By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
News that Gov. Mike Huckabee has recommended funding of $100,000 to help develop a transportation mall in St. Francis County was welcomed locally.
The recommendation was made late last week, to the Delta Regional Authority, which is also sorting out applications from seven other states. Huckabee recommended eight projects in Arkansas.
Although it is only a recommendation, last year, Huckabee recommended funding for 17 projects, and all 17 were approved by the DRA board.
"It's coming along," said St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, speaking of the mall project. "We've completed the study, and got a board in place. Of course, you have to lobby for all this and we've been doing that. We've come a long way, but we've got a long way to go."
Cisco said the project is in a phase of raising money to purchase land.
"We've got applications in with several agencies," he said. "This (the DRA funding) is one of them. Even though it's complicated, it's coming together slowly."
Cisco admitted that there have been setbacks, with the Sept. 11 attacks, the war in Iraq and the economy in general.
"But the study showed that this was a very feasible proposal for this area, and it would be beneficial to the economy of this area," Cisco said.
He said he wanted to clear up what he called a possible misconception -- that the mall is going to be a county-run operation. He compared the mall concept to a city's building an industrial park.
"We're just going to put in the infrastructure -- water, sewer, etc. -- and then lease the land," he said. "A lot of folks think we're going to operate the deal, but we're not. It's like an industrial park. Cities build industrial parks to attract industry. We're sort of building the transportation mall to bring in the transportation business."
Frederick Freeman, coordinator and grant writer for the project, said the project was a partnership between the public and private sector.
"I think that's significant," Freeman said. "We've got to partner with folks. The reason we've had success so far, is by bringing partners to the table. We're not trying to do it all ourselves."
He said the St. Francis County Transportation Committee is happy to get the recommendation for funding.
"We are naturally pleased with the governor's recognizing the viability of the project. This project has tremendous support in Congress, with all our delegation, and it has tremendous support within the state."
He said it is hoped that the DRA funding might be a magnet for other funding.
Buzz Haven, chairman of the Transportation Committee, said the mall will mean a lot to the economy of the county.
"I'm glad to hear our governor is going to help fund the project some, to help get it kicked off," he said. "We're excited about it, and we think it will go over well in the community.
"We're just getting into the first phases of this, and
we're hopeful that public opinion will be high on anything that
will boost our economy," he said.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
Incidents at two area nightclubs sent several people to the hospital during the holiday weekend.
Two men were shot early Sunday morning when an argument that had originated at the Player's Club on County Road 206 continued at the Shell Superstop at the Division and Broadway intersection. In a separate incident, a Little Rock man told police he was allegedly pistol-whipped by a security guard at Stan's Pad in the early morning hours on Saturday.
The Forrest City Police Department reported two Marianna brothers, Preston Weeams, 21, and Waymon Weeams Jr., 22, were shot during a fight at the convenience store just before 4 a.m.
Police arriving at the store found Waymon Weeams Jr., bleeding from his right arm. Weeams told police he was enroute to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City where his brother, who had been shot several times, had already been taken. Weeams told police he did not know who had shot them or what type of vehicle the subject had left driving.
FCPD Criminal Investigation Division Sgt. Brian Davis said the shooting is believed to have been the continuation of a fight that had started at the club.
While taking statements from witnesses at the Superstop, hospital personnel notified police that about 30 people were causing a disturbance in the parking lot outside the emergency room. Officers were able to get this disturbance under control, and the subjects left without further incident, according to police.
A doctor treating Preston Weeams told police it appeared as if the victim had six gunshot wounds to his arms and upper torso. He was later transferred to Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock for further treatment. Police reported he was in critical, but stable, condition. Waymon Weeams was treated and released for a single gunshot wound to his lower right arm.
Just prior to the shootings, the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department was notified that a Forrest City man had been cut several times on his back while he was allegedly attempting to keep a friend from joining in a fight on the Player's Club parking lot.
According to the report, Jecobbie Williams, 24, 729 Lewis St., told deputies that while he was holding his friend back, a woman walked up behind him and started cutting his back with a box cutter and threatened to kill him. Williams told police he was able to stop the attack when he started hitting her.
Police said this morning they believe the two incidents may be related.
Deputies reported early Saturday morning that Alfonso Reynolds, 44, of Little Rock, was treated for wounds to his face and head after getting into a scuffle with a bouncer at Stan's Pad on County Road 224.
Reynolds told police he was standing outside the club about 1 a.m. when his brother was ejected from the club and a fight ensued. Reynolds said one of the bouncers hit him in the head with a firearm.
The investigations are continuing.
A Forrest City man could face charges of sexual assault after a report was filed with the Forrest City Police Department by the mother of an 11-year-old girl who was allegedly assaulted last month.
In a statement to police, the 11-year-old claimed that a 34-year-old man had assaulted her between the dates of June 10 and June 13, at her home. According to the report, the girl was sleeping on the couch at the family's home when the assault occurred. The suspect allegedly entered the residence and assaulted the girl after her mother had gone to bed. The report also alleges that the suspect threatened to kill the child if she told anyone what had happened.
In a separate incident, FCPD officers are investigating a possible "pigeon drop" robbery which took place on Thursday.
According to a report from the FCPD, Mark Taggart, 2394 SFC 206, Forrest City, told officers that on Thursday afternoon he was approached by a black male subject asking for assistance near First Baptist Church on North Rosser Street. According to the report, the subject began talking to Taggart on the subject of money and advised Taggart of a scheme which would make him a profit.
According to the report, Taggart gave his wallet to the unknown individual who then placed the wallet in a paper sack with other money and handed the bag to Taggart. According to the report Taggart realized he had been defrauded after the man and two associates left the seen. The suspects were seen leaving in a greenish colored car. Taggart reportedly lost $80 in cash along with his identification and a check card.
On Saturday night, a local resident was robbed of $200 while sitting in his car at a stop light in downtown Forrest City Saturday night.
Robert Austin, 37, 724 Laughrun, Forrest City, told police he was stopped at the Broadway and Rosser Streets intersection when a black male subject jumped into the passenger side of his vehicle. The subject reportedly instructed Austin to drive south of the intersection where he demanded his money and jumped from the vehicle.
The Fourth of July weekend kept officers busy in Arkansas State Police Troop D, but apparently the extra effort paid off.
There were no fatalities, and no alcohol-related accidents.
The holiday weekend officially began at 6 p.m. Thursday, and ended Sunday night at midnight.
According to Lt. Tommy Wicker, there were 275 speeding arrests and 19 DWI arrests. In addition, there were 44 seat belt violations and 25 child restraint violations. There were 34 other hazardous arrests and 127 non-hazardous arrests. There were 92 criminal arrests.
Wicker said there were 616 arrests in all, and a total of 1,146 officer-vehicle contacts.
Troop D, headquartered in Forrest City, takes in the counties of St. Francis, Crittenden, Phillips, Lee, Cross, Woodruff, Monroe and Prairie.