applied to agricultural uses. Ryland did not have numbers for the total amount of wells in the county.
"We are trying to get farmers to move away from using groundwater over surface water," Ryland went on to say. "Groundwater is cleaner, so we are trying to save it for city water systems. Surface water is dirtier, but crops don't have to have the cleanest water to grow."
In other news, manager Jim Beazley told members that he hoped to have an update on the purchase of a new backhoe and new trucks at the next meeting.